Henrika looks around in consternation, then steps closer to the remaining deva and fixes it with her hypnotic stare. She feints low with her longsword, then cuts sideways.
If she hits, she will attempt a surprise strike.
Jack tries to move further around the outsider, and then tries to tangle it up with the lavish furniture, grabbing the edge of a curtain and swinging it.
Mirror image (1 is Jack): 1d3 ⇒ 3
Round 2
Tychus turns and shoots the pairaka right through the eye as she appears on the lower level. She shrieks. ”My eye! My beauty! You’ve mutilated me!”
With Jack’s blood-spatters shirt drawing the pairaka’s attention, Henrika feints past her defenses and slashes twice. ”Impossible!” Batu shouts in disbelief as she dies.
With the upstairs div vanquished, Jack rips a curtain off the bed and rushes back down the stairs. The second div claws at Jack, destroying his remaining mirror image then Jack throws the curtain over the div’s head but she shreds it with rage.
Trevor moves to the top of the stairs and throws a holy javelin at the pairaka. The javelin hits the pairaka then vanishes harmlessly.
The spiritual ally flies over everyone’s heads and strikes at the pairaka from the air. Somehow, even badly injured, the pairaka dodges the attacks.
Round 3
”I must warn Soraya.” Meregan begins to open another dimension door but the spell fails before she can step through. ”No!” With her magical escape fumbled, she tries a more mundane method and turns to run. Jack slashes her as she turns and the pairaka fails dead before gets two steps.
Combat over.
The silks and furs on the beds here are worth 800 gp in all, but weigh a total of 120 pounds. You find no other treasure in the central tower.
Status
Henrika (79/75 hp)
Icabhod (61/61 hp)
Trevor (44/63 hp)
Tychus (65/65 hp)
Xallis (67/67 hp)
Navia (38/39 hp)
Falchion Jack (58/58 hp)
Malphene (38/50 hp)
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲False Life (17 hp, 8 hr), ▲Barkskin (+3, 70 min), ▲Heightened Awareness (70 min), ▲Message (70 min), ▲See Invisibility (70 min), ▲Remove Fear (70 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (3 min)
Icabhod: ▲Barkskin (+3, 70 min), ▲Heroism (70 min), ▲Shield (8 min), ▲ Displacement (5 rd)
Trevor: None
Tychus: None
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (1 hr)
Navia: ▲Mage Armor (1 hr)
Jack: ▲Remove Fear (70 min), ▲Protection from Evil (7 rd)
Malphene: ▲Remove Fear (70 min)
Henrika refreshes the Mesmeric Mirror trick on Jack before they proceed. She also casts Hermean potential and mirror image on herself.
The door to the lower east tower is also unlocked.
A few steep steps lead down into the room. Several elaborate rugs of Keleshite design adorn the floors here, with additional rugs hanging from pegs driven into the brick walls. A stone staircase ascends to the northeast.
With no enemies on the lower level, you move towards the staircase. As you do so, you set off a trap! A rug at the bottom of the stairs, decorated with hundreds of tiny, stylized wasps activates and thousands of wasps immediately appear from the rug and fill the room with buzzing, stinging insects.
Henrika
Icabhod
Trevor
Tychus
Xallis
Navia
Jack
Malphene
You’re not sure if the pairaka was aware of your presence before but she certainly is now.
At the far end of the room is another pairaka. She is thin but well muscled, with deep blue skin. Flanking her are two floating disembodied and bestial heads covered in lashing hair and curling horns. And blocking the top of the stairs is a sallow, older man with haunted eyes and untidy gray hair. Bearing a familial resemblance to Erdmond Navin, this must be his father, Rhundil Navin. The man holds a dagger unsteadily in his hand and speaks weakly. ”I m-must defend my mistress. You c-cannot pass.”
Round 1
Initiative
23 – Henrika (75/75 hp)
20 – Falchion Jack (52/58 hp)
17 – Trevor (38/63 hp)
15 – Tychus (59/65 hp)
13 – Soraya
12 – Icabhod (51/61 hp)
10 – Malphene (29/50 hp)
05 – Xallis (63/67 hp)
05 – Navia (33/39 hp) (Poisoned 3 rd)
04 - Rhundil
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲Barkskin (+3, 70 min), ▲Heightened Awareness (70 min), ▲Message (70 min), ▲See Invisibility (70 min), ▲Remove Fear (70 min) ▲Hermean Potential (1 rolls, 8 min), ▲Mirror Image (5 images, 8 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (3 min)
Icabhod: ▲Barkskin (+3, 70 min), ▲Heroism (70 min), ▲Shield (8 min), ▲ Displacement (4 rd)
Trevor: ▲Spiritual Ally (5 rd)
Tychus: None
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (1 hr)
Navia: ▲Mage Armor (1 hr), ▼1 Dex Damage
Jack: ▲Remove Fear (70 min), ▲Protection from Evil (6 rd)
Malphene: ▲Remove Fear (70 min)
Henrika, Jack, Trevor, and Tychus start.
