Seraphimpunk's Way of the Wicked

Game Master Seraphimpunk

Did Saio make it to the party on the supply bus too?

@Loran: are we to frequently expect you to cross post characters? or can you keep your face on right ? =D

Elise nods. Adequate. Farholde is in good hands now. Good luck finding the Horn.

yeah, you get a sense she loves to feel important. it must irk her to no end that she's basically just assisting you by keeping Farholde in line while you do the actual work of searching for the Horn.

Damn, I thought I had changed the name.

Did Saio make it to the party on the supply bus too?

oops. sorry. forgot saio. yup he's there to

Ahem, that's Piety, not Penelope. I'm named after a cardinal virtue, just like my sisters. My parents were weird. I've never been particularly good at adhering to mine, I know my lord likes fire, and that I'm happy to provide, but worship is just not my thing.

What do I know about the town?
Kn:Local: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26

What do I know about this artifact?
Kn:History: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19 or Kn:Arcana: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (18) + 16 = 34

Do I know anything about this treacherous Baron?
Kn:Nobility: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20 or Kn:History: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

Do I know anything about the Caer Bryr?
Kn:Nature?: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

Gah, can you go back and click on knowledge spoilers for the city/baron etc.?
Will post anything that isnt there tomorrow morning.

What do I know about this artifact?

Kn:History: 19 = 19 or Kn:Arcana: 34 = 34

nothing. other than that its not an artifact, arcana isn't relevant to it.

Do I know anything about this treacherous Baron?

Kn:Nobility: 20 = 20 or Kn:History: 12 = 12

Just that he's a descendent of the Barca lineage, a royal line deposed by the current Darian regime. with land and holdings in farholde and farms south of Caer Bryr.

Do I know anything about the Caer Bryr?

Kn:Nature?: 30 = 30

the northern Caer Bryr is a temperate rainforest richly blessed with rainfall and broadleaf trees. The thick trunked baobab tree, unusual in such a wet clime, is common here and grows to enormous size. small animal life is dense. its a bountiful place rich and thriving with nature's splendor.

in the south east of the Caer Bryr is the Lake of Skye, rarely seen by civilized eyes, which fractures into a thousand streams to course through the forest floor. The streams eventually stagnate and fail near the coast, becoming the Salt Brack in the south west.

The salt brack is also blessed with life - crocodiles, fish, lizards, snakes, frogs, toads, salamanders, birds ; teeming with wildlife. The Blue Cray, a delicious and rare swamp lobster can be found hidden in the mud by those brave enough to hunt it. a good sized one fetching 30 gp a head back in Farholde.

The brack is also home to a great number of boggard tribes. each more loathsome than the last.

The single most famous feature of the norther briar are the great stone spires. they proliferate everywhere in the jungle, rising hundreds of feet above the forest floor. often covered in foliage, they are home to countless small animals. The Iraen people who first settled in this region are full of stories of how the spires were carved by ancient giants. The beauty of the spires is rumored to have drawn fey and spirits in and around the spires in great abundance.

again, for those looking for an image, the terrain is noted as being inspired by upthrust mountains in china, search for Li Jiang Karst. i posted some links to images a few pages back.

There was also someone from the 4th knot, supposedly and expert , an elven ranger, Aiden Kael. He found the horn and sent word back, but then the 4th disappeared. We know from them that its concealed in a great spire of stone less than a day's ride from Farholde. I suggest we mount an expedition like them to check it out.

int check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
I think we heard a rumor that an elf was staying at the Wandering Friar Inn that disappeared three weeks back, never came back from the Briar. Maybe we should see if there's anything left of his back at that inn?

Is there a library here or center of learning that may have some information or legends?

You can try and do some research.
Access to a library just allow you to make the knowledge check without having ranks in the skill,
and allow you to take 20 with research. It can takes days though.
Farholde is not renown for its library.

there are clearly living local legends: talk about living trees, half fiend tigers, and angels, judging by the local rumors that you all heard of.

What more information would you want to track down?

I'll spend a day, if we have it, to look through records about where the temple might be, what dangers might be facing us in the forest and what to do about it.

