GM Jhaeman's PFS1 Module: "City of Golden Death" (Inactive)

Game Master Jhaeman

Rogarch spots some tracks but does not have the skill to follow them.

"Ting look here. Tracks!"

The Survival skill is needed here.

Hearing Rogarch ask him to come look at tracks, ting nods, heading that way. As he moves, he points back at the graffiti, "'At floggin' writtin' says somet'in' 'bout gold an' fire' an' floodin'. But I's'll appreciates it I'f'n one o' you's would's takes a look-see, wroight."

Moving near the sandy spot where Rogarch is searching, standing on one leg lifting the other ting bends over, his beak nearly touching the ground. Staring at the prints, still bent over he shifts to the other foot, lifting his original foot, continuing his observations.

track: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Goran scans for auras as the trackers do their thing.

As Ting looks at the tracks Rogarch spotted, Goran scans for magical auras.

Studying the tracks in the sand, ting hops along, following the tracks towards the northern exit. Stopping , he looks up from his bent over posture, "Air was abouts a dozen, of 'em." He points with one talon towards the north, "Ai's went 'at a ways, wroight." He points the other talon towards the tracks, "Came's straight throughs, they's did." He then nods his beak towards the gibberish written under the mural. "Didn't looks at tha floogin' writtin' at all."

Could someone with a high intelligence or Knowledge (engineering) check on the writing on the mural please.

Rogarch nods at Ting.

"Good work."

She is no genius but she calls Rawk-N-Role and the two of them try to make sense of the scribbling on the wall.

Rogarch, Intelligence check: 1d20 ⇒ 20

Rawk-N-Role, Intelligence check: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

Natural 20 is pretty good. :)

Rogarch and her rocky companion examine the scrawled phrases.

The DC was 20, so that's a spot of luck!

Rogarch deciphers the script but decides that the details are not immediately important.

"It describes flooding the city with a volume of molten gold. The amount of gold needed, the time it would take for this event to occur and how often this may happen."

"It would take hours to understand it better but I think that this should probably wait until we complete our mission time permitting of course."

"We need to move on now. The door is waiting. Is everyone ready?"

Well, now we all know why it is called the City of Golden Death. :)

Blinking, ting is surprised at Rogarch's quick understanding of the graffiti. Remembering the other ragers he's worked with over the years, he mumbles to himself, "Well's you's don't see 'at every day, wroight."

As Rogarch finished her dissertation and said they needed to move on, ting nods his beak. He gestures towards the North door with his exotic bastard sword, "Shall we's?" As he moves forwards, waiting long enough for the educated barbarian to join him.

If it's too dark to see he will use his ioun torch, taking 10 (22/25) on perception as they go

Rogarch nods at Ting and is ready to proceed.

The Pathfinders proceed through the large doorway doorway to the north and into the City of Golden Death proper.

A lightly glowing green fluorescence emanates from the cavern roof above, illuminating a once-great city now reduced to ash and rubble--but whose ruins are coated entirely in gold!

A large, covered bridge across a canal glows white-hot and emits a searing, golden light.

In the center of the bridge stands a man-shaped statue covered in fine gold plating, its carved face eerily human-like.

I put a picture of this statue on the left side of Slide # 1.

The flavor text doesn't really do justice to the enormity of this underground city. It's essentially separated into three rings. You're in the outer First Ring, which is mostly in ruins, with only a few intact buildings in clusters scattered throughout. Most of the streets are relatively free of debris, through what is there is coated in a thin layer of gold. The average height of the ceiling is 80 feet (!), with the gold line rising up to 40 feet. The floor slopes gradually up to the walls of the Second Ring, 20’ above the level of the canals. Try to visualise a massive underground city whose streets are paved with gold and lead gradually up towards a walled inner city. Later when I can access my hard copy, I'll see if I can share part of the map to make it clearer.

Goran eyes the once grand city.

