Sfounder's Curse of the Crimson Throne PbP
Game Master Chris Marsh

The greased door opens silently, the room beyond nearly as dark as yours. A single desk sits in the middle of this room, a moldy chair pushed up against the far side. A small pile of ratty furs and straw is heaped under the table.

The lack of light in this room favors those who have sharper eyes. Everyone except for Gaius suffers a 20% chance to miss their target, even if it would otherwise be a hit.

Within the room is a malnurished, and maltreated, mutt. His teeth stand as stark contrast to the shadowy room. Though he doesn't pounce, his hind quarters are coiled and ready to spring into action. Indeed even into the darkness of your room, he seems locked on to the only figure he can see.... Yargin's corpse.

It appears as though you have a split second before he lunges. If Phil wishes, I'll allow him to attempt a wild Empathy check against the dog. If not, inititiative will follow. I won't post the order until Phil chooses

Battle Map will update in the Initiative post....if there is one.

Thorgrym slowly steps out from behind Odric/Yagrin. He turns sideways and doesn't directly look at the poor frightened dog. Grym has tamed half feral mutts before and tries to calm the dog. Knowing that you can't rush these things Thorgrym will "take ten" if the situation allows.

does my handle animal skill have anything to do with this?

Wild Empathy roll 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

Handle Animal roll (if at all applicable) 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

For now it's just wild empathy. The malnurished dog lowers it posture and looks at you pleadingly. It wasn't your finest attempt, but it seems to work.... for now. The dog lays down eventually, but makes no effort to join you...

Believe it or not, I brought some food. If you reach into my left belt pouch there is some venison jerky in there. Toss it to the dog Grym.

Odric reluctantly parts with a tasty morsel in hopes of avoiding becoming one himself.

Perhaps if he is preoccupied eating my snack, we might be able to pass through this room unmolested. We could even leave him Yargin for dessert. Although this gambit might work elsewhere in this warehouse...

Odric relaxes and lets the disgusting meat shield slump to the ground, motionless.

Thorgrym turns to his comrades and speaks in a low voice, Don't make any sudden movements or get too close to the dog and I think we should be okay. Lets search this room and be gone.

Thorgrym pulls out the jerky from Odric's belt pouch. He begins pulling off small pieces of it to toss to the dog to keep him busy while his comrades finish with this room.

Odric gently lowers Yargin to a sitting position and calmly begins to search the periphery of the room, giving the scrawny but toothy dog a wide berth. He makes no sudden movements and does not turn his back on the dog.

Perception 1d20 ⇒ 13

Your lookover of the room turns up nothing of interest. The odor is near overwhelming, as it appears that no one has let the dog out in some time. Even without focusing your senses, however, you all hear the sounds of workers in the room to the North.

Upodated map is here. You are currently in room A4.

Thorgrym listens at the East door.

perception 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

Which door?

Which door?

There are two doors on the East wall. One leads into Yagrin's room. I'm referring to the one we didn't just come through.

After searching hte small room, Odric takes a few minutes to clean up the frontal portion of Yargin's body. He makes an effort to make the wounds on the dead man's bicep and in his gut look less obvious, wiping some of the coagulated blood onto one of the foul rags on the floor.

Thank finished, Odric and Yargin prepare for a similar plan of attack. Odric hoists Yargin in front of him and frog-marches the carcass to the left hand door on the east wall, allowing Thorgrym room to listen.

Grym, what do you hear? Odric asks in a hushed voice.

He stands ready to shuffle to the door, Yargin taking point.

Once Thorgrym has finished listening at the door, Odric turns to ask Gaius if he would be so kind as to check the door for traps or other impediments to forward progress.

The other Eastern door yields no hints as to what's on the other side....

Thorgrym shakes his head as he hears nothing and motions for Gaius to perform his rogue magic on the door.

Gaius checks the door for traps and alarms.

1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

This door is definitely neither locked nor trapped...

Ferox takes up position next to the chair in the center of the room. He has his bow knocked and ready for when the door is opened.

Thorgrym gently opens the door for Yagrin/Odric to pass through and with naked blade steps in behind him as he goes.

Anticlimatically, it's a 10' long hallway ending in a door to the large eastern room...

Gentlemen, Yargin, I propose we go out and around to enter the eastern room from the outside, using the sleep spell plan on the half-orc, in combination with the Yargin gambit.

Odric polls his friends for input, then looks to Yargin for any objections or protestations. Seeing none, he looks back to his friends.

As an alternative, Yargin and I, Odric moves Yargin's arm in an abortive attempt to make the corpse wave, could remain here while the rest circle around and try to put the Half-Orc out.

If the spell fails, my friend here, again Yargin indicates his assent, could open this door, Yargin points to the door at the end of the 10 foot hallway, and if not diffuse the situation, at least add some uncertainty to it.

The current map has been updated. I can see it when I click the link. Let me know if it's still not working.

Battle Map

Thorgrym will go along with the party majority. However, he proposes a different idea.
I feel taking on the half orc in the room with all the children could make an aweful lot of noise. I'd hate to rouse Lamm. Lets go back to the dog room and go through the North door.

