[PFS2] 1-07 Flooded Kings Court (Inactive)

Game Master Pirate Rob

Ya, weapons out is very reasonable down here, no expectation of social niceties.

Roumatha recognizes the monster as a zombie brute, slashing or positive energy is likely the best way to go.

Speaking of slashing Roumatha moves up and lands a critical hit on the lumbering zombie. It'll still take a lot more to stop the massive mound of flesh.

Jaqard stays calm at the moving corpse horrors, dropping into a tiger crouch and moving like the wind to the opposite side of Roumatha on Red. Provokes if the baddie has the ability to react.

unarmed strike (1) vs. flat-footed AC: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
unarmed strike (2) vs. flat-footed AC: 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (7) + 8 - 4 = 11

slashing strike dmg (1): 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
slashing strike dmg (2): 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Tiger Stance ◈, Stride, Flurry of Blows ◈. I expect they're immune, but the FoB will include Stunning Fist (DC 17 Fort) in case they are not.

Don't forget to add +1 to hit and dmg from inspire if you haven't already.

Jaqard, adding your courage.

With a critical slashing blow Jaqard finishes off the now wounded zombie, although just barely.

The remaining zombie lumbers forward, rips its own arm off and clubs MugVug. New exciting picture on page 7

arm w/reach: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31
damage: 1d12 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

smacking the goblin right in the face and sending him tumbling down the hill. Pushed 10

Initiative

Roumatha
Oskar
Jaqard
Blue
MugVug 12/28

Everybody is up!

Inspire Courage remains in effect for everyone - +1 to attacks & damage - round 2 of 4.

Oskar sends three bolts of magical force at the remaining Blue zombie. Three action magic missile.

Force dmg: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 2, 3) + 3 = 9 +3 dmg from Inspire Courage? +1? +0? I'm not sure how these interact in PF2e.

Roumatha turns on his heels as he sees the gross body of the monster tumble down, and realizes someone else is tumbling down behind him. Seeing the tailed goblin lying bloodied at the bottom of the stairs, he snarls at the brute.
"Why don't you pick on someone your own size, you rotten bastard!"

Hunt Prey vs Blue for +1 AC; do I also get to reroll a knowledge check for Monster Hunter? Fishing for that crit success...

The half-elf steps up to the second brute and violently swings at the decomposing flesh.

Strike: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 8 + 1 = 17 for: 1d12 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7 damage

MugVug snarls angrily and glares at the Zombie creature.

He performs an intricate series of catlike movements...although perhaps a little more gingerly than before. First action enter tiger stance.

With an angry growling roar he launches himself up the stairs and directly towards the big shambling death beast and takes his position next to Roumatha. Second action stride.

Die again beast! Time to go back to the grave! With an angry yell he quickly slashes at the beasts leg and abdomen with his tiger claw strikes. Third action tiger strike flurry of blows.

Right hand tiger claw slash: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 8 + 1 = 24 for 2d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (7, 6) + 3 + 1 = 17 slashing damage.

and

Left hand tiger claw slash: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 = 6 for 2d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1, 6) + 3 + 1 = 11 slashing damage.

Inspire courage adds anytime you roll damage, so +1 to magic missile. New target, new recall knoweldge.

Oskar's magic missiles slam into the zombie while Roumatha gets a vicious slash as well that hacks off a big heap of flesh.

MugVug joins the assault and gets a quite effective tiger claw strike in as well.

Initiative

Roumatha
Oskar
Jaqard
Blue -54
MugVug 12/28

Jaqard is up!

Religion vs Blue: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 2 = 9
nope, didn't get that sweet bonus...

Jaqard races over to take on Blue as well, his feet moving swift as a summer breeze.

flurry of blows (1) vs. flat-footed AC: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 8 + 1 = 17
flurry of blows (2) vs. flat-footed AC: 1d20 + 8 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 8 - 4 + 1 = 23

slashing FoB dmg (1): 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 1 = 5
slashing FoB dmg (2): 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10

unarmed strike vs. flat-footed AC: 1d20 + 8 - 8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 8 - 8 + 1 = 4
slashing dmg (2): 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 = 7

Stride, Flurry of Blows ◈, Strike. I expect they're immune, but the FoB will include Stunning Fist (DC 17 Fort) in case they are not.

With another swift pair of blow Jaqard ends another massive zombie.

Out of Combat

Soon the echos of your fight die down and are replaced once again by the gentle sound of water lapping whence you came.

Jaqard enlists Roumatha's help in pushing the two massive bodies into the water, then returns to the group. To move a mountain, one begins by moving a single stone, the half-orc says. We should move up these stairs.

MugVug slumps down onto the steps and breathes out heavily.

