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Remember that the attacks have all been against clergy of Sarenrae. A random unconscious vagabond might attract other attacks (it is a city, after all), but probably not the one you're after.
Re: murder sites, I don't know if you've visited all of them, but you do have the information you could get from visiting them. You might want to re-read the thread to remember what it is :)
I need to borrow some robes from the church. I hope they have some in my size. I will also need a quick course in Sarenrae's teachings. I need to be believable in case the killer is targeting priests.
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There aren't any permanent Sareinte shrines in this city. However, you were just interviewing a Sarenite priest who is presumably not very far away, and he could almost certainly lend you something to aid in your efforts .
Mechanically, as you lay the ambush, the person who is bait will need to make a Bluff check to properly act Sarenite. Everybody else has the option of (1) making a Disguise or Knowledge (Religion) check to help make the bait look right, (2) lie in wait with a Stealth check, or (3) keep watch with a Perception check. Everybody will make one check. I will use the results to help determine how well the potential ambush works.
It sounds like you're ready to head back and talk to Kasadei. She thanks you all again for your help in this investigation, and in setting this trap for the murderer or murderers. She says that she will leave it to your expertise -- this is why she asked for help from the Pathfinders, after all -- to set and execute the ambush. She and other members of the city guard will be nearby.
"Do you have any final questions or concerns, or is there anything else we can do to help you prepare for this?" Kasadei asks.
Let me know if you want to talk to her. If not, everybody let me know what check you want to make and what you'll be doing during the ambush. Also give me that check. (You can either roll or take 10 as you set up the ambush; you're not under immediate threat while you're setting it up.)
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Find a place to hide, I shall.
Waki scopes out a alley with a good view not too far from the "bait".
Pulling his cowl over his face, he steps into the shadow...and waits with blades drawn but folded under his cloak.
If there is also time to assist on the "cleric" with her disguise...before he hides
Kasadei, I need to borrow one of your robes, please. I am going to act as bait to draw out whoever is doing this.
Ezren will also post up somewhere, looking nondescript and keeping his eyes open.
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"You say all those murdered were new priests? The guards did not tell us that."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Jirelle waits for something to happen, while dispensing aid or assistance as she does.
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Jirelle waits in the pre-dawn hours, wearing the garb of a priestess of Sarenrae while, guided by Necress Nyx and the others, trying to fake saying the right prayers and such of a person like that waiting for dawn.
The rest of you hide nearby.
Unfortunately, despite good preparation (and Kasadei, the head of the city watch you've been working with, says that you did look like an enticing target), nothing happens that night.
Later the next day, you learn that a pilgrim to Sarenrae who had arrived in town was claimed instead. The young woman's body was found in the street much like the previous murder victims, stabbed multiple times by a dagger with her heart cut out. Again, it looked like she was doing the "dawnwalk" that Jirelle was faking.
Kasadei, after giving you this grim news, suggests that your ambush plan was good, and you should stick with it.
Do you guys want to do anything during the next day? Do you want to change anything about the next night? I'll again need a check from each of you, using the same options as before, as you set up the ambush for the second night.
It might yield some information we missed before.
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Examination of the new murder scene does not yield much that you had not learned previously. Because you're n the case, Kasadei is able to take you to it before the body is removed. Looking around, you do find one thing that might be interesting. Near the body, as if dropped by the woman before she was killed, is a tiny scrap of parchment with a verse from The Birth of Light and Truth (Sarenrae's holy text) written on it.
This is the material component for the spell Shield of Faith. Had the spell been cast, it would have been consumed. It is as if the victim had taken the scrap of parchment out of her material component pouch, but was not able to use it for one reason or another.
There are doubtless other Sarenrae pilgrims in town, but without an active shrine, there's not any central place where most of them would check in.
Is there anything else you want to do during the day before setting up your ambush again tonight? So far, I have a check for the ambush from Necress; I need one from the rest of you.
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"Hm. She was trying to cast a spell, but was interrupted."
--
Arion again helps with the disguise.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Well, here we go again. Hopefully with better results...this killing must stop.
