Quest #1: The Sandstone Secret (Inactive)

Game Master Diaz Ex Machina

Pasq enters just behind Briney.

"I want to see what they have. Nosey."

Most of the objects in this room are mundane pieces of gear. Which together form an adventurer’s kit. There is also a satchel filled with various objects. These include an ominous curved dagger with a small onyx gem in its hilt and a mirror decorated with a serpent motif. Worth 3 GP.

As Pasq and Briney shuffle through the campground, Neera looks curiously from the hallway.
That... does not look like standard issue Society gear. Ever seen anything like it?

Channary goes over the items in the room. "Well, this is not junk, but it's not really indicating towards anyone. All just general gear. We could use the rope, I guess.", if there is a rope in the room, she would pick it up and stuff it into her backpack.

I don't like the sight of that.

Decaine stares at the serpentine dagger.

Anyone else having a bad feeling about this?

Channary raises an eyebrow at Decaine, and peeks over his shoulder. "You scared of snakes or something?", she speaks softly.

Delta is delighted that they found something. ”Perhaps these belong to them who were here before us, don't you think?” he says as he gives a quick look on every object found. He then gets interested with the dagger with the serpent motif. ”Serpent? Hmmm...” his smile widens. ”Why don't we take the satchel,” he suggests. ”Maybe somebody lost it here, we can return it, maybe?” he adds, as if joking.

Sure. Worse case, we can always bring it back to the Society. I'm sure someone there will know what to make of its contents.

Neera then moves carefully to the next corner, and listens for any sound coming from the hallway to the South or the room to the North.

((Perception+5, Stealth+7 if needed))

Neera peeks down to the south and finds another long hallway. Listening carefully all she manages to hear is the heavy breathing from your group, but once in a while a small scratching sound comes from the room to the west.

A single hair - had he any at all - would stand on the back of the small goblin's neck, if of course it wouldn't simply be dwarfed by his oversized head, whose brow now breaks out in a tepid sweat.

"Briney look!"

Darting forth towards the scratching sound in the western room!

Delta turns his head toward the direction where Briney darts forward, eventhough he is not Briney that is told to 'look'. He follows him excitedly into the western room. "You wait for me, you goblin."

Careful, there is something in there! Let's wait for the others to catch up whispers Neera, as she follows Briney and Delta.
Getting behind the goblin, rapier at the ready, she holds herself against the wall in an attempt to remain out of sight should Briney enter the chamber.

The group ceases all pretenses of safety and remaining quiet as they run after the trampling goblin as Briney crashes into the room.

This room is a mockery of a traditional burial chamber. The weapon, armor, and shield in the corner of the room were of poor quality even when they were placed here, and they are now rusted beyond any hope of repairing them. Three stone slabs in the center of the room are slightly loose.

A young man peers into the open slab. He turns to look at the intrusion. "Oh, hello! And who might you all be?" He glances nervously at the drawn weapons.

"I'm Briney. These Briney friends. Are you owner of camp stuff?" his alchemical crossbow already lowered (dragging behind him scraping on the ground) to demonstrate peace (for the moment).

Make an Impression (Diplomacy, Trained): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

The young man digs around and produces a permit. "I am the only one from my team to stay behind. We were done here, I just stayed back to take a few more days and document it all. You know all about that explore, report, corroborate!" He smiles slightly. Looking over the permit. The requester of this permit was Venture-Captain Norden Balentiir, and the date of approval is almost a year ago. With the exception of the date, this permit is almost identical to the one in your possession. "I am surprised you don't recognize me. I am fairly famous after all, a pioneer of the exploration of Azlanti ruins and the discoverer of a lost serpentfolk city. The one and only Durvin Kline!" He gives a small bow.

You might be a bit out of date, Pathfinder friend. says Neera as she follows Briney in. That is not the motto they teach at the Great Lodge these days.

Society: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (7) + 0 = 7

Keen Recollection: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

"All longshanks looks same to Briney - Briney think Nice Famous Man mixed up but Briney not care!"

Quickly bored, our overactive goblin hero paces the room looking for clues - when suddenly a thought occurs to him "Nice Famous Man know Rubbed-Out Faces from Wall Picture?" which, if met with a quizzical look, he attempts to elaborate by drawing a replica with crayons in his coloring book "See? See!"

Channary has no idea who the man is talking about, but the situation is weird.

I would like a sense motive check on this gentleman, please.

"Hi... So what exactly happened here?"

Channery feels as if Durvin is being honest, at least with himself.

