GM TOP #10-14: Debt to the Quah (Core)

Game Master Pete H.

It’s a twenty foot gap (aka DC 20). It is an additional DC 15 Ride check to get your mount to leap over something. You take a -5 penalty to the Ride check if you don’t have a saddle. If you fail the ride check, your mount still leaps but you fall off.

Edit to Add: As Corba touched upon, a jump check is affected by your speed. Creatures with a base land speed above 30 feet receive a +4 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks made to jump for every 10 feet of their speed above 30 feet. Creatures with a base land speed below 30 feet receive a –4 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks made to jump for every 10 feet of their speed below 30 feet.

Don't forget Corba’s Inspire Competence on the Acro check!

Lini signals for Droo to defend her. She then transforms into an eagle and flies across the gap.

Droogami needs to follow his master to defend her. He flexes his feline muscles and prepares for the jump across.

Acrobatics, Shaken, Inspired: 1d20 + 17 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 17 - 2 + 2 = 18

Shirt Re-Roll:

Acrobatics, Shaken, Inspired: 1d20 + 17 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 17 - 2 + 2 = 30

PFS shirt purchase is the best purchase you will ever make. :)

I bought a folio for similar reasons, although I can't wear it.

The folios are great when you do not want to explain to the general public that you do not belong to a backpacking club, a geological society or are a fan of a totally unknown rock band. ;)

Lini bolts across the cavern jumping into open space and shifting into a might eagle, easily gliding across the gap. Droo follows, confident in her jumping ability. But at the last second her paw slips on launch and suddenly the other side looks really far. Too late to stop, the companion jumps and hopes for the best. It feels like the wings of eagles lift her up and carry the tiger across safely. She looks surprised, but happy!

Everyone feels the exultation from Droo making the jump and then the scene fades. Another bark echoes out. The group is back together next to a roaring stream that does not look safe to swim. A nearby log seems like it could be used to make a makeshift bridge.

Round 2
Haunt
Iladora (Shaken)
Corba (Ok) & Rocky (Shaken)
Lini (Eagle, Ok) & Droogami (Shaken)

Round 3
Bobbie (Shaken)
Salvio (Shaken)
Des (Ok)

Bold Are Up!

Skills given here to make a bridge include Knowledge: Engineering or Strength.

Faced with an intellectual challenge, Salvio forgets the difficulty of the overall situation and starts to work on the bridge.

Taking 10 on Knowledge (Engineering) with the shaken penalty yields an 18.

Take ten is not allowed at this time, your characters are in immediate danger. Unless of course you have an ability that allows it.

Alas, no. In a few levels, maybe.

Knowledge (Engineering) check, including shaken penalty (unless Corba inspires competence): 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 10 - 2 = 16

Re: Inspire Competence. It only applies to one ally and never the bard.

Re: Inspire Competence. It only applies to one ally and never the bard.

As soon as the scene fades and a new one takes its place, Corba stops her performance and starts it again, this time to inspire competence in Salvio.

Aid Knowledge: Engineering t: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8 :-/

Know Engineering aid: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Rel-Inspired: A positive force, philosophy, or divine presence fills you with hope, and is a guiding force of inspiration. Once per day as a free action, roll twice and take the better result on a skill check or ability check.

Know Engineering aid: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

Desynthia tries to help Salvio, and she has an hard time to succeed

Thank goodness only one PC needed to pass that Acrobatics skill check, or Bobbie would have landed with the grace of a bucket filled with building bricks

Knowledge (engineering) (Aid Another): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

"Isn't that kind of rotting away?" Bobbie eyes the log worriedly. "There's no way it'd make a solid bridge.'

Lini in eagle form flies up to Salvio and taps him with Guidance. Perhaps the wizard's next attempt will be more successful.

Despite being only 4th level Lini does have the Natural Spell feat. :)

Droogami stays close to his mistress and guards her. Still he does not understand why they are not swimming across the river. It does not look that dangerous to him.

In theory you could probably push a large cat to move a log but it is not something that would come naturally to them. :)

Acrobatics (jump)(untrained) - shaken: 1d20 + 0 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 0 - 2 = 9

Iladora isn't able to make the jump by herself, but fortunately her allies help her cross the shadowy chasm.

