Tides of the Accord: Underwater Version of AEG Warlords of the Accordlands Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Sebecloki

I may just be dense, but where are you getting the hit from the AC (which is 22)? I don't see how 10 is a hit as I am reading the stats. Re-posted below. I tried look up rules about ranged combat and I couldn't find anything that would make this a hit?

Just to clarify, there are 3 Austorians on the tower: Sigrunn Eifsdötter, Sven, and Hragni (the names I gave them above, Mirna and Torhild are nicknames/child names. I will decide what Sigrunn does once I clarify what's going on with you in terms of the hits.

Are you counting loading as 1AP, and firing as 1AP? Don't you get 3 AP? I'm confused how you're tallying here. Why can't they do something else too?

Also, there is definitely some better stuff up there as well, I'm kind of hinting here, but the super heavy engines from Ultimate Combat are there if someone wants to try to activate one. Everything is armed to the teeth.

The towers extend down to subterranean levels, you might have success trying to go down, but Hrungnir isn't currently in one, he'd have to use a distraction to get in.

There area actually three levels to the Plaza--(1) the towers and series of bridges, (2) a series of bridges, and (3) the 'floor'. Hrungnir is on (2). The other image is of a conjunction in the level (2) bridges that is surrounded by additional architecture. Let me know if that's clear or I need to make a diagram of some sort. There are some possibilities for floating around.... .

You are also aware that there are floating objects known as mantinins or soulfloats (the whale-like blobs in the 'Upper Zone' and 'Lower Zone' images above. They're meant to capture the recently deceased souls of Austorians in combat. There are a bunch of them floating everywhere, and you might could use one to revive yourself if you die; we'll cross that bridge if we have to, I think you can probably get out of this alive if you're smart.

Thundercrasher/Beast of Charr’Tarr (Fiendish, Chatoic, Evil, Extraplanar, Voidpawn)

CE Huge Animal

Init +0; Senses low-light vision, scent darkvision 60 ft. Perception +14

Defense:

AC 22, touch 8, flat-footed 22 (+14 natural -2 size)
[b]Wounds 34; Vigor 45
Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +4
Resist: cold 20, electricity 20, fire 20
DR 5/good SR 11

Offense:

Speed: 30 ft.
Melee: Tail +14 (3d6+12 plus stun); Tusks 4d6+28; Scythe Stalk 2d4+14(x2)
Space: 15 ft. Reach: 15 ft.
Special Attacks: Smite Good

Statistics: Str 27, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 8
Base Atk +7, CMB +17, CMD 27 (31 vs. trip)

Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Tail), Weapon, Focus (claw), Weapon Focus (bite), Channel Essential Energy, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved, Initiative, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack,

Skills: Perception +14

Special Abilities:

Bane Blood (Ex): When a Thundercrasher is damaged by a slashing or piercing weapon, its blood erupts in a blue flame. This causes 1d4 points of fire damage to the character striking the Thundercrasher, if the character is within 5 feet of the Thundercrasher. A Reflex save (DC 10 plus damage inflicted on the Thundercrasher) negates the fire damage. If the damage is caused by a successful critical hit, the bane blood instead affects all creatures within 5 feet and inflicts 1d6 points of fire damage.

Feed (Su): A Thundercrasher can feed on the pain and suffering it causes. Feeding is the only way a Thundercrasher can heal damage; cure spells fail, and natural healing is impossible. Once per day, a
Thundercrasher can attack with a natural melee weapon to draw strength
from a living opponent. If the attack hits, the Thundercrasher is cured of an amount of damage equal to that inflicted on its opponent (up to the opponent’s current hit points +10). The wound caused in its opponent is spiritual, and cannot be healed naturally or with spells until the injured creature is purified. The creature suffers 1 point of Charisma drain each day until its wound is purified, at which point the drain is undone. Purification requires the creature to be the subject of a turning attempt which causes turning damage equal to or greater than the Thundercrasher’s HD, or an atonement spell (no XP cost).

Smite (Su): Once per day a Thundercrasher can make a normal melee attack to deal extra damage equal to its HD (maximum of +20) against a good or lawful opponent.

Twist Reality (Su): The presence of a Thundercrasher causes its surroundings to bend around it. The air is darker in its vicinity, wood seems to warp, and flames turn blue. This grants the Thundercrasher concealment (20% miss chance). Even creatures using blindsight or similar abilities are subject to the miss chance, but it can be ignored by a creature using true seeing.

Warp Magic (Ex): Thundercrashers are unnatural creatures, and a strange aura exists around them that warps magical energies. When a spell or spell-like ability is cast within 30 feet of a lesser Thundercrasher, 40 feet of a greater Thundercrasher, or 60 feet of an arch Thundercrasher, the air around the Thundercrasher wavers slightly. The caster must succeed on a Concentration check (see chart for DC) or the spell is miscast and lost. If the Thundercrasher is the target of a miscast spell, each creature within 10 feet of the Thundercrasher must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be jarred by the dispersing magical energies and nauseated for 1 round. Make the Concentration check to determine success only after all other distracting factors have been resolved (but before attempts at counterspelling). Thundercrasher and half- Thundercrasher are immune to all effects of warp magic.
Keen Sight (Su): Thundercrashers have low-light vision and 60-foot darkvision. Thundercrasher see as if under the influence of true seeing (caster level 20th), and can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.

Immunities (Ex): Thundercrasher are immune to poison and all natural diseases.

Resistances (Ex): Thundercrashers have resistance to cold 20, electricity 20, and fire 20.

Stun (Ex): The Thundercrasher’s tail can deliver a powerful, stunning blow. A creature struck by this attack must make a DC 23 save or be dazed for 1 round. If the strike is a critical hit and the target fails its save, it is instead stunned for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Strength-based.

Smite Good (Su): 1/day as a swift action (adds CHA bonus (+0) to attack rolls and damage bonus equal to HD (10) against good foes; smite persists until target is dead or the fiendish creature rests).

Swallow Whole (Ex): The Thundercrasher can swallow a grabbed opponent of a smaller size than itself by making a successful grapple check. Once inside the Thundercrasher, the opponent takes 2d6 plus the Thundercrasher’s Strength modifier points of bludgeoning damage per round. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 30 points of damage to the Thundercrasher’s interior (AC 10 + 1/2 Thundercraher’s natural armor bonus). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. The Thundercrasher’s interior can hold 2 opponents one size category smaller than itself, 8 opponents two size categories smaller, 32 opponents three size categories smaller, or 128 opponents four or more size categories smaller than itself.

Tusks (Ex): The Thundercrasher’s tusks deal 4d6 plus twice its Strength bonus points of damage when it makes a charge.

Scythe Stalks (Ex): The Thundercrasher has two long stalks with scythe-like blades sprouting from its body that it can use as a natural secondary attack. Scythe stalks inflict 2d6 points of slashing damage, and do triple damage on a successful critical hit.

Voidspawn: Voidspawn are creatures born in the unnatural ecology of the Void, whose corrupt nature affects their surroundings. All calling and summoning spells cast within 30 feet of a voidspawn gain the evil descriptor (altering their effects, in the case of summon monster and similar spells where the creature conjured is affected by the descriptor), even if the caster could not normally cast evil spells. Voidspawn also leave traces of their evil on their destroyers. A creature who kills a voidspawn (summoned voidspawn cannot be “killed” for these purposes) must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 voidspawn’s HD + voidspawn’s Charisma modifier) or have the voidspawn’s aura cling to it for 24 hours before dissipating. The voidspawn’s evil aura is the same strength as when it was alive, and while it does not replace the creature’s natural aura, it is revealed as surrounding the creature with detect evil spells and similar effects.

"She paused in her defeatist thoughts as she saw a woman in sharkskin armor swim in. Nice. She shook her head. She was married. She wasn't here for dalliance." Just want to clarify--who isn't married, Satazia or Zalona?.

Just to clarify, there are 3 Austorians on the tower: Sigrunn Eifsdötter, Sven, and Hragni (the names I gave them above, Mirna and Torhild are nicknames/child names. I will decide what Sigrunn does once I clarify what's going on with you in terms of the hits.

Roger

Are you counting loading as 1AP, and firing as 1AP? Don't you get 3 AP? I'm confused how you're tallying here. Why can't they do something else too?

