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Avery let loose a pair of arrows at the Bard, the first on hitting but the second missing.
Shandra hits with both blades in her double strike, doing massive damage to the Soldier, but her still stands. Her follow up misses,
Bold may act
Avery Wings
Kaitlyn Deathsbane
Scratch
Jaxon
Zenith ,
Ninth Army Mage Black , ,
Ninth Army Mage Green , ,
Ninth Army Soldier ,
THOMIL BOLYRIUS , ,
Shandra
Ninth Army Mage Blue ,
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Jaxon spits out blood and chuckles at Kaitlyn. "Heh, sorry, love. Trouble is why they bring a muscle-head like me on these things." He turns back to the soldier with a grim smile. "But I end the trouble!"
He takes advantage of the soldier being a bit overextended from Shandra's attack and his own bobbing movements to punch the man in the throat and then follow it up with a headbutt right into his nose.
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Jaxon slams the Soldier with both fist and forehead. The Soldier slumps to the ground, unconscious.
The last remaining Ninth Army member, THOMIL BOLYRIUS, is up
◆◆ Casts Blindness on Zenith
Zenith will need to make a Fortitude Save, DC22
◆ Stand up
Bold may act
Avery Wings
Kaitlyn Deathsbane
Scratch
Jaxon
Zenith , ,
Ninth Army Mage Black , ,
Ninth Army Mage Green , ,
Ninth Army Soldier , ,
THOMIL BOLYRIUS ,
Shandra
Ninth Army Mage Blue ,
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Zenith attempts to resist the spell but their eyes are plunged into darkness and they let out a small gasp of shock. The Kayal's starknife, strapped to their side, begins to hum with magical energy as the black and unreflective blades begin to draw the darkness out of Zenith's eyes. Zenith stands still, flatfooted, to the world as they take the moment in and are reluctant to swing their 10' Whip around as they can only sense, not see, friends and foe nearby.
Meanwhile, the acid continues to burn and cling to Zenith's armor making Zenith grit their teeth.
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Kat binds Scratch's wounds before Scratch heads off to deal with the latest entrant to the battlefield.
Scratch moves over and manages to get a well-aimed shot off at the Bard, and the Bard drops to the ground Unconscious after Scratch's bullet grazes his head.
Bold may act
Avery Wings
Kaitlyn Deathsbane
Scratch
Jaxon
Zenith ,
Ninth Army Mage Black , ,
Ninth Army Mage Green , ,
Ninth Army Soldier , ,
THOMIL BOLYRIUS , ,
Shandra
Ninth Army Mage Blue ,
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| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Hey, a little warning! I can't see---" Zenith exclaims until the last bit of darkness leaves their eyes and is absorbed into the starknife.
"Thanks!" they add not to sound ungrateful. Zenith notes the last foe on the ground and then they drop to the ground too so they can begin rolling in the dirt
"Get it off" they say, still rollling
"Anyone good at crafting?" Zenith asks while still rolling
"Because you should bottle this up...", they spit out some dirt they ate from, you guessed it, still rolling....
"...And sell it to use against trolls", They jump up on the platform and then dive into the dirt
"Seriously?" they roll some more
The acid finally is absorbed into the dirt and is off of Zenith's armor.
"PHEW" Sorry about that." They say as they bring out a lesser healing potion and drink it
Zenith then uses Lay on Hands on Jaxon
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Not seeing much of the immediate he can contribute, Scratch climbs up into the watch tower to see just where Thomil came from, and, more importantly, to get a good view of the area to keep a watch.
Those hangman's platforms sure do seem like a good way to get a scare out of someone for info for those that are less on the side of good...
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The training dummies are clearly effigies of Grand Princess Eutropia and Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin of the Grand Lodge in Absalom. You discern that they were once under some sort of divination magic, but it has worn off.
The precise effect is no longer apparent, but it was likely intended to allow someone to secretly observe the actions of those who trained with the effigies, and perhaps even to read their surface thoughts and emotions.
The Soldier responds to Shandra Why should I tell you anything?"
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Jaxon ties up the very first mage that he put down and removes any items and spellbooks from him. Then slaps him until he wakes up. He laughs in his face. "Caught you by surprise, didn't we? Pity if you never got to use your spells ever again. Mage fingers are such delicate thing, but I hear that spells rely on getting the motions right." He presses hard on the man's finger joint and then eases up.
"Tell me where the Peddler is. And why try to discredit the Pathfinder Society?"
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There is a small puddle forming under that Mage after Jaxon's speech.
Jankeli and Ashil went to meet with the Peddler. They hoped to buy some time for the rest of the group to pack up and leave, knowing that a harsh punishment from their “benefactor” was drawing near. We don’t know much about The Peddler, and we’ve never met the mysterious benefactor. We’re afraid of what might happen if the Ninth Army fails The Peddler again. No matter what, we won’t cooperate if brought to trial—you must find evidence to exonerate the Society elsewhere.
The effigies were a gift from The Peddler, given just over a year ago. The Peddler instructed us to force new recruits to train with each effigy for precisely 13 hours. This training helped to instill in recruits the proper hatred of their enemies: the “farce” of Taldor’s current ruling structure and the Pathfinder Society.
They also confirm there aren't any other members of the Ninth Army here.
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Shandra tells the other about the training dummies.
Seems like the training dummies are effigies of Grand Princess Eutropia and Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin. But what's more interesting is that they were once under some sort of divination magic, that has now worn off.
The precise effect is no longer apparent, but I think it was likely intended to allow someone to secretly observe the actions of those who trained with the effigies, and perhaps even to read their surface thoughts and emotions.
That's certainly the reason why the Peddler instructed them to force new recruits to train with each effigy for precisely 13 hours...
