Well, this ambush is going much worse for these goblins than they intended. Good job, us. With that thought, Daiki dashed after Perri, maneuvering around the same goblin, and once again lashed out.
Move: 5 squares S, 1 square SW
Free: 5 foot step W to flank with Perri
Standard: Attack with Wakizashi
The two goblins drop their bows and the one to the west of Daiki moves behind him to get into a flanking position. They both attack Daiki with dogslicers, and one of them manages to land a slice across his leg.
Daiki takes 3 slashing damage!
Whoops, totally forgot about that. Thanks for being on top of things.
Daiki winced as the goblin blade hits him. For such small creatures, they were still dangerous with sharp things in their hands. Carefully stepping into a better position away from the goblin on his flank, he struck out twice.
Free 5 ft step to actually flank that goblin with Perri.
Full round: Attack twice with my two wakizashis.
Filona was surprised to see her spell disabling the leader and their mount. "I did it, I did it!", she screamed in excitement as the paladin and ninja charged forward and made her realize it wasn't over. She focused on the goblin they weren't attacking and attacked his mind.
Experience 1,405/2,000 | Level 1 | #001: Burnt Offerings | Part 2: Local Heroes | Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
Sonas's shot does not quite connect, though moments later Kano charges up and demolishes the goblin that Filona dazed. One goblin remains and is in dire straits.
Not wanting to give the sole remaining goblin a chance to unleash out in some desperate attempt to escape a battle was now decidedly in their favor, Verona moved forward into range and weaved a stupefying enchantment spell.
Move Action: Moving about 25 ft. directly south. Standard Action: Casting Daze on Goblin 2. DC 13 vs. Will.
The magical abilities of the party seemed to be quite effective at dealing with the goblins. It made Daiki almost want to delve into that world himself certainly full of useful tricks. Almost.
For now, he would content himself to focusing on the task literally in front of him.
Experience 1,405/2,000 | Level 1 | #001: Burnt Offerings | Part 2: Local Heroes | Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
Daiki strikes down the last goblin, rendering Junk Beach silent. The unconscious goblin and its mount can be dealt with in whichever fashion you choose.
Junker’s Edge—End
If you would like to investigate the beach to look for "treasure" or just to look to see why the goblins may have chosen this as a staging area, go ahead and give me a perception or survival skill check.
The final goblin put down, Daiki breathed a sigh of relief - a sigh that was punctuated by the pain that shot through his injuries sustained in the fight. Fighting through the pain, he retrieved some rope from his pack and went up to the unconscious goblin and their mount, proceeding to tie them up. With a loud thump, he then sat on the sand of the beach to try to rest. "If...someone could...help me out...a little...it would be...much appreciated...otherwise...I'm just going to be...a moment." The words came out in slow, punctuated breaths, as Daiki inspected his injuries.
CMB +0 to tie up the goblin and mount, I have rope in my pack, so I'll take 20 for a grand total of 20.
Filona saw Daiki react fast and helped him tie up the goblin. About the mount, she said "This is just an unfortunate beast. How about we let it be free for once in its life?"
Filona said "Hey, maybe these goblins had something with them that might help us understand what's going on?" and started to search the prisoner and the bodies. If there were pockets and bags on the mount, she searched them as well.
Perception:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
After that, Filona looked around and found that the junkyard could be a huge treasure pit. She started to look for anything interesting, be it things for her to build, fix, rebuild, anything valuable or just plain signs of goblin activity.
Experience 1,405/2,000 | Level 1 | #001: Burnt Offerings | Part 2: Local Heroes | Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
Searching the goblins, both alive and dead, Filona finds... I put all of the stuff on our new loot sheet! Check near the maps link for the loot link. Let me know if you have any questions about it.
Filona, unfortunately, doesn't find anything of particular value among the junk. Even to her tinker's eye most of it appears to be garbage.
Waaaaait. Did we just find all that in this group? I almost don't feel sad for not finding anything in the junk pile.
