GM Computerpro82 PF2 Quest 9 -Wayfinder Origins (Inactive)

Game Master Eric Parker 82

A Pathfinder Society Quest designed for levels 3–6 (subtiers 3–4 and 5–6).

The Pathfinder Society has sent an expedition to a previously uncharted island! The island contains a door sealed with a type of magical technology thought lost with the ancient Azlanti empire. What secrets lie behind the door, and what dangers may lurk beneath the island's surface? To find out, the PCs will first have to solve the magical "puzzle" sealing the door and preventing contact with whatever lies beyond.

Written by: Dustin Knight

Scenario tags:Repeatable

Slides

Greetings,

You have all been asked to join Venture-Captain Muesello on the sailing vessel Kingfisher. Once you are all aboard, the ship sets sail, heading North. Venture-Captain Muesello spends the next week in his cabin, and you periodically hear banging noises from that area of the ship.

Please feel free to roleplay and introduce yourselves. I anticipate starting play No Later Than Tuesday.

"Is there a commission tied to a performance metric for this mission, and does it scale linearly?" Professor is pounding on the reclusive captain's door with his query "What about insurance? If we retrieve the remains of a colleague in the event of catastrophic collateral damage, will there be additional compensation dispensed out of their share?" his line of questioning trying to probe the exact details of the bounty.

"Blast!"

Having seemingly given up, our shrewd hero returns to the deck, when suddenly something foul seems to have stirred inside of him, and dashing sideways quickly, Serj Harlequinn begins vomiting over the railing as the Kingfisher bobs and dips buoyed by the open sea...

A tall Iruxi with a large orange crest and a massive suit of metal armor arrives from below decks. Seeing the Professor and Venture-Captain Muesello, she bows very slightly as she introduces herself briskly "Samantha" before finding a good position to stand formally. One not too close to the edge given her heavy armor.

A small toothy goblin with a happy smile arrives, looking around the deck. She's wearing the somber black robes of the Shrine of the Failed, but she's pulled her hood down and then closes her eyes and turns her face to the sun. It feels nice. Even without the sunlight, there is a glow about her.

Around her neck, she's wearing the Sun Wheel she was gifted on a mission long ago. She pulls it out and holds the coppery medallion so that it glints in the sun. "Okay, Sarenrae. You know I don't worship you, right? It's not fitting for one goddess to worship another. But I want you to know that I really like this gift you sent me, and I want to thank you for all the good goblins that you take care of while you are waiting for my ascension. It's hard being alone in this god business, and it's nice to have a friend supporting you. Besides, you like fire, and I like fire, so we'll always have something in common."

She flashes the Sun Wheel at Sarenrae like someone giving a high five to an old friend, and then turns to see who is already here. She smiles at the gnome and the iruxi, and gives a little bow. "Hello mortals. I'm Teki Stronggut, the Goddess of Forgotten and Unlikely Heroes. At least, that is my title, Starstone Ascension pending." She smiles out at the water. "Goblins need a good god, and I figure that my chances are as good as anyone else's. Would you like to tell me your stories? I want to collect as many as possible, so that I can make sure that unlikely heroes such as ourselves are not forgotten."

"Greetings, fellow Pathfinders," says a tall, lean man wearing simple robes. While he's not heavily muscled as a brawler, he does appear capable of holding his own in a fight. He carries no weapon save for a hand crossbow slung around his shoulders.

"I am Loong Laohu, but you may refer to me as Tiger. I am trained in the unarmed arts, but I am also skilled at natural healing. Looking forward to assisting you in our quest today."

Tiger has the medic dedication, as well as Assurance in Medicine.

A rather burly man follows Tiger up the gangplank. He has studded leather armor and carries a longsword at his waist. There is a small silver pendant around his neck in the shape of a stein.

“Hi! I’m Kavin! Used to tend bar in Absalom, heard so many stories that I decided I should make some of my own!”

He goes around offering to shake hands with each of you, smiling and saying “Pleased to meet you!” The grip is loose and friendly.

When he hears Teki proclaiming themselves a goddess, he comments “Well, I’ve certainly heard of crazier things. Given the robes, you know the risks.”

He asks Tiger “Where did you study the martial arts?”

The last man crossing the gangplank and joining the rest of the group is a short-sized human, with dark hair and grey eyes, in full plate and apparently without any weapons. He carries a huge steel shield on his right arm.

