A Vision of Brute Squad (Inactive)

Game Master ThorGN

Noa once again had manhandled the bartender.

Noa once again had manhandled the bartender.

Heh. The way you put that is funny to me, since I recently watched Standard Action, which has a female barbarian with ambiguous sexuality. ;)

I recommend using DownloadHelper to get the YouTube videos on your hard drive, so you can watch them in high resolution without frustration.

Oops! That post was supposed to go into Discussion... I'll see if I can get it moved.

As his vision returns, Baru takes in the scene before him. With only the moment's hesitation, he sees the gillman standing over Aesantiel, fresh blood dripping from its weapon. With a frenzied shout, he rushes at the woman. He attacks with a powerful swing, but the strike is unfocused and simply goes wide of its target, glancing harmlessly off a nearby chair.

Charge: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 2 = 8
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

The bartender attempts to break the grapple.
CMB: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12, fail.

Dasiji, Noa, Kass

Grapple check to Pin. +5 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Oh, there's another +5 because she failed the escape, so that's 16, I think that all applies. If so, bartender is pinned.

Round 3, Init 1b

FA: Drop guisarme
FA (Quick Draw): Draw greatsword
NA: 5' step up
SA: Power attack (inspire courage) 1d20 + 4 - 1 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 4 - 1 + 1 = 15
...for 2d6 + 4 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5, 2) + 4 + 3 + 1 = 15

His anger rising, Dasiji drops his guisarme. Drawing his greatsword, he swings it in dramatic arcs while stepping up. "You should've surrendered," he hisses, before nearly chopping the murderess in half.

The other Gillman drops, and the bartender surrenders. Upon closer inspection you see that she also has gills on the side of her neck; another Gillman.

Combat End

Noa ties up the bartender, using her reinforced scarf. When she sees Aesantiel dead on the floor, she becomes stone-faced, but glowers at Rees. "My prisoners are no' your prey. Be as useless after the fights as you were during, or you migh' find you've go' another figh' to no' be par' of."

Rees gathers up the Society's artifact, seemingly relieved that it is safe.

Dasiji surveys the bloody scene, dropping his greatsword to see if there's anything he can do for Aesa; but she's gone. The burly ranger drops his head in mourning, and raises it in anger. "So what was this all for, then? Was there ever even a real deal?"

Let me go! The bartender struggles against her bonds. They were just supposed to grab the artifact and run. Nothing messy. Then your friend had to get in the way. A hard lesson to learn.

"I don' even wan' to know. I' don' matter if I can' close the real deal, and if i' was no'...", Noa fumes visibly. "If i' was never real, and now two people, three people, four souls dea', so maybe another statue can gather dust instea' of coral?!"

Noa draws and releases a controlled breath. "I don' wan' to know. I' don' matter, now. We go back. The consulate firs'; I go' a note to leave. We bring them; they belong there, too. Maybe they ge' us in. I'll go alone, I can carry one... her. Tha' way, you all are with the statue, and with Aesantiel."

"At leas' she didn' suffer."

Let me go! The bartender struggles against her bonds. They were just supposed to grab the artifact and run. Nothing messy. Then your friend had to get in the way. A hard lesson to learn.

"What's the lesson?", Noa asks, not waiting for reply, "Someone tries to steal something, you let them have it, nice? Thank you, sir, and shall I bend deeper? Stole the foo'? Well, at leas' they left the table?! Burn the house, the fire kep' us warm a while?!! You, you need to shu' your mouth, 'fore I change the sum of your teeth. For a girl wi' her lungs on the outside of her bo'y, you be'er no' take your chances wi' ME! Tha' dea' elf, she still tryin' to teach me; you shu' up, 'fore I deci' to teach you."

Dasiji nods at Noa's plan and lifts Aesantiel off the ground, cradling her lifeless form carefully. "We might as well leave those two here; any that care about 'em can come get 'em, and I expect that the law'd rather us disturb the scene less anyway."

