Rajendra Sastri's page

Yeah, if it's not fun you shouldn't be doing it. I had the feeling we were getting off the rails, there, which probably didn't help. Thanks for sticking it out as long as you did. I'll probably see the rest of you around the boards.

Done.

He scowls and snarls as he thrusts with his blade at Raj, trying to take down the archer at all costs. "You will die, monk." he spits at Raj.

What, does he want a quote from Hávamál?

Raj shrugs serenely. "All die. If I fall today, I fall as Svarga kē tīra, arrow of Heaven."

Arrow #1, DA, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 8 + 2 + 1 = 18
Arrow #2, DA, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 8 + 2 + 1 = 17
Arrow #3, DA, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 3 + 2 + 1 = 19
Ki arrow, DA, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 8 + 2 + 1 = 17
Ki arrow perfect strike, DA, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 8 + 2 + 1 = 22

Ki arrow damage, if applicable, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 1 = 10

Is Elena still grappled?

-Posted with Wayfinder

Raj turns to face the faceless. Moving with ease and grace, he looses four arrows in rapid succession at the adjacent foe, somehow contriving to do so without opening himself up to melee attack.

Arrow #1, DA, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 8 + 2 + 1 = 14
Arrow #2, DA, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 8 + 2 + 1 = 25
Arrow #3, DA, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 3 + 2 + 1 = 24
Ki arrow #1, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 8 + 2 + 1 = 24

Arrow #2 damage, DA, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 1 = 9
Arrow #3 damage, DA, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 1 = 14
Ki arrow damage, DA, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 1 = 14

Raj continues to strike against the creature holding Elena, moving with lethal precision.

Arrow #1, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 15
Arrow #2, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 31
Arrow #3, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 32
Ki arrow, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 18
Ki arrow perfect strike, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 21

Arrow #1 damage, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 1 = 5
Arrow #2 damage, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 1 = 6
Arrow #3 damage, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 1 = 6
Ki arrow damage, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 1 = 8

In the crush, Raj presses his attack on not-Iesha. His face is serene, his form impeccable.

Arrow #1, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 20
Arrow #2, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 24
Arrow #3, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 5 + 2 + 1 = 22
Ki arrow, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 20

Arrow #1 damage, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 = 7
Arrow #2 damage, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10
Arrow #3 damage, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 1 = 5
Ki arrow damage, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 1 = 5

Raj elects to let his bow speak for him, focusing his ki to speed his actions and put a swift end to the fight.

Arrow #1, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 16
Arrow #2, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 30
Arrow #3, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 5 + 2 + 1 = 16
Extra arrow, incl. owl's wisdom and PBS: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 31

I make it two hits, depending on whether there's an AC penalty for grappling. Just in case, I'll roll damage for all arrows.

Arrow #1 damage, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 1 = 9
Arrow #2 damage, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 1 = 6
Arrow #3 damage, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 1 = 12
Extra arrow damage, incl. PBS: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 1 = 12

"Why? If she dies, you die. And we can restore her to life--who will do that for you?"

Raj shakes his head and draws his bow, sending a single arrow towards Iesha. It goes just past the faceless creature.

Arrow on the way, incl. PBS & WIS bump: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 10 + 1 + 2 = 16

Warned by some sixth sense, Raj calls on his sorcery to bolster his mental acuity.

Casting owl's wisdom.

Before I declare Raj's action (which is unlikely to change what happened during the surprise round), did not-Iesha really grab Elena on a natural 1? I thought that was an auto-miss.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Raj follows the others into the study.

Just a reminder that Raj has the Spirit Sense trait; +2 to Perception checks to avoid being surprised, and to detect invisible and incorporeal creatures. In case it becomes important.

"It is as Jim says. There was a man at the Misgivings who claimed to be you, and suffered from a curse that came from your ancestor Vorel. Now we come here, only to find you alive again and apparently in possession of all your senses. What are we to think?"

"First, though, I have heard that you are a skilled hunter. May we go out with you the next time you go out?"

Resolved, the party leaves the inn and makes their way to the Foxglove residence, considerably more openly than the previous day's escapade.

"I have a thought. You have told me of a boar hunt with Aldern in Sandpoint. Let's ask if we can go hunting with him, and talk to him when we're out of the city and away from his wife. Elena, you should make the offer."

"Yes, tell him the truth about who and what we fought in Sandpoint, and watch his reaction."

"I agree, Elena. This problem has no obvious way to a solution. Magnimar is too large a city to simply go looking for the Skinsaw cult."

Thanks for the update, and I hope things settle down for you.

Raj rises to his feet as well. "A prayer to the Patron of prophets is proper, yes."

Knowledge (Religion) check to know more about the Skinsaw cult: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Raj seems unfamiliar with some of the food, but eats some of the bread, butter, and potatoes. "Before we decide, I will go fetch Jim. He will not want to miss breakfast."

