The Dying City: DM Norv's "Curse of the Crimson Throne"

Game Master The Norv

Just going to assume that Lantressa stays downstairs...

Korriban, dashing into the room, once again finds a chink in the Maiden's armor (he's getting pretty practiced, by now) and slides his blade into her ribs! She staggers and, turning toward him, cries, "My life for Ileosa!" and takes a wild swing...after which she collapses, bleeding.

COMBAT OVER!

A hush falls over the room as Teodor arrives at the top of the stairs, the two unconscious (and, in one case, still bleeding) Gray Maidens crumpled on the ground. The only obvious exits are the large double doors to the south, and an iron grate leading into what appears to be some sort of cargo lift to the northeast.

"Well that battle cry doesn't bode well for the intent of the Queen. Not that I'm terribly surprised at this point."

Callie begins binding the maidens with their own belts. "I think if Davaulus is here he's beyond those double doors. And that elevator might go below. Shall we get everyone up here?"

Korriban looks at Callie. "Sure. We got to keep moving. Davaulus has been warned and he might be on the move." He goes down the stairs and, spotting Lantressa, says, "Tress! It's all clear up here! We're going after Davaulus."

Teodor takes out his sickle. "Why leave them alive? Such zealotry cannot be fixed."

Hearing the all clear Lantressa quickly made her way up the stairs and came out right into the carnage. She looked down at the Grey Maidens and then back up before she said, [b}"Well, that's a few less to deal with isn't it?"[/b]

"For once, I agree with Teodor," Riceak said.

"I am a bit troubled by these Gray Maidens and their zealous devotion to the Queen. I wonder if the Queen is linked to this place. I wonder...do you think that the Queen murdered the King?"

"Well, yeah. That's been my whole thing! I mean, f!@% all monarchs, but assassination is one step to fascism."

Korriban looks at Riceak. "Given how she's created the Gray Maidens and hired these Doctors who are spreading the disease, I wouldn't doubt it. That possibility is becoming all too likely." He looks at the Gray Maidens. "These women... they put Ileosa on a pretty high pedestal. Almost like she were a god to them. Not really putting Korvosa first."

Callie looks up at Teodor from tying up the Maidens. "Because first, we need captives for Kroft to interview. Kroft might be officious with a bit of a pike up her you-know-what, but my interactions with her has shown me that unlike these blackguards, she truly cares about Korvosa and setting wrong to right -- and she needs to know what's going on and get it from the horses' mouths. Because second, if we kill them all, it looks like we murdered the servants of the Queen and we'll wind up being hunted down as traitors instead of being free to stop this madness. Because third, these fiends are the exact kind of folk who kill helpless people in cold blood, and I'm not about to join their ranks."

She goes pale. "You killed all of them downstairs, didn't you?"

"I didn't have time, what with you two launching a sneak attack on these zealots. You weren't exactly trying not to kill them, were you? No. You heard their deathcries. To break them would involve torture. I will not allow that."

"Who's torturing whom? What are you even talking about? Look, instead of try to argue with me, consider this: your sister Cristina, is coming here with the Sable Marine Company to clean up later. They need to learn what happened--the sick may be too ill to tell them the truth. If they just find a bunch of dead Maidens and Physicians--whom as far as MOST of the Sable Marine Company know, are loyal servants to Korvosa, just like them, there's a damned good chance--the military being rigid fools that they are--they presume your sister is lying and then she gets arrested, decommissioned, and your other sister goes unprotected. Or are you okay with that?"

"Okay, Teodor, I agree with you the government is...oh who am I kidding! The heavens-cursed monarchy has become corrupted to the core. Ever since they let those blasted Asmodean followers in, things have gone downhill. Now, killing all of the political leaders, that I don't agree with, since there are those who are in fact genuinely goodhearted and care about the people. No, the queen is the threat here, and something tells me that she has tried to commit genocide against the poor and undesirables, in her eyes...people like me, a Varisian, and the poor like Teodor...no offense Teodor."

The swordsman nodded in agreement with the priest, wiping his blade clean of blood on one of the dead Gray Maidens.

"I'm in agreement with Teodor: I will have no part of any form of interrogation involving torture. Intimidation via threatening bluffs, I'm okay with. Things like waterboarding, no I'm not okay."

