GM SpiderBeard's Curse of the Crimson Throne (Inactive)

Game Master Barvo Delancy

"I did 'till he go'is ass killed by Pilts' men. Dead Kings vo'ed t'keep it at just t'Crown till the bad tide goes down." She looks at the rest. "You reckon he cares to recognize me? Don't think so - f~%# it I'm in. They's just lookin't tattoos anyhow. M'done with this nonsense."

She looks to to the remaining Dead Kings. "Plan is simple - the watch on us run off, y'know t'fight be on. Arm up and join in, otherwise lay low and keep their eyes here."

----

Although depopulated Eel's End is still well supplied, including with a disguise kit. A little time passes as Ysania is painted up to match Raven Six's distinct tattoos. While she does so, she exchanges basic questions with Raven, getting a feel for the strange young woman's mannerisms.

Once the costuming is done, a fairly decent facsimile stands before you. She smirks, her accent dropping as he adopts the smooth, easily-intelligible Taldan of Raven.

"I believe we have a conspiracy on our hands. Let us make our date with the Emperor before my tattoos start to run." She laughs and slaps Sevenspawn on the back before grabbing a few hand axes and hooking them into her belts. Sevenspawn recalls Ysania as an exceptional axe thrower. She also doesn't ask about Blackjack, trusting the less she knows the better.

With that, the four of you get your gear together, make final preparations, and head out.

----

You walk out of Eel's End as boldly as you entered with Raven Six hanging back until the lookouts put on the ship are distracted. And distracted they are. As the four of you step out, there's a sharp whistle, and by the time you're at the end of the pier, four thugs have walked out to meet you.

"Hah! Friends of the Kings eh? You get yer visit, got by a patrol - time for a date with the Emperor. He'll see if you're ready for the tall knife or not, wot? On with it!"

Assuming you go along but I'll pause before pushing through three full scenes. Lemme know if there's any prep you want to take before you head in.

After the rest of the group has left, Raven Six-a watches them. Provided no immediate battle breaks out, she takes to the rooftops and follows at a carefully measured distance.

Specimen R6-a takes to the sky, helping its mistress keep track of the group by means of their telepathic bond.

"Hah! Friends of the Kings eh? You get yer visit, got by a patrol - time for a date with the Emperor. He'll see if you're ready for the tall knife or not, wot? On with it!"

"He shouldn't be so eager to see us," Sevenspawn says to Fox matter-of-factually. "Our previous encounter with self-appointed royalty did not end well for the King of Spiders."

The priest produces his holy symbol, making it glow, and stops a time to take the standard of Milani out of his pack. Piecing it together on street despite any and all protests, he unfolds her banner and hangs it from the crossbar. Seeming a little taller, he casts his gaze on the lowlife.

"Lead on."

"Yeah, yeah, lead on to your 'king.' We'll judge if he gets a bent knee, or just gets bent."

While Sevenspawn assembles Milani's standard, Donnell makes a bit of a show of inspecting weapons and vials, before having them disappear into sleeves, bandoliers, scarf, and boots.

One of these days, I'll have to figure out what skill I need to strap that handcrossbow to Donnell's wrist...

The rose growing out of the blood-spattered streets could never have been more appropriate considering the streets are literally blood-spattered at this point, and Sevenspawn is striding forth to meet an Emperor.

The thugs are nonplussed, but they've seen weirder things. You take off to Pilts with "Raven" in tow, and Blackjack hanging back. Once the thugs start escorting you all to Pilts' palace, Blackjack is quickly on the move and clamber up to a rooftop to scamper along.

The streets surrounding the palace are littered with bodies, rubble, and refuse; feral dogs, stirges, drain spiders, and other vermin scuttle around with a bravery not seen in the city before the quarantine. The farther one ventures into Old Dock and the closer one draws to the palace, the fewer citizens appear behind boarded windows, and the more signs of the emperor’s mob grow. Vandalism, brutalized bodies hung up on display, remnants of fires, and other evidence of public violence are everywhere.

Other than this, all of these wood buildings are stable and in no danger of collapse, despite the large amount of cosmetic damage the mob has inflicted on them in the form of graffiti, scorch marks, and weapon play.

