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Sorry for the disappearance everybody. My mom's had cancer for the past few years, but recently it's rapidly gotten a lot worse, and the doctors have given up. She's in a lot of pain and basically in the process of dying, so I've been consumed with dealing with it. Pathfinder has obviously not been on my mind in the slightest. I'm going to have to bow out of GMing this game. I'll go ahead and send a PM to each of you in case you're not checking the threads anymore.
Bonus points to anybody who recognizes the inspiration for the odd sentence.
Mimi is able to open both doors with relative ease. The both lead into worked stone passages. The northern door leads into a long passage that ends at a door, and the southern a short passage that makes a hard turn.
Linguistics, DC 15: You figure it's some kind of thieves's cant, and means something along the lines of "Don't go the way of the mark."
Everybody piles into the passage, searching around for the secret door Klendan mentioned. As of yet, nobody has found it. Perception DC 20:
You find two separate secret doors, both of them 5 feet off the ground. One is on the northern side of the passage, the other on the southern side. Separate Perception check, DC 18: You hear some words coming from the east: "Wasing the way of notting the mark."
Unworked stone, yes.
Arya moves further into the passage, but doesn't find a secret door. Combat Rolls:
Crossbow bolt on Mimi (Flat-Footed): (MISS)
Crossbow bolt on Elaina (Flat-Footed): (MISS) Meanwhile, two more crossbow bolts fly out of the walls. One from the north splashes into the rising water next to Mimi, and one from the east striking the wall next to Elaina.
GM: LDT1: 11/11, in D11, in combat
LDT2: 11/11, at eastern junction, in combat LDT3: 11/11, moving to the south, will join combat in round 5 Water level at end of this round: 1.8 inches.
Can I VMC Wizard? If so then I can get a valet familiar with cooperative crafting. Seems necessary to actually make anything using crafting Sorry, forgot to reply to this. I'm not familiar enough with VMC, so I'll say no. However, I agree that crafting mundane items is not done well in Pathfinder. I've used in the past rules that when crafting mundane items, you craft in gp rather than sp - so if the rules say your check would craft 7 sp worth of the item, you actually craft 7 gp worth of the item. I'm perfectly fine with using those rules in this campaign.
Elaina's dancing lights reveal nothing but the cistern wall. Mimi isn't able to make out a source of the crossbow bolt and instead shoots at the crocodile. Unable to target well around Valghaz, however, the shot misses . The crocodile snaps at Valghaz's leg, but its teeth clang on the dwarf's armor ineffectually. Meanwhile, another crossbow bolt flies out from the north, narrowly missing Elaina. Elaina:
It looked like the crossbow bolt came through the wall!
Combat Rolls:
Crocodile bite attack on Valghaz: (MISS)
Crossbow bolt attack on Elaina (flat-footed): (MISS) GM: LDT1: 11/11, in D11, in combat
LDT2: 11/11, moving to the east, will join combat in round 3 LDT3: 11/11, moving to the south, will join combat in round 5 Water level at end of this round: 1.2 inches.
Wishing you both the best. Post coming tonight after I get home from work.
FYI, I've added the party's experience total to the campaign info.
As the party moves forward, Arya looks down the tunnel, and sees a crocodile moving towards them! The crocodile rushes forward and bites Arya, it's jaws clamping down on her legs with force and holding on tightly. Meanwhile, a crossbow bolt flies out somewhere from the north and sinks into Valghaz's shoulder.
Combat rolls:
GM: Croc:
LDT1: 11/11, in D11, in combat LDT2: 11/11, moving to the east, will join combat in round 3 LDT3: 11/11, moving to the south, will join combat in round 5 Water level at end of this round: 0.6 inches.
Descending down a rope, you find yourselves in a circular cavern consisting of a large pool of brackish-looking water, its surface greasy with filthy and rotting seaweed. Dripping lead pipes protrude from the walls of the twenty-foot-high cavern, including one that's nearly two feet in diameter to the east. To the west and south is a five-foot-wide beach of grit and gravel. A narrow tunnel leads up at a shallow angel to the west and out of sight. As the last of you drops in, you hear two ominous things - the sound of water rushing, and the roar of some bestial creature from the west. Water begins pouring out of the large pipe.
"The secret door was in the dead-end passage I mentioned, several feet off the ground."
