PFS PBP The Stolen Heir High Tier And the Green Market (Inactive)

Game Master Vahanian 89

Thallin pulls his wand of cure light wounds and heals himself. He then moves to a location where he can see the farmer and the wolves.

Wand of Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

How fare away is the farmer and the wolves?

20 ft? I will add them to the map after work

I apologize, It was a wand of infernal healing, not cure light wounds. I'm not sure if we are in rounds or not, so I will base it on 1 HP per posting.

Eldon observes pale the attack of the wolves. He draws his rapier, readied to defend the poor farmer "We have to save him!"

Ludovico readies his longsword and shield.

Yes! We must save him. There does not appear to many people left in these parts, he says, with a nod to all the abandoned buidlings.

"OH GOODY … A FIGHT!"
"I do hope they're made of sterner stuff than those fellows from Galt!"

@ GM V:
Just to save you a wee bit of time:

Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

The first thing Gruugdúrz will do is shoot at the nearest wolf he can with his Oflaz (his masterwork composite longbow). He'll fire using Deadly Aim

Oflaz: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 181d8 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15 (deadly aim)

That longbow cost a bundle, but it was worth it!

Dylara takes her shield from her back and draws her longsword.

Waiting to see where the man and wolves are before I add more.

Round 1
Melon
Saarai
Gruugdurz
Thallin
Dylara
Ludovice
Wolves
Eldon

Saarai draws a wand of magic missile from her belt and fires it at the nearest wolf on the left, hoping to scare the pack off.

magic missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Round 1
+1 HP / infernal healing 2/10 rds.

Thallin drops the wand and quickly fires a shot at one of the wolves (Blue). Once the thrum of his bow sounds out, the magus quickly moves off to one side.

(Attack) MW Composite Longbow: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 6 + 1 = 22
(Damage) MW Composite Longbow: 1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 = 6
(Damage Sneak attack): 1d6 ⇒ 2

Gruugdúrz will run in and charge one of the other wolves (red), using Kagaz (his masterwork Falchion)

Kagaz: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 252d4 + 10 ⇒ (1, 3) + 10 = 14
Charge, power attack, and not using bloodgrage (yet)

His Shield spell has probably worn out, so between that and his charge, his AC should be down to 18.

Thallin and Saarai combine to take down one wolf and Gruugdruz neatly kills another.

Round 1
Melon
Saarai
Gruugdurz
Thallin
Dylara
Ludovice
Wolves
Eldon

Ludovico moves forward, sword at the ready. As he advances, he intones the saga of Jirdon the Mighty, the part where he single-handedly fights off a pack of wolves in the Varisian wilderness.

Begin Inspire Courage: An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. round 4/13

Dylara moves past Gruugdúrz and swings her longsword at the wolf north of her.

Adamantine Longsword, IC: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 1 = 16 Damage, IC, Sneak Attack vs Flat-footed: 1d8 + 3 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (7) + 3 + 1 + (5) = 16

"Melon, attack the other!"

"Prrrowaa!"

Melon takes to the air and rapidly flies half a circle before attacking the other dog from five feet above the ground.

+1 Bite, High Ground, IC: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 28 Damage, IC: 1d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10
Confirm crit: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 14 Damage, IC: 1d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 1 = 9

The last wolf flees quickly away as it's fellows are quickly killed.

What a bad combat...

Diplomacy: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (14) - 1 = 13

"You okay, sir?" Dylara asks the man.

The wolves are gone, you're safe now, Ludovico says.

Aid Another Dylara (Diplomacy): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

"You're welcome, by the way." says Gruugdúrz
diplomacy (to aid Dylara): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Thallin retrieves his wand and stows it away in his belt, then turns to the man and nods. "Seems you where about to have a bit of bad luck. Good thing we heard those wolves in time to react."

Diplomacy (Aid Dylara) : 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

"Why thank ye. Thought I was a gonna there. Ever since Tercio was elected mayor, the town guard has been more concerned with preparing his
parades and doing favors for his friends than with keeping the town safe from wild threats, like these here wolves." The man says.

Thalia, sagely quoting from the works of her favorite political philosophers, remarks on how dangerous it can be for a leader to focus on politics over the needs of the people. The farmer nods his agreement and then is on his way.

