PbP GameDay IV: PFS #6-09 By Way of Bloodcove (3-7) - Tier 3-4 (Inactive)

Game Master Magabeus

"So would I, if that's possible."

"We heard that there is a new edict passed that groups of more than five are not allowed in the streets... won't we attract untoward attention if we cluster around the wagon?"

"We heard that as well. I will give you a writ saying you are employed by House Cartahegn for the purpose of guarding that caravan. You should be fine then. As for riding the wagon, besides the driver there are two spots available on the coach box. You can sort out who takes those amongst yourselves"

Put Oleander and Nemesis there, red circle is the driver

Not looking very pleased that the two spots in the wagon are already taken, Van takes his place on the west side of the vehicle.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Ash follows alongside, wanting to be readily mobile as necessary.

Fuzzfoot hangs back, watching from a short distance, using inspiration to keep a sharp eye.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 11 + (6) = 19

Well, not bad for rolling 2, but is it enough?

Forgot Perception

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17

Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30

I have completely failed in my attempts to move and place my character. Can someone place me opposite of Van Potter please?

Quinray beats out a cadence in the rhythm of everybody's footsteps a few feet behind Van.
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Sorry Fuzzfoot, no inspiration as that would deplete your pool before the ambush. And even with inspiration you did not beat the DC.

You are walking alongside or riding on the wagon, while Fuzzfoot follows from a short distance. Oleander, Branson and Nemesis see a barricade looming ahead, while the others are distracted by the crowds on the street. Suddenly four arrows are fired at you hitting Ash 13 damage + Fort save and Quinray 8 damage, while two miss Branson and Ash.

The crowd starts to scatter, making it hard to move trough the fleeing people. Treat the area as difficult terrain

Initiative - Surprise Round
Difficult terrain
Oleander
- - -
Gold
- - -
Nemesis - can act
Branson - can act
Quinray - 8 damage + surprised
Van - surprised
- - -
Ungala
- - -
Ash - 13 damage, Fort save please
- - -
Green
Purple
Red
- - -
Fuzzfoot

OK - I'll have to go back and check - my record was I still had 3 of 4 inspiration left, but it's possible I failed to note some...You are right, though - he would not want to use his last point.

Is the guy on the roof to the east a human and either weapon in hand or looking like he might have one? If so, he is the target, otherwise pick one of the attackers at random who is human.

Oleander, bow in hand, snaps off a pair of shots at the person on the roof to her left.

attack1, rapid shot, favored enemy: 1d20 + 8 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 8 - 2 + 2 = 14
attack2, rapid shot, favored enemy: 1d20 + 8 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 8 - 2 + 2 = 11
damage1, favored enemy: 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 2 = 9
damage2, favored enemy: 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 2 = 6

"Ambush!" she cries.

Surprice round, therefore one arrow only, however that increases attack to 16 (all enemies in this encouter are human)

Oleander fires a shot at the bow-wielding human female on the roof but her arrow bounces against the balustrade. One of the men behind the barricade fires a shot at Nemesis but misses.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Initiative - Surprise Round
Difficult terrain
Nemesis
Branson
- - -
Start regular round
Ungala
- - -
Ash - 13 damage, Fort save please
- - -
Green
Purple
Red
- - -
Fuzzfoot
Oleander
- - -
Gold
- - -
Quinray - 8 damage
Van

Branson cries "brigands! fools! Do you not know the penalty for crossing the Aspis Consortium? Come my brother Agents, let us show how we treat those that would steal from the Consortium!"

Bluff: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

Branson will channel energy. I don't believe any of the bad guys are injured, but I will exclude all of the ones that are within my radius.

Channel Energy: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 1) = 6 30' radius, exclude 4, cure shaken

Fort Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Yeah, going to use my shirt reroll with that, +5 bonus for GM Stars

Fort Save reroll: 1d20 + 6 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 5 = 28

Why Ash? Don't you want Con damage? ;-)

"Since when are Aspis and Cartahegn working together?" the woman on the roof screams back "Leave your goods and walk out of here Aspis, this is no concern of yours!"

waiting for Nemesis, with site performance of today I am giving him some more time

Initiative - Surprise Round
Difficult terrain
Nemesis
- - -
Start regular round
Ungala
- - -
Ash - 7 damage
- - -
Green
Purple
Red
- - -
Fuzzfoot
Oleander
- - -
Gold
- - -
Branson
Quinray - 2 damage
Van

I'll be on a trip from Wednesday to Tuesday, so posting will be sporadic from me. I'll do what I can and at least get one more good post later today if it comes to me, but please GM me as necessary.

