Demon Hunters ala Fabian (Inactive)

Game Master Fabian Benavente

Action 1
"Look. You seem like you're trying to do the right thing while your town's gone crazy. You do the wrong thing for the right reason, I'll understand. But your people are being turned bad. This keeps going, I'll have to judge them. In the meantime, I'd appreciate it if you can keep someone looking out around us, see if you can spot anyone trying something."

Action 2
"Good idea, Sabola." Arodric thought "So, one one hand we could drag a deputy or two along with us, break into this place, find what's happening. On the other hand we could just take Hedda's tack, and approach this as a combat mission." he sighed "My only problem with that is a lot of good - stupid, sure, but good - people are going to fight us, and probably get killed. I'm still dreaming about Appleton, so I've got a preference to keep the bodycount under a hundred."

TOBIAS ANSWERS QUESTIONS

The sheriff breathed in deeply; it was clear he was not totally convinced about the guilt of the Pathfinders but the town seemed to think so.

He spoke slowly, like a man whose decision weighed him down, "Listen, here's the evidence that we have gathered..."

He ticked off the evidence in his fat, grimy fingers."1. The murders began the night the Pathfinders came to town and ceased as soon as the Pathfinders were arrested. 2. At the scene of the second murder, I found a dagger belonging to Dakota Spire, one of the dwarven Pathfinders."

He made sure he still had their attention, "3. All three Pathfinders were seen at Otto's farm just hours before someone found the first victim there and 4. Ekira received an anonymous letter from a concerned but frightened citizen identifying the Pathfinders as the murderers."

He sighed again, "But perhaps the most damning evidence is the fact that the Pathfinders did not oppose the sentence."

tag?

please come to a decision as to what you will do so I can recap tomorrow.
Questions?

"1. You just got another pair of murders. 2. The same circumstantial evidence now points to someone else in a different case - bit of a coincidence. 3. We've been to Otto's farm and the victim was killed then taken there. If they were there at the time of the murder it means they didn't do it. 4. Yeah, okay, 4 is pretty strange. I can see where you're coming from."
Grab a deputy or two as witnesses, show them the letter, hit the house.

4. Yeah, okay, 4 is pretty strange. I can see where you're coming from.

Kaede pondered all the information Tobias has given them, a look of intense concentration on her face. "What if...what if they can't oppose it, for some reason? The Pathfinders are sent out assigned on missions, tracking down secrets, right? What if this secret they're following is so big, they can't risk giving their alibi for fear of exposing it?" Like a weapon...a weapon that could turn our fortunes in the war at the Worldwound...or the fortunes of any war on Golarion...

She sighed heavily. "Oh, you're all probably right. We'll need local witnesses along to make sure we aren't charged next, and we need to avoid collateral damage if we can. But I want to hit something. This investigation work's not for me. Let me see that letter?" She grabs the sheet of paper and peruses it again. "White walls, two chimneys, near the fair grounds...how many houses fit that description? We can't just break down the door of every white-walled house in town."

Arodric's plan works.

He sighed again, "But perhaps the most damning evidence is the fact that the Pathfinders did not oppose the sentence."

Hedda turned to Sabola, "Didn't you say they weren't doing anything because they thought innocent people might get hurt? They probably figured that if they were being framed then there wasn't any use in protesting because others would get hurt if they tried to help."

I'm good with Arodric's plan. Does the sheriff have enough deputies? Don't want to take too many from the jail and make it vulnerable to some sort of attack.

Ekira received an anonymous letter from a concerned but frightened citizen identifying the Pathfinders as the murderers.

Hedda's eyes narrowed at the mention of Ekira. "I don't trust that woman. We were targeted after she confronted us. We've also heard that she is after control of Dawnton giving her an ulterior motive. People after power lie."

Anyone planning, or know of someone planning, to run a decent Hell's Vengeance game?

Responding to Hedda

"Well, they said that, but of course they would say that. One cannot be sure, but really, it doesn't sound like the various stories that link them to the crime add up either."

Anyone planning, or know of someone planning, to run a decent Hell's Vengeance game?

There are at least three active recruitment threads for Hell's Vengeance.

I don't think I would enjoy that but I reserve my final opinion until I've seen/read the AP (at least first couple of books and outline).

I'm currently trying to get in either a Giantslayer or Iron Gods game.

I don't know what I'll run after this game is over, probably Giantslayer or Iron Gods.

Kaede, what are your plans after you finish running your modules?

I was in a Giantslayer game that died, and still want to play the character I had going in it.

I didn't see any actual Hell's Vengeance recruitments, just the two from the guy trying to run a prelude to Hell's Vengeance, with NPC classes and such. I'll check again.

I was in a Giantslayer game that died, and still want to play the character I had going in it.

I didn't see any actual Hell's Vengeance recruitments, just the two from the guy trying to run a prelude to Hell's Vengeance, with NPC classes and such. I'll check again.

I'm sorry; you're right. I meant Hell's Rebels. :(

There's a homebrew evil campaign that's recruiting (Whispers of the Tyrant) and while I have submitted a PC, I'm of two of minds.

Homebrews are hard to pull off on the boards. It takes a lot of work to run a game and if you can't 'copy and paste' from a 'general outline', it gets more time consuming.

Especially a campaign where the players dictate where the action will be at. The only advantage that you have is time in a PBP but it's tough to run homebrews.

How many games are you playing?

I'm in your two.

I am in three that are running a bit slow: Wrath of the Righteous, Iron Gods (which had been moving along, but has slowed recently), Legacy of Fire.

I am running two: Way of the Wicked, and Skull and Shackles.

Hadn't decided yet what my plans were after the modules are through. I've got a couple of games lined up to GM IRL/on Roll20, so I don't want to get too many irons in the fire, but I'll probably aim for keeping two play by post games running on a regular basis. I hadn't wanted to commit to running an Adventure Path in PbP until I had a chance to feel out my aptitude and stamina for it, so that I didn't end up ditching it partway through and disappointing people; that's why I went with two modules instead for my first games. But I've done enough with the modules that I think I've gotten into my groove, at least a little. I dunno - am I wrong, Fabian? ;)

As for running Hell's Vengeance, I'd consider it, but I won't commit until I get a chance to review at least the first book or two, see if I'll be able to hack it. I don't want to get started only to find out I'm doing it terribly, and I've never run a game for or with evil characters before, so it'd be a big change for me. As for other modules/APs, I've got a pretty decent collection on hand, but it's mostly the older stuff - everything before Wrath of the Righteous, I want to say, that I got from a friend, and then Hell's Rebels. (By the way, Fabian, you should finish reading the last books if you haven't yet. So good.)

Oh good, so I'm not the only one that maintains heinous amounts of games on here. I feel better now. :) I'm actually a little light right now - the Curse of the Crimson Throne game I was in faded out, so I'm only running two and playing three.

I had been in an excellent Giantslayer game, but the GM had some IRL issues.

I was also in a Mummy's Mask game, that was just too slow, so the group folded.

Had several other games going too, that folded for various reasons, mostly the GMs couldn't dedicate the time to them.

Had a Throne of Night (Drow) game, ALMOST get started, hahaha.

I had been in an excellent Giantslayer game, but the GM had some IRL issues.

I was also in a Mummy's Mask game, that was just too slow, so the group folded.

Had several other games going too, that folded for various reasons, mostly the GMs couldn't dedicate the time to them.

And now you know why I'm super paranoid about trying not to start anything I won't be able to finish. ;)

But I've done enough with the modules that I think I've gotten into my groove, at least a little. I dunno - am I wrong, Fabian? ;)

Are you kidding? You're doing great, which is why I want to find out what you're planning next so I can be on your next game. :)

and then Hell's Rebels. (By the way, Fabian, you should finish reading the last books if you haven't yet. So good.)

