PFS Gameday 5: Amazing Red's Twisted Circle (Inactive)

Game Master Daxter

Thracius nods in thanks to the weavers and gives the hiding child a subtle wave and a smile before stepping back out into the streets of mercy. He nods to Belinda and shrugs slightly at her options.

"I agree we should investigate the Painted house, but we can do that in the evening when the Market has quietened, if we wish to know more about the townsfolk then visiting the Market at its peak is a good way I suppose."

Once out of earshot of the Weavers and other townsfolk, thracius whispers to the party.

"Did you all see the Weaver's Child peering from the door? It is good to see they are present here."

"To the market, then. Strange things happen in this town. Rumble worried," the oread grumbles.

Belinda slips the man a few gold coins to pay for the orange suit.

And then, after leaving

"I did. But did you see the growths on her? It was like she was turning into a tree or a bush. There is an oddity to this religion. "

She waits to see if the others noted anything else strange.

She adds quietly.

"Odd having a bat for a pet too. Lastly, it looks like maybe what ever tension exists between the smiths and carpenters may be over. But again, we might see it more if we are looking."

Thracius looks at the Halfling with a puzzled expression, he had not seen either the growths nor the bat around the Child or the weaver's homestead. Pondering for a moment he speaks again.

"It could be the results of a powerful spell, or the after effects of the Blight? We may need to investigate any other strange growths. Does anyone know of a religion who keeps a pat as a Favoured Animal? In case a different clergy is posing as Robari? It has been known to happen."

Knowledge Nature/Arcana: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12 Any spell that can leave plant growths as described?"

Thracius has no idea what could be happening.

Belinda heads off to the market to see what she can learn of the place or of the missing pathfinder.

"Interesting things to note, and now that we are having clothes tailored, we have a good excuse to return and inquire further. Let us go see the local market life and ask some questions."

Jaxal walks along side Belinda.

Screeches fill the air, accompanied by the sound of thousands of wings crashing through leaves and branches, and the occasional “thud” of something hitting the ground from a great height. The people of Mercy are out in the square, slinging rocks into the trees to frighten away the mass of bats attacking the town. A swirling collection of shadows appears along the wall of the carriage house. As the people in the square cry out in surprise, the shadows collect themselves into distinct forms. A figure wearing a large cape flees from a small child who lurches forward with an unnatural gait.

Rumblerock is up first!

Perception 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

Sense Motive 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Rumble was quite confused by everything in front of him. He looked across the battlefield and saw the strange shadows.

"Tarp on the stall am not a tarp. It is a creature of some kind.". Even stranger was the shadows projecting. "Shadows a performance. Trying to communicate with group, Rumble thinks."

After assessing the situation, he takes a total defense action to see how things play out.

RumbleRock decides to bide his time. The swarm descends upon the party.

Everyone but Jaxal takes: 1d6 ⇒ 4

All those affected have bleed 1 and have to make a DC11 fort save from distraction. Party is up.

sense motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
fort: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Belinda staggers out of the swarm, bleeding profusely.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

"Trying to communicate, you say? I don't see it - how are they communicating?"

Jaxal readies a flask of alchemist's fire, to throw at the bat swarm if they move towards him, or if his friends escape the swarm.

[spoiler=Readied throw]
Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Damage: 1d6 + 1d3 ⇒ (3) + (2) = 5

Peception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18

Sense motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

fort save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

Bitten by bats but able to keep their cool in situation, Thracius pulls out a flask of acid from his robes and is ready to hurl it once Eleoheim has moved out of the swarm's embrace.

Readied Acid flask, splash vs touch: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24 for damage acid: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Eleo: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Rumble: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Both Eleo and Rumble leave the swarm still bleeding which gives Jaxal and Thracius the opening they need. Jaxal's throw goes wide and he misses while Thracius hits the mark, the acid burning a few bats.

1d5 ⇒ 1

Due to clever splitting, the swarm can only go after one party member. It decides to go after Jaxal!

He takes: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Party is up!

Rumble pulls his flask, readying an action to throw his alchemical weapon when Jaxal withdraws.

RTA 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

Damage 1d6 ⇒ 2

Unable to hurt the bats, Belinda tries to stem her flow of blood.
heal: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

"That's a bit better!" she says, pulling away from the swarm.

Jaxal steps back out of the swarm, and drinks an extract (CLW).

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Thracius draws his last flask of Acid and silently curses himself for not being more prepared, with Jaxal free of the Swarm's grasp the Elf hurls the flask before backing off.

flask, splash: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 for damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5 x1.5

Eleoheim takes out a flask of alchemist's fire and throws it at the bats. Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21; Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3 and Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4 next round

EDIT: Eleohim takes another point of bleed damage.

Thracius and Eleo lands a hit with their consumables with the latter's being enough to disperse the swarm. After that happens a lone figure walks into the square. She looks to be a doll, almost identical to the ones you found in Amenira's home save for the branches growing out of her neck. She calls out a single word: “Murder.” A sound like a sheet whipping through gale wind fills the air, as the previously called out black tarp takes flight and flies away from the town. Combat is over.

Blood pouring freely from the swarms bites, Thracius flicks his wrist and activates a charred wand of Devil bone, using it's magic to slowly heal his cuts and bruises and, mote importantly, halting the bleeding. Then he also uses an ivory wand to call forth shimmering armour around himself, in case they should be set upon again.

"Murder? Is that against us or that shadow?" the Elf asks uncertainly.

Eleoheim sheathes his weapon and moves over to Thracius, bidding him for some healing in Elven.

Jaxal pulls out a wand of CLW and offers it to anyone needing to knit together their wounds.

CLW for Jaxal: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
CLW for Jaxal: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

"Looks like I may need to visit the tailor again as well."

