The Path's We Choose (Inactive)

Game Master Matthais777

Grynt looks to Etienne and shrugs...he will follow unless told otherwise...

Li waits to learn if the mission is for him too, or just Brady.

"You need allies, Brady, don't go without us!"

Never split the party!

Spellcraft 2d20 + 10 ⇒ (4, 9) + 10 = 23

He will share what he knows about the spellcraft rolls.

The team is quickly lead to a brightly colored ledge wagon parked in the
Docks district only a few blocks from the Pickled Imp. The team is swiftly lead inside the wagon. The interior is dimly lit by small brass lamps that
spread the faint odor of lamp oil, only partly masked by incense. The only other occupant is Exchange faction leader Aaqir al’Hakam.

I suppose you’re surprised to see me? Sit. I wish I could say I have called you here for a more celebratory reason, but such isn’t the case. We have a desperate situation on our hands:
Guaril Karela is missing.

Lately the Sczarni leader and I have discussed a deal that might be in both our organizations’ interest, and I had hoped to finalize more of the terms tonight. However, several individuals wearing Qadiran clothing and wielding long blades broke into the Pickled Imp, Guaril’s business, tried to set it ablaze, and kidnapped the proprietor—a Sczarni operative who has spent the last month disguised as Guaril to mislead his enemies. Despite their appearance, I have no connection to these vandals. In fact, they may even have been attempting to implicate me and eliminate yet another one of Guaril’s friends. Apparently Guaril did not take the news lightly, and I’ve been informed that he grabbed his weapons, ordered all but two of his subordinates to stay behind, and set off after the criminals. It seems this was just one of many contingencies he had prepared, for he had written instructions ready. It seems that part of the plan,” he notes aloud as he extends a sealed missive, “Involved recruiting your help in particular. I suspect that the Gael family is behind this, and Guaril sees this as an opportunity to finally do in the rivals who have worked to undermine and kill him for the past year. This has the potential to be very dangerous, but apparently he wanted you to be present for whatever he has planned.”

He opens the paper and shows it to you. It says...

I stood high ‘pon Beldren’s Bluff,
And gazed out to the west.
Just south of the storm of stone,
Silver Wren sleeps in her nest.
Stole I to her side,
Stole I to her side,
But her fledglings cast in flight.
Past three black whales,
And three black whales,
And half way to the light.
And there, beneath the waters green,
Drowns the maiden without a name.
Still it is her gaze.
That finds refuge in the graves

Nat scratches her head. "Taldane poetry always seems odd to me but the repeated lines are... infelicitous. Elven poetry is far superior."

"I have experience with Scarnzi . . . . business associates. They sometimes use coded messages. It might be relatively literal - west of Beldren's Bluff is the ship graveyard. The other language definitely seems to imply ships and water. We just have to figure out what the black whales are, what the light is, and so on. Sounds like we'll need a boat, too."

Knowledge(Local) check to try and decode the references to landmarks in Absalom's harbor? 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Grynt nods at Etienne's words and studies the poem further for clues...

Knowledge (Geography): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

Li knows little of Avistan geography, but if the words implicate the planes or religion, he might know a bit.

Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Thinking on what he knows, Grynt deduces that The first two lines refer to the Precipice Quarter, where if the team look due west, they can see the Puddles District and Fort Tempest, the latter which the poem calls the “storm of stone.” He's able to draw the mental map so that you do not have to actually travel to the precipice quarter to figure it out. The rest will have to be determined at the actual location.

Moving quickly, the team arrives just south of Fort tempest, where they see the partially submerged remains of the Silver Wren, a ship whose painted figurehead remains above water and in fairly good shape.

perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

"Hmm. Those shapes there look like whales under the water. One, two, three... six, there's six of them. So halfway to... that." She points at the lighthouse.

Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Grynt nods at Nat. "Good eye, my friend...we should be able to rent a boat at reasonable rate to get there..."

Grynt will ask around the quarter for a place to rent a boat...

Knowledge (Local): 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

"Excellent work, my friends! I'm going to have to talk to my faction about our codes; this was far too transparent."

He accompanies Grynt in an effort to find a boat for rent.

Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

"I'll happily take the tiller if you strong gents row."

Approximately halfway between the lighthouse and The Black Whale is a capsized vessel whose figurehead is a woman with a flowing gown, her mouth open as if she were drowning. This is the “drowning maiden without a name,” and by following her gaze, the team identify a barge marked "The Fool's Pride.

But getting there is tough work... each team member must make either a strength or profession sailor check!

