[PFS] GM Mjolbeard's "Between the Lines" (#7-01) (Inactive)

Game Master Mjolbeard89

Crypt nods his agreement with the terms.

Alexander taps his foot in annoyance and gives a curt nod.

"Yes, yes, let's get this over with, so you can hand over the archive."

Eldeyr first addresses the fat man, "So, are you wealthy by your own right, or just unhealthy by your own mouth? Never mind, you don't need to answer that, just swallow your words.

"No? Then, please, tell us what you require us to do, our Captain is waiting for us back in the Tower."

"I think we should hear what these two tasks are before agreeing to anything. It would be a fool to agree to any tasks and find ourselves in your chains... or robbing a bank to make up the difference in coin." points out Fargrim.

Murqual smiles as you agree to the terms. "Very good! No need to worry, my friends, the tasks re innocent enough, and I have no intention of putting you in chains--neither my own nor those of the city guard." He laughs at what he clearly perceives as a joke, though you may not necessarily find it humorous.

He regains his composure, then goes on to describe the tasks before you, “I have three tasks. Because Palhuna Murqual is as generous as an oasis, you may decide among them for those which suit you.” He begins to count off tasks on his fingers. “I have some sensitive merchandise being delivered by problematic dealers. Another recent acquisition has some unpleasant protective magic that I need dealt with. Finally, you can be my agents to make a purchase from another acquaintance. If you need further information to decide what you would like to do first, then simply ask.” He leans back on his cushion again, plucks a few grapes from the bunch, and begins popping them in his mouth as he awaits your questions or your decision.

"I would like to know about the merchandise you wish to have delivered. Is it slaves? Likewise with the puchase -what is it. Finally can you tell us more about the unpleasant protective magics, so we may better understand if that task is within our skill set."

Merchandise

“Goods I require—that’s all you need to know. And before you ask, yes they are legal goods. Oh, and I need you to retrieve the delivery, not to deliver the goods elsewhere. Just to be clear.”

Purchase

“An acquaintance of mine owns a mirror I would like. She isn’t willing to deal in gold for it, and her desired coin is not one I am quite willing to pay.”

Protective magics

”The item I acquired is a mask, supposedly able to bind souls. Unfortunately, it already has something bound to it. Examination indicates that ‘something’ is a guardian. I would have you dispose of the guardian. Somewhere away from the shop, of course. Maybe not on the streets, either—we don’t want any passerby witnesses or victims. There’s a fat-roofed warehouse nearby. It should suffice.”

"Removing a bound spirit... now that is something I can certainly agree with." notes Fargrim. "As for this 'friend' of yours. What coin is it that you would have us pay her with? Lastly the legal goods... are they slaves? If not, I see no problem with helping out with any of these tasks."

Eldeyr approaches the rest of the group again, and in a lower voice, almost a whisper, only making the beanstalk of an elf even more creepy. "Paying for the mirror and picking up a delivery are more along my skill set, but I'll accept whatever you guys pick."

Alexander sighs.

"The mask does sound like more standard Pathfinder fare, though; awaken a guardian and secure an eldritch item from it."

"Removing a bound spirit... now that is something I can certainly agree with." notes Fargrim. "As for this 'friend' of yours. What coin is it that you would have us pay her with? Lastly the legal goods... are they slaves? If not, I see no problem with helping out with any of these tasks."

Coin

“Madame Jelaris is an alchemist trying to develop an equivalent of the sun orchid elixir. I don’t know if that is possible, but she has a means to alchemically extract vitality. Essentially, she can make one older. She claims the ‘years’ of life extracted are invaluable in her research. And she requires twenty years from me before relinquishing the mirror.”

Legal goods

Murqual rolls his eyes, "Honestly, I don't see what it is with you Pathfinders and your hang ups about slavery. It's perfectly legal, and I do my best to sell to reputable families. Nevertheless, to assuage your anxiety, no, the goods are not slaves. You need not concern yourself further with what they are, though. If you still take issue with securing my delivery, there are two other tasks you may choose."

Crypt's eyes bug out of his head upon hearing about Madame Jelaris, and he begins vigorously shaking his head no.

She looks to the others, noting Asshaj's distaste for the madame.

"My preference is to free this bound spirit, and then take the deliver." suggests Fargrim.