Blackjack remains at a distance for now - the rooftops surround one large flat roof that looks to be used as a stage with a balcony overlooking it. Enough to see, but to move closer chances detection. Upon the balcony is a ludicrously tall guillotine which looms overtop of a throne. There sits the Emperor of Old Korvosa.

Sevenspawn, "Raven", Donnell, and Thod are lead into a destroyed building with a rope bridge leading towards a second building, and the finally to the grand stage. They are prodded forward by the thugs who start hollering that there's new supplicants before the Emperor. Cheers sound up as you are pushed along a swinging rope bridge which... doesn't quite give way until you come up to the balcony.

This open-air balcony is shielded from rain and sun by a brightly colored canvas roof that extends up over the area like a half-dome, held in place by a wooden framework. The inside of the canvas has been decorated with scenes of gruesome debauchery; battlefields, executions, torture chambers, and human-eating monsters all vie for space. The balcony contains two major features of note. The first is a high-backed throne that looks like a poor man’s version of the Crimson Throne, a thing of blood-red cushions and silks and spikes. Directly west of the throne stands an intimidating device: a tall guillotine of carved wood and bone, its base depicting grasping demonic feet and the housing of its glittering blade a leering demonic face.

Below the balcony is a wide stage, and surrounding you are rooftops with a scattering of thugs. As the call comes out that new people are before the emperor, the neighbourhood starts to filter in. Thod catches a dark shape with her cloak whipping in the wind a couple of houses down.

With guards in front of him, sits the indolent Emperor himself. Pilts Swastel is a scrawny Chelaxian man with a heavily pocked complexion. He is dressed in strange, ratty clothing with an angled brass crown. Overall the effect is of a sort of beggar king. Despite looking like a tramp, he has a honeyed, powerful voice as he speaks, pitching his voice to play for his crowd of supporters.

"BEHOLD new entrants to my realm. Friends of the hated Dead Kings..."

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

"And daring to show the symbol of Milani before me? Do you come to seek revolution against the Emperor of Old Korvosa? Or perhaps for another reason? Speak... LEST YE FACE THE TALL KNIFE!"

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

He's on a rooftop throne with guards? How many?
And there are more thugs on surrounding rooftops - is that right?

Donnell looks around at the 'palace', unimpressed. Taking a step forward, he adopts a pleasant, if faintly mocking attitude, and raises his voice to be heard: "Hiya! Seems like you've made a bit of a name for yourself, eh? Taken advantage of some folks while they've been trapped here on Old K? Seems to me, a smart person, a good leader, mighta been able to take advantage of the quarantine to make things better around here - from what I can tell, things look a whole lot worse. But, mebbe that's what the Queen wanted from you? Make a big mess? Keep the good people of OK from bein' happy an' healthy?"

"I can't tell if you're a traitor or a dupe, but neither looks particularly good on you."

The street priest lets Donnell speak for the group, standing stoically with his standard. The halfling's tone is unmistakable and not unexpected by Sevenspawn. He backs it to the hilt once it comes, but says nothing.

Looking about, he transfers his Light cantrip to the standard of Milani from his holy symbol and ensures everyone can see it.

Blackjack lurks in the shadows, watching the proceedings intently -- and quietly starts to fit an explosive arrow to her crossbow.

Raven Six starts awakening her chakras, too. If she manages to get them up to the second set next round, she will be able to fly over to the roof where everyone else is. Fort. 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15; Will 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20. Root chakra: awakened!

A couple dozen on the rooftops but they don't look like combatants. However a crowd is a crowd and thus potentially dangerous. There are four guards by Pilts, and an additional four in the compound who are now heading back down the rope ladder.

Pilts' jaw drops as you come before him and Donnell starts insulting him. "You come here and insult me?! W-w-WHO LET THEM KEEP THEIR WEAPONS?!" There's muttering from the guards and Pilts rises to his feet. "You come here bearing a banner that is not mine, wielding arms in my royal presence, and you insult me?! NOBODY INSULTS ME AND LIVES!"

The gnome sputters something out. "Put 'em to the tall knife Unca Pilt!"

"Raven Six" furiously signs over to Sevenspawn 'NOT THE PLAN' but it's a moot point.

He screams, pointing a finger at Donnell. "OFF WITH HIS HEAD!! ALL OF THEM! KILL THEM ALL!"

RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The crowd goes absolutely wild as they realize they're here for a very different kind of show.

Ysania is the first to act, dropping the Raven Six act as she twists in place before flinging two axes right into the face of one of the thugs. He collapses and another axe flies into a thug. The gnome lets out an insane shriek before grabbing a ludicrously large battle axe and charging across the stage to join the melee!

The thugs are also very quickly on their feet, realizing there's a real fight on their hands with armed combatants. Axes start flying, and Thod takes a nasty shot before he's quite ready.

Thod takes 16 damage from a sneak attack. Blackjack and Donnell are up! Blackjack's token is in the bottom right, just over the peak of a roof.

With a half-smile, Donnell shrugs slightly and dumps an elixir down his throat: "Looks like this pla- *urp* zzz needs a change of man- managmenn- *gahuuhh*"

A swarm of wasps appears around Donnell's head, which he directs towards Pilts.

Swarm Attack: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4
Poison: Fort DC 13
Frequency 1/round for 4 rounds
Effect 1 Dexterity damage
Cure 1 save

Distraction: Fort DC 13
Nauseated on a failed save

'Blackjack' stands forth from the shadows, aims her crossbow at the so-called emperor and squeezes off the bolt she just prepared. It flies quite nicely...

Exploding arrow 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22 for 1d8 + 3d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + (2, 6, 2) + 4 = 20 BOOM! A miss means no damage.

Swift action: awaken sacral chakra. Fort. 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16; Will 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24. Sacral chakra active! 'Blackjack' has a fly speed!

Rising above the rooftops, 'Blackjack' flies towards the conflict like a great bat. If thirty feet of flight can put her with her allies, she goes there. If not, then she touches down somewhere in full sight of Pilts.

"Be glad, Pilts!" she shouts. "Blackjack has graciously granted you an audience to settle your account tonight!"

Bombs 7/8; 3d6+4
Mutagen +2 AC, 12 Str., -2 Int.
Ki 0/2; Kundalini 3/3
Fly 30 ft.

Donnell gulps down his extract before the wasps appear around his head and start flying for Pilts. Pilts screams, slapping wildly at the wasps to the point he's unable to do much else.

The crowd gasps as Blackjack emerges from a rooftop and an explosive arrow snakes through the sky before thumping into his throne and blasting it apart, badly injuring Pilts! Pilts runs out of the swarm, slapping himself wildly as Blackjack sails through the air to the gasps of the crowd. Blackjack settles down on a cage in the southeast corner of the field which for some reason has a pig in it.

Sevenspawn and Thod are up! I goofed on Thod's initiative - he should have gone earlier in the round so I GMPC'd him slashing up a thug who is now badly injured. Blackjack your icon is on the map in the bottom right corner of the stage.

Another thing. As a Barbarian, I cannot be flanked or caught flat-footed, due to uncanny dodge. I can still be feinted. Do I still take the full 16 damage, or is that sneak attack reduced?

"So, uh, just going straight to the smashing? I was expecting a bit more banter and asking where Salvator was..." Thod converses somewhat nonchalantly as the group is barraged by thugs. He swings out at the goons, still keeping his cool. Perhaps not even taking things seriously.

Full round attacks, Power attacking.
Attack 1: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20 Damage 1: 1d10 + 13 ⇒ (10) + 13 = 23
Attack 2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 Damage 2: 1d10 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21

"Also curious as to what Blood Pig was supposed to be. I'll ask somebody afterwards."

Sevenspawn raises his light-filled standard as he turns in a circle, the bloody rose of Milani shining for all to see. Barking out his arcane words, he concludes his powerful spell.

The priest casts Blessing of Fervor, inspiring his allies in Milani's name to take the field.

With this blessing, you call your allies to move forth and empower them to conquer and become victorious. Each round for the duration of this spell, each of your allies can choose one of the following bonuses for that round at the beginning of its turn (their choice).

