I didn't want to give up on this game, but I have to face the facts: I no longer have the time or drive to keep things going. I had an increase in hours for work fairly recently, and now I'm getting an increase in responsibilities. I don't see how I can devote the time and creativity needed to keep the game enjoyable for all, so I'm going to end it here.
I want to thank all who played in this campaign over the years, some of whom I got to play alongside in the earliest days. Best wishes for all of you. I have no plans to leave the forums entirely, but I'll be sticking with just being a player for the foreseeable future. I hope to meet up with at least some of you in games here during that time.
You're pretty close to the palace now, but two patrols of four guards each are closing in--one behind the party, the second up the street in front of the group. There's still time (and alleys) for trying evasion of some sort, but you're going to need a good trick or some impressive magic to give them the slip for very long.
ENDRIN ISLE: Outside the Palace of the Emperor of Old Korvosa (19 Desnus)
True to her word, Laori does indeed "jangle when [she] jiggles," and as your group draws closer to the Emperor's "Palace," her noisy progress catches the attention of one of Swastel's street patrols. An alarm is shouted and pursuit begins. It soon becomes obvious that the thugs' movement rate is faster than that of your slowest party members (Emi and Laori). As you all round a corner and the Emperor's guard closes in, Laori--still grinning like a madwoman--asks in a terse whisper, "So...what's the play?"
Laori stays thankfully quiet as Miakoda heals up Emileva, but as the final plans are made she pipes up once again. "I can see pretty well in starlight but moving quietly is another thing altogether." Her manic grin makes another appearance across her elven face. "I tend to jangle when I jiggle!" she adds with a giggle, shaking a bit in her chainmail bodysuit. "Shouldn't be a problem--I hope--if we stay a fair distance clear of any of the Emperor's patrols."
If each player could make two (2) Stealth checks for their character, we'll proceed to the Court of the Emperor.
Since you guys actually started this very busy day by meeting the Emperor for the first time, let's say it's dusk, just before nightfall. So while crossing the entire island to the Night Market is possible, it's probably not adviseable at this point. It's probably (finally) time to move on to 20 Desnus.
Also, I believe that only Emi is currently wounded (down 12 hp by my records). I thought I had Kayleigh heal everyone before you went out searching for Salvator Scream's abode, but I didn't. I meant to, though, so Emi's otyugh wound is the only thing to worry about currently.
Do we think we could get some potions of darkvision? Since some of us are human and can't see in the dark.
You might be able to procure some at the Night Market, but that's at the far western end of the island...about as far from where you currently are as is possible in Old Korvosa.
Laori nods at Andrezi's words, especially about attempting to gain specific and useful information from the dead. She grins as Emi speaks up, but her face morphs into an exaggerated pout when the slayer mentions torture. "You'd think that, wouldn't you? But I've discovered over the years that my personality's too bubbly and friendly for captives to take me seriously. For some strange reason, most people don't find me intimidating in the least. Weird, maybe. And unsettling. Definitely unsettling." Just like that, the false pout is gone, replaced by her regular crazed grin.
Laori suggests that the group do any reconnaissance at night, as most of the Emperor's minions are human, can't see in the dark, and general carry lanterns or torches that give away their position.
"You folks were responsible for burning down the Emperor's first theater?" Laori shrieks with such absolute delight that you know, at the very least, that she has no love for Pilts Swastel and won't be betraying you to him (most likely). Again she reiterates that she's not very good at being stealthy but will happily fight alongside you all against the Emperor and his thugs.
So, to quote Matt Mercer..."How do you want to do this?"
"Fighting's fine by me," Laori replies to Andrezi. "In fact, that's my normal means of engagement. Well, I suppose I try to be pleasant first, but no one ever believes I'm nice, so why bother? Also, my gear makes me rather unstealthy, so factor that into your plans."
Turning to Miakoda, her smile seems a bit forced. "Yes! I can speak to the dead. Can you? If you want to do that now--and have the spell prepared--have at it!"
The spiky elf considers Miakoda's other request before answering. "Well...I can use some healing spells on individuals, and I can channel negative energy if I'm alone with the Emperor and his court--or only one or two of you is within the area of effect. I guess that's negotiable. I can do shadowy magic--Wooooo! I'm a Kuthonite from Nidal. Spooky, right? Let's see...I can summon things to help me--er, us--fight. Oh yeah--I can also cast remove disease; very useful what with the blood veil outbreak recently. I hear it's still not fully eradicated, especially on this island."
