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

Game Master Mjolbeard89

My new tattoo-sense is tingling, someone/thing is using an enchantment spell...

Will Save +Tattoo bonus: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 1 = 5
Holy mother of bad rolls xD

Eldeyr falls victim to the outsider's ability, and decides it's best for him to drop from the rooftop. I'm guessing this is a good time as any to say 'Joyous Ascension Day' to the ground.

EDIT: Just noticed the map does say 15ft, which should not be a dangerous way down for Eldeyr, I'll go ahead and roll my Acrobatics to drop to ground level.
Acrobatics DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22

Crypt rushes back towards the black div, eager to resume his fight. You'll not escape me yet.

Merry Christmas everyone!

With the smoke gone, Alexander attempts to cloud the aghash's mind.
Slumber hex, DC 18

Will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

With another horrifying scream, the aghash wavers on its feet, then collapses in a heap on the roof, asleep.

Botting Ehm

Still somewhat shaken by the appearance of the divs, especially with the fog no longer clouding their appearance, Ehm draws a vial from his hip and drains its contents. A moment later, a shimmering field appears around him, protecting him from harm. Using Shield extract

INITIATIVE!
Product Testing - Round 2
Bold may go
Eldeyr
Doru Div (Blue) (Invisible)
Alexander
Crypt
Fargrim
Ehm
Aghash Div (Black) (-13, sleepy times)
Seijiro
----------------
Round 3
Eldeyr (jumped off roof)

Seijiro considers walking up and preparing to coup de grace the div... but knows he's unlikely to kill it and wounding it might wake it up.... so instead, he simply suggests the action and hopes someone with a better chance of a kill do so. "Someone wanna behead that thing while it's down?" He then looks around/listens for the other foe...

perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26

@GM: Jumping down is only half my move speed, I think I can keep moving after landing, since the suggestion has been completed. So I'll post whatever Eldeyr will try to do, unless you rule that my turn has ended.

After landing safely, Eldeyr tries to get back up to the roof again, sprinting towards the ladder and begins to climb it, but doesn't make it to the top.
Missing 5 ft. Total movement: 15 ft down, 20 ft towards the ladder and another 15 ft up to get back the rooftop
Accelerated Climb (DC 0-10?): 1d20 + 4 - 5 ⇒ (14) + 4 - 5 = 13

Seijiro, the smaller div reappeared last round when it used an ability to make Eldeyr jump off the roof. Sorry, I don't think I made that clear. You can go ahead and complete your round 2 action, taking the cloud I've placed on the map as the div's location during your turn.
Eldeyr, climbing a ladder usually doesn't require a climb check, but doing so at an accelerated climb bumps up the DC by 5, so we'll call it DC 5, meaning you passed your check. Your movement looks good to me!

Seijiro looks around, trying to find a target, while Eldeyr leaps down off the building, then shakes off the compulsion of the evil outsider and begins making his way back up to the roof.

Now alone thanks to the hex Alexander placed upon his larger companion, the doru div once again fades from sight.

INITIATIVE!
Product Testing - Round 3
Bold may go
Eldeyr
Doru Div (Blue) (Invisible)
Alexander
Crypt
Fargrim
Ehm
Aghash Div (Black) (-13, sleepy times 3 rounds)
Seijiro

Fargrim tries to coup de grace the sleeping Div while she maintains another round of bane.

coupe de grace: 2d4 + 6 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) + 6 + 4 + (1, 6) = 23

Remember I'm away for a week. I expect Fargrim will drop the bane and move to the other Div making normal attacks and healing folk as required.

Crypt steps in beside Fargrim, hoping to help finish off the black div.

melee attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 161d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Thanks for the reminder, Fargrim! I expect things will move family quickly through this fight once the aghash is gone. Enjoy your vacation!

Fortitude vs. CDG: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

The aghash div heaves mightily as Fargrim stabs into its sleeping form with her cold iron weapon, but it quickly dies. Not satisfied that Fargrim had really ensured the thing's death enough, Crypt steps forward and puts another few holes in the outsider's form before it dematerializes and vanishes back to Abandon.

Crypt, since your attack didn't really have any effect, you can take your turn again. Haha!

INITIATIVE!
Product Testing - Round 3
Bold may go
Eldeyr
Doru Div (Blue) (Invisible)
Alexander
Crypt
Fargrim
Ehm
Seijiro

Congratulating himself for his hand in the aghash's demise, Alexander turns his attention to its smaller kin.

Perception to pin-point the doru's postion: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
I'm assuming I fail, but do let me know if that's not the case.

Crypt will also attempt to discern the creature's location.

perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Dummy me forgot to post under Crypt, apologies- Happy New Year everyone!

