1310 PbP Gameday - Darkest Vengeance - utopia0147 (Inactive)

Game Master utopia27

Ok. Doing it on the Interior Kitchen works for me, since I'll be taking a peek at what they are freaking doing, and I bet it's not good.
I just remembered playing the Temple of Empyreal Enlightment some time ago...freaking damned scenario...

Zedril will move to back up Ka.
Readying himself with what he always assumes is a goblin by rubbing his hands together.

Peaking into the interior kitchen, you see Giullio and the other two assembling small platters of soft cheese with crackers, some sandwiches, and other finger food. They have a variety of ingredients and spices which they are adding liberally to all of the foodstuffs. Crossbows and swords are leaned up just inside the opposite door, ready at hand.

One of the as-yet-unnamed gents is carrying a platter out the other door.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Do I see anything suspicious? Like some weird spice flasks or one with a black poisonous liquid on it?

One doesn't normally add a yellow powder from a loose leather satchel to a soft cheese before serving it.

Did I see that or you're just mocking me? ^_^

no mockery - that's what's seen.

BUSTED! I miss so much having a Message spell available...

Ka whispers to Zendril, right behind him. "The food is poisoned, warn the others."

He then enters the kitchen, checking what will be their reactions, just to be sure. "Excuse me gentleman, I was wondering if you have a bathroom somewhere? Oh, food! You are not doing this for us, are you?"

Sorry, I've been trying to keep up, but fallen a bit behind.

Staying back at the entrance for now, I'll comment to Mr. Rhydderch & Mr. Violence in low tones and the Pathfinder hand code a bit, "Odd that we arrive so late at night, as they so astutely observed, and yet these men are still at whatever work they do, huh? I find it also curious that they did not address themselves as fellow Pathfinders, nor indicate that one of them might be a venture officer of some type. Nor that they would retrieve Mr. Miregrold. I find it however, most intriguing that they do not seem to be familiar with the rather common knowledge, well amongst our like anyway, that the majority of Pathfinder business and travel does tend to occur in the darker hours. I don't want to jump to any conclusions just yet, but something is, . . . off here."

Violence watches Garional making funny shapes with his fingers and wonders if he has some sort of twitch.

Violence aint that smart - and he definitely doesn't know sign language. Also, am I or Gerald feeling any ill effects due to the drink?

Tomnus will nod in agreement. Thank you, but no. I am not hungry at the moment. He then grips his staff a bit tighter, almost white knuckling it.

Violence aint that smart - and he definitely doesn't know sign language. Also, am I or Gerald feeling any ill effects due to the drink?

The Pathfinder Society has a secret way of communicating things through hand gestures in code. It's not sign language and isn't really even a language. It's more like simple military gestures or baseball signals. I was just using that for flavor, as as far as I know, they never made any actual rules about it. :) For example if I say "We should head north" while cracking my knuckles then scratching behind my left ear, it would mean to head south in code.

Zedril heads back to warn the others.

In a whisper; The food is poisoned. Ka and I saw it in the kitchen.

Zedril will stand at the ready in a corner of the room.

Violence freezes in the act of helping himself to another glass of grog. He looks at it suspiciously. [b]"This too?"

Rhydderch nods as Zedril relays the information about the poisoned food. Looking about at his companions who chose to partake in drink, he hopes that the wine was spared.

None of the company feels any ill effects from the drink. The water is clean and cool, and the stronger drink came from a collection of almost 2 dozen bottles in various levels of emptiness.

One of the as-yet-unnamed men enters the lounge, carrying a large platter of finger foods. He leaves them on one of the low tables, and says, "Help yourselves - as ye said, 'hospitality'" He gives a crooked grin, "More cheese and what-not a'comin."

----

In the kitchen, Giulio starts violently, spilling some of the yellowish powder on the counter and the floor. Recovering somewhat, "You do creep about, don't ye? Ye just missed the door for the outhouse - back through and to your right. Just ten steps past the summer kitchen." Giulio lays a hand on the other man's arm, causing the gent to replace his sword by the door.

-----

Let's push their nerves a little!

