Hah! I'm enjoying that Auri doesn't much care for Merisiel. Hopefully not minding the stabby nature of this pregen. Her dice have been hot.
"I know, Auri. It's not easy to be merciful when you can't see your target. At least we got her now."
Merisiel doesn't turn down the coins from Weigo. To the bartender she says, interceding. "My friend here doesn't always choose the right words. Lura... didn't respond well to them."
She watches the bartender to see if his body language or words confirm or deny that the woman on the ground was their target.
The "new owner" answers Auri. "She didn't keep a room here, ironically she felt it beneath her. She did keep a lockbox behind the bar. She said she'd behead anyone who got caught tampering with it."
"We'll see about that," Merisiel smirks. "I'm curious. Let me have a look at that lockbox."
Merisiel will check the lockbox over for traps. Take 10 on Perception? For a 24.
If it's locked, she'll bring out her tools and get to opening it. Take 10 on Disable Device? For a 27
The gagged woman rolls her eyes and struggles a bit, but not enough to elicit potential retribution.
Merisiel pops the lock with ease. Inside are some extremely high end liquors, narcotics, and.... a vial that can only be the full strength cure for the vendor's son.
"Perfect. We have what we need, guys. Do whatever you like to the woman, but please remind her that retribution is a very dangerous idea for her to entertain."
We got the cure now. Head back to the potion merchant?
Dupine speaks to the surviving summoner. "We are going to let you live, but if I were you, I would not plan to show my face around here any time soon. It looks like you were a big deal, but I suspect the speed with which we disabled you will be the talk of the town."
Then looking at the barkeep, he continues. "Congratulations, son. Run it well. DO us a favor, though? Store her away in a back room for a day or two until we get clear? We don't need her getting any ideas of being a thorn in our side." He tossed the man a few gold coins. "Feed her, though. No need to make her more miserable than she is."
The barkeep smiles wide, and as you leave he gives all the people too drunk to leave a free round!
With the cure secured, you return to Rulkep Tonics. The tears of appreciation are genuine, and you're proud of the work, even if it hadn't been part of your mission.
With everything secured, and with your travel cover wearing thin, you opt to head out of Bloodcove. You head north out of the Vanji River basin and into the Terwa Uplands.
If anything, the blistering heat of the Garund plains grows more intense away from the coast. The trade routes cut through winding switchbacks, avoiding the marshiest ground and occasionally crossing a shallow river gorge.
As the caravan crests a hill on the edge of a large river gorge, sudden activity silences the ambient jungle noise. Armed guards pile out of the foliage. An ebon-skinned woman strides out alongside them, brushing back her tresses and grinning from ear to ear. “Let’s not mince words, Pathfinders. Give me the key* you carry, and I shall let you continue on your way. Refuse, and my men will toss you in the river and you can swim to your destination.”
What now Pathfinders? Parlay? Violence? Acquiescence?
*Key:
From the briefing: “Once you deal with that business, head northwest.” He presents a sealed scrollcase and an ornate, golden key on a leather thong. “Guard these with your lives. The key’s exact purpose eludes me, but the symbol it bears is repeated on a doorway at Azlant Ridge. The scrollcase contains a map to the dig site. My magics secure the case, though, and it will explode violently if opened within five miles of Bloodcove."
"To be honest, with this heat, a swim does sound quite refreshing. But I wonder, what is this key you speak of? What might it be for? We don't know each other, and I expect if we did, we could find some common ground easily enough. Let us pass, and perhaps we can agree to help you in some way?"
She ponders Dupine's words, but she doesn't budge, "I'm just looking for some quick gold, not the secrets of the universe. But, I like you, I'll be merciful when you surrender."
Gnome Wizard (Illusionist) 7 | AC 17 T 13 FF 15 | HP 63/51 | F +7 R +6 W +7 (+2 vs. Illusion) | Init +8 | Perc +2 (low-light) | Sense Motive +0 | Blinding Ray 8/8 | MageArmor
Reflex:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Piper avoids becoming entangled, and tries to blind the witch to keep her from targeting the Pathfinders.
reflex:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Krya goes to help Merisiel to the east and attacks with her scimitar.
attack:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14 damage:1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Piper slips the worst of the threads, and tries to knock the witch out early. FORT:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18, and she barely blinks out the spell!
