Re: Book 1: Crownfall, Act 3: The Silent Blade

As the political scene in Taldor explodes into chaos, heroes take on the mantle of agents, advocates, and saboteurs working for Princess Eutropia to help secure her claim to the Imperial throne and prevent the Empire from collapsing in on itself in civil war. Will they grow from relative nobodies to powerful politicians and spymasters in the deadliest political arena in the Inner Sea?

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Re: Book 1: Crownfall, Act 3: The Silent Blade

Post by ManWithDoor » Tue Dec 29, 2020 2:20 am

The Senate building it a charnel house: the bodies of civilians, Lion Blades, military personnel, and even the Ulfen Guard still lie where they fell. A few combat-fatigued soldiers wander the halls taking records of the dead, and are easily avoided. Servants hesitantly go to-and-fro somewhat aimlessly. Their 'official reports' remain unclear; some insist foreign assassins struck out at Taldor, while others claim the infamous Pathfinder Society attempted a coup, and still others claim the Grand Prince himself attempted to execute the entire Senate. Surviving Senators and staff have fled to their respective strongholds, while the Ulfen Guard have secured the Imperial Palace, refusing admittance to absolutely anyone. None of the servants have any idea where Grand Prince Stavian III and Princess Eutropia have disappeared to, and the aristocracy has fallen into at least a dozen camps, each insisting their candidate alone has a right to the Throne.

Once free of the Senate the nobles you escorted peel off, handing you pouches of gold as thanks. The servant Imistos and the cleric Jowuan Zubari stick with the group for their own reasons. The attendant for his new master, and the priest of Abadar because this whole situation is an assault on order and civilization that needs to be set right. Surprisingly, unless you shove her away Dame Malphene Trant sticks with the armed group rather than going solo. Dagio doesn't have much of a choice, he's a prisoner being dragged along.

Stavian's bloody assault on the Senate hurls the city of Oppara into a state of shock. Where only hours before the city was jubilantly celebrating the Grand Day of Exaltation, the streets now stand empty. Instead of riots and chaos, an uncertain silence fills the air - citizens of Taldor are accustomed to pushing forward in times of crisis. Only the occasional pedestrian meanders about, many of them servants or attendants to nobles slain in the short-lived violence, and unsure of where to go or what to do.

The Dignified Repository is a storage facility in the Crownsgate District. Rushing into mortal danger again, but this time by choice rather than happenstance, is certainly unpalatable. If they are desirous to continue their social climbing in this chaotic situation, they will need an expert spy to unravel the tangled political knot left in Stavian's wake, so Martella Lotheed needs saving. Even if only to be paid for their earlier work.
Please make sure you levelled up to 3! :) Again you don't recover your spent resources, just gain new ones. UNLESS the Party decides to sleep to recover, and risk losing your advantage of surprise and such.

Everyone get 500 gold pieces for the rescued Nobles.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: Book 1: Crownfall, Act 3: The Silent Blade

Post by Vardaen » Tue Jan 05, 2021 2:40 pm

Moving with caution out of the Senate building Theodrix pauses once or twice near a corpse, checking a body that looks familiar to him. He says nothing with a grim look on his face, but you can read it on his features, he's pissed, and none to happy either. Once the group reaches the safety of the empty streets he nods his thanks and good bye to the extraneous nobles who depart. "We need to get off the streets for a moment, take stock before we press on." So he leads the group of whos left down several allies until you reach a quite patch under some hung decorations for the celebration. The bright vibrant colors a stark contrast to the somber fallout of the murder spree.

"Alright, look, we need a moment to assess the situation before we rush head long into more danger." He reaches down and checks his wound, its not terrible, but its sticky with drying blood and will certainly fester if left unattended for too long. "Who else is hurt, and how can we heal up." He glances around at the new recruits as well.

"Imistos, we are going to be getting into more danger, are you up for it?"

"Father Jowuan, any blessings you can provide us now or in the coming troubles will be a solid peace of mind to all of us, Abadar be praised."

"Lady Trant, stick close, its likely not safe for you, but if you have any contacts that could help us resupply or slip through the city undetected, now is the time to call in those favors. We have some element of imitative here, we don't want to lose by being spotted."

"Dagio...." he pauses looking at their prisoner, "tell me what should we do with you?"
I'm at 17/21 HP

Now might be a good time for a Heal Skill check for some First Aid

Also where ever we go I want to Case the Joint solo before we all rush head long into it. A new ability I have, so let's put it to use. We can just narrate that, no need to delay RP for it.

Unfortunately I suck and I forgot how Dagio is :)
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Re: Book 1: Crownfall, Act 3: The Silent Blade

Post by Othniel » Mon Jan 11, 2021 11:34 pm

Astraea travels as the rearguard, bow out and eyes sweeping the near-empty streets. Her glance lingers on any they come across just long enough to evaluate the threat before moving to the next. She is wounded, but not on death's doorstep. A fire smolders in her amber eyes.

"We could all use a rest, and I a bit of healing, but I would not leave Lady Lotheed to fend for herself."
It was in the last thread, so I'm not sure if it got done, but I'd like to burn a Divine Favor as a CLW on self.

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Re: Book 1: Crownfall, Act 3: The Silent Blade

Post by ManWithDoor » Sun Jan 17, 2021 4:28 am

Father Jowuan manages to eek out a little more channeling of divine healing, before he becomes too exhausted and has to sit down. "Abadar go with you, as I can follow no longer. I have exhausted my connection to the divine, and am now more of a burden than a blessing. Everything is still chaos and madness. If you survive this night, and decide to work towards order and peace, find me again. One can never have too many friends."

