"C'mon Mavor," Baer says, going to the Twin Tigers, trying to think of a convincing lie way to get the information she seeks. Failing to think of anything good, Baer goes with the only approach she knows: brute force.
Diplomacy
'Hey you," Baer asks a bargesman on the Twin Tigers. "Is this where of Devargo is?"
The Twin Tigers is a gambling hall. Inside of each of the structures on the main deck, tables are packed with gamblers—dice clatter, cards are dealt, wheels spin, and coins aplenty dance and jangle to the fickle whim of fate. An enforcer can be seen patrolling here.
Baer's approached by two dark-skinned human brothers wrapped in red veils. They introduce themselves as Anpugit and Rajeek, owners of the Twin Tigers.
"You're on the wrong ship. You want to go to Eel's End, the biggest ship," Anpugit tells Baer. "I'll warn you though: the King of Spiders doesn't take visitors, unless expected."
Thick, pungent smoke assails the nose belowdecks, the open interior of which is partitioned with silken curtains and filled with large beds and couches. Glossy-eyed patrons loll about and mewl, their minds burning with shiver, pesh, qat, flayleaf, and other exotic drugs. A skinny 3-foot-tall man named wanders languidly about the smoky room, wheeling a large hookah to and fro on a cart and muttering “Get smoked!” at anyone who enters the establishment.
When the man sees Denario, Uriah and Allyph enter he approaches them with the message, and adds some more. "Get smoked! Five gold entrance fee!"
Allyph gives Baer a weird look. "You want me to enter the...?"
"Well okay, but I can't promise I won't smack someone in the face if he walks up to me and gets freaky."
"What?" she asks the short man when he approaches her, Denario and Uriah. "No, you've mistaken the nature of our visi...! *cough cough*"
Oh gosh... my lungs...
Denario looks at Wanders before replying.
He puts on a hinting smile at Wanders.
"You look just like how they described you did. Words can get exchanged quickly when not playing a hand, get my drift?"
"No actually, we're looking for someone, someone who might be visiting your establishment on occasion."
Baer thanks the man for the info, turning away and taking Mavor with her.
"Seems simple enough. Let's go wait by the Eel for the rest. If they show up there, then our separate information collectings are correct."
Baer goes to a place where she can observe the Eel's End without being observed and wait for Uriah, Denario, Allyph to show up or catch up.
That was a lucky escape.
"He doesn't expect us, but we've got a business proposal for him that he would be glad to hear. We were wondering if he was inside one of the other ships instead of his own ship. We are also trying to find a contact of ours, Amprei I think he is called here, an important person from Cheliax. We were told we might find him here as well, so we're looking for him before we head over to Barvasi himself."
"And who may that be?" the man asks Denario.
The man frowns at Allyph. "What's wrong with you? Smells fine in here..."
Baer waits outside, but no one of the other group shows up yet. Mavor seems to have stayed inside the Twin Tigers while she moved out, to ask some more questions.
Rajeek looks at his brother, who shakes his head. "Don't know him either."
Denario chuckled.
"The miss here isn't used to "exotic substances"
Mavor walks outside and meets up with Baer.
"Well that went more smoothly than I had anticipated. So do we still head out to the Golden hawk or wait for the rest to come back?"
Baer goes to a place where she can observe the Eel's End without being observed and wait for Uriah, Denario, Allyph to show up or catch up.
Baer does not answer Mavor; she keeps her attention on the Eel.
The smoke has a bad effect on Allyph and Uriah, who both start feeling dizzy.
The short man turns out to be the impatient type, and pushes you out of the ship. "If you're not going to buy anything, be gone! Devargo's in the other ship, like I told you!"
Allyph, Denario and Uriah exit the Dragon's Breath Corridor. Denario looks fine, but the other two less so.
Allyph coughs loudly as she exits the boat, and stumbles a few steps into the direction of Eel's End.
"My...! *cough* Lungs...! *cough cough*"
Baer waits with Mavor near the Eel's End for Denario, Allyph, and Uriah.
"Ok, thanks for the info. Have a good day."
Denario turns and heads for the exit with the other two.
To Allyph and Uriah:
"Some of the other players at last tournament smelled from that smoke. Man were they off the world."
Outside he'll join with Mavor an Baer.
It takes Allyph some time to get a hold of herself. When she's finally accomplished this she takes a look around, and walk up to the waiting Baer and Mavor with the others.
"We were told to go into Eel's End if we wanted to find Devargo. I suppose you heard the same, seeing as you're both waiting here?"
The largest of the five ships tied off to the pier is a warship bearing the name Eel’s End, its figurehead a coiling eel with a woman’s head. Several drunkards, sailors, and revelers dance and drink on the large open main deck here, while the aft deck is relatively clear. A pair of large double doors bearing a complex painting of a spider allows entrance into the stern section of the main deck.
