GM Qronos's Strength of Thousands Campaign

Game Master Qronos

Looks like either would succeed, neither would crit. Advance to level 1 in Cascade Bearers?

Yup!

Ot comes by after your testing and congratulates you. It's not common for a batch of students to ALL pass their tests in one session, and there's a hint of pride in the normally humble visage of the smiling teacher. "Please, come visit me in my office when you can. You have shown yourselves to be very able students, and I may have a task for you."

In a much less subtle manner, teacher Zuma, the half-orc instructor of the Emerald Boughs classes, corners Much after Ot leaves. Zuma is almost as tall as Much, and wears a leather skullcap with bits of metal poking out from underneath it. The glasses on his crooked nose shift as he leans in conspiratorially. "Hey, great turnaround this session. I knew you had more to offer than that first performance, but even I wasn't expecting THAT. Ignaci was right about you."

He scratches at his chin thoughtfully for a moment. "I wonder, do you think there's a common god between the gnolls and the anadi? Maybe they have a more similar purpose than scholars have previously thought? It bears further research."

It is unclear if these questions are real or rhetorical, and Zuma plows ahead without leaving any gaps to find out.

"Regardless! Not the time!" He squints and looks over his shoulder, lowering his deep, rumbling voice. "And certainly not the place... When convenient, and you are not being followed, come by my office in the Elephant Museum. Bring your friends. It'll be fun. I could use your help. Tell no one."

He straightens his glasses and gives you a grin. Then he spins on his heel, glasses falling askew again, and hastily heads off.

Outside of these requests from your teachers, your time is yours. You can follow these leads or let me know what you would do next. They are not time sensitive as of now.

"...When convenient, and you are not being followed, come by my office in the Elephant Museum. Bring your friends. It'll be fun. I could use your help. Tell no one."

Much, eager to engage further her relationship with Emerald Boughs after her successful testing, listens intently. Listening intently becomes staring intently as Much's eyes are pulled to the metal peeking out from Zuma's hat.

LATER

Much hunts down her compatriots and summarizes her conversation with Zuma.

"Zuma is undeniably strange and I have no idea what he wants. Whatever it is though, it's bound to be interesting! Will you come with me to see him?"

"That's funny - Leasah and I were just coming to find you! Teacher Ot wants us to meet him in his office to give us a job." Haunt shrugs. "This is an easy one: we should just visit them both. Let's go see Zuma first, then we can go to Ot's office."

The relief of being accepted into the Emerald Boughs, of joining this new pack, brings Much's mouth into a wide happy smile. She grasps her friends' heads in both hands and licks their foreheads in a warm greeting.

"Sounds perfect. Let's head out now!"

Laesah receives Much’s affection with a fair bit of diffidence.

”It’s odd. I’m going to need time to get used to that.” She fixes the disarrayed strands of hair across her forehead. ”Let’s do this!”

"Ah, are you the new volunteers Much is bringing to me?” Teacher Zuma gives an eager grin and rubs his hands together. “Volunteerism is a sign of...” The half-orc seems poised to launch into a rambling rant, but he shakes his head and returns to the subject at hand. “No need for you to be nervous about this little process, this shouldn’t hurt anyone too much. At least not if I carried the five in the formula, ah?” He guffaws as he opens a door from the sprawling mess of his office to an even-more-chaotic laboratory behind it. A bright-green liquid burbles in a flask and travels through a dizzying network of spiraling tubes until it becomes something dark and swirling in a much smaller bottle. Pinned to the wall are several scraps of paper, each bearing a separate piece of an impossibly complex alchemical formula.

“Your role here is simple: just sit still and focus while I attempt to prove my theorem that it is possible to entangle and connect the magically inclined essences of multiple persons in such a way that they may, in fact,be able to affect each other’s dependent natures and cause independent changes on those who are part of the created system of magically inclined individuals. Perfectly logical and natural, of course, when you think about it.”

Zuma produces a bottle of ink that has a faint shimmer to it. He rummages around the lab and then comes back with a needle and begins running it over a flame that rises from his open hand. He explains that when applied to skin, the ink is supposed to permit the wearers' inherent magic to “talk between them,” amplifying individual effects. He expect the magic, and the tattoo, will fade in about a week.

"Anyone have any choices on their design? Whatever it is must have a mouth and be visible to work. So who is first?"

