Grand Dream, the Rod of Seven Parts - Prima Luce Umbra [IC]

[true_shinken]

Everym was a kingdom filled with corrupt officers, half-elven supremacists, poison smugglers and illegal mage guilds. Those were facts.
Pusena was a sad excuse for a city in such sad excuse for a kingdom, that was a fact as well. It was way out of normal trade routes, lacked a port and was dangerously close to goblinoid-filled mountains. Rubia's Council of Mage's Guilds, the Church of Bahamut and the king of Falenia constantly said the goblinoids were no monsters and the Goblinoid Mountains were not a problem, but even after more than a hundred years people still feared them.
This meant simple transportation work for Pasena paid very well. That was the good part of the whole thing.
The crew of the Brass Ring had a job to do in Pusena.
It was very simple, actually. Amanda, an inn keeper from Ivalice, Falenia's capital, sent a locked crate with a few healing wands and potions for an old friend gone ill. Since no sanctioned mage would put their arcane feet on Pusena and since Everym's official religion was the cult of Tiamat, the middle aged woman had only three choices - doing the long and dangerous journey himself, hiring an outlaw mage or a cleric of Tiamat or finding a ragtag bunch of misfits crazy enough to do the job. She found the Brass Ring, befriended the crew and paid dearly well. Seven thousand gold for a simple transportation job almost seemed too good to be true, but Amanda seemed honest and paid half in advance. She allowed the crew to check the contents of the crate, even (2 eternal wands of cure moderate wounds, three potions of lesser restoration and one potion of remove disease). How the inn keeper got such money, though, was somewhat of a mistery.
Gather Information (performed back in Ivalice) CD 20 to open
Amanda is the widow of a Falenian explorer. His name was Eric Featherhorn and he passed away five years ago, after returning from an expedition to the White Dragon Tundra in Visper. He brought many riches with him, but Amanda chose to live somewhat modestly, setting up a little inn in Ivalice.
The catch - there was always a catch - was finding the half-elf Hildar (the ony name Amanda gave) in that god-forsaken place.

The Brass Ring aproaches Pusena at dusk. There is no water to land on, so the ship will need to stay airborne. The Goblinoid Mountains are close, but no goblinoids are on sight.
Spot DC 26 to open
Just kidding, no goblinoids on sight. Really.
[OOC: You're free to interact with each other, make plans, all that jazz]

[Toliudar]

Shelaine stood at the side of the control area, her usual spot, her eyes darting between the mountains ahead and below, and her co-pilot. The dragon-woman's wings rustled reflexively, barely extending and then clenching again. She knew that Lawrence knew what he was doing. He'd proven that a hundred times over. But the mountains were close, with all of the uncertainties of wind currents and weather that entailed. And a drop from a flying holding position was not going to make it any easier.

Shelaine glanced over at Jack. He seemed quick-witted enough, and capable enough as a navigator. But they were all putting their fates in his hands.

"So, this is as close as we can get without crashing into anything, then, Mister Envari?"

She leans over the railing, trying to answer her own question.

[Private-Prinny]

Jack glances over in Shelaine's direction.

"Hm? Oh, right. Yeah, this is the lowest we can go. Unless, of course," he flashes a small grin, "we want a really good look at those mountains."

Jack goes back to looking over the side, lost in his own thoughts. He still hadn't quite gotten used to seeing the dragonborn, and he certainly wouldn't have believed anyone if they said he was going to be a ship's navigator a month ago. Looking down, he takes a closer look at the landscape.

Spot Check: [roll0]

"At least there aren't any goblins about, as far as I can tell. But I can't be sure in this light."

[The Antigamer]

"And how could we doubt your keen eyes?" Tuco's gruff voice growls from behind the man. Finishing climbing up the ladder to the helm, the hobgoblin turns to Shelaine with a sneer.
"Why did we hire eagle eyes here again?" his thumb jerking at Jack. He pulls a flask from his tattered tunic, and takes a quick swig before replacing it.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine swivels around, nodding to Tuco as he arrives.

"Well, partially because when we let you navigate, you held the map upside down half the time. Whether it made more sense to you that way or not, it made me nervous."

Her tone softens, and she glances below.

You got the crate all wrapped up and ready to be lowered? I don't want Lawrence here having to buzz any lower than he wants to."

[The Antigamer]

Tuco smiles sardonically as he puts away his flask, his hand brushing against the thong around his neck that trailed down his chest and slightly right at his waist, to where his magelock was holstered.

"Ah capitán, we get where we going though, yes?" he says, idly thumbing a bullet in his bandoleer. "Is not the route we take, but the getting there that matters, eh?"
He nods his head grandly.
"In any case, it is done, the chest is bound. Though why we're taking this job amongst the damn scabs," he makes a mock spitting face, "to find a man we no know, who's probably dead, with no more instructions than a name, well, it makes me wonder why you call Tuco the crazy one." He shakes his head.

OOC
Needed a derogatory term for the half-elven Scar group, used scab.

[thorgrim29]

We took the job because the old biddy paid well, and if she has that kind of money and magic to throw around she's regular client material, something we're low on. And I've heard the rumours like you have Tuco , but please don't mention the Scar once we're on the ground

Lawrance is physically quite unremarkable, average height, average build, average features. He doesn't cut his jet black hair and beard so much as let alchemy mishaps periodically burn them. But his voice, slightly tinny, came from a winged lemur like creature perched on a barrel near the rest of the crew, he was piloting the ship. It was one of his many oddities that, while he spent most of his time either piloting, working, or reading (mostly arcane tomes, history books, and pulp adventure novels), his messenger homunculus more or less constantly made a circuit around the Brass, enabling him to participate in conversations.

[The Antigamer]

Tuco mock spits again, his sneer back on his face.

"Rumors? Pah! All I can say is no halfsy metiche better be looking wrong at Tuco." He caresses the hilt of his pistol, and casts a glance about.

"Speaking of which, where'd our new dark halfy go? I may not get the most welcome greeting down there, but at least I can blend in better than him."

[Duke of URL]

A petite, almost frail-looking, young woman wearing a simple robe of homespun cloth steps out onto the deck with the others. Attractive by pretty much any measure, with somewhat exotic features, she nonetheless comes across as very humble and unassuming. Despite looking as if even only a light breeze will sweep her away, she stands comfortably poised near the railing.

"While no doubt the hefty fee you have collected for this venture is likely your primary motivation," Han says with a smile that shows that she is not saying this in any way judgmentally, "let us hope that the merciful nature of our mission shines a light in this place as to what is truly important. It is only a small step, to be sure, but any act of kindness and charity, no matter how seemingly trivial, helps stave off the darkness."

[Toliudar]

Shelaine's reptilian gaze, wide eyes difficult to read, turn to Han. She couldn't quite place what seemed different about the young woman. Heart seemed to be in the right place, regardless, and it was fun to see her talking with Tuco. A lopsided grin worked its way across Shelaine's face.

"There we go. Darkness staving and money. A match made in heaven. Which is, perhaps, why it's so hard for Tuco to recognize. And remember, we're here on a simple drop. Not a chance to try out the new ballistae."

[Volthawk]

Eli sits in the shade, watching the others.

"You really think so, Han? Acts of kindness can change people?"

[true_shinken]

Sorry to interrupt the flow, I just wanted to say you guys are awesome and this is shaping up to be very good. :smallbiggrin:

[The Antigamer]

Tuco wheels on Haniko, sputtering.
"Act of kindness? Are you on the dream lily birdy?"
He rolls his eyes skyward, ticking off points on his fingers as he speaks.
"No one spends that much money to get magical medicine anywhere, even if it is a scab stronghold. Which means that there's something else going on here. Either the chest or the potions are fixed in someway, and our client's vagueness about our delivery location means that the person we're getting them to is trying to hide. Which means others are trying to find him, either the scabs or the rebels. So they'll want to find us so they can find him, and he'll want to silence us."
He shakes his head.
"You listen to Tuco, this plan stinks like sulfur. We need to get in, drop the goods, and get out, before we get caught in a net."

He rounds on the dragonborn captain, "Laugh at Tuco now, we'll see who's laughing when our chest turns out to be contaminated with disease meant to wipe out the town."

Stumping over to plop down in a chair as Eli speaks, he gives a start.
Muttering something about darkies being hard to see, he sprawls in a chair, managing to occupy every inch of it.
"Anything can change people pendejo, but the hard part is not changing back."
He crosses his arms and leans back in the chair.

[Duke of URL]

Ignoring Tuco, Han responds to Eli, "but of course. Every small action changes not only ourselves, but those who are around us." she spreads her arms in a wide circle to emphasize her point. "Rarely noticeable, each tiny bit creates a different future. There are only two real forces for civilization, after all: fear and trust. Fear of the outside, or of force from those in charge, but also trust in one's fellows that there is a greater good to work for than each for himself. Societies form from both, of course, but the balance can be changed."

"Even the beat of a tiny sparrow's wings can change the movement of the air. But will it create a storm or cause one to be averted?" She laughs as she adds, "though not every sparrow can hurl bolts of mystical energy like I can."

OOC: Using the Firefly allegories, I'm seeing Han as much of a "Book" as an "Inara"...

[The Antigamer]

Tuco makes a gagging sound.
"That's like saying there are two kinds of people in the world, the glass half-full, and the glass half-empty. Well let me tell you something my friend; the world is ruled by the people who look at the glass and say, 'This is my glass! And it was full when I left it!' Just as the sparrow's little wings of change are stopped by a falcon swooping down for its meal."
He nods, and scratches his neck roughly.

[thorgrim29]

I's say that's her point my pessimistic friend, the world mostly sucks, all we can do is keep flying and hope we make an at least neutral impact on it. Myself, I'll stick with helping the people I know

[The Antigamer]

Tuco finishes scratching, and waves a hand at the hovering homunculus.

"Bah! No, you become the falcon, and make it so you no have to worry no more."

[Volthawk]

Eli chuckles. "And you think you're the 'falcon', then?"

[The Antigamer]

Tuco grins, his pointed teeth reflecting the light.
"No, I'm the hunter on the ground poised to shoot the two birds."

[Volthawk]

"Right. But what about the beasts on the ground? We're just little fish, my friend."

[The Antigamer]

Tuco rolls his eyes.
"So you become bigger fish. You build bigger weapon, you get monies to pay others to do the guarding. No little flappings of wings."

[Private-Prinny]

Meh, I'd have to agree with Han on this one. Every bit counts. The trick is getting enough of them to make a difference. Tell me, are you saving the money you get, or are you just waiting for one big payoff? It's the same thing, really. If you disagree, I'll be more than happy to take your share, though. :smallbiggrin:

[Duke of URL]

"The problem with being a predator is that there's always a bigger predator out there hunting you."

[The Antigamer]

Tuco throws his hands in the air.

"Enough babbling like children picking daisies! Are we almost there or what?"

[Toliudar]

Shelaine chuckled.

"Late for your manicure, Tuco? We'll get there."

Shelaine leaned out over the rail, her wings riffling in the breeze. She seemed lost in thought.

"So, tell me, Han. If your sparrow wings could stir up a storm somewhere, what would it do? If you don't mind me saying, you don't seem the type to ship out on the crew of some freighter."

[Duke of URL]

Han smiled inwardly to herself. Tuco's resigned attitude meant that maybe, just maybe she got through to him. A little. A small victory, to be sure, but then, that was the whole point, was it not?

Lost in these thoughts, she is startled by Shelaine's questions, displaying for a moment her more bird-like, skittish qualities before she regains her composure. "I am content to simply try and stop the storms, Captain; they are disruptive and should be avoided. If I were to start a new storm, it would be to counteract a more reckless one that endangers that which is held dear, letting the energies of the two storms cancel each other out." Han smiles broadly and continues, "as we were discussing, things can change. People can change. I was not always what I am now. I have seen the storms, and have ridden on their wings. I have even caused a few, and I did not like the consequences."

She hesitates before answering the rest of the question, looking out toward the horizon. It is hard to tell if she is more disturbed by old memories or carefully crafting her next answer. "You are right that this feels unnatural to me. I much prefer having my feet on the ground or flying under my own power. But here I am called, by fate perhaps, to serve in my own small part in preserving that which needs defending."

