GM Ladile's League of Kick-Ass Dudes: A Pathfinder Society Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Lady Ladile

"Everything is a pet if you can pet it right?" Frankie settles on loving up the two pooches and plots a bear hug for a later time. "Who's a good doggie? Who, who, who!"

After a quick pet and scratch Frankie's eyes catch hold of the open door into the shop and his body soon follows. "What's in here fun? Oh, its kind of a mess." He deliberately turns to Mrs Soap and points "It wasn't me, I swear it!" Obviously referring to the mess inside before quick walking in to look around.

Perception, +2 vs traps/surprise: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19

Definitely need to full explore the shop/crime scene/play house before we rush off following an old trail!

"What the heck, this place is stuffed with old plant books... I'm sure I'll find something better out front." He skips around the broken pottery and heads under the archway to the front of the shop, eyes and ears on the look out for interesting things.

Vosk tosses the Wayfinder to Zirt. "Lead the way then, the scent only fades every moment we dawdle!"

"While that is certainly possible, Meredith, it may also have been a deliberate plant for us to find them and/or frame the Pathfinder Society. Who is to say? We'll have to interrogate them before turning them for ourselves before turning them over to the appropriate authorities," he speculates. Whether that be the guard or the Society's less scrupulous fellows, only time will tell!

Denair tries to gently lift the plant Antaios upright. It's nice when someone adds some loving care and attention onto their plants, instead of leaving trash on it because "it can't talk, so it has no feelings."

Once she's done with that, Denair will take one more scan around the shop for any more clues to the attacker's whereabouts.

Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19

Zirt blinks in confusion at Meredith's request, while Benedict actually snorts, fixing one beady little eye on the woman for a moment.

When Vosk tosses the Wayfinder, the wolverine actually jumps into the air and catches it, then fixes his eye on Vosk with another of those meaning-filled snorts.

Benedict will attempt to get the scent from the Wayfinder for later followage while everyone else finishes looking around the shop.

Quang Chi bows to Mrs. Soap when she thanks him for helping Mr. Chert, then turns to Meredith and Vosk. "Apologies, Meredith, but I agree with Vosk. Mrs. Soap said he threw it down. That is too deliberate and convenient."

But then something else she said raises a question in his mind. "Ma'am, you said 'the little fella' dragged Elias out. How little? A small race person, or a child like Fra....?"

His question is cut short by Vosk's toss of the wayfinder and Benedict's leaping catch. "Nice catch, Benedict," he says as he turns toward the door, hoping the others will get the answer to his question from Mrs. Soap. "Come, let us track this "little fella" together." As he heads outside with the acrobatic wolverine, he calls upon the spirit of the wolf to give him senses to match Benedict's.

He'll switch Mouse to Wolf for scent, and work with Benedict using his +11 Survival.

"Nah, I don't think they were, uh, little folk like your friends there," Mrs. Soap calls out as everyone begins to head back out of Chert's small apartment. "They were a bit taller but kinda slight, you know? Maybe a young lad or lass?"

Though it's very tempting to head out right away before the scent trail gets any colder it does seem prudent to at least finish giving the shop a good once-over, in case there might've been other clues left behind. Luckily between Meredith & Denair, Quang Chi, and Benedict you've got several keen noses and trackers, which makes everyone feel a little better about putting the bloodhound approach on the backburner for just a bit longer.

While Benedict waits outside and works on inhaling every bit of lingering scent he can get from the wayfinder, the rest of you head back into the shop. Nothing seems to have changed - just inside the front door is an overturned planter the size of a washtub, emblazoned with the word 'Antaios'. Soil mixed with bits of broken pottery is spilled across the hardwood floor. To the north, an ornately decorated fifteen-foot-wide archway allows passage to the shop’s display floor. A sales counter fills the eastern side of the room, and behind it stand several bookshelves filled with horticultural tomes as well as a wooden door leading further to the east.