"Ooh--almost forgot! I've got a few wands to supplement my magic when needed." Laori does some vigorous hip shaking, causing her weapon and chainmail to jangle a bit and the three wands worn in thin leather sheathes attached to her belt to clatter as they sway and strike each other.
"Well, Andrezi and Nebbin...the signs of an abduction can be found in this house: dirt tracks made by several sets of boots," Laori states. "I believe that he was taken by thugs of Old Korvosa's self-proclaimed emperor. I understand this emperor owned some original Scream art, but they were damaged when his old playhouse burned down. So now he's decided to make our Salvator his personal artist and set maker for the new theater he's building."
Pausing a moment to gaze at the skull-candles atop the nearby table, she adds, "Seems this Emperor fella's full of himself, but he's still dangerous. Also seems like he's got all the thugs on the island under his wing, along with an adorable little hooded gnome or halfling executioner who enjoy cutting off heads with a huge guillotine. He's not very careful with the disposal of heads, however." She gives a head motion toward the skull candles again. "That's where I got some of my intel on this Emperor."
"Well, two's a start," the kooky Kuthanite says. "What of the rest of you? And, if I may, what are your names? I can't just call you things like 'Kitty,' now can I?"
As Firinne shrugs in reply, the elf grins and whispers toward Nebbin and Emi, "Your furry friend gets offended when I call her that!"
"Well, for starters I thought maybe we could share what we know about Salvator, guess at his kidnappers, and perhaps join forces to rescue him," Laori replies evenly, still smiling though some of the manic joy seems to have receded from her eyes as she looks at and answers Miakoda. "I have some skill in combat with this spiked chain I carry, and I'm also an accomplished spellcaster--a dual threat, some might say."
"Plus, I'm a team player and bring joy and happiness to whatever group I may be part of."
As more people leak into the room to join her, Laori finally gets a look at Miakoda. "KITTY!!" she squeals in absolute delight. Realizing she's committed a faux pas, the strange elf immediately cups both hands over her mouth, accidentally raking her own face with the spikes of her chain, drawing rivulets of blood. She ignores the blood flow and resumes grinning. As she picks a thorny barb out of her right cheek, she ruefully admits, "Didn't think that last bit through, on multiple levels," before turning to Miakoda and adding, Sorry."
As she pulls the wayward spike out of her face, Laori mutters to herself, "A humanoid cat person! Would I pet her or torture her? Both? So conflicted...."
Pulling her eyes reluctantly off Miakoda, she again flashes her oversized grin. This time, her teeth are stained with the crimson of her own blood. "So...what do you all want with this apparently popular artist? Her eyes again widen as a delightful thought strikes her. "Maybe we could work together to find him!"
Nebbin winces as he sees the elf: "Ouch! Doesn't that hurt..."
"If you're looking to hire him, why do you have your weapons out?" Nebbin asks.
"Nah--not really," the smiling elf replies to Nebbin. At his second question, though, her smile leaves her face for the first time since you met her. She seems puzzled as she tries to formulate an answer. "Because...um, I forgot to buy a sheathe for it? Because it doesn't fit in my pocket, maybe? Because my armor doesn't have pockets?" She ponders Nebbin's unintentionally excellent question a bit more before adding, "I know! Let's go with 'Because there are a lot of dangerous people walking the streets of Old Korvosa these days.'" Her grin returns instantly.
Actually, how/where does one store a spiked chain when it's not in use? That thought has never crossed my mind before.
Wow...! This strange elf woman is as easy to read as a children's book. She seems interested in meeting and speaking with your group, her pleasantness seems wholly genuine, and you sense she means you no harm. She's obviously not told you everything about herself or her motives yet.
Andrezi Mardu wrote:
"What do you want with Salvatore? I don't get a sense that his art is what you're after either."]"What do you want with Salvatore? I don't get a sense that his art is what you're after either."
The kooky elf lady claps her hands and laughs with genuine delight at Andrezi's question. "Looks can be deceiving!" she gently chides the mage with the wag of a finger and a wink of one eye. "Actually, his art is one of the reasons I seek him. Ah, where are my manors? My name is Laori, and I visit this fair city from Nidal to the south. Mr. Scream's artistic vision is much appreciated and sought-after by many wealthy Nidalese, several of whom are followers of Zon-Kuthon, like me. I wish to ask if Salvator does commissions for artwork with a more implicit religious tone. Implicit yet explicit at the same time, one might say."
