Rhous Vel Belizea's page

Rhous gets close to the ring and shout at the half-orc, trying his best to sound like a lowborn and putting aside his fancy words for the moment «C’mon champion, c’mon! I bet on you me last pay!» he shouts to grab his attention, waving the receipt for the bet on Belok.

Then, careful not to be seen by others, casts a charm spell on the half-orc «big fella like you, get’im! Sweep tha leg, trip him down!» Rhous tries to remember what he knows about dwarves and suggests a losing tactic to Belok, knowing the spell will make it seem like a good idea «make’im fall down! C’mon!»

Will DC 16 to resist the charm person spell; I’ll watch the fight and try to give him bad advice appearing just incompetent rather than malicious.
Also, if needed, Bluff: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24 to blend with the crowd shouting advice and cheering.

Would a ray of enfeeblement be noticed?

Valaravans grab the 200 gold (no need to leave it on the table) and slips Rhous the potion.

That is the potion he carries with him, to make another one will take him 2 hours

If everything goes according to plan, I won't even use it. But better safe than sorry

Rhous will put 200 gp on the dwarf and 200 gp on the half-orc

«If I were you, I would be wary of underestimating the newcomers» he says to Salty and Zaria «Master Valaravans, may I ask you for one of your famous disappearance cocktails? I am afraid it might come in handy.» he puts on the table enough money for an invisibility potion, then makes his way to the ring where the combatants face each other.

how crowded is it near the fight? How chaotic? Would the casting of a spell be obvious, or could I conceal it with a bluff check?

Knowledge local: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

yes, of course the one character who plans on making a mess of this fight is the one who has no clue about the fighters... ^^

OK, I have a small metagame dilemma: either our GM didn't think too hard about the odds of the fight, or the bookie is up to something shady.

Dwarf 5 to 1
Half-orc 2 to 1

If I put 500 gp on the dwarf AND 500 gp on the half orc, worst case scenario I break even getting 1000 from the half-orc, best case scenario I get 250% profit getting 2500 form the dwarf. If they don't let you bet on both I'll just use a proxy, like asking someone else to bet in my place.

This is important because, full disclosure, I plan on fixing the fight. If you feel like this is an unnecessary sidebar in a slow-moving PbP, I won't do that. Otherwise, if you as players are ok with that, as PCs Rhous stops Salty before he places his bet...

Rhous looks at Zaria with a half-smile «Oh, I have no desire of relieving you of your money!» he says «In the next few days I think I’ll find myself relying on your quick blade for my own safety, and I do not believe that cleaning you dry of your hard-earned coin is going to give you the… proper incentive to look out for my safety!» he adds sarcastically «Besides, we plan on getting rich together, don’t we? So let’s make someone else in this hellish circle regret their fondness of gambling!»

Rhous settles down facing the fight «I would much rather see an exhibition from one Miss Lindsey Sterling…» screams Rhous above the chaos of the Skull, talking mostly to Djulla «last time I found myself in Port Shaw she was lovely. But I guess I will settle for a… lower kind of entertainment.»
Rhous looks at the fighting for a while, ordering red wine if a waiter approaches. After a few minutes however his eyes start darting around, looking for someone willing to accept a bet on the fight.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15 to find a bookie

«Might I suggest better craftsmanship next time you try to trick someone?» Rhous mocks the poor ragged man «A more careful study of the geography, and parchment properly worn-out? I just do not see your product as being on par with that of much better con men here in Port Shaw» Rhous shrugs, as if he was genuinely trying to be helpful «And most important of all... know how to pick your targets!» he winks at the con man and strolls right behind Salty.

«You know, my friend» Rhous approaches the ragged man with a warm smile «Just a few minutes ago another man down the street approached me with a map for the Pirate King’s treasure that put the loot about five hundred miles to the East of your location! Fancy that!» the wizard keeps smiling «His map was good, too. Wonderful old parchment, just worn-out enough to be believable. And he asked only for 100 gold pieces!» Rhous shrugs as he looks at the man’s map.
«Now, why should I bet on your map to be the genuine article, when you’re not even willing to risk the trip to adventure yourself?»

Linguistics to detect forgeries: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22 note: if ti is a good enough roll, I don’t just wish to know if this is a forgery: I also want to know it is a good or bad forgery

«Now, that is a mighty vessel!» shouts Rhous at the sight of the Pride «Almost makes you wonder why those cannons haven’t already fired upon that outrageous mockery of a dragon…»

«So, my dear friends! Shall we get a sip of fine rum while we discuss our next move? Or are your souls already aching for further adventure?»

Rhous thanks the captain profusely for the pay – clearly trading in Absalom is very much worth the trip if he can part with five thousand pieces.

«Men, ships, supplies… those are all long time investments, my friends» he says «If we wish to remain together, it may be wiser to find a simpler task. Just to build trust and team harmony. This quest for the brass city of Kerostic sounds a bit… ambitious for the moment… we couldn’t even protect a poor goat from a sea worm, after all!» he jokes about their recent shortcomings.

He looks perplexed at Moctezuma’s plan for domination «Master Moctezuma… I share your desire for power and wealth, but surely you understand there are… intermediate steps we must first take!»

