Shifty PFS group Charlie (Inactive)

Game Master Nik B.

"Oh he spoke? What else did he say? Did he finally reveal the wisdom of the Sphinx!?" they react with excitement "He is finally risen back from his slumber, no doubt he is tired with all the secrets revealed unto him!"

Kel stares in bewilderment at the scenario before him.
Wait, wait, you've both been here, since he was buried, waiting for him to come back to life and reveal a sphinx' secrets?

He cautiously moves in between the magic users and the two women, making himself a shield if something happens.
If you were buried here with him, how do you know our language?

"Because as his wives, and administrators of his affairs, being able to converse with travellers from all over is our duty - the Sphinxes themselves taught us"

Magic?

"Pharaoh Sekh-pa-Mefer III rules Osirion - he is the Pharaoh of Sphinxes, the friend of the sphinxes of the Osirian desert and hosted many of the enigmatic
creatures at his court over time"

"He claimed that the sphinxes had shared with him the secret of eternal life, and promised that he would return after his death as a god to lead Osirion into a golden age of wisdom and prosperity. After his death, Sekh-pa-Mefer was mummified and interred in here with us, and we now await his return - his promised rebirth"

Hmm... I think they missed that boat...

Henrick looks around at the food they are offering. How can any food have stayed preserved this long? Yet, I am inclined to accept their offer - how often do we actually get to speak with ancient minds!

"Please, tell us all you remember of your lives. Do you mind if I take some notes? Much time has passed since you came in, and I will be happy to share with you news of outside, but I also crave stories from your own lives! What was it like?"

Any sense of what is going on and if it is safe to sit and talk?
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Knowledge, religion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

"What he said. The most important thing of life is in the details, so, ah, please, tell us as much you can remember!"

It's a bit of a stumble from the brazen and baffling self-confident remark just moments before.

"It's, ah, been some time, and we are explorers. We want to learn more! Please!"

Agraic aids any Diplomacy effort, not frontlining this himself!: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (18) - 2 = 16

They seem quite happy to start talking.

So far seems legit but you guys are trying to have a slightly disjointed conversation from a recently cracked secret door - are you joining them to sit and talk?

Agraic will enter and look for a spot to sit, it's just being rude at this point to stand at the door after all this chat...

Henrick, sensing no immediate danger, comes in and moves to sit down. This is the stuff Pathfinders live for!

"Thank you for your hospitality."

Kel is only feigning interest. He is actually very suspicious of this whole thing.

Kel maintains his post by the door, his hand casually resting on the pommel of his rapier.
I'll stay here. Don't want any more nasties coming up while we chat, would we?

The conversation seems to go swimmingly as the wives continue to talk, filling in historical details and questions about the pyramid generally...

Henrick and Agraic, will save.

Will Save(+2 vs enchantments): 1d20 ⇒ 8

Going to call that a 'Won't Save' from all appearances? :)

Enora looks around nervously, wishing to gain the knowledge they offer but weary of potential ulterior motives.

Well, so far all seems to be on the level... did you have any specific questions?

"So, if you don't pardon my asking, what was life like during the time you were outside of the Pyramid? Could you go through what a typical day would involve?"

Agraic the fumble-tongued interviewer, huzzah.

"We stayed in the palace, our servants would tend our every desires..." they look around for the servants, as though 'now you mention it'.

They then explain day to day operations of the Osirian landscape, as though to a group of foreign dignitaries just arrived in their lands.

Will Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
+2 fear
+2 save vs poison, spells or spell-like abilities (Dwarven Hardy)

The conversation goes for some time. Eventually it reaches a natural lull, where there appears little to discuss.

"Would you like to come out to the sands with us? I fear the pyramid might be sustaining you now, so there could be a risk..."

Henrick's just guessing here...

Soul is looking a bit annoyed "well this is all very informative but can we move on now"

"No our duty dictates we remain here and wait for our Pharaoh to give us his instructions. We thank you for sharing your culture" they bid you goodbye.

