PFS PbP - Thornkeep - The Dark Menagerie (lvl 5-7) (Inactive)

Game Master Revvy Bitterleaf

After catching some long lasting Rest and Relaxation you return to Thornkeep to explore the next level, along with old and new allies. You decent back - bypassing much of the upper levels through the short cut you discovered and go down the stairs you found, leaving the fog filled corridor for a later point in time.

A series of stairs winds west and east down to the floor of this bare stone room. A short railing permits a view of the room from the staircase's landing.

As you step of the stairs and as soon as you enter this room, a large unseen bell emits a single, deep toll

A scuffed circle of blue-white chalk marked on the floor of the northern section of the room is filled with various sigils and runes . Four-foot-tall torch holders adorn the corners of the room, and a wide, closed stone doors take up half of the western walls.

Floating silently in the center of this chamber is the flickering gray image of a metal helmet

dot

•

...

POW POW!

Grimdoc, stout dwarf that he is, huffs and puffs a bit after the long climb down the stairs to the lower levels.

"Well, my friends. You would think as many times as I have been down here,
I would have remembered to have them install an elevator or lift of some sort.
Hahhhh!!! Seriously, it is jolly good to see you all again."

He checks out the chalk sigils and runes with a casual eye.

spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

"I think these are used for....ah by Erastil, I have no idea."

A wiry newcomer steps from the shadows, arrow nocked to his bow. You can see he nearly looses it at the bell before halting to see if the dwarf is able to decipher the puzzle.

"When you have explored here before, how have you all stood? My bow is my weapon in battle. I can feather our foes from distance if others of you prefer to go toe-to-toe."

"Welcome...Snow Adder is it? Always good to have an archer. I am only a fair archer myself, despite being a devoted priest of Erastil. I think my girth affects my aim. Hah! I normally attack from reach with me trusty hammer. Let me know if i am gettin in the way. People say I have a knack for it."

"Yes, apparently my skills with the bow reminded my clan chief of the rather nasty serpents that live in the Tusk Mountains of my homeland north of here. With luck, I'll be able to fire over or around you."

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

Calistan follows the group after bestowing his gifts upon the rest of them. He places an extra ward over the human with a shield. Drawing the holy symbology of Pharasma across his chest.

Life Link for the group and Shield Other for Samuel

After blessing the group, Calistan waves at the two new people and smiles.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 3 + 2 = 17 Used my 1/day boost and still failed.

"An elevator or a lift you say? Can such things be made with clockwork? If I had the materials perhaps I could rig something." Marcèl comments with a slight chuckle.

Then, turning to the new archer, Marcèl speaks again, "I do prefer to go toe to toe myself, for you see, I only carry but one weapon, my trusty blade." As he indicates the sword at his hip, he grabs the hilt and shifts it downward to draw attention to his weapon of choice.

"I am Marcèl Lebeda of the noble house of Lebeda, perhaps you have heard of them." He then adds with a slight bow.

A well dressed elven noble joined the others after Aviendha left.
"Interesting magics. But it seems that it isn't active anymore. I'm more interested in that helmet."

He looks at the others as if they are a second though. "Oh I believe I haven't introduced myself. Logain Xanatus. Aviendha had some other business and they sent me instead. You needed some arcane support."

While you make introductions and discus what the circle on the floor could be the metal helmet turns in the air to "face" whomever of you is talking at the moment, switching looking between you as the conversation takes place.

Logain notices the helmet focussing on each person as they speak. "Perhaps we should stop talking aloud, it seems the little helmet is listening to us."

Logain moves forward and studies the helmet. He casts detect magic on it and tries to determine what it is.
knowledge arcana/dung/planes: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
spellcraft: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (10) + 13 = 23

Calistan waves at the helmet, trying to get it to look at him.

Snow Adder draws an arrow, nocks it, and trains it on the helmet, waiting to see if it is just listening or have more malevolent intent.

Grimdoc will ignore the helmet and check the room for any hidden doors or floors.