Doru Div Lore
•This is a doru.
•A doru’s type is outsider (div, evil, extraplanar).
•Dorus are the divs that whisper in the night, the foul inspiration that drifts upon fetid winds, the messengers of pretender gods. Wild hair whips around a doru’s six twisting horns, while a flat nose, a fanged mouth, and red glowing eyes complete the terrifying image of this bodiless monstrosity. Dorus almost always fly, preferring to stay at heights that keep them at the eye level of those with whom they would have dealings. When not flying, dorus roll across the ground in a disturbing manner, horns bouncing and teeth clattering as the creatures cackle and cartwheel, terrifying children and shocking the faint of heart.
The least of the divs, dorus serve as messengers and servants of other divs and sometimes mortal spellcasters. While not strong combatants, dorus prefer to sow ruin in more subtle ways. They enjoy tainting mortals with exaggerated news and outright lies, trying to turn impressionable beings to waste and wickedness. Even if a doru fails to fully corrupt an intelligent being itself, it attempts to weaken the target’s will, making the victim more pliable to future corruption and ruin.
All divs have some manner of esoteric flaw in their personalities—dorus are obsessed with secrets. These covetous fiends hoard secrets and legends like a miser hoards gold. This thirst for information causes the curious dorus to enter into ridiculous bargains to obtain hidden knowledge from those they believe hold tales of special interest or value, especially when such information has the potential to aid in the corruption of future souls.
•A doru is immune to fire and poison.
•A doru is resistant to acid and electricity.
•A doru is is vulnerable to cold iron or good-aligned weapons.
•A doru’s bite inflicts poison.
•A doru has spell resistance.
•Its spell-like abilities include: detect good, detect magic, invisibility, charm person, minor image, suggestion, and commune.
•Doru’s speak Abyssal, Celestial, and Infernal. They can communicate telepathically.
Div Traits
•Immunity to fire and poison.
•Resistance to acid and electricity.
•Telepathy.
•Divs speak Abyssal, Celestial, and Infernal.
Wasp Poison Information
Henrika gazes hypnotically at the old man and draws her wand of color spray. She points it at him and casts the spell.
Or
Round 1
Trevor rushes out of the room to get away from the swarms. The cleric casts cure moderate wounds on himself.
Round 1
Rhundil resists the color spray but he can’t resist the strength of a half-orc wrenching the dagger out of his hand.
Tychus gets out of the swarm and sweeps Rhundil's feet out from under him and he falls prone on the stairs.
Soraya looks at the old man in disgust. ”Useless old fool.” Then seeing Jack in his red-stained tunic, leaps over the couch and claws at him with rage.
The first doru flies at Jack to bite him. Jack smacks the floating head with his sword but the enemy is unharmed. Then before the doru can bite Jack, it is stopped by an invisible barrier. It gnashes at Jack, about a foot from his face, but can’t get any closer.
The second doru flies over the railing of the stairs and bites at Tychus, however Tychus easier dodges.
Round 1
Initiative
23 – Henrika (75/75 hp)
20 – Falchion Jack (42/58 hp)
17 – Trevor (53/63 hp)
15 – Tychus (59/65 hp)
13 – Soraya
13 – Doru (Red)
13 – Doru (Blue)
12 – Icabhod (51/61 hp)
10 – Malphene (29/50 hp)
05 – Xallis (63/67 hp)
05 – Navia (33/39 hp) (Poisoned 3 rd)
04 – Rhundil (Disarmed, Prone)
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲Barkskin (+3, 70 min), ▲Heightened Awareness (70 min), ▲Message (70 min), ▲See Invisibility (70 min), ▲Remove Fear (70 min) ▲Hermean Potential (1 rolls, 8 min), ▲Mirror Image (5 images, 8 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (3 min)
Icabhod: ▲Barkskin (+3, 70 min), ▲Heroism (70 min), ▲Shield (8 min), ▲ Displacement (4 rd)
Trevor: ▲Spiritual Ally (5 rd)
Tychus: None
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (1 hr)
Navia: ▲Mage Armor (1 hr), ▼1 Dex Damage
Jack: ▲Remove Fear (70 min), ▲Mesmeric Mirror (1 image, 8 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (3 min), ▲Protection from Evil (5 rd)
Malphene: ▲Remove Fear (70 min)
Rhundil: ▼Hypnotic Stare (-3 Will)
Standing up is a move-equivalent action that provokes an attack of opportunity.
