GM Jhaeman's PFS1 Module: "Curse of the Riven Sky"

Game Master Jhaeman

Zoarth nods absent-mindedly at Farrokh, as already the cloud giant wizard's attention is diverted by the pages of The Book of the Titan!

A quick survey of the battle-ravaged grand hall shows that a few of the giant invaders are still alive . . .

Giants have pretty high Constitution, so several made their stabilisation checks when reduced to negatives.

"I think I saw a few who managed to keep their hearts beating," Adeah remarks, readying her crossbow just in case. "Should we see if one of them'll talk?"

"I have some smelling salts we could use to wake one of them up." offers Farrokh. "Before we do that maybe it would be worth searching them to see if they have anything on them which could indicate what they were up to, it could be useful in the discussion, plus we should also make sure they don't have access to any weapons."

Assuming there are no objections to the idea, Farrokh will search the giants for anything useful and also remove any weapons and and anything that detects as magic from them (using detect magic to identify the latter items).

Farrokh searches the fallen giants through means both mundane and magical for anything of note!

Farrokh places the giant's weapons in a pile well away from them and then examines the magic items...

He'll take 10 examining each item, which with heroism and his workbook will give him a total spellcraft check of 31 for each check.

"I think this inscription is in Giant." he says pointing out the inscription on the sword to Xilt. "The stone giant also had these gems if anyone is any good at valuing such things?.

Farrokh examines the enchanted items carefully . . .

@Everyone: For the purposes of buff tracking, we'll say the conversation with Zoarth and the searching through the various giants' possessions takes 10 minutes.

Xilt translates the inscription on the sword from Giant to Taldane. He also has a look at the gems.

24 Appraise on a take 10.

"It looks like some of these are magic items. The devil's spear as we saw can freeze stuff, the potion can cure serious wounds, the large full plate and half plate have basic magic enchantments on them, and the large greatsword is enchanted to be especially effective against giants."

More specifically they are a +1 frost spear, a potion of cure serious wounds, +1 large-sized full plate, a large-sized giant bane +1 greatsword, and large-sized +1 half-plate.

Xilt examines the greatsword and gems.

Berato revives one of the giants from their unconsciousness while the others restrain him with rope. He nods to Adeah when the giant is awake, indicating the giant is ready for her truth-magic.

"Good day Sir. I am Berato, a humble servant of Torag, god of all blacksmiths. Would you be so kind as to tell us what you seek in this castle? why did you attack the castle and its master, Zoarth? if you help us understand I can assure your safety," asks Berato, pulling out some wine for the awakening giant.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29

My inquisitor ability to discern lies isn't a spell I cast, it's an ability I activate as an immediate action. 5 non-consecutive rounds per day.

Adeah listens carefully to the giant's response.

The groggy hill giant struggles against the rope, blinking furiously. He doesn't seem to be registering Berato's words.

"Zoarth, would you mind translating for us?" asks Berato.

Funnily enough, discern lies is not language-dependent and carefully avoids any mention of having to understand the words spoken. So Adeah has no idea what he's saying, but she can at least tell whether he's being honest.

Xilt waves off Berato.

"I speak Giant well enough to translate. There is no need to bother Zoarth with this meaningless prattle."

The wizard spends a few moments to recover some spells with pearls of power in between the translation.

With Xilt translating, the brutish hill giant eventually understands enough to give a coherent reply, which essentially amounts to a shrug: "Chief got big rich for sending us ta wreck this place."

"And who is the chief?" enquires Farrokh.

"Chief is Grunf One-Ear!" says the giant, as if the fact should be obvious to everyone.

"I see. Where would we find your chief if we wanted to speak with them? Would you be able to provide us with directions? Also, do you know how your chief got 'big rich'?"

The giant furrows his brow, trying to keep three questions in his mind at once before giving up. "We Jurn tribe! We walk lots. Then sometimes stop. Then walk more. Then stop. Chief and Ramma say when." He shrugs.

"Ah, so did the Chief or Ramma come here with you?"