Hmm - I just realized Jaxal didn't have an extract of CLW - I misread my sheet (known vs prepared). Extra wand charge to make up for it.
CLW for Jaxal: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Belinda walks over to the wooden doll.

"Hello... I'm Belinda.." says the smiling halfing.

The Halfling looks around to see if the others in town have noticed the doll.

"Are you one of the local children?" she asks.

The doll does not answer any questions and instead flees to the guesthouse. Following her inside she introduces herself.

"I am Nira. I do not know you. You are not from Mercy. You find Mercy. You find murder." She then hands you a scroll of enter image.

"Oh.. thank-you. If you don't mind me asking Nira... are you from Mercy? You seem to know we are not. "

She pauses. "I noticed other children, with growths like yours. Are you a follower of Robiri?"

She looks around to see if other locals have noticed her talking with the strange doll-creature.

Most of the villagers hid in their homes and also you're in the guesthouse out of view of the rest.

"No, I am not from mercy and I am not a child. I do not follow Robori. Who are you?"

"Am RumbleRock. Am a Pathfinder. Here looking for a friend, and finding out more about town and Robari plant God. Nice meet Nira."

"And I am Bellinda Bluefoot! " smiles Belinda.

"And a pathfinder as well. So, Nira, you... don't look like most people. What can you tell us about the murderer in Mercy? And where do you come from?"

"Pathfinders? That means something to me.. But what? That creature murdered me. His fault I'm like this..." Nira seems to shut down for a little while. "You should find the creature and kill it. Please."

"That creature? You mean the big tarp like batty creature?" asks Belinda.

"Do you know where it lives? And..."

She pauses.

"If it killed you... how are you here?"

"I wasn't always like this.. I think.. It's hard to remember. I just know that it did kill me. And that tree, there's something wrong with it."

Thracius thinks about it carefully for a while, he was unsure of a creature that could kill like this but the elf did have an idea. During the questioning of the atrange doll like creature, Thracius remembers Eleoheim's bid and pulls forth the charred devil bone, activating it to slowly seal his companions wounds.

"Your name...is it Amenira?" he asks finally.

"Oh very smart Thracius!" says Belinda, impressed with the tall elf.

"I missed that..."

How tall is Nira? Is she like toy sized, or halfling sized, or human sized?

Toy sized.

"Is it? I don't honestly remember. Maybe? Memories, all fractured. Do you know Amenira? I know I came here to investigate the village and then that cloaker.."

And is Nira wearing shoes?

"So the cloaker killed you, not someone in Mercy? says Belinda, trying to make sure of her understanding. Did it kill you here, in Mercy, or somewhere else?

Yes.

"In its lair I think... I'm sorry, everything is fuzzy."

"We found some tracks leading from a cave when we first arrived at Mercy..."

Did we finish exploring that cave?

Yes.

"That is most likely its lair." And suddenly you hear a knock on the door. You hear the sheriff's voice and he is asking to speak to the party. Nira runs and hides under one of the beds.

"Yes?" Jaxal opens the door once Nira is quiet.

Thracius nods sadly, he had hoped his deduction was incorrect, but the Elf consoled himself with the thought that it was not to be children sacrificed. He nods at Belinda's thought pattern involving the cave, it seemed plausible.

"Yes, we must tackle the cloaker it seems-" the shy Elf cuts off as the sheriff knocks and makes sure Amenira is out of sight should the sheriff answer.

Rumble stood by silently as the sheriff interrupted the questioning of the doll.

The sheriff is standing there as the door is opened, looking rather wearyed. He sighs. “The world out there is full of evil and terrible things—undead horrors that live for thousands of years, dragons the size of cities, and forces from beyond our world that try to ruin everything they touch. I’m grateful for whatever it is that shields Mercy from storms, keeps us healthy, makes our crops grow, and protects us from monsters like whatever that thing was that swooped overhead today. Does Robori watch over us? Honestly, I’m not so sure, but I’m not as willing as most people around here to leave matters in the hands of faith alone. We need your help. I’m asking you to deal with that monster. Vampire or not, if it can make bats attack like that, it’s a danger to our town, and I can’t risk going off into the Wastes and leaving folk here undefended." He hands you back all your confiscated weapons as well as some extra equipment.

He gives you a longspear, a scroll of scorching ray, and a wand of bless with 20 charges remaining. He also presents you with a glowing arrow, stating “this arrow has been handed down in my family for generations. My great-grandmother used an arrow just like this one to strike through the heart of a wild creature that was trying to tempt people to a watery grave. It wouldn’t feel right not to give you everything I can to help you defend Mercy.” It is a +2 Cold Iron Fey Bane Arrow.

"Wow... thanks.." says Belinda.

"[b]We have a clue where it may have come from... a cave off the route we travelled in by.

What time is it now? Do we have time to go to the cave today, or would it be better to hang around town and talk with some more of the locals in case we turn up other interesting information. We don't know anything about the Carpenter/Smith feud yet that was in that initial letter. Or maybe that is just a red hearing.

You have plenty of time.

"Did you? Was it south of here? That seems like where all the bats are heading."

"I think so..." says Belinda.

"If we have time I'd like to take an hour to see what we can learn in the market place. Would you be interested in joining us in exploring the cave?"

"No, I have to stay here to protect the village. You should go as soon as possible to track down that creature." The sheriff replies.

"Thanks Sheriff. We'll get down there pretty soon. There may be some stuff in the market we can use. If there are more swarms of bats, for example, we are probably out of things we can use against them."

Okay so what would you like to purchase?

At least one Alchemists fire for Belinda. Others may need to stock up as well. Probably a potion of CLW as well if they make them, as that bleeding effect would be nasty.