Merchants and Mages

Game Master bbangerter

Hmm. The rapier does touch attacks?

Magus arcana that lets him make all attacks vs touch AC for a round.

Yea, that was the bit of info I was missing. I bet he can do that again...

Hoping that slowing the vampire down for a round was worth while Cindy withdraws, flying up the stairs and away from the enemy. She hopes she can at least see where he goes.

On my way

Seeing Leo have an effect on Nasun's defenses, Serelina tries another magic missile in case it can now penetrate.

Magic Missile: 4d4 + 4 ⇒ (3, 4, 3, 1) + 4 = 15

Cindy flies upwards into the clock tower, in between the spiral staircase leading up around its edges. As she does Serelina's magic missiles slam into Nasun, leaving scorch marks on the wrinkled and ancient skin.

Rilumin and Hezrog?

Cormick continues move forward and up, attempting to get to Cindy without endangering himself to the vampire.

Rilumin shoots at Nasun sorry, thought i'd acted

Shot 1 (two arrows)
RS+DA: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31
dmg: 1d8 + 10 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 10 + 4 = 19
dmg: 1d8 + 10 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 10 + 4 = 21

Shot 2
RS+DA: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25
dmg: 1d8 + 10 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 10 + 4 = 19

Shot 3
RS+DA: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
dmg: 1d8 + 10 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 10 + 4 = 19

as usual cover and concealment mean nothing to Rilumin

Crit threat confirmation and bonus damage:
RS+DA: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30
added dmg: 2d8 + 20 + 8 ⇒ (5, 8) + 20 + 8 = 41

Seeing Serelina's success with her spell, Nina mimics her, casting a magic missile of her own at the nosferatu.
Damage: 4d4+4 = 17

And with part of its protections removed, Rilumin is able to plant to arrows into the undead.

Sona also moves in, with Cindy out of the way she casts another burning hands.
Reflex save: 20. Damage: 5d4 = 14 halved = 7.

Nasun is forced into gaseous form, and begins floating back down the stairs towards the catacombs.
Nasun was pushed below 0 HP. Unless someone has a means to stop him returning to the catacombs you can follow him back to the final room underground.

Can we continue to do damage to hit while gaseous, at least enough to counter the regen?

Cindy moves back towards the group flying slightly more than 60' in her decent. She then heals herself with her healing hex.

Healing Hex: 2d8 + 7 ⇒ (6, 6) + 7 = 19

It won't make any difference. It won't start recovering until after it reaches its coffin.

OK. Was not sure how it works. It would be nice if he had to come back from -40 instead of say -4

IIRC he doesnt get the first HP back for like an hour, so we can follow him to his coffin and stake him and/or trash/loot the place.

This thing's fast as hell, I'm assuming Ian will see it zoom past and turn around, following it down.

"If I know my lore right, it must return to it's coffin, perhaps we can deal with it permanently there."

Following the mist back down into the catacombs, and into the final chamber, the mist heads not for the coffin Nasun sprang from before, but instead to the northern wall, where a small one foot diameter hole has been melted out of the wall. The mist flows through the hole, into a chamber of some kind beyond, where a second coffin can be seen.

Sona gives a growl, then turns to mist herself and follows Nasun inside, opening the coffin to find the vampiric magus beginning the slow process of reforming.

"Damn it!" Ian curses, punching the wall Nasun passed through. When Sona follows, he shouts: "Kill that f@@~!"

can Rilumin get a shot or shots through the hole? Also, would a heart shot count as staking him?

Almost totally out of spells here. Not much I can do.

Cindy will cast Guidance on Rilumin.

@GM are we all able to follow Nasun to his hidden chamber ?

Issa, unless you have the means to travel through the 1' diameter hole, you won't be able to reach him.
Rilumin, while you could shoot through the hole, the way the stone coffin is positioned within, you wouldn't be able to hit Nasun. The hole is 6-7' feet in before it opens into the chamber with the coffin.

Sona pushes the lid off the coffin, and in a savage fury digs her claws into the partially formed Nasun within, her fingers coming back with bits of aged and withered skin from the nosferatu clinging to them.