Hmmm, Good point. Yargin and I could possibly be convinced to try out our plan with that door.

Odric and Yargin shuffle awkwardly over to the doorway to the north of the dog's room. They appear ready for action, Yargin slightly less obviously than Odric.

There's only one thing that might argue against going into this room. If my sense of this building is right, this room opens to the main entrance to the warehouse. If there are guards posted anywhere, they might be in the front room.

Odric cocks an ear to Yargin's lolling head, listening with a look of concentration.

He grins to his friends, Yargin's dead quiet on the topic of guards

Don't worry, I'm sure Yagrin can keep the guards guessing long enough for Ferox's arrows to fly, a spell from Morkeleb, some thrown acid from Gaius...

I'm inclined to go through the north door first. As long as those kids are working, they aren't a complication we have to deal with. Once we kill the overseer, we have to do something with those kids. Considering their conflicted loyalties, they could help or hinder us with equal ease. We could be facing the guards in the next room whether we want to or not. At least by taking the initiative, we have some element of surprise over them.

Yargin agrees

Odric looks to Gaius expectantly...

I'll be right along. First I'm checking over here in this bedchamber. It looked empty from the outside but it is worth a look before we proceed. It won't take a moment.

Gaius grins and walks over to the southern door leading to A5 and inspects for traps.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

If Needed:

The squalor of this room is near nauseating. It seems to serve only as a place to sleep, though the crustiness of the sheets hints at some other purpose upon which you dare not dwell. No personal items are to be found, nor do you find any he didn't cache of praeda.

Gaius quickly closes the door and barely holds onto his supper.

Nevermind then. Onto the north then.

Search for traps: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

If needed:

If the hinges are accessible, Gaius applies oil. He'll then step aside, clearing the way for Odric and Thorgrym. He readies his dagger and hides on the western side of the door.

I'm ready when you are...

Odric reaches up awkwardly from under Yargin's armpit, places his hand gently on the latch to the next room. The latch is cool to the touch and smooth, indicating it was once well-used and often. The latch gives to Odric's gently increasing pressure until the door begins to swing free on its hinges.

As the door begins to swing, Odric with his new friend Yargin, hang back in the shadows. Odric has a knot of trepidation in his gut, but feels a bit better when he considers the new friends he has behind him, and the foot-thick meat shield he holds before him.

With Gauis and Ferox hanging back to provide thrown alchemical weapons and swift arrows respectively into any enemy on the other side of the door should this deception fail, Odric pushes gently on the door and reapplies his grip to Yargin.

Morkeleb is muttering softly in the room somewhere behind Odric, easing the big man's mind further knowing the magic-user is ready for action with a spell or enchantment of some kind.

He can feel Throgrym close behind him too, and takes comfort in the knowledge of what the ranger is capable of in a fight. How could he not? Especially while holding Grym's grim handiwork up in a gruesome but hopefully convincing imitation of life.

Odric with Yargin held up stays in the shadows of the darkened room, trying to make it appear as though Yargin opened the door in order to gain time to react if the occupants of the next room might object to our intrusion. Bluff check 1d20 ⇒ 9

The stink in this room, a mixture of fish and sweat, is enough to make the eyes water. To the east, a large wooden trough holds a hideous mound of half-rancid fish, seaweed, and brine. Filthy seawater and fish blood stain the floor around this trough. A pair of wooden chutes lead from this trough through holes in the northern wall into a larger room to the east. To the west, a desk and chair sit in one corner while a tall cabinet sits in the other. A sadistic looking gnome bullies a quartet of children as they work in the trough. In his hands he holds a sap, but even a momentary glimpse gives you sight of a khukri at his belt.

The rouse of the Yargin corpse seems to have an effect, though who knows what Odric's expectations were. The children look to the gnome and to Yargin. They hesitate for a split second, fearing the sap while clinging to a near forgotten hope of rescue.

The map has been updated, though, I am guessing at starting positions. The situation is currently a stand-off as they are confused by a clearly dead Yargin (Odric's puppetry is marvelous, but he needs a third hand to do a passable job with the head lolling about like a marble in a sack.)

Battle Map

Thorgrym holds his blade in hand, standing to the side of the door frame. He waits for Odric to enter the room to begin the attack. The site of a gnome makes the ranger slightly nervous. They are small but sly. Grym wonders about an illusion but is still ready to charge in with his new brothers in arms.

A powerful feeling of exultation rushes through Odric when the door swings wide to reveal Kip, the brewmaster's son who was kidapped seemingly ages ago. In a flash Odric's failures of the past seem to fall away a bit and he is rocked back on his heels for a split second, simply stunned that he was able to find Kip.

In that split second, Odric took in the whole squalid scene, the deplorable conditions, the cruel gnome taskmaster and the children elbow-deep in fish guts.

Odric strides into the room and up to the gnome purposefully and shouts, Children, GET ON THE FLOOR!