Oh boy

str check: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (9) - 1 = 8

Strength Check: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

strength: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Nat has Squealy lay down on the floor of the boat in front of her, and braces her bare feet against his warm hide, giving her a solid surface to push against as she pulls on her oars.

Strength: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

Brady settles in and begins rowing; he really puts his back into it and the boat lurches forward with every stroke.

We couldn't hire a boat?

Li Shuo STR check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

You could hire a boat, not anybody to row you in it!

Magus: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Unfortunately, you put all the good rowers on the right and all the bad ones on the left, and you end up spinning around in circles for a bit before you get it all straightened out and make your way to the designated spot.

Approximately halfway between the lighthouse and The Black Whale is a capsized vessel whose figurehead is a woman with a flowing gown, her mouth open as if she were drowning. This is the “drowning maiden without a name,” and by following her gaze, the team can identify The Fool’s
Pride, a great flat lumber barge, as Guaril’s hideout.

Standing on the ship is Guaril himself, surrounded by dead men, though many them have clearly died by traps built into the barge itself. He obviously had set this boat up as a death trap to those who would seek him out, but even with that he is haggered and bloody with several deep gashes and cuts.

He stands with his back to the team, as another team of assassins warily prepares to try another assault!

Etienne: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
Magus Pre: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Grynt: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Natulcien: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Li Shouo: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Brady: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

GUARIL: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
DevilfishB: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
DevilfishR: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
AssassinB : 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
AssassinR : 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
AssassinG : 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Doomseer: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!

Natulcien
Li Shou
-----------------
Guaril
Doomseer
-----------------
Etienne
Magus
-----------------
Devilfish Red
Assassin Red
-------------------------
Grynt
---------------------
Devilfish B
Assasian B
Assassin G
-------------------
Brady

In the course of hiring a boat, would Nat have time to dress herself and Squealy in armor and get her weapons?

In the course of hiring a boat, would Nat have time to dress herself and Squealy in armor and get her weapons?

Yes. :)

Li Shuo decides to clear a path for his allies and shoots the thug barring their path.

5' step out of the way.
1 Ki point for extra attack.
Perfect Strike on the first shot.

The Jade Dragon Bow - Ranged Flurry, 1st shot, 1st roll, with Point-Blank Shot and Deadly Aim: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 10 + 1 - 1 = 27
The Jade Dragon Bow - Ranged Flurry, 1st shot, 2nd roll, with Point-Blank Shot: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (11) + 10 + 1 - 1 = 21
Non-Lethal Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 1 + 2 + (4) = 19

The Jade Dragon Bow - Ranged Flurry, 2nd shot, with Point-Blank Shot and Deadly Aim: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 10 + 1 - 1 = 17
Non-Lethal Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 1 + 2 + (3) = 15

The Jade Dragon Bow - Ranged Flurry, 3rd shot (ki flurry), with Point-Blank Shot and Deadly Aim: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 10 + 1 - 1 = 27
Non-Lethal Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 + 2 + (2) = 11

If AC<18, then 45 damage.
If 17<AC<28, then 30 damage.

We're in a rowboat, so to get up onto the deck do we need to climb? I suppose the boar wouldn't be able to really get up a ladder.

Nat leaves Squealy in the boat and climbs onto the deck. She takes out her sling and loads it. Do I have enough move to get onto the deck and then sling? I can draw the sling as part of the move, and warslinger lets me load as a free action. I'll activate animal focus for Bull as a swift for +2 strength.

climb: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

If I can attack:

sling vs. nearest attacker, point-blank shot: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 8 + 1 = 11
damage: 1d3 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 = 6

Li fires a rush of arrows at one of the assassins. He tries to dodge, but one of the arrows catches him in the temple, knocking him flat. Nat had the same idea, and her stone goes sailing past where the bad guy was.

Guaril looks at the assassians and twirls his blade.

Ahah! Reinforcements! ya in for it now!

He holds his dagger at the ready trying to deflect the incoming attacks.

Total defense, AC +4

Meanwhile a woman, hovering out over the water, sees the incoming team and tries to buy them time...

Grease, everyone within the square must make a DC 15 or fall prone. To move in it requires a DC 10 acrobatics check.

PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!

Natulcien
Li Shou
-----------------
Guaril
Doomseer
-----------------
Etienne
Magus
-----------------
Devilfish Red
Assassin Red
-------------------------
Grynt
---------------------
Devilfish B
Assasian B
Assassin G
-------------------
Brady

reflex: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Nat's bare feet slip out from under her and she goes crashing to the deck.

"F*#%!" she shouts.

The magus will concentrate and cast a spell focusing it on the 3 figures in front of him and the middle one in particular as he casts glitterdust.

