4-12 The refuge of Time (Inactive)

Game Master garmon

"I never said it was evil, I said it was a trap. It is possible that this angel has been duped into serving evil."

Overall, I think we have some significant problems with the adventure.

1. Trokkus, you may want to look at Sarenrae's paladin code. I think it is relevant here.

2. The problem with just removing items is my belt of Con. If it weren't for that, then it would not be as big a deal. But if I remove it, the Con increase become temporary for 24 hours. That means that the hp total at which I die drops by 4 for the duration of the adventure. As this character has come within 1 hp of death previously I don't want to take that risk.

I think we need to have a discussion before continuing. At this point I'm considering just having Loxx walk out of the adventure and taking a chronicle with all zeroes.

I guess I would say, if this is really all about a magic belt, is it worth killing an innocent creature over? And if not having the belt reduces combat effectiveness, using up precious resources (spells, healing, limited use powers) in a fight that doesn't have to happen also reduces our overall combat effectiveness.

"I gotta agree with Loxx. Seems a bit out of the way. Taking off and puttin on all this armor's just a pain," Pigglevitch said. He turned to the outsider. "Hey, Deva thing. How long have you been here? And didja let others in?"

Alternatively Pigglevitch has a lesser talisman of life's breath he can lend you if it's about hit points. I'd rather go in there with you then without.

More importantly the issue is that none of this makes sense. How do you know that there isn't an invisible creature waiting to attack us while we are stripped of our gear? I still think this angel has been tricked into doing what it was doing. Stripping out gear makes no sense. It doesn't prove anything about our intent. He accused us of coming to loot a tomb, and Loxx even admitted that is, in fact, why we were here. So if he didn't attack us after admitting we are coming to take something from the tomb, then why the continued insistence that we strip? Something doesn't make sense.

It also could be that I'm entirely confused about the point of this "encounter".

Maybe we could proceed through the examination one at a time (putting gear back on afterwards), and reassemble just inside the cave (or wherever it is)? That way only one of us is vulnerable at a time if it is some kind of trap. GM, is that possible?

If that works, then I guess, though I still don't understand how that works since Loxx decided not to lie and flat out admitted they were here to take something.

Angel: Tomb robbers!

Loxx: Well, that is why we are here.

Angel: Prove your innocence! Take off all your gear and submit to my questions?

Loxx: ?

Pandora, Life Lover, remember that taking off your Charisma headbands means you will lose any bonus spell slots you got from the ability increase for 24 hours.

I'm not going to strip for anyone (without being paid my usual fees) and will happily fight this thing. Trying not to meta-game here, but I did identify it. Remembering that it is a positive plane thing and as an angel, it can't exactly smite good or anything. It can't hit that hard and most of it abilities are geared towards fighting evil, which we are not. I was really hoping to just intimidate it out of our way, and we just go on with our business.

hi all and i sorry i was deployed to another province of my country by a meteorological adisaster and i cant check all the post,
The Deva looks Pandora " It seems that you have been honest by removing all the magic effects and your words tell the truth. You can pass but dont destroy this sacred place", the deva is apprehended and leaves you the way clear while the unsettles in heaven

I hope things go well and you can soon come back to your routine Garmon.
Also, thanks for interpreting the encounter and adapt to a solution that makes us all feel comfortable.

Pandora nods to the Deva "Indeed. We will take care of the temple and let you know if the ones we are after are trying to break anything"

The woman walks stylish to the temple entrance and turns to the others with a wide smile "Are you coming?"

Once the party reaches the first room, she casts dancing lights and sends them forward and protection from evil and touches herself "Let's see what do we have here..."
Perception+HR: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 11 + 2 = 22

Each door in the shrine has the Sihedron rune on both sides, and each Sihedron glows with a continual flame spell originating from the wrath rune. This provides the room with normal light in a 20-foot radius from the door and dim light 20 feet beyond that. The double doors are unlocked and swing open silently

The walls are worked stone, and the ceilings are 20 feet tall. The air inside the shrine is oddly fresh, and the temperature remains comfortable thanks to ancient magic still in operation. Detect ma.fjic reveals a faint transmutation aura in the shrine

The impossibly large blocks of the shrine's walls are in such good condition that they seem to have been laid only decades ago. Carved into the stone, spiky script is clearly visible throughout the room. Stone double doors stand in the east and west walls. Each is decorated with a seven-pointed star, and each blade of a star displays a spiky rune. One rune per star glows with an amber light that illuminates the room. Also in the western wall, a short square tunnel leads back outside, with a score of muddy footprints showing the way. A passageway to the south leads to another lit room. The air inside the shrine is cool and fresh.

