[PFS] GM Rinaldo's Echoes of the Everwar (Inactive)

Game Master The Great Rinaldo!

And the second is fire. the princes pipes in. And the third is silence. she adds at the same time as rhuul. Shall I formally respond or do you wish to?

I'll need to think a moment or two on the second, I'm sure I know the answer to that though, and I refuse to google it.

I appreciate it. I can't stop you, but it's not in the spirit of the game. :-)

Aww, I knew all those but I'm too slow. So, the sphinx is going to join our party now, yes?

"Hang on, the second one's definitely Fire and the others...just give me a minute...oh, you've already worked it out. Oh, never mind. I'll just stay back here then, shall I?'

Garmit munches on a bit of popcorn as he enjoys the riddle-fest from the best seats in the house.

Standing behind the group, Herrick quietly looks over to Garmit and nods, apparently in agreement on the rear rank position.

Go ahead Rhuul, give the great one her answers. Xen prods.

I thought we already did that...

We were talking among ourselves. Direction was specifically to address the sphinx when we were ready to give a final answer.

Rhuul steps forward.

"Great Sekhmanu, A hole gets bigger the more you take out of it." starts the dwarf. "As any dwarf well knows."

He pauses as the second riddle is recited, and quickly confers with the team.

"And a fire must be fed to live, but will die if watered. Me father bet that lesson into me head in the forge over many a spilled ale."

As the third riddle is tried on him, Rhuul scratches his beard.

"I beleive the answer you are looking for is "Silence" - not a quality you will experienced in a forge. "

He pauses as if unsure of this last one. "Though in a similar sense, one might also claim "secret" as an acceptable answer, for to speak it is to reveal it."

Sekhmanu nods. "Secret was my answer, but yours is acceptable."

She smiles and adds, "I like you. Answer me this, and I will decide whether to grant the favor you seek:

“What does a man love more than life and fear more than death? The poor have it. The rich require it. A contented man desires it. And all men carry it into the Great Beyond.”

Xen suggests to her friends Nothing.

Xen beat me to it! Darn, I know that one, too! :)

Kai smiles knowingly and merely nods.

With a bow, Rhuul suggests that Xen provides that answer herself.

Great Sekhmanu, the answer you seek is "nothing". Xen offers with a flourish.

"These guys are good!" Garmit whispers to Herrick. "Here buddy, have some. It's salted just right!" The tengu, still crunching on his last mouthful, offers the bag of popcorn to his friend.

I...I would not have known that. You are wise and learned, my friends.

Herrick again nods his agreement with Garmit, and then happily accepts the bag of salted popped corn.

He quietly noms while the others continue to impress Sekhmanu.

Sekhmanu smiles with a genuine affection. "I am pleased! You not only act with respect but are wiser than most of your kind. I will admit, Pathfinders are usually either a step above or a step below the average. I am glad to see you are the former."

She looks at the items you brought, and says, "I know a spell to follow the traces of the former owners that should help you find what you need. Place them on the ground here, and step back."

Once you do, she begins chanting. Despite the bright morning sun, the air begins to chill. Sekhmanu’s chant abruptly ends as the sphinx recoils with a flurry of her wings. Even as she withdraws, an eldritch mist seeps from the items laid before her.

“What trick is this?” the sphinx demands, “These artifacts carry faithless spirits within... godless creatures who should have journeyed to the Boneyard long ago!”

No sooner has she spoken these words than the pillars of mist coalesce into translucent images of three young women garbed in the raiment of Osirian concubines. Each one bears a distinctive ring upon her hand which glows with an angry red radiance.

One of them looks to Sekhmanu and says, "Our spirits are trapped here not by our doing, but by a foul binding laid on us by our former master, Khalfani Zuberi."

No one should be trapped so, unable to continue their journey. How can we help you?

"This is no jest!" agrees the shocked commedian.

"What more can you tell us for Khalfani and his likely plans?"

And where is this bastard?

I love it when the PCs follow the Q&A script so well. ;-)

"What more can you tell us for Khalfani and his likely plans?"

"He once ruled a shadow empire of businesses and foreign interests, many coordinated by us. Through them, he became one of the wealthiest men in the world. He used that wealth to live an unnaturally long life, extending it through magical means with sun orchid elixirs bought in Thuvia. As for his plans, he cares nothing for our physical remains. He only desires our rings. They will help him revoke the curse which leaves him aged and infirm. Soon he will restore his youth and reclaim his power."

No one should be trapped so, unable to continue their journey. How can we help you?

"Zuberi must die by our hand for us to find rest. We’ll help you if you agree to let us possess your bodies and act through you when you face him."

And where is this bastard?

"We can sense our bodies. They lie not far from here, in a set of tombs to the south. We can guide you there if you promise to help us."

Wait, what? You want to possess us? To let you take over our bodies willingly? While I want to help you I am going to point out that we have no proof that you are any better than this Khalfani. Do you know how crazy that sounds?How do we know you will ever return our bodies to us once you have them?

I agree with the Princess. Such control is not given lightly. We have only just met you!

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (8) + 0 = 8

Yeah, they're totally legit guys! No worries!

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (18) + 17 = 35

Herrick searches the auras of the spirits, looking for signs of evil and lawfulness first. Detect alignment/at will power. If they are lawful at all they might honor their word though if they are evil they may seek to twist it.

He then asks them a simple series of questions, "How exactly would this possession work?"

"Will you stop possessing our bodies the moment that Zuberi dies?"

"If Zuberi fails to die, will you still leave the possession of our bodies to us without reservation?"

