[PF2/Farol] #2-09 Seven Secrets of Dacilane Academy (Inactive)

Game Master Farol

Ok, you did enough of interactions here to investigate the mystery. Please each one of you include a roll of a skill that you think is the most appropriate. I will keep on interacting with you as a room. Symeone you did an Occultism roll above, I will take it as your check

This will either be Arcana (as possibly a magical interaction), but also another possibility would be Theater Lore (throwing your voice, etc). But I'll go with Arcana as I think this is more magical than mundane

Arcana: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

The dice gods hate me

Odo knows there is a ghost here.
Odo knows there are ghosts everywhere.
Odo tries to determine what kind of ghost this:
"Robert Night... does he follow Day, Roger Day?"
Undead Lore: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22 ; if Religion fits better then that is a +6 vs. this +4

Argoni listens to the whispers. "You get a right smelly mess from that mixture. But..." He pauses for a moment. "Oh! I think I've heard of some of that from Alkenstar folks! Maybe I ought to try that myself. What's the worst that can happen?"

Occultism (investigation): 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 8 + 1 = 12

"I dun think this is a thinking thing talkin' to us. It doesn't even really answer... it's like... voices of other people answering questions that someone else asked when they were here? Whadja all hear when you asked it stuff?"

He compares notes and considers if this is intelligence or random factoids.

I'm not sure what would be the appropriate roll, but I'd like to piece together the responses and interactions to determine if we're actually dealing with intelligence or a magical tape-deck that turns on whenever someone whispers. I figure it's probably either Perception (as sense motive), Diplomacy if I'm 'interacting' with it, or Society if I'm just interpreting the responses. I'll leave that up to you which applies, but no matter what I should get +1 for being 'on the case.'

A roll on the case: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17 Additional +4 if Perception, +5 if Diplomacy or Deception, +7 if Society makes more sense

Salaish wrinkles her nose as she considers the voice's response. It doesn't make any sense. Is there a creature that would respond with randomness...?

Occultism: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Stooping to pick up her rapier, she sheaths it and brings the pan pipes to her lips. As Gizzard begins speaking, she meanders over to him. Tooting a bit of a tune, Salaish does her best to help Gizzard figure out what this mystery speaker is all about. Casting Inspire Competence on Gizzard

Performance DC 20: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Fails count as successes with Inspire Competence.

Her song finished, she replies: "Well, when I asked it where it was so I could cast Guidance on it, it told me: '... the line needs to cross the center of the circle in such a way...' So, yeah. It's just kind of babbling aimlessly." Now what sort of thing would do that? ... Tooting a bit on her thinking pipes, Salaish does her best to help Gizzard figure out what this mystery speaker is all about.

Odo suddenly looks at Salaish, smiling, showing his messed up teeth:
"I think I got it!
A creature that responds with randomness, and just kind of babbles aimlessly... I know what sort of thing would do that:"
Odo looks up and around, calling out:
"MOTHER IN LAW?! Is that you?!"

As you analyze the magical aspect of the situation and check the acoustics by repeating Gizzard test. Dead Odo looks for relatives in the closets of the laboratory but only saw the half-burned anatomical model.

Symeon and Salaish, despite ideas from Argoni and Gnimish, agree to the thesis that responses are echoes of the past.

The lab has some odd acoustics but you believe that there is a pocket of planar energy from the Maelstrom that generates noise in response to questions asked. These answers are haphazardly strung together from other statements previously uttered in this room, though they’re out of context and often wrong.

When you look outside, the sky is fully covered by clouds but at least it stopped raining. Would you go outside to investigate the statues? Or do you prefer safe and warm classes in the building itself...

Well done, another mystery resolved.

"Huh. Well, the kids might think that's kinda cool. Or, more accurately, they'll think it could've been cool if it did something other than repeat old stuff! Well, what's next? Hey! The rain's stopped! How 'bout we dash outside to look at those statues?" Before she does so, she peeks out the window to see if she can spot their positions from here.

Perception +6

"Ooh ooh fresh air sounds nice! It's stinky in here... with the thingy spewing guts and all..."

He follows Salaish outside to inspect the statues. "So uh... think one o' em is gonna grab us or somethin nasty? Or turn out that one is just a guy painted silver?"

