PFS1e 7-98 - Serpents Ire (KS) (Inactive)

Game Master phaeton_nz

Hunter will find evidence.

Eramay will also try to find evidence.

Perception: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (17) + 17 = 34

It would be a shame if anything valuable was left in the smoldering ruin after we were done. Treasure.

Perception to find evidence 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21

The Catastrophe finds something interesting - a necklace.

[spoiler = spellcraft 25+]Necklace of Shattered Dreams - This delicate steel chain with five obsidian beads functions as a necklace of fireballs (type II), but it deals negative energy damage rather than fire damage (Will DC 14 for half ) and is at risk of exploding when subjected to negative energy damage rather than fire.[/spoiler]

Lilia finds nothing

Could Hunter, and anyone else seeking evidence please roll Knowledge Arcana, Dungeoneering, Planes, Nature, Religion, Linguistics or Perception.

((Waiting on Zunazi and Zin Zarin to roll.))

Eramay tries to remain calm and continues her search.

perception: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (11) + 17 = 28

The Catastrophe can recognize his new trinket as magical, but has to ask someone else what it does because he skipped Spellcraft classes at Aspis University.

Rataji searches for allies. His name was now disgraced as the leader of the failed attack on the Grand Lodge... perhaps bringing an unexpected Snake home with them would be a small step towards redeeming his reputation.

Zurnazl joined Rataji in trying to locate allies to the cause.

Rataji receives feelings of friendship and urgency. Guided by feelings of approval or disappointment you are able to find what looks like a flatworm, sealed in a specimen container. It projects concepts of speed, concept, and power.

What do you do?

Meanwhile Zurnazi finds a rather impressive specimen. It appears to be an enourmous mutant crab with swollen pustules growing from it's back. It is sealed inside a reinforced metal cage.

Zurnazi gets hailed telepathically by the creature, observing that you are not one of Slumbersun's torturers.

What do you do?

Eramay finds more evidence. (See Handout 8)

Eramay - acted both phases, Hunter - 1st phase done, The Catastrophe - first phase done, Lilia, first phase done, Zurnazi - first phase in progress, Rataji - first phase in progress

"Hey guys, I think the large crab is talking to me in my mind. I think it would like out of here." Zurnazl said, confused as to what it is.

"That is a pretty strong looking cage they got you in. Pass me the keys. I have a feeling that it would like to chew off his torturers faces, and that ain't any of us."

Falth keeps pillaging.

Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34

perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23 find more treasure

Lilia keeps looking for more information.

Perception 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 35

Rataji--thinking that perhaps this strange worm can aid them just as the 'chandelier' above did--picks up the specimen container and tries to communicate back, sending visions of the destruction of the lab and surrounding property to the creature.

No ranks in dungeoneering, so can't make a DC 20 roll

Rataji - The worm sends back feelings of symbiosis and health.

Lilia (Phase Two) - finds more evidence of the strange eldritch goings-ons down here.

Hunter(phase 2) finds a magical scabbard.

Falth(phase 2) - Finds a Rod

Zurnazi - The creature points out that if it remains, it will die; if it escapes and betrays you, it will likely die; if it cooperates—even with an inferior life form—it has a chance for vengeance and escape. As the aberration candidly observes, a day may come eons from now that their two species might fight for dominance, but your actions today shall have no bearing over future uncertainties. It is far better to accept help, no matter how distasteful, than to fail and be forgotten.

Opening the cage is fairly easy If anyone wants to play this creature the opportunity is there but the original PC will be killed and it's brain stolen. Otherwise it will follow you around the dungeon intending to devour the lead researcher - and yes, it does tell you this. The sheet for this creature is at the bottom of the slides. It promises not to eat anyone else - “consider yourselves safe by nature of association, for the time being.”

If it devours the lead researcher, do we lose anything like treasure bundles or magic items or additional prestige? Can we leave it in the cage or does it escape? If it does escape can we fight it?

Ehhhh, nobody ever died from taking a chance, right? RIGHT?

No time to ponder this one; got to make a decision quick. You have to be open to the chance of finding new allies in strange places. Let's see how this goes.... Rataji looks for a way to open the worm's container.

Rataji opens the container and it jumps onto him then wriggles into his ear like a Ceti Eel

Khan inserts Ceti Eel in Chekov - Don't open if squeamish

Hunter - Basically the answer is no on all counts

Zurnazl opened the cage and let out the strange crab. "Here you go, good luck hunting your captors." he said.

The creature, who identifies itself as Aaog-Shagga,

Now as you get closer to it, you can see those pustules contain brains. The creature then follows you like an obedient puppy dog.

Rataji and Zurnazi have completed their Phase 1 actions. What would you like to do in Phase 2?

With his own symbiote in place, Rataji looks for more evidence.

Knowledge (arcana/nature/planes) or Linguistics: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 30 all have the same bonus; if it matters what skill is used, he will use the skill among those four that has been used the least by our party so far

Hoping that there was some valuable items to take before leaving, Zurnazl checked out the area.

perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24

Rataji finds the last of the evidence while Zunazi finds some sort of serum.

