PbP Game Day V: GMTrex's PFS 8-05 Portent's Peril (CORE) (Inactive)

Game Master Andrew Trexler

"That'd be me. In charge as anyone is around here, anyway."

Tsura's eyes bulge when Khellek and Peter bring in a mountain to eat. "So much! You are very kind... Tamas, take some of this to those upstairs." The little boy fills his arms with as much as he can carry and trundles up a set of rickety stairs. Tsura herself nibbles on a piece of bread as other Empty around her dig in. She looks at Khellek. "Are you after someone in particular?"

"The thing is, we really don't know what we are after" admits Khellek.

"A friend of ours had a harrow reading and it indicated a disaster associated with this building. So we thought we should come and see what might be the problem. Have there been any new arrivals recently?"

He gestures to the house.

"This was obviously once the house of a rich family. How did it fall on such hard times? Are you the current owners, or is it leased, or just abandoned?"

Tsura frowns, put off by someone so unaware of her circumstances. "Empty come, Empty go. There are always new arrivals. Some consider this place cursed, but for those who have nowhere else to go, some may find a home here for a time."

She looks thoughtful for a moment. "A disaster, you say? Tsk, tsk, the fates always seem to pick on those who have nothing left to pick. The nature of disasters is that they strike unexpectedly, no? What sort of harrowing was this?"

Renn watches with mild interest from a few steps away, arms crossed and an expression that seems to indicate he's still trying to measure up the likelihood that a Harrowing might actually foretell the future.

Musing on matters for a moment, he wonders if there's a long con at play, and adds his own question to the mix.

"And I wonder... do you have any dealings with the Foxgloves or the Green Market? Or... perhaps any relations with socio-political organizations that scavenge the world for rare and hidden relics?"

"This Foxglove told us that a damned card named 'The Betrayal' is a card that can mean selfishness or self-sacrifice or a choice between the two. And she explain that 'The Betrayal' is known as "Viamio’s Kiss" amongst Korvosan harrowers, after Lord Amrys Viamio, the city’s most infamous traitor and the only one building in Korvosa still bears his legacy: this place, the Traitor’s Mews. Now, there is something you want to tell us?"

"Who?" Tsura, dressed as she is in practical rags, seems genuinely confused by Renn's question. She is more nonplussed by Peter's. "Um, like what? You all are very, very strange."

It may be helpful to re-read the mission briefing. You are after someone in particular.

" We are looking for a fortune teller. She should be travelling with a varisian caravan"

Tsura pulls her son Tamas close, and he clings to her skirt with eyes full of worry. "One took over a room upstairs a few days ago... Goldtooth was the name. Sczarni if I've ever seen one. More like an impersonator than a harrower. Fled Korvosa after cheating some noble, I heard, but came back recently with some mercenaries. Insisted on being left alone, she did, and I was right happy to do that." Tsura shudders.

Tamas looks like he wants to say something and in fact he blurts out. "I-snuck-upstairs-yesterday-and-I-saw-her-looking-at-a-big-map-and-writing- things-really-fast! Her-friends-had-swords-and-they-yelled-at-me-to-get-out! She's scary..."

Ah, so our fortune-teller is upstairs, so we should head up and question her?

Renn gives the man a smile and comes close to a conciliatory pat of the head. Then gesturing upstairs, he asks his companions, "Shall we?"

Assessing there will likely be trouble, Renn opts to enhance his abilities with those of heroes of old (heroism) before he accompanies the others up.

As an archer he can be in or near the back, too.

"We must", Peter answered Renn as he enters in the building and goes upstairs.

Renn charmingly leads the way up the worn stairs, past a second floor full of more dozing Empty. Atop the fourth flight of stairs is a cramped attic filled with knickknacks of all sorts. Most of it has been thoroughly scavenged for anything of value, leaving rat-chewed paintings, shards of porcelain, and cobwebs. On the far end of the attic, a crate serves as a makeshift desk, holding a stack of papers and an inkwell. A flyer is nailed to the wall above the desk. The window beside the crate is shattered, letting in the cold air from outside.

