PFS1e 1-47 - The Darkest Vengeance [Gameday XI] (KS) (Inactive)

Game Master phaeton_nz

You're fairly sure if you go close enough to the worm to open the door, check it for traps, or even pull the spike out of the wall with the worm on it, the proximity is going to set it off.

The sound itself is a high pitched keening up near the limits of human hearing.

"What if I pelt it with a stone from range?" Gery suggests, "It wouldn't take much to kill it."

"Somehow I do not think that is going to work. Is there not perhaps another way to get to the room? Another door? Perhaps we should go upstairs and see if there are any more doors secret or otherwise leading down here?"

"We did not really do a thorough examination of the house. We just jumped on this secret door when we found it."

This might be the only one way down but until we check we cannot be sure. Also we might have missed something in the main house. It is worth a solid check.

Kolris nods. "You're not wrong in the least. A thorough inspection of the upstairs could help. Let's see if we can figure out a way to block the way upstairs when we get up there, too. Just in case someone heard us mucking about without the scream of a wailing worm, they can't sneak up after us."

Blocking the way up isn't a problem, because of the secret door. Searching the house properly takes you a while but, you find no other ways down.

Looks like you might have to be the early birds that catch the worm tomorrow morning (assuming you rest up first).

That's fair...I could have pelted that thing with acid from a distance...slow..but effective.. the aasimar says.

We wait til the morning then...

"You have a point but how could we have known without checking the rest of the house first to know if there was not a better way?"

Alright, let us move it along in the morning. :)

"Well, at least we have a lodge to sleep in. Let's post a guard and get to it. I'll take first watch."

Mechanically, Kolris has no reason to rest; he's only used a single point of inspiration and no extracts for the day. Of course, if it's night it's night; no issue resting if the clock says it's time.

"I can take any watch", the monk offers.

Baldrum is also quite fresh, but I have no problem with resting either.

Rogarch is fairly certain that they will be just fine in the lodge but setting up a watch is prudent.

"I would be up for a watch as well."

Just to move things along on a 12 hour schedule allowing everyone to get their 8 hours of rest in. If you really don't like it we can change it but I doubt it will even matter.
Watch 1: Kolris and Carlin
Watch 2: Baldrum
Watch 3: Rogarch (and Helping Hand) and Gery

It's a very quiet watch. Nothing unusual happens.

Rogarch secures some food and drink for the party in the kitchen and kitchen-store rooms and after a hardy breakfast she will lead them back downstairs to deal with the strange worm-like creature.

Rogarch will pack a couple of days worth of food and drink for herself from the lodge's stores. I need to remember to buy her some more rations! :)

"Alright. So how are we going to kill this thing without setting it off?"

"Carlin said something about acid from a distance?"

Baldrum looks at the sorceror.

Let's hope she knows what she's doing...

Good morning all! Carlin says, surprisingly chipper. I made some coffee...not quite like the merchants in the stalls back in Katheer...but it'll do the trick... she offers the others a pot of steaming black brew.

Yes...I can keep throwing acid at it...seemingly forever. If that doesn't do it, I can incinerate the thing...quite easily...

i can spam acid splash at it...slow but sure...or just scorching ray the thing...either way...

I'll allow that, One scorching ray should do the job

would a burning hands do the trick? if not no big deal doing the scorching ray...the burning hands would deal 4d4+5 damage...

Gery also helps himself to the extra stores from the kitchen here. "Can never be too prepared!"

Once the party is ready to tackle the worm, he stays well back from the door. "I would not get too close Carlin!" He warns.

Rogarch nods.

"Yes. Gery is right. If you are going to use magic to destroy the worm then you should do it at a good distance."

Burning Hands only has a 15 foot range and might trigger the alarm before you kill the worm. You will also probably want to kill it in one shot to prevent it from screaming.

Helping Hand taps Rogarch for luck and then scampers into his protective satchel in case anything does go wrong.

From Kolris' knowledge check, does he have a sense of what range is the trigger for the shrieking?

Around 5ft

Better safe than sorry, I suppose... Carlin says as her hands fill with fire. She tosses a fiery ray at the worm.

do i need to do a to hit roll? it's a ranged touch attack...and damage is 4d6+5...

