PFS CORE 10-07 Mysteries Under Moonlight Part 2 (Inactive)

Game Master @scottg0

Continuation with the part one team. Closed game.

The adventure begins in the dining hall of the Heidmarch Manor, where Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch has invited you and Luvyire over for a noontime lunch to discuss business.

Sunlight streams through the dining hall’s windowpanes, illuminating the numerous dishes of food set on the table. Among the selection is a salad of fiddleheads, wild mushrooms, and herbs, a tray of grilled mackerel dressed with fen pepper, a plate of stuffed cabbage leaves, a bowl of maize porridge, and a tray of cheeses, nuts, and plums. A blue-skinned man with solid black eyes, pointed ears, and butterfly wings stands nearby. Most of you recognize Luvyire from your previous adventure. He casts a curious gaze at the display while Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch strides forward with a warm smile.

“Thank you for joining us for luncheon, Pathfinders.” She gestures to the array on the table with a proud gleam in her eyes. “I thought we might chat over some quality Varisian cuisine. Please take a seat and help yourself to whatever you like, though I do recommend trying the mackerel—it’s freshly caught this morning.”

Settling into her seat, Venture-Captain Heidmarch pours herself a small glass of chilled white wine and reclines. “You likely know several areas of the city were recently disrupted by necromantic activity. The investigation traced the attacks to a will-o’-wisp named Tulvhatha, who has taken control of a holy site of Ashava known as the Glade of Silver Sparks. From what we’ve already seen in the city, along with Luvyire’s account of what occurred at the glade, it’s clear this creature wields power that surpasses most others of her kind.” She flicks her gaze toward the blue-skinned man and inclines her head toward him. “Luvyire here has already offered Ashava’s blessing to transform the Pathfinders who saved his life into holy emissaries of the True Spark—something which can only be accomplished by the light of the full moon.” Luvyire adds, “And I shall offer my goddess’s blessing to the rest of you as well.”

Khellek takes a seat, also helping himself to a glass of fine wine. He eyes the table appreciatively. "It is no nice to be back home and eating familiar foods." he sighs, helping himself to the mackerel.

"Captain, I know a bit about Whisps, but perhaps you or Luvyire might want to fill us all in on any specifics?"

Although Khellek is more than happy to recite what he knows. Take ten for 27 on the check

"What form will your blessing take ?" he asks the blue skinned man.

I'm not sure I recall what type of creature Luvyire actually is.

Dot.

The Venture-Captain looks at Yabatha, "Weren't you supposed to finish reporting about your day job before you got here. I got an angry message from the Decemvirate that you left a report unfinished. You better hurry and finish that before you enjoy this lunch. Go along dear and finish, we'll wait."

"I hope Bossk doesn't show up here before he gets his report filed, I got the same angry message about him too. Well at least that gives the rest of us a little time to enjoy our lunch before we have to get down to business."

Tatiana smiles genuinely at Lady Heidmarch comments about reports.

I'm quite curious like Khellec here to know exactly what we will going through.

I will update to 4th level by tomorrow night

Bossk stomps in from the outside and looks around.
"I hear that you were in need of me, and a free meal was served."

Looking at the meal.
Fish is the meat? These city folk need to learn to hunt more and not just on the full moons.

Bossk get a plate and piles on the fish and cheese, nuts and a very small amount of greens. He grabs a bowl of the porridge, sniffs it, and shrugs his shoulders, then finds a seat to consume the meal.

The Venture-Captain looks around the room, visibly counting heads that are present. "Hmm, I know there is supposed to be full team here but we appear to be a couple agents short. Maybe they got lost in the city, we might have to send out a search party to find them."

"And I haven't forgotten the questions asked, we'll get to them once all of the team actually shows up so I don't have to reiterate this all again."

Yabarha wanders in looking extremely lost. You know, Nethys always forgets to tell me where I’m supposed to be and when. she finds a seat.

