GM Rednal's Bloody Jack (Inactive)

Game Master Rednal

After the beatings taken, rest was probably good to have - even if magic could patch up the worst of it. Still, it didn't take the three of you too long to find an inn willing to let you rest for the night. Of course, not every night was peaceful in Castorhage...

When your rest has gone on long enough to turn 'late' into 'early', but the sun is still nowhere near rising, the silence of the night is interrupted by the sound of a scratch at the street door of your room. It ceases, and you begin to wonder if it was just your imagination, a faint scratching at the wood, when suddenly it begins again — softly but insistent. The faint sound of a whimper just reaches your ears through the heavy portal.

Oh, oh no. Here we go again.

Orson grabs his staff and hovers his hand over the handle of the door and whispers to the others.

On three?

Kulsra armors up and summons her weapon.

Readied action to attack if the visitor takes hostile action.

Ada stifles a yawn. I hate bedbugs.
"Ready as can be" she says, not motioning to draw any of her weaponry but readying her shield.

Opening the door, the whimpering and scratching has faded by the time you are able to get a look at what is outside. The night street is quiet, free from the bustle and noise of the day. A light mist wafts along the cobbles, and you at first believe that no one is there when you suddenly catch sight of it. A short way down the street, just rounding the nearest corner is a mangy dog, likely one of the many strays that wander the city. This one is emaciated with hunger, its ribs showing prominently, and appears to be limping, favoring one of its front paws. Even as it rounds the corner out of sight, you catch the unmistakable glimpse of fresh blood dripping from its injured paw. A quick glance at the cobbles and door shows that bloody smears and paw prints mark where it approached the door, scratched at it, and has now wandered away.

Fine then. It's just a dog, probably got in a fight. I'm going back to bed.

"Don't be so sure. With druids and summoners around this could be more." She looks at the door, "You could be right, or this could be a mark so that they know which room to find."

"Only one way to find out."
Opening her eyes to magic, Ada whistles at the dog. "Come here, boy! Does it hurt? Let's get you patched up a bit."

Detect magic on the dog.

The dog paid no attention at all to your attempts to call out to it, and it was soon out of sight around the corner... leaving nothing but the bloody tracks and the mystery of its destination behind.

"Could be a trap, could be a signal. I'm following." And she begins moving to follow. She's watching for an ambush as she follows the bloodprints.

Orson goes as well.

I don't think it's a good idea, so I'll follow.
Strapping her shield back on her back, Ada goes with Kuldra.

The bloody paw prints of the pitiful dog are easily followed and, after rounding the first corner, they turn down an alley. However, the sight within the alley is one of horror rather than pity. Lying on the cold cobbles of the street, face up, his face a death mask of fear and pain, is a Constable of the Watch, his throat savagely torn out. The blood pooled around his still form is the source of the paw prints, and many more are scattered around the scene as a pack of emaciated hounds worries at the corpse — including the one you so recently followed that now looks back at you hungrily.

Initiative (Canines): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Initiative (Ada): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
Initiative (Kuldra): 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (16) + 0 = 16
Initiative (Orson): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Ada and Kuldra were just a bit faster than the hounds - barely so, in Ada's case. The canines (and the dead constable) were 20 feet away.

Incidentally, you have not rested long enough to regain ability uses.

Kuldra will step forward to attack the nearer dog. She's keeping a long reach on her chain to try and dissuade any from darting past her.

move 10' forward, energy blade

attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
damage (bludgeoning): 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
electric damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
crystal damage: 3d4 ⇒ (2, 1, 4) = 7 Total damage: 22
dc 15 reflex save vs entanglement, difficult terrain

That's it. I'm summoning him first thing in the morning every day for the rest of my life.

Orson moves as wide as he can to loop around the hounds to try and establish a flnak with Kuldra.

Is anything straightforward in this city?
Drawing her greatsword from its sheath, Ada steps next to Kuldra. "Yidhra, ignore this prayer!"

Casting bless

As Ada called out to her goddess to ignore the spell casting, the power began to fade and- hey, no! I'm just responding to a pr- Mmph!

*Coughs* Sorry about that.

As Kuldra focused her energies, the hound seized on her lack of defensive casting-

AoO (Kuldra): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

-but wasn't quite able to sink its teeth into her before she sank her blade into its skull. It was definitely down for the count, and the other two hounds split up to dart at Orson and Ada. They didn't have much trouble covering the distance, either - like some animals, they were fast. Fortunately, Ada was able to get her spell off - although if a goddess was really ignoring the spell, would it have taken effect? Probably best to not ask too many questions about that.

Bite (Ada): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Bite (Orson): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23 for Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Plus Fort DC 12 vs Paralysis: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
Plus Trip vs CMD 14: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Ada managed to avoid the blow, but the hound by Orson bit into his leg and simply slammed him into the ground - although at least he was able to avoid the paralyzing chemicals in the creature's bite.

did they provoke getting to Ada or Orson?