"Ah yes--this city's charming subterranean sanitation department," the elf woman drawls with a hint of a smirk tugging at the edge of her ever-present smile. "A brutish but efficient way to deal with the city's flow of refuse, and a brutal and deadly danger to be reckoned with when they run loose in the streets." She looks Andrezi up and down, her grin widening and even becoming playful. "I'm guessing you're not Salvator Scream, correct?" Not waiting for an answer, the elf's gaze turns to the rest of the group, an eyebrow arching when she sees Nebbin. "Or you either; too big for an artist, and too happy-looking to be the one I seek."
After a moment's thought, she adds, "And I get the feeling you're not in league with the new emperor--too clean, too well-groomed, too well-equipped...and not a single one of you has sneered at me yet! Why must they always sneer?"
"Perhaps we have common ground here. Come in, come in! Tell me--why do you seek Salvator Scream?"
Emi creeps down the hall and checks the door at its end, noticing a slight bit of dirt in this passage as well, though far less than in the previous two rooms. As she pauses outside the door, she sees no signs of any sort of trap here. She does, however, hear the faintest jangle of metal beyond the door. The doorknob turns and the door opens quietly, revealing....
Both of this room’s windows are tightly shuttered, yet the air inside seems strangely fresh and scented, no doubt because of the six large candles that burn within. Each candle has been affixed by a glob of melted wax to the crown of a gleaming, polished skull, and each of these impromptu and grisly candleholders has been placed atop an otherwise clear desk to the west, arrayed in a gentle arc. A chair sits before the desk, and a careful stack of papers and scrolls sits inside the arc of skulls. To the south stands a nearly empty cabinet, its shelves barren save for a few paintbrushes and a cracked pottery urn.
Of more immediate attention, however, is the smiling female elf standing next to the hovel's back door. She has quite a few visible facial piercings: several studs just above her eyebrows and multiple dangling earrings decorate each elongated ear. Her polished chainmail armor has multiple spikes attached to it, as does her apparent weapon of choice: a wicked spiked chain she holds with both hands. Emi and Nebbin--both trained warriors themselves--realize the elf holds her weapon fairly close to each end: all the better to use it in up-close fighting.
Yet she doesn't seem the least bit inclined to fight. Instead, the happy elf beams at Emileva and congratulates her.
"Impressive! Very quiet--I never heard you coming!" After a slight pause, she rolls her eyes toward where your group battled the otyughs. "Except for that commotion, of course. What did you piss off back there?"
Knowledge (religion) DC 12:
In addition to her spiked chain and armor, the woman wears a silver unholy symbol of the evil god Zon-Kuthon, lord of envy, pain, darkness, and loss. Though his servants and worshipers can be found throughout Golarion, the largest concentration of them nearby is the infamous realm of Nidal, location to the south, beyond the Mindspin Mountains.
Emi sneaks across the hallway, listens at the door, and--hearing nothing--twists the doorknob and pushes the unlocked door open, revealing....
A single bed, the blankets and pillows atop it scattered and in disarray, sits to the south in this room. More muddy boot prints mar the wooden floor here and a splash of dried blood stains one pillow.
Some more of the Roll20 map of the house has been uncovered.
Survival Check DC 20:
The muddy boot prints lead up to the bed and it seems that someone was likely abducted as they slept. The dried mud has a few marks that indicate that someone was dragged back out of the bedroom.
Emi's reconnaissance reveals that the windows are all locked; to her surprise (perhaps), the front door is unlocked. There are no traps, and when Emi pushes the door open, you all behold....
This entryway is empty save for a barren set of shelves to the south and a pair of ragged boots sitting on the floor nearby. A smell lingers in the air, that of must and mildew. A plethora of once-muddy, now dried dirt boot prints leads to a second door directly across from the entrance. It appears that Salvator entertained several guests sometime in the last week...perhaps uninvited guests.
While Firinne continues to help the wrong-place-wrong-time family skirt the battle, Andrezi's summoned grizzly bear and Nebbin team up to cut down a second otyugh. Meanwhile, Emi's falchion causes a deep gash in the last otyugh's side before Miakoda's spell sends it yowling and mewling to the ground, a quivering mass taking its final breaths before falling silent.
A quick subsequent circling of the artist's home reveals a handful of windows in the sides of the one-story structure, all intact but unwashed in months, maybe years. Peering through them, it appears the house's interior is about as well-maintained as the filthy, streaked windows--in other words, an utter mess. The two windows closest to the southwest corner, however, are tightly shuttered, preventing anyone from peering inside.
Combat is over. A bit of the house's interior is revealed on the Roll20 map.
