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”We can all fly over with little effort. But getting the gate open was one of the requirements. Those not assisting with the lock could fly up and check the other side. Which begs the question as an interest of the Keeper of the First Vault -who would have the key to this lock in the first place? “
"What's going on, bro'? Jack asks the Pathfinder guard. "You keeping folks in, or are you keeping folks out?"
"Guard duty, sir!" the man says to Jack, his voice cracking slightly as he does so. "I drew the short straw for first watch, so here I am!"
Greetings, agent. Yes, Abadar acknowledges your thanks. And indeed, 'Venture Captain' Eliza did send us. Remember proper protocol would be to refer to her by her earned honorific title. But under the circumstances, we will allow the infraction this time.
Hugo's admonishment leaves the Pathfinder momentarily speechless, the man seemingly completely overwhelmed by the intense lawful aura the cleric is surely radiating in his direction. "Errr...ummm...my apologies, sir. Won't forget next time I see the Venture-Captain, sir!"
Now, what is your situation report? What have you seen regarding movement, sounds, vibrations, auras or the like? Are there any other agents inside? Anyone flying overhead?
"I haven't heard or seen much from this vantage point, sir! There is some smoke I saw rising into the sky from beyond the wall, though." The Pathfinder rubs his chin thoughtfully. "Can't do much of that magic thing others do, so can't help you there. Not sure how many were left inside before the doors were locked...maybe twenty or so?"
Those not assisting with the lock could fly up and check the other side. Which begs the question as an interest of the Keeper of the First Vault -who would have the key to this lock in the first place?
"Not very many, sir! The gate typically is only closed in emergencies, so a Venture-Captain usually has to get one of the Decemvirate to loan their key out to close them. Maybe one of them thought something was going on, and locked it as a precaution?"
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Marcus sets to work with Hugo and Jack's assistance, both magical and mundane.
The lock is a masterpiece, beyond anything Marcus has seen before. With a touch of luck, Jack's occasional reminder, and the other two agents holding key tumblers Marcus is able to open the gate.
The look of intense concentration fades from Marcus's face as the past keyhole turns and opens.
One piece, just like she asked.
The guard Pathfinder just stands by and gapes as the massive gates swing slowly open nearby. "Gee whiz, mister! Maybe I can be as good as you someday or somethin'!"
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”Nice job Marcus and Jack with the gate!”
Taking another look at the lodge then floating down to talk to the others.
”It should be off limits. They might be trying to take cover from the blob coming out of the mausoleum or the fires at Starhall. Check on them, deal with the blob then with the fire at the Starhall, after all they are all right there in the triangle of each other.”
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Once through the gate and on the other side of the wall, Jack looks around the grounds of the Grand Lodge eerily empty of the bustling crowds that he's used to.
He notices streams of smoke billowing out of the windows of Starhall, the flickering flames visible within.
In the distance, he sees a writhing mass of bodies slowly surging out of the Mausoleum in a hideous blob.
Two groups of Pathfinders move about the various buildings with purpose, carrying objects and stacks of papers.
Then Jack notices a lone figure fiddling with something on the door to the Center House; a building off-limits to most rank-and-file agents.
Jack tries to make sense of all that he's observing.
"Now that Marcus opened the gate, we've paved the way for reinforcements," Jack says, making a gesture that looks like checking a block on the team's to-do list.
"Our remaining tasks are to reestablish control of the campus, keep an eye out for survivors, identify what’s going on, and put a stop to any of Vahlo's and Torch's devious plans."
"The hideous blob emerging from the Mausoleum seems the gravest and most immediate threat. Let's deal with that first."
How are the folks moving documents and artifacts reacting to the hideous blob emerging from the Mausoleum. Fear? Unconcerned?
They seem to be actively aware of the situation, and seem to be moving swiftly to clear out whatever they are doing because of it. Due to the distance, you aren't able to make out any facial reactions, but their body reactions seem to be more in the lines of caution rather than fear.
How are they reacting to the fire? Are they trying to save items from it? Does it seem that they are looting items, having set the fire themselves?
They actively seem to be ignoring Starhall, even to the point of giving it an almost excessively wide berth for some reason. Their actions seem definitely in line with looting, but seems more pointed and purposeful; as if each item they are carrying is intentionally targeted. None of them are carrying any kind of item (e.g. torches) that seem in line with starting the fires, but it is certainly possible that they might be the culprit.
How are they reacting to the lone individual trying to enter the usually off-limits building?
They appear to either actively ignoring the individual at the center building, or there is nothing that they are interested to get from the building.
How is the lone individual reacting to all of this?
The individual near the center building seems to almost have a laser focus on whatever task they are doing with the door. If you watch for several minutes, that person is doing nothing else but fiddling with the door; appearing to not even notice the seething horde of bodies coming from the mausoleum.
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Jack shares his sense of the situation inside the Grand Lodge.
