PFS 2-03 Rebel's Ransom (Inactive)

Game Master Pirate Rob

The other corridor ends in a small chamber, dominated by an altar at its center. Atop the sandstone altar is a row of five silver trays, each one larger than the last. On the side of the altar, a simple inscription in ancient Orisiani reads, “The final five combined did not weigh upon me as heavily as the first.”

"Apparently, he was not pleased with his first wife. This much is clear. Though why he thought to compound the problem with five others, I do not understand."

Ethan looks at the silver trays, trying to distinguish any marking, magical or otherwise.

Tai moves into the room and examines the trays as well.

Perception check, if it does anything: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18

They trays appear attached to the altar, they are each big enough to easily hold a scepter and appear basically identical.

Ball is in yalls court for how to proceed from here.

"I wonder if the scepter for the first would weigh as much, or more, than the rest combined." muses Ethan. He takes a look at the closed door, and detects magic against it as well.

perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24

"Huh," Gorf says, scratching his head. "Now there's a thought. Probably worth tryin', anyway."

There does appear to be a magical aura linking the altar with the back wall where there's almost certainly a door. There is also a separate aura on just the altar. Both auras also encompass the trays.

"Do you think those trays are for the scepters then?"

Celie watches as they try to figure out how to get past this riddle. "Only one way to find out." she points to the scepters, "Put them on one each. If we blow up, it was a fun life."

Sayna sighs at the puzzle and shakes her head. This man seemed to be obessed with his collection of wives and it strikes her poorly.

"We have five scepters and there are five trays and the inscription speaks of 'the final five,' so I think our path is clear."

Sayna nods at Celie's mention of blowing up. The first on-task thing the woman had said this whole mission.

"In case we do 'blow up,' I volunteer to do the deed of placing the scepters. Shall we put them in starting from the smallest tray or the largest?"

"Right. Five scepters, each for a specific wife. Each made of a different material," Gavin ponders aloud. "Didn't we find altars for each that matched the material of a scepter?"

I agree, ” says Ethan. ”The logical order is smallest to largest, by wife number. ”

Slide 4, as well as Post & Post have info on the scepters. Please feel free to make additional nodes on the slide as desired.

Gorf eyes the trays suspiciously and backs up a few steps at the mention of being 'blowed up'.

Celie grabs one and tries to place it into a hole that matches it's shaft.

There are no scepter sized holes just, just a set of five silver trays, each one larger than the last but otherwise indistinguishable.

"Perhaps chronological order? Second through sixth?"

"Sounds right to me." says Ethan.

Let me know who's putting what where whenever you are ready.

Sayna cracks her neck.

"Alright then. I suppose I'm up then."

She will put the scepters in the trays in chronological order from smallest to biggest

And the chronological order is?

From second wife through sixth wife.

So second wife in the smallest tray, third in the next, etc... until sixth wife in the largest. I think that's what we agreed on.

yup

I think I must by asking my question the wrong way. Which scepter is the second wife? which is the 3rd etc. Names or materials please.

Ah, gotcha. I assumed that went without saying considering how clearly the names are given with each number

"For Iltorian, the blessed second who taught me faith in the gods, but reliance only in oneself.”

“For Shasha, my third wife, who taught me to always seek the best in life.”

“For Elea, my delicate desert flower. May the fourth rest forever at my side.”

“For Kiranna, my right hand, my fifth, the one who brought order.”

“For my beloved Osomi, the last love of my long life.”

So Iltorian (Silver with Emerald), Shasha (Copper), Elea (Sandalwood and Ivory), Kiranna (Silver and Diamond), Osomi (Ebony with Ruby and Platinum) in that order from smallest to largest tray

Thanks, there are some potentially tricky bits in here, so I'd rather not blow you up due to a miscommunication.

With Mr. Repus backed up a ways to avoid being blown up Sayna puts the scepters down as others shield their heads at least, from potential danger.

As Sanya puts the last scepter down lightning arcs through the room, Raiders of the Lost Arc style even hitting Ethan just outside.

Goft and the Doggy are safe, everybody else needs a reflex save though.

Nothing else happens however.

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Expecting something more fiery, the lightning catches Sayna by surprise and she is shocked thoroughly through, the massive amount of metal she is wearing doing nothing to help her.

She pulls out her wand and gives herself some healing.
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

"Oh...kay...that didn't work. Maybe we are supposed to reverse it?"

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

Feeling the static electricity in the air, Celie giggles. "That was shocking." she pulled out her own cure light wand and taps herself. CLW: 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (1, 5) + 2 = 8 two charges, 1 damage

"While you're doing that, I'm going to stand as far back as I can." she moves to the furthest end of the room.

