Quang Chi's page

Their business in Magnimar concluded, Quang Chi felt uncharacteristically restless and ready to move on. He’d made the decision to return to Tian Xia, and there didn’t seem to be any reason to delay enacting it.

He told Frankie that he was going home to report to the Dragon Lords (which was true) and that he would mention Frankie’s name to them (which was a biiiig maybe.) He’d then gifted the boy with some imported Tien candy from the only shop in Magnimar where he could find such things. Quang Chi suspected that Frankie would forget him within a year even as he envied him just a tiny bit for the boy’s ability to never grow up.

Meredith beat him to the punch and bowed her farewell quite well, demonstrating that she had indeed been paying attention all those other times. His bow back to her meant: “goodbye, I will miss you, I hope to see you again, but I doubt that will happen.” Then he’d hugged Denair just as she’d hugged him at their first meeting and those few times since when one of them had needed it. He would miss the fox-tree-lady the most of these three, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on why.

The archer knew when Vosk’s ship was sailing and made sure he was at the dock to see it off. Standing in the cool morning air, he was surprised to realize how much he would miss the Baronet. They had nothing in common except their membership in the Pathfinder Society; their personalities, drives, backgrounds, and abilities were complete opposites. And yet, the big man had grown on Chi. As the Luscious Eclair began to pull away from the dock, Quang Chi bowed it out and held the pose until it was out of sight around the harbor jetties. The act was a rare honor, usually reserved only for royalty and daimyo. Well, Vosk was nobility after all, Quang Chi had rationalized to himself.

Goodbyes complete, the monk caught the first ship headed to Almas later that same day. It certainly wasn’t the fastest or most direct route home, but there was someone he needed to see before leaving Avistan. Though he hoped she would remember him, he was caught by surprise when the little orange kitty leapt jubilantly into his arms and began purring and head-butting him enthusiastically. So when it came time to leave Almas the following day, there was no question that she was coming along.

Standing on the deck of the cargo ship Queen of the Skies with a tawny cat riding on his shoulders like some pirate’s parrot, Quang Chi pointedly ignored the stares of the crew and other passengers. He simply watched the waves and pondered what he would do when they got back to Tian Xia. He didn’t intend for this sabbatical from the Society to be forever. Maybe he could teach at Master Kae’s school or go to the capital and work for the Dragon Lords in some special capacity. Either way, the path would become clear, and this was simply the first step along it. He looked one last time back toward the West and where he’d left his many great new friends. Then he gave Little Guì Fù a scratch behind the ears and turned his attention to the East and the future.

Chronicle looks good. I don't think he'll be buying a Slaying Arrow: Vermin, but those wands might be useful even to him.

I have a (waaaayyyyy too long) epilogue post for QC mostly done. I'll post it this weekend.

Thank you all so very much for letting me develop him here over this last year. Before this he was mostly just a mechanical machine-gun archer, but now he's a much more nuanced machine-gun, and I'm happier with him as he is in my head space now.

Quang Chi wanders off to the shoreline and picks thru the flotsam and jetsam along the high-tide mark for things of value.

Day Job (Survival): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

Meh, might as well use the reroll I hadn't used this session.
Day Job (Survival), 3 stars: 1d20 + 11 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 11 + 3 = 23

Beachcomber trait = use Survival for Day Job

And speaking of Survival, and tracking, and a certain wager....

When the giggling mists float past him, Quang Chi playfully holds his nose and pretends that it stinks. He whispers to the cloud, "If you are already a cloud of gas, can you even fart?"

Turning his attention to the others, he agrees with Meredith that they have done good work here shutting down a source of such evil.

[b]"Let us take all this to the twins, and then go check on Mr. Chert.

Sorry for Bogarting that fight.

Hmmm. In light of that letter, do you think that this would qualify for:

"Disrupt or sabotage a significant Aspis Consortium operation, such as by ruining an alliance, ..."

from Grand Lodge Season 7?

As this looks like it'll be wrapping up soon, I'll take this chance to offer seats at a PBP standard run of #7-07, Trouble in Tamran, tier 1-5. I have 4 players already. Likely starting soon-ish.

I've also committed to running a Core version after I've finished the standard one, so if you're interested in that one, let me know.

