[PFS CORE] GM Alias 0-06: Black Waters (Inactive)

Game Master Jon A

Imrana does not even notice the discussion about the key, her face now wrinkled with concern for the "custodian."

"Um...why are you still tending the grounds?"

Before going out the next morning Caelben returns the borrowed clothes to Aloisius with a polite thank you.

"Is it because you like working outdoors?"

"..I miss doing that.."

Caelben studies the man for a bit with a crinkle in his brow.
(using detect evil, he might be the reason we are missing some kids after all)

The man does not respond to the greetings from the group, but continues to stare at you through the bars of the fence.

He does not register as evil.

"Ah! I have it here! It's hard to keep track of things when we have to change clothes so often for those silly parties and whatnot. But no matter! Here it is! Shall we enter?"

Kevan nods, eyeing the man. "Yes, let's go inside and see what is going on here." He grips his longspear and ensures his holy symbol is within reach.

The group is able to open the gate with the key VC Dreng gave them. As soon as the gate is open, the man's demeanor abruptly changes. A big smile crosses his face. As he approaches you, he pulls his gloves off and sticks out his hand to shake.

"Oh, hello there. You must be here to visit with the children. Come in, come in. Sorry I didn't respond before. There have been a lot of curiosity seekers and such who have no business with the school."

Kevan walks through the gate and greets the man. "Good morning, sir. I'm Kevan Pryce, priest of the Accidental God. Do you maintain this place still? How did you get in? I thought they have locked all this up."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

"Oh. Uh, yea, I can see how that might make you cautious." She blushes slightly, all too aware that they, too, in a way, are "curiosity seekers."

Diplomacy (aid): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

-Posted with Wayfinder

“Yes, hello. My name is Deris Marlinchen. My daughter Cassiel attends this school. You should see how she’s grown. Those beautiful long braids!”

“I tend to the grounds while I wait for Cassiel to finish school. The regular groundskeeper hasn't been doing a very good job lately, if you ask me."

The yards are covered in an abundance of flower arrangements in wild bloom, which emit an powerful fragrance over the entire area.

"I assume Mrs. Heracks invited you. After all, you do have a key to the gate. Come on, I’ll introduce you. She’s in Headmistress Kiwu’s old office now.”

He then runs off towards one of the ruined buildings, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to make sure the party is following him.

Aloisius bounds after the man. "He's a nice guy! But I didn't think there'd still be school in session here..."

Ranor follows the man. I fear this man is ill in the head.

He looks about seeing nothing but crumbling buildings.

[dice=Sense motive to pick up anything "odd" (besides the obvious) about his behavior]1d20+0[/dice]

Caelben nods at Ranor

"It would seem that way yes, but I don't feel he has any evil intentions for us. Let's see where he leads us.

Caelben follows the man

Imrana gathers her companions in a circle, then whispers.

"I do not think we should disabuse him of his delusions. I do not think he would respond so well if we were to challenge him...."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

The priest nods to Imrana. "Let's follow him though. If he has had access to the ruins, then he may be able to show us things regardless of his delusions."

"Well..." She glances at the man from their huddle. "Okay, if that's what you think is best..."

-Posted with Wayfinder

The ruined paths of the Tri-Towers Yard wind their way around black ponds and gray, shattered buildings. Deris leads you to the entrance to a small classroom, then turns and waits for the group to catch up.

When you arrive, you see ten students dressed in checkered uniforms sitting stiffly at wooden desks, staring straight ahead. No one moves. At the front of the class, a conservatively dressed woman leans against the wall.

Deris pipes up once the group arrives: ”This is Mrs. Heracks. Come, I will introduce you.”

As soon as he turns towards the teacher, the classroom starts in motion. The teacher stands up straight and begins to gesture, as if describing something to the class. The students nod, and a few lean over and whisper to one another. However, the entire scene remains completely silent. After looking closely, you notice that the students and the teacher have a wispy appearance, and you can actually see through them to the brickwork beyond.

A chill runs down Raven's spine. Ghosts?Or am I seeing things? "I don't like this," she says to the others in a low voice. She doubts her one weapon would be of any use against a ghost. I could probably get us out of here though, if I have to. Her hand finds one of her waterskins and she flicks open the nozzle with her thumb, not taking her eyes off the strange sight.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Kevan's eyes widen as he sees the translucent teacher and students. "Is that...? Are you seeing...?" He looks around at the others and sees Raven's wide eyed stare to confirm his own. He calls after the man.

"Deris, who is this? Do they speak to you?"

Aloisius rubs his eyes and stares openly and unabashedly. He can't speak because his jaw is just hanging limply from its place beneath his beard.

Ranor visibly shakes as he races in his mind against all he has learned from fighting the undead.

Imrana clutches her holy symbol of Pharasma subconsciously.

She immediately begins filing through all the information stored in her head about haunts and incorporeal creatures.

Knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Caelben feels clearly uneasy around these apparitions - but seeing nobody else is either running away from them or fighting - he stands his ground, waiting to see what will unfold next.

He then whispers to the others;
"...these are not the missing children we are seeking are they?"

"I hope not. Somehow I doubt they'll give their families much comfort." Kevan steps forward to try and address the spirits.

"Hello? I'm sorry to interrupt class, but could we speak to you?"

Deris turns to the group: "This is Mrs. Heracks, and her current class of pupils. Of course they speak to me. Can't you hear them? Cassiel isn't in Mrs. Heracks class this year, though."