After realizing that the meeting between the Peddler and the Ninth Army officer will be in a few hours, she adds.
Let's find evidences here before disrupting the meeting
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Three mannequins posted around this room are outfitted with Taldan military issued breastplates. The white lions of the empire’s sigil are painted gold. Weapon racks along the north and south walls hold longswords and falcatas. In the center of the room, an oak table serves as a makeshift workstation. Springs and sprockets pepper the tabletop, while a toolbox overflows with pliers and ratchets.
On this table are three wayfinders, all bearing Muesello’s signature mark, and a number of other wayfinders in various states of disassembly.
You notice these wayfinders are at least four years old.
You recognize the names of the agents these wayfinders were issued to, all of whom have been reported missing or deceased.
Rewards: The armor and weapons in the room are well crafted. The nondescript collection of common items is worth a total of 60 gp.
The three wayfinders are still functional, and they also serve as evidence of Muesello’s innocence.
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The next room along the East side of the corridor is the office:
Stacks of documents are strewn across the large, mahogany desk in the center of the room. Curios holding toy soldiers, flags, bottles, and a decorative falcata flank the room.
This room was once the warden’s office. The folded flags in the curios resemble Taldan flags, except the lion is yellow instead of white.
On the corner of the desk, a glass terrarium houses a single cobble mite.
Among the papers on the desk, you find a letter from “The Peddler” to Cole Farsen—the person who was coordinating the crime spree in Oppara recently—listing targets that include Lioness Jewelers, a residence in Aroden’s View, an art showing in Grandbridge, and The Queen’s Tears Fountain. It contains instructions on framing the Pathfinder Society, a list of notable names and phrases, the Glyph of the Open Road, and a reference to a crate of wayfinders that The Peddler provided to Cole. If you sift through the rest of the documents discover evidence of other coordinated harassments of Grand Princess Eutropia’s supporters.
A letter tucked into an opened envelope appears to be the most recent correspondence. It expresses disappointment in Cole’s ability to follow directions. The letter instructs the Ninth Army to apprehend Muesello at a candle warehouse in Eastport and bring him to The Peddler at an isolated dock southeast of the prison—the meeting is to take place this very day. A crude map is drawn at the bottom of the letter, with the specific location marked.
All of this should provide ample evidence to exonerate Muesello, while also clueing you in to a chance to intercept the Ninth Army’s mysterious benefactor.
Rewards: The toy soldiers are all wooden and fashioned to resemble a cavalier riding a horse. The falcata is purely decorative and unwieldy. The bottles, however, are clearly labeled. You find a moderate alchemist’s fire and a moderate acid flask (each labeled “Do Not Drink!”).
You also find 1 moderate healing potion (labeled “Do Not Throw!”)
Finally, you find a strange pendant with a symbol of three eyes hovering over a sinister, upraised hand. It is a pendant of the occult.
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Across the hall from the office is the Mess Hall:
Six wooden tables with bench seating fill up this room. Taldan banners hang on the north and west walls. The rest of the stone walls are decorated with crude paintings and small, hand-stitched flags praising Taldor and Aroden while denigrating Grand Princess Eutropia. A map of Oppara on the south wall has nails driven into several sites. A single wooden door to the west leads to a kitchen and pantry primarily stocked with beef, bread, and potatoes. Doors exit to the south and east.
This room serves as the common room for the Ninth Army members stationed here. Dirty dishes pile up at the end of a table, and flies buzz around crisp potatoes and puddles of thin ale on the floor. The décor of this room does nothing to exonerate the Pathfinder Society, but it does provide evidence of the Ninth Army’s malfeasance.
You recognize the sites with nails driven into them include the Imperial Palace and the House of Dawn’s Redemption, the most prominent temple to Sarenrae in Taldor and a likely target for fanatical Taldan traditionalists.
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I recognize these marked sites! says Shandra.
These places are the two most prominent temple to Sarenrae in Taldor and a likely targets for fanatical Taldan traditionalists... like these Ninth army rufians seem to be.
After taking her time for a last look in the room, she adds.
I think it's time to meet this "Peddler" and take them down once and for all.
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"Wrapped up on a silver platter with a bow." Scratch comments on the damning evidence, snatching up the two bombs "Anyone want any of these bombs? No? Ok." He grins, showing off some missing and yellow teeth.
"Another one of them crazy rock mites.. I dunna like that omen." He places a dirty rage over the cage, a mite superstitious at times.
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In the mess hall he nods in agreement with Shandra's comments about the temples "Yep, guess we've got some crazed loyalists that just don't like change. We best gather up this stuff and get to the docks, maybe take a look around before anyone shows up?" Visions of grand explosions and sinking ships dance in his head.
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The path to the meeting site on River Porthmos weaves through ramshackle homes and rundown businesses. The buildings’ long shadows hide intermittent potholes in the cobblestone streets. After a ten-minute trek, a short flight of stairs leads to a muddy, abandoned dockside neighborhood with several rickety piers. Gentle waves ripple across a pair of bodies lying near the shore.
The bodies are those of Jankeli and Ashil, two members of the Ninth Army, and they are quite dead when you arrive. One of the men’s faces is contorted in terror, and he is clutching his chest. The other man is covered in hundreds of puncture marks and bruises, his clothes thoroughly shredded.
succeeds at a DC 18 Perception check to Seek (DC 20 for levels 5–6) notices several small stones in the foundation wiggling free and rolling uphill, away from the party. This observation grants the PC a +1 bonus to their initiative roll. A PC who critically succeeds also imparts this bonus to the rest of their party.
_______notices several small stones in the foundation wiggling free and rolling uphill, away from the party.