[PFS] GM Lithrac's Thornkeep, part I - The Accursed Halls (Inactive)

Game Master Cyril Corbaz

Rellen quickly dispatches both remaining goblins in a gurgle of blood. The silence falls on the pool room, but you seem to hear goblin voices nearby.

Besides the three corpses, the "pot" consists in a potion and a pair of silver earrings.

Knorrin quickly picks up the potion and silver earrings for later identification, motioning for others to search the bodies and to stand guard.

Rellen stalks towards the voices being stealthy and putting a finger to his lips while he waits for the others. Once they are ready he takes the lead again.

Wary of traps now he moves slowly scanning every few feet.

Taking 20 on Perception and 10 on Stealth.

If I understand the rules correctly you may only take 20 on a roll when failing it wouldn't be of consquence. I don't think you can take 20 on opposed skill checks. Of course you can tkae 20 to check for traps provided that you're uninterrupted, but you won't be able to keep the same result for any surprise check.

No sound can be heard from upstairs now, all has gone quiet. Rellen scrutinizes the stone steps for a while, but is unable to see anything wrong with them.

Seeing Rellen taking things slow and cautiously, Knorrin takes a few moments to first ask the Guidance of Sarenrae then and uses Detect Magic on the earrings and the potion taken from the goblins' pot.

Detect Magic and Spellcraft on the potion: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 1 = 27
Aw, what a waste of a natural 20.

Knorrin moves across the room and whispers a suggestion to Rellen, "Since we have a scroll of invisibility, perhaps it could be cast to your advantage to scout or confound an ambush."

"And since an ambush is expected, and they know we are coming," Knorrin continues, "I could offer you a small blessing of Guidance and Virtue, and the whole group a Blessing."

Rellen nods still wearing his usual stern expression, but stepping back eagerly, "That sounds like a plan."

Caradeum nods in assent.

Who is casting the scroll? DC 4 caster check I believe.

We're all level one, so I guess Caradeum can.

CLC: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

Nice roll Knorrin! It's a potion of lesser restoration.

Choamski summons magic to protect Rellen vs evil.

Prot. v Evil, +2 deflection AC and +2 resistance bonuses vs evil for 1 min.

Invisible Rellen heads up the stairs moving swiftly now, though still with stealth, buoyed by the magics cast upon him by his companions.

Taking 10 on stealth.

Before Rellen receives the blessings and then starts his advannce, Knorrin will give him the potion of lesser restoration.
Lesser Restoration points restored: 1d4 ⇒ 4
That should take care of the 3 Con damage, right?

Bless: "+1 morale bonus on attack rolls and on saving throws against fear effects" for 1 minute. (The first part of which stacks with bardic inspiration, if Whizzy wants to do that.)

Stealth: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (18) - 3 = 15
Stealth: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (5) - 3 = 2
Knorrin, knowing that he tends to clang more than others, hangs back a bit and tries to be his most silent.
If the second roll is needed...
...but he nearly stumbles and falls, rattling what seems each piece of metal against another.

Wizzy will start his inspire right before entering the room.. He will then pull an Alchemist Fire from his belt.. Inspire Courage: +1 Circ hit/dam, +1 Morale to fear

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27

stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Nightrunner Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Just to clarify, you're all going up together albeit with Rellen a few steps forward, right? By the way, not sure if you really want to take 10 with 1-minute spells on you. Taking 10 means taking one's time to do things without a rush, which will consume most of the PfE duration.

After consuming the potion and restoring his health, Rellen moves up the stairs ahead of his companions, and is able to get

Thick, square columns support the low ceiling of this natural cavern, but the walls remain uneven hewn stone and the floor is only partially paved. Rough tunnels and unfinished walls extend for some distance. Tattered furs, foul-looking bedrolls, sacks of food, and battered old crates and casks are scattered around in an improvised campsite. Three goblins are hidden behind the square columns, with what appears to be their leader a few steps behind, her eyes set on the flight of stairs.

Level one map updated

I think you are thinking of taking 20 GM Lithrac, take 10 takes the same time as a standard check. It can be done as long as you are not in immediate danger or distracted.

Rellen whispers, "On my signal charge up," back to his companions before entering the cave and trying to sneak around past the goblins to take a position behind their apparent leader. Once in position he yanks his greatsword free sending his scabbard flying at the goblin followed by his blade, even as he bellows,

"MY SIGNAL!"

Fling Scabbard: 1d20 + 4 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 13 Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 + 1 = 9
Greatsword: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 5 + 1 + 1 = 22 Damage: 2d6 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (2, 6) + 6 + 1 = 15

Wizzy targets the leader one with Daze DC 14.. If it has more than 4hd disregard..

Starting inspire courage will negate your stealth attempt, Wizzy. Anyway, I see the situation that way. Thanks to his invisibility/take 10 on stealth check (btw you're absolutely right Rellen, I mixed up those two), Rellen gets a surprise round, which he just did. Your inspire courage is already up since you started your performance before he attacked. Then I'll roll the initiatives and we start regular combat. Don't forget you have to move up there if you want to cast your daze spell by the way.

Rellen moves behind the lines and starts his onslaught against he goblin's boss. While his scabbard bounces off against her armor, the greatsword takes her completely by surprise and slashes deeply into her flesh. 15 damage taken.