Icabhod, Malphene, and Xallis go.
Icabhod moves into a spot where the swarm is not
Xallis curses under his breath as he moves to a corner and attempts to use a wand to clear out the swarms. With the stairway as crowded as it is, he worries that he may have to spend a little more time downstairs.
Seeking to join the battle, Navia climbs along the wall and makes her way upstairs, swiping at one of the enemies along the way.
Round 1
The lore warden takes command.
"Darling! UP THE STAIRS!"
Malphene roars defiantly as she runs through the swarms, past the companions on the stairs to the top of the stairs.
Round 1
Icabhod runs up the stairs and past all the enemies, drawing their attacks and making it safe for Malphene to follow.
Lightbolt Reflex Saves DC 13
Xallis shoots a lightning bolt through the swarms. The swarms thin but don’t vanish.
Navia swipes at a doru but it is nimble and dodges out of the way.
Rhundil, still charmed, grabs for his knife and stands back up.
Round 2
Initiative
23 – Henrika (75/75 hp)
20 – Falchion Jack (42/58 hp)
17 – Trevor (53/63 hp)
15 – Tychus (59/65 hp)
13 – Soraya
13 – Doru (Red)
13 – Doru (Blue)
12 – Icabhod (51/61 hp)
10 – Malphene (29/50 hp)
05 – Xallis (63/67 hp)
05 – Navia (33/39 hp)
04 – Rhundil
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲Barkskin (+3, 70 min), ▲Heightened Awareness (70 min), ▲Message (70 min), ▲See Invisibility (70 min), ▲Remove Fear (70 min) ▲Hermean Potential (1 rolls, 8 min), ▲Mirror Image (5 images, 8 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (3 min)
Icabhod: ▲Barkskin (+3, 70 min), ▲Heroism (70 min), ▲Shield (8 min), ▲ Displacement (3 rd)
Trevor: ▲Spiritual Ally (5 rd)
Tychus: None
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (1 hr)
Navia: ▲Mage Armor (1 hr), ▼1 Dex Damage
Jack: ▲Remove Fear (70 min), ▲Mesmeric Mirror (1 image, 8 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (3 min), ▲Protection from Evil (5 rd)
Malphene: ▲Remove Fear (70 min)
Rhundil: ▼Hypnotic Stare (-3 Will)
Henrika, Jack, Trevor, and Tychus are next.
Round 2
Tychus deftly fends off the snarling head. Seeing an opening, Tychus tries to bolt further up the stairs, but Rhundil suddenly gets up to bar his path. With a boost of adrenaline, Tychus attempts to jump over him.
Tychus spots a safe corner in the room. He runs, swivels on the spot and takes a loosely aimed shot at the pairaka.
Round 2
The lore warden takes command.
"Darling! UP THE STAIRS!"
"You! Follow me!" Trevor commands the spiritual ally to follow him as he runs blindly up the stairs.
Henrika takes the opening, but swings with the flat of her blade.
Following Henrika’s lead, Jack also takes the opportunity to slice at their opponent.
Round 2
Henrika smacks Rhundil with the flat of her blade and the old man falls unconscious, out of the fight.
With Rhundil down, Tychus makes it into the corner and pelts Soraya with a bolt. The bolt injures her but only minorly, so her focus remains on Jack.
Round 2
Initiative
23 – Henrika (75/75 hp)
20 – Falchion Jack (42/58 hp)
17 – Trevor (53/63 hp)
15 – Tychus(59/65 hp)
13 – Soraya (5 damage)
13 – Doru (Red)
13 – Doru (Blue)
12 – Icabhod (51/61 hp)
10 – Malphene (29/50 hp)
05 – Xallis (63/67 hp)
05 –Navia (33/39 hp)
04 – Rhundil (33 non-lethal) (Unconscious)
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲Barkskin (+3, 70 min), ▲Heightened Awareness (70 min), ▲Message (70 min), ▲See Invisibility (70 min), ▲Remove Fear (70 min) ▲Hermean Potential (1 rolls, 8 min), ▲Mirror Image (5 images, 8 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (3 min)
Icabhod: ▲Barkskin (+3, 70 min), ▲Heroism (70 min), ▲Shield (8 min), ▲ Displacement (3 rd)
Trevor: ▲Spiritual Ally (4 rd)
Tychus: None
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (1 hr)
Navia: ▲Mage Armor (1 hr), ▼1 Dex Damage
Jack: ▲Remove Fear (70 min), ▲Mesmeric Mirror (1 image, 8 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (3 min), ▲Protection from Evil (5 rd)
Malphene: ▲Remove Fear (70 min)
Rhundil: ▼Hypnotic Stare (-3 Will)
I’ll give Henrika and Jack a little time to take their turn since they were waiting for me. Either way, I’ll post again this afternoon to keep moving.
