[Outpost VIII]PFS #2-11 The Penumbral Accords by GM Colin

Game Master Colin_Mercer

Venture-Captain Drandle Drang calls you all to an emergency meeting at the Grand Lodge in the middle of the night......

Venture-Captain Drandle Drang looks tired as he calls an emergency meeting in the middle of night at his chambers in the Grand Lodge. “I’m sorry to call you in on such short notice and on such a dark night, but a friend of the Society needs your help immediately.” From an adjoining chamber, an elegantly dressed woman of middle age with olive skin and long, straight black hair and piercing eyes steps into the room. “Allow me to introduce to you Hamaria Blakros, of the esteemed Blakros family, whose name I’m sure you all know.”

Hamaria sits at Dreng’s side, smooths her satin dress over her knees, and speaks in a clear though pained voice. “I’m afraid my forebears made a terrible mistake, and I need you to help remedy the situation. When the Blakroses were first gaining a financial and social foothold centuries ago, my ancestors made a pact called the Penumbral Accords with a strange organization on the Shadow Plane called the Onyx Alliance, which granted us trade routes through its dark realm to avoid unpleasant searches, tariffs, and questions among the many parties with whom we traded. At the time, this was an invaluable service, but as our wealth and influence grew, the benefits became less pronounced. Now, almost five centuries later, we no longer want to pay the ongoing price of this agreement. Since that time, we’ve been providing a steady stream of slaves to the Onyx Alliance... including the eldest of our daughters each generation. This year we have two eldest daughters—my twins Eleanir and Michellia—and I refuse to let them be taken!"

“But we can’t actively break the Penumbral Accords ourselves. We don’t know all the details other than our end of the bargain, which requires us to deliver slaves to our very own Blakros Museum on the night of each new moon—and to deliver the eldest Blackros daughter of each generation on the new moon after her 21st birthday. We are told to stay away until dawn, and have honored this command thus far. In every instance for generations, we’ve returned to find no sign of the slaves or our own heirs left in the building. They’ve got some device that lets them take our daughters to their plane, something that only functions one night a month, and only until dawn. That night is tonight, and my Eleanir and Michellia are already there! I need you to get in before the sun rises and deactivate or destroy whatever allows them to keep stealing our people. If that prevents them from ever threatening us and holding the Penumbral Accords over our heads again, even better.”

Dreng leans forward. “You understand, I’m sure, how valuable our relationship with the Blakros family is to the Decemvirate. Their assets at the museum are immense, and assisting the Lady Hamaria tonight will go along way to ensuring that both her family and our organization can form a long-lasting alliance that will benefit all parties.” He glances at Hamaria, who nods once in agreement. “Hurry to Blakros Museum, friends. There isn’t much time!”

The clock is ticking, and it leaves little time for you to ask more question or purchase supplies. You guys rush toward the Blakros Museum as instructed by VC Drandle Dreng...

Some of you know a thing or two about the Blakros Museum, the Blakros family, and the Shadow Plane beyond its infamy among some of the Pathfinder agents.

Now it's a good time to give a short introduction of yourself to your teammates, as well as add your token to the character information slide on position 2 on Google Slide and fill out your dice roll modifier there.

Valtyra darts into the room clearly perturbed at having been woken fir a mission in the dead of night. The red haired lady with the angelic face is dressed in a light purple silk dress with a few bits of gold lace trim. a well used tome hangs from a belt carrier.

"I'm here. Sorry for running a little late."

Valtyra follows the group out the door as she recalls what she knows of the Blakros'.

Knowledge: Local: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27

The dwarf ambled along with the rest of the group. ”It sounds like a sick arrangement, even though I’m not one for breaking a deal. Doesn’t seem fair to the young ladies, though,” the Paladin says, working things over in his mind.

He was quite a hefty dwarf, barely contained in his armor. He had a hammer and axe strapped across his back. His beard was quite dark and thick, with several small items tied into it.

A Varisian woman slides into the briefing just before the start, and stood in the shadows for it. She looks every bit the typical Varisian Harrower, tall and swarthy and with a red scarf tying her long dark hair. She even has an ornate and gilded Harrow deck hanging from her belt, only the armoured skirt and crossbow on her back would mark her out in your usual caravan.

She nods at Valtyra's entrance, and agrees with Kaztor.