"I'm sorry if I scared you, but I don't 'creep about'. You just looked like you were doing something wrong, to get that much scared, ha ha! By the way, you spilled some pepper all over the place, do you need a hand with that?"

Bluff: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 crap crap crap crap crap

"Naw, you look like you need to hit the crapper. Get on with ye." and Giulio gestures to the door. His demeanor, however, doesn't quite match his bantering words.

SM: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (16) + 0 = 16
Ka realizes there could be something awaiting him at the bathroom.
Which is in the open and by the way we did not see when we were circling around the place, right? Do I know there is no such thing?

"Sure, thanks."
He goes back through where he came, and then closes the door. He comes back to where the others are, takes a look to guarantee there are none of their 'hosts' close, mutters some words over the food, casting Purify Food and Drink, and speaks to the group in a low voice.
"Let's play their game."

He then takes a sandwich and begins to eat it, watching the decoration of the house.

there's no indoor plumbing. the outhouse and the (rather small and empty) stable just didn't make it on the map (or the GM's attention...)

I moved myself on the map. Question, with Burning Hands can I ignite food in my hand or does it have to be "flammable"?My thought was to discreetly melt the cheese.

Man, burning hand is gross! And I've just gotten rid of the poison in the whole platter of food, you should know that with a simple Spellcraft check.

Zendril holds up a piece of smoldering toast, with some very very runny cheese dripping off, and making a terrible mess on the (expensive looking) carpet.

@Zendril - the food looks fine, the cleric's chowing down. Burning hands doesn't scale down well - unless yours is a (very) selective spell. Normally I'd recommend prestidigitation, but... I can see a stretch as a no-cost special effect of your elemental ray bloodline. But it can't rise to the level of 'spark', otherwise spark wouldn't be a spell...

Tomnus looks at Ka before sinking his teeth in, his staff never far from his grasp.

I was joking, I am immune to poison and was trying to murder some of us ^_^

Giulio and his men will quietly (though somewhat inexpertly) serve some plates of light food. They don't appear to notice crumbs or melted cheese on the carpet. There are never more than two of them in the rooms at the same time - always at least one in the kitchen.

After a decent interval for refreshments, Giulio says, "The hour is late, and our sleep interrupted. Please allow us to show you to your rooms, then retire ourselves. We can discuss your plans." With that said, he leads you up the stairs to the upstairs sitting room. The room is furnished only with a large round conference table and accompanying chairs.

As the party troops up the stairs, three bundles of worn (almost tattered) adventuring gear are stacked on the side of the stairwell. "Unfortunately there are only the three rooms. I leave it to you to assort yourselves." Each room contains a bed, a writing area, and a wooden chest for storage.

"Until morning, then."

Map updated with second floor

"Needless to say none of us trust this lot. I suggest we stay in the same room, perhaps making the other two rooms looked a bit "lived in" by stuffing pillows and the like under the blankets. We can arrange a watch to allow us to get at least some rest. I do not mind taking the first watch."

"Works for me. Wake us when its our turn."

Violence guides Gerald into the nearest room, giving him a light cuff around the ears as he dismounts, and starts making ready for bed. Gerald only gives a token attempt at trying to bite Violence, before curling up around the diminutive halfling and falling asleep himself.

Violence is a very straightforward sort of fellow - given an oppourtunity to drink, he drinks, given an oppourtunity to sleep, he sleeps.

"I agree. I would also suggest using the "buddy system" when we leave the room. Ill take second shift, unless someone else would like it."

Id suggest we check all the rooms for windows and locks, and go with the lower right room.

I'm confused now. There are 3 rooms, sure, but all of the will be used by us? Or are we using only one of them? And where would they sleep?

As a suggestion, one of them have dipped some of the poison into the kitchen. We could take a look there to see what it is, and also what smells so bad in there... And there's the gear, which surely will not be theirs, since they already have one set each. Ka will inform you all about what happened.

Zedril will detect magic in each of the rooms and the adventuring packs.

He will also assist in setting up the other rooms to give the illusion of us sleeping in them.

@Zedril - I'll have to get back to you on the detect magic. One location I need to check.

