[PbP Gameday XII] GM Chadius presents: 2-23 An Agent's Obligation (Inactive)

Game Master chadius

Zhao Kang keeps back, letting his team engage the dragons. Now that he can see them personally, he tries to recall what he might have read about them.

Kang isn't sure what to think of these drakes, and Simon's sudden yelling doesn't help.

Reej looks up, fully alert as Naldun shifts in front of her.
Simon spends a Hero Point.

"Hey, tell the loud guy he's got my full attention." Naldun looks to Grog, who seems to be the only person who understands what he's saying. "Tell the loud guy to break these chains, feed me, or back off." Naldun twists his neck to expose the manacles. But you can't help but notice the briny saliva dripping as he stares at your every muscle.

If you choose to break the chains, you have a small amount of time to break the lock before hunger over takes them.
If you choose to feed them with a small or medium character, choose carefully as this may cause infamy.
You can also just attack them.

"You are in no position, Beast of Burden, to negotiate. For if these chains can bind you, what is it to me and mine if we simply walk away!" Don Jurri presses his lead, hoping the beasts cannot breath fire, or are too fatigued and hungry to... "Let's make a deal. You give us the whereabouts of Mother Forsythe and her Allies - perhaps some intel on the "invisible" one - and we will deal with her, fetch the key, and continue our negotiations from there" he let's his advantage sink in "One small protest, and you shall not hear from us again, as we will simply turn around and walk away!"

He bluffing - but does can the dragon tell?

Deception (Expert) w/ Ventriloquist Ring (+1) to Lie w/ Charming Liar: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33

Charming Liar

"Hey, little guy. Tell the fancy dude we don't know where the lady is. She chained us up, dragged someone else in the back, and left us here." Naldun's patience grows thin. "And if he's not going to help us get out of here, then he can walk away."

If you have the Arcana skill, you can attempt a DC 22 check to learn more about these draconic creatures. Dragon Lore or Sailing Lore may also apply.

Arcana: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

"Little guy. We're going to back to rest, we're tired." He stares at the bottle of whiskey. "If you have a keg of that it would help us pass the time..."

Grog's face lights up.
"Oh, Grog only have small flask of whiskey but have small cask of good ale if you want!"
If they seem interested he will happily give them one of the small casks he carries.
He will then look at the chains and lock. "Everyone should be free... Grog going to break chain."

Don Jurri raises a single eyebrow…

…perhaps they should have fed the fat goblin to the dragons…

…he draws his rapier and readies himself!

Lokaloka takes one look and raises her pipes, preparing to play...

Runic Weapon (aka Magic Weapon) and Haste available if anyone needs it

Jaxon leans in to whisper. "They're a mated pair of Sea Drakes. They are potent at emitting electricity and lightning, by spitting it out through their mouths or open wounds. Even worse their bites are full of salt, sickening those who are bitten. Electricity, paralysis and sleep are useless against them." He pauses. "I think that little kobold taught me that."

The thug nods at Grog. "I'm with you. Let's break 'em out. Just make sure they don't eat you afterwards." He pulls out some picks to open the lock.

Open Lock (infiltrator picks): 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 11 + 1 = 29

"I'm more concerned about them eating someone else out of our sight. Still, they are as much victims as the agents we're looking for. It wouldn't be right to kill them outright." Simon raises his shield and prepares to draw his sword. His mouth forms a sardonic smirk. "Can't be too careful though."

Grog steps forward with Jaxon, intending to make himself the preferred and obvious target if they decide to attack. "He set you free. Grog hate seeing beings chained up. All we ask is we go separate ways peacefully. However, if you see those nasty women Grog might not be unhappy if you eat them!"

"Food AND we get to swim again?" Naldun seems to snap out of his hunger. "NOW we're talkin!"

As Naldun and Reej quickly slip on the whiskey, Jaxon works on the manacles holding them. It takes a few tries, but the dragons are much too distracted by the whiskey kegs to care.

The manacles pop with a snap and the Sea Drakes begin to stumble out of the bath house. "Let's get out of here, the open sea awaits!" Naldun screams as he heads out the door.

Reej briefly nuzzles Grog. "If you're sailing or swimming around the bay, just call for us, and we'll help you out." She catches up to Naldun. "Come on, let's get out of here. Somewhere private!"

Naldun roars happily as they leap into the stream outside the bathhouse and the current washes them out to the bay.

Behind the statue of Calistria, you find a small unlocked box. An inscription on the box reads, In case that cursed light returns. You see a few baubles, probably spoils from petty theft. A wooden sculpture of a drowning devil seems much more valuable than the rest.

- You also find 2 scrolls of >Revealing Light< (Player Core Page 353, formerly known as Glitterdust)
- You find a Rank 3 scroll of Force Barrage (Player Core Page 332, formerly known as Magic Missile)
- A key
- A bottle labelled "Wise-Up" with small gray crystals inside.

