Looks like Cyrus jumped the gun (and more besides)!
Next up: Finarin (4 rounds to go), Ibid (1 round to go), Miro (1 action to go)
|
Ibid slaps the ground after failing to the grab Kevin, watches Miro attempts to grapple the turkey, and happily watches the foul escape beyond the hurdles.
After a slap on the ground, the old man stands and attempts to leap the hurdles and tackle the turkey.
The old man lands on the opposite side of the hurdle and then wraps his arms around the foul.
Eventually, the companions realize that they couldn't see Finarin because the poor elf was stuck so far behind - failing in his efforts to keep up.
Ibid leaps onto the turkey and Kevin tries to buck out of Ibid's sure hands, but to no avail. Ibid has the turkey!
It's not a reflex save, though, Kevin gets a +10 vs grapples (to CMD and to his escape check). So...
Kevin, newly greased up, easily slips free from Ibid's arms. The poor, hapless, greased up turkey then goes running for... the oven.
Luckily for the Turkey, he manages to slip through "the oven" with no ill-effects.
Sheeba deliberately waits until after Kevin has slipped past the heroes before attempting her run through the oven (anything but another swim).
Once through the oven, she runs through the crowd to stand next to Cyrus before the hedgegrow.
Let's finish Round 4 and start Round 5... could be very hard with a greased-up turkey!!!
Next up: Cyus, Amaranti, Kaisharga.
|
|
....With a shrug he goes into a short chant, coating the turkey with grease.
The slippery, greased up bird slips free of his grasp and the old man chuckles to himself as the foul runs away with an awkward, clumsy gait.
"Well played, Miro," Ibid laughs, looking over the grease remaining on his hands and chest.
Ah, combat table and my funky Thanksgiving thing are getting confused. Since it's running more like a combat now...
Queue the ole Yakety Sax!
Okay, opening this up to Ibid and Finarin as well now!
Just did some more reading on grease, turns out the target can't be a creature (object or 10ft square only). Let's just say that Kevin's feathers were the object, but now they've fallen to the ground or been burnt off in the oven. No more greased up turkey...
|
Now that Cyrus has finally put himself in position ahead of the slippery turkey, he rubs his hands together in glee.
"Come to papa! "
-Posted with Wayfinder
Alas for Cyrus, even ungreased, Kevin is too slippery for him!
You can make another attempt as your second move action if you like, I believe.
Okay, since Ibid can't get the turkey this round, Miro is up also!
The crowd cheers as Kevin comes into view, the tenacious adventurers both before and after the bizarrely shaped bird. Several bird proponents begin chanting "KEVIN! KEVIN! KEVIN!" while the louder, hungrier patrons chant "DINNER! DINNER! DINNER!"
Unmolested by the crowd, Kevin once more attempts the hedgegrow.
The plucky turkey easily leaps over.
As Kevin passes her, Sheeba rushes forwards intent upon grabbing the turkey. She nimbly leaps up in the air, attempting to clear the next obstacle.
Almost landing on Kevin, the cat woman grabs for the turkey.
With extreme prejudice, Sheeba wraps her nimble arms and legs around the mutated turkey and refuses to let go.
"It is mine!" she yells, sensing victory. Of course, the other companions still have a few moments to wrestle Kevin away...
By the way, while it is technically against the rules to go backwards, if Finarin succeeds at a stealth roll (DC 10), he'll be able to use his next move/s to head back to Sheeba and Kevin's square and do his worst. ;-)
"What the?!" he bellows, spraying everyone in range with the pumpkin cider he sampled. "This is juice!"
Unfortunately for Finarin, he is unable to procure the turkey.
To get things sorted tonight, whoever posts first acts first! If nothing gets resolved by Kevin's next turn, I'll roll the rest of it.
I'll try to get the first in-scenario post done tonight.
|
|
Cyrus curses silently as the seductive catwoman grabs the turkey.
"Since when did the puddy-tat ever actually catch the bird?!" Cyrus quips at Sheeba with a wink and a smile.
"Thanks for finally holding him still for me!"
Cyrus reaches for the bird in Sheeba's tenuous grasp. In the flurry however, he isn't quite sure if he has grabbed the feline or the fowl.
|
|
The old man again sprints up to the hedgerow, and attempts to jump the obstacle and make grab for Kevin.
"The hedgerow again?" the old man questions out loud, his sound of his heart pounding in his ears. "I can't believe Kevin even made it this far..."
Once beyond the hedgerow, the old man grapples for Kevin, or at the very least, grapples whomever has Kevin, trying to wrestle the foul free.
Miro is smarting from thorns stuck in his legs as Ibid jumps over the hedge and reaches for the bird, just as Cyrus also scrambles for it. The two men (acting like boys) both grab the turkey at the same time. By the rules of the competition, the first person to grab the turkey wins in this situation. Sheeba smiles a big smile at Ibid and Cyrus, "Who am I to get between my two favorite boys?" she asks, before letting go of Kevin and standing. The graceful cat-woman dusts herself off and saunters back to the Lodge.
All the two men must do now is hold onto a turkey.
Dave bellows, The assembled patrons cheer and they heft the two men, bird and all upon their shoulders. Ibid, Cyrus and Kevin crowd-surf all the way back to the taproom. An enterprising wizard casts dispel magic on Kevin to reveal an unmutated, but still enormous, bird. He is whisked away by the chef and a scant 1 hour later, lunch is served. Everyone is amazed at how Kevin cooked so quickly, and yet remained moist and with delicious crispy skin. Apparently, the chef simply dipped Kevin in a vat of boiling duck fat instead of the oven. The burns he suffered were well worth it, all agree.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Not a one of the regular sextet of Pathfinders is pleased to be summoned back to the office of Ambrus Valsin. Despite leaving in relatively good standing with Valsin after dealing so beautifully with the spying slave, the Venture-Captain and leader of the Grand Lodge is a prickly customer at the best of times. It has not escaped the heroes’ ears that times have been particularly trying for the Pathfinder Society of late. The campaign against the demonic hordes escaping the Worldwound, in particular, has drawn the resources of the Society quite thin. This has made Ambrus Valsin particularly difficult to work for.
It is with a great deal of trepidation that you walk in to the open-doored office of the Venture-Captain.
"Ah, Falroun, these are the agents I was telling you about,” Ambrus Valsin says. “Pathfinders, welcome! May I introduce Count Falroun Matsanda of Alkenstar.” He gestures across his desk to a tall Garundi man with short black hair and gold- rimmed spectacles.
Valsin is uncharacteristically friendly. An attitude the assembled group no doubt attests mostly to the presence of his other guest.
Valsin’s guest stands and offers his hand in greeting as he speaks. “It is a true pleasure to meet you. I have purchased several antiquities from your Society in the past, and I have always wondered about the people who acquire such treasures. I must say, you do not disappoint!”
Valsin smiles at the compliment before continuing, “Agents, your next mission will take you to the island of Jalmeray. We’ve received reports that the ruins of a previously unknown temple have been found in a part of the Segang Jungle known as the Urapangi Lowlands. From its location, I think this temple could be one of those abandoned by the legendary Maharaja Khiben-Sald when he left Jalmeray over four thousand years ago. A temple untouched since Khiben-Sald’s time would be a major find for the Society. Of course, getting to Jalmeray on such short notice poses some difficulties.”
“I believe that’s where I come in,” the count interjects. “I’m arranging a hunting expedition to Jalmeray for myself and my new father-in-law, Baron Bomande Rudyahm. Bomande was quite the sportsman in his day. However, some years ago he was wounded during a tiger hunt in the Segang Jungle. He’s been grumbling about getting revenge on the beast for so long that I thought taking him on a trip back to Segang might earn me some credit with the old man.”
Ambrus Valsin continues: “Falroun has graciously offered to provide transport to and from Jalmeray and to outfit us withe verything we need for our journey into the jungle. In exchange, you’re going to help his father-in-law, the baron, with this tiger hunt and make sure he gets the better of the beast this time around, as it were. You’ll have time to discuss the details of the hunt during your voyage to Jalmeray.”
“A voyage for which I must make some final arrangements,” adds Falroun, “I’m afraid I must depart. Once again, it is a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to our journey together.” With a nod, he exits the room.
As the count’s footsteps recede down the hall, Ambrus Valsin’s smile fades from his face. “Ordinarily, the Society would cover the costs of an expedition like this. However, our resources are stretched thin at the moment thanks to our campaigns in Varisia and the Worldwound. Until such time as those ventures pay off, we’re going to have to rely on people like Count Matsanda to cover some of our operating expenses. I’m trusting you with the Society’s reputation on this mission. Fulfill our end of this bargain by helping the baron bag his tiger, and try to make nice with at least one of these nobles. Now, unless you have any questions about this temple, go get your affairs in order. Your ship sails in the morning.”
The Venture-Captain’s officious, strict tone has returned. All is as the companions expect once more. Ambrus Valsin had been smiling for so long that they thought he might have been in a genuinely good mood. As the Venture-Captain rubs the smile-induced muscle cramp from his cheeks, these illusions are thoroughly dispelled. He looks up expectantly, awaiting either a question or a fare well.
|
Miro is all smiles for the newcomer, offering nods of encouragement whenever he speaks, fully engaging in the conversation. To Valsin, his attitude is tepid at best...almost pouty. He still hasn't forgotten the dressing down after his first adventure with his current comrades.
After the amiable man has left, he asks, "Are we to just find the location of this temple? Or is there anything in particular we should look for inside it?"
|
"So, it sounds like we have a multiparty mission this time. First, make nicer-nice with the nobles, getting them to like us. Second, he'll the baron to kill the tiger. Third, find and investigate this temple. Are we to do this last part in Secret? Should we abandon the entourage while we do our investigations?"
Gunari completes his questions, showing remarkable clarity, making his companions wonder if he sobered up prior to meeting with Valsin. "oh, the Baron has to be the one to kill the tiger, I assume?
Valsin looks to the halfling bard, mild annoyance showing on his face (isn't it always), "The Urapangi Lowlands is a relatively small area. Baron Bomande Rudyahm, Count Falroun Matsanda's father-in-law, is willing and able to guide you to this area - after you help him slay his tiger," Miro fancies he can see a sneer of distaste appear on Valsin's face, "Once there, you will have to use your own investigative skills to locate the temple."
Having answered Miro to his own satisfaction, Ambrus Valsin turns to Gunari, "As good a mission summary as any, I suppose. I don't much care if the nobles like you personally, so long as their impression of our Society is a good one. Though I'm sure Lady Morilla would have more to say, thankfully I do not report to her," Valsin raises his eyebrow at Finarin before continuing, "The Baron and the Count are well aware of the Society's desire to find the temple. Its location is no secret to any who would like access to it, so speed rather than secrecy is of the essence. Oh, don't go spouting it to anyone who'll listen in a tavern, but there is no need to keep it hushed - certainly not from our benefactors."
Ambrus Valsin looks out his lone window a while, seeming a touch wistful before resuming his usual sour demeanor, "If you can convince the Baron and the Count to accompany you to the temple, you are more than welcome to take them with you. I doubt they are interested in much more than bagging the tiger that wounded Baron Rudyahm all those years ago. As for who kills the tiger, I don't think the Baron has set down an explicit requirement. However, from my understanding of such things, your aid will be much appreciated but the killing blow would best be left to him. Of course, ensuring his survival supersedes such nonsense."
|
|
Gunari will be picking up some supplies before he leaves.
2 Alchemists fire (40gp)
2 Scroll of Shield of Faith. (50 GP)
Scroll w/ 5 lesser restoration (2pp)
2 doses vermin repellant (10gp)
Smelling salts (25gp)
2 doses alchemical grease (10gp)
Whiskey (8 cups) (8sp)
2 flasks oil (2sp)
2 scroll of endure elements (50gp)
Total cost: 186gp, 2pp
|
|
"Jungle? Sounds harsh... Amaranti from dry land. Hot I like, humid not much." Amaranti thinks aloud when hearing the mission description. "I'm not good with nobles, maybe. Leave talking to Miro and Finarin. Me and Kaisharga better hunting tigers with Baron, protect Baron from sharp claws. Captain, is Baron good hunter? Can he find tiger?"
"What good gear to buy to jungle? Can you recommend?"
|
|
The old man quickly scrawls notes into his leather bound journal, and politely nods to Count Falroun Matsanda as he leaves. After Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin has answer some of his companions questions, Ibid speaks up.
"Forgive me if I misunderstood, Venture-Captain," the old man says, taping the open page of his journal. "Miro had also enquired about this topic... To be sure we do all that we can to aid the Society, in addition to locating the temple, we will endeavor to secure any relics or items of historical significance which we can find inside."
Contacts:
1. Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin
2. Count Falroun Matsanda (of Alkenstar) - paying for expedition
3. Baron Bomande Rudyahm - new father-in-law of Count Falroun Matsanda, injured by a tiger in the Segang Jungle.
Location:
1. Segang Jungle
2. Urapangi Lowlands (spicific area within the Segang Jungle)
3. Temple (within the Urapangi Lowlands) - possibly abandoned by the legendary Maharaja Khiben-Sald when he left Jalmeray over four thousand years ago.
Objectives:
1. Help Baron Bomande Rudyahm slay his tiger.
2. Locate the lost temple within the Urapangi Lowlands.
3. Leave Count Falroun Matsanda and Baron Bomande Rudyahm with a favorable opinion of the Pathfinder Society.