Filona, after looting the corpses and an unfruitful rummaging the garbage, she looks at the others with a sad and sweaty look. "I'm at a loss", she says.
With the last goblin slain and their combat over, Verona immediately went about doing her iatrical duty. In a tone that would have come across as deadpan if not for the fact that Verona, as always, was completely, the healer told the ninja about his injuries. "You're leg has vuffered a vevere laceration, Daiki. Again. But..." the witch put a hand just above the red wound on the ninja's leg and began to concentrate.
Healing Hex:1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
In no time at the leg wound was completely sealed and mended, as if it had never been there. "... I've been able to repair the damage."
With that done, the witch stood back up and scanned beach. She was the one that lead them here. In that sense she was partial responsible for the ambush, at in her mind. To not find anything of note beyond murderous goblins did not set well for her at all.
Once again, Daiki was at a debt to magic for its capability, and Verona for her use of it. "Thank you, Verona. I will do my best not to trip into anymore goblin swords, or at least, not as badly."
Standing up and stretching out his once again like-new limb, he scanned the beach as well, looking for anything that others may have missed.
The large woman catches her breath leaning on her hammer for support, watched in wonder as Verona magically knitted together Daiki. ” That will never cease to amaze me, where I come from most healers are not able to do that. Only a handful throughout generations can heal the way you do. And thank you from me as well Verona. I remember being pierced but it appears that there is no injury. I assume I have you to thank for that. Thank you, may the wind guide your hand and your spirit be filled with the force of the earth itself.”
Kano bows low to the changeling, before stowing her earthbreaker and helping the party to search the beach.
Filona is amazed at Kano's mood swings from when she talks to the party and when she deals with goblins. She decides to not comment on it, as she still hasn't figured out what causes them.
Sonas takes a quiet moment alone as he goes around looking for stuff the goblins had brought with them to Sandpoint.
Perception:1d20 ⇒ 5
After not able find much except the goblins' weapons and bits of armour, Sonas returns to the others and joins in the conversation.
"A miraculous thing indeed, there are of course many healers around the world, but most of them are the clerics and followers of the gods. I hope one day to be able to channel that divine gift as well. You seem to have another source of power though, as I haven't seen you use any obvious sign or symbol relating to a deity."
Sonas takes another good look around the Junk Beach and asks the group.
"Find any thing useful? Any leads on who helped them?"
Experience 1,405/2,000 | Level 1 | #001: Burnt Offerings | Part 2: Local Heroes | Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
GM Stuff:
1d20 ⇒ 7 1d20 ⇒ 15
→ 2:00 PM Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
The party examines the beach for anything useful, and it appears that only Daiki and Verona have any luck. Daiki is almost certain that he finds something of value—a glimmer among the garbage. It turns out to just be the broken steel rod from within the log back at the Swallowtail festival. Verona, on the other hand, finds a genuine treasure: a dagger whose blade is made of cold iron.
I will add the dagger to the loot sheet. What would you like to do from here? The play you are scheduled to see starts at six. Madame Mvashti would like to see you for a harrowing at some point or another.
"There are many other sources of power in this world, in addition and separate from the divine, with their own ability to reach and heal people. I have seen just that first hand." Daiki took a second, and thought of the holy symbols he carried with him. Of what they meant.
"Of course, that is not to say the power of the gods is anything to be dismissed. There is something to be said of the existence of a separate plane dwelling existence taking interest enough in our lives to provide aid."
Looking through the items found, Daiki was amazed that such items would be with goblins. Some seemed particularly expensive. He supposed that there would have to be some level of sponsorship behind these goblins that would account for it.
"As for what we do next - it would perhaps be a good idea to search for something about the people in town. Although, I must admit, I am quite interested in attending that play later this evening, should we have the opportunity."
"Any idea on how to approach that then? The questioning of the Sandpoint residents? I'm not a sleuth or detective, but I'd like to help out though. Perhaps the amdame who wanted to read our fortunes may have some useful insights on how to proceed. Prophecies and fortunes have a ring of truth about them, even if one might not see it at first."
