Nevis Lodge: First Steps, Part 1 - In Service to Lore (Inactive)

Game Master Paizo Fan

Crar moves in as well, standing just inside and to the right of the door, holding the spear aloft so everyone can see what's inside and hopefully, the crate.

Kertsten enters, straining his eyes to see around the warehouse, trying to look past the shadows. He rolls his shirt sleeves up, "Its alright Latherel, won't be nothing here if the guards have taken a look round already. They'll have removed anything that shouldn't be here. So, point me to the crates we need to take and let's get shifting. Like you say, it's been a long day."

Perception 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (20) + 0 = 20

Updated warehouse map

Just inside the warehouse door sits a handful of crates and kegs of beer. Most of these smaller crates and barrels contain foodstuffs in various states of freshness. Some crates reek of rot. Stacks of simple coffins sit against the east wall.

A crane, evidently for loading and unloading boats, clings to a rail running the length of the warehouse, hanging five feet below the high ceiling, and can slide out to extend past the loading doors along the west wall.

Seeing a line of coffins, Kernsten is a little suspicious, he stops in his tracks, using his ability to detect evil, to determine if anything is likely to rise up out of the coffins and attack.

I assume the coffins are closed...otherwise Kernsten just waits for the others to tell him which crate to try and move.

Targ moves in further (2 north, 4 to the right).

Latharel carefully moves 3 squares to the right - navigating between the boxes while taking care not to be surprised.

Perception 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Crar moves further in as well, moving his lighted spear back and forth to look into crannies and to better light up the warehouse. He looks for anything interesting.

Perception check to search warehouse 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12; for now skirt around the crates to end up two squares to right of current position.

Updated warehouse map

As you move further into the warehouse, everything appears to be quiet. The coffins are open and unsurprisingly nothing detects as evil.

Anyone may make a Knowledge (engineering) check against DC 10, or a general Intelligence check against DC 15.

Latharel carefully looks around.

Intelligence check 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

Relaxing once more, now that Kernsten can't see anything untowards in the coffins, he looks at the crates and things piled high, as he follows Targ around the warehouse. "Oooh ... look at that ..."

Int Check 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (20) - 2 = 18 ... Kersten will let everyone know what he sees from the int check.

Knowledge(Engineering) 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Moving along with the group, Lillia looks around for signs of the triangular arrangement of crows denoting their goal.

As he pokes about looking at the crates, Crar starts to pay closer attention, helping to look for the one they want.

Knowledge check 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Targ looks around, oblivious of anything.
Intelligence check 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

Latharel looks at the crate and reasons that a rope with a hook could be used to hook the handholds of the crate and pull it to safety.

Crar reasons that someone strong enough to lift the crate could be suspended by the crane and positioned over the crate.

Kernsten realises that they could sail the boat under the hole in the pelican and knock out the floor so that it drops down into the boat.

As each of them voices their option, Targ nods, "the boat sounds the best straight forward option."

"Yes - the boat sounds like the best solution to me as well.

Crar listens to the other options. "Hmmm, if we try the boat, is someone going to be able to catch the crate? What if it falls overboard or falls through the bottom of the boat? Seems to me Latharel, that you came up with a good idea of hooking the handholds on the crate - is anyone here good with ropes?"

Nostrus, how much of a drop is it again from the floor of the warehouse to the water?

"Maybe cushion the fall with some sacks and other stuff from the warehouse?" Targ suggests.

The drop would be approximately 20 feet.

Targ is suddenly assaulted by two large rats, and Latharel is assaulted by another. One of the rats assaulting Targ slips on something oily and misses the Half-Orc but the second sinks its teeth into his leg. The rat attacking Latharel misses completely.

Rat 1 @ Targ: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
Rat 2 @ Targ: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21, Rat 2 Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Rat 3 @ Latharel: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Targ's Fort Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5, Onset: 1d3 ⇒ 1

Targ's wound is deep and blood pumps out onto his leg, accompanied by a wave of nausea.

Mechanically, Targ will contract filth fever within 24 hours unless cured. If uncured, then Targ will be afflicted with 1d3 Dex damage and 1d3 Con damage. MEDIC! No one had a shot at hitting the DC 28 Stealth roll of the rats, rolled in the spoiler up top.

Initiative

1st: Latharel
2nd: Lillia
3rd: Crar
4th +: Targ
4th -: Kernsten
5th: Rats

Updated warehouse map

Latharel shouts out - "Vermin - and it's some rather big one."

Attack roll on the rat east of Latharel 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 Damage 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

He then Takes a five foot step South-East to end South of the Rat.

I doubt I hit - not yet good enough to tumble past - flanking possible but you place yourself in the middle between two rats.

