Criteria for gravi-musically extracting the slime:
2 consecutive DC 23 rolls. Damage to host = 15 - d4 * ((Roll-DC))
Failure by 5 or more results in release of the host.
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Navior, funny we both have two halfling cleric character concepts. I could switch to the big maybe-not-so-dumb fighter. Then Nazard wouldn't have to give us a mook fighter. I might quite like a big halberd toting kind of guy. Halberds just say city watch. A poor Cheliaxian with a grudge against the Scarnzi, and by extension a mild prejudice against Varisians in general.
Foggy scampers behind Demona. "I can't freeze him again," he thinks sourly. He prays for His Lady's help.
Waiting on the landing, Foggy hears the stairs creak under the dretches weight. He prepares a dangerous gambit. "Desmona, it's coming up the stairs. I think I can freeze him in place for a moment so you can attack without fear, but you will only get a swing or maybe two before it wears off." WMS: Spoiler: Foggy's plan is to ready his domain ability, dazing touch for use when it reaches the landing. After the attack he'll retreat behind Desmona.
Touch attack roll: -2 for strength if you think it applies to a touch attack. In which case I should consider weapon finesse at the next opportunity. Dazing Touch (Sp): You can cause a living creature to become dazed for 1 round as a melee touch attack. Creatures with more Hit Dice than your cleric level are unaffected. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier. PRD definition, Dazed: The creature is unable to act normally. A dazed creature can take no actions, but has no penalty to AC.
Hopeful bump.
I still check the thread every day. I would think we want to wind up this fight before recruiting though. Although, as Scipion pointed out, if the dretches break loose we might be able to use help during this fight. I haven't seen a recruitment thread, but I haven't checked gamer connection in a while. CHecked WMS' recent posts. Nov. 11 was his last. I'm going to gues the business trip is still holding him up.
Foggy was built as a somewhat glorified gopher and support PC. I doubt he would make a good team leader. Nor do Rufus or Calatin strike me as the ideal team leader. (No offense meant, and I'm sure as players you could make it work, but as you've played the PCs so far they feel like supporting cast.) It might be best if you advertised for a leader. Someone to take the team in hand if the dretches break out into the street and cause a scene. There's no shortage of players who wouldn't want a leadership role. I should reiterate, if Scipion, Megan, or Nazard become leader, I shall be quite content. As an aside, if we're going to wrap this episode up quickly -- I owe you a description or two, right?
"What now?" Foggy asks Demona.
Save As the smoke billows up Foggy covers his mouth and nose with his sleeve. Blinded in the smoke, he reaches out for Demona while he prays for his lady's help.
Will save "It looks like we can't hurt them!" Foggy shouts frantically. Nevertheless, he reloads his sling and tries again. Sling Attack .. damage
Foggy loads his sling with a bullet and stands ready. Initiative If the demons can't reach her, he'll step out too and try an attack.
If the demons can reach her he will try something else depending on what happens to her.
"They're some kind of summoned demon," Foggy whispers to Demona. "We may need a holy weapon to harm them -- or maybe holy water."
If he gets a good enough look Foggy will try to ID the creatures. Know (religion)
Foggy complies with Demona's request, calling on "his lady" to [i]light[/] the bolt. Then he tries to peek through the door to see what they are facing.
Foggy notices the faint warmth of the stove. He calls on "his lady" for light to peek in the grate.
When he is finished with the stove, Foggy pads softly after Demona.
Foggy looks around and shrugs before lifting his eyes back to Demona. "I'm not very good at climbing. Can't really reach."
Foggy dutifully holds the lantern.
You could place some trash in front of it. Or you could hunt about in the alley to see if you find a stray crate, or barrel or something.
While Demona climbs back up, Foggy quickly gathers debris from the alley and tries to pile it so as to trip anyone leaving the door. Also, if our gracious DM will allow another little retcon, when Demona's on the ground with me: Spoiler: Foggy notices the raw wounds along Demona's arms. He grabs her forearms and calls upon the power of "my lady". Demona feels a dozen sharp stinging sensations and tries to pull away but FOggy tightens his grip. Another second and he lets go. New pink skin covers the wounds.
Seeing where this might be going, Foggy looks around for anything that could be used to jam the door shut, or as a trip-line outside the door, or as a last resort that will make noise if someone opens the door. Also, Foggy casts light in the lantern in addition to actually lighting the wick.
"Demona, are you all right?", Foggy whispers.
Foggy watches Demona. "That's not a goo-- " he hisses, but trails off as she finishes before he can do anything. He loads a stone into his sling and let's it hang loose in his right hand. His left hand still clenches the charm in his pocket. Stealth, if needed --
Since she's obviously not being very stealthy, Demona whispers to Foggy as they make their way around back, "I'll bet you a day's wages we'll find all sorts of summoning and binding gear up there and that creature carried Durnsturner out through that window. Somebody must still be up there, though, alive, to have covered up that window like that." "I'm not going to take that bet. I'm thinking the same thing. Care to wager on what the creature will be?"
Foggy trots after Demona and tries to emulate her stealth and awareness. Stealth
Foggy slips his left hand inside his pocket and wraps his fingers around the charm inside. His right hand goes to the sword at his throat.
