(Pathfinder) The Curse of the Crimson Throne IC

[DaedalusMkV]

Dastan
Dastan frowns at Lamm's words, glaring balefully at the crimelord for a moment. When he speaks, his voice drips with scorn. "You admit your crimes, without remorse, and you scorn justice and authority. Fine, then. Your death is my duty." The paladin shrugs his shield aside, preferring the power of a two-handed grip on his longsword, and sprints into action, drawing his blade as he goes.

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Dropping my Heavy Shield and charging at Lamm, using Power Attack.
Attack: (1d20+5)[22]
Damage: (1d8+7)[9]

Summary:
HP: 12/12
AC: 14, Touch 8, FF 14

[SanguinePenguin]

"Tallox, that's Lamm! Go!" Atavian shouts spurring Tallox to charge forward. Something didn't seem right to him though. Lamm seemed... confident. He should be terrified if six people he knew wanted his throat charged through his men and cornered him. There was something he was missing here. He glanced around carefully, his eyes settling on the only unknown... the pool of water!

Even as Tallox's jaws snapped down hard at the old man, Atavian ran through the room, as far as he could get away from the water. "The pool! Watch out for the pool!" He was terrified of who or what might be lurking under the water there, but he had to be ready for anything. He held the pinch of wool in his fingers ready to daze whatever emerged at a moment's notice.

Actions:

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Tallox charge attack (+5 base,+2 charge,-1 power attack):
Bite: (1d20+6)[21] Damage:(1d6+6)[10]

Atavian readying action cast Daze on whatever (if anything) emerges from the pool: DC 14 or no actions next round

Summary:

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Tallox
HP: 11/11. AC: 15 (13+4 mage armor -2 charge), 11 Touch, 16 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +2 Will.

Atavian
HP: 11/11. AC: 16, 13 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +3 Reflex, +3 Will.

[Leviathan]

Gaedren grunts as Tallox's snapping jaws graze his shoulder, followed by Dastan's two-handed blow, which cuts into the old criminal's arm. Rennard's thrust is barely parried, but blood flows from Gaedren's wrist, where his magic-imbued blade has struck.

Kalinda's gun retorts, her bullet whizzing past Gaedren's head, a narrow miss, while Aldrin's spell is shaken off.

Though hurt, Gaedren still seems confident. He calls out. "Gobblegut, kill 'em all!"

An enormous crocodile rises from the pool, water rolling off its back. It charges forwards, half of its scaly body leaving its home so that it can snap at Tallox with its own maw of dagger-sharp teeth. Powerful jaws clamp around the eidolon's arm, and refuse to let go. Atavian's dazing spell does not affect the creature in the least.

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Tallox takes 10 damage and is grabbed.

Gaedren, low cackling, lunges with his blade, slashing at Dastan. His knife cuts into the paladin's leg.

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Dastan takes 7 damage (1 normal, 6 sneak attack).

Map

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[Blisstake]

As the beast rises out of the water in a dangerous display, Aldrin screams, and for the first time in the day, forgets about Gaedren. His hands momentarily appear red and thick, and he attempts to make contact with the crocodile that had so deftly attacked Tallox.

I should have seen this coming!

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Using corrupting touch on the crocodile. (1d20)[12] touch. If it hits, the target is sickened for a round. If Dastan is detecting evil, an evil presense lingers around the crocodile and Aldrin's hands.

[Drothmal]

Rennard
In the back of his mind, Rennard could hear a voice whispering to him that maybe Gaedren is right, that the fencer and his companions were doomed.

I cannot die here. I will not dishonor the name of Balmont!

Quieting his fears, the duelist analyzed the situation: Tallox was being attacked by the beast and would not be able to help, but both him and Dastan were still free to continue their attacks on Gaedren. The paladin was able to inflict more damage than him, so Rennard moves to the side of Gaedren and attacks him, trying not only to hurt him but to provide a distraction for the paladin to move to the other side of Gaedren and attack

Actions

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5 foot step forwards, attempting to allow Dastan to get a flanking opportunity
Attack - (1d20+4)[10]
Damage - (1d6+2)[4]

Status

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HP=10/10, AC=17, ArcP=4/7

[King Tius]

Kalinda
Mouth agape at the sight of the croc, Kalinda quickly reloads and fires again, determined to e the one to put down Gaedren.

