GM Zoomba |
Crowe's first hit smashes the goblin before him into a pulp. On the other side of the group, Ali's thrust just manages to pierce through its armor, but though heavily wounded, the last goblin still stands.
Yakima and Traber, ther'es one goblin left, and while he's heavily injured he looks to be in a rage. Do you still want to delay or would you like to take an action?
Initiative
Eadie -4hp
Crowe -2 hp
Yellow Gob
Yakima -1hp
Black Gob
Bangle Gob
Grey Gob
Blue Gob -18hp
Traber
Dvalin
Ali -4hp
Butharn Longaxe |
Yakima steps back and tosses another bomb at the remaining goblin, shaping the blast so that it doesn't hit her party members.
bomb, touch attack, point blank: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15 Hopefully that hits, otherwise I have done more damage to the party than the gob.
damage, point blank: 3d6 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (2, 3, 2) + 5 + 1 = 13
GM Zoomba |
Don’t worry Yakima, that will touch :)
Another bomb hurls out at the last remaining goblin, who lets out a final cry before collapsing. From behind the wall of rubble blocking you from the rest of your group, the sounds of steel and yelling subside soon after, and a voice calls out to you.
”Hello, are you lot all right in there? Anyone hurt? Damn gnawers got the drop on us! Hold on, it will take a moment to clear out this collapse.”
His voice falls off as you hear the sounds of stone being moved and start to see the mass of collapsed rocks and masonry shift slightly. For the moment you are alone in the side chamber with the goblin bodies.
Dvalin Stormforge |
"We are fine ..."
Knowledge (Dungeoneering): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
"This was a fairly complicated tunnel trap. I would not have thought goblins capable if such. Did they seem odd to anybody else?"
Eadie Navhelan |
Don’t worry about it. Everyone does it.
“Not really, Dvalin.” Eadie *shrugs* as she wipes her blade on the ragged clothes of a fallen gob.
“Murderous, fire-loving little freaks – check! Though these ones did seem less lazy than others I’ve encountered.”
Eadie moves to search the chamber, check for traps and Pathfinder the bodies. “Maybe their possessions will give us some clue to their motivation?”
Take 20 Perception: 20 + 13 = 33
Traber |
"Gather around everyone. I'll ask the gods' favor and heal your wounds." Traber makes sure that all of their foes are dead or at least out of the circle of healing. "Thank you all for protecting me."
Channel Positive Energy 3d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 1) = 7 DC 19
GM Zoomba |
Looking around, Eadie notices patted down earth and heavy amounts of food crumbs behind the wall. These goblins were likely camping behind that collapsed wall the previous night, and seem to have been working on bringing the tunnel down for a while.
On the fallen goblins' corpses, you find several small-sized weapons and bolts, as well as four small magical cloaks. Between them you also come across 13 vials of a light red potion along with one a deeper crimson. Each potion's glass has a symbol etched into it: a human man kneeling, holding his arms up to the sun.
As you pick up the vials, a small gap finally clears in the blocking rubble, and a Graundi Duskwarden steps through into the chamber, his sword red with blood.
"Heh, thank Desna. Good to see you're all right. Mostly." he says as he looks the six of you over. Behind him through the hole in the stone you notice three of his colleagues gathering the body of a Keleshite woman who had been part of your train.
Looking down at a goblin body before him, the Duskwarden kicks at the corpse and swears. "Haven’t seen these here in a long time. Though I would have died happy if it were even longer." He turns to you and frowns “I have to apologize, on behalf of the Duskwardens. Our duty is to keep our charges safe — we failed. We’ll have to shut down the Path for a while we plug these holes again and figure out where these goblins came from.”
GM Zoomba |
Most of the potions are cure light wounds, though the spellcaster also had a single potion of cure moderate wounds that you recover.