Reposting the above mainly for Meredith/Denair & Frankie's benefit.

Denair carefully rights the overturned planter and as she does it becomes more apparent that whatever was planted in it is now gone, with only potting soil remaining. The eidolon and Frankie then begin to head further into the shop towards the display floor, eyes open for anything strange. The display room contains hundreds of colorful and exotic plants, positioned beneath several salt-clouded skylights. The most remarkable specimen, an intricately twisting four-foot tree bedecked with lavender-colored leaves, stands in an alcove on the room’s south side. A brass plate reveals it to be an amaranthine juniper. At the rear of the display floor on the southern wall is an open doorway with a twisting woody vine curled around the frame, fixed in place with loops of wire. Above this vine is a sign reading “Employees Only.”

A small glint of light from within the juniper's roots is quickly spotted by both eidolon and 'child', which turns out to be a small silver vial, marked with an insignia resembling a stylized spider. Though the vial is mostly empty, a few drops of some strange liquid remain...

Dryad's Trousseau

Denair snorts as she sees Antaios has been kidnapped. Terrible! Who would do such a thing? And why, for that matter? More investigation is needed.

She continues exploring with Frankie and stops to look at the amaranthine juniper. Clearly Mister Chert knew how to treat flora with respect. When she sees the mostly empty liquid vial, she runs back to Meredith. "Boss! Boss! Do you know what this is?"

Survival: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 8 + 1 = 16

Meredith looks at the vial, confused. "Nnnnope. Hey, does anyone else want to look at this? I can't make heads or tails out of this. Be careful about touching it."

Vosk makes not motion to touch the vial, but scans it for magic. So many peculiarities! The Wayfinder intentionally placed, a dubious vial, an injured storeowner, and a stolen... plant? One of the many times reality is stranger than any fiction.

"Considering the work we're doing, I'd call us honorary employees," he comments, gesturing to the "Employees Only" door.
________
Vosk is happy to try and open the door, but I'm assuming someone else would prefer to lead.

Frankie frantically searches the room over with Denair and the others, hoping to be the first to find something interesting. Instead he's thoroughly uninterested in MOAR PLANTS. "I like the way you think Vosk!" He rushes into the employee room like a dog after a skunk, pausing for a second to whisper over his shoulder to the wizard "If anyone asks, our work clothes are in the laundry!"

Perception, +2 vs Traps/Surprise: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26

"Minkaiin chrysanthemum, tea-berries from Kwanlai, and ogio ferns from the kraken-lands of Wanshou," Quang Chi mutters as he peruses the shelves. "But it seems as if most of these are ornamental plants, not medicinal, or am I mistaken?"

Kn(Nature): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

As he wonders about the purpose of such a collection, he peers over Denair's shoulder at the vial....

Survival: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

but is unable to tell what it contains.

Though it's a little difficult to be sure, Quang Chi gets the impression that this shop is indeed dedicated to cultivating and selling 'ornamental' plants rather than serving as a herbalist or apothecary shop.

Yep, you're basically in a flower shop!

While none of you are able to determine the nature of the liquid left in the strange vial Vosk, by way of a minor cantrip, can at least tell that it doesn't seem to be magical.

As Frankie approaches the 'Employees Only' door, his eyes drift upward to the vine curling around the doorway and he stops. After a moment it dawns on him that the vine has been carefully manicured and wired into place. Though he's not entirely sure of how he knows this (maybe he heard a story about such a thing) he's suddenly certain that this is some sort of security vine trap, designed to pull someone who passes under the doorway back out to the display floor.

Even though it's a real, living vine, you can disable this as though it's a mechanical trap - DC 20 Disable Device which I think Frankie can hit in his sleep nowadays? :)

Disable Device: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (4) + 16 = 20

Frankie waves at the vine as he starts to pass underneath. It lashes out but the little fella seems ready. He dances around in a circle as the vine ties itself up in knots over the attempt. "Pfft, I've seen faster house cats than that!" He puffs out his chest and struts back like an employee.