Reflex save, Heroism, Haste, Evasion, DC 14: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 8 + 2 + 1 = 22

Quang Chi senses the approaching wave of fire and crouches down enough that the flames simply pass right over him.

He cannot "fall" here? Let us see about that, he thinks as he begins firing. However, for his last shot, he calls upon the magic of his bow to push the Blue Man off the stairs!

Attack, Flurry, PBS, Heroism, Haste: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 12 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 28
damage, Gravity Bow, PBS, Bull: 2d6 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6, 6) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 20

Attack, Flurry, PBS, Heroism, Haste: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 12 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 23
damage, Gravity Bow, PBS, Bull: 2d6 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6, 1) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 15

Attack, Flurry, PBS, Heroism, Haste, hasted attack: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 12 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 30
damage, Gravity Bow, PBS, Bull: 2d6 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4, 3) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 15

Attack, Flurry, PBS, Heroism, Haste, ki point extra attack: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 12 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 34
damage, Gravity Bow, PBS, Bull: 2d6 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6, 4) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 18

Attack, Flurry, PBS, Heroism, Haste vs CMD: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 23
This last shot is using the Driving weapon property to make a ranged bull rush to push him off the stairs, where he hopefully lands prone :)

Quang Chi rushes into the room moving with preternatural speed. He zips by the unseen Frankie and slips around Meredith before stopping just slightly short of the Man In Blue. It takes him no thought and barely any effort to shoot a target this close to him.

Attack, PBS, Heroism: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 12 + 1 + 2 = 34
damage, Bow, Bull, PBS, gravity: 2d6 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6, 1) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 15

Swift act to spend a ki point to boost speed +20 ft, move at 70 speed onto the stairs, shoot him in da' face. FWIW, he gets no benefit from anything less than total concealment to QC, and QC doesn't provoke when firing.

Tsukiyo, give me strength, Quang Chi prays to the Jade Prince. Not for strength of arms though, but for the strength to stand these barbarians just a little longer. Home beckons more each day, he thinks while trying to understand what Vosk is talking about.

What does the height of a temple have to do with games and bad smells? Be sure to listen to the Chinese Tien speaker! :)

He shrugs his shoulders, scratches Benedict behind the ears, and heads into the next crypt. At first he is confused by the sight of Frankie pouring cocoa on the sepulchers, but then he understands what the boy is intending by his act. The kindness of children is the purest form. They give of the little they have and expect nothing in return.

Hearing voices and the talk of preparing for a fight, the monk decides what "buffs" he might do on himself.

Will activate Bull as Secondary Animal Focus and cast Gravity Bow. The spell only lasts one minute, so he'll wait until they're completely ready.

"I truly hope to not see another beast explode," Quang Chi says as he takes the arrow from Vosk and is reminded (again) of the the exploding bears. He tucks it into his quiver and stands ready to confront whom- or what-ever lies within the next room.

Hmmm, I wonder if we could light the candle and keep it somewhere Frankie wouldn't notice and stay within 5' of him. Hehehe....

Quang Chi calmly picks up his quiver and slings it over his shoulder as he lets the Mouse replace the Bull once again. He walks purposefully back to where Ylandria and Eun waited with the injured Twincandle.

"You are needed," he says in the way Master Kae would when he expected to be obeyed. "There are others of your people in the chamber below. It is completely safe, and I will escort you, but I would have you speak to them."

He turns to lead them onward without looking back, fully expecting at least one to follow.

Unable to even see the crossbowman in the northeast corner (he deigns not to call them "archers" as they do not deserve the title for using such weapons), Quang Chi fires at the one wearing the bright tropical Blue aloha shirt. It's an unusual outfit for this part of Varisia, though perhaps he recently returned from vacation.

Attack, Flurry, Heroism, PBS: 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 12 + 2 + 1 = 16

His musings on warmer climates and friendly women distract him for a moment, and his first shot nearly hits Denair. He quickly refocuses with a silent apology and fires twice more.

Attack, Flurry, Heroism, PBS: 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 12 + 2 + 1 = 24
damage, Bow, Bull, PBS: 1d8 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 9

Attack, Flurry, Heroism, PBS: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 2 + 1 = 23
damage, Bow, Bull, PBS+1+1: 1d8 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 16

I knew there was some meaning to those phrases. The other one was about the storm sparing those showing humility. Though I do not understand how that would work, Quang Chi thinks as he continues the ranged assault.

