lostsole31
  
   The Decemvirate sends members of the Pathfinder Society to the former crown jewel of Ustalav's royal courts, the decaying city of Ardis. Tasked by the Society to look into the fate of Absalom's former Master of Blades, Vonran Vilk,  what they find will lead to exploration, diplomacy, murder, haunted  pasts, and tragic love. Can the PCs stop the rampage of the Midnight  Mauler before he kills again?
    
     DRAMATIS PERSONAE     
     Character
[Player]
  
  Speech
Color  
  AL
  
  Faith  
  Race [Ethnicity]
(Gender ID)
  
  Side #1
  
  Side #2
  
  Campaign Trait  
 
    Kokoro
[NPC]
   
   Fire Brick Red
   
 ?? 
 ?? 
 ??? (f) 
 Smartsy? 
 Weird Magus? 
 Methodical Mind 
 
    Kuniyuki Aida
[NPC]
   
   Violet
   
 ?? 
 ?? 
 Human (m)
[Tian-Min] 
 Magic Kunai Wielder? 
 Combat? 
 Sensitive Mind 
 
    Ryado Erudyta
   
   Golden Rod
   
 LN 
 Pharasma 
 Human (m) 
 Investigator-y 
 Research-y 
 -- 
 
    Terzo
[BlackHawk101]
   
   Green 
  
 LN 
 Sarenrae 
 Old Dhampir
(m) 
 Medic 6
[Sanguinist] 
 Soulknife 6
[Deadly Fist] 
 Twitchy 
 
    Victorine Gwenaëlle Jacquet
[NPC]
   
   Saddle Brown
   
 N? 
 Pharasma 
 Ratfolk (f) 
 Sneaky? 
 Familiar-Based Magic? 
 Foe of the Strange 
 
    Viktorescu Hutov
[Silphael]
   
   Teal 
  
 CG 
 Valani 
 Forgeborn
(m) 
 Egoist 6 
 Promethean 6 
 Enduring Stoicism 
 
  
lostsole31
 Kavapesta  - the "Holy City of Pharasma" - is the population center for the Ustalavic county of Amaans, located on the shores of Lake Kavapesta.

The largest city in Amaans and a holy city for Pharasmins, Kavapesta is a somber place possessed by a dour variety of religious fanaticism. The city takes its name from Mother Kavapesta, a Pharasmin missionary and teacher whose sermons on perseverance and suffering laid the foundations for the philosophies today known as the Pharasmin Penitence. After the priestess's death, her followers began the construction of Cryptgate Cathedral, which through centuries of renovations and expansions would become the largest church and monastery of Pharasma in Ustalav. The effort of constructing this monument and the tombs beneath brought droves of pilgrims to the banks of Lake Divirmis,  which the faithful eventually renamed Lake Kavapesta. With the  cathedral's completion, the assembled congregation lingered on, hoping  to create a community based on the tenets of their faith. This community  grew slowly, finally becoming the city known today.


Yet a city needs more than faith to survive, a fact the people of  Kavapesta stubbornly defy. The foothills around the city are poorly  suited to farming and the lake is tainted by poisonous minerals from the Hungry Mountains. A few mines in the surrounding hills scrape tin and coal out of the earth, though one has to wonder if the coin  won from these efforts is worth the lives lost to cave-ins, choking  maladies, and more mysterious disappearances. But worst of all are the plagues,  the rampant sicknesses that seem to boil up from Lake Kavapesta once a  generation and burn through the city like a field fire. Scourges like  the Whithers, Tol's Voice, and, most fearfully, the Bleak Breath  have killed thousands in their beds, with lesser scares and  re-emergences occurring every few years. But the people claim that their  city is blessed—not cursed  like so many visitors say—insisting that each new calamity is a test  from Pharasma and an opportunity for the citizens to experience ever  greater trials, assuring greater rewards after death.

Entering the city gates, our two new acquaintances see a flag with the heraldic mark of Kavapesta - crowned skulls alongside Pharasma's religious symbol of a spiral.

Most of the townsfolk give Terzo and Viktorescu a wide berth. While Terzo is just another old man, Victorescu is a hideously ugly, lumbering, non-personable sort who depends on the old man to take of niceties, and even then it is slow going. Finally, after two hours of asking directions, the two of you find your way to the Glorious Beard Inn. Note that it was a day-long walk and it would be time to seek lodging and food anyway (if that is your sort of thing. 😉 )

What do you do?
Blackhawk101
As the long sought inn finally appears before them, Terzo turns to Viktorescu,   “At last! Let’sss go inside and see about a meal and bed. Mayhap the pathfinder’s will be still here asss well.”  
silphael
Viktorescu nods, and advances toward the inn's door.

"  I might not require rest, but between the travel and the gazes upon us, I think I can feel the relief of it. Though that would be my first time in an inn, obviously.  "
lostsole31
The two of you pay the innkeeper for room and board (and the tax coming into Kavapesta), and set yourselves a table, receiving simple sustenance (if you eat or drink).

Do you casually ask around regarding Pathfinders?
Blackhawk101
This being a strange town, a dwarf inn (whatever that means) and considering their appearance, Terzo will just listen and observe for a while.
 
 Spoiler: crunch 

he will uses his hat of disguise to make his beard as “glorious” as he can.
 
lostsole31
Both men just "listen," with the odd bit of conversation between themselves. Yet, just listening at that point is just playing on a lucky break than actually yielding any results .... or at least, it is for these two men who have absolutely zero clue how to run a subtle investigation or get a lay of the land passively.

So focused on listening and giving each other furtive glances and pretending to converse, that they fail to really notice a small head wearing a brown beret peering over their table. A high-pitched voice squeaks out in a strange language and dialect with which you are both unfamiliar.

  "Pardonnez-moi, mes amis, et bon soir ! I could not help noticing, monsieur, what a glorious barbe you possess! And you, sir? With the body ... so strange ... almost like you were as much thing as person. What manner of person are you?"  

The speaker - as you peer over the table to get a better look at her - is a brown-furred, murine 1  humanoid standing 3' 7" and a sturdy 65 lbs with ruby red, rodent-like eyes. She wears outrageously dashing clothing mainly of very dark olive, but with plenty of soft yellow, beige, dun, &amp; off-white accents. She is garbed with rapier and main gauche, and at her back is a strange crossbow that is nearly as big as she is, possessing a strange compartment nearly as big as herself.  Perched on top of her beret - looking at each of you quite judgingly - is a rather small rat with soft brown fur.

  "Oh! my manners,"   she continues in her very soft-edged dialect. She gives a bold blend of both curtsy and bow that is very deft, and like unto her own signature, looking down briefly before coming back up.   "Victorine Gwenaëlle Jacquet, à votre service !"  

 
1 = "Murine": Adjective meaning of or pertaining to rats and mice.
Blackhawk101
Terzo jumps a bit as the small head appears. He calms as he determines that it appears friendly.
  “Ah …hello? I didn’t catch all of that but well met Victorine! My name is Terzo and this fellow is Viktorescu.”

  He chitters a greeting to the small rat.
   
 Spoiler: rat speech 

”Hello. Nice to meet you. I am called Terzo.”
 

  
silphael
One of Viktor's eyebrows moves up half his forehead, the rest of his face barely moving.

"  Hello. I'm Viktorescu Hutov. And to answer your earlier question, I'm a forgeborn.  "
lostsole31
 
 Originally Posted by Blackhawk101 
 Terzo ... chitters a greeting to the small rat. 
 

The rat withdraws shyly "deeper" into her beret.

 
 Originally Posted by silphael 
 "  Hello. I'm Viktorescu Hutov. And to answer your earlier question, I'm a forgeborn.  " 
 

   "I am unfamiliar with what a forgeborn is, but it sounds .... apt,"   replies Viktorine.   "I was curious about you because you are both so strange, especially Viktorescu. Hey! Vic and Vik!"   she says in a laughing voice.   "But the real 'strange' is that you are in a place where people socialize, but you neither socialize with others, or even really yourself ... except for the odd furtive comment. Makes it real suspicious. Are you looking for something or someone and you're just waiting?"  
silphael
Vik nods.

