Longroads Coffeehouse 2.0

Game Master chadius

With the skull now visible, the professor takes the opportunity to blast it. He adjusts his spectacles and activates the scroll in his hand.

damage, force: 6d4 + 6 ⇒ (4, 4, 2, 3, 1, 2) + 6 = 22

◆◆◆ cast Force barrage r3

You forgot to add in Meat Wagon's 5 fire damage from the crit fail unstable check. I also forgot about the crit fail on the repair check, so add in another Crit fail Repair Damage to Meat: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7

"Turn around quick and after that skull while we can see it!" Stitch ◆◆ thumps excitedly on the dash, and then nearly falling off as Meat Wagon does a 'U-ey' and races back after it. Arriving Stitch leans over and ◆ picks the torch back up.

Meat ◆ rolls up, still smoking, and tries to flatten and mulch the skull's square.

◆ Melee Strike (Overdrive): Bumper Ram: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21
Damage (B): 2d8 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 1) + 4 + 3 = 9

◆ Melee Strike (Overdrive): Mower Blade (Agile)(Finesse): 1d20 + 11 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 11 - 4 = 16
Damage (S): 2d6 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (5, 1) + 4 + 3 = 13

Vardarel shoots the woman and projects beautiful thorns from his skin.

The Skulls' greed means their protection is gone. But they spin and wheeze around Meat Wagon. "HA! You couldn't hit the broad side of a barn! So how about you kiss my big, beautiful, shiny-"

The Skull's taunt is ruined under a hail of magical bolts. Bun Bun's ruler fizzles out, but it was worth it- the skull shatters and a pile of debris is all that remains.

You're the first table who destroyed the Skull first.

Round 8
Purple (Hidden, Flat Check DC 12, 65 damage)
Stitch (11 damage, Battle Medicine Immune, Shield Raised; Meat Wagon 36 damage)
Bun Bun (1 damage)
Vardarel (14 damage, Vibrant Thorns)

Round 9
Nicole (13 Fire damage, Darkvision Elixir, Frightened 2)
Helsing (10 damage, Wounded 1)

Hell's Light

Lighting conditions: 20 feet bright light and 20 dim light from the torch, low-light otherwise.

Invisibility reminder: If Purple is undetected, you'll need to Seek to find her square and make it Hidden (DC 12 Flat Check to target directly.) You'll need another action to Point Out its location to the rest of the team. Vardarel knows exactly where she is, everyone else will need to guess.

Bun reloads and tries to hit the Purple hag.

Concealed: 1d20 ⇒ 12

"Teki pleath don't forget me!" he murmurs.

His ears again flop down.

BOOM!

+1 Arquebus, 150' range, Concussive, Fatal d12: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12 for Concussive: 1d8 ⇒ 1 plus Slinger's Precision: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Unfortunately, Bun slips and triggers his arquebus straight up... He reloads...

◈ Reload
◈ Shoot the sky
◈ Reload

"You buy that gun from my brother Scratch? If so, good luck getting your money back!" Stitch chuckles as yet another of Bun's shots goes way wrong.

"Can you pleathe put in a good word for me Thtitch?" Bun asks...

Nicole, with weakened knees, returns to the area. She cant find the woman and the skull, worsening her fear that she might be followed. The words whispered on her lingers in her mind that she casts Guidance on Bun Helsing for now.

◆ Stride
◆ Stride
◆ Guidance to Bun Helsing

Nicole returns just in time to help Bun Helsing with his aim- he'll need it.

"Huh, I don't have to touch them anymore." The woman ponders. She casts >Stupefy< and aims it at Vardarel. Then she begins to move some more.

Round 9
Purple (Hidden, Flat Check DC 12, 65 damage)
Stitch (11 damage, Battle Medicine Immune, Shield Raised; Meat Wagon 36 damage)
Bun Bun (1 damage)
Vardarel (14 damage, Vibrant Thorns, Will DC 25 vs >Stupefy<)

Round 10
Nicole (13 Fire damage, Darkvision Elixir, Frightened 1)
Helsing (10 damage, Wounded 1, Nicole's Guidance)

Hell's Light

Lighting conditions: 20 feet bright light and 20 dim light from the torch, low-light otherwise.

