Hot DM's Song of Silver (Inactive)

Game Master Hotaru of the Society

Naturally, Adonara thinks, dancing away from the nearest Thrune minion towards where the other folk who helped her rabble-rouse seem to be gathering, but also closer to the thick of it.

As Adonara moves forward, her whip lashes through the air above the heads of the crowd, as if looking for a target, though it deftly avoids the ordinary folk. To the civilians, she hisses, “Do you have weapons? Armour? They do! You’re giving them exactly what they want! Get out of here before you get hurt!”

To the Dottari she shouts, “Leave now, dogs! Unless you want to see how little your masters care for you!"

I'm not sure I'll have time to check back later tonight, so just in case, Adonara's action is in the spoiler below:

I think I already posted a round 1 action?
And huh, didn't know that about Tekko-Kagi. Just that, as a "monk" weapon, I am proficient, and they're super great.

Funny, the SRD does not even list them as a monk weapon under eastern weapons- only "disarm, see text" for me, but they are fun, yep.

Further, if they are busy getting ready for battle, does that mean we get surprise on them? As in, can they take attacks of opportunity? If not, this is my action: IF they CAN take AoO already, I'll not do that
Seeing one of the Asmodean Thugs right in front of her, with the masses pushing towards the main entrance, Kesin decides to try and make him fall prone, if he got trampled by the stampede of protestors afterwards, it would not be her fault. She attempts to kick away his leg...
Untrained Trip: 1d20 ⇒ 1 not even bothering looking up the modifiers :P
...only to find him wearing an armored boot unwilling to move. Feeling pain spread in her bare foot while hopping on the other, she silently curses, as he turns to look at her and their eyes lock for a moment.
If not a surprise round, but a regular one, and them unable to AoO because they have not acted yet:
Understanding it's not wise to try and go up against an armored agent, Kesin slips away through the crowd before he can act, towards the other performers.

Standard: Untrained Trip; Move(if applicable): Move away

Right, sorry, I meant "monk" fighter group

Drawing their weapons and throwing off their cloaks was their 'surprise round'. They pretty much won't take an attack of opportunity at this time, however. Because I am a gracious DM, I shall allow you to not spend your move action standing up from the failed trip. Double move to your heart's content. :p

On the front of Tekko-Kagi, I actually learned it from Kamigawa in Magic the Gathering :P Also, nope. You -just- entered combat. There was a lot of 'space' to react to things that weren't exactly all happening over the course of six seconds. Basically, you could see things going downhill before everything went terrible.

In order to prevent a TL;DR, I'll go ahead and start with reactions.

"No, you don't..." Kyl tries and fails to explain what was going on, from the pained look on his face, you're fairly certain that he doesn't know how to explain what's going on in short order. Instead, he seems perfectly content to leave with you, and if you ever stop dragging him he starts dragging you.

The nearest member of the Dottari to Adonara's eyes widen as he sees the woman unfurl her whip, and crack it above the crowd... but ultimately, the distance between the two, and the intervening crowd leaves him not particularly flagged by the woman's actions.

Right, now I remember—I went with Tekko-kagi because of the additional +2 to disarm swords.

Move action: martial flexibility—Exotic proficiency, Tekko-kagi. Standard action to loop a few more people into the Message spell, I'm guessing this lets me point to four?

Jack breathes in, and balances on one foot for two seconds, trying to remember Master Koshi's mantra—something, something, fight like a tiger, something about disarming enemies. Hopefully good enough...

And he looks around, picking out the ringleaders of the confusion, and adding them to his message spell—the agitator who threw the knife and the woman with him, and two of the more capable fighters nearby. I assume this can include Kesin.

So, whole party + Kyl and maybe one or two random strangers should be connected through Jack's Message spell now.

"There's a guard down. Dottari will be out for blood, now—which is what these Asmodeans clearly planned. Get this crowd out of here, but don't get trapped behind. If you have to fight, aim for legs and weapons, more blood will just make things worse."

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but message spell is "1 target/level" which means you can only 'loop' one person into your spell at 1st lvl...

