The last zombie punches Matt!  And it doesn't even hurt.

---

Matt HP: 42+6-3=42+3/42 S 10, V 11, AP 1.

"You hit like a corpse!" Mittens mocks.

The zombie collapses.

Adam shrugs.  "Well... with that taken care of...  Perhaps we can finish our night's rest?"

"I think at this point, a short nap at best would be expected if we don't get moving in ten minutes to avoid more zombies."

Angel says, "Well sure, but at this point, we can expect to be attacked by zombies no matter where we go. Unless there IS, in fact, a safe place we can go from here that's near enough to not bother going back to sleep...?"

Yerra shrugs.  "None I know."

Mits yawns.  "Me neither.  But I don't foresee any more combat for us tonight.  Not that I saw this last one coming...  Starting to wonder if my crystal ball is broke.  Couldn't even see ahead a few seconds to help Matt that one time."

"Sleep sounds good," Adam agrees, "The Wordbearers did a good job spotting that last ambush, so we should be fine."

  Matt didn't exactly trust Mitten's precognition outside of the occasional dice buff anyways.  Though through no fault on Mittens's personal part.  "Right, let me know when I'm needed up then."

Angel nudges Mittens. "Your crystal ball isn't broke. Just jaded. It confused a horde of zombies with normal wildlife or scenery because it's become so commonplace for us."

Angel, Carla and Mav all head back to sleep.

The Emerald Claw is the obvious suspect for haVing raised
the Kech Shaarat warriors as undead, but any search
of the surrounding area shows no sign of the Claw's
presence.
Yeraa is anxious to discover why her scouts didn't
return, leading the party along a side trail running up and
around a low peak. There, the PCs not only find the Kech
Volaar well, but they make a surprising discovery.

A dilapidated airship floats moored to the cliff face by a tight
web of ropes and lanyards. The name "Kordanga" graces its prow
in faded black letters. The crew is a mix of humans, goblins, and
hobaobli11S, including a half-elf at the helm with the Mark of
Storm 0n his forearm.
Yeraa is relieved to see that no harm has come to the seekers,
but Tikulti reports that they and the crew drove off a
Claw attack just minutes before. Although no lives were
lost, alchemist's fire arrows damaged two of the airship's
struts. Yeraa tells the PCs that Kordan8a has come from
Graywall to pick them lip. Now, that trip is delayed.
Delan, a taciturn House Lyrandar exile, leads the
friendly twelve-person airship crew ofKordanga. The captain
has worked for Yeraa and the Kech Volaar for about
a year now. From the crew, the PCs learn that the lower
decks contain the crew's quarters and the barracks for
the Kech Volaar seekers and the PCs, converted from old
cargo space.
It takes a day for the ship's crew to make repairs, during
which time a character who succeeds on a DC 15 Insight
check realizes that the Emerald Claw's tactics weren't
designed to seize or destroy the ship, but to damage it.
From that conclusion, the PCs might deduce that the
Claw's purpose was not to prevent their journey to Graywall,
but to delay it.

---

Mits rolled a 1.  Adam rolled a 2.  Also, link 2 roll20 for Tim: https://app.roll20.net/join/48848/eGkyJw
This message was last edited by the player at 15:49, Mon 10 Dec 2012.

Angel, Carla and Maverick are apparently in the mindset that these things just simply happen. I mean, just the other day, they were attacked by enemies they already killed. Nevertheless, the three are more than happy to help out. Angel's idea of helping out usually involves "suggestions", but she proves to seem somewhat presumptuous. However, her ideas are undeniably good ideas and time savers.

Carla waits on people, serving cold glasses of water or other such menial chores her little self can do. Of course, she is more than happy to get to small spaces when needed.

Maverick pretty much does what he's asked, though he occasionally shows disdain for Angel's approach and well, anyone who might be trying to boss him around.

Angel does, however, immediately back down if someone calls her on bossiness. No matter how bad her diplomacy roll, she is too paranoid of making enemies of friends at the moment to not be on her best behavior.

