GM Nomadical's Infernal Infiltration (Inactive)

Game Master Nomadical

Sam takes some time to finally get the lock open, but it still seems stuck for some reason. Upon further inspection, she notes that the wood has become warped by its proximity to the water for so long. Schek takes care of that with a good strong kick to the jamb.

1 Failure (Mirandiel) = 3 cumulative Failures, with 3 Edge Points remaining. No Complications ensue.

As the door opens and you enter the warehouse, all of you hear raised voices from the warehouse floor. “So far, you’ve given me nothing. Vague promises of something that would help injure this upstart little nation, and now I sit on a dock smelling of fish, enduring your mealy-mouthed demands for payment and assurances. I say again, once my companions have properly examined this document you claim might be valuable, they can tell me if coming here was even worth my time.”

A voice cracks slightly, takes a moment to compose itself, and comes out somewhat deeper on the second attempt. “That was the help with our risk. (sic) We didn’t have to bust up that shop for you, we still don’t even know what it is, but this message is encoded, so it has to be important. We want what you owe, through rule and contract.”

“You speak those words as if you know what they mean, whelp. But… you are correct. You are owed coin for services rendered. By my Authority as a member of the Chelaxian government, our contract is fulfilled.” There is a sound like that of a bag of coins hitting the wood of a box.

As the door fully opens, you have a full view of the warehouse. Within are a multitude of boxes that smell of fish and salt. The boxes are stacked single height to prevent them from crushing the delicate fish within, so you can easily see across them. Amidst the crates you can see the two speaking figures. One of them has dressed in the robes of a scholar, but wields a wicked-looking mace. Upon seeing you enter, the Silver Devils and the Chelaxian Adjutant attack.

I’ll assume that you had weapons drawn as you entered the warehouse expecting to encounter the Devils, but they did not as they were in discussions.

”Who are you? Bah, it doesn’t matter. You can’t be permitted to interfere, nor to bear witness against me,” the well-dressed one in Chelaxian colors says as he draws a mace and advances towards you. ”I’ll make you regret coming here tonight,” he threatens, and for some reason Sam feels that he very well might.*

Round 1
Bold May Act
Map: The Final Challenge
Conditions: None. Boxes are difficult terrain and low (lesser) cover.
BOLD may act

Adjutant

Gamble
Schek
Sam (Frightened 1)
Mirandiel

Green
Blue

Jack

* He’s using a special ability that carries the auditory, emotion, fear, and mental traits. It causes anyone within 30 feet (only Sam currently) to be Frightened 1. And you cannot reduce your frightened value so long as the adjutant maintains this ability by spending an action each round to do so.

Mirandiel steps up to the boxes and animates two zombies surrounding the Adjutant. The thralls attempt to bite the Adjutant.

Bite: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
Slashing: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Bite: 1d20 + 9 - 5 ⇒ (4) + 9 - 5 = 8
Slashing: 1d6 ⇒ 1

◈Stride, ◈Create Thrall, ◈Create Thrall

Ganble moves closer. With the Chelish adjutant surrounded by zombie, the runesmith pauses. He chants out a rhyme in a foreign tongue, which causes a symbol to appear upon the adjutant's forehead.

◈ Stride
◈◈ Trace a Rune (rune-singing): ranshu @ adjutant
Adjutant takes 1d4 ⇒ 2 electricity damage at end of adjutant's turn.

Frightened 1
AC 19

"Hey you!"

Schek moves and gets Green's attention by throwing the end of his combat grapnel toward the enemy.
Returning Combat Grapnel Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 P damage

◆ Stride
◆ Stride
◆ Strike

Sam moves up to Schek Nek and summons a mystic shield.

◆◆ Stride
◆ Shield (+1 AC)

Mirandiel summons skeletons from the bones and sinews abounding in the warehouse, and though they both attack the Adjutant immediately, they both miss.

Gamble brings forth a mystical symbol onto the Adjutant who seems unaware that someone has written something on his forehead.

Schek and Sam circle around the boxes together. Schek draws the attention of the Devils and throws his grappling hook, but the Devil dodges the toss.

