PFS: The Midnight Mirror (Inactive)

Game Master R D

buffs
shillelagh, 20 rounds
mirror image, 5 images, 25 rounds
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Ah, forgot the knowledge checks. But I doubt mine will yield much.
knowledge geography take 20: 20 + 4 + 2 = 26
knowledge nature take 20: 20 + 7 + 2 = 29

How far is the constable? Are we outside town? Sorry. I've forgotten.

"What is going on here, man?" inquires Mareq of the man encased in wax. "Tell us the perfidy that has transpired, while we work to free you." He speaks calmly and in a confident, yet soothing voice, conveying as best he can that rescue is here and that all will be well.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

He shakes the man, gently, trying to get his attention. No doubt he is dumbfounded from what he has seen, thinks the ifrit. Mareq examines the vats of wax and the rest of the room's paraphernalia.

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Knowledge (Engineering): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Can a strength check work to free them?

"Husarq, come here. Your strength may be necessary."

Sorry, that post by ElterAgo should have been Selter.

On other topics:

CMW potion
"Fellows, I suggest the wound healing potion be distributed to one among us who cannot conjure healing magics independently. Perhaps Harrow? Otherwise, my <ptew> servant can take it."

Potion of Lesser Restoration
"How weakened are we?" asks Mareq. He motions with a jerk of his head towards Husarq. "The Killer of All That is Good is still slightly weakened, but... I prefer others more worthy take the curative before he."
Husarq's only down 2 Str. He can tough that out if somebody else needs it more. If nobody takes it, I'll use it.

The creature
"What is this thing that we fought. Usually the light harbors goodness and weal. Yet is was clearly full of evil intent."
Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Healing himself
Mareq can feel his own weakness still ebbing into Husarq. He immediately closes his mind's eye, his window into history, and severs the connection between him and the efreeti. He pulls forth the beautiful, gentle, white wand and touches himself with it.

UMD: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
UMD: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
UMD: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
UMD: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19
UMD: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
UMD: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
CLW wand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

First, I think Tania better take the other restoration potion. With 1 str right now, if we face more shadows (a strong possibility) she will die outright. Maybe she will even be able to carry some of her gear.

Harrow assists Tania, taking all of her gear that she can't carry herself.

"Here little tiny cleric girl. Harrow help."

He also works to free the trapped townspeople.

"Harrow think we find missing townspeople. Maybe even one of these girls daughter of sheriff guy who not like us before. Maybe he even like us now...if we find her. Hey, any of you guys daughter of sheriff?"

Harrow, surprisingly helpful and mellow, helps to interview the victims, asking them what they know, who has been here, and if they overheard any plans for what is happening. Once he has finished the interviews, he suggests they go inform the authorities.

diplomacy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22

Yep. Strength checks are sufficient to get them out of the vats of wax. You guys have the time to take 10 or 20; no need to roll.

1d4 ⇒ 2 Tan'ia recovers 2 STR.

You collectively discover that the northwest vat holds Olya Groy, while the other two hold the butcher's son Delian and a farmer named Zona. Each victim recounts how a fellow villager lured them here under false but believable pretences (Catalina ensnared both Zona and Olya, and Delian was lured here by Fane). Once they were brought to the cellar, the lurker cast a spell on them. None of them remember thinking that climbing into the vats of hot wax was a bad idea at the time... The lurker made no secret of his intentions to sacrifice them in a terrible ritual, and when they begged for mercy, the fey claimed that the baron knew what he was doing and had given him permission to—in fact, had ordered him to—sacrifice whomever in town that the lurker wanted/needed.

In the store rooms, one of the women is Irini (the baker's wife and Gavril's illicit lover). The other is Neliana, a weaver whose husband Durvik is also among the dead. The other two victims are a pair of siblings who worked as lumberjacks in the woods and came into town at the wrong time to resupply and schedule their next shipment to Pangolais.

Fane?

Fane?

He's one of the two (formerly) enthralled humans who cowered during your fight with the lurker.