"Vanthus had me climb down a rope. He didn't follow me, though. He said this would be the test to see if I could join the Lotus Dragons. I climbed down the rope to a large chamber partially filled with water. I think it was sewage. There were several small pipes and one larger one in the walls, and a small strand of dry land next to a tunnel." "I was hanging on the rope, looking around, when I fell, the rope coming with me. Just as I splashed into the water, the large pipe started spewing more water into the room. I swam for the dry land and went down the tunnel, but it just lead to a dead-end. The water was rising at that point, and I made my way back to the large chamber, having to swim to make it in. I started looking around the walls more carefully, and finally found a secret door. It was totally submerged by that point, but I managed to open it and get out. I was greeted by Vanthus. He smiled and slapped me on the back, and said, "Welcome to the Lotus Dragons!""
"I really don't know! They did say something about the Taxidermist being off limits, but nothing beyond that."
Klendan heaves a sigh. "I don't think this is the only entrance. It's where Vanthus led me and a couple other recruits, but the other day I heard him refer to it as 'the rubes' entrance,' and he mentioned how unwelcome visitors would regret using it." His eyes nervously dart over your faces. "But I don't know where the other entrance is."
Klendan leads the party to Dead Dog Alley, a plaza in Sunrise at the junction of Crown Street, Monkey Street, and Water Street - very near the Taxidermist's Guildhall, actually. In the center of the plaza sits a well, which Klendan points to. "We climbed down there to get to the guildhall."
GM: Klendan: Mimi:
"It's in Dead Dog Plaza. The well in the center. I can lead you there if you insist, but only if you'll let me go afterwards."
Klendan sighs. "The guildhall." He bites his lip nervously. "If I tell you where to find it, will you let me go?"
Klendan seems to deflate at Arya's declaration. "I'm new to the Dragons. When he recruited me, Vanthus said they have big plans for Siren's Bay, and I'd be well rewarded for joining. I don't know what the plans are. I swear! I've only been to the..." He cuts himself off before saying anything further. GM: SM:
"I...I can't. Th-they'll kill me." Perception DC 17: Klendan's shirt is rather ragged, and you see what looks like a relatively new tattoo of a dragon coiled around a flower.
"M...my name is Klendan. I'm from here. Siren's Bay. Tarq..." his eyes dart to the pile of gore resulting from Valghaz's hammer, "was our squad leader. Said he received orders to dissuade a group of nosy adventurers from looking into our dealings."
The remaining thug drops his weapon and surrenders. Mimi: You see stairs leading to the roof behind the building to the west.
The tile looks beautiful - much better than the ugly laminate that was in the house when we bought it. Now we just have the carpet in the living room to get installed, plus a couple minor fixes, and we should hopefully be done.
Sorry for the longer-than-expected delay. Things took a bit more time than I expected. Not sure what to make of the new website/forums.
After seeing one of his comrades turned into a bloody pile of goo, the thug atop the western building turns around and runs across the rooftop out of sight. The other thug blinks his eyes, trying to clear them and swaying slightly.
We're getting tile installed in several rooms of our house, so I don't have access to my main PC for a few days, and the idea of doing a combat post from my phone makes me physically ill. I'll get a post up probably around Wednesday, maybe Thursday, depending on how long the tile takes.
The volley of attacks from the party all miss their targets, while Arenel's magic causes one of the thug's eyes to cross as a vague look crosses his face.
While one thug reels from Arenel's magic, another moves to get a better angle on the climbing Arya, but his bolt clinks harmlessly against the wall. The last continues attacking Elaina, his bolt plunking home into her leg.
Arya chases after the pickpocket. When she turns into the alley, she spies him duck around a corner after some crates.
Focused on the chase, nobody notices the three figures clad in leather armor atop the nearby roofs. Until, that is, they open fire on the party with their hand crossbows.
A bolt each hits Arenel and Elaina, the attacks precisely placed to inflict the most possible pain. A third bolt badly misses Arya.
As the party is heading back to the Islaran Estate, hoping to stir up trouble, their goal seems to find them - Arya feels a slight tugging at her coinpouch, and looks to see a street urchin running away from her, directly into an alley 20 feet ahead! GM:
The night passes uneventfully, with some finding beds nearby, others going to their homes, and at least one making his bed where he stopped drinking. The following morning, everybody meets back up at the tavern, some more worse for wear than others.
