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

Game Master Pete H.

The prince wakes up with her usual chipper-ness, snuffling out the congestion in her snout and stretching her tail before--

"Ah. Sleep-shifted again," she grumbles. Still, it's not like she dislikes her more vulpine form. She shrugs and decides to keep it, and walks out to a moderate increase to the usual mayhem.

"Seagull nuggets today, huh?" she asks. "Reminds me of that time Elsir had the bright idea to shoot one down."

"Pity the bastard didn't wait for it to be over the boat, but hey, at least that shark got a snack."

She falls heavily into a chair and takes a wooden plate of waterfowl, munching away and making appreciative noises.

"Hey, can you get them to do 'Iomedae Superstar'? I love 'Heaven On Their Minds.'"

Jacques couldn't be happier. He barely manages to eat more than one or two of the gull bites as he hurries to and fro making sure each of the spider spawn gets their fair share but it doesn't matter. The children seem to be ravenous and he claps his hands appreciatively at Chef. "Bravo, bravo! Perhaps we should give up all this adventuring and just open a restaurant - there are sure to be people lined up all the way back to Absalom! But no, no, how silly of me, the children must be properly trained if they are to follow in their papa's footsteps. This is it, Finley, what I have been preparing you for - soon you will be squire to the entire squadron!" He smiles again with delight and turns his attention to Prince Cap'n's request. "Why I'm sure they can do it - dancing is in their blood - and look at their footwork - why they will be naturals! C'mon children, here, watch my steps and time your movement with the song! Hey, Vad, make yourself useful and give us a beat, it'll help them get their groove on."

Akimi gets an odd look when Jacques mentions opening a restaurant, but they quickly go back to picking at their food. They don't appear to be terribly hungry. The pounding migraine threatening to crack their skull might have something to do with it.

One of the littler spiders comes up and looks with many eyes up at Akimi’s half full plate, ”Moah?”

Akimi looks at their half-full plate and sighs, setting it down on the ground so the weird spider-babies can have it.

What the hell am I watching?

He watches as Akimi puts their meal on the floor. "So, you're joining in on this...this...insanity?"

Akimi shrugs. "I wasn't very hungry anyway."

They conveniently neglect to mention they also have been feeling exceedingly guilty about barging into the spider-babies' home and murdering their parent. Appearing weak in front of the pirates will probably not end well.

Alright, let’s kick this thing off. Everyone please check in so I know we have four for part three.

The spider’s antics completed, it is time to return home for a well deserved rest. Well, at least check in on the fishing camp that you all own.

Lore: Sailing, Survival, or whatever other skill you can mash together a justification for to be ship navigating or sailing related.

I'm here but heading out of town (and offline) in a few hours - won't be back online until Sunday night. But I'm here and looking forward to continuing the game.

Also here!

Survival: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

My kingdom for a hero point D*:

Akimi, still hung over, attempts to drive the boat but realizes after about thirty minutes they have no idea what they're doing.

Waiting on the Captain and First Mate.

Reporting in! I was under the impression that the ship was docked right outside the fishing camp...?

Summary of where you have been and where you are.

Part 1/3: Arrive at a seaside town. Bartender Tamily offers a quest. Travel up the road about a day and clean out an abandoned fishing camp. If you do, you get the deed for the place. Quest accepted as it would be a nice pirate base and also she asked nicely. Place cleared out. Many spiders killed. Jacques collected some eggs and hid them or forgot about them on the ship. 4-5 days later you head back to town to get the deed.

Part 2/3: You get the deed, find a lead for some easy work… A courier has gone missing headed back from Absalom. Basilisk got her, found the body. Tracked the property she was carrying to some Kobolds, killed them. Ended up doing several of the deliveries which led to various adventures. Got an easy delivery quest… Which led to an encounter with some evil dwarves which you all ignored until you couldn’t. Then you went back town to get paid. That night Akimi got really drunk and Jacques discovered his spider babies hatched on the ship. It is the next morning. You are still in the town.

Part 3/3: Since no one wanted to do anything in town, I assumed you would have wanted to go back to your base. Which is a half day sail away.

Dev ignores the 'Jacques Family Circus of Arachnids & Antics' as much as possible on the small boat.

He inspects the ship as best as he can before seeking out Ellen. "We're about as ready as we're gonna be. Maybe at the next port we can find someone who is a little more experienced on the sailing side of things. The kit's earned a spot even if they don't know 'starboard' from 'stern'. If yer planning on keeping The Mouth on board, then we might need ta train 'im up or find someone else ta crew up. 'Course, that'll make the quarters even tighter."

Can we hire followers in PF2? Like an expert in piloting a ship? Asking for a friend.

