[PFS] GM MattMorris In the Grandmaster's Name (Inactive)

Game Master ChesterCopperpot

if we are going to stealth through the house, Darkpaw should probably stay behind. If we are now switching to gun's blazing mode then she can come along

Grel will cast Barkskin up in the sky before coming down to the party and assuming his normal form.

He looks over the door and listens for anything beyond. He will also use his Spirit Sense to peer into the next room.

Spirit Sense to detect outsiders, undead, or fey.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27

None of those types of creature. You do see two humans setting the long table inside the dining room.

Grel waits for a signal from the rest to open the door and enter.

"Wait!" Not-Trixie says in a hushed voice. "Karasuma, do you want to see if there's a window on this side of the house that doesn't have occupants on the other side? The less people we alert, the better." Moving back into the maze a short distance, she chants a few magic-laced words and draws streaks across her eyes. "There we go - that should help keep someone from getting the jump on us as easily," she states in a satisfied way as she returns to the house. "Now, Karasuma, what did you find?"

Casting see invisibility.

Without even needing to be prompted the tengu had begun a quick recon looking for other rooms as 'Not-Trixie' had indicated, though they took a slightly slower pace to minimize chances of being seen.

Stealth (Hide in Plain Sight if applicable): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (5) + 16 = 21

Karasuma's Take-10 Perception is 29, 31 if it's a trap. With both Trap Finder and Trap Spotter going, he's going to check all the other windows for occupants in the room, and then open a window in an unoccupied room if it is not trapped. He will then report back via the 'dropped note' method with the best access option.

As far as Karasuma can tell, none of the windows are trapped, though they are all locked. No one is present in the bedroom. Inside the entrance hall, a tiefling woman paces back-and-forth. She wears long white gloves, and a white uniform made from fine silks, trimmed with fur and jewels.

The lock in the uninhabited bedroom proves little impediment for Karasuma, but as he slides up the sash, an audible alarm sounds, creating a noticeable chime of a hand bell.

(As a lover of sneaky characters, I think it's lame that alarm doesn't count as a trap, but here we are. :/ )

What would Karasuma do when he heard the alarm?

Given that the goal was to infiltrate without raising an alarm, the fact that the window did indeed have an alarm hardly gave the tengu pause. He quickly slides the window back down then snugs the side of the building while fading back into the shadows to give his report to the team via dropped note.

Stealth(HideInPlainSight): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (15) + 16 = 31

If the staff has the means to scry beyond just being alerted by the alarm there's little he can do about that.

Tiefling rich white, ent. hall, majordomo? Window Alarm spell. Hit every window? Make 'malfunction'? Security consultants?

To be fair, a lightning bolt on a clear day and possible fire in the maze should have already alerted the manor. :P

"Stealth seems to be a losing proposition. Do we charge in or try to pretend the lady of the house hired us for defense testing?" Sarma interprets quickly.

Artoria sighs as she opens up her familiar satchel and lets Archimedes free. "Works for me."

Now that Archimedes is out, he will sit on her shoulder and recast Guidance on her so it's up all the time.

Artoria reaches into her haversack, muttering to herself something about "Merlin always moving her stuff around" (how I flavor her haunted curse) then draws a wand of mage armor and holds it out for Not-Trixie. "If you wouldn't mind, Archimedes could use the protection."

”Wait,” Not-Trixie says as her companions begin pulling out weapons. ”If the alarm is on one side of the house, then we can enter through the other side. Give the guards a ‘false alarm’ to deal with.” She briskly taps Artoria’s owl friend with the offered wand, then passes it back.

"I like that idea better. Does anyone know how to dispel an alarm? Surely there will be one on the other entrances also. Can anyone here detect magic?"

We'll only trigger the other alarm. I have no means to disable an alarm but I can detect them. We've triggered one already, I would prepare for battle. Grel makes sure the warhammer is gripped well in his hand.

