[PFS] PbP Gameday V: GM Harker Presents #4-21 Way of the Kirin (Inactive)

Game Master Justin L. Warren

Halkale and Frostfur take a look around the grounds and note that the house is strategically located on a cliff, with some small hills to the southeast and many more hills to the immediate south. There is a relatively flat area between the house and the hills that runs around 1500 to 2000 feet. To attack from any direction other than the south would involve either heavy climbing or flight due to the cliffs, otherwise you should be able to see any invading force long before it arrives. You can even see the length of the small island from the top of the lighthouse.

Valik begins building a pit trap in the master bedroom, finishing his work after 10 minutes

With 40 minutes down and about 80 to go, Melufiuos also successfully completes his work on murder holes on the second floor, while Quiella continues to place barricades on the first floor.

The pit trap is noted with a red square, while the murder holes are black dots.

Keeping track of time (2 hour limit)
Halkale (40 minutes)
Mel (50 minutes; Murder Holes)
Ophelia (No actions taken yet)
Quiella (50 minutes; Placing barricades)
Vailis (50 minutes; Pit Trap)
Coco (40 minutes)
Valik (40 minutes)

Need actions from Halkale, Ophelia, Vailis, and Coco for 40 minutes to 50 minutes. Please note you can move the catapult now to a position of your choosing.

Halkale looks around to see if he can find anything to fashion some traps for outside.

Survival: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

right, Quiella *does* want to barricade the lighthouse door on the second floor, so that someone cannot get into the house from the lighthouse

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Halkale, what are you looking for in particular? There isn't anything that just pops out for potential use in a trap.

All right, let's speed things up a bit. Everyone just let me know what you want to do for the next hour and ten minutes until the guests arrive. Consult the post above for actions you can take.

Other than placing the catapult, you can also practice firing the catapult once it's outdoors. It takes 3 people 3 full rounds to fire the catapult. The leader will roll your BaB + Knowledge (engineering) or Int modifier to hit.

Everyone is up.

Looking for things to make traps, small trees to bend over. I have trapper profession, so I can use that, I think. Nothing I do will kill someone but slow them down, take up people's time.

Vailis asks Coco where the catapult can be better placed and helps placing it up in the first floor.

"Coco can help fire the catapult I guess, he is good with those kind of engineering things"

He then moves into the house and starts looking for spare glass and dedicates the following hour to break them and set them behind all the barricades and bellow all windows in the house.
I am trying to create some kind of improvised caltrops

are we planning to have someone in the tower add lookout, or are we abandoning it?

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"Did anyone start boiling the water?" spurts Mel suddenly? If not, he gets that going, cursing himself for doing things out of order.

What are we going to fire from the catapult? Do we need to drag in some rocks or something? Also, how are we going to fire the catapult from the first floor without there being a really big opening that people can come through, making all that barricading useless? Or are we only planning on a single shot, at something inside? Not complaining, just trying to keep up.

Halkale, yeah, you can use Profession (trapper) to make some traps up to the house. Make a couple of Profession rolls.

Vailis, the first floor is going to be almost completely boarded up by the time Quiella finishes barricading it. You'll probably want to place the catapult somewhere in the open.

Re: Creating Caltrops, please give me a Crafts check.

Re: Catapult ammunition. You can find suitable large stones nearby to use in the catapult.

Re: Barricades. There's not enough materials to barricade all the doors and windows on the first floor and also the second floor door to the lighthouse. You'll be missing one window on the first floor.

Last Hour actions thus far (If I haven't included your thing, remind/confirm with me what you wish do.)
*Halkale [10 minutes]: Set some traps outside
*Vailis/Coco [10 minutes]: Make Caltrops, move catapult somewhere?
*Quiella [15 minutes]: Finish setting up the barricades
*Melufiuos [60 minutes]: Boiling a large amount of water.

I'll give everyone until Sunday or Monday to let me know what they want to do in the last hour, where you want to set up the catapult, if you have a catapult crew, etc. After that, we'll move to the arrival of the guests.

Halkale sets a few traps on approaches to the house.

Trapper Prof: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Trapper Prof: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Trapper Prof: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Trapper Prof: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Vailis attempts to create some caltrops for the windows.
Craft: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Craft: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
Craft: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Craft: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

Coco sets the catapult just in front of the lighthouse. Where it can have a clear shot to anyone approaching the house from the front or the east side.

Ophelia, if you're still with us, give us a sign of life.

Halkale gets to work setting up a number of brush traps in the area in front of the house. They aren't on the map, but I'll be taking them into account.

Vailis finishes up his makeshift caltrops and places them outside the windows of the first floor. Meanwhile, Coco places the catapult on the ground in front of the lighthouse. On the map, the "x" outside the windows indicates caltrops, while the large brown arrow pointing down is the catapult.