You probably should roll to hit, although the AC is fairly low. Besides a Nat 20 or Nat 1 would be hilarious

i hate you...lol...you never mentioned whether burning hands would do the trick...just wanna see if a 1st lvl spell would work as opposed to a 2nd ...will roll if the scorcher is needed...touchy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

The worm is completely and utterly annihilated

Sorry - burning hands would have worked, so would magic missile

You open the door.

B2. This chamber overflows with dusty relics of the past, some prominently displayed on shelves and pedestals, others piled haphazardly in crates, jars, and scroll cases. A massive stone idol looms in the corner, its fiendish eyes sparkling with crimson beryls. An intricately woven Kellish rug, carefully rolled, leans against a shelf displaying ancient weapons from throughout Golarion. A somber pipe organ rests against the northern wall, its keys and pedals wet with fresh blood.

Rogarch gets her focusing crystal out and she then tries to activate her wand. Helping Hand crawls out of his satchel to help.

UMD,Heightened Awareness,MW-Tool,Guidance: 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 2 + 1 = 14

UMD,Heightened Awareness,MW-Tool,Guidance: 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 6 + 2 + 1 = 27

It takes a couple of tries but the wand does activate. She puts her equipment away and Helping Hand taps her for luck (Guidance).

"It looks like we are getting closer. We should have a quick look around and then keep going."

Perception,Heightened Awareness: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 2 = 22

Helping Hand taps himself for luck and checks out the room.

Perception,Guidance: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 11 + 1 = 16

See? Easy as pie. Ooh...that reminds me of the bakery around the corner from home...blast it! Now I'm hungry! Carlin says as she grabs a hard biscuit from her pack.

Bleh...better than nothing i suppose... she says as she enters the room.

Wet blood? No..that's not creepy at all... she says, her hand going to her wand to activate it.

Mage armour...I'll poke Baldrum too...he'll likely want one from his wand.after bolstering her defences, she scans the room with her arcane sight.detect magic after that

You discover a lifeless body of a Pathfinder crumpled on the floor, riddled with dozens of stab wounds. A pile of rags rests on the organ bench. A half dozen porcelain dolls shattered on the stone floor, but one survived, a haunting miniature of a small, innocent looking human girl wearing a bright red dress and a red bow in her hair, and holding a tiny stuffed bear. (picture on slides). It is also on the organ bench.

You are also hearing spooky sounds and eerie ethereal ghostly organ music as you explore this room.

Anastasia is devastated to see another Pathfinder dead.

“May your soul travel unharmed on the river to the spire!“ she says and again makes a spiraling gesture.

She searches the Pathfinder with detect magic and also looks around with special attention on the dolls and the sounds.

The doll on the organ seat sits up and does something with a scroll. Carlin needs to make a Will Save versus Suggestion.

"Something is wrong here, very wrong," Gery mutters softly. "Who is playing the organ?" He draws his rapier and slowly approaches the organ eyes looking for any hidden threats.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

His gaze is turned away from the doll so fails to see it move.

will: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
got a feeling that doesn't cut it...

Anastasia immediately points at the doll.

“The doll is using a scroll. What is this thing? Is it alive?!“ she asks.

Anything came up on my detect magic GM?

Kolris refreshes his own heightened awareness for the day.

Use Magic Device DC 20, guidance: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 13 + 1 = 20

Then immediately looks very concerned with this development. "Okay, this is actually unsettling. I'll take orcs over spooks, almost any day."

Spellcraft, free inspiration: 1d20 + 9 + 1d6 ⇒ (9) + 9 + (4) = 22 to know what spell is being cast, though I think that's clear (suggestion) from the post
Knowledge (arcana), heightened awareness, free inspiration: 1d20 + 9 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 1 + (6) = 22 animate doll wtf, tell me more

Rogarch attempts to know more about the doll as well before acting.

K-Arcana,Heightened Awareness: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 4 + 2 = 20

Part of a Suggestion spell (even from a scroll) is making a verbal suggestion which the target must understand and that everyone can hear as it is a language-dependent spell. The suggestion provided must also sound reasonable as per the spell description. :)

We should probably all move our icons into the room (B2) as we are looking around.