After conferring briefly with Mrs. Heracks (during which you only hear Deris's side of the conversation), he turns to the group and says:"Yes, what exactly is it you are here for? I thought you had been invited by Mrs. Heracks, since you have a key. But she doesn't seem to remember why she invited you."

Imrana bites her lip as she tries to figure out the precise method to word her conclusion to communicate the basic idea without letting anything on to Deris.

"I...um...think that perhaps something here is keeping the...um...'classes in session' after they were supposed to have been let out. That something is what we should focus on. I think."

"Um." Kevan's eyes light up with an idea. "Ah, we are looking for a student named Junia. Her mother sent us to gather her for a family emergency. Do you know her?"

Aloisius continues to stare slackjawed. Though his hand has managed to point fruitlessly at the spectres.

Do you mind if we have a look around?

"Yes!" she says, catching on to Kevan's idea. "We, uh, were told it's very important, and, so we came here looking for her! And we got the key from, uh, the groundskeeper. He's... sick, and he knew we needed into the gate."

Totally Not Lying: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

-Posted with Wayfinder

"No, I don't know anyone named Junia. At least Cassiel has never mentioned her to me. Mrs. Heracks should know her though."

Turning back to the teacher, Deris has another brief mumbled conversation. "Junia's not in this class today. She must be with the others ... those who haven't come out yet. Mrs. Heracks does know where the entrance to the catacombs is though, and would be happy to point it out to you."

Oh well wonderful!

Seems we are following the dead's instructions, possibly to join them.

"..If we could get those directions that would be wonderful, thank you.."

"....going into some catacombs with a ghost, that's...nice..."

Imrana nods, an awkwardly stiff polite bow follows shortly.

"Um...we very much appreciate the help."

Kevan steps back quickly as the ghost moves towards them."Ah, ok. Yes, please lead the way."

Deris turns and leads the spirit of the teacher, who moves in short, jerking steps, out of the classroom and deeper into the grounds of the school. You eventually arrive at a wide, black pool where an occasional bubble percolates up in the center.

The gently bubbling black water is waist deep. After a few moments studying the pool, you spot a fully-submerged, severed human arm jutting up from the blackened silt near the center of the pool. Marlinchen spends a few moments talking silently to Mrs. Heracks and gestures at the bubbles, saying, “She says the entrance is beneath that arm.”

Raven considers the water, chewing her tongue. Now's your chance, a voice inside her says. It's why they brought you.

You can't do it, another part of her says. You wouldn't want to embarrass yourself in front of the others. They're all really good at things, remember? Besides, it's black and bubbly-- probably not even water. "Is it... safe?"

-Posted with Wayfinder

Kevan looks at Deris skeptically. "'Beneath that arm'? What ar- Oh gods!" He recoils at the severed arm sticking out of the black pool.

"What happened to it?" He looks at Deris. "Does she know what happened?" Recovering from his horror, the cleric gingerly tries to pull the arm towards them using his longspear. He grimaces at the sight of the arm even as he tries to pull it to them.

Following the party to the pool, Aloisius seems to finally get over his shock. It is still a bit odd following a ghost, but he tries to maintain composure.

At the pool, he sees Kevan reaching with his polearm and decides to help.

Mage Hand on the Dead Hand

Caelben watches to see if Aloisius conjured hand will be enough or if he needs to get his feet wet.

Strangely enough, of all the party, Imrana has the most subdued reaction to the discovery. Her mouth shrugs into a knowing frown as she goes about an all-too-well practiced procedure.

Imrana scans the arm and the area around it with Detect Magic.

"No, I'm afraid all she can tell us is that the entrance is under there."

As Kevan starts poking at the arm with his spear, you can see that it is tightly gripping a metal handle. It is also covered in giant, bulbous white eggs. Aloisius attempts assist the cleric, but the arm is too heavy for the spell, and it remains in the pool tightly gripping the ring. Neither the arm, nor the area around it register as magic.

Aloisius really doesn't wanna wade out to grab the arm. "Last time the Society sent me out, I went and bought a spell to let me fly over the water of the docks! I don't have one'a them now. Besides! Look at that? I'll literally be in over my head! Ye'll just see my hair pokin' above the water!"

None of you worry. I'll investigate the arm.

Ranor leaps into the water and grabs the arm.

Swim: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 3 - 4 = 17

As Ranor moves to grab the handle, he catches the slightest hint of movement out of the corner of his eye. Suddenly, a giant water bug rears up in a spray of dank water and lunges at the paladin.

Ranor and Kevan can act in the surprise round (you get either a move action or a standard action).

Initiative:
1st: Ranor, Aloisius, Raven, Kevan, Caelben, Imrana
2nd: Bug

Imrana is a diviner, so she always gets to act in surprise rounds.

Fair enough.

Ranor, Kevan, and Imrana can act in the surprise round (you get either a move action or a standard action).

Initiative:
1st: Ranor, Aloisius, Raven, Kevan, Caelben, Imrana
2nd: Bug

Ranor assumes a defensive form as the creature bursts forth from the water.

Imrana draws her wand of mage armor, suddenly realizing she forgot to use it, and steps back.

Five-foot step and move action to draw wand

Caelben looks surprised

Kevan tries to stab at the bug with his longspear.
Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

-Posted with Wayfinder