As I mentioned earlier, you'll need three people to fire the catapult.

In the meantime, Quiella finishes barricading what she can from the furniture and other materials, but one of the cliff/ocean facing windows on the first floor remains uncovered. The second floor door to the lighthouse bridge is barricaded, however.

Let me know if there is anything else you want to do before next week.

what are we doing with the oil?

-Posted with Wayfinder

so where are we going to be? I mean three people for the catapult, someone in the tower as lookout, someone at the front door, etc?

also, I suspect that we may wind up having to flee down the tunnel. Is there anything we can do to wet the outside of the building to make it more resistant to fire?

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Those are all good questions, Mel. There isn't really any materials on hand to make the building more fire resistant though.

If anyone had some last minute preparation that was not covered, please let me know. This is your last opportunity for the two hour period.

After two hours elapse with the Pathfinders securing the grounds from attack and intrusion, a lone visitor finally arrives in the late afternoon. He appears to be an elderly man in a full set of samurai armor. Despite his advanced age, he carries himself well in it. Having changed into formal robes of azure and dove-gray silk, Amara Li greets him at the door and graciously invites him inside. Identified as Iko Tsuneo, Li takes a couple of minutes to introduce him to each of you and explains your role in the meeting. Once the formalities are over, she suggests everyone retire to the great hall for tea.

The work Amara Li's servants put into the cleaning the great hall has paid off admirably, as the room now appears spotlessly clean. A round table now sits close to the floor with all the necessary vessels and utensils for the tea ceremony.

As the ancient samurai takes his place at the table, Amara Li looks to the group to see who among you wishes to join the ceremony.

Please let me know one way or another if you wish to join the ceremony, preferably making an IC post if you will be joining. You do have enough time to change into formal clothing/armor if that is your wish. If I don't hear from you within 24 hours, I'll assume you will decline.

Vailis prepares his clothing telling Coco to stay guarding the lighthouse during the ceremony.

When the group arrives Vailis step up and greets the ancient samurai taking note of his emblems and intentions "It will be a pleasure to join you"
K. nobility (untrained): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Sense motives: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

if Mel wants to put the catapult on the lighthouse, we could swap that barricade back downstairs and Quiella could stand guard in the lighthouse with someone else that can see well past 30'

scratch that, Quiella is doing the ceremony

Quiella asks that others in the party agree to stand guard, then she changes into her formal wear and joins the samurai at the table, after offering him a warrior's bow.

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I'll give the others a little more time to respond, I think posting levels have leveled off a bit due to the PbP Gameday.

"I'll be upstairs. My b-b-bow b-b-better there." Halkale says and then he and Frostfur head upstairs.

Mel remembers his numerous social bungles in the past and chooses to man the catapult

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Shaking her head slightly as Halkale and Mel retreat upstairs, Ophelia kneels by the low table, stripped of her armour and dressed in the most formal vestments of her religious station. Kneeling near Amara Li, she feels and looks rather like a pigeon next to a swan.

Amara Li begins to pour the tea for the ceremony as Vailis, Quiella, and Ophelia take their place at the table. After some more small talk about the man's journey, Iko Tsuneo takes immediate interest in the other Pathfinders around the table.

"From what our hostess has told me, I understand some of you are strong followers of the gods of the Inner Sea. I am quite familiar with your deities and, for the sake of comparison, I would be interested in hearing about your relationship with your god." His attention then moves to Ophelia and Quiella respectively.

While they formulate their answers, Iko's attention turns to Vailis, "I'm also greatly interested in your Pathfinder organization. What brought you into it? What keeps you there?"

If you have any questions for him, feel free to ask.

"I serve Erastil. He is the god of farmers, hunters, and small communities. He is much more stoic and traditional than, for instance, Shelyn or Desna. However, quite a few of the gods whisper to me sometimes, and I often whisper back. I've had friendly conversations with both of those ladies, as well as Sarenrae, Iomedae..." she trails off, thinking.

"I have a code. Perhaps you would like to hear it. It is inspired a little by Iomedae, but at its heart it is about the truths of Erastil.
I will always speak the truth
I will never slay a harmless being
I will always keep my oaths
I will never leave an ally behind on the field of battle
I will always seek to correct injustice
I will never give up in the face of evil
You see, this code helps me to uphold the integrity of myself and my community; frequently, that community is the Pathfinders."

"Thank you for asking about me. Tell me, what is your god like?"

