PF2E Stolen Fate

Game Master andreww

Okay, thanks for the patience. I set myself up for wanting to write well while accomplishing good things, got bogged down in mechanical details, and sort of lost motivation for a bit. I'll just manage for now, moving ahead instead of trying to address everything. I'm still rolling checks that were requested previously just to inform what Nub knows and doesn't.

Esoteric Lore for Society DC 35, Diverse Lore, Tome Initiate Benefit: 1d20 + 22 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 22 - 2 + 1 = 38 From this post, when still Lv11

Nubnonk scarcely has time to concur with the others' judgments before being whisked off into a new world!

---

A new world to explore! It was frightening and exciting all at once (and therefore just the sort of thing a goblin would be unabashedly drawn to). Nubnonk begins badgering the Butler-Seneschal Baines with a series of inane-sounding (but he swears they're important) questions and doesn't stop for quite some time. He gives Molly, Eric, Lydia, Emile, and Captain Cirillo similar treatment when they join the castle staff.

Esoteric Lore for The Big Sky: 1d20 + 23 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 23 - 2 + 1 = 37
Esoteric Lore for The Juggler: 1d20 + 23 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 23 - 2 + 1 = 38
Esoteric Lore for The Trumpet: 1d20 + 23 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 23 - 2 + 1 = 25
Esoteric Lore for The Snakebite: 1d20 + 23 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 23 - 2 + 1 = 25
Esoteric Lore for The Silent Hag: 1d20 + 23 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 23 - 2 + 1 = 32
Esoteric Lore for The Theatre: 1d20 + 23 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 23 - 2 + 1 = 30
As above, Diverse Lore, Tome Initiate, and now Know-It-all along with ye olde Dubious Knowledge

30 days of downtime

The prospect of chasing down a magical rabbit sounds like enormous fun for the goblin, who sets about in preparation by reading in his glorious tome all sorts of secrets about sneakiness.

Epitomize The Rabbit Prince, Stealth: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (9) + 23 = 32

After a good day trying to find the Rabbit Prince on his first try, Nubnonk catches a glimpse of the curious harrow-fey. The Rabbit Prince doesn't appear to notice him, but he disappears just as quickly before the goblin has a chance to pounce on him. He resolves to try again the following week.

Epitomize The Rabbit Prince, Stealth, previous Success: 1d20 + 23 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 23 + 4 = 42

Having watched carefully the first time around, Nubnonk comes to a forested area and climbs a tall tree. Waiting. Watching. He's almost un-goblin-like in patience, but very-goblin-like in sneakiness. With some carrots, broken swords, and other accoutrements that might interest the harrow-fey, Nubnonk hopes that the Rabbit Prince will come along and be curious. At just the right moment, Nubnonk spots the Rabbit Prince passing under his tree and drops down on top of him with a splendid battle cry, giving a light chomp to one of the Prince's fluffy ears. "Found you, Nubnonk did!"

The Rabbit Prince seems startled, but is sufficiently impressed that he gives him a wonderful (and very magical) dagger!

---

Just as Slick invokes the goblin's name, he comes running into the room with the dagger above his head. "Nubnonk found Bunny Prince and bit him, haha!"

---

I suppose earning income is DC 30, and Nubnonk is a Master in Esoteric Lore, so....

Esoteric Lore to Earn Income, Week 3: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (7) + 23 = 30 10 gp
Esoteric Lore to Earn Income, Week 4: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (20) + 23 = 43 15 gp?

During his time not hunting wabbits, the goblin goes back to Absalom and uses his skills to do all sorts of odd jobs, including performing a wedding or two.

Billy spends most of his evenings in front of his adoring fans at The Gutless Griffon.

Week 1 (rolled previously back on 6/17)
Performance(M) to Earn Income (Level 12 task) +Virt Performer +Lute, DC 30: => 1d20 + 23 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 23 + 2 + 1 = 41

Week 2
Performance(M) to Earn Income (Level 12 task) +Virt Performer +Lute, DC 30: 1d20 + 23 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 23 + 2 + 1 = 45
Week 3
Performance(M) to Earn Income (Level 12 task) +Virt Performer +Lute, DC 30: 1d20 + 23 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 23 + 2 + 1 = 41

Crit Success (all 3 weeks) => 15gp x 21 days = 315 gp

[On the morning the group sets out for new adventures ...]

Billy shuffles his harrow deck and draws a Harrow Omen card...
Harrower Dedication to choose his Harrow Omen and Reading the Signs allows drawing 2 cards to choose from.
Harrow Omen Suit - 1:Hammers, 2:Keys, 3:Shields, 4:Books, 5:Stars, 6:Crowns: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Harrow Omen Suit - 1:Hammers, 2:Keys, 3:Shields, 4:Books, 5:Stars, 6:Crowns: 1d6 ⇒ 1
(Karma! Same exact harrow suits he got on previous 6/17 roll ... he chooses Keys. Again.)

...and he studies The Carnival harrow card and activates it for a glimpse of a single person we may meet in our travels today...
Note that because the card is invested, the flat check is DC 4, not DC 6.

When Nubnonk comes back with the Rabbit Prince's gift, Slicks hops out of the comfy chair he'd been lounging in and gives the fancy dagger a looking over. "Nice! Abiah should give us a nice chunk of cash for this one. I'm going to get all our loot together and head down to the Bazaar to convert it into something more useful." He rubs his fingers together and winks to indicate what he's referring to. "Back in a jiffy."

He borrows Billy's Bag of holding with all the stuff in it and closing his eyes concentrates to open a portal back to Absalom.

Action: Enter the Harrow Court: To Absalom.

He finds himself back at the Stirrup and Barding in Eastgate. He groans as he realizes he's going to have to walk all the way to the Grant Bazaar. Shrugging in resignation, he heads off in that direction. Once there, he goes directly to The Unscathed Blade and after a quick haggling session with Abiah walks out with a hefty bag of gold and a brand new rune on his greatsword.

