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Welcome to Varisia, welcome to the city of Magnimar, welcome to the Pathfinder Lodge of Heidmarch Manor, but most importantly, welcome to my home. Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch greets you in her low, breathy voice, finishing with a warm smile.
Varisia is a land of ancient wonders and exciting possibilities, she continues, and I’ve found it most helpful to keep a team of Pathfinders on call at the lodge at all times, should anything of interest to the Society come up unexpectedly. This assignment is only temporary. We’ll rotate in a new team to take your places in a few weeks, but rest assured, there’s plenty of potential for you to make a name for yourselves as Pathfinders here.
I’ve arranged for you to stay in Bakrakhan House, one of our guest cottages, for the duration of your stay here. It’s currently unoccupied, so you’ll have the place to yourselves. You’re on duty starting tomorrow morning, so take some time to settle in, wrap up any unfinished business you have in the city today, and should the Society have need of you, I’ll contact you directly.
Ebrylis, if you could show them the way, please, Sheila says as she turns and departs.
A half-elf guardsman steps forward. This way, please, Ebrylis says. Bakrakhan House is the last house on the end. I’m sure you’ll want to unpack, set up your bunks, and so on. Dinner’s at sunset in the manor’s dining room. Look for me at the gate if you need anything else. I’ll leave you to it. With that, Ebrylis strolls back down the path.
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Ahh, the wondrous city of Magnimar...my uncles told me of its wonders, mostly the taverns and inns they visited when passing through. I hope I can live up to their standard, both in service to the Society and their legendary exploits of their....recreational pursuits...hehe.
I am Patros, here to test my mettle for the Society. Pleasure to meet all of you. So.."garrison duty" is it? Hmmph...could be worse I reckon.
Patros is eager and enthusiastic, and radiates confidence.
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You all move your equipment into your home for the next several weeks.
Bakrakhan House is a cozy stone cottage with a slate-shingled roof and stained glass windows depicting colorful Varisian designs. The ground floor consists of a den centered around a wide stone hearth, a small kitchen with a side dining area, and an exterior sun porch. The second-story loft contains private sleeping quarters for up to eight people.
There is a stables if any of you have horses to quarter.
It is one of four outbuildings in the same compound as Heidmarch Manor. the other three seem to also be being used as guest houses for various people associated with the Manor.
You spend the rest of the day until supper time familiarizing yourselves with the environs of the Manor and its surrounding neighborhoods. Magnimar itself is a large enough city that it may take several more days to visit all of its neighborhoods by foot.
Dinner that evening is filled with tales of Magnimar, and of Sheila's adventures in the city and its surrounding lands and of the quaint Forgotten Coast to the north with its quickly expanding town of Sandpoint.
The Venture-Captain also asks that you all tell her something about yourself and your capabilities, so that she knows what she has at hand to work with.
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Eroil strokes struggler and speaks up.
"Well, first of all, the obvious. Struggler here is... my friend. He.. takes care of me. I for one, well I feel the moon in my heart and soul, and it gives me strange powers. I am a healer and can call the blessing of the stars for you. Also I found that my enemys are sometimes cursed in my vicinity. But be aware, that while my enemies feel the moons gaze on them sometimes, I feel it always in a battle. I won´t be able to speak in the common tongue anymore, but in the voice of the angels."
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"I seem to have a knack for fire magic."
"I don't have many spells, yet. That will come with experience."
"But I have found I can make a cold spell become a fire spell."
"I can also shoot a ray of fire a few times a day."
"The most useful spell I have knocks over most people with a burst of coloured light"
"Like Patros, I need time to develop my new-found talents."
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Responding to the Venture Captains query Don't tell me you have never heard of me,BennyBeck Wabbittracks? I'm at silent and stealthy as that sounds and I'm good at finding things. Oh and in case anyone thinks to take advantage of my size this long spear here, weLl, it has a way.of finding itself up different orificestyles he says
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No, I am sorry Bennybeck, I have not yet heard of your exploits, but I am sure I will over the course of your tenure here. Well, I'll catch up with the two strong silent types later. I'll have your first assignment in the morning. Meanwhile enjoy your evening.
You all file out of the main lodge and head back to your quarters. Is there anyone that has any particular plans this evening?
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Iskim responds as well. "I have learned, as a result of my training, that I have the blood of aberrations running through my veins; while I am not as skilled as a sorcerer at accessing the powers granted by it, I have other skills that they generally lack, as well." He pats the hilt of his greatsword meaningfully.
"I have not been on very many missions for the Society yet, but each has had their own challenges. I have explored a ruin in the Cairnlands, rescuing a fellow Pathfinder. I have seen a book of poetry come to life, ultimately catching the one responsible and setting things aright. Most recently, I was able to assist in putting a spirit to rest that had perished in Absalom's Tri-Towers Yard, bringing a recruit into the fold as well."
