PbP Gameday 2: 4-14 My Enemy's Enemy Tier 3-7 (Inactive)

Game Master Kobash

I will continue through the shop, looking for clues as to what attacked the shopkeeper, and whether the plant in the "Antios" planter was stolen or crawled out no its own. I will then search the rest of the shop, opening doors, drawers, etc. to see if it looks like the place was robbed, or to find any other clues to what happened. I will also look into the other flower pots, and among the vines, etc. that seem to be on the map, to see if there any any clues, dropped items, etc. from the assailant.

"Hmm.. Perhaps it is a plant" Roary scans his limited knowledge on the subject for a plant called Antaios..

Know Nature: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Aid Another Knowledge Nature 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

Rowanna tries to place the word Antaios along with others.

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27

"If we can't place the word, perhaps we'll have to survey the local populace to see if they know anything about it."

If Kn. Nature isn't the correct skill, is there another we should be rolling? If you can't tell us, that's cool, we can just roll them all! :-)

I prefer to be up front about knowledge checks, not make players guess and spam them all. If there was an appropriate skill roll here I normally try to let you know or put a spoiler. No skill roll is possible here for Antaios.

Had a long day at work today, but will update after some sleep.

Yeah, I figured, but it never hurts to ask.

Unable to place the word in anything she's read about, the Chelaxian woman shakes her head, "There must be something we're missing here. Gerard, did you find anything interesting in that broken wayfinder?"

Always feel free to ask and roll a blind d20. I can look up your skills and check if needed.

Gerard examines the Wayfinder more closely, scanning it with detect magic and looking for any identifying markings. Blind roll: 1d20 ⇒ 5

"I think we will need Monsieur Chert's eyewitness testimony here," states Gerard. "I will tend to him and see if I can aid him further." Gerard heads back to the upper floor (with Mrs. Soap's permission, of course) and uses a charge from his wand of lesser restoration, trying to bring the elderly shopkeeper around.

Save the charge Gerard. Something else happens before you get the chance to leave.

Moving deeper into the shop, Gerard enters a room containing hundreds of colorful and exotic plants, positioned beneath several salt-clouded skylights. The most remarkable specimen, an intricately twisting four-foot tree bedecked with lavender-colored leaves, stands in an alcove on the room’s south side. A brass plate reveals it to be an amaranthine juniper. At the rear of the display floor on the southern wall is an open doorway with a twisting woody vine curled around the frame, fixed in place with loops of wire. Above this vine is a sign reading “Employees Only.”

Meanwhile, in another part of the shop...

Rowanna and Roary enter a potting room behind the sales counter. Stored within are tools, soil, and pots next to a deeply-scarred hardwood worktable. A strange plant, shaped like a jaguar made of thorny vines and covered in freshly blooming rose buds, sits crouched in the corner among torn sacks of potting earth. As they begin to look around, the head of the jaguar plant lowers and leaves bristle on its back like a cat. It then pounces on Rowanna!

Only Roary and Rowanna can act in the surprise round.

Slam on Rowanna: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

INITIATIVE - Surprise Round!
Jaguar Plant
Roary <=UP
Rowanna <=UP

Roary rages and swings at the plant..

Attack-PA: 1d20 + 13 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 13 - 2 = 20
Damage+PA: 2d4 + 10 + 6 ⇒ (3, 2) + 10 + 6 = 21

Plant is now mulch, I think. This could be Antios?

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

"Ugh, use slashing weapons and fire on this thing." Rowanna explains as she moves slightly away from it and tries to hex it.

Standard: 5 foot step, Misfortune Hex on plant- Will DC 15

Leaves fly from Roary's pruning tactics, but the plant is not yet defeated!

Rowanna steps away and gives it the evil eye, but the creature resists and continues its attack, switching to slam at Roary.

Will Save vs Hex: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

Slam on Roary: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Slam on Roary: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

INITIATIVE - Round 1 - ALL PCs are UP!
Jaguar Plant
Gerard <=UP
Roary <=UP
Haris <=UP
Rowanna <=UP
Badr <=UP
Tessara <=UP

Rowanna takes the opportunity to move further away from her attacker. "Alas, my powers are weak against plants, but I'm certain having a barbarian in the group compensates for it."

My AC is 14 raging so the thing missed.. He's using a falchion btw..

Roary swings again..

1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15
2d4 + 16 ⇒ (2, 1) + 16 = 19

Hearing the commotion, Gerard runs to rejoin his companions. He draws a throwing axe from his belt as he runs, unsure of what he may face. As soon as he sees an obvious enemy, he stops and throws the axe at it (using precise shot and point-blank shot).

Throwing axe: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 1 = 14Damage: 1d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 1 = 7

I will also attempt to identify the threat using the appropriate Knwoledge skill. Knowledge: 1d20 ⇒ 20

Tess moves to the site of the battle and uses her Misfortune hex on the plant, making it more difficult to strike out at her team.

DC 16 Will to resist. Misfortune--Effect: The witch can cause a creature within 30 feet to suffer grave misfortune for 1 round. Anytime the creature makes an ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, it must roll twice and take the worse result. A Will save negates this hex.

Haris curiously wanders around the bend at the sound of grunts and shouts.

Man, why can't I remember to change my avatar?

I tend to preview my posts to cut down on typos and formatting errors, it helps me remember to switch.

Badr, knowing that shooting a tree isn't really a good way to kill it holds his shot... but he keeps watch on the rear so that the party isn't blindsided.

Roary's attack fails to land solidly and Gerard's axe fares no better.

