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

Game Master Chris Marsh

Would someone place me on the map beside Enora, please? Thanks.

Karasuma will find a good spot to observe on a building that provides the best angle of view for the apparent meeting spot that the party is heading towards.

It's 100% allowed :-) (and what my party did when I was a player too.)

The party gets to the meeting site early, earlier than the other party. Instead of Guaril, they see a quartet of men approaching. One is dress in priestly robes, bearing the symbol of Razmir. The others look like militia members.

They seem shocked that their ambush has turned into a counter-ambush. Perception: 4d20 ⇒ (10, 5, 8, 14) = 37. None of them ever look up...

"Pathfinders, it's time you left town..." They draw weapons. The leader adds, "There's two missing, watch for an ambush!"

Baddies: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Novid: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Enora: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Eglantine: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Reesa: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Nym: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Kara: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

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

"Three missin', hon!"
Enora opens her book, flips to a bookmarked page and disappears. She sneaks behind a building.

Casting Invisibility, then moving.

Novid sighs as he walks to the closest foe. "Of course." He mutters.

Power attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Sigh

Enora vanishes from sight, eliciting a curse from the man in robes. Novid's swing is wide, as if a miss in frustration.

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

Reesa begins the process of casting a Sleep spell on the ambushers!

Reesa's complex spell will take a moment to finish.

Round 1:
Eglantine: Go
Novid: Miss
Reesa: Sleep
Nym: Go
Kara: Go
Enora: Invis.
Baddies: TBD

Acrobatics(Jump down: DC10?): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

Karasuma attempts to start moving around on a long flank, but lands HARD when he drops off the roof, grunting a bit. He holds up a second to catch his breath.

Stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20

Half-move for stealth, nearly broke neck jumping down, going to call that move ended there.

4d20 ⇒ (9, 8, 9, 1) = 27 Kara jumps down, and no one seems to react.

Round 1:
Eglantine: Go
Novid: Miss
Reesa: Sleep
Nym: Go
Kara: Move
Enora: Invis
Baddies: TBD

My bad for not looking at the thread, I thought we were on a break until tomorrow evening. Glad to be back in action.

Round 1

Not exactly sure where the rest of the group is, Nym sees Novid move forward, taking on four bad guys solo. Not about to enter melee himself, he tries to slow the rest down by casting Grease on the area where the ambushing militia stands.

Used yellow square to show the spell AoE. Those two enemies should make a DC 15 Reflex or fall prone. Moving through the space requires a DC 10 Acrobatics.

Eglantine races lightly down the roof towards the battle, doing a flip-jump off the roof in an attempt to land gracefully on her feet. She draws her rapier as she goes.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Tada! She flashes a grin at the foe, and snaps her wrist to make a wand fall into her other hand. A flourish of the wand creates a small barrier of shimmery force around her.

(Move action to move and land; swift to pull wand, standard to cast shield. AC now 27)

Eglantine makes a grand entrance to the fight, magically augmented by her spell. Meanwhile Nym sets about trying to seize an early advantage.
Blue: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19 Safe
Black: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8 WHOOOP!

One of the grisly men slips and falls to the muddy ground. He slowly gets up and slide back slowly to a safe spot (move and move). The man with the blue bandanna drops his bow and draws a handaxe, swinging it hard at Nym ATK: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12, but the wizard's arcane defense works and he's unharmed.

The man in the far back sneers at Reesa and lets fly with an arrow ATK: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 2 = 13 [ooc]I don't see Mage Armor up, but I may have missed it. and sticks her for DMG: 1d8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 2 = 9.

The man in the mask shouts, "RAZMIR!" he flies into a rage and jumps down to come at Eglantine with a staff!: ATK: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23 for DMG: 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Round 2:
Eglantine: Go
Novid: Go
Reesa: Go
Nym: Go
Kara: Go
Enora: Go
Baddies: TBD

Enora notices the wild melee and realizes friend and foe are too close. She heads around the back and prepares...

Still Invisible, double move.

The tengu curses inwardly as this pretty much destroys his efforts thus far, but he'll keep approaching.

