GM Aarvid PFS PbP : The Devil We Know Series (Inactive)

Game Master GM Aarvid

Is it night? That's been my impression so far

We need to drop off our captives or finish them off. Kath says seriously.

I say we take this priestess to Venture-Captain Hestia Themis and we check out this basement first thing tomorrow.

August nods and follows An. Can we wait until tomorrow? This fella may need our help now. August looks at Kath as he asks the question. What you say I'm sure is best.

It is evening at this point...figure 7pm. You did not have specific orders to finish tonight but to find Pathfinder Cestis as your mission. You have his wayfinder but no other evidence of his whereabouts. From the logs, this ship was scheduled to leave soon.

So I just need to know when you are heading to the place indicated in the letters.

August is not one to suggest courses of action, he merely follows directions. However I would say to press on and go now.

Ditto - let's do this now, because the ship was due to leave in the morning. No telling what might happen in the meantime, or when that doesn't happen.

Kath will secure the ones that are alive with some rope as best he can.

Well then lets go, hopefully these fellas will remain out long enough for us to return.

Looks like tying up captives and heading to find missing pathfinder tonight.

You secure the 3 thugs and priestess on the ship and head for the building described in her letters. A few of the captives agree to watch the thugs until the authorities arrive.

You make your way on the south side of the Imperial Naval Shipyard and find the cooper’s warehouse. Once inside, you locate the trap door, and looking inside you see and smell the following...

A smell, not unlike wet dog, fills this room. The corners are occupied by dirty straw pallets covered by wrinkled, mildew- encrusted blankets. A single dilapidated table and four cracked and uneven chairs surround it. The floor is covered in a thin layer of dust and mud and footprints clearly cross the room from the trap door in the ceiling to a set of wooden double doors in the west wall.

Map coming tomorrow... .

Map has been updated. You all start upstairs (not shown) in the warehouse looking into a trapdoor going down. I need order and actions.

Order if it is needed.

18-Holman
17-Jacen
11-August
10-Kath
5-Morvius
4-Nguyen An

Jacen will jump down immediately taking a defensive stance.

Holman drops down as well, dagger in hand and maintaining his stealthy approach as best he can.

Stealth (Take 10): 10 + 12 = 22

As Holman and Jacen jump down, they immediately spot creatures coming out of the shadows that were not visible from the room above.

18-Holman (jumped)
17-Jacen (jumped)
16-Rats (moved)

11-August
10-Kath
6-Crazy Man
5-Morvius
4-Nguyen An

Two rats scurry over towards the two party droppers.

The rest of you, please consider this as a surprise round...1 action or 1 move before starting round 1.

An will drop down to help Homan and Jacen

August follows An, as he would normally do. Rats! I hate vermin! Don't we, An?

"Indeed we do August! Indeed we do!"

Great more rats

Kath thinks to himself as he jumps down.

I will assume Morvius also jumps down. You face two rats and another crazy codger that just cast some spell on his quarter staff as he yells out .

"WE HAVE INTRUDERS IN THE COMPOUND!."

--- round 1 ---
18-Holman
17-Jacen
16-Rats
11-August
10-Kath
6-Crazy Man
5-Morvius
4-Nguyen An

Holman tumbles past the rat nearest him, getting into a more advantageous position, and stabs with his small dagger...

Move action: As indicated on map, tumbling over the table if possible, or through the rat's square if not.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Standard action: Attack rat
Attack (Dagger): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
Damage (Dagger): 1d3 ⇒ 1

Jacen will move up to one of the rats and take a swing.
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 61d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Just a reminder to the seemingly speedy halfling - remember you can delay or ready an attack so that it's more advantageous for your swings. Don't be missing out on those D8's :)

Back to civilization.

After jumping down Morvius draws his blade and casts the light spell on it.
By Iomeday, again? Is there no end to these fools?!
We have come to deal with your vermim problem.

Holman easily tumbled past the rat but does not quite retain his balance and misses with his dagger.

Jacen takes a mighty swing but hits the table instead of his rodent of large size.

For their troubles, the rats attack back at those attacking them.

Vs Holman
bite: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14 damage : 1d4 ⇒ 3 and fort

Vs Jacen
bite: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16 damage : 1d4 ⇒ 4 and fort

The larger rat sinks its teeth into Jacen's calf.

save from Jacen needed...

