GM Kiora's Wrath of the Righteous

Game Master Kiora Atua

"If that's really how you feel, I'll be the first out the door with you, but..." she shakes her head. "I don't think chasing folks through the ruins of the city is ever going to turn out particularly well. We can try, but I know for certain we're running fumes. You've got a lot more experience than me, though, so..." she heads for the door, and begins to judge the conditions for tracking.

Survival: 1d20 + 6 - 1 - 1 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 6 - 1 - 1 + 1 = 19 (Grazed, Wisdom loss, Track)

Going to wait for a majority vote - main questions are:

Do you attempt to hunt down the cultists before they get too far away?

Do you stay in Horgus' home overnight?

Ehren follows Ary outside, their day having gone from better to worse in the space of a few seconds. He stares off the grounds with his spirit sense, hoping to pick up on Uziel's presence, but already suspects that it is too late.

"Which of those three hideouts is closest?" he asks urgently, not quite familiar enough with the city to know off the top of his head. "That has to be where she is heading."

Ehren will chase them to the ends of the earth! Leaving most if not all of the NPCs here, I'm assuming.

"It'll be slow going, and even with all the rubble and dirt, it's going to be hell to track. Following a trail will slow us down probably more than it slows them." Ary suggests as she looks out the door. "I can't even see a trail. So we'll be time-limited as well. We need to move now if we're going to." Ary says as she continues to try to get a read on where the two went.

Ary's plans haven't changed. Stay here overnight, try to clear out the rats to save the food we can. Not in that order. She's going to try to follow the trail for Li'an, but doesn't have much hope for it. She also doesn't have the energy to argue. :p.

"If we're going to track, it'll be by scent, not by sight. Like we did with Millorn," Li'an offered, producing Terendelev's scale from thin air by sleight of hand, flipping it between her fingers and then making it disappear again.

Sleight of Hand, because why not!: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

If one more person votes to give chase, that's what is happening.

bah! Chase! Working, will come up with more later

bah! Chase! Working, will come up with more later

All right, I think I wanna wait for Hrut to actually step in and write up his reaction to his charges escaping before actually switching scenes.

In the meantime, how about you guys plan out how you are going to go about tracking these guys down?

Li'an is planning on borrowing Anevia's bow and some arrows. We start by getting Ary or Ehren tracking as a bugbear. I can't think of much more plan beyond that other than trying to stay under cover if at all possible, and using Message to communicate. Anyone else can feel free to elaborate if you think of something.

Unless they took the ropes with them, we can use them to sniff sniff to get the scent. So... who're you slapping with the scent ability, and should I Rerolls survival, Kioralady?

should I Rerolls survival, Kioralady?

Nope, one try/hour. Or yknow you could get some nice typeless bonuses on there.

If you are chosen to be given the bugbear nose, though, you will get a reroll.

The bugbear nose comes with the bugbear looks though... ;p

Are all of us going out, or should we leave some people back to guard the manor? Because there's always the chance that the manor ends up in danger after we leave.

I figured that only the main party would head out now, since we have a place of relative safety to leave everyone.

We should probably arrange for them to set up some defenses or at least a watch then. And maybe a password or something for them to let us back in.

The password on the alarm is babau and can't be changed at the moment, so we have that. Just need Horgus to reactivate it. From a stealth standpoint it might be better to only bring 4 so they can all be connected via message, and we have some people besides Anevia and Garil to defend in case of an emergency back at the manor. From a game standpoint it's kinda not so cool to be the one stuck on guard duty though, so it's up to y'all

Hmmm, if two people stay behind, they can clear out the rat swarm in the pantry while everyone else is hunting our escaped cultists. It would save on time at least and if we're properly prepared, it shouldn't be beyond two people's abilities.

Markus walks up to the little emergency meeting, holding up a potion of cure light wounds. "It's my last small potion. One of you should take it before you go out there and get those cultists." says Markus. "And yes, I agree with Li'an - you should try to catch them. The consequences of whatever organized cultist force out there gaining the information that Hosilla and Uziel have about us are too dangerous to ignore. Horgus isn't going to want to leave his home again, for one thing."

He pats the acid flasks at his belt. "Hrut and I can stay behind - Hrut's too slow and the strongest one among us, and I'm all out of magic for the day. Besides, we've got rats to kill."

