1. GM Edwin's Zeitgeist Campaign

Game Master Insnare

"They only last seven minutes at a time, but I can cast it more than once if need be. I imagined we'd walk up to the bridge as if nothing were up - to scare him off and get him moving as you say. Then when he's just out of sight, I cast the first spell and we rush to catch up - following him as we can. We'd be back a bit and might not need the invisibility most of the time, but if there's a choke point, or he doubles back, or does something else unusual - we'd have a chance at continued hiding."

He shrugs, "Not a great plan perhaps, but I don't think we'll be able to reason with him."

"I like the plan. Subtle and simple. Unless gremlins can see invisibility it should at least get him moving."

You make your way according to Gale's directions. You get within 50 feet of the bar.

Who is your decoy? What actions do you plan on taking?

I want everyone to describe what they plan on doing. Who will be outside the invisibility sphere? and such. Thanks!

Femi's plan is to have the party simply approach the gremlin - to scare him off and (hopefully) send him running back to his master.

We would let him think he got away, by turning invisible at some point during the chase - after he rounded a corner for example. We would then follow him carefully and see where he goes.

Most of the time, we'd be stealthy, with our sneakiest in front, and the others (like Femi) dragging far behind. But if there's a choke-point, or other area we cannot pass with mere stealth, Femi would cast another invisibility sphere to get us through. I have three, total, that I can use for the project if need be, though he plans to be stingy - he wants to preserve some spells at that level for the fight. :)

"I approve of the plan, it seems sound. How large is your invisibility sphere Constable Ferka? I would rather not leave my suit behind but will if I must."

The suit makes me Large, just so that everyone is clear on that.

"I am quite stealthy, and am happy to take the lead when we are following the gremlin.

Iva can take the lead, and stealth along following the gremlin. She needs to be up close and personal with enemies anyway. I like the plan of using the spheres as little as possible. I have three potions of invisibility on me that I'm happy to share if needed.

You turn a corner and then you see a big (size small in game terms) gremlin with big long pointy ears wearing a woolen cloak have rotten away where used to be the tavern's bar. The bar is caked in soot and the gremlin is playing a tarnished by fire brass sconce enjoying the somewhat musical ting of brass hitting the charred floor boards.

It hears you approach and he says something in Sylvan,

Orange smoke appears where he was, has he disappeared?

Everyone give me a perception check

"Zophar, you are rather large aren't you. No, it will still work - but you'll be the spells recipient, which means we all need to stay close to you. No running off." he grins. "Nice suit."

The area of effect is 10' around the target creature. So I could target you as the center, and everyone just walks near you and we're fine.

Later, with the gremlin, Femi quickly casts See Invisibility and looks around.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Damn tricksters! curses Falko under his breath, though he admits being quite impressed. Quickly, he scans the area around to see if the gremlin has reappeared nearby.

Perception: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (17) + 20 = 37

i plan on being in the invis sphere

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32

"Where did he go? The little creep."

Perception: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (14) + 18 = 32

"Blasted gremlins"

Chretien, Zophar, Iva and Falko are able to see where the gremlin teleported to and start to give chase. It continues running.

GM Rolls

You see the gremlin dive into a murky pond to try to get away.

I need a Perception and Swim check please

Great, my two best skills. If I had realized we'd be using Paizo's chase rules, I'd have suggested another path. :)

Femi swears as the gremlin goes swimming. Swimming! Who'd have thought the little bugger would do that!

He does his best not to fall behind.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
Swimming: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (16) + 0 = 16

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
swim: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
Swim: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (15) - 3 = 12

I am not good a swimming."

Zophar crashes into the water, the splash echoing around as he, surprisingly deftly for a large metallic man, begins swimming for the gremlin.

Perception: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (20) + 18 = 38
Swim: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

Does being large have any effect on Swim? I can't find anything to indicate so.

Perception: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (19) + 20 = 39

Swim: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Yeah, the gremlin thinks he is being chased so it needs to be chasish

You all plunge into the water after the Gremlin but Falko seems to be having difficulty swimming. You have a good idea where the gremlin is swimming to an you see him come out on the other side of the pond.

GM Rolls

He continues running away from you.

Can I get a perception, bluff rolls please.

Perception: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (20) + 18 = 38
Bluff: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

Perception: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (4) + 20 = 24

Bluff: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (12) + 18 = 30

Falko, if he gets a chance, becomes invisible.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11
Bluff: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (20) + 16 = 36

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27
Bluff: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Iva tries her best to act as if she's not following the little creature.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
bluff: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (9) - 1 = 8

The gremlin still runs for a bit and then you seem to be helping Falko get out of the water and that you are no longer chasing him.

Now to bust out Adventure fours tailing a suspect rules... Ok, so you can choose to use the invisibility spell or you can go analog. To save spells and the fact that this is a gremlin the tailing may take a couple of hours... I still have to roll for it. To tail the suspect, you would need to give a perception check to stay on him, and a stay hidden check which could be a stealth or disguise check or bluff. This can be done by two or three of the more stealthy characters while the others hang back. Up to you

I think Falko has the highest perception, plus he can turn invisible when needed, but he's not particularly stealthy.

Iva's fairly perceptive and stealthy. I can follow him.

