(Pathfinder) The Curse of the Crimson Throne IC

[RocketMan]

Jensi

Jensi winces sympathetically as Dastan and Tallox both are hit by their respective foes. Jensi hurries forwards to heal them.

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Jensi will move forwards 10 feet and use Channel Energy, excluding all enemies from its effects.

Channel Energy: (1d6)[5]

[DaedalusMkV]

Dastan barely flinches back from the Mastiff's brutal attack, then shouts, "I will deal with this beast! Do not let any of these criminals escape!" and makes his own vicious counterattack even as he channels his own divine energy to heal his wounds, augmenting the effects of Jensi's healing power.

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Making an attack using Power Attack. Let's hope for more good rolls like last time. Also using Lay on Hands on myself as a Swift action to heal a further 1d6.

Attack: (1d20+5)[19]
Damage: (1d8+5)[6]
Lay on Hands: (1d6)[4]

Summary:
HP: 13/20
AC: 18, Touch 10, FF 18
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +9

Edit: likely a hit, but for minimum damage. Oh well, it shouldn't be able to take too many more hits like this. The Lay on Hands turned out pretty well too; altogether a nicely successful Round.

[Blisstake]

Aldrin tries to identify which spell had been scribed within that scroll, but hastily has to draw his attention back to combat. Not that he was much help anyway, with the group's near-suicidal plan, which seem to involve not having the powerful casters able to-

Okay, not the time for that. I suppose all I can do is try to keep the others busy.

His hands glow a shade of lavender, and he targets his spell toward the guard woman Kalinda had shot.

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Spellcraft to indentify the spell that had been used: (1d20+5)[13]

Daze, DC 15 will

[SanguinePenguin]

Atavian's fear that the battle will be fierce is enough to force him to focus intently on his eidolon's condition. His presence is extremely valuable; his disappearance is something that can't be allowed to happen. The halfling is focusing on the beyonder so strongly that can feel the sword bite into his eidolon. His focus goes beyond concern into true empathy. Below his skin, the halfling begins to feel the pain, he can feel the blood flowing internally, even as he watches Tallox bring the assault to the guardswoman with claws and bite. The monster's orange eyes betray no fear, no hesitation, no guilt.

His nascent wounds heal almost the whole way and Tallox's injuries vanish entirely as Jensi's healing spread over them. Atavian feel reinvigorated and is about to daze Tallox's target, but the sorcerer beats him to it. The halfling jumps forward, lowers to one knee, raises his crossbow and, firing around Dastan, launches the loaded bolt at the huge dog. He quickly reloads the bow in case he needs it again soon.

Actions:

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Atavian:
Daze Guard: DC 14
5 ft step (to where Jensi was)
Fire bow and load
See later post for attack and damage

Tallox:
Bite: (1d20+6)[7]+1 Dam: (1d6+4)[8]
L Claw: (1d20+6)[8]+1 Dam: (1d4+4)[7]
R Claw: (1d20+6)[26]+1 Dam: (1d4+4)[5] Edit: if 17 hits, 11 damage

FYI, I am going to be splitting most damage dealt to Tallox (if Atavian is out of combat). It makes the most sense to take full advantage of healing. Unfortunately, with the delay from new post to my post, I may not declare it until after I'm healed.

Summary:

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Tallox
HP: 18/18. AC: 21 (17+4 mage armor), 11 Touch, 20 Flatfooted.
Saves: +4 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +3 Will.

Atavian
HP: 19/20. AC: 16, 13 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +3 Reflex, +4 Will.

[King Tius]

Kalinda
Hearing the footsteps, the young gunslinger laments that she isn't a spellcaster.

"I think he's invisible! Someone should go after him!"

Even as she shouts this she reloads her pistol and fires again at the guardswoman.

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Attack vs Touch AC (-4 for firing into combat): (1d20+2)[3]
Damage: (2d4+1)[4]

Listen check to figure out in which direction he is running away?

Listen: (1d20+2)[16]

EDIT: Uh oh, I think my gun just jammed! Good thing I have two...

