PFS: Before the Dawn Part II: Rescue at Azlant Ridge (Inactive)

Game Master Mari Clock

You are several days northwest of Bloodcove—days of dusty, dirty running and riding as your caravan guide, the scoundrel Raimondo Scevola, whipped his horses and wagon-drivers to go faster, faster! Closing in behind you, no more than an hour by horse now, ride dozens of Aspis mercenaries. Your activities in Bloodcove, it seems, were not as secret as you hoped.

A sudden cry goes up among the wagons, and all eyes look back the way you came. The days-old familiar sight of pursuing horseman has vanished. “They’ve given up the chase!” Raimondo declares and a tired cheer erupts from his caravan.

"Hmm, why do I have a bad feeling about this...?"

Because you've watched Star Wars enough.

Nodding to Wilhimina, the pirate squints into the dust. Blimey! Best not be celebratin' too soon, boys. Thar bound to be trickery afoot here. Full speed ahead, an' keep to what pace ye horses can afford.

Watching & listening for any evidence our pursuers have gone invisible or altered course.
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27

In a more hushed tone she leans towards Balthazar. Do ye still have that potion o' see invis what were in th' booty o' that witch? May be a needin' to keep it at hand. Though if we truly be dealin' wit one what can make a whole gang disappear, we be in more trouble than a lone gilman in a school o' turtle-sharks

dot

"Aspis don't give up so close to their prey. We've other issues to deal with sure enough"

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29 looking for whatever scared them off.

Raimondo tries to convince you to take a rest since the Aspis agents have turned back, but Marshala and Whisperer are having none of that, they both see that Captain Calgredine and his mercenaries have come out of the jungle.

So there is no surprise round. They are all mounted, though the photos do not have horses.

Captain Calgredine ride check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Since Captain Calgredine fails his ride check, he is unable to attack on his first charge. He rode right past the party.

Blue Mercenary will shoot his longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 at Marshala and if he hits will deal 1d8 ⇒ 3 points of damage.

Purple Mercenary will shoot his longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22 at Wilhimina and if he hits will deal 1d8 ⇒ 7 points of damage.

Yellow Mercenary will shoot his longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 at Balthazar and if he hits will deal 1d8 ⇒ 3 points of damage.

This is Round 1 the party is up.
Captain Calgredine Red _ dmg
Aspis Consortium Mercenary Blue _ dmg
Aspis Consortium Mercenary Purple _ dmg
Aspis Consortium Mercenary Yellow _ dmg
Wilhimina
Whisper
Balthazar
Marshala

Consortium Assault

"Ow! That hurt! That's it," Wilhimina says, looking at purple, "you're going down!"

She'll call upon Desna, and cast bless on the party, use a point of fervor to cast shield of faith on herself as a swift, and then move 20 feet towards purple while pulling out her starknives.

Whisper will double move to the purple supporting Wilhimina's move and hopefully setting up a future flank.

"I'm with you, little one."

"Alas, no." Balthazar answers Marshala. "I traded it for something more useful to me."

When the Aspis agents attack, Balthazar cursed as the arrow strikes his leg. "Damn snakes! Time to DIE!" He moves towards the combat, pulling out his dagger and casting obscuring mist.

"Aye. Holler iffin ye need help in thar."
Marshala will activate copycat and move towards blue, pulling her CI axe as she goes. She will keep an eye out for Red, should he emerge from the mist.

Round 2
Captain Calgredine Red _ dmg
Aspis Consortium Mercenary Blue _ dmg
Aspis Consortium Mercenary Purple _ dmg
Aspis Consortium Mercenary Yellow _ dmg
Wilhimina
Whisper
Balthazar
Marshala

Captain Calgredine Red will move out of the mist.

Purple Mercenary will shoot his longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 at Whisper and if he hits will deal 1d8 ⇒ 7 points of damage.

Blue Mercenary will shoot his longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15 at Marshala and if he hits will deal 1d8 ⇒ 4 points of damage.

Yellow Mercenary will move out of the mist.

The party is up.

Wilhimina will 5-foot up to give Whisper a flank, and take a swing at purple.
"Let's see what my new starknife can do!"

+1 mithral sk: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 5 + 1 = 24
if hits does damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

cold iron sk: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 1 = 10
if hits does damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

edit: Sorry Whisper, with that positioning it puts you slightly off the map. If for some reason that's not a viable square, then Wilhimina will move to give Whisper the flank, and only make one attack (at a +7 instead of +5).

Unable to see the Red Captain across the mist, Marshala will follow Blue with a 5ft step and attack. She will pull her wand of shield of faith but not have a chance to use it just yet.

attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 1 = 26
if that hits,
CI axe: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
edit:
Attempting to confirm critical!
confirm: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 1 = 11
if confirms, then add additional damage of:
CIaxe: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (5, 1) + 4 = 10

So she's holding a wand in her off hand, which shouldn't cost her the shield bonus from the buckler on that arm, iiuc?

Copycat: Rnd 2 of 4.
Panache: Will use if attacked by Red, but not Blue.

Confirm that crit! :)

Ah well!

