[PFS PbP Gameday V] #8-02 Ward Asunder (tier 6-7) (Inactive)

Game Master FiddlersGreen

Pierre, roll another diplomacy to accompany your previous post.

"Tanbaru!?" The guardian recoils a little when you finally identify the oni as Tanbaru. "No, no I suppose I did know, down inside. I just did not want to. So this is what you have become. It is all falling apart. His ward, my ward, this place, once a holy temple. Look at it! This desecrated altar! The unsightly scar at my own doorstep. THIS WHOLE PLACE HAS BEEN DESECRATED!"

As she speaks, the earth begins to tremble, and fiery flashes become visible at the summit of the mountain looming over the temple. The temperatue in the room rises rapidly, and droplets of lava begin to seep and bead at the seams between the temple's stone blocks.

"Tell me! Tell me why shouldn't I just let the fire and ash of Yamatsumi JUST CLEANSE THIS WHOLE PLACE ONCE AND FOR ALL!? she shrieks, and as she does, her own form begins to ripple. Her eyes turn from stone to a dark yellow, and a black slit begins to appear in the middle of them. Her skin begins to shift back and forth between her original stony surface to a mottled scaly epidermis.

Diplo and Touch of Glory: 1d20 + 21 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 21 + 7 = 42

The talk of cleansing seems to make Kujo uncomfortable and barbarian reflexively sniffs his armpits.

Man, every time I come to Tian Xia, there's some crazy sod who wants to destroy everything.

Reavis eyes Pierre, hoping he has some comforting words for the crazy statue lady.

Is anyone gonna tell her why she should not 'just let the fire and ash of Yamatsumi JUST CLEANSE THIS WHOLE PLACE ONCE AND FOR ALL'?

"Well ma'am, this is a place of history right? A whole lotta people can learn from this place. I mean you don't throw out the baby with the bathwater right? There's still a use fer this place." Wayne says wondering why he's doing the talking.

The mention of bathwater seems to set Kujo on edge.

"Well ma'am, this is a place of history right? A whole lotta people can learn from this place. I mean you don't throw out the baby with the bathwater right? There's still a use fer this place." Wayne says wondering why he's doing the talking.

"History is YOUR concern! I AM CONCERNED WITH THE SANCTITY OF THIS PLACE, WHICH HAS BEEN DEFILED!" she seethes.

Your options at this stage are to either try to give her a considered analysis of how difficult the temple would be to repair (Craft sculpture or stonemasonry or Knowledge engineering), use your charm to persuade her that it can still be done (diplomacy), or talk about the rituals that could purify the place (knowledge religion). Alternatively, you could warn her that at the rate she is going, she is in danger of turning into an oni (intimidate or knowledge planes).

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31

"Ahem, madame. Um, yeah, hey if you keep letting your anger get the best of you and descend into the darkness, well, like there's a good chance you're going to turn into an oni. Now, I don't think you want that, but at this rate it's going to happen if you stay in a rage." Reavis humbly points out.

Nice job, Reavis :)

"Yah, what he said. Plus, I have learned a number of different rituals from a variety of religions that we can use to cleanse this place. Would you like me to try?"

Knowledge, religion: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Kujo shoots Henrick a mean glare at the use of a particular word.

Upon Reavis' observation, the Kami raises a stony fist in rage, but then her gaze falls upon Tanbaru, and she shrinks back.

"I had been so distraught by what had happened to Tanbaru that I had lost sight of why I was distraught, and nearly succumbed to the same despair that warped his very nature. I thank you for your timely reminder."

As she speaks, the earth slowly quietens and the magma recedes. Her form ceases to ripple, and settles once more in her original form.

"Yes, dwarf, if you could. I would appreciate any steps taken towards restoring the sanctity of this place. The truth is that, whilst there are some things I might begrudge you for, things done carelessly or in ignorance, you have largely shown respect and due regard for the traditions and sanctity of this place. As for you, Tanbaru... what am I to do with you? I am loathe to send you away after you have finally made your way home... but is your place still here, changed as you are?"

She looks to you group.

"You know the ways of the outside world better than I do, and have a broader perspective on things. What do you think? Should Tanbaru stay, or should I bid him to leave this place for good?"

There are no knowledge checks that can directly aid you in this decision. It is ultimately a choice for you to make on its merits.