Invisibility reminder: If Purple is undetected, you'll need to Seek to find her square and make it Hidden (DC 12 Flat Check to target directly.) You'll need another action to Point Out its location to the rest of the team. Vardarel knows exactly where she is, everyone else will need to guess.

Although he sees it coming at him, Vardarel isn’t quite able to avoid the spell.
↺ Recognize Spell Arcana: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23 Not a crit success, so no bonus to save
Will: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24 Would have worked if she were Unholy. :(

Vardarel points to where the woman in purple is and then uses his spell twice to try and hurt her. “Next to the professor.”
Spiritual Armament, stupefy: 1d20 + 11 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 11 - 2 = 23
Holy Piercing or Spiritual Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (8, 4) = 12
Spiritual Armament, stupefy, MAP: 1d20 + 11 - 2 - 5 ⇒ (5) + 11 - 2 - 5 = 9
Holy Piercing or Spiritual Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (8, 2) = 10

Concealment, nearly forgot it: 1d20 ⇒ 7
Second attack misses so no reason to roll for it.

Bun tries to focus on the woman, trying to pick her out.

Hidden: 1d20 ⇒ 10

Unable to find her, he reloads and tries again.

Hidden: 1d20 ⇒ 20

Catching her shape, he raises his weapon and shoots.

+1 Arquebus, 150' range, Concussive, Fatal d12: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18 for Concussive: 1d8 ⇒ 4 plus Slinger's Precision: 1d4 ⇒ 2

◈ Flat Check (Failed)
◈ Reload
◈ BOOM!

Nicole searches for where the enemy is.
◆ Seek, Perception +7

Vardarel points to where the woman in purple is and then

I used an action to point out so everyone knows what square she is in.

Professor Bun Bun nods his thanks to Vardarel and focuses his attention on the bandit leader's location, telekinetically hurling a nearby chunk of fallen masonry at her.

sure strike

telekinetic projectile vs purple,CA, SS: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 11 + 1 = 16

telekinetic projectile vs purple,CA, SS: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 11 + 1 = 32

damage, bludgeoning: 4d6 + 1 ⇒ (1, 5, 4, 5) + 1 = 16

◆ Cast sure strike, ◆◆ cast telekinetic projectle

Remember everyone, courageous anthem is up until the start of PBB's next turn due to lingering composition, so +1 to hit and damage and saves vs fear.

I used an action to point out so everyone knows what square she is in.

I don’t understand what the Seek is getting people over the Point Out

Apologies. I roleplayed Nicole’s actions by still Seeking the enemy even after Vardarel pointed her out. She’s frightened of Purple, so I was portraying her as wanting to be sure for herself. I’ll change her actions to the ones below instead, so as not to waste what Vardarel has pointed out:

The woman's final words are cut short as Professor Bun Bun pummels her with rocks. She gurgles and you all hear her fall. A few seconds later her invisibility fades and you see the woman's deep purple dress and wild black hair. You also notice her most distinct feature- one green eye, one blue.

Upon searching Mother Forsythe's body, you find a ring of keys and an assortment of jewelry, mostly amethyst jewelry set in silver.

Combat Over
Stitch (11 damage, Battle Medicine Immune; Meat Wagon 36 damage)
Bun Bun (1 damage)
Vardarel (14 damage)
Nicole (13 Fire damage, Darkvision Elixir)
Helsing (10 damage, Wounded 1)

Hell's Light

Lighting conditions: 20 feet bright light and 20 dim light from the torch, low-light otherwise.

Looking at the keys, Vardarel says “Hope those are for that lock we had trouble with.”

He then turns to Stitch and says “I could likely heal us all with one spell if we are in a hurry. Do you want to patch us up or should we try to hurry?”

"Holy crap what a pain in the ass fight that was!" Stitch clearly was not amused by the hide and seek shenanigans.