I just need to catch my breath. I think that beast knocked the wind out of me. I just need a minute.

Roumatha comes up to MugVug and offers him a satchel with ground herb paste.
"This poultice should ease the bleeding and soothe the pain if you apply it to the wound; just try not to eat it!"
Natural Medicine: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Healing: 2d8 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5

Oskar also works to treat MugVug's wounds. Use Assurance Medicine to auto-succeed at Medicine DC 15 check
Healing: 2d8 ⇒ (2, 6) = 8

Then Oskar takes ten minutes to jot down notes for a new opera that he is developing: "Zombies By the Undersea". Ten minutes to refocus to regain his Focus Point.

Finally, Oskar looks around the zombies' lair, to see if there is anything of interest. Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

Treat wounds makes you immune to all treat wounds until an hour is up.

The middle landing seems devoid of anything of value, containing only decomposed bodies of various sizes.

At first glance the mural appears to be a depiction of Aroden raising the Starstone and the Isle of Kortos from the depths of the ocean, but on further examination there are some inconsistencies...

The affected path of ocean seems too small and the figure's left hand might be webbed...

Additionally the large statue matches the description of Dagon, demon lord of the sea, sea monsters, and deformity.

Behind it are some scattered offerings, a pendant made of coral twisted tentacles, an intact potion and a silver bowl decorated with a sea motif.

There are no futher exits from these large rooms but there are still several exits back from the first large chamber.

Looking at the statue in some distaste, Jaqard turns heel and returns to the chamber where the boat beached. It is best to turn left, I have heard, he says, until you are out of lefts to turn.

Moved us down the first corridor.

Before running off down the corridor MugVug takes a closer look at the trinkets left behind. He examines the pendant carefully, holding it up to the light and close up to one eye. The potion he sniffs, then sticks the tip of his finger in to get the tiniest of drops that he then dabs onto his tongue as well as the gums of his lower teeth. The bowl he simply drops into his backpack.

MugVug can't make heads of tails of either item.

Continuing the exploration reveals a side passage to the west, it leads down a set of steep stairs into an unfinished burial chamber bereft of value.

The passage continues north and there appear to be two more branches to the west further along

MugVug puts the pendant around his neck, stashes the potion in his bandolier and then runs to catch up to his companions.

I missed that about Treat Wounds - somehow I thought it was immune for each healer, separately. In any case, that still leaves MugVug down 11 hp. One possibility is that Oskar could use Battle Medicine instead of Treat Wounds (I think these count as separate activities?) - same DC and same amount of healing, though it would make MugVug immune to my Battle Medicine for 1 day. Another possibility would be for Oskar to cast Soothe on MugVug, but Oskar only has 2 level 1 spell slots remaining, so that might be risky. Opinions?

Let's give MugVug Jaqard's minor healing potion from the beginning-of-the-scenario requisition, and save the spell slot.

Agreed. Oskar will still use Battle Medicine on MugVug (unless GM rules that it falls under the Treat Medicine exclusion) to heal, as noted above, 8 hp, leaving MugVug (before potion) at -3 hp.

After the healing's dealt with, Roumatha will continue exploring up north, peeking into the next branch.

Exploring down this corridor reveals a couple more rooms with somewhat ominous shallow rings filled with black dirt. No magic, nor anything of value in the ~6 inch deep rings.

MugVug stretches and thanks Oskar for his ministrations. He hands the potion back to Jaqard.

"I don't like the look of this... Whatever cult built these it likely wasn't just water they were keeping here. We'll definitely need to report this back to the Venture-Captain."

There are still several more passages to explore, perhaps one or more of them contains something else of interest...

Yes Roumatha, I agree I agree. This is quite ominous and the Venture-Captain will need to be informed. I am sure the more bookish agents will want to come down and write books and books of all this stuff. But that's boring! Let's keep looking around.

MugVug heads off towards the south to see what sort of interesting things are down that way.

Oskar follows along, muttering to himself about what the damp air may be doing to his voice and the need for the pathfinders to unionize.

Exploring the southern passages reveals a mirrored set of seemingly incomplete rooms like there was to the north.

Also a series of connected rooms including a long one with a recessed floor apparently designed to hold water. Whatever system was designed to keep it full has long been out of service and currently it is only damp.

Over at the yellow arrow is an archway that was clearly once a passage that is now filled in with masonry and steel bars. A prominent hole near has been opened in the masonry from the opposite side, with some of the bricks crumbling, perhaps having been knocked loose from the other side...

