PFS CORE - PbP Gameday IV - #5-08 The Confirmation (Inactive)

Game Master Paladin of Baha-who?

Ulena takes a defensive stance near the cave entrance, knowing there's no way shed be able to keep up with the halfling woman armored as she was, she begrudgingly accepts Janira's sacrifice.

"Shelyn protect her. I'll stand guard here until you're all in, then I'll enter as well, hurry before the Minotaur realizes what's happening!"

"You'll never see a dwarf turn down the safety of the underground."

Thergrom scuttles past the others and heads into the cave, scooping up the backpack as he moves.

"We have our mission, and she has hers. Let's get inside."

Bertha follows Betsy into the cave, while Betsy tries to pick up a scent of anyone in there already.

I'll assume that Zolaffer comes as well, since everyone else has.

After you squeeze through the relatively narrow entrance (too narrow for the minotaur for sure), the five foot wide tunnel extends into the rock for 20 feet. Thergrom and BABS can see with their darkvision that it opens up into a broader tunnel thereafter. The others will need a source of light if you continue further into the mountain.

If you want Betsy to try to track by scent, you'll need to make a Survival roll for her, BABS.

Examining the backpack that Janira left you, it contains:

Note that Janira has also previously handed out:
wand of burning hands (CL 3rd, 2 charges) -- Adinomo is holding this
wand of cure light wounds (CL 3rd, 7 charges) -- Ulena is holding this

Is anyone still injured? Before you continue, I'll need to know a marching order, what light sources are being used and who's carrying them.

Adinomo takes one of his torches and lights it.

"What shall we do with Janira's items? She probably wants us to use then if we need them, however I am not sure what to do with those now"

Survival: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Unless anyone else wants them, Bertha will take the potion of barkskin, scrolls of entangle and gust of wind, and an alchemist's flask.

Betsy and Bertha can take point without a light source.

As I've already used my own alchemist's fire, I'd prefer to have this one handy for the rest of the adventure. Also Zolaffer's (barely) a better shot with it.

Survival: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

"Hey, look, those are... our footprints! Yes, I've tracked our own footprints, right to this lair!"

Responding to his fellow gnome, Zolaffer states his views on resource management. "We should use every asset made available to us, especially when it's not our name on the bill!"

"Yoink," he mutters as he plucks an alchemist's fire from the pack to replace the one he threw earlier. "Yoink." Holy Water.

"That's about all I can carry."

Survival: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (19) - 1 = 18

Ulena kneels down to inspect the footprints she found after entering the cave. She points them out to the rest of the group who seem to be occupied with Janira's backpack.

"Unless anyone objects, I'll lead us in exploring the caves. Though any input on where to go I'll defer to group decision. I am the most heavily armored. I'll carry anything the rest of you don't need from that pack."

Survival: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

"Here's the footprints of the gillmen, I bet. Seems like one just arrived before us."

Thergrom will take the remaining scrolls (scroll of identify, scroll of mage armor(CL 6), scroll of obscuring mist) and the tanglefoot bag and hand the pack to Ulena.

"I'll take the rear, in case that beast overcomes Janira and follows our scent."

Darkvision both directions now.

He scans the scrolls and surmises. "Seeing as how I've already used my wand on myself, if anyone can benefit from the Mage Armor protection spell, I'd be willing to cast it on you. Never know what we may face in the coming hours."

Does mage armor provide any benefit if a character already has armor of +4 AC or better?

@BABS Not for AC, no (except since it is a force effect, it will help protect against incorporeal creatures, where regular armor won't)

Mage armor could help your animal companion, however, although it wouldn't stack with any barding she's wearing. Later on in your career it might be worthwhile to have a wand of mage armor on you to hand to the party wizard/sorceror and say, "Please use this on my boar/me when I'm wild-shaped."

Sounds like the marching order you guys have decided on is BABS and Ulena in the front, Thergrom in the rear, Zolaffer and Adinomo in between?

Marching order sounds good

"I could use some protection, but I hope to stay out of combat. So if one of our melee combatants can use the additional armor I would give it to them. I will take the vial of acid, to replace the one I used earlier"

Ah, good advice! So actually, mage armor on the boar would be an improvement. Thanks!

Marching order looks good to me too.

"My armor should be sufficient, but thank you."

Thergrom doublechecks the scroll and looks at the boar.

"Perhaps Miss Gavix would care to preserve her expensive scroll. I anticipate we will see her again. But here you go, little ones."

Thergrom uses his wand to cast Mage Armor on Betsy and Adinomo, replaces it and pulls out his battleaxe.

"Lead on ma'am. I believe we are ready."

The group of pathfinders heads into the deeper cave. 20 feet from the narrow entrance, the tunnel has widened into a pathway about 10 feet wide, allowing two to walk abreast. Stalactites drip water, occasionally plinking onto someone's head, and the rock is slightly slippery. You faintly hear a distant rushing of an underground river, and the occasional movement in the distance, such as by some subterranean creature. A faint blue glow comes from luminescent fungi.

