Siege of Serpents (Inactive)

Game Master DrParty06

"We'll be able to secure the rest of the animals. Thank you!", says the zookeeper.

You are aware that there were still problems back at the mausoleum. Too much Blackros on the mind, put museum the first time.

You also see someone running toward you yelling, "Durvin has come to life! His statue is attacking everyone!."

You also see several groups of Pathfinders that seem to be running around in confusion not really doing anything to help stop the invaders that look like they need to be organized to confront the foes.

"The statue's come to life? Maybe we can fight that! I'm not really keen to fight more undead.... U-unless it'll be too hard to fight the statue without harder weapons?" He looks sadly again at his scimitar, then brightens. "Isn't Ksarress's sword made out of adamantine or something?"

Can we organize the Pathfinders to follow us to one of the locations, or is it a separate challenge to organize them?

Max takes a drink of a Cure Moderate and winces. "Darn dragons and their Green Death-flavored concotions"
CMW: 2d8 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (3, 5) + 3 + 4 = 15
and suspecting being at full health before tackling something else would be wise, uses his wand once.
CLW wand: 1d8 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 1 + 2 = 11

Max wonders if we try to rein in the...umm...statue if Ksarress would care try try my new Nodachi or stick with his katana. (on second thought, maybe swapping's a bad plan as katana is still exotic for me.)

"Are we allowed to break it? I usually get yelled at for breaking things when I'm not supposed to...."

Ivan has had enough of being taken down by magic for one day, and nimbly dodges the freezing blast.

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24

I assume splitting the party here is not something we should do?

"Why don't we organize the little lost pathfinders, and get them to help us with the statue? We, er, maybe me I guess?"

They are 2 separate things. I suppose you could split, but I think we are still ahead of pace. So you will probably have time to get to both either way.

"I agree, let's get those newbies organized first," says Genta. "We don't need them in regiments or anything, but as senior Pathfinders we should set a good example for them, keep them from breaking and running. Then we'll deal with the statue."

"I think Yitza may be onto something there. Organizing our colleagues to fight back sounds better done sooner rather than later."

"Right then, let's go organize the poor little ones!"

"Hey! Who're you calling little?" grumps Gaevus huffily. "Anyway! I agree on setting a good example. Stay cool-looking, guys! Then we'll take on that statue." Gaevus thinks shortly again, before turning to Yitza and saying, "Remember to stay close in case I get grabbed! I think the guy I bought that parchment from said something about 50 feet?" Gaevus scratches his chin, trying to remember.

Gaevus snaps back to attention. "Right! The newbies! Maybe we should tell some of the ones with spellcastery to go and find some higher level people to heal, and tell the others to go guard the books in Starhall or something? Does that sound smart?"

You're approached by a venture-captain from the direction of Skyreach as you begin walking away from the Menagerie.

"Janif Ivulxtin, but I trust you knew that.", says the Garundi former head administrator of the Grand Lodge with a curt nod. "We've got a bit of a problem. Most of the active venture-captains are securing Skyreach, and those remaining out here are insufficient to adequately lead the multitude of Pathfinders assembled. I could use some help reminding some of them that the Society's motto includes the word 'cooperate'. The Repository and the Center House both have their own security measures, but an extra layer of security outside would be useful. We also need to make sure someone gets the esteemed visitors out and another group to make sure Absalom's guards stay out, so we can take care of things without worrying about them getting killed."

"We've got it!" Gaevus says, glancing nervously over to Genta, hoping that she's taking notes. "The important visitors--are they where we need to get the loose Pathfinders to stand guard?" Gaevus asks, referring to the Repository and the Center House.

"I don't know. You'll need a group to round them up. Over there, they'll do." says Ivulxtin pointing to a dwarf holding a large looking axe.

"Sure!" Gaevus starts to wander off toward the dwarven-axe dwarf.

Are we going to need to convince them to go where we want? Can't we just flash our shiny weapons and say, "Oy! We're high level Pathfinders! Go here, it's probably good!" I'm pretty sure that's what the bigwigs do with us.

As Gaevus wanders closer, presumably with the party in tow, the dwarf says to him, "Why arn't ye fightin'? Get put on errand duty for some venture-captain? Get outta me way then, there's some Aspis over there callin' for me axe."

