The Dire GM's [PFS Core] #0-01 Silent Tide (Inactive)

Game Master CanisDirus

Toric readies himself for more combat, checking out his travelling mates and readying a spell of cure light wounds.

"Is anyone hurt?"

As you cautiously push forward, Gwydion, Chewyy, and Prudence notice a faint trail of blood droplets leading through the southeastern silo (the one Chewyy is poking his head into). Ahead, you can see the piles of grain (brown on the map - these areas count as difficult terrain unless you succeed at a DC 10 Strength check made as part of a move to ignore them as impediments to movement). You can also see numerous Flow Hatches (white squares on the map) which are ~8 feet above the floor. A DC 10 Acrobatics check would allow a character to jump up to open a hatch, which would send grain flowing down from it (a reach or ranged weapon could be used as well with varying degrees of difficulty).

Gwydion and Chewyy hear movement up ahead from the northeastern silo.

Assuming the point out the noises, Gene will draw two Cold Iron daggers and make himself ready to move forward with the group.

Amestri will see people gathering near the one set of doors will move over towards the other set, ever so gently pushing them open a crack and attempting to peer inside and get a sense for what is over here. ~No point in someone coming up behind us while poking around, or make sure they are not here. You are not paranoid if you prove to be correct.~

Stealth : 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11
Perception+9 Other door: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Attemping to be stealthly Chewy will approach where the noise is coming with 2 shuriken at the ready.

Stealth: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Gwydion moves in behind Chewwy, taking out a healing wand in one hand while clutching the small black-and-white symbol hanging from his neck with the other hand.

Amestri is able to ascertain that the two western silos are clear as Chewyy, followed by Gwydion and the others (Yargos remaining in the antechamber) creep forward. Chewyy makes a bit too much noise, though, alerting three skeletal figures in deep black robes and swirling mists (pictured where map 1 once was)! The one in the center was unloading dozens of vials of green liquid from a barrel while the other two stood guard, but now all three hold ancient sickles and look to engage you in combat!

Round 1!
Gene
Prudence
Amestri
Black Echelon Group 2
Toric
Black Echelon Group 1
Chewyy
Gwydion
Round 2

Gene, Prudence, and Amestri are up!

Knowledge: Religion check results -

Knowledge(Religion)+3: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Amestri would casually pull out a rapier (cold iron), and walking forward. "Well they don't look like they should be from around here."

With his daggers already in hand Gene will charge the nearest skeleton hoping that his companions will join him sooner rather than later.

Kn. (religion): 1d20 ⇒ 16 Gets the DC 10 result at least
Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 DMG: 1d4 + 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + (3) + 2 = 9

Prudence gives a quick gesture and sends a blast of energy at the red skeleton.

telekinetic fist: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Gene rushes forward and takes down the Blue Black Echelon Operative swiftly as Prudence heavily damages the Red one! Suddenly, the two Black Echelon "reserves" who were hiding under the grain piles (squares marked with a black x) burst forth, moving to flank Gene and attack!

Green Strength: 1d20 ⇒ 6 (Mods Hidden)
White Strength: 1d20 ⇒ 10 (Mods Hidden)

White Attack!: 1d20 ⇒ 5 (Mods Hidden)
Green Attack!: 1d20 ⇒ 17 (Mods Hidden)
Green Damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

The second attacker slashes Gene as the Red one reoils a bit.

Round 1!
Toric
Black Echelon Group 1 (Red -5 hp, Blue destroyed, Yellow full hp)
Chewyy
Gwydion
Round 2
Gene
Prudence
Amestri
Black Echelon Group 2 (Green full hp, White full hp)

Toric is up!

Toric advances and casts Bit of Luck on Chewyy

Bit of Luck (6/day) (Sp) Target takes the higher of 2d20 for a d20 roll.

The Yellow Operative advances through the grain to attack (1d2 ⇒ 2 1=A 2=P) Prudence, while the Red operative pushes through the grain to join the others in slashing at Gene!

Yellow Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 6
Red Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 15

But both of their sickles swing wide of their targets!

Round 1!
Chewyy
Gwydion
Round 2!
Gene
Prudence
Amestri
Black Echelon Group 2 (Green full hp, White full hp)
Toric
Black Echelon Group 1 (Red -5 hp, Blue destroyed, Yellow full hp)

Chewyy, Gwydion, Gene, Prudence, and Amestri are all up!

Chewy moves around yellow attempting to not provoke an attack.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Acrobatics (bit of luck): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Then he will punch the yellow one.

Attack w/ Flank: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Attack w/ Flank (bit of luck): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Chewyy slips around the Yellow Operative and then smashes it into pieces!

(Yellow is destroyed)

~aww...I did have a target, oh well, this one looks interesting.~
Amestri will slide along past Chewy, following the wall for a step ~no, stabbing yet~ i.e. avoiding the AoObefore giving Gene flanking and attempting to poke it with the rapier in her hand.

Atk+2 Flank+2: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Prudence moves forward and shoots a blast at the white skeleton, hoping to shake gene free.

telekinetic fist into melee vs. touch: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (14) + 0 = 14
damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Amestri hits the Green operative, but most of the damage is turned aside by the shadowy-bony structure of her target! Prudence's telekinetic fist slams into the White operative, but it remains standing.

(Green -1 hp, White -5 hp, Red -5 hp, Yellow & Blue destroyed)

Gwydion and Gene are still up!

Gene will attack the flanked skeleton (green) and change targets to white if green falls, followed by stepping onto the bones of the thug he already downed.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7DMG: 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 2 + (5) = 8
Attack 2: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20DMG: 1d4 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 1 + (1) = 6

Gwydion moves forward and notes, "Well, you lot seem like quite capable combatants. You are making short work of these things!" He then draws upon the pure magical energy of Nethys and releases it into an expanding ball of pure white light.

channel: 1d6 ⇒ 6
DC 12 Will for half.

Gene's second strike shatters the Green operative, and...

Will: 1d20 ⇒ 17 (actually it doesn't matter, even if they take half...)

Gwydion's holy energies wash over the rest of the Black Echelon Operatives, rendering their bones, shadows, and mists into nothingness!

Out of combat!

After making sure that the vile Gut Wither poison was not yet introduced into Absalom's grain supply (and after taking a minute to heal yourselves), you are able to summon guards to take stock of the situation as you head off with Yargos once again.

He leads you into a maze of sewer tunnels in the Puddles district, explaining that he knows an information broker who should be able to point the way to Nessian!

Soon afterwards, you find yourselves standing before Grandmaster Torch, a man covered in terrible burns and scars who lounges in a shallow pool while servants gently recycle the water over his charred form. His two very heavily armed and armored half-orc bodyguards remain close at hand and warn you all about even so much as moving a finger towards a weapon.

Introductions made, Torch wonders aloud if you might be able to afford to pay 6,000 gold for the information you desire...seeing the looks on your faces, he quickly changes tactics.

"I’ve recently come into possession of a series of safes. Unfortunately, the safecracker I employed has turned out to be quite useless. If you can coax even three of the five safes open, I could be persuaded to disclose Nessian’s location and dispense with my regular fee entirely. These chests are remarkably unique and I have the foreboding suspicion that, in this case, the receptacles just might be worth more than their contents, so I’d rather you didn’t smash them open. Oh! One more thing: if my diviner warns me you have crossed me and stolen the contents, there will be repercussions. What do you say, Pathfinders? Or will I instead expect to see you back here with an Abadaran bank note for the full price?"

Personally, I'd much rather open some chests than spend gold I don't have.

Gwydion claps his hands together in excitement. "Oh I think this is just the sort of challenge that we Pathfinders excel at! Show us the boxes, I'm sure we can crack a few of them open!"

Prudence remains quiet, letting those who may have the appropriate skills leas the way.

"just a wee few boxes then, not always a hard thing since it send you misplaced the keys."

Toric is likewise silent, his skillset not readily lending itself to this task.

Chewy is currently contemplating if the guards consider his hands to be weapons and this will take sometime for him to come to a conclusion.

Sorry for the delay, all, was KO'd for almost 24 hours on hydrocodone post root-canal. Assume you had time to heal up if you had wands or other ways of healing thyselves.

Torch grins, agreeing to let you have a go. One of the bodyguards sees you into a side chamber, where five containers reside.

~~~~~
The First Safe
The lock of this iron cask contains a laughing devil's head.

The Second Safe
This red box has been inset with a trio of golden faces: the first appears stern, the second angry, and the third fumes with hatred.

The Third Safe
The lid of this stone chest is covered with a relief of carved ivy.

The Fourth Safe
This sealed stone chest has no visible lock or hinges. No decoration or writing of any kind can be found.

The Fifth Safe
A strange stylized writing wraps around the whole of this rectangular chest. Stranger still are the ten small pores that run along the box’s lid.
~~~~~

You can examine each using whatever means you would like. Just make sure to indicate which one you are examining with each roll!

Gwydion spends a few moments studying each box in turn.

First:

Hmm... a devil's head... and why is it laughing? thinks the acolyte of Nethys.

Knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Second:

Increasing forms of negative emotion... what could be going on with these faces?

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Third:

Surely there is some message or symbol hidden in the carving...

Linguistics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Fourth:

We must be missing something! This box has nothing on it!

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Fifth:

This writing looks familiar... what is it?

Linguistics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

And finally:

After examining each of the boxes in turn, Gwydion steps back and mutters some magical words beneath his breath while concentrating on the boxes.

Sweep the area with detect magic.
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Taking a moment from the back of the room to look around Gene will cautiously approach each.

Perception(room): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19+1 more for traps
Perception(devil): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10+1 more for traps
Perception(gold): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11+1 more for traps
Perception(ivy): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10+1 more for traps
Perception(stone): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7+1 more for traps
Perception(porous): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25+1 more for traps

Chewy walks into the room and heads straight for the chests and gives them a good look over.

Perception (devil): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Perception (gold): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Perception (Ivy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Perception (stone): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
Perception (porous): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

+2 to any of the checks if they are made of stone

Prudence will detect magic on each of the chests in turn.

Amestri will walk around the boxes touching none of them but looking at them all carefully as well as their placement in the room and in relation to each other ~or as we know is the box the trap or is the room the trap.~

Perception-room: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
Perception-devil: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Perception-gold: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Perception-ivy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Perception-stone: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
Perception-porous: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

She will also attempt to place any meaning behind them that may give additional details.

Knowledge(arcana): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Knowledge(engineering): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Knowledge(local): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Knowledge(history): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Knowledge(nobility): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Knowledge(religion): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Knowledge(planes): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Knowledge(dungeoneering): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Knowledge(geography): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Knowledge(nature): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

The Room -
Gene and Amestri find no traps or hazards present...aside from the watchful eyes of Torch's guards, that is.

~~~~~

Safe One - "The Devil Dial" -
Gwydion is able to determine that the figure has no religious ties and should be safe for close examination, while he and Prudence find no magic present. Gene and Chewyy identify that the devil head can be carefully manipulated as a tumbler using the Disable Device skill, and that it is not trapped. Amestri, however, has a good ear, and is able to identify several points at which the tumbler seems to "catch", which will make the check to open this box easier thanks to her.

~~~~~

Safe Two - "The Box of Golden Faces" -
Gwydion is certain that emotions play a role in how this box opens, but he himself can't quite figure it out. Gwydion and Prudence are able to identify that the lock is magical in nature. Gene's skill with magical traps and locks enables him to confirm this. Gene, Chewyy, and Amestri find that it is not trapped.

Gene Sense Motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

~~~~~

Safe Three - "The Riddle Vault" -
Prudence and Gwydion identify that the locking mechanism is again magical in nature. Chewyy and Amestri are able to ascertain that there are no traps. Gwydion and Amestri find a cleverly hidden carving on a narrow panel right at the lip of the chest's lid that contains a riddle:

"Though different now sounds my name, the spelling still remains the same.
Once prior leap of might, now becomes bird of white.

~~~~~

Safe Four - "The Smooth Stone Chest" -
Prudence and Gwydion once again identify magic present.

~~~~~

Safe Five - "The Holed Safe" -
One last time Gwydion and Prudence find magic in the locking mechanism. Amestri and Chewyy don't find any traps, but they do find a hidden panel on the side of the box, and Amestri's Knowledge of History is able to identify a series of musical notes made by the writing that could be played with a Perform (Winds) check!

I think I can work on this one guys, says Gene pointing to the Devil box, but someone's going to have to get really mad at the next one, I guess it likes to be scared. ... Can you say that about a box?

Gene pulls out some tools from his backpack and gets to work on the devil box.
Disable Device: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

oh and to take care of the healing from earlier, assuming one of the others is willing to use my wand on me.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Starts to whistle the tune written on the box, while thinking for a moment about the all of them as a whole.
Performance(sing): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

"Regarding the box of golden faces, our other casters wouldn't happen to have anything that would influence emotions? I can make it laugh uncontrollably or fascinate it, but not anger."

Prudence cocks her head to the side and walks up to the riddle chest.

"Is it a dove? Or I suppose D O V E?" She speaks the last somewhat slowly, enunciating each letter and pausing between to make it clear.

Prudence cocks her head to the side and walks up to the riddle chest.

"Is it a dove? Or I suppose D O V E?" She speaks the last somewhat slowly, enunciating each letter and pausing between to make it clear.

"That sounds quite right to me!" Gwydion encourages.

Pointing at the first box with the devils on it Gwydion asks, "Now just how mad are we talking? I don't think I have the emotional range, nor the acting skills, to pull off something like that."

With Amestri's keen ear assisting, Gene gets The Devil Dial to open!

The information Gene shares about the Box of Golden Faces, in game terms:

The box is designed to slide open whenever someone employs the barbarian rage ability within 5 feet of the box. The box can be "tricked", however, with an Intimidate check, a Perform (Acting) check, a Use Magic Device check, or a Will Save (associated roleplay may provide a bonus...or may just provide the GM with a chuckle)

Prudence speaks the word "Dove" which is enough for the Riddle Vault to open!

Amestri whistles the correct tune, then realizes that they must be blown into the holes on the box. Having beat the DC to do so by 15+, she is able to do so, and the hidden compartment pops open!

Four of the five safes stand open. Do you wish to return to Grandmaster Torch now, or continue to work on The Box of Golden Faces?

Prudence steps to the emotion box and puts on her best angry professor face. "Listen here you pathetic waste of metal. You will open. Or I will make it my business to disassemble you molecule by molecule. I will annialate you so utterly that it will give the grandchildren of whatever useless artisan who flunked out of his apprenticeship by making you a wracking case of hemmoroids. Now Open Up!"

will save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Toric raises his hand timidly.

"Might the lock need to be intimidated?"

In reply, could be, I've also heard that anger leads to fear.

At Prudence's outburst, the golden faces of "The Rage Box" all turn from their various emotional poses to glee as the locks open!

Having opened all five safes, Torch's guard brings you back to him and also the contents of the containers. Smiling from his bath, he proceeds to give you directions to Nessian's hideout, a series of small and nearly forgotten siege towers just north of Absalom that have been cobbled together in a structure Nessian calls the "Pyramid of the Dog".

Before you depart, Torch also mentions that, should Nessian ever discover he disclosed this information to the Pathfinders, that the Grandmaster would view that as “most unprofessional” and would “spread the word" about your conduct in particular.

~~~~~

As you leave the Puddles district and start heading north, you see another series of flares coming from what is undoubtedly near your destination - alternating flashes of green and orange lights. Yargos thinks for a minute as you continue on, and then suddenly it hits him!

"By Abadar! That's one of the final signals! Those lights will send a team of Black Echelon to the Metro-Cathedral of Abadar to silence its weekly ritual pipe-organ music. The music being snuffed out mid-song is the signal for the first wave of the Silent Tide to come ashore and start murdering common citizens along the outskirts of the city!"

"I'm just a historian, so I don't know what to do now...do we go to the cathedral to stop the Black Echelon...or do we try to race to Nessian's lair and find the codebook and the master 'abort' code?"

~~~~~

GM Note - In your RP amongst yourselves, please indicate either Cathedral or Pyramid, and that's where we will head next!

Gwydion does not spend too much time thinking it over. "It sounds to me like we need to get to the cathedral right away and keep that song playing or we'll have something far worse on our hands. We should be able to deal with the Black Echelon at the cathedral; we have no idea how long it will take to find and execute the abort code."

Seems to me, that getting the abort code will lead to the slaughter of a few but the Pyramid will save more. I'd lean towards the pyramid,
though either ought to give me some undead to return to Phrasma.

"It sounds to me like one of these is a much shorter issue than the other. The code is the music being snuffed out *mid-song*, if we keep the song going till its natural end the "code" so to say is no longer able to be transmitted till at least the next time the Metro-Cathedral of Abadar would be playing it." Amestri notes. "Why not buy us the time we may need to find, possibly decipher, and execute the abort code."

That's 2 for Cathedral and 1 for Pyramid... I plan to move on to the next scene later tonight, so...

"Fate shall decide for me"

Toric flips a coin.

The will of Calistria. 1 = Cathederal, 2 = Pyramid: 1d2 ⇒ 2

"Calistria wishes for us to visit the Pyramid. Perhaps we can save more lives that way?"