The Fall of Plaguestone (Inactive)

Game Master Eric Collins - France

Okay--
--so, as I said, one thing (which I find cool, since it seems unimportant, is super early on, but has repercussions at the end) was the horses:
If the PCs do not help with this, the horses become sick and the PCs cannot borrow them when exploring the countryside later in the adventure.
Then, at the end:
Finally, if the PCs raced back to town on horses, they arrive 2 hours before the drudge, but they must stay alert because they don’t know when to expect the drudge to arrive. They do, however, have the chance to put up barriers or set an ambush, at your discretion. At the very least, they start at the stone and the drudge is 120 feet away, giving them ample time to stop it.

All that is mitigated by the fact that the big thing you skipped was looking through the Experimental Laboratory (the place with the vats and the elemental rat).

So, some information in hindsight (just giving the important parts)--

This is Vilree’s personal laboratory, where she researched all of her dreadful mutagens. It’s here that she stumbled upon the formula
for the viridian vapor, and where she created all the alchemical servants that live in her fortress. There is a lot here the PCs might uncover.

Vilree's formula book is open on the central table next to the bubbling concoction. The alchemy tools here are all tainted with an oily green residue. By consulting the formula book and inspecting the available ingredients, a PC can attempt a DC 22 Crafting check to identify this residue as a side effect of the viridian vapor. The book describes an absolutely lethal disease contracted by inhaling the vapor. The disease causes a horrific fungus to grow in the lungs, leading to death. The books do not describe a cure.
Clever PCs might compare the ingredients and reagents that Bort supplied with the formulas in the book. One thing becomes abundantly clear: Vilree had enough ingredients to create 500 batches of viridian vapor. Worse, none of those ingredients can be found here in the laboratory in any quantity, although there are a number of empty containers.
A parchment tucked inside the formula book bears a simple diagram of a round, flat-topped rock with a depression on top. The diagram depicts a procedure for using acid to create a reservoir inside the stone. There is only one note on the illustration, reading “Mother’s ring will be the key.” The PCs may not realize it at first, but this diagram depicts the plaguestone in the center of Etran’s Folly. Over the past few months, Vilree has hollowed out the stone and secretly filled it with viridian vapor. Her plan is to destroy the stone using her mother’s ring, which she has had enchanted to explosively shatter the stone when it comes into contact with the ring.

The tall glass cylinder at the west end of the room contains the remains of a dwarf, Vilree’s most recent test subject. To ensure the viridian vapor was suitably lethal, she had her orcs venture deep into the mountains and capture the first humanoid they encountered. The unfortunate dwarf was on his way home from visiting relatives when the orcs set upon him. He died in this chamber a few days later, and his skin split open as the fungus inside him consumed his flesh. Worse still, the vapor is still swirling around his body and his rotting flesh can now transmit the disease. A successful DC 20 Medicine check by a PC who has read Vilree’s formula book confirms that these are effects of the viridian vapor.

Then, re. the green rock you saw in the cave-parts--

These caves are the reason Vilree moved her laboratory here. As the PCs get closer to the cave walls, the character with the highest Perception notices veins of green in the rock (I think that was Sitril?). This ore is a key ingredient in the creation of the viridian vapor, and part of the reason it is so deadly. When ground up, the green rock deals serious damage to the lungs, allowing an infection to take hold and grow. If the characters have studied Vilree’s formula book, they know this green rock is called flaystone.

So, besides the horses you did not have (and there were other choices to accelerate a bit-- w/o pauses you arrive Fatigued, but the Drudge is 60 feet away I think ; and maybe you get a bit more if you had tracked it) you actually did not know what was going to happen (which is intended for the PCs to know).

bit of a downer ending tho innit
I hope not too much for you...

I felt the end was super tight!
With Tamerius dying on the very last roll.

And the Drudge being battered but it could have gone done very easily, so it was really a very close ending!

(and I found out that PF2 has no repositioning rules! I wondered why Giggett could not Grab and "drag"/Reposition-- well, that no longer exists!).

