[PFS]7-18 Faithless and Forgotten, Part 3: The Infernal Inheritance by GM Upaynao (Inactive)

Game Master Upaynao

Waki keeps his voice low as he stays close to the building

”if Krima within we find, any Bellflower passcodes does anyone know? Little do I know of that network or their ways. If Krima disguised is, hard to know him it will be.“

"I just bought this thing," Djorn mutters as he buries his Wayfinder at the bottom of his pack.

"It's nice to not have to hide our weapons, for a change," he comments as they are left outside the building.

He takes a seat on the steps as they wait, looking out over the portion of the city he can see and idly flipping his handaxe up in the air. He shrugs.

"They gave us an awful lot of gear. Surely some of it will be useful in letting us sneak around."

Nectanebo draws his coat more tightly around himself (or is it doing that on its own...?); as he stares up at the building's architecture.

false life: 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30

"Ah. How appropriate. Anyone else notice that faded golden ring symbol? This structure's been desecrated to Dispater - Hell's gaoler."

Know Religion: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 6 + 2 = 24

Yes, I just spotted that too. Not the most common noble of Hell, but a powerful one anyway.

"A few months ago, the rest of us and your predecessor - who, by the way, nothing *too* dire's become of, as far as I know - had been delving some extraordinary Jistkan ruins that had sadly been overrun with an infestation of border politics; there were grand statues of the Archdevils all over the place, almost like a carnival-funhouse-version of a guided descent into Hell."

Esh takes out the potion from his bag and plays with it, waiting for the person to arrive. He knows it doesn't work long enough for him to drink it now.

After a half-hour your halfling guide emerges from the prison, a dozen or so guards in tow, along with a tall, lanky inquisitor at their head. "Of ALL the days this could happen Credence, it just HAD to be today" he snarls. "Like I said" replies Tamrin, "I'm not happy about it either. Not to say anything about the sudden nature of this "infestation". I have much better things to do than hunt down Pathfinder agents. But my orders come from the highest authority in my organization."

The man begins to scoff, but stops as he eyes the halfling's upturned eyebrow. "Huh..." he ponders as digests this information. He looks back towards you. "GALVAR." A guard steps up to the inquisitor, looking nervous. "You're in charge of these idiots. They aren't to touch a single thing of import, or go anywhere they shouldn't. If they do, I will personally excruciate you with a pair of hellhounds. Am I clear?"

The man nods nervously and salutes, and the inquisitor looks to his men. "ONWARD. We're following the freeman."

Galvar waits until the inquisitor is out of sight to snap out of his salute. "Ok. Uhm. I guess I'll take you all inside. No funny business right?" He motions for you to follow him inside. Two guards, at attention, visibly relax once it is clear that the inquisitor is not coming back in; one of them even going so far as to rest her back against the wall. Four statues of snarling hounds stand in the corners of the entrance chamber, and a red rug covers most of the floor. The carpet has seen better days though, and in places it is so threadbare that you can see the rough stone floor beneath. A set of double doors lie across the way from the entrance, which Galvar bars once you are all in.

I will be putting a map up as soon as I get home tonight.

Aiden watches the doors close and turns to Galvar. "Well, he seems enjoyable. Galvar, was it? I'm Aiden. What a day to pull some extra duty, eh? Can you show us around?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Waki nods and follows in line, but saying little else for the moment until he sees where his friend Aiden's line of questions leads.

Right.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Sense motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Lukaas looks and listen, both to the sounds of the place and the voice of the main man, Galvar

Esh follows up and looks at Aiden and Galvar.

"Yeah, well... Let's do this, we don't want to disturb you further, Galvar." he says.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32

Djorn catches his axe a final time and slips it deftly into his belt loop with a single motion before rising to his feet and turning toward the building.

"How about just a little funny business Galvar? What do you call a dozen Pathfinders at the bottom of the ocean?"

"A good start!" he chuckles.

He winks at the guard leaning against the building. "Working hard or hardly working?"

Galvar nods. "Yeah. Not the best day to stay inside. But at least we're getting a break from the noise, yaknow?" he comment with a sad smile. He knocks on the door twice, then once, and only then does he open the door. The men and women on the inside relax, lowering their weapons as he takes a step in , before turning around and motioning you to follow. "You won't be any trouble if you stay in sight of me. Stay away from anything that is obviously not meant for you to go near." He snorts, chuckling at Djorn's joke along with the pair on the inside before becoming a little more serious. "You don't look like no tiefling I've ever seen before" he comments, taking Esh's measure. He looks to his companions, who all shift ominously before adding: "You talk good for a half-chair." He pauses for a minute, leaving the insult hanging, before guffawing, along with the other guards. "Only kidding. Tieflings are alright. The ones who know their place I mean. I'm sure you're one of those ones." He slaps Esh on the back, concluding: "I'll take you around the safe places, sure."

