Thread for #3-08: Foundation's Price and #3-12: Fury's Toll (Inactive)

Game Master Eric Parker 82

Nic indicates the potions, then looks quizzically at the rest of the party.

"It's a party, Nic. Drink up!"

Slipp downs a beer and offers the other two around.

Martin enters the room and takes the potions. "I guess nobody will object to us taking these?". He puts them in his backpack. He then observes the trophy case.

Junior quietly ducks into the room to take a look around. A good place to lay a trap, or play a trick..

Trying to remember, but is that statue tied to a previous scenario?

Junior passes on the current beer.

I have moved you over to the next set of double doors, just to move things along.

A dozen plain wooden chairs surround the long, elliptical table that takes up the center of this room. The table is currently empty, but it has been set with a tablecloth in anticipation of the feast scheduled to cap off today’s celebrations. The double door facing the courtyard has been propped open, while the doors leading to the prayer hall Map Right is only open on one side.

Nic moves silently through the room, careful not to touch anything, before peering through the door to the prayer hall.

Sorry, totally missed this one yesterday!

Junior creeps into the room quietly, intent on checking for more tricks or traps, while expecting some other sort of Safa related ambush. He locks eyes with Nic, waiting for some sort of report on the prayer hall.

A bronze plaque installed into the stone wall assures all visitors that, although this prayer hall was designed in deference to Qadira’s patron goddess, travelers of all faiths are welcome within. One side of the double door currently stands open, and through it echoes the light refrain of a song that would seem more at place in a tavern than a house of worship.

Inside, three rows of pews and three of prayer rugs flank a carpeted isle leading straight to the altar, above which hangs a life-sized wooden statue of Sarenrae in her traditional pose, her arms and wings outstretched. The statue is also the source of the music, as the wooden goddess’s mouth moves to sing a bawdy, blasphemous ballad about Sarenrae, her lovers Desna and Shelyn, and the sorts of things they get up to during a weekend bender with Cayden Cailean.

A tall man with ash-gray skin stands at the altar, his cold, silver eyes narrowed upon the statue and his shoulders tense with barely contained anger. Sarenrae’s holy symbol dangles prominently from the chain around his neck. This man is Agdal Karga,, who arrived at the party with an indifferent attitude toward the Society but is now unfriendly due to this blasphemous display. Agdal feels that his faith and goddess are being mocked, and he’s slowly edging toward a hostile attitude, which would lead him to speak up in outrage and storm away from the party.

Soothing his ire is much easier if you first disable the irreverent spell without harming the statue of Sarenrae.

You might want to try and locate the source of the spell with Detect Magic, Read Aura or a Percption Check?

Lacking arcane training, Nic trusts to his skill at observation.

Perception check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Slipp looks disgustedly at the statue. "Someone is playing tricks!" they say. Then, leaning closer to the priest the gnome notes.
"But I suspect it is someone trying to influence you against the Pathfinders. There is no reason they would bring you here to listen to this, now is there?"

diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

The gnome wiggles their fingers for a moment. "Look, a spell!"

Casts detect magic

Nic and Slipp work together to locate an enchanted disk on the back of the Statue’s neck.

Disabling the Rune: You can disable the rune either by damaging it with a weapon Strike or by succeeding at a DC 20 Crafting or Thievery check, assuming you can reach it. A critical failure on a check to disable the rune damages the statue. Small or Medium characters with normal reach must succeed at a DC 15 Acrobatics check to climb the altar.

The statue, and by extension the rune, has AC 13 and Hardness 5 and any amount of damage is enough to end the spell; however, a party member who attempts this attack with a weapon that doesn’t have the finesse trait must critically succeed to avoid damaging the statue. For a weapon with the finesse trait, the statue is only damaged by a failed attack roll.

Nic motions Junior over and points to the rune. "I believe that you have a better chance to remove that than I do."

Ooh. Let me try something here...

Martin tries to analyze the situation and thinks of something. He makes a simple gesture and a monkey pops out of thin air. He then commands the monkey to disable the rune on top of the statue.

Jaw: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Piercing: 1d6 ⇒ 1

The monkey has a climb speed of 20 ft. Would it still need an Acrobatics check? If so...

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 Darn. Can it try again?
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Junior winces as his eyes and ears take in the scene, complete with the angry priest. He's seen some angry priests in his day, speaking in loud, righteous voices when they catch you delving into ancient, hidden tombs or shrines. "I've got this. Get that monkey down from there."

