Hooli Jinowarui's page

Diplomacy (trained): 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 9 + 1 = 20

"Calm down, Goh!" Hooli cries. But the excitement in her voice is just enough to make the cry have as little effect as any other time someone tells someone else to calm down. Seeing as that didn't have an effect, she rushes to help. Moving to be adjacent so I can attack next round.

Perception (expert): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

"Maybe it was a friend, pulling a prank. But we can check, and maybe play a prank on them in return. Can you show us your ankles, in case we need to pretend to be you?"

Downtime options

Hooli continues doing her best to learn more about the curse. If Willowshore's going to survive, they're going to need to figure out how to break it eventually. She decides to try studying Zoudou's notes.

Religion (trained): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24 Success!

"So, we have some wonderful news!" Hooli tells Elizeth Candora, "You So-Jin definitely did NOT take poor Chuntao's body! In fact, it wasn't any of the villagers at all! She won't be coming back, but she was taken with love. I like to think of it like she is dancing with the kami."

"Maybe take her out of the village," Hooli wheezes, wiping away tears from her laughter. "So she doesn't scare everyone!"

Hooli laughs. "She seems like a wonderful pet! Of course you can keep her!"

If she hadn't already liked Yami before, she certainly loves the little cat now!

Hooli looks at the cat. Then looks at Xiung-Lau. Then back at Yami and back to Xiung-Lau.

"That's a good trick! It really looks like the cat is talking!"

"See, I told you!" Hooli points out. "I'm always right!" Too funny!

"Do you want some tea?" she calls out to Chuntao.

Survival (untrained): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

"I think they go back into town, toward the tea shop," Hooli says, hoping she can get a sweet at least.

Hooli grins. Now this is a good prank. Unless the body got up and walked away on its own. Then it would be a great prank ... unless the body really was dead, in which case it would be more concerning.

"Maybe we should see if they went back home?" she suggests, hoping Elizeth knows where the villager's home was.

Downtime options

Hooli decided to turn her attention back to the curse, and heads to the Great Willow to see if she can find answers there. Which she does!

Nature (trained): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

"You should have worn a wig, Li Jie," Hooli says with a laugh as she looks at the spirt. "Maybe if she comes back."

What Xiung-Lau asked...

Reflex (expert): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32

"You could have just not said anything if you didn't want to talk!" Hooli admonishes the ghost, easily avoiding the hair.

"Hello," Hooli calls. "Hinode Akari, is that you?"

"One of my knifes should be good," Hooli says. She pauses a beat. "The other one will be neutral."

"Sure, we can do that. I'm sure an apology will make everything better again. A little homicide shouldn't lead to this much hair," Hooli says with dark humor.

"Maybe everything else going on woke her spirit..." she muses to Xiung-Lau.

Hooli transforms back into her normal form and looks around.

"Well, that's the 'mane' problem, I guess. Maybe we should talk to Mama Bao and see if she knows anything. Maybe it's Hinode Akari's spirit?"

Lore (Willowshore) (trained): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

In fox form, Hooli shivers at the creepy apparition. She decides to just wait and see if they ghost leaves -- as she suspects -- so they can discuss what to do. She sniffs at Li Jie's note, but doesn't react any further, trying to maintain the impression she is nothing more than a simple fox here to bring good luck.

Perhaps the note will contain something useful they can discuss later, some way to turn the ghost away.

FYi, I'm on vacation through Thursday. I may have some changes to post, but I'm not sure. Feel free to bot me (GM or players) if necessary.

"And I can curl up in a nice little ball, so no one even knows I'm here," Hooli agrees, transforming into her fox form as she looks for an untainted bao to snatch off the counter.

"Not the buns!" Hooli cries, racing ahead of the others to the shop to investigate. She doesn't mind hair that much -- when you have fur like a kitsune, you get used to it to a degree -- but the buns are good enough that she doesn't want them disrupted.

She looks and sniffs around to see if there's anything else she might be able to find in the rafters. +8 Perception, scent

Preparing options

Hooli decides to help some of the townsfolk prepare, offering out some of the twine that she was left tied up in for use in construction.

Athletics (trained), DC 17: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

"My mind is focused on one task -- eating sweets later!"

Hooli decides to participate in the bundle cutting competition -- but it hits a little too close to home in light of recent events, and she struggles very badly.

Thievery (trained): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Thievery (trained): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
Thievery (trained): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23
Thievery (trained): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

Pfft.That should have been an easy one for me, but awful rolls.

Hooli, as always, gets fully into the spirit of First Long Night, particularly the food, which she's happy to share with as many people as possible ... assuming they're the ones supplying it.

