GM G's Before the Dawn II - Rescue at Azlant Ridge (Inactive)

Game Master Magabeus

Raevin whispers back "Feeling a good bit better, thanks!" Raevin lifts his head and looks around at the conditions... fumbles for his bow which must have fallen somewhere nearby. "I'm obviously gonna have to get me one of those healy sticks everyone else seems to have. "

Seeing and hearing no immediate threat -- where did that lancer go? --

Depending on how many hit points the lancer has, he may be a bleeding soon-to-be-corpse next to Wyeth. :) Benson laid into him with a critical hit.

Charge!: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Shoot: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

Benson shows the lancer that you don't need a lance to lay on the hurt, but the man is obviously more though than his companions with bows. Benson easily defeats the archer next to Marduk. Saitama heals Raevin and then presents himself as the lancer's next target. The lancer charges the paladin but fails to find his target!
The archer shoots an arrow at Saitama and also misses!

Initiative
Benson 22/27 hp
Marduk
Saitama
Wyeth 1/18 hp, prone
Raevin 5/10 hp, prone
- - -
Archer
Lancer 9 damage

Wyeth, your action is not entirely correct. You can crawl 5 ft as a move action, so it takes one move to get to him and then another to get out your wand and a standard to activate it. I will allow it this time

GMG, that's fine -- I was just queuing it up all at once for flavor.

Marduk looks satisfied the archer is down, but..
Too bad...

He proceeds to double north to get to the lancer.
Acro to move past threatened square.: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Benson is soaked in sweat as he turns and dashes back at the lancer. Remembering his last attempt, he tumbles the last five feet to try to avoid the lance.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

"Remember me?" he says as he rises from his somersault with dueling sword raised to strike.

While it's relatively safe to do so, with no foes beside him, Raevin grabs his bow and stands up.

Stepping to the other side of Benson, Saitama slams his arm into the mounted warrior. "True fighters don't fight on sparkle stallions!"

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Beeftacular Haymaker: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Damage on hit: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Critical Confirm: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Extra damage on crit: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

-Posted with Wayfinder

AoO Lance: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 8 + 1 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Ride: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Arrow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 1

The lancer again manages to put his lance at the right spot as Saitama was tumbling towards him. Unfortunately for the aspis man that only infuriated the Iroran, who hits the lancer with one of his signature beeftacular haymakers.

The man whirls his steed around and withdraws to the north Withdraw, so no AoO's for 1st square and after that he is out of reach.

The archer fires an arrow at Benson but misses!

Initiative
Benson 22/27 hp
Marduk
Saitama 4 damage
Wyeth 1/18 hp, prone
Raevin 5/10 hp, prone
- - -
Archer
Lancer 15 damage

"I'll go after the archer, you worry about sir 6 legs."

Marduk doublemoves north towards the archer.

Benson uses this opportunity to retrieve his bow.

That would put him somewhere near Wyeth and Raevin.

"Break time's over," Benson says to the pair, with a wink and then gets a position on the enemy.

Raevin grabs his bow and stands up, hoping he doesn't become another target...

"Fair shot... hey, come back here!", Saitama visibly upset that at the man's lack of honor. "Finish this battle you crummy, cowardly cavalier!", moving up and hurling a sharpened metal disc at the lancer.

Chakram: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 4 - 2 = 21
Damage on hit: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Saitama's whirling disk of death hits the lancer right between the eyes, the man sways in the saddle and then sits up straight, still not that stable...

Initiative
Wyeth 1/18 hp, prone
- - -
Archer
Lancer 21 damage
- - -
Benson 22/27 hp
Marduk
Saitama 19/23 hp
Raevin 5/10 hp

This is when Wyeth would have jabbed Raevin with the CLW wand. I'm fine with that happening now as originally intended and using the Move Action to stand up, since I don't see any enemies nearby on the map. So, carry on!

The lancer yells "Retreat" and both the lancer and archer scamper off.

Combat over!

Hmm...well they're gona at least.

Marduk walks back to his companions, slapping Saitama on the back with a tusky smile. He'll support anyone feeling too sore for walking.

"It is good to see you again, brother Saitama."

"They might come back... with reinforcements... We should move on, not be here if or when they return."

"COWARDS!", Saitama upset at their lack of combat etiquette and missing the fact that his chakram is now lost.

"Yes! Glad to see you again Mr. Marduk!", the Irorans exchanging manly welcomes. "Suprisinteresting about the new folks.", Saitama tending to the wounded.

CLW @ Raevin: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
CLW @ Benson: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
CLW @ Wyeth: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
CLW @ self: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Saitama Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 17

As Saitama tends to Raevin's wounds, he raises an eyebrow. "Gadzooks, you're a mister, not a miss! Oh no, your beefiness is sad, like steak covered in ketchup! This will not do! When we get to the camp site, I will aid your musculartastic recovery! Don't worry little one, don't worry!", the paladin giving the aasimar a "comforting" hug before moving on to heal the others.