Well, the doru div has a minimum stealth of 38 while invisible, so I'm not gonna bother with the roll. I applaud the effort, though. Perhaps you could ready yourself for when the div appears again?

round 2

Seijiro shoots the div with a cold iron arrow

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

round 3

Seijiro drinks an extract of adhesive spittle and waits for an opportunity to use it on the following round.

Seijiro's arrow just misses its mark as the div disappears from view. As the aghash div falls, the kitsune drinks a vial of some foul green substance, and a bit of sticky spittle begins to froth at the corners of her mouth.

Alexander and Crypt carefully watch for the div to reappear, but are unable to notice the tiny invisible outsider.

INITIATIVE!
Product Testing - Round 4
Bold may go
Eldeyr
Doru Div (Blue) (Invisible)
Alexander
Crypt
Fargrim
Seijiro

The aghash div is dead, right?

Eldeyr finishes his climb of the ladder and walk to the edge of the rooftop, waiting until an enemy shows up.

Move action walk, DELAY

Yup! Aghash div is super duper dead, thanks to the wonder that is the Sleep hex!

As Eldeyr finishes climbing the ladder, the div reappears, hovering in mid air several feet from the edge of the roof. It chatters evilly in its own tongue, and Seijiro hears a single word in her mind, uttered with magically compelling force: "Drop."

Seijiro, please make a will save DC 13 or spend your turn dropping whatever you are holding in your hands. If you fail, you also cannot pick up any items you dropped until your next turn.
Eldeyr, if you want to pop in now that the doru div has reappeared, go ahead and take your turn.

INITIATIVE!
Product Testing - Round 4
Bold may go
Eldeyr (Delay)
Doru Div (Blue)
Alexander
Crypt
Fargrim
Seijiro (Will save vs Command - Drop)

Don't mind if I do =) (jump in, of course)

Eldeyr pulls his shortbow from the straps on his backpack and holds it on his left hand, waiting to see if the horned beast will stay floating at range or come closer.

I had already moved, so using a standard action to draw the bow, but I can't shoot yet. @GM:Does it make sense to hold a weapon in each with the understanding that he can't wield any until his next turn?

Fargrim moves to the top of the ladder. Her knife ready if the div comes close.

"We free you, and you attack us? That is not very nice."

readied attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

@Eldeyr, you're free to hold your weapons however you see fit! You have it right that you won't be able to wield either weapon, though.

Alexander let's out an overdramatic sigh and waves his hand at the remaining div.

"Must I do everything myself?"

Another slumber hex to get this over with. Will DC 18.

Will save vs sleepy times: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

The doru div lets out a shriek as Alexander's magic takes hold and sends it to sleep. The div falls from the air toward the ground.

Falling Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 3) = 8

INITIATIVE!
Product Testing - Round 4
Bold may go
Doru Div (Blue) (-8, Sleeping)
Eldeyr
Alexander
Crypt
Fargrim
Seijiro (Will save vs Command - Drop)

Crypt, not wishing to let the div escape, jumps off the roof, attempting to roll with the fall.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Falling Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Unfortunately mistiming his jump and coming up awkwardly on his shoulder. He grabs at it, while maintaining his eye on his prey.

Come back here, I'll get you yet.

GM, I read it's 1d6 damage per 10 ft fallen, so I went ahead and factored that in. If I did anything incorrectly, let me know and I'll adjust.

@Crypt: the first 1d6 of damage should be nonlethal on a voluntary drop, even with a failed Acrobatics check.

@GM: Just tackling the rules questions while I'm here, I was AWOL for 2-3 days xD, home PC broke down.

Thanks for the assist, Eldeyr! Crypt, that damage is non-lethal!
I'll move us on for the moment. Maybe you all take this thing down while its napping!

The div continues its stay in dreamland, where it floats about across a sea of blood and destruction, cackling away maniacally.

INITIATIVE!
Product Testing - Round 4
Seijiro (Will save vs Command - Drop)
---------------------------
Product Testing - Round 5
Bold may go
Doru Div (Blue) (-8, Sleeping)
Eldeyr
Alexander
Crypt
Fargrim
Seijiro

Fargrim scoots down the ladder and over toward the sleeping Div.

"You're going down! Well.. I'm jumping down too."

After saying this the elf jumps down, again, this time with a front flip, letting go of his bow mid air and landing next to the div, both hands on the elven blade he swings at the sleeping foe.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
Attack (Cold Iron ECB); Damage +Sneak Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 241d10 + 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (2) + (2, 4) + 7 = 15

Crypt rebounds, and attacks the div.

Melee Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 111d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Eldeyr leaps down, his weapon in hand. As he lands, he absorbs the impact of the landing by rolling forward toward the sleeping div. When he comes to his knees, he brings his blade overhead and slices the div neatly in half.

You did it! Well done. That's one task down.

