Chapter 1: A Peaceable Kingdom

[Jeff]

Goran hears a woman's voice speaking undecipherable words from beyond the wall. Then, as he watches through the window, he sees the woman in rags suddenly vault from her position below the wall directly onto the steps without her needing to pass underneath the window. She moves quickly out of sight again, apparently stopping somewhere in front of the open door. The impressive jump suggests some level of magic.

"I know there are six of you," the woman whispers loudly enough for both Goran and Pellorien to hear her clearly. (Streko and Oss only catch every other word.) "With a word, I can bring the watch down on you all in force .I'd rather not. I'd rather talk. Weapons away?"

[Darren]

Sticking only his head out into the hallway, Kalarian nods towards Goran. "What's that all about?"

[Joe]

Streko pads down the hall to the room that Kal is in.

"A stranger approaches. She knows our numbers, but not our intent. She wishes to talk or she will contact the Watch."

Streko then pads to his original place, in the shadows near the corner of the room. He pulls a couple of darts out from his back pack, placing the sickle at his feet.

[Darren]

Putting the sunrod on the floor so that it backlights him, Kalarian steps out into the hallway. With the stronger illumination at his back, the woman should be unable to see his face and only his silhouette. "If the stranger wishes only to talk, let them come forward. Be wary, though. Remember what happened the last time we allowed a stranger to come forward to 'talk'...."

[Lara]

At Kalarian's words, Pellorien moves slightly, hoping that's just enough for Goran to notice her in the shadows, nodding her assent to Kalarian's suggestion. She resumes her stance in what protection the lack of illumination offers. She holds no weapon in her hands.

[Jeff]

The woman in rags steps very slowly through the open door. She holds her left hand out, making it very clear that she carries a rapier, point down. Pellorien can see the slight glimmer of silvery mail beneath the sleeve.

When she steps fully inside, she allows the hood of her ragged cloak fall. Pale hair spills around a youthful face. In the gloom, it's difficult to make out details. Those within sight of the door can just make out indigo outline of a dragonmark on her face. Pellorien is certain this is the same woman she'd seen earlier in the day, standing just outside this very door.

"My name is Taymra d’Orien and I am alone," she says, still keeping her voice low. "You are six of the nine missing survivors. You want answers, and I want them, too. Can we talk?"

[Darren]

"Step inside and close the door, and then yes, we can talk."

[Jeremy]

Goran grumbles and sheathes his sword.

He faces the woman, and gives a slight bow as a sign of respect, but wary respect. He smiles a little.

"...but you know that the watch wouldn't be here in time to save...well, anyway, you are brave. But I would feel better, since you seem to know so much about us, if you told us who you were first...and why you know our number and our fate."

---

Sense Motive check.

[Ed]

Oss does not hide himself, nor his readied stance as he watches the woman carefully.

"Yes, I'd be damned curious to hear how you know all that," he says.

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Oss is ready to return fire should the visitor attack first.

[Joe]

Streko moves toward the strange woman slowly until he is standing within five feet of her.

"Isn't it obvious, my friends? She was outside, watching as we approached and entered this domicile. We must have seemed quite...amateurish...to you, to be so flagrant and oblivious of our actions."

Streko bows, never taking his eyes off her.

"I am Streko Tavven, My Lady Taymra, and my friends are understandably interested in discovering who it is who tried to have them killed. As am I. Let us talk and compare notes, shall we? Perhaps we can help one another."

____________________________________

Streko is mentally preparing a spell, in case she turns into Mrs. Hyde and attacks.

[Darren]

Remaining with the light at his back, Kalarian folds his arm, the sharash in the crook of his left one. "Amateur? Not at all. I was hoping someone would be out there and reveal themselves. I believe we played this perfectly. Now, please, Taymra. Step inside, close the door, put down your sword and let us talk of what you know."

[Jeremy]

Goran sighs a bit, shaking his head.

"Watching us stroll in here, clumsily or not, would not have revealed an involvement with the Light Rail attack, nor what we meant to gain by coming here.

Goran turns his gaze back on their "guest".

"Her knowledge comes from more than standing in a shadow across the street and taking notes, my friends. Which is why I wish to hear her side first."

