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--- game_systems:pathfinder2e:blood_lords:adventure_journal [2024/03/20 20:31] – [Unmasking the Hag] Bryan Stephens
+++ game_systems:pathfinder2e:blood_lords:adventure_journal [2024/05/09 09:42] (current) – [Hanst] Bryan Stephens
@@ Line 373: / Line 373: @@
 The noble wizard marches to the Fishmonger’s office, Blake and Tsekani frightening away the line. Barging in, he demands an understanding from the Fishmonger. He has Blake show off the crate’s contraband and access the customs officer of being part of it. The Lizardfolk man is shocked! He tells the group that he had no idea at all. He promises his guild will investigate. Zaheri promises he and his group will take care of this traitor now. The mage tries to obtain additional help, but none will serve. Disgusted, Zaheri returns to the inn to change clothes and get potions. He packs up Tensor and summons Hanover, who can move more easily underwater. Tumbly has already been prepared with gills and webbed hands and feet.
-Headed back, they encounter a growing mob. The head is an angry woman named Shallowdrudge. The mob is worried that Zaheri and his friends will fail, and the reprisals of Sahari will fall on them. Zaheri, backed by the glowing eyes of Blake, backs her down, noting he will not forget the face of anyone who stands in his way and that there is always room for more zombie workers. Shallowdrudge backs down and parts the mob. The four march to the edge of the water and head down to the lair of their enemy.
+Headed back, they encounter a growing mob. The head is an angry woman named Hanst. The mob is worried that Zaheri and his friends will fail, and the reprisals of Sahari will fall on them. Zaheri, backed by the glowing eyes of Blake, backs her down, noting he will not forget the face of anyone who stands in his way and that there is always room for more zombie workers. Hanst backs down and parts the mob. The four march to the edge of the water and head down to the lair of their enemy.
 ==== Lair of the Sea Hag ====
@@ Line 382: / Line 382: @@
 |Game Date|3/14/24|
+{{ :game_systems:pathfinder2e:blood_lords:npcs:sahani.png?300|}}
 The next chamber is some sort of kitchen/pantry. Finding nothing, Blake moves south to find their prey. She is not alone, flanked with a Mandragona and a foul ooze! Worst of all, in front of her is a swarm of blood leeches. The leeches swarm Blake, but there is no blood there. However, Shari lands a curse on the hobgoblin skeleton, and Blake is stupefied. The leeches are just out of range of the three living members of the group. Zaheri curses that he cannot use a //burning hands// under water, but Tsekani steps up and annihilates the leeches with a blur of fists! Zaheri instead fires a full //magic missile// into the sea had herself. It is at this moment the Mandragona shrieks, but its sickening only harms the living, and that does not include the party members effected. Sahani herself is, however, forcing her to retreat. Even stupefied, Blake lands a blow upon her as she retreats. Sebastion cannot attack from the back, which seems to be a theme.
@@ Line 388: / Line 390: @@
 Zaheri steps forward to see his foe, and casts //boneshaker// a powerful necromantic spell. While Sahari wills herself to avoid the worst of the effects, Zaheri still pulls at her bones and forces her, like puppet back to the side, where Hanover moves to strike her. Blake strikes at the ooze and then heads to hit the hag. Before Hanover can act, the hag disperses the ghost in a cloud of claws. Meanwhile, Tsekani grabs the ooze and forces it onto the mandragona, almost dissipating the purple mess, its acid burning the plant creature. He continues the fight and Sebastion again helps him stay healed and fighting, while Blake concentrates on the Hag, who now tries to run.
 Zaheri strokes Tumbly and uses is power to recast //boneshaker// and yanks Shari back, taunting her. Tsekani manages to kill the ooze and concentrates on his other foe. The two trades blows as Blake gives chase to Sahani. Sebastion uses his starknife to attack the fleeing hag, who in turn strikes at Blake. Zaheri tries an //electric arc// and misses the hag but cripples the mandragona. Unfortunately, Teskani is very hurt by the plant-creature as he grapples with it, so Sebastion stops his aid of Blake and heals his friend again, noting he is running out of tricks. Blake, however kills the sea had, Sahari and Teskani finally puts down the mandrgaona.