Petroglyphs, mostly depicting marine animals or spiral shapes, periodically decorate the tunnels' walls. These appear to have been carved over years, perhaps by the gillmen Janira saw entering these tunnels, and the rough surface of the carvings apparently serves as a better anchor for the fungi. As a result, these carvings, except a few that appear to have been made relatively recently, glow brighter than any of their surroundings.

The narrow tunnel twists and turns for several hundred feet before slowly opening to a wider passage. A large hole spans the cave's width and stretches ten feet down the path.

1d6 ⇒ 5

Survival: 1d20 ⇒ 15

"Careful now! Do you see that that pit was not originally there? It has been here for something like a year I guess. Shall I throw down my torch to see how deep it is? Or does someone have the light cantrip they can use on a pebble?"

Survival: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (20) - 1 = 19 That's two Survival rolls I've aced despite a negative mofidifer, the dice roller only likes when I use skills I'm bad at.

"Good idea Adinomo, I also have quite a few extra torches we can use if you'd like."

Ulena has seemed a little preoccupied during their venture through the caves, as though she's focused on something.

Maintaining detect evil

Actually, if you look over the edge while holding a light, you can see the bottom easily.

The pit looks to be only 20 feet deep, but has sharp spikes on the bottom. At the bottom of the pit, you can see what looks like a small bundle of cloth.

survival: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

"That looks like a dangerous fall. Any ideas how to get across? I've a bit of rope. It seems there is a bonus prize if you are brave enough to climb to the bottom."

Thergrom remains vigilant, watching the rear for stalking beasts.

"If you have a rope, I will climb down."

Climb, take 10: 10 + 4 = 14

Before Babs descends into the pit, Zolaffer runs up and taps her on the shoulder. "You are not climbing down without help," he says.

Take a little Guidance for +1 competence.

With a rope, BABS is easily able to climb down. The spikes are vicious-looking, but are far apart enough that she can easily stand between them safely. She bends down and picks up the bundle of cloth, which opens into a fine cloak, which seems to have survived an unknown amount of time in this cave without any harm. In fact, it seems to be warmer and softer than you'd expect an ordinary cloak to be.

Detect Magic reveals a faint aura.

Now, the question is, how do you get up the other side?

"Ten feet across, huh?" Zolaffer muses as he sizes up the distance. "Stand back. this will be hilarious."

Misread longstrider earlier, so couldn't actually cast it. Casting now, and also Guidance.

Zolaffer casts two spells in quick succession, backs the necessary distance to build enough momentum, and runs towards the pit before leaping...

Take Ten: 10 + 4 + 1 = 15 = 15 feet

... clear across the pit!

Moving at 40 ft for one hour = +4 to jump, 14 dex = +2, Guidance = +1, ACP = -2

"That was a gnome darned near flying. Don't let me show you up. Toss yourselves over, or at least a hammer and piton so I can secure a rope line."

Ulena claps excitedly as the flamboyant gnome launches himself clear over the pit.
"That was amazing!" She says as she tosses her rope over.
"Unfortunately I don't have anything to secure it with, maybe you can tie it around a stalagmite?"

"Let me know when it's secure," Bertha shouts up.

When the rope is in place, she will climb up, after casting Guidance on herself. (Good call, Zolaffer!)

Climb: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

After she is up, she will look around the area to try and find some way to help Betsy get across.

Thergrom winces as he struggles down into the pit and back up the other side. take 10 climb down and up: 10 - 1 = 9

"Let me have a look at that cloak. We may have found our first loot."
kn arcana: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

After several moments of arcane study, he exclaims "Ah, certainly. What we have here is a cloak of resisting ill effects. Should be useful to someone in the party. I personally can grace myself through my spells."

Speaking of that, he thinks, I should be casting that spell regularly now that we are in hostile caves. casts resistance

With a rope secured on the other side, everyone can take 10 and get up the rope with a wall to brace against (DC 5). Someone's rope has to be left behind, though, unless someone wants to untie it and then make the climb without it (or the jump across).

Everyone else makes their way down and back up. Betsy has to have the rope tied around her chest and is pulled up, but with reassurances from BABS, she submits to this with quiet dignity.

As they move on, they discover a wooden plank, three feet wide and twelve feet long, resting against the wall of the cave. Someone may have used this plank to cross the pit, and placed it here after crossing.

The tunnels continue on, leading deeper beneath the Kortos Mounts until they eventually open into a large cavern. What must have once been beautifully carved reliefs and inscriptions have since weathered heavily, their features dulled and softened to the point that it is hard to distinguish what each once depicted. A wide tunnel exits the cavern on its far side, and blue-burning torches line the passageway's walls.

These carvings and inscriptions are very different than the petroglyphs found earlier in the cave. Some of the inscriptions are blurred beyond recognition by age, but four seem to be decipherable. The letters are clear enough, in any case.

