Navior's Savage Tide

Game Master Navior

Festa looks at the assembled combatants, his tough face framed by stale sweat and dirt from earlier fights. "Heey. I'm Festa," he ventures.

The Lotus Dragons glance at each other with uncertainty after Festa's introduction. "No carousing," their leader orders.

A couple of minutes pass in silence before the Lotus Dragon who left to fetch Mistress Kellani returns, followed by an imperious-looking woman and a green dragon-like creature. The woman is richly dressed with a rapier at her side. Her bare arms are tattooed, one with a coiled dragon, the other with a lotus.

"So," she says, "you're the ones who outwitted Vanthus, are you?" She shakes her head, more in amusement than disapproval. "I'm Rowyn Kellani, creator, owner, and leader of the Lotus Dragons. What do you have to say for yourselves?"

Picture of Rowyn and her dragon.

"Little enough, madame," Tippi replies with a half-curtsey, "We wouldn't trouble you at all, save that we are trying to locate, as you say, Vanthus Vanderboren, and the information we could uncover led us here. May I ask if the present whereabouts of a former associate named Penkus might be of interest to you?"

Rowyn raises an eyebrow. "Penkus? He's dead. Killed by zombies in some old tunnels we were considering using at one point. Or perhaps you're going to tell me Vanthus did it, or maybe that Vanthus abandoned him to be killed by the zombies?" She shrugs. "I've often suspected that maybe he did, but really, why should I care? Just shows that Penkus should have been smarter. Now you lot, on the other hand, clearly have been smarter. You bested Vanthus. That's not an easy task. He's a hard man to beat. I could use people like you. Why work for Vanthus's brat of a sister when you could come work for me? I'll double whatever she's giving you. No! Triple! What do you say?"

Felos directs his detection gaze on her and her pet.

"We say no! Now tell us where Vanthus is and we'll leave you in peace."

"What my colleague means to say is that, as nice as your headquarters are -- I think you were wise not to use those other tunnels, by the way; very damp -- I think it's a bit too small to hold both us and the man who tried to kill us. I really don't see how we could work alongside Vanthus. Where is he, by the way? The worg said you'd know."

Felos detects a faint aura of evil from Rowyn, but nothing from her pet.

Rowyn actually looks a bit disappointed at Jacinth's outburst. "Vanthus is out taking care of a little matter for me. He won't be back for a few days. Yes, I can understand why you'd be hesitant to work beside a man who's tried to kill you. He's an ambitious man and very good at what he does. He's very useful to me, but there will come a time when his ambition outweighs his usefulness, and that's where you would all come in. Eventually, either I'll tire of him and want to be rid of him, or he'll try to kill me. Either way, I intend to be the one who comes out alive, and you can help ensure that. It will also give you a chance to take your revenge on him. Revenge can be a powerful motivator, don't you think?"

Felos leans close to Tippi and whispers, "Either she's a very minor priestess of an evil god, or one who has steeped herself in sonics evil for so long, that it has tainted her very soul. Either way, she can't be trusted."

"My feline colleague rightfully points out that if Vanthus is a threat on the horizon you're already making plans to deal with, we, who outwitted Vanthus, are surely four times the threat. Whom will you task with killing us, when we've outlived our usefulness?"

I think that was supposed to read "so much evil for so long". Either auto-correct was having some fun with me, or it's a sign from on high that my secret fears about hedgehogs are well-founded.

Felos looks confused. "That's not what I said," Felos whispers a bit too loudly.

"It's what you meant," Tippi whispers back with a smile.

"It is? I'm smarter than I thought!"

Rowyn smirks. "Clever," she says to Tippi, ignoring Felos. "I suppose you'll have to make sure you don't outlive your usefulness--or if you do, make certain there's no one else I can send after you. But if you're loyal and not too ambitious, I don't see any reason why you'd outlive your usefulness." She sighs and shakes her head sadly. "I get the impression though that we are not going to come to an agreement here. A shame. Good help is hard to find."

She continues in a sterner tone. "Of course, if we can't come to an arrangement, I can't just let you walk out of here and go after my best employee. You've also killed quite a few of my people. I deserve some recompense, surely."

Fells, quick as a wink (he hopes), draws a thistle arrow and without warning (he hopes), lets it fly at Rowyn.

Arrow: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 5 - 1 = 22
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

That damage continues as bleed damage for 1d6 ⇒ 2 more rounds? Should give her some trouble if she's a spell-caster.

