Temperance pulls out her scroll of Summon Monster 1 and starts casting it. (Move + Std, will require another Std next round).
Forsythe continues to ready.
The ball of flame rolls onto Leo no damage.
Neji almost notices something, by the open door. but its too general to pinpoint.
back to the top of the round
[R3] [24: Victor], [20: Ash], [16: Neji], [12: Loran], [12: Leo], [10: Temperance], [8: Forsythe (silence 2)], [3: Owner], [3: Apprentice],
[R5]
I'm going to keep holding this door.
|
Ash takes out a red and white colored flask, and pours it out on the ground. like an insta grow sponge, a fiendish terrier is standing there in an instant. Ash infernally issues it a command to find the invisible creature and attack.
it gets a scent, takes a step, pinpoints the scent with a move action, and attacks the square between the assitant and Leo. it connects with something, and there's a cry and you hear something hit the floor.
a couple of rounds later, she materializes into view.
with the silence spell worn off by then, forsythe comes in.
its not hard to knock out or kill the assistant as well during this time. i leave it your choice.
her spellbook is burnt and useless on the floor. but she's got bracers of armor +2 ( the owner), as well as some scrolls on her, and the scrolls in her shop.
on her body:
2nd level: molten orb, bear's endurance, fog cloud, flaming sphere, magic mouth, minor image, summon monster II, whispering wind
1st level: alarm (CL 5th), true strike, unseen servant, youthful appearance, abundant ammunition, detect undead, endure elements , floating disk, hold portal, mage armor, mount ( CL 4th ),
on the assitant
cure light wounds, protection from evil, sleep
a dagger
a mwk light crossbow
10 bolts
alchemist fire,
a silver dagger
studded leather,
a silver mitran holy symbol
a smokestick
a healer's kit
the shop itself doesn't have any magical scrolls on the shelves , upon examination to follow up what you saw during combat. but there's also two locked boxes in the back room, one about 2 ft x 3 ft, the other about 1ft x 2 ft. solid chests, heavy. they detect of magic. but don't apparently have any magic inside them.
Spellcraft on the boxes ?
they don't appear to be trapped.
the boxes are at opposite ends of the room. the small one by the desk, the large one in the SW corner of the office.
Unless we need the assistant to answer questions, perform work or generally be useful, we execute her. Once we know the magics of the boxes I'll ask her for the key or to open them.
I think we should knock her out and let Loran take care of her from there. He looks like he could use a snack.
When we'd cased the joint, did we see a large number of magic items, scrolls, etc on display? Does it match what she's carrying?
I'll try to open them.
I'll take 20 on one while Ash does the other, or I can assist. Hoping she keeps her notes on gossip about the town and keep in here.
I could use a snack...
Did I get healed at all?
I'll cast and assist the team assist Loran as needed to wand/potion his way to CLWedness. I assume we have time to top off while we go through the shop.
Sorry, knowledge arcana. But I'll presume your spell crafts and k arcana a are close if not higher. You identify fire trap on the smaller box.
Loran just got stabilized, no healing as of yet. Leo can corrupting touch him awake probably
And no, it looks like she must be keeping most of her inventory somewhere, a lot is missing from the shelves, there's just mundane stuff up on display, quills, inks, papers, books, scribing material components n stuff.
The boxes both have an evocation aura
Victor, don't touch that small one, it's trapped you fool.
I grab the assistant roughly, claws digging into her skin, and speak in my native voice, Come here my plump hare. Disable the trap and open it, slowly. Tell me where the inventory is if you don't want to be my next meal. I do love roast rabbit so. If you want to live to run again little bunny you'll do as I bid.
Whoa there, Victor. Looks like those boxes are trapped, definitely the small one and probably the big one too. Fire might destroy the goods we want in addition to hurting us. Let's be careful here. Fire trap is difficult to disable. Before we kill the shopkeeper though, we can use her or her assistant to open it. I don't have strong enough magic to dominate her will fully, but maybe we can get her to open it through coercion.
Or you can try to disable it, Ash. I know you're good at these things, but Fire Trap is hard.
We should also explore the upstairs. We may find the missing inventory or clues that would help us with these chests as well. I can help, but riffling through people's things isn't exactly my strong point.
I'll assist on the intimidate.
This b%*%& is crazy. She might actually just start eating you, I recommend you do what she asks and be extremely helpful.