"Twenty years is a coin my people've got to spare, although most elves are not as willing to waste it, living away their slow lives, I've grown accustomed to the faster, more exciting way of life that humans follow. Unless I'm losing a tracker! Patience can be well-rewarded.

"Fargrim, if you determine our best options are to free this guardian spirit and then manage the delivery, I'm your man elf!"

"I agree with the fair lady," Alexander states as he clutches his scented handkerchief at the prospect of loosing years of his life.

"Those are just my feelings, and I'd truly appreciate all of your opinions. The lash of a too quick tongue is just as strong a fetter as the lash of a slaver." she adds.

Turning to the merchant he nods her acceptance. "It sounds like we have a deal. Tell us more about this bound creature and the item to which it is bound."

Crypt turns to Murqual, thankful his teammates had decided against the delivery option. Losing years of his life, well, was not something he truly wanted. He turned, watching Murqual for any hint of a reaction.

"Hmmm...very well! I had hoped to secure some assistance with Madame Jelaris, but perhaps I can find another way to lessen the price she has set on the item. She's a notorious gambler, you know. Nevertheless, it appears we have a deal!" Murqual reaches stands and moves to a table at the back of the room, from which he retrieves a small scroll.

"This," he says, presenting the scroll to you, "contains the command word for the mask. Uttering the command will unleash the guardian within. “I’m not entirely sure what the guardian is, but it has the stink of Abaddon about it. Given the origins of the mask, I believe it’s a creature called a div. Divs are difficult to hurt unless you have a holy weapon, or one of cold iron. As it
happens, I do have some cold iron weapons in my shop. Available for purchase, of course.”

"If you have a masterwork cold iron star knife, then I'd be willing to purchase one of them." agrees Fargrim.

"I know little about Div's other than they are spirits of destruction. Maybe we should release this spirit outside the city rather than within."

"Would you happen to have an elven curve blade amongst your cold iron wares? Yes, i know it's a bit exotic, but it's an exquisite killing blade on the right hands, like mine." Eldeyr asks, placing a hand on the pommel of his magical blade.

Crypt kinda awkwardly shuffles his feet for a bit. "About how much would a cold iron scimitar cost?" he asks.

"I would like to purchase a cold iron rapier.... if you've got one to sell that is..."

Murqual’s lips split into a wide smile at the chorus of requests from paying customers. Of course, of course! Come, I have much to offer. Ah, but Master Eldeyr, I fear that I do not have such a rare and beautiful blade as that which you require. But wait! I have a weaponsmith friend whose stall is just down the way, near the warehouse I mentioned in fact. He will have closed his forge for the evening, but I believe his you apprentice may keep the shop open late. These are the Nightstalls after all, are they not?”

Murqual has simple and martial weapons available for sale, but it seems to me there should be somebody open who can see you what you’re after. Go ahead and make your purchases.
Crypt, go ahead and note the purchase. I’ll just deduct the 5gp you’re short off your chronicle sheet at the end...assuming you survive that long! MWAHAHAHA!!!

"Well if everyone's got their weapons, let's get these errands done, so we can reach Venture-Captain Wulessa as soon as able, after all she did say we may need to assist her further on her, hmm, research.

"But first. I do need to stop in the smith's stall."

Turning towards the Palhuna Murqual, Eldeyr says in perfect kellish.

Not at all interested in purchasing any weapons, Alexander taps his foot impatiently.

"Yes, yes, let's get to work. There's no reason to keep the Venture-Captain waiting."

Crypt waits patiently for the fun to start, eyeing his new sword. This should be fun he thinks to himself.

Thank you DM! That should help the survivability haha!

Murqual smiles to hear that you are so eager to begin your work. With nothing further to add for now, he gives you directions to help you find your way to the spot he designated. Before sending you out on this task, Murqual also gives you a crimson-and-white lacquer mask, and a scroll containing its command word (“chalifan”).

Murqual’s directions lead to a rickety iron ladder in an alleyway that climbs the side of a long, low warehouse. The roof is canted at a slight enough angle that it might as well be flat. Several other rooftops are adjacent, at more or less equal height, forming an L-shaped superstructure. The rooftops are all 15 feet above street level, dropping off at the map’s edge.

Map has been updated.

