In the interest of time, I am moving this scene along.
DC 15 Perception Check Inside the Club:
The bartender has an extended conversation with a patron at the bar. You notice that there are a few subtle points and nods at the gnome and two androids in the room, and an exchange of credits going to the patron. The bartender gets on his comms unit before returning to his duties.
DC 15 Perception Check Outside of the Club:
The two bouncers squint and listen closely to their earpiece. "Dammit. What do we do?". The other bouncer responds: "If it gets bad, we'll go in. They didn't have weapons on 'em. They'll get flatlined in no time."
Everybody, please roll initiative. If you made the DC 15 perception check, you may act in the surprise round, as you get the sense that the situation is shifting.
Sorry if the ending feels a bit rushed, please feel free to RP a bit more if the spirit moves you. I'll be rushing home from work tomorrow straight to my hometown where Thanksgiving festivities will commence, so now I no longer have this particular table to worry about while I'm away.
To each and every one of you, thank you so very, very much for your participation in this particular PbP. Tonight caps table #141 and special #9 for me, pushing me ever-closer to my fifth star. I don't have a lot of experience with PbP (hope it wasn't too jarring), but it's always great to see people who are invested and, more importantly, having fun.
Rataji, I apologize for taking a lot of your player agency away during the last combat... It's frustrating at a real table and likely even more-so during a PbP. Thank you for sticking with us.
Zurnzal/Gazwyr, I hope life settles down for you a bit once the marriage is said and done. Best of luck to you and your significant other; I wish you many happy years.
Shohiraj, you played one of the best rogues I've seen in a while. I know how prominent you are on the forums, so while having you at my table was a touch intimidating, I believe I'm better off for it. :P
322, you did creepy well, and those are some of my favorite characters in role-playing. Not just purposefully creepy, but that kinda detached, not-all-there, I-dare-you-to-underestimate-me type of creepy.
Joliryn, you played a solid magus... very judicious with your resources and doing the best you could with what equipment you were granted (a small humanoid swinging a kukri without sneak attack... that's rough). You turned the tide several times during the fight with Aram Zey. If you didn't help prevent a TPK, you at least shortened the fight by a precious round or two.
Marnarius (or should I call you the grizzles old cuss?), you put a lot of oomph into each post and interaction. Your investment into the character and the PbP kept me entertained and motivated to check more frequently than what could be considered healthy human behavior. I'm pretty sure if someone cross-bred MacGuyver and a couponer, your rendition of Marnarius would have fit the bill.
Thank you all again, have a wonderful and awesome thanksgiving, and I hope I have the privilege of being at one of your tables again sometime in the future (either side of the screen suits me).
Boon Rolls!
The following rolls are for "convention boons" for this particular slot.
Boon Rolls: GM:1d20 ⇒ 9 Rataji:1d20 ⇒ 9 Marnarius:1d20 ⇒ 11 322:1d20 ⇒ 3 Gazwyr:1d20 ⇒ 2 Shohiraj:1d20 ⇒ 6 Joliryn:1d20 ⇒ 19 Boon of players choice on a natural roll of 1 or 20 **Re-Rolls not allowed on boons**
The dice do not love any of us tonight. I imagine the 1 Aram rolled on that Fort save was worth it, though.
Debriefing Primary Success Condition: The PCs succeed at their primary mission if they both open the gateway to the Hao Jin Tapestry demiplane and deliver the Sky Key to the second team of Aspis operatives (Success).
[u]Secondary Success Conditions[/u]
Joliryn:
:This PC must acquire the intelligence from Arminaldi Charthagnion at the Wall of Names (Success). The player must also identify at least one of the secondary success conditions of each of her teammates, announcing them to the GM at the conclusion of the adventure. (Pending)
322:
This PC must successfully install the cosmic conduit device on a large statue (such as the statue of Durvin Gest) without anyone seeing her do so (Success). She must also successfully trap the soul of Aram Zey (Success).
Gazwyr (previously Zurnzal):
The young dragon is a special case. The player must have succeeded at any secondary success conditions for her previous PC (the one the dragon replaced) prior to Gazwyr joining the group. In this case, this PC must abduct a well-known NPC, disguise himself (or convince another PC to disguise herself) as that NPC, and fool all of the Pathfinders in at least one encounter in Part 2 with the disguise (Partial success). Any conditions contingent on actions taken after Gazwyr joins the group are treated as successes.
Marnarius:
This PC must successfully unlock at least three menagerie cages so that the animals within can escape later, or convince another PC to perform the same sabotage (Success). He must also recover the special weapon in area B2 (Success).
Rataji:
This PC must provide the mission briefing at the beginning of the adventure (Success), ensure the tapestry demiplane invasion force in area C cooperates in its assault on the Grand Lodge (Success), and fulfill the primary success conditions (Success).
Shohiraj:
This PC must successfully steal the key from Janira Gavix at the statue of Durvin Gest (Success). She must also assist her team in avoiding notice. She counts as succeeding at this second condition if she achieves at least 5 of the following 8 goals (Success).