At first, Verona had been too distracted to listen to the others conversation about what to do next. She had been looking through the various alchemical concoctions that the goblins had, surprised at their potency and diversity.
Talk of going to the fortune-teller, though, quickly brought her out of her gawking. She still hadn't warmed to the idea of going to Madame Mvashti, but Verona wagered that it beat randomly talking to Sandpoint's natives for clues. "Sonas is correct. Vomething is amiss here and Madame Mvashti may be able to guide us to it," she says touching her Pharasmite necklace.
As the party begins discussing what to do next and how to accomplishment, Kano finds the nuances disinteresting and begins examining the goblin lance. She lifts it with one hand noting the weight and balance, a surprise for something of goblin make, before lowering it and ending with a powerful thrust.
She grunts and places it back with the rest of their finds, patting her earthbreaker smiling and whispering ”Do not worry, no one can replace you Onandowaga.”
Her attention is perked back when talk of the fortune teller is brought into the conversation. ”Yes, I am in agreement. Your elder shall point us in the right direction. One who sees the spirits around can not steer us wrong. We should be most humbled to accept this gift.”
Filona gives in to the party's decision. "Fine, let's go to the fortune teller quickly", she says taking the first steps back to town. She didn't want anybody to know she was curious whether this woman would be able to tell them anything real.
Experience 1,405/2,000 | Level 1 | #001: Burnt Offerings | Part 2: Local Heroes | Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
→ 3:00 PM Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
The group makes their way to the massive home of Niska Mvashti, or Madame Mvashti as the locals call her. Her daughter, a quite aged wandering priestess of Desna named Koya Mvashti, is still in town from the festival. She is the one to open the door, and upon recognizing the party, invites you all into her mother's home and into a parlor. Koya leaves you there with some fresh tea and moves to fetch her mother, returning some ten minutes later.
Madame Mvashti sits behind a large, intricately engraved wooden table and lays a cloth embroidered with Pharasmin imagery on it over the top. Drawing a deck of harrow cards from a pouch and holding it with no small reverence, she begins to shuffle the cards.
"Thank you for helping the town yesterday," Madame Mvashti begins, finishing her shuffling. "I'd like to reward you in the best way I know how: a harrow reading. Any who are interested, please come sit here with me."
If you would like to have a harrowing performed, please go ahead and phrase the knowledge you seek in the form of a single question and decide which of the six abilities suits that question. If multiple of you want a harrowing I'll just go in the order that you post. I'll be putting the readings in spoilers, as the others present will be asked to leave the room for the subject's privacy.
Filona taps her foot with increasing speed as the others don't seem to step forward. "Let's get this over with." As the others leave the room, Filona starts to sweat, afraid of what she might hear, but tries hard not to show it.
Is this supposed to be hidden too?:
When Madame Mvashti is ready, the gnome asks "Who betrayed the town to the goblins? Tell me, oh so know it all." With a sneer, she awaited the answer.
Verona span her Pharasmite pendant nervously as she ruminated on what question she wanted to ask Mvashti. Would she ask a question about the town's mysterious enemies or her own? In the end, the thought of Hannah made her choose the former.
Harrowing Question:
"Vat do the goblins vant vith Ezakien Tobyn's bones?"
Reverent as soon as she enters Madame Vshanti’s house, Kano begins debating her question as she waits her turn.
Harrowing Question:
”Elder Vshanti thank you for seeing us. My question is simple. I was only passing through Sandpoint on my way to fight giants. But the raid on the town has me wondering. Do the Great Spirits see my place with this group?” I think Wisdom may be the most appropriate stat for this question
Experience 1,405/2,000 | Level 1 | #001: Burnt Offerings | Part 2: Local Heroes | Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
→ 3:10 PM Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
Filona:
Ignoring your slight on her occupation, Madame Mvashti ponders your question and selects nine cards from the deck. She shuffles these by themselves, and then spreads them out on the table into an arc in one fluid motion. She gestures for you to pick one. You select a card from the table, revealing it to the two of you to be The Carnival. ”You are unsure of how you fit into this investigation, aren’t you? Afraid that your innate talents will develop in a way that doesn’t align with your dreams?”