Firing seems to take 2AP for most weapons so I assumed siege weaponry would be the same. At worst? Hragni will also load his crossbow, for what that is worth.

The towers extend down to subterranean levels, you might have success trying to go down, but Hrungnir isn't currently in one, he'd have to use a distraction to get in.

The siege tower fired on a large statue of an ancestor. Hopefully the 17 hit the statue. The idea is to make said statue fall atop the monster, buying Hrugnir time. Possibly to get in and do that.

There area actually three levels to the Plaza--(1) the towers and series of bridges, (2) a series of bridges, and (3) the 'floor'. Hrungnir is on (2). The other image is of a conjunction in the level (2) bridges that is surrounded by additional architecture. Let me know if that's clear or I need to make a diagram of some sort. There are some possibilities for floating around....

[ooc]That is clear. If the statue gambit fails, will the beast have to cross a bridge? If so, firing on the bridge as it crosses could make it fall like a Balrog. Though that will be depositing it into a possibly inhabited area, so it is Plan B.

She casts her eye around Cendara's Bounty looking for both her contact and her clansman who is supposed to be watching her and she them. Not seeing any obvious sign of either one of them. She does see a beautiful creature with bright orange eyes that seems to be looking at her. Satazia thinks the creature is called a Rusalka, but isn't sure as she has never seen a living one before.

She starts to approach the bar to order a drink, when alarms begin to blare all around then city and the inhabitants of the Cendara's begin to murmur to themselves.

Dozens of possibilities and scenarios begin flashing through Satazia's mind but she is well trained and calms herself.

How should I react? Shall I feign fear and act the frightened young waif or shall I present myself as a warrior?

Deciding that her appearance will make the frightened waif disguise untenable, she opts for option two.

Grabbing the nearest body by the scruff of their armor or appendage, which ever is closer, she drags their face close to hers.

''I am new to the city. What is that alarm and what is it saying?!?'' She demands forcibly.

Just a quick aside can you open the discussion page DM? Just in case we have small ooc notes to make, without cluttering the gameplay thread.

Also just saw I forgot to pick my damn languages, So maybe Satazia could understand if her player wasn't a fool.

He rolls a 21 for initiative, so he goes first. Since he's going first, he as a different plan then Sven and Hragni. He tries to wave them over to help him crew a Fiend's Mouth Canon that does 8d6 damage. He has the Master Engineering feat, and would be the lead crew member, so they can load quicker than normal if they decide to do that .

I don't know if you've looked at the siege rules in Ultimate Combat, but a big statue has hundreds of hitpoints and you need to reduce it to 1/2 to break it in the way you're thinking about, so take that into account, you basically grazed it with the cannon shots .

There's a heavy bombard you can use if Hrungnir makes it to the top of the tower since it's a 4 crew item. You'd need to find the entrance .

Since you made the other two, you can control their actions, what do you want to do? Are they going to go along with Sigruun's plan to use the bigger cannon?

. "Grabbing the nearest body by the scruff of their armor or appendage, which ever is closer, she drags their face close to hers."

I tried to look up the rules on this, and I think grabbing someone against their will counts as a Combat Maneuver. Do you want to attempt a maneuver, or do something less aggressive like step in someones' way? Not trying to be a pill here, but it does seem like once you start hand-waving stuff like that, where exactly do you stop in such an intricate system as Pathfinder?

Since it's a fairly simple action, why don't we have a roll against a touch AC -- if you fail you swat at the person but they stop, and if you succeed you get them, and the discussion will be a little different based on which ones applies. Make a roll and I'll tell you who you catch/just miss catching.

Discussion thread opened. I will personally find it easier to include ooc notes in the thread if we're working out rules adjudications, since otherwise I have to flip back and forth between stats and other info in the game play thread vs. the discussion thread. This will get especially burdensome the more pages we have in the game play thread. I'd like to keep the discussion thread for general rules issues, and the rulings for combats etc. like the stuff in this post in the game play thread .

That's a definite fail; I looked up the rules, and 1 isn't automatic fail, but it's not high enough for the DC. You could try again if this wasn't a punctual situation. My ruling is that means you start blurting stuff out before you can tell if your friend is going to talk or not, and it ends up being that he isn't, and so is probably a goner. But good for you for now!

Caught in a reverie of equal parts fear and contemplation, Light of the Moon's Reflection fails to discern his fellow's purpose, and is caught mum as Walks a Shadowed Path begins to make his response to the First Daughter of the People.

In the shadows of the throne room, some beast stirs its restraints.

Waiting on what you're going to tell her before moving on. Light of the Moon's Reflection is toast unless you do something very clever here.

Zalona catches the attention of several of the serving staff of the Bounty, who congregate around an immense serving table, a sheer block of marble that looks to be a survival of some Pre-Accord terrestrial civilization. Though the servers are diverse, the one who reacts to your entreaty is a male Cindarian, the poisonous sub race of the Sea Folk, whose noteworthy spines are thus a fair match for the threat of your own appendages. He smirks and lazily wanders in your direction.

"Why Mistress Rusalka, your visage is indeed lonely. How may the humble Brisatak be of service?"

Completing his introduction, he makes a foppish gesticulation of courtly respect in Zalona's general direction, wildly circling his wrist and bowing deeply.

At the same time, Zalona's keen senses pick up the thread of the ongoing conversation. A powerful invasion force under the direction of the Gorh'Tonh prophet Nassiral Hate shall arrive imminently.

Please have Zalona make a knowledge check so I can tell you how much more she can piece together about what is going on based on the conversations she can overhear. She might hear a lot based on a high perception roll, but it remains to be seen what use she can make of that information .

Zalona really wants to find the answer to her problem here, but things are turning sour, especially if the people around here already know what she is, and an invasion force isn't something she wants to be in the middle of either. Lurk outside of and perhaps take advantage of, sure, but not wait for.

Forget it. she says to Brisatak, and gets up and heads out of the establishment. On her way out, she mentions to the sharkskin armor chick, since she seems interested, that there is a Gorh'Tonh invasion force imminent. Time to leave.

Am I forgetting how this works or can you not make an untrained Knowledge (Local) check?

As Zalona begins to fly away, her erstwhile conversation partner again imposes himself upon her attention,

"M'lady, assuredly no such hurry is needed. This city is conquered and re-conquered every season. The present siege will be no different. The Bargemasters will shortly issue a delegation of concordat and Merceria will fly new banners for however many moons will pass before these invaders, in their turn, topple from the throne."

He gestures grandly to one of the booths,

"If your grace would kindly steady your unwarranted fear, Brisatak of Scarnth will be glad to attend upon such a rare and curious maiden as now flees from before him! Even in this city of varied multitudes, I doubt whether we have entertained even a hand's count of the daughters of the Three Weavers. Please, sit, and tell this inquiitive fool of how you came to journey in our fair environs.".

The Three Weavers are like the Norns or Fates, and in my conception are going to be a major part of Siren culture. I'll send you some more notes when my ideas have gelled together more. Are Sirens married to each other? In that cast the Three Weavers are sister wives as well and a kind of model for the social organization of Siren society.

Satazia manages to catch up the path of a milling Sebek-Ka, one of the crocodile men borne of the great sorceries of the Pre-Accord world.

The heavily armored reptile regards Satazia warily before replying,

"You must be new here neigh? Those blasted things go off every few months. I've heard them already a half dozen times during my posting here. They're not really alarms, since no one has any intention of defending this pitiful place. They're really to alert the Bargemasters that new, temporary, masters have arrived so they can prepare their delegation. The whole thing is quite a ridiculous ritual. Some of the travelers around here are just like yourself and get spooked every time it happens for no particular end."

He grunts as he makes to push past the half-breed,

"Now get out of my way, the Company may have some business in the wake of the Oracle's conquest,"

Satazia sees no sign of her shadow or the agent of whom she is supposed to keep watch. This is unusual.

Some people I have played with say you can make an untrained knowledge check which maxes at 10, but the rules (as far as I know) say that you can't use a skill that is untrained... so not sure. It might be a rule, but if so, not sure where it is... and honestly, even if you can, if it maxes out at 10 anyway, not sure what the point is of rolling it. (Even though Siren is supposed to replace Bard, it is way worse in terms of skills.)

