GM Newsie’s - The Dragon’s Demand (Inactive)

Game Master Brominate

As they leave, Guruthos says. "You talk. Sell armor."

The bird cocks its head to the side as Jori coos at it, and she could swear she heard it chuckle as it rides out the door on the elf's shoulder.

The party leaves the inn and reaches the armorer first...

I see there are two smithies. Which one can do armor? Both? Big-Bull seemed friendly, if he also happens to be an armorer.

Guruthos just wants to sell his armor. He doesn't need to purchase more. He needs to buy a spell component pouch.

You can buy armor from both smithies and from the leatherworker as well.

To clarify, Gu just wants to sell, not buy. He can't use it effectively while casting, and needs to pick up a component pouch.

The masked elf points the way to the leatherworker.

My main concern was that if the place doesn't sell armor, they won't buy it either. But if all those places accept armor, then yeah, let's hit the leatherworker.

These places will buy and sell, to clarify.

We don't have to RP if you don't want to. I just want to do an even trade of the armor for a component pouch. Armor is 10gp new, so if he can sell for half, that should buy the pouch, which I believe is 5gp. Gu just isn't confident that he can finagle that without getting ripped off somehow, so he brought his "friend."

Hanzo salutes and grins, which probably does not inspire trust, LOL

I'll be honest, I'm not sure what's going on at the moment.

(things you never want to hear a GM say! haha)

I was waiting on someone post about the next transactions. Don't feel like you have to RP it, unless you want to.

OK, we skip the armor selling and tada we stand in front of the apothecary. Who do we see?

Sorry, I was waiting for a description of the leatherworker's place before going into Hanzo's spiel. We can just say he sold/traded the armor and skip ahead if everyone wants.

My only goal was to sell/trade Gu's armor for a component pouch. He just brought Hanzo so Hanzo will do the talking. I'm fine with hand-waving it and moving on. :)

At the leatherworker's, Hanzo and Guruthos met Theon Sensina, and his childhood friends he'd gone into business with. They enjoyed playing pranks on each other (and sometimes even their customers, but all in good fun). Hanzo got along great with them. Guruthos...less so.

At the apothecary, Xemne's Tonics, the party is introduced to Xemne of Demgazi, a highly trained alchemist (in these parts anyway). She is a friendly, even gregarious, persona. She has no assistants or hirelings.
Her shop looks like what you might expect an apothecary's to look like. Strange green light, the source of which you're unsure of; glass vials and jars filled with different colored liquids, some with strange foreign things bobbing up and down inside;
Xemne is much warmer than her shop would lead you to believe however.

Joriannika immediately likes Xemne, and begins chatting away with her as she examines the various things on display, thinking to top up the reagents she needs.

Any consensus on what we should get?

Hanzo was still chuckling after the pranks Theon had played on him and Guruthos. "We'll have to go there again," he wheezed, hanging off Guruthos' shoulder as he wiped tears of laughter away.

Still, he handed over Guru's new component pouch with no fuss, apparently too distracted by the memory of the pranks to make any jokes.

Heals. All the heals. Otherwise, whatever is useful.

Guruthos takes his new component pouch and affixes it to his waist without fanfare, and follows Hanzo.

"Joriannika, you're the expert. Get some health stuff and then we move out."

OK, from the gem money we got, Joriannika will get a potion of CLW for each of them, and maybe a potion of mage armor for Guru? And Jori will get herself an alchemist's kit. So that'd be -100gp for Guru(?), -90 for Jori, and -50gp for the rest of us, if we're supposed to track it on the loot sheet. I put it in the red purchases column on the first page; the rest of you can put whatever on your tabs.

Pulled back to reality by Thomas' reminder, Joriannika got down to business, listing the things she needed and counting out the gold to purchase it from the pouch with the money Thomas had gotten for the gems. She couldn't help but continue her conversation with the apothecary all the while - it was so nice to talk shop with someone who knew what she was talking about!

She waved goodbye happily as Hanzo dragged her after the others back into the street.

Thanks for looking out! As a 1st level spell, Mage Armor is 50gp.

Xemne apparently was also elated to have someone who she could talk shop with; and grateful for the large order. Right before you leave, she mentions to Jori,

"We don't get many adventurer-types around these parts; and ones that understand all this, she gestures to shop around them, "even less so. I guess what I'm saying is.. so long as you all are around, helping out our little speck, I'm gonna give a 10% discount on all your future purchases. No no. Say nothing of it. I'm happy to. Oh! And just so you know: if you're out in the woods, watch out for wolves. There've always been wolves in the woods, but lately, there's a pack led by a beast of a wolf that's got a taste for livestock! Old Prake Abrassus saw it run off with a sheep in its mouth like a dog carries a bone! Guess that's why he put a bounty on it, hmm? Anyway, be safe!"

