The Strange: Realms Beyond Reality (Inactive)

Game Master Darkfire142

The group heads back down the paths through the mountains and back to the city proper. They then pay a visit to the Ox and Mountain tavern and throw out some crowns for a room. This costs 2 crowns per room you rent. The rooms are small single bed, single wash basin with a chest to keep belongings in, a lockable door and a shuttered window. The beads are standard cloth bedding that is rather primitive compared to that of modern day beds and not as comfortable. Armand does not need to sleep in a bed. He finds that just closing his eyes and relaxing he can become like a statue and recover his strength after some time of inactivity.

Everyone can heal their pools to full and restore their recoveries.

Have I given XP yet? You should have 6 Experience points so far, 3 for the events that got you here, 1 for translating to this world for the first time, 1 for reaching the city and experiencing it and 1 for visiting Zanthar and getting your quest. There is also GM intrusion xp some of you got earlier. Now the rule for experience in this game is you don't necessarily get it for killing things. You get it for learning new things about the universe and role-playing your characters.

Deducted money (also removed money from paying for drinks earlier which I neglected to remove from my sheet).

Siobhan takes a few moments before settling to sleep to examine herself - running her fingers over the strange contours of her face and body, she checks over her gear and tests the range of her voice. She wishes she had a mirror so she could get a good look at her face - or a bath - or any of a thousand or more modern conveniences.

Pull yourself together girl she mutters, straightening her back and taking deep breaths, before carefully lying down on the simple bed and drifting into an unsettled sleep.

Do we spend XP as we acquire it, or do we wait for "between adventures"

Cassie will go to her room, then come back out and ask if they have a bath.

I thought that we had already gotten xp for the first part.

You can spend xp for advancement at any time in this game, although for buying the 4 advancements and tiering up that is typically done out of combat. Anyway going to be gone for a few days for Christmas Vacation. Hope you all have a merry Christmas.

As for baths, they do have one although you have to reserve use of it as it a shared bath area. Taking your clothes off and looking at your junk is a odd experience to say the least. Of course the golem has his clothing carved into his body so can not strip.

Ok I am back and ready to proceed.

Anyhow you all rest up at the inn and help yourself to the meals of the Inn and Tavern and you are all refreshed to begin your journey (Max out all your pools). Do you want to purchase anything in the city before you go or are you ready to be on your way?

Cassie is going to get everything that she mentioned that people get above, and some sort of ranged weapon as well (probably a bow).

If available Siobhan would like to buy:
Bow + 12 arrows (50Cr)
Dagger (10Cr)
Bedroll (2Cr)
10-days Rations (150Cr)
If that's all approved it will leave me with 181 Crowns.

Indeed you can get the listed items at the book level prices easily. You can try and Haggle to lower the price though with an intellect test.

You all go out into the city and hit various supply and provision shops in the town. You easily find what you're looking for and expend coinage on your person. Still the economy of this world seems tremendously overvalued. Gold coins of this size on earth would be at least 1100 american dollars per Gold Coin, if not more. It seems Gold must be in abundance on this world if its usable for such minimal purchases. It does make you wonder if there is a way to bring these coins back with you. You'ed make quite a profit off their sale if you had some way to keep them.

Siobhan will haggle, though she's not going to apply any effort to it Haggle: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Hope you all slept well, are we ready?

"Yes, I am ready to head out as well. I feel like I'm one of those people who go to those fairs where they dress up like people in the dark ages. I can't remember what they're called."

For a 9 I will let you save 11 crowns off your purchases so pay only 170 for everything.

After purchasing your gear and exploring the city a bit you head on your way out of the gates and begin to follow the map toward the location of the Qephelym Ruin. The region is rocky and mountainous and along the way you're forced to both take mountain trails as well as do some climbing in some cases to avoid taking detours. Still there is a tranquility about this area. The air is fresh, the sky beautiful and everything looks all natural and untouched by civilization. As you hit one of the mountain passes and what looks like another mountain trail make me a perception check, Target Number of 15.

Armand has all he needs and more, having an extra range weapon should anyone ask to use one.

As they make their journey he feels once again at home in the wilderness and appreciates the tranquillity.