The workmanship and grandeur of this place...simply amazing. Can you imagine this place just glowing underneath the light?

Rogarch is both amazed and alarmed by this strange and fantastic underground city.

"Indeed. The fact that the bridge is still white-hot is alarming. This is not a place where I would like to linger for too long."

"We should proceed and find these masked men as soon as possible but we need to be careful as well."

Rogarch turns to Ting.

"Do you think you can track the men we are following? This is a large city."

As they proceed through the northern door, ting puases his eyes widen, "You's don't see 'at every bloody day, now do's ya."

Looking from the golden buildings to the glowing bridge to the two piles of gold, he only half hears his companions' reactions. Hearing Rogarch say something about tracking the men, ting blinks. Looking from the gold piles back to his friend, he blinks again, "Wroight, masked men."

He looks back towards the piled gold on the bridge and shakes his head. "Sure, why's not? A'sides, I's always considered me'self a 'gems' boird, so's gold is jus' gold, wroight."

Looking at the two piles of gold longingly one lasat time, he turns his attention to tracking the masked men.

track: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

An atmosphere of uncanny stillness covers the ancient city, a vast cavernous space lit only by flickering, greenish phosphorescence on the arched ceiling and from the the glowing, molten-gold canals that break it into sections.

Background light here is Dim Light. If you wish to change that with light sources, let me know. I'm going to put up a partial map on Slide # 2, and some more general features in the Discussion thread.

Goran gets out his ioun torch, knowing he can't see a blessed thing in the dark.

Wanting to make sure he can follow the tracks accurately ting sets his ioun torch spinning about his conical Sedge-grass hat. Lulling his tongue in a tengu smile when he realizes the tracks head straight towards the bridge where the gold is piled up waiting for them. Looking up he points towards the bridge, "Ai's is headed fer tha floggin' bridge, wroight." With a bit of a skip in his step, he starts to head that direction, keeping a keen eye out as he goes.

Just because he's greedy, doesn't mean he's stupid. He will move slow enough so he can take 10(22/25) on perception as he goes.

Rogarch holds out an arm to block Ting's progress.

"Wait a moment. I want to make sure that bridge is not too hot before you step upon it!"

"Goran can you summon some water on the bridge? If it is really hot we will know immediately."

The temperature on the bridge is uncertain at this point considering how hot the canal is. :)

Good idea... the priest says with a nod and creates a few buckets of water to coat a section of the bridge.

Pausing as Rogarch extends a hand, ting realizes that testing the 'temperature' of the bridge may not be a bad idea. He really didn't want to buy a new pair of boots if he didn't have to. Stopping with the bloodrager he watches to see what happens to the water as it materializes on the 'hot' bridge.

Goran uses magic to conjure a spray of water on the bridge. It doesn't sizzle, indicating the span's temperature isn't excessive. But the water creates an unforeseen danger! Suddenly, the gold-covered statue in the center of the bridge swirls its head toward the cleric and starts moving towards him!

We will move to Initiative.

@Goran: I don't see create water on your list of spells prepared. Is this from a magic item? I'm not fussed about it now, but it'll be useful to know going forward.

Initiative (Round 1)

Candledark
Goran
Golden Guardian
Rogarch+Rawk
Ting

Bold should go!

This encounter is on Slide # 3. No special terrain notes, though I suggest not falling in the channel of molten lava.

my bad...i swapped Light out for Create water on my Sept 7 post...and forgot to make the note on my sheet...sorry...

That's...not good... goran says as he summons a gleaming scimitar to help deal with the construct.

spiritual scimitar: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 231d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Goran conjures a gleaming spiritual scimitar, and it strikes true! But instead of damaging the shimmering golden statue, it suddenly blinks out of existence!

@Goran: The spiritual weapon hit but was then dispelled. It's reasonable for you to surprise that this thing is at least somewhat resistant to magic.

Candledark is up.

