Red Hand of Doom PBP

Game Master Tanner Nielsen

Narses follows along with the groups decisions, not wanting to get cought up in feud of any sorts more than he is already. "We'll need ta set up camp a ways back and rest up fer Dragox to meditate if ya wana do that right? I'm all for ya gettin yer full strength back but we actually have 'em at a disadvantage now. They seen tha rukus for sure but they don' kno' we're comin', we still got tha element o' surprise I rekon, if we wana use it that is."

"Well, since all the enemies we could be killing, we're instead giving farewell gifts to...," Tahllana says bitterly.

Shalani hands Tahllana a vial of alchemist's fire.

"Here... perhaps this will make you feel better."

Tahllana accepts the gift with a quizzical smile. "Thanks." She pauses a moment, then goes on haltingly. "Do you remember anything? About being in the Boneyard, I mean?"

"We can certainly ask the Dawnflower to help restore some of your strength, Shalani. And Tahllana, Saranrae teaches that great victories come from giving your opponent an opportunity to turn away from the conflict. If I, in some small way, helped that to occur today, we should all consider ourselves blessed. Enough bloodshed has happened here lately. Shouldn't forcing your opponents to flee be considered a victory for your people as well as our group?"

Guys, I will be travelling tomorrow through Sunday evening. I should have internet access at the hotel, but I am not sure when I can post. Please run Dragox as necessary. Thanks.

As you are discussing your next plans, you hear footsteps slogging through the mud nearby. A small troop of lizardfolk warriors comes into view through the fog and foliage. The leader raises his hand, warily signalling peace. They travel in a wide circle around you, making their way towards the matron's hut. It appears they are the first of the lizardfolk to answer the call of the matron and understand that peace has been declared.

Perception 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32

Well, I guess I don't, even with a natural 20. :P

I auto-pass that so...

Maysalkirii's face goes red with fury, and he draws both of his sabres before taking a deep breath and trying to calm himself down, sheathing them once more.

We should keep one of them with us in case we need to ask more questions... I'll see to it...

Stepping up to the leader, Maysalkirii says-

Tahllana accepts the gift with a quizzical smile. "Thanks." She pauses a moment, then goes on haltingly. "Do you remember anything? About being in the Boneyard, I mean?"

Shalani thinks for a moment.

"I did earlier. Now it's just sensations and feelings. I remember waiting, to speak to someone I think. And then I came back. It was all... pretty rushed and wild."

The lizardfolk assassin narrows his eyes and rests his hand on the pommel of his sword.

1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26

Rcognizing the leader Narses feels a hot, burning sensation start down by the base of his spine, working it's way up to his head Narses has a flash of memories of the halfling paladin. Reaching for his blade he suddenly halts as he hears Feek draw his. Listening to the wxchange of hissed word and feeling the tension in the air Narses sighs.

Stepping to the goblin he lays a hand on the small inquisitors shoulder. "Maysalkirii." he says calmly, using the goblins honorific name. "Think what she'd want. What would Adelle do? We have a chance of peace here. Tender as it is, but we still have a chance."

The lizardfolk assassin smirks at Narses and addresses you in Common. "You roughshod friend is right, goblin. Best we keep the peace. I will accompany you, if I must. I will not assist you further than my words." He spits on the ground and folds his arms. "So where are we going?"

Adele's love of peace is the only thing keeping my blade sheathed, Narses. Maysalkirii replies.

That will depend on my companions- are we to attack now or tomorrow?

1d20 - 3 ⇒ (18) - 3 = 15

"Don't be snide Lizardman. Remember what mercy granted you a truce!" Narses snarls at the lizardman leader, feeling the fury rise at his demenor.

Sence Motive 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

Tahllana Skyhunter wrote:

Tahllana accepts the gift with a quizzical smile. "Thanks." She pauses a moment, then goes on haltingly. "Do you remember anything? About being in the Boneyard, I mean?"

Shalani thinks for a moment.

"I did earlier. Now it's just sensations and feelings. I remember waiting, to speak to someone I think. And then I came back. It was all... pretty rushed and wild."

"Were there ... many there? Were you with your friend?"

Sense Motive 1d20 ⇒ 9

The altercation growing between the goblin and the lizardman attracts Tahllana's attention. "What's going on?" she asks sharply, walking over and placing her hand on her weapon. "Are they going back on their word already?"

Adele would have been all over that secret message. Adele's Sense Motive 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19 Meh, reasonably all over.

"Yes, Adele was there. And then she was gone."

Shalani is still for a second or two.

"She is happy now, I think. She liked to sing, so maybe she is singing somewhere for Pharasma."

I believe Maysalkirii inquired whether you would like to assault the center of the lake now or retreat and rest.

I believe Maysalkirii inquired whether you would like to assault the center of the lake now or retreat and rest.

No reason to retreat and rest except to remove Shalani's negative levels, if possible. She spent a lot of fireballs on the lizardfolk, too. I think the rest of us are reasonably fresh. I'd like to make a big production of burning the abandoned lizardfolk outposts, though, and see if we can draw some of the Red Hand out to us. If we can trust the lizardfolk to be gone, we'll be less prone to ambush in the water, but there's still drowning to consider.

So do we have consensus to rest?

I'm back guys. Got caught with my laptop malfunctioning. I am good with pressing on, but if everyone wants to rest, I can do that too. I'll get back into the swing tomorrow afternoon. Thanks.

I would definitely like to rest. I may need to go into a fire rage again. And hopefully get a restoration in the process.

