GM Zoomba's Secluded Tomb Siege (PFS 3-09 & 3-14) (Inactive)

Game Master Zoomba

Nodding, Moonlight, too, removes his garments - making sure to turn his back to his party, lest they gaze upon his unknown face! - and clean himself before anticipating his meeting with Rahmet I, to better situate himself in the negotiation.

Having cleansed himself, he dons a new, white mask, to signify his purification!

Anjo, also intrigued by the bathing ritual, attempts to determine what magic the waters or the ritual might bestow on an individual.

Anjo has Quick Identification and Kreighton's Cross Over with Society and Nature. Also using Society to understand the implications of the bathing ritual.

[spoiler=GM]Society: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Nature: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

While the others keep watch, Franzine and Moonlight dip themselves into two of the basins and clean themselves. The water is a bit cold, but quite refreshing.

Anjo can't make much more out of the walls' engravings than the others have. The water continually conjured into the basin is for the most part normal water, and some faint magical traces on the basins is of the sort meant to help the water clean and cleanse minor impurities.

When done with their brief baths, both Moonlight and Franzine feel fresh and fine.

I was going to have Itka be onto Manny, but her Perception to Sense Motive can't beat his Decpetion roll.

Itka gladly helps with the doffing and donning of Franzine's armor. (She has no interest in Moonlight's face. It's probably just a normal face, and she's seen plenty of those.) While they bathe, she casts Read Aura on the tubs and the water.

Once they're out and dressed, she asks the bathers: "Hmp. Do you feel any different? Aside from clean?"

Itka perceives a magical (necromantic) aura about the basins.

"Tis just a cleansing ritual" at all appearances, Moonlight looks like he feels fine.

Elaborating "In all liklihood, we will soon meet Rahmet I, first of her dynasty, whom having accidentally taken residence in a domicile lost between the planes, I imagine seeks to regain power in the Light World, keeping her base camp here in the Dark World"

"I would recommend that you prepare yourself accordingly!" his tone somewhat condescending and yet protective, he leaves the witch to her own thoughts to silently meditate.

Refocus

Once they're out and dressed, she asks the bathers: "Hmp. Do you feel any different? Aside from clean?"

Franzine thinks for a moment.

"Well, looks like the coast is clear." Manny returns from his patrol just in time. "Lookin good." He gives another approving thumbs up.

"I was thinking we could check out the Red room next. If we're lucky there's a yummy dinner there." He grins. "Seriously, fighting makes me real hungry..."

A native Garundi, Anjo decides that it would be appropriate to bathe before proceeding, and does so.

"Hmp. I bathed this morning, and I didn't bring my lotions with me. It would make my skin dry and itchy. Arguably worse for meeting a pharaoh, I'd say. Hmp. And there's a necromantic aura to the basins." After dropping that last line with no further explanation, Itka limps from the room, her heavy cane thunk-splashing ominously. Hmp. I could spend some time trying to fix the spells so they don't overflow, but why bother? Seems like this pharaoh isn't really present, or they'd've had it fixed by now. Sloppy housekeeping, that is. Hmp.

Anjo begins bathing as Itka shrugs and leaves. As she limps out of the room, suddenly the waters in all three basins begin to roil! Water surges forth from all three tubs, spraying wildly throughout the room and into the nearby stretches of the halls. Anjo, Franzine, and Moonlight find the liquid slipping over and by them smoohtly, but Itka, Manny, and Zenith find themselves slammed hard by the force of the waves.

None of the Searching or Identifying were quite enough to notice the trap aspect to the partially corrupted magics :(

Itka, Manny, and Zenith each take Bludgeoning damage: 4d10 + 26 ⇒ (4, 2, 8, 10) + 26 = 50, DC 30 Basic Reflex

As the water hits them, each of the three non-bathers also feel its magics acting to try and 'purify' then of their own spells.