He waits for the monkey to clear the area before trying to climb up and disable the device at the back of the statue.

"Don't worry, I've almost got it..."

MArtin summons a Monkey to disable the Rune. Unfortunately the Monkey has trouble getting up to the statue. Even when it does get up the statue it realizes it will have a hard time damaging the enchanted disk (Hardness 5 and the Monkey only does a max of 6 damage).

JR decides he can be better than the Monkey. He climbs up to the statue easily and after a couple of false starts with his Thieves' tools, he manages to disable the Rune and the Statue become as silent as a statue?

Agdal Karga is still obviously displeased with the situation.

Once you disable the statue you can attempt to Make an Impression with a DC 18 Diplomacy check. You can substitute Religion or Society for Diplomacy, but doing so raises the DC to 20. Agdal only gives the party time for one attempt(each implied) to Make an Impression.

The list below doesn't imply any order to who acts. It is simply a mechanism for me to track who has or has not acted.

Bold may act

Nic Blackwillow 28/28 HP
Hui Kong 21/38 HP
Junior 33/33 HP
Martin Amblecrown 60/60 HP
Slipp 46/48 HP, Item bonus Will saves +1, or +2 vs fear

Nic keeps quiet, letting the more articulate party members talk.

Diplomacy DC18: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

"There you go!" says Slipp.

"Now it is just a matter of finding the malefactor. Do you know anyone who would want to drive a wedge between yourself and the Pathfinders?"

diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

Hui Kong does his absolute best not to burst out into giggles at the sight of the singing Sarenrae, and (mostly) succeeds, mainly by hiding behind his party members.

When he has gotten himself under control, he approaches Agdal, shaking his head.
"Sigh, what blasphemy. Rest assured we Pathfinders will hunt down the malefactor. For now, let's set this unfortunate episode aside for now. After all, the Dawnflower does preach temperance in all matters, and there is a crowd here, no?"

society DC20: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

"We do not tolerate this type of misdeed. But we are sorry you had to witness such blasphemy."

Agdal is particularly impressed by Slipp's question and gets lost in thought for a moment.

Agdal Karga composes himself for a moment before he replies:
Perhaps I was hasty in judging the Pathfinder Society. Qadira is a land of strange and unpredictable magic—and I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions and blamed the Society for this outrageous display.

Please take this token as an apology for my rush to judgement.

He hands you a +1 striking scimitar.

"Thank you, sir." Nic bows, leaving the scimitar for a stronger hand than his.

With that resolved, the halfling returns to the courtyard and continues clockwise to the last set of double doors. If they're open, he'll peer through.

Nic looks in the last set of double doors and sees

LOUNGE
This brightly lit room offers enough space and comfortable seating for a dozen people to relax at the same time.

A dozen or so guests in fine clothing make good use of this cozy lounge, a space designed to fulfill exactly this purpose. While one trio in the corner seems fairly embroiled with their card game, the rest form a rough cluster near the center of the room, clearly enjoying the drinks that have been so readily provided. The heart of the party seems to revolve around a young elf whose wispy, sunset-colored hair floats around his head, betraying an ancestral connection to the plane of air. He seems, at first glance, to be performing some sort of mime routine. Certainly, his friends seem to take it that way, egging him on as he presses his hands flat against nothing, feeling out the shape of the invisible box pressing in on him from all sides.

To the slightly less inebriated eye, however, the expression on the young elf’s face is clearly not one of amusement, but of barely-controlled panic. His stance is rigid, his chest heaves, and his knees begin to shake. Whatever he thinks is happening to him, it must feel very, very real.

From the description you received earlier, you realize the trapped elf is Khayrat al-Maren.

Distracting the Guests: The first step to helping Khayrat is to distract his friends via a successful DC 15 Deception, Performance, or Society check. If you try to help Khayrat without first distracting the guests, Khayrat’s friends tell you that you’re ruining the performance and try to keep you at bay. If you persist, one of Khayrat’s friends pulls one of you aside and informs you that even if Khayrat is truly in distress, he’d be humiliated if the crowd found out, so it’s best if you distract the other guests first.

Freeing Khayrat: While at least one of you holds the crowd’s attention, the rest of the party can attempt to calm Khayrat by, for example, using Arcana or Occultism to help him understand that the illusion isn’t real, Medicine to coach him through a calming breathing exercise, or Diplomacy to help him realize the illogical nature of his perceived situation; whatever approach you take, you must attempt a DC 19 check, and you need 2 successful checks (or one critical success) to help Khayrat break free of the illusion.