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Attack vs Touch AC: (1d20+6)[24]
Damage: (2d4+1)[4]

[RocketMan]

Jensi

Jensi gasps as the enormous crocodile pulls itself from the pool. Frightened, he can't help but move away from the creature, backing into a corner of the room. His violet eyes dart around the room as blood splatters. Aldrin rushes in to battle the great reptile, with bravery that Jensi wishes he had. Kalinda lets a bullet fly. Dastan and Atavian's strange monster-friend seem gravely injured.

From his corner, Jensi looks down at the holy symbol clasped in his palm. The beautiful, rainbow-coloured songbird sparkles even in the dimly lit room. Feeling a comforting, bolstering presence, the youth whispers a simple "thank you"and, glancing upwards, lets loose a burst a healing energy.

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Jensi will take a 5 foot step to the unoccupied corner space between Kalinda and Atavian. He will use Channel Energy, excluding obviously Gaedren and his crocodile.

Channel Energy: (1d6)[2]

HP: 8
AC: 15

[DaedalusMkV]

Dastan
The Paladin recoils momentarily from Lamm's blade, too-bright red blood leaking from the wound. "Phaugh. It'll take more than that to finish me, criminal!" He shouts, while dodging out of the path of the beast tearing away at Tallox. One thing at a time... He takes advantage of Rennard's distraction to deliver a powerful blow to the crimelord, doing his best to end Lamm's threat once and for all.

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Take a 5-foot step towards the bed, directly opposite from Rennard (and no longer being Flanked by that damnable croc), then let loose with a Power Attack from the Flanking position.

Attack: (1d20+5)[20]
Damage: (1d8+7)[10]

Summary:
HP: 7/12
AC: 16, FF 16, Touch 10

[SanguinePenguin]

"Human!" Tallox shouts commandingly to everyone nearby, "remove this mortal beast from my arm!" With his free arm and mouth, he claws and gnaws at the reptilian flesh.

"Ahhh! Fight it, Tallox," Atavian screams in panic for a second before he takes aim with his bow hoping to kill the crocodile. After he takes the shot, he spends a few moments to reload the bow.

Actions:

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If I read the rules correctly (which I might not have), mechanically, Tallox can still make a full attack against the Croc - as long as he does not use both hands. Reading grapples, I think the Croc and Tallox both have -2 AC from their dex being at -4 due to grappled. I am unclear on whether Atavian could cast grease on Tallox, rendering him nearly ungrappleable, so I am not doing that right now. If I can, I may want to do so if Tallox dies.

Tallox Full attack (+5 base,-2 grappled,-1 power attack):
Bite: (1d20+2)[9] Damage:(1d6+6)[8]
L Arm: (1d20+2)[13] Damage:(1d4+6)[7]

Atavian bow: (+3 base,-4 into combat):
Atavian attack: (1d20-1)[18] Damage:(1d6)[4]

Using life link, Atavian will take additional damage after Tallox drops to 1 unless the additional damage would drop Atavian below 1 as well, in which case, he will take none and let Tallox vanish.

Summary:

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Tallox
HP: 3/11. AC: 15 (13+4 mage armor-2 grappled), 9 (11) Touch, 14 (16) Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +2 Will.

Atavian
HP: 11/11. AC: 16, 13 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +3 Reflex, +3 Will.

[Leviathan]

Tallox struggles in Gobblegut's jaws, but is unable to strike the beast with more than glancing blows. Atavian sends a crossbow bolt flying past his eidolon, striking the crocodile in the side.

Kalinda's shot takes Gaedren in the shoulder. He stumbles, and this is all the opportunity Dastan needs to launch a final assault, aided by Rennard's distraction from behind. Sword held high, the paladin swings it in a wide arc, cutting through Gaedren's neck. The man falls, his head a macabre sight, hitting the ground with a bloody thud.

Gobblegut remains, however, and, though sickened by Aldrin's touch, the beast roars. It bites into Tallox again.

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6 damage.

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I'll update the map when I get back from work, but not much has changed.

[King Tius]

Kalinda
Wasting no time, Kalinda quickly reloads and puts a bullet into the crocodile.

"We got him! That filthy rat-bastard! That was for my father!"

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Attack vs Touch AC: (1d20+6)[19]
Damage: (2d4+1)[6]

[Drothmal]

Rennard

You will not do any more harm Rennard thinks as he sees his enemy being executed by the paladin.