May want to peek at the map, it's in the middle of a 10x15 oval room

Ethan Reflex DC20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

"Well, that was unfortunate." states Ethan, as he pulls out his wand of infernal healing, and starts himself healing. Will use two charges

"So, what have we missed?" starts Ethan, talking out loud. "We have the scepters of wives two through six, but not of the first, nor his. Of course, we presume that the scepters were properly labeled, and not mixed up by the tomb robbers.

"Perhaps then, a door will open, or show itself, granting us access?"

GM, is the door on the map perceivable to us?

Reflex save: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

"Ouch." Tai likewise pulls out a wand for healing.

"Hmm. Perhaps they should be in order of weight?"

Tai picks up the scepters and hefts them thoughtfully.

"Dang! Y'all alraht in there?" Gorf thinks for a minute, scratching his head. "Maybe just reverse the order? Or...and this seems a mite silly, but...each o' the names has a diff'rent number a letters. Y'know, Elea has four, Osomi has five, an' so on? Maybe that's got somthin ta do with it?"

Celie continues to move as far away from the shocker as she can and stops by the harry thing, You smell. she says and winces as her fox nips her ear. Oh, alright. she reaches down and pats the dog on the head. Good boy. she says.

Gorf surreptitiously sniffs at his chain shirt. Oh wait, she was talking to the dog.

Sayna’s whole brow raises at Ethan’s outlandish suggestion. ”Yeah, no. I’m not going back down there. I highly doubt ‘the bottom of a fire pit’ is the ‘proper place’ for the scepter.”

She completely changes her affect as she turns to Tai. She smiles easy and her body is looser and more casual. ”I think you may be on to something, dear Tai. A splendid, well-considered idea, I do think.”

Tai spend a couple minutes weighing the scepters against each other in her hands and thinks from lightest to heaviest think they are Elea, Shasha, Iltorian, Osomi, Kiranna.

Reflex save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

Reflex save: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25

Gavin avoids the worst of the trap, but sees Buster take the shock poorly. He rushes to his dog, comforting it.

A moment later he draws a curative wand from his pack, and hands it to Celie. "Can you help us?"

(Assuming she does... Rolling the charges)

Cure Light Wounds on Buster: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Cure Light Wounds on Buster: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Cure Light Wounds on Gavin: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

"Sure, Tai, if you'd like to try that." says Ethan, as he backs out of the room. "I'll even give you a resist energy spell against electricity, if you'd like to try."

'There, they'll think I am a team player, right?' he thinks.

"I'd like to give this order a try. Perhaps the rest of you should step out of the room? We need not all get hit if I'm wrong. Ethan, I would appreciate the magical protection."

Yes, please, on the resist electricity!

When everyone leaves or has decided not to leave, Tai places the scepters from lightest to heaviest, going from the smallest tray to the biggest one.

Tai's weighing appears to be correct as remarkably the far wall slides up and open revealing a passageway that quickly turns to the north.

Sayna lets out an excited cheer. She runs forward and clasps Tai on the shoulders. "Well done, darling! I knew my elemental sister was on to something!" She draws her sword once more and points towards the passageway. "Onwards, comrades!" Sayna clearly is energized by the thought of combat once more. There's little chance to be dashing and heroic when reorganizing sticks, at least to her mind.

Eventually turning the corner, you can see that the corridor begins to descend down a flight of stairs, right into a pool of ceiling high still, black water.

FYI - Ethan will blow his heightened awareness for init, when it matters
Ethan moves forward, looking down the stairs. "Amazing. You weren't wrong, Tai."

Ethan is trying to determine if he can fly above the water.

The dark still water rises to the ceiling of the chamber it's in.

Gavin eyes the water before saying, "I can go for a swim and see what's what. My wayfinder should help light the way. But I won't be swimming indefinitely. Just a scouting trip. Unless anyone has a better idea?"

Sayna bows graciously. ”After you, Baron. Water and fire have never mixed well in my experience, after all.”

"If I can get a description of the opposite end of the room... as in how far, and how much room, I can teleport three of your, plus myself, into the room with Dimension Door." says Ethan. "But I need an accurate details to get us there safely."

Gavin nods, sheds his backpack, and wades into the water. He takes a deep breath before going under...

GM: He can hold his breath for 32 rounds and with a 30ft speed can swim 15ft per round (as a full round action). He will follow the golden rule of always going left when presented with an option (until he can't), and will go as far as he can for 15 rounds (or until he can't go further) before swimming back the way he came.