[PFS] Deussu's #37 The Beggar's Pearl (Inactive)

Game Master Deussu

The tunnel's short and opens up to a small vestibule, filled with foul-smelling overgrown fungi, which covers the carved adornments. All in the tunnel see a narrow path winding among the towering mushrooms, lit by their unwelcoming blue glow.

They also see an ornate stone door right next to the secret door.

Torvic follows the group hesitantly, looking at the runecarved wall in awe. "Imagine all this... this handicraft. So precise, so masterful." He still seems a tad droozy, but somehow stays awake.

For now the fungi glow as candles, creating dim illumination within 5-feet of the fungi. As the description suggests, moving across the fungi constitutes as difficult terrain.

Also, there's now a map which can be accessed at the top of the page, right under the title, "Dungeon map".

Also also, I'm unsure which characters can actually see. Zatoma, Edgar, and Lort all have darkvision, but the others need a light source. Surely Khalos can conjure up one.

Lort takes the lead and explores the room, being very careful not to step on any of the fungi (if possible).

"We should have the floor to a party, looks like it's full of fun guys."

Perception if you need it: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Khalos is wielding a torch on his left hand at the rear of the party...

Khalos will let Zatoma and the others lead the way with dark vision, and will light a torch to hold in his left hand before following in the rear of the party.

Zatoma slithers slightly ahead of Lort as it moves past the door, leaving it for the others to observe, and peeks past the corner, keeping an eye out for trouble.
Perception (with scent): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22

Gunari will use light from his wayfinder. He'll probably be behind the two fighters, next to Ozren, though he'd prefer to be at the vanguard.

Edgar follows behind Lort, keeping an eye out for anything unusual among the stones.

Perception for Stone Traps: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 2 = 14

A look of obvious disgust emerges on Edgar's face as he looks around at the overgrowth.

"It is a shame this Gallery ended up this way. It must be a magical enchantment or filthy inhabitants that have caused this. We Dwarves would never have allowed anything like this to ever happen if we still lived here."

Seeing Gunari itching to be at the front and assuming nothing of interest to a warrior lies here, Lort pats the warpriest on the shoulder, "What say we check out this passageway to our left?"

Without really waiting for a response, Lort moves down the eastern passageway after a few experimental swings with his greatsword.

Mainly just wanted to help move things along in the event that we weren't being attacked in this room (Lort has no interest in Dwarven or scientific discoveries). If there are attackers here (or traps) Lort will probably spring the ambush. Also, assuming the top of the map is North.

Gunari chuckles, and follows Lort. "Valiant idea, friend Lort! Let's go find us some adventure!"

Just to be at the ready, Gunari draws his rapier. "By Cayden's keg this should be fun!" Most likely to the surprise of the half-orc, the young Varisian actually holds the rapier by the correct end, and appears to show a level of competency in his stance.

Lort is indeed surprised by Gunari's apparent prowess and eyes the rapier, "Fancy swishes you're making there, but is it big enough to do any real damage?" Lort pats his enormous sword before smiling that broad smile of his. He moves on side by side with the man who, for the last few weeks, he had seen as more of a bartender than fellow warrior.

While the others exercise their sword play, Khalos will place a hand on the door next to the entrance and Detect Magic.

Perception check for traps: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

If he finds nothing dangerous, he will attempt to slowly open the door.

Weapon at the ready, Thadd peers beyond the door as Khalos opens it.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

Edgar follows beside the other gallant warriors with his temple sword drawn and ready.

Ozren, club drawn, joins the ranks of the party as they proceed through the door. He rests his club calmly on his shoulder and looks about the passage with a look of genuine wonder and curiosity.

The room holds no secrets among it fungi. The are two other exits in the room, the easternly turning sharply after a few paces, and other continuing far into the darkness.

Khalos nor Edgar find traps from the door or the room. However, behind the door they see a massive contraption, which can easily be deducted as a mechanism for a trap against unwary travelers attempting to enter the gallery. There's a switch, which appears to turn the mechanism on or off.

Lort takes steps towards east along the fungi-infested tunnel. He quickly sees a set of doubledoor, and soon another set of doubledoors, and a small corridor, eventually ending into a cave-in. Others relying in torchlight alone can faintly see the second doubledoors, but no more.

Low-light vision allows to see the rest of course.

I'll add numbers to various spots so you can direct where your character might be, if it becomes important. At the moment you are at number 4 by the first set of doubledoors.

Lort circles back and opens up the first set of double doors they encountered. "Come on, Gunari, let's see what lies within."

Lort swings open the massive Dwarven doors, paying no heed to any carvings that may be upon them, hefts his greatsword and strides into whatever room or passageway may lay beyond. His eyes quickly adjust to the darkness as he checks to see what lies before him.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

His eyes do not adjust quickly enough for him to notice anything of interest, so he proceeds further into the room. I could really use some peril in this place. It's been so boring lately.

So, now that the map is updated, those would definitely be the doors at #4. Assume that Lort has at least moved into the first square beyond - the westernmost square if there is a choice and it matters.

