Shisumo's Jade Regent Prologue - Burnt Offerings
Game Master Shisumo

Tristan attempts an act of bravado as he rushes up the stairs and tries to jump onto the altar at B4.

Acrobatics (untrained) 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

Lamsfel replies, "Oh, that's easy. An oath made to one that betrays everyone and everything she's ever known is not binding, you see."

Attempting an attack with both shortswords...

Lamsfel's first strike dives toward Nualia's open midriff, but just before the blade would connect, he feels... something... twist his wrist, forcing the blade away.

Shalelu's eyes narrow at her earlier miss as she draws back and lets fly with two more arrows in a blur.

The first arrow is wide again, but the second notches Nualia's left leg, just above the knee; the wound seems pretty superficial, however, and the aasimar pays little attention to it.

Halgor moves back toward the door of the chapel before raising his holy symbol of Torag, "Mighty Torag, grant us strength and sustenance as we fight the good fight!"

He is trying to move far enough away that Nualia does not benefit from his channeling but he specifically wants to include Orik.

Halgor moves to H4.

Tybus attempts to maneuver to reach Nualia, hopefully staying out of her reach at the same time. If he can take a 5-foot step he will, or he will move through D1 to get to C1.

Your goddess has abandoned you--no one will answer your prayers. You will perish here, alone, as all servants of evil gods do.

Gan evil eyes her attacks this time, then cackles.

Nualia's Will save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Tristan's plan is to get close to Nualia, but it seemed unwise to risk falling prone within her reach. I guess he'll have to close the next round. If he can get an attack in this round, here's his rolls: Greatsword attack (squeezing) 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13, damage2d6 + 6 ⇒ (4, 6) + 6 = 16

Higher ground is worth another +1 to your attack, but it's still a miss.

Tristan's swing is also forced aside by some strange mystic force allowing a second try at the Knowledge (arcana) check above. Orik, clearly not comfortable with the savage blow he took from Nualia's blade, shifts to a more defensive position before striking out again. Orik's fighting defensively this time: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19, damage 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9. Even with his shield raised, though, the mercenary's attack is quite effective, opening a wound on Nualia's sword arm this time.

Roaring in anger, the aasimar reaches out her left hand, which is suddenly surrounded by a sickening, unnatural purplish glow. Touch attack on Orik: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24, damage 2d6 ⇒ (6, 3) = 9. Orik's Fort save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14. The fiendish claw does not rend Orik's flesh, but rather horrific pustules and vile sores erupt across his body, gushing blood. Orik's face pales in pain, though he seems to be barely holding onto his self-possession. Poor guy's down to 5 hp, even after Hrakar's channeling, but at least he's not shaken. I'll get another map up tomorrow morning, but you guys can take your actions before then if you like.

Will this even work on her, or has her transformation to some unholy monstrosity been completed?

Gan watches the carnage, trying to use his powers to swing the battle in his friends' direction.

Cast Daze on Nualia, then Cackle

Gan's magic slides off of Nualia's essence, unable to target her. She's an aasimar, and as such is a native outsider, not a humanoid. She can't be targeted by daze.

Battle Map: Round Three

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

She be warded against attacks from the good at heart! No offense, Orik. But that's why she be going after ye. Step back, maybe draw her to ye, and Tristan and me can batter down her defenses.

Tybus still has faith in the enchanted blade, so he puts his all into another two- handed swing.
Katana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

Man, you know we're in dire straights when our attack rolls keep ending up lower than our damage rolls ;-)

Lamsfel agrees, "You've struck well, Orik. Back away, make her pursue you."

Again with both shortswords...

Primary 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Secondary 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

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Shalelu lets fly with two more arrows.