Any 'shadow populace' amongst the bodies?
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Hmm... Maybe better not tell anyone yet. Crazy police man might do anything getting lots killed.
We be thinking fey telling victims not truth?
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Should we at least inform the Baroness? If we let these people free, a lot of people are going to quickly know something is up and have the same info we do.

What do our skill checks tell us about the Lurker in the Light?

You can know about the creature and its abilities. But you don't know anything for certain about its motivations, intentions, and alliances.

Tan'ia sad.

Where to from here?

GM, how mature are Olya and Delian? Do they seem responsible enough to possibly keep their mouth shut about what they heard from the lurker?.
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Next I think we should get Tan'ia to a priest to remove the blindness and get back some strength.
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Do any of you have a good bluff skill if lying and deceit become part of the plan?

Olya is probably somewhere between 8 and 10 years old. Delian is older. Teens.

Little mammal Olya, did Olya hear bad man say why doing this?
Specifically, I'm hoping to learn she did not hear the statement about the Baron.
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btw, we unrig the trap that would dump wax on someone opening the door.

Okay, so we did NOT find the sheriff's daughter, right? As for what to do now, I think first of all, a blind cleric and two weakened party members need to be brought to fighting strength. We should first of all get them better (especially the blindness). Second, we should probably report what we have found to any allies we think we have (Baron's wife, Huntmaster, Baron himself?, Sheriff?).

Olya is the law mans daughter. The one with the angry mob and tallowthroat.

She heard the little man say a lot of things but she didn't understand most of it. She did hear him talk about the baron.

"Can we deduce from our information so far what the connection of tallow throat and the lurker's plans is/was?

Okay, so I think we should 1) find a healer to get Tania back in action 2) reunite Olya and any other kids with their parents and 3) report to our allies and see if we discover anything new. In that order. :)

I think we can only do them in that order if we split up for 1 and 2. When they see us walking through town with the missing and we are NOT just setting them free, it will look suspicious.
Let's try to get the older 2 to not talk about what the lurker said about the Baron. It might have been lying and we don't want to spread the lies. OR we might need any help at surprising if it was telling the truth.
We could pretend like we think everything is solved and we are done. That might invite a revenge attack on us. It also seems a slight chance of surprising anyone else we do eventually catch.
The only ones I am comfortable telling everything are the Baroness and the Huntmaster. If they were involved they probably would not have done such a good job of pointing us right at the Chandlery.

I'm also fine turning in the kids, then getting the healing. I don't think there's a huge chance of us getting ambushed before we can get to a cleric. So we could reverse the order of 1 and 2, then go find the Baroness and Huntmaster.

I agree, we should keep the Baron information silent, if possible. And we shouldn't report to him, either. At least at first, if possible. Let's tell any townspeople we meet that we have rescued these fortune townsfolk and are taking them to a cleric for evaluation, blessings, and first aid. This will allow us to stay together. Once we're healed up, we call the Sheriff to us and give him his daughter back. We can also share with him that the Baron might be in on it. We can then visit the Baroness and the Huntmaster and bring them in on the news. I imagine, after this, we will have caught the attention of any who wish to attack us.

A variation on this plan would be to take them to the town cleric and, at the same time, ASK the sheriff to come to us there. Or send somebody, splitting the party. Honestly, this latter seems like a difficult, but wise choice. The sheriff, alerted by superstitious townsfolk, may get the wrong idea. Best if we go ourselves.

Mareq and Husarq volunteer for this task, while the rest of you go straight to the cleric. We and the sheriff will meet you there.

I'm also fine turning in the kids, then getting the healing. I don't think there's a huge chance of us getting ambushed before we can get to a cleric. So we could reverse the order of 1 and 2, then go find the Baroness and Huntmaster.

Lots of ideas swirling. That's great. But I think we ought to keep the rescued kids/people with us so we can play the heroes. If we don't, we risk accusation. I hate lynch mobs. :)

"Fellows, does it seem a coincidence that a light loving evil fey is operating sacrificial altars in a town that is suddenly blaming plague and disappearances on shadowfolk? I can make an educated assumption that perhaps this light-loving thing hates the shadow. And is behind the accusations against the shadowfolk in town."

