GM TOP #7-12: The Twisted Circle (Core, Outpost VI) (Inactive)

Game Master Pete H.

"Sorry, everyone, for my outburst...Good work killing the thing. Markus remind me never to get on your bad side." "Kuikka, that sword of yours really carries a wallop." "At least we ended its 'murdering' days."

Dwalin kneels for a minute and bows his head near the body.

Torag bless her soul in the after life and may she be safe

He stands and points to the tunnel behind the vines.

"Let's hope none of these foul things are in there"

Markus points out the side passage, Let's check that first, hard to see with all the plants here, but good eyes Dwalin.

Heading through the (once pointed out) now visible east tunnel, the group finds a vine choked… storage chamber? Rotted shelves line the walls but as usual, your narrator buried the lead. Lying on the floor is a partially decomposed female human body. It is wearing orange clothing like the residents of mercy.

Heal check to learn more about the body. Let me know if you search for anything valuable among the detritus.

Aid another Heal: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -1 LOL.

"This woman is dead, because... well, because she died. Right?"

It's painfully obvious that Corba has no clue why the woman is dead.
The halfling then shrugs and steps back to let the others examine the body. She checks out the shelves.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 Ooookay then.

Corba is about to say that maybe the lady is still alive? But she bites her tongue wisely.

Looking around at anything but the dead body she stubs her toe on something hard. Digging it out of the refuse she finds two gourds, tied together with a thick vine. Each gourd sloshes with some sort of liquid. They seem sealed, maybe even still viable. Whatever they are.

The dwarf looks at the dead body.

Heal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

Hmm

While the others examine the body, Markus checks the room for clues to her identity or anything of value.

perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19

"Ouch, my toe! Huh, what's that?"

After digging the gourds out Corba casts detect magic and tries to identify the liquids.

Spellcraft gourd #1: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Spellcraft gourd #2: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Kuikka nods at Kimlo's words as she tucks the pieces of Nira back into her pack, though she still seems to be rather angry. She draws her sword once again before stepping into the hidden room.

Heal, aid: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12
Perception: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (7) - 1 = 6

Dwalin shares little, but what he does is important. The experienced in battle dwarf points out the bite marks on her body. Ones that look like the bite marks on the pieces left of Nira, actually. He would also hazard a guess of time of death being two months or so ago, due to the advanced levels of decomposition.

Corba can tell the liquids are magical! And the first one is super cool. It’s actually a combination potion. Incredibly rare. It functions as a potion of CLW and Vanish, at the same time (CL 2). She doesn’t know what the other potion might be.

I’ll move you to the next room once I know what you do with the body and potions.

Markus thinks a moment, and asks, Should we put the doll parts onto the body and see if anything happens? I don't think it will, but worth a shot?

Markus makes an excellent suggestion! Then follows through. Unfortunately nothing happens.

But your GM does appreciate players trying things.

"Looks like the cloaker thing got this body, too. I'm sorry, we're here too late for you, Amenira." Kuikka spreads her cloak over the body and prays for a moment before hefting her sword again. "I feel like we're missing something. Let's get moving. We can come back for the body on our way back to the village."

"Wow, how cool! This one's a very rare combination potion! It heals you and makes you disappear at the same time!"

Corba is excited.

"The other one I cannot make sense of... Barcher, care to take a look?"

She offers the second gourd to her colleague.

You can still make rolls to ID the other potion, if you want. But I'll move us to the final area.

Leaving the body for pickup on the way out (if they survive) the pathfinders start exploring tunnels. Eventually the tight paths all lead to a medium sized cavern.

The temperature rises toward the back of the cave. A tangle of vines spins and twists out of the rocky ground to cradle an enormous seedling. Both the seedling and the vines glow with a vibrant green light,

This seedling seems like an important thing.

The dwarf scratches his head at the sign of the potions. "Not my cup of tea. I think you magical types might know"

"Wow, how cool! This one's a very rare combination potion! It heals you and makes you disappear at the same time!"

Corba is excited.

"The other one I cannot make sense of... Barcher, care to take a look?"

She offers the second gourd to her colleague.

]

Barcher carefully steps over the pieces of the doll,"Such a shame we could not save her, but at least the village is now safe from this monstrosity? Let me take a look at this potion, hmm fine vintage..." He says as he begins to examine the remaining potions.

