Hiro Takemashi's page

What was the moon phase last night?

"Please, if everyone would calm down, I'm sure we can get to the bottom of this," Hiro says in a calm but firm voice, raising his hands in a placating manner.

"Goodsir, I am very sorry for the loss of your daughter, and you have my sincere condolences," Hiro says to the distraught man. The samurai directs his next words to the rest of the townspeople. "We are humble travelers from Sandpoint, and we wish you - the good people of Wolf's Ear - no ill will. I can assure you that we have no knowledge of this the poor girl's death. However, if there is evidence of foul play in her death, it may be a sign of some malevolent force beginning to threaten your town. A few years ago our town's peace was shattered by a serial killer. Several of our friends and family were killed before our current sheriff put an end to the madman's reign of terror. None of us would want your good town to suffer under such a curse. Would you allow us to investigate the cause of poor Eloran's death in order to assure you of Vankor's innocence? If there is something evil threatening your town, hopefully we can put an end to it before anyone else is harmed."

Diplomacy check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Any Aid Another checks from fellow party members would be appreciated!

Wow! Didn't realize we were less than 10 days' travel from Brinewall.

Have we lost Jinda?

Hiro, are you de facto handling the party paperwork of funds & such? You've done a great job of it before. ;)

Sorry I missed this earlier! Let's see if I can get caught up...

Items Sold in Galduria (Value / Sale Value)

Varisian Crypt Treasure:
Masterwork Breastplate (350 gp / 175 gp)
Masterwork Greatsword (350 gp / 175 gp)
Bronze Torc (150 gp / 75 gp)
Bronze Armband (75 gp / 37 gp, 5 sp)

Goblin Raid on Caravan:
Cargo (125 gp)

The sale of all of these items in Galduria equals 587 gp, 5 sp. We spent 30 gp on provisions, leaving 557 gp, 5 sp. Do we want to divide this among the group, or keep it as "caravan funds" to use for paying the caravan employees and purchasing provisions/supplies?

From the ogres we recovered 2 units of cargo (400 gp value per unit) for a total sale value of 800 gp. Do we want to try to sell this in Wolf's Ear, or hold onto it until we reach another (hopefully more welcoming) settlement? Do we have enough provisions to make it to the next settlement?

At the site of the battle with the ogres:

Deborah leans against Kenji as she catches her breath, one hand resting on his arm for support. "I never imagined they could be that big and fierce! It just... it's so real," she finally says.

Kenji has a barely hidden grin when she touches his arm. He places a hand on hers reassuringly.

"Everything is gonna be fine!" he exclaims. "Anything's gotta go through me before it gets you..."
Kenji points at Hiro. "And it's gotta go through Hiro before it even gets to me..." he sighs. "So I guess I won't be doing much fighting after all."

"I don't know, Kenji. If you keep punching ogres like that, I may have to get you to defend me!" Hiro exclaims with a grin and a nod of approval for his young companion.

At Wolf's Ear:

Hiro warily studies the agitated townspeople as he slowly moves to stand protectively near Ameiko and Kenji. The samurai carefully keeps his hands away from his weapons and attempts to present a non-threatening appearance.

DC 20 Sense Motive check for a hunch as to what is troubling the townspeople: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 (Upset townspeople? Looks to me like they're happy to see us!)

Good man, DM Jesse. Hope your fiancé is doing better. And congratulations on your engagement!

"Thank you for your healing, Deborah. Mistress Koya. Even on its last legs that ogre packed quite a punch," Hiro thanks the two healers.

"At least we netted some goods to sell when we reach Wolf's Ear."

Round Four:

Hiro drops his bow and draws his katana as he moves to stand defensively between the ogre and Lyraesel and Jinda.

Free action to drop bow. Move action 20 ft. Standard action for total defense, granting +4 dodge bonus to AC (and CMD) for 1 round.

Active Effects:
Inspire Courage on group (+1 competence bonus to attack and damage; +1 morale bonus to saves vs. charm and fear effects)

AC 21; CMD 21

Round Three:

"Great job, Kenji!" Hiro praises his young companion for bringing down the brutish ogre. "Now let's see if we can take some of the pressure off of Magnauk."

The samurai nocks an arrow to his bow as he moves to gain a clear vantage of the ogre threatening Magnauk. Skidding to a stop next to Lyraesel and Deborah, he fires at the ogre battling the half-orc.

Move action 30 ft.; standard action to fire longbow at ogre #1.

