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

Game Master cmlobue

Razisus swings his mace at the green mirror, but does not make contact.

The surrounded green mirror creature lashes out at random.

In Initiative order: 2d3 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4

Slam: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Bludgeoning Damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Slam: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Bludgeoning Damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Fake Mikhail tries to take down real Mikhail.

Slam: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Bludgeoning Damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Slam: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Bludgeoning Damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Neither of them has any luck.

Round 3 - bolded may go

Green (-14 HP)
Mikhail-Red (-1 HP, 4 images, branded)
Alecto
Mikhail-Madcap (-5 HP)
Blue (-5 HP, 5 images)
Mikhail-Mikhail
Razisus
Balrog (-6 HP)
Thornrose

Madcap transforms into yet another Mikhail, which is definitely helping. He/she tries to catch the other fake Mikhail off guard, but it doesn't work.

Does the attack work well enough to eliminate one of the images (they have lower AC)?[/ooc]

Blue is not picky about which Mikhail it attacks, and luckily for it, the closest one is an enemy.

"HEY! I'm on your side!" shouts an irate Mikhail before poking one she thinks hit her in in the eyes.

*Doink!*

blue images: 1d6 ⇒ 6
dirty trick to blind v blue (improved dirty trick): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

***OVERSEER ANNOUNCEMENT***

The voice of the Master of Scrolls Kreighton Shaine travels down the halls, carried by a magical breeze. “Pathfinders, we have determined that objectives in Skyreach are now secure and most Aspis Consortium forces within have been neutralized. There have been further developments of which you may or may not already be aware. Aspis agents have made off with the Sky Key and seem to be holding out in the tower floating above our lodge. Our early experiments with teleporting in or flying to it have met with no success, so I am gathering our forces to enter through Arliss Hall, which has a permanent gateway to one of the tower’s rooms.

“The gateway is finicky, though. Our Master of Spells Aram Zey would be better able to explain it than I, but he is currently—” The elf trails off as though searching for the right word before continuing, “—indisposed due to the Consortium’s attack. Finish your business and gather outside Arliss Hall for the final assault. I shall guide you from there.”

Table GMs, please conclude remaining encounters in Part 3 and begin Part 4.

A group of junior pathfinders rush by, shooting a volley of arrows into the mirror creatures, before rushing off.

Madcap tries to blind one of the mirrors, but instead makes one of the fakes vanish in a puff of sand.

Round 3 - bolded may go

Green (-18 HP)
Mikhail-Red (-10 HP, 4 images, branded)
Alecto
Mikhail-Madcap (-5 HP)
Blue (-14 HP, 4 images)
Mikhail-Mikhail
Razisus
Balrog (-6 HP)
Thornrose

Botting Alecto

Alecto steps back and fires a crossbow.

Mwk Light Crossbow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Piercing Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 8

The blue mirror shatters.

Round 3 - bolded may go

Green (-18 HP)
Mikhail-Red (-10 HP, 4 images, branded)
Alecto
Mikhail-Madcap (-5 HP)
Blue
Mikhail-Mikhail
Razisus
Balrog (-6 HP)
Thornrose

Lord Balrog keeps up the attack on Green, swinging wildly.

"DIE!"

Attack, Flanking: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 5 + 2 = 14
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Thornrose recklessly swings at green, but almost trips over.

+1 bastard sword: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
slashing: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Razisus continues his efforts to down the nearest foe.
Melee (heavy mace) v green: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Damage (B): 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

the less said about Thornrose's attack, the better.

Lord Balrog barely misses the green mirror, but it sets up Razisus to smash it.

Round 3 - bolded may go

Green
Mikhail-Red (-10 HP, 4 images, branded)
Alecto
Mikhail-Madcap (-5 HP)
Blue
Mikhail-Mikhail
Razisus
Balrog (-6 HP)
Thornrose

cmlobue wrote:

Madcap transforms into yet another Mikhail, which is definitely helping. He/she tries to catch the other fake Mikhail off guard, but it doesn't work.

Does the attack work well enough to eliminate one of the images (they have lower AC)?

Did the attack work for Red a couple of turns back? As I remember rolling against the same number of images it currently has at the time. Mirror images have pseudo-"less AC" than the real thing.

Mikhail rounds upon his first imitator, with the help of the second. Now that its true core has been branded, the apparition is nearly defenseless...right?

"Looks like it's an eternity's bad luck for you...!!!" He quips before swinging his flail.

masterwork silver heavy flail, flank: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
silver bludgeoning: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Dirty trick does not require an attack roll or deal damage, so I do not believe it would affect an image. As for the brand, all the illusions would have the text on them, just like they would all display injuries the caster took. I thought you were trying to differentiate it from yourself - sorry.

Images: 1d5 ⇒ 1

But it does not matter, because Mikhail slams his flail into the real impostor (?), destroying it.

