The Coming of Xoriat

[borninbones]

Lightning flashes across the window as the Lightning Rail speeds down the track. The entire steerage cart is empty except for you and your companions. The Five Nations Express Comes to a slow stop in Wroat and four Guardsmen escorting a prisoner enter your cart. The House Orien Driver gets back into position and snaps the Lightning Reins and once more the Air Elemental pulls the train up to speed towards Sharn. The moon out tonight suddenly dissappears as the train enters a tunnel. A soft childs voice singing some elven tune wafts through the tunnel. In the dark, you hear the sounds of a scuffle from the opposite end of the cart. When the train finally emerges from the tunnel, moonlight floods the murder scene. In the flash of an instant, the murderer looks at you and smiles a wide grin right before disappearing out an open window. What do you do?

Die rolling can be done on this thread please spoiler it though.
OOC thread

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more info on a lightning rail cart - jumping from one you take 2d6 points of falling damage which may be reduced by a jump check and then again by a tumble check. If you somehow get thrown or pushed into something that is stationary, you take 15d6 points of damage and are off the train anyway, if you jump on purpose it is assumed that you aim away from trees and such. Slowfall will reduce the damage as well or you could just stay on the cart and see what happens...

[Wiz]

Alike d'Cannith

ooc: Well I'm not going to jump off a moving train. ;)

The young woman wearing the Cannith brooch shouts, "Murderer! Stop the train!" She runs to the window and mutters an arcane phrase, gesturing in the direction of the fleeing felon.

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Initiative (if necessary): (1d20+2)[12]; cast Sleep (DC:14).

[tonberryking]

Ghost

The effeminate looking white shifter, likely an albino of some condition, looked out into the mess left by the killer, idly from his seat to see if the felon left any of his captors alive. Neither compassion nor virtue takes hold of him in this act, for Ghost meddles in this affair only to slay any idea that he was involved with the escape.

Which in a roundabout way, explains why he ignores the Cannith lass and heads back the way the murderer came, looking to see if the guardsmen are still able to breath.

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Search check; Ghost is careful to move only what he has to: (1d20+2)[11]

[bue52]

As Gerald saw the figure grin and run away, he tries to take in as much detail of the person's characteristics, outstanding facial features and the like, after that split second, he turns towards the murder scene but does not enter, instead scanning the scene to gain insight on what had happened.

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Spot Check: (1d20+1)[3]
Search Check: (1d20+3)[11]

[borninbones]

Init check not necessary but thank you. He stumbles for a second and then turns back and laughs at you as the cart goes racing away.

You find Wanted Poster

The train does not stop. The door to the next car is locked from the inside (probably to keep a murderer, should he get loose, from roaming among the sleeping passengers). You look down and see the pin holding the train together. If you pull the pin, the car will at least stop and someone will come to investigate further eventually.

Wanted Poster

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Wanted
The Mad Monk

(there is a rough drawing of the madman that just jumped)

The man known as the Mad Monk is wanted for crimes against the crown including murder of an Officer of the Court, Theft, and Partaking in the Use of Illegal Magics. Approach with EXTREME caution and is considered to be armed at all times and extremely lethal and dangerous. Any information leading to his capture will be rewarded. Any aiding of the criminal will be viewed as an act against the throne and will be dealt with severly to the fullest extent of the law.

DEAD OR ALIVE
Reward 7000 gp

[Wiz]

Alike d'Cannith

The young woman rushes forward to the front of the car and pulls the pin, separating this car from the rest of the train. She waits for the car to begin slowing down to a safe speed before getting ready to jump.

[Gnomish Wanderer]

G'tora stands up panicked, looking around as the train car. slows. "What are you doing?!" she exclaims, grasping a seat near her to keep from losing her balance. "Why did you stop the train just because some guy jumped?" She stumbles over to the wanted poster and looks up at it, trying to discern the message.

[Wiz]

Alike d'Cannith

The woman, who is dressed in scholar's robes of Brelish blue looks at G'tora. "A murderer just jumped off this train and shrugged of my spell. He needs to be stopped, at the very least this will force someone on the train to call for an investigation." She looks down at the dead guards, then turns, still waiting for the train to slow sufficiently to jump.

