Are the tiny crystals magic? If so, he’ll concentrate on them…if not, he won’t concentrate on the other auras as there are too many so he’ll just note to the others that the arches are trapped. How did my detect evil casting go? I know Kiboko and Zaarah radiate evil due to cursed items but was wondering if there were any more…
”Это Флин. Будьте осторожны с арками, они волшебные, но в ловушке.”
Infernal Speakers:
”This is Flyn. Be wary around the arches, they are magical but trapped.”
barkskin, GMF, longstrider, air walk, heightened awareness
more effects:
tiger focus, bull focus
Male Half Orc (Mwangi heritage) Barbarian (scarred rager) 4 / Hunter 9 | current AC 31 T 17 FF 27 | HP 130/130 [130/130] | F +22 R +17 W +13 (+2 Fort and Will in rage) | CMD 30 | CMB +14| Init +5 | Perc +19 dv 60' | Rage (16/21) | Animal focus (6/9) | Spells (-, 5/6, 0/5, 2/4)
I don't think we checked whether Eliza speaks infernal?
Kiboko calls out again in common. "Venture-Captain Petulengro, can you identify yourself? This is Kiboko. Our numbers appear correct. You mentioned something about tokens? Flyn is at the basin. He has found something. Can you help?"
Flyn winces upon hearing the VC’s name spoken in common. If anyone answers and steps forward as being the Venture-Captain, Flyn will focus his detect evil towards that person to try and confirm if it might be Eliza Petulengro…
Female N Kitsune, always in human form (auburn hair, freckles, dreamily observing and sometimes looking a little bit crazy) | Swashbuckler 1 / Magus 15 | Low-light vision | Speed 30ft, Fly 60ft | Boots of Speed 10/10 | Lucky Horses. 1/1 | HP 209/209 | Normal: AC 24 T 19 FF 16 | CMB +25 (Disarm, Trip, Sunder), CMD 28 | F +22, R +22, W +15 | Empower 1/1 | Quicken 1/1| FreeMove 4/4 | Panache 9/9 | Arcane Pool/Ring 11+4/13+4 | Black Blade Pool 4/4 | Concentr. reroll 2/2 | Chaldira reroll 1/1 | Reroll 1/1 | Flight 15/15 | Init +9 | Perc +26, SM +21, Bluff (Deceive) +28, Dipl. (Convince) +28 | Active cond: Ablative barrier, invisibility, fly, Defending bones
“If you want me to come somewhere then please tell me! It’s quite comfortable where I am currently!?! Tight! But ok?!“ she says a little confused in infernal and polyglot and common.
Apologies for the confusion - since the stated order of casting was detect magic before detect evil and there were magical auras, I wanted to verify that you wanted to take the three rounds to try to identify them since that's a (relatively) long period of time.
If you want to continue concentrating on detect magic:
Spoiler:
The stones in the basin shine brightly to your discerning divination. You're uncertain what they might be or what sort of magic they contain, but it certainly seems to be powerful.
Basing these findings off the rolls made earlier. Would you want to focus on another magical aura, or switch to detect evil?
If you want to cast detect evil and concentrate for at least one additional round:
Spoiler:
The expected acrid tang of something foul fills your mouth. After a few seconds, your discerning divination identifies three sources of the taint.
Fendel:
Deftly you disable the runic trap, adding new lines to drain the stored power harmlessly into the floor like an electrical rod being grounded.
This is a magical trap, not a magical item, so I think it's permanently disabled and not temporarily suppressed. Is that accurate?
Kiboko wrote:
"Venture-Captain Petulengro, can you identify yourself? This is Kiboko. Our numbers appear correct. You mentioned something about tokens? Flyn is at the basin. He has found something. Can you help?"
"Yes, I'm here." One of the shadowy figures raises a hand. It continues speaking in a similarly-distorted voice, "Sorry, just needed a moment to catch my bearings. Yes, the tokens should be there. Can you activate them?" Carefully it makes its way towards the basin.
Flyn:
As you focus on the speaker (Black), the sense of wrongness intensifies.
The detective slides a wand from his sheath as he keeps track of the target Flynn specified.
I am assuming this is a 'surprise round', so we are limited to a single action. Fendel still has the Wand of Faerie Fire. He will activate it next round, or this round if possible
A wash of color floods the room, its brilliance a harsh contrast to the muted blacks and greys of the room. The illuminated figure hisses and points at the source of the light before stepping closer to the basin - and the silhouette behind it.
