GM MattMorris Tyranny of Winds Series (Inactive)

Game Master ChesterCopperpot

Sunlight Under Stone ponders a moment, then perks up. "What about the lamp we found? Try hanging it on the hook!"

"Or we pick the lock, if that doesn't work. Anyone skilled in that regard?"

Sunlight Under Stone ponders a moment, then perks up. "What about the lamp we found? Try hanging it on the hook!"

When the lamp is placed on the hook, the door swings open.

A winding downward staircase empties into the center of a chamber with four circular alcoves. Each of these alcoves glows with a different colored translucent barrier: red, green, blue, and white. With the exception of the alcove behind the white barrier, a variety of items are on display beyond the barriers. Among these curiosities are books, scrolls, figurines, urns, and tapestries. The alcove behind the white barrier, however, is mostly blocked by rubble, as if it had been ransacked in the past. In front of each barrier is a circular indentation in the floor, ringed with an inscription. Four gemstones sparkle atop a stone altar along one of the chamber’s walls.

White Barrier-Top Left
Inscription: թաց էր երկինքը

Red Barrier-Top Right
Inscription: ფანი ალი

Green Barrier-Bottom Left
Inscription: אָנצינדן די ערד

Blue Barrier-Bottom Right
Inscription: கடலில் நிரப்பவும்

"This is unbelievable! Do you think we are now in the hideout of this Concordance group? Can anybody read what these runes say?"

Xiao casts detect magic and looks around in the room ...

kn arcna : 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

... and he also tries to remember if this somehow familiar.

kn planes : 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

"This is unbelievable! Do you think we are now in the hideout of this Concordance group? Can anybody read what these runes say?"

Xiao casts detect magic and looks around in the room ...

[dice=kn arcna ]d20+9

... and he also tries to remember if this somehow familiar.

[dice=kn planes ]d20+9

Each of the barriers has a faint evocation aura. You don't recognize the room, but you can intuit that it has some thematic tie to the Elemental Planes.

Menarul takes a moment to copy the inscriptions and then transliterations and then translations of all four inscriptions. He then gives everyone a copy of a rough translation. He then takes the moment to give a small speech.

“As you probably could tell all four of these are written in different elemental languages, each one corresponding to the coloration, and likely element, of the barrier it’s in front of. This is probably a very simple puzzle. Please look at translation number one, from the Auran here” He points at the white barrier. “The inscription of ‘Wet the sky’ probably means that we should put the elemental pearl here into the indent in front of it. Like so.” He picks up the pearl and places it in the indent in front of the white barrier. “The other three, of ‘Fan the flames’ ‘Spark the Earth,’ and ‘Fill in the sea’ likely mean we just shift the gems clockwise from their respective barriers.”

When Menarul places the pearl in the indentation in front of the white barrier, the wall winks out of existence. The room beyond is a bit of a mess, with small piles of rubble scattered among a disorganized collection of books and scrolls.

Cal walks in and searches around.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

"Aha! A book with the lightning-shaped sigil of Ranginori on the cover!" He picks it up with care, and then reads the title aloud to the group. "The Codex of Fundamental Dominion. Impressive title." He then hands it over to Menarul, who seems most likely to be able to make sense of it.

"There is also a nice chain shirt in here."

Sunlight Under Stone keeps an eye behind them in case someone tries to sneak up on the group.

Examining the Codex of Fundamental Dominion

kn planes: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Xiao looks at the book and suddenly raises an eyebrow.

"Hey team: The book mentions another text, the Primordial Key of Ilyralene, that details theories on how to free Ranginori from the Untouchable Opal. It lists the book’s last known whereabouts as the Cobalt Gallery of the Azure Hall. We need to look for it immediately!"

Just as Xiao recognizes the proper page, Sunlight Under Stone hears footsteps on the stairs that descend into the chamber. A quartet of city guards appears, the lead guard addresses your group.

"Halt! Persons matching your description are wanted for questioning in the matter of the murder of Zap Sparkington. Come with us quietly and no one need be hurt."

The guards tap saps meaningfully against their palms as they wait for your response.

Sunlight: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Sunlight Under Stone scowls. "You don't look like guards," they say as they pull themself up to their full 3.5 feet of height. "You look odd. What's really going on?"

GM, any further insight besides "something odd"?