Perhaps we can work together to follow? With Falko using invisibility when needed?

Femi will cast invisibility on Iva. "I'll lag behind. I have See Invisibility going, so I can follow the two of you with the group."

He falls back and keeps the pair of them in sight as he follows along as best he can.

GM Rolls

I need 4 perception checks from Falko and Iva and stealth checks as well. Unless you want to cast the sphere 4 times. each check is valid for 15 minutes of pursuit.

i'm not particularly stealthy, i'd only be of use if you want him shot

there is plenty of shooting coming up.

Iva does her best to stay out of site, but keep the creature in her view as they travel along.

Falko quickly prepares for the tail (casting Heroism) and moves in with Iva, using disguise and invisibility as required (Hat of Disguise and Sleeves of Many Garments) .

Perception with Heroism: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (8) + 22 = 30
Stealth with Heroism: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16
Disguise with Heroism: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (6) + 18 = 24

Perception with Heroism: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (9) + 22 = 31
Stealth with Heroism: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20
Disguise with Heroism: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (18) + 18 = 36

Perception with Heroism: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (19) + 22 = 41
Stealth with Heroism: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30
Disguise with Heroism: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (1) + 18 = 19

Perception with Heroism: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (10) + 22 = 32
Stealth with Heroism: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32
Disguise with Heroism: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (4) + 18 = 22

In the first fifteen minutes Iva seems to lose sight of the gremlin but Falko is able to correct the course as the gremlim teleports to the top of a nearby tree to pick a quince.

In the second 15, Falko seems to feel the gremlin sees him but just assumes he is a resident of the Cloudwood and carries on his merry way, where Ellik decided it may be fun to pull the tail of a farmer's cat and then he continues on.

In the 3rd fifteen minutes, the gremlin plays a game touching every tree he sees, just having a nice late morning.

In the 4th fifteen minutes, the gremlin looks back towards where you are but he seems to not see either of you as he continues forward.

He cuts out of a thicket onto a dirt road, you continue to follow him and pass on the right a old wooden sign that says Gallo's School for Boys there seems to be a drizzle over the school's campus specifically.

There is a dense area of trees the act like a wall for the compound.

"I have a bad feeling about this. Look at those clouds. Do you get the feeling we've been lead here?" Iva waits outside the trees for the others to arrive.

Femi catches up eventually and agrees with Iva, "Yeah, that looks unpleasant. Good job keeping up with the little rat though. Well done."

"I can get us invisibly to some entry or other. Maybe bypass the outer sentries if there are any - though the darkness and the ample cover might be sufficient to get close."

"An unpleasant looking place, sure enough. Let us begin Constable Ferka."

Asrabey says, "I can smell him. Ekossigan is here. Are you ready to venture in there?"

Gallo’s School for Boys has a few activity buildings on the ground level,
but it is mostly 100 feet above the ground in the boughs of a massive tree,
centuries-old. A sturdy but vertigo-inducing staircase spirals around the
tree’s trunk up to the entrance. A rancid stench drifts on the breeze.
The orphanage sits in the boughs of a tree, and areas of leaves on the
map represent terrain with enough branches to support a person.

Orphanage

The outside of the structure is made up of wood, recently painted
green. In places the slats and beams appear to have started sprouting
short leafy branches, as though coming back to life. All the windows are
shuttered, and now they’ve grown enough that they cannot be opened,
though they still let in dim light during the day.

Are you casting invisibility or something?

Perception DC 37

Yes, Femi will cast another Invisibility Sphere so we can at least climb the stairs without the whole camp coming down on us - though he's tempted to fireball the whole place, one limb at a time...

"Let us go quietly into this place. I really wish I had time to get cold iron weapons." She mutters to herself as she readies to climb the walls.

Climb: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Falko looks at the orphanage, trying to recall its history, both ancient and recent...

Lore master on Knowledge Local for 20.

"If confronted, is Ekossigan more likely to flight or flee?"

Perception with Heroism: 1d20 + 20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 20 + 2 = 42

Groovey!

Falko

Asrabey says, "He will fight."

Iva has difficulty climbing the walls.

You proceed up the staircase of the tree into the orphanage and since you are protected by Femi's invisibility sphere the two gremlins at the top do not notice you.

At the top of the stairs you see the two gremlins and a door directly in front of you. Also in front of the other areas marked #10 on the map, there are what you count to be upwards of 30 nooses hanging from the tree.

Do you kill the gremlins? Go through the doors into area 2 or something else.

Femi nods in support of killing the gremlins prior to going through the doors to area 2. He suggests others do the killing with a look and a gesture - so that he may preserve his spells.

He waits for the invisibility to be broken, at least for a few.

Falko whispers: "I hear children... I say we go as deep as possible without raising any alarm. So hush and forward."

Femi shrugs and makes a mental note of the two gremlins for future slaughter, and moves along with Falko remaining invisible and quiet for now.

"I agree let's go."

2. Lobby.
The desk chairs act as beds for some gremlins, while others doze in the
desks’ drawers. They’ve taken stacks of paper and clumped them into
crude shapes of animals.

You see about ten gremlins sleeping in this room and you also see the rotting corpse of a woman in the corner, most likely the receptionist.

Attack, go to room 3 or room 4 or back the way you came or something else?