Whilst something firmly feels very out of the ordinary, no one managed to discern where any danger lay...

Leaving via the same door? or crossing the room to exit via the 'normal' doorway?[/ooc]

Before they leave, Kel looks over the room and the two women, assessing the whole thing.
Sense Motive, Untrained: 1d20 ⇒ 16

Agraic heads back out of the room via the same door he entered it by. If the party had the 'run of the place' it'd be one thing, but with other rooms not cleared yet, no need to engage two situations.

Kel is equally stumped.

Nothing seems to happen as the party leaves, they are farewelled and the women go back to amusing themselves, just as they have done for several thousand years...

Back in the slain pharaoh's room... down the corridor to the boats?

Ye lets go that way

Two woven reed boats sit end-to-end in this chamber, covered in a thick layer of dust. Carvings on the walls depict naval expeditions and boats bearing tribute for the pharaoh.

It seems no one has ventured here for a long time. Let's take a look and see what we can find, shall we?

Knowledge History re: carvings: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

The scholar moves in and starts recording... all seems ok.

Once they have taken all the notes they can, Henrick stands up and bows to the ladies.

"Thank you for your hospitality. Since you won't join us, we should take our leave of you now. By the way, what is on the other side of that door?" pointing to the one they didn't come through.

"That is the guard room" They remark...

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9 Ok, this is me rolling it... Thanks again!

Kishara lingered near the entrance, only mumbling something about 'not dressed for royalty' if asked why she did not come in to sit with the strangely timeless ladies. She felt sure that if they knew what had just become of their undead Pharaoh, they would not be so welcoming.

She did not have any objections to leaving the way they had come and heading a different direction. Once they were beyond earshot, she spoke low to the others. "How do we write them up in the report? It's not really possible they are just long-lived, is it? Don't you think they are... something more than they appear?" Her violet eyes kept flickering back toward the ladies' chamber.

"So are we looking in on the guard room then?"

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

At the moment you guys are looking at the reed boat room, your friendly arcanist is examining the walls for any heiroglyphs of note. What particular other things did people want to look at in here... anyone searching the boats?

Henrick continues to make notes - he could spend days in here. He examines all of the objects in the room, and looks at and inside the boats.

Perception, take 20: 20 + 8 = 28

Henrick finds a pouch of magical dust stuffed between the woven reeds of the eastern boat.

As he looks at the western boat...

Scarab beetles boil forth from the boat all at once!

Henrick is startled at their speed!
They pour over him and around him!
Henrick - Damage 1d6 ⇒ 4
Disease - DC13 Fort save!.
Distraction - DC13 Fort save!.

R1
Enemy
Kish
Kel
Soul
Agraic
Enora
henrick

The half-elf drops his guisarme and pulls out an Alchemist's fire, tossing it at the bugs, trying to hit the back end of them so as not to catch Henrick in the splash.

Ranged Touch Attack(Alchemist's Fire), throwing into melee, if hits second 1d6 for second round of fire, 1d8 if misses: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 - 4 = 141d6 ⇒ 61d6 ⇒ 31d8 ⇒ 8

I don't want to catch Henric in my spell. Is where I moved alright?

Enora steps around the swarm cautiously, sending a burning arc of fire into its midst.

Burning Hands DC 15 for half, probably x1.5 damage?: 4d4 ⇒ (1, 3, 1, 2) = 7

So 10 if fail, 5 if succeed? Or does the 1.5 kick in after the save? So 10 if fail, 4 if succeed?

I can run with that position :)

Good question on the multiplier - only matters on odd numbers I suppose, but will run with the solution most favourable to the players

Swarm Reflex save 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
The alchemist fire misses the bulk of the swarm but still lands within it.

S 14

R1
Enemy attacked
Kish
Kel
Soul
Agraic flames!
Enora flames!
henrick

"Ack! Look what I found!"

Fort Save Disease: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Fort Save Distract: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Henrick steps out of the way and pulls out his own Alchemist fire to burn away the vermin.