"  As you likely figured, we aren't exactly the best with people. For numerous reasons. But we are indeed here, looking for two Pathfinders, I think ?  "

He looks at Terzo, asking for confirmation.
Blackhawk101
Terzo nods affirmatively.   “We are adventurers looking for some Pathfinders we heard were staying here. Have you seen them?”  
lostsole31
She .... smiles? ... as her mouth expands around the side of her uniquely-shaped mouth.    "It just so happens, I picked up a job with them. Same job I am guessing you heard on the grapevine. They usually come in around later, about nine or so .. a couple'a hours from now."  
Blackhawk101
Terzo perks up.   “Do you think they need more help?”  he asks hopefully.
silphael
"  I thought adventuring parties were four to five people at least, so that would make sense ?  "
lostsole31
  "Mais oui! There are two of them - a man and a woman, but both of them strange, "     Victorine begins to gossip excitedly.    "They each bear accoutrements that show they came here by way of the other side of the world, but more on that I cannot say. He  is  a man ....just foreign. But when I say  she  is a ' woman ,' well, that is as much to say  I  am a 'woman' in the eyes of Man, non? Her oversized hands and feet and massive frame? Oui, she must be an akuma, related to the demons of the swamps. And her body has black and white paint all over ... mostly biparty coloring, but with colorful cross flourishes across the center boundary that means she is surely a worship of Nethys, the God of Magic."  
Blackhawk101
Terzo grins excitedly,   "They ssound interesting! I look forward to meeting them later."
"Pleasse join usss for refresshment until they arrive."
  
He will wave the waitress over to order a round of drinks. Terzo prefers wine but will drink whatever is available.
lostsole31
After some time of small talk, Victorine's sudden interest is taken by two people that must surely be the ones she mentioned, and that is confirmed by her pointing to the table that they take to themselves.

The woman is 7'2" and a tightly muscled 247 pounds, but as Victorine mentioned, the woman's hands and arms are much larger than even her large frame would indicate. Her head is shaved but for a topknot of long black hair. Here eyes are feral and red. Her red-with-white-trim clothes are just barely enough to deal with modesty, and even then for the more liberal-minded of society. The right half of her body is colored black, and her left is white, but as told there are all manner of tribal tattoos that are the white crossing over black, or the black crossing over the white. There are a handful of red tattoos at the top of her chest, and she wears a very matching shade of lipstick as her red tattoos. She is armed with two foreign blades in sheaths, and a very natural-wood-looking bow at her back with a quiver of arrows. Around her waist are a couple pouches, and from her neck is an animist symbol of Nethys.

The human wears a wide-brimmed hat in the shape of a wide-based cone going to a point at the top. His clothing and gear seem to have the same cultural base as the womans', though his gear has him completely covered in that cultural motif but also with an eye to the cold weather. He wears a longbow at his back, but has no apparent melee armament. He is bald, 6'2", 170 lbs. of narrow frame. He is definitely a foreign man of unknown extraction.
Blackhawk101
Terzo asks Victorine timidly,   “Sshould we go over to introduce ourselvess?”  
lostsole31
  "I will introduce you!"   Victorine, having already been secured by the Pathfinders (by her admission, at least), says proudly before hopping off her chair and going over there, waiting for the two of you to follow.
Blackhawk101
Terzo will grin at Vik and then go over to meet the Pathfinders.
silphael
Vik stands up and follows Vic, his awkward frame wondering how close he should go before a complete introduction, likely standing too close for that. He waves.
lostsole31
Victorine makes the introductions. Her name is Kokoro, and his name is Kuniyuki Aida. Victorine also mentions that the two of you were looking for Pathfinders.

The two chuckle low, almost conspiratorially.

  "Worst kept secret,"   Kuniyuki says to her in a soft voice.

  "They're the worst manner of rumormongers in this country,"   Kokoro answers, her voice deeper and hard.

  "Yes,"   Kuniyuki nods with that soft, but somehow alluring voice that probably makes him popular with the interested gender, and inoffensive to darker forces.   "What are we looking at, Kokoro?"  

They discuss for a second, with you just standing there, and they both come up with the fact that Terzo is ancient-born dhampir, and that Viktorescu is one of the rare and reclusive forgeborn.  While the man seems like the "talker" and isn't without knowledge, the big scary woman is actually the seemingly more knowledgeable of the two.

  "Well, what are your specialties?"   asks Kuniyuki of Vik and Terry.
Blackhawk101
Terzo will step closer and speak keeping his voice down ,   “What do you know of Dhampir?”
  There is a bit of panic in his eyes as he surveys the inn to see if anyone is reaching for weapons.   
lostsole31
They confer with each other and the man bends forward, his head low so that his conical hat hides his eyes.    "As dhampir are the spawn of mortal woman having given her favors to a 'lord of the night,' or a subject of the worst abuse by the same, that such an unholy scion should immediately be put to the sword ..... officially."   
Blackhawk101
Terzo twitches as the man delivers his ominous statement. He perks up a little at the end.    “Officially…?”      he whispers.   
lostsole31
The man pulls back and smiles warmly, seemingly trying to put Terzo at ease.   "Officially, but only officially. As Pathfinders, we are not enforcers of the law-at-large. Oh, cooperation with local governments is important, but they often times seek our help - unofficially, and as long as the people we hire are not active fugitives in the land where we currently operate, we often get to provide aegis for the less legally fortunate."  

The woman whispers in his ear, and he looks to her and then nods and speaks in a casual, almost generally academic tone, as if to mention subjects which do not currently apply.   "Take for example, creatures such as those partially or wholly constructed. They have no legal standing or rights in the eyes of the law. So many mad scientist's projects like ... golems, or wyrwood, or even forgeborn, for example ... at any moment that such a creature does not possess a legal writ of ownership, then anyone can claim salvage. If one of these constructed were to resist, it would awaken the countryside and that creature would have a ..." and the woman feeds him some information before he continues "... a 'deactivation order' would be brought forth and everyone would come hunting such an errant automaton."  
Blackhawk101
 Terzo sighs and points at the man in frustration.  
“We know (better than most) that the world is unfair and cruel to thosse who are sstrange or different. We heard you were looking for some help and we’re offering. What ssay you?”   
lostsole31
  "What are you talents?"   asks the woman bluntly.   "The job is dangerous, and we don't want to be responsible for the death of anyone who has overestimated their skill."  
silphael
Vik puts his hand on the table, and shifts it into a dagger outside of the commoners' sight.

"   I'm a fleshcrafter. Both of my flesh, and others, to a lesser extent. If you want to be able to fly, swim, or compensate some of your innate weaknesses, I can do that. It wouldn't stay for very long, a week at most, unless you have some special, materials. I'm also a skilled psion, even if my abilities are mostly egoistic in nature.   "
Blackhawk101
  “Oh. Sure…ssure. Well I was raised in SSstate run orphanages in Cheliax where I had to fight for my life every day. After I fled the orphanage, I lived in the ssewers and sstole to survive. Later I joined a thievesss guild and I had a pretty good time doing that.”
”Over the years, I have developed my psionic hand-to-hand techniquess to augment my medic healing abilities. Not to mention the fact that you’re talking to a half-vampire…. SSo what do you think? You think I am qualified?”  
lostsole31
 
 Originally Posted by silphael 
 Vik puts his hand on the table, and shifts it into a dagger outside of the commoners' sight.

