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SiaoSiao points out *all* the markers. The Pathfinders and civilians tiptoe and carefully follow the Hellknight’s safe-way and emerge on the far side of the barricade unscathed.

I’m retconning SiaoSiao’s Success into a Crit Success since I cheated her out of a Success in the previous Obstacle. Jared’s roll stands, as it’ll still just be a regular Fail using Society instead.

There, siege weapon attacks have destroyed the street and collapsed nearby buildings, blocking the road and setting the remains on fire.

Round 2
Burning Street
Total Infiltration Points Needed: 3
Successes: 0
Remaining: 3

DC 16 Society or Survival to find an alternative path
DC 16 Nature to avoid where the wind spreads the flames
DC 17 Athletics to clear a path through the debris

BOLD May Act:
Boomer (Reduce DCs by 1)
Durgok (May change a Crit Fail into a Fail)
Jared (May change a Crit Fail into a Fail)
Nara
Pusong
SiaoSiao (Reduce DCs by 1)

This uses the Infiltration system. See the Discussion post for an explanation of how we’ll run this.

Hi GM, is the ongoing infiltration system time-bound? Do we have a limit on how many rounds we should be able to finish the infiltration?

Unless it's explicitly stated or obvious, generally you don't know that. You also don't know how many Obstacles you will face.

One thing about the Infiltration System is that you gradually accrue Awareness Points. Which are bad. In an active "infiltration" (like trying to sneak into an enemy base) they signify the enemy becoming Aware of your presence. Generally Crit Failures add Awareness Points, or maybe you accrue 1 at the end of each round. Or perhaps you start with a certain number based on scaling or other activities taken before the Infiltration officially starts. Each run of a Chase or Infiltration is built differently and the GM tells you what you know or don't know.

I could tell you that you have 3 Awareness Points, but I'm not gonna tell you how many it takes to trigger a Complication, so it's not relevant to anything.

Just avoid Crit Fails... Oh, wait, right. See below.

@Everyone:
But one thing I messed up. We had to designate who was leading which group because each group provides a minor boon usable by that particular PC.

SiaoSiao and Boomer have their DC's for all these checks lowered by 1. Which would have changed SiaoSiao's Religion Failure into a Success. I'll adjust accordingly.

Jared and Durgok can change a Crit Fail into a regular Failure twice each. No Crit Fails so far to retcon.

Pusong and Nara will get a +2 circumstance bonus to Initiative in an upcoming encounter.

Pusong reloads and fires so quickly, Nara doesn’t even realize the remaining imps have scattered. The crowd surges forward around her, but comes to a screeching halt just a few blocks onward. There the Hellknights have placed a roadblock and alchemical mines on the street.

Nara (does some things) and removes one of the mines.

Round 2
Trapped Barricade
Total Infiltration Points Needed: 3
Successes: 1 (Nara)
Remaining: 2

DC 16 Crafting to detect the mines
DC 16 Thievery to disarm the mines
DC 17 Perception to spot the Hellknights’ safe path markers

BOLD May Act:
Boomer
Durgok
Jared
Nara
Pusong
SiaoSiao

This uses the Infiltration system. See the Discussion post for explanation of how we’ll run this.

Yes, everyone may act. Yes, you can do the same action as before. No, there is no penalty for repeating with the same action or using the same action as someone else already did.

SiaoSiao and Durgok wave their hands and shout at the imps who laugh at the ineffective attempts to shoo them away.

Round 2
Imp Assault
Total Infiltration Points Needed: 3
Successes: 2

Ranged attack against AC 18
DC 16 Intimidation to drive the imps off
DC 16 Religion to hold the fiends at bay with holy words and power

BOLD May Act:
Boomer
Durgok
Jared
Nara
Pusong
SiaoSiao

This uses the Infiltration system. See the Discussion post for explanation of how we’ll run this.

Yes, everyone may act. Yes, you can do the same action as before. No, there is no penalty for repeating with the same action or using the same action as someone else already did.

Pusong’s shot explodes one imp, continues on to take out another, and ricochets of a wall to splatter a third! Crit!

Round 1
Imp Assault
Total Infiltration Points Needed: 3
Successes: 2

Ranged attack against AC 18
DC 16 Intimidation to drive the imps off
DC 16 Religion to hold the fiends at bay with holy words and power

BOLD May Act:
Boomer
Durgok
Jared
Nara
Pusong
SiaoSiao

This uses the Infiltration system. See the Discussion post for explanation of how we’ll run this.

Nara quickly picks open the lock on the back gate leading out of the alley and the civilians rush forwards once more.

A flock of imps sees the civilians as easy prey, descending on the group in hit and run attacks.

Round 1
Imp Assault
Total Infiltration Points Needed: 3
Successes: 0

Ranged attack against AC 18
DC 16 Intimidation to drive the imps off
DC 16 Religion to hold the fiends at bay with holy words and power

BOLD May Act:
Boomer
Durgok
Jared
Nara
Pusong
SiaoSiao

This uses the Infiltration system. See the Discussion post for explanation of how we’ll run this.

