GM XaveTheNerd's Emerald Spire Full Run (Inactive)

Game Master X Hums

"Let the Light of Valor guide your hand!" Tseghet cries, laying a hand on Merritt.

Casting guidance on Merritt.

"We've got a fighter on our hands boys!" Torrak shouts with glee, taking better aim this time as he bashes the goblin's skull in with his weapon. "What a day, eh?" he says with a huge grin on his face.
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Dorn-Derger (Hatred, Non-Reach): 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 4 + 1 = 23
Bludgeoning: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

"You've got to stop stabbing me, you annoying little rugrat!"

He retrieves a small vial from his belt and brings it to his lips, quickly sipping down the contents. A series of changes immediately begin to take place over the alchemist's body: a series of red, chitinous plates grows all over his body while insectile barbs crow along the outside edge of his arms. A reflexive groan emerges from deep within as the newly-formed features firm up and Merritt sneers at the goblin.

Zelphar takes out his flask of acid and uses it as a focus as he again lobs magical acid at the goblin.
acid splash: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8 Not accounting for penalties
damage: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Torrak smashes the poor goblin into the dirt.

The area behind them appears to head down a floor. You feel like you haven't quite completed everything here on the surface. (I can't give you your chronicle 'till you guys go up.)

Up we go? Or do we want to go in all rested up?

Also, Merritt, you're free to have not drank the Mutagen if you'd like.

Of those who have chimed in, it seems like we are resting up first! I know you're busy GM, just floating the current discussion conclusion to the gameplay.

The pathfinders clamber out into the evening sun, forgetting just how bright it is when magical effects aren't keeping it pitch black.

You rest successfully with no problems.

As you reenter the structure, you notice some goblins scatter out of it, and find the entire first floor just as empty, though the stinky cheese is in a different bed this time around.

To speed things along

The pathfinders climb the stairs upwards, and as they cross the threshold between floors, both the difficult terrain effect and the darkness subside. The center of the staircase appears to be the fabled emerald spire, and the thing glows rather brightly.

As Torrak gets ready to open the door at the top of the stairs, he notices it's locked.

Now what?

”Ah, feels good to be rested and have my magic back. Merritt, you’re good with locks, aren’t you? I … am not. We didn’t find any keys anywhere in this ruin did we?”

Just want to point out that taking 20 on locks is common because there’s no penalty for failure (unlike traps).

"I didn't see nuthin', but let's get tah killin' again! Been too long since I cracked a skull!" Torrak insists, hoping Merritt's fiddling doesn't take too long.

Merritt double-checks to make sure the door is only locked, and not trapped, then sets himself to the task of opening the lock.

Perception, heightened awareness: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 2 = 20
Disable Device, take 20, thieves tools: 20 + 2 + 2 = 24

Merritt takes his time, but eventually the door unlocks.

Anything you'd like to do before opening the door?

Nothing here!

Merritt drinks an extract of heightened awareness, loads his crossbow, then nods to Torrak that he's ready.

”Torrak, how would you like to be even bigger and badder once we face whatever’s in there?”

I have a scroll of Enlarge Person in one of my spring-loaded wrist sheaths. The other has a scroll of Infernal Healing. I guess I'm ready as I'll ever be!

Tseghet fervently calls upon Iomedae to keep Torrak safe that he might smite evildoers!

Casting shield of faith for a +2 deflection bonus to AC for 1 minute.

And with that Torrak opens the door. This strange chamber pulses with the green glow of the column of glass-like crystal that forms the core of the tower. The walls of the room are damaged, and the roof is cracked. The spire in the center juts up, just peaking above the crude ceiling. A bed and a side table sit in the northern half of the room, and archery targets line the southern section of wall.

Within the room stands a bugbear, hiding behind an arrow slit. "You aren't Klarkosh!" he shouts. He draws his bow defensively as the Dwarf storms in.

Initiative Order
The bold may act
------------------------
Merritt
Grulk
Tseghet
Torrak
Zelphar

Nope; don't like the look of that guy one bit! Merritt retrieves his other extract and drinks it down!

Grulk appears to ready an action.

"If you aren't Klarkosh, then you ought to be the savages that took out all me tribe! You're obviously powerful contenders. We can talk this out, like adults. Come in, but don't get too close" He says.

Initiative Order
The bold may act
------------------------
Merritt
Grulk
Tseghet
Torrak
Zelphar

”Do you seek to parley in peace?” Tseghet asks, his sword still held ready.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

"Assuming you don't try to lop my head off like you did to my goblins, yes."

Active perception is a move action, so we'll go ahead and call that a move action as well. You also needed to move into the room. We'll say you moved just in the door.

Also, Tseghet, please roleplay revealing the information in your spoiler above. You may do it as a free action to essentially end your turn.

Initiative Order
The bold may act
------------------------
Merritt
Grulk
Tseghet
Torrak
Zelphar

"There is no honor in fighting an opponent who wishes to speak peacefully," Tseghet says slowly as he lowers his sword, "but neither is it found in those who speak of peace with a dagger hidden behind their back. Let us find out which you are - speak!"

