GM Valen's PF 1e PFS 1-37 The Beggar's Pearl (CORE)(Subtier 3-4) (Inactive)

Game Master Lysle

"KORUM! wake up big guy! here, I'll try to make a hole so you can go flank them with Meri!" says Sarzuket, moving his trident to the offending hound-sized ant.

Free action to 5-ft step forward; Move action to redirect spiritual weapon; attacking ant

spiritual trident, BAB 3, WIS_BONUS 4, IC: 1d20 + 3 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 3 + 4 + 1 = 23
force dmg, CL 4/3, IC: 1d8 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 + 1 = 8

Standard action to shoot Lightning Arc; attacking ant if it's still up, and blue if it isn't

Lightning Arc, Ranged Touch, PBS, IC, shooting in melee: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 6 + 1 + 1 - 4 = 14 vs. Touch AC
electricity dmg, IC: 1d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10

Apologies. Holiday brain fart.

"Jest keep yerself a bit more ta the right there Sarz 'n you should be fine. This might make a bit of a mess though."

Ax of Bloody Cave Art vs YELLOW: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Damage: 1d12 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

"KORUM! wake up big guy! here, I'll try to make a hole so you can go flank them with Meri!" says Sarzuket, moving his trident to the offending hound-sized ant.

The trident skewers the giant ant and the bolt electrifies and downs the blue-skinned creature (blue).

Korum now acts decisively and brings down the remaining blue-hued creature (yellow)

OUT OF COMBAT

The dwarf's form lies motionless on the dirt floor.

Anyone wish to try and revive the dwarf?

"Get the filthy creatures' bodies outside, quick! lest you wish to fight them again! I'm about to heal everyone standing in this cave!!" says Sarzuket, rushing to the dwarf and waiting briefly for his fellow Pathfinders to quickly drag the small corpses outside. As soon as most of them are out, he channels the power of Gozreh into the dwarf and anyone else standing in the cave at that point, excluding any enemies remaining by that point!

Channel to heal living creatures, 30-ft radius; Selective Channeling: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 6) = 7

Ewww....I hate bugs...especially when they try to eat me. Going to need a bath when we're done. Meri says as she sees the others have eliminated the threats.

Thanks, Sarzuket...I hope the dwarf is okay,,, she says as she sees what the sack has in it.

[b]Well, these are interesting...she holds up the gems.

Tusk deflates as everyone else is able to down a foe while both of his attacks are easily deflected.

He mutters under his breath, "Only thing I managed to hit was a wall." before helping to remove the corpses. Not opposed to eating bugs, he nabs an intact ant limb for later, thanks to Merisiel's suggestion.

Meri barely manages to not throw up at the sight of the warrior eating the bug's leg.

At least cook it first...*gulp*.. she says as she has to hold back another retch

As soon as most of them are out, he channels the power of Gozreh into the dwarf and anyone else standing in the cave at that point, excluding any enemies remaining by that point!

Thanks to the channeled power of The Wind and the Waves, the dwarf regains consciousness.

Upon realizing that the gnome is responsible for his healing, the dwarf throws himself at Sarzuket's feet. "Thank you! Thank you!" he repeats, continuing to bow in gratitude. "You are my savior."

He looks at the rest of the party and nods feverishly, "You-you are all my saviors. I cannot thank you enough. Can I? I owe you so much! Don't I?" The dwarf looks at the party more intently, but his look turns to one of confusion. "I know you, don't I? But, I can't seem to--"

With a concerned look, the dwarf squints and asks more intently, "Should I know you?" He then clutches his stomach. "I am so hungry. But, have I not eaten? I did-didn't I? But, when?"

Wordlessly, Tusk hands over the ant limb.

"Here, eat this, though it may need to be cooked first. I'll get another one for myself."

Which he promptly does.

"Here, eat this, though it may need to be cooked first. I'll get another one for myself."

"Eat wha-?" The dwarf looks at the limb suspiciously, then gives it a bite. With his mouthful, he continues somewhat incoherently, "You--we? We've met? So, tired. Must sleep--can't sleep. You haven't slept, have you? Is this a dream?"

