Dungeon Master S's "Trouble in Tamran" [Standard] (Inactive)

Game Master Chris Marsh

"4 forts left? They seem quite a ways away." Enora grumbles as they observe the forts. "Asking around yesterday didn't help too much. It looks like we could go one of two ways. Anyone good at locating these slippery types?"

You do have some clues as to which fort is likely, but I'll take any creative solution. @Kara, nope, you're good if taking 10.

Guaril looks on with a raised eyebrow and a twist to his mustache, "You have NO idea which fort could be the one?"

Everyone keeps saying it is north of town. So that rules out the southern two, IMHO. Those other two don't stand out to me, but I'd say we check the closest first. Although I'm sure I missed something. I say we check Machmea first. Then Faelon.

He nods gravely at Novid's responses before speaking. "“Two weeks ago, while my men and I were patrolling along the edge of the Fangwood south of the city, we spotted a group of bandits attacking a smuggler in the woods. The leader looked like a woman with a streak of white hair. We gave chase, and tracked them as they fled west, but lost the trail when they hit the river. I don’t think they simply forded or swam; I’d bet good money your bandits have a ship capable of sailing up the Marideth River.”

"Wait wait wait. Remember that guy we met in the bar? He said he saw our mystery lady flee west of the town and probably sailed up the river. Wouldn't that mean we should look to Fort Ursoss first? Or did I miss somethin'?" Enora scratches her head.

“I knew this was going to come back to bite me! You’re here to break my legs or something, right? Well you don’t have to—I’ll tell you everything! Just don’t hurt me! I used to buy from Guaril Karela; now I buy from whoever is stealing from Karela. Hey, what’s it matter to me? When I meet them, it’s always on the north end of town, so I figure they must have a hideout up north somewhere. Please, that’s all I know!”

"But some of the merchants said they make trades north of town... Maybe Fort Ursoss is their base but they sail north of town?"

Enora beat me to it! And yes, Eglantine would also advocate for turning them over to the guards with an explanation of 'we think these people are trying to set us up'. Just clarifying though: is River Marideth the main river, and not that little tiny one to the north?

Eglantine nods eagerly at Enora's words. "My thoughts exactly! River ships and ocean-going vessels are often constructed very differently... if they've got a river-boat, then I say we try the river-fort first."

"Eh, it's as good a guess as any. Try checking it out in the morning." Guaril seems pleased with your thoughts, though he always seems pleased with everything...

"Get some sleep Pathfinders, we head for the fort in the morning. Yes, WE." He speaks with the assumption that you're impressed.

Though Guaril suggested the morning, it's up to you when you go: tonight, no rest, no recharge, but possibly catching them by surprise. Tomorrow morning, hoping they're either not there or by advantage of light to see. Tomorrow night, rest, and hopefully easier to sneak in. You guys tell me, and I'll be ready!

I can go either time. I havent used any spells and still have 1 judgement.

Nym steps up and takes the magical scroll from Enora, wrinkling his nose. "I am happy to take a look. I didn't expect a mere halfling to be able to read these magical writings anyway..." Unaware of the insult, the elven wizard studies carefully trying to determine what the scroll says.

Spellcraft, elf identify bonus: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 10 + 2 = 22

Watching the team work their powers of deduction to determine which fort might be the proper one, Nym nods along. "Yes, yes, I surmised it all along. Of course we would want to check Ursoss first. And while we could wait for morning, wouldn't we be more likely to catch them unawares with a nighttime raid? Let's press our advanatge, hmmm? We can get out of this gods-forsaken hinterland that way, and back to someplace more acceptable."

The scroll is one of Greater Magic Weapon.

Reesa hands her wand to one of the healers and tries to get feeling strong again.

CLW 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
CLW 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

"I can see well enough in the dark. I say we press ahead tonight."

One moment, the tengu wasn't there, the next he's standing there.

Okay, perhaps not QUITE that dramatic, but he's definitely doing the really good sneaking about thing.

"What was that ambush that you walked into at the dock area all about? I didn't see anyone tailing you, and I'm confident I wasn't tailed."