---

Insight rolls:
4(+9),3(+11),2(+8) Yep, all three of my characters rolled low. XD

Diplomacy roll to keep Angel from seeming bossy: 6+2=8
Intelligence roll to see if Angel has good ideas: 15+1=16
This message was last edited by the player at 16:12, Mon 10 Dec 2012.

  It was a nice change of pace to put tools to use building and repairing things like Matt used to, instead of smashing people and places apart.  "I'm not the only one figuring this damage was aimed only to delay, am I?  You don't need to be Mitten's to see someone hoping we do all the work for them and trying to pick up the results later."

OOC:  Insight, 23 total.  WHOOO Detective (Or missing master) Guardian Fighter!

"Our enemy needed time to prepare a trap for us," Mittens says, "Redundant bard is redundant."

Adam hrms.  "But we've already accomplished what we needed to here.  Only reason I can see for that sort of delaying tactic is if they're expecting re-enforcements soon or if they're fortifying a position.  If they had the numbers to overwhelm us now, there's little reason not to.  So we need to hurry lest they be ready for us."

Mits is banging the side of her head, trying to force a prediction.

"I see...  A hated face.  Demise.  Invisible thieves.  And I sense a dark betrayal.  Poison!"

Why couldn't it have been something nice for once? Lucky thinks to himself with a groan.

Maverick seems to be jotting down notes. Then says, "A hated face... could be that elf with the skull-mask. Demise.. well yeah. Our enemy will meet their demise. Invisible thieves... we need to get ourselves some means of proof against thieving. And the ability to counter invisibility somehow. Maybe by leaving ketchup or chalk or something on the ground for the thieves to step in and leave a trail. Dark betrayal... I'll get back to that. Poison... do any of use resist the effects of poison?"

Carla raises her hand.

Maverick says, "Then after we're betrayed, maybe Carla can take point with Matt. Dark Betrayal... how do we prepare ourselves for that?"

Angel says, "One way is to eliminate any *need* of betrayal. Another way is to not have friends in the first place. Can't be betrayed if there's nobody to betray you. Lastly, we need to be very aware of our surroundings and agree ahead of time that we will each take turns leading the team. If whoever leads us is the traitor, they can't *lead* us into a trap if they aren't leading. So switching up leaders would reduce the chance."

  Matt can deal with a good chunk of save ends Poison attacks, Item or plot related poisons are likely not Keyword covered in his case.   "I haven't lost enough optimism to expect it to be one of us that would knowingly do that sort of thing."  Unless the Raven queen wants to move up the timetable for bringing cool people into the afterlife.  She could be kind of a possessive *censored* that way, just look at the stock description of revenants for one thing.

EDIT: People back from the dead sporting raven claw stylized forearms and lower legs? Nah, totally a coincidence.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:30, Sat 15 Dec 2012.

"Well said, Matt," Adam agrees, "After all we've been through together, none of us would knowingly betray the others.  But I've been told it's easy to frame someone or for circumstances to give the appearance of betrayal.  So let's all keep in mind that appearances can be deceiving.  And I'm more than happy with someone else being the official 'leader.'  Not that we've ever made a choice without everyone having a chance to offer a better idea.  But either Matt or myself should take point at all times or I'll feel like a craven worm for hiding behind my friends who aren't built to take as much of a pounding."

Mits gives up on banging her head.

"Nothing else that isn't obvious.  Like... we'll be fighting more undead.  Oh well.  Maybe I should just stick to singing songs about the past."

Carla goes to put a comforting hand on Mittens, smiles up at her, and shakes her head. She offers up a note. Mittens will find it reads "Never give up. Your predictions help." There is a smiley drawn after the sentence. :)

Angel says, "I'm not saying it would be one of us. But if someone were to influence us with magic or set us up, it could very well be one of us. Even if no ill intent was there. Nevertheless, I am touched you all feel so confident about me." She puts an arm around Matt and another around Adam in a kind of side-hug to both. "Still, I think we'll be alright as long as we all keep that faith in each other. Whoever else might betray us, I won't be so heartbroken."