Nistka does not wait for you to respond, and after you relinquish the card to her she shuffles it and the remaining eight cards on the table back into the rest of the deck. After a moment, she lays out the cards face-down in three columns of three. Setting the remainder of the deck aside, she flips the first column. From top to bottom she reveals The Bear, The Unicorn, and The Desert. ”The Desert in opposition, a sign that the betrayer you seek was lost and in need of aid. The aid that they gained was one not to be trusted, and they have likely paid for it quite dearly.”
After this, Madame Mvashti flips the cards in the middle column to reveal, from top to bottom: The Betrayal, The Twin, and The Carnival. ”Here again is your role in this, The Carnival, aligned now to the negative flow of your present. There will be temptation to follow a dream that cannot be, and if you do, the here and now will become increasingly bleak. Misguided ambitions will surely bring ruin,” she says, her previously unwavering tone gaining some trepidation as she moves to the card in the direct center of the spread. ”The Twin, in true alignment, is a sign that someone involved in the raid struggles with indecision. It also means that in the here and now there may be hidden meanings abound—even to the reading that I’m giving you now. Just above we have The Betrayal misaligned, meaning that self-sacrifice and turning away from the temptation of material gains may be necessary for your goal.”
”And now for the future, the thing I’m sure you are most curious about,” Madame Mvashti begins, starting to flip the cards in the final column. The Forge, The Avalanche, and The Idiot. She points to the final card in the spread, the goblins on its face a direct link to the question in the air. ”The Idiot, in slight misalignment. Someone you have already met, someone who may seem foolish or naive, harbors knowledge of something far greater, far more evil than just goblins attacking Sandpoint.”
”That, my dear, is all I have for you today,” Madame Mvashti says, picking up the cards and shuffling them once again. ”If you ever again feel the need to ask a question, my door is always open to the heroes of Sandpoint. Just please remember two silvers next time you come knocking.” She says the last part with a wink, and in a slight hurry to perform four more readings today, she ushers you out to bring in the next petitioner.
Daiki spent the long time on the way to, and waiting for, the harrow thinking deeply about his question. He knew the Kami of home had some ability to read into the future, though he had never before met a human that could do the same. What blessings such a person must possess. When it was his turn, finally, Daiki took a deep breath and went in.
Harrowing Question:
Alone with Madame Vshanti, Daiki bowed deeply. "Greetings, madam. As you may be aware, long and far has been my path to lead me here, standing in front of you. Life as I once knew it has been torn from me, and I am left with a great many questions. But one troubles me most - bears down on my mind, and all my actions. What am I to do, to move on with honor - honor not just for me, but for that of my fallen brother in arms, and my master, on who's account alone I have survived to be here?"
I imagine wisdom is probably the most fitting attribute for this.
Filona gets up without acknowledging Madame Mvashti's last words. If she remembered to open her mouth, it would hang open as she thinks. Just before opening the curtain to leave, she turns back and offers a nod in a late reply.
Filona fumbles with the curtain trying to open it. It seemed too heavy for her, even though it wasn't heavy at all. Looking at the others, she says "Well, that was probably made up..." As she tries to smile, she unceremoniously says "I asked about the two traitors. She did a bunch of stuff with some cards... But she did say something very true about me." As if a chill ran through her spine, Filona shivers.
She continues saying "I had never used my talents in a fight. I've never even been on any fights before yesterday. She said my magic would develop in a way that doesn't fit my dream." At this point, tears start forming up in her eye.
In order to dismiss her seemingly unhappy line of thought, she says "She said the betrayer needed help, but the help they found was bad for them. She said I can't follow my dreams. What does she know about my dreams?", she shouted in rage not caring that the woman could probably hear her through the curtain.
