[Outpost VII] PF1 #6-97 Siege of Serpents (Tier 3-4) (Inactive)

Game Master cmlobue

Madcap finds the door untrapped but locked. Briefly locked, that is.

Razisus approaches the door. "I may be able to determine how many are being held hostage and, with the blessing of the goddess, the thoughts of our hostage taker."

Unless Razisus knows that the doors/walls are at least 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt, he will cast detect thoughts.

I could try to charm one of the aspids with my most seductive fruity scent. She means charm person.

The walls are not divination-proof here. There are 11 thinking minds near the middle of the building, and the highest intelligence score among them is 12.

Will Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

That creature is trying to be vigilant in all directions and is wondering when they will be able to leave.

Razisus concentrates as he relays what he has learned. "The Lady of Mysteries has revealed to me the presence of eleven creatures near the middle of the building. The most intelligent among them is trying to be vigilant in all directions and is wondering when they will be able to leave."

"This leads me to believe that we are most fortunate!" The cleric declares with a laugh. "For, it would seem, at least one of the captives is brighter than the foe we seek to defeat."

"Should we try to bribe the Aspis to let us in? I'm not good talker or sneaker, so charge is my best option." Thornrose muses

"Oh, I'm usually real good at that," the Balrog asserts, "real good at talking people into doing things. Except, being as these guys are Aspis, they might panic just looking at me. See, I've got a reputation among them by now. Maybe we need someone who doesn't strike terror into their hearts, unless that is what we are going for."

The Balrog is clearly willing to try Bluff or Diplomacy, but knows he isn't the best, with a +6 to either skill.

Alecto digests what the Balrog and Thornrose said for a while, then slowly the meaning comes to her. She walks right up to the door, knocks and says

Negotiations! Please let one negotiator in. We will discuss the conditions of your survival. There's no point in dying for a job for hire. There is no point in death at all. Let's be reasonable and talk!

She says it loud and clear.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15

As if out of nowhere, Mikhail immediately shows up behind Alecto.

"You'd best listen to what the flower-person says!!!" He bellows. "Refuse, and you'll find yourself chatting with *me*; I've got a nice 'comfy chair' just for you, nyahahahaha...!"

Intimidate: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

My first-ever use of 'Good Inquisitor/Evil Inquisitor'! If Alecto's roll would've succeeded, mine becomes a '31'!

***OVERSEER ANNOUNCEMENT***

Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin’s voice booms over the grounds of the Grand Lodge, cutting through the sounds of the fighting. ”Pathfinders have defeated many of the attackers in the South Campus! Keep pushing!”

Table GMs, the South Campus Threat Level is now Yellow.

Next Round

Madcap looks around for the rest of the crew. I'm sure they're doing something.

She opens the door and has a look around (depending upon the lighting).

If all is clear she moves down the steps to the main floor. If not, well, I guess we'll see what happens. ;)

Question: how high up is she above the main floor when she enters? If it's not too far, she might take a more direct route.

Madcap finds herself in a dining hall. It looks like whoever was in here was between meals - there is no food out, but there is a mess like it wasn't fully cleaned before the people needed to leave. There are doors to the north and east. You need a stealth check to enter the building unnoticed. You are on the ground level. The stairs, which would lead to a basement, are blocked and have a sign on them that reads 'outside the scope of this adventure'.

Meanwhile, the other Pathfinders start shouting through the front door. After a short delay, you hear a voice in reply, "The only ones who will die here are the captives I took, if you do not depart now!"

You need a stealth check to enter the building unnoticed. You are on the ground level....

Not according to the map I'm looking at. By that map it looks as though she came in via a door high up on a battlement wall and the stair here leads down to the mess hall from a 10'-high platform. The stair to the north seems to lead down to a basement.

Is the visual of the map different than the text? That happens; just let me know.

"The mind the goddess has caused me to touch, has approached the front door and is considering spilling a goblet. I cannot discern for certain, but it may be providing a distraction to allow us to approach." Razisus informs his allies.

And stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

There is nothing saying anything about the stairs. But it's irrelevant as all the action takes place on the ground floor.

Madcap sneaks through the room, avoiding the various dinnerware. he finds both of the doors out of the room locked as well. The voice of whoever was yelling at the Pathfinders is coming from the north.

Razisus shares what he is learning from his spell.

Madcap takes a few moments to collect together some dishes still heaped with food to a table near the north door, and then uses her hat to make herself look like herself a white face-painted clown in a white chef's cap and uniform.

She looks at the door for possible alarms or traps.

perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

And attempts to unlock it.

disable device: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Thank Calistria for all of that shouting.

Madcap finds no traps on this door, but the lock is more stubborn than she was hoping.

She tries again.

disable device: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

The door is no match for Madcap's second attempt. Please hold, your call is important to us, but I need to know what's happening at the front door before advancing Madcap.

After the initial rejection of the diplomacy attempt, what do the Pathfinders want to do? Keep taking? Bust down the door? Figure out where your jester went?

After the diplomatic approach was rebuffed, Thornrose decided there's no point wasting time. He turns around and marches in direction where jester went.

The Balrog decides to follow the shrubbery and look for the jester.

Now so long as all the shouting out front continues to provide distraction I can slip in as the hapless lunch lady and see what's what. Eventually, the folks out front are going to grow frustrated with trying to puzzle out the 'Ancient Riddle of the Front Door' and just burst through, wands ablazing like the proper Patherfinders I know they are, and I'll be ready to act.

She adjust her tall, white, muffin-shaped, chef's hat. She picks up the dishes of food and piles them on one arm, preparing to back into the room beyond.

There's no way this could possibly fail. she thinks to herself.

Alecto, seeing that some of the partners have gone somewhere and assuming that they are coming from the rear, continues negotiations. Thornrose, wait... Hey, what are your terms? Do you want money? How much do you want for our comrades? Maybe we could arrange it. She tries to shout loudly at the door, gathering all the attention to herself.

Stealth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Mikhail is already gone; for such a loud little man, he can be awfully quiet when he wants to be.

He has made his way to the back entrance, where he is tailing a suspicious chef. Who would expect the Inquisition In The Kitchen...?!

While Alecto continues making a racket at the front door, the other Pathfinders join Chef Madcap in the kitchen. Fortunately, whoever is in there is distracted by the 'negotiations' and does not hear the door being opened.

The main hall has 20-foot-tall ceilings. A large window 10 feet off the ground on the western wall allows the afternoon sun to illuminate the hall. Ten people are bound and gagged around the center table. A single human wearing an Aspis badge divides his attention between the front door and the hostages.

Mikhail sees a goblet suspended above the table by a wire, with something the size and shape of a marble inside.

Mikhail steps in front of the others, then raises his arm so both the back of his arm and the front of his palm face the others in a sort of twisted, serpentine 'halt' gesture, while he looks silently upward at something above the table.

Through gritted teeth and glassy eyes, he prays that Geryon grant him sight of a very particular sort...: I cast detect poison.

Spellcasting will definitely draw attention to you, unless you have Silent Spell. If you do this, we will be moving into initiative.

Razizus follows the others as they meet up with Madcap.

"We were told that the hostages would all die if we were to attempt a rescue. I have heard of necklaces holding beads that turn into balls of flame." The cleric whispers to his allies. "Could it be that the dangling goblet holds something similar?"

He casts detect magic and tries to focus on the goblet and its contents.

Spellcraft to ascertain the properties of a magic item if the marble or goblet prove to be magical: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
If both are magical, he starts with the marble.

Mikhail steps in front of the others, then raises his arm so both the back of his arm and the front of his palm face the others in a sort of twisted, serpentine 'halt' gesture, while he looks silently upward at something above the table.

Through gritted teeth and glassy eyes, he prays that Geryon grant him sight of a very particular sort...: I cast detect poison.