Until he actually takes an action on the side of of either party, he can be part of the 'curious third party' narrative, he hopes.

Double Move

Novid swings at the man in front of him!

Power Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Damage: 2d8 + 8 + 3 ⇒ (5, 4) + 8 + 3 = 20

Enora and Kara move to set themselves up. Novid, however, is exactly where he wants to be and swings mightily at the thug. The inquisitor kills him in a single swing!

Round 2:
Eglantine: Go
Novid: Kill
Reesa: Go
Nym: Go
Kara: Double Move
Enora: Double Move
Baddies: TBD

Yes, I'm a dummy and forgot to cast Mage Armor before the meeting.

The Mage pulls her wand of Mage Armor and uses it on herself.

AC is now 16.

Round 2

Seeing his Grease spell have the desired effect and his Mage Armor deflect an attack, Nym is confident. He steps forward to draw one of the foes within range of his mesmerizing spell, especially after he sees that enemy land a crushing blow on Eglantine, his new favorite halfling.

Step forward 15' and cast Daze on the red-outlined bad guy. Save is a DC 14 Will or be stunned for 1 round.

Swift action: imbue rapier with +1
Full round: cast shocking grasp (spellstrike) (provoking an AOO from red)/ spell combat

Attack 1, +1 rapier, shocking grasp, bonus vs metal, vs red: 1d20 + 10 - 2 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 10 - 2 + 3 + 1 = 20
Damage if hits: 1d4 + 1 + 4d6 ⇒ (1) + 1 + (5, 1, 2, 1) = 11

Attack 2, +1: 1d20 + 10 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 10 - 2 + 1 = 14
Damage if hits: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Reesa buffs herself for battle. Eglantine risks a spell in the heat of the fight AoO: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22, and takes a hit with a handaxe DMG: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8 Rolling concentration for you: Concentration: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11 Concentration: 1d20 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 7 + 4 = 31, assuming you want to use your ability. Feel free to correct me!. The hit hurts, but she pushes through the pain landing a single, shocking, hit.

Nym uses the chance to try to pile on the hurt, Dazing the same man Will: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8 and sending his gaze off in the distance.

The other thug, moves VERY slowly towards Novid and tries to exact vengeance Handaxe: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10, but pays more attention to the grease than his own weapon.

Finally the masked foe comes at Eglantine in a rage, moving through the grease with reckless abandon ATK: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13 and completely misses!

Round 3:
Eglantine: Go
Novid: Go
Reesa: Go
Nym: Go
Kara: Go
Enora: Go
Baddies: TBD

This had better work, or I'm gonna get fried somethin' fierce!

Enora's invisibility wears off, and she pops into view as a rainbow flash shoots out of her hands and against the militia men and the masked one.

"Haha! Taste the rainbow!"

Casting Color Spray. Spending 1 Arcane Resevoir point to put the Will Save DC at DC 17

Enora breaks the invisibility with a riotous display of color!

Red Will: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Black Will: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Masked Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

All three are nailed with the magic! The two thugs drop to the ground, knocked out cold from the spell. The masked foe drops the staff and simply stands stunned for a moment...

Round 3:
Eglantine: Go
Novid: Go
Reesa: Go
Nym: Go
Kara: Go
Enora: Color Spray
Baddies: TBD

Novid steps up to the man in the mask, judges him unworthy and swing his sword in a deadly arc. Swift action judgement of justice.

Power Attack: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 9 + 2 = 20
Damage: 2d8 + 8 + 3 ⇒ (3, 2) + 8 + 3 = 16

Novid's slash cracks the mask and opens skin with a vicious wound!

Round 3:
Eglantine: Go
Novid: ATK
Reesa: Go
Nym: Go
Kara: Go
Enora: Color Spray
Baddies: TBD

Reesa readies an action to cast Daze at the masked man once he tries to attack someone in her group. DC will be 14 if the readied action goes off.

With the tide quickly turning against the enemy, Reesa prepares a spell to keep the advantage solidly in the party's favor.