"The folks moving documents and artifacts seem to be aware of the hideous blob emerging from the Mausoleum, and they're moving swiftly to clear out whatever they can because of it. They seem cautious rather than afraid."
"They seem to be ignoring Starhall, giving it an almost excessively wide berth for some reason. Their 'looting' seems purposeful, as if each item they're carrying is intentionally selected. I don't see anything that indicates they started the fire."
"They're either ignoring the person attempting to enter the center building, or there's nothing they're interested to get from the building."
"The individual near the center building seems to almost have a laser focus on whatever task he or she is doing with the door."
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Excellent intel. Now, unless there is an urgency with the blob, we can probably work our way towards it. As a investigator for lost relics of Abadar, I am still very concerned with this person potentially unauthorized to access the Center House building.
But it can wait if lives are in danger as the masoleum and Center House are in close proximity.
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"Well I feel whatever is going on at the mausoleum is the biggest problem out of the four right now. We can stop by the Center House and deal with that on the way if you wish Hugo." Thinking a moment then continuing "I feel after those we need to check on the fire in Starhall and lastly with them not seeming in danger check on the two groups running about."
The group advances towards the Center House without issue. As they grow closer to the building, the group is able to see that the individual fiddling with the door is a halfling woman hacking away almost mindlessly at the door with a now very worn-down looking shortsword. She does not even look up from her task as the Pathfinders come closer, the incredibly reinforced door appearing to be completely undamaged from her attacks.
"Must...chronicle...everything...inside..." the woman continually mutters to her self as she hacks away with the slowly breaking shortsword.
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Casting detect magic
"I can try to remove the spell from her or I think it would be easier to talk her into trying to go to the front gates and keep track of all those coming and going into the lodge. Safer for her with the others that will be gathering there." Looking at his familiar "Sprite help me talk her into going to the front gates."
Sprite uses Repartee to aid in diplomacy.
Sprite adds 2d4 to the diplomacy check.
"Janira was it? I think your time would be better spent chronicling the events of the front gate and who is coming into and out of the lodge."
"Janira was it? I think your time would be better spent chronicling the events of the front gate and who is coming into and out of the lodge."
"I...must...chronicle?" Janira asks haltingly as Charleston's words seem to reorient her. "Yes...chronicle...everyone..." she stumbles away from the door as the halfling begins her slow progress towards the front gate.
"What broke the halfling?" Gerdur asks in an undertone.
The halfling continues to mutter as she stumbles away, the group hearing her continually mention a "masked man" and "the red blade" during her ramblings. Should any further interaction be desired with Janira, her stumbling progress towards the gate should make it easy to catch up with her.
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She seems harmless for now. At least when measured against the other atrocities we can see from here. I can try a protection spell on her when we get a chance.
Stay close if you want the wards of the circle to hedge out mind controls.
Hugo will fly with the others (assume 15' altitude and no closer than 65' to any creatures we encounter).
So the nefarious blob is the next closest activity, I believe.
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"I'll catch up with you soon," Jack calls after Janira, as she heads for the gate. "I'd like to pick her addled brain about what's going on and who's responsible."
Jack nods in agreement with Gerdur. "Yeah, it doesn't look like anyone else is going to deal with the hideous blob, and it won't slay itself."
Jack moves toward the blob, attempting to identify it from as safe a distance as possible, before beginning a bardic performance or casting a spell.
The group moves towards the Mausoleum, gaining better perspective on the growing horde of undead creatures there. They note as they stop to observe at a safe distance that while there certainly appears a large number outside of the Mausoleum, the inside of the structure is twice as congested with the menacing monsters as if they are continually being spawned by some source within!
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Shoving his way into the swarm of zombies Marcus spots a pillar at the core.
Hey! Over here! There's something in the middle.
After elbowing aside another crowd of mindless undead Marcus finally gets a look at the source.
He lets out a snort. I could shut this off in my sleep. Keep them away and this will be done in less than a minute.
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"The 'blob' is a teeming horde of undead zombies and skeletons, with a smattering of other undead creatures, too," Jack warns the team. "Their sheer numbers could potentially overwhelm and bludgeon people to death. Positive energy and that target or affect undead creatures should work."
"There's likely some source of negative energy within the Mausoleum causing them to appear as they are."
After Hugo unleashes a burst of channeled positive energy that clears a path through the undead horde, Jack spies the source.
"Over there! See that bone pylon radiating malevolent negative energy? Marcus, disable it, if you can!"
Jack begins singing, inspiring the team.
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"I agree with Jack on the undead"
Taking the wand of channel the gift from Sprite. After using the wand and casting a fireball at the mass by the door inside.
"Well I've never seen so many targets. It would probably be best to wait and hide out here Sprite."
Sprite cast invisibility and hides.
"Marcus if you can shut it off somehow without destroying it that would probably be best. Might be able to gleam more knowledge or maybe even a way to reverse it and stop the undead."
