[GM Zin] The Emerald Spire Superdungeon (Inactive)

Game Master Zin Z'arin

Dot and delete; we'll get underway soon, starting with Level 6: The Clockwork Maze

The tiefling had seemed evasive when he sold you the notes from his adventuring party, but they were cheap, and the promise of the riches to be found within the Emerald Spire too great. They seemed to be accurate, though, as you found navigating the first few levels to be easy, and exactly as represented in the notes.

But the notes only took you so far, and here you are now, entering a level of the dungeon the tiefling's party had not gotten to.

The long stairway ends in a small chamber. On the north wall, a panel with two bronze levers--one red and one black--is set chest-high in the wall. To the east, an archway leads to an alcove. Distant ticking echoes through the walls, as if several large clocks were operating simultaneously.

"Pleasant." Mika says with a smirk as she draws her rapier. "Whole place is going to give me a headache if that ticking keeps up."

Mika quickly turns around, realizing she never introduced herself as anything more than "fellow Pathfinder". She stretches out her hand, revealing a hand that appears burnt in comparison to her pale face. The plume atop her wide brimmed hat appears to dance in a non-existent wind as she does so, and her colorful coat curls forward in response as well.

"Name's Mika. Don't try to pronounce the last name. I don't even know. Anyways, I'm deadly with a rapier, even more so with a kiss." she gestures to a custom-made triple sheathe of rapiers on her hip while winking before blowing a kiss to a random teammate. "If any of you are know-it-alls and realize something may work better than Adamantine, let me know. I've got Mithril and Cold Iron here too."

She begins walking towards the levers before hesitating and turning around, "Every time I've led an expedition, it's resulted in close-calls. Anybody else want to take over?"

The steady ticking matches the tilting of Yroh's head, precise twitches of movement like the hands of a clock. Distracted by Mika's comments, the half-orc straightens his head. "Raga and I have had good fortune and the blessings of the snows preserve us. I shall vanguard if you so wish."

The dark blotches of dead skin stand out across his bluish face as he regards the pair of levers with a fixated stare. His eyes are as bright and clear as the mithral armor girding his lean frame. Shield and arms are ready, but his free hand flicks ragged nails against one another absently, also in time to the clicking of the dungeon level.

"They do not whisper the answer to me. This is the domain of time, perhaps, or simple artifice. One lever may be much the same as another in function, if not result."

Another half-orc's face flushes as Mika blows him a kiss. "Oh, um, well, I..." Clearing his throat, he takes a deep breath. "My name's Jahz, though you may know me by my stage name 'Jahz the Wanderer'. I, uh, I'll try to help keep our spirits strong, and, uh, yeah." He swallows and looks straight ahead at the levers.

The fox-woman was a later arrival, and looking no small bit of flustered.

"Hey, Yroh! Sorry for the delay, had to get the Orphanage squared away and you'd probably not be surprised at the amount of mischief a collection of brigand, goblin, and xulgath children can get into if they're not carefully monitored."

She examines the party, then nods and continues. "Raga. Short for Ragathiel's Hand. I'm a bit of a heavy scout and thinker... though I really miss the Professor already. He had a way of brevity and clarity that... well. Let's just put it this way -- sometimes the straightest path between two points *is* a straight line."

The investigator stares at the levers and her tail sticks straight out for a second. "Ever get the feeling like you've done something before, but you know you haven't... what do they call it, deja vu? Yeah, just had one of those plus a 'someone walking on my grave' sort of vibe."

She'll start to examine the levers carefully for any indication of traps or the like, and if she doesn't find any, will offer to let the team make any decisions regarding postioning of the levers.

”The snows are silent of such things. I remember the riding against the cold winds. I remember rushing torrents. This rhythm is not unfamiliar...but these things have happened and will happen again.” Stepping forward, he places a hand on the left handle and shifts it. ”The kindred suggests this one.” he pronounces, slamming it into place.

”The snows are silent of such things. I remember the riding against the cold winds. I remember rushing torrents. This rhythm is not unfamiliar...but these things have happened and will happen again.” Stepping forward, he places a hand on the left handle and shifts it. ”The kindred suggests this one.” he pronounces, slamming it into place.

The lever on the left has a red handle, and it can be shifted either up or down. Which way did you want to move it?

She'll start to examine the levers carefully for any indication of traps or the like, and if she doesn't find any, will offer to let the team make any decisions regarding postioning of the levers.

Raga finds no traps on the lever assembly.

Yroh would take the path of least resistance, so down.

The sounds of ticking increase for a few seconds--seemingly from various directions--but most loudly and directly from the alcove to your right.

Mika will take a peek into the alcove and relay what she sees.

The walls of the alcove are mismatched. Most of the room is finished in masonry blocks, but to the north is a curved wall of bronze, with a solid bronze corridor that turns to the right after a short distance. There’s a narrow seam between the bronze wall and the masonry, and the bronze wall and corridor seem to be vibrating very faintly.

”If there is no way forward, then we rise up!” Yroh declares, shifting the red lever all the way up when Mika is clear.

”If there is no way forward, then we rise up!” Yroh declares, shifting the red lever all the way up when Mika is clear.

Just to be clear, there does appear to be a way forward; there's a corridor of brass that turns to the right. Nobody has investigated what is after the turn. You can still shift the position of the lever if you want to before investigating, of course. But please clarify to let me know; as of now, the lever is still down.

Yroh considers the lever for a moment before shifting it to the up position anyway. ”Curiousity is a dangerous mistress, but still enticing.”

Mika, still with a view into the alcove, sees the brass hallway shift in place and rotate! While it momentarily is completely blocked by a circular brass wall, when it comes to a rest--still faintly humming with potential--it is now a hallway that turns to the left where it previously turned to the right!

"Fascinating!" Jahz quickly hurries into the strange chamber. "Pull it again while I'm inside!"

I don't think any of us haven't seen this floor before, either from having played it already or from GMing/prepping it before this. XD

"Ah you wish!" Yroh cranks the level back down.

We mostly stumbled through by blind luck last time, so I haven't a clue where we need to go.

When Yroh flips the handle down again, the brass cylinder again shifts position with Jahz inside. Briefly, everything goes dark, but the half-orc's inherent darkvision allows him to see the circular stone walls move past both openings of the brass cylinder before coming to a rest again.

It takes a brief moment to catch his bearings again, but there's Mika in the alcove where she was before, and a pair of double doors are revealed at the other end of the bend.

"Left or right, then!?" Mika calls out to nobody in particular. "I've always preferred the right."

Wait, wait. It seems like everybody here has done the floor before. That is, assuming Raga has. If so, I think we can all just go forward with spoilers in mind, though trying our best not to metagame?

Haha, so the GM is the only one who hasn't played this before? LOL don't spoil anything for me!

Like Yroh said, it was years ago at this point almost and we kind of fumbled our way through, though it's kind of amusing that our GM knows even less about the level than we apparently do. Don't worry, we won't spoil anything for you! ;)

Raga takes point and keeps an eye out for traps and the like.

A large double door, reinforced with iron bands, seals off this room. It looks much newer than the dungeon walls. An emblem in the shape of an automation’s head inside interlocking gears is painted on the door.

Putting your ears to the door, a few of you hear faint hoof-falls on stone, seemingly at a distance.

Raga finds no traps on the double-door, and it appears to be unlocked.

Mika opens the door just a little and then kicks the doors open, rapier at the ready, with a quick "Boom, baby!"

A grin filled with stained teeth spreads across Yroh's face. "The riffraff has arrived."

Mika kicks the door open!

Before you can take in the small pool of water with its basin of gold tile that lies in the center of this chamber with tiled walls decorated in patterns that were once colorful but are now cracked and faded amongst the four staggered columns that support the vaulted ceiling, you notice a large brass-clad minotaur right in front of the door. For a moment, you almost think it's a statue, but a quick flare of the nostrils reveals its very real--and threatening--nature.

