[Name Redacted] (Inactive)

Game Master Shadowtail24

Might as well try, right?

Ziera pulls off her ring, fiddles with it a little, and it sprouts a nice set of lockpicks, which she uses to try to open the iron door.

Disable Device: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

You fail to unlock the door.

Ziera grumbles I knew I should have learned that Knock spell.

She puts her reassembled ring back on and asks Anyone else know how to pick locks?

”A single scroll of knock would cost 150gp, but we could be to a magic shop and back before too long.”

After watching Ziera attempt to facilitate their entry to the secret corridor, Gray reached into his pack and pulled forth a small case than when opened revealed a high-end set of lock-picking tools. Inspecting the lock for a moment, he pulled out a couple of implements and set to work.

Disable Device: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

After a few minutes and no progress made, the inquisitor is forced to admit defeat and put up his tools with a shrug. Looking at Edmund, he nodded. "Looks like a scroll it is, then. Perhaps you can go forth to locate it while we keep watch here in case our quarry should arrive?"

”While I certainly don’t mind, perhaps you are just selling yourselves and your handiwork a bit short? We’re in no rush, give it a few more tries. If the lock is completely beyond your abilities, then I shall go for a scroll of knock.”

Take 20.

I didnt realize that Gray had such a good disable device.

Gray tries again, this time going more slowly and purposefully. He manages to finally click the lock open after a few minutes.

Ziera tells everyone to stand back and then casts Open on the door. (Just in case it is trapped, she doesn't want anyone close to it.)

I didn't realize that Gray Inquisitors had such a good disable device everything.

I kid, I kid. Well, only slightly. What is mostly the Divine Rogue class does more than what people expect.

"Excellent work, Gray. Though I suspect there will be more for us to face than the trials of a lock."

Gray smirked at Antonio, but nodded his agreement. Better to be wary than overconfident. And along those lines, the inquisitor dutifully stepped away from the door before Ziera cast her spell, the young man alert for activity from both the secret corridor and the entry to the downstairs.

It has a fair bit of utility that most people overlook as they slobber over Bane. LOL

The door does not appear to be trapped. A tunnel extends beyond the open door into darkness. There is a bracket holding an u lit torch, but otherwise the tunnel is unremarkable.

Ziera looks back at her companions and shrugs. She says If none of you have a better idea, let's do this.

She slips into the tunnel, lighting her halo so that everyone around her will be able to see as well.

Gray thought about Ziera's words, then decided he didn't have a better idea. He called upon the powers of the Dark Lord, shrouding himself in Invisibility, then followed the plucky half-elf into the corridor beneath Sarini's Rest to hopefully intercept the Thrune noblewoman as she made her escape.

Cast Invisibility

The tunnel winds through underground for a while before eventually turning sharply up. You slowly move along, careful to keep quite. At the end of the line is another iron door. An ear to the door reveals no sounds on the other side.

Ziera casts Open on the door, not really expecting it to work.

--if it does, she is surprised, but goes and looks through quietly.

--if it does not, she ...

Disable Device: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

... asks Gray to unlock the door.

Gray smirked as the brash aasimar rushed ahead and tried to do all the work on her own, but nodded his assent graciously enough. They all had their little talents to throw into the mix, and he was all too happy to oblige and be one step closer to killing the Thrune b&@@@. If there wasn't some kind of ward on the door that would go kaboom when he opened it, that was.

Disable Device: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21

The lock picking fails. Gray composed himself for a moment and listens at the door, seeing if his slight scratching was heard. He doesn’t hear a reaction, so he tries more carefully this time, deliberately working over all of the teeth in the lock. The click of the lock is loud enough to make the party wince, but again there is no sound heard from the other side.

perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19

stealth: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (12) + 19 = 31

Edmund casts detect magic and begins scanning for auras as soon as the door is cracked open.

Ziera stands 20 feet back from the door and casts Open on it, waiting to see what is on the other side.