DC 15 Will

A cloud of golden particles covers everyone and everything in the area, causing creatures to become blinded and visibly outlining invisible things for the duration of the spell. All within the area are covered by the dust, which cannot be removed and continues to sparkle until it fades. Each round at the end of their turn blinded creatures may attempt new saving throws to end the blindness effect.
Any creature covered by the dust takes a -40 penalty on Stealth checks.

The one in the middle is our friend.

ref save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

hoping that's enough

Etienne will move onto the deck, getting closer to the floating figure who just cast. He'll then cast stricken heart, giving a playing card a nimbus of dark energy. He then flicks it at the floating caster

ranged touch attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
negative energy damage: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4 and staggered for 1 rd if hit

Guaril: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
assasian: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16
assasian: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Guaril blinks in surprise as he becomes shiny... so shiny he's blinded, as is one of the assassins! But the other looks just fine... he begins to menace Guaril with his own dagger as he is so shiny, though the other is busy rubbing his eyes....

meanwhile, a dark shape moves under the water, and tentacles begin to roll up the side of the boat, creeping towards Guaril and his assassins!

The woman let's out a "UGH!" as she's hit by the negative energy of the card, holding her stomach in shock.

PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!

Natulcien
Li Shou
-----------------
Guaril Blind
Doomseer Staggard
-----------------
Etienne
Magus
-----------------
Devilfish Red
Assassin Red Blind
-------------------------
Grynt
---------------------
Devilfish B
Assasian B
-------------------
Brady

Grynt moves 5' forward and fires twice at the assassin east of Guaril...

To Hit: Dex+Base, Magic, PBS, Precise Shot, Deadeye Bowman, Rapid Shot

Damage: Strength, Magic, PBS

Longbow: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 1 + 1 - 2 = 16

Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 1 + 1 = 6

Longbow: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 7 + 1 + 1 - 2 = 26

Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 2 + 1 + 1 = 12

That was the only way to get both of the assassins though

Considering he's level 12, it was a fair guess that he'd make the check. To bad he rolled badly.

The assasian is struck by the arrows, but it's not enough to take him down. As such he takes a desperate swipe at Guaril...

kukri: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
kukri: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Crit?kukri: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

He howls in pain as the twin kukri's slash across his back, leaving open gaping wounds... he's barely standing himself... all the while, a dark figure moves in the water behind the team...

PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!

Natulcien
Li Shou
-----------------
Guaril Blind -9
Doomseer Staggard -4
-----------------
Etienne
Magus
-----------------
Devilfish Red
Assassin Red Blind
-------------------------
Grynt
---------------------
Devilfish B
Assasian B -18
-------------------
Brady

Brady notices the darkness in the water behind Gauril, and has an immediate concern over what this could mean. He begins running across the ship, trying to come up with a strategy to try to save the man.

Arriving in front of him, he comes up with an unconventional idea... he sweeps the man's legs, hoping to land him flat on the deck where he might be a lesser target to whatever it is lurking in the water.

So Guaril is badly hurt? S@$$!

acrobatics to stand if needed: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Nat tries to get to her feet, but has trouble in the grease. Instead, she carefully rises to her knees and casts another spell, sending another snowball flying.

ranged touch attack vs. rightmost assassin: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 1 = 11

Squealy oinks loudly, and decides to do his best to climb, even though he has no idea how to climb a ladder.

Squealy Nord climbing, apply whatever penalty you think appropriate for a pig trying to get up a ladder: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

If that fails, he'll try to jump. acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18 That makes only 4 feet vertical, so that probably fails too.

So Guaril is badly hurt? S@*$!

He was pretty wrecked before you got here. The scenario says he's already killed "Dozens" of these assassins, and their grinding him down to his last.

As for Squealy, I'll say he makes it, since the scenario describes this as a "Large flat barge" despite the picture, but now poor squealy is in the grease so you'll need to make a check for him to move in the greasae.

Squealy leaps up onto the barge to join his master, and Brady only manages to bruise his own shin against the assassin.

PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!

Natulcien
Li Shou
-----------------
Guaril Blind -9
Doomseer Staggard -4
-----------------
Etienne
Magus
-----------------
Devilfish Red
Assassin Red Blind
-------------------------
Grynt
---------------------
Devilfish B
Assasian B -18
-------------------
Brady

Brady was attempting to trip Gauril, not that it matters. I suppose the nat 1 could mean that he kicked the assassin instead, though, haha.

Li Shuo keeps firing, attempting to rescue Guaril.

5' step out of the way.
1 Ki point for extra attack.
Perfect Strike on the first shot.