Round 1 (bold may act)
Yroh
Jahz
Mika
Raga
Brass-clad Minotaur Knowledge (nature) to identify

Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

"Hail, good minos! What news?" Yroh calls in greeting, warily readying magic in case the creature attacks.

Jahz’s hand goes to the sword at his belt instinctively, but as Yroh speaks he pauses. ”Oh, right, sorry!” He looks at the beast suspiciously, but leaves the weapon in its sheath. For now...

Readied action to start a Weapon Song if the Minotaur acts in a hostile manner. Since Yroh doesn’t have a weapon with a base enhancement bonus on it, Jahz will choose to give everyone’s weapons a +1 stacking bonus and Keen.

Both Yroh and Jahz expect the best but prepare for the worst. In the brief instant of time that they make their subtle preparations, the flaring nostrils remain the only evidence of the minotaur's intent.

Yroh surmises that this minotaur is different from a normal minotaur in various ways--both to its advantage and its detriment--due to the brass-plating installed over its body. It has the fortification ability (though only at 25%) and is vulnerable to electricity.

Mika's rapier, in hand, twitches at the new-found magic. "Look at you guys! A bunch of pacifists Pathfinders. Not a sight you see every day." She looks at the giant minotaur and says, "Hit me, I dare ya."

She will five foot step next to the minotaur and ready an attack for if it attacks.

A bit of a ret-con here. I misread the adventure; the minotaur had a readied action that would have fired as soon as the door opened. That will also make it quite clear that the minotaur is a threat, so all of your readied actions will go off as well.

A large greataxe swings forward as soon as the door swings open, slicing into Raga's arm. Yroh immediately responds, conjuring a pair of bloodied, spiked chains that both attempt to entangle the minotaur's legs, but neither is able to send it to the ground. Jahz calls on ancient weapon magic to enhance his and his allies weapons.

Mika steps up and strikes with an almost perfectly-placed stab of her rapier, but the brass-plating on the minotaur causes the tip to slide just enough to the side to prevent the worst of the damage.

Round 1 (bold may act)
Yroh (+1 keen to weapon)
Jahz (+1 keen to weapon)
Mika (+1 keen to weapon)
Raga (38/51, +1 keen to weapon)
Brass-clad Minotaur (-16 hp)

Putting Raga in delay; I hope we haven't lost a player already!

The minotaur wheels on Mika, swinging its axe side to side with a dart of its heavy horns downward at the swashbuckler.

It fails to connect on any of the attacks. No parry required

Round 2 (bold may act)
Raga (38/51; +1 keen to weapon; delay)
Yroh (+1 keen to weapon)
Jahz (+1 keen to weapon)
Mika (+1 keen to weapon)
Brass-clad Minotaur (-16 hp)

Raga posted in discussion that they were taking a small break.

"You brass hunk of JUNK!" shouts Mika, mildly amused at her own skill.

I don't get to know if an attack missed for Parry and Riposte, so I would have just parried whatever the first attack was that came my way, that way I can use riposte. So I'd definitely be down a panache, but if my roll beat its roll+4 (because of size difference), then my riposte would have gone off.

"Now, let's return the favor."

Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30
Crit confirm: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24
Damage: 1d6 + 7 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 6 = 14
Crit damage: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
If that confirms, I regen a Panache

Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Damage: 1d6 + 7 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 6 = 15

Aaargh, sorry about that. I think I'm in too many games to remember when someone posts an absence like that. Botting Raga's first round and putting her back in initiative for round 2.

Raga steps up with Mika and swings at the minotaur, but fails to get through its armor.

The penalty to parry for each category of size difference is only -2. Mika as in ifrit is medium, right? The minotaur is large, so that's only 1 size category difference, unless I'm missing something somewhere. I do prefer penalties and bonuses to be applied on the correct end of the roll, so please include the -2 penalty to your parry in your spoiler moving forward. Retconning Mika's Round 1 parry/riposte now.

