GM Bill Shalelu's page

"I too will stay here to protect Ameiko. You can put your trust in me that she will be safe while you are away."

And, with a few parting goodbyes, the group is ready to head out. The old road heading into Brinewall is badly overgrown and, in some spots, washed out by rains. The wagons would definitely have trouble negotiating this route without a substantial amount of clearing and repair work being done ahead of progress.

The path leads onto the path (on the map graphic, linked at the top of the page) running between the town and the lighthouse.

Let me know about any other special preparations before setting out. Keep in mind that there are a few undistributed loot items on the treasure spreadsheet. The masterwork crossbow taken from the ogres can easily have been fixed by Koya with her make whole spell by now.

At Alara's question, Piper sighs and strokes his chin. After some moments of thought, he signs, 'I'm not sure. It's hard to say. Personally, I have faith that it won't be the case.' He gives her a smile as he strokes her cheek, trying to calm her.

"Whether we are taking her to a fate like her grandfather's or not, if I know Ameiko, she will want an answer to this mystery. And she won't rest well until she has it."

"There's something else that's bugging me about Ameiko--sometimes, while she's sleeping, she says something about her grandfather. About how he 'waits in the dark, but doesn't know what he was'." The ninja shifts uncomfortably.

"Her grandfather? The one who wrote the letter and never returned from Brinewall?!?" she looks back at the town and castle. "That is ominous. I'm not seeing any activity from here but that doesn't mean we won't find a host of problems down there. We're so close, but not close enough yet."

"Um... Shalelu? Got a minute?" She asks, folding her arms behind her back. "I... I'm worried about Ameiko. She's been talking in her sleep about weird stuff..."

Alara finds Shalelu a couple of miles ahead on a bluff overlooking the ruined town of Brinewall. The area seems peaceful, but Shalelu surveys the scene carefully. She turns to Alara, and concern is evident on her face as well.

"I heard some of her mutterings too. Something about one treasure behind two seals in a third vault. It sounds almost like she's counting but she never gets to four." Shalelu shrugs.
"I always considered Ameiko to be pretty tough - she got through some rough scrapes back in her adventuring days. But maybe she's been out of action too long and her nerves are starting to fray like an old tapestry. I can try to keep an extra eye on her, if you think she needs it."

To avoid the krenshar's claws, Shalelu steps back next to Rawnie and fires her bow at the wounded predator.
Shalelu bow #1: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

The krenshar finally drops, pierced with one more arrow.

The final krenshar has already taken his action - that leaves everyone else. Including Ash who was eligible to go before the krenshar started to flee).

The krenshar struck by the frost ray growls a Rawnie - almost more offended for being targeted than being hit.

Shalelu does try to take advantage of the situation by taking a point-blank shot at the krenshar. It lashes out as she draws a bead on him.
Krenshar AoO: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22 crit threat
Confirm: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7 fail
Bite damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Shalelu grits through the pain and responds by putting a pair of arrows into the creature's hide. It screeches in pain and is very badly hurt.
Shalelu's bow: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Shalelu's bow #2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Damage #2: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Combat status
Characters hurt:

• Shalelu -6 hp

Krenshars hurt:

• #1 closest to Koya -8 hp
  
• #2 closest to Shalelu -10 hp
  
• #3 closest to Ash -4 hp
  
• #4 closest to Sandru -0 hp.

Shalelu fires one more shot from the front of the fortune teller wagon before moving, behind cover, to the wagon's rear.

Shalelu's bow: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

She shakes her head, indicating that she must have missed with her shot and the frustration shows on her face. She calls out "Here they come! I mark four of them. Some kind of panther."

The caravan makes a practice of camping a bit away from the river at nights to afford wildlife a buffer space between the camp and the water. But nightly visitors near the camp are reasonably common, their eyes reflecting the light of the campfire. So far, none have significantly violated the security of the camp, though a small knot of aurochs did press very close on their way to the lush riverside.