Gunari shrugs at the recklessness of the half-Orc... To the brave go the spoils, right? He moves right up with Lort .

perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Not to be left out Edgar also makes his way to the doors Lort opened.

"Getting a little too anxious are you my friend? Maybe we'll find something for you to kill soon."

As he walks into the room Edgar looks around.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Zatoma tosses back the mushroom in disappointment from its lack of response. He slithers forward silently past the two warriors and takes a peek into the room as well.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26

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Lort recoils somewhat as Zatoma slithers past. That serpent creeps me out at times. There's no denying his usefulness, however. I just hope he leaves some rats for us to kill!

Ozren follows the party into the next room, giving the serpent a wide berth. He sticks near Lort, gaining in his comfidnece to lead the expedition.

Clapping the dour fighter on the shoulder, Gunari quips, "Cheer up, friend! This is fun! Adventuring, exploring, going to places no one's been to in forever! This is what being a Pathfinder is all about!"

"I'd like to cheer up, Gunari, I really would," the half-orc pauses, "But Cayden's bounty has run dry since we met Sleepy the dwarf. Perhaps more hurtfully, Kurgess has seen fit to test my prowess with a craven blue creature whose head nearly fell off when I tapped him with this!"

Lort swings his blade glumly. Gradually, a smile returns to his face as he turns to Gunari, "What say if this room is as empty as it looks, you and I warm ourselves up with some ale and a duel?"

Seeing the others enter the doorway, Khalos assumes that the contraption in front of him is either disabled or broken. He takes a quick look (and will pickup anything noticeable) before joining the others, just outside the doorway.

Perception to find something valuable: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

On the way there, he picks up the mushroom that Zatoma has dropped and puts it in his spell component pouch.is it still glowing?

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Mushroom is slowly losing it bioluminescence, fading to black. Khalos doesn't find anything of interest from the contraption room. Area 2, that is.

Patches of dimly glowing fungi reveal a complex dwarven workshop. A wall of kilns, ovens and forges divides the workshop into two vast chambers, each crowded with unfinished sculptures, cobweb-covered tool racks and tables heaped with rusted detritus. The workshop's ancient, splintering floorboards sag beneath heaped debris. Holes and cracked planks reveal an open space below the cluttered chamber, evidently accessed via stairways on the southern half of the room. Twenty feet overhead, cobweb-covered booms and racks support hanging crucibles and massive chains for hoisting quarried stone.

The room is crammed full of broken machinery and rusting forge implements. They are in unsteady piles, and even a touch could bring the trash tumbling down. Crumbling stone walkways surround the chamber and wooden planks floor its center. The old planks look weak and fragile, and sport many holes. Disgusting vermin scuttle everywhere.

Outer stone walkways are difficult terrain because of their decayed state. The wooden surface is littered with debris, and acts as if under the effects of grease

Zatoma is the only one who hears moaning and incoherent mutterings coming from behind the locked door along the southeast wall. Thanks to the serpentine eidolon's hasty entrance and keen vision, it also spots two corpses in front of the door.

Okay, staying out of the debris. Since Lort didn't hear the noises, I'll roll randomly for what to choose: 1=East door, 2 = South East door, 3= Easternmost door, 4 = Explore this room some more Door: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Lort skirts around the walkway traveling clockwise around the room. He carefully picks his way over the debris, heading to the easternmost door on the southern part of the room.

"What a mess! Someone definitely needs to clean this up, but it's not going to be me. Let's try that door first," Lort gestures with his sword towards the door he's going to, "One's as good as the next."

Ozren, again trusting Lort's ability to lead the expedition, follows him to the east. It does appear that the Storm Lord has visited this place in a foul mood.

Which front door do I find the bodies?

As his vision detects something over the distance, Zatoma slows down and raises his head trying to discern the object. Lort and Ozren passes him to his left who eventually scales the eastern perimeter of the room towards one of the southern entrances.

Eerily rising higher with the rune on its forehead glowing faintly in the darkness of the room, Zatoma speaks in a raspy hissing voice for the first time.

"Careful Sssir Lort, there are bodiessss over there but I cannot disssscern from what they died from..." he nods his head over to the direction of the bodies. "There are also faint voicesss coming from yonder."

Zatoma then heads south, slithering close to the apparent division of of the large room and peeks into each kiln and oven in search of relics as he moves past them, stopping by what seems to be a flight of stairs from a lower level.

Perception to search: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (10) + 13 = 23

The team dodges the strewn tools and miscellaneous objects to avoid making more mess. Zatoma advances to the doors. He sees the two corpses more closely, and both are human. Torvic from aback looks concerned. "Those... those can't be...?" He expresses, darting a little closer. "I have an uncanny feeling I came here to the gallery with some company, two humans and one dwarf. Wonder what happened to them..." He gets closer to the corpses and shakes his head. "Neither of these are them."

Zatoma doesn't find anything that strikes the eye. Apparently the place has been ransacked of valuables long ago.