Crowe Stormraven |
Crowe growls down at the smashed goblin before he spins raising his earthbreaker high to bash the next foe. Seeing none, he lowers his weapon in obvious disappointment. Crowe takes a few breaths, and look about as if to see if he was being watched by any of his fellow agents. He walks past the Duskwardens and comments in an even tone "Your apologies would mean little had we perished warden. I hope your brethren take better care of their charge." Crowe glowers and as he stands near the group, but not quite with them.
Eadie Navhelan |
“Thank-you, Good Traber.” Eadie feels the burnt flesh on her arms and legs begin to heal. She collects three of the CLW potions from Yakima and attaches them to her belt.
“I have to apologize, on behalf of the Duskwardens. Our duty is to keep our charges safe — we failed.”
“True. But to make it up to us.” Eadie removes her great helm to ensure her words can be easily heard, exposing her sweaty hair. “Do you know of the merchant Horis Collgardie and where he dwells in Kaer Maga?”
“If not, is there a reliable guide or information broker you could recommend to us?”
Dvalin Stormforge |
"Good idea Yakima ... I should like 2 CLW and the CMW I think."
GM Zoomba |
The Duskwarden lowers his head at Crowe’s cutting remarks. ”I know. And I can assure you: we will not stop trying to get to the bottom of this new infestation.” He gives a strained smile to Ali at the paladin’s attempted consolation. ”And I don’t know this Collgardie fellow, I’m sorry. It’s a big city after all. But once we get up there I can point you to some people who might, if that would help.”
As you speak, the other Duskwardens finish clearing the rubble away and collect the toppled goods and supplies that had come loose in the fighting. They are aided by the other merchants, most of whom look unharmed but shaken. Once the caravan is readied and those in need of healing treated, the Duskwardens continue your trek up the Halflight Path. The rest of the journey takes another four hours and in a far more somber affair than before, with Duskwardens calling for frequent halts as they investigate every strange sound or perceived movement in the shadows.
Feel free to heal up or not as you wish. I’ll assume each extra unclaimed potion will be carried by Yakima for now (since she was the last to examine them).
When your group finally emerges from the dark Halflight Path, you exit a bunker-like complex just outside the city walls to finally look upon Kaer Maga itself. Even from your vantage point on the outskirts the city looks enormous. Ringed entirely by a massive wall of strange stone that wraps up to form a dark ceiling, every square inch of space is covered in buildings cut through by thin but busy thoroughfares. Stores crammed together, cliff-side buildings, houses stacked atop each other, even some structures perched atop thin balconies that have been hammered into the interior walls of the city itself.
But if the architecture of the city is overwhelming, the people on its streets are even more so. Moving about Kaer Maga’s streets are men, women, and things of every ethnicity and species you can think of. A Qadiran man haggles with a scarred half-orc over a set of shimmering skins. Two Tien merchants move through the street atop a palanquin borne by six shambling zombies. A young woman hands some coins to a troll draped in robes, who promptly cuts open her own stomach and begins tracing the organs spilling out. All a typical night in the City of Strangers.
As the rest of your caravan unloads their wagons and disperse into the city, the Garundi Duskwarden gives you the names of a few street brokers that might help you find Collgardie’s address. Then he heads back down the Path with his colleagues, leaving you on the city’s edge as the sun’s setting rays provide a faint splash of color to the city’s perpetual twilight glow.
Welcome to Kaer Maga! It’s a busy city, so you’ll likely need to ask around to hunt down your contact, Collgardie. Gather Information checks or Knowledge (Local) are the name of the game here, though if you can think of a suitable creative alternative feel free to try.
Ali Salujah |
Ali will try very hard to fit in to the city with such pleasantries as Ah yes, you look quite clean for living ina city like this and This food, it is almost edible! while his bird scolds him on manners along the way, between him, the talking bird, and the talking sword they speak to a number of people.