[Volthawk]

"Y'know what, Tuco? I get the feeling there's a lot more to you than what you're showing."

Eli gets up, and turns to walk inside the ship.

"See you guys in a bit, just need to sort some stuff out."


Unless anyone does anything like follow me down or something, I'm going to do my Binding.

I'm using the implements of binding, so I take 1 damage.

Binding Naberius, who is DC 15, so I'd succeed on a 1.

For my 2 skills, I'll have Knowledge (local) and Knowledge (Architecture and engineering).

[Toliudar]

Shelaine smiles.

"That'll be a refreshing change. I always told Lawrence that there was less to him than meets the eye."

She turns to watch below for an appropriate landing spot.

[thorgrim29]

The tiny homunculus laughs good naturally at the quip.

Well, the hair does give me a few inches... Anyway, ladies, gentlemen and assorted ruffians, we are nearly there. I suggest everyone does like our half elven friend and go prepare, if anyone wants me to put an infusion on their gear, now would be the time, just come meet me at the wheel.

[The Antigamer]

Tuco gives a shrug.

"Tuco was, is, and always shall be, Tuco."
He heads to the ladder up, intending to take the artificer up on his offer.

[Duke of URL]

"The greatest advantage to having no possessions," Han says, "is that one is always ready without preparation."

[The Antigamer]

Tuco makes a mocking face to the ladder, mimicking the Hegenyoki's words silently as he climbs up.

[true_shinken]

OOC: Just to make sure - you are all going into the city?

[thorgrim29]

I think so yeah, I'll be leaving the messenger homunculus on the ship, it can warn me from a mile away if anyone goes in. Once we get a bit more cash we should probably hire a few level one and two experts and warriors to stay on the ship when we're off, seeing as an airship is supposed to have a crew of 15 I think.



By the time Tuco gets up Holtz is finishing putting an elfbane enhancement on his crossbow.

[Toliudar]

Once the ship came to rest, Shelaine checked that everything was as locked down as it could be - of course it was, Holtz had an eye for such details - and then headed up after him for her customary protections. She refreshes her own defenses on each member of the crew.

I'm not so familiar with artificers. Can clothing, or her natural scales, be enchanted with protections? If so, maybe we can establish the Roaring enhancement as her standard fit-out.

As part of Shelaine's morning rituals, she casts Endure Exposure on everyone. Not only does this act like Endure Elements (a nice thing to have on an open-air flying ship), but also means you are unaffected by my breath weapon. She renewing the 24-hour invocation now.

[true_shinken]

OOC: I see no one tried the Gather Information checks and only Jack tried the Spot check, so now it's a good time to remind you.
You may roll in the OOC thread if you so choose, so as not to disrupt the flow, or in a spoiler, or in any way you choose really, as long as you show me.

[The Antigamer]

Tuco unholsters his magelock, and pulls the thong over his head, handing it over to the artificer.
"I have a feeling there's going to be trouble with the scabs. Let's take precautions, eh?"

OOC
Bane(Humanoids, elf) please.

[Private-Prinny]

With a quick flourish of his hand, Jack takes out his polearm and leans it against a wall.

I'd prefer not to have to seriously hurt anyone. Is there any way you could get this to make them... I don't know, just stand still or something?

OOC:
I'll take that Stunning Surge, since Tuco can't.

Also, my Arcane Dilettante spells for the day are Nerveskitter and Mirror Image. I'll make a note on my sheet.

[true_shinken]

As the crew leaves the Brass Ring, they walk through the path laid out before them. Some could call it a road, but it would be far too generous.
The narrow path of beaten earth is surronded by small vegetation at both sides and within the ominous shadow of the Goblinoid Mountains. They can see moviment higher in the mountains, goblinoids going in and out of their caves, fires lit to stave the cold.
At one point, Jack thinks one of the goblinoids (a pot-scarred goblin with a black cloak) is aiming at him with his longbow, but it could be just an impression. That goblin is very high on the mountain after all and he could be aiming at anything else, couldn't he?
Pusena is now just a few meters away. The crew can see a few sheds and shacks every now and then near the path, with some hobgoblins and half-elves living there. They are dressed in tatters, some hurt, some sick. Standing on a circular whole that works as a window, a fat female half-elf cleans her nails with a dagger and eyes the party suspiciously. Just acrosse the path, a one armed male half-elf caresses a scantily clad female hobgoblin's muscular body. She groans lustfully and he puts a silver coin in her poach as he licks her fangs.
Suddenly, a naked hobgoblin child bursts out of a shack crying, and runs through the path, standing in the party's way. A black leather clad slim half-elf with an eyepatch hits the child with a whip. The hobgoblin child falls to the ground, limp. The leather clad half-elf stares at the party for a second, spits at the ground and walks begins walking slowly back toward to the house. The crew can get a better look at him - he has slicked black hair, a muscular yet compact build and wears very well-made leather armor. His boots are also new and he also carries a handcrossbow and a rapier. There are two vials of potions dangling from his belt.

[Volthawk]

Eli walks at a regular pace, seemingly unperturbed by what was going on around him.

[The Antigamer]

Tuco walks forward and hauls the child up roughly when they reach him.

Goblin
"Where is your mother, crío?"

[Private-Prinny]

Jack clenches his teeth at the sight. He had grown up on the streets, but even the slums of the merchant city had nothing on what was unfolding right in front of him.

"What is going on here?" he thought. "And why hasn't anyone tried to do anything about it? No. I can't afford a crusade. Just do the job and get out. Survive. But damn it all if I don't like it."

"We should keep moving. This place makes me... wary."

[Volthawk]

Eli stops, and turns to watch the rest of the crew's reaction, slinging his bow into his hands, just in case.

[thorgrim29]

After drifting down from the ship, Holtz joined the group and walked with them to the town center. His face darkened when he saw the rampant brutality of the town. Hoping to stop anyone from doing something noble, brave, good, and stupid, he walks up to the leather wearing half elf.

Hi, I'm Holtz, we've got a delivery for a sick fellow by the name of Hildar, you wouldn't happen to know him would you?

[Duke of URL]

Haniko takes her sparrow form to depart from the ship and stayed in it, shadowing the others closely as she flitted from cover to cover. It was probably just as well that she was unable to speak, as it would otherwise have been difficult for her to hold her tongue at the scene unfolding before her.

The squalor and wanton disregard for decency appalled her. All too well she knew that the reasons for such conditions were the results of selfishness, since many a poor and hopeless person existed who did not resort to... this.

If ever there was a place that needed a ray of light, this was it. But despite her bravado earlier, even Han had doubts that such a ray would have much effect here.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine enlists Jack's help in carrying the crate, and watches how the half-elf reacts to Lawrence's question.

[true_shinken]

The goblin child can't answer Tuco. He's unconscious, the mark of the whip red on his naked body. He breathes with difficulty.

The half-elf stops on his tracks, turns around and smiles at Holtz. "Hildar? That would be me."

Sense Motive+5, DC 31, to open
He's lying.

OOC: I should have mentioned this before or posted in the OOC thread, but I'm feeling lazy. Yes, we're using action points - the expanded ones from the SRD.

[The Antigamer]

Shooting an expressionless glance at the half-elf, Tuco pokes th child in the rib cage.

Goblin
"Wake up small one, I have no time for this," he barks out in the guttural language.

OOC
Using a healing belt charge on the child, [roll0]
Sense motive check can't be beat by Tuco, but I'm just throwing it out that Tuco thinks the guy is not their man. Why is he walking around if he's sick? And he doesn't seem like the type of person the woman would be keen on saving.

[true_shinken]

The goblin kid blinks tears from his eyes and stands up. He mumbles a few words under his breath.
Goblin
Thanks, mister.
The half-elf glances back at Tuco. "You're getting it all wrong. The kid was bitten. I'm just trying to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else or gets killed."

The hobgoblin kid hides behing Tuco.
Sense Motive, CD 23
He is telling the truth, but not all the truth.

OOC:
Tuco might not believe he is the Hildar they are looking for, but if he can't beat the DC, he must believe he is called Hildar, at least.

[The Antigamer]

Tuco ignores the half-elf, but his eyes are now watching the child for a sign.

Goblin
"What were you bitten by?" he growls.

OOC
:smallconfused: Can't I still choose to disbelieve something, regardless of roll? I just don't know for certain whether he's lying. It's not like people don't disagree with even the most convincing arguments sometimes.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine

Setting down the crate, Shelaine nods.

"Well, that's a happy accident. Why don't we take this over to your tailor shop, then?"

Glancing at the hobgoblin child behind Tuco, she tilts her head to one side.

"Bitten by...what?"

Sense Motives: [roll0] [roll1]

Yes, I know we don't know that Hildar is a tailor. Couldn't hurt to see how he reacts.

[true_shinken]

"He was bitten by a lycanthrope. A rat. Big one." says the half-elf. The goblin kid keeps hidden behing Tuco, waving his head negatively. "But we can discuss this in my shop. Would you accompany me? It's behind the city walls."
Sense Motive+10, CD 23
He is lying.
If you beat the CD by 5 or more
He is lying about the shop, not about the kid.

[The Antigamer]

Tuco inspects the kid for a bite.

Spot [roll0]
Sense motive [roll1]

[The Antigamer]

OOC
Spending an action point to add [roll0] to the sense motive check.

[true_shinken]

Tuco glances at the kid, but he can't see a bite. The angle is awkward, so he can't be sure.
OOC
You can try again after the other guys answer the thread.

[Volthawk]

Eli doesn't say anything at the moment, trying to guess the truth of the half-elves words.


First sense motive: [roll0]+[roll1] (using 1 AP)
Second sense motive: [roll2]+[roll3] (using another AP)
Third sense motive: [roll4]

I'll add to this post after I get the results.


He then laughs. "That's a load of bull. There's no shop. Now, why don't you start telling the truth, eh?"

[thorgrim29]

Sense motive: [roll0]


Somehow I don't think you're who we're looking for, so let's stop wasting time, shall we? Tuco, take the kid, maybe we can find something to help him in the city

[Toliudar]

Shelaine

Shelaine gestures for Jack to help her pick up the crate again.

"Thank you for your help, sir. We'll find our own way."

Following Holtz' lead, she continues on into the city.

Third Sense Motive: [roll0]

[true_shinken]

The half-elf chuckles. "You want the truth, brother?" He fixes a cold stare on Eli. "The truth is you're not going to find Hildar. You're just going to give me that crate and walk away."
Three other half-elves come from behind the sheds and stand in the way of Shelaine and Jack.
"So, are we gonna do this the easy way or the painful way, brother?" He says, eyes on Eli the whole time.
The map (https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AvpuQi_lbVcedHdTVXZQTlIzWlBsdlJ5OFM2TEFmS Hc&hl=en&authkey=CM-c2JsC)
About the map: olive squares are the road, green squares are difficult terrain (high grass and stuff like that), dark red squares are the shacks/sheds, gray squares are the feet of the mountains. Letters in black represent your characters; the ones not featured in the map by now can place themselves freely (but next to the others). Q is the half-elf with the whip, H1-3 are the other half-elves.

[thorgrim29]

Initiative: [roll0]

It never goes smooth does it? Asks Holtz to no one in particular as he takes a step back from the whip bearing half elf (putting him at G16)

He aims his crossbow at the whip wielding maniac and tries to intimidate him into backing off.

Tell you what, "brother", you and your cronies don't want anything that we are, so back the hell off and you won't end up with a crossbow bolt through your throat, or worse.

[The Antigamer]

Tuco stares indignantly at Holtz, still ignoring the half-elf.
"Take the kid?! I'm not some nanny, some nursemaid! If you want to take the brat you can-"
he abruptly stops midsentence, pointing the gun he's been slowly drawing at the half-elf, and fires a crimson ray of heat at the whip-wielder.

Initiative [roll0]
Attack: Scorching ray, ranged touch attack [roll1]
Damage [roll2] fire damage + [roll3] bane damage

[Private-Prinny]

Fingers twitching, Jack takes a small object out of his sleeve. With the blink of an eye, he has his spear readied, anticipating the ensuing fight. "I told you we should have kept moving."