@@ Line 395: / Line 398: @@
 ====  Cleaning Up ====
 |Game Date|3/21/24|
+{{:game_systems:pathfinder2e:blood_lords:monsters:wight.png?275 |}}
+With the wights back in their unlidded coffins, Zaheri has had enough. He brings out Tensor and floats up in the water using his //phase bolt// twice on one of the undead. They all get up and move, complaining all the way. They don’t head into the area with the guardians, but another nook. Blake and Tensor bottle them up, themselves immune from being turned by the wights. Sabastian and Zaheri used ranged attacks while Tensor, Blake and Tsekani pummel the wights. The fight it quickly over.
+They scour the temple and find a magically secure book of records, proof of the hag’s ill plans. They also find the shrine to Dagon outside, but a deep one is floating near it. They hesitate to destroy the shrine today, and decide to return fully restored tomorrow, just in case.
+The group emerges, wet and bedraggled. Zaheri performs a fast //prestidigitation// and uses a wand of //harm// to heal the party. They are approached by townspeople who are thrilled! The hag’s curses are broken.
+Zaheri stops Hanst and asks her to dinner, much to the surprise of his companions. Normally, Zaheri has been a near ascetic, showing no interest in pleasures of the heart of flesh. The group returns to their inn and dresses. Zaheri is quite clear he does not expect to pay //anything// further, to which the innkeeper agrees. Sebastion offers to meet with Highridge, while Zaheri meets with Keystone’s mother, and Blake and Tsekani meet with the Fishmonger. They come away with the favor of the Builders and Traders Guilds, but Sebastion withhold’s the ring from Highridge, and thus the Tax Collector’s favor. Instead, he offers the vampire remains. It is not until the way home that Zaheri realizes this has happened.
+That evening, Zaheri offers a startled Hanst a chance to use her chemical skills in supporting the Graydirge farm in their charge. He also notes he is looking for good breeding stock to discharge his duty of reproduction before his planning transformation into a lich. Hanst is taken aback by the offer, which she is able to see is strangely sincere, but this is Geb, after all.
+Hanst is a resourceful woman who took over her husband’s business after the hag killed him. She as become a leader in the community, and was able to get the mob to stand down once it was aroused. Zaheri was impressed. He proposes her being evaluated by his mother, The Lady Nesket, herself now a lich, as breading stock. He is clear that if marriage is what is needed, he can agree to that. Hanst thinks it over and the next morning, still unsure, has decided that there is little for her in Shallowshore, and heads out with the group after the destroy the shrine to Dagon.
+====== 06 Pagket ======
+==== Kellok Interludes ====
+|Campaign Dates| Arodus 16 – Arodus 27, 4722|
+|Game Date|4/4/24|
+{{:game_systems:pathfinder2e:blood_lords:npcs:hanst.png?175 |Hanst}}
+Before the group leaves Shallowshore, they use the discounts offered to shop. Tsekani looks high and low for a //belt of lifting// and has to give up. As they are packing, Zaheri offers him the very thing with a smug smile. Tsekani takes the belt but wonders just //why// it had been hard to find.
+As they depart, Zaheri talks with Tsekani about a temple looking for chosen ones to ritually mummify. He pitches the idea to his monk companion, saying it would put him into the upper ranks, well at least upper middle ranks, of Geb society in a matter of weeks. Tsekani stalks forward muttering about asking Blake how great it is. Undeterred, Zaheri turns to Sebastion to talk vampires. It is clear the necromancer sees achieving undeath as a noble goal.
+Four days of travel as the group returning to Kellok Mannor, Zaheri looks into the construction of servant’s quarters on the land. He prepares Hanst for the visit to the farm. Arghun takes them to the scrying pool and shows them how to see where they have been. Zaheri is unable to make it scry well to where they are going. It is clear this will take some more work and experience. They have not yet changed when a letter arrives from Berline inviting them to dinner. Of course they accept and Zaheri includes Hanst.
+Dinner is an interesting affair. Beline is proud to show of she is getting ale from [[game_systems:Pathfinder2e:Blood_Lords:places:Undying Ales|Undying Ales]]. She is most appreciative. The group makes their report, and Zaheri introduces Hanst whom Berline welcomes most warmly. Berline also makes is quite clear, in her oblique style, she knows the new gang, the [[game_systems:Pathfinder2e:Blood_Lords:things:Scarlet Reavers |Scarlet Reavers ]] are working for the four of them, and makes sure they understand too much corruption is bad for business.
