GM Bearington's Bid for Alabastrine (Inactive)

Game Master Gummy Bear

Bishop quickly moves forward drawing his dagger.

Evariel weaves his spell and at it's conclusion there is a resounding crack! The iron in his sword fractures, sending a spray of metal splinters into the air. "Damn you elf, this is me favorite sword!"

Ulena moves up, ready to dole out consequences to any who dare test the honor of her word.

Another assailant, similarly garbed, manages to climb his way up onto the bridge. He spies his friend's sword and laughs. "HA! It's about time that thing broke! Let's get you a new one!" He says, eyeing Ulena's glaive greedily.

Initiative: Round 1
Active Effects: None

Green (Broken Sword)
Evariel () Ulena (Readied Action)
Red ()
Dragos (Divine Favor 9/10) Bishop ()
Bandit Woman ()
Yellow () Blue
Tagir

________

As the number of combatants grow, please be as clear as you can when declaring targets. IMO the colors are the easiest.

Seeing Ulena stand her ground with the glaive ready to strike any ruffian that gets close he curses inside his head.
'By the teet of the beautiful Great Dreamer! She intends to make this more difficult. Bloody code of honour I bet!'

Changing tactics he flips his dagger at the bandit woman hoping to take her unaware and then draws his next dagger.

Throw Dagger: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Sneak attack?: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Throw Dagger crit?: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

"And here we thought this was going to be a peaceful stroll to the city. Ulena you can use that spear I hope?" he smiles as he says this if only to hide his disappointment at being forced to stand his ground.

As all the newcomers arrive and act so callously toward attacking and stealing from he and his companions, a hardness and anger flashes in Dragos's eyes. "You waylay innocent travelers for no purpose than your own gain. You will harm people no more." He moves forward, closer to the fake wreckage, before unleashing an attack against the newest arrival.

Attacking Red from within point-blank range
Attack, PBS, DF: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 24
Damage, PBS, DF: 1d8 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 1 + 1 = 6

Bishop catches the crazed woman with his dagger, inches from her heart, cutting her screaming and bemoaning short. Dragos' arrow also flies true and erases the smile from his face.

Initiative: Round 1
Active Effects: None

Green (Broken Sword)
Evariel () Ulena (5 damage, 1 AoO used)
Red (6 damage)
Dragos (9/10 Divine Favor) Bishop ()
Bandit Woman (22 damage) Yellow () Blue ()
Tagir

Dagger still in her chest, the bandit woman runs at Ulena. As she comes within range of her deadly weapon, Ulena sends a graceful slash her way. She easily dodges the blow, but is not as deft her maneuver on the second one, a large swath of red erupting from her back. The bandit woman hits the floor with a thud.

From the stone face across the bridge, a pair of bolts come flying at the paladin! The sounds of cheers and cranking of winches can be heard as they strike true. Looking closer, you can see two figures with their upper halves exposed and winding up their crossbows for another volley.
________

Ulena, I don't normally roll attacks for players, but I did in this case so as to not hold up the show. It didn't occur to me earlier, but would you include a couple of rolls when you are trying to set up AoO's and readied actions?

There is an attack roll under the spoiler in the same post that I readied my action.

Edit: Never mind I see what you're saying, will do.

Tagir charges the nearest bandit and drops into a low spin-kick, but the villain easily hops over Tagir's leg. Stay cool, Tagir. Just act like you meant to do that.

"Push him off the bridge while he's off his feet!"

The bandit Tagir attempted to strike looks on in awe and confusion. What is he playing at? I thought for sure he would of... Is this some sort of trick? Or... is he just... that cool?!

The bandit with the broken sword points his finger at Evariel as he closes with Tagir. "Come over here and fight me one on one, wench! I'll show you what a proper fight looks like! None of that magicy, swirly stuff... He swings his sword as hard as he can at the man who would dare try to put is friend on his ass, but is overzealous and strikes the bridge instead! "Stand still, this thing can't take much more of that!" he shouts as the cracks in his sword grow.