"For each warrior to seek their own glory or vengeance above the cause of their people and the stratagems thereof lies only chaos, dissolution and destruction. I'd expect a dwarf to know and *do* his duty when he sees it.

Ksarress also looks for any indication that the dwarf might worship Torag or a lawful deity specifically.

diplomacy: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (13) + 21 = 34

"What he said!" Gaevus chimes in helpfully. "Well, not quite. We're all about teamwork here as Pathfinders, no? We just helped save a bunch of initiates! Without cooperation though, we'd all be in trouble. Why, if it weren't for Yitza's heroism, Genta's blindness, Max's speed, Ksarress's strength, and Fetch and Ivan's, uh, Ivaning, why, I'd have been eaten by a huuuuge spinosaur!" Gaevus adorably imitates the spinosaur he saw, in order to try to help Ksarress.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23 vs. DC 10 to Aid Another to provide +4 Diplomacy (via the Helpful trait) to Ksarress

"Why, without cooperation and Ksarress's, uh, order (if that's what you'd call beheading two wyvarans), the whole place would be crawling with Aspis!" Gaevus pauses as his brain's kitchen timer goes off. "Wait, did you say Aspis!? Here?!"

"There's greater challenge and greater honor in working together. Blending our talents as Pathfinders is what makes this society great and allows us to go farther than any of us would have alone. Besides, working together means you can take down bigger bad guys!" She looks meaningfully at the rampaging statue that can be seen just past some trees.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (18) + 20 = 38

"Ye can be nice to me all ye want. But what gives ye the right to order us about? Ye'r no venture-captains! My duty is killin' those invaders. Last time I took orders from a regular Pathfinder almost got the lot of us killed!"

You get the sense Diplomacy is not something that will work with him. Also no one has actually said what they are to do, just said that they should do their jobs and teamwork is good.

Can we tell whether intimidating them would be better? I don't know whether we'd need a Sense Motive check to know.

Regardless, I can help whoever wants to take charge! I suggest we send these guys to go guard the Repository and the Center House from the Aspis.

This group is to escort people. You don't think Intimidation would work much better. You could roll Sense Motive to get an idea of what would.

Ksarres takes a breath as if to inspire the fear of hell into this dwarf then thinks better of it. He mutters something about "these are venture captain orders...you already guessed that..why don't you just kill aspis while getting the esteemed visitors out instead of running about randomly..."

He guessed that you have orders from a venture-captain, not that the orders had anything to do with him doing something.

He replies, "E'm quite confident Profess'r Nigel Aldain can find his own way out the front gate."

I'm not sure I understand what we're supposed to be doing, or who we're talking to. Are we talking to a group of dwarves or one dwarf, and are we supposed to give him specifically this escort mission or any of the above?

Genta tries to figure out what this dwarf's deal is.
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

You're talking to a dwarf who seems to be the leader of a group of Pathfinders. You're supposed to be giving him the mission to escort the dignitaries off the grounds. There are specific groups to do each specific task that each have a different character to them.

Genta recalls that there is historical precedence for Pathfinder field agents to give orders to others against the Pathfinder Society charter in times of need and thinks that she could explain this information to the dwarf to get him to comply. with a Knowledge(History) or Bluff check.

Got it, thanks.

"Think! Haven't you read your Pathfinder Chronicles? This is just like when the great Pathfinder, Selmius Foster, needed his friend Adolphus to guide a ship full of fleeing children from the island of Bhopan. One of the children Adolphus saved grew up to be the equally famous Escobar Vellian, and Adolphus himself became venture captain of the Quantium lodge! This is your moment to be Adolphus! Nigel Aldain and those other visitors need someone to save them - someone like you!"

Genta takes a deep breath, hoping that her slight edits to the mostly-true story help convince the dwarf to do something useful.

Knowledge (history): 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (20) + 22 = 42
Bluff: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (8) + 27 = 35

Yitza watches closely to see if Genta needs any help convincing him, although it appears that Genta has him well in hand.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (12) + 27 = 39

Gaevus opens his mouth to help, then, hearing Genta's convincing story thinks better of it; he pops some bread he'd pocketed from the buffet.

I think you skillsy people have got this!

Max considers a likely way out that would a) get the dignitaries to safety and b) let the dwarf and his group get some glory as he does so
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (4) + 18 = 22
Perception: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (17) + 18 = 35

The dwarf replies, "Aye, ye do have a point ther. Pathfinderin' i'n't always about plunderin' and killin'. Let's go! We got some people to find and get outta here."