She comprises a poem to the moon: "Goodnight moon, goodnight oni jumping over the moon, goodnight light and the red sky lantern in flight..."

Lore (tea) (trained): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8 Dang it. Will Hero Point that.
Lore (tea) (trained): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Hooli is too focused on enjoying herself in early anticipation of First Long Night at first to really help -- with perhaps a few nerves considering how the last festival went -- but then buckles down as she realizes the village needs her.

"What's for dinner?" Hooli asks, as if that might determine her decision on the vipers.

Content that she's ensured the tea house is in good operating condition (Xiung-Lau can certainly take care of the last little bits it needs), Hooli seeks out You So-Jin to see what more she might be able to learn about in terms of the curse.

Lore (Willowshore) (trained): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

That would fail ... BUT Background: Outgoing Foundling: Once per week when you attempt a skill check to resolve a downtime activity that could benefit Willowshore (several of these activities are detailed in the adventures, and your GM can always make the call if another activity would qualify) and you fail that check, you instead succeed at the check, or if you critically fail at that check, you instead simply fail that check.

"Thank you, Yami," Hooli says, patting the cat on the head. "Did you take these from Kwan Tai? No, he's clearly not very sociable at all..."

She promptly dons the magical spectacles, perching them on her snout.

OK, so I'm going to be doing minimal rebuilding.

I'm switching racket from the premaster eldritch trickster (which wasn't remastered) to scoundrel (which fits Hooli, and gives her a little benefit with Feinting).

Eldritch trickster gave me sorcerer dedication at 1st level, but I'll just make that my 2nd-level free archetype feat, so that doesn't change.

My 3rd-level class feat no longer exists post-remaster, so I'll retcon/retrain that to be Distracting Feint (Your Feints are far more distracting than normal. While a creature is off-guard by your Feint, it also takes a –2 circumstance penalty to Perception checks and Reflex saves.)

--

So, now up to 4th level:
+1 to everything
+9 HP

Rogue feat: Twin Distraction: Your movements with two weapons are so swift and disorienting that they befuddle your opponent. When using Twin Feint, if both your Strikes deal damage to a targeted creature, the target must succeed at a Will saving throw against your class DC or become stupefied 1 until the end of your next turn.

Skill feat: Lie to Me: You can use Deception to weave traps to trip up anyone trying to deceive you. If you can engage in conversation with someone trying to Lie to you, use your Deception DC if it is higher than your Perception DC to determine whether they succeed. This doesn’t apply if you don’t have a back-and-forth dialogue, such as when someone attempts to Lie during a long speech.

Skill increase: Religion to trained (I need to figure out what's going on here!)

Free archetype feat: Basic sorcerer spellcasting (get a 1st-rank spell, which I need to decide on still). Then a 2nd rank at 6th level, and a 3rd rank at 8th level.

Hooli throws herself into the Cerulean Teahouse, using the skills she learned growing up at the Thrice‑Blessed Brothel. Though her tendency toward pranks often offsets much of the gains, and she spends more time playing with Yami, who quickly takes to her. She practices with her various new blades, finding her magic skills atrophying a little as she realizes she had all but stopped using them.

Nature (trained): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24 Crit success!

Will retrain for my personal downtime, since I'm rebuilding Hooli with the remaster.

Hooli spends as much time relaxing as she can over the next two weeks, though the knowledge of the wall of ghosts not far from the village's borders continue to nag at her.

When Shinzo returns, she decides to trade her magical dagger -- which she's replaced with fiend's hunger -- for a ghost touch rune. It leaves her completely broke and destitute again, but she's used to that. I think I can just afford that, but feels really worthwhile.

"Speak for yourself!" Hooli admonishes, tucking away the latest new treasure. "I fought off countless faceless horrors, and helped defuse some horrible ritual that would have unleashed ghosts on all of us. Though the ghost wall is still there."

I'm good with that wealth distribution!

Hooli stays ready for a doublecross, the fur on her neck standing up, but she's willing to let the remaining attackers leave if they do so peacefully. Maybe they'll have to fight again, but for now, it seems best for Willowshore to try to recover.

Hooli pockets the dagger, adding to the collection she's been growing ever since they first woke up following the Reenactment Festival. "I don't think we have time to go back to Willowshore, so back to the lumber camp!

"We'll leave you to wait outside, just in case," she tells the rescued villagers.

Hooli comforts poor Kum Meng-sung, reassuring him that they'll bring him back to town as quickly as possible and that he's safe now. She glances at the book. "Is that Taldan? It's a funny alphabet, but..." she shrugs. "Maybe Granny Hu or someone can read it."