"   I'm a fleshcrafter. Both of my flesh, and others, to a lesser extent. If you want to be able to fly, swim, or compensate some of your innate weaknesses, I can do that. It wouldn't stay for very long, a week at most, unless you have some special, materials. I'm also a skilled psion, even if my abilities are mostly egoistic in nature.   " 
 

  "Sounds like useful support, but how good are you at using those stabby-hands?"   asks Kuniyuki.   "I've heard of fleshcrafting, but I thought that was about skin grafts and long-term surgical weirdness. And I don't understand ... scion? of whom? And what do you mean 'egoistic?' That you require a level of megalomania to operate what it is you do?"  

Kokoro shakes her head and speaks, but matching the lower volume of her fellow conversants.   "Its term of fleshcrafter is vague and not quite accurate, but good enough. And it may well be a fleshcrafter, though its parlor trick isn't. It doesn't have a lot of energy into it, probably to be discrete, but it uses a type of primal magic to create day-long magical constructs on and around its body, like spells but lasting all day. That particular ability allows it to create weapons, shields, anything from what you see to significantly larger. Also, not s-c-i-o-n, as in a of a certain familial line, but p-s-i-o-n, another type of special 'magic' generated from within one's own mind rather than tapping Nethys' weave, and yet using His power. 'Egoistic' ... I think it means it specializes in spells, or powers, that affects its own form."  

 
 Originally Posted by Blackhawk101 
   “Oh. Sure…ssure. Well I was raised in SSstate run orphanages in Cheliax where I had to fight for my life every day. After I fled the orphanage, I lived in the ssewers and sstole to survive. Later I joined a thievesss guild and I had a pretty good time doing that.”
”Over the years, I have developed my psionic hand-to-hand techniquess to augment my medic healing abilities. Not to mention the fact that you’re talking to a half-vampire…. SSo what do you think? You think I am qualified?”   
 

She looks to Kuniyuki,   "Another 'psionic,' likely a power learned later in life to deal with his advanced age."  
  "I played a hunch when the old man asked about dhampir, because it came out of nowhere, but you mean...?"
  
  "He just admitted it. It's okay, I don't know what kind, but one thing about most of them is that they resist dark energies pretty well. Pretty useful. And a hand-to-hand expert means he can keep looking like a harmless old man rather than one with a greatsword, which beggars questions."
  
Kuniyuki nods and says,   "Sounds good. They can both be pretty useful."   He turns to the two new PCs,   "So, you join us, and come under our aegis, and we're happy to have you, but the job will require discretion. No details on the job until you sign on, but it is not only dangerous, but like I said, is going to require tongues that like to stay at home and not wag. Some international political fallout if you flub.  So, you with us?"  
Blackhawk101
Terzo looks to Vik to gage his response and gives him a slight nod.
silphael
Vik nods as well.

"   I can stay silent... provided you don't ask me to hide villainy or oppress the weak. Pathfinders don't have that kind of reknown, so I guess I'll be fine ? To answer your earlier question, yes, I'm quite good at using whatever shape my flesh takes.   "
Blackhawk101
Terzo grins,    “I agree to your terms as well.”   
lostsole31
Kuniyuki, who by now appears the more chatty person, though better at it than the two recently hired PCs, takes out a letter.   "This letter was given to us by the Pathfinder Society's Master of Blades, Marcus Farabellus, who rarely assigns missions himself. Rarer still do those orders come from the Decemvirate."
  
When blank stares are his only reply.   "Oh, sorry ... Master of Blades is one of the three most powerful public faces of the Pathfinder Society, an international adventuring group. The Decemvirate are the 10 secret, masked leaders of the Pathfinders. The Master of Blades is in charge of martial issues and training for the Society.
  
  “'You bold few are in for a journey,'”   Kuniyuki reads quietly.   “'There’s a problem in Ustalav. An embarrassing one. Most of you have probably met Vonran Vilk, the old man who used to work in the library. He was the Master of Blades well before my time; the man lived more stories than you or I have even read. A few months back he returned to his homeland of Ustalav to write his memoirs for the Society. Something happened along the way. Now, a serial killer stalks Vilk’s hometown of Ardis, killing off all his old enemies. Under the full moon. I think you get the drift.

“'Look. I’m not going to blow you a lot of smoke. Vilk defined what it meant to be a good man in his day. More importantly, he’s still got secrets buried up in that geriatric head of his that the Decemvirate doesn’t want spilled on the cobblestones by some superstitious Ardisian’s silver ax. Even worse, Ustalav sees the Pathfinder Society as a band of mercenaries and grave robbers. If anyone finds out that as prominent a Pathfinder as Vilk stalks their streets and murders their nobles as the man they’re calling the ‘Midnight Mauler,’ that might be enough excuse to have the entire Society expelled from Ardis’s borders without any debate.

“'Ideally, you are to stop the murders without killing Vilk. But if push comes to shove, access to all the history of Ustalav outweighs any one man. Stop Vilk, whatever it takes. Our man in Ardis will meet you at the docks.'”  

Victorine asks,   "I've never been to Ardis, what is it like?"  

After a brief discussion with each other, Viktorescu gives some insight to Kokoro, and they offer the following regarding Ardis.
 
 Ardis used to be the capital of Ustalav, this varied nation of dark forests, high mountains, and superstitious locals. 
 When the seat of government moved to Caliphas, Ardis’s glory and wealth steadily faded. Today, nobles with long lineages but little money or influence squabble endlessly fighting to rise to positions in the courts that only they care about. Many estates and city blocks lie empty and crumbling. 
 

Victorine actually gives Kokoro some insight on another issue, based on the letter from Farabellus:
 
 Reports of lunar transformations and brutal maulings in Ardis point to lycanthropy. A werewolf likely bit Vilk on his journey to Ardis, and he now transforms under the full moon—typically 3 days every month. 
 Lycanthropes of all types shun silver, and silver weapons penetrate their unnaturally thick hides. The herb wolfsbane—also called aconite or monkshood—may cure a victim but is also poisonous and can kill a werewolf just as easily. 
 Having been bitten, Vilk is only a bearer of the curse of lycanthropy, and cannot infect others. Only those born with lycanthropy spread the disease to their victims. 
 
  "Our job, then,"   says Kokoro,   "is to head to Ardis; rendezvous with our contact at the docks; listen for any rumors related to our mission; and then conduct our mission."  
Blackhawk101
Terzo nods thoughtfully.   “Ssoundss good.”
”How long will it take to travel to Ardisss and when iss the next full moon?”  
lostsole31
Kokoro answers,   "We leave tomorrow morning early from the docks, and then up the Senir River. It's a 2-1/2-day trip by riverboat and get to Ardis the late afternoon of this Sunday ... the first night of the full moon."  
Blackhawk101
Terzo nods excitedly.    “We will need to be ready then. Should we purchase any Wolf’s bane or silvered weapons?”   
silphael
Viktorescu shakes his head.

"   Against werewolves, I'll likely struggle, given I rely on parts of myself as weapons, and I cannot really incorporate silver into my form. I might need some... silver sheens ? Enough for at least 3 weapons. I can afford that. Otherwise... how old is Vilk ? And if he is the former Master of Blades, wouldn't that make him a formidable opponent  before  taking lycanthropy into account ?   "
lostsole31
  "Shops are closed by this time,"   says Kuniyuki,   "and we have to catch the keelboat before they open."
  
Kokoro says,   "If we can find what we need in Ardis, great, but we can't wait for such things, Kuniyuki's right. On the keelboat - as we travel - we'll work together to get to know each other better. I'll develop a plan once I see what you three can do, but that does tell me that you will need to be off front lines, just in case. Also, Vilk was a formidable warrior as a young man but he is infirm with age ... that is not an underestimation, for I remember old Vilk in the library."  
Blackhawk101
  “I see. I will get a room for Viktorescu and myself for tonight and then perhapsss we all can join you for dinner and get to know each other better?”  Terzo asks the two pathfinders.
silphael
Viktorescu leans forward, revealing to the other adventurers a few of his slightly writhing scales.

