GM Bold Strider's PFS 01-52 The City of Strangers, Part II (Subtier 1-2) (Inactive)

Game Master rpblue

Stabilize (DC10): 1d20 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 2 - 1 = 9

Aiden's blood soaks into the dirt.

We are in a bit of a sorry state, aren't we?

Well, the scenario does say: "they are intended to be a challenging fight for the PCs."

Still here, still afraid.

We're fine (says the guy bleeding out). Emmett's shot probably takes out Yellow and then it's 3 on 1 with Evenstar coming out of her fear next round. You just have to dust off Aiden.

Chasing after the man Rangor reaches out to grasp him one more time.

This reminds me of a game I used to play as a child. I believe it was called Tag.

Inflict Light Wounds Touch: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Looking over Rangor sees that Aiden has fallen with an arrow sticking out of his knee.

He better be able to adventure again thug!

"Hey Mickey! I think you're the one who needs the help. Catch!"

Bomb(touch): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Damage: 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (5, 6) + 3 = 14

Surprisingly, Mickey's body shields Rangor from any splash damage - Precise Bombs

Between Rangor, Emmett and Kiyantikert, the last two would-be assassins are handled with ease. A few heads poke out of windows as the dust settles. The group regains themselves as Evenstar rushes back into the market with her weapon drawn. A whistle goes out and people begin to filter back into the market, conducting business as usual.

When he thinks no one is looking, a scruffy teenager sidles up to the unconscious Aiden and begins to try and drag him into the nearby alley.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

"Hey boy! Get away from there! Go on, shoo!"

Emmett goes over to check on Aiden. "Hey man, wake up already! It's over."

Evenstar runs back to the combat, fury shining in her eyes.

"I need to kill a spellcaster...now!" she laments as she sees the combat is already over. "Curse them and their tricks! So help me, I'm gonna kill the next one I find, just for sport!" she yells.

Already on a rampage, she sees the teens trying to take the bodies of the fallen.

"But if I can't find a spellcaster, I'll settle for YOU!!!" she yells, pointing at the ruffians. "You better start runnin'!!!"

perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12
intimidate: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

"Hey wait. The local kids always know stuff. We can ask them ..."
Kiyanetikert get a look at Evenstar's eyes and trails off. \
"Never mind. I'll just go help Aiden."

A quick zap from a CLW wand later:
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Aiden opens his eyes and groans. He looks down to see where the arrow hole and the magic bruises have been partially healed. "Right. Glad you guys put them down." He struggles and stands after a moment, pulling out his own wand.

He hands it to Kiya or Ragnor for them to use on him. "Many thanks." Afterwards, he goes to retrieve his net from where it tossed aside as the cleric's body was taken.

"Ok, so what now? I'm guessing they were the Shadow Lodge?"

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

"Search the bodies?"

Kiyanetikert suits action to words, looking mostly for clues, but not passing up loot. :)
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

[ooc]I'm assuming Evenstar's intimidate scared off all the kids, if not, we'll have to deal with them first.

Also, "Anyone else still hurt?"

"Yah, that orcish brute packed quite a wallop," Emmet says, as he cleans and reloads his pistol.

"If you don't mind..." Emmett offers his wand to Ragnor to heal him up.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"Thanks!"

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Rangor grabs his wand once again and tends to his wounds.

Did you find anything useful on these miscreants?

Evenstar comes back in full force, ready to drop some pain, but finds no target to which said pain-dropping would be appropriate. She does scare off the kids, but the assassins are far enough apart that the kids steal away the body of the gnome into an alley. You find the naked gnome divested of his gear in nearly record time.

You find a key on the half-orc that tried to rough up Emmett with the symbol of a kneeling human male, his arms raised to the sun. As you ask around about it, the merchants in Meatgate recognize the symbol—they’ve seen it a bunch of times
on an abandoned prison in the Bottoms called the Temple. They tell you that no one goes to prison in Kaer Maga—those caught committing crimes are either slain by vigilantes or executed by the Ardocs, the Commerce League, or the Duskwardens—and so the prison was just a trash heap the last time anyone checked.