Boomer spots a shortcut (which is easier for him, of course, ‘cause he’s a gnome… so he’s short…) Jared easily picks the lock on the locked gate and the civilians rush to follow. 2 Successes.

Obviously, we’re ignoring Jared’s exact duplicate post that looks like a failure. He’d already succeeded.

This uses the Infiltration system. See the Discussion post for explanation of how we’ll run this.

Round 1
Fighting in the Streets
Total Infiltration Points Needed: 3
Successes: 2

The Steel Falcons are engaging a squad of Hellknights, missiles and spells hitting the surrounding streets. You can help the fleeing civilians to escape with:

DC 17 Perception to help find an opening in the battle
DC 16 Thievery to open a locked alleyway
DC 16 Survival to find an alternate route

BOLD May Act:
Boomer
Durgok
Jared
Nara
Pusong
SiaoSiao

A terrible whistling cuts through the air as the Hellknights fire siege weapons into town. A house collapses in billowing dust and splintered wood. Shouts and the clash of weapons echo down the streets. Fiends and Hellknights lurking in buildings spring out upon the Steel Falcons to disrupt the attack against the citadel. The few civilians still hiding break and run for help, swelling the refugee numbers and escalating their anxiety. They need to reach safety soon!

This uses the Infiltration system. See the Discussion post for explanation of how we’ll run this.

Round 1
Fighting in the Streets
Infiltration Points Needed: 3
Successes: 0

The Steel Falcons are engaging a squad of Hellknights, missiles and spells hitting the surrounding streets. You can help the fleeing civilians to escape with:

DC 17 Perception to help find an opening in the battle
DC 16 Thievery to open a locked alleyway
DC 16 Survival to find an alternate route

BOLD May Act:
Boomer
Durgok
Jared
Nara
Pusong
SiaoSiao

We will be using the Infiltration System for this next challenge. For those unfamiliar, Nethys has the full rules from GM Core here.

You act in Rounds to overcome Obstacles. Anyone can act in the round that has not already acted in the round. Once an obstacle is complete, you move to the next obstacle, and anyone that had not yet acted can still go. So sometimes, if you're not trained or unable to help at a certain obstacle, just wait and save your actions for the next obstacle.

You will need a certain number of Infiltration Points to overcome each obstacle. As usual, a Success = 1 point, a Crit Success = 2 points. Basic failures have no impact, but Crit Fails cost the party a point. Again, not being trained in any of the relevant skills means maybe just wait rather than rolling and Crit Failing.

Please read all the recent posts. You can see the DCs. You can see how many Points you had and how many were needed. If the party only needed 1 more Point, and Booomer just rolled a Nat 20, then please just wait until I post the next obstacle. That saves you time and saves me time from having to retcon posts.

Okay, let's go save the civilians!

Jared wracks his brain trying to figure out how the brazier can be disabled when suddenly… It shuts off! Nara looks up from the edge of the platform with the biggest grin on her face. She had, in fact, just found a hidden switch set into the bar’s raised stage. Sussing out that the switch was somehow connected to the brazier’s power supply, she flipped it to OFF. With the brazier shut down, the flames immediately extinguish. Roxie looks up in surprise at the assembled Pathfinders who just rescued her.

Roxie is tall and rough-spoken. She’s thankful for you saving her life and her bar. But she’s tight-lipped about what the Hellknights wanted. “Appreciate the rescue, but now’s not the time. Get me away from here and safe across the creek and then we’ll talk.” She fishes into her belt pouch and tosses Nara a small stone. ”Maybe you can find a use for this more ‘n I ever could,” she says by way of thanks.

You feel like you have little time to get everyone across the bridge as the sounds of battle to the north intensify.

FWIW, the Thievery DC was exactly 21.

The stone is a consumed aeon stone, so it has no powers of its own. But you could cast light on it and not have to carry a torch or have your light spell on your weapon. Either way, it’s a treasure bundle.

Since I don’t think anyone else has used one (and certainly not to such good effect!), and since it’s that time, I’ll give a Hero Point to Nara. Everyone should still be at 2 Hero Points per the tracker on Slide 2.

I’ll get us going on the next Encounter tomorrow.

So, how does this work? You build a character but assign chronicles to existing characters in the level range (or lesser level)?

You can actually apply the credits to any character of any level. The way they phrase it is: "Players who play through each Dark Archive Case File, as well as GMs who run the adventure, can apply the adventure’s Chronicle Sheet to any of their Pathfinder Society Organized Play characters." There's no requirement that it be a character of that level or tier as there was in 1st Edition.

As to making a test-run PC now, I have plenty of characters already built to show that I can. Here's Callaverthorna a level 9 rogue. But if you still want a theoretical PC built from scratch, I'll do so tomorrow. I'm feeling like an Investigator or a Thaumaturge would certainly fit the theme.

