[Outpost VII] Zero's #3-99: Fate in the Future

Game Master Super Zero

Keep your hit points, Manny. Cassandra got it.

The team manages to seal a second rift!

Rifts sealed: 2
Current Rift Points: 0
Gruntarr (65/92)
Itka (71/71)
Cassandra (61/78)
Kamil (53/64)
Emmanuel (79/96)

**HOUSE GM ANNOUNCEMENT**

With a flash of light, the time rift vanishes, revealing a snowy expanse. Armeline orders, “You’ve done it! We’ve sealed the time rift. Close in on the focus!”

Table GMs, please begin Event #2

As the time rift shatters, reality rights itself, revealing the focus—a fully dressed, towering draconic being bent over a metal and glass sarcophagus. The dragon turns, brandishing a strange tool. “Get back, you blasted dogs! Wait... You’re not the hounds.” The dragon taps her snout, thinking hard, then shakes her head. “You seem familiar. But if we’ve met, I can’t recall. The longer I’m away from home, the more jumbled my memories become. I can barely remember my name! It’s Heraxia, by the way. Who are you?”

New art unveiled.

Greetings, my name is Cassandra, she gestures to the other members of the group. We are Pathfinders, explorers, archaeologists and scholars. Might I ask what you are doing here?

I would like to try and identify the dragon, +17 Esoteric Lore

"Hmp. Hounds? Which kind of hounds?" Itka leaves the pleasantries to Cassandra and Manny and turns to scan the area for incoming threats.

Perception to Seek +11

"I have been called a dog before but..." Manny shakes off an aside thought. "Anyway, I'm Emmanuel, but my friends call me Manny. Good to see you. We're from the Pathfinder Society, maybe we can help?"

Bardic Lore +10 to Identify the Dragon. Occultism + 10 and Religion +12 if that's better. +8 for any other skill that could ID the dragon.

Cassandra recognizes that Heraxia is a dragonkin. Dragonkin are an ancestry of bipedal dragons native to Triaxus. They form close, lifetime bonds with a single other person, and they often choose ryphorians as their partners.

Heraxia shares what she remembers about herself and her dilemma.
• Heraxia comes from what she thinks is distant future. She was born on Triaxus (another planet) and bonded with an adventurous ryphorian named Felise.
• The duo went on many adventures, though Heraxia can’t recall pecifics. She does recall Felise was easily bored and insisted each adventure was bigger, bolder, and more dangerous than the last. They explored other worlds, planes, and eventually other times.
• Their travels through temporal byways attracted the attention of dangerous beasts, particularly strange bug-eyed hounds that hunted them. The pair fled but were separated. Felise was shunted back to their home time, while Heraxia was stranded in the distant past.
• Heraxia and Felise retained the ability to communicate empathically, but it happens rarely and for short periods.
• In the years since their separation, they’ve employed numerous artifacts, magical rituals, and experimental technology to try to bring Heraxia back to the future, all in vain.
• Fortuitously, they’ve both recently come across a magical artifact known as the Eternity Arch in their respective timelines and believe it could at last provide an answer to their long isolation. Though the arch was originally intended for psychic transference across time, Heraxia has found a damaged stasis pod transplanted here from another time. Once repaired, it should serve as the perfect vessel for Heraxia to travel through the Eternity Arch to her home time. Both Felise and Heraxia have been independently experimenting and modifying the Eternity Arch to accommodate Heraxia’s journey. This is why the arch is resonating with Heraxia (and why the Maze of the Open Road is malfunctioning)
• Heraxia suspects once she’s returned to her time, the Eternity Arch should return to dormancy, and the Pathfinder’s Maze of the Open Road will revert to its typical function.
• Heraxia can’t remember anything about the future beyond what she’s explained above. The transition through time (as well as something she calls "the Gap") has muddled her memories of the future.

Heraxia asks for the Pathfinders aid in several tasks as she works to return home. Venture-Captain Armeline Jirneau encourages the Pathfinders to assist, as returning Heraxia to her proper time should sever her connection to the Eternity Arch.

They can repair the stasis pod, transport the stasis pod to the vault near the Eternity Arch, or keep watch for danger.

Which Aid Mission first? Repairs, Transport, or Defense?

"Duh, of course we'll help! Sometimes my partner is stuck across the city- I can't imagine how it feels to be stuck across time."