The room beyond is as wide as the tunnel and extends only 5 feet before encourintering a stone wall. Careful listening does indeed reveal sounds from the Other side of the wall.

if you want to approach and listen give me a stealth and perception check. Right now you can barely make out sounds from beyond the wall.

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

Ha ha. Apparently I can't hear much. Maybe I need a magical hearing aid. :) Anyone else?

Gray walked slowly to the wall, making no more noise than a mouse. Once there, he put gloved hands on the wall, pleased that his specialized equipment was actually going to prove useful as he attempted to scry on the goings-on in the adjacent room.

Stealth: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (9) + 19 = 28

Using Gloves of Reconnaissance. They allow Gray to see and hear anything in the adjoining room, as long as the wall is not over five feet thick.

Alright everyone, let's go home, Gray just won the quest!

Ziera searches for a secret door.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

NICE!

You find the mechanism to open the door.

Sweet, on both counts!

Gray quickly explained what he had seen to his fellows, pleased that the observant Ziera managed to find the secret portal connecting the areas so quickly. Before the group moved through, he quickly spoke. "I shall be invisible to begin with, as we enter. If you can, give me a moment to get into position. Those with magic, I shall try to work to the opposite side of the woman, so aim your spells appropriately."

The inquisitor smiled grimly, waiting to see if anyone had any last minute things to add before they ambushed the noblewoman.

”We will not be able to hide that we’ve opened the door, so Antonio and I shall distract and confuse by hiding in plain sight. Perhaps Ziera also should be invisible?”

Ziera nods.

If possible, let's grab her and pull her into this corridor and then close the door again before anyone sees. If there is only one person with her and we grab both, perhaps we could remain undetected that way, at least long enough to get away.

Err... should I also cast Silence? If so, we need to know exactly what we're doing first.

After they decide what they are doing, she casts Invisibility on herself, and Silence on a pebble (if we decide we want it), and hands the pebble to Gray.

"There is only Alana and the servant at the moment, but that could change at any time. I like the idea of silence...it will negate our spellcasting inside the zone, but I like our numerical odds against the pair if you take spells out of the equation. Ziera, would you like to contain the servant before joining us against the Thrune noble?" Gray's voice was low and quiet, though he twitched in anticipation of the coming conflict.

”Actually, I fear we need to contain the two of the first. I have a scroll of hold portal which will lock the doors to the bedroom if they are closed first. Our order of attack should be: Gray slips in with the pebble, Ziera uses her spell to close the bedroom door, I use the scroll to lock it, while Antonio provides some sort of distraction. Perhaps you could recreate some of the poses from the decor of that horrid Inn for their amusement. Then, we attack.”

Ziera starts to nod at Gray, then listens to Edmund's plan.

Edmund, that sounds great, but neither you nor I could cast spells on the door with Silence going. So, we would either have to secure the door with no silence or use a non magical means. Perhaps Gray should invisibly slip over to the doors and close them manually while carrying the pebble, and then we all do everything we can to get them back in this corridor before anyone is alerted. I will try to get the servant while you guys attempt to subdue Alana.

If there are nods all around, she

1. Casts invisibility on herself (while making sure that she and Gray know where each other are for the second step).
2. Casts silence on a pebble and hands the pebble to Gray.
3. She triggers the latch on the secret door, allowing Gray to slip in.
4. She moves after him, taking out her masterwork manacles and moving over to the servant.

We might have to wait till the door is open to know the exact situation, but can someone tell me what I need to roll to overpower the girl, or "sneak" manacles onto her? Is that a combat maneuver? I don't think I've ever tried anything like this in a game before, but I imagine if the girl is standing there being reprimanded, her hands might be properly posed, or even only one. I could manacle her to me and drag her. ... of course when that door opens, if she is facing them, she might immediately react, depending on what she sees, even though it is silent and we are invisible. She might also be shocked that Alana is still moving her lips but no screaming is coming out. :) I just don't know how it all works, or what we would need to roll. Anyone else have experience with this sort of situation?

