GM Tealk's - Core - Thornkeep Series (Inactive)

Game Master Tealk

"RIGHT!" Pietro points at 1d4 ⇒ 2 Seward. "YOU HAVE FIRST WATCH."

Pietro yawns hugely, and unrolls his bedroll.

"AS FOR THE DECOR, I'M SURE THAT BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT." he says to Telos and Will. "THERE'S AT LEAST ONE WIZARD-WORTH BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU."

Which room are we in?

You are unsure of how much time has gone past since you got into the room. You poke around the papers, and slowly begin to gather that it's previous resident had slowly been going mad in this time locked prison. Eventually, you decide to settle down and start your shifts to get some rest.

Soon after the first shift starts, you see the door knob begins to rattle. It violently shakes again, before another translucent image of Rozimus appears to barge in and swiftly close the door behind him. In a sweat, he closes the door behin him and plants his back looking at the ground. As he looks up, he sees the group and freak out. "What? How is this possible, i was just running away...you were behind me...!"

Although he seems to be talking to you, you get the feeling that he is actually referring to someone else. As you start to collect yourselves again, you see another form create shape in the room. Another old wizard, dressed in a yellow arcane robes steps from the corner of the room. "After being stuck here for the first decade, you grown tired of living the same day over and over again." The man takes a step forward, and appears in another corner of the room, "And after the first century, you learn a few tricks."

Rozimus visibly shaken, tries for the door again, but in the process drops his ion stone which he has been holding in his hand. He quickly falls to his knees to pick it up, but it is too late. "Are you like the rest of your mad kin - are you going to kill me like they killed my allies?"

The wizard is now holding the ion stone in his hands, examining it closely, "Interesting, so this is how you managed to slip into our sanctum." He pauses, looking directly at the explorer, "No, dear friend. I am not like my brothers or my master. It appears I might have a use for you." He begins to recite an incantation, the first magical verses of magic jar.

"No, stop! What are you doing? Please, let me go!" Rozimus begs, as he wets himself on the ground of this exitless room.

"Do not worry, human. You will see what I see, and you will learn to live with it. And I, shall be free of this place." The crazy wizard finishes the incantation to his spell, as his body falls limp to the ground.

After a few moments of soft screams from Rozimus, the room is suddenly quiet. The Pathfinder picks himself up from the ground, and you sense a different aura about him. He walks over to the wizards body, and picks up the ion stone. "Much better. Now, what do you say we take this body for a spin?"

As the new Rozimus moves to exit the room, you see Vuzhon's body twist and contort violently, as if space and time is working in hypertime. Soon, you cannot recognise the body at all, as it is quickly transformed into the grotesque flesh golem standing in the corner of the room.

The vision fades.

{Snorts in his sleep, brushes face, rolls over}

"Zzzz... Zzzz... Zzzz... Zzzz..."

Telos wakes up just in time to see the ghostly episode. Note to self: find a way to ward of magic jar spells...

He groggily falls back asleep, after not otherwise acknowledging the happening in a way that others would recognize.

Seward sighs. If someone doesnt let him shoot something soon he's gonna explode.

He fires an arrow at the ghosts.

Its just not the same.

Will thinks, Work on getting better wards against possession , bad wizards.., before moving on to more pleasant dreams.

If nothing else happens, Pietro wakes up the next morning and others in the party get to witness the Hang-Over the secret morning rituals of the Church of Cayden Cailean.

**BLAH-AARRRG!**

Pietro gets sick in the corner of the room. "Ugh. What did I do yesterday?"

He stumbles around kicking all the paper on the stone floor into a nice, big pile before padding all of his pockets, and then asking "Anyone got a light?"

He subs out create alcohol (it was a very tough call) for mending today and uses it to fix his broken morningstar, any anything anyone else has that is broken. I'll have his other spells swapped later tonight.

Upon watching Pietro perform his daily prayers, and not request create ale or wine, Will wonders Is he going to lose his cleric powers for blasphemy? Is now the time to discuss party protocols for alcohol production while trapped in an inescapable prison for which they have the only key?

Will provides the requested light cantrip.

"OH NO, NOT THAT SORT OF 'LIGHT'. I WAS GOING TO MAKE A FIRE TO COOK BREAKFAST OVER, WHILE WE CONSIDERED OUR OPTIONS."

Time flows differently inside this time lock, so you're not really sure how much time actually passes between you falling asleep and waking up. You feel well rested and start preparing.

What are your plans team, you will have a decision to make regarding what actions to take. Do you follow the crazy wizard with the lion, or the other crazy wizard with all the books?

The halfling wakes up and stretches. While watching Pietro prepare and pray he stands still and feels his spell energy replenishing.

Yuuup. The 'ol spell-sack just refills on its own. So, about those options. I'm leaning more towards finding that Anomaly and disabling this nightmare for good. If some of the apprentices still want to kill each other after, so be it.

I have no use for arcane secrets. So I am in agreement Seward says, sleep doing nothing for his bad mood.

