GM Hawthwile's Eyes of the Ten (Inactive)

Game Master Hawthwile

Swift action to activate Bane, full attack with Power Attack and Flurry on yellow. After attack, Kramac will swift dismount, and 5-foot step to make room for Kiboko

Kramac lashes out three times with his sabre, hacking at the yellow hound before sliding out of the saddle and maneuvering farther in the room[/b]

Attack1, outflank, heroism, bane, Flurry, Power Attack: 1d20 + 19 + 4 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 3 ⇒ (13) + 19 + 4 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 3 = 35
Damage, Power Attack, Bane, Planar Focus:Fire: 1d6 + 9 + 6 + 2 + 2d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 6 + 2 + (1, 4) + (6, 4) = 38

Attack2, outflank, heroism, bane, Flurry, Power Attack: 1d20 + 19 + 4 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 3 ⇒ (4) + 19 + 4 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 3 = 26
Damage, Power Attack, Bane, Planar Focus:Fire: 1d6 + 9 + 6 + 2 + 2d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (1) + 9 + 6 + 2 + (2, 2) + (3, 4) = 29

Attack3, Iterative, outflank, heroism, bane, Flurry, Power Attack: 1d20 + 15 + 4 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 3 ⇒ (11) + 15 + 4 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 3 = 29
Damage, Power Attack, Bane, Planar Focus:Fire: 1d6 + 9 + 6 + 2 + 2d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 6 + 2 + (4, 4) + (3, 5) = 39

Beak will switch to Planar Focus: Fire, then bite the yellow hound and move to the side to make room for the Wise and Beautiful Mvumbu.

Attack, outflank, power attack: 1d20 + 15 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 15 + 4 - 2 = 33
Damage, Power Attack, Planar Focus:Fire: 2d5 + 11 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (3, 2) + 11 + 4 + (6, 5) = 31

Hearing the man's plea, the detective weighs it for any possible falsehood.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 26 + 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 26 + (5) + 2 = 50

He also takes aim at one of the hounds.

Longbow vs RED: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

Longbow vs RED: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

“This thing is really intimidating!“ she says softly.

fly hove DC 15, shaken: 1d20 + 12 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 12 - 2 = 11

"Mesh, you have to help now!!" she says and realizes that she is out of balance and cannot hover.

Zaarah casts a Shocking grasp spell and strikes with her spell!

Concentration DC 17, SG intensified and piercing as 1st level spell with traits, shaken -2: 1d20 + 18 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 18 - 2 = 27

Spell resistance, piercing so +5 to roll, CL check , shaken: 1d20 + 11 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 11 + 5 - 2 = 25

+5 Keen Scimitar attack roll, shaken -2 : 1d20 + 22 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 22 - 2 = 24
Slashing damage : 1d6 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16 (As a +5 weapon it goes through alignment DR.)

Shocking grasp, intensified, piercing: 10d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 6, 4, 3, 5, 2, 5, 1, 6) = 40

~

Zaarah then has to fly away as she cannot hover.

Going to post based on assumption that Kramac and Beak dropped Yellow hound.

Kiboko nods thanks to Kramac, snarls, and steps up to the second hound. Sword poised, he waits on Mvumbu's approach...

Mvumbu will take Tiger and Bull focus; Kiboko will stick with Tiger and Mouse

Actions: move 25', swift to modify Mvumbu's animal focus (switch Bear to Bull), free to rage, standard to ready a vital strike.

Against evil outsiders Kiboko's sword is +5 provided that he is raging when he attacks with it. (Furious and Bane enchantments).