You contact the Gillman’s embassy. They have no knowledge of the impending deal, or any new artifact discoveries. The Gillman you captured is named Ulionestia. She has committed several minor crimes against the Low Azlanti government, but has until now eluded capture. She will be tried and punished. Noa is able to deliver Lady Morilla’s note to the Embassy without incident.

The journey back to Absalom is a solemn one, but uneventful. Upon your return, you meet with Drandle Dreng and he asks for a report on your journey.

Kassandra mourns the entire way.

"Aesantiel, dead. Your statues, returned. Both of them. This fake is what you sen' us for. Also, the centaurs at your island's heart now call Aesantiel honored, for she slew a tain'ed skull-cat beast, in single comba'. Or close enough. They have no' been told of the Gillman ambush and treachery; we sailed here. Your expert killed a bound prisoner, to hurry us to our meeting; do no' assign me to work beside him again. There is a shrine in the mountains, to a hero of the past. And I am taking a leave. I go to the centaurs, to tell the tale for them; of how when all were blinded, she fought on. To honor Aesantiel."

I am sadden by the loss of our fellowship. Honored, we will always remember, though we knew her not long.

Kassandra hands Drendal the fake artifact. Junk, but the gillman have set her to justice so we needn't take vengeance

"Also, I'd recommend walking, if other groups go that way; there's a river that's difficult to ford with a mule and a cart, and enough shelter to find in the mountains that you don't need tents." Dasiji turns to Noa. "I will go with you, to the centaurs. To help tell the story, and in case there are other cats."

Dreng seems troubled by the news. It’s always troubling too us all when a fellow Pathfinder fails to return home. She will be remembered. I’m sorry it turned out to be a fool’s errand.

Though I am sure you are eager to see your Centaur friends again, this is not the only news that is troubling me this day. Given how you were able to find out the truth of things, you may very well be the Pathfinders I’m looking for to solve something else for me. I know you are weary from you travels, but as soon as you can refresh yourself, I have another assignment for you.

"As much as it pains me to do so I must depart and return to my studies. I am just not cut out for the adventurer lifestyle at this point and am much more comfortable in a role of observation."

Irenal says his goodbyes and departs from the group.

One Dwarf Cleric coming right up.

... Dasiji turns to Noa. "I will go with you, to the centaurs. To help tell the story, and in case there are other cats."

Noa, still angry at recounting the grand failure, regards Dasiji with an empty countenance a long moment, then smiles faintly, and says gently, "Some night in a cold tent, you will be happy you had come."

Dreng seems troubled by the news. It’s always troubling too us all when a fellow Pathfinder fails to return home. She will be remembered. I’m sorry it turned out to be a fool’s errand.

Though I am sure you are eager to see your Centaur friends again, this is not the only news that is troubling me this day. Given how you were able to find out the truth of things, you may very well be the Pathfinders I’m looking for to solve something else for me. I know you are weary from you travels, but as soon as you can refresh yourself, I have another assignment for you.

splicing in the set up the next scenario, but responding here...

"Have your boat pick us up there.", Noa says, pointing to a port on the north side of the island. "'Siji an' I, we are going to the centaurs. Second time, no' dragging a fake cripple or a real mule, one less cat, centaurs on our side this time, and only two, and both fit... we might beat your boat there. We gon' try. I can only think one thing, migh' slow us down."

The boat I’m arranging passage for you all on leaves in three days. Be on it, or the rest will have to go on without you.

That will give you enough time for a quick stop at the Centaur village and to get back.

"Dreng, I don' like you. I go' a frien' dea', 'cause you go' more gree' then sense, an' that's working fine for you, 'cause you jus' gon' sen' more brave decen' folk to the nex' thing you gon' ge' credi' for. So listen now, I mean this. I don' know where you think you go' your leash, bu' I ain' wearin' no collar. I'm gon' go mourn tha' elf who calle' me frien', with some people who shown more respec' for her than you. I'll be in the place I sai', when I sai', an' if you go' a ship there, I'll ge' on i'. Have a nice day."

Aaand... scene.