All lights in the sanctum fail for a moment, both the braziers and any lights you have brought with you. An eerie moaning sound fills the sanctum. After this flicker you see Durvin's eyes wide. "Something corrupt lurks in here..."

While the lights are out you hear the slow grinding sound of the slabs moving off of the burial chambers as a trio of mummies begin to slowly rise from their tombs.

★★★
Hall of the Dead! Round 1

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Briney (40/40 HP)
➤ Channery (17/17 HP)
➤ Neera (19/19 HP)
➤ Pasq (16/16 HP)
Mummy (Red) (-0 HP)
Mummy (Green) (-0 HP)
Mummy (Yellow) (-0 HP)
Decaine (26/26 HP)
Delta Variant (19/19 HP)

What the hell are those things?? says Neera as she raises her rapier and rushes the yellow mummy. She feints right to put the mummy of balance, then juke left to attempt to ◆Tumble Through the mummy's space.

Tumble Through: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

If Tumble through succeed, Neera's strike is a Confident Finisher. If not, a normal strike. If Tumble Through fail, she should also be in front of yellow, not behind...

Neera then attemps to ◆ stab the yellow mummy with her rapier before taking a defensive position, carefully observing her foe. (◆ Dueling Parry, AC=20)

Rapier Strike: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Piercing dmg on hit: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Precise Strike dmg if TT successful: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 5) = 11
Deadly dmg on crit: 1d8 ⇒ 3

"Briney not know Nice Orc Lady!"

He wracks his not-insignificant brain while digging through his effects, dropping a scale into a bottle he unstoppers with his mouth - the catalyst fizzes over!

Keen Recollection (Undead Lore) w/ 1d20+7

◆) Recall Knowledge
◇) Release one hand from alchemical crossbow
◆) Quick Tincture w/ Drakeheart Mutagen (Moderate)
◆) Interact to imbibe (to AC 22)

Pouring the elixir into his own throat, Briney's skin begins to Sparkle, little scales spontaneously developing along the backside of his forearms, the front side of his shins, along his shoulders, head, and brow. His eyes narrow into reddish slits, and his nostrils widen into tranguloid ovals. He flexes his tiny body under the mutation, breathing in and out through lungs that increase the temperature of his breath. His voice has a slightly lower pitch.

"COME GIT BRINEY!!!"

Channary lets out a deep, animalistic growl when she hears the stone slabs move. She grips her walking stick, focuses for a split second, and it seems as if the stick grew out fresh thorns and a few leaves.

”I was not planning on speaking with the dead today."

1 action - Draw quarterstaff
2 actions - Cast Shillelagh

Briney tries to recall what he can on the subject of mummies as he downs a mutagen. While these undead are quite slow, the mummies bandages are very dried out and weak against fire and positive energy.

Channery draws a staff as it begins to glow with faint magical aura. Neera slips past the mummies as her rapier easily cuts through the bandages, unraveling the corpse that was barely held together.

★★★
Hall of the Dead! Round 1

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Briney (40/40 HP)
Channery (17/17 HP)
Neera (19/19 HP)
➤ Pasq (16/16 HP)
Mummy (Red) (-0 HP)
Mummy (Green) (-0 HP)
Decaine (26/26 HP)
Delta Variant (19/19 HP)

The blessed kobold, scales aglitter with icy sheen, moves into the room and opens a divine portal unto goodness, showering the mummies with divine light!

Spell Attack vs Large Mummy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 221d4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

◆) Stride
◆◆) Cast Divine Lance

The divine light burns away at the undead's flesh as the young man drops all of his tools and rushes out of the room, shoving you aside. "Let me out of here."

It is difficult to stop him as the smaller mummy shambles around, slamming into Briney.

Slam vs Briney AC 22: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

The larger brute of a mummy swings a massive fist across the room, swiping at a pair of the Pathfinders.

Fist vs Nerra AC 18: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30
Damage: 1d12 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 + Improved Push 5'

Fist vs Pasq AC 18: 1d20 + 11 - 5 ⇒ (17) + 11 - 5 = 23
Damage: 1d12 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 + Improved Push 5'

The fist strikes Neera and Paq as the pair are slammed against the back wall.

★★★
Hall of the Dead! Round 1 / 2

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Briney (40/40 HP)
➤ Channery (17/17 HP)
➤ Neera (11/19 HP)
➤ Pasq (8/16 HP)
Mummy (Red) (-0 HP)
Mummy (Green) (-7 HP)
➤ Decaine (26/26 HP)
➤ Delta Variant (19/19 HP)

"BRINEY NOT SCARED OF OLD DEAD LONGSHANKS!" the unnatural deepness of his voice swells, as what was once our tiny goblin hero exhales fire and smoke from his draconic nostrils. And not unlike a true dragon, his vast intelligence prods and seeks! Angles, force calculations, vectors and tensors, the many tendrils of his tightly-knit mind analyze the physical situation before him - every thread of his large mummy foe!