"Your points are well-made, both of you. Mostly Callie. 'Murdering all monarchs' is a pretty central tenet of my faith. My point is that these zealots will not testify to the awful truth save perhaps under torture. Sometimes zero witnesses are better than antagonistic witnesses.Nevertheless, now is perhaps not the time for debates. Davalus must be stopped."

Korriban looks at Callie, Teodor, and Riceak as they discuss their stances. He chimes in. "I side with Riceak and Teodor. I don't want to torture anyone to get information. That's too far. I also agree that there are some political leaders that need to be removed due to corruption. The Arkonas are an example that I can think of. However, there are some politicians that want to help Korvosa and her people. Things need to change in this city. But, Teodor's right. We have to go. We have to get Davaulus and stop this madness."

I'm going to assume you attempt to open the door to the south, then, since people have referred to Davaulus probably being back there.

The double doors to the south are locked, and Korriban is unable to unlock them in his first few seconds of work.

I will tell you for free, he can pick the lock by taking 20...but that takes time. If there's some other approach you guys want to take, I pause to allow that. If not, just let me know you're picking the lock. ;)

"I could be wrong, but I don't think anyone here is in favor of torture--nor do I think that is what Kroft would turn to."

When Korriban mentions the Arkonas, Callie visibly and audibly gags.

As they move on to try the door, Callie sees Korriban struggle with the lock.

She forms a brilliant plan involving getting whomever is on the other side to open the door...

And then realizes something else that might even be a simpler and even more brilliant plan.

She searches the Maidens' bodies for a key.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

She's an ex-pickpocket who knows where people would keep valuables, if that helps.

"No offense, but if we're running a con, I'd like to front it. You two are good liars. But I've played this game since I was 7."

Despite Callie'a expertise, neither of the Gray Maidens have any keys on them.

A good idea, but, sadly, security here is very tight. Not sure anyone will make it, but...

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Korriban looks at Teodor. "Okay. You take the lead."

No way I can get that DC so not even trying

Callie looks wide-eyed at Teodor. "But Teodor, I was born a filthy corrupt noble, surely lies flow from my mouth like the very air I breathe, no?" She chuckles. "Really, I don't care who talks, as long as we can get someone to open the door."

Looks like we're just waiting on Teo or someone else to bluff?

Yeah. I thought Teodor would be the best to start us off. If he isn't able to make it, then Callie and I could try since we both have the same modifier to Bluff.

Lantressa laughed lightly at Callie's naivete and said, "I imagine I can lie almost as well as you just by my nature but Teodor, well, he's far better than either of us for some reason." She looked at Teodor and said, "The role is all yours Teo."

Yeah, Teo offered to do it so waiting on him. Callie was gonna try to pretend to be one of the Gray Maidens (since there were two Maidens outside the door and no dudes) but I trust he has a good plan.

Teodor adjust the mask to better muffle his voice. bluff: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (20) + 18 = 38"Sir! Reinforcements have arrived and the intruders are subdued. I think you'll want to see this ... "

There is a ringing silence beyond the doors for several seconds, then a brief, muffled burst of conversation. It sounds...rather heated. After several minutes, though, you hear the bolt in the door slowly slide back. The door in front of Teodor is tentatively pulled open by his mirror image: another of the Queen's Physicians. Presumably, this one is real.

The hall beyond is lined with rows of white-sheeted beds. Each bed holds a patient, restrained by leather straps that bind the figure to the sturdy metal frame. At the room's center stretch simple wooden worktables, each covered in fluid-filled beakers, intricate glass tubes, small burners, and other alchemical instruments.

Three Physicians occupy the room, one at the door Teodor stands before and two warily standing near the beds in the back half. Standing next to the center worktable, hands drumming on it irritably, is a good-looking man clad in a long coat and well-made, sensible clothes. Korriban, Teodor, and Lantressa recognize him as Doctor Reiner Davaulus! His eyes widen at the sight of your party, and his face darkens.

"Fools!" he snaps at the Physicians. "What have you done?!" Turning toward you, he snaps, "I take it you're all under the impression that something sinister is going on here! And that you're here armed to the teeth to put it down? Arrogant, and foolish."

He doesn't make any immediate moves to attack you, but you've definitely got the drop on them!