Jaxon looks over at Arenel and returns her grin. "Yeah, I gotsh lotsh of shtoriesh. Now, you di'nt hear thish from me, you know?" He lowers his voice. "Couple monthsh ago, we wash invetes-invetsig...looking into the death of a little girl. Looked like she wash mauled by shome kind of animal. I mean, she wash tore up real good." He shudders at the memory and takes another drink. "Turnsh out a maid saw the attack and said it wash shome kind of giant lizzhard. We ended up tracking it down to the Kellani Eshtate. Sheemsh like it wash the pet of Rowyn, the eldesht daughter." He pauses for another drink, but ends up frowning at the empty mug. Drunkenly waving at the bartender, he continues. "Any of you ever met her? Nashty piece of work. Had a way of looking at you ash if you di'nt even exisht! Right pretty, but it'd be like beddin' a viper, ya know?" The bartender brings another mug of ale. "Last one, Jaxon. I'm not dealing with you passing out here again, or with cleaning after you sick up everything." Jaxon attempts to nod and take the mug with a dignified air, but the effect is ruined as he spills a third of the ale on the table. Without a glance at the spilled ale, he takes a drink and continues his story. "Well, an'way, Rowyn'sh pet, which wash illegally imported, by the way, should've been put down. Inshtead, the Kellanish paid the parentsh of the little girl a fortune to hush it over. The Guard got a big donation to keep quiet, too. That'sh the way this city worksh, you know? Money buysh you anything." Jaxon drains the last of his ale and stands up. "I'm off for home. 'Member to keep that shtory to yourshelvesh. And keep your noshesh out of the Ishlaran murder. None of your bushinessh." With that, he heads for the door in a slow shamble. GM:
"Ah, alright, guessh yur alright. You did buy me them alesh." Replying to Elaina, he says, "Animalsh? What animalsh are you talkin' 'bout?"
As the barkeep brings another ale, Jaxon looks at the group suspiciously. "Sho why didjall come over here anyway? Jusht to poke at me and ruin my chancesh with Beal...Beilla...the prieshtessh?" It seems Belianna discreetly slipped away at some point.
"I know lotsh of shtuff you don't! And don't go pokin' me like that! 'lessh you want me to go pokin' yuh right back." Jaxon's face falls into a sullen scowl. "Barkeep! 'nother ale for me."
"Of coursh! But can't talk 'bout it. Confi...confin...shecret, y'know."
Jaxon responds to Arya, words sloshing together, "'m a memb'r of th' Ashure Guard. 'm a corp'ral." Sense Motive DC 10, -2 penalty if you're drunk:
You feel like Jaxon is lying about his rank, probably hoping to impress Belianna. Belianna also replies. "I am a priestess of Istanu, the Light Above." Her voice is only slightly marred by the rum. She collects Valghaz's gold with a smirk. "Thank you for your donation."
Feeling under the weather, will get a post up in a day or two when I'm feeling better.
The young guard looks surprised at Valghaz's approach, but a smile creeps onto his face. "Deal, old man. Bartender, another ale!" His grin is replaced by a look of shock as the girl sitting across from him slaps the table and adds, "I'm in, too. Spiced rum, neat."
Jaxon Wanderly, the guard, starts showing the effects of the drink after six ales. The girl he's with - Belianna Crowley - however, puts down an impressive 11 spiced rums before she begs off anymore drinks. GM: Jaxon Wanderly
(10) (11) Belianna Crowley
The bartender provides drinks as ordered, and seems about to reply to Elaina's chiding when Arya answers for him. The drinks are stronger than they are good. Arya: You see one guard you recognize, a young man with the kind of scruffy beard that indicates he can't truly grow a full one, sitting with a young woman at one of the tavern's few tables.
Later that evening, the party arrives at The Cracked Mast, a tavern in Azure popular with off-duty guards. When you enter, you see that, true to its name, the tavern's bar is crafted from an large mast with a crack running down the side. It's a small and fairly quiet place, half-full with about a dozen patrons. The bartender, a male half-orc by the name of Dreb, looks you over when you enter. "Aren't you a ragtag group of driftwood to float into my bar all together. What're you swilling?"
Arya: You make your way to the exit and out the building without any issue.
Arya: The only thing of interest you find in the bedroom is a book inscribed with mystical symbols, curious diagrams, and notes scribbled across the pages, some in Common, some in a language you don't recognize. You think it's a spellbook.
Arya:
The footsteps - you're pretty sure it's two sets - fade away after you hear a door open and then close. From the sound,
you think they didn't enter the dining room. Spoiler:
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