Longbow Attack (inspire courage, firing into melee): 1d20 + 4 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 + 1 - 4 = 21
Longbow Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Critical Hit Confirmation: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 = 6

Active Effects:
Inspire Courage on group (+1 competence bonus to attack and damage; +1 morale bonus to saves vs. charm and fear effects)

Arrows used:2/20

Ugh. Hope it's not a sinus infection. Get well soon!

Round Two:

Still holding his bow, Hiro jogs to the north of the ogre that attacked Shalelu. The samurai moves carefully to stay just beyond the reach of the creature's greatclub before stopping and taking a defensive stance just within the creature's reach. "Come and fight ME, brute!" he shouts at the ogre, motioning with his empty hand for the creature to take a swing at him.

Move action 30 ft., staying out of the ogre's 10-ft. reach until the last square. Standard action for total defense, granting +4 dodge bonus to AC (and CMD) for 1 round; new AC 21, CMD 21. Swift action to Challenge the ogre, granting Hiro DR 1/- vs. the ogre's attacks.

Active Effects:
Inspire Courage on group (+1 competence bonus to attack and damage; +1 morale bonus to saves vs. charm and fear effects)

AC 21; CMD 21

Hope you feel better soon!

Heeding Shalelu's warning, Hiro had his bow ready in anticipation of an ambush.

Round One:

Trusting Lyraesel's spell to detain the two ogres to the south, Hiro turns his attention to the ogre to the north. The samurai nocks an arrow to his bowstring and fires at the ogre before leaping down from the wagon in anticipation of the creature's approach.

Standard action to fire at northern ogre; move action to jump down from wagon.

Longbow Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Longbow Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 8

Arrows used: 1/20

Sounds good!

We have the following items from the Varisian tomb to sell if nobody wants to claim any of them: 1 masterwork breastplate and 1 masterwork greatsword (both of dwarven manufacture), 1 bronze torc (value 150 gp), and 1 bronze armband (value 75 gp).

As expected, Hiro will accompany Ameiko and Kenji into town for the shopping trip.

Hope everyone had a great holiday! We're nearing the end of our whirlwind two-week tour of seven states to visit family, and this is the first opportunity I've had to get on the computer.

As for selling and/or purchasing in Galduria - do we need to purchase any provisions or supplies for the caravan? We also have the following items from the Varisian tomb to potentially sell if nobody wants to claim them: 1 masterwork breastplate, 1 masterwork greatsword, 1 bronze torc (value 150 gp), and 1 bronze armband (value 75 gp). Thoughts?

Sorry for the slow posting these last couple of weeks. End of the semester for my wife and kids, preparations for the holidays and the associated two weeks of traveling to visit the family, plus an unexpected sharp increase in workload have all conspired to divert my attention away from the Paizo boards. However, I have not lost interest in the game or my character, and am anxious for our party to reach Brinewell.

Hope everyone's holiday preparations go smoothly!

Koya... spares a spell for Hiro.

"My thanks for your healing, Mistress Koya," Hiro bows his head respectfully as he thanks the priestess. "And my thanks to you and to Magnauk for destroying that evil shrine in the tomb. I take it you've had similar experiences cleansing such places in your travels?" he asks with interest.

"The secrets at Brinewell have lain there for decades; what's a delay of one more day?" Hiro muses aloud. "Our priority should be the safety of the boy - it would be a cruel injustice if he turned into the same type of creature as those that killed his parents. I suggest Sandru, Deborah, Bevelek, and Vankor take him to Sandpoint for care, and warn the Mayor, Sheriff Hemlock, and Father Zantus of what we found here and that we intend to destroy the tomb. The rest of us can camp here tonight and make sure nothing else comes out of the tomb, and then destroy the statue tomorrow."

Don't forget, as before, half the damage that the swarm did to Kenji should hit Hiro instead (shield other).

Duly noted. Kenji took 2 points of damage from the swarm's second attack and Hiro took 3 points of damage.

"Unless you want to ransack this place for grave goods. Though..." she stares up at the statue, "... I'm not sure I'd take any offerings."

"Indeed," Hiro agrees with Ameiko, wiping zombie gore from his katana. "It is unwise to steal from gods," he adds, warily eyeing the half-skeletal statue.

"We may have defeated the undead infesting these chambers for now, but who is to say that the remaining evil forces will not cause more of the dead entombed here to rise and plague the unwary? If there is some way that we can put an end to the evil here, it would be a great service to the people living in the surrounding area. Perhaps Mistress Koya would have some insight into the matter?"

