[PFS] Teamwork Experiment Table Æroden (Inactive)

Game Master Nathan Hartshorn

The power attack too?

The hunter does not order the rex 5o attack so she sits ready to attack if ordered to

When her turn comes around, marina tries to identify this eldrtich horror: planes: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

and her spiritual weapon attacks:
attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

"Oh gosh, this is my worst enemy - "

Having no idea what to do about this thing, since punching it seems really stupid, Maria aids Dissa's AC.

all flat damage bonuses unless otherwise stated get multiplied - str, power attack, magic weapon, etc.

Dulomak's glaive cuts through the ooze and mist, causing it to begin dissipating. The shambling corpse thing drops to the ground, all color leached from its body. Combat over!

"Wow. That did not take long! Before we get any further, Dulomak and Cyrene, could you please cast a few scrolls for me?" Dissa hands a scroll of Barkskin to Dulomak, and a scroll of Keen Edge to Cyrene.

"It seems combat is upon us!"

Dissa starts healing himself with a wand.

CLW Wand 1: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

CLW Wand 2: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

CLW Wand 3: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

CLW Wand 4: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

CLW Wand 5: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

"Does anyone else need healing?"

Dissa casts Lucky Number and Protection from Evil.

Lucky Number: 1d20 ⇒ 4

"Not me, luckily, nor do I think my cure spells can do anything for this poor guard."

Marina says a short prayer for his soul and turns to any of the others, assuming they haven't run too far off - "What can you tell us about where this horrible monstrosity came from?"

Four more Korvosan guards approach you, faces losing their color as they see their companions. "Thank you for helping. We'll deal with this...hogslop. Looks like the nightmare plague has struck again. Our boss can tell you more if you want to know."

Rex Knw Local: 1d20 + 3 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 5 = 16

Cyrene frowns a little and bends her head towards her shoulder as the tattoo form of her cat appears on her neck.

"This was a shiver addict?" She asks, sounding worried. "When did this start happening?"

What is shiver? he inquires

"A drug - pretty addictive, but I've never heard that it could do this!"

"Of course we should talk to the local authorities. Can one of you guide us to your captain?" Dissa asks the soldier.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26

"Of course. Please give us a moment to get this sorted then we'll take you right to her."

Shortly after, a woman with a severe bearing arrives. She consults with the other guards privately while keeping a wary eye on you and is dressed with extra pomp and circumstance.

"I am Captain Cora Crandon. My men tell me you can handle yourselves, and more would have died without your help. The city could use folks of your talent. If you are interested in helping us further, I can make the introductions you need to help keep the citizens of this district safe."

Dissa casts Honeyed Tongue from a wand on the walk to meet the Captain.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

"Captain Crandon, today I am Dissa, but once I was General Dissa Ray. We saw your guard in the street, clearly neither Hogslop nor a Shiver addict. You all knew this man." Dissa leans in toward the woman. He turns his back toward the other guards to shield her face from their view.

"I know how it feels to lose those under my command. I relive that loss almost every night and day. Let us help you. We can provide the most help if we have the full story."

Honeyed Tongue Diplomacy: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

Honeyed Tongue Diplomacy: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

The half orc follows the group.

Kontha follows the half orc.

The Captain sighs, "You seem to be mistaken. He wasn't a guard, and in fact he himself isn't incredibly important. His uncle is. This man," she points at the disturbingly ashen—almost colorless—corpse ,its head wrenched backward, its jaw torn half-off, "was once Frell Tann. He was an irredeemable con artist, as well known in Bridgefront for his crippling shiver addiction as for his privileged heritage. He was the wayward nephew of one of Korvosa’s most influential and hated magistrates: Garrick Tann, Magistrate of Commerce. Now, would you like to help this city or not?" She seems disinclined to suffer from fools or flights of fancy and is only ready to get your assistance because you seem capable.

Cyrene winces as the mans family is revealed. "Garrick Tann. Dissa, we have to help them! If Tann decides it was someones fault down here that'll be the end - he'll have people rounded up!"

She steps forward to speak to the Captain directly. "I'm in Captain. What can we do to help?"

The Captain looks down at Cyrene, appraising. She quickly comes to a decision, "I'll take you to the official in charge of investigating the spate of recent deaths: Magistrate Stainton Drune. He's Korvosa’s Magistrate of Civic Order."

She leads you through the district until she reaches the Magistrate's office. Leading you inside she introduces you to Drune. He is a short, rotund man with thinning, greasy hair and a patchy mustache. After a short explanation by Captain Crandon he addresses you all. "Bridgefront is suffering a plague unlike anything seen since the days of the blood veil. It is as insidious as any disease, and we believe each death is feeding an unholy blasphemy: a terrible idol worshiped by a dangerous cult known as the Brotherhood of the Spider. We now know that this cult has not only seized control of the shiver trade in Old Korvosa, but may also be slowly poisoning the neighborhood’s wells, driving a flood of new addicts among our city’s most desperate and causing terrible nightmares among innocent citizens."

Do we know if there is a divine connection to this plague and pestilence? he inquires.

"that is terrible news! We can certainly handle ourselves, but are there any other leads besides the shiver addicts?"

"Where can we find the most densely packed and threatening shiver addicts? Is there a specific place in Bridgefront?" Dissa asks as he packs up his gear.

Seeing Dissa packing up, Marina takes a moment - Please, if we do run into poor souls driven mad by drugs or magic, take a moment to weigh whether they can be saved and if that time is now? Marina passes out saps to the party, just in case.

