PFS PbP Thornkeep - Sanctum of the Lost Age (lvl 6-8) (Inactive)

Game Master Revvy Bitterleaf

As you move down through the fog filled tunnel you found on one of the previous levels you emerge to see;

A corridor of billowing yellow mist and strange, shifting lights opens in the middle of a large entry hall. Across the room, three demonic stone faces as tall as humans leer at visitors like a scornful greeting party. Each has an open mouth, extended tongue, and slightly different features from the others. From north to south they are blue, yellow, and red. Between the huge faces, two staircases lead up 10 feet to a balcony that overlooks the entire chamber. A set of ornate stone double doors stands closed along the south wall. Two shadowy alcoves flank the corridor of lights and mists along the west wall.

As you try to move back through the yellow mist behind you it restricts your movement..you can only get about 5 ft inside it..and then you are stuck. You can move back to the room described above with ease..but you are unable to leave back through the mist.

Checking in for updates...

Checking in.

Archibald's hacking cough echoes through the halls of Thornkeep.

The blood drains from Lars' face as the mists close in...

No! Not more mist! That last place was just...No! Steady now...

A Puff of smokes curls out from his pipe.

Those statues... probably made by humans, they're all nuts.

Thus far Shayla didn't bother with a proper introduction for her new comrades, because they're human. And worse, they're all male humans.

Males are worse, because of their smell... Especially the bearded ones.

Shayla gives Archibald a quick sideways glance. She then figures the new arrivals should at least know her and Akeyra's names. "I'm Shayla, by the way. And this is Akeyra. Don't tick her off, she'll eat you."

Akeyra glares at both Charasii and Lars. Her tongue lashes out of her mouth, from which a loud hissing sound escapes.

K, everyone is checked in..so feel free to start moving around and exploring. I went with what I think is the default marching order for now on the map, if you feel it should be different let me know.

@Charasii; if you could set up a status bar in your profile like the others so I could check some stuff quickly while updating the posts that would be nice

After returning to report on their recent finds the party exchanges some of their members who are needed elsewhere for a few new people and then continue to delve deeper into the ruins of Thornkeep

(for description of the first room, see first post)

Those statues... probably made by humans, they're all nuts.

Thus far Shayla didn't bother with a proper introduction for her new comrades, because they're human. And worse, they're all male humans.

Males are worse, because of their smell... Especially the bearded ones.

Shayla gives Archibald a quick sideways glance. She then figures the new arrivals should at least know her and Akeyra's names. "I'm Shayla, by the way. And this is Akeyra. Don't tick her off, she'll eat you."

I am not a human, Miss.

Hmmm- I have my stats set up but they aren't showing up.

Ahh there they are!

An attractive but severe looking Aasimar instroduces himself,"I am Charasii, a zealous servant of Gorum. May the Lord of Iron bless your sword and the fangs of your friend, Akeyra."

He bangs his Morning Star on his shield in salute.

@GM: I do not have permission to view the map.

Shayla scowls at Charasii. "You sure look like a human, and you smell the same. What else is it you claim to be then?"

@Charasii: I saw you picked Scion of Humanity. That totally makes you human to Shayla :P

Lol!

"It doesn't surprise me that an uncultured elf from the back alleys would mistake me for human. Look closer and you will see I am blessed by the blood of Gorum's celestial servants running through my veins.

Everyone should have view and adjustment rights now for the map..so feel free to move your own icon, just try to not move the map as that will mess stuff up. If it doesn't work for someone let me know and I'll try something else

"Les keep th' bickerin' fer when I can drown out th' noise with some dwarven ale!" Clandelve responds.

"If'n ye nae be a dwarf, it 'ardly matters if yer 'uman, elf, or some sparkly flyin' angel now, does it?" the dwarf says as he takes the front line.

He hammers his adamantine hammer on his shield to demonstrate his readiness to proceed.

"Ye be ready fer some fun now?" he asks.

Archibald potters along in the back ranks, somewhat dejectedly. He eyes the vicious glare that Shayla has reserved for the two newcomers with an almost jealous look, as if it had once been reserved for him alone. "Hrm... my word. It appears we're trapped by some manner of solid fog spell. It seems our demon master of Thornkeep was also a powerful conjurer." he says, stroking his beard in thought, until, after some time, arriving at one. "My joints ache. This confounded mist had better not keep me from my chair."

