Hmm's Murder's Mark of Crows -- I Only Have Pies for You! (Inactive)

Game Master Hmm

sap, flank: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 3 + 2 = 17
damage, sneak: 1d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + (1) = 5 Non-lethal

"Wrong answer!" Stali says as he swings.

Stali saps her for another 5 damage!

Hikaru gets an attack of opportunity.

I'll bot if he doesn't finish his attack in the morning.

Hikaru strikes at her while she is drinking, hoping to put a stop to her sad denial of her fate. "Stop, bad woman! Your resistance is futile... surrender now!"

to hit: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
dmg if hits: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

...and before she manages to drink whatever it is... She crashes to the floor.

-- Combat Over --

What do you do now?

"Sorry about that, Gallako, not sure quite what happened there. Secure her first, check the room? I *could* use a rope to get back up, but at the same time there's a secret door down here that's pretty tough to open.

Keep an eye out for the tiara we're supposed to pick up, who knows where that may have ended up."

With rope assistance, Andrietta can 'Take 10' to get out of the pit. But if the party feels confident with her down there, she can guard the secret door she found until the rest of the party is done Exploring upstairs? Heading to work, be back in about ten hours or so, place and use Andrietta as appropriate, thank you!

"Well, she surrendered." Hikaru says flatly. "We should tie her up.. I didn't hit her hard enough to kill her... perhaps turn her over to the sheriff for justice?"

cmb to tie up, taking: 20 + 2 = 22

You can take 20 on tying someone up.

"We will need to search her, but might be best to do that in the back." Stali says as he gestures toward the door behind him. Looking in that direction, he says "Not sure if you noticed it, General Chak, but there is a concealed trap door in the corner near the side door."

He goes to the edge of the pit and lowers a rope to Andrietta.

"Everyone should get in here. If you don't want to risk jumping the pit, I left the side door unlocked. Just shut the front door so people don't come looking."

"We should look around, see what else is here."

"Looks like a lot of jewelry and stuff... I wonder how much of it is stolen loot?" Hikaru looks around for something matching the description of the tiara we were supposed to pick up.

perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Vralk flies in eagerly, alchemist fire in talons

"Don't worry, Vralk the mighty will save you. Oh. Uh. Never mind"

Which is probably good. Throwing an Alchemists Fire at an Alchemist in an Alchemists Shop. What could POSSIBLY go wrong?

I think it is moot (as lots of the damage was non lethal) but just in case Gallako WILL cast stabilize on her.

"We definitely need to proceed before the alarm gets raised. I suggest we go down the other trap door and secure the basement. How about we tie her up, strip her of anything and everything (its not as if any of us care about a human being nude). I can the carry her until we find a good place to leave her. Maybe that room Andrietta was in once we find what is on the other side of the door?"

Chak comes around the corner and sees the flock already biding Robella.

"AHA! Good work! I see the lady has already been subdued, overwhelmed and defeated. It's probably best she did not submit, yield, and acquiesce to surrender. Now we have more time to thoroughly gather, collect and round up any evidence!

Chak begins taking 20 to search the shop for evidence.

Nodding, Stali adds "It is good we spread into two wings for the attack as well. She most likely would have slipped down through that concealed door and gotten away if we hadn't."

While talking, Stali grabs some of the more heavily scented soap and stuffs it along with a loofah into Robella's mouth as a gag. He carries her into the back and dumps her there.

Stali then helps search the shop and back room.

Andrietta climbs out easily. Searching the place, the team finds a number of interesting items:

First, the switch under the counter that arms or disarms the pit trap.

Second, items in boxes:

• Well over 500 gold worth of lesser gems and jewelry, the descriptions of which match up with many items missing from the Locked Box. Some of them already have the gems pried out from them, likely in preparation for being reset in new configurations and sold.
  Notably missing are the highest quality items from the list. You have yet to find the Pearl Tiara.
  
• Boxes full of weird curios, including a whole bunch of strange little figurines, musical instruments and pottery that, from the packing slip, claim to be from the Mwangi Expanse.
  
• Luxury items. Fancy teas, soaps, candles, perfumes, spices.
  
• A box containing a single preserved spider, about the size of a halfling.
  
• One box of what appears to be bug eggs, packed in straw and some sort of protective jelly.

Third, odd items on display in the shop:

• Exotic weapons on display: a madu, a rope dart, and an urumi.
  
• Skull covered in rusty red paint
  
• Mummified elf ear
  
• Vial of preserved basilisk droppings
  
• Broken piece of mammoth tusk engraved with lewd images
  
• Set of “vampire fangs” that look suspiciously like dog teeth
  
• Book bound in goblin skin in a language none of you can read.

Fourth, the alchemist herself:

• Her hands are currently sprouting large claws, and that her teeth have become eerily sharp.
  
• A large key hanging from a leather cord around her neck, stamped with the initials “A.W. L.B.”
  
• Four very interesting looking vials, including the one she attempted to drink right before Hikaru and Stali knocked her out.
  
• A portable alchemy kit.
  
• Some magical bracers.
  