Maverick says, "I would... if it was Yeera or her people. It's possible one of her own might betray Yeera too."

Angel says, "Then we'll have to kick the betrayal's butt, subdue the traitor, and find out what the cause is. Until then... at least we see it coming. Thanks, Mittens."

  Matt nods, "Seeing people attacking us coming is just routine.  Seeing more subtle problems coming is a bit more niche, at the very least."  Matt's still bitter about all prior promises of aid getting home turning out to be the empty kind, but has decided that was a problem with Mittens's source and not Mittens herself.

  At least he's not as whiny about it as a certain Paladin with a magic shield.  Then again, Matt didn't have Tiamat regularly chasing him either.

An hour after KordanBa leaves the vicinity of Six Kings,
Graywall comes into view.
You see a faint pall of smoke alonB the western horizon. At your
side, one of the crew confirms that this is Graywall, about two
hours out.
Approximately three hours after leaving Six Kings, after
flying about 60 miles, KordanBa sails into Graywall.
Graywall passes below you, a sprawlinB mass of stone buildinBs
and canvas workers' shelters obscured by the smoke of wood fires
and furnaces. The wall that surrounds the town shows siBns of
recent and onBoinB construction. To the west rise new buildinBs;
to the east are weat quarries where stone is cut. Ahead, your
destination is the foreiBn quarter, called the Calabas-or, as the
locals refer to it, "the Kennel."
Graywall has nothing resembling an airship dock, so KordanBa
moors above the House Orien enclave in the foreign
quarter, where Delan has allies. Further, the Graywall
Orien enclave can't afford to turn away the Kech Volaar's
business.
THE ORB
Either here or earlier on the airship, Yeraa tells the PCs
of the final missing component of the Crown, and of the
Wordbearers' plans for retrieving it.
"Dhakaani ruins are the deep foundations of Graywall, and it is
there that our seers say Murkoorak's orb lies. Rumor and leBend
place it beneath what has become the Calabas. Now, the circlet
will show us the way."
While Yeraa pinpoints the location ofMurkoorak's orb
within the foreign quarter, the PCs can accompany the
Wordbearers as security. In any event, the characters have
some time to wander the foreign quarter (or any other part
of the town) on their own if they wish.
Streetwise Check
DC 12: Emerald Claw aBents have been spotted in the foreiBn
quarter in recent days (thouBh the PCs see no siBn of them).
DC 17: Demise was here for a time, but she teleported to
Sharn a day aBo by way of the Orien enclave.
THE ROAR
Yeraa and her seekers trace Murkoorak's orb to an ancient
goblin shrine located beneath the Roar-a huge open plaza
within the Calabas.
For the better part of a day, you walk the foreian quarter with
Yeraa and her best seekers, as the circlet allows her to subtly
sense distance and direction to the orb. In the end, you find yourselves
led to a weat public plaza. This is the Roar, named for the
House Tharashk draaonne statue at its center.
Show the players the illustration "The Roar" (see Adventure
Book One, page 31).
Yeraa stops suddenly in a space between two tents. ''This is it,"
she whispers, but when you look around, she taps her blade on
the cobblestones. "Below. Two hundred feet or so. The orb is
buried here."
Armed with this knowledge, the group returns to KordanBa,
where Yeraa consults an old map that indicates
that the orb's hiding place is an ancient goblin shrine now
buried beneath the cobbles of the plaza. Claiming the orb
should simply require digging down to it-in the center of
one of the busiest parts of the town. Yeraa suggests setting
up a fake merchant stall to cover the digging. Once the
job is done, KordanBa, the PCs, and the Word bearers can
return to Sharn victorious.

The PCs and the Kech Volaar must find some way to conceal
an archeological dig they are about to undertake in
the middle of the Roar. By night, the plaza becomes the
Goblin Market, a great bazaar where monstrous races and
humanoids rub shoulders and nearly everything has a
price. The noise and chaos of the market gives the PCs and
the Wordbearers the cover they need.

