PFS #2-01 and #2-03 with DM Deevor (Inactive)

Game Master Deevor

"Coulds be, coulds be," Pooka nods to Jak's suggestion. She carefully steps a bit closer to observe one of the carvings...

Occultism: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Shayla sticks to the shadows, her bow is stowed but she has a dagger in hand ready to throw if need be. She also looks carefully for traps.

Perception +6

Webny, feeling a bit sheepish at her showing in the last fight, moves closer to the front and takes a few steps to the south, also keeping watch for dangers.

Perception +5

Jak, Iustanus and Pooka climb up a couple of the statues, looking in the bowls where they find that the bowls contain an ash that is sticky and pungent enough to induce nausea, even after thousands of years.

Jak, Iustanus and Pooka can make this check.

Rangi Shayla and Webny hear nothing and see nothing that threatens the group, in the corridor to the south. Only the darkness and blackness of the corridor, the silence is a grim reminder of a cyclops civilisation long dead, it is shrouded in a veil of deathly quiet.

Only the sounds are of Jak, Iustanus and Pooka's feet scrambling up the statues and echoing back into nothing, the sounds of them trying to retch interrupts the silence.

Nature DC15: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

"Ah... yes. Pine Resin. They did use these bowls as lanterns for the hallway."

Returns to the floor, sneezing to get rid of some of the stench from his nose before looking south. "Since some of you seem to have chosen that path, lets head south and see what we discover."

As the party move south and then east, they are met with a large stone door that blocks the passage forward.

Strength check to open ....

Nature 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Strength: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Rangi tries again to open the doors. "It has been a while when I had to do things like that..."

For funsies...

Nature (DC 15): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

"Jak is rights, they used bruorsivi pine resin for fuels," Pooka agrees after taking a whiff and quickly pulling away from the bowl lest the smell overpower her. "Whoof! The smell's still strongs enough to curl your nose hairs!"

Hopping back down, she follows the rest of the group as they head down the southern corridor and then to the east. When they encounter yet another closed door, she frowns at it.

"Stupid doors...I's show you!"

Strength: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

As Rangi and Pooka push hard on the stone door, others join and eventually it moves, it's hinges resisting, as you hear them grinding. The first time this door has moved for .... well a long, long, time. Slowly, very slowly it opens to reveal a chamber in absolute darkness, lit only by the light of Jak's holy symbol.

You stand at the entrance looking inside a large room, as the light glints orange off a big irregular block of a semi-translucent deep warm yellow and orange stone-like material. The block stands as a sentinel, on guard as it watches the entrance.

One wall of this room is completely covered by a 30-foot tall bookcase, with a sturdy ladder on a rail providing access to the higher shelves. Both the ladder and the books are obviously sized for large creatures. On the other side are what appear to be reading desks and chairs, though they are hidden under draped sheets, grey with dust. Central in the room, near the entrance, stands the block that glints in Jak's light.

The chamber peeks the interest of at least Iustanus and Jak, for the mysteries it might hold, of the power you might find on it's shelves. Whilst Pooka has difficulty holding back her excitement at the thought of ancient and powerful mantras and songs she might discover. Shayla, peeks in at what must be a library, not really knowing what to expect, whilst Rangi looks on stoically assessing the situation. Webny too holds her thoughts as she peers forward. Whatever is in here could be of significant historic interest, this library could be a great find, providing many treasures for the society.

What are you gonna do in here??
Room open in slides, yellow circle is the torch light from Jak's holy symbol. The rest of the room is dim light or dark. Rangi and Pooka fill in details for those who didn't eat carrots for breakfast

Shayla moves forward, staying within the light, she scours the ground and walls, looking for traps.

Perception +6

Eyeing the sentinel suspiciously and letting Shayla search for traps, Jak cautiously enters into the room.

"Whoas...what the hecks is thats??" Pooka breathes, staring at the strange-looking orange-and-yellow block. "Should we pokes it, maybes?"