+After dinner, the group adjourns to [[game_systems:Pathfinder2e:Blood_Lords:places:Undying Ales|Undying Ales]], where the crowd is doing well. They pick up their “earnings” from the bar and the actions of their extortionists and have a relaxing evening. The next day, it is time to head out to deal with Decrosia, the last hag.
+==== The Rusty City ====
+{{:game_systems:pathfinder2e:blood_lords:monsters:virulak_villager.png?150 |Virulak}}
+The four proto-champions of Geb take the next few days to travel to the town of Pagket. It is a small town in decline, that was once full of bustling factories south of the border between Geb and the Mana wastes. The town itself is a far cry from its former self. Factories stand silent, but some have started up. The citizens are mostly virulak undead, poor souls who died in a horrible plague. The city seems to have no living at all. Besides the virulak are undead forge-spurned dwarves and clockwork riflemen. It is all strange to the group, used to swords and flesh, not walking metal.
+{{ :game_systems:pathfinder2e:blood_lords:monsters:clockwork_rifler.png?150|Clockwork Rifler}}
+They crew stops a wagon going in to see what he is transporting. It looks mostly to be chemicals. Careful review of the clockwork soldiers show they carry rifles. Needing to get inside. Zaheri disguises the group as three virulak, while making Blake look like a clockwork. The group enters the city. The virulak are rude and brusk. Zaheri is able to fit right in with subtle questioning on where to obtain a weapon for Blake. This gets them to an armory, where they are easily able to find fire arms, though Sebastion sets on off. This results in a sudden knock at the door and demanding clockwork riflemen. Zaheri, in full noble mode, deceives the bots (crit) and tells them this is a firing range and the bots go, though not after testing their weapons on the side of the building. Searching the room, they also find an //elixir of greater comprehension// and a note showing them that their target is in one of four factories. Zaheri suggests the two more athletic climb to a roof to scan the city. Blake fails on the first attempt, still rattled by the gun. Tsekani leaps up to the top and helps Blake on his second attempt. They view the city and look for their next clue!
+=== Encounters in a Graveyard ===
+|Game Date|4/11/24|
+|Campaign Dates|Arodus 28-29|
+{{:game_systems:pathfinder2e:blood_lords:monsters:birab.png?100 |}}
+{{ :game_systems:pathfinder2e:blood_lords:monsters:mirriam.png?100|}}
+Seeing figures in the graveyard who seems separate from the movements of the city, the group decides to investigate. They find their two Revenants, undead kept alive by the need to kill the one who killed them. They are Birrab and Daiama Maiklin, groom and bride to be married on the day the plague struck. While talking, they are approached by another viralck, calling himself “The Shroud”. He is the former mayor of the city and a sworn enemy of the hag, Decrosia. He reveals she is sending shipments to both Shallowshore and to another hag! There is an unheard of fourth member to deal with. Decrosia is importing guns from the Manawaste city of Alkenstar. The Shroud invites them to his warehouse to flesh out a plan.
+The Shroud is able to help them pinpoint the warehouse their prey is in. The group investigates the city and comes up with several schemes. The largest is for the Mayor and Daiama to create a diversion and chase by the slow robotic soldiers, while Birrab accompanies party inside. With his ability to detect Decrosia, he can guide them. They resume their disguises, and dress Tensor up as another clockwork guard. Then, Blake “escorts” them under the story they are to be led in as prisoners to be questioned.
+==== Factory of War ====
+|Game Date|4/25/24|
+|Campaign Dates|Arodus 30-31|
+=== A Mechanic Explained ===
+//By making rolls in the last session, the players earned Heist Points that allowed them to engage in a cinematic flashback for what they had prepared to do and spend that point to implement it, often with a successful roll. This mechanic is used in **Blades in the Dark**, an it is a great one we can recommend highly for any sort of heist adventure. Adapt it as you see fit. In this instance, its use will have in bold // **HEIST POINT** //when it was used in the session.//
+=== Getting in and Getting Stuck in ===
+With their disguises in place, and their diversion active, the party of 6 (including Tensor and Birrab) marches up to the factory in question. They are stopped by two guards left outside the building. Upon Blake convincing the guards they are their with prisoners, the guard asks to see Blake’s entry pass.