Crammed into the linen closet (first door on the right at the top of the stairs), there is a collection of 'loot'. (to be specified once I get back to my source materials) The 'loot' is a rough collection of valuable household materials (as well as cash and jewelery) that is not well organized, nor carefully stowed. The items are wrapped in a blanket, and obviously hastily shoved into the closet.

Nothing in the upstairs is magical. The 'loot' stuffed in the linen closet includes several valuable oil paintings, an ivory and silver candelabra, silk bed sheets, and a sack containing an assortment of semi-valuable jewelry. (total value ~500 gp) The items in this set of loot do not match the decor or style of the Manor.

And.. if no one has more input, I'm going to skip to 'Later that Night'.

Well, I'm just watching whatever you're doing, cause I got lost. Also, I think you missed my question Utopia, but you may proceed if that will make things more clear.

The PCs lager themselves up in the room farthest from the stairs. They have spent some time creating the illusion that the other rooms are being slept in.

Several hours later, after prompting Tomnus to remain awake, our heroes hear a stirring on the stairs. Their three hosts, armed with short swords, armored in mixed leathers, and draped in makeshift black. They are attempting (quite unsuccessfully) to be stealthy, and all enter the first room to the left of the stairs. The PCs hear the sounds of unsheathed steel and rending cloth.

Map is active: PCs have one surprise round (move or standard action)
Initiatives:
initiative Garinol: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
initiative Ka: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19.3
initiative Rhydderch: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19.2
initiative VBH: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13.4
initiative Thugs: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13.1
initiative Zedril: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
initiative Thomnus: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

So it's martial Law!
Ka will get up in the surprise round. On the first he draws his crossbow and readies an action to cast Burning Disarm at the first armed man who shows up.

Since its a surprize round, only a single Move or Standard action. Drawing a weapon and standing both take a move action, and drawing a weapon as part of a move requires a normal movement, so not allowed.

Ill just stand up and whisper "hey, be ready."

-Posted with Wayfinder

Tomnus will continue to fake his snoring, only to awaken upon getting something in his throat, he will then cast Daze on one of the thugs.

drawing a weapon is a free action as long as you have a BAB of +1

If that was meant for me the last actions were for the 1st round Garinol.

@Tomnus - check out the map - y'all don't have line of effect to the thugs at the moment. They're busy in the other room, shredding you in effigy. You'd expect that any moment they're going to realize there's not nearly as much blood as they expect.

@Ka - thanks for the clarification, it was not clear to me either that you intended your direction to extend into the next combat round.

Zedril rises from his bed roll and begins preparing for certain battle.
His hands begin to smolder as he mumbles into them.

Rhydderch ensures all of his companions are awake (I'm assuming I was still on watch) and prepares to confront the scoundrels.

Will just go defensive for the surprise round then.

"Maybe we should take them alive. Obviously they are not supposed to be here, and it kind of looks like the master of the house knew something was coming or he wouldn't have hidden some valuables. What do you say we find out what exactly these guys are here for?"

On round one, I'll move to the door of the second room and step inside, closing the door quickly.

Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
GM Star Reroll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

Giulio and his thugs curse softly. They move out of the first room on the left, into the main room, then approach the second room, with a few cuffs and blows.

Round 1
PCs prepare in surprise and early first round
Thugs moved to room 2 entrance

PCs up!
initiative Zedril: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
initiative Thomnus: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
initiative Garinol: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
initiative Ka: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19.3
initiative Rhydderch: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19.2
initiative VBH: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13.4
initiative Thugs: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13.1

Ka will touch VBH, muttering a few words in celestial.

Used Bit of Luck 1/6 - VBH, next round if you roll 1d20, roll twice and take the better one.

Rhydderch delays until the bottleneck at the door clears up.

On Zedril's action he will position himself at the opening of the door and unleash Burning Hands in an attempt to fill the hall and thugs with flames. [ooc]Of course this action may alter depending on those with higher initiatives than me, ie; everyone else[ooc]

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15 Sorry this is a reflex for half - 15 is the DC
If hit: 1d4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 1 = 4 - (+1's equal trait bonuses)

Will have to wait till I get home to post my turn, sorry.