- Increase its speed by 30 feet.
- Stand up as a swift action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
- Make one extra attack as part of a full attack action, using its highest base attack bonus.
- Gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls and a +2 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves.
- Cast a single spell of 2nd level or lower as if it were an enlarged, extended, silent, or still spell.

These effects are not cumulative with similar effects, such as those provided by haste or a speed weapon, nor do they actually grant an extra action, so you can’t use it to cast a second spell or otherwise take an extra action in the round. Blessing of fervor does not stack with haste.

Correct, you only take 7 damage instead.

As Thod starts speaking nonchalantly he decapitates another thug before stabbing a third as he continues his rampage. Ysania wings an axe right a thug, who dodges as it thunks into the wood. She uses the distraction to race in, grab the axe, and whack him with it. Only two of the thugs remain, however Pilts is yelling for backup -a lot-.

The sudden appearance of Blackjack has the mob on the stands reconsidering their life choices. People start to vacate with a lot of the talking about a 'reckoning'.

Sevenspawn calls up to Milani and his banner bursts with holy light, blessing the group with the Everbloom's divine revenge against tyrants.

The thugs respond in kind, with one disengaging from Sevenspawn to focus on taking down Thod. They line him up, and although Thod is too canny to take a sneak attack, the dual blows cause him to drop his defense and he is almost knocked reeling by a horrific blow with an axe!

The insanely jabbering gnome also manages to join the fight, rushing up to Ysania and slashing her with his greatsword.

Thod is critted for 23 damage. Blackjack and Donnell are up!

Blackjack swaps her crossbow out for her mithral rapier, and swoops down on the battlefield, putting one of the thugs in a flank between her and Thod!

"You get one last chance," the vigilante says as her heels hit the ground. "Run. Now."

That's two move actions for me this round. Swift action: maintain opened chakras.

Status:
Bombs 6/8; 3d6+4
Mutagen +2 AC, +2 Str., -2 Int.
Ki 0/2; Kundalini 2/3
Fly 30 ft.
Blessing of fervor effect this round: +2 to AC and Reflex saves.

Current AC is 20.

As Blackjack/Raven lands next to the thug, Donnell nods a greeting, but, realizing that Pilts is running away, he quickly pivots and sprints for the balcony.

Blessing of Fervor: Increase movement speed by 30'.
This is going to provoke an AoO from the thug next to Donnell.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

Leaping up the balcony, Donnell draws his rapier and attempts to move past Pilts and interpose himself between the 'Emperor' and the rope bridge: "Sorry, raggedy-king. We need you to stick around for a little while yet."

Acrobatics check to move past Pilts without provoking.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Oh! Pilts is nauseated, so that should save Donnell from almost certainly provoking.

Standard Action: Move the Wasp Swarm to attack Jabbyr (or whoever that gnome is). Note: I think the swarm's HP should be reduced to 8/38 - if Pilts was hit by Blackjack's bomb, then it would have taken a bunch of damage too.

Swarm Attack: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 6) = 8
Poison: Fort DC 13
Frequency 1/round for 4 rounds
Effect 1 Dexterity damage
Cure 1 save

Distraction: Fort DC 13
Nauseated on a failed save

The game does not specify how high the balcony is over the rooftop, just from the ground. I'll say 10'. With it being that high you're going to need a climb check.

Donnell's Climb: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Good enough.

Blackjack swoops in to set up a flank while the wasps swarm over Jabbyr who just keeps screaming like a maniac and waving his sword. Donnell ably scampers up the side of the building before leaping into Pilt's path and positioning himself to block the rope ladder exit!

Pilts screams in rage as Donnell shows up in front of him. He produces something that looks like a regal scepter before pointing it at Donnell.

Nothing happens for a second before suddenly wind starts swirling around Pilts. He starts screaming for joy and jumping up and down before Donnell is HAMMERED with an incredible blast of wind! He is almost blown clear across the rooftop but he manages to cling to a loose board on the building side until the spell subsides. Jabbyr shouts a lot while the wasps swarm him, but he manages to ignore the worst of it.

Sevenspawn and Thod are up!

7 and 23 damage taken, each dropped by 1 due to DR.

