Adventure Path: Jade Regent

Game Master Ravenath

Samell begins to look uncomfortable as the Halfling speaks. Finally he pulls out his longsword and steps towards the back of the room. "If you are indeed Walthus, I hope you'll forgive me for making sure. But you said this creature could look like anyone. I happen to know enough about Walthus to . . . well, where did you grow up, Walthus?" he puts emphasis on the last word as if it were in doubt.

Knowledge Local to see if I know what he's describing: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Knowledge Arcana for the same incase the above is inappropriate: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Wait, Samell! -Takafumi steps between the half-orc and Walthus- What are you doing? Don't you see he is really injured? It doesn't matter if he is Walthus or not, we should aid him first. We will always have time to discern through the truth

I should clarify that by towards the back I mean away from Walthus. Not really threatening stance, more defensive.

Samell continues to stare at Walthus, "Let him answer, then we can decide what is to be done. But information should always inform a decision."

The thing gave a moment of pause, and looked to the side to Takafumi.
In a near instant, a creature jumped out of the figment that looked like Wulthus, as it grabbed Takafumi and clumsily reaches to push him.
"THIS HOVEL IS MINE!"
Trip: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
The creature, with skin like a loaf of bread stretched across space, it's hands not pointed, but clawed nonetheless. It clumsily makes an attempt to topple him.

As Samell was wise enough to be suspicious, he is not flat footed for the surprise round.
Takafumi and Akodo, you are.
Palea can roll a DC 24 sense motive check, or (as you haven't posted in a week and couldn't really do much) a DC 15 wisdom check.
Enge, you were upstairs exploring the house, but can arrive downstairs at the start of the next round.
While Initiative will be considered, post whenever you have time. There's only really one character ATM, so order doesn't matter much.

Enge is still poking and prodding the upstairs space, looking for the secret entrance she knows must exist. Just as she's about to call up someone else to help her, she hears a yell and rustling downstairs. She immediately bolts down to the ground floor.

"Your head is mine!"
Quick action declare challenge. All others get +1 to hit, he moves into flanking and attacks
Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 5 + 2 = 141d8 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Samell focuses on his fist and it begins to glow. He swings towards the creature that used to be a halfling, and the light rushes across the room to connect with the creature. "Where's Walthus?" he yells.

Telekinetic Fist Touch Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

"HUNTING MEEEEEEEEE!"
I'll be working on the assumption that Akodo's action occurs on his turn, when he can act.
Presuming he survives until the end of the round (He is currently at 20 HP), he takes a jump away from Taka and up to Akodo, bashing his face in with his arms.
Attack Roll: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 damage: 1d4 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (3) + 1 + (3, 3) = 10

Palea seems completely taken aback by the halfling's transformation. "Who? What is going on? What is that thing?"

I have to be calm, I have to be calm. Draw it away from the others and protect them.

She picks up the nearest thing and hurls it at the creature to distract it, calling out: "Hey, hey, look at me! I'm the one with the sharp sword!" and draws her scimitar.

Attack roll: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 3 - 4 = 7; Damage: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Looking at the thing jump up to him and falling off again cause of his three mountain stance, Gohei is perplexed by the speed of his enemy, still he can nothing but smile at the punyness of his attack!

Taking advantage of Pelea's action to attract the attention of the creature, Takafumi tries to grab the creature and end the combat without killing it.
Grab the creature: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Samell swings again, a fist made of light travelling across the room. "If he's hunting you, why are you back here. Go somewhere else, far away. Stay away."

Telekinetic Fist Touch Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Begin round 2

Palea, in her rush, threw the table at the faceless stalker, flying over the creature's blasted head and shattering apart, covering the floor with wood, as Taka grabs the creature from behind while distracted, Samell's telekenetic fists landing with ease against the battered creature, it's skin feeling like that of a frog.
"HOVEL IS MINE, HOVEL IS MINE! LEAVE ME HOVEL, HOVEL IS MINE!"
It thrashes around against Takafumi's grasp, desperately trying to gain control over the grapple.
Grapple opposed by Takafumi's CMD: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
"I TOOK IT FROM HIM, SQUARE AND FAIR, I TOOKS IT!" the creature cried, flailing like a mad creature, only to get impaled by Akodo's sword, blood spurting from it's chest.