Also, good job on just barely avoiding the final combat encounter. XD

Also, good job on just barely avoiding the final combat encounter. XD

WHAT!???? Is it too late to spit in Kami's face?

Heh heh. You were close enough to the line that the final set of skill checks was a 'make or break' matter.

"Let him stay. Poor guy's suffered enough."

Wow, I have to write that down on Pierre curriculum. Avoiding a fight with an angry Kami ^^

"He's been a useful guide and he learnt much of the outside world serving the society. However, he could be of greater use in here with you, restoring the temple! And, given Yamatsumi's will, he might come back a kami instead of an oni. I don't know much about the ways of the Mountain Lord."

Reavis nods in agreement with the other Pathfinders, "Yeah, he belongs here no matter what happened to him."

With the talk about bathing and cleansing seemingly to be over, Kujo seems more relaxed but equally bored. Whether it was because Kujo did not give a rip about the fate of Teebo, or Timbo, or Tanababu, or whatever his name was, or because Kujo was all buffed up with no one to fight, the Pathfinder chronicles do not mention.

"Thank you for your counsel. You are right, though the fates have not been kind to him in the past, I should not compound it now that he is finally back... home."

She glides through the stone of the altar to Tanbaru and reaches a hand out to him. As if understanding her intention, Tanbaru shifts into his mask form and allows her to put him on her face, bonding them to each other.

“I’m sad about what happened to you, Tanbaru, but I need you to remind me why I must never abandon my duty. Perhaps, in time, the sanctity of this place will purify you, and while I do not know if you will ever regain your former form, I hope I can at least help you find peace here once more.”

With that declaration, the kami Jiraku melds into the floor once more. You are able to watch Tanbaru's expression as they withdraw from you, and for the first time since you met him, the mask of his face is a visage of peace.

You can conclude your business here and return to Old Pak when you are ready.

Reavis sets to work looking around for anything he might have missed the first time around.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Is there a mission goal we haven't accomplished yet?

It looks like there's still something, but...

Pierre clears his throat.

"Companions, let's go and not further disturb this holy place."

You are fairly confident you have completed your mission objectives, and have in fact gone above and beyond. Reavis' search does not uncover anything new.

There's some gold tied up in something that's not really straight-forward, and it's perfectly valid in-character to leave things as they are now.

If you can't work it out, or have worked it out but don't want to go for it, or just don't care either way, we can proceed to the mission debrief. It looks like Pierre is leaning in this direction.

Having already avoided the last battle, I'm definitely motivated to find any last bit of gold we haven't uncovered.

Me too.

Perhaps out of boredom or true curiosity, Kujo returns outside and looks for tracks of other buildings that may have been visited.

Survival (T10): 10 + 8 = 18

You guys have explored the entire place. There are no new tracks.

There was something described that you could have taken with you, but if you did not think to take it, and there are good reasons in-character not to, I don't think your characters would be staying.

Shall I give it a day before calling the scenario to a close?

Kujo returns to the room in which the mountain scrolls were found and starts to examine the religious texts.

Kujo tosses a few to Pierre as if suggesting the man should look at them.

Feeling lazy as he de-stresses from the encounter with the guardian, Reavis relaxes after making a brief circuit of the temple.

I'm ready to move on once the rest of the group is.

I think the scenarios is over. Kujo is just scrounging for that last gp.

It is practically over. I'll be wrapping it up soon.

None of the religious texts seem terribly valuable.

After taking everything that isn't nailed down, and stripping the snakemen down to their gonads, Kujo returns to the cave that was visited on the way up. He searches the ashes of the fire and then proceeds to take the statues, the brass gong, and takes a relief of the carve carvings. If Kujo comes across a kid with copper piece, Kujo takes that too.

Finally, if Kujo thinks those local birds' eggs are going to be valuable...guess what?

Anyone with an Appraise skill, please feel free to use it liberally.

After taking everything that isn't nailed down... Finally, if Kujo thinks those local birds' eggs are going to be valuable...guess what?

Ok, this is bordering on just plain ridiculous. If you seriously want to do this, you think you might lose the favour of the Kami you pacified. Do you really want to do this? Does the rest of the party want to let him do this?

"Hey, Kujo. Let it go man. We got what we need. No need to go stripping the place and risk undoing all the work we did back there." Reavis advises once Kujo appears eager to take everything.

You both failed your PbP Sense Motive checks...by like 10.

