GM Doug's Sky Key Solution (Inactive)

Game Master Doug Hahn

This is a tier 7-8 table for Gameday IX, running from September 01, 2020 - November 10, 2020.

Entering the briefing is a man in black enameled full plate, adorned in red and the inverse pentagram of The First. While the armor is reminiscent of Hellknight armor, it definitely is not that, and his face is covered by an iron mask.

He wields an evil looking mace of a dull black metal, and has a heavy shield also adorned with the (un)holy symbol of his patron. A heavy weight can be felt around him, as he wields the Power of Law.

"Greetings. I am Faustus Sulpicious Voralius, Amiger of the Order of the Gate, former Mendevian Crusader, and currently a member of the Silver Crusade, Defender of Hao Jinn. I have but one question to ask... are your papers in order?"

Faustus is a Conversion Inquisitor, so is very strong in bluff, diplomacy, and especially intimidate. He is a strong front-line fighter with his mace and shield.

The young girl in the corner turns around smiling and laughs softly. "Faustus. A man of many talents, and impeccable integrity. It has been too long. I believe the debrief after the Trial was the last we saw each other. Shelyn's Blessings on you."

Lya bows her head slightly, the large colorful feathers in her hair trailing to the side.

"Indeed." replies the Chelaxian. "It was a good trial. Well fought. I expect us to be fighting for a worthy cause once more."

Fung joins the group quietly, so quietly that when you notice him, you wonder if he was walking on air. And when you look closely, although partially hidden by his long robes, you notice indeed that he is! When you examine him further, he realise that although there is hardly any draft in the room, his robes and long hair are constantly being gently tossed about by a gentle breeze. And the closer you move towards him, the more you feel a static electric disturbance that surrounds him.

He looks rather ill at ease, standing (or floating) awkwardly to one side, unsure of himself, and waits for a break in the conversations to introduce himself. "Um... hello. My name is Xuan Fung, but please call me Fung. Do you know why we've been summoned here?"

**HOUSE GM ANNOUNCEMENT**

”Yes, Pathfinders” Master of Scrolls Kreighton Shaine muses. ”A lot of you, certainly. Lovely! Well, find your places in an orderly fashion. We’ve got some truly exciting news today and I can’t wait to get started!”

GMs, you have 1 day to complete mustering and initial knowledge gathering checks.

I stand corrected on time!

Shaine speaks from atop a wooden platform here in Bloodwatered Meadow, which lies about five miles outside the walls of Absalom. You can still see those bulwarks from here — the top edges rise above the cypress trees like pale clouds. Those walls have stood for millennia, and this is the field where many critical battles have been fought against the would-be conquerors — many of whom never left this place alive.

Red poppies sway quietly in the breeze as Pathfinders move closer to Shaine’s platform, speculating on his news. Newer recruits surreptitiously pat their pockets for paperwork. Some of them look panicked and slink around to the far side of the platform, far away from the intimidating inquisitor. They relax a little when they hear Lya’s laugh.

I expect us to be fighting for a worthy cause once more."

Others smile when they hear Faustus’s declaration that this is yet another worthy cause. This is exactly what they signed up for!

Fung rises ever so slightly up, to sate his curiosity with a better view of the platform.

As it so often happens, there are some fellow Pathfinders nearby who seem likely fits for your mission. It might be a good idea to say hello and trade war stories!

Now is the time for character introductions! If you have not posted yet, please introduce your character. What do we see? Why might your PC be interested in this enigmatic mission?

You can also roll some knowledge and gather info checks for context on this mission. You may roll each skill once, and read the spoilers under any DCs you beat. The general assumption at my tables is that you tell teammates what you know, even if you do not explicitly RP it. This keeps the game moving, so if someone beats a DC you should feel free to read the spoiler.

★★★

Gather Info
There are lots of gossiping Pathfinders about, as well as entrepreneurial vendors separating adventurers from their gold by way of delicious street food and quality gear. It’s a perfect time to strike up a conversation and learn more! This check doesn’t have the normal time constraint.