It's a ritual! You can each act as secondary casters, if you wish, using the skills Arcana or Occultism. Zuma will act as the primary caster. Once you have contributed your roll (if you are rolling) we'll see what happens.

Much steps forward, squats down and holds out her forearm to Zuma.
"A hyena, please."
She turns to her friends with a smile and cocks an ear.
"Unless we want to consider matching tattoos?
Arcana: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Hero point. She'd really like this to work.
Arcana: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Much does some quality thinking on the subject and feels like she just BARELY figured out enough to not be detrimental to the attempt.

Success, which neither adds nor subtracts, but you hit this right on the number.

”Ummm….I think I’ll pass,” Laesah blurts out, holding up her hands to wave off the offered ink. ”Tattoos are tapu - uh, sacred to my people. I’m sorry. I cannot.”

The anadi looks uncomfortable.

”I will support my friends with my observations, if that would be helpful, but that’s all I can offer, teacher.”

Also, Laesah has a +0 in both Arcana and Occultism.

"Oh, sure! I don't mind a tattoo, even if it's temporary. I guess I'll take a lion, please. The only thing I could think of for a matching tattoo would be a pugwampi and that would just be ... Oh!" Haunt almost bounces out of his seat. "What about a chicken, like Pelaksana?!?"

Occultism: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Zuma's eyebrow lifts as Haunt's contribution succeeds. You can tell he really wasn't expecting any help here.

With lots of incantation and dramatic flourishes, Zuma sets needle to skin. Much gets a hyena and Haunt a chicken, made with nearly photo realistic detail. Zuma is a fine craftsman. However, both of them have oddly human mouths, which is a bit unsettling.

Haunt and Much discover that when they subvocalize to each other, the mouths on the tattoos move, and the speaker is heard as though they are whispering in the receiver's ear.

Zuma takes notes with real rigor, and while this is clearly not the result he was hoping for, he looks pleased, as though progress has been made.

For your contribution, Haunt, he gives you a skullcap, much like the one he is wearing, with bits of lead sewn into the inside. "For your trouble. It'll help protect your mind from spies. Of which this school has many." Zuma says.

The hat functions as a Hat of the Magi. It appears to have no properties beyond the standard (so no help against mental intrusion).

For your contribution, Haunt, he gives you a skullcap, much like the one he is wearing, with bits of lead sewn into the inside. "For your trouble. It'll help protect your mind from spies. Of which this school has many." Zuma says.

The hat functions as a Hat of the Magi. It appears to have no properties beyond the standard (so no help against mental intrusion).

"Thanks!" Haunt places the cap on his head; he will wear his tinfoil hat of the magi with pride (unless he's trying to look cool).

”Are those permanent?” Laesah wonders, gesturing at the slightly-disturbing images on Haunt and Much.

Haunt shrugs. "Zuma said he thinks they'll fade in a week or so. If it takes longer, my fur will probably grow back over mine anyway."

Having satisfied Teacher Zuma, you head off to find Teacher Ot. His office is right around the corner from Teacher Koride, in the Heron archives. Unlike Koride, his door stands open, and he greets you with a smile, waving you and and telekinetically dragging some chairs over for all of you. As you sit, he has each of you place a hand on a finely crafted porcelain tea pot. When he fills the cups that sit in front of each of you, your favorite beverage comes out, at the appropriate temperature.

“I have a favor to ask of you.” Teacher Ot says, an uncommon furrow in his brow. “Some research materials I need are missing from the usual reference libraries. I’ve had initiates look for them with no success, and I’ve spoken with the other professors to see if perhaps what I need has landed in their more private collections. Again, no success. I now know where they aren’t, which tells me where they must be.” He pulls out a detailed map of the Magaambya’s grounds. “This building here—” he places a lens from his desk over what appears to be a round dormitory, magnifying it, “—hasn’t seen use in...” He trails off and shrugs before continuing.

“It was carved from an enormous stump as a dormitory but was being converted into a library before the project was abandoned. Please see if these five books are there.” Teacher Ot provides a short list. “Return them to me regardless of their condition. I would appreciate anything else you feel would be relevant or worth salvaging. I'd like to get them back to where they might do some good, instead of moldering in an abandoned building."

Takulu seeks the following five works, specifically:

• Studies on the Habits and Migration Patterns of Birds and Drakes of the Continent of Garund, recorded in a leather-bound book.

• An Expanded History of the Lesser-Known Peoples of the Mwangi Expanse, recorded on vellum and bound by leather cords.

