From the Tome of Righteous Repose (Inactive)

Game Master LucianC

Farzinel casts detect magic, then moves to the center of the room and towards the northern passage until he can see where it ends.

Token updated on Map/

This keeps going, let's be cautious, but someone's been here first. the dwarf adds keeping his eyes open for unusual stonework as they advance down the hall to where they can see more.

Map updated.

Erica stays close to Markus and Farzinel. She tries to keep her shield in front of the wizard to protect him as he advances.

Feel free to keep moving, though maybe not all in different directions :)

Old workmanship, but still solid. Well-built indeed. Let's see what Ahmande's finding here... Markus catches up with the more senior Pathfinder in the north tunnel.

"Is everyone in agreement, to follow where the tracks were leading down this hall?" Making sure that everyone is keeping up, Ahmande pushes forward, keeping an eye out for trouble at the end of his vision.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

"Farzinel, I think it'd be best to stick with the others," Erica warns the wizard.

The last of the alcoves is no different than the prior ones. A quick search turns up nothing of value, or even interest. It remains eerily quiet.

"Farzinel, I think it'd be best to stick with the others," Erica warns the wizard.

"Agreed. Lead on," urges Farzinel as he follows, moving in conjunction with Bobbie.

Updated locations of Farzinel and Bobbie tokens.

Desynthia stays close to the group, and renews her Light spell if needed

It seems too quiet to be true..

Why don't we pick direction and I'll speed this along a little? If you can agree on a route, you can all make perception checks as well.

Let's go north, seems like Ahmande and Markus were already headed that way?

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

"Before we continue farther that way," Ahmande notes, "this alcove has a little turn at the end of that. Let's not leave surprised behind us either..." He turns left and holds a hand up for the others to stay put a moment, checking the turn and the hallway beyond.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

If it looks interesting, he motions the others to follow him, otherwise, he returns and continues north.

@Ahmande The walls of the room ahead are covered in scorch marks and odd discolorations. You can see bookshelves lining the walls, and the floor is littered with tiny pieces of glass, crushed to fine powder beneath the boots of who knows how long past?

Moving closer, you see this once was some kind of laboratory. Most of the books are rotted, many torn up, but you spy one in the southwest corner that appears intact. A door stretches to the north.

To the west, a hall stretches into a crossroads. One path leads south, to the room you entered from.

I've moved everyone up some, feel free to reposition as you will.

It seems strange that this book, and this book only, seems intact..

Says the white haired sorceress, pointing to the book in a corner, before casting a minor spell to detect magical influences

Cast detect magic on the book and its surroundings

The book is not magical, nor is anything else in the room.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

"It looks like something exploded in there."

Erica is too intrigued by the intact book to really pay much attention to her surroundings. She goes straight to pick it up and flip through its pages, trying to read some of it.

The book turns out to be none other than Alchemikal Experiments, an early primer on the study of alchemy. Since most of the material within has been thoroughly debunked, it is basically worthless, but it makes a nice keepsake.

This counts as a named text for the purpose of faction journal cards. There is nothing more to find in this room.

"Well, back the way we came--to the hall of the alcoves--or keep pressing on down that way?" Ahmande asks, pointing west.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Ahmande will proceed whichever direction gets two votes first; you can use the Perception roll above as his check either way.

Okay, I've got more of a sense now for what's going on Thanks!

Interesting tome indeed. should we go back and check all the alcoves before we head down these longer halls? Markus adds.

"Well, back the way we came--to the hall of the alcoves--or keep pressing on down that way?" Ahmande asks, pointing west.

"Press on, I say," suggests Farzinel.

Interesting tome indeed. should we go back and check all the alcoves before we head down these longer halls? Markus adds.

"We undoubtedly will, eventually, but I think it best to stick together," replies the elf.

Rusted metal beds, stacked three high, line the walls of
the room ahead. The mattresses are little more than dust held
together by mold.

There are a lot of unimportant rooms in this place, so I'll try to move past them quickly. I continue to assume you are making regular perception checks.

Okay

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
This is definitely a guard house of some type.... the dwarf observes.

I don't believe we're pressed for time, right? If so, shall we just go with Ahmande's Take 20 on Perception for 29? (Or anybody else if they have a higher bonus than +9.) Then you don't have to delay any posting while waiting for our rolls.