"Nosaj Morsheeba, Knight of Lastwall, from the Horizon Hunters faction, reporting for duty, Sir!"

The symbol of his shield, a beautiful rose growing from blood-soaked soil, is clearly visible. He also has a morning star on his side, which seems to have never been used, even though it's far from new.

He also nods to all the other adventurers already present on the deck of the ship:
"Good day to you, fellow pathfinders!"

Recovering somewhat, the Professor finds himself surrounded by some of the uneducated masses.

Lighting another cigar "Such an inefficient means of transport, but then again, I suppose it must do to have an office at large" he puffs thoughtfully before first considering the goblin "A tad short for a goddess. But I assure you that by the time I've settled my last venture, my accounting sheet will ensure that my name is engraved in gold across all the campuses of the globe that sport halfway decent economics programs" he looks towards Samantha now commenting "Brass tax, this one" to the quiet hulk of metal and scale - then to Loong "Tiger, eh? You may show some promise with such a fierce moniker - they say a name makes a destiny, and might as well seize life by the neck, eh?" taking another draw here before "Kavin then it is" he returns the handshake, which, his tiny hand encapsulated in a metal gauntlet, produces a gripping force sufficient to rank among the firmest of handshakes socially acceptable except in perhaps the circles where a man is judged initially and solely by how aggressive he approaches the gesture "You're gunna have to work on that if you want to get anywhere" offering unsolicited advice for the first time this quest - then "We'll see if it's a good day..." responding to Nosaj's salutation skeptically.

"Too bad the captain's confined himself to his cabin" he paces impatiently "Time is money, and doesn't he know he is wasting mine?" the prospect of imaginary 1s and 0s dwindling a source of anxiety for the gnome, unnerving him on a fundamental level...

Smiling, Kavin replies to the professor “Nah, it is fine as it is. I think you’ve got a different destination than I.”

Going over to Nosaj, he says “So what is the most interesting place you’ve seen so far? For me, it has to be Ekkeshikaar.”

When Kavin asks Teki if she knows the risks, she grins. "Life is risk! Adventuring is risk! All mortals die. Now it is true that if you take the test, you are likely to die in an especially memorable way. The Goddess of Explosive Alchemy tried to cross the chasm by shooting herself out of a cannon, and arrived on the other side in many small pieces... But at least she died trying to do something extraordinary. We goblins are a people in transition, still learning our places in modern society. A decade ago, most people saw us as vermin to be exterminated. We have goblin gods, but they are relics from the time we were monsters. My people deserve better."

She pauses. "I have studied the lives and hopes of the Failed, and learned each of their gruesome deaths. But I can tell you that there was no one in that list quite like me. Maybe I am Unlikely as a god," and then she nods to the Professor, "or even a tad short -- which seems an odd viewpoint for a gnome. Have you not heard of Chaldira, or Brigh, or even Navi Rhomdazzle? The divine spark is not limited by anything so mundane as size!"

She gestures to Nosaj. "Our noble knight is from a country that was overrun, but he still proclaims who he is proudly. He is not letting his people be forgotten. I honor that, and hope to hear more of his stories." Teki closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Sometimes, you need to believe in YOURSELF because no one else will."

After about a week of sea travel, you arrive and the ship anchors off the shores of the island of Burozi. Venture-Captain Muesello calls you all to the top deck of the Kingfisher, where he is assembling a strange clockwork contraption. He wipes the grease off his hands onto a rag. The pockmarked mechanist spent the early morning running a chain through a twelve-foot tall clockwork contraption mounted on the deck. Stuffing the dirty rag into his smock, he turns to address the group.

[color=blue]"Pathfinders, next time the Venture-Captain you are travelling with asks not to be disturbed, please don't bang on the door asking whether your compensation rate is linear or exponential. The rate based on what you find doesn't change from mission to mission. And your Venture Captain might be working on a delicate piece of machinery."
[/color]

He gestures to the machine behind him.

[color=blue]“I’m sure you’ve guessed this isn’t just a fishing trip. I would have filled you in sooner, but I was asked to keep everything confidential until we arrived. An expedition of Pathfinder initiates recently discovered this uncharted island, Burozi. The recruits found some Azlanti ruins, and we have a special assignment for your team.”[/color]

Muesello turns to the shore just five hundred feet from the moored ship, the peak of the island barely visible against the orange glow of the morning sun behind it. He clicks open an intricate compass, and its needle snaps to the direction of the island.