• The Worlds Between Worlds: Exploring the Planes and Demi-Planes, Volume 4, recorded in an extraordinarily large leather-bound book.

• Treatise on the Various Communicative Methods of Non-Vocally-Projecting Entities, recorded on a scroll that whispers eerily when unrolled.

• Collected Field Notes of the Druid Mata Digemari, a small chest with cramped writing covering its wooden surfaces.

Any questions? Also, what got poured in your cup?

Much stares into her cup of perfectly brewed sausage tree tea.
Half the tribe would learn magic just to wake up to this every morning. Much thinks, before considering Ot's directive.

Much looks up and turns her eyes and mind to Haunt.
This request is strange, brother. What isn't Ot telling us about this stump building?

Much turns back to the group before speaking aloud.
"Teacher Ot, your list mentions an extraordinarily large book. What does that mean exactly? Will we be able to carry it out? The only book I'd ever describe that way was our neighboring tribe's clan history. I couldn't have lifted that for anything."

"I don't know, precisely, how large it is, but I don't believe it will be too big to transport, merely very large for a book." Ot says. "Scholars like their adjectives, and I doubt they could have resisted adding more color had the book truly been so large as to be immobile."

You go to where you've been directed, and find the library. Wrapped in overgrowth, the stump of an enormous tree squats on the Magaambya grounds. Its upper surface features several lightning scars, though it’s unclear whether these strikes killed the tree or occurred later. Windows, just visible beneath the concealing vines, are covered with thick films of dust on the inside. The vegetation around the door has recently been hacked away, providing an easy entry. A chain of silver bells lies discarded on the front step.

You are at the Tree-Stump Library, and the door is open. What do you do?

Much drops to one knee and holds up the bells for the others.
"Do these...ring a bell for anyone?"
In the following, deafening, silence Much lowers her ears in contrition and then does her best to fill the awkward space by examining the door.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

If anything looks strange, Much will cast shield.

All you can tell is that the vines were all pulled apart, not cut, and some bear strange ink stains. The bells in your hand look to be worth something if you were to sell them later. They are in good shape, considering the rest of the general state of disrepair you see.

Laesah looks down at her cup of mushroom broth, a traditional morning drink amongst the anadi. The myconic aroma fills her nose. She hurriedly places her hand over it, realising that the smell of rotting vegetation that comes with it is generally not pleasant to those unaccustomed to the brew.

She smiles apologetically. When it comes time to leave, she quickly sculls the entire cup.

At the tree-library, Laesah frowns at the strand of bells on the ground.

”Gremlins. That’s what Teacher Ot hasn’t told us. It’s gremlins.”

At Laesah's mention of gremlins, Much frowns, mutters under her breath and makes a sharp gesture. A moment later a phantasmic shield of skins stretched over a wicker framework appears beside her.

Haunt taps Ot's Anteater Charm to make sure that it's still hanging from his wrist, then grips his amulet in one hand before drawing his rapier with the other.

"Gremlins," he spits. "And now they're stealing books? How low can they get?" He sighs, then mutters, "Remember, Teacher Ot wants us to drive them off and encourage them not to come back, not kill them. No matter how much they provoke us. If we can avoid it." The amurrun sounds like he's reminding himself more than his comrades.

Testing, testing. Hi, Much! Just making sure this thing is working before we need it.

Edit to add: If nobody else picks them up, Haunt scoops up the discarded bells and adds them to one of the pockets of esoterica on his vest.

Loud and clear, Haunt!
"Before we go in, I have an idea."
Much reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small item.
She squeezes her eyes tightly closed before a small back pug springs into existence in front of her.
Loosening her stone rope into one hand, Much steps forward to open the door.

"Harker, search boy!"

Harker is a guard pub of unquestionable valor and morals. He'll follow Much, using his scent and darkvision to keep an eye on the situation. If he spots/smells anything, he can then begin to track at +4.

You enter the library, and it is in shambles. A quick glance around the entryway shows that the circular room has been packed with shelves in every space that could viably !t one, and a few where it can’t. Books are wedged in sideways or simply thrown on the floor. You see a couple closed doors that would lead to other rooms. Surprisingly, little dust sits on the floor or shelves.

The room is unlit, but the vine covered windows allow for dim conditions. As you enter the room and take a few steps in, Haunt is assailed by the reek of rotting fish, and Harker starts snuffling and scratching at the ground, his eyes locked onto the bookshelves in front of you.

