GM Frost's S03-99 Fate in the Future [3-4] (PbP Outpost VII)

Game Master Frozen Frost

If Edda has time after closing the portal, they will Treat Nikebei's Wounds

Upon seeing the Ratfolk, Edda will Pursue a Lead on the Skittish Ratfolk. Then attempt to translate the party's intentions

Society: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18
+1 Circumstance bonus if the Pursue a Lead bonus can be used

Hope waves his young herald forward to try and make an introduction for him.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Okay that's just middle of the road enough I think I won't use a hero point cause I could just as easily do worse.

Nikebei limps around for a few minutes, bruised and battered. "If anyone can spare time to treat these wounds, it would be really helpful."

** spoiler omitted **

Nikebei knows that the best thing to start a conversation in this cold place, is a nice pot of tea. She holds up her weapon and carefully places it on the ground. She calls out in Common "See I put my knife down, now I'm going to make a nice pot of tea. It is a really lovely drink that will warm the cockles of your heart. Keep out the cold!"

She delves into her bag and get out some cooking gear, water eaxh time showing it to the other creatures, the strange ratfolks and well...whatever it is.

"If you give me enough time, I can even make a nice hot meal, if you're hungry at all?"

Molly plays up Nikebei’s cooking, as she pretends to eat, and says ”Mmmmm” while rubbing her stomach.

Deception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

Athelsted cautiously approaches the ratfolk. Once he comes within 30 feet and casts comprehend languages on himself. He then tries to communicate to them that he and the Pathfinders are peaceful.
Performance: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

Counting Edda's healing for Nikebei...

Talking to them with a language that they don't understand seems to not help, but seeing the cook is preparing some hot drinks and food for everybody, both ratfolks seem to be at ease, but just for a while. Inventive, a Success for that, 1 Rapport Point

Given time, Edda studies their new lead and tries to communicate with them their intent. Hopefully, they get their message across. Success, 1 Rapport PointHope's assistant is not helping with the conversation. it might have triggered some memories from their actions. Failure, 1 Insult Point

Black Molly joins Nikebei, as if inviting the ratfolks and their animal to join them to eat and drink. The trick seems to work after hearing some grumbling stomachs. Success, 1 Rapport Points

Althelsted thankfully is able to communicate with them with his spell. After explaining to them their presence and intention, both the ratfolks stand down and approach them.

Althelsted interprets what they are saying to the Pathfinders.

"I am Fipp and he is my brother Cog. I thought you guys are the ones been compelling me to go here. I have been seeing strange visions and nightmares, compelling me to find the ruins in my visions. And I usually have no idea what we do. I traveled alongside my brother for nearly a year before finally arriving at the ruins."

"We come from Akiton’s northern Winterlands and have traveled halfway around the planet to get here. In my dreams, I see visions of a strange arch pulsing with power within these ancient ruins. I don’t know anything about the ruins, but I know the strange arch is an incredibly powerful object, capable of at least sending minds through the vast gulf of time, although our bodies are left behind as empty husks that soon die. I am terrified of the strange arch and want my visions to stop so we can go home." she shares to the group.

LOCALS SUCCESS!

**HOUSE GM ANNOUNCEMENT**

“Abnormal presences have been detected! The focus is close! Rendezvous at the glacial cave, Pathfinders!”

Table GMs, this is your 1-day warning.

**HOUSE GM ANNOUNCEMENT**

“We’ve sealed the time rift! Excellent work, Pathfinders!”

Table GMs, the TIME RIFT SEALED condition is now in effect.

TIME RIFT SEALED condition in effect: The party is filled with residual temporal energy from the time rift. During the next encounter, they are quickened 1.

**HOUSE GM ANNOUNCEMENT**

Venture-Captain Armeline Jirneau gathers the Pathfinders in the remains of a shattered chamber, beneath a starry night sky. “Congratulations on making it this far! You’ve all earned a break. Let’s set up camp. We’ll pick up the focus’s trail tomorrow.”

Before the Pathfinders scatter, Urwal interjects. “Look at the stars. Take it in. You’ll never see a sky like this again. The stars tell us we’re on Akiton, fourth planet from the sun.” He points at a blue dot in the distance. “That’s Golarion. Savor the sky. It’s breathtaking.”

