DM Carbide's Core Emerald Spire

Game Master John Woodford

Mrs. Book snorts in surprise and amusement.

"Except for the level with the troglodytes, no one has been friendly and everyone dangerous. Expect trouble. Violence and trouble. How long have you been with the Pathfinder Society?"

Her tone suggests that she is surprised at the question.

Iladora exhales grimly. "Long enough that I suppose I should've known better: 'abandoned' doesn't seem to mean the same thing to everyone." She pulls her two-handed sword from its sheath, revealing a thick blade of solid adamantine, and attempts to push open the door.

Lybram prepares to follow, mace and shield out and ready. "Erastil, look after us and protect us as we being this endeavor." non magical, but sincere prayer.
To Li'l Fella, "Come."

Viridian grasps his spear and silently motions the wolf to follow.

At the sign of the doors, Viridian scans them for any sign of tampering

perception : 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (15) + 18 = 33

There's nothing odd about the doors, and Iladora pushes them open to reveal a chamber with a variety of artwork and keepsake displayed on its walls: a tapestry depicting a royal court, an oddly melted lump of iron on a pedestal, a fine heavy mace hanging on the wall, and a broken staff lying on another pedestal. There is nothing moving in the room, and a single door in the opposite wall.

Mrs. Book heads right towards the staff and does a detect magic on it.

"While you are at it, Mrs. Book, check this mace too, please."
Lybram and Li'l Fella watch her back as she concentrates on the spell.

The mace detects as magical.

Mrs. Book is disappointed. Magical weapons are so blasé. Nevertheless, she tries to identify it after casting identify.

spellcraft, identify: 1d20 + 9 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 9 + 10 = 34

It's a +1 weapon.

Lybram will take the mace if no one else wants to use it.

"Thank you for checking this for me. Anyone else like a mace to defend with?" "I will use it elsewise."
Is it a heavy mace or light?

It's a heavy mace.

"You're welcome to it," Iladora says, hardly giving the mace a second look. She much prefers her battle-tested-- and expensive, she thinks wryly-- sword. She takes a look around the room.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

Is this place considered a 'building' or a 'dungeon'? If it's a 'building' I get my Favored Terrain bonuses in here.

Mr's Book snags teh broken staff, just in case it has some importance.

"Anyone want to grab that lump of metal before we move on?"

What does the lump of metal weigh.

Iladora, there are a couple of things you can find in the room. Where are you starting to look?

Let's start with the pedestal holding the melted iron. Or that general area.

Mrs. Book is reaching for the broken staff when Iladora spots a well-concealed wire touching it and stops the sorcerer.

With a chocked gasp, Mrs. Book quickly withdraws her hand.

"Thanks for catching that."

"Are any of you experienced with wire traps? More specifically, with bypassing them safely? It seems to me like anything worth protecting like this is worth having."

Viridian shakes his head no but looks at Merisel hopefully.

I have no skill in traps, but hopefully our new recruit can do it.

Lybram swings the magical mace testing its weight and balance. "Nice."
Hearing the warning from Iladora, he relays the message to Merisiel, "Your skills are needed at the pedestal, a wire trap attached to the hunk of metal." "Erastil, help and protect her, as she protects us." He casts resistance on Merisiel.
"Yeah, not super helpful, but might come in handy if things go wrong."

"I do!"

Merisiel looks around.

can I take 10 for 20?

Merisiel is able to disarm the trap. Now that they can safely be examined, it's clear that the broken staff and lump of iron are of negligible value.

"Odd. Someone has a sense of humor. Through the door here or switch things up with a lever first? That black lever did not seem to do anything, but maybe something will happen in this room."

"Should we continue through the door there? Seems the only area left. Makes me think those levers might be important opening up more areas."

Lybram is not concerned with the lump but lines up to follow the Ranger again. "Ready when you are..."

Viridian nods

” By the Green, it is fortunate Merisel is adept with mechanical devices. This is definitely not my area.“

After listening at the door and hearing nothing (apart from the omnipresent distant ticking), Iladora opens the door to reveal a corridor leading north for a bit before turning west. One door is visible on the east wall of the hallway.

"Let's try this door before continuing. Merisiel, can you check for any traps on it? After that last room we can't be too careful."