--To the "Temple"!--

The Temple is exactly as described—a trash heap. It may once have been a model of beautiful prison architecture, but its facade is faded and cracked, piles of windblown trash hug its walls in drifts, and what may have once been manicured landscaping has since devolved into a tangled, swampy mess. A single path of cracked, wet bricks links the street to the entrance of the Temple, which appears to be a brand new, iron-braced wooden door. Above the door is a decayed carving of a human man on his knees, his arms raised toward a rising sun.

All of the ceilings are 10 feet high unless otherwise noted. The only way into this former prison is through the front door, though enterprising climbers might be able to climb the walls and enter that way. The front door
to the prison is locked.

"Let's try the key."

Emmett will be happy to take a potion, but none of the other stuff is very useful to him.

Aiden takes one of the healing potions and then holds up the potion of invisibility. "This could come in very handy either for scouting or just for getting the drop on someone."

When they arrive at the Temple, Aiden nods at Emmitt. He draws his sword. "Open it. Let's see who's home."

-Posted with Wayfinder

Potion of CLW for everyone who doesn't have the spell? Which is I think everyone but Rangor. Saves a charge if nothing else. I don't think anyone can use the magic missile scrolls. Rangor might as well take the others. Unless someone wants to UMD them.

If we're kicking down the door and going in, I'll take the Dex Mutagen just before.

"Ready. Maybe we'll get some answers here.

Rangor gathers the scrolls and tightly packs them into his bag. I am ready when you are. Lets open this prison.

This small room looks as though it were recently cleaned. Piles of broken furniture lay against the east wall and a single, nondescript desk sits in the middle of the room facing the door in the south wall. Another door, just as thick and sturdy, is opposite the main door on the north wall.

Playing on the table, around the table and under the table is four goblins who immediately notice your entrance. "Halt! What's the password, longshanks!" one of them bellows as he stands up proudly on the table with his dogslicer in hand.

Aiden growls at the goblin. "Oh, shut up, you little ankle-biter! Who else would be able to open the door to get in here? Those stupid Pathfinders are making a mess of things in the city. We need to talk to the boss and figure out just what to do next. Open the door and get outta my way!"

Intimidate: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Bluff: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

"The password is 'Get the *#*%& outta my way!" Evenstar says with venom dripping from her voice.

She walks directly through the room to the opposite door.

intimidate: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

The goblins confer as Evenstar yells at them. "Hey! That's not the password!" the one standing on the table bellows before turning to the one behind it.

"Is that the password? Is there a password?"

The other goblin shrugs. "Can't we just stab them?"

"Of course we can just stab... Wait, we were told no stabbing except for intruders." the lead goblin thinks to himself outloud.

"Hey! Are you intruders?" he asks.

"Oh, don't you wish we were intruders? It would probably be great fun to stab us. But seeing as we are not intruders, I guess that option is off the table now. Whatcha playing? Anyone here like to gamble? I could use a game about now..."

Evenstar looks back at the goblins as she moves to open the door on the far side of the room.

"Just sit down and stab the next people who come through. Those are the intruders..." she says.

Relying on my 30 intimidate from before. :)

"Of course we're not intruders. If we were intruders we wouldn't have had the key. Now stop wasting our time. We need to talk to the boss."

Bluff: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

The goblin scowls at you for a second, but thinks on what the gnome has said. He turns to confer with all three of his brethren.

"Does the key mean anything?"

"Of course the key means something! It's a key!"

"What is a key?"

"Have we seen them before?"

"Hmmm... All longshanks look the same."

"I don't like standing guard."

"Me either! Why do we do it?"

"Boss longshanks said to."

"Bah! I wanna stab something! Let's leave!"

"Yeah!" can be heard in a chorus.

The goblins look at you as they move past you into the open air of Kaer Maga. "Have fun with Boss Longshanks. He's mean! He killed Grobble, but Grobble deserved it."

Soon, you can hear screams in the distance as an explosion sends a goblin arm skidding across the cobblestones in front of the door.

In a small pack in the corner, you find a potion of cure light wounds, a dagger, a light crossbow with 10 bolts, and wooden holy symbol of Zarongel.

As you move through the doors to the north, you find yourself in a long hallway that stretches 110 feet from east to west and is periodically broken up by thick, iron portcullises. Several sets of doors can be seen at even intervals along the north and south walls, and at the far east end the hallway appears to terminate in a room filled with large cages. The floor of the hallway was recently swept, but spiderwebs the ceilings.