The fencer does not rejoice, for he knows that the danger is not yet past. Taking advantage of the crocodile's attention being occupied by its struggle with Tallox, Rennard moves to the opposite side from where Aldrin is and attacks the beast with a slash of his rapier

Actions

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Move: Move to the opposite side of the Crocodile to get flanking (If I read the map correctly, there should still be space, if not, Rennard will just maneuver around to the lower-right corner)
Standard:
Attack - (1d20+4)[13] (+2 if Flanking)
[roll=Damage]1d6+2[/roll] EDIT:4 (see OOC)

Status

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HP=10/10, AC=17, Arc. P= 4/7

[Blisstake]

A small electrical discharge forms in Aldrin's hands, and he launches it at the crocodile. It may be a much weaker spell than the sorcerer would like, but it should still be better than nothing.

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Using Jolt on the Crocodile

(1d20+4)[21] against touch AC
(1d3)[1] damage.

[SanguinePenguin]

Tallox snarls at his failed attack. His right arm was rendered non-functional by the beast's jaws he shifts his arm's position and thrusts it his narrow fingers hard at the beasts side. He then brings his own jaws down onto the crocodiles neck.

Atavian felt helpless to aid Tallox. He took his wounds, the blood trickled down his small arm. He could almost feel the vise-like grip of the reptile crushing his bones. He considered dismissing Tallox, but opted instead to fire his crossbow again. Hopefully, the beyonder could endure this.

Actions:

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Tallox Full attack (+5 base,-2 grappled,-1 power attack):
Bite: (1d20+2)[6] +2 if flanking Damage:(1d6+6)[7]
L Arm: (1d20+2)[12] +2 if flanking Damage:(1d4+6)[8]

Atavian bow: (+3 base,-4 into combat):
Atavian attack: (1d20-1)[11] Damage:(1d6)[1]

Using life link, Atavian will take additional damage after Tallox drops to 1 unless the additional damage would drop Atavian below 1 as well, in which case, he will take none and let Tallox vanish.

Summary:

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Tallox
HP: 1/11. AC: 15 (13+4 mage armor-2 grappled), 9 (11) Touch, 14 (16) Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +2 Will.

Atavian
HP: 7/11. AC: 16, 13 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +3 Reflex, +3 Will.

[RocketMan]

Jensi

It's done, he's gone, he's dead. I did it - we did it! Jensi's head spins with emotions. He watches, with wide eyes, as Gaedren topples to the floor. His blood is a brilliant red. The youth allows himself a timid smile. Amidst the wave of his own relief, he feels a second, far away and yet surprisingly immediate. Thank you, Jensi feels back. I wouldn't have got very far without you. I'd probably be back on that ship.

Jensi is quickly pulled back to reality as he feels his goddess' relief turning to urgency. Remembering that his friends are still in danger, he releases another burst of energy. White light bathes the room again, this time flecked with shimmering colours.

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Channel Energy: (1d6)[4]

HP: 8
AC: 15

[DaedalusMkV]

Dastan
As Gaedran Lamm's life ends, Dastan allows himself the luxury of a moment of satisfaction. Another evil leaves the world. Judge him as he deserves... When the crime lord's body hits the ground, the Paladin turns around and launches himself at his gargantuan reptillian pet, hoping that it can be chased away before it kills Tallox, or one of the others. Unlike his brutal strikes against Lamm, Dastan restrains himself in case a wild attack would hit his companion in the melee.

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Moving up beside the Crocodile and taking my attack against it. This time no Power Attack, since (IC) Dastan is worried about accidentally hitting Tallox. Either way, I should have Flanking.

Attack: (1d20+6)[21] (Plus or minus any bonuses or penalties for attacking into the grapple)
Damage: (1d20+4)[11]

Summary:
HP: 11/12
AC: 16, Touch 10, FF 16

[Leviathan]

The crocodile withers under the combined assault. Lightning, lead, and steel sink deep into its scaly hide, and it staggers. Fighting to stand, the beast is put down by Dastan's mighty strike. The room immediately quiets.

With the area thus settled, you get a better look at the room. It seems to be a foul-smelling combination bedroom and study. A wooden bed with a lumpy mattress stands against the back wall, while a round table heaped with dirty plates, bread crusts, stained goblets, fruit rinds, and scuttling cockroaches sits nearby. At the foot of the bed sits a large strongbox, perhaps four feet long, a slightly rusted lock securing its lid. A sagging dresser filled with moth-eaten clothes well past their glory days is in one corner - what appears to be a wooden hatbox surrounded by a small cloud of flies sits atop this dresser.

