[RD][PFS2] 1-01 Absalom Inititaion -- Grand Lodge (Inactive)

Game Master Andrew Harasty

An Occultism check for 1 action can be made to try to understand the ritual

Mirtha rushes past the shadowy figures in the gallery and up the stairs. Seeing the ritual commencing she rushes into the circle but the runes are not familiar to her.

"What foul magic have you been playing at? How can we end the ritual? You need to talk, NOW!" she shouts in rage at the ritualists.

No Occultism, but maybe the ritualists can tell her more.

Intimidation: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

Vanak's eyes dart from one moving shadow to the other. Together with his fellow agents, he rushes up the stairs and takes a quick look at the ritual. He always did his best to stay away from these sort of things in Irrisen where the winter witches were practicing their foul magic. He makes his bow ready to act, should the need arrise. I hope these fools answer... he thinks when Mirtha demands attention.

"Orel, get your feathery bum, up here!"

Two action Stride, One action command (Orel does a double move as well - I won't give him a dedicated post for that however)

Arvax groans. "I hope you don't bring a curse here. I've already been cursed, don't want any more."

[A]Move to Yellow Box

[A]Occultism: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

[A]Move towards the back of the room avoiding the shadowy energy.

"What did you do exactly? How can we help?" Arvax is helpful when needed.

"Whoa, what is all that?" Keemul exclaims, too busy talking to act. "Can we maybe shut it down, though?"

Occultism: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Katami quickly assess what's going on.

Arvax sees observes the ritual. Though not doing enough to slow it down, he does sense that some Tavvars emotions are woven in to it for her homeland of Nidal. Some parts of Shadowtoung are used in some of the runes and get a sense she is looking for good from her homeland.

Society and Religion can also be used with Occultism to deal with the Ritual

Katami also gets the same sense but is able to see a correction that can be made to lessen its harm.

At that point the ritual pulses and a wave of negative shadowy energy washes over the participants as well as Katami and Arvax.

Negative Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 4) = 10 Basic Fort DC 18

Those in the room can use a reaction to interpose yourself in front of one of the participants and do the Fort save instead. Even if you are taking damage already from your own participation

After the burst of energy a shadowy wisp appears and floats towards Katami then lashes out with its shadowy tendril

Wisp Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Wisp Attack: 1d20 + 8 - 5 ⇒ (4) + 8 - 5 = 7

But swashbuckler keeps out of reach.

PLACE-- Current Time (0:45)

Group conditions:
Round 1

Keemul --
Mikaela --
Vanak --
Arvax -- 10(5) dmg
Mirtha --
Katami -- 10(5)

Ritual -- 1 success
Wisp

Tavvar -- 10 dmg
Assistants -- 10, 0, 10

Keemul thunders across the room, no doubt disrupting any diagrams on the floor a little. He can't see a way to help out (until he gets trained in Society just after this adventure), but then a fell creature appears! The gnome unfolds a massive ball-and-chain as he reaches a good place to shield the researchers.

◈ Stride
◈ Stride
◈ Draw Large Gnome Flickmace

Will interpose myself in front of Tavvar if the ritual activates again next round. Keemul is clumsy 1, but not yet raging.

Mikaela moved up the stairs, stuck behind the others but in a position to pull both of her dagger. She looks around at the top of the stairs, then sprints in to put herself between the wisp and one of the ritual participants. Unsure of what to do, she swung out at the wisp, trying to bat it out of the air with her magical blade.

attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
B damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Arvax is shocked by the burst of negative energy. The hobgoblin becomes enraged. "No, no, no. That wont do."

Again, Arvax attempts to understand the ritual.

Society: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Then Arvax slowly moves forward to Tavaar in case something happens again.

Getting closer to the leader of this ritual, Arvax will again attempt to understand the ritual. Perhaps by being close to Tavaar will help Arvax understand it better.

Society: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

Fortitude: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Fortitude (HP): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

Katami starts getting the full force of the blast of negative energy before drawing into her ki to push pack any damage!

After explaining what she understand of the ritual and how to correct it, she starts dancing to get the wisp attention.

Impressive Performance/Focused Performance/Acrobatic Performance
Acrobatics (Will DC of the Wisp): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

But fails to do so and decides to try to correct the ritual with her own occult knowledge

Occultism: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Occultism: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

◈ Perform
◈ Occultism check
◈ Occultism check

Vanak looks at the runes drawn accros the floor boards, before he slowly shakes his head. Not much help in that regard...But let's see what I can do about that..., he looks at the Wisp in grim determination.