— —
Knowledge (arcana)
Those initiated in the arcane arts might notice some… interesting… things about this field.

— —
Knowledge (history)

History buffs love reading about ancient battles, and there have many of those here. The Bloodwatered meadow is rife with history.

"It is lovely to meet you Fung, and the rest of our merry band. I am Lya. I come from a family of traveling performers. Some of the most beautiful, graceful performances that can bring a tear to your eye. For you see - the family legend is our blood has been truly touched by an angel, but not just any - one that remains our muse to this day.

My Father told me that the Angel was a messenger from Shelyn herself, to inspire the love of art and to share it wherever we go." Lya takes a dramatic pause.

"To my father's chagrin - i took this to heart and have learned and followed Shelyn's teachings - and set off to find the true meaning of inner beauty. I've spent time at many monasteries in my travels. But my heart kept me moving - always looking for further enlightenment.

Now my travels among some outer planes has ended, when i happened to receive an all too common, cryptic missive summoning me here."

diplomacy to gather info: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (10) + 21 = 31

"of course, it is not in me to pass up the opportunity to greet my fellow agents, and spread the good word about Shelyn. I heard from a couple wizards that this gathering is to be some sort of 'big test', probably on the Dwarven relic being on the tip of everyone's tongue these last few months."

"Hello everybody. I'm Lilybeth. You might recognize me as I was once assistant librarian at the Grand Lodge, but after my uncle, who was my mentor at the time, went missing I decided to become a field agent. Due to the tutelage of my new mentor I've managed to ascend quite rapidly in the arcane arts."

Knowledge Arcana (take 10, pathfinder chronicle): 10 + 14 + 2 = 26
Knowledge History (take 10, pathfinder chronicle): 10 + 14 + 2 = 26

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (5) + 19 = 24
Arcana: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

”Looks like some sort of conjuration ritual, or something. We are probably here to deal with whatever escapes the containment, I would guess.”

Lya flashes a warm smile "Lovely to meet you Lilybeth. I never had the chance to meet your uncle. Did you ever manage to find out what happened to him?"

Lya flashes a warm smile "Lovely to meet you Lilybeth. I never had the chance to meet your uncle. Did you ever manage to find out what happened to him?"

"Yes, he was abducted in aether so to speak. A party of very capable pathfinders managed to free him. However, the ordeal did take its toll and he decided to retire from the Pathfinder Society. So now it's up to me to uphold the family legacy."

Fung merely stands (or floats) around, not being particularly glib of tongue, or knowledgeable.

Seeing how everyone is sharing their history, Fung decides to join in. "Uh, well, I lived my early years in Goka. Came under the apprenticeship of a master herbalist, and when he decided to set up shop in Absalom, I followed him. A few years ago, this started to happen." At this, he lifts up his hand and shows the crackling lightning across his fingers before he continues. "Master Hong got me to join the Society as a way to learn control of my power. Um, and maybe do some good."

**HOUSE GM ANNOUNCEMENT**

Kreighton Shaine, the Pathfinder Society’s Master of Scrolls and de facto Master of Spells in the wake of Aram Zey’s untimely assassination, steps forward. A broad smile graces his youthful, elven features, and his golden hair shines in the sunlight.

“Welcome, my countless eager scholars! Today we are about to witness a wondrous and strange new chapter in the Pathfinder Society’s history. But first, please everyone take a moment of silence to remember our lost Master of Spells and my close friend, Aram Zey. While many of you found his manner abrasive, he fully believed in the Society’s goals of exploration and cooperation, and I know his loss will be deeply felt by us all.” After a moment, Kreighton Shaine continues.

“You may have heard rumors about the Sky Key, an artifact coveted by the dwarves of Jormurdun. A few of you even managed to recover pieces of it. But—and this is the important part—the Sky Key is no dwarven relic. The dwarves found this artifact in one of Numeria’s many wrecks and struggled to master its abilities just as we have spent the past several months doing. But now… now we have this assembled... wonder.”