And a little good cop:
Now if you're helpful, I don't see any reason for you to be eaten. Maybe we'll just tie you up and gag you and leave you to go about your business. We only really want the goods. Your death is pretty irrelevant to us. You heard my offer to your boss, she rejected us and will suffer for it. Help us and you might not die a horrible death like she will.
you question her for how to bypass them, but she holds her tongue.
This little rabbit doesn't want to run anymore. Loran, would you like her roasted first or would you prefer her raw?
I think that if we physically force them to open the chests, then the traps won't go off. Like, bind their hands, restrain them and try to use their hands to open the chests. And if it does go off, well, their stubbornness will just get them killed.
It'll totally work. I'll do it. We should use the shopkeepers hands to do it and we shouldn't heal her, just use smelling salts, it will force her awake even though she's really hurt. If she's on the brink of passing out, I doubt she'll fight as much.
Look, I handle fire on a daily basis. Some would say I'm resistant to it, and I think that is a dumb idea. If it comes to it, I can open the boxes, but I worry the trap may destroy what is inside
Concentrate detect magic on the boxes, one at a time, for a few rounds, what the the strength and intensity of the spell, if not the spell name directly.
Someone search upstairs while I study these boxes, no need for all of us to stand around. Gather anything useful not bolted down. And if it is bolted, unbolt it! We have more to do before this day is over and I tire of this shops decor
Trusting that Neji has the chests under control, Tempy asks the boys and Forsythe to come upstairs with her and toss the place. They will be thorough and take the needed time.
Well, trusting would be a too strong of a word, but more "willing to accept" whatever outcomes result from Neji's being in charge, including Victor blowing himself up.
This little rabbit doesn't want to run anymore. Loran, would you like her roasted first or would you prefer her raw?
** spoiler omitted **
lol i missed the 29, i saw the 14 and 17 =)
You toss the upstairs, finding a large personal library collection, aside from a few empty spellbooks, some trashy romance/adventure novels, and some jewelry, there doesn't seem to be anything worthwhile upstairs. she's got a crafting area set up for scribing scrolls, and has probably 300gp worth of materials for scribing laying around. the jewelry gets appraised at about 150gp. the library isn't worth transporting / selling it. at most there's one book that itself is worth 25gp
Once the chests are unlocked downstairs, you find the inventory that she removed from the shelves at night: 4th - greater invisibility; 3rd - fireball; 2nd - scorching ray, cure moderate wounds; 1st -
endure elements x4, mage armor (CL 5), mage armor x4, mount (CL 4th) x5, protection from evil x3, cure light wounds x4
in the smaller chest are scripts of debt from the Watchkeep for scrolls purchased on promise from the past year or two, and receipts for services rendered from the tower's wizard, payments made in form of a few more powerful scrolls. it looks like when the keep needed her services, they'd either pay eventually with the kingdom's gold, or with services and scrolls of their own.
there are gold ingots worth 250gp, and some 7 gems worth about 25 gp each. there's promise notes for another 300gp from the kingdom. but they state that they won't be delivered until some time next year, here to the shop.
Do the trashy romance novels have either the name of "Victor RR Moreau" or the likeness of him on the back cover, smoking a pipe, in a turtleneck? If the later, what is his pen name? Dirk Steel?
Seems like our little plan to borrow on the tower's credit was a bit of an old song for this crone. Perhaps she was quite tired singing it when we arrived. But I think this old tune may just give us a path to the wizard who appears to be a regular customer. Temperance, how good is your lonely old town scribe impression? Perhaps the owner of the Quill would like to discuss arrangements for payment in gold or attention from the wizard. Maybe you'd have an offer to supply him further in these darkening times.
Is there anywhere a request for further scroll work? That would make it easy to lure the mage here. Take a look around, I'm going to enjoy this assistant for a minute
Loran will drag the assistant off a bit and slowly enjoy a nice meal.
hah. no likenesses or Victor pen names that are readily apparent.
and no outstanding orders for work.
enjoy your meal.
its early in the witching hours of Oathday, Kuthona the 5th, when you finish looting the shop and draining the assistant and owner of their blood. What are your plans for the day ? some rest after this and then some mischief on Oathday evening ?
As it is early morning, would we still have time to head to the second shop or are too many peasants up and about by now. If we have time I would rather strike while the morning is young. The longer we take the less successful we will be. Outside of healing, I don't thank any of us actually expended enough effort to require rest. No?
After looting the cache of scrolls and reflecting on how the castle wizard had this scribe to produce goods for him, Tempy has the strongest desire to have her own personal wizard at her disposal. Maybe a focus on some longer duration enchantment magic would do the trick. She could probably keep someone charmed all day if she put her mind to it. And later she could use more powerful magic like dominate person.
