DM-Camris' SECOND DARKNESS Part 1 and 2: Children of the Void (Inactive)

Game Master Camris

Perception 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Nakoda would rather have these impostor Shoanti dead, but even she would not kill helpless men without good cause. She turned her head upwards only moments after Maelorn did, and swore, vile, burning words rolling off of her tongue as her expression turned vicious, darting forward to scoop up one of the maces that the impostors had used before rushing after Maelorn.

ROUND 7
Bless in effect for all allies.

ZANE____________________________
Helps tying up the prisoners.
Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (7) + 0 = 7

NAKODA_________________________
Looking down on the “Shoanti”, Nakoda notices a disturbance in the kitchen and upstairs areas, swears something in Shoanti, darts forward to scoop up one of the maces that the impostors had used, then hits the Kitchen door just before Maelorn.

MAELORN__________________________
Maelorn shouts "More in the kitchen! and upstairs!", then rushes towards the Kitchen.

"SHOANTI"_________________________
In the Kitchen you can see some more “Shoanti” dragging some of the waitresses towards the back door, whooping and hollering in a Shoanti-like manner. The girls are fighting, though ineffectually. Some of the girls not being dragged have armed themselves with rolling pins and frying pans; they are trying to fight the invaders off.
Red-14 light mace attack vs Hans: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13 Miss.

BOUNCERS
Beyar tying up unconscious attackers.
Hans attacks Red-14 AC15: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 1 = 10 Miss.

BRON
Heavy flail attack vs Red-14 AC15: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 5 + 1 = 17 Hit! for 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 crush damage.

CLICK for the Map.

ROUND 8
Bless in effect for all allies.

ZANE
NAKODA
MAELORN
"SHOANTI"
BOUNCERS
BRON

"Creator ward me against these destroyers"

Maelorn moves to put himself in a position to prevent the attackers from escaping.

(Maelorn casts Shield of Faith on himself then moves to K7) - AC is currently 15

(AC:11)
Nakoda just growled at having more impostors to deal with and moved with Maelorn, intending to be opposite Maelorn on the other side of the attacking "shoanti", but could not make it that far before she was forced to stop, unless she wanted to give him a free swing at her.

Instead, she swung first.
Attack:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21, Damage1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

ROUND 8
Bless in effect for all allies.

[npc] ZANE_________________________
Alerted to the new threat, Zane runs after the others to the Kitchen.

NAKODA___________________________
Nakoda just growled at having more impostors to deal with and moved with Maelorn, intending to be opposite Maelorn on the other side of the attacking "shoanti", but could not make it that far before she was forced to stop, unless she wanted to give him a free swing at her.
Instead, she swung first and connected for 6 points of damage.

MAELORN__________________________
"Creator ward me against these destroyers"; Maelorn muttered a protective prayer as he moved to block the enemy from escaping.

"SHOANTI"_________________________
Red-14 light mace attack vs Hans AC15: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24 Hit! for 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 crush damage. Hans goes down.
Red-21 light mace attack vs Maelorn AC15: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14 Miss.
Red-22 light mace attack vs Maelorn AC15: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18 Hit! for 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 crush damage.
Red-23 light mace attack vs Nakoda: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 Miss.

BOUNCERS_________________________
Beyar continues tying up unconscious attackers.
Waitress vs Red-21 AC15: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19 Hit! for 1d4 ⇒ 3 crush damage.
Waitress vs Red-22 AC15: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (10) + 0 = 10 Miss.
Waitress vs Red-23 AC15: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (17) + 0 = 17 Hit! for 1d4 ⇒ 3 crush damage.

[npc] BRON_____________________________
Heavy flail attack vs Red-14 AC15: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 5 + 1 = 14 Miss.

CLICK for the Map.

ROUND 9
Bless in effect for all allies.

ZANE
NAKODA
MAELORN
"SHOANTI"
BOUNCERS
BRON

Maelorn strikes at one of the Shoanti (22) before stepping east (to L7 to give Nakoda a flanking opportunity)

Hammer: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11 - Dmg: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

"You are outnumbered now. It is time you considered surrender."

Past words, Nakoda kept attacking.

Attack:1d20 + 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 + 1 + 2 = 17, Damage:1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Stepping through the doorway Zane's hand comes up as he shouts an arcane word, shards of shimmering force shooting forthe to unerringly strike one of the attackers 23

Magic Missile2d4 + 2 ⇒ (4, 3) + 2 = 9

ROUND 9

Bless in effect for all allies.

ZANE________________________
Stepping through the doorway Zane's hand comes up as he shouts an arcane word, shards of shimmering force shooting forth past Nakoda to unerringly strike Red-23. Battered by Nakoda and the waitress’s rolling pin, he goes down.

NAKODA______________________
Past words, Nakoda moves up to Red-22 and strikes him for 5.

MAELORN______________________
Maelorn strikes at one of the Shoanti, but misses. He takes a step to put himself in a blocking position.
He shouts; "You are outnumbered now. It is time you considered surrender."

"SHOANTI"_____________________
Red-14 attacks Bron and hits him for 3.
Red-21 attacks Nakoda and hits her for 5.
Red-22, suddenly concerned about getting to the door, attacks Maelorn but misses.

BOUNCERS_____________________
Beyar continues to tie up prisoners.

BRON_________________________
Bron finally smashes Red-14 down, then moves toward the Kitchen.

CLICK for the Map.

ROUND 10
Bless in effect for all allies.

ZANE
NAKODA
MAELORN
"SHOANTI"
BOUNCERS
BRON

Maelorn steps north to block the door, and continues his attack (vs 22)

Hammer: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23 - Dmg: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Faced with the threat of being injured, Nakoda switches her attention from one false shoanti to the other, but the unprepared attack leaves her somewhat uncoordinated.

Attack: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 2 + 1 = 10

ROUND 10
Bless in effect for all allies.

[npc] ZANE_____________________
Zane hesitates, not willing to waste another precious spell, but then has an idea. Casting shocking grasp from his wand, he casts through his bonded cane.
Reaching out, he touches Red-21: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14 Hit! with a loud Kzzap! Red-21 takes 3d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 5) = 15 lightning damage and is blown into the wall next to Maelorn, quite dead.
Hm, interesting, it appears that he CAN cast touch attack spells through his bonded cane. Professor Lorrimor was wrong there, this bears further investigation...

NAKODA__________________
Faced with the threat of being injured, Nakoda switches her attention from one false shoanti to the other, but the unprepared attack leaves her somewhat uncoordinated and she misses.

MAELORN_________________
Maelorn steps north to block the door, and continues his attack against Red-22, hitting him for 5.

"SHOANTI"________________
Desperate to get out Red-22 light mace attack vs Maelorn AC15: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14 but Maelorn parries.

At this point the rest of the waitresses pile onto Red-22, frypans and rollingpins rising and falling, battering him thouroughly unconcious.

End of Combat

Saul comes down the stairs, blood spattering his clothing and what looks like hair matting that wierd key he has attached to the stump of his left arm.

"We've been invaded!" He looks at the kitchen tableau and pauses.
"Ah, you've noticed I see. Have they all been dealt with then?"

"I believe so. Excuse me..."

Maelorn will rush off to attend to any of the unconscious bouncers, and see if there are any who can not be healed.

Nakoda does the same, beginning to sing the healing songs, and looking for those that are the worst off that Maelorn may not be able to reach quickly. Now that the battle was over, and her anger fading with it, she wanted some answers. The "shoanti" were not, and she wanted to know who would send false shoanti to attack the casino, of all places..

This news would be carried to the enclave. Her people would hear.

Zane stared from cane to wand with a mixture of amazement and intrigue his mind racing with possibilities.

"So Saul, who would want you dead, yet be gutless enough to pretend to be Shoanti rather than act in the open?"

"So Saul, who would want you dead, yet be gutless enough to pretend to be Shoanti rather than act in the open?"

Saul smiles bitterly.

Maelorn just stares as Saul for a long while.

"What?"

"That's...It's not..."

His face hardens, "Find me one of these scum who is still alive. I have questions to ask."

Saul raises his hand.
"Maelorn! Stop. First of all, they will be interrogated. By Experienced Professionals. Second, if any of you know anything about tracking, we may be able to take a shortcut and trace them back to their base. From what Nakoda said, there was only one real Shoanti with them, and I bet they left a nice trail they depended on darkness to conceal." He looks at you all hopefully.
"And... I apologize for not letting you know she was here Maelorn. She took a job as a swing shift cook, and wanted to surprise you. Swore me to secrecy."

"There are a few of them tied up downstairs."

Zane says, walking over to Maelorn and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll get her back."

While you are helping the wounded, a Shoanti messenger comes for Nakoda. He is almost pulverized by the bouncers before he his let through.

When you have stablilzed or healed as many as you can, (half of the fake shoanti are dead, and only two of the bouncers) Saul comes over to you.
"Well, that was fast. It seems that they are hired muscle, especially recruited from Magnimar. Pretty low quality as you saw. I think the idea was to give no warning; I would have heard if there was a lot of hiring of local muscle. Anyway, their base is in the Boneyard. They don't seem to know what the hostages are for, or who the ones that hired them are." He looks out the broken windows and grimaces.
"Now, I know you want to head out immediately, but wounded and low on power, you would be easy pickings. I recommend that you rest up tonight and head out in the morning. I fear I will be dealing with the Gentlemen of the Watch for some hours. Go on now..."

Nakoda, speaking in Shoanti, converses with the messenger, asking minor questions, her expressing growing angrier. With a gesture, she indicates the messenger to stay, turning to Saul and the others. "The Shoanti Enclave was raided earlier this evening. I must go and speak with them."

"If we are to wait until morning anyway, do you need any assistance Nakoda? I still have healing left, and can mend some of the damage."

Nakoda looked appreciative, but did not want to seem as if that was all she thought of Maelorn as. With a glance to the messenger for confirmation that this was the sort of situation she could bring him in to, she nodded her acceptance. "I would welcome your aid."

However, before she left, she went up to her room to put on her armor and weapons, deciding that the discomfort was worth the extra protection.. She would have to find a way to make it more comfortable that it was. Getting caught unarmed and unarmored was something that she did not want to happen again.

When you travel to the Shoanti enclave, you smell the burned wood and charred meat; so reminiscent of the many pogroms endured by the Shoanti who move to the city. You are greeted with some hotility by the heavily armed Shoanti warriors, but Nakoda's presence gives you instant access.
Fortunatly, you see that the only damage is to some buildings and the dozen or so casualties. Any aid at healing is gratefully accepted. But before Nakoda can pitch in, Lady Que-Shu pulls you aside and escorts you to the Witch. (The stubborn old lady won't give her name).
When you enter her strange room, she turns from her crowded worktable to limp over to you. She seems to be blind, but navigate perfectly well.
Her voice resonates wierdly; "Lady of the Gold Goblin! Hear the spirits! You face deadly danger, from the highest to the lowest, from without and within, and beyond it, the Blot! Hear me! Take this now, you will have need of it soon." She gives Nakoda a small leather bag. Seeming to grow smaller somehow, she turns and limps to her bed.
"Leave me. Go. Now."

Used to the manner in which it happened, Nakoda took the bag respectfully and exits the strange room to find the Lady again and see if there was anything else that could be done. When she had more time, she would be returning to lend a hand, her mind turning over the Witch's proclamation of danger. What did she mean? The Goblin seemed to have no end of opposition, and it seemed like it was dangerous to even work there.. She did realize that while she had been working, she really had not made too great of an effort to actually get to know the staff.

Her chain shirt jingled with her footsteps, her tattoos turning her slight frown into an almost-piercing look, though her eyes were not really seeing anything, having that distant quality of introspection. Her golden hair was tied back into a sheath with thongs to keep it from catching on the rings of her armor. Where was Maelorn?

OK boys and girls, do you need more time to prepare? (Armor Maelorn?) Or shall I move ahead to the Boneyard?

Maelorn stands from bandaging one of the wounded as Nakoda approaches, "I think I've done all I can here. Shall we get back to the goblin? I want to get an early start."

He hesitates, "Care to accompany me on a short errand? None too many shops are open this time of night, but I get along well with the dwarves in town"{/b], he guestures to the hammer at his neck, [b]" one of them might be willling to sell me a breastplate off-hours"

If possible, Maelorn will purchase a breastplate, but if there isn't anything open at this time of night, he'll make do with faith...it's done pretty well by him so far.

<>The Shoanti of the enclave are glad to see Nakoda and reluctantly let her go, making many promises of shared meals and various matchmaking proposals ("A beautiful maiden like you, I have a son...").
<>When the party finally makes their escape, Maelorn leads the way to the Gas Forges, where he has some Dwarven friends. A couple of the apprentices who are helping him on a personal project offer some decent examples of their practice works for free. They aren't pretty, but they are functional armor.
What do you need?

Maelorn will gratefully accept a breastplate, but that's all he's looking for at the moment. He promises that next time he takes time to work on his own armor, he'll hire assistants from among those who offered to help him this eventing.

Do you rest first, or go to the Boneyard immediately?

Maelorn is a bit low on spells, but otherwise in OK shape. He's itching to go immediately, since they've got his mother, but will wait if people feel it the best way to maximize chances of success.

Zane's got one spell other than 0 level left.

Nakoda is willing to follow Maelorn, though the amount of magic she is capable of managing is not at its best. She was comfortable in the armor she had and definitely armed to her satisfaction. She was busy thinking about what they were going to be doing. If they were going to be storming a place and getting back those that were taken from the goblin, would the three of them be enough?

When they get back to the Goblin, Nakoda starts making preparations, whether to leave soon or tomorrow, but she finds herself thinking about how she can help the chances of them succeeding. Perhaps she could use some of the money that she has gained to pay for men to help? However, asking around might give away what she was planning.

Perhaps she could ask the others what they thought.

"My power is not at its best, but I'm ready. I have enough tools to make do, and the sooner we go the less chance of the trail going cold."

"Then let us be after them now. I don't htink we'll have time to hire others, Nakoda, but I agree extra muscle would be good to have. Perhaps the Goblin's bouncers would be willing to back us up?"

Are we recruiting? If so, maybe we can handwaive one of us knowing someone who we can pick up on the way.

Saul refuses to let any of the bouncers go with you.
"I'm not convinced they're done with us yet. You go follow the trail and rescue our people if you can. If the enemy are too numerous or well entrenched, get back here on the double. I'm calling in some outside markers, nobody from the city will know they're going to be here. We'll have more options then."

Naturally, you all have friends that could go with you, but not right now (it's after Midnight fer cryin' out loud...).

"Caution is all and good, Maelorn. But we need to get going before the trail gets too cold. That and we need ta show those sewer rats what happens when they decide ta make off with women that don't want ta be made off with." There is a cool tone in Bron's voice as he checks his gear. There is a coolness to the large man's voice that none in the room had heard before. It was obvious that the man didn't like the situation the girls were in and he was dead set on freeing them from their predicament.

Following the trail (and the directons extracted from the "shoanti"), you travel over the Boneyard Cut pass, ending up on a ledge 40 feet above the salt marsh. The Boneyard.

This deceptively named place actually serves as the city's dump and ship's graveyard rather than the intended final resting place for the once-living, though there are certainly enough corpses that end up concealed here to give most city graveyards a run for their money.

The name is derived from the many old hulks and collections of ships' ribs that protrude from the swampy ground. The whole area is a partially flooded salt marsh that is generally 2 or 3 feet deep, although some hidden patches of quicksand are much deeper. The tidal influx keeps a mild currrent swirling through the marsh that stirs the garbage around until it collects in various clumps of decomposing compost tha teventually form stable isles-- some supporting considerable vegettion--within the swamp. Abandoned ships are towed up into the swamp from the bay during high tide by flat-bottomed skiffs and then set adrift. They quickly settle into the shallow waters, and the pull of the tide there is too weak to float any of them back out, though some of them do slowly change position over time due to the inexorable tidal forces.

The night winds have died and a light mist rises from the marsh.
From your position, you can see a flickering globe of light centered aorund a bit of ships rigging protruding from the surface of the water. This can only be "The Spar" referred to by your prisoners.
Dangling from this boom is a single lantern providing the illumination for a group of dark-cloaked humanoids huddled tohether in the muck beneath. On a flat-bottomed skiff are several struggleing figures; they appear to be in the uniform of the Gold Goblin waitresses.

CLICK for the Map.
Your inital start is in the east (right) side of the map.
Each square is 5 feet.
White squares are shallow bog. Difficult terrain, Acrobatics add 2 to difficulty.
Brown squares are debris piles. Difficult terrain, Acrobatics add 5 to difficulty, Stealth add 2 to difficulty.

Quietly Zane produces a scroll and runs through a quick chant, a simmer settling over him bevore vanishing, a shield spell providing him with valuable protection.

Scroll case strapped to his thight, his wand readily available in the holster sewn into his coat, he grips his cane ready to engage the enemy.

"Any ideas on approach?"

Adjusting his breastplate, Maelorn casts Protection from Evil.

"None of us are particularly stealthy. Unless anyone has a better option, I'm of a mind to get as close as we can, then 'scream and leap'".

"Your plan sounds good ta me." whispers Bron as he prepares his flail, gripping the haft and chain in one mighty arm so that he just has to release the chain for it to be combat ready. "Just give me the word and I'll start heading that direction. These sorry sons o' ship leeches gonna know what pain is."

Should we decide to attempt stealth: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Nakoda gauged the distance between themselves and where they were headed, thinking about her bow.. However, she was no archer, and there were too many men for her to handle alone-- she would have to get lucky just to hit one of them from this distance.. So she did her best to remain quiet, and moved ahead of the group quietly, making sure there was some space between them, so they would not be so easily attacked as a whole.

This was going to be rough, but if they were smart about it, they could manage.
Stealth:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

OK, where are you moving to?
In the water you have some concealment with the swamp grasses being waist high, but no cover.
On the debris piles you have some cover on the back face, but no concealment on the front face.

Advancing nine rounds of stealthy approach...

CLICK for the Map.

Considering the the entire area is difficult terrain, it's still worth trying to get closer by stealth, since we are still a number of rounds out.

Once Nakoda and Bron have moved, Maelorn will follow, still moving at half (so 10' in difficult terrain) unless/until we are detected.

Stealth: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (17) - 3 = 14 - including Armor check penalty

Another three rounds go by...

Sneaking towards the lighted area, using the swamp grass as concealment, Nakoda suddenly puts her foot down and there's nothing there, she just barely pulls her foot back and splashe back a square.

Bron is not so fortunate, and he falls forward into the eight foot deep pothole hidden in the murky water with a tremendous splash. Rolls a 1 on the save.

Call this a Surprise round. Zane, Maelorn? What do you do?

CLICK here for the Map.