Shifty PFS Group Bravo (Inactive)

Game Master Nik B.

...what is this all about?...certainly they could've just sent this manservant down here to retrieve a dusty old map...unless there's something that they're not telling us...

Something tells me this isn't going to be as easy as it sounds.

Jivo begins searching the room for any surprises first.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Raoul speaks to the servant, "Is this to be a test of our abilities, then? See if the Pathfinders are worthy?" Although he doesn't expect an answer. Raoul cautiously steps through the doorway, scanning for traps and other such dangers.

Perception:Trapfinding: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 1 = 10

"Well, shall we?", Grogson says as he steps forward to inspect the stone work. Knowledge:Engineering 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Aranan steps into the room and begins to search for the map, very confused as to why a someone would have them search their OWN vault to find something.

"Well let's not stand around, what are you afraid of? It's just an old dusty vault." Florentine reaches into a side pocket, pulls out a torch and proceeds to light it. Once he has some light he proceeds through the door and takes a look around the room.
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Pozuket steps in as well, and glances around. Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

"I suspect this is, in fact, a test. Consider what the learned sage said: Most families with ancestral burial vaults maintain guards and other defenses. Why should this Osirian vault be any different, simply because it is located in Absalom instead of Osirion? This leads me to only two potential conclusions - either Master Salhar has somehow lost control of his own vault, which would explain why he does not send a servant into it; or they are deliberately set up as a test for Pathfinders in order to prove us worthy of visiting his family vault back home."

He pauses for a moment to send up his glowing orbs of teal light again. "We should be careful not to damage anything where it is possible to avoid it. It would be highly impolite of us to ruin our host's vault, especially if this is a test."

Despite Raouls polite tone and rather reasonable question, the old man says little, merely staring at the as he floor shrugs and mumbles in an apologetic display of unknowingness as a manservant in such a place is inclined to do.

The party completes their entry to the chamber beyond, and the manservant closes the door... locking it behind you all. Written on the back of the door is the message: “Within these cases lies your quest and your way out.”

Vault

This plain stone room contains three chests: a copper-banded chest of smooth, dark wood; a red lacquered chest; and what looks to be a cube of solid steel. Behind the chests sits a low table holding a clear glass jar half full of liquid and a covered wicker basket.

The Wicker Basket
This is a 2-foot-round wicker basket with no apparent locks, its lid resting gently atop its wide rim.

The Glass Jar
This gallon-sized clear glass jar is about half full with clear liquid. At the bottom of the vessel sits a jewelled brass key.

The Copper-Banded Chest
This a copper-banded chest is of a smooth, dark wood. A single lock of typical design is built into its face.

The Red Lacquered Chest
This smooth, red lacquered chest bears a solid metal plate surrounding the gaping keyhole that pulses
with glowing amber runes.

The Steel Chest
This steel cube has only the faintest crack where its lid meets the base, and would be completely featureless save
for its narrow keyhole.

Aranan whispers something quietly and casts Detect Magic, checking the containers before he gets too involved. After the events thus far today, nothing was likely to surprise him with this entire ordeal.

Want to throw down four spellcraft checks? Ditto anyone else wanting to detect magic :)

I have neither detect magic, nor Spellcraft, sadly. I might rectify that between modules.

Florentine turns around as the door is closed and hearing the lock click he walks back and tries to open it. What? Great. I hate being locked in the dark... The words on the door catch his eye. Pozuket's words ring true. A puzzle? Florentine turns around looking at the items in the room again. Inspecting each of them closely with the help of his torch. "I think we probably need that key. Unless it's a trick. Are there any traps?"
Perception to look for traps [/dice: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

"'e's wanting to see if we are looter, boys. The gnome is right. This is a test. Be careful what you touch and we take only the map.", Grogson says as he scans the room with a desire just the opposite of what he has just professed.

The Wicker Basket

Something within radiates magic.
Florentine gets a bad feeling about the basket, however can't place it.

The Glass Jar
Doesn't radiate magic.
Florentine doesn't note any traps.