He scans for falsehoods in any response as well as looks for evasion through more mundane ways. Discern Lies DC19 Will
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (18) + 17 = 35

Since this is a new day and everything is reset, I can cast Prot evil on everyone before we head inside the place Zuberi is hiding, and it will last 9 mins. That way you don't need to use up any more scrolls. I will also ask for Xichi to use my wand of mage armor on me, and he may take a charge as well. There are going to be other buffs, but I will list them later.

It's hard to tell with spirits, but you aren't getting the impression that they are being dishonest. They do not detect with any alignment.

"Perhaps 'possession' gives the wrong impression ... it is more of an attunement. We will show you a simple ritual you must perform while holding one of the items that holds our spirits. You will not lose control of your body, but we will be able to aid the person who attunes to us more directly."

Basically it just means that a character can use a standard action while wielding the item to activate a special ability. I posted the descriptions of each for you to look at and decide who wants to carry which of them items.

Discuss this, and make any other preparations you want. It will take less than an hour to get to the tombs, and you can cast spells as you arrive, so durations will start as we enter the tomb.

I would suggest Xichi take the wand, and Rhuul take the staff. The meat shiel...ummmm...the "warriors" may choose among themselves who gets the sweet scimitar.

Xen no longer loves you Xichi...:P

Garmit is not really interested in the weapon. It doesn't suit his TWF, dex-based fighting style. If no-one else wants it and we need to take it, then he'll take it for the team.

Rhuul nods.
"Freeing your spirits is a noble task. I would rest as uneasily as you if I did not attempt it." he states without a trace of a smile.

Happy with any of them. I can at least use the staff, though how effective the swarm will be against a high tier boss... not so sure.

This meat shield, labelled Kai, is not proficient with the falchion. :) And I don't think any of us are.

Garmit, through his Tengu 'swordtrained' ability is proficient in it. If it is just a matter of carrying it, he'll take it. He wouldn't use it in combat, though.

From what the GM said, you need to wield the weapon and then use a standard action to activate the special ability, but since it lasts 12 minutes you probably can just do that before combat, and then sheath it and use your own blades in combat. If it turns out otherwise, Herrick is willing to wield Kamila's Blade even though he is not proficient. With Greater Heroism and his Judgement and Bane abilities, he makes up for the penalty. This frees up Garmit and Kai to do their best in combat. BTW that Greater Heroism effects everyone from the sounds of it.

As for Herrick's buffs: Mage Armor, Protection from Evil(on everyone), See Invis, Daybreak Arrow, Weapon of Awe(either on his bow or the falchion depending on what he is allowed to use), then lastly Divine Favor. If he is going to be in melee, he will change out the teamwork feat Enfilading Fire for Outflank.

It is not necessary to fight with Kamila's sword, merely to be holding it in one hand while taking the action to activate it.

So it's:
Wand: Xichi
Staff: Rhuul
Sword: Garmit
If that is not correct, speak up now.

-----------------------
Alabaster steps ascend an elevated platform under the shade of a solid stone roof supported by eight thick columns, each one carved in the likeness of a bearded Osirian councilor. Along the far wall, three sets of golden double-doors await, each inscribed with intricate hieroglyphs.

Map is updated.

linguistics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
"I can almost make it out..." sighs Rhuul. "Can anyone remember what this runes means? Otherwise I do recall a joke about a translator that might be relevant.."

Xen has plenty of spell slots right now so is ok with Xichi taking the wand. She is not trained in Linguistics. Sorry

No linguistics here either, sorry. So close!

Herrick steps forward to read the hieroglyphs, ready to contribute, “This is the final resting place of Khalfani Zuberi, Holder of the Eminent Position”

So, is this guy dead, undead, or alive?Xen asks.

"If he has been drinking sun orchid elixir all this time, he will be alive.." notes Rhuul.

"But he would also be well known. I suspect he passed from the realms of the living long ago - that would also explain why he is here."

Buffing time...
Staring at the ominous looking entrance, Kai pulls out a number of vials and gulps down their contents. He follows that with activating a couple of wands on himself.

"Sorry for the delay. I'm ready."

Linguistics: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30

"This is the final resting place of Khalfani Zuberi, Holder of the Eminent Position, huh?” Garmit deciphers the runes. "As long as it isn't our final resting place, then that's Ok with me!"

Xen casts her Mirror Image spell and asks Lin would you happen to have an extra alchemical allocation? I have a special potion that combines Barkskin and Bears Endurance. It would be great to get its benefit withot having to consume it. I have no idea if I will ever see another like it.

Mirror Images: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Anything else? Who is going to open the doors, and which ones?

Herrick hasn't activated his divine favor yet, what with it being short duration, and will wait until the first round of combat for that. Since Greater Herosim has a 12 minute duration, we should activate that now and then Garmit can stow the sword.

Herrick will approach, looking the doors over for traps as he does, then open the western most door for his compatriots to move through.

I moved him on the map to the doors. Take 10 on perception=37.

The dwarf can't help tell a joke or two to try and lighten the mood.
"What do you call a flying cat?"

Before going in Rhuul will once again use Cats grace and mirror image on himself.

"Im-paws-able."

Herrick shakes his head and mumbles quietly to himself, "I am glad he didn't say target practice...I like cats."

"Princess Xen, indeed I do. You would be willing to loan me the potion?"

Yes, Kai has another one, but only Kai can drink it.

So you do not have Infusion? She would loan it to you, but you already have barkskin, I think. So only Bear's Endurance. Yours to use if you want it. Xen also has potions of fly and Tongues.

Garmit will also move up to a set of doors, check it out for traps and open it at the same time as Herrick opens the other.

Take 10 on Perception