As you discuss the way ahead with Rexus and Laria, you notice the men you rescued at the Sallix Salt Works last week busying themselves with chores, deliveries, and other tasks necessary to lay the ground works of this new rebellion you're part of.
Sense Motive DC 20:
One of those men appears to be writing some kind of strange letter now and then, while doing some filing with Rexus and Laria's documents.
Andor approaches the group after he witnessed the supporters suspicious actions.
”Guys, one of those men that we rescued from the salt works appears to be writing strange letters now and then, while doing some filing with Rexus and Laria's documents. How do you think we should react?“ Andor asks.
"I'm not familiar with what you guys did to rescue these folk. Would they have an reason to be ungrateful. Do ya think they had access to anything sensitive or incriminating that we need to be careful about?"
Female Half-Orc Invulnerable Rager 7 | HP 69/69(83) | AC 17 (15), T 11 (9), FF 16 | CMD 24 | Fort +10(12)(17), Ref +6(11), Will +6(8)(11) | Init +1 | Perc +11 | SM -1 | Rage Rounds 18/18
I literally can't pass that. If she hadn't met these guys before, Roldala would react with vague suspicion as a default, but since she's decided to trust them enough to let them into the base, she'll overlook whatever signals they're sending...
Werecrocodile-kin Invulnerable 2 | Speed 40 ft. | AC 12(10), T 12, FF 10 | hp 24/25(29) | Fort +7(9), Ref +2, Will +3(5) | Init +2 | Percep +1 | CMD 18(20) |DR1/- Rage 6/9 | Reroll @ +3 1/1 | Conditions: none
Bad with interrogations too! But I will aid!
Not liking the way the conversation is headed, Red decides it's best to follow along whoever leads the interrogations, perhaps secretly in hope violence goes down. "Red will follow...Rrr"
Red stands around and nods/or growls depending on the conversation Social Aid:1d20 - 2 ⇒ (20) - 2 = 18
"You sure, Andor? Well, al'right. I'm figuring that I have the least connection to these guys- perhaps I should be the one doing the confront'n."
After agreement from the group, Edmund makes his way over to the guys- Kissan following along silently by his side. He approaches the one who looks most 'in charge'
"Name's Edmund. I hear you gents were part of the group rescued from the salt work! Pleased to meet ya." His tone is affable and friendly, offering a hand to each in turn. "I can't 'magine what that musta been like. How does it feel to be free from all that?"
"I'm Morgar Manthai... feels good to have regained dignity. However... not too sure how to put this... I've been... hearing a strange voices lately... been taking notes, writing letters... I can't remember most of what I wrote or mailed out... but I'm afraid that some of it might have led the dottari here. I'm not sure, but it's possible. Now... it gets weirder. I think... that the last time I heard these voices... it was from a talking rat... down below in Wasp Nest... close to the files cabinet."
"If you have suspected this, why not mention it before? A talk'n rat you say?" Edmund goes along with the man's words, though silently concerned about the outcome of this man's actions.
Ive seen stranger things than a charm spell he reminds himself.
Still though, it don't look so good.
Andor joins the discussion from the back and looks at the Slitheren Kid.
"Well, you might be on to something Slitheren Kid. Maybe the Wasp Nest is hiding something that we do not know about and Ratfolk are involved."
Then he looks at Red and Roldala.
"After the sabotage case a while back you guys always had your eyes and ears on the Wasp Nest to see what was responsible, right? Maybe Morgar is on to something."
Andor then looks into Morgar's eyes.
"Thank you for sharing these insights with us. Would you mind to provide us with all evidence you have on the letters you wrote in the strange state of mind that you experienced? And could you possibly accompany us to the Wasp Nest to show us where you saw the rat?"
Morgar points you to the latest ramblings he's jotted down. Soon upon inspecting the papers you realize that those are quite complex legal documents, all attachments and statements meant to be attached to a main letter, which remains unfinished. From the looks of it, the letter and attachments appear to be meant to draw the dottari's attention to the Long Road Coffeehouse, so perhaps you have found out why the dottari came last week.
Even stranger is the fact that Morgar is barely above literate; son of a fisherman, he knows how to read, but barely. This level of legal mumbo jumbo is definitely above his capacity.