Just then another set of sirens and flashing lights go off indicating a dangerous protocol has been enacted in the deepest lab.

Have we been to the deepest lab? We probably need to run, but I am not clear on which direction.

”Do we need to go search that last lab? I’m afraid we do, but of course, it sounds like something bad is going on in there.”

Aaog-Shagga somehow knows which way to go. When you get there - entering from the east

Dozens of conduits and tubes run up and down the walls of this lab, connecting a trio of beds to a trio of large glass vats to the west. Within the vats undulate formless blobs of organic matter that briefly grow arms, pseudopods, and faces before those features melt back into the roiling masses. An unconscious humanoid lies strapped to each bed with heavy leather restraints ratcheted tightly closed, which the sleeping forms strain against wildly as they scream madly at phantasmal terrors.

Somehow you know that the head researcher, Kar Zaweeb is located to the southwest . He cackles as he activates the even larger nightmare vat just out of sight, taunting you about your impending demises while his new, hideous creation loudly destroys research records.

The Professional moves to the unconscious humanoid, wondering if she recognized anything about the creature. ”Some of you strong ones go get that researcher!”

Coukd someone move me on the map, please?

The half-elven woman eyes Aaog-Shagga curiously.

"I will not allow research records to be destroyed!"

I am not sure on which map we are. She moves as fast as possible to prevent and evidence destruction.

His new, hideous creation can have an arrow to the face if it is destroying things we need.

+1 Cruel Composite Longbow: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21
Piercing Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

"Time to meet your death!" Zurnazl said as he pointed the crab like creature towards the researcher and sprinted towards them as well. Once next to Kar Zaweeb, he lashed out with a kick to knock them down.

Greater Trip: 1d20 + 14 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 14 + 2 = 28

Swift action Martial Flexibility for Greater improved trip.

In D1:

Using a unique distillation of somnus root produced at the plantation above, Kar Zaweeb induces nightmare-haunted sleep in a patient. As the frightful dreams coagulate in the dreamer’s subconscious, the series of wires and tubes channel the psychic reverberations to the corresponding glass vat. There, the organic slurry responds by taking the shape and ascribed behaviors portrayed by the dreamer’s nightmare, and the expensive machinery and alchemical additives help stabilize the new life form so that it doesn’t immediately fall apart once exposed to air.

There are four intended ways for the PCs to stop the nightmare-spawning process, and they are detailed below.

Awaken a Patient: A PC can spend a full-round action attempting to awaken an adjacent patient with a successful DC 20 Heal check or DC 30 Intimidate check. Feeding the patient an antitoxin as part of the check grants the PC a +5 bonus on the check. Awakening a patient shuts down the respective vat’s growth entirely.

Destroy a Vat: If destroyed, the half-formed nightmare creature inside clings to life as a hungry flesh

Disable Machinery: A PC can spend a full-round action next to one of the vats to deactivate it with a successful Disable Device or Knowledge (arcana or planes) check. Doing so shuts down that vat’s growth entirely.

Kill a patient: If slain, a patient’s corresponding vat deactivates, but the half-formed nightmare creature struggles to escape anyway. At the beginning of the next round, it breaks free and emerges as a hungry flesh

Each of the patients is experiencing a traumatic nightmare that is shaping one of the new life forms in the vats to the west, and each vat contains one of these budding creations. Two of these are nightgaunts, inscrutable creatures from the Dimension of Dreams. The other patient dreams of the cruel halfling Joliryn, who savagely tormented patients whenever she could for her own amusement. Each round at initiative count 10, each of the creatures grows stronger and more distinct. After growing for three rounds, the creatures metamorphose and take identifiable shapes, after which their growth can no longer be interrupted. At the beginning of the fourth round, each of the creatures rolls initiative and enters the combat, bursting out of its respective vat as a free action on its turn.

For those rushing into D2.

Like a cathedral forged in the name of science, this laboratory has an arched ceiling that soars to a height of fifty feet. The room constricts near the middle where a low, stepped platform formally partitions the two halves. To the north, a narrow metal walkway hugs the walls about five feet above the open workspace. To both the east and west, the walkway terminates in twenty-foot ladders that lead to higher observation decks. Easily three labs’ worth of tables, shelves, and other heavy equipment hovers thirty feet off the floor, suspended by chains. Beyond to the south, lies a circular, elevated platform with a curving set of stairs.

This lab represents the next generation of magical and alchemical technology for the Liavara Project, distinguished by two major developments. First, instead of a constrained glass vat, the nightmare creature here manifests within an adapted summoning circle atop the round platform. Second, instead of tapping into a sleeping creature’s dreams, a creature can attach a series of magical sensors to its head and—with sufficient force of will— consciously shape the nightmare creature’s form.

In order to maximize space in the room, most of the lab equipment is kept suspended in the air. By manipulating controls along the north partition, a creature can raise, lower, or rotate any number of these fixtures. In this way, the room can be reconfigured from a small library to a lab to an operating room.