Kara didn't get the note from Guaril suggesting a meeting, after all...

^v^v^v^

"If we're going to recon forts and the like, I suggest timing it to get there an hour or so before dawn. Stumbling around in the dark isn't a good idea, and if they have any sentries they're going to have to deal with changing light plus the fatigue of night watches. We definitely don't want to arrive in the middle of the night if they have any dwarves or half-orcs on their roster..."

My brain's going all Sun Tzu on this, seeing viable options for all of the forts on the information presented. Yet he also warns that charging out and hoping for results is 'a bad plan'

Nym puts the scroll in his case for later use, and looks up a bit startled by the sudden appearance of the tengu.

"I thought we handled that Razmirian trash rather easily back at the docks," Nym says haughtily. "We can secure this adventure tonight and be back in the comfort of the City at the Center of the World within a week. Let's go. If you are such a sneak-thief, why don't you go on ahead, Master Crow, and tell us how the fort is defended?"

"While I'm good at stealth and the Starsong guides my steps, I'm not given to being able to see in pitch darkness. Please open your ears next time, thank you."

I think he's deaf. Didn't I *just* say 'We definitely don't want to arrive in the middle of the night if they have any dwarves or half-orcs on their roster...'

"Right before dawn. Sounds like a plan. In that case, I'll rest up now. This magic doesn't come for free." Enora hops off her seat, opens her spellbook and beelines straight to her bedroom.

The party opts for a rest and a very early rise, making their way just a couple miles up river to the fort. Kara scouts ahead a bit to find a spot in the ruined fort that seems like it's a good call.

4d20 ⇒ (20, 19, 7, 8) = 54

Kara comes back with a report. There's a pair of tall elves, dressed similarly in one room. They look like they're keeping a look out, but not very diligently, you think there may be a chance at catching them unawares. Still, it won't be easy...

Map is updated with the enemies there. I'm going to say that we start just off the map. Getting any closer requires a stealth roll.

"Hopefully they have more information, once we ambush 'em. Kara, you want to do your sneaky thing? I'll be behind ya. And if anyone wants that potion of invisibility we found yesterday, best speak up now!"

Enora will cast invisible on herself and up to 2 more people who ask for it. Then she'll follow behind Karasuma.

Prescience: 1d20 ⇒ 2
Stealth: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14 Enora is also invisible for 4 minutes.

Using her arcane foresight, she decides not to step on that branch and fall into a puddle.

"I could use being Invisible. I'm not a sneaky type of person, so being all stealthy while I move isn't going to work well."

"Poof!" With a wave of her hands, Reesa disappears for 4 minutes.

"Anyone else wants to stay hidden? I can do it once more today. Also, I got this potion from our friends with Razmir."

I'll assume the chatter takes place after KAra returns, but before you get close enough to matter :-)

"Sneaking has never been my strong suit. If its a potion of invisibility i will drink it." Novid says, drawing his blade.

"I think I can manage myself. Maybe stick it on the elf," Eglantine says drily. "If he can manage to not insult anyone as we're getting inside then we can be quiet, I think."

As they prepare to try and slip past the vigilant elves, Eglantine casts a spell of her own, and in short order is has shrunk smaller yet, barely coming up to the kneecap of the taller Pathfinders.

Reduce person, duration 4 minutes, which puts me at a +14 for my stealth. Nym and Novid might benefit from the potion and the other invis spell.

Did Guaril get up and go with us, or is he 'sleeping in' this morning?

Slowly the tengu approaches, while keeping his eye open for tripwires or other traps that might be hidden in the twilight hours. When he gets to the first 'corner' he holds up. He's *not* invisible, so it's very likely he'd alert the guards if he moved any further than that.

Stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25

Perception(+2 for Trapfinding): 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 2 = 14

'Half' move of 20 feet, then holding. Drawing blade.

Guaril did go, but as an independent scout. :-)

2d20 ⇒ (6, 5) = 11

As the party approaches, it appears you have the drop on the two elves. When you step within the area though both elves perk up instantly.

