Human (Tien-Dan) Ninja 2 / Figher (Weapon Master of Shuriken) 2
"Never fully trusted anyone who considers themselves a 'holy' person," Sen notes with air quotes. "Everyone's got faults, but some seem to try to hide it behind a mask of religion."
Sen shrugs, though. "Either one is fine. Each sounds as suspicious as the last."
When you return to the temple, Jakti and his two bodyguards are waiting for you. The servants have since cleaned up the worst of the mess from the earlier combat, and Jakti is now wearing a scimitar at his side. He regards you with a smile and waves for his guards to stand outside the door to ensure a measure of privacy.
“I was uncertain if you were trustworthy enough to share this information with, but now I see that you are most competent individuals and I believe you can help.
“Some days ago I received information from… a trusted source… that a someone has hired several assassins in Katheer for a job this very night. This manor has one of the greatest gatherings of powerful people in the entire city, so I can only conclude that these assassins are meant to strike here. With that knowledge, I hired a few bodyguards for myself, but it would allay my fears if I to have your protection as well. Of course, you may seek to protect everyone in the manor, and I would applaud you for such commitment to righteousness! I will be satisfied if no harm comes to my person before this night is over, whatever the circumstances. Do this for me, and I would greatly consider dealing with such competent individuals in the near future.”
DC 25 Sense Motive:
Jakti appears to have other interests beyond his own protection, and he seems to know more than he lets on.
Just as he finishes speaking, a series of loud crashes echoes through the house, followed by screaming. Jakti’s eyes widen in alarm as he rushes to the temple’s doors only to discover that the entry hall teeming with the walking dead!
if you made the Sense Motive above:
Whatever Jakti had been planning has changed in light of this development, and he and his guards begin fending off the zombies.
Aaqir al’Hakam emerges from one of the upstairs hallways and calls to you to “protect the guests,” though he stresses the last word as if to imply one of the other critical guests. The breaking of glass elsewhere in the manor suggests there are far more zombies than just those in the entry hall.
Unfortunately, Temel’s and Metella’s animosity toward each other led them to take rooms at opposite ends of the manor’s ground floor.
Chase! (kind of!):
Normal chase rules, boiled down: It is a standard action to attempt the DC indicated on the 'card', then a move action to move through that card.If you have 20' movement, you take a -2 on these checks, but 40' movement gives you +2, etc.
Unlike a typical chase, the PCs are not chasing a target so much as they are tracking how long it takes for them to reach the NPC in danger. What’s more, the PCs overcome obstacles as a group and not individually. Each PC rolls one of the two checks to overcome the obstacle, taking the highest result. Any other PCs’ checks that result in a 10 or higher are treated as having used the aid another action for the higher result. The exception is the assassin’s trap obstacle, which only one PC may attempt. In place of attempting an aid another action, a PC may cast a spell or use a class ability that deals damage to multiple targets to destroy some of the zombies. Every 2 points of damage dealt by the spell or ability reduces that obstacle’s check DCs by 1 (to a minimum of 10).
If the PCs fail the check to overcome an obstacle, they take additional time to overcome the challenge but do not need to attempt the check again; move on to the next obstacle but track how many checks the PCs fail.
Aaaaand. . . . go! (You have to choose who you want to go for: Temel or Metella.)
We can jump it! (acrobatics):1d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 - 2 = 16 (-2 for speed)
Just to check if I got this right...we all try the same obstacle each round..the highest roll one of us get's is the primary and everyone else that rolls above a 10 is assisting? Even if we fail we go to the next challenge and it just takes us longer to get there and there's no way to speed things up?..it's not like we make the check after only 2 rolls and then move on to the next one and the rest of us can try challenge 2 in the same round? Because then we can just roll all the checks at once and tally the results all at once and see what happens right? (other then the assassin check which only one of us can try)
Also what kind of weird door needs a swim check to batter down? :)
Silver Crusader Ennoia | Female Aasimar (Muse-touched) Paladin (Divine Hunter) 2 / Fighter (Weapon Master) 9 | HP 90/90 | AC:23 (+2 vs longbows) T:16 FF:17 CMD: 30 | F+16 R+16 W+12 (+2 Mind-Aff. vs. Evil Outsiders; +2 vs. [evil] descriptor)| Init +10 | Perc +0 | SM +4
Just to clarify: do we aid only if it's the same check? For instance here, do I not give the bonus even though it was the CMB check? If so, we'd better make sure we all attempt the same.