Will makes himself more heroic and looks for any hidden listeners, then agrees quietly. We might want to think through how we avoid upsetting homicidal wizards...

*sigh* "FINE, I'LL DO IT MYSELF, CAYDEN HELP ME."

Pietro sets about building a fire of arcane books, and scrolls with his anytool.

survival (guidance): 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 3 + 1 = 15 If the anytool helps add +2.

Pietro makes chit-chat while he makes the fire and unrolls his supply of bacon.

"WHERE DO YOU SUPPOSE THAT FLESHY GOLEMY-THINGIE GOT PANTS IN THAT SIZE? AND IN PURPLE TOO? YOU DON'T OFTEN SEE PANTS LIKE THAT IN THE MARKETPLACE."

If anyone was still hurt from the night before Pietro had a couple of channels left he would have used get people who like spending their hp back up to as close to full as possible. Plus, everyone looks to have gotten a night's sleep.

Will still had 4 CLW if anyone needed more healing last night.

Upon watching Pietro perform his daily prayers, and not request create ale or wine, Will wonders Is he going to lose his cleric powers for blasphemy? Is now the time to discuss party protocols for alcohol production while trapped in an inescapable prison for which they have the only key?

Will provides the requested light cantrip.

You're right! I'll dump light instead. I have an everburning morningstar after all.

Yes, of course there is that detail. I think it starts with letting them both think that we've chosen to work for them. We'll want to scope out a quick and clear escape route for when the anomaly is removed. Further, if we could provide old grandpa-Murder with a reason to not be near the anomaly or our path out that would help too.

Telos continues to think out loud about the parameters of their plan.

The helmet offers some wisdom, "It appears that you only have one way out of the sanctum, and that is through the use of those ion stones. Perculiar, that only one of the previous travelers was able to pass back out with the stone - but perhaps the others died before they had the chance of testing that out. Maybe you can work on both plans, and get the stone from the second Rozimus who is currently stuck in the time look, and use that as another way of securing your exit."

There is a knock on your door, and the air in your room gets noticeably colder.

Oh right. I didn't think we could filch anything physical off of him. But if there can be two Rozimi, perhaps we can convince him to give it up (or convince him that he lost it).

He looks down at the little helmet and nods.

Thanks little buddy!

There is a knock on your door, and the air in your room gets noticeably colder.

How's the fire coming? The bacon isn't going to cook itself.

Hey, Pietro? Do you need me to cook anything with a fireball? You'd have to stand back pretty far!

He walks over to the door to open it and see who's knocking.

Everybody decent? We're about to have a guest...

Opens the door...

You prepare yourselves and open the door. As it swings, you find no one on the other side. The hallway is empty, save for some soft wind noises coming from north.

What are you going doing?

Peitro blows on the fire to coax it to life.

Telos frowns. ...or not. I was kind of hoping that was "confused Rozimus."

He shrugs.

Oh well. Back to breakfast... The halfling nibbles dry goods while walking over to Roran's sleeping pad and nudges him with his foot.

You up yet? We have to decide how to proceed and we've chosen you to slay one of the renegade wizard's apprentices.

I thought all we'd decided thus far was for Pietro to make enough bacon to share...

The halfling gives will a look and says Don't soften my joke, I'm just trying to get him up. He shakes his head and kicks Roran again.

This is no laughing matter, last time I got no bacon...

Hey, Pietro? Do you need me to cook anything with a fireball? You'd have to stand back pretty far!

Ironically, the fireball spell is probably written on one of the scrolls he is using for kindling.

"SOMEONE HAND ME THAT DRY, OLD TOME OVER THERE. I NEED A FEW MORE PAGES."

Telos hoards the books from Pietro and scans them for any usable scrolls. He might get scratches on his hands from the struggle.

Roran wakes up after the second kick. "No more lessons Mother Mariam, it is way too early"." Rubbing his eyes, he sees the halfling standing over him. "Oh you are not Mother Mariam"

Before placing his armor back on, he says his morning prayers to Iomedae, hoping she can hear him from this tomb. And getting my spell slots back

"So, slaying a wizard? Not usually my forte, but depending on the circumstances, I believe Iomedae will forgive me."

Regaining all of my spell slots and abilities as well as 6 HP

You look into the hallway, and you can see the faint outline of Rozimus in the north side of corridor step away into a darkened chamber. Following him carefully, you notice the corridor turns to the left, but two dark passage ways lead into darkness.

You see no sign of Daegros.

Your light sources seem to be distorted as they pass through. At the center of a darkened chamber, five floating crystalline shapes weave and rotate in eldritch patterns, casting blasts of colorful light into the deep shadows of the room’s many narrow niches.

Moved you up, map updated.

As they follow Rozimus, Telos noticing odds things happening with his arcane light. First it moves around on his body, sometimes shining from his hand or through his face. The least useful is when it is emitted from his ears.