I haven't had a chance yet. Only read 1, 2, and part of 3.

And yes, Hell's Rebels is a pretty good AP. I really enjoy the whole rebels against the empire thing. :)

Me, I'm running two and playing in three games. I would like to play in one or two more but that should do it for me.

And I'm picky, I've 'respectfully bowed out' from games that just don't have the posting frequency/quality that I'm looking for.

I never questioned it! Poor Sabola here has played in, ummm, three different games!

One gets tired of expending the energy to come up with new and exciting characters, subject to the vagaries of different GM's rules (different point buy, roll dice, etc) only to get into games that go nowhere.

Are you kidding? You're doing great, which is why I want to find out what you're planning next so I can be on your next game. :)

Aww, shucks. :D

I really enjoy the whole rebels against the empire thing. :)

It's going to be quite fun - I'm going to be running it for my IRL group after we finish Rise of the Runelords, and I'm pretty stoked. Like, already have three different character concepts for a GMPC stoked. (GMPCs are common bordering on constant for us, and no one wants to play an arcane caster, so I'll just be pure utility/support standing in the back yelling "go team".) I'd recommend reading the last books when you can to get an idea of the overall story - they wrapped things up quite remarkably.

One gets tired of expending the energy to come up with new and exciting characters, subject to the vagaries of different GM's rules (different point buy, roll dice, etc) only to get into games that go nowhere.

*shuffles collection of twenty-five aliases behind a bush with toe* :)

I may have a bit of a problem when it comes to making characters - I find it totally fun. In fact, I've ended up with more character ideas than I'll probably ever get a chance to really play, and the inspiration art board I started up on Pinterest had to be split, uh, seven ways the other day, so I could actually keep finding things. *shifty eyes*

I may have a bit of a problem when it comes to making characters - I find it totally fun. In fact, I've ended up with more character ideas than I'll probably ever get a chance to really play, and the inspiration art board I started up on Pinterest had to be split, uh, seven ways the other day, so I could actually keep finding things. *shifty eyes*

Link...

Kaede of Sarkoris wrote:

I may have a bit of a problem when it comes to making characters - I find it totally fun. In fact, I've ended up with more character ideas than I'll probably ever get a chance to really play, and the inspiration art board I started up on Pinterest had to be split, uh, seven ways the other day, so I could actually keep finding things. *shifty eyes*

Link...

Unfortunately I have them set to "private" - I've been known to pin fifty or more pictures at a go without even realizing it, and others following me don't share my enthusiasm for the topic. I don't want to make other people's feeds unusable just because I got excited.

Oh, I've got 25+ aliases myself, so I get that, but many of them are for games that hardly got off the ground.

I love making characters. I admit I've now actually started putting themes I like into a few PCs I submit, in different combinations, in the hope that ONE of them gets to develop them a bit.

Turn 043 is up.

Read the OOC.

Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?

Game on!

Action 1

"Yup. Trap." Kaede made no move to go out and confront the crowd - she knew that if anyone was going to be able to convince the angry, closed-minded, superstitious crowd that they weren't witches or demon worshippers, it certainly wasn't the druidic priestess wearing animal skins and bone fetishes.

Yup. I'm no help here, guys. :) I'll see if I can think of something as the turn continues.

Do we have that deputy we were going to take?

Did we inform the sheriff of our intent?

Do we have that deputy we were going to take?

Yes the deputy is coming with sheriff but no you did not inform the sheriff of your intent.

Grab a deputy or two as witnesses, show them the letter, hit the house.

Alright, looks like we had a miscommunication. When people said they were going with Arodric's plan, this is what we meant. We'd identified this was a frame-up, and intended to take precautions to stop exactly the current situation. At this point if we could produce a deputy, we'd prove frame-ups were happening. Without that, I think we're down to Hedda's "kill them all, let Iomedae sort them out".

Arodric wrote:

Grab a deputy or two as witnesses, show them the letter, hit the house.