”Silence is an emanation, so if Gray keeps the pebble completely covered in his hand, it will block the magic. Besides, we just need to be far enough away from the silence spell. By the time Gray gets across the room, he’ll be far enough away for us to cast.”

Either way, Edmund stays back a bit from the door, but to where he can see through it, so that he’s out of range of the silence, then readies his scroll.

Also, he casts mage armour on himself.

Gray’s magic gloves show you everything in the room.

The servant and Alana are 15 feet from you secret door, and are facing sideways to you, meaning they could possibly see the door open or they might not. The servant is looking at the floor so it’sess likely she will see anything.

On the right wall are two double doors leading to the bedroom. On the left wall is a door (closed) leading somewhere. There are 2 other closed doors on the wall opposite, one near each corner.

There is also a little bit of cover provided by furniture. There is a couch 5 feet away from your secret door, and table and chairs (with slats in the back so they can be seen through), to the left of the door. Further end and side tables are in the room as well.

Ill have to look up the manacles rules, I’m guessing it’s grapple based.

Oh, if there are multiple doors, than Edmund’s plan is less effective. He keeps the scroll stuffed in a pocket to use on the secret door if they need to delay a pursuit.

Instead, right before the door is opened, Edmund casts his newest spell and everybody finds themselves much quicker on their feet. Haste, lasts six rounds.

Seeing that the plan has been simplified with the knowledge of multiple potential exits, Gray nodded his understanding, calling upon Zon-Kuthon to shroud him in a divine cloak of ultimate stealth. He patiently waited while he heard Ziera's spellcasting, the room suddenly going silent before he felt the pebble pressed into his hand. The inquisitor closed his fist around it, and sound returned in time for Edmund's spell of quickening to be heard, then Gray hurried through the door as the portal was opened, using his new-found swiftness to take him near the pair of women inside the room before he opened his hand to allow the silence to radiate.

Cast Invisibility

For the manacles, there doesn’t seem to be clear direction about applying manacles. There’s a note in the rulebook that says you can tie someone up while they are in the pinned condition so i would say apply the same for manacles. That would involve grappling in round 1, maintaining it to round 2 and pinning in round 2, and then applying manacles in round 3. A 2nd person could help he process significantly, like if Azure Avenger did the actual grappling, and Ziera did the manacling it could be done in two rounds.

Speaking of the Azure Avenger, I cant help but notice he’s been absent awhile in all his games.

Manacles only make sense as an attack if they can't detect you and you can try to do it on the run, like... hmm. I know my goblin has something like this. Just a sec. ... Okay, yeah, like in THIS spell. Summons manacles, and then requires a touch attack to apply them. But, it is a spell. So, forget the manacles.

Maybe rather than trying to manacle we should just use either the "drag" combat maneuver (probably slower), or the "move" addition to grappling instead. The goal is to get them (and us) away from their possible allies, and then we have time to deal with them further. Of course my CMB sucks, so let's see:

Grapple: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

I am hoping that is sufficient. It beats my own CMD, so I hope it also beats the servant girl's

Look around to make sure no one else (besides the two women) saw me (since I assume a grapple is an attack and I become visible):

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

--If I am spotted then, er... I can't yell, so I guess I point at the additional witness so that someone else in the group can try to catch them.

--If I am not spotted, then:

I am hasted and (if a grapple counts as an attack), I can maintain the grapple and move the servant half my movement (with haste: 30 feet), which puts us back inside the secret tunnel, if my second check also works:

Grapple: 1d20 + 5 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 5 = 20 (with circumstance bonus to maintain grapple)

If the first one worked, that one should as well, so (I think) good so far, but let me know if I got something wrong.

oh man hats a lot going on in one round. I’ll resolve tonight when i can be at a computer. As for the Azure Avenger, he is always waiting in the shadows ready to answer the call. I’ll bot for now

Grapple is a standard action, so she can’t move her until next round. If the servant girl fails to break free, Ziera makes another grapple check then to move her.

