[Gameday IX / PFS2 Luke_Parry] 1-01: The Absalom Initiation (1-4) (Inactive)

Game Master Luke_Parry

Alanossë reacts quickly, trying to jump back and avoid the fall...

Reflex: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

Alanossë manages to Grab and Edge, and avoids falling into the sinkhole (which appears to be full of trash and rubble).

"Okay, perhaps nothing there that we need. Let's check out the other side and then the back and we'll be done with this place," Trevadar points out after helping Alanosse up out of the hole. There's a slight moment when he hangs onto him where he pauses just for a moment, before finishing the job and moving on to C5.

"Sooner the better."

Leaving the increasingly-dilapidated room behind them, the party moves to the other side of the building.

C5:

Only a single, aged worktable still stands in one corner of this room, though the clay fragments of an oven and rusted metal suggest it was once a kitchen. The ceiling has completely fallen in, leaving this room open to the sky above.

C4:

Ivy has overgrown the empty window frame, casting this room into cool shadow. A low shelf, its wood warped and cracked, stands against the south wall, and a desk has been overturned and smashed in the eastern part of the room.

Alanossë: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23.
Grommfell: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10.
Nal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21.
Trevadar: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23.
Wraax: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23.

Everyone *except* Grommfell hears faint whispers, pleading “don’t make me go in the doll again”, and realises that there is a Haunt in this room!

Religion (Trained) or Performance (Trained), to 'disable' it.

"In the doll"?! Well, that's creepy! Hanging back, Nal gestures for Trevadar to do his thing. "Good thing we have you here, buddy!"

Religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Hero Point Reroll: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Trevadar falters a bit as he holds up his holy symbol this time. "...in the name of...of Abadar, cease your protests and begone! And..." He struggles to continue his prayer. "Um, if anyone could assist..."

Saved my Hero Point for something like this, and it fails me. Oh well, that's dice for you!

Wraax sees Trevadar faltering, and steps forward. "Let any lost soul who resides in this place, find the peace they so deserve. By the Green, and the scythe I carry in its name, I invoke such rights"

Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Whelp, that might've worked... maybe?

Oooh boy! This isn't going as smoothly as last time. Maybe I _should_ try. Hehe. This'll be funny! Nal isn't the religious sort, so the very idea of praying to get rid of this is hilarious to her. Even so, she decides to give it a go. 'Cause what the heck, you know?

"O forces of power who hear these words, send all errant spirits to their true homes, that they may rest in peace, and all that."

Religion, trained: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

"Eh, well... I doubt it hurt."
(Famous last words)

The whispers get louder and louder, until it becomes practically impossible to think clearly, distinguishing your thoughts from those of the spirits...

Will saves from everyone.

Will: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

well dang... I kinda wish additional Hero points had been handed out by now... oh well. Guess I crit fail.

Alanossë tries to meditate and ignore the whispers...

Will Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Will Save, Premonition of Avoidance: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 8 + 2 = 21

"Cease your whispers, spirits!" Trevadar says as he feels his key vibrate briefly in his hand, warning him of the danger.

Would Trevadar be able to retry after this?

Wil: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Failing to hear the whispers, Grommfell's mind is unprepared for the assault.

Will: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

What the fuuudge? Okay, maybe it _could_ hurt. Next time run!

@Trevadar: Unfortunately, the Haunt has 'triggered'; it isn't an ongoing effect, so further checks wouldn't help at this point.

Alanossë and Trevadar manage to maintain a tight grip upon their senses, but everyone else in the party is momentarily overwhelmed.

The remaining three of you are Confused.

Wraax attacks Grommfell, Grommfell attacks Nal, and Nal attacks Wraax, using offensive Strikes or attack Cantrips.

"Yaaah!" With a wild look in her eyes, Nal draws her light mace, steps up to Wraax, and bashes him over the head. Because that totally makes sense.

light mace: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 211d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Grommfell swings his pick at his ally, Nal.
Stride
Melee (greatpick): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Damage (P): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Melee (greatpick): 1d20 + 7 - 5 ⇒ (3) + 7 - 5 = 5
Damage (P): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

"Dear gods, stop! Stop! Help me stop them before they kill each other!" Trevadar shouts as he holds up his holy symbol. Whispering a prayer, it bursts into a radiant glow to reverse the wounds inflicted on each of them.

3 Action Heal: 1d8 ⇒ 4 4hp restored...though after Wraax has made their attack in case they actually land a hit.

With a deft and practiced hand, Wraax's scythe flicks out in a blur.
+1 Scythe attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29 damage: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

oof. Of all the times to do it... that's a crit... for an additional deadly d10 after the doubling.
deadly d10: 1d10 ⇒ 5

ouch. That's 31 points for grommfell from Wraax... I really hope this is either 1 round, or we can save again, cus Wraax is designed to murder things... as that was just a strike, no focus spell or hunt prey. XD

2d20 ⇒ (18, 8) = 26

Nal hits Wraax, and then comes to her senses.

Grommfell misses Nal.

Wraax practically decapitates Grommfell, rendering him *very* unconscious.

He comes to his senses, just as he is pulling his scythe out of the poor Dwarf's body.

Whether or not the Dwarf has come to his senses remains to be seen...

Heh. Do you want wake him up to find out immediately, or stabilise him, wait a bit, and then try...? ;-)

Well, I already declared the Heal, though I didn't know there was going to be a crit! So if being at positive hit points means he wakes up, he wakes up.

