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Thank you guys for a great game! I'll run another game in the future, certainly, but not immediately. (I admit, you guys were a great group and I'm tempted to offer the follow-up, The Slave Master's Mirror, but that's a 3-7 adventure so these characters aren't ready for that yet...) Quin, you can add spells to your spellbook from any captured spellbooks (I don't believe there are any in this adventure), paying for the cost of materials as normal. If you're adding spells because you're leveling up, you can add any two spells to your spellbook. Keep in mind that technically you should own the book that they're from to use them in PFS (and they have to be legal for play). Your chronicles are here! Let me know if you see any problems with them.
Lady Darchana seems sincerely grateful for your help, but gently deflects Amut's inquiries. Once you're back in the Grand Lodge, Rilla recounts her experiences to you and Venture-Captain Valsin. "I got separated from my group when we were scouting out a target in Okeno, and captured by a group of gnolls. While imprisoned, a heavily veiled person--a woman, I think--visited the gnolls and took an interest in me. She took blood samples a couple of times! Given what I've heard about magical spying...I suspect it might be for those purposes." Valsin nods. "Aye, that makes sense, Rilla. It's good to have you back." "And my team?" the gnome asks, hesitating. Valsin drops his eyes. "No contact," he says grimly. There's a heavy silence for a moment, and then Valsin sighs and turns to the rest of you. "But still...Lady Darchana seems quite pleased with your work, and the news that you've brought is important, if not comforting. I suspect that this 'Muhlia' is Pasha Muhlia Al-Jakri, a former ally of the Society and the assassin of Baron Jacquo Dalsinine. What she's doing against us now...I shudder to think. But with your help," he smiles grimly, "at least we'll be prepared. Go back to the dorms, to your homes, and get some rest--you've earned it!" FIN
"Her!" Zigil, the dwarf, growls as she clambers over the railing onto the main deck and surveys the scene of the battle. "Looks like everything up here was about as exciting as I thought it'd be. Glad I stayed away."
The key on Wardak's body unlocks the slaves' manacles, and a quick search of the rest of the ship reveals little of interest or value. With Zigil giving curt instructions, your team (along with the catty Rilla) make ready the sails and keep an eye on the ship as she guides it carefully through the Ships' Graveyard and into port. Once there, she says goodbye to you all, taking the freed slaves under her wing in a surprisingly tender turn. The ship itself, meanwhile, is impounded by city officials. There's also a liveried servant waiting for you, sent by Lady Darchana in anticipation of your success to escort you in a coach back to her manor. Lady Darchana Madinani listens with concern to your stories. She seems pleased by your success, but is clearly worried by the presence of a resourceful spy interested in Absalom. "I'll authorize the bounty for your capture of the At Sea at once," she says, beginning to write in a ledger. She looks up, pausing, her pale face breaking into a slight smile. "Pathfinders, you have done a great service for Absalom today. The full extent, naturally, may never be known or recognized by the sleeping masses, but know that the Pathfinder Society can count on me as a friend and ally, and I hope that I may call upon you again in the future, should the need arise."
Although Roscoe is no expert at fighting fires, the blanket is simple enough to use, and within a few more seconds, he, the eagle, and Rilla have managed to extinguish all of the flames!
Suddenly empty of immediate threats, the hold of the At Sea falls somewhat silent, with only the sound of the lapping waves and both your and the slaves' labored breathing. Your heads are spinning; it is, after all, only a little more than a minute since the fighting broke out on the upper deck. Now, though, you have time to study what you managed to recover, free the slaves (if you wish to), and take stock. The documents that Amut managed to pull from the brazier are badly charred, but they appear to be some sort of set of instructions. You think you can make out the partially burned name of a minor noble family, in a placement that looks like the end of a list. More importantly, though, the document is signed: a single, stately signature in Taldane that reads, "Muhlia." Quintillus, on the upper deck, hears your pilot, Zigil, call out. "So? 's all safe up there now, or what?"
As most of you fumble ineffectually at the flames, Quintillus's eagle swoops into the room and begins beating out the flames on one of the wall hangings with its wings (a quite impressive sight). Roscoe manages to find a heavy blanket in the hold . The Thundering Spirit, searching Wardak, quickly comes up with a heavy key that looks like it might work on the slaves' manacles! It's also clear to both him and the gnome, Rilla, that Wardak is well and truly dead. "Not gonna shed too many tears over that," Rilla mutters, stepping over the body into the room. She sets about fighting the fire herself, seizing the blanket off the small bed to do her work with.
Rilla is, it turns out, much better at fighting fires than most of you are.
