[PFS] [Core] #00-01 Silent Tide (Inactive)

Game Master Zizazat

Asarnil takes a couple of steps foeward and once again summons his powers to crush the skeleton fighting Kyra!

Force Missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Asarnil blasts away at the skeleton!

Barret's song is once again silenced as he moves in closer to the skeletal agent.

The undead swings it's sickle at the half-orc!

BE #3 (Barret): 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (12) - 1 = 11 *miss*

Round 3

Asarnil
BE #3 - 2 damage taken
Wyatt
Barret
Kyra
BE #4 - 4 damage taken

Wyatt, Barret, and Kyra are up!

Wyatt moves forward, and lets loose another stone at a skeleton, this time at the one battling Barret.

Sling: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 5 + 1 + 1 = 18, for 1d4 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 1 + 1 = 5 damage.

Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 77.

Wyatt drops the skeleton with his sling stone, and Barret's singing can once again be heard!

Round 3

Asarnil
Wyatt
Barret
Kyra
BE #4 - 4 damage taken

Barret and Kyra are up!

Kyra moves to fight another skeleton.
Shield bash+IC: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 1 = 4
B damage+IC: 1d4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 1 = 5
concealment: 1d100 ⇒ 42

Help with position please

Kyra, you are still directly in front of the one which jumped out of the gain to attack you! Sadly a natural 1 misses though :)

Barret!

Barret will sigh and give up on his epic as most of it has probably been lost to magical silence anyway, and he will move up to the remaining Black Echelon and will attempt to aid Kyra in taking it down

Aid Another: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Barret moves in next to Kyra and tries to draw the creature's attention setting her up to destroy it! Kyra gets a +2 on her next attack roll.

The skeleton seems to take the bait a little too eagerly and swings it's sickle at Barret!

BE #4(Barret): 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12 *miss*

Round 4

Asarnil
Wyatt
Barret
Kyra
BE #4 - 4 damage taken

Party up!

"Evil creature die!" yells Kyra as she bashes.
Shield bash+IC+Aid: 1d20 + 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 1 + 2 = 11
B damage+IC: 1d4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 = 6

Wyatt calmly steps forward, and lets loose with another sling stone.

Sling: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 4 + 1 = 19, for 1d4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 1 = 5 damage.

Kyra still manages to loose her footing in the grain, but Wyatt is able to finish off the last skeleton!

Out of Combat

Searching the remains turns up little of use, but the chest does contain several vials of poison the Black Echelon was going to use on the grain before your timely intervention!

Yargos seems very impressed with your performance against the Black Echelon agents, "You handled that very well Pathfinders! Most excellent work!" He spends a bit of time examining the remains as well nodding and muttering to himself.

Discovered anything, Mr. Yargos? Barret will inquire as he sheathes his rapier.

"If not, then perhaps we should go and meet our information broker...?"

So saying, Wyatt packs up the poison, and makes ready to move out.

Yargos shakes his head at Barret's question. "Interesting in a historical sense, but nothing interesting in leading us to Nessian. We should return to the Siphons."

Desperate to find Nessian, Yargos leads you into the sewer maze of the Puddle District, a waterlogged labyrinth of dangerously flooded tunnels known as the Siphons. Eventually you find yourselfs in the receiving room of Grandmaster Torch, one of Absalom’s most notorious information brokers. Yargos warns "Grandmaster Torch has powerful friends and bodyguards. It will be wise to keep your weapons sheathed."

After Yargos requests an audience, you are brought before the Grandmaster, a charming, soft-spoken man, but one whose entire body is covered in horrible burn scars. Grandmaster Torch lounges in a shallow pool nursing his scars while two servants gently recycle the water over his charred form. His two heavily armored, half-orc bodyguards remain close at hand.

"What brings you across my door today Yargos?" Torch asks.

Yargos explains the situation to Grandmaster Torch, who listens and nods sagely. Finally after a few long moments, Torch concedes that he does know Nessian's whereabouts. "I am sure you can understand my position though. As an up-and-coming lord in Absalom's underworld, it wouldn't do for me to burn that particular bridge just yet...for less than 6000 gp."

Wyatt eyebrows rise high in obvious shock.

Such a sum is patently ridiculous! It is more than a man could earn in a lifetime...