"Mine... No... Take..."
The creature is clearly on its last legs.

But... why did you kill him? I had the situation under control!
Takafumi makes a pity effort to help him but the wound was clearly mortal. He leave the body gently in the floor.
That's the kind of person you are? Killing without a question?

Hearing Takafumi's call for mercy, and not know what type of creature they were facing and if it was truly evil, Palea draws her sap and moves over to strike it.

Move to draw sap, move action to walk over to the creature.

"You mean a thing that attacked us. Most likely killed the original owner? Yes, I am that kind of person!"

"Hate... You... Hate you both..." the creature mutters, still not dead. He's on the edge though. He's currently dying, but not necessarily dead.
I'm actually rather surprised, you reduced him to exactly 0 HP.

Above, you hear a noise- "Hello? Who's there?"
It's the same voice the creature wore when it pretended to be Walthus.

Is the creature still fighting us or is combat over?

I'd say that combat is over- The creature is too weak to fight back, and is currently just hoping that he doesn't die. If anyone attacks, combat can continue until the creature dies at -10

"Walthus, is that you? A few of us from Sandpoint came to ask your help with goblins, but this pitiful thing was pretending to be you. We've subdued him now though." Samell sheaths his sword then looks to Takafumi, "Speaking of which, what do you intend to do with him now? Maybe we could tie him up?"

Palea coshes it over the head to knock it out, just to be sure it can't hurt her companions any more.

Need me to roll?

The creature is knocked out, and you guys won't be facing any retaliation from it while you remain, though that does beg the question what to do with the dying creature.

Enge, who at this point hasn't managed her way down the stairs, is the first to hear the sobbing.

If she decides to turn around, she gets the sight of the halfling crying tears of joy and peace, before sobbing.
"I'm *Sniff* I'm safe *Sniff* My snakes *Sniff* You guys *Sniff*"
He's inconsolable for quite the long time as the terror slowly subsides, and he tells the tale about how the creature broke into his house, and how it chased it off with the knife into the snake garden, which attacked the creature while it drained him of it's blood. He managed to chase it into the swamp, but hid in his saferoom where it couldn't attack him.

"Chances are, while you were exploring, it was trying to figure out how to pretend to be me. I'm thankful you guys found him out, else I'd be a goner."
He sighs, looking at the shattered remains of his table. [small]"ᴵ ᵖᵃᶦᵈ ¹⁵ ᵍᵒˡᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵍᵉᵗ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ᵈᵃʳⁿ ᵗᵃᵇˡᵉ ʰᵉʳᵉ.[/small] Either way, thank you! I don't think I'd be here if it wasn't for you. Here," he said, pulling off his cloak, "This cloak is a old relic from my time as a rogue- I'd like for you guys to take it. Least I can do, and not like it did me much good against that thing. Take it none of you know what it is?" he said, poking it with the leg of his table.

Takafumi help to tie the creature up, but then turns in some kind of a guard for it, the most helpless of the whole house right now.

Palea bows to the halfling as she pockets her cosh after making sure the creature won't be standing up again any time soon.

"Glad that you are fine after all, Mr. Walthus. Are you still hurt?" She then walk over to him and checks him for injuries.

Heal check: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (9) - 1 = 8

Enge turns around with a start and nearly jumps out of her skin.

"Eh, I thought you were downstairs before!"

Once she's downstairs with everyone, she's up for dealing with the shapeshifter.

"We 'ave ta find out everything he knows. Beat it out of 'im if he won't talk. Something is off about this swamp, and I don't mean because of the goblins!"

Palea listens to Enge's suggestions, but makes a face when she mentions beating it out of him.

