Menagerie PFS: Murder's Mark (Inactive)

Game Master Blake's Tiger

Aurora is presently under a Fins to Feet spell and has human legs, GM.

(Aurora loads her crossbow as she goes up the stairs).

"Don't listen to that bad man, children! He's setting you up, and you mustn't let him escape!"

Aurora calls upon Urgathoa's Guidance and bestows her blessing upon the pathfinders.

Cast Guidance, activate Divine Vessel

Helvatica runs into the room, hand charged, and tries to smack the man across the face with a rubbery arm. "Run children! RUN!"
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Shocking Grasp (Divine Vessel, Metal?) vs Red (Touch): 1d20 + 2 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 2 + 2 + 3 = 151d6 ⇒ 5 Metal bonus included, -3 if it shouldn't be!
Shocking Grasp, move, touch.

Damiel slips into the room and underhands a bomb into the wall between the windows. His delight in anticipation of a hearty bomb rests plainly on his face, but when the bomb goes unexpectedly wide...
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Fort, DC 13: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
AC 5 (PBS): 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 = 6 Literally the one thing he needed to not roll!
Dial of Doom!: 1d8 ⇒ 8 My initial response to Helvetica getting bombed was mirth, but she is literally next to a pair of children... I'm so sorry y'all.

You did not get the +3 but did not need it either.

"I'm sorry children!" he laments as he steps out the window. "I will bring help as soon as I can!"

He begins descending the rope.

Provokes an AOO from Helvetica if she's wielding a weapon.

Combat! Round 1/2. Bold may act.

Handsome Man (-9 hp) (10 ft down from window)
Zu (Fort DC 13 vs. blindness)
Fuzzy (Fort DC 13 vs. blindness)
--2--
Damiel (9/10 hp)
Aurora
Helvetica (6/10 hp)

Fort (DC 13): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

"DANG IT!" Zu yelps as he's blinded by yet another flash of light. "I don't know what's going onnnnnnn! Fuzzy, get 'em!"

Handle Animal (DC 10): 1d20 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 + 4 = 27

And between the confusion of being blinded (again), the presence of the little sprouts (who are they?) and the strange man's propensity for disguise (is he a wizard?), his lament really isn't an exaggeration at all.

He staggers forward into the room and bumps into what feels like a piece of furniture.

"Where'd he go!?" the leshy calls out, waving his mace about, ready to strike the first thing that comes for him.

Fort (DC 13): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Once again shrugging off the flash of light Fuzzy complies with Zu's order and scuttles after the man as he high-tails it out the window. The puffball reaches the window but hesitates, not being gifted with any innate ability to climb and having just enough low-level, animal intelligence to not simply fling themselves out into thin air.

"Who the hell was that and what were they doing with you?" Helvetica asks the kids. "AURORA USE YOUR NEW FLOPPY FEET TO HAUL ASS AROUND THE MANSION TO THE OTHER SIDE!" she screams into the hallway while the kids think of how best to answer the wild woman.
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Damiel has more oomph at this range, so I won't crowd him out of the window!

Damiel gets up near the Prince of Fluffs and drops a bomb out the window.
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1d20 ⇒ 2 I'll stop botting him now... Not even worth typing the rest of it out with what I'm sure will be cover as well!
Curious, how high up is the window? Cutting the rope might be enough to incapacitate the runner...

It is 20 ft to the ground from the window. He has 10 ft to go.

"Are you kidding me, Hel? It's hard enough walking on these things!"

Aurora gauges the distance to the window. But I'm not going to get there in time either.

"Can't you pull him back up? Or cut the rope maybe... I'll try to get on my horse and cut him off if he makes it to ground."

Considering Hel's plan the best of a very narrow set of options, Aurora runs down the stairs - certainly a first in her mostly aquatic existence.

A full round Run action takes Aurora straight down the stairs and adjacent to horse.

I could have sworn that I used the OOC formating.

The bound children scream and scream as violent elves and monsters chase off their rescuer. Their screams become even more frantic at the sight of Helvetica.

Zu wanders blindly into the room, his vision clearing just in time to see Damiel toss a bomb into the garden below, slaying many flowers with the resulting conflagration. Aurora runs away on her temporary legs.

Those left upstairs hear the creaking of doors opening.

"What? Hey! Did you fall asleep?" a coarse voice yells from the balcony.

"Me? You fell asleep!" shouts a different voice.