Devise a Strategy vs Green: 1d20 ⇒ 2

Confounded by so many ribbons, he turns his attention to the smaller mummy, and slumping his alchemical crossbow in his hand, he realizes he forgot to pack fire bombs! "Oopsie"

◆) Devise a Strategy vs Green
◆) Interact to Regrip Crossbow
◆) Strike vs Red

Alchemical Crossbow vs Red Mummy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 101d8 ⇒ 5

It seems the Fist Attack vs Neera is a critical success.

Yes, Neera's AC was 20, but still a crit...

Neera ◆Steps next to the giant pile of rotten flesh and bones, as if to strike, but suddenly switch to a sweeping kick aimed at ◆Tripping her foe. She then ◆Steps back into the corner, bruises from the mummy's slam already darkening the right side of her face.

Athletics to Trip vs Green Mummy Reflex DC: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Delta loudly murmurs a few words of divine blessing for Pasq, forging a connection of positive energy between them (◆ Healer's Blessing). And with a swish of his hand, he then strengthen the same positive connection so that harm could be distributed between them (◆ Life Link), causing also Pasq to restore some HP for himself.

HP restored for Pasq from Life Link with Healer's Blessing: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

He feels some of his vitality is leaving his body, but it's okay, he is far from harm, for now. He is here to support his allies. He then raises his shield for added protection for himself (◆ Cast a Spell, Shield).

His oracular curse progresses into Moderate Curse.

With a firm grip on her staff in both hands, Channary runs into the room and stands next to Brimey. "It's not easy being green in this world. Let me help you out." - she winks at the goblin, and swings at the... not so large mummy.

Shillelagh vs Red, Two handed d8: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 1 = 233d8 + 2 ⇒ (4, 5, 8) + 2 = 19

Triple dice, since it's undead.

Indeed, it was. I will update the tracker accordingly.

Delta Variant links his life with that of Pasq's before realizing that Neera just took a far bigger hit than initially expected. Briney looks around and quickly realizes he forgot to restock his inventory as the bolt misses the mummy.

Channery's staff, knocks the head clen off of the smaller shambling mummy as it doesn't stand a chance.

Neera moves in for revenge as she kicks the weakened knee of the mummy causing it to topple over.

★★★
Hall of the Dead! Round 1 / 2

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Briney (40/40 HP)
Channery (17/17 HP)
Neera (3/19 HP)
➤ Pasq (12/16 HP) │ Life Link 3 w/ Delta
Mummy (Green) (-7 HP) │ Prone
➤ Decaine (26/26 HP)
Delta Variant (19/19 HP)

Pasq starts muttering divine words.

"Delta, thanks! Neera! Now is your time! Take my blessings!"

◆ Healer's Blessing:
Curse to minor...
He then makes an intricate set of gestures with his hands

◆ Life Link:
...targeting Neera again. healing: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

"I shall channel my power through you!"

Curse to moderate...

◆ He then casts shield.

Pasq shields himself as he offers a small bit of healing into Neera. Seeing massive bruising Decaine does the same.

Heal (Neera): 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

The mummy stands to its feet and swipes once more at Briney.

Fist vs Briney AC 22: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22
Damage: 1d12 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

★★★
Hall of the Dead! Round 2 / 3

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Briney (33/40 HP)
➤ Channery (17/17 HP)
➤ Neera (15/19 HP)
➤ Pasq (12/16 HP) │ Life Link 3 w/ Delta and Neera
Mummy (Green) (-7 HP) │ Prone
➤ Decaine (26/26 HP)
➤ Delta Variant (19/19 HP)

Emboldened by the toppling of the Mummy and her companions' healing, Neera confidently ◆Stride opposite Briney to flank her enemy, before attempting to bring her rapier in a wide upward swing across rotten sinews and decaying bandages (◆Confident Finisher) and lightly ◆Tumbling through between its bony legs and back in a corner of the room.

Rapier attack vs flat-footed AC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Piercing dmg on hit: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Precise strike dmg (half on miss): 2d6 ⇒ (5, 2) = 7
deadly dmg on crit: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Tumble through vs Reflex DC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Channary whispers to one of the leaves at the tip of her shillelagh. "I know you always envied spiders their beautiful webs. Take your chance."