Black Short Sword vs Flyn FF AC 21:1d20 + 18 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 18 + 4 = 39 Slashing damage:1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 4 = 11
The sound of a rush of cuts and swings can't be completely silenced by the room's oppressive aura. Neither can the faint sound of hissing as yet another silhouette (Grey) floats into the room from the archway to the east. This one heads straight towards the figure holding its arm out and reaches out with its own enshrouded limb to touch it.
Grey Touch vs Fendel T AC 15:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20 Strength damage:1d6 ⇒ 6
What We Do in the Shadows
Round 1! Bold may act!
Black (Illuminated 1/10)
Grey Zaarah
Flyn (-50)
Kiboko
Mvumbu
Kramac
Beak
Fendel (-6 Strength)
barkskin, GMF, longstrider, air walk, heightened awareness
more effects:
tiger focus, bull focus
Male Half Orc (Mwangi heritage) Barbarian (scarred rager) 4 / Hunter 9 | current AC 31 T 17 FF 27 | HP 130/130 [130/130] | F +22 R +17 W +13 (+2 Fort and Will in rage) | CMD 30 | CMB +14| Init +5 | Perc +19 dv 60' | Rage (16/21) | Animal focus (6/9) | Spells (-, 5/6, 0/5, 2/4)
"Flyn? Kiboko and Mvumbu will aid you!"
All pretence of subterfuge gone, Kiboko sets about dealing with Flyn's attacker.
Amplified Rage, set Animal Focus to Bull and Tiger for Kiboko and for Mvumbu, free action to handle Mvumbu (flank command), move to draw sword, standard to ready attack.
ready action, after Mvumbu attacks:
furious greatsword vs black, bull focus, amplified rage, menacing pack flanking outflank, power attack:1d20 + 15 + 2 + 2 + 4 + 6 - 3 ⇒ (2) + 15 + 2 + 2 + 4 + 6 - 3 = 28vital strike furious finish:24 + 15 + 3 + 9 = 51 If the black shape is an Evil Outsider, Kiboko's bane sword adds +2 to hit and +2+2d6 to damage, and overcomes alignment based DR as +5 equivalent. furious finish only triggers on a hit, and ends rage leaving Kiboko fatigued until the start of his next turn (and Mvumbu sickened for 2 turns).
F Hippopotamus 11HD, animal companion (lvl 13)| current AC 38 T 16 FF 34 | HP [115/115] 93/93 |CMD 30| F +15 R +14 W +7; +2 vs nonmagical disease; +1 vs fear; +2 vs haunts; devotion; evasion | Init +2(+4) | Perc +7 lowlight vision, scent| Tricks 6/6
"MOOOOAAARRGGHHHHH!!!!"
She may appear to be a small shadow, but there is no mistaking Mvumbu's battle honk even with the chamber's muffling effect diminishing it.
barkskin, GMF, longstrider, air walk, heightened awareness
more effects:
tiger focus, bull focus
Male Half Orc (Mwangi heritage) Barbarian (scarred rager) 4 / Hunter 9 | current AC 31 T 17 FF 27 | HP 130/130 [130/130] | F +22 R +17 W +13 (+2 Fort and Will in rage) | CMD 30 | CMB +14| Init +5 | Perc +19 dv 60' | Rage (16/21) | Animal focus (6/9) | Spells (-, 5/6, 0/5, 2/4)
magic, cold iron, silver damage - unless Black is an evil outsider in which case +2 to hit, +2+2d6 damage, and attack counts as adamantine and aligned.
My target and choice of ammo will depend upon whether or not Kiboko and Mvumbu took out the one that struck me...and I think the mods will be different as well so I'll make a conditional post...
If Black is still up:
Flyn will fire a cold iron blast at the foe who struck him...
Flyn will burn a use of Perfect Strike
To Hit: Dex+Base, Magic, Weapon Focus, Greater Bracers of Archery, PBS, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Deadeye Bowman, Point Blank Master, Manyshot Damage: Strength, Magic, Greater Bracers of Archery, PBS, Deadly Aim, Holy, Clustered Shot
Total Clustered Shot Damage (assuming all shots hit): 106
GM: If black is still up and my first or second attack drops him/her, please use my remaining attacks from my 'Black is down' spoiler as the mods are different...or at least I think they are...
