Blood Under Absalom (Inactive)

Game Master Granta

Kiang Zhen raises a very large and very pointy eyebrow. "There is no dishonor in an honorable defeat - shame, of course, but no dishonor. Perform with honor, and you shall receive what is rightly yours."

I intend to buff the long term buffs (over one hour) but since I'm bad on weekends... :/

Ajax will also let Sarnoc use one of his Pearls of Power lvl 1 to recall Mage Armor to cast on Ajax.

Prior to combat, Ajax casts the following spells/wands in this order:

Feather Step on himself - 70 minutes.
Longstrider on himself - 1 hour
Cat's Grace on Ara - 7 minutes.
Enemy Insight -7 minutes - This is cast on Isonda and Vrald +2 Favored Enemy bonus on humans)
Lead Blades on himself - 1 minute (right before combat starts)

If either Isonda or Vrald does not want Enemy Inight, then on Shel

Prior to casting, Ajax will explain how Enemy Insight works.

I'll take it. So +2 to hit and damage humans?

Yes. And +2 vs Perception, Sense Motive, and Bluff

I'm back

Sarnoc watches as the others begin to get into costume. I think the The Wizened Crone works for me; my quarterstaff could pass for a cane or at least a walking stick. What do you all think?

Sarnoc casts extend Mage Armor on himself and Ara (no pearl need Ajax

Sarnoc, was going to give you a pearl to cast MA on Ajax.

I appologise for not being around to post but i had a very busy weekend. Isonda will accept any buffs she's offered, thank you Ajax.

Isonda gets her new armour on and casts spells to toughen the skin of herself and Vrald.

"OK Scratchings, you be good and don't go biting anyone while we do this performance. If you do you get a nice treat later.

I'll take my piggy to just ride around on - thanks for checking up on that for use GM.

Bump. Let's do this!

Sorry for the delay. I'm sick (and I didn't quite realize you'd all picked your roles).

You are introduced to your opponents: A team of Aspis agents - and that ronin fellow you've seen a couple times before. Clearly, the casting director has a sick sense of humor. The ronin bears the costume of the General, and accompanying him are the Monkey King, the Cruel Bandit, and a Chou.

Ajax, Sarnoc
___
Cruel Bandit, Monkey King
___
Kallyan
___
The General
___
Vrald
___
Clown
___
Ara, Shel, Isonda/Scratchings

Ajax will delay

So are the walls intact and the doors closed? A little confused about where we can go and whether we have to stay on stage, etc.

I see your point. Fixed it.

I'm combining all of the bad guys into one initiative, to speed things up. And added the fifth (missing) enemy.

Maps

Round 1
Effects none

• Ajax - delay
  
• Sarnoc
  
• Kallyan
  
• GM
  
• Vrald
  
• Ara
  
• Shel
  
• Isonda

Sarnoc and Kallyan are up.

If you're going to combine everyone into one init, then Ajax will look at taking his turn after Kallyan

Ajax whispers to Kallyan, "What do think about a show within a show?"

I'm back after the long weekend! Let's do it :)

Kallyan opens his arms to the crowd, together with his biggest and shinest smile, and starts performing. He shouts loudly.

But come you all, come, come, gather around! It's a show we will perform. Our opponents are on the wrong side of history... Would they breath? Would they laugh? Would they trip, and fall, and splash?

As a move action, Kallyan will perform to gather the entire audience to pay attention to him.

Performance (Oratory): 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (13) + 20 = 33 Another extra +1 if it's during the day
Rounds: 1d10 ⇒ 3

The agile hands of the bard shake towards his companions.

Now, go, my General! Go, Warrior Woman! Go, Crone, let's go all of us! Advance and shine, bright this place of spectacle! You see, people, because on this story, they were fast! Faster than lightning, and strong as rock itself.

Kallyan Hastes the party as a standard action.

The Wizened Crone aka Sarnoc bows to the crowd then begins casting a spell, leaning her ancient bones on her walking stick as she does.

Full round cast

Sorry slow to post today.

@Sarnoc: I assume you mean "1 round" rather than "full round"? And what spell?

