[PFS1] 7-03 The Bronze House Reprisal (GM Watery Soup) (Inactive)

Game Master Watery Soup

Anything super interesting in there? Kyra says as she looks around the cart.

perc: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
huh..i swear i posted yesterday...darned web gremlins

I'm not sure why the Melnat spoiler isn't opening either. I'll recreate to the best of my knowledge.

"Oh, Melnat. You remember her from the Consortium Day party, she was the gnome illusionist who did the puppet show. She's been setting up traps, she loves traps."

---

Kitoro scans the journal very thoroughly, and detects nothing. But Ansha detects magic radiating from it, strong transmutation magic.

Ansha furrows her brows and leans in for a closer look. As she looks over the journal more closely, she replies to Chauncy without looking up. "Ah, right. You know where those are? I'd hate to accidentally trip them."

Spellcraft to identify: 1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 18 + 2 = 30

It's a trap with the spell flesh to stone.

Also, Kitoro, I don't know why but it just seems weird to me to have a foxgirl (kitsune) 'purr'. xD

Half of what she does is just an act. If a mark wants to hear a purr, she purs.

At the mention of puppets Kit freezes. Slowly she responds, "Puppets. I love puppets. I wonder if I could learn anything from her... Nah. More likely that she would learn from me. Well, maybe soon I'll get to teach her a lesson."

When she looks back, Ansha is staring at the journal oddly.

"You going to just look at that thing? May I...?"

Kit starts reaching again for the book, unaware of the peril she is putting herself into.

Rakesh picks through the relics. Having already recovered two pieces of the famed Sky Key, he looks for anything similar.
Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (15) + 16 = 31
He throws a side glare at Chauncy.
"Have any relics of major significance been found down there yet?"

At the mention of traps, Rakesh nudges Kyra and nonchalantly glances down to his belt to show her his pack of thieves' tools, then gives her a wink.

Ansha gives Kitoro a sharp look. "I wouldn't do that."

She pauses a beat. "Unless you fancy being a statue in a garden somewhere."

The enchantress turns her attention to Chauncy. "Melnat likes traps. She ever let you look in this journal? Or has anyone ever tried to look in it?"

Kit is not used to quelling her impulses, curiosity being one of them, but being a statue sounds very booorrring and she jerks her hand back.

"Hard pass."

Buffs:
False Life, dur 8 hours
Heightened Awareness, dur 80 min
hp: 95 of 86

Ehm climbs up on the wagon to have gander at the stuff. So... You seen anything especially interesting they found yet?

”I can disable most mechanical or chemical traps but magical traps are not my forte. “

Way beyond my training...although...I might be able to negate the trap with some reflection thinking Dispel Magic

Dispel Magic

Please make a caster level check. For expediency, the DC is 18.

"Have any relics of major significance been found down there yet?"

Chauncy looks at Ansha, who presumably nods before he answers. "I don't know what's valuable or not. Melnat is pretty tight-lipped about value. But they've found a bunch of things."

From what Rakesh can tell, the relics in the cart are valuable, but presenting them as evidence of wrongdoing would be problematic. The journal is the best usable evidence.

Rakesh also spots the trapped latch on the journal. DC 31 (!) Perception to spot, Kitoro actually failed with the nat 19 earlier.

Dang! That is lucky...

Rakesh also spots the trapped latch on the journal. DC 31 (!) Perception to spot, Kitoro actually failed with the nat 19 earlier.

sorry i wasn't clearer...i was trying to RP the fact if she prayed the next day she could get DM...dont have it prepared for today...

Be careful with that...I can examine it later...

Okay, if anyone is going to attempt disabling the trap prior to Kyra's dispel magic attempt, we can retcon. Gonna move us along.

---

The only entrance to the excavated portion of this ruin is through a hole in the cave floor that leads to the ceiling in the ruin see Slide 5.

A ladder made of solid marble descends into the room.

Everyone climbing down the ladder, please make a Will save.

---

The floor of this opulent marble chamber is covered with a hoard fit for a dragon; piles of coins and gems hold priceless works of art aloft. Intricate tapestries, sculptures, and illuminated manuscripts are haphazardly scattered atop the rest of the hoard. A sculpture in the northwest corner of a bull carrying a glowing green orb towers over the rest of the room.

The first person who climbs down make an additional Will save.

"Quite an extravagant ladder for an archaeological dig site."
Rakesh remarks as he makes his way down the ladder.
Will: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

He gets to the bottom of the ladder and shines the light of his wayfinder on the piles of treasure, objets d'art, everywhere the glint of gold.
He is momentarily struck dumb in amazement.
"Can you see anything?"
He hears one of his teammate's call out anxiously.
Rakesh turns to look back up at the top of the ladder, and manages to call back,
"Yes. Wonderful things."

Will: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
"There's something else down here. A shadowy creature...

It's gone now."

will: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

If there is room to fly, Roderick unfurls his wings and flies up....

Yes, Indeed as I saw it as well. Or rather thought I saw it in the shadows. Not sure it is real. I speak Thassilonian but even then, I could not discern the meaning of the ramblings.