The waters are also attempting to dispel the highest level spell effect active on each of you (Heroism for Manny, I think Mage Armor on Itka. Zenith I am uncertain if they have an active spell effect up, but rolling just in case.
5th level Counteract v Manny's spell: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (20) + 18 = 38
5th level Counteract v Itka's spell: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (3) + 18 = 21
5th level Counteract v Zenith's spell: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (18) + 18 = 36
So the Heroism and Mage Armor would be dispelled.

The surge then halts as abruptly as it began, leaving the room and walls significantly wetter than they were a moment ago.

Manny shrugs and starts to leave as the tubs begin sloshing around him. "Uh... surf's up?"

Reflex: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

The water blasts Manny against the wall, and he can feels his heroism fade. "That's one way to take a bath. Wish I had some soap."

Anjo dresses assuming he wasn't already dressed quietly.

"It appears we may need to spend a fair amount of time healing."

Dirty and ragged, not to mention grumpy, the wards of Rahmet I, first of her line, cleanse the witch, who burns with shrill shriek!

Basic Reflex vs 50 Blunt (DC 30): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

With nary a "Hmp" she crumples, first banging her bad knee with a horrid "cruUunch" against the hard sandstone before passing out completely...

With a demeanor of condescending pity (complete with an unrestrained "told you so!" sidelong glance), Moonlight kneels to the orc woman's broken body, first infusing her geriatric flesh with the soft divine light of a dawning sun over a smooth dune, and once restored, begins massaging out her muscles gently, trying to restore some suppleness and vitality...

Divine Font (Heal, 3rd) @ Itka: 3d8 + 24 ⇒ (2, 7, 6) + 24 = 39
Treat Wounds (Medicine, Expert, Healer’s Gloves, +2 EA) @ Itka vs DC 20 (10 minutes): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 172d8 + 10 ⇒ (6, 8) + 10 = 24
Healer's Gloves (1/day) vs Itka: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (6, 3) + 7 = 16

Itka @ 55/62 in 10 minutes

"Oh My Gosh! What was that!?!"
Franzine shouts in shock as the water subsides.

"Oh, no! ITKAAAA!!!"
She runs to Itka's side along with Moonlight and presses her hands on the orc woman's wounds.
Lay on Hands for 18 pts healed. Or whoever else needs it since Moonlight is taking good care of Itka.

"I think that some of the gods are angry that we're here. Or that some of you didn't bathe."
She surmises as she glances at the tubs.

[b]"Well, they are cleaned now."[b]

Anjo also attempts to stabile and treats wounds on the needy, casting soothing mist on anyone who is knocked out.

Natural Medicine vs DC 15: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29 Heal: 2d8 ⇒ (2, 7) = 9

Extra crit heal: 2d8 ⇒ (5, 4) = 9

"Seems that way..." Moonlight continues to help Itka.

Zenith is probably AFK for a few days... GM can you roll their Reflex Save?

Zenith Reflex: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (7) + 14 = 21
Zenith sees the water coming but is unable to avoid it.

As the water recedes, Itka is KO'd but quickly revived by Moonlight. Zentih and Manny also are quite bruised, but conscious.

So seeing after 10 minutes (with Franzine able to either Refocus or Tend Wounds herself during that time) we'd have:

Itka 55/62
Manny 53/85
Zenith 54/86

Again, you can continue to spend a bit more time to heal more if you'd like. Let me know. Once set...

Recovered enough (and with clothing wrung out) Manny leads the way again to the fourth spoke off of the circular chamber you've been passing through. After a short walk it temrinates in a shrine of some sort. Hieroglyphics are etched into stone blocks around the room while an altar holding a shield and two crossed arrows draws the eye towards the eastern wall. To the north, a stone table holds a ram’s skull with a crook and flail. A similar table to the south holds a ceramic sculpture of an ugly dwarf’s head with big eyes, a full beard, and an open mouth with a comically protruding tongue.