"HAAARRR!!! HAAAARRR!!!" honks Mvumbu the Wise and Beautiful as she bounds down the corridor and thrusts her massive head through the doors to help her friend Kiboko pull down the frosty hound...

snapping flank chomp! vs hound, bull focus, GMF, menacing pack flanking outflank, ferocious amplified beast, power attack: 1d20 + 13 + 2 + 2 + 6 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 13 + 2 + 2 + 6 + 4 - 2 = 39damage: 3d8 + 19 + 2 + 6 ⇒ (7, 2, 6) + 19 + 2 + 6 = 42
vital strike chomp! vs hound, bull focus, GMF, menacing pack flanking outflank, ferocious amplified beast, power attack: 1d20 + 13 + 2 + 2 + 6 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 13 + 2 + 2 + 6 + 4 - 2 = 38damage: 6d8 + 19 + 2 + 6 ⇒ (6, 1, 5, 7, 6, 5) + 19 + 2 + 6 = 57

Did we out-damage Kramac and Beak I wonder? ;)

Flyn's arrows strike true, shattering the devil's icy exoskeleton over and over (though not striking as deeply as the archer would have liked). Kramac cuts one of the hounds once, then slips off Beak and further into the room. Beak bites through frozen fur to the flesh underneath, but as the bird moves away the two wolves lunge for his throat!

Red Bite vs Beak AC 31: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (6) + 20 = 26
Bite damage: 2d6 + 12 ⇒ (2, 5) + 12 = 19

Yellow Bite vs Beak AC 31: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (16) + 20 = 36
Bite damage: 2d6 + 12 ⇒ (4, 3) + 12 = 19

Only one of the wolves tastes blood, but the distraction is enough to let Kiboko and Mvumbu move into position without retaliation. Blade and maw taste frozen flesh, and the wolf howls in agony before falling limply to the ground.

@Zaarah - as best I can tell, CL checks vs SR are not affected by Shaken.

Fendel adds a few arrows to the battle, but the narrow openings foil his shots. Zaarah likewise finds herself struggling to keep her position near the devil and lashes out clumsily with her charged blade. The devil easily parries the blow with its spear, then floats away as well. It points its spear at the floor, moving in precise geometry. The ice bubbles in response, growing upward like a waterfall in reverse until it reaches the ceiling.

The remaining hound growls and bites at Kramac - though it is surprised by Mvumbu's retaliatory bite.

Yellow Bite vs Kramac AC 35: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (11) + 20 = 31
Bite damage: 2d6 + 12 ⇒ (1, 5) + 12 = 18

Kramac's warded armor fends off the blow, leaving the hound with nothing but sore teeth for its troubles. The massive creatures growls again, backing away slowly on the frozen surface underfoot as easily as if on solid ground. (The hound does not treat the ice as difficult terrain.)

@Mvumbu - remember that the immediate action for Vengeance Strike uses your swift action for this upcoming round.

The man continues to back away from the devil, feet sliding and slipping uncertainly on the slick floorboards.

A Frosty Reception
Round 3! Bold may act!
Kiboko (-21)
Mvumbu (-11)
Flyn (-2)
Kramac (-2)
Beak (-32)
Fendel
Zaarah (-19)
Blue (-98)
Red (-148)
Yellow (-111)
Black

Environmental Effects:
- The frozen floor/walls/ceiling are difficult terrain and increase the DC of all Acrobatics checks by +5
- Cyan area is a wall of ice
- Anyone approaching within 10 ft of Blue must make a Will save to avoid being panicked (shaken for 1 round on a success)

What do you do?

Vengeance Strike only triggers if the enemy scores a hit - so more snapping flank coming up, possibly :o

Kiboko steps carefully over the ice, briefly regretting not having established his Feather Step spell before entering.

"Kiboko and Mvumbu will finish this beast and make room for you all!"

The half orc raises his blade again, and signals Mvumbu.

Kiboko switches his Mouse Focus for Snake to get +4AC vs AoOs and +4 to AoO attack rolls, then steps forwards drawing the AoO from the hound.

AC vs AoO is 36; AC for rest of round is 35 via expertise, or 32 if Kiboko didn't need to attack.

