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Dr Ripfang tries to break free.
DrRipfang then tries to brew a skunk bomb.
and then chucks it at the big one.
Critical Success The target is unaffected.
Success The target is sickened 1.
Failure The target is sickened 1 and slowed 1 while sickened.
Critical Failure The target is blinded for 1 round, sickened 2, and slowed 1 while sickened.
Creatures in the splash area treat the results of their saving throw as one step better.
Dr. Ripfang's bomb passes harmless through the swarm, missing every individual demon. It bounces on to the deck, its contents leaking out harmlessly.
The tiny winged demons, alas, have wings. This enables them to take the short route, passing easily over the space between the two ships.
If Merian wants to get closer, the shark demon is happy to oblige. It moves up to her and slaps her hard with a tentacle. She blocks the middle of the blow, but... tentacles are long and flexible, and the end still hits her. In addition to the physical blow, it's slimy and gross and she feels a weird urge towards selfish behavior. Unfortunately, the demon isn't using a weapon that she can disarm. A brand appears over Merian, and she feels an inexplicable urge that the most obvious and best thing to do is to take everyone's weapons for herself. Because then she'd have more weapons, and obviously all weapons rightfully belong to her. She deserves them.
If the creature successfully Disarms or Demoralizes their target, they can attempt a DC 11 flat check to immediately recover from the Mark of Avarice.
(skipping the swarm, because it's a swarm and therefore immune to both, that's just mean) Green
If you successfully Demoralize Green but fail the flat check, next target is Purple
Zarina's turn.
Initiative:
Knab (93/106)
Kamil (72+3/72)
Green Gargarthezul Captain
Merian (88/92, DC 24 Will vs Avarice)
Dr. Ripfang (89/98, Sickened 1, Grabbed)
Damned Vescavor Swarm
Orange Gargarthezul Captain
Zarina (78+3/78, Quickened)
Purple Gargarthezul Captain
Rawiri (87/87, DC 22 Will vs Confuse)
The shark demons seem fairly quick, though one of them slips on the wet deck and dodges poorly.
The final demon grabs onto the rigging as it dashes, and then using the ropes it almost seems to glide through the air and across the space between the ships, swinging past Merian, Zarina, and Knab. As it moves, it shouts something threatening or maybe insulting at Knab--he can't quite make it out over the storm. It moves up behind him, though he's prepared for that!
Rawiri, Knab, and Kamil's turns.
Initiative:
Knab (78/106)
Kamil (72+3/72)
Green Gargarthezul Captain (-12)
Merian (88/92)
Dr. Ripfang (89/98, Sickened 1, Grabbed)
Damned Vescavor Swarm
Orange Gargarthezul Captain (-6)
Zarina (78+3/78, Guidance)
Purple Gargarthezul Captain
Rawiri (87/87, DC 22 Will vs Confuse)
For Knab's RK checks:
(Increased DC for additional knowledge puts this one beyond your Assurance check)
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Knab grins - used to being bothered by more than one person at a time, he strikes back and forth with calculated precision!
◇) Automatic Knowledge vs Green Gargarthezul Captain
~) Mastermind Racket
◆) Interact to Draw Clan Dagger
◆◆) Clan's Edge w/ Protective Sheath
~) Deny Advantage
Whirling his lone and humble knife, he uses it's reflection to keep tabs on the foe behind him without taking them away from the foe before him - like some weird, heavy, slow, but deft dwarven ninja!
Knab catches both demons with his knife.
The little demons aren't quick about dodging the fire. Burning a lot of them at once seems very effective!
Kamil's turn.
Initiative:
Knab (78/106, AC 28)
Kamil (72+3/72)
Green Gargarthezul Captain (-33)
Merian (88/92)
Dr. Ripfang (89/98, Sickened 1, Grabbed)
Damned Vescavor Swarm (-23)
Orange Gargarthezul Captain (-6)
Zarina (78+3/78, Guidance)
Purple Gargarthezul Captain (-13)
Rawiri (81/87)
Kamil cast shield and electric arc. One of them avoids the spell entirely.
That same demon snarls back at Kamil and roars in triumph. ...do sharks roar? Well, it seems effective enough, and throws Kamil well off-balance.
The demon seems reenergized as it crows about this success. And then slaps Kamil with a tentacle. Kamil almost manages to block it, but he's just a little too shaken.
A strange mark appears over Kamil, and he feels a sudden inexplicable urge to rob the other Pathfinders.
- Rawiri
Merian and Dr. Ripfang's turns.
Initiative:
Knab (78/106, AC 28)
Kamil (72+3/72, -8 pending potential Shield Block, shield, Frightened 2, DC 24 Will vs Mark of Avarice)
Green Gargarthezul Captain (9 temp hp, -33)
Merian (88/92)
Dr. Ripfang (89/98, Sickened 1, Grabbed)
Damned Vescavor Swarm (-23)
Orange Gargarthezul Captain (-6)
Zarina (78+3/78, Guidance)
Purple Gargarthezul Captain (-22)
Rawiri (81/87)
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Dr Ripfang tries to get away again.