Master Hast says, "I can get in there, but does anyone have a stake to put the vampire out of comission?"

"I have tons of arrows you are welcome to."

Forgot to answer your other question, a heart shot would not qualify. The arrows don't qualify as stakes.

Ian takes a javelin from his pack and hacks the back end into a crudely sharpened stake, then tosses it through the hole. "Put that through his f$&~in' heart."

Cindy watches Sona attack the group's enemy with satisfaction then shoots a glance at Serelina to make sure she is watching as well. She then,not knowing how better to help, uses her Fortune Hex on Sona.

Serelina takes the stake from Ian, peeks through the hole, and shifts to be next to the reforming corpse. She then plunges the stake into the chest of the reforming creature. She then pulls out a dagger and begins the grotesque process of removing the creature's head.

With the creature destroyed the long fight is over.

Sona lets out a scream of triumph, then turns back to mist and moves back to the main cavern. "Thank you for freeing me from that torment, I am in your debt."

A number of items worn by Nasun are in remarkable condition considering the amount of time he has been locked away down here.

Well done Serelina. Cindy praises. Then turning to Sona she she offers her her hand. For my part you are welcome Sona. You can begin to repay that debt by keeping your promise and returning to the Tower with us when this is concluded. If allowed I will stand by you when you are questioned and will speak of your bravery and heroism this day.

Serelina quickly casts detect magic and looks about to see what items of value are in the chamber.

Appraise take 10 for a 21 and will grab all valuables and items that radiate magic.

Looking from Sona to Cindy Lu. "If Master Hast has no objections, we can parole this vampire to Cindy Lu's keeping to be brought to the tower."

I agree. I will also stand by you and speaks of your deeds. adds Issa to Cindy's words.

Well done Serelina. Your action was a decisive one, and this menace is no more thanks to you. I think Mage and Merchants works well together. I hope we will be able to work again together.

Says Issa first to Serelina then looking at all the Mage Tower's agents.

Cindy looks to Sona to make sure she has no objection before accepting her new charge.I thank you for the trust you are extending me Serelina. I accept this responsibility and hope our two groups can continue to build trust and work together towards common goals.

Nodding with her customarily icy grin, Serelina says, "Well let us take no longer here. Our resources wane and the threat may not be totally past. To the Tower then... Ian, Riluman if you would please take the lead?". There is a weariness within her features.

Fort Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

Upon completion of her spell Serelina stumbles, a sudden pounding headache wracking her with pain. A magical emanation from a ring on Nasun's finger overpowering any other auras that might be present.

At some point of course you will get to the other magic items and identify them, so I will list them now so the two groups can decide what to do with them/split them.

Ian sighs, relieved, but looks at Serelina worried. "Yeah, let's get back home."

When Serelina stumbles, Ian rushes and cuts the ring finger off Nasun, hoping that helps.

"That ring is some sort of Artifact with immense magical power and certainly dangerous. It must be taken to the Tower for study. Let us move with all haste." She takes her belt pouch, dumps the contents into her Haversack, then holds the pouch carefully to pick up the ring without touching it, drawing the strings closed and holding it carefully in her hand.

Once safely back in the tower she examines the items and tells the collected group the following.

"The raper is quite a powerful weapon and would certainly be an upgrade for Cormick here. The gloves give some power to dig through or shape soft stone and wood, a novelty, but also allow the wearer to summon forth an item instantly. It is quite useful for wands and rods and I would claim it if there is no strenuous objection. The boots grant magical haste to those who wear it and are quite useful for those who fight and do not have access to their own magics." The last she says nodding to Ian.

"The mail coat is of quality but is not magical."

Hmm, I failed to list an item.
There is also a headband of intellect +4. Will have to wait till I get back home to tell which skills/languages it grants.

Master Hast visibly relaxes with things having been taken care of within the catacombs. He turns to the merchants representatives. "Your aid is greatly appreciated in this. If an equitable disbursement of these magical trinkets cannot be found, I will arrange for the tower to pay a fair compensation."

"Miss Bellafini is correct though, the ring must be brought to the tower where it might be studied by the council with appropriate safety precautions in place."