Initiative: Round 2
Active Effects: None

Green (Broken Sword)
Evariel () Ulena (5 damage, 0 AoO used)
Red (6 damage)
Dragos (9/10 Divine Favor) Bishop ()
Bandit Woman (22 damage) Yellow () Blue ()
Tagir (Playing it cool)

________

Evariel laughs. "You should learn the difference between a male elf and a female elf. It may save you some embarrassment one night. And a proper fight doesn't involve swinging things at each other." Evariel invokes a minor spell, targeting the man's wits.

Casting daze on green, DC 14 Will or lose actions for the next round.

"Are you too afraid to try and pass me?" Ulena says with a smirk toward the green bandit as he tries to taunt Evariel closer.

Ulena takes a step forward, ignoring the bandits with crossbolts from across the bridge, and takes a swing at green.

Glaive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 181d10 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

As her glaive pierces the bandit though her smile fades and she mutters a small prayer to Shelyn.

"Now, now. There's no need to be rude to each other, let's keep this disagreement friendly." Evariel is wrong about one thing though, a proper fight does involve a lot of sweating and yelling. And so does the making up afterward.

Before the bandit can get a response out, his head recoils as though he were just hit by a stone. Just as he starts to shake it off, Ulena's trusty glaive guaranties he will never have a night filled with confusion and awkwardness based on misidentifying the gender of an elf.

As his buddy drops, the remaining bandit on the bridge throws down his sword and raises his hands above his head. "Woah, woah, easy now... This was all just a misunderstanding, see? It was all her idea, I surrender!" He drops to his knees. "Please don't hurt me... You're a Paladin or something right? You'll protect me won't you?"

Initiative: Round 2
Active Effects: None

Green (Broken Sword, 14 damage)
Evariel () Ulena (5 damage, 1 AoO used)
Red (6 damage)
Dragos (8/10 Divine Favor) Bishop ()
Bandit Woman (22 damage) Yellow () Blue ()
Tagir (Playing it cool)

"If he really is surrendering, let him go!" Ulena shouts to her comrades, wondering if they'll do it.

Sense Motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (16) - 1 = 15

Watching the scene unfold he waits on Ulena's decision, but does at least move to the bandit leader and retrieve his dagger. "We should probably bring these two with us and deliver them to the watch. Might wib us some favour in the city."

"First we need to take care of that stone face. I don't like statues that can shoot crossbow bolts out of their eyes." I suppose she expects me to be merciful now. Ugh, the things I do for love.

"I agree, let's finish crossing this bridge." Ulena says in response to Tagir.

Ulena will not use any AoO's triggered by Red if he retreats.

Dragos narrows his eyes at the surrendering man, thinking. This one threw down his sword readily enough, but the others haven't yet. Easy enough to pick a sword back up... He draws an arrow, notches it, but doesn't fire. Instead, he holds the shot, waiting to see what the other bandits would do. "Anybody else ready to be done?"

Ready an action to fire at the first person to take any hostile action.

"Awwwww come on, the watch doesn't need to be involved!" the bandit on his knees cries out. However the rapid exchange of projectiles between Dragos and the crossbowmen quickly send him to the floor and he starts shimmying to the edge of the bridge, where he wedges himself against the wall.

"We will never surrender to the scum that took down Fowrah! FOR FOWRAAAAHHHH!" Shouts one of the men in the face, but their bolts clatter uselessly upon the bridge, while Dragos' response hits the statue squarely in the nose.

Initiative: Round 2
Active Effects: None

Green (Broken Sword, 14 damage, unconscious, stable)
Evariel () Ulena (5 damage, 0 AoO used) (3rd round actions)
Red (6 damage, Surrendered)
Dragos (8/10 Divine Favor) Bishop ()
Bandit Woman (22 damage, unconscious, stable) Yellow () Blue ()
Tagir ()

________

Satisfied that the bandit in red is no longer a threat, Ulena rushes across the bridge, opening herself up as a target for the bowmen in the hopes that they won't fire on her comrades.