Initiative:
Initiative Roll: [roll0]
1 Inspiration Point spent to cast Nerveskitter (3 remaining).
If you rule that Initiative is a Dexterity check, add 3 for my Intelligence.

OoC:
Is it possible to use a color besides Olive? I'm partially colorblind, and the Olive runs together with the Green

[Toliudar]

Shelaine

"You'd have been wiser to respect your elders."

Whirling on the other three half-elves that have attempted to block them, Shelaine sends out a blast of flame to engulf and enwrap them. Her wings unfurl and she hisses her defiance.

Initiative: [roll0]

5' step as needed to catch all 3 of them. She can include Jack in the blast if need be. Ideally, she ends up in a square not adjacent to any of the half-elves.

Fire breath (using entangling exhalation) - 30' cone, dealing [roll1]/2 = damage, Reflex DC 19 for half. Any that take damage are also entangled for [roll2] rounds.

[Duke of URL]

Han had continued hopping from location to location, playing the part of a bird, as she scouted around. When she saw the confrontation brewing, she circled around, looking for the half-elf's accomplices, if any. Sure enough, there were three of them closing in. When weapons started to be drawn, she tried to disrupt the accomplices from her perch nearby.


Placing Han at G14

[roll0], invoking voice of madness (enchantment (compulsion] [Mind]) at enemy h3, Will DC 16 or confused for 3 rounds (SR applies).

Edit: If any of h1-h3 winds up being free of the entangling breath from Shelaine, target them (closest first). Otherwise, target the whip-wielding "Q".

[true_shinken]

Tuco draws and shoots very quickly and smoothly (a critical hit!). The blast of fire burns a hole through the half-elf's chest. "You...!" he mutters as blood drips from his mouth and he falls on his back, unconscious, bleeding and dying.
Shelaine sidestepts (K16 looks like the best spot for what you want) and releases a cone of fire from her mouth. Both Jack and Han can feel the heat passing right next to him, but their captain positioned herself in a way the cone of fiery death wouldn't touch the navigator and wouldn't go high enough to burn the warlock.
As the flame dies out, two of the half-elves are lying on the floor, unconscious. One of them managed to evade the blast due to superior reflexes. He looks around and throws his weapons to the ground (a shortsword and a light crossbow). "Please don't hurt me! I just work under mister Quinn there!", he says hands up in the air. "I, I have a wife. And kids. Lots of kids!"
Sense Motive+5, DC 20
He's lying.
If you beat the DC by 5 or more
He is only lying about having a wife and kids.
The goblin kid runs up to the unconscious Quinn and hits him with a kick in the face. He then trips and falls.
All people around the vicinity run to their homes and lock themselves up.
OOC: Prinny, you can add your intelligence modifier to initiative alright. With that, would you still want to use nerveskitter? Factotum's spells are all once a day, after all. I'll be sure to not use similar colors on next maps, thanks for the heads up.
OOC2: Han and Jack are right after this guy in initiative (you all got 14s, but he had better Dex than Han and Jack didn't have an action to perform). If Han chooses to go through with her action, he fails the saving throw.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine

This action is assuming that neither Jack nor Han do something fatal to the remaining half-elf.

Also, just a reminder that, thanks to Enduring Exposure, I can hit my colleagues with my breath weapon without harming them.

Sense Motive: [roll0], should be 5 higher.

"Quinn, eh? On the ground, hands on your head."

Shelaine walks over to stand over the man.

"What were you and Quinn doing here? What did you want with this child?"

[Volthawk]

"Don't trust him. Don't trust anyone here."

[thorgrim29]

I tried to warn him....

Mutters Holtz under his breath as he goes to check on the rapidly expiring half elf.

If he still breathes (checking for mist on his daggers blade), he calls out to Shelaine
We need that peice of offal alive captain?

If he's dead, he takes the potions, and rifles through his gear for anything that looks like it might be valuable, giving it to the Luggage.

[The Antigamer]

Tuco holsters his gun and walks over to the kid, hauling him up roughly by the arm.

Goblin
"Knock that off," he snarls, "And take me to your parent. I need to ask them a question."

Looking down at Holtz examining Quinn, he says, "Make sure you search him thoroughly. I'm going to ask this brat's parents about Hildar."

[Duke of URL]

Seeing that the others accepted the surrender of the last half-elf, Han refrains from acting against him. Instead, she takes to the air to see if there is any sign of more trouble approaching.

[Toliudar]

Stepping back a couple of paces from the man, Shelaine fixes him with a reptilian stare, waiting for him to obey.

She'll ready an action to breathe (entangling exhalation) on him again if he doesn't get down on the ground, or otherwise tries to attack or escape.

[true_shinken]

The half-elf drops the ground, hands behind his head. "I, I was just protecting Quinn while he looked for survivors of the lycanthrope attack. The kid was one of them. That's all I know, I swear it!", he cries, terrified.
Sense Motive, CD 5
He's telling the truth.

Holtz goes through Quinn's possessions - he finds two other potions, for a total of four, and a ring inscribed with runes. Other than that, he carries only a pouch with a few silvers and his weapons.

The goblin kid guides Tuco to his home, a nearby shack with a single room. Inside, Tuco sees they have few possessions (a bookshelf filled with food and kitchen implements, a battered wooden shield on a wall, a plain table with two servings of rice and boiled fish, a blackened cooking pot on a corner with a wand lying next to it), but everything is neatly organized and clean, except for a bucket of water lying in the floor and a set of child's clothes right next to it. In a corner, lies a fainted and burly male hobgoblin, bloodied bandages over his eyes. His chest is bare, covered in lashes, a few crossbow bolts on his arms and shoulders (like he tried to shield his vitals) and he still holds a broken quarterstaff like a club. Even unconscious, he seems like a caged wolf.
"That is my father." says the kid, in the goblin language, as he dresses himself. "They just got him because he is hurt. He couldn't seem them. He is the best fighter in the slums, he is!"

[Toliudar]

Seeing Tuco take the child in hand, Shelaine stays with questioning the half-elf thug.

"All right. Good choices so far. Let's keep it up. What is Quinn's job, that you and he were looking for possible lycanthropes? And tell us about this attack."

[true_shinken]

Face down in the dirt, hands on his head, the half-elf continues explaining. "Quinn is well, was, I guess an enforcer for the Scars. I'm training to be one someday, as well. We work under master Vakra. Oh, let me see... Last month, a bunch of wererats tried to force their way into the city. They were looking for someone. A few got through the gates by the way, you're still a 10 minutes walk away from them even. We killed all the wererats or at least we think we did but the full moon is coming so we're searching for everyone that was bitten. We got word this kid was bitten so we came here." He gasps and coughs a bit, dirt in his lips, then the half-elf wiggles his fingers and looks up. "Can I sit down? I mean, this is really uncomfortable..."

[Toliudar]

It's very difficult to roll your eyes when do you don't have visible pupils. Shelaine is doubly frustrated that her previously expressive eyes' motion are lost on the half-elf.

"You're fine there for now. So, is it unusual for Vakra's enforcers to try to try to con travellers? And do you happen to know someone named Hildar in town."

[Private-Prinny]

Jack finally chimes in, stunned after the swiftness of the previous battle.

I'd answer truthfully if I were you. The captain can get... annoyed... when people lie to her.

Intimidate check just to help out: [roll0]

[The Antigamer]

Tuco nods at the kid.
Goblin:
"Alright, is no really Tuco's concern, the whys and hows. I only want to drop this load of with some halfy named Hildar and get out of here. I'm going to get someone to fix your dad up enough so he'll talk to me, ho'kay?"

He sticks his head out the ramshackle door and calls out crankily, "Holtz, come over here and heal this guy up enough to talk to us, eh?"

Not bothering to see if Holtz responds or not, Tuco turns back to the house interior, sizing it up for anything unusual, anything that might hint at what had happened that he'd missed on first glance.

Goblin:
"So, kid, you're not going to turn into something nasty and attack Tuco, eh?"

[thorgrim29]

After giving to his walking chest the half elf's mortal posessions, Holtz follows Tuco.

Have fun with the torture, I'm going with Tuco

There:

Sure thing

He uses one charge of his healing belt on the wounded hobgoblin then jumbs back in case he wakes with a start.

[roll0]

[true_shinken]

The half-elf shivers under Jack's gaze and adds in a quivering tone. "I'm telling the truth, man! I swear to Tiamat, I'm telling the truth!" He calms down a bit afterwards and answers Shelaine in a slightly less terrified tone. "I don't know what was going through Quinn's head to try and con you. Master Vakra usually tells us to welcome outsiders well, since they tend to bring money and magic."

Inside the shack, the goblin kid waves his head negatively answering Tuco's question. Holtz heals the fallen hobgoblin, and the lashes in his chest close becoming tiny scars. The blind man initially raises his weapon to fight, but he sniffs, calms himself and nimbly stands up. "Who is there?" he shouts in perfect Common. "Where is my son?!"
The goblin kid begins crying and runs to his father, grabbing his leg. The blind hobgoblin pats the kid on his head.
"I... seem to be in your debt. My name is Maelgrog Ulok'kon, formerly of the Marrow Suckers, blade of war. You can call me Mael."

Knowledge (local), CD 15 [Tuco auto-succeeds]
Hobgoblin children are not raised by their parents. They are raised by the tribal priests. A hobgoblin who introduces himself as 'formerly of tribe X' probably left the tribe in good terms and with honor. Most tribal hobgoblins don't take kindly to human nicknames, being very proud of their roots.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine glances over at Jack and Eli, then gestures for the man to get up.

"All right. As a way of apologizing for trying to shake us down, you're going to spend the rest of this afternoon helping us out, all right? Once the others get back, you'll give us a hand with this crate. This is my first time here. What are the rules about visitors at the gates?"

[true_shinken]

"I don't really have a choice, do I? Oh, and the name is Edgar." The half-elf stands up, dusts himself of and shrugs. "At the gates, there will be guards. They will want to know what you want in the city. You will probably have trouble there, since we uh, I mean, they don't like elves or humans. No offense. Even though you're opressing like my ancestors always said you would. OK, I will shut up now."

[Toliudar]

Shelaine bows slightly. It's hard to tell whether there's an edge of irony in her voice.

"Edgar, I am Shelaine. I apologize for oppressively resisting Quinn's efforts to take our cargo. It was thoughtless of me. What would make the conversation with the guards easier?"

[The Antigamer]

Tuco waves his hand airily.
"Yez yez, iz owing debt to Tuco, glad we're on the same page. Now, any chance you might know of half-elf named Hildar?"
He adds in goblin:
"Don't worry about the attitude, must put on face for others."

[thorgrim29]

Don't mention it, Quinn deserved it, I just hope we can still make our delivery. By the way, was there anything to that wererat attack his sidekick was blabberin about?

[true_shinken]

Edgar frowns, thinks for a moment and then finally says "Money, I guess. Or disguises, if they don't have any mage there. You see, our local mage guild has been trying to take control over the city. From the Scar, I mean. We don't have as many mages as the mages guild well I guess that goes without saying so I realy don't think there will be anyone with magic in the gates. You're not going to kill me, are you?"

Inside the shack, Mael first talks in the goblin tongue.
You seem to understand that times are changing, as do I. Very well. Then, he continues in common. "The wererat attack was brutal. Many died. Some wererats attacked the slums later, but we don't know if they were natural or infected. My son was bitten in the second attack. The scar wants to kill those infected, but we don't know if he was bitten by a natural lycanthrope. Even if he was bitten by a natural wererat, there is no guarantee he is infected. They want to kill everyone, but they could just have the cleric of Tiamat heal the sick. My guess is that they can't spare that much manpower with the Skullfire Mages on their throats."

[Toliudar]

Shelaine glances nervously in the direction where Holtz and Tuco vanished. In the middle of the road, surrounded by four dead half-elves, she didn't want to linger long. The dragon-woman looked up and around, and spoke in Han's general direction.

"Han, any chance you could go hurry our friends along? Sooner that we're gone, the better."

She took a deep breath and refocused on the half-elf. Edgar? Yes, that was it. Edgar.

"We don't want to kill you. If everyone's smart and works together, then you walk away from today safe and sound. But -"

She glances back at her wings.