He looks to his teammates. "Let's Transport the pod first. Then we can Repair it?"

Of course we will help says Cassandra, barely able to contain her excitement. Sounds like a plan Manny

Agreed.

Says Kamil

"Hmp." Itka nods her assent.

"Of course sounds good for me"·

Heraxia points at the metal and glass sarcophagus. “We need to move this stasis pod to a location near the Eternity Arch. Somewhere close but isolated. The oval-shaped chamber at the back of the area should work. Lift on three!"

Each PC can attempt two skill checks to help transport the stasis pod to the ovoid chamber near the Eternity Arch. The most obvious options are Acrobatics or Athletics checks to safely relocate the pod and, slightly more difficult, Crafting, Survival, or applicable Lore checks to create improvised devices to assist with transport. Or the Pathfinders may have other ideas.

"Alright. I got this lifting belt, it should help!" Manny taps the lapel on his red shirt uniform and begins to lift the pod.

GM, does this aid my Athletics checks? If so, please add them to my skill rolls below.

Athletics: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33
Athletics: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (7) + 16 = 23

Cassandra takes up a spot opposite Manny. Hey, I've got one of those too! We got this

Activating Lifting Belt as well

Athletics : 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18
Athletics : 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (7) + 14 = 21

No one wants the hunched, hobbling, cane-using old-ish witch to lift anything big and bulky. Instead, she limps ahead of the heavy lifters, making sure there's nothing on the floor that they could slip or trip on.

Not sure what skill to use for sweeping the floor. Crafting, I guess?

Crafting: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19

Kamil seems a little bit tired and is not of great help for moving the sarcophagus.

Gruntarr also helps.

Athletics: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20
Athletics: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18

Emmanuel critically succeeds and succeeds, for a total of three successes.
Cassandra... hm. The lifting belt's activated ability only lasts a round, but its use isn't limited, so... Well, that still leaves your team a point shy of success for the mission.

Heraxia winces as the Pathfinders struggle to move the pod.
The dragonkin gestures at the metal and glass sarcophagus. "This is a stasis pod—a box that keeps whoever’s inside alive despite the passage of time. It’s pretty damaged, and I could use a hand repairing it.”

Each PC can attempt two skill checks to help repair the stasis pod. The most appropriate options are DC 23 Crafting checks or applicable Lore checks to repair the mechanism directly and DC 25 Arcana, Medicine,
or Thievery checks to decipher its mechanisms. Or they may come up with other strategies?

I missed the instruction to post two skill checks to move the pod. Is it too late to add my second one?

--------

Fixing things is more up Itka's alley than lifting. She settles in to figure out the intricacies of the stasis pod.

Crafting DC 23: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20
Crafting DC 23: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 29

Manny is Untrained in all of those skills... except for Bardic Lore. Manny will try to Aid.

>Bardic Lore<

"Hey Shylye, can you help me out here? I'm trying to help them out."

Sorry Itka, don't know how I missed that. Well, okay then! One more success means that you did succeed at that ask, and I'll report an Aid Success.
Bardic Lore would work. Though it turns out Aiding was the correct choice... the lower DC means those aren't critical failures!

It takes Itka a moment to warm up to the strange mechanism, but then she starts making progress.
Manny doesn't think the device looks familiar at all, though.
One success.

Arcana: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19
Arcana: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24

Kamil tries his best.

**HOUSE GM ANNOUNCEMENT**

”That’s it, Pathfinders! The focus is almost in position!”

Table GMs, this is your 1-day (more like 20-hour, at this point) warning.

Arcane: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20
Arcane: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27

**HOUSE GM ANNOUNCEMENT**

The Eternity Arch pulses with energy as Heraxia and the Pathfinders congregate near it. Venture-Captain Armeline Jirneau calls for silence. “You’ve done well, Pathfinders, but our mission isn’t over yet. We have to send Heraxia home if we want to go home.”

“That’s right,” Heraxia cuts in. “I have a few more tweaks to make to the stasis pod. Then I need to attune to the Eternity Arch—it should only take a few minutes. Then I can climb in the stasis pod and ride the Eternity Arch home.”