The first time one of these checks fails, you are free to continue your attempts.

For every failed check thereafter, however, the party member(s) acting as a distraction must attempt another Deception, Performance, or Society check to retain the other guests’ attention. The DC increases by 2 for each subsequent distraction check after the first.

Once again, just to track who has acted.

Nic Blackwillow 28/28 HP
Hui Kong 21/38 HP
Junior 33/33 HP
Martin Amblecrown 60/60 HP
Slipp 46/48 HP, Item bonus Will saves +1, or +2 vs fear

Slipp takes out their flue.

"Good thing I brought this with me today!" they smile.

Setting onto the back of a comfortable chair, Slipp starts to play a haunting melody. You can almost hear the birds singing in the forest and the fall of leaves as Summer turns to Autumn.

perform: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Slipp's music entrances the group and they all turn to watch her.

This means no one is paying attention to Khayrat and the rest of you can attempt the checks to extract them from the illusionary box.

Since that was a critical success, I am going to give you an extra failure before you have to start making additional checks to distract.

Nic Blackwillow 28/28 HP
Hui Kong 21/38 HP
Junior 33/33 HP
Martin Amblecrown 60/60 HP
Slipp 46/48 HP, Item bonus Will saves +1, or +2 vs fear

Please let me know who took the scimitar.

Hui Kong frowns as he steps right up to the "trapped" elf, and sticks his arm right through the "wall" and grabs his shoulder.

"Look, it's not real!"

arcana: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

No scimitar for me, I really need to use finesse weapons if I can help it.

Junior studies the room, a relaxing party scene soon devolves into yet another one of Safa's tricks "That Elf needs a hand." He mutters aloud just after Slipp starts her fabulous flute playing and Hui Kong starts to get the man's attention, explaining just how illusion magic usually works.

Arcana DC19: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Arcana DC19: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

AFAICT, in the current party Hui Kong is the only one who can use it and carry it. Nic and Junior can use it (yay for Remastered!), but it'd overload Nic.

Hui Kong's critical success Natural 20 means a quick escape from the box for Khayrat.

Once Khayrat is free of the illusion, he regains his composure quickly and communicates his gratitude quietly to your group before re-entering the conversation in the lounge, his friends none the wiser. His attitude toward the Society thus improves from indifferent to friendly.

Khayrat slips you some items as a reward for your help. He gives you a ladder feather token, which he had intended to use to perform a stunt for his friends.
He also gives you three minor healing potions which he had intended to use if the stunt went poorly.

Before we move along, I'd liketo remind you that Hui Kong took quite a bit of damage in "The floor is Lava" prank that hasn't been healed that I can find.

Slipp smiles their thanks to Khayrat.

"You look like you could use a drink Hui. And after getting Khayrat out of his cage... I think you deserve one." they say, handing over the healing potions. "Drink up. It's a party."

Drink up Hui!

Oh forgot about the damage.

During some lull, Hui Kong concentrates briefly, summoning some divine energy source within to heal his wounds. (Lay on Hands, healing 12HP each time. I assume there would be enough time to recover his focus points repeatedly? If so, he won't touch the healing potions.)

Hui Kong won't use the scimitar either as a twisting tree magus, but if no one else if proficient, he'll hold on to it for emergencies.

Junior thanks the man for his gifts, then chats up the group while Hui recovers himself. "With time the Society will be a boon to the local people, as both academic and economic resources. In times of need they can also be relied on for specialized combative support."

Very well. You would have had time to heal and refocus, since there isn't a timeline between challenges. I have reset everyone to full HP.

Shortly after you solve the last of Safa’s pranks, the lodge suddenly falls unnaturally quiet, and you find yourselves standing in the northernmost section of the courtyard.

The color of every surface and object has taken on a muted tone. The constant hustle and bustle of the party that has followed you from room to room is simply gone. All of the guests, the staff and your fellow Pathfinders have vanished. You are now completely alone in Sedeq Lodge (along with any animal companions or minions that were with you)

Nic looks around, worried, and draws his rapier. "I'm guessing that this is it."

"I'm guessing that we are not in the Lodge any more.." suggests Slipp.

They look around, interested in the changes.

"I mean it looks like the lodge... but the change in colour and lack of people... think this is the Shadow Lodge?"

Martin tries to detect the presence of magic in the room.

Junior also goes extra silent, not that he's a particularly chatty fellow. "Yes, who knows just what's happened, but I think we can be sure that Safa or her binder is responsible. Prepare for another confrontation." He starts looking around the immediate room for clues as to what's going on.