Pretty good indications there are gremlins nearby, but the room is silent and still. What do you do?

Haunt makes a face at the stench. "Yowza! That is not subtle at all. They're here, all right. Also, aren't these a lot of books for a library that never got finished?"

Before we get into initiative: Haunt casts detect magic and begins scanning the room, starting with the bookshelves Harker is staring at. He ignores anything he or his friends are carrying.

Harker starts snuffling and scratching at the ground, his eyes locked onto the bookshelves in front of you.

"Harker, track!"

Much settles back on her haunches and waits to see what Harker uncovers.

Harker takes a few steps forward and freezes, pointing up with his stubby snout, as a wicked-looking face emerges from the top of the shelves. Covered with ink, pointed ears twitching, a gremlin shrieks. "Wake up, brothers! Intruders!"

The bookshelves the gremlins perch on are about 8-feet high, with 10-foot high ceilings, so they won't be reachable without a reach or ranged weapon, unless you have the means to get atop them.

You've done a pretty good job detecting these before they have seen you, and only one of the four passed their perception checks to hear you coming. The other three will go in round two. Otherwise, here are the initiative rolls!

Gremlin #1 (blue) - 16
Gremlin #2 (red) - 13
Gremlin #3 (green) - 15
Gremlin #4 (orange) - 15

Much - 22
Haunt - 16
Laesah - 13

Round 1
1. Much <-- We are here
2. Haunt
3. Gremlin #1 (blue)
4. Gremlin #3 (green) - skip this round
5. Gremlin #4 (orange) - skip this round
6. Laesah
7. Gremlin #2 (red) - skip this round

"Good job, Harker!"

Much yells as she rushes forward to disrupt the gremlins before they have a chance to react.

She lashes out at the gremlin raising the alarm.

trip: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

Realizing she's positioned herself directly beneath the gremlins, Much throws her weight at the bookshelf to buy herself space to fight.
Athletics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

◆ Stride
◆ Trip (blue gremlin)
◆ Shove the book shelf (with green and orange gremlins)

The blue gremlin goes down in a cursing heap. The bookshelf rocks a bit, but doesn't fall. Looks like this idea was a good one, just needs a harder shove.

Haunt, you are up!

Much, on her tiptoes with shoulders pressed firmly against the creaking bookshelf, groans and looks back at her friends.
"Guys, I can handle this bookshelf," Much says as her eyes begin to track upwards to the gremlins above her, "But I'm gonna need your help with them!"

Sorry, Much, I am way too tired to figure out how to do a readied action in 2E.

Haunt looks at the gremlins and focuses on remembering their weaknesses, then steps up next to Much and tries to kick over the bookcase (keeping his sword and amulet in his hands).

◆: Exploit Vulnerability vs. the gremlins (Esoteric Lore): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
◆: Stride
◆: Athletics vs. bookcase: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

From Haunt's esoteric lore he remembers that the gremlins are called "Scrits" are week to cold iron (weakness 2). He also recalls that they are weak willed and can eat books to learn the contents, and just for fun and fulfillment.

Haunt's well placed kick sends the bookshelf toppling over. Since all the scrits are either waking up from a rest, or recently tripped, they will suffer a penalty to their attempts to arrest their falling damage.

Scrit 1 save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Full damage = 4 damage

Scrit 2 save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Full damage = 4 damage

Scrit 3 save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Save! = 0 damage

Scrit 4 save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Save! = 0 damage

The scrits land in a pile and are all prone. Blue gets up and angrily casts grease, prompting an AoO from Much...

Much Non-lethal AoO: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 121d8 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

...which sails wide of the target, taking a chunk out of the bookshelf. The scrit finishes the spell and a puddle of grease appears under the Haunt and Laesah.

◆: Stand
◆◆: Grease

Laesah and Haunt, there is grease beneath you (as indicated by the orange scribble)! Please roll a DC 16 reflex of Acrobatics check to keep from falling prone. Laesah, you are up.

Round 1
1. Much
2. Haunt
3. Gremlin #1 (blue) - 4 Damage
4. Gremlin #3 (green)
5. Gremlin #4 (orange)
6. Laesah <-- We are here
7. Gremlin #2 (red) - 4 Damage

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

Haunt is just about to taunt the gremlins after toppling the bookcase but accidentally puts his foot onto a fallen volume on ancient lore, which skids out from under him and slides across the greased floor. He goes down hard, barely managing to keep from skewering himself with his rapier.