"The boss is going to kill us," the first voice complains.

A dark-haired athletic built man appears in the doorway with a sword in one hand and a dagger in the other. A similarly built and equipped man walks into view from further behind him on the balcony.

The man in the doorway sighs, "What's our line? Oh, yeah! We're here to save you, kids!"

Meanwhile, the man with the ponytail lets go of the rope to drop the rest of the way to the ground. He lands with an "Oof" and rolls with his fall. He pushes himself to his feet and starts hustling toward the front of the manor.

Combat! Round 2/3. Bold may act.

Handsome Man (-9 hp, 3 NL) (on ground floor)
Assassin Red
Assassin Blue
Zu
Fuzzy
--3--
Damiel (9/10 hp)
Aurora
Helvetica (6/10 hp)

With his original quarry out of reach, Fuzzy turns and skitters back towards the new challenger in the doorway and attempts to slam into him!

Slam vs. Blue: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 + Poison

Now that he can see again Zu also turns his attention to the new threats, hoping he and Fuzzy can cut through them so they can hurry to Aurora's aid.

"Don't know who you are but you leave these sprouts alone!" the leshy yells back as he drops his mace and pulls out a longspear. He proceeds to jab at Blue...

Attack vs. Blue (Longspear): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

"ARE WE THE BAD GUYS?!" Helvetica adds, offering her screaming to the chorus. "Oh my gooood GO AWAY! CAN'T YOU SEE THESE CHILDREN ARE ALREADY SCARED?!" she continues wailing. The strength of her voice causes a reaction in the latest assailant.
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Warp touch vs Blue, DC 14 Fort or be Dazed!

Right, let's see if these legs are any good on a horse

fast mount attempt, Ride DC20: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 6 - 4 = 15 fails, so mounting is a move action still.

Aurora mounts up and drives her horse around the side of the house, hoping to cut off the dastardly shape-shifter - and sure enough comes face to face with him.

"HALT TRICKSTER! CONFESS YOUR CRIMES!!"

Aurora looks up to the windows where the villain came from. Can they hear me up there?

Damielbot shakes his head at all the noise.

"Pipe down brats, I've got a hangover and I'm trying to only set the bad men on fire!"

The doorway is too narrow and is full of fighting plants anyway, but to satisfy his own frustration the unlucky alchemist grabs the nearest child's toy and throws it at the thug.

throw anything! vs blue, cover, into melee, pbs: 1d20 + 3 + 1 - 4 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 1 - 4 - 4 = 6damage, pbs: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 -ish, depends on size of the toy really

Fuzzmodeus throws its basidiomycotic body against the assassin. The assassin inhales an unfortunate number of spores as he sucks in a breath in pain. Zu then follows with a thrust into his gut. He staggers in place a moment, and then covers his ears in pain as Helvetica screams. Damiel throws a toy over the assassin's head (some may wonder if the elf needs glasses).

Meanwhile, Aurora manages to mount her horse and hurries around the corner of the manner.

Yes. Your allies can hear you given you're shouting loudly.

The wounded assassin stumbles backwards a few steps and then flips backwards off of the landing. You hear a rather fatal crunching noise when he lands.

The other assassin moves up and thrusts his short sword into the carnivorous puffball with the expectant results. He coughs and chokes as a cloud of spores blows out the puncture and into his face. His pupils looks a little dilated after that.

Outside the manor, the handsome man considers Aurora, glances back at the window, and then draws a longsword and a short sword. He smirks and says, "I'll take my chances."

Combat! Round 3/4. Bold may act.

Handsome Man (-9 hp, 3 NL) (on ground floor)
Assassin Red
Zu
Fuzzy (5/13 hp)
--3--
Damiel (9/10 hp)
Aurora
Helvetica (6/10 hp)

Fuzzy shrivels a fair bit as they're stabbed but still continues to attack this newest new challenger, leaping up at the thug's face...

Slam vs. Red: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

...though without quite as much success as before.

"Oof, Fuzzy..." Zu winces as his plant pal gets stabbed pretty good. He considers pulling out his wand again as he tries to skewer this second attacker...

Attack vs. Red (Longspear): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

...but like his companion, suddenly can't seem to hit the broad side of a barn!

DamielBot continues to fume as Zu and Fuzzy block his way, though he's not sure what good it would do even if they moved - quarters are awful tight for throwing bombs and the like. He reaches for another toy, this one a wooden top, and hurls it at Red...