Since Rowyn has been chatting away, I'll allow that as a surprise round action for Felos. Do thistle arrows really do their full initial damage as bleed damage (first time I've ever actually seen them in play, so it's never come up before)? That seems a lot. Hmmm...

An arrow suddenly flies at Rowyn, hitting her in the shoulder near the neck. She gasps, utterly shocked that anyone would be so bold. "Wha--?! Kill! Gut Tugger, kill! All of you, kill them!" she screams.

Felos Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Festa Fire Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Jacinth Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Xanthippe Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Gut Tugger Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Lotus Dragons Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Rowyn Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Roll-off between Gut Tugger and Lotus Dragons (not that it really makes a big difference):
Gut Tugger Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Lotus Dragons Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Order: Festa, Felos, Xanthippe, Jacinth, Lotus Dragons, Gut Tugger, Rowyn.
I always seem to roll really low initiatives for villains.

ROUND 1

CURRENT EFFECTS:
None.

Up First: Festa

Map Updated
Something weird has happened with this particular map and I can't take a screenshot using the in-program method, so I've just taken a screenshot of my entire computer screen.

Seems like a lot to me, too. I had assumed 1 point of bleed, but then checked d20pfsrd.com and it just says it deals damage as bleed damage for 1d6 rounds. As always, feel free to rule as you wish. I'll check the messageboards for other opinions.

Edit: Okay, if you have the Campaign Aetting, look them up there, since that version makes a lot more sense than the Adventurer's Armoury version.

Festa grimaces as he sees the barbed arrow drive into Rowyn's skin, a bright red stream of blood quickly flowing out. Perhaps we can re-negotiate after their leader goes down, Festa thinks to himself as he steps in to close the distance BC16 and aims a carefully balanced strike just below her ribcage.

Focused blow, Stunning Fist DC 13 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17 damage 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (2, 6) + 1 = 9

With a bit of luck that will keep her out of the fight for longer - including staying flat-footed for an extra round.

Acting first can have perks: Before the dumbstruck opposition can react, Festa pulls out on of his potions of mage armor. With his remaining move action.

Edit: Okay, if you have the Campaign Aetting, look them up there, since that version makes a lot more sense than the Adventurer's Armoury version.

Ah yes, that does make much more sense. So 1 point per round then. Thanks!

Rowyn Fortitude: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13 -- pass

Festa steps up and punches Rowyn in the gut, momentarily knocking the wind out of her, but not quite having the stunning effect he'd hoped for. She is looking quite hurt, though.

Next Up: Felos, Xanthippe, Jacinth, Lotus Dragons, Gut Tugger, Rowyn, Festa.

Map Updated

Arrow: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (1) + 5 - 1 = 5

Well, at least the thistle does 1 point of bleed.

"Felos! We were negotiating!" Tippi protests, horrified. Quickly totaling up the odds, with a hefty bonus for the dragon directly across the room from her, she does what she can for Festa, attempting to trip the nearest Lotus Dragon to his back, and then hurries back into the corridor.

Trip Lotus Dragon 6 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10; move to AZ 17

Jacinth moves into the room [BB16] and strikes at Rowan with his longspear.

Longspear: reach
to hit 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19 to hurt1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

In the confined space, Felos's arrow ends up hitting the ceiling and rebounding harmlessly to the floor.

Tippi attempts to trip a nearby Lotus Dragon. The whip wraps around the Lotus Dragon's leg, but doesn't quite get enough of a hold before pulling back. The Lotus Dragon remains standing.

Jacinth moves into the room and strikes at Rowyn with his longspear, piercing her other shoulder.

Their momentary surprise at the sudden attack over, the Lotus Dragons spring into action to protect Rowyn. #3 moves up behind Jacinth (5-ft step to BB 15). #9 moves up beside him (move to BC 15), briefly allowing an attack from Jacinth (Jacinth gets an AoO). #8 and #11 hang back and pull out their hand crossbows and load them. The other Dragons all attack.

#9's attack is only assuming Jacinth's AoO doesn't take him down.

Lotus Dragon #1 rapier at Festa: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19 -- hit
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Lotus Dragon #9 rapier at Festa: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11 -- miss

Lotus Dragon #3 rapier at Jacinth, flanking: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 1 + 2 = 15 -- hit
Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 1 + (3) = 8
Lotus Dragon #6 rapier at Jacinth, flanking: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 1 + 2 = 17 -- hit
Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 1 + (5) = 7
Lotus Dragon #13 rapier at Jacinth: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14 -- miss
Total damage to Jacinth: 15

Two assault Festa, but only the leader gets in a hit on him. Three go after Jacinth and the two on opposite sides of him manage to each score powerful hits, taking him down.