Spellcraft with Elven magic: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 2 = 11

"I'm not sure either Corba, we might just have to drink this one and see for ourselves..." He says as he follows the group through the winding tunnels and caverns.

"It's getting hot in here isnt it?" he muses outloud as they turn the corner to see the glowing vines and seeds,"well now what in the world do we have here?" he says to himself, casting detect magic.

Detect magic on the seeds and vines, holding for 3 rounds if necessary to get all the info I can, then I'll make a knowledge check.

K(Nature?): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18 all my knowledges are at +2 if this isn't a nature check, with the exception of nobility at +6.

Barcher recalls a visit to the Dark Archives when he was learning the society ropes. During that visit the group looked at all sorts of different magical items and even a few actual artifacts.

The seedling’s magical glow blows them all out of the water. It is actually hard to look at and most definitely categorized as an ‘overpowering aura’. He has no clue as to what types of magic were used, but can tell there are two schools involved.

It does not appear to match any known species of plant, at least that Barcher recognizes.

Arcana with Detect Magic is the correct check related to the magic, but the DC to learn info from that is likely higher than anyone can roll. That said, it is a living plant. What do you all do or try next?

[ooc]Correct that the vines and the seedling are two different plants, and the vines don't look so great?[/b]

Should we try to move the vines away from the seedling? I'm betting this is the source of the protection which they revere as their godling... the dwarf muses.

A tangle of vines spins and twists out of the rocky ground to cradle an enormous seedling. Both the seedling and the vines glow with a vibrant green light.

The vines look healthy.

"Anyone know anything about plants?" Kuikka asks, fingering her broadsword. "I don't mind chopping things down, but I'd like to know if we should first."

She stares at it, asking to know if it is evil. (cast detect evil)

It does not detect as evil.

Knowledge: Nature t: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Corba tries to recall what she might know about the seedling. Not much, it seems...
Afterwards, she also casts detect magic and checks out the seedling again.

Knowledge: Arcana t: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

If Barcher's roll is treated as Aid Another, the total is 23 - does that meet the DC?

The dwarf scratches his head at the sign of the potions. "Not my cup of tea. I think you magical types might know"

One can try to identify a potion with Perception, too. So everyone without spellcraft: be my guest! :-)

23 does not

It seems knowledge and cantrips are not going to solve this mystery!

The pathfinders try to recall why they are here, perhaps that will guide their decision making.

And as they think back, a hint as to a possible route to more information may spring to mind.

Thanks for the hint, GM TOP. It is highly appreciated! :-D

"Anyone know anything about plants?" Kuikka asks, fingering her broadsword. "I don't mind chopping things down, but I'd like to know if we should first."

"Wait! A few days ago we found a scroll of speak with plants... who wants to try it first?"

speak with plants spell level: bard 4, druid 3, hunter 2, ranger 2, skald 4

@GM TOP:
I am confused - how does this work?
'Bard 4' would mean it's CL10 for bards... but (if I remember correctly) in PFS a scroll of speak with plants is always scribed by a druid, so it would have CL5, wouldn’t it?
I reall want to avoid a mishap, so:
Which result does Corba need if she rolls for this caster level check?

The scroll has a Caster Level of 5. The DC for Corba’s Caster Level check to activate it is 6. Good luck!

Thanks for the clarification, GM TOP.

"Wait! A few days ago we found a scroll of speak with plants... who wants to try it first?"

"Barcher? Dwalin? Or shall I try it?"

Corba has the best chance (85%) to make the CL check, but if someone else wants to try their luck...
Markus, Kuikka and Kimlo cannot use the scroll of speak with plants without UMD. So if the others agree, Corba will try.

Corba activates the scroll!

Ok, then let's do this! :-)

Never spoke with plants before, I hope I find the right words. Here goes nothing...

Corba takes a deep breath and adresses the enormous seedling: "Hi there! My name is Corba, Corba Nana, and these are my friends. How are you today?"

Diplomacy (Perform: Oratory): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27 (to improve the attitude)

Kuikka watches Corba and the seedling carefully to make sure she doesn't take any harm from this discussion.

The plant slowly stirs at the words in its native language. It speaks slowly, almost drowsily, ”Oooooh. Hello dude. Whassup?”