"MOOAARRGGHHHH!!!!"

snapping flank chomp vs hound, bull focus, GMF, menacing pack flanking outflank, ferocious amplified beast, power attack: 1d20 + 13 + 2 + 2 + 6 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 13 + 2 + 2 + 6 + 4 - 2 = 44damage: 3d8 + 19 + 2 + 6 ⇒ (2, 1, 3) + 19 + 2 + 6 = 33
vital strike chomp! vs hound, bull focus, GMF, menacing pack flanking outflank, ferocious amplified beast, power attack: 1d20 + 13 + 2 + 2 + 6 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 13 + 2 + 2 + 6 + 4 - 2 = 40damage: 6d8 + 19 + 2 + 6 ⇒ (2, 8, 2, 7, 5, 1) + 19 + 2 + 6 = 52

Mvumbu closes in, snapping her jaws.

Kramac whistles for Beak, who comes dashing around the corner. Kramac hops back into the saddle, and attempts to hack through the wall to provide a firing lane for Flynn and Fendel.

attacking the square #1 first, then once that is broken through, I will switch to square #2

Attack, don't roll 1, Power attack: 1d20 ⇒ 5
Damage, Power Attack, Planar Focus:Fire: 1d6 + 9 + 6 + 2d6 ⇒ (3) + 9 + 6 + (5, 3) = 26

Attack, don't roll 1, Power attack: 1d20 ⇒ 3
Damage, Power Attack, Planar Focus:Fire: 1d6 + 9 + 6 + 2d6 ⇒ (5) + 9 + 6 + (4, 5) = 29

Attack, don't roll 1, Power attack: 1d20 ⇒ 18
Damage, Power Attack, Planar Focus:Fire: 1d6 + 9 + 6 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 9 + 6 + (3, 5) = 27

Flyn will await the result of Kramac's fire attack on the wall of ice as that will determine his action(s)...

I’ll go ahead and post as it looks like Flyn will have LOS thru square 1...

Stepping back 5’ to get a better angle, Flyn will remain focused on the ice devil and fire the next barrage thru the hole in the wall of ice made by Kramac...

Burning another use of Perfect Strike

I added miss chances as I recall that fire melting an ice wall creates a cloud of steamy fog that might obscure vision...

To Hit: Dex+Base, Magic, Weapon Focus, Greater Bracers of Archery, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Point Blank Master, Manyshot, Favored Enemy, Perfect Strike, Elven Ranger Racial/Class Confirmation Bonus
Damage: Strength, Magic, Greater Bracers of Archery, Deadly Aim, Clustered Shot, Favored Enemy, Holy

Magic Composite Longbow (Manyshot/Confirmation): 1d20 + 17 + 2 + 1 + 2 - 2 - 3 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 17 + 2 + 1 + 2 - 2 - 3 + 2 + 3 = 37 (By rule, this becomes my confirmation check)
Magic Composite Longbow (Perfect Strike): 1d20 + 17 + 2 + 1 + 2 - 2 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 17 + 2 + 1 + 2 - 2 - 3 + 2 = 39
Miss <= 50: 1d100 ⇒ 76
Magic/Cold Iron/Good/Crit Damage: 3d8 + 9 + 6 + 3 + 18 + 2d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 6) + 9 + 6 + 3 + 18 + (4, 2) = 54
Magic/Cold Iron/Good Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 6 + 2d6 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 + 1 + 6 + (2, 6) = 23

Magic Composite Longbow (Rapid Shot): 1d20 + 17 + 2 + 1 + 2 - 2 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 17 + 2 + 1 + 2 - 2 - 3 + 2 = 23
Miss <= 50: 1d100 ⇒ 83
Magic/Cold Iron Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 6 + 2d6 ⇒ (7) + 3 + 2 + 1 + 6 + (3, 5) = 27

Magic Composite Longbow (Iterative): 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 1 + 2 - 2 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 12 + 2 + 1 + 2 - 2 - 3 + 2 = 22
Miss <= 50: 1d100 ⇒ 3
Magic/Cold Iron Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 6 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 2 + 1 + 6 + (2, 5) = 23

Clustered Damage: 77 (assuming the first attack hit & crit confirmed)

Active AC: 27
Perfect Strikes Left: 4/6
IP Left: 2/3

Zaarah tries to slumber the frost monster.

dc 22 Will save or asleep 11 rounds.

