DM Bigrin's Shattered Star (Group B) (Inactive)

Game Master bigrin42

Yeah sorry wasn't sure whether bluff had been successful.

"As my friend has said,no reward is necessary. And now that we have hopefully brought you a measure of closure, we must be going, our quest awaits"
With a flamboyant bow, Jakscar prepares to leave.

"Lady, my friends all have the right idea; you don't need to give us anything, but if you know anything about Jasper Kandamerous--where he might be? How to get him talking straight? That would be helpful. If not, we'll be off to try on our own."

No worries. Sometimes it is hard to distinguish between "waiting on the results of a check" and "not posting", without some kind of communication.

"Thank you again." The woman smiled again and tucked the brooch away into her clothing. She turned back towards her washing, humming a little tune.

-----------------

Quickly making your way from Washer's Row before Elizabeth can ask any more questions about her father's status, you made your way through Beacon's Point. If Venture Captain Heidmarch's information was correct, the man you are looking for should be around here somewhere. It was late afternoon before you found him in a forgotten corner of Rag's End. Well, heard him, actually. A loud voice extolled from around the corner ahead.

"Woe! Woe unto thee, O Magnimar, for oblivion approaches and thy lamentations shall drown out the sounds of the sea! The Great Whore straddles a two-headed beast and rides this way, sowing the contaminated seeds of her blasphemies as she draws nearer. Weep! Weep, O Generation of the Damned, for none shall escape the pitiless scythe of oblivion. Heed my warning and turn to Groetus! Grasp this mortal hand I offer and we shall march into the void together!"

You hurry around the corner to see the epitome of a wild street preacher. Jasper Kandamerus is a wild-eyed man with a mix of leather and cloth scraps as his clothing. His white-blonde hair and beard frame a face that held an oft-broken nose and eyes that looked as if they had seen the worst mankind had to offer. Devilkind, demonkind, and strange space alien kind too, for that matter. Attached to his belt is a heavy flail with two skull-shaped heads.

As you came around the corner, Jasper looked straight at you and pointed a trembling hand. "Behold! The Blessed Ushers of the End Times! The Holy Escorts of Oblivion! Soldiers of the Void, champions of mighty Groetus himself!"

At the same time, a group of three thugs, dressed in dark cloaks and leather armor, appeared out of a doorway and, taking advantage of Jasper's distraction, pulled out long clubs and advanced.

"Oi! Be quiet you old fool!"

You filthy beggar, scaring the custom away from honest merchants with your foolish twaddle!"

"We'll learn you!"

Seeing their possible guide at risk, Jakscar runs forward to put himself between the rather odd preacher and the ruffians. As he runs his blades appear in his hand in a flash of steel.

Double move to F8

"Stand down. This man,odd though he may be, is under my protection. For now at least."

As she sees the old man at risk, Shabbezz ponders at what she can do...until she notices the arrangement of the thugs between the buildings.

"Ah! I've got just the spell for this--!"

Move action to M-10.

Casting web at the thugs (CL5; Casting time: 1 standard action; Components: V,S,M [spider web]; Range: 150 ft.; Effect: webs in a 20-ft.-radius spread; Duration: 50 min.; Saving Throw: Reflex negates, see text; Spell Resistance: no). The area covered will be a 20-foot radius spread originating at the intersection of C-9, C-10, D-9, and D-10; see Magic section of the prd for image. This means that it will be anchored between the buildings and effect the squares A-7, A-8, A-9, A-10, B-7, B-8, B-9, B-10, C-7, C-8, C-9, C-10, D-5, D-6, D-7, D-8, D-9, D-10, E-6, E-7, E-8, E-9, E-10, F-6, F-7, F-8, F-9, F-10, G-9, and G-10. The only people caught in the effect will be the thug at F-7 and the thug at E-9, who will need to make a DC 16 Reflex save or become grappled, but can break free by making a combat maneuver check or Escape Artist check as a standard action against DC 16; if they succeed, they are inside the web but otherwise unaffected. The thug at E-5 and Jasper will not be affected, although anyone moving into the effected area will treat it as difficult terrain and must make a combat maneuver check or an Escape Artist check as part of their move action with a DC 16 check. Creatures that fail lose their movement and become grappled in the first square of webbing that they enter. If you have at least 5 feet of web between you and an opponent, it provides cover. If you have at least 20 feet of web between you, it provides total cover. The strands of a web spell are flammable. A flaming weapon can slash them away as easily as a hand brushes away cobwebs. Any fire can set the webs alight and burn away one 5-foot square in 1 round. All creatures within flaming webs take 2d4 points of fire damage from the flames.