Relying on the mist to protect him, Balthazar follows the mounted captain out of the fog, enhancing his dagger as he moves. He slashes at the captain's legs, hitting a vein.

I bribed the GM with Ice Cream to make sure that spot worked. :)

Whisper springs to the far side of the guard from Wilhimina and lunges for his back.

attack: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 2 = 20
damage: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 2) = 8

Purple Mercenary will shoot his longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13 at Whisperer and if he hits will deal 1d8 ⇒ 1 points of damage.

Yellow Mercenary will shoot his longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 at Marshala and if he hits will deal 1d8 ⇒ 4 points of damage.

Blue Mercenary will shoot his longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 at Marshala and if he hits will deal 1d8 ⇒ 2 points of damage.

Red Captian will shoot his shortbow: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17 at Mashala and if he hits will deal 1d6 ⇒ 5 points of damage.

This is Round 3.
Captain Calgredine Red 5 dmg bleeding
Aspis Consortium Mercenary Blue 4 dmg
Aspis Consortium Mercenary Purple 10 dmg
Aspis Consortium Mercenary Yellow _ dmg
Wilhimina
Whisper
Balthazar
Marshala

The party is up.

Red Captain hit and needs to roll 50% miss chance to see if he hits the copycat image or Marshala herself.

Wilhimina will 5 foot to set up the flank for Whisper again, and full attack, taking her chances in the fog (high is good for her).

+1 mithral sk: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 1 = 9 miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 72
if hits does damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

mwk ci sk: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 1 = 26 miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 19
if hits does damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

She swings wildly on the first attack, and was sure she had him in her sights on the second, but the fog gets in her way at the last second. "Whisper, finish him!"

Captain's Miss Chance: High Hits: 1d100 ⇒ 62
Sorry, forgot.

Whisper will 5 foot for the flank and smile his thanks at Wilhimina... which is probably a little unsettling to the Warpriest.

attack: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 2 = 22
damage: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 1, 4) = 6

I doubt that poor damage roll will finish him, sorry.

Thanks

oof! Marshala will use the wand on herself and with a sneer at the ineffectual Blue Archer, will move towards the Red Captain.

Copycat: Rnd 3 of 4 (since it wasn't hit, it'll still be there)
Panache: will use if attacked by Red but not Blue. Only usable against melee attacks anyway.

Fort 1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
Fort 2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Round 4
Captain Calgredine Red 39 dmg bleeding, -2 str
Aspis Consortium Mercenary Blue 4 dmg
Aspis Consortium Mercenary Purple
Aspis Consortium Mercenary Yellow _ dmg
Wilhimina
Whisper
Balthazar
Marshala

Blue Mercenary will shoot his longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16 at Marshala and if he hits will deal 1d8 ⇒ 6 points of damage.

Yellow Mercenary will shoot his longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11 at Marshala and if he hits will deal 1d8 ⇒ 2 points of damage.

Red Captain will try to charge Marshala Ride Check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27 and succeeding that he'll attack with his +1 lance: 1d20 + 11 - 1 ⇒ (1) + 11 - 1 = 11 which will do 1d8 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 - 1 = 11 points of damage if it hits.

Wilhimina attempts to make her acrobatics check to move full speed through the fog, but gets turned around and can only move half speed.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

"It sounds like all the fun is over there Whisper, let's go!"

Marshala calmly sidesteps and watches the Captain, his horse and two arrows go sailing by without touching either of her.

As soon as the captain's back, is turned she chases after him and attacks
Diagonally SW to avoid AoO

attack: 1d20 + 51 ⇒ (1) + 51 = 52
edit: Um, that should have been +5+1 not 5=1 which apparently becomes 51? She misses with a 7.
if hits
CI axe: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
But maybe she's at least set up a flank for Balth?

copycat: Rnd 4 of 4
Panache: 1 burned. Will not use panache this round

Whisper double moves around the mist.

No, the 15 doesn't hit.

Red Captain Ride Check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25 free action dismount, five foot step to flank Marshala with Yellow, and
shortsword: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 9 + 2 = 20 and if he hits will deal 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 points of damage.

Yellow Mercenary will five foot back and shoot his longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 at Marshala and if he hits will deal 1d8 ⇒ 6 points of damage.

Blue Mercenary will shoot his longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 at Balthazar and if he hits will deal 1d8 ⇒ 2 points of damage.

Round 5
Captain Calgredine Red 39 dmg bleeding, -2 str
Aspis Consortium Mercenary Blue 4 dmg
Aspis Consortium Mercenary Purple
Aspis Consortium Mercenary Yellow _ dmg
Wilhimina
Whisper
Balthazar
Marshala

Isn't the captain still bleeding? If so, he should be taking bleed damage each round.

Wilhimina attempts to move through the fog full speed again acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18, and this time succeeds! She'll throw a starknife at the captain, because she's a gnome and she can...

mwk ci starknife: 1d20 + 7 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 7 - 4 + 1 = 23
if hits does damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

"Ah ha, found you, you snake! Leave my friends alone!"

You're right, I forgot to add it. I even put it in there to remind me. Lot of good that did.

