Dungeon Master S's "Trouble in Tamran" [Standard] (Inactive)

Game Master Chris Marsh

Sense Motive 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14

"He seems trustworthy to me. What else can you tell us? The north side of town, you say? When are you scheduled to meet there again?"

"yeah it moves around, but North always. It'll be a while. Like another fortnight."

wow, all is not lost yet.

You shake the man down, but don't come up with anything else worth while.

As you're about to leave... roll a sense motive or Perception.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8 I'm just gonna look at this as getting these rolls out of the way early...

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

As Nym turns with the others to leave, he casts once glance back the friendly merchant, and he thinks he sees....something for just a brief instant.

After the rest of the party clears out, Karasuma will quietly approach the stall that had the person everyone was talking to. As he was 'tailing' the party, the timing should work out just about right...

If someone else beats him to the vendor, he'll wait a bit before closing the distance, perusing a nearby stall's wares (no matter what they might be) while listening to any discussion.

Bluff(Misdirection): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31

Perception(Eavesdropping): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

Sense Motive(On Vendor): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Tossed all the skills up there because not sure which one would be applicable...

Frustrated with your lack of progress thus far in the mission, you begin to head elsewhere, just as Nym notices something VERY out of the ordinary.

A halfling in nondescript clothing is about to pick pocket Neesa, but... backwards. The halfling is in the process of hooking a coin purse ON to the sorceress's belt. The little "thief" also has a dagger out in one hand.

"Well, we gotta wait until tonight I guess-hey! Ressa, watch it!"
Enora shouts at her as a halfling tries to slip something onto her belt.

"Blasted Bollix up!" The halfling screams as she's caught. Another halfling nearby draws a blade, "Get'em!"

Not entirely sure what's going on, this isn't your first brawl, and you know what it means when blades come out...

Baddies: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
Novid: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Enora: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Eglantine: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Reesa: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
Nym: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Kara: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

I've placed you on the map "naturally" since you weren't expecting combat.

Round 1:
Nym: Go
Eglantine: Go
Reesa: Go
Baddies: TBD
Kara: TBD
Novid: TBD
Enora: TBD

Reesa takes a 5' step to the west and uses her Daze spell to try and slow down the closest halfling to her.

DC 14 Will save to resist.

Reesa wastes no time taking action, her spell settles on the halfling, Will: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11. The "thief's" eyes glaze over for just a bit as she's dazed.

Round 1:
Nym: Go
Eglantine: Go
Reesa: Daze
Baddies: TBD
Kara: TBD
Novid: TBD
Enora: TBD

Posting now just in case I cant later.

Novid smiles as weapons come out. "You final mistake little one" He says. He then draws his massive sword and swings!

Power Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Damage: 2d8 + 8 + 6 ⇒ (8, 8) + 8 + 6 = 30

Crit conferm: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Damage: 2d8 + 8 + 6 ⇒ (8, 4) + 8 + 6 = 26

No problem. For those who haven't played with me, I do try to post fast and furiously. I won't pressure you to do the same, but always feel free to give the preemptive post like Novid. I don't mind at all and I'll always try to make your post fit/work/be awesome.

Karasuma is going to watch the action with slight interest, not quite engaging yet.

On delay to see how badly the party mangles these folks or not. If it looks like one of them is about to die, he'll step in and attempt to use his wand to heal the dying one. Also watching for other entrants to the situation, as it were.

If, on the other hand, the rest of the party weathers the situation well enough without murdering/dropping anyone immediately he'll avoid interacting on either sides behalf for the moment...

Enora draws upon her arcane forces and seemingly screams at one of the halflings. To everyone else she seemed to do no more than whisper, but it's raw cacophony for the halfling.

Casting Ear-Piercing Scream at whichever one Reesa didn't daze. Although with Novid's crit I don't think the target matters much.

Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 4) = 6 and dazed for 1 round
DC 17 Fort Save to halve the damage and resist dazing.

Eglantine's mouth opens as if to scream, but no sound comes out. Nevertheless, one of the halflings throws her hands up to her ears as if it were a fog horn, FORT: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24. She shakes off most of it, keeping her wits about her.

Round 1:
Nym: Go
Eglantine: Go
Reesa: Daze
Baddies: TBD
Kara: TBD
Novid: TBD (Crit)
Enora: TBD (EPS)

Is it Eglantine or Enora that just did that? *confusion indicated*

Nice catch. Fixed.

Round 1

Seeing the knives come out, Nym steps back from the melee, and tries to daze the other halfling not already under the spell of Reesa.