Seemingly relaxed now, the giant wriggles a pinky finger deep in its right nostril as it says "Nah, sent Beshtu. Ya know, the dino lady! She's mean though . . ."

Does Beshtu look like she is unconscious or dead? Also would any of us know anything about the Jurn tribe and chief Grunf One-Ear (e.g. would we be able to recall anything with a knowledge roll)?

I'm guessing it would be a knowledge (local) check if one would help, so I'll roll that just in case...

knowledge (local) + heroism: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 8 + 2 = 28

Farrokh examines the bald giantess, but alas, she's not breathing.

The crit that took out the bald giantess was enough to take her to -26, so she's dead.

@Farrokh: I vaguely recall a couple of folks got a little info on the Jurn tribe from Knowledge (local) checks when they first appeared (you folks flew above a small band on your way up the mountain).

After taking a look at Beshtu Farrokh turns back to the giant, "Did your group have a second in command after Beshtu?" he enquires.

The giant scratches his unmentionables and shrugs. "Nah."

"Looks like we need to hear it firsthand from Chief Ramma then. Let's bring this giant with us so he can show us the way yes?" says Berato, gathering his gear and getting ready for a trek.

"Does anyone know anything about this 'Jurn tribe' and where their chief lives? If there is a viable way for getting there without the need to bring a giant it may be a safer option."

What time of day is it? I seem to recall we were arriving at the castle late on in the day. If so then I'm guessing we would probably want rest overnight and head off in the morning?

"No doubt our mighty ally Zoarth here knows about the Jurn Tribe, yes?" asks Berato, turning his attention to the cloud giant.

As the Pathfinders discuss how to proceed, Zoarth looks up from The Book of the Titan just long enough to respond to Berato. "Jurn tribe? Hills to the north." He absent-mindedly waves a hand in that rough direction. "Their trail shouldn’t be hard to follow." Suddenly remembering something, he lowers the book and gives you his full attention. "I have heard reports from those who deliver my annual supplies that a massive dragon uses the lands in that direction as a hunting ground--but apparently, it's not the standard sort of dragon. Avoid or flee," he advises, before burying his face in the book again.

@Farrokh: It looks like you marched six hours before first encountering the giants After all the fighting, looting, conversation with Zoarth, and interrogation, I'd say at least a couple more hours have passed, putting us into late afternoon (sunset in this part of the world) and constituting a full day's activity for the purposes of forced marching, etc..

"Mighty Zoarth: may we rest in your castle for the night? this would allow us an early departure towards the Jurn Tribe."

Berato then downs an antitoxin, casts guidance on himself and uses Torag's power to cleanse himself from the infernal poison still dormant in his veins...

Purifying Touch, Fort vs. DC20, Antitoxin, Guidance: 1d20 + 12 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 12 + 5 + 1 = 21

He then casts a lesser spell of restoration to recover from the earlier poison damage.

Lesser Restoration: 1d4 ⇒ 4 pts. of CON restored.

I assume Adeah didn't detect any falsehoods in what the enemy giant told Farrokh? It would've used up all 30 seconds of her discern lies ability.

"Sounds like that's where the trouble is coming from. But wouldn't it be better to stay here and guard the castle? We don't know the Jurns are the only source of trouble, and we'd be leaving this place undefended."

"Or, well, less defended," she adds, glancing up at Zoarth.

"The best defense is an offense, and our enemy is out there, not here. I say we do what we do best and check on this giant chief to find out who is bankrolling his activities."

Adeah Silversong wrote:

Adeah hooks Farrokh's crossbow onto her belt and gingerly summons the badly-damaged musket from her glove. It's split almost in half from a large gash across the barrel. "I, um, don't suppose anyone has a way of fixing this? I'm not very good with other weapons."

Berato takes a look at the weapon. "Yes, Torag be willing, that weapon could be fixed in the morning, but alas not today. You are lucky you did not have a wizard put a more complicated enchantment on it; otherwise it could have been too complex for this priest to fix, and it may have required the touch of a high priest!"

Your reliable enchant is CL 8th, and so it beats the CL 6th of your +2 enhancement bonus and sets the CL of the weapon to 8th; so Berato's CL 10th will enable him to fix it with a simple 0-level mending spell...