The Devil in the fancy Green surcoat draws a silver dagger and advances on Schek
Strike: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21
Damage, P: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
And stabs the kobold in the upper arm.

”Get these things off me!” the Adjutant orders the remaing Devil. She immediately responds by drawing her dagger, closing on a thrall, and stabbing it.
Thrall 2 down - automatically hit by Attacks.
She then steps into the space where the bones fell and turns to put herself back-to-back with the Adjutant.

Round 1
Bold May Act
Map: The Final Challenge
Conditions: None. Boxes are difficult terrain and low (lesser) cover.
JACK may act

Adjutant (ranshu-runed)

Gamble
Schek (-7)
Sam (Frightened 1)
Mirandiel

Green
Blue

Jack

* He’s using a special ability that carries the auditory, emotion, fear, and mental traits. It causes anyone within 30 feet (only Sam currently) to be Frightened 1. You cannot reduce your frightened value so long as: the adjutant maintains this ability by spending an action each round to do so AND you are within 30 feet when he does so AND you end your turn within 30 feet of him.

Jack moves closer to the adjutant. A fire ignites inside his head, lighting up his eyes and mouth. He opens his arms wide, and a dozen blackened wicker crows with flaming eyes fly out of his sleeves. They circle around him, cawing and wheeling.

”FACE YOUR DOOM AND TREMBLE!”, he cries, as two of the crows break away and streak toward his foe.

Stride, Channel Elements (free Elemental Blast vs Red), Elemental Blast vs Red

Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 5B

Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 5 ⇒ (12) + 9 - 5 = 16
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 7B

Blackfeather Jack lives up to his name and sends a flock of fiery feathered fiends at the Chelaxian who simply swats them away.

He doesn’t seem impressed by the display or Jack’s words, either. ”My Doom? You have no idea who I am nor who I work for. Your pesky skeletons and little crows are NOTHING compared to the powers weilded by my superiors.” He pauses his monologuing to catch his breath and swat away the aforementioned undead non-minion. ”You should all just leave. NOW!” he says as he advances on Gamble and the others in the back.

◆ Strike Thrall ◆ Fear Thing* ◆ Stride

And then the rune goes off! ”Ow! What in Our Lord’s Nine Hells was that?”

Round 2
Bold May Act
Map: The Final Challenge
Conditions: None. Boxes are difficult terrain and low (lesser) cover.
BOLD may act

Adjutant (ranshu-runed, -2)

Gamble (Frightened 1)
Schek (Frightened 1, -7)
Sam (Frightened 1)
Mirandiel (Frightened 1)

Green
Blue

Jack (Frightened 1)

* He’s using a special ability that carries the auditory, emotion, fear, and mental traits. It causes anyone within 30 feet (everyone currently) to be Frightened 1. You cannot reduce your frightened value so long as: the adjutant maintains this ability by spending an action each round to do so AND you are within 30 feet when he does so AND you end your turn within 30 feet of him.

Schek feels an undesirable feeling of fear when he hears the voice of one of their enemies. Nonetheless, he assigns Green as his prey. he then funnels magic to his combat grapnel to enhance it before he strikes the enemy in front of him.
+1 Combat Grapnel, Frightened 1: 1d20 + 10 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 10 - 1 = 16 vs Green
Hero Point! +1 Combat Grapnel, Frightened 1: 1d20 + 10 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 10 - 1 = 22 vs Green
Damage, Gravity Weapon: 1d6 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 1 + 2 = 9 P damage

◆ Hunt Prey, Green (+1 to AC vs Prey’s attack)
◆ Gravity Weapon
◆ Strike

argh. I just realized that I forgot to update Sam's statblock to Lvl 3...

San starts as one of the baddies gets in her face. She concentrates and flings a loose piece of wood at his head.

TKP, F1: 1d20 + 9 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 9 - 1 = 25 for Bludgeoning Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 1) = 4 Critical Hit: Double Damage

She then throws up a mystic shield.

◆◆ TKP vs Green
◆ Shield
↺ Nimble Dodge (+2 AC) the first attack against her

Gamble swings his blade at the adjutant. Upon impact--if it lands--the would bleeds profusely and a symbol appears on the man's chest. "Ranshu-esvadir-atryl!" Gamble intones and the runes on the adjutant and his sword glow. A torrent of energy swarms the adjutant.

