GM TOP Skulk of Foxes (Troubles in Otari, PFS2) (Inactive)

Game Master Pete H.

"Sticking with the kit? No problems here." He then leans in a little closer, "And if Jack 'gets lost in the undergrowth'? Well, that wouldn't be such a bad thing."

”The newbie’s an amateur detective; I don’t have time to make it look like an accident.”

With a genuine smile, "A man can dream, can't he?" He turns back towards the other two be for announcing, loudly (perhaps too loud), "Alright boss, I'll stay here by myself with the wagon and yer little fox. It's fine. You and the hero go off and scrub the bush." He steps up to the wagon bench and sits. He pulls an apple from his pack and begins to cut slices off with his dagger.

Just to get clarification, are you scouting this area to look for where the dwarf went OR are you scouting ahead as you drive the wagon to your actual destination (the lumber camp)?

Jacques accompanies his comrades, ready for danger but uncharacteristically quiet. When he gets a chance, he takes a throat lozenge, as if that might help explain his unusual silence.

Sorry, everyone - I really am invested in our game - just haven't had time recently and now about to be on the road for two weeks with uncertain ability when I'll be able to log on. Hope you all understand.

Fox-imi gets up, stretches, and chirps lightly as they hop off the wagon to go sit next to Dev, grooming themself idly as Tama floats nearby.

Ugh, this whole thing feels weird. I'm already paranoid, and this is making it so much worse.

They keep an eye out for trouble as Ellen and Jacques move off in search of the dwarf.

I do believe the plan is for Ellen and Jacques to search in the direction the dwarf went, while Dev and I stay by the cart. If he's gone far enough that El and J start moving a significant ways away -- let's say, fifty feet maybe? -- then Dev and I will follow at a distance, but never far enough to lose sight of the cart. I would say Akimi, at least, won't move farther than forty feet from it.

As for an Exploration Activity, I think Akimi will use Scout, since they're not searching exactly but rather just keeping a general eye on things.

Yeah, Akimi's got it. Although if we want the front row to be in Stealth, we can have it be Dev and Jacques instead--their Stealth is much better, and Ellen's got a ranged option.

Ellen and Jacques head up the road and glance into the brush to the south where the dwarf exited. The don't see anything immediately, but Jacques does notice something odd. It seems there are a few sets of boots crossing here. And only one exits south. The rest head into the north brush. Both poke their head through and see...

Not far from the trail to the lumber camp, a ruined castle squats in a low dell. A few crumbling stones indicate that a road and entry once stood here, but they’ve long ago fallen away, swallowed by weeds. A sturdy lean-to has been recently constructed in the open space where the castle’s entrance once stood. A lowered portcullis bars passage farther into the castle.

There are signs of occupancy as a thin trail of smoke rises from somewhere in the ruins.

Ellen turns to Jacques and shrugs.

"This is feeling increasingly like a 'Not Our Problem' kind of thing. I'd ask what you think, but you're still working on that lozenge, so..."

She backtracks a bit to meet up with the rest of the group. "What do you think? I'm starting to figure we ought to just move on."

"Yeah, that definitely sounds like a 'hero'-bait situation. We've already got a job to finish."

I feel like The Skulk could not go check this out fast enough. Like tripping over each other to get inside and solve the problem/save the dwarf. However, one party's hook is another party's "That ain't our brand".

"And we're getting paid for that job. No need to risk it for treasure on the side."

Fox-imi hesitates. They feel bad leaving the dwarf to his fate; they never got any sense of wrongness from him, and it's possible he could be in trouble. But there is definitely something hinky going on, and they do have a job to do.

Finally, Fox-imi chirps in agreement with Ellen.

Or maybe they're just asking for more head-scritches, who knows? Probably better give them, just to be safe.

Dev climbs in to the wagon, "Right El, getting paid. Who cares that the last time something like this happened we ended up saving what's his face? That half orc? Oh yeah, Filruk. If we ignored that obvious trap, he'd be dead and Akimi wouldn't have a date all lined up."

Ellen stares back at Dev as she takes her place beside the wagon, frowning.

"If I didn't know better, Dev, I'd suspect you were trying to tickle our consciences."

With mock indignation, "Me?!?! Moi?!?! Mich?!?! Come on, Cap'n. If anything I'm just givin' the doc a bit of hazing." He laughs, "As if either of us have a conscience."