"Why did you put a scythe through his neck?!" Trevadar looks very alarmed as Grommfell falls, just as his healing wave prevents him from bleeding out. "Are you okay?"

In that case, Grommfell? Please attack Wraax.

As Wraax comes back to his senses, he looks at the fallen Dwarf grimly. "I... Cannot say for certain... However I feel I was controlled by a level of malign influenc-" Wraax will be interrupted by Grommfell resuming his attack. "Much as Gromfell appears to still be."

Yikes, but also hahaha! It's like the Three Stooges!

As soon as she snaps back to herself, Nal drops her weapon, gasps in horror, and raises her hands to cover her face. She cries out over Trevadar's words: "Oh my gosh! Wraax! I'm so sorry! Oh my gosh!"

Grommfell comes to, then grabs his pick.
Interact?

He rises to his feet.
Stand

Finally, he swings his pike as his fellow Pathfinder.
Melee (greatpick): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Damage (P): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

After jabbing Wraax hard, Grommfell returns to his senses.

There is nothing else of interest in this room.

Alanossë holds his bow, not knowing who to point it at or what to do, until Wraax mentions being under maligh influence. He then silently nods, reflecting, Must've been the whispers...

"Okay, stop!" Trevadar shouts, holding his hands out and looking at his injured allies. Prioritizing the most injured, he gives his last prayer of healing of the day to Grommfell. 2 Action Heal: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

"...Okay. Is it out of your systems yet? Anyone feel like hitting each other anymore?" He asks.

After this, I think there's one last room to explore - Trevadar will cautiously allow someone else to take the lead for that.

Her hands still covering her face, Nal replies in a much higher pitched voice than usual: "No. I'm so sorry! I don't know what happened! It took over my mind...and my body..."

After spending a minute or so settling herself, Nal sets her jaw, squares her shoulders, and slips into the next room.

GM Luke_Parry has called out what we saw in C1, C2, C4, C5, C6, & C7. In C2 it was clear there was a haunt, but Trevadar quieted it. We didn't really investigate that room, though. Nal and Grommfell's tokens are currently in C3. Is there anything in there of note? What else is left to explore?

"...Okay. Is it out of your systems yet? Anyone feel like hitting each other anymore?" He asks.

Grommfell looks at the fresh blood dripping from his pick and considers the question for a few moments.

"I guess not." he mumbles, somewhat unsure what has transpired yet feeling guilty nevertheless.

@Nal: To be clear, there was nothing to discover in C2 beyond the Haunt.

C3:

Everything this room once held now lies jumbled over the floor in a soggy mess: torn pages, scraps of fabric, and splintered remnants of furniture. Doors hang askew in the north and east walls, but the door to the south has been smashed from its hinges.

I will take Perception checks from everyone...

While Nal is composing herself, Wraax will reach up and place a calming hand on her shoulder. "There is nothing to forgive. You were not yourself... Simply take away from this that magic is finicky, and sometimes can cause one to hurt their friends and loved ones if you are not cautious." Wraax nods once to Grommfell, wipes his Scythe clean, pulls out and drinks a potion, then follows after Nal.

Minor Healing Potion: 1d8 ⇒ 7

Stepping into the room cautiously, Wraax looks around for things of note.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Uneasy, Alanossë warily looks around...

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Allowing the others to enter first, Trevadar walks in and keeps close to the door, peering around and looking for more haunts. They had encountered two already, a third was not unlikely.

Grommfell scans the room.
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Hmm... What is it about that door? Nal inspects where the south door was smashed off, wondering what did that, how recently, and why.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Nal and Trevadar easily discover a glowing potion, buried in the debris.

Lesser Healing Potion.

Alanossë, on the other hand, finds a hidden compartment behind a fallen bookcase, which contains labeled schematics for a Soulbound Doll...

That's it for the abandoned house. What now?

I believe that is all four locations, ya? So time to go back and report?

"Huh. A Soulbound Doll? Didn't that haunt just now say something about not going back in the doll?" Nal shudders at the thought of what that haunt did to her mind and the others'. "I hope...that doesn't happen to the demo crew. Know what I mean?"

Arcana +3: What does Nal know about soulbound dolls?

"That seems terrifying," Trevadar mentions as he looks at the schematics. "If there's nothing else here, we should report back. No one found an access to the basement, correct?" He asks, going to take one last sweep of the whole building to make sure they hadn't missed anything.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

That is...so unfortunate, even though I didn't think he'd find anything.

Trevadar has trouble finding his own shoes, despite the fact that he is still wearing them...

Heading back to the Lodge...

Janira Gavix races down the hall, her blond hair flying in her excitement. “I just heard you made it back—congratulations! It sounds like everything went, well, about as well as anyone could expect. Come with me, I have something for each of you.”

The halfling woman leads the way into a small office and distributes finely crafted wooden boxes. Within each, a gleaming compass lid emblazoned with the Glyph of the Open Road and an engraved name lies upon a cushion of silk. “I’m not sure if you’ve picked up your own wayfinders yet, but when you do, you should have ones that prove that you belong. Now it’s official,” she beams. “Welcome to the Pathfinder Society!”

Scenario completed :-)

Alanossë frowns a bit as he nods to Janira. ”Ma’am, at the statues with the rioters, a civilian threw a dagger at one of us; I responded...and my arrow killed that civilian. Upon leaving here, I’m going to report it to the City Watch...but who do I report to about this within the Society?”