Int is 16,

knowledge of whatever I need: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Don't know if the library will give me a bonus

I will try to bluff the librarian or a helper to assist me in the research though, pretending to be a local merchant interested in the legends and lore of the great King Markadian

bluff: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (6) + 17 = 23

ok. well the day of arrival you're busy tailing the retired sergeant.
the next day you can go find out where a library is. conveniently its within the walls of the Abbey, where the sisters tend to it and the Mitran lore contained within.

do you want to disguise yourself as a merchant and enter the abbey to research the dark temple of abbadon and the death cult?

ok. well the day of arrival you're busy tailing the retired sergeant.

the next day you can go find out where a library is. conveniently its within the walls of the Abbey, where the sisters tend to it and the Mitran lore contained within.

do you want to disguise yourself as a merchant and enter the abbey to research the dark temple of abbadon and the death cult?

No I want to go in as a merchant and research the triumph of the great king over the evil death cult. See. Much less bad sounding.

loran@will save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

your character doesn't return. we'll see what happens i guess.

as for everyone else

the White Ravens have settled in and are starting to take over setting up eyes and ears in the city, leaving you free to explore and find the Horn.

Loran goes out in the afternoon, after being out all night without saying much to anyone. He might have mentioned tailing the sergeant, or trying to check out the library. What would everyone else like to do ? its Moonday , the 23rd of Kuthona. the air is still chilly in Farholde, the sun breaking through the grey clouds, a light mist over the city this morning.

I shall go explore the town, find a bar with some good wine perhaps and get a couple bottles for the road

you head out, find a bar, some decent wine, and start spending your purse getting deep in your cups.

whats everyone else up to ?

Well, I'm going to go check out the Wandering Friar.
preparing my extracts today for infiltration. Anyone want to come with me?
Leo? Forsythe? Neji? want to come too?

Are you and Temperance going to trail sister mary or whatever her name is today?

forsythe mumbles

Oh you're crafting stuff still? okay.

hmmh yeah, lets see, i created the cloaks of resistance for leo and neji. i think after that neji wanted something... a belt? a headband? so i think i'm finishing that today. after that i can start putting a list of things together that we might need if we're going into the woods.

I return from lunch with Elise, expecting to relay the news, and see Piety chatting with the group. But she is wearing some disguise or another..

Tempy recognizing Piety:
Tempy Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19
Piety Disguise: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (6) + 19 = 25

Piety recognizing Tempy:
Piety Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (6) + 0 = 6
Tempy Disguise: 1d20 + 10 + 10 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 10 + 10 + 15 = 53

Looks like we don't yet know we are sisters. I introduce myself to the newcomers, figure out what they know/can contribute, etc.

Loran still out and about? Hope he learns something useful. Though honestly, we should probably get ready to head out into the wilderness searching for the horn. Anything we need to do before we leave?

aah that might explain how i confused people... tea was Sunday, after tea you can do stuff, Loran did something, no one else posted, so i fast-forwarded to the next day.

to recap briefly: on Starday you had dinner with the Baron. on Sunday Morning, you all met the Ravens at the docks. Elise took Temperance with her for tea to discuss things. Loran went to follow the sergeant, stalked him home and stayed out all night. Today is Moonday, Loran briefly came back in ( [perception check DC 15 to have heard his footsteps in the hall or seen him grabbing food in the morning ] ), and then left again shortly after. Ash mentioned the Wandering Friar Inn, and is taking Leo and anyone else who wants to come, over to the inn to check it out.

>> Way of the Wicked in-game Calendar <<

see plan laid out in spoiler above if you have different suggestions

@temperance & @Neji after the meeting with Elise, you can track down the nun and try and follow her around a bit if you'd like. do you still want to do that? at the moment its noon, Temperance finished tea with Elise, the rest of the clowns are back at the baron's and loran is out skulking shadowing the retired sergeant. you have the afternoon and evening to yourself with no further obligations, though as Elise pointed out, you're now on to your real task: Finding the Horn. Which you realize, unless the Nun knows the location, she's probably more Elise's potential problem than your own problem.

as for Sunday afternoon, after meeting with Elise, I wasn't sure what you'd want to do after your meeting. since on Starday afternoon you'd found out where the nun hangs out, i wasn't sure if you wanted to follow up on that or do something else.

