PF Shackled City SCAP

Game Master Freddy Honeycutt

Edrukk Thorvirgun wrote:

"N' what do we do wit' it? If'n we believe it, 'is family is on 'eir way 'n will be backin' up 'n bringin' th' whole lot o' 'em rather 'an fightin' us straight-up. Ah'm fer thinkin' we need t' let 'em out like nothin' 'as changed 'n prevent 'em from goin' back fer th' cousins."

"Won't work. He'll just go and tell them, and they'll come anyways."

The confusion is evident as the dwarf looks at the female gnome. "'at won't work?" Then realization dawns, "Ye didna unnerstand me - Ah didna say t' let 'is one go. Ah said t' let 's brothers come up 'n out 'n shut th' door behind 'em. If'n 'ey canna retreat, 'ey canna tell th' rest o' th' family 'n bring 'n army next time."

Looking at the captive, he suggests, "'ow 'bout we knock 'is one out 'n leave 'im tied up 'til we deal wit' 'is brothers? Do we 'ave time 'n do we wanna involve th' law 'n 'is? Minn-wick, 'at d'ye think o' th' local law - can 'ey be trusted?"

"Hmm." Erine says something in Gnomic.

Broccan pulls a bag of caltrops from his belt, giving them a jingling shake.

"I go'these. Throw'em on'ne stairs'n have Sanstree cast'is fog'n these fellas'll be in'fr a nasty shock."

He will start to double check what Edrukk says in Dwarven. His common is so accented that he is having issues understanding him. I can only understand about 50-75% of what you write

To Edrukk "For the most part he local law can be trusted to line their pockets with bribes and look the other way if paid enough. At least that was the way 75 years ago. I guess some of the new ones are OK."

To Erine

To All "I do not think that waiting up here will save the little ones from the orphanage. And if we send it down it will just raise an alarm to all the others. If we wait up here an try an ambush I think they would just retreat and pack up and move, will all the missing people."

To Keygan "How often do they change the guard? If we have enough time we may be able to strike and at least retrieve the children. Can you keep this one here tied up? Turn him over to the guard if you must and if there is one you can trust"

Minniwick & Kenderkin:

......Keygan......
"They come up after I close up shop, talk extensivly and then leave into the streets around 1 AM looking for persons to take."

The bells begin to toll for 6 PM....

Minniwick and Edrukk

Everyone needs to decide if the stand will be made here or if you are going into the tunnels....
I need to make a battle map....

......Keygan......
"I can get the guard and they can take this one in to custody."

To Keygan: "'at sounds fine t' me if'n ye want t' 'ave th' guard take 'is one int' custody."

To Canvy and Broccan: "Ah think we need t' let 'em comin' think all is normal 'til 'ey be 'n th' shop. We don't wanna 'ave 'em runnin' back int' th' tunnels 'n warnin' others if'n we c'n avoid it. If'n any get away, we 'ave t' pursue 'em, simple as 'at."

Looking around the shop, will it be possible to someone to wait out of sight and possibly close the clock-door behind the kidnappers? The rest of the party can hide farther away, but the one to spring the trap may be the hard one.

"Either Sanstree or Minniwick can spring the surprise, the rest of us will wait here to spring the trap, I'm fine with that." Canvy lays down his polearm carefully out of the way, (under Keygan's bed) so it cannot be seen. In these cramped surroundings, he takes out and oils his falchion, making sure the blade is nice and sharp.

"Aye, let'm come, an'we'll catch'em unawares. I'll volunteer t'stand behin' the clock'n close it. Tha' way, they'll have t'get pas'me to get back down."

Map

Wanted to clarify a few points on the map.....

The upstair balcony overlooks the shop area
Each square is 10 feet, rather than 5.

The curtains provide concealment from the secret door.

The secret door comes up from beneath the stairs and through the large grandfather clock.

The open door of the clock is frosted glass and might conceal a PC from those coming up the stairwell.....the hinges are on the left side of the clock as you are facing it......The clock is set into the wall so can not be stood behind.....

Knowledge arcane
DC 15

The town guards arrive and take the creature into custody....
Someone can RP that encounter (or) we can skip over it......

I'm happy to skip over the town guards.

knowledge arcane check
1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

"Yous thinks they are allergic tah light or something?"

"I am also thinking we can move furniture around beyond the curtains and make sure tha door is locked and stack stuff in front of it."

A lot of arm twisting later with Minniwick acting as interpretor

It is nearing 4 PM at the shop, so it is expected to close and likely the night stalkers will be coming up soon......

...Those taken are auctioned through an underdark slaver

....The children are likely to be auctioned soon

Happy to skip the guard as well

KN: Arcane1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

"I am still not convinced that waiting up here is the best idea. It may be safer then plunging into the darkness but we are not doing anything to help get the children back. Can someone put a little pressure on this thing. I want to try and find out how long till this auction"

Hopefully someone else can provide the intimidation factor while I translate and try and find out "how soon is soon" from the prisoner.

