Thrawn's Gallows of Madness (PFSRPG) (Inactive)

Game Master Dennis Muldoon

"I don't have time for this. Can't you see we are busy? Two days ago Noemi burned a pan of rolls, smoking up the whole place. I laid into her pretty hard, and she didn't show up for work since. Now, I have work to do. If I don't keep an eye on them, no telling what these kids will do."

Truddig starts to step up, clearly beginning to lose his patience, but silences whatever thought was burbling up and stays to the back, trying to let more eloquent tongues handle this.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

Quazel says nothing, but watches the flow of people into and out of the bakery.

Working on some mental math, counting on his fingers, he replies, "Then we mustn't bother you further. Good day."

He looks toward the exit.

He seems sure of what he's saying, but you think he's leaving out information.

Ingrge hides a frown but, taking his cue from Quazel, he heads for the exit, wondering why these folk, thus far, don't appear willing to cooperate fully.

Once outside, he quietly asks Quazel, "Curious...looked like you were calculating in there...perhaps you saw something the rest of us, or at least I, missed?"

"He's not telling everything, clearly, but it's also going to take a lot of effort to pull it out of him. With all the customers there, the only way we would be able to give him the time necessary to talk is to cause a scene, and we still need the goodwill of the village. Therefore, now is not the time to ask."

Pacing back and forth, he adds, "But beyond that, everyone we've spoken to so far is too busy to speak when we first meet them. It's as if they don't actually care what has happened to their apprentices. It's possible sorcery is involved, or perhaps there's another conspiracy in town, or we're just having bad timing. There isn't enough to tell yet. Either way, there are other places we can search now, other sources of information, and we can come back in the evening after the customers have died down. Undoubtedly he or one of his assistants would be more than happy to say more, over a pint."

Ingrge nods in agreement. "Good point. Shall we proceed to the potions shop? I expect we'll probably receive the same reception, but perhaps we can learn if that apprentice was at the cemetery as well..."

"Perhaps we could offer him some help to prove ourselves worthy. He may have something else we could do for him," Khafra suggests.

"Perhaps honored Khafra, but I am very very leery of pledging our assistance to different causes at the same time. The wise only kneel before one master, as the proverb goes."

"Noble thought, Khafra...but I know next to nothing concerning the baking profession and he seems too pre-occupied with the bakery now to ask...we can always come back, if needed. I'm for heading over to the potions shop and checking the lead on the temple apprentice's friend..."

"Potions shop." Truddig speaks gracelessly. "But maybe we can be more persistent. We are here at the mayor's request."

Nothing good going on here with either Diplomacy or Intimidate, or I'd have him step in personally during questioning.

It is a short walk a few blocks away, just off of the old town square the locals call "old gallows", is Pricknettle’s Potions and Poultices. This shop seems to be much more successful than some previously visited ones. It is well kept, the decorations a bit more lavish, and customers are leaving carrying a new purchase as they arrive.

Inside, a gnomish woman in an apron watches as her previous customers leave, and quickly turns her attention to you as you enter. She quickly puts on a smile and greets you, "Welcome, welcome. Could I interest you in anything on this fine day? Herbal remedies? Alchemical elixirs? Rare medicines? I have quite a variety."

Rather than go straight into introductions, Ingrge tries a slightly different tack...

"Greetings, ma'am. You mentioned alchemicals...do you happened to carry flasks of acid or alkali?"

"Oh, yes, yes. Right over here!" The gnome leads Ingrge over to a rack with various vials and motions to them. "I have quite a selection of alchemical materials."

"Thank you, ma'am. Just need one flask, just not decided on acid or alkali yet. How much are they?"

"Only 10 Gold pieces for a flask of my own acid recipe, 15 gold for an alkali flask. Those seem to be very different choices. What kind of problem are you dealing with, perhaps I could recommend something to you? I also have a selection of alkali salts if you are trying to counter the effects of acids."

Hasmed politely waits for Ingrge to make his purchase before approaching. "Many pardons but we have heard that your apprentice has gone missing, and it is of great concern to your mayor who has hired us to investigate. If it pleases you, perhaps you could tell us of the last time you saw Gellion."

"For swarms primarily...but I hear alkali can do the same but also works on cubes and jellies so I will go for that..."

Ingrge gives her 15gp...

"Thank you. By the way, I heard your apprentice is a friend of the temple apprentice... can you please tell me when you last saw him?"

Khafra purchases a flank of acid from the woman, then assists the others.

"We would find your missing apprentice, if you will help us," he says.

diplo: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

Although she at first seems to try to deflect the conversation from her missing apprentice to more sales, Majara, the gnome apothecary, relents after a couple minutes of conversation. "I've not seen Gellion today or yesterday. He's been late getting in recently on many days, but not typically this late. He has been spending a lot of time with Nolaria Wintren, who is apprenticed to the clergy of the temple of Erastil. I've only seen her a couple times, but Gellion has spoken of her on occasion. If you want my opinion, she's a meddler who is always putting dangerous ideas into Gellion's head. I wouldn't be surprised at all if she convinced him to skip work they past couple days."

"Thank you for the flask...one more question, if you please. Did Gellion mention anything about the cemetery before he went missing?"

"Not really, but I think I might have overheard that Wintren girl mention trying to get him to go once, but that was a while back."

Flyn bows to the gnome, thanks her again, and heads outside...

When the rest if the party is outside, Flyn asks, "Where to next? The mayor mentioned the tavern as a good place to get info, and there was a missing apprentice there as well...perhaps we should head there?"

