Outpost VIII - A God Falls Where Magic Fails (Inactive)

Game Master ChesterCopperpot

When Gorum died, shards of his divine being rained down. One of these warshards landed in an ooze being transported outside of Oenopion. The newly-empowered creature escaped its confines and headed south towards the Mana Wastes. The Nexian forces haven't be able to deal with it, and have turned to hiring mercenaries. The Pathfinder Society learns of this chance to get their hands on another warshard, and has an arclord ally get them on the short list of candidates.

The PCs must prove their mettle over the other candidates before tracking this newly divine war ooze along the borders to the waste. What's more, the Mana Wastes themselves aren't going to make this mission any easier, and no one yet understands the full impact that warshards might have on creatures, so there's no telling the capabilities of this warooze.

A god of war had fallen...

Early in the morning, well before the sun is up and the sky is slowly shifting it's shade of black to yellow-blue, the sand is dry and cool - aftermath of last night's sharp drop in temperature - but nevertheless Gunda "Jakoby" Kolkind rises from her makeshift cactus hut, and whistles into the palm trees of the nearby oasis for her eagle companion - "Ro" - to join her for her morning routine.

Having collected and cured different herbs across the burning waste of the Thuvian Desert, she minces the collected buds with her fingers, and licking a dried bruorsivi pine leaf, twists the stack into a finely blended skinny roll "I see you captured a rodent. Well boy, this is my breakfast - lighter on the stomach - we have a full day doncha know" teasing her onlooking feathered friend and life companion, as he watches with his typical sideways rotated neck, and makes a gentle screeching sound of affection, to which the elder Ulfen woman responds by curling her nose into a playful smile "We head west shortly - let me enjoy this, you enjoy that skinny husk of stringy meat" and, striking a spark with her flint and steel, Jakoby intakes a long draw, and is soon lost in thought, which after a few moments, she seems to interrupt herself from "There is a 'war shard' we are to fetch, if'n we are selected for the task - haven't been yet to the Mana Wastes - doesn't sound too welcoming..." briefing her companion once again, adding "Still got half a mind to retire here" she looks at Ro who squaks in agreement, and reaches her hand back to clutch the familiar grip of her longbow, and smiles again "Me too. Far too old to retire!" snorting with playful laughter.

Hiking west from the desert wilderness, the duo swiftly begin their long trek towards the strange land, strangers themselves within it "Not a fan of unknown magical dangers, but then again, isn't it always that?" the only trace left of their passage through the wilds a trail of sweet smelling smoke...

Greetings Jacoby! I don't believe we've met! You see a fancily but sleekly dressed mushroom leshy approach you, looking innocent as a shy schoolgirl but sharp and observant at the same time.

My name is Virava Zhitel, you can call me Virava, I'm from Irrisen, I've been around Golarion more than a few times. Magic is not my thing. I lasted a grand total of two hours in Sorrina Westyr's magic seminars back at the Grand Lodge. I found myself at home instead with Urwal, a free spirit but knew how to fight smart. So many moons and missions later, here I am.

”Why, hello there!” a student of the wilderness, Jakoby knows better than to judge the might of a creature by size alone ”You have the look of a skirmisher about you. I’m sure you and the Old Boy will get well acquainted if this tracking mission goes sideways” she winks at her eagle companion, who perches majestically on a tree nearby…

…Ro tilts his head sideways and considers the small creature. Decides that it is not “food”. Looks back and forth between his loving master, and let’s out a joyous SCREEEEE!

Nina walks in and greets Jacoby and Virava warmly.

When Ro makes a fuss about not being greeted, Nina speaks a word, and stretches her arms, transforming into a raven, the form of her god, Andoletta.

Sylvia adjusts her glasses and looks around anxiously. "I... I still sometimes miss the days before my field commission, back when I just ran the Grand Lodge Mortuary. After dealing with the undead uprising that Vahlo left behind I've been doing field work ever since."

"Doncha be shy now, boy" she elbows her bird, who keeps double-taking between the giant raven and his master "She don't bite too hard" and shares a laugh at his expense.

