Oren and Elurius bot have no better luck than Rocco but Lirotha proves herself more attentive and manages to locate the trigger for an hidden door that opens into the room the Silver Ravens spied from the other side.
The west wall of the flooded chamber that opens before the Silver Ravensis almost entirely obscured by an elaborate contraption of stone and metal comprised of intertwined pipes, pumps, gears, and bellows. The metal on the device seems unharmed by its long submersion, other than being caked with algae and silt.
You need a DC 30 Spellcraft check to understand what the machine is meant to do
Ahn does not notice anything evil about the hammer retrived from the dwarven corpse and realizes that yes, the hammer could be placed into the dwarven maiden's grasp.
Meanwhile Kiboko, acting on instinct or intuition, jumps down the pit trap and approaches the hammer down there. Just before picking it up he notices something strange though... there's a trap there and one that seems quite complex to disarm as well...
Rocco enters the narrow underwater corridor followed by the others he knows there's a room behind the wall in front of him but cannot find any evidence of an entrance on this side...
@Everyone byt Rocco: you might attempta perception check with a modifier of +10 because you know there's a room on the other side of the wall. Unfortunately 26 is not enough to beat the assigned DC, so Rocco fails the check though
I have been called back from my break to redeploy to assist firefighting efforts. I will be having periods of 24 hours or more with no communications, and this may worsen if the local telecommunications infrastructure in the more remote areas continues to burn.
So just warning now in case I go silent.
I am aiming to monitor my games daily.
Best wishes Shifty, the world needs more people like you.
It takes some time for the pathfinders to determine the doors are not trapped and then to get them open. Thankfully nothing seems to meance the group so it can work together to great effect and so the wooden obstacle is quickly overcome.
A surprise waits the heroes as they move down the underground passage though: the desiccated corpse of a dwarf clutching a beautifully carved stone hammer lies at the northeastern corner of the drier, sealed corridor...
Dwarven or Dc15 Linguistic check:
The Dwarven word for "Oath keeper" is carved into the hammer's haft
Those who went down the pit trap hatch may try a DC15 Intelligence check
Once the group has dealt with the dessicated corpse they move on and get another sliding wall open entering a much more grandiose section of the subterranean fortress...
When you proceed:
A solid mass of black rock shaped into an anvil overlooks a colossal chamber from atop a balcony. Resting next to the anvil, an elaborate weapon rack that resembles a row of dwarven maidens. The maiden nearest the anvil holds a stone warhammer snuggly within her grasp. The other two maidens' hands are empty but appear designed to hold hafted objects. Flanking the anvil, two promenades lead to stairways that descend into the immense chamber below.
It takes some time but working together Kiboko, Takahiro and Quiella are able to lift the portcullis enough to allow the passage of the rest of their friends into the dwarven fortress. After bypassing it they find themselves in front of a new obstacle: a locked wooden door...
DC20 Knowledge(Engineering):
The door has hardness 5, hp 15 , break DC 18, Disable Device DC 25
I'm not clear where you want to go next: north leads to the cells where the elves were imprisoned (I forgot to clear the "fog of war", sorry). You can go south (next where Rocco is atm) or get back into the caverns below, reach the intersection and then move west to whatever lays there
The aquatic elves follow Elurius who leads them to the upper level, where professor Borhausen welcomes them with a suspicious glare before adressing them... and completely ignoring Elurius:"So... you claim your village is under attack from an Aboleth am I right? What is that makes you think this? And let's suppose you are right... what would you know about this creature?"
Unless there's something specific you want to do, you can consider yourselves reunited in the torture chamber. Where next?"
As Takairo pulls the lever a section of the rocky walls suddenly shifts and rotates opening a passage that leads into the stony depths. The way is barred by a portcullis though...