The Master of Scrolls pulls back a canvas tarp, revealing… a bed of withered roses. “The Key itself is secure in a small chamber we’ve constructed below this field, and it is connected to the surface here by a series of adamantine rods and mithral cables.” He taps a dark metal shaft beside him. “This formerly-award-winning bed of roses, however, we have left sitting here for two weeks without sun or water.”

His hands weave an arcane pattern, and arcs of lightning leap from his fingertips to the rod. A chest-shaking hum rises from somewhere below, and a bubble of green light enfolds the roses, revealing a flower bed of vibrant reds, purples, and yellows where only withered brown stood moments before.

“This is the power of the Sky Key: It creates a window into the past. No longer will the Society have to pick at the precious few scraps history leaves behind. Instead we can watch the greatest moments of Golarion’s history unfold before our eyes! We can watch the Eventongue Rebellion shatter Taldor into a dozen smaller states. We can witness Irrisen before the coming of Baba Yaga, or study the godcallers of Sarkoris before the Worldwound. We can witness the Starstone plunge Golarion into an age of endless night, or watch Aroden himself pull Kortos from the sea in its wake. Anything we want, we can study. And all it requires is lightning!

“Unfortunately, we must content ourselves with study. While our modern forms can enter these temporal bubbles unaffected—” he reaches a hand into the shimmering energy and plucks a rose. Pulling it from the iridescent field, the flower ages and crumbles into dust, “—anything removed collapses under the weight of time itself. We can witness anything we like, but any treasures of history, or great figures, belong to their own age, beyond our reach.”

“It takes the magic of one accomplished wizard to reach back thirteen days. How far, then, do you imagine twenty will reach? A hundred?” Several other teams across the field begin assembling adamantine rods. “Our math says: The Age of Serpents, some tens of thousand years before the present. And that is where all of you come in. If this works—and it will, mind you—then we estimate we’ll have four to five hours to see what Kortos looked like at the dawn of the Azlanti Empire, when our earliest ancestors still warred with the serpentfolk empire of old. We need all the eyes and ears the Society can muster to take notes and make observations. Oh, and keep those eyes and ears from getting killed. Anything in the bubble can’t get out, but these roses... they still have thorns.”

He nods, and Pathfinders across the field begin casting spells, directing arcs of lightning into the waiting sky metal rods. Something deep below the earth thrums, and across the field a massive bubble takes shape, expanding to reveal a cube of earth and stone hundreds of feet to a side, as if sliced from the land and laid out in celebration. Low, stone buildings peek over from the very top, while networks of caves riddle the lowest level. Ophidian faces peer out, then retreat back into the darkness.

“It seems the ground level was a bit higher before the Starstone drove it into the sea,” Shaine observes. “Regardless. We have three-hundred and seven minutes remaining. Let’s make the most of it!”

Table GMs, please begin part 2. Areas A and C are accessible.

Lya bows her head during the moment of silence in reverence.

Listening intently, she becomes very excited at the prospect of time travel, while also very intimidated by it.

A courier comes and brings Theo and Roderick an elixir that gives them the benefit of Comprehend Languages for one hour.

The dark caverns ahead beckon… as does the strange plaza above — but you will need some sort of flight to get there.

You can buff up with your hours/level or 10 min/level spells at this point. Since you are not quite sure what's inside at this stage you probably won't do minutes/level unless you're extending them or something.

Let me know which way you want to go — the caverns or the plaza atop the block. The caverns smell a bit like a zoo. The top of the plaza looks like a temple of some sort. I've given you a cross-cut overview of this giant block on Slide 1. for visualization; the block is hundreds of feet wide.

Going to the top will mean some kind of flight for everyone; you can just walk into the caverns. Everyone should have a means of flight at this level, but it might be still limited use for some classes. Once two people agree, we'll move to that area.

"This is truly amazing."

I honestly dont mind the GM deciding in specials to keep it rolling. but when in doubt let's go left. i vote caverns."