1d20 ⇒ 5

His mind wonders and he more self absorbed than usual, unable to notice much around him.

1d20 ⇒ 1
Marcus is still worrying about figuring out how to get back to a normal human body.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 19 Trained

Most of the party fails to notice anything unusual. Siobhan Quinn with her enhanced senses however spots various body parts hidden behind rocks and ridges. Because of this she is not caught off guard as these people pop out of their hiding spaces and aim crossbows at the party. All of them look like middle-eastern people dressed in leather armor and leather skullcaps armed with short swords, daggers and crossbows. They all have the mark of a black crow head painted on their armor.

As Siobhan got a minor effect, the first defense roll she makes is at an advantage.

Last to step out is a black feathered looking crow-person wearing an eyepatch across his right eye and dressed in leathers. He currently has a dagger in each hand. He glares at the party with his good eye and says with a squeaky bird like voice.

"What have we got here? Travellers moving through the mountains without a caravan. You look to be the adventuring type, which means you got some coin on ya. Hand over your crowns or we'll kill ya and take everything from your corpses!"

Siobhan takes a step towards them, with a wolfish grin
"We will not, my friends and I are more than capable of handling your motley band - fall back now, and we will refrain from destroying you all."

Not sure if I can use Fast Talk - depends on whether he counts as hostile or not, will do so if I can.

I would say he does count as Hostile considering he's trying to rob you of money and has threatened to kill you if you don't do what he says.

Trying to wet your beak on the wrong travellers! Armand roars stepping forward with Quinn. I will crush you with my bare hands he yells intimidatingly.

1d20 ⇒ 2

Or not...

"Let me see if I have this correctly: You've encountered a group of adventurers, people who specialize in fighting things more powerful than a group of guys living in the woods with crossbows? Good luck."

Marcus crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow at the men.

The crow-man chuckles and says, "I've delt with better than the likes of ya. Doesn't look like you're the type to give up their coin. Kill em all men!"

Roll initiative as the bandits prepare to put a crapload of crossbow bolts through you.

The One Eyed crow man has a 15 initiative, the rest of the bandits go on a 9 due to their level.

Initiative : 1d20 ⇒ 2

Initiative: 1d20 ⇒ 6

Initiative: 1d20 ⇒ 17 (Trained)

Ok that means Siobhan goes on a 20. Just need Cassie's roll before we begin.

Round 1 Action:

Armand activates a resonance field around himself hoping to shield himself while in front and exposed to possible multiple enemies attacks. A faint red glow eminates from Armand's stony skin as he readies himself for any attack.

Cost - 1 Intellect point.
Is that cost reduced by my Edge? making it 0?

Sorry, Paizo ate my roll.

1d20 ⇒ 2

Ok we got our order, let us begin

Siobhan gets to act first, then comes One eyed crow and his bandits and then the rest of the party

One Eyed Crowman pulls two daggers out his bandaler and tosses one after another. Give me two dodge checks, TN 15. His daggers do 4 points of damage through as he throws with deadly accuracy (Minus armor of course)

The other bandits fire on the rest of the party (Only Siobhan is not attacked as she is being handled by the Crow Man). As there is 6 bandits, you will have to dodge 2 TN 9 attacks. If you're hit you take 4 points of damage (Minus armor).

Siobhan starts towards them and uses an action to spin encouragement, giving the team a 1step boost on defence tasks

Also each character decrease the difficulty one task per day by 1step, provided they've spent a day with me, just FYI.

Defence 1d20 ⇒ 13 1d20 ⇒ 12 not sure if I count as my own ally, and can't double check here.

You are not your own ally so no, it does not count on yourself.

Armand acts with lightning reflexes as he dodges both shots and moves forward to close the distance between him and the one eyed crow man.

You won't live long enough to regret this day! he roars finally activating his resonance shield.

1d20 ⇒ 20
1d20 ⇒ 10

Posted earlier my round 1 action, activating resonance field and moving closer to the 3 enemies that are closer. I want to be able to attack next turn, so if I need to expend any effort or roll an action to do so, please let me know. Trained in Jumping if that helps leap over their cover or get me closer somehow.

Fair enough, should probably have expended some effort then!

