GM Nowruz's #3–23: The Goblinblood Dead (Inactive)

Game Master noral

Arin follows Van and his fellow gnome. When Giovanni holds out his take from the previous room's loot he obliges with a magical scan.

Detect magic, scanning for auras, per G's request.

Agreed on that direction Van; I assume you're opening that door?

Willing to allow a roguish type to have a look, but sure, Van will open the door.

Peregryne continues to follow the group from a small distance - best to keep some space between himself and whatever they turn up.

Van opens the door.

Three cramped cells line the western wall of this chamber while an exposed pit runs along the northern wall.

The cells are little more than cages made of metal and old wood, with piles of dried grass barely covering the stone floors.

You assume that Goblinoids once kept prisoners in these cramped cells.

Since Van doesn't respond with violence, Pai assumes it's (mostly) safe for now and peeks around his legs to get a look at what they're dealing with here.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

He kinda makes a better door than a window.

Arin strolls past each of the cells, looking to see if there’s any thinking of interest in them.

perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

He seems particularly focused as he does this, almost as if he expects to find something.

Giovanni sees Arin make a thorough search of the cells and but does some of his own poking around.

perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Pazacku follows along and let those with more defined senses do the scouting.

Giovanni, Pai and Peregryne notice the air becoming incredibly dry in the room! Surprise round for you.

"Yikes! Get out get out get out!" Pai yelps in alarm as she immediately scoots back past her comrades in the hallway. Realizing that she should explain herself to the ones farther back, she (almost defensively) exclaims: "The air got really dry really fast in there. It's probably a trap!"

Move 15' away from the door

Arin gets a slightly curious look on his face. He backs up to the doorway of the room, abandoning his look at the cells.

What... is this sensation...?

no kn. Religion

kn religion: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Right, we should probably stand back. Giovanni backs away out of the door to stand by Pai.

Vayon yells "Trap! and dives out of the room.

While Arin doesn't know what's happening and what he should do, he does see his companions backing out of the room and follows suit.

Peregryne quickly exits the room with his comrades...

”What was that?”

So what do you do now? Nobody can make the kn religion?

You are all outside of the room. You can all feel now that the moisture level has decreased!

Pai is untrained, so her max is 10 vs DC12. Pazaku has +8. He is the only party member with any rank in Knowledge (religion).

Giovanni cautiously angles to get a better view and sense of the humidity.

kn religion: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Ah, of course. This is a Haunt. Let me see if I can decipher the trigger or remedy. Giovanni tries to recall the hallmarks of certain haunts he's experienced to identify this one.

Giovanni cautiously angles to get a better view and sense of the humidity.

[dice=kn religion]d20+2

Ah, of course. This is a Haunt. Let me see if I can decipher the trigger or remedy. Giovanni tries to recall the hallmarks of certain haunts he's experienced to identify this one.

since you're untrained, that doesn't work. Max DC achievable for an untrained knowledge is 10. It's impossible for all of us but Pazacku. I think you misunderstood Pai's post as being about *bonuses*, but the key factor is *ranks*.

Giovanni Stellaluce wrote:

Giovanni cautiously angles to get a better view and sense of the humidity.

[dice=kn religion]d20+2

Ah, of course. This is a Haunt. Let me see if I can decipher the trigger or remedy. Giovanni tries to recall the hallmarks of certain haunts he's experienced to identify this one.

since you're untrained, that doesn't work. Max DC achievable for an untrained knowledge is 10. It's impossible for all of us but Pazacku. I think you misunderstood Pai's post as being about *bonuses*, but the key factor is *ranks*.

I'm an Esoteric Scholar which should work.

I'm an Esoteric Scholar which should work.

Ah, nice! That's probably worth calling out when you use it.

I was not sure if I could act or not, so I didn't do anything

Once he is able to act, and knows it is a haunt. I have no problem channeling.

We are out of Initiative

Giovanni realises that this is indeed a haunt!!

The rogue has an idea what the haunting could be doing.

The supernatural forces may have tried to suck the moisture from your body, leaving a desiccated husk, or even inflict worse curses.

It seems to be focused in that room, so the party is safe outside of it.

Determining how to handle the haunt may require someone enter the room and investigate the cause of death. Or positive energy...

Van is happy to leave the room alone.

Thank you for the identification Giovanni, now that I know it's a haunt, I know what to do about this...

Arin pops back into the room and opens a conduit somewhere in his soul. While the dryness begins to encroach on him again he counters it with flowing positive energy.

channel positive energy burst, DC17 will for half: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6

As soon as the burst ends he exits the room again.

1d20 ⇒ 18

You feel the dryness reducing but the haunting is still there!

"Oooh! That's better! Try it again, Arin! Man, what's with it with these haunts?" She recalls the haunt that their party encountered in their last mission, and is again glad that she was outside when they encountered it. Those things are creepy!