Emi scurries away from the ambush, shaking some slobber off her arm while studying the otyughs so she can unleash her falchion upon them if either pursues. Andrezi summons a mighty grizzly bear. It barely misses its target with its first claw strike but connects solidly with its second claw and bite. Then Nebbin steps up, dodges a swiping tentacle, and nearly cleaves the monster in half, showing up the grizzly in the process. The dead otyugh staggers off to the side, collapses, and starts to slide slowly toward the sinkhole's edge.
Strangely, neither Firinne nor Miakoda joins the fray. Only Andrezi can see why: they've moved to intercept and warn off a human couple and their three children moving up the street from the opposite direction, unaware of the nearby peril. Firinne and Miakoda begin to escort the family past the battle, guarding against seeing the small kids become Children McNuggets for the rampaging otyughs.
One otyugh chases slowly after Emileva, but it's too slow to catch the nimble slayer. It gives a mournful grunt of frustration. The final mucky monster's eyestalk tentacle refocuses on Nebbin and Andrezi's summoned grizzly. Apparently it missed what Nebbin did to its companion with his greatsword, because it shies away from the larger bear and swipes--successfully, to a point--at the human warrior, but is unable to grab him. (2 bludgeoning damage after DR/4)
ALL PCs are up for Rounds 2 & 3. FIRINNE and MIAKODA can rejoin the combat if their players are around and able to post.
Full Initiative Order and Conditions Tracker:
INITIATIVE ORDER/CONDITIONS: Rounds 2 & 3 (Bolded may act/post) Last Positive Energy Channel: n/a (-- hps total); Last Cure Spell: Kayleigh on Party ===================================================================== Miakoda (60/60) Otyughs --- Otyugh #1 (undamaged) --- Otyugh #2 (undamaged) --- Otyugh #3 (dead) Emileva (71/83; ST Otyugh #2) --- Summoned Grizzly Bear (52/52) Andrezi (58/58) Firinne (53/53) Nebbin (9/92)
While Miakoda ponders the best move she can make, the three otyughs clamber out of the water with varying degrees of clumsiness, their stumpy legs pushing more earth and mud down into the pool in the process. Two get closer to Emi, this time attacking at range with a big bite and twin lashing tentacles each while the third beast lumbers slowly toward the main party. Amazingly, the flat-footed slayer counters or dodges all the attacks save one: a savage, slobbering bite that covers one of Emi's arms with a foul mix of mud, water, and otyugh drool. (12 points of damage, plus please roll a Fortitude saving throw.)
ALL PCs are up! MIAKODA may take actions for both Rounds 1 and 2.
As Emi begins to circle the run-down home, she never sees the attack coming. Two very long (15-foot) tentacles shoot out of the water to the south and try to grab her! Fortunately, the appendages merely bounce off her armor, not harming the slayer in the least. The fleshy barbs at the end of each tentacle mark her attacker to be one of Korvosa's garbage-eating subterranean otyughs. As Emi peers down into the now-churning water, though, she sees enough tentacles, long eyestalks, and barrel-shaped torsos to realize that multiple otyughs thrash in the nearby sinkhole.
That concludes the Surprise Round. MIAKODA is up to kick off Round 1, followed by the otyughs. I've bumped everyone back to their max hps; assume that Kayleigh and Ishan cast a lot of cure spells before the party left the clinic.
INITIATIVE ORDER/CONDITIONS: Round 1 (Bolded may act/post) Last Positive Energy Channel: n/a (-- hps total); Last Cure Spell: Kayleigh/Ishan on Party ===================================================================== Miakoda (60/60) Otyughs --- Otyugh #1 (undamaged) --- Otyugh #2 (undamaged) --- Otyugh #3 (undamaged) Emileva (83/83) Andrezi (58/58) Firinne (53/53) Nebbin (92/92)
ENDRIN ISLE: Along the Narrows of St. Alika (19 Desnus)
Taking minimal effort at disguising yourselves, your party makes its way east along the southernmost part of the island, Wave Street, just north of the Narrows of St. Alika canal. This way, you'll avoid the heart of Pilt Swastel's domain...at least for a while.
As you get closer to the Steel Maiden-(wo)manned blockade at the High Bridge, you notice a middle-aged man weeding out a neglected garden. At first, he's a bit scared and suspicious, but when you ask for directions to the artist's home, he smiles. "Ah, Mr. Scream--he's something of a local celebrity in these parts...though I ain't sure why. You folks passed his place a few blocks back. His home is on the Narrows side of Wave Street..number 140 I believe...a rundown place with a boardwalk and an unused dock behind it. Keep an eye out for the Emperor's Guards! Luckily, they don't come down Wave Street very often, but they're trouble."