Throw Anything vs. Red (Cover, Into Melee, PBS): 1d20 + 3 + 1 - 4 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 3 + 1 - 4 - 4 = 14
Damage (PBS): 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 Or whatever the GM feels is appropriate.

...and maybe does a better job with his aim this time!

Doesn't look good Aurora thinks as she steadies her horse...

fight with mount, Ride DC10: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 6 - 4 = 5

...the horse bucks and whinnies. Damn beast! ''Best fighting horse in Avistan", yeah right, and I'm a narwhal!

guide with knees, Ride DC5: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 6 - 4 = 13

"THE DIVINE PRINCESS CONDEMNS YOU FOR THEFT AND MURDER!" shouts Aurora as she brandishes her holy symbol.

Aurora pulls out her crossbow and looses a bolt whist she has the chance.

crossbow, guidance: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 2 + 1 = 14damage: 1d8 ⇒ 5

"We need to hurry, Aurora is a lot faster without her fishy bits and is taking this whole 'we're the sheriff now' stuff waaaaay too seriously," Helvetica says earnestly. "WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT, I'VE GOT SOMETHING FOR THIS!"

Turning out all of her pockets, a wand eventually drops to the floor. "AH HA!" She hands it to one of the kids. "Ok, so aim it at the bad guys, then- actually, never mind."

She snatches it back from the kid and hangs out the window. "AND IMPERSONATING HIGH RANKING OFFICERS OF THE LAW WITHOUT GIVING THEM A CHANCE TO HAVE A CLONE DUEL!" she shouts, firing a bolt of force at the back of his head.
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Magic Missile vs Handsome Man: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
5ft step to the window, move action to draw the wand of Magic Missile, standard to fire at the handsome man. If she can't get LoS to him, she'll direct her wrath at the assassin.

While Fuzzmodeus and Zu struggle to land a blow against the agile assassin, Damiel picks up a wooden toy and clocks the man in the middle of the forehead. Blood trickles down from the split in the skin between his brow.

Down on the ground, Aurora sends an quarrel wide into the garden, which causes the man with a pony tail to smirk. His smirk is cut short when a bolt of force slams into him from above. He stabs into the puffball until it remains motionless. "The gourd is next, then you, elf!" he growls.

"Norgorber take you all!" he curses and hustles around the horse, slashing at Aurora with his longsword as she struggles to hold onto the side of the saddle. He just manages to catch her and grazes her neck with the blade.

Combat! Round 4/5. Bold may act.

Handsome Man (-13 hp, 3 NL) (on ground floor)
Assassin Red (-4 hp)
Zu
Fuzzy (-1/13 hp; dying)
--5--
Damiel (9/10 hp)
Aurora (7/10 hp)
Helvetica (6/10 hp)

"FUZZY! Oh, you're gonna get skewered for that!" Zu hollers as he tries to stab Red with renewed gusto!

Attack vs. Red (Longspear): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
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If that should happen to finish off Red then Zu will also take a move action to pull out his healing wand~

Fuzzy slowly oozes chlorophyll and other plant juices and maybe even a few spores...

Stabilize (DC 10): 1d20 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (11) + 2 - 1 = 12

...but seems to stabilize.

Zu obtains his vicious revenge as he jabs his spear into the assassin's gut. The masked man falls to the floor in a bleeding lump.

"Good work, Zu! Take care of Fuzzy and the kids; I'll go help Aurora!" DamielBot exclaims before rushing out of the cramped bedroom and booking it down the stairs for the front door.
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Double-move~

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!" Aurora threatens the handsome man as she wrangles her horse.

fight, damn you! DC10: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 6 - 4 = 10
steer with knees DC5: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 6 - 4 = 18

With a sharp dig in the ribs as she gets back on top of her stubborn mount, Aurora persuades the stubborn beast to fight.

hoof vs handsome: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
hoof vs handsome: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

The horse is combat trained - it just seems to forget the fact sometimes ;)

And if the enemy still stands after a hoof to the head...

The angry priestess raises her holy symbol vengefully, and calls upon her goddess to strike down the enemy.

selective channel: 1d6 ⇒ 1 DC15 Will or sickened till the end of Aurora's turn on turn 6; ignore the horse (and any bystanders).

Move action to get back in the saddle; free to handle the horse (ride checks); standard to channel; free to 5' step (horse).