"Sick indeed. These woman struck no deals. None should be bound by the oaths of their ancestors."

Knowledge (History): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

"I've heard it said the building housing the Museum was built by Razleros the Overwatched to study distant worlds and planes long ago. Perhaps the planar intrusion uses some artefact of the construction to function..."

When they arrive at the museum she'll tap herself with her wand of Mage Armour

A very tall and robust young man joins the group. He wears greeen clothes and no armor. He listens silently the explanations and the mission. After that, he cannot help giving his opinion.

I cannot imagine why someone would ever accept that kind of deal, but we will help now to break the arrangement.

I cast mage armor when in front of the museum.

You quickly arrives at the Blakros Museum like your VC told you to, and put up necessary combat/adventure prep/buff like many senior Pathfinder taught you to.

The Blakros Museum is a large and well-furnished gothic building that rises out of the night like a great looming shadow. It's DARK, really dark, as if the whole museum is covered by Shadow. The aasimar and dwarf can see it just fine, but the human might need some help here.

Before opening the door, what's the light source situation here?

Valena casts her protective spell from a wand before putting away, then on looking at the shadowy museum, draws a deck of harrow cards and casts a simple spell on the box so that it emits light.

Remembering suddenly that she's working with a team today though, she checks with the others.

"I could illuminate some other object instead, Kaztor's hammer perhaps?"

Finally she puts another wand into a wrist-sheathe Cure Light Wounds

Valena is used to relying on her light cantrip for her illumination, so much so that she has nothing else.

Thanks, but I can manage.

Gavirius says a few arcane words and with a touch his long spear also starts glowing.

I cast light on my weapon.

Valena CL: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
Gavirius CL: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Your Light spell flickers for a moment, then return to emiting steady light. The gloomy double door of the Blakros Museum stands before you.

Just realized that one of the player, PDK, signed up but haven't pick his character yet. I will PM him.

”The rest of you lot get behind me! I’ve got experience being a shield for a group,” the paladin directs as he pulls his shield and moves bravely to the front line.

Climbing up from somewhere below the streets is a medium height human blonde with graceful build, with a badge from The Exchange stamped on her breastplate and a cat nimbly riding on her shoulders. She wears a sword at her side, with an oddly wider than normal scabbard.

"Pleased to meet you all. I'm Akkina. Sorry I'm late. Tried to find a way in from below but no luck so far."

When fully topside, she adds, "Anyone else finds it weird that the lady's daughters are already captive in there? couldn't the lady have sought our help a few days earlier and prevent her daughters' capture in the first place? Something smells fishy to me..."

Akkina CL: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Akkina CL: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Akkina CL: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Took Akkina a few tries to put up some Light. The museum you guys are about to enter is indeed very shady...

I will give Akkina some time to put up buff spell if she want. Then if everyone is ready, we will enter the Blakros Museum.

Gavirius beholds silently the door. It is the first time that he will visit the Blakros Museum and he feels a bit intimidated by the stories that he has heard. Then, he positions behind the dwarf.

Thanks, Kastor. As a spellcaster I do not like to walk in front line... if I can avoid it.

Akkina puts a series of enchantment on her cat, and in a strange secret language, tells him to go scout inside once the door is opened. She pulls out a glowing turban which she wraps promptly around her head. Unsheathing her strangely jagged sword and her small shield, she then pulls a wand fashioned out of some dark horn with the shield hand. She taps herself with the wand and then nods to the dwarf to open the door.

Akkina came out of the sewers with alchemical buffs already ON say for the last 10min; now casting nondetection (5 hours), comprehend languages (50 min) and spider climb (50 min) on the cat; taps herself with wand of infernal healing; glowing turban has continual flame already on it (permanent; CL 5th, 3rd level spell)

The cat nods his understanding, appearing bored with the assignment. As soon as the door opens he climbs up the door frame and disappears in the darkness of the ceiling...

Stealth, Take 10: 10 + 22 = 32

After getting ready, the Pathfinders push open the double door and enter the Blakros Museum......

Great pillars of hewn black stone support the vaulted ceiling of the Blakros Museum’s grand entryway, visible through its wide, double doors. Braziers mounted on the pillars cast white radiance from balls of continual light. A fossilized dinosaur skeleton occupies the northwest corner of the room.