Looking across at the rats, Lillia smooths her hair back behind her ear to reveal the scarred remnants of the right side of her face. From the cloudy orb surrounded by the silvery webbing, an eerie green light rises up to shine out into the room, eventually settling around the nearest rodent.

As the glow dies down, the woman allows her hair to fall back into place, and from deep in her throat comes a high pitched metallic screeching, which almost sounds like laughter.

Standard action, evil eye against the rat directly east: -2 penalty to attack rolls for the next 7 rounds, with a DC14 Will save to reduce the duration to 1 round.

Move action to cackle, increasing the duration of the evil eye by 1 round (to 8, or 2).

Targ draws his weapon and attacks the rat in front of him.

Attack 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Crar grasps one of his totemic amulets and points at the closest rat trying to get at Targ. From his outstretched finger an arc of electricity tries to strike at the rat.

Use lightning arc domain ability against the middle rat in front of Targ.

Ranged touch attack to hit rat: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

Electricity damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Updated warehouse map

Latharel's attack slices through the fur of the dire rat but misses the mark otherwise. The rat hisses back at him.

Lillia's fearsome stare causes the targetted rodent to cower slightly from the malevolent glow of her eye.

Rat 2 Will save vs DC 14: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

Crar's arc of lightning jumps from his outstretched finger and strikes the vermin squarely on the nose. It squeals in pain as the hideous odour of burnt fur spreads through the room.

Targ's blow is tempered by the bite in his leg and the fledgling disease coursing through his veins and his weapon slices through the air above the dire rat.

Encouraged by the effect of his first strike, Crar turns his lightning energies on the rat facing Latharel. He extends his arm and another bolt of lightning arcs towards the rat.

Another lightning strike against the rat Latharel is working on.

Ranged touch attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Electricity damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

A miss then!

And Targ draws his second weapon and strikes again.

Attack 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
Damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Latharel takes a five foot step east.

Attack on the rat: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23 Damage 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Critical confirm 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 Damage 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Filthy vermin - die !

Updated warehouse map

Kernsten moves up next to Targ and attacks the rat in front of the Half-Orc Ninja.

Kernsten Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Kernsten Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

An audible crack is heard as the metal head of the flail connects with the dire rat's skull and it falls still, blood pouring out of it's ears.

The rat to the north attempts to bite Targ again. The other rat attempts to bite Latharel.

Rat 1 @ Targ: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16, Rat 1 Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Rat 3 @ Latharel: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

The rat manages to puncture Targ's armour surrounding his calf and sinks it's teeth into the muscle, although not as severely as the first rat had managed.

No need to roll again for filth fever as you've already contracted it.

Latharel's move brings him into a flanking position with Kernsten but it isn't required, as he neatly sidesteps the dire rat and decapitates it with a wicked slash.

Targ similarly dispatches the remaining rat with a piercing thrust through the back of the beast, pinning it to the wooden floor. For a few moments, it thrashes wildly before falling still.

COMBAT COMPLETE!

Feel free to make any interim posts regards post-combat ritual, such as healing wounds, etc. Otherwise, the following happens:

With the rats dispatched, the group head back outside the pelican to the moored boat. It is large and despite it's neglected condition comfortably houses the entire party. The water is quite calm and with some oars, Kernsten and Targ managed to position the boat beneath the hole in the floor of the pelican. It only takes a little prodding for the crate to fall through the floor and onto the deck of the little boat.

Rowing back to the shore, the crate is opened and found to contain the following:

- A small mahogany box which contains five books and a few loose sheets of paper which seem completely unrelated to one another
- Practical Thaumaturgy In Accordance with Creation
- Geographic Anomalies of the Inner Sea
- Under Kaer Maga: A Trial and Travel
- Physiology of Dragons: An Illustrated Reference
- Lost Sarusan
- Cargo manifestos, warehouse inventories and other financial logs from a dozen different merchant houses and trade guilds
- 10 masterwork thieves' tools
- 3 flasks of alchemist's fire
- a flask of acid
- a dozen jars of various inks
- a footprint book
- adamantine weapon blanch
- three bags of powder
- a deck of marked cards
- two sets of average loaded dice

Over to you guys!

Targ will search the warehouse, if he can finding anything useful.

Crar assists Targ with searching the warehouse.

As Crar and Targ sift through the crates, they find simple sundries like beer, blocks of clay, coffee, coils of rope, dried fish, lead ingots, nails, nets, raw cotton, rough wool, spare sails, timber planks various pulleys and tools, and cheap weapons.

Nothing else of interest appears to be there.

"Can I get some healing please before we head on?" Targ asks.

Latharel takes care to safely tug the Acid flask and one of the Alchemist fires in his belt.

"I will deliver them safely - but just in case - I rather like to have them handy."

He then stores as much of the other items as possible in his backpack without it becoming too heavy.

"Anyone here who can help Targ?"