Dr Ripfang remembers the time in Absalom he got arrested for practicing dentistry without a license and he managed to wriggle out his bonds just before getting dragged to the magistrate. Surely those bonds were tighter than these...
Finally free Dr Ripfang scatters a bit before quickly bombing the swarm with a newly created alchemist fire.
Merian jabs the demon once, but it manages to deflect the second blow.
Fortunately the first one was the one enhanced by spell power, and it tears into it.
Dr. Ripfang's throw is almost just right, but then he coughs at the wrong moment. Thankfully he'll be on solid ground again shortly. Assuming he isn't killed by demons before that.
With only one person in their current area, the little flappy demons move to pick on Zarina and Merian instead. They do nibble at Rawiri a little first, of course.
"You'll never find it!" the injured demon bellows in Merian's face, "You'll be on the bottom of the sea. Well, uh, the island's right there so it wouldn't really be the bottom. Uh, won't be. The bot--be grateful it's so shallow, so..." The demon gives up on being intimidating and thrashes its octopus tentacles wildly. And ineffectually.
Zarina's turn.
Initiative:
Knab (78/106, AC 28)
Kamil (72+3/72, -8 pending potential Shield Block, shield, Frightened 2, DC 24 Will vs Mark of Avarice)
Green Gargarthezul Captain (9 temp hp, -33)
Merian (88/92, DC 22 Fort vs 11 piercing and stupefied)
Dr. Ripfang (83/98, Sickened 1)
Damned Vescavor Swarm (-30, 2 persistent fire)
Orange Gargarthezul Captain (-39)
Zarina (78+3/78, Guidance, DC 22 Fort vs 11 piercing and stupefied)
Purple Gargarthezul Captain (-22)
Rawiri (81/87, DC 22 Fort vs 6 piercing and stupefied)
Kamil succumbs to the Mark of Avarice - and begins eyeballing the dwarf's most prized possession - his clan dagger!
Zarina nicks a few of the little demons, but has trouble doing any appreciable damage to the swarm.
With Knab too quick for flanking him to be worthwhile, the gargarthezul moves around Kamil instead. As it starts to shift, it keeps its eye on Knab. "Okay, so you're quick. Killing you will take a few tries. We'll just kill your friends first and come back for you." It doesn't work.
And neither does its attempt to hit Kamil, supposedly an easier target.
Rawiri, Knab, and Kamil's turns.
Initiative:
Knab (78/106, AC 28)
Kamil (57/72, shield, Frightened 2, Mark of Avarice 1 round)
Green Gargarthezul Captain (9 temp hp, -33)
Merian (83/92, shield raised)
Dr. Ripfang (83/98, Sickened 1)
Damned Vescavor Swarm (-32, 2 persistent fire)
Orange Gargarthezul Captain (-39)
Zarina (70/78, shield)
Purple Gargarthezul Captain (-22)
Rawiri (81/87, DC 22 Fort vs 6 piercing and stupefied)
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Knab imagines a short melee with the Green Gargarthezul Captain, and quickly realizes it's position given the rocking ship is momentarily advantageous, so he seeks to cast his die elsewhere...
You assess a foe’s weaknesses in combat and use them to formulate a plan of attack. Choose a creature you can see. You can Devise a Stratagem as a free action if you’re aware that creature could help answer the question at the heart of one of your active investigations. Roll a d20, then decide on an attack stratagem or skill stratagem.
Attack Stratagem
If you Strike the chosen creature before the start of your next turn, you must use the result of the d20 roll for your Strike’s attack roll instead of rolling. You make this substitution only for the first Strike you make against the creature this round, not any subsequent ones. When you make this substitution, you can add your Intelligence modifier to your attack roll instead of your Strength or Dexterity modifier, provided you Strike with an agile or finesse melee weapon, an agile or finesse unarmed attack, a ranged weapon (which must be agile or finesse if it’s a melee weapon with the thrown trait), or a sap.
Skill Stratagem
You can’t attempt to Strike the target until the start of your next turn. You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to your next Intelligence-, Wisdom-, or Charisma-based skill check or Perception check involving the target before the start of your next turn. If you would gain your Pursue a Lead investigation bonus to such a check, that bonus increases by 1 instead of you gaining the +1 bonus listed.
◇) Devise a Strategy vs Green GC
◇) Automatic Knowledge vs Purple Gargarthezul Captain
~) Mastermind Racket
◆) Step
◆◆) Twin Feint
~) Deny Advantage
...confounded again by the rocking ship, the certainty of a few seconds of skirmish elapses without changed result with the Purple Gargarthezul Captain, whom he similarly struggles to engage with, his dagger failing to find purchase.
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Rawiri laughs like a madman "The flames are whispering, they are hungry, and want to consume ... Fire on board!" He yells as he draws more of the flames, his skin keeps burning, and not in a pleasent way, as he gathers a big ball of flames in his hands, then he unleases it
Than he wraps himself in protective buble of magic.