Soon after the fight, an apprentice emerges from the southeastern building and advertises that the shop sells healing potions. So long as no one is critically injured, he even half-jokes that the shop gets more business when trouble’s nearby.

Sense motive please. And do you head into the store?

The astute Saarai sees right through the shop keeper's ruse.

What is he hiding?

sense motive: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

"You are welcomed" answers Eldon to the farmer before he leaves.

"It seems this Tercio is ruling for his own I would say... well, I guess that is non of our business anyway..." finishes the elf.

When the apprentice appears he observes him carefully.
Sense motives: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

"Good, perhaps we can have a look, but I think no one got injured. Are you getting more benefits nowadays?" finishes the magus.

He is surprised to see Thalia with you.

After listening to Thalia go on sagely, Gruugdúrz ponders. Blunt as ever:
"I don't understand any of this political stuff.
Fighting I understand. That's what I do."

Then follows the others to the alchemical shop.

⋮

sense motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
"I don't trust this this milksop!"

"We would like to come into your shop. To check your wares."

"We'd like to have a quiet word about a spot of bother we've had."

And then hisses "PLEASE!"
intimidate: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

With a well timed glare, Gruugdúrz wants to make it clear to the alchemist that he won't take 'no' for an answer.

Standing in the back of the group, Thallin quietly observes the man in the shop.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

After taking in the man's body language, the magus moves a bit closer. "By the expression on your face, I would venture to say that you know this woman," Thallin says while pointing at Thalia.

Ludovico follows the others to the shop. When he hears Thallin address the apprentice, he takes another look at the new arrival.

sense motive: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Once in the shop, Eldon takes a deep look on everything around trying to guess if something is amiss.
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

"Yea. Yea. I heard she got kidnapped. You didnt.... Ill go get the boss!" He says and vanishes back into the store. You follow...

This shop is spacious and lined with rack upon wooden rack of exotic herbs, spices, tonics, smoking paraphernalia, and a smattering of glass vials of brightly colored liquids. More such vials stand in display inside a glass-fronted countertop. Strange and smoky odors waft from a back room past a mostly closed door.

Koriana Verdothia, a middle-aged half-elf woman with platinum blonde hair, gray-green apothecary’s robes, and huge goggles come out of the back room as you enter. "What remedy or tonic they might be looking for?" She asks.

Gruugdúrz will address Koriana Verdothia, in a matter-of-fact way:
"Hello. My name is Gruugdúrz Staz Dushûrz. It looks like someone purchased some of your wares recently to dupe someone in to kidnapping this lady …" motioning toward Thalia "… we would be interested in knowing who that might be."

diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

"My friend here …" indicating Ludovico "… can explain it to you much better than I can."

Gruugdúrz then steps back to let Ludovico do the talking. He knows that his is not a good time for his intimidating skills.

Ludovico looks at Gruugdurz than at Koriana.

Well, he says, Since we are getting right to the point, I will tell you why we are here. We have a note with some alchemical reagents of some type smudged on it, and we would like you to tell us about the them.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

“We all have our goals,” she continues. “The elder Andares did not hire you to investigate, so what is a band of Pathfinders hoping to acquire here?”

While the others discuss business, Saarai looks for an opportunity to slip into the back and check things out.

stealth: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (18) + 20 = 38

There is only 1 door to the back and she is standing in it. You can go around outside but there is no other door in.

While still outside the building, Thallin activates the seek thoughts scroll, and then enters the establishment.

Assuming he can trigger the scroll. Thallin will be looking for information pertaining to who initiated Thalia's abduction.

"We are investigating Thalia's abduction on our own accord. The way politics are these days, it doesn't hurt to do a solid favor for a family with some juice. I'm sure you know how it is. Do you have any idea who started all this?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Dylara stands quietly in the back, but observes Koriana and tries to assess the woman's trustworthiness.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

"I can assure you, you'll get no favors from her family if she is returned. Come now, what are you really after?" She asks

Dylara you get the feeling that she knows a lot about whats going on. Doesn't want to fight but will if she must.

"We are trying to discern who initiated this woman's abduction. The alchemical footprint left on this note we have, has lead use to you. Although we harbor no i'll will towards you, we would like to ascertain your involvement with this, and possibly backtrack to where it originated. If it helps to bridge our understanding a bit." Thallin pulls out a pouch of coin. "We could part with a little coin, for credible information."