The groups who are to guard the Center House, the Front Gate and the Repository remain.

Max suggests "Getting guards on the center gate as soon as we can means less chance the Abasalom guards get nosy - and dead. Let's see who'd be good for that. Maybe some well-spoken types?"

Perception: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (5) + 18 = 23 to spot some likely folks
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (10) + 18 = 28 if that's of more use for getting a read on people

Max spots a group that looks ready to help at the front gate, but he also spots an Absalom guard heading toward them. At the head of the group appears to be a female halfling holding a longsword.

"Wait! Before we go--you mentioned something about the Aspis being here?" Gaevus catches the dwarf before he leaves. "Can you tell us anything about what they're doing here, or where they are?"

Sorry! I wasn't trying to be doofy and bread-eared when I was asking about the Aspis--I don't think that they've been mentioned as the perpetrators in character yet, have they?

"Was a couple of 'em comin' out from o'er by the Mausoleum. We ambushed 'em 'n they had these on 'em." He flashes a pair of bronze badges the size of coins with snakes engraved on them that you instantly recognize as being Aspis Consortium bronze badges. "Don't know what the rest o' these things are 'er where there comin' from oth'r than Skyreach, but definitely some Aspis here."

The town guard arrives at the group of six led by the halfling just before you can, even with Max's absurd movement.

The guard has begun tearing into the halfling, "...tell Ambrus Valsin that this time it's gone too far. When I come back, I’m bringing a small army and we’re going to find out what you people are hiding in all these creepy buildings. Once and for all!”. He storms off before anyone can respond, leaving the halfling and the others clearly somewhat shaken by the ordeal.

Can we pocket a few of the Aspis badges, just in case? Hopefully Genta's fame will confirm that we're actually Pathfinders, should any Pathfinders actually catch us with them.

Gaevus will apologize profusely if we're late just because we stopped to ask a few questions! (I don't think it is, though!) Perhaps we could help steel the resolve of the Pathfinders and get them to talk down the town guard. Gaevus would be glad to help! (Fetch and Yitza are probably better at Diplomacy than Gaevus is, but I can be Helpful for a +4!)

Gaevus looks around--does the party have anything to give to these Pathfinders that they can use to scare the town guard away, or convince them that this is a private matter? Maybe an Aspis Consortium badge? The head of wyvaran? Anything? The rampaging statue in the distance probably isn't helping the matter....

Fetch and Ivan fly after the guardsman. Ivan dangles Fetch by her ankles so her head is even with that of the town guard:
"I think you'd better rethink that plan, friend. Not that it wouldn't be a good idea to find out what is in all the creepy buildings. But you don't need a small army. You need a LARGE army. Seriously, this place is insane. These are the people who brought a SPINOSAUR" - Fetch gestures emphatically at the Spinosaur - "to make the celebration more interesting! Not to mention the 30ft armored snakes. They imprison powerful evil sorcerers on the premises. If they hear of powerful artifacts, they go to great lengths to acquire them, and then put them - unlabeled, of course - into some of these creepy buildings. So go, get all the backup you can. At least the entire city guard... no, that probably won't be enough. Call in every favor you can. Maybe Lastwall can spare an order of Paladins now that the crusade is over. I don't know. Whatever you do, don't underprepare. If you do, a lot of people are going to die. Good luck, friend."

The goal, of course, is to convince this fellow not to do anything fast, so the current crisis can resolve itself, and give whatever mysterious force has caused Absalom to tolerate the society so far time to do its thing.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 35 ⇒ (13) + 35 = 48
Intimidate: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (1) + 29 = 30

I'm not sure which check is appropriate. Fetch definitely isn't trying to make the guard afraid of her, but afraid of the society (and these grounds in particular)

"You know, this" Yitza gestures casually around them, "is what it looks like when things are operating within normal parameters. You don't want to see what happens when someone blunders into the things that are kept under close wraps and accidentally sets something off... Those incidents are truly hair-raising. But they make for great ballads!. Just sayin', ya might want to stick with just helping out fer now. But let me know if you decide to come back. I wanna watch so I can be the bard to gets the honors." Yitza begins humming a catchy tune as if she were already composing an ode to this poor fool's end.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (7) + 20 = 27
Bluff: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (4) + 27 = 31
Intimidate: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (9) + 18 = 27
Perform(song): 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (4) + 27 = 31
I know it only takes one of these rolls, but she really did use all the skills. Phooey (censor that word, paizo , heh), my luck with the dice is distinctly bimodal, between last night and this morning!