First shot 1d20 + 7 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 7 - 2 + 1 = 8 Including Rapid Shot penalty, Point Blank Shot bonus
Damage 1d8 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 + 1 = 6 Including Point Blank Shot bonus

Second shot 1d20 + 7 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 7 - 2 + 1 = 14 Including Rapid Shot penalty, Point Blank Shot bonus
Damage 1d8 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 1 = 7 Including Point Blank Shot bonus

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Halgor moves back toward the door of the chapel before raising his holy symbol of Torag, "Mighty Torag, grant us strength and sustenance again as we fight the good fight!"

Channel healing 1d6 ⇒ 1

Oh, jeez!

Actually, she's going after Orik because he's the only one who seems able to roll double digits... *wince*

Still in his defensive stance, the bloodied mercenary cuts again at Nualia before following Tybus' advice. Bastard sword attack, fighting defensively: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3, damage 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10. He then 5-ft-steps to D1. In his haste to retreat, though, the attack is wild and useless, and nearly nicks Tybus' ear.

Tristan's still got an action this round.

Precariously perched on the abominable altar Tristan takes another swing at the monstrous maiden.

Greatsword attack (squeezing, higher ground): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20, damage 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (4, 1) + 6 = 11

Edit:If it's possible with a 5' step, he'll jump down into the space vacated by Orik.

Tristan's savage strike drives deep, barely bypassing Nualia's hateful heart.

No 5 ft step, alas.

Nualia doesn't take the bait, turning instead to try to take advantage of Tristan's overbalanced position to repay him for the brutal stab she just suffered. She strikes out with both blade and claw, her rage still clearly visible on her beautiful features. Bastard sword attack against Tristan's squeezing AC: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20, damage 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4, claw attack 1d20 ⇒ 19, damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4.

Battle Map: Round Four.

Your actions.

Lamsfel moves to block her from potentially chasing Orik for the moment. 5' step, if possible, to C2.

If it was a 5' step, both shortswords; otherwise, single attack with another +2 to the attack roll

Primary 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Secondary 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Confirmation 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

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Shalelu delays, expecting Tristan to hop down into Lamsfel's old position, before firing two more arrows across the altar. If he doesn't move she will continue to delay for this round.

First shot 1d20 + 7 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 7 - 2 + 1 = 16 Including Rapid Shot penalty, Point Blank Shot bonus
Damage 1d8 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 + 1 = 8 Including Point Blank Shot bonus

Second shot 1d20 + 7 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 7 - 2 + 1 = 21 Including Rapid Shot penalty, Point Blank Shot bonus
Damage 1d8 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 1 = 3 Including Point Blank Shot bonus

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Halgor, seeing the fighter move back from immediate danger, takes a round to study the relative health of his allies. Don't want to burn what healing I have before everyone is injured... Other than Orik and Tristan, is anyone else injured in need?

Heal 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Perception 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

Smarting from Nualia's blows and cursing his youthful overconfidence Tristan hops down into the space Lamsfel left.

Acrobatics 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

From this slightly more comfortable position he attacks Nualia again assuming he's still standing.

Greatsword attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12, damage 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (5, 6) + 6 = 17

Lamsfel's first swing is just short of making contact, but the second stabs deep into Nualia's chest. Tristan hops down off of the altar, and although his attack still misses, Shalelu sees the opportunity she has been waiting for and fires twice. The first arrow takes Nualia in the throat - the second buries itself in her eye.

She falls.

And you get 240 XP, which should be enough to take you to level 2.

Good job guys.

Muttering an ancient Minkaian oath without realizing it, Tybus again tries to cut through her defenses with the enchanted katana.

Katana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Okay, maybe it was an ancient Minkaian oath about getting ninja'd!

Lamsfel sees Tristan and Tybus hesitate as she falls. "Finish her. Send her to her goddess."

Even without coup d' grace, those two did another 27 points of damage. Can we assume she's no longer breathing?

Halgor "What the elf said. Once she'd dead, I'll ask for Torag's blessing on the lot of us again."

She's dead. Reallyreallyreally dead.

Halgor Once everyone is gathered close enough to affect them all, "Torag, thank for granting us the strength to prevail today."