In order to bypass the portcullis you need to bash it down or to lift it up. Tell me how you want to approach the task
DC 25 Knowledge(Engineering):
This portcullis has hardness 10, hp 60, lift DC 25
The elves seem slightly upset by Elurius mentioning Aboloeths in such casual manner:"Friend Elurius... Aboleths are abberrations that predate history as we know it. They claim they shaped the world as it is today... they are liars, of course, but there's reason to believe their words are not completely false in this case. Whatever else they might be, Aboleths are dangerous, cunning and powerful monsters... and the one we believe is attacking our village is supposed to be some kind of necromancer, too. We'd be overjoyed if you could help us but at the same time we need to warn you not to underestimate the challange laying ahead of us"
Then Aava smiles and adds:"Your offer of help is most welcome, as it is the prospect of replenishing our strength. Tell us where we need to go in order of safely leaving this cursed place. The very water here feels slimy and polluted by wickedness and evil!"
Ok, you saved the elves and they are ready to follow your orders, although they are weakened and basically naked. You also need to complete the exploration of this level. How do you want top proceed?
Shensen is a famed opera performer in the Kintargo Opera House, where she was to play the role of Aolar in the opera Huntress of Heroes. She mysteriously disappeared after the Night of Ashes and from then on was not seen into Kintargo anymore. Some speculate she was killed during the incident while others whisper she was targetted by Barzillai Thrune's forces for refusing to perform for him after he turned the Opera House intop his headquarters
No need for social rolls now. You gained their trust
"We are honored to make your aquaintance then. And yes, Shensen is all that but she's also one of our own. I can't claim tyo know much about her career... but she's a good person at heart, someone willing to fight evil and tyranny whenever they rear their ugly heads. Unfortunately in our greatest hour of need we found the city overrun by Thrune and Shensen disappeared. I know it's asking much but I need to ask you for your help against the Aboleth. In return we shall assist you with whatever you are doing... although we are wounded and weakened... and with no equipment. It's been 2 days since we last eat. Skum don't waste time feeding their prisoners it seems, but they took away our possesions for sure"
Kiboko immediately identifies the bones: they are very similar to his own after all. Those are unmistakably Orc Bones!
Unless there's something you want to do with the items in the previous room there's nothing else to do here.
After exploring the strange underground chamber the Pathfinders return to the upper level and stand in front of the hidden lever they found and uncertain about what could happen if they pull on it...
The professor answer comes through the telephatic link and despite that it manages to convey the dwarf's typical grumpiness:"Skum are nasty fish like creatures from the depths, but you already know that I guess. More importantly Acisazi actually exists and is a village populated with aquatic eleves, located not far from Kintargo. Lastly but most importantly, if you are dealing with an Aboleth wizard you've better learn everything you can about it. I'm deeply interessed in this development... so do your job, you slackers!"
Rocco proves being submerged has not dulled his skills at all as he proves able to get the locks on the doors open with minimal effort.
One by one the elves rush out from their cells, alook of gratitude on their faces:"Thanks friends! We were almost resigned to be sent to those despicable creatures' master as slaves. We are all from the village of Acisazi... if you don't know, it's an aquatic elf settlement along the shores of the Dismal Nitch on the coast of the Archduchy of Ravounel, west of Kintargo. We came here seeking the aid of an elven ally of ours who lives in your city. You might know her as the half-elf Shensen. Unfortunately we were dishearthed when we discovered Thrune now controls the Silver City and even worse after we learned that our ally was nowhere to be found. Further adding to our misery and shame, we were captured not long thereafter by the skum you no doubt encountered.
And that's brings us to the predicament you so graciously freed us from. WHo are you though? We'd like to know the names of our saviors, mine is Aava, while my companions are Maenu and Saracea" - she points at the women - "... and Iquellan and Velmaian" Aava concludes pointing at the 2 male elves.
The female elf seems uncertain and surprised by Alurius' words:"I dared not to hope... if what you say is true then i beg you to help releasing us. To our eternal shame we were ambushed by the Skum lairing into these depths and we have reason to believe they plan a fate far worse than death for the lot of us: slavery to their overmaster, an aboleth wizard we have reason to believe is attacking our village, Acisazi!"
You don't have keys but you may try to break down the cells' doors. They seem rather rusted... knowledge(engineering) to get the mechanical details
Rocco spell confirms the aquatic elves are alive. Unfortunately for you (and them, possibly), you didn't find the keys to these cells. You look around unsure about what to do
At last one of the female elves decides to stop ignoring you:"Leave us alone. We don't know what tortures you have in mind but we won't serve your fell masters and you won't get us to betray Acisazi... we would all die first!"