Pusong takes a slow breath to calm himself, just like he would before taking a long shot. As he inhales the smoke, he realizes there’s something off about it. Sure water can work, but only magical water.

Using any 1st-rank spell with the water, light, or cold traits AND making a DC 17 Counteract check can dispel the shadow flames in one square.

He moves further into the room but can’t get a good read on the brazier. As he’s studying it though, it flares up again spreading more fire across the room. Strangely many of them seem to have spread up into the balcony area.

You can use any Magical Tradition Skill to Recall Knowledge to figure out how to Disable the brazier itself. BUT you need to be close enough to it to see it clearly through the flames to do so. (15 20 feet from it or closer.)

Round 3
The Pickled Ear
Conditions: Red Fire squares are indeed on Fire, and it’s spreading!
BOLD May Act

SiaoSiao
Boomer
Jared
Pusong
Durgok

Another Surprise!

Nara

Very Interested in this. I've GMed one 7-10, some 5-8's but nothing higher. It does get super complex, and I am always afraid that I'm missing stuff (which I do, as those who've played at my tables can attest to.)

{edited} My GM resume/list sorted by tier. I didn't indicate which are PBP/PBP/F2F, though, as I have a fair bit of each type (unlike a certain Tiger we all know below). Wait, TPK? What? I'm in that game!

Replays: I played Lady of the Harvest 3 years ago and don't remember a thing from it. I'll gladly burn the replay to join this table if you're okay with that.

And yeah, a full year of mostly daily posting. I can do that. I was in a long term PBP/PFS scenario run that finally fell apart after 5 years, and it would be cool to get that kind of party continuity again.

And since I've also played Beast of Birchfrost, I'd be happy to take a turn GMing that one for the party, though not sure how that would fit into the sequence since it's level 3. Maybe at the end, after we're all done? Or mid-stream when Soup needs a GM brain-break? Like as a flashback episode from the the same characters' earlier days, maybe.

Last call for Pusong to come out of Delay before I let the brazier have its turn. I'll wait 24 hours until mid-afternoon my time tomorrow.

Boomer puts another of the fires out while Jared moves closer to check out the brazier.

You can use any Magical Tradition Skill to Recall Knowledge to figure out how to Disable the brazier itself. BUT you need to be close enough to it to see it clearly through the flames to do so. (15 20 feet from it or closer.)

Round 2
The Pickled Ear
Conditions: Red Fire squares are indeed on Fire, and it’s spreading!
BOLD May Act

SiaoSiao
Boomer
Jared
Pusong (DELAY)
Durgok

Another Surprise!

Nara

You asked me to roll Religion. You can RK with any of the Magical Tradition skills. I don't see why you couldn't try again with a different skill, like say Nature. Normally you can't retry a failed RK, but I fell like that's a limitation on retrying with the same skill, which is different in this case where you can use any of them that you're trained in. Basically, "Teki doesn't use these smoker things in her rites and rituals. But those boys said the flames aren't natural, so maybe I know something about where smoke and flames naturally come from."

Jared puts one out, of the seven that appeared! This looks to be a losing battle. Curious about the brazier, he realizes he’d be able to tell more about it if he was close enough to actually see it, though.

@Jared: See below, but to Recall Knowledge you need to be close enough to see it. I said “15 feet from it or closer” but I’m allowing others to do it from 20, so we’ll amend it to 20 feet. You may use your third action for something else, perhaps a Stride to get closer if you want.

SiaoSiao uses a 2-action activity to recall knowledge Barbarian style. She dumps pickle juice on magical hellfire. I’ll let you imagine what that smells like. But it certainly doesn’t put the fire out.

Meanwhile Nara rushes to the far end of the tavern. She’s sure there’s got to be a way to just turn the darn thing off….

You can use any Magical Tradition Skill to Recall Knowledge to figure out how to Disable the brazier itself. BUT you need to be close enough to it to see it clearly through the flames to do so. (15 20 feet from it or closer.)

Round 2
The Pickled Ear
Conditions: Red Fire squares are indeed on Fire, and it’s spreading!
BOLD May Act

SiaoSiao
Boomer
Jared (1 Action remaining - Striding closer?)
Pusong
Durgok

Another Surprise!

Nara

Durgok and Pusang come to the same conclusion, albeit by different means. Durgok discovers that simply using water doesn’t work. Seems like maybe there’s some special sauce ingredient that the alchemists are using that plain ol’ tap water lacks. Pusong likewise realizes that they’re not natural flames, not like what powers his gun. These are surely magical.

SiaoSiao can tell that the brazier is the source of the flames, but that’s about it. It’s definitely not powered by pickle-juice, that she’s sure of.

As SiaoSiao mulls over what she knows or doesn’t know, she sees the brazier flare intensely. Suddenly, 7 more fires spring up throughout the room!

See Discussion regarding Disabling the Flames. Yes, you still need to hit the space, but Cold does seem to work, and it is a 2-Action Activity.

You can use any Magical Tradition Skill to Recall Knowledge to figure out how to Disable the brazier itself. BUT you need to be close enough to it to see it clearly through the flames to do do. (15 feet from it or closer.)

