Assault on the Kingdom of the Impossible (Inactive)

Game Master SodiumTelluride

Standing behind Angrim, Menarul casually and deliberately starts to pull out some of the more painful looking tools from his alchemy supplies as he realizes what the other half-elf was trying to do.

bluff aid: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

"And who's to say I don't... lead you to another ambush?" He eyes Menarul's instruments carefully.

Sorry for my absense. It was a long weekend.

"Did he get the part where we agreed to let them take the scepter?!?!

Ashara shakes her head at Taklinn and shouts:"BAck away from them! Let them run! Our lives are worth more than gold"

Taklinn rolls his eyes as he listens to Ashara berate him, smiling as he replies "Relax, lass. It only takes one to deliver a package. The rest are just one less baddie we'll be havin' to fight at the hideout."

"You will be leading the way, so if it is an ambush, you will catch the first arrow. So how about you start talking now, and let us worry about the next step. Talking now is the only way to live another day. Besides.. if you help us, we put in good words, yada yada yada, and poof, who knows? Maybe you get out of your predicament? Besides.. we may have a ratherr lucrative offer to put on the table for your boss."

Ashara interjects, speaking with her soft yet stern tone:"Whatever happens to you is in your hands to decide. Know this, though: you mustn't die for your master crimes if you redeem yourself. Help us and I give you my word I'll do whatever I can to get your life spared, although a penance will be in order. It's up to you to decide, but I sincerely hope you do the right choice"

Diplomacy check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

The man shakes his head. "If Zamir sees it's me what leads you to him... Jumra'd eat me alive." He considers for a moment, then looks at Phalgun. "If... if I tell you, would you help me back into the city? Only... I can't go now, because Zamir told us... all about what they do to criminals there... But I know you work for the Thakur. I recognize you... I help you, you help me?"

Phalgun grunts. "It's them who'll decide that," he says, gesturing to the group. "This is their show now." He turns to Ashara. "This plan of yours is a good one. On your word you'll tell Mihir not to go behind our backs in the future, we'll let you work this one out on your own. Can't be seen finding Zamir and not taking him back ourselves, of course, so we'll go back to the city and leave you to it."

Shoris addresses Phalgun: "I can give you my word that I'll pass your message on to the Venture-Captain, but I make no promises about how well it will be received."

Turning to the captive, Shoris says: "If you tell us what you know, I for one would be amenable to sending you back to the city with these fine gentlemen instead of involving you in the unpleasantness that is about to take place. If you prove recalcitrant, we may have to obtain the information by...other means." Lightning crackles back and forth between Shoris' fingers as he utters the last sentence.

Using prestidigitation to make it look like there's lightning on my fingertips.

Ashara bows her head at Phalgun:"You have my word, master Phalgun. We'll deal with Zamir and I promise to pass your fine request to the captain as soon as possible. As for the prisoner I ask you to give him a chance if he helps our endeavour. Consider it as a partial atonement for his criminal actions and refrain from executing him, unless he proves untrustworthy again"

Phalgun shrugs. "Maybe you get Zamir out of commission, maybe this guy was just following orders. A few years in jail and he's out."

The man's condition noticeably improves at the notion of being able to go back to the city and keep his head. He pushes himself off of the tree trunk, sitting upright. "Zamir's camp is in an abandoned monastery that way," he says, pointing north into the trees. "Go straight that direction for about two days and you can't miss it."

Ashara smiles:"Very well but what about Zamir's forces? How many men? Any particular traps or creatures we should be aware of?"

Nodding his head, and very pleased with the information being gleaned, Arngrim steps back to allow Ashara to continue the questioning.

"Ah, come on, lass. I'm doubtin' that a bit o' scum from the bottom o' the barrel is like to know 'bout his boss's plans an' defenses. We got us a location an' the means to track 'em. I say we be hittin' the road!" shouts Taklinn enthusiastically.

"I know he keeps men on top of the walls. How many I can't be sure. The band is a few dozen or so, but they're rarely all there at the same time. They don't rig the place, but Zamir's tiger is pretty nasty." With the help of two of Phalgun's men, the man gets up and leaves with them down the path leading back south.

As the prisoner disappears over the hill, Taklinn turns to the others and says "So what ye lot wantin' to do, take off after 'em now or wait until the daylight. I fine either way but the spell slingers might be wantin' a nap before we set off."

"I think we could all do with a nights sleep, Taklinn. It would not do for any of us to go into battle unrested." Arngrim says.

Ashara nods at Arngrim's words:"Agreed Arngrim. We've got the time to prepare and deal with Zamir our own way. We know where he hides and have a general idea of his strength. I'm positive we are in a good position to dispose of him"

I suggest we skip to the next day

Sounds good to me

I like the idea too

If everyone wants to then I don't mind skipping. Menarul will re-prepare the Cure light wounds and shield extracts.

Menarul stays silent through most of the discussion over what to do with the prisoner, but stays intent on what he has to say about the complex. He does pull out the fake wayfinder and double checks it is pointing in the general direction the man pointed out earlier...

You spend the rest of the night and into the morning sleeping after a somewhat grueling night. By the time you wake up, flies have started to gather on the bodies of the slain bandits.

What, if anything, do you do with the bodies? And when you head out, do you follow the bandit's directions or the wayfinder?

axe attack: 3 + 1d20 ⇒ 3 + (19) = 22 that is a really good roll, but they are miniature sized and with good dex probably, only a 20 would be guaranteed.
dmg: 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14 against a fly or two

I'm pretty sure no level 1 can swing a two-handed greataxe fast enough to kill a housefly. You miss.