Xiao steps forward.

”I do not know who you are but please let us talk first. The person you are referring to is unknown to us but it might a lizard that attacked us and we had to defend ourselves. I hope that we can come to a joint understanding!“ he says.

Diplomacy : 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

Vaylin raises his hands slightly and politely adds, "No ever needs to get hurt."

Auto aid with a +14

[dice=Sunlight]d20+8

Sunlight Under Stone scowls. "You don't look like guards," they say as they pull themself up to their full 3.5 feet of height. "You look odd. What's really going on?"

GM, any further insight besides "something odd"?

Some details aren't quite right on their uniforms. Most people probably wouldn't notice, but it's enough to strike you as unusual.

"I'm sure that's what you lot said to poor Mr. Sparkington before you left him dead in the street. Not before you robbed his corpse, of course!"

At this, the guard holds up the lantern that you placed on the hook to open the secret door.

"Caught red handed. Now, come along quietly and it will go easier with you."

Menarul, flipping through the book that they'd found reading lines here and there, cocks an eyebrow at the exchange. "If Sunlight is right, and you are not police officers, then who are you?"

Sense motive: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (11) + 0 = 11

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27

"I was a slave long enough to know coercion and lies better than most. Who are you really, and maybe you won't share Mr. Sparkington's fate!" Calvert summons his ectoplasmic blade. He won't go to jail, or a worse fate, after only recently becoming free.

Intimidate: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

"Whelp, if that's the way you want it!"

~+~Combat Initiated - Round 1~+~

Calver
Toral
Red
Orange
Robyyn
Sunlight Under Stone
Blue
Black
Menarul
Vaylin

Bold may act

Cal casts shield and moves up to bottle up the "guards" on the stairwell.

Xiao casts a summoning spell and brings the flying creature into a position to attack.

Spending an arcane reservoir point. 3/5 remaining. Standard action summon - 1 minute duration.

* * *

The summoned celestial eagle attacks.

Bite: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Bite damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Talon 1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Talon damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Talon 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Talon damage : 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Red withdraws up the staircase. Orange steps down the staircase and her arms erupt in flame before she swings at the eagle in front of her.

sap: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19 for Nonlethal: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 and Fire: 1d6 ⇒ 4

I believe that does it for that eagle, even with Augment Summoning. Please let me know if I'm wrong.

Also, please be a little careful, all, when you are moving your characters that you don't move the map.

+~Combat Initiated - Round 1 (cont.)~+~

Calver
Toral
Red
Orange
Robyyn
Sunlight Under Stone
Blue
Black
Menarul
Vaylin

Bold may act

Correct GM, the eagle is gone!

Sunlight Under Stone steps back, and the ground around them ripples. "Go away!" they yell, and a chunk of rock flies at the creature in orange and tries to push them back!

5 ft step, gather power (move), and pushing earth blast (standard)

Kinetic Blast, Point-blank shot, Elemental overflow: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 12
Bludgeoning damage, Point-blank shot, Elemental overflow: 2d6 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (6, 1) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 15
Push 5 ft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 (Not sure if Point-blank shot and Elemental overflow would give bonuses to this "attack roll" as well - would be +2 if so)

Also, flaming arms is not something most people can do. GM, what knowledge skill might identify what these folks are?

Sunlight Under Stone steps back, and the ground around them ripples. "Go away!" they yell, and a chunk of rock flies at the creature in orange and tries to push them back!

5 ft step, gather power (move), and pushing earth blast (standard)

[dice=Kinetic Blast, Point-blank shot, Elemental overflow]d20+6+1+1
[dice=Bludgeoning damage, Point-blank shot, Elemental overflow]2d6+5+1+2
[dice=Push 5 ft]d20+5 (Not sure if Point-blank shot and Elemental overflow would give bonuses to this "attack roll" as well - would be +2 if so)

Also, flaming arms is not something most people can do. GM, what knowledge skill might identify what these folks are?

I don't see when point-blank shot and elemental overflow wouldn't apply. Unfortunately the blast itself missed.

Bot: Robyyn bends his eldritch will against the lead guard. Evil Eye for saves. -2 for 1 round. Then, he chuckles at the guard's bad luck. Cackle.