Going to bed now, but just wanted to state that's not a double move :P it's a single move action after my failed trip, fleeing like a little girl(how long I've waited to get to use that line when it actually fits...)

Well, the failed trip with a natural 1 effectively guarantees you fail by a significant amount - meaning you tripped you... which is why I mentioned being gracious. :P

Well, the failed trip with a natural 1 effectively guarantees you fail by a significant amount - meaning you tripped you... which is why I mentioned being gracious. :P

My bad, my mistake. Yep, I'm prone. In that case, I'm simply standing back up and trying to look as harmless as can be-...see, that kind of stuff happens if I need sleep- totally forgot about the failure penalty

Round 1: Actions
Move Action: Move to engage the Dottari Kesin attacked, drawing my dagger as I go
Standard Action: Try to use Intimidate to demoralize him

Upon seeing the Asmodean agents in the crowd, and especially when she sees the little girl who pelted the paracount with a well-placed sling stone run up to one of them and kick him in the shins, Lia has a change of plans and strides over to the agent, meaningfully twirling her knife.

"Hey, you!" She points her knife at him and calls him out over the fleeing crowd. "Leave that little girl alone! Come have a go at ME, if you think you've got the guts!"

Intimidate?: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

“Do you have weapons? Armour? They do! You’re giving them exactly what they want! Get out of here before you get hurt!”

She looks back at the crowd. "You heard the lady! Get going!"

The Chellish Thug that the little girl had attempted to break her foot on looks to Lia, surprised and not-quite-ready for this level of resistance... first a psychotic child kicks him in the shin, and now this.

"Didn't intend to hurt the girl.." the man says as he swings wildly at Lia. It's pretty evident that he's aiming to clip her in the shoulder or leg - a hit that shouldn't kill, but instead disable in the short term, with lots of pain... even if he misses terribly.

As the group calls out for the people to flee, it's actually not terribly surprising that many listen. Nearly a third of the crowd that remains breaks from pressing forward to move in the opposite direction, Kesin just barely getting to her feet in time to avoid being trampled. At the moment, moving towards the Opera House is difficult terrain for all of you.

As the crowd near the front begins to thin out, all of you, including Lia and Rakhel who just happen to catch it as they're glancing back, see the guard captain push herself from the ground, standing as she pulls the dagger out of her eye socket. Perhaps to your own horror, you watch as the flesh begins to knit itself closed, even as she growls and throws the dagger to the ground, her own blood splattering the carpeted floor as she stomps deeper into the facility.

The thugs press inwards, as the crowd thin out rapidly, you note the Dottari using lethal wounds (though if you have the heal skill, you're aware that only one nearer to the door is at any risk of bleeding out.), though the thugs are aiming to disable, people falling to the ground clutching arms and legs where nerve clusters have been struck.

Effects: Crowd dissipates nearly by half, between group efforts, attrition, and knockouts. Pressing towards the opera House is now Difficult Terrain, unless you're immune to crowds. Lia either does or doesn't take an AoO due to the Chelish Thug trying to use nonlethal attacks - regardless her attack misses, but just barely, catching too much armor to be an effective hit.

Players are up!

Seeing the beautiful actress/singer from before come to her aid, Kesin feels she should not simply flee, as was her original intent. When the Thug attempts to slice at the woman that came to help her, anger flares up in her.
Drawing her non-hidden Dagger herself, she shifts into a flanking position with Lia, then shouts:"FALL!" at the thug, attempting to will him into submission where physical force had failed, with the word weirdly echoing in the air for a few moments.
Casting Defensively DC 17: 1d20 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 1 + 4 = 17 Command, DC 16 Will save or "Fall: On its turn, the subject falls to the ground and remains prone for 1 round. It may act normally while prone but takes any appropriate penalties."(I assume that includes "being trampled")
Actions: 5-foot step(ignoring crowds), move action draw weapon, standard cast defensively

Will: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (19) - 1 = 18

The Thug's eyes cloud over for a moment as he gets a distant look, then his eyes widen, as he turns his attention to Kesin, "Little witch.."