Gamble raises his shield.

◆ Engraving Strike: +1 Longsword @ Adjutant (atryl), Frightened 1: 1d20 + 9 - 1 ⇒ (10) + 9 - 1 = 18
Hero Point: ◆ Engraving Strike: +1 Longsword @ Adjutant (atryl), Frightened 1, Vestments: 1d20 + 9 - 1 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 9 - 1 + 1 = 22 (that's technically better)
Magic, Slashing, Esvadir: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 +2 persistent bleed on hit
◆ Invoke Runes: Ranshu, Esvadir, Atryl?
Ranshu: Electric vs. DC 19-1 = 18 Basic Fortitude: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5
Esvadir: Slashing vs. DC 19-1 = 18 Basic Fortitude: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 4) = 8
Atryl: Fire vs. DC 19-1 = 18 Basic Fortitude (CF=dazzled 1rd): 2d6 ⇒ (4, 4) = 8
◆ Raise a Shield

Frightened 1
AC 22

Mirandiel's grim fascination is flesh magician, so all destroyed Thralls become difficult terrain for 10 minutes. I'll just put an upside down token to represent the difficult terrain.

Mirandiel lets off a giggle as the thralls fall and leave behind a trail of flesh. He then summons another thrall behind the Adjutant and the thrall again attempts to bite the Adjutant. Mirandiel then casts Dead Weight.

Bite: 1d20 + 9 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 9 - 1 = 17
Slahing Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

◈Summon Thrall, ◈◈Dead Weight

Schek tries to focus on the Silver Devil foe in order to overcome the fear he feels emanating from the Adjutant. He stabs and hits!
Sam follows up Schek’s grapnel strike with a rock to the Devil’s head. ”What the heck? Who uses grappling hooks and throws rocks?” the Devil whines.

Meanwhile, Gamble traces a new rune, then triggers them all in a blaze of plasmic shards! The Adjutant struggles to overcome the sudden onslaught of energies
F vs ranshu : 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17
Fail, and Heightened damage: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7
F vs Esvadir : 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21
Success, and Heightened damage: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2
F vs Atryl : 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 29
Crit Success

F vs Thrall : 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14
Crit Fail! Grabbed.

He gets slashed and torn by the electric arcs, although he does slough off the fire. Thinking he’s in the clear, he laughs, but his snarky joy is cut short when yet another undead creature appears. It misses with its bite but then simply continues the movement and wraps itself around the Adjutant. He struggles against it until suddenly the thrall’s limbs lock up in rigor-mortise, and the Adjutant finds himself immobilized.

The Blue-clad Devil clambers across the boxes, shaking thrall-goo from her boots as she does and trying to scrape some off onto one of the fish crates. She moves around Gamble and attempts to shank the smith in the back.

Strike vs Off Guard: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20
damage, P, Sneak Attack: 1d4 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 4 + (4) = 12
She just barely connects, leaving a gash in the smith’s torso!

Worried that Sam might try something else, Green steps to put Schek between them and then simply tries stabbing the kobold twice.

Strike: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33
damage, P: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 Doubled = 10

Strike, agile: 1d20 + 13 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 13 - 4 = 18
damage, P: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

The first attack catches Schek completely off guard (so to speak), but the second misses.

Good uses of those Hero Points; in both cases, the first rolls were indeed misses.

Round 2
Bold May Act
Map: The Final Challenge
Conditions: None. Boxes are difficult terrain and low (lesser) cover.
JACK may act

Adjutant (grabbed, -30, 2 Bleed)

Gamble (Frightened 1, -12)
Schek (Frightened 1, -17, but Cringe?)
Sam (Frightened 1)
Mirandiel (Frightened 1)

Green (-13)
Blue

Jack (Frightened 1)

* He’s using a special ability that carries the auditory, emotion, fear, and mental traits. It causes anyone within 30 feet (everyone currently) to be Frightened 1. You cannot reduce your frightened value so long as: the adjutant maintains this ability by spending an action each round to do so AND you are within 30 feet when he does so AND you end your turn within 30 feet of him.