Hey, it was a spectacular ending-- with no mechanical repercussions to your Chronicle Sheets.
And, as Natsume said, it is the Fall...

I think drag/reposition got looped into the Grapple rules a bit, if I recall correctly!

Anyway, this whole adventure has been absolutely brutal (three PCs died—one of them twice!) before we even hit 4th level and tbh that ending kind of affected my mental health a bit last night but media that doesn’t affect your emotional state is hardly worth viewing at all!

Natsume would have probably committed suicide once she was done burying everyone had she survived, so.

that ending kind of affected my mental health
Oh... sorry (((
I am playing and GMing AlienRPG these-- maybe that got me into a bleaker mood?!

It’s okay! I’ll survive. Caffeine-fueled insomnia plus a Downer Ending is just particularly bad timing.

It was, indubitably, extremely violent. Giggett surviving the whole adventure is still the proof that style and beauty are the best defense.

Tell me when you get your Chronicles and if all okay.

Got mine, looks good! (And thanks for the aftercare!)

I'm still a bit sad Nat' didn't make it. I wonder what Giggett and her would have done...

I imagine that depends on a lot of things!

-->Chronicles<-- are here, and should be downloadable by all.

The game is correctly reported (I mean, I got all the correct names for the 3 who gave, and Natsume should just get the credit to her 2002 when/if she creates one).

Thanks Florent & Nicolas for your kind words!
Though if I'm SuperBidi's only PbP GM, I might be your worst too )))

It was great fun with you four )))

I will see about running something else in the future.
Edgewatch might be fun.
There is the dungeon crawl coming out in January.
We shall see...

I'll tell you for the chronicles tomorrow.

Chronicle's fine! Thanks a lot.
I don't know when I'll play Giggett again, I have so many characters now :D

Ho, by the way, I'll certainly DM a few PFS adventure soon (not much is happening in the French community right now, so I'm lending Gerald a hand by DMing some of "his" modules). If there are free places, I'll certainly drop an invitation or 2 to you and Ilmakis.

Okay!

And Ilmakis, is your Chronicle all good?

Hey Eric.

Thanks for the game. It was a great AP and I enjoyed it a lot. Great RP, very well run and GM'ed. Great game Eric, it is a pity that you are giving up on PF2. You were on my shortlist of ppl I loved playing with. You have my contact so if you will be planning something stay in touch.

@Team - great game. I would like to thank each and every one of you. Really great PC's, very enjoyable and with their own agendas. You were one of the reasons why I enjoyed this game so much.

If there are free places, I'll certainly drop an invitation or 2 to you and Ilmakis.

@Nat - as we were left aside, I will send some invites to you when I find some cool scenarios to play ;)

Stay safe all

With regards to chronicles. The keepsakes are the items from the lower box. The upper box holds items that all can be bought.

@Nat - as we were left aside
I imagine that was because the games planned are on VTT and in French.

Thanks for the kind words!

I'll see how Alien goes for now...

@Nat - as we were left aside, I will send some invites to you when I find some cool scenarios to play ;)

As Eric said, games in French or in Paris. Hard to get you involved (even if Nat's French is awesome!).

If I played a French game, you all would have to be very patient with me. I’d make it a point that my PC couldn’t speak Common very well :D

Chronicle looks Good Eric!

Thanks again :)

It was a pleasure to play with you all! A game/story is never as great as the people we play with.

I will miss you all!

I will miss you all!

I’m sure one day your aim will improve!

Great playing with you all :D

Omg that’s brilliant.

Asmodeus says that an honest day’s work is worth a year of cheating! Respect the earth and she will reward you with a fine bounty! Honor sex workers and defend the poor from those who would abuse them! So says Asmodeus!

Fingers crossed :)

Unfortunately I’m sure Daikitsu book is in Tian (as no one from this part of the world worship this deity)

:D

Maybe I can bring in the latin clause: Every religious books are written in a dead language no one speaks but religious persons?

Sorry for answering this quite late.
I had closed the thread, so I do not see updates, and am not on the Paizo forums these days anyhow.
So will not be coming back to post in this ended game.
Be safe all!