Shattered Star Session 23

[03:06.28] <TenMihara|GM> *****Pathfinder: Shattered Star*****
[03:06.35] <TenMihara|GM> ~Chapter 1: Shards of Sin~
[03:07.50] <TenMihara|GM> -Part 4: A Legacy of Wrath; Session 23-
[03:09.27] <TenMihara|GM> After a bit of touch and go with a swarm of spiders and a slippery floor, the group of Pathfinders managed to chase off 'Lord' Baz, the other relatively major devil apart form the Suzerain of Little Erebus, that had taken to calling the ancient Thassilonian Laboratory home.
[03:10.00] <TenMihara|GM> With the two big players and many of their minions dispatched, the chief question that remains is where they came from, and how to stop more of them from trickling in.
[03:10.05] <TenMihara|GM> ****Session Begins****
[03:11.35] <Alette> "Hopefully that signals the last of the rabble. Maybe now we can finally finish this and go home, preferably before I get too hungry."
[03:15.54] * Runa sighs quietly. "It'd be a nice change if we could say with confidence there were no further enemies to be found."
[03:17.38] <Alette> "I'd wager gold on it but I know I'm going to lose.
[03:17.52] * Ewan nods, glancing to door leading to a hallway. "Hopefully this was the last major threat down here. There may be more of those lesser creatures, but they should be easy enough."
[03:21.41] <Ewan> Dilys opts to take the initiative and check the door at the end of the hallway. She really, REALLY hopes there isn't a trap in this room.
[03:22.22] <Alette> "If you want to check for traps some will go off if you just throw something in the room."
[03:23.21] <TenMihara|GM> The hallway in the center door of the narrow room leads down a short hallway to another door. Opening it reveals an oddly shaped room that retains some trappings of its former glory. Remarkably well preserved tapestries hang at the back of alcoves above stone benches (cont)
[03:25.18] <TenMihara|GM> Both depict a mountain with a woman's face carved into the peak above an immense bridge that crosses the ocean below, while at the mountain's base rises a strange city. A single stone pillar stands in the middle of the room, the image of a seven pointed star with a hole in the middle carved into its north face. A brass portcullis stands to the west, barring entry to the room.
[03:29.42] * Ewan files in, pulling the journal out the start sketching. At a tug from Dilys, he pulls out the brass crank and examines the brass portcullus and the hole in the statue.
[03:35.07] * Alette place her hand on the triangular hole. "If you're going to try that crank, put it in here. This rune is upside down so I'm assuming we need, and are able to, flip it."
[03:36.12] * Ewan places the crank in and tests it out.
[03:36.15] * Runa spends a few minutes observing the 'lovely' local decor. "It seems they considered this bridge quite the accomplishment. To garnish it with images of itself."
[03:37.20] <TenMihara|GM> It's a bit sluggish to get started, but eventually the rune rotates a full 180 degrees. After that, the portcullis squeals and grinds as it rises, allowing them to access the tapestry room.
[03:37.25] <Alette> "Given this single structure can hold at least a large village worth of people relatively comfortably, I would probably boast about it as well."
[03:39.12] * Alette thinks on it a bit as the bars make sure they're heard sliding around. "Actually... With a bit of a clean up this place could be converted into something quite useful, at least more useful than a vermin nest."
[03:42.22] <TenMihara|GM> Examining the western tapestry, Alette finds the hanging rod at the top to be hollow
[03:42.43] <TenMihara|GM> Dilys notices it too, and can fly up and get it.
[03:43.22] <Alette> "Little... er, not so little one, could you fly up and retrieve that one?" She pointed to the hollow whatsit.
[03:44.26] * Ewan Dilys gives a thumbs up and floats up to try to pull it down.
[03:46.00] <TenMihara|GM> It takes a little tugging, but Dilys can get the hanging rod off the wall. The tapestry tumbles, although it is unharmed thanks to the minor magic woven into it. Opening the cap on the hollow rod causes what looks to be a wand to slide out into her hand
[03:47.21] <Ewan> Dilys floats down and presents the wand to Alette, head tilted.
[03:48.38] * Alette carefully takes the wand and runs the pendant along it.
[03:49.23] <TenMihara|GM> The pendant feeds knowledge to Alette. The wand carries within it a spell of Lesser Restoration, although many of its charges have been used. There are 17 uses left in it.
[03:50.54] <Alette> "Hmm... it's been used but it still has a few charges left. It'll cure most ailments."
[03:51.28] * Alette thinks for a second. "At least... most normal ones."
[03:51.37] * Ewan walks up to the tapestry, carefully folding it. "That's a strange place to store a wand, though." he comments, chuckling.
[03:53.07] <Alette> "Hm, thinking on it... it is, there's a question that will bother me forever."
[03:53.10] <TenMihara|GM> Even folded up to fit in his Haversack, the tapestry weighs fifty pounds
[03:55.37] <TenMihara|GM> Alette's Bag of holding has far more space, and can easily accommodate both
[03:56.02] * Runa frowns. "Likely it was hidden under expectation that the one needing it would be fleeing. This was a culture that glorified power and backstabbing. Who believed that strength alone is greater than strength together."
