The party hurriedly makes their preparations for the gang’s attack. Roughly two hours after you entered the sanctuary, you hear footsteps approaching from the west.
”Hey Almsman! You think you’re smart, eh? Getting your little beggar army to deface our signs? Now we’re going to have to make you clean them up, in addition to giving us the money you owe us! Open up this door and get out here!”
You hear the leader pound on the door for a minute. Then comes some louder banging as they burst through the door using portable rams.
”Ah, so the mystery man invited some guests. Let’s show them what it’s like to get stung by the Steel Wyverns!”
Initiative:
1st: Azura, Hennet, Christoff
2nd: Randalan (thug leader)
3rd: Andrietta
4th: Thugs
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As the thugs begin to beat down the door, Azura stamps her foot in time with the rhythm, creating a musical cascade of tiny jingling bells from her anklet and hair. She began to sing a bouncing, teasing sort of song in a clear, melodic voice.
"Yea, the wyvern's sting
‘tis a prickly thing
And cold steel bites, 'tis true
But no wyverns here
No, none to fear
Just some chain-slinging goons!"
Once they had broken through, she cast her grease spell beneath the feet of the attackers!
As the thugs break through the door, Azura casts a spell making the floor in the entrance a slippery mess.
Three of the thugs immediately fall prone (pink, red, green), and one of them falls onto a broken bottle, taking damage. One is able to keep to his feet at first, but when he tries to move, he falls over on his backside, right onto a rusty nail (blue).
Andrietta utters a prayer, conferring additional blessings on the party.
"Aw, fer Norgorber's sake! Get on your feet you idiots! Yer making us look like fools!" The leader stands out in the hall admonishing his men.
Initiative:
1st: Azura, Hennet, Christoff
2nd: Randalan (thug leader)
3rd: Andrietta
4th: Thugs
Round 1
The party was effective in hemming in the gang. They are all piled up in the entrance to the sanctuary, flailing around in grease and makeshift caltrops. Hennet and Sir Christoff are on guard to engage with the men, but they will have to take the fight to the thugs, or wait for them to make their way deeper into the room.
Round 2
Initiative:
1st: Azura, Hennet, Christoff, Andrietta
2nd: Randalan (thug leader); Thugs
Pink, prone, 1 dmg, half speed; Blue, prone, 1 dmg, half speed; Red, prone; Green, prone; Inspire Courage
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Retrieving a Thunderstone from my pocket, I'll hold it up to be in plain view of the various thugs and their leader, before mockingly tossing it a few times in their direction. Finally, at the end, I'll take aim and launch it (green and red "X") towards the back of the group, aiming for the ground at their feet.
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The tengu comes out of cover and targets one of the folks in the back row(Green) with her crossbow!
Unfortunately, she misses high because she's trying NOT to hit her own party members.
Grandmother, I realize this is a bit underhanded, but we're outmatched and outnumbered, with no idea if there are more of them coming. If it be Thine will to go after kneecaps instead, so mote it be done.
She starts murmuring the lullaby she was using before as she reloads her crossbow.
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Azura continues to sing to inspire her companions in the same bouncing, teasing way.
Seeing how well her spell had incapacitated the enemy, her face split in a wickedly gleeful grin as her next move occurred to her. She held her shortbow in one hand and strolled calmly forward, drawing the Alchemist's Fire she had taken from the Steel Wyvern's inept Alchemist, eager to return it to his next of kin.
"A better name
Your gang should claim
Or we could give it a try
The Flopping Fish
Sound quite delish
And so much fun to fry!"
Round 2
Azura flings a vial of alchemist’s fire into the group of flailing thugs. It explodes on contact, severely burning one of them, and causing minor damage to his compatriots. Hennet fires off an arrow, hitting the leader in the leg, causing minor damage. Sir Christoff tosses a thunderstone in amidst the gang. Two of the thugs seem to have been severly affected by the boom. Andrietta fires off a crossbow bolt, but her shot goes wide.
The thugs all attempt to stand up, but only two of them are able to make any progress towards the group. One of them stumbles into the caltrops, taking additional damage to his foot.
"What in the nine hells are you doing?!? Get up there you idiots!"
The leader then mutters under his breath. A glowing aura covers his hand, and he touches the thug in front of him. Some of his burn scars heal over.
Round 3
Initiative:
1st: Azura, Hennet, Christoff, Andrietta
2nd: Randalan (thug leader); Thugs
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"No, they can’t take a hint
They can’t pull their stint
They listen not to my carol
They flop and they flail
For we cannot fail
‘tis like shooting fish in a barrel!"
Azura continues her song as she pulls an arrow from her quiver and puts it to her shortbow. She pulls the string, lining up her shot at the thug who has begun to move up the stairs.
She then moves back some to be out of range of the chain slinging goons.
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Hennet drops his short now and draws his rapier while advancing into melee range with the first bandit to come out of the grease. As he strides forward, he issued a quick prayer.