[Blisstake]

As the roar of combat finally settles down, Aldrin takes a moment to collect his thoughts. He was glad the old man was finally slain, but Aldrin still felt an emptyness inside him, and a single thought floating across his mind.

Now what?

His death didn't restore the Cress family status. It didn't let Aldrin enjoy the privledges of wealth, and it certainly didn't bring back two years of his life. Aldrin knew this from the start and yet... a feeling of longing remains, as if this whole venture solved nothing.

The sorcerer absentmindedly looks around the room, and approaches the dresser, seeing the hatbox on the top. He shrugs, and turns to the rest of the group, stating, "I don't suppose Gaedren will need anything in here anymore."

[Drothmal]

Rennard immediately advances to the bed and stops in front of the strongbox. His face looks resolute, his eyes focused

Gaedren stole something from my father. I must find it says the fencer in the most passionate tone you have heard him use yet

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(that is, you can tell that he actually cares)

Without another word, Rennard starts striking the lock with his rapier, trying to break it while the blade is still imbued with energy

[SanguinePenguin]

After the crocodile falls, Tallox pries his arm from its grasp and examines the injury. Closing it several times, he concludes that it still functions. Being immortal has its perks. On his home plane, normally he would simply sit down and wait a few weeks until it had healed, but he knew Atavian would need him sooner than that. He looks around to make sure the halfling was okay.

The halfling is breathing heavily. Even though the blood streamed down his arm from wounds he never directly sustained, he seems indifferent to that. He simply loads his crossbow again and walks over to Lamm. Thunk is the sound of the bolt sinking into the dead man's skull. Relief washes over him.

Part of him is enraged though. For the past few months, he hated this man more than anyone... more than anything really. He had ruined his life, now, together with these temporary allies, they have finally taken the old bastard's life. Still, there is an empty void in Atavian's soul... for so long, so much rage has been directed to this enemy - and now he is gone. The rage is still there - it just lacks a target. For long seconds, Atavian kneels by the corpse with a blank, almost catatonic, expression on his face - just staring at the bloody form before him.

Finally, Tallox approaches him, grabs the lapel of his robes, lifts him from the ground and says menacingly, "it's over! Now, get back to it!" In spite of the beyonder's intentions, that is oddly exactly what the halfling needed.

"Right!" Atavian says as Tallox sets him down, "uh, help them with that," he adds pointing to the chest.

Tallox walks over to Rennard and bellows, "move mortal." The beyonder does not wait for Rennard to move, drops to his knees and shoves his spindly, sharp, right forefinger into the keyhole. Atavian approaches behind him, mutters an arcane phrase and touches Tallox's shoulder.

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Guidance
Disable Device: (1d20+6)[20]

[Blisstake]

Despite his current dismay, Aldrin manages a smile. "That's quite a "friend" you've got there, Atavian. How exactly did you meet? I have a feeling it's an interesting story."

While speaking, Aldrin takes the box on the dresser, and sees if he can open it.

[Leviathan]

Aldrin rummages through the dresser. Most of the clothes inside are stained and moth-eaten, but a few have at least a modicum of their value, if only for their original fabric.

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50g worth of clothes

As the sorcerer reaches for the hatbox, the flies surrounding it depart. The box itself is mahogany, with a single door, which swings open as it is lifted off the dresser.

Inside is another gory sight. The head of a woman lies inside, the flesh of her face sagging and slightly bloated. White hair wisps over her still-open eyes. It is the head of Zellara, and it is at least a week old.

Tallox's claws open the rusted lock with a click, and the lockbox swings open. This is where Gaedren has kept his most valuable finds. In it sits an ornate, jade-inlaid jewellery box with gold trim (empty); a sizeable golden ingot, stamped with the seal of Cheliax; an ablone-shell holy symbol depicting a swallow or dove with a long, multi-coloured tail; an obsidian wand; a fanciful, somewhat-scandalous figuring of two intertwined succubi; a rapier sheathed in a black scabbard; a fist-sized scrimshaw carving of a kraken with garnets for eyes; and a broach that, even to untrained eyes, seems immensely valuable, depicting a coiled imp and pseudodragon, each with amethyst eyes.

Atavian and Aldrin

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The broach belongs to Queen Ileosa, given to her upon her wedding to King Eodred.