Faustus sets up a few spells upon himself.
- Heroism, extended, 180 minutes
- Tongues, extended, 180 minutes
- See Invisibility, 180 minutes
- Perceive Cues, 180 minutes

That leaves 2 charges left on his lesser extend rods

Note: Theo has Underground as a favored terrain at +2, so his (and Fairbeaks') perception, initiative, et al, will all go up while we are down here. If this area counts as Mountains too, then that bonus is up to a +4
Adjusted the numbers for the Underground bonus... let me know if the Mountains apply too

Theo comes running up, his stout legs pumping furiously to find a group with space, before he misses out entirely. Loping along beside him, its longer legs easily able to keep up, is a tall bird like creature, an axe-beak!

Seeing a nearby group about to depart, he quickly rushes in beside them, and doesn't even have time to introduce himself, before he is plucked away with the others.

As they reappear deep underground, he looks around with a frown.

"Sorry about the timing." He mutters, his common clearly showing a heavy Tien accent. "Better late, I suppose."

He frowns even more, when the courier hands him the potion, before running off again.

"Were you expecting someone else?" He asks. "Being able to speak to someone implies an ability to do so without ruffling more feathers than Fairbeaks here has. My folks traveled that path, not I."

Will happily surrender the comprehend languages potion to someone that might be able to make use of it more efficiently then a low charisma dwarf.

"I'd have preferred the temple, but I guess you all are not as good as a flyer as myself. Even the bird is flightless!"

"As a true dragon I have excellent senses, so even underground I can be an asset."

blindsight 60 ft

“Welcome, my countless eager scholars! Today we are about to witness a wondrous and strange new chapter in the Pathfinder Society’s history. But first, please everyone take a moment of silence to remember our lost Master of Spells and my close friend, Aram Zey. While many of you found his manner abrasive, he fully believed in the Society’s goals of exploration and cooperation, and I know his loss will be deeply felt by us all.” After a moment, Kreighton Shaine continues.”

That's a bit dramatic, he only retired. Or has the Society been messing with time travel again and are we in a time where he was still dead and missing? I thought they banned time magic after the disastrous events of...

"Quick question, what's today's date?"

Lilybeth will cast mage armor on herself and Inkwell.

"Lovely to meet you Theo, and of course you Fairbanks. I had not expected to be dealing with Ancient Azlanti nor Ancient Serpentfolk. I would gladly take the potion for when the need arises."

the scenario occurs immediately after Serpent's Rise when he was killed and they havent figured out his soul was stolen yet.

caverns is fine, and keeping us going is as well.

”Greetings. Roderick...Roderick Xim at your service. Sorry for my late arrival. “

Striding to the side is a heavily bearded human wearing leather armor covered in many pouches and bottles. He puffs on a pipe as he listens to the report. He has a long spear propped against the wall and a dagger at his belt.

He accepts the potion and nods to each of the others assembled.

"Time travel? Really? Fung exclaims incredulously. But he gets excited as well, caught up in the group. He studies the lightning that the magic users are tossing around and wonder if whether his would be of use, but looks like he has other purposes for now. As he enters the bubble...

... into the large cavern. Instinctively, he immediately allows the winds to buoy him up as he studies the surroundings. Then, realising belatedly that the rest of the team might not be able to follow, he sheepishly descends.

If the area is dim lighting or dark, Fung will ask Lilybeth to use his scroll of darkvision on him.

It's dim, so you got the darkvision. This counts as underground, but not a mountain.

Fung ascends near the top but doesn't feel safe enough going much farther alone. From his vantage below, he can see a stepped pyramid and the tops of huge, snake-like humanoids that line a plaza. He can hear the chattering of animals.

He glides back down.

★★★

Pathfinders draw weapons, scrolls, or quills — each readying the tools that help them do their scholarly work — and begin making their way into the caverns. It’s dimly lit in here. The ceilings vary in height, from 20-foot high passages that open up to grand chambers that soar to 30 feet or more. Shelves, passageways, and fixtures have been carved into the wall by careful hands, each stylized to resemble a serpent’s head or body.

At first, you’re surrounded by constant chattering — Pathfinder scribes and messengers constantly move between the various agents. Soon enough, corridors spiderweb away, dividing the horde into smaller and smaller groups.