I'd rather have Shalani at full power ooc but Narses is good to keep on going if he can get healing for 32 hp.

For the sake of consensus I agree, lets rest. Maysalkirii will spend the evening roaming the edges of the swamp to scout out information though. If he gets into trouble he has invisiblity and he can outrun almost anything :D. Narses I can patch you up with whats left of my level 1 spells- rolls below.

1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
1d8 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
1d8 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
1d8 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Tahllana will keep a suspicious eye on the evacuation of the lizardfolk. When they have left behind their hut, she will burn it so they don't think about changing their minds.

She'll stay near the edge of the swamp as a middleman between Feek and the rest of the party, watching for any signs of betrayal by the lizardfolk or any stirrings from the Red Hand out in the lake. Perception 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31

Thx, Narses will guard the camp then in Feek's absence.

I'm away from my books, but as AK pointed out, I think there is 1000 gp cost to do the restoration. I don't recall if we have to have a specific item or if we can just give 1000 gp total sacrifice that is consumed during the casting. Anyone know for sure?

Up to DM whether we can just spend the gold, but really we should have bought the stuff beforehand. Also, it will be 2,000 gold... and two castings of restoration. You come back with two negative levels right?

Yes, 2 negative levels

More good news! ;)

If this spell is used to dispel a permanent negative level, it has a material component of diamond dust worth 1,000 gp. This spell cannot be used to dispel more than one permanent negative level possessed by a target in a 1-week period.

Okay, well at least I'll be healed of one negative level.

*Sigh* My diamond bloodline sorcerer would be all over that.

I haven't the foggiest where you guys would find diamond dust, to be honest. It isn't really the kind of thing you can pick up at a general goods store. The nearest mage guild hall is on the other side of the vale. So... we're going to be a little creative.

And by creative I mean ignore certain rules so that our campaign isn't thrown for a loop. Dragox is aware of a certain super-secret ritual that asks the Lord of Wealth, Abadar, to convert precious materials for the purposes of spellcasting. After an hour of prayer and a 10% tithe of the total value of the materials to be transmuted, you can turn 1,100 gold pieces into 1,000 gp worth of diamond dust.

Thanks, DM. That makes the whole situation a little more manageable. Whenever it is officailly rest time, Dragox will ask for restoration to be made available to him.

Finding a secure spot in the nearby swamps, the Silversong Champions, plus captive, spend a furtive night in the shadow of the Blackfens. Due to the attentive ministrations of Maysalkirii and Tahllana, you experience no trouble from your shanghai'ed guide and no wandering monsters molest your camp.

Dragox prays fervently to Abadar, Master of the Vault, and is able to convert a small fortune in gold into the necessary components for relieving the burdens of your recent near-death experiences. (One casting of restoration, right? Please remove 1,100 gold pieces from your inventory and remove one negative level.)

The morning dawns. Or at least you think it dawns, given the heavy fog. What will the Champions do now?

Shalani, I marked the spell off my inventory, if you have the 1100 in cash.

"Are we ready to assault the center tower now?"

I am ready... Maysalkirii says as he casts Greater Magic Weapon upon Dragox's fists.

Give me a sec to update spells. Do any of us have 1100 in cash? Apart from the lizardfolk Dragox gave all his to? ;)

EDIT: Okay, she's ready to go.

"Getting in will be the easy part," Tahllana says grimly. "Once we're over there, we'll be trapped on the ruins. If we're forced to swim back, at least we'll be safer than with the lizardfolk in the lake ... if they abided by their word and retreated." Her tone indicates she considers that unlikely. "What are you going to do with your lizard on a string, goblin? I'm not wasting magic getting it in the air."

I assume we're going to the point on the east shore where the building is nearest to minimize our fly time? Just before we leave the shore, Tahllana will cast message to keep in touch with the other members of the group; it will last 70 minutes.

I usually only carry enough for basic expenditures, not like Mitey Mite over there, who's dragging around the party loot. Besides, 1000 gp at 50 gp a pound is 200 pounds... I don't think any of us are carrying around that much at once. However, if we can find buyers for the masterwork spears out here in the wilderness, 4 of them would be at least 1200 gp.

We should have sold them back to the lizardfolk before they left! Suppose any of the Red Hand soldiers want a masterwork spear?

D'oh! I forgot to halve the values for selling. Maybe all seven would bring in just enough.

Maysalkirii will pay for the restoration. Gold marked off his personal stash. DM did we get the ninja's gear from the ambush? And what loot did we take from the lizardfolk? At the moment i've only got Adele's gear in party loot.

Narses is good to go and he has just over 3000 gold in cash.

The Silversong Champions awake in the morning to find that their lizardfolk guide has mysteriously vanished. No obvious signs of his leaving are present.

"Betrayal! I knew it!" Tahllana cries as she rolls to her feet, making sure none of the other party members had their throats slit in the night by the escaping lizardfolk.

"While I am unhappy about the hunter's apparent cowardice, so long as the rest of them keep their word and let us do our business without interfering, we can still count ourselves lucky."

Well, let us hope he didn't alert the Red Hand to our location. I am ready to launch our assault...

Since Shalani doesn't need to sleep with her ring of sustenance, I'm guessing that she was researching alchemy or meditating to regain her spells when the lizardman vanished.

She looks up startled, as the others exclaim about the missing lizardfolk. After a few blinks, she shrugs. "I didn't see anything. He must have left when I was meditating. Wasn't one of us supposed to be keeping guard to prevent things like this from happening?"