Late one night, Shalelu and Ash are on watch. Shalelu often sits to herself at the best vantage point she can find, a small rise near the wagons in this case. Still and silent, she alertly monitors the surroundings without being easy to spot. She always makes sure Ash knows where she is so she can signal him as necessary - either with a motion or a bird call.

Shalelu Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26
Ash Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18

Ash spies Shalelu's signal, though he does not perceive what it is that caught her attention yet. A wave indicates that there is something off to the camp's west. Ash also notices that she nocks an arrow to her bowstring, indicating something of Shalelu's wariness.

Everyone else, at this point, is expected to be asleep. I've got Rawnie and Koya in the fortune teller's wagon. I put Sandru, Ameiko, Piper, and Alara in the covered wagon where there is good room and shelter. Masamune, I figured, might want to sleep closer to Duty, though I have no problems with him being elsewhere as desired. The drivers usually bed down on the cargo wagons where they have some room to stretch out.

Link is above and repeated here: Camp Encounter. It should be editable.

Shalelu takes a moment to coordinate the coups de grace with Masamune. She picks up her bow again and drills an arrow into the sleeping ogre.
Bow Crit: 3d8 + 3 ⇒ (7, 8, 4) + 3 = 22

Ogre Saves:
Masamune's: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Shalelu's: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
The ogres promptly expire.

Shalelu then joins Ash and Piper checking over Alara, kneeling next to her and looking over the bruises starting to blosssom.
"You did fine. You may not have killed him outright, but I think you hurt that ogre more than any of the rest of us did. It takes a great deal of bravery to tangle with a giant up close. We just have to work on your dodge," she adds with a small laugh that seems to release a surprising amount of emotional tension.

Hey, Masamune, was that a formal challenge (as in class power) you wanted to invoke at the start of the encounter? If so, allies gain +1 to hit (melee only) the challenged ogre as long as you also threaten it. Want to clarify so everyone knows it may be available. And it's a circumstance bonus so it stacks with Piper's inspire courage.

As Masamune charges back at the ogre, its superior reach allows it to try to intercept the samurai before he gets in close with his blade.
Ogre club: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Greatclub damage: 2d8 + 7 ⇒ (2, 3) + 7 = 12 12 points of damage to Masamune

The ogre roars in satisfaction as the club strikes home. Perhaps it is because of the blow, but Masamune's own answer fails to achieve a telling blow.

Not so for the wily ninja opposite who manages to land two blows, one particularly hard into the ogre's kidney. The ogre is now badly hurt.
I think flanking can be achieved with an angled charge from Masamune and a 5' shift from Alara. Sneak attack applies to both and the crit is confirmed.

Rawnie's crossbow bolt appears to get fouled in the hides the ogre is wearing and doesn't seem to bother the creature (if he even noticed it).

And then things get confusing. The rear-most ogre, directed to stop the ogre in front of it rushes forward, bypassing the sleeping ogre (who doesn't need to be stopped). Meanwhile, the lead ogre screams his protest at Alara's paired strikes and wheels to slam at her.
Ogre club: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Greatclub damage: 2d8 + 7 ⇒ (2, 8) + 7 = 17 17 points of damage to Alara

Alara nearly avoids the savage attack, but the blow is so brutal that it sends he swooning into unconsciousness. That does, however, ignite Ash into motion with his healing power.
Cure Light Wounds[/dice: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4 4 points restored to Alara
Alara is stable and her eyes flutter back open, but at 0 hit points (by my calculation), she is still staggered.

The ogre takes little note of Ash's rush into danger to help a friend because the rear ogre is suddenly trying to grapple him, albeit not successfully.
Ogre grapple ogre: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

Shalelu cries out in alarm as Alara crumples under the ogre assault. "Alara, NO! Ash, get her out of here!" she shouts as she steps forward, drawing her short sword to strike at the ogre.
Short sword attack 1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Short sword damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Short sword attack 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Her first blow staggers the ogre but she is unable to successfully stab the ogre a second time.