The demons continue to prove evasive. Both narrowly avoid Knab, and they avoid the worst of Rawiri's fire. Though a significant portion of the swarming demons are now smoking, inert on the deck--or fallen into the sea.
Kamil's turn.
Initiative:
Knab (78/106, AC 28)
Kamil (57/72, shield, Frightened 2, Mark of Avarice 1 round)
Green Gargarthezul Captain (9 temp hp, -33)
Merian (83/92, shield raised)
Dr. Ripfang (83/98, Sickened 1)
Damned Vescavor Swarm (-43, bloodied, 2 persistent fire)
Orange Gargarthezul Captain (-45)
Zarina (70/78, shield)
Purple Gargarthezul Captain (-22)
Rawiri (76/87)
“Good job, Pathfinders,” Eando calls out over the din. “We’re forcing them back! Now finish clearing the deck of demons!”
The gargarthezuls are tough, but they're also losing. It's clear that the Pathfinders destroying their demon ark so quickly was not something they'd accounted for.
As some of the other Pathfinder agents on board defeat their own enemies, many of them are in need of rest or medical attention--but a few come to help the team.
Overwhelmed, the demons dive into the sea and flee, swept away by the churning waters before they've gone too far.
There is some time to rest before the next phase of the operation. And that rest can be done on dry land (well, land anyway--it's still raining pretty hard).
The Pathfinders have an hour to gather themselves before the pearl of depths is activated and the exploration begins in earnest.
Though a warning is passed around that the pearl's magic only lasts for so long--once they start, there won't be much time to tarry.
Calisro grimaces as a Pathfinder agent applies bandages to her wounds. "It’s nothing," she mutters. "Go bother Eando." She turns her attention back to the assembled Pathfinders. "Well, that was exciting. It seems there are demons interested in something here. And if demons want it, we don’t want them to have it. So, let’s go find it and get it back to safety!" she says in a ringing voice.
She pulls out a pearl from a pouch. "This is Tessa Fairwind’s pearl of depths. It will let you breathe underwater. For those of you who can’t swim... well, you should learn, but this will help for now. Its effects only last for a couple hours, so be quick, Pathfinders." The small gem flashes and a lustrous wave ripples out as its magic activates.
She then comes over to address the party.
“You try to set a good example,” Calisro says with a wry grin, “but I guess not every pirate is going to enjoy life more in the Pathfinder Society.” She turns to make sure there are only agents nearby. “It seems some of Tessa’s sailors commandeered a jolly boat. I’ll bet they decided they’re entitled to some of this loot, but we have first claim. Go find them, bring them back and make sure they don’t have any plunder on them. Threaten them with keelhauling if you must.”
The first step is to find them. There's only so far they could have gone, so the Pathfinders will find them eventually--but maybe if they're quick about it they'll be able to catch the pirates off-guard.
Zarina may be right about speed, but the low vantage point makes identifying the correct boat difficult.
But Rawiri picks the right direction, and Ripfang and Knab spot the pirates.
The Pathfinders come across the group of pirates on the island near their boat. They don't have any visible loot, but they fail to act convincing. The party seems to have found them quickly enough that they were hasty in hiding the loot, and don't have a cover story to explain why they're here at all.
So it should be around here somewhere. Or maybe the Pathfinders can convince them to hand it over.
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Merian Refocuses and Repairs her Shield when they have a break.
vs DC 19
vs DC 19
---
"Look, I'm not going to say that you can't pirate things. But you only get to keep your share of the plunder. Hand over that which you didn't earn, and you can go earn your own plunder. Oh, and don't litter the ocean. I'm definitely going to poke you in the rear end if you litter the ocean."
She shakes her trident menacingly.
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"Thieves code" Knab mentions.
They ought to know better than to plunder plunder. He reminds them with the mantra. And keeps one eye out!
He nudges the next Pathfinder to roll!
↺) Clue In
Frequency once per 10 minutes
Trigger: Another creature attempts a check that could help get you closer to answering the question at the heart of one of your active investigations.
You share information with the triggering creature. They gain a circumstance bonus to their check equal to your investigation bonus from Pursue a Lead. The GM can add any relevant traits to this reaction depending on the situation, such as auditory and linguistic if you’re conveying information verbally.
"Why would we litter in the ocean?" the pirates whine.
Dr. Ripfang doesn't find anything, but Zarina, Kamil, and Knab find most of the loot in the second-most obvious location.
The pirates look uncertainly at Merian and Kamil. "Oh, they've already found most of it anyway..."
The pirates confess and turn over their contraband. They also confess that they were looking for an artifact called the Forked Key, which a voice in their head told them about and promised to pay them for.
Calisro tells the Pathfinders to hold on to the looted items in case they turn out to be useful. They include a fine spyglass and an amulet with the eye of Aroden, the symbol of the god of humanity, who was still alive and well when the Whippoorwill sank. The amulet is a symbol of conflict.