Jack turns his burning gaze toward Gamble’s attacker, and swings his woody fist!

Demoralize Blue (Intimidating Glare), Elemental Blast vs Blue

Intimidation: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (3) + 7 - 1 = 9

Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 9 - 1 = 26
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

The Silver Devil just scoffs at Jack’s attempt to be scary, but her next sound is a loud “oof” as Jack’s woody fist connects with her stomach.

”Bah, you’re just annoyances; leave us!” the Adjutant orders you hoping to get you to flee. While he’s clearly aware of the zombie locked onto his back, he doesn’t bother dealing with it for now. Instead, he takes two swings at Gamble with his big spiked mace.

Strike vs Off Guard: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (5, 3) + 4 = 12

Strike vs Off Guard: 1d20 + 10 - 5 ⇒ (8) + 10 - 5 = 13
damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (5, 3) + 4 = 12

Bleed Flat Check: 1d20 ⇒ 16

Round 3
Bold May Act
Map: The Final Challenge
Conditions: None. Boxes are difficult terrain and low (lesser) cover.
BOLD may act

Adjutant (grabbed, -32)

Gamble (Frightened 1, -24)
Schek (Frightened 1, -17, but Cringe?)
Sam (Frightened 1)
Mirandiel (Frightened 1)

Green (-13)
Blue (-11)

Jack (Frightened 1)

* He’s using a special ability that carries the auditory, emotion, fear, and mental traits. It causes anyone within 30 feet (everyone currently) to be Frightened 1. You cannot reduce your frightened value so long as: the adjutant maintains this ability by spending an action each round to do so AND you are within 30 feet when he does so AND you end your turn within 30 feet of him.

Sam again bonks Green with a chunk of loose crate while hiding behind Schek...

TKP, F1: 1d20 + 9 - 1 ⇒ (5) + 9 - 1 = 13 for Bludgeoning: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 4) = 11

She pulls out a throwing knife from her bandolier.

◆◆ Whiff
◆ Interact to draw

Mirandiel summons three thralls, and commands them to attack the Adjutant and the Devil in Blue.

Bite vs N of Blue: 1d20 + 9 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 9 - 1 = 20
Slashing: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Bite vs E of Blue: 1d20 + 9 - 5 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 9 - 5 - 1 = 7
Slashing: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Bite vs S of Adjutant: 1d20 + 9 - 10 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 9 - 10 - 1 = 5
Slashing: 1d6 ⇒ 5

◈Summon Thrall, ◈Summon Thrall, ◈Summon Thrall

Schek will use Cringe vs the attack from previous round.
↺ Cringe - Trigger A creature you are aware of critically succeeds on a Strike against you and would deal damage to you. With pitiful posturing, you cause your foe to pull back a deadly attack. The attacking creature takes a circumstance penalty to the damage of the triggering Strike equal to your level + 2. This penalty applies after doubling the damage for a critical hit. The attacker is then immune to your Cringe for 24 hours.

"Well we do!" Schek responds to the bizarre inquiry of rocks and grappling hooks as weapons. "Please, don't hurt me!" Schek then exclaims pitifully at his attacker. He even gives the enemy puppy eyes to think twice about walloping him. -(3+2) penalty to the damage

He grins so wide as to scare his prey after being hit.
Intimidation to Intimidating Glare, Outwit, Frightened 1: 1d20 + 10 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 10 + 2 - 1 = 27 vs Green's Will DC

He continues to attack the prey with the pointy end of his combat grapnel.
Returning Combat Grapnel Attack, Frightened 1: 1d20 + 10 - 1 ⇒ (5) + 10 - 1 = 14 vs Prey
Damage, Gravity Weapon: 1d6 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 1 + 2 = 7 P damage

Returning Combat Grapnel Attack, Frightened 1, MAP: 1d20 + 10 - 1 - 5 ⇒ (5) + 10 - 1 - 5 = 9 vs Prey
Damage, Gravity Weapon: 1d6 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 2 = 4 P damage

His hands shake too much. "Do you feel that too?" he asks Sam.

◆ Intimidating Glare
◆ Strike
◆ Strike

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Sam could not help but giggle...