"Orel! Let's see if this thing can bleed."

♦ Command Orel (♦ Move adjacent to Wisp + ♦ Support)
♦ Hunt Prey
♦ Hunted Shot

Hunted Shot: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 231d6 ⇒ 2
Hunted Shot: 1d20 + 7 - 5 ⇒ (1) + 7 - 5 = 31d6 ⇒ 5
Bonus Precision Damage on 1st hit: 1d8 ⇒ 3
Persistent Bleed Damage from Orel's Support, if Vanak hits: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Deadly d10, if there's crits: 1d10 ⇒ 61d10 ⇒ 7

Mirtha throws herself in front of one of the ritualists, ready to take the full force of the negative energy.

Fort Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Then, seeing the darkness gathering around and sucking the life out of the people in this room, Mirtha summons forth a burst of divine energy.

"Sarenrae, cast out the darkness!"

3 Action Heal Spell, Basic Fort Save DC 18: 1d8 ⇒ 8

@Mirtha I can give you my special HP (from my Coin Award) to reroll this crit fail save if you want!

I'll burn my hero point to reroll the save. I kind of forgot hero points. Save it for someone else.

Fort Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Keemul moves in to protect Tavvar

Mikaela moves in and slashes at the shadow orb and disrupts a good portion of it.

Arvax is unable to get anywhere with the ritual.

Katami shrugs off the blast but is unable to distract the wisp. Then is unable to get any control of the ritual with her occultism

Vanak's first shot rips though the wisp, as Orel's gnashing teeth still rip and cause the creature to slowly fade.

Mirtha jumps in the way to protect one of the assistants the bursts with positive energy herself that heals everyone and damages the shadow
Fort Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Causing it to implode and seal the rift a bit more.

The energy from the ritual bursts again:

Negative Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 2) = 6 Basic Fort DC 18
Arvax and Katami, then those who with to reaction to save a participant

Wisp Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
Wisp Attack: 1d20 + 8 - 5 ⇒ (11) + 8 - 5 = 14
With one of the tendril lashes hitting.
Tendrel Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6 negative

Museum Ritual

Group conditions:
Round 1

Keemul -- 6 dmg
Mikaela --
Vanak --
Arvax -- 6(3)
Mirtha -- 2 dmg
Katami -- 6(3)

Ritual -- 2 success
Wisp -- dmg

Tavvar -- 2 dmg
Assistants -- L 6, B 6, R 5

a 19 is not enough to help closing the rift :O

Fortitude DC18: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Realizing that she wouldn't be able to help with her own knowledge the rift, and that each wave of negative energy will have an chance to kill her, she flees.

Sorry! Can't help you here.

Acrobatics (tumble through): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

The blast of negative energy hits Arvax straight in the chest. The hobgoblin's breathing becomes labored but still stands. Down to 6 HP

Arvax then focuses on the ritual and on Tavaar. "Please tell us how we can help."

Society: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Society: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Religion: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Assessing that if Arvax or the other ritualists drop then she will be solely responsible for detangling the shadowy ritual, Mirtha continues channeling positive energy through out the room.

3 Action Heal: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Somehow didn't see you healed last round @Mirtha! Arvax is completely healed between this round and last round.

That'd be a crit on me, as I'm clumsy 1 thanks to my oversized weapon. Does this thing have reach?

Also, I'll use a reaction to take the ritual's damage instead of Tavvar.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Keemul dives in front of the ensuing blast. He looks worse for wear everywhere but his face, which is shining with lust for battle. The gnome hurls his mace-head at the new shadow.

"Come on, then! You've shown me your best and I'm still up, let's see if you can say the same!"

◈ Rage
◈ Large Gnome Flickmace: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26 Damage: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
◈ Large Gnome Flickmace: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16 Damage: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

Let's try this again Vanak thinks as the second Wisp appears out of thin air. "Go at it, Orel!"

♦Command Orel to Support (Target becomes dazzled as long as it's bleeding)
♦Hunt Prey
♦Hunted Shot

Hunted Shot: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9 Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
Hunted Shot: 1d20 + 7 - 5 ⇒ (17) + 7 - 5 = 19 Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
Bonus Precision Damage on 1st Hit: 1d8 ⇒ 5
Persistent Bleed (Support): 1d4 ⇒ 3

19 Occultism at that point in time did not succeed

Not getting a sense of the ritual, Katami daringly moves though the wisp with panache.