Can anyone give me a surprise round action for Nemesis?

Nemesis laughs at the foolhardy assailants. She will tell one on the rooftop to approach her with a command

Casting it on Ungala (assuming he is the one on the rooftop). DC 16 Will save or he will spend his next turn just trying to reach Nemesis and nothing else. Just perfect for our melee friends :). It is a mind-affecting enchantment (compulsion) spell.

"Since when are Aspis and Cartahegn working together?" the woman on the roof screams back "Leave your goods and walk out of here Aspis, this is no concern of yours!"

Hey! It never hurts to try.

"You do not know the Consortium as well as you should. We will take profit where we see fit, and crush whomever we need in the process."

Intimidate: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

Branson: not your action yet. Can someone give me an action for Ash?

Will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Acrobatics deliberate jump DC15: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Falling damage - nonlethal: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Nemesis casts his spell and the darkskinned woman jumps over the balustrade, bow in hand. She obviously misjudges the height of the balustrade and falls flat on her face. She stands up again, face bruised from the fall.

Initiative -
Difficult terrain
Ash - 7 damage
- - -
Green
Purple
Red
- - -
Fuzzfoot
Oleander
- - -
Gold
- - -
Branson
Quinray - 2 damage
Van
Nemesis
- - -
Ungala - 1 nonlethal damage

Branson: not your action yet. Can someone give me an action for Ash?

"Since when are Aspis and Cartahegn working together?" the woman on the roof screams back "Leave your goods and walk out of here Aspis, this is no concern of yours!"

I don't believe it was the woman on the roof's action either, and yet she spoke. I assumed she took a free action to respond to me, and so I returned the courtesy. I shall refrain from doing anything then except when it is my action in the future.

you are right, the intimidate check confused me. Sorry

Axe smiles as much as someone with a beak could and moves up sending flame into his claw and raking it across the woman!

Using Kinetic Fist infusion as part of the attack action; 0 burn for using it.

Fire claw @ woman: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
Damage on hit: 1d3 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 4 + (5) = 10 5 is fire in case she has Fire Resistance for some reason.

Hope she stays still... next round is 3 of those!

Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 34
Despite the blurred outline of the woman Ash scores a hit and burns her!

"Kill the Aspis dogs!" she screams and three arrows fly towards Branson, Nemesis and Quinray. Branson and Nemesis can easily avoid the arrows while Quinray is hit.

Green - Branson - miss
Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Purple - Nemesis - miss
Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 8

Red - Quinray - hit
Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 3 + 1 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Initiative
Difficult terrain
Fuzzfoot
Oleander
- - -
Gold
- - -
Branson
Quinray - 9 damage
Van
Nemesis
- - -
Ungala - Blur: 20% miss chance - 10 damage + 1 nonlethal damage
- - -
Ash - 7 damage
- - -
Green
Purple
Red
- - -

"Kill? Then be killed!" cries Oleander, firing off another pair of arrows at Ungala.

rapid shot1, favoured enemy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
rapid shot2, favoured enemy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
damage1: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
miss chance, low is bad: 1d100 ⇒ 43

If Ungala drops after the first arrow, then the second will be at another of the ambushers.
damgae2: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
miss chance 2nd arrow, low is bad: 1d100 ⇒ 28

Two arrows zoom in on the woman on the roof, hitting with a pair of satisfying thuds.

"I hope that hurt."

After the first arrow lodges itself in Ungala's shoulder the woman cries out in pain "I yield, don't kill me please!"

Will you fire the second arrow? At what target?

Oleander calls out. "Drop your weapon, don't move and keep your hands in the air. Tell your men to drop their weapons." she punctuates her point by drilling the man in green with another arrow as he obviously wasn't fast enough in dropping his weapon.

"Drop your weapons!" the woman yells and indeed; the men drop their weapons.

"What will you do with me Aspis?" the woman asks

Out of combat, that was a very helpful command spell

"Gather up their equipment." says Oleander.

Keeping her bow trained on the group, she oversees the men and woman being tied up.

"First we drop off this shipment." she says.

"And then I think I know someone who wants to meet you."