GM Screen: Successes: 2/3 Ship Sinks: 7/10
Rilla rushes over to the two bodies. "With your permission?" She glances at the Thundering Spirit, still holding his wand. She taps Roscoe, and a few of his wounds close up. Amut hauls some of the papers out of the brazier and smothers them quickly and harmlessly against her chest. There's still quite a pile in the brazier, though, and the flames are leaping ever higher...and now one of the wall hangings has started to burn!
The celestial eagle appears behind Wardak with a shriek, and though she manages to beat back its first blow, its second scores open a wound on her shoulder. She's turning to face the bird when the Thundering Spirit, full of righteous wrath, slashes at her. Or, more accurately, damn near beheads her. A kukri drops to the ground with a clatter as Wardak, looking almost disbelieving, reaches up to the red flow at her throat. Then she collapses In the cabin, the flames from her burning papers are leaping higher and higher, dangerously close to a wall hanging. A few of them are starting to drift from the brazier toward the floor, still ablaze, as well.
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen: Room on fire: 5/6 (count at end of round)
As Roscoe falls, Wardak smirks. "One down." Striding forward, she lunges at Amut--now the most convenient target, since Jinhong darted around the edge of the staircase--but slips on some of Roscoe blood. Her strikes go wide, and she comes up with a snarl. As she does so, a brilliant eagle appears in the hold with a shriek.
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen: Room on Fire: 5/6 (count at end of round)
Jinny once more manages to stab the captain, this time piercing her side. As she steps back, Roscoe attempts to duck and roll between the captain's legs...but finds his way blocked by a descending kukri! The blade plunges deep into his side and forces him to back off.
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen: Room on Fire: 5/6 (count at end of round)
The Thundering Spirit, conscious once more, pulls a wand from his pack and tosses it over toward the gnome as Quintillus begins chanting on the top deck. Amut's spell lengthens her blade and it whips out over Jinhong's shoulder, but in the cramped quarters it doesn't even come close to wrapping the captain's leg. Wardak smiles grimly, secure in her position. Rilla, darting back toward the fray, snatches up the wand. "Healing, I assume? Dandy! Hold still, buddy!" She waves it over the Thundering Spirit, and some more of his wounds close up.
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen: Room on Fire: 4/6 (count at end of round)
Roscoe lunges at the woman, but the doorframe just barely clips his blade and she twists out of the way. Whirling, she slices her kukris through the air toward Jinhong. The Fox parties the first strike and ripostes, finally drawing blood; the second blow, however, catches her arm and leaves a thin but bleeding gash.
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen: Room on Fire: 4/6 (count at end of round)
Wardak just scoffs at Amut's concern, and ignores the acid that splashes against her doorframe. "I'll be done with you all in plenty of time to deal with that," she growls. A few feet away, the newly freed Rilla leans down over the Thundering Spirit. "Come on, friend! Up you get!" Her hands shine briefly with pearlescent light, and several of the tengu's more grievous wounds close. His eyes flutter open once more! Rilla backs off slightly to get out of the fray.
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen: Room on Fire: 3/6 (count at end of round)
Jinny dashes over to the door and takes up a defensive posture; Roscoe finishes with the manacles, and they pop open with a *click*. The gnome immediately reaches up and rips off her gag. "Thank goodness! Name's Rilla. I'm a Pathfinder, and it looks like at least a couple of you are too. I can help your friend, if the potion's not enough!" Roscoe moves over to join Jinny at the door... Not a moment too soon. There's a click as the door is unlocked, and then it's yanked open. A hard-looking Keleshite woman, clad in studded leather armor, stands there, an ornately decorated kukri in each hand. "The authorities at last, eh?" she growls. Behind her, Jinny can see an iron brazier bolted to the floor with a mound of burning papers atop the coals. Captain Wardak glares at you and raises her kukris to a fighting position! Across the deck, the kennelmaster continues to flee up the stairs and out of sight.
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen: Room on Fire: 3/6 (count at end of round)
I always forget about that rule, so props to Amut for making use of it. That's not quite right, though--it's a standard action to start it this round, and another standard action next round to complete it.
Quintillus keeps an eye out on the top deck, guarding the rope, while your quarry flees toward the stairs. Amut, more concerned with her friend's health than the fleeing slaver, kneels down by the Thundering Spirit and begins tipping a potion into his mouth. The tengu laps feebly at the potion. "Captain Wardak--she's in that cabin!" one of the chained slaves cries, pointing with his eyes at the shut door in the eastern half of the hold. The gnome is holding still while Roscoe unlocks her, but her eyes are fixed on the Thundering Spirit. "I an eel if," she says, voice muffled by the gag.
