Utabe the Motherless's page

Thanks for the PM, Kludde. While I appreciate being on the list, I'm currently involved in a campaign (and at this time of year, I can't handle more than one.) Please feel free to knock me back down to the bottom.

Nothing here. I resent you my email address as a PM, in case something went wrong.

Are we supposed to get these as PMs? I haven't received anything yet.

"Should we be concerned about the neighborhood? How many monkeys just fled the museum?" ponders Utabe, picturing a poor old woman out on her evening constitutional.

In the meantime, Utabe ascends the Ziggurat and attempts to untie Nigel.

"Nigel? We were sent here by the Pathfinder Society. Let me help you," says Utabe, shrugging off the tiredness of the night.

Will Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

Utabe wasn't sure what to expect from striking the idol-- she still couldn't quite make herself believe that the thing was alive-- but the satisfying thwack of the arrow told her all she needed to know. Then there was that weird tingling all over her body... the idol was trying to do something to her, and she wouldn't have that.

Bow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Some lucky rolls here.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Utabe notices the small idol casting spells.

"In the back, is that idol alive?!?"

She moves to get a better shot on the idol (four units east) and fires an arrow.

Bow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

"That is a very large gorilla," stated Utabe, and she would know. She moves to get a straight shot at the animal, hoping to fell it quickly.

Move to one square north of Tophor.

Bow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Utabe helps the wailing gentleman out of the window, and then follows Kiddrick out of the room, being sure to readjust the cloth around her mouth to protect her from the mist.

She also calls Oko back to her.

"Perhaps we can help this gentleman out through the window? I expect that's safest way out of the building," says Utabe, suddenly worried that this could be construed as a threat. "I don't mean that metaphorically. I mean we can gently help you climb down and out."

She would leave the diplomacy to Kiddrick. Her mind was more occupied with the items she had found while searching the room.

"Before you go, sir-- do you recognize this cloth? It appears to have been catalogued with the idols you described earlier. Although the idols themselves are missing, now."

Utabe shows the cloth and cataloguing information to everyone, along with the gold and scroll case.

Can anyone read the scroll? Are these magic or informational? Could someone detect magic on the cloth and scrolls?

I'll wait to see what the reaction is from the mystery voice. I found nothing else unusual, other than the stowaway?

Utabe does not put down her bow, but scans around around the room with weapon raised, looking for the other voice she heard.

"There's someone else here," she whispers to the group. She quickly searches the room, looking for the source of the sound, or anything unusual.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Apologies for my tardiness. I've had company staying with me, and things have been hectic! (Although I will point out that I did post yesterday.)

Utabe carefully tracks the apeman's movement as it dodges blows from the rest of the party. She waits for her moment-- knowing the creature will take a tiny moment to take stock of its success. When that happens, she pulls back the string of her bow, and...

Longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Step back one square, fire bow

As Utabe dodged the apeman's flailing, she though well, at least we can see him now. Stepping back, she raised her bow and fired again.

Longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Utabe will advance four squares so that she has a clear line of shot against the remaining apeman.

Pleased with her last arrow hitting its mark, Utabe strides soundlessly into the room, and launches a second arrow.

Longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Noting how strong the mist appears to be in this room, Utabe also holds her breath. She then calmly lifts her bow to the nearest ape-man, and fires.

Longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Keeping Oko stationed with Kiddrick for now.

Utabe reaches down to pick up the scimitar just as the zombie falls. She had always respected Kharine, but regarded her even more highly now.

[b]"You are a force to be reckoned with, Kharine," said Utabe, "and thanks to you, Drystan." The healing rays from Drystan's heavenly fire still were coming off of Utabe in slow waves. A strange sensation.

When the group is settled, Utabe crosses over to the remains of Taltuma and searches it.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

"Nothing I do seems to harm them," yells Utabe, less in panic and more in concern for her teammates.

But there was nothing else for it. Undeterred, Utabe fires yet another arrow at the zombie.

Arrow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
dmg: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
crit confirm: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
dmg: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
dmg: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

She then moves to shield the path between the zombie and Drystan. 3 west, 1 southwest

Seeing her efforts with skeletons prove innefective, Utabe turns to fire an arrow at the creature attacking Drystan.

Arrow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
dmg: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

To remind everyone, Oko had been set to protect Kiddrick and shares squares with him. Oko will attack the adjacent skeleton.

