PFS PbP First Steps - Part 2: Delve the Dungeon Deep (Inactive)

Game Master GM Aarvid

"Like a fast-spoken djinn, I’ll get to the quick. I know where you are going. House Damaq of Qadira claim the ruin, but we are willing to allow you access for the price of a small deed easily accomplished during your adventure. You will be well- compensated, I assure you, for profits are most rewarding when shared. I assume treasure-seekers like yourselves are interested in such a proposition?

Without waiting for an answer, he continues, his eyes intent and his posture rigid.

“The ruin is Qadiran, which is why we claim it, and we are willing to defend it, but there are really only certain things left
in Asad’s Keep we are interested in: trade agreements, of which we believe there to be many within the ruins. All we ask that you do is to turn over all trade agreements you find to us as soon as you return to Absalom, as we will be able to hold the signers to them even centuries after their signing.

“The satrap of Qadira—nay, the entire
Padishah Empire of Kelesh—has much to offer the Pathfinder Society, and I personally have no qualms about sharing those resources with you,
specifically. Shall we shake on this agreement."

Why do I get a creepy feeling from this guy

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Sense Motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (14) - 1 = 13

"Speaking for myself - the rest of my party may feel differently -I'm not going to rush into this. The trade agreements you speak of must be legitimate and favor both parties. Would you welcome and honor a forgotten centuries old agreement if it reflected poorly upon you and those that you represent? We may pass along documents we find but only after due consideration"

Elindriel is apparently in quite a mood. At the suggestion that the Qadirans would be willing to hold the trade agreements over whomever they wished, her eyes flash.

"I agree with my colleague here, and would add one thing more. If you wish to have these trade agreements, as well as the opportunity to sift through them yourself and enforce those that favor House Damaq, and likely burn those that don't, feel free to retrieve them yourselves."

Eli just stands there glaring

[IIJust like a freaking noble to demand I do his dirty work for h and act like he is allowing us to do it. I am sure he is trying ti screw some one that is for sure. [/i]

And if we refuse you will what? ... Go in and do it yourself?

"I assure you, my friends, the agreements are quite legal. However, I will not interfere with your mission. I was merely suggesting a pact of mutual benefit. I wish you well...if you would reconsider, the offer is open.. "

After she steps away from the Qadiran emissary, Elindriel begins to find her way to leave the ball in frustration. So many of these people are only out to serve their own interests, and not the interests of the people or even the Pathfinders that risk their necks to do their bidding. There have got to be some who respect those adventurers that do the 'dirty work', and not constantly try to manipulate them...why can't they approach us?

Once he has stated his position, the Trade Prince excuses himself, leaving you to enjoy the final events of the party.

After the Snapdragon Festival winds to a close, you have the opportunity to purchase any equipment you may desire before heading into the Cairnlands the following morning.

While it may be very late at night, a city the size of Absalom
never sleeps, and nearly anything you can afford can be found at any time of day or night.

Returning to your respective homes, inns, or chosen places to bed down for the night, let me know of any special preparations for the task at hand before meeting up the following morning.

Hawk enjoys the remainder of the fireworks and makes no more preperations and settles down for the night.

Elindriel heads back to her room, changes into her adventuring clothes, then heads to the weapons dealer to purchase a cold iron dagger. Once that's taken care of, she returns to her room and gets some rest in preparation for the upcoming journey.

Thosar was very quiet all throughout the night. Although he had all the reasons to feel great (his new outfit looked simply marvellous), he was lost in thought and did not really participate properly in all of the festivities and "elbow rubbing". Seeing that some of his comrades managed to ruffle some feathers with a few very influential people within the Society, Thosar thought of reprimanding them, but he quickly changed his mind.

Hrmph, even if the night is "wasted" for some proper social interaction, I may at least try to get something out of it...

Knowledge/Local: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21 Trying to find out something more on Cairnlands/Asad’s Keep

Hmmm, that Andoran gentleman mentioned undead. Haroomph...necromancy is one of the rare avenues of Art I will not dabble with. So, maybe instead of disrupting undead creatures, I could hit them with acid or cold...

Thosar will change one of his cantrips (Prestidigitation) with Acid orb. I may change one more spell, but that depends if we find out anything interesting before departing.

Archmoon returns to his Inn, in the end he was happy that he bought the Explorer's Outfit instead of some useless high society clothes, even if he was out of place during the party, he really didn't care about such things.

He spent the night thinking about what Major Maldris said.

Most society leaders had either strange agendas or doubtful personalities, some both, but the Major, although full of himself, had a clear agenda, a goal worth fighting for, that is above exploring, lore or treasure hunting. An ideal that can put the Pathfinder Society into good use.

Eli hearing of the undead will go.to a weapon shop before the trip and purchase a morningstar.

No problems with any of the purchases.

You are able to meet the next morning without incident. After you read the detailed directions provided by Amara Li, you figure you will have no problem finding the site.

With your new purchases, ready to leave the walls of the city and brave the rough terrain of the cairn lands.

Heading out from Absalom, you find travel to the site to be arduous; the terrain is rocky and marred with the scars of millennia of wars, making it thirsty work to get to your destination, but you encounter no resistance.