So we accepted Ashava’s blessing, does that mean we will be turning into wolves? How fascinating. What do we know of Tulvhatha? Why would she want to pervert these monuments?

A rough-looking man, dressed in well-worn leathers, with a bow at his back, and a juvenile cassowary by his side, strolls, cat-like, into the room.

"Hello. The name's Jack. This here," he says, gesturing towards the bird, "is Beaky. I raised him from an egg. Still not quite strong enough to take with me on adventures, but when he grows up, he will be a fine companion!"

Entering the room, Florin offers a bow as she takes her seat.

"I had to submit my report." she says rather sheepishly.
"My writing still isn't up to muster and thus I had to resubmit the report."
Will update Char later. I have essays to mark and I don't want to put in strange comments.

The Venture-Captain looks around the room once more and does a head count. "Excellent you are all here now. Luvyire was just about to go around the room and offer each of you his blessing but it appears that many of you bear the moon mark on you hand already."

Luvyire approaches Jack and offers his blessing.

Do you accept it?

Of course!

Luvyire asks you to take his hand, and a full moon appears on the top of your dominant hand. If you press a finger to this marking, you are gifted with a vision from Ashava herself, who shows you dancing in Magnimar under the light of the full moon, slowly transforming from your usual appearance to that of a werewolf with fur the color of silvery moonlight.

The venture-captain pauses to sip her wine and idly runs a finger across the rim of the empty plate before her. “Tonight will be the full moon, and with it the chance to seek out the will-o’-wisp Tulvhatha and end her destruction.” Luvyire perks up from the assortment of food and glances longingly to the window before looking back. “I’m sorry I won’t be able to join you, Pathfinders. After recently being on the receiving end of Tulvhatha’s wrath, I fear I’m still too weak to make the journey. May Ashava watch over you and keep you safe.”

“I’m glad you’re finally seeing reason, Luvyire,” says the venture-captain. “You’ve already helped enough, and Magnimar is safer for it. As for you, Pathfinders, given the unique nature of the blessing Luvyire has bestowed upon you, you will need to exercise discretion. Your transformation will draw unnecessary alarm if witnessed by civilians. With this in mind, please be sure to be at the Mushfens by sunset. Take the time to prepare yourself for this evening however you need. Luvyire and I are here if you need our assistance. Remember, you have only this one night to discover the Glade of Silver Sparks and destroy Tulvhatha. Be quick, but be careful—you go against a formable foe.”

"Captain, I know a bit about Whisps, but perhaps you or Luvyire might want to fill us all in on any specifics?"

Although Khellek is more than happy to recite what he knows. Take ten for 27 on the check

"What form will your blessing take ?" he asks the blue skinned man.

I'm not sure I recall what type of creature Luvyire actually is.

Luvyire is a yamah azata. He answers, "the blessing will transform you into celestial werewolves at the next full moon which is tonight. While you will be taking on the form of a celestial werewolf, you will not actually be infected with the lycanthropic curse. You will retain your personality and control, and it will last only for the duration of tonight’s full moon. After tonight, the blessing ends and you will return to normal form.”

You recall about will-o'-wisps that they are immune to magic and have a natural invisibility defensive ability.

What do we know of Tulvhatha? Why would she want to pervert these monuments?

Heidmarch answers, “She is a vicious will-o’-wisp possessing great supernatural strength beyond the capability of most of her kind. She’s likely taken control of the Glade of Silver Sparks to usurp its power and use it to her advantage. Beyond this, we know very little about her.”

Any more questions?

Do we know of any allies she has?

Khellek thinks things over.
"An invisible foe is formidable. I can probably call in some favours and get some potions of see invisible.." he offers.

Takes 10 on spellcraft for a 21. Would invisibility purge work against a naturally invisible creature?

"Hurting it, when it is immune to magic. That will be quite the ask."

Takes 10 on spellcraft for a 21. Would invisibility purge work against a naturally invisible creature?