Goran's weapons are sheathed, as mentioned. His arms are folded across his chest, and he closes the door behind the woman.

[Jeff]

Taymra looks around, taking in everything—the number of your party visible to her, the closed first door, the open second one. She notes Oss's confrontational stance. She doesn't seem to notice Pellorien in the corner, not ten feet away from her.

She looks to Goran first. "I told you. I am d'Orien, but I am here of my own accord. Members of my house learned all they could from this place, but I wasn't finished with it yet. I suspected...something more is going on than mere murder. Your presence here tells me I'm right."

She pushes at the door behind her with her foot. It doesn't close fully, but it's close.

"This is the home of Fenwolt Ferenthoron, one of the passengers aboard the steerage coach. But he is dead now, as is his entire family." She studied your faces in the gloom. "Someone wants very much to kill whoever knows anything about the rail attack. I assume that you've been a target, as well?"

Goran—nor anyone—feels anything intentionally misleading in her words.

[Jeremy]

"You are a shrewd guesser, if guesses they are, d'Orien. But what brings you here to us, what is your interest in our fate? I should think if you believed us to be targets then wisdom would lead you as far away from us as possible, surely not closer."

Goran quickly makes eye contact with the others, and looks back at her.

"What is Orien's interest in this matter, beyond the obvious?

"How do we know that it is not your house who 'targets' us?

[Lara]

From her spot in the shadows, Pellorien casts a spell and then steps forward.

"Good evening. As you've guessed, with Fenwolt we were all survivors of the rail accident yesterday. Since that explosion, our world's turned all sorts of dangerous. I wonder if you would tell us what you know about these events..." she prompts, hoping the effects of her spell help ease negotiations with the other woman.

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Spell = Charm Person (Will negates)

This charm makes a humanoid creature regard you as its trusted friend and ally (treat the target’s attitude as friendly). If the creature is currently being threatened or attacked by you or your allies, however, it receives a +5 bonus on its saving throw.

The spell does not enable you to control the charmed person as if it were an automaton, but it perceives your words and actions in the most favorable way. You can try to give the subject orders, but you must win an opposed Charisma check to convince it to do anything it wouldn’t ordinarily do. (Retries are not allowed.) An affected creature never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders, but it might be convinced that something very dangerous is worth doing. Any act by you or your apparent allies that threatens the charmed person breaks the spell. You must speak the person’s language to communicate your commands, or else be good at pantomiming.

[Josh]

Grafth, now standing mostly in the dark, makes his way steadily toward the main room again. His shortspear is still in hand. He leaves the talking to the others, instead studying the newcomer with sight and smell (if possible).

[Jeff]

Taymra turns her head sharply when she hears the spell chant from Pellorien in the corner. Her startled expression melts into confusion, then a mild bewilderment. Pellorien feels as though her spell has taken effect.

“I…” she starts. “Of course. I have descriptions of most of you, but I know nothing about you all. Orien has been carrying out an investigation, starting with the scene of the rail crash. I was there, I marked the bodies and from the manifest we knew how many were missing. Of course, Orien needs to know what happened, and though you were victims of this crime, they’re very keen on finding you. I’m more interested to know why you did not await the rescue teams. I’m assuming the decapitated men—men not on the rail—have something to do with it. And I’m assuming you’re here, in this house, because you’re trying to find answers on your own.”

Taymra pauses, then looks back to Pellorien with a slight smile. “Please, who are you people? I’ve been dying to know—”

Just then, the glass window behind Pellorien breaks open with explosive force. Just as a large, dark shape drops to the floor beside Pellorien, the door behind Taymra opens silently and a slender figure slides up behind her. The edge of a shortsword is held against her throat. In the gloom, you can see a man in dark leather. Taymra's eyes widen in fright.

The moment seems to freeze.

The large figure beside Pellorien looms over her. In the dim lighting, it is difficult to be certain of its features. But its sheer bulk makes it clear the figure is a warforged. A small steel shield on one arm and a heavy pick in one upraised arm.

“Move not a tall, breather,” it says in a deep voice.

“This is how it’s going to go down,” the man with the blade at Taymara’s throat says with menace in his voice. It’s hard to see whom he is addressing. “You are going to give up the book that you found. Then we will disappear, all grievances forgotten.”

