GM Endless Forms' PFS 07-21 The Sun Orchid Scheme (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

Ziralia shakes her head. "I'm sorry, I've only heard whispers of their involvement and that they have a base somewhere out in the desert. As such, I suggest you either protect yourselves against the conditions out there or travel by night. If you witnessed or heard of Aspis involvement when you were poking around in the barracks and workshops you probably have a better idea of what to expect than I would."

"Do we have any of those endure elements potions left over? We should probably take them with us..." suggests Belinda.

"The desert is a very large place... do you have any closer information about where we might find these people?"

Ok, I'm done with my exam so let's get moving again! We're nearly done so now we can push to the end.

Ziralia responds, "Well, you heard whispers from a few people you worked with, right? I would suggest tailing them or look for other signs of people going out into the desert. I suspect they haven't been overly cautious and hiding a camp out in the middle of the desert is harder than you might think. Surely they need supplies."

As Ziralia expected, it is not too difficult to find evidence of a trait through the desert that must lead to the Aspis camp.

The most important thing is whether you go during the day or night, as it will impact your need for endure elements and your starting position.

Has a day passed yet? I'm wondering if spell/extract slots have been replenished. In any case, Sebastian will brew a new Dexterity Mutagen if he has a free hour.

"I would suggest a nocturnal raid, but that will depend on the phase and luminosity of the moon. If it will be pitch black, we will need light sources so that will ruin our ability to surprise our enemies unless we have scouts that have darkvision. On the other hand, if we have a full bright moon, we can advance somewhat safely on their position without light sources."

"So, to surmise, if there is a bright moon we should go by night, but otherwise, a day trek would be best assuming we take the proper precautions against the heat."

The Professor tightens the draw string on his bathrobe and shrugs.

"Bah! It doesn't matter when we go! Now would be better in case they are leaving soon, but later gives the Professor a chance for an afternoon nap. You do know beauty sleep is one of the keys to longeviiiiity."

Smiling, he adds, "that or access to a Sun Orchid Elixir, hmmm?"

"What if we travelled during the night, when it is cooler, but timed our arrival for dawn, when we can see?" suggests Belinda.

"My eyesight is pretty keen, but It's not darkvision. Still, if the rest of you are in favour of a night assault, then so be it."

You can wait until the next day or night to travel. Sounds like traveling by night is winning. By traveling at night you can get closer to them before initiative starts.

The moon is bright and the tracks are not hard to follow, even by the dim light of the night sky. Ahead four dun-colored tents surround a small campfire, clustered beneath gaunt palm trees along the eastern bank of a shallow oasis. Two larger pavilions loom over the rest of the camp: one dyed bright orange, the other emblazoned with the Aspis Consortium’s serpent insignia.

You can see that three figures move about around a low-burning fire. Sneaking up behind the tent in the darkness, you are able to get quite close before one of the guards shouts out, "Wait! Who's this here? Get back!"

Initiative:

1. Erevan
2. Aspis
3. Lucky, Sebastian, Inira, Professor F, and Belinda

Erevan is up!

Low light conditions!

We're close to the end here so I'll give Erevan another day to catch up. We'll push forward tomorrow if he hasn't posted.

Sorry, ran out of time yesterday and thought I would just give Erevan a little bit more time but let's move on.

"Intruders!" a woman yells (yellow). You can see by the moonlight that she then takes a vial from her belt and chugs it down.

The other two reach for their crossbows and fire off a pair of shots.

heavy crossbow at Erevan: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
damage: 1d10 ⇒ 5

heavy crossbow at Hennet: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
damage: 1d10 ⇒ 3

Initiative:

1. Erevan
2. Aspis
3. Lucky, Sebastian, Inira, Professor F, and Belinda

You guys are up!

"I wonder what that potion did?" she asks.

Belinda hurries forward, trying to circle around the presumed leader of the group.

Double move, no chance to attack

The Professor's bathrobes flit about in the desert winds, but he hobbles a step forward and squints at their foes.

"Did someone request a fireball? Oh, joy of joys!"

Rubbing his hands together, he quickly draws a rod just in case someone problematic gets in the way (selective rod) and unleashes fiery doom upon his foes, trusting he can question their corpses with appropriate divine magic later if needed.

DC18 Reflex for half. Radius added to map as orange circle.

Fireball: 6d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 1, 2, 6, 3) = 21

Sorry for the delay...just got back today. Anyone able to cast mage armor from my wand before combat?

Erevan dodges a few errant crossbow bolts and races to cover while drawing his dueling sword. He assumes a defensive stance and prepares to attack any enemies that come near him.

"En garde!"

+1 Dueling Sword (adamantine) (fighting defensively, crane style, defensive parry): 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 9 - 2 = 121d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 (+4 dodge bonus to AC; AC is 25 through next turn)

Sorry for the delay, just had to make a mad-dash move 400 miles to florida for family stuff. I'm all moved in now and back on the boards. Hennet would have just casted Divine Favor on himself before combat, during the "sneaking part".

Hennet dashes forward, drawing his tiny rapier and stabs at the closest enemy.
Hi guys! We're here to poke holes in you!
Attack, Divine Favor: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25
Damage: 1d4 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

Inira keeps her distance and starts shooting arrows at the woman in yellow, who appears to be the leader.