Yeah. Cool, bro. Can we move on now?

When Pierre sees Kujo going in and out the temple, searching something, he asks him to stop and leave the place at once.

"My dear barbarian friend. I sense indeed that you eagerness has clouded your vision. You'll find peace of heart in travel fights and quests. Not on plundering pacified temples. Now be good and let's come back to civilisation, will you?" asks the cleric in a serious yet tensed tone.

Henrick believes his job is done here, and just waits for the others to finish up.

I'm ready to finish.

Respect points modifiers:
Taking the gong -2
Taking the statues (negates the rice offering) -2
Taking the bird eggs -2 (at least)

Pierre, Henrick and Reavis realise that this whole mission has been about showing respect to the mountain and the temple, its inhabitants and its traditions, and wisely stop Kujo from going on a careless hunt for missed treasure.

Your return to Ramparassad is uneventful, and you return to Old Pak to give your report. He listens with interest to your account of your adventure.

"Ah, so you calmed Tanbaru's old friend and even reconciled the two of them, did you? Well, I am a little saddened by the departure of my friend, but even more happy that he has found his home once more. Perhaps one day I shall make the trek up to the mountain myself. Gather a few of the locals to clear those rocks on the path and fix the place up a little. Perhaps one day, it will once again be a pilgrimage site for Yamatsumi's faithful, thanks to your efforts. I will make sure that the locals do not forget the Pathfinder Society's role in bringing this about."

Oh that reminds me, I forgot to add a discretionary +2 respect points for using stone shape to make a path to the steps. Well done Pierre!

After returning to Absalom, you give the eggs to the Grand Lodge's menagerie for care and keeping. You later learn that the eggs hatched soon after your return, and are given priority if you choose to take the remarkable serpent specimens as companions.

You also notice when next taking your bath that you now bear a small symbol on your forearm depicting an erupting volcano - a gift from the kami Jiraku for the respect you showed to her ward.

This concludes the adventure. You have gained 2 boons. The first gives you access to a more powerful snake companion if you decide to take one. The other allows you to cast dispel magic, invisibility, longstrider, mirage arcana, stone shape, or wind wall once as a spell-like ability.

Watch this space for chronicles.

A polished, fifteen-foot-tall stone statue of a coiled snake sits atthe center of this room. A pair of topazes are set as its eyes, making it appear to glare at you as you enter.

Tanbaru looks perplexed and remarks, “Strange, I don’t remember that statue at all.”

This was the treasure you missed. Jiraku also mentioned that the altar had been defiled, meaning that you could have taken the topaz eyes from the altar without repercussion, since the snake altar/statue was not part of the original temple. Not too straight-forward, but it was there, and the scenario states that you only get the treasure if you recover the topaz eyes.

Ok, this is bordering on just plain ridiculous. If you seriously want to do this, you think you might lose the favour of the Kami you pacified. Do you really want to do this?

You clearly felt that what I was posting was "ridiculous" and asked me if I was serious." To answer your question, no, I was not serious. My post was meant to be ridiculous which you recognized. So there is nothing to stop Kujo from doing, other than reading through some old books. Next time i'll put it in OOC tags like the bit about spitting in kami's face to start a fight.

This was the treasure you missed. Jiraku also mentioned that the alter had been defiled, meaning that you could have taken the topaz eyes from the altar without repercussion, since the snake altar/statue was not part of the original temple. Not too straight-forward, but it was there, and the scenario states that you only get the treasure if you recover the topaz eyes.

Yup, totally missed that.

Profession(Gambler: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Before I forget: any day job rolls? Anyone on slow track?

Craft (alchemy) + Crafter's Fortune: 1d20 + 14 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 14 + 5 = 39

Sheets are ready now, just waiting on day job rolls from Kujo, Henrick and Pierre.

Make a post if you don't have one so I know to just put a dash across that box.

Apologies, no Day Job but will try to complete Faction Journal Card task

Finalize report: 1d20 ⇒ 20

No DJ :)

No day job here either. Thanks much for the run! This was a fun one.

Ok, here are the chronicles! (linkified)

One more thing that I only remembered while trying to report the game...

Could everyone, once you've downloaded your chronicle, roll at 1d20 and a 1d6?

Like this:
1d20 ⇒ 16
1d6 ⇒ 5

I'll mark the game as inactive once I have a roll from each of you.