Imistos has cleaned off the weapon he berserk-ed into the assassin earlier, and holds it tightly in his hand. He proudly straightens up to his still-short height, standing at Astraea's side. "A loyal servant goes where his master does, regardless of the danger!"

Lady Trant and Dagio stay for their own reasons. The Lady is in a city full of sedition and assassination, and even though she doesn't like you there is simple safety in numbers. Dagio stares up at the starry sky with fear, not having been aboveground in, if he is to be believed on his timeline, at least hundreds of years. He might still be able to blast people in the face with acid arrows, but everything is strange and scary. He might still be a prisoner, but he stays close to Aurelia for now.
Father Jowuan - he burns the last of his healing, so call yourselves all full, and Astraea can keep the Divine Favor spell still. But that's all he's got, he blew all his Channels and Cures on the group through the underground adventure.

Dagio isn't significantly hurt, he just got knocked senseless by Aurelia, and caught before hitting the ground. A few hitpoints down, nothing serious.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: Book 1: Crownfall, Act 3: The Silent Blade

Post by Vardaen » Mon Jan 18, 2021 9:03 pm

"Alright, Father, we shall look for you at your temple..." Theodrix finds out where that is, and then says his good bye to the priest and a thank you for the healing. "We need to keep moving, and avoid the street and patrols." He looks around. "A few disguises would be in order here. Stay here." He slips off to steal some laundry hanging from a line or to loot a broken and burning stall that has cloaks and hats and such. He returns with enough, he hopes, to conceal the identities of the company, at least for a passing glance.
Someone has a Hat of Disguise right? Time to use it.]
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Re: Book 1: Crownfall, Act 3: The Silent Blade

Post by Grimbold » Fri Jan 22, 2021 2:40 pm

Brother Bertram is used to pretending to be an incompetent drunk, so he helps gather the clothes and dons some poor man's garb over his breastplate and then assists the others with their disguise.
Disguise+8

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Re: Book 1: Crownfall, Act 3: The Silent Blade

Post by ManWithDoor » Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:03 am

Various disguises are put on, some more and some ... less convincing than the others. Theodrix moves on ahead as the others try to put together their new outfits. By the time everyone else is satisfied with their obfuscation and begins marching along towards the Dignified Repository, Theodrix reappears out of an alley and returns.

He shares that he can into a couple of members of the Pathfinder Society running along, and struck up a conversation. Having seen Lady Gloriana Morilla lead the Pathfinders in defense of the Princess during the attack, they seemed trustworthy enough. When he mentions his name and your issue, they say that they recognize the name of Theodrix as an ally to Lady Morilla. They promise to send a covert team ahead of you to try to clear out or lead away anyone suspicious from the warehouse. They have too much on their plates to commit to joining the assault, but any port in a storm, eh?

The Dignified Repository is a large, glorified warehouse on a section of open grass in Oppara's Crownsgate district. The warehouse stands 40 feet tall, with windows lining the building only near the roof to light the interior. Two metal exhaust pipes jut out from the top of the building. Five service entries along its sides provide access, as well as a pair of large receiving doors set on the short arm of the L-shaped building.

Shoved into a pile of refuse a hundred feet from the warehouse are found two halflings dressed identically as the assassins, likely lead away and ambushed by the Pathfinder agents. Casing the joint, you can see one pair of halflings slowly walking the perimeter, the killed halflings likely supposed to be teamed up with the others. It will be easy to slip by the patrolling lookouts to access any point on the building, or alternatively them. Or bamboozle with fancy words if they're particularly slow.
I believe Aurelia has the Hat of Disguise(?)

As Theodrix successfully Influenced Lady Morilla in Act 1, that has come back to benefit you! There are fewer enemies to deal with now.

Theodrix - Case the Joint: Skill Check = 17+3 = 23, Success. Get 1 Reroll to the next relevant skill check such as Stealth / Disable Device / Sleight of Hand.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: Re: Book 1: Crownfall, Act 3: The Silent Blade

Post by Zorbeltuss » Sun Jan 31, 2021 7:55 pm

Part of Mercutio has had enough of adventure, the rest of him feels a craving for more of it. Besides..Marthella intrigued him, although that could be said of a lot of women. Maybe some of the Vernisant sense of duty had found it's way inside of him despite his best efforts. No matter.

"I do have a little magic trick that might talk us all the way to Marthella" He rubs his bracers. "But the act will be up when we reach her, so might be better to see if we can get there undetected and spring our ambush".
Mercutio has Disguise+9, could break out disguise self spell if it really seems important, but having changed into hundred year old combat getup...regular disguise should suffice methinks

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Re: Re: Book 1: Crownfall, Act 3: The Silent Blade

Post by Othniel » Mon Feb 01, 2021 1:46 am

"This skulking around is irksome," Astraea growls. One might think it no wonder she is nicknamed "Liontári." "Even if I understand the need for it. Give me ten - nay, five - trusty men-at-arms and I would have take the place in minutes. I cannot sneak so well in plate armor."

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Re: Re: Book 1: Crownfall, Act 3: The Silent Blade

Post by Vardaen » Thu Feb 04, 2021 8:58 pm

"Let's try and NOT set the alarm off. If we can get in without that patrol spotting us, we will have an a better time of it. With no rest, low on spells, we shouldn't press the frontal attack. I can move up and try and get one of the side doors open then we can all make a break for the inside?"

If the group agrees he times his sneaking to one of the 5 side doors to avoid the patrol, check it for traps and locks, and tries to get inside before the halflings spot him. If he has to he moves back and forth to avoid getting spotted.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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