I would be happy to accompany you on your devious adventures! Let us go, perhaps they will have something to drink, a barmaid perhaps, or a halfling! I haven't tried one of them yet.
Edwin grabs his cloak and hat, waiting expectantly.

I'm not sure what to do next, either. Lots of potential things to do, but none of them seem all that critical since they're mostly hooks to what Elise should be taking care of (as far as I can tell). I'm open to following some hooks: pursuing the nun, looking for Loran, checking out the Wandering Friar Inn (that actually seems most likely to help us in the wilderness), etc if anyone wants to. And I wouldn't leave without Loran or a reason to leave without Loran, so if he doesn't show up soon I'll start trying to track him down.

Perception to hear Loran: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (17) + 0 = 17
Looks like I heard him, so could have a chance to ask him what he's up to.

A few of you make your way to the Wandering Friar Inn to check it out . Its a good sized establishment with a bawdy drunken friar on the wooden board hanging outside. a wide two story building. You go in, grab a table and some drinks. A large woman whose face looks like it had a bad run in with a wall takes your orders and bustles about.

Edwin spots the owner coming out of a back room, locking the door behind him, and waddling out to some of the rooms in the back on the ground floor, away from the bar area and back among the guest rooms and latrine.

hey temperance, want to play telephone?
bluff for secred message. : 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (10) - 2 = 8

telephone, whats aif Tempy doesn't have a message up already.

i'll enjoy some wine and appear relaxed , when Edwin points out to me the innkeeper is out of the back room, I'll drop something under the table, and bend down to pick it up, palm my invisibility extract, and quaff it.

:: tempy, can you hear me over this din? i'm moving over to the door now. attempting to pick the lock ::
disable device: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15

GM: wow, that's low, but you manage. its a rather flimsy lock. have a look around for what you want, perception check.

:: i'm in. ::
stealth: 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (14) + 28 = 42
perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

You barely see the door move as ash enters. The common room is loud and boisterous, even this early in the morning. Some codswallop gets the gumption to ask a pretty lass like Temperance if she'd like to come up to his room for a private drink, and puts 2 gold down on the table.

bluff: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
he's bad at it, but you do out of character get the idea he's propositioning her for sex. thinks she's a prostitute, seeing her walk in with three guys.

Ash, you're still looking. haven't found the logbook yet.

I will get up and move to somewhere so I can get ready to intercept and delay the innkeeper.

Good day there, master of this fine establishment. I was wondering if I could talk to you about perhaps renting some rooms from you, I like the look and feel of this place. What do you offer here for a wandering gentleman such as myself?

Bluff to keep him talking?

bluff: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33

sense motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (9) - 1 = 8

Sure Sir, I can show you what rooms we have for let at the moment. Just one second, i'll get my keys. I have two rooms free, and a third one that I should clear out, the guy only paid until three weeks ago, owes me 25 gold is only reason i've held his room for him like he asked. I just need to get my keys from my office.

He jovially greets you, gestures to rooms back and upstairs. And then begins walking around you so that he can go to his office to get his keys... where Ash is searching right now...

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

How am i doing out there people? all clear?

GM: you find the log book, indicating that yes, up until 4 weeks ago, some elf named Aiden Kael, had a prepaid room at the Friar. His payment lapsed though, and he owes 3 weeks fee, a sum of 25 gold pieces on his account. though its marked for removal soon. and indicates which room it is.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
any sign of his keys?

Screw it , ok i'm going to slip out of the office.. next round.

stealth: 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (1) + 28 = 29

The innkeeper pops into his office, giving his hand at the knob a funny look, `guess i thought i locked it` kind of looks like it flashes in his thoughts. and comes out with a set of keys, and takes you back into the inn.

I'll show you the two rooms i have for let right now, and see if they're to your liking.