Then they hear Elurius song and another of the evves murmurs:"Such a wonderful voice... how could a servant of the aboleths sing these melodies?"
Your Diplomacy check was good enough to make them doubt their initial assumption about you. You also need to use the right words to convince them. And yes, I'm ruling you can communicate with them through the water
The door opens as Kelumur peers through the doorframe... and is greeted by a short corridor leading to a stone wall. It seems like a dead end... until Zeno's keen eyesight notices the telltale signs of a secret door and not far from it, the switch to get it open...
Six short stone columns carved to resemble dwarven laborers decorate the room isnide the hidden passage, whose smooth walls slope slightly inward
in a pyramidal shape. A pile of humanoid bones lies in one corner, and a lone skeleton lies closer to the room's center.
Heal or Knowledge (local) check to identify the bones.
Haste is off. What other enchantments have expired?
The long, flooded corridor is flanked by staggered cells, each barred by a heavy iron gate — a dreary, depressing prison block.
Within 5 of the cells you can make out the shapes of the same number of prisoners, 5 pale skinned aquatic elves, 3 female and 2 males. All of them are nude and have been cruelly bound by having their wrists and ankles stitched together with thick strands of strong fiber. As you make your presence known they look at you for a moment but don't seem particularly surprised or interessed in you and defiantly keep their silence...
Look people, we are at an impasse here. You stand there and nothing happens. Either leave this place undiscovered and climb up or risk everything and get the door open please
Quiella doesn't notice anything out of order (besides having a temple hidden inside a pit trap...) while Zeno follows her stealthily. Above ground the rest of the pathfinders wait for their friends to discover something valuable... or die trying (apparently).
@Kelumur: do you open the door?
@Quiella & Zeno: You may attempt a knowledge(religion) check.
@Zeno: you might also try a perception check.
@everyone below ground: there's several items scattered around (see description). Do you want to do anything with them?
Fighting together like a famished piranha pack the Silver Ravens (but especially Orena and the shark named Val) utterly destroy the remaining shell construct. Whatever these things were doing here they proved no match for the untamed savagery of the avengers of the deep...
Sorry for the late posting. Work goes crazy on me sometimes... and nearing the end of the year that may happen with frightening regularity... when I'm done I usually don'ty have much time left for posting. Anyway, you destroyed those shell sentinels. You have an abandoned torture chamber to check or you can do something else entirely!
Quiella needs to pass 3 DC10 climb checks in order to climb down (I'm assuming she uses the rope
Quiella follows Kelumur down to the chambers below the entrance of the ancient dwarven keep. The others stay above. Kelumr advances towards the door and notices the stone hammer and the rusted tools in the alcoves.
Do you want to pick those up and study them? Also, before anything else Quiella gets to make a perception check
The half orc stands before the door ready to get it open...
It seems like Rocco is currenlty busy. For the moment let's just say he delays. My week is quite the nightmare too btw ;(
Rocco floats quietly into the water, possibly hoping the remaining shell menace doesn't notice him.
And fortunately for him, the creature seems focused on Oren...
Attack roll 01 vs Oren:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5Bleed + the usual DC13 check against poison if hit
Attack roll 02 vs Oren:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5Bleed + the usual DC13 check against poison if hit
Attack roll 03 vs Oren:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4Bleed + the usual DC13 check against poison if hit
Attack roll 04 vs Oren:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8Bleed + the usual DC13 check against poison if hit
Oren suffers two nasty cuts from the posioned shell-tendrils.
Round 04 - Bold may act
Shell thing (black)-2hp
Oren-13hp, bleed 1, two DC13 fort saves or poisoned Rocco-8hp, bleed 1, DC13 fort save or poisoned Lirothastaggered, -2 wis Valrani-6hp, bleed 1 Elurius
@Elurius: a mistake on my part, that was meant for Val. Who do you heal btw?
Oren counterattacks with punches and kicks. The first misses but the other two find their mark!The shark named Valrani follows suit and suddenly the shell based construct is no more!