Torrak looks at Tseghet like he just slapped his mother. "Who fights for honor?" he jeers. Grumbling with immense dissatisfaction, the Dwarf gives the half-breed one chance to end what could have been the most exhilarating fight of his life. Never smashed a bugbear to pulp before...
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Torrak will delay, but if the Bugbear does anything to give him an excuse to start combat again, he will take it.

"You are obviously powerful opponents. You wiped my guard goblins out clean. Not a single one was left. You even made sure to get the ones guarding the way to descend the spire. I will allow you, and any you wish to allow, to pass through here, on the condition you promise to kill my tormentor."

The bugbears puts notable slack on his bow, but could still easily launch an arrow at a moment's notice. He awaits a response.

Action still readied to fire an arrow as an opponent attempts to move adjacent, but we'll allow everybody some actions if they'd like.

Initiative Order
The bold may act
------------------------
Merritt
Grulk - Delays
Tseghet
Torrak
Zelphar

"Who is this tormenter," Tseghet asks, "and are you yourself responsible for any crimes against the nearby village? The Inheritor does not look kindly on those who harm their neighbors, and neither do I."

If Torrak wants to come stand next to Tseghet, he would appreciate the "moral" support.

"Did you say there is something tougher than ya in this hunk of rock?" Torrak asks, suddenly a little more interested in speaking to the Bugbear. Slowly, he takes a couple of steps into the room, but taking care to leave plenty of space to swing his Dorn-Gerger. Maybe he'll mess up and I can fight both him and his Tormentor!
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Of course Tseghet! I wanted to move up before, but didn't want to trigger something, effectively denying the chance for diplomacy.

Merritt moves into the room with the others, making sure that his crossbow is loaded and then taking out a bomb, which he casually tosses up and down in one hand.

He doesn't speak, allowing Tseghet to manage the negotiations.

Zelphar waits to see how negotiations pan out, ready to start enlarging Torrak if violence breaks out.

"He calls himself Klarkosh. He's a magic wielder. My tribe may be responsible for crimes, but I order my goblins only to hunt in the surrounding area. What they do, or how they do it, is none of my business. I stay fed, Klarkosh allows me to live here. It's a good deal."

"Agree to kill Klarkosh, and I'll agree to non-aggression against you and any individuals you specify. I'll even force the remaining goblins to be nice to ya. Whatdya say?"

The bugbear pulls his arrow off the string, but keeps it in his hand. The situation is, for lack of a better term, still rather tense.

Technically still in initiative with the readied action. How do you respond?

Merritt takes his eyes off the bugbear briefly to nod at Tseghet; he seems to be in agreement with Grulk on his proposal.

Even Torrak seems to be in agreement with the terms of peace, lowering his chained weapon an inch. There's gotta be a lot of brains to smash in a magic user's skull...

Zelphar stays ready in case things take a turn, but also shrugs slightly and says, "Sounds reasonable to me."

The bugbear puts the arrow back in his sheath, comes out from behind his small bit of cover, and offers a sincere, albeit greasy and dirty, hand to the party.

to railroad a bit

Tesghet, the one talking peace initially, shakes the bugbear's hand and the Pathfinders peaceably befriend the goblins and Grulk, successfully paving the way for them to head deeper into the Spire.

That's the first floor everybody! I'll get Chronicle sheets to you all tomorrow. For planning purposes, it looks like you'll be getting 1398 gp, 4 PP, and 3 XP.

So you know, I'll be running this in pseudo campaign mode. If you don't clear the floors, I'll be enforcing the purchase of a certain item on this chronicle, or you'll have a chance of encountering things you didn't take care of in other floors when heading either down or up. Sound fair to everybody? Besides, the chronicles for these floors assume you clear them anyways.

The steep stair descends through solid bedrock for fifty feet before ending in a stone-lined room. A large stone door stands directly south of the stair, a small alcove lies to the east, and another door to the southeast is slightly ajar. An extinguished torch rests on the floor of the alcove.

For this entire floor, PLEASE draw arrows (a crappy scribble is plenty) showing which squares you walked through.

MAP UPDATED.

So you know, I'll be running this in pseudo campaign mode. If you don't clear the floors, I'll be enforcing the purchase of a certain item on this chronicle, or you'll have a chance of encountering things you didn't take care of in other floors when heading either down or up. Sound fair to everybody? Besides, the chronicles for these floors assume you clear them anyways.

Are you allowed to do that in PFS? My understanding has been that a scenario or module can't be adjusted (beyond something like correcting a typo) unless it's done in Campaign mode (which, as we found out, Emerald Spire cannot be).

Tseghet offers up a quick prayer to Iomedae before looking around the room suspiciously. "Grulk didn't even tell us what kind of creature this Klarkosh is," he grumbles. "Not very honorable - but at least his goblins shall no longer threaten the countryside."