If I can do so before entering initiative, I'll step into the square marked "A7" from behind the cover of the corpse, I attempt a Dirty Trick and kick the gnome in the groinal area from between Yargin's legs.

Dirty Trick attack roll 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18 for 1d3 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5 bludgeoning damage to the gnome's gnarly gnads

Gaius is anxious, waiting for the moment to strike!

Thorgrym follows in behind Odric and goes to the left to flank the gnome. The ranger attacks as soon as able after Odric.

Round 1
HPs 9/13

Initiative roll 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

If Odric attacks with his nut kick. Grym will follow suit with a brawling attack (improved unarmed combat feat, due to the gnome's short size possibly a knee or downward elbow. If Odric does not attempt his unarmed attack or uses a weapon, Grym will attack with his sword.
attack roll 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
damage 1d3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 (brawling), or 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 (sword)

slow down guys!

I'll roll initiative shortly. I'll give you a surprise round which means you get one standard action before initiative.

The moment of stunned confusion passes as Desna laughs at the vile gnome:

Initiative

Taskmaster: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Gaius: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Morkeleb: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Ferox: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Thorgrym: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Odric: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

The good guys gain a surprise action, and the Surprise Round starts AFTER Team Odric-Yargin step into the room. Ferox gets a standard action before Odric's "attack". Odric, kicking a gnome in the twig and giggleberries is a straight up damaging attack. The "Dirty Trick" combat maneuver applies a condition to the baddie. I'll rule that a groin kick gives him Sickened. Phil, I'll use your post as your actual action, but during the surprise round you'll get a single action move or attack from range. Once I have everyone's standard actions, I'll resolve the surprise round then begin combat as normal.

This die roller hates me.

We still get a surprise action?

Yes standard action.

Gaius throws a dagger at the Gnome Taskmaster

Attack:1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 3 - 2 = 10
Damage:1d4 - 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) - 1 + (6) = 7

The initiative roll loves Ferox.

Ferox moves into the room, just to the left of the doorway with his back to the wall.

Thorgrym moves in behind Odric and moves to the right to flank on the gnome.
So that is my surprise move. Then my as stated attack will take place.

As Odric's foot connects with the Gnomish gonads, what might be terms as a Girly Gnoise escapes the Gnome's mouth. The children, shocked begin to react as Odric instructed, but Kip, recognizing his savior as Odric begins to encourage his companions to follow the gigantic madman's shouted instructions.

Odric drops Yargin with a muttered farewell and the carcass slumps to the ground, motionless. (Oddly, for the third time in as many minutes).

With an incomprehensible grunt, Odric draws his ferocious Eagle-headed pick. For a split second, the Gnome's crossed eyes behold a gleaming eagle's head with an extremely sharp beak poised right before his bulbous nose.

Behind that pick though, up two long and thickly-muscled arms, above two boulder-like shoulders, up a monstrous neck bulging with purple pulsating veins, past gnashing teeth in a clenched jaw with a few days' black stubble there is a second face. It is equally as ferocious with eyes that seemingly burn with an inner fire.

Odric swings the pick, describing a complete circle to his right side as the left hand counters in an opposing circle to gain momentum. The pick, as it reaches its zenith above Odric's head gains the extra force of the left arm's might as the swing continues to gain power and speed. The murderous gleam in Odric's eyes disappears as he clenches his eyes at the last moment, willing the last bit of power and hate into the strike.

Power attack with 2 handed pick to Gnome Gnoggin1d20 + 3 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 3 - 1 + 2 = 22 for 1d6 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 3 = 12

SURPRISE ROUND
The speed of the action is greater than I'm accustomed to, and I don't react as quickly as the more battle-hardended of the group. HOwever, react I do nonetheless.

Not certain how the violence will play out, and whether the gnome will get the chance to raise the alarm, I quickly sink into the practiced motions of spellcasting. A few muttered words and a quick gesture (that gesture being a jerk of the staff as if I were smacking the end against someone's forehead) releases the eldritch energies at the gnome. In an attempt to allow us to take him down quickly with as little noise as possible, I try a lesser spell: Daze

DC: 17 will negates

Odric's extremely unorthodox tactic will surely be the talk of the children for years to come. The gnome's Girlie Noise is one of the highest pitched you've ever heard. The gnome drops his sap and clutches his sac. Grym and Ferox slide in. Gaius hurls his dagger but the chaotic movement of the gnomes reaction leaves his dagger hungry as it slams into the wall. Already weakened, the gnome tries desparately to fend of Morkeleb's spell:

1d20 ⇒ 17

When the pick connects with the gnome he is gone in an instant. Grey matter and bone fly through the air, much of the wound-slurry landing in the vile fish ooze. The children stare at the scene. Though life under Lamm's lash is harsh, the enormity of the violence is shocking to them. The youngest of them makes a step towards the door.... unsure of the next few seconds, many of them look to run to the winds.

Calm yourselves, little ones--we're here to do to Lamm what we just did to this sack of dirt. You will be free when we succeed. Where is he??

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

perhaps the fact that we just dispatched one of their tormentors will be a boost??