The detective moves forward and snaps off a shot.

Holy Longbow {Bane}: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18
Damage: 1d8 + 11 + 2d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (8) + 11 + (6, 5) + (5, 4) = 39

The hound takes the bait...

Yellow Bite vs Kiboko AC 36: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (16) + 20 = 36
Bite damage: 2d6 + 12 ⇒ (1, 4) + 12 = 17

...and grabs Kiboko's arm in its razor-sharp teeth. Mvumbu thunders into the room and grabs the devil-dog in her own massive jaws, crunching through fur and icy steel before tossing the limp wolf to the ground.

Kramac, meanwhile, calls on Beak to get him closer to the wall of ice. He chops furiously at it, carving away frozen chunks until a hole large enough for a horse (or a hippo) falls open. Flyn springs into action, firing a pair of arrows that pierce the freezing air. The first strikes deep into the devil's forehead, but it remains upright like a frozen statue. The second arrow strikes moments later in the same spot. Cracks radiate from the point of impact, spreading rapidly down the devil's body until it shatters into hundreds of tiny pieces.

(Okay, technically it's not quite dead from that attack, but its regeneration has been disabled and plenty of people are close enough to smack it that it's not worth staying in initiative.)

Out of Combat! Damage Report:
Kiboko (-38)
Mvumbu (-11)
Flyn (-2)
Kramac (-2)
Beak (-32)
Zaarah (-19)

When the devil dies, the man fall to his knees, not seeming to care how the ice cruelly scrapes them. Tears run down his face, though its not clear from his expression whether they are tears of joy, relief, pain, or fear. "Please, spare me!" he pleads. "I'll tell you everything I can - just don't kill me!"

What do you do?

"You are Eddington Keel?" Kiboko growls somewhat incredulously as he examines his wounded arm. "Talk, then."

Flyn makes a grateful sigh as the ice devil shatters, turning to grin at Kramac. ”My thanks, old friend, not only for your protective spell but for creating a hole for me to fire through as well...it might’ve gotten nastier otherwise...”

The Elf then recovers his arrows...

Hearing the imposter plead, Flyn shakes his head at the desperate man. ”You are likely not Venture-Captain Keel so you can stop pretending to be...we will consider your plea but you must answer our questions and spill whatever else you know...

“What did this ice devil have to do with things here and what were your dealings with it?”

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Knowing the current situation is fluid, the detective insists on securing the floor. "We should ensure there are no threats lurking prior to our interrogation."

"No, I'm not Keel," the man answers quickly. "I'm Rysus, Rysus Soth. I was, uh, hired by Adril Hestram to, uh, get rid of Keel." He glances at the floor, then back up at the Pathfinders.

"I wanted to leave right away after the act, but Xerazrix - the devil, that is - he wouldn't let me leave. He made me impersonate Keel, pretend that nothing was wrong so he could do... something." Soth waves his hands, his jaw clenched in frustration. "I think he was maneuvering against another devil here in Corentyn, but he never let on what exactly he was doing." He looks around the room, shivering from the chill. "Or why he had to keep this place so damned cold."

"I don't know what beef Adril had with Keel," Soth continues, his words coming faster and faster in fear. "Cross my heart and damn my soul, it's the truth, I swear it, please don't kill me!"

What do you do?

Flyn shrugs and looks to his friends. ”He appears to be just an assassin used for a sole purpose; Hestram is too smart to have told him anything significant about his plans. I’ll tie him up and we can leave him here for the authorities...we can send one of the halflings to the local guard and get someone to pick him up...unless one of you have other ideas for him...”

Flyn ties Soth up...

Escape Artist: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (6) + 24 = 30

...and then looks around the room...

Heal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Take 10 for 34 on the Perception checks

Digging through the desk drawers and discovering the false bottom, Flyn retrieves and reveals the journal. ”Perhaps this might tell us something...I’d guess it’s Keel’s...

“...and there appears to be a secret door behind all the ice, behind the bed...think you can melt this ice on it, Kramac?”