Alright, looks like we had a miscommunication. When people said they were going with Arodric's plan, this is what we meant. We'd identified this was a frame-up, and intended to take precautions to stop exactly the current situation. At this point if we could produce a deputy, we'd prove frame-ups were happening. Without that, I think we're down to Hedda's "kill them all, let Iomedae sort them out".

No, I got that part. You DID inform a deputy of what you were going to do. You did NOT inform the sheriff what you were going to do.

The deputy you informed is coming up the block with the sheriff.

Questions?

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

Kazmuk points to the sky and yells. "Look, there is a cow flying?" He then spat on the ground. "See... no everything a man yells is the truth."

He gazes Ekira, trying to see her intentions and motives.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

"So, this is the way you past your time around this parts? You gather a mob and say "hey, lets walk around and see if someone is killing someone so we can arrest them!"... could you just tell us why are you gathering around this house? I see two answers..." the dwarf lifted a finger "... you where told someone committed a crime, well guess what, you are wrong, or two..." he lifted another finger "... you already knew we where coming here, perhaps because you sent us a letter to rescue someone in this house, and prepared this mob and this starving maggot here to catch us..."

After Kazmuk mentioned the letter, he observed Ekira's reaction.

perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Ah, probably a mistake on our part, but understandable.

Edit: response deleted. Ninja'd by Kazmuk, and doesn't make sense now. He moves fast, for a dwarf.

So, ummm, this is the part where I remind everyone that I have played this before, and I really don't want to have to be the talky talky person for the next scene or so. With that said, I will permit someone to take over Sabola and use his social skills through this next part if that's the way to go.

Action 1:

The mob wasn't surprising. The fact that Ekira was leading it wasn't surprising. Hedda getting angry wasn't surprising. Why hadn't they listened to me and just destroyed them all before this happened?

Ekira's smug face almost pushed the bloodrager over the edge but she had enough wisdom to know that her transformation wouldn't help the case of them not being demon-lovers. It took all her energy and self-control to keep the change from happening as the mindless mob acted like idiots and falsely accused them.

To help keep her mind focused elsewhere, Hedda kept her gaze on searching the crowd and away from Ekira.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

It was then that she could see Tobias coming down the block towards them and she let the others know. "Maybe he can set this right," she murmured.

Hedda also wants to get in on the sense motive action on Ekira. It's a long shot but she's curious as to why she'd want to frame us.

sense motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

Turn 044 is up.

Read the OOC.

Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?

Game on!

Action 1

The shadow creature and the wall of coalescing darkness that piled up before Kaede shocked her. Not Iomedae speaking after all, it looks like...what do we do? Sarkoris, grant me your strength... she breathed out in a whispered prayer, kneeling to the ground and placing a hand on the cobblestones. And then something strange began to happen.

A chill began to spread up her hand, and when she opened her eyes, her hand was grey, stiff, and unimaginably heavy. Soon the cold and the stiffness had engulfed her entire body, and when she glanced down and saw rigid angles and hardness where her own soft flesh had been before, she realized what had happened. The cobblestones, though carved and dressed to civilized sensibilities, were of Sarkoris, carved from a nearby quarry or harvested from a river. She had called to Sarkoris, and the land had literally given her its strength - the strength of solid stone.

She peered into the shadows, hoping her strange new eyes, chips of onyx in her granite face, would aid her against the darkness of the shadows. I wonder if I'll ever get used to this?

Standard action, wild shape into small earth elemental. I should have the statistics in my profile by morning. Does darkvision help with the shadows, or is it a deeper darkness than that?

knowledge:planes: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24 Player is pretty knowledgeable about this one. How much of that knowledge does Arodric have?

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Is this a magical darkness that even prevents darkvision?

[dice=knowledge:planes]1d20+11 Player is pretty knowledgeable about this one. How much of that knowledge does Arodric have?