"Is there a reason we have to do this here, rather than outside the city?" asks Fargrim.

"If there is a spirit of destruction we are to free, I would prefer to eliminate possible people being hurt."

Murqual assured you that the warehouse area he directed you to would be deserted. Also, this is much closer than the edge of the large city you are currently in, so this will help you in accomplishing your given tasks by the end of the night.

Also, this is where the scenario sets the encounter... :P

"I suggest we find a small room, and open it in the middle, then that will give us the best advantage - if this comes to combat. I am hoping that it will just be grateful for being freed. Somehow with a creature from the pits I doubt that. But one can hope."

"This rooftop seems acceptable for a battle, up here there won't be any civilians getting in the way, we just have to stay away from the edges"

"Will we all be piling onto the roof, or should someone stay at ground level just in case"?

"Our ranged fighters and casters can stand on that rooftop over there" Eldeyr says pointing to the building on the east side, forming an L shape.

"I'm not much one for ranged combat... or any kind of combat to be honest. I think we should see if we can convince it to just leave in peace having freed it."

She looks around, cold iron in hand. "But to not be prepared would be foolish."

Crypt feels the need to speak up. "I do not think any spirit trapped in a mask will be feeling particularly diplomatic. My suggestion would be to prepare for the fight, gauge it's reaction, then attack. He readies his scimitar. "I'll handle myself on the roof.

I'm gonna go ahead and move us along.

You all array yourselves around the roof as you see best for your given set of skills, and Alexander utters the command word, "Chalifan." With that single word, the mask exhales a white-and-red cloud of smoke that covers most of the area. Several foggy shapes spiral out of the
growing cloud, and horrible screeches pierce the still night air of Katapesh.

Through the cloud, two figures take shape, one on the edge of the roof near Fargrim, the other seeming to float in the open air beyond the edge of the roof, though you see no wings to hold it aloft.

The fog outline is the area the cloud from the mask covers. Creatures inside the cloud get concealment (20% miss chance).

INITIATIVE!
Product Testing - Round 1
Bold may go
Eldeyr
Div 2 (Blue) (Kn. planes to ID)
Alexander
Crypt
Fargrim
Ehm
Div 1 (Black) (Kn. planes to ID)
Seijiro

@GM: How do you want us to roll for the miss chance? 1-20=Bad, or can we choose if high/low is bad? I'll stick with the strict interpretation for mine, 1-20 misses.

Having no idea of these creature's origins, Eldeyr tumbles on the rooftop to approach the closest figure and with expertise he swings the Cold Iron blade in an upward arc that allows him to end in a defensive position. Combat Expertise active.

Acrobatics (Move Through Threatened Squares): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21
Attack -Combat Expertise; Damage; 1-20 misses: 1d20 + 10 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 10 - 1 = 161d10 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 171d100 ⇒ 11

And his sword catches in nothing but smoke.

"Does any one have a clue of what they are? Or how to clear this Gorum forsaken smoke?"

know planes dc ?: 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 7 + (2) = 17

Seijiro tries to recall what he knows of such creatures while readying his shortbow with a cold iron arrow.

@Eldeyr: Yes, we'll go with 1-20 misses. Good question!
@Seijiro: I'll keep that knowledge roll for your turn. Which of the creatures do you want to identify? The DC might be slightly different between the two of them.

Eldeyr swings mightily at the shadow he sees through the smoke, but it turns out to be nothing but a shadow in the end.

Off in the air above the empty alley, the other creature that had emerged from the mask and the smoke suddenly vanishes with a harsh snarl.

INITIATIVE!
Product Testing - Round 1
Bold may go
Eldeyr
Div 2 (Blue) (Invisible, Kn. planes to ID)
Alexander
Crypt
Fargrim
Ehm
Div 1 (Black) (Kn. planes to ID)
Seijiro

So, I attempted to move myself and I disappeared. There's two of me, but I can't seem to be able to move my other self, which I would assume is the shadow double? Either way, I'm lost. Sorry. Move into the unoccupied square next to Div 1 (Black) (also next to Fargrim) and attack.

melee attack, damage: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 71d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
miss chance, 1-20 misses: 1d100 ⇒ 31

planes: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Fargrim wonders what the thing they released is, but has really no idea.
unless it is a very low CR very common outsider.