"- some things are harder to disguise than others. Hmm. Once we're inside, we're going to need to find this Hildar. Do you know him? Or can you suggest a place where we could ask around for him?"

[Duke of URL]

Han flies into a nearby area of cover, to prevent anyone seeing her change shape back into her normal form. "Tuco, Holtz... we best get moving before more trouble comes along. Shelaine is waiting, and not too patiently, I might add."


OOC: How I wish I could figure out a decent way to get Han telepathy...

[The Antigamer]

"Ho'kay birdy, be right there," Tuco responds to Haniko.

"Sooooo, no Hildar knowing?" he says to Mael.

Goblin:
"Skullfire Mages?"

[true_shinken]

Mael pinches a crossbow bolt out of his leg. "No, I don't know any Hildar, sorry. When you are in town, look for a weapon shop called the Laughing Anvil. An old friend of mine works there. Tell him you helped old Mael, he'll help you with the information you need." He sighs.
"The Skullfire Mages are an illegal mage guild. I heard they are getting stronger everyday."

[The Antigamer]

"Tch, well, I hope he knows something, so this wasn't just wasted time," the hobgoblin growls. He barks a few words in goblin in goodbye, and swaggers out the door to follow Haniko to Shelaine.

Goblin
"Good luck. Hope the wererats were natural."

[thorgrim29]

Would you two stop that? It's very rude you know.... We'll be right there Han, but we may not want to be come full moon

[The Antigamer]

Tuco grins sardonically at Holtz as he walks back.
"So sorry my friend, sometimes we hobs get a longing for our native tongue."

[thorgrim29]

Ignoring Tuco, Holtz prepares to leave.

Glad we could help, we'll be off now. Just to be on the safe side, your people should probably find a way to confine those who were bitten at the next full moon, just to be on the safe side, wererats aren't as strong as other kinds, so you won't need a huge adamentium cage or anything, just locking them in a sturdy, basementless building should do it.

He heads out, following Han.

[true_shinken]

Edgar thinks for a moment, then waves his head negatively. "I don't know anyone by that name, sorry."

As Holtz, Han and Tuco leave the shack, Mael and his son wave goodbye.

[The Antigamer]

Tuco saunters over to Shelaine, hands on the front of his holster-belt.

"Got a lead in the city. Why is the scab still talking?" He jerks his head at the half-elf.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine

"Because we're not killing him. He's going to help us get into the city. And for your delightful attitude, YOU can help him carry the crate into the city."

She rallied the group.

"All right, folks. Let's get in and out without stupidity, yes? Eyes on the prize."

She sets off towards town.

[The Antigamer]

Tuco gives Shelaine an injured look.
"You wound me, I'm just concerned about him raising the alarm."
He leans down to pick up one side of the chest.
As the half-elf leans down for the other, Tuco, eyes facing forwards, hisses at him out of the side of his mouth, so that only he can hear, "You want to know who you are? You're the son of a thousand fathers, all bastards like you. You so much as step a toe out of line, and I'll shove this gun in your mouth and make it so everyone can see how little brains you have."

Whistling cheerily, he starts walking with his side of the chest.

[Volthawk]

Eli stays quiet for the moment, watching Tuco and the half-elf.

"You two alright there?"

[true_shinken]

Edgar eyes Tuco hatefully and remains silent.
"Everything is okay, brother.", he tells Eli while keeping his eyes on Tuco. "Everything is okay."
The crew presses on through would they now know are the slums around Pusena. Around 10 minutes of walking afterwards, the make a turn around a mountain corner and finally see the walls - 3 meters tall stone walls with soldiers, with a big metal gate. Before the walls, sidelining the road, two 6 meter tall towers, each with a soldier in it, bow in hand and cautious eyes.
Two half-elves stand on the gate. One is an attractive young female, clad in dark green leather armor and a blue tunic, palid skin, blue eyes and black hair. She has no weapons on sight, but can be hiding one in her blue cloak. Beside her stands a tall and muscular middle aged male half-elf, covered with scars, wearing only ragged paints and a fur vest. His beard and hair are irregular and brown. He keeps his hand on the grip of a very big axe and his black eyes on the party.
"Halt!" the male half-elf shouts, releasing his foul breath. It stinks like rotten rat bodies. "State your business, or leave at once!"

Edgar mumbles under his breath. Listen CD 15 (Tuco auto-succeeds) "OK, I'm dead."

[Toliudar]

Shelaine

Shelaine finds it Interesting that, although there are slums right outside this gate, there isn't a steady flow of people in and out. Perhaps the inhabitants of these ramshackle buildings spend their days working inside the walls, and return at night. Trying to make this as friendly as possible, Shelaine does indeed halt, and holds her arms out at her side to make it clear that she's not reaching for a weapon.

"Good afternoon! We have a delivery to make, and then will be leaving."

She nodded, indicating that she finished speaking. The two seemed interested in brevity, so she'll give it to them.

Listen check: [roll0]
Diplomacy: [roll1]

[thorgrim29]

Holtz leans towards Tuco and whispers at him in Ignan, the harsh sounds making him want for a drink.

Don't antagonize the guards, we've got a delivery to make.

He figures that for all his bluster, seeing the life of his kind in the slums is probably making Tuco angry-er then usual.

[The Antigamer]

Tuco merely grunts, his eyes sizing up the two guards.

[Private-Prinny]

Jack keeps his weapon drawn, still nervous after the last fight.

[true_shinken]

"A delivery, uh? That sounds like good business. But your kind ain't welcome here." The male half-elf spits and scratches his chin. He grips his axe with both hands. "It's been a while since I had dragonborn blood in my hands. I want a new rug atfer all..."
His female companion puts her hand on his shoulder and he puts the weapon down immediatly, apparently not very satisfied. He steps aside and the female half-elf aproaches Shelaine, keeping her hands on sight and a neutral expression on her face.
"Excuse my companion, he tends to put pleasure before business and that leads to a lot of trouble. My name is Irda and he is Roth, we're on guard duty today. I can let your companions go in, but it would be bad for our image if we had a dragonborn waltzing in our city. Would you wait here while someone else does the delivery?"
Edgar is very nervous. He keeps his eyes on Roth, the scarred half-elf and starts sweating.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine

The dragonborn does what she can to conceal her annoyance. Fortunately, reptilian features don't move in exactly the same way that they did in her previous incarnation. She bows slightly, and turns to Holtz.

"Meet you back at the ship, then?"

She turns back to Irda and Roth.

"So sad that I won't have an opportunity to enjoy the sights of Pusena. I'm sure that my colleagues are more than capable of making the delivery."

[Volthawk]

"Bad for your image? What's so bad about dragonborn?"

[true_shinken]

Edgar's eyes almost jump out of his face as he stares at Eli. "FOOL! You just killed as all!"
Roth's cry of anger rings hard on the crew's ears. The male half-elf grabs his companion by the wirst. Irda turns around, astonished, fumbling for something in her cloak. "Get a grip!", she manages to say beside her surprise. The raging middle aged man slaps her so hard she faints immediately.

"THERE IS NOTHING BAD ABOUT DRAGONBORN! NOTHING BAD AT ALL!" He laughs and cries like a maniac. Roth's mouth is foaming and he spits as he talks, bloodshot eyes locked on Shelaine. "I LOVE DRAGONBORN! THEIR SCALES ARE DELICIOUS! YOU ALL SOUND SO GOOD WHEN YOU DIE!"

He grips his axe and stands ready to attack.

(Roth's initiative is 16; he spent the surprise round knocking Irda out. Edgar's initiative is 18)

[The Antigamer]

Initiative: [roll0]

[Volthawk]

Initiative: [roll0]

[Toliudar]

Well, it was nice while it lasted. Soon, we hope to meet a half-elf who doesn't try to kill us within the first minute of meeting us. Initiative: [roll0]

[Private-Prinny]

"Not again..."

Initiative: [roll0]

[thorgrim29]

Next time we're here I'll whip up something for you, but it's too late for today. See you at the ship Shelaine, try to stay within a mile of us so we can communicate if things go south

Holtz barely finished turning back towards the ship when the insane and smelly half elf takes out his companion in one hit and starts foaming. He is a bit stunned by this turn of event, which slows his reaction some.

(action will depend on what happens at the end of the turn, so I'll wait)

[true_shinken]

Go, Prinny, Jack is the first in line

[Private-Prinny]

Jack moves towards Roth, swinging his weapon in one fluid motion.

Attack Roll: [roll0]
Damage (if hit): [roll1]

[true_shinken]

Jack swings smoothly and hits Roth in the face. The tip of his guisarme rips the flesh of the berserker's cheek. The wound bleeds profusely.
Roth hits Shelaine with his axe. The blade bites deep in her shoulder and the blood splatters on the half-elve's face. As he licks his lips, he attacks yet again with his blade, hitting the dragonborn's chest and cleaving throgh her as he quickly walks forward, cackling maniacly, and hitting Jack in the same movement. The human feels the blade cutting flesh and breaking bone, and the berserker swinging yet again. The pain itself, however, makes Jack bend his body backwards and the deadly axe just cuts through empty space.
"ONE DOWN! NOW FOR DESSERT!" he screams.

Shelaine: 26 damage from the first attack, 29 from the second attack. His weapon is magic.
Jack: 31 damage
Oh, that was supreme cleave, Jack doesn't get an AoO because it's a 5-foot step

[Toliudar]

Shelaine crumples to the ground in a wet, bloody heap.

Shelaine is at -1.

[true_shinken]

Edgar drops the crate and runs like his life depends on it.

The map (https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AvpuQi_lbVcedHdTVXZQTlIzWlBsdlJ5OFM2TEFmS Hc&authkey=CM-c2JsC&hl=en#)
Orange - the road.
Purple - the gate.
Red - the sniper towers.
Grey - difficult terrain - dirt, high grass, that stuff.
Green - trees.
Tell if I got the colors right this time, Prinny.

[thorgrim29]

Shelaine!

Lawrance, who had been standing a bit further back then the captain, quickly goes to her, keeping as much distance as possible between the rager and him (I6). Seeing the blood flowing out in a flow punctuated by her thankfully still active heart's erratic beating, his hand flies towards his belt, and he pulls out a wand, that he activates with a quick word and an effort of will.

(using lesser vigor on shelaine, fast healing 1 for 11 rounds)
UMD DC 20 [roll0]

While he does that, he telepathically commands his packmate homunculus to feed an healing potion to the unconscious half elf, figuring that as she had been trying to restrain him having her conscious would be an advantage

CLW potion: [roll1]

[Volthawk]

Eli stares at the berserker, and then speaks a single word, laced with magic.

"Flee."

Using Persuasive Words (aka Command (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/command.htm)) with the Flee version. Also gonna use an action point to Emulate a Feat (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/actionPoints.htm#emulateFeat), specifically Ability Focus (Persuasive Words). That means it's a DC 17 Will save or "move away from you as quickly as possible for 1 round. It may do nothing but move during its turn, and it provokes attacks of opportunity for this movement as normal.".

[true_shinken]

The berserker blinks and stops screaming, enthralled by Eli's words.

[The Antigamer]

"Why does no one listen to Tuco?" the hobgoblin cries, as he drops his end of the chest a second after Edgar. Hauling out his magelock with his other hand, he aims steadily, and calls upon the blood of his ancestors to aid his shot. She needs to live to pay me old ones.
A crack of noise, the bullet flees the barrel, speeding towards the guard, Tuco's hands already in motion splitting the barrel open, grabbing a twist of white paper filled with powder and shot, stuffing it into the opening deftly before a quick flick snaps the device closed, ready for another shot.


Expending psionic focus to use psionic shot and attack with pistol:
Attack: [roll0] Damage: [roll1] + [roll2] from psionic shot
Then reloading pistol.

[Toliudar]

Lawrence's wonderful healing magic brings Shelaine back to the present. More specifically, the presence of pain. It felt not entirely unlike someone had taken a soup spoon, scooped out her chest, and replaced the contents with alchemist's fire. A fascinating process, in the abstract. In the corporeal, not so much. However, it was certainly no worse than the Rebirth, and if she could survive that, she could keep her mouth shut and avoid moving now.