He looks a bit nervous before he adds. "...they are all statues right? Just statues? Not like... golems... or gargoyles... or guys painted silver?"

He approaches and checks the workmanship to see if any stand out.

Crafting: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 1 = 21

"Yeah, I could use some fresh air after hunting down all these clues inside." Argoni follows the gnome and goblin out to the yard. He also goes to one of the statues. He tries to see if it will move easily. "Oh, gargoyles would be fun! I hope it's that!"

Crafting (investigation: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 8 + 1 = 22

Tootling on her pan pipes, Salaish decides to tag after Odo this time. (Casting Inspire Competence) Finishing with a flourish, she eagerly asks: "So, Dead Odo, what're you looking for here?" Once he tells her, she sets to work doing her very best to help him.

Performance DC 20 to aid Odo in whatever he does: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Failure counts as success due to Inspire Courage.

Odo looks at Salaish, smiling, attempting to keep his cheek from ripping apart while doing so:
"Why, that is nice music!"

He then looks around at the statues:
"I do not know what I am looking for here?
What am I looking for?
Well... maybe let us eliminate the obvious."

Odo goes over to the statues, to try and make sure there is no physical trick being played here.
He checks for any kind of rail, or hidden catch, or whatever that might be used to switch emplacements...

Thievery w. Salaish's Aid: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 7 + 1 = 22

You go out of the laboratory and stand at the entrance to the yard.

Hard-packed dirt marked with chalk lines creates a small track around most of this open yard. Within the loop of the track, a cleared oval provides a space for other types of exercise. Outside the track, statues stand on opposite sides of the yard, each posed in mid-stride, as though about to reach the finish line of a footrace. In the corner of the schoolyard grows a picturesque maple tree.

As Gizzard, Argoni, and Dead Odo want to run through the yard Salaish realizes that some of the statues have gathered a lot of maelstrom energy and could be animated.

We are in a hazard territory, which Salaish spotted. The statues with borders are the dangerous ones.
To disable each:
DC 20 Athletics to hold it back, DC 17 Crafting (trained) to break the statue by exploiting a flaw, DC 16 Occultism (trained) to dispel the planar energies

Map is updated, mark your position on the map, and draw your route as you walk

Hopping on her tippy toes, Salaish pipes out a warning: "Wait everyone! Hold it! I see something! A couple of these statues have a lot of that maelstrom energy, and they might become animated. Look, it's that one there and that one over there. I...think we can dispel that energy. I'm going to go try on that one with the big green leaf plastered to its face, 'cause that's hilarious! Someone want to back me up, in case the other ones decide to cause trouble?"

Once she has at least one partner, she marches over to the green statue across the yard, giving the other statues a wide berth, just in case. It's a little odd to see such bravado in body language and such caution in the path she chooses, but hey--no one expected to get attacked by an anatomical model, and that happened. Who can blame her?

Once she arrives at her target, she begins concentrating on how to dispel the planar energy.

Occultism DC 16: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

"Ack! Nononononono! I dun like animated statues... they don't eat!"

He does his best to make quick work of the statue called out by Salaish, keeping an arms distance from the others out of a general lack of trust.

Craft (Trained), on the case: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 7 + 1 = 24

Occultism (investigation): 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 8 + 1 = 26

Argoni considers what Salaish has uncovered. "Huh, maelstrom energy again? That seems to be all over this place. I bet there's a way to siphon some of it off. Chaotic energy like that is bound to be willing to jump out if I can devise a way to dissipate it." He approaches one of the statue, hoping to find a way to diffuse the chaos energy.

Gnimish stands by, ready to throw magic if need be. He looks on as his companions attempt to uncover the mystery of why the statues move. He also wracks his brain to see if he remembers anything he's read or heard of about this phenomenon.

Arcana: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Untrained in everything needed so all I can do is watch...

Odo had started checking for mechanical contraptions, when Salaish calls out a warning.
Hearing the call for back up, Odo pulls his short sword out and follows right behind Salaish:
"I got your back..."

Odo follows along, to the green statue across the yard, also giving the other statues a wide berth, which he finds a smart move.

Salaish says a warning to other agents, saving you from potentially another fight with animated beings.