Round 2
The Pickled Ear
Conditions: Red Fire squares are indeed on Fire, and it’s spreading!
BOLD May Act

SiaoSiao
Boomer
Jared
Pusong
Durgok

A Special Surprise!

Nara

Jared and Boomer run in and quickly put out two of the magical flames. SiaoSiao sees how well the alchemists are able to handle the fires, and notes a black, magical, and very eeeviiillll looking brazier up on top of a raised platform surrounded by the same black-magical fires burning throughout the bar.

See Discussion regarding Disabling the Flames. Yes, you still need to hit the space, but Cold does seem to work, and it is a 2-Action Activity.

You can use any Magical Tradition Skill to Recall Knowledge to figure out how to Disable the brazier itself. BUT you need to be close enough to it to see it clearly through the flames to do do. (15 feet from it or closer.)

Round 1
The Pickled Ear
Conditions: Red Fire squares are indeed on Fire.
BOLD May Act

SiaoSiao (2 actions remaining)
Boomer
Jared
Pusong
Durgok

A Special Surprise!

Nara

Being unsure of what to do is normal, especially in these weird situations that look like combat but maybe aren't. Figuring out what to do is part of the process. So, skills to Recall Knowledge would be 1 Action, like one of the Magical Tradition skills on the brazier atop the platform, or Survival to see if the flames are natural or not. Things like that. I'm pretty open with creative uses of unusual skills IF the Player explains and Roleplays how they're using it.

And you could just do what SiaoSiao did - rush in blindly and ask me what she sees. If it's not obvious, I'll specify a Check.

Full disclosure, Cold damage is not supposed to put these fires out per the scenario. But I'm going to allow it for the alchemists since it feels like it's close enough to the Water trait that the scenario dictates. BUT since "Disabling" the fires is a 2-Action Activity, they can only do one per round and thus are also only using 1 vial or other consumable per round.

"We’re escorting the refugees from here to a safe place. Would you like to join them?" Jared asks the pair.

”Uh, well, maybe,…” the human woman begins. ”But someone oughta’ check on Roxie,” the dromaar finishes for her. ”The place was burning when she shoved us out the back.”

Remembering something, SiaoSiao uncharacteristically grabs the pair and asks "Who saying about Bumbrashers??"

”Yeah, see, we were in the Pickled Ear,”

Assuming you go to rescue Roxie and learn more about what she knows and why the Hell-ka-nigits were searching for Bumblebrashers….

Black flames flicker around the Pickled Ear, the tavern’s old wooden frame turning chalky gray. The wooden sign hangs loose over the shattered front door, thin smoke billowing out. The heavy scent of sulfur is smothering. Choked gasps and cursing echo from inside.

Round 1
The Pickled Ear
Conditions: Red Fire squares are indeed on Fire.
BOLD May Act

SiaoSiao
Boomer
Jared
Pusong
Durgok

A Special Surprise!

Nara

The Pathfinders work together, everyone pitching in to fix the wagons and put out the fires with such effort that it takes almost no time at all. For your hard work, Fadelby Vusker the wainwright and owner of Vusker’s Carts and Wheels offers you a minor healing potion and a silver salve. He looks at the burned out buildings around his shop and sighs heavily. ”Guess it’s time to move on. I’ll gather up my workers and their families, and we’ll follow you out.”

Not far along on your way to the south, two crying drunks stumble down the street, leaning on each other. “Oh, poor old, Roxie. Give us another sip, Mattie, my cup has sprung a leak.” The other lifts a shaggy pile of curls, peering at the empty glass. “More mischief! The gods are cruel We’ve lost our friend, our bar, and the blessing has left my own glass. Bad times are upon us, Perry, there’s no doubt of it. Those wicked Hellknights made short work of the Ear and dear Roxie. Wha’s Roxie even know ‘bout Bumblebrashers?” The pair blearily come upon the gathered refugees, walking within a few feet before coming to a startled stop in front of the crowd of refugees and Pathfinders. “HUH! WHAT?! What’s this?”

Boomer makes short work of the wagons, and some folks even start loading supplies into them!

2 Successes on that Crit! Only 1 more to go.

SiaoSiao and Durgok find the last of the stragglers. One of them, a little goblin girl, clings stubbornly to SiaoSiao’s leg and munches on a pickle. Renatta thanks you all and agreess that with conditions worsening in the city, maybe it’s time to relocate south for the time being. She walks alongside Jared while several others follow Durgok.

Soon, though, the Pathfinders and their small army of civilians round a corner to see clouds of smoke and ash billowing out near Breachill’s northwest gate. Calls for water echo from multiple areas, and confused townspeople rush about haphazardly with slopping buckets.

A leathery tradesman with large, gnarled hands shouts orders between holding a wet cloth over his face to block the smoke pouring from burning buildings. A nearby sign says Vusker’s Carts & Wheels, though the few wagons remaining in the wainwright’s yard are broken. “You there! Don’t just stand about! Grab a bucket and help!”