Shelaine's eyes began processing information again, and specifically the immediate presence of a bug-crazy half-elf with a huge axe. She opts to remain still, where she is, but activates her belt to try to further knit together the severed bits of her chest.

No motion at all, but activating her healing belt, 1 charge: [roll0] healed.

Oh, and since "up" is a great direction to be looking when one is lying on the ground - how are the two guards in the towers reacting to all this?

[true_shinken]

Shelaine notices the guards on the towers. They keep their bows ready, arrows pointed towards the half-elf brute.

Tuco's bullet pierces a hole through Roth's arm. He barely notices it.

[Toliudar]

So, if we assume Han is continuing to circle watchfully, we're back to Jack, yes?

[Private-Prinny]

Jack, hurt by the berserker's rage, falls back slightly, splitting off into multiple copies.

5-foot step backwards, and I use an inspiration point to create [roll0] Mirror Images. 2 Inspiration Points left this battle.

[true_shinken]

Eyes empty, face still twisted in rage, Roth turns around and runs, obeying Eli's command. (I believe everyone but Tuco gets an Attack of Opportunity on him)

[Private-Prinny]

Attack of Opportunity

Attack Roll: [roll0]
Damage (if hit): [roll1]

[Volthawk]

Attack of Opportunity

Attack Roll: [roll0] (whoops, make that 24. Didn't adjust for a +1 weapon.)
Damage: [roll1]

[Toliudar]

Shelaine

As she climbs heavily to her feet, Shelaine shouts up at the guards on the wall.

"Hey! Some welcome for honest merchants. Should we take our business elsewhere, or will you control that rabid dog?"

Fearing the former, she unfurls her wings and takes to the air. Height would have to do as protection, for now.

No AoO for me, since Shelaine was explicitly unarmed.

Move action - get up.
Standard action - fly up and south - 15' each.

Has Roth run through/to the gate, or east or west?

[thorgrim29]

(what about the knocked out half elf the Lauggage fed a potion to?)


No AOE for me either, crossbow and wand out.
Speaking of which: Crossbow attack as soon as possible

hit: [roll0]
damage [roll1]
bane damage [roll2]

[true_shinken]

Roth runs away, stung by blades and bolts, but not even slowing down his pace.
Irda, the female half-elf, awakes suddenly, instantly drawing a wand from her cloak and pointing it towards the fleeing Roth. With a flick of the cyan wand, she sends the raging half-elf into a deep slumber.
Caressing her own neck, she gets up hastily and looks at the crew uneasily. "I suppose I owe you guys one. Follow me, I'll get you into the city." She turns towards the guard towers. "OPEN THE GATES!" she shouts.
The crew hears sounds of gears turning and the gates slowly begin to open.
Irda limps toward the gate, waving for the crew to follow her. They can still see Edgar running for his life on the horizon. That is one fleet-footed half-elf.

[thorgrim29]

I think for that, you'll get us into the city, get healing for the wounded, and guide us to our delivery, it's the least you can do wouldn't you say?

Trying diplomacy here, if anyone wants to help/add a bit of intimidation, feel free: [roll0]
Plus, action pointage: [roll1]

[Toliudar]

Shelaine draws further on the magic of her belt to mitigate the agony of her injuries. She glances over at Jack. Er. Jacks.

"You all right?"

She moves wearily over to the crate, gesturing to Tuco to pick up the other side of it and help her get it inside. Before the half-elves change their mind. Or Tuco decides to shoot someone else. She turns to nod slightly to Irda before they head in.

[Private-Prinny]

Jack, seeing that the danger is past, lowers the illusion.

"I'll admit, I've been better, but I'll be OK."

He quickly sides with Holtz in the matter.

"I'm sorry if the captain touched upon a nerve, but we really mean no harm. Now, if I could please get some attention for this gash in my side, I would be really grateful.

My diplomacy isn't quite as good as Shelaine's, but it'll do while the captain isn't with us.

Diplomacy: [roll0]

[The Antigamer]

Tuco holsters his pistol, as he watches Edgar flee into the distance. Spitting on the ground in his direction, he turns and says, "Someone had better be helping me carry this chest."

[true_shinken]

Irda nods on Holtz and Jack. "That sounds like a good idea, yes. I'm sorry, did you introduce yourselves? My memory is fuzzy..."
She turns toward Shelaine. "Are you any good with arcane spells? I have a wand that might help with your... notability."

[thorgrim29]

Yes, introductions kind of got sidetracked when you rabid dog knocked you out and attacked us without provocation, and might I mention you have terrible friends? We're the crew of the Brass Ring, and we're here to make a delivery on behalf of a kindly old woman to her sick friend named Hildar.

He holds out a hand to the wand

Allow me, what does it do?

[Toliudar]

Shelaine nods as Holtz takes charge of the wand.

"I suspect it allows me to, for brief periods, assume the seeming of a less objectionable form. Like, say, a half-elf."

She glanced back at her wings.

"Perhaps a half-elf with a large pack. A most welcome idea, Miss Irda. Thank you."

She turns back to Irda.

"If you'd really like to make this up to us, you'd suggest a place in town where we might be able to find out where to find our recipient, this Hildar."

Diplomacy: [roll0]

[thorgrim29]

The Luggage tugs at Tuco's pant leg and grabs the crate. (it's basically empty, so carrying capacity shouldn't be an issue)

[The Antigamer]

Tuco gives a blank stare down at the homonculus, rolls his eyes skyward with a sigh, then bends down to pick up the other end of the crate, muttering in Goblin.

[true_shinken]

Irda nods at Shelaine. "The wand provides a minor illusion, yes. I would like to accompany you guys into the city, but I have to be here for Roth when he wakes up. We half-elves..." she stares at Eli for a long moment "...look out for each other. Also, my boss would kill me if he knew about this whole incident, so I have to keep old Roth here on the gate where he can't babble about dragonborn for anyone that matters."
As the gates stand open, the crew can see a very organized city, with paved streets and stone buildings. Goblins in rags are everywhere, following half-elves and doing their bidding. A one-eyed hobgoblin follows a scantily clad half-elf tranvestite, carrying heavy bags. Scar enforcers, in their black leather armors, stand watch over most buildings. A goblin sits down in the ground to rest and is promptly kicked back into movement by a burly bald half-elf.
"I don't know this Hildar fellow." Irda comments "but you can ask around in the Red Apple inn. My companion works there; he goes by the name of Orson. Tell him I sent you and he might help. At least he'll get you guys a room and warm food. If you stay there until night falls, I can meet you there for a round of drinks. As for the healing, I'm sorry, I really can't help you."

[Volthawk]

Eli grins. "No problem, Irda. And I might have to take you up on that drink, you know."

[Toliudar]

Seeing that the luggage has the crate well in hand, Shelaine shifts to Jack to offer the last of her own healing with a casual touch to his shoulder.

"Again, nice work."

She waits for Holtz to work his magic with the wand.

Final healing charge from the belt, for Jack: [roll0]

[thorgrim29]

UMD: [roll0]

Using the wand, he weaves an illusion around the dragonborn of a half-elf woman with features reminiscent of Shelaine's old form, modified to look like an halfblood. She seems to be wearing a green traveller's cloak with a large mantle where her wings are in reality.

to the wounded: are you two good to go or do you need more healing?

[true_shinken]

Before we continue, I need to know if you'll be pursuing Mael's lead, Irda's lead or splitting the party to pursue both... or doing something else entirely

[Toliudar]

Shelaine

The now half-elven Shelaine takes stock of the situation. After getting directions to the Red Apple, she gathers the group (and glances up to confirm that Han was still circling above) and sets off.

Unless folks really want to follow up on Mael's lead first. Irda's the first person to seem actually helpful in this whole place, so it seemed a decent place to start.

[The Antigamer]

Tuco doesn't trust the half-elf, not one bit. Just because they woke her up didn't mean she owed them anything. More likely, the half-elf wanted them in a location where she could easily find them. What need did they have of an inn? Find the stupid Hildar, dump the stupid chest on his head, and go, that was a plan.

"Holtz, your rubbish bin here can carry the chest on its own, yes? I'm going to go get some work done while you all lollygag around in a bar. If I run in to trouble, I'll be sure to send a little birdie to you. "
He glances pointedly to the sky Haniko is patrolling.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine raises a hand.

"No, Tuco, you're not. Our job is to deliver this crate. Once we get it safely delivered, you can take the rest of the day to take care of your own business. Claro?"

[thorgrim29]

I agree, I've got no desire to spend the night here, so let's stay together, find Hildar, and get out. Besides, I'ts not like this little disguise will last forever, or defeat close scrutiny, or touch for that matter, so we'd better avoid inns. I say we should find this forge Mael was talking about, then we find healers, if this fellow is sick he probably went to see one. And given the quantity of beggars here, I'd say there's a good chance a few gold in the right tin can find him for us. Then if we find nothing we head for the inn.

He places the wand next to his on his belt and turns to the guard

If we don't meet again we'll leave the wand for you at the Red Apple. Nobody wants the spell to fail in the middle of the city, not us, and not you. Now go take care of your berserker friend, tell him we went back to the ship or something

[The Antigamer]

Tuco rolls his eyes.
"You think I have business in town that's not related to this chest? I have a lead on someone who can provide information on this Hildar so I can spend as little time as possible here."

[Toliudar]

Shelaine gestures the group forward.

"And how will you find us to give us this information once you have it? No. It's clearly dangerous enough here that we need our best warrior with us, right? What would we do without you in a fight?"

[The Antigamer]

Tuco squints warily at Shelaine.
"You think to flatter Tuco, but he is wise to your trickery. Bah, let's go, the sooner we're leaving this place, the better."

[true_shinken]

After asking around for directions and dealing with more half-elven supremacist crap for one hour, the party finds the Red Apple inn. In the way, they see how Pusena is an organized if brutal place. The streets are clean, there are no beggars, people don't smell and the streets are almost quiet. The Scars are always there, eyes and weapons ready, watching over everything all the time, though.

The Red Apple inn is a two story stone building, with a big sign with the picture of a red apple on it. One enforcer for the Scars stands at the door, but he just takes a long look on Eli, smiles, stands aside and lets the party in.

Inside, the Red Apple inn is cozy and smells of apple pie. There are three square tables, each surrounded by four chairs, spread alongst the lobby. Behind a counter, stands a young male half-elf with long brown haird and a mustache - he is mixing beverages, probably to create a drink. A female goblin serves the tables, and there are only two clients, both half-elves in peasant clothing, standing in different tables.

"Welcome!" the bartender says, his voice loud, powerful and pleasant. "Wecome to the Red Apple inn! We have the best rooms and we serve the best drinks! For Tiamat, we're the best all around! Haha! What can I do for you travelers?"

[Volthawk]

"Well, what do you have to drink?"

[Toliudar]

Shelaine stepped up to the barkeep, attempting to deepen her voice to better approximate her appearance.

"Good afternoon. The beer does sound good. We'll be having a one drink now, but returning again later. First we've been asked to look up a friend of a friend - a man named Hildar. You wouldn't know him, would you?"

She smiles inquisitively.

If need be, Diplomacy: [roll0]

[true_shinken]

The barkeep pours a glass of beer for Shelaine. He then offers Eli a cup of a five-colored liquid with a sweet scent. "It's on the house, brother."
He then scratches his chin thoughfully and blinks on Shelaine. "Know what, gorgeous? My memory is not the same this dies. I could a little... incentive."

[The Antigamer]

Tuco's hand reflexively twitches towards his holster, but he stops himself, knowing Shelaine would probably be upset if he attempted to intimidate the barkeep. Disguising the movement as reaching for his powder horn, he takes a twist of paper from his pocket, and begins assembling a load to replace the empty spot on his bandoleer.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine nods slightly, reaches into her pouch and quickly counts out ten coins in her fingers. She softly slides the coins across the bar.

"Can you hear me now? Good."

[thorgrim29]

So much for the beggar thing... the Scar must have read the same adventure novels I have... That or they're neat freaks on top of everything else.

Mumbles Holz as he takes in the bleakness of the town.

At the bar he orders a glass of mead and sips it while Shelaine negociates, subtly keeping between her and the crowd as much as possible.