@Ajax: If you haven't acted within 4 hours, I'm going to push on so that we don't run out of time.

Yes, 1 round and the spell is Enlarge Person, intended target is Vrald

Maps

Round 1-2
Effects haste

• Ajax - delay, slow?
  
• Sarnoc - blind?, slow?
  
• Kallyan - slow?
  
• GM
  
• Vrald - slow?
  
• Ara - slow?
  
• Shel - slow?
  
• Isonda - slow?

Sarnoc begins a long spell, while Kallyann rips off a quick one. The red-clad half-orc targets Sarnoc with a spell, "Gorum, take this unworthy creature's sight!"

The ronin challenges Shel, "May you die with honor," and tries to cleave her head clean off. The male human in yellow dress clumsily goes after Isonda, and then the half-elf wearing green robes attacks everybody's mind in an attempt to hinder their bodies.

Everybody is up and needs to roll a Will save vs. slow

@Sarnoc: Also roll Fortitude vs. blindness and two concentration checks.

Will Save v. DC?? Slow: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Fort Save v. DC?? Blindness: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Concentration check v. slow DC= Slow DC?? + CL of spell being cast 1: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31

Concentration check v. blindness DC= blindness DC?? + CL of spell being cast 1: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 32

Folio reroll on Blindness + GM stars: 1d20 + 5 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 3 = 11

Crap!

@Sarnoc: You fail against blindness, but succeed against slow and the concentration vs. blindness. Roll concealment to target Vrald (51-100 succeeds).

Will save vs. slow 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

@Shel: You resist as well.

Cruel Bandit Shel swung her wooden knife at the Ronin, enhanced by the Haste spell.

Attack with Haste 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 12 + 1 = 25
Damage 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Iterative attack 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 7 + 1 = 28
Damage 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Haste attack 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 12 + 1 = 32
Damage 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Edit:

Possible crit on attack two 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 1 = 20
Damage 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

GM: What about my performance? Did I manage to catch the audience's attention? Do we see any effect at all? Do I notice anything special about the audience or, maybe, special members in the audience?

@Kallyan: As far as I can tell, your ability just increases the size of the crowd, i.e. the employees might put down their work and start watching instead. Is there something I am missing about the ability? Also, you lose the effects of haste.

It does - it doesn't "fascinate" them, or anything like that. It's literally just gathering people around him. However, I was expecting to know if I'm managing to catch/keep their attention, etc. I was under the impression that working the audience was part of the act here, and I was trying to do so (talking to the audience, trying to engage them, etc.). In addition: do I notice anything special about the audience or, maybe, special members there?

There's actually no details about the audience or mechanical benefits to entertaining them. They are just fluff. But they do think you're the best performer on the stage. You might get a couple of groupies afterward.

As an immediate action: Gallant Inspiration on Shel's crit confirmation.

Competence Bonus: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5 Making her attack a 25

Kallyan feels himself slow again - back to normal, out of haste - and just bursts laughing. He opens his arms to the crowd.

Oh, would you look at that? Would you look at that? They insist! They think they can stop the flow of the waves! They think they can shut up the Harald of the Sun himself!

He shakes his body, frenetically involved on his own performance.

Well, they cannot! Can you hear the gong? It's time to surrender, cute pies! This clown has a loooooud laugh!

Standard action to cast Sound burst at the SW corner of red. It's 10-foot-radius, so it should affect the red and the two yellows. The Fortitude DC is 19 (versus stun).

Sound Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 3

The performance continues automatically for free, since I cast a spell on my turn (Harmonic Spell)

Rolling saves first, then figuring out what I am doing

Ajax Will vs Slow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Ara Will vs Slow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

@Kallyan - Are you sure that is not going to be Lethal Damage? Might want to check with the GM to make sure before going that route.

If it's going to be considered lethal damage (and it does make sense), then yes, I wouldn't use this attack and I'd switch it to simply doing hideous laughter at the sorcerer.

Ajax uses the end of his broom to guide Sarnoc, like a kung fu master correcting his student's posture with stick. "Your posture is all wrong. Arm here. Fingers like so. Head to to one side. Bend at the knees."