"An infestation!" Laesah murmurs to herself, swiftly moving to aid her fallen companion. As she circles around the gremlin nearest Haunt (orange), the anadi takes up a strange pose with her arms held aloft, balancing on the points of her feet.

Stride. Enter Crane Stance (+1 AC). Wing Strike (nonlethal).

She lashes out swiftly with a fist, her intent to stun and mollify as opposed to kill.

Wing Strike: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 261d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

I'm still likely flanking orange with Haunt, even if Haunt is on their back. If that's a critical hit, then the target must succeed at a DC 18 Fort save or be slowed 1 until the end of Laesah's next turn.

Laesah's blow rocks the scrit, but it manages to keep its wits together.

Fort save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Round 2
1. Much <-- We are here
2. Haunt
3. Gremlin #1 (blue) - 4 Damage
4. Gremlin #3 (green)
5. Gremlin #4 (orange) - 10 Damage
6. Laesah
7. Gremlin #2 (red) - 4 Damage

When Haunt hits the ground, the absurdity of the situation pushes Much beyond the limits of her patience.
"Enough!" Much growls and locks a baleful stare on the single standing skrit.
Intimidation: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Her stone rope loops out, hoping to impress upon the skrit the ease with which she can dominate.
Trip: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
"Stay down and speak with us or be prepared to meet our full fury. I won't make this offer again."

◆: Intimidate
◆: Trip
◆: Not used, just waiting to see how they react.

The gremlin that stood up is terrified by Much's display (frightened 1) and also winds up flat on their back after the stone rope takes their legs out. While scared and angry, they don't look ready to yield. If anything the embarrassment seems to be making them angrier.

All the gremlins are some sort of prone, but none are giving up. Much, do you want to use that last action?

Locking eyes with the skrit on the ground, Much sighs to herself (and to Haunt, if he is paying psychic attention)
That did not go the way I had hoped.
With a flick of her wrist and a quick cantation Much settles in for more serious battle.
◆ Cast shield

Locking eyes with the skrit on the ground, Much sighs to herself (and to Haunt, if he is paying psychic attention)

That did not go the way I had hoped.

Haunt snorts. It didn't? This is exactly what I had planned. I've got them right where they want me.

The amurrun rises carefully to his feet and glares at the orange scrit. "She's right. You had better stop fighting and start talking," he growls, pulling the dropped string of bells from his vest and quickly wrapping them around the grip of his rapier. "Or prepare to meet your jingly DOOM!"

Haunt slaps at the gremlin with the flat of his blade to emphasize the point.

◆: Stand
◆: Demoralize, Intimidation: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
◆: Strike, Rapier, nonlethal, personal antithesis, implement's empowerment vs. flanked/flat-footed/prone: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 7 - 2 = 151d6 + 1 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 3 + 2 = 9
↻: Amulet's Abeyance (resistance 4 to all damage if triggered, benefits either Haunt or one ally within 15')

Jingle-jangle!

While gremlin is unimpressed by Haunt's taunt, it is very moved by his blade, dropping like a sack of potatoes as the flat connects above his ear.

His friends howl in rage, screaming in many different languages and circling Much to attack. They stab out with their clawed, inky fingers.

Gremlin #1 (blue)
◆: Step
◆: Attack 1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 91d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
◆: Attack 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 171d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Gremlin #3 (green)
◆: Step
◆: Attack 1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 131d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
◆: Attack 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 141d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Much shrugs off most of them, with one barely getting through, but it makes her a little queasy.

Much, can you roll me a for save? DC 14 or you are sickened and take 1d4 additional damage

Round 2
1. Much - 4 damage
2. Haunt
3. Gremlin #1 (blue) - 4 Damage
4. Gremlin #3 (green)
5. Gremlin #4 (orange) - 19 Damage - KO
6. Laesah <-- We are here
7. Gremlin #2 (red) - 4 Damage

"Much!" Laesah cries out as the gremlins close in on the gnoll. With a burst of action out of her odd stance, the anadi soars across the room in a sudden leap!

With Crane Stance active, long jump DCs are decreased for Laesah by 5 and she gets an additional 5 feet of distance. She also has the Quick Jump feat which means a long jump is only one action for her and she doesn't need to make the obligate 10 foot run-up. So, in other words, one action to hit a DC 10 and put her on the other side of orange.

Long Jump: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 SUCCESS!