With a surprisingly stern face, she continues "She also said something about indecision. And that everything is a hidden message. Heh, quite convenient for a so called ''fortune teller'', eh? Well, then she said something that could be useful if she's right. That someone knows something about what drove the goblins, or something greater than them. That someone is foolish or naive. Do you think she was talking about you Kano?", she asks foolishly and naively.
She ends with "Well, anyway, next in line can go in, I suppose"
Sonas looks on as Filona comes back after her harrowing at Madame Mvashti and watches the next of the group go on in.
"Still you seem to be troubled by a soothsayer explaining what could lie in store for us. Are fortune-tellers not also people with a power similar to that of certain wizards or spellcasters? Perhaps they don't cast spells, that doesn't mean their inner ability to predict what's to come is a lie. It's like trying to read a language you don't understand, parts may make sense to you, other parts or sentences may not, but until someone points out which sentence means what, you won't know the truth of the words."
Sonas picks a coin from his pocket and throws it in the air and deftly catches it again.
"I for one, have always been lucky. It's a rare trait and a rare thing to say about oneself. Though this is true, my luck is able to rub off onto others. I don't know how I got it, I just know it's there."
When it is finally time for Sonas's turn to go on into Madame Mvashti's tent for a harrowing he does so with a smile on his face and excitement glowing off of him.
Sonas's question:
Sonas walks into curtained room and bows to Madame Mvashti.
"I am truly honoured you would read me my fortune Madame! I've been read my fortune before, by Ol' Pietri Csalogan of the Sun Caravan, perhaps you've heard of him?"
Sonas says as he takes a seat opposite of Madame Mvashti.
"To tell you the truth, I'm a bit torn between two questions. One is a personal touch, the other something more for what's been going on now with the goblins and all. It's difficult to choose." Sonas sighs deeply as he wracks his mind for the right decision. After a short moment he nods to himself and speaks up.
"I've decided, I've always been a team player, you should always choose what's best for the family. At this moment, this town is my temporary family. These goblin attacks are strange, not that out of the ordinary, but they're helped by others from outside. Why is that? What do these people have to gain by helping the goblins?"
Experience 1,405/2,000 | Level 1 | #001: Burnt Offerings | Part 2: Local Heroes | Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
Here is our discussion thread! Very excited for us to all get started, hopefully on Monday (10/28) as long as everyone checks in.
Please check in here as your character alias and then dot and delete with your character alias in the gameplay thread as well. I'll be getting a gameplay post up sometime today.
I'm not normally on during the daytime on a weekday in the USA, because of work. I had surgery on Wednesday, though, so I'm home today. I should be back at work on Monday, though, which means no posting until after hours. <shrug> Such is life.
Experience 1,405/2,000 | Level 1 | #001: Burnt Offerings | Part 2: Local Heroes | Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
No problem @Sonas Adhello. I'm very excited that the whole recruitment process is over so we can go on a wondrous adventure.
It's all good @Perri Perrun, I've come to know your posting schedule for Hell's Rebels. Should be just fine!
The gameplay thread is up! Don't feel obligated to post anything until Monday, but if you do I will likely respond. I'm not great about checking in on the forums on weekends so our group posting standards will just be weekdays once a day (unless someone has to be absent for a span of time).
This is my preferred template for a 1e game status bar, though as long as you have that information on your status in any format that's fine by me.
Hey thanks for inviting me to the game! I was kind of surprised to be picked but I’m glad I was. I’ve always wanted to play in a RotR game, and this one ounce especially challenging.
Experience 1,405/2,000 | Level 1 | #001: Burnt Offerings | Part 2: Local Heroes | Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
@Sonas: Ah, that's my bad. I wrote down "perform 24" when I was taking notes for my post and should've wrote that it was for money so I wouldn't respond wrong. Go ahead and get yourself 30cp of tips from the crowd.