Did my check give any info for how to destroy it?

As Arin gets into an engaged focus towards ending the haunt, he accidentally slips into his compulsory tongue...

channel positive energy burst, DC17 will for half: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 6) = 8

Did my check give any info for how to destroy it?

This did:

Or positive energy...

:) Arin knows how to deal with a haunt (from past missions), he was just waiting for somebody to identify that it is a haunt.

You feel the dryness disappear! The haunting is fading away with an almost inaudible sigh.

I think... it is finished. So we can more safely investigate this room now and see if it holds anything or any clues of interest...

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

The party can easily investigate the haunted prison.

The cages are still empty, and bones still litter the pit.

Thankfully, the haunt appears to be spent for the time being, allowing the party ample time to investigate.

Hidden in a corner of one of the cages is a scroll tube and a bronze badge of an asp. The tube contains what appears to be Pathfinder documents relating to Andoran operations.

Arin hefts the tube, and extracts the papers from it looking them over.

Now this is interesting. It would appear that pathfinders were once held in these cells...

Is Arin able to tell specifics of the operations, how long ago they were conducted, by which faction, etc.?

It is the badge of an Aspis agent. Seams like they stole these documents. This is part of an old Andoran faction mission. Just fluff.

Anyway, we can look at these later. Ready to proceed when you are Van.

Pai nods briskly. "Yeah, and that boss lady the hobgoblins mentioned has gotta be around here somewhere. Let's try that door." She motions to the other door in the hallway. "Huh. She can probably hear us. Who knows what nasty stuff we'll get hit with in a second."

Van opens the door.

Van opens the door.

An orderly workspace stands directly opposite this chamber's only door. Neatly arranged books and tools seem to have their own specific places on the workbench and along the shelves.

A collection of bones lies atop the workbench, arrayed like an incomplete children's puzzle.

A stone altar stands along the eastern wall. Luxurious fabrics adorn the altar and the area around it, while several dark candles and incense burners glow gently, suffusing the air with a sickly sweet odor.

You open the door and you are completely surprised when your view is almost instantly obscured!

You all can hear a deep voice speaking harsh words and thick mist fills the room.

Please see the map for the area of the obscuring mist!
Arin, Pai and Vayon are UP.

"Crap! I can't see! I can't do anything!" Pai fumbles along the wall back up the hall towards the room where they had fought the hobgoblins earlier. Having no idea how long the mist will last, she is thinking of waiting it out rather than risk zapping one of her team mates.

@GM Nowruz: It looks like some new folks have shown up in that room, so when Pai opens the door and pokes her head through she'll see someone, right?

Sorry Pai, I deleted the icons in the other room. They were in the background and no idea who sent the map to the background but there are no enemies to be seen. Regarding the obscuring mist:
A misty vapor arises around you. It is stationary. The vapor obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature 5 feet away has concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker cannot use sight to locate the target).

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Arin watches as he teammates are enveloped inside of a suddenly-appearing mist.

Not knowing what else to do, he channels a blessing from his unknown patrons.

His little voice shouts into the mist.

Cast bless, standard action; Each ally gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and on saving throws against fear effects; Duration: 4m/40 rounds.

You all feel a new divine power rising in you through Arin's spell.

Vayon is up!

Van keeps his hand against the wall as he walks over to where he saw the alter. He keeps ready to defend himself in case he comes across the evil cleric. (ready action to attack).
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Ready Action
Staff: arcane strike
to hit 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 damage 1d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 2 = 10
Miss Chance 1d100 ⇒ 20

Vayon steps to the Altar and he can almost see the form of a hobgoblin but she moves into the mist and is not to be seen again.

Suddenly you hear whispers of spellcasting!

You are all up!

Giovanni ducks into the room and peers through the mist. perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

There you are.

rapier +1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
rapier +1, confirm: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 15

boo.

Suddenly you hear whispers of spellcasting!

Dang it! Pai wouldn't hear those whispers from where she was, so she's going to do something foolish right now.

Pai peeks into the room they had previously cleared. The heavy, clinging scent of blood still lingers there in silent testimony to the room's previous use. Satisfied (though slightly disappointed) that no foe is present there, she sighs in resignation. I guess it means I have to wander around in the mist. Hooray for not being able to stay safely out of reach.

Turning back to the hall and putting her right hand to the wall, she puffs up her chest to give herself courage and trails her fingers along the wall as she marches directly into the room, eyes peeled for any sign of danger. Double move

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Frustrated, the little gnome simply reaches out and touches Pazacku, who is still halfway sticking out of the mist.

Cast Guidance on Pazacku, who gets a +1 competence bonus on a single attack roll, saving throw, or skill check.

Pazacku draws his katana and moves into the room.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Vayon throws everything off of the alter and tries to upend it if he can. Casting Bull's Strength to help his efforts.