Infuriated by this attack his new friend, Oko ferociously claws at Kiddrick's attacker.

Talons: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Talon dmg: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Talons: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
Talon dmg: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Utabe instinctively crosses the room to help Oko, quickly moving closer to the fray and calmly firing a shot into the warring mass of bird and skeleton. Utabe moves four squares NE, and fires at the same skeleton.

Longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
arrow damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Character Name: Utabe the Motherless
PFS# and character #: 134627-1
Day Job Roll: No Day Job
Faction::Osirion
Other info in PM

"Only a small part of your charms, smiled Utabe through her mask. She brightened despite herself, upon finding the Taltuma-Matl sarcophagus. This was her first mission, and it had seemed, at the time, almost trivial. She had been resentful; ambivalent. Yet presented with the object of her quest, she was suddenly-- even amid this evil mist-- bolstered and almost cheerful.

Still.

All things in time. Make sure the room was safe first.

"Let's check the masks to make sure that they don't house any more... surprises." Then, thinking of the Vargouille, she glanced up at the ceiling lest another Vargouille lurks in the rafters.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Yes, indeed. And Kiddrick and I are holding our breath, in addition. Is the doorway open to the Honored Dead exhibit?

That's a good plan. I'll hold my breath as well, and ready an arrow to fire at anything that comes charging at us from the entrance. Maybe Topher can keep watch on the other side? Still, this room was filled with mist when we saw it from the outside, so I'll wager its an open doorway. (Or the door is already open.)

Perception checks-- all the cool kids are doing them.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

I propose we quickly jet across to the Honored Dead exhibit. We managed to skip whatever was in the immediate entrance, and I see no reason to discover what that was now.

Utabe files into the room uneasily, Kiddrick's line about evil boxes having put her a bit on edge. She was good in a crisis, but the bits leading up to a crisis could unnerve her. Still, nothing to do but search.

She had been tasked with finding the remains of Tatuma-Matl, which likely lay in the honored dead exhibit. But it could be just as easily be in deep storate, perhaps in one of these crates...

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Utabe is looking for any text, in either Common or Osirian that would indicate any relation to Tatuma-Matl. If the crates are labelled, but nothing seems to fit, she will leave them unopened. If none of the crates are labelled, she will open an unlabeled crate at random.

Given Kiddrick's reasonable desire to move on from the build-a-corpse, I'll scrap my pool investigation proposal and follow him into the the storage room.

"I don't know who this person was, Kiddrick, but I suspect he deserves a better burial than to be strewn around a flooded bathroom." Yet Utabe softens as she watches the human corpse shrink further. "Still, you are right to suggest we return to this later. If we fail at our task, there will be five corpses to tend to, not one.

Utabe stands and follows Kiddrick out of the room. Oko follows behind, a bit slowly, as he toys with the notion of bringing a body part along with him.

I would, however, like to take a moment to look at the hunting weapons on display as we pass back through. Specifically, are there any bows? If there aren't, then I just zip right along. :-)

"You were right to suggest caution about the mist, Kiddrick," says Utabe, pointing out the man's deflating corpse. "It appears to have transformed this man. Inwardly, however, Utabe is troubled by the corpse's transmogrification back into a more human shape. If this mist is a temporary condition, then this man's death was unnecessary; he could have been spared. But perhaps this is what was meant to be, she thinks. There are some injustices that cannot be undone.

When (if) Drystan points out the other body parts in the cess pool, Utabe verifies that they all go with the same body, and makes a quick examination to verify that these were also ripped off the orc's body, as opposed to bitten off, by, say, a yet unrevealed cess pool creature. :-)

Know Nature: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

When that is dealt with, she tosses a copper piece into the pool to try to get a sense of how deep it goes, being sure to warn everyone about her action ahead of time.

Utabe skeptically considers the corpse before her. A pudgy man, felled quickly. Surely he couldn't have had the strength to rip the head of the half-orc's body? Still, dark magic made terrible things possible. She examined him, carefully, half uncertain that he wouldn't rise again.

Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Checking his body to see if there's any identification as to who he might have been, and also looking at him to see if there's anything unnatural about his corpse. Utabe has a dim theory that perhaps he was augmented in some way.