Renn strides purposefully toward the 'desk,' promptly setting off a tripwire. Unfortunately, this tripwire is attached to a very loose set of bricks that barely hold up the roof, and all of this comes crashing down onto the poor Wanderer. Unless someone has Trap Spotter, this is automatic.

Brick Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 5, 4) = 17

Renn has the misfortune of joining the mass of bricks in crashing through the floor... and through the floor below.

Falling Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4

When the dust settles, Tamas can be heard wailing from below. "NO! GRANDMOTHER! HELP! PLEASE, HELP!" In the attic, the now-exposed roof and the broken window have created a vicious cross-breeze, and the precious papers on the desk are beginning to fly out the window and the hole in the wall at a rapid pace.

We've come to that dreaded choice! Each of you can try to save Tsura, or try to save the papers. Splitting the party is an option. We'll do this is a series of "rounds."

Renn starts the first "round" on the ground floor atop a pile of bricks (which is atop Tsura). Everyone else starts in the attic. Moving to the ground floor consumes a "round," unless you want to jump down and take 2d6 falling damage, which is immediate.

Those saving Tsura can make Str checks to move brick, Diplomacy checks to coordinate efforts, or another creative check or action instead. Those saving papers can make a Dex check to catch papers, and Acrobatics check to leap after papers, or some other creative check or action instead. Ready?

ROUND 1
Horlan:
Khellek:
Peter:
Renn: (ground)
Varian:
Zordlon:

Zordlon will take his first round moving down the steps.

Any reflex for the brick damage? Like to halve it?

Renn collapses to the first floor, spitting dust and debris from his mouth and appearing very uncomposed.

Took 21, so 14/35hp.

Continuing to lay there, he looks about to the various vagrants as he coughs up what is surely asbestos.

"Anyone? A hand? No.. not you, your hand would likely get me even dirtier!"

Cure Light: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Before he even stands, Renn tends to his immediate injuries, certain if he stands he's likely to dislodge more falling debris.

CLW, then move to stand up.

"Dammit!", Peter exclaimed as tries to catch the papers flying in the room.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

"Gah!"

Varian frantically tries to use his cloak as a makeshift net to wrnagle papers.

Horlan will try and catch papers. He pulls out a blanket from his backpack and tries throwing it overtop the papers. Ranged Attack?: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

While sympathetic about the fate of the grandmother, Khellek was aghast at the pages that were floating about and threatening to get away.

Remembering a similar occasion with student essays he quickly summons a phantom force to fetch back the papers that have flown out of reach of the others.

Casts mage hand and uses that on the papers that are furthest away. I'll roll a d20 and add INT, but feel free to use the roll with DEX if that is taking too much of a liberty

mage hand retrieval: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

Then he reazlizes there is a pathfinder missing. "You okay down there?"

@ Renn: yes, my apologies -- it's a DC 20 Reflex to halve the brick damage and the negate the falling damage, in which case you'd be upstairs. I'll let you retake your Round 1 action based on the save.

@ Varian: I'll need some kind of check for that, let's say Dex: Dex: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

@ Khellek: creative enough for me. I'll take it.

Zordlon hurries toward the child's tearful cries while Renn takes a precious moment to collect himself. Upstairs, the others make good progress on saving the papers -- but still some stacks continue to fly about and could be lost.

Tamas's wails grow more desperate. "PLEASE! HELP! SHE CAN'T BREATHE! PLEASE!"

Papers: 4
Tsura: 0

ROUND 2
Horlan:
Khellek:
Peter:
Renn: (may re-do Round 1, location TBD)
Varian:
Zordlon: (ground)

That seems fair.

Varian frantically continues to try and grab papers before they disappear, forever!

Dexterity: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15.

"I need everyone in here now, to help get this woman out"

diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Horlan will run down and try to help coordinate the team of people to Tamas. Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Khellek continues to gather the papers with his mage hand.
INT: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

"I'll be down there shortly. Recommended process it to place your lips over hers and then commence chest compression at a rate of approximately one hundred per minute."