You're all entitled to a surprise round if you want to go in guns blazing, so let me know if you want to do that. It won't allow you to engage him in conversation, though.

The map is updated!

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

Korriban scowls at Davaulus. He then steps to the side, putting Davaulus in his sight.

Using my surprise round to move 5 feet to the side.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 17
Following Teodor to the door she stood back out of sight until it opened when she stepped to where she could see in. She noticed that several patients had been...put down, almost immediately. She didn't hesitate to cast dropping a spell to slow down Davaulus and any other doctors or assistants she could reach with her spell in the room before saying, "They're murdering patients, those two had their throats slit recently!" as she pointed at the nearest pair of throat slitted dead.

I cast slow, DC 18 will negates. It will reach those with grey arrows pointing at them. If I can reach any other physicians I will target them as well.

Guns blazin' it is!

COMBAT! SURPRISE ROUND!!

When she spots the dead patients, Lantressa immediately invokes a spell on Davaulus and the Physicians. Davaulus lets out a mighty curse, and reaches for his rapier, but the nearest Physician and one of the two in the back staggers as Lantressa's spell hits them.

Rest of the party's up for the surprise round, and Riceak can post both his surprise and first round actions! Good news, Lantressa: that slow spell can, just barely, hit everyone in the room. Davaulus and one of the Physicians saved.

Initiative
Riceak
Foes
Callie, Korriban, Lantressa, Teodor

Combat Map

Damn, I keep forgetting I have that wand of cat's grace, I should have used it earlier

If both doors are open, Callie will move into the room and around the physician at the door so she's flanking him with Korriban. The physician should be flat footed so unless he's a rogue or Combat Reflexes, he can't make an AOO against her. If this is the case, I've moved Callie where I want her to be.

If she can't move instead I'll spend a round of bardic performance to activate bladethirst. I'll provide some degree of narrative description once I'm sure what I can do.

You can move, Callie.

Waiting on Teodor's surprise action, and Riceak's surprise and first-round actions.

Can Teo leave Davulus out of a channel energy? if so: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 6) = 7

if not
Teodor steps through the door but mysteriously appears through the door in the back of the room, walks behind the physician near Davalus.
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 231d10 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

surprise round While he's still off guard, Callie slips past the physician, drawing her sword.

@Teo: with your selective channeling, you're perfectly positioned to exclude the Doctor and the only physicians in range, so I'll assume you do that if you I don't hear otherwise.

Sounds like Riceak will get a post in later, so I'm assuming I'll move us forward this evening.

Cool. Any way we can use my second post as his first round action?

Can do, though note that Davaulus will get a turn first, which might change your action. Botting Riceak to move us forward!

ROUND ONE!

Riceak shoulders the door fully open and pushes past Korriban into the room, drawing his sword as he does so. Inside, he lunges at the Queen's Physician he and Callie are flanking...

Attack (Flanking): 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 2 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

...and opens a gash in the man's shoulder, sending him staggering back! That Physician, scrambling, yanks a club out of his belt and swings it at Riceak, but the Varisian easily dodges the blow. The Physician carefully steps back and turns to face Callie, who's suddenly clobbered in the back of the head by a light-footed Physician who's snuck up behind her. As she wheels toward the one who hit her, the third rushes around the table and lunges at her as well, but she knocks the club aside with her buckler.

Davaulus, staring at you all coldly, mutters something under his breath and moves his fingers in a complex pattern...then vanishes from your sight!

Callie takes 12 points of damage, and the party's up! Teo, you can keep your roll, but Davaulus isn't there anymore...

Initiative
Riceak
Foes
Callie, Korriban, Lantressa, Teodor<-----

Combat Map

Derp. I completely forgot that Red and Blue are slowed. By a stroke of (good?) luck, the one who hit Callie was green, so that stands, and Red can still draw the weapon and 5' shift; however, Blue can't get up to her yet. I've adjusted the map to reflect that. My apologies!

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Callie curses when Davaulus goes invisible. "Not again..." she groans, followed by "Ow!" as she is struck in the head.

Trying to stay focused, she sidesteps and stabs at the physician she moved in to flank.

Callie attack Red, flanking: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 9 + 2 = 14

He should be at -1 AC due to slow, but I think that still misses.