"Bah...another of them fancy illusions I'll wager."

perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24 +2 vs stonework

I Don't want to get too far ahead with stuff since we are still waiting for Samuel, so we might need to slow down after this. Interacting with the helmet (and each other) is fine, attacking it isn't..neither is going through the doors...but other then that you can do pretty much anything you want ;)

The helmet clearly detects as magical, it's some sort of animated construct and is incorporeal...but that's all Logain is able to determine about it.

It turns to face Calistan as he waves at it, slowly moving it's bottom from side to side as if to wave back.

As Snow Adders trains an arrow at it, it turns to face Snow Adder. But it doesn't seem hostile (for as far as you can tell with a floating helmet)

Grimdoc examines the room but doesn't come across any hidden doors or floors (and the double doors that lead out of this room are as far as he can tell not trapped nor locked).

You sure its an illusion Grimdoc? Looks pretty real. Have you all run into a lot of illusions down here?"

"Aye, there have been a few illusions. Don't get me wrong. There have been real strange things too that were really real. oh and a lot of dumb gobbies. "

Still working through my last combat. Shouldn't be long now.

Samuel follows in behind the others, having stayed behind as their rear guard on their return to Thornkeep. Seemingly unphased by the helmet, the soldier addresses his allies.

"It is good to see many of you again, and in good health too. I apologise that our return here was held up by my business in Absalom. My superiors within the Society had need of me. What did you all do in our time apart?

"Aye, hey Sam. Good to see ya again. My last mission was interesting in that we realigned some portal and I was encased in ice. Good times with a good team...except the ice part. Now we have this giant helmet. Why can't it be a giant keg of ale? Hah! "

The portly dwarf half chuckles as he sets back to looking around.

The helmet floating in the middle of the room is average human head sized btw (it's tiny - I made it a bit bigger on the map so you could actually see what it is), not giant

"I've just come back north from the Mwangi Expanse. Beastly hot down there. Heard I'd better be ready to go back if they send word. Haven't ever seen anything like this floating helmet before though. Not even in the Blakros Museum."

Calistan ponders the helmet then tries to put it on.

As Calistan tries to touch the helmet to put it on he notes that the helmet is indeed incorporeal and can't be touched.

But since it's not actively trying to avoid Calistan, with some effort and clever maneuvering Calistan is eventually able to stand in such a way that his head is inside the ghostly image and he is able to look pretty bad ass while "wearing" the helmet. There seems to be no effect for doing so other then distorting part of his vision into a dull grey.

After a few moment the helmet floats up from Calistan and you can't reproduce the effect again (unless some of you are going to sit on someone else his shoulders to gain a bit of height)

Snow Adder stops aiming at it while Calistan tries it on.

"It seems to be intelligent enough, though incorporeal. Perhaps it is a form of a clairvoyance. We should be wary of our words around it I suggest."

Thinking for a moment, Marcèl decides to try something else, "A ydym hyd yn oed yn siwr y gall ei deall ni?"

That's my other game completed. I've levelled up and I'm just waiting on the Chronicle sheet for purchases.

After listening to his allies tales of adventure, Samuel turns his attention to the helmet.

"Whatever it is, it does not seem to wish us any ill."

As Marcel speaks the helmet just turns to "watch" him, the same when Samuel speaks up.

In that case, feel free to do what ever you want (in game) ;)

"Yet." Logain says and holds up his finger.

"Let's continue further in and see what we find."
Logain says and studies the door in front of them scanning for arcane energies as well, just in case (detect magic).
perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

"Very well. If it follows us, we may have to take more aggressive measures." Snow Adder also has a look and listen at the door before falling back into position.
Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30
I can just take 20 at each door where we aren't being rushed by something if you'd all prefer.

As long as we don't have buffs running out on us ;)

Calistan gives Sam a thumbs up!

Other then the helmet and some background magic that's around the entire dungeon, nothing stands out to Logain.

Snowadder also doesn't find anything to worry about on the door.

After it's opened:

You see a corridor with 2 sets of doors (or 3 sets if you count the one you just opened). After some examination you don't think either set is trapped or locked..and the corridor it self looks pretty safe to walk through.