[Drothmal]

Upon the disappearance of the cloaked figure, time comes to a halt as Rennard examines his options

Breaking it down his situation to its basic components, the duelist could either

- Pursue the cloaked figure. Depending on which spell had been cast, it was possible that the invisibility would only last brief seconds and that Rennard could catch the masked man and knock him out. This implied leaving his allies to their fate against 3 other combatants, but it could lead to uncovering this conspiracy right here and right now, cutting the rotten bud before it could infect the tree

-Joining the fray. If Rennard capitalized on Atavian's spell and was capable of knocking out Vancaskerkin, the rogue captain could be interrogated and the same information could be unveiled. This plan was more conservative, not leaving the rest of the party to fight on their own. But if the cloaked man escaped and Vancaskerkin took the same suicidal approach as his subordinates, this option could lead to a complete failure on the larger picture

The best way to make this decision was trying to figure out what spell had been cast and what were the chances of chasing the cloaked man

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Perception - (1d20+1)[21]
Spellcraft - (1d20+9)[12]

[Leviathan]

Aldrin and Atavian

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Neither of you can identify the spell.

Atavian and Jensi

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I'm assuming you guys would want to identify it too, so I've rolled for you, since it isn't really a combat action. It is the spell invisibility.

[SanguinePenguin]

Atavian Attack

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Att: (1d20+1)[10] (+4 +1 bless -4 into melee)
Damage: (1d6)[1]

[Drothmal]

Kalinda! Aldrin! Atavian! Prepare your spells to strike at any window that opens! The mastermind has no options but to escape through one of them! Shouts the duelist to his companions, realizing that his blade would be better served in bringing Vancaskerkin down for later interrogation.

Taking advantage of the effect produced by Atavian's spell, Rennard makes full use of his training in both sword and sorcery: While slashing with Reve on his right hand, the magus' left hand starts tracing arcane symbols, at the end of which a ray of cold azure is directed at the dazed opponent

Actions

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Activate Spell Combat
Cast Ray of Frost
RangedTouch - (1d20+2)[14]
Damage - (1d3)[1]
5-foot step towards Vancaskerkin, attack trying to deal non-lethal damage (not sure if it is still considered flat-footed since he hasn't acted yet)
Attack - (1d20+1)[17]
[roll=Damage]1d6+2[roll]EDIT=8 (see OoC)

Status

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HP=20/20, AC=17, Arc. Pool=1/7

[Leviathan]

Dastan's second swing of his longsword batters the great dog to the ground, slicing into its neck. With a final, frenzied yelp, it goes silent, dark blood flowing from its wounds.

Kalinda's pistol jams as she fires towards the guardswoman.

Jensi channels Shelyn's power to heal his allies, whose wounds knit together, rejuvenating them with new energy.

Tallox's swipe tears out the guardswoman's throat in a vicious movement. Gurgling, she drops like a bloodied stone. Atavian's crossbow shot goes wide.

Aldrin, who had pointed his finger towards the now-dead guard, lets loose his magic upon Vancaskerkin. The treacherous man is stunned, his mind reeling from the assault upon it.

Rennard sends a jet of frost towards Vancaskerkin, sending a searing pain up the man's arm as it makes contact. The duelist then lunges forward, but his mercy ends up being his undoing: in dulling his attack, the ex-guard is able to parry it away. However, his counter-attack is clumsy, and finds no way around Rennard's defenses.

Kalinda's attempts to listen for the sounds of invisible footsteps becomes redundant, as the hooded man reappears. He is standing beside the windowed wall, waving another scroll. He then begins to ascend the sheer face of it with blinding speed; he is almost at the top, scuttling up it with hands and legs.

Atavian, Jensi, and Aldrin

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He has used a scroll of spider climb.

Map

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[Drothmal]

Rennard realizes that splitting his energies will not be enough to bring this enemy down. With the cloaked man escaping, capturing Vancaskerkin was becoming more crucial

Atavian! Aldrin! Both of you try dazing the mastermind! indicates the fencer, hoping that the double teaming will stop him from escaping

Even without looking away from his opponent, the duelist knows the positions of all his companions. Dastan was too far for Rennard to provide him with any strategic advantage...