She readies her starknife, but doesn't attack with it yet.

"They may just be startled after being freed." she says.

"You are free now. Go, and disturb nobody lest your confinement return."

readied attack if hostile action nis taken: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
miss?: 1d100 ⇒ 50
damage, (magic, cold iron): 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Knowledge (planes), blue: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 32
Knowledge (planes), black: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (6) + 14 = 20
Order of priority: SR, DR, resistances, special attacks

"Where'd they go!?"

Alexander calls upon the benevolent spirits of long dead Chelish nobles to guide the party. Casting Bless.

Calling upon his vast knowledge of planar beings, Alexander identifies the smaller of the two creatures as a doru div, a small, rather weak being as divs go, though not without its challenges. Doru divs are able to resist spells, as well as attacks from any weapons that have not been blessed by holy power or are not made of cold iron. They also resist acid and electricity, and are entirely immune to harm from fire and poisons. Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of doru divs, however, is their ability to command the minds of mortals. When that fails, they have a poisonous bite.

Alexander also recognizes the larger creature as an aghash div, though he is less familiar with this variety of div. He knows that, like the doru div, aghashes are resistant to magic, but they can be harmed by holy weapons or those made of cold iron.

Just need Ehm to take his turn, then we'll see how Fargrim's negotiations work out. Here's a hint: it's not gonna go well. ;)

Yeah, well, it is not like she expects it to go well, but needs to give it a chance.
diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Caught off guard by the appearance of two otherworldly guardians, Ehm is stunned into inaction.

Fargrim calls out to the divs, but her appeal falls on deaf ears...or whatever divs have to hear with. The only reply she gets is a blood-curdling, beastial scream from the aghash div as it backs away toward the edge of the roof and suddenly disappears with a *crack*. The sound seems to echo back from across the other roof, and suddenly the div appears once again on the other end of the warehouse rooftop.

5 ft step to the west, then casting a spell. Crypt may make an attack of opportunity.

INITIATIVE!
Product Testing - Round 1
Bold may go
Eldeyr
Doru Div (Blue) (Invisible)
Alexander
Crypt
Fargrim
Ehm (delay)
Aghash Div (Black)
Seijiro
---
Round 2
Eldeyr

AoA: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 151d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Crypt attempts to swing as the otherwordly creature screams and backs away. "Not that easily," he'll whisper, swinging.

Seijiro aims a cold iron arrow at the div on the other side of the warehouse roof and fires.

to hit: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
dmg if hits: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Hmm.. I've noticed a few posts from my end that didn't make it through to the site (on several campaigns), maybe I lost connection and never realized it.. SORRY FOR DELAYING EVERYONE!!

Eldeyr turns around and starts walking to the crack coming from behind the Pathfinders. He stills appears to be a wary combatant. Still using Combat Expertise

@GM: How dense is the smoke? Can we see to the other side? Can we walk at normal speed across it?

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14 to move at full speed. In case the smoke blinds us.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13 to jump across the diagonal, in case it's required.

"Here you are you, you.. unknown demon! Begone!! The elf says before swinging his newest blade.

Attack; Damage (Cold Iron): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 241d10 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Both Crypt and Seijiro miss the mark, though only barely. As Eldeyr moves to the other end of the roof, the smoke from the mask clears away, giving you a clearer view of the div standing menacingly across from you.

As Eldeyr moves through the last of the fog, he leaps across from one roof to the other, landing right in front of the aghash div and bringing his blade down in a horrible overhead strike. The cold iron of the blade seems to sizzle and steam as it slices into the div's flesh and carves a deep gash in it.

Just as his blade falls, Eldeyr has a strange idea that enters his mind. It is not a voice, so much as a suggestion that he jump down off the roof.

Eldeyr, please give me a Will save!

INITIATIVE!
Product Testing - Round 2
Bold may go
Eldeyr
Doru Div (Blue) (Invisible)
Alexander
Crypt
Fargrim
Ehm
Aghash Div (Black) (-13)
Seijiro

With the chance to end things peacefully gone, Fargrim hurries to the other end of the roof and attacks the black Div, hoping to finish it off quickly.

Swift, declare a round of bane
attack: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 6 + 2 = 17
damage,bane(slashing, cold iron): 1d4 + 3 + 2 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 2 + (4, 3) = 16