Sorry for the delay. You will notice that not only have I put a link to the map of the Bloody Nail but I have highlighted your character token with a certain color. You doubtlessly have opinions as to where you want to go: You will place an X of the color corresponding to your character in the area you wish to go to.

Also, I have not finished placing guards. I will be doing that as you go along.

Used to such insults about his outerplane legacy, Esh grins widely and winks.
"Well, not everyone can afford the kind of half-chair I am. That's what's wonderful with chairs. Everyone needs them but we are very quick to put them under table when we don't."

What a fool. Calling a noble heir of chaos a tiefling!

Feeling the metaphor might have gone too far for the guards' poor intellects, he closes his eyes.
"Useful tools are the one we are quick to forget about. But when they're gone, you miss them." he concludes.

Djorn doesn't waste any time listening to the exchange between their idiot keeper and Esh. He's busy trying to figure out where the guards are and how vigilant they are. He does so with a friendly grin and casual expression.

"What's going on in here?" he asks, finding a large gathering of guards.

Aiden follows Djorn to test how far Galvar will let them go while he's speaking to Esh. "Hello, boys. We're new today. Anything we can help with?"

Moving the cross is hard on mobile. Aiden is following Djorn into the room for the moment.

Waki keeps relatively quiet as he nods and tries to stay towards the walls and works his way to the south.

If given the chance he will try to blend into the shadows but not if being observed or close to guards.

stealth: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14 looking and listening for anything unusual (cries for help, whimpering, plotting etc)

perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Lukaas wanders about, trying to spot and memorize the various guardians rounds, checking for patterns

Nectanebo hangs back and watches Esh's verbal duel with their minders with somewhat pained amusement.

All the guards in the entryway nod slowly, clearly having lost the thread of this long metaphor long before Esh even thought of it. "Right" opines one of the guards before nodding to her opposite number. "I'm gonna go grab some chow. See you later." And with that said she walks past most of the "Aspis agents" into a rather cozy looking chamber which Djorn and Aiden have set a foot in. Two fireplaces would warm the room on a cold day, but today only one is in use, with a soldier adding herbs and salt to a gamey-smelling stew of some sort. "How's that rabbit coming Thrick?" she asks boisterously to the man cooking, who responds, stuttering slightly in surprise: "A-a-about a half-hour at least. Can't cook it too high in this heat." Sighing with disappointment, she grabs a seat with three other guards and gets dealt into a game of cards. A game of cards the largest of the bunch leads, replying to Djorn: "Card game while we wait. No wager, just for fun. Or practice, depending on what kind of person you are" he adds with a chuckle nudging at the woman sitting next to him. She groans and rolls her eyes and adds for Aiden's benefit "You can help Thrick cook that rabbit; maybe it'll be seasoned right this time."

Waki attempts to move into shadows, but to his dismay finds that there are none. Well; none that could be used to conceal someone's presence. In addition to that, he hears nothing except perhaps the noise coming from the common room.

Lukaas, stepping into the hallway, notices that the guards do not move from their spot, looking from side to side very intently.

"Relax bird-man. Noone here is gonna pluck you" comments one of the other guards, to the rest's amusement.

Galvar, overhearing the joke, chuckles and says: "Anyway. We've got some card games, some food and the disappointment that is water. If you want you can stick around the common room, but I've gotta be with you if you go anywhere else."

Finding no place to remain hidden, he will join the others in the mess hall.

Good one. Heard that one not before have I.

"Sounds good. Deal me in!"

Aiden glances at Thrick. "I ain't a cook." He leans out the doorway. [B]LUKAAS!! Need somebody to help with herbs in the kitchen!" He smirks.

"Seriously, nothing to drink but water? That's a shame. Maybe I can work off some energy instead. Got a practice yard or sparring area?"

Djorn takes a close look at the stew, waving the rising steam up to his nostrils to get a sense of what it might taste like.

Knowledge(Nature): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

"Could use a little more pepper," he comments before going to sit down at the table with the card game, though he doesn't request to be dealt in, just yet.