Val nods. "I can work with that." She pulls the bag of coins off her pack and tosses it to Hrut. "Can you do me a favor and hold onto that until I get back big guy? I think I'm going to want to be able to run at top speed for this. And I'm not letting someone get away twice in one day." She scowls, remembering that she let Chaleb slip away and silently vowing not to let Hosilla and Uziel do the same.

"Anevia, do you mind if I borrow your bow and quiver? If we get within shooting distance and it looks like they may get away, its better to kill them than risk them taking the information with them." Li'an didn't particularly want to kill them, but preventing the group's discovery was her top priority. The group already had enough to worry about with Chaleb out there, who might be accepted by cultists. Hosilla would be significantly worse, as she'd also reveal that the mongrelmen were on their way up. If they were ambushed by demons... Li'an preferred not to think about the possibility.

Coming back down the stairs,Hrut notices what all the commotion is about. Smacking his gauntleted fist to the side of his head with frustration. Sitting at the base of the stairs Hrut rakes his fingers through his hair into his scalp.

You dumb fool! If this was a watch you would have let the whole encampment be slaughtered by demons, how could you have let this happen? All you had to do was stand there instead of gawking at this pompous mans ridiculous house. Now everyone and everything is at risk, it is all on you, and they do not even want you to help them... and why should they?

"So stupid! Awe I am so sorry, we need to get them before they get too far, I agree I should stay back, I am too noisy and too slow to be of any use to you out there. I am basically 100%, can help finish off these rats and defend the manor should it come to that.

My paizo has been down for like 4 hours, sorry it just allowed me on.

"Hey, don't worry about it big guy. You're perfect for keeping everyone here safe and keeping an eye on things while we go cultist hunting. We'll be back before too long with those two tied up again, no worries."

Was down for me, probably an outage on their end

"No sense beating yourself up about it, Hrut. We all should've been more careful about them. What matters now is making sure everyone here is safe, and that we keep Hosilla and Uziel from getting away."

Ehren eyes Li'an's scale for the brief moment it is out and nods, having figured out where things were going. He hastily slips off his backpack and shoves his bag of platinum into it, and then holds it out to Hrut.

"Take this somewhere safe, please," he says to him, his tone betraying no hard feelings. The blame was on them all, as far as he was concerned. The druid then starts working on the straps on his armor, intent on removing it. "I will have to travel lightly for this... I assume I will be taking on the same form as last time?"

"Yes, unless you know of another race that has scent as keen as theirs," she responds. "It's a shame the magic can't just grant some of the abilities without the form when necessary," she thought to herself.

Some orcs, ratfolk and catfolk have scent. Just in case you want something less weird than bugbears and have the Knowledge (local) to use.

Markus approaches Hrut. He holds out a vial of acid. "We might need another person to throw one. Got any suggestions? Ready to go kill those rats and check out the food stores?"

I think you can't use alter self to pick up traits that are optional on a race, which limits it quite a bit.

Li'an apologizes to Ehren as she reaches out and touches him with the scale, willing him to take the form of a Bugbear. "We've got just under one hour of tracking if we use up all the scale's magic for the day. Hopefully they're moving carefully due to their state and thinking they can hide their trail from us."

Ehren drops his armor onto the ground as the magic takes its hold, changing him into a bugbear once more. The more muscular form fills out his robes, which are thankfully loose enough to remain intact under the stress. The sensation of the transformation is as bizarre as it was the last time, but strangely, it also felt right. Change was not a bad thing - as a matter of fact, it was an integral part of nature.

Without another word, Ehren takes in a deep breath, searching for the scent of the escaped cultists. It was a smell he did not even realize he recognized. As he sniffs at the air, he casts his guidance spell on himself, determined to find their quarry.

Survival (Track Scent, Normal Speed, Wisdom Loss, Guidance): 1d20 + 10 - 1 - 5 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 10 - 1 - 5 + 1 = 20

Yep, no alternate racial traits.

After a few minutes of deliberation, the group gets ready to execute their plan.

Anevia grins at Li'an. "Yeah, absolutely. Hope you're a better shot now than at Armasse, eh?" she ribs the elf woman while she straps the quiver on. "Uh, I'll be up in the southern watchtower, alright?"

As Ehren and Ary step outside and get ready to track the cultists, they are reminded of their ordeal with the howlers. They can't help but wonder if there are more out there...