I think if we take them to our new ally she might be happy.

Ungala spats on the ground "Aspis and Cartahegn, you are all the same! Selling other people's belongings for a profit. Shame on you and on your offspring!"

Now that you have some time you notice that all five enemies are of the same tribe; the Bonuwat.

CLW: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 Touching one of the areas that he got hit, he healed a little.

"So, why don't you tell us what happened to you, who was trying to enslave your people and where was this?" Van asks the group of surrendering Bonuwat, looking a bit relieved that the combat ended quickly in their favor.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

"Tell us first why you are attacking Cartahegn wagons. Your answers will affect how we handle you and honesty is rewarded."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

-Posted with Wayfinder

"Slavery? House Cartahegn is stealing our artifacts. Do you even know what you are transporting? Please open the cargo crates and you will see for yourselves" she implores.

"Maybe you should make arrangements with House Cartahegn to avoid your artefacts. This is not the place to be opening the crates, and ownership of them is not something we can tell here." suggests Oleander.

"This is a horribly corrupt town. Whether we deal with the devil or the demon, either likely ends badly. But that is our job here."

"Aspis regretting the town they have made? That is a first. Or maybe you are something you do not want to flaunt. Do you need something from Cartahegn? Something that maybe me and my people could provide?"

Oleander looks around the rest of the group and then asks.

"What do you think you could provide us that we can't get from Cartahegn?"

"Well, we have an extensive network in and around Bloodcove. So if you would like to get people or goods in or out of town we are in a good position to assist you in that"

I assume you have found a more or less safe spot in a side alley to discuss matters

Oleander looks around the group for suggestions.

I assume we have searched this lot and not found any Aspis badges?

"I'll do you a deal. You stop hitting house Cartahegn shipments, and we talk with them about laying off your peoples area. We aren't Aspis, so you can attack them as much as you want."

She shrugs.

"No reason we can't deal with both you lot."

Indeed, no Aspis badges.

"Sure thing, if they stop stealing our stuff we won't bother them anymore. Will you let us go then?"

Fuzzfoot looks over all of the equipment they were carrying, and pockets the potions as he watches the reactions to these people to questioning.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

"You are pretty well equipped to be claiming poverty...." he muses.

If he doesn't sense any deception, he will open a crate to see what is inside.

His curiosity getting the best of him, Van joins Fuzzfoot in checking out one of the crates. "Yeah, if we talk them into leaving you alone, you can work with our organization too, sounds like a win/win."

Fuzzfoot and Van open some crates and find them loaded with
statues and idols crafted in the native Bonuwat style.

"See, those are ours. And I did not claim to poverty at all, I claimed that House Cartahegn is stealing our heritage!"

"These are already lost to you. We will let you live, and ask Cartahegn to lay off your people - there will be others they can pillage. These though must go." reafirms Oleander.

Quietly she alo asks Van Potter - "are they magical at all?"

"Let's find out." Van casts a Detect Magic spell over the Bonuwat artifacts.

They are not magical

Quite sullen the woman reacts "Well, I suppose I should be grateful. But don't think I will thank you for that"

Course of action? Release Ungala + crew, Bring cargo to end station and return to Cartahegn?

yeap.

That's fine with me.

"So, what are you not telling us? Listen, I want to work with you, but we need to have trust between us..."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Moving this forward

Ungala tells Fuzzfoot that she does not give the artifacts back to the rightful owners, but sells them so she can feed herself and her crew. “A woman has to make her coin somehow, no?”

At House Cartahegn you meet with a delighted Novaria. However she is exasperated by your willingness to listen to a pirate. She explains that the goods were all purchased legitimately from adventuring expeditions not unlike those sponsored by the Pathfinder Society, and all of the goods are legally the property of House Cartahegn. After this has been discussed you decide to leave it at that and leave House Cartahegn with her promise that she will to move supplies and Pathfinders through Bloodcove.

Deciding that you have fulfilled all your goals you decide to head back to Nantambu. Exiting Bloodcove is relatively easy, but less than a mile from the city the road leads to a narrow bridge crossing a small tributary of the Vanji River. Just besides the other side of the bridge stands the Consortium agent, Na’alu, accompanied by a strange, artificial looking humanoid (on the bridge). “I’ll be taking those documents back now.” he says smugly, “My employer would very much like to know their contents.”