After dispatching the guardians, you retrieve the mask and return to Murqual's shop, where the merchant welcomes you gladly. "My friends! Thank you for your assistance with my new product. I always appreciate some cunning warriors such as yourselves in dealing with such things. Now, what other task will you complete for me this evening? I believe you expressed interest in retrieving my delivery, yes?"

Murqual sends you along with a cart pulled by donkey and laden with various trade goods. He also gives you two sacks containing 100 gp each as additional “payment” if the gnolls prove recalcitrant.

Agreeing to move on to complete the exchange with the gnoll tribe Murqual is dealing with, you make your way through the dark streets of Katapesh to the Twilight Gate district. By night, the streets of the Twilight Gate district are mostly empty. The courtyard surrounding the Ruined Monastery, a popular tourist attraction by day, is even more deserted than the surrounding streets. Perhaps this is what made it the choice location for Murqual’s gnoll “distributors,” or perhaps the gnolls feel comfortable in the shadow of this former home to Lamashtu’s faithful. In either case, the shadows lie thick underneath these crumbling walls.

As you enter the courtyard, the gnolls yap and growl to one another in their own crude language, then one steps forward from the group and hails you. "Who are you? Some of Murqual's new lackeys? Grr...that snake, that..." The leader trails off in a string of growled curses in her native tongue again. Nevertheless, she signals for her companions to come forward to inspect the goods. As they do so, they call out various complaints about the shipment.

"There's only one donkey! Does he want us to starve?....These linens are full of holes!....This liquor is weaker than my mother's milk!" Yet you know from inspecting the goods alongside Murqual before your departure that the complaints are ill-founded. Still, it sounds like you'll need to convince the gnolls to make the agreed trade, one way or another.

You can try Diplomacy or Intimidate...or another way...

"Friends. Your expectations may be as they are, but these are the goods that Murqual was contracted to deliver. Now, unless you want to be stuck in the city at day break, I suggest you take the goods and head off. We have delivered on our end.."
diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

The elf is not as patient as Fargrim, so he tries to intimidate the gnolls, after all, on his last trip in this city he did learn the language.

He says in almost perfect gnoll "Достор, мырза Murqual сенин төлөм дейт, анда Zephyr сакчылары, тартууга эч кандай муктаждык бар болсо, ошонун баары ага бар эле. Азыр, куру кол менен тирүү, же жокпу, Кудайдын жашап кетүүгө да болот баарын таштап."

Intimidate: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (15) - 1 = 14

Crypt smiles at Eldeyr's words, then picks up his Scimitar and caresses it lovingly while occasionally shooting glares at the gnolls.

Aid Another Intimidate: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (13) + 0 = 13

Intimidate, aiding Eldeyr: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

While he does not understand what Eldeyr said, Alexander gets his meaning and gives the gnolls a scowl that could curdle milk.

Seeing the team detemined to show force, and realising that maybe gnolls respond better to that, Fargrim changes tact. She locks her gaze with the leader.

"You can take what you have paid for and leave. Or you and bleed and leave empty handed. Maybe even without hands. The choice is yours"

intimidate(aid): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Eldeyr shows a surprising skill as he growls back at the gnolls in their language. Picking up on the tone of his message, the rest of the Pathfinders add their own threats. The gnolls take a step back from the caravan, and the leader laughs somewhat nervously. "Alright alright. We'll take the goods and go. No need to get worked up." The gnolls collect the goods and point you toward a large crate in the corner of the courtyard. This seems to be the delivery you were sent to pick up.

Before moving on to inspect and retrieve the crate, Eldeyr growls back to the gnolls once more, a bit surprised that they didn't push the negotiation.

"Таенем аралаш баталар силерге дагы бир күнү таап берели, бул шар турган топ болгон жок."

If asked, after the gnolls have left, on what he spoke to them on both occasions, he warmly replies "The first time I told them to avoid a fight with the Zephyr Guard, breaking deals in this city carries some harsh consequences. As for my farewells, I just told them that maybe Lamashtu will smile upon them another day."

"Are we ready to take this to Mr. Murqual?"

"Maybe we should quickly make sure there are no surprises..."

Fargrim checks the crate for signs of magic before helping to load it onto the cart.

Fargrim scans the crate for magic and finds it to be totally mundane. Satisfied that the crate is ready to go, you haul it back to Murqual's shop. Once again, he greets you warmly and thanks you for your service. "Ah good good! Well, a deal is a deal, and I never go back on mine. Here is your reward." He claps his hands twice, and a servant carries in a large, gilded pauelielwood chest filled with scores of scrolls in individual compartments. "The Monadistic Archive! Please, take it with my compliments to your venture-captain. Good evening!"