The handsome man does pay for that, indeed. Aurora finally convinces her horse that he is a warhorse, and the horse rears up and strikes with its forehooves. One of the hooves strikes him squarely in the face. The blow is accompanied by a wet crunch, and his face is left with a broken nose, three of his upper incisors missing, and blood spilling across his lower face. He is still conscious and now quite angry.

The wave of hunger reaches across the yard, wilting flowers, but it has relatively little effect on the once handsome man with a broken face.

Combat! Round 5. Bold may act.

Handsome Man (-19 hp, 4 NL) (on ground floor)
Zu
Fuzzy (-1/13 hp; dying)
--5--
Damiel (9/10 hp)
Aurora (7/10 hp)
Helvetica (6/10 hp)

"AT LEAST LOOK AT ME WHILE I'M YELLING AT YOU!" Helvetica continues, firing another blast at the handsome man. Can I stay mad at those glutes though?

As Aurora's horse does untold damage to his beautiful face, even she has to cringe from the second floor. "Aurora, I've got a great memory of his face, please don't ruin it by letting him face me!"
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Magic Missile (Wand) vs Handsome Man: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

The bolt of force catches the man with a pony tail in the back, causing him to stumble as he slashes at Aurora with his longsword. The blade scrapes across her armor despite her ungainly attempt to hide along the horse's side.

Damnit!" he shouts and promptly flees the legged merfolk and her horse.

Combat! Round 5/6. Bold may act.

Handsome Man (-22 hp, 4 NL) (on ground floor)
Zu
Fuzzy (-1/13 hp; unconscious)
--6--
Damiel (9/10 hp)
Aurora (7/10 hp)
Helvetica (6/10 hp)

Upstairs, Zu gives Fuzzy a tap with his healing wand...

CLW Wand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

...and sighs with relief when he sees that it's enough to get Fuzzy back on his feet.

"Good deal. Good job, Fuzzy. Heel."

Handle Animal (DC 10): 1d20 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 + 4 = 23

He then quickly stows the wand for the moment and glances over at Helvetica, currently hanging halfway out the window yelling and flinging magic.

"What's happening out there?"

Fuzzy quivers for a moment and then climbs to their spindly feet before moving next to Zu, waiting to follow.

DamielBot continues booking it for the front door and barrels through in time to see the Formerly-Handsome Man fleeing back around the corner of the house.

"Oh no you don't!"

Not having anything that isn't destructive to throw, the alchemist pulls out a small vial of acid and flings it at the fleeing man.

Acid Flask vs. Man (PBS): 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 4 + 1 = 17
Damage (PBS, Throw Anything): 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 1 = 9 I think I have the direct damage right on this...

The formerly handsome man does not. The acid strikes him squarely on the chest and splashes over his face and neck where it sizzles. His skin turns red where the acid touches and begins to blister as he falls and lays still on the ground.

You've got a pretty short amount of time to save him.

Status

Handsome Man (-31 hp, 4 NL)
Zu
Fuzzy (3/13 hp)
Damiel (9/10 hp)
Aurora (7/10 hp)
Helvetica (6/10 hp)

Aurora pats her steed on the flank as she gets back on top. "Good boy! I knew you had it in you."

Turning the mount around she sees the damage that Damiel has done. "Not so handsome now, eh, is he?"

swift dismount Ride DC20: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 6 - 4 = 3

Aurora dismounts clumsily, not really used to having legs.

"I suppose we might have to save him - if we want to know what in the Nine Hells is going on here! Pin him down, would you Damiel?"

Two move actions this round from Aurora - she's got a Wand of CLW she's willing to use if the bad guy is restrained.

You would need to roll maximum healing on the wand for him to wake up, so you're most likely to just stabilize him..

Will poke him with the wand next turn then.

"Oh. Hmm. Even that was more effective than I expected," Damiel winces as his acid flask actually proves to be super effective against the fleeing man. He hurries to help 'restrain' the guy as Aurora fumbles for her healing wand. "Note to self: whip up or purchase some non-lethal projectiles for later."

If it looks like the man is in imminent danger of bleeding out completely, Damiel pulls out his healing potion to try feeding to the guy.

Upstairs, Zu hears the yelling and shouting from outside finally cease so he goes to take a look out the window.

"Aurora! You okay!?" he hollers.

Ooops. already used Damiel's clw potion

"Got a nick on the neck but I'm fine!" Aurora calls back, straining over her shoulder. "We caught us a bad guy - there's not much left of him but I think I can save him if you want to talk to him."