He takes you back into the inn, showing you two kinda shabbily appointed bedrooms at the inn, straw mattresses, not much room, but in good repair, and likely not too infested with fleas.

Oh absolutely we should see some rooms, but first, tell about this wonderful establishment, what of the history of this fine place?
I'll try to find something interesting on the wall or some detail in construction to point to.
there must be a story to this, I do so love staying in places with stories and history!

bluff: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27

Thread 1, play relay for Ash
Yes, I'd love to play telephone.
...Ash goes to the room, innkeeper approaches...
The innkeeper is going to the backroom to grab a key for a different room for Edwin!
...Innkeeper heads upstairs or in the back or whatever with Edwin...
Edwin has the innkeeper distracted, you can probably grab the third key now and check out that room. Edwin, keep the guy busy, I'll see if I can help.

Thread 2, deal with my suitor
Wow, all of that just for some time with a girl like me? Your offer is certainly richer than these cods. But I think that one of them is renting the last room from the innkeeper right now. If you want a good time with me, I suggest that you stop him from renting to my friend and rent it for yourself.
...casting suggestion on him.

I don't know how much you're a stickler for commoners noticing spellcasting. Suggestion is verbal only, so figure that some random horny jerk won't even realize what I'm doing since I'm not waving my hands around (and I'd like to think the verbal commands for a spell like suggestion are more subtle than wizard-gibberish). If it would be obvious (figure I'd know this) I'll consider a different approach. Otherwise, DC24 to resist my suggestion.

Thread 2
in the crowded bar, we'll call it a sense motive check to notice your casting
sense motive: 1d20 - 1 - 4 ⇒ (5) - 1 - 4 = 0

will save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Too right i will! Hey Innkeep! he goes running off after the innkeeper, catching up with him as he's showing Edwin the second room. Innkeeper! i'll take a room for the night, whatever you've got available! rent it to me, not this shmuck! i've got a whore that'll do me, even with all my problems!

Thread 1
::Ash to temperance, forget it, i know where the room is, i'm going to pick my way in so they don't notice the key is missing. these locks are barely a problem anyway. I just need the back hallway cleared so i can get to the room::
::moving into position by the target's door::

the poor common man starts throwing silver pieces at the innkeeper, asking if thats enough for the room. eventually just emptying his beltpouch over the innkeeper, grabbing the key, and then coming back to Temperance and trying to grab her wrist.
ok girlie, time to put on a show

My, my, what a show, you must be very popular here. Why don't we go back to your office and discuss renting a room here?

Upon seeing that schmuck all up on tempe, Edwin will excuse himself from the innkeeper

I do believe you should take your hand off the lady, or I may have to make you

intimidate: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26

!whoa! where did loran come from! wendel. put your face back on!

re: the thug in the bar: he bought the room, so the suggestion's run its course. he's being brow beaten by a rake in the inn though. them's barfighting words. but yes, he's shaken.

wendel@sense motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (16) - 1 = 15
temperance@sense motive: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19
leo@sense motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

you're both able to see that this is turning violent. he's going to react in anger anyway, and doesn't know how much trouble he's in for with one of you let alone two or three. Leo is drinking his beer watching the barmaid bounce though.

there's a surprise round. Edwin and Temperance can act to try and defuse the situation if they'd like, or start a bar fight and leave a little mess for Elise Zadaria to clean up.

[[ r1 (surprise) ]]: [11: edwin], [7: ash], [6: drunkard], [5: temperance], [5: leo]

I recommend setting your new char as default, will make it easier to post the right one. I kept getting it mixed up with Victor b/c Tempy was my primary and it's really hard to notice that every post.

Aww, my boys are fighting over me. It's cute, but I don't want to get a reputation for creating a scene. I like this place.

To my drunk, forward and stupid friend:
Hey there handsome, how about you forget about the room. I suggest you go home and rethink your life.
Yes, that's a second casting of suggestion...having fun trying it out. Was hard to use well in PFS.

To Edwin, under her breath so he wouldn't hear with out message:
Thanks for the backup there. Perfect distraction. Let's let this defuse now, it should've given Ash enough cover and I don't want to leave Elise a mess to clean up.