To the wizard "Too much work, it was. Had me studying up on some bits of lore I've already forgotten since. I much prefer the outdoors anyway. If you are interested in anything at all, it's no small feat to come upon that knowledge in your own way" she takes a curious puff "And it's not like there are no longer provisional benefits to field study. Scrolls can become pretty expensive, but the right one in a pinch can make all the difference, ya know?"

A blue-skinned goblin rushes into the room, out of breath. If he has some sort of grand backstory, it is well hidden beneath a set of colorful - or, more accurately, gaudy - performer's clothing. He's dragging behind him a suit of armor that it doesn't look like he's had time to don, and strapped to his back are a well-worn bow and quiver and a pack stuffed with writings and magical devices with unusual auras, plus a single silver die held in a pouch made from an oddment of chainmail.

"Sorry I'm late, but I... wait, am I on time? I don't see a venture captain in here. Guess I could have spent a little more time on my last song. 'Librarian' and 'contrarian' worked well enough, but...

"Oh, hey, Nina, good to see you again! Been practicing your rhymes? I expect a major team-up if we end up in another rap battle. I just hope I can skip the mindscapes this time. Would you believe I've been in another one since our last mission together?"

"It does seem like ages! I haven't been on any missions since the mindscape."

Nina's last post was in 2023!

A Taldan man with a pronounced Widow's Peak approaches. A halberd is strapped to his back, and he carries a healer's toolkit at his waist.

"I'm Othello. It's unlikely we'll be finding lost souls to encourage to redemption. But, I'm sure we can all qualify."

Nina's last post was in 2023!

It is tough to find games for our all grown up Pathfinders.

"Ah, Othello, well met. We had a completely different type of bizarre portal when last we adventured together."

Jakoby gives the champion and rogue a look. I’ll have Ro scout ahead with these two… she gives the bard, sorcerer and wizard a look. While I hang back with this group…

She silently nods her head to indicate to her hunting companion that he should “more formally” introduce himself!

Screeee!

Ro, acknowledging his master’s command with just a shade of attitude, flies up and perches on the ground between Othello and Virava, flapping his massive wings to catch the braking draft, his full span easily long enough to reach around the three of them in a feathered hug!

He assesses one, then the other, in turn, before rumpling playfully.

Virava blushes when the bird hugs her.

She greets the rest of the party warmly. "Portal eh? I haven't seen one of those on any of my missions in awhile."

Your invitation to this mission came in a briefing from Venture-Captain Sebnet Sanserkoht and Arclord Alyreha Tzonnek entrusting them to seek out fleshforger Dunn Palovar and assist him in a dangerous quest. The details of that mission can be found in Handout #1: Letter from Venture-Captain Sanserkoht. You have time to shop while still in Quantioum, and you will be able to resupply when you reach Ecanus after you've met with Dunn Palovar. Your contacts have arranged for a carriage to carry you from Quantium to the fleshforger's estate.

(Feel free to RP moments on the carriage ride if you like! The more you know about each other, the better the teamwork will be.)

As the carriage arrives at its destination, a sprawling estate comes into view. At its center lies one of Ecanus’s famed fleshforges, a massive artifact of etched marble carved with runes that ooze blood and viscera. An extended villa has been built around the fleshforge, combining elements of Gothic architecture with surprisingly opulent villas. The entirety of the estate implies both immense wealth and a certain amount of inevitable villainy.

“Hold up!”

The call comes from a human guard wearing a breastplate. His right arm appears to have come from a different creature entirely and the delicate stitching of the graft can still be seen where the arm’s deep red flesh meets the human’s more natural bronze skin at mid-bicep.

“You all must be here as hunt candidates. Present your papers for admittance, please; once I’ve reviewed them I’ll take you to the waiting area for the fleshforger’s speech. If you have any questions, consider me your guide. Name’s Roven Dalanin. The fleshforger doesn’t have a lot of patience for telling folks things he expects them to know already.”

Feel free to ask Dalanin any questions.

Soaring on high above the caravan, Ro scans the landscape for snacks...

...oddbits of cross-stitched creatures churns his stomach, and he suppresses his predatorial instinct of hunger...

...for now...

SCREEEEE!!!

"How impertinent" our smoky hero mutters under her breath - she turns to Jiki, Nina, or Sylvia: 1d6 ⇒ 1 Jiki and jibes "You'd think they replaced the manners in his brain with those of an auroch!"