The few remaining magical items he sells off in one of the many stands that caters to such things and buys the two scrolls of Restoration that Billy mentioned he'd like to have on hand, just in case. He then returns with the much lighter bag and returns it to the bard, along with the two scrolls he just purchased.

Slick then sits down at the table with the bag of gold and counts it out into 3 neat piles of equal height, and a fourth smaller pile in front of him to account for the price if his new rune. "There you go. A reward for a job well done. If any of you guys need a bodyguard or want to save yourselves the walk from Eastgate, then let me know and I'll take you straight to the Bazaar."

Slick is left with 72.1gp. He needs 827.9gp to upgrade his armor rune and unfortunately cannot earn income. Looks like Billy has some 480gp left over after buying his armor upgrade, so if Nubnonk and/or Dramiil have some 350gp left over in cash, Slick will be happy to take out a loan and pay it back at from any future loot we pick up. If not, then no big deal; it's just that it would be a waste to be carrying around all that gold for another chapter and not put it to good use in the meantime.

Dramiil heads with Slick to Absalom, then blinks as Slick starts walking off. "Goodness, that man has legs of adamantine," he says as he flags down a camel-drawn coach. He heads to the The Laughing Sword in the Ivy District to purchase a shadow signet.

He examines the portals once he returns to the group's demiplane, pondering. "I'd save Chelaxian high society for later," he comments to Billy. "How about Arcadia or Nagajor?"

Nubnonk has a look through the portals but learns nothing new. The group generally settle themselves into the Castle, get to know the locals a bit and and make some money.

One thing is slightly odd. As Nubnonk travels into the woods they are silent, almost lifeless save for the rustle of tree branches. However, after he has epitomised the Rabbit Prince things change significantly. As he is heading back homewards he notices life coming back to the place. The rustle of small mammals in the undergrowth, the chirp of insects and the occasional bird flitting amongst the leaves. The change is really quite stark, the place now starts to feel alive.

OK you now need to decide which portal comes first. We have a vote for the Theatre and one for Arcadia or Nagajor. It doesn't really matter which order you do them in. What say Nubnonk and Slick?

With nothing much to do, Slick spends his time either lounging around bored in Harrowheart or hanging around The Gutless Griffon doing just enough work as a bouncer to pay off his bar tab. By the time a month passes and everyone finally regathers together at Harrowheart, Slick is more than ready to head out on a new adventure. "Hey Billy, didn't you mention you wanted to visit the opera house in Cheliax? Opera isn't exactly my thing, but it's as good as any of these places to visit next. We should probably expect to run into devils though." He pats the bottle of Silversheen in his pocket. "Maybe I'll get a chance to try some of this stuff on my sword this time."

The group gather together in the Great Hall. The six portals glow dimly in the subdued light flowing in through the stained glass windows. Stepping through the portal you find yourselves in the plushily upholstered opera box. Beyond the curtain you can hear the murmur of a large crowd. Disturbingly, the thick carpet has a large red stain which definitely looks like blood around the central seating area.

As you get your bearings you hear the sounds of music and singing. An orchestra plays a stirring refrain and the sound of a deep baritone voice echoes through the Theatre. It appears that you have arrived in the middle of a show!

Peeking through the curtain you see a large stage dominated by an enormous chelaxian with a thick, handlebar moustache. The other end of the stage holds a strange object, it looks like a mechanical linnorm. The stage is suffused with a soft blue glow and flurries of snow swirl around the performers.

Peering down at the stage Slick notices an elaborate looking card included amongst the extensive "adventuring equipment" which makes up the costume for the man playing the lead.

What do you do? You are currently about 30' up in an excusive looking, if bloody, box and some distance from the stage during the middle of a popular opera which has drawn a full house of several hundred attendees.

In the Harrowheart great room, Billy is strumming his lute, working on a new song. He thinks it's certain to be a crowd-pleaser. Another one.

When Slick asks him about the opera house, the bard stops playing and responds, "Who doesn't love a good opera? Well, besides you, I mean." Billy looks at the others. "When Dramiil is done with his reading, I'm happy to go anywhere you guys want."

GMAndrew, in my last post, I mentioned Billy would activate The Carnival card to get a glimpse of whom we might meet today. Can we say that he choose to do that once we decided on the Opera House portal?

Arriving at the Opera House, Billy is amazed. He whispers in a stage voice, "My friends! What luck! We're in the middle of live performance right now!" He can barely contain his excitement.

Perception DC 20: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (4) + 23 = 27
"What ingenuity with the mechanical linnorm. A crafting masterpiece."

He continues watching the play.
Perception DC 20: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (1) + 23 = 24
Nat-1 turns the Success into a normal failure.
Even though he's not familiar with the story, he's thoroughly enjoying the performance.

Perception vs DC 20: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (13) + 20 = 33
Performance vs DC 20: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19

Slick looks down onto the stage and is a little intrigued by the way the fake linnorm is moving. "There are several people operating the mechanical linnorm from the inside." His eye then falls on the card that is part of the protagonist's costume. He points to it. "Well, look at that! See the card? I bet it's the Harrow Card that we're here to recover. Anyone have any ideas on how to do that?" Slick is beginning to feel distinctly out of place in the theater. His shining full-plate armor and greatsword do not seem to be the height of fashion in Chelaxian opera-attending apparel.

GMAndrew, in my last post, I mentioned Billy would activate The Carnival card to get a glimpse of whom we might meet today. Can we say that he choose to do that once we decided on the Opera House portal?

This is fine

Before he steps through the Portal Billy draws on the dubious power of the Carnival. He sees a black clad female acrobat swinging in the big top. She wears an elaborate domino mask and her costume trails red silken streamers which are reminiscent of flames. He gets the sense that she is entirely disinterested in him, even at this distance!

When no one comes up with any ideas, Slick looks down and measures the distance to the stage. "Pretty sure I can make the jump down without a problem. Probably best if I do it while I'm invisible though, that way I can try to get my hands on the card before the big guy even knows I'm there." He waits a few moments to let the others prepare, then flips up the hood of his Cloak of Elvenkind and disappears from sight. You hear the slight creak as Slick's weight shifts onto the balustrade of the opera box before he drops onto the stage, landing in a perfect three-point landing whose beauty he's truly sorry that no one could witness.

