Bullets, Lies, and Open Skies

Game Master Eben al'Jol

The man barks out a laugh, ”Now that you mention it, the man does always have an Almighty-forsaken new hat on every damn day, doesn’t he?” He stands to give you both an eager handshake, though as you watch him move, you get the feeling it might not be eagerness so much as his jerky-jittery way of doing everything.

”Sit. Sit.” he says as he returns to his own chair, ”I'm Grage Hawker, I don’t need luggage so much as someone to carry what’s mine down to Raventon.” He looks from Callum to Zedd as he pulls a large brown sleeve of papers from a case at his feet, tapping it rapidly with two jittery fingers. When he continues, his voice is lower, not carrying much beyond your table. ”I’m assuming Rabbit told you the nature of my cargo? He assures me you’ve done this kind of work before …” As he gives the last statement—really a kind of an unasked question—he subconsciously itches the disgusting boil. He really should stop bringing attention to it.

Callum takes one of the proffered seats with a good view of the room. "As it happens, no. He knew we were out this way, and doesn't like to be indiscrete over the wire. If you are looking to expedite your cargo, and avoid any pesky bureaucratic delays, that's something we can do. I will, of course need to know something of the nature of our cargo."

"Drugs!" he answers brightly, looking between Callum and Zedd. "Well, opium, specifically." He seems unconcerned about others overhearing among all the noise. "I have a handful of buyers who are concerned they won't have enough product for the excessive needs of the next few weeks. So I scrambled this last minute shipment together. And ... good news for Rabbit; good news for you ... my normal shipping crew couldn't make my deadline."

He shrugs as he slides the envelope across the table, "Location of the product for pickup. The local boss doesn't like me bringing the actual goods here. And the name, place, and time for your drop off once you get there." He shrugs as if it were a small concern, and points to the envelope. "Your 2,000 note up-front is in there as well. The rest to be paid to Rabbit once I hear about my shipment getting to my buyers... ya know, the usual song and dance. We got a deal, Mr. Rhen?"

Inside the envelope is just what he said. Cash and some documents giving navigational instructions in order to make the pickup, then a name, building, and time on another sheet.

What is the rest of the fee, after delivery? Does this seem on par with our previous jobs?

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

I'm wondering if we can negotiate for more money with this guy. I brought Tiny along for his good looks and way with people. I'll aid another on his Sense Motive Roll, if that's okay. It could go either way, I suppose.

Rabbit didn't give you guys a number, but if it's like other gigs he set up for you, you'd be looking at a larger pay-out on completion. You'd guess you're probably looking at 6,000 notes. A considerable sum, but nothing spectacular. It's similar to other gigs you've gotten.

The Sense Motive ins't likely to get you much information in this situation. You can certainly attempt to up the ante if you'd like, but you might consider how Rabbit will feel about you squeezing the employers on the jobs he's set up for you. That's not likely to do good things for your (and Rabbit's) reputation in the eyes of prospective future employers. Your call.

I don't wanna SM on him to try to see if he's stiffing us, but I would like to use it to see if I can figure out why he's so jittery. Makin' my "ambush sense" tingle

Zedd studies the client carefully as he converses with Captain Rhen.

If he can use favored target "out of combat", he will do so to gain a +1 to S. Motive. Not gonna attack him, I swear! ;)

The large man can't hide his disgust as Grage scratches the bulbous boil on his nose, but Zedd's expression lightens considerably upon the mention (and receipt) of pay.

Quickly thumbing through the envelope, he gives a nod to Callum, indicating the 2k is all there.

"Don't matter to me what cargo we are moving. As long as the heat ain't too bad, and the pay is timely. When the law gets involved and people get too jumpy, specially them as have guns in hand, that's when the bodies drop. This deal though, smooth as silk, right?"

Then he grins his crooked grin.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20 + 1 more (if favored target) +2 more (if Cal is aiding another)

I'm wondering what happened to his 'usual' crew, but if it seems in order with what we set up with Rabbit, that's good enough for me. - I'll see if/how Tiny's roll plays out, though I suspect it was taken care of with that 'jerky-jittery way of doing everything' description.