Calmed as well as alarmed by Brisatak's words, Zalona realizes that she isn't in immediate danger, but also that the evening seems to be heading in the direction of the hunt. Is this all that she is here for, to entrance and murder yet another fool? Where was the sign that was supposed to be here, and the alternate possibility for herself and her people?

Sighing internally, but outwardly pretending interest in her food (date), she agrees to sit by Brisatak and tells him of her journey to discover a hidden secret to save her people, and of her journey to Brother Asalon and the Soothsaying scroll of the Tai'Cai Hexagram, and the casting of the bones that told that she was supposed to be right here, right now. She just left out the nature of the secret and the real reason that she wants to find it. She doesn't bother to charm, fascinate, or compel him in any way, since so far he seems to be tempting the thread-cutter all by himself. Plus, this was the very thing that she had been trying to avoid by coming here, so she still keeps her eyes and ears open for some sign, somewhere, from the Three.

“The One Whose Name Was Forgotten – I would know more of him, and from one of the mouths before me.”

Walks-A-Shadowed-Path ruminates on First Cub's request, and her quite unveiled threat. There is the briefest moment where the expression on his face illuminates that he believes he has a plan, and he glances sidelong as his companion while holding his tongue. He sees Light of the Moon’s Reflection inhale, and takes that for him beginning to speak, so Walks-A-Shadowed-Path begins to speak as well, saying in the language of exalted victory "He whose name is forgotten was power. He.." his voice trails off, as to the horror that is apparent on his face, Light of the Moon’s Reflection was simply breathing instead of preparing to speak.

Glancing around his environment, he finishes his sentence in the language of mournful sorrow "was death to his enemies and life to his allies. The last thing that those who doubted his resolve were shown was the error of their ways. Alas, such foes never survived to share their knowledge with others."

and then Walks-A-Shadowed-Path is silent, waiting on First Cub's response.

Sorry, I meant Rusalka, I had forgotten Siren was a class and not an alternative name for the race. I mean then that Rusalka are married to each other. In that case, I want to assume that Rusalka have 3 unit sister wife pairs that are modeled on the Three Weavers, where each has slightly different responsibilities. My current plan is that one of your sister wives thinks you're crazy and on a fool's errand, and the other is really intrigued. Sound okay?

Brisatak listens attentively to Zalona's tale, smirking in an even wider, and somehow more unnerving rictus as the mention of her journey to Ta'Athanes and the advice of the Spire Keeper. He seems eerily nu-surprised, and also quite unnervingly over-eager despite Zalona's complete in-attention to any of the arts of seduction.

"Mistress Zalona, if your humble audience may be so familiar in my manner of address," Brisatak's expression gives no hint that his statement is in any respect a genuine inquiry, "that is indeed a marvelous thread you have woven upon the Loom of Telling," his evocation of Rusalka myth, specifically the storied machine on which the Three Weavers spin the fate of the world, is certainly unsettling to Zalona, but it is possible that a well-traveled and thoroughly-studied individual might have heard of this important aspect of Zalona's society, despite it being one far-removed from the majority of the inhabitants of the Sundered Seas.

However, that such an individual would be employed as a serving hand is.... at least puzzling....

"it is my hope, indeed, that you might not only seek, but at last find the very heart of your desires while enjoying the hospitality of the Collector's Paradise," his speech pauses with this more encouraging epithet of Merceria, more commonly known as the Broken City to outsiders.

He begins again,

"Perhaps... I may be of some assistance. For if the revered Pinnacle Asalon suggested the balm to your people's trials might be discovered by an appointed sign amongst the teeming choirs of the Collectors, then your present company can indeed offer aid... but for a price."

His self-satisfied regard returns with an even more predatory cast.

First Daughter receives this reply with no discernible emotion, the shadow-less mass of her twisted seat seeming to quench an even greater quantity of illumination from the surrounding chamber.

A terrible, heavy moment rests upon the occasion, before the Chosen Cub begins replying in a jarring pigeon of the Language of Inquiry and the Tongue of the Hunt,

"Excellent, a promising step has been cast, to which your fortunate voice must only give a further increase."

I gave you some broad ideas about what Prince Kallik was doing that was so disturbing. Do you want to try to riff on that and make up a really horrible sounding story of some experiments/tortures he performed, or would you like me to be responsible for those details?" Let me know so I will be able to shape the upcoming conversation appropriately.

From the Core Rulebook: "Untrained: You cannot make an untrained Knowledge check with a DC higher than 10. If you have access to an extensive library that covers a specific skill, this limit is removed. The time to make checks using a library, however, increases to 1d4 hours. Particularly complete libraries might even grant a bonus on Knowledge checks in the fields that they cover."

So, do make an untrained knowledge check, and I'll fill in the appropriate background so you can know what to ask Brisatak if you want more information. I'm assuming the Rusalka live in a very secluded society that is in an area of the deeps far removed from most of the other races, so you won't know much except very common knowledge. The Rusalka do, however, have a great repository of knowledge in their dominions.

Knowledge Local (untrained): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Zalona laughs internally at someone thinking that *she* was the prey. *I* am the predator here, little foodstuff she thinks. She plays along for now, letting him think that he is unnerving her because he knows way too much, but truly just mostly relieved to find an object to hunt where she will definitely feel no guilt as she plans to kill him.

She hums the first few bars of Commanding Cadence, but chooses not to use it quite yet, wondering if this is indeed the sign that she has been sent by the three, despite its utterly displeasing package.

Instead she asks in her most sultry voice,

And what price would that be?

Sorry--I reread your character bio after making the post--how about you and Zocasta are an unusual couple in your community, and she thinks you may secretly be looking for the third to complete your triad?

result of Knowledge check

Zalona ponders the matter of the Gorh'Tonhs mentioned by the overheard conversation, but is unable to illicit any further useful knowledge from her recollection. Any additional light in the matter will assuredly depend upon the Rusalka's investigations, either personally or via archival research, in present moment.

Also I want to make sure this extreme confidence is your character and not mixing in with player assumptions about CR levels. There aren't really low CR and high CR areas in this world--it's more like Rappan Athuk where you can potentially encounter all levels of entities in any given area. My main point is maybe you could easily chow down on Brisatak, but there's no reason to assume that. He might as well be able to easily dispatch Zalona.

"So steely-minded, so-direct, so-impulsive... pray calm your heart and beating breast sweet Siren, and deign to play a while this game with a storied table-master of Scarnth's best playhouses" the Cindarian again shocks Zalona by immediately furnishing a masterwork quality specimen of the Rusalka's Taroth Tara deck,seemingly without a source, by an act of startling prestidigitation. The deck is gruesomely embellished, as are all those employed in the most secret and holy mysteries of the Rusalka Triad of Triads, the nine enigmatic rulers of this people, with the skin of a sea elf sacrifice, a horrible quadrangle from the center of the back adorning the corresponding face of each member of the man-eaters' Tarot. The front is strange substance from which image arise in an ethereal shape, such that the Mother of Slayers that Brisatak now turns over on the table seems to writhe in motion as she swings her serrated, three-forked sickle.

"Doubtless a strong fore-match," he again unnerves Zalona by employing not only the technical term for the first card dealt in the games of hemeshai and dodoucan (it will be unclear which he intends to deal until the second pair is drawn), but also its name in Rusalka hedeshada. Neither a deck of this sort, nor such a rarefied knowledge of the seeing rites of the Triad of Triads should be known to an outsider who professes to have met not a half dozen of Zalona's people.

The Mother of Slayers continues to dance, the powerful, bestial motions of the zaraband punctuated by bloodied heads released from their recent owners, the skulls drifting like krill on a gentle tide.

Brisatak again smiles knowingly, "Oh, I do wonder what the Mother of Murder foretells of my illustrious Mistress' daring venture, a seasoned mystery, no doubt, full of.... savor" he pauses again to allow Zalona to regard his knowing expression. "Perhaps the little shark shall glut itself, or mayhap it shall succumb to a hunger and a thirst beyond it's meager ken" his resonant chuckle disorients Zalona even more than the jester's grin that has been stretching his features throughout the entirety of the preceding disquisition,"shall we turn the next cards ameresharda, and reveal what game awaits us?" Brisatak concludes by again surprising Zalona with the use of the Rusalka term for a well-known friend or business partner participating in a card reading.

