GM Lorenzo's PFS-Sanctioned Module: Gallows of Madness (Inactive)

Game Master Lawrence Smith 2

“Thanks for that, Quinn. I’ll give it one more try. If it doesn’t work let’s spear that sucker!”

Disable Device: 1d20 + 2 + 1d4 ⇒ (11) + 2 + (2) = 15

"Wow! I think I actually got it!!"

Lol @ Quinn.

"You can learn all kinds of things from books," Soddy points out as she tugs at Quinn's sleeve to get his attention. "How would fleshies remember anything if they didn't write it down?"

Quinn stuffs From Rivers to Mountains in his rucksack, while Gervase tries again to disarm the trap on the tome, and this time she nearly succeeds.

Before she can make a third attempt, Quinn uses the tip of his spear to gently open the cover.

*Snick* A wicked looking needle protrudes from the book. A drop of blue liquid drips from the needle's point.

Now that the trap's been triggered, you're safe to examine the text of The Nine Secrets.

Sense Motive (DC 15): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

"Sometimes a tornado is just as effective as a small gust of wind," Soddy remarks as Quinn simply eases the book open with his longspear, triggering the trap. Standing on tiptoe she peers at some of the pages and the writing upon them and then nods.

"There are secrets hidden in the pages but since I found them they aren't secret anymore. See? If you read these here and take every third word and string them together you get information about devils, diabolism, Hell, Asmodeus..."
______________

Feel free to read the spoiler~

"It is interesting," Bellisir says as he looks at the books the party has acquired. "The trapped book," he trails off in thought. "It might be of advantage to read through it, despite the contents that are written there. Why would someone go to the trouble to trap it if it was not important?"

The monk approaches the door to the left of where the group entered the library. "Are we ready to press on?"

"If we wanted to wait for someone to read through it a little more closely before we move forward, that would be fine with me. But I'm ready to go now if that's what everyone else wants to do," Soddy replies as she hefts her longspear and moves get into door-busting formation again.

"Yeah, I'm ready to move on out through the southern door."

Hammer drawn once more, Gervase stands adjacent to Quinn and Bellisir and readies to enter the next room.

"Well all of these are wonderful. I am sure that if I have enough time to research them more fully I would be able to determine their value... both in terms of scholarship and cold, hard cash."

Annea will renew her light spell and continues to have her dagger in hand.

"I think it's disgusting that fleshies will pay for the mummified remains of plant-people. Even worse that they inscribe the remains, when there is perfectly good metal available for inscription! These poor unfortunate spirits should be laid to rest."

Boomy grumbles loudly as they heft their hammer and make their way towards the next door, glancing suspiciously around themself at all the mouldering dead.

Having determined the door isn't trapped or locked and sensing nothing moving about beyond it, Gervase opens the door. Annea steps forward to scan for magical auras. After a few moments of careful study, she shakes her head and dreadlocks. Nothing.

The team passes through the door and begins clearing the room.

Once-fine furniture, now ripped and faded from neglect, adorns the chamber. Two large mirrors hang on the north wall, but cracks and dark stains mar their silvery surface, and many pieces are missing. A lute rests against the back of a stained red velvet sofa.

The Sarinis and their guests would withdraw to this room and play cards, play and listen to music, or engage in other fashionable diversions.

As Boom Sticks enters the drawing room, he hears harsh words echoing in his mind.

*"Who are you, trespasser?" Burp. "Who sent you here?" Burp. "What are you looking for?" Bbburrrrpppp.*

Map & Images

Boom Sticks answers the voice aloud: "Lord Sarini, is that you? I'm afraid something terrible has happened: your library has been filled with mummified plant-people! It looks like someone might be trying to slander your family name, sir. It wasn't you who placed the devil-statue at the great staircase, was it? I'm Boom Sticks, my friends and I are here to set the record straight, you might say."

"Psst! I can't see him, can you?" Boomy whispers to the pathfinders.

"See who, Boomy? What's going on?"

"I think it might be one of the Sarinis, but if you can't see or hear him, maybe he's a ghost! He's burping a lot, and he sounds angry. He thinks we're trespassing and wants to know who sent us and what we're looking for."

“Would you have us bring alchemist’s kindness for your … indigestion, My Lord?”