Hey Desna, it's Hennet again. Think you could spare a halfling a bit of your grace? I'm 'bout to mess some bad guys up...
Round 3
Azura draws her bow, firing an arrow at the nearest thug. It embeds itself in his chest, dropping hime to the floor. Hennet steps up, attacking the nearest thug with his rapier. He stabs his weapon deep into the man’s chest, killing him outright. Sir Christoff stands on his guard. Andrietta tossed another vial of alchemist’s fire into the group. It misses the thug, but they all take some damage from the splash up.
One of the thugs advances out of the entrance finally, and takes a swing at Sir Christoff. He comes nowhere close. The other side steps and takes a swing at Hennet, managing to connect. The leader continues to admonish his men . He takes a step to the side, and then throws something at Sir Christoff. It hits him, breaking open, causing severe chemical burns.
Round 4
Initiative:
1st: Azura, Hennet, Christoff, Andrietta
2nd: Randalan (thug leader); Thugs
Round 4
Azura launches an arrow at the leader of the group. It just barely manages to make it through the scrum, but embeds itself deep in the man’s thigh. Sir Christoff bull rushes the thug in front of him. The thug attempts a swing at Christoff, but it just bounces off his armor. Christoff manages to push him back into the greasy mass of debris, where he promptly falls over again. Andrietta runs up and applies divine healing to Hennet’s wounds.
Initiative:
1st: Azura, Hennet, Christoff, Andrietta
2nd: Randalan (thug leader); Thugs
Blue, deaf, 5 dmg, half speed, prone; Green, 2 dmg; Randalan, 12 dmg; Inspire Courage
Round 4, cont
Hennet stabs at the thug that was just knocked on the ground. His rapier has no problem dispatching the man.
The leader eyes up the situation. He mutters an incantation under his breath.
He then runs off down the sewer tunnel at an inhuman speed. Seeing his leader abandon him, the last thug throws down his weapon and puts out his hands. "No more. I give up. Don't hurt me."
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Andrietta's first actions are to heal party members!
Then she'll head to check on the fallen thugs to see if any survived DEATH DOORway (tm and patent pending).
Those that are still alive she will carefully tend to their wounds if she's not beaten to it first.
"Welcome to the House of the First Vault Keeper. A designated representative of the First Vault Keeper will be with you shortly, but it is highly recommended that you throw yourself upon your knees and beg for His mercy and forgiveness, for sanctuary is a sacred rite to all faiths, even the darkest, and you are in a very tenuous status at this time. Some fines may be assessed, so please have your coin purse ready."
She will pause, and there's a faint hint bit of mirth in her tone.
"Have any of you heard of the wondrous redemptive teachings of Grandmother Crow...?"
The Almsman will get first crack at them, but any that he doesn't want? Andrietta will attempt to be... EXCEPTIONALLY persuasive to convert them to her Goddess.
The gang leader is not tripped up by the grease, and makes his way quickly down the sewer tunnel. Azura runs down the steps after him, avoiding the caltrops. She lets off one last arrow that embeds itself in his back. He keels over, falling into the sewer channel with a splash, and floats off downstream.
The party is able to subdue the rest of the thugs, and is able to disarm and bind them. Although Andrietta makes a valiant attempt to teach them the wisdom of Grandmother Crow, this group just doesn’t seem all that receptive at the moment. The Almsman approaches you, saying: ”Thank you for your assistance with our problem. We will turn these men over to the proper authorities. It will be some time before we have to deal with their kind again.”
The Almsman then gives you directions to the prince’s dwelling. ”You must travel east to the next branch south, then look for a mossy, overgrown door marked “Skytower” along the south wall. Here, these may aid you in your endeavors. Thank you again for your help, and for your generous donation. Go with the grace of Abadar.” The Almsman gives the party two vials of oil of bless weapon.
The Almsman’s directions lead to a heavy wooden door. A sign on the door is partially obscured by grime and moss, and the word “Skytower” is still barely legible. The door is unlocked, and leads to a small room.
This room was once the basement of a building above, but the stairs in the far corner are now choked with charred rubble and seem to lead to a new stone foundation of the new building above. Odd furniture and knick-knacks of all description fill the remaining space, and strange winged effigies made of wood and broken pottery are arrayed in a bizarre diorama. The focal point of this display is a pair of chairs standing on different-sized piles of old crates like thrones on a dais. A charred and shriveled corpse dressed in rotting and burnt finery and wearing a tin crown is propped up in one of the chairs while the other, lower chair, sits vacant. His tin crown bears a crude inscription that reads “Emperor Relios.”
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Andrietta will recommend that Hennet and Christoff take the oils for use. They are much better melee combatants than the rest of the party so far as she's seen, so it only makes sense that they be prepared the best.
The feathers on the tengu ruffle a bit as she pulls out the massive one-handed sword she's carrying plus her buckler. She gives a bit of a head-tilt to the west. Crossbows and bows probably won't work in these tight quarters.