Morgar also shows you downstairs towards the file cabinet. This is where Rexus has hidden the documents you've all translated. Nothing new there, and no holes big enough for a rat to fit in: Forvian and Korva's people have cleaned up the basement good in the last few weeks, re-plastered a few walls, etc. So there's no obvious means of access in the basement other than the main way you've come in and out.
GM, now that we are standing in front of the documents that Rexus translated: one question about this page that we could not translate and that we wanted to have a deeper look on! What came out of our investigation regarding this page?
Andor will start to look around to find out if there are any further hints that can give us information regarding the rat.
You've encountered nothing about this page. You've been unable to understand the cipher if it is one, even after the documents have been decoded, and you've sort of abandoned that avenue of investigation (i.e. you're afraid that no one in your party has the skills or abilities required to handle such complexities)
Andor: you see a strange little devil in the shadows.
Andor thinks he sees the shape of a strange tiny little female devil standing atop of an old rusted drain pipe in the far east wall of the documents room. At the moment then entire party is in the Wasp Nest below Long Roads Coffeehouse, but everyone is spread out, tending to daily rebellion tasks with the members of the new Silver Ravens.
SURPRISE: Andor calls the others for help and can perform one standard action!!
ROUND 1
Edmund [Southwest of C3: Perception DC 10 to hear Andor]
Roldala [C4: Perception DC 20 to hear Andor]
Strange Little Devil- disappears upon noticing Andor!
SK2 [C4: Perception DC 20 to hear Andor]
Andor
Red [C2a: Perception DC 15 to hear Andor]
Andor: can't draw as part of Surprise Round charge
PRD: "If you are able to take only a standard action on your turn,
you can still charge, but you are only allowed to move up
to your speed (instead of up to double your speed) and you
cannot draw a weapon unless you possess the Quick Draw
feat. You can’t use this option unless you are restricted to
taking only a standard action on your turn."
SURPRISE: Andor - Standard ActionUnable to identify creature, but it looks like an imp with unique characteristics, including female form, nice dress and jewelry, broken horn, piercing blue eyes, long black hair down to her waist...
ROUND 1
Edmund and Kissan
Roldala [C4: Perception DC 20 to hear Andor]
Strange Little Devil- disappears on her turn.
SK2 [C4: Perception DC 20 to hear Andor]
Andor
Red [C2a: Perception DC 15 to hear Andor]
Hearing the call, Edmund hurries out of the room and toward Andor's shouts- readying his bow along the way. As he enters the room, he looks about the room in an attempt to determine the source of Andor's commotion.
Following alongside Edmund, Kissan hears shouting from the other room. Seeing her human spring into action- she quickly turns and runs along side him across the basement.
"RAWR!!!!", the guttural roar escaping her throat while the hair on the back of her shoulders stands straight on end.
Perception, Scent:1d20 + 6 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 8 = 16
Double move, 80 ft.
She should be able to detect the presence/absence of a creature within 30 ft by scent. She would need to spend a move action, or pass within 5ft, to be able to determine the exact location of a non-visible enemy
Scent:
This special quality allows a creature to detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. Creatures with the scent ability can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights.
The creature can detect opponents within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if downwind, it drops to 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple normal range.
When a creature detects a scent, the exact location of the source is not revealed—only its presence somewhere within range. The creature can take a move action to note the direction of the scent. When the creature is within 5 feet of the source, it pinpoints the source's location.
Please explain the +8 bonus on Perception for Kissan. Thank you.
Scent (Ex):
This special quality allows a creature to detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. Creatures with the scent ability can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights.
The creature can detect opponents within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if downwind, it drops to 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple normal range.
When a creature detects a scent, the exact location of the source is not revealed—only its presence somewhere within range. The creature can take a move action to note the direction of the scent. When the creature is within 5 feet of the source, it pinpoints the source's location.
A creature with the scent ability can follow tracks by smell, making a Wisdom (or Survival) check to find or follow a track. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10 (no matter what kind of surface holds the scent). This DC increases or decreases depending on how strong the quarry's odor is, the number of creatures, and the age of the trail. For each hour that the trail is cold, the DC increases by 2. The ability otherwise follows the rules for the Survival skill. Creatures tracking by scent ignore the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility.
