Kassius narrates to the other's what he sees, describing the body, the sketches, and the diagrams. Then he sees the gyroscope begin to fall. "What the...?"
He starts, then trails off. Suddenly his eyes go wide.
"They're destroying the evidence. It's a time bomb to destroy the whole frakking place! Get out, now!"
He cries in shock, turning and grabbing the others, forcing them to run as well.

Angati followed her sister's and Kassius' lead running after them as fast as she could.

The three of them sprint down the stairs, with Kibeti close behind. Unfortunately they don't make it any further than the ground floor before the noxious mixture of chemicals in the lab explodes.

The explosion rips the top off the old water tower and also tears downwards through the floor, the fiery blast knocking them all from their feet and then burying them all in a hail of rocks. A second later this is followed by a shower of burning acid falling from the lab above.

OOC: 4d4 fire damage and then 4d4 acid damage. Reflex 15 save on each of these to take half damage.

Pls go ahead and roll for your own damage.

Logan hurries down the hall, flinging himself underneath a heavy wooden table just as the explosion occurs, and shields himself from both the fire and the subsequent acid deluge.  When the dust settles, he pushes against the rocks and debris, trying to free himself.

"Kassius, Angati, are you all out there?"  The rogue coughs, clearing dust from his mouth and peers around at the decimated landscape.  "Fracking Victor.  What's he trying to do?"

Assuming these  count as "traps" for the purposes of Trap Sense, Logan makes both of these saves and thus takes no damage because of Evasion.

14:24, Today: Logan rolled 15 using 1d20+10.  Reflex vs Acid.
14:24, Today: Logan rolled 22 using 1d20+10.  Reflex vs Fire.

Kassius, forewarned by his vision dodges quickly out of the way, escaping the tower and wincing in pain as burning acidic debris rains down upon him. Kibeti is less lucky, and is still inside the tower when it blows. Fortunately, the cat's hide is resistant to the acid, and takes only minimal damage.


"Well, that went poorly." Kassius comments snidely.

"Clearly, trying to hide the evidence. Fortunately, I saw some drawings of an abandoned orphanage where they're installing a new bell. The "first chimes of midnight? mentioned in that note I bet."

14:59, Today: Kassius rolled 18,29 using 1d20+10,1d20+10. reflex saves.
15:00, Today: Kassius rolled 14,11 using 4d4,4d4.  damage (half).
(Kassius takes a total of 12 damage)

Kibeti:
15:01, Today: Kibeti rolled 14,9 using 1d20+8,1d20+8.  reflex save.
15:02, Today: Kibeti rolled 11,8 using 4d4,4d4.  damage.
(resists 5 acid damage, takes a total of 14 damage)

@Logan, agree, this was a trap so evasion applies.

@Kassius, I agree with your calcs.

Anansi made her way out slowly covered in rocks and white debris, she had clearly been burnt badly, and quite a bit of her hair was singed to the point of being really evident. "Damn that bloody man... I am going to peel his skin!" she said as she took further steps towards the rest.

"At least we got what we came for... Let's go to the orphanage... but first let's try to get hold of Alohan and Celene... I am thinking... Logan... can you send a messenger to my father's house saying we have died... we found the corpses and entered the house but it all blew up..  you managed to get out and are trying to dig out our corpses... Let's try to sneak out of here without being seen profiting all this mess.... Victor has at least one spy at my father's house, if he thinks his proof destruction not only worked but managed to kill us, it might make him a bit more confident..  and as for my father thinking that I died... screw him, he'll have to endure it for a while".

OOC:
Idea would be to sneak out of here back to hide out and try to regroup there... get in combat gear and use CLW to heal. Then head to Orphanage. While we heal, Logan would send a message through someone saying that we died... a terrible explosion and all the rest. He could say that we found the corpses of the guards, but not that one was missing.
08:32, Today: Angati rolled 10 using 4d4.  Acid (only half dmg).
08:31, Today: Angati rolled 12 using 4d4.  Fire dmg (full).
08:30, Today: Angati rolled 18 using 1d20+4.  Reflex save DC:14.
08:30, Today: Angati rolled 9 using 1d20+4.  Reflex save DC:14.

Heh heh. Good to see that this villain is getting under your skin a little.