Just a quick note. By my reading, Zedd, that ability is intended to be useable in and out of combat, so feel free to pick victims … er … “favored targets” whenever it seems appropriate. :)

The barman begins serving up drinks with the efficiency common to old hands. Doc and Callum both get their drinks in small, thick glasses … the amber liquid smelling both smooth and fiery.

The thud of Zedd’s palm on the bar makes the barman retreat a half-step. After a second, he shakes his head and pours another beer. ”Cinda, one more lamb pie.” He slides the beer across the bar to Zedd, his bushy eyebrows rising to take in the fighter pilot’s height, ”You’re a big fella.”

At Gilly’s appearance and request, the man can’t help but scowl at the halfling-sized grease prints suddenly decorating the edge of his bar. ”I don’t, but Gimm might.” He looks across the room, raising his voice over the noise. "GIMM! You got any of that Karstaan leaf with you?”

The piano-stabbing stops and the boy looks over. He nods and grabs a huge pack from the floor, hurriedly weaving his way across the tavern. ”Uh,” the boy stammers when he stops to open the pack. His voice seems unable to choose between being a boy’s or a man’s. ”Yah, dad just got some off a pilot a few weeks back.” He gives a nervous grin to Gilly and offers her a few leaves to smell and stammers the price. The Karstaan leaf is small and tough, all that will grow in the northern temperatures.

The man looks back to Ambrose, ”Shivers is my pa’s name, but who knows how he got it. I guess I don’t think it’s a mystery why he chose to open up a joint with a hot stove, kitchen, and drinks. Folks around always need the chill washed away.” He looks up to answer the second question, seeming to consider the crowd before responding. ”I don’t know what your business is in the Lope, stranger, but most folks that come through this back-mountain hole aren’t interested in our beeyutiful scenery.” He can’t help but give a few unobtrusive wipes to the grease smudges on the periphery of Gizmo’s short reach. ”This place is only convenient for the type who want to be inconvenient for customs to get a good...

Ambrose takes the food and drink with a courteous nod and makes sure to give Rowena hers before he starts in himself. Is the food any good?

Interesting, he says in between bites. Say, friend, what's the name of this 'boss', anyway? And speaking of names--if the boss man has orders not to let either of these ships you speak of dock here again, does that mean you caught a name? Ship or captain, makes no matter to me, but I have to say you've got me intrigued...

Oblivious (or uncaring) to Shivers' reaction to her greasy fingerprints, Gizmo spins on the stool to squint at the packet of leaves the youth offers. She plucks up a pinch or two, feels the crumbliness, and sighs. Beggars can't be choosers. Least she has plenty of rolling papers left, she thinks.

If the job pays well she's going to buy a huge, proper, human-sized cigar with the very finest baccy inside. Happy dreams~

She mostly tunes out Ambrose and his ever-diplomatic attempts to learn what's going on in the port. To Gilly, one port is the same as another port is the same as a third port, unless they've got a good chop-shop, and she's already quite decided that Badger Lope doesn't.

(I seem to recall we agreed that Gilly was flat broke, Eben ;) So presumably she can't afford any of the leaf, more is the pity.)

She squints at the acne-dotted face of the youth. "--I'll tune your piano for you for half the pouch."

At the table
Zedd senses no deception, and the drug dealer gives a jerky nod of agreement, ”I’d certainly prefer it that way. And hey, when people get jumpy with guns … well, that’s what big guys like you are for, right?”

The man picks the Raventon paper back up and continues to chat on, switching from subject to subject almost as fast as his twitchy fingers tap the tabletop. Any other questions/thoughts for the drug dealer?

At the bar
Across the room, the Shivers keeps up the conversation as he pours a couple of refills and sends them with Cinda towards the halflings, who are now erupting as one of their opponents slumps onto the table. ”Boss’s name is Giernig. And I’m sorry to say, but no, i didn’t ask about the ships or the captains. Like I said … I keep my business in here and let the Boss handle his.”

At Gizmo’s offer to tune the piano, the boy wilts a bit. ”Not my piano,” he answers with a look over to Shivers. The older man sighs and looks skyward.

”Almighty save me from every damn sob story,” he moans. He looks between Gilly and the boy. ”Tell you what. I was gonna get rid of that thing, but if you can get her working something proper, I’ll buy the tobacco for you.”

