PFS PbP Faithless & Forgotten (Inactive)

Game Master James Martin

Pinball broods over the necessary lie. This is why she didn't want to go to Cheliax-- one's best intentions in the country may still result in dishonesty.

She spends a lot of time meditating until they arrive at Emberhold, tightly clutching her wooden prayer beads.

As they look over the exterior of the site, Pinball taps herself with her wand, and nudges Garret to hand over his own. Mage armor on myself, and I presume Garret would like his activated as well

That done, the gnome wanders a little east to peer through the gaps of the crumbling walls and broken windows. moved on map

Perception check: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

"Is anybody good at looking for tracks?" she calls softly. "Maybe we should make a circuit and look around the perimeter to check for recent coming-and-goings."

Feeling the problem, Blanmieux is opening his ears he draws his scythe but use it to cut the undergrowth that around him.

perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

He looks at pinball.

You are right, Pinball probably there new occupants after so many years."

That is so meaningless what we are about to do. We will know about what. Story about killed moron?

-Posted with Wayfinder

Thanks Pinzel!

Garret follows Blanmieux while he looks for traps and tracks.

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27

Manius points out to the others that he sees something moving in the gourds

"I'm not sure there is enough wind here to cause that ammount of movement from such heavy plants"

As soon as Blanmieux raises the scythe to hack into the undergrowth a small figure that looks like a man made of plants with a gourd head bursts from the greenery and begins shrieking in Sylvan!

Blanmieux just stops. Looking sorry.

There was a time, i wouldn't have stop. The prospect of destruction will have gotten the better of me. I shouldn't believe in anything. But as i don't have any principle, selfishness are part of that.

Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Garret takes a step forward, looking closely at the figure

What does this world come to if plants start moving?

I'm going to wait to see if anyone makes a knowledge checks or speaks sylvan...because otherwise this appears like an attack to me...

And there's my cue! Sorry, busy day

Kn Nature: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

Pinball, hearing the voices, rushes back over, her hands upraised to stall violence from her companions. "Hang on, I can speak to it!"

A stream of vaguely-liquid sounding language spills from her lips.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

The plant-man stops and his head bobs up and down as he replies.

Pinball sits down cross-legged, taking the moment to translate what is being said back to her colleagues before continuing to speak in the fey tongue.

Going to bed here, won't likely be able to post for at least eight hours/possibly more, so please assume that Pinball will translate any questions the rest of the group has, thanks.

Theleb patiently waits as Pinball negotiates with the strange creature ...

We'll handwave the translation so everyone can participate.

The gourd-headed man bobs slightly as it speaks. "The troll? The dead creepers below took it. But it does not bother us and the dead creepers do not bother us, so.." The gourd man makes a shrugging gesture, indicating that it's not his business. "They live below, in the place that was the cellar of this home. They lurk there. We don't talk to them!"

"How many dead creepers are they? What do they look like?"

Knowledge religion to identify: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Harvest Stripe describes the creatures, which sound very much like ghouls. 1 additional piece of information!

What is the signature thing that sets ghouls apart from zombies or skeletons? (Hint: it starts with a P)

Panty raids? Pasty skin? Party buses? Or is it... PARALYSIS?

Not panty raids, zombies also do that do not click if you are offended by nudity

"There are probably ghouls downstairs, be careful; they can paralyze with their touch"

"..so don't let them touch me.....cut of their hands before they get close...?

Manius ponders some counter techniques

"....we go in now? Or we leave?"

"We go in now, these abominations need to be put to rest and we are charged with exploring these grounds"

Garret will activate his barkskin ability just before the party goes down, he does not mind going up front as a scout

Harvest Stripe watches your exchange with interest. "There is a gate back there, which leads down. We do not go there." Suddenly he makes a whistling sound and several other of the gourd creatures stand up from the patch. "We find things, old things. You take, as a gift, maybe you don't tell others we live here, leave us in peace? Friends?" Each of the gourd creatures unhinge the top of their heads, dig in and produce odd items, which they offer to you.

All told, they offer you a dark-haired doll wearing a tiara worth 50 gp, a silver locket with the portrait of a young man, Arenzo Davian worth 100 gp, a pearl of power (1st-level spell), and an arcane spellbook entitled On the Application of Magic in War, containing the spells ant haulAPG, cloak of windsAPG, create pitAPG, endure elements, fog cloud, gravity bow, arcane eye, crafter’s fortuneAPG, make whole, and phantom steed. There’s also a ring of arcane signetsUE, a small ruby songbird worth 400 gp, and a knight’s pennon of battleUE bearing a mounted knight surrounded by white roses.