She waves you out. The sunlight is almost dazzling after being in that darkened shop. It's nice to be out in sunshine, especially since a bunch of sad grey clouds seem to be on the move. You guess it'll be an overcast sky in an hour, maybe two.

So is the party ready to venture forth with the assigned task?

yes :)

Tally ho!

Jori made a new best friend! XD Yeah, she and Hanzo are ready!

Feeling rested and prepared...well, feeling prepared enough... the circumstantial stewards of Belhaim's safety head back to the northwest section of the small town, following the Old Quarry Road past the mysterious, if dead, wizard's manor, past the ruins that threatened their lives several times, and into thick forest.

It's slightly easier going this time, through all the overgrowth and downed trees, since you've already done it once before.

When you emerge from the woods, you once again see the large lake that was once a limestone quarry. A path that winds upward and around the edge of the quarry leads to the tunnel Sesserak brought you out of.

On the other side of the quarry-turned-lake is the only part that reminds you what it once was: a tall flat quarry wall, which was made as they carved the limestone out of the mountain. A fifty-foot-wide strip of shore stretches between the lake's edge and the forty-foot-high quarry wall. It's strewn with stony debris - the result of centuries of rock slides. Several larger boulders stand against the middle of the quarry wall.
Where you are, the shore is muddy, but it would be easy enough to walk around the shore of the lake to the other side in either direction.

Sesserak had pointed out the bottom of the quarry wall as the entrance to her tribe's lair.

What do you do?

The group traveled fast. Hanzo and Guruthos followed by Joriannika and Thomas did not waste time.
Well, almost. Thomas has extensively christened his new sword in the forest to cut down branches and bushes that were or were not in their way. He seemed eager to test it further. He also looked strangely proficient.
When they reached the shore he had no opinion on the way to reach the entrance. He'd just follow the others.

I'm presuming that we should just make are way to the wall. Is there a question of route?

If there doesn't appear to be much difference, Hanzo is fine with either way - we should probably look out for rockslides, though. The kobolds have already proved they can engineer them. He'll check for traps on the way - these are kobolds, after all.

Hanzo had been feeling good about this new job until Xemne mentioned wolves. He had spent the walk through the woods wincing as Thomas slashed the greenery, and listening for... whatever sounds wolves made. Howls? He was a city boy, really.

Relieved to reach the quarry in one piece, he kept a careful eye out for traps as they moved on.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 "Wow, look at that view. Beautiful place they picked."

Is there any way that looks less rockslide-prone?

Joriannika had finally fallen quiet as they approached the kobold lair. She tried to see if there were any slaves about, but wasn't able to spot any. Like Hanzo, she kept an eye out for traps, knowing the kobolds' predilections.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 "Yes, it IS beautiful! Those kobolds must have at least a touch of Shelyn's grace! I bet we'll be able to talk them out of this nonsense with slaves."

Guruthos sighs.

trapception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

The group agrees that one needs to be wary of kobold traps. Together they look around. Some more than others.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

well, we're all aiding Guru :)

Looking to the right, the woods you just came out of follows most of the shore in this direction. Except the ground quickly begins to slope up and the shore eventually disappears. However, following the path to the right will take you to the point overlooking the lake where you stood with Sesserak. That path winds back down the other side and you could approach the quarry wall from the south.

Following the shoreline to left, you would reach the quarry wall from the north. The woods follow the shoreline this direction also, all the way until the forest ends and the wall begins.

The masked elf points his finger to the left and traces the arc of the lake to the other side. Pointing at the wall, he says, "Safe. Entrance." He starts walking, not waiting for the others.

But they are used to this and follow.

Joriannika reined in her desire to talk to the others as they approached, thinking it better to keep from annoying Guruthos as he searched for traps. She stuck close by Thomas, wary of an ambush.

Hanzo, absorbed with the pretty view, wasn't really one to talk about it much. He dragged his attention back to the entrance to the kobold lair, trying to spot any lookouts or such as he trailed after Guruthos.

As the party approaches the middle area of the wall, a couple stones fly over the nearest large boulder, while two kobolds come running out from the side, spears in hand, surprising the party, except for Hanzo.