Then he realizes that he failed to call upon the strength of the bull. He is humbled as he corrects his error.

Attack, Flurry, heroism: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 12 + 2 = 31
damage, Bow, Bull: 1d8 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 1 = 9

Attack, Flurry, heroism: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 12 + 2 = 21
damage, Bow, Bull: 1d8 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 1 = 14

Attack, Flurry, Heroism: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 7 + 2 = 25
damage, Bow, Bull: 1d8 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 1 = 9

Swift act to add secondary animal focus Bull for +2 STR. Targeting Orange then Pink if Orange drops.

Quang Chi kneels in the upper room awaiting the signal. He holds one arrow nocked and ready, and he has propped his quiver upright against the wall for easier and faster access. He settles his breathing, the key to his school's technique. Two beats in, hold for 2 beats, 4 beats out, and hold empty for 2 more beats. As he repeats this breathing cycle, he enters a meditative state and his heartrate drops though he remains fully aware. So aware and attuned that he reacts instantly when Meredith shouts ... someone's name?

Who is this Leroy Jenkins? An old lover or mentor of hers, perhaps? he thinks, before he chases that monkey-thought away and begins firing at the crossbowman in the fancy Orange shoes (the one most southeasterly).

Waiting for initiative, but Orange shoes will be his first target, and he'll work his way northwards up the line from there.

Quang Chi watches curiously as the boy tries to fit himself into spaces in the rocks too small even for Benedict. "Perhaps you should join the others. I think Meredith wants to make you invisible," he whispers to Frankie hoping to appeal to the lad's penchant for mischief.

- Chi will fire from the doorway and provide support.

Chi will stay in the tiny room he's in now, but he'll be in the space Frankie's token is currently in (as I write this) next to the window. He'll fire from there. Not that he needs the cover, but it keeps him out of the way of the jam-up at the door.

I don't know what Zirt or Frankie want to do. I say we get this shindig ready in about 10 hours so we don't take forever planning. Sounds good?

Sounds good to me. I'm ready. Since Chi is waiting to fire until Denair starts, I'll post shortly after seeing combat start.

Quang Chi kneels down by the mouth-window and leans over Frankie's shoulder to take a good look at the strange room. He nods to Frankie and jerks his head to signal that they should move back into the main hallway to discuss tactics.

"I am concerned that there may be some kind of magical or ancient mechanical trap in the room. I cannot imagine how or what, but the inscriptions give me pause. Perhaps humility is required to pass safely," he adds with a shrug.

Or maybe I'm just worrying too much. Maybe my desire to return home after this mission could be making me overly cautious.

"That said, I think it best for me to stay up here and simply pick them off."

@GM Is the window large enough to fire arrows thru? Does it have line of sight to all the crossbowmen?

Noticing Vosk and the others looking at him expectantly, Quang Chi raises one eyebrow but says nothing. He steps up to the beams in question and consults with Zirt as to exactly what needs moved where. The monk focuses on the image of a bull and centers his mind. He puts his back into it...

Strength, Bull: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 3 + 1 = 18

With the beam moved, he shifts his focus back to the mouse.

"Likely they have a trap set along the "obvious" entry route if they also have a hidden secret entrance. Perhaps we take this way," he gestures to the now unobstructed door.

LOL'd at Frankie's last gameplay post! Hey, those "tasteless things" are quite nutritious!

Where did my last two rice balls with seaweed go?

"A wise man does not poke the dragon," Quang Chi says with a laugh to "no one in particular." Then adds in a stage whisper and wide smile to Frankie, "Nor steal the Dragon's cookies."

He turns from the shenanigans at the turn to Meredith. "What about that potion we found at Mr. Chert's? Does it not cause one to rage as the warriors of Hongal and the Linorn lands do?"

"Or as wolverines might?" he asks Benedict with an acknowledging bow.

Potion of rage, diluted. Does someone drink it? Definitely not QC, as that's really not his way. Would a round of Benedict rage work, or does it have to be "the wrath of man?" Not recommending that, as the little guy doesn't get many rounds per day, just wondering.