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

If Iladora sees something, great. But knowing there's a trapsmith in the group she'll defer to the expert.

DM, is this place considered 'urban' terrain or 'underground'? It matters for my Favored Terrain bonuses.

Underground.

Iladora finds nothing odd about the door, apart from it appearing to be locked.

”Is Merisel good with locks too, or shall we break it down? “

I don’t recall finding any keys to try…

Are you going to try to pick the lock, or move on?

We (well at least I was) were waiting for Merisiel to make a roll. If she does not step forward and do so, we can try another door until she is available.

I'm not opposed to breaking it down. I don't recall being told this place has to be intact when we leave...

Keeping things moving:

Merisiel is unable to pick the lock at first, but with time and patience she's able to succeed. The room on the other side looks rather like a prison; rows of iron bars anchored in the floor and ceiling divide it into three smaller cells.

Two of the three cells are empty, but the third contains a straw pallet occupied by an unconscious male human in tattered wizard's robes.

"Well, then. I guess we rescue but do not trust."

After rubbing her chin, she examines the fellow for a spell book and spell components, taking them both if present. If NOT present, then she will trust just a little bit. But if the guy has all his wizardly stuff, then she is suspicious.

He has neither spell book nor components pouch, and doesn't awaken when you search him.

Incidentally, the lock on the door is only accessible from outside of the apparent jail.

Iladora inspects the man for injuries.

Heal: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Specifically looking for why he's unconscious.

He appears to have been beaten into unconsciousness. Iladora figures she could rouse him, though.

Holding her sword in one hand, Iladora pulls out her healing wand and expends a charge on the unconscious human.

Cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

"I could of done that..." feeling like the guy reaching for his wallet once someone has paid.

With the community domain, lybram can heal non lethal damage a few times a day.
Lybram looks this guy over. heal check: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
And he prays to heal non lethal damage. domain heal: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 non lethal.

Seems like the kind of thing we would have worked out ahead of time in-character. I'll retcon my wand charge.

You don't even need a spell; waking him up took a DC 10 Heal check.

The human moans as he regains consciousness, brushing his matted black hair out of his eyes. "Wha--you're not Klarkosh! Did Tiawask get through?"

Viridian raises an eyebrow as the captive wizard revives

”We cannot say who went where without some explanation
. Who are you and how did you end up here?“

"Not familiar with Tiawask. Heard of Uzar-Kus and Klarkosh, though. What can you tells about all of them? Oh, and your name is?"

He sits up unsteadily. "I'm called Jharun, and I'm a wizard of the Goldenfire Order."

"My colleague Tiawask and I were exploring the labyrinths under the ruined Azlanti fort...mostly by judicious use of invisibility spells, with the occasional water breathing thrown in for good measure. Unfortunately, our spells ran out at an inopportune time, and we were captured by a brass minotaur and taken before Klarkosh, a Numerian wizard.

"He accused us of spying on him and threw us in these cells, but Tiawask had concealed a potion of gaseous form in one boot--Klarkosh didn't bother to detect magic on us, so he didn't take it away from her. She promised to get help, but it's been some time since she left. When Klarkosh discovered she was missing, he beat me senseless." He rubs his bruised jaw gingerly. "That's about the last thing I remember before you woke me up. I thought Tiawask had gotten help and come to rescue me, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Oh, and I've never heard the name 'Uzar-Kus' before."

Lore master: take 10 in Know Local for 10+6+2=18

I've heard that the Head of your order is looking for two of his wizards, who disappeared in the Spire a few weeks ago. That must be you and Tiawask.

"Rescuing missing wizards was not in my message about this place from VC Valsun. I thought we are just exploring. Oh well, it would not be the first time important details did not make it to my ears from that one."
sense motive: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19 Trying to get a read on this guy. Does he still need healing? Is there something fishy about him or his story?
"Well Jharun, brass minotaurs and numerian wizards, what else can you tell us? How many men does this wizard command? Do you know much about the layout of this level? But first off are hurt any where?
Lybram checks him out for anything that requires real healing and waits for answers.

knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Her suspicion alleviated, Mrs. Book makes a suggestion.

"Well, that is interesting. We should get you back to the fort then. Some folks will be glad to see you."