f N human Wizard 5 | HP 32/32 | AC 16 T 12 FF 14 | CMD 14 | F+3 R+3 W+4 | Init +2
Magic:
Color Spray 3, Feather Fall 1, Ray of Enfeeblement 1, Shield 1 | Blindness/Deafness 2, Ghoul Touch 1, Mirror Image 0 | Fireball 2, Halt Undead 0 || A-Bond +
Ashtoreth walks forward so that it is convenient for her to shoot without fear of hitting a comrade in the back of the head, and shoots with a crossbow.
NG m elf Mythic core bard 6| Mythic pts 9/9 | HP 56/56* | AC* 15, t15, ff10 (+4 mage armor) | F +5, R +11*, W +6 (+2 vs. ench., +4 vs sonic) | Perc +11 (low-light) | Stealth +12* | Init +13* | speed 30' | CMB +5, CMD 20* | cold-iron arrows x20 | Active Conditions: ---
"Ha! Got it!" Corey congratulates himself after hitting the giant snake with an arrow.
He then tells a tale about the heroics of Durvin Gest, the renowned cofounder of the Pathfinder Society,
"This one time, long ago, Durvin was battling almost a dozen huge demon snakes..."
INSPIRE COURAGE IS ACTIVE! +2 Competence bonus to Attack & Damage rolls, +2 Morale bonus to charm & fear effects.
Ashtoret pierces the blinded serpent, which hisses its last.
Seebonickk Core character wrote:
Sebonicckk casts again.
at blue then red if blue drops
Seebonicck does not currently have sight of red, so treating this as a readied action. My assumption is that Merida is currently holding a torch/light source?
NOT ALL IS WELL IN THE WELL OF SERPENTS! - Round Two Cont'd!
PCs in bold may act
Seebonickk (readied action once light source reveals red)
Corey
Nightkit (mage armor'd) Merida
Theron
Astoret
Amphisbaena (blue) -50 HP
Amphisbaena (red) -7 HP (-19 once light source reveals red for mm)
male human fighter 6, HP 58(70), AC 23; T 14; FF 19 F +7, R +6, W +5, Init. +8(+11), Perc. +8
There's another one? Where? I can't see a bloody thing...[ppc]waiting to see if Merida can get a light source going...hate not being able to see squat...[/ooc]
Destiny of the Sands - Part 1-2-3 Mythic Power: 0/9 Female N Human Fighter 5 | HP 47/56 | AC 19 T 15 FF 14 | CMB +7, CMD 22 | F +7, R +7, W +2 (+1 vs. fear)| Init +12 | Perc +9 | SM +0 | Speed 30ft
Sorry for not posting so long, everyone... :-(
Merida finally decides that she needs more light. She grabs her wayfinder and uses the command word to make it shine light.
Merida finally decides that she needs more light. She grabs her wayfinder and uses the command word to make it shine light.
I assumed that someone had already provided a light source before the party entered the dark chamber, so I will consider the above having occurred during the prior round or earlier.
Merida may still act this round (and so may Theron).
Destiny of the Sands - Part 1-2-3 Mythic Power: 0/9 Female N Human Fighter 5 | HP 47/56 | AC 19 T 15 FF 14 | CMB +7, CMD 22 | F +7, R +7, W +2 (+1 vs. fear)| Init +12 | Perc +9 | SM +0 | Speed 30ft
@Theron: Merida has the Precise Shot feat, so you can go into melee whenever you want.
Merida 5-foot-steps closer, lets go of her wayfinder and quickly fires a couple of arrows at the snake.
To hit: BAB, Dex, Magic, Weapon Focus, Weapon Training 1, PBS, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim Damage: Str, Magic, Weapon Specialization, Weapon Training 1, PBS, Deadly Aim
Bite this, worm! Theron shouts as he brings his blade down on the snake again.
The strike slashes through the serpent, killing it instantly.
COMBAT OVER
With the serpent guardians are defeated, the shrine presents no further immediate threat to the Pathfinders. However, the shrine appears to remain enchanted. The darkness enchantment interfering with your light source, continues to shroud the area. Accordingly, any enchantments attract more serpents over time and tainting the water presumably also exist.
A PC can dispel the lingering magic by casting bless, consecrate, or any 2nd-level or stronger spell with the light descriptor.
Those searching the statues may attempt a Perception check.
Perception (DC 20):
You find a secret compartment in the intact statues base. The compartment contains several items, including a burial mask carved from lapis lazuli, three clay tablets describing funerary practices, and a rod carved from a single piece of petrified wood to look like a fanged serpent.