As you thank the man and prepare to leave, he calls out, “There’ve been more and more otyugh attacks lately; it’s like the darn monsters know things are bad up above and are clambering up from the sewers for fresh food! Might want to keep an eye out for those brutes, too.”
Backtracking a bit, you find the artist's place...much as the gardener had described it. A weatherbeaten, one-story home, the place looks more like a fisherman's home than an artist's. The place seems to have a few windows, though some are shuttered. It's built right against the waterway, a short but fairly steep slope leading down into the water. The front door is actually on the western side of the building, near the northwest corner.
Let me know how you want to proceed (i.e. - knock on the door, scout the perimeter, bust a window, etc.).
The Roll20 link between my user name and avatar pic should now link to the new Roll20 battle map.
Kayleigh tells all of you to be careful--Nebbin especially. The healer reminds everyone that the home this Salvator Scream dwells in is somewhere in the streets that the Emperor of Old Korvosa--a.k.a. Pilts Swastel--considers to be his own sovereign kingdom.
At Nebbin's suggestion, the party returns to Kayleigh and Ishan at their makeshift blood veil clinic. Though the place has fewer patients than in previous weeks, it's clear that the blood veil hasn't yet released its grip on the inhabitants of Endrin Isle; from the faded splotches on their skin, it appears that both healers came down with the disease themselves over the last day or two (though Kayleigh likely healed them already).
Kayleigh suggests the group meet outside the clinic, wistfully pointing out that the clinic, once a bastion against the scourge of the blood veil, is now one of the places on the island where it's easiest to catch the disease. The healer has a brief coughing fit, but those of you who have experience with the manufactured disease realize that her coughing is actually less wracking than what might be expected from someone in the throes of the blood veil and that Kayleigh's already in the process of recovery.
After asking if the others have found any sign of Rolth, she sighs and then answers her friends' questions. She looks worried when she hears about what may have befallen Vencarlo and tells the others that she's not seen nor heard from the fencing instructor. She also has never heard of Salvator Scream.
Heading east to seek Salvator? Pivoting to something else?
ENDRIN ISLE: Garrison Hill--Outside Vencarlo's Home (19 Desnus)
Amin's spirit seems to rise some as Nebbin, Emi, and Andrezi all say that it was smart of him to hide and not needlessly throw his life away. A resolve builds in the young man. "While you check on the Salvator Scream lead, I'll stay here in the neighborhood and find out if anyone's seen Master Orisini today or knows where he might've gone to lie low. Where can I get in touch with you all if I discover something?"
Where to now? Quick stop at the clinic and then on to find Salvator Scream?
ENDRIN ISLE: Garrison Hill--Outside Vencarlo's Home (19 Desnus)
The figure in the alley proves to be a young human male dressed in fine but dirtied clothing. He wears a rapier on his hip
"Wow," the fellow states as Nebbin enters the mouth of the ally. "You must be the 'giant bruiser' Vencarlo spoke of. Ah--and you must be Emileva...and Andrezi...and Miakoda. Thank the gods you've come! I am Amin Jalento, one of Master Orisini's academy students. I've seen Emileva before, though I've never had the pleasure of sparring with her.
"Anyways, I got trapped on the island when the epidemic hit, and Vencarlo was kind enough to allow me to stay in a spare room at the academy ever since. Late last night or early this morning--I'm not sure which; I've sort of lost track of time--a handful of those mantis-headed assassins broke into the academy. Vencarlo fought them and actually killed one of them, but there were too many of foes and he was forced to flee. I...I watched from hiding, I'm ashamed to admit. After watching them attack Master Orisini, I knew I didn't have the skill to oppose them, so I remained hidden. The assassins were singularly after Vencarlo, however--they made no attempt to search the rest of the building.
"Some of them returned about an hour later. I overheard enough of their talk to glean that the Master had eluded them. Again, the ruffians made no attempt to search the academy; instead they simply set it ablaze. I was fortunate enough to escape through a window and not be seen.
"Master Orisini had been upset about something for about a week, but he never told me what was bugging him--in hindsight, perhaps he was protecting me by not letting me in on whatever bothered him so. I have no idea where the Master has fled, but I may have a lead that you folks could follow up on.
"During the last several days, the Master entertained an unusual houseguest several times, always speaking in private. I don't know what was said, but at their last meeting I heard Vencarlo's voice raised in anger. And I recognized his guest--an artist named Salvator Scream--whose macabre work is prized by some of the nobility and his lesser works are enjoyed by many of the island's low-income workers...thugs in particular. Salvator is a fellow of around thirty years, with wild, unkempt dark hair and seems extremely nervous, glancing around all the time to watch his surroundings. I believe he has a studio at the east end of the island. I hope you folks can follow up on this lead; I'm afraid it's the only one I've got."