"   I'm quite sturdy, and for now those scales are basically as sturdy as a chainmail, but if you think I need to be sturdier, I can reshape them into chitinous plate armor, I just won't be as dangerous a grappler as I currently am.   "
lostsole31
You already had dinner previously, and the Pathfinders aren't staying awake for social time.

A room is easily had as it is the off-season for caravans (it is cold weather).

Good to close out the night?
silphael
Not really needing rest, Vik is nonetheless ready for the night.
Blackhawk101
Terzo is ready for bed.
lostsole31
    Fireday, 13 Lamashan 4716 AR (Waxing Gibbous)
 70 / 50 F. Winds N 15 mph. Low Humidity   

Despite what was expected, it is quite a warm morning for the season, relatively experience.

Do either of you change anything for daily setups for the first two days of river travel?
Blackhawk101
Terzo will swap out Offensive Pregcognition Deadly Fist Power and replace it with Environment Shield. That is the only change.
silphael
For river travel, Vik prefers to stick to his lighter Consuming Scales, and as such sticks to the same loadout.
lostsole31
The morning is spent with everyone setting down their travel gear and getting a feel for the boat.

In the afternoon with lunch, Victorine mentions that she is from the nation of Galt, and a former "constable, of sorts" there before the constantly shifting power structure, too, put her on the outs with what was at the time the ruling faction of the never ending series of revolutions in that country. She mentions how she was chosen for being an especially keen observer of humanoid nature, often getting in the minds of those she would be pitted against, which ultimately helped her escape civil war-torn Galt. Her discussion on the matter are of keen interest to Kuniyuki and Terzo. Viktorescu - caring not quite as much as thoughts of a brain so much as its structure, meditates in the tiny stateroom he and Terzo share, while Kokoro runs personal drills with the smaller of her paired blades (which she calls a  waskizashi ).

That evening after dinner, its Terzo's time to focus on combat meditation topside; it starts out ascetic and in place before moving to a more active meditation, with him showing how he powers up the striking surfaces of his boy. Kuniyuki is doing something similar for himself, actually; starting out with stationary meditation before then showing what he does. Kuniyuki is able to form "sonic weapons" - they manifest visually with a sort of purple color, but are clearly not physical weapons - as he forms a sword like his partner's primary weapon (called a  katana ); then a strange type of polearm (called a  naginata ); then finally spending the rest of the evening and most of his focus with these small dagger-like implements for close-range fighting and throwing (called  kunai ). The whole time, the weapons have a low-frequency hum that accompanies them when formed. Victorine simply watches everything while talking to her pet rat. Kokoro relaxes, observing all, while Viktorescu continues to meditate in a quiet corner.

Kokoro recommends that for the next day, that everyone try to sleep in as best they can, stay up late tomorrow night, so that on the following day everyone is more primed to be awake and ready to work upon docking in Ardis in the evening.
Blackhawk101
Terzo agrees to sleep late the next day and stay up late that night. He points out that Vik doesn’t sleep so it won’t affect his routine.
silphael
Vik nods, but punctuates nonetheless.

"  Still, if we keep training, I might require rest to recover my resources, and I can time it for that purpose.  "
lostsole31
    Starday, 14 Lamashan 4716 AR (Waxing Gibbous) 
Cold Wave: 50 / 30 F. Moderate rain (3/4"). Winds 20 N mph. Low humidity. Wind Chill: 25 / 5 F.   

The other passengers easily make room, because a bunch of adventurers showing off battle prowess - in a way an outgrowth of last night - is rather entertaining. Combine with the freezing cold and most don't want to be topside anyway (there is no "bridge" for passengers to g to, btw). Of course, that means that the group goes up there in bursts, mostly at the top of the day, only spending a few minutes before going down.  The topic of the day is combat training.

While everyone seems to have their own approach to combat, it quickly susses out that while "weapons on target" is nice, actual combat skill, experience, improvisation, combat psychology, and ability to read a varying tactical terrain comes down to two persons relatively equally matched - old Terzo, whose age brings combat wisdom, and Kuniyuki, who was apparently raised among a group of very combat-focused persons. After that comes Kokoro, followed by the two least experienced (comparatively) of Vic and Vik.

The group goes to their bunks (or quiet repose) that night exhausted from the physical exertions and the cold day.
lostsole31
    Sunday, 15 Lamashan 4716 AR (Full Moon) 
40 / 20 F. Winds 20 WNW mph. Dry. Wind Chill: 15 / -5 F.   

Another day where it is expected to be freezing, and since the keelboat is scheduled to arrive in Ardis late afternoon/ early evening, you can bet it will be icy cold when you have to depart.

With this in mind, and the fact that you will transition from travel to cold-weather urban investigations, do either of you change anything in your setup?
Blackhawk101
Terzo will mention to the rest of the group as the day is cold,   “I can provide protection from the elementss if anyone wantsss it.”  
lostsole31
All three NPCs would be grateful for such a boon.
silphael
Vik is also interested.

"  I can protect myself from stronger cold, but for a shorter duration : at least not the full day, even if an hour is fine. So if we keep training the whole day outside, I'll need that too.  "
Blackhawk101
Terzo looks shyly happy to help his new friends.   “Thiss will last all day. I will need to renew each morning . I am happy to help!”
  
He will ask Victorine,   “Would your rodent friend like sssome protection from the cold?”  
lostsole31
That gets a big - smile? - from Victorine.   "Yes, please."  
Blackhawk101
  "My pleasssure,"   lisps Terzo.

 
 Spoiler: crunch 

Terzo will spend six (6) PP to provide Elemental shield to each party member and one rat.
 
lostsole31
Every time Terzo manifests this power on someone (or somewhat, in the case of the rat), his own shadow seems to momentarily grow, shrink, or otherwise deform.

  "What type of magic was that?"   asks Kokoro.   "I do not recognize it, nor the strange after-effect with your shadow."  
Blackhawk101
Terzo is a little taken aback at the question.   “When I activate a psionic power, there is always ssome noticeable ssensory effect. It varies from power to power.”  
lostsole31
While on the last stage of the voyage today, Kuniyuki sequesters himself while the rest have a rousing intellectual discussion, meandering over several topics.

That late afternoon, the keelboat berths in Ardis. An excited young man strains for a view from behind a row of dull, bored, gray-clad observers on the docks of Ardis’ modest harbor. His face beams with equal parts excitement and relief as the gangplank drops.

  “Well met, my brothers and sisters,”   the young man says.   “Thank you for coming so quickly! I am Ryado Erudyta.”  

Despite his youth, Ryado approaches with a limp in his left leg.   “I have a coach waiting to take us back to the safe house. We can speak more freely away from these crowds.”  

The rented cab is small but well appointed, and after a moment of securing the luggage, Erudyta continues.   “By now you must have heard of the unfortunate circumstances of Master Vilk’s… condition. I ran into him by chance six weeks ago at the library of a mutual friend. I was researching the Dracora family’s lineage, but that’s neither here nor there.”  

He glances out the window, peering at the long, orange shadows cast by the late afternoon sun.   “To my shame, I didn’t put all the clues together until the most recent round of murders, but now I see it all… Vilk’s overland journey into Ustalav under cover of darkness, the low profile he maintains, and the identities of the seemingly random victims.”   He shakes his head, showing more years than his rosy cheeks would suggest.   “I wish I could stop him myself, but fighting a werewolf would’ve been well beyond my skills even before the ghouls got to me.”   He knocks gently on his left leg.

  “The full moon starts tonight, along with Vilk’s next round of murders. I beg you to cure our wayward master if at all possible. You’ll find curative magics scarce in Ardis, but I believe a powerful dose of wolfsbane may reverse his condition, should he survive it. There might even be enough humanity left in his bestial soul to reason with. The guards grow wise to the beast, and the locals are on edge as well—if the guards or an angry mob beat us to Vilk, the Society’s relationship to the Midnight Mauler will be exposed. We can’t let that happen. One way or another, Vilk’s rampage must end tonight.”
  
Do you ask anything of Ryado in the meantime while waiting to arrive at the Pathfinder safe house?
silphael
Vik ostensibly raises an eyebrow.

"  The seemingly random victims ? Does that mean you know how the victims are picked ? Or is that a guess ?  "
Blackhawk101
Terzo speaks to the young man.   “Hello Ryado. I am called Terzo.”
”We will help you with thisss problem and save Masster Vilk. I understand better than most the pain and suffering caused by such curses.”  
Terzo’s face shows the burden of his past.

Terzo gathers himself,   ”Where could we purchasse this Wolfsbane?”  
lostsole31
 
 Originally Posted by silphael 
 Vik ostensibly raises an eyebrow. "  The seemingly random victims? Does that mean you know how the victims are picked? Or is that a guess?  " 
 

To Vik's question Ryado answers,   “There have been fourteen murders over the past four months. He began with Wanda Oteski, the granddaughter of one of Vilk’s old adventuring rivals. Afterward he slew an elderly merchant and his son who bore witness at Vilk’s trial. The next month saw the death of an elven information broker; apparently she directed Vilk and his band to that ill-fated tomb. The list goes on, but all of them bear some connection to Vilk.”  

 
 Originally Posted by Blackhawk101 
 Terzo gathers himself,   ”Where could we purchasse this Wolfsbane?”   
 

  “Alas, wolfsbane has become difficult to come by. The locals know lycanthrope attacks when they see them, and the local shops sell out as soon as it arrives. You may have better luck tracking it than I, though." 
 
Kuniyuki asks,   "Why  was  Vilk banished from Ustalav in the first place?"  
  “I don’t know many of the details; most of the records have been destroyed or moved to Caliphas over the past fifty years,"   Ryado replies.   "Rumor has it he lost four fellow adventurers looting a noble family’s tomb. The family has since relocated, or else I’d say they’re our prime target. I know nothing else about the trial or the parties involved. Not many remain in Ardis with memories that long.”  

Kokoro has been mulling these things over quietly when she finally asks,   "There's no chance you actually know where we find Vonran Vilk, is there?"  

Ryado seems a bit embarrassed to answer.   “That’s been a bit of a problem. I spent six weeks trying to track him down without any luck; too many of his records were simply wiped clean after his exile. If anyone in Ardis knows Vilk well enough to predict his actions, it would be his ex-lover: a half-elf courtesan named Markov Rutowski. Despite the urban decay, Ardis’ courtesans remain well insulated, and I lack the influence to even gain an audience with him. I understand Vilk’s exile was something of a black mark on Rutowski’s own career, and it likely remains a sensitive topic.”  

Not quite understanding the dynamics, Victorine pipes up.   "What's your place in all this?"  

He nods before offering,   “I’m concerned, I suppose, for Master Vilk and the Society. When Vilk was Master of Blades, he trained my aunt when she was being inducted into the Pathfinder Society, and he encouraged my own studies in my younger years. He’s almost like family, in a way, though I never knew about his past or banishment until I began investigating these murders.”  

The carriage arrives outside the Ardis safe house as the PCs finish asking their questions, and Erudyta invites them all in to rest for a few hours, but urges them
to start before the moon rises. The safe house itself offers few amenities, being more a museum and office than a home.

   ACT 1: PREPARATION   
 The PCs’ arrival in Ardis just before the full moon grants them an opportunity to prepare for their confrontation, including gathering resources to battle or cure Vilk and learning where the Midnight Mauler will strike next.
 
Should the group follow Erudyta’s advice and seek out wolfsbane to cure Vilk’s condition, they meet with nothing but disappointment. Ustalavic natives survive by their superstitions, and when rumors of werewolf attacks began circulating, apothecaries and herbalists throughout the city raised their prices on the already expensive herb. With the full moon only hours away, no shop in the city will supply the PCs with the herb for less than 800 gp per dose. Erudyta suggests that they may find some naturally growing plants in the overgrown forests just outside the city’s walls, but warns of deadly, man-eating plants inhabiting the same woods.

 Does anyone want have any mundane  equipment you would like to procure? Silver weapons in particular are  much easier to come by in Ustalav than in most of the Inner Sea region.  
Blackhawk101
Terzo will look to purchase a silver dagger if available.
lostsole31
What quality of alchemically silvered dagger does Terzo seek? Basic silver dagger, or finely crafted?
Blackhawk101
Basic Silver (alchemical) dagger if available.
silphael
Vik looks for a few vials of silversheen, at least 4. Wolfbane will be for later.
lostsole31
 Terzo , a normal alchemical silver dagger is available for 33 gold. Do you still want it?

 Viktorescu , there are currently no vials of silversheen.
silphael
Vik returns to the others, kinda disappointed.

"  Crap, I couldn't find silversheen, and given I mostly use my body to make weapons, I can use silver weapons, but I doubt I'd be even somewhat as effective with those. We should go to the forest to see if we can gather some wolfbane there, I suppose ?  "
lostsole31
Ryado - who has been your chaperone and showing you where to shop to make things go by quicker - knows a place he can carriage you to where you might have access to a sufficiently abandoned wood.

Tangled masses of roots and undergrowth hamper movement in this wood, and straining branches overhead blot out nearly all natural light. Less than a hundred feet into the overgrown forest, all signs of the nearby city vanish, leaving nothing but shockingly untamed wilderness.
Blackhawk101
Terzo will purchase the dagger.

Terzo looks around nervously and his body shifts into a martial stance almost without thinking. A greenish glow flares around him as a protective field pops into place.
  “So who knowss their way around the proverbial rare herb patch? How do we find the Wolfsbane?”

 
 Spoiler: crunch 

enter martial stance :Steel coils
turn on empowered strikes for the initiative bonus from dueling
Activate Inertial Armor for 1 PP.
make a check to see what we know
 

  
lostsole31
The green flare dissipates from Terzo's form, leaving only the white glow from Ryado's  wayfinder  as the source of illumination. There is a fainter, more consistent glow - not enough to provide illumination - accompanied by a loud crackling and humming noise that surrounds Terzo, primarily around his fists, elbows, knees, and feet. From your combat training on the keelboat, this seems to be Terzo's primary combat method - a way of psychically empowering his body for a variety of offensive unarmed powers in combat.

Kokoro, assisted by the Erudyta 1 , have a very solid idea of what to begin looking for, describing wolfsbane to the others.

 Viktorescu , do you do anything preparatory?

 
 
1 = When you were in Ardis proper and shopping with Ryado tagging along, many people would defer to him and call him "Erudyta" in such a way that it seems "Erudyta" isn't a surname so much as some sort of title. 
silphael
Before advancing, Viktorescu focuses his mind toward the outside world, a tangible teal aura now surrounding him, as he reshapes his hands into a buckler and a shortspear

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I'll manifest Inertial Armor by spending 5 PP, gaining +6 armor bonus to AC for 6 hours.

I also invest 2E into Essence-Honed Flesh, 3E into the Maw of the Starving Beast, 0E into Consuming Scales, and 2E into Warsculpter's Armament.
 
lostsole31
Ryado looks back with great fascination at Terzo and Viktorescu while leading the way slowly forward on his cane.   "Two psions! Fascinating. And akashic ... wait, are you a promethean, Mr. Hutov? An akashic fleshcrafter?"  
Blackhawk101
Terzo will stick close to young Ryado due to his lack of weapons and armor. Also his disability.
Terzo nods to Ryado as he continues to scan the dense foliage for wolfsbane …and other threats.
silphael
Vik steps forward, covering Ryado's other side, nodding.