Turning back to the assassin, Flyn asks, ”Did Hestram leave this place through that secret door?”

Heal: 1d20 + 11 + 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 11 + (5) + 2 = 30
Cannot fail the Perception checks

The detective surveys the room like a crime scene. He points out the grim remains of Keel. "Looks like he was shattered. It makes sense given the presence of the gelugon. If we can preserve this, it is possible The Society has the resources to restore Keel's body and recall his soul from wherever it currently resides." He looks around the room, "Although, there may be other contenders for that prize."

He continues his systematic search of the room, discovering a journal. "This may provide more answers."

"Let his soul stay in Hell. Keel has earned his rewards." Kiboko offers. Firmly.

"Let Kiboko see that journal, friends. It may be what Kiboko was asked to find. And Kiboko has a supply of blackfire clay suitable for burning through that ice, if we decide to take that door." He gestures towards the concealed portal.

"Soth!" Kiboko snaps at the assassin "Where did Hestram go? You came via the Maze, we know this. Where is the missing half of the key?"

If others want to recover Keel's remains then Kiboko will make no effort to stop them. It would make sense that the rest of the Decemvirate would want them.

Fendel will wrap up some of the icy remains and place them in his haversack.

Zaarah detects magic and looks around as well.

She shakes her head.

“This is getting more and more complicated! So Keel is dead and you are the killer but why the hell is a devil here?!? What does the devil have to do with Keel?! And when exactly did you see Hestram and what else did he say!?“ she asks and numbers her fingers.

As they leaf through the recovered journal, several entries catch Flyn, Fendel, and Kiboko's attention.

Flyn also spots a slight bulge between a few of the blank pages in the back of the book. Pressed between the paper is a letter, written in a different hand on parchment that looks to have been folded and unfolded repeatedly.

On closer examination of the concealed door, it looks like a few solid strikes from the blunt end of a weapon would be enough to crack the ice covering it. Kramac gets to work with the same efficiency as when he broke down the devil's icy wall.

”Did Hestram leave this place through that secret door?”

Soth nods, head bobbing up and down like a springboard. "Yes, he went in there and never came out. I was, uh, a bit preoccupied and didn't get the chance to investigate what was in there myself before Xerazrix, um, redecorated the place."

"You came via the Maze, we know this. Where is the missing half of the key?"

The bound man looks helplessly up at the half-orc. "Yes, we came here through that hedge maze place. Gave me the creeps, it did. And Hestram was the one who broke the portal, not me!"

"So Keel is dead and you are the killer but why the hell is a devil here?!? What does the devil have to do with Keel?! And when exactly did you see Hestram and what else did he say!?“

"Well, uh, I made a contract with Xerazrix a while back." Soth tries to show Zaarah a twisted silver ring on his hand, but the tight ropes pinning him make it difficult for him to do much more than flap his hand at his side. "He offered to help me with my more challenging jobs in return for my assistance with his work on occasion. I swear I had no idea he would show up here - I didn't even ask him to help! And then like I said, he made me pretend to be Keel so he could do... something, I don't know what. And for what Hestram said... Well, I think he said 'good work' or something similar, then told me I would get a message with where to pick up my payment and went in that back room. I haven't heard from him since."

On the other side of the secret door in question is a small room, empty save for a portrait of a fair-haired woman of Taldan descent wearing a dark red dress of crushed velvet. A braid of similarly-fair hair rests on the picture's frame, and a gold ring hangs from the wall on a thin silver chain. On the inside of the ring is delicately inscribed the word 'Kyalla'.

What do you do?

Zaarah needs some time to grasp all of this.

“These people steer us?! I mean really? Really?!? Shocking... truly shocking. We have to make haste. Someone please take this assassin to the authorities or kill him or do whatever but I don’t want him around here anymore. And then let’s talk about our next steps without witnesses!“ she says and looks with clear hatred at the bound man.

kn religion : 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

“By the way: Name-inscribed rings like this are often exchanged as part of a wedding ceremony among worshipers of Shelyn!!“ she says rolling her eyes.

