
DoubleGold |

You arrive in the town of Ashima to meet your contact Mai Chun.
The screen door opens on an unassuming house tucked in the small town of Ashima. Filling the doorway is an elderly woman of regal bearing who wears a lopsided smile. Long white hair meets her waist over colorful robes that would not be out of place in the salons of Tian Xia’s largest cities. The grandmotherly woman speaks with a deep, rich voice.“What fates and fickle winds bring blooming lilies to our forest island. With such winds does history ebb and flow.”Having introduced herself with this couplet, she bows and adds, “Yes, yes you’ll do perfectly. I hope you’re fond of bears.” She grins and steps aside, raising a welcoming arm. “Quickly, come in. And off with your shoes! Any Questions?"
couplets as a form of communication that highly educated people use in many parts of Tian Xia, particularly in regions like Shokuro that have experienced Minkaian influence. Such couplets are often meant to be complemented with an equally poetic reply.

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”Ah yes, taking off my boots! Don’t want to track mud all over everything. When you travel a lot, you do collect mud,” the little halfling prattles on, excited for her mission. She has a gleaming starknife at her back, easily identifying her chosen god, Desna.
”Its so nice to meet you. I’ve never had a mission in this area before!”

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If I recall correctly, removing one's footwear is customary when entering someone's home...I might be mistaken, however. It has been a while since I was here in Tian Xia. A most interesting experience, that was... the young Taldan priest says. He bears a a traditional wayang piercing with a golden earring in the shape of a sun. A scarred tattoo peeks out from his shirt as he removes his boots, also in a wayang style.
What can we do, madam...we are at your disposal.

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A gnome with pink and blue hair flounces into the room, wraps an arm affectionately around Seltyiel's legs briefly and says, "Hello, everyone, I am Gnagnatsu♥!" She then hops up onto a chair to shake Yen Wu's hand enthusiastically. "Can't wait to see what the powers that be have for us this time!" She takes a seat and winks at Goran.

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A dwarf with black hair and pale skin wearing hide armor stomps in, grumbling.
Questions? Oh yes, I have one...
"Why did I have to take off my shoes? My feet do not like to be naked. Feels so vulnerable..."
He nods at everyone and introduces himself briefly.
"My name is Dimak Doomhammer, by the way. What's our mission?"
The barbarian is certainly not the best at Diplomacy...
...but in battle he will smash any enemy that dares to threaten a party member. :-D
Just role-playing the low Charisma... but fear not! Dimak may not know much about manners, but he isn't a (total) jerk. ;-)

*Seltyiel |

Seltyiel's eyebrows raise at the embrace of the gnome and says, "Hello Gnagnatsu, well met."
I must've really angered someone to be sent out with this motley bunch...

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huh...thought i posted...oh well
Goran smiles at the gregarious newcomer.
Welcome, Gnagnatsu...that's a rather exotic name... He looks at Dimak.
I think sometimes there are slippers for the visitors to wear, although our hostess can shed more light on that. I don't want to get any traditions wrong.

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"Thank you!" she says joyfully to Goran. "It means 'dawgn chrysagnthemum'. I was adopted by the hereditary rule of my clan in... well, you wouldn't know it, but it's in a part of Tiagn Xia that doesn't get many visitors. I think the Taldane word is 'prigncess'. Anyway, to prove that I should ascend to the throgne, I need to travel the world and make my fortune, and I couldn't find a better way to do that than with the Pathfignders! Of course, I don't just want to rob people or set up a shop. Bo-ring! I want to create so much joy and affection in the world that I am showered with gold. 'Brigng love, take money' is my motto!"
You are not sure how she manages to pronounce the silent G's, but somehow it is clear that they are there.

DoubleGold |

Your mission is simple, investigate the ruined estate of General Chiang Zhen. You are looking for relics, though I don't know specifically what is there, so I can't give more details. Just watch out for bears in the courtyard spotted and seen by others, but it looks like you can handle that.

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"Bears? Ha! Not long ago I bested an ice troll in a wrestling match*, so I'm certain I can handle a bear as well!"
As long as I 'm wearing boots, of course...
The dwarf seems confident he can handle any ordinary melee threat.
*True story.

DoubleGold |

All so confident are we? Did I say bear? Well, did I say it is a dire bear? Be afraid, be very afraid. Just kidding, you can handle it, but to be more specific, a dire bear. Give everyone about a day before I move on. As a heads up, this scenario is actually 5 short quests.
Later on...You see a tower, DC 10 climb check if you want to get to the top. This is before you get to your destination, but after you leave. But I wasn't going to go pause the game for half a day to wait for a check and then move you to your destination, as it is a small check in the way to reach mundane items. The tower and what you find will be explained in my next post.

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As the group made its way to the ruined estate, Yen Wu looked towards the tower they came across and mapped a path in his mind to get up to the remains of the window. Freeing his hands, he started to climb up to check it out when he made it to the base of the structure.
Take 10 for 11 climb

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"Bear, dire bear - it doesn't matter, I can definitely handle it. One way or the other..."
at the tower:
"Let's see who's first at the top, shall we?"
With a confident grin Dimak spits in his hands and rushes up the tower.
Take 10 Climb - ACP - accelerated: 10 + 8 - 3 - 5 = 10

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"That'll be me!"
Take 10 on Climb for 14.