Everything is available if you have the coin. Anyone else want to post?

Ellen sighs. "As much as he's, you know... him," she says, "he's also handy with a sword, and easily-manipulated. I can't deny those are some ideal qualifications from a captain's perspective."

"But it wouldn't hurt to have someone who can tell the difference between my tails and the rigging. Let's keep our eyes open and try to find a fennec or something."

Akimi continues to sail due east, silently praying someone who knows what they're doing will come take over.

I feel it's my duty to remind you all I rolled a whopping 13 Survival to pilot the boat. Someone should probably save Akimi (and really, everyone on the ship) from themself. XD

Oddly enough, Dev does not have any skill that can be linked to piloting a boat. Might have to address that sooner than later.

Same!

I did say roll any skill you could rationally argue was used while sailing so…

Wellllllllllll...

Athletics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

"Ahhhh hey hey hey hey-- you want some pointers?" Ellen asks, joining Akimi at the captain's wheel.

Seeing that his comrades don't seem to have much idea about what to do with their boatship, Jacques bounds to the foredeck, or whatever it's called. "Here, let me show you how you sail one of these things! It's all a matter of showing the boatship who is boss!"

Jacques proceeds to wave Finley about menacingly, while shouting and yelling at the boatship, occasionally pausing to cover the spider pups' ears to ensure that they don't pick up any bad vocabulary.

Intimidate: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

When the boatship doesn't appear to respond, he changes his tactics and begins to perform strenuous flips from one sail to the next, twisting ropes and twirling yardarms - whatever they are - as if to simply wow the boatship into compliance.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

When this also has no discernible effect, Jacques gets a sly look on his face, whispers to the spiderbrood to "follow me!" and begins to skulk in the shadows while he searches for the boatship's hidden Control Panel.
Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23 & Thievery: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

"Don't worry - I'm sure I'll have the hang of it in no time - how difficult could it really be anyway?!?"

I also got nuthin' when it comes to relevant skills... :-)

Some damn good rolls in there though!

If Akimi had sweat glands, they'd be flop-sweating as they realize no one quite knows how to steer the boat. "Let me try again. I think I have it turned the wrong way..."

Survival Again: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Better than a 13 I guess lol

Prince Ellen spends much of her ‘giving pointers’ time simply flexing and posing for the young fox navigator. It is quite a distraction. Definitely enough to send them the wrong direction up the coast for half an hour. Finally noticing the mistake, you all turn around.

But much of the actual ship work is done by the caffeinated Jacques.

First off he scares his spider babies back down into the hold, out of the way. Then while swinging around the ropes he manages to somehow get the sail in position. And then he disappears from sight and for the next half hour no one can find him, yet the boat operates perfectly. Tacking when needed. Turning on a dime as necessary. Catching all the wind and waves perfectly to get you all back to your private fishing camp.

But now… docking. Or, just toss an anchor and swim?

Even without sweat glands, Akimi manages to look like they're sweating as they try to navigate the ship into port.

Why do you do this to me? This is revenge for Carlosss, isn't it! XD

Survival: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

I'm sure they didn't need that piling, right? :D

Oh boy! This might be bad.

LOL, I can't even offer an Aid.

Akimi steers left, then right, then left again.

Then realizes that the wheel is doing absolutely nothing! They are heading directly towards their little dock and a collision seems imminent.

Perception could be used to find the problem. Or some variety of other ship-related actions could bypass it.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Finally!

Jacques springs into action, acrobatically leaping from one sail to the next, twisting and turning things, certain that his heroism will avert certain disaster!

acrobatics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Dev races to the rails, both fore and aft, looking for something that might be fouling the rudder.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Akimi rushes down below, nearly getting brained as Jacques flies through the air dragging the main boom behind him and somehow managing to slow the ship’s speed a bit.

The two foxes searching for issues find it at about the same time. A wooden panel has been removed in a wall under the stairs and you can see the control wires for the rudder have been jury rigged.

Re-Able (Disable) Device would be a good skill here. Or Athletics/Acrobatics for various other useful shenanigans.

I believe "Thievery" is the skill you're looking for XD

Akimi's not great with this sort of thing, but they kinda know what they're doing, so they give it a shot before they slam into the ding-dang pier!

Thievery: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

I have no words.

Anyone else?

Ellen takes a running sprint off the bow of the ship, lands on the pier (just go with it), and readies herself to push the ship to a stop as it approaches the dock.

Athletics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

Akimi yanks at three wires, hoping for the best. They are pretty sure this combo will turn the rudder.

Unfortunately it does not and they only succeed in tangling them together. As they start working on separating everything again they hear the Captain yell 'I got this!'