[color=blue]“Open your wayfinder, and you’ll see the same thing. This close to Burozi, all wayfinders point toward the island. As for the one in my hand here, this was found on Burozi—I’ve never seen one quite like it. The expedition team found it near a sealed hatch made out of reinforced skymetal. They couldn’t get in, which might have been for the best. The recruits were inexperienced, and Azlanti devices can be incredibly dangerous! But you’ve got more experience under your belts, so I need you to find a way through that sealed door and investigate whatever is on the other side.” [/color]

With a reassuring nod, Muesello returns to his work, meticulously checking each bolt as crew members emerge from below and begin preparing a sailboat for passage to the island.

Reminder that due to the august nature of this group, you all have two Hero Points

Teki pulls out her Wayfinder and stares. "That is so neat!"

Is there a knowledge check Teki can do to know more? Bardic Knowledge +8, perhaps?

Kavin gets out his own wayfinder and checks it as well. “That will certainly make it easier to find the ruin.”

Guesturing to the wayfinder that Muesello has, he asks “How is that one different from the ones you make?”

Smiling, Kavin replies to the professor “Nah, it is fine as it is. I think you’ve got a different destination than I.”

Going over to Nosaj, he says “So what is the most interesting place you’ve seen so far? For me, it has to be Ekkeshikaar.”

Nosaj thinks for a moment and answers hesitantly: "I would say Osirion"

Nosaj also opens his own Wayfinder and gets a confirmation of the assertion from the VC.

Kavin gets out his own wayfinder and checks it as well. “That will certainly make it easier to find the ruin.”

Guesturing to the wayfinder that Muesello has, he asks “How is that one different from the ones you make?”

Venture-Captain Muesello replies:

Muesello speaks the command word and the wayfinder emits a small green light.

“Feel free to use it. You might need it.”

No Knowledge checks yet

Ignoring the scolding "Ah!" great excitement contained within a single syllable "So this is what you were working on" it is clear that Serj "forgives" Muesello instantly "What modifications have you made?" flipping open a gauntlet-mounted control panel, the mad inventor presses a single button, and his helmet shuts over his face with a mechanical humming, then partially retracts to reveal a screen interpose itself between one eye and the tiny clockwork device in the venture captain's hand "Green!?" somewhat exasperated by the strange coloring, he presses another button, and a periscope of sorts flips over the other plate-protected eye, and extends exactly an inch and a half, magnifying the intricate details for the gnome to take in with increased relative visual acuity "Hmm..." he moves just to the threshold of whatever "personal bubble" the venture captain has, then crosses it brashly, his curiosity utterly overpowering his already-lacking sense of social etiquette...

...and it is not only the first sentence that passes right "through" the large ears of the Councilman Professor, but also the second! And after a beat, his attention returns to the immediate situation, and he "hears" the third sentence and responds "My wayfinder? Ah yes. To verify!" pressing a third button on his gauntlet-mounted control panel, a mechanical rotation whips his own wayfinder into place, and he observes the desired effect "Splendid indeed"...

...Thoroughly ignited, Serj's selective hearing fails to forestall the only question our shrewd hero has forgotten he has already asked, and so, repeats "Captain - Is there a commission tied to a performance metric for this mission, and does it scale linearly?" the glimmer of the prospect of future capital gleaming in his scope-magfified eye!

Clank! Whiz!! Whirrr!!!

Rolling out of a storage chamber in the Armor Suit, a Spherical Contraption with a single Cylindrical Tread wrapping around it's circumference clunks onto the wooden plank of the Kingfisher, and spins with 270 degrees of locomotion to brake right next to the Professor.

Skiiirrrrrtt!

A chute opens, and a tiny mechanical hand slowly threads out, and, clasping Muesello's gifted wayfinder, retrieves it into the center of it's console, retracting it's arm back into the chute with a hydraulic sound.

Pssshh! Pghghghgk!! SSSsss!!!

Smanatha also checks their own wayfinder out of curiosity, looks over at Nosaj's as well and shrugs.

"I'm ready to make landfall." states Samantha plainly.

Tiger looks at his wayfinder and also notices the effect Venture Captain Muesello refers to.

"Interesting effect. I wonder what is causing this."

Turning back to Kavin, Tiger says, a bit wistfully, "I studied mostly around Absalom. I wish I could have trained with the monks of Jalmeray, but sadly, it was not to be. Someday, I hope to travel and study at the Houses of Perfection."