As the crowd finally starts moving in the right direction, Adonara is able to clear some space for herself, giving passersby an energetic push in the right direction as she notes the Dottari are not averse to shedding blood. She nods at Jack's shouted warning, and sends a smile Lia's way as she hears the actress' words, though she is alarmed to spot the ragamuffin beside Lia, even if she has some magic. "Now is not the time, girl! Run!" she shouts at the child, thinking, We need a distraction. Goddess save us all.

Turning back to the space in front of her, Adonara draws herself up to her full height, and though the crowd pouring away hinders her efforts, sends her whip through a dangerous arc that threatens to take in all of the guards and the thugs at once, twisting back in Adonara's hand as if it can sense them, even as it avoids the innocent. "Come to me, devil-kissers! Bow to this lash instead, if you love your own slavery so much!"

All the while, her whip snakes back and forth almost impossibly, seeking, seeking, any Thrune sympathizer who dares to step closer or lift a weapon against the ordinary folk trying to escape.

Intimidate (demoralize), Dazzling Display: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14 Ugh. Hopefully that will be enough to give the mundanes at least a round while their attackers are shaken. Dazzling Display affects any enemies within 30' who can see Adonara showing off.

"Right!" Jack calls out, pointing at the guard captain. "We've got an abomination here! Ignore it, and get out of the square."

Seeing the guards fighting lethally, he moves (if he can) to try and disarm one of a sword or other weapon.

Disarm (tekko-kagi): 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 2 = 12 (Additional +2 vs bladed weapons)

Round 2: Actions
Swift Action: Activate Arcane Strike
Standard Action: Stab the Thug. Nonlethally, of course. :p

Incensed that the rough is turning his attention back to the little girl (even if she is a spellcaster, one simply does NOT hit children unless they've done something REALLY bad, it just isn't proper), Lia's eyes glow blue. Her knife's point follows suit.

"I said 'leave her alone'!" She aims a stab at the man's shoulder...

Nonlethal Stabby-Stab *Flanking*: 1d20 + 4 - 4 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 4 - 4 + 2 = 17
Nonlethal Damage? (Arcane Strike): 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Still trembling with fright from Lia's early threat and pulled in several different directions at once, the Asmodean spins round as Lia's dagger digs into his side, clipping her heartily in the shoulder. If he'd been aiming to disable this time, he'd failed rather terribly, as she feels like a horse had just kicked her in the chest from the impact on just her arm. A more direct hit would be... significantly worse.

Jack moves quietly through the crowd, then reaches to snatch for the only weapon nearby, that of one of the thuggish brutes, a light mace, like most of the others. He manages to hook the man's weapon, who looks to him surprised, and focuses his assault in that direction... but the crack of what sounds like a dozen whips at once pulls his attention away, making it child's play for Jack to wheel out of the way.

Meanwhile, the crowd continues to flee in your direction, though the 'tide of flesh' has abated somewhat. Less than half of the initial crowd is still here and moving.

Jack fails to disarm his foe, but his foe is utterly inept in response, Lia gets smashed in the arm, leaving her nearly wounded (6/11 hp), and Adonara manages to get her point across to all of the nearby Asmodeans, leaving them all shaken for one round. Rakhel, if you don't say otherwise, I'm treating you as having escaped with Kyl. :) If you want to do something else turn 2 instead, let me know. No difficult terrain this round.

Round 3! FIGHT!

Rakhel isn't sure who is pulling who to get out of the park, but she both pulls/goes along willingly in the direction of the crowd unless Kyl is pulling in a different direction. She's too overwhelmed with emotion and some fear too to try talking to Kyl... that can wait until he's someplace safe.

Hold on a minute! I can go for a Parry!

AoO (Parry!): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Okay, never mind. Parry whiffed, Lia gets injured.

Round 3: Actions
Swift Action: Activate Arcane Strike
Standard Action: Stab the Thug, lethal damage this time

Though Lia reels from the hit to her arm, her eyes flash blue once more. "Is that the best you can do?! I've had worse from my father!"