Akimi lets out an uncertain growl at the exchange. Maybe they're wrong. Maybe they should go check it out. They're momentarily grateful for being in fox form with no opposable thumbs because they're pretty sure they'd be pulling their fur out in frustration otherwise.

UGH! What do we do??

I am super torn what to do actually. Dev does have a good point. And unlike you two, Akimi actually has a conscience! Sort of. Well, a little. If it had a numerical value, it would be greater than zero lol.

You technically have zero evidence someone is in trouble, fyi. No screams, no blood trail of someone dragged inside a tomb, etc…

Ellen groans, hands on her hips, staring at the path beneath her, then back into the woods.

"Y'know what? Fine. Let's... hmm. They already know we're foxes, so we can't just ask Akimi to scout and pretend they're normal."

Fox-imi snort-chirps in a way that, despite sounding nothing like a laugh, clearly conveys the same sentiment at the implication they're not normal. They still sit at Dev's feet, glancing around curiously. I should probably join this discussion, they think idly, yet they hesitate to transform.

They always get a little reticent in fox form. They wore this form for a vast majority of their life before...

... well. Before Hiro found them.

It's stupid to be so sentimental! they chide themself.

Finally they stand up, arch their back in a long stretch, and then twist, enlarge, and stretch until they are back in their hybrid form.

They pop a few joints and flex their opposable thumbs as if re-acclimating themself to the feeling of having them, then shrug and say, "I mean, I'm pretty sneaky, and even more so when I'm a proper fox. I can slip ahead and take a look, if you want."

Statistically, Akimi has a +6 to Stealth, which changes to a +10 in fox form. And even if things go bad, Change Shape is only a single action so they can bugger off back to the cart pretty quick if need be. They do have weakness 5 to all damage in fox form though. :S

It's a solid enough plan; sneak, be ready to run. Shouldn't involve getting close enough to get trapped.

"Mm. Be wary of snares, okay?"

Jacques also has good Stealth (+9!) and fox form, iirc. Between the two of you, that ain't a bad combination of stealthiness + martial ability.

Alright, tell or show me where you two are sneaking and put Ellen/Dev in their waiting spots and I’ll handle the secret rolls.

I've proposed something, if the rest of the group agrees; our Fox Form friends can see if it's possible to peek into the fort. If any of those trees are tall enough, maybe they could peer in from there? At present, we're just trying to see what we can see, I figure.

I am on board. If we don't want to bot someone, Dev does have a +9 to Stealth and would be happy willing to scout ahead.

"A stealth mission? I'll have you know I'm the stealthiest fox that ever lived! Why, there is a battalion of orcs that are STILL talking about how impressed they were when they all saw me creep through their fortress, completely unseen! Save for, of course, all the spectators."

Not gonna lie, trying to move tokens around on this itty bitty slide on my laptop was a disproportionately large pain in the butt. That's what I get for doing it at work!

I moved Akimi's fox token up by the front gate, which is roughly where they will sneak up to.

Fox-imi trots off toward the building, slipping into the tall grass and keeping to bushes and trees until reaching the front gate. They crane their neck around the corner to peek into the area.

Setting the front of the building as a new subject for Pursue a Lead, then moving up and examining the door.

We will just go ahead with Dev as the other scout, keep Jacques out of active stuff for a bit more since it would be a bot anyway.

Right as Akimi looks to peek around the corner a familiar dwarven voice rings out from across the clearing. Out steps the same bugger that had the long convo with you earlier, "HAHA! I KNEW YOU WEREN'T MERCHENTS. MERCHENTS HAVE A SCHEDULE AN WOULDA LEFT BY NOW. CATCH YOU SNIFFIN' AROUND MY BUSINESS INSTEAD I SEE? WELL WE KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT TRESPASSERS!"

His Maul is out and ready for some skull crushing. It doesn't appear that he has noticed Dev yet.

Initiative
Jacques: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 1 = 10
Ellen: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 1 = 19
Dev: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 1 = 17
Akimi: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 8 + 1 = 26

Dwarf: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30
Enemy 2?: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

The dwarf strides out into the clearing and taunts, "Come get some, thieves!"

Round 1: Darth Maul Attacks!
Buffs: NA
Dwarf (readied?)
?? (delayed?)
Akimi
Ellen
Dev
Jacques

Bold May Act, though there are some conditions that could quickly interrupt the initiative order.