Know (history) to remember legends and treasures around Port Shaw: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Know (local) to remember legends and treasures around Port Shaw: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

Rhous softly lands on the main deck «Well, that was… an unexpected turn of events. I guess the Razor Coast dragons have smaller appetites and much smaller ambitions than those on the mainland. » he straighten his clothes after the battle.

«I am all in favor of a peaceful resolution, especially when faced with such a huge opponent – but I see that you are much more… violence-inclined. » he puts his hand on Djulla’s forearm «Miss Olavess… maybe next time we should wait a moment to assess the situation before bringing out the cannons, don’t you agree?»

He then turns his gaze around to look for the captain «Is captain Selman alright?» he asks «Has the dragon’s hypnosis worn off yet? »

«That was very impolite of yours, dragon – to refuse my advice in such a rude manner!» Rhous keeps up his bravado as he thinks of his next move.

Do I dare blinding him? he could destroy the ship in a fit of rage… no. Let’s play it safe for now.
As he moves in what he thinks could be a strategic position, a magic force field surrounds his figure.

ROUND 3
STD action: cast extended mage armor
MOV action: fly directly above him, about 40 feet higher than his head.

nobody has much faith in my spell I see :D

OK, I act before Zaria, and I had a different plan… but let’s go with hers.

Safe from the beast’s gaze, Rhous locks his eyes with those of Olaus. His hand reach in a pocket inside his jacket, grabbing a honeycomb and a dried viper’s tongue. Talking in the same language the dragon used to address him, he puts on a humble face and tries his hand:

«Mighty dragon, our small pantry isn’t worthy of your legendary hunger: we come from afar, and our stocks are near depletion! It would be a much worthier effort to swim northeast and seek for a Chelaxian galleon. Look for the black and red flag!» Rhous smiled as he weaved his ancestors’ enemies into his lie «their on-board feasts are renowned across the sea, and they shall honor you properly!»

If the dragon talked to me in Common, the above speech is in Common, if he answered in Draconic it is in Draconic.
STD action: Cast Suggestion - Will DC 18 – if you feel the suggestion is very reasonable he gets a -1 or -2 to his save.
MOV action: fly back as far as possible from his mouth and eyes

I’m not on the ship, I’m flying at least a dozen feet above it. Anyway, in case I’m still in rage for the attack, here’s the save
Will save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Djulla, not much harm done. I have a plan though (assuming I can act next turn!)

since I had a better roll than Zaria, I’m assuming I know too about the monster. Or am I wrong?

Already with the shooting… I can see my fellow shipmates are on the impulsive side.
Rhous takes a deep breath and stretches his arms behind him «honsei vol-ynori». The beautiful and very well-known feeling of lightness and freedom invests him as he takes the air, rising up above the ship-deck and getting almost at the same level as Olaus’ Eyes.

He then adresses the dragon in what he hopes is his own tongue.
«Tulensvear darasthyx, Maekrid maekriks! Doveri kohsjstry: gyr ghona khats loromo!»

STD action: cast Fly
MOV action: fly upwards above my current position, up to the point where my eyes are just a few feet below the dragon’s.

«Well this is a rather unexpected turn of events!» says Rhous springing into action «and unpleasant to boost!»

Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
Knowledge arcana: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18
Knoweldge local: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

Ok, a bit of an etiquette problem.

I'll refer to my fellow sailmates as "master", but should I use a different title for women? English is my second language, and in school I think I missed the lesson about how to be polite and official among mixed gender pirates.

Rhous politely declines the smoke offer. «I agree wholeheartedly. Guarding a few crates of spices and silk for a small purse of coin is hardly the most remunerative way of conducing a life on the High Seas – no offense intended, my dear Captain!» he adds in case Selman is nearby.

«Treasure… I’m most certain that every other temple hidden away by those tulitas is ripe with gold and gemstones! And nothing would be lovelier than to seek said treasure accompanied by the sweet sweet sound of your fiddle, Master Olavess!» he smiles warmly at Djulla.

Rhous is not in a very good mood.
Absalom sounded incredibly promising to find leads on Rascaro, and instead he found nothing. Three full days questioning half of the docks workers, the beggars, the thieves, spending more coin in bribes than for himself, and he was not an inch closer to finding the bastard.
He sighs as Zaria hints at staying longer next time But would it make any difference?

Nevertheless, Taldan etiquette is very clear on the protocol to follow when faced with a good banquet «The food is delicious, Captain – the spicy shellfish in particular!» he smiles politely at Valaravans «I fear that our toothy friend is as much of a danger for the health of your adversaries as he is for the size of his companions’ belly!»

Luckily his mood picks up while watching the exhibition of the two women. «First you tempt my gluttony, now they go after my lust. What a sinful gathering we are, ah, Master Valavarans?» he adds smiling to the half-orc.

Not that it matters Airon87, was just curious why u took arcane strike as a caster?

Because I am quite bad at building casters (at building in general - I usually come up with a role-playing concept and build the crunch together with my GM), and Rhous/Duardo went through three builds - one used a rapier with arcane strike. Arcane strike was there as a vestigial feat. I changed it.

I settled for the full caster one, but I was just this close to the "wizard with a gun"... I think I'll develop him in that direction.

Anyway, he dislikes fighting too. He's quite good at stopping ships and charming people though.