Experience 1,405/2,000 | Level 1 | #001: Burnt Offerings | Part 2: Local Heroes | Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
Hey all, I just sent everyone a private message with a form to fill out about what level of comfort we all have with different types of content. This does not need to be filled out immediately, but when I have everyone's results I will anonymously put the strictest of each categories limits in the slides with the maps for public use. I just want to make sure that I know what level of description and such to use for some heavier topics (especially before we get to #3: The Hook Mountain Massacre).
Hey all, I just sent everyone a private message with a form to fill out about what level of comfort we all have with different types of content. This does not need to be filled out immediately, but when I have everyone's results I will anonymously put the strictest of each categories limits in the slides with the maps for public use. I just want to make sure that I know what level of description and such to use for some heavier topics (especially before we get to #3: The Hook Mountain Massacre).
@GM: Pretty much. The activities are awesome and creative, but Verona would likely suck at the rest of them. :)
@Finona: Getting different maps would make the most sense, yeah, but I figured that in-character Verona would want the Hinterlands map over the others due to her profession. My apologies if this makes things redundant.
Experience 1,405/2,000 | Level 1 | #001: Burnt Offerings | Part 2: Local Heroes | Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
Regarding the maps, I will be including those as soon as I get them formatted in a way that doesn't drive me insane. Very particular about that. Whichever ones you don't pick up now will be available for purchase from The Way North at any time.
Also super enjoying Sonas's tunes. I'm extra excited to see what you link when you roll a 1 :p
@GM: Pretty much. The activities are awesome and creative, but Verona would likely suck at the rest of them. :)
@Finona: Getting different maps would make the most sense, yeah, but I figured that in-character Verona would want the Hinterlands map over the others due to her profession. My apologies if this makes things redundant.
Experience 1,405/2,000 | Level 1 | #001: Burnt Offerings | Part 2: Local Heroes | Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
Just as a note: if an initiative ordering results in you posting twice in a row for combat that is totally fine. I get that most of us have a specific time of day we can post during so I don't want people to wait on it and miss their window.
Whoops, my to hit would have been +4 not +5. I hope a 16 still hits but maybe it doesnt.
I’m so sorry, I think one iteration had Weapon Focus (Earthbreaker) which was where that extra +1 was coming from. I changed it on the sheet to be accurate. Sorry again!
Just a heads up, I changed the layout of Verona's sheet to better keep of track where all her bonuses were coming from. Mechanically nothing has been touched or changed. Hope that's alright.
Experience 1,405/2,000 | Level 1 | #001: Burnt Offerings | Part 2: Local Heroes | Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
Hey all, I've still got two folks who haven't responded to the RPG Consent checklist. I don't know who, as they are anonymous, but if you have anything to say there please do so! I'll be putting the results in the campaign info soon.
Edit: The results as reported thus far are in the campaign info tab.
I am one of the non-respondents. I think the existing limit requests are more extensive than my request would have been, so, no real need for me to submit at this point. I'm not going to tighten the screws down any more.
Hey everyone, just as a heads up - our wonderful GM has returned from PAX Unplugged safely, but seems to have caught a nasty flu. They will be back as soon as they are able.
This last weekend, both of the youngest generation (one is 2 the other just had her first birthday) got sick. So did their mom. Monday so did their dad. Somewhere in there, grandma got sick, too. Now I'm sick. At least the youngest seems to be over it.
If you need to bot me to keep things moving, please do.
I'm sorry, but I'm not even managing to focus to play spades on my phone right now, and that's amazingly brainless.
Experience 1,405/2,000 | Level 1 | #001: Burnt Offerings | Part 2: Local Heroes | Day 2 (Sunday, 23 Rova 4707)
I've gotta agree, admittedly. Holidays are pretty wild for me right now, so I'm not too sure how much I'll be posting this week myself. I hope everyone has a good week whether you celebrate a holiday or not! Don't worry too much about keeping up with this game, we'll get back into full swing next week.