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Battle has not begun. (It's up to you whether it will.) Remember: post what your intended actions are, not what will necessarily occur. Obviously, this is a tense situation.

[Darren]

"Damn," Kalarian mutters. "Every time we're about to get some answers...."

Looking around at the others in the group to make sure they are ready for action, Kalarian focuses his attention on the man with the blade and says an arcane word, causing a flash of light to appear before the man's eyes. He then rushes forward towards the warforged.

_____________
Kalarian is casting Flare, centered on the face of the man with the knife to Taymra's throat. Then he's moving towards the warforged (not closer than 15 feet).

[Ed]

Oss growls as his hands launch into action. His body comes forward in a swift, violent undulation as he as shouts, "No!"

_______________________________________________

Oss is casting Lesser Orb of Electricity at the forged.

Initiative: 10
Atk on forged: 20
Dmg: 6

[Joe]

Praying to Olladra, Streko casts a spell at the man holding the knife at Taymara's throat, after which he will reach into his backpack and pull out a Tanglefoot Bag, which he will then unleash at the Warforged.

____________________________________

The spell that Streko casts at the man is Doom.

[Lara]

Pellorien casts a spell at the warforged.

_____________________________
Initiative=13
Spell = Daze
Can she use Surprise Casting or Cloaked Casting here? I'm still figuring out how these feats work.

[Josh]

Seeing everyone in motion, Grafth grumbles. "Well, why not?" He tries to weave around Kal and get a clear throw. If he finds one, he will throw his shortspear at the warforged.

[Jeff]

So much for parley!

ROUND 1

17 = enemy warforged
16 = Goran / Streko
14 = enemy rogue
14 = Grafth
13 = Pellorien / Kal / Tangat
10 = Oss
9 = Taymra
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The moment the words leave the man’s voice, the room breaks into motion!

“Too bad,” the tall warforged rumbles as he sees the violent reaction your party has to the situation. It brings its military pick down in a deadly arc....Pellorien tried to dodge, but the sharp tip catches on her arm and tears through her armor, clothing, and flesh. The bloody strike elicits a cry of pain. It hurts like all hell!

The front door blocks Goran an easy attempt to get to the rogue, but aiming and loosing an arrow has always been as simple as breathing to him. In an instant, an arrow has been loaded and he releases it at the most obvious threatening target: the warforged. The arrow sinks to the feather in the warforged's woody stomach. “You," the construct says to the half-elf. "Dead.”

Streko rattles off a prayer to Olladra, grasping his holy symbol as he does. When he gestures toward the sword-wielding man behind Taymra, the man wince from the divine power assaulting him. Even in the dim light, you can see his sneer vanish. Streko reaches with one arm into his pack, producing a misshapen bag, readying himself to throw it (though he cannot do so until next round).

Taymra’s would-be captor curses violently—this isn’t quite going like he wanted it to—then draws the shortsword across the Orien heir’s throat. His effort is hurried and clumsy, but it still draws a livid red line across her collar bone and part of her neck. She screams as he releases her, dropping her to her knees. With bloody shortsword still in one hand, the rogue steps back into the doorway and draws out some sort of flask in his other, readying to throw it.

Grafth dodges around Kal and launches his shortspear at the warforged. The aim is a bit rough, but the tip of the spear lodges firmly into a woody section of the construct’s leg. It grunts from the impact and swivels its crystalline eyes from Goran to the shifter, as if aware how unexpectedly dangerous its enemies are.

Pellorien uses the distraction, focusing her mind to cast a spell under duress. She speaks the word of a spell and targets the looming warforged. The construct glares back at her but seems otherwise unaffected.

Kal rattles off his own spell, pointing at the unknown rogue. A small burst of bright light manifests before the man’s eyes. He shrinks away, blinking and cursing. Tangat runs past him, barking in the direction of Streko and Taymra.

Oss summons a globe of crackling energy and hefts it for a throw. The shot isn’t a good one—too many people getting in the way—but he does his best. The ball of electricity hurtles through the room and dissipates in a crackling burst when it strikes the warforged in the chest. Wood darkens and metal scorches. The construct sustained damage but it’s difficult to tell just how badly hurt it is.