----The creature tells you that the children will be gone....

"In three turnings of the screw."

you believe this means three days or nights...

'I dinna wan' t'lose th'kids because we dinna act fas'tenff. Let's go."

Canvy suggest to Broccan that, getting rid of a few of their number, before going down below would be very advantageous. "If we can remove a few of these beasts on our terms, we have less to get past as we move towards the children. Once we have dispatched them, it will be time to go down and find the children. These creatures will not be missed for several hours, giving us time to make our way down below, maybe even find a safe spot we can use as a base of our sorties against them, until we eventually find the children."

He will start to double check what Edrukk says in Dwarven. His common is so accented that he is having issues understanding him. I can only understand about 50-75% of what you write

To Edrukk "For the most part he local law can be trusted to line their pockets with bribes and look the other way if paid enough. At least that was the way 75 years ago. I guess some of the new ones are OK."

To Erine ** spoiler omitted **

To All "I do not think that waiting up here will save the little ones from the orphanage. And if we send it down it will just raise an alarm to all the others. If we wait up here an try an ambush I think they would just retreat and pack up and move, will all the missing people."

To Keygan "How often do they change the guard? If we have enough time we may be able to strike and at least retrieve the children. Can you keep this one here tied up? Turn him over to the guard if you must and if there is one you can trust"

"Perhaps a few of us can scout into tha tunnels an look fer a place tah hide o tah meet those comin?"

"right now all we know is tha tunnel turns a quick look might be good.."

seems like dots are disappearing and making threads harder to track.....Might need to slow up for a bit.....

"I don' like waitin' when it cou'mean losin' th'kids, but I don'have any bet'r ideas. Stay here or go down, some'o this one's kin'r gonna die." Broccan glares at the creature.

Erine

"Perhaps a few of us can scout into tha tunnels an look fer a place tah hide o tah meet those comin?"

"right now all we know is tha tunnel turns a quick look might be good.."

seems like dots are disappearing and making threads harder to track.....Might need to slow up for a bit.....

"Not much of a scout but I am willing to go down and look around"

what are dots?

what are dots?

Sanstree takes his familiar out of his pack the scorpion the size of a cat comes forth

"He is quick and can see in tha dark I can send him down fer a peek round tha corner."

Sanstree releases the scorpion into the clock...

The scorpion soon enough returns to Sanstree giving the following information.....

From inside the clock a stone staircase descends, its steps shrouded with cobwebs and dust, twenty feet to a ten-foot-square landing, then bends to the right and plunges into darkness, another staircase descends twenty feet before opening into a room. From this landing, heard strange sounds emanating from the chamber below, specifically chirping birds, rustling leaves, and cheery giggles. The landing itself is bare save for an empty iron torch sconce mounted on the south wall.

The familiar says also there is a door that is not a door......

Canvy listens to Sanstree's tales and looks with incredulity at the scorpion coming back with such tales. "What you really beleive that beast, I've killed many in my time, but none came by and spoke to us." As Sanstree nods that the creature can be believed, Canvy returns to retrieve his polearm. "Well, what say you we take a look ourselves, it seems some of you would rather take the fight to the creatures below. I would still advise against such a course, but if you insist, tis best we are all in this together. Off you go Broccan, lead the way, Edrukk you best go next, you understand the ways of stone and underground living, I'll follow with Minniewick and Erine" under his breath he mumbles something, but can't quite work out why.

"Catchin them afore they spect it has tah work in our favor, Methinks capturin tha one above was the first step in our favor, imagine had he gotten down this hole unhindered...

Sanstree nods towards Edrukk and Canvy

"Yer bug says there'sa door that's notta door. Shou' one'na'us go lookattit? It migh' help'us make a decision."

Broccan moves towards the top of the stairs, then looks down into the darkness.

"I'll do it. Boy-o, can'ye make'e light for me?"

"Suren I can what does you want tha light on?"

Once Sanstree knows he casts light on the object Broccan designates.

"Can ye make m'shield glow? Seems t'be th'best option."

Once Sanstree casts the spell, Broccan descends the staircase, sword drawn, looking for the door the scorpion described.

Canvy follows Broccan, "It's not safe to go on your own." Pole arm ready.

Canvy, Edrukk would have accepted your suggestion that he accompany Broccan if you'd rather retcon that the dwarf (and his darkvision) go instead.

Sanstree suggests Edrukk and Canvy having darkvision go for a quick look along with Broccan and himself....

As you descend into the clock in a single file...

the stone staircase inside the clock descends 20 feet, its steps shrouded with cobwebs and dust coming to a ten-foot-square landing, then bends to the right with a second staircase descending another twenty feet before opening into a room.

This room is bare save for an empty iron torch sconce mounted on the south wall. You hear strange sounds emanating from the chamber below, specifically chirping birds, rustling leaves, and cheery giggles.