Cast Daze at non-dazed attacker. DC 14 Will save. Ready quarterstaff as Move Action.

Round 1

"What the--? Reesa, get back from 'em! Guys, let's try to leave one alive to ask them what this is about!"

Accordingly, Eglantine does not call on lightning or other magics to empower her blade. She simply runs forward, leading with her blade.

"Surrender! I doubt the big guy with the sword will offer you the chance!"

Attack vs black: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28
Potential critical: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7

Nym keeps up the spell onslaught, Will: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21, this halfling has a little bit more will and breaks free of Nym's spell. Eglantine opts for more conventional means, and cuts a deep gash! The crowd, seeing a show, keeps an eye on the action, but they don't say much at the moment... The dazed halfling drools a bit, but the other lashes back at Eglantine with a very pointed shortsword ATK: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10 and misses by a mile, All eyes turn on Novid though as the half-orc cleanly bifurcates the dazed halfling!

The other halfling, despite resisting the spell, takes one look at the fate of her associate and throws her hands up in surrender.

Round 1:
Nym: Daze
Eglantine: ATK
Reesa: Daze
Baddies: ATK
Kara: Go
Novid: Crit
Enora: TBD (EPS)

Karasuma stares with the rest of the crowd at Novid's strike, before fading back into the shadows some.

That's... just wrong. And... is this a regular thing here? No wonder they're stand-offish to outsiders. Let's see what the shopkeeper they were talking to thinks about that...

Stealth(Take 10): 10 + 13 = 23

Sense Motive(Watching Shopkeeper's body language): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Eglantine nods smartly when the other thief is smart enough to surrender. "Sit on down, please," she says with a pointed waggle of her rapier.

"Sorry about the bleeding, there, but you and your colleague really picked the wrong fight, today. What were you about? You can tell us, and we'll heal you.... and I'll see about paying your way out of town on a ship, if you're worried about your bosses coming after you... or," Eglantine's small face becomes stern, "you can refuse, and without knowing who hired you to try and make our lives difficult, we'll be forced to treat you as if the idea had come from you in the first place. I personally prefer to let local authorities sort things like this out; murder in the street is never a good idea."

She pauses. "However, I don't know if I can stop the half-orc. He's a lot bigger than me, after all. So make a good choice."

I'll aid somebody else's Diplomacy or Intimidate (same bonus for me, which is to say, none): 1d20 ⇒ 2

Yeah.

"You got this, right Novid?" She smiles and nods at the half-orc. "Try not to hurt her too much, okay?"

Intimidate(Aid): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Enora giggles too much to be useful.
OMG these rolls

"Just tell me what you were doing, sweetie. We don't want to fight you any more. We were just defending ourselves. Who sent you? What was your plan?"

Diplomacy 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

"Screw You! You don't scare me!" You can tell she's lying, but her will hasn't cracked yet.

Kara has a hard time reading the shopkeeper's body language.

Karasuma heads on over to the shopkeeper and examines his wares, not mentioning anything about the scene that's going on, almost painfully trying to ignore it.

"Pardon me, sir, that keepsake on the back wall, how long have you had it? What would you part with it for?"

He squints a bit at Gilligam. Hopefully the prospect of a business transaction can give me a better read on this guy.

He looks at the tengu confusedly. "That? Ummm not sure. I think it's a gold piece."

Unfortunately, even with extra time and interaction, Kara doesn't get anythin more from the man. (not to mention he's as curious about the interrogation outside as everyone else.)

Karasuma will nod and watch the interrogation with the shopkeeper.

If this effort is frustrating other folks in the party, Karasuma can stop trying to be 'a step removed' and rejoin the group. He's trying to not be directly affiliated, at least, that's the hope. Sort of like a spy-ish sort of thing?

Nah, I'm fine with Kara's tactic here.

No worries from me either. It's not like you've split the party. It's really no different than a fight with two different enemies. That being said, the halfling is still being defiant.

"Sweet talking isn't getting him to talk. Anyone else have better ideas?".

Eglantine shrugs and looks to Novid. "He's big and scary..."

Novid slowly wipes the blood from his blade on the cloak of the foe he killed. He then places a piece of bread and a drop of salt on the body bending over to say a prayer. When he finishes he picks up the bread and eats it, a shadowy substance passes through the fallen and into Novid. "Rest in the peace you never knew in life." He says.

This done, he turns to the other Halfling. "Unless you want to join her tell us what we want to know!" He says hefting his sword.