[RocketMan]

Jensi

"Is everyone okay? I hope nobody's hurt," Jensi says in a rush as the battle ends. As he sees to the remaining injuries, however, he breaks out into a broad smile. It's like a weight has been lifted from him. If he was cheerful before, it's nothing compared to now. He practically skips over to where Aldrin is standing to get a better look at the hatbox.

"I wonder what the flies are doing here," he asks the sorcerer, cocking his head to one side as he looks at the box. Seeing Aldrin move to open it, he stands just to the side, looking on curiously. As the box opens, however, he gasps, dropping his holy symbol, which clatters noisily to the floor. "Wha- what?" he manages to say, confused and instantly less cheerful. "I don't understand? Poor Zellara! But... but, how could she be dead?"

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I'll use two uses of Channel Energy to patch everyone up, and I'll use Detect Magic on Zellara's head.

Channel Energy x2: (2d6)[10]

[DaedalusMkV]

Dastan stands over the dead crocodile for a few moments, breathing heavily. Finally, he reaches into a pocket and pulls out an old, lightly oiled rag to wipe the blood and grime off of his blade, still not talking and firmly ignoring his companions' actions. Finally, when he's certain that the weapon has been properly cared for, he turns back to the others. "Our mission is accomplished. Go ahead and retrieve whatever it is that Lamm stole from you, but it's now time to report Lamm's death to the magistrates, so that they can make inquiries into dealing with the rest of Lamm's minions and enterprises." He turns to Atavian and Tallox, then asks in his oddly resonant tenor, "Now then, one more thing. Your... 'Friend' rather clearly is not what you said he was. I expect a proper explanation, if you please." He silently calls upon Iomedae's guidance, seeing if any of the others in the room have the taint of evil upon them. When he finds nothing, he relaxes slightly.

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Dastan will now activate his Detect Evil ability, sweeping it over each of the other people in the room in turn. Obviously, nobody actually detects as evil at this point.

[Blisstake]

"What the...?!" After the shock wears off, Aldrin slams the box shut, and looks at Jensi, in complete disbelief. He takes a deep breath, then whispers, "You don't have to look, Jensi... here, let me." He softly speaks words of power, and his eyes momentarily flash, allowing him to see the innate magic in the room.

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Aldrin is using detect magic. He will also check out the items in the box.

[SanguinePenguin]

"Well, uh..." Atavian gulps and looks around a little frightened, he has known it would come to this, but he kept reassuring himself it was worth it. Now, he is less sure... "Tallox is-"

"The little mortal is my servant," Tallox interjects, his finger still working the lock. "He has a task to complete and it is in my best interest to assist him in completing it. More information than this is irrelevant for you," as he says that, he twists his finger, a loud snap opens the lock at last and Tallox throws open the lid.

Atavian spots the broach in the recently opened chest. Partially because he thinks he has seen it before and partially because he is desperate to change the subject to anything else, he moves over toward it. "Whoa!!!" He says as his jaw drops, he speaks slowly and directly with genuine shock, "that is the Queen's broach!"

[Leviathan]

Aldrin

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None of the items in the lockbox, nor Zellara's head, are radiating magic. However, something fist-sized under Zellara's head is doing so.

[RocketMan]

Jensi

"Okay," Jensi says to the sorcerer, looking unnerved and very upset. "Thank you," he whispers back. "I, um, I don't think I will look." The turns away from the box, teary and still very confused.

[King Tius]

Kalinda
Rather unceremoniously Kalinda approaches Lamm's body and gives it a swift kick in the head. She aims one of her pistols at it and looks as if she is going to fire but seems to think the better of it and holsters her gun. Peering into the chest of goods, she shakes her head and reaches for her bag.

"More than likely most of the people who belong to these things are dead. We'd never find 'em all besides. Might as well take the stuff and put it to good use. Lamm drove me to the streets, it'd be nice to finally have some coin again. We can stop by a shop and see what all this is worth. By the way, my name is Kalinda. I'm so glad he's finally dead. Perhaps now my father can rest in peace."

Unless anyone objects, she will start placing the loot into her back.

[Blisstake]

Why does it have to be under the head?

Aldrin kneels down, and places the box on the floor in front of him. Fighting back nausea, he moves his fingers around the grotesque head so he can get a good grip on it. With heavy breaths, he finally manages to remove the thing from the box, and place it at his side, so he can peer into whatever is remaining.

All of the other sounds and actions in the room seem completely irrelevant as he tries to make sense of the situation in front of him.