"I would rather take some time to look in at that cemetery or that vineyard. There seems to be something taking place in either of those places."

"I too want to investigate both places...but the tavern lies near the vineyard, practically on the way...and tongues are always looser at places where drinking abounds...there we may also find out more 'bout the giant insects as well. But I'll defer to the will of the group..."

"Seems no trouble to stop and get the mood of the town." He shields his eyes with one hand as he glances up to see the sun's position in the sky as they walk.

"Is it just me, or do they seem strangely unconcerned over these disappearances. A master has a duty to their apprentice. These are weak masters."

Nodding to Truddig, Quazel replies, "Yes, I noticed that, too. It's as if no one cares what their youth does. Do we know which families these apprentices came from? If a master cares not, surely a mother must."

"The priest said his apprentice's family worked the orchards, so perhaps we can seek them out when we head there...either now or after we hit the tavern..."

"We'll want to visit the orchards during the day while the workers are there. The tavern can wait for the evening."

Hasmed nods vigorously in assent.

"Good point...to the orchards then?"

To the orchards...
Rows of neglected apple trees sway in the wind, and the occasional rotting, worm-eaten fruit falls with a wet thud to the ground below. The earth is heavily trampled near the southern end of the orchard, and an overturned barrel of apples lies broken on its side, exuding a sickly sweet scent.

As you begin to investigate, several large reddish beetles with traces of purplish goo dripping from them begin moving in the bushes, readying their attack. Fortunately, some of the party spot them in time to counter before the attack is launched.

Initiative Tracker (bold may go)
Hasmed
Truddig
Ingrge
Khafra
Evernight (surprised)
Quazel (surprised)
Bugs (20% concealment)

Map

Truddig steps forward and smashes one of the bugs with a single hard blow to the carapace.

Unarmed Strike: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Damage, B, lethal: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Miss Chance (1-20): 1d100 ⇒ 2

But the beetle was too deep in the bush; Truddig's blow catches on a branch and his swing goes astray.

Surprise Round 5' step, attack 3rd beetle

Ingrge moves a couple feet to his right to get a better line on the southernmost beetle...

Longbow: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19 (base/dex + PBS)

Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 (PBS)

Miss Chance (1-20): 1d100 ⇒ 94

With -4 for cover, -4 for in combat, that will be an 11 vs flat footed, which is a miss.

With -4 for cover, -4 for in combat, that will be an 11 vs flat footed, which is a miss.

I had it as a 15 to begin with (-4 for cover) but when I saw Truddig's roll, I thought concealment must be different so I edited it and did the concealment roll instead...

Sorry, I'm still fairly new and haven't mastered all the combat rules. Since the bugs weren't in a melee yet, I didn't think the -4 for combat yet applied...I assumed my Deadeye Bowman trait (cancels soft cover if provided by a single creature) did not apply since their cover was bushes...is that correct?

Not a problem at all. You are correct on the cover. Deadeye bowman cancels it. I was giving cover for Truddig. Concealment is for the bushes.

Ingrge's arrow finds it's mark, killing one of the oversized beetles.

Initiative Tracker (bold may go)
Hasmed
Truddig
Ingrge
Khafra
Evernight (surprised)
Quazel (surprised)
Bugs (20% concealment)

Thanks, GM. First time in PF that I've fought with concealment. It also slipped by me that beetles are classified as vermin and I forgot to add my favored enemy bonuses...at least that didn't matter in this instance...

Khafra swings his pole arm in a deadly arc.

"These creatures could be related to the problems in the town!" he says as he tries to cut one in two.

MW fauchard (two-handed): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 181d10 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Hasmed steps up, putting himself en garde. "What is this ichor they are dripping onto the ground?!?"

Move and end turn. Is there a skill check to identify these bad boys?

I will take both nature and planes. Both checks are for different things.

-Posted with Wayfinder

D'oh!

The large beetle turns to catch Hasmed in his pincers catching him in the leg as he takes position alongside it. Some of the purple goo smears from the beetle to the Vudrani man.

bite: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17 for 1d4 ⇒ 3 damage.
Please give me a fort save.

Initiative Tracker (bold may go)
Hasmed (3 dmg, fort save pending)
Truddig
Ingrge
Khafra
Evernight
Quazel
Bug (20% concealment)

Fort Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Wounded, Hasmed's body is not prepared for the poison dripping from the creature's jaws.

Ingrge moves 'bout 4' to his left and fires at the remaining beetle.

Longbow: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 9 - 4 = 7 (base/dex + PBS + Favored Enemy - melee penalty)

Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 (PBS + FE)

Truddig moves to flank the beetle with Hasmed, and lashes out with a bare-fisted blow at the chitinous critter.

Unarmed Strike, flanking: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 3 + 2 = 24
Damage, B, lethal: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Miss Chance (1-20): 1d100 ⇒ 45

Quazel looks the situation over, and replies, "Truddig, would a flurry be possible?"

Using Tactics domain to forgo actions and give Truddig haste for one round.

Although the branches of the bushes prevent most hits from landing, Truddig manages to stagger the beetle with a single punch.

Initiative Tracker (bold may go)
Hasmed (3 dmg, mystery ailment?)
Truddig
Ingrge
Khafra
Evernight
Quazel
Bug (4 dmg, staggered, 20% concealment)

I had already acted, but either you didn't see my roll or didn't report the outcome. Here's what I rolled this round above: MW fauchard (two-handed): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18;1d10 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14