"Now THAT is interesting... Has something or someone broken into this temple? Or perhaps OUT of it..."
Roumatha inspects the hole, gauging the opportunity to get inside or make the opening wider if necessary with the help of the found sledgehammer.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

The hole is currently just big enough to say reach an arm through. Given the placement of the reinforcing bars and thickness of the wall Pounding at it from this side with a sledge hammer you'd guess might take a mere 15 minutes to make the hole big enough to get through, much faster than if say one were on the other side.

Oskar examines the hole, trying to see how recently the opening may have been made.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Survival: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

However, he quickly recalls that such tasks are well beneath the station of a star.

There's currently no noise or other signs of activity, but given the debris the hole has to have been made at least somewhat recently.

MugVug peers into the hole and then steps back and looks expectantly at Roumatha.

Make yourself useful with that hammer Roumatha. If you make this hole a little bigger Oskar and I can squeeze through and see what's on the other side. Maybe there's something that will go with my hat and pendant here.

Roumatha rolls up his sleeves.
"I had a hunch this hammer would prove useful, and here we are!"
He begins to rhythmically pound at the bricks in the wall.

Athletics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Looks like maybe a chamber beyond, a bit hard to tell through the small crooked hole.

Knocking down the filled-in wall from this side with a set of tools is fairly trivial, taking a bit under 15 minutes. The chamber beyond shows signs of being scratched or clawed.

Nearly cowering further back is an emaciated figure barely clad in the remnants of rags, he shades your light from his eyes with an outstretched hand as he asks in a raspy voice that stinks of the grave. "Thou art living? Yes?”

We are, Jaqard says cautiously. What are you called?

The creature responds "Living... good.... I.. am... was... Marcon Tinol. A prisoner here..."

"What have you been imprisoned for? What was this place when you were imprisoned - we thought it was a temple? And why exactly is it good that we are living?"

Roumatha tries to keep his cool and speak softly, but his hands tightly grip the sledgehammer.

Oskar gazes at the prisoner with interest. A prisoner in a dungeon! I'm quite sure I've heard this tale before, and the prisoner almost always knows where the treasure is to be found! The trick is just to gain his confidence and then he will be sure to share his secrets... Perhaps he likes mime?

In the background, Oskar begins to mime the story of a prisoner who finally won his freedom through the aid of his oldest and dearest friends.

Perform (mime): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

Nature, Religion and Society Recall Knowledges may tell you a variety of things here.

He answers in sentences ranging from broken to totally lucid "“I was… ’prisoned here, chained and bricked up behind that same wall. I…slept…died? I woke then and broke the chains. Searched for escape, but there was none. So slept again I did ‘til the ground shook. Since then I have drifted…and chipped. A crack, I noticed after the shaking. This hole is all I have…created.”"

Oskar is untrained in all three of those. For future reference, if he was trained in any of them, would you want the roll(s) to be spoilered so we don't actually know what we've rolled in case of crit fails? Still sorting out how best to handle stuff like this in 2e.

Oskar listens to his tale with fascination. "There might be the makings of an opera here... It needs a bit more though - a love interest perhaps - never mind, I can easily add that - no one has signed you yet, have they?"

For secret rolls I've been experimenting with different solutions depending on the needs of the scenario. For this one we're just rolling as there's not a lot of need for secrecy or misdirection in this particular scenario. A GM might ask for them in the slides ahead of time, or ask for bonuses when appropriate or ask that players roll in spoilers. I try and mention at the beginning of my games what I'm looking for although I'm not entirely happy with any of the solutions. I feel like there's not a consensus on the best way to handle yet.

If your GM is on top of things they'll at least try and make their expectations on the matter clear.(Like here)

That was almost a month ago though since my posting speed has been a bit slower than I intended. I didn't even remember that I said it until I went back to check.

MugVug steps into the room and leans in Marcon's direction with his hands on his hips. He inhales deeply through his nose and then frowns at the smell.

How long have you been down here? You smell...old...and those big beast things...are they friends of yours? Are you hungry? You don't want to eat...us...do you? Like those big beast friends of yours?

Ah yes, you did tell us how you wanted those checks made - sorry, I forgot!

He responds, still with the raspy voice of the grave "Verily, I... know not. Time... has passed, in and out of sleep I have drafted for so long. No friends... no lights, Tis true that... I hunger. I have control... for now. Discipline I have learned. Yes discipline. Hunger is as nothing unto me now. Its claws have lost their grip…This I swear: no harm to the bodies of the living will I bring…So long as I see justice done. Then…peace. Forever.”

The words Candren’s wish are scrapped into the walls over and over and over again.

"Justice? Tell us more - your opera may work even without a love interest! And who is this Candren? Is that you? What does Candren wish?"

Despite the creatures horrific appearance there's a certain genuineness to its quite antiquated speech.