Invisibility Purge negates all forms of invisibility

See Invisibility can't be made into potion (despite numerous writers of scenario or NPC believing it can)

I agree. Some spell can reveal invisible creature, right?

Do we know of any allies she has?

Heidmarch answers, "I believe you encountered her allies and killed them in Ordellia's townhouse according to your report from last week's activities. Granted she could have recruited more but I don't know of any."

Some spell can reveal invisible creature, right?

Heidmarch answers, "I believe Khellek is experienced enough to cast a simple spell such as Glitterdust."

"Indeed... indeed." sighs Khellek.

"One can only hope that modern magical creation techniques manage to overcome that irritating requirement for targetting of spells with potions. Still, " here he offers a nod to Ms Heidmarch "as our esteemed venture captain points out, I could probably acquire a few scrolls of Glitterdust. They would not be expensive, and may prove helpful for what we need to do. "

He sighs at an inward thought.

If only the leadership would extend my line of credit. But I suspect that invisibility purge would have just as many problems as a potion.

"I have the ability to cast spells that enable use to see invisible creatures though not many." Florin offers.

"I just trust my nose to tell me where they are."

Jack nods.

"Well, as long as someone can make it visible, I am okay with it..."

I trust that Nethys has made it so we journey to face this threat together for a reason. I trust you all to do what is necessary , I will keep you safe.

The Lady of the Grave knows of our Fate, I'm trusting Her.

Says, confidant, Tatiana.

Before you depart, Luvyire offers to teach you a sacred Ashavan dance to help soothe any restless spirits you may encounter. You're able to finish up any purchases in town before heading to the Mushfens in the evening. You arrive at the wet woodland Mushfens by twilight.

Moonlight streams through the forest’s thick canopy of dark branches. The chirps and gurgles of nocturnal critters echo in a soft, steady hum, interrupted only by the occasional snapping of a twig or low hoot of an owl. In the distance, fireflies flicker in the shadows. The scent of wet moss and dirt clings to the misty air. Several damp paths branch off, each leading deeper into the swampy woods.

As the full moon’s light washes over Tatiana, you see her transformation into a celestial werewolf begin.

Tatiana stands rigid in the moonlight, her friends stare at her in fear as her eyes began to change from their normal bright green to an insane yellow glow. She screams in agony as her knees reverse direction and her bones shift inside of her. Her face contorted as the long wolf's muzzle extended out in front of her, and she falls forward onto her hands. Her screams turned into a long howl as the dark fur sprouted from her body, and her clothing tore itself from her body as her muscles increased in size.

As her transformation completes, you each begin the transformation and many howls are heard throughout the Mushfens as you all let out howls of pain.

In you new form, you see a stream of faint, shimmering motes of light gleaming upon one of the paths plunging deeper into the Mushfens.

Unless otherwise stated, all areas in the Mushfens are considered to be in dim light.

Handout: Blessing of Ashava
Ashava’s blessing has granted a temporary form of lycanthropy that is fully under your control. This has no influence on your character’s alignment, personality, or motivations unless you would like to make this a transformative experience for your character. The blessing has the following effects.

You can change shape. You have three forms—your typical form, a wolf form, and a hybrid form. You can shift to any of your three forms as a move action. If this PC has earned the Celestial Lycanthropy boon from #10–05: Mysteries Under Moonlight, Part 1, you gain that boon’s benefits for free for this entire scenario.

HYBRID FORM
If you shift to your hybrid form, you gain the following benefits.
Senses: Your senses sharpen, granting you darkvision (60 feet), low-light vision, and scent.
Defenses: You gain DR 5/silver and a +2 bonus to natural armor.
Attacks: You gain a bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage if you are Medium or 1d4 if you are Small. If the bite attack hits, you can attempt a combat maneuver check to trip your target as a free action.
Pack Leader: You can communicate and empathize with wolves. You can use Diplomacy to alter a wolf’s attitude, and you gain a +4 racial bonus on the check when doing so.