Bringing the relics here to Torch in Eto would require that the party deal with the customs agent Mahu or devise some way to sneak them over the walls without the gate guards noticing.
Upon further consideration, I will assume that one of PCs chooses to Take 20 on this check as there are no threats and no costs of failure. I am not sure why the scenario requires the completing this task to be "gated" behind a skill check.
The Pathfinders find a secret compartment in the intact statues base. The compartment contains several items, including a burial mask carved from lapis lazuli, three clay tablets describing funerary practices, and a rod carved from a single piece of petrified wood to look like a fanged serpent.
Bringing the relics here to Torch in Eto, as your patron has requested, would require that the party deal with the customs agent Mahu or devise some way to sneak them over the walls without the gate guards noticing.
What do you wish to do, Pathfinders? Please include any relevant Skill checks along with your described actions (for example, a Bluff or Diplomacy check if trying to convince Mahu to let you bring them into the city tax free, a Stealth check to hide the items from customs, a Climb check to scale the city walls, etc.)
Destiny of the Sands - Part 1-2-3 Mythic Power: 0/9 Female N Human Fighter 5 | HP 47/56 | AC 19 T 15 FF 14 | CMB +7, CMD 22 | F +7, R +7, W +2 (+1 vs. fear)| Init +12 | Perc +9 | SM +0 | Speed 30ft
GM Valen wrote:
With the serpent guardians are defeated, the shrine presents no further immediate threat to the Pathfinders. However, the shrine appears to remain enchanted. The darkness enchantment interfering with your light source, continues to shroud the area. Accordingly, any enchantments attract more serpents over time and tainting the water presumably also exist.
A PC can dispel the lingering magic by casting bless, consecrate, or any 2nd-level or stronger spell with the light descriptor.
Merida owns a wand of bless, so I guess it's time to test her UMD skill:
Destiny of the Sands - Part 1-2-3 Mythic Power: 0/9 Female N Human Fighter 5 | HP 47/56 | AC 19 T 15 FF 14 | CMB +7, CMD 22 | F +7, R +7, W +2 (+1 vs. fear)| Init +12 | Perc +9 | SM +0 | Speed 30ft
Regarding bringing the relics here to Torch in Eto: If we have enough (knotted) rope, Merida certainly can try to scale the city walls. She's not great (Climb +6) but she is trained in the skill and she has no ACP.
How the heck did I miss that? Nightkit exclaims as someone else finds the secret compartment.
On the way back, Nightkit proceeds to distract Mahu with Escape Artist tricks, using him as an impromptu assistant, while someone else gets the relics through.
It has been about 4 days and the only checks I have are for attempting to sneak the relics through customs, so here we go...
The party approaches the city gate to reenter Eto, wisely timing their approach to coincide with the inspections being conducted by their favorite customs agent, the friendly Mahu.
Having been befriended by the party, Mahu is willing to expedite the party's passage into Eto.
Mahu takes a –2 penalty on Perception and Sense Motive checks to spot the relics or see through any ruse.
The customs agent begins his search.
Perception w/penalty v. Seebonickk's Stealth (DC 15):1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 10 - 2 = 15
For opposing Skill checks, the result must exceed the result of the target.
With the relics escaping his notice, the party once again finds itself within Eto.
With the scarab-marked prayer book in tow, the party travels to the marshaling area of Lozar's caravan.
Knowledge (arcana) or Spellcraft (DC 20):
Although the prayer book that Grandmaster Torch gave to you is mundane, the metal scarab clasp acts as a focus for divination spells like locate object and scrying.
More than a dozen camels are tethered outside a large pavilion tent while a score of porters pack supplies for what looks to be a grand archeological expedition. Crates of tools, coils of rope, and sacks of dried food lie in piles waiting to divided up among the beasts of burden. Within the sumptuously appointed pavilion, stacks of scrolls and hand-drawn maps lie strewn across a canopied bed. A tall, dark-haired northerner with a thick eastern accent and persistent scowl supervises the storm of activity while checking over an inventory scrawled in a well-worn ledger. “Where are those amphorae of water? This expedition
won’t last a week in the Pillars of the Sun without water!”
