DM Carbide's Godsmouth Heresy [PFS1e-CORE, Table 1] (Inactive)

Game Master John Woodford

Yeah, I didn’t expect it to gain cooperation, but did want to at least establish our motivation to them as to why we were busting down the door. It’s all good!

"Wait, this is Pharasmin? We haven't seen a spiral since we got in here, and no one's been here for--for centuries, at least. Did you see that trapped statue out there?" He points back the way the party came from, at the room with the statue of Lissala. "That's not Pharasmin. I don't know what it is. Now, this room--" He gestures, and the magnificence of the setting suddenly becomes clear. Biers of gold encrusted with glittering gems lie against the walls of the chamber. Golden candelabras stand nearby, empty of candles, and the walls depict a glorious afterlife filled with riches and luxury, painted in bright pigments and gold leaf. "Looks impressive, doesn't it? The gold is all leaf over wood, most of the gems are fakes, and the rest are only semiprecious. There isn't a spiral or representation of Pharasma to be had. The first door on the left, right before we hit the monster that got Fisk? It's got biers in it--not as fancy-looking as these, but still nice--and there are bodies on it that look like they're sleeping." He shudders again. "Creepy as--well, creepy. And still no spirals, no images. Are you sure this place is Pharasmin? I would expect to see something to show that in rooms that are obviously for preparing bodies for burial. Maybe we just missed the big sign, but as far as I've seen this place is a temple to dead gods. So I say again: what would you have done in our place? You're obviously adventurers, not temple guards. How do you treat places that have been empty this long?"

Well, I'll admit he has a point.

The white haired young sorceress says

I've stopped your friend from bleeding, but I'm no priest, there is nothing more I can do, sorry. But you're right, I've seen no statue of Pharasma, then again I didn't pay that much attention to the religious furniture while we fought creatures that wanted us dead.

"It might have built a temple once, but it's now part of the Pharasmin catacombs. The cathedral is built right on it," Erica indicates. "But I doubt that any priest has been down there in a long time. As for ourselves, we may be adventurers, but robbing graves and temples isn't exactly what we do. Now here's what I propose," she goes on, sternly. "Everything that you and your friend took here, we put exactly back where you found them, and we escort you back to that tunnel of yours without a little détour to leave you in the hands of the Pharasmin clerics. When our group gets back upstairs, we'll tell them that you thought you had discovered an abandoned temple to the old gods, not catacombs belonging to the Pharasmin Church, and that you left without taking anything once you learned you were trespassing. No crime, no pursuits. Understood?"

"Thank you. I've told you all I know about this place, so if you don't mind we'll be on our way. If you need to get out the way we came in, it'll be a tight squeeze with some climbing at the end. The tunnel comes out in one of the mouths on the cliff face. We free-climbed up to it."

"Well, that was a bit of excitement wasn't it?" Vulf remarks to his colleagues as the tengu depart. "It does not appear that we have found our body thief, but we do have some information that the clergy will undoubtedly be interested in learning. Is it too soon to return to the door and chime them?"

Erica will check for stolen items on both tengus just to be sure they aren't hiding anything, but then lets them go, even showing willingness to accompany them back to the tunnel just to ensure that they don't meet any monsters on the way out.

"I doubt they'd steal or move a corpse, indeed," she replies to Vulf once the group is on their own again. "Let's keep exploring, just in case we aren't missing anything. I'm curious about the room they found, with the -what was it- asleep-looking bodies."

Nala assists the Tengu once they have explained themselves, "I can honestly say I haven't been in your position, but I could see a time when I could be seen doing the exact same thing. I apologize our tridents crossed yours and wish you smooth sailing upon fair winds."

She heals herself and Bobbie up, then tosses a charge from her wand at the injured Tengu so they can walk and climb themselves out. The half-elf also wants to see where the Tengu managed to make it inside these catacombs so they can seal it off.

CLW Nala: 3d8 + 3 ⇒ (2, 5, 8) + 3 = 18

CLW Bobbie: 3d8 + 3 ⇒ (6, 4, 8) + 3 = 21

CLW Tengu: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

7 charges used, 41 remain

The tengu vanish into the tunnel (described HERE). Their denials of having found anything seemed sincere, and they seem to be more than willing to leave the Ossuary behind.

The door to the room the tengu described is unlocked and apparently untrapped. Opening the door reveals a room decorated with brightly painted carvings on the walls, vividly depicting mighty dragons in flight over shining cities, while in the streets of the cities below winged angels kneel and serve human masters. Peacock-feather motifs dominate throughout the chamber, and a faint, pleasant perfume drifts through the air. Several humans lie supine atop biers draped in rich cloth--if they are dead, the bodies are perfectly preserved. They appear to be in relaxed sleep, showing no signs of corruption or decay.

"Strange," Erica mutters quietly, as if she were scared of awakening the sleepers. She takes a look around the crypt, looking for anything that might help explain what is going on in this room.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

Erica notices nothing not already apparent.

Nala moves inside to get a better view of the bodies, her shield and trident out and ready for anything.

Nothing disturbs the ranger. On closer inspection the bodies are unmoving, but apart from that appear quite alive.

"Are they undead?"

Nala’s brow crinkles, ”Alive, but frozen in place.” she taps one of the bodies with the butt of her trident.

Looking at her allies, ”Magic maybe?”

Let me check..

Desynthia cast a minor spell to detect arcane powers in the area

"I have heard of some forms of magic that may explain this. From Pharasman's in particular." postulates Vulf as he casts detect magic and approaches to inspect the bodies.

+5 modifier for both Knowledge (religion) and Spellcraft (not sure which may be applicable.
Religion or Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Desynthia and Vulf, there is a magical aura of moderate power in the room.

Give me a Knowledge (Arcana) check if you want to know more.