"This is stupid," sighs Ellen, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Akimi! Dev! We're leaving!"

Not leaving without the kit! Dev fingers his hatchet waiting to see what the young investigator does.

I will wait to see if Akimi heads toward the wagon before committing to a course of action. Have to protect the healer!

Akimi, having thought they were quite stealthy, practically leaps out of their fur when the dwarf starts yelling. In a flash of fur and noise, they revert to their hybrid form, yell "NOPE" and haul ass toward the wagon.

Was gonna just run in fox form, but my speed in that form is TEN FREAKING FEET so I had to change first. I assumed the bushes were difficult terrain so I moved accordingly.

♦ Change Shape (Fox Form to Hybrid Form).
♦♦ Stride 50ft.

The dwarf will not chase far and you all can get away without enough issue for me to waste time dragging this out.

Combat Over, for now.

It is another two miles to get to Inkleholtz Lumber Camp.

Let me know if you all do or say anything on the way.

Ellen watches over her shoulder until the dwarf is well out of sight.

”What a dink that guy was,” she snorts.

Shaking his head in disbelief, "I mean, the ONE time we were actually going out of our way to be nice! THE ONE TIME! I learned my lesson on that one. If it ain't for coin, it ain't happenin'."

A quiet cart ride later, the skulk arrives at their destination.

The foreman in charge is a pudgy, tired-looking human man named Jollibin Urphell. The horny members of the group immediately start swooning or whatever, probably. :P

He carries a long-handled felling axe over one shoulder, and his eyes dart around the lumber camp, "Ah good, we needed the help! I'm glad my message made it through. And you brought the supplies we ordered, excellent!" He waves over some workers, who start unloading the cart.

Dev leans over to Ellen, "Did we agree to be helpful? That doesn't sound like us." He then hops into the back of the wagon to point out supplies to the acutal workers.

"Happy to help!" says Ellen to Jollibin. "We'll be on our way back once the supplies are unloaded."

It is quite obvious that the lumber camp isn't doing well. Burn marks on a nearby cabin and all the workers look haggard, like they haven't gotten a good night of sleep.

The foreman looks confused, "Did you not get the message we sent? Our cook left several days ago. We've been under attack!"

If you all wish to skip a bunch of stuff, I can do that. But your rewards will be affected.

Ellen sighs. ”Didn’t get a message, no. Under attack, huh?”

Don’t they know it’s not polite to impose?

She casts a put-upon side eye in Dev’s direction, feeling very much like they’re about to be roped into being the good guys again.

He cocks his head to the side. As he casually pats the bag of coins at his hip, Dev's eyebrows rise questioningly.

Make 'em pay to play Boss. They can look at the goods all they want, but if they want a show? They gotta open up the purse strings.

The fox on the wagon seat immediately voips into Akimi. "Did someone say 'cook'?" They hop down and dig out their utensils from their pack. "Ready to help!"

Upon realizing there's more going on than a missing cook, Akimi blinks. "Oh. Uh. Okay, we might be able to help, but who's attacking you, exactly?"

He sighs, "Damn cook, musta gotten lost or drunk and fell down a ravine. I shoulda taken away his cooking sherry."

The dreamy bearded dad-bod man frowns, "You really don't know anything about our situation though? Damn. Well, I guess it is lucky you showed up. It’s been going on about a week. At first, our prospective sites were targeted. We scout a site nearby, ensure it’ll provide a good, clean harvest, and mark the trees with chalk. At first, the chalk marks were being erased overnight, but soon enough, the trees we’d marked were all burned up. Good thing we’ve had a lot of rain lately— otherwise there might have been a forest fire.

The last three nights, we’ve had fires right in the camp. The first two were in the storage tents, but we put them out quickly. No sign of who set them. The most recent was an attempt to set the cabin on fire. Luckily, we put that out, too."

"What is it with this forest and Hell Hounds? Was there a clearance sale? Did they give away puppies? I mean, this is like the third or fourth one we've encountered this week." (It's only been like a week since we saw the first one, right? If not, alter Dev's complaint to the proper timeline.)

"In any case, I'd imagine there's something that can be worked out." Dev was not one to step over his role. Negotiating any kind of price was the captain's until she said otherwise. He could always toss in his two copper, but El called the shot when it came to committing the crew.

