AvB - The Deadly Docks

[Rizban]

"Okay, I'll join the fight as well, and Tim wouldn't be amiss. You, girl, you're too beat up to fight right now. Why don't you sing us a pretty song while we're in the ring to lift out spirits, eh?"

Hagan then approaches the lizardman.

"Alright then, who are Drusla and Pike?"

[planswalker]

He points an inebriated finger over to a pair of cloaked figures just beside the stage. "Them!"

the two figures are of medium build.

[Rizban]

"Well, get them up in the ring if you want us to fight them!"

[planswalker]

At that point, the half-ogre manager comes over and says, "Looks like you lot decided to go through with it. Gods have mercy on your souls. If any of you survive, I will be sure to get the money from Blackie there. Good luck. They're the nightly champions three nights running. It's a fight to the death. All forms of combat allowed, but probably best to avoid harming customers in the process. They tend to take it out on the winners if they're hurt while watching. And if you kill a customer before he pays for his drinks and his wagers are secured, I will take it out on you."

He goes over and says something to the two figures, and they lithely jump onto the stage, features still obscured by their cloaks.

"Look Dru, fresh meat. Wanna see how they play?" the one on the left says.

"Ooh! Yes. I bet the blue one tastes like cherries..... Mmm... Cherries...." The one on the right babbles.

[Rizban]

"Can you tell us anything more about them before we jump in the ring?"

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Knowledge checks to identify the two based on what I have seen and heard of them and learned from anyone else.

Knowledge – arcana - (1d20+5)[12]
Knowledge – architecture and engineering - (1d20+8)[27]
Knowledge – history - (1d20+5)[21]
Knowledge – local - (1d20+5)[22]
Knowledge – nobility and royalty - (1d20+5)[18]
Knowledge – psionics - (1d20+9)[26]
Knowledge – religion - (1d20+5)[8]
Knowledge – the planes - (1d20+8)[21]

Yes, I am just rolling all my knowledge skills...

[planswalker]

"Watch out for the crazy one. She's got a nasty left hook"

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Sadly, your rolls revealed to you more about the building than they did the opponents.

[Rizban]

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Oh? What did it reveal about the building?

Hagan enchants his dorje with a metapsionic item infusion then slaps Kel's back, infusing his armor with a bull's strength for +4 Str and a magic vestment for +2 AC.

"Well, I guess we'd better get up there."

Turning to the girl, "Don't forget to cheer us on."

He then climbs into the ring.

Initiative - (1d20+5)[7]

[planswalker]

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that it's only 29 years old, but looks like it's seen 100 years of abuse.

Tim steps up as well.

Tim - (1d20+1)[18]
Pike - (1d20+7)[9]
Dru - (1d20+7)[13]

[Selinia]

With a shrug, Estellise starts up a merry brawling tune, sequencing impromptu lyrics into the chaotic rambling ambiance of the bar. Those taking places on the stage felt their spirits rise from a weave magic along with the encouraging melody of the song.

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Use Bardsong, cast Inspirational Boost

+2 to attack and weapon damage rolls. Go team!

[RandomAction]

Kel walks up on the stage, kicking the corpse of a fallen combatant out of his way, and stands over beside Tim and Hagan. Drawing his greatsword, held in a reverse grip, he studies his enemies.

Beware yourself, Dru. I do not play well with others.

Ini roll: (1d20-3)[3]

[planswalker]

The half-ogre says, "You may begin".

Tim mutters some words of arcane speech while flailing his arms about wildly.

Five missiles strike the one named Dru squarely in the chest.

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(5d4+5)[18] x 1.5 = 27

spellcrafty dc 16:

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an empowered stilled magic missile just went off. The arm waving was just because I can.

[planswalker]

For a moment, it seemed as if she might topple, but she keeps her footing and laughs.

"Well now, that hurt." Dru says as she saunters over in front of us. As she strikes at Kel with a wooden knife, she makes hungry slurping sounds. Her movements cause her hood to fall back, and her pale, gaunt face is clearly visible. Her hair is a tangled mess of knots, but despite all that, it looks like she may have been beautiful once.

