PFS PbP #55 - The Infernal Vault (Inactive)

Game Master GM Aarvid

Flinders finishes his long spell. He carefully positions the spell into the far stairway to barely avoid catching Varg in the area of the slumbering effect.

Varg watches Janks yawn and his eyes roll into the back of his head as he drops his crossbow and collapses to the floor.

** End of combat **

Let me know what you do with the sleeping warrior or the axe or anything else in the room.

Flinders speaks to his companions We must get him tied up or disabled. The spell will only last a few minutes. Anyone have a rope? Flinders goes down to check on Varg and search Janks.

Waste of a good spell. :(

I have some rope. Zantir hands the bundle to Flinders and then proceeds to search the man's belongings.

"Agreed. Cleaver, disable his neck with your axe."

After the deed is done, Zynep asks those injured to gather around for a healing prayer. (exluding the [dead?] Janks)

Channel Postive Energy: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 5) = 7
Channel Postive Energy: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 4) = 10

Flinders and Zantir move up to tie sleeping Janks up while Varg stands guard near the stairwell down.

On his person, he wears a fine breastplate, a fine heavy crossbow and nice short sword. In his pack he carries a couple potion bottles and they unwrap a number of gold and trade bars. Anyone looking to appraise suspects the bars are worth in the neighborhood of 2700gp

Definitely a he carries more than the two thugs upstairs.

Flinders examines the potions.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Should we allow him to wake and question him?

"Doubt he'll say much." Maps grumbles. "Probably just waste our time so whoever he's with can get further ahead."

Maps moves to check the armless elven corpse.

Thanks for the healing, Zynep. Should we send 'im back to the mud for good?

Varg brandishes his axe across Janks neck.

These potions are a stronger variation of common healing potions. Would any of you like one ? I don't condone killing helpless foes, though I daresay Janks wouldn't extend the same courtesy if it were one of us. I leave it to the group to decide. Flinders walks to the top of the stairs near Janks and listens for any noises.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Maps searches the dismembered elf (who appears to be dressed in similar garb to Janks and the two warriors upstairs).

Flinders listens up the stairs but does not hear anything.

Varg raises his axe high and with a mighty chop ends Jank's peaceful slumber.

This is a full round CDG action, so if any want to try to stop him, let me know. Otherwise Janks is taking a dirt nap.

Zynep's nods in agreement at Varg's suggestion and leans up against the wall.

Not that Maps is a good character, isn't killing this guy unnecessary murder?

"Hold the axe, Varg." Maps throws the ledger to the barbarian. "These guys are just mercs. I say we bag him for later."

A small smile plays upon Flinders' face. Well at least I'm not the only one who thinks so. Flinders begins to examine the lever and axe, discerning the workings of the trap.

Are there any removable parts? How big is the axe?

Hold! Varg, let us determine his usefulness before cutting his throat out.
There are a couple of us who have a faction mission that this guy may fulfill.

Maps, may I see those papers you found on him please? I may have a use for them.

Maps tossed the ledger to Varg, hoping to delay the neck chopping.

Zantir looks over the ledger, and then leans down with his Smelling Salts to wake the Elf up.

Varg holds his Axe to the side in one hand and catches the ledger in the other. He steps away from Janks, shrugs at Zynep, then hands the ledger to Zantir.

No problem, just don't come cryin' when he sneaks up our arses later.

Some interesting things you have been up to recently, Zantir says to Janks referring to the ledger. There is enough here to send you to the stocks for a very long time. Now, my large friend here is prepared to forgo the formalities and send you to see Phrasma right here and know. I understand his desire. After all, you did lodge a bolt in his side. With your cooperation, however, we may be able to come to an arrangement that is profitable for us both. So tell me, do you have any influence among other members in your band? This ledger would lead me to believe you do.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

Feel free to assist.

Alan speaks up, finally Wow, you guys were busy will I was at work! Perhaps we should have him lead us through the rest of this Chelish maze.

Look here good man, we spared your life. We don't have to you know. You sell your sword. Tell us what's ahead or show us and live to sell your sword another day.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Flinders examines the lever, which appears to reset the axe trap. The axe is about the size of a normal battle axe.

Zantir, assuming salts to wake the human Jenks. The elf appears to have been chopped by the axe trap . Will post more later tonight...in a ush ATM.

Oh, I was confused there. I thought Janks was an elf.

Janks begins to come around...

"Zzzzz...huh, what the #&#^! Hey, let me go you intruders. You have no right being here. I have powerful friends in the Claws and they will revenge me if anything happens to me. You will all pay, mark my words!"

He turns to Zantir and Flinders...

"No way! I am not making any deals with any of you. You got nothing in that book. Nothing I say."

He tries to struggle against the ropes....

Flinders shakes his head, nods at Varg, and walks away.

Zantir...sorry for the confusion. Janks is definitely human. The body of an elf dressed in a similar uniform was found on the floor bleeding and missing both arms. Likely victim of the axe trap. That is where the journal was found.

Diplomatic measures seem to have come up short with Janks. He does not show signs of cooperations and grows more defiant.