Touch Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5 + next round as well

A black granite statue of a pharaoh stands on the polished alabaster floor in the center of this chamber beneath a vaulted limestone ceiling decorated with gilt stars. An engraved panel of granite stands against the western wall, carved to resemble a door. A flat granite slab lies on the floor in front of the false door. The statue represents Sekh-pa-Mefer III.

Offerings and sacrifices to the deceased pharaoh were made in this sanctuary The false door is engraved with Ancient Osiriani hieroglyphs listing the pharaoh’s names and titles as well as instructions and prayers for the offerings made to him.

This is all a little strange, because you know you have defeated the Pharaoh elsewhere...

The two smaller rooms off the sanctuary are shrines to the Ancient Osirian gods of kingship.

The southern chapel contains a statue of a lean man with the head of an animal with a curved snout and erect squared ears.

***
Something else...
Perception DC20.

Did I miss a segway?

Seems it ate the first part of my post when I edited from PDF to word and loaded all the spoilers

Henricks oil is right on point and destroys the swarm - the roasting smell and smoke fills the crypt, but no more dangers emerge.

Aside from the magical powder still being unidentified, there is little else in this room to uncover - the passageway leads around to the earlier chamber you bypassed.

NOW read the above post :p

Fixed Henrick :)

That was a lot of fire you guys used :p

My player was forcing me to channel his WBGFree character. I feel so used...

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

The half-elf stress-case picks up his guisarme and catches up to the party, though most of this ancient tomb stuff is going almost literally over his head.

Knowledge, religion: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Knowledge, religion: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

"The false door symbolizes a threshold between the lands of the living and the dead. Looking at those statues, the southern one is Set, the god of death. To the north, that is Ra, the sun god, who is said to give life. A very apt exhibit!"

LOL it did look VERY 'We Be Goblins' for a moment - Praiz Zarongel!

As Henrick is pointing out the nature of the statue of Ra, he notes a secret panel in the base of the statue...

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

"The Osirians sure like their secret cubbies and passages, eh? I see another one over here." Kishara gives both a thorough looking over, searching for traps and checking for locks.

Take 20 Perception on secret panel: 20 + 10 = 30
Take 20 Perception on secret door: 20 + 10 = 30

There doesn't appear to be a lock or trap on the door - now you have located it you just need to move the stone portal.

That said... you deduce it must be a false tomb, probably to deal with grave robbers... the implications of what taht would suggest might be on the other side are concerning.

Congrats! You have now uncovered enough of the Pyramids secrets to meet the objectives of the adventure! Up to you if you want to crack that door out of vicarious interest - or just take the victory

There doesn't appear to be a lock or trap on the door - now you have located it you just need to move the stone portal.

That said... you deduce it must be a false tomb, probably to deal with grave robbers... the implications of what taht would suggest might be on the other side are concerning.

Congrats! You have now uncovered enough of the Pyramids secrets to meet the objectives of the adventure! Up to you if you want to crack that door out of vicarious interest - or just take the victory

Have we obtained all victory conditions, or do we need to be completist for that?

There is (clearly) an extra point or two you can collect, but the requirement for success and full reward is to attain X of Y, not Y of Y. So the only reson to push on is to find out what happens to be awaiting you in a dodgy false tomb, or crack the door to a known guard room. So basically you have won, its just exploring at this point, or call it a match and collect tea and medals.

The party impression of the Secret Door

Ha ha! I was going to say let's go in until I saw the free candy writing... lol

Henrick finishes his notes, including marking the guard room and false tomb as danger areas to warn future Pathfinders.

I think we're all suffering from fatigue here, let's not push it to exhaustion and regroup (ie, call it all good). And much like Henrick, I was on board with checking it out until I saw 'Seems Legit'. Any savvy gamer knows that's a trap. A DEATH trap with a nice courtesy warning sign.

Agraic takes some rubbings and notes as well, though his aren't nearly as good.