Prince Captain Ellen (or Captain Prince Ellen, or Ellen the Prince who is also a Captain) jumps into action by vaulting off the ship just before it strikes the pier, pivots and turns to stop the heavy object.

Realizing quickly that isn't an easy task, they instead deflect the ship to the side of the pier. After a heart wrenching screeching and grinding of thick beams of unforgiving wood fighting for dominance, the ship turns just enough to avoid severe damage to itself or the pier.

It unfortunately then runs aground into the beach.

And then the orcs pile out of the group's fishing camp.

WHAT? WHY ARE THEIR ORCS HERE?!? S*&#

The leader points her sword at the ship and says, "SIEZE THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION!"

Her companions seem a bit confused but a sword pointed at a target gets the point across and they pull out javelins.

Initiative
Jacques: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 8 + 1 = 23
Ellen: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 1 = 11
Dev: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 1 = 13
Akimi: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 8 + 1 = 24

Enemy Red: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
Enemy Blues: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

She steps forward and says, "I SAID, SEIZE THE BOAT FOR THE ORCISH COLLECTIVE!" Then launches a very sharp looking spear at Ellen.

Red Javelin vs. Ellen + Battle Cry - Range: 1d20 + 8 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 8 + 1 - 2 = 15

But misses. Damn crosswinds.

Round 1: Combat, finally!
Buffs: Battle Cry for Orcs
Red Orc Boss
Akimi
Jacques
Dev
Blue Orcs
Ellen

Bold may act! Society is the Recall Knowledge skill here, but as usual it takes an action to complete (unless you can bypass that with a class ability).

"It literally just ran aground, why would you--"

Akimi scrambles up onto the deck (I'm going to assume they can get to about where I put them on the pier with two Strides). "Oh, great. Communists." They pull their crossbow out and grab a bolt. "Look, I'm all for socialized government programs, but you're not getting our boat. Or our fishery, for that matter. You got any idea how hard I worked to put that damn kitchen in order??"

Society check will have to be next round. This round is spoken for.

◆◆ Stride 45-ish ft.
◆ Draw crossbow.

Dev shrugs as he mutters to himself, "At least they gave us plenty of warning."

The magus casts a defensive spell in preparation. At the completion of his incantation, three duplicate images appear around the Dev. He then moves forward and onto the deck.

The Orc Leader looks confused, "Communism? Socialism? Those are stupid words for stupid people. What we do is for the wise members of the orc collective! And we will take your wasted fishing vessel and use it to feed thousands. All it takes is a good plan and a firm hand and the outcome has already been set. Now flee our home, leaving us the ship, or die."

Dev becomes many Devs. A very wise tactic. Akimi moves up and loads their crossbow. A healthy discourse on the topics presented probably rolling around their mind, ready to be spit out next opportune moment.

Jacques?

Round 1: Combat, finally!
Buffs: Battle Cry for Orcs
Red Orc Boss
Akimi
Dev
Jacques
Blue Orcs
Ellen

Bold may act! Society is the Recall Knowledge skill here, but as usual it takes an action to complete (unless you can bypass that with a class ability).

Jacques awakens from a long nap and takes in the current scene with great consternation. I mustn't let these commies get their hands on my children! They would raise them to be a mindless horde! "Come, Finley, let us teach these chaps that they have much more to lose than their chains! Starting with their heads!"

He leaps into action, acrobatically leaping to shore, using one of the boatship's many ropes to swing through the air.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19 Hoping to get panache from this movement but it's up to the GM's interpretation:

You gain panache by successfully performing the skill check associated with specific actions that have a bit of flair, including Tumble Through (Core Rulebook 240) and additional actions determined by your swashbuckler’s style. At the GM’s discretion, after succeeding at a check to perform a particularly daring action, such as swinging on a chandelier or sliding down a drapery, you also gain panache if your result is high enough (typically the very hard DC for your level, but the GM can choose a different threshold).

I also now have the Steady Balance feat, in case that's relevant (or could have been used to achieve the same goal)

You can keep your balance easily, even in adverse conditions. Whenever you roll a success using the Balance action, you get a critical success instead. You’re not flat-footed while attempting to Balance on narrow surfaces and uneven ground. Thanks to your incredible balance, you can attempt an Acrobatics check instead of a Reflex save to Grab an Edge.

Once ashore, Jacques draws Finley and raises his buckler tauntingly at the orc captain. "It seems yah bin readin' a few too many o' those musty ole tomes. C'mere an' I'll teach ya what are the real means o' production!"

◆ Acrobatics to swing from the ship to the shore
◆ Interact to draw shortsword
◆ Raise shield
(If the Acrobatics action would have taken two actions instead of one then just drop the Raise Shield)

I haven't moved Jacques token on the map because I'm not quite sure where the Acrobatics would take him to, or even if it was successful. GM, please reposition him as you see fit.