[03:56.23] <Alette> "Hey now, take it easy, you'll tear your bag trying to do that." She said, approaching the not quite elf. "If you wish to take them, here." She takes it and it slides easily down into her bag. And with a quick hard prod from the end of a scythe, the other follows.
[03:57.18] * Ewan nods, dusting himself off after handing the tapestries off. "Very true. Makes me wonder how many other things are hidden in odd places." he says.
[04:00.36] * Alette bounces the bag in her hands. "I should probably get more of these, they are most useful."
[04:06.35] <Ewan> Dilys nods in agreement, before floating up the stairs in the northern end of the room to continue scouting!
[04:07.52] <TenMihara|GM> Exiting the parlor to the north takes Dilys back to the intersection they went around to find Lord Baz's room and come back. There is still a door to the east above the hallway that the trapped statue was in
[04:08.44] * Alette follows behind her, tempted to throw something at the trap.
[04:10.25] <Ewan> Dilys heads for the door to the east, opening it and peering inside.
[04:11.09] <TenMihara|GM> The smell of the sea is strong in this room, and salt encrusts the floor in a trail leading from the south door.
[04:11.22] <TenMihara|GM> The room is occupied by a trio of Nupperibos, which the party proceeds to decimate.
[04:13.18] * Alette gave the order to attack the second she saw them, looking disgusted at their shredded bodies. "This would've been the point I hand you a bag of gold."
[04:13.37] <TenMihara|GM> There is the door to the south with the salty trail leading from it, and another to the east.
[04:14.25] * Runa took a glance up and down the hallways. "Well. It seems we have a choice to make again."
[04:14.33] * Alette gives the trial a wary look as they follow it. "Please not another of those revolting maggots."
[04:18.35] * Ewan sighs and pushes the southern door open, Dilys keeping the silver blanched arrows ready just in case.
[04:21.24] <TenMihara|GM> The salty tang of the sea fills the air of this chilly room. Wall carvings showing soldiers marching to war are encrusted with salt, and a descending stair in the center of the room is filled nearly to floor level with water. A thin layer of blue energy shimmers across the surface of the water in the stairwell
[04:25.55] <Alette> "Suddenly a clean up of this place doesn't seem as simple..."
[04:30.59] <TenMihara|GM> Alette finds that the shimmering blue light is holding the water back, and is permanently enchanted on the staircase. If it weren't, given the depth, the entire dungeon would be flooded.
[04:32.05] <TenMihara|GM> However, it seems to be intended for creatures and objects to pass through, just not water
[04:32.41] <TenMihara|GM> There is also another door on the eastern wall of this room
[04:33.17] <Alette> "Hm..." She crouched to examine it closer. "Seems the stairwell is enchanted to prevent water from passing through. A thin viel is the only thing preventing this entire floor from flooding."
[04:42.07] * Ewan scratches his head, intrigued. "They definitely went nuts with this..." he says, nervously looking at the water. Dilys leans forward to peer into the water.
[04:43.25] <TenMihara|GM> Dilys sees that the stairs descend, but without a light source she can only see so far without diving in. Solid objects can permeate the barrier, but liquids cannot, unless in a container.
[04:47.18] * Ewan looks around. "Well, we should probably check the other rooms, since the rest of us wouldn't be able to check what's down there."
[04:47.46] <TenMihara|GM> There is a door to the east in this room, and another to the east in the room before
[04:48.44] * Ewan backtracks to the first door to check that room first.
[04:53.02] <TenMihara|GM> The walls of this chamber have been coated in dried black ichor. Rudimentary lines and smears within the layers of gunk have been added to create crude examples of simplistic art.
[04:53.40] <TenMihara|GM> As the door opens, Ewan spots something unusual. The room is occupied by a lemure, but rather than lashing out at the intruders or standing idly awaiting instructions, this one is cowering in the back corner.
[04:54.22] <Alette> "Hrmph... that's new."
[04:55.55] * Ewan cautiously takes a step forward, studying the "art", and the cowering lemure.
[04:57.15] <TenMihara|GM> The lemure seems to be frozen in panic, but when it does not come under attack, it begins to speak. The fact that it can, albeit in Infernal, is also unsual. ("I Stink... you not bullies?")
[04:58.25] <Alette> Me responds in the same language. ("We are not bullies, we fight in self defense only.")
[05:00.02] <TenMihara|GM> The lemure, 'Stink' by his own admission, and he certainly lives up to that name, looks to Alette as she speaks. ("I Stink... hate bullies. You not bullies... kill bullies?")
[05:01.54] * Alette crouches slightly so she's more eye level with it. "My name is Alette. If we find any bullies, we probably will kill them. Or maybe we already have. Do you know who, or what, these bullies are?"