You collect the Archive and report back to Farseer Tower, where Venture Captain Wulessa Yuul eagerly awaits your return. As soon as you arrive back at the tower, you are ushered back up to the venture captain's chambers. The room has undergone some changes over the past few hours. The furniture has been pushed aside, and the resulting empty carpet space has cushions laid out in a circle. Unlit candles stand in a silent circle around the cushions. The formerly open windows are shut, perhaps to prevent the candles being snuffed by a stray breeze once lit, not that it makes a difference on this still night.

When you enter the chamber, the venture captain is ecstatic to see you, and her face is lit up with eagerness and curiosity at the Archive. She takes the chest from you and sets it beside of the cushions she has arranged on the floor. She opens the chest and sifts reverently through the scrolls, unrolling and examining several, holding a few up to her ears, and seeming to listen to them as she speaks with you.

“Excellent work. I shall take a full account of your adventures this night shortly, but for now... I need some more of your assistance. As I said before, these scrolls are relics of the Jistkan Imperium from thousands of years ago. What information I’ve found indicates that the Monadistic Archive recorded the thoughts and minds of some of the greatest thinkers of that empire. Not merely recorded in the written word—supposedly they copied the very minds of these men and women. Some binding entity within the scrolls brings these minds together into a collective of wisdom and lore, where each mind is no longer a discreet part, but melded into a greater whole. The ritual I have prepared should allow me to open the archive, but the effort of doing so prevents much exploration on my part. If I include you in the ritual, you can be my eyes and ears. Of course, this is not a process that can be completed in one night. This could take years. In the long run, a full team will be assigned cataloging duties, but tonight I cannot resist at least one brief expedition. I have sought the archive for so long, and I would be honored if you would help me with this foray into the mind of the past.”

"What can we expect? Do we shrink down and go into the box somehow?" asks Fargrim.

Then with a shrug she adds "The society is all about finding lost lore. I think we all share some of your excitement in being among the first to see what the box contains."

The Venture-Captain's excitement seems to be contagious, and Alexander gives the chest a eager look.

"I'd be honored to join you in this first step into the unknown!"

Is it possible that we'll find long lost languages in there?

"I'll follow your lead Captain. But, I do feel the need to wonder, after our recent encounter with a guardian, do you have any knowledge of there being a guardian for the Archive?"

Crypt nods his agreement. What's the worst that could happen?

Venture Captain Yuul is delighted that you share her excitement to explore the Archive, and she eagerly explains what she knows about your questions.

"From what I've been able to piece together about the ritual needed to commune with the Archive, I believe we will be entering a sort of mental realm, one only our minds enter. Our bodies remain here.

"As for your excellent question about guardians, Eldeyr, if there are defenses inside, they can be dealt with as you would a physical threat. If your mental forms are damaged... I am honestly uncertain what that means for your physical forms. It may be injuries carry across. Hopefully we can avoid that, though.”

"Is everyone ready to assist VeeCee Yuul? VeeCee, what do you need us to do? Where should we stand for this ritual?"

Crypt nods again. He's ready.

"Good! If you would all seat yourselves on the cushions here..." She leads you through how she will conduct the seance, lights the candles, and snuffs the other lights. She joins the circle, unrolls the scroll before her, and has everyone link hands. She begins a sing-song recitation in what you can only guess to be Jistkan, her voice and the occasional crackle of a candle the only sounds in the room. As Wulessa Yuul finishes her invocation, she bows her head over the unfurled scroll, and the room falls silent. The only thing breaking the quiet now is the snapping of the curtains, billowing in a heavy wind. Curiously, the breeze does not stir any other fabrics in the room; even the Monadistic Archive’s scroll lies flat on the floor. The doors remain sealed, and there is no sign the seance achieved its goal.

Fargrim waits for a moment, and then looks beyond the curtains...

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

Eldeyr stands up from the cushion, he begins walking around the room, while his trained smuggler eyes begin darting around looking for anything out of the ordinary, unsure if the ritual was a success or not, as they seem to be in the same place.

"Is the Golden City of Trade still out there Fargrim?"

Alexander looks around at the room, confused.

"Did the ritual even work at all? Venture-Captain Yuul?"

Fargrim looks out the windows and sees the lights of Katapesh shining in the pre-dawn darkness. Eldeyr, with his keen eyes and penchant for odd languages, notices that the scroll of the Archive from which VC Yuul had been reading is now blank.

Alexander asks the Venture-Captain about the ritual, and her shoulders begin to shake as if with laughter. Suddenly, she stands and throws her head back, revealing the hideous face of a monstrous woman. "Hahahaha!!! I have you now, my dears! Now, let's see. Whose innards will be the most delectable?"

INITIATIVE
Entry - Round 1
Bold may go!
Eldeyr
Crypt
Seijiro
Green Hag
Fargrim
Alexander