The Copper-Banded Chest

Radiates magic.
Florentine believes that it is not trapped, but is locked.

The Red Lacquered Chest

Radiates magic - most likely the amber runes.
Florentine believes that it is not trapped, but is locked.

The Steel Chest

Radiates magic.
Florentine immediately calculates the chest is indeed trapped with a magical trap, triggered by touch.

A test huh? Dastardly. Where should we begin?

Jivo itched to put his tools to the test but this set up would take some planning lest they ruin it in the first try.

Raoul steps up to the glass jar. "Hmm, I doubt that's water in this jar." He turns to the party, "You know, during my time with the Cheilsh pirates, we had a guy on the ship what was trained in the arcane arts. He was able to lift and move things - small things - without so much as touching the objects. That'd be a useful ability in for one of us to have."

Cocking his head to the side, Raoul decides to pick up the glass jar. "Or, we could do things the simple way." He then chucks the jar into a corner, away from anyone else in the party.

He observes any effects that the liquid may have had before deciding whether to pick up the key that was in the jar.

"Holy Mithril Balls, elf. What are ya doin'?!"

"Sorry, just tryin' to get to that key."

I should've rolled perception on the effects of smashing the jar to see if Raoul could determine what the liquid is/was.

Perception to identify liquid: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Pozuket starts forward, then just stares as Raoul throws the bottle across the room.

"Gah! What part of 'don't damage anything avoidable' did you not understand, you great lummox! Is your head so high up that you've gone stupid from lack of air?" He spits out the verbal component of a spell, although it sounds much more like a curseword than usual, and the key begins to rise and float towards Raoul. "You had the right idea, and then you just threw it away. Literally, and I can't often say that! Here. Have your key."

The jar flies much as a jar would be expected to, under the circumstances, and strikes the stone flooring with the result one would expect, under the circumstances. Whilst noting seems to happen more dramatic than a large crash and resultant wet mess in the corner, you notice that where the liquid has hit a patch of carpet there is a slight burning smell, though little damage or effect is obvious. You wager that perhaps the liquid was a mild acid.

For richer or poorer, you now hold a jeweled brass key.

Raoul nods to Pozuket in apprecition. "Well by The Four Winds, guess I should've waited. Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Now, let's try out this key. Any thoughts on which box to try it on?"

"Jeweled key...lovely red chest, I would go with that pairing, but locks are not my thing...," he says as he shakes his head.

Been a busy two days, but for the record, Aran does not have spellcraft.

"Aran, I think I gotta agree with you on that." Raoul takes the jeweled key and tries it in the red-lacquered chest.

"Nice work. I was thinking of pouring out the liquid."

"The copper and the red chest are simply locked. Anyone know how to bypass locks if that key is for something else? Be careful of this steel one. It is magically trapped to go off if you touch it." An interesting situation.

"Look before ye leap, boys, ye live longer that way."

Raoul and I both have some skill in dealing with locks. Where do we want to start?

"Try the red or Copper chests, who here can disarm magical traps?" Florentine replies in answer to Jivokun while he himself walks over the the basket. Using the end of his bow like a pole and standing as far away from the basket as possible he lifts the basket lid off. "I really hope this isn't filled with skulls..."

Whilst the deliberations continue, Raoul takes the initiative of placing the jeweled key into the red lacquered chest’s keyhole,nothing happens and the key keeps spinning without making any manner of contact with the mechanism.

Florentine stands back from the basket and flips the lid off; Inside, a blue stone key rests atop a pile of crumpled linens.

"Okay, this key doesn't seem to work. I'll try picking the lock."

Disable Device: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

"Be careful how many of them things you are tryin' at the same time."

Jivo was getting into this test...brains should beat out brawn on this one...

So we have three chests, two keys and one creepy basket that no one wants to touch yet. Fair enough in my book. Anyone see any similarities between keys or chests?

The half elf studied the objects with curiosity.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Raoul takes his picks and begins examining the task at hand closely, he notes the solid metal plate surrounding the gaping keyhole pulsing
with glowing amber runes, and after a few gentle probes he realises that the 'lock' is magical, not mechanical, and probably requires another attuned device to 'open'.