-----

After a night’s rest, Venture-Captain Jirneau gathers the Pathfinders together once more, just as Ashasar and a team of scouts stride into camp. “We’ve found the focus. It’s beyond a time rift far stronger than any we’ve yet encountered.”

“You heard him!” Armeline shouts. “We’ve got some reality to repair. Let’s move.”

Table GMs, please begin Event #1

Dozens of jagged tears in reality cut through the terrain, forming a glowing purple barrier that blocks further passage. Howls, snarls, and voices displaced through time issue from the rifts, and movement is visible within. Ashasar and Venture‑Captain Armeline Jirneau spread the Pathfinders out, then reach out with hands, magic, and mind. “Now! Seal the rift!”

Each PC can attempt one DC 15 skill check. The options are as follows:
• Arcana check to wield magical forces.
• Diplomacy check to encourage fellow Pathfinders to greater heights.
• Nature check to control primal magic.
• Occultism check to understand the nature of the time rift and the Dimension of Time.
• Performance check to emulate other skilled Pathfinders.
• Religion check to call upon the blessing of a deity.
• Survival check to find supplemental components to help close the rift.
• Thievery check to detect weakness in the time rift’s defenses.
• An applicable Lore check to assist as well; the form this assistance takes depends upon the specific Lore skill.

Molly gazes into the night sky above Akiton. ”I wonder what these constellations are called”

”I see a rat fella up there!”, says Silverbeard, pointing with his cutlass.

”Aye, so it is”, she replies. ”Let’s name him Klaus”

”Klaus the Rat Fella it is!”, he agrees.

—-

Later, at the rift, Molly studies the energies at work.

Occultism: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Apologies everyone but the DC should be 18 for the skill checks.

Nikebei takes a flask from her belt filled with a rather nice alcoholic spirit, made from sugar beets, "Come my friends girder up your strenth for the next push, we got this. Have a small swig of this nectar of the gods, it will bring you courage and strength to face even the blackest of nights."

Diplomacy 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Edda looks out on the field of magical energies on the verge of going mad. They reach out their mind to try to direct the energies toward stillness

Arcana: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13
Hero Point
Sensing danger, Edda pushes themselves tapping into deeper reserves of the Arcane
Arcane: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

...and still fails to control their flow.

The arcane energies run this way see With assuranc Fioriel helps begin to close the rift

arcane assurance is 18

A single tear wells up in Edda's normal eye, rolling down their cheek as they see how masterfully Fioriel handles the rift's magical currents.

Athelsted calls upon divine power to close the rift.
Religion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

Hope gets back into his herbalism and scavenging roots and tries to find some magical catalysts to assist the magical experts.

Survival: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

TALLY
Black Molly - Failure
Nikebei - Failure
Edda - Failure
Fioriel - Success, 1 Rift Point
Althelsted - Success, 1 Rift Point
Hope - Success, 1 Rift Point
Total Rift Points: 3 Rift Points

The Pathfinders work together, doing magic and encouraging other Pathfinders to use their skills in dealing with the time rift. Fioriel, Althelsted, and Hope manage to incrementally close the rift while the others are having difficulty handling the situation.

After their first attempt to seal the rift, it lashes out at them. It looks like their efforts are not enough to truly close it.

You can all continue to attempt more checks to seal the rift, but this time, you take 2d8 cold damage (vs DC 18 basic Fortitude save) for every attempt of skill check as if the time rift is reacting to your attempts to close it. Once the total number of Rift Points is equal to at least twice the number of PCs (which is 12 Rift Points), you finally close the time rift.

The options are as follows vs DC 18 skill check(s):
• Arcana check to wield magical forces.
• Diplomacy check to encourage fellow Pathfinders to greater heights.
• Nature check to control primal magic.
• Occultism check to understand the nature of the time rift and the Dimension of Time.
• Performance check to emulate other skilled Pathfinders.
• Religion check to call upon the blessing of a deity.
• Survival check to find supplemental components to help close the rift.
• Thievery check to detect weakness in the time rift’s defenses.
• An applicable Lore check to assist as well; the form this assistance takes depends upon the specific Lore skill.