Channel energy 1d6 ⇒ 31d6 ⇒ 1

Tristan ineffectually tries to wipe the sweat and blood off himself, looking quite pale. "What was she? And what had she done to herself? What purpose did all this violence serve?" He's actually feeling a little queasy, now that the excitement has died down.

Lamsfel sighs and shakes his head as he removes the gear and other items from the body. "I'm sorry, Tristan. Sometimes there are no satisfying answers. She was ill - she was given a good home by a good man and she set it on fire so that he would die. Then she sought to kill everyone that she had ever known growing up to fuel a mad goddess' command. She was not well. Can you give me a hand here?"

With some assistance, the breastplate is also removed and she is lifted up onto the altar. "Seems fitting. Don't worry - I'm not going to set her on fire. This room can be her tomb."

Lam, I don't know if that be a good idea. This place, from all we've heard, is a site o' power for that goddess there. He nods his head toward the statue of the Mother of Monsters.

Leavin' her body here, it don't seem right. It don't seem safe. Remember, Tsuto wrote be seeing you on his wall. We burned him. Let's do the same, but not here. Up top. Either that or toss her off the cliff, and let the fishies have her, if they'll want her.

Tybus then casts Detect Magic and starts to check out the room for treasures.

Gan walks over and shakes his head, looking at the body with some sadness.

Such gods always abandon their faithful, in the end.

As Lamsfel drags her onto the altar, Gan holds his arm out with a start and says with some urgency:

No! What if Lamashtu gains some power from her corpse lying on the altar? We should remove it from this shrine.

He shrugs, "Probably wise."

He looks around for something to wrap the body in - rug, wall hanging, nasty old ratty cloak, anything. He's willing to do the carrying just to see this through.

"Gan, can you tell if there's anything of value in what I found on her?"

Orik sits down on the edge of the dais, his head in his hands, and lets out a long breath. Shalelu walks past him and tousles his hair as though he were a child, then pulls a camp blanket out from her pack to help Lamsfel with the lifting.

Tybus, you detect magic auras around her breastplate and - after some digging to pinpoint it - a wand she had tucked into her boot. You can make Spellcraft checks to identify them, if you like.

Tybus glances over to the mercenary. Ye did good, mate. Real good. Don't know if that makes ye feel any better. But I thank ye. If ye want, I know some captains that could get ye away, maybe Korvosa or farther. But Sandpoint's not a bad little town, and they treat their heroes pretty well. I'd say you earned that title here today.

Spellcrafts: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

The breastplate is a +1 breastplate, and the wand... is certainly magic, Tybus is quite sure of that. Of some variety. Somehow.

Orik looks up, frowning. "I don't know what I earned today," he says slowly, "but I don't think that was it. But either way.. thanks for the offer. What are you planning to do with Lyrie?"

Where did my post as Halgor go? Grrr!

Halgor "The sailor speaks truly, lad, you did good today. If you are looking to stay in the area, I know a good man that is often in need of another swordarm like yours. I'd be happy to introduce you to him. He'll be grateful for your part in what happened today."

"As for the lady... I think we had an agreement that if you aided us, as you certainly did, we would keep her from the worst of the punishment." He looks at the others, "What does that mean to you? She was hardly repentant, but..."

As the discussion continues, the group's explorations confirm that there is no one left in the Thistletop complex besides themselves, their allies, the unconscious and still bound Lyrie, and her familiar, who glares at all of you with supreme feline hostility.

That sounds like we can roll all the Perception rolls we wish to roll, but we're done here and just need to realize it.

Maybe a little something like that, but mostly it was just to let you switch to RP without having to worry about room-by-room exploration mode.

Tybus extends his hand to help Orik onto his feet after figuring out the magics of the breastplate and getting confounded by the wand. Let's get ye topside. Ye'll feel better with the sun on yer face and breathing the salt air. Ye've been too long living close to this. Again, he gestures toward the statue of Lamashtu.