Gervase calls out into empty space feeling rather ridiculous. “We believe a creature with Abyssal ties is smearing the Sarini name.”

“With your help, we could ensure the Sarini legacy is as noble as your name.”

As Boomy starts reacting to unseen voices (probably just something amiss with the Leshy's vegetative cranium), Annea will reactivate her Detect Magic spell and scan the now open room from the safety of the doorway.

Soddy looks around, cocking her head slightly to one side as she attempts to listen for the voice that Boomy seems to be hearing.

"I've never met a ghost before. Are they usually friendly? Do they inhabit vessels? You know, we leshys are nature spirits called to inhabit these plant vessels."

A pause.

"So...does that make US ghosts too, Boomy?"

The mysterious voice continues speaking - and belching - in Boom Sticks's head.

*"I lived in this house long ago."* Burp.

*"Are you skilled enough to help me?"* Burp.

*"I want to remember who I was."** Burp. *"I would be thankful if you can find any clues."* Bbburrrrppp.

With Boomsticks announcement of hearing voices in his head Quinn turns to look at him curiously.

"And this hearing voices is not normal for you?

Giving the Leshy a second look, the young man quickly loses interest and starts to explore the room, making sure to glance outside to see if he sees anything going by the stables.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

"Well I am not finding much here. I wonder why the ghost chose you to talk to Boomsticks..."

After exploring the room, Quinn begins to make a circumspect study of Boomsticks to see if the voices in his head have begun to change his behavior.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

"What is this voice saying to you? Does it want you to harm us or yourself?"

"I've only met a crazy space ghost before, Soddy, and it was crazy. If it hadn't been crazy we probably could've talked to it, but it killed a pathfinder so we had to kill it back."

*"I lived in this house long ago."* Burp

sense motive DC18: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

*"Are you skilled enough to help me?"* Burp.

sense motive DC18: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

*"I want to remember who I was."** Burp. *"I would be thankful if you can find any clues."* Bbburrrrppp.

sense motive DC18: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

"My friends and I have many skills, and I am sure we could help you, if you were more honest with us. If you really want our help, tell us who you are and what you're doing here."

Boomy looks to Quinn, and glances back towards Annea. "I'm beginning to think that this isn't a Sarini after all, otherwise it would be concerned about the potential smear on the family... I'm beginning to think that all ghosts might be crazy; and I'm pretty sure Leshies aren't ghosts any more than fleshies are."

"Maybe I'm just sensitive to this sort of thing."

"Maybe the 'ghost' is Wormgnash and they are trying to find out more about us or slow us down?"

Gervase has had enough of what she now suspects is a trick. "Wormy was described as 'bloated'. Maybe that's what all the:

⚞BUUUUUUUUURP⚟ is about?"

(What? I'm a sailor)

⚓

"Anyways, I vote to move on to the off-foyer door."

The ranger will brazenly open the eastern exit door and move to cover the door concealing another uncleared space.

There she takes up a defensive stance, waiting for the others to help with door-SOP or to suggest another course of action.

The monk silently observes Boom Sticks as he carries on his one-sided conversation. While he is concerned, Bellisir understands that sometimes a communion between the living and the dead can occur but it is a rare happenstance and one he's never experienced. As such, he is at a loss as to what to do.

"Boom Sticks," he says to the leshy. "Does the spirit seem interested in talking to any of us?"

"A trick? Maybe so. Ghosts and spirits and corporeals are all wily things, or can be," Soddy remarks. "Boomy, you should tell the ghost that it's rude to ignore someone that's talking to them. And that maybe we'll help them if they stop being rude and stop lying. Until then, we should keep going."

She then starts to follow after Gervase.

Annea is fairly certain that whoever is speaking is not radiating magic... she hopes.

Knowing she has no way to detect spirits, Annea is unwilling to enter the room until it is properly secured by the more hulking members of the group, but she does offer the following.

"If we think someone is actually in the room I could summon a creature from the elemental plane of air and allow it to charge the area with violent streams of electricity. What do the rest of you think?"

Not the most traditional use of Aggressive Thundercloud but it could work.

*"Fool!"* Burp. The voice in Boom Sticks's mind retorts, furious. *"You’ve already told me all I need to know!"* Bbburrpp.