Madcap (-5 HP)
Balrog (-6 HP)

Kreighton Shaine finishes giving instructions to one team before sending them into Arliss Hall and turning to greet the new arrivals. “Ah, you received my message?” he asks eagerly while pulling out a small notepad and making a single tally mark. “Excellent, I was uncertain whether recent events might block communication as well. We have a theory that the northwest tower’s new floating status may be the result of the Sky Key and Hao Jin Tapestry coming too close to one another, much like two extradimensional spaces placed inside one another. Thus far, all of our more conventional attempts to reach the tower have been repelled, and admittedly the whole thing could just rocket into the Irorium any minute.” He squints to the north before adding, “That would be unfortunate, as there’s a rather big match over there today. Best we take control of the tower before it misbehaves further.

“The good news is that we have a permanent portal to that section of the tower. Since the link is between two objects—a pair of full-length mirrors—it should be stable and safe to use. The only catch is that one of the mirrors is inside Arliss Hall. The hall has several extradimensional properties, and with so many visitors, it’s been changing its internal layout constantly. Rather than waste time sending you to figure out a puzzle, I’ll lead you to the portal myself. We venture-captains are fairly used to it.”

Pathfinders know some basic information about Arliss Hall. Its passageways are known to shift in strange ways, and it often seems larger inside that it should from the outside. The majority of the rooms inside are modest but tasteful apartments that venture-captains (and maybe even the Decemvirate) use as personal apartments.

Kreighton Shaine opens the door for the Pathfinders and follows them inside; however, when they turn around, the elf has disappeared.

>Slide 8<

“Of all the luck,” the Master of Scrolls voice echoes from thin air. “We must have exceeded some capacity limit for this version of the hall and it moved me over to another… iteration of itself. I’ll try to find my way over to you, but look for the mirror! It is in a private room that is reserved. We call it the Lost Room. The chamber will be hidden in plain sight but there’s always some sort of trick to find it. Hurry and I’ll try to join you soon! One last thing—rarely can anyone find the Lost Room alone, so work together!”

This is a puzzle encounter. You need to locate the Lost Room. You are free to explore the entire area, using any tools at your disposal to try to find the mirror you need to use to reach the next area. I will pop in as you discover clues - or get stuck; I have no desire for you to miss the rest of the scenario, but you should have a chance to figure this out on your own first.

I thought you were trying to differentiate it from yourself - sorry.

Well, both.

Lord Balrog quietly casts Cure Light Wounds on himself.
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

"Okay, what do we do? Are we looking for a hidden room that contains a mirror? And we need to work together somehow?"

He takes the string from his Pathfinder's Kit, lays one end on the ground, and starts walking across the entry hall.

"Hey, somebody grab the other end of the string, then we walk across this entry hall at the north and south end with the string stretched between us. We can see if anything happens to the string.

And if not, then maybe we start going into these other rooms and shouting to see if we can hear each other."

I am not sure how to start on this puzzle, but those are my two ideas.

The string behaves perfectly normally.

2d8 ⇒ (3, 6) = 9

The Pathfinders enter rooms F3 and F6, and are able to hear each other as well as they would expect to, given the distance between them.

Looking at the two sets of rooms and their layout on either side, Razisus concludes, "One side appears to be the 'mirror' image of the other, although I spotted a few notable differences between the pair of northmost rooms." Razizus points to the rooms (F5 & F1). "Could that be the key? Perhaps one of the rooms is simply a reflection--the image of another room in the mirror? What if we each stood at the doorway to one of the rooms and peered across the way to see if our image were reflected in the other?"

So, if we each stand in a room in the doorways of rooms F5-F8 and peer across to rooms F1-F4, what do we see?

You see rooms F1-F4 as they normally appear.

Whoever is in F8 notices that there is a key in the lock on the inside of the door.

Earlier.

Dirty trick does not [actually] require an attack roll....

When you attempt to perform a combat maneuver, make an attack roll and add your CMB in place of your normal attack bonus.

But it does not matter, because Mikhail slams his flail into the real impostor (?), destroying it.

"AH-HA! I win!"

"Mikhail" does a little dance, winces painfully once and then downs one of her healing potions.

potion of cure moderate wounds: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (4, 5) + 3 = 12

The excited leshy climbs up stairs and wanders northward to explore largest room he finds. "I'll check all mirrors I find."

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Each room is furnished for guests, including a mirror. None of them seem different in any way.

"I suspect the key is--well-- key to solving this puzzle.". Razisus suggests. He checks to see if the key is reflected in the mirror of Room F8.

He then removes the key and tries it in lock of Room F4.

"Good idea Reaper.
But let's all go check other mirrors while you are trying one. You stay there for a bit."

So, while Razisus holds the key up to F8, the Balrog will be looking in F4's mirror for the key's reflection. If he doesn't see it there he will go around to other rooms and look.

The key does not reflect in the mirror of any room that it is not physically in. It doe snot operate any door other than F8.

"Watch the mirror as I use the key on the lock," Razisus suggests to those in the room with him. He turns the key in the lock of Room F8 and asks others to watch the process from room F4.

Razisus enters room F8 and closes the door as the other Pathfinders watch from F4. The cleric now has as much privacy as he wants.