Not everything can be accomplished with force, Lady.

She then turns to Samell. "Hey Samell, do you have a charm spell? Perhaps we could ensorcell him to give us what we want rather than relying on torture?"

"I am not one to beat prisoners."
Gohei bows before the true halfling and replies.
"Sir, so this creature invaded your home and tried to kill you. This is a strong case. Especially with shapechangers like that. We should hang it, as a warning to others!"

Samell shakes his head. "I do not have anything that can help us there. I am sorry. But I do agree that there should be no beating of this creature." Samell places a conciliatory hand on Enge's shoulder for a moment, before he turns to Walther. "Perhaps we should see what Walther would like done with the creature, as he was the one wronged. If it is within reason, it would make sense for him to choose." Samell looks at Walther, a question in his eyes.

Oh, forgot to mention- Everyone gains 240 XP (600 party for defeating the shapeshifter, 600 party for saving walthus).

Earlier
"It was *Sob* it hit *sob* I almost *sob*"
Enge can barely get a word in edgewise as the halfling breaks into tears.

In the present

"I'd rather not have to smell a corpse every time I go out fishing, Akodo." the halfling laughs, "You can deal with it as you'd like, but just... Don't leave a mess here, can you? It's going to take a while to replace the stuff he broke, and I lost a few snakes because of him. He didn't get to the clutch Lilly had."

He sighs, "But yeah, you guys were here for something, right? I presume it's about the goblins, huh?" he sighs, picking up his cast iron pan, "Nasty pieces of work, those goblins. Don't know quite where they found the fireworks, but it's been pretty terrible until four days ago- I don't know quite what changed, but they seem to have gotten more reserved than before, more defensive and organized. They're to the southeast of here as the crow flies, but they've been guarding the rivers that lead to their camp, so you'll have to find a way by foot."

Palea nods at Samell's comments, and listens to Akodo. "Hanging would make sense since it tried to kill Walthus. If my brother caught him there would have to be a trial, but out here in the wilderness we can't offer that kind of formal justice. I just think it's important to know what it was doing and why."

Palea puts down her backpack and pulls out a sheet of paper already lined for writing music and hands it to Walthus along with a pice of drawing charcoal.

"Do you think you could draw us a map of how best to get to the goblins? I grew up in Sandpoint, but this part of the Lost Coast is unknown to me. That would help us a lot."

He pauses, "I don't... Really think so. I could make a rough drawing, yeah, but I don't think I'd be able to make something that would be entirely complete. I'll certainly try, though, least I can do."

He sits down, "I don't suppose you guys have any ink and paper, do you? I don't generally write many letters, not much need out here in the swamp."

Palea looks at the piece of charcoal in her hand. "This not good enough? I don't normally carry ink. It tends to leak and ruin everything else in my bag."

"Yeah, that's good enough, but I'll need a piece of paper, or at least a piece of bark to write on. Again- Not many needs for letters here in the swamp."

"Yeah, that's good enough, but I'll need a piece of paper, or at least a piece of bark to write on. Again- Not many needs for letters here in the swamp."

Check my post when I pulled stuff out of my backpack.

Ah, my apologies then.
He stares at her for a minute, before seeing the paper. "Oh, my apologies! I must've missed that, it's been a busy day, and I haven't had a lick of sleep."
He sits and lays the pan on his lap, "Give me a while, it'll take me some time to finish up writing this, I don't generally map. I don't suppose you guys have any more questions, do you?"

Palea looks over Walthus' shoulder as he is drawing, pointing at a few pieces of his creation. "Is that the Old Fish Trail there? That's very good, that is."

"Do you know anything of the witch, Old Magus? We've heard she might be a good source of information about the Brinestump goblins. Also, if you know anything about the goblin Chief Rendwattle Gutwad, that would be real helpful. He's the one causing all the trouble in Sandpoint that we've been sent to investigate."