Several stone tablets are scattered around each of the altars, and a single piece of paper is tucked under a silver amulet.

Religion, Society, or Osirion Lore could potentially Recall Knowledge about the shrine and its iconography. As for the paper under the amulet, it's written in Taldane - an posted to the slides!

Moonlight examines the hieroglyph...

◇) Scholarly Recollection

Seeing that no one crit succeeded the save, Anjo still casts Soothing Mist immediately and then refocuses while using Natural Medicine rolled above.

Immediate Soothing Mist: 4d8 ⇒ (4, 6, 8, 5) = 23

"We should make sure everyone is fully healed before we face more hazards."

Anjo will continue to casts and refocus until everyone is healed.

Soothe 2nd: 2d10 + 8 ⇒ (4, 5) + 8 = 17
Soothe 2nd: 2d10 + 8 ⇒ (6, 1) + 8 = 15
Manny plays a lot of music to heal himself.

"Refocus and take care of Zenith. I can handle myself."

Manny enters the room and moves toward the paper written in Taldane. "I'm not going to mess with those artifacts. The last one tried to drown me."

He reads the note. "Looks like the researchers were betrayed. But... their undead fighting gear may still be intact." He holds the note for a bit longer. "It's never easy fighting undead, patience is plentiful but empathy lies barren."

He recalls the shrine and tries to understand the significance.
Religion +11, Society +9, Lore +7 via Clever Improviser

What about the amulet?
What skill can I use to understand the silver amulet?

With that and another round of cast/refocus, we can assume everyone fully healed.

Manny and Moonlight and Itka and Frnazine as well can tell that the altars are dedicated to three deities of Osirion's pantheon: the main altar is devoted to Neith - the goddess of hunting - while the other lesser monuments are for Osiris - the resurrected god of life after death, and to Bes - the guardian of marriage and protector of households.

The silver amulet itself pinning the paper down is non-magical. Made of quite valuable silver and etched in a modern style, the words “Ardis Scholars” are engraved on one side of the amulet, while the other side bears the passage “To Learn, To Understand, To Embrace"

As for the paper itself, Anjo recognizes the referenced Count Ralnac as one of the Eldest - fey lords who are the closest equivalent to gods that the First World has. Ralnac is considered to be the fey lord of betrayal, who was cast out into the Shadow Plane before disappearing completely. Cu siths meanwhile are hound-like fey who often serve as doorkeepers or guardians to portals between the planes. Cu siths can be found serving many of the Eldest...or just as often operating on their own. They are typically highly proficient hunters, and mortals that ignore their warning of their terrifying bark can lead to a painful death.

Franzine will LoH on whoever needs it & refocus.

After making sure everyone is healed back up, Franzine is intrigued by the two crossed arrows and the shield —especially the shield.
Is the shield remarkable in any way?

"Yikes. Those Cu Sith creatures don't seem very nice. We best keep an eye out for trouble."

"Barking, eh?" Manny hears about the legends of the Cu sith. "I'll try to counteract some of their noise when they bark. If we find one. Sounds like Count Ralnac betrayed the scholars and may be using this pyramid to make their way back to the Material Plane."

"Now, if only I could figure out where the undead are hailing from... Do you think we need to grab the other Umbral Vise?"

After making sure everyone is healed back up, Franzine is intrigued by the two crossed arrows and the shield —especially the shield.
Is the shield remarkable in any way?

The shield is a well-made wooden shield. The arrows also on the altar seem crafted more for appearances than practical use but the wooden shield is functional

Franzine inspects the wooden shield.
"Well, it is a finely crafted shield. I think my shield is much better, though. Good, sturdy steel."

She turns to her teammates.
"Do you think we should take these items back to our superiors for them to study? If they're religious items, they should probably stay here."

"Now, if only I could figure out where the undead are hailing from... Do you think we need to grab the other Umbral Vise?"