This is one of the places that pathfinder really misses the mark. The perception bonus isn't listed under the scent ability, but under the perception skill
Perception:
Action
Most Perception checks are reactive, made in response to observable stimulus. Intentionally searching for stimulus is a move action.
Retry? Yes. You can try to sense something you missed the first time, so long as the stimulus is still present.
Modifiers
Race Elves, half-elves, gnomes, and halflings receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks. Creatures with the scent special quality have a +8 bonus on Perception checks made to detect a scent. Creatures with the tremorsense special quality have a +8 bonus on Perception checks against creatures touching the ground and automatically make any such checks within their range.
Familiars A spellcaster with a hawk or owl familiar gains a +3 bonus on Perception checks. If you have the Alertness feat, you get a +2 bonus on Perception (and Sense Motive) checks.
Andor: can't draw as part of Surprise Round charge
PRD: "If you are able to take only a standard action on your turn,
you can still charge, but you are only allowed to move up
to your speed (instead of up to double your speed) and you
cannot draw a weapon unless you possess the Quick Draw
feat. You can’t use this option unless you are restricted to
taking only a standard action on your turn."
SURPRISE: Andor - Standard ActionUnable to identify creature, but it looks like an imp with unique characteristics, including female form, nice dress and jewelry, broken horn, piercing blue eyes, long black hair down to her waist...
Thanks!! Always good to learn the rules better! ;-) Then a completely different tactic: move action and talking!
Bluff to lie, Social Panache +d6 and inspiration +d6 :1d20 + 8 + 2d6 ⇒ (7) + 8 + (5, 4) = 24
Diplomacy to influence attitude, Social Panache +d6 and inspiration +d6 :1d20 + 8 + 2d6 ⇒ (7) + 8 + (2, 4) = 21
2/4 Panache and 0/4 Inspiration remaining.
”Oh what a beautiful creature you are and how unbelievably attractive I find you! Please stay with me and teach me!“
@Kissan: I disagree that the +8 should be used for all regular Perception checks. It is even more confusing if you take into account that tracking by scent uses Survival and not Perception. In the future just list your regular Perception results (covers all senses) with a note that says "(+8 to detect a scent)". This way I can process your Perception checks using the other senses as well. Thanks! NOTE: in tihs case even the +8 is not enough, even if we assume a particular scent is emitted. NOTE: do you have a link/empathy/telepathy type of ability that would enable Kissan to communicate that a particular scent has been uncovered? thanks!
Andor tries to charm the creature with words.
Edmund and Kissan approach in the direction of Andor, who's in a dark corner of the basement, but they don't see anything! no light source available; only low-light vision enabled Andor to see a vague shadow.
Kissan roars as she is brought into action (finally!) by Edmund! Double move for both Kissan and Edmund; Everyone in the Wasp Nest hears the roar though- even Roldala can act on her turn now
The tiny she-devil smiles, winks at Andor, and disappears where she stood. Andor and Edmund hear the flapping of tiny wings.
Surprise: Andor went all prince charming on the cute little she devil!
ROUND 1
Edmund and Kissan
Strange Little Devil [smiling, invisible]
Roldala
SK2
Andor
Red
Everything about scent is handled poorly. I included it since, in this case, the visual perception wasn't going to make a difference. The part of the scent rules that I find most confusing/useful is the "Creatures with the scent ability can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights". I read that as- if something is within 30 feet, the creature with scent is aware of it- regardless of concealment, invisibility etc (you can't hide a scent by invisibility). I would assume that almost everything has a scent. What matters then is what the character/animal in question would be recognized. Tracking by scent being survival is still the same as tracking by sight (survival)- its following a lingering scent vs a present scent.
Kissan doesn't have an empathetic link- but she is autonomous to some extent. It may not make a sense here, since she doesn't know it is an enemy. But if a creature goes invisible during a combat it shouldn't effect her ability to find and continue to attack.
Either way, I will make sure to use the +8 scent as a secondary modifier on future rolls as that is very reasonable.