Sarzuket creates fresh new water for the dwarf to drink, borrowing someone else's mug or cup in order to fill it. He then brings out a rather large hunk of cheddar and cuts a healthy slab for the dwarf.

"Don't eat that ant leg: it isn't cooked and the thing has probably been rolling in its own excrements for months. There friend. Chew on this instead, and drink plenty. We can cook you a proper meal later when we're back in a safe place. For now my friends and I will have to secure the rest of this cave to make sure we don't get another nasty surprise from these filthy creatures. Say, what were you doing here? what's your name Sir?"

"Don't eat that ant leg: it isn't cooked and the thing has probably been rolling in its own excrements for months. There friend. Chew on this instead, and drink plenty. We can cook you a proper meal later when we're back in a safe place. For now my friends and I will have to secure the rest of this cave to make sure we don't get another nasty surprise from these filthy creatures. Say, what were you doing here? what's your name Sir?"

The dwarf tosses the ant leg aside for the new offerings, which he begins to devour. Once the food and drink are consumed, he continues, "The name's Torvic Scrathmane. Prospector and explorer. I come from a longline of craftsmen and adventurers. Descended from craftmaster Barek Triongger, I am. Surely, you've heard of him! Plenty's been written of his deeds, there has been. Plenty!"

"As for what I'm doing here, I--," the dwarven man pauses in thought, a look of confusion once again covers his face. He continues, his words hesitant and uncertain, "I was--someplace else--at least, at first. Not here. Someplace not here and then--?"

"There is a lot that I can't seem to remember," he finally concedes.

Sarz shows him the pearl and the scrolls. "Well met Master Scrathmane. The Pathfinder Society sent us to help you. Take a look at these. Divinations revealed that Barek apparently used this pearl as a key. We recently acquired these scrolls from a man called Beggar. They describe the Gallery of Wonders built by Barek Triongger during the death throes of the dwarven Empire of Tar Khadurrm. We'd like to help you in your search and share whatever we find with the dwarves of Emperor’s Peak should we discover what the key is for. Wanna join forces Master Scrathmane?"

"Well met indeed, Torvic. My friend here is right, we're from the Pathfinder Society. I think we can help each other. If you can't remember why you were down here, perhaps you can remember what you were looking for? Or how long you've been here?"

Tusk is a bit annoyed that the man they were sent to find and help, can't tell a hunk of cheese from an ant leg. And it's not HIS fault if the fellow tried to eat it before cleaning and cooking it.

Tusk starts setting up a fire as the others begin the inevitable yakking and befriending, wondering if they will invite him to join the society.

"We recently acquired these scrolls from a man called Beggar. They describe the Gallery of Wonders built by Barek Triongger during the death throes of the dwarven Empire of Tar Khadurrm. We'd like to help you in your search and share whatever we find with the dwarves of Emperor’s Peak should we discover what the key is for. Wanna join forces Master Scrathmane?"

"The Gallery of Wonders," Torvic brightens briefly and begins speaking rapidly. "That would be my ancestor’s gallery! What amazing works are said to be contained within. It is worth searching for! And finding!"

The dwarf quickly lapses into confusion. "Or did I already find it? Haven't I been there? And just recently?"

After a long moment of quiet, he exclaims, “I was there! There were things there! I remember—something. A woman who whispered nightmares.”

His eyes go wide at this point. "Do not sleep! I have not slept and neither should you! Do not slumber, I say! Do not!" Torvic warns, he struggles to think for a moment. "Do not ask me why--I don't know why--I know why? I do not. But, do not sleep, I tell you. Do not!"

"Well met indeed, Torvic. My friend here is right, we're from the Pathfinder Society. I think we can help each other. If you can't remember why you were down here, perhaps you can remember what you were looking for? Or how long you've been here?"

Goldur's question snaps him out of his momentary rant. "How long have I been here? Why it cannot now be any later than Lamashan!" he declares confidently, despite the fact that it is a more than a month later than the last of Lamashan. "You must let me go with you to the Gallery of Wonders. I-I can’t remember much about being there, but I am convinced that I can’t remember it for a reason! I simply must see it again. That is all I need. Then, it will come back to me. I think I know the way own to the Gallery again. Once there, I'm sure that I’ll be able to remember things a little more clearly."