Turning from the human, she checked what's left of the half-orc for any information. What kind of clothing are these wearing? Do they look like museum docents? Or someone from the outside?

After the examination, the combination of blood and fecal matter brought out the gallows humor in Utabe.

"Now we have a head and a torso. If we can just find her feet, we'll have the full set."

Not sure if that slam attempt would provoke an attack of opportunity from Oko, but if it does:

Talon:: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Dmg: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Talon:: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Dmg: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Utabe had been expecting something, and was ready with her bow.

Bow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Dmg: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

However, it clearly wasn't that Kiddrick would have a torso thrown at him, and the shock and improbability makes her just a little unsteady...

Tophor shudders at the too-similiar reminder of the Vargouilles' ghastly forms. "And what happened to the rest of him?"

Utabe whispers, "His head was ripped from his body, Brother Topher." She scowls at the pool of blood, lowering her voice further still. "And not long ago, from what it would seem. I would imagine we would find the rest of her at the bottom of the pool."

Utabe frowns with uncertainty. "Should we introduce our presence to the laughing (man?) in the stall?"

Map of this room? Is it possible to reach the laughing stall without drawing too near the pit? Is it possible to get a view of the inside of the stall without going near the pit?

Fixed my absent HP-- thanks for the heads up, Kiddrick!

Utabe considers the ruined lavatory. She had been caught unawares in her last encounter, and was determined not to make that mistake again. With a severed head in the room, there was clearly danger here. But a survivor, even a mad or murderous one, might help them make sense of what happened to Blakros. She gripped her bow more tightly as she surveyed the room.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
From that roll, some basic questions-- is it human laughter, and where is it coming from? How deep is the cess pool, and is there no sign of the rest of the half-orc's body?

Nature: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
CSI time! Based upon the amount of blood, how long do I think the half-orc has been dead? And how was his head taken off-- a clean cut? Bitten off? Torn off? Does this look that the work of the Vargouille, or something else? If I need to observe the head more closely for this I can send Oko to fetch it for me, but I'll wait on this for the rest of the group, and the results of our rolls.

Yup. We're returning to our pre-Vargouille plan.

I'm ready to move on when everyone else is. Before we open the door, I'll ready my bow, and once again command Oko to protect Kiddrick (or whomever is front and opening the door)

As soon as the creature falls, Oko turns to Kiddrick and smacks its beak, clearly expecting a reward for its service. Utabe shakes off her paralysis and rushes over, asking, "Kiddrick, are you hurt?" Her concern is only slightly undercut by the fact that her first action is not to heal Kiddrick, but instead to give the buzzard some torn flesh from her pocket.

Meanwhile, Oko is delighted.

A really amusing encounter-- we're in a room filled with weird taxidermied monsters, and we're attacked by the _one_ thing that isn't taxidermied. Well played, adventure writer, whereever you are.

Kiddrick's Vorgouille should provoke another AoO from Oko.

Talons: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
dmg, if needed: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Talons: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
dmg, if needed: 1d4 ⇒ 4

Single-minded, Oko slashes violently at the monster in front of it.

Well, that makes me feel better about having rolled Fort, then. Sense memory, I suppose.

I completely screwed up that save-- I rolled the wrong attribute, and got the bonus wrong to boot, but regardless, it was a low number, so I'll just be paralyzed.

Oko fiercely claws at the monstrosity attacking the farmer, who was to its thinking, kindly and likely to feed him later.

Talons: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Talon damage, if needed: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Talons: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
Talon damage, if needed: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Utabe turns away from Kiddrick only to return to the terrible shrieking of the first creature.

Fortitude: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Without the distraction of her buzzard, her mind is unclouded and the hypnotic shrieking takes its effect.

Monsters were coming to life, color spray was shooting through the air, and Utabe was focused on, of all things, her disobedient buzzard. It was unlike Oko to ignore her commands, and Utabe was quite perturbed at the bird tenaciously perched on her shoulder.

"Oko, protect Kiddrick!"

Handle Animal: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

The buzzard squawked in irritation but dutifully fluttered over the protect the farmer.

Satisfied, Utabe then fired a second arrow at the creature she had wounded earlier.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Damage, if we need it: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Kharine-(Paralyzed 6 RNDS Remaining)

Kiddrik-(Paralyzed 6 RNDS Remaining)
Drystan
Utabe
Brother Tophor
--------------------
Vargouille 1 (-6 hp)
Vargouille 2
--------------------

Map updated

I can't tell from the map: is the Vargouille closest to Kiddrick #1 or #2?