The directions lead to a small gully; at the end of it is a cliff wall with a door set into it approximately 15 feet off the ground.

At the end of the gully, about fifteen feet above the ground on a cliff face, is an ancient, ironbound door. Its wood is dried and cracked. Directly in front of the door is a steep slope of rubble and dust-crusted debris that, as luck would have it, provides a path—albeit a rough and difficult one—right up to the door.

Map coming....

+-----+
| Map |
+-----+

As you approach, you see the door high up on the cliff face ahead of you...on the western wall of the canyon. The pillars of stone near you are 10' high, the cliff door is 15' up and the cliff itself is 20' or higher.

Let me know what you would like to do.

Elindriel will attempt to climb the slope to the door.

Climb (ACP): 1d20 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 - 1 = 14
Climb (ACP): 1d20 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 - 1 = 14

It looks like 15' x 15', which would make it a ~45-degree slope? Should be a climb DC of 0, +5 if it's slippery? 2 checks will move me 15' (base speed * .25 * 2), right?

climb check pillar1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

Eli will climb a pillar near the cliff in an attempt to use his grqppling hook and rope to attach to the cliff to allow others to climb easier.

Let me see what I can do to get a grappling hook up on the cliff

what check is it to attach grappling hook onto cliff

Climbing the stone pillars is a DC 15 climb check. Climbing the gravel slope is a bit easier, since it is a slope, but is also very loose and treacherous with a DC 10.
Place your tokens where you attempt to climb or cast a grapple hook..Remember that climbing requires both hands free.

Eli will use his grappling hook and rope and attempt to hook it to the cliff to give the other the ability to climb easier.

Grappling hook attempt1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Eli swings the grappling hook up onto the ledge of the cliff and the rope is now available for others to use to aid climbing.

During the travel through the cairn lands, Thosar informs his companions of what he had learned the previous night: "So, you have all heard that our target is a long-lost Qadiran siege castle known as Asad’s Keep. What is known additionally is that actually a band of fellow Pathfinders exploring the Cairnlands stumbled across what looked to be a door, revealed by a recent rockslide. Their initial venture into the dungeon did not end well and undead were reportedly involved."

Seeing the door high up on the cliff face ahead, Thosar motions towards it: "This looks like the door mentioned in stories, please be carefull of undead monstrosities inside."

After Elindriel and Eli safely climbed the steep slope, Thosar takes the rope proffered by Eli, and does his best to try and climb the slope via the rope.

I am guessing a Take 10/20 is not an option here? If it is, please consider Thosar using "all the time in the world" and Taking 20. If not, here's the roll

Climb check: 1d20 ⇒ 5 Plus potentially modifier for rope, if any

Archmoon will also try to climb, in a attempt to reach the door.

Climb: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Hawk trys to access the door via the slope, using the rope if availible.

Taking a 20 if the option is availible, otherwise here is the roll

1d20 - 3 ⇒ (6) - 3 = 3 + rope modifier

Take 10 is possible, but not take 20 since failure means falling prone and sliding back down. It takes two successful climb checks to reach the top. Elindriel made it. Eli made it up the pillar and cast the hook and rope, so a person can use the rope each round.

I need perception checks from anyone climbing.

Climb: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Climb: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Climb: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (12) - 2 = 10
Climb: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -1

Preception: 1d20 ⇒ 17

Failing to make the climb Hawk moves back to the base of the pillars asks to get hauled up by the rope by those who have already made it.

Can I get a lift up? This climb is getting frustrating. Sorry for the inconvience fellas. Hawk says, rather embarrassed.

I have updated the map. The size was messed up, which happens sometimes while moving. I also moved Eli, Elindriel and Archmoon to the top of their respective climbs

Hawk fails his initial climb checks and falls backwards, sliding down the gravel to the bottom. Lying on his back, he calls out for help getting up the mound.

Thosar makes it up as well (by taking 10 with rope).

Waiting for Dahr's actions and perception rolls from Eli, Elindriel and Thosar

====Initiative====

=== Surprise Round (single actions only) ===

22-Jumper
18-Hawk (prone)
16-Elindriel
12-Thosar
10-Eli
9-Archmoon
6-Dahriakt

What appears to be a female human leaps down from the cliff above the doorway, landing right in front of Elindriel. Wearing damaged leather armor, and a dagger at her belt, she has no weapons drawn, but speaks in a high pitched, hissing voice (common), showing obvious fangs and a long tongue with each word...

“How long will it take you all to cure, I wonder? You ssseem ssso
full of life, and I am oh ssso hungry.”

18-Hawk (prone, not surprised and can take a single action now)

16-Elindriel (need perception to see if you are surprised or not)
12-Thosar (need perception to see if you are surprised or not)
10-Eli (not surprised)
9-Archmoon (not surprised)
6-Dahriakt (need perception to see if you are surprised or not)

if when your turn comes up, you have not yet rolled perception, I will do so for you to see if you can act

The mound is considered rough terrain, so no 5' steps. Moving up requires a climb check, but not moving laterally or down.

perveptoon1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Is the pillar close to the edge

The pillar is about 15' from the top of the mound and 20' or more from the cliff face.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Perception check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Elindriel and Thosar are surprised by the appearance of the "person" dropping down right in front of them.