Gray snuck quickly and sneakily into the room near the noblewoman, his manner cool and collected even though hatred burned inside him. At long last, here was an object of his wrath finally in front of him, lounging indifferently and unaware of the very real danger oh so close. He waited patiently for a sign from the others that events were in motion, ready to spring into action when the action against the Thrune noble began.

”Silence is an emanation, so if Gray keeps the pebble completely covered in his hand, it will block the magic. Besides, we just need to be far enough away from the silence spell. By the time Gray gets across the room, he’ll be far enough away for us to cast.”

Checking on this before resolving actions. I don't see where just holding an emanating item would block the magic?

Solid surface blocks line of effect, unless there’s an opening at least 1 square foot.

Ok, let's say it works that way. I'm not convinced a hand works the same as total cover like a shield.

Without a special ability like spring attack Ziera can't move/attack, move. I've adapted her action below to grapple and PIN the servant.

Prep rounds

1
Edmund casts mage armor

2
Gray casts invisibility
Ziera casts silence
Azure Avenger casts invisibility

surprise round
Edmund casts haste and opens the door
Gray rushes in and silences the area
The azure Avenger rushes in and glitter dusts Alana (avoiding the servant and area in front of her where he presumes gray is
Ziera rushes in and grapples and pins the servant

will save made secretly. Alana does react by throwing up her hands in her eyes.

Init Order: Gray, AA, Ziera, Edmund, Alana

Party is UP! Fight Map is listed in the top.

That was the move you can do after you grapple, not a regular move, if it matters, but totally cool if it takes two rounds. Since she is now pinned and I am hasted can I also apply manacles, or not?

I have you the 2nd grapple roll as pinning the servant, via the haste. Normally you would only be able to grapple in the turn, but since haste gives you an extra attack i let you do the pin action as well.

I would assume that the Azure Avenger can come and manacles the servant and hen you can drag her out in round one before Alana acts.

As the inquisitor sees the other members of the party wresting the servant hastily out of the room, Gray waited just a second for the Thrune noblewoman's attention to turn toward the commotion before he lunged at Alana, attempting to grab her in much the same manner.

CMB+Haste: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 6 + 1 = 26

Expertly balanced and catching the woman off-guard, he almost immediately began to bull her toward the door the servant was disappearing through with the Azure Avenger and Ziera. "Be quiet, and you might yet live through this."

Bluff: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33

The Azure avenger springs forward, grabs the manacles from Ziera's belt and locks them around the servant.

Gray, once you grapple you'll have to drop the pebble keeping the area silent. You do successfully grapple the opponent though.

Stepping to the side, allowing the others to pass by, Edmund pulls out the hold portal scroll. Once they’re inside, he’ll shut the door and cast the scroll on it.

Welcome to the [Name Redacted] Discussion thread. Congratulations on making it this far, but now the actual hard part begins!

Please check in below and note next steps:

-Make a profile (if you haven't already)

-Write out an appearance description (if you haven't already)

-Finish gearing up your character (if you haven't already)

-Fill in your below name status with HP, AC, Saves, and Perc bonus (if you haven't already)

Wait anxiously as I type up the intro post (if you aren't already)

Dot. I'll get my alias up tomorrow, thanks for the selection DM!

Dot. I'll get my alias up tomorrow, thanks for the selection DM!

Do you have Hero Lab? I can send you the Tarken stats for that, or just send the stat block.

Whoo-Hoo!

Checking in. I'll finish gearing up.

Storyteller Shadow wrote:

Dot. I'll get my alias up tomorrow, thanks for the selection DM!

Do you have Hero Lab? I can send you the Tarken stats for that, or just send the stat block.