You can help douse the flames with a successful Athletics or Survival check or by using a 1st rank or higher spell with the water trait or a similar ability, organize the bucket brigades with Diplomacy or Intimidation, or repair the wagons with Crafting or a mending spell.

"You might be right," she replies to Jared's comment about the safety and wisdom of remaining in the area, but she's not fully convinced yet.

Boomer and Pusong find no one.

1 Success of the 3 needed. Nara, SiaoSiao, and Durgok still to go.

You can aid Renatta with cooking using Cooking Lore, or search likely hiding places with Perception, Society, Stealth, Survival, or Underworld Lore. I'll allow the Achemists to use their Alchemy Lore or Alchemical Crafting at a -2, or at no penalty if they have some cooking-related thing.

The woman stops rummaging around, wipes her hands on her apron, and cocks an eyebrow at Jared. "What happened here? The Hellknights happened, what do you think. They rousted the kitchen looking for 'criminals and spies hiding among the poor,' they said. Instead they injured the staff and scattered the patrons without arresting anyone. If there were any spies, they'd be getting paid by someone, wouldn't they? And then they wouldn't be eating at a soup kitchen. Stupid Hellknights," she finishes with disgust before turning back to her task.

"As for guiding us out, there's no one here to guide out. If you wanna 'save' folks, you're gonna have to help find them first."

She lets out a small happy laugh and lifts an undamaged, large frying pan out of some rubble. "Or help me get the kitchen running to entice folks back. Then you can sell 'em on leaving with you."

You can aid Renatta with cooking using Cooking Lore, or search likely hiding places with Perception, Society, Stealth, Survival, or Underworld Lore. I'll allow the Achemists to use their Alchemy Lore or Alchemical Crafting at a -2, or at no penalty if they have some cooking-related thing.

(OOps - I didn't catch Boomer's post.)

> Reliant Book Company: SiaoSiao & Boomer

> Lamont's Lament: Jared & Durgok

> Vusker's Carts and Wheels: Pusong and Nara waiting to take the last 2 groups

Now, does anyone want to engage with the soup kitchen lady?

With everyone patched up and SiaoSiao leading some of the civilians, you head to Lamont’s Lament.

Bits of the street on this end of town are torn up and muddy, the alleys full of refuse and debris. The welcoming sign for Lamond’s Lament is a beacon amid the worn-down surroundings, but the building has been ransacked—doors and windows smashed, curtains torn, flowers trampled. Inside, cots and bedding are ripped apart, food and drink have been discarded, and every nook and cranny has been flung open, their contents scattered.

A few injured people listlessly work to clean the wreckage. One human woman in a headscarf and chef’s apron is nursing a black eye as she searches the kitchen for an intact pot or pan. “Blessings, friends. I’m afraid there’s nothing to eat, but you’re welcome to rest.” She eyes the armed newcomers more closely. “We’ve nothing left to take and want no trouble. Hardly anyone left here anyway.”

Still need one more Guide. Nara and Pusong are putting it off until the end, so that leaves Durgok, Boomer, or Jared. There’s no skill checks to do this, and you don’t have to use the Cha skills for Initiative, it just gives you the option to do so.

Jared puts a round between the rat’s eyes just as Durgok slashes a gash into its face. Boomer’s acid bomb plunks right into the gaping hole in its head and burns directly on the exposed brain. Needless to say, Castus the wererat bandit chief drops dead.

Combat Over
BOLD are injured

Pusong
Durgok
Boomer
Nara (-7)
SiaoSiao (-6)
Jared

After defeating the mercenaries and rescuing Aaron, Iola and her company of halflings readily agree to evacuate the city with you. They’ve done all they can here, and they recognize that the battle to come is beyond their meager abilities to affect. With their supplies, they are well provisioned for the exfiltration and it takes a bit less effort for a Pathfinder to guide them along the way. See Discussion!

* You will be helping civilian groups escape the city. There are two groups per location.
* Each group requires time and attention to keep organized and safe. For each civilian group, one PC must perform the following exploration activity described below.
* PCs with Celebrity Dedication or similar feats can lead up to two groups with this activity.

Exploration Activity:
GUIDE CIVILIANS You carefully direct a group of civilians, ensuring no one is left behind. If you’re Guiding Civilians at the start of an encounter, you can roll Diplomacy, Intimidation, or Performance to determine initiative.

So, at this point you have 2 groups of Halfling Streetwatchers. So 2 PCs must change their Exploration Activity to “Guide Civilians.” Those 2 PCs probably shouldn’t be ones that rely on certain Exploration Activities for their build, like rogues that use Avoid Notice or someone using Scout to give everyone a bonus to Initiative. Good choices might be high-Charisma characters who could then use a trained Cha skill for Initiative instead of Perception. Either way, by the time you have all 6 group that you need to gather, that will necessitate all 6 PCs using this anyway.