"Oh, hello Mister Vine. Could you be so nice as to let us pass?" Denair asks the vine when it starts to move against Frankie.

If it's non magical, Denair does have Woodland Stride- I wonder if it would work here for her. Oh well.

"That will have to do for now, Mister Vine. No need to be so rude." She hi fives Frankie before they proceed.

"How did you- With those- but it's a vine!" Vosk stammers as Frankie disables a moving vine with mundane tools. He runs a hand over his balding head and through the remnants of this hair. There is more to the lad than he lets on, I'm sure of it. I think he has us all fooled and that's the way he likes it. Is he even a child?!

Not taking any chances, the wizard still ducks as far under the vine as he can as he crosses the threshold, eyeing it suspiciously.

Meredith keeps her longspear at the ready. "Why would you guard your entrance with this?... Good job, Frankie."

Much to the amazement of everyone - or at least Vosk - Frankie somehow manages to disarm a living vine to keep it from harassing you as you conduct your investigation. And even though Frankie's got it handled, Denair sees fit to address the vine politely as you begin to file through the doorway - just in case.

As you all begin filing into the room beyond the door you quickly understand why it was marked as 'Employees Only' as it turns out to be a loading area, of sorts. You recognize the doors on the eastern wall to likely lead outside to the nearby alley, which would allow for pallets of fresh plants to be brought into the back of the shop, where they can be unpacked for display. Just inside the delivery doors are two wooden crates of robust Avistani roses. One crate has been smashed open, and rose petals and tangled, thorny clusters are strewn throughout the room.

The red squares indicated on the map contain these thorn clusters, which are treated as caltrops.

Dryad's Trousseau

"Well give it a look, then," Vosk encourages Frankie, waving him on. "Any sign of foul-play back there? Signs only stop a certain kind of person." That kind of person being idiots, fools, and, worse, both!
________
I have a hunch that with all this plant stuff, enchantment spells are going to be of limited use this scenario!

Frankie nods slowly at Vosk's encouragement and direction "Clues never escape me!" He heads over near the crates and gives the rose petals and thorns a nudge with his foot before poking his head into the crates.

"Hey Meredith, lots of thorns out here. Aren't you something to do with thorns?" He calls from around the corner. They talk about thorns a bunch, at least until I show up then they usually stop.

Perception, +2 vs traps/surprise: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33

"Oh, thorns! I got it! I got it!" Denair buzzes over to the thorns. "Please step aside, thorns! We're trying to help the nice man who is taking care of you!"

Denair has Woodland Stride, just like the Druid ability. She also has perfect flight. So she should be able to hover over the bushes as needed.

She inspects the bushes for any kind of clues or debris that may have fallen inside.
Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (12) + 16 = 28

"Frankie, I'll lift you over the thorns if they get in your way."

"That... Denair is good with dealing with thorns, Frankie." Meredith rests a bit as the ceiling thorn comes to a rest. "That's some beefy security for a florist."

"I found the potion of rage, diluted. A missing plant... this weird spider vial. I think someone tampered with the plants in here."

Recovering from Thanksgiving — but back now. :)

"But who would want to bother a lovely plant?!" exclaims Zirt, just entering the room from her extensive study of the security vine. "I suppose if you could talk to them, they would have some great stories! Do you think the thief wanted to steal them to hear their stories?"

As Frankie and Denair carefully pick their way across the floor (or in Denair's case simply fly through the air) and begin to examine some of the nearby crates, they and everyone else can hear a rustling sound from very close by. From a small opening to the south, eidolon and 'child' see a strange-looking creature staring back at them. Though shaped like some manner of big cat, the creature is unmistakably composed of vines and other plant matter and seems to moving all on its own. It stares at the two for a moment longer...and then moves to attack!

The plant-creature moves quite fast as it approaches Denair, crunching through the tangles of thorns that litter the ground...