Henrika moves forward to attack the pairaka, ignoring the tiny dorus for now. She transfers her hypnotic stare to Soraya and swings with her enchanted sword.
Jack attacks the pairaka.
Crits
Round 2
Henrika hits the pairaka with one powerful strike.
Jack then also hits the pairaka two more times. The pairaka staggers and looks badly wounded after the assault.
Soraya directs the summoned dorus to attack Henrika and Navia. Henrika bats the doru attacking her away so it can’t bite her. Navia swipes at the doru moving towards her. She hits it but no enough to deflect its trajectory. It bites Navia’s arm and she feels venom entering her veins but fortunately her body resists.
Then Soraya takes a step away from Henrika and Jack and casts a spell. ”F!!@ this. I’m out of here. Send Merkondus my regards. Don’t bother coming after me. I’m leaving Yanmass for good.” Malphene and Icahbod swing swords at her but are unable to stop her. A dimension door opens and she vanishes somewhere outside the building. With no windows, you can’t tell where she ended up. Regardless, she’ll be long gone before you can exit the building to search for her.
Without their master, the summoned dorus pose very little threat. You easily dispatch them without suffering any further harm.
Combat over.
"Well done, everyone", Trevor breathed. Standing up straight, the cleric holds aloft his holy symbol and begins to channel energy blasts.
"Let us make damn sure this butchery is clean of outsiders, so we can safely take our injured Abadaran friend downstairs back to get proper treatment."
You search the upstairs room. The furniture in this room isn’t particularly valuable, but there are eight gold medallions sewn onto the divan’s upholstery. Icabhod appraises them as worth 400 gold in total.
On the desk, there is a stack of books. The books on the desk are shockingly explicit erotic novels, but the papers mixed in with them are far more interesting: correspondence from Earl Yander Merkondus to unnamed recipients, in which he identifies himself as the “Gray Kingmaker” several times. The correspondence doesn’t include anything incriminating but it’s damning in connection with the materials in Jaliessa’s chambers at Tallgrasses. The combined documents implicate him as the man behind both schemes: the plague of nightmares and the cavalry’s defection. You have enough evidence now to accuse Earl Merkondus of these crimes and have him arrested.
Searching the lower level, you determine that the rugs in this room are colorful but not particularly valuable; many bear bloodstains and the pervasive odor of rotten meat, and so cannot be sold for any significant value. However, you find a hidden trap door underneath one of the rugs. The crawl space below contains an elegant silver vase adorned with images of foxes worth 120 gp, a chalcedony beetle worth 150 gp, a gold drinking stein set with emeralds worth 1,450 gp, and 34 pp.
Since Soraya escaped alive, Rhundle is still charmed. But you use a dispel magic to remove the effect before reviving him.
When revived, Rhundil falls to his knees and pleads. ”I am so sorry. I was not in my right mind. I meant you no harm. Please forgive me. I am a member of the Mercantile Council. All I want is to be reunited with my son and to get out of this place. My son, Erdmond, tried to escape. I don’t know if he did. Have you seen him?”
”You have my gratitude. Please, take my magical gear. It is the least I can do. I insist. And I will see to it that the Council is made aware of your deeds as well.”
Rhundle gives you a +1 silver dagger, bracers of armor +2, a cloak of resistance +2, and a periapt of health.
He says, ”I suspect the pairaka wasn’t aware of my periapt’s properties. She spent many hours tried to inflict me with disease to no avail. Yet it seemed she enjoyed tormenting me with her touch all the same."
When reunited with his son, the two embrace and weep with joy.
"Let us make damn sure this butchery is clean of outsiders, so we can safely take our injured Abadaran friend downstairs back to get proper treatment."
The butchery is clear.
The caydenite carefully moves the injured abadaran banker from downstairs out and into transportation to minimize any cross-exposure to The Shakes.
Tychus gives Rhundil an affirmative grunt.
"We found your son downstairs, alive. Abadar is watching over him while we clear the towers. We can lead you to him."
"I need my holy symbol back anyways."
I suspect you’ll want to go to the Council from here. But if you have another idea, that’s fine too.