Nala, your trident passes through the body without resistance.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Know arcana: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Desynthia tries to identify the magical energies used

Nala's brow doubles down on its furrows, "Huh... nothing here. Maybe an illusion or ghost or something?"

She searches the room.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Desynthia can't figure out the nature of the magical aura.

As Nala searches, she realizes that nothing else visible in the room appears to actually be there. When the ranger feels the stone floor, though, she can tell that there is something engraved there.

'Whiny birds' considers Azrail 'We aint killed ya and them wounds be good fer da soul.' Though, he says nothing during the exchange.

Moving to the door across the hall when he notices nothing attacking his companions, he waits patiently for the go ahead.

Nala points out the floor engravings and starts trying to trace them, maybe figure out what they mean.

What have you find, Nala? May I help?

Desynthia tries to dust off the engravings on the floor, working side by side with Nala

Desynthia sees nothing, but putting her hands where Nala indicates she, too, can feel the engravings.

So far as Nala and Desynthia can tell visually, the floor where they feel the engraving is featureless.

It takes some time to figure out the orientation of the letters. Nothing is disturbing the party at the moment, though, and after a few minutes the pair figures out that the single word on the floor is "Xavorax."

"Xavorax?" Erica repeats, dumbfounded. "What in Heavens does it mean? Is it some kind of name?"

Knowledge (Local), Untrained, Aid Another: 1d20 ⇒ 13

Nala shrugs, something that is becoming quite a signature move from her.

"Not my purview to know things like this, let's keep checking rooms and take detailed notes."

She writes down the name with a big question mark after it and then moves across the hallway, trident and shield back out.

Perception checking the door and listening for dangers: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Nala hears nothing at the door, nor does she see any apparent traps or snares.

Vulf holds his hammer in one hand and stick of salted meat in the other. waiting for the door to open.

The door opens to reveal another embalming room. In this one, the biers have been pushed against the cabinets to make a large space in the center. That space is filled with a large circle of tarnished silver powder, surrounded by arcane symbols. The center of the circle is empty.

For cases like this, where the room has no hazards, I'll assume you open the door with all due precautions.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

"Some kind of magical circle, I would guess." notes Vulf as he chews the meat stick down to a nub. "There's a gap in it though."

Know Arcana: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

I would agree, but I can't discern its fonction. Maybe if I feel some residual magical energy i could have a vague clue?

Once again, Desynthia casts her minor spell and tries to detect magic around

Desynthia detects no magical aura on the circle. If it was ever used for a spell, its power has long since dissipated.

"We move to the next room, then?" Erica suggests.

"We move to the next room, then?" Erica suggests.

Vulf takes another bite and nods. He then moves down the corridor to the next door.

Nala writes down a few notes about what her allies found and then checks the next door down the hall.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Nala hears nothing at the door, nor does she find any traps.

"Let's go in, if it isn't locked," Erica leads the way.

Desynthia follows, renewing the light spell on the tip of her longspear if needed.

Her hair are black as night now, and she tries to spot any potential ambush while being as discreet as possible.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 3
stealth: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

And she fails totally at both, tripping over her own spear and nearly falling on the ground

The door is unlocked, and Erica opens it to reveal a bloated humanoid figure standing across from the door.

Round 1:

Initiative order
Erica
Enemy
Vulf
Desynthia
Nala
Azrail

Erica can act!

Enemy: AC ? T ? FF ? HP taken: 0

As soon as she spots the strange-looking humanoid, Erica rushes forward and swings her warhammer at it... Only this time, she loses her balance and wildly misses, hitting the wall instead.

Power Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 Fumbles everywhere!
Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 3 = 9

Round 1 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Erica-acted
Enemy-acted
Vulf
Desynthia
Nala
Azrail

Erica slips on a piece of detritus on the floor and is unable to recover in time. However, her slip moves her out of the way of the enemy's slam attack, which also misses badly.

Everyone else can act!

Enemy: AC 12 T 10 FF 12 HP taken: 0

Knowledge (religion): 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

"Gasburst zombies!" cries Vulf in horror as he realizes that the nature of this threat means that he had better finish chewing and swallow his snack quickly while he is still able.

Wanting to keep his distance, he sends an acid dart towards the undead.

Ranged touch attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Acid damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

He then reaches for his wand of healing.

There's only one of them.

Pookying with spear: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Dmg: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Desynthia shows once again that she better leave fighting to other people.

Even if everyone so far comically miss

Nala hears the yell of combat and rushes in, trident ready. Seeing a grotesque abomination she quickly stabs at it.

She calls to Vulf, "Okay, that's what it is. Do you know anything useful about it?"

Move & Strike

MW Trident: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 for Piercing: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Once that probably misses, she glances over at Bobbie, "Let's move into flanking for our next attacks."

It looks like the map got shifted less than half a square. I put everything back the way I had it, and as a result the zombie will get an AoO on Nala when she moves in. Desynthia and Vulf, the zombie has soft cover against you...not that it would have mattered, given your rolls.

Even though the zombie moves slowly, Vulf, Nala, and Desynthia all miss. It also misses Nala as she advances.

Azrial to go!

Moving to get a better view, the half-elf looses an arrow into the room. His concern of hurting a companion causes him to shoot wide.

"For a Pharasman crypt, there sure are a lot of undead beasts about."

Short Bow,PBS, into combat, cover penalty: 1d20 + 4 + 1 - 4 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 + 1 - 4 - 4 = 9 for Piercing: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 x3 Crit; 60ft Range

Ah, I see what happened. And now based on the correct map I went ahead and moved Nala an extra five feet. I figured she might as well move to the best spot if she has to provoke just to get into range.

Erica starts slowly walking to the zombie's left side, keeping attacking him as she does so.

5 ft movement

Power Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 3 + 2 = 12