Just using CRB. There may be more clarity in another product. Feel free to point me to a source.
My CRB lists the description of DC 15 as: "Any surface with adequate handholds and footholds (natural or artificial), such as a very rough natural rock surface or a tree, or an unknotted rope, or pulling yourself up when dangling by your hands"
"You don't know when to give up and surrender, do you? Well, you have only yourself to blame if you meet your god much sooner as planned..."
Merida steps into a flanking position with Menudo and attacks again
Merida's strike provides little more than a distraction.
But, that was all Menudo needed.
COMBAT OVER
The woman's body sports a chain shirt, a masterwork heavy flail, and a holy symbol of Groetus. The half-orcs each had a chain shirt and a club.
Queck heads to some of the doors and knocks. "You can come out. They are all dead or gone."
The doors open and and a couple of her fellow engineers emerge. Upon seeing the Pathfinders, they begin to explain that about an hour ago, more cultists left with six captive engineers— the six engineers who are most knowledgeable on the subject of ancient Cassomir construction. "The cultists came here and ransacked our guild. They stole ancient city plans—not to mention kidnapping six of my best engineers!"
“They demanded we hand over any blueprints that detailed the Crypt of Fools," Queck adds. "They said something about keeping the location of hidden tunnels a secret.”
Any more questions for Queck or the other engineers?
Paladin 5 - AC 22 T 12 FF 21 CMD 18- HP 36/36 -Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +6 , Init +3 Perc +2, Sense M +0, Smite 0/2, LoH 0/4, Base Speed 20
Menudo retrieves his two dropped wands.
Then, he scans the engineers for evil, though their auras are likely too weak to read at all... But should there be a dark cleric, or even a thrice damned anti-paladin hiding among them...
Without even asking first, Menudo walks over to Nightkit and gives her a tap with his curing wand.
Merida shrugs, when Menudo's blade separates the woman's head from her body.
I assumed a hard hit like that smite would do that to her - especially, as she was already low on hp...
"See? Told you so." She sheathes her sword and goes to retrieve her bow, answering Kit over her shoulder: "I know, right? I love it!"
Afterwards, she joins the conversation with the engineers. "Kidnapping?!" She frowns. "These cultists will pay for that. I promise we will free your engineers!"
"Master Queck, did you hand over all the blueprints that detailed the Crypt of Fools or did you manage to hide and therefore keep some of them? Also, if anyone here knows something about the Crypt, especially about hidden tunnels, now is the time to speak up. And if you have anything besides knowledge that might aid us on our rescue mission, your kidnapped comrades - and we - would highly appreciate it."
Might come in handy.... he says as he turns to the engineers.Where is the Crypt? Do you have a map or can you quickly make one?
someone wanna check for magic...just in case...
No magic auras are present on the villains' items.
"The Crypt is a secret graveyard, long fallen from use, where traitorous families were buried, or in some cases re-buried, to scrub their stain from Taldan history." Queck explains. "“The entrance lies under an ancient fountain hidden somewhere below Old Cassomir, though the knowledge of its exact location was lost some time ago and finding it presents a bit of a problem. A legend among engineers tells of a series of hidden clues within three Cassomir monuments. These clues yield three locations which, when triangulated, give the location of the surface entrance to the Crypt of Fools; they also show the combination required to unlock the entrance. Look for old buildings built by the Ismacco family, whom we’ve long suspected used the Crypt of Fools as the base of their heinous operations after it fell from use."
Merida Bowie wrote:
"Master Queck, did you hand over all the blueprints that detailed the Crypt of Fools or did you manage to hide and therefore keep some of them? Also, if anyone here knows something about the Crypt, especially about hidden tunnels, now is the time to speak up. And if you have anything besides knowledge that might aid us on our rescue mission, your kidnapped comrades - and we - would highly appreciate it."
"As a matter of fact," notes Queck, reaching for a container. "I have four potions of cure light wounds and a wand of detect secret doors that still has a few charges on it (5 charges). You are welcome to have them if you think them useful."
The gnome engineer pauses thoughtfully for a moment, then she inquires, "Were you surprised when you found us? If you hadn't planned to mount a rescue, what brought you here?"
f N human Wizard 5 | HP 32/32 | AC 16 T 12 FF 14 | CMD 14 | F+3 R+3 W+4 | Init +2
Magic:
Color Spray 3, Feather Fall 1, Ray of Enfeeblement 1, Shield 1 | Blindness/Deafness 0, Ghoul Touch 1, Mirror Image 0 | Fireball 0, Halt Undead 0 || A-Bond -
I'll take the wand. Ashtoret seems to ignore the whole conversation, staring at the cleanly severed head with fascination. Her eyes, as usual, are empty and cold.
Ah ... yeah. We've been following the trail of these Groetus cultists who have been involved in kidnappings and put a stop to it. Guess you guys got caught up in it. Presumably that crypt is our next clue
Ah ... yeah. We've been following the trail of these Groetus cultists who have been involved in kidnappings and put a stop to it. Guess you guys got caught up in it. Presumably that crypt is our next clue
"If you have been following these cultists, then perhaps they have led you to one of the three Cassomir monuments needed to find the Crypt's entance?" One of the other engineers surmises.