You soon find yourselves alone. This area seems to be dedicated to animal husbandry; some kind of underground zoo, perhaps. Empty pens line the corridors… some alarmingly large, as if for huge-size creatures. The stink of animal scat and rotting meat grows stronger and stronger.

The caverns suddenly open up into a larger space — it looks like some huge creature smashed the wall here. Dim light flickers from the torches, revealing three humanoids standing in an old arena or training area. These creatures have serpentine features, bright scaly skin, long sinuous tails, and fanged teeth.

More noticeable is the huge creature that accompanies them; it has three horns, powerful legs, and a frill. It was probably this monstrosity that battered down the wall… it certainly looks capable of such a feat! And now, it turns to you and huffs loudly — clearly agitated!

The humanoids draw greatswords. Their voices are sibilant, and they speak in archaic common:You dare esssscape, stupid little mammals? DIE!

The huge creature stomps a foot, the whole cavern shakes…

Artwork on Slide 2.

★★★

★★★

Zookeepers! Round 1: Bold May Act

Dim light. Ceiling in arena is 30’ high. Passages is 20’. Rubble is difficult terrain for medium creatures.

Fairbeaks Fairbeaks likely delays for his master; was probably on Heel or Defend command.
Fung
Roderick
——
Snake Folk
——
Faustus
Theo ‘Little Foot’
Lilybeth Zey
——
3-horned beast
——
Lya

GM, you might have missed out which skill for the knowledge check. Will roll 2 nature checks just in case.
knowledge(nature): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
knowledge(nature): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

"Woah! That's a big... thing!"

Fung swiftly summons the winds to carry him forth, bringing himself into the chamber but keeping himself high overhead (hopefully) out of reach of the enemies until he figures out more about them. Not taking the time to draw power from his surroundings, Fung draws from deep within, weakening himself but sending a tremendous blast of wind and lightning at the huge lizard.

vs big lizard (FFAC):
Air Wysp Aura, Elemental Overflow (Dex & Con), PBS
Burn: Composite Blast (+2); Empowered (+1)
thunderstorm blast: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 10 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 30
dmg: 8d6 + 8 + 7 + 1 + 4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (1, 4, 3, 1, 6, 3, 3, 1) + 8 + 7 + 1 + 4 + 1 + 1 = 44
Empowered: Total = 44x1.5 = 66 damage (33 electricity, 33 bludgeoning)

Hey thanks — nature it is! Generally, I will leave it up to the players to read the revealed knowledge checks but in this case I will paste them in here.

Fung knows these are Degenerate Serpentfolk. They are Monstrous Humanoids. They have moderate spell resistance and are immune to mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison. Many serpentfolk have a poison bite attack that does strength damage. These have fangs capable of delivering that poison.

The huge creature is a triceratops, an animal with all the standard animal-type stuff. It can trample!

The lightning eats into the triceratops' tough hide; the beast shudders under the onslaught of thunder and is brought to its knees for a moment by the tremendous blast! It looks VERY angry now…

★★★

Zookeepers! Round 1: Bold May Act

Dim light. Ceiling in arena is 30’ high. Passage is 20’. Rubble is difficult terrain for medium creatures.

Fung
Roderick
——
Serpentfolk
——
Faustus
Theo ‘Little Foot’
Fairbeaks Fairbeaks delays for his master.
Lilybeth Zey
——
Triceratops -66 HP
——
Lya

Aye, Fairbeaks is just normal animal int. So unless someone attacks Theo, he will wait for Theo.

Knowledge (nature) vs snake things: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Knowledge (nature) vs dino: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Roderick advances along the southern wall and tries to id the creatures.

”I say, what have we here? “

Kn nat : 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11 snakes
Kn nat : 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24 beast

”I daresay I do not recognize those rude serpent creatures but the brute is an ancient triceratops and can charge and trample! “

He mixes a bomb and hurls at the beast

Bomb, range, pb: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 10 + 1 = 18
for Explosve dmg : 4d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1, 3, 4, 4) + 3 + 1 = 16 10'r splash, 7 fire dmg (DC14 for half).