Fort save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Chasing toddler ATM, will fill in with fluff later. :-)

Oops, neglected to roll for damage above.
Arrow, assuming 19 is a hit: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

"We are not alone," Utabe says with a placidness that surprises her. She raises her bow, and calmly fires at the "bat" closest to Brother Tophor.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Then, as a free action, I'll command Oko to guard Brother Tophor.

"Oko, guard elf!" Utabe makes quick eye contact with her buzzard, and points at Brother Tophor.

Handle Animal: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

But Oko, it seems, is mistrustful of elves, and remains by my side.

I then move three units, left two, back one, so that we are not in a giant cluster. :-)

Curses, our drafts crossed each other! Curse my endless editing! :-)

It's an open doorway leading from this room into the museum? Or is it a closed door? I'm trying to verify that the reason the mist hasn't seeped into this room isn't simply that the door was closed. :-)

While Kiddrik makes his circuit of the room, Utabe examines the cracked masks-- in particular to see if they have any explanatory text provided by the museum.

Assuming she learns nothing, Utable nods at Kiddrick and readies her bow, as he heads toward that door, preparing to fire at any threats emerging from the room.

Agreed. But, first, I have an idea.

Kharine sets her polearm down and takes off her backpack. Rummaging through the various kits and clothing, she retreives the cloak of her travelling outfit from her pack.

If you're going to walk into a building of mist, best not to breathe in the fumes, eh?

Folding the cloak width-wise a couple of times, she wraps her face with the garment, from the bridge of her nose down, leaving enough room to still be able to see.

"An excellent idea, Kharine," Utabe says, folding a similar garment from the thick fabric of her falconry hood. Immediately upon doing this, Utabe's eyes water profusely-- gobsmacked from the overwhelming stench of buzzard. But she says nothing, and hopes that this indignity went unnoticed.

As he waits for an answer, he watches the bird return unharmed, looking skeptical. "What she can survive we might not. Either way, I still don't like magical fog in a place where all the folks have gone crazy."

Utabe's relief upon seeing Oko's safe return does little to lighten her mood. "Your point is well taken, Kiddrick," she says, tossing a tiny bit of meat into the bird's waiting beak. "Although Oko is he, not a she."

As Utabe aided the surveying of the museum, she scowled at each additional mist-filled room she finds. Only when the search was complete, did she offer her opinion.

"It seems that the mist inevitable. But I agree with Kiddrick that it is likely dangerous. A magic mist appears here just as people reportedly go mad? We cannot assume it is coincidence."

Utabe pauses, deep in thought, well aware that the wrong plan could bury the group.

"I think we must enter through the Beasts of Legends exhibit, though it will not be trivial to accomplish. What do others think?"

I volunteer the bard to walk first into the mist. :-) Kidding!

Utabe frowns when she learns of Kiddrick and Brother Topher's findings. "This mist cannot be avoided? That _is_ bad news. Surely it is related to Captain Adril's warnings?"

Utabe frowns even deeper, and you notice that she already has deep creases in her face from overuse of the gesture. "Forgive me, Oko."

She takes out a small arrow, shows it to her buzzard, who looks at it intently and then Utabe hurls the arrow into the mist. "Oko, Fetch!"

Handle Animal: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Despite the intensity of the situation, Utabe cannot help but smile at her companion. "My name is Utabe," she answers. "And this fine bird with me," she adds, indicating a homely a buzzard as you've ever seen, "is Oko."

Introductions dealt with, Utabe considers the mist-covered museum with mounting worry. "I honor your concerns about the mist, but if we are to accomplish our task we must surely find a way to pass through it. Perhaps it does not cover every entrance? What do the rest of you think?"

Does the mist hug the ground, as though it is heavy? From what I can see does the mist snake around the side of the building? And is it a crazy thought to enter from the roof? How tall is the museum?

Utabe follows Kiddrick. And good thinking!

Utabe respectfully waits for Kiddrik to finish his incantation, then adds, "I believe we should take care to move as quietly as possible. At worst, we startle Nigel Aldain. But if there is something inhuman in this museum, it would be far better that we surprised it."