Des, you can't aid another on a knowledge check IF you are untrained in that knowledge (unless you are a bard). I was going to say you could keep you trait re-roll, but it appears neither of your traits are Core. You will need to find new traits. You can pick from the Character Traits Web Enhancement or also pick one of your faction's traits from the latest Society Guild Guide starting on page 28.

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Salvio yells, "SHUT IT I NEED TO THINK!" or something similar as everyone begins giving bad advice. Then Corba's soothing words of inspiration are fortunately all the wizard needs to rig up the proper wedges and fulcrums before giving the log a small shove. It spins and rolls right across the stream, easily allowing everyone to pass. A feeling of accomplishment falls across the group before the scene fades to black again.

Finally (hopefully), another scene presents itself with an echoing bark. A sheer vertical wall is in front of the group, but it seems as though small handholds are almost glowing to show the route up.

Climb is the given skill check for this part.

Again, as the scene fades and a new one takes its place, Corba stops her performance. She looks from the wall to her comrades and back... and then starts her performance again, this time to inspire competence in Iladora.

"Iladora, you can easily do this. I just know it."

Lini lands and changes back into her gnomish form.

"So do I."

The druid takes out a scroll of Spider Climb and casts it on IIadora. She is certain that the ranger will not be able to slip now.

It is virtually not possible for IIadora to fail the check now as all climb checks succeed automatically according to the written text of this spell. In your face skill checks. :)

Bobbie tilts her head back to look at the featureless wall. "Yeah. No."

"You go," she steps aside, giving Iladora free rein.

Yay spider climb!

Iladora approaches the wall and reaches for the nearest handhold, only to find that, under the effects of Lini's scroll, her hand grips the stone effortlessly. She scales the wall with ease, ignoring the handholds altogether.

That spell certainly allows a success on the climb check, nicely done.

The rush of climbing up the wall fuels the group right out of the darkness and rushing back into the flickering light of the room. At the center of this room is a pit of flame, suffusing the area with a faint glow. A single passageway leads to the southeast. A small stand next to the brazier is empty. A plaque below the stand reads, May This Light Illuminate the Forests of the Night.

"I'm assuming something's supposed to go there?" Bobbie points at the stand. "Oh, and that was some nice climbing, Iladora. Very creepy. Put me in mind of a lizard," she nearly shudders.

She suspects that the vision of someone scaling a smooth wall with their bare hands will forever remain burned into her retinas.

"I guess the figurine goes on the empty stand." Salvio sets it carefully in place.

Another echo of a bark occurs, but this time no darkness. A vision briefly flashes into your minds of a young Shoanti hunter sitting atop a cliff overlooking a sprawling forest. A massive wolf lies next to him, head on her paws. The hunter and the wolf get up and turn to walk away as the sun rises, bathing the forest in its orange glow.

Haunt destroyed.

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With nothing deeper into the crypt to explore, the group heads back towards the unexplored front maze.

Pillars of stone fill this space. Each is etched with some sort of writing, but the inscriptions are chipped, scorched, or otherwise damaged or obscured.

"Anyone can read this?" Bobbie asks. She checks for traps nearby.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"I'm not sure." The young wizard sketches some of the writing in his notes.

GM T, how old does the damage look? There's nothing about it in the documentation we got--does it look like something that the so-called Pathfinder did?, or does it seem to predate him?

"No. Maybe we need to repair these, too?"

Bobbie sees no traps or hazards.

It appears to be explosive damage, not like from a natural source of erosion.

A couple checks can be done here. Perception for one. The other would be Profession: Stonemasonry, Knowledge: Engineering or Perception.

Taking 10 on Knowledge (Engineering) gives Salvio a 20, so he'll try that.

Corba looks closer at one of the stone pillars.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

"Hm..."

Knowledge (engineering), Aid Salvio: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Bobbie knows a bit more about explosions than ancient Shoanti crypts, and shares some insights about the centre of the blast with the wizard.

Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (4) + 0 = 4

Desynthia doesn't see anything exceptionnal around.

in fact, she barely sees anything normal, as her hair, now taking a golden appearance, is falling on her face

Corba figures out that the broken chips need to be collected and stacked up against their pillars before any repair work is done. Every pillar will need some work.

(one charge each)

Bobbie helps Salvio figure out what is bugging him about the damage, it’s the ceiling! Certain areas (four that I can’t mark cause I am on my phone) will collapse on a person if they walk under them. A charge from the stone should shore up each damaged ceiling.