“This is where it gets tricky,” Armeline continues. “Once Heraxia is sealed within the stasis pod, we’ll have moments to get back into the Maze of the Open Road. As soon as she leaves this time, the Eternity Arch’s connection to her will be severed and the Maze will realign—that means this path to the Maze will no longer exist. Anyone who doesn’t make it through will be stranded here, on this distant planet. It should go without saying that the chances of rescue are slim. I want all of our support staff to retreat to the Maze immediately. Bring what supplies you can. In the meantime—”

Armeline’s words are cut short by an eerie howl that issues from the Eternity Arch. Heraxia races back to her stasis pod. “The hounds are coming! We’re out of time!”

Armeline’s face hardens as she draws an alchemical bomb. “Steel yourselves, Pathfinders! We must protect Heraxia!”

Table GMs, please begin Part 4.

“Incoming!” Urwal shouts as purple glowing cracks in reality spread like spider webs across the chamber. Reality shifts and
flickers wildly, leaving behind blurred afterimages of people
from other times and places. The unstable reflections screech in confusion and surge forward, arms raised to attack.

Meanwhile, one of the cracks widens, tearing open a
massive time rift in the floor. Pathfinders leap out of the
way, grasping at stone to avoid tumbling through time. “Help
them!” Janira shouts. “Hurry!”

Does this team focus on battling the temporal echoes or on saving the Pathfinders falling into the time rift?

Help the Pathfinders for me

"Gotta save the helpless." Manny looks towards the Pathfinders falling into the time rift.

This section has three waves, each divided into a combat mission and a skill mission. If we complete all three and still have time, we'll go back to start at Wave 1 with the missions you didn't choose the first time.

The time rift is 40 feet long and 20 feet wide at its center, then narrows at its edges to 5 feet wide. Eight Pathfinders are in danger of falling into the time rift. Six cling to the tiled floor at the edge of the rift, with their bodies dangling into it. One climbed partway up a pillar whose base has disappeared into the rift; they are 15 feet in the air. The final Pathfinder holds onto a rope tied to a grappling hook, which they tossed into the chamber at the last moment to save themself. The grappling hook is gripping the gap in a stone tile and is clearly not well secured.

Residual energy from the time rifts the team has already closed is helping to counter the effects of this rift against them, though they can see that the dangling Pathfinders are moving unusually slowly.
You're all Quickened 1 for the duration of the encounter because of the Time Rift Sealed condition the house earned in the last area. However, anyone within 10 feet of the rift is Slowed 1 unless they succeed at a DC 23 Fortitude save. The area would also be difficult terrain and uneven ground, but you can ignore that due to the Predators Destroyed condition.

The grappling hook slips off the tile, dropping that Pathfinder 5 feet further into the time rift. The grappling hook snags another tile 5 feet closer to the edge of the time rift. Its hold is precarious, and it’s likely to slip again in moments.

Round 1: All PCs' turns Map updated
Kamil (Quickened 1; DC 23 Fort or Slowed 1 while within 10 feet of rift)
Cassandra (Quickened 1; DC 23 Fort or Slowed 1 while within 10 feet of rift)
Itka (Quickened 1; DC 23 Fort or Slowed 1 while within 10 feet of rift)
Emmanuel (Quickened 1; DC 23 Fort or Slowed 1 while within 10 feet of rift)
Gruntarr (Quickened 1; DC 23 Fort or Slowed 1 while within 10 feet of rift)
Pathfinder conditions:
Blue Pathfinder (15 feet up on pillar)
Brown Pathfinder (hanging from slipping rope)
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Purple, Grey Pathfinder (dangling from edge)

There are no particular solutions here, so attempt whatever you desire. Most attempts should require at least 1 Interact action and a skill check to complete. Examples include anchoring the grappling hook, grabbing hold of a Pathfinder, pulling a Pathfinder back onto solid ground, Leaping to a pillar, Climbing up a pillar, or tying a rope around a Pathfinder.

"Hmp!" Itka grabs her rope, which always has a grappling hook tied to the end. Hustling to a nearby column, she winds the rope around it, hooks the end with the grappling hook, and tosses the other end of the rope to the Pathfinder dangling from the column.

Throw the rope to Blue: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

◆ Stride (Quickened 1), ◆ Interact, ◆ Interact, ◆ Throw rope

Manny casts >Fly< and zooms off towards the portal.

Just as he reaches the edge, he feels himself slow down.