11-August
10-Kath
6-crazy dude

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

August will attack the rat near the table, then try to make his way toward the strange man.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
Damage: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Imbueing his weapons with some power Kath cast's a spell, aiming and fireing a cold blue ray at the crazed man then will engage a rat near An and Jacen with his sword.

Swift Action: Arcane Strike

Full Round Action - Spell Combat
Ray of Frost (Man vs Touch AC): 1d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 - 2 = 4
damage: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Free Action: 5' Step

Scimitar Swing (Rat vs Normal AC): 1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 3 - 2 = 16
1d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 1 = 6

August steps up to the rat by the Halfling, and smashes it to paste on the floor with a mighty thud.

Kath fires a white ray of icy cold but hits the far wall rather than the old man. His blade proves more accurate and slices into the larger rat that just bit Jacen. The rat does not drop, but is clearly injured.

The old man yells with rage at the sign of his rats being maltreated.

He rushes wildly at Kath...

"leave my pets alone you scum of humanity. The end is nigh, and yours will come today! "

staff, charge: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 + 2 = 16 for damage : 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (4, 2) + 2 = 8

And from the looks of it Kath drops from the blow to the head.

Stepping into the fray, An strikes at the crazy old man with his nodachi.

attack-melee: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Damage: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

And wrapping up the round...

5-Morvius
4-Nguyen An

Yeah, thump to the head plus the damage from the negative energy channel from before knocks him out pretty good

Stabilization roll for next turn: 1d20 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 2 - 1 = 19

I went ahead and moved the old man next to Kath, wasn't sure how you wanted to note the bottom rat being dead, or Kath being unconscious.

Morvius steps up and swing his blade at the crazy bastard.
This people are under Iomedae's protection. You shall pay for that!
Atk: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Dmg: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Morvius and Nguyen An move up to assault the old crazy man. Morvius is slightly faster as Nguyen steps over Kath on the floor. The magus cuts the man down and watches him as he falls to the ground with a curse.

"You shall all perish in the coming purging of humanity!!! "

Thanks for updating the map. I head back home, but not until Saturday.

One injured rat remains and Nguyen An slashes it, sending it to lay with its master.

* end combat *

Kath stabilizes, but is down and out for the moment.

Kath! Kath is down! August cries out and rushes to his fallen new friend. Somebody help him! August start to bellow moans of anguish, as if he were personally responsible for the fate of the magus. Oh noooo, no, we can't lose him! An, he's gonna be alright, isn't he? They can help him, right?!

An rushes over to their downed companion.
"It will be alright August. Morvius can you help him?"

CLW 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Holman looks at August, shakes his head and sighs. Well, if there had been any chance of sneaking up on anyone, that's gone now...

Morvius runs to his fallen comrade relieved that Jacen already helped him and he is out of danger. He also casts a spell on Kath.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

By the might of Torag, he survives! Let me help you up! Obviously the dwarf is quite relieved to see that his party mate is alive and well. I feared we had lost you.

August clears his throat and readies his weapon. Alright then! Errr, are there more of these fellas around here? What did he meaning by "purseing my humanity" or whatever he said?

Kath revives with the healing provided by Morvius. The rats and old man remain on the floor, bleeding.

Well, we lost our surprise element. Lets push forward as fast as we can.

Holman looks around the room for anything out of the ordinary.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

August looks at Morvius. Yeah, the old man was pretty loud. Are we to let the crazy man die? If so I can finish the job. August will kill the man that tried to kill his friend, unless someone stops him so they can stabilize/interrogate him.

Kath comes to, relieved to find himself still breathing.

That was some staff hit he breaths, stands and recovers his weapon.

Kath is able to stand and August finishes off the crazed geezer.

August looks at Morvius. Yeah, the old man was pretty loud. Are we to let the crazy man die? If so I can finish the job. August will kill the man that tried to kill his friend, unless someone stops him so they can stabilize/interrogate him.

Go on then. We dont have the time to stop and call the watch now and I have no mercy to spare for those who would "purge humanity". Morvius shrugs his shoulders.

Huh...that's odd. I wonder what th... Realization dawns and Holman calls out, "Everybody stop NOW! I think there might be a trap near the door." Assuming the others heed his words, he moves closer to the slot and works to determine the nature of, and disable, the device.

Disable Device: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26