You all hear a voice

“Pathfinders! Your desperate attempts to secure allies are disgusting. Such pathetic fools! You have no place in my city. If you were truly strong, as I am, you would not need allies at all—you would command servants to do your bidding! I, Fasiel ibn Sazadin, have become a genie binder, in spite of the Society’s meddling! I shall soon be master of Sedeq, and I shall start by eliminating you!”

The voice grows quieter, but no less angry. “Safa, I command you! Bring me to the battlefield!”

Safa appears above the fountain, hovering with their head tilted to one side as they consider the command. “Of course, Fasiel. As you wish.” A man walks out of the courtyard’s maintenance closet. He wears the garb of a Qadiran aristocrat, and his two antlers protrude awkwardly from his lopsided hat. His face is a deep, unnatural red. He shouts, “Summon a powerful minion for me, then stay back! I’ll show these Pathfinders myself what it means to be a true genie binder!”

Safa furrows their brow, then grins. “A minion. Of course— your favorite kind.” Safa weaves magic through the air. A gout of flames roars up from the fountain, and a muscular, twelve-foot-tall horned woman with flaming red skin and smoldering eyes steps forward. Fresh bits of charred flesh cling to her flaming scimitar. “You dare to summon me, Safa?! Shouldn’t you still be skulking about in the ether?! Explain, now. Or die.”

Safa shrugs, points at Fasiel, and says, “He did it.”

Fasiel shouts, “Marvelous! Yes, it is I, Fasiel ibn Sazadin, who commands you! Efreeti, obey my—”

The flaming woman screams in irritation, cutting off Fasiel’s words. “Shut up, skelm! You disgust me. I have no time for this—Safa, don’t ever do that again.”

With another roar of flames, the efreeti is gone, and creatures of fire and steam pour out of the fountain.

Safa winks and vanishes.

Fasiel moves toward the party, unleashes a tirade of expletives, and throws a rock to Hui Kong.

◆ Stride

◆ Frightening Rant

◆ Punishing Strike

FASIEL ATTACKS : Round 1

Bold may act

Fasiel - HP, Off Guard
Martin Amblecrown 60/60 HP, DC 22 Will Save or Frightened for Mavenee
Smoky Rat- Yellow - HP
Hui Kong 21/38 HP, DC 22 Will Save or Frightened
Green - HP
Red - HP
Nic Blackwillow 28/28 HP, DC 22 Will Save or Frightened
Junior 33/33 HP
Slipp 48/48 HP, DC 22 Will Save or Frightened, Item bonus Will saves +1, or +2 vs fear

Mavenee Will Save: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

Martin supports Mavenee with a couple of spells and the eidolon charges towards Fasiel, though with slight hesitation.

Horn, Frightened 1: 1d20 + 11 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 11 - 1 = 16
Piercing: 2d8 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (6, 7) + 4 + 4 = 21

◈Protect Companion, ◈◈Act Together (◈Boost Eidolon, ◈◈Beast Charge)

DC 22 Will save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Slipp listens to the genie binders words with interest.
will, potion: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 9 + 2 = 29

"Gnomes are no Genie." they remark. "I doubt your tricks would work on us. But we do have our own..."

Mavenee is affected by Fasiel's rant. They move forward to attack anyway, but miss.

The rat like creature wreathed in smoke (Mechanically concealed) moves around the fountain and attacks Fasiel, and then Mavenee.

◆ Stride

◆ Strike at Fasiel

jaws (finesse): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
fire Damage plus 1d4 persistent fire: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

◆ Strike at Mavenee

jaws (finesse): 1d20 + 10 - 5 ⇒ (15) + 10 - 5 = 20
fire Damage plus 1d4 persistent fire: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

I assume that the "Protect Companion" action pushes Mavenee's AC above 20.

The smoky rat misses with both attacks. It is, however, protected by a cloud of smoke which provides concealment and might sicken anyone who spends too much time there.
Mechanically, A creature that enters the emanation or begins its turn there must succeed at a DC 22 Fortitude save or become sickened 1.

Fasiel Fort save DC 22: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17
Green Fort save DC 22: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27

FASIEL ATTACKS : Round 1

Bold may act

Fasiel - HP, Off Guard, Sickened 1
Martin Amblecrown 60/60 HP, Mavenee DC 22 Fort save or Sickened 1
Smoky Rat- Yellow - HP
Hui Kong 38/38 HP, DC 22 Will Save or Frightened
Green - HP
Red - HP
Nic Blackwillow 28/28 HP, Frightened 1
Junior 33/33 HP
Slipp 48/48 HP, Item bonus Will saves +1, or +2 vs fear

Mavenee Fort Save: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

will DC22: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Just checking. Didn't Hui Kong's HP drop to 21? How did it go back up to 38?