You can earn Rift Points depending on the results of your checks.
Critical Success: The PCs earn 2 Rift Points.
Success: The PCs earn 1 Rift Point.
Critical Failure: The PCs lose 1 Rift Point.

So far, your group has earned 3 Rift Points and still needs 9 Rift Points. Everyone is at full health and previous conditions were removed from yesterday.

Hmm I may try a few short cutsarcana: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19

fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Athelsted confirms his movements to close the rift with the others
Fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
Perform: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17
Cold: 2d8 ⇒ (2, 8) = 10

2d8 cold: 2d8 ⇒ (5, 8) = 13

Fioriel takes 6 damage from her second attempt

why I didnts include the damage roll with the check not entirely sure

Edda watches with concern as the magic around the party starts to go awry. They huff, knowing full well that there is no magic beyond them!

Switching tactics, Edda connects to their Iruxi roots, searching for a link to the primal world.
Nature: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

And that is when the pain begins. Dark tendrils carve away at Edda, but they do their best to hold firm.
Fort: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
The magics are so much worse than Edda could have imagined, but even at their worst, Edda is able to hold onto consciousness.

Edda Quick tinctures up a Soothing tonic, downs the draught and waits a minute to be healed the 10 hp.

Molly listens to the voices coming from the rifts, trying to make some sense of them.

”Y’know lass, ye could…”
”SHH!”

Occultism: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Fort save: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4

Hope takes a long moment and uses each of his instincts honed in the wasteland that is the Gravelands back home and tries to channel them out to boost the magic here in whatever way possible.

Survival: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

Fort: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
Cold Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (3, 7) = 10

The ice stings across his fibrous plant body and he has to fight against the instinct to curl up in wake of the feeling.

Edda, 2nd attempt: Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9 cold damage (x2) - 10 HP from Soothing tonic for 1 minute
Edda, 3rd attempt: Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (8, 8) = 16 cold damage

TALLY
Black Molly - Failure
Nikebei - Failure
Edda - Failure
Fioriel - Success, 1 Rift Point
Althelsted - Success, 1 Rift Point
Hope - Success, 1 Rift Point

Fioriel - Success, 1 Rift Point (Success Fort save, 6 cold damage)
Althelsted - Failure (Success Fort save, 5 cold damage)
Edda - Crit Success, 2 Rift Points (Crit Fail Fort save, 18 cold damage - 10 HP from Lesser Soothing Tonic)
Edda - Failure (Success Fort save, 8 cold damage)
Black Molly - Success, 1 Rift Point (Success Fort save, 2 cold damage
Hope - Success, 1 Rift Point (Fail Fort save, 10 cold damage)
Total Rift Points: 8 Rift Points

The group continues in their efforts to close the time rift. While they have achieved some successes, they have not yet been sufficient to seal it entirely. The chill it emits serves as a stark reminder that the time rift is a formidable challenge not to be underestimated.

You have 8 Rift Points in total so far. I need 4 more Rift Points.

Fioriel once again tries to find some arcane shortcuts
arcane: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
This is a time for heroes
arcane: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29

fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
cold: 2d8 ⇒ (8, 7) = 15

Athelsted attempts to improve his performance to close the Rift.
Fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Perform: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22
Cold: 2d8 ⇒ (1, 2) = 3

Molly mutters under her breath. ”There’s a rhythm…like the tides…”

Occultism: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

”…there! Ow!”

Fort save: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (8, 6) = 14

Fioriel - Crit Success, 2 Rift Points (Success, 7 cold damage)
Althelsted - Success, 1 Rift Point (Failure, 3 cold damage)
Black Molly - Success, 1 Rift Point (Success, 7 cold damage)

Fioriel continues to work on closing the time rift. Althelsted joins in, imitating how Fioriel does it while Black Molly deals with its occult aspect. Sooner and finally the time rift they are dealing with closes!

Rift Success!