Diplomacy + Guidance from Gamin: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20
Eadie Navhelan |
Take 10 Perception: 10 + 13 = 23
Eadie searches for a shop selling paper, quill and ink (preferably obtained from trees/calf-hide, geese and soot/horse-glue respectively). Say 5gp, GM Zoomba?
She sets to work writing messages reading:
SWF SEEKS Merchant Horis Collgardie. Where is Horis?
Eadie then ties her golden cloak around her waist like a cummerbund and sets her helm over her head backwards, to try and make herself look as ‘weird as the locals.’
She then stands on the side of a busy intersection, handing out her leaflets.
Profession (scribe): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Dvalin Stormforge |
Diplomacy (Aid Another): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
"I was never good at asking nicely ... "
GM Zoomba |
gm: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Faced with the task of tracking down Horis Collgardie, Eadie makes her way immediately to a crafts vendor. 5gp sounds fine While the fighter tries to distribute fliers to passersby while Yakima, Ali, Dvalin, and the others hit up a few of the contacts the Duskwardens provided them.
Eadie herself finds herself inundated with offers, but most are clearly of more crude then helpful. ("SWF eh? How much for some NSFW?" "I think you misspelled the sign girl. You want company for the night there's plenty over in Oriat." "Whoever this merchant is, I can assure you, his wares cannot possibly best Kalifha sk'Yuula's!") One woman however, take a pamphlet and looks at it. "Collgardie...ain't that the name of that clothing man out in Bis? I can see why you need him: that sash is almost a fortnight out of date."
Meanwhile, the rest of the party asks around, picking up a rumor here, a recommended name there, and collecting scant details along the way. through snippets of people who have heard of the man, they learn that Horis Collgardie was a native Kaer Magan, whose cloth business was - while far from the city's finest as he claimed - successful enough that he owned a whole one-story home near the edge of the up-scale neighborhood of Bis.
Eventually getting directions to his house and head over there, ending up outside of a hodpodge brick-and-stone building built right into Kaer Maga's western wall. Climbing up to the balcony 60 feet above the city streets, you see that Collgardie's home is kept in much better repair than some of his neighbors. Several windows look out over the balcony, but each is barred with the shades pulled. The house appears dark and quiet.
Crowe Stormraven |
Crowe does his best to maintain his normal stony demeanor, but hsi eyes widen involuntarily when they set upon the spectacle that is Kaer Maga. The Shaonti is clearly out of place in such a cosmopolitan place. As the party moves through the crowded streets, the group notices him jump every so often as he is jostled by the throng of people, usually gripping his earthbreaker with two hands looking ready and eager for another fight. The large man grits his teeth, narrows his eyes, and looks about the crowds with an obviously growing hatred.
She sets to work writing messages reading:
SWF SEEKS Merchant Horis Collgardie. Where is Horis?
LOL!!
Eadie Navhelan |
“You want company for the night there's plenty over in Oriat.”
After she is propositioned the first few times Eadie lifts her helm revealing a bewildered, gormless expression as she explains politely,
“That’s OK. I already spend my nights sleeping with two men, a dwarf, an albino woman and my mummy.”
After an hour or so of this, the blade-maiden begins feeling decidedly uncomfortable. She frowns at any lechers stating, “Hey, I’m a nice girl! If you don’t treat me like a lady – I’ll *bop* you.”
Once ‘rescued’ by Kaer Maga’s fashion police, Eadie *bobs* to the woman crying, “I am indebted to you, Milady! What’s that ..? How about WHAT in return? Aaaah, I don’t think I’m THAT MUCH in debt to you, though it’s flattering of you to ask ...”
She then scurries off to find the others and head for the neighbourhood called Bis.
GM Zoomba |
Ali pounds on the door, but only silence answers him. Not unexpected, as its now about 10 at night. However, his knocks cause the door to swing inwards: it appears it was unlocked and slightly ajar.
Past the doorframe you see a dimly-lit living room, with several tables adorned with woven table-cloths and a fireplace built into a far wall. Across from the entrance stands a closed door to the left, and a larger set of double-doors to the right.