Per Discord, moved Jacques on the map. I moved him 35' because I *think* the speed bonus from gaining panache applies to the move action he took to get it (that is how I've been playing it when he gets panache via Tumble Through), but if that's incorrect move him back one square.

The brave and wise Jacques shows off for his crew, swinging out wide and recklessly over onto the beach and landing with a tumbling roll into a guarded stance. He taunts the orcs and confidently waits for their attacks.

Three drop their javelins, draw axes and move up to hack at him. The fourth does the same but moves up to cover the boss.

Axe at Jacques: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Different axe: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
Third Orc attack Axe: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Nothing hits, the braggart seems to know what he is doing.

Round 1: Combat, finally!
Buffs: Battle Cry for Orcs
Red Orc Boss
Akimi
Dev
Jacques (Riposte?)
Blue Orcs
Ellen

Bold may act! Society is the Recall Knowledge skill here, but as usual it takes an action to complete (unless you can bypass that with a class ability).

Opportune Riposte reaction to the critical miss

Finleystrike: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26
P dmg, panche: 1d6 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 2 = 8

With some witty banter, Jacques dodges and feints and stabs one of the orcs while sharing fanciful fencing terms with them.

”On Garden!

Hey Derv, this one has six fingers. Didn’t you swear a debt of revenge against an orc like that?”

Sorry about the liberties taken there with what Jacques might have said, I couldn’t help myself. :P I marked the injured orc with a drop of blood.

Ellen grumbles as she leaps onto the sand and sprints to flank the orc that Jacques has already put a hole into.

Flurry: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28
Flurry: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Damage: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (4, 6) + 2 = 12
Damage: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (3, 5) + 2 = 10

I'll start Bonning some Mots next turn, provided I'm still on my feet ;P

Jacques dips under a painfully bad swing and stabs up into the overbalanced gut of the orc. He finds paydirt, skewering the jerk.

Ellen also finds paydirt, punching the same orc so hard in the back of the head his neck snaps forward, broken. He crumpl… wait no! He still stands? He raises his sword to swing and Ellen’s kick takes him down for good.

The big boss growls, ”No! You need to spread your attacks out so everyone gets equal damage. It’s only fair that way.” She rushes forward into flanking, draws a maul and swings at Jacques the Jerk.

Maul vs Jacques FF: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

But finds nothing but fair air.

Round 2: Combat, finally!
Buffs: NA
Red Orc Boss
Akimi
Dev (mirror images)
Jacques
Blue Orcs
Ellen

Bold may act! Society is the Recall Knowledge skill here, but as usual it takes an action to complete (unless you can bypass that with a class ability).

"Then come get your fair share!" Ellen grins.

Jacques nods at the orc chieftain's demand that the means of production be spread about. "To each according to his need!" He stabs at the unwounded orc to his southwest.

◆ Confident Finisher
Finleystrike: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27
P dmg: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 + Precision dmg from Panache: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 5) = 11 Still does half the precision even on a miss due to Confident Finisher
Jacques no longer has panache

Jacques wiggles his eyebrows menacingly at the orc that he just struck.

◆ Intimidation to Demoralize: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20 If that succeeds, Jacques gains Panache.

Finally, Jacques sends bolts of electricity surging from Finley, hitting the orc he just wounded and the boss.
◆ Sparkblade - Electric dmg: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (4, 1) + 4 = 9 DC 19 basic reflex

Dev continues to move forward, casting a spell on one of his shurikens and tossing it at a nearby orc.

Enspelled Shuriken vs GREEN: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21
Damage: 1d4 + 1 + 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 1 + (1, 3) + 2 = 11
Fort save DC 17

Chill Touch: Siphoning negative energy into yourself, your hand radiates a pale darkness. Your touch weakens the living and disorients undead, possibly even causing them to flee. The effect depends on whether the target is living or undead.
Living Creature The spell deals negative damage equal to 1d4 plus your spellcasting modifier. The target attempts a basic Fortitude save, but is also enfeebled 1 for 1 round on a critical failure.
Heightened (+1) The negative damage to living creatures increases by 1d4.

Blue Reflex - Frightened: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 7 - 1 = 24
Red Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Green Fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

THERE are my good rolls, lol.

Round 2: Combat, finally!
Buffs: NA
Red Orc Boss (-4 HP)
Akimi
Dev (mirror images)
Jacques (panache)
Blue Orc (-20 HP, Frightened 1)
Green Orc (-8 HP)
Yellow Orc
Ellen

Bold may act! Society is the Recall Knowledge skill here, but as usual it takes an action to complete (unless you can bypass that with a class ability).