Note (to head off any nay-saying): Perception is literally one of the examples in the rule on Taking 20; it's definitely allowed.

Actually I was incorrect Markus' is +10, forgot I put a point into it when I hit level 3. So we could roll with a 30 perception check on take 20

"Weird that we should have an alchemist's laboratory so near a dormitory."

"Weird that we should have an alchemist's laboratory so near a dormitory."

Something tells me that's not up to code.

As well, unless you are concerned with buffs running, taking 20 on perception is definitely a thing. However, technically, that would be 1 minute per check, and how much area you can search at once is unclear.At this time, I'll let people search an entire room in 2 minutes. Also, if you aid another you can hit 32 automatically, no?

The cots in this room are ancient. This place has not seen use in some time, however, the main part of the floor is mostly clear of dust, so someone, or something, has been through in the recent past.

Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14 Almost!

Erica stares at the clean floor, wondering why it's so clear of dust. Something's tugging at her mind. She can almost feel it.

Perhaps if someone points her in the right direction...

Survival help?: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Desynthia, despite her best intentions, barely manage to not step into the clues Bobbie is looking for

Survival, untrained: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

Farzinel follows the others.

Survival, Aid?: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Someone's been cleaning up, see Bobbie, but not like a maid - only someone wanting to disguise their presence... We're definitely not alone in here... The dwarf says.

Also, if you aid another you can hit 32 automatically, no?

You can't take 10 or 20 on aid another checks; those have to be directly rolled, so using aid another would defeat our goal of speeding things up. :)

"Got to be our tomb robber, right? Could mean we're on the right track...."

If you have +9 or more on your skill, you succeed on Aid Another automatically, outside of combat at least.

"I've never seen a tomb robber do the dusting and clean up after themselves. This place's abandoned, they'd have had the time to go in and out."

"Unless they're still in there."

Sorry to have been away, was a tad ill. Ready to proceed when you are.

Erica follows behind the scouts.

Ahead? Back and up? Or way back?

Markus moves the group slowly west on the map, taking stock of the situation before proceeding too far.

Keep going west, take 20 on perception for 30

The next room seems identical to the last, and equally uninteresting.

Your ability to avoid all the encounters is almost impressive, yet we only have a month left, so please keep exploring.

It takes real talent to develop such survival skills. Can't die fighting monsters if you don't meet any.

Shield still raised and sword in hand, Erica checks the corridor on her left as the group explores the new room. Moved my token on the map

Confident, Farzinel moves ahead. He casts detect magic as he sweeps the room, then peers down an nearby hallway.

From ahead, and to the west, (the arrow) the advance scouts overhear a whispered conversation, or at least one person talking...

You are aware of each other. If you wish to proceed to initiative you may; if you wish to try anything before that, you may try.

Erica doesn't speak Orcish at all, and a quick look to her left and right seems to confirm that her teammates are as dumbfounded as she is.

Not letting her guard down, she calls in her most commanding tone:

"Lay your weapons down now, arms up, and you will be spared!"

Intimidate: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Ahmande begins telling a tale passed down in the Grand Lodge of one of Drandle Dreng's early subterranean expeditions, inspiring the other Pathfinders to aspire to such glory themselves!

Begin inspire courage

Farzinel approaches the sounds of the whispers and casts comprehend languages.

Just as Fazinel's spell takes effect, a loud, brash, woman's voice comes from ahead, in Common. Sorry about the spell.

"Bah. You do not scare us Pathfinders. This is our lair now, go find some other graves to rob."

Ahead, a torch flares to life from behind the western wall, and a low drum beat begins.

I'll give the others a chance to act, but initiative seems likely. If no one else speaks up, I'll move ahead in 6 hours.

We aren't grave robbers, you know. We're here to find archeological artefacts

Desynthia stays behind the group, ready to cast a spell to get some extra planar help

You hear the sound of a spell being cast, and battle on drawn...

Farzinel <-UP
Drummer 2 (inverted colors)
Desynthia
Markus
Ahmande
Bobbie
Drummer 1
Lead Singer

As soon as you see them, you recognize them as orcs. Two have drums, one is playing theirs. The leader, a bold, woman, seems to radiate warmth from her very body.

"We seem to have drawn their ire. Be prepared for a fight," warns Farzinelle. The wizard casts grease near the feet of two of the foes.
Yellow square on map indicates grease area.

Reflex (DC 17) or fall