Shivers points down at the boy, ”And you give me the local price. I’m not paying premium for that tobacco just so you can keep assaulting my ears with —”

His words stop and his eyes widen as the door GROOAAANS against the floorstones and cold air rushes in from outside. A tall, fire-headed 'Diori hillman finishes pushing the door open, an old muzzle-loading rifle in his other hand and murder in his pale eyes. Behind him is a familiar, stout bull-dog figure and about a dozen of his crew, and they all look pissed off.

Biggs Mancher. The man Zedd used to work for. The captain of the crew you clashed with a few months back. The captain of the fleet that you sabotaged by flooding their tanks with low-grade aerum, likely causing all kinds of damage when they tried to come after you when you stole their best fighter plane, Bingo.

At that moment, the place goes silent for a heartbeat, then everything happens at once.

"HOLD ON THERE, YOU CAN'T JUST—" Shivers yells as he dives behind the counter.

"Biggs!" the Grage says as he stands up with a look of confusion, "I thought you said you couldn't —" he cuts off at sight of the gun, also looking like he suddenly doesn't want to be here.

One of the halflings drops their stein in surprise.

Okay, I'm working to get the map up in Roll20. I'll post the link as soon as I have it complete (but I didn't want to have to wait on that to get this post up).

Biggs's crew all look like the rough sort. All of them armed with long military knives (short swords) and either a pistol or rifle (all of them single-shot or worse in terms of tech level). None of them wear armor. The Diori has light armor, is big, has paired long blades across his back, and a muzzle-loading rifle in his hand. Biggs is in a breastplate and buckler with a shottie in his hands and a longswrod at his hip.

In the meantime, the bar-crew all made the perception checks above to see him through the window, and they all get 1 round of actions (we'll call that round 0) before the door opens. If you don't need a map to determine your round 0 actions, let me know what you all do. Everyone else will start now in round 1, in order of initiative.

Everyone give me Initiative checks. >:)
Aaaand GO!

Also, can i get everyone's roll20 account? If you don't have an account, sign up (it's free) and let me know what your account is. :)

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

I made a roll20 account a few yrs ago and just logged in now and it looks like it is still active. My name on there is "Dan B."

edited cause I messed up the ooc coding

Initiative 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

I'm Justin L. on Roll20... and debating my actions. :)

My Roll20 is Matt B. How far away are we from the door? I'm also going to roll Perception for Rowena to see if she can act, too, if that's ok.

Perception Rowe: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Looks like a no.

Ambrose rises from his meal, unslinging his net from around his shoulder. Rowena, Heel. Let's say hello to our 'friends'.

He tries to sound jovial, but there is an edge to his voice at the sight of the weapons.

Free action: Give Heel command. Move action to stand, can I draw my net as I go? Possibly 5ft move closer to the door, depending on the distance. Standard action: Activate Tactician. Rowena and Ambrose gain Paired Opportunist for 4 rounds.

Init Ambrose: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Init Rowena: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

Roll20 Display Name = Lekku

Doc pushes off the bar and strolls around behind the counter. He pulls Gladys covertly from her belly holster and holds her below the level of the bar. Then he reaches for the open bottle of good whiskey he's been drinking from, ostensibly to pour a round for the newcomers.

His smile is aimed at Mancher but he's trying to influence the folks in the bar with his jovial tone and explanation, just letting them know who is going to start the fight.

"Biggs, you ol' horse-f&<ker... you aren't still mad about that little tussle are ya? Let me buy you and your boys a few drinks. I'll even throw in a bottle for the road. All these good folks are here for a quiet night and so are we. So let's settle things politely over a few drinks and everyone can have a nice evening here. What do you say?"

MOVE: Get behind bar
MOVE: Pull Gladys
FREE: Talk

Diplomacy 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

Dien A.

Gilly offers a broad grin at the chance to trade piano-turning for leaf-- and then her eyes dart to the outside. She jerks her fingers that direction in case her crew hasn't already seen, then slithers down off the stool. Time to get scarce.

As she slides down off the stool, Gilly's deft fingers pluck up one of the tiny bottles that festoon her person. She knocks the cloudy pink liquid back-- and while everyone looks at people who are waving guns, hopefully they fail to notice that a small person has just gotten smaller-- her muscles and bones shrinking in on themselves in a truly strange application of the weirdest of science.