Disoriented by the bash to the head, Callie fails to keep her blade steady and misses.

Korriban sees Davaulus disappear. "D**n it!"

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Korriban can't seem to find the man. "Just come out and fight, Davaulus! We know about your connection to the Pallid Princess and about your leader! We know that you and your group are spreading the blood veil!" He then steps forward to the red clad Physician and stabs at them with his blade!

Attack (flanking): 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 10 + 2 = 24
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Sneak Attack due to flanking: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 5) = 8

Teodor will keep his attack on the physician that was near Davalus.

Teo, just realized something: isn't your doorways ability a standard action? If so, you won't be able to attack until next turn.

ROUND ONE (cont'd)

The Physician dodges Callie's blow, but then Korriban catches him under the arm and he crumples to the ground! Teodor, meanwhile steps into the doorway and vanishes, reappearing on the far side of the room and approaching the far Physician...

Lantressa's up, then Riceak at the top of the round!

Initiative
Riceak<----
Foes
Callie, Korriban, Teodor, Lantressa<----

Combat Map

Seeing the effectiveness of her earlier spell Lantressa entered the room and sent a glob of acid sailing at Teodor's opponent. She was rather proud of her aim this time as the glob seemed destined to splash against the doctor's garments and melt them.

Acid Splash: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 5 - 4 = 191d3 ⇒ 1

Riceak, seeing his chance, rushes one of the Queen's Physicians, swinging his blade at the vile doctor.

Sword Charge: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 10 + 2 + 2 = 15

Sword Charge, damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Unfortunately, he only succeeds in getting his sword stuck in the table next to the vile doctor.

Maybe I should let the GM roll for me. ;P

ROUND TWO!

Lantressa sends a glob of acid across the table at the Physician as Riceak lunges at the un-slowed man. The one not under the enchantment manages to dodge the blow, and swings wildly at Riceak before backing up along the table, guard up. The slowed man, moving hypnotically, swings at Teodor as though trying to plow through molasses before staggering backward himself. The two physicians stand back-to-back. There is, so far, still no sign of Davaulus...

The party is up! Riceak's turn will come after the others.

Initiative
Riceak
Foes
Callie, Korriban, Lantressa, Teodor<-----

Combat Map

Ack, I screwed up, and deleted the post because I rolled the wrong dang thing. I should have kept the first roll, it was the rest I messed up, as she hit, I just misread the dice and saw a crit when there wasn't one there. Ah well. If there's an issue with me effectively rerolling let me know.

Callie steps up and lunges at the next physician. "Make sure Dav doesn't get through either of the doors!

Attack Blue: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Callie strikes true and gives the physician a nice gash.

Teodor finally attacks his physician foe. "Davalus is a priority!"

Korriban decides to stay put and keep watch in case Davaulus tries to go through the door he's standing, maybe getting a swipe at him if he tries to pass.

I'm readying an action to attack if I can feel Davauls try to pass me on the right.

Readied Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Riceak swings his sword again, hoping to hit this time.

Sword attack: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 10 + 2 = 28

Sword damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 Oh....this is going to hurt! Well, not me ;P

BACK! Sorry...craziness managing the congratulations etc. from the proposal. Botting Lantressa.

ROUND THREE!

Callie lunges forward and opens a gash on the nearest physician (I'm assuming you meant green since that's the one to which you're now adjacent?), while Teodor clobbers the other one with his flail. Lantressa sends another glob of acid squirting over the outfit of the one that Teodor's engaged with, singing his flesh, while Riceak steps up and brings his sword down hard on Callie's foe, cleaving open his shoulder and exposing bone.

Korriban readies himself to stab at Davaulus if he passes by, and when he hears a sudden footfall to his (the character's) left, he lunges! But his blade doesn't connect with anything, and he's left wondering where Davaulus might have gone...definitely felt like something invisible moved through the doorway, though!

Backed up against the table, the two Queen's Physicians fight back with desperate strength! The one not slowed by Lantressa's enchantment rams his club into Callie's gut, while the other one, back-to-back with his fellow, catches Teodor in the knee.

5 damage to Callie, 3 to Teodor, and the party is up again!

Initiative
Riceak
Foes
Callie, Lantressa, Korriban, Teodor<-----

Combat Map