[05:03.40] <TenMihara|GM> Stink looks around Alette to the room behind her. ("Bullies hurt Stink. You kill bullies, Stink share treasure.") He points to some of the crude 'art' on the wall, which seems to depict Lord Baz... in a child's fingerpainting sort of way. It's a bit difficult to make out, but that's what it seems to look like.
[05:04.26] * Alette leans closer to examine the picture. "That appears to be Baz. Then you're safe now, he is dead."
[05:06.03] <Alette> Upon this, the reaper stepped out of the room, in moments she had returned with the body as proof.
[05:06.33] <TenMihara|GM> Stink seems to perk up a little. He then attempts to bite the body, looking a mix of angry and hungry.
[05:06.49] <TenMihara|GM> Although it's difficult to tell on the creature's deformed, half-liquid features.
[05:06.55] <Alette> The body was dropped to the floor, there was certainly nothing stopping it.
[05:07.21] <Alette> "Aheh... enjoy your lunch, I suppose?"
[05:07.59] <TenMihara|GM> Looking up from its 'meal', Stink points to a small glittering pile amidst some... refuse. ("Give you treasure.")
[05:08.35] * Alette explained to the others in common. "This one appears to have been bullied by Baz, it offered to show us a treasure in exchange." When the creature pointed and spoke, she nodded to it. "Thank you."
[05:09.11] <TenMihara|GM> Stink seems more concerned with getting back at its bully by making a meal of him than continuing the conversation. Possibly because it had used almost its entire vocabular.
[05:09.14] <TenMihara|GM> vocabulary
[05:11.32] * Alette scooped up the indicated shinies and showed them to the others. "Well then, shall we press on?"
[05:12.37] * Ewan nods. "Indeed. That was... Rather strange, but I take it that... Thing won't bother us?" he says, cringing slightly at the Lemure's actions.
[05:13.20] <TenMihara|GM> Rather than raw aggressive instinct or deference to greater devils, Stink seems mostly concerned with its appetite right now.
[05:13.27] * Alette shakes her head. "No, it appears pretty content with revenge. And... considering lemures are suppossed to be mindless, it would be a shame to kill it."
[05:13.54] <Alette> "Which also means it's smart enough to stay away."
[05:15.30] * Ewan nods as he starts to head to the other door. "Well, that's good, then..."
[05:17.30] <TenMihara|GM> A spiral stair rises from the center of this otherwise empty chamber, leading up to a domed chamber some 20 feet above. Looking out through the dome provides a remarkable view of the underwater wildlife in Magnimar's bay
[05:19.27] * Runa frowns and furrows her brow. "Strange." She followed along behind Alette.
[05:20.27] * Ewan curiously looks around, making a note in the journal about the room.
[05:21.27] <TenMihara|GM> Looking out from the observatory, Ewan spots what looks to be a small shipwreck nearby. Runa, inspecting the windows, finds a hidden slat in the central one. Inside are a pair of scrolls.
[05:23.40] <TenMihara|GM> The fishing trawler that Ewan spots is nearly resting upright now far from this chamber.
[05:24.20] * Runa carefully pulls out the scrolls, inspecting them curiously.
[05:25.32] * Ewan studies it a moment, jotting a few notes down. "This place only becomes more fascinating the more things we find..."
[05:32.54] <Alette> "Those look like water breathing scrolls, you've found."
[05:35.49] <Ewan> Dilys, meanwhile, makes sure to pile most of her gear near the water-logged stairs, before taking the plunge down. Ewan shivers slightly, hearing the words 'what could go wrong' in his mind.
[05:39.36] <TenMihara|GM> The stairs descend, though Dilys has no need to breathe once she's underwater, and eventually she comes to a seaweed and silt obscured exit in the escarpment. Looking up, she can see the surface of the harbor about 40 feet up. Nestled right up against the side of the piling is the shipwreck.
[05:41.37] <Ewan> Dilys makes her way over to the shipwreck, curiously looking around at the underwater scenery.
[05:43.33] <TenMihara|GM> She sees lots of fish and tangles of seaweed on the harbor floor. Approaching the shipwreck, she can make out the barnacle encrusted hull, and a name engraved on it. "Liza Jane"
[05:46.55] <Ewan> Dilys pokes about, looking to check the inside of the ship.
[05:50.12] <TenMihara|GM> The wreck is small and only takes about a minute for Dilys to search thoroughly. She comes across a few trinkets. A Mithral rapier alongside a buckler, and a gold and pearl broach inscribed with the letters L.B.
[05:53.57] <Ewan> Dilys gathers the items and starts to head back, poking around a little as she leaves to double check.
[05:55.27] <TenMihara|GM> There doesn't seem to be much else of interest on the wreck
[05:58.49] <Ewan> Dilys plods back to the stairway and back to the room, utterly soaked, but looking mighty pleased with what she's found.
[06:04.45] <TenMihara|GM> ****End Session****
[06:05.25] <TenMihara|GM> Rewards: 3200 Experience Points; +1065 XP each