+**HEIST POINT**
+Fortunately, Blake had noticed these passes and Zaheri was able to create one for him and work it into his disguise. A panel on Blake’s chest slides up to revel an expertly made forgery //(craft and deception by Zaheri)//. They easily get inside.
+{{:game_systems:pathfinder2e:blood_lords:monsters:theshroud.png?200 |The Shroud}}
+Once inside, they see the undead dwarven forge-spurned at work. A patrol of several clockwork are headed towards them. Blake is able to again bluff the guards, but one stops to talk to the disguised Tensor in the back. Tensor, being a mindless skeleton, cannot speak back. Zaheri attempts to throw his voice but fails miserably. When confronted, Zaheri sneers that this guard can’t speak because Zaheri broke him. Zaheri’s natural arrogance makes his disguise as a virulak all the more convincing. The guard orders Tensor to go with the others to be repaired, and Zaheri repeats the order as if mocking. He watches his “bone shield” walk away, following the other clockwork guards, and Tensor is replaced by a real guard. The whole group almost walks past the open door of the foreman, who is bound to investigate this unusual appearance of prisoners, however:
+**HEIST POINT**
+Fortunately, Zaheri wanted a better look inside the factory if possible. He sent Tumbly out for a look inside the windows. Tumbly was able to sketch a layout and talk to his master. Here, Blake is able to lead them based on that map, and head to the north stairs, towards the office where Decrosia awaits.
+Up the stairs the round the corner, Tsekani and the real guard still on the stairs, and Blake is confronted by a statue of a minotaur. As expected, this is a golem. It demands to know what they are doing there, and, this time, Blake cannot talk his way past. It charges Blake, in what would be a bloody gore, shattering bones, but Blake holds himself in place.
+**HEIST POINT**
+Fortunately, Sebastian heard from Tumbly about this large statue, and correctly deduced this was an iron golem. He informed the party that if they ran into such a thing, it was vulnerable to electrical damage, and Zaheri prepared spells accordingly. So was he.
+Blake uses his //dragon spit// to shoot out //electric arc// which not only hurts the beast but causes it some confusion. Sebastion then splashed oil of unlife on Blake as he dashes forward, in a practiced move. As this happens, Tsekani suddenly turns on the startled guard and smashes him with his fists. Birriab leaps past the guard away from the large golem. Zaheri tries a //tanglefoot// spell, but the construct is only slowed slightly. It charges forward, critting on Blake and goring Zaheri as Sebastion just gets out of the way. Blake collapses to avoid being totally shattered, while Zaheri finds himself with a gaping hole in his side, massive bleeding, and the minotaur pinning him, as it struggles to free itself from being embedded in the wall.
+{{:game_systems:pathfinder2e:blood_lords:monsters:golemminotaur.png?200 |}}
+Things seem dire. Blake reforms and charges the stuck minotaur. Sebastion again heals the skeleton, as fractures magically mend, and fragments float into place. He then spits again, putting more electrical charge into the beast. Birriab finishes off the clockwork guard, enraged at being slowed so close to his target as the weakened and dizzy Zaheri manages to just get off his own //electric arc// spell, even while pinned. This deactivates the golem, but leaves the necromancer pinned. The massive Tsekani wrenches the inert metal body away, freeing Zaheri.
+Tsekani suggests they get the clockwork guard into the hall way to not be seen from the stairs, but the commotion has caused the foreman to come investigate. When confronted, Tsekani suggests the foreman go back to his office as the group was there for a change of management. The foreman looks up the stairs, shrugs his shoulders and laughs to himself.
+{{ :game_systems:pathfinder2e:blood_lords:monsters:foreman.png?100|}}
+//”Change of management, huh? They are all going to die. Still, could be interesting.”//
+It is clear that he, like most of the citizens, would be happy to see the hag deposed.
+Sebastion ministers to Zaheri’s wounds, and the wizard pulls vials of //oil of unlife// to magically heal himself. While Blake talks Birriab into waiting before charging again, Zaheri thanks Sebastion and Tsekani for their help, especially the large monk, saying,
+//”I thought I was going to just die under that bulk of metal and my body would be no better than a mindless zombie. Thank you friend.”//
+This leaves Tsekani rather confused.