Cursing, he hobbles into the room, batting at one of the demon faces with his staff before detecting magic in the chamber.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

Shayla snickers when Charasii's calls her uncultured and from the back alleys. "You know nothing, Jo... Charasii."

Having witnessed that Lars was the smartest of the two new arrivals, because he didn't talk back, Shayla decides to not bother with Charasii for now.

After drawing both her mithril sawtooth saber with her new adamantine sawtooth saber, Shayla moves up the stairs with Akeyra. "Let's go this way first?"

Perception, +2 Urban Terrain: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 10 + 2 = 13 (+4 vs. Humans; +2 vs. Evil outsiders)

We're off to a good start.

Perception, +2 Urban: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 2 = 10 (+4 vs. Humans; +2 vs. Evil outsiders)

Akeyra looks in the same direction Shayla does, also tasting the air with her tongue. (Scent ability.)

Lars quietly takes stock of his new companions. Tall, handsome, and muscular, he is the image of martial elan.

He wears a gleaming silver cuirass and carries a long spear. A pennon is attached, one which displays the glyph of the open road.

"Lead on friends. I will provide support where I can. Remember: fortune favors the bold!"

-Posted with Wayfinder

Archibalds detect magic shows that the entire place has some background magic running through everything he's able to pick out that besides the mist at your back which radiates powerful magic all 3 of the demon faces radiate some magic as well which seems to be separated from the over all magic. The magic of the yellow one seems to have faded a bit more or is weaker then the blue and red faces.

Archibalds investigation of the stone demon faces reveals that the central yellow visage bears slightly feminine features, and that all three forked tongues contain an irregular depression that appears to be designed to fit a humanoid's hand.

After taking a look around neither Akerya nor Shayla are able to perceive anything that draws their immediate attention as they move up the stairs and see a bit more of what's behind there.

The stairways to the east lead to a wide balcony overlooking the room, which in turn leads through an arch to the audience chamber.

A massive triangular table carved with arcane sigils dominates this room. Three ornate chairs offer a commanding view of visitors. The north, east, and south walls each feature a door brightly colored blue, yellow, and red, respective.

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Knowledge (history): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Evidently my acumen in history exceeds my arcane!

I will share the information on the statues with the party.

Shayla, before you proceed, let me bestow the blessings of Gorum on you and Akeyra.

SOP: cast guidance and resistance on any member checking a door for traps or opening a door. If they are scouting ahead of the party I will do the same. Would you like a list of prepared spells in my Avatar line?

Nah, your prepared spells are in your character info, which is good enough for me. It might be helpful for active spells if they last longer then a combat, but as long as you don't mind me forgetting that you'd cast them once in a while I'm fine.

"I've a mind ta smash these faces ta dust," Clandelve says with typical bravado, though he does not act on his musings.

"What now...keep goin'? Le's try th' blue door there..." he suggests.

As you look around the area and debate where to go next a group of people appear as faint blue outlines moving out of the mists behind you.

The group consists of a man with a square jar, a bit of graying around his temples and who's missing one of his teeth. A heavily bearded bald human wizard, an armored elf with the symbol of Sarenrae on her shield, and a bulky half-ore warrior with tribal markings and a nasty spear.

As you try to interact with them they don't seem to notice you at all and just keep moving around doing their thing.

They -similar to what you guys did- try to leave again back through the mists but with one exception (the man with the missing tooth) they like you are unable to move more the 5 ft back into the mist, this seems to cause them (especially the wizard} considerable consternation. After a few minutes, the phantoms fade from view as they make their way out of this room.

Knowledge check on the apparitions?

I only have Knowledge Dungeoneering, Geography and Nature.

"Okaaay... That was... creepy."

Shayla quietly moves over to the blue door, which Clandelve suggested, and waits there.

While waiting for the others to join her, Shayla inspects the door for traps.

Perception, +2 Urban Terrain, +1 guidance: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 22 (+4 vs. Humans; +2 vs. Evil outsiders)

@Charasii; Nothing was specifically listed in the adventure so I didn't include a spoiler block, but if you want you could try Arcana

As Shayla inspects the door she finds out it's not trapped, but it is locked I'm fine with you setting up a SOP for the party looking at doors. As in cast guidance/resistance on someone, take 20 to check for traps and cast magic.
She does get a creepy sensation which makes the hairs on the back of her neck stand on edge as she moves to the far end of the room.

