Aubrey's Rise of the Runelords campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Aubrey the Malformed

Um, maybe he lives there? He was on his lunch break.

Yeah, I figured it was either that, or this was Ironbriar’s place and he’d stopped by to pick something up for him.

Either way I’d say we loiter on the street or in his front garden as evening approaches and accost him when he comes home for the evening.

This is the plan Elisile proposes; As evening approaches, Elisile and Dravite hide near the front door. Illes loiters about somewhere nearby on the street, with some sort of minimal disguise so he won’t be instantly recognisable from a distance. The rest of the group waits around the corner (in the opposite direction to where Verne approached from); so that they can see Illes, if not the house.

As Verne is nearing the door, Illes approaches him (maybe using a bluff to get close) then either drops a suggestion on him to get him to open the door or something, or drops a silence spell. If Illes gets into trouble (or we go the silence route) Elisile and Dravite jump out and subdue him and bundle him through the door.

When the rest of the group sees Illes start to move, they wait a couple of rounds then start heading towards the house.

Of course, this plan kind of assumes that Verne is just a fairly minor flunky and not bad ass in his own right … what do you guys think?

Let's do it.

Sounds gud.

The party prepare their ambush. Later that evening, Verne returns, walking down the road in the same direction as last time. He takes out his key and heads for the same front door.

OK, those hiding nearby will need to make Hide rolls, and Illes will need to try a Disguise check if he is going to be nearby too.

Hide: 15+7 = 22

Too funny! 1d20 2=4 hide. "Umm, Errr...Just lookin' through da trash here, nuttin' ta see here!"

Too funny! 1d20 2=4 hide. "Umm, Errr...Just lookin' through da trash here, nuttin' ta see here!"

Oh ... oops!

We're been made.

"What are doing here...? Wait, you are one of those adventurers who came to see the Chief Justice. Where are your cohorts?" Verne begins looking round.

He notices Dravite using his "hide in plain sight" sight routine - unfortunately he is just in plain sight and not hiding. It doesn't seem he has seen Elisile. Still looking for a Disguise check from Illes.

Illes had been leaning against a building watching people come and go relying mostly on his traveling cloak and a hat pulled down low to keep the clerk from noticing him right away. As it happened though, he was looking directly at the clerk when he came around the corner and caught his eye immediately. He tried to casually look away and resume watching the crowd, but he was pretty sure the mark might have seen him.

Disguise: 3+5 = 8

"Hey, there's another one of you!" says Verne, pointing at Illes.

"Settle down Verne. We're here on business. Tsuto's death certificate never arrived and it's holding up property inheritance back in Sandpoint. Sorry to invade your space here, but to be honest I wasn't excited about spending all day trudging back and forth between clerks in the court house. I'd rather just tell someone who knows the ins and outs and let the professional deal with it."

Bluff 15+10 = 25

"Hmmm?" he says, eying Illes and Dravite suspiciously (though he's listening).

"We won't take up much of your time, but if you don't mind I could seriously use a glass of water and a chance to rest my feet for a minute. It was a long ride. My friend over there," he nods at Dravite, "would never impose, but I'm sure he's about as bone dry as a nun's panties. I've got this letter around here somewhere...." He makes a half-assed gesture to pat down some of his many pockets, but waits for Verne to open the door before continuing.

If I need another roll-
Diplomacy or Bluff 9+10 = 19
Dravite can try to give him a little reassurance for a +2 with Aid Another. 21 would be much better.

"So who sent you? I'm assuming that Master Kaijitsu didn't leave any property to you personally?"

cheeky little bastard, isn't he?

Illes snorts, "Hah. Not likely. No, no. Same as before we're running errands for the mayor, Kendra Deverin. Not that I mind. Nice to be on the road. Brings back memories."

"So - what is your interest?"

"Right now my interest is in getting a drink and resting my feet for a minute, Verne. We'll pay you for clearing the paperwork obviously, but we can discuss your fee, how long it will take and so on over a drink, no?"

If I need another roll-

Diplomacy or Bluff 9+10 = 19
Dravite can try to give him a little reassurance for a +2 with Aid Another. 21 would be much better.

1d20-2=4 aid another(-2 charisma comes into play again.)

ROFLMAO!!!! "Practersin m' ninjer skills.....graaaaa!!!"

He looks at Dravite sceptically, but mention of a fee piques his interest.

"Very well, perhaps we can head to The Gold Ship - it's an inn on the corner here" - he jabs his thumb back in the direction he came from - "and we can discuss this further."

Illes hums quietly to himself as if thinking it over, "Eh- we're already here. Let's just talk in your place."