I'm fine with Jacosta thinking that is what Zalona is looking for... does Zalona know that she thinks that? As for the confidence--it isn't based on player knowledge at all. Only on her dismissal of men as useless playthings/foodstuffs and her confidence in her own ability to control them. It's what she is... what she does, what she is made for. She wants to escape that, but doesn't really think that she can. ... You obviously want this guy to have the power to creep her out, and that is fine, but she also has to have some reason to stay in the room. Honestly, his creepiness would already have driven her away if she didn't have some kind of confidence that she could handle the situation. He's manipulative and enjoying causing her discomfort -- why would anyone stick around for that unless they were already trapped into it? She doesn't believe in omens and fortune-telling enough to stay here and take it unless she has confidence and some curiosity about what ridiculous thing he will do next to try to assert his supposed power over her. If she *actually* felt threatened, she would already be gone.

By your choice alone, "ameresharda." Are you close to a Rusalka who abandoned her home?

That's all fine, I just want to make sure it's a role playing choice and you're not assuming he's CR 1 from a tactical perspective (he might be, he might not, you have no idea) in case your plan is to try to eat him coming up. Might work, might not. He is very creepy and clearl wants to intimidate Zalona. Whether he's a petty goon or a personage truly worthy of either respect or fear, remains to be seen.

At this point Brisatak's orchid-tinted lips recede to reveal several rows of serrated incisors, over-all a curious assemblage, and almost certainly the product of surgery or magic. Three imbricated rows, all composed of incisors and lacking any molars or other non-shreading dentures, appear almost entirely too large for his mouth. The metal braces on the root of each fang contributes to the impression that his dentures are somehow an artificial product.

"So immensely accommodating Mistress, such fine manners, an exquisite comportment, a true credit to the Tri Fold depths of the Weaver's Maidens," he casually references the epithet of the three great pits containing the habitations of Zalona's people, "how can your humble servant and his simple deck but offer the deftest of replies?"

Brisatak then splits the deck of the so-called Mother of Tarots, the Taroth Tara into three piles, thereby signifying that the game of redes that follows will be hemeshai, the so-called match of inquiry used by the Rusalka covens when seeking the answer to a question.

He then upturns two cards, one from each deck, the action the product of a gesture so fast Zalona can scarcely follow its motion.

The first, from the left side, the so-called "stack of inquest," produces the Lost Maiden, also known as the either the Queen or Princess of Soot, from the Suit of Spheres. The veins of the flayed epidermis which backs the card pulse slightly as it flips on to the table.

A collection of dull spheres circle the image of the eyeless maiden, her cumbersome mantle bristling mass of ichor-tipped spines, and the bounteous tresses of her hair interweaving with a web of clanking chains. As the image resolves itself, a pre-prenatural sensation tickles at the edge of Zalona's perception.

Please roll for a Perception check

The next card is produced from the "stack of deduction," or "stack of hints," or "stack of clues," depending on how the Rusalaka term is translated, and in what context, for the native concept of the Tara'sherreda or Tarothtarashardad can cover anything from a scientific discovery to an insight gained by a mystical dream. Brisatak moves it into Zalona's view with a motion even more rapid than that by which he had just produced the Lost Maiden.

It is the White Shark, the seventh in the Suit of Fangs, and the carapace of the bizarre, tri-jawed, many-finned beast glistens reflectively within a cloud of what might be Kraken's ink or simply the sulfurous extrusions of deep sea vents.

The great, colorless disks of its vision also strike Zalona in a curious fashion,

Please roll a separate Perception check

Brisatak closes his orchid-hued lips somewhat, puckering his mouth in an expression resembling a puffer fish as he surveys the result of the first hand.

"Most curious indeed, think you not, Mistress?" He shifts his regard from the Maiden to the Shark and back again.

"As to you inquiry, my travels have indeed crossed the paths trod by several Daughters of the Weavers, and whether they had abandoned their sisters, is, I suppose, a matter or perception, more pertaining to your person than to mine, for I am one that neither judges nor has fallen under the judgment" his lips almost close as he completes his response, "But we shall have time enough to consider that anon, I have no doubt whatsoever, so let us direct ourselves again to the intriguing hand my blessed skills have set before this twain company of seekers."

Zalona remains silent, waiting for Brisatak to finish his performance.

Directing her keenly-honed senses to the two cards, Zalona perceives two very disturbing images.

The dull spheres that surround the eyeless visage of the Lost Maiden begin to shift with a riotous, incandescent force, resolving into a kaleidoscope of putrid off-impressions for the rainbow spectrum, before again resolving in a burst of fervid ripples into a collection of images of her daughter.

Amassin gazes about, completely unaware of the presence of her mother's attention, but little of her surroundings are in evidence.

Then, something catches her attention, and a shadow begins to arise over the young Rusalka's vision before the myriad spheres, without warning, resolve back into a collection of dull, un-differentiated surfaces, offering no hint as to the recent disclosure.

On the right, the colorless disks of the shark's three eyes, each one perched in a cyclopean fashion atop a single hinge of its three-fold jaws, themselves clear to reveal a familiar image.

Zalona finds herself cast back in time as the image of her daughter's unlucky sire and her own person emerge into view as the milky cloud bursts of the shark's several eyes clear.

Exceedingly faintly, she hears once again Narasan's stories of the light and lifted reaches of the seas, the rapturous tales that originally bent her heart to seek a different way than that of her people, a task which she had concealed with a solicitous quest for a third wife that would meet the approval of Zocasta.

Then, as with the image of her daugher Amassin, the vision clears, and the sharks eyes are once again milky, bone-hued, and lifeless.

Brisatak smiles again, though without parting his lips, and his knowing regard suggests that he is very well aware of what Zalona has seen in the spheres and eyes respectively of the Lost Maiden and the Milk Shark.

He points between these two, directing Zalona's attention again to the Mother of Slayers, What about this one? Perhaps it, too, may hold some import?"

"And to continue the thoroughly entertaining parade of our mutual interrogation, I wonder what my fine Mistress might feel towards one of her sisters, mothers, or daughters who was lost.... or," he chuckles,"went astray. What would be the cast of your heart I wonder? Would you set it and ensure the penalty, or are you a more forgiving soul perhaps than most might believe? But know that I judge not, nor have been judged in kind Mistress, your humble servant Brisatak is naught but a witness and a guide"

Swimming to the bar she orders a drink, tossing down the correct amount of ''coinage'' to the bartender. Figuring that there is no reason to leave Cendara's she decides to see if she can't learn a little bit more about the Merceria and any recent news or rumors that might affect her mission.

With a swish of her tail she glides through the water and heads up towards the next floor, looking for anyone who might be a local to strike up conversation with.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

On the map I posted, that means you're headed out of the big, elongated oval room at the bottom into the long, winding corridor that extends the length of the first floor. Is that clear?

Satazia begins to exit the domed chamber known as the joy hall that serves as the main entertainment space of the Bounty, its rows of small alcoves receding from view, including a curious pair -- a Rusalka and a Cindarian staring intently at a set of cards set on the circular white marble table which occupies most of the space in the booth.

As Satazia begins to enter the long corridor that connects the various meeting rooms on the back of this level, exiting the joy hall through a portal decorated with a frame whose bristling encrustation of thousands of small knives and teeth differ sharply from the plain, black, onyx surface that surrounds the main entrance through which she had recently passed.

However, before she can make her way much further into the long corridor of red panels that is coming into view, along which somewhere should be a mode of access to the upper levels of Cendara's caranserai, a voice interrupts her consciousness,

"Excuse me, Mistress, but I fear you have lost your way. Clearly you are not a native of our fair city, or you would know that this, Satazia's attention now shifts to regard a brightly-dressed Sea Folk male who is gesturing towards the blade-adorned portal, "indicates in all establishments of the Bargemaster's concordat the division between the rooms of the "free and open welcome," and those of the "closed invitation," where only guests with an appointment to do business or savor the nighttime hospitality of the inn are permitted to enter," he fixes Sataiza with a pointed look, "and so it is the case that your host Maridal," he gestures towards his breast with an open palm to indicate that the name applies to the Sea Folk male in the multi-hued tunic standing before Satazia, "must needs wonder whether my Mistress can produce a lettres des marcques notarized by an properly-credentialed guild representative, or if perhaps she has unknowingly circumvented the appropriate etiquette, and requires guidance?"