Sense motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

"Like the man says, we want to find out who you could have sold some alchemical ink we found."

sense motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

"Your money means little to me young man. Her father is the one who had her taken, of course. She was starting to poke her nose into places it wasn't supposed to be. So she needed to vanish. Speaking of coin, I'm sure the society is in great need of it with all the activities you have going on in Mendev. If you hand her back over to me, her father would see that the society gets all they need and more. Even some military aid, if that's needed." She says.

And you remember that was the main reason you were sent here. Secure aid for the mission in the worldwound.

Sense motives: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12

Not seeing at all clear the offer Eldon hesitates observing carefully "So what exactly are you proposing and how can we make sure you are not misleading us"

Not that I would hand her thinks the elf to himself But I want to understand what this one is after.

Ludovico says to Koriana, You seem to know an awful lot about this situation.

Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Despite his inability to sense any deeper meaning to Koriana's words, Ludovico turns to the others and says, What possible benefit would it be to us to turn Thalia over to this woman, whom, I might add, we just met? Our task was to recover the daughter and turn her over to the father, not to a random shopkeeper.

Shes telling the truth.

"You leave the girl with me, I send a note to Tercio, you get the financing and military support you need. And the girl wont be harmed." She says.

"Wait you cant honestly go along with this. If we go to the authorities my father will be arrested and I will inherit his estates." Thalia says.

"Oh sush girl. Even if your father lost, it could take years for you to inherit. And that could start a witch hunt the could take Andoran focus away from the world wound. I work directly with her father, if she is returned it will make things akward for him and he wont be able to offer any aid." Koriana counters.

I love when I have to argue with myself...

Gruugdúrz won't bother hiding that fact he's now befuddled.
But addresses the alchemist anyway …

"I'm confused. I mean! If we hand over Thalia to you, do you hand her back over to her father? Or keep her safe elsewhere?"

"I don't mind cracking skulls. That's what I do. But I DO mind fighting for nought."

"And anyway … what sort of things was she poking her nose in that would prompt her father to dupe someone into kidnapping her? And who would have told the Pathfinders about all this in the first place? I doubt it was Thalia's father, since he started all this rubbish in the first place."

sense motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

"If you give her to me her father will decide where she ends up. Imagine, if you will, that news comes of a dashing Qadiran prince rescuing Thalia from the kidnappers as they took her to their employer in Absalom, and she chooses to marry him straightaway and live out her days in his distant homeland surrounded by luxury. Or it turns out she was taken by slavers to Thuvia, where she was freed by an order of monks that she then decided to join. We did not orchestrate her ultimate destination before she had time to ruin everything, so this kidnapping is merely a temporary solution. Although there is no denying she will no longer be a part of the Andares family, I promise that I will do my best to ensure that no harm will come to her wherever she goes.” Koriana says.

"Whose toes was she stepping on?"

diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

hodie Fortuna mihi ridet!
(the goddess) Fortuna smiles at me today!

That's awesome but diplo wont really help you any more here.

"Why her fathers." Koriana says.

"Yes he is being very un Andoran! Trying to set up an almost noble class. Rigging elections and giving favors. He must be stopped!" Thalia says passionately.

"Wake up girl! That's just how the world works." Koriana snaps.

"I do not give a cent for what you are saying woman." explodes in anger Eldon "All this business have no sense at all to me. What kind of morals are guiding you all, I cannot understand. Thalia, do not worry, for as long as my sword is up, I will protect you, I do not care whom laws I have to fight against."

With that the elf takes the girl and makes his way to the shop exit "Whatever we decide in the end, I do not want to discuss in front of this flesh dealer"

I will go with whatever the group decides, but I will prefer to go to the guard or just confront the father directly with the facts

"You misunderstand me sir. No harm would come to the girl. Those are merely stories that be told. Her father would never do something like sell her to slavery. Plus that is outlawed here. Its just a plausible story to cover her departure. She would live a happy, carefree and most importantly quite life. Somewhere far from here. Her every need taken care of. Then the society would win, we would win and I'm sure even Thalia would grow to love her new life." Koriana says, while Thalia glares at her.

Ludovico says, Eldon, calm yourself. Our job is not to get embroiled in local politics. Our mission is simple. Find the girl, retrieve the girl, return the girl to her family, negotiate for funding and support for operations in the Worldwound. Let us complete the mission and leave this gods forsaken country.