Anyone making their way into the room can attempt that Knowledge (Nature) or Profession (Cook) check. Also, Craft (Alchemy) can be done untrained!

The guards make room at the table, and soon the pathfinders find themselves looking over a rather boring card game. "Nope. Can't even work things out on the prisoners. That's the inquisitor's job" offers one of them.

Waki will attempt to discern the nature of the guards and their interest into the game.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Galvar, to me, cards of little interest. A tour of the compound arranged could be?

He addresses their guide.

At least to places allowed to go you are. No trouble with your superiors do we want.

Galvar shrugs. "Uhh... Sure. You wanna go right or left first?"

Wow sorry, I forgot to post here!

Esh shrugs at the lack of intellectual means of the guards and looks around. Deciding there's nothing interesting, the man follows Djorn and Aiden.

Untrained prof. cook: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

He eyes the soup and puts a finger in it. "Ouch! Too hot!"

Then he remembers he has to behave.

"I'm sorry... Do you have a place to pray around here? Like a chapel?"

Waki bows

”Right sounds right. “

Let's know the place a little better..

Galvar laughs uproariously at Esh's question. "Ain't nobody who needs to be praying on this side; and them traitors on the other side shoulda prayed a long time ago!" He leads the "Aspis Agents" out of the room chuckling as a guard, her armor half-donned step out of a room adjacent to the guard room. "A chapel... Funny guy." He steps toward the door Waki and Lukaas stand besides and opens it unceremoniously. "This is where we store stuff for the facility; odds and ends, chains, papers. That room over there is actually the Archives; Krima works inside and I don't know if you wanna bother her and mess up her papers and s!%~." He waves towards the bars and beyond. "Over there is the prison and the... Cells. For the prisoners. And ya can't go that way." He shrugs as you look though the open door at a rather solitary area, storing crate after crate after crate. Most have not been closed properly and their contents are plain to see for the most part.
Two cages for minor offenders, animals, or valuables stand against the east wall, and an interior door leads into another room.

Remember to use (or keep using) your X's!

Waki follows and nods.

Ahh, very good. Serves them right. In here for what, the prisoners are?
For what purpose Krima archives keep in prison? Tracking of prisoners does she?
Suppose there are lots of transfers in and out. Paperwork my enemy is. he caws in mirth.

Waki will try to get a better look through the open doors at the prisoners or for keys.

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

Djorn follows Galvar and Waki, faking a large, bored yawn.

"Can't we see some of the prisoners? I've heard this place is one of the best at 'enhanced interrogation.' I could have sat in a tavern and watched guys play dice and eat bad stew. The least you guys can do is entertain us for our troubles."

Sorry, a busy week for me

Aiden looks up when Galvar mentions Krima. "Archives? A place like this must have documents going back decades. Do you think Krima would mind me asking a few questions?"

Busy week for me as well. Sorry, folks!

Esh waves at the laughter he provoked and nods profusely after Aiden.
"Indeed. As an archivist myself, I'd be happy to give a look if you allow it."

Bluff: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24

Try as he might, Waki does not spot anything in the torchlight. "What does it matter what they are here for? They're guilty of crimes against the throne" answers Galvar, perplexed. "And Krima..." He shrugs. "Never really paid much attention to what she does in there. I suppose there's no harm in asking her if you can take a look at all her docos and stuff." He begins to walk towards the door to the archives, looking over his shoulder to tell Djorn "Ya can't. Hope looking at papers is your second most favorite thing, because otherwise soup and cards is the most you are going to get out of staying here."

He knocks at the door before opening it unceremoniously. "KRIMA! Got some guests here for ya! The half-breed has a hard-on for paper like you; maybe you'll get laid!" he guffaws as a bookish woman in armor looks at you all like you have manifested from some latrine. "May I help you?" she asks, although her demeanor makes it quite clear that she hopes she cannot.

If the doorway is opened to Krima's room, Waki will try to slide into the room and to the side, while the others talk book-stuff.

"Ya can't. Hope looking at papers is your second most favorite thing, because otherwise soup and cards is the most you are going to get out of staying here."

"Yeah, I'd been waiting on those cards," Nectanebo chimes in in annoyed boredom.

Aiden smiles and steps toward Krima. "My friend and I would love to see your records and talk to you about how you organize it all. Ain't that right, boyo?" He nods to Esh, hoping the use of one of Credence's slang words will trigger some recognition in Krima.

He glances back at Nectanebo then Galvar. "Hey, if you want to go play, we can stay here. We'll be with Krima and not wandering the halls."