I definitely like taking the kids to the temple to make sure they are okay, then to the law man. The only thing you suggested that I don't think we should do is implicate the Baron at this time. I agree it could be a red herring and a rumor. Should we go to the temple with the kids for evaluation then? Anyone we see we could boast we rescued them...Harrow would be good at that!

Works for me, but we could just send a runner to the sheriff instead of splitting up. Your call, if you want to go your self or not.

I think we should stick together.

The only thing you suggested that I don't think we should do is implicate the Baron at this time. I agree it could be a red herring and a rumor.

I completely agree. Do not implicate the Baron at this time.

Re splitting the party, Mareq will go to the Sheriff and leave Husarq with the rest of the group. Using our Link ability, Husarq can alert Mareq of any perfidy. And Mareq can see through Husarq's eyes using Bond Senses if necessary. Thus, Mareq can return to the temple to aid the team, if necessary, and bring the Sheriff and others if there's a major attack.

EDIT Forget above plan splitting Mareq and Husarq. Over 100ft apart and Husarq starts losing HP. Forgot that part of the summoner/eidolon bond. Let's keep party together and send a townswperson as a runner to the sheriff.

GM, looks like we have reached an agreement. We all go together with kids/people to cleric for healing. We send a runner to the sheriff.

To the first townsperson we see who looks capable:

"Good sir, help us! We have rescued your fellows here from a terrible evil in the chandlery. Run IMMEDIATELY to the sheriff and tell him we rescued his daughter. She is safe and well. Everything is OK, but we are taking her and the others to the cleric for aid and blessings, just in case. Please ask him to meet us there as soon as possible."

After the runner has left...

"Be wary, my fellow Pathfinders, the body of the evil fey has crumbled to dust, so we have little evidence. We should care for these witnesses well. They are our only proof."

Mareq says this quietly, where none of the non-pathfinders can hear.

Keep in mind, too, that you're supposed to avoid any political destabilization of the area. A war between Nidal and the Pathfinder Society would be a bad thing.™ Even if the Baron is involved with the shenanigans here, it's not your job to deal with him.

Nice job of communicating and planning! :-) I know what I'm going to do next, but I'd like to give Berosius and Tan'ia a chance to chime in, if they wish. A lot of posts just flew by; let's give them a moment to catch up.

Tan'ia is especially agreeable to regaining her sight. Without that she'd really just be a detriment to the group.

A lot of posts just flew by; let's give them a moment to catch up.

Wow, did they ever!

"I think it's more than just that creature hating the shadows, Mareck," says Berosius, stroking his chin in thought. "It was sacrificing people. I think it hates just about everything around it. The question is, to who or to what was it making those sacrifices? Have we seen anything that would answer that? It might give us a clue to what's going on here."

So, to the temple of Zon Kuthon, then?

Yes

You head over to the temple and, by an incredible coincidence, Olya's father is there! :-)

"Olya!?! Is that you! Oh! My baby! My baby girl!" Lucian Groy runs to his daughter, tears in his eyes. The party is fairly certain that they just made another ally.

Harrow tries to intervene before the man embraces his daughter.

"Wait! Harrow think you have throat disease! Harrow not want to have daughter saved, then get sick and die from disease! Maybe give air hugs and we try to find cure!" the half-orc pleads.

Once the law man has been reunited with his daughter, Harrow asks him "Any other clues show up maybe you share with us?"

He also tries to arrange for some curative spells for his companions, especially Tania.

Unfortunately, Lucian Groy has no further information. But he pledges to keep his eyes and ears our for anything that might be helpful.

The temple of Zon-Kuthon: A graveyard surrounds this austere, spired temple, and imagery of skulls and chains is carved in riotous profusion onto the tombstones and black stone edifice. Mausoleums line the edge of the cemetery, each emblazoned with the Boroi family
crest and dozens of names.