Upon crossing the threshold, the air ripples and all visible surfaces shimmer as if they were momentarily composed of still, reflective liquid. As soon as the effect manifests, the strange sensation ends, leaving thick shadows covering all surfaces. The white light of the braziers glows an arcane shade of blue, illuminating the shadowy form of a different skeleton that overlays the more solid dinosaur from moments ago.

A shadowy plaque on the southeast column declares the Shadow Plane version of the building to be “Wightir House, Experimental Laboratory of Onyx Alliance, Authorized by Order of Argrinyxia, the Shifting Lady of Ebony Scales.”

Valtyra casts Mage Armor {4 hour duration) just before entering the museum.

Know: Planes DC 15: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16

"What we are seeing before us is a convergence of the Material Plane and the Shadow Plane. Not something often seen from what I know.

”Do you know if this convergence has any real life effect on us? Any new dangers on this side as compared to our side,” he asks, trying to work through what those words meant exactly.

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Valena nods in agreement with Valtyra's assesment, and then again at all the impressive spellcasting going on.

There'll be much to learn from such an accomplished group.

She answers Kaztor's question with as much information as she can recall Does she know anything useful about the Shadow Plane?

As she absently-mindedly walks a Harrow card across her knuckles, she looks around the room.

"We have until dawn, and I'd rather not be trapped on the Shadow Plane. Lead on..."

Gavirius swallows nervously. After all, this Shadow Plane does not sound like the kind of place that one would like to spend much time in...

She answers Kaztor's question with as much information as she can recall Does she know anything useful about the Shadow Plane?

Valena recalls that shadow magic are enhanced and light magic are impeded, the latter probably causing your various Light spells to flicker. Luckily, both Material plane and Shadow plane are neutral-aligned, so there isn't any alignment-based effect like Hell or Heaven. Such convergence is no natural occurance though, so its effect is yet to be studied.

Feel free to move your token around in the map...

If Kaz doesn’t get a warning from the stealth cat, he moves forward and begins investigating the northern most skeleton.

Im a phone poster, so if you’d move me please, GM.

Shadow continues his scouting mission, upside down like a spider and crawling on the ceiling. A slight tinge of excitement is detectable by Akkina across his emphathic link- but it is gone in a flash as the cat redoubles his efforts at trying to feel bored of the assignment...

The skeleton under the shadowy taxidermy is a winged beast of some kind, and doesn't look exactly like a dinosaur or pterosaur. Pass the statue duo is a long hallway, with a double door at the end. Two doors facing each other leads to probably a room to the left and the other to the right.

Shadow climbs around and didn't see or smell anything strange.

Gavirus moves around the room looking at the skeletons with curiosity. Then raises his head to check the ceiling.

Do we have a searching thief type? If so, I’ll let them take the lead down the hall. If not, Kaz will simply plod ahead, stopping at the double doors.

Is there anything else others want to do? If not I will move everyone forward tomorrow morning

Valtyra casts Detect Magic as she looks at the skeletons.

The shimmering/shadowy overlay on the skeleton is not magical. One might say it is supernatural? Since naturally the Shadow Plane doesn't converge with the Material Plane and causes these phenomenon.

Just as Kaztor about to enter the hallway, the 1 Top 2 Bottom: 1d2 ⇒ 1 skeleton suddenly animates, and let out a BIG ROAR!!! The shadow fades away, and a medium sized skeleton DRAGON remains.

Combat!

The skeleton dragon launches a flurry of attack against the dwarf, all but one is blocked by his trusty armor. One claw managed to land and scratches Kaztor somewhat.

Initiative, round 1
==========
Dragon
-----
Valtyra
Gavirius
Kaztor -8
Valena
Akkina
==========
Bold can act!

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Akkina moves to attack the skeleton.

cold iron mw consecrated sawtooth sabre: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
cold iron slashing dmg: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

two handed mode with no shield; AC 18

Shadow moves closer to the action, quietly, upside down on the ceiling and using corners and arches alike for cover...

Stealth: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (10) + 22 = 32

Akkina's sword hits the skeleton dragon, but its boney body makes it difficult to cut.

Initiative, round 1
==========
Dragon -5
-----
Valtyra
Gavirius
Kaztor -8
Valena
Akkina
==========
Bold can act!

Kaz pulls his Warhammer and swings at at the beast.