Great!

This time they are successful to getting hold of Alohan and Celene and the entire team assembles in order to investigate the orphanage. As luck would have it, the orphanage is very close to the old Dragon Lotus lair so the party is able to spend a few minutes there kitting up and healing.



Good thinking, although maybe a bit harsh on Angati’s dad! Logan sends a message conveying the information.



Actually, the missing guard was in Victor’s lab dressed up in the sleuth’s clothes. Looks like it was an attempt to make it appear like Victor died in the blast. But still, there might still be a spy in the Lidu household, so better to be safe than sorry.

Now all the characters are together in this thread, I am placing it on hold until we are finished with the House of Porphyry.

And here we go...

After a stressful half hour of pushing and shoving through the crazy streets of Sasserine; Angati, Logan, Kassius and Kibeti regroup at the old Dragon Lotus lair. The entrance to Angati's base is in 'Dead Dog Alley' (out the back of the taxidermist's shop, remember how you almost got eaten by a crocodile in there?) and is only two minutes walk from their final destination - the derelict orphanage where Victor Saint-Demain is awaiting the 'Chimes of Midnight'.

The good news is that Alohan and Celene are waiting for them there, having got the earlier message. They are brought up to speed with the terrible events of the day.

Okay, healing time. This is the current damage total, can you please do your thing Beni.

Kassius  12
Kibeti   14
Angati   17

Once they are ready and plans have been made, they return to the streets.

Tonight is the last night of Carnavlé and the city is going insane - it is WILDNIGHT. The streets are a little emptier now as only the hardcore revellers remain. The drunken fools, the violent youths and the madmen roam, banging on doors, screaming at passers-by or howling at the moon. And then the sky opens up and the rain starts pelting down,

They arrive at the orphanage with ten minutes remaining before midnight. The condemned building is now falling apart, its stone walls succumbing to tropical creepers and with trees pushing up against the walls. The streets either side are dark and desolate, and a hissing mournful wind sends sheets of rainwater across the tangled weeds growing out front. Wherever Victor spends all that money he collects for 'charity', it sure isn't here.

The tall bell tower at the centre of the building still stands though, rising like an aged sentinel or the broken fragment if a dream harkening back to Sasserine's better days. Rubble and slabs of marble with water running down them lie about the grounds, jagged pieces of the building now lie like broken bones, long ago conquered by the undergrowth which rules now over the formerly majestic gardens. Above the entry arch, the cracked likeness of a sun is carved into blue marble but the words beneath if are mostly worn away by the elements - only the letters '....al. Wa..s Lo... ..st..' can be made out.

OOC: Right, what spells do you want to precast? The usual? Are people remembering to cross their wand charges off as they use them?

Seeing the others are injured Celene calls upon Wee Jas to heal their wounds.

15:19, Today: Celene rolled 6 using 1d6.  Healing.

15:18, Today: Celene rolled 3 using 1d6.  Healing.

15:18, Today: Celene rolled 7 using 2d6.  Healing.

At first I was going to say 'hang on, you're not a cleric anymore' and then I remembered - this thread is actually before they other thread. :D

Angati has 1 hp damage remaining, other two are fully healed.

I am pumped for this next big combat!

Pre cast:
Gravity bow on self.
Barkskin on Kibeti
Anyone else want a Barkskin? Kassius rarely gets into melee, so I can throw one casting of it onto either Logan or Alohan instead of myself (+2 natural armor bonus).

In reply to Kassius (msg # 76):

Logan would certainly like his AC buffed. Who needs it more, Logan or Alohan?  Logan's AC is normally 19.

We have a wand of shield of faith as well for a +2 deflection bonus.

OOC: Sorry... who had the wand ? hadn't we bought a few ? I am sorry I had not written it down in my sheet. It sure does not make sense to heal with spells... just use the wands. If I have one of the wands let me know I'll heal everyone with it.

As for pre-buffing, I'd go with the same as before... mainly Protection from Evil, and then the Blur ability. When close, cast divine favor.

Logan would definitely be up for Natural Armor and/or Shield of Faith.

No worries, but please do add these wands to both your character sheet and status block this time. When you use charges please just note it in your status block like Celene does, i.e.