Round 03 - Bold may act
Shell thing (black)-2hp
Oren
Rocco-8hp, bleed 1, DC13 fort save or poisoned
Lirotha staggered, -2 wis
Valrani -6hp, bleed 1
Elurius
I'm waiting for those of you who wish to do so to take Takahiro's suggestion and climb down the rope. You need (easy) climb checks to do that. With his perception Kelumur did not notice anything dangerous down there
@Kelumur: Check the map. There'a chamber down there and it has its own space on the map. I placed you there. It must be noted that each square on the map is 10 feet and not 5 feet, so there's that.
You need to get down into the pit to see what Kelumur sees which requires you to climb down the trap shaft and of course make 3 climb checks as well (or levitate or fly...) I can keep those rolls if you want but before taking them you need to get down where Kelmur is, sorry if my description was confusing!
Kelmur lands on the paved floor below the pit trap without suffering any consequences from the fall. He also notices nothing strange about the place where he finds himself.
Valrani's jaws crush the shell construct once taking a large chunk of its substance out of its frame.
Oren hits once as well with her klar, which causes considerably less damage than it should.
Elurius materializes near the bluish shell sentinel smashing it with her mace.
Rocco swims behind the same target and prepares to attack it, but not before the creature attacks him in return!
AoO Blue vs Rocco:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8same as above, bleed and posion
Meanwhile Lirotha uses her hex powers to increase her friends' accuracy.
@Lirotha: you need to keep rolling fort saves until you can beat DC13
Despite suffering some damage the shell sentinels seem to regain substance and keep attacking!
The Shell-pocalypse!:
Blue vs Rocco 01:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8same as above, bleed and posion
Blue vs Elurius 01:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4same as above, bleed and posion
Blue vs Valrani 01:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5same as above, bleed and posion
Blue vs Valrani 02:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5same as above, bleed and posion
Black vs Rocco 01:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8same as above, bleed and posion
Black vs Oren 01:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4same as above, bleed and posion
Black vs Oren 02:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3same as above, bleed and posion
Black vs Oren 03:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5same as above, bleed and posion
The shell sentinells attacks fail miserably. All but one which causes Oren to lose more blood...
Oren has to pass a DC13 fort save or be poisoned as well.
Round 03 - Bold may act
Shell thing (blue) -12hp
Shell thing (black)-2hp
Oren-10hp, bleed 1, DC13 fort save or poisoned Rocco-8hp, bleed 1, DC13 fort save or poisoned Lirothastaggered, -2 wis, poisoned Valrani Elurius-6hp, bleed 1
GM Suggestion: these things are dangerous. Focus on one at the time seems like an intelligent strategy.
Immunities fire, construct traits;
Resistances electricity 10, DR 5/bludgeoning;
Weaknesses fragile frame → Fragile Frame: Whenever a shell sentinel is dealt a critical hit from a bludgeoning weapon or rolls a natural 1 on a Reflex saving throw, it must succeed at a DC 12 Fortitude save to resist being forced to discorporate. For 1 round after being forced to discorporate in this way, a shell sentinel gains vulnerability to bludgeoning damage.
Elurius swims to Lirotha's position and casts a protection spell on her, meanwhile the witch suffers the effects of the shells poison.
Lirotha is staggered and suffers Wisdom damage:1d4 ⇒ 2
Undaunted the shell things slash at the nearby enemies...
It's raining shells!:
Blue vs Valrani 01:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5If wounded applies bleed 1 and applies poison requiring a DC13 fort save
Blue vs Valrani 02:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3If wounded applies bleed 1 and applies poison requiring a DC13 fort save
Blue vs Valrani 03:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4If wounded applies bleed 1 and applies poison requiring a DC13 fort save
Blue vs Valrani 04:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15 → Damage roll:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4If wounded applies bleed 1 and applies poison requiring a DC13 fort save
Kelumur tries to disable the trap... but fails miserably and then falls into the pit trap!
Kelumur give me a DC30 Reflex Save or suffer 2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7 falling damage
It's not as bad as it seems though. At least Kelumur managed to discover something as the chamber where he fell is not just meant to harm intruders...
A soot-stained mosaic depicting a stone arch filled with flames dominates the chamber's tiled floor. Three alcoves in the western wall hold badly rusted tools, and a nearly pristine stone hammer lies in the center of the mosaic.