Recently found out that Arcane Cascade has been errata'ed that it must be activated in the same turn as casting a spell. That changes strategies quite a bit.

Hui Kong feels a wave of unnatural fear gripping him, but he fights on, raising his staff to send a blast of freezing cold at Fasiel.
ray of frost, frightened 1: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (5) + 8 - 1 = 12 cold: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 2) + 3 = 8

He then starts spinning his staff, trapping some essence of its power in his weapon.

◆◆ Cast Spell (Ray of Frost)
◆ Arcane Cascade

Hui Kong had used a Hero Point earlier. Just wondering if Hero Points have been awarded thus far, and if so, did he get any? :)

My mistake. I thought I had forgotten to bring you back to full, and forgot you had already been hit.

Additional Hero Points awarded to Martin, Nic and Junior.

Hui Kong tries to face the fear welling in his gut and cast a blast of freezing air at Fasiel, but misses.

Green moves into position and Breathes superheated steam at the Rat, Fasiel and Mavenee. The Rat doesn't seem to notice.

◆ Step

◆◆ Cloud of Steam
Fire damage DC 18 Reflex save: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 4) = 13

Red moves into position and Breathes superheated steam at the Rat, Fasiel and Mavenee. Once again, the Rat doesn't seem to notice.

◆ Stride

◆◆ Cloud of Steam
Fire damage DC 18 Reflex save: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 5) = 9

Fasiel Reflex Save DC 18 -1 for sickened: 1d20 + 12 - 1 ⇒ (5) + 12 - 1 = 16
Fasiel Reflex Save DC 18 -1 for sickened: 1d20 + 12 - 1 ⇒ (10) + 12 - 1 = 21

Fasiel howls as the steam hits him.

FASIEL ATTACKS : Round 1

Bold may act

Fasiel -17 HP, Off Guard, Sickened 1
Martin Amblecrown 60/60 HP, Sickened 1, DC 18 Basic Reflex save for 13 HP, DC 18 Basic Reflex save for 9 HP
Smoky Rat- Yellow - HP
Hui Kong 21/38 HP, Frightened 1
Green - HP
Red - HP
Nic Blackwillow 28/28 HP, Frightened 1
Junior 33/33 HP
Slipp 48/48 HP, Item bonus Will saves +1, or +2 vs fear

Slipp glares at the Genie binder. Then, perhaps summoned along with the Efreeti the smell of a burning forest seems to fill the air.

But its not just the smell! Flames dance around Slipps hands and with a shriek they throw them toward the genie binder. "Eeek. Urxhel what are you doing?"

intimidating glare: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15
spell atk vs Fasiel: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
F damage: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (3, 2) + 4 = 9

* intimidating glare (demoralise, looks like a fail though)
** produce flame.

What am I doing here? Steeling himself, Nic rushes up, stabs at Faisel, and retreats. The genie binder's defenses are too good for the halfling, though.

Rapier attack, incl. frightened penalty: 1d20 + 9 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 9 - 1 = 14

Slipp, Fasiel is in the cloud so he has concealment. Please roll a DC 5 flat check for the miss chance. Yes the demoralize is a fail.

miss DC5: 1d20 ⇒ 12
The burst of fire cuts through the mist like a blazing knife through butter.

Slipp can't frighten Fasiel, but does manage to send a ball of fire flying through the air to hit the Skelm. Fasiel reels from the impact but is a long way from going down.

Nic tries to move in to attack Fasiel but can't hit the Skelm.

Since Junior's player is out ice fishing, if they haven't posted by this evening I will bot them, probably just doing javelin attacks.

FASIEL ATTACKS : Round 1

Bold may act

Fasiel -26 HP, Off Guard, Sickened 1
Martin Amblecrown 60/60 HP, Sickened 1, DC 18 Basic Reflex save for 13 HP, DC 18 Basic Reflex save for 9 HP
Smoky Rat- Yellow - HP
Hui Kong 21/38 HP, Frightened 1
Green - HP
Red - HP
Nic Blackwillow 28/28 HP, Frightened 1
Junior 33/33 HP
Slipp 48/48 HP, Item bonus Will saves +1, or +2 vs fear