"You've seen that we can be merciful. Don't throw away your lives!"

Double Move

Evariel moves closer. "Your friend Fowrah needed some down-taking. And you need to learn not to ambush travelers."

Double move.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Tagir watches the crossbowmen for a second, speaking to the air in front of him, "I can run faster than you or that knight, and I'm not as forgiving as she is," then pauses and looks down at the prisoner on the ground, "Behave." The brawler then runs up to the base of the statue, searching for the alchemist's fire in his pack.

Double Move

Ulena, Evariel, and Tagir both head for the other side of the bridge. "HAHAHA! You'll fall before us like flies!" responds a bandit from his perch. The bandit you have left behind continues to cower against the retaining wall.

Initiative: Round 3
Active Effects: None

Green (Broken Sword, 14 damage, unconscious, stable)
Evariel () Ulena (5 damage, 0 AoO used)
Red (6 damage, Surrendered)
Dragos (7/10 Divine Favor) Bishop ()
Bandit Woman (22 damage, unconscious, stable) Yellow () Blue ()
Tagir ()

________
The stone face is 15ft tall/to the eyes and requires a DC 15 Climb check to scale. You do notice a perfect grappling hook point right around the middle of the forehead...

Bishop takes out his crossbow and loads a bolt. "Make for the wall I'll cover you! And you over there will find a bolt through your eye if you think about doing something foolhardy."

Dragos draws out another arrow and in the same motion lets fly, his arrow streaking off toward the bandit on the right.

Dragos' bolt just misses the bandit! They do their best to maintain their resolve, but their confidence does seem to fall a little now that they are under fire themselves. Nevertheless, they send a piar of bolts at Ulena, but their pathetic volley doesn't even come close!

Initiative: Round 3
Active Effects: None

Green (Broken Sword, 14 damage, unconscious, stable)
Evariel () Ulena (5 damage, 0 AoO used) 4th round actions
Red (6 damage, Surrendered)
Dragos (7/10 Divine Favor) Bishop () 4th round actions
Bandit Woman (22 damage, unconscious, stable) Yellow () Blue ()
Tagir ()

________

Bishop fires his crossbow aiming at the yellow bandit. The flies wide lodging itself into the cheek of the stone face.

crossbow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Ulena moves up to the other side of the stone face.

"Your retreat is blocked, and it's only a matter of time before you lose your life to a crossbow bolt or a spell. Is that what you want?" She yells up at the two remaining bandits.
Move action and Delay.

Dragos grunts as his arrow misses yet again, though it was closer this time. The cross breeze here is tricky. Little more to the right should do it... He draws another arrow, pausing briefly, then loosing once more with an exhaled breathe.

Tagir draws a flask and calmly lobs it up at the bandit in the blue hat. "Jump down here and I'll put those flames out for you!" And we'll see whether Ulena sneaks a peek while I'm pissing on you.

"Oh dear," Evariel says to the non-burning bandit in mock concern. "Your friend there doesn't look like he has much time. You'll be all alone soon. I'd be quite terrified of keeping this up if I were you."

Ready an action to cast cause fear at yellow if he tries to attack (DC 16 Will negates).

-Posted with Wayfinder

The blue bandit stares peculiarly at the flask as it floats into the room. By the time he realizes what it is, he is far too late. A brief flash of light erupts as it strikes him and he goes up in a blaze! "HELP ME, HELP ME!" he cries out, unable to extinguish the flames. "You'll pay for that too!" the yellow bandit cries out, yet just as he is about to pull the trigger, an arrow hits him, followed by an irresistible fit of fear washing over his mind.

In a sweaty panic, he drops his crossbow and begins to climb down the stone face, eager to put some distance between him and Evariel. His sweaty palms betray him and he slides down to the ground with a thud. Still desperate to get away as quickly as possible, he stands up.