**HOUSE GM ANNOUNCEMENT**

With a flash of light, the time rift vanishes, revealing a snowy expanse. Armeline orders, “You’ve done it! We’ve sealed the time rift. Close in on the focus!”

Table GMs, please begin Event #2

As the time rift shatters, reality rights itself, revealing the focus—a fully dressed, towering draconic being bent over a metal and glass sarcophagus. The dragon turns, brandishing a strange tool. “Get back, you blasted dogs! Wait... You’re not the hounds.” The dragon taps her snout, thinking hard, then shakes her head. “You seem familiar. But if we’ve met, I can’t recall. The longer I’m away from home, the more jumbled my memories become. I can barely remember my name! It’s Heraxia, by the way. Who are you?”

Copy-pasting below for your reference the events that happened and some information you discovered from the mission.

A jumble of words spoken by a female voice echo in this small space.

“...for me, Heraxia!”

“...no, I..."

“...run so...”

“...wait?”

The disjointed sentences sound incredibly sad, and also a tiny bit hopeful.

The rest of the wall carvings depict a variety of moments in time. Moments depicted include a dragon rising from a coffin; a group of people wearing strange attire and carrying futuristic firearms, led by a slender four-armed man with an elongated cranium; an underground hedge maze connecting to the ruins; the Pathfinders themselves fighting off strange doglike monsters, and a crowd of people bowing before the arch. The people depicted bowing include certain humans, ikeshtis, ratfolk and shobhads.

The green pool reflects a Large draconic figure dressed in warm clothes amid a snowstorm, toiling over a metal and glass sarcophagus. Anyone who has seen the sarcophagus in the temporal vision in the ovoid vault recognizes this pod.

Given this party health status:
Black Molly (32/41 HP) [1☘️]
Cap'n Silverbeard (39/41 HP)
Nikebei (48/48 HP) [1☘️]
Althelsted (32/40 HP) [2☘️]
Life Sprouts Anew and so Hope Remains (48/58 HP) [2☘️]
Fioriel (29/42 HP) [2☘️]
Edda Vira (19/35 HP) [0☘️]
Rapscallion (15/15 HP)

Everyone can have 10 minutes to heal those who need healing before Event #2 happens.

Fioriel sees most of the party are hurt and decides magic is the answer

3 action heal heal: 2d8 ⇒ (2, 7) = 9

Molly tries to patch up Edda.

Medicine: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Healing: 2d8 ⇒ (4, 7) = 11

Athelsted offers a blessing from Shelyn.
3 action heal: 2d8 + 16 ⇒ (6, 1) + 16 = 23

I believe that should top everyone off?

Everyone is now at full health.

"Well," Heraxia continues, "I come from a distant future, I think. I was born on planet Triaxus and bonded with an adventurous ryphorian named Felise. We went on many adventures, though I can’t recall them all, but I do recall Felise was easily bored and insisted each adventure was bigger, bolder, and more dangerous than the last. So we explored other worlds, planes, and eventually other times."

Heraxia mood changes. "Our travels through temporal byways attracted the attention of dangerous beasts, particularly strange bug-eyed hounds that hunted them. We fled but were unfortunately separated. Felise was shunted back to their home time, while I was stranded in the distant past."

"We happened to retain the ability to communicate empathically, but it happens rarely and for short periods. In the years since our separation, we’ve employed numerous artifacts, magical rituals, and experimental technology to try to bring me back to the future, all in vain."

"One time, we’ve both recently come across a magical artifact known as the Eternity Arch in our respective timelines and we believe it could at last provide an answer to our long isolation. I have found a damaged stasis pod transplanted here from another time. Once repaired, it should
serve as the perfect vessel for me to travel through the Eternity Arch to my home time. We have been independently experimenting and modifying the Eternity Arch to accommodate my journey."

"This is why the arch is resonating with me, I believe. I suspect once I have returned to my time, the Eternity Arch should return to dormancy." she finishes her story.

"If it is not too much too ask, I would like you to help me while I work to return home. You can help me in many ways. Help me repair the stasis pod, move it to the vault near the arch, and keep watch for danger. Why don't we starting repairing it first?"