Knowledge (religion) check if you can, also, perception
Do you pull the lever or do you do something else? I need you to tell me what you want to do, please. Kiboko mentions what he wants to do before the lever is pulled, but do you do that or not? DO you try to disable the trap? Do you try to crush the main door? Something else?
@Lirotha: Don't you have a resistance bonus already? If so the +2 from PfE doesn't stack
Lirotha:
These are shell sentinels constructs composed entirely of razor-sharp shells, and the binding matrix that holds its form together and gives it its rudimentary but foultempered intelligence is a slithery black sludge distilled from the rotted flesh of unwanted slaves.
You've got 2 questions
Lirotha swims away from the strange creatures and heals herself, Valrani, Oren and Rocco, cover the distance hoping to help.
Round 01 - Bold may act
Shell thing (blue)
Shell thing (black)
Oren
Rocco
Lirotha 1 DC13 fort save (result depends on answer)
Valrani
Elurius
As Lirotha enters the submerged torture chamber the shells covering the floor suddenly coalesce into a couple of mishappen creatures vaguely resembly a cross between a frog and a squid. Their “heads” are a tangle of long limbs composed of razor-sharp edges, and their bodies seep with foamy, toxic-looking slime...
Kiboko knows rust monsters use their antennae to decompose metal objects.
Rust:
A rust monster‘s antennae are a primary touch attack that causes any metal object they touch to swiftly rust and corrode. The object touched takes half its maximum hp in damage and gains the broken condition—a second hit destroys the item. A rust monster never provokes attacks of opportunity by attempting to strike a weapon with its antennae. Against creatures made of metal, a rust monster‘s antennae deal 3d6+5 points of damage. An attended object, any magic object, or a metal creature can attempt a DC 15 Reflex save to negate this effect. The save DC is Constitution-based.
He also knows despite their diet, rust monsters have no special immunities or resistances against metal.
The ring fits perfectly into the hole. Unfortunately nothing seems to happen... is it possible that something else needs to be activated for this strange contraption to finally work?
Meanwhile Elurius swims impossibly fast to the room where the globster came from. She finds it empty but then notices what looks like some sort of well on the ceiling and swims up into a new room, one that looks like some sort of sumberged and abandoned torture chamber!
The low, seven-foot-high ceiling in the completely flooded torture chamber gives it a claustrophobic feel. Two whipping posts are positioned to north and south, while narrow, rusty cages sit against the walls. A partially collapsed rack slumps in the center of the room, while a low stone well sits in an alcove to the west.
Zeno and Kiboko both know that rust monsters are insectile monster with four legs, a strange propeller-shaped protrusion at the end of their tails, and two long, feathery antennae.
Kiboko and Zeno:
Of all the terrifying beasts an explorer might encounter underground, only the rust monster targets that which the average adventurer values most: his treasure.
Typically 5 feet long and weighing almost 200 pounds, the lobster-like rust monster would be frightening enough even without the alien feeding process that gives it its name. Rust monsters consume metal objects, preferring iron and ferrous alloys like steel but devouring even mithral, adamantine, and enchanted metals with equal ease. Any metal touched by the rust monster’s delicate antennae or armored hide corrodes and falls to dust within seconds, making the beast a major threat to subterranean adventurers and those dwarven miners who must defend their forges and compete for ore.
Though rust monsters have no innate tendency toward violence, their insatiable hunger leads them to charge anything they come across that bears even trace amounts of metal, and any resistance is met with unthinking savagery. It’s not unheard of for rust monsters in metal-poor areas to track escaped victims for days using their scent metal ability, provided the victims retain intact metal objects. Fortunately, it’s often possible to escape a rust monster’s attentions by throwing it a dense metal object like a shield and running in the opposite direction. Those who frequent areas infested with rust monsters quickly learn to keep a few stone or wooden weapons close at hand.
Kiboko may ask 2 questions about rust monsters and Zeno can ask 2 as well
Lirotha and the friendly shark search the room again but besides the remains of the dead globster nothing seems to have chanced, the holes in the wall are still there and so is the mysterious room on the other side. Your other option seems to be swimming into the flooded room from where the globster came. And of course, the missing space where a ring of some kind could be placed is still there.