'Thorns' vs. Antaios: 1d20 ⇒ 7
'Thorns' vs. Antaios: 1d20 ⇒ 5
'Thorns' vs. Antaios: 1d20 ⇒ 18

...but avoiding the most prickly, thorny sections. It tries to slam the eidolon with a mighty paw...

Slam vs. Denair FF (PA): 1d20 + 15 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 15 - 2 = 27
Damage: 2d6 + 14 ⇒ (5, 1) + 14 = 20

*CRUNCH*

Poor Denair might actually be seeing stars after that - this thing packs a punch!
______________

Round 1

Antaios
==============
Frankie
Zirt
Quang Chi
Vosk
Meredith + Denair (-20)

Active Conditions: None

Environmental Conditions: Caltrops = Red Squares

Everyone is UP!

Dryad’s Trousseau

"What's going on back there?" Quang Chi asks languidly with a look over at Vosk to see if the wizard knows anything. With a shrug, he casually steps around the end of the aisle where he'd been admiring a particularly well-shaped little bonsai plant.

"Denair's being attacked by a topee... a tropit... a plant cut in the shape of an animal," he announces to Vosk and Zirt, giving up on pronouncing the Taldane word.

Not having been expecting trouble of this sort, he then draws his bow from the magical depths of his quiver.

Frankie stands up straight as the plant-cat-thing comes around the corner and smashes his bestie in the head "HEY! Leave her alone!" He draws his little dagger and prepares to 5' step ahead and work his magic, defending his friend the best he can.

Not sure how high Denair is flying, but I'm hoping I can get under her to reach the target and attack defensively. Anyone within 5' of me will gain +2 AC/CMD/Reflex saves for their trouble. I'll also of course activate mouser mode if he's attacked and missed.

"Sorry thorns. Sorry. Sorry. Oh. Um... hello. You're shaped like a... tiger? Maybe we can ask a few-"

Denair reels back and squeaks as it slams into her. Wood chips fly off.

K Nature: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

"Living topiaries. Pretty advanced, too! And it hits really hard! Ow." Maintaining her midair balance, she counterattacks.

[ooc]Hey Frankie, do I need to be directly overhead for you to get your buffs? If the ceiling is high enough, Denair will move in to flank with him, once Meredith completes her turn."[/b]

Slam, Power Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 6 + 4 - 2 = 21
Damage, Power Attack: 1d8 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 6 = 16

Meredith jumps to attention when the plant thing springs to life. "Uh, what? Denair, watch out!" She moves up to Denair and casts Shield, transferring the magic to her eidolon. Some of the thorns break off, forming a protective barrier around her.

"This place is cramped. It's going to be hard to flank."

"Is it of appropriate size to fit in the pot in here?" Vosk asks, walking over to Quang Chi. Slipping his wand out of a sleeve, he whisks the man from view.
________
Vanish on Quang Chi. Would it help if next round Vosk tried to get the door open from the other side?

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

"It's doing what? Why would a plant... but..." Zirt is left talking to Benedict as the others rush out of the room. She blinks in confusion for a moment before rushing after them, calling, "Benedict! Go see what's going on! Go help them!"

The wolverine gives a soft grunt and runs into the room, where he pauses and sniffs the air in confusion for a moment as he tries to identify a threat. Seeing the plant move and smelling Denair's injury, however, Benedict growls and surges forward!

Zirt and Benedict both double move. Benedict attempts to avoid attacks of opportunity as he runs in.

Benedict Acrobatics (Untrained): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

A bit startled by the sudden ruckus Quang Chi moves up to see what's going on - and draws his bow when he realizes that Denair is under attack from some sort of moving plant-thing.

Eager to defend his friend Frankie steps underneath the flying eidolon and makes a defensive strike at the creature with his dagger, cutting off a few small branches as he does!

I'll say that the ceilings in the shop are about 15 ft. high.