Arvax soaks the negative energy and focuses on the ritual. His understanding of Nidal Society helps correct the mistakes Tavvar made

Mirtra heals again
Wisp Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
And burns the wisp some more

Keemul soaks the damage from the blast intended for Tavvar then smashes the wisp to oblivion with one critical hit

With no other targets, Vanak can take other actions for this round, if he wants to attempt one of the ritual checks

Negative Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 5) = 6 Basic Fort DC 18
Only Arvax and those that want to protect a ritualist

random target: 1d4 ⇒ 4
The ritual pulses again as one more Wisp appears and moves toward Mirtha

Wisp Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Tendrel Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6 negative
Wisp Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Tendrel Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5 negative
Ripping though the soul of the divine sorcerer

Museum Ritual

Group conditions:
Round 1

Keemul -- 8 dmg
Mikaela --
Vanak --
Arvax -- 2
Mirtha -- 16 dmg
Katami -- 8

Ritual -- 5 success
Wisp -- 0 dmg

Tavvar -- 3 dmg
Assistants -- L 5 , B 5 , R 7

Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Arvax continues studying the ritual.

Society: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Society: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Society: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

"Hmmm.. so the Nidalese wouldn't do that. Let me correct you."

Okay, if I can re-do my round I'd like do use a reaction to take the fortitude save for one of the participants, as well as use three Religion checks on the ritual

Fortitude: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Religion (untrained): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
Religion (untrained): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Religion (untrained): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Vanak squints his eyes as the second wisp fades under Keemul's mighty swings. Well, time to use that brain of yours after all... he sighs and squints even harder studying the shadowy rift in reality, flickering and wobbling right before them in the middle of the room.

Mirtha raises a magical shield in front of her to protect herself from the shadowy wisps. Shielding herself from attack, she begins to loudly pray. "Oh Sarenrae, you are the flame that will drive out the wickedness from this world! Let your light guide our way and your flames scorch our enemies!"

Casting shield to increase her AC by 1 and she will block the next attack that hits her. Shield has a hardness of 5.

Religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Fortitude, Tavvar: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

"Not very bright, are they?" Keemul chuckles. He brings his weapon down over the newest apparition before swinging wildly from side to side.

◈ Large Gnome Flickmace: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19 Damage: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
◈ Large Gnome Flickmace: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11 Damage: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
◈ Large Gnome Flickmace: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (5) - 2 = 3 Damage: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

I think I can go again for my third round, since I did only change my second turn actions. Please correct me if I'm wrong @GM.

"Orel, move here and throw it off-balance" Vanak shouts and points at the wisp in front of Mirtha "I believe our small berserker friend would like that.

♦ Command Orel (♦Move and provide flanking for Keemul & ♦Support Vanak)

Let's tear this one apart, shall we? Vanak thinks as he knocks an arrow and sees Keemul already swinging wildly at the Shadow Wisp that attacked Mirtha. Vanak fires two arrows in quick succession after taking a deep breath.

When he sees the rift's energy lashing out at the ritual participants he tries to shield one of the ritualists with his body against the shadow essence.

♦Hunt Prey (Wisp)
♦Hunted Shot (Wisp)

Hunted Shot 1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Hunted Shot 2: 1d20 + 7 - 5 ⇒ (18) + 7 - 5 = 20Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
Bonus Precision Damage on first hit: 1d8 ⇒ 4
Persistent Bleed: 1d4 ⇒ 2

←Reaction to protect one of the NPCs
Fortitude Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Arvax and Mirtha are able to contain the last flaws of the ritual as Keemul and Vanak smash the third wisp. Tavvar and her associates are slightly bruised from the experience, but very much alive thanks to your efforts.

Mikaela puts her knives away and moved up to Tawar. "Care to explain what you were thinking, pulling that kind of stunt? This whole place could have been overrun by shadows, or those wisp things. If we hadn't come along, I'm sure you and your friends here would have been devoured by some ancient evil. Or just planar rifts that snapped back into place leaving half the city in ruins. well, what do you have to say?"

"Berserker? You wound me more than this silly ritual ever could. Performance artist, more like," Keemul calls to Vanak. But by then, the chaos has abated. His enthusiasm waning, the gnome does look rather pained.

His weapons not needing to be cleaned of shadowstuff, he sheathes them and joins Mikaela. "Yeah, considering how out of control it got, this seems above your pay grade. Fortunately not ours, at least. Don't these sorts of things require more supervision?"