(tl;dr: The thug at F-7 and the thug at E-9 will need to make a DC 16 Reflex save or become grappled; the thug at E-5 and Jasper will not be affected. Don't go into the listed squares without succeeding at a DC 16 combat maneuver check or a DC 16 Escape Artist or become grappled; anyone grappled can break free by making a combat maneuver check or Escape Artist check as a standard action against DC 16. The thugs inside are either grappled or need to sneak out, but have total cover. Fire destroys webs but hurts those trapped inside. See the descriptive text for the web spell at the prd for details.)

Angelica moves quickly to try and get to a position where she can circle round if needed. All the same, she wants to cut off the third guy from doing the same. She hurries around the west end of the wagon, drawing her rapier as she does so, ready in case the idiots really want to make things turn south. "Oh, the old man's right. We are the Escorts of Oblivion, so you might want to turn around, and we'll see this man from the place."

Double-move to F4, drawing rapier while moving.

Harbug sneers and walks forward toward what he clearly believes are a bunch of cowardly weaklings, pulling a heavy metal rod from his belt as he does so. He chants quickly in orcish, casting a spell. Just as he finishes, Fang runs from his shoulders and swishes her tail in the orc's face, making him sneeze.

The black cat runs down the orc's extended arm, tapping his hand as she does so, then jumps down and suddenly grows in size while pawing toward the closest of the three men brandishing weapons. Somehow anyone looking can tell that this newly-enlarged cat feels the same way about these men as its now-quite-surprised-looking orcish "mount."

I want to ask about this now since it's on my mind--drawing the Lesser metamagic rod of Extend Spell: is it a "weapon-like object" in your campaign--I've had GMs go both ways on this--and thus, can it be drawn as part of a move action, or is it an action to retrieve an item (and thus a separate move action)?

Assuming it is part of a move: Harbug moves to K-9 (heh, ironic) and casts Extended Mage Armor (10 hours) on his cat, Fang.

Assuming it is not part of a move: Harbug moves to K-9 and draws the Rod of Extend.

Either way, Fang uses Battle Form (Su) as a standard action, and moves to G-7.

The only way I can see to interpret rods is similar to wands. If your weapon or weapon-like object is stored in a pack or otherwise out of easy reach, treat this action as retrieving a stored item. Otherwwise, treat it as drawing a weapon. Let me know where your Rod is stored (no, not that rod) and act accordingly.

It's on my belt, like a wand--At least until I've used it twice a day (and Shabbezz has gotten to use it once).

Yeah, I'm acting under the assumption that Shabbezz hasn't used it yet. Since we're in combat I won't have her bother to ask for her turn until after this is settled.

Waiting on them.

Any chance of defusing the situation without blows ended with the sticky strands of webbing that cascaded between the buildings, tangling up one of the black-clad youths, and merely angering the other. Angelica and Jakscar both moved in close, while Harbug moved forward and cast a spell on his familiar.

One of the figures said, "Bugger off, kitty cat, and we'll leave you alone. Stay, and you get the same as the old idiot here." The loudmouth moved through the web easily, and got in position behind Jasper. Unfortunately for the thugs, the web greatly hindered their attacks, and neither managed to hit the cringing man. The third thug showed a huge lapse in judgement as he swung at Angelica with his own truncheon. The burglar easily parried with a contemptuous flick of her rapier.

Thanks, I have had enough of webs after our shrieyk (or whatever it is called) fight!

Intimidate: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

"You sir do not know who you are messing with,prepare to be sliced and diced! Or you could just walk away and then I won't need to hunt you down and cut your heart out with a spoon!"

Jakscar wields his blades in a flashing framework of steel around him, dazzling the thugs with his skill.