As he moves to heal Benson, Saitama nods approvingly. "A rugged fellow, and I see your courage is as great as Mr. Marduk's there. Good show!", beaming a big smile at the sailor.

Wyeth's head snaps around at the "cowards" taunt, and he blinks in amazement. Then, with a huge grin on his face, he stumbles over to Saitama for a hearty handshake while clasping the Iroran's other shoulder.

"Well you're solidly-built enough for a hallucination!" he says with a laugh before drawing the Paladin into a manly hug and then pulling back to grin at the others.

"New people! May I introduce to you, one Saitama... or more accurately the one and only Saitama, purveyor of beefitude and proselytizer for the word and deed of Irori!" He turns back to beam at the man briefly. "So good to see you again my friend, and what a pleasant surprise!"

He again looks at the others and jerks his head at the Iroran. "On my first mission ever as a Pathfinder, the VC teamed me with Marduk and Saitama here. Those were... interesting times," he closes with a grin.

Stepping aside so the paladin can continue to help others in need, Wyeth pulls out his wand again to use on himself, before retrieving his crossbow.

Cure Light Wounds->Self: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

EDIT: Removed the superfluous second heal.

"Yes, a strange mission, with lotsa apes, undead, and poo flinging. But we clenched hard, gritted our teeth, and spanked the giant monkey before pushing out the gassy block.", nodding solemnly in remembrance.

Turning to the others, "I hope my friends have been treating you well!"

Marduk nods.

"Indeed, that was quite the start of a career. Alot has happened since then, hasn't there?"

"Indeed, I have since truly discovered that Irori wants me to use my beefiness for good, like the au jus on a roasted sandwich."

"I tried to read a story about you guys, something about saving innocent Pathfinders from demon-influenced guilt-shaming of hangitude. It got really confusing at the end, but I see you're doing the good work as well!", Saitama proud of his allies. "So that stony fella I passed on the way here said that we're looking for a super-serious-secret-site, or something like that. He was shouting as I tried to use him for presses."

Raevin gets hugged and blinks in surprise.. then smiles.. "Charmed, I'm sure. Thanks." Though it's clear he's only grasped a part of what Saitama meant to say. He does also give thanks for the healing with a little nod and a softly uttered, "I feel better too, thankee."

Benson accepts Saitama's healing with a grateful handshake and introduces himself. "I feel like I already know you, so many times have these two talked about you. Glad to have you with us."

Then he excuses himself and checks on the rest of the caravan and scans the distance for signs of more attackers. He is ready to keep moving as soon as the old friends finish up their reunion.

After introductions are over you move back to Raimondo's wagons and move on.

You climb ever higher out of the jungle, the series of thin switchback trails just large enough for Raimondo’s caravan wagons. Suddenly, from the canopy below comes an unearthly bellowing roar. Thousands of colorful birds take flight and wing off away from the noise, and a cacophony of screeching, chittering, and screaming follows the roar.

As you approach the top of the ridge, a dilapidated camp comes into view. The camp is surrounded by a hastily constructed palisade wall forming a semi-circle that both starts and ends at an imposing cliff face stretching hundreds feet up from the palisade. The bodies of hundreds of ape-like creatures lie outside the walls in various states of decay. The stench is overpowering, and a cloud of flies is thick above the carnage.

A cry goes up from the tower built over the palisade’s gate as the lookouts spot you, and the gate itself rumbles aside on rickety wooden wheels. A tall woman with black hair pulled back against her head and a shortsword on her hip strides out from the camp to meet you.

At that moment, a horn sounds from down in the valley, closely followed by the screams of men and horses. Looking below, you see another group of Aspis Mercenaries, riding fast up the switchback trails, with hundreds—maybe even thousands—of ape-men hurling stones at them and running hard on their heels.

The woman who exits the gate is visibly emaciated. When she approaches, she smiles a thin, tired smile and says “Welcome to Azlant Ridge. I see you’ve met the locals.”

She gestures back at the ape-men chasing the Aspis mercenaries up the trail. "I am Juliet Dias, leader of this expedition."

"We've brought supplies and barely in time it seems... please... let's go inside and close the gates to talk and make our delivery... I don't want to have to deal with the Aspis mercenaries or the apes out here outside your walls."

"You're right, please follow me into our humble camp."

You enter the camp and Raimondo starts to unload his wagons. Juliet smiles as she sees the supplies.

Heal: 1d20 ⇒ 13

Wyeth gives Juliet a polite but wordless nod of acknowledgement as he scans his surroundings. He nods at Raevin's comment, then looks from Benson to Marduk to Saitama. "I say we should help man the palisade as our 'friends' arrive. The more we can pick off from a distance, the fewer we'll have to rebuff up close."

Saitama's eyes glare as he sees the horde coming up at them.

"Monkeys..."