"  Yes, I am. And my psionic abilities push my fleshcrafting further. You might see how if I need them.  "
lostsole31
The party searches for a half-hour, and finally finds a patch of wolfsbane! The large, crescent-shaped clumps of flowering bushes to the north!
silphael
Vik nods, and takes the direction of the bushes.
lostsole31
As Viktorescu steps up to get some wolfsbane, something bothers him. He  gets a tingling sensation, coming from his pouch where Sligo is. That  helps him focus and he just barely notices a large section of the bushes  that doesn't seem quite .... right. And at that momement, various  sections of the bush seem to come alive!

 Surprise Round! 
 S18:  A colorful patch of flowers on the north (Red) end works its way south through the larger mass of bushes.

 S15:   Another colorful patch of flowers to the south (Green) separates from  the main bushes. There is a thick, heady floral scent coming off the  flowers.

 Viktorescu , roll a Will save!
silphael
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Will save and text just in case !

  Will  - (1d20+7)[ 15 ] 
(+8 (total) vs. fear. +4 vs. emotion. +2 vs. disease, exhaustion, fatigue, mind-affecting effects, &amp; poison.)
 
lostsole31
 S15:  Vik easily resists the soporific scent, but Kuniyuki does down in a slow flump to the ground.

 S11:   Viktorescu ,  this is a surprise round. What do you do? What really had gotten your  attention - and only with a little help from your little pokemon at that  - was something much larger in the brush.
silphael
"  Something big there !  "

As he says those words, he lunges forward to bite the nearest plant.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Attack with the Maw of the Starving Beast as a standard action, with Risky Strike.

  Attack  - (1d20+12)[ 24 ]  (I think the enhancement and insight bonuses are mixed up on the sheet, the total is +14 with Risky Strike afaik)

  Damage  - (2d6+14)[ 16 ] 
 
lostsole31
 S11:  "  Something big there!  "Viktorescu  shouts, lunging forward to bite the nearest plant with his now-gaping  chest cavity with teeth, turning the flowers to mulch.

 S9:   A massive leafy tendril snaps at Vik, but it is deflected.

 Begin Round One ... 
 R1T21:  Ryado immediately steps backwards and pokes Kuniyuki with his walking stick, waking him up.   "The little ones are 'xtabays,' - slow, carnivorous flowers with a sleeping pollen."  
 R1T20:   Kokoro takes out her katana and cuts down the xtabay closest to her  before stepping to the northeast. The last of the xtabays (Red) comes  out of the mass of bushes.

 Viktorescu , roll a Will save!
silphael
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Will save again !

  Will  - (1d20+7)[ 9 ]  (+8 (total) vs. fear. +4 vs. emotion. +2 vs. disease, exhaustion, fatigue, mind-affecting effects, &amp; poison.)
 
lostsole31
Aaaand ... Viktorescu, who one would think is immune to such things, goes down for a nap.

 R1T16:   Terzo , Vik just had a narcoleptic fit. What do you do?
Blackhawk101
With a quick movement, Terzo will enter a martial stance. His skin seems to glisten and turn scaly in the dim light.
He takes a quick step to the NW and kicks Viktorescu not so gently in the side.
  "Hey wake up! You're making usss look bad in front of the kid!"  
He looks up at the larger threat to see if he can identify it.

 
 Spoiler: Crunch 

Sw: Enter Steel Coils Stance (+4 natural armor)
Mv: 5 ft. Step to the NW
SA: Kick Vik to try to wake him (no intent to injure)
FA: Make an assessment on the larger creature to try to identify it.

Ready: Use Burnished Shell Counter (IT-3 counter) if attacked with a targeted spell.
 
lostsole31
 R1T16:  With a quick movement, Terzo will enter a  martial stance. His skin seems to glisten and turn scaly in the dim  light. He takes a quick step to the NW and kicks Viktorescu not so  gently in the side.   "Hey wake up! You're making usss look bad in front of the kid!"  

He looks up at the larger threat to see if he can identify it.

 R1T14:    "Pharasma, protect me from an unknown threats,"    says Victorine, following that up with a spell as she takes out a small  square of leather from a patch briefly before replacing it and moving  by both Ryado and Kuniyuki.

 R1T11:   Viktorescu , you barely shut your eyes, but you still find yourself laid out on the cold grass. What do you do?
silphael
Vik stands up, steps closer to the giant plant, and resumes biting.

"  Weird, I slept ?  "

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Move action to stand up. 5 foot step N, and standard action to bite with Risky Strike.

  Attack  - (1d20+12)[ 17 ] 
  Damage  - (2d6+11)[ 15 ]  (the +3 insight bonus to damage is missing on the sheet)
 
lostsole31
 R1T11:  Vik stands up, but in doing so the monster in the bushes smashes his buckler-hand for a crushing  17 . The tendrils continue up his arm and around his body and pull him close ( grabbed ),  and Vik has to work again to right himself while in the plant-monster's  grasp. Confused by the sudden turn of events, he comments, "  Weird, I slept?  "

 R1T10:  Kuniyuki springs to his feet and begins moving around the western side of the bush.

 R1T9:  The assassin vine - unused to prey like the forgeborn - tries to crush him, but Vik manages to squirm out of its grasp.

 R1T7  :  Sigo delays ...

 End Round One, Begin Round 2 ... 
 R2T21:  Ryado steps up to the bush and begins harvests a dose of wolfsbane.   "I have some! We can retreat, though I am not fond of such a monster living in the woods for other travelers!"  
 R2T20:    "Agreed, but not for the same reason,"   says Kokoro as she hooks around east and north, taking out her wakizashi, and hacking the remaining xtabay for  11 .   "We don't know that one dose of wolfsbane will cut it, or how much we need. So let's do Ardis a service and trim the verge!"  
 R2T18:  That last xtabay moves southwest, releasing more of its sleepy pollen. Kokoro and Ryado resist.

 Terzo  and  Viktorescu , each of you roll Will saves, please! This is a biological area of effect attack, not a targeted spell.

 R2T16:   Terzo , assuming you resist the soporific spread, what do you do?

Victorine on deck, Vik in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo punches at the small bush in front of him. His movements are smooth as he darts forward in quick bursts; his right hand shooting out like a striking serpent for multiple strikes. He whispers    “Snake crosssing the valley,”   as he attacks.
 Assuming   he vanquished the Xtabay in front of him, he then steps to the North.
“  The big creature is a very dangerous elder Assassin vine! As a plant, it is immune to poison, sleep and mental attacks.”
   
 Spoiler: crunch 

FAA: empowered strikes with blood transfusion. Defensive Stance (+7 AC)+ Blood Transfusion (+7 damage/hit to blood reserve pool).

[roll=to hit 1]1d20+ 13[/roll]
  to dam1  - (1d8+10)[ 17 ]  +7 blood transfusion (affects all living creatures even if they don’t have “blood” ie. Vital essences).
[roll=to hit 2]1d20+ 8[/roll]
  to dam2  - (1d8+10)[ 18 ]  +7 blood transfusion (affects all living creatures even if they don’t have “blood” ie. Vital essences).

5 ft step West
 Ready: Use Burnished Shell Counter (IT-3 counter) if attacked with a targeted spell.
 
 
lostsole31
 R2T16:  Terzo punches at the small bush in front of him. His movements are  smooth as he darts forward in quick bursts; his right hand shooting out  like a striking serpent for multiple strikes. He whispers,    “Snake crosssing the valley,”    as he attacks. 
 
Having vanquished the x  tabay in front of him with a single strike, he then steps to the north. “  The big creature is a very dangerous elder assassin vine! As a plant, it is immune to poison, sleep and mental attacks.”  
 R2T14:    "Merci, mon ami! Keeps me from trying to put a bush to sleep."    Victorine casts another spell on herself, and now she is almost glowing  with an aura of confidence as she moves to the northwest and takes out  her repeating crossbow as she goes.