Lukaas waits as the man talks about the prison

Don't go that way. Got it. Not too hard to remember. Been a guard here for long?

Esh returns Aiden's nod with an eager smile.
"Yeah! As me Ma' used to say: 'Don't forget to keep your curiosity sharp. Like the tools in your shed.' And that's why I love tending flowers."

He pauses, scratches his fingery-haired head and sighs, looking at the archives.
"Curiosity, but most of all, a love for meticulous work. Archives and their knowledge is like flowers. Rings a bell?"

Sorry for my absence. I'll try and get more posts in into the evening.

Nectanebo and his fellows at the table find themselves dealt hands of varying quality. But perhaps there is a way to leverage this situation...

Nectanebo you can make your companion's efforts to investigate that much easier by becoming the star player at this card table; however, this will require you to make a number of Profession (Gambler) or straight Wisdom checks. You can make one such check per post, and posting three times in a row would be in poor taste. With that said, go ahead and make your first attempt!

Before Galvar can really process Aiden and Esh's words, he answers Lukaas' question, perplexed. "Uh... I dunno... A long time fer sure. How long's you been an Aspis... Guy... Huh?"

Krima meanwhile raises an eyebrow as she attempts to parse the subtext here.

Esh and/or Aiden, I will need a Bluff check from either one of you. If you both decide to roll, failure by either one of you will have consequences.

Finally, Waki are you certain that you want to try and get into this room? You cannot stealth in unless you can vanish in plain sight, and even that might raise some very lethal questions. Krima's body language is that of a person who is protective of their stuff.

I totally forgot about this use of Bluff

Aiden glances at Galvar, noting his attention before turning back to Krima and Esh. "Ha! I I wouldn't give much credence to that. Proper organization is the key. If you have that, meticulous work isn't necessary."

Move action to study...Galvar? Since he's the one we need to bluff? Or make it Krima if that makes more sense.

Bluff (secret message, ST): 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 1 = 19

Waki can vanish - but was not understanding the defensive posture by Krima. He will not attempt to enter...yet

Waki waits patiently for Krima to respond to her comrades

Nectanebo may only be a tender 123 years old, but he's managed not to be a complete stranger to a card table...

Profession (Gambler): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

...which is good, as it enables him to merely fare dimly rather than embarrassing himself.

Yup, me too!

Esh winks as he puts back a lock of finger behind his ear. He raises his hands in the air.
"You've got me there. But it is more than a key to me. I consider it a seed."

Bluff (secret message): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16 NOPE! QUIIIIIBBLE!
Bluff (secret message) QUIBBLE: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19 That's not bright, let's hope Galvar is as clever as his boot.

Unfortunately, it is all Nectanebo can do to try and keep from loosing all his chips in one fell swoop. In this, he is reminded as to why he does not gamble.

Esh and Aiden, on the other hand, manage to pass on their intent to Krima who raises an eyebrow as she shifts towards Galvar. "Listen. My eyes are going back into my skull with the inventory work I've had to do. Mind if I borrow these? They can put books away for five minutes and then I can figure out how to put them to good use. Maybe with some latrine work?"

Galvar winces, his face lit with a sour grin. "I mean... I wouldn't mind a break, but ... You know... The inquisitor gave the job to me... You know how he is."

Perhaps a Bluff or a Diplomacy check might be of use here to guide Galvar to the tranquility of the card game and the soup. Which I assume everyone has made the checks they wanted to upon.

Wellll...I just haven't had cause to VISIT the soup...and who says I DON'T gamble?

Nectanebo will stay in for another hand if he can, but after a drubbing like that, he first opts for a soup-break...

Knowledge (Nature), Worldly: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Knowledge (Nature), Worldly: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

"Umm...where did you get the herbs for this?" He inquires from the kitchen as he stares into the bowl he'd just poured himself. "I haven't seen some of these in decades...."

Haha Esh doesn't really care for the soup-making ^^

Esh wears a thin grin as he nods to Galvar.
"Well, that was good work you did there, soldier. Now, take some rest. If we can be of some use in here, maybe you'll be rewarded, since YOU ARE the one in charge? After all, we are under Krima's watch in here." he says, gesturing towards the piles of paper in the archives.

Bluff bluff the stupid hellknight: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17
Are you f&%ç* kidding me??

Lukaas tries to get on the guards good side

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

Is there something I could do to help? Maybe doing the rounds with you?