With the battle over, Xallis visibly relaxes. Navia looks around the room, trying fruitlessly to tell which direction Soraya escaped. With no lead, she gives up the chase.
Xallis is quick to comfort Rhundil. "It's clear that you were under magical compulsion, and the actions you took were not your own. We understand, and we're happy that we were able to save you."
Navia frowns at the mention of disease. "I've had enough things digging around in my body already."
You make sure the Navins get out safely. Then you decide that you aren’t in any condition to address the Mercantile Council at the moment. Many of you are covered in blood or slime or who knows what else. So you return to your inn to rest, bathe and get clean clothes and will go to the council tomorrow.
Lamashan 5, 4718 (Fireday) (Yanmass, Taldor)
With the pairakas dealt with you can finally sleep soundly without worrying about horrible nightmares during the night. Four of you contracted diseases from the pairakas. Trevor can memorize four castings of remove disease in the morning to try to remove the disease before anyone suffers any harmful effects from it.
Trevor’s Caster Level Checks DC 17
Trevor succeeds at removing the disease from Xallis, Navia, and Malphene, but Jack’s disease persists. Since Jack is still infected he takes an antiplague to help resist the disease on his own. Trevor can help treat disease to give Jack a bonus to the save as well or Trevor can try another remove disease at that time too.
Jack resists the effects of the disease for now, but this particular disease, bubonic plague, requires two consecutive saves to be fully cured. He’ll have to make another save the next day.
While you are finishing getting ready, Sir Meir Dratavis, knocks on your door. He says, ”I just received word that Rhundil Navin spoke with the Council ahead of you and that a public event has been set up in the square outside Commerce Hall to congratulate you. Make sure you wear something nice.”
When you arrive, you find that a stage is set up and the council members stand upon it with a crowd of Yanmass citizens gathered in the square to observe the event. You also spot someone new amongst the council members, an elderly man who seems haggard but regal. Sir Dravatis who accompanies you says, ”That’s Baron Kustios. This is his first appearance in weeks since becoming ill from the pairaka’s nightmares.”
The Council makes a show of calling you up to the stage and announcing that you’ve ended the plague of nightmares by rooting out their source and eliminating the pairaka threat. The crowd cheers wildly at the announcement. Then Baron Kustious personally thanks each one of you and presents each of you with a signet ring bearing his personal seal. No mere trinkets of favor, these rings are rings of protection +2. Near the end of the event, the councilmember, Rhundle Navin, thanks you for rescuing him in front of the entire Mercantile Council. Then he privately whispers that he will endeavor to ignite Loyalist sympathies on the Mercantile Council on your behalf.
You spot Earl Merkondus among the crowd, looking none too pleased. Now is your opportunity to accuse him of being the mastermind behind these events.
Xallis savors this victory, taking in the appreciation from the crowd as well as his equals. "Thank you, thank you. We set out to solve the curse of these wretched nightmares, and we have driven the foul fiends out of the dreams of the people!"
He raises a fist triumphantly, pausing for one more cheer. When it dies down, he continues. "But the work is not done. The wretched pairakas that assaulted your minds were no random attack. Indeed, they were employed by a benefactor. One who wanted to cause as much chaos as possible with this, as well as other plots to destabalize the city. And this manipulator, this 'Gray Kingmaker,' stands before you now!"
Xallis points a finger, and his gaze soon follows. "Earl Merkondus! We have found doccuments that implicate you in these heinous crimes!"
The summoner offers a sympathetic glance towards the baron. "My appologies for the theatrics, Baron Kustious, but if we said anything sooner he might have attempted a desperate escape or underhanded attack. I humbly request that you order this man's arrest."
"In deference to the Earl, he nearly would have got away from any repercussions. If you will allow us to provide evidence, I feel you all will come to the same conclusion", Trevor stated eloquently.
diplomacy: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (1) + 19 = 20
hero point: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (1) + 19 = 20
Baron Kustious looks over the documents and looks aghast. ”To think that an envoy under our hospitality would have the gall to use such underhanded and criminal tactics.” He points at Earl Merkondus and shouts. ”Arrest that man!”
”And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for these meddling adventurers. But you won’t catch me so easily!” replies Earl Merkondus. And with a puff of gray smoke, the Earl vanishes.
Lord Rudig Autun says, ”He couldn’t have gotten far. Go after him.” Lord Autun practically shoves you off the stage. ”He’s not going to leave town without his belongings. He must be returning to his inn.”
To Chase Earl Merkondus, you need to complete three steps.
1: Learn Yander’s Destination
Because you had agents watching him, you know he is staying at an upscale inn called the Gilden Baldachin. You don’t need to make any checks for this.