Vanak smiles as he walks over to Keemul and puts a hand on his shoulder. ”And I thought my remark about your height might be ill received.” A grin flashes over Vanak’s face making him look even younger than he his. ”No hard feelings Keemul. An impressive … performance if you will; we surely would be in bad shape without your mighty blows and I can only begin to fathom the fury you need to wield such a … well, unwieldy weapon.” Another boyish smile runs over the face of the Irriseni man before he turns to the cultists with a more sour look.

”Hurry up, would you? I personally had my fair share of dark rituals and witch magic and I honestly don’t care about your tremendously important reasons to tinker with these sinister powers” Vanak is almost spitting out every word at this point ”But my friends want answers, and I’m sure the people who sent us to save your sorry life want them too, so speak up already.”

Vanak does not wait for a response from Tavvar, he instead marches to the stairway that leads down to the second floor and blocks the only way out of here. He is leaning against the wall and watching every single one of these foolish scholars carefully.

After hearing her comrades, Katami gets back.

Have you finished the take care of the ritual?

Seeing that was the case, she bows, ashamed Sorry to not have stayed, but my old age make me weak against these waves of negative energy, and my knowledge of occultism was not sufficient to be of help.

Turning to Tavvar she adds Using Dark Ritual without the proper preparations or protection tends to put everyone in danger. You're in luck that the Society has heard of yours and send us.

At the Society, you could study in a secure environment, may be it will be wise to join it?

Tavvar is thankful and suitable rebuked as to trying such a questionable ritual. "I was seeing if I could have found some thing useful about my family and Nidal. But this went way out of hand. Thank you for arriving when you did."

She pulls out a vial and hands it to you. "I think I am done for a while. Here take this. I won't need it anymore" She hands you a lesser mistform elixir. She then tends to her assistants as the tear down the ritual space.

Mission complete. What next

"You are lucky that your experiments did not end in any deaths, or worse..." Mirtha warns ominously.

"Perhaps next we should go to the Flotsam Graveyard and check out that ship for Calisro."

Mirtha also spends 10 minutes refocusing, which she could do while tending to anyone who is wounded.

Medicine Check; Treat Wounds; Self: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Heal: 2d8 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4

Medicine Check; Treat Wounds; Keemul: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Heal: 2d8 ⇒ (8, 5) = 13

Arvax could use some healing - down 3 HP. Nothing serious but if anyone has any extra....

"Did someone say ship? I think that's a good idea.". Arvax is still a bit uncomfortable from the experience with Tavaar. Curses run deep in Arvax's family and the hobgoblin tends to stay away from anything of the sort.

"Let me look at that, Arvax." Vanak says while Mirtha is treating hers and Keemul's injuries.

Nature Check; Natural Medicine: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Vanak stops a couple of times during his application of tinctures. The skin of the Hobgoblin gets fairly warm, whereas it is supposed to cool.

"Sorry friend, it seems like my salves aren't working on your kind, as I was expecting. I can adjust my recipe, but it'll take a while before I can help you again. I hope it didn't hurt at least?" Vanak scratches his head in a bit of embarrassment.

"The shipyard sounds as good as any other of the places. Let's go." He says towards the group while he is packing together his small jars and satchels with medicinal herbs.

There is enough time between encounters to fully heal with medicine.

On to the Boat

Following a faction leader’s instruction, the Pathfinders set out to explore a wrecked ship that possibly dates back to the Silent Tide invasion of the late 40th century. The ship has only recently washed up and snagged on a reef of other wrecked ships, leaving it partially out of the water. Despite its unstable situation and the fact that it’s been above water for only a few weeks, it’s become a favored waypoint for smugglers.

The Pathfinder Society has arranged for a small boat to transport the PCs to and from the wrecked vessel. Captain Semiri Balogog is a cheerful rainkin half-orc with sun-dark skin and thick braids of black hair adorned with gold rings. She has provided ferrying services for Pathfinder agents for over a decade and loves hearing about agents’ missions past and present.

Captain Balogog mentions that there is some strange creature aboard. Some sticthed together human, that breath fire and jump around the ship like some type of monkey.

You make it to the ship and board the top deck. The weathered boards of the ship’s main deck are cracked, warped, and thoroughly covered in a thick, stinking carpet of algae, seaweed, and barnacles. The sodden mess squashes and scrapes underfoot, while squawking gulls circle overhead. The ship once boasted three masts, but they are now broken off only a few feet above the jagged railings. Whatever other distinguishing features might have once existed on this vessel are either long lost or utterly obscured. Empty doorways lead into cabins to the fore and aft, and a dark opening descends into the lower level.