At the end of the last adventure Angati got the following wands:

wand of cure light wounds with 8 charges remaining (taken from Bua Gorg's body)
wand of cure light wounds with 50 charges remaining (purchased by the team but carried by Angati)

She also got a potion of cure moderate wounds on the beach at Kraken's Cove, did you mark that down?
And that magical perfume from Ylarium.

Angati should have the wand we stole from Eseriel as well. Shield of Faith +2 (50 charges)

In reply to Celene (msg # 82):

True. Forgot about that one. Quite a collection you have there Beni! I also need to know which ones you keep equipped and which ones are in your backpack since your curse means that it takes a round to get anything out of your bags.

Kassius: Gravity bow
Kibeti: Barkskin
Logan: Barkskin from Kassius (+2 nat armor bonus) and Shield of Faith (+2 deflection bonus)
Celene: nothing?
Angati: nothing?
Alohan: nothing?

Hey, can Logan still get a benefit from the barkskin when he has normal armour on anyway?

Healing:
This heals everyone completely minus Kibeti (who still has 2hp damage) Total 8 Charges... so only have 1 CLW (50) charges left.

09:00, Today: Angati rolled 4 using 1d8+1.  CLW Angati.
08:59, Today: Angati rolled 6 using 1d8+1.  CLW Angati.
08:58, Today: Angati rolled 7 using 2d8+2.  Angati 2 charges.
08:58, Today: Angati rolled 12 using 2d8+2.  Kibeti (2 charges).
08:58, Today: Angati rolled 7 using 1d8+1.  CLW Kasius.
08:57, Today: Angati rolled 7 using 1d8+1.  CLW Kasius.

Only the Shield of Faith wand was missing in my annotations... sorry for this but guys this is like my achyles spot... I just am a terrible manager of stuff... Ill do my best, really :)

Anyone needs Shield of Faith +2 ? I'd say go for Protection from Evil... it was Khartach that casted it last time. I believe, but I can cast it now if you guys want.. just tell me how many... we should make a wand out of this... for pet's I'd say Shield of Faith ? please confirm.

As for Buffs:
- Protection from Evil
- Blur ability.
- Divine favor.

OMI:
- Shield of Faith
This message was last edited by the player at 08:07, Thu 01 Dec 2016.

In reply to Angati (msg # 84):

No worries buddy!

BTW, Celene already healed everyone with her channels (except for Angati who had 1 point of damage left) so at least your don't need to use charges on that.

Okay, just waiting for buff information from Celene and Alohan.

Yes.
Here's the SRD about armor bonuses:

An armor bonus applies to armor class and is granted by armor or by a spell or magical effect that mimics armor. Armor bonuses stack with all other bonuses to armor class (even with natural armor bonuses) except other armor bonuses.

Celene would only take mage armor. I've got a contingency to no longer use any charges from Alohan's wand in the works too.

OOC: Okay, time to finish off this 'mystery' in the time honoured D&D fashion - by killing stuff. You have 600 rounds to free Zelina - should be heaps of time but I will be keeping track of each round.

With spells precast, the party jog into the complex and pass through a deserted courtyard choked with weeds and with puddles forming in the rain (2 rounds gone). Then they enter the first real room.

Beyond the entrance archway yawns en enormous stone chamber. Rotted and broken wooden tables lie about the room in disarray. Many of the wooden crossbeams above have fallen to the flagstone floor, and pieces of the ceiling lie on the ground as well. Darkness reigns above, but it is obvious from the fallen stones that a breathtaking mosaic adorns the ceiling depicting frolicking children in a pastoral setting. At the far end of the chamber lies a large mouldering high table. And shackled to this table is Angati's sister, Zelina.

Standing over the scion of the House of Lidu is a hulking brute of a bugbear with long floopy ears and a tremendous warhammer at the ready. As he sees you enter he smiles - you see that his mouth is completely empty of teeth. It is no less than 'Durok the Masher', one of Sasserine's most wanted who escaped a few days ago just before the Silver Falcon was stolen and Zelina was kidnapped.



"Swop! Or I'wl mawsh her!" bellows the creature.

Zelina struggles against her chains and then looks across at the party, focusing on Alohan. Then she speaks, her voice somewhat calmer than they would have expected.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:43, Thu 01 Dec 2016.