The newly formed party headed out into the Hungry Mountains of Ustalav, with the aim of tracking down whatever or whoever was picking off trappers and woodsmen in the hinterlands.  It doesn't take them long to find the the marauder's latest work: A plume of smoke in the distance leads them to the burnt-out remains of a hunter's cabin, surrounded by tiny, clawed footprints.  Being an experienced woodsman himself, Buck is able to follow the trail with relative ease, and soon after, the party discovers a cave set into the mountainside.  The faint sounds of conversation in hissing Draconic can be heard from deeper in the cave, as can the smell of roasting meat.  The aroma of cooking would be mouth-watering, if one didn't know where the meat had come from.

OOC: You haven't been noticed yet, so everyone is free to take a turn.  You may have any effects that last 1 hour or more already active.

At the sound of distant draconic, Uluchi hisses softly, baring her fangs.

"Claw-footed marauders with draconic pretensions; sounds like Kobolds. Small-minded vicious creatures, I may be able to sway them into anarchy with my Word."

The woman with serpentine aspects is known as Uluchi Sesa, while ascribing her powers as gifts from Nature, finding a more metropolitan being would be difficult. In fact, as a paragon of Draconic Greed and Pride she might well be a candidate; her scales are swathed in expensive silks and her actual expeditionary gear is high quality and designed to be as light as possible, like her darkwood buckler or the single spiked gauntlet with special fasteners to affix to her wrist rather than a larger piece of armor.

At six feet tall, Uluchi seems at home looking down with bright yellow slit eyes, assessing the world from the elevation of a predator. Her skin is a soft tanned brown with green scales accents, her hair dark green-black sweeping back from her forehead in straight silky lines to just past her shoulders. She stalks forward towards the entrance of the cave, pausing for a second as her skirt gets caught in from shrubs, scowling at the impudent greenery.

"Or we can dispense with subtlety this time."

FREE: Talk.
MOVE: Attempt stealth as part of movement to C9 at half speed,
22:11, Today: Uluchi Sesa rolled 8 using 1d20+5.  Stealth while moving.
STANDARD: Ready Charm hex with Toxic Words vs any valid target (humanoid or animal) that comes out of the cave, with Sleep Venom as the linked poison in case of a failed roll.

Mechanical note: For her Charm, the DC (Will negates) is variable based upon the compatibility with target, ranging from 15 to 16 in this case, details in class features on sheet. If the target fails the will save, they will need to make a saving throw against Vishkanya Sleep Venom, Type injury; save Fort DC 13 (12 in this case, due to Toxic Words); frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; initial effect staggered for 1d4 rounds; secondary effect unconsciousness for 1 minute; cure 1 save.

Stat update: Uluchi's armor class is currently 19, 13 (touch), 16 (flat), Fortitude +4, Reflex +6, Will +5; for long duration effects, she has Mage Armor and Blood Boiling Pill active, adjustments from ongoing effects are accurate on sheet.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:35, Fri 29 Apr 2022.

Standing around six feet tall as well, the armor-clad woman known to her colleagues as Veana takes a step forward, frowning slightly at the serpentine woman's words. Her fair skin seems to almost have a metallic gleam to it, and while she looks human at first glance, there is something otherworldly about her appearance.

"I am usually not one for subtlety if I'm being honest," she says in response to Uluchi, fastening the strap on her shield before drawing her longsword.

"Although, I got a trick or two up my sleeve," she adds, calling on her innate magic to change her features as she treads forward.

The woman's stature seems to increase slightly. Green scales replace her fair skin, while she adopts a more reptilian appearance, complete with a thick alligator-like tail. Not exactly a Kobold, but certainly closer to them in appearance. Perhaps the trick would confuse and distract their targets.

OOC: I think the table above has a typo re: my starting position, which looks to be B8 instead of D6.

FREE: Talk.
MOVE: move to C10 and draw her weapon as part of the move action.
STANDARD: Use SLA Alter Self to change into a Lizardfolk -- Medium Humanoid, gain +2 Strength

One of the things that drew Koji to this group was because of the large woman.  For her part, Koji didn't look pristine like Veana had looked before changing her form nor did she look that good looking.  She was just a mass of muscle and rage which she used quite effectively.  She didn't know anything about kobolds but if they had caused trouble and had destroyed the hunters' cabin and were now having a barbeque to celebrate, Koji meant to crash the party.