Due to the mold, algae, and soft wood, the whole ship considered difficult terrain

If we want to have confirmation that this wreckage date back from the Black Tide, lets explore further. I'm sure the Captain's cabin must have something related to that period.

Katami, fighting fan in hand, starts going down but quickly realizes it's too dark, even for her.

Someone has light?

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Vanak jumps onto the wreck of the formerly impressive vessel and turns around to give the Captain a thankful nod. "Stay clos captain, would you? I hope this won't take too long."

With that he takes a breath and looks around the upper deck of the ship. After a small gesture, Orel silently takes to the sky and circles the boat from above. Vanak in the meantime goes down to one knee and is looking for signs of that fabled creature the ferry woman was describing. "Where are you? You fire-breathing monkey..." Vanak mumbles to himself, running a finger over the algae-covered wooden blanks.

Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

If there are tracks, I'd like to make that creature Vanak's Prey

"Oh, that feels much better," Keemul smiles at Mirtha's ministrations. "I'm about ready to take on the world once again. To the Graveyard it is!"

On the boat, the gnome is slightly more skeptical. He channels that into keeping up his prattle until something hittable shows up. "I don't know where any sort of weird creature like that would hail from. Nor do I think we can get this wreck up and running, but we weren't about to sail through the Grand Lodge's gates anyway."

Arvax quickly makes a tincture, drinking it quickly. The hobgoblin's eye sight is vastly improved and can see things a bit quicker.

Using Quick Tingture to drink Eagle-Eye Elixir. +1 to perception, +2 to find secret doors or traps for 1 hour.

"Let my eyes adjust for just a moment. Let's see what I see."

Perception: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 5 + 1 = 20 +1 vs secret doors or traps

Mirtha steps on board the ship carefully, grimacing as she sees the layers of briny filth that have accumulated on the deck. "This ship needs a good deck-scrubbing," she says to no one in particular. As she scans the ship, she clutches her holy symbol and mutters a few words. There are a few sparks and a little smoke as her holy symbol begins to shed a fiery red glow.

Casting light on Mirtha's holy symbol.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

She will Seek on board the ship.

The forward cabin from the main deck is littered with debris is otherwise not noteworthy.

Heading down to the hold.
Sharp beams of sunlight light filter down through cracks in the main deck to cast this cargo hold in a dim light. Though the ship’s original armaments are now little more than rotted ballista mounts, this area shows signs of recent activity, including intact shipping crates, a recently broken crate, a few boxes, and faint trails worn through the slippery vegetation growing over the deck. Wooden doors in finer condition that the rest of the boat stand to the north and south, but the stairs leading further down now lead only into dark, scummy water.

One thing you notice is that along the inside hull, you can make out what seems to be a crude skyline of Absalom. From the base of the stairs you can make out some humanoid figure staring out one of the gun ports. They seem to be humming something resembling a child's nursery rhyme.

Mikaela had her daggers in hand as they moved down into the lower hold of the ship. She scanned left and right, trying to make out shapes in the gloom. When she spotted the creature staring out of the ancient gun ports, she drew back, hiding herself and indicating to the others that there was danger ahead.

stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Society: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Katami tries to recognize the signification of the drawing.

Arvax will attempt to Pursue a lead. The hobgoblin crouches down and examines the trails through the vegetation growing on the deck. "Hmmm, very interesting..."

"It seems like the creature that made this has a mind that is child-like. If it is a child, perhaps its soul can still be guided towards the light."

Seeing the creature peeking out rrom the gun port, Mirtha crouches down and begins to chant a children's rhyme back.

Performance: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

OR

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Keemul isn't sure what to make of this. "Hey, um. Do you speak? Understand? Up for an autograph?" The gnome kneels down to the deck and touches it, and a sigil appears!

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

"I'm not so sure about this thing. Just tell me we don't have to fight it, that would feel odd."

"I don't know..." Vanak replies quietly to Keemul "I've never seen something like it. We should be careful." he adds in a low voice.

The creature still hasn't given any indication if it is aware of Mikaela's stealthy approach. Vanak seeks eye contact with the woman and just points at his bow, trying to indicate he will cover her if need be.

"Better safe than sorry, though. And if it can really breath fire, I sure hope that the wood is still soaked and wet enough, so we won't find our flaming grave." Vanak whispers over his shoulder has he draws his bow and gets on one knee at the top of the stairs, so he would still have a clean shot at the creature, if it would decide to do anything aggressive.

"This graveyard was for ships only. At least that's what I was told and I'd like to keep it that way."