Pike likewise saunters on forward. "Stupid wizard. You're gonna pay for hurting Dru."

He lashes out at Tim with a spiked chain from behind Dru. His hood remains up, but his hands appear just as pale and gaunt as Dru's face.

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attack - (d20+13)[17]damage - (d4+9)[11]
for Dru versus Kel's ff ac.

attack - (d20+13)[29]damage - (2d4+12)[17]
for Pike versus Tim's ff ac.

[planswalker]

The attack lands on Tim, who almost stumbles from the force of the blow. Five more missiles fire forth from his armor and strike Pike

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[rol]5d4+5[/roll] x 1.5

I promise, I'm not cheating.

spellcraft dc 16 to see why not

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I had a retributive empowered magic missile prepared.

[planswalker]

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(5d4+5)[17] x1.5= 25

stupid "rol" tag....

Pike likewise finds the missiles to be quite a shock to his system. Once again, though, it does not quite down him.

[Rizban]

Hagan clutches his dorje and thinks to himself that these two don't seem nearly as intimidating as they were led to believe. Still, he fires off his newly twinned dorje.

Manifested twice against each of them:
Electricity Damage - (4d6)[14] Ref Save DC19
Electricity Damage - (4d6)[16] Ref Save DC19

[planswalker]

The first round strikes them full on, and they both fail. However, the attack didn't seem to work too well. They resisted the majority of the damage, taking only four each.

On the second missile, they both manage to duck the worst of the blow, and their natural resistance seems to have absorbed the rest of the shock.

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real sorry about that Riz. Electricity is the wrong type to use against them.

and yes, they both rolled the same success/failure pattern.

Kel's turn

[RandomAction]

Kel chants a phrase and disappears from view. He then moves closer to Dru and removes a hand from his weapon. Making a few arcane gestures, he channels power into his blade and swings at the creature.

Attack: (1d20+15)[16] vs FF
Damage: (2d6+7)[12] weapon +(1d6)[3] acid +(2d6)[2] sneak attack +(3d6)[8] shocking grasp.

[planswalker]

Your attack manages to bypass her armor, but her tough, leathery skin resists being cut.

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that's a flavorful miss due to nat armor, btw.

"Foolish snacks. You don't hurt."

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I promise you, I didn't pick these monsters just to make everyone but me seem ineffective. I just thought they'd be cool to use. Then I read that they had electricity resistance 10.

Tim defensively casts another missile. This time, the five missiles disperse out, two to Pike and three to Dru.

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(d20+13)[27] please not a 2.... again....

(2d4+2)[7] x 1.5 against Pike
(3d4+3)[12] x 1.5 against Dru

spellcraft dc 16:

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empowered stilled magic missile again.

[RandomAction]

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I know. Maybe I should be talking with Rizban, he did just upgrade my greatsword, he could have left a few flaws in the hilt. LOL!

No really though, after I saw what I rolled I felt like I should have spoilered that to hide my shame.

The ones we are fighting, are they undead? I would like to look them up after/if we win here.

[planswalker]

Our two opponents vanish into vapor with the missiles' impacts, and slowly sink into the floor. The crowd is quite impressed with the show. It's not often that they get to see spellcasting, psionics, and spell-like abilities on stage all at once. We also seem to now be given a wide margin of respect, for those two were quite feared around here.

The inebriated blackscale roars loudly, "YAY! MAGIC and KILLING!". As promised, the half-ogre forces the blackscale to pay the thousand gold apiece, and include both the non-combatants too just to make sure we aren't unhappy with him.

"House keeps all the gear they had on them, by the way. That's what pays for the bribes to keep from getting shut down." the half-ogre says.

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no loot, but 1800 xp apiece, to all four pc's.

that next round would have been a double kill in all likelihood if the concentration had goobered up.

After their belongings are stowed away, he hands Hagan the key to a room. "Here you go. As promised, a room without windows. Know it or not, but you don't want windows. Not with three humans in your group."

[planswalker]

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sure can. 5th level human vampire entry from mm. pg 250. With one of them switching to an ironwood dagger instead of a spiked chain. She also was gonna start using her energy-draining slam next turn.

