Inner Sea Megadungeon: Delving the Drowning Stones

Game Master Garden Tool

"Surrender," Nicoleta says with unaccustomed fierceness. She almost immediately softens her tone, adding, "You will not be hurt if you don't try to hurt us."

Dismissing his spells Elsir moves forward towards Nicoleta. Quite remarkable he murmurs to himself. I wonder were he learned our language from. filing away that thought away for later, Elsir regards his other party members while giving a thoughtful glance to their prisoner. Does anyone have a theory as to our friend here. He seemed decidedly less hostile then our previous encounters with them.

"Har! Good one tha', Nicoleta. Seein' as he were est tryin' to run before ever'thin' went t' th' scupper." Kargath rubbed his jaw a bit, considering.

"Good advice, though, fishface. Not sure ye be farin' too well aginst this lot."

He cocked his head at Elisir, sure the man must have more sense than that. "Why don'tcha be askin' him? He seems t' know what he be about with th' language an' all. An' I can sit back down fer a bit. If'n ye need me t' be breakin' limbd t' get 'im t' talk, let me know."

Hi all. I am back from my Thanksgiving travels and catching up.

Ojore directs Shange to guard the Skum but not attack it. As he moves forward he notes It certainly is better armored than most. Be careful approaching it. It has already surrendered once and they tried to run anyway. I do not trust it.

Nesipho scowls at Nicoleta's words to the creature. That's a fine promise to make when the beast is likely to call in its allies the moment it gets away from us.

Pursing his lips in thought, Elair taps the stylus he was holding before folding it into his travel journal and putting it back into his satchel. Species can evolve overtime based on its biological needs. It's extremely unlikely this creature was anything more then a scout, but odder things have been known to occur.

Reaching back into his Haversack Elsir withdraws a scroll. I am going to cast a spell.
It will allow me to understand what the creature says in its own language. Hopefully it will eliminate some of the langague barriers. Please let me know what questions you want me to ask and I will relay the creature responses the best I can. Please understand though I can only comprehend what it says. If its grasp of common is poor, it might not understand my questions.

Cast: Comprehend Language

After the spell is complete Elsir slowly approaches the creature so that he can be better understood, however he will still remain further then arms reach away just to be safe.
Common: I am Elsir The half-elf points to himself. I cast magic. I understand your words. Elsir points to thr skums mouth and then Elsir's ear. Speak Skum words. I understand. What is your name, why you watch my camp?

Shange sits by the skum watching it closely, but does not threaten it. It even briefly growls at Elsir's approach, but calms when the wizard does not come within arm's reach.

While Elsir is speaking, Nicoleta begins studying the creature closely, with senses not limited to the merely mundane. It's a long shot, unless the thing's a cleric or an antipaladin or something, but Nicoleta begins using detect alignment to detect evil, aiming at the skum.

If this creature's heart is black with evil, then the creature itself is too insignificant for Nicoleta's supernatural senses to register it. As Elsir attempts a little diplomacy, the creature watches both the elf and the lion with wariness.

The skum replies in a deeply sinister tongue.

The skum gestures at Nicoleta, halfway through his reply.

Despite the brave talk, the creature seems afraid for its life.

This one puzzles me. It seems like a scout, but a poor one. Its armor is too heavy for scouting and yet it has not attacked us. What does it say? Is it alone?

Stepping away from the Skum so that his companions can near him better and that their prisoner can't listen in. Elsir quietly addresses them. The Skum feels that we have enroached on their holy lands. His term for it was "the ancient grounds of my people". He also thinks that we have come to make war on his tribe. Apparently he particularly fears you Nicoleta. He claims you have killed dozens of his people. He is afraid, and thinks we want kill all of his people or drive them from their "shrines". He also stated that he will kill us all "this" time. Looking at each of his team in turn Elsir sighs. I have roughly half of a hour remaining on my spell, and I'm open to suggestions on how best to proceed. I'll be honest when I say that my area of expertise is not in diplomacy and negotiation.

"Aye! That's why Dandy added me t' this here team. Ain't nobody does diplomacy an' negotiatin' like me. I'll negiate 'im inta th' ground if'n ye want."