Current AC: 28 Uses of Perfect Strike: 5/6 Inspiration Points: 3/3 Ki Pool: 4/4
An obscured shape bites the softly-glowing figure into two smaller softly-glowing figures that fall to the ground. Acting fast, another shadow steps to the side and pulls back its arm rapidly in succession. The new figure hisses in response to faint sounds of multiple impacts before fading away into the darkness. As suddenly as violence broke out, it is over.
Out of Combat! Damage Report:
Flyn (-50)
Fendel (-6 Strength)
@Zaarah - combat was over before you had a chance to act, so you can save the Arcane Pool point and the spell slot if you want.
…getting himself close to normal before addressing his friends. ”I assume that means Venture-Captain Petulengro didn’t make it thru the portal. It doesn’t surprise me; she always manages to get us into trouble but never quite seems to join us fully nor lend a hand…
“Fendel, the undead’s touch can be quite nasty…are you OK?”
The Elf then turns back to the stones in the basin. ”The VC said these stones were like ioun stones and that we’d need them to access the inner chambers…so perhaps they are activated like them, yes? Only one way to find out…”
Flyn takes one of the stones and tosses it in the air towards his head…
Unable to stop his body from shivering, the detective assesses his status. "I'm weaker, but not incapacitated. Though I cannot guarantee that won't change should we encounter another."
I don't suppose a Lesser Restoration will be enough against the Strength drain?
I don't suppose a Lesser Restoration will be enough against the Strength drain?
It's damage, not drain - so I think you're good to go!
As the shrouded figure tosses something into the air, it begins to shine with a soft white light. As if it were the most natural thing in the world, the glowing stone falls back towards the silhouette's head and begins to orbit it like a strange moon. The light peels back the shadows to reveal a familiar elf with a wand in one hand, bow in the other, and blood on his clothes.
Flyn:
You notice the darkness enshrouding the archway to the north lighten somewhat, revealing a passageway out of the chamber.
Flyn nods, then looks to his friends. ”The stones in these basins indeed work like ioun stones. Take one, toss it towards your head, and then head to the passageway to the north, which will reveal itself once the stone is in place…”
When everyone is ready, Flyn will tuck his wand back into his bandolier, take his bow in both hands, and warily enter the archway and see what’s beyond…
barkskin, GMF, longstrider, air walk, heightened awareness
more effects:
tiger focus, bull focus
Male Half Orc (Mwangi heritage) Barbarian (scarred rager) 4 / Hunter 9 | current AC 31 T 17 FF 27 | HP 130/130 [130/130] | F +22 R +17 W +13 (+2 Fort and Will in rage) | CMD 30 | CMB +14| Init +5 | Perc +19 dv 60' | Rage (16/21) | Animal focus (6/9) | Spells (-, 5/6, 0/5, 2/4)
"Ah, Flyn! Kiboko sees you! Kiboko will do as you suggest. Is there any way that we can divine the nature of the attackers?"
Kiboko takes one of the ioun stones, then a second one for Mvumbu, and activates them in the normal way.
"Fendel, Kiboko has a wand that will restore your strength and can activate it for you."
Slight bit of railroading/exposition to move things along:
Ahead of Flyn stands a small circular chamber, in which rises a pillar of pale white ether. Within the column twist the ghostly forms of thousands of silently screaming angels. To the right sits a decadent ballroom, full of nauseatingly gaudy decor such as thick violet carpeting, glass tables set upon white marble bases carved to resemble pyramids, walls of gold-leaf panels set in ebon-lacquered walnut frames, and six tremendous iron and crystal chandeliers. A small plaque at the entrance to the room reads "Welcome to the Masquerade of Hideousness".
The open archway to the left leads to to a long arching hallway, with numerous doors leaning inward and windows looking outward over the grounds of the Grand Lodge. It widens into an observatory room, its walls decorated with framed maps of the Inner Sea, sky charts, and various instruments of astronomy and navigation. Three figures lie strewn across the furniture, their throats slashed and their belongings missing.