And the telepathic voice communicates with the leshy no more.

Gervase passes through the door in the east wall of the drawing room, reentering the entrance hall. She opens up the door to the cloakroom. Soddy Daisy follows the ranger.

In the cloakroom, there is a quiver with 5 cold iron arrows, a quiver with 5 cold iron bolts, and a moldy purse that contains 26gp. There are various other garments in the cloakroom, but all are moldy and have a dank smell wafting about them, eliminating any value they once had.

Map & Images

"It was a trick alright, Soddy! The voice just said that I told it all it needed to know. You're probably right, Gervase. I reckon that was Wormgnash! If you didn't sense any magic Annea then he must have been watching by other means: a spyhole in a painting, or an insect familiar too small to be noticed..."

Boomy's little woody face scowls.

Annea cast her cantrip and tried to find any magical auras, but she discovered none.

Map & Images

(Where to next, folks?)

"Well, there seems to be just 2 doors we haven't checked behind. I think we should try that big room next to the stairs."

Quinn begins to leave the drawing room, as he crosses into the main entry he notices Gervase checking out the cloakroom.

"Oh, good find Gervase, now let's go try another door."

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Soddy agrees, moving to follow after Quinn. "If that was Wormgnash then he was very rude, which was unsurprising. And he also knows that we're here so there's less reason to try being sneaky."

"And we found projectiles here! I bet they will be useful to someone."

"Well our presence is know. Whoever we are talking to has an obvious advantage by knowing all of the nooks and crannies of this old house. Be careful."

Boomy follows along with Bellisir and Soddy.

I wonder if I should have said something different? What did I give away?

“Wait up, Quinn. I’ll be there soon.”

Gervase pauses to replace five of her own cold iron arrows with the Sarini ones. The spares are bound together in strips of upholstery and stowed carefully in her backpack.

Hammer at the ready, the ranger then hurries past the leshies to the shifter’s side, ready to aid in door-SOP for the big room. "Are you OK, Soddy? Your leaves look a little wilted."

She also notices the scowl on Boom Sticks' face. "Whatever it is, don't worry about it, Boomy."

"We need your smarts and gun powder for what's ahead."

Nothing observed at the door, Bellisir opens it. Annea moves up, detects no magical auras, and the party files inside the room.

Two large tables flank an oven built into the west wall of this kitchen. Jars of different sizes sit on the two tables in uneven rows. A narrow set of stairs leads down to a dark, musty basement.

Once a well-stocked kitchen, this room now contains only dirty jars, shelves, and barrels. The stairs in the northeast corner of the room descend to the cellar 15 feet below.

Taking about five minutes to rummage through the miscellaneous junk in the kitchen, you find a well-sealed keg of salt that weighs 5 pounds.

(Moved the rest of the party's icons closer to the kitchen door.)

craft (alchemy): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

"Hmm. Salt. Not only does it make very effective non-lethal blunderbuss-shot but also you can pack it tightly and throw it as a grenade - some creatures really don't like salt.

Hey there's lots of jars we can use here - let's make some salt bombs. BOOM!"

Boom Sticks recalls that the salt could be used to fashion up to five splash weapons, each affecting a creature vulnerable to salt with an effect similar to a flask of acid.

Craft Alchemy DC15 to create each alchemical weapon, 5 maximum.

Annea rolls her eyes at Boomy... "It also makes an interesting additive to most meals."

I think Boomy is the only one who can attempt these Craft checks - I don't suppose anyone can grant Guidance or has a way to Aid Another do they? If Aid is possible I'll just Take 10 for a 15, otherwise I'll have to roll. Will spoiler, in case some assistance can be provided.

Boomy goes to work in the kitchen.

"Hey, this is kind of tricky. Bullets are way easier!"

"Sorry Boomy, I can't help you with that."

Gervase wanders out of the kitchen to the south, getting ready for door-SOP on the last remaining ground floor room.

"No rush. I'm ready when y'all are. I'm going to wand myself with another longstrider spell as we hit the first floor."

"Wait, are we going up a level or down a level? I'm sure I saw stairs going down, didn't we think there might be a secret basement dungeon here?"

With just one door on this floor to open, Quinn prepares himself by patiently?? waiting in front of the door while he waits for Boom Sticks to prepare the salt grenades.