Moonlight smiles and nods "The Traitor played his role, and those scholars were foolish to suspect any other outcomes was possible" looking around the party, as if weighing whether he ought betray them "In either case, it would be wise to keep the Umbral Vises together..." he looks around the party once more, this time to figure out who should be the one to carry it, himself, of course, of elevated station and above such menial tasks unless absolutely necessary...

"We should leave the items of worship. We do not want the ire of the gods."

"The gods used their ire to scrub us." Manny rubs his shoulder. "If no one's going to take the umbral vase, I'll take that one as well."

Assuming you eventually continue onwards to the 'green' doorway (whether taking the shield, arrows, and flail with you an interesting IC question - as best you can tell there is not direct trap or curses connected to them):

When eventually you trudge back down the halls, through the rooms, and past the natron pit you can open the shut door with minimal effort to find another space beyond.

Three ossuaries in the center of this room hold the shattered remains of stone tablets along with several amulets, figurines, and other ritual items made of faience. Writing on the tablets includes both Ancient Osirian hieroglyphics and the same angular script as on the strange devices in the pyramid.

Investigating these ritual components and tablets with Arcana, Nature, Religion, Occultism, or Shadow Plane Lore might reveal more.

Around the corner another hallway leads to another shut doorway.

Moonlight examines the stone tablets...

◇) Scholarly Recollection
◆/◆) Recall Knowledge w/ Ageless Patience

Religion(E) +11, Occultism(T) +9, Everything else is a +7

Manny steps into the hall, taking a careful look at the items in the room. He's careful not to touch anything.

Anjo offers a wry smile at Emmanuel, "I am not sure I trust your judgment on religious matters."

Anjo is +14 on Nature with a fail triggering +7 Society. Anjo is +7 on everything else (+10 on Religion) with the ability to roll any skill check as if he's trained in it.

Perhaps shaken by the rushing of the waters despite inspection, all of the Pathfinders spend some time making their own investigations of the items in this new room.

Manny and Anjo are equally stumped as to the objects' purpose as is Zenith - these definitely appear to be items prepared for a specific rite or magic, but what type of event is unclear.

Moonlight, Itka, and Franzine each come to their own theories. Each of the three recognize the objects as being possible elements of an obscure ritual related to planar travel. As best they can tell, the ritual they were a part of would have allowed this pyramid and its occupants to move and travel across the planes. The shattered tablets however as a strong sign that something must have gone wrong when the ritual was performed.

"Woahhh. This pyramid could travel across the planes? I wonder if we could repair these tablets. Does anyone have a mending spell?"

"A joyride across the planes sounds like fun."

Anjo is not sure, but he feels like a pyramid that can travel via some sort of gate, feels oddly familiar.

"No mending from me. By the time I'm ready to repair, it's too last season." Manny looks at the tablets. "Doesn't sound like they will curse us if we leave them alone, though."

"This is the Steering Room, no doubt. I'm wondering if removing those Umbral Vises from their Discovered Locations also disables this Pyramid Ship from being able to Travel..."

Vocalizing his own musings, Moonlight tries to understand the Ritual itself...

Refocus and Recall?

While the physical tablets may be able to be repaired, Franzine and Moonlight both sense that for the ritual they would also have been imbued with complex magics. Attempting to repeat the ritual would require some time and specific spell-knowledge of the type you're not immediately sure of.

As best Moonlight can tell, once performed the ritual would have allowed this pyramid to function as a sort of inter-planar vessel. Strangley, this space does not look like somewhere the ritual's magic would have been focused - the shape of the chamber is a bit cramped and there are no signs of ritual implements that are obvious controls or steering/piloting foci.

You would also know that the Umbral Vises are clearly millennia newer than the pyramid itself. While they do seem designed to stabilize and connect places between their presence on the Material Plane and the Shadow Plane - and so could possible be preventing this pyramid from traveling right now - the evidence in this room implies the ritual designed to get this pyramid to planar travel went wrong back then.