The dragon-like creature, Gut Tugger, attacks Festa.
Gut Tugger bite at Festa: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 -- hit
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

The beast manages to sink his teeth into Festa's thigh.

Badly hurt and still bleeding, Rowyn flees for the open northwest door.

Rowyn Acrobatics to avoid AoO: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21 -- success

She rolls under Festa's reach and out the door.

Next Up: AoO for Jacinth, Festa, Felos, Xanthippe, Jacinth (unconscious), Lotus Dragons, Gut Tugger.
Jacinth's AoO is obviously before he goes down.

Map Updated

Jacinth performs a quick jab against the positioning thieves before falling from their counter attacks.

AoO
Longspear: reach
to hit 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17 to hurt1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Felos takes a 5-foot step forward, dropping his bow, pulling out his flail and swings at 3.

Flail: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

HP 8/20; AC 21

Festa steps gingerly to minimize the enemies he's directly exposed to 5ft to BC17 then drinks his potion of mage armor; hoping that it will give him the safety net he needs to get out ahead in this fight.

Provokes from #1 and #6; if Navior doesn't mind I'll just expedite the process:

AOO from #1, flanking 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 1 + 2 = 7 damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 miss
AOO from #6, flanking 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 1 + 2 = 15 damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 miss

Knowledge check on Gut Tugger 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 Guess she doesn't learn anything useful from that. :P

As #9 tries to get in at Festa, Jacinth stabs out with his spear, taking the Lotus Dragon down. Jacinth is then felled by #3 and #6. This negates #9's attack on Festa, which missed anyway, so doesn't make much of a difference.

ROUND 2

CURRENT EFFECTS:
None.

Festa steps closer to the wall, pulls out a potion and quickly quaffs it down. This momentarily exposes him to attacks from #1 and #6, who take advantage of the opportunity. They lash out with their rapiers, but Festa, still drinking down the potion, gingerly dodges both attacks.

Felos steps forward, pulling out his flail and swinging at #3. He catches the Lotus Dragon on the side of the head, inflicting a nasty wound.

Next Up: Xanthippe, Jacinth (unconscious), Lotus Dragons, Gut Tugger, Rowyn, Festa, Felos.

Map Updated
More and more things are going wrong with this map. Now it refuses to acknowledge Tippi as a PC, so since she's currently out of sight of the other PCs, it doesn't show her token in Player View. Even deleting her token and remaking it hasn't solved the problem. I don't have time to redo the entire map in a new uncorrupted file, so the screenshot is of the GM view, complete with stuff you haven't seen yet, but oh well. No big deal.

"What were you thinking?" Tippi hisses in Felos's ear, as she moves up behind him and tries to angle around him to trip up the Lotus Dragon he's fighting.

Move to AZ 15; Trip Lotus Dragon #3 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

With soft cover, that's an effective 11.

"She said she wouldn't just let us leave and demanded we pay for killing her people," Felos explains.

He takes a five-foot step to Ba16 and swings at 3 again.

Flail: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

While speaking angrily with Felos, Tippi tries to trip the nearest Lotus Dragon, but Felos himself gets in the way.

Jacinth, please give me a stabilization roll. Thanks.

#13 steps up to Felos (5-ft step to BA 16), while #11 moves around to stand over Jacinth (move to BB 16 via BB 15 to avoid AoO) and #8 moves past Gut Tugger to get at Festa (move to BD 16)

Lotus Dragon #3 rapier at Felos: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 -- miss
Lotus Dragon #11 rapier at Felos: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17 -- hit
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Lotus Dragon #13 rapier at Felos: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 -- miss

Lotus Dragon #1 rapier at Festa, flanking: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 1 + 2 = 23 -- hit
Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 1 + (2) = 6
Lotus Dragon #6 rapier at Festa, flanking: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 1 + 2 = 9 -- miss
Lotus Dragon #8 rapier at Festa: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18 -- miss

The Lotus Dragons unleash their attacks, but most prove unable to get past Festa and Felos's defences. Two manage to get in hits, however, one on Felos and one on Festa.

The dragon-like Gut Tugger goes for Festa (5-ft step to BC 16).

Gut Tugger bite at Festa: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24 -- hit
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Gut Tugger bites deeply into Festa's side. I believe that will take Festa down. Ouch.

Out of sight, Rowyn does something.

ROUND 3

CURRENT EFFECTS:
Mage armour (Festa)

Stabilization check from Festa, please.