"Would that I could, but healing isn't something I really managed to master, not yet anyway." Kernsten tells Targ and Latharel. He looks at the papers, slightly confused by their contents, but finding the footprint book he settles down to have a good look. He takes anything that Latharel leaves and puts it into his backpack, sure his strength will be enough to carry anything Latharel leaves. "Would anyone mind if I study this book," he points at the footprint book, "I'm sure it's quite interesting."

"I may be able to help," Lillia says, walking over to Targ, "let me see your wounds."

Crouching down to look at the rat bites, Lillia squints at them briefly before nodding and holding out her hand to touch them. Muttering something under her breath, she uses her other hand to pull back the folds of her sleeve, allowing a steely coloured arachnid to crawl down along her arm and onto Targ's leg. Circling the bleeding wounds a few times, the spider proceeds to spin a silvery webbing, knitting the flesh back together and leaving a cold numbness to block out the pain.

Cure light wounds 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

"Thank you, that helped a lot!" Targ responds, "now I am ready to move on." Targ nods and smiles to Lillia, appreciating her healing. He feels much better now - they just need to head back, or?

You all troop back to Guaril who rubs his hands greedily as he takes the books and loose bits of paper from you.

"Thanks," he says happily, "Hopefully this is the start of a wonderful working relationship for us all!" Despite his level of happiness, he ushers you from his shop muttering something about having a meeting in a quarter-hour.

With all four of Venture-Captain Valsin's tasks complete, the group decide to head back to the Grand Lodge. The most direct route takes you through the Foreign Quarter.

Feel free to RP the journey back.

A throng of people blocks the street ahead. A performance art group commandeers the street, drawing graffiti to create a jolly hellscape complete with illusory devils comically dancing around in circles. A few citizens avoiding the crowd slip off-street through a nearby alley, the only egress past the gathering.

1. Halli
2. Targ
3. Kernsten
4. Crar
5. Latharel
6. Ledford
7. Larkin
8. Lillia
9. Deandre

One of the Human females reads from a scroll which appears to trigger a shimmering around her. She then pulls another and reads it, and a sudden sphere of mist appears around her. The other citizens in the alleyway flee, leaving just your group and the opposing group.

COMBAT BEGINS!

Halli holds on any actions, which means it is Targ, Kernsten, Crar and Latharel up next!

Alley map

Targ draws his mweapons.

Latharel looks around and isn't happy what he sees.

"If I learned something at the Szanri than it is to attack while you suprise the enemy. This looks a lot like an ambush to me. Anyone knows what magic that woman there casts?"

Move Action: Draw Dagger, Take 5 foot step North
Readied Standard Action: If any hostilities happen (this includes someone in the group recognizing the spell as aggressive) Latharel will throw his dagger. Preferred target the spellcaster - but I take whichever character I can reach without incurring penalties for range or cover.

Thrown Dagger 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 Damage 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Where are actually the opponents? I assume they are coming from the west?

Hearing the woman spellcaster read from scrolls, Crar immediately tenses, looking for some sort of magical attack. When he sees the mist appear and hears Latharel ask what magic is being cast, the half-elf decides to do something he hopes might help even the odds against these unknown attackers. "I think she cast this..." he declares, and begins to chant a spell. Another cloud of misty vapor rolls out from where Crar is standing, and envelops the group.

Cast obscuring mist, creates a 20ft sphere of mist centered on Crar. Plan for next round is to swap out produce flame spell to begin casting summon nature's ally I.

"What treachery is this!" as Kernsten looks into the mist, looking for any evil auras from the spellcaster. He pulls out his flail and readies himself for battle standing in front of his friends, ready to protect them from any attack. He speaks out loudly, "For your own good desist from these aggressive acts, put down your weapons and we can discuss any grievance you might have."

Move action: detect evil, Standard action: draw weapons.

Round 1
Targ readies his weapons in anticipation of violence. Kernsten draws his weapon and shield and through the use of his detect evil ability realises that four evil people are hiding in the mists in front of them. Crar summons his own sphere of mist in order to make the group more difficult to hit, while Latharel draws a dagger in order to strike at any opponents.

Out of the mist, a crazed-looking Halfling appears hefting a greataxe and makes a beeline for Kernsten!

"COME ON THEN, TINCAN!" the Halfling bellows with a maniacal laugh, swinging at Kernsten!

Halfling attack, Kernsten: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13, Miss Chance 1d100 ⇒ 29

Thankfully, although the Halfling strikes true, Kernsten's shield deflects the blow causing the Halfling to sputter in anger. The male Human then moves up behind the Halfling and attempts to fling a dagger at Kernsten!

Male Human attack, Kernsten: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12, Miss Chance 1d100 ⇒ 72

Fortunately, his attack also goes wide, clattering against the walls of one of the houses that stands at the side of the alleyway.