Flyn nods his head as he listens to Soth. "Good to know...looks like we'll be traveling through that door after all..."

Once open, the Elf casts detect magic and looks over the objects in the secret room...

Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 6 + (3) = 13

"Hmmm...can't make out this ring...but it appears linked to the portrait in a similar way that magical items are linked to their activator tokens. Perhaps these items are keys to the portal to Kyalla that Keel mentions in his journal?

"Too bad Keel couldn't see through Hestram before it was too late...and now we know Kyalla is Keel's next target...we should not delay..."

Flyn will call for the nearest halfing and fill him in on the imposter and have him send for the local authorities...

"Are we done here? Time is against us..."

Kiboko will Detect Magic

"You may have inadvertently done good, Soth. For that reason alone, Kiboko spares you now."

After stripping Soth of anything with a magic aura, and anything resembling a weapon, Kiboko hauls the man over his shoulder and drops him in one of the guest rooms whilst Flyn fetches one of the house staff.

Back in the ice-chamber, Kiboko considers the next step with the rest of the Seekers.

"So Kyalla dwells in the Expanse, and is Keel's lover. It seems odd to Kiboko that this woman, who prays to Shelyn and allied with a guardian naga, would be attached to a disgusting creature like Keel. But just as with Keel and Montrose, there is always more to the Decemvirate members than is at first apparent. Kyalla - that sounds like a Mwangi name, but the portrait and the hair are those of a Taldan woman."

"Kiboko will need that journal. The eagle knights will work to free the halflings."

"We should go. A life is at stake."

Wickedness begets more wickedness. Keel was a slaver, and got what he probably deserved, but Kramac suspects he can help unravel the plot, so we should return his remains to be resurrected. Let us make haste to see if we can save Kyalla.

"Just for your consideration; if these two were close emotionally, they may also share a kindred moral code. The adage of 'opposites attract' is unlikely to overcome such a basic concept of autonomy and freedom. She may well have similar views on bondage and ownership."

Loot from Soth:
- 2x potion of cure serious wounds
- 1x +2 chain shirt
- 1x +1 human bane dagger
- 1x masterwork short sword
- 1x masterwork shortbow
- 20x arrows
- 1x amulet of natural armor +1
- 1x belt of incredible dexterity +2
- 1x cloak of resistance +1
- 1x hat of disguise
- 1x ring of protection +1

The manservant is still scrubbing the steps of the staircase, his face carefully neutral as he tackles the large footprints left by Mvumbu. Hesitantly he comes upstairs at Flyn's summon, then listens intently to the archer's instructions. "I'll have to let them in through the servants' entrance, but I'm sure they'll see to this man straight away." Quickly he heads back down the steps, brush dropped carelessly in the bucket of water as he passes.

As Flyn touches the ring to the painting, the picture ripples like the surface of a pond reacting to the passage of a stone through its surface. The portrait's magical aura likewise flares, its powers of conjuration ready for use. Slowly the ripples fade, revealing that the portrait now appears less like a flat surface and more like a window one could step into to join the scene portrayed within.

What do you do?

"Kiboko will take one of those potions Soth carried." Potions being usable whilst raging, unlike wands and scrolls ;)

GM, can Mvumbu get through the portal?

"Kiboko is ready to go." Assuming he doesn't have to first shrink his companion.

”Someone should grab the other potion as well...”

Flyn will borrow the amulet of natural armor...and, if it’s been more than an hour since they came thru the portal from the Maze of the Open Road, he’ll burn another use of his mage armor wand...

He then looks to his friends, smiling grimly. ”I’ll go first...see y’all on the other side...”

Flyn takes a deep breath and steps through the portal...upon reaching the other side, he’ll immediately move away from the spot he appeared and look around alertly...

Perception: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (11) + 24 = 35

Active AC: 28
Perfect Strikes Left: 4/6
IP Left: 2/3

Fendel picks up the hat. Just in case.

Totally forgot to deal with healing :o

4 charges of infernal healing for Kiboko and 1 for Mvumbu.