Maridal continues to fix Satazia with a pointed expression, making it clear he will not allow her to explore freely the back areas of Cendara's Bounty while he has the power to observe or prevent its occurrence.

His countenance does, however suggest that he is solicitous of providing aid, and might be a good source of information for a new-comer such as the Naga halfbreed.

"Well now," Brisatak begins his reply with a sneering exposure of his at once curious and threatening dentures,"I see once again that you insist upon undoing every thread of joy in our little charade macabre," his expressive eyes look upwards, to some distant vista only the Cindarian's vision can encompass,"I must needs wonder whether all your fellow maidens are such terrible bores. Certainly those whose company I have had occasion betimes to enjoy," he exposures once again his ingeniously-martialed, densely-packed rows of serrated incisors,"possessed a much heartier appreciation for the mystical ways by which the Mothers of the Threes," again casually invoking a deep knowledge of the names of the powerful covens that rule the Rusalka,"guide the maidens in their many and varied fates."

He pauses, closes his mouth, and smiles a teethless grin before cooing, "I wonder whether they dispatched you from their presence for doubting the wisdom of the Wierding Ways, if your lack of imagination and poor manners similarly disinclined the Daughters of the Three to impetuous Zalona of Hadrassa's company," this, too shocks Zalona, as she had not disclosed her mother's name in the course of her recitation of the event that had brought her to Merceria.

"But no matter, for Brisatak of Scarnth is ever the forebearing and generous host, and Zalona shall find a ready and attentive ear and hand. Yet, to abrupt by far I find this insistence. For we have yet to finish the game. Consider still, fair Mistress, what mysteries the Mother of Murder might yet conceal."

Brisatak again gestures for Zalona to regard the first card drawn from the deck, his hands' motion of generous invitation at odds with the Cindarians' expression of barely-restrained contempt and predatory amusement.

If you choose to do so, please roll a perception check.

Correct me if im wrong but it sounds like Maridal is speaking to Satazia telepathically?

Satazia comes to a halt when she hears a voice speaking into her mind. Coming from a family of telepaths, she recognizes telepathy when she encounters it. Spying the brightly dressed seafolk who ''spoke''to her she nods her head in a quick show of humility.

''The one known as Maridal is correct, this one does not come from Merceria. This one apologizes for her blunder and would like to know if you can aid her with a little information. This one is curious about the current masters of this fine city and this Bounty house.''

She smiles at the seafolk as she speaks to him and places a hand upon her money pouch.

''Of course this one does not expect this information to be given freely, this one is happy to pay if payment is required?''

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Damn

I wasn't intending for it to be telepathic, but we'll go with it -- my general principle for this sort of thing is that if you add an element that doesn't completely contradict what I wrote, it stands. If it does, I'll have to put on my creative hat to find out how to retcon the relevant issue, but feel free to make determinations like this, the telepathy thing actually gives me some interesting ideas I can riff on...

I'm reading the rules as base line task = 10, in which case your check fails and you sort of offend Maridal the way you put your offer.

The cordial Sea Folk seems slightly taken aback by the mercenary brusqueness of Satazia's offer, a reaction that emerges slightly in the tone of his mental communication, though it still appears as if he is genuinely solicitous towards the Naga half-breed.

"Well, no injury nor judgment... we entertain many travelers, including a number without a keen sense of... decorum, and assume this in-decorousness as an unintended fault, which may be easily remedied with the proper guidance of one who is conscious of the proper forms and manners of our local sociabilities," the last statement seems pointed towards Satazia, such that she should understand that she is among the travelers who lack a "a number without a keen sense of... decorum," and that he, e.g., Maridal, is the one who can offer, "the proper guidance of one who is conscious of the proper forms and manners."

However, he seems to quickly move beyond the social blunder in the fashion of a seasoned professional hotelier, and continues to address Satazia's questions,

"As to your query, the question is somewhat indeterminate. The true rulers of this fair city are the four Adlersmen of the Great Guilds, of which there are also four. The three oldest Bargemaster Guilds, Guild Desse'kesifabirez, Guild Bellares, and Guild Scheneschelles each hold power by virtue of their dominion of one of the three great collector spawning grounds located on the eastern boarder of Merceria. Surely you have heard of these marvelous creatures, diminutive, multi-colored mollusks adorned in an array of hues similar to my garb, that each contain an enormous miniature world within the confines of their shells. Useful for conveyance and occlusion, among other advantages. They are the cornerstone of the unrivaled shipping empire of the three great guilds."

"But there is a fourth, yes, you did not hear wrongly, and that is the upstart Guild Henares, which derives its power not from control of the Mercerian collectors, but rather their ties with the Ice Elves who control the Shadow Market which operates in the ruins of the Viceregal Siegeworks. They arose in the wake of the Second Witch War between several of the Hundred Free Kingdoms of the Sea Folk and the Ice Elven Dominions. Their alliance with the hated fey offers them access to the Ice Elves' network of portals whose uses can compete with those of the collectors."

"Several dozen minor guilds also exist, and Henares was once one of these. They, unlike the great guilds, are not descended from Devonorian half-breeds, but rather the local magnates and mercenaries that used to serve the Empire before the Hundred Kingdoms effected their succession from Nommo rule. These lesser entities have a seat on the Guild Council, but neither a deciding vote, nor the authority to offer a concordat license to a new ruler or a local entrepreneur, such a the proprietor of this fine establishment. Rather, they must secure a secondary provision, authorized by one of the Great Guilds, of which they are only a secondary party. Their access to the collectors is via restricted private menageries whose stock is entirely regulated by the Great Guilds."

"The Great Guilds hold sway from the Districts of Dividends, but perhaps," he pauses briefly to gesture back in the direction of the joy hall,"your humble servant might more readily explain via the fine depiction of Merceria's districts yonder in the hall of joy," Maridal concludes by gesturing for Satazia to follow so that he can continue his explanation of Merceria's distinctive arrangement.

Satazia takes care not to let her excitement show as she takes in all of this information. Some she new already but not all and it has useful applications for her and her mission.

Hmm, this is all worth noting down, this may come in handy later on.

When Maridal gestures for them to continue in the hall of joy, Satazia smiles and nods her head.

''This one believes that you are right and would be happy to return to the hall of joy. This one hopes you will forgive her for trying to buy information from you, one must be ready to grease the wheels in her homeland.''

She follows him back through the door into the hall of joy.

''If you would be so kind as to remind this one what noble guild the proprietor of this establishment belongs to?''

Maridal remarks readily in reply, what seems to be his natural good nature and friendliness returning to some degree with this quick reversal and free apology on Satazia's part "Well, it is not that such pecuniary chicanery is absent from the life of Merceria, but rather that its tradents are not so blunt about the issue -- there is a complex web of antiquated etiquette and court ritual that surrounds what we call des exchanges ettes pequinares -- I would avoid the matter entirely until you find yourself better acquainted with the local customs. In some quarters, the blunder of which you have just excused yourself would be deadly" he emphasizes his point with a serious regard.

"But as to the matter of the local patrons of this caravanserai--that is indeed an interesting question. Cendara, not a guild member note, received her license from Guild Eschellenes, a minor guild once a deputy of Guild Bellares, but which has recently transferred its allegiance to Guild Henares, an event which many attribute to the death of the old Aldersman Tabarian, under questionable circumstances, and the ascension of his ambitious daughter Talysia to the dead patriarch's place at the head of the Eschellenes guild council."

He fixes Satazia again with a pointed expression,"And if you would guess that devolution of loyalties failed to trespass without some violent incident.... you would be correct."

"Now my dear guest," he begins again as the Sea Folk and half-breed reach the enormous map of the city which decorates one wall of the joy hall, framed in blazoning gold,"where shall we begin the great tour -- what we Mercerians call les grandes des tourses?"

The map is the one I posted above, but it doesn't have any writing Satazia can read -- it is all written in the flowery Mercerian script and tongue known as Schellenesses, and she can understand neither the letters nor the language of the writing, so ask about features of the map and I'll fill in more as Maridal continues his explanation. Go crazy! This is your big chance to really get the lay of the land.

