GM Tarondor's Dragon's Demand (Inactive)

Game Master Tarondor

Thank you Val, the rest of you are much better warriors, I seem to do best immobilizing or supporting what you all do."

"As far as a plan... Have any of you been to the quarry or know its layout? Know anyone who DOES know its layout and could draw a rudimentary map? I checked with Bassy and Gregol, I thought if anyone in Belhaim knew some tales or had maps of the place, it would be them, but no luck. I think we need to spend at least a day watching the place to gather information. Pin down the relief routine for the guards, if any of them patrol, where their main cave or settlement is, things like that. Once we know these things, we develop a plan based on that knowledge instead of being surprised by a sudden change of guards or patrol or having to search blindly for exactly where tehy are hiding out.”

"If they are cowards at heart, making a threat of the whole town arming up and coming after them because of the tower falling might very well work without having to kill them all," Liam's voice gets a little shaky, "I mean, for all we know there are a hundred of them down there."

"That's a good point. For all we know, there are thousands. I don't want to make a threat using the townspeople, because then they could become a target. Perhaps the best thing we can do now is some spying. Let's go back and set up watch, and see if we can start to get an idea of how many and any patterns they may have. Kobolds are evil little beasts, but they can be cunning. And they like to set traps."

"Oh, no... I meant if there were only a few of them, like if the clan or tribe was smaller and they were cowardly. What are your thoughts, Val? Thorny, you spent time in an army or militia, is the spying first tactic sound?"

Thorny furrows his brow in thought then recites as if reading from a text, "A successful commander does not move against his foe without purpose or insight." He clears his throat. "That was usually a job left for the quick and the quiet..." he trails off. "Anyhow. Yes, Liam, I do second your course of action. We should start with observation. Further, there must be other entrances into their caves. It would be folly if that was their only way in or out, then all we'd have to do is find a way to cause a cave-in."

Any reason not to give the group 2 weeks prep? A week each direction is how long it'll take Eliastra to get her bow. The rest of us could use that time to secure similar orders with the same rider.

”I have an aside… Are we all just OK with not knowing what Hunclay was doing down there or why? We are all good with just dropping that part of this... investigation?"

Liam thinks back to the white haired body partially buried under the rubble. "Wait! There was a key, or set of keys he had! Remember? Can't believe we didn't do something about those. They have to be to his place!"

"I very much like the idea of checking out the kobolds before any type of attack." She gives a rye smile. "I can't see very far myself. I can try to keep everyone healthy that's about it."

"Taking our time is a good idea. I don't think we're in danger from kobold attack. We didn't even know they were close by until yesterday."

Two weeks would give time to retrieve Hunclay's body for proper burial and recover the keys, plus do the recon. Though handwavium of that prevents RP if the imp makes another appearance...

Let me know what you decide.

RETCON

"Val, Eli & Thorny, I am donating the fourth share I have not earned to start a Party Pool. I propose we all donate 20% of all treasures found into the pool and we vote to spend it on rather expensive commonly useful items we can benefit from, like a Wand of Healing."

"I don't think it would be out of turn to take a vote to upgrade an individuals equipment, since it helps us all in the long run to be more effective. Like buying Thorny better armor, or Eli magic arrows."

If this 410gp + ??? is not enough for the wand, I suggest we pool a little extra to make up the difference. I vote the two weeks to recon, get the body and keys and await the wand and Eli's upgrade.

That works for me... assuming kobolds don't come knocking.

At the start of the two weeks, Liam will head to Xemne’s apothecary. Upon entering the storefront, if he does not see anyone manning the place, he stays at the door and politely gives notice he is there, ”Hello? Customer calling on the shop.”

If someone is manning the store, or upon their arrival and attention to him, he asks, ”Do you have a little something that counteracts the effects of strong poisons? Not food poisoning, I mean from bites or stings? Had a pretty rough run-in with a devilkin and looks like we are going back.”

He looks around the shelves for anything that might be useful, ”Anything that smells horrible? Animal urine, musk, or itching or sneezing powder? Something concentrated and packaged for maybe throwing at a predator to distract or drive them away? Is there something you can send for if I commission it, to make such a concoction to take custody of later?”

