Chapter 3: The Lord's House

[drpete]

Ultimately, trust that if you can steer them all into the building, I will take care of it. Fiemar and Aurs have a tentative connection, Asle is connected to Fiemar, too. The other guys can be your enemies, for now... go get em!

You guys haven't even gotten into the adventure location, yet Don't worry!

The game will be able to handle it, just gently move towards each other

[AureoBuendia]

Aye. I think we're well on our way to making it work. Just felt that I needed to acknowledge that I'm aware my character's background is making things trickier and state that I'm not intentionally borking things.

Fortunately he's not full 100% stick up the butt noble or he would have ended up siding with the constables and stabbing everyone for trespassing...

[Marullus]

No worries; I am trusting it will come together.

DrPete - making sure I understand the mechanics here. Their difficulty on the save was 26, but a natural 20 always succeeds, right? That's how they evaded it? The spell description at that level impacts eight people - I tried to imply intent in the 'thoughts' - hoping anyone witnesses might get caught, too, providing us better cover. Did that work? Also, next time my patron die is d10 or d12?

Sorry about missing the trigger. I neglected it in my hurry. I had him regard the sky and meant to say the trigger is Dawn. If that isn't sufficient, I have owl feathers and say "until they hear the owl's hoot." Do those work, generally? I find the "possess a material component" trigger wierd when their example is a "a kiss from the lips of a prince."

"I'm not sure why you are here stranger," he says to Fiemar. "I am inclined to believe nothing good", looks around to the fallen constables, " but you've shown commendable restraint. This speaks well of your character. If you'll excuse me, this is my uncle's property and until I determine why he has such a run-down hovel, I cannot allow anything to happen to it. So I must take my leave. You are free to do as you wish."

Fiemar leaves the guards and the unconscious Northman and stays close to Aurs' as he walks to the back door. "I am a deliverer, as I said, an oracle of Fate's who brings warnings. Your uncle's plans here portend a dark doom and I bring him that warning. I don't know these others here, who search for gold, but shall attend you to find truth here."

[shaidar]

Shemhk

Hlalf
The Northman laughs heartily and grins a crooked smile, "You saw that man hit th'ground? Oh yes...name is Hlalf. Here for gold too, maybe find more coin than you? Winner buys round of drink, OK?" Those who know him would say that Hlalf is quick to befriend and also quick to anger. With the door securely spiked he will enter the dining room and inspect the items on the table while drawing his warhammer and shield.

"Ghosts can be smashed, right?" He inquires over his shoulder.

He replies to the Northman in North Speak "OK, winner buys a round. I'm sure that any ghosts won't bother you with that hammer you've got there"

Raamiz watches Hlalf cautiously as the man enters the far room, then turns to Shmeck with a worried expression, addressing his companion in Low Lankhmarese. "I'm not confident of our odds against that man in a fight. Perhaps we should leave that room to him and look elsewhere in the house. There were no windows on the top floor--did you notice?"

Shmehk switches to Low Lankmarese, and drops his voice a notch "Perhaps, perhaps not, it would depend on the whims of fate I think, although I still have that sleeping powder. I noticed that about the top floor too, I think it's a good place to start our search" he pauses for a moment and hands a vial of green powder to Raamiz "It wouldn't hurt to double our chances if it came to that"

He switches back to North Speak and raises his voice so it will carry into the back room "We shall leave you to search that room, friend Hlalf, and look for our gold elsewhere in the house"

I think everything will be fine as things naturally progress. We all have reasons for being here that will play out and work given time, it is only been a few rounds of action

[drpete]

No worries; I am trusting it will come together.

DrPete - making sure I understand the mechanics here. Their difficulty on the save was 26, but a natural 20 always succeeds, right? That's how they evaded it? The spell description at that level impacts eight people - I tried to imply intent in the 'thoughts' - hoping anyone witnesses might get caught, too, providing us better cover. Did that work? Also, next time my patron die is d10 or d12?

Sorry about missing the trigger. I neglected it in my hurry. I had him regard the sky and meant to say the trigger is Dawn. If that isn't sufficient, I have owl feathers and say "until they hear the owl'e hoot." Do those work, generally? I find the "possess a material component" trigger wierd when their example is a "a kiss from the lips of a prince."

It's no problem on the trigger, just trying to get it figured out. I think the idea is to try to be somewhat poetic with the material components... maybe some lipstick or a paper heart, or a hair of a prince or something for the kiss, maybe? Just wanted to see whaty it was.

Mechanically, I was assuming that a natural 20 succeeds automatically, yes. I'm sure that's how you are supposed to treat *some* rolls in DCC (attacks, etc), but hadn't actually checked whether it applies to saves.

I did get that idea about the spell, that other observers would be put to sleep. You guys are in the clear.

Your patron roll gives you a bonus, as I said, if you roll under your action die. The size of the bonus depends on how low the roll is... lower is better. Ningauble can help with wizardry, protection, and expertise. The next time you use it, you will have a d12, yup.

Oh, one point that I missed last night... because you got a 20 on your roll, you gain a point of fleeting luck!

