[5/29/2026, 4:59:24 PM] Tak Ironflame maybe it's just because of my familiarity with german, but does it bug anyone else that the password starts with "shm" and not "schm" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 4:59:30 PM] Nicolae that was in character --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 4:59:58 PM] Crion so much so that i simply changed mine --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:04:36 PM] Dammitwho 1704: who all's here? CBN, Crion, Nicolae, Gul Banana? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:04:42 PM] Crion oim here --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:04:52 PM] Gul Banana can't believe these people are attacking us merely for a list. or for a black triune artifact. or because they're just burglars --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:05:39 PM] CBN the NERVE of them. i'm here and indignant. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:06:08 PM] Nicolae *stands up bravely* i think we should acquiesce to all of their demands --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:06:23 PM] Dammitwho what if their demands are to kill you --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:06:25 PM] Crion i agree: they're asking for it --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:07:55 PM] CBN dwho can you clear the persistent damage that dubnoom's token has had on it since the mines? (WITHOUT killing him,) --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:08:10 PM] CBN oh i can just right click it. aha --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:08:45 PM] Gul Banana i haven't technically finished replacing all lindal's known occult spells with divine ones, but i have enough to do Prep --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:10:38 PM] Crion alright let's remember how to play this guy. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:11:23 PM] Dammitwho --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:11:29 PM] Dammitwho We begin!!! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:11:31 PM] CBN bleehee --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:12:22 PM] CBN ok. i should learn how to target an aoe with a spell. because dubnoom will be casting Calm --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:12:52 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Calm 2 Spell 2 Concentrate Divine Emotion Incapacitation Manipulate Mental Range 120 feet; Area 10-foot burst Defense Will; Duration sustained for up to 1 minute You forcibly calm creatures in the area, soothing them into a nonviolent state; each creature must attempt a Will save. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success Calming urges impose a -1 status penalty to the creature's attack rolls. Failure Any emotion effects that would affect the creature are suppressed and the creature can't use hostile actions. If the target is subject to hostility from any other creature, it ceases to be affected by calm. Critical Failure As failure, but hostility doesn't end the effect. Spell Effect: Calm Save DC 22 Will Place 10-foot burst --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:13:23 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "What noise from yonder balcony rises?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:13:36 PM] CBN there! should be hitting all 3 of them, who will need to save against dc 22 will --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:13:44 PM] Crion was typing up imran's offer of redemption, but, will wait until the outcome of this roll lol --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:14:13 PM] Cultist (1) 19 1d20 + 8 = 11 + 8 = 19 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:14:24 PM] Cult Leader 23 1d20 + 16 = 7 + 16 = 23 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:14:53 PM] Gul Banana i like how it strikes through the success to replace it with critical success --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:16:51 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Dubnoom rises shakily from the foot of the bed, recalling that the best move in a fight is the last move. The second-best move...is the first move. Maybe we can make them the same thing. "Dubnoom's Reconsidering Request!" He gestures and throws some sand in the air in the direction of the interlopers. "Hold on please and do not with stabbing we are tired here, it was a long day and Dubnoom has early plans to break fast!" Their minds, possibly, become clouded. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:17:02 PM] CBN third action, channeler's stance, since, stances. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:17:08 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" You enter a stance that allows power to flow through you. While in this stance, whenever you cast or Sustain an apparition spell or vessel spell that deals energy damage, you gain a status bonus to the spell's damage equal to the spell's rank. Each time you Cast a Spell that has the vitality or void traits and that restores Hit Points while in this stance, the spells' targets gain a status bonus to the initial amount of healing received equal to the spell's rank. This bonus healing does not apply to healing over time effects (such as fast healing or regeneration). Effect: Channeler's Stance was applied. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:17:27 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Dubnoom stands relatively firm! Sort of resolute! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:18:38 PM] Imran Traveler Imran stands. "I offer you the holy redemption of Nocticula," he says, "as ridiculous as that sounds. The Redeemer Queen prefers I at least try." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:20:42 PM] Cult Leader The man in darkened glasses, seemingly unfazed by the deep gloom of your lodgings, looks back at Imran with contempt. "Apostate. Liberal." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:20:50 PM] Nicolae did cultist 2 roll to resist the calming, i only see the leader and 1 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:21:08 PM] Dammitwho cultist 2 rolled within the initial casting, and also failed --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:21:21 PM] Gul Banana i wonder whether Cult Leader is talking about Imran or Nocticula there --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:21:23 PM] Imran Traveler Imran grins back at him. "That's what I like to hear." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:21:27 PM] Nicolae lol, so this dude just lost his lackeys --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:21:44 PM] CBN made them a better offer (do nothing, make your boss do it) --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:22:22 PM] Nicolae whoopsie, not yet tak --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:23:30 PM] Gul Banana [INCAPACITATION] --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:24:55 PM] Cultist (1) The man raises his flat-ended, serrated dagger, but finds himself unable to summon the violent urges necessary to propel him on to stab someone with it! Instead he turns, and spends his time feverishly rifling through bags and backpacks. Hey! That's your shit! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:26:02 PM] Nicolae one action to draw my clan pistol from under my pillow --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:26:28 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "Gyah! Friends Tak! Imran!...Lindal....? Our stuff! We need that for things!" He points a shaky little hand at the cultist. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:27:37 PM] Imran Traveler That's neither a yes nor a no. Well, it's probably a no. But it does feel wrong to just stab him between the shoulder blades without at least encouraging him to stop with some kicks first. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:28:27 PM] Tak Ironflame There is the sound of a hammer being cocked. "I'm going to give you to the count of ten to step away from our belongings, put down your arms, and begin explaining yourself. Count starts at nine." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:29:06 PM] Nicolae i realize there's no actual mechanical opportunity for tak to force an intimidate roll or for the cultist to take a "raise his hands" reaction or anything but i figure for the flow of the thing --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:29:35 PM] Crion cult leader is probably the guy for us to go after immediately --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:29:39 PM] Crion for tag team purposes --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:29:54 PM] Gul Banana yes, let's not break the calm on the other guys early --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:29:55 PM] Imran Traveler To Tak: "Oh, just shoot the sneering one." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:30:00 PM] Tak Ironflame 37 1d20 + 17 = 20 + 17 = 37 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:30:07 PM] Tak Ironflame 51 2 * (2d10 + 1d4) + 1d10 piercing = 51 = 51 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:30:17 PM] Dammitwho christ almighty --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:30:19 PM] Nicolae sweet baby ray's --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:30:20 PM] Imran Traveler "He's not going to have anything to say you might want to hear until he's missing a knee." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:30:41 PM] Cult Leader Cult Leader takes 51 damage. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:30:48 PM] Cult Leader 14 1d20 + 10 = 4 + 10 = 14 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:31:09 PM] Nicolae that's the kind of roll where my first instinct is "i did the math wrong somewhere". jesus christ --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:31:32 PM] Dammitwho appalling --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:32:15 PM] Tak Ironflame "Ten." A shot rings out, and it strikes true. Very true. Hopefully that area rug is easy to clean. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:32:18 PM] Crion it seems like we might be in a position to end this fight with guys to interrogate instead of three corpses to explain to the innkeeper... --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:32:43 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Lindal drops down from the roof, Ram Banaram hopping from his shoulder to the table, and peeks through a window- ah! A man's just been Shot by a Gun. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:32:44 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Consequences. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:33:01 PM] Tak Ironflame Tak Ironflame loads +1 Striking Clan Pistol with Rounds (Clan Pistol). --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:34:06 PM] CBN i do appreciate that nicolae's rolls are making guns exactly as lethal as they should be in this setting --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:34:17 PM] Dammitwho a critical strike and then two tens on a 2d10 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:34:32 PM] Crion in fairness we've had a few fights where we were like "what in fact are the mechanical advantages of gun?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:34:36 PM] Dammitwho i saw it come down on the 3d dice. appalling, i say again --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:34:36 PM] Crion but not this one. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:34:37 PM] Tak Ironflame Tak hops off the bed and begins reloading. "I'll say it again: step back from our things, drop yours, and start talking." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:35:03 PM] Nicolae yeah, if i roll real bad on the attack roll guns can be kind of piddly. but if i roll really good on the attack roll, well --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:36:44 PM] Dammitwho are you finished with your turn? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:37:05 PM] Nicolae oh, yes, sorry --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:37:08 PM] Cult Leader Current Conditions Stunned 1 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:37:45 PM] Gul Banana Stunned (figurative) 1 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:38:34 PM] Cult Leader The sneering man grunts with pain and alarm, but seems utterly unmoved by your threats and/or offers. He reaches to his chest and hurls something to the ground! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:38:48 PM] Imran Traveler "Fucking--" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:38:52 PM] Cult Leader @UUID[Scene.yL003rHvRvksy1dr.Token.5hLiTZ1Bw8eqhLNu.Actor.er6mKiNKdPDHYv6q.Item.SpBmA0AdgGVBSfYt]{Smoke Ball (Lesser)} --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:38:53 PM] Imran Traveler "Don't fuck up the room--!" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:39:28 PM] Cult Leader 5-foot burst --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:40:15 PM] Crion oh come ON --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:40:20 PM] Crion that's so IRRITATING --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:40:33 PM] Crion where's the rule tooltip on concealed... --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:40:52 PM] Cult Leader you have to beat a DC 5 on a flat 1d20 when you attack him or you miss --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:41:02 PM] Cult Leader same for him to you, however --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:41:09 PM] Crion oh that's not so bad. famous last words --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:41:42 PM] Nicolae okay did the map go black for everybody or did i just click somewhere a thousand miles away from the map center --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:41:47 PM] Gul Banana what if we attack him with... aoe --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:42:01 PM] Nicolae ...oh, i actually did fuck up that time, lmao --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:42:03 PM] Crion map is fine for me --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:42:24 PM] CBN concealed says "Target" so aoe, unclear. but if you can blow a gust of wind through it that would disperse it as well --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:42:35 PM] Cult Leader A cloud of black smoke billows out of the small alchemical wad the cult leader hurls to the ground! It becomes difficult to see him and his compatriot, but you can hear him hiss "Wake up, fool!" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:42:47 PM] Cult Leader 12 1d20 + 2 = 10 + 2 = 12 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:43:10 PM] Cult Leader having been the subject of hostile action, the other cultist is no longer affected by Calm --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:43:28 PM] CBN Did He Pass His vs Concealment Roll To Even Target Him --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:43:29 PM] Imran Traveler Defensive Advance 2 Champion Flourish Guardian With the protection of your shield, you dive into battle! You Raise your Shield and Stride. If you end your movement within melee reach of at least one enemy, you can make a melee Strike against that enemy. You can use Defensive Advance while Burrowing, Climbing, Flying, or Swimming instead of Striding if you have the corresponding movement type. Feat 1 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:43:43 PM] Imran Traveler Imran Traveler raises their Minor Reinforcing Steel Shield. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:43:50 PM] Nicolae sadly, dubnoom's opening gambit was nullified by that most ancient and powerful of spells, Hey Knock It Off Ya Numbskull --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:43:59 PM] Imran Traveler 15 1d20 = 15 = 15 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:44:11 PM] Cult Leader oh, that's a good point CBN --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:44:12 PM] CBN cost that guy a turn, which in turn cost him a large chunk of his body to tak's fire --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:44:19 PM] Dammitwho 3 1d20 = 3 = 3 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:44:27 PM] Nicolae lmao --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:44:29 PM] CBN *punches the air* hoyeah --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:44:36 PM] Crion lmao --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:44:48 PM] Nicolae fuckin sent the three stooges to loot our room --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:44:50 PM] Dammitwho lmao, okay cultist 2 is still Calmed, as the rules text for Concealed says that if the check fails "you aren't affected", which i'm ruling includes breaking Calm --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:44:54 PM] CBN i apologize that 1 combat into playing a spellcaster i'm already asking about very pointed rules --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:45:03 PM] Imran Traveler 35 1d20 + 17 = 18 + 17 = 35 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:45:12 PM] Imran Traveler 32 2 * (2d8 + 4) slashing = 32 = 32 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:45:22 PM] Crion that might be +1 from tak. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:45:31 PM] Dammitwho Interesting. I am a four years old child. These are the last rolls I have ever seen in my life. Gootbye --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:45:35 PM] Nicolae yeah, +1 from successful strike --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:45:43 PM] Cult Leader Cult Leader takes 32 damage. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:45:44 PM] Crion so 33. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:45:53 PM] Nicolae also, hilariously, if that roll doesn't do him in, that was a crit and tak's gun is loaded, --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:46:30 PM] Nicolae ah. rip --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:46:51 PM] Imran Traveler "Ah, I can't see you. But I can hear you. And it's a small room." He drives forward and his blade finds the head man. "She offered you a real good deal. Now you get mine." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:47:11 PM] Nicolae i suppose it would be gauche to complain about not getting to use my reaction attack when i already dealt 51 to the bastard at once --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:47:38 PM] Dammitwho Listen, if you want to mutilate the corpse you can do so all you like --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:47:48 PM] Dammitwho Arguably he wouldn't mind, --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:48:49 PM] Crion the dice have conspired to, among other things, give us no new data on how much healing this party needs in a fight. thank you dice --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:49:07 PM] Gul Banana lol --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:49:26 PM] Dammitwho You finished, Imran? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:49:27 PM] Gul Banana lindal's got some now, but as you say, all we know so far is that what he's got is more than we need --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:49:58 PM] Crion yes. realized i was waiting for the end of combat there for some reason --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:50:05 PM] Cultist (2) 27 1d20 + 10 = 17 + 10 = 27 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:50:05 PM] Nicolae turns out the best healing of all is "kill them before they land a blow" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:50:10 PM] Nicolae they call that preventative medicine --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:50:12 PM] Dammitwho Group Perception Roller Name Roll + Mod Total Dubnoom "The Wise" 5 + 12 17 Tak Ironflame 12 + 14 26 P. P. Lindalsivranragdya 2 + 8 10 Imran Traveler 7 + 10 17 Ram Banaram 3 + 9 12 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:50:25 PM] Crion so like. we need to stop these guys from going through our stuff without killing them. i'd prefer not to kill them --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:50:35 PM] Nicolae i mean if you think about it's the same principle as a vaccination except somebody else is getting shot --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:50:59 PM] Gul Banana we could... stand in readiness to kill them. and start making intimidate rolls --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:51:03 PM] Crion or maybe we should just kill them? idk maybe that's acceptable here in a society where you can cast Calm, if they don't stop --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:51:04 PM] CBN do passive resistance and stand between your shit and them. they will become stunlocked by your logic --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:51:08 PM] Crion augh yes --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:51:21 PM] Crion i should have used my final action to intimidate the guy i could see --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:51:52 PM] Crion turn obungled --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:52:07 PM] Crion to be clear, they can't get the orb, imran keeps that on his person --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:52:29 PM] Gul Banana unclear whether that's what they're after.. but the leader's demeanour suggested it --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:52:32 PM] Nicolae perhaps the last cultist will reconsider his actions in light of the fact that his boss just got perforated --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:53:07 PM] Crion there is an extremely small slice, demographically, that would call a nidalese servant of nocticula an apostate and a liberal in that order and with that variable venom --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:54:02 PM] Nicolae let me guess: they're all in on the whole dying horribly thing --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:54:16 PM] Dammitwho Well, that depends on what information he has... anyway sorry I had to look something up --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:54:42 PM] Cultist (2) 27 1d20 + 10 = 17 + 10 = 27 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:54:48 PM] Nicolae he failed his dc check to perceive himself and vanished-- ah fuck --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:54:50 PM] Dammitwho Group Perception Roller Name Roll + Mod Total Dubnoom "The Wise" 15 + 12 27 Tak Ironflame 5 + 14 19 P. P. Lindalsivranragdya 20 + 8 28 Imran Traveler 9 + 10 19 Ram Banaram 1 + 9 10 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:55:05 PM] Cultist (2) 17 1d20 + 8 = 9 + 8 = 17 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:55:24 PM] Gul Banana hey! no jumping --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:55:44 PM] Cultist (2) Lindal! You see him fleeing past you! You have a reaction - one action - to do something, if you wish! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:56:09 PM] Gul Banana acrobatics to trip? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:56:23 PM] Cultist (2) Not unless you have a really, really long tail --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:56:50 PM] Gul Banana i mean, he does, but i guess your point is that the guy's fleeing past... 20 yards away --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:57:13 PM] Nicolae one shot. throw the frog at him. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:57:49 PM] Gul Banana blindness would be great, bu tit's two actions... --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:59:24 PM] Gul Banana scattering caltrops is also "a square adjacent to you" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:59:39 PM] Gul Banana so the only ranged thing i have that seems relevant is to yell so loudly that it's mildly painful --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:59:43 PM] Gul Banana the 1-action version of --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 5:59:49 PM] Crion the correct answer might be to instead move to block the other guy --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:00:12 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya @UUID[Actor.na4BvYZuIm8Bnbpr.Item.gs9bsUBNQHp8hRa2]{Concordant Choir} --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:00:11 PM] Crion like move towards him knowing you're not gonna catch him but block the door --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:00:16 PM] Crion ah --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:00:25 PM] Gul Banana that was just me finishing my sentence --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:00:42 PM] Gul Banana is "run towards him" a relevant reaction though? seems like taking an extra third-of-turn early --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:01:03 PM] Crion trying and failing to reach him but putting yourself in an advantageous position seems fair? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:01:18 PM] Crion maybe it doesn't include a move --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:01:39 PM] Cultist (2) 25 1d20 + 9 = 16 + 9 = 25 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:01:56 PM] Gul Banana ? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:02:34 PM] Cultist (2) Basic fortitude save against your Concordant Choir. What's your spell DC? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:02:47 PM] CBN in this guy's defense, if he gets back to his base i think he gets a field promotion --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:02:55 PM] Gul Banana none, because i'm not casting it? 1d4 damage doesn't seem worth expending a spell --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:03:16 PM] Cultist (2) oh, sorry, i thought you were. mb --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:03:24 PM] Gul Banana sorry for confusion, i was discussing options --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:03:46 PM] Cultist (2) You can run toward him if you wish, in this case --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:03:50 PM] Gul Banana doesn't seem liek there are any really (if only lindal had a *fifteen*-foot pole...), so, no action unless- ah --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:04:06 PM] Gul Banana ok, lindal will scramble after the guy but presumably not in time to stop him going anywhere --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:04:28 PM] CBN hunt him like a dog! lindal moves in 3 dimensions, and this fool, merely two! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:04:28 PM] Cultist (2) Hup! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:04:29 PM] Nicolae maybe the sight of a monkey man appearing out of nowhere will startle him enough to make him stumble... --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:04:38 PM] Nicolae lindal has the power of z-axis --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:04:40 PM] Gul Banana Just as he's getting his bearings from the bullet noise, Lindal sees a man - unshot - run from the room! He bolts toward whoever that is. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:05:27 PM] Cultist (2) He leaps from the balcony and flees into the night! But Lindal is alert and keen-eyed enough to see the man go, and note him slipping into a sewer access across the street... --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:06:20 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya He'll Stride into the doorway to figure out what in hells is going on. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:06:48 PM] Gul Banana More of them! Anyone object if he tries to subdue the still-rifling thief? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:07:26 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya If not: --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:07:27 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Blindness 2 Spell 3 Concentrate Divine Incapacitation Manipulate Range 30 feet; Targets 1 creature Defense Fortitude You blind the target. The effect is determined by the target's Fortitude save. The target then becomes temporarily immune for 1 minute. Critical Success The target is unaffected. Success The target is Blinded until its next turn begins. Failure The target is Blinded for 1 minute. Critical Failure The target is Blinded permanently. Save DC 22 Fortitude --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:07:36 PM] Gul Banana *now* a fortitude save is called for --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:08:05 PM] Dammitwho --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:08:57 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Sparks and showers of light come in the doorway with Lindal, dancing spirits that get in the remaining man's face... as if guided by justice. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:09:14 PM] CBN i assume that casting-blindness is a hostile enough action to end calm on cultist 1? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:09:28 PM] Dammitwho I'm afraid so. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:09:38 PM] Cultist (1) "Aieeeee!" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:10:07 PM] CBN well. then no need to sustain calm! huzzah. first action, stride! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:10:16 PM] Dammitwho Dubnoom is up, and he can hear shouting outside and a loud thumping at the door! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:10:28 PM] CBN and then, --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:10:31 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Telekinetic Hand 2 Cantrip 3 Cantrip Concentrate Divine Manipulate Range 30 feet; Targets 1 unattended object with a Bulk of 1 or less Duration sustained You create a floating, magical hand, either invisible or ghostlike, that grasps the target object and levitates it slowly up to 20 feet in any direction. When you Sustain the spell, you can move the object an additional 20 feet. If the object is in the air when the spell ends, the object falls. Heightened (3rd) You can target an unattended object with a Bulk of 1 or less. Heightened (5th) The range increases to 60 feet, and you can target an unattended object with a Bulk of 1 or less. Heightened (7th) The range increases to 60 feet, and you can target an unattended object with a Bulk of 2 or less. Base: 1st Heightened: +2 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:10:34 PM] CBN with, --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:10:38 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Forceful Push Archetype Attack When you cast Telekinetic Hand, you can modify its target to be 1 creature. If you do, replace its standard effects with the following: You push your foe telekinetically. Make a spell attack roll against the target's Fortitude DC. On a success, you push the target 5 feet away from you. On a critical success, you push the target 10 feet away from you. Feat 4 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:10:57 PM] CBN attempting to shove this guy away and into that corner --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:11:05 PM] Cultist (1) Fort DC 19! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:11:26 PM] Nicolae i do enjoy the dissonance of playing a stealthy creature of shadows who uses the loudest weapon known to alchemical science. however, i suspect that the other patrons in this inn do not share that appreciation, --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:12:29 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Telekinetic Hand 2 Cantrip 3 Cantrip Concentrate Divine Manipulate Range 30 feet; Targets 1 unattended object with a Bulk of 1 or less Duration sustained You create a floating, magical hand, either invisible or ghostlike, that grasps the target object and levitates it slowly up to 20 feet in any direction. When you Sustain the spell, you can move the object an additional 20 feet. If the object is in the air when the spell ends, the object falls. Heightened (3rd) You can target an unattended object with a Bulk of 1 or less. Heightened (5th) The range increases to 60 feet, and you can target an unattended object with a Bulk of 1 or less. Heightened (7th) The range increases to 60 feet, and you can target an unattended object with a Bulk of 2 or less. Base: 1st Heightened: +2 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:12:38 PM] CBN how do i force a spell attack roll... --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:12:46 PM] Gul Banana literally bullying this man --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:13:40 PM] Nicolae i mean, there is an easy way to not get tossed around by a goblin with telekinetic powers. step 1: find a hotel room where said goblin is spending the night. step 2: don't fucking break in there --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:14:08 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" 13 1d20 + 12 = 1 + 12 = 13 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:14:27 PM] Dammitwho Hm! Eat shit! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:14:30 PM] Crion the wisdom of rolling over an hour into the session --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:14:35 PM] Crion when you have a hero point. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:14:43 PM] CBN lol --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:14:56 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" 30 1d20 + 12 = 18 + 12 = 30 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:15:08 PM] Dammitwho Hit! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:15:15 PM] Cultist (1) "Oof!" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:15:37 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Dubnoom circles around the side of the room. "Nyah! Stop touching our shit! And tell us what you're doing here! And keep it down other people are trying to sleep! Including and especially Dubnoom, perhaps most of all!" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:15:58 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" He gestures. "Dubnoom's Decisive Discouragement!" This is a code word to make the minion shove, and shove it does. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:16:01 PM] Cultist (1) Current Conditions Blinded --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:16:41 PM] Cultist (1) Does Imran have a reactive strike? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:16:59 PM] Crion he does but like. let's try to intimidate our way out of this one --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:17:05 PM] Crion instead of getting more blood all over the room --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:17:09 PM] Crion he'll pass on the strike --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:17:52 PM] Cultist (1) 27 1d20 + 8 = 19 + 8 = 27 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:18:00 PM] Crion my mental picture is the mascot of hamburger helper just did that iconic jackass prank to Cultist 1 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:18:08 PM] Crion of what just happened, that is --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:18:12 PM] Cultist (1) He beats your intimidation DC! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:18:26 PM] Crion idk that i can intimidate as a reaction --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:18:37 PM] Cultist (1) Yeah that's just against general being scared of you --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:18:39 PM] CBN if anyone can, imran can. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:18:42 PM] Crion ahh --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:19:01 PM] Cultist (1) 15 1d20 + 11 = 4 + 11 = 15 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:19:02 PM] Dammitwho Cultist critically missed with Machete. Spider Venom is spent with no effect. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:19:15 PM] Cultist (1) 11 1d20 + 6 = 5 + 6 = 11 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:19:27 PM] Dammitwho YOU PEOPLE ARE ALL WITCHES --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:19:28 PM] CBN rip to that guy's own limbs. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:19:30 PM] Dammitwho FUCKING WITCHES --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:19:47 PM] Dammitwho I AM LEAVING --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:19:51 PM] CBN mechanically he is literally attacking the witch class character. can't say we didn't warn you --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:20:02 PM] Crion look. it's better that this happens here with some plot hook clowns instead of with a real named character NPC you're attached to. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:20:15 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Lindal's in the door for a reason! He occupies far more space than his small body should - ducking under one strike and then jumping another. There's no way this guy is getting past without explaining himself. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:21:01 PM] Cultist (1) "Nyaaaagh!" Instead of taking Imran's frankly generous offer, the man, froth from his mouth getting into his beard, attempts to flee! He slashes frantically at his chisel/serrated knife, but LIndal casually dips out of the way without letting him through! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:21:23 PM] Nicolae hmmm. should i attempt to plug this guy a couple times, or leave him alive for imran to roll some intimidate checks --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:21:36 PM] Nicolae ah, it's like that then --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:22:08 PM] Tak Ironflame 31 1d20 + 17 = 14 + 17 = 31 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:22:13 PM] Tak Ironflame 25 2 * (2d10 + 1d4) + 1d10 piercing = 25 = 25 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:22:23 PM] CBN the burst of dice, every time --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:22:38 PM] Crion winging him is probably the proper move --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:22:58 PM] Tak Ironflame "Should've dropped the knife, pardner." The inn's patrons are once again roused from slumber. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:23:06 PM] Crion sounds like we might have killed the only conversationalist... --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:23:08 PM] Nicolae is there a way to mechanically be like "i want to shoot him in the leg" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:23:40 PM] Nicolae ah, there is, and i get the option to take that feat at level 10 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:24:02 PM] Nicolae poor bastard. if only he'd come after us a few levels later, i could be just taking out a knee instead of going center-of-mass --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:24:25 PM] Tak Ironflame Tak Ironflame loads +1 Striking Clan Pistol with Rounds (Clan Pistol). --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:24:42 PM] Dammitwho Admittedly I didn't really expect one level six guy and two level three guys to cause you a lot of trouble --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:24:49 PM] Nicolae before i use my final action, which will probably be shooting again, does it appear that the cultist is reconsidering his actions or is he just fully in the death wish zone --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:24:55 PM] Dammitwho but fucking hell, Imran going "Tak, introduce us" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:25:09 PM] Gul Banana imo we should at least try to skill him into surrrender --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:25:17 PM] Dammitwho He is quite literally frothing at the mouth --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:25:26 PM] Gul Banana ...maybe that skill is medicine --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:25:35 PM] Nicolae "maybe that skill is medicine" lmao --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:25:38 PM] Tak Ironflame 25 1d20 + 17 = 8 + 17 = 25 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:25:42 PM] Tak Ironflame 10 2d6 + 1d4 piercing = 10 = 10 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:25:43 PM] Dammitwho You might be able to get something out of him? I'll certainly let you try, if you can get him grappled or something --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:25:52 PM] Cultist (1) Cultist (1) takes 10 damage. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:26:07 PM] Nicolae and the 25 from before, --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:26:12 PM] Crion grapple is probably imran's purview --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:26:36 PM] Cultist (1) Cultist (1) takes 25 damage. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:26:54 PM] Dammitwho or nonlethal him unconscious --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:27:23 PM] Crion one of these days imran will bid tak to action with the classic kjb "let that thing bark" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:27:29 PM] Tak Ironflame Tak fires once more, and the frothing mad cultist twitches as the round lands. "Last time I saw that much froth was on a rabid dog, and I'm thinking the cure's gonna be the same this time too." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:27:43 PM] Dammitwho Tak has that classic KJB bit "the gun that kills you instantly" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:28:24 PM] Crion ok shield bash with a normal shield without a shield boss can probably achieve nonlethal bonk status --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:29:45 PM] Gul Banana lindal has a Nonlethal Beam if you fall a couple of points short --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:30:12 PM] Crion tak are you done --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:31:35 PM] Nicolae goddammit, sorry, i appear to have somehow forgot every aspect of the foundry UI --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:31:55 PM] Imran Traveler Imran Traveler grips their Minor Reinforcing Steel Shield with two hands. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:32:07 PM] Imran Traveler Imran Traveler sheathes their +1 Striking Longsword. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:32:21 PM] Imran Traveler 1d20 + 14 1d20 4 4 18 1d20 + 14 1d20 18 18 32 Damage Critical 1d20 + 14 = 18 + 14 = 32 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:32:42 PM] Crion can i decline a crit. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:32:50 PM] Dammitwho No! :) --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:32:54 PM] Imran Traveler 12 2 * (1d4 + 4) bludgeoning = 12 = 12 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:33:03 PM] Cultist (1) Cultist (1) takes 12 damage. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:33:07 PM] Crion cool. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:33:25 PM] Dammitwho Imran tells him about the rabbits. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:33:34 PM] CBN gonna have to become necromancers to find out stuff from npcs at this rate --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:34:01 PM] Crion incredibly irritating but i suppose realistic rules interaction --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:34:16 PM] CBN unfortunately speak with corpse ("Talking Corpse" is a level 4 (!!!???) spell.... --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:34:17 PM] Dammitwho Hang on, let me check something re: nonlethal attacks --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:35:53 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Lindal's always wanted to know what it sounds like when someone is hit by a sauce-pan or wok. Satisfying. "The third man bolted into a sewer, over the road. Do we give chase?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:36:45 PM] Dammitwho Okay, so you did declare you wanted to make a nonlethal attack before doing it --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:37:14 PM] Crion i intended to, and posted "ok shield bash with a normal shield without a shield boss can probably achieve nonlethal bonk status" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:37:22 PM] Crion i did not make a formal declaration as such --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:37:40 PM] Crion unsure if that requires special prep or something --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:37:46 PM] Dammitwho And while the -2 circumstance malus from doing a nonlethal attack would make it a normal hit rather than a crit, i don't feel like working out and rerolling damage to do cleanup for this guy --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:37:52 PM] Dammitwho so we'll say you bonked him unconscious there --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:38:34 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Dubnoom: "It's so late at night...and the bed is nice and right there. Also there is a dead guy in the stink cloud, Dubnoom believes. Do not want to leave that around." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:38:39 PM] Dammitwho For future reference: any attack with a weapon or unarmed strike (that doesn't have the 'nonlethal' trait already) can be made nonlethal by taking a -2 to the attack roll. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:38:46 PM] Imran Traveler Imran sheathes his sword, takes his shield in both hands, and wallops the frothing, bleeding man across the back of his head. The man goes down. To Lindal: "Yes, but not yet." To Tak: "Let the good innkeep into the room to survey the damage." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:38:57 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "But we're only moments behind him! Did he take anything?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:39:06 PM] Imran Traveler "Let's stop this fool from bleeding out on the floor." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:39:16 PM] Imran Traveler "Yes, see if anything's missing." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:39:30 PM] Imran Traveler "Running into the sewers after him in the middle of the night does not seem wise." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:39:49 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "Instead of getting it back?" Lindal throws up his arms in a gesture of... something. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:39:49 PM] Imran Traveler "It moves the terrain of engagement to the benefit of him and his." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:40:16 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "What's the point of coming to the city at the world's heart if you don't chase villains into trap-filled sewers..." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:40:25 PM] Dammitwho The door continues to thump, and then there's a *hiss-click*! It unlocks and swings wide, as the innkeep, red faced and bearing a broken chair leg and wearing a pot as an improvised helm, bursts into the room! Neji Copperbrim is at his side, holding a hand crossbow and wearing a more sensible leather helm! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:40:55 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "Hello friends! We have been assailed." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:40:56 PM] Dammitwho "BLOOD AND THUNDER, WHAT'S GOING ON?!" shouts the innkeeper, more exercised than you've seen him, and with reason. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:40:58 PM] Tak Ironflame Tak opens the door. If the innkeeper is there, Tak will let him in. If it is an enraged person who was trying to sleep, Tak will have a discussion with them and not let them in. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:41:34 PM] Tak Ironflame "Evenin'. Had a bit of a break-in." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:41:46 PM] Dammitwho "Oh! I guess you're safe?" Neji says, sounding relieved and disappointed in equal measure. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:42:04 PM] Imran Traveler "Check to see what he's taken." Imran glances over his shoulder. "Innkeep. Thank the goddess you're here. As the wise one says, it seems we've been assailed. We've tried to minimize the mess." He moves the body of the unconscious man outside so he can get some more ambient light on what he's doing. There's still a haze of smoke in the room. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:42:26 PM] Tak Ironflame Tak nods. "We are, but I must rightly apologize, ma'am. I, ah..." He looks at the corpse of the cult leader. "I may have befouled the rug." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:42:30 PM] Crion treating wounds on the cultist --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:42:54 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Lindal moves out of the doorway to let Imran past. He'll stop arguing, having no desire to look suspicious in front of our hosts. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:43:04 PM] Dammitwho crion: roll'em --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:43:23 PM] Imran Traveler Think of it this way, Lindal: If we give him a 45 minute head start, he'll be able to put more impressive traps in place. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:44:24 PM] Dammitwho The innkeeper groans, breathing heavily as he lowers his chair leg. "Abadar's brass balls. If it isn't one thing it's another. You're none of you hurt, are you?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:44:27 PM] Crion lol vasodilation doesn't work --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:44:42 PM] Imran Traveler 12 1d20 + 8 = 4 + 8 = 12 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:44:50 PM] Crion come on man --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:44:55 PM] Dammitwho --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:45:02 PM] Crion does anyone have a better medicine roll, --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:45:11 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "Are you trying to preserve the man? Here, let me- well, let the spirits." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:45:14 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Stabilize 2 Cantrip 3 Cantrip Concentrate Divine Healing Manipulate Vitality Range 30 feet; Targets 1 dying creature Life energy shuts death's door. The target loses the Dying condition, though it remains Unconscious at 0 Hit Points. Base: 1st Heightened: +2 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:45:21 PM] Crion oh, nie --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:45:24 PM] Crion nice --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:45:40 PM] Imran Traveler Imran fumbles around a bit before the expert steps in. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:45:54 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "We are not hurt no. Their reach into our quarters --- which are very comfy cozy thank you! --- exceeded their killing-us grasp. Mind the blood there." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:46:06 PM] Dammitwho If you're referring to the cult leader: he fully dead. If you're referring to the cultist (1), he wasn't dying anyway, merely unconscious --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:46:21 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Lindal presses his palms over the man's ears, which are probably still ringing like a gong, and lets the light in. If he can feel anything right now, the scouring doesn't feel good, but it cauterises and cleanses. Eventually, the cultist will wake. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:46:41 PM] Nicolae too late, he already emoted it. it's canon. he was dying from a bonk --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:46:44 PM] Gul Banana well, now we're certain he isn't dying without needing to pass a medicine roll to find out. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:47:15 PM] Crion well between us we can have a conversation with the idiot when he wakes up, --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:47:26 PM] Crion lets find out what the absconded cultist took --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:47:29 PM] Crion if anythin --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:47:59 PM] Imran Traveler To the innkeep: "We're fine, such as we are. Trying to figure out if the one who fled stole anything." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:48:09 PM] Cultist (1) 24 1d20 + 10 = 14 + 10 = 24 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:48:37 PM] Tak Ironflame Tak begins looking through his bag and the assorted things strapped to its outside. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:48:48 PM] Ram Banaram Ram Banaram hops into the room and over to the cages. Perhaps he's concerned for his fellow Creatures. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:49:08 PM] Dammitwho Fortunately for you, the cultist that escaped wasn't the one who was rifling through your shit. The other one managed to pull out... the little journal that the orbfella had gnawed out of the bedding earlier. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:49:15 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Dubnoom waves a hand to clear the smoke, and begins rummaging through the deceased man's belongings. Which are now his belongings if they're any good. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:49:39 PM] Imran Traveler Ah. Interesting. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:49:46 PM] Imran Traveler Well, that's better than them coming for the orb. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:49:51 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Maybe they're a spider venom cult. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:50:44 PM] Imran Traveler To the innkeep: "I hope I am not asking you to break some sacred local trust between custom and customer by asking, but: Who was the man in this room before us? The dandy." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:50:49 PM] Tak Ironflame After confirming that his belongings have not been ransacked, Tak offers to help the innkeeper deal with the corpse. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:51:34 PM] Cultist (1) As if there were any doubt, the deceased leader bears a detailed drawing of a man's face: the man with the waxed moustache you paid to leave his lodgings (these rooms) yesterday. His name seems to be Tomik Rynchard. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:51:44 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Hm. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:51:46 PM] Dammitwho It looks like you just (temporarily?) saved his life. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:51:58 PM] Dammitwho Unless he was like, really strong. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:52:28 PM] Imran Traveler "Now that's interesting." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:52:54 PM] Dammitwho Still red-faced, the innkeeper says: "He gave his name as Tomik- what his right profession was I never knew, nor was it my business. Why d'ye ask? Were they after him?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:53:01 PM] Imran Traveler "So giving us his room was no act of grace and charity then." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:53:08 PM] Imran Traveler "Seems so." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:53:22 PM] Dammitwho "Well, you paid him a gold for it, as I recall. Nothing odd there." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:53:56 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "Presumably the man didn't *know* he'd be killed tonight." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:54:39 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Detect Magic 2 Cantrip 3 Cantrip Concentrate Detection Divine Manipulate Area 30-foot emanation You send out a pulse that registers the presence of magic. You receive no information beyond the presence or absence of magic. You can choose to ignore magic you're fully aware of, such as the magic items and ongoing spells of you and your allies. You detect illusion magic only if that magic's effect has a lower rank than the rank of your detect magic spell. However, items that have an illusion aura but aren't deceptive in appearance (such as an invisibility potion) typically are detected normally.Heightened (3rd) You learn the rank or level of the most powerful magical effect the spell detects, as determined by the GM. Heightened (4th) As 3rd rank, but you also pinpoint the source of the highest-rank magic. Like for an imprecise sense, you don't learn the exact location, but can narrow down the source to within a 5-foot cube (or the nearest if larger than that). Place 30-foot emanation Base: 1st Heightened: +2 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:54:41 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Dubnoom holds up the drawing to the innkeeper. "This is the Tomik?" What a weird name, Dubnoom thinks. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:54:59 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "Wow, the bullet-riddled one had a magic knife." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:55:47 PM] Imran Traveler Well, he didn't take the journal with him, Imran doesn't say out loud because the innkeep doesn't need to know about all that. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:55:57 PM] Tak Ironflame "Should've invested in magic armor." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:55:58 PM] Imran Traveler So he was either coming back for it or he was bailing. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:56:46 PM] Dammitwho The innkeeper squints at the paper and says "That looks well enough like him." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:57:34 PM] Dammitwho Neji is alongside Dubnoom, solemnly rifling through the cult leader's pockets and arranging what Dubnoom found in a neat pile alongside the corpse. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:57:39 PM] Dammitwho Roll Religion! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:57:46 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" 21 1d20 + 12 = 9 + 12 = 21 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:57:46 PM] Imran Traveler 23 1d20 + 10 = 13 + 10 = 23 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:58:11 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya 21 1d20 + 8 = 13 + 8 = 21 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:58:15 PM] Tak Ironflame 24 1d20 + 4 = 20 + 4 = 24 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:58:32 PM] CBN tak simply cannot stop winning --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:58:36 PM] Nicolae lmao, i guess tak had a real good half night of sleep --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 6:58:48 PM] CBN the night time is the shadow man's time --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:01:47 PM] Dammitwho Lindal and Dubnoom don't notice anything unusual about Neji's behavior. Especially not Dubnoom, since she's doing essentially the same thing as him. Imran knows that the ceremonial going-through-the-pockets of the dead is a rite of Nivi Rhombodazzle, the gnomish god of risk, luck, stealth, and games of chance. Tak knows all that, and also knows that Nivi Rhombodazzle's worship has been steadily growing among Pathfinders and unaffiliated adventurers over the past few centuries - those that risk it all for the chance at wealth. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:02:23 PM] Dammitwho "Wow, who was the one who let off the gunfire?" Neji asks. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:02:28 PM] Gul Banana rhombodazzle! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:02:55 PM] Imran Traveler Imran turns his body to look over at Tak expectantly instead of directly answering her. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:03:09 PM] Tak Ironflame "That was me. Again, sorry about all the noise. It is... not a subtle weapon, I admit." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:04:04 PM] Tak Ironflame "I hope everybody I woke up is able to get back to sleep presently." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:04:33 PM] Dammitwho "Oh, Tobiah'll soothe any ruffled feathers. I'm just glad nobody who didn't deserve it got hurt! Those look like pretty good shots... you must be pretty hot with those things - like Three-Shot Quiet!" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:05:01 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "Except for the guy who got away," Lindal mumbles to himself, "who'll go as far as possible rather than taking a nap." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:05:07 PM] Tak Ironflame "Oh, shucks, ma'am, I do all right." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:05:20 PM] Tak Ironflame Has Tak heard of Three-Shot Quiet, or is their renown more local? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:06:12 PM] Imran Traveler 17 1d20 + 10 = 7 + 10 = 17 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:06:19 PM] Tak Ironflame 24 1d20 + 4 = 20 + 4 = 24 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:06:26 PM] Nicolae jesus christ tak --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:06:28 PM] Crion lmao --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:07:19 PM] Imran Traveler Imran certainly never has. He'll go over to look at the unconscious man, see if he's coming around. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:08:22 PM] Dammitwho Imran's pretty sure that Three-Shot Quiet is a pub game kind of like horseshoes, but with old round-shot. You get three tries to land your shot near to a spike without touching it. Tak knows that Three-Shot Quiet is a divine servitor of Nivi Rhombodazzle, a gnomish rogue so-named because of his ability in myth to fire three shots from two guns. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:09:54 PM] Tak Ironflame As a gunslinger, Tak has picked up some lore about gunslingers of renown. "I must admit, I haven't yet figured out how to shoot three shots with two guns. Still just one shot from the one gun at a time. I'm workin' on it, though." He grins. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:10:23 PM] Dammitwho The innkeeper (Tobiah) rumbles: "No sense fretting any further. If you've no objection, we'll drag the corpses out and call the guard in the morning." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:11:09 PM] Tak Ironflame "I think there's just the one corpse, unless that fella--" he points to the unconscious cultist-- "is doing worse than I thought. I think Imran's going to want to hold him for questioning." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:11:11 PM] Imran Traveler "This one's not dead." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:11:36 PM] Tak Ironflame Tak, contributing to the cause, digs out some rope from his pack. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:11:51 PM] Imran Traveler Imran takes a chair from the balcony. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:12:04 PM] Imran Traveler Haul him and bind him, then get a bucket of water. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:14:45 PM] Dammitwho "Abadar's hind end! We'd best see what he has to say for himself!" Tobiah rumbles angrily. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:15:35 PM] Tak Ironflame The cultist is hauled and bound, water is fetched. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:17:02 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "Certainly we will. It's your house of hospitality he invaded, no matter how targeted his intentions." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:17:28 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya A wiser assassin would bribe the innkeeper before attempting such a thing. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:18:32 PM] Dammitwho Giving him the ol' liquid wake-up call? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:18:32 PM] Imran Traveler Imran will splash the man with the bucket, then asked for it to be refilled. He might need it a second time. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:19:12 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Was the man's skull hard enough to leave a dent in Imran's shield? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:19:56 PM] Dammitwho It doesn't seem so. Quality craftsmanship. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:20:11 PM] Dammitwho The man stirs and splutters as the water hits him! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:20:24 PM] Cultist (1) 28 1d20 + 8 = 20 + 8 = 28 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:20:38 PM] Crion that die rolled ominously on my screen... --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:20:42 PM] Crion bounced twice, slowly --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:20:51 PM] Cultist (1) 6 1d6 = 6 = 6 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:21:36 PM] Dammitwho He flails, snarls, clicks his teeth at you before settling down, relatively speaking. "Pig fucker FILTH! FUCK!" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:21:45 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Hmm. It's unclear how this guy feels about us. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:21:49 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "Rude!" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:21:55 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Lindal will consult the spirits to clarify. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:21:55 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Read the Air 2 Cantrip 3 Cantrip Concentrate Divine Manipulate Duration 1 minute You take a deep breath as you survey a social situation, showing courtesy to all around you as your intuition swiftly picks up clues about social contexts and unspoken assumptions of behavior. Your body language subconsciously changes to take advantage of this information and use it in your own interactions with those creatures. As part of Casting this Spell, you Recall Knowledge using Society to gain information about the immediate social situation. You also gain a +1 status bonus on your next Diplomacy check to Make an Impression on those creatures present when you cast this spell, as long as the check occurs during the duration of the spell. You can read the air only once in a given social situation; casting it again has no effect. Spell Effect: Read the Air Base: 1st Heightened: +2 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:22:06 PM] Tak Ironflame "At least he's not frothing. That's progress." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:22:55 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya can i attempt to Make An Impression on this guy and improve his attitude from dogshit to dogwater? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:23:04 PM] Crion imran will fall back --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:23:20 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya or pigfucker to piglover level. whatever's available --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:23:24 PM] Cultist (1) Wyvern Poison - Initial Save Cultist has been exposed to Wyvern Poison Make a Fortitude save to resist the affliction Roll Fortitude Save --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:23:40 PM] Cultist (1) Wyvern Poison Damage Cultist takes damage from affliction Current Stage: 1 Damage: @Damage[3d6[poison]] Click the damage link above to roll and apply Target Cultist --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:23:40 PM] Cultist (1) Wyvern Poison - Stage increased Cultist (1) is now at Stage 1 (was Stage -1) Damage: 3d6 poison @Damage[3d6[poison]] damage Target Cultist (1) --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:24:24 PM] Cultist (1) You can roll to make an impression, it won't improve his disposition toward you but it will make him more likely to answer questions --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:24:46 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya 1d20 + 11 1d20 1 1 12 1d20 + 11 1d20 15 15 26 1d20 + 11 = 15 + 11 = 26 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:24:46 PM] Nicolae i think imran's shield already made an impression, --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:25:24 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "Welcome back to consciousness. Look, friend, you came here for something and it wasn't available. We're not your targets. You don't like us, and we don't like you, but we have something you want: your life." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:26:03 PM] Cultist (1) The cultist stares at Lindal, seething, but doesn't spit or swear at him. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:26:53 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "I think that if this man tells us who and what he was after here, we don't need to hit him again. All agreed?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:29:03 PM] Imran Traveler "I can abide that." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:29:05 PM] Cultist (1) He laughs openly at you. "Wasting time, wasting time pretending, sad little runaway. 'Oh who could it be, who could it be? This drawing we have right here?'" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:29:19 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "Tentatively agreed!" Dubnoom says, feeling the fabric of the looted robes in his fingers. Good material? Fancy? Soft? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:29:33 PM] Imran Traveler We have that second bucket? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:29:36 PM] Cultist (1) The drawing is out in the open along with the rest of the cult leader's stuff, so he knows you have it. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:30:12 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Runaway? Lindal was *sent* away, though this guy's guy no need to know it. "And who is he to you, this target?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:30:25 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya *though this guy has no need to know it --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:31:17 PM] Tak Ironflame Second bucket, coming right up. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:31:59 PM] Cultist (1) He takes a deep breath, crazed eyes glaring at Lindal, then bellows: "He's a PIG looking for the KNIFE! THAT'S ALL!" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:34:49 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya This doesn't seem fruitful. Anyone want to cut in with a redirect? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:35:20 PM] Dammitwho Lindal can roll Society or something to have learned something from this answer, however --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:36:01 PM] Gul Banana hell yeah for living in and interrogating a society --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:36:01 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya 18 1d20 + 12 = 6 + 12 = 18 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:37:09 PM] Imran Traveler It's really too bad he gutted the leader. Imagine the more erudite conversation they could be having with him right now, and all the educated slurs he could be throwing around. In fact-- "If you'll look to your left, you'll see what's left of your man in the little glasses. I was hoping to talk to him, but here we are. All I've got is you. Did you know him well?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:38:35 PM] Dammitwho Lindal is too nice a boy to really get a lot out of the frothing ravings of this guy, but he's able to pull together this much: he didn't and doesn't know or care who Tomik Rynchard was or what he did - he was just pointed in a direction and told to stab. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:39:09 PM] Dammitwho Sullenly, to Imran: "Well enough. Too much oil in him. You let it all out, hahahaha!" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:39:48 PM] Dammitwho CBN: --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:40:52 PM] Imran Traveler So he resented the man. Interesting. "He did seem full of many things. Was he the one who brought you into all this, or just the one that took charge? Did he deserve it?" Imran leaves it ambiguous whether he's asking if he deserved to lead or deserved to die. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:41:56 PM] Cultist (1) 22 1d20 + 8 = 14 + 8 = 22 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:42:09 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Well, Imran's questions are already on the track this guy might actually know about - no need to interject. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:42:55 PM] CBN Thank You. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:45:19 PM] Cultist (1) The man takes another breath, shaky this time. He looks around the room, then holds eye contact with Imran. "Father's the one in charge, always! Father Skinsaw! He--" The man nods at the corpse on the ground. "--said we'd all gone soft and weak in this city. Fat pigs for the butchering! Walking around in broad daylight! And he was right, but it didn't save him, did it? It didn't save me... I don't even get the knife." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:46:48 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Not a venom cult, but a butcher cult?? The city must have every type of madman possible. We've done a good thing stopping one by accident. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:47:41 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "Dubnoom has a question!" He raises his hand. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:48:05 PM] Crion lol --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:48:09 PM] Crion retracted, for now --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:48:24 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" He points at the cultist. "You, stabbingman. Question." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:48:30 PM] Imran Traveler Imran: "The wise one has the floor." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:49:21 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "If stabbing philosophy gets this." He raises the cult leader's hand and lets the arm drop. "And you there. With concussion probably. All wet." He furrows his brow, deep in thought. "What good was stabbing philosophy to you?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:49:24 PM] Imran Traveler While he does, Imran will go over to Lindal. Quietly: "I have an interesting idea. It might dovetail with going into the sewers at night in a chase." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:49:56 PM] Imran Traveler "If he wants the knife so bad, I'll offer him a shot at me, one against one, in the street down there. And if he instead then breaks for the sewer, we're ready to follow." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:51:08 PM] Cultist (1) "Philosophy." The cultist murmurs, chewing at his lip. Chewing at his beard, really. He shudders in his chair. "Philosophy. A wise goblin, a clever goblin... a magic goblin?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:51:52 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "Wisdom is not magic! Learning from mistakes, is magic." He taps the side of his head. Then scratches his gross little beard. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:52:18 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Lindal's face is frozen for a second as he tries to figure out what Imran is thinking. Self-sacrifice as a necessary component of righteousness? Is having, or offering, a duel before pursuit... better somehow? He doesn't get it yet, but... --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:52:19 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "If you think that's right thing to do, we'll back you up!" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:52:25 PM] Cultist (1) He shudders again. "I'll show you, in a way you'll understand..." His voice chokes up at the end of the sentence, and it's at that moment you realize that the snarling and clicking of teeth you heard when he woke up was him crushing a false tooth! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:52:42 PM] Cultist 11 3d6 + 2 poison = 11 = 11 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:52:47 PM] Cultist (1) Cultist (1) takes 11 damage. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:52:55 PM] Gul Banana sees a wise goblin, immediately dies --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:53:20 PM] Dammitwho He gurgles, spits white froth from his mouth, and expires. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:53:21 PM] Imran Traveler Imran turns, realizes what happens, and sighs. "Idiot. I was going to give you a chance to knife me." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:53:35 PM] Imran Traveler "You weren't going to actually be able to pull it off, but you left it on the table." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:54:11 PM] Imran Traveler 24 1d20 + 10 = 14 + 10 = 24 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:54:46 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" 31 1d20 + 12 = 19 + 12 = 31 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:54:50 PM] Tak Ironflame 18 1d20 + 14 = 4 + 14 = 18 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:54:52 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" 14 1d20 + 12 = 2 + 12 = 14 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:54:53 PM] Tak Ironflame 18 1d20 + 4 = 14 + 4 = 18 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:54:57 PM] Nicolae ah, there we go --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:55:14 PM] CBN the agony and ecstasy of dubnoom dicerolling. crit success. crit failure. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:55:23 PM] Dammitwho We've a Lindal remaining --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:57:21 PM] Nicolae bagel got 'im :( --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:57:46 PM] Imran Traveler 1d20 + 10 1d20 3 3 13 1d20 + 10 1d20 15 15 25 1d20 + 10 = 15 + 10 = 25 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:57:56 PM] Crion lmao --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:58:03 PM] Crion well i get another one in 3 minutes, --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:59:04 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya 15 1d20 + 8 = 7 + 8 = 15 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:59:11 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya 27 1d20 + 8 = 19 + 8 = 27 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:59:27 PM] Gul Banana seeing --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:59:34 PM] Gul Banana or perhaps some other sense... --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 7:59:41 PM] Dammitwho Alright, let's reel these out --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:01:55 PM] Gul Banana i did have a bagel earlier but it's not to blame. i'm just fading a bit due to incorrect sleep (woke up too early basically) --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:04:23 PM] Dammitwho Imran is left without doubt: The man's yammering about Father Skinsaw, and the chisel/serrated knives (which is to say, miniature saws) they carry prove that all three were followers of Norgorber in his aspect as Father Skinsaw, patron of murderous thugs, cutthroats, assassins, and serial killers. Explains his lust for murder. Oddly, they aren't wearing any of the traditional markings of Norgorber-worship: in the case of Skinsaw cultists, masks made from folk skin. It occurs to Imran that what the cultist might have meant by "going soft and weak in this city" is Absalom's famed freedom of religion. Even Norgorber worshippers can openly proclaim their allegiance, though actually doing murders, thefts, or poisonings is still illegal. He's heard that there's a follower of the Reaper of Reputation on the Low Council. So they didn't wear skin masks so they could get around without being arrested...? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:04:26 PM] Gul Banana while we're learning things, can anyone get use out of the @UUID[Actor.w4BO7UA9Xp6HI6wY.Item.IxEgceJOlMHY0T2W]{+1 Dagger}? or shall we sell everything --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:05:36 PM] Crion i think a +1 dagger is flatly worse than a regular longsword for my purposes due to the damage die --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:05:54 PM] Dammitwho Dubnoom knows all this, and he *also* realizes what the cult leader must have meant by sneering "Apostate" and "liberal" at you when he came in. He must have thought you were other followers of Norgorber, one of the other aspects - friends of Tomik Rynchard, here to defend him! - and you were leaning too heavily on being able to walk in the sunlight at whim. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:06:06 PM] Nicolae probably we're selling everything, if it's possible to transfer runes i miiiiight keep that studded armor but otherwise --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:06:12 PM] Crion so it's dubnoom's or nobody's --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:06:19 PM] Nicolae although we are in a city and can presumably simply Buy things --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:06:21 PM] Dammitwho it is possible to transfer runes, but not potency runes --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:06:32 PM] Dammitwho you get potency runes automatically --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:06:41 PM] Crion actually let's put the smoke ball in storage --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:06:47 PM] Crion i can envision usages for that --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:07:05 PM] Crion and imran is gonna be a consumables bandolier kinda guy --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:07:11 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "Oh. Hey here is an idea. It is not dumb because there are no dumb ideas only unstated ones." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:07:59 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "What if these." He flaps the hand again and points at the frothing cultist. "Think we are, competition? And the Tomik was one. Either of these." Flap. "Or, the other ones. The less slicing ones, but are still unpleasant." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:08:01 PM] Dammitwho Of the rest of you, only Lindal realizes something useful. When the cultist was thrashing about, in the beginning, before he crushed his poison tooth: Did his eyes linger on Tobiah and/or Neji? Just for a bit? How odd. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:08:02 PM] Gul Banana might as well put it in imran's inventory so it's more memorable when browsing then --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:08:06 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya and we'll stash the rest for sale --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:08:16 PM] P. P. Lindalsivranragdya P. P. Lindalsivranragdya moves +1 Dagger from Party Loot to the party stash. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:08:17 PM] P. P. Lindalsivranragdya P. P. Lindalsivranragdya moves Machete from Party Loot to the party stash. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:08:18 PM] P. P. Lindalsivranragdya P. P. Lindalsivranragdya moves Dagger from Party Loot to the party stash. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:08:21 PM] P. P. Lindalsivranragdya P. P. Lindalsivranragdya moves Studded Leather Armor from Party Loot to the party stash. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:08:22 PM] P. P. Lindalsivranragdya P. P. Lindalsivranragdya moves Ceremonial Robes from Party Loot to the party stash. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:08:52 PM] Imran Traveler "So we've stepped into a Norgorber dispute." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:09:02 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "Eugh." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:09:30 PM] Imran Traveler "Well, it's straight-forward, at least. Though I didn't take those men for having hollow kill-tooths." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:09:33 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "Nothing against northern gods in general, more gods more fun, but the stories about that guy... is it true that Absalom didn't even know he was taking the trial?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:10:15 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "It makes some sense though, to them. Can't do murders? Do one last self murder." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:11:16 PM] Dammitwho One of the other aspects of Norgorber is Blackfingers the poisoner/alchemist. Makes sense that they'd have access to poisons. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:11:28 PM] Imran Traveler No offense to the dead cult leader that Imran murdered, badly, like a dumbass, but he literally told the guy straight-up which goddess he was representing. If he still thought that was a Void-dimensional tactical feint, well, he got what he deserved one supposes. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:11:31 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "...are all the big cities like this?" Dubnoom ponders. "Is this why people still live in the farmlands? With their pleasant abandoned ruins, and easy to avoid abandoned wizard mines?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:11:37 PM] Dammitwho In fact, they had poison on their knives, which would have mattered IF THEY'D BEEN ABLE TO HIT YOU EVEN ONCE --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:12:07 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Well, perhaps their sewer traps will be tipped with it :) --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:12:18 PM] Dammitwho Nocticula is the Redeemer Queen, and you didn't really say what you were redeemed from... --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:12:31 PM] Imran Traveler Imran groans. "Of course, that's why they're in the sewers. It's where you make poisons in the city. It's where all the poison stuff is." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:12:45 PM] Dammitwho Look, it was an honest mistake, and we can all laugh about it now. Or rather, Dubnoom can laugh about it --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:13:37 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "Oh but good news though!" Dubnoom claps a little. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:13:42 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "This is not about any orb!" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:13:47 PM] Imran Traveler "That is true." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:14:01 PM] Dammitwho "Any what now?" asks Tobiah. Neji nods vigorously. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:14:29 PM] Imran Traveler Imran feels no need to explain further. "Do we want to get involved in this further?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:15:19 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "Master Tobiah, do you think your house is in further danger from these people?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:15:28 PM] Dammitwho "Probably not." admits the innkeeper. "We'll drag 'em out... uh, now that they're all dead, and I'll be seeing that in my nightmares... and call the Token Guard in the morning. With them knives, there won't be too many questions." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:15:48 PM] Tak Ironflame "Their man who fled might tell them Tomik wasn't here, so if we're lucky they'll leave us alone." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:16:26 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "Exactly!" Dubnoom nods to Tobiah, smiling to himself. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:16:28 PM] Dammitwho "Whether they'll come back... Abadar's golden arsehole if I know. They seem like a 'don't tolerate failure' bunch?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:18:29 PM] Dammitwho "So maybe that fellow will get thrown in a pit or something and they'll draw a line under it. Shelyn's--" He pauses and collects himself, perhaps not willing to blaspheme further. "How would I know how these people think?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:19:00 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "Exactly!" Dubnoom agrees. When in doubt and not following, just agree until they finish talking. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:19:15 PM] Imran Traveler "Well, they seem very straightforward in their tactics, if not their strategy." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:20:11 PM] Dammitwho Neji nudges him sharply in the hips. "Oh, uh... I suppose I'll have to refund you the price of your stay... just for tonight, you understand! Any further nights and it's regular rates!" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:20:24 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "It is nice that they look like what they are instead of looking like other things and luring us into mineshafts to ambush." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:21:46 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya There are few shafts- wait, maybe the city's big enough to have mines in it?? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:24:03 PM] Imran Traveler "The money's spent; we don't need it back. We may need the favor of information, tomorrow morning." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:24:39 PM] Dammitwho Lindal can roll Warfare! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:24:51 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya 18 1d20 + 12 = 6 + 12 = 18 --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:25:01 PM] Gul Banana what of fights..? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:25:57 PM] Dammitwho Tobiah nods, wiping sweat off his bald head. "If I have it so will you," he promises. "Though I pretty much keep myself to myself. Neji...?" "You bet!" The gnome answers cheerfully. "I always ask people questions, because that's how you get answers! Maybe I can give some of those answers to you?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:26:30 PM] Dammitwho Lindal vaguely remembers that there are deep shafts and tunnels beneath Absalom, and that there was some kind of warfare in them in the past. Not much else though. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:28:52 PM] Imran Traveler Imran takes the second bucket full of water and puts it down next to the blood stain on the floor near the rug. "Do you have a mop? I should get this out before it smells all night." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:30:02 PM] Dammitwho "Sure, sure I've got something like that." He and Neji bustle out. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:30:19 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Right, the teacher monks had a lot to say about its various sieges and battles... too much to remember. But locals might be happy to talk about it! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:30:28 PM] Imran Traveler When they're gone: "So." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:30:56 PM] Imran Traveler "How much do we really want to get involved in intramural Norgorberism?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:31:42 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Dubnoom, clambering back onto the bed and assuming a position that other societies may consider "sleepover feet": "A lot in the morning might be fun. They are unpleasant people and will do more unpleasantness if left alone. Like humans who are mine-gooblins. But the mine, is the city." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:32:00 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "If they were going around hurting people other than *each other*, it'd be more important." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:32:00 PM] Crion this is a good moment for us to exchange the individual results of our rolls, --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:32:20 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "Maybe they are! They were going around trying to hurt us, and we are not their each others." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:32:50 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "Funny thing is, the pig-hater was looking at Tobiah and Neji when he chose to die. Does one of them know more about this than they were leggint on?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:32:53 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya *letting --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:33:11 PM] Imran Traveler Imran's face clouds. "Hh." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:33:19 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "Dubnoom thought he read the stabbingmens cult usually wears skin masks though. But not here. Suspicious." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:33:41 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" He strokes his beard. "Tobiah and Neji were not wearing skin masks either...much to consider." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:34:03 PM] Imran Traveler "If this was a Norgorber establishment, it would explain the Norgorber man staying in it, and his comfort leaving his Norgorber journal behind." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:34:38 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Dubnoom scowls. "Dubnoom hopes friend cartdriver was not a Norbogorb." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:34:53 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "All his recommendations are now suspect. The city is so confusing." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:35:28 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya But if we're right, it's probably Tobiah, because some people called Neji being a.. dazzler of some sort, yes? --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:35:30 PM] Imran Traveler To Dubnoom: "That's the liberalism. I thought that was aimed at me, but if he thought we were all Norgorberites -- goddess, there has to be a better way to say that -- then the freedom of religion afforded to outright worshippers so long as they don't murder would mean Murder acolytes with no poison, no skin mask, and no knives." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:35:53 PM] Imran Traveler "And the Norgorber aspect of Father Skinsaw loves all that shit." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:36:26 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Dubnoom sighs heavily. "An idea is forming and it is troubling." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:36:33 PM] Imran Traveler Imran agrees if someone here is suspect, it's the innkeep. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:37:00 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "This feels like a wizard plan from not wizards here. 'Oh we do not have poison and skinsmasks and knifing. Very well, we will do atrocities in the city by other means!' " --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:37:18 PM] Imran Traveler "Yes." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:37:25 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "We are obliged to stop atrocities in the city, aren't we? Even though we are not getting paid for doing this? And it will cost precious moneys probably." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:37:46 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "But they have nice things here so it would be...bad...if atrocities happened." He is feeling this one out himself. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:37:49 PM] Imran Traveler "My goddess would say I have a moral obligation to involve myself, yes." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:38:11 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Dubnoom would cross his arms and sulk if he weren't already laying on his stomach. "Hmph." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:38:12 PM] Imran Traveler "Keeping the orb out of the Low Men's hands might supersede that, but, we've no evidence they're in play." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:38:37 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "Maybe we can make them fight each other and die and then we leave?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:38:54 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "Probably going to fight both at once the way things go" he mutters. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:39:16 PM] Tak Ironflame "Does your moral obligation extend beyond informing the local constabulary of their actions and their sewer hideout?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:39:47 PM] Imran Traveler "Yes. I have no reason to ever trust the local constabulary." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:40:06 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "What if the pigneck Javelin men are ALSO of the stabbing cult?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:40:18 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "It would make some things easier. Or harder. Or easier again." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:40:42 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Quietly now: "We can only trust ourselves. And maybe the Steve and orbfella." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:40:53 PM] Tak Ironflame Tak nods. "Thought that'd be the case, but I had to ask." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:41:00 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "I'm afraid I'm on the side of the moral obligation here. But we don't know the city; if these Talon Guard are willing to help, why not?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:41:04 PM] Imran Traveler "If we go into the sewers tomorrow, we're paying for another night here, because we're not bringing orbfella and we're only maybe bringing Steve. With that in mind, I put it to the group: We should tug on this thread, and go fuck around in the sewer. If nothing else, finding a sewer hideout of our own would be much better than an inn." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:41:43 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Dubnoom's eyes light up. He hadn't considered the potential of a sewer hideout. "Yes! It is our obligation to do that thing then, the thing friend Imran said. That leads to that." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:41:52 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "Okay, that's a hard call. Sewer hideout. I mean yes, it's *cool*. Maybe even safe? But also, it'd be in the sewers? And we'd have to go in to get there? And it's not high up..." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:41:53 PM] Dammitwho The orbfella at least is trustworthy, as it slept through the whole affair. And Steve was eagerly nipping at the heels of the cultists, though not to any effect. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:42:24 PM] Imran Traveler Imran: "Ah, but height is relative, Lindal. What if there are great open spaces, and pits below? Then you're relatively high up." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:42:29 PM] Imran Traveler "Mine shafts and the like." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:43:30 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" Dubnoom taps the side of his head. "High up is nice because no one sees. But no one sees low down either." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:44:09 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "And maybe there will be magic towers for you friend Lindal." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:44:10 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "There are! Despite Dubnoom's optimism, the city has catacombs or pits or... something. I've read of them. Not in detail." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:44:14 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "It wasn't on the test." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:44:54 PM] Tak Ironflame "Cramped, dark, subterranean tunnels. If it weren't for the shit, it'd be like being back home." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:45:17 PM] Tak Ironflame He considers. "They weren't all dark." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:45:39 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" He is now wiggling his way into the sheets, fucking them all up for anyone who is not going to sleep at the foot of the bed. Cozy-like: "They would not"---yawn---"attack twice in one night yes?" --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:45:41 PM] Imran Traveler "It's good we already have those goggles." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:46:11 PM] Imran Traveler "Wise observation, Dubnoom. Probably not. Still, I'll remain in armor and lightly dozing." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:46:27 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "I'll ask Ram Banaram for a darkvision spell. Last cavern was *very* annoying." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:47:02 PM] Gul Banana and indeed i have dragged it from [prepared spells] to [2nd rank] --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:47:28 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "You are the best of us friend Imran." Dubnoom is, however, the coziest. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:47:33 PM] Imran Traveler "The way I see it, there are likely some angles here we don't have the full appraisal of. But coming down hard on extremist Norgorber worshippers is good practice, good praxis, and good politics. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:47:57 PM] Imran Traveler "We'll make friends and impress people, and get rid of some people that thought it was a good idea to attack us while we were asleep." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:48:04 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya "Supporting the liberal ones is not good practice. It might be good politics." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:48:27 PM] Tak Ironflame Tak chambers a round and tucks his clan pistol back underneath his pillow. "What time are we planning on our sewer expedition?" he asks, as he gets cozy again. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:48:51 PM] Dubnoom "The Wise" "After breakfast" Dubnoom notes, eyes already closed. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:49:24 PM] Imran Traveler "Other than Thomik, we don't know of any liberals we can prove. And we don't have to be nice to Thomik when we see him again." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:49:54 PM] Imran Traveler Imran settles back into his chair. "After breakfast sounds good to me." --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:50:33 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya Wasting good daylight by entering a sewer :( --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:50:40 PM] Dammitwho As it's ten minutes til closing time and banana (and I, a bit) are fading, I will call it here rather than cut off immediately into the next thing --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:50:52 PM] Prabesh Pranavikram Lindalsivranragdya g...g! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:51:08 PM] Dammitwho The gang, having successfully fended off a threat to their very lives, will decide when and whether and how to enter the underbelly of Absalom... NEXT WEEK! --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:51:17 PM] Gul Banana thank you for rolling low numbers relative to the numbers we rolled. --------------------------- [5/29/2026, 8:51:21 PM] Dammitwho cheers all, i'm furious at your victory.