Lort halts in his tracks, stunned.

"You, you..." he stammers, before turning to Khalos, "It can speak?! Kurgess's mighty testicles, that's creepier than the corpses."

Lort finally regains his composure enough to join Zatoma and Torvic at the dead bodies. Having heard enough about the dead that rise, after a brief inspection, Lort unceremoniously throws the corpses off the walkway onto the weakest looking spot on the neighboring wooden floor (hoping that they will fall through).

Perception to inspect the corpses: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Still mainly curious about the voices, Lort proceeds to open the now-cleared door (if he can).

Edgar stands at the ready behind Lort as he opens the door. Ready for whatever is making the noise behind it.

Thaddaeus nods with weapon drawn.

The door is locked, apparently. The mutterings grow louder. It sounds like several creatures are trying to mumble something incoherent.

Lort leans his greatsword against the wall. "Stand back," he bellows confidently, "Let's take down this door. Ready, Thaddeus? May Kurgess grant us strength."

I'm assuming Thaddeus is willing (and able) to aid another here.

Lort thunders into the door with as much might as he can manage.

Strength check to open the door: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 4 + 2 = 26

Aid Another: Strength: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

Ozren draws his club as Lort bashes the door. A wicked sneer curls on his face and some of the normal dampness that seems to surround Ozren begins to mist and take shape, forming a layer of ice about his person. He follows Lort into the room.

Before Lort attempts to plow down the door Khalos says, "Zatoma must really like you Lort, he usually doesn't like talking to others but it looks like you're one not to be scared away by the his voice alone."

Better give him some support upfront Zato...

Khalos readies to cast a spell as Lort swings down on the door.

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Gunari stands at the ready next to Lort.

Lort wastes no time bashing the door down, barely waiting for his comrades to prepare. With one successful ramming the half-orc brings the door down from its hinges, revealing a small room. In addition to ordinary storeroom shelves filled with miscellaneous stuff, there are three persons in the room, bound.

On the western wall there are two persons, one woman and one dwarven male. On the opposite side there's a human male.

The woman is bound by ropy fungal growths that encase her head and send pulsing tendrils along her limbs. She does react to the bashed door, though only by mumbling beneath the disgusting growth.

The dwarf has bizarre, agonizing growths protruding from his limbs. He obviously unconscious, barely reacting to Lort's entry.

The man is merely chained to the wall. His head sports multiple jagged scars. He looks exhausted, head down, and moans constantly.

Torvic peeks behind the pathfinders into the room. "Oddly familiar they look." Torvic exclaims. "Might be from my party, not sure yet."

Edgar also follows Lort into the room. Upon seeing the three tied up he goes to the closest one and before he removes their bindings he examines them.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

If it's safe to remove their bindings he does so.

"My friends, I think these poor folk need some magical healing. Alas, while my faith in Kurgess is strong, I have yet to learn his holy prayers." Lort keeps guard outside the room while those with healing wands tend to the prisoners. Prisoners means prison guards. Best to be vigilant.

Ozren, his face forming a bit of a snarl beneath his icy covering, crosses to the chained man and examines his wound. After ascertaining the extent of the man's injuries, he uses his innate power to help stem the man's bleeding. He addresses the man. Can you speak? Who did this? How many? Are they near?

Khalos peeks inside the room as his eidolon slithers out, who gives him a mental shrug in passing. Seeing the prisoners being attended to, he takes a deeper look, "Does anyone know what these roots are? They seem to be supernatural..."

I don't have knowledge Nature but maybe this will do something.
Knowledge, Arcana: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

Gunari will also move forward to see how the prisoners are doing.
heal check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

"My friends, your saviors are here!" Gunari explains, preparing to share a round with the captives.
diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

That joins Gunari in his attempt to put the captives at ease. "Fear not lad...you are among friends here. Just give us a few moments to sort out how best to free you."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

Probably works better when the diplomancer isn't half in the bag. Gunari thinks he is convincing, like any drunkard!

The faint swishing of a greatsword can be heard from outside the room.

How long have we been here with nothing to hit? grumbles Lort to himself.

Gunari will take a look at the misshapen dwarf.
heal: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
"I wonder what happened to this fellow. I assume he didn't have these growths when he came in..."

Edgar notices the prisoners have no valuables with them, only clothing. He fungal growths cannot be removed by normal means, but he gets the man out of his bounds. He doesn't move though, but continues to moan.

He doesn't answer to Ozren. Ozren examines the man and he seems to be staggered, but otherwise in good condition. Something about the moaning raises concerns.

Khalos has absolutely no idea what the fungal growths are.

Gunari deduces that the prisoners are in serious trouble. The growths cannot be ripped apart lest the prisoners will die, and therefore must be carefully picked off the prisoners. They are all staggered, starved, dehydrated, and exhausted.

The woman answers to Gunari and Thaddaeus with mumbling.

Gunari can deduce the same as others from the man.

Need for heal skill.