Samuel steps to the front, bracing his sword and shield.

"Once more into the breach then my friends?"

Following his hypothetical question, the Andoran strides down the corridor to the nearest door.

-Posted with Wayfinder

"Let's do it." Snow Adder gets bow and an arrow ready and gets ready for Samuel to open the door.

Grimdoc will move up next to Samuel and will help to open the door.

"Aye, time to get busy. Ale is waiting and can't drink itself while we are down here. "

Calistan gives Samuel two thumbs up this time. He is just happy to be along for the ride.

Let's figure out a walking order. Logain doesn't have to go on the first row, that is better for our tanks Grimdoc and Samuel I guess.

Logain merely nods and follows in after the other men, sword at the ready.

Samuel will gladly go up front, it's where he's at his best.

Feel free to arrange yourselves in the marching order you want. I've put you down for now

As the party moves to the next door and leaves the room the floating helmet floats after Logian, hovering next to his right shoulder as he moves.

The first door you encounter doesn't seem trapped nor locked and as you open it you see:

Vibrant foliage creates impenetrable walls of shrubbery that encase the chamber and sprawl across its center, but ends sharply at the hallway as though cut away with a knife. Trees and shrubbery create a thick maze of jungle brush and undergrowth, and their canopy blocks out most of the bright light pouring from the open sky above.
To the north, a gap in the foliage leads into a dank, unlit stone cavern. To the west, an enormous kapok tree towers above the rest of the jungle terrain.

1d20 ⇒ 6

perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Logain quietly lays his hands and the shoulders of the men before him. Directing their gaze to the creatures he sees.

knowledge arc dung planes: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
knowledge arc dung planes: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

He ejects a wand from his wrist sheets and taps himself with it.
Wand of shield

Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (3) + 0 = 3

While Samuel fails to notice the creatures, he attempts to follow Logains directions and cautiously edges into the room holding his well-used shield before him.

While adjacent to two allies, Samuels AC is effectively +1, so it is currently AC 26.

Snow Adder has no trouble spotting either threat, even around the corner. He takes advantage of the opening left by Samuel to move into position, pulling out a wand, and activating it.
Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31
If Samuel edges into the room and Logain moves one square forward, that will allow Snow Adder to five foot into Logain's old spot. Don't want to move your character's around though.
Uses wand to cast aspect of the falcon. (49/50)
Knowledge (creature 1): 1d20 ⇒ 6 Dungeoneering: 10, Local: 6, Nature: 14
Knowledge (creature 2): 1d20 ⇒ 1 Dungeoneering: 5, Local: 1, Nature: 94

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Marcèl fails to see anything, likely due to the dim lighting or perhaps just bad luck. However, noting the others preparing for combat Marcèl decides to draw his blade.

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

"Seems we have company... ."

He will ready his reach hammer to strike at the serpent.

flying today so bot Grim if holding up. I will try to post tonight .

I kind of doubt that snowadder has a 94 for knowledge nature ;), but Logain knows the following and is backed up on some of his knowledge by snowadder;

The two-headed snake is an amphisbaena; it's poisonous and an amphisbaena functions normally even if cut in half. If dealt a critical hit with a slashing weapon, the creature is cut in half but continues to function as two separate creatures .

The rotting plant is an garden ooze.A garden ooze is difficult to spot when it is at rest among plant growth of any type (hence the perception check). A garden ooze can release foul-smelling gases in a 5-foot-radius spread centered on the ooze. The ooze usually does so after it is first injured. The stench of these vapors is overpowering during the first round it exists, causing living creatures within it to become sickened.

As Samuel starts to make his way into the garden the snake starts to stir.

Init Samuel: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Init Grimdoc: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
Init Marcel: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 6 + 2 = 17
Init Snowadder: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12
Init Calistan: 1d20 - 5 ⇒ (2) - 5 = -3
Init Logain: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Init Garden Ooze: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Init Snake: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
roll off 1L2S: 1d2 ⇒ 2
init
Samuel
Ooze
Grimdoc, Marcel, Snowadder
Snake
Logain, Calistan (+Samuel again)