Cunning enough not allow herself to be overheard - and the better to allow one of her more charming companions do the talking - Gunda ignores the growls as she repositions her handsomely carved wooden pipe. It is well worn, and she deposits into it's bowl an orange-haired sticky-bud of a pungently pleasant odor, which intensifies in aroma as a gentle flame is introduced, the cherry glowing a deep orangish-red, hints of bruorsivi pine wafting gently into the air.

Her eyes relax once more...

Sylvia adjusts her glasses and read the letter from Venture Captain Sanserkoht.

---

Looking to Dalanin Sylvia presents the papers "H.. hi Roven, I'm Sylvia, and here are our papers, We appreciate your wisdom regarding the Fleshforger, and any other local tidbits you might have to share with us."

"What can you tell us about Fleshforger Palovar? If we are to work for him, it behooves us to know what his likes and dislikes are. You've mentioned he is impatient. What are his interests?"

"Fleshforger Palovar likes his privacy; in fact, I've never really seen him in the flesh. Well, in his own flesh, that is." Roven scratches his chin carefully with the meaty red finger of his right hand. "The fleshforger talks to hirelings and outsiders through one of his constructs."

He tells Sylvia, "You probably know what's going on here as well as I do. Apparently there’s an ooze or a construct or something from one of the fleshforges that’s gotten loose and is running amok south of here. Chewed up some guards and adventurers pretty bad, as I hear it.”

[b]“The folks you see around you are adventurers from all across the land! Some reputable, some less so, but that’s not really my place to say."

"Well, then, can you give us any hints about getting the attention of the constructs?"

"How does one capture an ooze?"

"And, what do we know about oozes? Anyone?"

Bardic Lore +16 for oozes, please.

+18 Occultism(E) - Dubious Knowledge for Oozes.

"Oozes? Yikes. Last time I had a run in with an ooze, I had to spend major coin to repair...."

"Fleshforger Palovar will be out to address the adventuring groups presently, I believe," the guard relates.

"Can't say I know much about oozes, myself. It’s a wicked piece of work that’s already torn up people with flashier reputations than mine, that’s about all I know."

If you'd like to check out the other adventuring groups waiting near you, you can attempt a Society check to see if you recognize any of them.

Relevant lores for other groups: Aspis Consortium +16, Bardic +16, Pathfinder Society +16, Zharchovsk +16. Also, Society +18.

Society +13, Occultism +12

You recognize one of the parties: The Devilish Dealers, a group of Chelaxian adventurers with a reputation for fair dealing and competence. The group consists of an assassin, a fiend summoner, a priest of Asmodeus, and a swordmaster.

You can each ask one question about the Chelaxian party’s capabilities per the normal rules for a successful Recall Knowledge check.

Domain for the priest please.

Cleric Domain: Fire; Lowest Saves: Will for swordmaster, Fort for the rest; Special abilities: Assassin strikes fear with his attacks, the fiend summoner specializes in vordines, the swordmaster can lower an opponent's defenses.

Any other questions before we move on?

Virava is barely confident about the knowledge of Cheliaxian groups other than that she could probably not trust them.

Nonetheless she is ready to go.

If it's allowed, anything about their past work or tactics.

Seeing as the parties will clash, Jakoby will spot out whichever team they are to best in combat, and identify the most magically inclined as her prey (in the case of the Devillish Dealers, that would be the priest of Asmodeus)

◆) Hunt Prey

All eyes are fixed upon the balcony where fleshforger Dunn Palovar is set to speak. Loud footsteps echo across the plaza, silencing the remaining wisps of chatter. A great construct of flesh and muscle steps out into view. Nearly the size of a hill giant, the construct drips with animating fluids. The fibrous muscles of its frame, uncovered by skin or any other protective tissue, ripple as its mouth opens and it begins to speak.
“Greetings, adventurers,” the voice, strangely thin and human for the receptacle it emanates from, begins. “I am fleshforger Dunn Palovar, and I have a task for you. A mighty ooze rampages through the southern reaches of my demesne, empowered by a godly artifact. This creature has already proven… intractable and lethal in the face of previous attempts to contain or defeat it.”