Feel free to ask Amin any questions you might have.
Sense Motive DC 12:
It seems that Amin is being honest...or is a supremely talented liar and actor.
ENDRIN ISLE: Garrison Hill--Outside Vencarlo's Home (19 Desnus)
The Arkona guards give a nod to the party and begin walking back to their masters' home, muttering amongst themselves as they marvel at the mantis mask.
As you take one final glance at the burnt house, a cough sounds from the mouth of a nearby alley. A young human male of around Emi and Nebbin's age beckons to you all before stepping back deeper into the shadows.
ENDRIN ISLE: Garrison Hill--Outside Vencarlo's Home (19 Desnus)
The guards are all very skeptical; perhaps they've never even heard of the Red Mantis (as that's well above their pay grade).
I'll assume that you guys grabbed at least some of the assassins' gear before leaving the house. That would be: 2 suits of +1 leather armor, 4 +1 sawtooth sabres, 2 cloaks of resistance +1, 2 mantis masks, 2 potions of bull's strength, 8 normal daggers, 2 sets of masterwork thieves' tools, and 54 pp.
The three guards are inclined to not press matters any further, provided your group gives them one piece of Red Mantis gear--a mantis mask--so they can reasonably expect to be believed once they report back to their lord about the fires and the apparent attack on Vencarlo.
Sorry about the silence again. What started as merely waiting to see if Miakoda and/or Firinne replied turned into a full-on flake-out. I've been sort of busy, but most of the problem has been sleep-related: Even though I'm typing this in the middle of the night, I've managed to sleep for over 3.5 hours in one go on back-to-back nights for the first time in about 2 weeks...so that's a somewhat hopeful sign. Multiple 2-hour sleeps/naps have been the usual lately.
I'm hoping to get myself together over the coming weekend. I'll likely post here and there while Miakoda and Nebbin are away, trying to at least finish off this part of the adventure. Once they're both back, I'll try my best to post more consistently. Thanks for bearing with me.
ENDRIN ISLE: Garrison Hill--Outside Vencarlo's Home (19 Desnus)
Between Andrezi's soothing words (and the slightly incendiary ones that escape Emi's mouth) as well as Nebbin's looming presence, the guards seem uncertain how to proceed. Then one speaks up, pointing at Andrezi.
"I've seen his face hereabouts a few times. Never looked or acted suspicious. Don't think there was any incidents immediately thereafter."
The Arkona guards confer, whispering quietly amongst themselves. "If not you, then who set the house ablaze?" asks one of the men, a bit calmer in tone. His hand still remains poised to draw a weapon.
Emileva Only:
Your suspicions about the non-guard subside a bit as the encounter plays out: For one thing, the Arkona guards pay him no mind as they talk amongst themselves, trying to decide how to proceed. The non-guard also makes no attempt to influence the Arkona guards one way or the other.
I'll try to get this scene wrapped up before Miakoda's and Nebbin's absences end; then we'll move on to the next scene.
ENDRIN ISLE: Garrison Hill--Vencarlo's Home (19 Desnus)
As Andrezi fights the fire with his spell, he opens a passage for Emi to scramble forward, throw open the door to Vencarlo's sleeping chamber, and slip inside. She doesn't linger long there, but there's no answer to her calls for her instructor, nor is there any sign of the man in the room or inside the small closet off the room. Much of the clothing in the closet remains, indicating that Vencarlo didn't take his time, pack up, and leave in a leisurely manner. She also notices that smoke is pouring through the western wall, and soon flames start licking the wall as well.
From downstairs, Miakoda and Firinne call upstairs that there's no sign of Vencarlo in any of the ground floor rooms. Firinne calls out nervously that the fire has passed through the ceiling and is now starting to spread downstairs as well. With another twitch of her whiskers, Miakoda cries, "There must be some kind of accelerant! That's what the chemical smell must be!"
Andrezi's spell extinguishes pretty much all of the flames upstairs and most of the fire spreading downstairs before the aqueous orb's duration expires. Fortunately, by then the new plumes of black smoke sent skyward by the blaze have alerted the citizens still dealing with the fire at the academy, and a bucket brigade helps to put out the new fire. Thankfully, Vencarlo's home has been saved, though the west side of it will require extensive repairs before it will once again be livable.