Standard to drink her extract of 'Reduction'; move action to attempt to duck behind stool/bar/some feature and hide.

Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

Alright, you've all gotten Roll20 invites to the game. Join up, please. If you've changed your position in round 0, update the position to what you'd like based on your character's movement from the position they're on the map currently (if that make sense).

Initiative Order:
Callum, Rowena, Biggs, Zedd, Locals, Gilly, Diori, Ambrose, Biggs’s crew, Doc Long

Callum, feel free to go ahead. Baddies/NPCs won't be reacting until their turn in initiative. :)

Woo hoo!

Callum sees signs of trouble from his crew, and his eyes dart to the massive Biggs, standing in the open doorway. "Zedd....." Leaving the downpayment in Tiny's capable, meaty hands, he runs to the table between himself and the door. Ale and meat pies fly, as he upturns the table and ducks behind it for cover. To the shocked patrons he jibes, "I'd get down, if you like your heads firmly attached to your necks..."

The table crashes to the ground, scattering its contents as well as a few patrons across the stone floor.

I’ve drawn a brown diagonal indicator of the table’s position on the map.

Round 1:
Callum, Rowena, Biggs, Zedd, Locals, Gilly, Diori, Ambrose, Biggs’s crew, Doc Long

Rowena’s up (and has been added to the map).

I moved Ambrose to reflect his position after the 5ft move in the surprise round. Since I gave Rowena a Heel command, I imagine she would move there for her turn as a move action. Now, she only has 2 Int and I don't know if this is allowed, but the Heel command tells her to stay with me wherever I go. So if she moves there, is she also allowed to take a standard action to ready action to follow me if I move somewhere on my turn?

I'm actually fine if you want to have her simply delay, then give her a full round of actions on Ambrose's turn. Otherwise, yah, she can ready an action to move with you. Your call.

Delay it is. Let's see what Biggs can do. ;-)

Mancher does his best to murder every one of you with his glare. ”Talkin’ time is over, old man!” he roars in a drill-sergeant’s hoarse voice, ”Shivers! I don’t want no problem with you and yours, but I’m here for what’s owed me! BOYS, WHOEVER GETS ME THAT SHIP CODE GETS TO PILOT THE FIGHTER!”

He holds his position, shotgun leveled into the tavern and ready.

Initiative:
Callum, Rowena (Delay), Biggs (readied attack), Zedd, Locals, Gilly, Diori, Ambrose, Biggs’s crew, Doc Long

Gilly's mind races like fast-clocked gears. Her little fingers linger over one of the bottles.... hmm... no, better not. It'd be good to put fire in Mancher's face, buuuut the building would be burned. That means they might owe money. If they owe money, they have to pay money, and money paid is money she can't use to buy necessities, like smokes, and capacitors, and purification flasks...

Sigh. It's always a pain, when she's in a situation that calls for less fire. Gilly mourns the adhesive she's tried to develop but doesn't currently have with her. That'd be funny. Coat them all with gooey sticky things to trap their feet...

Welp.

Gilly dashes under the table before her, avoiding human-sized feet, and worms her way out the other end by clambering up on the bench. Alcohol, alcohol.... here we go.

Can't move yet either-- you CAN set tokens to be controlled by 'any player', I believe, buuut *shrug*. Gilly's movement, if permitted: N, N, NW. What she would like to do is pick up a bottle or mug of the highest-proof spirit on that table (sorry, NPCs, stealin' ur drink) and toss it at Mancher.... ideally getting him nicely wet with booze. Any actual HP damage from breaking glass is not her goal/priority, but she'll take it if so. I don't know how much of this action she can complete in one turn-- it may be 'move under the table, move to pick up booze', for instance, but I'll make a roll and you can adjudicate how much she gets done:

Throwin' booze!: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 1 = 15
Qualifies as improvised ranged weapon, and I think it would also qualify as a touch attack, but that's your call. Another +1 if it qualifies as a splash weapon.
Damage? Maybe?: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 +1 is from PBS

"'s your own fault for not checkin' your tanks proper like a good gearhead ought," Gilly mutters to herself with a smirk.

"HA!"