Ashara opens her eyes, woken by the clamor coming from the outside. As she emerges from her tent and notices Tusk swinging at thin air she just shakes her head and approaches the dwarf:"Good morning, master Tusk. Is there any particular reason for this show of force? An invisible opponent threatening us all perhaps? Or did you just have too much to drink last night? When you are finished feel free to join us: our trap is set, the wayfinder is on the move and we need to catch up with Zamir and his minions"

Perhaps you would like to burning hands the flies here Tusk says jokingly.

Taklinn's nose crinkles as he wakes to the smell of dead bodies. "Whew, the lad's have gone a bit ripe! I'm thinkin' we check 'em fer anything useful an' toss what's left in the river. Ol' Mother Nature has a way of takin' care o' these problems."

Arngrim climbs out of his bedroll and joins the others. "Whew.. we should have done this last night!" he says as he helps Taklinn

So what do we find on the bodies?

You've already looted them... Some composite shortbows, some handaxes, leather armor. Nothing else of value.

whoops, my bad.
Taklinn pause a moment to watch the last of the bodies wash down the river. Once they're out of sight, he turns to the group and says "Alright then, let's be movin'! Baddies don't just kill themselves ye know! Well, sometimes they do, but that ain't the point!"

Chuckling at Taklinn's sense of humor.. or lack thereof.. Arngrim just shoulders his pack and waits for someone to take the lead.
Are we following the wayfinder or the path?

I say we follow the wayfinder. If it leads us to the abandoned monastary, then we're in good shape.

Wayfinder for sure.

wayfinder of course

Sounds good. Lets go!

Menarul opens the fake wayfinder at his belt and holds it flat. Strangely, though the bandit you captured had said Zamir's camp is due north of where you are, the wayfinder is pointing north by northwest. As you follow it, you come upon a small trail leading into the woods. Though the wayfinder is currently pointing right down the trail, you find not the slightest clue that any humans have been here lately.

You guess based on how long you waited that the other bandits are about half a day's travel ahead of you. After the first day, the wayfinder needle starts turning more and more drastically to the left. Ahead of you, the game trail you're following starts to slowly curve in a similar direction.

At the end of the second day, through the trees you can see the ruins of a stone structure. Bushes and debris litter the hillside with the remains of the structure's outer walls, reaching about fifteen feet up. The shattered stone remains of a taller building are visible inside the walls. (There's enough foliage between you and the structure that you're fairly sure no one on the walls would be able to see you yet.)

Survival check: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Ashara doesn't notice anything peculiar as the group makes his way towards Zamir's stronghold. As the ruins the bandit calls home come into view she murmurs:"So, this is it then, let's put an end to this man's wickedness"

survival: 2 + 1d20 ⇒ 2 + (15) = 17 well, we are onto a good gametrail, thanks to the wayfinder
survival: 2 + 1d20 ⇒ 2 + (8) = 10

Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Taklinn whispers through the bushes "I'm thinkin' we did right followin' the wayfinder. That smelly bastard's direction would've taken us clear to the other side, an' what ye wanna bet that all the defenses are on that side?"

Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Not knowing any different, Arngrim takes Taklinn at his word. He looks around the area, but can't really see too much from where they are.
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
Arngrim slides forward through the trees, doing his best to quietly scout the area forward while remaining unseen. He finds a somewhat hidden spot and peers forward
Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Taking 20 on perception, for 30

Arngrim: You watch the walls of the ruined structure for several minutes, and notice a few men making rounds on top of them. You spend long enough studying to conclude that there are four of them, and you notice that not only do they appear not to have noticed you, none of them give more than a cursory glance in your direction as they pass.

Arngrim slowly slithers back to join the rest of the group, telling them all that he saw. "So, what is the plan from here?"
Did I see any way that the walls could be breached or any other entrance? If not, are the walls climbable?

Arngrim: It's hard to tell from your direction, but two of the men on the walls seem to be staying on the near side of the wall while the other two stay on the far side-- indicative of some type of gap in the two side-facing walls.

Ashara considers Arngrim's words carefully before answering:"I suppose we could give the lout a chance of surrendering himself... but he's proven himself untrustworthy and vile, so I suggest we just storm his hideout and bring him to justice, willing or not!"

Having stayed silent through most of the journey, the over packed half-elf finally pipes up.

"Well we have a few options of what to do here. However I first want to make sure we are together on what we want to accomplish, I personally have little opinion one way or the other but do we want to enlist or redeem the Zangrim's help for the Pathfinder Society's good or do we want to kill the bandit leader like we promised earlier? Next do we want to storm the strong hold, as Ashara has suggested, or would we like to take a more subtle route? We could try to sneak into the compound with the darkness or, even better, attempt a parley? They all have their merits and detriments..."

perception: 6 + 1d20 ⇒ 6 + (11) = 17 is there an opening that is unguarded? Even if I have to climb/scale a wall to get to it?

"I'm all fer stormin' the fortress. Let's be loppin' a few heads an' then see what Zamir's got to say fer himself."

"I am good with either way.. but rather than a full assault, lets try a quieter method. We don't want to kick over the whole ant hill at once, do we?"

Tusk: From this side you don't see any openings in the wall. There are low parapets on each corner, but no holes.

"I don't think parleying is going to work, but I'm with Arngrim. We need to try something quieter. Waiting for darkness and taking the sentries out quickly and quietly seems reasonable if we can't find a less obvious means of ingress. For that matter, I could...speed up the process of darkness falling, at least in a limited area, but I'm not sure that would be conducive to our long-term stealthiness, to say nothing of the fact that only the dwarves and I would be able to see in the darkened area."

"Agreed" says Ashara to Shoris "We should give these louts a chance for surrender but I doubt they will heed it anyway!