PFS Scenario 06 - Black Waters (Inactive)

Game Master Tarondor

Malena aids Gritta and Wilhelm in searching the bones, pushing them aside with the butt of her spear.

Perception (Aid another): 1d20 ⇒ 2

She then follows the party through the door into the next chamber.

Hey hey hey! Take it easy with that thing!" Wilhelm flashes Malena a grin at being poked with the butt end of the sorcerer's spear.

"Sorry," she says. "It has mind of its own."

Wilhelm just shrugs his shoulders and opens the door - rapier at the ready.

Searching?! How novel!

No children's bones are found, but one of the intact skeletons wears a beautiful set of bronze full plate armor.

"Well, this armor is nice, but I don't think it would do any of us any good. Let's leave it for now and collect it on our way out."

Wilhelm opens the door once the others are ready.

"Not so hasty, if ye please young Wil!. That suit's a good sight stronger than what I've got on. Just don't know if it'll fit a man of my stature, ye see."

Bram inspects the suit to see if it will indeed fit him. Full plate would definitely improve his defenses and fancy bronze armor is something that any good dwarf could appreciate.

Sorry, I wasn't sure if Barbarians could wear heavy armor. By all means - if you can wear it, do so.

Good point! I'm not proficient (this is my 1st game with my 1st barb. But hey, I am a dwarf so I at least have RP reason to think it's cool.

I knew we were forgetting something ;-)

Gritta waits patiently as Bram tries on the armour. She has to admit, that bronze armour doesn't look half bad.

Gritta is ready to follow Wilhelm past the door, mace in hand.

"Fine armor," Malena says, inspecting the bronze plate. "Should fetch good price in market if of no use now."

The sorceress smiles at Bram and the others, agreeing to follow them wherever else they decide to go in the Necropolis.

It would fit any of you, but of course if you are not proficient in its use, the armor could be burdensome.

A character who is wearing armor with which he is not proficient applies its armor check penalty to attack rolls and to all skill checks that involve moving. The ACP for full plate armor is -6.

Bram looks the suit over, then realizes it would interfere with his berserker style of fighting. He sighs, and makes ready to move on.

"Well, if'n ye sees a breastplate o' that like, just let me at it!"

"I see, well like Malena says, it should catch us a good price once we haul it out of here. I just don't want to carry it while we're still exploring." With that, Wilhelm adjusts his grip on the door and prepares to open it.

Let me know when you're ready.

C'mon Wilhelm, open the door already!

Malena is ready.

Sleight of Hand: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

Wilhelm turns and looks back at Gritta. "You want this door open? You wanna see me open this door?" Wilhelm brings his right foot up and gives the door a forward stomping kick to fling it open.

"There! The door's open. Now, let's find this ring."

HAHA. Looking over, I realize that I've now mentioned 4 times that I was opening the door. That's one heck of a door. :)

The door, she is open at last. Beyond is a huge chamber with many stairs. Methodically clearing the chambers to north and south, the Pathfinders discover only flooded ruins. The secrets of the Necropolis, if any, must lay down the steep flight of stairs to the west.

The arrows on the stairs point down.

MAP OF THE NECROPOLIS

Another door. See if this one opens as smoothly.

Gritta moves down the stairs on the west and inspects the door for traps.

PRC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

If she finds nothing she opens the door.

All back to our not-searching-the-room ways ;-)

Holding her longspear at her side, Malena watches Gritta search the door.

"Let us hope this chamber's secrets are less thrilling than the last, eh comrades?" she says, ready to follow her companions into the next room.

"Well said, lass. I wouldn't mind a'tall if this room was stocked with ale."

Bram lets out a low chuckle at the thought of a dungeon flowing with ale...

Wilhelm looks around the chamber. "Well, we can't come this far and not go farther."

He steps in front of Gritta, "Please, I do know that proper etiquette dictates that ladies should be first, but I'd really feel more comfortable if I took lead through the door."