(assuming here;) As Archibald casts detect magic and checks the area he finds out that all 3 doors are magically locked (arcane lock)

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14 for the apparitions.

Knowledge (spellcraft): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22 for the table.

Charassi can't be sure, but he thinks that the apparitions are a sort of flashback or time ripple from an event that happened in the past. You can watch what happened, but not influence any of it.

"Les get past these doors...real quick at that," Clandelve says. "This place be creepin' me out!" he says.

I like the suggested SOP for doors. Thanks

"Careful me friend." Kalaron cautions, speaking up for the first time since they started.

"Ware the doors be trapped or some yon foul beast lies beyond that door."

Basically you guys need to get creative to get through any of the doors in this room or go somewhere else due to all of them being magically locked

I'd also like SOP for all doors. That'll keep the pace up :)

Spellcraft, when moving past the table: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

"Perhaps the way to open these doors can be found elsewhere." Shayla points at the double doors in the southern wall of the room with the statues.

"Looks like the people who owned the place just placed their hands on the statues' tongues? I think we'll need to place some kind of rune or magic object on them for the doors to open."

Shayla will move over to the double doors so she can inspect them. "Unless the magic locks can be dispelled by someone in our midst, I suggest we move to where we can."

As you take a closer look at the double doors to the south you find out that they contain a lock, but it's not locked right now. There's a general presence of magic in the entire area..also behind the door. But nothing specifically stands out on the door.

When you open the door you see:
Dozens of life-sized statues of noble warriors garbed in fluted ceremonial armor line the walls of this enormous chamber. A pattern of nested rectangles marks the smooth stone floor. Stone walls stretch up forty feet to wide slabs in the ceiling that bathe the whole chamber in bright light. Huge double doors mark the north and south walls. Along the west wall, twenty feet above the floor, a massive panel of clear glass holds back three columns of roiling yellow smoke in an alcove overlooking the room.

"Ok this sounds strange but does anybody else feels this screams trap?" Kalaron asks.

Perception, attempting to spot unusual things 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Kalaron notices that the statues look like they might start to move at some point.

(using detect magic, some knowledge and common sense -> you manage to conclude that at some trigger some of the statues will animate, all though you are unable to determine which ones and how many. The same trigger will also very likely lock the door.)

knowledge dungeoneering: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

"Aye, Kal...ye be right. I've 'eard tales o' Caryatid Columns...animated constructs as guardians...an' these sound jus' like'm! We best tread carefully."

I don't suppose we have a trapsfinder do we? Clandelve will take 20 on perception from the doorway of the room for 31 total

Clandelve takes his time to study the room from the doorway and notices everything that Kalaron did...with the addition that there seems to be some sort of seam at each of the "rings" indicating that they might move their elevation somehow. And that the yellow smoke sometimes seem to form into something that looks suspiciously like a giant face at times.

It's not a "trap" in the sense that it's mechanically a pathfinder trap that you can spot and disable something. There are some Caryatid Columns inside the room..and logically those will animated and attack when you enter and since there's a lock on the door, but it's not locked right now..it might lock later

Do you defeat these creatures like any other? I've never heard of these things before.

Knowledge (Dungeoneering): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

"I think we'll just have to enter and hit them hard," Shayla concludes after sharing what she knows and sees.

"Or does anyone have a better idea?"

"No, I think that you are right. My voice will allow us to strike harder and more accurately. If any of you have weapons of the skymetal adamantine, I recommend them given pur foes stony flesh."

-Posted with Wayfinder

Charasii bends his head in silent supplication to the Lord of Iron and as his prayer ends his armor seems to sprout thousands of quills.

Charasii casts Gorum's armor. This will remain on my armor for 60 minutes.

"Let us be about it then! For the glory of Gorum!"

