[PFS2] GM Rinaldo's Escaping the Grave (1-03) (Inactive)

Game Master The Great Rinaldo!

No, I choose the store.

No, I choose the store.

In that case, I will need those Fort saves from you as well, as your perception wasn't high enough to catch the hazard, either.

Bellona's Perception does not learn anything new about the bodies by the fountain, I'm afraid. :-)

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Before we can move on, I need to adjudicate the poison for Emdi and Trestan.

That's what I meant about not metagaming, I didn't realize that my Perception +3 kind of sucks in 2e, so I knew there was a good chance I was going to miss it. I almost posted the fort saves in advance as a lol post.

Fortitude #1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Fortitude #2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

If the first round looks particularly brutal for either Emdi or Tresten in terms of damage, he'll Lay on Hands (not knowing how long the poison lasts).

Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Tresten finds the spores somewhat troubling, coughing quite a bit.

OK, so 2e poisons:
Round 1: On a successful save, no effect. On a failed save, take the Stage 1 effect. Both of you failed the save.
Emdi damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Tresten damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Round 2: On success, reduce stage by one; if now zero, effect ends. If not, take current stage damage. On fail, increase stage by one and take damage. Both of you failed again.
Emdi damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2
Tresten damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4

This particular poison only lasts 2 rounds, so Emdi ends with 4 total damage and Tresten with 6. In addition, you are both Drained 1; as level 1 characters, this means your current and max HP are reduced by 1 until your next night's rest.

You can use any healing you have available for the damage, but only up to your Drained max HP.

This happens right as you start the search of the building, so you still have this investigation round to continue. A DC 14 (trained) Survival check will allow you to remove the spores from the useful goods. Alternately, a DC 14 Nature or relevant Lore check might let you learn about this specific mold to know other ways of dealing with it.

Let me know if you can/want to attempt either of these checks, or use this round to do anything else in town.

Emdi has neither Survival nor Nature. He'll Lay on Hands Tresten, and then spend the time Refocusing.

Spore Rave! So sick it'll actually make you sick.

If nothing else happens Bellona tries again to identify the problem with the corpses near the fountain

Sorry I vanished for the weekend. I had a convention and instead of being relaxed I ended up doing the VL thing. I'm back though!

Nature: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Tresten tries to recall any knowledge he might have about mold like this, and how to get rid of it.

Assuming we're on the next round of rolls, Klatzu continues to waste the greater part of an hour banging away at a broken cart. He has not made note of his progress so far, as it is obviously still in a state of disrepair and he will only acknowledge complete success.

Sunk Cost Fallacy!

Same with Bellamin. Going to keep trying to solve the mystery of "what killed these people during a zombie apocalypse?"

Still resolving Tresten and Emdi in the store.

Tresten looks at the mold, and realizes that this is a type that thrives in darkness and damp. Direct sunlight or fire would probably render it inert or even destroy it. It is also thick enough that someone could possibly simply beat on it (ie, do bludgeoning damage) to kill it. Fire or smashing, however, would potentially destroy whatever it is growing on, unless carefully administered.

You can still attempt the Survival check to search the room without triggering the spores. You can also try holding your breath to avoid inhaling, but that would require a Fort save at the end to avoid being fatigued. Alternately, you can ignore the store and spend your current round making a different check.

Emdi doesn't have Nature or Survival. He also doesn't have a bludgeoning weapon or a light source that doesn't involve fire (maybe an unlighted torch could be an improvised weapon?). If Tresten wants to try to rip down a door or smash a window to let sunlight in, Emdi can try, but they have a combined 20 strength.

Unless Tresten has a plan he definitely wants Emdi to be a part of, Emdi's going to pat him on the shoulder and run out of the building. These are not the droids he's looking for.

Going to give a little longer for Trestan to respond to my post.

Sorry, I was looking at my gear and my crafting stuff and seeing if I could craft a sunrod or similar, but I feel like that might take too much time.

"Anyone have a sunrod or something like it? I could use one in here, as sunlight or fire would kill this mold, but I think fire would be problematic."

Sunrod would not be sufficiently "sunlight" for this effect - it needs to be in direct sun.

If neither of you can deal with the spores, give me a different check you want to make, then we'll move on and see if anyone else can handle them.

Shot in the dark but if no one else has any good options for dealing with the spores, Klatzu could attempt an Engineering Lore check with GM permission to identify any structural weak points that could cause sunlight to shine through onto the spores if busted open. Still gonna try finishing fixing the cart first, but figured I’d ask about it in case we stay for another round.

Klatzu, I'd allow that check, followed by some sort of check to actually perform the action, not sure what yet. I'll think about that while we wait.

I'll give Emdi and Trestan a little more time to respond about new checks, otherwise I'll advance to a new round for everyone to get involved.

Emdi Lays a Hand on Tresten and runs out of the store to Refocus.

"Ah, that probably wouldn't work, best not to choke to death in here." He heads out also. Klatzu's idea is a good one, I'll go with that.

OK, then let's move forward. Emdi uses his 10 minutes to Refocus. You've been in town 40 minutes and everyone can select a new investigation activity, or you can choose to leave the town and head for the college.

Can we post 2 actions for the next 20 minutes? That way things will go a bit faster. Anyway Bellona checks again the dead bodies near the fountain with perception and then spends 10 minutes refocusing in order to regain a focus point. After that Bellona is willing to move to the college

Emdi will check the bodies at the exterior with Perception, but he's failed that check before so if the DC is going up with failure, he's running out of things to do.

If Klatzu has a plan to rip apart the general store, Emdi will help in the second round.