[true_shinken]

The barkeep laughs heartily at Shelaine's gold. "Oh, you think I want money." He takes a bottle of wine and pours himself a glass. "That's not it, sister. That is definitely not it. I don't want any money." he drinks from his wine "Well, I want you to pay for your drinks, but a good old gossip costs nothing from me. What I need to refresh my memory... is a name and a reason." He blinks at the half-elf. "Got it? Also, keep your slaves on the leash, OK? The last time I had a human and a hobgoblin here, things got ugly."

[Toliudar]

Shelaine's mind whirls desperately, trying to figure out exactly what the barkeep was after. Perhaps a little humour to leaven things. She glances over at Tuco and Jack.

"Get ugly? Too late."

She smiles warmly at the barkeep, then continues.

"I go by Sparrowhawk. This is my first time in Pusena, sad to say, so I doubt you'd have heard of me. I look forward to learning more about the extraordinary things that you've all built up here, though. And I've got a present for Hildar from an old friend."

[The Antigamer]

Tuco sneers at the two, and finishes fixing his load, stuffing the ball-and-powder-filled paper into his bandoleer.

"I'll ugly you in the face son of a owlbear muttermuttermutter" he growls under his breath, as he scans the bar for other patrons and potential trouble.

[Private-Prinny]

"Hmph. 'Slave'. Like hell I am..."

Jack sits down and asks for a mug of beer.

[thorgrim29]

Oh so THAT's why you don't pay me.... I was wondering too

[Volthawk]

"Thanks, brother."

Eli downs the drink in one.

[true_shinken]

The weird drink burns through Eli's throat and lands on his stomach like a landmine. A small cloud comes out of his mouth afterwards and it feels like his insides are on fire.
"I call that the Fivefold Breath of Tiamat. Pretty cool, uh?" the bartender says. He then turns to Shelaine. "I'm sorry, sister. Without a name and a reason, I really can't help you. Well, unless you and dark boy here want to follow me upstairs for some fun."

[Toliudar]

Charming. Shelaine smiled faintly, thinking about how the bartender would react when he felt her real self.

"I'm sorry for not understanding. Can you explain what you mean by 'a name and a reason.' What kind of reason are you looking for?"

[true_shinken]

"Oh, sister. It's quite simple. Many people come here all the time, and well, a place like the Red Apple... I hear things. I know things. But it's hard to know when to talk and when to stay silent, specially with charming strangers such as you. So I have a system. I only give information when someone comes with recommendations." he smiles and scratches his chins.

[thorgrim29]

Guard called Irda sent us here, said someone might be able to help us out, now if you don't want your brother half-elf to get his medical supplies, say so and we'll be on our way.

Replies Holtz with indifference.

[true_shinken]

The bartender arches an eyebrow at Holtz. "Big tongue you got for a slave, human." He spits on the ground. "Well, Irda is a treasured sister. I know Hildar." He sips from his cup. "And that guys is trouble. That guy is all sorts of trouble..."
The goblin slaves stare at the bartender for a second, paying attention to the upcoming story. "SCRAM, SCUM!" he screams while hitting the bar with a closed fist. "Were was I? Oh, yes, Hildar is trouble. One of those "free thinkers", if you catch my meaning. A few months ago, he broke into the Church of Tiamat and released a goblin that was about to be sacrificed. Once he got in a fight with a Scar enforcer, right here in this room. He almost killed the poor bastard, who was only doing his job. But why is he still alive, you ask. Well, like I said, he is trouble. He is the worst kind of trouble. He is a Hero, with a capital H and everything. Fought in the Battle of Raining Shadow. His battallion was the only one who survived and he lead them, even though he had no rank. He even saved a Falenian noble from certain death. People say that's why Falenia doesn't invade here or something - because we still have heroes or something. Whatever. All I know is this guys is trouble..." he grins widely "...or should I say... he was trouble?"

Knowledge (History) DC 15 to open
The Battle of Raining Shadow happened during the Necromancer Wars, a joint campaign of Falenia and Everym against illegal necromancer guilds flourishing on the border. This particular battle happened towards the ende of the war - the necromancers made deals with shadow dragons and used them to destroy the joint army. The unprepared joint army engaged the shadow dragons in a swamp and almost all of them were killed. The Everym forces simply retreated, while an elite force of Falenian adventurers eventually killed the dragons.

[thorgrim29]

You have to be real brave to keep your wits about against shadow dragons, I'm starting to like this guy already.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine nods, seeming to understand more than she actually did.

"Should I infer, then, that Hildar is no longer trouble because he's no longer at liberty to cause trouble, or that he's no longer alive?"

[true_shinken]

"A bit of both, sister." he chuckles. "A bit of both. See, up in the Goblinoid Mountains, a bit to the south of here, there is a very feared bugbear tribe - the Black Panthers. They are lead by a rakshasa and they are the only tribe the Scar trades with. Well... it's more like the other way around, but still. The Black Panthers, and they are savage and brutal, and they can become actual black panthers, and they kill people very messily, and they eat their brains, and they wear their skins as coats. Classy stuff. So Hildar is coming back from Falenia and sees the Black Panthers attacking some random nobody and goes all hero-y saving the guy. Of course, he kills those bugbears and the guy gets away. Thing is... he was bitten. And you know how that works, right? A few days go along, and BANG, Mister Hero is a monster. Goes around, scares people - never hurt anyone, I guess. But he is scared and gets all interested in 'quelling the beast within' or something like that. And I know stuff, like I said. There is a wererat goblin tribe as well - they just call themselves Ratkin - and they actually brew very good beer, so I know a bit about them lycans. I heard undead can suck the beast right out of your head... and I told him. So he left for the swamp where he fought the shadow dragons. It's filled with wights now. I doubt he'll come back."

[thorgrim29]

Sense motive: [roll0]

Son of a bitch... Jack, could you get us there? We've got to at least give it a try I guess.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine closes her eyes for a moment until the throbbing passes. She glances over at Lawrance. It had indeed seemed all too easy.

"So...you're saying that Hildar is a lycan panther now roaming a wight-infested swamp in hopes that getting chomped on by undead will cure him?"

She pauses. There's that throbbing again.

"And...where is this swamp?"

[The Antigamer]

Tuco smirks, his eyes half-lidded in annoyance.
"That's a handy way to get rid of someone barman, I'll have to remember it. 'Course, makes our job harder. Any other information you can cough up in fairness?"

He turns to Holtz, jerking his head to the door as fiery words pass his lips.

Ignan:

He may be lying, trying to make us the ones lost in the swamp. Let's check the Laughing Anvil on the way out.


Sense motive to check for signs of lying: [roll0]

[thorgrim29]

in the same: My thought exactly, but the captain has a good nose for lies. Good thing is, I can probably cure him if we find Hildar alive and there's still will left in him

In common: Do you guys buy that story?

[Private-Prinny]

"I think I spotted this swamp back before we landed. I shouldn't have much trouble getting us there. Unless, of course, the captain thinks he's lying."

Jack looks to Shelaine, waiting for some sort of cue as to their next course of action.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine smiles.

Sense motive before she responds: [roll0]

[Volthawk]

"Huh. Lucky you guys didn't kill him, then. It would be a shame for this fine city to be attacked by Falenia. So, say we find him. Should we just leave him up in the swamps, or is there some kind of reward going for him?"

[true_shinken]

It doesn't look like he is lying

[true_shinken]

"A reward?" the bartender looks surprised. "Well, I don't know. I don't think anyone knows he left. Vakra doesn't him to leave, though. So if you bring him back... I believe he could get us some money, yes. Well spun, boy."

[Toliudar]

Shelaine nodded. Nothing more she could think of here. Best to get out before something goes awry.

"Well, thank you, brother. And wish us luck."

She glances around at her companions. Barring further conversation, she sweeps out and waits to regroup in the street.

"So, Laughing Anvil or back to the ship?"

[thorgrim29]

I say we check the forge, we can never be to sure. Also, you may want to touch up, we don't know how long the thing lasts

(also, if it's a disguise self wand.... I just realized Shelaine has to use it herself)

[Toliudar]

Shelaine slips the offered wand from Holtz, holding it along her forearm.

"Sounds good to me. Do you know the way?"

[The Antigamer]

As Shelaine sets to leave, Tuco asks the bartender one last question.
"There is a man who owes me money, and someone told me he'd be near the Laughing Anvil Forge. Do you know where that is so I can catch the bastard?"

[true_shinken]

"Oh, the Laughing Anvil. Be sure to punch that bastard in the face. Hate that place. Go south until you see the square with a hanged slave, turn right and continue until you see the sign of an anvil with teeth." he turns to Eli "Just don't forget - come back here once you get a hold of Hildar. There's gold for us on this!" He throws a wooden cup on one of his goblin slaves. "You, scum. Guide my guests to the Laughing Anvil. And be back in less than half an hour, or I'll feed you to the pigs."

The goblin slave swallows dry and gestures the crew to follow him as he steps out of the tavern.

[Toliudar]

Hearing the last part of the exchange, at least, Shelaine shrugs at the others.

"I guess that's settled, at least. Let's go."

She heads off after the goblin, taking a moment to activate the wand's magic again as they went.

UMD on the wand: [roll0]
Or, if the first time doesn't work: [roll1]
And so on: [roll2]

[true_shinken]

The crew leaves the Red Apple, following the goblin slave as he leads them through the steets of Pusena. The half-elves on the way tend to cast disgusted looks on Holtz and Jack.
"We'll be getting there shortly, sir, yes, yes, yes we are" says the goblin.

Listen, DC 20 to open
You hear steps right behind you. You're being followed.

Spot, DC 28 to open
A cloaked man is hidden in the shadows about 60ft away from you

[The Antigamer]

Spot [roll0]
Listen [roll1]

[true_shinken]

I was waiting for Prinny, but after 4 days, I'll have to go on. Sorry, Prinny.
Holtz, Jack and Tuco feel their backs burning with acid. As they turn around, they see six people in dark-blue cloaks, hoods over their heads. Each of them has a wand in hand, pointed as if they just used it. Among them, almost a fish out of the water due to his lack of a dark blue cloak, Edgar smiles happily.
"That's them alright!", he screams out of excitement, as he aims his crossbow. "Wait, where is it? Where is the dragonborn?"
"Doesn't matter.", says in a calm, dark tone one of the cloaked figures. "We get two humans out of it."
"Gentleman and lady" says another of the cloaked figures, towards Eli and Shelaine. "We suggest you leave without looking back, or we'll have to deal with you as well..."
It's already night. The full moon is hidden behind a curtain of clouds.
Time for our initiative roll.
Jack took 10 damage from 2 attacks, Holtz took 13 damage from 2 attacks and Tuco took 7 damage from 2 attacks.
Map (https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AvpuQi_lbVcedHYyRjVYQ0c2cWE2aDhUSC1ZQkc0T 3c&hl=en&authkey=COWLhmw) explanation - the Red Apple is the big red thing, other buildings are the big purple things, there are lanterns in the green squares, the white squares are well illuminated, the grey squares have shadowy illumination (20% concealment) and the black squares have no light at all. Ms are the Mages, you guys are the first letters of your names (Han is not included; have you guys heard of Duke of URL?), G is the goblin and B is the guy you all have yet to spot

[The Antigamer]

Init: [roll0]

Don't have permission to access the spreadsheet...

Edit:
Also, Duke hasn't posted in a month :-/

[true_shinken]

Oh, silly me. Edited the map so you guys can see it.
Well, I'm getting a new player to fill in for Duke, then. Hope he does come back, though.

[The Antigamer]

"We're not killing him, Tuco, you say. He's going to help us get into the city, you say," Tuco says in a singsong voice, as he runs towards the goblin and the concealing darkness.
"Why does no one ever listen to Tuco?" he shouts, as he waves his magelock in the direction of the clustered figures.
Diving into the shadows, he spins around, and shouts loudly, 'hokay Edgar, time to show how little brains you have, eh?


Move to L-8
If the four stay bunched together at E/F-2/3, cast grease on that 10' square. If they move, I'll come up with a better plan.
Hide [roll0]

[true_shinken]

Antigamer, Tuco gets a -5 to Hide because he moved more than 3 squares (1/2 his speed).