His face darkens when thinking about what to do about Lyrie. I dunno, mate. I'm not coming up with any real good ideas.

He pinches his brow while he puts his mind to it, and grimaces at the lack of options. Eventually, he pulls out Tsuto's journal and offers it to Orik. Here. Ye might want to show her this. Maybe we rattled her enough that some sense can leak through. This journal o' Tsuto's might help. Then ye can be there to help her pick up the pieces, if there's anything left. He clasps the mercenary's hands and gives him a nod.

Turning to Halgor, he asks, What are ye going to do about this place? I take it Torag won't like this place left open for the next lunatic.

Halgor The dwarf's brow furrows and his expression turns thoughtful. "I lack the power to do much. Torag grants greater power as the faithful proves themselves, like metal tested in the forges. I will make others aware of this, others with more experience, so that they may decide how to proceed."

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm OK with fast-forwarding back to town. Unless there are more matters to take up at Thistletop, in which case I apologize for being pushy.

Lamsfel and Shalelu carry the aspiring demon's body to the main level. "I've never been so concerned about the disposal of an adversary's body before. What do you think we should do? Leave her for the birds in one of the towers? Drop her into the strait for the fish? Carry her across into the nettles for the animals? Any place we leave her unattended, I'm half afraid her patron will bring her back..."

I'm fine with returning to town unless someone has some rp that needs to be done here. Since Tristan is in bot mode, it's up to Gan, I think.

"A pyre, outside the palisade," Shalelu suggests. "Otherwise we're hauling her all the way back to Sandpoint for Father Zantus, and I'm just not going to put up with the smell that long."

For what it's worth, the GM thinks you're good to head back too...

Nodding, "A pyre it is." Once the body is in the general area of the palisade, he will start looking for materials to build the pyre with - and he's not against using goblin furniture for the basic frame of the pyre.

There's a horse in need of rescuing, if I recall. Hopefully we can get it across the bridge; the goblins had to do the same. If we're successful, we can toss Lyrie on its back and thus not have to worry about one of us carrying her all the way back to Sandpoint.

Tristan can, by taking 10, determine the method by which the goblins rigged the bridge to drop and how to prevent it from occuring. Getting the horse out won't be a problem. On the other hand, I would probably require a Handle Animal check (and someone might want to try a Knowledge (nature) or Heal check first...).

None of the three I represent have any ranks in any of those skills. They will attempt to aid another if someone else wishes to make the primary check - or Halgor can make an untrained check at +3. All of his god-given healing for the day is used, however. Looking at the other character sheets, it appears that Halgor is as good as any to make the primary roll.

Halgor 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Lamsfel 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (9) + 0 = 9

Shalelu 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Y'know, sometimes I think the dice roller is intelligent and just likes to tease me.

Know: Nature 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Ah, glossed over the Knowledge (nature) option, sorry. The checks rolled were all for Heal and untrained. Shalelu has ranks in Knowledge (Nature).

Shalelu aid another for Knowledge (Nature) 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

When the party approaches the gate, Gan and Shalelu peer through the cracks in the wooden walls to see a large warhorse, wounded and bleeding from a number of cuts. Moreover, though, both note the same thing: the horse is also half-starved, likely not having been fed since the goblins forced it into the pen some days prior. Some food would likely go a long way towards calming it as might some Aid Another checks for Halgor's rather unimpressive roll...

"Food? For a horse?" The elf looks around, "I don't think we've seen anything in this place that a horse would like to eat. Unless goblin fears are grounded in fact - we could see if the big fella will eat one of the goblins." (His attempt at a straight face as he suggests this fails.)

"We could cross the bridge to forage, but one of you may need to show me what a horse is going to eat. Don't want to bring him a bale of something poisonous to horses."

Do horses like pickles? Tybus asks, glancing around at the remains of battle and the goblins' weapons wielded against them.