Pathfinder Module: Down the Blighted Path (Inactive)

Game Master R D

"Thank you, Parkhtu," says Kelvor. "That thing hit hard."

Take as much time as you need to heal, explore, ask questions, etc. Do you want to stay here (room 20) and examine the runes/door, or do you want to clear the rest of the Redoubt? Or rest? Or something else?

The runes on the northern door of this chamber are Dwarven, and in that language read, “Those who stand against injustice, those sired by the will to defend, announce yourselves and enter.” Even a cursory investigation shows that the door is locked and magically sealed.

Parkhtu doesn't speak Dwarven, luckily Turen translates this for us. Parkhtu tries to get the door to open.

"I am Parkhtu Akhen-Amun, healer and defender of Sarenrae, and I stand against injustice."

If the door doesn't open, he tries again in Dwarven, with Turen hopefully telling him what to say. He'll take a few minutes and try variations of the statement to see if the door unlocks this way.

If the door doesn't open, Parkhtu feels we should finish investigating this level.

"Never leave an enemy able to stab you in the back. Plus, we're not sure where the dwarf captives are being held," he says, optimistic that they're still alive.

Parkhtu speaks boldly before the door. Sadly, it does not open.

Any particular direction y'all want to go?

"I think we need more components of the oath to unlock this door," says Kelvor, reminding everybody of the two parts of an oath the team has heard so far.

"Let's go out the double doors and investigate doorways in the hallway."

Double doors to the southwest in E3

"Excellent point.
"We who are born with blade in hand."
"By sweat and blood, we have come here."

Nothing? OK, let's go."

Either set of double doors off E3 is fine. As we cross E3 I assume we can see down the hallway to the south now, is that toward the main entrance that we bypassed?

Turen follows the others towards the double doors.

"Sounds good!"

As Parkhtu recites a portion of the oath, he feels a stirring in his heart. It's a surprising sense of duty and service. He feels, too, that the door seems to respond--just a little.
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Map has been updated.

E3 Is just a hallway: Beyond the main hall, a divided hallway branches off diagonally to the northeast and northwest. Two sets of metal double doors are located in the center of each of the southeastern and southwestern walls. An open stairway in the eastern hallway leads to the upper level.

E2 Statues depicting stern dwarven figures line this hall, separating 60 body-sized niches carved into the walls. A meticulous mosaic of a flame-enshrouded axe covers the floor at the room’s center. Heavy stone doors lead south, and two smaller doors nearly blend into the walls on each side of the main entrance. A short hallway leads deeper into the redoubt.

Investigate E2!

Anji follows closesly behind Kelvor, detecting magic as he wanders the halls, in hopes to find someting magical.

Secret check
1d20 ⇒ 17
Got it on the first one!
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While you're coming out of E20 (not even in E3, yet), you notice some movement in E2. Looks like dwarves, but they're not moving "right." (There's something odd and stiff about their movements.)

"We should sneak up on them," whispers Parkhtu while wearing full plate with a flaming stone circling his head like a halo.

Knowledge religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

"I'm gonna go with 'What are undead dwarves' on this one," says Kelvor, as if playing that old Shoanti childhood game of 'Danger.'

Parkhtu recognizes that, not only are these dwarves undead, they're kitted out the same as the undead who attacked the town after the Spring Muddle. They're dwarves who formerly served as Delbera's comrades and were heroes in life.

Y'all can strategize about how to get 'em, if you like. Looks like there are 3 undead in E2, currently. But, it also looks like they might have come from the double doors beyond. (I have not yet revealed that area on the map.)

"Parhktu, Anji, perhaps you can lay down some damage from a distance, before Manaria and I charge in and follow up with some good, old-fashion smashing?" suggests Kelvor. "And you too, of course, Terra. M'lady."

"Sorry, I'm not really a ranged combat kind of person. I'm ready to move in!"

Do these look like skeletons again, or something more zombie-like? If it looks like more skeletons, Parkhtu will wield the +1 warhammer we found earlier, unless another melee combatant needs it.

Looks like the skeletal champion fighters, again.