Merisiel has better luck, getting a good stab in. The elf's target is tough though, and he's got a lot of fight left. Kyra escapes too, but her blade hits only armor.
Thiera tries to escape the web, REF:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12, but she's caught fast. She tries to twist against the webs, Escape Artist:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19, and breaks free! She moves a bit.
It's a web, not entangle. Even if you make your save it's still rough going.
Auri ALMOST knocks he man out, but he somehow holds on despite her hit and Merisiel's stab.
On the Eastern front the guards try to get a better position. One steps up to slash at Kyra: Scimitar:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11, but focuses more on moving than swinging.
The other slashes at Merisiel, thinking her the easier target. Scimitar:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17. But he thinks wrong.
On the west, the two guards continue to focus on August:
Scimitar:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14 MISS
Scimitar:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22DMG:1d6 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
The witch steps back while taking out a wand. She looks at August and gives him the STINK EYE! Will DC 18 or suffer the Misfortune Hex/
Round 2:
Dupine: Miss
Baddies: Stuff
Kyra: Go
Merisiel: Go
Auri: Go
Piper: Go
Thiera: Go
Merisiel moves between both guards, tumbling fast as she goes to avoid their attacks.
Going to tumble to where she is on the map. Because of the number of threatened squares to get there, she'll go at full speed (which bumps their CMD by +10.) Acrobatics to Avoid AoOs:1d20 + 20 ⇒ (12) + 20 = 32 Her AC is 27 vs AoOs, thanks to Mobility
Once flanking with Kyra, she stabs a guard (blue border) for all she's got.
Rapier Attack w/Flanking:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22 Weapon Damage:1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 Sneak Attack Damage:4d6 ⇒ (1, 6, 6, 6) = 19
Despite the danger, Merisiel gets through despite the danger, showing off her skill. When she lands, her blade slips between the witch's wounds with ease! She howls in agony. Another hit like that and she's not long for this world.
Round 2:
Dupine: Miss
Baddies: Stuff
Kyra: Go
Merisiel: Stabbity
Auri: Go
Piper: Go
Thiera: Go
August continues to struggle, and this time, so does Auri.
Thiera decides that enough is enough and drops a fireball on the witch and two of her guards. The flames lick her teammates, but her placement is perfect. DMG:6d6 + 6 ⇒ (1, 2, 2, 1, 3, 5) + 6 = 20
Gnome Wizard (Illusionist) 7 | AC 17 T 13 FF 15 | HP 63/51 | F +7 R +6 W +7 (+2 vs. Illusion) | Init +8 | Perc +2 (low-light) | Sense Motive +0 | Blinding Ray 8/8 | MageArmor
I'll be sporadic from Wednesday November 23 through Sunday November 27 due to American Thanksgiving. I suspect this game will be wrapped up before then. I'll start part II on Monday, even if we finish early.
Round 2:
Dupine: Miss
Baddies: Stuff
Kyra: Go
Merisiel: Stabbity
Auri: Miss
Piper: Glitterdust
Thiera: Fireball
Merisiel's words fall on deaf ears. The rapier stab and the bruises from Auri are too much and the man is unconscious before the elf finishes her admonishment.
With no one left, the remaining guard throws down his weapon and begs for mercy!
Before you can interrogate him, the burned witch raises her head for a moment. It doesn't take a psychic to know that she understands these are her dying words. She even seems at peace with it. The witch smiles gently. “Travel safely, Pathfinders, but travel swiftly,” she says. “I’m far from the only Consortium vulture looking to pick your bones today.” She looks toward the road back to Bloodcove, where in the distance birds and chattering monkeys scatter from the canopy as if frightened by a large force moving in this direction and, at best, two hours away...
And with that, she takes her last breath.
Weary and mere hours ahead of the Aspis Consortium’s own force sent to overtake you on your way to the Azlant Ridge excavation, you divest the guards of their gear and make off for the safety of the site, a two day hike.
Well played Pathfinders! It's a bummer about TomG, but this was solid play. As I mentioned above we'll get to part II on Monday. It'll be the same thread, so no worries. I'll try to get chronicles out today.
Actually, since part II isn't a GameDay game I'm going to deactivate this thread and start up a new one. You can post HERE. I'll close this one once everyone dots the new one.