 R2T11:   Viktorescu , what do you do?

Kuniyuki on deck, elder assassin vine in the hole ...
silphael
Shifting his hands into two maces, Viktorescu wildly unleashes a flurry of blows on the vine.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Swift action to reinvest essence (keeping the exact same investment, but that's enough to change the shape of my hands into two heavy maces). FRA to full attack the Assassin Vine with my three natural attacks, using Risky Strike. If the bite attack hits, I'll heal for half the damage dealt.

First Mace
 (1d20+12)[ 17 ] 
[roll]1d8+1d6+11[/roll]

Second Mace
 (1d20+12)[ 16 ] 
[roll]1d8+1d6+11[/roll]

Bite
 (1d20+12)[ 25 ] 
 (2d6+14)[ 23 ] 
 
silphael
 
 Spoiler: Fixing the rolls 
Rolling the different types of damage dice separately since roll doesn't like otherwise.
First mace
 (1d8+11)[ 17 ] 
 (1d6)[ 3 ] 

Second mace
 (1d8+11)[ 19 ] 
 (1d6)[ 4 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R2T11:  Shifting his hands into two maces, Viktorescu  wildly unleashes a flurry of blows on the vine, with both blows from the  maces bouncing off of the fibrous hide of the vine, but the bite lands  for a sturdy  25 , and feeding himself for   12  .

 R2T10:    Kuniyuki steps away out of reach of the flailing tendrils and tosses  two dagger of magenta light at the monster. The first one is way off the  mark, and making the man quite insecure, but at least the second one  lands for  6 .

 R2T9:  The vine attacks Vik, hitting around his hip for  24 + grabbed , and constricting him for  23 !

 End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T21:  Ryado gets another dose of wolfsbane from the bush.

 R3T20:  Kokoro clambers over the fallen xtabay to get to the vine and strikes it with her katana for  13 .

 R3T16:   Terzo , what do you do?

Vic on deck, Vik in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo moves to the NW one step. His form shifts to a more upright posture emulating a long legged bird and unleashes a flurry of heavy strikes and kicks. “   Crane stands amongst cockerels.”      he whispers.  
  “Hang in there Vik!”
   
 Spoiler: crunch 

MV: 5 ft step
Sw: Bronze Knuckle boosts (BB) +2d6 each unarmed strike this round.
FAA: empowered strikes, Blood transfusion +7 damage to blood reserve. Blade skill: Flurry of blows +1 attack. No longer in defensive stance.

[roll]1d20+13[roll] tohit1
 (1d8+10)[ 13 ]  +7 plus  (2d6)[ 5 ]  Bronze knuckle todam1

roll]1d20+13[roll] tohit2
 (1d8+10)[ 13 ]  +7 plus  (2d6)[ 12 ]  Bronze knuckle todam2

roll]1d20+8[/roll] tohit3
 (1d8+10)[ 11 ]  +7 plus  (2d6)[ 8 ]  Bronze knuckle todam3
 
lostsole31
 R3T16:  Terzo tries to move to the NW one step, only to find he can't force his way into the bush. Annoyed, he shouts,   “Hang in there, Vik!”  
 R3T14:  Victorine moves well to the northeast and casts a spell. A colorful ray lances out to strike the assassin vine for   3 STR damage  .

 R3T11:   Vik , what do you do while in the grip of this monster?

Kuniyuki on deck, Assassin Vine in the hole ...
silphael
Without a lot of other options in his standard shape, Viktorescu keeps thrashing around, hoping to get rid of the plant. Still, he blinks to explore his memories with the sound of a sharp snap, attempting to ensure his bite properly connects.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I'll full attack with Risky Strike, healing half the bite damage.

Bite to hit
 (1d20+12)[ 22 ] 
Damage :
 (2d6+14)[ 23 ] 

First mace
 (1d20+12)[ 18 ] 
Damage :
 (1d8+11)[ 15 ] 
Bonus damage from E
 (1d6)[ 4 ] 

Second mace
 (1d20+12)[ 24 ] 
Damage :
 (1d8+11)[ 17 ] 
Bonus damage from E
 (1d6)[ 1 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R3T11:  Without a lot of other options in his standard shape, Viktorescu keeps  thrashing around, hoping to get rid of the plant. Still, he blinks to  explore his memories with the sound of a sharp snap, attempting to  ensure his bite properly connects. It crunches on the monster for  23  (and he heals   12  ) even as a mace smashes into the body of it for  18 .

 R3T10:   Kuniyuki rushes northeast and creates a katana of magenta light,  striking at the plant, but not hacking through its tough fibers.

 R3T9:  The monster constricts Vik for  33 .

 End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T21:  Ryado gets a third dose of wolfsbane.

 R4T20:  Kokoro does a one-hand slash with her katana for  16  while drawing her wakizashi.

 R4T16:   Terzo , what do you do?

Vic and Vik on deck and in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo huffs in frustration but he is determined to help his friend.
   "Hawk stoops to strike the hare!"      he whispers as he punches a fast volley into the air in the direction of the plant monster. There is an obvious discharge of power as his flying punches seem to strike the plant creature with audible smacks!
He then refocuses his resolve and his fists and feet again are sheathed in psionic power.

 
 Spoiler: crunch 

Mv: No move action
 
   
 Spoiler: crunch 
Sw: change martial stance to Broken Blade Pugilist Stance (+1d6 to unarmed attack)  
FAA: Use Blade skill Flurry of Fists (+1 attack)
      Use Blade Skill Psychokinetic discharge (improved) to make ranged unarmed attacks
      Use Psychic strike for first attack (if charged. No mention of it on Terzo's sheet so not sure if it is charged).
      No (TS)

 (1d20+13)[ 23 ]  to hit 1
 (1d8+10)[ 18 ]  +  (1d8)[ 8 ]  psychic strike +  (1d6)[ 1 ]  Pugilist stance -  To dam 1

   (1d20+13)[ 19 ]  to hit 2
 (1d8+10)[ 11 ]  +  (1d6)[ 4 ]  Pugilist stance -To dam 2

 (1d20+8)[ 17 ]  to hit 3
 (1d8+10)[ 13 ]  +  (1d6)[ 3 ]  Pugilist stance -to dam 3

FA: Empower Deadly Fists
 
  
  
lostsole31
 R4T16:  Terzo huffs in frustration but he is determined to help his friend.      "Hawk stoops to strike the hare!"      he  whispers as he punches a fast volley into the air in the direction of  the plant monster. There is an obvious discharge of power as his flying  punches seem to strike the plant creature with audible smacks!
He then refocuses his resolve and his fists and feet again are sheathed in psionic power.

But no need ... for the vine is blasted and no more.

 Combat Ends!   
Blackhawk101
Terzo hurriedly goes over to Vik to check him out as well as he can.   “You are well?”  
silphael
Vik stands.

Barely.

He turns, shifting his mace-arms back into hands, toward the others.

"  I... I will need some healing. I might have been somewhat preposterous. If we can spare one hour once back in town, I'll adjust our shapes to be more effective. I might have something to heal my wounds, though, but it will take some time : a few minutes.  "
lostsole31
The Erudyta manages to procure more doses of wolfsbane (5 total), but says,   "I'm sorry. You look in a bad way. But either you have the power to heal him, or not, but we definitely don't have that time to spare. If necessary, he can sit in the carriage where its safe while the rest of us continue the investigation, but it's already dark and the full moon will be out soon enough. We have to continue our investigation.

"In addition to gathering our arsenal to turn against Vilk, we also need to know how to find the wolf once the moon rises. With thousands of potential victims to protect within the city, our only hope lies with Vilk’s former lover, Markov Rutowski. No one left alive in Ardis knew Vilk so intimately or has the slightest chance of predicting his motives; even the public records of his activities and exile were moved to Caliphas decades ago and now rest, forgotten, in an arbiter’s musty basement.