If you're just rushing in, I'm fine with you all using a surprise round since I rolled a super high perception for the party a few posts back.

Before rushing in, Kelvor wonders if he’s missing something...

Knowledge (dungeoneering): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Before rushing in, Kelvor wonders if he’s missing something...

[dice=Knowledge (dungeoneering)]1d20+5

Nope. All good. Unless you, the player, would like some info?

Map has been updated with skeletons. (2nd slide)

"I'm ready!"

Parkhtu is ready to go! Unfortunately, the cursed voices in his head cause him to take no actions in the surprise round.

Kelvor of the Shundar-Quah wrote:

Before rushing in, Kelvor wonders if he’s missing something...

[dice=Knowledge (dungeoneering)]1d20+5

Nope. All good. Unless you, the player, would like some info?

Map has been updated with skeletons. (2nd slide)

I, the player, would like some info.

I, the player, would like some info.

Sure! :-) About what?

Kelvor of the Shundar-Quah wrote:

I, the player, would like some info.

Sure! :-) About what?

What is the meaning of life?

Also, what is the deal in E2 that I'm missing?

ROFL! :D

Given the numbering of the rooms, and the presence of the double doors to the south, you suspect that room E1 is beyond. In my previous post, I tried to hint that there might be more undead shenanigans in E1. ;)

I've kept it covered by the "fog of war" because the doors are shut. But I'm happy to remove all the fog, if that's the way that the party prefers to play.

I didn't mean to make it a bigger deal than it is. However, if we were playing face-to-face and you asked that, I would totally put on a neutral visage and bluff that there's something awful down there. LOL!
__________

Either way, y'all can surprise round the enemy. I think you might be able to end them before we roll formal initiative. *shrug*

Kelvor charges in and gets up and close and personal with one of the skeletal champions.

Don't think Kelvor can get there in a surprise round. But he tries.

The meaning of life is: 42

Anji cast Guidance on Terra and Terra single moves for their surprise round actions. Also going on a limb that it's not yet 1 hour of Terra's mage armor otherwise Anji will instead take out his wand.

"Undead scum! This is unnatural, we must banish them with magic!"

Kelvor, I noticed you're adjacent to the enemy? If you did that in a single move you can complete a single move charge action in the surprise round..

Kelvor, I noticed you're adjacent to the enemy? If you did that in a single move you can complete a single move charge action in the surprise round..

He didn’t move in a straight line. And he had obstacles between him and the skeletal champion. And it was further than 40ft away and he had to double move.

Turen scratches his head. "I think some of my magic won't work if it's undead?" He turns to the party. "Hey speaking of undead, did you hear what happened to the skeleton who stayed by the fire for too long?
He became bone dry. Ha...get it!"

Since you have the opportunity to ambush them, I'm fine with giving Kelvor the charge. I mean, in the spirit of cooperation, everyone moved over to give him a clear lane, right? Feel free to roll an attack, if you wish.

Same with the rest of you. You noticed them first, so you slide into optimal positions.
__________

@Turen: ROFL! :D

Kelvor swings mightily.

Pwr Atk: 1d20 + 14 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 14 + 2 = 26 Dmg: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (3, 4) + 20 = 27

Indeed! Kelvor strikes a mighty bow against the first skeleton. However, his enemy remains standing.

Yes, Anji, you can still have mage armor going. :)

Taking some liberties with Bhuukka and Manaria since their availability is temporarily limited.

Bhuukka casts guidance on Manaria who then charges the enemy that Kelvor wounded, and the skeleton crumples to the ground.

Attack+Charge+Guidance: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 8 + 2 + 1 = 30, Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
__________

Any other last minute details before we enter combat?

Okie dokie. Here we go!

Hassle in the Hallway
Round 1

Manaria is up first. (Hope the conference went well, Manaria.)

Will put Manaria in delay and move along the initiative order, if there's no post by Wednesday AM.

It went well enough. The hard part is switching back to night shift after working 3 days.