On the other hand... Thinks the magus

Tallox! We need to take this man alive! cries the fencer to the outsider. Hoping that the creature would refrain his killing urges, the fencer moves and attacks with his blade trying to force Vancaskerkin to turn his back to the eidolon

Actions

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5-foot step up, giving Tallox a straight line and a flank
Attack trying to deal non-lethal
Attack - (1d20+3)[10]
Damage - (1d6+2)[3]

Status

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HP=20/20, AC=17, Arc. Pool=1/7

[RocketMan]

Jensi

Jensi silently agrees with Rennard. With the strange cloaked man now fleeing up the wall, beyond any of their reach, the blonde man - Vancaskerkin, Jensi supposes - seems the only way to unravel the mysteries. All the death caused here, it must be for something. At least, the youth thinks, we don't have to add to it.

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Guidance on Dastan, +1 to hit.

[SanguinePenguin]

"If you've got arrows, use them!" Atavian shouts as he fires his bow at the climbing man. He then reloads his bow.

Tallox did not understand mortals. Why are they so flimsy? Why try to take them alive if they just die so easily? Still, Atavian expressed similar sentiments before, so he decided to listen to the man. With a pause, then a sigh, then finally a dash, he sprints at the flank of the target. The central parts are where these things die easiest so... With a sudden motion, his jaws snap to clamp down on the man's forearm.

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Atavian:
Attack: (1d20+5)[8]
Damage: (1d6)[4]

Tallox (charging):
Attack: (1d20+7)[18] (+1 bless +2 flank +2 charge - 4 NL)
Damage: (1d6+4)[6]

Summary:

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Tallox
HP: 18/18. AC: 19 (17+4 mage armor-2 charge), 11 Touch, 20 Flatfooted.
Saves: +4 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +3 Will.

Atavian
HP: 19/20. AC: 16, 13 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +3 Reflex, +4 Will.

[King Tius]

Kalinda
Dropping her jammed pistol, she rushes towards the fall wall, drawing her second pistol as she does so. Aiming at the man climbing the wall, she squints her eye and bites on her tongue as she lines up her shot.

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Free Action: Drop 1st Pistol
Move Action: Move forward 5, diagonally up and to the right one on the map, draw 2nd Pistol
Standard Action: Attack climbing guy!
Pistol Attack vs Touch AC: (1d20+6)[23]
Damage: (2d4+1)[6]

[Blisstake]

A jolt of lighting flies forth from Aldrin's fingers, heading straight for the climbing man.

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(1d20+4)[23] vs touch.
(1d3)[1] damage

[DaedalusMkV]

Dastan turns away from his defeated foe and sees Rennard leaving his battle with the stunned man named Vancaskerkin and moves quickly to bring the stunned man down before he can regain his wits. He charges into the battle and aims the pommel of his sword carefully, doing his best to knock his opponent out rather than kill him. "The hound is dead! I will handle this one; you should all focus on the cloaked one." He may only be parroting Rennard's sentiments, but it's always useful to inform your allies of the situation.

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Charging at Vancaskerkin and taking a -4 on my Attack roll to deal nonlethal damage. No Power Attack, for the moment.
Attack: (1d20+5)[22] (+1 Bless, +1 Guidance, +2 Charge, -4 Nonlethal
Damage: (1d8+3)[6]

Summary:
HP: 13/20
AC: 18, Touch 10, FF 18
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +9

[Leviathan]

Rennard's blade is deftly parried by Vancaskerkin, and Tallox's charge is sidestepped at the last minute. Dastan too moves forwards aggressively, aided by Jensi's blessing, the flat of his sword bashing across Vancaskerkin's chain-covered chest. He grunts with pain.

Kalinda, Aldrin, and Atavian meanwhile open fire at the cloaked figure as he effortlessly ascends the wall. Atavian's crossbow bolt shatters against the stone wall a few feet from the climber, but Kalinda's bullet hits him in the arm, while Aldrin's jolt of lightning makes him shudder.

But then he is up and over the wall, out of view...

Vancaskerkin curses. "Coward! Well, you won't take me without a fight, you bastards!" He swings his blade towards Dastan, but it does not make contact. Then he retreats backwards, putting his back up against one of the stables.