10-Eli is up...
9-Archmoon on deck

Dahr as usual, stays on the blackguard Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

As soon as he notices the female figure ahead, Archmoon addresses his companions:

"I don't think she's human, at least not anymore, this might be the first sight of the undead Major Maldris warned us about."

Eli notices the person drop down and immediately feels that this just isn't right. He quickly climbs down the pillar.

climb down pillar1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Knowledge Religion (to identify if it's undead) 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

If successfully identified as undead or not then call a warning as such. The action will be to stand from prone.

Hawk stands up at the base of the gravel mound, calling out a warning of undead.

Archmoon addresses the group.

Eli has no problem climbing down the pillar.

Dahr is not surprised and can act to close out the surprise round...

---End Round 0---

Dont know how much I can move, also I have the trident in my hand, I suppose I need to drop it in order to climb down?

Dahr upon hearing a figure drop in front of Elin rushes to the rope to try to get down and move closer to the others.

Climb: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

"It's a ghoul watch out! They cause paralysis and the bite is even worse!"

As a Move action: Draw crossbow

Standard action: Fire 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
Critical confirmation: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

Damage 1d8 ⇒ 4

Yelling at Dah

"Don't try to climb! just shoot it!"

Is OOC tatical discussion allowed? It hasn't engaged in melee yet and is on difficult terrain so it can't charge. Anyone in melee just withdraw while everyone else peppers it with ranged attacks, even if you do take a bit of fall damage. A ghoul's bite is particularly nasty so you don't want to go toe to toe with it anyway.

having a day at work posting action now put it in where necessary
double move climg up slope DC10
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

don't have ranged weapon so I am going in

Eli scurries up the slope to help Elindriel

Fool. If only you knew what it was like having a disease wrack your body you might not be so hasty.

Hawk glances down at himself, his own incurable wasting sickness evident in his body.

Archmoon, confirmed by Hawk that the creature was indeed an undead, draws his longbow and an arrow, and attacks the ghoul.

Round 1, HP 10/10

Move Action: Draw Longbow

Standard Action: Attack Ghoul with Longbow

Longbow Atk: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Longbow Dmg: 1d8 ⇒ 7

Still holding himself fast to the rope, Thosar can barely see their assailant. Explanation from Hawk was more than welcome, and wizard does his best to try and score a hit on the creature. Since he was in rather unenviable position himself, he casts one of the simplest cantrips at his disposal.

Ray of Frost: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
potential dmg.: 1d3 ⇒ 1

Dahr tries to rush up the hill but falls backwards ending prone next to Hawk.

Round 1

22-The ghoulish female, crouches down at being called "undead"

"I am not undead, I am a Pathfinder, but I am sssso terribly hungry....hungry....I musssstt ffeeeed!"

With that she springs at Elindriel, fangs and claws flashing...

Sinking her teeth into Elindriel's shoulder before she can react. Following up with a horrible slash across her left arm. She looks to The elves next...

3 fort saves from Elindriel, who takes 13 damage from the snarling dead woman...

Heroes go!

18-Hawk
16-Elindriel(prone, bleeding, ?)
12-Thosar
10-Eli
9-Archmoon
6-Dahriakt (prone)

Hawk, you can keep your stated action, but it is definitely in melee now. I moved Eli back so he does not block Hawk or Thosar just yet.

Wonderful, what a way to begin my adventuring career, my party being eaten gy a ghoul and now it looks difficult to get in a shot..... too much movement.

You want life? I'll give you life in it's purest form! Hawk says referring to positive energy Choke on it!

Free Action drop crossbow

standard action channel positive energy (harm undead)
1d6 ⇒ 3 DC 15

move action draw longspear

Take 5ft step closer to ghoul if terrain allows (I don't think it does though).

Actually other than Dahr falling down, there was not much movement...and alas, poor Elindriel did not get to move at all, leaving everyone with a clear shot at the ghoul. No 5' steps here.

Hawk drops his crossbow and tries to blast the creature with divine power.

The creature lets out a shriek of pain as the positive energy tears through her foul flesh...

"It burnsss ussss, what treachery. We should eatssss him nexxstss!"

Elindriel is up (or rather is next, need at least one save and stabilization roll).

For the rest of you, I can use the action you posted, or you can modify due to circumstances...

Thosar on deck.

"I am not undead, I am a Pathfinder, but I am sssso terribly hungry....hungry....I musssstt ffeeeed!"

Upon hearing this, Thosar tries to recall if he has heard something on the original Pathfinder mission (female) members missing.

Knowledge/Local: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 Check to discern identity of their assailant

Seeing her cursed with the curse of unduying, I am afraid that she is beyond our abilities to help/cure her now. However, as fellow Pathfinders we owe it to her to learn and speak the truth of her demise...and avenge her if we can!

And with that, he fires an acid bolt aimed straight in the heart of wretched creature.

Acid dart (vs. touch AC): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
potential dmg.: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

EDIT - Original post was under wrong (my default) alias