No Hero Lab. Sure, send me the stat block that woulkd be great.

Thanks for the pick! I should have the stat bar done in just a bit...everything else should be finalized. :)

Oh yeah, and Initiative, almost forgot that one

Like a light in the darkness, I pierce into this Discussion thread!

...or something like that (I'll work on the one-liners later).

I think I have mostly everything good and set up. Also made a second alias for the Antonio Danera persona, so I'll be posting with that too when it is appropiate.

Party looks pretty good, looked at a few aliases. Though I must say, having a worshiper of Zon Kuthon will be... interesting. Can't say I have ever played with one along before, so this should be fun!

Shadowtail, for this campaign's start, would it be more appropriate to be in social or vigilante persona?

You’ll start out on your social persona.

Who's a follower of Zon Kuthon? I know that I, personally, am just a run-of-the-mill LN librarian. Although a poor one, compared to some of you. :p

Indeed. I, too, am certainly only a humble librarian. Nothing else.

The other librarians around here are getting creepier. Why would anyone put their hood up inside a library anyway?

Someone left the windows open and it tends to get a bit chilly in there.

But in all seriousness - why are there so many librarians in this party? It's a funny sort of coincidence.

Someone must have posted the "All librarians get in" glitch online, that's the only explanation I can think of.

Alright, a few adjustments to the profile and gear selection and I'll be ready.

Almost done.

I for one am quite pleased that the semi-annual librarians conventions amounted to such a competent group of rabble rousers. We do have a semi-annual librarians convention, don't we? No?! Oh, well. Such is life.

Just waiting on an appearance description from Ziera and for Erasmus to check in.

I think that we have enough librarians here to establish a convention ourselves. :)

I figure we can start the planning meetings after overthrowing House Thrune. So give it a couple of weeks.

Ok, maybe a month.

Two months?

Seven years.

Here's hoping. :)

Actually, you are right the 2nd time. I’ve only downloaded the calendar for one month in game, so you’ll have to work quick. Or I guess I could just download the next months calendar, but I would prefer to not have to do that.

Hey there! Sorry for not checking in yesterday. My profile should have everything in it.

For clarification, I've started with one burn because I will be starting each day by attuning myself to my shield.

Excellent.

@Erasmus, no worries, I don’t expect anything from players over the weekend so any posts then are just bonuses. You should take the burn back for the start of the quest, you’ll start immediately at waking up.

@Everyone: I’m working for my actual job at the moment but I should have the Intro up Tonight. I’ll lost some additional instructions here ahead of posting to gameplays.

Last memory in the Gameplay thread is posted!

I have also posted some quest mechanic and playstyle notes in the Campaign info. Please read through those. I've included the quest NPC dossiers for reference, and will update with select additional NPCs as you learn about them.

Checking in now sorry for the delay.

Hey everyone. I'm without a phone for a week so I'll be slower than usual in posting.

Players, since every group is getting close to it, I’ll be jumping ahead to the meeting at Asmodeus rest tomorrow morning (as in tomorrow morning IRL). Get in any RP posts you want to before that point.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! You can certainly post over the next couple of days but we’ll pick up for real on Monday.

Happy Thanksgiving to you as well. :)

When you get back, I was wondering about this part of a previous post:

Ranting does a quick rundown of logistics for the group.

high level notes:

-Your roles within the organization.

-Your new living arrangements (he gives everyone a key and an address)

-known associates outside the guild (I’ll do a separate post on these when i am on a computer)

I know you said you would do a separate post about known associates, but what about roles within the organization? This is apparently something we should already know, but as a player I don't know this. Ziera is obviously good with the charismatic skills (bluff, diplomacy, intimidate), but there are many uses for that... was she a face or an interrogator or something else I haven't thought of?

Welcome to the open world part of this quest. You have 1.5 days until the Leroung Ball, and preparations for the ball will take only a few hours. You can do whatever you want to in your other time, including drinking through your troubles, talking to the other party members, taking to NPCs, trying to find out information, etc.