All of my characters wear them, the exceptions being the ones who can fly, and they wore them until they got some form of useful flight. It's one of the first things I buy cause a big fall can kill a low level character, and falls aren't adjusted for CR.

One of my character's opponents purposefully dropped down off 100 feet of scaffolding to escape. My guy (level 8 swashbuckler) simply jumped and did a Matrix 3-point landing. Took 10 points of damage and wasn't prone, so the baddie couldn't get away.

I even keep them on the high level characters, though I often struggle with wanting Boots of Speed. But at high levels, someone else will usually cast haste on the party. Whereas no one's gonna cast feather fall on me when I fall (or jump) into a gorge.

Quang Chi picks a small stone from a pouch on his belt and tosses it into the air with a flick of his fingers. As it lazily orbits his head it sheds light like a torch and reveals the subtle change to his physiology as the Tiger fades away to be replaced by the Mouse. Handing one of his wands to Meredith, he asks her to activate it for him as they've done so many times before.

Preparations complete, Quang Chi gently and respectfully scoops up Benedict, and with his bow in his other hand, the monk simply jumps into the pit...

Acro to soften the fall: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

but he misjudges the landing in the dark. His right foot comes down squarely on a sharp rock and he winces as he steps away from the opening to set the wolverine down.

Mage Armor wand. And I'll spend a charge off the same wand to give Benedict mage armor also if Zirt wants. Buff now, everyone!

Boots of the Cat = minimum falling damage and not prone. But a Nat 1 on the Acro means 2 damage. Oops.

Ioun torch in place. Cause it's hard to hold a torch and use a bow :)

"She makes a good point, Meredith. They left a wayfinder. Do they have a grudge against the Society, or was it simply an item of convenience? Either way, I suppose this alchemist explains the potions we found."

Quang Chi looks back to the siblings and makes another very shallow bow before turning away. He opens the tent flap and holds it for the others in a sign that he at least is ready to move along.

Quang Chi smiles inwardly at the "fearsome" Shoanti guard's show of aggression. The man has no idea whom he faces. Likely Benedict or even the boy could take him out by themselves. He certainly does not compare to Turo, wraiths, samurai vampires, exploding diseased bears, or lightning dogs. I think perhaps he lacks the wisdom to know his place in the world. I hope we do not have to educate him. For his sake.

The potential trouble at the entrance avoided, Quang Chi listens attentively to the siblings.

"Fearsome and feral," they contend. Again, it is all relative to so many other more fearsome and far more feral things out there, he thinks.

"Apologies," he begins with a slight bow, "but you have not explained completely why they attacked Mr. Chert. Did this alchemist see him as competition, in spite of his alliance with you?"

Was sitting on a Delta flight thru Seattle today and had a printed character sheet out on the tray table as I made some notes on it prior to a Roll20 session coming up. The Flight Attendant saw it and said "That's the most important work I've ever seen anyone doing on a plane." Turns out he's currently playing in a Kingmaker campaign that's been running for 4 years! And being Seattle based for Delta, he attends PaizoCon every year. We've probably passed each other at the con, or maybe even played at the same table! Talk about a small world.

We'll get the band back together someday for the Lady's League of Kick Ass Dudes, the Where Are They Now episode!

As they walk and listen to Ylandria, Quang Chi suddenly remembers that in Tian Xia, Desna is sometimes called the "Goddess of the North Star." He's a little abashed at having forgotten that, so makes no mention of his embarrassing memory lapse. Though it gives him pause.

Perhaps I have been away too long. It might be nice to return home, both to the monastery and to the family home in Pat Ya. Reconnect with family, check in with Master Kae, eat some proper food, he muses as the smell of an open cooking fire wafts by. He looks at his friends with a tiny bit of sadness, and then makes a decision. Yes. After this mission, I will return to Tian Xia and take a sabbatical from the Society.

The decision made, he returns his focus to Ylandria's tale.

"The compass. It was like this one?" he asks bringing forth his treasured jade wayfinder rather than revealing that they already have the broken one.

"And you do not know what was supposed to be in the package, of course," he asserts without asking.

Quang Chi answers Eun's questions pleasantly and honestly, quickly explaining that Accurate Breath is a monastery of archery and that Master Kae and the Dragon Lords tasked him with learning and reporting back about Avistan. He's honestly thankful when Vosk shoulders into the conversation just before he can admit to not knowing who Eun's "Goddess of the North Star" is.