"Hey, Sevenspawn, question, does that spell of yours..."

Thod's casual banter is interrupted when one of the thugs gets in a lucky shot, taking advantage of Thod's carelessness to cut into him deeply with an axe blow.

"EXCUSE ME! I WAS TRYING TO HAVE A PLEASANT CONVERSATION HERE, YOU JACKASS!"

Thod quickly loses his composure, and his train of thought, as he begins viciously tearing into the thugs surrounding him.

"CAN'T EVEN HAVE A DECENT CHAT WITHOUT MORONS LIKE YOU INTERRUPTING! WHATEVER HAPPENED TO POLITENESS AND BASIC DECENCY!? I TELL YOU, SOCIETY THESE DAYS..."

Thod enters a Rage and does another Full attack action, Power attacking. For Sevenspawn's spell, I'll take the extra Haste attack. Also, from the looks of it, Thod's got flanking on every threat in range.
Attack 1: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 12 + 2 = 20 Damage 1: 1d10 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19
Haste Atk: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 12 + 2 = 26 Haste Dmg: 1d10 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26
Attack 2: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 7 + 2 = 26 Damage 2: 1d10 + 16 ⇒ (4) + 16 = 20
Thod starts by attacking whoever critted him, then the other thug. If both thugs are down, Thod will take a 5-foot step West.

Did SS get an AoO on the guard who went in Donnell's direction, once he left the square adjacent?

The priest strides with confidence towards Thod, leaving the glowing standard in the ground and reciting the Everbloom's scripture loudly as he raises up his shield and unhooks his wand. He touches it to Thod's back.

Wand of Cure Serious Wounds: 6d8 ⇒ (7, 1, 6, 2, 5, 4) = 25

Spiderbeard, I don't know the caster level of the wand, and it's an additional +2 per level. Let us know so Thod will also heal that much as well. Need the charges too.

Should have clarified - full withdrawl action. He didn't do anything else beyond move.

Details on the wand in discussions but Thod heals CSW: 3d8 + 5 ⇒ (4, 5, 5) + 5 = 19 from that.

Thod completely loses his temper and becomes a shouty whirlwind of death as his halberd stabs out in all directions, felling the two thugs flanking him with three brutal swipes and stabs. Sevenspawn then moves in to produce his wand and heal some of the dwarf's wounds.

Ysania sees an insane gnome with a greatsword coming at her, and so takes a step back to ensure he gets nice and close to the rest of the group while she readies an attack. Pilts starts shrieking commands.

"KILL THE DWARF! THE DWARF!"

Jabbyr shrugs and bolts through the wasps, howling like a maniac as he bowls past Ysania and Sevenspawn before lunging at THod. Ysania almost drops her axe as the gnome shows insane speed moving in before he scores a hit on the big dwarf.

Pilts' howling and the screams of the crowd seems to have attracted attention and you hear shouts from below. It sounds like reinforcements are on their way from the building north of the stage!

Thod takes 11 damage after DR. Donnell and Blackjack are up!

"Excuse you! My friend the dwarf had some very polite questions for you regarding Vencarlo - to wit, where can we find the swordmaster?"

But, rather than wait for an answer, Donnell's rapier begins to stab at the man, almost of its own volition.

Blessing of Fervour: Extra Attack

Rapier1: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
Damage1: 1d4 + 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + (3, 1) + 3 = 10

Undeterred, the small halfling punctuates his stabs with further questions: "So, why exactly have you trashed Ol' K? I mean, just for profit?"

Rapier2: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21
Damage2: 1d4 + 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + (6, 6) + 3 = 16

"And the Tall Knife - where did that come from? Did someone show you how to make that? Blood pig? Is that where you get people to fight against some kind of wild boar or elephant or something?"

Rapier3: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Damage3: 1d4 + 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + (4, 1) + 3 = 11

"Anyway, back to this system of despotic government you've established - did you really think that was going to work? I mean, what were your long-term goals?"

Judging that Thod, Sevenspawn and Ysania have the crazy Gnome well in hand, and that the head of this particular snake needs to be lopped off before reinforcements arrive, Blackjack takes flight once more … and lands behind Pilts.