From his vantage, Jivo doesn't note anything remarkable about the jeweled key being held and the blue key in the basket.

"Eh it's just some linens." Still not willing to touch it he looks at the others. "That spell you used, do you have another to get this one?"

Disturbed a bit by the glowing runes, Raoul takes the key to the copper-banded chest. He holds the key in his hand, as if he were weighing it, while darting his eyes from the chest to his companions. "This seems like the next best choice..."

Getting his courage back, Raoul tries the key in the copper-banded chest.

Grogson maintains his overwatch of the room and hallway by which they came to it. Vigilance is something he never squanders.

Aran shakes his head, mutters his own Prestidigitation spell and slowly begins to lift the key from the whicker basket per the request. He looks about as it slowly floats his way, provided the spell works. He doesn't like this and likes it even less that people aren't just moving and doing without discussing. His silence is very...out of his norm.

Raoul watches as Aran is able to draw the key from the basket. "Well hey, hey, hey. Looks like we got another trickster on our hands. Nicely done, Aran. Well, finders keepers - which box are you going to try that key on?"

Here's a recap, since I was jotting notes as I was catching up. Today sucked, sorry I haven't been more active.

Pozuket continues shooting the occasional glare at Raoul, but otherwise lets it slide for now. He nods to something the dwarf said and contributes a tale: "I've heard a tale of a vault which was secured such that any two of the three doors containing the treasure within could be opened safely, but when the third was opened, everyone was drowned in lava. Greedy people would open two, see the treasure behind them, and open the third for more. I doubt this situation is comparable - in fact, I suspect that all five containers will be necessary to overcome this challenge - but let it be a caution against trying too much at once."

Gesturing to the keys, he opines: "We have two keys, and a pair of chests which are locked with what appear to be conventional locks - or at least they're not surrounded by runes. I would not be surprised to discover that each of those two chests has one half of whatever item we need in order to unlock the lacquered one, which holds the map we were sent to find." Turning to re-read the message on the door, he muses, "Unless one of them has the key to that one, and the other holds an item which will open this door or otherwise extricate us from this chamber."

With a shrug: "Assuming both keys look like they could fit either lock, I would suggest we attempt the brass key in the chest with copper bands and the stone key in the steel one. That way the colors coordinate."

The blue stone key flies to Aranan's hand, and he notes it bears faint runes, apparently matching those of the red lacquered chests front plate.

The blue stone key flies to Aranan's hand, and he notes it bears faint runes, apparently matching those of the red lacquered chests front plate.

Ah sure, go ahead and ruin my nice theory less than 10 minutes after I post it. :p

Aha, but your theory was logical and sound, based on the information you had to hand :p

1d20 ⇒ 7

Raoul tries the jeweled key in the copper bound chest, but to no avail.

Pozuket proclaims his theory, but Aranan provides further information about the new key, causing Pozuket some doubt...

Aran takes the key to the runed key and attempts to use it on the red lacquered chest, while looking from person to person in the room. Still being very quiet.

Grogson grabs broom and conducts a police call of the area as this is what warriors do when not fighting. ;)

Raoul stares at the key in his hand. "Alright, I suppose third the charm." He then notices Aran using the runed key on the red-lacquered chest. "So, let's hope one of these keys opens one of these chests."

Raoul notes Aran's silence, "Hey, come on. Don't be so serious. Look, Grogson's having a good time, and he's a dwarf!" ;)

Pozuket throws up his hands. "Well, that's another idea down the drain. I guess we just need to try them in all combinations." He pauses, then adds, "Unless there's another keyhole hidden in the room somewhere that isn't on a chest..."

He begins searching the door for a keyhole, and then moves on to the rest of the walls.

Perception on the door, specifically: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

While he's examining the door, he also calls out another suggestion: "Or perhaps under one of the chests? Or another lock on the backside?"

I'm not going to be able to post again for a day or two. Just say I'm out of advice and keeping quiet, I guess?

