Ruins of Azlant

Game Master Aldizog

The blast shadow moves up to attack Brannart.

Brannart's readied attack and AOO both miss, as the creature is quick and not overly reckless.

Sosche lands a hit with his readied action but does not get an AOO (it entered, but did not leave, a square threatened by Sosche).

Vexas also lands a blow, and adds 2d6 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5 sneak attack damage.

Claw: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24
Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 2 + (3) = 13
The undead hits Brannart, who is an easier target than normal at his increased size.

Round 1
Fenna -11
Sho -8

Round 2
Vexas -11
Sosche
Brannart -17
Blast Shadow -28

Sosche continues to swing - now with flank!

Ranseur: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 2 = 16
Damage P: 2d4 + 11 ⇒ (3, 1) + 11 = 15

Alas, I think that's a miss...

While Sosche gets its attention, Vexas takes a prime opportunity to plunge his blade into a most vulnerable spot.

[standard] attack with flank
+1 rapier attack, piercing damage (sneak attack): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 281d4 + 5 + 2d6 ⇒ (3) + 5 + (5, 2) = 15
confirm?, crit piercing damage: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 201d4 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Vexas lands a solid blow.
Blast Shadow at -49.

Multishot, DA: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 10 - 2 = 13
double dmg: 2d8 + 4 + 8 ⇒ (2, 2) + 4 + 8 = 16

2d shoot, DA: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 5 - 2 = 4
dmg, DA: 1d8 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 4 = 10

Sho clumsily sends some arrows flying away, and her cheeks redden with shame and confusion

Brannart drops his polearm, draws his sword, and swings.

Attack: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18
Damage: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (2, 6) + 7 = 15

The Blast Shadow explodes!

Damage DC 17: 5d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 1, 3, 2) = 16

Combat Over
Brannart -25
Fenna -19
Sho -24
Sosche -16
Vexas -27

Now able to look around the room, you see the following.
A smooth metal dais rises from the floor of this chamber, surrounded by four crystal pillars containing fine threads of silver in angular patterns. Sputtering, irregular lights flicker and flash from each crystal pillar, and arcane sigils on the floor of the dais spark and crackle with energy.

A Knowledge (Arcana) check could possibly reactivate the system.

Sosche tries to dodge the explosion.
Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 vs DC 17 for 16hp damage

...and his too-tight armor inhibits him and he's roasted!

"At least there was only one of them." he grins.

Already rolled Reflex saves for everybody and figured the damage into the tracker above, FYI. Speeds things up.

Ahhh, excellent - thanks!

Less scorched this time around, Fenna begins to look around the room trying to figure out what the place is.

K Arcana: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24

The crystal pillars flare to life and the arcane sigils on the dais crackle with activity. A moment later, a spectral image of a robed figure in an ornate helmet that obscures its face flickers into view. It begins to speak.

Fenna (Arcana): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26 Fenna recognizes the style of helmet the figure wore as a decemvirate helm, a type of minor artifact worn by the mysterious leaders of the Pathfinder Society.

Fenna can make the message play again, but it simply repeats what was said before.

Fenna replays the message once to make sure she has it all; the first time was a surprising event with the projected image of the masked Azlanti and such. Then she translates the message for any who don't know Ancient Azlanti.

"Well, I'd say they read the situation they were in quite badly. Those crispy loiterers we met must have been very disappointed."

She continues to rummage about.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

Vexas has to gather himself after the end of the combat. The explosion rocked him and he's feeling particularly rough.

After several moments, and giving the healers a chance to work on him, he joins Fenna in inspecting the arcane system they are exploring.

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

Sosche, amazingly enough, does have Azlant.

"The decemvirate huh? Wow. Uh, who are the decemvirate? I feel like I should know, but I can't remember. They sound nasty at least. Cool name."

Sosche suggests, "As we're all pretty badly mauled, again, from those damned exploding undead, what say we take a break and rest overnight? In the morning I can do some more healing as well."

He'll cast one cure moderate on Vexas, as the most wounded no matter what.
CMW on Vexas: 2d8 + 6 ⇒ (1, 8) + 6 = 15

The flooded passage leads to another door, a single one rather than double doors. It has an intact locking mechanism, with a socket for a sphere-shaped Ioun stone.

You do have one such stone - as well as a crowbar and an enlarged warrior - but do you wish to rest before opening the door? And if you wish to rest, do you want to spend the time to use the Heal skill to Treat Deadly Wounds (1 hour per PC treated)? Or try using Provide Long-Term Care on resting PCs (treating PC cannot rest, but can attend to all the others)?

Oh, good call! I don't use the heal skill much, and should know how to use it better.

Sosche will do long term care instead of treating deadly wounds, since we're resting longer. Silly me. In that case, I get no extra healing (do I get an overnight rest or not as I'm tending people?), but everyone else gets double their level (total).

If we rest successfully of course.

You can do both, you know. Even without expending uses from the Healer's Kit (if you don't wish to) you would have some chance of hitting DC 20. First bandage everyone's wounds, then tend to them as they rest. Can't hurt, might help. But right, Sosche would not get healing and would be Fatigued if he is busy doing Long Term Care. Long Term Care doesn't need uses from the Healer's Kit. I'll leave it up to you if you want to expend uses from your Healer's Kit or not for Treat Deadly Wounds, and to make whatever rolls you wish.