I'm picturing a dwarf wearing a pair of brass knuckles that has "DIPLOMACY" engraved on one set and "NEGOTIATION" on the other.

Nicoleta looks at the ground. "I have killed many," she says quietly, "though I think 'dozens' might be overstating it. I have not sought them out, but I have taken an oath to the Night Traveler to defend those who journey under my protection, and we have been attacked a number of times. I don't take chances with the lives of my charges." She looks back up again, eyeing the ulat-kini searchingly. "We need to know where these shrines and homes are. If he can tell us, we can determine whether we are going to face future conflict or if there's a way we can work out some sort of agreement for safe passage."

Somberly nodding at Nicoleta's request Elsir returns to the ulat-kini still keeping a respectfully safe distance. What is your name? Elsir asks quietly easing into the conversation. I don't know if you believe me. Or understand everything I say, but we don't want to hurt you. My people do not know your people. We do not know your customs. She. Elsir points towards Nicoleta, said that she has killed your people, but only when they attacked first. She could have killed you before and did not. This is important. We do not want to fight your tribe, and we do not know of your shrines and sacred places. Can you tell me more about them? How we can avoid them so we do not offend your tribe?

[b]Want to bet that their sacred places are the Drowning Stones? [/b[ Ojore pipes in helpfully.

The ulat-kini snarls at Ojore, seemingly able to understand him well enough. Pointing angrily in the druid's direction, the creature hisses in broken common, temporarily abandoning his aberrant tongue.

The tall stones, yes. Pillars. That's what you want. Get under them. We know! We know! You go; you die. We know; we ready.

Then, growling, his attention shifts back to the group, and to Elsir in particular.

You know too. You know we there. This one is not a scout. Scouts dead. This one will be dead, too. Surface-elf is like under-elf. Like to kill us to make room for you. Yes, yes!

"Why ye be so deperate t' keep us out from under them stones? "

What's an under-elf?

"Do you live under the Drowning Stones?" Nicoleta asks, trying to make sense of the ulat-kini's words.

Nesipho whispers fervently to Kargath in dwarven.

"Bu yaratık bırakmakla sona ermesi halinde, biz en azından bunu yapmadan önce onun silah yoksun olduğundan emin olmalıdır. Ben yaratık sadece bize avlamak için geri gelecek, ama ilk yeni silah alımı için ihtiyacı varsa onu biraz geciktirebilir korkuyorum."

Bravely, though trembling, the armored ulat-kini growls back in middling Common.

Live near. Shrines there. You know this. We know you know this! The Blasphemer tells us. We know. We ready.

Ojore closes the distance to Shange. Standing by his companion he pronounces his judgement. I believe this creature lives in the area we are tasked to explore. We cannot allow it to go free. It will either bring friends back here to fight us, or reinforce the defenses and fight us when we arrive. I have heard enough from it. There is only one solution.

"I agree brother, but hold one moment."

Speaking to the skum, eyes hard, "Who is this blasphemer?"

Nicoleta looks up, concerned. Quietly, but intensely, "No," she says, "There's always more than one solution. We have it captured; we can keep it so, and perhaps it will be helpful to us. I don't like the thought of killing a surrendered foe."

We have not captured it yet Nicoleta. It is still armed and a threat. Disarm and bind it if you will. Its suffering will be long. Sometimes it is kinder to finish something with a quick blow. Ojore moves around the creature so that if it runs it must run towards the entangle or him.

Swallowing hard, the armored ulat-kini does its best to maintain some kind of pride, as Ojore circles it. It seems to stiffen, expecting an attack.

The Blasphemer is the demon's voice. The demon Sifkesh, it says with reverence.

Ojore sighs. A demon worshiper. Heard enough Nicoleta?

Nicoleta's eyes harden. "Yes, I have," she answers. "May you travel swiftly through the Long Night," she tells the ulat-kini, and then raises her starknife.

She's about to make with the stabbity, so if we need initiative again, now would be the time.