I’ll assume Corba translates, if she wants to keep the convo private we will switch to spoilers.”

Yeah, Corba translates. So if you want to ask the plant any questions, fellow pathfinders - be my guests!

"What did it say Corba?"

Dwalin hides his axes behind his back.

"Just ignore me..." he says to the plant.

Ticking them off on her fingers, Kuikka starts in, "What is it? What is it doing here? Does it have anything to do with the disease in town or the tree? Can it help the town? Does is have anything to do with the Mana Storm?"

Each question relayed by Corba is met with a chill relaxed answer. The seedling ‘speaks’ very slowly, each sentence and even word spaced out dreamily.

What are you?
”They called me Sparky. Sometimes I heard them say I was a ‘verdant spark’. What are you? Are you more people? You not my people. You need fixed.”

What are you doing here?
”Living. Protecting. Growing. Saving the World from bad.”

Do you have anything to do with the disease in town or the tree?
”Disease? No. I make plants and people grow strong. I protect my children.”

Can you help the town? Do you have anything to do with the Mana Storm?
”Town is people. Town is mine. I save town, bad storm come. People safe. I make ALL people safe.”

Kimlo cups his hand behind his ear and says, "Did I hear right ... a vermin spark?" "What in the world is that?" "Any one ever heard of one of them?"

"What exactly do you do to the children to make them stronger?" "Having bandages all over them doesn't seem to be making them stronger."

He gets a little testy when the plant refers to protecting the town and it being 'his'. He pipes in, "What do you mean you protect the town? You let the cloaker murder Amenina" "She lived in the town." "Why did you not protect her?"

Of course Kimlo's question are mostly retorical. The plant thing can't understand him and probably would not answer anyway. Corba probably wants to kick kimlo in the shin to shut him up.

Just realizing the conversation is through Corba, all the shooting of the messenger stuff seemed like how things would go in a stress filled environment like this. GM, you don't have to do anything with the above.

I figure Corba would relay those questions a bit more diplomatically, so I’ll respond as if that was done. Also, no one has ever heard of a verdant spark before. Even if you roll a 20 with a +15 mod on a knowledge check.

”The children (they might be talking about actual children or the townsfolk, the term could mean either or both) are strong because of me. They resist the poison of the land. They eat anything that grows. They drink anything that flows. They have tougher skin. It is my blessing. The growths fall off. None die from my changes.”

”Who is the Cloaker? Who is Amenira? No one in my town has died. I feel all their souls. Someday I will help the whole world.”

"What about the infection of the tree? Are you the same as the tree in the town? Amenira was a visitor for many months, but was not part of the town. How do you become part of the town?"

”Some trees are me. Some are not. Some live. Some die. Some are sick, most are well.”

”You would like my blessing. I will share with you and all the world.”

Barcher listens along quietly, adding "I'm not one to deny a free blessing, but I'm not sticking around your town forever."

Sorry for my low posting frequency lately. Busy weekend and long workdays...

Corba translates as diplomaticly as she can. After Barcher says his piece, she adds:

"Yeah... me, too. However, I'm curious: Does your blessing hurt?"

”No worries, my reach shall grow like a vine to the top of the forest!”

”All change is pain, but I’m sure you will be fine. Besides no one would ever NOT want my blessing.” Their leaves wave in silent laughter at the hilarity of the thought.

Decision time. Do you want to try to take the seedling or leave it here to keep doing its thing? I guess a third option of ‘burn it with fire’ is possible.

After learning what would happen if we tried to move them Corba turns to the pathfinders.

(in Common) "I think we should leave the seedling here. If the Society wants to study it... well, it's not going anywhere, right? Also, I think I'll ask for its blessing..."

That's one vote for leaving the seedling here.
And I am curious what this 'blessing' is going to do to Corba. Did I mention that she is not the wisest? ;-)

I agree, I think we should leave it here - it seems content, and I don't doubt its sincerity that it believes its speaking the truth. Markus adds.

Kuikka shrugs. "I have no preference, so I'll go with the majority."

If she's asked to make a choice, she will leave it here.

"I say it would be best to leave the seedling." Dwalin rubs his beard and turns to Corba. "Sounds good to me."