Candledark has been hovering in the back all this time, at once amused and annoyed by Rogarch's sudden compulsion to "take charge". The Sun-Folk can hardly help it, he reasons; much like their precious sun, they can hardly fathom, let alone abide, the notion of a void going unfilled...

...also, there's been the manner of all this blasted gleam of gold; talk about too much of a good thing! Luckily, he's managed to get his bearings by the time danger arises.

Knowledge (Arcana) on 'statue': 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

Although seeing the fate of Goran's "miraculous" sword gives him cause for concern, the lower half of his mask (somehow!) twists into a grotesque, oversized grin.

I might just need more rope after this...! He thinks as he withdraws a length of fine silk rope and tosses it toward the mouth of the bridge, where it eerily lands and perfectly secures itself on both ends, waiting to foil the lumbering golden lump's likely charge....

ranged touch attack, if necessary (not sure it would be in this case): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Candledark sets a trap for the animated statue! As the shimmering construct lumbers forward, the rope snakes around its legs, slowing it! But the rope is already alight from the heat given off by the statue, and won't last long!

The statue tried to charge Goran but failed the Reflex save vs Candledark's animate rope. It is now entangled. However, the silk rope took 1 hp of damage from contact with the statue's body and only has 3 hp left.

Initiative (Round 1)

Candledark
Goran
Golden Guardian (charged, entangled)
Rogarch+Rawk
Ting

Bold should go!

This encounter is on Slide # 3. No special terrain notes, though I suggest not falling in the channel of molten lava.

His beak agape Ting nods with approval at Candledarks rope trick, ting nods to the Wayang, "Bloody good trap, wroight." Turning back to Rogarch he nods towards the gold creature, asking, "If'n I's goes ta tha other side can you's er Rawk set's up a flank on 'is side?"

Just a little talking, waiting to see if either of them can set up a flank for ting.

Rogarch tries to remember anything she might know about the strange gold creature.

Knowledge-Arcana: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

The warrior takes advantage of the tethered creature and throws a ball of snow and ice at the construct.

Snowball, to hit touch AC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
Damage, Cold: 5d6 ⇒ (5, 1, 3, 1, 5) = 15

SR check, CL5: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

"This one seems to be a hot one! Watch out!"

@GM Jhaeman - Is the creature wielding a reach weapon? I am not quite sure from the included picture.

At a signal from his master Rawk-N-Role stands his ground.

Knowledge-Arcana: 1d20 ⇒ 13

Watching Rogarch throw a snowball at the golden soldier, Ting recognizes that attacking from range while the creature was entangled might be wise. Studying the golden creature while he drew a chakram, the throws the chakram at the construct.

move action: Studied target, draws weapon with move action, ranged attack: chakram
attack: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 10 + 2 = 21 for damage: 1d8 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 2 = 9

"Come to think of it, I have heard of these," Candledark announces. "Their most common name is despicably unimaginative; might as well refer to it however you wish, but suffice it to say they are the most fitting guardian conceivable for the 'City of Golden Death'. I wouldn't get too close unless I had some ward against fire; they burn as bright as they look," He adds with a quick sad glance at his rope. "It all comes from the core of pure, molten gold at their center...and if we destroy it, the whole thing will explode."

Rogarch's magical snowball hits the Golden Guardian right in chest, knocking it back a few inches! Ting takes advantage of the moment to hurl a chakram, but the hardened exterior of the construct resists most of the force of its impact.

Rogarch's attack hit and did damage. The construct failed its Fortitude save and is staggered for 1 round.

Ting's attack hit and did some damage, but there must be some DR at work.

@Rogarch: Nope, no reach weapon.

Initiative (Round 2)

Candledark
Goran
Golden Guardian (charged, entangled, staggered)
Rogarch+Rawk
Ting

Bold should go!

@GM Jhaeman - Unfortunately the Snowball spell has been nerfed hard. It is no longer a Conjuration spell and has SR now. It also does not have the staggered rider effect that it had before. It is still a reasonable spell (like a ranged Shocking Grasp) but is no longer the monster that it was before. :)

The Golden Guardian hesitates for a second, but then shakes off the effect of Rogarch's snowball!

@Rogarch: Oh, thanks for your honesty! That's what I get for lazy googling :) Unfortunately the caster level check fails vs SR.

Archives of Nethys is the official site and you can find your answers there fast. You should be able to get most answers to any question in one minute or less with a few clicks at most. :)

Well, we might as well take advantage of its predicament... Goran says as he moves up and tries to tear a piece off with his scimitar

attack, adamantine: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 171d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Goran rushes forward, adamantine scimitar raised high! Entangled by the rope, the animated statue can't duck in time as the blade cuts deep into its shoulder!

Goran's attack hit and did full damage.

Candledark is up (or I can bot in the morning).

Candledark moves to the side for a shot at the Golden Guardian with his darkwood crossbow! The bolt hits true but crumples without penetrating the animated statue's hardened exterior!

Botting Candledark. Move action and then attack. The attack hits but doesn't get through DR.

The bridge's inhuman defender begins to silently pummel Goran with its gleaming metallic fists!

Two slams vs Goran. Both hit. Goran, you take 17 damage from the first hit and 11 damage from the second hit. (some of the damage is fire damage, so let me know if you have any resistance.

At the end of the round, the rope takes 5 more points of fire damage and is destroyed (removing the entangled condition). Candledark, please scratch one rope!

Initiative (Round 2)

Candledark
Goran
Golden Guardian
Rogarch+Rawk
Ting

Bold should go!

Rogarch looks suitably impressed at the mighty golden construct.

"He hits hard too. Alright, we are smarter than him. I hope. I will try to trip him and then we can try to skirmish with him."

The Bloodrager steps up and then draws her long sword. A wand comes shooting out of her spring-loaded wrist sheath in her other hand. A word of power is spoken and her long sword elongates to a great length and then attempts to trip the Golden Guardian before returning to its regular shape.

Trip vs CMD, Blade Lash bonus: 1d20 + 9 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 9 + 10 = 27

Blade Lash is a trip attack out to 20 feet with a +10 bonus. It allows no saving throw and does not allow SR either (SR=NO).

Rawk-N-Role moves further away. He understands that due to the creature's extreme heat he should only help if the situation turns dire.

[ooc]Goran has fire resistance 10[/dice]

The Golden Guardian is pulled to the ground by a tremendous yank from Rogarch's conjured whip!

Rogarch succeeds in tripping the foe. It is now prone.

@Goran: Great, the fire resistance absorbs 5 from the first hit and 4 from the second hit.

Ting is up.

Unable to resist the urge to strike the construct while it is down, Ting moves forwards drawing his Coldiron sawtooth sabre in his right talon. Lifting the exotic bastard sword in his left talon he strikes at the fallen construct. Unfortunately, in all the excitement, he only manages to sink the tip of his blade into the ground.

move action: 20 ft, draws weapon with move action, studied target: + 1 exotic bastard sword PA, FF.
attack: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 2 = 14 for damage: 1d8 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 4 = 12

As Ting's blade takes a chunk out of the gilded pavement, the animated statue gets ponderously to its feet before continuing implacably with its original mission: destroy Goran!

Ting's initial attack misses, but standing provokes an AoO from both Ting and Goran (and you get a +4 bonus on the rolls because it counts as prone while standing up).

The creature does one slam attack vs Goran, but also rolls a nat 1!.

Initiative (Round 3)

Candledark
Goran (+AoO)
Golden Guardian
Rogarch+Rawk
Ting (AoO)

Bold should go!

Seeing the creature stand, ting lifts his blade and swings again.

AoO studied target: + 1 exotic bastard sword PA, FF.
AoO attack: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 2 = 14 for damage: 1d8 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 4 = 14 wow, two in a row....