"That seems... a little excessive. Especially since, if things go as we plan, he won't rise any higher in the underworld, but will be making a trip to the Underworld. Is there some sort of alternative funding option? A quid pro quo, if you will?"

Kyra looks unsurprised to Torch "It is understandable you don't want to harm your reputation. But no one will know where the information came from, will they? There's nothing for you to fear. You can tell us safely."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
"Does he have anything you want?"

Asarnil scoffs at Torch's request:"Yes, well... we don't have that kind of money and even if we did, I doubt we would even consider giving it to you for a mere chitchat. Know this: we just stopped ancient undead abominations intent in poisoning the whole city grain reserve and the problem is far from resoved yet. Tell us where this would be crime lord is hiding and we'll deal with him and his undead pets permanently, and that will improve your life expectancy too!"

Torch listens intently, taking it all in. "You make excellent points, my new friends. Excellent points indeed. I’ve recently come into possession of a series of safes. Unfortunately, the safecracker I employed has turned out to be quite useless. If you can coax even three of the five safes open, I could be persuaded to disclose Nessian’s location and dispense with my regular fee entirely. These chests are remarkably unique and I have the foreboding suspicion that, in this case, the receptacles just might be worth more than their contents, so I’d rather you didn’t smash them open. Do you think we can come to a deal?"

Wyatt looks to the others, and then shrugs.

"Well, compared to 6000gp, I would say that is probably a reasonable offer... Where are these chests?"

With some effort, Torch gets up and leads you to a side room. Inside there are five chests, as he said. "Please, open at least three of these. And do not destroy them. I have some other matters to attend in the meantime, please take all the time you need." With that Torch leaves and closes the door behind him.

Chest 1 - The lock of this iron cask contains a laughing devil’s head.
Chest 2 - This red box has been inset with a trio of golden faces: the first appears stern, the second angry, and the third fumes with hatred.
Chest 3 - The lid of this stone chest is covered with a relief of carved ivy.
Chest 4 - This sealed stone chest has no visible lock or hinges. No decoration or writing of any kind can be found.
Chest 5 - A strange stylized writing wraps around the whole of this rectangular chest. Stranger still are the ten small pores that run along the box’s lid.

Warily, Wyatt inspects each of the chests.

Perception 'take 20' = 28.

I think perhaps chest number 5 may be opened with some kind of liquid. Water, oil maybe... The rest, I honestly have no clue as to what method they may be opened by... Do we know if these all came from the same place? Barret will inquire, furrowing his brow as he attemps to think of any way he may know to open these chests

Asarnil scoffs:"Don't look at me... I have no clue and it's a bit unlcear to me why we should do mr crispy's homework..."

Or, in other words, any useful skill checks we can try? Say Asarnil wanted to examine the box with the 3 faces, what kind of checks would he have to take?

Wyatt slowly examines each box in turn sharing this information with his fellow Pathfinders.

Chest 1 - the devil’s head can be turned in both directions, like a combination lock, but without numbers to act as a guide. Disable Device, unless you want to try and convince me of another relevant skill.

Chest 2 - both Wyatt and Asarnil get the feeling that this box will respond to negative, angry emotion.

Chest 3 - Wyatt notices between the ivy leaves carved into the chest there are also delicate letters which form the following riddle: Though different now sounds my name, the spelling still remains the same. Once prior leap of might, now becomes bird of white.

Chest 4 - Nothing additional is learned. It appears to be a block of stone.

Chest 5 - There is a hidden panel on the side of this box, but it is unclear how it opens. As Barret investigates the chest further, he notices that the stylized writing are actually musical notes! The box is actually a kind of wind instrument with the holes on the top allowing the players to blow into the first hole and use the others to produce notes! A Perform (wind) check would allow you to try and play the tune the writing details.

Wyatt looks at the boxes doubtfully.

"Does anyone have any skill with locks, intimidation, or wind instruments?"

Not really my skill set, I am afraid...

"...once prior leap of might, now becomes bird of white... yeah, right... once prior leap... or past tense of dive, which is dove! Which also happens to be a bird of white..."

Asarnil hrumps and points at the third chest:"I believe I know the answer for this riddle... for apparent reasons it's the word dove. I'm sure that uttering near the chest will help opening it"

Barret will rub his hands together and mumble Ok, ok... I can try my best with this instrument, but most of my experience with wind instruments is with war-horns...