Surprise Round!
Bold may act!
Kobolds // Hanzo

Sling attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Damage: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0(minimum 1)
Sling attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Damage: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0(minimum 1)

The stones were headed straight for Joriannika and Thomas. Jori's was actually overthrown so it didn't hit her.
Thomas took a pebble to the crown of his head. But it wasn't very big, and only did 1 point of damage.

A kobold in red leather armor comes at Guruthos
Spear Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

The other, whose scales have an orange tint to them, attacks Hanzo
Spear Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

Perhaps they're more frightened than they seem, because their attacks were awful!

Hanzo may act, then initiative order.

Bold may act (when round 1 begins)
Guruthos, Thomas // Kobolds // Joriannika, Hanzo

Stat Tracker
Global Condition: None |

Global Condition:
Thomas HP: 17/17 AC: 16/12/14 Status:
Guruthos HP: 14/14 AC: 15/13/12 Status:
Joriannika HP: 12/12 AC: 17/13/14 Status:
Hanzo HP: 18/18 AC: 17/13/14 Status:

NPCS:
Kobold (Red) HP: AC:
Kobold (Orange) HP: AC:
Kobold (Lavender)HP: AC:
Kobold (Yellow) HP: AC:
Kobold (blue) HP: AC:
Kobold (green) HP: AC:

The masked elf points to the kobold immediately before him, and a feint breath escapes his lips, "Shh."

Slumber hex, DC 14. If the kobold fails the save, he will also cackle, much to the chagrin of anyone within hearing distance. If it does not fall asleep immediately, he'll draw his mithril dagger.

minimum damage is actually 1 non-lethal. What height do these stones have that are between us and the second pair of kobolds?

Kobold save: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

The Kobold immediately begins to snore as it collapses with a sudden bout of narcolepsy.

You're right Thomas. I meant nonlethal. Sorry about that. My brain is constantly multitasking these days.

Hanzo let his daggers drop into his hands, and circled around the still-awake kobold. (surprise round: draw daggers and 5'step as one move action)

Following Hanzo's quick reaction and seeing Guruthos somehow ask the kobold to fall asleep, Thomas steps forward and decapitates the little sleeping dragon, as he had trained with the branches and undergrowth.
He shouts something non-understandable at them.
"اژدها کمی بدبختی شما!"

Coup the grace, full-round, auto-hit, provokes from the other kobold
Damage: 4d4 + 8 ⇒ (4, 1, 1, 3) + 8 = 17 Fort DC27 or dead, if not already

Guruthos shoots Thomas a momentary glance which, not expecting the distant assist. Brushing away his illogical feelings of irritation at the intrusion, he accepts it as beneficial, and draws the mithril knife from its sheath at his side.

With swift fury, the barbaric oracle steps forward and decapitates the sleeping dragon. Its eyes spring open wide as if surprised, but no sounds erupt from its snout.

Not yet noticing what just happened to his comrade, the nearby scaly fiend takes the open opportunity to thrust its spear at Thomas
Orange AoO: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
Damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5
But it is unable to hit its target.

Kobolds' turn!

Another kobold appears as it climbs up on top of the boulder Hanzo stands next to. It's about 7ft above the ground, and chooses the target its comrades can't get at currently: the female human.

Ranged sling attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
damage: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2
The small stone smacks into the side of Joriannika's head, dealing 2 points of damage.

The orange-tinged kobold takes another stab...at stabbing-Thomas in the gut
Spear attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
Damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
You start to get the impression that this kobold is just bad at fighting. Though still knows how to move its feet.
Quick and nimble, it makes a short jump between Thomas and Hanzo
5ft-step, does not provoke.

Yet another kobold (Lavender) comes out from behind the boulder and runs up to take skewer Hanzo.
Spear attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0
Except it trips and falls flat on its face. Lavender kobold is now prone

And then, another kobold (blue) can be seen appearing from behind a boulder much further south, and making its way towards the fray.

To be clear, the party has not seen the Green kobold. He failed to climb up the boulder and fell.