Laesah lands in a crouch then lashes out with two quick sweeps of her outstretched arms.

Flurry of Blows using nonlethal Wing Strikes on orange.

Strike #1: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 231d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Strike #2: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 9 - 4 = 111d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

"Grandmother, grant my friend your guidance to use as she sees fit to weave!" The anadi lays a warm hand on Much's shoulder. She smiles at the gnoll's surprised eye. "Shoulder to shoulder to turn the wheel, friend!"

Cast guidance on Much. Reminder that Laesah's AC is still 21.

Red stands up (because the GM is trying to remember the actual effects in play...) and Much wheels, lashing out with an AoO...

Much AoO: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 291d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

And sends the gremlin straight to sleepytown with a savage critical, but nonlethal, hit. I took the liberty of using the guidance bonus there, since I assumed you'd want to stop any potential attacks. If that's wrong, you'd still crit and just use it as you see fit.

Round 3
1. Much - 4 damage <-- We are here
2. Haunt
3. Gremlin #1 (blue) - 4 Damage
4. Gremlin #3 (green)
5. Gremlin #4 (orange) - 19 Damage - KO
6. Laesah
7. Gremlin #2 (red) - 18 Damage - KO

"Shoulder to shoulder to turn the wheel, friend!"

Much sees Haunt's opponent drop senseless just as Laesah drops in beside her. She can't keep a fierce grin from spreading across her face.

◆: Step
◆: Attack 1:Nonlethal attack #1: 1d20 + 11 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 11 - 2 = 121d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
GM, if that missed blue's flat-footed AC like I think it did, please add one to this next attack for the Backswing trait on my stone-rope.
◆: Attack 2: Nonlethal attack #2: 1d20 + 11 - 2 - 5 ⇒ (1) + 11 - 2 - 5 = 51d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Haunt steps carefully off of the greased area into the flank with Laesah, and smacks the green scrit with the flat of his blade (bell still jingling at the hilt). "Just stay down, won't you?"

◆: Step
◆: Strike, Rapier, nonlethal, personal antithesis, implement's empowerment vs. flanked/flat-footed/prone: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 7 - 2 = 141d6 + 1 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 3 + 2 = 9
◆: Strike, Rapier, nonlethal, personal antithesis, implement's empowerment vs. flanked/flat-footed/prone: 1d20 + 7 - 2 - 5 ⇒ (2) + 7 - 2 - 5 = 21d6 + 1 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 1 + 3 + 2 = 10
↻: Amulet's Abeyance (resistance 4 to all damage if triggered, benefits either Haunt or one ally within 15')[/ooc]

Green hisses as the flat strikes their already aching back. Blue and green both pop up, take stock of the dwindling odds and run for it. Much, of course, gets to take a shot at them before they get out of reach. The stone rope flies out and skips off the top of blue's head with a sickening sound, dazing them, but not quite knocking them out. Green follows blue out the door to the west, closing it behind them.

Gremlin #1 (blue)
◆: Stand

Much AoO: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 221d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

◆: Stride
◆: Stride

Gremlin #3 (green)
◆: Stand
◆: Stride
◆: Close door

Round 3
1. Much - 4 damage
2. Haunt
3. Gremlin #1 (blue) - 16 Damage
4. Gremlin #3 (green) - 9 Damage
5. Gremlin #4 (orange) - 19 Damage - KO
6. Laesah <-- We are here
7. Gremlin #2 (red) - 18 Damage - KO

Laesah warily watches the two surviving gremlins race away, then turns her attention to the nearest unconscious one. She then glances up at her comrades.

”We can question these husks when they awake and find out what they’re all doing here,” she reasons. ”Unless you all have different ideas.”

”We can question these husks when they awake and find out what they’re all doing here,” she reasons. ”Unless you all have different ideas.”

"Sounds right to me." Much says as attempts to bind the skrits to the bookshelf with her bolas.

Finishing that, Much bends down to scratch her pug. "Harker, who's a good boy? You are, you are! Which door should we go through next, buddy?"

"Yeah, I just want to make sure the other two are running away, not just hiding in the next room."

Better stay low; if I were in their shoes and preparing an ambush, I'd be ready to throw something at roughly human height as soon as the door opens.

Do scrits even wear shoes? I can't picture their feet at all.

Haunt jogs over to the door the scrits escaped through, squats down so his head is no higher than the doorknob, and opens the door far enough to allow him to see into the room beyond.