Distance to the stage is 30'. Slick is an Expert in Acrobatics, so his Cat Fall feat makes falls 25' shorter, turning it into a harmless 5' drop.

Once on the stage, he quickly makes his way over to the enormous mustachioed Chelaxian actor and stealthily tries to relieve him of the Harrow card.

Action: Steal Harrow Card from Actor
Thievery (Steal): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (14) + 15 = 29 vs Actor Perception DC

[Back at Harrowheart...]

Billy describes his vision from The Carnival harrow card. "Friends, we will likely meet someone dressed in all-black ... an acrobat in my vision, but we should expect any dexterous rogue." Billy pauses and adds, "Her clothes ... were streaked with red ... we might expect some fire." Billy shrugs, stows his card, and enters the portal.

[Before Slick actually jumps down...]

Billy is trying to enjoy the show while Slick is talking. Something about jumping down and stealing cards. Billy whispers, "If you can just do all that a little more quietly, that would be great."

Before Slick jumps, Billy still entranced with the play, holds up a finger and says, "I love this plot, so don't get caught!" The bard provides some magical Guidance for the fighter's thievery attempt.

Perception: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (9) + 23 = 32

Regarding the final Perception roll in the previous post, I got cut off while editing ...

As he watches the play, Billy tries to Seek out the acrobat in his vision.
Perception to Seek, +Keen Eyes: 1d20 + 23 +2 ⇒ (9) + 23 + 2 = 34
If this is a secret roll, please ignore the above and roll at +25.

Society: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (9) + 21 = 30

"Alangus Thrune and the..."" Dramiil pauses. "Well, I can't quite recall the name, but he was a controversial House of Thrune fellow who rescued the Ulfens from the fire-breating linnorm named Bandraguzun. Now...the libretto is controversial because a, we don't know if Alangus existed, b. why he went Northward to the Linnorm Kings, and if c. if Bandraguzun is fictional as well. Presumably Northward expansion is a reflection of Chelaxian influence in Varisia and beyond, but who knows? It could all be a metaphor."

"...I was going to suggest that you just join the play, Billy..."

Dramiil relaxes slightly, ready for the performance.

"Contingency plan?"

If Billy agrees, Dramiil will cast Invisibility on him.

Sorry, I got the notification about updates yesterday and thought I still had some time to respond.

To Nubnonk, this rejuvenated forest feels like home--his old home, before Absalom. After the Goblinblood Wars, when his tribe had fled the burnt-out husk of the Chitterwood and built a new home in the Fangwood. If the locals didn't already have a name for this forest, he might need to come up with a new name for it. Naming was sacred. And most people didn't let goblins name things, or respect the names they came up with. So this was quite the opportunity.

Expressing little opinion, Nubnonk is fine going to Cheliax. It was close enough to his first home that he was at least passingly familiar with it. Halflings had it worse there than goblins, which made it one of the few places where that was the case. He feels a bit protective of his friend in that regard.

Perception DC 20: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (15) + 20 = 35
Performance DC 20: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22

Once in the opera house itself, Nubnonk oohs and aahs. He had heard of this opera before! He had even song one of the tenor arias (poorly) in a tavern while very drunk on honeyed mead. That had been a night to remember, which was unfortunate because he barely did.

Slick takes the initiative and leaps down to the stage, while the goblin nods at what Billy is saying. "Quiet, Slick; no interrupt." In his mind, it would be much easier to manage the theft when the actor playing Alangus Thrune went off stage. He hadn't seen the opera performed live before, but he was fairly certain that it wasn't one of those where the lead was on stage the whole time. Singers needed to drink water and rest their voices, after all.

"Would be big fun to join play! Could be in chorus!" the goblin exclaims in a hushed whisper.

The goblin tries to remember where in the play they are and whether there are opportunities for anyone of shorter stature to enter. Tenors like him were usually love interests (unfortunately), but maybe this one had some good comic relief! Or even a villain other than the linnorm!

Esoteric Lore: I roll that ish for everything. +23, with a +1 circumstance to recall knowledge, a +2 item bonus to recall knowledge about dead individuals, a free reroll w/ Loremaster's Etude to get the better of two checks, Dubious Knowledge, and Know-It-All. Of course, a -2 if it isn't about haunts, curses, or creatures, but I can still roll because of Diverse Lore. Nubnonk is 100% ready to go into the costume wardrobe and join the play with Deception +26. Shenanigans!

Draamil renders Billy invisible while Nubnonk tries to think of a part he could play. He is fairly certain there is a minor comic part involving a goblin servant of the frost giant minions employed by the Linnorm.

Meanwhile, Slick steps up to the railings. He is about to try abseiling down onto the stage when a commotion below stops him.

A woman, dressed all in black and wearing a domino mask swoops down to the stage from the rigging above. She draws a flaming sword as she lands, then turns to face the crowd and cries out, We, the Firebrands, proudly interrupt this program to bring you a dose of... liberation! A moment later, with a swing of her sword, she unleashes a blast of flame across the stage.

Unfortunately for her this has more than the desired effect. The flames from her blade react poorly with the alchemical reagents the production is using to produce the fake snow and frosty glow on the stage. Suddenly, the stage erupts into a raging inferno!

Shocked, the large crowd immediately begins to panic and try to escape the now deadly theatre before they are all incinerated. A group of masked figures, more Firebrands it looks like, quickly start trying to get the crowd out without dozens of people being trampled to death. However, the cast on the stage are in mortal peril.

At this point you need to decide what to do. Slick hasnt yet jumped out of the booth. I have moved you to a map. The fire is a complex hazard. Obviously the card will not be damaged by the fire but you may want to rescue the actors and/or stop the fire from burning down the place and possibly killing dozens of people. You can reach the stage in various ways, flight, teleportation or the special Swing to the Stage activity.

As the encounter begins the fire surrounds the stage. Six panicked technicians are trapped in the Linnorm costume and the man playing Alangus is on stage but paralysed with terror.