He starts to shout out...

"Alarm! Intruders! Devil Claw's bring aid!"

Flinders rips off a piece of his shirt, balls it up, and sticks it in Jank's mouth. That should shut him up. Tis a sad day for me Mr Janks, I hate to have to do this. Flinders walks over to the axe trap and begins to about reseting it. Can someone see that his bonds are secure?

The rags muffle his shouts...

Flinders, it appears the lever resets the axe trap. From what you can tell studying it so far, it appears it sweeps through an arc of about 10' when it comes out of the wall. Very clever bit of engineering.

"Sure my dear . . ."

Zynep walks over to Janks and wraps her whip around his neck. She then squeezes until his eyes pop and his muffles go silent.

"You sting when you have the chance. Vengeance will. Be. Mine."

Bloodthirsty wench. Maps spins his firearm around by the trigger and rapidly reloads a normal round in the barrel with precise and practiced movements. Pretty, but bloodthirsty.

"If he thinks others can hear him, they can't be far." He holsters the weapon and pulls a metal vial from a small pouch right next to it. "We going to charge again?"

Varg simply nods at Zynep, and turns to Maps.

If there is another threat, I am not waitin' to chat. Let's get movin'.

Zynep convinces Janks stop his struggles, and he complies by turning purple and falls in a lifeless heap on the floor.

Any other actions in here with the trap or other objects in the room or heading down the stairs? I have Zantir with the journal. Assuming others grab gold and gear from Janks before leaving. When ready, I will need a single file marching order and any special actions going down the spiral stairs.

Flinders, do you want to lead the way to check for traps?

Varg clearly wants to be up at the front, but extends a hand to allow Flinders to proceed him if he chooses.
he starts up the stairs.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Flinders finishes examining the trap, removing the axe and handing it Maps. Aye, I can do that. You stay close though, in case we are surprised again. Flinders begins to slowly and carefully descend the stairs.

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Take Twenty for Perception

Zantir looks at the still body of Janks. What a waste...

He continues on behind Varg.

"I would be worried about men instead of traps at this point. Let's hope his breath of life doesn't end with us taking our last. Move along, darlings."

Zynep takes up the rear spot.

Tell me, are all the holy prostitutes this... He pauses for a lack of words, This?

...much fun! I hope so!

Definitely a matter of opinion. Maps muses silently, a little disturbed by Zynep and Varg's casual disregard for life. He'd killed a few since he walked out of the wastes, but never in cold blood. The laws of the society dictated cooperation, so rather than make issue he gave a mental shrug.

As Flinders examines the stairs he takes out some alchemical components. "Take your time, I need a minute." He informs his companions. He then mixes a new elixir. It was time for speed.

Your group decends down the spiral staircase. A dim light can be seen coming up from below. Flinders quietly searches the length of stairs but after several minutes does not find anything of interest.

Eventually, Flinders finds the bottom of the stairs...entering into a large room...dimly lit. The bottom of the stairs are covered in a blanket of fog or smoke....looking into the large room he sees...

A perpetual thick gray fog covers the floor of this ancient stone
room to a height of six inches. Four alcoves extend from a small
circular center. The north and south alcoves are lined with
ceremonial slabs on which rest skeletal bodies garbed in old
finery, the west alcove contains a spiral staircase that winds
down from the room, and the east alcove contains only a
simply wooden door in the east wall.

A harsh female voice calls out from the far end of the room...

"Janks, is that you? Stop screwing around. Was that you calling before? You should know better than to mess with stuff down here. Not part of the contract. Besides, this place gives me the creeps."

A few notes are jotted down by people prior to decending the stairs.

Alan reaches out from the shadows and grabs the ledger.

stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

Alan, you don't need to do that. As long as we have it we both succeed in our faction mission. Also, I think that would fall under the "No PVP" rule. How about using that roll to stealth in to the room instead?

Zantir does his best to impersonate the voice of Janks. Yeah, you’re not kidding. I was calling upstairs; Baugh is late checking in. We should go check it out.
Bluff: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Flinders steps off the stair landing and looks back to his companions. Stealth or Confrontation? he whispers

Zantir signals for people to be quiet as he moves down to the landing.

While Zantir talked, maps took a small steel vial from a pouch tied next to his holster. Popping the cork, he quickly drank the contents. Moving down the stairs his stride became fluid, his balance enhanced as the mutagen took effect. His skin tightened on his bones and grew dense, giving his narrow features a hard, predatory look. As the change settled he readied the new elixir and raised an eyebrow at Varg as if to ask "Now?".

Hoping to drink both the mutagen and an elixir of expeditious retreat before initiative is needed.

"This one we keep alive," Zynep whispers with a wink.

Zynep stays still as she has found that this is the best form of stealth.

varg is ready with Axe drawn, but he remains still until the target materializes to charge, or to see exactly how Zantir's plans play out. He shakes his head no at Maps and points to Zantir.

Maps graces both Varg and Zynep with a frown. Now they want a captive?

Pocketing the elixir, he flicks out his wand of shield instead and prepares to activate it when the inevitable fight begins.