PFS: Crypt of the Everflame (Inactive)

Game Master R D

I'll pick up a small stone and cast light on it, then toss it in about 10-15 forward.

Again, Girion cast light on himself back at the entrance, using his SLA...

Girion checks the dead villagers, and intones a brief prayer to Iomedae over the bodies. "Why are these people here? Is it part of their ritual?" he wonders aloud. "There were more than two horses outside, so there may be other villagers still alive within."

When he hears the wailing sound, Girion shudders. Knowledge rolls? Steadying his nerves, he moves to investigate the room, allowing his halo of light to lead the way.

I've revealed a bit more of the room.

Harrow walks into the room and will move to the left.

perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

There's nothing impeding darkvision, right? It's just lower visibility because of the angles of the walls?

There's nothing impeding darkvision, right? It's just lower visibility because of the angles of the walls?

That is correct.

More of the map has been revealed.

Harrow walks cautiously down the corridor to the east.

"Stay together! We don't want to get ambushed!" Girion growls. (Since people are posting at different rates, can we wait for a few more posts before moving on? otherwise the fastest poster will trigger an encounter before other players have even checked in...)

Harrow Perception Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Harrow Perception Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Harrow Perception Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

As Harrow walks down the corridor, he notices something... odd... about the floor. (I've marked the square that Harrow noticed with a red outline on the map.) It looks like that part of the floor is... fake... somehow...
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Yes. I won't let the next encounter happen until everyone checks in at least once. :-)

I don't think we need all 6 characters to say they are moving in together. I think it's assumed we are all going in, though often the DM will have something happen once two people have agreed to it. Just trying to keep things moving forward.

"Hey, what this? More illusions like pies and orcs? I still mad pies were illusions..."

Harrow stops and waits for the others to check out the floor.

Before Harrow's eyes, the floor blurs and starts to look like a very big pie...

Just kidding!!! Nothing happens to the floor. :-)

Keeping his eyes wide open, Berosius follows Tan'ia into the room.

Keeping things moving is fine, but we aren't moving together as a group - right now the map shows Harrow out of sight of the rest of the party. Can we set up a marching order that we will go by, and have the group move together?

Girion advances to back up Harrow, keeping his eyes open and motioning the rest of the group to keep up. The halo of light around his head casts light around the area.

Girion Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (11) + 0 = 11
Girion Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (1) + 0 = 1

Girion approaches Harrow.

I have revealed a bit more of the map.

Berosius Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Arak is likely to be in the front one or two ranks with his high perception.

At this point Arak would move to cover his companions. E, N, N, E, E

Arak Perception Check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
Arak Perception Check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Arak notices two more spots on the floor that don't look right. (Now, also outlined in red.) He realizes that those are "false" floors; these are pit traps!

Arak shouts a warning to his companions, "Beware! There is illusionary magic on the floors hiding dangerous pits! Can any of your detect it more acutely so noone falls to their death?"

Really! Let me see! Lumnessa calls as she scurries forward. Once she gets to one of the pit traps she'll start poking at it.

LOL! My apologies if I was vague before; I was teasing Harrow about the illusory stuff. The "false" floors are not illusions; they are camouflaged.

Arak notices that the pit bottoms are filled with soft, fluffy pillows. The same pillows that the dead villagers brought with them.

Lumnessa Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (16) + 0 = 16

As Lumnessa wanders about, she also notices a switch on the wall. (Located in the square where I have revealed a white "S". Please bear with me while I play with the map; I want to make "significant" square easily visible and also differentiate between camouflaged pit traps and the wall switch.)

"Something is clearly wrong with these villagers. They have suffered a group delusion, the most dangerous kind." Arak pronounces, as he ponders the mysteries of what will still lie ahead...

(ROFL!) Arak Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

The villagers are/were sincere about your send-off. Arak suspects that, since the village sends out young adults for this quest as a right of passage, part of that right may include "hazing". It seems that they don't want to kill anyone. In fact, they've taken great pains to avoid killing: The pits are only 10 feet deep. Nobody would die from such a short fall into a pillow-lined pit. Something has gone wrong with this year's hazing.

"Harrow suddenly want nap..." he says as he looks at the pillows. He continues searching the southern portion of the chamber until it is thoroughly explored, careful to avoid more pit traps.

Take 20 exploring final area in the southeast, total of 23.

Oooooooooo.... I wonder what this does the gnome says as she flips the switch.

OK. Now that folks are taking 20, I've removed any remaining fog-of-war from the map and revealed the remaining pit traps and switches. There are 6 pits and three switches total.

When Lumnessa flips the switch, a click can be heard from the southernmost door.

"Brother Harrow, try the southern door?" Arak requests of the half-orc. Arak then moves carefully to the norther switch, avoid the traps.

"Harrow do it," the half-orc says as he moves to the door and opens it.

perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Still locked.

Whenever Lumnessa releases the switch, there's another click.

"Maybe all three switches at once?" Arak suggests.

Three party members activate the switches at the same time. There are corresponding click sounds at the southernmost door. It's unlocked! :-)

There's a hallway to the south which splits off to the east and west.

Map

"We try east?" Harrow suggests, leading the way.

More of the map has been revealed. The wailing is much louder and clearer here.

"AAAAAAAAAA!"

Arak creeps up and looks down the western hallway. "A moment please." he says to Harrow.

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

More of the map has been revealed. Do you intend to go as far west as possible?

Arak just peeks down the western hallway to satisfy his curiosity.

I'll follow along where everyone else goes.

Okie dokie. Where to next, y'all?

Lumnessa kind of follows along but is easy distracted having her in the middle of the party works out as the rest of the team can keep her from falling behind or running ahead.

So.... Where?

Tried east a legible back, but no second yet

Okie dokie. East it is! More of the map has been revealed. I have also moved the party.

From here, there are two options: 1) a door to the south, and 2) a door to the west.

The wailing is obviously coming from the south.

"I do wonder what that is," says Berosius with concern. "Do you think it sounds like someone in distress? Perhaps we should go to their aid immediately if we can find a way past these beastly pits!"

We should absolutely figure out where that wailing is coming from. And I'll head toward the south door.

"We should continue toward the sound and see if we can help!" Arak says calmly.

Marching order, please? Feel free to move yourselves on the map. You may need to refresh your browser window. (Map)

Presuming you head to the door to the south: The mournful wailing grows louder with each step toward the door at the end of this musty hallway. There are a host of bones strewn on the floor here, many of which are cracked and broken. The door is locked.

What sound? Lumnessa asks innocently

"Sound driving Harrow crazy!!!" he yells with his hands over his ears.

i can be on the front row

OK. I've lined up the party in front of the door. Harrow is next to the door. The wailing is on the other side of the door. And, the door is locked.

"Someone want try lock, or open Harrow's way?" the half-orc asks.

Although he must contend with the spirits for control, Berosius laboriously removes a pair of small wax plugs from a clean paper wrapper in his pouch, then stuffs them in his ears.

"Since I think you will enjoy it," he says, too loudly, "Your way, dear Harrow."

He has earplugs, and he uses them.

"Sound driving Harrow crazy!!!" he yells with his hands over his ears.

Crazy-ER. Lumnessa adds helpfully

Is it a type of wailing that sounds like someone in torture? Or is it more like what a caterwauling charm from Harry Potter is like?