Shayla is able to remember that Caryatid Columns are made of some real though material which has a big chance of damaging your weapons when you hit them with it if you are not wielding have a particular though weapon (it does 3d6 damage - hardness of your weapon..if any damage get's through your weapon gets broken)

It sounds like majority is for entering this room, so going with that;

Charasii casts a spell to make his armor bristle with spikes and you start to move into the room Going with what I assumed was the proposed marching order and even though you are on your guard nothing seems to happen at first..until the 5th person - in this case Shayla passes through the open door. At that point the doors stats to slam shut and lock with an audible *click*

(DC 16 reflex save for Archibald and the snake, if you make it you can choose which side of the door you end up on, if you don't make you are shut out of the room for now)

Each of the floor's rectangles shifts to a slightly different angle, making movement from one rectangle to another count as traversing difficult terrain.

The yellow smoke roils and seethes as it slowly begins to take on the image of a giant face. The smoky image seems to look forth from its vantage point behind the glass inset into the wall, scowling hatefully. It speaks in a raspy, disgusted voice. "Foolish apprentices," it spits, "how I should have predicted your betrayal at my most critical moment. Seek to escape into some unwritten time, eh? By now you must have realized your ioun stone array has failed. You now stand marooned in time, living a day, an hour, a single moment stretched into an infinity over countless centuries yet to dawn-one final lesson in obedience from your very, very disappointed master. It does my heart proud to know that your last, eternal moments will see you hunted like animals. Farewell, my faithless friends. Test all I have taught you against the blades of Azlant!"

Three of the statues start to move.

Charasii: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Lars: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Shayla: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Clandelve: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Kalaron: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19
Archibald: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Collums: 1d20 - 1 + 6 ⇒ (15) - 1 + 6 = 20

init
Shayla, Lars
Statues
Party

Shayla looks down at the mithral sword in her off hand, and quickly does some math. Or at least she tries to. Very hard, but it doesn't work. So she gives up. "I, uh... figure it probably won't break... I guess..."

Hardness 15 for mithral. I'll take that shot.

Shayla moves over to the yellow column, and swings her new adamantine blade at it. "Leave this one to me!"

+1 Adamantine Sawtooth Saber: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16 Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10

In case Akeyra makes it into the room, Shayla points the snake to the red column. "Go after that one, Akeyra!"

Handle Animal: 1d20 + 9 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 9 + 4 = 18

Ref: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Akeyra isn't fast enough and ends up on the other side of the double doors.

Shayla manages to hit one of the animating statues

damage for weapon: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 4) = 13

scoring a decent hit against it and even though her weapons rings loudly in her hands it doesn't seem worse to wear. Shayla then finds out that statues are a lot more difficult to damage then stuff made out of flesh (DR 5/-)

init
Lars
Statues
Party

Damage Yellow: 5

I want to declare that I am buying a Masterwork Composite Longbow +3 str bow and 20 cold iron arrows between sessions.

Lars moves 5'' to the north and then begins to recite a tale of bravery.

Inspire courage, +1 to attack rolls, weapon damage, fear saves! Can someone please move me one square north?

-Posted with Wayfinder

@Lars; You mean before you started this one? Fine by me

Not that I think it matters now, but please remember that moving from "circle" to "circle" counts as difficult terrain..so no 5ft stepping that way or charging, you can move freely while staying inside the same "circle" though.

Lars starts to recite a tale of bravery, inspiring everyone to even greater heights in combat.

The statues start to engage the party while the giant face made out of yellow mist looks on with an evil grin.

Red walks up next to Kalaron and takes a swing at the elderly dwarf

to hit Flatfooted AC Kalaron: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
hitting Kalaron in the side of his neck, right between where the armor protects his body and his helmet
Damage Kalaron: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

The one next to Shayla takes a swing at her
To hit AC Shayla: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
hitting her in her side and drawing blood
Damage Shayla: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

And the last one walks up to Clandelve and takes a swing at the stout dwarf
to hit flatfooted AC Clandelve: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
to confirm: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Taking a well placed blow to Clandelve's head..but his thick skull prevents serious injury
Damage Clandelve: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

init
Party (still need a reflex save DC 16 for Archibald to end up in the room with the others)
Caryatid Columns

Damage Yellow: 5

Attack Roll: +1 Morning Star: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Charasii moves to assist Clandelve, who appears to have narrowly missed a mortal blow.

Charasii lands a solid blow on the statue.
"By Gorum's blade these creatures are hard!"