Initiative: Round 4
Active Effects: None

Green (Broken Sword, 14 damage, unconscious, stable)
Evariel () Ulena (5 damage, 0 AoO used) Round 5
Red (6 damage, Surrendered)
Dragos (6/10 Divine Favor) Bishop () Round 5
Bandit Woman (22 damage, unconscious, stable) Yellow (11 damage) Blue (8, on fire)
Tagir ()

________

Tagir and Ulena get AoOs on yellow. Ulena, he is within your nonthreatening space when he stands though. Does anyone know if you provoke attacks of opportunity while falling?

I don't think falling itself provokes, but I'm also unaware of a falling/climbing exception to leaving a threatened square.

Tagir kicks the yellow-haired bandit while he's trying to get up, then waits a moment to decide who he should finish off first.

Seeing that the bandit is unarmed, Ulena does not take advantage of her position while he climbs down.

When the bandit falls from his position and gets pummelled by Tagir, Ulena waits to see if he's still standing. If he is, she tries to hit him with the flat of her blade, hoping to knock him out.

Glaive (NonLethal): 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 5 - 4 = 171d10 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

What's she playing at? They tried to kill me! Mercy is fine, after you win.

Tagir's decisive blows just miss the mortified man, but Ulena swift flick of her glaive knocks the man on his back. Seeing his only remaining ally knocked out cold, the blue bandit tosses his crossbow out of the eyehole. "I SURRENDER, I SURRENDER!" he screams, as he raises his singed hands into the air. "Please, no more. We will leave here and never bother you again!"
________
Combat will continue if you desire, but as of right now you have 2 foes surrendering and 3 unconscious.

"Good!" Ulena says, almost wagging a finger in the air like her mother. "Do something that contributes to the beauty of the world, not something ugly like robbing people. At least now the rest of us can move on."

She frowns angrily at the bandits but looks to her comrades. "Good job everyone, and thank you for not needlessly killing anyone. Not all Pathfinders are as compassionate, I was starting to think I was the only one."

Despite the surrender, Ulena does keep her glaive out until the bandits collect their wounded and retreat.

"We're to let them go are we? Drag them back to the town banditry is always frowned upon. Especially for a city that is so immersed in commerce."

@GM: If Ulena's 17 hits the bandit, shouldn't my 14 hit him while prone?

Beauty of the world, eh? "Normally I would agree with you, Bishop." Tagir begins, "We must all accept responsibility for our choices, even the bad ones." What horse s@#&. Everybody knows your loss is their gain. Only fools and suckers get stuck paying the tab.

"But these men are like stunted flowers that bloomed in the shade and have known only darkness. They had no choice but to turn away from the light. We can show them differently though, with our mercy. Now, in the sunlight of that mercy, their flowers may bloom."

The bandits continue to grovel and groan as you discuss their fate in front of them. "Yeah, flowers! And we will never grow near you again! Or spread our pollen or petals... or something. Yeah!" one of them calls out. The other chimes in as well,
"So... uh, can we go now?"

________
Yes, my mistake. I was thinking prone provides the attacker a bonus to hit, not a penalty to the target's AC! Sorry about that.

Dragos, bow still out with an arrow still notched, eyes the bandits severely; the anger is clear on his face. "The next group that comes along may not be so well prepared to deal with vagabonds such as these. Are we to allow harm to fall on some other group?"

"People can change Dragos. Besides, we'll be coming back this way I assume, on the journey home. We can make sure they're keeping their promises. We can, of course, also inform the Blackjackets that we encountered some bandits on the way and let them handle it."

Turning to the bandits she tries to see if their words are genuine Sense Motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3 and she really believes they are.

When the bandits are dealt with one way or the other Ulena will step up nexts to Tagir. "What you said about mercy, and letting them flower. That was really quite beautiful. Do you write poetry? I'd love to read some if you do!"

A lot of players do take it as a bonus to their attack roll. Annoys the hell out of me.