When you finally go down..

The gate creaks like a loud scream, and the stairs head nearly straight down. Six round pillars and a large iron gate built into a low archway on the west wall are not the most compelling features of this musty cellar. Drawings rendered from soot and dark brown paint cover the walls. They’re broken up by narrow fissures of dark earth and crumbled plaster. The room is filled with bones, most of which are heaped around a large throne against the south wall. To the north, a wide set of stairs ascends.

"I am happy to be your friend, Harvest Stripe," Pinball says earnestly in the Sylvan tongue. "Thank you for your gifts. I wish I had something of equal value to give you. We will not disturb you."

Pearl of power is no use to me as a spontaneous caster; if anyone wants it feel free.

Before they head down into the basement, Pinball draws a different wand and taps herself with it. She also draws a scroll and keeps it in hand, ready if she needs it. (wand of longstrider, scroll of shield)

UMD, DC 20: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

She speeds up a little, walking more lightly. (base speed now 30)

Down the stairs, looking around in the gloom, Pinball lets Garrett take scouting lead, but slips quietly towards one of the pillars to use it for cover.

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

"I can hang on to the pearl for now. Could come in handy in the immediate future."

cool ,a spellbook for those who are from the dark archive..

Blanmieux will take the ring and looks at the Marius.
"Would you like the Banner or I could use it."

And Blanmieux will have his lance in hand.

-Posted with Wayfinder

"You can decide who takes what of these gifts for now, but we will bring them all back to the Grand Lodge for proper examination and cataloguing."

Garret scouts ahead, while being cautious in case there are traps. He has his stick in hands.

Stealth take 10: 10 + 16 = 26
Perception take 10: 10 + 12 = 22

At Blanmieux questions Manius takes out a small banner and a bunch of sticks and assemble them into a small banner bearing the glyph of the open road which he then assembles and attaches to his backpack

Everyone who sees it feels a bit inspired at the sight of the familiar logo

"You can use it for now, I have my own"

+3 morale bonus on saving throws against fear and a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls made as part of a charge for all allies within 60ft who can see it

Manius will hang back a bit, not wanting to disrupt the attempts at stealth by clanging along

"Nice banner ... remind me to visit the gift shop on the way out."

Theleb will cast his 'detect undead' spell and begin to track the restless spirit lingering in the room ...

The bones in this room are mostly humanoid, with a few animal bones thrown in. Garett and Pinball can hear soft ragged breaths from the door to the west, as well as dripping liquid.

Has you want, Manius

Blanmieux takes the banner activate is his power and walks till danger come to him.

Really we still gonna be attacked so...

Takes 10 perception (18)

Satisfied that there's nothing lurking in this room, you creep toward the open gate. Skeletal corpses thinly wrapped in decaying burial linen rest in niches cut into the stone of a wide hallway, which is intersected by numerous narrow fissures. Many of the niches have collapsed, with bony remains jutting out of the rocks and dark earth. The hallway opens into a larger room, where a stone altar is surrounded by cracked walls decorated with intricate reliefs of religious figures and prominent Davians whose tombs lie beyond.

Four ghouls crouch in the shadows of the room, three of them looking similar, but the fourth looking monstrous. He's clothed in noble's clothes, now mostly rags but still fine. His eyes glow faintly and his teeth are too long for his mouth.

The troll hangs from the ceiling, bound and gagged, while one arm is missing, the stump burned. The other is tied separately to its side and the skin there looks newer than the rest of the troll's hide. The troll is swaying slightly and seems aware of you, if unable to do anything about it!

init Manius: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (2) + 0 = 2
init Pinball: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
init, Garret: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
init, Blanmieux: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (20) + 0 = 20
init, Theleb: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
init, Ghouls: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Round 1:
24 Garret
20 Blanmieux
9 Pinball
6 Theleb and Ghouls
2 Manius

The ghouls hiss and growl as you enter! Garett, Blanmieux, Pinball and Theleb are up!

Seeing the "noble" Ghoul, Blanmieux stops to tell the other to wait but to prepare for battle it is come to this.

Round 1
Theleb will treat 10 sling bullets with a dose of his Holly Weapon Balm ...

Pinball hurriedly uses the shield scroll she was carrying on herself standard.