Bold may act:

Joriannika, Hanzo // Guruthos, Thomas // Kobolds

Stat Tracker
Global Condition: None |

Global Condition:
Thomas HP: 17/17 AC: 16/12/14 Status:
Guruthos HP: 14/14 AC: 15/13/12 Status:
Joriannika HP: 10/12 AC: 17/13/14 Status:
Hanzo HP: 18/18 AC: 17/13/14 Status:

NPCS:
Kobold (Red) HP: AC: Status: Headless and very very dead
Kobold (Orange) HP: AC:
Kobold (Lavender)HP: AC: Status: Prone
Kobold (Yellow) HP: AC:
Kobold (blue) HP: AC:
Kobold (green) HP: AC:

attack: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 2 = 10
Thomas slashes at the orange kobold, but clearly was surprised by its swiftness. The flanking support from Hanzo didn't help either.

The masked elf points a crooked finger at the (yellow) kobold, and hisses a short, "Shh!"

Slumber hex, DC14.

Deciding that if his victim does succumb to his hex, it will likely fall from the rock and wake itself (but still mean Hanzo is no longer flanked), Guruthos then decides to duck and weave 15 feet forward, putting himself on the opposite (flanking) side of the other (pink) kobold from Hanzo.

acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Joriannika was dismayed. This wasn't progressing as peacefully as she had hoped. "Wait! We're here to talk to your leader!" she hissed and clicked in Draconic. "Ssesserak sent us!"

She didn't fire her crossbow yet, but readied to shoot the slinger if things continued to devolve. The blow she had taken made her eyes water, but she was ready for trouble.

readied crossbow attack (just in case): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
dmg: 1d8 ⇒ 1

Hanzo did his best to cut down the faceplanted kobold before it could rise. Questions of ethics for cutting down a disadvantaged foe were the sort he'd answer with, "Why not?"

TWF mithral dagger: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
mithral dagger dmg: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
SA?: 1d8 ⇒ 4

TWF dagger: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
dagger dmg: 1d4 ⇒ 4
SA?: 1d8 ⇒ 3

To avoid being flanked himself, he took a step back beside Thomas, nodding for the strange man to circle the kobold between them with him.

While some of these creatures were clearly not the best fighters, the party wasn't doing much better.

Thomas swung and missed. Joriannika takes aim at the yellow one who threw the rock.

GM roll: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4
fall direction: 1d8 ⇒ 3

But she doesn't fire because it, like the red one, simply lost consciousness at the elf's bequest.

Guruthos points towards the yellowish kobold and its eyes roll up as it begins to pass out. It falls to its right, between the boulder it stood on and another beside it. But it doesn't wake up from the fall. (no damage, fall is less than 10ft)

Guruthos then does some out of place ducking and weaving over the decapitated kobold corpse, until he stands behind the one laying prone on the ground. Well, not just laying; also dodging Hanzo's attempts to cut it down to size.

Joriannika speaks out in their native tongue, but to no avail. You can't be sure if they just don't want to talk or negotiate, or if they simply don't believe you. Their comrade did just have its head cut off. There was a flash of recognition at the mention of Sesserak, but it only seems to make them even more ferocious.

Kobolds' turn

Orange switches targets and jabs to stab Hanzo!
Spear attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
Damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5

The evidence against this reptile's fighting skills begins to really pile up as it misses again.

Lavender does its best to stand without getting killed.
Stand Up, provokes AoO from Guruthos. If still conscious afterwards:
The lavender lizard then stabs at the masked wizard.
Spear attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

...but still has some dust in its eye from when it tripped.

The blue-scaled kobold runs up and flanks the elf, and also attempts to skewer him.

Spear attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
Damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5

His attack is closer but still misses by a fair amount.

Another kobold you hadn't seen before emerges between two of the boulders with a sling and spear. It picks up a smooth stone as it runs and then it comes to a stop about 15 feet from the elf, the only available target it has. When it stops abruptly, it allows its arm to whip forward and the rock zips towards Guruthos!

Sling attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Damage: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

The rock only clips the elf's ear, dealing 1 pt of nonlethal damage.

Guruthos has an AoO, then
Everyone may act.

Stat Tracker
Global Condition: None |

Global Condition:
Thomas HP: 17/17 AC: 16/12/14 Status:
Guruthos HP: 14/14 (1nl) AC: 15/13/12 Status:
Joriannika HP: 10/12 AC: 17/13/14 Status:
Hanzo HP: 18/18 AC: 17/13/14 Status:

NPCS:
Kobold (Red) HP: AC: Status: Headless and very very dead
Kobold (Orange) HP: AC:
Kobold (Lavender)HP: AC: Status: Standing
Kobold (Yellow) HP: AC: Status: Unconscious (1 rd); helpless
Kobold (blue) HP: AC:
Kobold (green) HP: AC: