Session #3 - Encounter Maps

Pathfinder campaign - Reflections of Sin

Maps:

Farm

 

 

Lake and Ruins

 

 

Forest



Design of Session #3 - A Summons

Pathfinder Role-playing

Note:  the game dynamic has changed as one player has left the game and another is joining.  Mell/ Poshmora is no longer a player, and I will instead use the character as an NPC as the player is no longer with the game.  Another player, Heather, will be joining with a new character, possibly a ranger.  She can be easily slotted in as a friend of Gerrett who has been helping in his investigations.  She will be coming to the farm following the Cacodaemons below, and will enter from the opposite side of the encounter.

From the last session, the party has likely made the decision NOT to assist Syren, and thus, Krune, the Runelord of Sloth.  A Paladin of Sarenrae and a member of Sarenrae’s military wing, Juliet and Io, respectively, are not going to work with an evil faction, even if they have common enemies.  This creates a change in the direction of sessions, although does not impact the campaign arc.  Also, Mell now wants to separate herself from Poshmora, her eidolon, now that she knows of Poshmora’s connection with Krune and desire to be his servant.  That desire should play out well in future scenarios.

The characters are outside the farm of the family Juliet has befriended from building the festival bonfire.  Also, this is the farm where the remaining orphans were sent by the party.  And the farmers are under attack by 8 Cacodaemons, which were summoned from the ruins at the lake and have migrated this way from the northwest.  A DC 18 Knowledge (Geography) check to realize the likely origination point of the monsters.  Survival will not assist as the creatures are flying, not traveling by land.  The lake is north of the town, so these creatures likely bypassed the village completely.  No farmer or orphan has been killed yet, as the attack just began, but if 3 creatures end up next to one NPC or 3 rounds transpire, one NPC will be lost.  1-3 farmer/ 4-6 orphan.  The orphans who remain after the battle will likely be emotional messes after the attack on the church the night before, the death of the priest and the oldest girl, and now this attack.  The party should determine what to do to settle the orphans down and calm them as best as possible.

Farm attack:  6 Cacodaemons - CR 2, NE Tiny Outsider (daemon, evil, extraplanar), Init +4, Senses: Darkvision 60', Constant detect good, detect magic, Perc. +7; AC 16, T 12, FF 16 (+4 Natural, +2 size); HP 19 (3d10+3), fast healing 2; F +2, R +5, W +4; Defensive Capabilities:  DR 5/ good or silver, Immune:  acid, death effects, disease, poison, Resist cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10; Speed 5’, fly 50’ (perfect); Bite +6 (1d4+1 plus disease); Special Attacks: Disease – save Fort DC 12 onset 1 day, frequency 1/day, effect 1d2 Wisdom damage, cure – 2 consecutive saves, any infected creature can be telepathically contacted by the Cacodaemon over any distance on the same plane; Soul Lock (Bestiary 2 p. 64); Spell-like Abilities:  At will – invisibility (self only), 3/day – Lesser Confusion (DC 12), 1/week – Commune (CL 12^th, 6 questions); Str 12, Dex 11, Con 13 , Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 12; Base Atk +3, CMB +1, CMD 12; Feats:  Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes; Skills:  Bluff +7, Fly +18, Know (Planes) +5, Perc +7, Stealth +14; Special Qualities:  change shape (lizard, venomous snake).

 

 

 

After the encounter, the party will likely be exhausted and head to the Clearwater’s Gate.  It is late morning, as they entered the cistern right after dawn.  When they get to town, the Inn is the likely place for them to go.  Let them have a conversation with Cenn.  Cenn is worried as Gerrick, the Tanner, hasn’t come back yet from scouting the lake and outlying farms, and after this amount of time, it is worrisome.  Delix has, as expected, taken over the investigation of the attacks.  He is currently at the church with the guards. 

If the party rests or stays at the Inn, Delix does return in the early afternoon.  He definitely feels he should be in charge, and also begins to question the party in a none-too-friendly manner.  Did the party bring these creatures, whether on purpose or because they were being followed?  Where are they from?  What did they discover in the cistern?  What was said?  By whom?  What other information?  He has absolutely no fear of the party or of ramifications if he angers the party.  He knows, as does the rest of the village, that if anything happens to him, Korvosa will send investigators to the village, which will not be good for the village.  At best, they will likely lose several of the stronger farmers and villagers to conscription in the military forces.  Such is the price of services from the city.  If the party begins to get physical or threatening with Delix, Cenn will try to step in to calm matters down.