[drpete]

In the Cul-de-Sac

As the men talk, the constable crouched over the wizard's body starts to cry for his "dear friend" then finally falls asleep.

Fiemar notes with some satisfaction that the constable who had taken off running also staggers and drops to the floor after making it about 50 feet. Everything is now, truly quiet in the cul-de-sac.

Alright, Asle is just going to be unconscious/asleep as well. Fiemar felt a strange charge on interacting with him, but you guys can go about your business. I'll resolve his ultimate fate later. Proceed

[Marullus]

What do we find at the back door?

[drpete]

As you go around to the back door, you pass the sleeping body of a constable next to the house's chimney.

In the back, you see that there are boarded up windows on either side of the house's back door. You see that someone has been here before you and removed the back door's padlock, which lies on the ground. You do not, however, see any sign of the men who had gone around to the back of the house.

[Wintermute]

Hlalf can be heard rummaging around in the dining room, inspecting the mechanical components on the table clumsily, looking for anything that looks valuable.
Intelligence Test: [1d20-2] = 13-2 = 11

Searching is usually Intelligence. Should I make rolls without the GM calling for them or is that bad form?

[Marullus]

"I'm not sure why you are here stranger," he says to Fiemar. "I am inclined to believe nothing good", looks around to the fallen constables, " but you've shown commendable restraint. This speaks well of your character. If you'll excuse me, this is my uncle's property and until I determine why he has such a run-down hovel, I cannot allow anything to happen to it. So I must take my leave. You are free to do as you wish."

Fiemar leaves the guards and the unconscious Northman and stays close to Aurs' as he walks to the back door. "I am a deliverer, as I said, an oracle of Fate's who brings warnings. Your uncle's plans here portend a dark doom and I bring him that warning. I don't know these others here, who search for gold, but shall attend you to find truth here."

"...in any case, I think the looters are already within. We must act before your Uncle's affairs are upended and his doom sealed." Fiemar tries the door.

[AureoBuendia]

Aurs Bonne

"So you say my uncle has plans for this place," said Aurs as they moved. "You seem to know more than I. All I know is that he has disappeared and his absence has created strife in the family and the businesses around town. Some are trying to take advantage of his absence, others are hesitant to act without his guidance. I am here to find him or find what happened to him.

"I recently learned of this property. Owning a house like this is outside his normal behavior. He would not waste his time with such properties unless something bigger was afoot."

Aurs intends to enter the house through the back door and search for sounds as to where the other people are to follow them. If they are here to pillage or steal anything relevant, they will be stopped. If they are here investigating, he cannot allow them to leave without the information he needs.

Given his primary goal of finding what happens to his uncle and trying to bring some stability to the family and business world, he does not care much about people eventually looting the house. As far as Aurs knows, the run-down property is worthless compared to his uncle's wealth. But before he leaves the house to whatever fate falls to it, he must ensure any information he needs, if any is to be found, is extracted.

[drpete]

Out Back

On checking the back door, Aurs and Fiemar find it stuck... barred or otherwise blocked.

You can open it with a DC 10 strength check. Warriors can use their deed die, and if people cooperate, they can add both of their strength mods, and roll d24.

[drpete]

Inside the Back Door

Are you guys moving to other rooms, or have you just been talking, so far? My sense is that you've been talking, so you'll be at the back door when they start to bash it, right?

[Marullus]

The well-fed and well-built Noble is certainly the better half for opening the door, but Feimar follows his lead and lends his shoulder to the cause.

I will let Aurs' do the roll, then. I raise the die from 1d20 to 1d24, but add a -1. Your call if you bash it alone with your 1d20+2+1d3, or if you accept that help.

[shaidar]

Inside the Back Door

Are you guys moving to other rooms, or have you just been talking, so far? My sense is that you've been talking, so you'll be at the back door when they start to bash it, right?

Well, Shmehk and Raamiz had agreed to head up and investigate the top floor and were/are heading up there. Not sure how much time has passed since entering the building, I guess only a minute or two. I'm happy for us to be just starting our way up the stairs when the others arrive, Enoch?

[AureoBuendia]

To verify, if we bask together its d24 + d3 + 2 (my STR) - 1 (his STR). Correct?

[drpete]

Yup, sounds good.

[AureoBuendia]

Aurs and Fiemar smash the door.

Bash the door [1d24+1] = 2+1 = 3 + Deed [1d3] = 1

Aurs and Fiemar smash the door. Fiemar somehow gets in the way of the tall man's dash and their attempt fails horribly. Aurs questions the stranger's capacities and if his spell that knocked down all those constables was a fluke.

[drpete]

Inside the Back Door

Raamiz and Shmehk are leaving Hlalf behind, and making their way up the stairs, when they hear someone trying to force the door open.

Out Back
The door does resists your attempts to open it.

You may try again...?

[AureoBuendia]

"Ok," Aurs says. "You hit the the left side, I hit the right."

Bash the door [1d24+1] = 15+1 = 16 + Deed [1d3] = 2