There's one enforcer patrolling near the double doors. While waiting outside Eel's End you spot a large number of other enforcers spread over the ships.
If you approach, the enforcer near the door will stop you saying "Unless you're expected, the King of Spiders has no interest in visitors."
"But we are expected." Mavor begins, "We're here to discuss a good deal and the actual terms of it. Devargo and we already had contact via one of his informers. He'll be expecting us, only we hadn't arranged the time yet."
Baer stands snorting, her anger rising at the enforcer that would deny her entry.
She manages to keep quiet for now, but she feels it would be a good idea for the 'enforcer' not to enforce.
Uriah grabs his Antique Harrow deck and draws a card at random the card he draws shows a huge man carrying a dragon on his back. The Mountain Man; important. Signifies an unstoppable physical force that you must accede to in order to survive... he replaces the card but his eyes do not leave the Enforcers.
One of those bouncer types, sure you do your job, negative side is you'd have to break down half the place for the guy to show up and point him on his err.
If the guy doesn't buy the bluff, Denario will cast Daze (DC13) on the guy.
Mavor's words are very convincing, but the enforcer is slightly hesitant and decides to not let the party enter.
When Uriah shows the enforcer the Harrow card, the enforcer seems to become less hesitant. "Indeed, I'm an unstoppable physical force. You must accede to me in order to survive!"
Denario then casts daze on the enforcer, but the spell's resisted. "Eel's End is under attack! They're armed!" the enforcer yells as loud as he can, notifying the eleven other enforcers.
There's a lot of movement from various enforcers, who come hurrying over with loaded crossbows. Two of them releases bolts at Denario, and two of them release bolts at Uriah.
Due to some miracle Denario dodges both bolts. Uriah's less lucky, and is hit twice. The bolts don't stick in him though: it turns out they're blunt.
The enforcer behind Allyph drops his crossbow and draws his longsword, which he swings at Allyph.
Allyph's hit against the back of her head by the flat of the longsword's blade.
Turn progression - round 1:
Enforcer (Blue)
Enforcer (Yellow)
Enforcer (Pink)
Enforcer (Purple)
Enforcer (White)
Mavor
Enforcer (Gray)
Enforcer (Red)
Denario
Enforcer (Light Green)
Enforcer (Cyan)
Enforcer (Orange)
Uriah: 11 Nonlethal damage (3 Wis damage from earlier)
Allyph: 6 Nonlethal damage (4 Wis damage from earlier)
Enforcer (Black)
Enforcer (Dark Green)
Baer
Free action, speak.
"Yeah hold on, i was playing a prank, i'll leave voluntarily. These others were unaware so cut them slack."
If they don't buy it Mavor will unsheath his greataxe and start swinging it if Denario's words have no effect.
Stepping towards green and swing.
"Hold the bridges, if they mean to harm us it's a good defensive position."
"How do you mean it's just a prank?! And if you were the only one, why would we let you leave?" the enforcer Denario tried to daze replies to him.
"I wanted to see how well you'd be paying attention, being an enforcer and all. A few trick words you know. I've seen guards around the city, some do good work, some don't."
The enforcer looks like he's about to explode. "And who are you to test me?!"
Mavor realizes Deanrio's words have no effect, unsheathes his greataxe, and cuts one of the enforcers down.
One of the enforcers approaches, and takes a shot at Allyph. In his haste he doesn't aim well, and the bolt goes wide.
The enforcer that looks like he's about to explode draws his sword, and tries to hit Baer. In his anger his attack goes wide. He then takes a 5-foot step, taking a bit of distance from Baer.
Turn progression - round 1:
Enforcer (Blue)
Enforcer (Yellow)
Enforcer (Pink)
Enforcer (Purple)
Enforcer (White)
Mavor
Enforcer (Gray)
Enforcer (Red)
Denario
Enforcer (Cyan)
Enforcer (Orange)
Uriah: 11 Nonlethal damage (3 Wis damage from earlier)
Allyph: 6 Nonlethal damage (4 Wis damage from earlier)
Enforcer (Black)
Enforcer (Dark Green)
Baer
"I'm an inspector of wares. Aren't guards a ware to employers?"
Denario moves to the square above Uriah and casts Color Spray, the cone should hit the enforcers north.
DC14 will, blinded & stunned for rounds, then stunned 1 more round.
Baer tightens her hands around her staff as things go sideways. Her tusks pinch into a small smile...her anger will now have an outlet.
This is why brute force is better, less danger of being surrounded.
Know (Local) - ID the enforcers
Denario moves north of Uriah, and cast color spray. The 15-foot cone of colors washes over two of the enforcers, but they both think nothing of it.
Baer doesn't recognize any of the enforcers when she tries to ID them.
"That green one took Brimley down!" the orange enforcer yells. He moves slightly, trips, and releases a bolt at the clouds.