"I'm happy to purchase the wand, and use part of the party funds to make up the rest to get a full wand.

Val comes out of the back of the store when Liam enters. "Hey Liam what brings you in today? I help out here from time to time. It pays for the rent on my room behind the shop."

Upon hearing what he wants she hollers to the back, Xemne you have a customer. He's looking for some specific stuff, and I don't know what's best."

Thorny speaks, "I concur with a party fund. I will throw in 82GP from my earnings." He grins, I also nominate Liam to account for the party funds. No good idea goes unpunished, friend"

Thorny participates in the retrieval of Hunclay's body and a respectful burial. Happy to RP if encounters are possible.

If you/we haven't already, I suggest we enumerate our 2-weeks off so Scott can process everything at once, then we can be off on our next chapter.

2 weeks worth of Thorny's activity:
1) See Big Bull Baccus for a quote (cost and acquisition/fabrication) about a replacement blade for his glaive. One made of a material that would cut imp hide deeply.
2) Visit the local temple of Gods a foot soldier would be likely to worship. Worship.
3) Pick up one of his odd jobs around town (fixing fences, mucking stalls).

Liam is shocked at the ready trust in so much in so soon a timeframe, "You barely know me, Thorny, and this is A LOT of money. Are you sure?"

Liam's two weeks:
1. Put in the order with Xemne, then practice throwing the net and folding the net for the next throw, but getting bored after two days.
2. Helping retrieve Hunclay’s body for a proper burial.
3. Practice slinging the goo and spells at random targets just outside of town (during the day.)
4. Getting bored and trying to convince the party that we should use the keys and find out if Hunclay has a next of kin (actually an excuse for Liam just being too overly curious about a wizards tower and what a unique experience it would be to explore one.)
5. Evenings are spent speaking with Thorny (buying him dinner – Liam can afford it) talking about tactics and warfare to try to learn something from a veteran, and learn to overcome fear and violence.

82gp from Thorny, 25gp from Liam (not including the 410 already given to Val for the wand) Party Fund at 107gp at present.

Val spends her time helping Xemne, and doing the doctor work she does around the village. She spends lots of time heading out to farms to help with animals and such.

She'll spend the evening with gang in the inn. My cooking is terrible. just for the company and the free ale from telling stories that seem to get bigger and more dangerous as the ale flows.

Eli spends most of her time patrolling the edges of town, watching for any signs of kobolds coming near.

DM needs extra prep time?

Xemne of Demgazi is a strange little woman with a thick accent and a disconcerting gaze who knows more about the creation of minor potions than anyone in Belhaim. Her shop is a low hut filled with small tables on which are precariously placed many dozens of phials, charms, totems and jars of musky-smelling lineaments.

”Hmmm. Poisons. Hmmm. Scadrine root and butterfly’s wing. Heart of newt, of course, and widow’s lace. Yes. Yes, I can brew you something for your poison. But animal urine? Hah! Adderwort and deadman’s moss in a solution of beetle paste. That’s what you need, young man.”

Xemne can brew you antitoxin for 50 go a dose and Brewed Reek for 40 go per dose.

More later.

Bull Baccus has no idea what materials could harm an imp, and scoffs at the idea of a silver weapon. It’d be too soft, he tells Thorny, and too brittle. But Nilos Genser, priest of Shelyn (goddess of beauty and art) offers you a golden phial. ”This oil was blessed by the High Mother in Oppara. It will bless your blade, for you carry a glaive as the goddess does.”

Oil of bless weapon for 50 gp.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are a great many gods in Golarion, but in Belhaim the three main faiths are Shelyn, Abadar (god of civilization and merchants) and the Green Faith (druidism).

Caspar Tymek delivers a beautiful new bow to Eliastra. It is rumored to have been made by a satyr craftsman deep in the Verduran forest and around the grip is carved a delicate band depicting a rope of flowers intertwined with half-glimpsed nymphs and satyrs.

”Isn’t it a beauty?” Caspar asks. “I hope it was worth the wait.”

Ready to go when you are.

"Antitoxin, yes! That's it. And... Brewed Reek. I will gladly pay for a dose of each, thank you. Just let me know when they are complete, we won't be heading out for about a week; that is enough time, right?"