Not-Trixie raises her hand in response to Peribras's question. "I can remove magic such as an alarm spell," she says as she begins studying the windows carefully.

Casting detect magic, have dispel magic prepared.

If Not-Trixie proceeds he will go to protect her. Someone could some through that door any second. Someone watch our rear.

Not-Trixie, you find that every window you examine has an alarm spell, but you don't notice any other magic auras near the windows. You can attempt to dispel the window of your choice.

Artoria nods to Grel then takes up position at the back of the group, taking special care to watch the group's back.

Peribras nods and goes around with Not-Trixie, motioning for Darkpaw to wait in the maze.

Lol, the only windows not in the bedroom are either right next to the front door or the back door.

Not-Trixie pauses a moment and scans the back door of the estate. If we don't need to use a spell to get inside, all the better, she rationalizes.

If the door is not warded with magic, she'll look for traps (Perception Take 10 = 26), then test to see if it is locked (Disable Device Take 10 = 24 if needed). If the door is warded, she'll compare the defenses to the windows. Unless the doors are warded with a greater abjuration than the windows, she'll use the door for ease of getting people in/out.

The door is not warded by magic, nor trapped, nor locked. There are two people inside the dining room who look to be domestic staff. They aren't paying much attention to what is going on outside and don't appear to have noticed any of you.

"If there was an alarm, it doesn't seem to have put the place into lockdown," Not-Trixie murmurs to her companions. "Does anyone feel confident spinning a tale of why a bunch of strange folks armed to the teeth might have suddenly shown up at the back door of the estate?"

Not-Trixie is decent, but not great at bluffing (+13). She can take the lead if nobody else wants to - otherwise, she'll be happy to automatically aid someone else's check.

Happy to back any of that up. Grel has a +1 to his social skills, so not taking the lead.

I'll also say that the servants don't seem particularly concerned about the alarm. It has stopped ringing, at this point.

Karasuma is doing their level best to remain un-noticed and keeping an eye out for traps/devices or the like, as well as possible avenues of exploration from the room.

Stealth(HIPS): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (6) + 16 = 22

Perception(if Take10 not valid): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (16) + 19 = 35+2 if trap, Trap Finder and Spotter

If they see anything of notice they will communicate it to the party via 'dropped note'.

Karasuma, you see that there are several doors leading out of the dining room. A single door to the west, a single door to the east--which you assume leads to the kitchens (the servants have retrieved some objects from that direction)--and double doors leading to the south.

Going clockwise. Be right back.

The tengu will attempt to enter the kitchen area, trying to time entry with the hustle and bustle of servants.

Proposed direction with black arrow and number. If there's a protest from the party he will hold up until the party is ready for him to proceed.

Going to be at work and non-Internet capable in approximately two hours until sometime this evening, and likewise for tomorrow.

Karasuma, I assume you are opening the back door to get in? Let me know if you are doing otherwise.

Rest of the Party: You see the dropped note from the shadowdancer. The backdoor opens and shuts almost silently--it must be well-maintained.

Thought it was open, but sure, let's go with that unless there are any objections.

The barrister makes their way carefully, mindful for traps and observers and the like, checking each of the rooms in turn, but after getting halfway into the kitchen ie, if he can get past spot marked '3' without major incident he will withdraw to drop another note to the party with details of the three rooms as well as a request for the party to move 'up' so he has some support.

It won't be a heavily detailed note, because of perceived time constraints.

Thank you for your patience, heading to work now.

Peribras decides to follow along with Karasamu. " I can match him for stealth and I would rather he not be alone " he tells the party as he goes in.

stealth, ACP: 10 + 18 - 1 = 27

please move Peribras along with you, spacing him out behind you when appropriate, Karasamu/GM

Artoria continues to focus on her duty to watch the party's rear, trying to avoid speaking and drawing attention.