Initiative
Dramiil : 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (15) + 19 = 34
Slick : 1d20 + 20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 20 + 2 = 30
Billy : 1d20 + 23 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 23 + 2 = 45
Nubnonk : 1d20 + 20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 20 + 2 = 30
Fire: 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (8) + 28 = 36

Billy acts first. Once you reach the stage the fires can be tackled with survival (extinguishing two adjacent squares, four on a crit) or any water based magic. The man playing Alangus or the six technicians can be got to move using Diplomacy or Intimidate. A check is required for each as a single action, if you have Group Impression or Group Coercion that will apply. You will need to be on the stage to do so.

The booth you are in is 30' off the ground. The entire map, except for the stage, is currently greater difficult terrain due to the panicking crowd and orchestra.

Billy nods to Nubnonk when the goblin talks about performing in the play. The bard starts preening just when Dramiil offers some invisibility. He whispers, "Very kind my friend, but if they can't see me, how would my new adoring Chelaxian fans appreciate what I can bring to the theater?" He shakes his head, "But thank you for thinking of me."
If allowed, Billy will decline the Invisibility.

Just then, all hell breaks loose. "The black-clad acrobat and the fire! From my vision! The one that didn't seem to notice me. They're not after us at all." He looks down at the stage. "Must save the performers!"

The bard chants ...
♫"This fire's all the rage.
T'will surely make the news.
Arriving on the stage.
Will garner rave reviews!"♫
... and uses Dimension Door to teleport on stage, next to Alangus.

He appeals to the lead actor's ego. "My fellow thespian. I'm Billy. You were amazing. A truly moving performance. Let's compare notes. But first, we must get you to safety." The halfling urgently points to the southeast (or whichever way is to the nearest exit), "Quick! That way!"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (17) + 23 = 40

◆◆ Dimension Door, ◆ Diplomacy

Billy vanishes in a puff of smoke and reappears on the stage. Shouting at the stupefied actor the man quickly rouses himself from his terror. Bloody hell! The place is on fire. We've got to get out of here. Save the Linnorm costume, that thing cost a fortune. If we lose it the company might go bankrupt! Oh, the technicians need help too.

With that, he exits stage left.

The flame burn hotter and spread quickly, they are rapidly getting out of hand!

With the fire getting closer and closer, Billy is very concerned for the technicians safety. He thinks aloud, "And the impressive costume is a thing of beauty ... " He continues the thought in his head, "... at least, for now ..." He calls up to his friends in the box, "I'll try to save the technicians, but can you guys keep the fire off the costume?"

Alas, Billy is untrained in Survival and has no water magic, so hopefully some of you can buy us some time...

From his position near the head of the expensive costume, Billy calls to the nearest tech. "You there! In the linnorm suit. It's time to escape the fire-breathing dragon."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (20) + 23 = 43 (Crit success! Maybe more than 1 can react?)

He continues, "Okay, you next. There you go. Single file."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (11) + 23 = 34

"NEXT! No need to wait on protocol. Out ya go!"
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (3) + 23 = 26
Let's use a Harrow Card - Books (skill check) reroll.
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (20) + 23 = 43 (Yay! Another crit if it matters!)

◆ Diplomacy, ◆ Diplomacy, ◆ Diplomacy

Slick is about to jump down from the box when all hell breaks loose in the theater. He watches a little stunned as the woman dressed in black ignites the entire stage with her sword. "Uh oh. That doesn't look good." He pats his pocket. "Good thing I brought The Brass Dwarf with me, because it looks like we're in for some hot work."

He watches a little stupefied as Billy teleports right next to the big Chelaxian actor and proceeds to chase him off the stage... without getting his hands on the precious Harrow card they'd come here for! WTF! He tries desperately to keep track of the actor as he runs off the stage; they would have to track him down eventually.

Slick is now torn between following the actor and getting the card, or saving the poor technicians in the linnorm costume from a horrible fiery death. Had it been up to him, he would probably have left the unlucky sods to their fate, after all, he didn't start the fire and his presence in the theater right now was basically a coincidence. But he knew all too well that this approach would most likely not be greeted with approval from his friend Billy, who despite his egocentricity had a soft heart for those in need.

He sighs, knowing he has little choice. He hopes that the actor doesn't get too far before they can start the chase. Ignoring the handy ropes that would allow him to Swing to the Stage he instead launches himself from the balustrade by the strength of his own legs and lands on the corner of the stage.

Action (◇): Delay: Until after everyone else's turns.

Action 1 (◆): Leap with Powerful Leap

Regular Leap means that he can clear 15ft horizontally (because of his 45ft Speed). With the addition of his Powerful Leap feat, that adds another 5ft, for a distance of 20ft horizontally. Of course, once he's leapt those 20ft, he'll find himself some 20-30ft from the stage and will fall. Good thing that he's an Expert in Acrobatics, so his Cat Fall feat makes falls 25' shorter, turning it into a harmless <=5' drop. So unless I've missed something, Slick can select any square up to 20ft from his current location to end up in.

Dramiil's jaw tightens as the stage area is engulfed in a raging inferno, threatening to consume everything in its path. Dramiil's eyes dart from one distressed stagehand to another, sensing their fear and desperation.
"Billy...ah, you can't teleport them all out, can you?"

With a determined resolve, he raises his hands, summoning his psychic powers to create a tesseract tunnel, a gateway that can transcend space and time. He amplifies it so that it does not require any physical motion on his part, but steps through it anyhow, appearing on the stage.

"Billy, let's get these folks through. Hello, I'm Dramiil. Please step this way."

Assuming Billy herds them without further Diplo rolls--

Leading the way, Dramiil guides the stagehands and the precious linnorm costume through the shimmering portal. The world around them distorts and bends as they navigate the interdimensional passage, but Dramiil's unwavering focus keeps them on course. Each step brings them closer to safety, away from the peril that looms behind them.

"You finally got on stage in Cheliax, Billy!" shouts Dramiil to his compatriot behind him.

Technically this is more than 1 round...1 round is Cast 2x actions, Stride 1x.