She then speaks before starting to slowly move westwards in what she hopes is a subtle fashion but to anyone with even an iota of knowledge about such things would find laughable. "Not alone."
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The gang leader is not tripped up by the grease, and makes his way quickly down the sewer tunnel. Azura runs down the steps after him, avoiding the caltrops. She lets off one last arrow that embeds itself in his back. He keels over, falling into the sewer channel with a splash, and floats off downstream.
The party is able to subdue the rest of the thugs, and is able to disarm and bind them. Although Andrietta makes a valiant attempt to teach them the wisdom of Grandmother Crow, this group just doesn’t seem all that receptive at the moment. The Almsman approaches you, saying: ”Thank you for your assistance with our problem. We will turn these men over to the proper authorities. It will be some time before we have to deal with their kind again.”
Azura gave a curt nod of approval upon seeing the cowardly leader of this gang of thugs fall into the foul waters. A fitting place for the likes of him as he waits for Pharasma to deliver him to his rightful plane. She thinks grimly to herself as she made the sign to ward off evil and spit in the dying man's direction. As a citizen of Andoran as well as an Agent of the Liberty's Edge faction, she took it as a personal affront to find her own people being subjugated in this, the greatest nation of Golarion!
Her eyes had returned close to their usual shade of deep, clear blue as they spoke to the Almsman. "Sir, you have my gratitude for your charity for these, the most unfortunate of Augustana. I still cannot fathom how anyone could justify preying on those who have not even enough for themselves."
Upon that note, she rounded upon the men, her hair flicking with agitation and her eyes had taken on an icy look. "How could you follow one such as he?! Blindly doing his bidding that would send you to debase yourselves by harming the defenseless and then abandoning you to your fate when his plan went awry! If you cannot summon up enough compassion for your fellow man then at least have enough self-respect to follow someone who will not throw your lives away like so much waste!" She glared at them to covey her rebuke as only a beautiful woman could by her rejection and contempt.
***
Azura shook her head sadly as they looked over the living quarters of the "prince". "How long has he endured here, watching his late father molder and decay? No wonder he dwells in fantasy, poor soul."
She made ready her bow as Andrietta and Lucky indicated they were not alone.
The party moves deeper into the Emporium. Suddenly, three creatures appear in the doorway to the western vault. The creatures’ bloated frames shudder with each heaving step, yet despite their shape, the things move with surprising quickness.
Initiative:
1st: Christoff, Hennet, Azura, Andrietta
2nd: Creatures
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"I can summon mist to cover an exit if things get bad, and personally, I think you and Hennet are going to be going toe-to-toe with whatever it is? I'll keep a wand handy in case you get scraped up any?" The tengu pulls out a wand of cure light wounds and holds it in her left hand -- that has the bracer on it, bastard sword held in a guarded stance with her right hand.
R1Andrietta is holding action until the others in the party either identify or engage, and then will either act or hold action until a party member gets hurt for a poke with the CLWW.
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Hennet sees the creatures emerge, and issues another prayer.
Holy Cow! Desna, take the blade!
He dashes forward, thanking Cristoff for the Shield of Faith as he sprints by.
Thanks man! Gonna need it!
He ends his movement adjacent to two of the things, and launches a mighty poke at the one not engaged with Cristoff.
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Looking again at the cramped rooms, Azura decides her bow is not the best weapon to use here and puts it away, drawing her beribboned whip instead. She was less skilled with the whip, but felt more able to assist the devout warriors in these close quarters. She then drew and applied the oil of bless weapon.
Azura began to sing, once more inspiring her companions with a wordless melody as the tingling of memory drew her to an inner reverie as she thought back upon her studies.
As the long-lost daughter of a Bralani (Azata outsider), she had done much study of the Planes and the variety of creatures which may travel between them...
She weaved her words into her melody, informing her companions of their enemy as she stepped forward.
"Demon Dretches we face, my friends
But fear not, their evil we will cleanse
Evil shall now pay the price
-but do not use acid, fire or ice"
Round 1
Sir Christoff calls upon his god for blessings in battle. Hennet steps up, slashing at one of the creatures, leaving a gaping wound in its side. Azura’s song provides a boost to her companions. Andrietta admonishes the creatures in their own tongue, but that only seems to enrage them.
Two of the creatures quickly engage the party, one attacking Sir Christoff, the other grappling with Hennet. Each of the warpriests sustain some damage from the clawing, biting dervishes. The third creature responds to Andiretta’s admonishment. The words are not verbal, but form in her mind.
Round 2
Initiative:
1st: Christoff, Hennet, Azura, Andrietta
2nd: Creatures
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Azura continues to vocalize her inspiring melody, her eyes growing dark as she watched the fiends crowd around Hennet. She reached into her spell component pouch and pulled out a glob of butter on her fingers. She rubbed the oily substance between her fingers and flourished her hand, incanting the words and casting grease beneath two of the dretches feet.