f N human Wizard 5 | HP 32/32 | AC 16 T 12 FF 14 | CMD 14 | F+3 R+3 W+4 | Init +2
Magic:
Color Spray 3, Feather Fall 1, Ray of Enfeeblement 1, Shield 1 | Blindness/Deafness 2, Ghoul Touch 1, Mirror Image 0 | Fireball 2, Halt Undead 0 || A-Bond +
Ashtoret, smiling, approaches the northerner, having previously winked at the team. You're Ionacu Lozar, right? Oh, I've heard so much about you! My name is Ashtoert, I am a sorceress and a scientist, I study ancient dead cultures. You seem like such a great specialist, take a break for a couple of minutes, pay attention to the lady and answer a couple of questions... Please! She smiles as sweetly as possible, but at the same time slightly mysteriously, and without wasting time begins to ask Ionacu about the ancient rituals of death, mummification and burial in Osirion. At the same time, she looks at him with the devoted eyes of a big fan...
Destiny of the Sands - Part 1-2-3 Mythic Power: 0/9 Female N Human Fighter 5 | HP 47/56 | AC 19 T 15 FF 14 | CMB +7, CMD 22 | F +7, R +7, W +2 (+1 vs. fear)| Init +12 | Perc +9 | SM +0 | Speed 30ft
male human fighter 6, HP 58(70), AC 23; T 14; FF 19 F +7, R +6, W +5, Init. +8(+11), Perc. +8
argh.post got eaten....again.... Theron echos the sentiment of water being crucial to the caravan. Aye...double it to be safe, to be honest...diplo aid:1d20 - 2 ⇒ (19) - 2 = 17
NG m elf Mythic core bard 6| Mythic pts 9/9 | HP 56/56* | AC* 15, t15, ff10 (+4 mage armor) | F +5, R +11*, W +6 (+2 vs. ench., +4 vs sonic) | Perc +11 (low-light) | Stealth +12* | Init +13* | speed 30' | CMB +5, CMD 20* | cold-iron arrows x20 | Active Conditions: ---
Sorry!
After learning about the function of the metal scarab clasp, Corey gazes in thought for a moment, then cracks a wry grin.
"Ah-ha. I see what Torch is trying to do." he muses softly.
Corey notices Ashtoret and the others tripping over their tongues, not doing very well at impressing Ionacu.
He steps forward to address the expedition leader.
"Good day, my good man. We simply would like to ask you a few questions and possibly a favor."
Corey puts on the charm and engages in small talk while also attempting to flatter the man.
Diplomacy (Vers. Perf.):1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19
The Pathfinders seek to address Ionacu Lozar directly. Clearly unfriendly, the caravan leader indulges their presence for only a few moments. The Pathfinders try to make their case quickly.
Ashtoret wrote:
You're Ionacu Lozar, right? Oh, I've heard so much about you! My name is Ashtoert, I am a sorceress and a scientist, I study ancient dead cultures. You seem like such a great specialist, take a break for a couple of minutes, pay attention to the lady and answer a couple of questions... Please!
"If have heard anything about me and my current expedition, then you know that I am having great difficulty getting my caravan supplied and out into the field!" Lozar grumbles. "The entire endeavor has proven more time-consuming and costly than I had anticipated."
Ashtoret fails to alter the man's attitude, but the man's accent potentially jostles some memories.
Knowledge (geography or local) (DC 10):
Ionacu Lozar speaks with a heavy Ustalav accent.
If the result of your check exceeds a DC 17, you may open the spoiler below:
Spoiler:
Ionacu Lozar is a regent of Ustalav’s Sincomakti School of Science. He has chosen to lead an expedition to the Pillars of the Sun. Every nuance of buying supplies in Eto is wrapped in layers of local customs that baffle the no-nonsense scholar, leading him to offend some of the merchants in the bazaar. As a result, delivery of his supplies has been delayed, and his frustration is clearly evident.
If the result of your check exceeds a DC 22, you may open the spoiler below:
Spoiler:
Ionacu Lozar has prepared this expedition as he seeks to find the lost pyramid of An Hepsu XI, a powerful pharaoh who embraced lichdom and has been imprisoned for over 6,000 years.
If the result of your check exceeds a DC 27, you may open the spoiler below:
Spoiler:
Ionacu Lozar is also a member of the secretive Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye. He has undertaken this expedition with hopes to glean some insight into how the lich was imprisoned and pass that knowledge to the Esoteric Order so it might use the information to strengthen the wards around Gallowspire, prison of the Whispering Tyrant.
Nightkit wrote:
Howdy. Looks like you're setting up for an expedition. May I ask where?
"To the Pillars of the Sun." Lozar replies sharply.