This time, Lia's stab is more direct.

Attack *Flanking*: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 4 + 2 = 18
Lethal Damage *Arcane Strike*: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Cast defensively DC 17: 1d20 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 1 + 4 = 23
"Leave her alone!", Kesin screams at the Thug as his attack connects with Lia's shoulder, and the "alone" begins to loop in his head into a crescendo with painful volume. Kesin nervously re-aligns her body weight from one leg to the other as she looks for an opening, dagger ready, but well aware of her shortcomings when it came to physical combat.
Sonic Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1 + dazed
Fortitude Save DC 15 negates Daze and halves damage.

Standard action to cast Ear-Piercing Scream(I told you I replaced Innocence, just did not update yet...I'll do so ASAP)

Fortitude: 1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (15) + 4 - 1 = 18 Look on the bright side, you're using these rolls that would otherwise hurt people!

Sense Motive (Kesin, Lia): 2d20 ⇒ (17, 3) = 20

Between the piercing gash and splitting headache, the Asmodean looks much worse for wear, and is wounded. His eyes begin to dart back and forth between the pair.

Forgotten things!

From the inside of the building you can hear the baying of a massive dog of some sort, meanwhile, closer to the door, one of the guards catches one of the people assailing her at a bad angle, and their body crumples to the ground. Another nearby guard kneels down, placing a hand near the neck of the limp form and shakes their head.

Strangely, as the crowd reduces in size, things seem almost to grow louder.

Jack and Adonara!

Right, Jack things. This isn't a fight, it's an evacuation. Let's see if we can remember any of the thugs' faces...

"Everybody!" he shouts, "Go home!" But, since the thug in front of him is still armed, he attempts to knock the man's weapon away before he retreats.

Disarm (tekko-kagi, quick hands): 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 5 + 2 + 1 = 24

Seeing that she’s managed to instill a moment of hesitation in the thugs, Adonara takes advantage of the opening to start her own retreat. Nonetheless, she takes care to present herself as unperturbed, casually coiling her whip into her hand as she walks, pouring an aggressive sensuality into every movement. When another hooligan appears in her way, Adonara murmurs a muffled phrase in Elven, smiling suggestively without breaking stride. Spending a round of bardic performance to try to fascinate the nearest unengaged baddie who might get in her way. Will DC 12 negates.

“I would cut that one loose if I were you, ladies,” she calls to Lia and Kesin, somehow managing it without looking back. “Or, if he can’t take a hint and starts following, cut him down then.” Hmm. I guess there’s no convenient way to represent that in-game, really, but since Adonara and Jack are on the way out, maybe a couple of parting shots and then move actions to start getting clear next round? We don’t want to leave you in danger!

Edited: Gah. Right. Forgot about that. I thought it was more of a "can't be directly threatened by the bard" type thing, or closer to charm person. Shows how often I use this mode of performance. Never mind, Adonara will just take a double move this round. Thanks for reminding me, Jack.

Err, Fascinate doesn't work in combat...

Jack reaches out once more with the bladed claws, and this time, manages to hook part of the haft with the cat's paw of the gripping surface, pulling the guard's weapon out of his hand, causing him to grunt, looking around for something else to use. Instead he opts to simply back off.

The Dottari pinned between a kid and a sharp place opts to take his chances with openly fleeing from the pair, holding his arm where the latest attack opened a vein. He should be fine as long as he gets attention.

The guard looks confusedly at Adonara, having not caught a word of what she just said, but being perfectly content with how she said it. But for now, he had to keep his head in the game... even if there were swaying hips involved... then he remembers himself and clips someone as they begin to run away.

The dottari begin to press forward, as the crowd thins, you can see a pair of bodies bleeding out, or having bled out on the ground as the crowd clears out to near nothingness. All of Thrune's men's eyes fall on those who decide to stick around at this point...

The baying of a hound grows ever-closer...

Kesin, I need that table! :O

Result of Round: The square is clearing out over the next round. Something wicked this way comes.