• Avoid combat with Pathfinder agents in Part 1 (Success).
• Prevent Pathfinder agents from noticing a PC planting 322’s device (even if she does not accompany 322, this goal counts as a success as long as no PC is caught) (Success).
• Prevent Pathfinder agents from noticing Marnarius or any other PC sabotaging menagerie cages (even if she does not accompany Marnarius, this goal counts as a success as long as no PC is caught) (Success).
• Avoid combat with all of the Pathfinder patrols in area A (Success).
• Avoid entering more than one combat with the Pathfinder patrols in area A (Success).
• Disable the trap in area B1 (Failure).
• Disable any of the traps in area D (Failure/Incomplete).
• Take special precautions to hide the PCs’ involvement in Skyreach, such as using dust of tracelessness to cover tracks, eliminating all foes within the first round of combat, or similar tactics (Incomplete).
As Joliryn's kukri punches into the back of Aram Zey's neck, his soul visibly tears from his body, spiraling toward the lantern in 322's possession.
Though the Sky Key continues to fluctuate, its energies will not impede your travel.
As the original five members of the team collect themselves, Gazwyr helps himself to some books on the shelves, loading up a bag with a seemingly endless capacity.
"Research."
As you attempt your escape, a second team of Aspis agents approaches you. The lead operative flashes a silver Aspis badge. "Nicely done. I figured we’d be late to the party, but its still five fingers till Oathday." Leaving the Sky Key with a set of fresh operatives, slipping out of the Grand Lodge using the chaos outside as cover is considerably easier.
As you escape the Grand Lodge, wyvarans, yetis, extraplanar humans, and more rush about the walled campus attacking their Pathfinder oppressors, releasing more of the caged menagerie, and setting fire to structures. Only a short while later, the northwest tower of Skyreach tears free from the castle and begins gently floating and orbiting the campus. Over the course of several hours, the Pathfinder Society gradually subdues most of their assailants, restores some semblance of order, and even recovers the Sky Key. These are nevertheless hollow victories, for the Society’s access to the Hao Jin Tapestry demiplane is crippled, the Master of Spells is forever dead, and the Grand Lodge that was once the pristine home for Pathfinders worldwide is scarred and scorched.
In spite of some of the shortcomings of the mission (none related to your performance), the Aspis Consortium celebrates your success. Each of you receive a missive from your respective contact, congratulating you on a job well done. The Aspis operatives have played a key role in ending an era of Pathfinder Society aggression and heralding a new age of Aspis Consortium dominance. You each receive compensation as promised, and in the coming months,
the Aspis will certainly have more work for you.
322 concentrates on her scroll, forcing herself to understand its complexities before her life is endangered anymore than it already is, and unleashes its fury on the assailant...
Assailant Fort:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10Holy sh...
...
With a gasp, the assailant falls unceremoniously to the ground.
We are approximately five days from our main event. I hope to have some content in the Gameplay section shortly so, at the very least, we can do some pre-game banter and whatnot. However... product support has yet to come through.
This being said, my backup plan is getting access via my local, friendly Venture Captain.
Keep your eyes to the horizon; we'll be going loud shortly.
Male Wayang Magus (Bladebound / Hexcrafter) 3 / Ninja 1 | HP 21/21 | AC 18 / T 15 / FF 14 / CMD 14 | F+4 R+6 W+3 | Init+4 | Percept+8 Dark Vis |
Must not like dancing.
Cepsihir responds to Holy Ahendile's ultimatum with action. Cepsihir places his hand on his face, as though removing a mask, and rips it downward, transforming himself into little more than a shadow. Stepping outside and toward the "cleric", Cepsihir draws his scimitar and pours every last ounce of arcane energy into it.
Cepsihir, unseen, approaches Holy Ahendile with ruthless intentions.
This one will dance with her regardless.
Since we're in the danger zone, I will be using my GM reroll at a +2 bonus on any failed attack rolls.
Mechanics:
Turn 1: Standard to engage Dissolution's Child, granting 3 rounds of invisibility. Moving toward Holy Ahendile, drawing weapon as a free action. Expending last point of Arcane Pool as a swift action.
Turn 2: Barring anything crazy, Cepsihir will double-move toward Holy Ahendile (judging by the map and his little legs, it should take that much to get to her). If a single-move will do the trick, Cepsihir will get within a 5-foot step of her and cast Shocking Grasp (CL 3), holding the charge.
Turn 3: (Last round of invisibility) Cepsihir will attempt to use Spell Combat and Spell Strike on Holy Ahendile: First hit delivering Shocking Grasp at a +7 (+10 if Ahendile is wearing or using metal) bonus versus Flatfooted (6, -2 for Spell Combat, +2 for Invisibility, +1 for Arcane Pool, optional +3 for Shocking Grasp) doing 1d4+4 piercing, 1d6 sneak, and 3d6 electric. Second hit a plain stab: +5 to hit (6, -2 for Spell Combat, +1 for Arcane Pool) doing 1d4+4 piercing.