Barret will take his time to memorize the notes and attempt to play the chest, musing about how this is probably the strangest thig he's done recently

If possible, take 20 for 23. If not, see below

Perform Wind: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

When he is done with that, he will cast Detect Magic on the stone block to see if he can learn anything.

As Asarnil speaks the word dove the box opens, revealing many pieces of incense and a book inside!

One down, two to go!

Barret I don't see a reason you couldn't take 20 on this.

After a few missteps and sour notes, Barret is able to play the wind instrument and produce a relaxing tune. The hidden panel on the side iris' open and a scroll is contained within. The scroll is a complete symphony of a great Talden Master!

Two down, one to go!

Barret then casts detect magic and discovers there is indeed an aura of illusion magic on the stone block.

It appears that stone is more and less than what it seems, Barret will muse as he strokes his beard, perhaps someone more versed in the art of spellcraft could try to determine what sort of wizardry hides the true nature of this chest?

Asarnil gives Barret a quizzical look:"Divination isn't really my favored branch of the Art but I can surely give it a try...

Spellcraft check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Hmmm... With regard to the combination lock, how about putting your ear to it, and listening for clicks as the tumblers are activated (Perception) - this might actually be one of those times were you *don't* need disable device!

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19.

With the 'negative emotion box', Wyatt tries ranting and screaming epithets at it.

Intimidate: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (14) - 2 = 12.

Finally, with the 'stone box', he frowns.

"Illusion, you say, Barret?"

Wyatt then tries closing his eyes, and putting his hand through the lid of the box. If that does not work, he tries turning it upside down.

Will (+4, since we have told there is an illusion?) 1d20 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 1 + 4 = 16.

Wyatt sweeps in like the box whisper and fiddles with the devil head on the first box a few moments until it opens containing a lost treatise entitled “The Inward Facing Circle” written by Coganaris the Wracker, a famed Chelish devil-binder, along with scrolls of protection from evil and protection from good.

Turning to the second box, Wyatt begins screaming and shouting at in an intimidating display and it clicks open revealing a collection of ancient stone miniatures of an Ulfen army from the Land of the Linnorm Kings.

Finally, unconvinced that the lid is even real, Wyatt reaches right into the final box and removes a heavy bag of rare spell components!

The Pathfinders bring Grandmaster Torch all five open safes with their contents. He seems very pleased, and a bit surprised, "Most excellent work Pathfinders! I'll keep your talents in mind in the future. Now, as to our deal...Nessian lairs in a new base of operations nicknamed the Pyramid of the Dog which he has carved out of a ruin of half collapsed siege towers, just outside of Absalom." As he looks over the contents of the five chests he rings a little bell and one of his attendants comes running. "Bring 400 gp to the Pathfinders here. They did an outstanding service for me today. You have my thanks Pathfinders! I trust your discretion in dealing with Nessian that you would not tell him how you came to find his little Pyramid."

To the Pyramid of the Dog then?

Asarnil scratches his head as Wyatt effortlessly opens the trapped box:"A malfunction, perhaps? That Wyatt seems to be a lucky devil, better to keep an eye on him...".

When Grandmaster Torch compliments them the elf stays silent but when the burned man is finished with his speech and the money delivered he clears his voice:"Well... I'm happy we were able to solve this on amicable terms but there's another curiosity I'm dying to satisfy... what are you grandmaster of, exactly?"

Unless there's some other possible destination I think that's where we need to be ;P

Kyra is still thinking on what the chests might mean when all her mates came to nice solutions "That was a great demonstration!"

Shortly after she thanks Master Torch for the information and the extra reward. Are we keeping also those scrolls or does Torch do it?

Looking at Asarnil and the others she adds "I think it is time to met this Nessian. Let's go and check that Pyramid of the Dog." she looks at Torch and asks "Can you give us exact directions to the Pyramid and details about what can we face there?"
Diplomacy (gather information): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Eastern holidays came to an end, I am back!

Wyatt nods.

"Agreed. We should head there with all speed, before he manages to do something truly dangerous..."

Yes, happy to be of service to you, Mister Torch. Barret will say with a half smile on his face. As my friend requested, is there anything you might be able to tell us about this pyramid? Specifically we need directions to it, but anything about its defenses would be quite helpful.