Subtracted 90gp, assuming end of week the products are ready, and Liam is convinced he is set for scouting... the reality may be completely different.

"That's a beautiful bow. Did my wand come in as well?" Val asks as she admires bow and the beautiful work on it.

Ready to head out as well.

"Wow! This is better than I could have imagined. I hope I can do it justice."

Eliastra packs her things, and is ready to go hunt kobolds.

Thorny lays 50gp on the counter and tucks the oil away in a handy pouch. "I thank you and the good Goddess Shelyn," he responds after making a holy gesture specific to the Goddess of Beauty and Art.

Ready to go!

"Yes, Val, I have your wand here. It just may be the most important thing an adventuring group such as yourselves can carry." Tymek produces all the things you've ordered.

++++++++++++++++++++++

Can everyone please check in before we proceed to the next chapter?

Val smiles brightly as she takes the dark well polished wand. "This is perfect." She waves it around, but doesn't activate it.

"Just be careful where you point that thing..."

Here and good to go.

So...

You're off to investigate the kobold presence in the old abandoned limestone quarry. Tell me how you go about it.

Do you travel overland? Or via the tunnels under the Witch Tower?

Do you approach at night or during the day?

Do you have any plan?

Meeting to discuss

"I was thinking we should probe first overland, during the day, to get an overview and layout of the quarry. See how many access-points there are, to however many caves there are in this quarry that the kobolds may be in. If there is only one, great, but it could be there are a half dozen or more, and if so, best to know while the daylight and terrain favor us.

It could very well be our best approach is through the tunnels, but I think it'd be best to check that before making that our only known way in or out."

"I agree. Daylight favors us, even if they have scouts."

I vote for overland.

You travel through the pleasant forest towards the quarry. The rain has stopped and a light mist lays on the forest floor. As you approach the quarry, all is quiet save for the distant songs of birds.

A single path winds down into the great stone pit, just wide enough for a single ox-cart to pass. Below, you spot the entrance to the kobold lair.

Eliastra and Valena spot the guards hidden behind boulders just as they spot the group!

Perception:
Eliastra: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Little Liam: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Thorny: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (10) + 0 = 10
Valena: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Stealth:
Eliastra: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Little Liam: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Thorny: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (11) + 0 = 11
Valena: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (12) + 0 = 12

Initiative:
Eliastra: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Little Liam: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Thorny: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Valena: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Kobold Guards: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

INITIATIVE ORDER:
Valena
Thorny
Kobold Guards
Eliastra
Liam

There is no surprise here as they're on guard and you knew they'd be there. Valena, Thorny, go!

"Hello there. How are you today? she asks the kobolds.

She casts Bless on the party.

Shocked, Thorny takes Valena's lead and grits his teeth to keep his mouth shut. With every fiber of his being, he wills his hands still.

Delay action until someone else strikes first. Thorny aims to be the second combatant to attack.

Perhaps they don't speak Taldan, or perhaps they fear their human neighbors. Or just possibly they're aggressive little freaks who hate outsiders. Whatever the case, they give Valena no time to speak. They draw their slings and fire, some of the southern kobolds rushing north to help.

Kobold 1 sling v. Thorny: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 131d3 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2 Miss.
Kobold 2 sling v. Eliastra: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 161d3 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1 Hit.
Kobold 3 sling v. Eliastra: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 141d3 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 Miss.
Kobold 4 sling v. Thorny(2nd range increment): 1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 3 - 2 = 91d3 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 Miss.
Kobold 5 sling v. Valena(2nd range increment and cover): 1d20 + 3 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 3 - 2 - 4 = 161d3 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 Hit. Damage=1 nonlethal.

STATUS
Valena (11/11 hp, 1 nonlethal)
Kobold Guards)
Thorny
Eliastra (10/11 hp)
Liam

Everyone, go!

Eli pulls out an arrow and tries her new bow for the first time in a situation that matters. Taking aim at the lead kobold, she lets loose. Unfortunately, she misjudges the distance and misses by a mile.

Attack, bless: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 1 = 10

"We'll that wasn't nice. I was trying to make nice conversation, not that I actually expected it to work."