He briefly considers Vosk's question about the portrait, but at the big man's comical pose, assumes that he's not 100% serious. But why not? What a momento of this team that would make. Master Kae would be shocked at the kind of people the Pathfinder Society employs. Maybe they should look into it. But perhaps without the scarves.

Shaking off his reverie, the monk returns to watching the newcomers carefully. He's unfamiliar with the Way of the Spinning Zephyr, but Eun's honesty in admitting his shame at failing to complete training is a point in his favor.

He nods to Meredith and Vosk to indicate his assent as he prepares to follow the pair to Two-Lights.

"Xa Hoi. Wǒ shì Quang Chi de érzi Quang Lin, de xuéshēng Chính Xác Hơi Thở Xuéxiào," he answers Eun with a bow-to-an-unknown-rank-stranger-likely-of-lower-caste-but-great-fighting-sk ill.

Introductions aside, the scion of the Dragon Lands continues making small talk but in Common for the benefit of the others.

"Eun is from Quain, a land known throughout Tian Xia for their excellent martial arts schools," he informs his friends with an appreciative nod.

"What style and school do you practice? And what brought you here, of all places?" he asks Eun with a look at their squalid surroundings.

Quang Chi silently acknowledges the wisdom of letting their noble wizard do the talking. But he is nonetheless curious about the Tian man and the pattern of tattoos on his shoulders.

"Wǒ de péngyǒu, nǐ shì nǎlǐ rén?"

Knowledge(Local - Tian Xia) untrained re: the tattoos: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (8) + 0 = 8

As the man answers, Quang Chi squats down next to Benedict and combs his fingers thru the short bristly fur to help remove as much of the mud and muck as he can. As he does, he surreptitiously fingers his wayfinder for a little help in their upcoming discussions.

If GM happens to roll Sense Motive on our behalf, please add +1 for guidance to QC's +14

Quang Chi debates hopping back over the pit to help versus simply moving out of the way. He decides instead to combine the two by scooping Benedict up and carrying him down and out of the alley as quickly as he can at 50' speed. At the mouth of the alley and away from the rats, the monk gently and respectfully sets the wolverine onto the pavement.

Sorry for the delay.

Quang Chi looks up just in time to see Frankie leap across the pit straight at him. His instincts kick in, and he reacts as he was trained to do at the monastery. He grabs the boy's tunic and whips the small body across and around himself in a graceful yet powerful spinning movement. If it weren't for his tight grip, Frankie wouldn't been thrown further down the alley, but Quang Chi knows just how to control the momentum. He torques his shoulders, flexes his knees, and sets Frankie down on the opposite side of the sinkhole.

"Just like the acrobats of the Shen-Yun circus," he says with a smile of pride at his quick-thinking maneuver. "Perhaps we should practice these moves in the future. It would be an excellent workout for both of us, I think," he adds part serious but also part teasingly suspecting that the boy will defer at the mention of a "workout."

Acro to Aid a jump?, Heroism: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 10 + 2 = 13
Does that take an action? Or a reaction (to use a term from one of those "other" sister-systems) thereby counting as his AO for the round, maybe?

Turning back to the pit, he draws a flask from his bandoleer and prepares to throw it should the swarm pursue his friends. The Bull having served its purpose, he calls forth the Tiger for the great cat's flexibility.

Alchemists Fire, Readied Action throw, Tiger (Dex), 3rd range increment, Heroism: 1d20 + 1 + 4 - 4 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 1 + 4 - 4 + 2 = 22
Fire Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Readied action throw for when the swarm enters the marked square behind where Denair is hovering.

Our Dear Lady, I totally get it. It's amazing what happens when you get a Hubster and a House and 2(!!) cat-kids. Time has value. I hope you'll gain some time to game with Hubster as a result.

I've no doubt that you'll still be around on the forums. I still expect to see you at the next PaizoCon per our previous arrangement, in whatever year that may be.

Coincidently, I was planning to offer to run #7-07, Trouble in Tamran at some point. It's only tier 1-5, so it wouldn't be these characters (except Frankie's still 5 I think), but if this group wants, I'll wait until this scenario is over and run it for them (and you, Lady) then.