When you enter the hall you see 3 dirt-covered bald shoantis sitted on the floor.

On the west wall you see a foppish Taldan gentleman bedecked in a deep blue waistcoat with gold trim and what were once matching trousers.
Dried mud now covers the entirety ofhis calf-high riding boots and most of his breeches. His moustache and goatee, however, are meticulously groomed.

Near you can see a relatively thin dwarf woman, indicating that she spends more time behind a desk than in front of a forge.

Trokkus grunts. "Can't say this was what I expected. You people have names?"

Pandora advances herself and makes a slight reverence "Pardon the modals of my companions. My name is Pandora. We are looking for an important token of interest to our promoter. My half-orc friend here just wants to know who you are as well, perhaps have a name so we can refer to each other"
Diplomacy+HR: 1d20 + 17 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 17 + 2 = 24

Pandora also looks for any heraldics or other signs that might help attribute what kind of group these people are.
K. nobility+HR: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 9 + 2 = 20
K. religion+HR: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 9 + 2 = 28

speak with shoantis or with the other group?

Pandora showing her diplomacy first addresses the 3 dirty Shoanti, one remains silent and impassive despite the words of the woman the other two explain that they were in the way and that they lost their reason, they know that they were digging and that the strange order them to only let Lisassan's faithful through. But they are now afraid to go outside alone due to the presence of orcs and goblins in the area.

The stranger Taldan responds Pandora "greetings beautiful lady my name is Marquis haywood" while he is continually attempts to pick dried mud off his clothing.

The dwarf respond to Pandora "my name is Wattle and im very busy" while while he doesn't stop scoring and scribbling on a notebook and making calculations.

you can ask them what you needed or try with them

"Did we see any orcs and goblins? I don't recall any orcs or goblins."

The woman shrugs "Me neither Loxx. This all seems strange..."

"Thanks Sir Marquis Haywood. I see there is some nobleman there in your modals. We were said a Taldan one along with a dwarf" Pandora looks from the Taldan to the dwarf and then back to the Shoanti "Along with some good citizens of Kaer Maga were recently... abducted by an Acadamae wizard named Naroth Balamas"

She looks around "How did you arrive here? Have you seen anyone by this name?"
Diplomacy+HR: 1d20 + 17 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 17 + 2 = 37

Trokkus whispers to Loxx: "I sure ain't see no goblins or orcs on the way in. And it ain't like Shoanti warriors to be terrified of 'em. There's somethin' fishy 'bout all this!" Trokkus tenses, but he'll wait until Pandora's attempt to get some answers before doing anything.

I just noticed that we and the NPCs are on a map--just FYI in case anyone else didn't realise that yet either.

Jeors heads to Pandora "Oh my beautiful lady I still don't know how I agreed to embark on this adventure all this very confusing and blurry in my head but what I can tell you is that the fat man and his companions first went toward room on rigth and subsequently emerged from the doors to where are this bald men after the sounds of a minor scuffle. They next entered the chapel and spoke a strange language with a creepy-sounding woman. Naroth told them to stay here before the door swung closed.

They are all terrified by the presence of goblins and orc clans in the mountains and will not agree to leave unaccompanied

Jack addresses the dishevelled noble, "We will get you out of here is no time... Your estate will pay a reward in gratitude, correct?"

sense motive: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 5

"I don't remember any goblins or Orcs either. Seems kinda weird to me that some cultists would bring... whoever these are?" Pigglevitch scratched his head under his helmet.

Definitely can't make any of those Dark Archive checks, ah well.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 17 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 17 + 2 = 27
" Perhaps it's time for you to send the merchandise after all. We are here now to help and turning to her companions " Before we head to the temple we perhaps shall check the right and ask the shoantis what happened there"

Lifelover sense motive: 1d20 ⇒ 1

Loxx lets the talkative people do their thing.