With the frequency of storm waves approaching the shore, salt water erupts from cracks in the floor of this large hexagonal room. Foamy, blinding spray jumps in every direction, then drains from calf-height to ankle-deep before the next wave hits. Occasionally a length of black-brown seaweed shoots in and adds one more strand to a room that already appears draped in long wet hair. In each of the chamber’s six corners, a fluted pillar rises to the fifty-foot ceiling. Between each pair of pillars, an open arch connects the chamber to an attached space. Beyond the northwest and southwest arches, three tiers of recessed spaces form three massive steps. A stone sarcophagus rests on each step.

In the far chamber stands a haggard-looking man dressed in rotting finery, wisps of fetid, expensive cloth still dangling from his limbs. Perched atop his head is a golden crown, resplendent with a dozen glittering gems, while his putrid fingers each bear extravagant rings made
from a dozen different precious gems and metals.

He turns to you and says "At last. Tomb robbers. I am so hungry."

INITATIVE ORDER
Gritta
Bram
Wilhelm
Malena
Undead

MAP OF THE NECROPOLIS

Anyone, go!

Bram roars and rushes forward against the figure. He realizes that he can't close the distance all at one, but takes up position right in the doorway. Wilhelm should be able to squeeze past him, but the creature won't be able to reach Gritta or Malena.

With Bram leaving the path clear, Wilhelm springs into action and charges the undead fiend with his rapier.

Charge Attack: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 2 = 13
Damage + Sneak Attack: 1d6 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 2 + (3) = 6

Yikes. Well, that might hit the flat-footed AC.

Having learned from past mistakes, Gritta readies her mace and moves to a chokepoint in the room (5 west, 1 north)

Malena follows her companions into the chamber and casts magic missile at the raggedy man.

Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Move: Move 20 feet (S, W, W, W)
Standard: Cast magic missile at raggedy man.

Wilhelm charges the undead thing. As he approaches the rotting body, he becomes aware of a stench so foul its origins must lie in the supernatural. Gagging, he controls his stomach and stabs low with his rapier, but the rotting corpse bats aside the blade's tip with steel-hard hands. As Brak and Gritta take up positions, Malena lobs a small bolt of summoned magic that tears a gouge out of the monster's cheek, revealing dried, yellowing teeth below.

The monster leaps at Wilhelm, screaming "You killed my children!...So hungry!". Scrabbling at the warrior with fang and claw, it manages only to scratch his armor.

Wilhelm's Fort save v. Stench (DC 15): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

Bite v. Wilhelm: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 131d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Claw v. Wilhelm: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 181d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Claw v. Wilhelm: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 141d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

MAP OF THE NECROPOLIS

Anyone, go!

Bram enters a wild fury, and utters a gutteral scream as he surges forward, swing his axe at the foul creature!

Entering rage, move to the square north of Wilhelm and attack!

Raging Waraxe: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Confirm?: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Damage: 1d10 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Extra damage: 2d10 + 14 ⇒ (9, 2) + 14 = 25

That's what I'm talking about!

WAY TO GO BRAM!!! That's MVPC material right there.

With the dwarf delivering a powerful attack, Wilhelm takes a careful step to the SW and tries to stab at the strange fiend again.

"Try to flank with me, Bram!"

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Crit?: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Crit Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

In awe of her brave comrades, Malena manages to stumble forward a bit and cast another magic missile at the raggedy man.

Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Move: Move 10 feet (W, W).
Standard: Cast magic missile at raggedy man.

Yeah, Bram, way to go! What a dwarf!

Inspired by the bold moves of her fellow adventurers, Gritta moves to the square east of the fiend and brings her mace down

Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 121d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8 Hmpf, no crit. Now I feel left out

Bram rushes forward and completely ignoring the horrid stench of death, slams his axe down through the rotted head, cleaving through skull, spine and clavicle as well as several ribs.