Hrugnir looked at death’s approach and smiled. Here it came...the very air shook with the unleashed power of Austorians artillery. The shot slammed into the statue right at the base. Just as planned, he thought. But then, from the smoke, came the beast. The statue was of Austorian craftsmanship. It would outlast it’s creators.

The cleric turned and ran for the tower, as fast as his legs could take him. Within it, Sven and Hragni stared in disbelief.

”I told ye! It doesnae work. We have to flee! Get out now before-“ Sven smacked Hragni upside the head, causing the smaller dwarf to stumble.

”Git the wee cloistered fooker into the tower. I’ll help Siggi prep the other gun. Do it now ye blasted fool! We need him to man the ancestor-damned big gun!” Sven shouted out of anger, and also because it was hard to hear after their gun had gone off.

Down on the floor Hrungnir shouted: ”We can’t hope to kill it! Shoot the ground! The ground!” The plan, such as it was, was to blow the ground out from under it’s feet. To make it topple down below. He prayed that this wouldn’t make the situation worse, but there was no way they were going to stop the beast themselves. And they needed to get out of here. To gather reinforcements. To find allies. Because the city wasn’t going to survive much longer under these kinds of attacks.

She moves to leave, but almost against her will glances at the card as she does so.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

hilarious dialogue, but I think we're loosing the order of combat a bit here, so let's sort out what all of this means rule-wise. Sigruun goes first, and I have to assume Sven and Hragni ignored his entreaty to man the big gun based on this reply. Anyway, that's what we're going to go with to make sense of this within the rules.

Important consideration: Sigruun still gets an action, I'm going to do that with this post and assume, temporarily, that it comes before any of the other Dwarves act.

The big gun takes 3 people to crew, so both Sven and Hragni have to comply for it to work -- I'm not clear how Hragni is helping Hrungnir. Please clarify.

I think you're not taking into account that this is underwater--the Thundercrasher can swim, knocking out the bridge under it isn't going to make much difference.

Sigruun's attempt to coax Sven and Hragni over doesn't work [Free Action (speaking), no AP], then he attacks once with his aquabus (1AP) and then reloads it (1AP), then moves to the bigger canon (1AP).

Rolls 1.Firearm broken! Drat!

Now the Thundercrasher goes floats upward to attack Dwarves, with three move actions of 30ft each, he's almost at the top of the tower, which is about 100ft. He'll probably start flaying your friends next round. He has five natural attacks and can use all of them each round with this action economy according to my reading of the rules (interested if you have a different interpretation? I am seeing a difference between the two attacks from BAB +7, which means he could choose to use his best attack twice (the tail), whereas committing to all natural attacks makes it necessary to only use the tail once?"

Sigruun is a tough dude but the other's are probably toast, just for your information planning Hrungnir's next move.

Round one is over, I'm too tired to figure out all the mechanics of the cannon for now, but we'll assume Hragni and Sven help him operate it. I forgot where Hrungnir comes in the order, but tell me what he's doing with the assumption that they're going to fire the canon at the Thundercrasher headed up the side of the tower. Then the Thundercrasher will let loose on them.

Sigruun bellows in rage as his customized sword-canon sputters uselessly, then retreats to man the larger canon mounted on a dias at the center of the tower.

The dark bulk of the Thundercrasher ascends blindingly fast, clearing the distance between the middle climes of the plaza and the top of the tower in the blink of an eye.

Also, no iterative attacks if this comes up. We're going to use this system so we can roll once Removing Iterative Attacks. Do you interpret that as applying in the case where a creature uses all 3AP to do its natural attacks, or the other option I discussed above where it is using an attack it would only otherwise get once? Good heavens this game is complicated.

Zalona almost perceives something which seems incredibly bizarre and disturbing in the visages of the severed heads surrounding the Mother of Slayers, but is slightly beyond the Rusalka's perception because of her attempt to do nothing but glance at the peculiarly grisly image whose consideration is being virtually forced by Brisatak.

You just failed the check because your attempt to glance didn't get the 'good conditions' bonus. If you give it some more effort, you'll likely succeed. Do you want to try again? It does seem given the other two images and Brisatak's attitude there's probably something fairly significant you're going to miss if you just depart, but that's of course a decision for Zalona to make.

Satazia's eyes comb over the expanse of the map, gliding over the curving words that she cannot understand, while she comtemplates what exactly she wants to ask.

Singling out three roundish dots with script next to each, she asks about them.

''Are those three bits on the map the collector's?'' She points to each in turn as her eyes continue soak in the details of the map.

''This one would also like to know where the great guilds are located. Also where can the one called Satazia,'' She taps a hand to her chest as Maridal had done to indicate that this is her name, ''may find a place to sleep. She would also like to know if this fine establishment has any word on work that might need to be done for any of the guilds of note. This one is a mercenary after all.'' She adds with a small smile.

First, I apologize if I unintentionally offended, that wasn't my intention.

Brisatak is an evil character, he is a master manipulator and deceiver, and what he's done so far is trying to get Zalona afraid and off-balance so she'll be pliable to what he wants her to do. But I am concerned about not making any players uncomfortable. Please feel free to raise such issues in the future if you're not happy with a character or situation, I really don't want to make anyone uneasy or cause offense.

Just to be clear--you're not railroaded here, you can do what you want, and you don't have to do anything you or your character doesn't feel comfortable with, the story is very open. I'm trying to drop little hints when there is something significant.

Here, the image in the card will give an important hint to his true nature/personality/identity (you're literally getting a sliver of his persona right now), which is based on some unusual class choices that will probably be difficult to suss out otherwise.

You're inferring that her daughter is in danger--Brisatak clearly wants Zalona to think that, but that's not the only deduction. He's piecing out the information he wants her to know, and it's definitely selective. The truth could be (and in fact is), a bit more complicated...

He definitely has an agenda that he wants Zalona to participate in, but you can absolutely outwit him if you're clever and turn the tables on him -- that would involve a lot of exploring the city and making allies; I have a current broad idea of how you an Satazia are going to meet up in a way would offer you some of those opportunities to give him a piece of his own medicine.

If you really don't like this character, I can go in another direction and minimize his presence. I'd rather retool than have you drop out of the game because of this.

I hope that alleviates some of your concerns, please feel free to continue the conversation that doesn't seem satisfactory.

Zalona walks away, exits the Inn, and tries to find an inn very far away from that inn at which to get a room for the night.

As Zalona passes through the embossed, onyx frame which girds the entrance portal of the Bounty's joy hall, a curious conversation trespasses upon her vanishing apprehension of its teeming murmurs...

"Deliazath, Mother of Mysteries, what are you doing lounging about there? And don't think I didn't see you try to swindle another customer with your petty card tricks. Seems like she had the right of you, I ken. Whatever I owe your dam, I swear your apprenticeship is at an end if you're caught in one more of these execrable gold-palming machinations. Kindly remove yourself again to the exchequer and don't leave this time until you and Esthian are actually finished resolving the accounts."

To which a pliant, if youthfully-rakish, voice, completely unlike the assured, predatory tones of Zalona's recent interlocutor, replies with cloying notes, "First Chosen Aunt, I did no wrong! She merely objected to her thin association with the Three, who rather cast their blessings upon your often-wronged servant. Nevertheless, I shall assist Chosen Brother Esthian in his eternal and un-successful endeavor to avoid the afternoon embrace of Daazran --Who Takes Thoughts and Gives Dreams..."

And with that the voices dissipate along with the environs of the inn, leaving many questions in their wake...

Not being well-acquainted with the layout of the vast city, the panoply of sights and sound now opened before Zalona's perceptions is somewhat overwhelming for one of the Daughters of the Tri-fold deeps, far from the light or other realms of mortal habitation.

The Bounty occupies a narrow thoroughfare separated by another row of commercial habitations from the King's Road, one of great city's two primary, intersecting slipstreams -- great tides of illuminated water known colloquially as the veins of the world, and whisk their riders to and fro with great speed, according to the desire of the traveler.