Kit uses her want to cast heightened awareness on herself and then tops it off with heroism using her rod of extend. Then she descends, slowly, even tentatively, as she readies herself for some kind of trap or assault.

will st 1, herosim: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 8 + 2 = 25
will st 2, herosim: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 8 + 2 = 27

"Nothing but illusions. Probably the work of that Aspice agent. Nothing to worry about."

Suspicious of the statue, though, she keeps her distance and tries a detect magic on it to see if it is a magical threat.

As the others make their way down, Rakesh is still completely awestruck by all the treasure.
"What the...? Why is all of this treasure here?"
He stares in wonder at the hoard.
"Is this what they're hauling out of here? This isn't an archaeological expedition. Those Aspis thieves are looting a tomb!"
He snarls.

Rakesh starts shifting coins and relics aside with his foot, looking for anything that resembles a component of the Sky Key.
"It is imperative that I find a piece of that Sky Key before they do. Hopefully they haven't already hauled it away."

"I don't believe I'm saying this, but that stuff is probably cursed. No bloody way the Aspice would have left it here otherwise."

will: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

Hard to say why they left it...perhaps it is warded like that book...Ansha might be able to determine what is affecting it. My magical knowledge is limited to that of a religious nature, unfortunately...

ooc]will cast detect magic and determine school of magic if any...[/ooc]

Will save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Did Chauncy go down with us? If so, and if he hears all of the anti-Aspis invective from her companions, she'll try to convince him that they're just disgruntled employees.

Ansha stows the booby-trapped journal in her handy haversack and dutifully follows down the ladder after the others. The enchantress maintains her detect magic cantrip as she descends, looking around the room as soon as she steps away from the ladder. "Hmm..."

Did Chauncy go down with us?

It's up to you, but there will be no mechanical benefit or penalty to having him go with you or to stay guard and watch outside.

---

Kyra detects illusion magic all around them; most of the treasure here is illusory. However, in one corner, a few non-illusory items exist: a scrap of decayed fabric attached to an empty concealing pocket, and a dusty rose prism ioun stone, in addition to some loose gold.

There's only one exit, besides the route you entered from: doors to the east. Please place yourselves where you want to be when the doors open.

I assume Ansha also sees the magical auras, since she still has detect magic up from before.

As for Chauncy, Ansha will leave him behind and have him keep watching the entrance while they "inspect" the site interior.

Ignoring most of the 'treasure', Ansha moves to one corner and kneels down to stare at a decaying bit of cloth. After a few moments, she picks up the attached concealing pocket. Again, she says, "Hmm."

Rakesh is flabbergasted as the others simply ignore the treasure and walk right over it.
"How can you all just ignore all of this treasure that has been looted from within?"

I'm hoping someone points out to Rakesh and Kyra that the piles of treasure is an illusion. Although, he did interact with it a bit. Any chance on a new saving throw? I get a +2 to Will saves vs. illusions.

Sure, make a new saving throw.

Will: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 2 = 14
Ugh.

Ansha glances over at Rakesh as he hyperventilates over the illusory gold. "It's all fake."

She pockets the pocket, then picks up the ioun stone. Recalling that she's read something about ioun stones and wayfinder before, she retrieves hers and inserts the stone into its indentation. "Hmm."

"Fake? FAKE!?! No, no, no. It can't be!"
Rakesh kneels down and swishes his hands through the gold coins, still in disbelief that it's all an illusion.
Eventually, he is faced with proof that it is all illusionary.

He stands back up, crosses his arms over his chest, and glances around in an unflappable demeanor.
"Humph. Yeah, I knew it all along. Just testing you all."

Buffs:
False Life, dur 8 hours
Heightened Awareness, dur 80 min
hp: 95 of 86

Sorry, between work and visiting relatives not much time.

Ehm follows the others down the ladder.
will save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Moight na be cursed, jes trapped.
perception, looking for traps: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (17) + 17 = 34 I do not have rap finding for magical traps.

Ah nuts. Fakes 'gain. Belike something real under the fake?

”It would figure. So where are these Allie’s if our Aspis friend? “

They're through the door on the east, but ... I need everyone to put themselves where they want to be on Slide 5 when the doors open. (Nobody finds any traps.)

Ehm is peeking around the corner at the doors getting his pistol and bombs ready.

"Step aside. I'll open the door. Just let me know when you're all ready."
Thinking for a moment before grabbing the door handle, Rakesh turns back to the group.
"What's the plan? Parley with them first? We're supposed to pretend to be new Aspis recruits, right?"

Roderick nods to Rakesh as he mixes and drinks a perceive cues extract.

Parley as best we can, although that seems to be the specialty of the ladies, my friend.

This elegant chamber opens to the heavens. Dragon carvings crawl over the columns, moving with each glance away. An altar rests to the east, topped with a pair of marble thrones. The thrones suspend a platinum peacock statue between them, its tail adorned with emeralds and sapphires cut to radiant perfection. The low susurrus of party chatter echoes from tastefully darkened corners.

The scene briefly flickers, revealing a mud-covered hall, stripped and looted, before the glamer returns.