The construct shifts awkwardly in a strangely human manner before continuing. “Because previous attempts to deal with this beast have failed, I refuse to send any additional resources out until they have proven themselves capable of executing the task. The guards here will guide you into a gauntlet contained with the halls of my fleshforge designed to prove your worthiness. This gauntlet may prove lethal to the unprepared or insufficiently skilled, so if you have any qualms, this is your last chance to walk away. Otherwise, the guards will take you to your starting testing grounds. Goodbye.”

The fleshforger’s briefing complete, the construct turns and retreats from view, reentering the villa.

Given the reports you have heard, Jakoby realizes that the ooze you’re hoping to hunt is likely in possession of a warshard. These remnants of the slain god Gorum have a wide array of unpredictable magical effects. Jiki and Sylvia concur, also recalling that oozes are basically big waterskins, and the trick to beating one is to poke holes in it with a piercing or slashing weapon.

The fleshforger’s guards appear to guide you towards your designated starting area.

The Fleshforger's Gauntlet
Each room in the gauntlet presents a unique challenge Dunn crafted to ensure that the groups have the skills necessary to successfully track down and capture the ooze. After Fleshforger Palovar has completed his speech, the waiting groups of adventurers are ushered through the four open doors into the waiting trial rooms beyond.

Each room is successfully completed, and the party can proceed to the next phase of the challenge, if the PCs obtain at least 2 Worthiness Points (or 3 Worthiness Points if there are 6 PCs.) Securing at least 6 Worthiness Points (or 9 Worthiness Points for a group of 6 PCs) grants a boon that makes it easier to navigate one of the other rooms in the gauntlet. They can also stay in a room and continue completing tasks to try and gain more Worthiness Points, though each challenge in a room can only be attempted once, and if their Worthiness Points for the challenge would ever drop below zero, a guard opens the door and tells them that they have failed and must proceed to the next room in the gauntlet.

Succeeding at a challenge in a given room grants 1 Worthiness Point, while critically succeeding grants 2. There is no penalty for failing a challenge other than not being able to attempt it again, but critically failing a challenge loses the PCS –1 Worthiness Points, indicating that they have done something that significantly complicates the endeavor, like knocking a key into a trap or pit that makes it irretrievable.

You begin the gauntlet in:

The Room of Deadly Hazards!
This room is filled with spinning blades, grinding columns of spikes, acid-spitting nozzles, swinging guillotines, crushing pit traps and an array of other traps brutal, inventive, or simply lethal. The ceiling stretches nearly 40 feet above, only dimly lit by the torches bracketing the wall at ground level, and it’s clear that the traps stretch all the way to the ceiling. There are several golden medallions hanging about this room, each guarded from retrieval by at least two of the deadly hazards that fill the area. Gaining at least 3 Worthiness Points indicates that you have overcome enough of these hazards to retrieve at least one of the medallions, which can be used to unlock the door and allows you to proceed to the next portion of the gauntlet.

Available Challengers:
Detach the Swinging Guillotines: Acrobatics, Athletics, or Performance.
Disable the Acid-Spewing Nozzles: Crafting, Medicine, or Thievery
Jam the Grinding Columns: Athletics, Crafting, or Thievery
Stop the Spinning Blades: Acrobatics, Stealth, or Thievery. Rangers can instead use Survival.
Wedge the Crushing Pit Traps: Acrobatics, Athletics, Crafting, or Thievery.

Each obstacle can only be attempted once. Decide whether you would like to attempt, aid, or abstain.

One final puff, and our stony hero stows her pipe "You stay back boy - let ol' Gunda handle this" she assesses the path of the Spinning Blades, and attempts to circumvent their arc with a plot charted in reverse...

Stop the Spinning Blades (Survival, Master) w/ Ranger (yes) vs DC ??: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (13) + 22 = 35

Clearing half the way, she prepares for her ally to advance across the second half, and to throw the medallion!

Othello will go over to the Acid-spewing nozzles and figure out just how to make the acid tolerable, if not completely innocuous.

Medicine: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (15) + 19 = 34

Jiki recognizes that the cables used to suspend the guillotines has a specific resonance frequency that weakens the material. He hopes his pitch is still perfect.

I know they intended a physical performance for this, but Jiki is a musician. It's right there in his name. Sort of.