I have adjusted the default after the last post. :)

Yes, I'll pay your tab, as a sign of good will, go home before this gets any more ugly, I would hate to cause a scene here.

I suppose diplomacy...

diplomacy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

deduct 3gp and you're good.

You offer to pay his tab, which has some calming effect. he still clenches his fist and looks like he's thinking about hitting you, but then Temperance tells him to go home and think about his life, and he takes the money and stalks out. The bartender offers profuse apologies, he's a good customer and not usually so violent. But he's been having syphillitic problems lately.

disable device: 10 + 13 = 23
perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

indeed it gives ash time to easily slip into Aiden Kael's room. Laying out on a table, weighted down by a common dagger is his map to the Horn. Other than a few worthless personal effects there's nothing of note. Ash pockets the map and dagger, and slips back to the common room, where he appears from under the table as if picking up something he dropped.

Well, that was worth the trip. he says, laying the map out on the table. You can see its location, one of the spires has been marked. Indeed it does look only a day's ride on good horses to reach it. maybe a little more walking in the wilderness, or if you get lost.

>> Aiden Kael's Map <<

Yay crew, social encounter won!

Once I feel comfortable talking again, will whisper over message:
Anything else we want to take care of in town before we head out into the woods?

Oh, and has anyone seen Loran? I talked to him last night and he was talking about going into the library in the Mitran compound to do some research on the horn.
I'm assuming since I made the perception check to notice him come in before we went off to his fateful Mitran rendezvous, I at least know where he went.

do we need to get gear for this little excursion? Climbing gear, forest equipment, tents, etc? I for one would like to get a bow and plenty of arrows. Do we have horses?

Edwin will go to the local weapon smith and look for a Longbow, if possible a str+2 pull bow, and if possible MW. Otherwise a normal Longbow and two quivers of arrows will do.
Other things would be a campsite kit and Climber's kit.

If available a machete to chop through jungle and a couple daggers as well for throwing.

I think the weapon smith should have a high pull masterwork quality composite longbow. I bet he can fit one to your size and strength, will probably cost about...
...Piety walks over and feels Edwin's bicep...
600 gold.

Kn:Eng: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20

Oh, and I have a lot of camping supplies already, but you all aren't sharing my tent so should buy your own. I'm happy to look over what you have and see if you're missing anything, I'm pretty knowledgeable about living rough.

I have a lot of camping supplies too. Happy to have you look over my setup and see if I'm missing anything.

you don't have horses. you arrived by river barge.

the bow is easy enough to find at market. ( presuming you have the gold in pocket ) its easy enough to find what you're looking for and pick up anything else you need for your camping and climbing party in the woods.

by mid afternoon, there's no sign of Loran still. You sit down for dinner at the manor, the Baron is off dining in private, but you're in one of the secondary dining rooms. once the servants finish serving your meals, eyes linger on Loran's empty place setting again.

Midway into dinner, discussing your plans for tomorrow, and loran, a white raven pecks at the window. Leo gets up to open the window and let it in.

Mistress has heard word there was a scuffle at the library this morning. The nuns have been in a buzz since this morning. Rumor is a spy was captured entering the compound, but Farholde's guardian angel struck the spy down.

the raven waits around for a little in case you have something to convey to Elise, and then takes off with any message you have for her.

if this is your friend, then he must either be rescued or eliminated, before he can reveal anything more than what he has.

To the bird
Ask Elise if she has any thoughts on how to rescue or remove this potential leak

I'll get a bow, I had plenty of money left over. I'll get a tent and camping gear with 4 days of rations, 4 wineskins of nice wine and climber's kit, along with extra rope and a horse

And with that it was a flutter. the white ravens wings a glimmer in the air as it flew off.

Well that's just F+&%ing great! There really is a f&@+ing angel in this town? and it picked off Loran!? mother f##@ing hell!

Damned! The master wants this done with all haste, and surprise. And Loran's gone and gotten himself killed? or taken captive by the enemy? the Church?

Did the rumor mean this man had been captured? or killed? How was he taken?