To the left, the doors opening to the hallway are each decorated with a symbol of the various factions of the Pathfinder Society - the Dark Archives, the Grand Lodge, the Liberty's Edge, the Exchange, the Condordance, the Silver Crusade. Beyond them, at the southernmost end, stands a towering stone totem pole with various jungle animals bearing anthropomorphic features. A bronze plaque set into its display reads "The Mwangi". Framing the totem and set upon a backdrop of colorfully-patterned cloth hang an arrangement of wooden masks and shrunken heads.
Lots of map revealed - go ahead and place your tokens where you want to be.
barkskin, GMF, longstrider, air walk, heightened awareness
more effects:
tiger focus, bull focus
Male Half Orc (Mwangi heritage) Barbarian (scarred rager) 4 / Hunter 9 | current AC 31 T 17 FF 27 | HP 130/130 [130/130] | F +22 R +17 W +13 (+2 Fort and Will in rage) | CMD 30 | CMB +14| Init +5 | Perc +19 dv 60' | Rage (16/21) | Animal focus (6/9) | Spells (-, 5/6, 0/5, 2/4)
Kiboko waits a moment for Fendel and Flyn to go forwards. He activates another wand, then moves to investigate the bodies.
Cast Heightened Awareness from wand. Will burn spell for +4 initiative if combat breaks out, otherwise spell lasts 10 mins.
Upon spotting the dead bodies, Flyn will try to aid Kiboko in determining if those wounds might’ve come from the weapons of the mysterious figure who attacked him…
The bodies are clearly dead and do not move as the Pathfinders approach - nor does anything else in the northern observation room. Kiboko and Flyn find that each of the bodies has no other wounds besides the cut across their throat, and that all of them have been dead for a matter of hours. Flyn hypothesizes that it's possible the wound was inflicted by the same weapons that cut him earlier, but there's no proof that they weren't made with a different slashing weapon either.
Flyn looks to Kiboko and shakes his head. "Could've been killed by the one who attacked me...or perhaps not...no way to tell...can only assume Hestram was responsible..."
The Elf then warily moves, looking to the passage leading to the south/southwest...
barkskin, GMF, longstrider, air walk, heightened awareness
more effects:
tiger focus, bull focus
Male Half Orc (Mwangi heritage) Barbarian (scarred rager) 4 / Hunter 9 | current AC 31 T 17 FF 27 | HP 130/130 [130/130] | F +22 R +17 W +13 (+2 Fort and Will in rage) | CMD 30 | CMB +14| Init +5 | Perc +19 dv 60' | Rage (16/21) | Animal focus (6/9) | Spells (-, 5/6, 0/5, 2/4)
"We should sweep the rooms, but stay close together."
Kiboko follows a short way behind, telling Mvumbu to wait.
Neither Flyn nor Kiboko spot anything dangerous in the hallway to the southwest. The doors opening to the passageway are each decorated with a symbol of the various factions of the Pathfinder Society - the Dark Archives, the Grand Lodge, the Liberty's Edge, the Exchange, the Condordance, the Silver Crusade.
Beyond them, at the southernmost end of the tower, stands a towering stone totem pole with various jungle animals bearing anthropomorphic features. A bronze plaque set into its display reads "The Mwangi". Framing the totem and set upon a backdrop of colorfully-patterned cloth hang an arrangement of wooden masks and shrunken heads.
Flyn speaks up. ”Over here my friends…these doors each have one of the different Pathfinder faction symbols emblazoned upon them…”
Intelligence:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
The Elf then recalls the last words they heard from the Venture-Captain and relays them to his companions. ”Before transporting us here, VC Petulengro mentioned these faction rooms as neutral rooms that we should seek out to make contact with allies outside the Ten themselves. I’ll try out the Grand Lodge door…”
Fendel moves toward the door marked with triangle and flame. However, he waits to see if the others need any assistance before attempting to open the portal.
barkskin, GMF, longstrider, air walk, heightened awareness
more effects:
tiger focus, bull focus
Male Half Orc (Mwangi heritage) Barbarian (scarred rager) 4 / Hunter 9 | current AC 31 T 17 FF 27 | HP 130/130 [130/130] | F +22 R +17 W +13 (+2 Fort and Will in rage) | CMD 30 | CMB +14| Init +5 | Perc +19 dv 60' | Rage (16/21) | Animal focus (6/9) | Spells (-, 5/6, 0/5, 2/4)
"Kiboko thinks it best to open one door at a time. These are supposed to be safe rooms - but nowhere yet has proven beyond Hestram's reach."