"Oh, wait, we probably shouldn't be making the guard even more suspicious..." Genta calls, probably too late to stop Ivan. She shrugs and walks up to the halfling Pathfinder and his friends.

"Stay calm. If those guards show their faces again, just refuse to let them in. You might remind them of the Siege of 4621. You know, when the city leaders of Absalom tried to place the Society under the authority of their own government? They spent 12 days trying to break in here, but it only took a handful of powerful Pathfinders to hold the lodge's walls against all comers. Eventually they gave up. And that was with the full authority of the Grand Council of Absalom and all. So just... remind them of that. Carry on!"

Source: Seekers of Secrets: A Guide to the Pathfinder Society

Knowledge (history): 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (14) + 22 = 36
Diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 11 (to give a +2 Aid Another bonus to someone else who might be talking to the Pathfinders)
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22 (to try and see what else might encourage them)

***********************
Overseer Announcement
***********************

We've wandered around a bunch now, right? What sector are we currently in?

Currently also in South, but if you want to, by getting the Pathfinders to guard the Center House or the Repository, you could have this success count toward Northwest or Northeast.

When I say someone leaves before anyone can say anything, that means they leave before anyone can say anything, and they shouldn't be the focus of things.

Genta starts to encourage the halfling and her group, but isn't quite knowledgeable enough about local politics to fully convince them. Perhaps someone could help her.

We're really bad at figuring out what checks are required, huh?

"Aw, come on! You guys know that the town guard is just full of stuffies serving the fat cats! You guys shouldn't be so worried about their authority--they're just here to complain and cause trouble! We Pathfinders are all about cooperating and getting past troublesome bureaucracy, and I'm sure that you can convince these guardsmen that we're doing just that!"

Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 to know any additional local city knowledge that might convince these guys that the city guard is sorta useless, used to Aid Another for +4 if possible
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26 to rile these Pathfinders up to stand up to the town guard, who are probably not as well equipped, army or not!, used to Aid Another for +4 if possible

Alas, few love history as much as dwarves do. Genta doesn't really pay attention to local politics - it shifts too frequently for it to be written down into books.

Yitza looks slightly sheepish to have been talking to thin air. "Well, you know us bards, we like to talk to hear our own voices... Eh hem, I know you've got your feet on the ground and your fingers on the pulse of this town. You know how to deal with this type. Same song, second verse." She grins widely to be encouraging, but looks slightly more creepy than she meant to.

Knowledge(local): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (10) + 20 = 30

"Actually, these society - city interactions Genta mentioned are reflected in the city ordinances, jurisdiction codes, chapter 9, section 3, subsection 7. It's come up before - the society has authority to resolve issues on the grounds internally.

knowledge local: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30

OK, let's get some RP going & see if they can't help us help them - or have they regenerated from being the Gate group to the Center House or repository group?

Max gives the Halfling and her group and companionable shrug in the direction of the retreating guards. "Hi! I'm Max Necrobie. Any of you know who that guy is or what's his beef? If some people knew the things you protect them from, they'd never come near this gate."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27 to generally ease them & be reassuring
Paying close attention to these pathfinders and seeing what he can pick up about them
Perception: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (10) + 18 = 28

The halfling responds, "Ohh, there's legal precedence for us taking care of this? That's reassuring. You're right, we don't have to fight them, we just need to keep them out long enough for this to be taken care of. Thanks." They hurry off to secure the gate.

The groups at the Center House and the Repository remain. Completing one of those will count for the success. You should also figure out if you want this success to count for the south or one of the other regions, as it can count for any of them.

Yitza smiles in satisfaction as they leave, then turns to look at the other two remaining mobs of Pathfinders. "Hmm, should we maybe head for Center House? The best performances are always at center stage, you know..."

She looks at the groups to see if anything stands out about their actions or moods.
Perception: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (17) + 17 = 34
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (5) + 27 = 32

Do we want to finish cleaning up the South, or help bring down the threats in the wilder parts of the grounds?