"Great! We'll be right down! Oh, um...I'm gonna let the kids go, okay? They're pretty scared but I don't think they're hurt," Zu calls back.
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No worries! If I have time in a bit I'll try to go back and make a list Damiel's stuff that we've already used, so it's easier to keep track of.

"As long as I don't have to touch them," Helvetica responds to the notion of releasing the children. Before Zu manages to slit the rope, she hightails it down the stairs to Aurora.

"How'd you like that back up, huh? Pretty sweet, right?!"

While Damiel does his best to restrain the bruised, bloodied, and boiled brigand, Aurora discharges her wand and stops the bleeding, at least, but he remains soundly unconscious.

Shortly after the man's breathing becomes more even, Aurora and Damiel see the sheriff coming up the street. She stops as she sees you, pounds her fist on her thigh and tosses her head back and forth in what the more perceptive of you might guess to be a fit of cursing, and then composes herself enough to shout at you, "What in the bloody pits are you all doing here!?"

"Making an arrest!" Aurora calls back.

"We came here to speak to Mr Braeton, and found the door open. When we went inside this man and his gang of thugs attacked us." Aurora displays the sword wound she received. "We fought them off, but I fear they've already killed some of the occupants. This one here" she gestures at Formerly Handsome Man "changes his face and tried to make us look like the bad guys."

"We defended ourselves with reasonable force. We were about to revive this one for questioning. You'll find his henchmen inside, dead or unconscious."

"Someone also tried to kidnap a bunch of kids!" Helvetica adds. "They were really loud, I don't know what sort of idiot would have chosen them to steal." Who screams like that, anyways? Yeesh.

Having heard more ruckus from outside Zu decides to go ahead and free the imprisoned-and-possibly-kidnapped sprouts. "Hey, it sounds like the Sheriff is here," he remarks cheerfully. "Let's get those ropes off, okay? Um, just hold reeeally still..."

Provided the kids don't wriggle too much, Zu sets about cutting them free.

"Come on, let's go outside, okay? You're all safe now, we won't hurt you!" the leshy continues after the deed is done, walking over to the doorway and beckoning.

Diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 4

"Oooor you can, um, just wait here until the Sheriff comes to talk to you, that's fine too..."

Once freed, the frightened children, further frightened by the spooky animated jack-o-lantern, crawl under the bed and hide.

In the yard, Sheriff Feldane squats down to to look at the man on the ground. She wipes away the bloody drool dribbling out of the corner of his mouth with a cloth and closes his jaw. She squints and tilts her head. Finally, she says, "That looks like Borvius Monchello. He runs Ilsurian Storage and Hauling. Why would he have any reason to break into Braeton Manor and... kidnap his children you say?"

She stands and looks to the door as she says, "I had better take a look inside. He's not going anywhere, clearly."

Feldane heads directly up the stairs and begins to turn to the right, but when she hears the whimpering children, she turns left and enters their room. After a bit of cajoling, she eases them out from under the bead.

"Go see if the neighbors are home," she instructs one of her guards. "Tell them the children may need a safe place to stay."

As she leads the children back down, out of the manor, and past Helvetica, the children start crying again and cling tightly to the sheriff's legs.

"She's the monster!" cries the older boy. "She hurt mama and papa!"

"Go with the guard. He'll keep you safe and take you away from the monster. I'll deal with her," she consoles the children and hands them off to a guard who ushers them quickly away.

"So... that is peculiar?" she states in the tone of a question, looking at Helvetica. "I gather that has something to do with the merfolk's comment about making you look like the bad guys. Care to explain?"

"Well y'see Sheriff, when this guy first showed up he was wearing Helvetica's face," Zu explains. "Not literally I mean but he looked exactly like her! And we're not sure how he did it, unless he's got some sorta magical powers of disguise or something."

"I swear on the good morning sun that we didn't come here looking for a fight, either. We just wanted to talk to Mister Braeton bean and ask him a few questions. The door was open and no one around so we let ourselves inside in case something was wrong. Hadn't got more than a few paces when those other goons in there showed up and started throwing fireworks or flash bombs or whatever those things were! We had to defend ourselves."

Zu stops and jerks his viney thumb down at the unconscious man. "Then this guy shows up at the top of the stairs looking like Helvetica! Or wait, maybe he had his own face and then turned into Hel...but anyway, that's what happened. I think he was trying to frame us, I really and truly do."