Mika deflects the first swing of the minotaur's axe, darting her rapier tip up and under a brass plate to drive into the creature's flesh. 1 panache used

And on to Round 2

The swashbuckler makes quick work of the minotaur, driving the point of her rapier under another brass plate and straight into the creature's heart. It falls with a loud clatter as the brass plating rings against the tile floor. 1 panache regenerated

Out of combat!

Status
Jahz (-0 hp)
Mika (-0 hp)
Raga (38/51)
Yroh (-0 hp)

Alright, let's get the fumbling and retcons out of the way early, haha.

"Well, that was easy." Mika says, wiping the blood from her rapier with a ragged piece of cloth. "Who's the designated stick waggler of the group? Raga needs some wounds closed."

I just misremembered the penalty. Mika is medium, yes. I'll include it from here on out.

"An unfortunate end." Yroh muses, walking in to stand over the fallen guardian and close its eyes if needed. "Now to attend the living." Turning, he produces a wand and begins to repair the damage done to Raga.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

"That... went surprisingly smooth." the kitsune offers as she's bapped with a wand a couple of times. "Thanks, Yroh. Should have prepared a bit better for that."

Now that things have settled down a bit, Raga looks around the room for noteworthy things, pausing only briefly to take a vial out of her pack and chug it down. She immediately looks a bit more healthy.

Extract of False Life

False Life Extract: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15 Lasts for six hours

Yroh heals Raga's initial injuries, and the kitsune adds a little insurance in the form of a necromantic boost.

Status
Jahz (38/38 hp)
Mika (52/52 hp)
Raga (51+15/51 hp; false life)
Yroh (51/51 hp)

What next?

"And so we stand victorious once more!" Jahz cheers. "Come, let us investigate this room!" He pulls out a sheet of paper and starts to take a rubbing, but gets distracted by the pool in the center of the room. "Ooo, anything interesting in here?"

Jahz draws the party over to the pool. The only thing of significance you note is that the water is surprisingly cool and clean.

"A curious contraption, to be functional after so long." Yroh takes a moment to examine the room with detect magic, starting with the fountain.

Indeed, Yroh detects a moderate aura at the bottom of the pool.

"There is magic within, but I cannot tell what." Yroh kneels down by the fountain, peering intently into the waters.

"Yo. Jahz. You got one of those magical hand thingies? Probably worth picking up, but I've literally been bit before reaching my hand into random pools of water." I checked. He's got mage hand as a cantrip. Mika then continues cleaning her rapier as if nothing happened.

Sorry about the accidental post from my GM alias. Gotta get over that habbit here, haha!

Neither Mika nor Yroh can see anything physical in the pool that corresponds to the aura, and the water is crystal clear. Also, Yroh has twice mentioned a fountain that doesn't exist; it's just a pool.

Jahz looks futilely for the fountain Yroh speaks of before shaking his head sadly. ”I’m afraid I don’t see such a thing,” he answers sadly, shoving his paper and pen back into his pack. ”Maybe- Ooo, doors!” His eyes light up as he spots the doors behind him and he quickly moves to open them.

"Have you divinations prepared? Perhaps you can recognize what I cannot."

Yroh doesn't have Knowledge Arcana. >.< Also not sure why I kept thinking fountain instead of pool.

I'm assuming it's just a pool that keeps stocked with clean water?

"Don't go off on your own. What kind of self respecting caster..."

Please perform SOP on the door before Mika bursts this one open in an equally spectacular fashion! ;)

"Woah... woah... hold on, we have no idea what's at or behind any of these doors. From the little bit Yroh and I have heard from the upstairs neighbors, there's a noisy obnoxious mage on one of these levels and I particularly don't want to walk into a fireball -- a lightning bolt was bad enough." the fox-woman offers before advancing towards the door to examine it.

Perception(Also trap-spotter if something's hinky within 10'): 1d20 + 9 + 1d6 ⇒ (14) + 9 + (1) = 24(+2 to notice traps, +2 to notice ambushes, +4 to hear conversation)