Siobhan takes two daggers into the gut from the Crow-Man. 4 damage each before armor is applied

Armand uses his resonance shield, deflecting the pitiful bolts coming his way.

He now has a Major Effect he can activate. What sort of advantage do you think Armand would get from critically succeeding in this defense? Some options include having one of the other bandits being hit in the crossfire, getting a +2 advantage shift on your next defense roll or something else you can suitably think of.

Dodge: 1d20 ⇒ 2
Dodge: 1d20 ⇒ 16

Thanks to Siobhan's magic, Cassie is missed by both projectiles. Cassie will then draw her greatsword and move up to one of the guys who shot her and lower her voice before saying "stop that."

Do you have the means to reduce the difficulty of the Dodge to 0? You are trained in speed defense and get a +1 advantage for the Spin Encouragement. That means you need a 3 or better to succeed unless you got some other means of advantage.

I'd take a dagger for Quinn since we stepped up to confront one eye. If not, then deflect one of the arrows onto an attacker.

Defense: 1d20 ⇒ 13
Defense: 1d20 ⇒ 5

"Yeouch!" Marcus yelps as he's hit by one of the bandits.

He draws his bow and fires a shot back, but it veers to the left.
Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 2

Marcus is really good at fighting.

Ok taking an attack for one person would be a minor effect I think. As you got a major effect it does 1/2 damage as well as you use a tough part of your rocky skin to weaken the blow. So it does 2 damage before armor aginst Armand so 0 damage.

Armand steps forward and takes the 2nd dagger for Siobhan, allowing it to bounce off his rock skin without injury.

Thanks

I'm specialized in speed defense.

Ok well then its onto the next round, Siobhan, what are you doing?

Siobhan clutches at her wound and ducks behind Armand's rocky body. Watch yourselves

Spin Encouragement again

Cassie will swing her greatsword into the bandit that she just moved next to.

Attack Roll: 1d20 ⇒ 15

Damage is 6

The sword cuts through the bandit and he howls in pain as it cuts a solid blow in his torso. His leather armor does reduce the impact a bit but is not that effective against a greatsword. Another blow like that would likely kill him.

One Eyed Crow pulls out two daggers, throwing one at Cassie and one at Siobhan. DC 15 to dodge.

Siobhan tries to keep out of the way.
Dodge: 1d20 ⇒ 18 expending one level of Effort.

Armand launches himself at the Crow, furious he continues to fight against overwhelmning odds. Ignorant bird!Armand thinks to himself as he swings at his good eye with is fists but misses horribly.

1d20 ⇒ 3

Dodge: 1d20 ⇒ 7

Cassie whips her sword free of the bandit and spins just in time to deflect the incoming dagger with the flat of the blade.

A dagger hits Cassie with pinpoint accuracy, digging into her body for 4 points of damage (Before Armor).

Armand tries to attack the Crow-Man, only for him to leap into the air, backflip away and glide to the ground with acrobatic skill.

The badly wounded bandit takes a swing at Cassie with his short sword. The other closer bandit tries to hit a weak point in Armand's stony skin to hopefully chip away at him. TN 9 to dodge.

The other four bandits reload crossbows and take one shot at each of the four heroes. TN 9 to dodge.

Alternatively you can use Might Defense to "Block" an attack rather than using speed to "Dodge" so long as you have some means of deflecting the blow. Armand's stone skin or using your armor to soak an attack for example or by using a shield.

My resonance shield lasts 1 minute, about how many rounds? Minor effect is attacker takes 1 damage while activated.

Armand misses wildly but quickly recovers in time to dodge multiple strikes both close and from afar.

Closer Bandit: 1d20 ⇒ 18

Crossbow: 1d20 ⇒ 11

Round 3 Action:
Armand, ideally positioned, counter attacks after dodging with his stony fists and swings at the closest bandit, pronouncing with his large legs to add weight to the attack. Trained in jumping, don't think a roll is required, just adding description for using effort.
Add Might effort to add damage: 1d20 ⇒ 18

With Siobhan's Buff, I should only need a 6 to dodge a 15,as I'm reducing attacks by 3 levels (2 for specialization, 1 from Siobhan). Unless I'm misreading how the rules work, that is... It's why I'm not wearing any armor. I can change my description if necessary.