This is a bit like showing up at a live theater event and finding out during the Director's intro that this will be the final performance. We watch with a tear and a bittersweet taste, but the show still goes on. We enjoy it, and we'll see these actors in other shows down the road. Thank you for the head's up on this. It gives us the chance to write some close-out stories at the end as this team goes their separate ways.

((On a side note, I sent you a PM about something related to this.))

Happy New Year to everyone from those of us already in 2021. It's already looking better from this side of the dateline!

Yep, Meredith guessed right. I saw in the end of the year in Australia. Watched a live cricket match on the telly (yes, I actually understand the game having lived overseas enough) and then fell asleep well before midnight. We are again locked into our rooms here, and, no, we can't go hang out together in our fellow crewmembers' rooms, in spite of just having spent 14 hours in a metal tube together. But at least the Aussies are taking this all very seriously.

On the game front, I do have 2 alchemist's fires, a liquid ice and a bottled lightning in a bandoleer. Someone could grab one or more from off of his chest presumably as a move action. If anyone had energy resistances, they could play bait while we hit the swarm with the splash weapons.

Swarms. Ugh. The bane of monks, and archer monks even more so. I do have several splash weapons, but I thought it more important to lend my Strength to freeing the victim. Who knew our "wizard" couldn't do evocation? (joshing.)

Are there exploding arrows? Like what Hawkeye shoots at Loki in the first Avengers movie?

Either way, looks like I gotta get me a swarmbane clasp sooner rather than later. I'd been saving up for a Necklace of Adaptation. Too bad they're both neck items.

We must work quickly. Hopefully Vosk can 'do that wizard thing' and deal with them, the archer thinks as he looks down the alley to where their newest teammate has disappeared under a squirming blanket of diseased vermin.

Turning his attention back to the sinkhole and the unlucky person within, he yells, "Bỏ trốn!" with as much magical energy as he himself can summon. It's a simple and quick spell, meant to help himself or others escape, exactly as the words imply.

The command barely out of his mouth, he reaches as far into the filthy water as he can, trying to grasp whomever is under there. His fingers grip a slim arm and he pulls with all his might...

Str, Bull: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

...but the angles aren't quite right for him to get the full leverage he needs.

Meh. Maybe we count that as an Aid to someone else.

BTW, It's Vietnamese for "Escape!"

I should have asked these questions at the end of my last round's post:

Can QC reach the sunken person from where he is, or does he need to move into the bog square?

If he jumps into the bog, he should be able to stand up, yes?. The linked reference page says it's "roughly 4 feet of standing water." Or do you want some other check to stand, or hold his breath, or swim, etc?

He could cast Liberating Command as an immediate action to give the victim a free Escape Artist check with an extra +2, but it has no effect if the person could not get free by using the Escape Artist skill. Am I right to think it would be ineffective and simply waste a spell? Or does the scenario say otherwise?

It's just a STR check to pull them free?

メリークリスマス
"Merīkurisumasu"

Merry Christmas from Japan where it's already Boxing Day - whatever that is. (Okay, yes, I know that Boxing Day is a British thing, and no, they don't "do" Boxing Day here in Japan. But they do Christmas.)

If nothing else, it's one more day closer to the end of this year and us getting back to the real normal.

Realizing that the area around the sinkhole is getting very crowded, Quang Chi lopes past Zirt and leaps over the pit. It doesn't really take any effort; it's quite a bit easier than jumping from rooftop to rooftop when he rescued Maharni in Katapesh. He practically flies past Denair, does a supple twist in the air over the dirty water, and lands facing back the way he'd come from.

His connection to the falcon having served its purpose, he calls upon the bull to enhance his strength causing tiny horns to grow upon his brow and his already impressive musculature to bulk up even further.

Acro to Jump, Land speed 50, Heroism: 1d20 + 10 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 10 + 8 + 2 = 32

Had to double move to make the jump even with a 50' speed. Swift act to swap in Bull aspect +2 STR. He can help next round, sorry.

"I hear something small and clawed beneath us," Chi warns his friends. "Perhaps it causes the sinkholes, or perhaps it is dragging her friend down. Be most careful, either way."

When Antaios waves goodbye at the door, Quang Chi turns and bows. He feels sorry for the topiary, their caretaker laid up and them now all alone. "We will do our best to track down these people, Antaios," he says as he turns to follow and assist Benedict.