Nothing troubles the party if they rest.

"The Decemvirate are the group of ten in charge of the Pathfinder Society. They all wear masks, like the one the illusory man was wearing, to hide their identities" Fenna tells Sosche absently as she searches around the room.

Coming up empty for anything interesting, she flops down beside Brannart.

"Yeah, this will do for the night. I'm not ready to open that door just yet, and I sure don't feel like climbing out of this pit."

Resting sounds like a smart idea.

The halfling retrieves his bedroll and starts scoping out a free spot away from the bigger folk. Sometimes they roll over in their sleep.

That’s very tempting, but I'll get a good night's sleep for now.

So from my treating deadly wounds, Sho and Vexas each heal 6hp. In between healing patients, Sosche will work on his armor. Sure, everyone got hurt from those blasts, but it would be good to be hit less. Just a few more tweaks, and it’ll be nearly done!

In the morning, Sosche will cast cure moderate on Brannart, and cure light on the rest of the group to help top up.

Brannart: 2d8 + 6 ⇒ (2, 6) + 6 = 14
Fenna: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Sho: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Sosche: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Vexas: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Hit Points
Brannart -25 +6 overnight +14 cure = -5hp
Fenna -19 +6 overnight +8 cure = -5hp
Sho -24 +6 heal +6 overnight +13 cure = Fully healed
Sosche -16 +6 overnight +13 cure = Fully healed
Vexas -27 +6 heal +6 overnight +6 cure = -9hp

Sosche readies his ranseur after a cold but somewhat satisfying breakfast. "So, have you figured it all out, or is it to be the prybar?"

The party does have a spherical Ioun Stone.
Do you attempt to use that on the door mechanism, or ask Brannart to use the crowbar?

Vexas would prefer we agree to use the spherical ioun stone.

The less damage we do to mechanisms here, the more we can learn about then.

Who was holding it?

If no one else is inclined, Vexas can take the tourmaline sphere ioun stone.

Looks like you were carrying it, Vexas.

The door opens onto another chamber, this one with no Blast Shadows inside.

The ceiling of this chamber collapsed long ago, filling much of what was once a colossal vault with stone debris and water. A musty odor wafts up from the stagnant pools on the floor, and mold encrusts the walls and ceiling. Most of what was contained in here lies in twisted heaps of corroded metal and smashed crystal.

You find, in the rubble, some sort of gauntlet with a socket for an Ioun Stone, although it is cleverly designed to take Ioun Stones of varying shapes. Sadly, it only holds one stone, not six.

You also find a Mossy Disk Ioun Stone (grants a +5 competence bonus to Knowledge-Engineering).

Furthermore, you find sheets of engraved metal containing detailed mechanical schematics for an orrery designed to chart the course of the planets in Golarion’s solar system. These look very much like the orrery you saw in the hag's tower, and in fact the plate is etched “Commissioned for Nal-Shakar” in Azlanti.

Oh, right. I thought he'd tried to failed to use his before, but that must've been a different shaped slot.

Vexas is excited at reading over the engraved sheets.

The plans for an orrery, just like that which we saw in the tower. I wonder if they meant to create more of these.

Are the sheets attached to anything and are they reasonable small enough to carry (in say, a haversack)?

The sheets are not attached to anything, and are small enough to transport. They are mainly of academic interest, and illustrate that this place was where the orrery was designed. So if the observatory was the location for philosopher-priests, this may have been one of the locations for artificer-engineers.

The directions from Durvin Gest that you found in the crater (just prior to the haunt activating) point to another location. It seems to be a smaller island off the northwestern coast of Ancorato, which is where Durvin Gest reported seeing a crystal monument.

Durvin chronicles that he did not personally explore this site but he describes seeing a massive azurite monolith etched with strange runes rising up from a forest-covered island off Ancorato’s northwest coast. Durvin explains that an approaching storm prevented him from exploring the island.

Although I may handwave some of the remaining side-quests, this one I think is a good one to do.

It would be about two hours' hike to get back to Talmandor's Bounty, and from there you could pick up a boat to get to the island if you wanted.

Sosche is ready for more blasted undead, and it takes a moment for the adrenaline to wear off when the door opens without fresh opponents.

He’ll help Vexas collect the notes, hopefully ensuring nothing is lost.

”Yeah, let’s check out that island, that sounds like some possible loot as well!” Sosche has enough spells to press on if folks want to do it in the same day.

Loot and, more importantly, discoveries. I agree, let's had there after a short trip back to town. Vexas concurs.

It is about two hours' hike back to town.

Once you can get the boat, it should be about 4 hours to the island with the crystal monument (about 3 mi/hr and about 12 miles).

However, first you have another matter to deal with.