By the time you arrive in area D, the lead researcher Kar Zaweeb has already triggered the nightmare synthesis procedure in area D1 and has attached the magical sensors to his body to activate the more powerful device here. At the beginning of this multi-part encounter, he begins imagining all of the horrors he has witnessed and perpetrated in this lab. Thanks to this lab’s technology, his thoughts manifest in the summoning circle as an unholy serpentine monstrosity comprised of wailing patients, broken glass, rusty wire, and alchemical fluids. The waking nightmare responds directly to Kar Zaweeb’s thoughts in crude and instinctive ways.

Initiatives:
Eramay: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Hunter: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Lilia: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Rataji: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
The Catastrophe: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
Zurnazi: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Aaog-Shagga: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Kar Zaweeb: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32

Nightmare Artist: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Nightgaunt #1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Nightgaunt #2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Kar-Zaweeb spends his turn taunting you.

The Catastrophe runs into D2 and takes a shot at the nightmare at the end of the lab.

Aaog-Shagga dashwes into the lab to get at Kar-Zaweeb

The nightmare version of Jorlyn grows a bit more in the vat as do the two nightgaunts.

Rataji(botting - on holiday) tries to disable a vat with the red nightgaunt inside.
k arcana: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25

Lilia doesn't recognise who is on the bed. It's most likely to be one of the local labourers

Eramay follows Aaog-Shagga but, unlike the creature, she cannot fly. She has to go around all the obstacles in the way. Her armour is also slowing her down.

Zurnazi has the same problem as Eramay, but he is not slowed by his armour.

((What does the Hunter want to do?))

Eramay has a scroll of spider climb that she could use!

Would that help GM?

Hunter will try to disable machinery knowledge arcana: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

Yes ... Eramay can move in a relative straight line over the ceiling. She may have to go around some of the modules still up there.

Hunter is unable to disable the second vat.

Kar-Zaweeb leaps up to be onto of a hanging bookcase. He then casts Bleed on the oncoming Aaog Shagga.

The Castastrophe is up.

Falth forgot to bring an antitoxin, but he did bring his sparkling personality. He moves to a patient and yells, "Wake up, you blithering idiot!"

Intimidate DC 30: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (10) + 18 = 28

Unless the blithering idiot is an evil outsider which gives me +4 on my check, it remains asleep.

Unfortunately, it looks like that patient is trapped in a nightmare.

Aaog-Shagga charges at Kar-Zaweeb and tries to eat his brain.
bite: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26 dam: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13 + poison

That hits (KZ: -13) fort: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18. The poison has no effect. The nightmare creature behind screams doing sonic: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5 to Aaog-Shagga fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16. Aaog-Shagga is not staggered by this.

Nightgaunt 1's vat is shut down - it stops growing.

Rataji moves to the next vat and tries to disable it.
k arcana: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (1) + 16 = 17
That vat is also shut down.

Nightmare Jorlyn grows more.

Lilia, Hunter, Eramay and Zurmazi are up.

The professional moves to the next vat and tries to disable it.

Disable device 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17

Zurnazl started moving across the room, ducking and weaving past the obstacles to get to Kar-Zaweeb.

After moving 10' activate the Sandals of the Lightest Step to get over the bookcase and try to reach Kar-Zaweeb. If I can, then trip action from last post.

Hunters will still try to disable the next vat arcana: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

It looks like Zurnazi needed a full round action to get there.

((Waiting on Eramay))

Elmaray double moves forward and with a swift though challenges KarZaweeb.

"I am coming!" she shouts.

Kar Zaweeb takes a 5 ft step from Aaog-Shaaga and Mind Thrusts at it. clc: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28 psychic: 5d8 ⇒ (1, 2, 1, 3, 3) = 10 AS Will for half: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

((AS -10))

The Catastrophe is up.

Falth casts burst of speed and hustles around the vats, then takes a shot at Kar Zaweeb.

+1 Cruel Composite Longbow: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20
Piercing Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

That shot actually misses Kar Zaweeb.

His construct sprays acid from its eyes that burns Zurmazi and Aaog-Shagga
acid: 4d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 4, 6) = 19 ref DC 15 for half.
AS ref: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

Aaog-Shagga moves up Kar-Zaweeb and tries to eat his brain again
bite: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12 dam: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7 + poison
KZ fort: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26

Aaog-Shagga misses ((AS:-19, KZ: -13))

Rataji is unable to shut down the second vat. He tries again.
k arcana: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 32

The Nightmare Jorlyn, in the third vat, looks like it's about to break out any second.

Lilia, Hunter, Eramay and Zurmazi are up.

Lilia moves to the third vat and tries to shut it down.

Disable device 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (2) + 24 = 26

Screw it. Using my folio reroll.

Disable device 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (12) + 24 = 36

Eramay looks at the Catastrophe and smiles.

Suddenly she shouts "Thrice sworn by Aroden's mercy!"

ALL PLAYERS - please see below:
Badge (Ex): Allies within 30 feet who can see her gain a +3 morale bonus on saving throws against charm, compulsion, and fear effects and a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls against her challenge target (KarZaweeb).

She takes out her scroll of divine power and casts it on herself.

She then makes a 5 ft step.