Initiative - round 1
Effects: Inspire Courage (+1 attack/damage/saves vs fear, charm)
Floggentop <
G1
G3
G2
Choamski
Rellen (PfE)
Cutter
Caradeum
M (15 dmg)
Knorrin
Floggentop is up!

Who sees who:
Floggentop doesn't see any of the four goblins.
Caradeum, Choamski and Knorrin only see G2 and G3.
Cutter sees G2, G3, M.
Rellen sees everyone.

I moved Knorrin to the new page, a little back from the entryway as he is not very stealthy - I'll move him again when the order gets put up. I found, btw, that cutting from one page and pasting on the other worked for moving my icon.

So, people would have +2 to hit, +1 to damage, +1 saves vs. fear because of how Inspire Courage and Bless stack.

I'll assume Floggentop delays until the moment he decides to post, since it's been 24 hours now. Song is still in effect whatever his decision is (with his Lingering Performance feat).

The three goblin underlings spring from the shadows to attack the Andoran warrior who attacked their leader. Shouting obscenities in goblin that shall be omitted here, they swarm Rellen disregarding any potentially clever tactics to defend their lair. Only the third one manages to pierce through his defenses. 4 damage taken

Initiative - round 1
Effects: Inspire Courage, Bless (+2 attack / +1 damage/ +2 saves vs fear, +1 vs charm)
Floggentop (delay)
G1
G3
G2
Choamski
Rellen (PfE, 4 dmg)
Cutter
Caradeum
M (15 dmg)
Knorrin
Choamski, Rellen, Cutter, Caradeum are up! Floggentop can act whenever he wants. All the goblins are now visible to everyone.

Caradeum moves into the room, casting a spell. He conjures a snowball and throws it at the goblin leader.

Rime Snowball
Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1 And DC 15 or staggered for a round. It hits, also entangled for a round.

Nightrunner comes around the side of the cavern and bites a goblin while Cutter hurls his chakram at the leader!

Nightrunner bite: 1d20 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 2 + 1 + 1 = 17
Cutter chakram: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 5 + 1 + 1 = 14

Bite damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 + 1 = 6
Chakram damage: 1d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 = 6

He moves into the room.

"Irez, heal my wounds!" Judgement, fast healing as a swift.

He locks eyes with the goblin flanking Rellen to the East, and a colorful sparkle fills them. The goblin can't help but look...

Snarling Rellen slashes at the Flatfooted goblin leader again his blade spraying more of her gore over himself and the surrounding goblins!

Greatsword: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 5 + 1 + 1 = 22 Damage: 2d6 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (6, 2) + 6 + 1 = 15

Sorry.. Super busy today..

He'll continue his song and target a random gobo with daze dc 14

Caradeum: You didn't take into account the -4 because the leader is in melee. Also, please do specify what save it is. I have People of the North (where I could find the Snowball spell), but many GMs don't have it.

The goblin chief is cut in half by Rellen's mighty blow, dying instantly. Although the goblins don't appear to be affected in any way by their leader's death, you make short work of them, slaughtering the bugger in a torrent of spells and steel. You are victorious! None remain to challenge you within the Accursed Halls.

However, congratulations must wait as a final trial remains - the Door of Seven Stars. After looting the goblins, you found many items of no consequence as well as five green peridots which may well fit into one of the sockets of the huge iron door.

Back into the central room, you now face a trial of the mind - the puzzle of the Door of Seven Stars.

Anyone can move the colored dots, which represent the seven kinds of gems you found, into the sockets. Please indicate when your choice is done.

Door of Seven Stars puzzle

Satisfied to let the more scholarly Pathfinders solve the puzzle of the door, Rellen cleans and sharpens his sword and bladed scabbards, honking them back to wickedly sharp perfection.

"Well it seems Knorrin has already found us a potential solution, along with the notes of Jharun. By the colors of the gods!"

I'll have everyone else stand back 30'. Red Ruby in top slot; if that fits without issue, I'll try the orange garnet in the next slot clockwise from the red.

It looks like someone else already intuited a similar color scheme, based on the google doc link

As Choamski sets the last stone, the Doors opens in a slow but deep rumble. A long hallway slopes down to a room housing a pool of glowing blue water. Shining gold leaf in exotic designs decorates the walls, ceiling, and pillars. A stone archway to the south leads downstairs.

After some time of study, this Pool of Seeing's powers are revealed. It functions as a crystal ball. The stone archway in the room with the Pool of Seeing leads to additional levels of the dungeon, where increasingly dangerous challenges await intrepid heroes. Perhaps the secret of the Accursed Halls’ malign awareness waits to be discovered somewhere below.

This concludes the first part of Thornkeep. Congratulations are in order, since you all made it throughout the highly dangerous rooms of this complex. I'll send the chronicle sheets so that you can take a few days to level your character up. Meanwhile, I'll set up a recruitment thread for the second part, the Forgotten Laboratory. I'll reserve the slots for those interested (Rellen, Choamski, Floggentop and Knorrin) of course, and will provide this campaign's discussion thread with a proper link to the next part.

I hope everybody had fun!