Foggy trails along behind the others, occasionally scurrying to keep up. Perception: Arriving at the street, Foggy steps around the outside of the group so that he can see. He puts his hand on the hilt of his small sword and tries to look much braver than he feels.
After hopefully getting the old priestess' name and agreement that he can come again, Foggy returns to the office. He'll clue the others in, although Demona and Calatin already know about PAzuzu. "Now I'm not a mage, but don't some of those folks who go around binding demons sometimes lose control of them? And aren't there some demons who can fly? What do we get if we cross-reference flying demon with black feathers and evil spores? Maybe this guy did this to himself in a way." "So, accidental suicide? That's plausible. But he's an instructor at the college, so he's smart. He's been doing it more than two years. He knows the risks and is probably very careful. So I think that's got to be the theory of last resort." "If it's murder, it's got to be planned and premeditated. It might help if we found the murder scene. Did you find an address in this guy's records?"
"Thank you, Mother. I am Fenmore Grey. May I call on you again if we need help?"
Foggy accepts her rebuke about the "library" mildly, and shows her the sketch.
Foggy nods, before replying quietly, "Pazuzu, eh? I'm just a common Watchman, ma'am. What can you tell me about this demon lord?"
"Let's say I've come to seek justice for a soul whose gone to the Boneyard. A body was found that we were hoping to identify by an odd mark ," Foggy shows her the sketch. "We thought it might be religious or demonic. Because Pharasma is a matron of knowledge, I was hoping to find a text or person who could tell me what it means."
"I'll race you back here then. " Foggy's face is too deadpan to be serious. "I'll check with the Pharasmen. They have some lovely old texts on the evil Lords of Chaos. If I'm not back in a couple hours, the Lady of Graves has taken me to her bosom." WMS: Spoiler: I don't imagine Foggy's temple as the kind of place where they would keep books. I imagine a great city like Absalom would have more than 1 House of Calistria. I think Foggy's will be one of the smaller ones near the fringes of one of the richer sections of the city. It caters to the servants and slaves of rich patrons of its more glamorous sister House a few blocks over.
Pharasma has knowledge in her portfolio, and her followers are likely less risky to deal with than Nethys or any of the evil gods. So it's a pretty good bet they'd be willing to share that knowledge for a suitable donation.
"Hmm. I've seen or heard about something like this before. Connected to some demon lord, I think. I'll try to look it up." WMS: Where would I go to look it up? Is there an excellent public or police library in town?
Arriving back at the team's digs, Foggy comments, "No one in the neighborhood saw or heard anything. It's like people have no interest in what's happening around them. What have you turned up?" On being shown the symbol, Foggy frowns in concentration. Know(religion)
Foggy is happy to tag along with Demona. He'll chip in with helpful comments and listen carefully. DIplomacy to Aid Demona:
Foggy remains pleasantly oblivious to everyone but the vendor, whom he watches carefully. He thinks over what the vendor has said. Sense motive on vendor
Diplomacy "I'll take a few of those. Thanks." Foggy looks back over his shoulder at Jack. He lowers his voice, "I'm sure that license is sitting right on your kitchen table. No need to worry about that. We just need to know exactly what happened and how the body looked when you found it. Would you mind walking out on the bridge and showing us just how it was?"
Ooo. I like Scipion's web-mining avoidance strategy. kenner.tim122 Spoiler: at gmail dotcom
Feather? "Interesting idea, Miss Flint. What if they were flying over and tried to dump him in the moat and missed? That might explain the broken bones and the marks on the shoulders. Also explains the lack of blood trail."
Foggy turns to the escort guardsman and smiles, "Please make sure he stays around. I'm sure Sergeant Jack will want to interrogate him." Diplomacy take 10 + 6 = 16 Then he stands next to the squatting Sergeant and looks over the scene. Perception to Aid Jack
Foggy decides that the mage and gnome have the examination of the corpse well in hand. He would not be very useful. Besides blood stains would not look well on the blue cloak. "Catalin, has a point. Maybe the three of us would be most useful looking over the scene or interviewing whoever found this poor soul." He'll ask the guardsman if he could accompany them back to the site where the body was found.
"That was disappointing." Foggy whispers to Demona. The halfling jerks his head in the direction of the examination room and follows in the wake of the wheelbarrow. Pausing at the door he trots back to the kettle and scoops up the coffee he had made for the mage. Once inside the examination room, Foggy sidles up to Calatin. "Your coffee, sir."
Foggy dips his head and whispers,"Oh I agree. Who will speak first do you think, Jack or Calatin."
Demona takes the cup and smiles at Foggy. "Thanks, doll. What's your role, here?" Foggy turns to face Demona fully, putting his back to Jack. "I'm here to help." He touches the tiny sword on the chain at his neck. "My Lady has an interest in seeing wrongs put to right."
Foggy nods and reaches for the second cup on the counter. I'm invisible. That's what I can do. He looks through the lower cupboard. Some cleaning rags, a bucket. I hope no one else wants some. I'll have to climb on the counter to look in the upper cupboard. Tomorrow I'll bring a step-stool.
Recounted skills and added one rank. Switched dwarven for gnomish language. Bought a bunch of mundane stuff, but have listed only what he's carrying so far. Lots of cash left. Need to teak background and add a few more details. One of which is that he still lives with his mother.
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