To see if we can use the pylon to reverse what it is doing.
As the path is cleared for Marcus to advance, he immediately gets a slight ocular migraine as he senses that a trap is afoot!
He realizes that attempting to deactivate the pylon will result in a wave of negative energy that would deal massive amounts of damage and level drain. After noticing this trap, he is easily able to deactivate that portion of the pylon first before moving to disable the actual effect animating the undead hordes.
As Marcus finishes up with the first pylon, he quickly realizes that there are two additional pylons that require his attention before his task will be complete. This takes an additional rounds of his time to complete.
While Marcus powers through his efforts, Charleston is able to glean further insight into the power behind the pylons; Gerdur gleefully clearing out any undead that get too close during Charleston's focus. It becomes readily evident that while the pylons have an obvious function of causing undead to spawn, they also appear to have a secondary function as serving as a minor focus for an ongoing ritual of some kind. The intention or purpose of the ritual though is something that he is unable to determine at this time.
Finally, during this entire endeavor, Gerdur is able to completely demolish undead monstrosities to his heart's content.
After the destruction of the final pylon, all of the remaining undead corpses collapse motionless to the group; the animating force behind them dissipated.
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"Nice work, gents," Jack slaps the backs of the team. "Let's get to the bottom of what's going on here."
The bard approaches the nearest group of agents removing objects and documents from the buildings within the Grand Lodge. [b]"Yo, Pathfinder!" he shouts at one of them who seems like he's leading the effort. "Venture-Captain Jack. What the hell is going on here? Who's in charge? Anybody trying to put out that fire?"
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Excellent cooperation and use of talents to end the threat.
Hugo accompanies Jack to the next locale.
And Venture-Captain Hugo Victor, so yes, we are concerned with the well being of agents as well as the documents and artifacts. Answer quickly, as time is a precious commodity in short supply.
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“Fascinating I didn’t know you had an eye for fine art Marcus. Twix PB’s paintings of events and historical sites for the Society are truly fascinating. However, the main function of those pylons was the creation of undead. I fear that there was a second function as a focus for some other ritual. Though without more information, that’s all I can tell you. Though if someone spent the time to set up something like this up, we should be able to find out what it is as we retake the lodge.”
As we exit the Mausoleum, Charleston will find Sprite and hand back over the wand.
As we arrive at the next location and Jack takes charge will of talking to the two groups. Charleston will turn his attention to see what kind of items and documents they are carrying using perception and knowledge arcana to determine if any of it is related to magic or rituals of any kind. Finally using sense motive to get a feel for what they are up to and how they respond to Jack after seeing what has been going on with the rituals and Janira.
The group of what appears to be about 40 to 50 people hustle about the grounds nearby. Several of the individuals stop as Jack and Hugo address them, the gaggle standing a cautious distance away from the Venture-Captain duo. They appear to be discussing something quietly between themselves before mustering a reponse to the pair.
You recognize a large number of the items being carried by these individuals, as many of them bear Society seals marking them as sensitive documents and items of great worth. Many of these items are normally kept in vaults or archives that most Pathfinders aren't normally able to access.
"Oy, Mick. Ain't that talk-y-tive one the boss told us about?" a male human dressed in dark leathers asks another in their group.
"He told us about the whole lot of 'em, you dunce. The boss said to avoid them at all costs, not chat with'em about the weather!" A red-headed man in a black cloak and chain shirt retorts.
"Well, what do we do'in, then? I've heard nasty things about that gnome and the one with bow...don' want to be anywhere near'em! another says anxiously.
"A strategic retreat is in order, then," Mick replies.
"Derr...what does 'stategeric' mean, boss?" Mick replies by smacking the underling upside his head with his gauntlet before turning to reply to Jack.
A red-headed male human in a black cloak and chainmail abruptly smacks another dressed in dark leathers upside the head, and turns to Jack.
the man shouts at the top of his lungs, his voice echoing loudly across the Lodge grounds. All of the people in the group, as well as another group off in the distance near the Outbuildings near the Water Palace stop and look in the man's direction...before they all immediately begin to scatter in all directions!
The scenario also handles this encounter without a map, and is very free-form as well. Everyone may take a single action against the group of these looters, then the looters will make their own action after if they are still alive/conscious. For reference going foward, 'Group 1' is the one Jack is addressing, while 'Group 2' is the one on the other side of the Lodge. An attack roll of any kind is assumed to hit the intended targets, and damage will be spread throughout the group similar to that of troop-type enemies. Due to their troop-like nature, the group cannot be flanked or subject to critical hits unless the effect allows such for large numbers of enemies simultaneously.
For purposes of effect range, Group 1 is in close to medium range, while Group 2 is on the far edge of long range effect. The action tracker below is not in initiative order, but rather for me to keep track of damage and effects.
Round 1:
Pathfinders
Group 1
Group 2