The Orien heir grasps at her savage wound with her right hand. Despite her pain, her face twists with rage and she pivots her left hand backwards, swiping ineffectually at the rogue with her rapier even from her knees.

________________________

• Warforged’s attack: 19 (6 damage to Pellorien).
  
• Goran’s attack: 9 + 6 = 15 / damage 6 + 2 = 8
  
• Rogue fails to resist Streko’s spell. Rogue’s attack: 19 (16 damage to Taymra).
  
• Grafth’s attack: 11 + 4 = 15 (miss) / damage 6 + 2 + 3 (skirmish) = 11.
  
• Pellorien’s Concentration check = 17 (successful) / warforged resists the spell.
  
• Kal’s spell is successful.
  
• Oss’s attack = 20 / damage 6 electricity

Took some license with Goran here, Jeremy. But now we're firmly in combat, so it's your call from here on.

[Lara]

Reeling from the pain radiating out from the wound in her arm, Pellorien gathers her resolve to cast one more spell, strange words of arcane power tripping off her tongue.
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Spell = Hypnotism
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: Several living creatures, no two of which may be more than 30 ft. apart
Duration: 2d4 rounds (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates [DC=15 thanks to Spell Focus (Enchantment) feat]
Spell Resistance: Yes

Your gestures and droning incantation fascinate nearby creatures, causing them to stop and stare blankly at you. In addition, you can use their rapt attention to make your suggestions and requests seem more plausible. Roll 2d4 to see how many total Hit Dice of creatures you affect. Creatures with fewer HD are affected before creatures with more HD. Only creatures that can see or hear you are affected, but they do not need to understand you to be fascinated.

If you use this spell in combat, each target gains a +2 bonus on its saving throw. If the spell affects only a single creature not in combat at the time, the saving throw has a penalty of -2.

While the subject is fascinated by this spell, it reacts as though it were two steps more friendly in attitude. This allows you to make a single request of the affected creature (provided you can communicate with it). The request must be brief and reasonable. Even after the spell ends, the creature retains its new attitude toward you, but only with respect to that particular request.

A creature that fails its saving throw does not remember that you enspelled it.

[Joe]

Streko tosses the Tanglefoot bag at the Warforged, then once again reaches back into his backpack, pulling out his sickle. He will concentrate his attack on the Rogue.

[Darren]

Growling with frustration at seeing another source of information being wounded, Kalarian speaks more arcane words. Knowing that the area has become too tangled for a close in attack, especially with his sharash, Kalarian puts the weapon on the floor and draws his longsword.

__________
Casting Magic Missle at the guy with the sword. Also, putting down the sharash and drawing my longsword. I might have done too many actions there. If so, just delete the last few.

[Ed]

Oss continues his glare at the forged and launches into another casting.

________________________________________
Lesser Orb of Fire on the forged.Atk: 20
Dmg: 9

[Jeremy]

Goran turns his attention to the rogue, drawing and shooting again, aiming for the throat. That is, if it's possible to hit the rogue from where he is. I can't really tell from the map if I've got a clear shot (but as you pointed out, his aim is good enough to hit a squirrel between the eyes at fifty paces on a moonless night!) If Goran can't reasonably draw a bead on the rogue, then he will focus on the warforged. He will aim for its weapon arm.

Goran shouts to Pellorien and/or Streko: "See to d'Orien's wound, one of you!"

(is case there's any doubt, his tone is commanding but respectful)

---

Jeff, can I use my Point Blank Shot feat here? Also, for immediate future reference, how easy would it be to climb out the window to the steps?

[Jeff]

Goran can't get a shot on the rogue just now. (Yeah, any shot he makes within 30 ft. of a target automatically uses the Point Blank Shot feat, no worries.)

Opening the window would be a standard action, so he wouldn't be able to attack in the same round. But it would provide an opening to the outside. What's Goran going to do, then?

[Josh]

Seeing Pellorien's predicament and irritated at the tight quarters of this battle, Grafth grumbles as he steps forward to attack the warforged. He draws out his hand axe and takes a two-handed swing.