"You're back!" shouts the elf witch Kowal Ward, as he approaches you.
"Can you help me with something? Nymbleth is acting odd. He has closed up his alchemist shop and... well... something is odd. I think. He shut the door in my face but maybe he thinks I don't like Tieflings?
Anyway, I haven't the best skills with people, but I was hoping you could figure it out since you also worked with him in the past. Can you go try to talk to him?"

Vexas strokes his chin.

A short review of Nymbleth posts later...

Well, we always found Nymbleth to be friendly enough. I think he gets lost in his head sometimes. So, maybe you're right, or maybe he's in the middle of intense experimentation or implementation. Come along. I think I can snap him to attention.

He takes Kowal (and any others willing) with him to Nymbleth's shop door, and knocks loudly.

If Nymbleth comes to the door, Vexas says the following. If instead Vexas only hears footsteps on the other side of the door, Vexas will holler through it.

Nymbleth! It's Vexas from the old gang. I'm NOT here to drag you back out into danger with us! We've all settled nicely into our roles on the island. I'm here with Kowal and just wanted to check up and see how things are going! I figured you might be working on something really interesting or perhaps our Azlanti notes from the field will give you some more ideas.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17 well...

Sosche doesn't know this Nymbleth, but he tags along in case he can be of any use. Still, he'll remain quiet - at least at first.

Brannart will join Vexas.

Nymbleth opens the shop door a crack and listens to Vexas.

"I'm sorry Vexas, I can't provide you anything right now.
Been working a lot for the community and I just need to take a day or two off.
Goodbye."

He closes the door quickly.

Vexas frowns and looks at Kowal.

Well, that's a simple enough explanation. Have you made any other notable observations, or should we just give him the time?

Fenna never interacted much with Nymbleth so she doesn't have much of a basis to opine, but she does anyway with a slight frown.

"I mean I don't really know the guy much, but he always seemed not to be assertive, and also polite. You know, the way a person who never wants to offend or be thought of badly can be."

"Doesn't it seem a little strange for him to be so firm about closing, even if he really wants to for a couple of days like he said. I'd think he'd sound more apologetic about inconveniencing anyone..."

Sense Motive on Nymbleth?: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31

Fenna does definitely pick up that this was very unusual behavior from Nymbleth, not like how she remembered him. And she doesn't buy his story about just taking a day off.

He ended the conversation too quickly for her to get a really good read on what might be going on, but she strongly suspects that something is.

Time for some B+E/stealth to get a better read? :P

Time for some B+E/stealth to get a better read? :P

That's a good idea, and the party might be a little stuck on how to follow up on it.

While there is no wizard of any notable level in Talmandor's Bounty, and therefore not a wide-open "magic shop" where you can buy whatever you need, Ramona does have a few scrolls brought along in her stash of resources.

This will of course change as the colony develops, but for now trying to establish a "survival/exploration adventure" vibe.

Let's say that any Core scroll up to 375 GP (3rd-level wizard or cleric) has a 75% chance of being available (roll 51-100 on 1d100), and any non-Core spell a 25% chance (roll 76-100), up until you have found 2000 GP in scrolls.

Ramona will freely give these to you if you ask.

That should help with the B&E if you want to use magic.

Roll 26-100 for the Core spells, rather.

Sosche can't help much with stealth - not being in his wheelhouse at all. He does however visit the scroll shop with the others, poking about for his own options, if available.

Non Core: 1d100 ⇒ 59 vs DC 76 (150gp scroll of masterwork transformation)

He's not surprised that his sought after scroll is unavailable. After all, it's not the sort of thing most folks put on a scroll.

"Best I can do is shroud his house in fog via fog cloud, if you want a way to approach unseen. Go early morning so it's not so unusual - just unusually thick perhaps. Might go un-noticed. I'll hang back though, with my armor in the state it's in, I'll just muck things up."

Fenna points one thing out.

"The hitch is the whole reason we're even talking about Nymbleth is he's closed up in there all the time, not coming out. If he never leaves, we can't sneak in to look around while he's gone. We also can't sneak in while he's there. We'd have to open a door or window to get in. Being invisible or lots of fog doesn't help having to move things go unnoticed."

"If this is something we're seriously going to do, we need magic to either put Nymbleth out for a while, like a sleep spell, or we need divination magic so we don't have to be physically present while we're peeking."

Fenna has Vanish but the spell's duration is 5 rounds, not nearly enough.

"If this is something we're seriously going to do, we need magic to either put Nymbleth out for a while, like a sleep spell, or we need divination magic so we don't have to be physically present while we're peeking."

I have sleep and I have invisibility for the simplest approach. I have charm person as well if it can be effectively directed. let me see what else Ramona has available.

Let's say that any Core scroll up to 375 GP (3rd-level wizard or cleric) has a 75% chance of being available (roll 51-100 on 1d100), and any non-Core spell a 25% chance (roll 76-100), up until you have found 2000 GP in scrolls.

Ramona will freely give these to you if you ask.

The 75% chance would rather be 26-100, right?

That went surprising bad...

Okie, for this downtime period how much free time would Vexas have to transcribe these and scrolls he already had into his spellbook? It's 1hr/level, he has money to transcribe 9 2nd level spells and 3 1st level spells, for 21 levels = 21 hours, so 3 days of work.