No light illuminates the edges of the room. The area inside the pillars is dimly lit. 20% miss chance to those without low-light vision or darkvision.

As soon as Rakesh opens the door, he and Roderick spot a trap - the floor has been rigged with shocking runes (yellow square).

Three individuals - two larger humanoids and a shorter humanoid - lurk in the far end of the room. They seem to be unaware of you until the door opened. You will have a surprise round.

--Surprise Round
Kitoro
Ansha
Rakesh
Ehm
Roderick
Kyra
--Round 1
Kitoro
Ansha
Rakesh
Ehm
Roderick
Orange (medium)
Purple (medium)
Green (small)
Kyra

Kit (who would have had her rod out) casts an extended good hope spell before anyone can get out of range and starts up a performance. Her finger puppets already in place for the party, she just snatches a couple for the opponents and off she goes, making the enemies get plastered with lots of whiny yelps.

Keep in mind the bonus types. Inspire Courage gives a competence bonus, Good Hope gives a morale bonus, and for those of you with Heroism, that is also a morale bonus. Don't bother with a Bless spell if you got that as it is a morale bonus and does not stack. So you probably get a +4 to hit and damage (+2 competence, +2 morale), and a +2 to saving throws (+2 morale).

I thought Kit was going to try talking first?

Knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

Ansha moves to the door as Rakesh opens it. Spotting a few figures inside, she gestures inside and remarks quietly, "Looks like the welcoming committee."

As she speaks, she hides a spell behind her words, and as the hidden incantation completes, a wave of disorientation washes over the three presumable Aspis agents.

Casting confusion (DC23)--should be able to get all three within the 15 foot radius burst. Per Covert Spells, it takes beating both her Bluff and Sleight of Hand rolls to notice she cast the spell. Per Subtle Enchantments, if any of the three targets makes his/her save, they have a 50% chance of not noticing that they made a Will save.

Covert Spells Bluff: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (3) + 26 = 29
Covert Spells Sleight of Hand: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

"Darn it! Large area of floor ahead is covered in shocking rune trap."
He says to his teammates.
"I'm only skilled with locks and mechanical traps."
He shakes his head in disappointment.

He quickly draws his bow and strongly considers setting off the trap so that his friends don't have to worry about it. He lifts a foot to step in, pulls it back, then hesitantly lurches forward again and stops just before the trapped area.
(Took a 5' step forward.)
"I can handle a strong jolt of electricity. I hope it doesn't hurt too bad."

Roderick nods and points at the trap as he tries to retain the element of surprise

”Interesting turn of events. “

Roderick will mix a resist electricity extract and drink in the surprise round then wait to see the result of the confusion or parleys

I thought Kit was going to try talking first?

Hmm. Something about the setup just struck me as anti-diplo. Though nothing Kit did was offensive so we still could have tried talking, but there is that confusion spell. I'm happy though. I rather enjoy a well placed confusion spell.

I thought Kit was going to try talking first?

The initiative order is more for the trap than for the humans. You're free to try diplomacy in combat, but only during Round 1 - you can't talk to them, and then get a surprise round. If you'd like to speak, please either pass your surprise round or do something that won't attract their attention.

I'll allow Ansha to retcon if she wishes, although I believe the way she's casting might be an exception to "you can't surprise them if you attack them." I'll mull on / research it for a bit.

Let Sarenrae guide your blade... Kyra says quietly as she touches Rakesh's shoulder. He feels a small tingle.

Guidance...don't wanna waste a Bless quite yet...

Kit casts a spell and begins a performance.

Ansha casts a spell.

Orange Will: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Purple Will: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Green Will: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

lol

Rakesh takes a step up.

Roderick mixes some foul-smelling concoction.

Kyra casts a spell on Rakesh.

Universal: Inspire Courage, Good Hope
--Round 1
Kitoro
Ansha
Rakesh (guidance)
Ehm
Roderick
Orange (medium, confused)
Purple (medium, confused)
Green (small, confused)
Kyra

Now that she's set the stage, Ansha calls out, "Hello? Melnat, you in here? We're here to inspect the site. Chauncy let us in."

Delay.

Rakesh chuckles at the sight of the three confused Aspis agents.
"Alright. I'm rushing in. Going to get behind that pillar to the north of those agents and wait for the confusion to wear off. Wish me luck."
Taking a deep breath, Rakesh rushes across the electrified floor to the pillar.
Reflex & guidance: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 10 + 1 = 22

Roderick chuckles and flies 5' above thee ground, ignoring the 3 confused robbers and heads towards the southern pillar.

Greetings!

Buffs:
False Life, dur 8 hours
Heightened Awareness, dur 80 min
hp: 95 of 86

Ehm decides to wait and see what the response is to Ansh's intro. Still just peeking around the corner to see if explosions are needed.
stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
But if they look, they probably see him.
perception to see how they react or if they are trying to hide something: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (20) + 17 = 37

Kit maintains her performance, just in case, though she modifies it a little bit to show them fighting amongst themselves. Other than that she is going to hold her action until one of them tries something offensive on the party at which point she will cast a blindness spell on the aggressor.