Heraxia gestures at the metal and glass sarcophagus. “This is a stasis pod—a box that keeps whoever’s inside alive despite the passage of time. It’s pretty damaged, and I could use a hand repairing it.”

Each PC can attempt two skill checks to help repair the stasis pod. The most appropriate options are DC 18 Crafting checks or applicable Lore checks to repair the mechanism directly and DC 20 Arcana, Medicine, or Thievery checks to decipher its mechanisms. Other skills appropriate can be used as long as justified by your roleplay.

Edda's excitement gets the better of them. They immediately set to work trying to figure out the mechanics of the pod, knowing that its craft must be well beyond anything Edda had seen before.
Crafting: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

Unsurprisingly, the first look over is not terribly fruitful, so Edda bears down and keeps on working at the vessel
Crafting: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

Fioriel decides some arcane procedures should help

arcana: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

arcana: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15

”Well, that’s an unexpected turn!”, says Molly. ”Let’s get you two lovebirds back together!”

She looks over the pod, trying to suss out the life support system.

Medicine: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Medicine: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Athelsted tries to do some fixing.
Crafting: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Crafting: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

"Well I'm not the best with machinery but I do know my anatomy! Even uhhh dragon anatomy, I think."

Medicine: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Medicine: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Let's hero point that second one?

Medicine: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Hope did not, in fact, know dragon anatomy at all. The incredibly complex draconic text to explain what mechanisms need to turn in what order to keep that kind of body safely in stasis without killing the creature outright end up being too difficult to decipher for the bulb headed knight.

Edda: Failure + Success = 1 Repair Point
Fioriel: Success + Failure = 1 Repair Point
Black Molly: Success + Crit Failure = 0 Repair Point
Althelsted: Failure + Failure = 0 Repair Point
Hope: Failure + Failure = 0 Repair Point
Nikebei: ??? + ??? =
Total Repair Points: 2 Repair Points

I need two Crit Successes from Nikebei to make the Repair mission Successful. Otherwise, she can forgo to roll and proceed to the next instead.

"Hmmm. I think you are not familiar with the technology of the statis pod. That's understandable. For now, why don't we move this stasis pod to a location near the Eternity Arch? Somewhere close but isolated. The oval shaped chamber at the back of the area should work. Lift on three!"

Each PC can attempt two skill checks to help transport the stasis pod to the ovoid chamber near the Eternity Arch. The most appropriate options are DC 15 Acrobatics or Athletics checks to safely relocate the pod and DC 17 Crafting, Survival, or applicable Lore checks to create improvised devices to assist with transport. Other skills appropriate can be used as long as justified by your roleplay.

Edda: ???
Fioriel: ???
Black Molly: ???
Althelsted: ???
Hope: ???
Nikebei: ???

The captain flickers, and his cutlass is now sheathed. He helps with the heavy lifting.

”If only this were filled with loot!”

Athletics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Athletics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Those look like sturdy branches
survival: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

With a bit of work
craft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

There some carry poles to help move things ithout having to maintain a good grip

Consider it a treasure bundle Molly

Edda will attempt to put together a rope and pulley system

Crafting: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Crafting 2: electric boogaloo: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13
Sadly, Edda gets tangled up in their own rope and can't recover from the embarrassment.

Edda: Crit Failure + Failure = -1 Transport Point
Fioriel: Success + Success = 2 Transport Points
Black Molly: Success + Success = 2 Transport Points
Althelsted: ???
Hope: ???
Nikebei: ???
Total Transport Points: 3 Transport Points

Black Molly and her captain lifts with ease the stasis pod while Fioriel looks for poles that can help them carry the same. However, Edda's pulley system is bringing the pod farther from the arch rather than closer to it.

Waiting for more Successes from others who have not posted yet.

Athelsted tries to lend a hand.
Crafting: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Crafting: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Athletics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Sigh. I'd rather not hurt us a second time so let's hero point that too...
Athletics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
Athletics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24

Haven't heard from Nikebei. The player is also in my other game. Will bot her for now to keep things moving.

Rolling for Nikebei.

Nikebei improvises to make the lifting and transporting of the pod easy.
Crafting: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Crafting: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9