Scenario 20 - King Xeros of Old Azlant (Inactive)

Game Master Tarondor

I got nothin' says Drax, who is not well known for his intelligence or even skill at reading.

Gerri begins looking at the cube from multiple drections, careful not to touch the device, "Hmmm, this looks interesting, I wonder if there is any meaning to any of this.". He continues searching for symbols, letters, words, and glyphs he might recognize on the object.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 13 + 2 = 21
Linquisitiques: 1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 18 + 2 = 23

Edit: Languages Abyssal; Aklo; Aquan; Auran; Azlanti; Common; Daemonic; Dark Folk; Goblin; Ignan; Infernal; Jistka; Kelish; Osiriani; Osiriani, Ancient; Polyglot; Sahaugin; Shoanti; Thassilonian; Vudrani

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On Going Effects: Mutagen +4 Con|-2 Cha|+2 NA, 100 min; Echolocation, 100min; Heroism, 50 min

"I don't like it. Not one bit. This ship has been nothing but trouble." Bishop eyes the device suspiciously. He knocks and arrow and begins searching the room for any new secrets (Taking 20 for a 34.) If it looks like someone is going to try to fiddle with the device directly, he'll get out his wand of Gravity Bow and use it.

To Bishop, "We knew this was trouble. And that, my friend, is power. Where there's power, there's opportunity - and loot. But I think that kinda thing is Gerri's bailiwick, so let's look for some cracks to slip through."

perception(aid another), taking 20 with Bishop: 20 + 13 = 33

Gerri spots nothing recognizable in the jumble of symbols on the cube, though he intuits that it may be a form of mathematics. What he does notice is the ghostly form of a horrifying, sharp-featured crone, seemingly trapped within the crystal plinth below the cube.

Bishop and Merisriel open and clear the empty forward cabins, which appear as though they might once have been the personal domain of ship's officers, but which are now devoid of anything of interest or value.

Merisriel finds a seam within the crystal sized appropriately for a door, but sees no method of opening it.

PARTIAL MAP OF KING XEROS

Started at his discovery of a possible creature inside the plinth, he turns to the others.

"Well I'll be visiting the Abyss. There is someone or something trapped in this thing. Do you think we should try to release it? It may have some information about the ship."

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On Going Effects: Mutagen +4 Con|-2 Cha|+2 NA, 100 min; Echolocation, 100min; Heroism, 50 min

Aquila looks to see if he sees the crone as well.
Perception: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (6) + 26 = 32

Assuming he does he tries to figure out if it's something extraplanar.

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 2 = 27

"Before we free the mysterious but frightening looking creature locked in a crystal plinth, let's try something else. I've spent some time locked up, and many of the people locked up belong there. I've got an equally mysterious door-with-no-handle over here. Is it perhaps something magical?"

Gerri will go through this wealth of knowledge to see if he can recognize the creature or the function of the plinth, before he moves over to inspect the door that Merisiel as found.

Kn Arcana: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 13 + 2 = 18
Kn Dungeoneering: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 10 + 2 = 14
Kn Engineering: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 10 + 2 = 17
Kn Local: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 10 + 2 = 14
Kn Nature: 1d20 + 21 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 21 + 2 = 41
Kn Planes: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 10 + 2 = 31
Kn Religion: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 10 + 2 = 25

Perception of Door/Door Area: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 11 + 2 = 19

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On Going Effects: Mutagen +4 Con|-2 Cha|+2 NA, 100 min; Echolocation, 100min; Heroism, 50 min

The entire helm acts as a giant puzzle box of which various parts can be slid around to create new configurations of the characters on its sides. This is easily ascertained by anyone giving it even a cursory examination. However, the meanings and functions of doing so are less obvious.

"Hmmm, this creature is a night hag. An evil creature that trap the tormented souls of their victims and sell them! As an Andoran I condemn this behavior!"

Leaving her inside might be best. I guess moving these whacha-jiggees moves the ship?

Drax is dropping out of the game. Good luck.

Agreed on the night hag. But can we manipulate this thing to open a door or get us deeper into the ship?

"Not sure, but I'll give it a try."

"Be prepared for anything. hopefully none of those crystal constructs."

@Tarondor, not knowing if this is a skill or ability check, I'll just start with Intell check. Unfortunately Heroism doesn't help this one.

Intel Check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

"Hmmm... got me.

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On Going Effects: Mutagen +4 Con|-2 Cha|+2 NA, 100 min; Echolocation, 100min; Heroism, 50 min

[Gerri already had his check. That's all he can figure until more information comes to light. Would anyone else care to take a try?]

"Let's just try the thing!"

UMD: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (1) + 19 = 20

I'll use my reroll on that one!

UMD: 1d20 + 19 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 19 + 3 = 33

"Can we talk to the hag? It's probably seen everything in here in operation. If it traps souls and sells them, it's probably smart enough to have been watching."

Merisiel plumps down cross-legged next to the pillar, and raps the glass hard with her knuckles. "Hello! witch thing! can you hear me?"

I'm going to rule that Aquila understands a little bit more about the use of this device. Enough to know that he really understands almost nothing about its real purpose, but he does figure out that it has at least the following two functions: release the night hag and open the secret door. The first requires either a DC 20 Knowledge (arcana) or a DC 25 Intelligence check . The second requires a DC 20 Knowledge (engineering) or a DC 25 Wisdom check.

The image of the trapped hag does not respond to Merisriel's knocking.

"Aquila, I too would love to rid the world of such a beast, but trapped here works for me for now. With Drax returning to Absalom, I worry that she'd be too much for us. Let us try to get through the door."