If we do decide to explore a bit further, I think it would be best for all of us to use some healing magic first.

Hiro Takemashi wrote:

Would it be possible to harm the swarm of flying undead bats with a splash weapon (like a flask of acid or alchemist's fire)?

Try it and find out!

No seriously, yes you can. Splash weapons are the primary way to deal with swarms.

That's what I thought; I was just having trouble envisioning the flask breaking when thrown into a cloud of diminutive flying creatures. I believe the swarm gets to take its action before I can take my Round 3 action; once it acts, I may draw and throw either my flask of alchemist's fire or flask of acid depending on who is still caught in the swarm.

Would it be possible to harm the swarm of flying undead bats with a splash weapon (like a flask of acid or alchemist's fire)?

NOTE: Kenji only takes half of the swarm damage due to Hiro's Shield Other spell (so Hiro takes 6 total damage from the swarm).

Round Two:

Taking advantage of Lyraesel's repositioning of the zombie bird-bear, Hiro steps out of the skeletal bat swarm and through the entrance into the unholy chamber. Moving into a defensive flanking position opposite Ameiko, the samurai slashes his katana at the zombie's exposed back.

Move action 20 ft; standard action to attack zombie owlbear while fighting defensively.

Katana Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 2 + 1 - 4 = 22 (flanking, inspire, fighting defensively)
Katana Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 1 = 12 (inspire)

Active Effects:
Shield Other on Kenji
Inspire Courage on group (+1 competence bonus to attack and damage; +1 morale bonus to saves vs. charm and fear effects)

AC 19; Touch AC 14; CMD 19

Round One:

Hiro grimaces in dismay at Magnauk's predicament, taking up a defensive stance as he unsheathes his katana and slashes at the zombie bird-bear. Distracted by the sight of the approaching swarm of undead bats, the samurai fails to properly time his strike, causing his blade to pass harmlessly by his foe.

Move action to draw katana. Standard action to attack zombie owlbear, fighting defensively to gain +2 dodge bonus to AC and CMD for 1 round..

Katana Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 1 - 4 = 4 (inspire courage, fighting defensively)
Katana Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 = 7 (inspire)

Active Effects:
Shield Other on Kenji
Inspire Courage on group (+1 competence bonus to attack and damage; +1 morale bonus to saves vs. charm and fear effects)

AC 19; Touch AC 14; CMD 19

EDIT: Can I 5-ft. step diagonally out of the doorway to the square to my SW? If so, I would like to do that this round as well to free up access for my companions.

Still having map troubles - it shows up as a large white area with our tokens in the middle of it.

Hmmm... Can't get the map to show up.

Hiro sheathes his katana and listens to Ameiko's assessment. "Perhaps the tracks of the war chief and her magician could lead us back to their crypt?" he asks, looking to Lyraesel and Shalelu for confirmation.

"Some of those claw marks in the tracks don't fit what we've seen so far."

"How so?" Hiro asks the tracker. "Have you seen anything like them before?"

I'm currently out of town for Thanksgiving and my daughter has come down with strep throat (we're at an urgent care facility right now getting diagnosed). So my posting may be rather erratic to nonexistent for the next few days. Hope everyone has a good holiday!

How tall is the crate? Could I jump on top of it on my next turn and gain a benefit for attacking from higher ground?

Round Two:

Heartened by the effectiveness of Jinda's spells as well as Ameiko's song, Hiro slashes his katana at the undead spellcaster, hoping to dispatch the creature so that he may aid his companions against their sword-wielding foe.

Katana Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 6 + 1 = 20
Katana Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 1 + 1 = 10 (challenge, inspire)

Active Effects:
Shield Other on Kenji
Inspire Courage on group (+1 competence bonus to attack and damage; +1 morale bonus to saves vs. charm and fear effects)

AC 17; DR 1/- vs. the undead spellcaster

Tied up at the moment but will post my action soon. Thanks!

Round One:

"Prepare to face justice for your crimes against the innocent!" Hiro shouts, challenging the undead spellcaster. The samurai rushes forward, drawing his katana and striking at the creature in one fluid motion.

Swift action to challenge the undead spellcaster. Move action 15 ft forward, drawing katana as part of move action. Standard action to attack.

Katana Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 1 = 27 (inspire courage)
Katana Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 + 1 = 11 (challenge, inspire)
Critical Hit Confirmation: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 1 = 10
Extra Crit. Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 1 + 1 = 6

Active Effects:
Shield Other on Kenji
Inspire Courage on group (+1 competence bonus to attack and damage; +1 morale bonus to saves vs. charm and fear effects)

AC 17; DR 1/- vs. the undead spellcaster

Welcome back!

