Sorry for Delay, Sunday is Gameday and I am GM for it.
Tars and Rouk, You guys hide. Xzevrra and Scrapeknee continue walking.
As you wait, you see a shady hooded big nosed individual creeping after the other two. You have an opportunity to to strike from the shadows. Take a surprise round if you wish to do anything to him.
Roku draws his rapier and gets behind him, ready to strike if the man attempts it in turn.
"Do you mind explaining why your creeping and tailing these people?"
Baron sees Roku's tatic and stands by ready to strike if the guy does anything funny.
The figure turns swiftly and attempts to stab Roku with a knife covered in black goo.
This is the first round of combat. Since he acted and you would act in response, there is no surprise round. Sadly, this fellow beat you in initiative cause I am a jerk and roll 20s for the badguys so. Here goes.
He stabs at Roku but even though Roku is flatfooted, the attack JUST misses scraping on his armor.
All four of you can take your actions as you wish.
Scrapeknee and Xzevrra are 25 feet from him and Roku and Tars are RIGHT next to him. Take your actions.
Tars moves behind the guy and flanks with Roku. Then he lets a couple of swift jabs that go a little wild.
Roku expected the attack and gives his own. Bring his power to bear.
"Big mistake, your sloppy in so many ways."
Scrapeknee chuckles, "I hate to cut a fight short, but perhaps this will be for the best." He shuffles forward and intones, "Coward's Blight"
Round 1
HP 18/18
AC 17 T13 FF14 CMD16
F/R/W 4/3/5
Spells
1st - 2/3
Judgement 0/1
Effects
Inspire Courage
Xzevrra quickly turns, drawing up her bow before attempting to put an arrow into the man.
The strange little man dips and dodges the attacks by Roku and Tars and even seems to resist Scrapeknee's spell. It is shaken though and the arrow fired by Xzevrra plunges into the man's back causing nasty wound.
The creature makes no sound as it attempts once again to stab Roku, this time succeeding in his hit. Roku takes 2 damage and must make a fort save.
Your turns.
Baron shares a smirk and delivers to snap kicks to the strange little man.
Roku tries to fight off the poison while figuring out what the man is. None the less keeping his power going and striking again at it.
"Well, hell, stubborn little man," Arkham shrugs and joins the fight more directly, closing completely and thrusting his longsword at the man
Round 2
HP 18/18
AC 17 T13 FF14 CMD16
F/R/W 4/3/5
Spells
1st - 2/3
Judgement 0/1
Effects
Inspire Courage
Judgement (Justice)
Melee engaged, Xzevrra draws her longsword and moves up to aid the others. "You would do well to surrender now!"
Okay Roku staves off the poison but is unable to identify the creature but is certain it is humanoid.
Between the volley of attacks the creature goes down and suddenly explodes emitting a flash of bright light.
I need a fort save from everyone. DC 13 or be temporarily blinded for a couple rounds. Kind of a moot point though as nothing else will attack you in that time but just for RP sake
Scrapeknee averts his eyes just in time as the being they fought explodes into light brighter than the noonday sun. He keeps his blade drawn and stays on guard despite the fact the danger seems to have past, "I wonder what this MEANS. Shadowed by a being of light?"
He wonders if there is some clue, either left behind by the creature they downed, or nearby, showing the fight was being watched by whatever sent the fellow or thing.
Roku throws up an arm to shield himself from the light. Alas it was too late and he is blinded, while shaking the stars from his eyes and keeping a sharp ear out. He gains back his sight, he proceeds to look over any gear the thing had. Just because the body turned to light does not mean its equipment did the same.
The thing is gone but it's gear is piled where it once stood. Rags mostly but there are two daggers and two vials of a substance and a note. There are 18 gold coins and 6 silver
Xzevrra manages to shrug off the light. "I wish I knew what it wanted too. What does the note say?"
Roku reads the note while looking over the two vials.
Chraft Alchemy or knowledge dungeoneering to identify the vials.
The note is written in a language you don't know. Linguistics check to at least identify the language
The language is Dark Folk
Roku passes out the gold, 4 gold and 1 silver each. He gives Scrapeknee the left over 2 gold and 2 silver.
"The note is in Dark Folk, guess that was one."
He places the two daggers in his belt and pockets the two vials. Leaving the rags untouched.
"We should get moving before someone comes along, or another tail shows up if he was working with others."
He takes the gold and nods, "Agreed. What would dark folk want with us? Our time away has spawned a hundred mysteries"
You proceed undisturbed to Roku's family home. It is a short walk from this point.
You arrive at his family estate only to find the windows boarded up and signs that the place was abandoned. You see no one about. The lawn is unkempt and the windows so fogged over with dust you cannot see inside.
The door is also locked and boarded. Only Roku would know how to enter this place.
"Hard times for your family?" He looks at Roku after surveying the area.
Roku does not reply.
"Stay here."
He goes around the side and down an old backway then turns into a seeming dead end which has a loose stone near the bottom left corner, removing that he places his hand in a hole. A narrow opening to the side inside the hole, he arm goes in more until he grasp a lever. Pulling, then shifting it upwards, pushing, and shifting it downwards, finally pulling once more. He lets go as the dead end soundlessly opens into a doorway, placing the stone back atop the hole. He quickly moves in, he disappears as the whole thing resets itself. Once inside he makes his way thru the secret passages towards his stash. Inside the hidden room he gathers his things and changes. He then takes the passages back to a hidden panel near the front door. A wall rack backs into the wall and slides open. Stepping out he starts unlocking the front door to let the others in. Once he does he opens it slightly and motions them in to enter.