Once the fire's out, three men wearing the Arkona family crest on tunics atop their armor--along with another fellow in street clothes--glare at the party.
"Saw them at the academy," one says softly to the others. "Aye--mighty strange coincidence that they move here and another fire just happens to break out...." The hands of all four men stray to the hilts of their swords.
Kooky and somewhat dangerous plan that just came to mind: If Emi's willing (and thinks she can make a DC 18 Reflex save to escape it), she could allow Andrezi's proposed aqueous orb to scoop her up and ride inside it as Andrezi moves it to the bedroom door, avoiding all fire damage but taking 2d6 nonlethal damage each round. The orb could also be used to roll back to the stairs, either with or without Vencarlo. Just a thought....
ENDRIN ISLE: Garrison Hill--Vencarlo's Home (19 Desnus)
Neither Emi nor Nebbin sees any sign of Vencarlo through the raging inferno upstairs. The efforts of Andrezi's summoned elemental help battle the blaze a bit, but any flames it manages to scoop up and expel from the home seem to be renewed by the rest of the rapidly spreading conflagration. Also, they seem to weaken the elemental as well each time it willingly sucks up any flames into its form.
Downstairs, Firinne and Miakoda, begin to search the other rooms downstairs that your group bypassed earlier. Meanwhile, Andrezi notices smoke starting to form on the ceiling of the room where you first engaged the Red Mantis assassin.
"Nothing!" Firinne calls out as loud as she can after opening the door to the nearest room. Miakoda pounces off the stairs, rushes to the next closest room, and opens its door. "No sign of Vencarlo!" she yells.
There are two more rooms downstairs that haven't been checked. Emi knows that Vencarlo's bedroom (and a small closet) are the only rooms remaining upstairs, but she'd have to move through a lot of raging fire to check them.
Update: I DID hear back from Firinne's player, who's ready to rejoin the campaign.
I have a presentation for work tomorrow that I need to finish up. If that goes well, I may be able to restart the game tonight. But since things rarely go well for me, posting tomorrow afternoon or evening seems more likely.
Sorry again for the silence; I hope to post something relatively soon (hopefully no later than this weekend). I haven't heard back from Firinne, so we may have lost one of our PCs for good. I'm sort of planning on having her drop into the story's background, likely guarding Kayleigh while Rolth's still at large. That way, a quick return to the party will be a lot easier if we hear something in the near future.
Start thinking about whether we should try a 4-player party for a while or if we should recruit someone new; your input counts.
ENDRIN ISLE: Garrison Hill--Vencarlo's Home (19 Desnus)
It appears that the last assassin would rather die than betray his order...so Nebbin obliges him; the man's essence turns to red mist, mixing with the black smoke from the spreading fire. Speaking of spreading fire...even as Nebbin takes a deep breath after cutting down the last assassin, he notices the flames dancing rapidly toward him, filling almost all the room.
At the foot of the stairs, Miakoda's whiskers twitch irritably. "Anyone else smell that? A chemical odor?"
We can drop out of combat here...unless anyone would like to battle the flames.
ENDRIN ISLE: Garrison Hill--Vencarlo's Home (19 Desnus)
Emi puts some decent hurt on the remaining assassin, scoring a hit with each of her strikes. The assassin fights back, but only one of his three strikes sneaks past Emi's enhanced defenses (10 points slashing damage). From their positions on the stairs, Emi and Nebbin see that much of the house's upstairs seems to be ablaze. Nonetheless, the last assassin takes a careful step back farther into the burning room after attacking Emi...getting very close to the heart of the roaring flames.
For Folks Downstairs Please Roll a DC 20 Perception check (in addition to your actions for the next round).
ENDRIN ISLE: Garrison Hill--Vencarlo's Home (19 Desnus)
Nebbin says the three-word order and warning that he hasn't used in a while, and with one swing of his greatsword beheads the Red Mantis Assassin between himself and Emileva, the man's headless body beginning to evaporate immediately. The head itself bounces off the window and comes back at Nebbin, who sidesteps it. The head then rolls down the stairs, trailing red vapor as it goes. Though the head thumps during its travel down the first few stairs, by the time it reaches the floor near Miakoda it does one last quiet flop, now just an empty mask.
@Nebbin: Since you dropped the assassin with your first attack, you can opt to make a move action in place of the other two attacks you rolled. (Or at least move 5 feet up the stairs behind Emi.)
Though Andrezi can't see exactly what's going on near Emi from his current position, he can still help out. He summons a small air elemental near the top of the high ceiling over the landing between Nebbin and Emi. The thing swirls above Emi's head before dealing a glancing blow to the remaining assassin.