Whisper can get to flank position on the Captain without provoking and attack.

attack: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 2 = 13
damage: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 2) = 10

Not hitting with that role!

Copycat would still be up during the Captain's attack so I need him to make a 50% miss chance roll again pls.

1d100 ⇒ 72 As always, high will hit.

Marshala winces as the Captain manages to sneak past the duplicate to score another hit on her.

Then, as her duplicate fades, Marshala brings it right back. Smirking, she resumes her attack on the red Captain.

attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 26
if that hits
CI dmg: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Copycat: 1 of 4

Red Captain wasn't paying attention to his health and crumbles. Good thing he dismounted first.

The remaining mercenaries, seeing the captain fall, turn tail and flee.

He had on him: +1 chain shirt, masterwork heavy steel shield, +1 lance, shortbow with 20 arrows, shortsword, scroll tube (scroll of cure moderate wounds, scroll of fireball, scroll of magic missile, scroll of shield), signal whistle
The one fallen mercenary had: tanglefoot bags (2); masterwork studded leather, longbow with 20 arrows, shortspear

Wilhimina will stabilize purple and the captain in case we need to question them, and then pick up and put away her starknives.

Raimondo! Ye and ye men grab them two horses, if ye can We loot like Pathfinders
Marshala grabs rope and ties up the captain securely before calling on Besmara for positive energy. She will exclude the dead merc (and those fleeing if still in range) but include the restrained captain for questioning.

channel: 1d6 ⇒ 4

All the Captain has to tell you is, The other group is bigger than mine is. I'm sure you'll run in to them along your way.

Raimondo hearing this news, starts to panic, orders his drivers back to their wagons, and tells you that you all must leave immediately to get to the excavation camp.

You climb ever higher out of the jungle, the series of thin switchback trails just large enough for Raimondo’s caravan wagons. Suddenly, from the canopy below comes an unearthly bellowing roar. Thousands of colorful birds take flight and wing off away from the noise, and a cacophony of screeching, chittering, and screaming follows the roar.

As you approach the top of the ridge, a dilapidated camp comes into view. The camp is surrounded by a hastily constructed palisade wall forming a semi-circle that both starts and ends at an imposing cliff face stretching hundreds feet up from the palisade. The bodies of hundreds of ape-like creatures lie outside the walls in various states of decay. The stench is overpowering, and a cloud of flies is thick above the carnage. A cry goes up from the tower built over the palisade’s gate as the lookouts spot you, and the gate itself rumbles aside on rickety wooden wheels. A tall woman with black hair pulled back against her head and a shortsword on her hip strides out from the camp to meet you.

You all easily see that she's visibly emaciated and she's quite obviously malnourished and starving.

At that moment, a horn sounds from down in the valley, closely followed by the screams of men and horses. Looking below, you see another group of Aspis Mercenaries, riding fast up the switchback trails, with hundreds—maybe even thousands—of ape-men hurling stones at them and running hard on their heels.

Good day to you! I am Juliet Dias. I see you've met some locals. She gestures to the ape-men chasing the Aspis mercenaries up the trail.

"Umm," Wilhimina says, anxiously, "maybe we should get inside and you can tell us what's going on? Also, should we be helping them?" She adds, pointing at the Aspis running for their lives.

She is Silver Crusade...

"Charming folk," Marshala nods, and tips her hat to Juliet. "They hate everybody, or just Aspis scum?"

Perception - were the dead ape-men attacking the camp, and if so, can she discern possibly why?
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

Yes, of course, come in. Trust me, you don’t want to be out here when they get here. Pointing at the ape-men, They’re known as the charau-ka, thoughmy camp workers call them ape-men. They’re minions of the demon lord Angazhan, and this lot serve the Gorilla King of Usaro, though why the Gorilla King has any interest in this expedition is beyond me.

They've been here nearly a year, we've been attacked almost daily for 10 months by the charau-ka, and my camp is exhausted, hungry, and ready to fling me into the jungle and run for their lives. You couldn’t have come
at a better time.

She shows you around Camp.

B1. Fortified Gate
B2. Palisade Breach
B3. The Ivory Sphere
B4. Excavation Camp
B5. Abandoned Dig
B6. The Metal Door

"Well, we can at least help with the hungry part immediately," Wilhimina says, pointing to the supplies. "Any big discoveries around the time the ape-men started attacking, or had you maybe just started on a new area? Once the unloading is done, we'd love a tour!"

Wow that moved fast! Lemme catch up.
Balthazar retrieved the scrolls (except the CMW, Marshala or Wilhemina should take that!) from the captain, as well as the tanglefoot bags from the downed thug. During the caravan’s frenzied evacuation, he made sure to cut the captain, either killing him outright or leaving him to bleed out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Upon arrival to the camp, Balthazar quietly observed as much as he could, and listened as long as he could stand.
”Enough with the small talk, Dias. What have you discovered?” he asked abruptly. ”Your findings should be disseminated among every person here, so when this camp is overrun, that knowledge will have the best chance of making it back to civilization.” He pauses, pointing to the massive sphere in one of the pits. ”For instance, what is that?”