Flurry Point Blank Deadly Aim : 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Flurry Point Blank Deadly Aim : 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Before the attack commences, Sebastian drinks his dexterity mutagen and an extract of Shield.

* * *

Once combat starts, Sebastian draws his bow while moving 30 feet towards the woman. He then fires an arrow at the supposed leader.

Shortbow + Mutagen - Melee: 1d20 + 4 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 2 - 4 = 7

3d20 ⇒ (3, 2, 15) = 20

Professor F hits the camp with a blaze of fire which burns the two guards and leaves the collapsed on the ground. As everyone else rushes in, Inrira puts an arrow in the leader. "Pathfinders! I should have known!" she shouts as she looks for a weak spot and stabs at Belinda.

rapier: 1d20 + 8 + 3 + 20 ⇒ (15) + 8 + 3 + 20 = 46
damage: 1d6 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 3 = 12

Initiative:

1. Erevan
2. Aspis (21 dmg)
3. Lucky, Sebastian, Inira, Professor F, and Belinda

You guys are up!

"Mmm-mmm. Did you see that Ma-ahm? Blessings of Brigh shared with all! Mmm-mmm, fire-baa-aall. Feels good, haven't used that in years, been saving it for those nefarious Aspis'ers."

Flexing his fingers, the Professor works some livelihood into them.

"Now, let's see... how's that go? Second verse same as the thirst? No, no... that's not right."

Regardless, the fireball "bead" launches from the Professor's outstretched thumb before he can finalize his taunt.

Fireball #2: 6d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 5, 5, 3, 3) = 22

(DC18 Reflex, and in case anyone wanders in, he'll use the selective rod now in hand)

If the woman is still a threat, Sebastian fires another arrow at her.

Shortbow + Mutagen - Melee: 1d20 + 4 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 + 2 - 4 = 13
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Erevan moves past the crumbled guards and attacks the leader from behind, but appears overly anxious to show his swordsmanship and ends up twirling his blade more than damaging with it.

+1 Dueling Sword (adamantine) (fighting defensively, crane style, defensive parry): 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 9 - 2 = 111d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 (+4 dodge bonus to AC; AC is 25 through next turn)

Blue and Red still showing up on the map...they're dead, right? If no, I'll attack blue instead of yellow.

"Yow!" says Belinda

I'm assuming we healed up over the last couple of days

She taker her own rapier and tries to stab the horrible leader back.

attack, flank: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 8 + 2 = 21
damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

"Take that..." she mutters.

"Careful everyone, this girl is good."

Although Sebastian's and Erevan's aims are off, Belinda digs her rapier into the Aspis woman just as Professor F blasts her away, leaving no Aspis left standing!

On the woman you find a letter explaining their mission to test the sun orchid elixir's defenses; the letter is signed only with a pair of initials, K.A.

The orange tent contains records of Prince Zinlo’s involvement in the Consortium’s scheme, including a detailed provenance of every resource he provided the Aspis agents (mainly information about the Emir’s planned defenses). The records also show that Prince Zinlo and the Aspis Consortium conducted extensive trades with each other at favorable rates.

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Back in Pashow, Ziralia conveys Guldis’s gratitude for testing his convoy’s defenses and tells you that your actions will help Pashow move toward economic recovery. For raiding the Aspis camp, she personally thanks you for disrupting a plot that would have bankrupted Pashow.

And that's about it!

Belinda grins at her companions.

"Well... hopefully this has proved the mettle of the society. We might get access to a few more sites after this gets out. And it is always good to put one over on the Aspis."

And thanks for running!

"Well, now that this is done, it seems we have earned a well deserved drink."

Thanks for the run, EF! Great game as always.

The Professor grabs his stomach.

"Errm, wismuth salix perhaps? Lobbing fireballs is always such stressful work it seems to affect my bowels..."

Sheepishly, the Professor extracts a small vial of pink liquid and excuses himself to the far side of the oasis before their return to Pashow, where once he gets past insulting a few of Ziralia's guards, he's nothing but gracious in accepting her thanks.

Thanks again EF! Agreed, another solid run as always.

Same here! Great fun and great run!

In regards to Faction goal cards, would you concur that this would meet the criteria of disrupting or sabotaging a significant Aspis Consortium operation?

"Excellent work everyone! I would happily recommend each of you on further missions. Perhaps we'll be fortunate to work with each other again in the future!"

Speaking of which, does this qualifies for

Participate in an adventure that includes at least three encounters in one of the following regions once controlled by Ancient Osirion: Geb, the Mana Wastes, Nex, Osirion, Rahadoum, or Thuvia?

In regards to Faction goal cards, would you concur that this would meet the criteria of disrupting or sabotaging a significant Aspis Consortium operation?

Absolutely!

Speaking of which, does this qualifies for

Participate in an adventure that includes at least three encounters in one of the following regions once controlled by Ancient Osirion: Geb, the Mana Wastes, Nex, Osirion, Rahadoum, or Thuvia?

Yep!

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Thanks again for playing, everyone! I'll shut the campaign down later today.

Many thanks for a great run, EF! :)