Gizzard walks to one of the statutes which instantly moved when he was closed by. The statue began moving to raise its feet like it wanted to stop the poor goblin. With certain action Gizzard stopped the statute in place, locking it with few bigger stones, followed by restraining it's legs.

Gnimish observes the whole situation with his eyes wide opened.

Argoni sneaks by the wall trying to figure out what is happening...

Salaish with the cover from Dead Odo sneaks upon the second statue. She might throw a glance at Fleshwarp and wonder how effective backup he might be. As the bard approaches the statue it also begins to move, but Salaish is able to dispel the energies...

Suddenly one additional statue comes to life and rushes at Salaish.
With a rumble, this statue of a former Pathfinder slides across the schoolyard. Its legs pump up and down as it advances. But this time Argoni was well situated and he stoped the statue by dispelling its magic.

With your perception you spotted 2 out of 3 statues. You make all three rolls (I repurposed Argoni roll to aid Salaish).

Breathing heavily you look at the remaining statues and the nearby tree.

You made a whole lot of rolls before the statues started to move, so I applied them to the investigation part...

As you began to analyze the statues you notice that the shoulders have
jagged claw marks in them. A creature that can reach the statues’ shoulders has been moving them regularly. It took just a spark of latent energy to send them across the schoolyard.

You also spotted that the statues left a bizarre trail of gold dust in the ground as chaotic planar energy spontaneously transformed the dirt of the schoolyard worth 5 gp treasure bundle

You got 6/7 and still have 4 rooms to check...

Symeon nods at the explanation of the whispers as his eyes wander back to the anatomical model. He gives it a long look before he starts shouldering the thing and then begins to drag it to the playground. It might not have been a living creature, and may have nearly succeeded in killing the halfling, but any anatomical model deserves a proper burial.

He gets outside, and gives and walks right into an arm Salaish holds out in warning about the statues. It takes him a moment, but he realizes what she was saying and that he needs to help control these statues before they hurt someone. He drop Anatomical Tom on the school steps and rushes up the statue with a blue aura. "I guess burying Tom will have to wait, these statues would make digging a hole REALLY dangerous."

Occultism, On the case?: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 8 + 1 = 14

He stops as the schoolyard erupts in movement and chaos. Dangit, serves me right for not posting fast enough

"Well that was certainly a lot of activity in a short time there. Hrmm, let's see about burying Tom there and see if there's nothing else we can find around here..."

Symeon looks for a shovel around the school yard.
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

He comes up with a letter with a lot of scrathed out dates and times. "Huh this is odd, but not a shovel..."

Either finding his goal, or not, Symeon spends a moment to look at the claw marks on the statues, and see if they seem anything like the ones in the shed.

Perception, One the Case?: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 8 + 1 = 14

Either after burying Tom in a shallow grave, or not finding the tools to do so, Symeon turns to the rest of the group, "Whelp let's see the rest of the school. I kinda want to see what this 'Launch Room' is."
Symeon will drag Tom around if he can't find a shovel. No Pathfinder or Anatomical model left behind.

"More claw marks... so, probably some little clawed-flying thing.
Like a Baykok, or some other undead."

Not sure if I need to make a roll as well, but here goes

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Gnimish watches in stunned disbelief as Symeon drags the anatomical model around.

"Ummm Symeon, why are you dragging that around? It tried to kill you, remember?"

Gnimish watches in stunned disbelief as Symeon drags the anatomical model around.

"Ummm Symeon, why are you dragging that around? It tried to kill you, remember?"

Symeon tries to shrug with the heavy model on his back. "Eh, water under the proverbial bridge. He's stopped and as medical professionals or tools of such a profession, we have a mutual understanding and need for respect. Also, I reeeeaaaalllllyyy don't want the school finding out we broke their model."

Symeon tries to shrug with the heavy model on his back. "Eh, water under the proverbial bridge. He's stopped and as medical professionals or tools of such a profession, we have a mutual understanding and need for respect. Also, I reeeeaaaalllllyyy don't want the school finding out we broke their model."