[The Antigamer]

S'cool, just pointing out his intention of hiding, it's not like they can't hear him :smalltongue:
Next turn he'll be trying for a bit more stealth.

[Toliudar]

He'll figure me out in a second anyway. Might as well try to sow a little discord for them. You know, for a country short on mages, they sure got a lot of em running around.

Shelaine calls on the power of her belt once again, dashing into the shadows a bit. she lets loose a blast of her most intense flame on the assembled magi.

"Well done, Edgar! You've brought them right to us, as discussed. You'll be richly rewarded for this."

Shelaine has 60 darkvision, in case that makes any difference.

Move action - Move to I5, drawing her dagger as she does so.
Standard action - breathing in a cone, aiming to catch all of the M's in it. If it catches Edgar as well, that's fine, but that's a secondary priority.

If relevant: bluff check: [roll0]

Fire breath, using Entangling Exhalation: [roll1] fire damage. DC 19 reflex for half and avoid becoming entangled.

[Private-Prinny]

Jack takes out a small pair of dice, leaning heavily on his weapon.

Y'know, if there was ever a time to get lucky, right now would cut it.

That 10 damage attack put at 0 HP, so I'm spending an Inspiration point (3 left) to use Opportunistic Piety, restoring 15 health. Since I was at 0 HP at the start of my turn, I don't know if that means I can take a move action now that I've solved that problem. If I can, I move to J6.

Also, Knowledge Devotion.

Knowledge (local) check: [roll0]

So I get a +2 on attack and damage rolls.

[thorgrim29]

Holtz reacts quickly, spinning on himself and, seeing the opposition, formulates a strategy.

Init: [roll0]
Healing belt: [roll1]
Spellcraft (to identify the spell that hit him) : [roll2]

I vote we listen to Tuco more

Quips Holtz as his belt's magic works to heal him.

He claps his hand at his mace and infuses it with the same energy that was in his crossbow. Then he advances towards the outlying foes.

(Using a charge from the healing belt, then burning an action point to use personal weapon augmentation (elfbane) on his morningstar, then taking a five foot step to G5)

[The Antigamer]

"Listen to the science-man!"

[true_shinken]

thorgrim, you can't identify a spell cast from a wand, because you need to see or hear the spell’s verbal or somatic components. Toliudar, with dark vision you can stand in the grey squares and they count as white for you (i.e., you suffer no concealment. Also, Shelaine's breath only catches M1 and M2, I believe. I painted the squares of it's area in orange; tell me if I got it wrong. Antigamer, I colored the squares where I believe you wanted to cast grease as blue.
Jack straightens himself, moves an readies his weapon. Tuco mutters a few arcane words and casts a spell. Shelaine blasts the mages with fire. One of them, showing surprising reflexes, flinches and rolls, protecting himself from the fire, emerging unscathed. His companion is not so lucky - he falls to the ground, fire gripping him like living vines. Before they can react, Edgar tries to run, slips and falls to the ground. "It's you!", he says angrily, flat on From the ground, as he fires his crossbow at Shelaine. The bolt flies and hits the dragonborn square in the chest. Immediately afterwards, one of the men in dark blue cloaks manages to stand despise of the slippery floor and draws a short sword as he approaches Edgar. "So you tried to cross the Skullfire Mages. You are really stupid." He drives his short sword through Edgar's throat before the half-elf has any chance to speak.
Holtz positions himself and readies his weapon.
The other three cloaked figures (including the one that avoided Shelaine's breath) draw daggers with their free hands, keeping the wands ready - one of them throws one at Shelaine, another one throws a knife at Tuco and the remaining one throws a knife at Jack. All blades hit their targets, and the crew fews weak as they sense poison running through their veins.
Suddenly, from the shadows, a burly man jumps, somersaults over Eli's head and kicks Holtz straight in the spleen. He falls in his feet, guard up, wearing a plain peasant's tunic, a rope tied around his waist and bandages on his feet and fist. He has a kama on one hand and the other free, black hair, pointed half-elven ears, tanned skin, shaved and jet black eyes. The most intriguing feature of him is the black lightning bolt tattoo he has covering the right side of his face. "They call me Black Bolt for a reason" he says with a rough voice, almost in a whisper. "Surrender now. You have no chance of survival."

Shelaine: 8 damage from crossbow bolt, 4 from the knife, make a Fortitude saving throw, DC 14
Tuco: 2 damage from the knife, make a Fortitude saving throw, DC 14
Jack:8 damage from the knife (critical hit), make a Fortitude saving throw, DC 14
If any of you fail the save, you take 1 point of temporary Con damage.
Holtz: 18 damage and make a Fortitude save against CD 17 to avoid being stunned
Also, what the hell is that G on the map? :smallconfused:

[Toliudar]

You're quite right about the breath, Shinken. I screwed up and was thinking of it as a 30' cone. Stupid.

Also: mages with evasion. Charming.

Might the G be the luggage?

Fort save: [roll0]

[Volthawk]

Eli brings his spear up and tries to skewer Black Bolt.

"You know, you should really save the boasting until you know you're going to win."

Attack: [roll0] (yay flanking!)
Damage: [roll1]

[Private-Prinny]

The way my day's been going, I don't really think I have much of a choice in the matter. What do you want with us?

[Toliudar]

Shelaine

Shelaine bites back a retort, deciding that Jack's idea of trying to fish information out of the man was much more useful than any act of defiance.

Deciding that it was worth the risk, Shelaine stepped up next to the mage still writhing in her flames and unleashes another blast of heat.


5' step NW to H4, same shape and direction of cone. As I understand it, this will catch #1, 3, 4 and 6. Fire damage: [roll0], Reflex DC 19 for half and avoid the entangling. Oh, the entangling.

[true_shinken]

Black Bolt dashes Eli's spear away by hitting it's shaft with the flat of his arm, and the binder misses. "You were saying, brother?"
The goblin slave runs away, screaming for his life, crying. "Screw you! I don't even get paid! I'd rather be under the lash again!"
Black Bolt sneers at Jack. "I work under the Skullfire Mages now. Tremble before me! I am the true Black Bolt, slave! Black Bolt! The famous and invincible Black Bolt!" It takes a while for him to realize no one knows him. "You don't know me?! Damn, I knew I should have kept those bards alive..."
One of the blue clad mages barks at Black Bolt. "We pay you to hit people very hard, Bolt! We don't pay you to talk!"
He shrugs. "No one respects superstars these days, I tell you. No one."
(end of round 1)

[The Antigamer]

Tuco moved to L-8, a bit too far away for daggers :smallconfused:

edit
Also, Shelaine's breath caught the grease on fire.

[true_shinken]

Tuco moved to L-8, a bit too far away for daggers :smallconfused:
Oh, sorry. I forgot to move Tuco when I edited the map.
To prevent this from happening again, next time you guys edit it (and say, like, 'I move from A1 to C3')


Also, Shelaine's breath caught the grease on fire.
Shelaine's breath only hits the greased area next round and I don't know if it should make it catch fire.

[Private-Prinny]

Shelaine's breath only hits the greased area next round and I don't know if it should make it catch fire.

I'd say either pass on the fire, since Incendiary Slime (CM p.108) would be otherwise redundant, or make Grease functionally identical to Incendiary Slime and remove the latter from existence.

[thorgrim29]

Holtz drops his morningstar as the breath is knocked from him.

Ah, my spleen!

[true_shinken]

I'll pass on the fire, then. Antigamer, consider Tuco didn't take any damage from the knife - he missed.
We have Shelaine's action for round 2 and Holtz is stunned - how about the rets of you?

[Volthawk]

"Hmm...maybe a different method..."

"Fall."

Using Persuasive Words on Black Bolt, using the Fall version,as well as burning another AP to emulate Ability Focus for Persuasive Words, so a DC 17 Will save or drop prone, taking a -4 penalty to AC and provoking an AoO when getting up (unless he has some ability or feat or something to not provoke when getting up, I guess)

[true_shinken]

Shelaine breathes fire again on the mages. All but one are hit by it, entangled in the flames, greatly charred. The one mage out of the breath's cone of fiery death turns tail and runs. "I don't want to die a virgin!" he screams as he runs away. The entangled blue clad half-elves all try to cast spells, but they all seem to fail. "This whole arcane magic stuff has been nearly useless. Cutting throats was a lot better!", one of them sneers.
Enthralled by Eli's words, Black Bolt falls to the ground. As he gets up, he lowers his guard and Eli stabs him with his spear through his should. The blade draws blood and makes an ugly wound, but Black Bolt hardly seems to mind about the pain. As soon as he is on his feet, he headbutts the half-drow on the face for great pain.

Eli: 17 damage and make a Fortitude save DC 17 to avoid stunning

[Private-Prinny]

Jack sees Eli enthralling Black Bolt, and takes the opportunity to strike.

5-foot step to I7, and attempt to trip Black Bolt.

Touch Attack: [roll0]
Trip Attempt: [roll1]
If he's tripped, attack: [roll2]
And damage: [roll3] (2 IP left)

[thorgrim29]

Recovering his wits, Holtz's empty right hand flies to his belt, activating it's magic with a tought, from which he draws a wand that he points at the monk. A ray of fire flies out.

(Not sure if that provokes an AOE... I don't think it should since it's functionally the same as drawing a weapon, but I guess it's your call, the rules are a but fuzzy on that)

Using one healing belt charge: [roll0]

UMD for scorching ray wand: [roll1]

Ranged touch attack: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

[true_shinken]

thorgrim, I'm a bit confused. Activating the healing belt is a standard action, as is using the scorching ray wand, isn't that right?

[thorgrim29]

It doesn't say it takes an action of any kind to activate, also I checked and it says nothing in the MIC errata. But if you rule it to takes a standard action... I guess I'll just use 2 charges [roll0]

[Volthawk]

Fort: [roll0]

Thorgrim, look at the activation line. It says "- and standard (command)" The "-" corresponds to the Heal bonus, while the "standard (command)" is for the healing.

[thorgrim29]

My mistake then

[true_shinken]

Jack tries to trip Blak Bolt, but he avoids the attack nimbly. He sees the mages wrapped in flames and the one fleeing and sighes. "I should ask for a raise. Guess I will when I'm done with you punks."
(end of turn 3)
As the flames disappear from around the mages, they all speak arcane words and weave their hands through similar mystical passes. Immediately afterwards, they run away. One screams as he leaves "Cover our escape, Black Bolt!"
The tattooed half-elf grins. "One hell of a raise, I tell you."
He then punches Holtz in the gut (7 damage), kicks Jack in the face (9 damage; Fortitude DC 17 or stunned) and slashes his kama through Eli's belly (16 damage; DC 14 Fortitude or suffer 4 points of Str damage). After his hurricane of destruction, he quickly sidesteps. Only after he moves he notices he is very close to Tuco. "Oh, hello, slave. Don't worry, there's enough Bolt for everyone."

Spellcraft DC 16 to open
Expeditious Retreat

[Private-Prinny]

Since BB wasn't tripped, that damage roll never had a chance to happen, meaning I get my IP back.

Fort Save: [roll0] (2 IP left)

1 HP remaining and I'm stunned. Awesome.

[Volthawk]

Fort save: [roll0]

Crap, got 2hp left. Gonna 5-foot step away to H7, then throw my spear at Black Bolt.

Attack: [roll1] (+2 if I passed the save)
Damage: [roll2] (+2 if I passed the save)

[The Antigamer]

Tuco smiles at Bolt.

"No, now you're all Tuco's."

He fires directly at Black Bolt with the Rune bullet he switched his regular ammunition out for while Bolt was beating on his companions, channeling arcane energy into the bullet as it speeds from the barrel, combining it with the psionic powers inherent in his race.


Let's just say I used all of the round I was skipped in to switch my regular bullet for a rune bullet :smallwink:

Attack: [roll0] + 2 = 19
Damage: [roll1] + expending a third level spell to deal an additional [roll2] force damage + 9 from psionic shot = 29

Reloading with another rune bullet after firing.

[thorgrim29]

2 scenarios
1: Black Bolt is dead or seriously wounded by the time my turn comes up and the mages (well, rogues) are still in sight:

Holtz, seeing that the crew was finally getting the better of the annoyingly strong monk, he shoots a bar of solid fire at the fleeing Skullfire that seemed the most wounded:


((gonna use what I already rolled here, no sense in wasting a perfectly good roll)
So 20 to hit, 13 fire damage.