Fort Save: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25

Just kidding! He's awesome as usual.

"Come on, take my hand!" He reaches out to the Pathfinder clad in White.

Athletics: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (12) + 16 = 28

◇ Quickened!
◆◆ Cast >Fly< on Manny
◆ Stride towards White
◇ Make Fort Save to resist Slowed
◆ Athletics to help White

Manny pulls one of the endangered Pathfinders to safety, but the distortion of time and space throws off Itka's aim.

Round 1: Kamil, Cassandra, and Gruntarr's turns
Kamil (Quickened 1; DC 23 Fort or Slowed 1 while within 10 feet of rift)
Cassandra (Quickened 1; DC 23 Fort or Slowed 1 while within 10 feet of rift)
Itka (Quickened 1; DC 23 Fort or Slowed 1 while within 10 feet of rift)
Emmanuel (Quickened 1)
Gruntarr (Quickened 1; DC 23 Fort or Slowed 1 while within 10 feet of rift)
Pathfinder conditions:
Blue Pathfinder (15 feet up on pillar)
Brown Pathfinder (hanging from slipping rope)
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Purple Pathfinder (dangling from edge)
Safe: Grey Pathfinder

Gruntarr moves near the hole and throw a rope to Red

◇ Quickened!
◆ Stride towards red
◆ Stride towards red
◇ Make Fort Save to resist Slowed
◆ Throw rope
◆ Athletics to help red

fort: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
athelics: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18

Gruntarr is able to resist the slowing effect of the portal--but he isn't quite able to pull the agent to safety.

Fortitude DC23: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28

Quickened by the influx of time, Kamil resists the effect of the time rift.

He casts fly and moves to one of the endangered Pathfinders and grabs them.

Athletics: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25

◇ Quickened!
◇ Make Fort Save to resist Slowed
◆◆ Cast a spell (Fly level 4th)
◆ Stride towards Brown
◆ Athletics to grab Brown

Kamil pulls up the Pathfinder who was hanging by a rope. They stagger out of the way.

Round 1: Cassandra's turn
Kamil (Quickened 1)
Cassandra (Quickened 1; DC 23 Fort or Slowed 1 while within 10 feet of rift)
Itka (Quickened 1; DC 23 Fort or Slowed 1 while within 10 feet of rift)
Emmanuel (Quickened 1)
Gruntarr (Quickened 1)
Pathfinder conditions:
Blue Pathfinder (15 feet up on pillar)
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Purple Pathfinder (dangling from edge)
Safe: Grey Pathfinder, Brown Pathfinder

Kamil sees a vision, deep in the fracture: The grappling hook snags on the very edge of the time rift. Its hold is precarious, and it’s likely to slips again in moments. But no! He's already saved that one. That unaltered future has already been prevented.
As it is, nothing gets worse for now.

Round 2: All PCs' turns.
Nothing gets worse this round, because you've already saved the one on the rope who would have started to slip.

Fortitude DC23: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25

Again, Kamil resists the time rift pull and fly to save another Pathfinder after deposing for safety Brown.

Athletics (Red): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19

Cassandra rushes forward and tries to drag the pathfinders from the edge.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30, pass

Round 1, Athletics: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33
Round 2, Athletics: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24

This time Kamil isn't able to pull someone free, but Cassandra manages to rescue two more Pathfinders, pulling them up from the edge.

Round 2: Itka, Emmanuel, and Gruntarr's turns.
Kamil (Quickened 1)
Cassandra (Quickened 1)
Itka (Quickened 1; DC 23 Fort or Slowed 1 while within 10 feet of rift)
Emmanuel (Quickened 1)
Gruntarr (Quickened 1)
Pathfinder conditions:
Blue Pathfinder (15 feet up on pillar)
Red, Orange, Green Pathfinder (dangling from edge)
Safe: Grey, Brown, Yellow, Purple Pathfinder

Manny flies above the time rift, hovering around the Orange and Green-clad Pathfinders. "Just a bit longer, folks!"

Orange Athletics: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33
Green Athletics: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (7) + 16 = 23
Green Athletics if that didn't work: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (15) + 16 = 31

If that did work, Manny hovers near the Blue Pathfinder hanging on the pillar. "Alright, let's get you out of here!"