This is a shadow demon so pick two 'facts' (strength, weaknesses, etc.) and you know both of them.

For everyone else, check of 17 lets you know 1 fact and every 5 above 17 lets you know another fact.

[dice=Knowledge (planes)]1d20+10

Is this a magical darkness that even prevents darkvision?

No, darkvision is OK.

"I knew I didn't like that woman! I think we found the true demon-lover," Hedda growled.

The darkness was disorienting and Hedda didn't like her chances with fighting in the dark. "Demon coward!" she yelled in frustration. She dug deep in her memory to try to figure out what this thing was and how best to fight it.

knowledge, planes: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Will post something further shortly

How does the possession/magic jar thing work with the shadow demon? Is there something that Ekira's soul is being kept in? If it's smashed, is she freed? Hedda doesn't like Ekira but recognizes she may have been possessed.

Am I correct in thinking the shadow demon can be out in daylight because it possessed someone? It is daylight, correct?

How does the possession/magic jar thing work with the shadow demon? Is there something that Ekira's soul is being kept in? If it's smashed, is she freed? Hedda doesn't like Ekira but recognizes she may have been possessed.

Am I correct in thinking the shadow demon can be out in daylight because it possessed someone? It is daylight, correct?

You're using too much player info. :)

In reality, the shadow demon just duped an overly zealous inquisitor who sees demon-lovers everywhere. The 3rd crusade was riddled with 'witch hunts'. He used telepathy to talk to her and just tricked her.

So she's not 'possessed' but more like convinced.

And unless you convince her otherwise, she's ready to execute that dwarf (and his companions) right here, right now. :)

Game on!

Sabola saw the hideous creature appear and the darkness arrive. "I don't know what it is, but it's ugly!"

Sabola moved past Hedda and got right up to the creature, drawing his cold iron daggers as he moved.

I couldn't charge because Hedda was in my way.

Sorry! Without the darkness lifting, not sure what Hedda is going to be able to do. I think she's one of the only ones who doesn't have darkvision.

"I don't know what it is, but it's ugly!"

"That thing is a shadow demon. Ekira is either working with it or has been deceived by it. Can anyone make the darkness disappear? Daylight should hurt it."

Seeing Sabola advance caused Hedda to hesitate. She had considered randomly throwing one of the cold iron caltrop beads into the darkness but now she didn't want to accidently hit one of her own.

Instead she yelled into the darkness, "Ekira! If you truly follow Iomedae, ask her to help you see the truth. Iomedae would never use darkness to hide...but a demon would!"

Fabian, do you want me to make a roll or will you take care of it? Kind of hoping that Hedda doesn't need to make a diplomacy roll...

Fabian, do you want me to make a roll or will you take care of it? Kind of hoping that Hedda doesn't need to make a diplomacy roll...

I'll take care of it.

Still waiting on actions from Arodric and Kazmuk...

Trying to figure out a way to help Hedda... what is your thoughts about the interaction of Glitterdust in darkness?

EDIT: I'm also bumping my head in the wall of what would happen if Kazmuk summoned a Lantern Archon that has the Continual Flame (3rd level as a cleric) at will... would it be able to dispel the darkness? Or would the spell at least work?

No darkvision here either
Arodric's mouth fell open as the demon manifested. This might be the only time I'll ever be GLAD to see a Demon he thought - then was immediately ashamed.
"Everyone get out of the darkness!" he yelled to the crowd, adding the information he knew "It's a sort of ghost! Normal weapons won't hurt it!". The crusader followed his own advice, backing out into the light. In a lower voice he added to his team "Damn thing has a bunch of spells - including teleport. We'll need some way to get in and stop it casting. Anyone got some light?"
What is the light level outside the deeper darkness? I know it lowers two levels, so I'm guessing normal rather than bright light? Is sun setting and this is in shadow? If so, what's blocking the sun?

"So, you want to fight, demon thing? You got a name?" Arodric yells into the shadow as he casts casting Ablative Shield