Human (Tien-Dan) Ninja 2 / Figher (Weapon Master of Shuriken) 2
Acrobat:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12"Yeah, jumping over that looks stupid. Pits, you know where they stand. You can't read these things, though."
cut!:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24(For the next round, but I wanted to get it posted in case this wraps into tomorrow somehow, while I'm wrapped up in Eyes.)
Sorry for the unannounced and unexpected absence! Getting internet set up in the new house turned out to be much more of a pain than I was hoping for but all is well now and we're finally just about settled. . . as much as you really can be that is, we've still got a list of about 100 projects we'd like to do to the new house. But I'm back to gaming like normal now!
---
The way I understand it, each person can roll for either check and we just use the best roll. Anyone else who got above a 10 (no matter what check they rolled) aids that best roll and hopefully it's enough to beat the DC.
---
Jaysin leads the way leaping past the zombies and Jonterra and Kazzok easily leap over the railing to avoid the zombies on the stairs, pulling the rest of the party along with them! The hallway to Metella's room is blocked with zombies but again Jaysin takes charge cutting a lane through the massed undead!
Ok, keep going! Again, this is not a normal chase where you're trying to catch up to someone or get away, it's just a "don't take too long or she dies" sort of thing.
Silver Crusader Ennoia | Female Aasimar (Muse-touched) Paladin (Divine Hunter) 2 / Fighter (Weapon Master) 9 | HP 90/90 | AC:23 (+2 vs longbows) T:16 FF:17 CMD: 30 | F+16 R+16 W+12 (+2 Mind-Aff. vs. Evil Outsiders; +2 vs. [evil] descriptor)| Init +10 | Perc +0 | SM +4
I'm currently away from home with no way to look at the map. Are we are the trap yet? If so, I'll just roll Reflex and swim, please use what you think is necessary. Reflex:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26 Swim :1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
Lol, yeah, I'm not sure I understand why Swim is used to batter the door down. Butterfly stroke until it collapses from laughter?
Sen bends down to disable the trap but Ennoia quickly shows the rest of the party an easier way to leap over it, leaving Kazzok to burst through the barricaded door of the dwarf merchant's room.
As you enter the room you find the windows smashed open, glass scattered across the floor, and several pieces of furniture overturned. The chair barricading the door has been shattered and the remnants lie about the room.
Several zombies have crashed into the room through the windows. An assassin stands over Metella ready to strike while Metella-as yet unharmed-tries to escape from the danger!
Ash will move forward and cast a Heatstroke at the assassin and using Glorious Heat will grant Ennoia a +1 morale bonus on to hit for this turn (and healing her for 3 hps)
to hit flatfooted? (hasn't acted yet, so no dex bonus I think) touch AC assassin:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11 if hit non lethal damage:1d4 ⇒ 3 and DC 16 fort save is failed (-4 penalty if wearing heavy clothing or armor of any sort) -> exhausted ( moves at half speed, cannot run or charge, and takes a –6 penalty to Strength and Dexterity) if the save is made only fatiqued (neither run nor charge and takes a –2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity)
Human (Tien-Dan) Ninja 2 / Figher (Weapon Master of Shuriken) 2
Seeing if the assassin can Uncannily Dodge things or if the zombs are already exploded decides my target, but the Living Cover to the assassin now simplifies my action.