”Please come back! We would very much like to speak with you so that we learn from your secretive nature! We are building a rebellion! Please talk to us!“
GM, Andor has no intention to parley or seek help from this being and will kill it the moment he has the possibility to do so! Just so you know what he really thinks. ;-)
@Andor: please state your action economy clearly (with OOC tags if necessary, as I'm having a hard time parse your actions every time your turn is up)
@Red: the corpse of a large albino crocodile has fully sunk underwater, nearly blocking the grate leading to the storm-water drain system... you think that you'll perhaps have to break it in pieces so that the decomposing carcass gets carried away to the river... at some point... near the corpse of the crocodile is a half-eaten (left torso and left leg remaining) human corpse wearing *one* daredevil boot... the dead albino croc has a swollen belly, indicating it might be full of... something. Red you also find a secret compartment below the waterline behind the Calistria statue: the narrow drawer within is now flooded and some scrolls in there have long since been ruined. A gold holy symbol of Calistria worth 100 gp remains within the drawer, however, as does a +1 whip.
Sorry GM, Andor is standing there and does nothing else than talking. I assume she has to pass through Andor to get out, right? Andor would rather like to make her trust them now as he has nothing to hunt an invisibile foe.
When he comes to a stop, he reaches out and touches his holy symbol. A warm starlight washes over him- and he feels Desna's light in the darkness.
Move 30 ft, Cast: Protection from evil
As an aside- Edmund has a torch Ioun stone. If it is dark/dim in the wasp's nest, he would have pulled it out as soon as they entered. Please let me know if I should consider him in the dark, or with a torch. Thanks!
Sylvan:
Find it! Find it Kissan! Find It!
Protection from Evil, New Stat Block:
Against Evil:
AC 19
F+5, R +5, W +8
It creates a magical barrier around the subject at a distance of 1 foot. The barrier moves with the subject and has three major effects.
First, the subject gains a +2 deflection bonus to AC and a +2 resistance bonus on saves. Both these bonuses apply against attacks made or effects created by evil creatures.
Second, the subject immediately receives another saving throw (if one was allowed to begin with) against any spells or effects that possess or exercise mental control over the creature (including enchantment [charm] effects and enchantment [compulsion] effects, such as charm person, command, and dominate person). This saving throw is made with a +2 morale bonus, using the same DC as the original effect. If successful, such effects are suppressed for the duration of this spell. The effects resume when the duration of this spell expires. While under the effects of this spell, the target is immune to any new attempts to possess or exercise mental control over the target. This spell does not expel a controlling life force (such as a ghost or spellcaster using magic jar), but it does prevent them from controlling the target. This second effect only functions against spells and effects created by evil creatures or objects, subject to GM discretion.
Third, the spell prevents bodily contact by evil summoned creatures. This causes the natural weapon attacks of such creatures to fail and the creatures to recoil if such attacks require touching the warded creature. Summoned creatures that are not evil are immune to this effect. The protection against contact by summoned creatures ends if the warded creature makes an attack against or tries to force the barrier against the blocked creature. Spell Resistance can allow a creature to overcome this protection and touch the warded creature.
The black cat stalks along beside her human, teeth bared and hair on end.
Find threat. Hunt threat.
As she moves, her nose continues to search the air for unfamiliar or threatening smells. Its smells musty and humid- like claws in dirt on riverbank at dawn.
Perception:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25+8 Scent
Double Move. Move #1: 40 Feet. Move #2: detect location of creature, if perceived
Werecrocodile-kin Invulnerable 2 | Speed 40 ft. | AC 12(10), T 12, FF 10 | hp 24/25(29) | Fort +7(9), Ref +2, Will +3(5) | Init +2 | Percep +1 | CMD 18(20) |DR1/- Rage 6/9 | Reroll @ +3 1/1 | Conditions: none
Red continues his casual pace into the room to catch up with Andor, Kissan, and Edmund. But clearly doesn't understand what he is looking at. "RRrrrrhat go on?"
Edmund I'll need a Handle Animal check from you, and which trick you're trying to have Kissan perform (i.e. Attack, Defend, Down, Fighting?, Guard, Heel, Stay, Track ) --> Assuming 'Fighting' is Attack x2 yes?
GM Rolls:
1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
The music continues, and there is no reply to Andor's last comment.