She fies her sling at the kobold in the front.
Sling, Bless: 1d20 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 + 1 = 17
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Hidden behind rocks as they are, the kobolds are hard to hit. Valena's arrow caroms off one of the protective boulders.

Thorny and Little Liam, go!

Liam moves to the east to get a clear view, and calls up his ectoplasmic goo, tossing it at the closest kobold.

GooSplat: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16 (vs. Touch AC)

acts as Tanglefoot Bag for duration: 1d3 ⇒ 1 rounds

"Gotcha!"

Reflex save (DC 15): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 So one kobold takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity and is glued to the floor, unable to move for 1 round.

Thorny, go!

Thorny breaks into a dead run and, bellowing a terrifying roar, he leaps onto the rock in front of two Kobolds and brings down his massive glaive on the top of one of them. "For the Legion!" Spit flies from his mouth, his bandana strains to remain in place.

Attack!: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Damage!: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

He attacked the one south of his current position. I have assumed your use of the word "rocks" instead of boulders along with the average height of a Kobold indicates I did not need a Dex check to get on top. Please roll on my behalf if I am wrong.

Also, Thorny is threatening three of the four kobolds with his reach weapon. With his Combat Reflexes feat, I believe every time one of those three uses a ranged weapon, they earn a thwacking from him (3 AoO from Thorny maximum/round).

geez, having a hard time negotiating the map without moving things I shouldn't. I'm sure I moved my token for the angle of the goo-shot on the kobold, but it looks like someone moved it back with the group now.

Thorny terrifies the kobolds by leaping atop their cover and splitting one nearly in half. The glaive sticks momentarily in the little reptilian body, but comes loose.

One kobold quails and falls back, but two others attack with their short spears.

Spear v. Thorny: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 131d6 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
Spear v. Thorny and Goo: 1d20 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 1 - 2 = 131d6 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

Two others advance from the south and fire on your rear group.

Sling v. Valena: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 131d3 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0
Sling v. Eliastra w/ cover: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 3 - 4 = 101d3 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

However, the furious attacks of the kobolds prove ineffective as stones slam into the rock walls around you.

Everyone, go!

Thorny hops off the rock and steps over the corpse of his defeated foe, to threaten another of the dog-beasts. Thorny waves the blade of his polearm in a wheel and tries to bring it down on another Kobold, slicing only air.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Damage: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Eli steps to get a clearer shot, and then fires at the closest one of the two coming from further south.

Ranged Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 1 = 26
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Confirm Crti?: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 1 = 9

Eli's arrow takes one kobold squarely in the heart, killing it before it hits the ground.

Valena, Liam, go!

Seeing one kobold look like it could run into the cave and alert others, Liam moves south to get what he hopes is a clearer view and conjures another ball of goo...

2nd Goo-Splat: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9(vs. Touch AC)

Val moves closer and sends another bullet at the kobold furthest to the east.

Sling, Bless: 1d20 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 + 1 = 12
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Both Liam's goo and Valena's bullet just miss their targets.

The kobolds close in. One fires at Liam, but misses badly in his haste.

Sling v. Liam: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 101d3 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

Three others lunge at Thorny. 5' steps, so no AoO's.

Aid Another and Flank: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 2 = 6
Aid Another and Flank: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 1 + 2 = 10
Spear vs. Thorny and Flank and Aid: 1d20 + 1 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 1 + 2 + 2 = 151d6 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

See the House Rule on Flanking.

Despite a flurry of spearpoints, they all fail to harm the big warrior.

Everyone, go!

Seeing Thorny surrounded, Liam decides to try to take one enemy out of threat... He pulls out the net, swings it a few times inexpertly and tosses it at the nearest kobold...

-4 non-pro penalty
-4 ranged into melee w/o Feat to negate
+3 Dex
vs Touch AC (the only saving grace...)

Net-Toss: 1d20 - 5 ⇒ (5) - 5 = 0

Liam's face goes red in abject embarrassment, and he moves back 5ft, swearing to himself to stick to his arcane abilities...

"At least you didn't hit yourself with the net Liam." Val gives him a commiserating look.

Not knowing what else to do she drops her sling, and pulls out her mace moving into melee range with the kobold.