"Well, I gotta patch up Meaty here, it'll only take a minute, another ten to reset his stability. Since so many of us are beat up might be best to skip the forty minutes it'll take to patch up all those burns on the rest of you."

Craft: Repair vs DC20?: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 2430 = 30 Quick repair: 1 minute.

Craft: Repair vs DC20?: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 3230 = 30 Quick repair: 1 minute.

Reset unstable: 10mins, no check required.

Vardarel gets everyone together and channels a healing spell.

Heal, ◆◆◆, 30’ emanation: 3d10 ⇒ (7, 10, 10) = 27 undead or unholy DC 21 basic Fort save

“There, that should take care of everyone except Meat Wagon.”

As Stitch is getting Meat Wagon back into shape, Vardarel meditates in order to recover his divine focus.

Bun breathes a sigh of relief and whispers a prayer to Teki. He remains still for 10 minutes (to get rid of the wounded condition, mostly).

Once everyone is healed up and ready Stitch climbs back to his perch, holding the torch with reverence, and starts motoring around the courtyard for one last look over. Afterwards he heads for the double doors leading inside to check on things.

Just giving us some direction moving ahead when the GM is ready to do so.

Meat Wagon revs up to the room in the corner of the courtyard. With no immediate threats it's time to take a look.

You find a levered crowbar, in addition to notes on where all the missing Pathfinders are located. This must have been Mother Forsythe's room.

When you reach the notes on Jespya, you see her note that “the moody little brat fought like they had a death wish; stuffing them in a cell wall seems fitting for someone so eager to die.”

Also tucked inside the journal is a letter:

Upon reading the note about stuffing Jespya into a wall, Vardarel says “Alright, looks like we need to search this place for any signs of repair work on a wall!”

“Just guessing, but maybe we should start with the prison cell area?”

He then starts his search wherever the group agrees to start. In addition to a visual search, he starts knocking on the walls and listening in case Jespya can respond.

Perception +13, no special senses that would help here.

"I know a fresh paint and spackle job when I see one. Let's get a good look at this place." And he then adds "I told you that 'safe house' wasn't safe. They never are!"

Reposting because my post was eaten.

Nicole lightly kicks the woman's head to check that it is no longer moving. She then proceeds to look around for materials she might find useful after being healed to replenish her stock.

After a quick kick, Nicole takes Mother Forscythe's keys and uses them on the gate blocking the jail cell. It's a perfect fit.

Multiple jail cells adorn the walls, with skeletal remains inside them. Whatever happened to these souls it was a long time ago.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14 No hero points and already used my campaign coin

Vardarel starts searching the cell area but doesn’t find any signs of the missing Pathfinder, Jespya.

bardic lore: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

"Hmm...If I'm not mithtaken, that wall over there hath been rethently reaththembled. Perhapth Meat Wagon could thee about reverthing that thtate?"

An athletics check can possibly tear down the wall.

Reposting because my post was eaten.

Yeah the forums have been misbehaving for the last day or so.

Vardarel is surprised. He goes back and looks where the professor is pointing.

“Missed it.”

Then he goes back to grab the levered crowbar. He brings it to where we are going to break down the wall. “Who wants to use this?”

+1 Item to Athletics to Force Open.

Vardarel is willing to Aid if requested. Athletics +7 but no Hero Points if he crit fails. Success on 8 or more. If no one else used the Crowbar he would.
I’m good with GM botting the roll to Aid.

"Ooooh! I can help. I'm an ekthellent helper.

The professor takes the offered crowbar and prepares to assist whomever decides to topple the wall.

athletics, aid: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 7 + 1 + 2 = 26

PBB has helpful poppet

Nicole also uses the crowbar and does the dirty work.
Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Surprisingly, she easily breaks down the wall. Perhaps somebody walled up the hole just recently and hasn’t had time to cement it properly?

"Well, that is easy." she is surprised herself.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

Bun opens his mouth to point out his observation about the wall, only to hear a crunch as Nicole kicks it in. "Never mind..." he says.

Meat Wagon looks longingly at the now smashed wall. Their engine rpm dropping very low as they reverse slowly as to not be in the way.