I think all the thugs are within 30' so all affected, if that score beats their (10+hit dice+wis mod) then they are shaken for 1 round, for every 5 I beat their score within they are shaken for an additional round. Also black cat ability is back in play.

Shabbezz evaluated her handiwork with the web spell as she planned her next move.

"Well, this proves that there are still some kinks to work out, if nothing else. So it goes..."

Move action to draw the wand of mage armor.
Activating the wand of mage armor (CL1, 4 charges remaining) as a standard action; +4 bonus to AC for 1 hour.

I put a link to an icon for Fang's battle form on my character sheet & the discussion thread, I'm reposting it here for easy GM access. Fang Battle Form Icon Also, fang was moving to G-7 in his battle form, but Jackscar got there first. If DM Bigrin is fine with it, then he can be in G-8 instead? If not, I suppose he's right in front of Harbug as two medium creatures really cannot occupy the same space.

The large cat, having stopped and preened itself as though it had not been making a truly menacing look at the man Jakscar was now threatening, turned to the new target to the right and pounced.

5-foot step to H-8? (or if you don't want him to have taken a move action last turn, then from J-9 in front of Harbug to I-8?), full attack
Claw 1: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9; Dmg if hit: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Claw 2: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24; Dmg if hit: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Bite: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19; Dmg if hit: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Claw 2 Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18; Crit Dmg if hit: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Harbug, meanwhile, speaks an orcish word and steps to the side.
Standard Action to Activate a pearl of power to get back Mage Armor, 5-foot step to K-10

Zaph runs up to J-11 and commands the nearest thug to drop his weapon. Will DC 14

Angelica shakes her head, "Well, that was rather idiotic of you, now we're gonna have to fight back... hard." Despite her words, she realizes these guys may very well just be trying to protect their businesses from a raving madman chasing off customers. She decides to try and go easier on them because of it. She drives the point of her rapier past the man so she can instead punch with the hand guard, meanwhile she grabs hard at his other arm, nails digging into flesh, but not tearing it.

Full-attack (non-lethal)
Rapier1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 7 - 4 = 21, crit confirm 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 7 - 4 = 6, damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Left claw, (-5 with weapon) 1d20 + 8 - 5 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 8 - 5 - 4 = 18, damage 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 (1/2 Str as off-hand attack)

The thug in front of Angelica quailed as the woman slammed his head with the basket hilt of her rapier. He tried to strike back, but he was reeling from the blows.

The other two continued to flail at Jasper, but Jakscar's intimidating prowess had them all reeling. Even Harbug's familiar got into the action, nearly hamstringing one of the thugs.

Harbug casts another spell, then puts the metal rod in his hand back into his belt.

Mage armor on Harbug now. Shabbezz, if you want Harbug to hand you the rod in the future, just say so. I'd totally take a 5-foot step and move action to pass it to you if Harbug thought to do so. (Though since you've used the wand already I guess you don't need it this combat at least).

"Mr Kandamerus please step behind me and leave these concerned businessmen to us."
Focusing his attention on the thug in front of him, he lashes out with the hilts of his blades, but struggles with not using the pointy end.

Non-lethal d sword: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 9 - 4 = 9
Non-lethal s sword: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 7 - 4 = 5
dmg d sword: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
dmg s sword: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"I really don't want to hurt you, but i will if you don't back off or yield."

Move action to sheathe the wand of mage armor.

Seeing that her companions seemed intent on ending this conflict with minimal damage to their opponents, the wizard was miffed; her main nonlethal spell had already been deployed, and she certainly didn't think she could talk these ruffians into backing down.

"...Well, whatever," she sighed, and reached into her backpack for something useful to the situation at hand.

Withdrawing a tanglefoot bag from the handy haversack as a move action (does not provoke the attacks of opportunity that retrieving a stored item usually does).

Zaphomil casts a spell and then runs up with the magical effect charged in his hand. He moves up behind Jakscar while giving the one thug a wide berth, then touches the manic street preacher. Move to H-7

"I'll have you know, I'm a servant of Desna, not Groetus. But I'm willing to let that slide, since no one deserves being beaten down in the streets -- unless they started it first. So stay down, and let this magic work, it'll make them think twice before trying to hurt you," he tells the man.

Casting sanctuary on the fellow. Anyone trying to attack him needs to make a Will DC 14 or lose their action.