She doesn't actually poke the block - yet - but she does take a cautious step closer for a better look.
______________

Recall Knowledge: Arcana +5, Nature +4, Occultism +5, Society +5~

detecting magic

Rangi walks with his shield raised and goes slowly forwards "Anyone knows what this is?"

”You’ve got me,” Webny replies, backing up Rangi and taking the opposite side, to the south.

Nearing the irregular block of a warm yellow material, a creature of some kind is visible within. Though the view is distorted through the block, the creature looks like a squat, broad-chested dog with skin covered in sores. Although fuzzy and difficult to make out, there looks to be a collar around its neck, from which hangs a red, long crystal in the shape of a stone finger.

Iustanus feels his hands warm to the magic that comes from the room... a feint glow comes from around the room, particularly strong on the side with the bookshelves. However the strongest auras come from the block of yellow stone, though it seems like the yellow block is somehow diffusing the magic, weakening the auras within.

Jak looks at the bookshelves and notices that some of the titles can’t be fully translated, due to referencing proper names of people and places now lost to history, it is clear these are alchemical treatises, books about magical research, and strangely enough, books about gardening.

What is on the over-sized chairs and tables currently covered with dusty grey cloths, remains hidden from the pathfinders.

Jak and anyone looking at the book shelves and books can make this check

Society: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

"I think the empire of Koloran was too ancient for materials like leather and paper to be kept in such shape without powerful magic or some alchemical interference" says Orc looking around him.

"What is this place?"

Scanning the books...

Cyclop's Lore: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

Webny is transfixed by the odd looking creature. ”Anyone have any idea what on Golarion this thing is?!”

Society(U): 1d20 ⇒ 2

"Never really had much use for books and scrolls."

I doubt that Abaslom or Scouting Lore would be remotely relevant

"Huh...so's maybe there's preservations magics on stuff in here?" Pooka muses aloud as Rangi shares his insights. "Must mean this stuff is importants in some ways!"

"Oh, I's not sure what this dog-thing is," she adds for Webny's benefit. "But I don't likes that they left it heres like this. Hope it's deads..."

Though uneasy about the dog-thing, she knows that they've got a job to do. She carefully steps past Webny to one of the nearby tables and grabs the dusty sheet covering it.

"Here we gos, gonna just pull it offs slowlys..."

And unless something happens or someone stops her, she proceeds to do just that.

Jak nods in agreement with Rangi in his analysis of the way the books, scrolls and papers have been protected against degradation and ageing. Jak opens the spoiler.

Removing the sheets, Pooka reveals papers left on the tables, picking them up she wonders how they are so well preserved. Looking at the carefully placed sheets, whoever left this room intended to return. Under a sheet
finds a comfortable leather chair and a small (for Large creature standards) table that contains writing supplies such as quills, parchment, and you see an an inkwell on the table, too high for you to study.

Is there anything else you want to do here, having just quickly taken 10-15 minutes of time in the Library. Options might include cataloging, releasing the dog from the amber.... or move on....

Not I said the little red hen

"Hmmm... they must of used some form of magic or alchemical method to preserve all these parchments and books."

He then looks at the imprisoned dog. "You know, I think we should try to release the dog. It might be grateful to us and if intelligent, reveal some history about this place."

"yes, we should release this poor creature" agrees Rangi moving towards the amber

Shayla moves up and loosens her sword in its sheath.

Webny gets ready to punch the dog thing in case it turns violent.

I don’t know if Webny can Ready an action outside of encounter mode, but if she can, she’s readying a flurry of blows.

Actually, Shayla draws her sword...

As the group study the dog in the amber stone, they start to recognise some features. You can roll a Nature or Arcana check in a spoiler.

The amber itself holds the creature in and with any restraint, there are points of weakness, which can be recognised. The magical bonds that hold it in the amber have aged and whilst still strong, you might be able to find a flaw.One of you can roll an Arcana or Nature check, so make sure you choose wisely.

Jak starts studying the dog creature. "Lets see if we can identify it before we try to free it."