The beast bellows in rage as it's harassed with more elemental damage! It lurches away from the worst of the splash. 19 damage; -85 HP

The serpentfolk look a little rattled at this turn of events — and you notice they have no ranged weapons. They move in, making sure to leave a lane open for their triceratops friend. Double move.

★★★

Zookeepers! Round 1: Bold May Act

Dim light. Ceiling in arena is 30’ high. Passages is 20’. Rubble is difficult terrain for medium creatures.

Fung
Roderick
——
Snake Folk 1
Snake Folk 2
Snake Folk 3
——
Faustus
Theo ‘Little Foot’
Fairbeaks
Lilybeth Zey
——
Triceratops -85 HP
——
Lya

Inkwell flies to the triceratops and sneezes a 10-foot cone of ink at the beast. DC 15 Reflex save or be covered in ink.

Knowledge: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27
Knowledge: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16

Lilybeth has the same modifier for all knowledges

Lilybeth casts Summon Monster V to summon a Augmented Ceustodeamon.
Standard action due to Acadamae Graduate, applying Spirit of Wine Alchemical Reagent (total duration 10+4+1 rounds)

Fortitude DC20 or become fatigued: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24 Succes!

She commands the daemonic horned ape in its native tongue to take care of the triceratops while it is still flatfooted.

The Ceustodaemon will then cast hold monster (will DC17) on the Triceratops.

The triceratops lurches away from the ink, but is frozen in place by the daemonic binds! One massive hoof is locked in place, three feet off above the splattered ink. The dinosaur's bird-like eyes roll towards the Ceustodaemon, burning with frustration.

★★★

Zookeepers! Round 1: Bold May Act

Dim light (20% miss chance). Ceiling in arena is 30’ high. Passages is 20’. Rubble is difficult terrain for medium creatures.

Fung
Roderick
——
Serpentfolk
——
Faustus
Theo ‘Little Foot’
Fairbeaks
Lilybeth Zey
——
Triceratops -88 HP; burning 1d6, held 8 rnds (Will at EoT)
——
Lya

Well, was hoping for Faustus and Lya to get out of Fairbeaks' path... but only just now realized Lya is dead last in init, so that's not going to happen... and now there's a demon in the way anyway! So plan B!

GM, did my knowledge rolls result in any useful info? (DR is the usual first thing I wonder about)

edit: nm... just noticed the nested spoilers! All is well!

Theo scowls at the strange serpent people, and the fact there is a dinosaur this far underground.

"I'd be pissed too." He mutters, then barks a command in Tien at Fairbeaks.

The large bird gives a shrill squawk of excitement, as it lunges forward, passing between Faustus and Lya, straight at the serpentfolk standing next to Roderick. He snaps at it with his powerful beak.

bite vs serpentfolk 1, PA: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 10 - 2 = 17, for 2d6 + 8 + 6 ⇒ (4, 5) + 8 + 6 = 23 damage.

Theo stomps after the bird, sliding past it to move right up into the serpentfolk's scaly face, and swings his large club like he was trying to pound the thing into the ground like a tent peg.

+1 silver tetsubo vs serpentfolk 1, PA: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24, for 1d10 + 16 ⇒ (6) + 16 = 22 damage.

”Slaves? To you? No, my contract is with another master.” retorts Faustus. ”I will give you a moment to surrender while I shine a light on this situation as your vision is obviously obscured. ”

He pulls out a lesser metamagic of extend spell, and casts daylight on Lya’s Ioun Stone.
60’ radius bright light, additional 60’ increasing by one step.

Fairbeaks is too excited to connect! The sharp beak misses the serpentfolk by a hairsbreadth. However, his master does manage to do some damage! The serpentfolk already has a bruise forming on his head. All damage goes through.

”Slaves? To you? No, my contract is with another master.”

Contract? You have no rights, mammal! Your only contract is only with ussssssss! They don't seem interested in surrender! They also might not understand where you are actually from.