• Two potions of cure light wounds.
  
• Portable alchemist lab.
  
• Flash powder.
  
• One diamond white gold wedding ring.

"It appears that we have evidence that they are involved with robbery, theft and stealing and perhaps smuggling too. Though it doesn't prove their involvement in the murders, it does connect, link and associate them with the events. We need to keep an eye on the warehouse, storehouse, and distribution center to make sure nothing is moved that could be evidence. But the sheriff should have the opportunity to conduct, oversee and direct a raid."

Chak begins to try to study the strange book, if not to decode its secrets, to at least uncover the language for further study later on.

Linguistics: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31

Perception, Vial 1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Perception, Vial 2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
Perception, Vial 3: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Perception, Vial 4: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Checking the vials, Stali is able to recognize three of them. Holding up the one she was about to drink from (vial 1), he says "Good thing we got her, she was about to turn invisible!"

Holding up vial 2, he says "This one makes the skin tougher, harder for people to hurt you with weapons."

With a chuckle, he holds up vial 4 and says "This one should be quite the spectacle. It causes the imbiber to grow. I wouldn't want to do that in a confined area!"

1 = invisibility, 2 = barkskin, 4 = enlarge person

Chak, it's written in Polyglot, a language found in the Mwangi expanse, the Shackles, and Sagarva.

Do you want to try your hand at identifying Vial #3?

perception dc 19: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Hikaru looks at the 3rd vial and proudly proclaims, "It's a little bottle.. wonder what's in it?... And she has Archie's key to the locked box... I'd say that pretty much implicates her in what's going on... she didn't commit the murders perhaps but she profited by them. Possibly even the mastermind behind it all... we do need more proof though."

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

"Chak sniffed at the bottle everyone was passing around. Smells like the fields after a gentle spring rain. A hint of lilac... must be an extract of shield."

Click. Whirr.

BOTTING SARANO

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Sarano raises her arm, timidly. "These are bracers of armor. Can, um, anyone else use them?"

Team Tengu has found a wide assortment of evidence. Where to, next? Through the secret door in the floor of the back room? Back into paladin break room, but now with Stali to disable it? Into the warehouse southern front door or side western door? There are so many possibilities!

I was assuming we were searching the entire place, including the paladin break room. No need to leave the job unfinished.

Stali expresses interest in the flash powder and the extract of invisibility. He suggests that Andrietta drink one of the two healing potions and Hikaru carry the other one with him.

"Let's go through the concealed door in the back room! They would not expect us coming from that direction."

Edit to add this section based on Chak's comment
Stali will climb down the rope and inspect the door that Andrietta had found.

Perception, traps: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 8 + 1 = 21
Disable Device, try to unlock it (assuming it wasn't trapped): 10 + 10 = 20
If that fails, he will try rolling twice, then sigh and take 20.

He does not attempt to open the secret door, only unlock it.

Back to our original message

If the group goes down either the trap door or the concealed door, Stali will take a moment to close up shop. He will make sure that both the front and side doors are locked, and reset the trap as well. If there is a "Closed" sign, he will hang that in the window.

I'll repeat ,my previous vote. I'll carry her while we explore down the trap door.

"down is fine with me, but we are going to have to eventually search it all. Just sayin'"

"Kill, uh, I mean detain for questioning everybody first, search for loot afterwards :-)"

"Good rule. Unless we see Pie. Or Bacon. Those we check immediately. May be trapped and dangerous. Can't leave them behind you!"

Stali unlocks, but does not open, the secret door to the Paladin Breakroom. He also notices a secret sliding panel near the top of the secret door that looks like it might be easily opened from the outside. Stali notices it just before it opens, and hears it creak clumsily open, as well as hearing someone madly giggling as he tosses something in to the room.

A capsule breaks as it hits the ground, filling the paladin breakroom with a ten foot wide cloud of stinking, poisonous gas...

Stali Fort Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20 Wow...

...and Stali manages to keep his beak shut, holding his breath until it passes!!

Everyone but Andrietta and Hikaru beat the rogues stealth and may act in the surprise round.

ORDER: Surprise Round (Stali, Chak, Gallako, Sarano, Vralk)
Regular Round: Everyone but Stali, Rogues, Stali

Sarano'll fire a chirping magic missile at the rogue!

Magic Missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

"Watch out guys. ."

Before the panel closes, Sarano fires her chirping missile at the hand that she saw sticking out of it!

I'd thought we were going down the other trap door. The one at the back. Oh well

Uh, where are we? I see Stali in a room by himself (which I think is now completely filled with smoke) and the rest of us still upstairs

Edit: Ok, I see where I was kinda overruled. Sigh.

But I still am not sure where we are and what we're seeing.

If I'm right and we're still all upstairs. Gallako takes a double move towards the OTHER trap door (move and open?). Jumping down into foul smoke seems a really bad idea.

You were. But Stali was finishing up by checking the Paladin Breakroom, when this hit. You STILL can go down the other door if you'd like. If you were next to the trap door while Stali went down, place yourself!!