Kazzok explodes one of the zombies, neutralizing it as a threat! The assassin does not seem willing to follow Jonterra's orders and Ash's spell and Ennoia's arrows miss their marks. Yep, uncanny dodge. While the rest of the party focuses on the assassin, Jaysin takes out the second zombie.
Initiative:
1. Jaysin, Ash, Kazzok, Sen, Jonterra, and Ennoia
2. Assassin and Zombies
Human (Tien-Dan) Ninja 2 / Figher (Weapon Master of Shuriken) 2
Sen will move southeast-east 1 square and continue east until he reaches the assassin! He draws both his katana and wakizashi, but only slashed with the larger for the moment!
Sen's blade draws blood as the assassin turns invisible for just a moment; long enough for Metella and everyone else to lose track of him as he steps to the side and stabs at the dwarf, only to miss entirely! Metella puts her back against he wall and takes a defensive stance against the assassin!
Metella is shaken but otherwise seems unharmed. "Thank Torag you made it in time. That bastard would have done me in. I don't know where he came from."
The rest of the guards and some of the personalities attending the wake have taken up arms and routed most of the undead by this point.
On the assassin you find a potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of cat’s
grace, potion of barkskin, oil of magic weapon, smokestick, tanglefoot bag, +1 studded leather, masterwork scimitar, masterwork darts (2), cloak of resistance +1, antitoxin, burnt othur oil, caltrops, dried sunflower, giant wasp poison (2), grappling hook, silk rope (50 ft.), and 115 gp worth of coins minted in Druma.
Upon seeing the foreign coins, Metella lets out a loud, "M$$$!% f&@+&~!" and storms out of the room to confront Temel Passad. The two loudly begin to accuse one another of being responsible for the recent attack. It looks as if the two merchants may come to blows.
DC 20 Perception:
You also find a holy symbol of Sarenrae sew into a fold in the assassin’s clothing.
After the Perception:
DC 18 KN (religion):
You identify variations in the symbol sometimes used by the Cult of the Dawnflower.
Male Human (Taldan) Fighter (Archer) [8.1] | HP 60/60 | AC 24 T 17 FF 18 | CMB +10 CMD 27 | F+8 R+10 W+4 | Perc +3 | Init +8 | Acro/Climb/Swim/Escape +11 | SM +5 | Survival +4 | Ling +8 **Arrows : Durable Adamantine unless otherwise stated**
Do you think I waste coin on wagers? Have some respect for the money you have. Jaysin then looks on as the two combatants spar with words. However, I'll take your wager just to prove you wrong.
Indeed, Metella and Temel do not come to blows as Aaqir al’Hakam enters the room and is able to calm the two. After ensuring that the two merchants are not going to kill each other, Aaqir pulls you aside for a private chat. "I must express my bewilderment at the recent events but I will reaffirm my desire to put an end to this disruption, whatever its source."
"Now the zombies appear to have come from the east—in the direction of the graveyard—and I'm concerned for Umut’s safety, as she has yet to return despite the graveyard only being ten minutes’ walk from the manor. I'll tend to the guests and protect against further attacks; you go investigate and ensure that our priestess is safe."
Male Human (Taldan) Fighter (Archer) [8.1] | HP 60/60 | AC 24 T 17 FF 18 | CMB +10 CMD 27 | F+8 R+10 W+4 | Perc +3 | Init +8 | Acro/Climb/Swim/Escape +11 | SM +5 | Survival +4 | Ling +8 **Arrows : Durable Adamantine unless otherwise stated**
Jaysin recovers his durable arrows. We are now to be zombie hunters? This just keeps getting better. Jaysin just shakes his head. After a sigh he turns to Sen and says, At least you owe me money.
The graveyard used by the Bahjari family is one they share with several other wealthy families in Katheer. Small crypts and mausoleums containing the matriarchs and patriarchs dot the fenced-in burial ground, and freestanding gravestones mark where less influential family members are interred.
Many graves have been disturbed, and the doors of several mausoleums hang open. To the south lies the Bahjari family mausoleum. A woman clad in black robes lies prone near its door.