Jack grabs the guard's weapon off the ground with his left hand, and uses his move action to head away from the square, keeping an eye on the other ringleaders if he can.

Now that the dottari dominate the square, Adonara falls back more warily. If her path can safely take her within 25' of one of the folks bleeding out on the ground, she'll take a moment to cast stabilize and hope they'll be left alone until their body recovers enough that they can get on their feet again. Otherwise, she'll just put her whip away so she can draw another weapon if necessary and still have a hand free for spellcasting.

Round 4: Actions
Full-Round Action: Withdraw from the square

Seeing that the crowd has more or less escaped the Opera House's grounds, Lia takes one look at the little girl next to her and nods at the entrance to Aria Park. "Come on--let's get out of here."

As she leaves, she offers one last parting shot at the Dottari. "This isn't over, Thrune. All you've done is strengthen our resolve!"

I'll put the table into digital form, just for you ^_^
Nodding quickly, and with a thankful expression, at the woman across that helped her, Kesin quickly follows, opting to touch Lia's shoulder where she was stabbed:"Wait up - that moron, he hurt you! Because you came to help me...so this...it's the least I can do! Are you...with the Rebels?"
Cure Light Wounds on Lia: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
If I can't catch up or she doesn't wait up after a move action, then ASAP when we get clear of the inmediate area.

Lia is visibly appreciative of the girl's healing magic.

"Rebels? No, I just came here to protest. There's an actual Rebel movement?" Her eyes light up in surprise.

"Of course there is! Or was, more like. Thrune seems to have gotten rid of pretty much all of them. But I know that Kintargo...(Insert suspicious pause here)'s citizen don't want Thrune here, so I was looking for any that remain...but no luck so far. But you just wait, Jackdaw will come back and sucker punch that paracount loser into the lower planes!", Kesin excitedly explains to Lia as they move further from the Park.

Jack, if he can, moves to join Lia and Kesin. "This is the Thrunes we're talking about," he comments. "If the Dottari call you a rebel, you don't have much choice in the matter. Which might well be all of us now, if we're unlucky."

Are you guys just not able to move your pieces? I keep throwing people where I think they want to be, and they keep asking if they can be, and all that nonsense...

Lia, Kesin, Jack leaving. Adonara holding up the rear. Is that the intent for everyone?

Post inc for Rakhel.

I can move my piece. I think I just forgot to move mine this time.

Fixed.

"You... you've been ... paying our servants to find out about me? You DO care!... I thought... oh never mind what I thought..." She blushes and then her face blanches when he tells her her father was right..."My father is a pompous ass, Kyl, and I don't believe for a second that he was right about you ... whatever this is... if you're involved, then I want to be too." She searches his face... for any kind of hint of his reaction... "Tell me what IS going on.. what's 'this stuff' I'm not to get caught up in? just you? or something more? I... I... " She trails off, letting the silence build between them...

Well I'm an idiot. Just noticed that the map exists.

Figure we're actually *supposed* to be fleeing here...

Lia is about to say something, but her train of thought gets derailed at the mention of someone...

"...excuse me, but who's Jackdaw?"

@GM: Can and did move my piece(and replaced it with proper character image). Was holding on last movement to see which direction Lia is going.

"You never heard of him? Why, he was the hero of Kintargo! Fought with the Silver Ravens for our Independence...they disbanded after the Civil War- but he lives on, he's just waiting for his time, to surprise Thrune and then Jackdaw and his allies will finish what they started and purge these hellish occupators from our beautiful city!"
Kesin has plenty of "larger-than-life" tales about Jackdaw and the former Silver Ravens to tell...clearly, she somewhat idolizes the group(and their leader), but she does have a very romanticized and hear-say-unrealistic view of what happened (I don't know when exactly we are set, timewise, and can't look it up right now...but I think it's save to assume she was too young to know facts or have first-hand-knowledge.)