[RandomAction]

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Ooh my, now I will have fears of vengeful vampires after us.

Kel nods to the half-ogre in thanks before it leaves the room. Closing the door behind him, Kel turns to the group.

Now that we have a room and a somewhat safe place to rest, who are you people? What we you doing in the docks?

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If I am right, Kel just leveled. Hp roll in recruitment.

[planswalker]

"I'm Tim, here to test some of my theoretical work on the Great Spell in a practical setting. That, and hopefully gain some funds to aid my research. By the way, wand-wielder, you still have the loot we are going to split evenly?"

[Rizban]

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my laptop died completely.

"Loot? The barkeep took it all..."

[planswalker]

"Perhaps the loot from the skulks we saved you from?" Tim suggests.

[RandomAction]

Ah, the loot from the skulks we killed. I almost forgot about that. Though I remember the ladies found something interesting on the skulk leader, by the way what was he wearing?

Kel walks over to the only table in the room and sits down. He removes his pouches, placing them on the table, and his greatsword, setting it against the wall. He leans his chair back on two of it's legs as he watches everyone.

To Tim: A Great Spell you say. As a minor student in the arcanish arts, what kind of research are you doing? And how can you cast spells in plate mail?

The two women: I love your hair color. Red is powerful and fierce as the flame. Though, I am curious as to why you two were in the docks the most. You both seem to have a grudge against these skulks. Care to explain a little?

[Selinia]

Estellise and Marion lay out any of the items they'd looted from the skulks.

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I'm not exactly sure who looted how many of what, but I think there were a dozen daggers and four of the chain shirts, between all the skulks. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

She blushes slightly at the compliment. "Ah, thank you. But I'm really not too concerned with appearance right now. I swear, my hair is much nicer when it isn't matted with blood." She resisted the urge to cough yet again. "Anybody got an idea what these daggers are? They don't seem to be poisoned, but they felt like they were wracking my entire body with flame with even the slightest nick. An enchantment, but not one I've seen. As for those creatures..."

She shrugs. "I've yet to get a chance to introduce myself properly. So well met, everyone - I'm Estellise, of Lothian. I'd honestly never even heard of a Skulk until tonight. I, along with Marion and the Sisters of Salvation, are trying to pin down the cause of the recent disappearances of humans in this section of the city. We'd heard rumors of Pier 7, and... well, we saw people being attacked by thugs. We could hardly be expected to stand aside and let such an atrocity continue!"

"Still, I think this has proven... informative, at the least. At the least, we now know who is operating on the streets themselves. However, some of you seem to know something about these creatures. I... don't suppose they take prisoners? Why did they attack you? If they're the ones responsible for the disappearances - which seems likely - then I'll need to know as much about them as I can find out."

[RandomAction]

For myself and Hagan, it is simple. We were hired to find the ones responsible for the death of a local merchant. My investigation so far has led me to the belief that kobolds were responsible for the crime. We came here in search of the band and found a man, using a spiked chain, and a skulk already in battle.
When we went to give aid, that is when we were attacked by the entire band that was hiding in the shadows. This is where you three came into the battle.
I have not heard tale of these Skulks taking prisoners. From thier actions and weaponary, they seem to be the type not to.

[planswalker]

"The Great Spell is simple to cast, but has incredible potential. My thesis on the spell got me accepted into the Arcane Order at the university. I believe that I am nearly on the breakthrough for how to expand the spell to well beyond anything that has ever been done before. One of the first steps towards that end is removing the limitations around the spell. To that end, I have been going through special effort to eliminate the gestures associated with the spell, reducing the limitations upon casting it, but also making it more difficult to cast. I think I am on the verge of a breakthrough to eliminating gestures entirely, doing so becoming as easy as the un-augmented spell."

"As to the skulks, I came out here to hopefully test my theories on the spell in a practical fashion. The word in the university is that the skulks in the docks kill humans on sight. Figured I'd try my limits there."

[Rizban]

"Well, if there are twelve daggers and four chain shirts, that's three and one for each of us. Seems like a perfectly fair split to me."