Clearly, we're getting close to the anomaly now. I just hope we can find an obvious way to thwart it.

knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24 Looks like this is a job for bardic knowledge!

Seems he was smart enough to get out of dodge...let's not dally.

*BURP!* "AH, NOTHING BURPS BETTER 'N BACON. RIGHT! LET'S GO KILL US SOME WIZARDS! Um, which wizard were we supposed to kill again? AND WHAT IS THAT?" Pietro says waving his morningstar at the odd light show before them.

As you inspect the time anomaly, almost out of nowhere the old wizard steps out of the shadows. "Beautiful, it is. Touch it, i would not." He pauses a moment to judge your reactions, "Knocked on your door, in the morning i did. Answer, you did not. What was your decision, adventurers?"

Telos gets a stunned look like he's been called on in class while sleeping.

No... of course not. I had no intention of touching it.

He chuckles as he says this. He deflects the immediate question with his fascination of what he sees in front of him.

Do you know how the anomaly works?

"I THINK I CAN SAFELY SAY, WE HAVE DECIDED TO HEAD OUT, AND KILL THE WIZARD." Pietro takes a step to get into a better flanking position should he need one.

recalling our choices: Togarin from the other location was offering you to kill the anomaly to stop the time vault. Here, Draegos is offering you to kill his brother in exchange for keeping the time vault active, in exchange for old Azlanti power.

Will thinks the anomaly is important, based on Togarin's and Draego's respective desire, so he uses his loremaster ability to succeed to the best of his ability.

taking 20 on the knowledge

Will apologizes to the wizard" We honestly didn't discuss your request to kill your brother, spending our time sorting out bacon instead... But now that you're here, if I could ask, why do you wish to kill your brother? Hasn't the status quo gone on for quite a while? Is there any reason to think it would not resume after we left or if we returned to report for you?"

"I THINK I CAN SAFELY SAY, WE HAVE DECIDED TO HEAD OUT, AND KILL THE WIZARD." Pietro takes a step to get into a better flanking position should he need one.

He looks at you strangely, then snaps his fingers, "Very loud, you are. Have a drink, you should." A full glass of ale apears in Pietro's hands. It looks extremely familiar, exactly the same as the ale mugs back in town inside the inn.

Will apologizes to the wizard" We honestly didn't discuss your request to kill your brother, spending our time sorting out bacon instead... But now that you're here, if I could ask, why do you wish to kill your brother? Hasn't the status quo gone on for quite a while? Is there any reason to think it would not resume after we left or if we returned to report for you?"

"A difference of opinion, we have. Togarin is young, chained to one spot he wishes he could escape. Freedom, is his prize. I do not fear time, I welcome it. The last rememnant of our master's power, this vault is. Preserve it, i must."

SM: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21

"What are you hiding wizard? I do not like the idea of killing just for the sake of powers. So if you wish this too be done, tell us everything."

So fair that you embrace the time, but why does it offend you if another apprentice doesn't? One of you has already left and the anomaly remains intact.

The halfling asks to further gauge his intentions.

The wizard looks at the group, realising that there is brain to your brawn, "Not only for us, this prison is. Served Nhur Athemon the longest, of my brothers i have. Fear his power, i do. The spell over this sanctum, as a twin echo of energies somewhere in the Wood. I can feel his power still, waiting, sleeping. And while this tomb holds, so does that of our master. Share my loathing and hatred of our master, Togarin does not. If he has his way, unleash an old Azlanti monster, he will."

sense motive, heroism: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (13) + 19 = 32

This is getting interesting

The wizard looks at the group, realising that there is brain to your brawn, "Not only for us, this prison is. Served Nhur Athemon the longest, of my brothers i have. Fear his power, i do. The spell over this sanctum, as a twin echo of energies somewhere in the Wood...."

"Eh?" says Pietro attempting to see the forest for the dungeon.

"So if we do not end your brothers life, he will unleash an old azlanti monster? And you and this vault are the only things keeping this thing from happening?" Roran asks trying to clarify and grasp exactly what is going on.

So basically, this Time Lock that is in place in Thornkeep, is also holding in place the locks on Nhur Athemons tomb inside the Emerald Spire. So breaking the spell over this sanctum, will also unlock the spell which is keepign the Azlanti wizard in his own tomb.

Will does not sense any hostility, and that the wizard is telling the truth.

"I am, yes." He looks at the paladin, expecting him to understand the weight of this issue.

Thanks for the explanation. The Yoda talk, while entertaining is a bit hard to follow

"Well, for the greater good I guess" Roran says with a shrug. "Does you brother have any weaknesses we can exploit in the coming battle? Or could you provide us with any other aide?"

Look, I'll just say it: what the guy is looking for is a Holy Avenger that shoots high-powered fireballs. Paladins like glorious weapons. Surely a wizard of your calibre has access to simple things like this.

Telos taps one foot and awaits a response to the query.

"Involve myself any more than i already have, i dare now. Tretchery, my dear brother would suspect. Help you slay him, i cannot."

Anything else?