Ehren and Ary must succeed at a DC14 will save or lose another point o' WIS. Success frees them from the curse.

In any case, Ehren is able to easily pick up the cultist's trail. They went southwest.

Going stealthy or no? This would reduce you to half speed but I wanted to ask first.

Meanwhile, Hrut and Markus elect to stay behind and deal with the rats in the pantry. Battlemap updated.

Markus and Hrut can take whatever pre-combat actions you wish before starting - once the door opens though you are in surprise round.

Initiative Rolls
Rat Swarm: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Markus: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (10) - 1 = 9
Hrut: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Surprise Round
1. Hrut
2. Markus

Other curse will saves...

Hosilla Will Save (Critical, WIS damage): 1d20 + 4 - 3 - 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 - 3 - 1 = 10
Belthis Will Save (WIS damage): 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (19) + 6 - 1 = 24
Nira Will Save (WIS damage): 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (14) + 7 - 1 = 20
Aema Will Save (WIS damage): 1d20 + 3 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 3 - 1 = 11
Chiles Will Save (WIS damage): 1d20 + 3 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 3 - 1 = 6

Aema, Chiles and Hosilla still cursed. :(

Oh drat - Hosilla is still cursed. I'm so sad about that.

Markus makes sure that Hrut takes one of his flasks of acid before they open the pantry to take care of the rat swarm. He also ensures that Hrut knows the plan is to nail the swarm with the acid before Hrut gets in there to smash any remaining rats.

The plan then known, when the door is thrown open Markus doesn't hesitate before tossing in a flask of acid.

Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (17) + 0 = 17
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3 Actually this is 4 damage.

Will Save: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 8 - 1 = 23

Having steeled his mind in preparation for the task at hand, Ehren pushes away the memory of that terrible howl, breaking the curse. Now his mind could finally start to heal.

"They went southwest," he reports in a deep voice after taking that single deep breath, having quickly adapted to his goblinoid form. "Usually I would advise caution, but... I think we should make haste."

Val nods. "I agree. They have too much of a head start already, and if they're trying to be careful, we might have a chance to catch them if we get a move on."

Before:

"At least you were doing something worthwhile with your time... I was pulling bath water." Ary sighs, shaking her head. "It's not your fault any more than mine. I saw everyone gathered up there, and didn't think to do anything for it... just assumed it would get done."

She then returns to being quiet and thoughtful and follows after when Ehren.

Now:

Howlers Still Mean: 1d20 + 3 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 - 1 = 6 Demons, Grazed and now -3 wisdom.
Survival Aid: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 1 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 1 - 1 - 1 = 13 Track, Grazed, Wisdom Drain

Ary follows after, but shudders involuntarily as she hears the howl once more. "Dammit, we need to be careful. The Howlers are everywhere out here." she says, chewing her lip, but paying careful attention to the trail. "Maybe they're heading back for the sewers? Or maybe Topaz?" she suggests as she follows along.

Dang Ary's having a bad time with that howler curse.

Markus tosses a vial of acid at the rat swarm, instantly killing several rats.

Hrut is up.

4 damage to swarm from Markus

Laying his hammer outside the door leaned against the wall for easy retrieval, Hrut readies his acid for when the door is thrust open,

Hopefully I do not muck this one up too, a little help here Forgefather.

Acid/Damage: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 211d6 ⇒ 5

Retrieving his weapon after the acid is thrown and ready to smash remaining rats. Breathing a sigh of relief now that his attack was successful and giving praise to Torag.

Thanks for the confidence boost.

Markus - don't forget you are wounded and are at a -2 penalty to applicable rolls.

As it is a surprise round, you only have time to toss the flask, not pick up the weapon.

Hrut likewise chucks some acid at the rats, killing several more. Between the two of them, Markus and Hrut easily clear out a quarter of the rat swarm.

Round 1

The swarm rushes out from the pantry and through the door at Markus and Hrut. Hrut attempts to slam a few of them with his shield, but is too slow- the rats are already crawling all over him and Markus, biting and scratching with their many teeth and claws.

Hrut AoO (Shield) vs Rat Swarm: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Rat damage vs Markus: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Rat damage vs Hrut: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Markus and Hrut must make a DC 14 fortitude save or become nauseated from being covered in rats!

7 damage to rat swarm from Hrut. 4 damage to Markus, leaving him in critical condition and 6 damage to Hrut, leaving him grazed.