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i have an ACP of -3 with my STR...is a knotted rope a dc 5?
Yes.

DoubleGold |

As you are about ready to leave, Mai Chun does some poetry.
"Daylight spends like merchant’s coin, but so much
slower in old Li Sho. Where old dreams have died, ours may yet grow.”
Later the landmarks that Mai Chun mentioned are easy to spot: corroded lantern poles overgrown with ivy, an empty hunter’s shack, and finally an old military watchtower.
You climb to the to of this watchtower. The top of the watchtower contains a sturdy waterproof box with a longbow, a quiver with 10 arrows, and an old letter from a child to the soldier who stood guard here decades ago. What is in the letter is beyond the scope of the adventure. You get a good view from the top of this watchtower, but all you can see is more trees and more road. You still have a few miles to go.
You finally reach the ruined state six hours after you left Ashima. Or eight hours if there is a dwarf in the party. Looks like there is a 20 speed gnome in the party, so it did take you eight hours.
Gaps in the forest canopy allow shafts of light to fall on the ruins of a once opulent manor. The manor’s facade is covered in leafy vines, and the once-neatly manicured shrubberies of the courtyard now wildly overspill their bounds. An acrid stench assaults the senses as corpses of humanoids and beasts alike litter the grounds. Map is upRearrange yourselves as you see fit. You are in the Northeast section of the map

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Mental note: try buying supplies with daylight next time.

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Could someone put Perrine on the map for me, please? Anywhere is fine. Thanks!]
”Yuck! This place stinks of death. We need to be aware here,” she says as she waits for the party to enter the building.

*Seltyiel |

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Seltyiel scans the area to see if he can find what made all these corpses.
"Indeed Perrine. I suggest now would be the time to prepare for battle."
Seltyiel draws his scimitar and casts Shield upon himself.

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Agreed...if we come in contact with any unliving, I can deal with them rather effectively...they will feel Sarenrae's touch for the first and last time in their misbegotten existence... Goran says as he gets out his scimitar.

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Dimak takes a few wands out of his backpack. He hands two of them to the magus, explaining the activation phrases.
"Seltyiel, when we get into a fight, could you use this wand of enlarge person on me, please? Also, with this other wand of infernal healing you can do some slow but efficient healing, whenever you think that's a good idea."
The barbarian then turns to Perrine and hands over another wand while telling her the command word.
"During a fight, this wand of CLW doesn't do me much good sitting in my backpack. You may use it whenever you see fit."
Afterwards, Dimak draws his longhammer and steps forward, looking for any signs of trouble.
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24 (darkvision)

*Seltyiel |

Seltyiel eyes the Wand of Enlarge Person and says, "If I should run out of spells to fight, of course."

DoubleGold |

You open the door and you see the bear in the bushes. It is not hidden, but does have cover from ranged attacks.
init bear: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16 you can tell it is not a dire bear, but it will attack. added the +3, forgot you were high tier for a minutes
Roll init and go if you beat his init.

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Seeing the bear, Yen Wu quickly closed the distance and jabbed at the creature with the rapier.
init: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 201d6 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
The extra 5 damage is from Precise Strike

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Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
"What an odd place to keep a bear."
Masterwork Shuriken: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 9 + 2 = 22
Piercing Damage, Sneak Attack: 1d1 + 2d6 ⇒ (1) + (6, 5) = 12

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Ini: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 LOL.

DoubleGold |

Gnignja gets a shuriken stuck in its rear leg and it roars in pain.
the bear tries to claw and bite yen
hit: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14 claw attack miss.
hit: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25 claw attack dmg: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 cmb grapple: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (14) + 15 = 29 29 beat your CMD? You are grabbed.
hit: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10 bite attack, miss.
All heroes are up

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Dimak lets his anger rise and charges forward. (going into rage)
"Take this!"
Rage MW Longhammer, Dwarven + RA + PA + Charge: 1d20 + 11 + 2 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 11 + 2 - 2 + 2 = 15
Bludgeoning + PA: 2d6 + 9 + 6 ⇒ (2, 6) + 9 + 6 = 23
Edit: Activating Rage Power Auspicious Mark: 1d6 ⇒ 1 (add to Attack Roll as a swift action)
Oh, come on, dice bot! >:-( Total result of Attack Roll: 16 *sigh*
AC 11, touch 7, flat footed 8
Rage rounds 3/15
The barbarian has been marked by the spirits, as indicated by an impressive tattoo, scar, or birthmark she possesses. Once per rage, as a swift action that costs 2 rounds of rage, the barbarian can call upon the spirits' favor. Using auspicious mark grants her a +1d6 bonus on one d20 roll she has just made. She can call on the auspicious mark after seeing the result of the d20 roll.

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Yen Wu dropped his rapier as he reached for a dagger. Giving it a quick wipe on his injury, he tried to stab the bear with it.
Dagger: 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 9 - 2 + 1 = 121d4 + 2 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 5 + 1 = 9
Dagger is poisoned. Vishkanya venom: save Fort DC 14; freq 1/rd for 6 rds; effect 1d2 Dex; cure 1 save.