Carlin gets a strong desire to move to the organ and play a somber dirge on it. Perform check please

Rogarch and Kolris get the sense that this is a soul bound doll.

@phaeton_nz - Could we please get a general description of what a soul bound doll is and are we entitled to any questions about the doll with our knowledge checks? After we find out this information I think that we should transition into initiative so we can put the hurt on this doll! :)

Any requests? Carlin asks as she sits down and starts playing.

insert organ sounds here...i think Inna Gadda Da Vida...lol...

Well the doll had suggested a request so Carlin begins to play.
Perform or Charisma check please

A Soulbound doll is what the name implies, a doll with a soul bound to it. The soul is usually located inside the doll in a gem or something equally as valuable. Soulgems are sometimes used as currency on the Lower Planes. Breaking the object the soul is in, frees it.

This is what the doll wants Carlin to play

gah! totally forgot that..my bad!cha: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

The Doll is actually sitting up and enjoying the performance - at least you're not making too many mistakes.

Kolris looks from one Pathfinder to another with clear confusion on his face. "This seems far less dangerous than I was worried about. Does anyone else see this as completely non-threatening? Disturbing... but the doll just wants to hear a song?" He shrugs, then continues. "Still, there's a soul trapped inside that thing; the best thing for it--and likely for us--is to free the soul...."

Rogarch is not exactly sure what to do despite what she knows about these animated dolls.

"Would not smashing the doll free the soul? Is that what it wants?"

"I am willing to wait and see as long as we are not directly threatened."

Gery looks up with an alarmed look on his face, "Aren't you forgetting about the blood stains here? Not to mention the other smashed dolls??" He then moves towards the doll a grim look upon his face...

Rogarch shrugs.

"We do not really know that is going on here, do we? Do as you will."

Kolris draws his rapier and drinks an extract of shield as Gery advances on the doll. "Got your back," he says, more interested to see the outcome than anything else.

"That is not a bad idea."

A wand of Shield slides out of Rogarch's wrist sheath and she also puts up a defensive spell. She places her wand in a handy pocket. Her familiar then taps her for luck (Guidance).

"We might as well get ready if it gets ugly rather than well...weird."

"Thank you, Carlin", the monk says after getting tapped with his wand of mage armor.

Baldrum speaks a short prayer for the dead pathfinder.

Another one... this is worse than I thought!

He draws his sansetsukon. When Carlin sits down and begins to play, he checks out the moving doll with suspicion.

What the heck is Carlin doing?

"A soul bound doll, you say?" Baldrum murmurs. He casts guidance on himself, trying to remember what (or if) he learned anything about them.

Knowledge: Religion, guidance: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 1 = 12

Religion is Baldrum's only knowledge skill. I hope it is appropriate.

Anastasia is absolutely shocked.

“A bound soul?!? By the lady of Graves! For me this is blasphemy!“ she moves to the doll.

“This soul has great power … it was once a being with wisdom … curious to understand the world around them. I am a servant of the "The Lady of Graves", Pharasma. She is the goddess who shepherds Golarion's recently-departed souls to their final reward. Upon death, souls migrate via the River of Souls to Pharasma's Boneyard in the Outer Sphere, which sits atop an impossibly tall spire that pierces the Astral Plane. Pharasma makes no decision on whether a death is just or not; she views all with the eye of fate, and decides on which of the Outer Planes a soul will spend eternity. Pharasma is also the goddess of birth and prophecy: from the moment a creature is born, she sees what its ultimate fate will be, but reserves final judgement until that soul has made all its decisions and finally stands before her. As the goddess of death and rebirth, she abhors the undead and soul stealing and considers them a perversion!!“ she says with some disgust.

She makes the sign of a spiraling comet which is the holy symbol of Pharasma and invokes her spirit with her hand to guide the souls of the dead.

“We have to free the soul!! I try to pay my respects to the dead. Because their soul’s journey is not over, yet!“ she says.

Soo....what happens to me if the doll...you know....goes away...I'm kinda stuck here...Carlin says, a bit nervous.