Can we post 2 actions for the next 20 minutes? That way things will go a bit faster.

I have no problem if everyone wants to do that.

Assuming the two bodies that need Society are still available, Tresten will spend time on those two. +6 for each. Fountain and Inn.

Going to try Medicine on the fountain bodies again. If the first check succeeds I'll go to the chapel and do the same thing there, otherwise I'll try it again.

Hiro is largely tapped out for what he can bring to the table. I'll essentially "delay" until others pick, then I'll jump in.

Klatzu will take a quick break to find a spot to quickly break before going back to quickly breaking a cart.

Engineering Lore +3, definitely gonna be a shot in the dark but maybe we’ll get lucky. Klatzu is willing to break any spots he finds himself, but if Hiro wants to volunteer to practice breaking boards with his fists, Klatzu will be supportive of the decision. After doing the ELore roll, he’ll go back to the cart unless he is needed for ELore results, Crafting at +3 like always.

OK, round 5:

Bellona, Trestan, and Bellamin all look carefully over the body at the fountain. Unfotunately, all they are able to tell is that it was a human and died of strangulation and being eaten.

Meanwhile, Klatzu is finally distracted from the cart by the idea of creatively breaking the store to let sunlight in. Taking things apart comes naturally to him, and with some help from Hiro he manages to accomplish the task. Success!

Round 6:

With the mold neutralized, Emdi and Hiro search the store and discover that the only thing remaining that is still of value is a large bag of oats.

His mind cleared by creative destruction, Klatzu returns to the chore of repairing the cart. Putting things together is not nearly as much fun as taking them apart, but he is able to focus, and ends up with a vehicle that rolls, does so in the desired direction, and seems sturdy enough to start loading things on.

Trestan moves to the inn, but learns nothing more about the body there.

Bellamin goes to the chapel and studies the remains there. The skull is badly damaged, but from its shape and the size of the remaining teeth, he concludes that this was a goblin.

You have now spent 60 minutes in town. You have a bag of oats, a functioning cart, and several bodies that you have a few clues about that you might be able to identify from your list of missing pathfinders. There are a few checks you could still make here, or you could pack up and move to the college.

Someone who is not Klatzu should give the horse the oats if it is still nearby. Otherwise I am down to move onto the college, we can bring the pathfinders we found along on the cart and we’ll find a way to pull it. Worst case scenario, Klatzu will pull it in order to challenge himself so as to engage in the edicts of Gorum, since it’ll probably work well enough as a Refocusing task.

Emdi is down with Klatzu's plan. Whoever had the best Nature should attempt with the horses. Emdi is feeling pretty unPerceptive but if others feel like they have unfinished business, Emdi is happy to stay for another round or two.

Would it be possible for us to track down the horse that ran away aft er we defeated the zombies? In that case I agree with Klatzu & Emdi: someone with high nature should try to approach it with the oats

I think it's time to head on as well, we've about exhausted what we're likely to accomplish beyond dumb luck.

Hiro nods as he looks around the town square. "I'd like to collect a few things before we go on, records and some such. Otherwise, I'm ready. Let's get to the college posthaste."

The horse is still around, staying on the edge of the village square.

Worst case scenario, Klatzu will pull it in order to challenge himself so as to engage in the edicts of Gorum, since it’ll probably work well enough as a Refocusing task.

Klatzu, I'm going to say that you can't refocus pulling the cart in this case, because you need to stay alert for danger. It is my understanding that refocusing requires your full attention.

Bellona is ok with moving away from town now but it would be better if we could befriend the horse

Tresten doesn't need to refocus, hasn't used any powers or anything. (And could thereby move the cart.)

Tresten, you have the group's highest Nature bonus. Can you try bribing the horse with the oats?

Well yes, but I already tried that. If I can attempt it again, I'll do so.

You absolutely can, because the oats constitute a change in circumstance. Additionally, the scenario specifically lets me allow a Diplomacy check instead of Nature if the oats are being presented.
Anyone who wants to make either check, go ahead and roll.

If Diplomacy is on the table, Emdi will gladly give it a shot.

diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Good grief!

Tresten still tries to offer the oats, though he appeals to the horse in the fashion it is accustomed to, not humanoid ways, nickering and neighing.

Nature: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Evidently though, something he said translated poorly into horse.

can we roll these diplomacy checks on our own? And if so can Bellona snatch the oats and try herself to lure the horse using diplomacy?

Bellona, go ahead and try. The horse is definitely unhappy with both Tresten and Emdi, but has not yet run away.

Emdi's just going to sit in the corner with some headphones on until we leave for the college.

"Oh! For Shelyn's golden harp! Give me those oats!" so saying Bellona snatches the oats from Tresten and starts to get near the horse...

"Hey boy! Do you remember me? Riiiight! The pretty lady from before wants to give you a gift! Something good to eat! Not like the dead people here wanting to eat you instead..."

Diplomacy check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Bellona grabs the oats from Emdi and Tresten, and very easily uses them to befriend the horse. It begins to follow Bellona around like a lost puppy who finally found a friend.

As it comes close, Bellona gets a good look at the saddle; engraved along the edge are "Desert Wind" and "Larraz Virtanne". She also notices that the saddlebag seems to have something in it. Reaching in, she finds two minor healing potions.

With that, it is now possible to hook the horse to the cart if you like, or two people can share the task of pulling it.

Did you want to do anything else here in the village, or are you ready to move to the college? The trip will take about 10 minutes.

"Well done, Bellona. I'd offer to help tie the horse to our new cart, but you seem to be the only one here with any talent for animal handling whatsoever," says Bellamin, with a wry smile. He quickly glances around the area, clearly ready to move on.