She saw Veana pull her blade and advance forward so Koji did the same.  She would be ready to crash their party once the word was given.  "Maybe get them to come out by making animal sounds."

"(Elven tongue)We hide around entrance, smoke them out?"
Elven hunter passed by the witch and murmured at her, before a longspear appeared in his hands with a twist of his quiver. And he slinked forwards as quietly as he could.

OOC:
Stealth move to c12, ready Stab Not-Party member action.
Quickdraw longspear.

Stealth DC 13, readied attack 14, 6 piercing damage with Reach thanks to longspear.

Rolls:
20:44, Today: Puck rolled 6 using 1d6+2.  spear.
20:44, Today: Puck rolled 14 using 1d20+4.
20:43, Today: Puck rolled 13 using 1d20+9.  Stealth check.

Gorum, does Puck hear the Draconic speech from inside good enough? Puck talked to Sesa in elven.

"I'll try and cover you guys from the back," said Koyrai as he moved to a spot where he could get a better view of the cave opening. He cast Detect Magic before he moved though, just in case there were any auras worth seeing. The mage did not have many comments on which strategy they should employ for their current scenario, since his role would be largely the same regardless. That role being to stand near the back and blast things with magic. Also share his vast stores of knowledge, he supposed.

When he was in position, Koyrai also did his best to determine what it was that was being said in Draconic. It was one of the half dozen languages he could understand, unlike the Elvish that Puck was speaking. He had never taken the time to learn that one. Yet. "When you are ready, I can cast Ghost Sound to create animal sounds if you would like."

---

I will have Mage Armor already active, so my AC is currently 17. Prestidigitation too, because why not? I will then also spend a point from my arcane reservoir to switch out my Mage Armor spell for Burning hands.

Standard: Cast Detect Magic
Move: Walk to A11
I will also try to hear what is being spoken in Draconic, if possible. Here is a Perception roll for that:

19:40, Today: Koyrai Dellex rolled 6 using 1d20+2.  Perception - deciphering Draconic words.

Just before Puck moves Sandydale speaks.
Zippy Zippy Zup Zup.  He says and touches the Elf.  A small amount of electric charge move from one elf to the other elf.  The electric charge will add to pucks actions.  (However the other elf was to quick for Sandydale and all he was left to do was touch his own shoulder before moving off).
As the electric passes though Sandydale the elf said in low sounding voice to himself.  In a somewhat disturbing way.  Zippy Zippy Zip Zip.  Clearly enjoying the feeling of the electricity far to much.

Then Sandydale walks away from the group to place himself in a nice line of sight to fire arrows at the entrance of the cave.

OOC:-


This message was last edited by the player at 10:28, Sun 01 May 2022.

Moving forwards, Puck's keen senses notice several things.  The first is that smoking the kobolds out won't work: The cave is wide and expansive, and the cave floor slopes down slightly, meaning that simply lighting a fire at the entrance wouldn't be sufficient to fill the place with smoke.  The second thing he notices are the booby traps: Faint symbols have been scratched into the dirt of the entrance, which Koyrai quickly identifies as trap runes, a magical trick favored by kobold sorcerers.  Anybody setting foot in the runed area would find themselves struck by a blast of fire magic.

Thirdly, as Puck comes closer, he finds he's able to make out the details of the draconic conversation coming from deeper inside the cave.

"I'm telling you, you need to use more seasoning!  Human meat is fatty and rancid all by itself!  Why do you get to be the cook if-"

"Shut up, everyone.  Did you hear that?"

"My alarm spell just pinged me.  Someone's outside!"

OOC: Everyone but Sandydale beat the enemies initiative, and can act now.


NOTES: Trap runes on D13, E12, F13, G12.  Touching the ground in affected squares triggers a blast doing 1d8+4  fire damage, with a DC 16 reflex save for half.

It is currently late afternoon and sunny.  Lighting is "bright" outside, and "normal" within the cave.  The cave roof is 30' high once past the entrance tunnel.

This message was last edited by the GM at 01:54, Sun 01 May 2022.