Denair herself recognizes that the plant-thing is actually a living topiary but can't recall much more than that as she retaliates against her foe. Though she slams a mighty fist/paw/appendage into the creature it seems as though it wasn't quite as effective as she'd expect.

Worried about the tight quarters Meredith moves up and casts a shielding spell on Denair, to hopefully ward off future blows from the topiary.

As Vosk pulls out his wand and applies a vanishing spell to Quang Chi he wonders aloud if this topiary looks like it might've fit into the overturned pot the group found near the front of the shop. For those that can better see the topiary, it does indeed look as though it would fit into such a pot.

Zirt and Benedict, realizing that something is wrong, hurry to catch up. Benedict barrels through the southern door and into a small potting room (though he probably doesn't know that's what it is) where he can see part of the enormous topiary. He moves in close but not carefully and the creature takes a swipe at him...

AoO Slam vs. Benedict: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28
Damage: 2d6 + 9 ⇒ (5, 4) + 9 = 18

...and wallops him pretty good!

The topiary now has several foes up in its grill and it lashes out at...

1=Denair, 2=Frankie, 3=Benedict
1d3 ⇒ 3

Slam vs. Benedict (PA): 1d20 + 15 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 15 - 2 = 25
Damage: 2d6 + 14 ⇒ (4, 1) + 14 = 19

Slam vs. Benedict (PA): 1d20 + 15 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 15 - 2 = 27
Damage: 2d6 + 14 ⇒ (3, 3) + 14 = 20

...poor Benedict again, delivering two more mighty slams and leaving the wolverine slowly bleeding out.

Round 2

Antaios (-16)
==============
Frankie (Fighting Defensively)
Zirt + Benedict (-57; Unconscious, Dying)
Quang Chi (Vanish 1rd)
Vosk
Meredith + Denair (-20; Shield)

Active Conditions: None

Environmental Conditions: Caltrops = Red Squares

Everyone is UP!

Dryad’s Trousseau

Caught off guard by the unexpected appearance of an attacking topiary, Quang Chi simply forgot to dredge his memories for knowledge of such threats. "In Tien Xia, the plant sculptures rarely attack. More often they dance as entertainment," he informs Vosk as the wizard turns him invisible again.

Why does he do that? It hardly benefits me. He should use my wand of magical armor on me instead. I must speak to him of this. Afterwards.

Kn(Nature): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

But the vicious attack on his new friend Benedict spurs the monk from his ruminations and into action.

Attack, Flurry, Invisible: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 12 + 1 + 2 = 20
damage, Bow: 1d8 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 1 = 10

Attack, Flurry: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 12 + 1 = 32
damage, Bow: 1d8 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 1 = 13

Attack, Flurry, ki point: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 12 + 1 = 20
damage, Bow: 1d8 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 1 = 9

Attack, Flurry: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 1 = 12
damage, Bow: 1d8 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 1 = 15

Added +1 att & damage to all shots for Point Blank Shot. Tiger-topiary does not get any benefit from cover. First shot is Invisible, so no Dex Bonus to topiary's AC.

Denair frets as the thing wallops the wolverine. "No! You're not... Stop attacking! ugh!" She hovers in place and tries to hit the thing twice.

Slam, Power Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 6 + 4 - 2 = 26
Damage, Power Attack: 1d8 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 6 = 17

Slam, Power Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 4 - 2 - 5 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 4 - 2 - 5 = 10
Damage, Power Attack: 1d8 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 6 = 14

Meredith frowns as Benedict goes down. She focuses and decides to take a step and backward.

The world speaks to her. Whom do you require? A bit startled, she begins calling and asking for help.

Meredith casts Summon Monster 4. This takes a round to complete, so she can be interrupted.

Frankie's little eyebrows raise up a notch as the giant plant pounds Benedict into the floor boards "HEY! Why ya gotta beat up my new little doggie friend!" He doubles his efforts in defending his friends, ignoring attacking all together. Instead, he ducks, weaves, and dances.. sorta? Kind of like how a child might pretend to be a kungfu master. Maybe its a trick, we'll have to wait and see...