With a hideous screech, the monster tears itself away, looming over the dwarf despite the injury and...crumbles to the floor. The evil spirit animating the corpse flees wailing into the nether realms and a sense of peaceful emptiness hangs over the tomb.

Bram's Fort save v. Stench (DC 15): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

[Combat over]

With a cold smile, Gritta looks on how the tormented spirit leaves the body of the monster. Good job, Bram, her comments to the scene, is everyone unhurt?

When the dust has settled, Gritta will commit to searching the remains: the monster was wearing a lot of rings, after all.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Bram nods to Gritta.

"Thankee. It do feel rewardin' to crush one 'o these horrors. 'Specially after how those others made me freeze up! I'll help ye search these remains."

Bram leans over and takes a look at the corpse too.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

We never even got to a second round. It is of note that the sea spray previously mentioned would "attack" every round, with a chance to blind you for a round. Neat idea.

Although many rich gems ornament the corpse's hand, none seem to be the ruby salamander ring you have come to find.

Wilhelm sheathes his rapier and slaps Bram on the back. "Capital, my friend. That swing... whew! That was something!"

Wilhelm's smile is tempered by the lack of a salamander ring. "Well, let's check this room, then perhaps we can check some of the others that we may have missed."

After removing the rings from the dead corpse, "Hey, he won't need them, and they may be worth something." Wilhelm checks the small alcove to the south.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

It isn't here. Gritta will do a thorough search of the hall, looking for secret doors.

Take 20 on perception for 26

"Yes, Bram," Malena says cheerfully. "Good work!"

The sorceress hitches her longspear across her back and moves to investigate the northern alcove opposite the one Wilhelm is searching.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 13

There don't appear to be any hidden vaults. But there sure are a lot of sarcophagi just layin' around.

Wilhelm gives Bram a friendly smack on the arm. "What do you say we open up some of these sarcophagi to see what hidden mysteries we can uncover!"

Wilhelm steps to the nearest one and removes the lid (with Bram's help, if necessary). "Ah, the acrid smell of death. No better way to remind one of one's own mortality, eh ladies?" The rake gives Malena and Gritta a kind wink.

Each stone sarcophagus is stuck closed except for the front most one in the northwest alcove. That one requires a DC 10 STR check to open. The others require DC 18.

Hearing the remark of Wilhelm, Gritta raises an eyebrow and moves to open the sarcophagus with the looser lid.

[b]You'd better now hope the acrid smell of death is coming for you. We've had a bit too much of that so far.

Str: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

If the sarcophagus open, Gritta will look inside for anything unusual

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

"Haha, true enough Gritta!" Wilhelm steps over to another sarcophagus and tries to push the lid open.

Strength: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

After just shoving the lid to the side, Wilhelm takes a peek in the deathbox.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Bram accept the compliments graciously, then sets about trying to push open another sarcophagus.

Strength: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Clearly winded from the mighty blow he just struck, Bram can't budge the heavy lid. He tries again!

Strength: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

And once more!

Strength: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

Finally the lid comes free, and Bram sits down on the floor, leaning heavily against the stone coffin, breathing heavily!

"It's all about leverage, my friend!" Wilhelm calls to Bram.

Most of the sarcophagi contain only moldering bones, but the one Gritta has forced open contains an altogether more surprising treasure!

The sarcophagus lid slides aside with the sound of a grinding millstone. The well-preserved body of a young girl lies inside, stringy black hair obscuring the face. Her atrophied limbs are drawn up like folded sticks against her torn school uniform.

Knowing that her physical might was not up to snuff when compared to that of her companions, Malena chooses to more closely investigate the girl within the sarcophagus Gritta opened.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 1

Overwhelmed by grief at the thought of so young a girl being buried among the dead in this necropolis, Malena cannot help but turn away.

"These poor children," she says. "So lonely in death."

How many more sarcophagi are set to be opened?