2: Black bolt is still a big threat, shooting the same at him

[Toliudar]

Stealing from smart people, I will put forward the same two scenarios as Thorgrim.

IE, if Black Bolt is still a threat, use entangling breath. Holts is struck but not affected by it. [roll0], Reflex DC 19 for half and not entangled.

If BB is no longer a threat, do an area voracious dispelling on the fleeing mages. They take 1 point of damage for every level of magic effect dispelled. Caster checks as needed: [roll1] [roll2]
[roll3] [roll4] [roll5] [roll6]

Either way, moving to D4 after.

Shelaine shifts to take cover at the wall of the Red Apple, the better to assess the situation.

"I think we'll be safer out in the swamp with the wights and lycans."

[true_shinken]

Black Bolt dodges Eli's thrown spear as Tuco's bullet blows a hole through his belly, splattering guts everywhere. Holtz blasts fire from his wand, burning the half-elf's chest. Eyes wide with pain and anger, he staggers and falls to one knee. "Impossible!" he clutches the hole in his belly. "I am a superstar! The Black Bolt... can not be... defeated..."
And he faints, face down in the floor.
Shelaine chases after the mages and summons her innate draconic powers, violently ripping the magic from their boides. The sudden shock drops all three mages to the ground, unconscious. Shelaine can still see the first mage to run disappearing around a corner when she sees the slaves running back to the buildings. "The Scar is coming! The Scar is coming!", they shout.

A short word before the loot
The Scars are coming! Do you take the time to grab the loot risking the Scars catching you or do you abandon the loot and run away, knowing the Scars might catch you anyway?
Open for Black Bolt's loot
masterwork kama, leather gloves, sturdy rope belt, 5 vials of a green liquid
Open for the mages' loot
6 daggers (scattered on the floor), 5 masterwork shortswords, 5 wands, 5 dark blue cloaks
Open for Egdar's loot
Masterwork studded leather, masterwork buckler, masterwork short sword, masterwork light crossbow with 17 bolts, 2 vials of a light blue liquid
Open for sweet XP
2280

[The Antigamer]

Tuco, smirking smile still on his face, turns to grab the nearest goblin.

"Get us to the Laughing Anvil Forge unobtrusively and there's coin in it for you. I bet gold to copper you know of secretive routes."

Still holding the goblin, he turns his smirk back to the others.

"Now is another time to be listening to Tuco. Forget everything but the chest and run."

He notices Bolt is still breathing, and sneers.

"And someone stab that idiot as they run past."

He prods the slave to get him started.

[thorgrim29]

Be glad to

Holtz grabs his mace and uses his dagger to slit the monk's throat. He then tests the half elf's rope belt with his dagger. If the dagger seems to cut the rope, he leaves it there, if not he takes the belt and packs it away. As he does this he speaks to the group.

Forget the forge, we've got to get out before they close the gates, Jack, do you know where the nearest gate is?

[Private-Prinny]

"Uh..." Jack mumbles for a second, barely able to stand. "It should be, uh, that way." He raises his finger feebly and starts hobbling.

Seriously, I have 1 HP left. Please help before someone else shows up. :smalleek:

[thorgrim29]

You don't look so good, take these

The Luggage hands Jack 2 CLW potions

[The Antigamer]

Tuco rolls his eyes skyward, presses his belt, then smacks Jack on the back of his head, transferring the energy from the belt to the staggering human.

"No, we are listening to Tuco now. The forge will hide us."

[Private-Prinny]

"Ok, Tuco, we'll do things your way this time." Jack mutters to himself as he uncorks a bottle and downs the contents.

"Thanks, Holtz, Tuco. I really needed those."

[roll0] health restored from the potion. +4 if Holtz brewed it. Also, Eli is the Half-Drow. Jack is human.

[Toliudar]

Knowing that, if needed, she can always take to the air to avoid the Scar and catch up with her ground-bound crew, Shelaine dashes over to at least grab the wands of the three felled mages before darting after her colleagues. As far behind as she is, she has little opportunity to voice an opinion about their destination, but stands ready to take flight and dart out of pursuit's eyeline at the roof level if need be.

[thorgrim29]

((Forget the testing stuff... taking everything, then following Tuco. Also, guys?))

[Volthawk]

"You guys hide. I'll try to bluff them, get them to go somewhere else. Shame I can't think of any particular group to blame...ah well, I'll work it out."

Eli's face and clothes morphs, becoming an older, normal-skinned half-elf.


Using my Disguise Self ability from Naberius. Disguise: [roll0]

[true_shinken]

Eli disguises himself as another half-elf while the rest of the party takes turns on looting, disguising themselves with Irda's wand and running away.
Tuco leads the running, looking for a goblin to show him the way to the Laughing Anvil. All goblin slaves and Pusena learned a very important lesson, though - run at the first sign of trouble. Jack runs right behind him, carrying the crate. A good 120 feet behind them, Holtz and Shelaine are running side by side, just like old times.
After a few minutes of running, they recognize the goblin slave from the Red Apple, with his broken nose and missing left ear. "Here! Here!", he says, waving for the crew. "Turn here!"
Just beside the goblin, they can see a big sign with an anvil painted on it. This anvil has humanlike teeth and smiles sarcastically. It's a fine work of art, if a bit creepy. Close to the sign, stands a tent stripped in red and blue.
==============
Eli covers the escape of his crewmates. He then listens to a voice in the back in his mind. "That was stupid, kid. If you die, I die along with you."
Two half-elves clad in the black leather so common among the Scar approach Eli.They both have short swords in hand and don't look inclined to talk. While Eli prepares for a fight, he hears the demonic voice whispering inside his mind again "OK, I'll have to help you this time..."
But splashes of acid rain from the shadows, poking holes in the Scar members. From the shadows of a close alley, two figures clad in dark blue cloaks come.
Removing the hood, one of them reveals to be a young female blonde half-elf, hair in a topknot, with the tattoo of a skull encircled by flames on her left cheek. "I'm sorry, brother. It took a while for our friend to get in range of message. We lost enough Skullfire mages today. Come. The master will not be pleased.", she sighs.

[Volthawk]

Eli nods. "Alright. Let's go."

As he walks, he thinks Huh, so it can't leave, then? Interesting.

[true_shinken]

Eli walks for a few minutes through Pusena's alleys. They eventually go through a secret door concealed in a stone wall and see a large, dark room. Candles on the ground are the only source of light.
There are four people in dark blue cloaks standing next to a throne. In this throne, a golden scepter in her hand, a female half-elf sits. She wears the same dark blue cloaks as everyone else, but her hood is down. Her hair is red, wild and unkempt, falling on her face, shoulders and back. Her eyes are big and wide, of a burning green acentuaded by her black eyeliner. She has freckles on her cheeks, but they don't make her any less menacing, her cold expression directed to another dark blue clad half-elf kneeling in front of her.
"...and that's all I have to say, madam.", the half-elf manages to finish.
"Madam?", she sneers. "You forget your place, acolyte. Who am I?"
"You... you're Jara Selarin. Leader of the Skullfire Mages.", he says in a hurry.
The mages close to Eli sigh. One of them mumbles "He seemed like a pretty cool guy."
"Leader?" Jara stands up, gripping her scepter so hard the veins on her hand seemed about to burst. "Leader?!" She smacks the half-elf with her scepter, drawing blood and a tooth from his mouth. He hurriedly apologizes.
"I-I'm sorry! You're Jara Selarin, Guildmaster of the Skullfire Mage Guild!"
She kneels in front of him, smiles fondly and caresses the half-elf's face under his hood. "There, there." Jara speaks in a low tone, like a parent would to a scared child. "Was that so hard, my acolyte? You just have to follow my orders." She gets up and hits him across the face with the scepter again, so hard he falls with his back on the floor. She quietly sits down in the throne as the hurt half-elf slowly kneels again.
"I don't care what they did to the other mages." she smacks her closed fist on the throne. "I want those heroes dead!"
One of the mages near Eli whispers "Heroes?" and the other turns to Eli and asks "Why does she want them dead again? I must have missed it."

[Volthawk]

Eli whispers back "I guess because they're looking for a slave-freer. And not to kill him."

[true_shinken]

"Oh." the surprised Skullfire Mage says. "I think I never knew that."
The other mage chuckles. "Of course you didn't. The boss, uh, I mean, the guildmaster never tells us any more than we need to know."
Jara Selarin shouts at all of them "What are you waiting for?! Go! It's night already! We'll soon have wererats upon us! Find the recruits in the taverns. Get them to help! I want that crate!"
The Skullfire Mages run outside instantly.

[Toliudar]

When Shelaine sees the others ahead of her turn towards the tavern with the ghoulish sign, she glides over the building, getting a better sense of the overall layout - and also checking for any Scar or blue-robed pricks in the vicinity. She lands in a place where she thinks she might not be observed, and heads towards the others. Looking around the neighbourhood, she abruptly realizes that looking like an innocuous half-elf may not be so innocuous here. She sidles up to the group and murmurs to Tuco.

"So, what are we trying to accomplish here?"

[Volthawk]

Eli follows the mages. "So, any ideas on how to track them down? I think they'll be on their guard now."

[The Antigamer]

Tuco shrugs.
"We go inside, we ask about crazy wolf-man, we get the hell out of city."

Suiting his words, he walks to the tent flap, and pulls aside the entrance-cover to poke his head in.

"Anyone home?"

[thorgrim29]

Holtz follows the hobgblin's lead:
Hello?

[true_shinken]

(Sorry for the delay, folks.)
Eli and the Skullfire Mages come out of their hideout, looking for Eli's crew. Two mages accompany Eli and the other mages spread around town. "I'm still better at this than magic", Eli hears one of the mages commenting with another.
After following them for a few minutes, Eli notices they stop in front of a tavern. "New guy.", one of them turns to Eli. "This place is kind of hardcore. You can't get in if you ever got in trouble with the Scar. Did you?"

=======

Tuco, Shelaine, Jack and Holtz enter the colored tent they believe is the Laughing Anvil. Inside, they see a goblin in a dark-red silk robe, a golden circlet on his head, hanging an apron on a hanger and then into a closet. The room looks a lot bigger from inside than from outside.
Behind a counter, a crystal ball stands on top of an anvil.
"Hello." the goblin answers in a firm, collected voice, gazing at the party with his cold yellow eyes. "I know why you came here. You are trouble. But I owe Mael one." He shrugs. "Tell my old bodyguard we're even. The man you seek is still alive, but he is hiding from the undead he foolishly went looking for. If you have a map, I can mark where he is." He grabs ink and a quill from inside his robe. "Of course, if you ever tell anyone about me, you will die a horrible and painful death and so will anyone who shares blood with you. Did I make myself perfectly clear?", he finishes, in his collected, matter-of-fact tone.

[Toliudar]

Enjoying the luxury of having eyebrows again - even if briefly - Shelaine arches one.

"Tell anyone about who?"

She stares down at the map, trying to gauge how far the marked position is from where the ship is currently parked.

[thorgrim29]

Since you've obviously been scrying us, do you know how Eli is doing? I'm starting to get a bit worried he couldn't give them the slip.

Identifying time! Using the artificer's monocle, identifying every item we looted, takes a minute each, starting with the wands, then the ring, then the kama, then the potions, then anything I might have forgotten.

[Volthawk]

"Nope."


Yay for Disguise Self!

[The Antigamer]

Tuco jerks his head at Shelaine, a toothy grin on his face. "What she said," he says gravelly in common, followed by a bark of thanks in goblin.

[true_shinken]

Identify results: wands of acid splash (does identify give you the number of charges?), ring of protection +1, monk's belt, masterwork kama, potions of cure light wounds
The goblin nods at Holtz. "Your friend is two blocks away. The mages he is following are about to enter a tavern. I believe they will let him outside to keep watch on the entrance. It's your best shot to take him." he coughs. "Beware the full moon."
=============
One of the mages puts a hand on Eli's shoulder. "You're alright, man. You keep watch here, we'll go inside and check it out."