In the room’s northeast corner, beyond an upholstered sofa, you see a crumpled man.
New map up on the Slide
Eadie Navhelan |
Eadie draws her enchanted falchion and steps forward to take point.
“I think we should clear all the rooms before inspecting the body. Can anyone hear movement? Horis’ assailants may still be here.”
Take 10 Perception: 10 + 13 = 23
Dvalin Stormforge |
Dvalin moves a little more into the room and casts 'stabilize' upon the crumpled form of Horis ...
"He'll keep for now. I reckon Eadie is right about securing the space first."
Perception (Aid Another): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
GM Zoomba |
As the six of you enter the room, you see that the body beyond the couch has had its head smashed almost beyond recognition, and a pool of congealed blood lies underneath it.
At Eadie and Dvalin's words however, both sets of doors open to reveal four men. Putting his hands up, one calls out at you "So, 'bout time you got back. Time to pay the piper!" as he and his friends begin to move towards you.
Yakima initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Eadie initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Crowe initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Dvalin initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
Ali initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16
Traber initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
tan init: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
yellow init: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
blue init: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
negative init: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
The 'blue' thug takes a step forward and chucks a bag at Eadie.
throw touch: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 for damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
It goes wide 1d8 ⇒ 6, but as it spins through the air the sack falls away to reveal a skull crawling with vermin within it. As it lands next to Ali, the skull explodes and the vermin scatter away, crawling at biting at those around them.
Ali, Eadie, and Crowe take 1 damage as a stingchuck spalshes them.
Initiative
blue thug
Dvalin
negative thug
Ali -1 hp
Yakima
Eadie -1hp
Crowe -1 hp
tan thug
blue thug
Traber
Dvalin Stormforge |
Round 1 Casting
Dvalin take a short 5ft step and begins casting murderous command at the tan thug to the west commanding him to attack his negative buddy beside him DC13 negates
GM Zoomba |
Will save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
The tan thug looks at his partner with rage in his eyes, but Dvalin sees him suddenly blink confusion. He shakes his head and turns angrily back towards the dwarf.
His partner moves forward into the thick of your group, readying a spiked cestus as he does so.
Initiative
blue thug
Dvalin
negative thug
Ali -1 hp
Yakima
Eadie -1hp
Crowe -1 hp
tan thug
blue thug
Traber
Crowe Stormraven |
Crowe growls and gears his teeth. He rushes toward the pair of thugs standing next to the dead body. He smiles and raises his massive hammer, ready to bring his budding rage upon the assailants.
Crowe will take a double move to get to the thugs to the north of the map. I believe he can make it there with a square to spare and without provoking an AOO. Also, please note that Crowe has DR 1/-.
Eadie Navhelan |
Round #1: 20’ move ; AC 24 due to charge
"Crowe! I don't like how close these guys are to Traber. Once we've dropped one, I'll come give you a hand."
Using a now familiar tactic, Eadie charges west 10' and swings at the negative thug.
falchion + PA + FF + charge: 1d20 + 14 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 14 + 2 = 18
slashing magic damage: 2d4 + 16 ⇒ (4, 4) + 16 = 24
Hardcopy Pathfinder Character Folio re-roll + GM ✩: 1d20 + 14 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 14 + 2 + 1 = 26
GM Zoomba |
Crowe rushes toward the two men at the end of the room, shrugging off the insects crawling on him, while Yakima readies herself for a fight.
Eadie's charges hits home, dealing a deep slash to her target as the negative thug's chain shirt starts showing a growing pool of red seeping out from under it.
Initiative
blue thug
Dvalin
negative thug -24 hp
Ali -1 hp
Yakima
Eadie -1hp
Crowe
tan thug
yellow thug
Traber
Traber |
I got skipped.
Traber defends himself against negative thug.