Round 3:
Eglantine: Go
Novid: ATK
Reesa: Readied Daze spell
Nym: Go
Kara: Go
Enora: Color Spray
Baddies: TBD

Round 3

With the two thugs down from the Color Spray, Nym spends his turn dismissing the Grease spell, making the slippery substance disappear from the battlefield so his allies can finish the mop-up without impairment.

He moves forward to directly behind Novid. "See if you can take the Razmirian alive. I am certain he holds information we can use."

Move action to step behind Novid. Standard Action to dismiss Grease.

Nym calmly moves about the battlefield while the party closes in on the last standing foe.

Round 3:
Eglantine: Go
Novid: ATK
Reesa: Readied Daze spell
Nym: Dismiss
Kara: Go
Enora: Color Spray
Baddies: TBD

Re: the AOO - My AC is currently 27. Your AOO rolled was 22; I don't believe I got hit. Correct me if I'm wrong!

Round 3 action

Eglantine side-steps in to flank with Novid. "We should take him alive!" she cries. "We still need to get to the bottom of this, and he's the likeliest to have information!"

She slaps the man on his buttocks with the pommel of her rapier, apparently, as her typist has given her crap-all options for non-lethal.

Attack, NL, flank, magic: 1d20 + 10 + 2 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 10 + 2 - 4 + 1 = 12
NL damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

You are not wrong! It's a miss, which means you get your Concentration reroll back too.

Eglantine cracks her rapier off of armor unfortunately.

Round 3:
Eglantine: Miss
Novid: ATK
Reesa: Readied Daze spell
Nym: Dismiss
Kara: Go
Enora: Color Spray
Baddies: TBD

Hearing the sounds of battle die down through the insane effectiveness of the rest of the party, Karasuma backs off to observe from a distance.

Bluff(Selling it!): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Double Move to get to an 'observation position'

The woman shakes off the color spray spell just as the party closes in on her. Her rage hasn't subsided, and she's not going down without a fight!

Round 4:
Eglantine: Go
Novid: Go
Reesa: Go
Nym: Go
Kara: Go
Enora: Go
Baddies: TBD

Novid hits the woman with the side of his sword.

Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 9 - 2 + 2 = 20
Damage: 2d8 + 8 ⇒ (5, 7) + 8 = 20 Non lethal. I think the penalty is 2 but im not sure

The tengu uses the corner of a nearby rocky cover, quietly observing and pulling out a bow and an arrow.

Move Action: Pull bow and arrow out

Enora lets out another silent scream, aimed at the masked leader.

The scream will hit for 2d8 ⇒ (2, 1) = 3 damage and daze her for 1 round.

Casting Ear-Piercing Scream. Spending 1 point of AR for a Fort Save DC 17 for half damage and no daze.

Novid's smack is epic, but it's Enora's spell that ultimately knocks her out.

They're KOed long enough that I see no reason to track by rounds. I assume you tie them up.

Once awake, the prisoners are MIGHTY angry. The two living thugs say nothing, but the masked person has plenty to say, unfortunately it's mostly profanities.

If you want to interrogate, include the appropriate skill roll with your technique.

Diplomacy 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Reesa was mad too. She wasn't used to getting hit with arrows at random. Despite this, the aasimar tried to maintain her regal demeanor. "We aren't going to stoop to your level. We are heroes. Being good heroes, however we won't torture you. I'd like for you to tell us why we were targeted. "

Enora tries to help!

Diplomacy(Aid): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12 Enora provides a +4 bonus thanks to her helpful trait.

"Are you guys the bandits that have been raiding people around here? Tell the truth and we'll let you off easy."

Karasuma puts his bow away and continues to observe, not only that situation, but any other things in the area that may be of import while attempting to conceal his location a bit from the party.

Stealth(Take 10): 10 + 13 = 23

OR

Stealth(if Take 10 not allowed): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21

Perception (Take 10): 10 + 11 = 21

OR

Perception (if Take 10 not allowed): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

Nym, who is neither very physically imposing, nor very skilled in saying the right words a the right times, stands back and silently observes the proceedings. He does keep a rather close eye on the Razmirian priestess, trying to discern if anything she says is actually factual or just complete fabrication.