Lillia up next! Lath, I've held off on throwing because you can only detect by sound at this point, but throwing the dagger would mean trying to get it past Kernsten who you can't currently see. Is that okay?

Updated alley map

Obscuring mist rules apply. Anyone within 5 feet has a 20% miss chance, anyone beyond that is 50% and cannot be located through sight!

Nostrus

Somehow my senses got obscured ... No - it's fine. I didn't realize where the attack was coming from. Now I understand the circles in the map.

Just makes it diffcult to add in a sensible way to the fight.

Latharel whispers - loud enough for the own group to hear but not too loud to carry too far in the fog: "Just let them get to us. We need space. Just get back to me."

With this words and not seeing any of the enemies he stores his dagger back in his belt (move action 1) and takes a 5 foot step North and draws his Elven Curved Blade (move action 2).

It will take a while (2 rounds) but if you slowly move west than more of us can attack. Combat order is the wrong way round - but you should be able to attack and ready a 5-foot step as move action west once there is space. Right now only Kernsten attacks unhindered while Targ has cover around the corner.
Off course Latharel can wait until someone goes down ...

"I can't see a thing through all this mist," Lillia says as she stumbles along the side of the alleyway behind Latharel.

Move to the square directly west of Latharel.

Having conjured the rolling mist, Crar calls upon the forces of nature to come to the party's aid. Before he begins the long chant, he calls the others: "Latherel's right, move back!"

Round 2 action: Intent is to use full-round action to cast summon nature's ally I to summon a giant centipede. But wondering, can I take a 5ft step back to the open square south of Latherel, so that the centipede can appear in the square I am in now? And would it be able to move through Kernsten and Targ's squares to get at the opponents? I was trying to find a reference in the rules about moving through other characters' squares.

Targ nods, [b]"will do,"[/ooc] then attacking the halfing, and finally making a 5ft step back into Lillia's space.

Attack 1d20 ⇒ 2 Damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Attack 1d20 ⇒ 10 Damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Attack bite 1d20 - 5 ⇒ (1) - 5 = -4 Damage 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
he could use some flanking now....
and a roll above 10

Crar
Yes - you can still make a 5-foot step as part of a full round action. Off course I would expect that your current square will be occupied by the start of next round. Shouldn't be an issue - you have 25 foot range - enough to let the Centipede appear behind our attackers / in the middle.
No line of sight shouldn't matter that much - it is well accepted that Summon monster is a good way to fight darkness or deeper darkness.
Back to the original question - RAW the centipede should be able to move through friendly terrain - but with hardly any sight I would feel more uncomfortable with the centipede moving through lots of friendly spaces as it being summoned somewhere where no matter what everyone surrounded will be an enemy.

Thanks Thod, had forgotten about range.

To amend Crar's action, when his summoning is complete he will have the giant centipede appear in the square 25ft to the east of his current position, directing it to move forward (east) against any opponents it can find there in the mist. Crar will still follow Latherel's suggestion and take a 5ft step back after summoning.

Round 1
Lillia, unable to do anything as she cannot see her foes, steps back following Latharel's suggestion.

Hidden from view, but unable to get a sense of how the battle is faring for her compatriots, Deandre moves five feet to the south, in order to put herself between the group and Halli. "Stay where you are, Halli!" she calls out to the half-mad Sorceress.

Round 2

Halli, as per Deandre's orders, stays put but readies an acid dart just in case someone approaches her out of the gloom.

For the sake of speed, I'll DMPC Kernsten by attacking Ledford and stepping back five feet which I take it would be the action taken anyway.

Kernsten attack, Ledford: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21, 1d100 ⇒ 17
Kernsten damage, Ledford: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Kernsten scores a telling blow against the Halfling madman, causing him to howl in rage!

"I'LL GUT YOU, TINCAN!" he howls, the mist in the alley seemingly causing the cry to reverberate all around the group. While the Halfling curses Kernsten, the Paladin takes a five foot step back to put some space between them.

Crar steps back with Kernsten and summons a centipede farther out into the mists. It arrives in front of Deandre who takes a swing at the materialising creature.

Deandre attack, centipede: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19, 1d100 ⇒ 32
Deandre damage, centipede: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Deandre's blow is well-placed, sending the centipede back to whatever realm it came from!

I was in two minds about whether Deandre should take the AoO there but I guess that a creature appearing in front of you should probably prompt one. Just a shame that she hit and did enough damage to kill the poor wee beasty!

1. Halli, action held
2. Targ, complete
3. Kernsten, complete
4. Crar, complete
5. Latharel
6. Ledford
7. Larkin
8. Lillia
9. Deandre

Updated alley map

Latharel, I can't really see an action for you to take but I'm not going to skip your go.