And that makes it the party's turn again.
Ogre 1: 30 hp damage, staggered
Ogre2: 0 hp damage, sleeping
Ogre 3: 0 hp damage, charmed

As you approach the part of the road where the ogres have set up their lunch, Shalelu comes out of the foliage. "The ogres are not being subtle and they are not alert to movement on the road, either. I suspect they will stay put a while longer," she reports.

The latest combat map has been set up with the link at the top of the page. It should be shared correctly so everyone can move their tokens about on it. Let me know if it seems to have any trouble and I'll do what I can to fix it.
You've got some time for final preparations and strategizing

From his vantage point, it's hard to see much about the ground around the ogres and whether there is evidence of more than three of the beasts about. Right near him, however, he is able to read that a couple of ogres came along this way and were probably carrying a burden. Their strides are a little shorter, footprints a little deeper than might be expected (slinging a dead aurochs between the two of them, perhaps?).

Leaving trail sign to indicate the danger, Masamune turns to leave with enough care that the ogres do not see to notice he and Duty withdraw. However, there is a bit of surprise on Masamune's part when Shalelu steps out of the underbrush, nearly on top of him, several yards farther up the trail.

She speaks softly, yet there is a tension in her voice. "I saw them. The caravan must be warned and you are swiftest. I will shadow the ogres but not engage until you bring reinforcements," she says as she readies her bow and puts an arrow to the string.

Valia shakes his head and turns back to Alara.
"Oh they are indeed adroit at getting lost in the woods. These are not Shalelu's guards. They are the sheriff's, and they are afraid of their own shadows, apparently."

"I don't think they are as bad as that, Valia. Belor has been training his guards hard over the last years. He is even using some of his Shoanti methods on them to toughen them up. Even Magnimar has finally taken notice and is taking him seriously. He is one of the reasons I feel that I can leave Sandpoint, for a while, without worrying about it." she says.

"It is no burden. Sandpoint does not need my protection as much as it once did. Sheriff Hemlock has most things well in hand. Besides, I think there are others who would appreciate such protection as I can offer more." Shalelu directs the comment at Ameiko, but her eyes also flick toward Alara.

"Make that "six of you". I'm coming as well," Shalelu says as she strides into the common room and drops her pack on the floor at her bench as she sits down.

Shalelu and Aelbourne move off to a booth on the side to have an in-depth discussion of family matters.

As the conversation continues, Shalelu herself comes into the common room of the inn, entering from the rear of the building as usual. She turned to a set of coat pegs to hang her cloak and pack, leaning her bow up against the wall underneath.

"What's all this I hear about Ameiko having a fleet? The urchins are all riled up and are hard to understand..." She trails off as she turns and recognizes Aelbourne.

A note of wariness comes out in her question, "Aelbourne? What are you doing here in Sandpoint?"

At Shalelu's compliment, Piper smiles and writes: 'Thank you. It was our pleasure help out. Maybe we can tell you the tale on how we got rid of them sometime. So, you can give us some advice on what to do if we face a larger group of goblins. You are an expert on goblin extermination, after all.'

Shalelu, of course, presses for more detail on the sack of the Licktoads and she, in turn, shares some stories about her experiences with goblins and their relatives including the disciplined, militaristic hobgoblins and the stealthy terror of bugbears. Her description of the stalking tactics of bugbear stranglers is particularly vivid - clearly she has personal (and harrowing) experience dealing with them.

Ameiko keeps the drinks coming, this time on Shalelu's silver, pretty much as long as you're interested in holding court at the inn.

And your compliment, Piper, while it contributes to her loquaciousness this evening, will not improve your relationship score with her.

Alara is quite relieved to see Shalelu accept the arrows. She chuckles nervously, scratching the back of her head.

"Um... I was told that those arrows were enchanted to work better against animals. Maybe... maybe you could put them to good use out hunting, or something like that?"