"After we clear this next room, we need to decide on whether we go upstairs or down stairs."

Quinn says he doesn't have a preference, but it seems that secretly he wants to go upstairs as he seems much more interested about that floor.

While Boom Sticks manages to create two 'salt bombs', the team discusses whether to explore the cellar first or head upstairs next.

Leaving the matter unsettled for the moment, Gervase leads the team clearing the last room on the ground floor.

In short order, the party clears the space, an empty pantry.

Map & Images

(Up or down? Rule of Two.)

"I think we should start at the top and work our way down," Bellisir says. "The landing was safe when I had to circle it fighting the mite. No one attacked me and there were no traps."

"And if this is the only way to reach the basement," the half-elf says, an idea forming in his mind. "We should block the kitchen door. Enemies in the basement would be unable to surprise us as we search upstairs."

"That sounds wise. And no one mentioned seeing a basement or cellar exit anywhere outside the house or on the mansion grounds. So I think we should block the door too and go upstairs. Anything that might be in the basement can just wait its turn until we get to them."

The leshy makes a sound that you'd swear is an indignant sort of sniff.

"Besides, I bet they could stand to learn some patience anyway."

"I'm good with going up to the first floor."

Gervase begins ⚞dragging... unfixed furniture to barricade the portal to the cellar, as directed by Bellisir and Soddy.

"Yeah, I can shift it a foot to the right if you want."

*grumble, grumble*

"There is one problem though."

Gervase smiles now. "I can't remember if it's: 'if in doubt, always go left OR always go right.'"

"Whichever it is, I vote for opening that door at the top of the stairs."

Guessing left. Please move Gervase to the other door, if it's right ;)

"Up a level it is then. Hey, does anyone want a salt bomb? I only managed to make two of them - wrong kind of jars, I think. Soddy, you're good at throwing. Do you want one or both of them?"

anyone who'd like a salt bomb, please say. Happy to give them both away - Boomy has a few salt shot rounds as well as cold iron pellets/bullets for the demonic stuff.

Boom Sticks makes their way up the stairs.

"Oh! Yes, I will take one please," Soddy answers, holding out one viney hand before following after Boomy and Gervase.

"Are you OK, Soddy? Your leaves look a little wilted."

"Really? I feel okay...but sometimes my daisies end up needing watering before my most of me does. I will do that soon!"

Gervase leads the team upstairs and to a door in the northeast corner of the floor. Nothing observed at the door, Bellisir opens it. Annea moves up, detects no magical auras, and the party files inside the room.

The large windows of this small bedroom offer a magnificent view of the hills to the northeast. The Sarinis used this room as a guest room. There is nothing of value in this room, but from this unique vantage point, you can see a metallic glint of something small lying on the roof of the gazebo in the garden.

While Soddy Daisy is still looking out the window, trying to figure out what's on the roof of the gazebo, the rest of the party notices some letters scratched into the floor near the bed. Looking under the bed, you see the words 'help me' carved into the hardwood planks in a dark substance—likely a plea from a long-dead servant, perhaps trying to hide from her murderous employers.

Map & Images

"Fleshies normally don't put shiny things on top of their gazebos, do they?" Soddy asks as she peers out the window, blissfully unaware of the chilling words carved into the floor. "It seems odd. One of us should climb up there and see what it is. After we're done inside the house, I mean."

"Yeah, or maybe Tyndyn can fly out the window and go get it!" if the shiny isn't too big

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”

Gervase kneels down and frowns at the ‘help me’ carving in the floorboards. “I’m guessing we’re going to come across something undead up here.”

“Annea, can Tyndyn have a look through the external window into the room to our south, and communicate back to you what he sees?”

“I don’t think we should go through the southern door until we’ve done that and got the shiny.”

Gervase wands herself with a longstrider charm and turns to stand watch over the door.

With something shiny spotted on the gazebo outside, Quinn moves to the window and tries to open it to see if that improves his vision.

Stealth (to open window quietly): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Strength (to open window likely stuck): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

With the window open, and making a possible route for Tyndyn, Quinn takes a closer look at the object on the gazebo.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

"Well, this house isn't going to clear itself. I agree with Gervase, let us try that door to the south."

Quinn moves to the closed door and waits for the party to decide what we should do next.