Delix does state that he will return to Korvosa directly with the information, as he is the authority figure, knows who to talk with, and will be listened to seriously.  Anyone else will likely be ignored as liars or dismissed out of hand.  For the city watch to take this situation seriously, Delix needs to be present.  As arrogant and pig-headed as Delix is, he has genuine concern and interest in the villages under his charge, and the villages know this.  He may be dismissive and look down his nose at this work beneath his abilities, but he takes his work seriously, and has come through for the villages a number of times when they have needed an advocate.

As someone will need to tell the next villages on his route of his unexpected delay and detour, Delix charges the party with this effort, if nothing else to prove themselves as wanting the best for the village and the regions surrounding.  Delix then tells Cenn to get the tax payment together as he personally won’t be back but will move on to the next village upon his return to the region.  The militia will come here to assist with the investigation.  If the party suggests that they accompany Delix to Korvosa, he snorts in derision and dismisses the idea completely.  Who are they to bring information to the authorities in Korvosa?  Are they known there?  Do they hold any prestige with the city and its command structure?  Do they know who to even talk to?  The village needs Delix to get the information to the proper authorities; this is his job, let him do it.

Delix dismisses any further discussion on the topic and heads upstairs to his rooms.  He asks Cenn to meet him up in his rooms to discuss business matters and village concerns.  This is a good time for the players to rest up and recover.  That evening, Cenn and his wife meet with the group and tell them what villages to travel to and with whom to speak.  They are very appreciative of the help of the characters, even where Delix appears not to be.

Suddenly, Gerrett bursts into the Inn.  The surrounding farms are under attack by foul monsters which someone is summoning, using the ruins by the lake.  Gerrett is not acquainted with arcane magic enough to understand the how and what of the summoning area, and he has no idea who is doing the summoning or why.  He was able to see creatures come out of the ruins, though, and move off into the surrounding forests and regions.

Gerrett is pretty beat up, but he insists that he is going to continue to run to the surrounding farmsteads and assist in protection, as he is able.  The party at this point realize he is a half-orc, which is very unusual in Varisia and known for not being well liked, even hated by the Shaonti people.  Gerrett begs the party to set out straight away for the lake and ruins to see if they can discover who is summoning the creatures and also to find a way to stop any more creatures from coming through the portal.  He then runs off into the night.

The party likely will take off for the lake.  They should notice (Perception DC 15 and Survival DC 10 checks; must succeed at both) that the forest life is deathly quiet on their way, as if the creatures of the forest are holding their breaths in fear.  Occasional screams of some foul creature(s) can be heard at times in the distance on their way to the lake.

Lake encounter: 

·         2 Scarlet Spider Swarms - CR 2, N Fine Vermin (swarm), Init +2, Senses: Darkvision 60', Perc. +4; AC 20, T 12, FF 18 (+2 Dex, +8 size); HP 13 (3d8); F +3, R +3, W +1; Defensive Capabilities:  Immune:  mind-affecting effects, weapon damage, swarm traits, vermin traits; Weakness:  swarm traits (+50% damage from area of affect effects, such as spells or splash damage); Speed 10’, climb 10’; swarm (1d6 plus disease); Space 10’; Special Attacks: Disease – save Fort DC 13, onset 1-3 day, frequency 1/day, effect 1d6 Strength damage, cure – 2 consecutive saves; distraction  Fort DC 11 or nauseated for 1 rd; Painful Bite – if creature bitten by swarm, -1 circumstance penalty on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, ability checks, and skill checks until cured, Neutralize Poison, Remove Disease, or DC 13 Heal check removes penalty; Str 1, Dex 15, Con 10, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2; Base Atk +2, CMB -, CMD -; Skills:  Climb +10, Perc +4, Stealth +22.

 

·         8 Vapor Dire Rats - CR 1, N Small magical beast (augmented animal, vapor), Init +3, Senses: Darkvision 60', low-light vision, scent, Perc. +1; AC 15, T 14, FF 12 (+3 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size); HP 6 (1d10+1), fast healing 2; F +3, R +5, W +1; Defensive Capabilities:  Resist fire 5; Weaknesses – cold susceptibility (+50% damage from cold); Speed 40’, climb 20’, swim 20’; Bite +5 (1d4 plus disease); Special Attacks: Disease – save Fort DC 11, onset 1d3 days, frequency 1/day, effect 1d3 Con damage and 1d3 Dex damage, cure – 2 consecutive saves; Death Throes – upon death, Reflex DC 11 or automatic bite; Str 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 10; Base Atk +1, CMB +0, CMD 13 (+17 vs. trip); Feats:  Weapon Finesse; Skills:  Climb +11, Stealth +11 (+19 in areas of smoke, fog, mist or vapor); Special Qualities:  Vaporous form – can change into vapor at will.

 

 

Use the stats from the first session for examining the ruins.  For ambiance, mention the scene as in half-moonlight and the shadow of the tower spire in the distance making a darker shade against the starry sky.  Treasure:  if a DC 22 Perception is made on the stones of the ruins (elves and half-elves get auto check and dwarves get stone-cunning bonus), an opening is found which holds five 2,000gp rubies, which were used as part of the summoning portal.  During the examination, branches and rocks start whipping around the party, but with no wind to stir.  Robinn’s eyes , when someone looks, are rolled up into his head and the whites are beginning to glow.  He has a vision:

“It wants to continue what it started.  A thousand pillars.  It will be free.  Must change one, kill one, to help loosen the bonds that bind.  A thousand pillars.  Preparations were made eons ago.  Time to harvest.  The time is ripe to reap the harvest and let loose the flood.  A thousand pillars, and death will fall upon the world.”

Robinn then wakes and sits on the ground hard, but is okay and conscious, just shaken.  If the party scratches out the symbol on the ruins, the summoning stops.  Allow them to take a “copy” of the symbol for further research.  They should then head back to the village.

Forest encounter:  3 Lacridaemons - CR 3, NE Medium Outsider (daemon, evil, extraplanar), Init +7, Senses: Darkvision 60', Constant detect good, detect magic, Perc. +8; Aura – weeping aura 100’, sonic mind-affecting, -5 Survival vs. becoming lost if within aura, stacks up to -20 with others; AC 15, T 13, FF 12 (+3 Dex, +2 Natural); HP 30 (4d10+8); F +6, R +4, W +5; Defensive Capabilities:  DR 5/ good or silver, Immune:  acid, death effects, disease, poison, Resist cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10, SR 14; Speed 40’; Bite +6 (1d4+2 plus 1d4 acid and poison), 2 claws +7 (1d4+2 plus 1d4 acid); Special Attacks: Poisonous tears – move action which provokes an AOO allows lacridaemon to coat both claws with poison, effective for one round, save Fort DC 14, frequency 1/round for 6 rounds, effect 1 Wisdom plus staggered for 1 round, cure – 2 consecutive saves; Spell-like Abilities:  At will – pass without trace, 3/day – overwhelming grief (DC 14, Ult Magic), teleport (self plus 50lbs object only), 1/day – hold person (DC 14), invisibility, snare, summon (level 4, 1 lacridaemon 50%); Str 14, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 12; Base Atk +4, CMB +6, CMD 19; Feats:  Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (claws); Skills:  Acrobatics +10 (+14 jump), Bluff +8, Climb +9, Perc +8, Sense Motive +8, Stealth +10; Languages:  Abyssal, Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 100’.

 

 

They should arrive at dawn to the village.  Gerrett is not back yet, but Delix is in front of the Inn with Cenn, getting ready to depart.  The horses are being saddled and Gerrett is having a final discussion with Cenn.  They will both ask what the party found at the lake.  Delix, although still brusque, thanks the party for its assistance with the village and seems genuinely appreciative, if still arrogant.  He says he realizes he comes across harshly, but he has a job which he takes seriously, and they were unknown agents just as bad things began to happen.  He could take no chances on the safety of those in his charge.  He does his best by the villages, even as he hopes to move on to work which is more meaningful and of greater responsibility. 

Gerrett suddenly breaks out from the trees on the other side of the Village Green, yelling and waving his arms as he full out runs towards the group at the Inn.  Delix stumbles into whatever character is closest to him, and has a puzzled look on his face.  Black tracings run up from his neck into his face and eyes, and he collapses dead in the character’s arms, a huge arrow jutting out from his back.  Gerrett is pointing past the group into the trees behind them, and when the turn, they see a Leukodaemon (show photo) with a bow in hand as it steps back into the forest and disappears.

End of Session