Maybe cast this outside. And you'll have to fight the chef if you want to be first.

Spellcasting will definitely draw attention to you, unless you have Silent Spell. If you do this, we will be moving into initiative.

Sorry, missed this in my haste. Razisus will not cast a spell.

Razizus follows the others as they meet up with Madcap.

"We were told that the hostages would all die if we were to attempt a rescue. I have heard of necklaces holding beads that turn into balls of flame." The cleric whispers to his allies. "Could it be that the dangling goblet holds something similar?"

He casts detect magic and tries to focus on the goblet and its contents.

Don't worry, we have a witness protection program. After you personally receive a large amount of gold coins, we will transfer you to Galt. No one has been found there yet... Please repeat your conditions a little louder, I'm writing them down. Alecto is not smart enough to be ashamed of the nonsense she says, but she makes a lot of noise. I am requesting a situational penalty on perception checks to our enemy .)

Alecto's distraction is being accounted for.

The Pathfinders have two obvious options here - sneak into the room and try to stop the hostage-taker without being noticed, or burst in and see how much they can get done in a surprise round plus however long it takes the enemy to react. If you have other ideas, now would be the time.

Spellcasting will definitely draw attention to you, unless you have Silent Spell. If you do this, we will be moving into initiative.

I was hoping I could get away with a bleeding Orison - and one of a personal Divinatory nature, no less. ACTUALLY, wait a tic - See Below!

Maybe cast this outside. And you'll have to fight the chef if you want to be first.

That'd have been a good idea, but it's a moot point now.

Don't worry, we have a witness protection program. After you personally receive a large amount of gold coins, we will transfer you to Galt. No one has been found there yet....

Nono, you're supposed to tell him you're a wealthy Mwangi princess, and you need someone to help smuggle your gold out of Sargava...!

"We were told that the hostages would all die if we were to attempt a rescue. I have heard of necklaces holding beads that turn into balls of flame." The cleric whispers to his allies. "Could it be that the dangling goblet holds something similar?"

Mikhail's inquisition is preempted - most unexpectedly! - by Razisus's arrival and speculation.

"Well that wasn't what I had in mind at all," He mutters in reply. "but blast it, it makes sense."

"Not what you were expecting though, was it, Heathen-of-Graves?" He adds with a dark grin before turning back to ponder the (literally) precarious situation.

Instead of risking giving himself away with a prayer, Mikhail realizes the Lord of Heresies, in His wisdom, has seen fit to bestow upon him the unholy power to see unsanctioned magic with but a moment's concentration! OKAY, change of plans: I shall be using my Detect Magic SLA!

Also, can I tell, one way or the other, how the guy is controlling the goblet's fate, e.g. is there a string around his finger, would he have to move to where it is and could be potentially intercepted, what?

"Well that wasn't what I had in mind at all," He mutters in reply. "but blast it, it makes sense."

"Not what you were expecting though, was it, Heathen-of-Graves?" He adds with a dark grin before turning back to ponder the (literally) precarious situation.

"Though undoubtedly foreseen by the goddess, any prophecy of this particular event has not made its way to me." Razisus concedes. "But, the failure is mine and not that of the Gray Lady."

"Perhaps, after this trespass has been dealt with, you and I may confess our own shortcomings to the Lady of Graves together and both seek to make amends with the Mother of Souls, My Friend." Razisus suggests with a grin.

"As for our current predicament, while death can come over one silently and without warning, I have yet to master such skills. If you would have me try and subdue this hostage-taker, then my approach would be one of force."

"As for our current predicament, while death can come over one silently and without warning, I have yet to master such skills. If you would have me try and subdue this hostage-taker, then my approach would be one of force."

"You may have read my thoughts, we don't have many sneaking-capable people so we might as well use force and hope for best."

There is one aura of moderate evocation on the bead within the glass.

The glass is hung from wires on the ceiling. It looks like it could be tipped over with a small amount of force, dropping its contents directly on the table occupied by the hostages.