Crafting: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

"Well, that turned out better than it could have." Jaxon opens the box. "Bunch stuff for you spellcasters." He pulls out the key and examines it while handing the box off to Zhao Kang.

Don Jurri sniffles the "Wise Up" bottle, twitching his mustache, and...

Craft (Untrained Improvisation) vs DC 15: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

...continues it's pass-off to Zhao Kang!

Simon intercepts the bottle as it journeys to Zhao.

crafting: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

He shrugs and hands it to the wizard.

Your turn Groggg or Lokaloka

Crafting(T): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

"Oooh! This antigoat for Ice Tears. Good for few hours!"

It takes the team a bit of time, but Lokaloka identifies the bottle of Wise-Up and its use.

Jaxon is focused on the key, and realizes it unlocks some of the rooms in this bath house. Most of the rooms are filled with Ice Tears, homemade alcohol, and bloodied bedding. As he moves up to a room, he hears someone mumbling. He calls the team over and carefully opens the door...

You hear the muttering and blubbering of a woman huddled on the floor. She speaks a Common Taldane language, apologizing profusely to Ambrus Valsin. Every few seconds she grows fur, elongates her snout and turns into a fox/human hybrid, blabbering in Tien. At any rate, she isn't paying attention to you in any way.

A Diplomacy or Medicine check may get her attention long enough to calm her down and ask questions. There may be other ways to help her.

Lokaloka holds up the bottle she found. "Maybe I's makes her drink?"

"Aw, sea dragons nice! Just hungry and want go home!"

As they find the local brew and the horrid sounding drug Grog's face scrunches up.
"What best way destroy this stuff?"

Lokaloka holds up the bottle she found. "Maybe I's makes her drink?"

"Good idea."

"Longshanks paladin smart!" Lokaloka tips the Wise Up potion bottle into the delirious woman's mouth.

Kang receives the scrolls with wide open eyes. You can almost sense him drooling in pleasure...

---

"Hmm, every time she slips into her fox/human hybrid, she is apologising to Amara Li! Might she's one of the lost Pathfinders!"

The kitsune changes from human to vulpine form one last time and shakes her head. “…Mr. Valsin? Madame Li? I’m so sorry that—no, wait. You’re not them. And you don’t look like you’re here to shake answers out of me. Are you Pathfinders?! Are you here to save me?”

Tears well up in the kitsune’s eyes. “You have no idea how long those horrible people kept me like that, riddled with whatever poison they plied me with. Or drug, or whatever it was. It doesn’t matter anymore! I’m safe!” She gives a barking laugh of delight, and then seems to realize her fatigue and embarrassment.

“I—sorry. Pathfinder Field Agent Kiiruba of the Lantern Lodge, at your service. I’m hardly in a shape to help you find the rest of my team, but I’m so glad you’re here. I know where those Daughters of Cocytus base their operations—one of my specialties is having a keen sense of direction, even if I’m drugged up. I can give you directions there. I know that at least Jespya never got a chance to leave that place—they’re probably dead now. If you’ve got a place where I can lay low and rest, I’d really appreciate that too. It’s been a rough few days.”

Kiiruba rushes forth to embrace each of you, thankful for your help. She wants to answer as many questions as she can while she is still lucid.

Smee pulls out a quill and pens some notes:

Missing Pathfinders:

Tanno Kembers, burned to death
Selia Torossel, beat to death and tossed to sea
Jespya, still at large
Kiiruba, speaking with her right now

He turns to the next PC to post "Do I got the right of it?"

Jaxon nods. "Yeah, sounds about right, though she seems to think Jespya is at the Daughters' base of operations."

He looks over to Kiiruba. "Lady Victiria has a safe place a her manor. We can get you there. But what happened to Jespya? Did they grab both of you and you were left here?" Of all the missing agents, Jespya seemed the most capable in a scrap.

"Jespya and I learned that Tanno and Selia had left in a hurry. I told them not to leave the inn until Jespya and I returned, but nooo!" Kiiruba whines. "When we started tracking my friends down, I saw several women surround us, and Jespya leapt to fight them and I got hit, and..." She shudders.

"I heard them say they would take Jespya to the abandoned prison, Hell's Light."

Lokaloka looks at the kitsune with sympathy. Rummaging around in her pack, she produces a familiar item.

"Pickle? This soaking in god-juice for hours. Will calm down." While handing it to Kiiruba she glares at Smee and has Jaxon restrain the hireling.

"What is it that you think they want from her?" Don Jurri asks.

"Torture?"

Kiiruba shudders.