Seebonickk Core character wrote:
"Yes if we could ask a few questions please Lozar"
"The others already have!" Lozar snaps back.
Corenthiir wrote:
"Good day, my good man. We simply would like to ask you a few questions and possibly a favor."
"A... favor?" Lozar turns to momentarily engage Corey, clearly intrigued. "What manner of favor?"
NG m elf Mythic core bard 6| Mythic pts 9/9 | HP 56/56* | AC* 15, t15, ff10 (+4 mage armor) | F +5, R +11*, W +6 (+2 vs. ench., +4 vs sonic) | Perc +11 (low-light) | Stealth +12* | Init +13* | speed 30' | CMB +5, CMD 20* | cold-iron arrows x20 | Active Conditions: ---
Lore Master, Knowledge (local), take 10:10 + 7 = 17
Corey listens to what the leader has to say, then glances at the various carts in the caravan.
"Hmm. An Ustalavian accent. He appears to be low on supplies from the looks of it, as well."
"Uhh, sir, it appears that you seem to be short on supplies for such a large expedition. Perhaps you need us to fetch some gear for you? And then we can possibly discuss that favor we are seeking from you."
Destiny of the Sands - Part 1-2-3 Mythic Power: 0/9 Female N Human Fighter 5 | HP 47/56 | AC 19 T 15 FF 14 | CMB +7, CMD 22 | F +7, R +7, W +2 (+1 vs. fear)| Init +12 | Perc +9 | SM +0 | Speed 30ft
Knowledge: Local trained:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Nice! You may open the spoilers DC 10, 17 and 22.
While Corey is chatting up the expedition leader, Merida quietly tells the others what she knows about Ionacu Lozar.
"Uhh, sir, it appears that you seem to be short on supplies for such a large expedition. Perhaps you need us to fetch some gear for you? And then we can possibly discuss that favor we are seeking from you."
"I could indeed use some aid with my efforts in securing supplies. To date, those efforts have been frustrated." Lozar responds. [b]"Yet, if a man of my means has had little success, why should I trust you to be anymore efficient at the task?"
GM roll:
Lozar, Sense Motive:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
Any PC wishing to assure Lozar of their trustworthiness may attempt a DC 17 Bluff check or a DC 15 Diplomacy check.
If successful:
"Very well!" Lozar declares,"I accept your offer!"
"Now, I hope you will fulfill your duties more faithfully than those that I am currently waiting upon." He huffs.
"Every nuance of buying supplies here in Eto appears to be wrapped in layers of local customs that baffle a no-nonsense scholar, such as myself,"Lozar explains. "It would seem that I may have, perhaps, offended some of the merchants in the bazaar. If so, that may be why the delivery of my supplies has been delayed."
"Here is a list of the merchants that have, so far, failed to make good on their promises of delivery along with a list of the goods that assured me would be made available." The scholar hands you a written list. "Either track down the merchants who promised to sell me supplies or find me new suppliers with the high-quality goods necessary for my extended excavation."
Tracking down the merchants andconvincing them to forget their petty grievances with Lozar requires a successful Diplomacy or Intimidate check. Finding new suppliers requires a successful Appraise or Survival check.
Nightkit takes the list and goes to sort this out.
The performing Pathfinder is successful. She returns to the marshaling area of Lozar's caravan with supplies in hand. The scholar is quite pleased.
Secret GM Check:
Lozar, Perception:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
A PC who wishes to slip Torch's prayer book in among the fresh supplies may attempt a DC 16 Sleight of Hand check.
"It would seem that my faith was well-placed!" he says, his attitude clearly improved. "Now, I can conclude my preparations quickly!" The scholar promptly carries the newly-received items to the tent where his supplies are kept.
Lozar's attitude is now friendly.
If you failed the Sleight of Hand check:
Lozar suddenly exits the tent in a panic.
"What is this ?!? cries Lozar as he discovers a prayer book among the supplies. "This wasn't on my list!"
"Oh, dear! Those merchants must still be mad at me! They must have planted this book in the hopes that I would take it with me so that they could later accuse me of having stolen it!" Lozar speculates. he holds the book out to Nightkit. "Please! Quickly! Return it back to the merchant who gave you the supplies!"
The PCs now have a +2 bonus on any other skill checks made to place the book among Lozar's belongings.
NOTE" I will be heading out of town shortly to spend the holiday weekend with family. Feel free to post any actions along with accompanying skill checks in the meantime and I will resolve the actions/checks (or be awfully close to doing so) by sometime Monday.