"But, the pearl--the pearl," he continues. "We need the pearl. It is the most important part of the exploration of the Gallery of Wonders. Without it, I can’t disable the traps."

Korum leans toward Tusk and whispers, "This guy's a few cards short of a full deck."

Sarz observes the dwarf's mannerisms and eye movements to see if there are traces of the telltale signs of memory manipulation and magical mind control...

Sense Motive, DC 15 for Dominate and DC 25 for more subtle enchantments, Guidance: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 9 + 1 = 18

Korum leans toward Tusk and whispers, "This guy's a few cards short of a full deck."

Tusk whispers back, "Probably magic. Stupid stuff messes with the head. Wonder if he's a wizard or something."

Or he could have been smacked in the head a few too many times...seen it before...knew an Ulfen that was hit so many times the priests couldn't fix the damage done to his head. Poor fellow was a shadow of his former self...

With a hmph, Tusk offers the following sage wisdom.

"Well, I for one would rather be smacked in the head than have to deal with magic. I've been smacked in the had dozens of times and I'm fine."

It just might take a while to get through that think head of yours, then... Meri says with a playful jab to Tusk's ribs.

Tusk proudly raps his head, helmet and all, and says, "That's for sure!"

"So, since this guy is useless, we should find our own way down."

Tired of waiting for the yakking to end, he starts down the passage, deeper into the underworld.

Sarz observes the dwarf's mannerisms and eye movements to see if there are traces of the telltale signs of memory manipulation and magical mind control...

The gnome is unable to discern whether the dwarf is a victim of some form of magic, but he cannot rule out the possibility.

The ramblings of the dwarf does call to mind for each of the Pathfinders, some missives that they had received prior to the mission.

Below are the respective faction missions for each PC. These missions are OPTIONAL; they no longer count toward the success conditions of a scenario, although they may provide some insight into conditions that do. For this reason, and because I think they are kind of fun to see/attempt, I have included them for each of you:

Ashtoret's missive from Dalsine.

Goldur's missive from Al-Jakri.

Korum's missive from Dralneen.

Missive to Merisiel and Sarzuket from Amenopheus.

Tusk's missive from Maldris.

As the missives may prompt some additional questions and, as it does not appear to me that there is yet a consensus on a course of action, I will give the party some more time to ask questions and/or agree on a course of action.

Tired of waiting for the yakking to end, he starts down the passage, deeper into the underworld.

No posted consensus that I can tell, but there is a Pathfinder venturing off seemingly on his own. Anyone else follow? If so, what do you wish to tell/do with Torvic?

As the others follow Tusk down the passage, Sarzuket helps Torvic up to his feet, giving him another drink from his waterskin and whispering words of encouragement to him with a hand on the dwarf's shoulder.

”Well, perhaps it’s down this way.” Goldur indicates the passage Tusk has started down. ”My friend certainly seems to think so,” he adds with a chuckle.

I’ll follow Tusk.

Meri shrugs and follows the others.

thought i posted...guess not...

As the others follow Tusk down the passage, Sarzuket helps Torvic up to his feet, giving him another drink from his waterskin and whispering words of encouragement to him with a hand on the dwarf's shoulder.

"I-I had them--yes!" Torvic says aloud, excitedly. Then, the dwarf's should sinks. "But, I-I don't know what happened to them. Taken, perhaps. The derro. yes, likely the derro--but, perhaps not? I--my memory is confused."

”Well, perhaps it’s down this way.” Goldur indicates the passage Tusk has started down. ”My friend certainly seems to think so,” he adds with a chuckle.

Torvic looks around, noticing that there are now fewer Pathfinders around.

Meri shrugs and follows the others.

"The others are leaving," Torvic says to Sarzuket. "To the Gallery of Wonders. I know the way. I have been there--I think. Path is long, dangerous, winding. I know the way, I do! Take me. Take me there with you."