If anyone tries to open the door...:
You tug on the door handle and discover that it's locked! Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen: Wardak Tasks: 3/3 Room on Fire: 3/6
Jinny skewers the man in the side with her rapier and he lets out a shrill cry of pain. "I ain't the captain!" He clutches at the bleeding wound. "An' this ain't worth the pay I'm gettin'!" Roscoe begins to unlock the gnome's manacles, working quickly and confidently . The Thundering Spirit, meanwhile, lies bleeding on the floor... The kennelmaster, true to his word, seems to be looking for a way out. "Hey, lady, did you ever hear the one about...uh...the one about...f*!%!" He gives up on the distraction and just dashes past the startled Jinhong, keeping his guard up as he goes. He heads past the nearest staircase (which leads down), clearly making for the farther one that leads up to the main deck.
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen: Wardak Tasks: 3/3 Room on Fire: 3/6
As the dog falls, Quintillus leans into the hole in the ship's top deck and fires off a bolt of acid toward the unconscious hound, which...
...splashes right into the wound Amut opened on the trollhound's flesh, and kills it, definitively. The slave that Jinhong dropped her sap next to strains for it, but can't reach with the manacles binding him. The gagged gnome waves her hands frantically.
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen: Wardak Tasks: 2/3
The Thundering Spirit's blade cuts into the beast, but it still rises and, with the last of its strength, bites him! The tengu collapses as Amut, blade soaked in acid, lands a blow to the creature's spine that lays it out, bleeding. Quintillus is able to identify the creature as a magical beast called a trollhound--a relatively young specimen. Often found as pets among gangs of trolls, these disease-ridden creatures share the trolls' ability for regeneration. Like trolls, though, acid or fire disrupts the regenerative magic in their flesh for a few seconds. Without such application, they are essentially impossible to kill. Amut's blow seems not to be regenerating, at least for the moment...
Roscoe quaffs a potion, closing the worst of his wounds, and prepares to get back into the fight! The Thundering Spirit slashes at the beast's belly with his wakizashi, and opens a gash that bleeds freely. Even as he watches, though...the gash begins to knit itself back together! The man who released the creature, scowling, draws a rapier of his own and creeps around behind Jinny, stabbing at her. She dodges the blow, and the beast on the ground clambers to its feet . It lunges at the last creature to strike it, and its powerful jaws close on the Thundering Spirit's arm!
Perception DC 25:
You can faintly smell smoke...it smells like it's coming from in the walled-off cabin! Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen: Wardak Tasks: 2/3
Jinny tumbles past the man who commands the dog--she startles him enough to get by, but the dog manages to snap at her as she goes past. Still, her blade sinks home in its scabrous flesh. Amut, casting a spell that suddenly leaves her blade long and whip-like, manages to upend the poor beast, which lets out a howl of rage at finding itself on its back. The gnome, still chained and gagged, widens her eyes and waves at Amut. Meanwhile, Quintillus ties his rope off onto the mast and lowers it into the hold...
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen:
The badly injured Roscoe stealthily pulls a potion from his pouch, while the Thundering Spirit steps forward, among the prisoners, and attempts to draw the dog's attention with a show of prowess. The creature in the now open cage snarls at the sight! Seeing that his beast has been distracted, the man strides across the room and, taking cover behind the mast, hurls a small pouch at the Thundering Spirit. The tengu ducks, and its contents splat against the wall, sticky and rapidly hardening into some kind of resin. The beast, meanwhile, snarls and creeps forward toward the most threatening creature it sees: the Thundering Spirit. It lunges as it gets close, but the Thundering Spirit dances out of reach.
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen:
Roscoe's desperate lunge at the rising half-orc connects, but just scrapes off the man's armor...and the mace comes crashing down.
Fortunately, Jinhong leaps lightly into the hold a bare second later, and her rapier catches the surprised half-orc in the gut. He crumples with a moan.
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen: Wardak task completed: 1/3
The half-orc twists, dodges, and parries as he evades first Jinny's dagger, then Amut's blade, then the Thundering Spirit's, then Quintillus's acid spray...but Roscoe manages to get the drop on him and cuts his side with his wakizashi. The halfling's victory is short-lived, though, as the grate below both his and the half-orc's feet groans and gives way suddenly with a splintering sound!
Both Roscoe and his quarry plunge through the hole to land, with thuds, in the hold of the ship below!
In the hold, the half-orc staggers to his feet and swings down at him with his mace! The blunt weapon cracks the halfling's ribs as the panting half-orc staggers upright.
