Initiative Order
Shariv = 24
Xer = 22
Berekiah = 22 *Xer won the tie-break with a higher Dex
Gang Member A = 20
Gang Member B = 18
Rauno = 16 *I rolled Initiative for you, so we could get the combat started.
Gang Member C = 13
Adaro = 11
Melani = 10
Gang Member D = 8
Shariv, your up
Shariv, wasting no time, rushes up to the wounded punk, simultaneously yanking the spike from the thug's chest and shanking him in the ribs with a second spike.
Shariv, wasting no time, rushes up to the wounded punk, simultaneously yanking the spike from the thug's chest and shanking him in the ribs with a second spike.
The thug is still standing, or rathering staggering backwards, after Shariv's sudden assault.
I let the arrow I had ready fly into the gang leader's face.
"You asked for it, greasy."
Berekiah unfurls his chain and attacks the nearest thug, (attempting to trip him). Touch Attack (1d20+11=15) Assuming that hits (it is a touch attack after all), He then attempts to trip him. Trip Attempt (1d20+8=25) Again, assuming that trips him (which i think is very likely), He is now prone, and will bear the full force of the rest of my attacks.
Ist Attack is a Threat!, which is Confirmed, for 29 Total Damage (2d4+7=13, 2d4+7=14 +2 Acid).
Assuming he is still alive, his 2nd attack misses, And his third attack also misses.
Staggering backwards after being stabbed twice in rapid sucession by Shariv's throwing spikes, the thug is helped off his feet by an arrow to the face from Xer and a leg strike from Berekiah's spiked chain.
Berekiah finishes off the prone thug with a brutal chain strike, then whirls the spiked chain up and into the legs of another crimson-garbed thug charging in with a rapier in hand. This newcomer falls in a groaning heap at Berekiah's feet.
Rauno's turn
Berekiah finishes off the prone thug with a brutal chain strike, then whirls the spiked chain up and into the legs of another crimson-garbed thug charging in with a rapier in hand. This newcomer falls in a groaning heap at Berekiah's feet.
Rauno smoothly brings his longbow up and release three arrows in rapid succession. Two hit the third thug in the torso, while the last arrow misses high and thuds into a wall.
The thug clutches his bloody wounds and shouts "You bastards will get yours for killing Dekan! No one crosses the Splitstreet Gang!" He then staggers back into the crowd and swiftly disappears down a cramped alley.
Rauno watches impassively as the man flees, notching another arrow as he does. "Shariv, you could have at least signaled before laying on the diplomacy. I probably could have gotten three more shots off with a bit of warning..." Turning his gaze out to the crowd, the seasoned trouble-shooter looks for other lurking dangers, and says loudly enough for all nearby to hear, "Who's the next pin-cushion?"
"That's right! Run you cowardly little bastard! If I ever see you again I'll kill you too!" I shout after the fleeing thug.
"Looks like the new gang is in town boys." He says in a with a smirking grin.
"Get off your damn horse and do something!" I shout to Adaro as I try to get a clear shot at one of the fleeing thugs.
Melani steps closer to the warriors.
DM Only
Adaro casually remarks to Xer while drawing a slender silver rod from his side "Be my guest if you want to chase that one through a crowded street, seems he went down that alley. Here this might do the trick" He lobs a molten ball of fire into the crowded area that the last retreating thug was seen.
"There, now you can go chase him."
I look at Adaro and then at the burning choas he just create "Mabye you aren't useless." I say and then turn back to scanning the crowd for the thugs.
DM Only
A vast explosion rocks the Warrens as Adaro immolates the fleeing Splitstreet Ganger.
The caravan of cowled Wormfolk is now a smoldering wreck of wagon debris and corpses as well. The Troll Seer beats out flames on his robes, and quickly moves to leave the area. The Varisian band flees in panic into the alleyways of the Warrens as well.
The rest of the crowd quickly thins and disappears into the woodwork after this brief but savage display of power by the group.
One figure however doesn't flee, but instead approaches the party cautiously, seemingly unharmed by the inferno he was engulfed in scare moments ago.
"That was quite a display of might and magecraft" the dwarf says, while gesturing at the smoldering debris with his pipe
"My name is Gadka Burtannon, owner of Gadka's Magical Oddities in the Tarheel Promenade. Those Splitstreet punks have been causing me no end of trouble lately, ever since they got that blasted new patron, and I'm glad to see someone put a boot to them."
"You must have come to this cesspool for a reason, and any favor I could do would be worth it just having seen the look on his face when he ate your spiked chain." Gadka spits and taps the ashes out of his pipe onto the corpse at Berekiah's feet. "If there is anything I can help you with; information, contacts or magical items great or small, just stop by my store."