"I call this one "On Our Would-Be Anniversary":

"I love a nun; but she is worth the strife.
Shelyn I love, and next to her, Clarisse;
I prayed two years for her to be my wife.
She died, and found something I cannot: peace."

"Hmm. Yes, I think we can let them live. Astute observation, Ulena-- we'll have a chance to check up on them when we return. And if they forget, well, I never say no to a new batch of corpses to work with." Evariel gives each of them an appraising look. "I like shorter ones better than taller ones. They're not as heavy."

Having dealt with the bandits to most of their satisfaction, the party continues on it's way. As they clear the mountain pass, it slowly meanders down into the southwestern border of Druma. The beautiful road upon which they walk eventually comes to a golden-framed signpost with a map of Druma. The important landmarks and cities are all denoted by sparkling gems, their value and size indicating the level of status of each one.

While you investigate the signpost, a half-dozen people march towards you. The more knowledgeable or experienced among you recognize this lot as Druma's elite army, the Mercenary League (aka the Blackjackets). Five of the soldiers stand in a line before you, a wall of strong men and women in sharp black coats barring your passage to Druma. The sixth man, a human, confidently continues his march towards you. He stops 10 feet ahead of the wall and delivers a crisp salute. "Colonel Hachren, of Druma's Mercenary League," he delivers. "HOO!" shout the line when the Colonel finishes his sentence. Hachren continues, "Who are you and what business do you have with Druma and her people?"

________
You guys are great, keep up the RP! It looks like the majority of the party would like to let them lick their wounds at the bridge, so I am pushing forward.

Bishop watches the approaching officer and begins to pull out the papers that were given to them by the Trade Prince.

"Greetings Colonel Hachren. Here are our papers. We have been commissioned by Temel Passad one of your citizen's of Kerse to investigate a personal matter. We have traveled overland from Isger. It should be noted that we were also accosted on the bridge some ways back by bandits. I had always been led to believe that the journey to Druma would be safe especially with the Mercenary League patrolling the roads but these bandits must have slipped through unnoticed by your colleagues."

diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

"Indeed we were. I believe you each owe me a drink for doing your work."

Diplomacy (aid): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

When the party comes to the golden framed map Ulena's eyes widen and she brushes her hand against the gems embedded within. She smiles with delight as the locations ring out in her ears and the touches each gem just to relive the effect.

"What a beautiful design!" She says with a smile to the party, "I've love to own something like that one day."

When the Blackjackets arrive Ulena smiles at them in greeting and lets Bishop do the talking, waiting until he's finished to address them as well.

"We informed them that if they tried such a thing again you would be able to handle them. I figured your formidable reputation would prevent them from robbing anyone else, but it might be best if you check on the bridge from time to time. They were hiding in the eyes. In any case, where might we find Passad?"

Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Dragos nods along as the others tell of their interactions with the bandits. "We may have left them a few more cuts and bruises than they had before in the process of informing them of that, but they are still alive. We are most eager to reach your fair city and rest, though."

Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Hachran takes the papers from you and reads them over. "Ah yes! Temel Passad had informed us that he would be expecting guests. Your route and these papers very clearly confirm that. Welcome to Druma!" he says with a broad smile.

It fades somewhat at the talk of bandits and owed drinks. "You have my heartfelt condolences for those bandits. We have been aware of them, however this signpost signifies the border of Druma. As much as it pains me to admit, they are beyond our jurisdiction, despite what this beautiful road may lead you to believe. It is a gift from Druma to Isger and they have done a pitiful job maintaining it. I have sent word to the Isgeri government of the bandits' handiwork, yet still they do not move to punish them! Thank you for teaching them a lesson," he concludes, shaking each of your hands.

"I am afraid you have many more miles to go before you meet Passad, upwards of 200 in fact! The road from here to Kerse will be much more pleasant, THAT I can guarantee! Are there anymore questions I can attempt to answer befor eyou are on your way?" he offers, looking at you all expectantly.