◇ Quickened!
◆ Fly over pit without falling in
◆ Athletics vs Orange
◆ Athletics vs Green
◆ Athletics vs Green or Fly 5 feet east and 10 feet south

Manny hauls another two Pathfinders up onto the more relatively stable parts of the floor. From there they stagger further away from the hole in space and time on their own.
23 is a success.

Round 2: Itka and Gruntarr's turns.
Kamil (Quickened 1)
Cassandra (Quickened 1)
Itka (Quickened 1; DC 23 Fort or Slowed 1 while within 10 feet of rift)
Emmanuel (Quickened 1)
Gruntarr (Quickened 1)
Pathfinder conditions:
Blue Pathfinder (15 feet up on pillar)
Red Pathfinder (dangling from edge)
Safe: Grey, Brown, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Green Pathfinder

Itka hauls the rope back and strides forward.

Fortitude DC 23: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16

Suddenly moving like cold molasses, she tries to throw her rope to the Pathfinder dangling from the column.

Throw the rope to Blue: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16

I think I did her actions correctly. Switching from Quickened 1 to Slowed 1 in the middle of the turn confused me for a bit there.

◆ Interact, ◆ Stride (Quickened 1), ◆ Throw Rope, ◆ Slowed 1

Itka's aim is still a little off in the warped space.

The grappling hook slips off the edge of the time rift, dropping the Pathfinder clinging to the rope into the time rift where they are lost forever. They can’t be rescued.

Oh. But they already were. Looking into a time rift skews perceptions...
Nothing happens, because that Pathfinder is already rescued.

Round 2: Gruntarr's turn.
Round 3: All PCs' turns.
Kamil (Quickened 1)
Cassandra (Quickened 1)
Itka (Quickened 1; Slowed 1 while within 10 feet of rift)
Emmanuel (Quickened 1)
Gruntarr (Quickened 1)
Pathfinder conditions:
Blue Pathfinder (15 feet up on pillar)
Red Pathfinder (dangling from edge)
Safe: Grey, Brown, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Green Pathfinder

I assume Quickened 1 and Slowed 1 cancel each other out.

Growling with frustration, Itka hauls the rope back and tosses it again.

Throw the rope to Blue: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29

"Hmp. Finally. Someone help me haul them in!" Knowing her own weakness, she calls for help pulling in the rope which the blue-shirted Pathfinder clutches.

Athletics to Aid whoever helps pull on the rope, DC 15: 1d20 ⇒ 19

◆ Interact, ◆ Throw Rope, ◆ "Pull" rope

Manny holds a hand out to the Blue Pathfinder. "Hold on."

Blue Athletics: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (18) + 16 = 34
After grabbing the Pathfinder, he hovers over to the far side and drops them off. "Hey, is that person with the matching Red Shirt still in trouble?"

Red Athletics: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (5) + 16 = 21
Red Athletics if that didn't work: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 32

"Good job, I think that's everyone!"

◇ Quickened!
◆ Athletics vs Blue
◆ Fly over pit without falling in
◆ Athletics vs Red
◆ Athletics vs Red

Gruntar help red to climb up
Athletics on red: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27

Gruntarr bounds to the pillar to help stabilize the Pathfinder there, while Itka throws a rope to the other. Manny helps then both get to their feet.

With nobody in danger of falling, those grateful Pathfinders work to close the rift while the team takes a moment to rest.

You needed to rescue four to count as successful. So with all eight I will report a Wave Success.

The purple crack widens and then explodes into dozens of smaller rifts. Each rift reveals a vision of some distant view. From stone walls of unknown architecture to verdant jungles, each vision is entirely different. The ground in the chamber shakes and heaves as a massive dinosaur stomps into view, emerging from one of the rifts.

“Now there’s a challenge!” Calisro Benarry boasts. “Let’s show them what Pathfinders are made of!”

“The rifts are pulling us into the past,” Jirneau counters.
“We need to force the Eternity Arch to seal these rifts, or we’ll
be stranded here!”

Squads of Pathfinder agents move to follow both instructions.

Does this team want to focus on baking the creatures or manipulating the Eternity Arch?

"Good job, everyone." Manny offers everyone a high five if that's their style.

"I guess we should manipulate the Eternity Arch?" Manny takes a long look at the big lizard feathered(?) thing.

Cassandra takes one look at the massive dinosaur, Manipulating the arch it is!