Diplomacy Aid for Kyra: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

You may keep the scrolls.

Grandmaster Torch chuckles at Asarnil's question. "Believe it or not, years ago I used to perform all across the Inner Sea. Playing my mandolin and singing before packed concert halls."

Torch provides you with detailed directions on how to reach the Pyramid of the Dog. "Nessian’s decrepit lair is not truly a pyramid at all. The Osariani would be offended to hear him refer to it as such. Rather it consists of four ancient, battered siege towers, three of which have collapsed inward toward the largest, forming a giant, tepee-like wreck."

As you leave Grandmaster Torch's location in the Siphons Wyatt and Asarnil spy an interchange of flashing green and orange lights coming from the cliffs in the distance. Yargos recognizes its significance instantly and becomes quite upset. "Oh no. This is dreadful! These lights will send a team of Black Echelon operatives to attack the Metro-Cathedral, an old church of Abadar. Although worshipers of Abadar have traveled to new parishes ever since the earthquake that laid low the Puddle District, the Metro-Cathedral still has one use: every Oathday morning, the priests of Abadar still play the ritual tune on the Metro-Cathedral’s giant pipe organ to remind all of Absalom to honor its pacts."

Yargos further explain, "According to the codebook, when Black Echelon shuts down the giant organ in midtune, the sudden disruption becomes the signal for Silent Tide; the awaiting Armada is to approach to the city and begin its attack run!"

"Given what we have seen of the Binding Word, we should hurry to the Metro-Cathedral and stop the Black Echelon there before trying to deal with Nessian. But the choice is your Pathfinders." Yargo says grimly.

"In that case I vote to hurry towards the Metro-Cathedral, we cannot allow the city to be attacked by an Armada while we deal with Nessian." says Kyra, and she starts running to the temple if the party members agree.

Barret will give a resigned sigh and grumble I guess we must go to one final delay... Though I am afraid if this one goes even slightly sour we will have to see a priest before attacking Nessian's lair.

Asarnil rolls his eyes at Yargos yet finds himself once again agreeing with the old man as he sighs:"Unsavory as this delay may be the prospect of NOT facing an horde of decrepit skeletons helps once again deviating from our goal..."

"To the Cathedral!"

As the Pathfinders approach the cathedral, you hear a magnificent tune will playing. As you get closer, however, the sound starts to break down and become patchy. Then a creepy moment ensues as the sound becomes a cacophony of off-key noise and then suddenly comes to an end. Yargos screams, "We must hurry and continue the music, lest the attack ensue!"

There are a set of massive double doors in front of you leading into the cathedral, as well as two smaller doors on the west and east sides of the building.

Map has been updated!

Wyatt confidently moves forward, and opens the main door.

Kyra says "Let's make a two prong attack and catch them off-flank. I will enter trough the East door." the armored cleric moves hastily to the eastern side and pushes open the door at the same time as Wyatt, loaded sling at her shield hand, scimitar at the other.

Barret will nod and follow Kyra's lead, drawing his rapier as he stacks at the door behind Kyra

"Look! Skeletons playing the piano! How charming!!!" Asarnil exclaims as he points his index finger at the fifth skeleton on the line and lets a bolt of energy erupt from it!

Initiative check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Force Missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Well that's just ... odd. My post got eaten.

As you enter the cathedral, you see many Black Echelon agents doing...something...to the massive organ along the back wall! The organ's massive keys stand 15' off the floor, and you can see 4 Black Echelon agents already positioned up in the organ's pipes. There are bodies of the clergy laying about the altar and the organ.

Round 1

Asarnil
Barret
Kyra
Wyatt
Black Echelon #1
Black Echelon #2
Black Echelon #3
Black Echelon #4
Black Echelon #5 - 3 damage taken
Black Echelon #6

Asarnil hits one of the skeletons with his force missile!

Everyone else may act!

Kyra advances towards the keyboard shooting a sling bullet over the same skeleton Asarnil has hit with his force missile.
Sling: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (16) + 0 = 16
Bludgeoning damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
"For Serenrae! Stop that tune!" shouts the woman.

Barret will rush past Kyra, trying to position himself to assist by using his weapons or spells (remembering the silencing effect the Black Echalon had before).