This encounter is a skill challenge in which the PCs
disguise and guard the goblin dig site over the course
of a night. The default assumption is that the PCs use
Yeraa's idea and set up a market stall over the site of the
dig. However, if the PCs have other ideas, run with them.
The only stipulation is that the seekers' activities be fully
obscured, including covering up the noise of the dig and
having some way to hide approXimately 10 cubic feet of
cobblestones and dirt. Simply shielding the site with walls
on all sides and putting up a "Keep Out" sign will attract
the attention of House Tharashk. The PCs must create the
impression that they belong in the market.
The choice of what kind of stall to set up is left to
the players, and you should let them make those plans
themselves. A party that has an abundance of treasure
or mundane gear might decide to sell some of it off. PCs
who came to town with cash on hand could resell relics or
stolen goods obtained from the town's less savory quarters,
after roleplaying those risky shopping expeditions.
The relatively small price of 10 gp obtains a stall tent
with side walls and tables high enough to obscure the goblins'
dig. Layout the poster map and pick one ofthe larger
enclosures in the market as the place where the Wordbearers
and the PCs set up shop.
By arrivin8 early, you lay claim to the spot Yeraa identified,
qUickly settin8 up your stall to obscure the di8 site from all sides.
The seekers already have the cobblestones pried up from the
8round as other stalls be8in to fill the space around you.
Midway through the skill challenge (after either 6 successes
or 2 failures), the Wordbearers reach their first goal.
The Kech Volaar are experts at excavation, di88in8 swiftly
throuah six feet of 8 rave! and dirt to find a cracked slab ofbloodred
stone. With pry bars and rock hammers, the seekers force an
openin8, revealin8 a fivefoot-wide shaft headin8 directly down.
The H8ht of a shrouded lantern shows a rouah rock wall laden
with handholds and footholds.
Yeraa's plan is for the Word bearers to descend while the
PCs hide their activities by continuing the skill challenge.
If any of the PCs are insistent on accompanying the Wordbearers
down, Yeraa explains that the shrine below is a
goblin holy site that might be warded against nongoblin
intruders. She thinks it's less risky for her and her seekers
to do the dirty work.
She points to the PCs' sendin8 stone (or gives one to them
if they returned hers earlier). With such an easy means
of staying in contact, she has no fear of being ambushed
below without access to help. Although Yeraa needs the
circlet to find the orb, she does not object to leaving the cord
with the characters for safekeeping if they insist she do so.

NIGHT IN THE MARKET
Givin8 the Wordbearers time to find the orb requires equal parts
observation, distraction, and in8enuity.
Setup: The PCs must play the part of Graywall merchants
while they keep unwanted attention away from the
goblins' dig. Each round of the skill challenge represents
about one·halfhour of time. At your option, award a +2
bonus to checks on which the players effectively roleplay
their interactions with customers, merchants, and the
other folk of the Goblin Market.
Level: 4 (XP 875).
Complexity: 5 (12 successes before 3 failures).
Primary Skills: Athletics, Acrobatics, Bluff,
Diplomacy.
Athletics (DC 11): Two characters engage in some entertaining
demonstration of physic31 prowess to keep passersby :?
distracted away from what's happening in the st31l. z
Two PCs can put on a demonstration of combat moves,
with one character making the check while the other aids
him or her.
This skill can be used to gain 1 success per round in
this challenge. No more than three Athletics checks can
be attempted during the challenge.
Acrobatics (DC 11): The character uses the roar of the
crowd to cover the goblins' hammers with a display of juggling,
tumbling, or some other type of performance.
This skill can be used to gain 1 success per round in
this challenge. No more than three Acrobatics checks can
be attempted during the challenge.
Bluff(DC 13): The character entertainingly inflates the
history of wares being sold, invents a fanciful tale to charm
or distract passersby, or diverts the attention of a customer
who sees evidence of the dig.
This skill can be used to gain 1 success per round in
this challenge.
Diplomacy (DC 12): The character placates an angry
merchant, sweet·talks a monstrous mercenary band
looking for a fight, or stays on the good side of a passing
Tharashk patrol.
This skill can be used to gain 1 success per round in
this challenge.
Secondary Skills: InSight, Perception.
Insiaht or Perception (DC 12): By watching onlookers
carefully, the character knows who among the crowd
might be a potential problem, and how to approach that
person to distract him or her.
Each successful InSight check or Perception check,
grants a +2 bonus to the next primary skill check made in
this challenge.
Success: The PCs manage to keep up their charade
long enough for the Kech Volaar to successfully complete
their mission in the hidden shrine below.
Failure: The PCs gain no experience points from this
skill challenge, and their actions draw the hostile atten·
tion of a group of orc mercenaries. The orcs suspect that
the PCs are hiding something valuable within the stallsomething
they plan to steal. These mercs know the
market well, and they time their attack to coincide with
the absence of any Tharashk patrols.
Level 4 Encounter (850 XP)
• 1 orc eye of Gruumsh (level 5 controller; MM 204)
• 2 ore berserkers (level 4 brute; MM 203)
• 2 arc raiders (level 3 skirmisher; MM 203)
To stage this encounter, cluster the PCs around the stall
and put each orc in a square adjacent to at least one char·
acter. The mercenaries make melee attacks only, and they
all flee as soon as anyone of their number is bloodied.