Ninja'd by Merida. The Sleight of Hand was a success!
Destiny of the Sands - Part 1-2-3 Mythic Power: 0/9 Female N Human Fighter 5 | HP 47/56 | AC 19 T 15 FF 14 | CMB +7, CMD 22 | F +7, R +7, W +2 (+1 vs. fear)| Init +12 | Perc +9 | SM +0 | Speed 30ft
Merida tries to slip Torch's prayer book in among the fresh supplies...
Now that the Pathfinders have complete all of Grandmaster Torch’s tasks, they are free to return to him to ensure that all has been done to his satisfaction.
Once you are able to receive an audience with Torch, the Grandmaster greets you with the following, "I must admit that I had expected you all to have come to me earlier. I trust you have completed the list? Lozar has the book? You have the artifacts? You are prepared to reveal Madame Zelekhati's secrets? And you have a message to report from the Hundredfingers gang?"
"Please, do tell. Do show. And do reveal." he adds. "I am waiting."
*nods* I also have a proposal for you Grandmaster. A performance for a later favour, personal in nature. I don't know what it is yet nor will it have anything to do with the Pathfinders, just for me in the future. Besides, I suspect you do not get out of that tub as much as you would like.
Anyway, yes we have the artifacts. Yes Lozar has the book. I trained my apprentice well.[/b] She winks at Merida.
The message from the gang was "The Red Mantis is searching Eto for a scarred man."
As for Madame Zelekhati's secrets, I am afraid I was less than successful. It was also the first time I had been dismissed from performing after the first night.
Destiny of the Sands - Part 1-2-3 Mythic Power: 0/9 Female N Human Fighter 5 | HP 47/56 | AC 19 T 15 FF 14 | CMB +7, CMD 22 | F +7, R +7, W +2 (+1 vs. fear)| Init +12 | Perc +9 | SM +0 | Speed 30ft
Merida waits for Corey to chime in about Madame Zelekhati's secrets.
f N human Wizard 5 | HP 32/32 | AC 16 T 12 FF 14 | CMD 14 | F+3 R+3 W+4 | Init +2
Magic:
Color Spray 3, Feather Fall 1, Ray of Enfeeblement 1, Shield 1 | Blindness/Deafness 2, Ghoul Touch 1, Mirror Image 0 | Fireball 2, Halt Undead 0 || A-Bond +
Ashtoret thinks that Torch would make a great zombie, because even right now he looks like a zombie, and these thoughts are too exciting for her to enter into a conversation.
NG m elf Mythic core bard 6| Mythic pts 9/9 | HP 56/56* | AC* 15, t15, ff10 (+4 mage armor) | F +5, R +11*, W +6 (+2 vs. ench., +4 vs sonic) | Perc +11 (low-light) | Stealth +12* | Init +13* | speed 30' | CMB +5, CMD 20* | cold-iron arrows x20 | Active Conditions: ---
Corey steps forward and offers a slight nod with a smug smirk on his face.
< Exactly like his profile pic.
"Greetings, exalted one."
He then gives the rundown on all that has transpired:
The book has been successfully placed within Ionacu's personal belongings, he hands over the rod carved from a single piece of petrified wood that looks like a fanged serpent, relays the message from the Hundredfingers gang that 'The Red Mantis is searching Eto for a scarred man.' And that Madame Zelekhati will be paying him a visit soon to reveal her secrets.
The latter task, I'm assuming that since we didn't engage in combat and were successful in our diplomacy checks, that Zelekhati was going to visit Torch and "mislead" him when revealing her secrets.Link
"Now then, Mister Torch, it appears the tasks are complete."
He then gives the rundown on all that has transpired:
And that Madame Zelekhati will be paying him a visit soon to reveal her secrets.
"A personal visit, eh?" Grandmaster Torch replies with equal parts intrigue and skepticism in his voice. "Given what I have been told about Madame Zelekhai, you must have been truly convincing."
Corenthiir wrote:
The latter task, I'm assuming that since we didn't engage in combat and were successful in our diplomacy checks, that Zelekhati was going to visit Torch and "mislead" him when revealing her secrets.Link
A fair assumption based on your discussions. Still, it all seems a bit too easy for Torch. Since she agreed to "mislead" or "trick", you need to make a Bluff check. Each of the others PCs are free to aid, if they wish.
Following the Bluff check, I will also take a Sense Motive check. A success allows the PC to know whether or not Torch believes the party.