The monk taps on Jim's door to rouse him, and as the pair return to the main room asks, "Did you learn anything useful from your new friends?"

"I am still thinking that we should follow Aldern outside the walls. Perhaps Jim learned something of interest from his new friends as well."

After a good night's (day's?) rest, Rajendra rouses himself and goes through his usual exercises and meditation. A light meal later, he joins the others.

About what time is it?

Raj stifles a yawn and nods. "We can rest, and then tomorrow morning leave the city ahead of where Aldern went out today. It will be easier to follow him outside, if he goes hunting again. But we should find an inn far from here--staying at this one after today will raise suspicions."

Raj goes quietly.

"Yes, my friends knew him from Sandpoint, and came to see him."

Diplomacy Aid Another: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

Perception check: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33

Yeah.

Raj corners Jace. "We had better be about our business. Someone is reporting on us to the guards."

As others have said, it's difficult when there's no clear indication of a path forward and none of us have talents or abilities that would make it easier. PbP as a format is at its best when the potential action space is fairly bounded, and in this particular case--when none of us have a good idea of what to do--we all slow down in posting and wait for someone else to come up with something. I also completely missed the time, which didn't help; I thought that Aldern had left sometime during the night, and was taken a bit aback when I realized that it was daytime. This drove a lot of the walking-back, at least on my part. A little B&E at night is one thing, but midday robbery is quite another. There is also some frustration driving that; I don't know what to do, so the thought of taking action--even an action profoundly antithetical to my character's ethos--was attractive.

And tbh I've had a lot of stuff happening in RL (looking at a major shift in job duties at work, and management has seriously screwed up the implementation), and have been prioritizing the games I run plus the shorter-duration games I'm playing in (figuring if I can get them out of the way I'll have more time for the long-haul games).

Fort save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

"Yes. It has been a long night."

"We'll come back later when they are home."

I've lost track of the time. Were we up all night? About what time did Aldern leave, and how long were we following him?

"We can work on our running away, if it becomes necessary." Raj trails behind, looking around for watchers. "Elena, I suggest you look for magic on the house."

"Iesha has left the house, and we are thinking to pay a visit."

Raj tosses back his ale and stands. "I will do so with haste. Would you mind settling up?" He follows the paladin upstairs.

Raj looks quizzically after the paladin. I don't think we walked that far. He sips at his ale and signals for some food as well. This drink is not what I am used to, but it does grow on one.

Thanks for the game, GM Bold! I admit, for the most part I have been in PFS mode because it fits my schedule, but I have quite enjoyed being part of a longer storyline. It is a much different feel, and has been a lot of fun!

In fact, it has inspired me to start planning to run my own AP (probably not until after this Blood under Absalom special). I was thinking Giantslayer...

I see you've got the usual mob of signups for the game. I would have, but my work situation just got a little weird and I don't know how much time I'm going to have to spare. Good luck!

Raj shrugs. "There are too many unanswered questions. Let's rejoin Jim and get some rest, then watch again tomorrow."

Raj follows the duo up, looking around at the crowd in case Aldern surfaces unexpectedly.

"I thought we were only following Aldern--were there others? In any case, do not use his name, only his description unless the guard identifies him."

I posted yesterday, and at that point no one had actually said they were going anywhere--that was Jace, late last night.

Raj nods to the merchant and follows Zie to the gate.

"He stayed behind to watch."

As the GM may remember, I was in Endless Forms' Shattered Star PbP, and we finished in a little over three years. (It would have been sooner, but we lost Tektite and Mark Garringer late in the game--too late to replace the characters.)

I see Wayfinder is available again. Makes my life a lot easier, thanks.

Raj waits to see if Zie is going to sniff at the carrots, too.

Giantslayer is a good one, I think--solid, no odd frills, and delivers on what it promises on the cover. I'm running it in PbP now; we're still early in the first part, but everyone seems to be enjoying it so far. Though there's a bit of whiplash as you go from "solving a murder mystery" to "fighting orcs and giants," it's nothing like the shift in Second Darkness from "we are a scurvy lot of gamblers" to "we are noble souls striving to stop the evil drow."

Raj shakes his head at the man's question. "You are right--I am a stranger here, but I am from Vudra."

Correct, it's a check-in post. I would say "Mumble," but I'm not sure if anyone reads/remembers throwaway bits from mid-80s Varley any more.

This isn't so much metagaming as it is him being a stranger in town, and being perceptive enough to guess that he might say something rude without meaning to.

Raj looks to Elena, who (he judges) is far better at speaking than he.

"Jim is the best of us at tracking. I will do what I can, though."

Untrained Survival check: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

But Raj is baffled.

"I also lost him as he went toward the gate. Jim is continuing to watch the townhouse."