Tessara hexes the creature, causing it to fumble about.

Rowanna withdraws.

Badr guards the rear.

Haris walks in and finds his companions fending off a cat-shaped bush.

Despite being hindered by Tessara's hex, the plant still manages to slam Roary with both wooden paws.

Will Save vs Hex: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Slam on Roary Misfortune 1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Slam on Roary Misfortune 1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Slam on Roary Misfortune 2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Slam on Roary Misfortune 2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

INITIATIVE - Round 2 - ALL PCs are UP!
Jaguar Plant
Gerard <=UP
Roary <=UP
Haris <=UP
Rowanna <=UP
Badr <=UP
Tessara <=UP

Roary snarls at the creature and continues his assault..

1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19
2d4 + 16 ⇒ (2, 3) + 16 = 21

He takes 10 total after DR

Tess cackles to keep the Misfortune effect in existence, for all the good it did last round.

"Now that's a bush!", Haris draws his shortsword and attacks.

+1 Adamantine Shortsword: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24;1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Unable to contribute much without getting in the way, Rowanna pulls out her Wand of Infernal Healing and uses it on herself.

40 charges remaining on wand.

Gerard will draw his hand-and-a-half sword, and attack if an opening presents itself. bastard sword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13damage: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

GM: I am running an event today, tonight, and tomorrow, so please feel free to NPC me. Gerard will attack with his sword unless someone is wounded or the ladies are threatened, in which case he will move to protect them, interposing himself and going full defense.

I'm going to assume Badr is still covering the back.

Roary chops a chunk off the jaguar.

Tessara cackles to continue the creature's misfortune.

Haris stabs the thing, but his sword passes through the bushes without damaging it. It has DR/slashing.

Rowanna uses her wand to heal herself.

Gerard joins the fight with his bastard sword, but misses the creature.

The jaguar continues slamming at Roary, but Tessara's hex sends it sprawling and it misses.

Gerard then takes it down with a slash of his sword!

COMBAT OVER!

Tess surveys the scene. "Well, this plant could have clearly been our murderer. How did it get in here? Or how was it changed into this killer creature, perhaps? ". She looks for anything that might be a clue.

Perception 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

"It could have been a florist's guarddog too though.."

"I never thought I would be attacked by a living topiary. How absurd..." Rowanna says as she assists Tessara with her search, obviously distracted by the thought.

Perception (aid another): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

I am no expert in such creatures... , Badr says doubtfully.

Now that the creature is dead, Gerard examines the remains carefully, hoping to learn more about the creature. Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

"I suspect the potion may have been zee trigger. Whoever did zis probably used zee plant as a distraction, and zen made off with whatever zey wanted." Gerard surveys the room. "If we can learn no more here, we should go back to see Monsieur Chert and see if we can help him recover."

Searching the shop is only a matter of time and energy. There are no more dangerous threats in the shop (aside from a security vine that hinders, but does not damage those who try to pass it). However, you do eventually discover the following:

Located among the twisted roots of an amaranthine juniper Tessara finds a silver vial marked with an insignia resembling a stylized spider. Although the open vial is mostly empty, there are a few drops of liquid residue within.

On the living topiary Jaguar you find a scrap of blood-streaked, colored cloth caught on one of its limbs.

Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

"That cloth in the topiary, that's a satek. It's used by the Sczarni to identify one another discreetly. I thought the Sczarni were on our side." Rowanna explains with a frown.

A relative amateur at issues of survival and tracking, he still lends his skills to the cause to anyone else with more skill, consulting and sharing his opinion.

Aid Another Survival 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Aid another survival 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Aid another know. Local 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

both untrained.

Tess tries to recall any sort of rumors she had heard about the area about the Sczarni, using Rowenna's advice.

1d20 ⇒ 7
1d20 ⇒ 13
1d20 ⇒ 8

"Well, everybody knows that.", Haris defensively comments to Rowanna.

Surv: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22 Looks like 1 more aid and we'll have it..

Rowanna and Gerard can still attempt aid another checks for survival to help.

Survival (aid another): 1d20 ⇒ 19

Haris, assuming your second roll was knowledge local, you discovered both the DC 10 and DC 15 information with that one check.

One more thing:

Just inside the delivery doors at the back of the shop are two wooden crates of robust Avistani roses. One crate has been smashed open, and rose petals and tangled, thorny clusters are strewn throughout the room. A shipping manifest attached to one of the crates states that it was unloaded this morning from a ship called the Paloma.

The broken crate has an easily discovered false bottom that opens into a shallow empty space approximately 4 inches deep. The undamaged crate also contains a similar false bottom, this one occupied with blocks of sticky white wax wrapped in cheesecloth.

Know. Nature 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Nature: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Roary analyzes the empty bottle for a while, smelling it and all.. Finally a light bulb comes on.. "This was Bloodroot Poison! A mild poison, but could be devestating to someone with a low constitution.."

Sorry - was out for a bit!

Know Nature: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Survival: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
Know Local: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

"Hmm... zis satek has an inzignia on it which I saw on my way into town... zis is worn by zee Szcarni gang known as zee Twin Candles. Zey run protection, con games, zat sort of thing. Zay ahr from Ordelia, if I recall." He turns to Haris and nods. "And not all zee Sczarni are 'on our side' like Haris here... many are out for zemselves only."

"Well it sounds like we owe these Twin Candles a visit then eh? I for one don't like getting undesevered blame thrown on my shoulders.."

Agreed, says the desert man.

"I agree, zis is our best lead zo far. If I recall correctly, eet is across zee river somewhere..."