Waiting for Gamble. I don't want to bot him since I don't have a character sheet, and it's the Playtest, so that would kind of defeat the purpose a little. 

Gamble steps out of the way of the Silver Devil. Then he strikes the adjutant with his sword, and a rune appears on the Chelish man's chest.

"Artyl-holtrik!" Gamble says. The rune on the adjutant explodes while the rune on Gamble's shield shimmers and ruses into a defensive position.

◆ Step
◆ Engraving Strike (artyl): +1 longsword, frightened vs. Adjutant: 1d20 + 9 - 1 ⇒ (19) + 9 - 1 = 27 vs. off-guard
Magic, Slashing: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
◆ Invoke Runes: Artyl, Holtrik (raises shield)
Basic Fortitude vs. DC 19-1=18: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 3, 2) = 10

AC 23-1=22
↺ Shield Block 5

Sam slings some loose pieces of a crate at the nearest Silver Devil, but her amusement at Schek’s cringing reaction makes her lose her concentration on the target.

Mirandiel spams thralls all over the field, but only one manages to strike the wily Devil. Meanwhile the dead weight on the Adjutant sloughs off leaving a mess of flesh and bony bits all over his uniform. Something which is he clearly unhappy about.

Schek turns his cringe into a cringey smile that totally freaks the Devil out. Crit success! Frightened 2. But the ranger can’t seem to follow through and take advantage of it with his attacks.

Gamble takes a step and puts his sword right through the Adjutant, skewering him in the very moment that the Chelaxian turned his attention toward the thrall behind him.
Crit! Only because of Off Guard from the Thrall. Nice teamwork, Team Playtest!

COMBAT OVER
I’m going to call combat. Although the scenario doesn’t specify any morale conditions, it doesn’t make sense that a couple of “brat children of Chelaxian nobles” and wanna be gang-bangers would fight to the death upon seeing the Chelaxian Intel Officer get killed and being outnumbered, especially having already been payed for their service.

”Umm, maybe don’t kill us, too, please?” Green says to the freaky crazy kobold throwing a grappling hook.

”Yeah, we don’t need any more trouble,” Blue says as she keeps a nervous eye on the thralls. ”Why are you lot here, anyway? Did my dad send you to “bring me home” again?” she asks with a sigh of resignation.

"Sealed tube with an emerald embedded on the top." Mirandiel says straightforwardly. "Do you have this in your possession? Surrender it to us and we might consider sparing you."

"Share thy loot or ye be shared the fate of that one!" Schek scares them while pointing at their fallen leader.

The fire in Jack’s head dwindles and goes out, as the crows crumble to ash in mid-air. He starts at Schek’s declaration.

”I’d do what he says”, he confides to their prisoners. ”Pirates can be nasty!”

"It's upstairs. On the table," the man begins clearly still in shock and in fear of Schek. "I'll show you where. No tricks, I promise."

Upstairs, he does indeed show you where the tube is. He stands nervously as you examine it and confirm that it is indeed the coded cipher you were sent for.

As one of you loots examines the remains of the Chelaxian:

Society (T): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

"Hey! Look at this," Gamble says as he pulls back the edge of the robe to reveal the badge. "This should be useful."

Society: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

"Oooh. What is it?"

[dice=Society (T)]1d20+9

"Hey! Look at this," Gamble says as he pulls back the edge of the robe to reveal the badge. "This should be useful."

”Yes, one of us could go undercover!”, Jack says excitedly. Suspenseful music starts to play. Cast musical accompaniment

”Secret agent Jack is on the case!
Stride into the Cheliaxan base!
Stop their operation from within!
Go Horizon Hunters for the win!”

When you return with the scroll case and the badge, Kitsch and Nairaba are overjoyed. After some discussion between them, they inform you that they intend to warn Kintargo’s officials that Cheliax had (past tense being the operative word) a spy in the Silver Council. This should give the Pathfinders added leverage and a much better bargaining position going forward.

As a reward for providing such a valuable boon to the Society, they in turn offer a boon to each of you: a cache of free gear from the Pathfinder storehouses.

The two senior managers dismiss you with their thanks and send you on your way.

Fini.