+Healed and ready, the group lets Birriab charge into the upstairs office. Their they see the hag Decrosia, waiting for them, gun in hand. She cackles about waiting for them, and in a surprise move, leaps out the window, to escape into the street below!
+**HEIST POINT**
+Fortunately, Zaheri was ready for this eventuality, and had The Shourd and Daiama double back to spring a trap on anyone jumping out of this office. Decrosia finds herself in a net. Birriab wastes no time in leaping after her. The hag shouts for help from the many guards roaming the streets.
+=== The Final Fight ===
+|Game Date|5/02/24|
+|Campaign Dates|Arodus 31 – Rova 5|
+{{:game_systems:pathfinder2e:blood_lords:monsters:decrosia.png?200 |}}
+Blake looks down to see Decrosia has easily slashed the net, though it did slow her down and force her to be surrounded. Her cries for help could summon her powerful guards.
+**HEIST POINT**
+Fortunately, Blake thought to hide the ally with disgruntled merchant carts. At either side of the ally, the view to the ground is blocked. The guards might still hear her, however, there areadditional explosives of powder set up by Sebastion timed to go off.
+Birrab claws the woman who killed him, digging deeply as Tsekani jumps down to attack. She has her gun to the former mayor’s head, threatening to destroy him. She laughs as Tsekani approaches, knowing his fists will do little damage to her magical form.
+**HEIST POINT**
+Fortunately, Sebastion and Tsekani talked about this, and Tsekani came with a tincture of cold iron on his wraps, which he just applied before the door was open. The hag screams as the damage lands. It is at this point that Sebastion’s explosions go off. No one is soon coming to Decrosia’s aid.
+Daiama claws the hag as she steps back, //”You ruined my wedding!”// she cries, her claws digging deeply.
+Decrosia fires her gun at Tsekani and reloads. The Shourd and Birrah both join Daiama in attacking their hated foe. Tsekani and Blake flank her, with the skeleton connecting. Sebastian spits at her, but fails to land well when he jumps out. Finally, Zaheri stands, framed in the window, and unleashes a barrage of 6 //magic missiles// into Decrosia, and the force rips through her body killing her. Suddenly, there is silence, as the noise of approaching clockwork soldiers ceases. Then cheering can be heard. Birrab and Daiama thank the party. They embrace and their souls are released from their undead forms. The party is left with a jubilant Shroud.
+=== Aftermath ===
+In the aftermath of the attack, they have time to ready what they found. Nathnelma is being shipped to a necromancy school in another city. This is the location of the extra hag. The Shroud invites them to rest and recover in his home. As they sit and eat dinner, Blake taking some scavenged bones to nit into himself, Zaheri is quite silent. It is clear the young man is troubled. He finally opens up.
+It is clear his brush with death has rattled the arrogance of the lich bred. His certainty of his destiny has been brought into doubt. To a confused group, Zaheri apologizes for treating them as underlings, and promises he sees them as equals. Blake shrugs this off as living person growth, his past life memories enough to see it as the vagaries of youth. The other living companions, when they understand Zaheri is serious, accept what he says without much comment beyond welcoming him to real life.
+==== Hanst ====
+{{ :game_systems:pathfinder2e:blood_lords:npcs:hanst.png?200|}}
+Upon return to Kellok Mannor, Zaheri finds a letter from his mother approving of Hanst as a breeding partner and she has been directed to other things besides farming. Zaheri finds Hanst engaged and excited, having been interviewed by his mother, face to face. She seems undisturbed by his mother’s lichdom and wondered by Zaheri warned her at all. Zaheri cannot fail to notice the raven familiar on Hanst’s shoulder. The women relates that Zaheri’s mother just //”gave him too me. He does talk to me some.”//. While still eager to learn magical arts, Zaheri understands all too clearly his mother has given Hanst a familiar from an unknown patron. She is on the path to being a witch.
+As Hanst goes to prepare dinner, Zaheri asks Tsekani and Sebastion what they know about dealing with women. Tsekani just laughs and walks away, while Sebastion contemplates his companion. The investigator’s face is clearly a mask covering a dark exaltation. He says quietly,
+//”You don’t want to ask **me** that question,”// and he walks away mindlessly fingering the blades of his knife. Zaheri is left alone in the hallway, questioning his future, his relationships, and his safety.

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