"The Roar:"
http://images1.wikia.nocookie....es/6/6f/Seekers9.jpg

The Kech Volar:
http://cdn.obsidianportal.com/...6654/wordbearers.jpg

When they were wandering the foreign quarter, Angel and Maverick wound up picking up some information that seems to check when both of them compare notes: the Emerald Claw had been here recently. Neither Angel nor Maverick know anything more on the topic, though, and that's all they *need* to know to make more haste.

When Yeraa presents her plan, Angel, Carla, and Maverick all seem to think it's a good idea (and don't have any better ideas). Carla *does* seem uncomfortable with the idea, but she doesn't object.

Angel agrees that the cord should go with Yeraa to make finding the artifact go faster.

Once the tent is set up, the group begin their act (unless some reason Matt, Mitts or Adam wind up feeding my post to the fail gator by deciding against Yeraa's plan);

Angel does some REDICULOUSLY amazing feats of acrobatics that even her team had no idea she could do. She does some foot archery ( http://timothius.deviantart.co...ry/?q=angel#/d5bxnqj ), and walks on a tightrope while juggling, drawing attention completely away from the tent for a time. She isn't just juggling light-weight things, either. She is juggling 5 to 8 lb objects. Carla assists with these performances where she can, such as providing arrows or doing a single-hand stand on Angel's hand, flittering her wings to help balance.

Maverick helps too, mostly doing backflips or other such not-totally-showoff style acrobatics, and only in an attempt to aid Angel in stretching out the performance. He even takes a turn at tight-rope walking, though he doesn't juggle while he's at it.

At one point, though, someone insults Maverick and he glares at them, looking ready to attack, but Angel smooths it over, petting Maverick and hiding him behind her while explaining it was a misunderstanding.

When it comes time to over-embellish about the items being sold, Angel and Carla assist Maverick, making his story believable. Maverick seems decent at coming up with stories for the items he sells. Hilariously, he drops hints at what the characters have ACTUALLY been through. Such as an item having been coveted by a demon, an item being from another world, an item that had been used to uncover untold treasures... so on.

At one point, Angel is so confident from how well she has been doing, she decides to do some arm wrestling with Adam. Seems her confidence has strengthened her beyond her normal limitations and is putting up an amazing arm-wrestle.

Maverick demonstrates combat maneuvers and, to the amazement of passers-by, seems to not only know what he's doing, but occasionally kicks the butt of volunteers who challenge how authentic his combat prowess is.

Through it all, Angel and Maverick seem pretty insightful and spot people's intents  well enough. But Carla seems to be tuned into the universe as she predicts and often passes notes to the others, explaining what would be best for who. Angel eagle-eye spots most of the people Carla seems to predict.

All around, the night seems to be going great!

---

Angel Streetwise: 11 + 2 = 13
Carla Streetwise: 1 + 3 = 4
Mavvy Streetwise: 9 + 3 = 12

None of my characters made the DC 17.