[borninbones]

The last car in train slows enough for you to clammer off. It is a moonbathed night and you have some running to do. Assuming you give chase, I need a 2 spot checks from everyone. Anyone with track I need one spot one survival.

[Wiz]

Alike d'Cannith

Attempting to follow the murderer.

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Spot: (1d20)[11]
Spot: (1d20)[14]

[Gnomish Wanderer]

"A murder? This murderer?" G'tora examines the reward closely, her eyes widening. Smiling a bit she rushes back to her seat and pulls the backpack on, running off the train toward the murderer.

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Chasing him
Spot: (1d20+4)[19]
Spot: (1d20+4)[14]

[Cheesegear]

Sternum calmly, without a word, gets up from his seat. And leaps out of the train, and glances around the darklit night for the murderer.

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(1d20+1)[21] ...My very first roll was a 20. There goes my luck for the rest of the game.
(1d20+1)[9]

[bue52]

With a solemn look on his face, Gerald gets down and starts to look around for traces of the murderer.

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(1d20+1)[14]
(1d20+1)[7]
Spot checks

[borninbones]

Sternum and G'tora see the monk's tracks as they head down a forest path.

Both G'tora and Alike see the two psuedonatural dire badgers before they come out of hiding from the forest and get a standard action against both of the horrific creatures not of this world.

Their rolls rolls

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Their Init (1d20+3)[23]

Ugly One
Attack against Sternum (1d20+4)[9]
Damage (1d4+2)[5]

Ugly Two
Attack against Sternum (1d20+4)[8]
Damage (1d4+2)[6]

[Wiz]

Alike d'Cannith

The young woman chants something and points, unleasing a barrage of clashing chaotic colors at the two badgers (and hopefully not hitting Sternum as well).

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Cast Color Spray.

[Gnomish Wanderer]

G'tora turns toward the creatures as they scamper out of the darkness and fire quickly at the first one, trying to stop them before they reach her. Her heart starts beating a bit faster as she prepares her mind for combat.

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To hit: (1d20)[7]
I think it also gets my +4 Attack bonus but if they're already engaged in combat with Sternum it's at face value. I don't think sneak attack applies here.

Possible Damage: (1d6)[5]

Initiative: (1d20+7)[12]

[borninbones]

You miss sternum but catch both of the badgers full in the face with the color spray both are stunned and blinded for 3 rounds and stunned for the next round.

OOC

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Stunned means that they dont do squat for 4 rounds. Are denied their dex bonus and - 2 to ac beyond that so they are at an effective 11 ac right now. Happy slaughtering adventures, lets see some rolls. They have a lot of hp so they may not go down in 4 rounds. But every round that you take to defeat them is just one more round that the monk is getting away. You cannot get past them without killing or incapacitating them.

[Cheesegear]

Sternum easily brings his forearm in to block the badger's bite, as he mentally calls for his sword, and swings his sword mightily at the bizarre animal.

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Attack: (1d20+6)[20]
Damage: (2d6+4)[12]

[bue52]

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Initiative: (1d20+3)[14]

Gerald takes up his crossbow and loads it, there was no need to take out the big guns yet, and shoots a crossbow at Ugly two.

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Hit:(1d20+4)[8]
Damage: (1d8)[2]

[Wiz]

Alike d'Cannith

Before wading in with her weapon, Alike makes a few chants and gestures to herself, making somatic moves that almost resemble dressing in armor.

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Cast Mage Armor on self, then draw dagger

[borninbones]

The first bagder is knocked around by sternum. The badgers are still stunned. You can make a tumble, climb, or jump check to try and get past the badgers without fighting them.

[Wiz]

Alike d'Cannith

Alike shouts, "Go on, stop the murderer... I'm going to try to take these things out before they can harm anyone."

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To hit: (1d20+2)[3]
Critical Confirm: (1d20+2)[20]
Damage: (1d4)[1]
Critical Damage: (1d42)[19]

[Gnomish Wanderer]

G'tora nods and quickly attempts to roll past the creatures in the direction of the murderer. When she gets past she takes off.

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Tumble:(1d20+8)[26] Oooh, I rolled well.

[borninbones]

The monk was not standing far down the path. He was watching to see how you faired against the two uglies. You have suprised him G'tora, what do you do?

Alike misses wildly and almost hits Sternum but pulls back just in time.

The two uglies are still stunned.

What does everyone else do?