She continues to follow along with the group as directed by those in front

Not-Trixie stays towards the middle of the group (probably behind Peribas). "Thank goodness we've got someone like Grel, eh?" she whispers to her dwarven companion with a smile.

Stealth (if needed): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22

Correct me if I'm wrong about any of this, folks.

Karasuma, Peribras, and Not-Trixie slip past the servants and into the kitchen area, while Artoria, Grel, and Sarma skulk outside the back door.

Karasuma finds that the three northern rooms are spartan living quarters, each containing a bed and a simple wardrobe. A neatly-folded Blackjacket uniform sits on the end of one of the beds.

The stealth squad can no see into the kitchen. Marble countertops and cooking ranges constructed of living steel occupy this spacious kitchen. An island of the same glossy green metal provides a workstation complete with ebony and mahogany cutting boards and an impressive set of cutlery. Atop the workstation, finely chopped ingredients in glass measuring cups await attention from the chef. Pots and pans hang from hooks on the walls and ceiling. An alcove in the southeastern wall leads to the pantry.

What now?

Grel is increasingly nervous about entering the house and the time since the alarm. He won't hazard making any more noise and endanger the crew in the house, so he waits.

Peribras is playing follow the leader with Karasamu. If he doesn't post soon I can take the lead instead

Karasuma advances into the kitchen cautiously, checking out the dining area and then the remainder of the doors in a clockwise fashion. 4, 5, 6 marked on map

He will drop notes as necessary to convey concerns as he progresses.

Marble countertops and cooking ranges constructed of living steel occupy this spacious kitchen. An island of the same glossy green metal provides a workstation complete with ebony and mahogany cutting boards and an impressive set of cutlery. Atop the workstation, finely chopped ingredients in glass measuring cups await attention from the chef. Pots and pans hang from hooks on the walls and ceiling. An alcove in the southeastern wall leads to the pantry.

A conspicuously locked and trapped drawer sits in one corner of the kitchen, but Karasuma has no problem with either impediment.

Inside are a set of cold iron cooking knifes and a recipe book marked "Secret! Do not touch!"

"Goodness, what do you suppose could require cold iron knives to cut?" Not-Trixie asks as she follows the trail of notes. "Or do you think they're just fancy? And what could be so secret as to require such an obvious label?" She studies the book in fascination.

Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (11) + 16 = 27

As the kitchen seems quite deserted, Not-Trixie doubles back and beckons the rest of the Pathfinders to follow before returning to the very-secret book.

Sarma moves to a good vantage point to keep watch on the house without being readily discovered by the guard patrols.

I'm fine with having Stealth rolled if/when it becomes necessary.

Not-Trixie, the book seems to be full of exotic recipes. They are very interesting! Lots of strange flavor combinations.

Where to now?

For 5:
The household stores dry goods in the pantry. Sacks of flour and grains, barrels of cooking wine, and shelves containing root vegetables and dried herbs occupy this room. Stairs in the center of the room lead down.

They've been gone too long. They may have stirred up trouble. Should we enter? Grel tentatively looks into the house.

Not-Trixie waves for the rest of the Pathfinders to join her in the kitchen. "C'mon!" she whispers with a smile.

Grel hunkers down and slowly plods along to join Not-Trixie.

The servants continue to ignore you as long as you don't bother them.

(And don't bring in the wolf. These folks aren't great servants, but I think that would stir some alarms.)

If Karasuma has some people that want to go downstairs with him, he'll check out the cellar next before moving to the other door he wanted to check out.

Peribras nods and follows Karasuma down to the cellar.

The wolf is staying outside in the hedge until further notice

With at least one party member wanting to go with, the subtle attorney makes their way down the stairs slowly. He is mindful of any safeguards or the like on the way down -- while it'd be unlikely that the owner would trap a root cellar, it isn't beyond the realm of possibility.

Grel uses his keen senses to keep an eye out from being detected. He's cautious not to cast any spells lest he raise more attention.

perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20