[PFS/DMK] 6-10 The Wounded Wisp - Table II (Inactive)

Game Master Kludde

As Lysassa places the coin above the wayfinder, Ella exclaims "Ooooh, this is so exciting!!! We're going to hear the words of another, older Pathfinder! This could be positively ancient! Well... old anyway!"

"It's going to be an short message, so every word must have been chosen carefully. Let's hope we can help whoever recorded it, as I'm assuming he's not alive anymore."

The voice of Arkath, coming from the way finder once the coin is placed on top, speaks the words

The path and chamber are complete, hidden behind the nameplate of the requested aspirant and guarded by the word you requested. Fimbrik will add more.

Lysassa tries to remember if she knows about a reference of a place/person named aspirant as she notices it being emphasized as well as this Fimbrik

Assuming Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20 (if it's History or something else...I've got most Knowledge skills with a +9)

"Bah cryptic messages. Now we need to follow up on Fimbrik."

Lisa knows that Fimbrik, although never a member of the Society, did work closely with their member, albeit a long time ago. Fimbrik is a long-serving member of the Arcanamirium - Absalom's largest, and oldest, magical institution.

The Arcanamirium allows the gnome a sizable residence on its campus in Absalom’s Wise Quarter. Foster’s notes record Fimbrik’s address.

Lysassa shares what she remembers

"Visit Fimbrik now?"

"Seems like a good idea to me!" I can't see the map anymore... are there unexplored sections of it still? If not, yeah let's go to Fimbrik

Hskovati nods at Lysassa's suggestion. "Yess. Let uss vissit thiss Fimbrik." The paladin looks back at the corpse. "Sso, sshould we return the coin to itss rightful place?"

"I think that would be wise unless it is specific to our mission, which i think it is not. No need to upset the dead."

Frimbrik's place is a small house on the campus of the Arcanamirium. A brick step leads to Fimbrik’s front entrance, which is locked with a rusty simple lock. Through the window, the party can see an elderly gnome garbed in noble attire with a dapper rounded hat on his head and a cane tipped with a brilliant glowing gem in his hand. He's just entering the chamber, and slowly moves to a chair to sit down and read a newspaper.

"Let's knock and announce that we are here?"

Or go into full paranoid Pathfinder mode? ;)

Hskovati approaches the entrance, and knocks on the door. The paladin then stands slightly to the side and holds a respectful stance, waiting for an answer.

Of course we knock. It's the paladin-y thing to do, right? Now, if my slayer were here instead...

"Well breaking the door down is more to my style, but I hear that is frowned upon here..."

Who said half-orcs have no sense of sarcasm :p

Hskovati looks at the barbarian in disbelief, wondering if he really does go around breaking down doors when visiting people. It takes a moment for the sarcasm to register, and the reptilian paladin gives Rengar a crooked smile before returning her attention to the door.

"Ooh... I want to know what that glowing gem is!! I hope he will tell me all about it!!" Ella peers in the window in wonder at the gem, and it's entirely possible that Fimbrik can see her through the window creepily staring in.

Hskovati knocks on the door, but the gnome just keeps sitting there, undisturbed.

K..full pathfinder paranoid mode it is...guessing illusion at work here

"Knock again, but a bit harder..he didn't seem to have notices us before"

Lysassa takes a look around, casting detect magic as is second nature to her when standing in front of a closed door after a few field commisions

"He he, allow me." Rengar kicks, rather than knocks against the door.
"If he ain't coming, he's either deaf or it's a fake."

The noise from the door - Rengar's strong kick make quite the racket - just has the gnome tipping his hat to the strangers outside. He's does not get up, but simply reads on.

Hskovati pauses as the half orc takes over the pounding. "How urgent iss thiss bussinesss with Fimbrik? Sshould we come back later? Iss there anything elsse we can follow up on?" Through her too dense skull, the paladin is beginning to suspect the gnome has no plans to open the door for them.

"Well breaking in seems rude..we can always go back to the lodge and get some rest..maybe do some more research ..see if someone knows a bit more about this guy..maybe ask his neighbors if he's a bit...off"

"Ok, we can try one of three things-we can check with people around here for information on this guy, we can use the half orc skeleton key, or i can try to see if it isnt really 'locked'."

"We should try his lock, but before Alektara or I try our 'skills', could one of you magic-user people check if there is any magic on the lock or window? This rusty old lock doesn't fit with the fanciness inside."

"Bah the stupid man needs to open his doors..."

"Annalisa, if you need help with the lock I've also spent some time... relieving others of items that I believed were mine by right." Ella winks at Annalisa.

If you use disable device on the lock, Ella will aid you. Disable Device aid: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

"I can assist as well"...DD: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
glad i wasnt the primary for that. still assist though.

"It's like I suspected...there's a blanket of illusion magic all over the place."