Zalona arrived from Ta'athanes via this road-like current, and basically stepped off and quickly stumbled on the sign post of Cendara's Bounty, which made her imagine she was where Brother Asalon had indicated she should seek the answer to her people's cursed destiny. The area surrounding Cendara's Bounty is obviously a commercial district with other hotels of various sorts, but a city of this size (at least 10 miles from tip-to-tip, if not greater, and teeming with several million inhabitants assuredly contains other such districts where a traveler might find rest and comfort. However, without a knowledge of the locality she will either have to find a guide or just go wandering looking for likely landmarks/significant features. I really meant it when I said this was an open story line -- if you go wandering I'll just keep making up new stuff you find as you slowly explore the immense territory encompassed by Merceria -- you're not going to magically appear somewhere that's relevant to a particular story arc -- so if you end up having a long adventure in a playhouse or zoo or something, don't assume it's necessarily and important plot point, it could very well just be local color. My Dming style is sort of like in the Baldur's Gate games where there were wilderness zones and area with independent stories. This is like that but 100s of times bigger.

It does seem that a city like this might have a map posted somewhere, which Zalona might find useful to locate in her current predicament.

The first realization that quickly seizes Zalona’s attention as the lithe Rusalka instinctually modulates the pressure in her air bladder, gently adjusting the oxygen content of the crucial organs shared by virtually all natives of the Sundered Seas so as to rise speedily on the currents above the city, is that she is not alone.

Indeed, a vast and diverse crowd of several thousand mill in the miles of relatively open water above Merceria – rising and falling alike in groups as small as a single individual and as large as several hundred, and perhaps even a thousand or more in the greatest concentrations of the Mercerians.

In addition to these masses, the seas above the city are also not free of architectural entities. Just within the area visible to Zalona, she perceives a slowly-moving vessel whose carapace, for the smooth contours of its hull can only be adequately conveyed by the use of an organic term, glows with an incandescent mixture of pink and violet shades (image). Scarcely could a greater contrast be imagined with the other notable ship coming into view, a dolorous metallic hulk many measures greater than the first vessel, whose profile resembles an enormous shark with a mouth illuminated by a pyrrhic furnace (image). It moves with a frightening energy in a great orbit above the Mercerian skyline, easily lapping the motion of the strangely-shaped smooth purple and fuchsia ship, which instead seems to drift aimlessly.

As Zalona completes her ascent, gradually coming to a relatively fixed levitation about a mile above the city, the true size of Merceria quickly becomes apparent, easily the match of Spire-famed Ta’athanes. The heart of the vast conurbation appears to be a roughly quadrangular area of about 25 miles on a side. It is bisected by two immense arteries of the slipstream.

The first, running roughly north to south, is the so-called King’s Road which had only earlier that day deposited the Rusalka at the entrance of Cendara’s Bounty. From this vantage, Zalona can see that she has arisen from the eastern side of the quadrangle which forms the city-proper, with the King’s Road roughly outlining the termination of Merceria in that direction.

Three immense pits scar this eastern face of the city, approximately evenly spaced along their side of the quadrangle. There appears to be some kind of barrier around each, perhaps a mesh or iron latticework, one might even be covered by glass – it is difficult to make out the details at this distance. Beside each is a vast palace, above which hovers an enormous iridescent sigil written in a flowing script unknown to the Rusalka.

The final significant feature is set further from the outskirts of the city, roughly in the middle of the quadrangle, and is the center of a line of enormous anemones, which, based on the recent alarum emanating from their heights, seem to serve as a network of watch towers or light houses, or had been so intended. The line of these peculiar defenses gradually thickens towards its center, where it begins to resemble a forest more than a barricade. In the center of the grove is a large, blasted field, containing what appears to be the refuse of an immense factory. The midst of this devastation contains a strange sight – an enormous gate, a stark square itself perhaps a mile in height, which is made of sheer grey stone cut into cyclopean blocks of truly awesome measurement. The surface of the gate glows with sigils made in the same alien script as compose the writing hovering above the palaces that perch at the edges of the three great pits. Several smaller constructions of the same design are placed next to the gate on each side, and its right menhir rises from a peculiar edifice, itself some kind of palace, though of a different architectural style, more brutal and stark, than any of the others.

Casting her eye from the eastern side of the city, and gazing out over the more than 500 square miles of territory encompassed by the pulsing urban heart of Merceria, she quickly discerns that the metropolis’ districts are divided zones whose builds all share a similar hue. The combined effect is an almost overwhelming kaleidoscope, as the edges of each colored sector bleed along their edges in complicated, imbricated patterns with the adjoining districts.

At the middle, lower quadrant, a violet-tinted district seems to form the largest collection of monumental architecture, and might be a government area. A large, domed building in the center of the district sits at the head of a deep rift, and may be a kind of capitol building. Three palaces with the same sigils as those on the eastern side of Merceria are placed near the great dome.

A blue and indigo district sit, respectively, on the left and right of the violet zone, these three areas completing the bottom half of the quadrangle on one side of the east-west slipstream that bisects the King’s Road, which it joins in a T-shaped intersection on the eastern side of the city.

Beyond this dividing line of swiftly-moving, glittering water, a red, orange, yellow, and green district, each smaller than the Blue, Violent, or Indigo areas, proceed from west to east to complete the top portion of Merceria’s center.

To the north and west of the city, the sea floor falls off sharply, and into a vast field of rubble extends, presumably a ruined section or slum.

As Zalona just manages to complete the maddeningly cursory, yet still almost over-powering survey of the oceanic metropolis, a shrill voice assaults her senses,

“Mother of the Mysteries, does she really insist upon despoiling this perfectly-appointed vantage?”

There’s a lot more description I can add to this but I’m going to wait for your reaction first to know what to zoom in on – more about the peoples gathered around you, more about the two vessels I described, and others, and more about any particular sector or feature of the city

Depending on whether she finds/learns anything else out or needs to get away from whoever is talking, she then dives down closer to the blue/violet/indigo area, scanning for inns.

Maridal regards Satazia quizzically as he responds, at first haltingly, "The three great pits on the eastern side of the city are the spawning beds of the collectors, each one controlled, as I have just explained, by one of the Great Guilds. The pits... are not the collectors... the collectors are the rainbow-hued mollusks that give the city its name. The spawning beds were discovered by a navigator named Mercera during the First Expansion of the Devonorian Empire into what was then the Uncharted South. They're not pits... they're animals... they're not the spawning beds."

He pauses again, seeming to consider, than begins again, more emphatically, "They're animals, it's a mollusk with a multi-colored shell that contains a supernatural, world-sized space within itself... it's not a pit."

After a briefer pause he states again, "It's an animal. It's not a pit".

Maridal still seems to be trying to decide if he's made the point sufficiently clearly, searching the half-breed's face for her reaction.

Based on this response, Satazia quickly divines that Maridal's attitude has quickly changed from one of slight wariness, to open hospitality, to active concern for her well being, as if he had never been confronted with someone so ill-acquainted with the nature of the wondrous snails that seemed to represent the single most important entity in the metropolis.

He then seems to steel himself and continues to answer her other questions, "Every one of the major guilds except Henares possesses a Guild House at the edge of their proprietary spawning bed, as well as an embassy in the District of Dividends, beside the Great Palladium of the People," he points out a large domed structure in a violet block in the center of the bottom half of the map.

"Henares has been denied an embassy in the city by the other three Great Guilds, but is rumored to have created portals between the Great Gate of Heinarses," the bright adorned Sea-Folk points out a large structure on the eastern side of the map, "and the embassies of several of their allies on the Lesser Council"

His attention seems especially piqued when Maridal begins to answer the last question, "before I could assist my guest in an introduction to the sell-soldiers' market of the city, I would need to know in whose company the fair lady might presently be employed..."

The idea to pretend to be a mercenary is a great cover for someone who fits in so roughly as your character would in this setting. You're going to need to really exercise some imagination in answering his question. He's no dummy, and won't believe you're a member of some band he's never heard (because it's imaginary), if it's supposed to be well known. You need to do something like make up an impossibly far away place you're from which he might believably have never heard of, or a similar ploy.

Now the Thundercrasher goes floats upward to attack Dwarves, with three move actions of 30ft each, he's almost at the top of the tower, which is about 100ft. He'll probably start flaying your friends next round. He has five natural attacks and can use all of them each round with this action economy according to my reading of the rules (interested if you have a different interpretation? I am seeing a difference between the two attacks from BAB +7, which means he could choose to use his best attack twice (the tail), whereas committing to all natural attacks makes it necessary to only use the tail once?"