Those traveling through the passage, find that it stretches deep into the mountain and begins to descend for a considerable way.

I'm marking the way we came...just in case... Meri says as she grabs a rock and scrapes an arrow showing which way it is to the entrance.

Better safe than sorry....

Tusk nods approvingly at the scribbling. He never saw the allure some folks found in writing. He supposes it makes sense when you can't just tell the story or report back verbally, but writing lacks so much nuance. Not that ne knows what 'nuance' means.

Sarz joins with the other, helping Torvic along.

The party travels further into the mountains along a treacherous and winding mountain path several hours further into the mountains from the cave where Torvic was found.

Despite his befuddlement, Torvic is able to roughly provide directions and affirm that the party is traveling in the right direction. As the party descends, the dwarf rambles about the history of his ancestors.

Almost 250 years ago, the dwarven Empire of Tar Khadurrm tore itself apart. In the tragic final chapters of a millennium-long tragedy, internal conflicts destroyed a once-great realm. Thousands fled their empire’s turmoil. Among these exiles, the master craftsman Barek Triongger may have been the most famous. Secretive keeper of techniques known in no other land, Barek refused to bow before any other dwarf. Instead of fleeing to some dwarven hold, the renowned craftsman planned his own hall, a well-hidden workshop and gallery. Deep beneath the Aspodell Mountains, the skillful chisels of his apprentices excavated a hidden Gallery of Wonders filled with masterpieces of dwarven artistry. Barek’s dream lasted 20 years before the wondrous gallery was abandoned. Those that had been there and returned to dwarven lands, whispered of madness and murder. Thus, the amazing gallery was lost, becoming another legend of the dwarves’ fallen empire.

After recounting this tale, Torvic reaches into his pocket and produces a series of parchment scraps. "See!" he declares. "I have proof!"

Each PC may attempt an initial Perception check.

Eventually, at the bottom of the path, the party finds an opening into deep cavern, which opens up into a vast space. Here, a long, narrow ledge of worked stone leads along a fungus-choked crevasse.

Along the ledge, the cavern wall is smooth and adorned with wide panels of dwarven art. Intricately detailed bas-relief designs depict a regal-looking dwarf wearing a crown kneeling before another in an artisan’s apron. The path ends at a section of wall adorned with dwarven runes.

Each PC may attempt a second Perception check.

I will assume that the party is approaching in the posted, single-file marching order unless someone indicates otherwise.

Each PC may attempt a third Perception check.

Perception 1: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
Perception 2: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Perception 3: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Goldur is too preoccupied with admiring the dwarven artwork to notice much of anything else. ”A king kneeling before a craftsman, now there’s someone who thought highly of himself. These runes here are devoted to the beauty of dwarven art. Not that I disagree overmuch, but they do exaggerate a bit.” He chuckles. ”This rune here, ursk, for instance, is referencing a forge but would be more appropriate for a matriarch. That kind of usage fell out of fashion centuries ago.”

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Sarz is too distracted by Torvic's tale.

perc1: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
perc2: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21
perc3: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

Hmm...odd...I might be able to pry one of the runes off. Look..there's a spot for something to be put here...like a gem...see? Meri points out..
She gets out her tools and works on a rune, settling on the one for "kings"

DD: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32

Perception vs DC 20: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Perception vs DC 15: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Perception vs DC 25: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Korum nods along with the others. He then notices something else...

perception, DC20: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
perception, DC15: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Tusk does not notice much until someone points it out to him, though he does spot the wall section with runes pretty easily. He is lost in thought about how the silly dwarves like to make everything complicated. Their laws and rituals and even their craft. Seems like all you really need to do to have a decent weapon is grab a tree limb and pare it down to size. Still... here he is with a double axe with one side cold iron and the other adamantine. So rather than be a hypocrite he just keeps his mouth shut while he waits for the scholars to do their thing. But after a while he can't stand it any more.

"Leave it to a dwarf to disguise a door as a wall and make you crawl along a ledge in a tunnel to get to it. That is a door, isn't it? I can hack it to pieces if you have trouble figuring out how to open it."