Markus is up.

:( wasted on a save, also don't I go before the rats again?

1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (20) + 6 - 1 = 25

Ah, yeah, I moved you in initiative because I missed that you had an acid flask to throw - go ahead. I'll edit the post, since that should save Markus some pain.

Remember that picking up the warhammer is a move action.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group moves after the cultists.

Star on Kenabres map is following this group since obviously the rest of the group is at Horgus Manor.

They head southwest for a solid ten minutes, past the park and into the large chasm they crossed earlier after leaving Blackwing. The trail leads to a large pile of rubble and a gouged trough of ruin.

"They lingered here for a while, and then moved northwest," Ehren says, kneeling down beside the rubble. "Towards New Kenabres."

Fortitude Save vs. distraction (DC 14), drawback, critical: 1d20 + 2 - 2 - 3 ⇒ (2) + 2 - 2 - 3 = -1

Markus is sickened by the rats crawling all over him, and he hightails it out of the rat swarm as soon as he possibly can, coughing and swiping at his torso to try and get rats off of him.

Earlier

Anevia's comment draws a smile from Li'an as she remembers the archery contest. "I hope for our sake I'm a better shot now as well," she responds to Anevia.

------------------------------------
Now

"Ok, hopefully they keep stopping. Lets get moving." she replies.

Li'an stays focused on spotting any threats to the group, spending her time as they move scanning the area around them.

Perception(Wounded): 1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 8 - 2 = 19

Deciding that it'd be best to be prepared, she keeps the bow readied with an arrow as they work their way through the city.

Li'an glances around the rubble - the building has been thoroughly destroyed - but she finds a small golden pendant glimmering amongst the debris. It bears a three-headed crow sitting on a leafless tree.

K(Nobility): 1d20 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 - 1 = 1

Ary glanced at the pendant, but it didn't really mean anything to her in particular. "Is that another cultist symbol?" she asks tilting her head, but continuing to move once the glittery thing had lost her attention. It was definitely pretty... maybe she'd ask for it later.

She mostly stayed quiet though... and minorly paranoid. She kept her eyes focused mostly on the ground nearby, and the places they'd left behind, freeing up the others to keep their attention on things more ahead of them.

Perception:Aid: 1d20 + 6 - 1 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 6 - 1 - 1 = 22 Grazed, Wis Drain

Knowledge Nobility (Grazed): 1d20 + 3 - 1 ⇒ (19) + 3 - 1 = 21

Val looks over Li'an shoulder, curious to see what she discovered. "I think I recognize that. It's the symbol of the nobleman that's been working with the cultists, right? It looks like his family crest." She scoffs. "I bet his ancestors would be furious, seeing what he's been a part of."

"We don't know anything about him for sure, yet," Ehren says gruffly, though his protest is halfhearted. "We should move on."

Li'an grabs the bow and arrow with her left hand and bends over to pick up the pendant, looking at it briefly before holding it up so the others can see it.

"Maybe," Li'an says, glancing the golden pendant again. She opens her belt pouch and drops it in. "Ehren's right, we don't know for sure. For now lets stay focused on catching up to those two." She immediately resumed scanning the area, clearly worried about getting caught unawares while they pursued Hosilla and Uziel.

"If it is... and he is... kind of ironic. Sides didn't really matter when it came to what the demons destroyed." she mentions, checking behind them once more. "Wonder why the cultists had stopped at the rubble. We'll have to remember this location to search when we're not pressed for time."

The Bugbear and the Warrior Ladies Three...

The hunting group leaves the ruin, following Ehren's bugbear nose up through an immense chasm. Unlike the great rifts about Kenabres that were caused by the earthquake, this rift was left by some gargantuan creature leaving a path of destruction clear through the city. Massive footprints are apparent here and there throughout the rubble.

The trail goes northwest - the city is barren - no life is apparent except for occasional fat buzzard circling overhead - and of course the maggot infested corpses that lay here and there.

They move onwards for another 20 minutes, much of which is spent clambering slowly out of the rubble-filled rift and into New Kenabres proper. The trail leads to a small building. A wooden sign above the door bears a carving of a bundle of orange herbs and flowers hovering over a beaker filled with smoking orange liquid and the words - Topaz Solutions. The building's windows are tightly shuttered, but the front door hangs halfway off of its hinges.