I'm not very familiar with action economy. I'm happy with whatever you rule on it.

Sigruun is a tough dude but the other's are probably toast, just for your information planning Hrungnir's next move.

Roger...

Round one is over, I'm too tired to figure out all the mechanics of the cannon for now, but we'll assume Hragni and Sven help him operate it. I forgot where Hrungnir comes in the order, but tell me what he's doing with the assumption that they're going to fire the canon at the Thundercrasher headed up the side of the tower. Then the Thundercrasher will let loose on them.

Hrugnir, feeling quite out of his depth in this one, will be sprinting for the tower. Seeing his comrades in danger, he will naturally be rushing to their aid, even if it also means rushing to his death.

Sigruun bellows in rage as his customized sword-canon sputters uselessly, then retreats to man the larger canon mounted on a dias at the center of the tower.

The dark bulk of the Thundercrasher ascends blindingly fast, clearing the distance between the middle climes of the plaza and the top of the tower in the blink of an eye.

Down below, Hrugnir swims as fast as he can. While not as fast as the Thundercrasher, he can still move at a brisk speed when needed. He doesn't even bother with his harpoon gun. Against the smallest of the enemy, it would be sufficient. But against a Thundercrasher? It wouldn't even tickle it.

He could see his comrades operating the cannon atop the tower. The first planned had failed spectacularly, and now Austorians were going to die. It was the story of his people, played out in miniature. And here he was, swimming towards his death due to the dictates of honor, when it would have made much more sense to have given their deaths meaning by fleeing. Again, the story of his people.

Not knowing what else he could do, Hrugnir called out to his ancestors to guide his weapon. The cannon would fire soon, and when the beast was injured, he would hit it from behind. It was all that he could do...

Round 2: Fire the cannons! Hrugnir is casting Divine Favor and is moving closer.

Retreat isn't an option. The Thundercrasher will run us down. We can't do much environmentally. Sure, the cannon might have been able to collapse the ceiling on it, but like the statue, the shot might not have worked. Plus, firing the cannon up would have been quite difficult. Even getting the debris to land on the quick moving creature would have been tough.

As is...the cannon will do 8d6 damage, right? So, it will blast the creature for about 28 damage. 8d6 ⇒ (1, 1, 2, 5, 6, 6, 5, 3) = 29 Yup, about that. It will then attack, and hopefully the cover of the tower will do something for the brave Austorians inside. It has AC22. Hrugnir will be attacking with a flank, so +9 to hit. He'll need a 13...and will do 1d8+12 damage if he hits. Luckily Sigrun is level 6 and is mythic. So there is a chance that we'll get out of this alive. However, besides for fighting or fleeing, we're running out of options.

I think I've resolved the attacks question to my satisfaction flipping around on the forums and on the prd. The interpretation above will stand for future reference that all natural attacks with AP3 is different than individual natural attacks that can only be used once in a sequence -- in other words, attacks per round from BAB is different because it can apply to the consecutive use of any natural attack (here the tail), whereas using 'all natural attacks' AP3 locks you into using each natural attack once, without any choice of which one, or using one more than once.

Also note, I just discovered this, that natural attacks don't use the iterative attacks rules -- so the alternative rule removing them I quoted above only applies to the Austorian Dwarves here .

I don't think Hrungnir can move fast enough to flank the Thundercrasher, though I think you can probably get off an AoO if he's moving out of your square, I need to check.

I have to look up a bunch of stuff to finish adjudicating this round and I have to go to work in a second. I'll post again late tonight to try to tie up the remaining issues in the second round after I figure out all the mechanics of the canon.

Natural attack builds can be fun because of that. The full BaB is just really tasty. I think that one really fun combo idea for this campaign would have been the Barbarian/Cult Leader Warpriest Sahugain.

Sahugains get 2x claws and 1x bite attack, all at a low 1d4 damage. Warpriest makes this 1d6 damage, and it increases all the way up to 2d8 damage. Being a barbarian lets you take lesser fiend totem at lvl2, giving you 4x primary natural attacks. So, at lvl2, assuming Str18, which increases to 24 when raging, and weapon focus bite/claw.
Then throw in swift action divine favor with fate's favored:

Claw/Claw/Bite: +10 Hit and 1d6+8 damage. Gore: +9 hit and 1d8+8 damage

Assuming average AC at lvl2 for enemies is a 17, then on average 3/4 attacks will hit, for 34 damage average per round. And at later levels, not only does base damage go up, but he gets sneak attack damage too. If I didn't love the Austorians so much, I would have definately gone with that build.

I may have to steal that build for an NPC :). We still need to resolve Hrungnir's action. Do you dispute that you can't flank a moving target that moves faster, or am I missing something. The base speed of the Thundercrasher is 30 + momentum from modulating its air bladder. Let's resolve whether Hrungnir is making an AoO before I deal with the canon damage(which I will roll (35) since Sigruun is the head of the crew

However, he rolls a 2 for his hit, and there's nothing that's going to push that over the Thundercrasher's AC.

Thundercrasher now lays into them all; this monster is built on an ankylosaurus, and I think the attack bonus is incorrect -- it has +7 from BAB and + 8 from strength, so that should be + 15. The tail is actually a secondary attack I see in the rules, so that is +11(with weapon focus), the tusks are gore, so those are each +16(x2), and sycthe stalks (also secondary +11 (x2). It rolls 1(instant miss (tail)), 6(22(gore)),20(instant hit, check critical, fails (sycthe stalk)), 3(14, miss)(scythe stalk)); Sven is hit by a gore (10+16 = 26), and stalk (6+ 14=20) = 46 damage. He is down to one Wound Point and is staggered. If he does anything next round, he has to make a DC 10 Constitution check or die. Further, make a DC 15 Fortitude save or he dies anyway from massive damage.

So, clarify Hrungnir's attack and roll DC Fortitude 15 for Sven.

When making a melee attack, you get a +2 flanking bonus if your opponent is threatened by another enemy character or creature on its opposite border or opposite corner.

When in doubt about whether two characters flank an opponent in the middle, trace an imaginary line between the two attackers’ centers. If the line passes through opposite borders of the opponent’s space (including corners of those borders), then the opponent is flanked.

Exception: If a flanker takes up more than 1 square, it gets the flanking bonus if any square it occupies counts for flanking.

Only a creature or character that threatens the defender can help an attacker get a flanking bonus.

Creatures with a reach of 0 feet can’t flank an opponent.

I don't see any rules for flanking regarding enemies moving quickly. Not that it matters too much, this isn't a fight Hrugnir is going to win. Still...every little bit helps! You're call as GM though.

Sven Fort: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

That backup character lasted all about 6 seconds. Using Marked For Glory to add +1d6 to the to hit roll.

Hit with flank?: 1d20 + 1d6 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (9) + (6) + 7 + 2 = 24
Damage: 1d8 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15

So long as that hit, it's a total of 50 damage this round. Enough to put a dent into the beast. Also, Hrugninr is at AC 21 right now, due to his rage and buffs.

Hrungnir saw Sven go down. He was one of the toughest Austorians that he knew. They had enough time to fire a single cannon shot before the creature had been on them. If they had the time to fire the larger of the guns, maybe they would have had a chance. But he knew, deep down, that even such a mighty piece of artillery wouldn't have done it. It took entire batteries to take down creatures like this.

Sven had been a good lad. He had meant well, and had done all he could in his short life to overcome his tainted blood. He truly hoped that the bloodrager would find peace when he became one with the waves. Hrungnir truly believed that the Austorian would be welcomed by his ancestors with open arms.

Filled with pure, unfiltered rage, Hrugnir could feel his ancestors watching him. They were in the waves. They were part of the ocean itself. Whether he would join them was a matter of how he lived his life, and how he died. Roaring wordlessly, he swung his axe with all of his might. Even with such a mighty blow, it was only enough to hack through the beast's scaled hide. It wasn't enough to get through to the meat beneath. Still, it was something. Such creature's had hides thick enough to turn aside a platoon's worth of axes. The fact that he had even made such a tear was worthy of pride. That is...if he lived to feel it.