The head priest, Radu Miklos, is an overweight man in his late thirties with a facial tattoo and numerous silver piercings along the bridge of his nose and on his pale, bald scalp. While normally tasked with conducting religious ceremonies to the Midnight Lord, Miklos has been smothered in requests for healing since tallowthroat broke out, but has limited resources to truly assist the population with the problem.

When the party approaches him, he is tired and cranky: "Yes. What is it? I'm very busy here!"

Harrow says "We very busy saving town, to. We just defeat bad guy helping cause disease and rescue lots of town people. But we need cure for blind girl and also weak knees! You can help us, right?"

diplomacy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

I can assist you with some healing, if you can aid me and restore my eyesight. I certainly could help without, but I feel like I would be more beneficial if I could see.

Berosius casts a baleful eye on the vile edifice and refuses to set foot inside. He waits outside while the others speak to the priest, whispering prayers to Milani that one day the people of this benighted land be freed from their deific oppressor.

"Yes, yes, I know!" he hisses at no one when his cloak flutters and clothes shift. "I don't want to go in, either."

You can pay the standard PFS rate for remove blindness, 150 GP, to have the condition removed. This being a temple of Zon-Kuthon, you may also pay in "pain"--you can agree to be tortured in a Kuthite ritual.

It occurs to Berosius' spirits: Since this priest is in contact with so much of the local population, from lowly farmhands to the noble family, he may have interesting information and not even realize it. The spirits whisper this to the halfling Oracle.

Unless Tan'ia really wants to be tortured, Selter will chip in 60 gold to remove the blindness.
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Pleases to give working eyes back to this one.
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Priestly manns, Self and these is trying to find missing folks and start of neck disease. You have been hearing of any odd things around (other than many sick peoples)?

Selter Diplomacy: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

The Kuthite priest sighs heavily, his annoyance clear in his voice: "I have a lot on his mind and many priorities higher than an investigation conducted by foreigners."

He pauses for a moment and then adds: "Unless you'd like to demonstrate your piety with pain?"

(The pain is completely unnecessary. Don't read too much into it--despite the fact that I've already mentioned it twice. You are in a Kuthite temple, after all. Pain is their thing.)

Harrow nods and lifts his hand, two fingers raised.

"Harrow volunteer as tribute," he says. "If you heal blind cleric girl and weak friends, Harrow suffer pain."

If we can save some donations on this, I'll definitely undergo this...

The Kuthite priest, Miklos, is pleased and starts with Harrow right away. While in the midst of his unholy procedures, he seems much happier and much more talkative.

Regarding tallowthroat, Miklos is doing all he can to help the afflicted, but many with the illness don't seek or want help, and those farthest along are the worst offenders. The priest recalls that the first victims he treated were human gardeners who worked at the manor, a man and woman named Urix and Devia, who contracted the disease again and died before he could save them. Only after the baron fired all his fetchling servants did the disease start to spread to the rest of Karpad.

Berosius' spirits also suggest that this priest might know more about the Baron's deceased brothers.

Despite the fact that the half-orc is incapable of feeling pain due to his congenital anelgesia, he is still affected by the removal of several of his internal organs.

(After your time with Miklos is over, Harrow has the sickened condition for seven hours. Three hours for the remove blindness and two hours each for two castings of lesser restoration.)

Lesser Restoration: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Lesser Restoration: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Please decide amongst yourselves who gets the lesser restorations. If you want more, additional party members will have to pay, either in gold or in pain.

Tan'ia, being incredibly inquisitive, agrees to the ritual, she enjoyed learning the ways of Razmir on their last adventure, she's curious about other Gods and their ways.

Who wants each restoration? Tania had more to regain, right?

Harrow throws up after the torture, despite not feeling the pain.

"Harrow glad he not worship Raisinmir, and also glad he not worship torture. Harrow happy with Ragathiel," he says.

Once they have completed everything, he adds "Harrow think we go back and report to baroness, maybe."