Stali grabs his sword.

Edit: Just realized I only have a partial round! Oops!

[ooc] Messages crossed. I'm definitely going down the other door as quickly as I can. I'm not sure if I was already at the other door or not. Just put me where you think I end up :-)[ooc]

If I end up at some point where I can see bad guys, I drop the unconscious body of Robella and calls out
"We are here to take you in for questioning. Fight and meet her fate. Surrender and you just might possibly live. Please fight"

GM Fiat: Since Hikaru and Gallako had already stated they were going to go down the trap door in the back, they can already have the door open and start heading down there. Does that sound fair?

___

The trap door leads to a dark and roughly carved underground tunnel. What are you using for a light source? In the distance to the South, you can hear the shriek as someone just got hit with a magic missile.

Tunnel now uncovered on SLIDE 6

To save time, Chak decides to make a heroic, but probably stupid leap into the pit.

"Fear the swift might of General CHAAAAAAAAAAAK!"

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

lethal damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3
non-lethal damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

The tengu lands a bit awkwardly (face first) and takes a moment to lie on the ground, straightening out his beak a la Daffy Duck.

Chak Fort Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Chak heroically dives... er, cannonballs... into the pit alongside Stali, and manages to hold his breath against the poisonous gas.

ORDER: Everyone in Team Tengu but Stali, Rogues, Stali

Almost the whole team is up!

Chak picks himself up, dusts himself off and steps forward while looking at the rogue in front of him. He starts licking his beak like he's thinking of something tasty.

Stand up, 5-foot step and study the rogue in front of Chak.

Chak glares at the rogue staring at him through the open panel. "Aw, crap! Those birds are still up, and one o' them's giving me the evil eye!"

ORDER: Chak (Stand+Stare), Rest of Team Tengu but Stali, Rogues, Stali

Moved Andrietta to the top of the trap door in the back of the building, she'll make sure the back door is closed before heading down.

Darn, why didn't I do this earlier? I'm an idiot"

Gallako takes out and cracks a sunrod. He then advances towards the sound of combat (or, at least, screaaming)

I wasn't meaning to complain at all, by the way. When the group is at cross purposes in PBP either the game slows to a crawl or the DM just makes what seems the best choice. I have no problem at all with what you did

I'm not really sure where to put myself on the map, so if someone wants to place me, I'm fine with that

Sarano will keep an eye out for anything suspicious, with her wand at the ready.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

map is unclear to me, not sure where I should be, thought I went with gallako, but I guess maybe not...

Hikaru heads toward wherever he sees/hears combat to help out, sword drawn and ready.

Stali gave a pretty good description of how the map works. Is it confusing? Oh heck yes! This place is a rogue hangout. Secret doors and other oddball features make this a very confusing 3-d extravaganza.

I'll be following with Bot Buddy just to get you guys in position. Are you ready? Let's go!

Click. Whirr.

BOTTING HIKARU

Following Stali, Hikaru moves down the ladder in the trap door in the back, and takes lead going down the hallway since Gallako is carrying Robella.

CLARIFYING ANDRIETTA

Once she gets in the back room, she realizes that Stali had already locked the doors. Andrietta moves to follow Gallako and Hikaru, and makes it partway down the ladder.

BOTTING SARANO

Still hoping to get one last magic missile on the thief whose hand is still sticking out the secret panel in the Paladin Breakroom, Sarano get another Magic Missile Shot.

Magic Missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Her next step? Deciding whether she jumps down into the pit full of poisonous smoke, or runs to the back room to follow everyone else down the ladder.

"YOW! Run!" The male rogue screams and finally pulls back his hand.

The female rogue runs and opens the door. The male runs through, sees Hikaru coming down the hallway, and starts struggling with the closed door. "Oh hells!"

ORDER: Team Tengu, Rogues

The entire team is up!

Chak moves around one of the rogues and takes a swipe at her with his claw.

"You are under arrest, being collared and detained!"

Attack: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (11) + 5 - 1 = 15
Damage: 1d3 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7

Normally, I'd make one of you open the door, but what the heck... Stali already unlocked the thing. I'll let Chak barrel through.

Chack claws the female rogue. "Aargh! It has claws!"

ORDER: Chak (clawed), Rest of Team Tengu, Rogues

*gives BotBuddy a nice polishing rub-down*

"If you surrender now you'll live. If you don't... well... there's no guarantees. Throw down your weapons and give up. Please don't be stupid, children."

Andrietta makes the rest of the way down the ladder and pulls shield out ready for an attack, along with quarterstaff.

Stali calls out "Someone flank with me!" as he chases the woman.

Move, Readied action

Gallako drops Robella as a free action.

Not at all sure that you can promise these people their lives if they surrender. Probably not the time to have that discussion, though. Fortunately, none of them are surrendering so its moot

He then attempts to daze the one that he is NOT flanking (ie, the one to the right of him on the map after he has moved) and then moves up to flank. Will DC 13 to not be dazed.

Because of the wonderful cover rules I believe that he does NOT provoke getting there. At any rate, he has AC of 20