The leaf on the staff takes flight as if carried by some unfelt wind and grows into a web of vines as it moves towards the overgrown undead.

Tanglefoot, Spell Attack, Primal +7: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Tanglefoot link

Yeah that won't do

The vines end up gaining too much altitude and instead end up plastered against the opposite wall.

Channary curses under her breath, and tries to move around the creature to get another angle of attack.

◆◆ - Tanglefoot
◆ - Stride

Delta lets out a burst of positive energy to heal his allies and harm the enemies.

◆◆◆ Heal, Moderate Curse: 1d12 ⇒ 12 HP restored for allies, positive damage for enemies vs DC 17 basic Fortitude save

Devise a Strategy vs Big Mummy: 1d20 ⇒ 12

Lining up his shot, Briney slams the heavy crossbow - nearly as big as himself! - against the ground, hops on top of it, and manually handcranks the winch, panting with his tongue sticking out, then draws a bolt from his backpack, stuffs it into the slot, jumps down, and with both two hands, hefts the contraption over his shoulder, closes his bad eye, nearly stumbles, redraws that same bead, and PLONK!

◆) Devise a Strategy vs Big Mummy
◆) Reload
◆) Strike

Potent Alchemical Crossbow Strike (12+9 or 21 vs AC) w/ Piercing (1d8) and Strategic Strike (1d6 precision): 1d8 ⇒ 31d6 ⇒ 5

Will DC 17: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Delta spews out a wave of positive energy hitting everyone in the room, though the mummy seems to quite vulnerable to it as its body shrivels in its wraps. Weakness 10.

Briney's crossbow bolt staggers the mummy back a couple of steps as it sinks in deep. Channery's tanglefoot bag spatters against the wall as it is well off target. Neera's rapier jabs a few new holes in the thick layers of bandages, knocking a few more loose.

★★★
Hall of the Dead! Round 2 / 3

──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Briney (33/40 HP)
Channery (17/17 HP)
Neera (15/19 HP)
➤ Pasq (12/16 HP) │ Life Link 3 w/ Delta and Neera
Mummy (Green) (-43 HP)
➤ Decaine (26/26 HP)
Delta Variant (19/19 HP)

Seeing the positive energy burning away at the mummy both Pasq and Decaine let out wave after wave of healing of their own.

Heal: 1d10 ⇒ 2
Will DC 17: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23 Weakness Positive 10 for 11 damage

Heal: 1d8 ⇒ 2
Will DC 17: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 Weakness Positive 10 for 12 damage

The mummy sizzles as it can't handle that amount of positive energy and burns to ashes that ripple to the ground. The sarcophagus below contains an onyx panther talisman.

You head back to see what became of Durvin. Unaware of the trap, he set it off as his dead body lies slumped on the floor with a spear lodged through his lungs.

With everyone patched up, or at least enough to walk out on their own. Several of you are still weakened blunt force trauma but able to investigate the remainder of the underground structure. You grab Durvin's body and head up towards the surface. The guard from earlier turns pale as their weapons are drawn. "What happened down there? We hear all sorts of noises. Is he alright?" They rush to help but it appears to be far too late for Durvin as he has bleed out almost immediately.

"Whoopsie" Briney laments, or perhaps comments "Looks like Nice Famous Man dead"

He gathers his effect "What now?"

Seeing the anxiety of the guards, Neera quickly sheathes her rapier. Before deciding that it might be best to slightly expand on Briney's explanation.
Undead happened. Three of them; you can find them downstairs. Watch for traps though. This guy here fled when the rotting ones appeared... said he was with the Society, but he didn't seem to even know our motto, abandoned us as soon as danger showed up, and ran straight into a trap as he was running away. Quite suspicious, I'd say; I think we might have to check his background with the Society to figure out what happened.

Channary points her fingers towards Neera, and nods. "Yep."

"That guy struck me as weird and dishonest. And I'm not even good at these things."

"He seemed suspicious to me. Didn't help us out." Pasq looks unhappy about that.

The guard shakes her head left and right. "That is unfortunate..." The guards seem relieved that you have dealt with the unexpected danger below.

As you return to Venture-Captain Norden Balentiir, he seems quite deeply concerned to hear your report of other Pathfinders at the site first. "You say he said he was a Pathfinder?" He rubs his head in thought. "I will work with the local government officials to try and see how he managed to get these official papers and what his story is, you have earned a rest in the gardens of the Sandswept Halls this day."

That is the end of this short quest. I hope you all enjoyed and please feel free to continue roleplaying as much as you wish to. I will have chronicles and reporting completed shortly.