Going full defense to add +8 dodge to his AC (32), this also confers +4 dodge to AC, CMD, and Reflex saves to anyone adjacent to Frankie. He'll use underfoot if he's attacked and missed.

DM, is the baddie targeting touch AC? The 25 doesn't hit Bennie's regular AC (27), so unless it's targeting touch or flat-footed for some reason, Bennie is still up... for now. :P

"Yikes, haven't seen that kind of face in a while!" Vosk says as he pulls out a telescopic piece of metal and boops Quang Chi on the snoot. "The good stuff it is then, don't waste it now!"

Resting the rod against his shoulder, he starts walking towards the counter.
________
Sense Motive, DC 20: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18 I tried!
Quang Chi, happy to Mage Armor you first thing most fights :) Just don't have much else for a Living Topiary. Extended Heroism (two hours!) on the picky monk ;) Figure it'll help with the tracking and such too!

Sense Motives: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Nobody has any!

Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 2
Denair's Sense Motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Meredith is busy mumbling to an unforseen force, and Denair is too frustrated to focus.

Sense Motive DC20: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (16) - 1 = 15

Frankie is far too involved in his weird dance to notice anything out of the ordinary.

Don't look to Frankie for sense motive!

Yeah, my bad on one of those attacks re: Benedict; will adjust the damage he's taken!

Though at first it seems as though the topiary managed to take Benedict down it turns out that one of the attempted blows managed to miss the mark, leaving the wolverine still quite injured but also still standing!

Concerned at the plant's apparent ferocity Quang Chi takes aim with his bow and fires off several arrows, though only the first two manage to hit the mark. And even then, it seems as though the sharp points of the arrows aren't quite as effective as the archer would expect.

Denair also comes to Benedict's aim and manages to catch the topiary upside its' feline-shaped head with a blow! It's definitely effective, just not as much as normal for some reason.

As Meredith begins to conjure additional aid Frankie does a strange little defensive dance, bolstering not only his own defenses but those of his friends standing close by! To add to this Vosk reaches out and taps the visible-again Quang Chi with a telescopic sort of contraption, further bolstering his comrade!
______________

Round 2

Antaios (-41)
==============
Frankie (Total Defense)
Zirt + Benedict (-38)
Quang Chi (Heroism, Extended)
Vosk
Meredith (Summoning) + Denair (-20; Shield)

Active Conditions: None

Environmental Conditions: Caltrops = Red Squares

Zirt & Benedict are UP!

Dryad’s Trousseau

Hooray!

"Benedict!!" squeals Zirt, hearing the grunts of pain from her furry friend. Rushing into the room, she reaches her hand around the corner and strokes the wolverine's fur comfortingly, even as he growls angrily at the plant-thing and retaliates! Cast cure moderate wounds on Benedict. If she can see from around the corner, she'll cast first, then move, touch, and then move back 5' — otherwise, she'll move first and then cast defensively (in this case I'll need to roll and Zirt will be 5' east on the map). Benedict will rage as a free action and then full attack.

CMW: 2d8 + 7 ⇒ (8, 3) + 7 = 18

Benebite (rage): 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 2 = 18
Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7

Beneclaw (rage): 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 2 = 22
Damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 2 = 9

Beneclaw (rage): 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 2 = 13
Damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7

With the healing (18hp) and rage (18hp), Benedict should now be at 49/69hp, I believe. His AC (including rage and Frankie's bonus) is 29.

Hey, Chi, why is everyone rolling Sense Motive? How come you didn't?

Because, my idiot player, you didn't see the GM's spoiler box. {sigh}

Sense Motive, Heroism: 1d20 + 14 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 14 + 2 = 21

Quang Chi holds his attacks, both because they seem rather ineffective, but more importantly, because he senses that the topiary is attacking more out of fear and confusion than malice.