"You have committed grievous wrongs against the city, Pilts," she says as she lashes out at the so-called Emperor of Old Korvosa with her borrowed mithral rapier. "Your time has come."

Swift: maintain opened chakras
Move: flying over to engage Pilts
Standard: Blackjack's mithral rapier attack #1 - 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19 for 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 damage.
Blessing of fervor bonus for this round: +2 to attack bonus, AC and Reflex saves.

Status:
Bombs 6/8; 3d6+4
Mutagen +2 AC, +2 Str., -2 Int.
Ki 0/2; Kundalini 1/3
DR 1
Fly 30 ft.
AC currently 20

"Of course Blackjack is here, WHY NOT-- OW!" Pilts yelps as Donnell stabs him. Blacjack flies through the air, landing on her feet behind Pilts and moving in to attack. However, he parries with his scepter along with two of Donnell's three attacks. Without direction, buzzes off northwards, continuing on its path.

"You think I'm so easy to kill? HAH!" He quickly starts chanting a spell, but Blackjack thunks him in his forehead with her rapier, foiling the spell. Four more of Pilt's thugs appear from the north, rushing across the rope bridge to join the fight!

My bad guys would be cooler if they didn't roll 1s. Sevenspawn and Thod are up! Donnell the vomit swarm rules are it continues on its current trajectory unless directed so its doing just that.

"AND NOW I GOT AN INSANE GIBBERING GNOME HERE! IS THE ART OF CONVERSATION AND DECORUM COMPLETELY DEAD!?"

Maintain full power attack attack action, and using the haste attack from Sevenspawn's Blessings
Attack 1: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17 Damage 1: 1d10 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 24
Haste Atk: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27 Haste Dmg: 1d10 + 16 ⇒ (5) + 16 = 21
Attack 2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11 Damage 2: 1d10 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25
Rage remaining:19/21

"OH, MORE GOONS! GREAT! ALL I WANTED WAS A NICE PLEASANT CONVERSATION AND DISCOURSE, AND INSTEAD I'M GETTING YOU BUNCH OF MORONS!"

GMPC Sevenspawn to keep the party rolling.

Sevenspawn's Power Attack: 1d20 + 12 - 1 ⇒ (20) + 12 - 1 = 31 Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 3 + 2 = 12
Sevenspawn's Iterative Attack: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 7 - 1 = 22 Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 2 = 10
Warhammer Crit!: 1d20 + 12 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 12 - 2 = 29 Damage: 2d8 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (4, 3) + 6 + 4 = 17

The gnome proves to be a shockingly easy target in his rage, and Thod manages to land two solid blows on him. Sevenspawn also follows up, wielding his warhammer with the Everbloom's banner stood firmly in the ground.

Sevenpawn's manages to land a blow directly to the gnome's head, and he's fairly sure he sent a piece of skull flying. However, the gnome continues shrieking in rage and attack! Since his orders were to kill the dwarf, he tries to do just that and his blow with the axe cleaves right into Thod's chest through his armour, almost knocking the dwarf prone with its power.

Thod takes 51 damage from a crit! Blackjack and Donnell are up! Although Sevenspawn got a crit on autopilot so that's cool

Noticing, from the corner of his eye, that his wasps have flown away, Donnell takes a step away from his clinch with Pilts to focus again on the wasps, coaxing them to return to the action.

Looks like there's two thugs currently in the Wasp Swarm, but it now blocks the rope bridge.
I think, from my reading of Vomit Swarm, the swarm will stay where it is if there's something to attack, but it's quite vague. It doesn't even say if you can spend your action to get the swarm to stay in one spot, which means trading Donnell's attacks every round for the wasps'...

Anyway,
Swarm Attack: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6
Poison: Fort DC 13
Frequency 1/round for 4 rounds
Effect 1 Dexterity damage
Cure 1 save

Distraction: Fort DC 13
Nauseated on a failed save

With that accomplished, Donnell pops open a vial of Drow Poison, and coats his rapier with it.

Swift Alchemy:
Apply poison to a weapon as a move action

PS: SS said he was being booted off the site and lost several posts in the last couple of days. He said he was going to try again today, but obviously that did not work either.