Flyn does not notice anything dangerous about the door marked with the stylized Glyph of the Open Road. The latch opens quietly, allowing the door to swing open and reveal a hexagonal room decorated with golden pillars and intricate hieroglyphs on the walls. A low bookshelf holds a collection of books and bound journals, with several more that appear to be in a pre-published state or even rough drafts heaped on top. A small table near the door displays an open ledger with an array of names and dates displayed neatly. Some of the entries include additional numbers, some do not.
A wall-mounted shelf in the back of the room holds half of a rough-cut golden geode on a brass stand. Being senior members of the Society, the Seekers quickly recognize it as half of a stone of sending - the other half being with the head of the faction (or their designated representative) to allow someone to contact them no matter where they might be. It is likely tied to the faction and will not respond to anyone who is not already a member.
A noise startles Flyn as he walks around the interior of the room, and he looks up to see Zaarah opening the door to the hallway from the outside. Zaarah, for her part, opens the door with the familiar scarab to find the same room on the other side as Flyn had found behind the Grand Lodge door.
Knowledge (arcana or planes) DC 20:
Based on these observations, it would appear that the faction rooms themselves are located in quasi-dimensions linked to Skyreach somehow. This would certainly enhance their role as neutral ground and could be a hangover from the earlier history of the Society when the factions had not been fully integrated and still existed as organizations independent of the Pathfinders.
Female N Kitsune, always in human form (auburn hair, freckles, dreamily observing and sometimes looking a little bit crazy) | Swashbuckler 1 / Magus 15 | Low-light vision | Speed 30ft, Fly 60ft | Boots of Speed 10/10 | Lucky Horses. 1/1 | HP 209/209 | Normal: AC 24 T 19 FF 16 | CMB +25 (Disarm, Trip, Sunder), CMD 28 | F +22, R +22, W +15 | Empower 1/1 | Quicken 1/1| FreeMove 4/4 | Panache 9/9 | Arcane Pool/Ring 11+4/13+4 | Black Blade Pool 4/4 | Concentr. reroll 2/2 | Chaldira reroll 1/1 | Reroll 1/1 | Flight 15/15 | Init +9 | Perc +26, SM +21, Bluff (Deceive) +28, Dipl. (Convince) +28 | Active cond: Ablative barrier, invisibility, fly, Defending bones
“Oh wow! This place is really crazy! I’ve got a lot of fun!“ Zaarah says while flying around.
kn planes :1d20 + 24 ⇒ (8) + 24 = 32
“I mean that nobody asked me but of course I have an opinion on this special phenomenon! Based on these observations, it would appear that the faction rooms themselves are located in quasi-dimensions linked to Skyreach somehow. This would certainly enhance their role as neutral ground and could be a hangover from the earlier history of the Society when the factions had not been fully integrated and still existed as organizations independent of the Pathfinders! Do you see? I know a lot! Of course not as much as our friend Fendel here but who on Golarion does?“ she asks incredulously and laughs.
Flyn looks at the sending stone and nods to Zaarah. ”Aye, t’would seem this is somehow linked to Skyreach…I’ll try contacting the Grand Lodge to see if they have any more news since the Venture Captain vanished…”
The Elf will move towards the sending stone. He ponders for a moment to come up with a message to send. ”This is Flyn; we have reached our objective but lost contact with VC Petulengro. Have you any further news of Adril Hestram?”
barkskin, GMF, longstrider, air walk, heightened awareness
more effects:
tiger focus, bull focus
Male Half Orc (Mwangi heritage) Barbarian (scarred rager) 4 / Hunter 9 | current AC 31 T 17 FF 27 | HP 130/130 [130/130] | F +22 R +17 W +13 (+2 Fort and Will in rage) | CMD 30 | CMB +14| Init +5 | Perc +19 dv 60' | Rage (16/21) | Animal focus (6/9) | Spells (-, 5/6, 0/5, 2/4)
Kiboko follows Flyn's lead, and enters the room marked for Liberty's Edge.
know.arcana, HA:1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 6 + 2 = 18
He employs the Sending Stone.
"Kiboko pursues the villain Hestram. Petulengro is missing. What guidance do you have for Kiboko?"