As Takafumi hear the reasons behind the possibility of hanging the creature, feels Walthus really has the final word on its fate.
Mr. Walthus, not everything has to be fixed with blood. I understand it's your call, but... if you don't really care as it seems, wouldn't it be better to leave it live?

Enge looks to Walthus, then to Takafumi, and shakes her head.

"The gods' justice demands that this . . . thing be held responsible for its crimes. We'd be fools to leave behind an enemy that can take whatever shape it pleases. Still, as Mr. Walthus here was the victim, the decision should be up to him.

If you think death to be appropriate punishment, I am ready to carry out the deed meself, along with all the appropriate rituals. It's more than such a creature that preys on good people deserves."

"It killed a lot of my snakes." Walthus says, "I don't know what else to say. I mean, it might know some stuff about the swamp, I think it's native to this place, but I'm not sure. But if you do kill it, just don't leave the body hanging around? I've had to deal with enough carrion."

He looks to Palea, "Old magus? I've heard of her, but I've never met her. I don't know too much about the Chieftan, though- All I know is that he's something of a terror, at least to the goblins. They're scared helpless by the guy."

Samell looks to Enge, "I think that may be the best option we've got. He had his opportunity to leave, if he is left to live, well he's very weak now and may not live anyway, but that would be a slow painful death. And if he does live, there's no telling when he might come back to hurt Walthus again, and who would be there to help were he to catch Walthus unawares."

Takafumi hear what Walthus says about the creature and sees a bit of hope for it.
Then he says to his comrades:
Look. This creature is very weak. But he knows the swamp as Mr. Walthus says. Let's take it with us and make him work for his life.
Then he turns to the creature and says:
So what? Are you aware of your situation? Are you willing to change it?

Then he turns to the creature and says:

So what? Are you aware of your situation? Are you willing to change it?

I knocked it out.

Indeed, the creature is uncontious, and has been for some time as Walthus managed to get himself into something resembling a coherent state.

Enge turns to Takafumi, a clear look of exasperation on her face.

"I knew that's what you say, as soon as Walthus mentioned it. If justice won't be done to the thing, then me hopes yer happy taking responsibility for it."

"Wait! Before you wake him, let me try something..."
He returns with a snake, surprisingly comfortable around him. "Now hold on to me, Smith, we gotta scare the creature."
He looks to them, "We're ready. If we're not killing him, I want to see him cry."

Palea looks around. "So we're doing this, yes? Waking the creature and scaring it into telling us what we want to know?" She turns to the monk, a quizzical look in her eye.

"Are you sure its bonds are tight? If it can transform its body, maybe it can transform its arms so that it can slip out? Best if we get its legs as well and a few of us have a hold on it."

She strides forward while keeping the cosh in one hand and grabs on to the shapechanger.

+3 Aid another on Intimidate: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15 (I have the "Helpful" trait)

Takafumi thinks it's better for the creature to be scared if the alternative is to end its life.
If he tries to flee, I'll be ready to get him again
He don't like torture, but this is a special occasion.
Grab the creature (if needed): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

The creature is awakened, still on the verge of death, and gazes at everyone.
"Why... Am I still ali-"
It sees the snakes on Walthus, and screams, "BEAST, BEAST, BEAST, BEAST!"
It flails against Takafumi, smacking the monk in the face like a soggy loaf of bread.
1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
It fails to escape the grapple, but yet continues to flail. "WHY DO i li-live... Why..."
It lies limp, yet you can tell it's glaring at you.
"... Why do you keep me here."

Samell leans forward, hand on his sword and tries to smile menacingly, using his gruesome appearance as much as he is able.

Aid another on Intimidate: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

"..."
Most folks couldn't tell, but the Samell and Takafumi could tell something plainly.
It was terrified. The creature had thrown his fist from afar with the ease of a boxer, and he knew it would beat him to death even easier than with it's bare hands.
"... Why haven't you killed me? Are one of you soft? I can tell the green one would rather my head is on a pike, so what are your plans?"