Shalelu raides an appraising eyebrow. "Animal bane, eh? There are not many. Perhaps I should save them for a more dangerous animal than simple hunting. If the situation presents itself and I am called upon to track down a dangerous animal, would you like to join me and see how these arrows work with your own eyes? Masamune, perhaps you would like to join us as well so you may learn to appreciate the parsimonious elven way of combat. There is much I could teach you."

She seems determined to not rise to Masamune's insult but her own minor imprecation suggests the idea of rivalry is now firmly planted. In other words… game on!

She clears her throat. "Actually, the Licktoads were decimated by skeletons before we arrived. Apparently, they found a treasure chest with a lot of goodies inside, so they brought it back to their village. The skeletons followed them and slaughtered many of them until Gutwad gave the chest back." She shrugs. "Not that it helped him much in the end, I'm afraid. We wiped the rest of the village out."

"Skeletons? That is unexpected. But it is still a job well done. They were becoming more than just a possible nuisance to traders coming up the southern roads."

Masamune sits in the tavern just nursing a beer when everyone starts arriving.

Masamune nods as Alara hands over the arrows.

"Yes, I think we were all fine with that gift. I mean we are good enough to deal with any threats without magical items, but you on the other hand... Well obviously there is a reason for you being known for being so good at hiding. We can take out goblins without having to get shots off from the darkness."

[dice=Intimidate insult]1d20+8

Nice intimidate check and insult… unfortunately, it is not one of Shalelu's relationship triggering subjects. Apparently, her fighting style/ability is not an area of particular concern and the attempt will not significantly build a rivalry.

Shalelu looks at Masamune with a bit of pity in her expression. "Words like that have been spoken about my people for generations by misguided humans. But that bravado is one reason why, when humans go to war, too many of them die as fast as goblins, while the elven people do not."

Returning to the Rusty Dragon with Piper in tow, Alara settles into a table with her boyfriend.

Shalelu's voice causes her to jump. Her face turns bright red.

"Sh-Shae-chan! Er--Shalelu! I didn't hear you come in!" She stammers. Clearly, she doesn't at ALL sound like a giddy schoolgirl. Nope. Of course not. That would be silly.

She rises from her table, clearing her throat. "No, not really. They didn't put up much of a fight, to be honest." She starts toward Shalelu, reaching into her satchel.

"In fact... they were kind enough to leave a few souvenirs." She pulls out the five enchanted arrows taken from Gutwad. "The goblin chief had these, and they're enchanted (or so I've been told), and I... um... thought you might like to have them?" She holds the arrows out, hoping to Desna she didn't just screw it up.

[dice=Diplomacy (Gift Giving)]1d20+8

The gift and diplomacy check are good enough for a +2 on your relationship with Shalelu, Alara.

Shalelu puts a gentle and steadying hand on Alara's shoulder as she settles into the seat next to her. "It is good that the goblins were weakened, but that surprises me. The Licktoads were always smaller than most tribes. That's why they kept to the marsh. Did the cannibal finally decide to fight her exile?"

As Alara presents the arrows, Shalelu examines them close to the lamp on the table. "These are finely made and must be worth a pretty copper. You humble me, Alara. Thank you. Do you know the nature of the enchantment?"

As the evening closes in on Sandpoint and people start to depart from the Rusty Dragon for slightly more carouse-ish taverns, you notice that Shalelu has quietly entered. She hasn't come in from the main door, but you have the impression that her close friendship with Ameiko probably lets her come in any door, including the delivery entrance to the kitchen. It just seems that she's suddenly alongside the table…

Greetings, fellow goblin hunters," she says with a hint of a smile. "I hear you brought in the head of Chief Gutwad. Congratulations on a feat well done."

She focuses on Alara, a full smile breaking out. "And it is particularly good to see you in once piece, Alara. I trust the goblins did not do too much to undo my hard work of protecting you? For if they did, I should be very cross," she laughs.