Attack 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Damage 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

After recovering from the surprise caused by the dragon skeleton coming to live, Gavirius moves to one side while he takes his sling. Then he loads it with a bullet.

"I'm fairly certain that what is dead is supposed to remain so."

Valtyra vocalizes a few arcane words and points her finger towards the dragon skeleton. Casting Magic Missile.

Spending 1 point of Arcane Reservoir to increase my Caster Level +1.

vs. Spell Resistance: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Damage:3 missiles: 3d4 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (1, 4, 3) + 3 + 3 = 14

3 blue missiles unerringly curves around Kaztor and Akkina, and BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! detonates upon impact on the dragon. Kaztor's hammer swing wide, however.

Initiative, round 1
==========
Dragon -19
-----
Valtyra
Gavirius
Kaztor -8
Valena
Akkina
==========
Bold can act!

Startled, Valena wonders what on earth this might be. She then gets in close and decides what to do...

Knowledge: 1d20 ⇒ 18

+10 for Arcana or Planes, +8 for Nature, or +4 and untrained for anything else. It doesn't look especially subject to Mind-Affecting Effects, but if she happened to recognise it and recall that it was, she'd do something different:

The harrow card strike true and ZAP! delivers the electricity handshakes, which hurts the skeleton dragon a lot.

The dragon, knows no pain nor fear, unleashes its natural weapons at the one that can hurt it, Akkina....

Initiative, round 2
==========
Dragon -30
-----
Valtyra
Gavirius
Kaztor -8
Valena
Akkina -28
==========
Bold can act!

When the last wing attack misses, Akkina disappears and reappears in flanking position behind the dragon.

Sudden Shift (Sp) In the blink of an eye, you can appear somewhere else. As an immediate action, after you are missed by a melee attack, you can teleport up to 10 feet to a space that you can see. This space must be inside the reach of the creature that attacked you. You can use this power 6 times per day.

Akkina attacks the skeleton.

cold iron mw consecrated sawtooth sabre, flank: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 9 + 2 = 21
cold iron slashing dmg: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

The Infernal energies begin to knit her body back together...

+1 hp

Akkina's sabre bounces off the skeleton dragon's tough bone.

Initiative round 2
==========
Dragon -30
-----
Valtyra
Gavirius
Kaztor -8
Valena
Akkina -28
==========
Bold can act!

sling attack, arcane strike: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Gavirius takes a step forward and throws a bullet at the dragon.

The dragon easily shrug off the sling bullet.

Initiative round 2
==========
Dragon -30
-----
Valtyra
Gavirius
Kaztor -8
Valena
Akkina -28
==========
Bold can act!

I assume Akinna is flanking with me, so I’ll add +2 to attack. If I am wrong, please remove the bonus.

Kaz again swings his hammer at the creature. ”Die again, undead beast!”

Attack with flank 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 7 + 2 = 16
Damage 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

"Begone!" Valtyra speaks a few arcane words while holding a flask of alchemist's fire in one hand and opens her other hand, palm facing towards the Skeleton Dragon. [oox]Casting Scorching Ray with a +1 to hit by use the alchemist's fire as a focus.[/ooc]

Vs. Spell Resistance: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 1 = 9

Fire Damage: 4d6 + 4 ⇒ (2, 2, 3, 3) + 4 = 14

The hammer also bounces off from the hard bone, and the fiery ray missed its target.

Initiative round 2
==========
Dragon -30
-----
Valtyra
Gavirius
Kaztor -8
Valena
Akkina -28
==========
Bold can act!

Watching Gavirius' sling be ineffective, Valena thinks better of throwing a sharp card, and instead ejects her wand of cure light wounds from it's spring loaded sheathe into her free hand, and heads to her injured ally.

She thanks dances around the pillar to approach Arkkina from the rear, and taps her on the shoulder while speaking the command word.

Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

The dragon unleashes another flurry of attack at Akkina. Now that she had experienced the skeleton draogn's wrath, Akkina managed dodge away most of its attack.

Initiative round 3
==========
Dragon -30
-----
Valtyra
Gavirius
Kaztor -8
Valena
Akkina -29
==========
Bold can act!

"Keep at it, it's working!"

Valena activates her wand on Akkina again, trying to augment the infernel healing energies with more holy ones.

Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8