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Ophelia sips her tea thoughtfully, trying to formulate her response. "I was drawn to Pharasma because she represents the inevitable," she answers finally. "Life is transient, as with all things, and the end of it is nothing to be feared. But there are those who do not feel the same way, and it is for their sake that I travel, staving off my goddess' embrace, one day at a time." She pauses, before adding, "I understand it sounds rather strange, but there is something liberating in accepting that all things will end. In a way, accepting the inevitability of death allows one to experience life - all of life - while it lasts. In Pharasma's name, I take life, prolong life, and bring new life into this world."

Vailis listens with interest Quiella and Ophelia answers. Then, when the question comes at him, he answers straight "Inquisitiveness"

The half-elf takes a calmly sip of tea at that point and stares the samurai "When your whole body vibrates by the opportunity to check an old volume of forgotten knowledge, by the opportunity to travel and observe lost ruins and even trip into strange planes of existence, contact with creatures with complex and deep minds where can you work other than the Pathfinder Society?" he soothes the soft wood of the table then finishes "I had been dreaming to work in the Society since I was 20, when I heard that Zartra was looking to recruit more apprentices I did not doubt. Convinced my parents, packed my things and never again looked back"

Iko Tsuneo listens attentive to all your answers, greatly intrigued by your words. "I honor all the gods who are good by nature, but I am especially devoted to Shizuru, Empress of Heaven. She is the patron of samurai and other honorable swordfighters. She also represents ancestors and the glorious sun."

He then turns to Quiella and says, "I am pleased that you are such a good and honorable person and have a strong connection to your faith. However, I am curious, has the Pathfinder Society ever asked you to do something dishonorable or contrary to your faith?"

Iko's attention then returns to Ophelia, "I am well acquainted with your goddess Pharasma, as she has many followers on this side of the world as well. Your faith's powers of healing and prophecy are quite respected. However, in a similar vein, I must inquire if the Pathfinder Society has ever asked you to take a life when you felt the person did not deserve it?" He pauses for a moment, then asks a similar question, "Or perhaps asked you to prolong a life that was destructive to others?"

Lastly, he turns to Vailis, "It sounds like the Pathfinder Society was a perfect match for you. I find the acquisition of knowledge to be a worthy pursuit as long as your findings are not turned to dark purposes. How often have to allied with others to pursue your findings? Has the Society always treated its allies honorably?"

As Iko Tsuneo finishes his questioning, you all notice that Amara Li seems especially interested in what your responses will be, although she does her level best to appear cool and collected.

"The world is complex and our missions as Pathfinders are specially dangerous. We need all the help and so we often have to ally with all kinds of peoples" he sits a bit uncomfortable at this point "Pathfinder agents have some degree of autonomy, special Venture Captains, and very regretfully I have seen this abused at times. At one of my first missions one Venture Captain had fallen prisoner and tortured by an old ally he had left to be abused by an umber hulk. But later we found some mercenaries in a technological site and we kept our backs protected each other. I have allied with the lesser creatures in the past, like kobolds, and still treated them with respect. And most recently with this very same group we allied with a beast of the forest and helped him to clean the filth in his land while he guided us to the core of the problem where another pathfinder remained kidnapped"

The half-elf scratches his head "All in all, we are not perfect, but those of us not following the pacts with our allies are soon found out of the Society" he stares at the samurai's eyes "You can be sure we are backstabbed by our own allies much more often than we fail our word to them"
Sense motives: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7

Very glad Mel was not there, LOL

we have played quite a few scenarios. I can't think of any such situations. GM, can you think of any?

-Posted with Wayfinder

Some things might have skirted the line of lawful good, but nothing that directly conflicted with the aims or goals of Erastil. Heck, you even helped a couple of get married!

"There have been times that the society has asked me to do things that are more easily accomplished via dishonorable means, but I have always found an alternative, more honorable way. I feel respected by the society."

-Posted with Wayfinder

Iko Tsuneo nods quietly at your answers and appears to be mulling them over. However, he seems to be waiting for Ophelia's answer before responding.

* * *

Meanwhile, Melufiuos, Halkale, and Valik keep watch around the premises while the tea ceremony is conducted by the others. A misty rain blocks direct view of the sunset. Slowly, the sky darkens with the coming night, only to start lightening again, perhaps a sign that the clouds are breaking to the south. A warm, reddish-orange glow brightens the horizon. But instead of fading like a normal sunset, it glows brighter and brighter. The glow isn’t the sunset—it’s coming from the pier.

"N-N-Never a d-d-dull moment in the So-So-Society, better t-t-tell the others." Halkale mutters.

Is the pier on fire?

Hands wrapped around her teacup, Ophelia pauses. She becomes suddenly aware of the ache in her legs caused by her kneeling position, but she remains still. "I have always acted with faith and conviction," she says quietly. "Perhaps I have taken some lives that were not yet supposed to end, but I have also done my part to wipe the taint of undeath from the land." With a sigh, she sips her tea. "I will know for certain when my time comes, whether my judgement was correct."