Nubnonk usually appreciated the antics of the Firebrands, but this was just taking some of their aims to a foolish extreme. That was saying something, even for an aged goblin. Who was being liberated in an ill-timed dose of arson? He could understand if the theater was run on the backs of slavery--which it might be for all he knew--but this was flashy fire without form or function! As a young goblin, Nubnonk would have loved it.

Nubnonk dives through Dramiil's tesseract tunnel, appearing instantaneously on stage. "Should not have sold Quench scroll!" he murmurs. He draws himself up to look at the techs still in danger.

Maybe the fates were telling them that the items they received in the course of their adventures would be useful after all.

It's unclear to me how many techs are still left. He'll use as many Diplomacy checks as necessary to get them all to safety, but if the first Diplomacy finishes getting them out of the way, then he'll move to put out some fires with Survival.

[ooc]◆ Stride
◆ Diplomacy: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (13) + 27 = 40
◆ Diplomacy: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (17) + 27 = 44 If Survival, untrained +14 instead for a 31

Dramiil conjures a magical portal and leaps through onto the stage which is quickly being engulfed in an inferno. Nubnonk follows him through and quickly encourages a couple of technicians back through the gate. Slick then crashes onto the stage from the balcony terrifying some more of them to flee. Billy finally gets the rest of them moving and soon the stage is clear. The flames creep closer, singing all of you but Slick is able to haul the contraption back through the tunnel before it sustains much damage.

Technically you would all take a round of fire damage but it is trivial. You sorted everything quickly enough that it isnt worth dealing with.

The technicians are extremely grateful and thank you profusely for saving their machine as you all hurry out of the theatre which is quickly being consumed in flames. The actor playing Alangus meets you outside. In the distance you can hear alarm bells, probably heralding the arrival of the local guard to deal with the fire. This being Cheliax they are likely to also include some devils. If asked about the card the man happily hands it over, he hadn't even realised it had become part of his costume.

Having recovered the Theatre card you can return to Harrow Heart where you are met by Baines. He raises a disapproving eyebrow at the scorch marks and soot stains on your clothing. You do realise sirs just how difficult it is to remove soot stains from adventuring gear. Please do try to be more careful in the future sirs. With Mrs Baines gone there is only me to deal with the washing alongside all of the other chores. Not to worry though sirs, with my bad back and dicky knees I am sure I will be fine scrubbing the muck out of your undergarments.

With that he withdraws into the shadows of the Great Hall, carrying various items for cleaning.

You have recovered the Theatre card, details on Roll20. You are free to pick another arch. You are in no hurry so you can epitomise the Theatre if you wish. You could rest overnight if you want to as well, as far as you are aware there is no penalty to do so. Let me know which arch you want to deal with next and if you rest or not.

"Oh Baines, you deserve a vacation, but we will be keeping you busy for a while yet," says Dramiil rather gaily as he deposits a robe. "I did my best to stay out of direct trouble, which is what a psychic does worst, as it were--direct trouble. Or rather, I try to direct trouble at others."

"Slick--great job. None of us could have sprinted that quickly. Well, I mean, unless we cheated," says Dram with a wink.

"You finally got on stage in Cheliax, Billy!" shouts Dramiil to his compatriot behind him.

Billy laughs. "Indeed I did! I can mark Cheliax off my list. And receiving such a warm welcome for my performance makes it that much more special." Billy positively beams with pride as he helps usher off the last of the technicians.

Reaching the gathered actors, Billy exclaims, "You were all brilliant ... well until the unfortunate fire." Indicating the actor playing Alangus, "Especially you, Sir. What talent! Such depth of character! Thrilled that we helped such performers reach safety. I'm sure the theater will be remodeled in no time. The show must go on, am I right?"

Upon the group's return to Harrowheart, Billy apologizes to Baines. "It was careless of us. I tried some Prestidigitation to tidy up, but this soot is admittedly stubborn." The bard assures him, "We'll strive to do better in the next portal."

When discussing the newest Harrow card, Billy says, "We should epitomize the card as soon as possible. Who doesn't want to attend an evening play?" When Dramiil asks about The Vision card, Billy retrieves it and hands it to the psychic. "You hang on to it for now, my friend." Looking at The Theater card, he asks, "And who wants to hold our newest card? Of course, I do appreciate the theater ..." Billy marvels at the artwork on the card but regretfully continues, "... however, I already have two cards." If no one claims it, Billy would be very pleased to keep it.

The halfling looks around the Grand Hall. "Shall we spend the evening here to epitomize the card and attune to our new possessions?"

Billy is happy to head thru the next portal immediately. But since it probably doesn't matter if we take a day, may as well rest up and invest in any new cards.

Once they get back to Harrowheart Slick hands Baines his cloak and armor. "There you go, Baines. And make sure you get a mirror finish on that plate mail. I don't want to look shabby for the ladies."

When Billy suggests epitomizing the new card, Slick says, "An excellent idea." Snatching up The Theater card they just acquired he epitomizes it with a quick thought. He then glances out one of the windows at the surrounding village and notices the resplendent new theater that wasn't there but a moment earlier. "Looks like we have a new source of entertainment if nothing else. I suspect the plays will seem a bit familiar though, but I hear the main protagonist pretty much carries the rest of the cast." Slick smiles when he says this, but you get the feeling that he might not be entirely joking. He hands the card back to Billy. "You better hold onto this one too, Billy. Seems to be more up your alley."

While they wait for Baines to return with their equipment, Slick enjoys a hearty post-arson meal while he considers what portal to go through next. "I guess we could hit Arcadia next. Not sure I've ever been there before. Might be interesting."

One vote for The Big Sky.

When Slick epitomizes The Theater, Billy stares at the beautiful newly formed theater. "Oh, who wants to join me for opening night?"

According to Roll20, with The Theater epitomized, anyone who watches the performance of our daily exploits gains a +2 item bonus on a related Recall Knowledge check. Maybe not interesting now (if the portals are independent of each other) but probably later on ...