"Alarm!"

"I know! I don't see anything though!"

"They're invisible!"

"Dammit!"

Both elves cast a spell, which means we should switch to initiative. Place yourselves on the edge of the map (but actually on it) any where you want.

Baddies: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
Novid: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Enora: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Eglantine: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Reesa: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Nym: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Kara: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Round 1:

Kara: Go
Nym: Go
Baddies: TBD
Eglantine: TBD
Novid: TBD
Enora: TBD
Reesa: TBD

Was Kara's spot for the 'lead in' okay, ie, where he's from he's okay to engage?

yes, you guys can pick any edge square.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Round 1

Still invisible, and ducking behind a partially fallen wall in the fort, Nym takes out his wand of mage armor and adds a dose, protecting his own skin.

He studies the movements of the elves, trying to discern the spell they might be casting. Nym will shout out the spell effect to the others if he recognizes it

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Karasuma doesn't see much choice, unfortunately.

Have to get to them before they get a message off or wake anyone else up. This broke quickly. Were we sold out?

MWK Cold Iron Elven Curve Blade (vs. flat-footed?), Sneak Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 141d10 + 6 + 2d6 ⇒ (1) + 6 + (3, 4) = 14 On Blue

If the sneak attack is successful, it applies 2 points of bleed. In addition, the tengu will be using the Debilitating Attack: Disoriented -- Target will have -2 to hit anyone but Kara, and -4 to hit Kara for one round

You all here Nym's disembodied voice yell, "They're casting Mage Armor!" Little do the enemy elves realize he's doing the same.

Despite the awkward attack, the tengu lands a solid hit on the elf in blue robes. The elf howls in pain and seems to not know what's going on, even as his blood oozes freely.

Despite the hit, he trusts the years of practice and moves almost instinctually. He vanishes for a brief moment and appears about 15 away from the Tengu. Weaving the words of magic he casts a spell sending a riotous display of colors his way (Will DC 16 to negate)

The other quickly zeroes in on the only visible target, casting a spell of magic missile at the tengu: DMG: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 1) + 2 = 5

Round 1:

Kara: ATK
Nym: Buff
Baddies: Magic
Eglantine: Go
Novid: Go
Enora: Go
Reesa: Go

"Hmpf. That's my trick!"

Enora runs out from behind the wall. Dropping invisibility, she sends her own colored pattern at the Black-clad elf.

Casting Color Spray. Will Save DC 17 to resist. (Spending 1 point of arcane resevoir to boost DC)

Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 The elf tries to scream a warning of the new threat, but is stunned before it happens! Stun & Blind: 1d4 ⇒ 3 The other elf screams, "TAVROSIEL!"

Round 1:

Kara: ATK
Nym: Buff
Baddies: Magic
Eglantine: Color Spray
Novid: Go
Enora: Go
Reesa: Go

That was Enora's turn, not Eglantine's. Not all female halflings look the same, you know!

Correction: Not all female halfling casters look the same, you know! Fixed that for you.

Will Save vs. Technicolor Yawn: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

The flash of light to the face in the early morning light is debilitating in return. The tengu staggers from the vision of pain left to him, exacerbated by the impact of forceful darts. His well-crafted blade drops to the ground.

In comes an ankle-biter!! Running onto the scene just past Nym, the knee-high form of Eglantine runs up to the (bad guy) elf, and darts in around his legs.

(As a currently-tiny creature, I am entering Blue's square; this provokes an attack of opportunity. AC is 25 right now against that AOO.)

Calling out arcane words, Eglantine wreathes her rapier in electricity and stabs at the ankle of her ginormous elven foe. "I'M ON YOU LIKE THE LIGHTNING!"

Spellstrike attack, shocking grasp: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16 +3 more if target has metal weapon or armor
Damage: 1d4 + 4d6 ⇒ (1) + (1, 4, 5, 2) = 13

(move to move in; swift to do spell recall; standard to cast. Not casting defensively, so if he threatens, and has combat reflexes or elected to not take his AOO on me from my move in, he gets a shot there as well)

Reesa says a few magic words and a tiny ball of Snow appears in her hand. She flings the snow and ice at the elf not engaged in melee as she materializes from her Invisibility spell.