"Ha! I've killed a hag before. Let it out, maybe it can tell us what in the nine hells is going on. The enemy of our enemy is our friend, or something like that."

"You want I should take that apart? I'll bet I can ensure 100% that it's not a trap anymore."

Apparently in this, mechanical aptitude is no substitute for intellectual horsepower...

"Gerri, you should easily be able to use this thing to open the door!"

"Let Gozreh guide you!"

Aquila will cast guidance on Gerri.

Gerri would get a knowledge engineering 23 on a take 10.

"I see where I was looking at this key wrong before Aquila, way to point it out to me."

Gerri will attempt to open the door by carefully sliding the pieces with Aquila guidance and assistance.

Kn Engineering Take 10: 10 + 10 + 2 + 1 = 23

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On Going Effects: Mutagen +4 Con|-2 Cha|+2 NA, 100 min; Echolocation, 100min; Heroism, 50 min; Guidance, 1 check

I didn't write it, Merisriel. I guess knowing how to manipulate it ain't the same as knowing how to get the results you want.

The crystal wall opens, revealing a narrow passage down into the ship's hold.

"I'll man the rear, you guys go ahead."

I'll sneak in Stealth: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (10) + 20 = 30

Bishop sneaks quietly down the revealed stairs while the other Pathfinders line up near the top. The ranger finds King Xeros's lower hold, choked with alien vines.

The narrow stairwell opens out into the ship’s main cargo hold, a massive split-level affair with the upper portion ten feet above accessed by a wide stair. The entire area looks like a giant botanical garden. A massive plant, milky-white and translucent, grows atop the upper hold area and curls about the entire chamber with a forest of fronds, tendrils, and clinging vines. The thick growth of vines and tendrils appears to grow into the very bulkheads. A number of strangely shaped flowers of deep violet bloom among this tangle, and at the top of the hold stairs, a great gnarled root crown stands like the trunk of a hoary old tree, a crease in its side opened wide like a dragon’s maw. Behind it stretches a winding taproot that disappears toward the bow of the ship, as large around as a wagon. Clearly discenrable within this taproot are the huddled forms of unmoving humanoids.

MAP OF KING XEROS

The entire area is difficult terrain, whether you are on the ground or in the air. All creatures within the hold have concealment to all others.

Anyone, go!

Merisiel creeps down the stairs immediately behind Bishop. As she peers past the ranger's shoulder, she stifles a whistle of wonder. Half-whispered, half to herself, "Now that's quite a thing. Could that plant really have skipped off with the whole ship? Quite a heist for a rutebega."

Back up the stairs, "Really big plant - like in the room with the big bugs. I think we should go talk to the plant - stalk? trunk?."

"Anybody speak plant?"

"Strange plants..."

Knowlegde Nature: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Knowlegde Planes: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
(+2 to both checks if we take a bit of time (2d3 rounds) to look things up in my chronicles)

BTW. Will my Woodland Stride work vs the vines? Will the Freedom of Movement that I cast on Savage Vengeance work vs the vines?

"Anybody speak plant?"

"Not today..."

I was wondering about the freedom of movement as well.

Tic, Tic

"Speak plant? Hmmm, well I think I can? Do you see a plant creature? It needs to be a creature, for my Tongues elixer to work."

Toc, Toc

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On Going Effects: Mutagen +4 Con|-2 Cha|+2 NA, 100 min; Echolocation, 100min; Heroism, 50 min

Plants: Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28

Do I recognize the humanoid types? Either way I'll back up, use gravity bow, then sneak back to prepare to cover my fellow Pathfinders.

Woodland Stride will allow Aquila to move through the vines at normal speeds. That's not what Freedom of Movement does, however, so Savage will still be impeded by this difficult terrain.

Aquila has no idea what this immense, strange and possibly unique plant is.

Bishop, the forms are just bulges inside the plant's taproot, so you can't really tell what race they are.

Okay, and the Knowledge on the plants?

All Bishop knows is that this plant is Not From This Earth. It is in fact from a distant dimension and wholly unknown on Golarion.

"Alright scroll and spell types, time to figure it out."

"Unless someone comes up with something clever, it looks like all the action if over there," Merisiel points at the root bundle. "And since we're on the clock, I plan to head over there and get its attention. Or maybe see what it's been eating, if it doesn't want to talk to us."

"So... be clever quick, or I'm jumping in."

Tic, Tic

Gerri mixes up his elixer of Seek Thoughts and toss the concoction back.

"Well let's see if this plant can think," as he boldly heads down the stairs. "You all have my back right?"

DC21 Will for everyone to prevent me from sensing your thoughts on my question. I want to know how many of you have my back. LOL

Toc, Toc
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On Going Effects: Mutagen +4 Con|-2 Cha|+2 NA, 100 min; Echolocation, 100min; Heroism, 50 min; Seek Thoughts, 10 min;

Merisiel likes Gerri, and has his back. The whole mind reading thing, however, she is not at all cool with.
Will(DC21): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
And now Gerri knows it. And Merisiel knows that he knows it. And Gerri knows that Merisiel knows that he knows it.

"Garra, go in and explore!"

"I've got your back, but my mind is my own. Now go, let us be done here."

Will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Been nothing but nice to me, I'll spill some blood if things get bad.

Gerri, seek thoughts only lets you search for the location of creatures (within 40') thinking of something specific, or to seek the answer to a specific question. So after you assess your companions' loyalty, what are you trying to do with this spell?

Once Gerri gets to the bottom the stairs and sees the plant, he asks loudly, "Great One, what brings you to Glorian and our city of Absalom?"

Everyone please tell me where you character (and animal companions) is standing.

Second stair, right behind Bishop.