Initative: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27

Nicoleta! The introverted scholar snaps, stepping forward. You told him that he would not be hurt if you don't try to hurt us. He has told us what we have asked. I'll defend myself, and I'll defend others, but you gave your word! I won't be party of murder. Scowling, a hard light comes into the half-elf's eyes. I saw plenty of Pathfinders when I worked in Absalom. Some were no better then thief's and murderers. If you kill him now, then you will be just who he says you are. Until now you said that you had only killed to protect travels along the roads. Please.. . don't be that person. We can leave him with a dagger just out of reach and tied to a tree. It would take him hours before he was free. Think!

I would not make you a liar Nicoleta. Ojore's disposition hardens. Nor will I toy with a life and drag out pain. And you can let a demon worshiper free you your home Elsir. I shall not in mine. He gestures to the cat and the beast lashes out at the skum.

This might initiate some actions. Not sure if you want initiative or if this is a surprise round.

Bite: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 191d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Claw: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 231d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Claw: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 221d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Sorry, but this is in character for Ojore. He will not let this thing go knowing that it follows a demon.

Yeah, Nico's with Ojore on this one. She's not willing to let a vow get in the way of killing a demon worshipper, particularly one who appears to be unrepentant.

All good, I consider Elsir to be a bit naive in the ways of the world. Too many years years in the soft life of a curator meant that he never had deal with stuff like this. I'll post a reply in the morning.

Its a tough decision all around. Alignments should clash. And Ojore might be making a rash decision, but the demon thing was enough for him. He can't ever let the creature go and believes it would likely fight and us again in the future showing no mercy. If not it would wreck some other harm on folks less able to defend themselves.

Yeah, Nicoleta's willingness to keep her word is flexible in view of what she considers a greater good - hence the C part of her CG alignment. Also, demon-worship is a bit of a trigger for her. But the dispute is good roleplaying, so let's get back to it!

Yeah, it's definitely initiative time.

Skum's initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

We we say the cat bite was the surprise round that started initiative?

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

"Your own words are cause for your judgement umzala."

initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

" 'ere now, don't ye be doin' nothin' hasty. That's me job!"

Initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13.

There's definitely no surprise round happening here, Ojore. (And initiative always precedes attack rolls).

I didn't see a roll for Shange, so:

Shange's initiative roll: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Initiative order looks like:

Elsir @ 27
Nesipho @ 16
Ojore @ 14
Nicoleta @ 13
Kargath @ 10
Skum @ 8
Shange @ 5

I don't think we need the map for this one. Elsir, you're up.

Please see my above post. I don't agree with murder, but I won't take hostile actions vs. my team. I'll just watch in muted shock after I told Nicoleta and Ojore not to.

I was thinking Shange acted on my turn.

Nesipho moves to flank the creature, his rapier lashing out at it.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Sneak Attack Dmg: 1d6 ⇒ 1

And unless its AC is deceptively low...

The point of his rapier is unable to find a chink in the skum's armor.

@ Ojore: Animal companions act on their own initiatives; summoned monsters do not (and there's some debate as to whether or not eidolons do or don't).

Nesipho's blade fails to find purchase.

Ojore is up.

I am good with that and will try to remember to roll nest time. And I am now unsure where everyone is but I think Ojore can close and attack since he does have Longstrider going.

Ojore advances rapidly ignoring the overgrowth and tries to put the creature down.

Club: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 241d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

I'm awaiting clarity on whether or how we might have moved before I take my actions.

Ojore moved behind it so that it would have to run toward him or the entangle spell - and I don't think that anyone made a point about getting right up next to it - but nobody is likely to be more than a move action away, given that we'd entered into a dialogue with the thing.

Our last positions on the map had Nicoleta, Shange and Kargath all adjacent to it, with its back to the "wall" of the create pit spell. Assuming it hasn't been able to back more than 5 feet or so away, with Ojore behind it...

With divinely-empowered finality, Nicoleta whispers, "Visează pentru totdeauna, și niciodată trezire," before lashing out with both her starknives.

Swift action: declaring a justice judgment (+1 to all attack rolls) on the ulat-kini (because, well, she did).
Full attack: starknife #1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Damage #1: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
starknife #2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Damage #2: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5