Can't make those checks.

Trokkus isn't able to make much sense of what the strangers are saying. He tells his companions, "I think we should just search this place, room by room. If the cultists are hiding, we'll find them. If this lot is involved, we'll know soon enough."

"Near the north wall of this chamber stands a statue of a halfsnake, half-human creature covered in Thassilonian runes. The folded arms of the female creature's torso hold a quill and a whip. Six wings grace her back, and her lower body is a coiled serpent. In place of her head, a disk with a sevenpointed star, each point with a different rune, completes the amalgamation. The statue faces a huge circular door embossed with the same seven-pointed rune."

The door on rigth wall is heavily close.
if you wanna open strength dc30 to open

Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Trokkus grunts. "Well, we're in the right place. That statue's Lissala. Ain't no way we're gonna bust that door down though. Maybe there's a hidden switch or sumpin' to open it . . ."

Perception+HR: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 11 + 2 = 22
"Look! Quill and whip are not made of stone. We can probably take them ..." the woman examines the objects with detect magic before turning his attention to the door "I think you might be right Trokkus, a switch must be somewhere "
Perception+HR: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 11 + 2 = 31

the quill and whip refulges os magic and statue too

Trokkus shrugs and starts fidgeting with the statue--pulling on its arms and wings, seeing if the weird rune-head twists, etc., hoping that something will open the door.

GM, I can't quite tell from the map--is there another doorway or corridor to the northwest of where we are?

spellcraft+HR: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 8 + 2 = 21
spellcraft+HR: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 8 + 2 = 14
" That's a magic whip, this will definitely be useful " Pandora notices the opening mentioned by Trokkus and also moves to inspect that route.
Perception+HR: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 11 + 2 = 23

Trokus touch the statue and suddenly one rune brigth and releases a discharge on Trokkus.

anyone wanna remove the whip or quill??

Trokkus jumps back, looking surprised but not hurt. "There's some kinda magic on the statue. But a helpin' kind, not a blastin' kind. Strange. Well, it looks like there's an opening to the northwest. I'm gonna check it out."

Trokkus moves to the northwest to see what's down there.

Loxx nods and follows seeing no need to take the whip or quill.

He does, however, cast a barkskin and Deadeye's lore spell on himself as well as a longstrider on his companion Fetch.

"Should be ready for those cultists folk to have some sort of helpful magic from this thing on them as well, probably," Pigglevitch stated, leaning his battle ladder against the statue so he could climb it and grab the magical items. Being small sucked sometimes.

A new runes brigth and Pigglewitch receive a discharge on his body, finally you remove the items.

Quill Spellcraft: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (1) + 16 = 17
"That quill seems useful for someone that prepares their spells each day."

Curious to know what this 'helping' kind of magic is, Jack moves up to touch the statue.

A new rune shines again and the statue gives Jack a discharge but he doesn't notice anything different from the one except that tiredness and exhaustion has all elusive.
Jack you receive a heal spell but you are no injuried doesnt happen nothing
rune: 1d8 ⇒ 2

"That was disappointing for an ancient magical statue. Let's keep going."

Is there anything in this new room I'm looking at?

" What's it?" Pandora touches the statue herself before following the others.

Can she follow Torkkus now to the east?

Pandora approach the statue and again a rune brigth and make a discharge on her.
Trap of fortune or Ruin: 1d8 ⇒ 5
all made a Will Ts DC 23, if fail Fort DC23

Sorry, to clarify: we should all attempt a Will save?

Will Save: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

"Will you guys stop touching things, that made me shiver in a bad way and I don't like it at all."

Will+HR: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 9 + 2 = 14 +4 vs Sonic or language effects
If possible Pandora will move east with Trokkus, otherwise she goes west.
Fort+HR: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 11 + 2 = 29

will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15 +2 vs fear, +1 vs illusions
fortitude: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17 +2 vs fear, +1 vs illusions

If the Baron's runeward tattoo detects this as an illusion spell, I will use my folio re-roll. Or you could give us a spellcraft DC?
fortitude: 1d20 + 15 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 15 + 3 = 30 +2 vs fear, +1 vs illusions

Will: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19
Fort: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (15) + 16 = 31

I am pretty sure Fetch just ignores this as he is immune to mind-effecting.