Zedd's harsh, barking laugh cuts through the sudden silence after hearing Biggs.

"Let me guess, you gave 'em all a small taste up front. Told 'em the pay would be much more after this one, simple job. Easy as pie, fightin' some weak ass marks."

The big man's voice picks up to a shout, so the men outside can hear him.

"I got news for you lot! Myself and the people with me? We're a hard group. And Biggs knows he don't have to pay you squat when you're dead! Any of you got a notion of settin' foot aboard Bingo, all I can say is: over your dead body!"

Quicker than someone his size has any right to be, Zedd appears next to Callum, a pistol in hand, grinning his ridiculous grin.

"Just like old times, eh Cap?"

Move Action: Stow pay envelope in coat pocket

Move Action: Slide up next to Callum in cover, drawing pistol in the process.

Position should be updated on Roll20 if I did it right. :)

"Old times? I seem to recall bailing your ass outta the brig more than once after bar brawls... I'm kinda surprised you can remember much of it at all!"

"Well, those guys shouldn'ta looked at me sideways. At any rate, I don't think these lot are trying to take us alive, so at least we don't need to worry about gettin locked up."

Well, it’s lunchtime somewhere, anyway. (Sorry, busy first day back from long weekend.)
Dien, you should now have control of your token. i updated her location based on your description, but feel free to modify it if I got it wrong.

The place explodes into motion, people shouting, running, diving like bullets tossed into a fire.

Cinda pops her head in from the kitchen, only to be shouted at by Shivers. ”GO GET GIERNIG’S MEN! NOW!” He reaches under the bar and pulls out a battered early-model single-barrel shotgun. With his other hand, he scrambles to get a half-dozen extra shells into his pockets as he looks over at Doc. ”I don’t know what all this is about, but you gotta take it somewhere else!” His tone falls somewhere between a demand and a plead.

Cinda’s head disappears back into the kitchen, followed by the slamming of her door and a trail of cries for help in the night.

Based on the men you saw on rooftops and out in the streets, you’d guess you have 2 or 3 rounds before the local thugs can arrive outside Shivers’ Place.

Grage’s eyes get so big they seem to want to pop out of his head … momentarily taking the emphasis off his horrid nose-passenger. Then he turns white as a sheet and lets out a truly impressive string of curses as he bolts to and opens another door near the southern wall.

Gilly’s booze bomb isn’t quite accurate enough to hit Biggs on the far side of the Diori, though she does do a fair job of splashing both men with the liquid (no damage, but both have been doused). Biggs responds in kind … well … with bullets, anyway. He steps into the room and looks down the barrel at Gilly with a dark grin. BOOM!

The pellets spray the area, rattling off wood, plate, and cup, but they miss the tiny gearhead. The man next to her screams as he falls down, his arm bloodied.

The Diori’s pale eyes lock on Callum’s location, and he roars wordlessly as he takes aim and squeezes the trigger on his nearly-antique rifle.

The bullet punches a whole in the table a few inches away from Callum’s head. The huge swordsman then drops the useless rifle and moves unwaveringly towards the captain … shouldering past crewmates and tavern patrons alike.

Initiative:
Callum, Rowena (Delay), Zedd, Locals, Biggs, Gilly, Diori, Ambrose, Biggs’s crew, Doc Long

Good one, Giz... Callum quirks a smile, as Gizmo's brew smashes on the man. Reaching for trinket with his stored Spark, he finds it void of any daemonic power, remembering that he'd not chosen it that day.

Storms! I knew I should have bound that one! As Grage bolts and a bullet blows through the table near his head, Cal calls out to his crew.

"PLAN B!"

As the crew well knows, Plan B is, and has always been - bail out. It's rare, but used whenever a win looks unlikely, or where winning isn't worth the cost.

Ambrose nods to Callum's order, but moves around the table just the same.

Sorry Captain--where I come from, you draw on a man when he's at his supper, that's the worst sort of villainy. I can't let this go.

The pilot slides his axe smoothly into his hand as he approaches Biggs, facing the man as he looks down the smoking barrel.

Move 20 ft, drawing axe. Swift action to issue challenge.

And you--you wan't our codes? Ha! You have bigger concerns. Ambrose deftly throws his net at Biggs' feet, trying to trip him.