Intimidate: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

Novid's threats are MORE than enough to loosen the halfling's tongue. "We used to work for the church of Razmir, but were recently referred to and hired by a towering woman with black and white hair. It's all I know. I swear!"

"Where did this woman hire you? Where you you supposed to meet her once you were successful?"

Nym studied the area before heading to Tamran. He thinks back to any reference he saw to the church of Razimir and any activity in the area.

Know Local: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Having failed so hard to be scary on her own, Eglantine merely cleans her blade scrupulously and re-sheathes it, keeping an eye out for any potential trouble that seems to be incoming. Like city guards.

As there's probably still eyes of the townspeople on them right now, Eglantine clears her throat and says, "They attacked us in the street. My companions and I have the right to defend ourselves."

Eglantine investigates the pouch that they were trying to plant on her friends, using detect magic as well as eyes and hands.

Enora helps Eglantine identify the coin.

Knowledge(Arcana): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24
Knowledge(Religion): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

"You think they're trying to scry on us? Or maybe this is a focus for some kind of teleporter? Maybe Razmir's cronies? Oooh, my mind's racing just thinking about it!"

"She hired us at the northern edge of town. She also said we didn't need to meet up with her after, that 'she'd know.' She's a scary one, didn't question her about anything after."

After Eglantine addresses the crowd, she gets mostly grumblings of agreement, but not happily so, as if they were spoiling for entertainment, not reasoning.

Enora confirms that the coins are definitely current and Molthuni, which is a MAJOR no-no here.

The party pushes the halfling more, but gets nothing else out of her. Still, it's a bit more of a clue....

"Oh. They're just trying to pin us as Molthuni supporters." Enora rolls her eyes, disappointed. "No magic or nothing."

"I guess we should head north?"

"Shall we go pay a visit to the north end of town then?" Novid asks the group.

At the moment you have little beyond "North end of town", and a physical description of the person who hired them. What's the plan if you head there now? Not stopping you, just need to know what to describe and where you'll be."

Enora asks around and tries to locate a tall woman with black and white hair who seemingly scares everyone.

Knowledge(Local): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

In this case, that's a Diplomacy (Gather Information) roll. I'll let you keep the 14 though.

No one can seem to help Enora, but they do continuously point her in the direction of the Forest Bounty. Apparently, that's the kind of place to find information. They also warn you that outsiders may not feel welcomed.

As the group heads to the Forest Bounty, Nym shares what he has learned of the influence of the cult of Razmir.

"It seems the Razmirians have been trying for some time to get a foothold here in Nirmathas, but they can't seem to get the attention of the people who are constantly fighting for their existence with Molthune. It's not above the Razmirans to interfere with Society trade or frame Pathinders as the villeins. Could be our mystery woman is in that league as well?"

Eglantine frowns at the revelation of the Molthuni coinage, and definitely leaves that there, not wanting to try and explain it to anyone even as 'evidence.'

"Could be anybody still, at this point. But Razmirans are scoundrels from what I know of 'em! Cults and indoctrinating people through beatings and things!"

(Got a Masks of the Living God credit on this character. ;) )

She trots along with the others towards the Bounty.

The Forest Bounty is a popular feast hall located on the north side of Tamran. The majority of the feast hall’s clientele seems to be militia types as they resupply, trade scouting reports, and compare scars. The feast hall is busy when you arrive.

The interior of this enormous wooden long house is brightly lit and filled with the sounds of laughter, music, and merriment. Food scents mingle with the smoke of cooking fires and tobacco pipes. Servants carry food and drinks from the open kitchen area to the various wooden benches and tables that fill the hall. Many of the patrons are armed and armored, proudly bearing the insignia of local militia groups on their cloaks and tabards, along with the sword and tree symbol of Nirmathas.

As before, Gather Information or new Knowledge Local.

Knowledge(Local): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
"H-howdy. My name's Enora, and- down here, tallshank. Yeah. I'm looking for a tall woman. Taller than you. Black and White hair."

Cue record player scratching to a halt as everyone stops and looks at Enora.

Everyone looks for a moment before utterly ignoring Enora. Most scowl before they go back to their business. A single man does not,a wounded veteran clad in a green cloak bearing the symbol of Nirmathas. He walks with a noticeable limp and is missing his left arm from the elbow down.

“Now is not a good time for strangers to be asking questions in Tamran. There are rumors that spies walk among us and that Pathfinders are among those spies. I find it a little hard to believe, given Pathfinders helped me out in a time of need,” he remarks, gesturing with his hand to his amputated arm. "Be ye Pathfinders?'