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The second night, your lure works.
Here's what you notice: not much. But:
You see a human-sized gargoyle-type thing -- probably the "demon" you've heard about! -- land on a nearby rooftop (square O13 on the map below). It is flying quietly and lands to watch, evidently.
Jirelle suddenly notices that it seems very quiet -- the sound of the shore a ways away, the breeze, it's all gone.
Next thing she knows it, a woman is charging towards her from around a nearby corner, and sneak attacks her! (Image of the woman... after she's done cutting out Jirelle's heart, if it goes that far!)
Caught flat-footed, the woman hits Jirelle with the dagger, stabbing into her for plus of damage.
Allanen: 38/38
Waki: 31/31
Arion: 29/29
Necress: 34/34
Jirelle: 29/40
Ezren: 30/30
Everybody who made the DC20 Perception roll (for the spoiler above) may act in the surprise round now.
Everybody please roll initiative!
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Ezren, are you still here?
Waki, Allanen, and Arion are able to act in the surprise round. Waki remains hidden while Allanen activates a hex and Arion pulls out and uses a wand. (Arion: what was the wand you used? I'm assuming that was a spring-loaded wrist sheath so that you could get it out in a swift action.)
Looking at the demon creature:
Arion immediately recognizes that the creature is not a demon at all, but rather a gargoyle. However, it is touched by something of the lower planes, for this is not a normal gargoyle, but a fiendish gargoyle. He knows that gargoyles fly, that they have DR 10/magic, that they attack with claws, bite, and horns. They can also hold themselves so still that they appear to be a statue, and are often missed on cathedrals and similar buildings because there are statues that looks just like them there.
As we go into regular rounds, the gargoyle acts first. He flies down until he's just above Jirelle, and he tries to grapple her...
...and succeeds!
Allanen: 38/38
Waki: 31/31
Arion: 29/29
Necress: 34/34
Jirelle: 29/40 -- Grappled
Ezren: 30/30
Action Order:
- The Scarlet Son
- Waki ←current
- Ezren
- Jirelle
- Arion
- Allanen
- Zadendi
- Necress
Everybody except for Necress is up. Anybody in that list may post at any time-- no need to post in strict initiative order. (You guys could easily rearrange yourselves within this group of 5 with delays and such.)
Let me know how you proceed.
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Arion murmurs a prayer and then makes his way out onto the street, drawing his Greatsword as he comes steadily on
-Posted with Wayfinder
Jirelle tries to worms her way out from beneath the creature.
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Waki rushes forward and stabs the gargoyle, damaging it fairly significantly because he had managed to remain hidden from it until this attack.
Jirelle tries to worm free, but is not able to.
Arion moves closer to the fight and casts a spell to buff himself. Meanwhile, Allanen flies forward over the rooftops and attempts to use a hex on the gargoyle.
The gargoyle succumbs to the slumber, and flops to the ground, asleep. This means that Jirelle is no longer grappled.
Ezren delays.
The red-headed woman who attacked Jirelle see her ally asleep, and kicks him to wake him up.
Allanen: 38/38
Waki: 31/31
Arion: 29/29
Necress: 34/34
Jirelle: 29/40 -- Prone
Ezren: 30/30
Action Order:
- The Scarlet Son
- Waki
- Jirelle
- Allanen
- Arion
- Ezren
- Zadendi
- Necress ←current
The gargoyle is prone on the ground, but is awake again.
Necress is up!
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Necress Nyx gives the gargolye a very stern look, and it stays in place not doing anything (although it can still defend itself). It remains prone.
Allanen: 38/38
Waki: 31/31
Arion: 29/29
Necress: 34/34
Jirelle: 29/40
Ezren: 30/30
Action Order:
- The Scarlet Son
- Waki ←current
- Jirelle
- Allanen
- Arion
- Ezren
- Zadendi
- Necress
Everybody except for Necress is now up!
Jirelle jumps up in a blink of an eye and tries to skewer the woman who tried to cut out her heart. She then steps to the side and readies a defensive strike.