Melee attack with net, reach, vs CMD: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Namely, when you slink out of here, are you gonna have enough fingers left to enter your own code. Rowena--get 'im!

Free action: Attack command

A low growl sounds from behind the table, followed by the scratch of claws on the floor as Rowena rounds the corner, charging straight for Biggs.

Move action to indicated spot.

Attack, power attack, challenge, possibly vs prone?: 1d20 + 7 - 1 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 - 1 + 1 = 12

Damage, PA, challenge: 1d4 + 1 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 2 + 2 = 7

Note--my challenge is such that whenever Rowena or I am threatening Biggs, any of our allies gains a +1 to attack him. I take this to mean I grant the +1 to Rowena and she grants it to me.

I took the liberty of creating some supporting art for the next part of the game...

Ha! I see Ambrose and the dog, but I cant see the third person. Is that Gilly?

”Plan B” apparently stands for Bite. :)

Biggs hits the ground with a grunt and gets a forearm up just in time to keep Rowena’s teeth off his throat. 4 Strain to Biggs.

"I'm gonna feed you and your damn dogs to my engine, you piece of sh!t! Boys, get this thing off me!"

A pair of Biggs’s crewmen open fire on Rowena with pistol and rifle moments before the rest of the gang joins in. Some rush through the double doors—some switching to long knives and axes to engage Ambrose and his pup while others rush past to take up firing positions—while a few remain outside to fire through windows at the crew … and the violence is joined in full.

A single pistol round grazes the dog right before a pair of thugs with long knives get a cut in on her, though the dog is able to avoid any real damage. (After armor, Rowena takes 4 strain from a shortsword and 6 from a pistol) Bullets zip and spang off wood and stone, and over Doc’s shoulder a bottle of cheap brandy explodes … showering him and eliciting a wordless cry from Shivers. A rifle round slams penetrates the wood a few inches in front of Zedd's face, spraying the ex-solder with splinters and wood chips.

Crewmen 2, 3, and 6 have long knives (shortswords) in hand. Otherwise, all crewmen made attacks against at least one of you. Only Rowena took any damage (the above-mentioned 10 Strain).

Round 1 Initiative:
Callum, Rowena (Delay), Zedd, Locals, Biggs, Gilly, Diori,Ambrose, Biggs’s crew,  Doc Long

Doc Long, then back to the top.

EDIT: Ambrose, Rowena was actually hit twice ... i had overlooked a natural 20. The crit didn't confirm. total Strain she took that round was 10. Lucky dog. :D

...he looks over at Doc. "I don’t know what all this is about, but you gotta take it somewhere else!" His tone falls somewhere between a demand and a plead.

Doc glances at the bartender as he raises Gladys above the level of the bar. "I'd like to... but those boys don't seem inclined to play along." He aims the long-barrel pistol carefully at the head of the nearest mercenary threatening Rowena and Ambrose, then drops the hammer. The gun makes its own noisy, smoky argument.

"Time to go, folks. Head for the back door, if you can get there (Grage's southern exit) and 'ware the gunmen on the roofs."

SWIFT: Archaeologist's Luck
STAND: Fire Gladys
MOVE: Start shoving random ingredients into a bottle.
FREE: Talk

STAND: 'Gladys' (crit: 20/2x/37.5' | Misfire 3, Burst 1)
MODS: Arch Luck
HIT: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 2 + 1 = 21
DAM: 3d6 + 1 ⇒ (4, 1, 6) + 1 = 12

Eben, is the kitchen accessed from behind the bar?

Did any of those guys provoke an AoO from me or Rowena? From paired opportunist if they provoke for one, they provoke for both. I have both 10ft and 5ft reach, if that helps. Also, since we are doing armor as DR, would you consider allowing called shots to avoid Armor DR or something?

Gladys's 'argument' punches a hole in the man's gut, and he drops to the ground. Unconscious and bleeding out.

Round 2 Initiative:
Callum, Zedd, Locals, Biggs, Gilly, Diori, Ambrose, Rowena, Biggs’s crew, Doc Long

Top of Round 2!

@ Ambrose, sorry I missed that. You have 2 AoO's for #'s 5 and 10 leaving the square Biggs is prone in. As for the guys that rushed you and Rowena ... the first guy charged then provided cover for the other two who filed in after him.