Menudo wrote:
"Defilers..." says Menudo with disdain.
Theron Randallas wrote:
Aye...more vermin to be exterminated. I'm not a religious type...but that doesn't sit with with me...to the crypt!
"Defilers? Exterminated?" mulls Queck. "Then, you haven't been able to get useful information from any one of the cultists? Too bad. They are are an unhinged lot, for certain. But, I suppose that none of them would be so crazed as to point you in the direction of any of the three monuments."
"The entrance lies under an ancient fountain hidden somewhere below Old Cassomir, though the knowledge of its exact location was lost some time ago and finding it presents a bit of a problem. A legend among engineers tells of a series of hidden clues within three Cassomir monuments. These clues yield three locations which, when triangulated, give the location of the surface entrance to the Crypt of Fools; they also show the combination required to unlock the entrance. Look for old buildings built by the Ismacco family, whom we’ve long suspected used the Crypt of Fools as the base of their heinous operations after it fell from use."
"Thank you for your help, Master Queck. We should go and try to find the three monuments, then."
Paladin 5 - AC 22 T 12 FF 21 CMD 18- HP 36/36 -Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +6 , Init +3 Perc +2, Sense M +0, Smite 0/2, LoH 0/4, Base Speed 20
"Perhaps we could haul one of the bodies to a church, have them interrogate the corpse itself? Even if it requires a donation, it would be cheaper than a scroll..."
Nightkit is quite content to let the smarter members of the party sort this out, although she does remind them of the Hall of Records that the Mad Painter drew on the wall.
Nightkit is quite content to let the smarter members of the party sort this out, although she does remind them of the Hall of Records that the Mad Painter drew on the wall.
"Did you say the 'Hall of Records'?" asks Queck. "Do you mean the Imperial Hall of Records? That, like several other structures in Cassomir, was build by the Ismacco family. In addition to the Imperial Hall of Records, they built the Admiralty Citadel and the Harbor Watch; they laid the stone that makes up the square around Pharasma’s Pulpit and they built retaining walls to shore up some of the ruins at Quickfall Abbey.”
"The construction of the entire Swift Prison was headed by Ismacco engineers. Why, that statue in front of the prison was also an Ismacco design." she continues. "I’ve been asking the city to destroy that Groetus-festooned statue for years.”
Where to, Pathfinders? Pick a monument, any monument.
Nightkit just shrugs. It just seems reasonable to me that, since it was painted on the wall, it may have been a clue. But yeah, let's get going. There may be more fun to be had.
She also notes down the names of the other buildings in her note book.
Each PC may attempt a Perception check. Please indicate where it is that you are looking.
Perception (DC 15):
You recognize locate a small letter "I" symbol in the heart of the southwestern bas-relief, which resembles a symbol that you have seen before. The symbol seems affixed to the opening of a secret compartment, but it is locked tight.
If someone casts detect magic, you may open the spoiler below:
Spoiler:
The compartment is locked with a powerful magical ward.
Any PC(s) may attempt Arcana, Spellcraft, and/or Disable Device check(s).
"Ah, here. This small letter "I" symbol looks like it should open something, but it seems to be locked tight. Maybe you can look at it as well?"
Merida concludes that the "I" symbol marks the presence of a hidden compartment. She concludes that the lock that is holding it is likely a superior lock.
If someone casts detect magic:
You detect a faint magical on the superior lock, which suggests that a magical ward has been placed on it.
If you succeed at a DC 16 Arcana check, you may open the spoiler below:
Spoiler:
You determine that the magical aura is one of abjuration.
If you succeed at a DC 21 Arcana check, you may open the spoiler below:
Spoiler:
You determine that the magical aura is one of abjuration and that the ward on the superior lock acts as an arcane lock, but that the ward can be dismissed with an appropriate password or other sound.
DC 50 Disable Device to open.
If you succeed at a DC 18 Spellcraft check, you may open the spoiler below:
Spoiler:
You determine that the magical aura is warding the superior lock, but that the ward can be dismissed with an appropriate password or other sound.
In one of the paintings that you viewed previously, this bas-relief within southwest corner of the building where the locked compartment lies glows a bright white. The figure depicted in the painting is a traditionally Taldan version of Aroden, who is attempting to sooth a group of frightened children by playing a flute—the notes were actually painted above him on the canvas.
Knowledge (local) (DC 15):
You recognized the notes painted on the canvas as being a Taldan song that is often sung or hummed as a children’s lullaby.
Diplomacy (DC 10) to successfully ask a bystander:
You recruit a Cassomirite. Upon hearing a description of the ruins, she postulates that it may epresent the northeastern retaining wall that shores up some of the ruined towers of the ancient Quickfall Abbey in hopes of pointing you in the right direction.
If there is more to this puzzle, it must lie elsewhere.