Performance:: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (2) + 21 = 23 +1 if a virtuoso flute somehow helps

"Hm. A little flat. Good news, with this trap, we won't all be flat."

I'll hero point that if it's a critical failure.

Sylvia will use her Occult Pendant to provide guidance for Jakoby, Othello and Jiki on their attempts to disarm the traps.

Sylvia will also help out Jacoby.

survival to aid Jakoby/Spinning Blades: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30
Crit for +2

Sylvia will work on the grindingly columns herself with aid fro her guidance.

Crafting vs Grind: 1d20 + 20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 20 + 1 = 27

Nina will Aid someone using Acrobatics or Athletics. Otherwise, she will abstain.

Aid Acrobatics: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25 vs DC 15
Aid Athletics: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18 vs DC 15

This challenge hits every single one of Nina's untrained skills!

Detach the Swinging Guillotines: Acrobatics (+15), Athletics (+13, or Performance (+4).
Disable the Acid-Spewing Nozzles: Crafting (+1), Medicine (+2), or Thievery (+4)
Jam the Grinding Columns: Athletics (+13), Crafting (+1), or Thievery (+4)
Stop the Spinning Blades: Acrobatics (+15), Stealth (+4), or Thievery (+4). Rangers can instead use Survival.
Wedge the Crushing Pit Traps: Acrobatics (+15), Athletics (+13), Crafting (+1), or Thievery (+4).

Jakoby and Sylvia easily disable the spinning blades, while Othello disables the acid jets and the team of Nina and Jiki somehow manage to take care of the guillontines! Sylvia follows up by barely managing to stop the grinding columns.

1 Critical Success, 4 successes. (6 points total)

Technically you can still take a shot at the Pit Trap, but you can't earn enough points to get the boon. I'll move to the next room.

You feel the room you are in shift as you place the medallions in a slot by the door, which swings open as soon as you feel the room stop spinning.

On the other side of the door, the room is filled with oozes ranging in size from no larger than a squirrel to nearly as large as a stout donkey. The oozes have an array of colors, including black, orange, yellow, green, and blue. Suspended inside each ooze are pieces of bronze keys.

It would appear that in order to reopen the door of this room and move on to the next challenge, you somehow need to coax enough pieces to form an entire key out of the oozes, without being devoured or melting off your fingers first.

Available Challenges
Calm the Oozes (Diplomacy, Occultism, or Survival)
Feed the Oozes (Arcana, Diplomacy, Occultism, or Society)
Herd the Oozes (Acrobatics, Athletics, or Survival. A bard can instead use Performance to complete this challenge.)
Tame the Oozes (Diplomacy, Intimidation, or Occultism)
Vibrate the Oozes (Athletics, Medicine, or Thievery. A bard can instead use Performance, and any spellcaster who uses a spell that deals sonic damage as part of this attempt gains a +2 circumstance bonus on their check (including checks to Aid).

Each obstacle can only be attempted once. Decide whether you would like to attempt, aid, or abstain.

First, Gunda "Jakoby" Kolkind calms herself - she takes a short break next to Sylvia "Thanks for the leg up, there. Can't say I've never met an unkind necromancer, eh?" she offers to share but is likely rejected. Undeterred, our ulfen hero stokes a large bowl between events in her handsome wooden pipe, a trail of smoke wafting behind her.

Next, she calms her bird companion. Scratching him just behind the neck, and whistling to him in a cheery tune, he turns his head sideways and hops in place.

Finally, she calms the ooze, studying it's strange and uniform constitution as she does...

Calm the Oozes (Survival, Master) w/ Ranger (yes) vs DC ??: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (19) + 22 = 41

"Music soothes the savage... slime?" Jiki says as he herds.

Performance, Bard: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (1) + 21 = 22

"Not that song, I guess. Maybe this one?"

Performance, Bard, Hero Point, Promotional Vestments: 1d20 + 21 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 21 + 1 = 29

Either Feed the Oozes or Tame the Oozes, depending on what others have available.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (11) + 21 = 32

Medicine to Vibrate the Oozes: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (7) + 19 = 26

Virava will herd with acrobatics.

acrobatics: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (13) + 21 = 34

Sylvia will let Ninja tame the oozes as she attempts to feed them.

Arcana: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (8) + 21 = 29