The Jade Dragon Bow - Ranged Flurry, 1st shot, 1st roll, with Point-Blank Shot and Deadly Aim: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 10 + 1 - 1 = 19
The Jade Dragon Bow - Ranged Flurry, 1st shot, 2nd roll, with Point-Blank Shot: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 10 + 1 - 1 = 17
Non-Lethal Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 + 2 + (3) = 12

The Jade Dragon Bow - Ranged Flurry, 2nd shot, with Point-Blank Shot and Deadly Aim: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 10 + 1 - 1 = 19
Non-Lethal Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 + 2 + (3) = 13

The Jade Dragon Bow - Ranged Flurry, 3rd shot (ki flurry), with Point-Blank Shot and Deadly Aim: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (3) + 10 + 1 - 1 = 13
Non-Lethal Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 1 + 2 + (1) = 15

I hate you, dice roller!

Li Shou's arrow strikes the assasian hard, knocking him down to the ground. His second and third arrow have no trouble finding the blinded man's head as he is struck down as well!

Guaril rubs at his eyes as he tries to regain his sight...
will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
but the glitter dust is sticking something fierce.

The floating woman holds out one hand and hisses out over her pain...

DIE!

Scorching Ray: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
damage: 4d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 6, 4) = 17

Guaril is struck by the scorching ray, and bursts into flames, screaming as he falls to the ground...

PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!

Natulcien
Li Shou
-----------------
Guaril Blind -26
Doomseer Staggard -4
-----------------
Etienne
Magus
-----------------
Devilfish Red
-------------------------
Grynt
---------------------
Devilfish B
-------------------
Brady

acrobatics for Squealy: 1d20 ⇒ 6

"Squeeeeeee!" bellows the boar as he lands on his belly in the grease.

heal check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Etienne, seeing Guaril go down, casts stabilize on him..

The magus will cast mirror image on himself
1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 images appear

Oh dear, this is about to get worse.

Etienne stops Guaril's bleeding with a sigh of relief... which is immediately halted as several tentacles wrap around the dying man's feet, as well as the feet of the two dead assassins, and begin to pull them all into the water... Guaril landing with a splash in the water.

PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!

Natulcien
Li Shou
-----------------
Guaril Blind -26
Doomseer Staggard -4
-----------------
Etienne
Magus
-----------------
Devilfish A
-------------------------
Grynt
---------------------
Devilfish B
-------------------
Brady

Cursing as he sees Guaril go under, Grynt will go after him...he'll drop his bow, go total defense (AC 25), drawing his dagger as he moves 30' entering the water just east of Guaril...

This is a fun fight, indpet but fun :)

As the Magus tries to figure out what's happening, tentacles reach out of the water towards him...

tentacles: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
damage: 3d6 + 4 ⇒ (4, 2, 2) + 4 = 12

Luckily, the slippery grease on the boat doesn't seem to his liking, and he reaches his tentacles elsewere...

PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!

Natulcien
Li Shou
-----------------
Guaril Blind -26
Doomseer Staggard -4
-----------------
Etienne
Magus
-----------------
Devilfish A
-------------------------
Grynt
---------------------
Devilfish B
-------------------
Brady

Li Shuo keeps firing, attempting to rescue Guaril.

1 Ki point for extra attack.
Perfect Strike on the first shot.

The Jade Dragon Bow - Ranged Flurry, 1st shot, 1st roll, with Point-Blank Shot and Deadly Aim: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (15) + 10 + 1 - 1 = 25
The Jade Dragon Bow - Ranged Flurry, 1st shot, 2nd roll, with Point-Blank Shot: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 1 - 1 = 18
Non-Lethal Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 1 + 2 + (6) = 20

The Jade Dragon Bow - Ranged Flurry, 2nd shot, with Point-Blank Shot and Deadly Aim: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 10 + 1 - 1 = 27
Non-Lethal Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 + 2 + (2) = 11

The Jade Dragon Bow - Ranged Flurry, 3rd shot (ki flurry), with Point-Blank Shot and Deadly Aim: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 10 + 1 - 1 = 23
Non-Lethal Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 1 + 2 + (3) = 14

If AC<24, then 45 nonlethal damage.
If 23<AC<26, then 31 nonlethal damage.
If 25<AC<28, then 20 nonlethal damage.

acrobatics: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

Nat makes her way out of the grease, then books it for the other side of the barge, springing the wand out of her right wrist sheath as she goes. She sticks it between her teeth and dives off the side of the barge.

swim check if needed: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

acrobatics for squealy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Squealy nord tries to get up but slips and falls in the grease again.