@Andrezi: Yeah, from your current position you wouldn't be able to see the last assassin (he's technically on the second floor, but I figured it was easiest to keep everything on one map, for now at least).
ENDRIN ISLE: Garrison Hill--Vencarlo's Home (19 Desnus)
As Miakoda takes a moment to heal some of Nebbin's injuries, Emi parkours impressively, bouncing off the nearby wall, grabbing the railing, and pulling herself over in one smooth display. The Red Mantis stabs her once as she passes (AoO; 11 slashing damage) but gives Emi a nod, either of admiration or respect for her courage and athletics.
Firinne steps forward and jabs up through the railing's bars at the assassin's legs swiftly and, for the most part, accurately, Miakoda's spell allowing her an extra attack that connects.
The trapped, badly wounded assassin pauses, seemingly trying to decide whether to attack Emi or Nebbin. It's a ploy: A third assassin moves from upsairs to flank and stab Emileva (15 slashing damage). Her spraying blood mixes with the mystical red mist that quickly billows out to surround the new arrival.
Now the cornered assassin acts. With Emi now flanked by an ally, he unloads on her with three attacks from his twin sawtooth sabres. his first hit scores a wicked gouge on her leg (23 slashing damage), but his two follow-up strikes miss the dodging swordswoman.
ALL PCs are up! (Don't forget to pick your boon from blessing of fervor!)
Full Initiative Order and Conditions Tracker:
INITIATIVE ORDER/CONDITIONS: Round 3 (Bolded may act/post) Last Positive Energy Channel: n/a (-- hps total); Last Cure Spell: Miakoda on Nebbin--12 healed ===================================================================== Andrezi (58/58; mage armor (8 hrs.), blessing of fervor (???) 7 rds. Red Mantis Assassins ---Red Mantis Assassin #2 (badly injured-- -65 hps; red mist) ---Red Mantis Assassin #3 (uninjured; red mist) Nebbin (70/92; grappling, grease, blessing of fervor (???) 7 rds.) Emileva (34/83; blessing of fervor (???) 7 rds.) Firinne (53/53; blessing of fervor (???) 7 rds.) Miakoda (60/60; blessing of fervor (???) 7 rds.)
Sorry, I thought I needed to wait for something. Would it be possible for Emi to jump up and catch the stairs at a spot above the assassin, then climb up onto the stairs to get behind him?
You could certainly try. (Uh-oh--been watching too much Critical Role lately.)
ENDRIN ISLE: Garrison Hill--Vencarlo's Home (19 Desnus)
Nebbin fights back furiously after being wounded by the assassin on the stairs...furiously but also wildly. All three of his frantic hacks miss the mark (though he thought the last two had a decent shot of connecting...stupid red mist!). He looks over his shoulder and finds that Miakoda has stepped behind him, a wand at the ready. Though cat faces are notoriously hard to read, he thinks her visage conveys something along the lines of "You got this!"
No 5-foot step for Nebbin with Miakoda accidentally blocking the foot of the stairs.
ENDRIN ISLE: Garrison Hill--Vencarlo's Home (19 Desnus)
Firinne moves deeper into the room, mainly to makes sure the mist-ified assassin doesn't reform behind the party. Miakoda draws a wand of cure light wounds and steps behind Nebbin, ready to heal the living blockade should he get bloodied.
Nebbin's foe fights back--most impressively. His twin blades spin and whirl like the rotors of a windmill, then three quick, precise cuts strike the big warrior from all angles (34 points of magical/slashing damage, incl. 1 crit--after DR). From upstairs comes the faint noise of something ceramic shattering.
All PCs are up again!
Full Initiative Order and Conditions Tracker:
INITIATIVE ORDER/CONDITIONS: Rounds 4 & 5 (Bolded may act/post) Last Positive Energy Channel: n/a (-- hps total); Last Cure Spell: n/a ===================================================================== Andrezi (58/58; mage armor (8 hrs.), blessing of fervor (???) 7 rds. Red Mantis Assassins --- Red Mantis Assassin #1 (dead, dissipated) --- Red Mantis Assassin #2 (somewhat injured; -30 hps) Nebbin (92/92; grappling, grease, blessing of fervor (???) 7 rds.) Emileva (83/83; blessing of fervor (???) 7 rds.; studied target – MA #2) Firinne (47+/47+; blessing of fervor (???) 7 rds.) Miakoda (60/60; blessing of fervor (???) 7 rds.)