EDIT: Actually, I just learned it's impossible to grant cover in this manner as it pertains to AoO's ... you also have AoO's on the two who flanked Rowena (though one is now dead thanks to Doc).

He ain't dead, he's just real sleepy is all. :)
Hey, so do bullets automatically do Injury or was his Strain exceeded and he took the remainder as Injury? I'm trying to figure out if he's really 'dying' or were you adding some color to things?

The Strain damage exceeded his Health, and the rest was taken as Injury and took him to negatives ... he's dying. I'm going to try to be selective with my fluff to illustrate the mechanics. Obviously you should always ask if its unclear. :)

And bullets deal damage as normal. They're not auto-Injury.

I believe an attack that drops someone below zero counts as injury damage (all of the damage from that attack.

I don't know which guy is which (are they supposed to be numbered on the roll20 map? Regardless, Rowena will attack the first guy that provokes from Ambrose. Ambrose will save his for when Biggs tries to stand. ;-)

Rowena snaps at one of the men attacking her master.

attack, power attack, paired opportunist: 1d20 + 7 - 1 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 7 - 1 + 4 = 20

damage: 1d4 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 1 + 2 = 7

That should be on the guy NE of Ambrose's square (the remaining flanker on Rowena.

Mbauers is right. The full amount of any attack that–when combined with existing Strain and Injury–exceeds the targets Health is taken as Injury. So since Doc's Gladys shot exceeded the crewman's Health, all 12 points were taken as Injury... reducing him to negatives and making him unconscious and dying.

In short ... don't screw with the Old Man!

Also, I didn't realize you guys couldn't see the token name tags. I'll try to get a grid up or something.

"Ambrose, if you want to complain about their dinner etiquette, you can write them a nasty letter! Whatever passes for the law is coming to crack heads, and I don't think they care who started it. We're leaving - NOW!"

Cal reaches over the table and takes a shot at at one of the mercs pouring through the doorway with guns blazing. Retreating to a spot nearer the back exit, he holsters his six-gun and eases his rapier in the scabbard.

"Grage, if there's anything you can do to keep Giernig off our backs, I'll make sure you get your shipment on time."

Revolver, Target = Green Circle: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 6) = 11

Are the townsfolk "allies"? Trying to evaluate my flanking options....

Gilly really, really wants to light all those men on fire. Especially the ones she just doused in booze. She weighs the pros and cons of using fire in the bar very briefly to herself...

They're supposed to be running. Cap'n's orders. Well, can't run out a door that has people blocking it, now can she? She throws a calculating glance towards one of the windows, then slithers off the bench and darts near to Ambrose. As she goes, she snatches a battered little tin container from her belt, twists it, and shakes it like a cocktail. A cocktail of FIRE!

It flies deftly from her fingers towards Biggs.

Life decisions I may regret... bomb! Using Precise Bombs to exclude the squares holding Rowena, Ambrose, and that one halfling who is technically 'nearest' to me, though I'll have to miss badly to send the splash out that far...

Targeting Biggs' Touch AC. Bonus for size, PBS; penalty for cover and throwing into melee: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 - 4 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 6 + 1 + 1 - 4 - 4 = 11

...oh yeah, may regret that life decision. ;)

Note: Gilly maybe provoked an attack of opportunity via movement from the thug I have put a purple square on-- she was running under the table. If you rule the table grants cover, then no AoO. If otherwise, he gets his swing on her.

Just a couple things. First of all, Gilly, don't forget my challenge bonus, so you actually get +1 to hit Biggs. However, he's prone, so he gets another +4 to his AC vs ranged. You're probably better off just targeting the square to the right of Biggs so you only need to hit AC 5 to splash Biggs and his 3 men, but it looks like you rolled splash to that square anyway, so it's moot (and Ambrose and Rowena say thank'ee).

Ben--I'm currently challenging Biggs, so both me and Rowena get a -2 to AC vs anyone other than him. It doesn't look like it mattered for your first round of attacks, but FYI.

I really hope the dude by Ambrose is dead after Rowena's AoO and being set on fire. I also hope the bar doesn't immediately go up in a conflagration. I like Shivers. ;-)