2: Race Through Yanmass
Because of the ceremony, the streets between the Commerce Hall and the inn are very crowded. The PCs must each succeed at a DC 14 Escape Artist check or DC 19 Acrobatics or combat maneuver check to move through the crowds. Because you saved the Chief Enumerator Palliettor from the assassins, acolytes of Abadar among the crowds recognize you and assist by parting portions of the crowd, reducing the DCs. (The DCs above are the reduced DCs).
If all the PCs fail, that counts as a failure in catching Yander. If at least one PC succeeds, the PCs who failed simply arrive at the confrontation with Yander 1 round after its start.
3: Enter the Gilded Baldachin
Although the Gilded Baldachin eschews conventional guards and bouncers as too pedestrian, its owners pay for discreet security services to intercept the “wrong sort” of potential patrons before they even get to the door, and this includes you.
You must succeed at a DC 15 Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate check encourages the security to stand aside instead of delaying you. Certain allies you have made in Yanmass have spread word of you to these lookouts, easing your passage.
Sparing Argentus’ life at Savories, befriended Lietenant Gallidnra Jonrek on Hedge Hill, and rescuing Erdmond Navin from Sanguine Brothers each lowered the DCs by 5 for a total of 15 less. (The DCs above are the reduced DCs).
Only one PC needs to succeed on step 3 and you can retry this check (or have other PCs try), but each failed check counts as a failure in catching Yander.
If you accumulate 3 or more failures, Yander escapes.
If you succeed at Entering the Gilded Baldachin, I’ll move you to a confrontation with Earl Merkondus.
Race Through Yanmass
The caydenite and the lore warden try to wriggle and dodge the busy streets of Yanmass.
Xallis looks out on the streets, shaking his head. "And now he's just going to embarass himself."
He looks around at his team, extending a hand. "I've got enough magic for three jumps, and enough room for two extra passengers. Anyone intetested?"
I wonder who will be underneath the mask we pull off, perhaps Old Man Henderson
Icabhod flies down the streets, practically running on the tops of people's heads to take the lead.
Icabhod argues with the doorman that he must be let through.
Xallis looks out on the streets, shaking his head. "And now he's just going to embarass himself."
He looks around at his team, extending a hand. "I've got enough magic for three jumps, and enough room for two extra passengers. Anyone intetested?"
Tychus gladly reaches a hand out towards Xallis.
"Might as well hedge our bets."
"You know who we are." he says, voice calm but firm. "You’ve heard the stories. You’ve heard what happens when people cross us."
He doesn’t raise his voice. Doesn’t make a show of it. Just lets the silence do the work.
Then he steps forward again—slow and steady, like it never crossed his mind they’d stop him. And really, it shouldn’t.
Once she and Jack arrive at the inn, she addresses the staff in a breathless tone. “Oh thank goodness we are not too late,” she says with a grateful hand on a shoulder. ”I have an urgent message for Earl Merkondus from the Council. Is he still here? I understand he will be leaving momentarily and it would be regrettable if we missed him!”
You all make it through the crowd without any trouble. At the entrance to the Gilded Baldachin, Icabhod gets into an arguing match with the doorman but then Henrika manages to smooth things over and earn the group access. The guard informs you that the Earl is in the penthouse at the top floor.
You rush upstairs and kick down the door. Inside, three burly female bodyguards watch over Earl Merkondus as he hastily stuffs documents into his bag. When he sees you enter, he turns and screams, ”You just don’t know when to give up! I won’t let you capture me quietly. I’ll kill you if I have to!”
Round 1
Initiative
32 – Tychus (65/65 hp)
20 – Earl Merkondus
20 – Malphene (50/50 hp)
19 – Trevor (63/63 hp)
19 – Falchion Jack (58/58 hp)
18 – Brawny Bodyguard (Red)
18 – Brawny Bodyguard (Yellow)
18 – Brawny Bodyguard (Blue)
13 – Icabhod (61/61 hp)
11 – Henrika (75/75 hp)
02 – Xallis (67/67 hp)
02 – Navia (39/39 hp)
Tychus starts.
Round 1
Ranged Steal Re-Roll: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (2) + 19 = 21
Tychus shoots the bag out of Yander’s hand and papers go flying in every direction. ”Shelyn’s tits!” the Earl shouts.
Then the Earl begins weaving a captivating epic tale of his own achievements.
Will Saves
Icabhod, Malphene, and Navia are engrossed and are flat-footed as long as Yander Merkondus maintains the bardic performance.
He then follows up with a spell creating four illusory copies of himself within close proximity.