Person recognizes the vulnerability of his position and considers playing dead but decides to stand up and assume a defensive stance.

Stand up.

Ok then, assuming that Orson's dog is within reach without provoking AoOs

With a wordless grunt, Ada whirls her greatsword like a ribbon dancer moves cloth, bringing the blade heavily against the dog threatening the wizard.
Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Damage: 2d6 + 9 ⇒ (3, 5) + 9 = 17

They did not provoke when they moved - they're pretty fast little buggers.

I didn't cast defensively previously because I have reach. And Yidhra only grants the spells that she ignores.

Now that they are engaged and among them, Kuldra will shorten her reach and cast defensively. She attacks the one she's flanking with Orson.

concentration: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
attack, flank, bless: 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 9 + 2 + 1 = 21
damage (bludgeoning): 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
electric damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
crystal damage: 3d4 ⇒ (4, 3, 2) = 9 Total damage: 19
dc 15 reflex save vs entanglement, difficult terrain

Please poke me faster if I seem to have forgotten I was only waiting on one post. ^^

Ada managed to severely damage her target, but not quite drop it - although Kuldra managed to bring her foe down entirely. Snarling, the last of the beasts lashed out again-

Bite (Ada): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23 for Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Fort DC 12 vs Paralysis: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
plus Trip: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

And managed to sink its teeth deep into her, sending some kind of paralyzing venom deep into Ada's body.

Kuldra, shouldn't you be at full health? I healed everyone before going to sleep.

Wincing in pain, Ada tries to fight the venom coursing through her body, but her muscles are not responding, contracting wildly..

Whoops, forgot to update hp.

She turns to Ada's foe, swinging wide to attack with reach.

attack, bless: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 9 + 1 = 27
damage (bludgeoning): 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
electric damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
crystal damage: 3d4 ⇒ (2, 3, 4) = 9 Total damage: 19

Orson moves around to grab Ada and drag her away from the dogs, hoping Kuldra can keep them distracted.

Before the creature could rip out Ada's throat, Kuldra managed to put it out of your misery for good, crushing its skull and sending it into the pavement. With that, the tension in the air seemed to ease somewhat... and you weren't in any more immediate danger, at least.

Alas, the same couldn't be said for the dead Constable.

Orson hauls Ada up to her feet.

Seems like she's paralyzed. I don't know much about poisons and diseases, do you?

Kuldra shrugs. "I'm not much for this. Let's take her away. If she doesn't come around in a few minutes, we'll need to bring her to a temple."

Let's get off the street at any rate. Back to my house the inn.

Orson leads Kuldra back to the room.

Fortunately, it didn't take too long for the paralysis to wear off, and Ada was on her feet before you'd gone too far down the block. It took some time for your beating hearts to slow down and rest to return, but you were able - eventually - to get back to sleep and rest until morning... when you needed to decide how to pursue your leads.

Optionally cleaning off that blood on the doors before you go to bed. XD

First things first, I need a minute to prepare for any combat we may face.

Orson spins slowly, tracing a circle with his staff on the floor, chanting quietly. Eventually, a strong-looking humanoid figure gradually appears out of the air.

This is my Companion Andrealphus. He'll be my main contribution to our fights. Where shall we start today?

Ada splutters as the poison is washed off her system. "The guardsman! We should check if... I don't know, he was somehow attacked for a reason. Reckon he was the one to leave blood all over the place?"

If I can act before bed, I'd go back to the guardsman and search the corpse.

I'll stay at the entrance to the alley, watching over her.

His body has an Office of the Watch shield pinned to his long blue coat, his night stick (a masterwork club), a police whistle, a +1 short sword belted under his coat, and a pouch holding 5 gp and 23 sp. And various bodily injuries, of course.

Sorry about the delay.
"This sword looks quite expensive. Possibly beyond standard Watch issue. Doesn't explain the dogs, though."
Ada pockets the weapon. "I'll give it back as soon as possible."

...Anyone else want to add anything, or decide what to do next?

We don't know whether or not this has anything to do with our real investigation though. I think we should try to figure out what that... thing was.

knowledge: arcana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

As far as you can tell, whatever that creature had been wasn't an arcane creature... although it had looked gaunt enough that someone at a church, or at least someone who knew about faiths and undead, could probably tell you more.

(Given that this was Castorhage, finding someone like that wouldn't be very hard - undead were common here, after all, since raising the dead as slave labor was ever so much easier than the alternatives.)

So if we have now rested long enough, I believe I should heal 5 HP.

Nursing a few bruises, Ada speaks in a chipper tone. "Good morning everyone, it's another beautiful day in which we may be mangled by an unspeakable tentacled horror from heck-if-I-know-where, and our best lead has been brutally dispatched by that very same. But we can still investigate those Sewagers? And let's just be frank, it's a beautiful name. I would love to call my daughter Sewage, and that's why I'll never have kids unless I do. Other ideas?"