Athletics(DC 11), Acrobatics(DC 11), Bluff(DC 13), Diplomacy(DC 12)

Angel Insight: 7 + 9 = 16 (grants +2 to a skill)
Angel Perception: 14 + 9 = 23 (grants +2 to a skill)
Carla Insight: 17 + 11 = 28 (grants +2 to a skill)
Carla Perception: 8 + 6 = 14 (grants +2 to a skill)
Mavvy Insight: 8 + 8 = 16 (grants +2 to a skill)
Mavvy Perception: 3 + 8 = 11

 Angel Athletics: 20 + 6 = 26*
 Angel Acrobatics: 18 + 12 = 30 (+4 from Carla and Maverick assist) = 34*
 Angel Bluff: 9 + 2 = 11#
 Angel Diplomacy: 19 + 2 = 21*

 Carla Athletics: 11 + 0 = 11#
 Carla Acrobatics: 15 + 1 = 16*
 Carla Bluff: 9 + 4 = 13#
 Carla Diplomacy: 11 + 4 = 15*

 Mavvy Athletics: 10 + 6 = 16*
 Mavvy Acrobatics: 10 + 12 = 22*
 Mavvy Bluff: 11 + 3 = 14 (+4 from Angel and Carla assist) = 18*
 Mavvy Diplomacy: 1 + 2 = 3 :p

* 8 successes, # 3 assists, :p 1 failure.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:42, Thu 20 Dec 2012.

  Alas while Matt's own insight makes Carla's look slightly naive by comparison, that sort of thing is of little help collecting the words on the street in general.  Before the distraction antics, Matt requests Mittens does NOT do a fortune Tellers booth, because she'd probably be too brutally accurate about somebody getting a divorce or something.

  While most of his friends are dealing with high profile showmanship, Matt has a more simple (if loud) setup on his end.  World's smallest (non magical) smithing setup.  He mostly deals with sharpening blades, fixing up the occasional chunk of armor, and developing a small stack of daggers and shuriken.

  He's able to refrain from tossing one of those at the one insulting Maverick as a free demonstration.  Though that may be more a self awareness of his DEX mod not being so hot compared to any self restraint.

  Through all the hammertime, Matt keeps an eye on the proceedings to pass along any visual or emotional cues others *cough, Adam* might miss through the ridiculous heist plan.

---

Streetwise for giggles: 8 (good thing Street check doesnt count towards failures)
Perc/Insight: Auto Pass.
Athletics: Auto Pass even without bonus.

1 Success,  As many Perc/Insight assists as desired from others.

Epic Tim post is epic.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:11, Fri 21 Dec 2012.

"Why not?" Mittens asks Matt, "Afraid I'll have nothing for 'em?  'Cause that's what I'm expecting at this point."

She does what she can to help out, giving accurate, if often tragic histories for the items being bought and/or sold.  Whether Adam loses to Angel on purpose or not is anybody's guess, but he has a smile on his face as he does.  He also helps out, and the team is successful at keeping the plan a secret!

---

Only rolled one 1... which would succeed anyway for most of these DCs.

The crowd is thinnin8 out as the Goblin Market be8ins to shut
down. Then Tikulti's voice suddenly comes throu8h the sendin8
stone. "The orb is found and taken," he whispers. "We are
makin8 our way back now."

You spot a familiar face in the distance. Demise is here, in dark
leather robes, watchin8 you with a thin smile. Nearby, three
8nolls dressed in scale armor cackle as they char8e forward.
Whisperin8, two small humanoid shadows flit from near
Demise toward you.

---

https://app.roll20.net/join/48848/eGkyJw
working on putting map together...

03:10, Today: Matt rolled 11 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 6. initiative.

With a ghostly shriek, the wraiths float forward, charging at Angel with arms flailing.  One manages to hit!

---

Angel HP: 48+4thp-6=26

While the PCs are fighting, someone ascends the tunnel,
but they are invisible.
(Perception DC 15 to hear the person leaving the stall).