Roscoe and anyone who moves into the hold:
Looking around, you see a hold lit by lanterns hanging from the mast. Four people, three humans and a gnome, lie chained not far from you. The gnome is gagged as well as chained. In the eastern end of the room a door gives access to a walled-off cabin in the hold. On the far side of the hold, a surly-looking man is unlatching a cage in which a squat, powerful, and canine beast crouches, weeping sores covering its scaly skin. The man looks up at you with an unpleasant smile. "Go on, then," he says to the creature. "Feed!" Perception DC 25 (anyone in the hold):
You can faintly smell smoke...it smells like it's coming from in the walled-off cabin! Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen:
The half-orc howls in pain as the eagle's claw and beak rip into him, and then as the Thundering Spirit's blade bites into his thigh. He deflects Amut's blow as the acid Quintillus sends at him flies over his shoulder and splashes onto the deck. "I ain't gonna curtsy an' make nice t'the likes of you," he snarls at Amut. "Damned bird!" He staggers to the south, onto the dangerously sagging wooden grate, and swings at the eagle, knocking it out of the sky. The bird shrieks and disappears in a burst of golden light, and the half-orc tosses the mace aside, drawing a large, two-handed sword from his back. "Cap'n! Kinore! We got trouble up top!" he yells.
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen:
Roscoe hurries over and swings at the gnoll, but his blade is deflected by the hyena-creature's shin guards! Jinny, deciding to take a chance, charges down the deck...and goes flying over both Roscoe and the gnoll to land, wobbly, on the foredeck! The gnoll, howling, stabs at her as she flies through the air, but misses, splintering the edge of the foredeck. And then, spent, he collapses!
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen:
The Thundering Spirit lunges and whirls, but the gnoll's armor deflects both blade and beak. Quintillus has a bit more luck; his acid splashes across the gnoll's face, eliciting a howl of pain. His eagle gives Amut an opening as the half-orc whirls, but he dodges the eagle and his scale mail deflects Amut's blade. Whirling on Amut, the half-orc swings his mace. He swats her attempted parry aside and the blow glances off her ribs with a sickening thud!
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen:
Roscoe scurries forward over the sagging wooden grate as Jinhong lays the gnoll out flat. The other gnoll, panting in pain, lets out a bowl and drives its spear directly into he Thundering Spirit's side, catching the tengu unawares! As the bird-like man reels, Quintillus completes his chant and a golden eagle appears in a burst of light!
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen:
The Thundering Spirit lunges at the gnoll, opening a nasty gash on its chest and snapping at its shoulder with his beak. Amut swipes at the half-orc, but he dodges the blow. Quintillus begins chanting, using his magic to summon aid. "Yeh think I'm gonna back down for scum like you?!" the half-orc snarls, clearly enraged. He yanks the mace from his belt and slams it against his own chest. "C'mon, worm! Come at me, then!!" He lets out a spine-tingling howl. As Amut squares off, somewhat shaken, against the half-orc, Jinhong lunges across the deck and lays out the far gnoll, smacking him across the head with the hilt of her blade! He collapses with a sigh.
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen:
Roscoe struggles up the rope ladder on the side of the ship, drawing his blade as he nears the top, while the Thundering Spirit leaps over the railing and slashes at the nearest gnoll, but the surprised creature is saved by its leather armor! Snarling, the beast turns toward the tengu and draws its spear, stabbing at the interloper. The Thundering Spirit ducks under the blow. Across the deck, the other gnoll fumbles its longbow off its back and looses an arrow at the Thundering Spirit, but it flies off into the water!
Initiative (bold may act)
GM Screen:
Just a few heads ups since we're possibly going to see combat soon... 1) I typically roll initiative for everyone, and group creatures of like type together. (So, in this case for example, the two gnolls would act on the same initiative count. 2) I'm much more aggressive about botting in 24 hours when in combat to avoid bogging us down. 3) I drew a red line on the map because it's hard to understand what's going on there from the image: the red line is the edge of the ship's forecastle. To move east of that, you need to either go into the cabin (through one of the marked doors) or climb the 5' ladder onto the forecastle itself. Let me know if there are any questions!