Zaarah also uses her wand of infernal healing twice.

“Let us go in!“

Before going in, she uses her pearl or power to get her shocking grasp back and activates her flight hex right before passing the gate.

@Flyn - it's not been an hour quite yet since the wand was first used, so no need for a second charge yet.

@Kiboko - while there's not exact dimensions given, it's at least large enough for a medium-sized creature to use without issue, so I'd say a large creature could squeeze through. No need for shrinkage at this time.

The painting's surface ripples again as Flyn touches it, then steps through. As his face passes through the portal, his keen eyes see not the depicted landscape, but instead the smoke-filled interior of a wicker hut. The hot, wet air and foul-smelling fumes cause him to cough once and his eyes to water, but he can still make out a strange monolith in the shape of an upraised six-fingered hand several dozen yards outside the doorway.

Map updated!

A sudden sound of coughing causes Flyn to spin around and look behind him, but it is only Zaarah emerging from a portrait of Eddington Keel. The painting's surface ripples like the one in the late venture-captain's secret room, but numerous cuts and gashes across its surface keep the magic from initializing fully.

Much like the portal from the Maze, this is a one-way trip from Keel's estate to here.

As their eyes continue to adjust to the dim, smokey interior of the hut, the Seekers notice clear signs of struggle and ransacking - the contents of several chests have been emptied onto the bed and floor, a mirror on a small dressing table has been shattered, and rudimentary scrawls and handprints in what looks like a mix of blood and mud cover the walls.

Outside, several other huts sit in varying states of disrepair. Thatched vine roofs have been torn away and cast aside into the mud, and tanned hides hanging as a kind of door have been torn or cut from their frames. Acrid smoke continues to fill the air, though there are no immediate signs of a fire nearby.

Environmental Effects:
- Smoke provides concealment past 20 ft and total concealment past 40 ft

What do you do?

kn religion : 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
linguistic : 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

”Hmm ... I can make sense of at least a few of the words and symbols. There are references to "The Change", "The Blessing", and "His Bride"!!“

kn nature : 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

Zaarah casts detect magic and looks around. She then goes out.

Flyn looks around at the mess made of Kyalla’s hut...

”It appears that Hestram has already struck...but there’s no body, perhaps we’re not too late,” he says as he ponders the meaning of the cryptic meanings of the words scrawled on the wall...

Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (14) + 6 + (2) = 22
Linguistics: 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (20) + 6 + (5) = 31

”His bride probably refers to Kyalla...not sure what the blessing or the change refer to...the markings also form a stylized unholy symbol of Angazhan, the demon lord of apes. Hestram has a fondness for, or perhaps an alliance with, apes. I assume that ape we fought in Condria’s maze was one of his cohorts...”

He then warily follows Zaarah outside...

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (14) + 6 + (3) = 23

”Looks like a deluge of rain fell, not long ago...good thing too as it perhaps put out the fires that were obviously set here...”

Flyn will warily check out the nearest hut (the one to the SW) and look for tracks as he goes...

Perception: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (3) + 24 = 27
Survival (Tracking): 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (2) + 20 = 22

linguistics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25
know.nature, heightened awareness: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 2 = 22

"Aye, Flyn. Heavy rain doused the flames, only recently" Kiboko agrees, nodding at Zaarah's interpretation of the symbols.

"This has all the hallmarks of a Bekyar attack. Kiboko does not think it a coincidence that there were Bekyar in Condria's garden with the naga." Kiboko snarls and draws his sword.

I'm guessing about the Bekyar, but it doesn't seem unlikely and I think Flyn's successfully Religion roll confirms it.

Kiboko follows Flyn's example and looks for signs of passage.

survival, tracking: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (5) + 22 = 27

Fendel cannot miss any of those DC's.

The detective scans the area for magic as well as the presence of any other.

Perception: 1d20 + 37 + 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 37 + (1) + 2 = 54
Goz Mask should cut through the smoke.

Kramac does not like the look of this. Evil, wicked things happen in this camp. Let us search it with haste and get to the bottom of this evil.