Their pupils contract in the sudden daylight.

★★★

The triceratops' muscles bulge… it suddenly breaks free! It shakes its massive head as it sluffs off the compulsion before lowering its horn at the daemon, fire trailing through the air…

★★★

Zookeepers! Round 1-2: Bold May Act

We will resolve Lya’s action first; players at the top can take their actions now, and they will happen after her. Reminder: the serpentfolk have moderate SR.

Normal light. Ceiling in arena is 30’ high. Passages 20’. Rubble is difficult terrain for medium creatures.

Fung
Roderick
——
Serpentfolk 1 -22 HP
Serpentfolk 2
Serpentfolk 3
——
Faustus
Theo ‘Little Foot’
Fairbeaks
Lilybeth Zey
——
Triceratops -90 HP; burning 1d6
——
Lya

Lya strides 10 feet forward, glaive held un-threateningly.

"Please, realize this magnificent creature and yourselves are outmatched. See reason and we can end this bloodshed. We are not from here and have only arrived magically. Why must we quarrel? Shelyn would not want such a beautiful creature destroyed."

activating Authoritative Vestments for a swift action Diplomacy check

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (13) + 21 = 34

These serpentfolk are not very smart (in fact, one might call them quite stupid), but the power of Lya's good intent seems to break through — even if they don't understand everything she's talking about. (Likely, the sheer chutzpah of Faustus didn't hurt either, or the fact their most powerful ally is badly hurt and on fire and hasn't even gotten to act yet.)

You will have to see what the Serpentfolk do on their turn. I am fine if players wish to delay until Serpentfolk 1 is up, or if you want to continue murderizing stuff. It's up to you as a group, or at least the immediate actions of Fung and Roderick.

★★★

Zookeepers! Round 2: Bold May Act

Lya may have made these hostile creatures less so. But you won’t know for sure until they act.

Fung
Roderick
——
Serpentfolk 1 -22 HP
Serpentfolk 2
Serpentfolk 3
——
Faustus
Theo ‘Little Foot’
Fairbeaks
Lilybeth Zey
——
Triceratops -90 HP; burning 1d6
——
Lya

Not quite certain if Lya has gotten through to them, Fung nonetheless takes a moment to draw in the winds around him until a raging tornado forms around him. However, he does not unleash it as yet, waiting to see the intentions of the serpents.

Ready action to air blast the dinosaur if the serpents take any hostile actions.

Roderick does not like the serpent folk standing in his face and will step back 5' and draws and another bomb to hurl

Stand down! he calls.

He will shape the blast (if any) to exclude 2 closest allies.

Out of initiative.

One of them puts down his greatsword and looks a the other two. They speak in draconic. Mammalssssss… not worth the trouble. Yesss?

The other two nod. Why sssshould we bother? Othersssss can fight. Those among you who are at all skilled in Sense Motive can tell they are trying to save face; secretly relieved.

Yesss. Go away! More mammals to sacrifice to the Father of Serpents, problemssss for ssssomeone elsssse. Not for us. no more! They turn away from you. One runs to get a bucket of water. The other two make hissing noises as they weave their long necks through the air, trying to mesmerize the furious triceratops. (Whose still on fire and quite angry.)

It also seems like today is a holiday for this "father of serpents." Fung feels a little sick to his stomach as he remembers the creatures he heard up top, near the temple. What other creatures might be waiting for the altar? Are any of them sentient? Or… humanoid?

I am going to mark this as a success for the house, and move you on tomorrow afternoon/night depending on if you want to have a short scene with these zookeepers. Edit: also, there is a skill check below.

religion: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

Lilybeth will cast mage armor on the Ceustodeamon and then transform it into a tattoo on her body. (3/15)

You can also attempt a Craft (painting), Handle Animal, Heal, Knowledge (nature), Profession (clerk, farmer, scribe, shepherd, or stable master), or Survival check here to learn more about the anatomy of the triceratops.

Since it is still alive, and not fond of you, you might have to do so surreptitiously…

This is an opportunity to earn the house another victory point!