It's not exceptionally clear in my mind when the Rebellion (at least for Kintargo) was ended, but it started 109 years ago. It's been a little less than 50 years since it ended, so I'm going with 'somewhere around 50 years ago' for my answer. Thrune's redactors have made it so that only oral traditions really remain. So, anything you do know about them should totally be along the lines of John Henry, Daniel Boone, etc. I don't have good European analogues, I'm afraid.

Also, derp at my last post, I'd grabbed Rakhel's dialogue to make it easier to respond to, then forgot to... well... delete it.

With no corrections to intent...

The Dottari and Thugs press forward as the plaza empties out. Some doing their best to tend to wounded, though moving to trap Adonara between them in short order. "Throw down your weapons." they demand.

Just as this happens, there's a delighted baying, as a burning monstrosity of a dog leaps out of the front door of the Opera House, and then slams down mid-air as it runs out of thick silver chain. Nox steps out behind the large creature, other end of the chain wrapped around her forearm.

Then she looks up and sees that most of the square is already empty, save for those already arrested and those arresting them, with only a few stragglers still disappearing. She turns her attention towards the cluster of guards on her right, reaching down with her left hand to snatch a silver handaxe out of its loop.

Heroes go. A full round action to leave means you get away without pursuit.

Uh oh! Did they get Adonara?

Jack, unable to do more and seeing the firedog, dives into the lake with a glance backward and swims for the other side.

Nope. They're moving to surround her. None of the thugs are brave enough to move to block her until there are more bodies in the way.

Rakhel stares at Kyl as he melts into the crowd and then, back to the wall of the alley, slides down, collapsing in tears. "Ooooh... that man!" she says in pain and frustration. "See a man about a job? He's going to get himself killed, dammit!"

It doesn't take more than a few minutes for her to regain her composure though and wipe her eyes... She sighs and pulls her scarf close around her hair and face, so only her red-rimmed eyes are exposed to view...

She slips out of the alley and looks for her own way out of the area... I've got to get home before I'm missed... Or maybe I should try to follow Kyl... She looks around frantically, but seeing no sign of him, contents herself with thoughts of getting home safely.

Run away! ;) ... Incidentally, did Adonara get to heal anyone last round? Just asking, to know if she can indulge that warm and fuzzy feeling.

As the guards close in, Adonara quickly guesses as to what path will be best to avoid capture. Feinting right, she abruptly turns on her heel and flees down the road, calling back to Jack and the others, "Go!"

Adonara doesn't wait to see what sort of dog is barking at the end of the chain she hears snap tight and then crash down, but runs as if all the hounds of hell are after her, which she supposes, in Cheliax, might almost literally be true. Yup. I'll take a full-round action of running to try to get away.

Not without putting herself at much greater risk to do so, those injured by Dottari were near the front of the building. You could have pressed past the thugs, but then you'd be trying to heal people that were on the other side of the Thugs, meaning you'd have definitely been boxed in for even trying. Also... right next to a fire-breathing dog. :P

The group, other than Jack and Rakhel, wend their way through the streets, following behind and within the crowd. None of the thugs or guards follow after. Eventually, each of you begins to move in something resembling an actual direction, towards home... or wherever else your heart may be. Jack, once on the other side of the lake, also becomes somewhat lost within the streets within the chaos, and each of you eventually come upon Rakhel, just as she's steeling herself for something and drawing her mask up around herself.

You notice a small group of people fleeing out of an alleyway, and hear someone yell something, though exactly what it is is questionable, at best, given the distance. You're fairly certain something is going on down in that alley-way. There's a brilliant glow of coruscating colors that break over the tops of the roofs in that direction, and then the sound of metal clashing against metal.

Everyone gets away. There's some degree of getting turned around, jostled by the crowd. Each of you come together, whether you'd been moving together or not, at the edge of an alley. Rakhel is just stepping out of said alley, when you hear the sound of fighting in the next alley down.

"Oh... hello.. I saw you folks in the park... I'm glad you got away sa.. What's THAT?" she exclaims, noticing the bright colors... She runs that direction without thinking other than Kyl's got himself in trouble...

"Not good," Jack calls back, from further down the alley. "Maybe magic? I hear a fight."