You're on the right track, but you wouldn't have observed anything unusual yet...

After enjoying a moment of privacy, Razisus invites the others into the room (F4). "Keep an eye on the mirror in this room as I again turn the key," he suggests.

"If this doesn't work, perhaps we try simultaneously opening the door to this room from both sides."

After enjoying a moment of privacy, Razisus invites the others into the room (F4). "Keep an eye on the mirror in this room as I again turn the key," he suggests.

Madcap readies her morningstar should the mirror in room 4 do anything suspicious.

"Err, and what are you gonna do?" she asks Razisus.

Mikhail grudgingly follows the rival/fellow-clergyman into the room, and all but literally stares daggers at his reflection.

"Not so saucy NOW, are ye!?!" He says with a threatening brandish of his flail.

"Yeah, okay," says Lord Balrog, "but I'm not sure that the room opposite it is the only one to care about. This one here" - he points to Room F2 - "is also a mirror image of the one the key was in. And this one here" - room F7 - "would be a mirror image north-south if we moved this trunk."

"That's why I like us being in different rooms to observe. We'll go with your guess first and then if that doesn't work we split up." Split the party!!

Rasizus turns the key once again, and is alone in F8. Nothing changes about the mirrors in any of the other rooms.

The Balrog moves some furniture, but it doesn't seem to accomplish anything.

***OVERSEER ANNOUNCEMENT***

The floating tower begins to shift, tilting slightly to one side. A shower of debris rains down on the lawn and buildings below.

"Try using the key on the reflection of the keyhole in the mirror," suggests the Balrog.

"The fiery one is onto something. If the room across the hall is closed, but this door is open, then the closed door hall will appear in the mirror here. So, if I unlock the door across the way, I will 'unlock' the door in the mirror. And once I 'open' the door in the mirror, perhaps those already in the room with the mirror can 'walk through the open door'?" Razisus ponders aloud.

"Try using the key on the reflection of the keyhole in the mirror," suggests the Balrog.

"Unless someone has a better idea, this might very well be the key to door we are looking for." leshy winks

Razisus tries to insert the key into the reflection of the keyhole. There is a clink of metal on glass as it bounces off the reflective surface.

"Kreighton Shane mentioned 'a private room'."
And accepting a clue from the GM, he mentioned that Razisus had privacy after closing the door.

"Reaper, close and lock the door. I will then try to open it from this side. Maybe it won't actually be locked for me.

And if that doesn't work, then I will call out and we can try your idea of 'perhaps we try simultaneously opening the door to this room from both sides'."

Razisus closes and locks the door to F8. The Balrog then opens it from the other side. To his surprise, the door opens easily. All the furnishings look identical, but neither Razisus nor the key are there.

Razisus closes and locks the door to F8. The Balrog then opens it from the other side. To his surprise, the door opens easily. All the furnishings look identical, but neither Razisus nor the key are there.

What are the people not locked in F8 doing?

The Balrog looks around the room, but no one seems to have any idea how to proceed, so he returns to the hallway.

A few moments later, Razisus unlocks the door and emerges from the room as if he had always been there.

The Balrog looks around the room, but no one seems to have any idea how to proceed, so he returns to the hallway.

A few moments later, Razisus unlocks the door and emerges from the room as if he had always been there.

"I awaited your call, My Fiery Friend, but it never came." Razisus explains to the Balrog. "I found no sign of Kreighton Shane. I was all alone in the room until I unlocked the door."

Listening to his allies presumed response, the cleric notes."We were told to work together and that it was gathering of us all that shunted Master Shane to another room. Let us all gather in the room together and lock the door. Perhaps, that will shunt Master Shane into a space that we can more easily access."

What are the people not locked in F8 doing?

I was waiting for someone else to reply to this so it wasn't just Razisus and me. I would have called out to see if he heard me, but I thought it was appropriate for others to get involved.

He wouldn't have heard you.

"Razisus, the door opened and I saw another room where you had been. It looked exactly the same but you were not there, nor was the key.
What do you think this means?"

"If we could not communicate with each other, it would seem that one of us was in the so-called, 'Lost Room'." Razisus concludes. "As the lot of you did not seem to change locations, I must assume that the traveler was I."

"I suggest that we all try entering the room and locking the door," he repeats. "Once there, if we do not see any sign of Master Shane, we should examine the mirror within. If that does not work, then we repeat the experiment, leaving one outside of the locked room in the hope of observing a shunted Master Shane there."

"Okay. But I didn't touch the mirror in the room that I saw. That might have been the Lost Room.
Shane didn't say he was in the Lost Room. He said the portal we needed was the mirror in the Lost Room.
If your plan doesn't work then I will try the mirror in that other room next."

When the entire team goes into the room and the door is locked, they are all in a locked room. There is no sign of Shaine and the mirror behaves normally.

Who is staying behind for the next experiment?

Thornrose tries to make sense of all the information regarding the room they're searching. "I could volunteer to stay in this room when you leave. Maybe I'm able to discover something."