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My Great Uncle Milos told me about this tradition, I guess for the lack of a better word. I always thought it odd to carry a wand around when you can't use it, but after he explained the process, it made perfect sense. I would gladly hand mine over if I had one. Alas, this being my first foray into service to the Society, I have yet to garner such an item.
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Raven smiles as she sticks with the group, skipping lightly next to some one. It was obvious that she was excited even if this mission was not as exciting as most people hoped. "if you would like as well I should be able to use the wand in case of a emergency as well." Turning to face Iskim she will look him over quickly just to check for a stray tentacle. "I will confess I have heard a little of the city. Any suggestions for a interesting place to check out? I'm a bit of a sucker for a good tourist trap."
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Moving things along...
As Iskim heads upstairs to get ready to go out for the night with the rest of the group on whatever dive bar tour they have planned...
He, Eroil and Patros hear something from their sleeping quarters on the upper level. It sounds like someone is rifling through their stuff!
We are now in a Chase!
It takes a move action to move through a single square. When a character exits from a square, he must choose one of that square’s two obstacles to face as a standard action before moving to the next square. Instead of exiting a square, a character can choose to take another action not directly related to navigating the chase’s course, such as casting a spell or drawing a weapon.
A character may attempt to move three squares during his turn by taking a full-round action, effectively bypassing the second square and moving straight into the third from his starting position. That character must overcome both obstacles on the square he is leaving. In this case, if a character fails either obstacle check by 5 or less, he only moves one square forward and his turn ends. If a character fails either obstacle check by more than 5, he cannot move at all that turn. A character unfortunate enough to fail two obstacle checks in a turn becomes mired in his current square. A mired character must spend another full-round action becoming unmired, effectively losing his next turn.
A character can also choose to make a ranged attack or cast a spell during his turn in a chase. If the action is a full-round action, he can’t move at all. Use the number of squares and their established distances (in this case, 30 feet) to determine ranges as necessary. The terrain where the chase takes place might provide the target partial or even full cover or concealment. A character can only choose to make melee attacks against targets that are in the same square.
Any character involved in the chase gains a +2 cumulative bonus on all chase checks for each 10 feet by which her speed exceeds 30 feet, or takes a –2 cumulative penalty for each 10 feet by which it is slower than 30 feet.
I'll post the available options each round. If a character is in the same space as the intruder they can try to act upon it. Otherwise they can try to catch up to the action.
Surprise round! One action only. Round 0. Patros, Eroil, the Intruder, and Iskim can act.
Locations:
Intruder (upstairs)
Iskim (upstairs)
Everyone else (downstairs)
Actions available:
for Upstairs - engage intruder or escape from party
for downstairs - go upstairs or leave the house
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After chatting with her new friends Raven would have been chatting down stairs with everyone. Upon hearing something going on up stairs she would suddenly shoot up and look around. "I'll head outside in case they try to make a jump for it. I'm so slow I doubt I will be able to keep up with anyone in my armor. With that Raven will head out and try to get a look at what is going on through a window.
Hearing his mistress words the animal companion just follows here
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Benny and Raven, you don't act till the first round
Eroil arrives upstairs in time to see the goblin leap out the window and scurry towards the fence.
Iskim still has an action in the surprise round. He can leap out the Window after the Goblin (acrobatics), climb down the wall after the Goblin (climb), or run back downstairs to head outside next turn.
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Round 0:
The wall is too tricky for Iskim to get down quickly.
End of surprise round.
Round 1:
Intruder (at outer wall of compound)
Eroil, Struggler and Iskim (upstairs)
Patros (at outer wall of compound)
Rest of Party (in house)
Available actions:
At outer wall: Squeeze through break (moderate Escape artist) and/or Climb over (moderate climb), interact with intruder
Upstairs: Climb down wall (difficult climb), jump, tuck and roll (moderate Acrobatics), run downstairs (move action)
Downstairs in house: Leave house (move action, gets you to Outer wall)
Initiative order, bold may act:
Patros = 21
Eroil = 20
Intruder = 17
Tsafento = 9
Benny = 7
Raven = 6
Iskim = 5
Jumping down the window Struggler starts to give chase at his prey.
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Still round 1:
The goblin tries to squeeze through the wall to get away from the lunatic with the slashing blade...
and squirts right on through to the busy street beyond. Finding that Patros has made it there as well.
She turns around and yells out something in a guttural and yet squeaky language:
Initiative order, bold may act:
Patros = 21
Eroil = 20
Intruder = 17
Tsafento = 9
Benny = 7
Raven = 6
Iskim = 5