Does anything happen while I am sitting in the tavern, or should I just post doing more stuff?

Doesn’t look like it, continue on

If there are no other actions I’ll move ahead to be next plot point.

Seeing all the conversation between Grey and Ziera makes me wanna know what's going on there... AGH!

But no hints.

We're plotting your demise. :)

<Covers mouth with both hands.>

Oh, sorry... you didn't want to know?

You know the only solution is to start you're own super long spoilered conversation with someone!

I know Storyteller Shadow is on a temporary hiatus right now.

How about Irene or Erasmus? I haven’t seen posts from either of you in a while?

I just sent you a message, I can go into more detail if you'd like, but I am unfortunately withdrawing myself from all of my PBP games so that my unexpected lack of time does not impact other people's enjoyment.

No problem, life is always first. I hope you get it all sorted out.

Thank you for being understanding. I was really looking forward to this game.

All, I have asked Edmund Gwenn to join us in Irene's place. Because obviously I'm not breaking up the Librarian band.

I'll work out details for introduction soon.

Bookseller. Librarians are just chumps who don’t know how to profit from a love of reading!

Actually, Edmund would have nothing against the noble profession of librarian. Glad to be aboard everybody. The gameplay thread has so many spoilered posts it’s hard to figure out what has actually happened to everybody.

Welcome aboard, Edmund! :)

I think a quick and easy summary would be that we're about to attend a ball on the morrow and we're getting clothing together so we can infiltrate.

Edmund,
I’ll write it a summary for you today. I’m going to make it a straight swap, where you take Irene’s place and it was really you doing all of the things that Irene did. So you can read posts spoilers for her if you like.

Okay, all caught up. Looks like Irene went quiet just before the meeting at Asmodeus’ Rest. I’ll assume that Edmund was there and just lost in his thoughts.

In his backstory, I included that he had at least found his son’s silver holy symbol during the missing time, but reading the thread, it seems that there was some effort to remove evidence of things that happened then. What would you like me to do about the Holy symbol?

In his backstory, I included that he had at least found his son’s silver holy symbol during the missing time, but reading the thread, it seems that there was some effort to remove evidence of things that happened then. What would you like me to do about the Holy symbol?

You can have the symbol in your possession, but you would not have a memory of actually collecting it. It will be a good hook for later in the quest.

@All

Some notes:

I will be integrating Edmund as if he had done everything that Irene had done. So he started in the group with Ziera, Adrien, Sydney, and Alden.

He is now at Carew's along with most of the others.

I PMed Erasmus but have not heard back. If Erasmus doesn't check in soon I'll look for another replacement player.

Storyteller Shadow is on hiatus likely through the week. Since Tarken is originally my character I'll bot as necessary.

Taishan NPCs: The NPCs that are also in Taishan are prevalent, as you've likely noticed. However, I will try to have the direction of the quest determined by you and not the NPCs. As you get into the quest more, and have started making more decisions, I'll have the NPCs become more involved. They are also very responsive, so anything directed at them will be answered.
-You can also see bios for the NPCs in the Campaign Info tab. This is all known to you IC, Rantin would have covered it.

Edmund, if you have anything you would have wanted to ask Rantin or the others you can spoiler it in the gamethread.

I'll let you guys finish up the current RPing going on, and then we'll move to the next plot point.

I am finally back and working my way through games I am a PC in. I'll probably get to this tomorrow, thanks for your patience DM!

All,

a) Storyteller Shadow has withdrawn from the game. I’ll take over play of Tarken.

b) Erasmus has not responded still so I will remove him from the game. Post Christmas I will look to bring someone else in.

c) I’m on vacation for the next week+ so I will be on a different schedule than normal. You are free to continue your current activities, or start new ones. I will not be advancing to the next plot point until after Christmas.

d) Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays to all!

Merry Christmas to you!