"Oh. Good point," Gnimish agrees and helps Symeon find a shovel.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 8 + 1 = 21

Argoni takes the letter from Symeon. "Huh. Drug deal? Or Teenaged lovers?" He shrugs and pockets the note, allowing everyone else to see it too if they wish.

The halfling goes to look at the claw marks on the statues, then he looks up in the sky. "You don't think...something big and dangerous is playing chess with these things?"

"Maybe we ought to explore the rest of the rooms." He stands watching Symeon dig a grave for the model. "Sure! The Lunchroom sounds great! I'm hungry already! Wait...Laaaunch room?" He looks up. "Can we still eat there?"

"We probably could. But if we make a mess we could be launched out of the school grounds by another anatomical model," Gnimish turns to Argoni conspiratorially, "Don't tell Symeon though."

"What if it's a dragon? Dragons can fly... and have big claws... and some dragons are tricksters too. If it's in a dragon then we might be in lotsa trouble... Someone once said never metal in the fairs of dragons, cuz you're crunchy and taste good with catch up. Prolly should make sure that there is no dragon fair going on... and make sure everythin' is wood.
Not sure 'bout the catching up thing though."

His eyes light up when Argoni mentions lunch. "Wait... food room? Ooh ooh let's go there! I'm hungry!"

"'Cuz you're crunchy and taset good with catch up.' Huh. That sounds like a saying. Well, yeah, unless that clawed creature comes back, it looks like there's nothing else to see here. Onward!" Pointing back to the door, Salaish marches inside and heads to the lunchroom.

"A dragon, yes, yes, it could be.
Even an... undead dragon! Like a Zombie-dragon!"

Symeon gives a shiver as he remembers a scary penny novel he read. "Or worse, a lich-dragon... But undead dragons don't quite bring about connections to the Maelstrom. Unless they were some kind of protean dragon... That could work, but I don't think they can be made into undead."

He finishes burying Tom, and says a few words over the mound of dirt before trying to tamp it down some so the burial spot isn't too obvious.

"Right, let's either get some lunch or launched out of here."

Gnimish follows his friends into the lunchroom, watching to see if Gizzard can prepare something delicious to go with Symeon's coffee. Absently, he plucks a small round ball from his belt pouch and fingers it, as if preparing to drop it at a moment's notice.

Basically Gnimish will take a sling bullet out of his pouch. In case another anatomical model decides to take a shot at his friends he will promptly drop it and cast telekinetic projectile.

Dead Odo nods, and gets a bit excited, flailing his arms about:
"Or a dracolich, yes! See, the Undead are the enemy. The Undead are everywhere!"
He stops to push a bit of flesh that came undone on one of his arms:
"Bewared the Undead..."
Muttering to himself about the Un-Dead, he follows along to the next room.

Gizzard looks around. "Everywhere? I dun think I saw many undead on my way to Absalom... where they hiding?"

As you discuss the dragons, undead, and the nature of alien beings. Symeon finds a shovel in the tool shack, after roughly half an hour you bury the anatomical model and put a statue on top to hide the marks. With the shovel brought back, you go back to school.

As you open the lunchroom with a label on doors saying 'launch'.

Dining tables and chairs are arranged in neat rows, providing ample space for group meals. Storage cabinets sit below the window overlooking the grounds.

Group meals occur here throughout the day alongside cooking lessons. You can deduct is based on the number of bowls, pans, cutlery, and cooking stations.

"Ooh ooh I wonder what 'gredients they have?"

He begins looking through the cabinets.

Perceptification: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

I have Cooking Lore at +7 if that could be of help here.

"Huh... cookies... lotsa cookies. Do they have cookies for brekkie lunch and din-din? It says umm.... puh....leese... tay....k.... thee....z. Oh... please take these! OK! Cookies!"

Gnimish murmurs arcane words to determine if any magic exists in the room.

Cast detect magic

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Symeon unlocks the doors to the 'launch room' with a giddy excitement and immediately starts to scan the place for some sort of launching machine or pad...

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

He frowns as it mostly proves to be a basic lunch room. He pops up behind one of the benches and tables. "Seems there's nothing here but the cookies. Might need to have a chef take a look at them first but otherwise let's move! To the flora and fauna classroom! It might give me a clue about what's being taught here.... When he Maelstrom isn't affecting things that is. "

Gnimish looks around to make sure there aren't any other anatomical models hiding in the closet.