Round 1
Initiative
32 – Tychus (65/65 hp)
20 – Earl Merkondus
20 – Malphene (50/50 hp) (Flat-Footed)
19 – Trevor (63/63 hp)
19 – Falchion Jack (58/58 hp)
18 – Brawny Bodyguard (Red)
18 – Brawny Bodyguard (Yellow)
18 – Brawny Bodyguard (Blue)
13 – Icabhod (61/61 hp) (Flat-Footed)
11 – Henrika (91/75 hp)
02 – Xallis (67/67 hp)
02 – Navia (39/39 hp) (Flat-Footed)
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲Falise Life (16 hp, 6 hr), ▲Displacement (8 rd), ▲Haste (8 rd)
Icabhod: ▲Haste (8 rd), ▼Glorious Epic (Flat-Footed)
Trevor: ▲Haste (8 rd)
Tychus: ▲Divine Favor (+2, 10 rd), ▲Haste (8 rd)
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲Haste (8 rd)
Navia: ▲Haste (8 rd), ▼Glorious Epic (Flat-Footed)
Jack: ▲Bull’s Strength (3 min), ▲Haste (8 rd)
Malphene: ▲Haste (8 rd), ▼Glorious Epic (Flat-Footed)
Yander Merkondus: ▲Mirror Image (4 image) ▲Glorious Epic
Malphene, Trevor, and Jack go next.
Round 1
"Let's try to take him alive", Trevor calls out to the others.
The cleric then casts bless on his coterie.
Round 1
Malphene steps forward toward the nearest (yellow) bodyguard, and attempts to disarm him.
Jack pushes forward, attempting to run past the left bodyguard to get to Merkondus.
Round 1
The bodyguards are armed with heavy earthbreaker hammers. Malphene manages to wrench the weapon from the other large woman’s hands to the woman’s surprise. The crashes to the floor and shatters the floorboard underneath it.
He doesn’t have Improved Overrun so this provokes, but he gets a +2 bonus to his AC vs provoked maneuvers.
Jack bowls over the guard standing in his way, knocking her prone. Then he grabs at the Earl’s cloak and yanks it over his face, but it turns out to be an illusion, and the real Earl still stands unharmed with a smirk on his face.
The woman Jack knocked over, groans and stands back up. Jack cuts her once while she is getting up. Then the woman raises her hammer over her head and brings it down in a single deadly slam, aiming to crush Jack’s skull, but at the last second, Henrika’s mesmeric mirror trick takes effect and an illusion of Jack is destroyed instead. The hammer crashes through the illusion and smashes into the floor, throwing up splinters with a thundering SMASH.
The unarmed bodyguard, rather than going for her weapon, reaches out barehanded to attempt to grab Malphene, but she stumbles over her hammer on the floor and fumbles the attempt.
The third bodyguard takes a step forward to block off the path to the right. She sees Navia within her reach and swings her hammer at her.
With two hits, Navia gets obliterated. When her body hits the ground, it is barely recognizable. She calls out. ”Hey boss. You got nothing to worry about. These guys ain’t so tough.”
Round 1
Initiative
13 – Icabhod (61/61 hp) (Flat-Footed)
11 – Henrika (91/75 hp)
02 – Xallis (67/67 hp)
02 – Navia (-18/39 hp) (Dead)
Round 2
Initiative
32 – Tychus (65/65 hp)
20 – Earl Merkondus
20 – Malphene (50/50 hp) (Flat-Footed)
19 – Trevor (63/63 hp)
19 – Falchion Jack (58/58 hp)
18 – Brawny Bodyguard (Red) (13 damage)
18 – Brawny Bodyguard (Yellow)
18 – Brawny Bodyguard (Blue)
13 – Icabhod (61/61 hp) (Flat-Footed)
11 – Henrika (91/75 hp)
02 – Xallis (67/67 hp)
02 – Navia (-18/39 hp) (Dead)
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲Falise Life (16 hp, 6 hr), ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Displacement (8 rd), ▲Haste (8 rd)
Icabhod: ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Haste (8 rd), ▼Glorious Epic (Flat-Footed)
Trevor: ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Haste (7 rd)
Tychus: ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Divine Favor (+2, 9 rd), ▲Haste (7 rd)
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Haste (8 rd)
Navia: ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Haste (8 rd), ▼Glorious Epic (Flat-Footed)
Jack: ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Mesmeric Mirror (1 image, 8 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (3 min), ▲Haste (7 rd)
Malphene: ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Haste (7 rd), ▼Glorious Epic (Flat-Footed)
Yander Merkondus: ▲Mirror Image (3 image) ▲Glorious Epic
Icabhod, Henrika, Xallis, and Tychus are next.