It's difficult to tell through the mist from the ground, but Melufiuos believes that Iko Tsuneo's ship appears to be on fire at the small port on the other end of the island. There also seems to be a lot of movement in the area based on moving torches, but it is a mile and a half away so its hard to discern exactly what is going on.

* * *
As the elder samurai is about to respond to the Pathfinder's answers, Halkale enters and breaks the bad news. I'm assuming Halkale is blunt and to the point with Charisma 7.

With a look of outrage, Iko immediately stands up and places his hand on the grip of his sword, "What is this? A distraction so that you may assassinate me more easily?"

"N-N-No. S-So-Society f-f-figured t-t-two powerful groups coming together would d-d-draw attention of enemies. We are hear to p-p-protect you." Halkale says and then he turns and runs back upstairs.

Vailis turns around surprised as well "Stay here, I will go check what is going on with my companions"
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

As such he walks towards the ones doing guard and asks "What is going on?! Shall we prepare for an attack?!"

Halkale glances at Vailis. "We've b-b-been prepared, right?" Halkale goes back to looking out to see if he can see people advancing.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28

Just before any combat starts, Mel will buf with Cat's Grace and then shield. Assuming he has time.

Quiella calmly remains kneeling, emphasizing her vulnerability to the armed samurai. "Halkale is clumsy, but he means no harm--neither do any of the rest of us. We are here to protect you, and protect you we will."

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Although specifics are still difficult to determine through the mist encasing the island, Halkale sees scores of torches moving slowly from the pier towards the house. He guesses there's far too many adversaries for the group of six to take on by themselves. Fortunately, there is a fortified house to help even the odds a little.

Iko continues to be skeptical of your motives, even as Quiella tries to convince him otherwise. Amara Li then takes the initiative to quell his fears by calmly speaking to him for a few moments in Tien, which seems to relax him slightly.

Nevertheless, he leaves the tea ceremony to take a look at the advancing forces himself. "My apologies for my suspicion against your organization, it was rash to accuse you. These certainly appear to be a significant threat. Fortunately I have the ability to summon help, but it will take some time. I will need to retreat to the lava caves under the house." With that he quickly removes the barricade blocking the secret door by the fireplace and disappears below.

Amara Li then turns to the group, "I will need to follow him and see if I can salvage our negotiations. Please remain here and defend the house for as long as you can. I trust Iko is capable of summoning reinforcements fairly quickly." She then descends through the secret door to join the samurai.

From the distance and relatively slow speed of the invading force, the forces will probably be upon you in less than an hour. In that time you can make any more preparations you wish, or attempt ranged attacks against the enemies as they approach. Ranged spells and effects with a long range can be used at this time, with area of effect spells having the most chance for success. Single target attacks are ineffective here due to enemy numbers.

You can also fire the catapult at them, but you need 3 PC's participating in this attack with one of you serving as leader. The catapult leader can then make a d20 attack roll with their base attack bonus and either their Knowledge (engineering) skill modifier or their Intelligence modifier.

My BAB is +6 but my Intel modifier is +0, so someone else should be able to exceed that. I say we try the catapult first. Once they get close enough for my bow, then I would switch

"Coco! Quickly! To the catapult!" directs Vailis to his eidolon "You know a lot about siege engines, you should be able to help there"

Vailis can also aid to load and fire the catapult.
Coco has BAB +4 and K. engineering +18, a total +22 attack bonus with the catapult

Valik hangs back and prepares one last time. He meditates for a bit to focus his body and mind. After 30 minutes pass, he wonders how the others are doing at the tea ceremony.

At the alarm of intruders, he sighs but knows it was inevitable.

Hmm, this army doesn't bode well. I say CoCo fires the ballista while myself and Vallis reloads it, once the army is closer. Hal and Mel, keep a sharp lookout to make sure they don't have other forces coming to flank us

Mel scouts around in the other directions, looking and listening for signs of trouble.

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
stealth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Maybe I should have taken those elf-bells off of my curly toed boots and put away the torch first?

"Hello? Anyone there? Bad guys, please don't come this way, we're watching you!"

Coco should go ahead and make 4 attack rolls to fire the catapult. It takes 3 rounds to load and fire, so 4 shots will take 12 rounds all together. Don't worry about rolling damage yet.

While some of the others prepare to use the catapult, Melufiuos attempts to sneak off and scout in other directions. Although he nearly steps into one of Halkale's hidden traps, he does not identify any threats other than that posed by the invading force.

Halkale watches Mel wander off and shakes his head.