“Ummm…” Kavin seems rather surprised by the little metal ball coming out of the professor’s armor. Somewhat recovering, he asks “Can that thing operate a wayfinder?”

Distracted, he does turn to continue his conversation with Tiger. “Are you a follower of Irori then? I was sort of hoping maybe you had gone to one of the distance monasteries. I’ve head some of them are aligned with the elements!”

Pausing a moment, he adds “Then again, given your moniker I suppose you would be more interested in one specializing in the animal forms.”

"Can you truly operate a wayfinder?" it seems his social fluency increases when it comes to "defending" his creations, our hair-brained hero seems to repeat a mantra here "Never let a Skeptical Mind stand in the way of Progress:" as some things are easier done than said, Councilman Professor Serj Harlequinn once again toggles the control panel mounted on his gauntlet...

...and "that thing" comes speeding towards Kavin Berger, stopping just short of running him over with it's Cylindrical Tread, and once again the center console springs open whereby a thin mechanical arm-claw pinches with just enough force and dexterity to gently yet firmly pin the gifted wayfinder between it's two pincers, displaying it for all to see, undamaged and in the exact condition it was in when it was first deposited.

"Beep Beeep Tweet Tweeet Chirp!" squeaks the Construct, loudly and with a shaking motion that stirs it's entire mechanical frame.

"He says "my single opposable thumb compensates proportionally to calibrate equal output of tensile strength to your multiple clumsy primordial digits"" translating for the little Spherical Contraption which just as quickly speeds away to roll behind the safety of it's creator...

Serj offers "I believe you have hurt his feelings" and simply informing the bard of the damage done, leaves it as that.

With a shrug, Kavin says “Sorry, didn’t realize it had feelings nor the ability to invest magic in an item.”

With a look of curiosity, he then asks “What is its name?”

As you depart on the sailboat, you see Venture-Captain Muesello using the contraption on the deck to launch something on the end of a chain out into the water.

You follow your errant Wayfinders inland, toward the center of the island. After about an hour, you approach some ruins..

The excavated ruins of a tower rise from halfway up the island’s sloping peak. All that remains of the tower is a semi-circle of white wall holding back centuries of dirt and debris. The skymetal hatch lies dead center in the tower’s foundation. The 5-foot-wide hatch is decorated in thin silver filigree resembling gears in the shape of an eye.

Kavin recognizes this as the holy symbol of Amaznen, the Azlanti god of magic.

At the center of the eye is a socket that is obviously the same size and shape as the Wayfinder you received from Muesello.

As you near the hatch, the Wayfinder glows with colorful light. A woman’s voice emits from the direction of the door:

Córas Slándála mífheidhmiú braite. Cuir isteach suaitheantas agus achtúirí a chur ar ais in ord oibre seachain prótacail slándála breise.

According to your sheets, none of you speak this language

As the voice speaks, numbers appear on the hatch:
First: 1E
Replaced by 1D
1C

"Er... Voice? Could you repeat that?" Teki asks in common, and then in goblin. "I don't think we understood that."

Glancing at the hatch, she says, "1E, 1D, 1C?" She looks. "Is there a way to enter letters or numbers on the hatch? Or do you think this is a hint that we need to utter a magic word?"

She intones in a serious voice, "EDC! DEC! CED! DCE!" Each time she pauses to see if the hatch reacts.

“Maybe if we put Muesello‘s strange wayfinder in the center of the eye?”

"Bull Market" Serj speaks directly into his gauntlet "You heard the man" he turns to Kavin and says "The only thing you'll ever need to know how to "invest", is Gold!" his smile here is only eclipsed by a certain "look" in his eye as the last word hungrily leaves his lips... meanwhile...

...the small Spherical Contraption wheels over to the Eye of Amaznen, and extends it's claw once more to rotate the wayfinder into the Socket of matching shape, depressing with just sufficient force to seal it flush.

Meanwhile, Serj continues "And since you are at least familiar with the concept..." this counting the second time this adventure the shrewd gnome offers up unsolicited advice "...I'll inform you that the only Market you'll ever want to Invest your Gold into is, well, a Bull Market!" he continues "And all the Foresight you'd need is that which aligns yourself with someone who is keen on being able to determine which way an Investment - we call them "Stocks" - which way a particular Stock will go! (which can be tricky). You see, the trickiest part is trying to determine whether..." he proceeds to outline some very vague advice about how to read what he calls "Market Trends" while subtly inferring that he is such a person as having the very aptitudes so described...