Oh! Is it me again? ;)

Razizus follows the others as they meet up with Madcap.

"We were told that the hostages would all die if we were to attempt a rescue. I have heard of necklaces holding beads that turn into balls of flame." The cleric whispers to his allies. "Could it be that the dangling goblet holds something similar?"

"Yeah, maybe...." says Madcap looking out through the crack in the door.

She pauses to think.

...

"Wait." Madcap spins upon new arrivals. "Who in the Nine Hells are you guys!? Wait here and don't do anything stupid. And don't eat all of my props." she adds indicating the trays of food stacks around them.

"'Fanboys'... sheesh."

She takes a swig of one of her potions and vanishes from sight. She downs a potion of invisibility and slips into the room at full speed (offset by silent hunter) and clambers up onto the table. How high up is the goblet from here? At present this is a move action depending upon how you want to handle accelerated climbing or bounding up onto the table (lemme know if you want a roll or if she can just take 10), and someone else handling opening and closing the door. Otherwise she can take a full round of actions and maybe move a bit more.

stealth (invisibility, silent hunter): 1d20 + 10 + 20 ⇒ (7) + 10 + 20 = 37

The goblet is 10 feet above the table.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

"[smaller]Anyone with some magic to hold the goblet in place, perhaps?" suggests Razisus. "Or is there a capping method to the madcapness?"

Fortunately I wore Iomedae Airs.

She moves along the table and leaps up to snag the bead from the cup.

acrobatics (jump): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25

If someone could move her 10' to the east.

Home now so I moved her myself. Also, GM did you need another stealth check for moving?

No - a running jump like that won't be stealthy - but I will need a check to retrieve the bead safely. Reflex unless you think you have something more appropriate.

Madcap dashes into the room, propelling herself past the hostages, onto the table and into the air...

All the other Pathfinders can take a single action, as this is effectively a surprise round.

Razisus turns to Balrog. "Act swiftly, My Fiery Friend. And may the Lady of Mystery guide your hand." The cleric cats guidance on the ifrit.
Standard action in Surprise Round.

The Balrog moves into the room drawing his sword.

"Hey."

He is ready to cast Feather Fall on the bead as an immediate action if it should start to fall.

The reduction in falling speed may be enough to stop it from detonating?

Excited leshy runs sword drawn into room following Balrog.

No - a running jump like that won't be stealthy [see below] - but I will need a check to retrieve the bead safely. Reflex unless you think you have something more appropriate.

sleight of hand?: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27 add -3 for Reflex.

Madcap dashes into the room, propelling herself past the hostages, onto the table and into the air...

Of course no one sees any of that awesome stuff because she is still invisible and....

Silent Hunter Elves are renowned for their subtlety and skill. Elves with this racial trait reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving by 5 and can make Stealth checks while running at a –20 penalty (this number includes the penalty reduction from this racial trait). This racial trait replaces elven magic.

stealth (running, silent hunter, invisibility): 1d20 + 10 - 20 + 20 ⇒ (17) + 10 - 20 + 20 = 27

If that's enough to retrieve the bead and stick her landing Madcap mentally says TA-DA! with her hands stretched skyward. She quickly grows angry about the lack of applause from her captive audience, but then remembering the bead in her fist, she jams it into her mouth, you know, for safety's sake. ;)

Safety first!

The hostage taker is surprised as Pathfinders rush into the room, weapons drawn. And is even more surprised when the goblet tips over without his action and disappears. He quickly realizes that, without his trump card, he has no chance and surrenders.

Venture-Captain Valsin thanks you profusely for your efforts. The initiates hail you as heroes and your personal legend grows, at least among the ranks of new Pathfinders.

the initiates are impressed beyond their words to convey, and give you some of their own possessions. They rush around the dormitory and hastily gather everything they can find which may be of help. Which will have effects later in the scenario, but not add to your current inventory.

Where to?

Where to?

"ORANGE!"