At Wyeth's request, Saitama nods. "While Aspis is a cowardly lot, like a limp noodle in the stroganoff of courage, no one deserves a mad monkey mauling like that.", suggesting they let the mercenaries in. "Besides, we can have them help fortificate the gate!"

"I wonder what Irori's teachings say about this, we strive self perfection, maybe at the cost of an overnight stabbing in the back?"

"Well I still owe that Mountie guy a punch of justice, but I see protecting the fellas here to be more vital. Besides, perhaps preventing a primate pounding would procure a positive purpose from them. Irori does teach that anyone can reach Enlightenment of Beefitude: it only starts with the first flex."

Reaction Roll: 1d100 ⇒ 22

An eyebrow goes up in surprise when Saitama suggests letting the Aspis in. "If anyone deserves monkey mauling, it's that lot. With poo flinging included at no additional charge. Consider the greater good."

I doubt present company will take kindly to letting this lot in, particularly if they outnumber us. Let the apes provide what my mother's people would call karma. Those we let in will have to be fed and I'm not sure we should take food from the starving and give it to those who would want them to starve.

Benson is ready to use his bow on any who threaten the stockade. He looks to Juliet and asks, How may we be of most help?

While you are discussing what to do a few riders arrive at the gate "Save us! Let us in please! Please!"

The guards on the stockade look to Dias to make the decision, but she says to you “It’s your call. We could use extra swords against those things, but they’ve been chasing you and trying to kill you. I’ll back your decision.”

Benson shrugs. Mercy's face is the more attractive. I'll keep any arrow nocked, all the same.

Benson prepares an arrow and faces the door, ready to fire.

"Help us please! Let us in! They are almost on us!"

Juliet Dias looks at Marduk, Raevin, Saitama and Wyeth for their opinion

Raevin shrugs. "I suppose if you need more support, we can let them in, but keep a sharp eye on them, to make sure they don't turn on us after the ape threat is over... I guess I can't really condone letting them just die because we were negligent."

"Hmm, sensible words, but reinforce the 'keeping a sharp eye on them'.
Let them toss their weapons over, lest they draw them when the gates open."

"That would be a compromise of acceptance!", Saitama punching towards the air. "Toss in thy weapons first then we shall let thy former foes in, lest you get simian smote!"

Several swords are thrown across the palisade and the gate is opened. The Aspis men quickly enter the camp and then the gate is closed again. Juliet puts the men under guard and then turns back to you.

"Shall I now show you our humble camp?"

Not waiting for an answer she moves of to the south. A precise and professional terraced dig site surrounds a half-sphere of a smooth, almost mirror-like white material. It looks almost exactly like polished ivory and glows with a soft, white light.

Walking on you notice a very large door. At fifteen feet high and ten feet wide, this door is an impressive structure. Carved from a dull yet shimmering metal, every inch of its surface is covered in runes, glyphs, pictographs and intricate patterns. A single rift, about an inch deep, splits the door in half from top to bottom, giving you the impression
that it might open were it only to have handles. The door sits recessed several feet into the jagged rock of the ridge’s impressive cliff face, which stretches a hundred feet or more above the camp.

Anyone brought a key?

"This can only end in tears," sighs Wyeth. "Guard those men closely!" he shouts as he moves to take up a defensive position. Over his shoulder he adds, "You lot take your tour, I'm going to keep an eye on things."

If there's a platform/catwalk along the top of the wall he'll climb the ladder to that and stake a spot near the gate, with crossbow readied. If not, are the lookouts stationed in towers, are there loopholes (arrow slits) in the walls, etc? He'll select the most appropriate position for defense.

Also, I thought the overhead view of the map might answer my questions but it was blank white. Did I just have bad timing between updates, or is something broken?

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16 Mostly towards the path/down-mountain.

I think you had bad timing, please check again

*shrugs*, Wyeth, i got a human ranger who'd be first to vote against them, she's less forgiving. But this is Marduk, who's conflicted by common sense and the teachings of self perfection.....which encompasses mercy as well. ;)

GM: Yep, it's there now. I put Wyeth in the crenelated tower, which I presume is where be the lookouts.

Marduk: Mercy is overrated. :o)

Kerastes has the key originally, so I imagine it'd be on one of the other four... presuming Benson or Wyeth first guess.

Checked Wyeth's inventory at the first mention of a key. Didn't see it.

I don't think we specified who had the key. Probably Marduk would be a good keeper.

Benson will take a closer look at the runes around the door and the recess, looking for anything odd or hidden. He's not expecting to find anything the others missed, but curiosity makes him hope that he might.

perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Linguistics: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

"Has anyone been inside yet?"

Marduk it is!

"No, if only we had some sort of key, we would be able to investigate what's behind these doors."

Okay.

"Pardon me, our oread friend haded me this prior to his leave."
Marduk presents a key he had hanging under his clothing from his neck.

"Try if this fits it."