Perception, Guidance: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 1 = 19

"Bah, who really cares about honor? I've seen plenty of knights squirm and cry like babes in the cradle for their momma when honor stops working for them in a fight, haha!" Torrak remarks. "Is true, though, goblins roaming the countryside is well worth the trade." Not to mention I get to bash some caster!

Making sure the length of his chain is long enough, he eyes up the two doors. "Which one do ya think we should raid first? Merritt, you wanna check the place out first?" Gorum knows I'll walk right into a trap if I'm the one to look!
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Perception (Aid): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14 Success

Merritt first approaches the small alcove, examining the extinguished torch and picking it up if he determines it's safe.

Perception, trapfinding, aid: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 1 + 2 = 22

Zelphar sniggers at Torrak’s observations on the concept of ‘honor’ but otherwise hangs back cautiously as his allies look around for danger and discuss which way to proceed.

”I have no strong preference as to which door; I trust your judgment.”

While the others are looking around, Zelphar will cast detect magic, scanning the area for any unfamiliar magic auras.

That's probably fair, Tseghet. We have to come to an agreement, then. You definitely should canvas an entire floor to make sure any major threats are vanquished. The module doesn't give a very good description on what "succeeding" is, so I'm going to guess its up to my discretion? Success does not mean JUST finding the way deeper or JUST finding and exterminating the major threat(s) on each floor, but both. Is that fair?

As you examine the torch, you see that its collected quite the large amount of dust and cobwebs. This torch has DEFINITELY been here for a while. It is not trapped, though, so Merritt picks it up. It seems to still have enough flammables on the top to be lit for several minutes.

Because this matters. Anybody got trap sense?

Torrak groans when Merritt searches the place behind him. "Are you daft? We cannae raid a torch! The doors!"
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No Trap Sense, just Torrak's ugly mug to find traps :)

Oh, in case there are any magic auras...
knowledge arcana: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
...not good enough.

Merritt has trapfinding (can disable magical traps) but not trap sense.

"Just being thorough here, Torrak. Why this alcove here? It doesn't seem functional. No art, no carvings, no little fountain to drink from. So why an alcove with a convenient torch in it? Until we know more, I'd rather be too careful than not enough."

He holds the torch out to the others, in case anybody wants to grab it. If not, he tosses it back in the alcove and moves up to the side door, keeping his eye out for more traps.

Perception, trapfinding: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 1 = 16

Merritt has darkvision, so doesn't need the light. He also has a racial ability that grants him a +2 bonus on saves vs. traps and other hazards when underground. Not that an ability like that could be relevant at all down here.

Merritt, I'll try to keep that in mind!

Zelphar doesn't detect any magical auras.

Merritt moves to the southern door with ease, not finding any traps along the way.

Now what? Seems this room is trap free.

Also, this floor can be a trudge here in PbP. I'll try out a few things. Let me know if I'm going to fast or slow once we actually find something.

Assuming Merritt relays that information and doesn't want to go first.

Torrak kicks open the door once everyone is ready to move in. Come on, something that wants to fight!

Strength check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22

Torrak goes to kick the Southern door down, and he bursts the locked door open as he does.

This hallway seems like it doesn't see much use. Cobwebs litter the ceiling and a thin layer of dust covers the ground.

Where to now?

Zelphar will carefully move in and detect magic after the newly-opened hallway's been inspected for traps and such.

Merritt had actually gone to the eastern door, as noted on the map, but I'll work with what we got. :)

Merritt pokes his head into the hallway. "Just a hall? Let's hold back for a second; there's another door to the side here; we wouldn't want something to spring us from behind. Let's check this out first."

Perception, trapfinding, take 20: 20 + 7 + 1 = 28
Disable Device (trap or lock), mwk tools, take 20: 20 + 6 + 2 = 28
Disable Device (if trapped and locked), mwk tools, take 20: 20 + 6 + 2 = 28

"More waiting?" Torrak groans, kicking a stone against the wall. "This damn floor is already boring and we've only just begun!" Seeing Merritt get very thorough with his search, the grumpy Dwarf grumbles to himself while he waits and plays with the chain of his weapon.
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No real complaints, just Torrak being Torrak!

Also, if it's a trap then Merritt won't be able to Take 20 (because that assumes he'll fail a few times and that would entail setting off the trap). Take 10 yes, Take 20 no.

"The Inheritor teaches patience, for the first moment might not be the best moment to strike," Tseghet intones.

Also, if it's a trap then Merritt won't be able to Take 20 (because that assumes he'll fail a few times and that would entail setting off the trap). Take 10 yes, Take 20 no.

Good point! I'm trying to use Take 10 and Take 20 more in my play; I still get tripped up on it sometimes though. So Merritt's Disable Device is 28 (take 20) vs locks; against traps it's 18 (take 10) followed by a roll if that's not good enough.

Zelphar cautiously advances down the stairs, anxiously awaiting the group's next move. He casts message on Merritt and Torrak. "Merritt, if you go scouting ahead and need to quietly relay any info, just point your finger in my or Torrak’s general direction and whisper."