Will save (orange): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Blue attempts to tumble past Calvert as she descends the stairs, then winks at Cal, saying "For luck!" as she passes by. She swings with her sap at Sunlight Under Stone, but misses by a mile.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19 Success!
Sap: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4 for bludgeoning (nonlethal): 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Black closes in as well, attempting to join the fray and avoid an attack from Cal, though she is not as nimble. She then swings at the spiritualist, but he eludes the blow.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11 Failure. Calvert gets an AoO.
sap: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17 for bludgeoning (nonlethal): 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

+~Combat - Round 1-> Round 2~+~

Calvert
Xiao
Red
Orange
Robyyn
Sunlight Under Stone
Blue
Black
Menarul
Vaylin

Bold may act

Menarul moves off to one side pulling out his hammer and a fire work. He lights the firework like a match and then readies it to toss, spinning it in such a way that whne it lands I wouldn't explode on certain squares. "Geeze, even for fake police, you are sure aggressive!"

Bomb touch attack, PBS: 1d20 + 4 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 + 1 - 4 = 15
Damage, PBS: 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 1 = 10
Tagetting Black. If it hits, the three squares in front of Black are excluded. 5 Splash damage, DC 15 for half.

Again, Xiao casts a summoning spell and brings the flying creature into a position to attack.

Spending an arcane reservoir point. 2/5 remaining. Standard action summon - 1 minute duration.

* * *

The summoned celestial eagle attacks the orange hooded opponent in a flanking position.

Bite: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 2 = 14
Bite damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Talon 1: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 3 + 2 = 16
Talon damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Talon 2: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 = 8
Talon damage : 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Menarul's firework strikes the middle guard, though he doesn't seem as damaged as one might expect, and the guards flanking him shrug off the flames entirely. (Black -5)

One attack from the eagle connects with orange. (Orange -6)

Cal attacks the guard who failed to get by him, punishing her for a foolish attempt.

attack w/ PA: 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 6 - 1 = 22

dmg: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

--------

Cal stays after same guard (black) trying to swing the numbers in their favor further.
If black goes down on AoO, Cal switches to blue

attack w/ PA: 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (20) + 6 - 1 = 25

dmg: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

crit confirm?: 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 6 - 1 = 17

crit dmg?: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Cal furiously lashes out with his blade, striking down two of the guards.

Vaylin delays.

Red casts a spell. CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Identifying Cal as very dangerous, the orange guard sheaths his arms in flame and attacks.
sap: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 for Bludgeoning (nonlethal): 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5 and fire: 1d6 ⇒ 1.

BOT: Robyyn uses evil eye on orange for save and cackle.
Will: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

+~Combat - Round 2~+~

Calvert
Xiao
Red (-6)
Orange (-6, -2 saves)
Robyyn
Sunlight Under Stone
Blue
Black
Menarul
Vaylin

Bold may act

Vaylin moves into the centre of the party and starts to pray. While the words said out loud are generic; in your head the words seem more personal.

Bless.

Menarul takes a second to watch the "guards" wreath their hands in flames a second time and stops to think for a second.
Knolwedge (Planes) Untrained DC 10: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

"Ah, Sulis! I've heard of these kinds of people before. They can control all four elements if I remember correctly. No wonder my bomb proved fairly ineffective!" Smiling openly at solving that problem, Menarul slides in closer and then takes a swing wit his large hammer.

Cold Iron Lucerne Hammer, bless: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 4 + 1 = 24
Hammer damage Bludgeoning: 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

The summoned celestial eagle attacks the orange hooded opponent in a flanking position.

Bite: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 2 = 21
Bite damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Talon 1: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 2 = 14
Talon damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Talon 2: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7
Talon damage : 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

"Oh no you don't," Sunlight Under Stone mutters as they see the guard in red withdrawing. Moving as swiftly as their little legs will carry them, the leshy finds a clear shot and launches another missile at the suli!

Kinetic blast, Point-blank shot, Elemental overflow, Bless: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 13
Bludgeoning damage, Point-blank shot, Elemental overflow: 2d6 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (6, 1) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 15

Menarul's attack with take down orange, so Xiao, I'll put your bite attack on red.

Badly wounded, the last remaining guard drops his weapon and shields his face from further eagle attacks.

"Stop, I beg you! You are just as dangerous as we feared, but I didn't come here to die today."