"Magistrate Drune, perhaps you could loan us one of your guards as a local guide. I would hate for our formidable combat prowess to be leveraged against the wrong people. Can you spare a man or woman?" Dissa nods as Marina makes her point, protecting the innocent sounds reasonable.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28

Magistrate Drune answers each question as he can. "I don't think this plague is a divine nature, merely alchemical. That nasty cult has been putting something in the Shiver that causes quicker death and changes the coloration of the body. My office has already collected evidence on the known deaths caused by this plague going back some two weeks now. I or my officers can provide more evidence at a later date. As for what I am asking you, it is this: gather any evidence that ties Frell’s death to the Brotherhood of the Spider, and locate and apprehend the dealer who provided the toxic narcotic. If you can find the den where Frell died, you can find the dealer,” he says. “And if you can find the dealer, there is little doubt you will also uncover proof of the cult responsible for poisoning the wells and bringing nightmares to Bridgefront’s citizens. Currently my people are too busy to even lend you one officer, but I'm sure you'll be able to manage if you begin asking around for information.”

Do we have a sample of the alchemical substance? Perhaps if we do Kontha might be able to get a sniff of what it is to help us

The rex gives a snort and a pleased growl.

"Unfortunately, no. That's why I'm hoping you'll go out and discover what it is the cult is using. There are also plenty of rumors in the street which may lead you to new clues.

"Here are the cases we do know about, though you could go investigate these locations yourselves. Multiple bodies were found in a rather infamous location called Fever Dream Alley. Hogslop all dying in the same alley isn't exactly suspicious, but maybe one of them left something there that we weren't able to find. Three young women were found drifting among the piers of the district. They were bruised and battered, by the waves or their pimps, it doesn't really matter. Something they may have been carrying could have been taken by someone in the area. Three shiver addicts were found partially devoured. That's what shiver does to you, makes you an animal. The bodies were found nearby the Winding Way and the Quill and Inkwell. Finally the Night Market may have some information for you. A couple of addicts were found there, bloody daggers in hand and their own throats slit. Its amazing what self destructive hallucinations can be caused by the drug."

"What say you? Will you help put an end to this foul cult and its machinations?"

"Absolutely!" Cyrene says from her position well below the magistrates desk.

"Excellent," hisses the magistrate. He is quick to usher you out and on your way. Several different things to investigate based on the previous couple of posts.

"It is a little odd. You say all these things like an abusive spouse. Your phrasing almost makes it seem like you are killing these people, then creating a story to explain the drug..." Dissa says casually.

"I have never heard of any drug causing cannibalism and suicide."

Marina gasps at each new horror.
"If the women are still alive, I'd like to talk to them."

1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23 to see if he knows anything in nature or diseases that might do something like has been described

"I say we start at Fever Dream Alley and move on to the Night Market." Cyrene suggests. "It should be dark by then and we might actually have some luck at the market."

Dulomak doesn't recall anything in nature that would cause someone to lose all of their color upon death.

Drune snorts and sneers, "Please take your conspiracy theories to someone who gives a shit. You have not seen the horrors that shiver brings about. Each case brings more disturbing news and corpses. None of our divination spells have been able to figure out any information from them and they have been summarily cremated." The women that were battered were also dead at the time of being found. You may be able to find more information about them by talking to people near where their corpses were found. So Fever Dream Alley first?

Fever dream alley sounds perfect. Nice Roleplay!

"You're welcome." Dissa says with disgust. "I am confused easily, and my memory is terrible. It escapes my comprehension how a man like you occupies a position of authority."

As the Paladin turns toward the door, he bows and says, "I look forward to returning when we have solved your problem."

Kontha emits a low growl as the Drune's voice raises.

:/
"...bye..."

As you travel through the district you begin noticing more signs of unease and fear riding on the populace's back. Posters for missing persons are wearily tacked up by glassy-eyed relatives, while lines for the district’s mobile coffee vendors—their hulking, spigoted barrels strapped over their shoulders—grow increasingly long. There is nodding recognition of everyone’s “hag-ridden” appearance, and in every market stall citizens speak of vivid, lifelike nightmares.

Asking directions leads you to Fever Dream Alley, though how anyone can find it on their own in the tangled mess of buildings is a madman's dream. The Shingles’ characteristic tangle of plank-and-rope bridges crisscross several stories above this narrow, trash-strewn alley. Shiver addicts—including those currently slumbering in the street—have transformed the alley into a makeshift flophouse, which terminates at a hovel sheltering a rusted potbelly stove.

Perception 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13 to see if he notices anything suspicious.

Dulomak realizes that one of the addicts is clearly unconscious, while the other two are twitching at random things they seem to be able to see or feel.

"This is an awful place." Cyrene says with a shudder. "When I was last here things were nothing like this!"

She moves down the alley, looking closely at the addicts and trying to work out which one is the most lucid and therefore, hopefully, able to answer questions.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 7

He goes to check on the unconscious man
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22 heal check

The two seem only half-awake, continuously snapping their heads around to stare at unseen phantasms or agitatedly picking invisible bugs off each other’s clothing and flicking them toward the stove’s open door.

Dulomak notices the unconscious one is starting to twitch harder. He then notices a small spider crawls from the man's mouth before everything takes a strange turn. Everyone begins getting a whiff of blue in the air and sees strings of notes crisscrossing above the alleyway. Before you know it everyone is stuck in webs!

DC 20 Will save vs an illusion (phantasm) [mind-affecting] effect. If that fails you need to succeed on a DC 20 Fortitude save or be nauseated.

Order 1st Round
Cyrene, Marina, Dulomak and Kontha, Dissa
Event

Will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

"Aaah!" Cyrene cries as she is suddenly entangled in webs!

Fort: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

She just about manages to keep her breakfast down at the thought of the spiders which made these webs!

Will 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Will 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Fort 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Cyrene, can you identify the spell?

will: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19

fort: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

"Ugh! Where'd these webs come from!? It couldn't be that one little spider!

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12