On hearing Neji talk business, Tempy snaps out of her reverie.
I agree with Neji. We had a productive heist here. Let's move the goods, strike again and then rest for the day. I can rest here, taking on the role of the scribe and keeping someone around as my assistant. We can take turns minding the shop or just lock it up. We might have another lead we can use or come up with a plan to draw out the tower wizard.
Is that assistant still alive? I have some questions about her mistress' daily habits and her relationship with the wizard.
right-o, i'll set up the The Coiffed Quaffer for you guys to B&E into next.
did anyone heal up Loran? he was unconscious, and needed some healing before he could start feeding off the assistant and the owner. Leo stabilized him. Ash gave his extract to the owner to bring her conscious. I think Leo laid hands on Loran once to heal him up some for 8 hp, so there's still 21hp of damage on Loran.
the rest of you are mildly injured as well, most of you could benefit from an infernal healing scroll.
Neji: 8hp/10 ( i think you lesser rejuvinated your eidolon already ? )
Temperance: 4hp
Ash: 6hp
Loran: 21hp
or does Loran just want Leo to use more of his corrupting touches on him and the rest of you are okay with minor wounds?
I think our idea last time should've worked, just somehow that clever shopkeeper saw through our disguises. I think we should try the same plan again. Anyone need help with their disguise this time?
I'm guessing Leo has a decent number of corrupting touches (2+Cha and he's a pretty fellow) so might make more sense to have him use a couple of his to heal Leo and save our resources. We do have a handful of infernal scrolls to spare if we need them, of course. Temperance will hold off on using one.
I totes rejuved. I also offered to help heal Loran, with any potions, scrolls and wands.
. I adjust my clothes and offer myself to Tempys inspection.
I should also get temp HP from drinking blood, though no idea how long they last
leo's first punch hits, dealing 7 damage and healing 11. net 4
his second hit strikes for 5 damage, and heals 8. net 3.
how much more are you hurt?
:: he chuckles ::
I don't use my touch in combat anyway. i'll save up a channel in case we find an invisible creature again. but I can use them after combat to heal the dhampyrs in case forsythe goes down.
Glad I don't have the right...constitution...to get healing from Leo.
Tempy shifts into the same seneschal disguise, using alter self for the body shape and disguise self for the details.
And once everyone else is suited up, she leads the group to knock firmly on the hirsute gentleman's door.
I don't know, I like the way Leo touches, as long as he doesn't mind me hitting back /nonsubtlewink
Assuming we talk our way in as opposed to trying to sneak in:
Coiffer! Your service to The Fire Undying is upon you. Dark are these days and noble are those that honor our lords and light the way to salvation. Foul beasts stalk these nights and through your contributions will they be held at bay. To deny this holy of requests is to side with the fallen and welcome the dark lords onto your shores. Submit to The Shining Lord Coiffer or be judged as forever lost to the shadows.
If we try to sneak after someone picks the lock:
Assuming that the door opens after knocking and our mark isn't actively freaking out, Tempy, waits for Neji-acolyte to finish her dialogue (which I assume starts as soon as the door opens). She rolls her eyes while Neji is rambling on about duty and so on. When she stops:
Facing Neji, harsh stage whisper:
Felicity, you are a little too tightly wound. You need to meditate more so you can remain calm in the face of adversity.
Facing the Hirsute Gentleman:
Sir, sorry for the interruption at this untimely hour and for my assistant's over-zealousness, but we have orders from the keep that pertain to you. It appears our Dwarven allies have betrayed us, which really should come as no surprise, and they have killed several guards and sabotaged our supplies, including our stash of magical goods. This may be an isolated incident of raging Dwarven idiocy, but it could also be a prelude to further acts of barbarism, so we are trying to replenish our stocks as best we can. I am also prepared to write you the standard certificate of debt which will be repaid, along with a 10% markup for the inconvenience, as soon as the situation normalizes. Can I see what you have in stock?
Later, Tempy will thank Neji for the excellent setup and acting in her role.
Carrie? Neji, didn't you used to go by Carrie when you were in school? I've heard you mumbling in your sleep about you getting back at "Carrie killed that b#$$~ Chris".
I've gone by many names in my time, but Carrie was a favourite, yes. I haven't thought of that in 38 years. Ohhh, locking them in the hall, such anger, their screams...ummm delicious. Those were good times.
After a thorough prestidigitation and a bit worked up from my high school memories,
Thank you dear, but next time I'd prefer if you used your little fox tongue.