Since it will not have an effect on the next challenge/encounter, I’ll move us along tomorrow. In the meantime, you can discuss who the first 2 to Guide Civilians will be. And do any post-fight RP, Refocusing, and/or healing that you want to do.

Satisfied that he’s done some damage, he prepares for the beating that’s coming. To quote Boomer, Huh What? Where’s that beating?

Jared throws two bombs to minimal effect, and SiaoSiao can’t get a good line on her target. At least Nara manages to cut the rat with her second hit - but only because of the tricky twin attack.

The rat sneers even as it’s clear that his wounds are nearly fatal.

Round 3
The Abandoned Bookstore
Conditions: None yet
BOLD May Act

Pusong
Durgok
Boomer

Black Fur Wererat (-41 Near Death | 16 < AC <= 20

Nara (-7)
SiaoSiao (-6)
Jared

Pusong ducks behind the door, reloads and fires. But it seems he didn’t manage to catch the rat by surprise. Even so, he nicks the rat’s ear which begins to bleed profusely (and non-mechanically.) The ‘slinger then ducks back behind the doorjamb.

Boomer sings a little ditty as his bomb hits the wererat on the nose, splashing acid into its eyes! Nat 20 Crit!

Jared copies the gnome’s technique but doesn’t quite hit the same mark. It still hits, just with a bit less punch. Durgok tries to pin the wererat in place to protect his allies and slashes into its acid-scarred face.

Castus growls back and sizes up the two nearest foes. Durgok is more heavily armored, but Nara looks sneaky. He tries feinting the fighter first by faking an attack at Nara while shifting to bite Durgok.

Deception DC 17: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Bite: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Dismayed at the lack of success, he switches targets to the squishy one.
Claw, Agile: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 10 - 4 = 20
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Satisfied that he’s done some damage, he prepares for the beating that’s coming.

Round 2
The Abandoned Bookstore
Conditions: None yet
BOLD May Act

Pusong
Durgok
Boomer

Black Fur Wererat (-29 Bloodied | 16 < AC <= 21

Nara (-7)
SiaoSiao (-6)
Jared

Jared hits the bandit with a vial but it doesn’t do much.

Jared: I’m going to give you 1 action back. You would have needed to light wayfinder(s) earlier to see anything, and you’ve been in the room at least 5 minutes for Pusong to have rigged the Spear Trap.

SiaoSiao finds that the bite went deeper than she originally thought and fights off the curse. Her hail of needle darts miss the beast, though, as does Nara’s rapier.

Round 2
The Abandoned Bookstore
Conditions: None yet
BOLD May Act

Pusong
Durgok
Boomer

Black Fur Wererat (-2)

Nara
SiaoSiao (-6)
Jared (1 action remaining, Cape Up)

Durgok moves to the door and slashes at the wererat who easily dodges out of the way. The fighter then moves back along the wall to allow his allies some fighting space.

Boomer shoots a glob of acid into the doorway,
Reflex DC 15: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28
Which the beast simply sidesteps.

Castus drops the bundle from his shouder which lands with a thump and an ”OW! Oy, ya’ couldda put me down gently, yeah?” from within, which the bandit pointedly ignores. He slinks into the room, surveys the opposition with a quick eye, and swings around behind SiaoSiao. His teeth…

Bite: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Damage, P: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
DC 15 Fortitude save vs the Curse of the Wererat, please.

sink into the top of the little goblin’s shoulder and she feels a sense of dread.

Round 1
The Abandoned Bookstore
Conditions: None yet
BOLD May Act

Pusong
Durgok
Boomer

Black Fur Wererat

Nara
SiaoSiao (-3, Fort save)
Jared

Gah! I got ninja’d by the Fighter! Sorry, but as you can see, the time stamps are the same, and I just never noticed that Durgok had posted.

So Durgok didn’t know that the halflings were dead. It makes sense to redirect his movement to be into the doorway and attacking the wererat. But I don't want to remove player agency from all three of their actions.

I've moved Durgok's token into the space necessary to attack the wererat using the attack and damage already rolled. But what would you like to do with your third action? Still raise the shield? Or move back away from the door to let your other party members get into the fight? Or something else?

Pusong triggers the spear trap, and the spear impales the halfling through the chest. She falls straight back with the force of the spear and stops partially upright but totally dead as the speartip gets stuck in the floor.

The sniper fires off two quick and incredibly accurate shots, both right between the eyes of the remaining halflings. With the sounds of a spring, a puff, and a bang, the interior of the room is cleared of halfling bandits. A choked-back cry of astonishment escapes the wererat’s throat as all of his minions drop and he faces the rest of the Pathfinders alone.

Round 1
The Abandoned Bookstore
Conditions: None yet
BOLD May Act

Pusong
Durgok
Boomer

Black Fur Wererat

Nara
SiaoSiao
Jared

The Silencer is probably the worst written bit of equipment I've ever seen. As written, there's no mechanical effect AFAICT. The shot "makes a quiet noise." Meaning what? It doesn't allow an automatic success on the Hide check required by Covered Reload, it doesn't even provide a bonus to hiding after a shot.