The gnome had a good point and there was more hands than keys for locks. So Jivo joined him in searching for any other hidden holes even as he expanded on the logic.

Maybe we don't need the keys or the chests. Almost seems too easy and way too obvious.

Perception - searching for hidden keyholes: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

There are many comments from the sideline about which way to go about things, however Aranan places the blue key into the red chest, which seems to open it with immediate effect, and as it does so, Jivokun notes a faint click from the ceiling above.

The red lacquered chest holds a key forged into the end of a jeweled scepter.

Looking up to the clicking noise, you all note a small golden key now dangles 6 inches down from a slit in the 15-foot-high ceiling.

Grogson and Pozuket conduct their sweep, and Pozuket finds nothing of note on the door.

Raoul takes inventory. "So, we've got an open chest, a key at the end of a scepter, another key hanging from the ceiling, and a third key in my hand. One of these keys has got to be for the door to get us out. Florentine, you say this box," he points to the steel box, "is magically trapped? Let me see what I can do."

Raoul gets out one of the sets of materwork thieve's tools that the party procured from the warehouse. Stooping down to get a closer look at the box, he sets about trying to disable the trap.

Disable Device: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 2 = 22

Still using the activated Prestidigitation to untie or unfasten the key above their head, muttering to himself the entire time as he goes to work, provided he can get it free, he brings it down to himself, his focus purely on the task at hand at the moment.

Changed my icon...that is NOT the one I picked. Now I have it fixed!

The Scarred Witch Doctor is unfortunately not legal for play. It appears under the Orc entry (its an option for Orc Witches) and thus isn't playable... great class though.

Heading out for the night, updates in 12 hrs... chop chop Bravosi!

To amend what you said about the prehensile hair: If you go White-Haired Witch it is primary. My ranger/witch is currently using 4 primary natural attacks and is about to add a 5th

Day Job (Perform): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Day Job (Craft: Bookbinding): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

I'm going to be out of town from Tuesday to Friday. No internet where I'm heading, so no posts from me during that time.

Question: Must a Day Job be a Craft, Perform, or Profession roll? Would it be possible to be a private "eye", professionally and use the Diplomacy skill? =D

Does it seem like Kish is leaning toward the Shadow Lodge? ^_^

The Pathfinder Society Field Guide has a range of vanities you can purchase with PP that often allow a range of alternate skills to be used for day-jobs, but it appears Diplomacy isn't one of them.

With regards to factions, one of the big reasons Part 2 and 3 of the First Steps series is being pulled is that on Aug 14 both Shadow Lodge and Lantern Lodge will retire.

Hope that helps!

Day job: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Really? =( Are any new ones coming out or there will just be 2 less?

They have yanked some scenarios in the past, and no doubt more will be slated to go over time.

I haven't heard any confirmation that they will be replaced, which is a shame as they are a great trilogy for getting people to understand the various players within the PFS setting.

Only First Steps P1 will remain.

Day Job Roll

Profession (innkeeper): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

I believe that you can use Bluff, Intimidate, or Diplomacy if you spend 5 PP on a Merchant Caravan. I could be wrong.

ALPHA - All PFS chronicles just got emailed, let me know of any errors.
Will kick off your next session in about 24 hours.

Shifty, do you mind if I tweak Yhen into a white haired witch? It's not illegal for PFS play right?

Ninja'd found the answer lol

LOL good ;)

What was it? (I assume yes)

OK bit of a quiet day, suppose the population is 4th of July'ing :)

Alpha group, will start part 3 tomorrow (my time) so everyone can sleep off the hangover.

Remember, need to get Scenario 3 completed no later than Aug 14, so Bravo guys will be under the pump a little :)

So was that a yes on the white-haired witch?

I'm working so I were not able to join the 4th of Julying event lol too busy saving the drunk asses of those who did.

I don't mind people swapping into any PFS legal combo.

I'm going to be bringing Tikrit back into the next scenario.

Got the Chronicle!

Thanks!

Any problem with me switching out my Paladin for a Bones Oracle?