Argoni happily skips into the room, finding nothing amiss among the bowls and plates and tables. When the cookies are presented, his face lights up. "See, i knew there would be lunch!" His quick fingers nab a cookie and look to see what kind it is before taking a big bite.

Wait, it really is a lunch room? I was just joking when I made that mis-read!

Odo follows his companions into the room, grumbling about invisible undead, ghosts and spirits and haunts... everywhere! And ghouls and ghasts hiding and lurking in the shadows.

As soon as she pops into the lunch/launch room, Salaish stops short. "Hey guys! We have no idea how long it'll take to see this 'student 19'. What do you think they'll look like? OOH! Is it the bathroom being? I mean, you know, with all the chaotic energy around here, it could be anything!" Her eyes shining at the thought of all the possibilities and the songs she can create about all of this, she practically skips over to help Gizzard whip up something yummy. (Mostly by dancing around underfoot and daydreaming, unfortunately.)

Gnimish wanders over to where Salaish and Gizzard are preparing lunch. He tastes a cookie and decides it would be a good fit with coffee with Bay-lees.

He turns to Gizzard. "Hey Gizz, this might be a good mix with Symeon's coffee. Maybe if you made it smaller, we can call it Biscuit-Coffee... no, wait, that doesn't work as well, how about combine it to Bis-Coffee... oh oh oh maybe Bis-Cotti, that should work!"

Symeon, halfway out the door to go and check on the Flora and Fauna classroom, stops as it seems literally everyone else wants a midnight lunch break. He gives a small sigh and heads out still, but this time for the coffee brewer... but he can't help but sneak a peek at the Flora and Fauna room on the way back.

+6 stealth to be sneaky about looking in the room. Hate to find Student #19 when everyone else is having lunch.

He gets back to the lunch room and starts to boil water for another round of coffee.

Gnimish waits for Symeon to get back from the teacher's lounge. His flask of Bay-lees at the ready.

"I'm not so good at baking... I got fired from a job once for setting the stone oven on fire... Although..."

Gizzards eyes light up as he quickly begins searching. "Ooh ooh... get me some of that coffee and umm... eggs and sugar and cocoa... some of that creamy cheese... I think I can make somethin' with these cookies."

If left alone for too long in here I'll need to make a check to craft Tiramisu...

Gizzard begins to rummage through the lockers, finding more and more ingredients for the cake that he tried. Following J's advice, he follows a recipe that does not require fire.

The rest of you enjoy a moment of a break while eating cookies. Wow you will eat everything that looks edible! Locust has come to Dacilane Academy! The First Plague of Absalom has come! Six to go ...

As you focus on other things you nearly miss 7th person standing in the doorframe to the lunchroom

"I was almost certain that I heard voices" says a halfling then he giggles. Picture in the slide.

A halfling dressed in a white school uniform appears and giggles. Several bells around their wrist chime with every movement. Then it stops giggling and they look at Gizzard

"You’ve been caught after hours," they say, nearly singing in glee.

"Students are not allowed on Dacilane Academy grounds after hours. If I tell the headmaster, you’ll be in big trouble." They giggle. The sound cuts through the otherwise quiet air of the school.

"Of course, maybe there’s something you can do to stay out of trouble. I wonder what you can do so I won’t tell on you." A grin spreads across their face. Their teeth are sharper than a halfling’s ever should be.

"Oh, I know what you need to do. You can finish my homework! It simply must be done, and it’s so very late." The halfling flashes their too-pointed teeth again as they prepare to open their satchel.

Gnimish looks up, startled to hear a different voice. Still absently fingering the small round ball in his hand, he asks matter-of-factly "You wouldn't happen to be Student #19, now would you?"

Argoni looks up at the new voice. "Oi! Who are you? Did you hide out here after dark?" He notes they appear to be a halfling and figures that they might be hungry (halflings are always hungry, right?) "Do you want some lunch?"

"Wait, homework? I mean, I guess we can take a look. But what subject?" His own hand slides into his satchel, reaching for an alchemical bomb.

I'm thinking Thievery to draw a ghost charge bomb without being noticed.
Thievery: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28