Scrapeknee grunts, noting the non answer, then limps forward
The interior of the house is a mess and in some places it appears ransacked and also that there was struggling in other places. It has been looted as well. Nothing of value is left. The good news is, it appears no one has touched this house in a little over a month. You could use it as a base of sorts.
Xzevrra follows behind Scrapeknee inside, doing her best to keep an eye out for trouble while seeming not to.
After the blinding light, his lack of energy hit. Taking the the gold the Baron followed the group and stayed quiet. As the went into Roku's estate he started to perk back up.
Baron started to comment on it when he stopped himself from getting in trouble so he quietly looked around for an liquor cabinet.
Roku puts up a hand, whispering.
"Don't wonder off, we want to keep this place looking abandoned."
With that he locks and boards up the door once more. Taking care to try and make it as it was before. He pulls down one of the coat hangers on the wall board. The wall smoothly slides over revealing his hidden passages. Whispering once more to the others.
"Don't try that, if you don't know the right keys for these things you'll trigger a trap. Just because this place has been abandoned does not mean it will give up anything to outsiders. Follow me."
There is no light in the passages and Roku does not bring one to bare. He moves thru the featureless passages back to the room that held his stash.
"We can stay here for now. It's a good thing that even the secret rooms are big. It's safe and I can show you one of the secret ways outside later. Also the reason for my coming here."
He points to his pack and the many objects with in.
"Sadly no food supplies as they don't keep. So we will have to get some ourselves later. As for me, I am going to clean myself up. Get some sleep and when I wake, I am going to get me something to eat and see what has changed."
He walks over to his pack retrieves something and tosses it to Xzevrra.
"Your lucky we worship the same god. That's a holy flask of Shelyn, with water from the temple. I will loan it to you for now. Someone take first watch, people have a bad habit of finding us."
He starts to prepare to shave his annoying and large beard. The itching had been driving him insane, more then the torture in fact. Then he would start on his hair. Thank Shelyn for the shaving and grooming kit he had discovered.
"Two Shelyn worshipers, aw well, I suppose I best seek out converts elsewhere. Thank you though, Roku."
Xzevrra takes the symbol from Roku, smiling. "Thank you, it has been too long. I shall return it as soon as I'm able. I will gladly take first watch as well."
Turning to Scrapeknee, "It does appear you're outnumbered, unless you've convinced Baron to join your cause."
"What of it, Baron?" Scrapeknee grins at him, "I know Shelyn is pretty, but in my visions I've seen ordinary housewives become Amazons! that's got to be worth some spiritual reflection ,eh?"
"Trust me Scrapeknee I have felt the fury of women, many times. He pauses and winks at Xzevrra then continues, "Though your spiritual beliefs are interesting I'm already spoken for..." With that comment he shows the preacher the back of his hands the right one having a tattoo depicting the silver mug of Cayden Cailen which the notices his whole right arm is covered in tattoos depicting a bar room brawl. Then on his left hand is a symbol of Calistra, which like the right is covered in tattoos though this arm shows a various array of beautiful women in seductive poses all wearing silver slippers.
"Ha, Cayden Cailen is one of the gods that speaks to me. He is the god of bravery, after all. As for Calistria, I hear her not, but can't blame a man for being lured by the goddess of seduction, can I?"
Let me know when your ready to move on to the next day. In the meantime, role play as you chose. It is a good way to get close to each other.
"This talk of goddesses is all well and good, but it may be best if you two get some sleep too. We won't know when we'll get another chance, best to take it now while you can. Scrapeknee, I'll wake you in two hours to take over. Baron after and Roku last."
Scrapeknee smiles, "Yes, yes. Perhaps the gods of war will sing to me in my dreams. Visions of blood and glory ..." And indeed, he dreams. And later he will pray.
Roku begins to smite his beard while speaking.
"Fine by me."
"Good with me, we can talk more over breakfast and a cheap bottle of wine."
I'll move this along later tonight. I'm at work at the moment.
Okay sorry for the delay. Got lazy when I got home and did no posting.
The night goes by without a hitch but when the next day rolls around you hear a good amount of commotion going on outside. A brief glance out the window and you see what appears to be an angry mob of people.
They seem to be heading towards this neighborhood's town center and they seem very riled up.
"Anyone know what's going on outside?" Scrapeknee inquires, "I don't know this area."
Roku had been trying to figure out the magical properties of the two items he had. When he heard the commotion, he takes a look.
"It looks like their headed to this towns center and they are very worked up."
"Ah HA! The revolution has begun! Well, maybe not JUST yet, but I wouldn't be surprised. Let's go join them and aid to the chaos, shall we?"
"Count it as a blessing from the Drunken Merc, the guards will be more focused on the mob then looking for us." Baron stands up and streches out his arms and legs then looks back at the group. "So whose up for so eats and a drink?" He gives one of his smirks.
Roku keeps an eye on the mob whiling speaking.
"I have no intention of joining them, but I would like to see what they are about. If only to make sure they are not after a few recently escaped prisoners. We don't know this city or what it has become, I think at this point its very clear that things have changed. The quicker we learn, the better off we will be. Plus we can find out where a good place to eat is at."
The state of his safe house was testament to that change. His family's fortunes had not improved, that was only fuel for him. But the direction and method still needed to form.
"Well, make sure we cover up the syndicate marks on our arms and armor... or rub them away if we can, but yes, let's go out and see what has them so angry."