You find the first portcullis is unlocked and would take a DC 18 Strength check to lift.

Evenstar looks disappointed the goblins have left, but shrugs.

"There are always more..."

When they reach the portcullis, the barbarian tries to lift it. She strains at it for a bit before it finally moves.

str check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
str check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
str check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Aiden smirks as the goblins head out. "Nicely done everyone. Really, goblins to guard your gate? Might as well use butterflies." He chuckles, taking the dagger and slipping it into a wrist sheath.

He helps Evenstar with the portcullis, though with a few tries, she clearly doesn't need his help.

Str Check, aid: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

Rangor gets a CLW potion.

"It's so hard to get good help these days. Shall we?"

You lift he portcullis but the next seems locked so it seems like you must enter one of the double doors offered to you or maybe your massive strength can break the lock on the last portcullis.

Do you need help with this one Evenstar?

Rango moves ahead and helps where he can with the gate.

Goblins seem to be very dimwitted in the future. They used to be so brilliant back then. I am curious as to what happened....

STR Check Aid Another: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

While the others try to lift the portcullis, Kiya takes a moment to see if anything can be heard through either set of doors.
Perception (North Door): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Perception (South Door): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Evenstar grunts as she tries to break the lock of the last portcullis.

str check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

If that didn't work, let's try the south double doors.

The lot of you easily lift the first unlocked portcullis, but find that the next, which seems to lead towards cells of some sort, is locked. Evenstar tries to muscle through, but the lock is too strong.

@Evenstar: Which southern double doors?

The first ones we passed...I put myself in front of it on the map.

The room to the south looks oddly clean compared to the entryway and there seem to be weapon and armor racks, but no weapons or armor to go along with them. Other than the racks, this room appears to be empty.

"I guess the party is this way. Let's see who's home." Aiden tries the door to the north.

The key doesn't open the portcullis lock does it?

There does not seem to be a lock on the portcullis itself, but rather a locking mechanism under the floor that keeps it in place. There must be another way past in the building.

Aiden leads the group north and the doors open into a large exercise yard that is now a choked yard filled with dead grass, animal nests, and trash. The yard is open to the sky and at the north end the ruins of a gallows can be seen. In the northwest corner of the yard a small, rickety wooden platform leads up to a single, heavy door. A set of thick double doors can been seen in the south and east walls.

In the weeds, you can see a large scorpion foraging around, feasting on what looks like the remains of a few goblins. You probably have a few seconds before it notices new prey being introduced into its home.

Aiden motions to the others to stay quiet. He watches the scorpion for a while, trying to get a sense of it's movements.

Move Action to Study.

@Aiden: Are you entering combat? Move actions can only be done during combat.

Really? Because several of the skill bonuses gained by studying a target have far more application outside of combat. Survival, in particular, makes me think of a Slayer studying a target and then being able to track him better later.

In either case, I don't want to initiate combat yet.

Aiden tries to move forward quietly.

Stealth: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Emmett makes sure his pistol is loaded (which it is), and then waits to see what the others do regarding this thing.

Sorry. Bit of confusion as I was updating after going out and drinking two yards of beery goodness. First, I confused Move Action for Readied Action. Second, unless your action is shut the door, combat is going to start regardless.

Aiden studies the creature (Have a free Studied Target due to my error.) as he creeps forward to deal with the large scorpion, but the skittering creature easily spots the new prey as he creeps through the weeds.

1d20 ⇒ 16

Initiative:
Kiyanetikert: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19 +3 with Mutagen
Evenstar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Aiden: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Rangor: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 Take Higher
Rangor: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 Take Higher
Emmett: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
Scorpion: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Initiative:
1st: Emmett; Kiyan; Rangor; Aiden
2nd: Scorpion
3rd: Evenstar

Aiden draws out a flask of alchemist fire, but holds it, moving off to the side. He draws his sword with the other hand. "Come on, you desert vermin! What are you, somebody's weird idea of a pet?"

Move action to get the flask, then move and draw sword.

Rangor moves into the room and draws his club from his side. The club once again turns rotting and decays.

Emmett moves in, and fires the pistol once he is within 30'.

Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Looks like Kiyan still up... (though I'm not seeing a post since last Wed)