Angelica continues her careful assault against the man behind the wagon. Given her previous success, she maintains her attempts at doing so somewhat peacefully. She punches with the hilt, with an additional finger punch to the chest, nails forward. "We tried to warn you fools, but you seem determined to fall by our hand." She seems to actually be enjoying the fight.

Full attack (Non-lethal)
Rapier 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 7 - 4 = 17, damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
1d20 + 8 - 5 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 8 - 5 - 4 = 19, crit confirm 1d20 + 8 - 5 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 8 - 5 - 4 = 14??, damage 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 plus (in case of crit) 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Zaphomil scurried forward and cast a protection spell on Jasper. The cowering man didn't seem to acknowledge the gnome's words, remaining hunched on the ground with his arms over his head.

Angelica neatly clubbed the man she was fighting behind the ear, sending him sprawling to the ground, unconscious. Jakscar's efforts at intimidation and persuasion were a little less effective this time around, especially as he failed to hit his opponent. The man sneered at him and shouted "You'll get yours, cat!" With a great effort of will, he broke through Zaph's spell and swung at the old man, but missed. The other thug stared limply at Jasper for a moment, then cried, "The gnome did something. I can't hurt the old man. Kill the gnome!"

" Oh really, you want to threaten me as well now! Fine.."

Inspired by the thug's insolent attitude, Jakscar attacks with a flurry of blows from his main blade and as the thug desperately parries all bar the weakest blow, Jakscar is able to jab the hilt of his short sword hard dinto the thug's belly.

Non-lethal D sword: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 9 - 4 = 23
Non-lethal S sword: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 7 - 4 = 21

Dmg D sword: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Dmg S sword: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

"I did warn you"

About time you stopped - wait for it - pussy-footing around

Zaphomil looks shocked and affronted. "Kill the gnome!?! My boy, don't you realize that we gnomes won't travel the streets without a company of armed guards at our beck and call?" With that, he turns and whistles. Then the sound of armored troops can be heard from around the corner, marching and getting closer.

Spell-like ability ghost sound, DC 14

Bluff: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Excited to see her opponent drop, Angelica looks pensively at her options. It's going to be a lot quicker to hop in and offer back up to Whiskers. She offers a quick nod, before dashing into the webbing Shabbezz produced. As she dances between strand, avoiding the thug all the same, she pulls out her sap. "If I'm gonna waste time knocking out you ignorant fools, I might as well use the best tool for the job." With that she brings down the heavy bag just how she'd been taught in taking down guards non-violently. "Oops, I think he's really gonna feel that one in the morning." She jokes as she hits a little harder than expected.

Move, to E7 (drawing Sap while moving)
Acrobatics to avoid AoO from E6 to E7 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20
Escape Artist to move through web unhindered 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
Standard, Attack F7 with flank 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 2 = 18, damage 1d6 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (5) + 1 + (1, 6) = 13 Non-lethal

While Zaphomil uses his magic to in an attempt to fool the attacking thug, Shabbezz darts forward from around Harbug and lobs the tanglefoot bag she had been carrying at the miscreant.

Move to J-9.

Throwing the tanglefoot bag as a standard action at the thug at H-9 (10 feet, ranged touch attack. An entangled creature takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity and must make a DC 15 Reflex save or be glued to the floor, unable to move. Even on a successful save, it can move only at half speed; see link for details.

Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

Finally ready for melee combat, Harbug charges at the thug nearest him and swings his newly-drawn falchion. "I'll do the killing around here!" he growls viciously as he slashes the man's body.

Charge to I-9, attacking with +1 Falchion.
+1 Falchion, Charge: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 7 + 2 = 29; Dmg if hit: 2d4 + 7 ⇒ (3, 1) + 7 = 11
+1 Falchion, Charge, crit confirm: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 2 = 20; Dmg if hit: 2d4 + 7 ⇒ (1, 2) + 7 = 10

He guts the man, letting blood spray all over himself and the street.

Fang, meanwhile, dodges to the side to avoid the mess Harbug makes; though he does purr approvingly at the merciless kill.
Fang 5' step to I-7.

Soooo about that "not trying to kill them" thing... whoops critted. I'll healing hex him after if he's not past negative con! I promise!

As Zaphomil's spell took effect, the thug in front of Jakscar panicked. "They've got more coming! And Robben's down. Let's get out of here."

His remaining companion snarled back "It's just a spell. That damn gnome's got you spooked." But, despite the bravado in his voice, it was easy to tell that he was having second thoughts. Second thoughts turned into no thoughts at all as Shabbezz's tanglefoot bag glued him in place just in time for Harbug to charge.

Completely ignoring the fact that everyone else had been trying their best not to permanently damage the youths, Harbug slashed his foe from groin to sternum. The boy, he could hardly have been over 15, fell to the ground, his eyes staring sightlessly at the sky in death.

The last one tried to flee. Panicked, he got tangled up in the webbing and was unable to make any headway as Jakscar and Angelica both laid into him. He fell to the ground, blood trickling from a wound behind his ear, its indentation matching the hilt of Jakscar's sword.

Combat over!

The reactions of the crowd around you seem mixed. There were a few shouts of approval, and just as many sour looks. The densely packed onlookers slowly broke up, and you found yourself in the middle of a nearly vacated intersection, save for yourselves, the crazed old man, the black-clad thugs, and the remains of a dense sticky web spell.

With a disgusted wave of his hand, the rising sounds of armored men fade away. Zaph shakes his head, frustrated at the senseless violence. He turns to the old man and offers his hand to help him up. "No need to thank us, sir. Let's get you inside for a bit, shall we?"

Shabbezz regards the remains of the late young thug with a mix of remorse and disgust. It was her tanglefoot bag that had held him in place for Harbug's killing blow after all. Maybe if he had been able to run away...

Of course, he'd also just called for Zaphomil's death, so it's not like he was a saint...

"Damned foolishness, the lot of it," she muttered with a frown, and turned back to the business at hand. Some things were better left for priests and philosophers.

Looking up from the unconscious form of the thug he had downed, Jakscar exclaims in disgust at Harbug's barbaric action.
"What did you do! they were nothing more than disgruntled shopkeepers, they were never any real threat. This will come back to haunt us I am sure, for you have dishonoured yourself and those who stand with you today."

Grabbing the preacher and roughly dragging him to his feet, Jakscar prepares to move somewhere away from the faces staring out from behind shutters.
"You had better be worth it"

Reminds me of an old RL game, we ended up slaying 2 low level guards whilst breaking into a mansion searching for evidence. We broke the paladin that day!

"He was saying to kill Zaphomil! Was I supposed to just let them kill Zaph? Or this old man? Disgruntled or otherwise, he got what was coming to him." Harbug kneels over the man's corpse and looks it over momentarily. His cat, meanwhile, has returned to normal size for a housecat and climbed up to her regular perch on the orc's shoulders.
Healing hex: 2d8 + 5 ⇒ (4, 2) + 5 = 11
I'm guessing he's well past dead, but just in case...
Also might as well...
Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

THe old man continued to cower, though the threat was ended. When Zaphomil held out a hand to him, the old man stared at it as if it were a pit viper. “Embrace annihilation in thy heart, intrepid few! It wipes clean Golarion’s canvas for Divinity’s next design!”

As Jakscar and Harbug spat back and forth at each other, Harbug rolled the dead kid over. He was right in his speculation. The black-clad figure had to be in his mid-teens. Old enough to have grown into his frame, but not quite having lost the rounded features of youth. The boy's mouth was smeared with a black substance, that looked like foamy tar and smelled strongly of pesh.

As he was examining the lad, a woman with wrinkled pale skin tentatively approached, dressed similarly to the wash women you had seen earlier. "Ain't reason none this lot had fer attackin' th' old man, milords and miladies. Bad trouble they be, an' more'n a few been hurt by them hereabouts. Still an' all, a merchant's son tha' one be. An' yer not like t' be hearin' loud thanks fer killin' 'im, though thanks be deserved. Blass Kiss Boys they named theyselves, after th' vile drug they been chewin'. MKaybe not deserved a killin' but deserve's got nothin' to do with it, neh?"

"If they're going around chewing pesh and beating people with cudgels and clubs, they're going to get some karma; this one just had the bad luck to meet karma that carried a bladed weapon. You seem to know the area--anything calm this old man down? Maybe a stiff drink?"
Harbug is happy to assist others with diplomacy, but knows better than to try it himself; he's too gruff.

"Never seen 'im when 'e weren't ravin' like a loon. If'n ye be wantin' t' talk wit' 'im, best ye be gettin' 'im offa they street, an int' someplace quiet, neh?"

"Someplace quiet? Maybe we can take him back to the lodge," she says, looking around meaningfully, "Or a temple, or a tavern. Someplace far from here, at least."

Kn. Local, MAX 10: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
"We could always take him outside of town. Maybe some time away from the hustle and bustle would do him some good?"

Know (local): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

"Harbug he may have been saying he was going to kill Zaph, but there was never really any chance of that. In hindsight you may have been right to kill him, but it is a fickle mistress to rely on. I apologise, perhaps my words were a little in haste, but i would just ask that perhaps you consider the level of force required. I know a tavern near here where we won't be overheard for a coin or two"

How exactly Jakscar knew of the Beacon's Demise was a mystery, along with the meat the proprietor had int eh stew, and why the glasses hadn't walked out on their own. Still, the man was happy to show you all to a private meeting room in the back for a modest fee.

Jasper didn't put up much of a fuss as you hustled him away from the scene of the assault and into an alehouse, though his cryptic pronunciations continued loud as ever.

Zaph shakes his head as his efforts to comfort the crazy man are rebuked. He turns and listens to the debate about the use of force, but doesn't really feel inclined to join in. It was nice that the group felt the need to jump to his defense, but he similarly didn't believe that lethal force had been necessary.

"I agree. Let's get him away from here. Sir, why don't we continue this lovely discussion about Groetus someplace quieter?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Angelica too stays out of the minor debate. She's been paired up with worse on jobs. At least Buggy did it out of concern for his allies, instead of wicked delight at hurting others. Getting the old loon off the street wasn't the hard part, what they needed to do was get him to talk. She turns to old man with a glint in her eye. Not the kind she uses to smooth talk the men with other intentions, the one she gets from delight in a daring theft or fight. "Look Sugar, you called us the 'Escorts of Oblivion', and I'm thinking you got us tied all up with whatever Groetus has planned. Well, maybe we are involved somehow, and the sooner we can get some info from you, the sooner we become agents of your god's puppet strings."

Diplomacy 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

At Angelica's words, the man seemed to calm down slightly, his wild eyes focusing almost desperately on hers. "Thank you. Thank you all for rescuing me from those hooligans. I owe you my life, or at least my injuries, should they have stopped before completely killing me. I do not think it was chance meeting that had you there at my time of need. And since you come searching for information, I suggest you ask your questions now while I am still...lucid." The last word was said with a sort of wistful longing.

"Tell us what you know about The Lady's Light--and I mean the big statue, not Angelica's eyes." the orc chuckles a bit, then stops so he can listen to the man's reply.

"Yes, we would greatly appreciate hearing whatever you can tell us about it," she adds with genuine interest.

Zaph smiles at Harbug's jape, thoroughly nonplussed that Angelica's words worked where his fell short.

Angelica stares straight back at the man, after a quick smirk and wink at Harbug for his compliment. "Not just the statue itself. We also need to know how we can get there as quickly and safely as possible."

The older man looked at Angelica the entire time he spoke. "Been there a bit, yeah. I'm probably the leading expert on the Mushfen's and the Lady's Light outside the marshes themselves. I was there for most of a year, searching for...well, myself you might say. It doesn't matter now. The Doomsday Door was probably never there. Likely in Bakhrakhan anyway, and underwater now."

He stared morosely into Angelica's eyes for a bit before continuing. "If you're going to the Mushfens, then you could do worse than to seek out the witch Maroux. Not exactly the friendly sort, but treat her respectfully, maybe do a favor or two, and she can be a real help. She's been there longer than anyone else I know of, even including the boggards and troglodytes. Tell her I sent you for advice and she'll at least hear you out before changing you into toads or whatever."

"Also, the trogs and frogs - sorry, the troglodytes and boggards - have been feuding in the area down around the Lady's Light for years. You might be able to use that to your advantage, maybe."