Kramac will help in searching the camp.

Perception: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (8) + 22 = 30

@Fendel - Goz mask would absolutely cut through the smoke.

@Everyone - don't forget to place yourselves on the map!

Flyn peers inside another hut, seeing more signs of violence. The smaller structure is barely remaining upright. Scorch marks and burnt hides suggest fire as the primary culprit, though the heavy rainfall seems to have caused part of the roof to collapse. Beneath the wreckage are the bodies of two humanoids - a half-elf and a gnome, both wearing tunics with the Glyph of the Open Road embroidered around the collar.

The hot, humid, smokey air is quiet - save for the sounds of the Seekers' footsteps and hushed voices. Above them, the obelisk looms. The tip of each of its finger seems to have been carved to create the visage of a different species of ape from the exaggerated folds of the fingerprints. The eyes of the stylized faces seem to follow the visitors, no matter where they move.

Environmental Effects:
- Smoke provides concealment past 20 ft and total concealment past 40 ft

What do you do?

With a grimace, Flyn looks over the corpses in the hut...

Heal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

”A half-Elf and Gnome...both Pathfinders...one slain by spears, likely the Bekyars as Kiboko mentioned...the other torn apart, most likely by a monstrous ape similar to the one we faced in Condria’s garden. Adril Hestram has no honor...killing the likes of these will not advance his ambitions...I’m ashamed I ever regarded him so highly...”

Noting the obelisk looming over the campsite...

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (19) + 6 + (5) = 30

...he notes the stylized faces. ”It appears to represent numerous species of ape...from the gibbon to the gorilla...all indigenous to the Mwangi...”

Flyn then continues on from hut to hut, starting with the nearest and going around clockwise, in turn...

Perception: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (16) + 24 = 40
Perception: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (12) + 24 = 36
Perception: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (12) + 24 = 36
Perception: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (16) + 24 = 40

The detective confirms the ranger's insights.

Zaarah is clearly lost in thought.

Is the resist energy still up? Did you guys check your buffs in the slides?

I would imagine resist energy is still active. It's only been a few minutes since defeating the devil in Keel's bedroom.

Flyn peers at the soggy interior of the southernmost hut through a hole where part of the wicker wall has been smashed to pieces. Along one wall stands a shelf of waterlogged books, and many more pages rest half-submerged in the mud on the ground. A table in the center of the building appears to have been upended and now rests on its side. Papers, maps, writing utensils, and candles of various lengths lie scattered across the floor.

The archer's keen eyes spot a smaller leather-bound book propped out of the water atop several similar tomes. Inside are field notes in elegant, flowing handwriting - though most of the pages have been rendered illegible by the heavy rainfall. Fendel recognizes the handwriting as a near-perfect match for the letter signed "Kyalla" that was found in Keel's journal.

The obelisk itself stands silently in the middle of the camp as the Seekers continue moving around it to other tents in similar states of disarray. The shape of a symbol-engraved bracer surrounds the base of the statue, climbing from the ground to the base of the giant hand's wrist.

In the distance, a bird screeches twice before falling silent once more. The smokey haze clings to the site of the massacre like a burial shroud.

What do you do?

Flyn reads through the field journal. ”Hmmm...it appears the obelisk, called here the Monkey’s Paw, has a secret chamber. They haven’t found the secret door to access it though; Kyalla feared what was inside. She mentioned the ancients sect of Angazhan cultists were sick, trying to transform others into ape-men; with Kyalla missing, I fear the worst...especially considering she infers that Adril Hestram was a regular visitor here...”

Linguistics: 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (18) + 6 + (2) = 26

”The symbols on the bracer surrounding the obelisk seem to be an ancient hybrid of Abyssal, which I can speak, and what is now known as Polyglot, which both Kramac and Kiboko are fluent in...”

Perception: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (13) + 24 = 37

”...and here appears to be the secret door mentioned in the journal...mayhap I can get it open...be prepared...”

Flyn warily tries to open the door...

Disable Device: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (17) + 27 = 44