"Wait, please. Can we not speak to it? I feel that it is more afraid of us than we are of it."

He then holds his right hand up in a gesture of peace, showing no arrows and no weapons as he addresses the big bushy tiger.

"I do not know if you can understand me. If you can, please stop. We mean you no harm."

@GM, I rolled KN (Nature) earlier and got a 22. Just like to know if we can communicate with it, and if so, how. (Languages or any other Special Ability means of communicating, please.)

@Zirt - Yeah, you'll need to cast defensively on that so I went ahead and moved you over another 5 ft.

As Zirt steps up and adopts a defensive position for casting Benedict snarls angrily and lashes out at his attacker. Though the topiary is amazingly evasive one of the wolverine's claws rips away a few small branches. In fact, the wolverine's slashing claw actually seemed to do just as much damage as one might've expected!

Meanwhile, something suddenly occurs to Quang Chi and he calls for - of all things - an attempt at parley with the rampaging topiary! He doesn't remember much about these things but he has heard that such plant-creatures are often surprisingly intelligent and capable of understanding common speech as well as the language of the fey, though they aren't capable of speech themselves. Maybe this thing can be reasoned with?

Give me a Diplomacy check please, Quang Chi.

Concentration DC19: 1d20 + 7 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 7 + 5 = 30

Thanks to some careful casting and positioning Zirt is able to mend some of Benedict's wounds and the wolverine definitely looks less bruised and battered!

Quang Chi's bow hand drifts down to the jade wayfinder at his hip. Impressing people with words has never been his strong suit, but Master Kae's gift has helped at times. He fingers the cool stone as he carefully considers his words.

"Our apologies for attacking you. I know you must be afraid, but we are not your enemies."

Diplomacy, guidance, heroism: 1d20 - 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (11) - 2 + 1 + 2 = 12

"I believe it may also understand the language of the fey and woodland creatures, but I do not think it can speak," he says as he looks to Vosk for help. In truth he's hoping that the gregarious wizard will actually just take over the conversation.

"Wait, we can talk to it?" Denair continues buzzing in midair.

As Quang Chi begins speaking to the tiger-shaped topiary, the creature seems to hesitate. Its leaves and branches tremble slightly, but whether from fear or rage is uncertain. At least it seems to have distracted it from attacking - for the moment.

Then, you remember something. Mr. Chert, in his delirium, kept calling out the name 'Antaios' over and over. When you asked Mrs. Soap about it, she did mention something about a topiary...
______________

Round 3

Antaios (-41; Hesitating)
==============
Frankie (Total Defense)
Zirt + Benedict (-20)
Quang Chi (Heroism, Extended)
Vosk
Meredith (Summoning) + Denair (-20; Shield)

Active Conditions: None

Environmental Conditions: Caltrops = Red Squares

Everyone is UP!

Dryad’s Trousseau

Vosk rolls his eyes when Quang Chi starts talking to a plant, but his attitude quickly changes when there is an audible pause to the conflict. Well I'll be...

Turning on his heel, he hustles into the room behind Meredith. "Antaios, please settle down now. This is just an unfortunate mistake. We are here to help Mr. Chert. Please, no more violence!" he pleads. He repeats his words in Sylvan as well.
________
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (8) + 18 = 26

Frankie continues with his odd, defense dance... just in case! "Ya, what he said!"

Zirt frowns viciously at the plant-thing for a moment before sighing. "Wait a minute, Benedict," she murmurs, patting the wolverine tenderly before turning her attention back to the vine-cat. Tilting her head ever so slightly to the left, she studies its planty shape as she offers, "Mae'n debyg mai dim ond ceisio amddiffyn y siop ydych chi, onid ydych chi? Wel, rydyn ni'n ceisio helpu i ddarganfod pwy ddaeth i mewn yma yn gynharach. Nid ydym am eich brifo."

Diplomacy to Aid: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23