Suggestion DC 18
+2 from Captivating Melody (Perform: Sing 13+6 = 19 vs DC 17 to activate)

I assume the un-stealthy PCs are relatively close by? Maybe we're sitting in a nearby pub, having a cold brew and waiting for the signal to move in?

The plan was you were somewhere not too far away – you could see Illes starting position, if not the house. You would begin to move a few rounds after you saw Illes react to the dude’s arrival.

Verne's eyes glaze over slightly.

OK, given the fiasco of the zone of silence in the other game, I'm checking on how these things work now. In order to implant a Suggestion, you have to Fascinate him first. I'm assuming that the first check is to Fascinate him (which, by the mechanic you used, it is). He gets a second saving throw against the Suggestion, the DC of which is 10 + your CHA mod + 1/2 your level + 2 for Captivating Melody = 17.

"Sure - my place - a much better idea."

He walks up to the door and unlocks it, then steps back to usher in Dravite and Illes.

Strictly speaking, anyone other than Elisile, Illes and Dravite is too far away to know what is transpiring here. Illes and Dravite are probably about to go in with Verne and will be out of sight in a few seconds.

You are using the bardic music Suggestion rules there. I'm not eligible for that until 6th level. Bard's do get Suggestion as a possible 2nd level spell before that and I took it. So I'm casting it as a normal spell (so no need to fascinate), but I did get the DC wrong by 1. I must have mentally counted my Cha bonus as 4, which it is not.
DC: 10 +2 Spell Level +3 Cha = 15, +2 from Captivating Melody = 17

I made a perform roll because I have to in order to use Captivating Melody. It isn't an automatic +2 DC. The DC is 15 + spell level, so 17 for this one. I used "Perform: sing" which I have no ranks in cause I was confident I could hit the DC and look less suspicious that way, but I barely made it. Glad that worked out for me :)

Right - well, have failed all his saving throws.

OK, well, I guess that since no one has written "I rush to catch up with Illes and Dravite" then can I assume they are going in with Verne and the rest of the party are hanging back to see what happens. In which case, we will go to spoilers.

Illes and Dravite (and Elisile):

I'll roll up there. No bastard sword out or nothing.

hide r 7 if warranted.

While Verne is getting the door, Illes holds his left hand behind his back for the others to see and gestures for them to come, with two fingers walking, then does a hand knocking.

Verne isn't looking that way, so you don't need Hide rolls (fortunately).

OK, it's going to look odd if Dravite and Illes don't go in - remember, the guy received a Suggestion, he isn't Charmed or anything. It is unlikely the rest of the guys will get there before you go in and Verne closes the door unless you find some excuse to hang round.

Elisile, Dravite and Illes:

I'll wait about 30 seconds then rap on the door; see if anybody else mans up and rolls up with the Hudakster. ;)

Alwyn follows Hudak, walking quickly down the street. "I guess this is better than just robbing him in the middle of the street. Let's get them before he closes the door."

Alwyn wears leather armour while in town in order to not attract too much attention.

Elisile will try to sneak a look inside when the door is opened. If she can see a handy side-chamber, large potted plant, umbrella stand or some such, she will attempt to duck inside when Verne’s back is turned and hide inside.

Otherwise, she will move to hide just outside the door as the others move inside, then try to slip her foot onto the threshold, parallel to the door when it is in a closed position, but half an inch in, so that the door will appear to close almost fully but will not latch – if that makes sense.

Move Silently: 5+7 = 12. Hide: 19+7 = 26

Vethran is down the street... drinking tea. He's... somewhere far away where he could see the building from and could certainly hear something shouted from there, but not in any position to enter within.

Otherwise, she will move to hide just outside the door as the others move inside, then try to slip her foot onto the threshold, parallel to the door when it is in a closed position, but half an inch in, so that the door will appear to close almost fully but will not latch – if that makes sense.

Maybe the blade of a dagger would do that better?

Elisile Starbrow wrote:

Otherwise, she will move to hide just outside the door as the others move inside, then try to slip her foot onto the threshold, parallel to the door when it is in a closed position, but half an inch in, so that the door will appear to close almost fully but will not latch – if that makes sense.

Maybe the blade of a dagger would do that better?

Good thinking 99...

Elisile, Illes, Dravite:

Everyone else, and Elisile:

Not Illes; Not Dravite;

Ogay, I've had enough coffee now to remember to spoiler stuff.

The non-Illes and non-Dravites:

Illes and Dravite:

I don't know if Illes and Dravite can see the Mighty Hudak so...

Not Illes or Dravite:

NON ILLES, NON DRAVITES:

Dravite follows Illes' lead, trying not to look like a big, bad, rough-assed dwarf with a two-handed, well-used ogrehook slung over back.

Hudak and crew:

NON DRAVITE; NON ILLES:

The non-Illeses/Dravites: