"Loges! Back away!"
Bruin tried to take a shot with his crossbow, but couldn't find one. Instead he slapped Beromar on the shadow shoulder. "May the luck of the Goddess smile on you!"
Tsuto and the Goblins - Round 1 - concluded
Bruin considers a shot with his crossbow, but cannot find one with a big crowd in his way. Instead, he gives Desna's blessing of luck to Beromar, telling the battered wizard to back away.
Beromar readies an action to jump forward and attack Tsuto if the square Loges is in opens up.
Viroleth, who was never one to be conservative, rushes past all of them, slipping behind the monk, who's swing just brushes the back of the rogues long hair as he ends up in flanking position.
End of Round 1
Tsuto and the (sleeping) Goblins - Round 2
18 Loges
18 White Goblin (unconscious 5 rounds)
17 Tsuto
17 Bruin
16 Red Goblin (unconscious 5 rounds)
14 Beromar (readied action)
13 Viroleth
Tsuto and the (Sleeping) Goblins - Round 2- continued
Knowing he's got no business in the front line, and happy about the effects of his Color Spray, Loges withdraws which allows the Dwarven monk a hand against Tsuto.
Beromar leaps into the fray, attacking the half-elf with a flurry of unarmed blows, but the half-elf ducks one and blocks the other with his own forearm, before taking the offensive.
Tsuto cries out, "Another trained in the martial ways eh? Have a taste of my fury then!" and he swings at Beromar with a stunning fist. The man then attempts to back flip out of his square, through the area held by Viroleth, and end up behind the swift rogue.
"Hey! Hold still you walking pustule!" Viro tries to out-do Tsuto and he runs straight at the wall, scampering up before springing off to spiral beautifully through the air. He lands neatly behind Tsuto, salutes him, and stabs out.
Bruin blinks as he sees the dramatic Acrobatics of the Viroleth and Tsuto.
"Starsong save me," he whispered. He then reached over to Beromar's to grant him the luck of his goddess.
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Tsuto and the (sleeping) Goblins - Round 2 - concluded
Reaching over to give Desna's blessing to Beromar, the halfling cleric watches in wonderment as enemy makes his acrobatic defensive maneuvers which are only topped by those of Viroleth himself.
The Varisian rogue flips himself over the half-elf Tsuto, then stabs the man with his blade as he half-rounds behind him. Drawing blood for the first time, Viroleth congratulates himself.
End of Round 2
Tsuto and the (sleeping) Goblins - Round 3
8 Loges
14 Beromar
18 White Goblin (unconscious 4 rounds)
17 Tsuto (5hp dmg)
17 Bruin
16 Red Goblin (unconscious 4 rounds)
13 Viroleth
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Loges moves back into the hallway, chanting and squeezing butter in his hand.
School conjuration (creation); Level bard 1, magus 1, sorcerer/wizard 1, summoner 1
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (butter)
EFFECT
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one object or 10-ft. square
Duration 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw see text; Spell Resistance no
FAQ
If an opponent casts grease on an item, and the wielder succeeds at the initial save, what happens?
The spell description says "an object wielded or employed by a creature requires its bearer to make a Reflex saving throw to avoid the effect," so succeeding the save means the wielder avoids the effect—in other words, the spell is negated and there is no grease on the item.[Source]
DESCRIPTION
A grease spell covers a solid surface with a layer of slippery grease. Any creature in the area when the spell is cast must make a successful Reflex save or fall. A creature can walk within or through the area of grease at half normal speed with a DC 10 Acrobatics check. Failure means it can't move that round (and must then make a Reflex save or fall), while failure by 5 or more means it falls (see the Acrobatics skill for details). Creatures that do not move on their turn do not need to make this check and are not considered flat-footed.
The spell can also be used to create a greasy coating on an item. Material objects not in use are always affected by this spell, while an object wielded or employed by a creature requires its bearer to make a Reflex saving throw to avoid the effect. If the initial saving throw fails, the creature immediately drops the item. A saving throw must be made in each round that the creature attempts to pick up or use the greased item. A creature wearing greased armor or clothing gains a +10 circumstance bonus on Escape Artist checks and combat maneuver checks made to escape a grapple, and to their CMD to avoid being grappled.
Tsuto and the Sleeping goblins - Round 3
Loges uses his Grease spell to good effect, coating the narrow hallway under the villain's feet, and trying to upend Tsuto, but the monk is well-trained, and he only takes careful, measured movements in the slick-stuff, and so does not fall.
Beromar, seeing the greasy goo between him and the target, stops his advance, and uses his longaxe to chop at the target instead of closing for hand to hand fighting. He successfully wounds the half-elf cutting him across the mid-section.
Tsuto turns his flurry of unarmed blows on Viroleth, striking at the rogue with a crescent kick and an elbow smash. The kick is dodged by the cagey rogue, but the elbow catches him right behind the ear for 6 hp dmg, and Viroleth grunts as he sees stars for a moment before recovering.
Viro leaps back to avoid the kick, but as he moves back in to press his advantage he's almost knocked on his ass by a brutal elbow to the face. He tries to concentrate on the four Tsutos kicking and spinning in front of him before he realises he has a nice flank set up with Beromar.
Bruin carefully picks his way over to Beromar and once again blesses the monk's luck.
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Tsuto and the Sleeping Goblins- Round 3
As a partially dazed Viroleth stabs the half-elf monk, wounding him once again, Bruin passes the luck of Desna to his dwarven companion.
End of Round 3
Tsuto and the Sleeping Goblins - Round 4
18 Loges
14 Beromar
18 White Goblin (unconscious 3 rounds)
17 Tsuto (10 hp dmg)
17 Bruin
16 Red Goblin (unconscious 3 rounds)
13 Viroleth
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Loges steps up next to Beromar.
He then touches his shoulder, granting him increased strength.
Tsuto and the Sleeping Goblins - Round 4 - continued
Loges casts a spell enhancing Beromar's natural strength. That magical aid combined with the divine luck of Desna passed along by Bruin make Beromar's next attack a powerful one.
Rather than enter the greasy goo of the last spell, Beromar chops at the nimble monk again with his longaxe. Again the dwarf hits successfully, striking another blow against the half-elf enemy.
Concentrating his attacks on Viroleth, trying to take him out of the fight, Tsuto unleashes another flurry of unarmed blows against the rogue. He lands both attacks, boxing the ears of Viroleth for 8 hp dmg total.
Viro's head hits the wall after the last attack, and he staggers back to his feet. His face is swelling up from the brutal assault at the hands of the monk, and blood trickles from a busted lip. He looks about ready to go down.
"That... that all you got?"
With one last desperate lunge, he tries to feint a roll past the monk, but instead turns and slashes out with both weapons.
Tsuto and the Sleeping Goblins - Round 4 - concluded
Feinting and always looking for a flank attack, Viroleth calls on his experience dirty fighting in rougher parts of this country, then makes two well-placed and well-timed attacks that get through the monk's defenses. Both blades score hits sinking deeply into soft flesh. Tstuo looks into Viroleth's eyes as they close together, and the rogue smirks as he sees the lights go out in his enemy's head. With a resounding thud, Tsuto ends up on the ground next to his two, still sleeping, goblins.
End of Combat
"HAH!" shouts Viro, his words somewhat slurred by his badly-beaten face. "Put that in your pipe and smoke it you stupid goblin-loving no-sister-respect---oooh..."
Viro trails off and slumps on the ground beside Tsuto, his expression glazed. "I'm fine..." he mutters.
Bruin took some rope and bound the goblins laying on the ground. He knew it was a farce to spare their lives this way. The townsfolk would simply execute them anyway. But he just couldn't kill them while they were sleeping like that. Not in cold blood. And certainly not whilst they slept and potentially dreamed. For dreams were the purview of his Lady, and it was not his place to intrude. No matter the dreamer.
Eventually he felt the eyes of the others on him. He spoke without looking up from his task.
"I spare them for my sake. Not theirs."
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Viro's face miraculously begins to shrink before your eyes as the swelling goes away and one of his eyes settles a little more properly into its socket.
"Oh Loges, I could kiss you!" Viro looks at the enthusiastic wizard. "Well, metaphorically."
He nips up to his feet, and immediately has to hold the wall for balance. That said, he still looks far better. Viro goes to help Bruin tie up the goblins.
"To be honest, I haven't had to figure out whether or not to execute prisoners. I suppose if we want to follow the law we can let the sheriff deal with them and be just or something."
Viro prods Tsuto with his toe and sighs. "Uh, is he dead?"
Viro stares blankly at the body.
"Yes. He is," Bruin answered simply. The halfling knew enough about wounds to know that Tsuto's lungs and heart had been punctured. In truth, he was likely dead before he hit the ground.
But with Ameiko standing close there was no point being graphic.
"I'm sorry, Milady. There is nothing I could have done to help him," he told her instead.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Loges smiles--worriedly (he heard stories!)--down at Viroleth.
I...ugh...you are most welcome.
That was some fancy swording...err....stuff.
He then also assists with the Goblins.
I do understand that these creatures are dangerous and evil.
He looks at his fellow companions.
But, I think that our place is not to judge,
but to bring to justice!
Viro chooses to say nothing, and slumps down to search Tsuto's body.
"Clues for why the hell he did this," mutters Viro.
Beromar goes to check on and aid the Lady Ameiko with her injuries while the rest of you settle up accounts with the goblins (who are now bound) and with Tsuto.
Searching his body, you find a composite shortbow (+1 draw strength), 19 arrows, MW thieves' tools, a MW flute, a silver earring, a journal, 6 pouches of gold dust, and 8 pouches of silver dust, and 10pp.
Additionally there are a two items that detect as magical:
The journal in Tsuto's possessions turns out to be a good source of information. The small, leather-bound booklet contains nearly two dozen parchment pages filled with maps of Sandpoint, and erotic drawings of an exceptionally beautiful woman. Many of the other pages depict a troubled man, who was never accepted by his family, and hated by his "father" for reminding him of his mother's unfaithfulness.
The maps each depict different attack plans. The first set is circled and shows the plans for an attack of about 30 goblins, which you recognize as the tactics behind the initial raid on Sandpoint. The next several pages show varying assaults on the village by forces of an estimated 200 goblins. A few of these are scratched out and none are circled, but it appears a second attack, with an overwhelming force, is imminent.
The last drawing of Nualia represents her with a demonic hand, a forked tail, horns, and bat wings.
Tsuto's Journal Page 1
Tsuto's journal page 2
Tsuto's journal page 3
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Reading through the journals, Loges appears disgusted and alarmed.
I am thinking that we may have an even bigger problem soon.
We should alert the mayor about this.
He looks around the hallway.
There seems also to be a secret tunnel connecting this building with...somewhere else.
We should locate and secure it before we go, although I am down to only one spell.
Viro delightedly accepts the ring. "Why Loges, we only just met! Teehee!" Nonetheless he is very happy to take it. He then moves to peer over Loges' shoulder.
As the journal turns to the drawings of the woman, his eyes widen and he stabs a finger at her.
"Hang on! I think that's Nualia. She's the dead daughter of the last rector, Father Tobyn! That ... does not make sense." He stares incredulously as Loges flips through the pages. "Removing a 'celestial taint'? Who is Lamashtu? This sounds, ah, disturbing."
"Well, I know Lamashtu is an evil goddess. But the exact details escape me."
He looks thoughtful for a moment and then says, "I think we should press on and explore this tunnel, at least a little bit. If it's dangerous we can always double-back and blockade the entrance if we need to."
Bruin knows enough to explain that Lamashtu is the evil goddess of monsters and nightmares, he knows she is a direct enemy of Desna, his patron. Loges goes on to tell the group more he learned about the pantheon in divinity classes at the Acadamae.
Lamashtu's symbol is often a three-eyed jackal. She is often known as The Mother of Monsters, and the Mark of Lamashtu is mass of scars on the abdomen of a woman who has given birth to a monstrosity in the goddess' name. She may or may not be the mother of gnolls, who revere her. Her domains are nightmares, demons, ferocity, and insanity.
"Oh, right! How could I forget that? All this excitement has clearly made me addled."
Bruin begins reviewing the pages himself, and frowns when he see the mention of demons.
"So this aasimar Nualia wishes to remove her celestial side by paying homage to the mother of monsters. And she'll sacrifice Sandpoint in the process."
Bruin thought of the priest of Desna who raised Nualia. One she had likely murdered and then whose bones he desecrated with fire.
"Over my dead body," he growled through clenching teeth, his hands shaking with quiet, seething, righteous rage.
Just then, Beromar, with a wounded but ambulating Ameiko come into the hallway. "It is too bad Tsuto had to die." says the Tien innkeeper through clenched teeth, "But he was too far gone for me to save. He kept rambling about the town getting it's just desserts, and that I should join them and save myself. I wasn't about to do that, he's not the boy I remember. He's gone around the bend."
"Beromar tells me that my father is also on the casualty list. Killed by his own son. No surprise given the family dynamics, but sad still. I need to get back to the Dragon, and starting settling my families affairs. I guess I am Sandpoint's newest noble woman now..."
"You all have my deepest gratitude, not only for saving me personally but for helping save the town from whatever plans those crazies have for it. You consider yourselves to have free room and board at the Dragon for the rest of your lives. Any other aid I can offer, just say the word. Now, I will try to get to my inn. If you stay here, then gods' blessings on you."
And with that the bard turns and starts heading back up the stairs.
Bruin is tempted to disagree. But, in the end, he sighs. Loges was right.
"Okay, then. Let's go. We'll need to report to Mayor Deverin first."
"I, personally, am exhausted from being repeatedly punched and stabbed. That tunnel isn't going anywhere; I'd love some rest and alcohol. I'm excited to see which puncture wound it pours out of. Also, hey, money to spend!"
Viro takes a quick moment to go over the last unappraised item.
Ye gaves a good account of yerself there boy.Fought bravely when runnin was the easier option! Me thinks some rest is deserved after we broughts Lady Ameiko back to the Dragon!
Beromar grumbles more light hearted than you have ever witnessed him. apparently a good fight will do that to the Dwarf's mood.
Calling for a handful of town guards to keep an eye on the tunnel while they retire to rest and recover, the heroes head back to their headquarters at the Rusty Dragon.
Kept satisfied at mug and plate by Lars and Bethany, the heroes are able to eat and drink their fill. The warm baths in the basement are a special treat for the wounded and weary adventurers, letting their cares drift away while they consider the ramifications of the findings in Tsuto's journal and the new-found tunnels beneath the city.
Heading to bed, the spellcasters are able to refresh their abilities, and the wounded are able to heal up.
Bruin awoke that morning feeling odd. He wasn't sure what it was exactly. It was difficult to describe. It wasn't a bad feeling. Quite the opposite really.
But shouldn't he feel more dread? There was a madwoman out to destroy the town, and secret tunnels infested with goblins or worse. And, yet, he felt almost serenely calm.
He shrugged it off for the moment, and decided to focus on his morning prayers. He looked up, and closed his eyes, envisioning the night sky in his mind.
"Blessed is the long road, the destination, the homeward path, and all who make the journey. Let each dream be a bright star in the night sky of your mind, lighting your path in the day."
"Lady Starsong, I ask of thee thine boon that I may do your will."
And like a cup filling with water from a basin, he felt his goddess pour a touch of her divine essence into him, filling him with powers and magic.
His eyes opened in surprise. An extra spell sat in his mind like a coiled cat ready to spring. How odd. He had been using the blessings of his goddess for a few years now. And this was the first time more power had come to him
"Thank you, my lady," he said reverently.
Viroleth drinks and talks noisily a little later than intended, but nonetheless wakes up about as bright-eyed and bushy tailed as he could hope for. He pays a brief visit to the armory, trading in his rapier for a shortsword having decided he prefers the shorter, broader blade.
While he does his errand, rather enjoying his newfound celebrity and hopeful diplomatic immunity from Sczarni thugs, Viro makes some quiet inquiries about Nualia.
After his morning round, Viro meets with the group with full intentions of going on into the tunnel.
"Right men... uh, do we have magical light and stuff before we go there? I like to keep both hands handy for stabbing."
Darkvision will do in a pinch I tells ye... should a been born a Dwarf is what them goblins always said after scraping their brains of me axe...
Beromar enjoys a chuckle as he gets ready for more adventure and bloodshed. MAybe being a hero wasn't that bad afterall...
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Loges eats quickly. He does enjoy an hour bath, before heading up to his room to study.
The following morning he feels refreshed and ready for the day.
The study session seems to have paid off as he feels more arcane magic coursing through his veins.
He regrets certain decisions, but he figures that he will overcome them soon!
Having studying another hour, Loges dresses in his nicely laundered robes.
Speaking a familiar cantrip, he passes his hand over his blue robes, turning them purple.
Well, Harvey, are you ready for more fun?
Loges looks down at his greensting companion, chuckling at the angry expression--and irate feelings!--coming from the--now--purple scorpion!
The duo proceed downstairs.
Bruin is eating a small breakfast when he notices Loges descend the stairs.
Puzzled, Bruin asks, "Uh, Loges? Did you change something? You seem different somehow? Oh, hey, did you shave?"