Raven Six draws on the power of Sevenspawn's blessing to enhance her attack, assaulting Pilts full-throttle to keep his attention away from Donnel.

"False tyrant! Have we not enough woes with the actual monarchy without you mucking things up even more?! You are become a disease unto this city, and Blackjack wields the scalpel to cut out your growth!"

Blackjack lets the chakras close.
Blackjack uses the Blessing of fervor's power to gain a second attack, and makes a full-attack on Pilts!
Magical mithral rapier #1 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25 for 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 damage.
Magical mithral rapier #2 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20 for 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7 damage.

Status:
Bombs 6/8; 3d6+4
Mutagen +2 AC, +2 Str., -2 Int.
Ki 0/2; Kundalini 1/3
DR 1
AC currently 18

Keep getting the boot, as Donnell mentions. I'll type faster. Glad I did well! If I don't somehow get back in tomorrow, assuming this posts, I'll focus on healing - particularly Thod.

Kk, thanks!

Blackjack manages to pink Pilts who yelps yet again while Donnell sends his wasps to eat some of the thugs, who are very unhappy but not debilitated by it. Notably, one of the thugs hangs back, refusing to run through the swarm.

Pilts points his rod at Blackack, shouting that he will be the one to finally destroy the mighty blackjack. To his delight, a bolt of lightning flies from the want with a CCRACKKK however Blackjack hits the dirt. The bolt flies overhead and instead slams into one of the thugs who responds by running up to Blackjack and landing a blow!

Sevenspawn and Thod are up!

Oh yeah and Blackjack takes 9 damage. I'll give Thod & SS time to post.

I should've dealt 2 additional damage due to my mutagen. ^^;

Thod buckles under the lucky crit, blood oozing from his chest. He shakes it off and rights himself, looking at the gnome.

"OH, BEING SERIOUS NOW? WELL, LET'S GIVE THESE GOONS A SHOW, THEN, HUH?"

For this round, I'm going to instead pick the +2 to Attack and AC blessing from Sevenspawn's spell. Open with one attack.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 12 + 2 = 18 Damage 1: 1d10 + 16 ⇒ (6) + 16 = 22

Sevenspawn shows some concern for Thod's condition, and produces the wand again to fortify the stalwart dwarf.

CSW: 3d8 + 5 ⇒ (4, 2, 4) + 5 = 15

I'll take the +2 bonus on attack rolls and a +2 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves.

Thod completely skewers Jabbyr with his halberd. The gnome stares at Thod with wild eyes, before he grabs the halberd and yanks it out before staring Thod in the face, covered in blood and completely crazed.

"YAAAARRRRRGGHHH---"squish

And Thod's second attack goes right through the gnome's skull, ending his stupid, stupid life. Sevenspawn then moves up, qucikly chanting a spell to partially heal Thod's wounds.

Donnell and Blackjack are up! Initiative blocks have collapsed.

Acrobatics to avoid AoO: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

Blackjack drops into a forward roll, twirling around Pilts and coming up on his other side, putting the thugs between them.

"You are going to die unless you surrender and call down your dogs," she says as she lashes out at the fool, her voice eerily serene.

Blessing of fervor: +2 to AC and Ref. saves.
Attacking Pilts: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16 for 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 damage.

Status:
Bombs 6/8; 3d6+4
Mutagen +2 AC, +2 Str., -2 Int.
Ki 0/2; Kundalini 1/3
DR 1
AC currently 20

The Wasp Swarm will continue on its path and hit the corner of the building on the north side. I'd like to imagine that it flies in through a window, but I'll leave it up to the GM :)

Stepping up next to Raven, Donnell shrugs: "Surrender, don't surrender, whatever. You've made a mess of things."