Due to the repositioning, Felos can't step to BA 16; however, he can still attack #3. I'll give you the opportunity to decide if you want to change your action.

Next Up: Felos, Xanthippe, Jacinth (unconscious), Lotus Dragons, Gut Tugger, Rowyn, Festa (unconscious).

Map Updated
The map now refuses to accept Felos as a PC. Sigh.

Felos swings at 3 again.

Flail: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

He also heals himself of his injuries.
LoH: 1d6 ⇒ 1

It's probably too late, but we could try offering them the treasure from the sea caves. The GM might be merciful...

It's probably too late, but we could try offering them the treasure from the sea caves. The GM might be merciful...

The GM was being pretty merciful until someone attacked out of the blue. :)

Felos swings and just misses #3.

Next Up: Xanthippe, Jacinth (unconscious), Lotus Dragons, Gut Tugger, Rowyn, Festa (unconscious), Felos.

Stabilization Check 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

"She said she wouldn't just let us leave and demanded we pay for killing her people," Felos explains.

"That was an opening offer!" Tippi replies angrily. "We negotiate from there to a point where we do something for her and she looks the other way when we take out Vanthus! Now you've paid with their lives!" She looks over Felos's shoulder into the room where Jacinth and Festa are fallen among a crowd of enemies. "Run!" she advises the catfolk, taking her own advice by retreating down the hallway and around the corner the way they came in.

"Don't wait for me, I'll buy you time," Felos growls after her, still not quite sure what he did wrong.

I can't die. I have a date.

Better roll a higher stabilization check, then. It's back to your turn to bleed again.

Stabilization Check 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
That might just do it. Of course they'll kill me anyway. I wonder what my next character will be.

Stabilize: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Blood! So much blood!

Stabilization Check 1d20+1

That might just do it. Of course they'll kill me anyway. I wonder what my next character will be.

That will indeed stabilize you.

The lotus dragons continue their attacks on Felos. Luckily, no more can get close to him to attack.

Lotus Dragon #3 rapier at Felos: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21 -- hit
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Lotus Dragon #11 rapier at Felos: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8 -- miss
Lotus Dragon #13 rapier at Felos: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15 -- miss

#3 gets another successful stab at Felos, but the others miss him.

Gut Tugger snarls and delays.

Rowyn returns into the room, stepping past Festa's unconscious form. She looks considerably less hurt than she did before (although not in perfect condition) and the bleeding has stopped. With a muttered incantation, she casts a spell.

Felos Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14 -- pass

Felos feels a momentary cloudiness pass over his mind, but he fights it off. With a sigh, Rowyn says to the Lotus Dragons, "Come on, lads, can't you take one cat?"

ROUND 4

CURRENT EFFECTS:
Mage armour (Festa)

Another stabilization check needed from Festa.

Next Up: Felos, Xanthippe, Jacinth (unconscious), Lotus Dragons, Gut Tugger (subject to delayed action), Rowyn, Festa (unconscious).

Map Updated

Stabilize: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

That puts me at -7 and not stable, I think

Felos continues to swing at 3.

Flail: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
Damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

He activates his smite evil against the dragon thing.

Assuming that puts down number 3, he steps into 3's space. Does that put him adjacent to Jacinth?

Felos swings again at #3, this time connecting with the Lotus Dragon's face and taking him down.

Assuming that puts down number 3, he steps into 3's space. Does that put him adjacent to Jacinth?

It does, although he already was adjacent to him. Jacinth is in BB 16 (obscured by #11's token). Do you still want to step forward?

He was already adjacent?? Oops. That would have led to a whole other series of actions. I thought he was further in, because he had stabbed at Rowyn with his longspear.

I'll leave it all for now, but he definitely doesn't step in. Can he grab Jacinth and drag him out as a move action, or will that take longer?

Longspears have reach, so Jacinth was able to get at Rowyn that way.

Felos can grab Jacinth as a move action and then drag him out as a separate move action.

Next Up: Xanthippe, Jacinth (unconscious), Lotus Dragons, Gut Tugger, Rowyn, Festa (unconscious), Felos.

Map Updated

Stabilize: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

I'm not sure if the stabilize check happens before or after the bleed happens for the round. If the check happens first, then Festa is stable, otherwise he bleeds to -8

[dice=Stabilize]1d20 + 2

I'm not sure if the stabilize check happens before or after the bleed happens for the round. If the check happens first, then Festa is stable, otherwise he bleeds to -8

I've always done it that the check happens first. It lets you survive just a little bit longer. As such, Festa will stabilize when his turn comes up again.