If I'm reading the map correctly, that's 24 charges.

If I'm reading the map correctly, that's 24 charges.

Yup!

"All right! Let's get shoveling, get the gravel up against the pillars, and I'll fix it all up."

24 charges later, good as new (I hope).

And with that, there is just one more door to open. And it probably leads back to the main entrance room.

"Guess we're more or less done with the place," Bobbie opens the last door, just to be sure.

Bobbie pulls the door open and sees the main room. Everything seems about as normal as when they left it last.

Except for the massive beast-like creature standing at the entrance, blocking their way out. Flanking the golem like creature are two glowing spirity-like wolves.

See map for images and locations. No initiative yet.

If Trained, you may roll Knowledge “Arcana” to learn about the Large Construct. With a success on your roll I will ID the creature. This ID will include basic type/subtype and one tidbit of knowledge. I will dole out the tidbits starting with signature special abilities and then working to more mechanical things like DR and other resistances. Multiple rolls from multiple players, assuming they both beat the DC, will grant additional information and not duplicate tidbits.

If Trained, you may also roll a seperate Knowledge “Arcana” to learn about the two medium Constructs. With a success on your roll I will ID the creature. This ID will include basic type/subtype and one tidbit of knowledge. I will dole out the tidbits starting with signature special abilities and then working to more mechanical things like DR and other resistances. Multiple rolls from multiple players, assuming they both beat the DC, will grant additional information and not duplicate tidbits.

Knowledge (Arcana) re golem: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19

Knowledge (Arcana) re wolves: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22

Know Arcana Large construct: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

Know Arcana Medium construct: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

All three creatures are constructs. As general knowledge all constructs have the following relevant traits.

Construct Traits: Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms). Immunity to bleed, disease, death effects, necromancy effects, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning. Not subject to ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, energy drain, or nonlethal damage. Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless).

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The large construct is a Unique Bone Golem, Neutral alignment.

Salvio knows: It has Damage Resistance 5/Adamantine AND Bludgeoning.

Des knows: It has a Carrion Cage it can launch as a ranged attack, which will imprison a hit target and each round attempt to grapple and bite the target. The cage has the same AC, CMD and DR as the Bone Golem, but significantly less HP. The golem can create two cages at a time.
It is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. However, certain spells and abilities function differently against the creature, as noted below.
Magical effects that heal living creatures slow the construct (as per the slow spell) for 1d4 rounds (no save).
A magical attack that deals negative energy damage breaks any slow effect on the sepulcher warden and restores 1 point of damage for every 3 points of damage the attack would otherwise deal. If the healing would cause the golem to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. The sepulcher warden gets no saving throw against attacks that deal negative energy damage.

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The two wolf spirit creatures are Unique Tattoo guardians, Neutral constructs.

Salvio knows: These creatures have a fluid form that makes them not provoke AoOs from movement, immune to crits and sneak attacks, can't be grappled or knocked prone.
And has force jaws, making their bite attacks into force damage.

Des knows: These creatures are a manifestation of their host (the big construct) so when it dies, they disappear.
They can be 'worn' by their host. When this is done, whenever the graven guardian’s wearer takes damage, half of the damage is transferred to the guardian (as shield other). Additionally, the graven guardian gains a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls against any creatures that damaged its wearer in the previous round.

Know Arcana Large construct: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Know Arcana Medium construct: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

"I...don't think we can fight these. Retreat, circle back, and get out of here!" How did Lumketel beat them?

"Sounds like a plan. Retreat."

Lini leads Droogami away from the battlefield.

This scenario keeps going and going. There is no way you could complete this one in four hours at the gaming table. :)

"Oh. Really?" Bobbie sounds almost disappointed. She had drawn her longsword already, and seemed eager to use it. Reluctantly, she lowers her blade. "Yeah. I suppose they're only doing their jobs."

Upon seeing the giant bony creature, assuming it to be undead, Iladora instinctively rips her sword out of its sheath. However, her allies's knowledge proves more useful. "Do you think they're intended to prevent any more grave-robbers? Can we perhaps convince them of the reason we're here?"

"They're constructs! I'm not sure they're sapient! Although on rare occasions the animating principle can contain a true soul drawn from Creation's Forge...never mind, bad time for a lecture."