For the roll to free it. I have a Nature +9

Rangi looks at the creature trying to understand as much as he can about it.

He takes out a bit of food from his pack and eats a tine bit out of it, the rest he puts on the floor.

Do we know how to open it?

Rangi and Shayla look at each other rather confused, they shrug their shoulders, "Yeah, definitely looks like a dog." Before Iustanus and Jak both take a look, "looks a nasty big thing" as both nod their heads sagely, "it could be one of those...trollhounds!" At that their eyes open and they gulp in unison, "isn't it that trollhounds have a fearsome regeneration ability that can be deactivated with fire or acid." They turn and look at each other, then to the rest of the group to decide what to do next...

Jak takes another look, "Do you think that collar and what's on the collar are important?"

You have not attempted to find the weak points in the block ... but there is always brute force ... so what next?

his vote would be, after discerning what it is, to leave it alone.

"As I am interested in the collar on the trollhound, I don't think we could get a peaceful reaction out of freeing it. So I'll say leave it alone, unless one of you thinks your animal handling ability is up the task."

Shayla looks as Iustanus and can't help but agree.

Rangi looks at the creature "That creature is locked for no one knows how long. I pity that creature and would like to set it free. If it attacks us then we end its misery."

Couple of arguments:
- keeping anyone imprisoned for eternity is cruel last scenario showed us the possible outcomes ;)
- the creature's collar could contain important things for the mission
- Skipping an encounter will have an effect on the chronicle (less money rep etc.)
- Rangi has WIld Empathy but it uses Diplomacy which for him is +0 ;) His Nature is not bad, but if the creature is hostile or mad there is little that he can do.

"Rangi does have a point. If he does prove to hostile to us, we can at least release it's soul and return it to the cycle of reincarnation."

"What the heck, anything is better than tending the store. At least I'll have a good story to tell if we need to dispatch it. 'Sides, this might be the key to loot!"

As a precaution, Shayla will make sure that she has a torch in easy reach, in case fire is needed to finish the creature.

And what of our souls? he asks I have fire spells, does anyone else?

Jak looks at the imprisoned dog for any weak spots to set it free.

Nature: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

Nature (Hero Point reroll): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

"I'm okays to let it out," Pooka nods. "Don't have any fire or acid magics but I do gots alchemist's fire and acid flasks," she adds with a toothy grin.

The grin quickly fades from her face as she studies the imprisoned possible-trollhound. "Anyways, not cools to leave something frozen forevers. If it's means we'll kill it and if it's nice maybes we can make a new friend."

She waits to see if Jak can identify any weak spots in the block.

He will okay, as long as they get into position before they release it so that he can burn it, if necessary, lol

”No fire here, either. Just punches.”

Rangi looks at the creature "No fire nor acid here so I would have to beat it faster than it regenerates. But I still hope that the creature can be reasoned with"

Nature to find weak points: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

====

When/if the creature is free Rangi, tries to communicate with the creature

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (14) + 0 = 14

He tries to show the creature that they mean no harm to it, and that they want its collar.

Wild empathy

He will move himself away from striking distance from the trollhound and be ready to burn it with a cantrip if necessary.

At first Jak seems to fumble around with the magical bindings, not able to find a way through, before he feels his mind infused with Pharesma's knowledge. As his god guides his magic against the binding spell, the spell is not only disrupted, but inverted, causing the amber to become so brittle it collapses under its own weight. The collapsing magic appears to disorients the trollhound, as the it's back is speckled with the amber crystals, the crystals seem to make inroads into the hounds thick skin, weakening it's natural protection.
Hero Point + Crit Success = Nice one Jak

Jak ready as he sees the magic bindings disappear, is quick to react and is ready for the trollhound as it suddenly reanimates, baring it's inch long incisors, it's red tongue lolling out of it's mouth.

Round 1 - Bold are up
Jak
Trollhound
Pooka
Webny
Rangi
Iustanus
Shayla