Assuming we rest in the castle and move on in the morning, Berato will take mending on his orisons' list and fix Adeah's gun before we head out.

"The best defense is an offense..."

Anthys rolls his eyes and sighs.

Still, he will go along with the party.

In-character he very much agrees with Adeah, but I know that scenarios and modules typically expect the PCs to take a more proactive approach.

Zoarth nods absent-mindedly in response to Berato's request, remaining engrossed in the tome.

I'm happy for you folks to role-play and reach a decision how to proceed; it doesn't sound like there's a consensus yet.

Xilt nods at Berato's suggestion.

"Yes, we should investigate the Jurn tribe perhaps after resting here tonight. I don't see how else we can move this investigation forward."

I doubt that all the answers will come to us. It is called adventuring for a reason. :)

"That sounds reasonable to me." concurs Farrokh regarding the suggestion of investigating the Jurn tribe. "If we can find out what is behind all of this, hopefully we can stop it happening again."

In-character he very much agrees with Adeah, but I know that scenarios and modules typically expect the PCs to take a more proactive approach.

I thought the same thing-- it certainly sounds like we're supposed to go there, but it also doesn't seem like a very smart thing to do given the circumstances.

"I suppose it would be even more dangerous for only one of us to go such a long distance just for reconnaissance." Adeah sighs. "All right, we're in agreement then."

Zoarth seems to have almost completely forgotten you, but you've spent enough time in the castle to come across what must be a guest room. It contains a single massive bed that's almost 20' wide and 30' long! Still, it's soft, warm, and comfortable, and after the rigors of the day, a blessed relief.

I'm going to imagine you all tucked in side by side like the family bed in Willy Wonka :)

Okay, the night will pass without incident. You can make your usual new-day adjustments: subtract food, regain hit points equal to your level, regain daily use abilities, etc.

Before going to bed Berato channels three more times to heal the group and cast remaining spells if need be in order to ensure everyone is at full health. He then channels energy into his shield and hammer.

In the morning he prays for spells, casts magic vestment into his shield and armor, cast mending repeatedly on Adeah's gun, and finally prepares a great brunch for everyone.

"Oh, thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Adeah says to Berato, in an unusual display of emotion for the normally no-nonsense aasimar. She inspects the site of the damage carefully. She can't even tell the damage had ever been sustained; in fact, all the scratches and abrasions it had sustained from normal use had also been mended, so the musket looks better than it has in a long time.

Adeah speaks a command word and the gun vanishes, tucked safely into the extradimensional space in her glove once more. She returns Farrokh's crossbow and six of the bolts and exhales confidently. "Ready when everyone else is."

Farrokh hauls his backpack onto his back "I'm ready.".

Although I do need to update Farrokh's buffs and spells once I get home and can use my computer.

With full bellies, magical protections, and a musket as good as new, the Pathfinders are ready to set off!

Okay, what's the plan?

"Please take us to your leader, giant!" asks Berato, and whispering "any of you feel free to be a tad more intimidating, if you feel like it..."

Diplo: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (11) + 17 = 28

"Zoarth mentioned that the attackers trail shouldn’t be hard to follow back to their camp, so do we need to take this giant with us if we can just follow that trail ourselves? I worry that he may be more of a liability that a help even if he proves to be trustworthy."

That said I guess we've not yet verified for ourselves how obvious the trail is.

"I agree. More likely he'll just betray us, or at least announce our coming. We should look for the camp on our own. I have some experience following tracks, and like Zoarth said theirs should be easy to follow."

(Adeah has a +17 Survival to follow tracks)

Xilt nods at the others. He is no woodsman but following the tracks of these large creatures should be easy enough for even the most unskilled of trackers.

I will get my daily prepared spells and buffs up in the next 24 hours.

The mephit decides to have some fun with the party and attempts to add a bit of color by the means of exaggeration to the present conversation.

"Yes, I have tracked many creatures in my day. Even some as small as a mouse. I am certain that I will be of great help in this regard."

Bluff: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15