Gadka chuckles as he walks away.
DM Only
** spoiler omitted **
For Melani & Adaro
I agree, it was overkill to lob an Empowered, Widened Fireball into a crowd to get one man. Not out of character given how the rest of the party acted previously, but still an escalation in that it probably would hit innocents as well.
I said the crowd was going to clear out as the round went on, so in the write-up I did above, I indicated that only the Cowled Wormfolk got hit as well with the fireball. Well, and the structures of the Warren, but 3.0/3.5 Fireballs are supposed to be like flash-fires, and scorch but don't ignite, so that hasn't lit this sprawl up in flames.
Given that Cowled Wormfolk are basically just a throw-away adventure hook by James Sutter when he wrote the adventure (he had a sidebar on adventure hooks and references in the module itself), I think we can probably safely say that they are some sort of Yuan-ti like abberation, and so they might not be quite "innocents", at least not it terms of most adventurer's moralities.
Consider having Melani lecture Adaro on the use of area effect weapons in populated areas, and we'll move on? Kaer Maga is basically just an exotic place to visit briefly before venturing into Tirana's lair (and possibly retreating back to it to rest and recover) so I'd prefer to keep going. And there won't be crowds of innocents in Tirana's lair, so the issue should't be repeated.
Melani stands in shock at the fireblast and charred bodies.
She moves over to the mage quietly.
"Adaro, a quiet word in your ear please." The cleric has lost her winsome playful voice and impish smile.
Adaro + DM
Rauno is shocked for a moment by the events, but then quickly moves over to Shariv. "Him we might need to watch more than enemies..." Jagging a thumb toward the small wizard. "As for that Gadka fellow, I'm thinkin' we browse about a bit to blend in, then look him up. It'd be Desna's blessing for this gang's Patron and our target to be one and the same..."
After a moment of further surveying the wreckage I turn to Adaro "I take it back. That wasn't just good, that was f*&#ing fantastic!" and then happily begin to march down the street, staying alert.
Rauno is shocked for a moment by the events, but then quickly moves over to Shariv. "Him we might need to watch more than enemies..." Jagging a thumb toward the small wizard. "As for that Gadka fellow, I'm thinkin' we browse about a bit to blend in, then look him up. It'd be Desna's blessing for this gang's Patron and our target to be one and the same..."
"We're in deep. No doubt about it."
Propping his longbow on his shoulder, Rauno nods and then looks around the area to try and recover any arrows he can.
He then heads out behind Xer, content to wander around the city a bit before heading toward the promenade. As he moves along the ramshackle streets, the archer always directs his path to avoid large groups of people while keeping sharp for trouble.
"Just doing my job......besides this town is a den of evil, good people shouldn't be here." He throws down the ragged cloak he was wearing.
After a moment of further surveying the wreckage I turn to Adaro "I take it back. That wasn't just good, that was f@@&ing fantastic!" and then happily begin to march down the street, staying alert
He gives Xer a thumbs up at this comment and casually sets his pony at a walk. "Best to move on and blend in, don't want to draw too much attention to ourselves" he says with a chuckle. "We should also be wary of who we trust. This Gadka fellow might not be what he seems."
With a resigned sigh, Berekiah heads off with the others, keeping a solid grip on his trusty chain. It seems he has joined up with a rather chaotic (some would say psychotic?) band, he'll have to make sure to watch out for himself.
Out loud, in response to Adaro "Yeah, we wouldn't want to be drawing undue attention to ourselves now would we?" Then under his breath.... "Show off"
The party walks through the Warrens into the Core. Space clears around them as the crowds part with anxious whispers and stares.
It seems that your word of your reputation have spread, as few citizens of Kaer Maga are willing to meet your eye or impede your path.
You are now in the marketplace of Tarheel Promenade, where the more exotic crowds pay you less heed than before. What do you do next?
Melani's face returns to gentleness and she walks with Adaro as if nothing happened.
"Hmm Hmm Hmm"
"Do we think we can visit this magic man Gaka?" she muses.
I smirk as the crowd parts before us and turn to Melani "I think we should check it out. With the proper preparations of course. Three of you go in and I'll stay outside with Ruano and Adaro in sniper positions in case things go sour."
I smirk as the crowd parts before us and turn to Melani "I think we should check it out. With the proper preparations of course. Three of you go in and I'll stay outside with Ruano and Adaro in sniper positions in case things go sour."
"In case things go sour? In case? Oh, surely you jest."
"Yeah, I jest. The dwarf is almost certainly a soul sucking demon from the Abyss who will try to seduce you and get you alone so it can devour your mortal soul. We'll be ready for when things go wrong."
"I think we should just proceed to locate this underground lair, lets limit our time in this city, especially with our coming not going unnoticed. We should disappear until news of us is just a forgotten whisper. Maybe just one of us should do the legwork of locating this place through local means, the rest of us should stay hidden...it seems there are many cracks to fall though in this place, lets just go find one."
Rauno looks at the halfling with a raised eyebrow. "You've got to be kidding, right? You waltz into the city and the first thing you do is blow up a bunch of random people. Then you want to disappear? Splitting up in this place, especially after we just infuriated one of the local gangs, will be a death sentence for whoever goes out alone. We stay together and check out this lead with Radka--setting up a watch outside is a good plan. Unless you want to be the one walking around alone..."
Rauno looks at the halfling with a raised eyebrow. "You've got to be kidding, right? You waltz into the city and the first thing you do is blow up a bunch of random people. Then you want to disappear? Splitting up in this place, especially after we just infuriated one of the local gangs, will be a death sentence for whoever goes out alone. We stay together and check out this lead with Radka--setting up a watch outside is a good plan. Unless you want to be the one walking around alone..."
"I'm with Rauno here as well. Too late now to avoid calling attention to ourselves. I don't think we really have any option but to just deal with whatever consequences may arise. And I'd rather not be split up when they do."
Three of you go in and I'll stay outside with Ruano and Adaro in sniper positions in case things go sour."
"Sarenrae'a golden light will fall on the gentle mage, Gadka, be he demon or dwarf. Who will be in the warmth of his shop too?" asks the golden girl.
"Whatever Sunshine, I'll be staying outside ready to take him out when tries to kill you. Adaro, You should probably stay outside as well, one of those balls of fire could be useful if we're mobbed."
"Sure thing. Besides I'll just want to buy something if I go in there."
"I'm with Rauno here as well. Too late now to avoid calling attention to ourselves. I don't think we really have any option but to just deal with whatever consequences may arise. And I'd rather not be split up when they do."
"I agree as well. Our cover is, as they say, 'blown'."
"Well I was just saying, theres a difference to making a noise and then leaving too just standing in the spot-lite after making the noise." He follows up with a smirk "Besides would a good aligned temple hire a bunch of lunatics to do its dirty work?" ...
"I wouldn't say we're lunatics, more of just...willing to do whatever it takes." I say with a grin.
"Well I was just saying, theres a difference to making a noise and then leaving too just standing in the spot-lite after making the noise." He follows up with a smirk "Besides would a good aligned temple hire a bunch of lunatics to do its dirty work?" ...
"Welcome my friends!" Gadka says as he welcomes you to his shop. The other customers look at you apprehensively, but Gadka ignores that as he ushers you to an alcove set up with a table and chairs.
"What can I do for you?"
"Welcome my friends!" Gadka says as he welcomes you to his shop. The other customers look at you apprehensively, but Gadka ignores that as he ushers you to an alcove set up with a table and chairs.
"What can I do for you?"
I'll remain standing, with a tight grip on my Chain, scanning the shop for any sign of trouble, and leave the talk to those better suited to it.
"We were interested in you and this shop. Not being from these parts I do not know whether you can help us? Please tell me a little of yourself and this city. Maybe a glass of something warming would not go amiss?" welcomes the gentle girl.
Melani begins to realise just why the mercenaries needed her. They have the social skills of baboons.
I stay outside, 40-60ft away, in a place that I have some cover and where I cansee into the shop and have a relatively clear shot.
"We were interested in you and this shop. Not being from these parts I do not know whether you can help us? Please tell me a little of yourself and this city. Maybe a glass of something warming would not go amiss?" welcomes the gentle girl.
Melani begins to realise just why the mercenaries needed her. They have the social skills of baboons.
Rauno looks at Adaro after his comment about lunatics, shaking his head but saying nothing. As part of the group enters Gadka's store, Rauno watches Xer take his position then assumes a similar spot on the other side of the storefront, looking to set up a nice crossfire option and also keep a look down the other streets.
"We were interested in you and this shop. Not being from these parts I do not know whether you can help us? Please tell me a little of yourself and this city. Maybe a glass of something warming would not go amiss?" welcomes the gentle girl.
Melani begins to realise just why the mercenaries needed her. They have the social skills of baboons.
"Surely" Gadka snaps his fingers and one of his associates, a fellow dwarf, brings over a flagon and a tray of mugs. "Riddleport Rum, best in Varisia."
"Now as what I can do for you..." Gadka lights his pipe "As you can see, I'm a merchant in potions, amulets, scrolls and other arcana. I also deal in information, as there are few people in the Core I don't know, and few things I can't find out for a fee."