Tiger looks perplexed at Professor Herlequinn's lecture. "Market trends? This is all very confusing. Markets have trends or patterns?"

Turning back to Kavin, "I do not follow Irori. The village I was born in was a follower of Sarenrae, though I myself follow no deity. I was initially trained in the Tiger and Dragon styles, hence the name I was given. My name, Loong Laohu, means Dragon-Tiger, though I have since learned a different style."

Tiger turns to the cover and the voice. "What did it just say??"

Once Bull Market clicks theWayfinder into place, the display resets, but the number?? sequence starts again.

The colored light in the wayfinder activates and spreads down silver circuits 100 feet in each cardinal direction before reaching panels built along the perimeter of the ruined structure. You can tell even from where you are that magical energy is trying to move along these silver circuits, but time and weathering have conspired to block the actuators at the end of each of these circuits.

Mechanically, the actuators are blocked and each of the four actuators requires three successful skill checks to unblock it. You each have time to perform two skill checks before time runs out.

North Actuator: The magical energy flowing off this actuator is traveling in the wrong direction. You must succeed at Arcana or Occultism checks to reroute the energy.

South Actuator: Access to this actuator is blocked. You must succeed at Acrobatics checks to squeeze through narrow gaps in the rubble or Athletics checks to clear it and reach the actuator.

East Actuator: A fuse on this actuator is broken. You must succeed at Crafting checks or easier Azlant Lore or Engineering Lore checks to repair the fuse.

West Actuator: The fuses on this actuator have become dislodged, and putting them back in place is a delicate operation. You must succeed at Azlant Lore or Engineering Lore checks to put the fuses back in the proper place.

Please indicate which Actuator you are trying to repair with each of your skill checks. Creative solutions and alternate skills, with reasonable justification, are encouraged.

You all are up!

Tiger tries to squeeze through the rubble to get to the South Actuator.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

Having reached the Actuator, he tries to clear the rubble to help his comrades get to it.

Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Bull Market makes a high-pitched strained sound as it struggles with it's single tread to keep up with the Professor as he dashes for the West Actuator!

"Blast!" he curses "Is it the red one over the blue one, cut the green one?..." trying to remember the exact and minute details he wrote years ago in his book on re-purposing ancient fuseboxes with modern fuses "They've come a long way in the past" he explains to his spherical companion who arrives just now "Most of that has yet to be re-discovered - I knew we'd run into something like this when I saw what old Muesello was cooking up" licking his finger, he seems to decide something "Yes I think it is red one over the blue one, cut the green one..."

Unblock West Actuator (Engineering Lore, Trained) vs DC??: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Teki looks concerned as sparks fly on the West Actuator.

"Are you sure its the red one over the blue one and cut the green one? I remember following around a crazy Professor through the Shrine of the Failed that had a lot of theories about Azlantis that he was spouting off to his tour group, and he said that they liked Green. He even had a little rhyme for it."

Teki closes her eyes and tries to remember the Azlanti Lore:

The Azlanti Empire has many colors, it's true
But they profoundly distrusted those dressed in BLUE,
And they exiled every foppish fellow
Who dared to parade in the dreaded YELLOW
And should a rogue dare dress in RED
Why! The Emperor himself will chop off his head!
So when Azlanti Courtiers prance and preen,
They all giddily galavant in GREEN!

She grabs the wires and shows what she thinks the configuration should be.

"Cross Blue under Yellow, cut Red and bring Green to the top."

Bardic Lore: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Bardic Lore: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Kevan follows the professor’s trail towards the west actuator.

Getting out a copper piece, he says “Doesn’t need it to last for long. I’ve heard this works as a way to patch things.” He slams the copper coin into the socket.

Bardic Lore for Azlanti Lore: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

Oops! Ninjaed by Teki! If we already have the successes needed I would like to go to a different one.

The Professor's face is undescribable!

How did I not account for the Yellow fuse!?!

Behind a wall of egomaniacal denial stubbornly thrives a vocal shame and embarrassment induced by being outsmarted at his own specialty by none-other than a happy-go-lucky sing-songy goblin!