The Thundering Spirit slips silently into the water and disappears around the side of the ship, making it to the port side before beginning to climb slowly up with the aid of his magic potion. Jinny climbs the rope ladder first, making her way up on to the deck. There she finds a half-orc coiling rope in the center of the deck, a mace hanging from his belt and a two-handed sword on his back. Two hunched, feral, hyena-headed creatures, instantly recognizable as gnolls, are also tending to tasks around the deck. They're armed with spears and longbows. "Took yeh long enough," the half-orc growls at Jinny, barely even glancing up from his work. "Cap'n Wardak'll be happy t'finally 'ave a pilot t'guide us in." He glances up when Amut lands on the deck, and frowns. "Ain't usually so many o' you--what, yeh think we're gonna tow yer rowboat in?" When Quintillus, panting slightly, begins to clamber over the rail, the half-orc frowns and straightens. "'Old on here. Why're there so many of yeh? Wha's goin' on?!" He goes to peer over the side of ship, toward your boat where Zigil still sits and Roscoe is at the foot of the 10' long ladder.
Absalom's harbor is an inky, shifting landscape of shadows at night, illuminated only by the city's lights, the waxing moon, and the distant blaze of the Absalom Lighthouse on Pilot's Island. Eventually, a three-masted ship with white sails comes into view. It's just over 100' in length, and its bowsprit is a weather-worn representation of a canine-headed mermaid. The crew is busy as they wait for an escort through the Ships' Graveyard. A rope ladder hangs from its starboard rail to a foot above the water line. As you approach a gruff voice calls out, "'Bout time we got a pilot! Cussed city rats, you've kept us waitin' all day. Get up here!"
Perception DC 15:
Squinting in the darkness, you see the ship's nameplate. It reads "KAt Season," with the K and "son" clearly just sloppy alterations of the original: "At Sea." Perceptions DC 25: As your rowboat slips up next to the ship's starboard bow, you catch a glimpse of piles of folded yellow cloth on the foredeck. You recall Mahjub Mahdi mentioning yellow sails as the signature of Okeno pirate slavers!
I wanted to know if a wizard that is conjuration sub-school teleportation could use the feat bellow with Shift. My guess is no because its not abundant step or dimension door, but it is "...as if using dimension door." So that is what gets me. Feat:
Prerequisites: Ability to use the abundant step class feature or cast dimension door. Benefit: After using abundant step or casting dimension door, you can take any actions you still have remaining on your turn. You also gain a +4 bonus on Concentration checks when casting teleportation spells. Shift (Su): At 1st level, you can teleport to a nearby space as a swift action as if using dimension door. This movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity. You must be able to see the space that you are moving into. You cannot take other creatures with you when you use this ability (except for familiars). You can move 5 feet for every two wizard levels you possess (minimum 5 feet). You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.
I <3 you dragon lol
(reference text is provided bellow)
(text)
Some creatures can transform themselves into whirlwinds and remain in that form for up to 1 round for every 2 HD they have. If the creature has a fly speed, it can continue to fly at that same speed while in whirlwind form; otherwise it gains a fly speed equal to its base land speed (average maneuverability) while in whirlwind form. The whirlwind is always 5 feet wide at its base, but its height and width at the top vary from creature to creature (minimum 10 feet high). A whirlwind’s width at its peak is always equal to half its height. The creature controls the exact height, but it must be at least 10 feet high. The whirlwind form does not provoke attacks of opportunity, even if the creature enters the space another creature occupies. Another creature might be caught in the whirlwind if it touches or enters the whirlwind, or if the whirlwind moves into or through the creature’s space. A creature in whirlwind form cannot make its normal attacks and does not threaten the area around it. A creature that comes in contact with the whirlwind must succeed at a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the monster’s HD + the monster’s Strength modifier) or take damage as if it were hit by the whirlwind creature’s slam attack. It must also succeed on a second Reflex save or be picked up bodily and held suspended in the powerful winds, automatically taking the indicated damage each round. A creature that can fly is allowed a Reflex save each round on its turn to escape the whirlwind. The creature still takes damage that round but can leave if the save is successful. Creatures trapped in the whirlwind cannot move except to go where the whirlwind carries them or to escape the whirlwind. Trapped creatures can otherwise act normally, but must succeed at a concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell. Creatures caught in the whirlwind take a –4 penalty to Dexterity and a –2 penalty on attack rolls. The whirlwind can have only as many creatures trapped inside at one time as will fit inside the whirlwind’s volume. As a free action, the whirlwind can eject any carried creatures whenever it wishes, depositing them in its space. If the whirlwind’s base touches the ground, it creates a swirling cloud of debris. This cloud is centered on the creature and has a diameter equal to half the whirlwind’s height. The cloud obscures all vision, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment, while those farther away have total concealment. Those caught in the cloud of debris must succeed on a concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell. Format: whirlwind (3/day, 10–30 ft. high, 1d6+6 damage, DC 15); Location: Special Attacks. |