Don't know what roll I can use to Aid Another on this, but I'll roll a D20 and you can decide which skill/modifier applies

Aid Sarnoc in touching Vrald: 1d20 ⇒ 2

If you don't mind, I'll wait a bit OOC to see if people are comfortable bringing Ara on stage before I give her commands as part of Ajax's round.

@Kallyan: Sound burst would be an auto-loss.

@Ajax: That's an interesting idea . . . I'll say a ranged attack roll, preferably with something that will make noise when it hits Vrald's armor. Since concealment is d100 instead of d20, the bonus will be +10 instead of +2.

Did I need to post anything else?

@Ajax: What are you throwing/shooting? Do you need a move action to draw it? What is the modifier on the roll? With a 2 on the die, I need more details.

@Kallyan: Sound burst would be an auto-loss.

It makes sense - so, like I abovementioned, I switch it to hideous laughter on the sorcerer. Sorry for the confusion.

@Kallyan: What is the DC for your hideous laughter?

@Ajax: What are you throwing/shooting? Do you need a move action to draw it? What is the modifier on the roll? With a 2 on the die, I need more details.

With Ara having been retconned off stage, can Ajax 5' step and tap Vrald's armor with the broom via touch attack? If not, then Ajax will pull a copper from his haversack (move) and toss it at Varld. Ajax gets +12 on a ranged attacks +4 vs Humans, and maybe +1 for Haste? So the 2 is a 19 vs Human.

"Use your ears, young grasshopper!"

@GM: The DC is 18.

@Ara: Melee works.

@Sarnoc: Add 10 to your concealment roll.

high hits Vrald: 1d100 ⇒ 42

Sarnoc tries to cast blind on Vrald but it misses.

@Sarnoc I think Grant said you're getting +10 from Ajax's help, so that would be 52..hit?

Ajax is fine throwing a copper. He's better at throwing than hitting anyways. Melee would be 17 total vs flat-footed Vrald.

will save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Isonda resists the slowing spell of the Aspis spellcaster. She strikes out with a powerfull blow at the aspis agent in the bandit costumer.

dull polearm attack, haste, power attack (furius focus): 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 1 = 19

dull polearm damage, power attack: 1d6 + 7 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 6 = 19

"You bandits are no match for the great and powerfull Warrior Woman!" says Isonda with a slight giggle, it's clear she's enjoying this a bit too much.

Correct. Ajax's aid turns that into a success. Good Aid!

Thanks!

@Isonda and Vrald, don't forget to add the +2 vs Att/Dmg from Enemy Insight.

DM, it may be too late, but I did not add my favored enemy bonus (assuming the Ronin was a human). If you will allow it, I would get a +2 to hit and damage to each of my attacks. If not, that's cool...it's my bad for forgetting to add it in initially.

will: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5 <- I gota get iron will.
Vrald quickly slows down.

Still large, he hammers the opposing sorcerer with his giant sword.

Or for cruel rogue, if the sorcerer is the figure in green.

power attack, FE: 1d20 + 16 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 16 - 3 + 2 = 18
iterative power attack,FE: 1d20 + 11 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 11 - 3 + 2 = 18
damage,PA,FE: 2d6 + 9 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (6, 1) + 9 + 6 + 2 = 24
iterative damage,PA,FE: 2d6 + 9 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 1) + 9 + 6 + 2 = 19

Despite his fear over being blinded, Sarnoc tries to play the part of the old crone.

I'm blind as a bat, thanks for the help sonny! He says to Ajax.

Smrdljiv He shouts clicking his walking stick on the ground and trying to focus on what he remembers seeing.

Attempt to cast Stinking Cloud with Arcane Bond as marked on the map.

DC21 Fort Save - Living creatures in the cloud become nauseated. This condition lasts as long as the creature is in the cloud and for 1d4+1 rounds after it leaves. (Roll separately for each nauseated character.) Any creature that succeeds on its save but remains in the cloud must continue to save each round on your turn.

Do I need to roll for placing it?

High hits target square: 1d100 ⇒ 81

Just a remeinder to everyone, we get +1 morale bonus on Attack/Damage