Map

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[SanguinePenguin]

Tallox steps along with the man. Maintaining the senseless pacifism the mortal's requested, he whips at the man with the backs of his claws. Then tries to bite the man's wrist again.

Atavian hastily grabs Kalinda's arm, "let's get to the roof, maybe we can spot him from there." At that the halfling begins to run down the passageway.

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Tallox:
Att: (1d20+5)[24] (6+2 Flank +1 bless -4 nl) Dam: (1d4+4)[5]
Att: (1d20+5)[22] Dam: (1d4+4)[8]
Att: (1d20+5)[21] Dam: (1d6+4)[7]
Edit: Whoa! That's more like it, Tallox!

[King Tius]

Kalinda nods to the halfing and takes off after him, stopping quickly to pick up her jammed pistol and holster it. She quickly catches up to the halfling and keeps pace with him, using her longer stride to snatch a few seconds here or there to reload her good pistol and clear out her jammed one.

"Lead the way! Hopefully he hasn't gone far."

OOC:

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I know I just posted a bazilion actions at once, but that's Kalinda's general plan as she goes. Not sure if you're going to fast-forward us up to the roof or not.

[DaedalusMkV]

Dastan continues his assault, pulling his blows to try and avoid killing the man who is now their only lead. "If that is how you feel, I suppose I'll oblige you. How heinous must your crimes be, that you all prefer death to facing responsibility?" It seems that the Paladin is feeling a little more philosophical now that there is only a single enemy to face, as he continues his dialogue even as he fights.

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I'll five-foot-step to bring myself back adjacent to him and make a standard attack against Vancaskerkin, again taking a -4 penalty to deal nonlethal damage.
Attack: (1d20+3)[5]
Damage: (1d8+3)[9]

Summary:
HP: 13/20
AC: 18, Touch 10, FF 18
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +9

Edit: Well, I suppose my good luck had to run out eventually. I guess it's not easy to fight and monologue at the same time?

[Drothmal]

Rennard continues his attack, no longer speaking while he concentrates on bringing down his opponent

Actions

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5-foot step up (gives Tallox flanking. Since I think that the flanking +2 was incorporated into his attack, I will not add it to Rennard's)
Attack - (1d20+4)[8](+7 +1 spell -4 NL)
Damage - (1d6+2)[8]

[RocketMan]

Jensi

Jensi spins around, looking frantically between Kalinda and Atavian, who pursue the fleeing figure, and the rest of his companions battling Vancaskerkin, unsure of where he is needed more. In the end, the youth decides to stay - just in case they hurt the blonde guard, there's been enough killing today - but not before sending a blessing in the gunslinger's direction.

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Guidance on Kalinda - if she gets a shot at the man within one minute, it'll be at +1.

[Blisstake]

Aldrin follows Atavian and Kalinda, hoping that they would be able to corner the man before he gets too far.

[Leviathan]

Seeing half his foes flee, Vancaskerkin allows himself a brief laugh, made louder and more obnoxious by the fact that, even armoured, he nimbly dances away from Dastan and Rennard's twin attacks. His own counter-attack finds its way between a crack in the paladin's armour, but the wound is not deep.

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5 damage to Dastan.

Vancaskerkin stops laughing very quickly as Tallox strides into the fray, tearing several deep gashes in the deserter-leader's armour and flesh. The man still stands, but more shakily than before.

Kalinda, Aldrin, and Atavian run at full speed back up the passageway. They are going as quickly as they can, though Atavian's shorter stature proves to make keeping up with his long-legged friends difficult. Still, it will take at least a quarter-minute before the trio can reach the roof.

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For simplicity's sake, I'll say you have one more round of movement, and then on the round after that you'll be on the roof.

[DaedalusMkV]

Dastan reels back from the strike for a moment, then smiles. "Well struck, but you'll need more than that to bring me down." He quickly shifts position to bring himself into a flanking position with Rennard then counterattacks with a strike to the man's legs, hoping to finally bring him down. Meanwhile, his injuries again slowly begin to knit themselves together with a slight white glow.