"No! Brimley!" the cyan enforcer yells in reply, and moves over to Mavor with a drawn longsword. The enforcer swings the sword at Mavor, and hits him with the flat of his blade while screaming dramatically. "Leave Brimley alone!"
Turn progression - round 1:
Enforcer (Blue)
Enforcer (Yellow)
Enforcer (Pink)
Enforcer (Purple)
Enforcer (White)
Mavor, 6 Nonlethal damage
Enforcer (Gray)
Enforcer (Red)
Denario
Enforcer (Cyan)
Enforcer (Orange)
Uriah, 11 Nonlethal damage (3 Wis damage from earlier)
Allyph, 6 Nonlethal damage (4 Wis damage from earlier)
Enforcer (Black)
Enforcer (Dark Green)
Baer
Allyph takes a 5-foot step away from the enforcer that attacked her, retrieves her potion of mage armor from her backpack, and drinks it.
Cast sleep? No, I'll be interrupted before I can finish... Agh, I need to learn to maintain vanish longer!
Uriah doesn't really like his chances, but he doesn't have much of a choice right now. He casts Cause Fear at the nearest guard. Leap into the water He tells them.
The White enforcer freezes momentarily when Uriah's spell hits him, then looks around for a way to flee from Uriah.
Allyph drinks her potion of mage armor, hoping she can avoid another hit.
The black enforcer steps over to Denario, dropping his crossbow and drawing his longsword. He swings his sword at Denario, and hits his target with the flat of his sword. Though Denario doesn't take a lot of damage from it.
The dark green enforcer approaches, and shoots a bolt into the sky. It's unclear who or what he was aiming for.
Turn progression - round 1:
Enforcer (Blue)
Enforcer (Yellow)
Enforcer (Pink)
Enforcer (Purple)
Enforcer (White), Frightened
Mavor, 6 Nonlethal damage
Enforcer (Gray)
Enforcer (Red)
Denario, 2 Nonlethal damage
Enforcer (Cyan)
Enforcer (Orange)
Uriah, 11 Nonlethal damage (3 Wis damage from earlier)
Allyph, 6 Nonlethal damage (4 Wis damage from earlier)
Enforcer (Black)
Enforcer (Dark Green)
Baer
Round 1, Init 2
Baer spins her quarterstaff, finally shaking her malaise and indecision, and finally allowing her anger to flow.
Her staff twirls and spins, going hand over hand as she adds her limited magical training to imbue her staff.
She speeds up her staff, going to one hand, continuing to cast and chant with the other...and moves 5' to attack the red guard.
to hit;
damage.
Baer both attacks and casts shield on herself. Her attack hits the red enforcer.
The blue and purple enforcers both release a bolt at Allyph, but both bolts are deflected by her invisible armor. They reload their crossbows.
The yellow enforcer shoots a bolt at Baer, but Baer steps aside and the bolt misses. He reloads his crossbow.
The pink enforcer takes a 5-foot step so he can continue to swing his longsword at Allyph, but first takes his heavy steel shield from his back and into his off hand. When he swings his longsword, Allyph dodges the attack.
The white enforcer, who's frightened by Uriah's spell, takes a double move to get as far away from Uriah as possible. The only way to do this without getting close to Uriah is by moving over the Twin Tigers, and leaping back onto the main pier. The white enforcer barely avoids falling into the water when he jumps, and lands on the main pier.
Turn progression - round 2:
Enforcer (Blue)
Enforcer (Yellow)
Enforcer (Pink)
Enforcer (Purple)
Enforcer (White), Frightened
Mavor, 6 Nonlethal damage
Enforcer (Gray)
Enforcer (Red) -4HP
Denario, 2 Nonlethal damage
Enforcer (Cyan)
Enforcer (Orange)
Uriah, 11 Nonlethal damage (3 Wis damage from earlier)
Allyph, 6 Nonlethal damage (4 Wis damage from earlier)
Enforcer (Black)
Enforcer (Dark Green)
Baer
Mavor slams into the cyan enforcer.
Mavor swings his greataxe at the next enforcer, and another one bites the dust.
The gray enforcer moves and sees two of his buddies at Mavor's feet. "Be careful with the green one!" he yells. "He's taken Brimley and John out!"
The gray enforcer then releases a bolt at Mavor, but misses. He quickly reloads his crossbow.
Not feeling save while facing Baer, the red enforcer takes his heavy steel shield in his off hand. He then swings his longsword at Baer, but swings wide.
Turn progression - round 2:
Enforcer (Blue)
Enforcer (Yellow)
Enforcer (Pink)
Enforcer (Purple)
Enforcer (White), Frightened 1 round passed
Mavor, 6 Nonlethal damage
Enforcer (Gray)
Enforcer (Red) -4HP
Denario, 2 Nonlethal damage
Enforcer (Orange)
Uriah, 11 Nonlethal damage (3 Wis damage from earlier)
Allyph, 6 Nonlethal damage (4 Wis damage from earlier)
Enforcer (Black)
Enforcer (Dark Green)
Baer
Denario draws his mace and swings at pink.