By prying one of the runes loose, Merisiel is able to bypass the mechanism and revealing the presence of a secret door.

The sharp-eyed Merisiel also spots, as does Korum, a mechanism composing part of a sliding wall trap designed to plunge unsuspecting persons into the crevasse before they can open the door.

Anyone trained in the skill may attempt a Disable Device check on the sliding wall trap.

Location of secret door and trap now revealed on Slides.

"Tricky little runts," he says, obviously unconcerned about hurting Goldur's feelings.

Tusk steps back from the devious wall trap.

Each PC may one more Perception checks while we wait to see if the trap can be disabled.

Yes...never underestimate a dwarf's ability to make traps...they are among the best at it...especially when using rocks to hide their work... Meris says as she tries to work the trap.

perc: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17DD: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24

Others should feel free to attempt Perception check in my prior post.

Merisiel deftly disables the device.

Entrance to the area is now revealed on map on Slides.

Carved from limestone, every surface of this structure is adorned with interlaced knotwork designs and bas-relief images from dwarven history, folklore, and myth. Inlaid black marble contrasts with the gleaming limestone of the native stone.

Mushrooms and eerie phosphorescent molds fill the once-beautiful chambers, giving a glow to vaulted ceilings that reach nearly 12 feet high in the corridors ahead.

Interior doors, carved from translucent alabaster, shape into delicate arabesques to reduce their weight.

Breaking down these doors requires a DC 18 Strength check. Each door has Hardness 7 and 15 hp.

The mold on the walls provides dim light. Go ahead and place your PCs where you wish on the map.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

”Oh look, there’s a chest down there,” Goldur offers, as though he hadn’t completely ignored all of Merisiel’s careful trapwork. ”Perhaps younger limbs would like to retrieve it for us?”

Feel free to read the most recent Perception spoiler(s).

Well, since you asked nicely... Meri says with a sly grin.

Can you two hold the rope as I climb down...if I get into trouble, pull me up quickly, ok? she asks the pair of burly half orcs as she ties rope around her waist.

if I take 10 with a knotted rope, is that enough with a climb of +9? and on the topic of the trap, can I tell what would happen if it went off with potential damage/danger?

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

"Wait a second... chest at the bottom of a trap? overgrown with fungi and moss? that seems suspicious... let's throw stuff at it first to make sure it's not a mimic or some kind of shroom colony with harmful spores!"

Sarzuket aims at the moss carpet and fires a crossbow bolt.

Crossbow, light: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
piercing dmg: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

The shot goes wide.

"Dammit! lemme try this again!"

Crossbow, light: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
piercing dmg: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

The bolt clatters harmlessly on some rocks halfway between the gnome and the chest...

"Huh... third time's the charm yes?"

Crossbow, light: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
piercing dmg: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

if I take 10 with a knotted rope, is that enough with a climb of +9? and on the topic of the trap, can I tell what would happen if it went off with potential damage/danger?

Yes, taking 10 is fine.

Merisiel ascertains that the trap was intended to shove unwary persons into the crevasse. With the aid of the rope, she readily makes her way down the sides of the crevasse and retrieves the chest, which now has a bolt in it.

Upon opening the chest, one finds that it holds twelve 10-lb., silver ingots and six sets of masterwork stonecarvers’ tools.

Meri's eyes light up at the sight of the silber. She has one of the others lower a rope to send the loot and the tools up. She then has them pull her up.

Not a bad haul...the tools might come in handy...

perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

Tusk watches, and helps with the rope work, as Merisiel does her thing. Again. Though more used to bulling his way through traps like this, it is understandable that a light weight like the elf would need to resort to finesse. And though he is all about toughness and getting beat up in the interest of improving character, it's rather nice to not have to.

"Good job, elf. Looks like you can save your bolts, gnome."

In case it is unclear, the "S" on the map is the a secret door that has been discovered and disabled, and so can now be readily opened. The Sliding Wall Trap indicated on the map has also been disabled and poses no present harm.

Players may move their tokens on the map to indicate where they wish their PCs to go.