She looks at the dagger and glances over at Kwan Tai to see if he's interested in it. If not, she's happy to claim it.

I forget how far we are from home. Do we have time to return the boy there before going back to talk to Mugirou -- who will probably doublecross us.

"Go away!" Hooli shouts over her shoulder, but she continues stabbing the creature she's fighting with Kwan Tai.

◈ Demoralize, ◈◈ Twin Feint (two Strikes, second is vs. off-guard), Invigorating Fear reaction (if it's triggered)
Intimidation (trained): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

+1 dagger (agile, finesse, thrown 10 feet): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
Piercing / Slashing: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Cold iron dagger (agile, finesse, thrown 10 feet), iterative: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 9 - 4 = 18
Piercing / Slashing: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 4

"Cut them if you can!" Hooli calls as she moves into a flanking position and proceeds to try to do just that.

◈ Stride, ◈◈ Twin Feint (two Strikes, second is vs. flat-footed),
+1 dagger (agile, finesse, thrown 10 feet): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
Piercing / Slashing: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Cold iron dagger (agile, finesse, thrown 10 feet), iterative: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 9 - 4 = 21
Piercing / Slashing: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Hooli seems to gain strength from the creature's fear as Kwan Tai attacks.

Invigorating Fear reaction (once/hour); Trigger A creature within 60 feet gains the frightened condition. Effect: You are invigorated by the shock of a prank or the thrum of terror. You gain temporary Hit Points equal to the creature's level or 3, whichever is higher. You lose any temporary Hit Points after 1 minute.

"Look out!" Hooli cries. "What are these thngs?!"

◈ Recall Knowledge, ◈◈ Twin Feint (two Strikes, second is vs. flat-footed),
Society (trained): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14 I assume this isn't the main check for them, but hoping I've heard stories, as I'm at least trained in this. But probably not with that roll.

+1 dagger (agile, finesse, thrown 10 feet): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Piercing / Slashing: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Cold iron dagger (agile, finesse, thrown 10 feet), iterative: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 9 - 4 = 10

Her face returned to her, Hooli takes on a grimmer expression than usual. "You handle Zoudou," she calls, "I'm going to stop this ritual!"

She races over and stabs him in the chest. "If you like ghosts so much, go talk to them yourself. In person!"

◈ Stride, ◈◈ Twin Feint (two Strikes, second is vs. flat-footed)
+1 dagger (agile, finesse, thrown 10 feet): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
Piercing / Slashing: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Cold iron dagger (agile, finesse, thrown 10 feet), iterative: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 9 - 4 = 10
Piercing / Slashing: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Hey!

Whoops. I read the success entry, not failure. Sorry about that!

Fortitude (trained): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

"Hey, that's my face! I only have one of them!" Hooli scolds the noppera-bo, stabbing away at it. She steps away, trying to clear her vision.

◈◈ Twin Feint (two Strikes, second is vs. flat-footed), ◈ Step
Flat DC 5: 1d20 ⇒ 13
+1 dagger (agile, finesse, thrown 10 feet): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Piercing / Slashing: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Flat DC 5: 1d20 ⇒ 3
Cold iron dagger (agile, finesse, thrown 10 feet), iterative: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 9 - 4 = 14
Piercing / Slashing: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Hooli dashes forward to the nearest ritualist, daggers flashing!

Stride, Strike x2 (vs. Off Guard due to Surprise Attack)
+1 dagger (agile, finesse, thrown 10 feet): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Piercing / Slashing: 1d4 ⇒ 1
Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Cold iron dagger (agile, finesse, thrown 10 feet), iterative: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 9 - 4 = 23
Piercing / Slashing: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Hooli takes the juggernaut mutagen.

"Here's to doing something stupid, then!" she toasts before downing it.

Quicksilver might be more useful, but the HP loss feels like too much.

Hooli's smile twists into a grimace. "I think that somebody is us!" she whispers. "Everyone ready?"

She pulls out her daggers and prepares to dash into to disrupt the ritual.

No preparations for me, so ready to start combat!

Hooli nods. She doesn't trust Mugirou, but if he's telling the truth about one of their fellow townsfolk, there's a chance to save him. They can deal with the rest later.

Hooli's not sure what Li Jie Qiang is saying, but a look of concern crosses her face at Mugirou's words. They're going to have to act fast! "How do we get back in once we're done?" she asks.

Hooli thinks fast, something she's had to do all her life. He may be lying, but if they can at least get a little reprieve, that might be enough. She can tell her companions what she suspects afterward.

"Where is this Zoudou? And can you tell us anymore about him, where he is, who is with him?"