As the wall crumbles you see a corpse fall out. Their wounds are fresh, maybe a few days old. It must be Jespya's body.

You don't see anything else within the jail of note. Where to, next?

Vardarel shakes his head. “What a horrible way to die.”

He then uses another of the scrolls to preserve the body and puts it into the bag.

“Shall we do one final search of the place before leaving?”

He makes sure that they have collected the notes including the one from “Her Right Hanf”. Although he has no idea who that might be, the society has a lot of resources and can investigate.

You carefully preserve Jespya's body, so they can be properly buried. With that it's time to return.

A table of hot cider and donuts greet you at the dinner table within Junanis manor. Lady Victiria Junianis waits for you to get comfortable before standing up.

"You Pathfinders are so crafty. I'm so glad I contacted you. You barely needed my help!" The Lady smiles, although you're not sure how genuine it is.

"Hinji's power balance is shifting, and I'm not talking about the Daughters of Cocytus. What you did to Mother Forsythe and her cronies will destabilize local crime but something bigger is going on, I'm certain of it."

She sighs. "The Junianis family is relatively minor in the grand scheme of Chelaxian politics." She reaches for a biscuit. "But the Pathfinder Society will always have assistance from me. If you know anything about whoever was behind the attacks or if the Junianis family was involved, I'd love to know." An assistant whispers in her ear. "Ah, you must excuse me for a moment. Kiiruba wanted to personally thank me for my hospitality." She leaves you alone for a few minutes.

You did find a letter in Mother Forsythe's room mentioning the Junianis family and the Pathfinders. Should you show it to her, or keep quiet? Chileax is a land where betrayal is free and trust is scarce.

You have the opportunity to show her the letter from "Her Right Hand". Choosing to or not will have repercussions in future scenarios.

Vardarel is in favor of showing Lady Victiria the letter. He says “Allies should inform each other of dangers.”

"Indeed, Lady Victiria needth to be made aware of thith development. It ith our duty to inform our allieth of any poththible threat."

Lady Victiria Junianis looks at the letter with concern. "Her Right Hand? Who is this...?" She seems perplexed but puts on a cheerful face as she returns the letter. "I will do everything in my power to discover the identity of this Right Hand. Thank you for sharing."

"Once you are finished with the meal..." She turns to the door. "You should help catalogue the family heirlooms. That is the original reason you came here, correct?"

The cataloging finishes within a day, and by the morrow you begin a return trip to Absalom.

When Kiiruba isn't asleep she is profusely thankful. "Thank you so much for saving me. I... I thought I was speaking to Venture-Captain Valsin or Li. Sometimes both. They asked me so many questions about the Pathfinder Society. I'm worried I said too much. For now I want to help my friends and pay my respects..." She yawns. "Oh, the medicine is kicking in. I should return to bed." She transforms into a fox and curls up somewhere inside.

In Absalom, the Venture-Captain congratulates you on a job well done. Tanno and Selia are thankful for their return to life and thank you for carrying their remains back to the society.

You are invited to Jespya's funeral alongside their teammates and Venture-Captain Valsin. Members of their monastery thank you for bringing the body back, so they may perform ritual rites. It is a somber moment, Jespya's bravery was honored, even in passing.

The End

Lady Victiria Junianis looks at the letter with concern. "Her Right Hand? Who is this...?" She seems perplexed but puts on a cheerful face as she returns the letter. "I will do everything in my power to discover the identity of this Right Hand. Thank you for sharing."

“Be watchful for hetrochromia eyes. Forsythe had two different colors of eyes.”

You each receive a missive from Master of Scrolls Kreighton Shaine asking that you meet him and Venture Captain Lolly Adafish at the Oppara lodge in Taldor. The lodge maintains its front as a fishing shop.

As you arrive at the lodge both of them greet you warmly and say they are waiting for the whole group before starting the mission briefing. You are escorted to one of the meeting rooms.

You all know each other by now, but feel free to make an entrance.

Jiggo feels exhausted already. Or maybe it's anxiety?