Alektara makes a comment that the best counter to illusion is a barging barbarian...

Annalísa nods and proceeds to work on the lock, well aware that it might be more complicated than the old, rusty thing she sees and feels in her hands.
Take 10 on the lock for 10+9=19.

A large sofa sits awkwardly near the entrance, facing toward the center of the room. Sets of chairs and tables are arranged throughout, and statues of grandiose gnomes occupy the corners of the room. A set of stairs at the northern edge of the chamber leads to a basement. A second set of stairs leads up to a second floor.

The gnome was seen in another room, to the northeast

Clearly embarrassed by the group's uninvited intrusion, Hskovati works her way towards the northeastern part of the house, to where she believed the gnome to be. "Ahem, excusse me, sser. Could we have a moment of your time?" The paladin announces herself as she works her way into the room.

Hskovati makes his way past the awkward couch, only to see a bright flash in the middle of the room. Three large beetles have been summoned, and they don't appreciate the intrusion.

---
Lysassa
Alektara
Ella
Hskovati
---
Fire beetle
Fire beetle
Fire beetle
---
Anna
Rengar

The paladin instinctively brings her ranseur to bear as she shouts a warning to the gnome. "Be careful, Sser! It appearss you have an infesstation of beetless!" Hskovati circles around the couch, and spins her ranseur to generate momentum as it lashes out at the nearest fire beetle!

ranseur: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 damage: 2d4 + 6 ⇒ (3, 4) + 6 = 13

Hailey moves into the house to stand next to Hskovati and starts to cast a spell, focusing her magic through a small vial of acid to enhance her spells effect.

Casting acid splash on the left most beetle

To hit (flatfooted?) touch AC left beetle: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
acid damage if hit: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

"Yay, time to kill some beetles!

Ella moves around the couch and swings her sword at the first beetle.
Agile rapier: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Unfortunately, she likely misses horribly.

Alektara enters the area and studies the beetles movements...

Lysassa sears one of the beetle with acid, which is enough to kill the creature. Hskovati and Ella try to strike the other beetles, but still need to warm up.

The two living beetles move against Ella and Hskovati, and the mandibles of the bug prove to be a bit more dangerous than one would judge at first sight. Both Hskovati and Ella get bitten.

Bite, Ella: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 201d4 ⇒ 3
Bite, Hskovati: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 171d4 ⇒ 4

---
Anna
Rengar
Lysassa
Alektara
Ella
Hskovati
---
Fire beetle
Fire beetle
Fire beetle
---

The paladin grits her teeth at the beetle's vicious bite, as she dances back a step and swings her ranseur around for another attempt to skewer the beetle before her.

ranseur: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16 damage: 2d4 + 6 ⇒ (2, 3) + 6 = 11

If Hskovati happened to have killed the beetle standing in front of her Lysassa will fire at the next beetle

To hit touch AC beetle, firing into melee and cover: 1d20 - 4 - 4 + 2 ⇒ (2) - 4 - 4 + 2 = -4
damage if hit: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

If the beetle in front of her is still alive she will beat on it with her walking cane (club)

To hit AC beetle: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (9) + 0 = 9
Damage if hit: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

Rengar moves forward and turns to strike the little beetle with a joyous roar.

attack+PA: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
dmg: 2d4 + 9 ⇒ (4, 4) + 9 = 17

Alektara moves in to attack the closest beetle (next to Lysassa) and swings at the creature with her Elven Curved Blade ECB Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 4 + 1 = 16...ECB DMG: 1d10 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10

"Oww! Take this, beetle!"

Ella pokes again at the beetle.
rapier: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

And once again misses horribly. GRRR LOL

Hskovati manages to crush the glowing beetle with a swift flick of the wrist. Lisa fires at the remaining beetle, only to see it get crushed - with glee - by Rengar.
Combat over

With the three beetles dispatched, Hskovati quickly steps in front of Lysassa as she keeps an eye out for possible additional dangers. While scanning the room, she asks worriedly, "Are you hurt Lyssasssa?" How could I have left her to face the beetle for the sake of a tactical advantage? What if I had missed? The reptilian paladin berates herself silently as she looks about.

Oh, yeah, perception

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

"Clearly our gnome friend was protecting himself against some kind of intruders with these beetles. He might have had something to hide. Let's try to look around for clues, but stay close as to avoid more incidents such as this."

That being said, Annalísa will begin searching the area while keeping in mind that the most important things will be placed under illusion.
Take 20 for an overall Perception of 24 or 25 for traps.

Annalisa finds that the beetles were indeed part of a trap - a summoning circle to be precise. She finds no further hazards in this room.

"Don't worry tiny lady. Rengar is here to protect you." The half-orc says with a large grin as he slaps Ella on the shoulder.

"I am not hurt...well done everyone. It seems everything is alright in here now...let's proceed with looking further through this house."