RTA Snowball 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Damage 3d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 2) = 13

Possible crit 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Damage 3d6 ⇒ (6, 1, 5) = 12

Dc 15 Fort save or be staggered for one round.

Doh! I keep doing that. To make matters worse, I see that profile picture in a few different games. Sorry! :-)

The quarterling dashes in, but the elf has only a crossbow in hand. Still he swipes with it AoO: 1d20 + 1 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 1 - 4 - 2 = 4, and doesn't even come close. Despite her small stature, the shock of the attack has a big effect as Eglantine gets him right between the legs! He groans and slumps to the ground, motionless.

Reesa's spell has a similar power. The elf's head snaps backward, the echo of his broken neck rings out.

And like that, we're out of combat.... Well done Pathfinders. Deadly efficient.

"Humph. Weak. Shall we continue?" The disembodied voice of Novid says.

As things start to settle down out of combat, Karasuma will recover his blade, flicking the blood off of it before stowing.

He'll take a deep breath and reach into his haversack, pulling out the PFS Standard Issue Wand of Cure Light and offer it to Novid hopefully. "Could you please poke me with this, I can't seem to get the thing to work worth a darn."

While he waits for that to happen (or not) the tengu looks around, hanging head a bit at the fallen sentries. Well, hopefully the one is just unconscious...

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19

"Well I guess being invisible doesn't matter now." Novid says as he taps Karasuma with the wand.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

"Woo! That was fast. Hey Kara, you OK? Over here, buddy. It will wear off in a bit."
She leads him to a stone to sit on as he recovers.

"So uh...none of these two are the person we're looking for. Did we hit the wrong one? Anyone wants to question them?"

"Thanks for that. Hit me one more time, the arming mechanism isn't quite deflecting the full power? And hit yourself, too, since you're at it? If you need it?"

*grumbles at the wand* Please top me off, I'm marking off two charges for it -- better to be topped off than sucking damage. Having max health saved Kara last scenario... Now off to the salt mines of retail, no posting for nine hours-ish...

Both are bleeding out, if you want to save them, you'll need to cure them of something.

Kara, while looking about and retrieving the blade, spies a trap door in the NE corner of the area....

Novid will casts stabilize on both incase extra questioning is needed later.

Based on the way they stored their gear, and what they had at the ready, you think your plan of striking early and hard was a good one. Each elf has an array of things that would have made this a much harder fight without the element of surprise...

Operating under the assumption that SOMEONE will make the DCs to make your lives easier

Wow, these guys were loaded.
Enora "borrows" a wand of mage armor and a thunderstone.
Oops, Enora has a wand and I never noticed...

"Thanks for keeping them alive, Novid." A transparent blue field forms around her. "This should help me much more than it helped them!" She fiddles with the spellbooks. "You wanna read through these later, Eglantine- where are ya? Oh, there you are didn't see you down there." Enora turns bright red. "Oh gosh, is this how tallshanks feel about me? I'm such a hypocrite!"

After calming down, Enora heads to the trapdoor. "Ready when ya'll are."

Spellbooks are in the Discussion Tab.

Novid helps himself to a potion of cure mod, the wand of protection from evil and an alchemist fire.

With a +12 Spellcraft and possible taking 10, Nym would identify most of these without issue.

Covetous of the summoning scrolls and spellbooks, Nym is happy to turn over the rest of the loot to anyone else. "I would look over those spellbooks when we are back to civilization little one. I will even aid you in understanding what is written here should you require it. But for now, let us find these Ramirian pirates and be done with it."

Not sure who can use what, but does it make sense to use the Wand of PfE on (nearly) everyone now? 5 charges will cover most of us. Does anyone else want to use the Wand of Magic Missile? It's a good weapon for Nym in the coming fight.

Reesa could use the scrolls of SM3 to get us some help too.