Oppara is a large, opulent, and confusing. A lot of unsaid norms. Too many for his tastes. So much waste spent on clothing and food when it could be donated. But a job's a job. The short orange haired man enters the fishing stop with nothing but the clothes on his back, the symbol of Shelyn around his neck and a wooden staff in his hands.

"I'm Jiggo Maeleranti. Is this the Lodge?" Once of of the Pathfinders acknowledges it, he breathes a sigh of relief. "Sorry, I was helping some folks set up a water wheel- a few days out from here. Small town, big smiles. I had to join a merchant's caravan back to Oppara. Couldn't bring my wife with me, she's... well, I'd have to pay more and I didn't want to reveal myself."

"Sorry, I'm getting ahead. I should summon Sal'era." Jiggo focuses inward, and the symbol of Shelyn glows around his neck. No, that's not it, his collarbone pulses as a humanoid-shaped shadow leaps out before materializing.

And Sal'era returns back to the Universe from her gilded prison in Heaven. She ruffles a hand through Jiggo's hair and smiles. "Oppara? Oh, this is beautiful. I love this place. It's like home, but less backstabbing."

She stretches her leather wings as more feathers fall dangle and fall from them. "I hate this. How do angels remain stealthy without leaving a mess?"

She sighs before offering a curtsy. "Sal'era. Please refer to me as Sal'era, or Salera, or Sal. Not Sally."

She then returns to Jiggo's side, fixing his clothing and trying to make him more presentable.

A stuffed poppet in academic robes complete with mortarboard hat nods politely at the pair. He responds to Sal'era's curtsy with a bow. He attempts to remove his hat but is thwarted by the stitches holding it onto his head. "Indeed indeed. Thal'era it ith then. I am Profeththor Bun Bun, Q.T.E. It ith a pleasure to make your acquaintanthe. " He pulls a card from his robes and offers it to the eidolon.

The card reads:

Professor Bun Bun, Q.T.E.
(Quite Thoroughly Educated)

Professor-at-large:

Dacilane Academy
Arcanamirium
Grand Lodge

Clang-clang-clangity-clang-clang!

Clover draws stares as she and Mr. Potbelly walk through the streets of Oppara towards the bait-and-tackle shop. "I suppose we can go fishing, and maybe make a nice fish stew.... What do you think, Mr. Potbelly?"

The walking cauldron says nothing, but it follows Clover doggedly as she approaches the Pathfinder Lodge. "Jiggo! Sal'era! Nice to see you again!"

Then she turns to Professor Bun Bun. "Oh... hello! My name is Clover. I'm going to be providing hot meals for the party." She looks over the business card, and then raises her eyebrows. "Oh my! You teach at the Dacilane Academy, the Arcanirium and the Grand Lodge? Very impressive!"

You hear the sound of trilling pipes in the distance. As it gets closer, you hear a goblin singing something bordering on nonsensical, interlaced with wet crunching and smacking sounds. You then see a small green goblin turn the corner. In one hand is a large green pickle. In the other is a set of pan pipes she wears around her neck. It becomes clear now... The goblin alternates singing her silly goblin song and taking a bite of the dripping cucumber in the other hand. She sees you, her face breaking into a wide grin.

"AH! Yous the Paffinders I's meeting? Bird-man Rork says I's meeting you. I's Lokaloka! Pickle?"

She pulls out a large pickle jar full to the brim with green pickled cucumbers (well, you THINK they're cucumbers!). Reaching in, she pulls out a dripping cuke and hands one to each of you...

"Ah, good to see you again Clover." Jiggo offers a hand to shake. "A party?"

Jiggo looks down and offers a hand to the Professor. "Good to see you, professor. Don't mind Sal'era, it takes her a minute to warm up to newcomers."

Jiggo taps his feet to the goblin's beat. "Good to see you Lokaloka. A pickle? Yes, I'll try one out." He munches down. "Wow, incredible. The brine is strong but not overwhelming. Honey, you have to try this out."

Sal'era glares at it, shrugs and bites down, finishing it in 2 bites. "Yeah, that was... salty." She sighs and stares at the Professor's business card.