WOLF FORM
If you shift to your wolf form, you gain all of the benefits listed for the hybrid form as well as the following two effects.
Speed: Your base speed increases to 50 feet.
Wolf Shape: All of the gear that you are carrying or wearing melds into your body until you switch to another form. All items that give constant bonuses still give their bonuses, except armor, which does not function. Unless you have other feats or class features that would allow you to do so, you cannot speak, cast spells, or manipulate objects that would require the use of hands.

For reference from 10-05 chronicle: Celestial Lycanthropy: You have received a blessing from the azata Luvyire that has imbued you with a spark of celestial energy, which will transform you into a celestial werewolf when the time is right. You can check the box that precedes this boon to gain a portion of that power, gaining resistance 5 to acid, cold, and electricity for 1 hour. This boon will provide additional benefits in a future scenario.

Of your three forms: normal, hybrid, or wolf; tell me which form you are currently in before we start the next part.

Bossk will start in normal form until further away from people.

Not wanting to feel the same pain again, Tatiana decides to stay in hybrid form.

Khellek does not enjoy the pain. However it is quite a novel experience for him, and dutiful scholar that he is, the elderly man rotates through the various forms until he feels he has them well under control. Although he doesn't spend long in wolf form at all.

Eventually he settles on hybrid form. "[b]It's like being 30 again, the night sky is as clear as a summer day![/]b" he marvels.

I thought we were well away from people now?

Florin finds herself reveling in the pain and opts to stay in hybrid form.
"This form allows both fight and magic. A good combination."

The swampy ground and trees both provide difficult terrain. You come along a large web. The cocoons contain the corpses of large animals, such as raccoons, deer, and even an alligator. Treat the area as if it were affected by a web spell with a DC 13. The entire area of the web is considered difficult terrain. Anyone moving through the webs must make a combat maneuver check or Escape Artist check as part of their move action, with a DC equal to the spell's DC. Creatures that fail lose their movement and become grappled in the first square of webbing that they enter.

You still see the trail of motes leading you on.

You each get a single move to get on the map. You are at the bottom of the map, move yourselves following the trail as you want. Moving off the single file line is also difficult terrain (assume you are on a path that only allows for single file.

Room 1 -- Current Time (0:01)

Group conditions:
Round 1

Yabatha - dmg; Wolf
Florin - dmg; Hybrid
Bossk - dmg;
Jack - dmg; Wolf
Tatiana - dmg; Hybrid
Khellek - dmg; Hybrid

Bold may act.

Khellek lights a torch. "Fire will help us through this area." he suggests, even as he wonders what sized spiders would attack an alligator.

takes ten on nature to try and identify what made the webs, and any special abilities they might have

"Light them up Master Khellek." Florin stands beside him and taps herself with a wand.
Mage armor.

I apologise for my absence, I hope everyone has had a very good Easter break! I just got back from my holiday. I will be posting regularly moving forward!

Being in wolf form to follow the party, she realises that she can't help much. She swiftly changed into her hybrid form, her fur seemingly a pale blue-ish white. Right, maybe we should try to go around? I don't want to get caught up in that webbing. I won't be able to get out. She proceeds to move a little bit forward off the path.

Move action to change form, and 10ft movement through the difficult terrain.

Bossk moves forward along the path keeping an eye out for any over grown spiders.
CMB: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

40' Movement
"Just step where I step and you will be fine."

Tatiana follows Borks as fast as she could!

Khellek knows that a giant spider made this web and probably should be avoided.
Tatiana CMB: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22 Is able to move up right behind Bossk. In hybrid form, you smell the scent of humans (not your group).

As Bossk and Tatiana get close...

A sharp breeze cuts through the night, rustling loudly through the trees and brambles. Shadowy figures emerge from the undergrowth. The husky voice of the tallest figure calls out, “Halt where you are, monsters!