But yeah, you Crit'ed both the Halfings and killed them outright.

You didn't make the Hide check as part of Covered Reload so were not Hidden to the wererat. In this case, it doesn't matter due to the Nat 20, but in future please make a Hide Check OR Take Cover.

Lastly, Cover is measured Center-to-Center, so the Wererat has pretty much Total Cover being outside the building. I'll redirect your attack to the last Halfling.

You don't apply +2 when attacking an Off Guard enemy. You apply bonuses to your rolls like Courageous Anthem, but the GM applies penalties to their AC for Off Guard. It's a minor technicality, but it's how even Face to Face GMs run it. You should note in your post how you're making them Off Guard, but let the GM make the adjustment, please.

I'd say no need to mark a square at this point unless you really want to.

It's a one-time use thing. When you decide to make the Trap Strike, use the Ranged Spear modifier and damage from the trap link posted above.

Pusong gets the trap set up, carefully maintaining control of the trigger himself and pointing the spear towards the door.

Boomer doesn’t find anything of interest except the remains of a recent meal of hardtack and jerky, likely stolen from the city guards in the aftermath of the fighting.

Durgok and Pusong suddenly hear movement and muttering just outside the door before it swings open. Three halflings quickly pile into the room like rats swarming a dropped ham. Just outside the door, a larger (well, larger than a halfling, anyway) beast looms with a bundle over its shoulder. ”Get ‘em, boys,” the beast growls.

Round 1
The Abandoned Bookstore
Conditions: None yet
BOLD May Act

Pusong
Durgok

Redhead Halfling
Green Camo Halfling
Blue Hat Halfling

Boomer

Black Fur Wererat

Nara
SiaoSiao
Jared

Pusong enters the bookshop and approaches the broken trap. He tries to turn it into a makeshift spear launcher.

Thievery to Enable the Device: 15 + 7 = 22

He succeeds and once it’s set, he positions himself behind the research room door, using it as cover in case the bandits return to the bookshop.

Spear Launcher Trap on AoN

Okay, so, the scenario should have been written to designate what square was originally rigged with the triggering pressure plate. But it wasn't. So, it would be up to Pusong to designate a square, but he probably wouldn't have wanted to do that with his teammates wandering around the room. So, let's say he set it to aim in the general direction of the main door since he fully expected "the bandits (to) return to the bookshop." But since he's standing right by the launcher, and the trigger is a Reaction, I'll let him use his Reaction in this round to fire the trap if he wants to.

Does that all sound reasonable? If not, or if Pusong wants to play it differently, please let me know.

The Reliant Book Company slide.
Nara tries a few times and finally gets the tumblers to {click}. The door swings open, surprisingly quietly for the door of an "abandoned" bookstore. The shop interior has three rooms, all visible from the entrance where the only light spills in from the street. The doors connecting the storefront, research room, and bedroom have been either broken open or removed. Crates of stolen food, valuables, and coin are stacked inside precariously. The ceilings of all the rooms are 10 feet high, and with the windows boarded, it is dark inside.

Durgok’s keen eyes pierce the darkness, and he spots something very unusual about the door to the research room. It looks to have a spike trap set on it, but the trap is broken and inactive.

A PC who succeeds at a DC 19 Crafting or Thievery check can spend 5 minutes turning this into a spear launcher hazard.

Please place yourselves inside the Bookstore wherever you would want to be when we inevitably roll Initiative. You know that the bandits have used the shop, as evidenced by the stacks of loot, and they’re likely to return at some point. If you want to take the 5 minutes to mess with the trap, go ahead and roll the check(s) listed above.

Please note that this is the absolute worst map. Paizo used an image from the Urban Taverns map pack for a bookstore and chopped off rooms that connect where they described only 3 rooms in the building. None of what is depicted inside matches the description. Ignore all details on the map except doors and walls. [/rant]

Just use your Covered Reload thing from the Way of the Sniper. The intent is that the Reload is part of using the Hide action and thus would not negate it.

The question of how to roll Sense Motive came up, and there's a few ways to do it. It's a Secret check, so in theory you don't know the results, and of course you can't use a Hero Point or other Fortune effect to reroll it.

You can post in ooc text that you'd like me to roll one for you and tell me your Perception modifier and any relevant bonuses or penalties you have to the check.

[ooc]I'd like to Sense Motive, and my Perception mod is +5[/ooc]

Or you can roll it yourself inside a Spoiler and then not look at the results.

[spoiler=Sense Motive roll][dice=Perception]d20+5[/dice][/spoiler]

Which will look like this:

Then just don't peek at the result, and I'll post based on it.

”Oh, thank you, miss,” the halfling woman says with a tear in her eye. She turns to the others gathered behind her and after a moment of shared murmurs she replies, ”I’m sorry, miss, but no one really got a good look at them.” The others nod in agreement, hang their heads in shame, or stare vacantly about in shock.