To decipher the inscriptions, Knowledge (history or religion) may be used, or Appraise or Perception at a slightly higher DC. If anyone speaks Azlanti or Aquan, you receive a +2 bonus to the check (cumulative).

Map is updated!

Bertha will use the plank to cross the pit to retrieve the rope for its owner, and leave the plank in place for Betsy in case a quick retreat is necessary.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Bertha thinks the carvings are pretty, but it is a shame that someone saw fit to despoil the natural beauty of the caves.

"What are these?" Adinomo holds his torch closer to the hieroglyphs to get a better look, taking his time to study them.

Perception, take 20: 20 + 2 = 22

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Ulena scrunches her face and looks closely at the hieroglyphs but is unsure she comprehends their meaning. She shrugs and take point again, looking toward the exit on the far side.

"I suppose we should continue?"

When the party is ready, and if they agree to move that way, Ulena will head towards the exit mentioned above.

Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

"I know what these are!" Zolaffer says excitedly. "These are... carvings!"

These checks function similar to a knowledge check, so you can take 10 but not 20. We can consider Ulena and Zolaffer's checks to be aid another for someone else.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Bertha will study the carvings for a long time.

Perception, Take 20: 20 + 5 = 25

perc: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

Again, you can't take 20 on this check, because Perception is being used to substitute for a knowledge check. You can take 10 or roll it.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Sorry - I already rolled it, and then misread your comment...

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Adinomo, with the assistance of the others, manages to figure out that at least some of these inscriptions and figures represent some of the guises of the dead God Aroden, once the patron of Absalom. One of them, you recognize, is described as the Beggar, shown in a drawing kneeling with an alms bowl raised high. Another is the Farmer, shown plowing a field of four lines.

There are other figures, but it's not entirely clear what they represent, and none of you are sufficiently familiar with the lore of the defunct Church of Aroden to make sense of them. Only these two are clear enough to Adinomo's sharp eyes to be deciphered. However, the runes could be copied down and brought to Janira and Kreighton Shane to be studied further.

Adinomo takes out his sketchbook and copies the pictures.

"See, that is the beggar, one of the guises of Aroden. And that one must be the Farmer. I have no clue what the others are, but Kreighton Shane or Janira probably know more."

Adinomo puts his book away and then adds "That that board was on this end of the pit implies that we aren't alone in these caves, doesn't it?"

"Also that we are unwelcome. You do not bar your door for guests."

"Beggars and farmers, you say. Well if Janira wants documentation of this place, I guess that's our job."

Thergrom will pull out his sketching material and copy the reliefs as best he can, as well as a crude map of the caves so far, and a description of the cloak found earlier.

"Shall we continue on?"

"Yes."

Betsy leads the way deeper into the caverns.

Moving the group onward.

The initiates cautiously move forward, through the tunnel lined with everburning torches, and discover a grand chamber. A large pool of water along the chamber’s southern edge reflects the blue and green radiance of the torches to illuminate the massive stalactites that cling to the ceiling overhead. Two other tunnels branch off from this area, leading to the east and west.

Kneeling in the pool, facing away from you is a old man. His clothes are folded neatly on the rock behind him, and he is holding very still, as if in meditation. A closer look reveals that he has gills on the sides of his neck, just above the shoulders. He has given no sign that he is aware of your presence.

Beyond him, deeper in the pool, a column of rock rises from the pool, with steeply sloped sides and a flat top, as if someone had sawn off the top of a massive stalagmite. A miniature city carved from this same stone occupies nearly the entire surface. Tiny trinkets such as ancient coins, polished semiprecious stones, and ornately braided loops of string are scattered throughout the diorama, and pale cave frogs clamber atop it. The smooth cavern floor is covered in gravel and pebbles along the edge of the pool, and several foot-long centipedes prowl among the gravel in their
search for prey.

"Wow!" Bertha exclaims, before slapping her hand over her mouth. Then more quietly, she says "Hello?"

She moves forward, without weapons drawn, hands open in a gesture of friendship.

Betsy trots up to the water and sniffs it, taking a drink if she is unconcerned by it.

Ulena gives Bertha an appreciative nod, and does the same.

"My name is Ulena, we were hoping you could explain to us what goes on in these caves."

Thergrom moves up to take a closer look at the miniature city.

perc: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Moving Betsy and Bertha forward on the map. Please move your icons when you post saying you're moving.

The gillman does not respond at all, giving no sign that he heard either the paladin or the druid, until he sees Betsy come up and start drinking the crystal-clear water. After noticing the boar, he turns to look over his shoulder and takes note of the arrivals. He turns around, standing up, and picking up a wooden staff from the ground where his clothing lies. He is currently clad in a belt with several pouches attached to it. Leaning on his staff, he says nothing, although he is looking at Ulena and Bertha intently, as if waiting for you to introduce yourselves.

Knowledge Geography: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

"Hello there, my name is Ulena, might I say that's a very fine model of Absalom. Did you make that yourself?"