Ellen shrugs. "You get two hellhounds, and then they have like six babies, and then if those grow up and have babies you've got like... eighteen more, and pretty soon your forest is lousy with them until they run out of stuff to turn to charcoal."

"Unless someone just opened a portal to the Hellhound Dimension. Sitting on a recliner, pretending to throw a ball into our plane..."

She shrugs.

"What kind of mark are you putting on them, and what material are you using? I'm not promising help," she says, coughing monetarily and rubbing her fingers together, "but either someone's ordering them to target you or you're attracting them somehow."

The male model thinks for a second, pulls out a bit of chalk ands says "Just a simple upside down five pointed star 'X' on the side it needs to fall, so my crew know which to cut and where to drop them. But why would the mark matter?"

He glances at Dev, "Listen, I get it. You all look tough and probably expect to be paid well. If you can help, we will definitely scrape something together. But I can't promise a lot. We don't come out here with valuables."

Akimi blinks at being referred to as 'tough,' glancing down at their scrawny limbs incredulously, then pulls the others back for a moment with a mumbled "Excuse us." They huddle a short ways away from the lumberjack and murmur, "Something is better than nothing, yeah? And at least we have experience dealing with hellhounds. Should be old hat by now. If nothing else, we should at least take a look at the cabin and supply tent, see if there are any clues so we can point them in the right direction, though I think we can probably handle whatever it is. So far we've been pretty resourceful, and y'all have each only almost died like... once. I think."

He glances at Jacques. "Maybe twice for you."

He turns back to the others and shrugs. "Anyway, that's my two copper, but I'll follow you all whatever you decide."

Ellen's brow furrows. "I dunno if 'something is better than nothing' applies in this situation. More of an 'is this worth the risk?' situation. It's not like we're lacking in income," she says, jerking a handwrapped thumb back toward the cart. "And that's without us getting back on the boat and seeing if any merchant ships look like they could be toppled by a four-person crew."

But before the group gets a chance to negotiate a price for helping innocents, everyone hears a harsh voice yell from the trees behind the tents, "HAH! While they are distracted, charge!!!"

A pack of red furred large rats scurries out of the trees at everyone. Some split off and head towards the cabin. With them is a familiar looking flaming dog (hellhound). The lumberjacks all grab axes and saws and rush towards them yelling, "Protect the cabin! Don't let them burn it."

That leaves three scraggly evil looking rats headed towards the mule and cart. The dwarf who yelled stands in the back, directing traffic to maximize harm.

Initiative
Jacques: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 8 + 1 = 12
Ellen: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 1 = 16
Dev: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 7 + 1 = 28
Akimi: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 8 + 1 = 11

Enemy Dwarf: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (12) + 16 = 28
Enemy Rats: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Enemy ??: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Happy with how things are going, the yelling dwarf moves up between the tents and magics up a curse upon Jacques, "GONNA MELT YOUR BRAIN FURRY MAN!"

Jacques, Will Save Please vs. a Mental Enchantment Spell.

Round 1: Stinky Smelly Dwarves Finally Force a Fight!
Buffs: NA
Enemy Dwarf
Dev
Rats
Enemy ??
Ellen
Jacques (Will Save Due)
Akimi

Bold may act. Recall Knowledge: Nature or Fiend Lore to ID rats.

Ellen swears complainingly.

New day, so full compliment of spells, correct?

Crap! Gotta balance these numbers. Wait. Who the hell is that? "Look alive boss. There's another dwarf behind that middle tent." He enspells one of his throwing stars and tosses it

Shuriken vs dwarf PURPLE (range): 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 9 - 4 = 25
Damage: 1d4 + 1 + 2d12 ⇒ (4) + 1 + (9, 10) = 24

We decided double damage, correct? It also does persistent 1d4 damage.

Is one of these dwarves the same paranoid bugger from earlier? If so, Dev will warn the others that a 'companion' must be around the camp.

The dwarves that Dev sees do not match the same description of the one you all saw earlier. A note on the other one Dev 'pointed out'. None of the rest of you can see him, it will take the 'seek' action to find him, if you wish to burn said action, of course. But at least you know where to start looking in theory.

Dev, you can only use your ranged spellstrike within the first range increment of your weapon, which appears to be 20 feet. Would you prefer to target something inside that range OR keep the attack with just the shuriken strike and use your third action for something else instead?

KILL A RAT!!!! <coff> Er..target BLUE...please.