We are out of combat, unless you folks want to finish this guy off. He has surrendered.

Cal grabs the remaining guard by the collar, bringing him down the stairs for a conversation about who sent him. But he'll leave the talking to others - he'll just try to look intimidating, after stabilizing any of the others who can be saved.

"Wait," Sunlight Under Stone says, "you're a suli! Do you know Jamila? She's a suli as well, and she stole something from the Pathfinder Society before coming here."

Xiao immediately tries to stabilize the other fallen sulis.

Heal: 1d20 ⇒ 8
Heal: 1d20 ⇒ 19 Black suli stabilized
Heal: 1d20 ⇒ 11
Heal: 1d20 ⇒ 18 Blue suli stabilized
Heal: 1d20 ⇒ 8
Heal: 1d20 ⇒ 19 Orange suli stabilized

"It was Jamila who warned us of your unwise plan to free the Duke of Thunder and upset the balance of the universe! I must implore you, desist from this foolishness before you throw the Plane of Air into chaos and destruction."

You are able to stabilize all of the suli.

Menarul bunches his brows together in confusion. "Wait, Relasing the Duke is a bad idea. Chaos and destruction? Why would that be? ... and is there a way we can release him withOUT causing massive turmoil?" After a second to think about the situation, Menarul gives the men a nod. "Also thank-you for being direct with us. I really do regret the scuffle with Mr. Sparkington, we tried to heal him but he died before we could stabalize him. If there's anything I can do on that end..."

The suli replies: "The elemental planes have each been the sole dominion of a single ruler for ages, thus has balance been preserved. If you release Raginori, it can only lead to a power struggle and disorganization on the Plane of Air, as he and Hshurha, the Duchess of All Winds, vie for power."

"I am working my whole life to ensure that those destined to rule understand their duties and do not act with their own but their people's interest in their heart ... I do you believe that the plane of air deserves the chance to bring back benevolence with Raginori! Of course there are risks ... but without risk there is no return!"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

The suli rolls her eyes. "Well, obviously the Pathfinder Society knows best. Who are we to tell you to keep your noses out of forbidden books?"

After this comment, she clams up. What would you all like to do with the prisoners?

Xiao looks at his companions for approval but then decides to just speak up.

"Please, as a sign that we mean you no harm we will let the potions of healing here with you so that you cure your friends. The other items we will take with us so that you do not attack us again. We hope you find peace ... " Xiao says and starts to leave in the direction of the Cobalt Gallery of the Azure Hall.

"It's like Cheliax," Sunlight Under Stone adds as they collect the potions of fly. "Some folks prefer certainty, even of evil, if it means avoiding death and destruction."

Sunlight Under Stone is fine to leave them the healing potions.

Cal nods in assent to Xiao's stated plan.

Robyyn seems grateful that nobody needed to die as a result of this encounter. Happy to have another clue towards Ranginori's freedom, he nods with the others as they suggest haste in heading to the Azure Hall.

As he's about to head up the stairs, though, he suddenly pauses. "This may be a rare opportunity... is there any value in opening and investigating these other elemental chambers?"

The remaining conscious guard accepts your plan, and you can see her begin to tend to her fallen comrades as you ascend the stairs.

Making your way across the city, you quickly arrive at the Azure Halls. An immense building crafted from blue marble rests atop a crystalline dais with a central staircase connecting it to a stone courtyard below. Delicately carved scrollwork adorns the exterior walls, which are inlaid with rows of sapphire. A silver crest hangs above an open pair of imposing doors, which offer a glimpse into the lobby beyond. The rush of water resounds from the imposing waterfall encircling the perimeter of the Azure Hall. Strings of bubbles float in the air around the Hall, faint light glowing from within the glossy orbs.

You know from your attendance at the gala that the lobby and central galleries of the Azure Hall are open to guests. However, the Cobalt Gallery is located in the east wing, which is currently closed due to the recent renovation and will not be open to the public until after the grand reopening the following week.

To obtain access to the gallery, you could try to call in a favor and have someone pull some strings, talk your way past a near-by desk clerk, or employ some other creative solution. How do you want to proceed?

Sunlight Under Stone ponders. "Well, maybe Lineji could help us get inside?" they suggest. "Or maybe Vivek - he mentioned the Azure Halls as though he worked there."