Cindy also agrees While I want to know what the ring is, it should be studied in a safe environment. As far as distribution of items, I recommend that both teams get a fair division based on gold value and then let each team worry about who gets what item once they are divided. I too could use such gloves Serelina. And while anyone might make use of such a valuable headband I suspect it would benefit you more than most, though I think one of our team might also benefit if you do not desire it.

Touching the circlet on her forehead, Serelina says, "I have no need for the headband. The issue with liquidation is that the result will not allow enough to purchase back some of the items as each share will be too small. If that is what you wish, I will agree to it as long as Ian is given first right of refusal on the boots."

Happy to listen to any ideas on loot division. Lets think outside the box. Selling nice items sucks. And these are nice. The least expensive is worth more than double my most expensive item. If you have a +4 stat boost item you are much better off than anyone in our group.We have someone who has asked for her name to in the hat for the boots as well. But that was before we knew about the headband.

Ian shrugs, "If you say I should take the boots I'll take 'em. I trust your judgement on magic things. Let's just get Sona and that ring back to the tower and debrief."

the gloves would be 10k for the shaping and 10k for each glove of storing, so a total of 30k; not to mention the +50% cost of combining items, so that is looking at 37.5 to 40k depending on how you do the math (some GMs have the third item combined into an already combined pair of items be less of a cost increase than the second item, etc.)

Ian would pretty much only benefit from the boots of speed but would defer to others who are already below 30ft, especially because he likes to stand still once he gets in a good spot.

regarding fair distribution, i'd say the best way to do it would be for the GM to decide how much actual value he wants to give out, divide that by the number of PCs, then the buying game can commence for those that want the items that have showed up. If an item is valued at higher than one PC's share, then that PC's party (or both) can work it out (cost sharing, loans, etc.). For instance, Rilumin would help Ian if his share was not enough for the boots.

The gloves retail price is 25k. The price of the first enchantment + 150% of the second enchantment. Personally, regardless of what order the enchantments are done in, I always consider the lower priced enchantment to be the second one - in this case it doesn't matter as both based items are 10k.

Here are the skills and languages on the headband:
Headband of int +4 - Kn Religion, Acrobatics. Languages Necril, Abyssal

Total loot value is 62620gp

that is how it goes, the lower priced one is the second one. at least that is the way i've always played it and seen it played.

the question i have is, is only one glove a glove of storing? because they are priced for single gloves, not a pair.

You cannot have more than one glove of storing.

You cannot have more than one glove of storing.

wow, i see that now. i have never been in a group that played that way. hahaha!

I forgot glove of storing was a singular glove. Only one of the pair acts as a glove of storing

Also just a reminder Master Hast offered to help even out the loot split. That doesn't mean give one side all the magic items and the Tower will give the other side an identical set, or equivalent gold value. But the current division is around 5000gp difference - he will make up that difference towards one side or the other.

@gm - thank you that should help in the negotiations greatly.

Serelina consults privately with Master Hast. She then looks over the items with a trained eye, calculating values.

"As we all were working as agents of the Tower, Master Hast has agreed that the Tower should assist in making things equitable. To that end, I propose this: The merchants' representatives receive the headband, the rapier, and the armor. We receive the gloves and the boots. Since the gloves and boots are more valuable, the Tower - via Master Hast- will compensate the merchants' representatives with a sum of 5,690 gold to represent the differential. Do we have an accord?"

Cindy looks to her companions before responding. Speak now or its a done deal. Seems fair to me. Assuming no objection... Yes I think this is fair and I wish to express my gratitude to Master Hast for facilitating this agreement. There is still the matter of the ring, but we understand that dealing with such matters takes time. And of course there is the matter of Sona. Will she receive a hearing or be judged somehow?

"I will have to consult with the counsel regarding what is to be done with Sona. It will be there decision whether or not to allow a cure to be pursued."

He turns to the vampire. "If you were indeed once a member of the Tower in your time, you understand this?" She merely nods in response.

"Very well, I should return to the tower to notify the counsel at once of events here."

Who all is heading towards the tower with Master Hast and Sona?