"Swinging weapons at ladies is unpolite."
The pink enforcer is hit by Denario's attack, and gives him a weird look. "Well excuuuse me, princess!"
His orange companion releases a bolt at Mavor, misses, and reloads his crossbow.
Turn progression - round 2:
Enforcer (Blue)
Enforcer (Yellow)
Enforcer (Pink), -6HP
Enforcer (Purple)
Enforcer (White), Frightened 1 round passed
Mavor, 6 Nonlethal damage
Enforcer (Gray)
Enforcer (Red) -4HP
Denario, 2 Nonlethal damage
Enforcer (Orange)
Uriah, 11 Nonlethal damage (3 Wis damage from earlier)
Allyph, 6 Nonlethal damage (4 Wis damage from earlier)
Enforcer (Black)
Enforcer (Dark Green)
Baer
Denario watches with narrowed eyes at the guy.
"Watch your mouth, porkbreath. You must lack braincells, i refer to the lady next to me."
Allyph casts vanish on herself, barely avoiding an attack from enforcer next to her. She disappears from sight, and moves south.
Uriah backs up and casts Command on one of the enforcers threatening Denario/ Fall to the ground he tells the man.
As Allyph vanishes from sight and repositions herself, Uriah backs up and casts Command on the pink enforcer.
"I will!" the pink enforcer replies to Uriah, ready to drop prone on his turn.
The black enforcer takes his shield in his off hand, then swings his longsword at Denario. The flat of the sword hits Denario hard.
The dark green enforcer shoots a blunt bolt at Uriah, and hits him against his head. While Uriah drops to the floor, the enforcer reloads his crossbow.
Turn progression - round 2:
Enforcer (Blue)
Enforcer (Yellow)
Enforcer (Pink), -6HP
Enforcer (Purple)
Enforcer (White), Frightened 1 round passed
Mavor, 6 Nonlethal damage
Enforcer (Gray)
Enforcer (Red) -4HP
Denario, 9 Nonlethal damage
Enforcer (Orange)
Uriah, 15 Nonlethal damage; -3 Wis; Unconscious
Allyph, 6 Nonlethal damage; -4 Wis
Enforcer (Black)
Enforcer (Dark Green)
Baer
Round 2, Last
Baer continues to spin and strike with her quarterstaff, now two-handed. She attacks Red, then looks at Uriah.
to hit;
damage.
"Get up, human! This is no time to go to sleep."
Nonlethal Damage with a Weapon that Deals Lethal Damage
You can use a melee weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage instead, but you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll.
Benefit: Blunt Arrows deal bludgeoning damage rather than piercing damage. An archer can use a blunt arrow to deal nonlethal damage (at the normal –4 attack penalty for using a lethal weapon to deal nonlethal damage).
Baer hits the red enforcer with her quarterstaff, and he goes down.
The yellow enforcer release a bolt at Baer, misses, and reloads.
The purple enforcer moves forward and shoots a bolt at Mavor. He misses, and reloads. This entire process is repeated by the blue enforcer.
Obeying the command of the now unconscious Uriah, the pink enforcer drops prone. He still swings his sword at Denario, but misses.
Meanwhile the white enforcer continues to flee.
Turn progression - round 3:
Enforcer (Blue)
Enforcer (Yellow)
Enforcer (Pink), -6HP; Prone
Enforcer (Purple)
Enforcer (White), Frightened 2 rounds passed
Mavor, 6 Nonlethal damage
Enforcer (Gray)
Denario, 9 Nonlethal damage
Enforcer (Orange)
Uriah, 15 Nonlethal damage; -3 Wis; Unconscious
Allyph, 6 Nonlethal damage; -4 Wis
Enforcer (Black)
Enforcer (Dark Green)
Baer
"Guys! take care of the ones on the ship I'll take out those archers."
Mavor steps up to the blue enforcer and swings his greataxe at him.
And a third enforcer goes down by Mavor's axe.
The gray enforcer moves so he has a better shot at Mavor, but still misses.
Turn progression - round 3:
Enforcer (Yellow)
Enforcer (Pink), -6HP; Prone
Enforcer (Purple)
Enforcer (White), Frightened: 2 rounds passed
Mavor, 6 Nonlethal damage
Enforcer (Gray)
Denario, 9 Nonlethal damage
Enforcer (Orange)
Uriah, 15 Nonlethal damage; -3 Wis; Unconscious
Allyph, 6 Nonlethal damage; -4 Wis
Enforcer (Black)
Enforcer (Dark Green)
Baer
Denario swings his mace at pink, fights defensively.
"Here, got something for ye."