”I’m Iola Chandler, and they took my friend Aaron. All I know is that they’re holed up in the Reliant Book Company. It’s an abandoned bookstore down the street that’s been vacant for some years now. Please rescue Aaron,” she pleads with huge, tear-filled, puppy-dog eyes as she takes Nara’s hand in her own small halfling hands.

You (presumably) follow Iola’s directions and easily find the shop. Three windows are boarded up and the door is locked.

The Reliant Book Company slide. Nara’s token is in front of the only door (she is the rogue, and the door is locked, so I just kinda figured she’d be the one to unlock it.

DC 18 Thievery to pick the lock OR to remove the boards and replace them after; OR a DC 16 Athletics check to Force Open the door; OR you can chop the door down (I have stats for Hardness, etc.)

Per the 2e Character Options Page:

Guns and Gears (Remastered): All Pathfinder Society agents have access to all uncommon clockwork items and gadgets from Chapters 1 and 2 of this book and all uncommon weapons, ammunition, and related items from Chapter 4 of this book, with the exception of Beast Guns and any limited or restricted items below, unless the item indicates otherwise.

Basically there's no real restriction on using firearms. There are regional restrictions on the various archetypes in the book.

Starlit Span magus isn't really much less 1-dimensional to me. My magus isn't starlit span, but he's fairly limited in out-of-combat utility.

Correct. One Shot, One Kill has a Trigger of Rolling Stealth for Initiative and allows you to draw a weapon as a Free Action. Since it is a Free Action essentially as part of Initiative, it's not enough of an action to break Stealth.

BUT that and the bonus damage it gives are all. One Shot, One Kill does not guarantee that your target remains Off Guard if you do something else. In fact, since the bonus damage remains until "your first successful Strike ... during this encounter" you could Reload, etc without losing the bonus damage from the feat. But, if you do any of those things (see Sneak discussion above), you are Detected and lose the benefits of your target being Off Guard.

Past the barricades and Eagle Knight patrols, the town is quieter, as if holding its breath. Signs of skirmishes litter the streets, a few broken pieces of armor here, discarded weapons there. Windows are shuttered, doors barricaded with only the occasional glimpse of people still inside. A few doors are broken open, other buildings gutted with fire. Notices posted by the Hellknights tell of the crimes of the former occupants. The empty gallows in the nearby square casts a long shadow.

A small group of unarmed townspeople stumble through the street, all bruised and beaten. They hesitate before a halfling woman steps forward. “Please, by the Founder’s grace, are you with the Pathfinders? I heard they might be coming to town, and you have the look of travelers and Adventurers. Thieves robbed us when we tried to reach the town hall. They’ve holed up in the abandoned bookstore. I think they have Aaron!”

No worries. I had to look it up myself cause I was confused about how it gets run. And to be fair, it looks like it gets run incorrectly a lot.

Player Core pg 438 describes the various Exploration Mode activities. If you are Avoiding Notice in order to roll Stealth for Initiative, it says:

"You attempt a Stealth check to avoid notice while traveling at half speed. If you’re Avoiding Notice at the start of an encounter, you usually roll a Stealth check instead of a Perception check both to determine your initiative and to see if the enemies notice you (based on their Perception DCs, as normal for Sneak, regardless of their initiative check results)."

So, no you don't have to roll Stealth if you don't want to. Yes, you are Undetected by any enemy whose Perception DC you beat (regardless of whether you beat their Initiative or not.)

But let's look at Sneak, as referenced in Avoiding Notice. On a Success versus an enemy's Perception DC:

"Success: You’re undetected by the creature during your movement and remain undetected by the creature at the end of it. (For the purposes of this discussion, this movement refers to the movement inherent to Exploration Mode.)

You become observed as soon as you do anything other than Hide, Sneak, or Step. If you attempt to Strike a creature, the creature remains off-guard against that attack, and you then become observed. If you do anything else, you become observed just before you act unless the GM determines otherwise. The GM might allow you to perform a particularly unobtrusive action without being noticed, possibly requiring another Stealth check. If you speak or make a deliberate loud noise, you become hidden instead of undetected."

So is you do anything other than Hide, Sneak, Step or Strike, you are observed. If you Reload or Demoralize or Raise a Shield you immediately become observed and the enemy is then no longer Off Guard to your Strike. I'm sure there are exceptions (there always are) such as Take Aim or something like that, and those would either be spelled out or would fall under "The GM might allow you to perform a particularly unobtrusive action without being noticed..."

Make sense?

SiaoSiao doesn’t know much about diabolism or the tenets of Asmodeus.

”You’ve got your mission, so be on your way. Best of luck and stay safe out there,” Captain Braskett says as he dismisses you and turns to see to another much more senior Pathfinder team. ”Cousin Warbal” thanks you again and scurries off in search of other goblins that may have gone astray. You are left in the dust and din of the preparations to come up with a plan.

I realized I hadn’t shown you the art for Warbal. Also, now please see Discussion for your options.