Lt Mace:
to hit 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
GM Zoomba |
Hey Traber, you're still going this round, just at the bottom of the initiative (after Ali, then the yellow and tan thug. That said, once your turn comes up I can run it as if you performed that stated action, assuming nothing changed in the meantime to invalidate it (creature vanishing, something incapacitates the character, etc)
GM Zoomba |
Ali moves forward to support Crowe, the tan thug moves to outflank the dwarf who tried to curse him. Meanwhile, the yellow man moves to flank the bloodrager and lashes out. The attack draws blood and cuts a gash that continues to bleed.
Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22 for damage: 1d4 + 4 + 3d6 ⇒ (2) + 4 + (1, 3, 6) = 16
Traber takes a swing at one of the thugs, but fails to connect. Meanwhile, the blue thug readies his own cestus and takes his own swing at Crowe.
Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23 for damage: 1d4 + 4 + 3d6 ⇒ (1) + 4 + (1, 5, 5) = 16
Initiative
blue thug
Dvalin
negative thug -24 hp
Ali -1 hp
Yakima
Eadie -1hp
Crowe -30 hp and 3 bleed each round
tan thug
yellow thug
Traber
Dvalin Stormforge |
Round 2 Flanking, Hateful Retort, Destructive Smite 1/5
Dvalin sidesteps out of the flank (putting the table on his other flank), into a flank on the other negative thug ...
+1 Greatsword: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 9 + 2 = 23 for Slashing: 2d6 + 5 + 3 ⇒ (4, 3) + 5 + 3 = 15
GM Zoomba |
Dvalin's swing takes another good chunk out of his target, who now seems to be bleeding heavily. Wounded and looking around as he finds himself surrounded, the man steps up following the dwarf and strikes back.
attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24 for damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Initiative
blue thug
Dvalin -5hp
negative thug -39 hp
Ali -1 hp
Yakima
Eadie -1hp
Crowe -30 hp and 3 bleed each round
tan thug
yellow thug
Traber
Eadie Navhelan |
Round #2: 20’ move ; AC 24 due to lunge. Eadie has the lunge feat, GM Zoomba
Using both hands, Eadie points her falchion at the negative thug and makes a lunging full attack on him.
falchion + PA + FF: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15
damage: 2d4 + 16 ⇒ (1, 3) + 16 = 20
Iterative + PA + no FF: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 9 - 2 = 26
damage: 2d4 + 16 ⇒ (4, 2) + 16 = 22
confirm crit?: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 9 - 2 = 13
damage: 2d4 + 16 ⇒ (3, 3) + 16 = 22
She then takes a 5' step to the NE to get into the face of the other tan thug.
“Traber, Yakima, if you want to, go help Crowe and Ali. I don’t think the thugs down here are a match for Dvalin and me.”
Dvalin Stormforge |
Round 2 - Hateful Retort Destructive Smite 2/5 HP 47/52
Dvalin's hateful retort ability kicks in when the negative thug hits him, giving him an immediate counter attack
+1 Greatsword: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 9 + 2 = 26 for Slashing: 2d6 + 5 + 3 ⇒ (1, 4) + 5 + 3 = 13
This may take him out before Eadie's attack, Can she redirect?
GM Zoomba |
Yes, and yes. Dvalin's counterattack drops that guy. Eadie: you may choose a new set of actions this round.
Yakima |
Yakima moves to the right and tosses a bomb at yellow thug(holding her long spear in her off hand), She will shape the blast around Crowe and Ali.
explosive bomb, touch, point blank, at 1 range mod: 1d20 + 9 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 9 + 1 - 2 = 11 Oops and the bomb goes off target.
1 is north miss direction: 1d8 ⇒ 2
the bomb misses the target foe and falls directly to the right of Crowe...
Damage: 1 + 1 + 1 + 5 + 1 = 9 Ref18 for half damage. Should affect all four combatants.
He moved. Sorry.