"You realize if we stand here in our current positions," she says matter-of-factly, "only Manius and Blanmieux can effectively fight? If you really want to be tactical about it we should withdraw to the previous room, and let them chase us out there, where Garret and myself might also be able to contribute."

Kn Religion for weaknesses, etc: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

"Or advance into the next room to make a wider front, but here we are just twiddling our thumbs" Garret adds

Delay

Pinball, three of the ghouls look normal, but the one in noble's rags looks more cunning, tougher.

The noble ghoul hisses in a mocking fashion. "Pretty pretty words from prey that walks so boldly into the spider's web. You're amusing, little prey. Perhaps I shall turn one of you, grant you the gift of life everlasting, so you may continue to amuse me? I am Arenzo Davian, children. I am the last of my blood and I shall sup on your flesh!" He snarls and the three ghouls rush forward!

Blanmieux and Garret, since you were delaying, you may act!

Garret sees an opening to his right and tries to squeze through

assuming it is difficult terrain, speed is 30 ft, so I can move 30 feet with a double move

Acrobatics if needed: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31
Escape Artist if needed: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

Garret squeezes into the cracks in the wall, feeling bones scraping him as he goes.

Blanmieux, they didn't trigger an AoO, but I'm treating you as delaying, so take your action.

Ok... Pretty, weird what I gonna do but the heroism is too good.

Blanmieux who think the reach is too long will take his dagger in one hand and strike the best he can against the ghoul in front of him.

dagger pw and heroism: 1d20 + 9 + 2 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 9 + 2 - 2 + 2 = 20
damage: 1d4 + 4 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 4 + 2 = 13

Pin, next round, we switch place.

Blanmieux's slash is enough to fell the first ghoul, sending it twitching to the ground!

The two ghouls lunge to bite! Bite vs Blanmieux: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 for 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 damage plus 2 Fort saves!
Bite vs Manius: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22 for 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 damage plus 2 Fort saves!

The ghoul Davian unslings a bow and fires twice at Manius! Bow!: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17 for 1d6 + 4 + 3d6 ⇒ (1) + 4 + (5, 4, 3) = 17 damage!
Bow!: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13 for 1d6 + 4 + 3d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + (4, 1, 4) = 16 damage!

Manius is up!

Blanmieux laughs at the pitoyable attempt to hit him.

Seem, I could beat you without an armor!

(No worries here about the positioning, I'll probably just go through the ghouls on my turn.)

Moving along...

Manius Fort Save #1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Manius Fort Save #2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

Manius seems unfazed by the bite.

Manius delays. Round 2: Garret, Pinball, Blanmiuex and Theleb are up!

so time for the switch
Blanmieux exchanges place with pin. His stance changes, looking more of a beast. He drops the dagger and thrusts with the lance against the ghoul close to Marius.

reckless stance anyone who accept this will have a +2 attack -2 ac.

attack pw-rage-reckless: 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 9 - 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 26
damage: 1d10 + 6 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 6 + 6 + 2 = 23

-Posted with Wayfinder

Round 2 Spirit Warden Channel
Theleb will use his spirit warden channeling to rebuke the undead Channel DC12: 1d6 ⇒ 3
... to all undead within 30ft

Pinball and Blanmieux switch places as Blanmieux's lance makes one of the ghouls history! Theleb's positive energy radiates out! Will: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 5 + 2 = 25 and Will: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 8 + 2 = 27 Neither ghoul, the normal one and the noble one, look very troubled by it.

Pinball, Garret and Delayed Manius are up!

So the last attack misses against my flatfooted AC; 2+17=19 damage, due me being a cavalier of the order of the shield I can convert 1 damage per attack to non-lethal damage..so thats 17 damage and 2 non-lethal

Manius caught of guard by some arrows hitting him in the side of his neck decides to back out of the combat..but sees some ..less sturdy companions standing behind him changes his mind and swings his falchion at the ghoul in front of him

To hit AC Ghoul: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Slashing damage if hit: 2d4 + 8 ⇒ (3, 3) + 8 = 14

Manius' blade flashes and the last ghoul falls, leaving only Arenzo Davian behind!
Pinball and Garret are up!

Garret moves out through the wall, while he uses his stamina to move further. 1 Ki to add 20 feet to speed

He lashes out at the ghoul with his stick, tripping the abomination. Garret does not hesitate and follows with a swift kick while it goes down.

Trip: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33
Vicious Stomp: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10