And hopefully by someone stronger than me.

Several papers slip through Khellek's invisible fingers -- fortunately, Varian manages to catch them before the wind does! With all the papers now secure, the party can focus on what's happening down below, where Zordlon begins coordinating the efforts the few startled Empty who've thus far arrived from other rooms.

Horlan, are you running down the stairs or jumping through the hole in the floor? The former will consume this round's actions; the latter will incur falling damage.

Papers: 5 -- complete
Tsura: 1

ROUND 2
Horlan: see above
Khellek: miss
Peter:
Renn: (may re-do Round 1, location TBD)
Varian: catch
Zordlon: (ground) coordinate

Ah right, forgot about that. At level 1, Horlan runs down.

Reflex DC20: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Downstairs he is!

Round 2

Dusting himself off, Renn quickly rushes towards Tsura, calling out to any able bodies he can spot.

"You there! Grab that end! And you, the other!"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

Hot roll.

I'll have Peter follow Horlan, and he can retroactively jump on his next turn if he wants and take 2 rounds of actions.

Although things are well in hand (literally) upstairs, things are not looking good for poor Tsura and a veritable mound of brick remains atop her. Tamas has gone silent, watching in dazed, tearful disbelief as the bricks are removed one by one.

Papers: 5 -- complete
Tsura: 1

ROUND 3
Horlan: (ground)
Khellek: (attic)
Peter: (ground)
Renn: (ground)
Varian: (attic)
Zordlon: (ground)

Can Khellek continue to use mage hand from the attic, now to remove bricks? It is limited to 5lb at a time, but individual bricks will be well under that. 25' range, which is hopefully enough.

Knowledge(Engineering): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18.

Leaning over the edge, Varian shouts down advice on how to more effectively shift the pile of masonry.

Zordlon will continue to provide moral support to the others.

diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

Horlan will lend his voice to encourage faster movement. He worries about getting in the way of those doing the actual lifting. Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Round 2

Peter throws himself from the upstairs even knowing the risks, after all, he had a life to save below.

Reflex DC 20: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Once at the downstairs, he tries to move bricks with his own hands.

Str: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

Round 3

And again...

Str: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

"C'mon, I need some help here!"

Sadly, I don't think there's going to be enough to save her even if Renn has a stellar roll. Sorry folks.

Peter shoves piles of bricks away as Khellek moves one brick at a time and the others shout encouragement. Tsura's body is slowly exposed and a member of the Empty shields Tamas's eyes from the inevitable knowledge that she has expired. The young boy is led sobbing into another room, and the whole community tries to collect itself in shell-shocked silence.

Upstairs, the Pathfinders have a moment alone to sift through the so dearly bought papers. I'll take Knowledge (Local) and Perception checks.

Khellek sighs.

"Death is always a pity, such knowledge - lost to the world."

He thinks over what he has learned from the papers rescued.

know(local): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
perception: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (12) - 1 = 11 You didn't think an absent minded professor was going to have a good perception did you?

Varian quickly sifts through the papers, and takes a look around the room.

Knowledge(Local): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29.
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32.

Boom! Damn, that was some good rolling...

Ah, if even a 30+ Diplomacy doesn't cut it (on an 18+), I'll save rolling.

Renn blinks a few times and hangs his head in shared mourning as Tusra's body is fished from the debris.

Local (Bardic: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

He takes a look around, but is mostly interested in what Varian is looking at...

"F*!$!", Peter croaked loud when saw Tsura dead.

He stands grumbling, walking from one side to the other of the room.

The ranger was clearly frustrated in fail to save Tsura.

@GMTrex Peter failed on Reflex save. How much damage he taken?

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Kn. Local (untrained - max DC 10): 1d20 ⇒ 1

@ Peter: Falling Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 2) = 8

Khellek quickly recognizes the collection of papers to be a much greater sum than its parts: a copy of the infamous Deleterious Grimoire, a poisoner's handbook. Varian notes that two listings have been circled: crocodile's tears, a potent injested poison, and a protective alchemical substance called blackfinger paste, which protects unskilled users from accidentally poisoning themselves.