If no one else claims The Theater, Billy happily accepts the beautifully painted card from Slick. He then asks the group, "Are we spending the night or heading out soon?" When Slick suggests Arcadia, Billy shrugs, "Fine with me. I had my fun at the opera house." Billy looks to Nubnonk and Dramiil.

Sure ... another vote for The Big Sky.

Nubnonk is still feeling a little sore that the performance was interrupted, and he is wondering about the Firebrand that so carelessly endangered so many people in the name of "liberation." But he supposes that Chelaxian problems belong to Cheliax, so he retreats with little fuss after the group receives their just reward for a job well done. He didn't want to deal with devils again so soon anyway.

The goblin barely notices the soot stains, having sustained much worse in previous bouts, so he shrugs at the admonition.

But the prospect of a new theatre on their own new extraplanar backyard? "Nubnonk will join for opening night, yes!"

His limbs itching for more excitement, Nubnonk nods vigorously and turns to face The Big Sky portal. "No rest! More adventure!"

The group gathers together in front of the portal to Arcadia, a rather mysterious continent shrouded in rumour and speculation about which little is known in Avistan. Stepping through you find yourselves at the edge of a forest clearing. Old trees, thick with ivy, provide deep shadows. Beyond the clearing the land opens up to a rolling plain of waving grasses.

Hunkered down in the clearing, behind a tangle of fallen tress, are a group of humans and tengu. A large mount of bulging sacks sits behind them and several are anxiously glancing up into the sky.

At first they do not seem to notice you, but then a grey feathered tengu spots you and calls out an alarm. The group grab their weapons and ready to defend themselves but do not attack.

The grey tengu, who seems to be their leader, calls out something in Tengu before quickly switching to Taldane.

Identify yourselves, what is your business here! he barks.

OK, I am away the next two days and then we have the weekend. I will try and update as I am able but it will be limited.

When the group decides to enter the portal the same day, Billy returns The Vision card to his small deck. He explains to Dramiil, "Since I'm already attuned to it for today, probably best if I keep it for now. But it's yours tonight!"

Billy follows his friends into Arcadia. Upon seeing the group in the clearing, the affable bard calls out, "Hello there friends." He stows his lute and unfurls his cloak as he approaches non-threateningly. "We're humble adventurers. I'm Billy. You may have heard of me if you've ever been to the Grand Bazaar in Absalom." He looks around and frowns momentarily. "None of you? No problem! I always have my loot handy and can be convinced to perform anytime, anywhere."

He resists the urge to play, for once, and instead retrieves his jug and begins pouring mugs of honey mead for all. "Care to join me?" As a show of goodwill, Billy takes the first sip. He observes, "You look troubled. Are you expecting company from above? Can we be of assistance?"

Diplomacy (Make Impression) +Cloak +Jug: 1d20 + 23 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 23 + 2 + 2 = 40

Slick collects his armor and cloak from Baines and gives them a close examination. "Not bad, Baines. Not too bad." He rubs an invisible spot on his armor with a corner of the cloak just for form's sake before doning them both along with the rest of his equipment. "Okay. I'm ready. Let's head out."

When the tengu guard asks them about their business, Slick decides to let Billy and Nubnonk take care of the interaction, but he fingers the hilt of his greatsword, fully expecting that he would soon be putting it to use if their diplomatic overtures were to fail.

Nubnonk elbows Billy and whispers. "We on other side of world from Absalom, silly."

The goblin also grabs a cup from Billy's proffered jug and raises a cup while casting one of the actual spells he picked up during his training: comprehend languages. Hearing an unfamiliar tongue meant that it might be useful to understand. "Am Nubnonk Knowerofthings. We look for The Big Sky!"

Diplomacy, make an impression: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (18) + 27 = 45

Dramiil waves to the tengu. "I am Dramiil, companion of Nubnonk and Billy."

He surreptitiously observes them, trying to recall anything of tengu in Arcadia that he has read about.

Society: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (8) + 21 = 29

He raises his hands to show he isn't holding weapons (his usual state of affairs). "We mean you no harm whatsoever. We are simply searching for an artifact. Can you tell us the name of this place?"

Absalom! the lead Tengu sputters, but that's impossible! Nonsense, surely you are mistaken. How can that possibly be!

In the background Nubnonk hears the other talking excitedly about one the group. They seem in awe of your sudden appearance, clearly magical equipment and general confident bearing.

Dramiil recognises that this might be a nation called the Halana Theocracy, an oppressive regime ruled by the Windborne Theocrats and their demonic allies.

At Nubnonks mention of the Big Sky the tengu shrugs and points up. Thats the biggest sky there is and our enemies command it. With a sigh he sits on a bag and gestures for you to also be seated. Your words seem to have convinced him that you are not their enemies. With a gesture his soldiers relax although none of them put down their weapons.

I do not know who you are or why you are here and, truth be told, I dont really care. I have no time for talk of artifacts and what have you. I am Skawnak and this is my strike team. We must get these supplies across the open fields to the forest beyond without been seen by our enemies but I fear they are out there, waiting for just such a move.

At that point there is a cry of alarm as, from out of the trees to the north bursts a group of heavily armed tengu. Mivanians! shouts Skawnak as he and his people dive for cover.

Initiative
Dramiil : 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (20) + 19 = 39
Slick : 1d20 + 20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 20 + 2 = 33
Billy : 1d20 + 23 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 23 + 2 = 38
Nubnonk : 1d20 + 20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 20 + 2 = 29

The tengu you just met realise they are totally outclassed here and simply take cover in the vegetation hoping you will save them. The tree filled squares allow you to take cover but do not provide cover on their own. The hedge like section at the south is difficult terrain.

"We're facing a demonic theocracy, friends. Deal with them accordingly. Funnel them in."

Dramiil casts a Wall of Force in front of the fallen trees.

When Skawnak is confused about us being from Absalom, Billy takes a drink and starts to say, "Well, you see, there are these cards and some portals ..." But he's interrupted by the Mivanians and drops his mug.