Round 2
With the storm of papers clouding the room, his visibility to the Earl was greatly diminished. Hoping to save Jack from being encircled, Tychus aims his next shot at the bodyguard in between them.
Round 1
Icabhod tries to shake off the boasting that fills his ears and tumbles so he can flank the bodyguard with Jack
He then stabs with his Rapier
Henrika rushes forward in Jack’s wake, attempting to dodge past the lumbering bodyguards and Earl Merkondus, to wind up behind him.
After fending off any attacks, she stares at Merkondus and swings her sword. "I suspect we have enough evidence to convict you even if you are dead," she says haughtily, "but if you want to beg for mercy, call off your guards."
Round 1
Xallis doesn't even have time to give a mental command before Navia is reduced to a pile of twitching viscera. Thankfully, her crumpled form quickly fades from this world before the mental image can burn into his mind.
"You may have killed Navia, but legions follow in her shadow!"
With a bit of focus, Xallis conjures a hound archon to take Navia's place in battle!
Round 1
The celestial warrior steps into battle, immedietly recognizing the enemy and shifting into a flank before striking.
Round 1
Icabhod gets into position and stabs the bodyguard in the back. The guard yelps and tries to turn her body so that her back isn’t facing either flanker.
She moves at half speed, using Acrobatics to tumble past without provoking. Then she tries to overrun Earl Merkondus to end up flanking him. (He doesn’t have a weapon drawn, does he? I guess I’ll risk the attack of opportunity.)
Yander’s bodyguard swings her hammer at Henrika as she tries to sneak past. Her displacement saves her from a possibly deadly strike. Then she overruns the Earl, knocking him on his back, while he puts up a feeble defense. Henrika stabs at the man on the ground but chooses the wrong target, destroying only an illusion.
”I won’t surrender to the likes of you!” the Earl spits from the ground.
Aura of Menace Will DC 16
Xallis’ hound archon suddenly appears behind the bodyguard near Malphene. It strikes once, cutting a deep gash, then thanks to its aura of menace cowing the enemy, he manages to get in a second strike. When the archon comes in for a bite, the bodyguard finally gets up her defense and grabs the hound by the throat to keep its maw from her flesh.
Round 2
Lastly, Tychus takes an aimed shot at the left bodyguard. The bodyguard takes the hit but lives up to her brawny nature and keeps on fighting.
Despite his embarrassing position, Earl Merkondus maintains his epic tale. He weaves in a flourish that results in an ear-piercing burst of sound. Henrika can’t stand the sonic attack and clasps her ears, dropping her weapon in the process, and wobbles temporarily stunned. Jack grits his teeth as blood drips from his ears but maintains his autonomy. The Earl is also caught in his own attack but is resistant to sonic abilities. With at least one opponent disabled, he stands back up and steps out of flanking.
Round 2
Initiative
32 – Tychus (65/65 hp)
20 – Earl Merkondus (7 damage)
20 – Malphene (50/50 hp) (Flat-Footed)
19 – Trevor (63/63 hp)
19 – Falchion Jack (51/58 hp)
18 – Brawny Bodyguard (Red) (51 damage)
18 – Brawny Bodyguard (Yellow) (36 damage)
18 – Brawny Bodyguard (Blue)
13 – Icabhod (61/61 hp) (Flat-Footed)
11 – Henrika (84/75 hp) (Stunned 1 rd)
02 – Xallis (67/67 hp)
02 – Hound Archon (51/51 hp)
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲Falise Life (9 hp, 6 hr), ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Displacement (7 rd), ▲Haste (7 rd)
Icabhod: ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Haste (7 rd), ▼Glorious Epic (Flat-Footed)
Trevor: ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Haste (7 rd)
Tychus: ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Divine Favor (+2, 8 rd), ▲Haste (6 rd)
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Haste (7 rd)
Navia: ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Haste (8 rd), ▼Glorious Epic (Flat-Footed)
Jack: ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Mesmeric Mirror (1 image, 8 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (3 min), ▲Haste (7 rd)
Malphene: ▲Bless (8 min), ▲Haste (7 rd), ▼Glorious Epic (Flat-Footed)
Yander Merkondus: ▲Mirror Image (2 image) ▲Glorious Epic, ▼Hypnotic Stare (-3 Will)
Brawny Bodyguard (Yellow): ▼Aura of Menace (-2 attack and AC)
Attackers receive a +4 bonus on attack rolls to perform combat maneuvers against a stunned opponent.
Malphen, Trevor, and Jack are next.