Jack♢'s page

(I have the memory of a goldish... Does Quetzhal have a melee weapon out? Cause I could switch the 3rd Strike into a Stride to flank with him. I would also get the bless bonus.)

Even after suffering a blow from the sorceress's burning mace, Jack♢ continues his fast-paced—if increasingly desperate—sword slashes.

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 4 + (2) = 10

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 10 - 4 = 21
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (5) = 14

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 - 8 ⇒ (10) + 10 - 8 = 12
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 4 + (6) = 16

◆ Strike, ◆ Strike, ◆ Strike. Too bad I'm not in the bless area.

Jack♢ smirks and soundlessly moves his mouth, no doubt attempting to do some clever game-related one-liner but failing to do so because of the silencing spell.

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15 (Might as well use a hero point?)
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 4 + (5) = 15

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 10 - 4 = 12
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 4 + (4) = 14

◆ Stride to flank, ◆ Strike, ◆ Strike.

(Major edit: Crud, I didn't even realize the enemy stayed at ground level... Please allow me to redo my actions.)

Realizing that the enemy is now within reach, Jack♢ hops down, and sprints to flank her.

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + (5) = 12

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 10 - 4 = 14
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + (2) = 9

◇ Fall 5 feet, ◆ Stride, ◆ Strike, ◆ Strike.

(Rauf, I'm pretty sure your spell attacks are subject to MAP.)

Jack♢ continues to assess the feasibility of scaling the dais.

Athletics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Athletics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Athletics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Assessment: unfeasible.

◆ Climb, ◆ Climb, ◆ Climb.

...Correction: Jack♢ usually makes up for his substandard aim and draw strength with the quantity of arrows. This time, however, the arrows cannot damage the enemy, no matter how many quiverfulls Jack♢ were to shoot.

The elf curses under his breath, and weighs his options. The team's two spellcasters might eventually bring down the enemy, but who knows how long they can last against her attacks. The trickster decides to swap his weapons again, and runs to the dais wall.

Athletics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

However, the gambler hesitates to begin the climb. "Now what're the odds this whole thing is cursed or something...?"

◇ Drop shortbow, ◆ Interact to retrieve shortsword from the ground, ◆ Stride, ◆ Climb.

With no more remaining grounded foes, Jack♢ turns his full attention to the airborne spellcaster. "Sure you really wanna risk losing your hard-earned divine powers?"

He lets his playing cards scatter into the air, while pulling out his bow. A second later, the trickster has fired several rapid-fire shots. He may not be the most accurate or lethal elven sharpshooter, but he sure makes up for it in the rate of fire.

Shortbow ♢: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Piercing damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Shortbow ♧: 1d20 + 9 - 5 ⇒ (14) + 9 - 5 = 18
Piercing damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Shortbow ♡: 1d20 + 9 - 10 ⇒ (3) + 9 - 10 = 2
Piercing damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

◇ Drop shortsword (and my deck of cards), ◆ Quick Draw, ◆ Strike, ◆ Strike.
(Quetzhal, are you out of spell slots?)

(Then, please redirect the attacks to orange and/or blue, after which I Stride away towards the others.)

(Oh, that's right. In that case it doesn't matter who goes first, I won't get sneak attacks anyway.)

Will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Whatever foul magic the infernal woman tried to cast seems to have no effect on the elf. "Sorry hun, no snacks allowed on this table!"

He hops away from the reach of the two walking corpses, and dashes back towards the main group. The next second, his sword is finding its way to the back of one unlucky zombie.

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (1) = 10

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 10 - 4 = 15
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (6) = 15

◆ Stride, ◆ Strike, ◆ Strike.
(Both attacks at green, flanking provided by Ra'uf. I'm pretty sure my 35 feet of movement is enough for this maneuver. I suggest Ra'uf Delays after my turn so these actions work chronologically.)

(I'm afraid that does not answer my question, nor its intent. Do every square that overlap the circular pentagram count as the dais? Am I now on a square that's elevated?)

"Dehliana you miserable cheat!" Jack♢ cries in disbelief when she invokes the Flame's power.

As the diabolic not-Dehliana-anymore's magic spell causes Ra'uf to lash out without discriminating friend or foe, Jack♢ reactively hops out of his reach, muttering, "Talk about a two-for-one..."

He starts cutting down the risen dead. "Keep shooting! I'll thin their numbers!"