The bard follows Dramiil's lead, and sings out:

♫"A wall has worked before.
Let's form a narrow path
Along the forest floor.
Let's kick their feathered ath!"♫

◆◆◆ Wall of Force

A pair of magical, invisible walls spring into being. Skawnak stares at Billy and Dramiil, Well, aren't you going to DO something? he shouts.

Meanwhile, one of the soldiers takes aim at Slick. He levels an odd looking tube at him and then fires a volley of spikes which smash into the wall, sending bits of spike everywhere. What the hell! Nubnonk hears him shout in Tengu.

Volley fire

Did Slick manage to get off a Battle Cry during initiative? If so, he'll target the leader.

Slick turns to face the Minvanian assault. He spots the four tengu soldiers and their tengu leader before the walls of force appear and create a choke point. He makes a derisive sound with his mouth. "Pfft! These aren't demons, they're just tengus. Doesn't look like this should take long."

He prepares himself for the arrival of their enemy. First he says, "defend," and the space around him shimmers for a moment.

Action 1 (◆): Cast a Spell: Shield [L6] - AC 34 (Hardness 15)

Then, seeing the ten foot wide gap between the walls, he decides to finish the job by incorporating himself in the fortification. He says, "time to put on my big boy pants," and with a stomp of his foot, he grows Large and positions himself to fill the gap.

Action 2 & 3 (◆◆): Cast a Spell: Enlarge on Slick

Slick grows to 10'x10' with a 10' Reach and +2 to damage, all at the cost of being clumsy 1. He fills in the squares to the N, NE and E of his current location to plug in the hole. Don't know how to go about enlarging his token to that size. Is that something we can even do, or is it up to the GM?

You cannot change your token size, I have to do it. No-one was in range of battle cry when initiative was rolled so I didnt roll a check for anyone.

Slick grows to a prodigious size and surrounds himself in a shimmering aura of magic. Behind you the tengu warriors give a round of ooh's and aah's. Skawnak shouts at Dramiil and Billy, See, that's the sort of thing we need! as he gestures at Slick.

"No worry, feathered friends. We good protect!" Nubnonk shouts as he draws his trusty boomerang out, grabs his favorite stone from a pocket (the better to kill two birds with), and hurls the weapon at the enemy Captain.

◆ Draw Weapon
◆ Exploit Vulnerability Esoteric Lore, Captain: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (15) + 23 = 38 vs Standard DC for the creature's level
◆ +2 Striking Returning Boomerang Ranged Strike vs Captain: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (2) + 22 = 24
Bludgeoning Dmg, Inspiring Aura, Personal Antithesis: 2d6 + 6 + 3 + 7 ⇒ (6, 3) + 6 + 3 + 7 = 25

Nah, I wanna hit. Let's use that hero point!

HP Reroll Strike: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (15) + 22 = 37

Active Effects: Inspiring Aura (15-foot emanation centered on Nubnonk) [emotion, mental, visual]

Nubnonk clearly realises that these attackers are Tengu. However, he has heard stories of the elite Tengu commanders which suggests that can take reactive shots with their missile weapons against those who move around them or make ranged attacks against them. They also have powerful beaks which can blind a opponent they critically hit.

Nubnonks boomerang describes a delicate arc through the trees, clatters off the captains armour and then flies back!

The captain takes 25 damage. Noted on the initiative.

Raksus, the Tengu captain, levels his strange tube like object at Slick and unleashes a torrent of spikes all around him, hitting everyone! His soldiers follow suit but some of the spikes smash into the second invisible wall.

This is a 3 action ability which Strikes all enemies in a 10' burst. It hits everyone and Raksus is in a position where the wall does not impede him. Orange and Blue do the same. Red also unleashes the burst but his attack hits the wall. Slick takes 17 damage, Billy takes 23, Dramiil takes 22 and Nubnonk takes 21. You are all taking a -5 status penalty to speed as a result of being spiked. You or an adjacent creature can spend an action to remove the penalty.

Dramiil snarls in anger. "You'll pay for that, you gobermouching spike-monger," he says rather zestily.

Intimidation: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33

Attempting to demoralize the captain.

A swirl of psychic debris sparkles around him as he unleashes his psyche, and his Blood Vendetta activates, causing the tengu captain to bleed from multiple karmic spots, mirroring Dram's own blood loss.

Blood Vendetta, Unleashed Psyche, Inspiring Aura: 2d6 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 4) + 4 + 3 = 13
DC 31 Will save.

He then unleashes a Phantasmal Calamity on the captain and all of the soldiers.

Phantasmal Calamity, Unleashed Psyche, Inspiring Aura: 11d6 + 12 + 3 ⇒ (4, 4, 5, 2, 2, 2, 1, 2, 1, 3, 5) + 12 + 3 = 46
DC 31 will save again.

Demoralize: 1 action. Unleash Psyche: free action. Blood Vendetta: re-action :D Phantasmal Calamity: 2 actions.

Billy hears the catcalls from the peanut gallery. He won't admit it, but he's heard worse at past performances. He tries to explain, "My new friends. I can tell you are a discerning audience. Do you not see the invisible walls of protection?" He considers, "Perhaps not. Trust me ... they're very impressive. Like myself!" The bard turns back to the battlefield and sings,

♫"A musical, fierce battle cry!
Of birds and a very big sky.
.....Our fun never ends.
.....Let us show our new friends.
We'll fight and try hard not to die."♫

Performance (Lingering Composition) +Virt Perf, DC 30: 1d20 + 23 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 23 + 2 = 37
Success: Inspire Courage lasts 3 rounds. (Cost: 1 focus point).

Billy then reaches down and removes the spikes slowing both him and Slick down. He grins at his friend, "You're now free to move about the forest. Go get 'em."

◆ Inspire Courage, ◆◆ Interact (remove spikes) x2

Dramiil, Blood Vendetta is a reaction you use on the enemy turn so wouldn't benefit from Unleash. It also has a 30' range so you cannot use it on the Captain. Demoralise also only has a 30' range. I assume you Unleash and cast Phantasmal Calamity. It is a 30' burst which means you can hit the Captain and three soldiers. They are too spread out to hit all four of them. I assume you will leave out Red. Nubnonks damage bonus wont stack with Unleash, they are both status. You have one action left as you cannot Demoralise anyone, they are all out of range.