If nothing else maybe we'll get a villain monologue out of it.

Yeah, I figure it's a very long shot...

Hiro takes a slow step forward, sheathing Whispering Shrike and raising both hands in a placating gesture. "Please forgive our intrusion. We do not wish to provoke you. A pack of feral ghouls has been attacking and abducting travelers on the road, and we tracked them back to this tomb. Do you know what force may be responsible for releasing such creatures to prey upon the innocent?"

Diplomacy check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

Active Effects: Shield Other on Kenji.

"West?" Hiro whispers the question to his companions.

"If there is some evil force here animating the dead, it is probably deeper within the tomb," Hiro mutters softly to his companions as he steps forward to peer around the corner.

Can we tell if the two people have gone in a particular direction more recently, or have they just been moving throughout the tomb?

I don't believe we checked out the room southeast of our current position in our dash to try to rescue the child's parents. Do we want to backtrack a bit and check out the room to the southeast, or continue on around the corner to the southwest? I don't have a preference, but I'd like to follow the footprints of the two people if we can tell which way they've gone.

So 5 hours. Thanks for the super fast response!

Whispering Shrike allows me to cast Shield Other once per day on any creature I touch with the blade while wielding it. So I have a few questions: How long does the Shield Other spell last? The spell description lists a duration of one hour per caster level, but what is the caster level of the spell in the wakizashi? Or does the spell only last while I am wielding the weapon? If that's the case, if I cast the spell and then keep Whispering Shrike unsheathed and in-hand for the rest of the day, would the spell last that entire time?

Thanks!

"Lyraesel, Shalelu, do either of you see any tracks of creatures who may have moved through this area?" Hiro whispers to the trackers of the group.

"If there is an unholy shrine or necromancer in here creating undead monsters, we should destroy them before they harm anymore innocents," Hiro says, moving up the stairs to keep watch and listen for any new monstrosities that may approach.

Perception check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Round Two:

Hiro sidesteps to flank the creature with Lyraesel. Following Magnauk's example, the samurai slashes wildly at the creature with Whispering Shrike.

5-ft. step to square north of the creature. Move action to use Martial Flexibility to gain Power Attack feat for 1 minute (10 rounds). Standard action to attack with +1 wakizashi.

Whispering Shrike Attack (flanking, inspire courage, power attack): 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (10) + 6 + 2 + 1 - 1 = 18
Whispering Shrike Damage (inspire courage, power attack): 1d6 + 4 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 + 2 = 8

Active Effects:
Shield Other on Kenji
Inspire Courage on group (+1 competence bonus to attack and damage, +1 morale bonus to saves vs. charm and fear effects)
Martial Flexibility - Power Attack: 1/10 rounds used

Hope you had fun at Comikaze. Have a safe drive!

I should hope you won't be available for the next day or two (or three, even)! Congratulations and have fun!

The selected party is composed of a really interesting combination of really cool character concepts. I can't wait to read your adventures. I'm a player in DM Jesse's Jade Regent PbP, and I can assure you all that you are in for a fun ride with an excellent DM. Have fun!

Best Regards!

Round One:

Hiro's eyes widen in surprise at the sight of Shalelu's arrow bouncing off of her undead target. The samurai catches Ameiko's eye and steps to Kenji's other side, drawing Whispering Shrike as he moves. The Tian bodyguard then taps Kenji's shoulder with the flat of the wakizashi's blade as he activates the weapon's protective magics.

5-ft. step to square north of Kenji; move action to draw Whispering Shrike. Standard action to cast Shield Other on Kenji, granting him a +1 deflection bonus to AC and +1 resistance bonus on all saves; additionally, Kenji takes only half damage from all attacks that cause hit point damage (Hiro takes the other half).

Actually, since I swapped my Reactionary trait for the Surprise Weapon trait, my Initiative modifier is only +2 - placing me at Initiative 20. So technically Shalelu goes first...

I realize this is practically last minute, but I would like to submit Korath Dar, a wild child brawler, for consideration. While he is primarily melee focused at first level, I currently envision him multi-classing at 2nd level as an inquisitor of Erastil to provide divine aid and skill support. I am in the process of completing his background write-up and will have it finished this evening.

There are a lot of great character concepts here and DM Jesse is going to have a difficult time narrowing down to the chosen few. Best regards and good luck to everyone!