Manaria charges ahead once more and strikes yellow.

charging attack: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 8 + 2 = 261d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Hassle in the Hallway
Round 1, continued
__________

I hear ya! Travel plus work can be a very draining mix.
__________

The magus opts for a straightforward attack, reserving magical shenanigans for a more powerful enemy.
__________

One of the skeletons lashes out, but its old bones are too shaky. It misses by a wide margin.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
__________

Kelvor is up!

Kelvor steps forward and swings and then swings again, seeking to pulverize the undead creature before him.

Pwr Atk: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26 Dmg: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (1, 2) + 20 = 23
Itr PA: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25 Dmg: 2d6 + 17 ⇒ (5, 6) + 17 = 28

Shaking his head to rattle the voices out, Parkhtu double moves into the fray, +1 warhammer in hand. Thankfully, there is no damage to absorb.

Hassle in the Hallway
Round 1, continued
__________

Kelvor brings mercy to one of the animated skeletons. As it collapses, he can almost hear its spirit exhale in relief. Was that part of the oath it spoke?
__________

The remaining undead attacks with its urgosh. Unlike its allies, this skeleton strikes true at Manaria and deals 11 HP of damage.

attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25, damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
__________

Turen, Anji+Terra, and Bhuukka are up!

Anji carefully threads slightly forward as Terra immediately charges at the skeleton extending her blade it hopes to cut it's head cleanly off.

+1 Longsword, Charge, Guidance: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 8 + 2 + 1 = 28P/S: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Terra charges, and Anji just moves.

Turen, you're up! :)

Turen shoots his crossbow at the nearest bad guy.

Ranged: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

sorry as a fey prankster most of my abilities don't work against undead

sorry as a fey prankster most of my abilities don't work against undead

I hear ya!

Terra and Turen attack one of the skeletons, but their attacks don't seem to be as effective as usual. The undead, whose eyes seem to glow an unnatural safety-yellow color, scans the party as if trying to decide on a target.
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Hassle in the Hallway
Round 2
__________

Manaria
Kelvor
Parkhtu
Enemy
Turen
Anji
Bhuukka
__________

Manaria, Kelvor, and Parkhtu are up!

Kelvor steps forward slightly and swings his mighty earthbreaker down square on the thing's skull. And again! And again!

Pwr Atk: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28 Dmg: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (4, 2) + 20 = 26
Iterative PA: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27 Dmg: 2d6 + 17 ⇒ (1, 1) + 17 = 19 CRIT THREAT
Crit Itr PA: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15 Dmg: 2d6 + 17 ⇒ (1, 6) + 17 = 24

And, with a mighty blow, Kelvor ends the threat. Combat over!
__________

Next Room (E1): Four stone columns stand evenly spaced in a square in the center of this foyer. Closed double stone doors matching the outer doors stand opposite the entryway. Narrow slits line the walls that run the length of the room. The stone tile floor and walls are scarred with the signs of a battle long past. Three gray-skinned dwarves lie in dried pools of blood in the middle of the room.

"Does anyone else feel like this is a trap?"

Parkhtu will let his life link pull 10 hp of damage from Manaria, then he'll cast one of his own cure light wounds spells on himself.

Cure light: 1d8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 + 2 = 11

Can we tell from the doorway how the dwarves died? Any obvious arrows sticking out of them? Do they appear to be duergar, or regular dwarves who turned gray from bleeding out?

If no one else has done it by this point, Parkhtu will cast detect magic into the room, but is reluctant to enter yet. However, we might need to trigger this in order to get another piece of the oath.

Turen will peak into the room as he stands near Parkhtu.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Four stone columns stand evenly spaced in a square in the center of this foyer. Closed double stone doors matching the outer doors stand opposite the entryway. Narrow slits line the walls that run the length of the room. The stone tile floor and walls are scarred with the signs of a battle long past. Three gray-skinned dwarves lie in dried pools of blood in the middle of the room.

A couple of you can detect the smell of leather and blood. You immediately recognize that this is another haunt. You get the strong sense that you want to defend Firebrand's Redoubt.

Suspecting what must be done, Parkhtu will ask for Sarenrae's guidance, enter the foyer, and approach the three bodies. Out of habit, he'll examine them for a possible cause of death and estimate how long ago they died, unless something else happens first.

Heal check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17