[PFS1] Redelia's The Devil We Know Arc

Game Master Redelia

Dass will be glad to be his teammates' guards.

Neri examines it from all angles and takes notes.
perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

The statue sits just outside of the prison’s gates, its golden form shining brightly in the sun. It stands just over 7 feet tall and rests atop a 3-foot-tall stone base. The statue depicts a curvy Taldan female with short hair and wearing flowing robes open at the neck. She regards onlookers with a blank, uncaring expression. Faint moons decorate her flowing robes, and she crushes a set of scales beneath her left foot.

Neri notices that the sculptor left his mark on his work of art—he carved a small letter “I” into her left foot.

Ela nods as Neri takes written notes.

Yeah, that's a good idea! I suspect as soon as we walk inside I'm going to forget half of the details!

Well, that's what Janira said in the Introduction to Pathfinding course - write down as much as you can. It seems that Venture Captains like detail, especially Sir Muttttt ... erm ... Valsin

She goes back inside to report.

Bagurm observes the statue trying to asses the skill of the sculptor.

After Neri describes the statue carefully, the crazed painter appears to ignore you for a short while and furiously paints the blank canvas on his wall, splashing paint wildly about his cell. Upon completing the painting, he shows it to you. It shows a twisted perspective. The once-beautiful statue stares back transformed, her visage twisted into a demonic snarl. Short humanoids with large, black eyes torment cowering prisoners in the painting’s background. Brandishing a radiant holy symbol, a lone figure fails to fight them off.

also, somehow between the previous bit and this one, some of the painter's other works make their way onto the wall and you are now able to see them, if you wish.

Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

"Huh. Derro," Anya remarks. "Quite the strange landscape he's painted here. What cult was he involved with, again? Groetus? Is he known for having truck with derros?"

k religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
k religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

I don't think I described it quite like that ... did I?

Not knowing much about religion, Ela takes a look at the new paintings on the wall.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Anya, you may safely assume that your party members have explained to you that they just fought derro who were allied with a cult of Groetus.

"Groetus, that's a rare find. Not quite so the derro. Is this another population control mission then?"

Dunno. Has anyone else been kidnapped that needs rescuing?

Examining the two other paintings, you find some of the same iconography.

The second painting depicts a stately, white stone building,
(Knowledge (local) check to identify the building). Three-foot-tall bas-reliefs circle the building’s outside walls at ground level, though they are warped and twisted in the crazed painter’s art. Derros stand atop the hall’s steps and seem to punish criminals—all of whom are wearing the robes of Taldan government officials. At the southwest corner of the building, the bas-relief glows a bright white. The same lone figure from the other paintings attempts to sooth a group of frightened children by playing a flute— the notes are actually painted above him on the canvas.

The third painting depicts the northeast retaining wall (Knowledge [local] check to identify what building the retaining wall is near). It shows dozens of angry derros smashing brightly-painted urns against the retaining wall, while the same lone figure from the other paintings frantically attempts to push down an obviously barred door in the middle of the wall, presumably to escape another group of menacing derros that seems to pursue him.

Once the crazed painter completes his third masterpiece, he rapidly explains that his “master” resides within the Crypt of Fools, hidden deep beneath Old Cassomir. He does not know its exact location, but he tells you that if anyone has knowledge of the Crypt of Fools and how to get there, it would be the engineers at Cassomir’s engineering guild, the Hall of Wonders. The engineers, he explains, have complete blueprints of nearly everything built by the Taldor government in Cassomir, and since the Crypt of Fools was built by the government to hide the crypts of shamed families, it’s highly probable they have all of the information you need. He knows all this because, as he explains, Dalirio once told him that the cult was going to need to remove the documents from the guild eventually to prevent anyone from finding them.

We have to get to the engineers before the cult does! Ela suddenly realizes.

Do we know where to find them?

Take 10 for 27 on Diplomacy to ask direction to the Hall of Wonders

Neri has no idea where these places are but she takes notes of what she sees in the paintings in case the painter left clues, whether intentional or not.

diplomacy(aid): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Anyone read music? she asks softly.

Dass cannot help on those kinds of knowledge.
Anyone can do the kn(local) check?

Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

"Hm. Those buildings look familiar...." Anya says, tapping her chin in thought.

The second painting depicts Cassomir’s Imperial Hall of Records.

The third painting depicts the northeast retaining wall that shores up parts of the ruined Quickfall Abbey.

You are sure that you know where the Hall of Wonders is, and could travel there when you are ready.

anything else before we move on?

Nothing more from Ela

Nothing here either thank you

ready

Same here

Smoke and steam pour through many openings of this misshapen building. Gears and gizmos can be heard clicking against one another in a rhythmic cadence. A loud “chunkchunk” sounds as several pistons churn up and down, powering some unknown machine. A cacophonous symphony of grinding metal plays on. An enormous sign, nearly the entire width of the building, declares it to be the Hall of Wonders.

Perception checks, please, everyone.

Also, you are now standing in front of the building. It appears there is a front door you could go in, or you could go in by a window (there are several of them) or climb up the walls and go in by the skylight. Please post what you would like to do at the same time you post your perception checks.

Neri heads for the front door.

perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Specter Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (9) + 14 = 23
Laurentina Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 8
Specter and Laurentina prefers the front door as well

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

The thought doesn’t even occur to Anya to go in through anything other than the front door.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Mmm. Interesting... Bagurm looks around trying not to show that he has no clue on what all those weird things are.

Ela's face lights up.

Now this place should have some interesting devices!

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

I thought we would block their exit, but in this case maybe we should go together
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Specter, Ella, and Dass notice faint sounds of screaming coming from inside the building.

(assuming that does not change your plans to enter through the front door...)

When you enter, you can see the outlines of three great structures piercing a thick mist that chokes nearly the entire western half of the building. A brass planetarium rotates in the northeastern corner. Next to the celestial model, a clockwork contraption ticks and tocks as it turns on its axis. Finally, a giant metal crab sits with its claws extended on a southwestern platform. A hatch at one end of the crab provides an entrance into a barrel-like chamber; inside two levers rest near the front of a cockpit.

Please place yourselves in the revealed portion of the map. You can only see 5 feet in front of you due to the thick mist.

UMD Shield: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31 Specter and Laurentina use the wand of Shield on themselves then move in.

Ela stands between them with her pistol drawn.

Dass will use his wands of LongStrider, Heighten Awareness and Feather Step. Then stands up to the front.

Bagurm beholds with interests all the metallic things while wielding his waraxe just in case one of them attacks him.

Neri stays behind the front line.

Anya brings up the rear, though she spends much of her time trying to peer over or around her companions in order to see what's in the room.

This game is on pause for Thanksgiving weekend. I'll see you all again early next week.

The team spends three rounds prepping and entering.

The mist is starting to fade, although visibility has not yet improved.

What next, everyone? We are in rounds, but not initiative.

Laurentina and Specter moves in to the left, staying near the wall to limit the directions where they could possibly be attacked.

Bagurm goes to the other side, axe in hand, watching for anything that wants to attack.

Anya moves closer to the door. Out of curiosity, she incants a spell to detect magic, her blue eyes taking on a similarly-hued glow as the spell completes. Perhaps the mist was magical?

Neri sticks close to Anya - just in case.

Dass takes two steps forward and be ready to block any possible attack

Ela stays where she is, but draws her pistol.

Anya finds that the cloud is indeed magic.

(spellcraft to ID)

next round of actions, please, everyone.