Sense Motive, if she speaks: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Nym will also go through the things of both the thugs and the "priestess" and see if anything of value or import turns up. He will use Detect Magic liberally on the items found.

Eglantine watches the attempts to get cooperation from the prisoners, and tries to smile along with Enora and Reesa.

"Come on, we beat you fair and square. But we're not mean, and you'll come out of this a lot better if you cooperate with three cute ladies rather than that big guy over there," she says with a jerk of her chin at Novid. "HE'S mean. I say that as a friend."

Trying to aid the diplo as well: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (10) + 0 = 10

(Good enough! Another +2 to Reesa's roll)

Reesa's words, coupled by the support of the party loosen their tongues. Nym gives a nod throughout indicating that he believes them. The thugs seem to be devout followers of Razmir and simply spout that your deaths are his will. The *actual* Razmiran seems to be far less devout. "My church superiors sent me to Tamran to serve a half-orc and a Varisian man working in this area. They quickly relegated me to instead working for a rude woman who smells of dirt and does not show Razmir the proper deference. All of our meetings with her took place outside of Tamran at three different meeting spots. She kept picking abandoned forts for cover. It was a different one every time."

Further questioning doesn't seem to lead to any other useful information. A reasonably thorough search turns up a potion and a magic scroll. Other than the Razmiran's armor, their gear appears mundane.

By now it's getting quite late, and resting is in order...

"There are like, a million old forts around here. Tall, scary, woman with multicolored hair. Razmir is trying to get the Pathfinders out of here by labelling them as traitors. It's getting late folks. What do you want to do with them?"

Enora casts Detect Magic on the gear and tries to identify them.
Spellcraft, Potion: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24
Spellcraft, Scroll: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13
Spellcraft, Armor: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30
"What is this scroll? Huh? Hey Eglantine, I could use a second opinion here. Oh, an' you too, Nym."

Enora will suggest they find a place to rest for the night so she can study, but is fine with pushing on otherwise.

Potion of Invisibility
Breastplate +1

You do have a safe haven for rest back at the lodge, but what do you do with the prisoners?

"Nice potion. Nice breastplate, too. We'll be taking those!" Enora fiddles with the potion. "Drink this and you'll disappear for a moment. No one can see you unless you try to hurt somebody."

"So we have these three devout Razmirians. They failed to ambush us, and as good as dead. I don't mind dropping someone in the heat of battle, but it's different now for me."

"If I remember right, the temple of Ramzir will punish them severely for their failure if they return. We may as well let 'em go."

Knowledge(Local): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

"Unless the local guard here will accept these thieves for trying to attack us in the middle of the night."

Enora actually thinks turning these guys in with a complete story may help the Pathfinder cause...

No need to roleplay out bringing them into the guard, just let me know if that's the plan.

After handling the prisoners, the party takes a much needed break. The day has been long, with a lot of trucking over town.

When you arrive at the Ashfall Lodge, you find Guaril already there. “I hope you uncovered some information, my friends,” says Guaril as he applies a dab of wax to his moustache, “For my investigation was only partially successful. My sources tell me that the filthy weasels stealing my cargo are hiding in an abandoned fort. Which fort, they could not say. I would have learned more, but some men…they cannot tolerate pain, eh? Sadly for us, the Nirmathi abandoned many forts after the last Molthuni invasion. These four are our best bets.”

He then shows you a MAP OF THE AREA

Karasuma will continue his 'follow at a distance' approach, along with 'keeping a low profile' and 'keeping an eye out'.

If he had some way of communicating good ideas to the party directly without compromising what he feels is a good set-up for covert work, he'd strongly suggest the bulk of the party turn the Razmirans in with the story thus far.

Under cover of shadow he'll move to the nearest available lodging 'near' the Ashfall Lodge. If it looks like he can stealth his way into the Lodge largely unnoticed, he will make that happen.

We already know what Kara's numbers are like, are rolls required at this point with taking ten?

Spellcraft Scroll 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

"Can anyone heal me before we rest up? Stupid arrows in the flank don't feel that great," Reesa moans.

Any spells left so we don't have to use wand charges? If not, I'll just roll my wand charges and assume someone used it on me.