Trying to save face here (indeed, having convinced himself first of what he is about to proclaim): "A lucky guess! Of course I had it narrowed down to either one or the other" then patronizingly with an unwarranted pat on the head "Good job" downplaying the significance, Councilman Professor Serj Harlequin now sets his attention upon the East Actuator!

Unblock East Actuator (Crafting, Expert) vs DC??: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Hero Point!
Unblock East Actuator (Crafting, Expert) vs DC??: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

"Stand back and leave this to the Professionals!" a dangerous cross of arrogance and overconfidence animates our shrewd hero as he pulls out some of his tools - now a screendriver(?), now a shiv-hammer(?), now an omni-wrench(?) - overcompensating for his exposed failure, the Professor's studied and methodical demeanor contorts into a desperate and risky play to prove his intellectual worth - and fails spectacularly!

"Chirp Chirrrp Tweeeeet!" his spherical companion squeaks, sensing his master's frustration, but unable to be of any actionable assistance - wait! - it quickly rolls over towards Teki Stronggut "Tweet Chirp Chirrup?" it asks, unable to articulate itself intelligibly, but perhaps communicating it's idea by the placement of it's tiny mechanical body!

I always wonder whether to give players the DC of the check. It seems you really need to know to determine you next moves, so the skill DC is 18 and the lore DC is 16. By my reconing at this point

South Actuator
Tiger has completed 2 of 3 successes

West Actuator
Teki got 1 success and one critical success, so 3/3 and done

East Actuator
I am reallocating Kavin's lore success here, since he tried west, but east can be done with the same lores 1/3 successes

North Actuator
No tries yet, so currently 0/3

It seems the Professor is having a bad day.

Still at the East Actuator, Kevan steps aside as the professor rushes in with a flurry of activity. Watching the gnome, he realizes he is rushing things too much.

“Think it through professor. Work smarter and things get done faster.”

He then considers what the professor was trying to do. He doesn’t even know what some of the tools the professor was using are. Finally he take out a crowbar and tries to use it to bend part of the actuator back into place. At first the bar slips in his hands, but he quickly recovers and is able to bend the casing to make better contact.
Bardic Lore as Engineering Lore: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10 Hero Point
Bardic Lore as Engineering Lore: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Having seen Tiger succeed in clearing a path to the South Actuator, Nosaj follows and tries to give him a hand:

Athletics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

and tries again:

Athletics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

Hero point

Athletics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

What????

and finally, being superstitious, he looks around to see if he could determine the source of all this misfortune.

Samantha hurries to help Nosaj finish off the south actuator.

athletics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

She stumbles as well

athletics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Before finally finishing it off.

As the numbers count down to zeros, you hear a sound like a disappointed sigh from underneath the hatch. The conduits remain powered by the magical energy, and after a few minutes the hatch opens, revealing a spiral staircase. You see hazy lights around the bottom of the stairs.

“We did it?”

With a shrug, Kevan says “It is open so something must have worked!”

Hanging his head in self-disappointment (and definitely not sharing Kavin's optimism), it takes a fleeting moment for Serj to accommodate the narrative of failure into his attitude "Well. Back to the Drawing Board! No Forward Progress without Initial Setbacks!"

He pulls knob on his wrist-mantle perpendicularly upwards, mechanizing a Steel Shield to lock into place on his forearm, then, twisting that knob 30 degrees like a dial, activates in the shield a low-frequency humming sound which, upon closer inspection, is generated from a subtle reversal in the sonic field entropy around the entire shield!

◆◆) Inventive Offensive (Shield Boss + Trip)

Leading the way, he raises his resonating implement and proceeds down the hatch stairwell "Onward!"

Defend

Samantha casts light with her wayfinder, draws her katana and follows.

Tiger lights his wayfinder, draws his hand crossbow and loads it.

Seeing everyone else draw weapons, Teki does too. "I wonder if this is why Pathfinders get into so many fights?"

Not to be left out, Kavin draws his longsword and casts Light on his cap.

“Right, ready!”

Teki uses her darkvision to scout ahead for trouble.

You descend the spiral staircase into a sparkling clean underground workshop. The complex is well-lit by bright recessed lights, but the area is filled with an odd fog. This fog is not dangerous to breathe, but it obscures vision, making it difficult to see the details of the area around you.

As you descend, a single visible door behind the spiral staircase pops open and stands ajar.

You only see one door, to the south-southwest, and it is ajar. See the new slide in the deck. The D on the slide is in front of the door.