Zenith silently follows the group, room to room, and heals up their wounds after being hit by some violent water. The kayal otherwise takes in the scenes, and eagerly listens to what their teammates have to say about the history of this place. "No mending from me either. I have only the ability to heal individuals, not objects" they say in a defeated tone. Would have liked to see this in action...

Moving along

After spending some time recording what you see in that room and checking the next door for traps it isn't you open the stone door to reveal the next room.

A 10-foot-wide span bisecting a deep dark pit lies in the center of this vaguely rectangular room. On the far side of the span are a pair of statues. One depicts a veiled woman in a pharaoh’s robe and crown standing amid sheaves of wheat and reaching a hand out. Her other hand locks grips with the second statue, which depicts a woman in scholarly garments with a pectoral collar. Behind them, the spread wings of a scarab carved into the northern wall reveal a set of closed double doors.

And also in this room is yet another Umbral Vise. sitting to the right of the pharaoh-robed statue, it too seems to be active and warping dark energy hovers about it.

"This smells like another trap."

Perception wgoggles: 1d20 + 16 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 16 + 1 = 34

"Think so?" Manny's voice isn't obviously sarcasm, nor is it naivety.

Still, Manny will help search for traps and hidden dangers in the room.

Religion on the statue, and then Perception checks for traps.

Manny doesn't notice any traps, and the two statues - while immaculately crafted - are tricky for the bard to identify.

Itka however is able to notice some distinctive carvings on the statues that help identify them. The statue to the left represents Pharaoh Rehenet I, who disappeared at the height of her rule. The other statue, of the sholarly-garbed one, is her wife Khisisi. Itka aslo points out that the simple robes and outstretched hand on Rehenet’s statue indicate the sculptor considered her to be a humble ruler, who sought to give her people a helping hand instead of ruling with an iron fist. Khissi's statue shows a priest-mage adviser who worked in lockstep with the pharaoh.

Meanwhile Anjo picks up on none of these historical or artistic distintions. What he does pick up on is a Trap!. The span over the pits has pressure plates covering it, and the ranger notices two large mauls carefully hidden in the sides of the span that look like they would spring up to slam those crossing the path. You could try to jam the mechanism with a Thievery check (if you're an expert) or perhaps find a deactivation method with Society to recall how that may have been set up by the ancient Osirions (also if you're an expert). Or try to avoid stepping on the bridge at all.

Manny looks in quiet contemplation at the statues. "Humility is a virtue, but it is nice to leave a legacy."

Manny is about to look closer when Anjo points out the traps. "Oh! Didn't see those. Anyone an expert at traps? Out of my realm of expertise."

”Let me evaluate the construction... Please don’t move just yet...” getting close enough to consult his vast cultural knowledge as well as expertise of traps...

Expert in both skills as well as Sothis Lore, would choose to roll against the lower DC if it’s possible to know! Or, the first method (with the fortune effect) over the second method (spent my Hero Points).

◇) Scholarly Recollection
◆/◆) Recall Knowledge w/ Ageless Patience
or
◆◆/◆◆) Disable Device w/ Ageless Patience

Society (Expert) or Thievery (Expert): 1d20 ⇒ 7

"My only experience with traps is to hit them with my sword and either duck or run. Want me to go check it out with you, Moonlight?"

Franzine moves forward with Moonlight and keeps watch in case anything bad happens.

Moonlight spends some time trying to discover where the Osirions might have put an override switch, but for now comes up empty...

The Society check would still be a check to Dsiable, not to Recall Knowledge (so Scholarly Recollection wouldn't work), though Ageless Patience still could. [ooc]currently trap not sprung/active so you can take the four actions without issue

That is still a Failure above, though not critically. The trap has not yet triggered and you can if you like. The Society DC is a bit lower (easier to find a bypass than jam the whole thing) and I will allow Aids from any proficiencies so long as the 'primary' roller is an Expert in the skill.