As the team and its wolverine leader make their way through the city, Quang Chi occasionally kneels in the street and sniffs the wind. At one intersection, he picks up a handful of dirt and lets it trickle out of his fingers as he carefully watches the bits fall, then takes a deep breath of the residual scent from his palm.

Several blocks later, he spots a single red thread in the gutter, the tiny piece an exact match for the satek, and further on the broken branch of a street-side tree holds meaning only to an experienced tracker.

But as they enter the Mush, tracking gets more difficult. He readily notices the signs of gang-affiliation and the way the locals warily watch the strange group. So it is with caution rather than alacrity that Quang Chi reacts to the woman's plea.

A ruse or trick? Like the ones the urchins pull in Goa, just before they pick your pocket? Or is her panic genuine? he wonders as he takes her measure.

Sense Motive, Heroism: 1d20 + 14 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 14 + 2 = 31

Seeing Vosk scan the rooftops, he nods sharply to the big man as if to say that he agrees that caution is warranted. He lends his eyes to the search, sharpening them with an aspect of the falcon, even as he draws his bow from its quiver.

Perception, Heroism, Hawk: 1d20 + 15 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 15 + 2 + 4 = 28

5' step (sorry Zirt), draw bow as move action, Perception as standard action, swift to switch to Falcon animal Focus

"Agreed," Quang Chi replies. He bows to just the right angle meaning 'agreement has been reached on a business or other deal.' Aware as always that he is still in Avistan (the smell is always just wrong,) he rises and offers his hand in a shake also.

He thinks I would be deterred. He has no idea what life in a monastery is like if so. But what would I even do with a manservant for a day?

Leaning down he whispers to Benedict, "Don't worry. I do not think you are included in this bet."

Quang Chi considers Vosk's challenge as he stands and returns the scarf. "A wager, my friend?" he asks. "What do we bet? You have riches, and I am but a simple man. And Benedict certainly has nothing to his name," he laughs as he scratches the wolverine behind the ears.

"Bragging rights are the first step on the path to arrogance." He shakes his head rejecting that.

"A service, perhaps?" he offers. "Even in loss, one wins by serving humbly."

Bring it, big man!

I gotcha Zirt. FWIW, Quang Chi has a level of Hunter, so he can also use CLW wands without having to UMD them. I think Zirt and he are the closest we have to healers for this session.

Quang Chi watches Benedict's reaction to Frankie's ministrations and hopes that it doesn't happen again. For Frankie's sake. The scent of wolverine pee is notably difficult to remove from bedrolls. Someday I will get back at Bayu Variza for what he did that night. Assuming I ever get back to Xa Hoi, he muses angrily.

But the monk also notes that Benedict still looks a little battered. He kneels down next to him and taps him several times with the wand from his pack. Once healed, he asks, "Are you ready to go track these people down?" He looks up to Vosk and Zirt and reaches out to the scarf.

"Perhaps their scent still lingers on the... What did you call it? A satay? No, that's a Vudrani food. The... scarf. May I see it please?"

He holds it out to Benedict and then he too takes a deep whiff of the mixed aromas from the cloth.

4 taps at 5.5 average each = 22 hp for the Furry Guy wolverine.

"Maybe you should have that looked at by a wand doctor. That can't be healthy, and you wouldn't want it to spread to your other ... wands," Chi says with a twinkle in his eye.

He remains out in the main room to keep Antaios from feeling crowded and hemmed in and watches the pantomime.

Turning his attention to the attemps at communication, he agrees with Vosk. "Yes, a man and a woman, it looked like. Antaios, was one of them smaller, like my friends here?" he asks as he gestures toward Frankie and Zirt.

Perception, Take 10, Heroism: 10 + 15 + 2 = 27

Chi catches Vosk's eye roll but says nothing. Instead, his own eyes crinkle in a small smile as the big man follows his lead and goes to talk to the plant. He similarly watches in amusement at poor Benedict's humiliation. Judging the combat to be over, he returns his bow to its spot in the quiver.

"Apologies for shooting you, Antaios. If you stop, we will gladly heal your wounds as well," he offers.

tl;dr: It completely depends on the country, and they change the rules quite frequently.