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 4 + (6) = 11

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 10 - 4 = 7
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + (2) = 9

◆ Stride, ◆ Quick Draw, ◆ Strike.
(Ugh, spherical structures in a grid-based map. Which squares, exactly, comprise the dais? I'm gonna proceed with the assumption that I can squeeze in the square that flanks red with Estes. If this is impossible, please position me elsewhere, and substract the sneak attack damage.)

"Dunno if sealing this thing's the best we can do," Jack♢ responds to Annavinia. "Anyone hears there's a wish-granting artifact goin' around, and we got a bunch more murders happenin'. Bad deal. Better to just get rid of it."

"Now c'mon, hun, give me your hand and let's get this over with." The rogue unsheathes a dagger in one fluid motion, ready to accept a few drops of Annavinia's blood.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

"Can't win if you don't play." Jack♢ begins reluctantly walking along the imp as it flies out of the basement.

Jack♢ lets out a sigh and shrugs. "Bet there's a bunch this guy's not telling us, but that's part of the game I s'ppose."

(GM told us OOC that the chest itself is not the Flame, but:)

"Say, Zirzip fella, is it okay to open this thing?" the gambler gestures at the recently-unearthed tiny chest. "No traps or curses or anything?"

When given the green light, Jack♢ opens it (with or without lockpicks).

Jack♢ eyes the unearthed small chest. "You reckon this's that wish-grantin' artifact folks're so desperate about?"

(The ritual for destroying it requires the artifact "to be lit", then extinguished with the blood of Annavinia. This can only be done during the new moon an hour before dawn -- I assume these time conditions are approaching, GM?)

The imp's vague choice of words seems catches the card shark's notice. "Pause for a sec. Your master, the cleric Linneus Whatshisname? Or the big boss of Hell Himself? 'Cause pretty sure a mortal like Linneus ain't exactly alive anymore after 200 years, and we can't snuff out a god."

Will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

The ghost's blood-curdling scream barely even registers in Jack♢'s ears, who is now only focused on his sword techniques.

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + (4) = 11

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 10 - 4 = 8
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (5) = 14

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 - 8 ⇒ (9) + 10 - 8 = 11
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 4 + (3) = 13

◆ Strike, ◆ Strike, ◆ Strike.

Having received a warning of the enemy's approximate location, Jack♢ realizes there's an opportunity to attack the enemy when they least expect it. But attacking a spectral enemy is always a gamble.

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
DC11 flat: 1d20 ⇒ 8
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (4) = 13

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 10 - 4 = 23
DC11 flat: 1d20 ⇒ 12
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (6) = 15
(I believe I can still flank creatures that are hidden to me.)

◆ Step, ◆ Strike, ◆ Strike. Flanking provided by Estes, so I suppose I delay so that I act after charlies & Estes in the initiative order.

(So the ghost is now only hidden, rather than undetected?)

(Suppose I could Delay until someone—most likely Charlies but possibly Quetzhal—uses Point Out.)

(Guess I'll do 30-feet cone, pointing further down the hall.)

(Oh, right, Tumble Through is an option, so I do have an opportunity to flank and get sneak attacks here. Thanks for the reminder, Fran! However, currently, no one is providing a flank, even if I manage to Tumble Through. Guess I'll take this turn to heal a little and prepare to sneak attack the enemy next turn.)

Jack♢ hops aside out of harm's way. "Gimme a sec."

He lets his beloved deck of cards scatter in the battlefield, freeing his hand to grab and drink a healing potion.

Minor healing potion: 1d8 ⇒ 7

◇ Drop deck of cards, ◆ Step, ◆ Interact to retrieve potion, ◆ Interact to drink potion.

(Hm, this battle environment does not favor our party of six, or seven if you count the eidolon. I wonder if we could bait them to come to us, out of this bottleneck of a corridor?)

(The bottleneck is especially unfavorable to Jack♢, who prefers areas with plenty of space to maneuver and flank. Trying to get sneak attacks off of feinting is most likely also off the table, since these statues are probably mindless. And my puny shortbow penetrates neither Resistance 5 or Hardness 9.)

Will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28 (Reroll.)

"Our odds don't look great, folks!" Jack♢ says without a hint of his usual moxie. "Think we need a game-changer, and quickly!"

Despite this, he steps forward. Still keeping a deck of cards in one hand, he unsheathes his sword, and tries to cause damage to the violent marble statue.