Rapier1: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28
Damage1: 1d4 + 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + (4, 2) + 3 = 13
Crit threat: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
Crit Damage: 1d4 + 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + (2, 4) + 3 = 12

Rapier2: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Damage2: 1d4 + 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + (6, 5) + 3 = 16

Rapier3: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Damage3: 1d4 + 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + (3, 6) + 3 = 15
Crit threat: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
Crit Damage: 1d4 + 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + (2, 1) + 3 = 9

Drow Poison
Save: Fortitude DC 13
Frequency: 1/minute for 2 minutes
Cure: 1 save
Initial Effect: Unconsciousness for 1 minute
Secondary Effect: Unconsciousness for 2d4 ⇒ (4, 4) = 8 hours

With Blackjack and Donnell cornering Pilts, the would-be Emperor gets stabbed repeatedly, however he ignores the poison. Pilts collapses to his knees, covered in blood and with several potentially mortal rounds. However, he struggles back up, deranged and furious.

Looking around wildly, he mutters to himself, chants a spell, and with a pop he's gone!

The thugs, however, immediately notice that Jabbyr is dead, adn their leader just took off. A few quick chats between them and the sights of their dead comrades is enough for them to break and run.

"FLEE THE EMPEROR'S WRATH! HE'LL COME FOR US!"

End of Combat

The people sitting on the rooftops who bore witness to the scene stare in just open astonishment. There is some scattered clapping. Ysania yanks a throwing axe out of the skull of one of the thugs.

Thod immediately moves to grab any retreating Thugs. If that is unsuccessful, he moves to any downed thugs, looking for any that still cling to life, and yelling at Sevenspawn (Or whoever) to patch him up. "We need some answers!"

Spellcraft 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22

"He used a Dimension Door-spell; he won't be far," Blackjack says.

If Thod manages to find a live thug, Blackjack assists him with the interrogation.
"Talk. Now."

If not, she turns on the audience.
"Where would the villain hide? Speak up."

Donnell raises his voice, hoping it will carry to both the crowd and the retreating thugs: ”100 GOLD TO ANYONE WHO CAN LEAD US TO PILTS OR VENCARLO!”

Speaking to the party, and in a quieter voice: ”He might have gone to find reinforcements - should we check the rest of the building?” pointing with his chin to the closed door near him.

Sorry guys post tomorrow.

”He might have gone to find reinforcements - should we check the rest of the building?”

"Hold, an' it please you," the priest replies. "Let us fortify in The Everbloom's blessing."

Sevenspawn calls his allies in closer, including Yrsania and Blackjack into the midst and indicating all should keep an eye out while he works. He drops to one knee and grips his holy symbol, thanking Milani for the her aid in this small victory and asking for her healing.

Channel Energy: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 5, 6) = 18

Rising up to his feet, he produces the wand for Thod once more.

CSW: 3d8 + 5 ⇒ (6, 5, 3) + 5 = 19

The latter is assuming there is another six seconds to spare, of course. How's everyone for HP now?

I'm full up.

The guards stop as Donnell drops the words '100 gold'. Everyone on the rooftops starts shouting at once, but it's all different locations and information. Turns out that in a very, very desperate situation that much money can make a difference. The thug who was trapped on the other side of the bridge moves in.

"'E don't like what's going on, 'e hides in 'is bedroom. Follow me."

The other thugs are too wounded to care, and so you follow the one who is literally rubbing his hands at the thought of the money as you rush into the building the balcony is built on. He leads you into a room filled with severed heads mounted on the walls, which have not been very well-preserved. A door leads north that the thug points to.

"Sure as me mum's got gout 'e's in there. Pay up."

Perception 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24

"I can hear him. He's in there, prepping with spells. Pay the man and tank up."

Blackjack hands Thod an extract of Bull's strength.

Donnell quickly, wordlessly, hands the thug a pouch of gold, and slugs down a pale brown a extract.
Adhesive Spittle

Through silent hand gestures, Donnell indicates that he will check and open the door - if he can be first through, the he might be able to stop Pilots from running again.

Stealth: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28

Locate Traps: 1d20 + 17 + 1d6 ⇒ (9) + 17 + (2) = 28

How's everyone for HP now?

Only down by 18. Perfectly serviceable, but still room to top up.

Thod looks at surprise as 'Blackjack' hands him a vial.
"Uhh, thanks, Blackjack. You're, uhh... oddly generous with potions." *Nod, nod, knowing look.*

Bull's Strength Active. +2 to hit and Damage.