Long version:

For instance, I was in Australia last week for 48 hours. We're shown to our rooms and not allowed to leave the room. Room service or Uber Eats only. On the upside there's good internet and lots of English language TV.

I'm in Korea for a couple days right now. Hotel breakfast is a segregated take-out buffet just for the pilots that we take back to our rooms. We're free to move about the hotel and the area nearby, but discouraged from mingling with locals. Not a true quarantine for us, but if we venture too far away (like out of the neighborhood) it will raise a flag among the authorities since normal foreigners do quarantine.

Japan is pretty much completely open to us unless we do a trip in support of the US military. If we land on one of those bases, we're locked into the on-base hotel. But if we land at a regular civilian airport, there's no quarantine or restrictions at all.

I went through Delhi, India, last month and we went straight into the transit hotel inside the terminal. It was just a quick stop, long enough to sleep and nothing else, so that didn't matter. But if the plane broke, we'd be stuck inside the airport until it was fixed. There's only so much duty-free shopping one can do.

My company currently doesn't let us layover in China, Singapore or Hong Kong simply because we would have to get tested on the way to the hotel. If we pop positive there, we're trapped in country until we test clear. Meanwhile, the airplane doesn't move until they can replace the crew. Too expensive, too complicated, and easier to just have us tech stop (meaning swap out cargo, get gas, and leave without a rest.)

My employer does fly to South America and Europe a lot, too, but I don't fly those routes normally so I don't know how things are over there. I expect it's similarly different at each layover.

Dang! Please get better soon, and here's hoping that you stay asymptomatic and it passes without incident.

I know you work in a healthcare-related field. Have "they" said anything about when you might expect to get the vaccine in your area and in your position?

For my part, they can't get it to me soon enough. Traveling internationally without it gets more and more difficult every day.

Quang Chi's bow hand drifts down to the jade wayfinder at his hip. Impressing people with words has never been his strong suit, but Master Kae's gift has helped at times. He fingers the cool stone as he carefully considers his words.

"Our apologies for attacking you. I know you must be afraid, but we are not your enemies."

Diplomacy, guidance, heroism: 1d20 - 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (11) - 2 + 1 + 2 = 12

"I believe it may also understand the language of the fey and woodland creatures, but I do not think it can speak," he says as he looks to Vosk for help. In truth he's hoping that the gregarious wizard will actually just take over the conversation.

Hey, Chi, why is everyone rolling Sense Motive? How come you didn't?

Because, my idiot player, you didn't see the GM's spoiler box. {sigh}

Sense Motive, Heroism: 1d20 + 14 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 14 + 2 = 21

Quang Chi holds his attacks, both because they seem rather ineffective, but more importantly, because he senses that the topiary is attacking more out of fear and confusion than malice.

"Wait, please. Can we not speak to it? I feel that it is more afraid of us than we are of it."

He then holds his right hand up in a gesture of peace, showing no arrows and no weapons as he addresses the big bushy tiger.

"I do not know if you can understand me. If you can, please stop. We mean you no harm."

@GM, I rolled KN (Nature) earlier and got a 22. Just like to know if we can communicate with it, and if so, how. (Languages or any other Special Ability means of communicating, please.)

Caught off guard by the unexpected appearance of an attacking topiary, Quang Chi simply forgot to dredge his memories for knowledge of such threats. "In Tien Xia, the plant sculptures rarely attack. More often they dance as entertainment," he informs Vosk as the wizard turns him invisible again.

Why does he do that? It hardly benefits me. He should use my wand of magical armor on me instead. I must speak to him of this. Afterwards.

Kn(Nature): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

But the vicious attack on his new friend Benedict spurs the monk from his ruminations and into action.

Attack, Flurry, Invisible: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 12 + 1 + 2 = 20
damage, Bow: 1d8 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 1 = 10

Attack, Flurry: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 12 + 1 = 32
damage, Bow: 1d8 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 1 = 13

Attack, Flurry, ki point: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 12 + 1 = 20
damage, Bow: 1d8 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 1 = 9

Attack, Flurry: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 1 = 12
damage, Bow: 1d8 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 1 = 15

Added +1 att & damage to all shots for Point Blank Shot. Tiger-topiary does not get any benefit from cover. First shot is Invisible, so no Dex Bonus to topiary's AC.