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5-foot-step to brink myself into a Flanking position, then make a standard attack (Lethal damage this time, he's taken a ton of nonlethal so barring a crit there should be no chance of him dying from this) and use my Swift action to Lay-on-hands myself again. Only one left.

Attack: (1d20+7)[24]
Damage: (1d8+3)[7]
Lay on Hands: (1d6)[6]

Summary:
HP: 14/20
AC: 18, Touch 10, FF 18
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +9

[SanguinePenguin]

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Oops, I forgot it was only 100 ft.

Atavian suddenly remembers that he is moving too far from Tallox. When their connection fades, the backlash the beyonder receives is too much and deals him grievous wounds. He saw how that battle was going, Rennard and Dastan would surely drop the man soon. Atavian stops dead in the tunnel and shouts, "go on ahead!" to Kalinda and Aldrin. He runs back to the courtyard and dismisses Tallox.

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If The man still stands Tallox will hit him NL again.
Bite: (1d20+5)[24] Dam: (1d6+4)[8]
L Claw: (1d20+5)[22] Dam: (1d4+4)[5]
R Claw: (1d20+5)[16] Dam: (1d4+4)[7]

[Leviathan]

Dastan does not pull his blows this time, and his blade repays blood for blood. Then Tallox ends the fight, the beyonder crashing into Vancaskerkin and knocking the man to the floor. He is out cold, bleeding but still alive.

Meanwhile, Aldrin and Kalinda rush to the roof, scrabbling up the ladder from which Atavian recently descended. From the flat roof, the pair has an excellent view of the city. Night has now fallen, and a crescent moon illuminates the shingled rooftops of Korvosa. Some buildings are burning, and plumes of black smoke obscures the stars. Still, in the moon- and flickering firelight, a solitary figure can be seen dashing across the roofs. He is at least two hundred feet away, and a second later he takes a jump, and falls out of view.

[Drothmal]

Quickly, we need to disarm and bind him says the fencer as he pushes Vancaskerkin's sword away from the fallen man with his foot.

Dastan, Jensi and I can take care of him. Go after the others! the duelist says to the paladin. The magus turns then to the young oracle Jensi, would you help me search this man? I would like to make sure he cannot take his own life once he realizes we've taken him prisoner.

Rennard then proceeds to search the man exhaustively, trying to make sure that no weapons (or anything that could be used by the prisoner to kill himself) are hidden in his person.

The fencer looks around the courtyard, trying to see if there are any chains or ropes usually used for cattle that can be used to secure the prisoner. If he doesn't, he'll try using some rope he carries with him to bind the prisoner's arms and legs


Actions

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Search Vancaskerkin. If possible, take 20 (Rennard has +1 to Perception)
Tie Vancaskerkin. If possible, take 20 (don't know which Skill is appropriate, but Rennard has Dex +3)

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If either of these rolls cannot be a take 20, please go ahead and roll them for me

[RocketMan]

Jensi

"Do you really think he would try to do that - kill himself, I mean?" Jensi asks the duelist, horrified and curious at the same time. Then, just as quickly, his expression softens as he looks down at the unconscious man. "That's so sad. What he's done here, it's horrible, but to want to kill yourself..." Jensi's eyes linger over Vancaskerkin, concern and confusion playing across his face, before turning skywards.

Is it bad to feel compassion for him?

Whom among mortals can say what has befallen this man, what desperation drove him to this point? To care for your fellow creatures is no sin.

Jensi looks back down again. He quietly helps Rennard search the unconscious man, before turning his attention to Vancaskerkin's wounds. The youth gingerly bandages them; even though they weren't deep, it seemed cruel to leave the prisoner bruised and bleeding.

"Okay," he says to the duelist. "I can make him better whenever we're ready. But maybe we should wait for the others first?"

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If Rennard can't take a 20, you can roll a search check for Jensi as well.

Heal: [roll]1d20+3[/roll]

[Blisstake]

Aldrin mutters something under his breath, then responds to Jensi, "I don't think he's dead. If he can vanish and climb walls, then he probably had something prepared for this."

As exhaustion sets in, Aldrin rubs his temples tiredly. "Let's take this man back to the Marshall. I won't be much help in a search party, so I'd rater acompany you back than go wandering the streets at night for one of many bodies."