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 10 - 2 = 26
Slashing damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 10 - 4 - 2 = 16
Slashing damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

◆ Step, ◆ Quick Draw, ◆ Strike. Both aimed at green.
(As a reminder, I always use Nimble Dodge reaction against the first attack aimed at me.)

(How long do we have until the hour before dawn?)

Jack♢ shuffles a deck cards while admiring the impressive room decor. No doubt a burglar like him is appraising each statue and painting, if only out of habit.

His gaze turns to the portrait of Linneus Narikopolus. A wish-granting artifact certainly sounds tempting. But, as the people in the room can attest to, its powers are not worth the price. Namely, the price of signing an infernal contract that forces one to become a murderer. "Ya'll don't mind if we destroy the wish-granting bauble?" he asks the room. He then turns to Anavinia, smirking. "Think you can spare a few drops, hun?"

"But first we gotta find the thing. Wonder if Inspector Kellvan has any clue."

Jack♢ listens to the poor groundskeeper's tale with a mildly-concerned look on his face. Near the end, he shrugs. "Sounds like fate dealt you a bad hand. You sure you can't just fold?"

His black elven eyes shift to the previous groundskeeper's remains, perhaps pondering what to do with them, but decides to leave them be for the time being. Likewise, the gambler deems the ledger book to be too cumbersome to carry. The knowledge is more important to him than the evidence, anyway.

Armed with this new information, Jack♢ rejoins the others. "Nordvick's up to some foul play and murdering, but he ain't the cause of this mess." He quickly briefs the other agents the information he's gained.

"Ya'll reckon this Zirzip imp is still here? Bet we can escape by snuffing him out."

(Still a few rooms left in the second floor. Then, the basement. Wanna see what's behind the double doors?)

As the owner of the room immediately follows after him, Jack♢'s mouth scowls in disappointment. His absence was noticed unfortunately quickly. The rogue can do nothing except observe Nordvick, and how the dwarf's touch seems to dissipate the bloody axe.

"Evidence that hides itself? Gotta get me one of those," Jack♢ manages to quip, perhaps to lighten the mood. "You do a lot of butchering with that thing?"

Jack♢ tries to direct the conversation and attention towards the mysterious axe and the blood, all while subtly moving towards the equally-interesting writing table. With some luck and trickery, perhaps he might investigate more even when the owner of the room is present.

(So how does Nordvick react to this whole thing? Is he surprised to see the axe dissipate? Flustered, after Jack♢ has seen some very incriminating evidence? Is he hostile towards Jack♢ for lying to him? Does he seem to react to these whispers?)

(Also: a cot as in a plain narrow bed (the US and Canada definition), a cot as in a small bed for a child (the UK and Australia definition)? I assume the former.)

(Any response to my earlier post?)

Jack♢ exchanges a few meaningful glances with the other agents, as if trying to nonverbally convey some secret message. "'Course, pal," he says to Nordvick, a slight smirk on his face. "Gotta respect privacy an' all that. We'll play fair."

At some point, when the group has moved on to the other rooms, Jack♢ discreetly shifts the general attention away from himself, and slinks back to the groundskeper's quarters.

Deception, Create a Diversion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Deception, Create a Diversion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14 (Hero point reroll.)
Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20

Jack♢, perhaps by following his gambler's intuition, chooses the door immediately across the staircase.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Nothing in the pantry catches the so-called acquisition expert's curiosity, so he begins walking towards the stairs.

"Y'all okay?" Jack♢ quickly inspects the condition of the other agents. Fortunately it seems the group survived with barely any harm, so the gambler allows himself to relax a bit, and goes back to shuffling a deck of cards. "Bit of a weird game, that one. Getting tired of being the big blind."

"Think there's still one room on this floor. Then let's head upstairs, 'kay?"

Jack♢ tries his luck.

Thievery: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

◆ Stride, ◆◆ Interact with the bucket. I'm not 100% sure where on the tactical map this bucket is located; feel free to move my token to an appropriate spot.

(Then, instead of a melee strike, my Quick Draw retrieves a bow. Shoot at green.)

Shortbow: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Piercing damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Jack fights off the snakes while trying to stop the sink's flow.

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
Slashing damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Thievery: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

◆ Quick Draw, striking red; ◆◆ Interact with the sink

Belated Medicine: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Belated Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Upon seeing the corpse in the ominous bathroom, Jack♢ lets out a worried sigh. "May ya have better luck in your next life," he says somberly in respect for the deceased.