You see no door or way out of this room.

Yup, totally forgot Canvy's new skin, sorry about that.

"Door 'at's not a door, eh? D'ye see anything?"

Edrukk will start by looking for tracks in the dust -- or areas of undisturbed dust -- to see if they lead to a secret door. Failing that, he will start examining the walls for a secret door.

Perception 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11+2 if stonecunning applies, +2 more if searching by touch reveals a crack in the wall.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Broccan peers around, trying to see what a "door that isn't a door" might look like.

Perception
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

"Hey this torch sconce looks like it has been turned!"

Edrukk will draw his sword and ask Broccan to hide his enlightened shield under his cloak before Sanstree tries turning the sconce.

The stone slides away revealing another door and another staircase heading downwards....

A slight draft blows up the stairs you can clearly hear the sounds of the woodlands are more clearly heard....

Those still in the locksmith shop

Canvy peers into the darkness and is surprised that when Broccan shields the light he can still see. "What madness is this, I can still see through the darkness, an illusion no less. This does not bode well, hearing those sounds and seeing through the darkness."

Perception 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Broccan looks down the next set of stairs towards the sounds.

"An un'nergroun' forest? Madness is right, Cap'n."

Edrukk puts a finger to his lips as he looks at Canvy, then adds, "Shhh" for the now-blind humans. With that, he will peer down into the darkness.

Can he make anything out with his darkvision? 60' range, of course.

It appears that the stairs end in a room which is the source of the out of place sounds....

Traveling further down into the room you find...

The staircase ends at a forty-foot-square room with a ten-foot-high ceiling. A slight draft blows into the from a ten-foot-wide open passage in the far wall, directly across from the stairs. Two four-foot-diameter circular doors are set into the middle of the south wall. Each door is made of wood and framed with a ring of mortared stones. The westernmost door is closed and inscribed with a strange glyph. The easternmost door bears a different glyph but rests half-open. The half-open door reveals an iron rim of gearlike teeth, and a dim light spills from the chamber beyond. Mounted to the walls of the room are twelve tarnished copper masks. The masks are two feet tall and cling four feet above the floor. Each one depicts a smiling gnome's visage. The soft giggling, chirping, and rustling noises seem to pour from the very walls.

As you arrive a disembodied and cheery voice intones....

"Welcome to Jzadirune - behold the wonder!

But beware, ye who seek to plunder.

Traps abound and guardians peer

Beyond every portal, behind every gear."

"This is obvious o tha gnomes an here we be without a gnome with two gnomes a waitin at tha top o the stairs"

"Should one o us go back an bring tha others?"

Canvy in his heavy armour, moves slowly, "Hmm, well, there's only one person nible and quick of foot to go get them, and thats you Sanstree. Quick off you go, bring 'em down.

Sorry, crazy couple days at work. Minniwick is very eager to go down.

Filling up his backpack with vials, bags and skins Minniwick pulls on his work gloves and keeps a vial in hand as he finds a place in the line of adventures. He seems very eager to return to Jzadirune.

As you prepare to leave the shop and Sanstree is returning to the top of the stairs a strange man comes into the shop quickly opening the locks of the door and bursting forward. You recognize Allustan the very powerful mage who taught Sanstree.

He is holding a compass with Sanstrees picture in the center

"I am here for Sanstree big things are afoot and he is needed"

Allustan has a couple of wands in his hands.

Sanstree comes up the stairs at that moment and seeing Allustan gives a small nod. Sanstree grabs the wands and passes them off to the party.

"Tell them I had to go."

Sanstree leaves with Allustan. Handing Minniwick the wands...

As you prepare to leave the shop and Sanstree is returning to the top of the stairs a strange man comes into the shop quickly opening the locks of the door and bursting forward. You recognize Allustan the very powerful mage who taught Sanstree.

He is holding a compass with Sanstrees picture in the center

"I am here for Sanstree big things are afoot and he is needed"

Allustan has a couple of wands in his hands.

Sanstree comes up the stairs at that moment and seeing Allustan gives a small nod. Sanstree grabs the wands and passes them off to the party.

"Tell them I had to go."

Sanstree leaves with Allustan. Handing Minniwick the wands...

Minniwick makes his way down the stairs and holding two wands. "A human that Sanstree seemed to know just rushed into the shop as Sanstree came back up. He nodded to Sanstree and handed over these wands to him. Then Sanstree told me to tell you that he had to go and handed me these wands. Does this kind of stuff happen to you guys a lot?" Minniwick will hand over the wands to whoever wants them.

Canvy replies to Minniewick, "Well it seems to happen a little more frequently than we liked." In hushed tones he speaks in Minniewick's ear, "They even told me I'd died once, but it's kinda weird, I felt a lot different after we went down that citadel. Can't quite put my finger on it though, strange." Canvy straightens up, "but lets get on with it, we've got doors to go through. Minniewick, can you read them symbols over the doors?"