“I knew there was darkness inside you, Pathfinders,” the man continues, his gaze a steely fire of determination and fury. “Does the rest of the Pathfinder Society even know what foul beasts walk among them, or do they know and harbor you nonetheless? Maybe it’s even worse than that, hmm? Perhaps this paltry cabal of you represents the true face of the entire organization. Be assured that I shall find out. But for now, I see the truth of your malignant nature, and the ruse ends here—along with your lives!”

Most of you recognize the speaker as Inspector Theodorus Ichonvarde whom you spoke to a week ago.

Room 1 -- Current Time (0:07)

Group conditions:
Round 2

Yabatha - dmg; Hybrid
Theodorus - dmg;
Guard, red - dmg;
Guard, green - dmg;
Guard, blue - dmg;
Florin - dmg; Hybrid, mage armor
Bossk - dmg;
Jack - dmg; Wolf
Tatiana - dmg; Hybrid
Khellek - dmg; Hybrid

Bold may act.

Note: If you have at least 5 feet of web between you and an opponent, it provides cover. If you have at least 20 feet of web between you, it provides total cover.

Handout: Blessing of Ashava

I thought I moved up on the map, no? Yabatha used her turn to move through the forest.

Us? Foul beast, no no, we are just hunting for the Will-o-wisp this to the great monuments! Please, you should join us...although I’m not sure you’ll be able to. These forms allow us to see a trail that will lead us to this great evil! You must believe us!

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

Yabatha I moved your token into the forest getting closer. Theodorus and his companions do not appear to listen to reason.

Theodorus activates justice judgement and shoots his bow at Tatiana ranged bow: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 2 = 17 miss
Red attacks Bossk longsword melee: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 miss
Green moving through the thick brush as well attempts to attack Bossk. longsword melee: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 miss
Blue double moves through the difficult terrain.

Room 1 -- Current Time (0:07)

Group conditions:
Round 2

Theodorus - dmg; Justice Judgement (+2 hit)
Guard, red - dmg;
Guard, green - dmg;
Guard, blue - dmg;
Florin - dmg; Hybrid, mage armor
Bossk - dmg;
Jack - dmg; Wolf
Tatiana - dmg; Hybrid
Khellek - dmg; Hybrid
-----------------------------------
Round 3

Yabatha - dmg; Hybrid

Bold may act.

Note: If you have at least 5 feet of web between you and an opponent, it provides cover. If you have at least 20 feet of web between you, it provides total cover.

Handout: Blessing of Ashava

Khellek also chimes in.
"We are assured this is a necessary and temporary state. The blessing of the goddess herself to help remove the evil that has haunted these woods."

diplomacy(aid): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Khellek also chimes in.

"We are assured this is a necessary and temporary state. The blessing of the goddess herself to help remove the evil that has haunted these woods."

[dice=diplomacy(aid)]1d20+10

Try a Knowledge local and a sense motive real quick.

Tatiana understand that the bitterness have taken his toll on the man who once was a great detective.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Know. local: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Don't waste your time to come to reason with the man, he seems to have lost his. May Pharasma be forgetful about his actions.

Says Tatiana who draws a sap and casts Bless on her comrades.

May Destiny be the will of the Lady of the Grave

Bless: +1 moral bonus to attack and to will save against fear effect.

[Dice=Sense Motive] 27

[dice=Know. local] 18

Says Tatiana who draws a sap and casts Bless on her comrades.

You can't draw your sap and retrieve your wand of bless at the same time. Pick one or the other. You don't have Bless memorized on your spell list today. And you know that retrieving your wand will provoke just the same as casting.

From your knowledge local you know Theodorus is a Lawful Evil human. Your sense motive reveals that he is going to kill you.

"You dare to attack me! I will crush you!"
Foaming at the mouth Bossk swings his sword at his attacker.

PA Attack Red: 1d20 + 9 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 9 + 2 - 2 = 26
dice+base+rage-PA
Damage: 2d4 + 6 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (4, 2) + 6 + 4 + 3 = 19
dice+Base+PA+Rage

Rage Round 1