“They wanted information on the Pathfinder Society. Thankfully, I could only give them so much, as a recent graduate, but they had a lot of questions about our operations in Cheliax. That drug really does a number on your mind; I honestly thought I was talking to Ambrus Valsin at times. I don't know what they did to the others...”

"If you don't have any more questions, we can go back to the manor. I want to get there before this Wise-Up wears off..."

Lokaloka nods sympathetically. "Yous better goes to manor. Longshank Paffinders can take care of yous there." She absently munches on the pickle, forgetting that she offered it to Kiiruba.

"Yes, sound like time for Justice on bad people!"

Lokaloka couldn't agree more. Absently she reaches into her pickle jar and hands another dripping cucumber to Grogggg. "Mead make pickle better! Yous try!"

"Ah. I should... get an escort." Kiiruba calms herself. "I don't fully trust myself right now."

You manage to take Kiiruba back to Junianis manor. Kiiruba is able to keep up at first but over time her pace begins to stumble and she starts talking about the events of the mission, as if you are her Venture-Captains. The medics recognize her condition immediately and take her for medical care and rest.

"Ice Tears..." Lady Victria muses. "I've seen it too many times to count. She will need a lot of rest, but the delirium will wear off in the morning."

"She kept mentioning Hell's Light. That is an abandoned prison on the outskirts of Hinji. Most of the gangs stay away from there. You'd best be careful. Maybe you should retire for the night and then go there in the morning?"

You have the option for a full night's rest before going.

As they are escorting, "This GOOD pickle! Grog think you should open up a shop!"

After:
"Grog OK. Anyone need rest?"

Zhao Kang thinks of the poor Pathfinder still in the clutches of the Daughters, and shivers. "I think ... um... if I was Jespya, I hope someone would come rescue me as soon as posisble..."

Zhao Kang is just down one L1 spell slot, and one prepared alchemical item. Should be good to go. (Famous last works?)

"We go, merry men of valor" he looks around his group, stopping only on the first goblin, and then the second, coughing, only momentarily perturbed "To rescue the damsel!"

Leading the charge pointing his thin blade, high-heeled boots striding onto glory!

Jaxon pops a knuckle on his fist. "I'm still good to go." you can see he was about to spit on the ground and then realizes where he is and that Lady Victria is there. He swallows.

"Uh, what if we hit the prison now at night? Sneak in and take them off guard?"

"I second that motion" bravely.

Like the knights of yore.

"I agree. An immediate strike is our best chance to rescue Jespya."

Lokaloka is ready. No spell slots expended and she should have gotten back her focus point

Grog grins widely. "Yes, we have pathfinder to free!"

"Then, best of luck to you." Lady Victria waves off one of the assistants as they carry a pile of pillows. They quickly turn around and exit. "Please come back in one piece."

You reach the entrance to Hell's Light. It has all the markings of an abandoned prison: barred windows, cracked crumbling walls, and a weathered spot in the shape of Chileax- someone must have ripped off the insignia, hoping to sell it somewhere.

The entryway is unlocked and contains a table and few chairs, but not much else. A hallway has two obvious exits. A jail cell to the West and a Courtyard that is South of you.

Which way? Once two of you agree we'll proceed.

Please give me your exploration activities

"Jail cell? No way this easy but maybe..."

Grog will attempt to Avoid Notice. Stealth is +11

”Let’s sneak up on them!” He proposes, looking around at his sneaky comrades ”They’ll never see it coming!”

Proposing we all Avoid Notice!

He tiptoes on gentle heels, turns right at the door, and goes to listen at the door down the hall a little on his right…

Jaxon nods and motions towards the jail cells. He takes the lead, moving quietly for a larger man.

Avoid Notice, Stealth +11

"Sounds good to me. I'm no stranger to covert operations"

Simon's stealth is +8. It looks like Jaxxon is expert so we can follow the expert for a +2 bonus

”Oh that sounds dangerous? But oh, probably better than going in the front door I guess…”

Stealth +12

Stealth +10, +12 while following her new friend

Everyone slips quietly into the room, under the cover of night.

This room was once a meeting room. The tables are bare, minus the various blood stains. With the chains and ropes, you suspect this was converted into a torture chamber. Without the light sources from the main room and the hallway, you notice part of this room is quite dark.

You don't notice anything of value in here.

Looks like the only easily accessible room is through the doors to the South. Based on Kiiruba's description, you figure this is the open courtyard. You can see lights moving around from underneath the door, probably torches. You can also hear feminine voices barking orders, although it's hard to make out exactly what's going on.
If the team is going South, declare your plan.

A barred gate blocks your way to the West and the rest of the prison. You suspect you could attempt to pick the lock. Or break it, but that would be noisy.
If the team is going West, someone will have to deal with the barred gate. Athletics checks to break the lock or Thievery checks to pick the lock would be best. You can make up to 5 checks.