As Dramiil unleashes a host of terrifying visions the Tengu all shudder. The Captain seems least affected but Blue starts thrashing around, trapped in some nightmare of his own making.

The captain takes 21 damage, Green and Orange take 43, Blue takes 86 and is stunned 1 for a minute or until he recovers.

Meanwhile Billy inspires his companions and removes some spikes.

Green reloads his strange tube like weapon and fires at Slick. the strange missile unerringly strikes him, impaling Slick in his thigh. The Tengu then reloads his weapon.

Slick takes 17 damage

Slick can't help but be impressed by the barrage of spikes that the tengu weapons unleashed against them. His awe is only slightly diminished by the paltry results of that maelstrom of metal. Almost every spike manages to miss him entirely; only one extremely lucky missile moves unerringly at his head. With a flick of thought, he activates his magical shield to absorb it...

Reaction (↺): Shield Block

...but the much depleted spike still manages to limp through and nick his ear.

17 hp reduced by the 15 hardness of the Shield means that only 2 hp get through. Now at 186/188.

When one of the tengu soldiers gets lucky with another spike, Slick frowns. "These overgrown birds aren't being very friendly. Perhaps I should go teach them a lesson in manners."

Takes 17hp of damage from the spike. Now at 169/188.

He strides forward to get the leader within reach and slashes at him twice before slamming his shoulder into his chest.

Action 1 (◆): Stride (45 feet)

Action 2 (◆): Strike (+2 Greater Striking Grievous Greatsword) with Enlarge and Inspire Courage vs Captain.

Greatsword Attack: 1d20 + 23 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 23 + 2 + 1 = 44
Greatsword Damage: 3d12 + 8 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (6, 7, 4) + 8 + 1 + 2 = 28 slashing damage

I'll assume that's a crit and the captain is now flat-footed.

Action 3 (◆): Brutish Shove with Powerful Shove and Flinging Shove
- Action: Strike (+2 Greater Striking Grievous Greatsword) with Enlarge, MAP1 and Inspire Courage vs Flat-Footed Captain.
- Action: Shove with Powerful Shove and Flinging Shove vs Captain

Greatsword Attack: 1d20 + 23 + 2 + 1 - 5 ⇒ (11) + 23 + 2 + 1 - 5 = 32 vs Flat-Footed
Greatsword Damage: 3d12 + 8 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (12, 9, 6) + 8 + 1 + 2 = 38 slashing damage

The Shove uses the same success criteria as the Strike. Slick will probably follow the captain to keep them and as many of his henchmen as possible 10' from him. When you move the Captain's token I'll figure out where to place Slick.

Is there a tree nearby that Slick can shove the Captain up against...?

Maaan! That's brutal. Sometimes I think that Slick is the angel of death.

Reaction (↺): Attack of Opportunity

Nubnonk limps ahead after being hit with a spike, catching his boomerang and shouting to Slick. "Good hits! Keep hit!"

Nubnonk rubs his lucky stone once more, putting it in an indentation on the staff of rulership he holds in his left hand. Runes carved into the boomerang glow as the disparate objects resonate with rebellious energy. The boomerang flies once more at the Captain.

◆ Stride 15 ft
◆ Intensify Vulnerability (Regalia) [Slick vs Captain]

Your regalia implement makes you seem more confident and inspiring with each success. Whenever you successfully Strike the target of your Exploit Vulnerability, choose an ally that you can see. That ally gains a +1 circumstance bonus to its attack rolls against the creature until the beginning of your next turn. If the attack roll was a critical hit, the circumstance bonus increases to +2.

◆ +2 Striking Returning Boomerang Ranged Strike vs Captain, IC: 1d20 + 22 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 22 + 1 = 39
Bludgeoning Dmg, Inspiring Aura, Personal Antithesis: 2d6 + 6 + 3 + 7 ⇒ (4, 6) + 6 + 3 + 7 = 26

Slicks magical shield takes some of the blow from the first strike and promptly explodes in a glittering shower of blue light. He then crashes into the captain, wounding him savagely.

Damage amended. Thats a crit for 56 followed by a hit for 38 and 5 extra damage from the shove as there is totally a tree you can shove him in to.

Nubnonk slides in after Slick and sends his boomerang flying. The Captain, entirely distracted by the monstrous Slick totally fails to see if coming and it crashes into the back of his knees. He crumples to the ground and doesn't look like he will ever get back up!

Thats a crit for 54

The soldier closest to Slick staggers forward into his reach and snaps at him with his vicious looking beak, tearing a chunk from his body. He continues to shake his head, afflicted by demons of his own making!

Slick takes 23 damage

The two more distant soldiers reload their strange weapons, fire at Slick and then reload again! One manages to spike him in the leg!

Slick takes another 22 damage

Billy never ceases to be amazed at Slick's combat efficiency. He turns to Skawnak behind him and grins, "See that? I've been working with him. He's coming along nicely."
just for flavor...
Deception: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (11) + 19 = 30

Billy considers using a nice, bright, chromatic ray to show off to Skawnak. Alas, he can't direct it through the wall. Instead, the bard cleverly elects to send a bunch of invisible magic missiles. He sings,

♫"Bright colors would impress
Our tengu judge, of course!
But not thru walls, I guess.
Send unseen bolts of force!"♫

Billy sends nine magic missiles at a nearby enemy.

If Blue is still up after Slick's AoO, Billy targets Blue. Otherwise, Green. (MM should have enough range, 120', to go up and over the wall.)
Magic Missile (5th) + Dangerous Sorcery vs Blue (if up) or Green: 9d4 + 9 + 5 ⇒ (2, 2, 4, 1, 2, 2, 4, 3, 1) + 9 + 5 = 35

◆◆◆ Magic Missile

Blue didn't provoke, he stepped and made a melee attack

Billy's missiles slam into Blue over and over. but somehow he remains standing!