His moment of silence is broken when the door slams itself shut and snakes begin emerging from various bath containers. These are obviously not regular snakes: something mystical and sinister is happening in the bathhouse items. As the group's "operations expert", Jack♢ starts to think of a way to disable these phenomena. The snakes themselves seem like a secondary threat.

"Keep 'em busy for a few secs, y'all!"

Thievery: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16 (Crud.)

◆ Stride, ◆◆ Interact with sink. If Interact is only a single action, I retry it.
(I trust you guys can handle the itty bitty snakes. I'll focus on shutting down the main problem.)

(My experience would suggest it's better to finish one floor at a time.)

"Don't think we can get out through the basement. 'Nless there's a hidden underground tunnel leading somewhere," Jack♢ ponders.

"Bet we have better luck through here." He tries the door immediately opposite to the cellar door.

(Gah, only 2 replacement picks according to my inventory. Been meaning to update that, but there you have it.)

Jack♢ flashes a set of lockpicks. "Mind if I play?"

"S'ppose this ain't the worst cantina I've ever visited," muses Jack♢ in agreement with Ekaterina, grinning for the first time since the seance begin. "Even when accountin' for this whole deal."

As Charlies prepares to open a door, the gambler places his hand on the door opposite to it. "This one seems more promising. Bet that one just leads to the basement."

Amidst the general uneasiness, Dehliana's teary-eyed confession seems to irritate Jack♢ to some degree. "Tch. Shoulda kept quiet, hun. Ya didn't have to reveal your whole hand there."

Their current situation slowly starts to worry even the cool-headed elf. He starts shuffling his cards pensively and slower than usual. "Seems we've no choice but to play their game. If I understood the rules right, we either stall for the night's end, or reveal this devil thing. Bet the latter would be-"

He is cut short by the commotion in the kitchen. Jack♢ rushes to the scene, and helps Fran pull their druid companion out of harm's way.
Athletics?: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

"Getting real tired of being the big blind. What's going on here?" he groans.

A drop of sweat trickles down Jack♢'s temple. "Don't think this's some parlor trick, folks..." The gambler takes off his darkened glasses, revealing his onyx-black elven eyes, which are now focused on Dehliana. "For one, scammers rarely include self-inflicted burns in their acts. You okay, hun?" he asks the medium.

The phrase "no need for coin" catches Jack♢'s curiosity and attention. The gambler keeps an eye out for the seance session.

Occultism: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

When prompted for his name, Jack♢ gives his usual answer, laconic introduction, accompanied by a flash of the signature playing card: "Call me Jack of Diamonds."

"Say, y'mind playing for high stakes-" Jack♢ offers, but pauses when Charlies expresses interest. "Sure, pal," the elf tells his fellow agent, though his facial expression subtly tells that he's not entirely happy. Whatever plans the card shark may have had of swindling money from this unsuspecting traveler are now made much more complicated. After all, conning money from one's fellow agent tends to be more trouble than its worth.

"Guess we could do a few low-stake rounds..." the gambler says, sounding defeated. "Ya folks ever played 'siege of nines'? Pretty popular in the Shackles. The goal's to capture the opponent's nines..."

In the end, he opts for a fairly casual game, and even uses fair, unmarked cards.

"Evenin', folks," Jack♢ greets the Devil's Rest denizens. He spots Selik, their contact, and nudges the other agents. "There's our mark." Upon hearing that dinner is an hour away, the gambler goes to speak with the other trading post patrons, starting from the big round table where Dehliana is seated, posing the same question to anyone who lends him an ear:

"Before we get to business during dinner, how 'bout a quick game?" He playfully lets a stream of cards from one hand to the other.

When the boar is distracted, Jack leaps from his hiding place. In the trickster's deft hands, his sword seems to fly from its sheathe into the beast's unguarded flesh.

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 4 + (1) = 11

Shortsword: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 10 - 4 = 25
Slashing damage plus sneak attack: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 4 + (2) = 10

◆ Stride to flank, ◆ Quick Draw, ◆ Strike, both attacks at yellow.

Following Ekaterina's example, Jack♢ vanishes into the bushes and undergrowth.

◆ Stride; ◆ Hide, Stealth +11.

Delay.

"Not much into those harrow cards," adds Jack♢, and fans the deck in his hands. "These're for games, see, pal?"

Jack♢ hops off the wagon, still shuffling cards. Like Charlies, the elf does not take the investigator's word at face value. He takes a moment to inspect the presented badge: in his line of work, one sees a lot of official credentials, both genuine and forgeries.

"Suppose we can hear you out, pal."