As long as it's legal I don't mind what you guys do :)

The only thing I need in due course is any substitutes to provide their PFS character numbers.

Tikrit I still have your details in my spreadsheet.

I'm sticking with Kish still, but may we have some hints about what we might be facing in part 3? =D

Also will we have a chance to equip after we receive our next mission or should it be done in advance?

I will still be using Yhen, I'll probably just use a different legal archtype.

Bravo team has fallen behind, fellas. We need to get move on or risk falling of the 3rd game.

I think in a pbp format, 3 should be fairly short. In a standard format it takes the longest, I think. But 2, which is pretty long pbp is really short at a tabletop.

Having played through 3 on both PBP and tabletop, I am happy that it should be done in 3-4 weeks. Shouldn't take long.

I agree with 2, that was SO FAST at the tabletop, yet takes ages as a pbp.

We ran 2 in less than an hour one time, letting the one player at the table who had never played it lead the party through, but it was all veteran's and we blitzed it.

How much would a wand of ill omen cost? I don't know the rulings on spells not on the cleric,wizard,druid list.

How much would a wand of ill omen cost? I don't know the rulings on spells not on the cleric,wizard,druid list.

All potions, scrolls, wands, and other consumables are made by clerics, druids, or wizards in Pathfinder Society Organized Play. The only exceptions are spells that are not on the cleric, druid, or wizard spell list.

So it is allowable, as a 1st level wand, which you could buy for 2 Prestige.

Great, just got confused with the exceptions that are not on the lists.

Consider it bought GM, I would be updating the sheet.

If I'm right, any magical items need fame to be purchased right? How much would a headband that gives +1 Int cost me, still getting the hang of buying magical items.

A character’s Fame score determines the maximum gp value of any items they can purchase from their faction, as detailed in Table 5–3 of the Organised Play guide. The character must still actually spend the gold to receive the item.

So that means to buy a Headband of Vast Intelligence +2 (the smallest one there is) would cost you 4,000gp cash, and you would need to have accumulated 18 Fame - +Stat items are pretty prohibitive at low levels.
The Fame just caps how expensive an item you can buy, you don't spend any Fame.

The 'spend PP for items' is limited to the 2pp for a 750gp item as per earlier.

Team B done, sheets sent.

Will kick you guys off in the am - gives you time to shop.

Doing another retool tonight, I will post him. Same character, different class/build. I want to find the character balance that works for what I'm trying to do.

Thats cool, you guys have until level 2 to get the mojo right.

What happens after this mission will be subject for some conversation as well. I am happy to keep on running things, but will come back for a chat on whether some people want a more weighty item like a module, or whether people are liking this short 'scenario' based smorgasbord. Will come up with that shortly.

I am down for anything even if its not pfs legal or what.

Question about spell quicken, it says it will use up spell slot 4 levels higher, does that mean I need to be lvl 9 just so I can spell quicken a level 1 spell?

Question about spell quicken, it says it will use up spell slot 4 levels higher, does that mean I need to be lvl 9 just so I can spell quicken a level 1 spell?

Normally, yes. You need 5th level spell slots to quicken a 1st level spell. There's a couple ways to add Quicken to a spell for free, most notably metamagic rods (which are expensive), and a couple ways to reduce the cost (so you can quicken with a lower slot that you get earlier), but the standard is 9th level.

I was looking at Magical Lineage and the Wayang spellhunter, which would make a level 1 spell with quicken to a 3rd level spell, I guess I need to wait for a quicken ill omen then hex.

I PM'd Aegon 22hrs ago, and if nothing heard by breakfast I will open up to a replacement in Group A.

OK no reply back, will open it up :)

Haemish will be replacing Aegon.

There was one more applicant LFG, either party cool with a seventh player? It's still legal and all, but its more a case of player prefs.

What class? We are good on casters, but I could stand to have another solid up front to link in with.

I don't mind too.

He's got either a Fighter type or a ranged Pally.

I would say fighter would be good.

OK I'll kick him over to Bravo.

+1

Cool deal, I'm good with it, as well.

Howdy folks! Thanks for bringing me on board!