Renn notes that a playbill has been nailed to the wall above the desk, advertising The Gambler's Tragedy at the Kendall Amphitheater, performed by the Andoren Chameleons. The phrase "Marvel at their breathtaking disguises!" has been circled.

A few assorted items are found about the room, including a scroll, a potion, a magical starknife, and two pots of blackfinger paste.

@ Everyone: actually, I tell you what -- I skipped over the fact that Renn the Wanderer drew the Wanderer, which grants him a Diplomacy roll at a +2 when interacting with the Empty. Since he didn't get to do that when first encountering Tsura, I think it logically follows that he gets to do so to save her, which (with his mod and the roll he gets in Round 3) is barely enough to get her out alive. Hooray!

Heard downstairs is a faint cheering and the patter of many feet. Among the noise is a boy's excited cries.

Renn blinks a few times and rubs his head.

"I just had the most horrid vision... that poor Tsura was crushed."

Taking in a breath, he exhales.

"Luckily Desna was watching over her today. So, what have we found here?"

Renn turns over the starknife and blankfinger paste before tapping the circled phrase.

"Curious. Why would this be circled?"

CLW (wand; 2 charges): 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (3, 8) + 2 = 13

Back to full, wand down to 47/50 charges remaining.

Varian frowns.

"Sounds like someone is heavily into poisoning... and is looking to acquire a disguise... perhaps they are known to their target? We should go and find out what is happening at the theatre."

Spellcraft(Potion): 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 12 + 2 = 26.
Spellcraft(starknife): 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 12 + 2 = 28.

I just cast Read Magic to take a look at the scroll.

"But first, let us head down stairs, and see if we may render more aid to Tsura."

Khellek makes sure the relevant papers are gathered up before joining the others downstairs... taking the more sedate route.

"What can you tell us of the Kendall Amphitheater and the Andoren Chameleons?" he asks those present.

Peter uses his wand of CLW on himself...

wand CLF: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

1 charge spent. Current HP 39/40.

...and on everybody who need it.

"Tsura, are you ok?"

Varian identifies the potion as a potion of delay poison, and the starknife as +1 starknife. He announces that the scroll is a scroll of neutralize poison.

Many of the Empty are gathered around the unconscious Tsura, whose chest can be seen faintly rising and falling. "Shhhh... she's resting now."

Another gives a look to Khellek. "Do we look like we go to theater performances?"

To the Kendall Amphitheater then?

Sounds like a plan!

Varian tries to recall what he knows about the troupe.

Knowledge(Local): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19.

Renn lingers for a moment, musing at the circled phrase before tearing the playbill from its pin and shoving it into his jacket pocket.

"Well then, shall we pay the theater a visit?"

"C'mon, Juhah. Tonight we'll go to theater, wear the appropriate clothes", he makes a cuddle on his cheetah and leaves the building in ruins.

Ok, who will stay with:

1) the scroll of neutralize poison
2) the potion of delay poison
3) the +1 starknife
4) two pots of blackfinger paste (which protects unskilled users from accidentally poisoning themselves)

If nobody opposes, I would like to stay with the potion of delay poison.

Horlan has no real use for any of that stuff. So no objections on you all taking what you like.
"Yes, let's head to the theater. I think we're only starting to get a sense for this mystery. Three places... Everything happens in threes. Until it doesn't, of course."

Khellek looks at the scroll.

"I can possibly use that..." he admits.

Neutralize poison is on the bard spell list, but also the ranger one

"An evening at the theatre sounds... well, necessary."

Located in Cliffside near the South Shore district, the Kendall Amphitheater is an architectural jewel in Korvosa’s crown. Stars, moons, and other celestial bodies decorate the grand exterior of the building. Although the front doors are locked and chained, a door to back stage is unlocked.

Varian: please make a single Knowledge (Engineering, History, Local, or Nature) check with a +2 luck bonus.

If the perception check is for everybody...

Peter Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Juhah Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 16

"Do you hear that? It sounds like... battle..."