"I know Rutowski's home address. However, a wide gulf lies between knowing his name and gaining an audience with the elitist noble. Firmly entrenched in Ardis’s web of courtly intrigue, the silver-tongued half-elf rarely sees anyone without a name backed by 12 generations of history. Come, do what healing you can for him in the carriage!"  

And with that, he heads back (with his light) towards the carriage, the other NPCs following.

What do the two of you (Vik and Terzo) do, and when do you do it?
silphael
Vik nods and takes the direction of the carriage. Still, he focuses on the way, his shape briefly shimmering before returning in its earlier shape, now slightly pulsating as his wounds slowly close.

"  I should be fine by the time we arrive there. Still, I doubt I can help a lot reaching an elitist noble.  "

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Spending 5 PP (and a standard action) to manifest Metamorphosis on myself, gaining Fast Healing 2 and +4 enhancement bonus to strength for the next 6 minutes.
 
lostsole31
While they're in the carriage, it only takes Viktorescu a little over four minutes before the last of his wounds close over. Two minutes later his form returns to normal.

The carriage reaches Rutowski's house. A scraggly hedgerow and a thousand storms’ worth of water stains mar Rutowski’s otherwise beautiful townhouse. Well-worn marble steps lead to oaken double doors and an ornate, yellow bell pull.

Ryado activates the bell pull, which summons Almoch, Rutowski’s manservant and guard. Well dressed in coattails and powdered wig, Almoch habitually turns away any visitors he does not recognize on sight, especially those dressed like murderous vagabonds (such as yourselves). He politely but firmly informs any unscheduled visitors that Rutowski is not currently seeing visitors.

Do the two of you let the talkers talk, or do you say anything or have anything you wish to do here?
Blackhawk101
Terzo will do a quick analysis of Vik’s condition using his Medic training (ability).
  “Vik, with our time constraintsss and my current lack of blood to work with, I won’t be able to heal you now. If we get into another fight, sstay close enough that I can heal you during the conflict because I can’t afterwardss.”
  
Terzo heads for the carriage with Viktorescu.
lostsole31
 
 Originally Posted by Blackhawk101 
 Terzo will do a quick analysis of Vik’s condition using his Medic training (ability). 
 

He was badly, critically wounded, but his wounds are already knitting, and at trip he was healed.
 

Ryado gets sniffed at by Almoch, despite the Erudyta getting some deference from commoners. Kuniyuki takes the lead, backed up by Kokoro, who in turn appears to be a solid aid to Kuniyuki. The fact that Kokoro seems to hand over a quiet bribe helps as well, as does Kuniyuki's expert negotiation, and Almoch will let the group in to see Rutkowski.

Once inside, the PCs find Rutkowski in his study reviewing Taldan poetry. A fine-featured gentleman of mixed Taldan and Ustalavic descent reclines on a fainting couch, though his pointed ears and upturned eyes betray an even more exotic ancestry. He gently lays aside the book in his hand.   “You’re clearly not locals, nor are you expected. I know only Pathfinders to be so bold. Your fearless little Society has already taken enough from me. Leave or I will call the guards.”  

Ryado whispers something to Kuniyuki. Kokoro seems to recognize the book of poetry and comments on it, even quoting a passage as Kuniyuki tries to soften up your host's frosty demeanor. It seems to work as Rutowski sighs and retakes his seat, gesturing to the other overstuffed chairs and divans that fill the room.   “Forgive me. I sometimes forget that it was Ardis’ machinations that took my beloved away from me, and not the Pathfinder Society itself. I shall try to help you however I can.”
  
Kuniyuki opens up the questioning,   "Why was Vilk banished from Ustalav?"  
  
“Politics. He turned a daughter of the Moulot family into a Pathfinder, and then she died on one of those damnable adventures of hers. Graverobbing is a crime in Ustalav, but banishment is a sentence reserved for those with enemies.”  

Kokoro cuts right into the heart with her question.   "Who is Vilk's next target?"  
  “There are a few poor souls left in Ardis I’m sure Vonran bears a grudge toward, though the worst offenders moved on decades ago to Caliphas. Of all his remaining accusers, Judge Cevianna Pradowca is the worst. She bore a grudge against Vonran for refusing to wed her and so turned her courtroom into a weapon against him. She’s the one who handed down his banishment. I wager he’ll hunt her next.”  

Victorine (a member of a short-lived race) seems confused.   "Judge Pradowca is still alive after 50 years!?"  
  “Indeed. She’s long-lived for a human. The story I prefer to spread is demon-blood, but more likely she simply buys ointments from the Varisian vagrants. They have a gift for preserving crones.”  

Ryado follows up with a question of his own.   "Why didn't you leave with Vilk?"  
  “My entire life is in Ardis—my experience, my clients, all my family’s property. It killed me inside to lose him; I’ve never known a man like Vonran Vilk before or since, but my work and my life were more important then.”
  
The PCs conclude their business just as the last vestiges of gray in the west disappear and the full moon begins to peek from behind the hills. Somewhere in the distance, an eerie howl echoes through the streets. With that, Ryado shoos the party to his carriage.


 

   ACT 2: THE HUNT   

In Ardis, as in many cities, judges lodge in their respective courthouses. Judge Pradowca’s courtroom lies in the city center, halfway across the city from Rutowski’s townhouse. The time spent from the initial howl until now creates an aura of tension in the carriage.

The black granite edifice of the courthouse looms high above its enclosing wall, though a gate ahead stands ajar. A scream breaks the evening’s silence, and upon the wide, stone steps two figures fall prone. A third, hulking form unleashes a furious howl before bounding to the roof and through an open skylight. The courthouse door stands ajar, and a low growling echoes from somewhere within.

What do  Terzo  and  Viktorescu  do? We are not in initiative, but we ARE in tight timing so there's no time for a "confab."
Blackhawk101
  “After him!”   shouts Terzo.   “I will check on the wounded and follow.”  
 Terzo’s skin becomes scaly and his movements smooth and sinuous. He dashes up the stairs to the fallen bodies and quickly examines them.

 
 Spoiler: crunch 

SwA: Steel coils stance (+4 natural armor
MA: move into courthouse 30’ or double move if needed.
FA: Medic Training
SA(if remaining): Heal check to stabilize. treat the most in need . Use medic kit +2
 
silphael
Not really a healer himself, Viktorescu alters his shape, elungating his legs while growing a pair of arms with heavy forearms, and dashes forward inside the courthouse, trusting Terzo's healer's skills.

"  Don't take too long, if he wounds more people...  "

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Manifesting Metamorphosis as a standard action for 5 PP, picking the "+20 move speed" and "grow 2 slam attacks", and rushing inside.
 
lostsole31
Terzo, with Ryado's assistance, stabilizes one of the fallen courthouse guards.

  "After we help the other one, if we can,"   says Ryado,   "I'll stay here to flag down night guards to help them. I'm no good in a fight or a chase."  

He hands the doses of wolfsbane to Terzo, to take after he assists the other man.

 

Meanwhile,  the others follow speedy Vector-Vik into the courthouse. The dark  courtroom looks like a scene out of a nightmare. A young woman, perhaps  twenty, lies on the floor with her throat torn out. Across the room, a  well-preserved older woman stands atop her bench, supporting a bleeding  arm and swinging a ceremonial blade erratically. Four slobbering  mongrels, each as much dog as wild wolf, circle her makeshift tower.

 Begin Round One ... 
 R1T23-17:  Three of the mongrels succeed at dragging the older woman down to the ground and tearing her to shreds.

 R1T15-14:   Outside, Ryado sets the wolfsbane into Terzo's healer's kit as Terzo  stabilizes the second guard. Terzo then catches up to the others inside,  seeing what was described, with the exception that the old woman mobbed  by mongrels has been mauled.

 R1T11:  Kuniyuki moves in and hops up onto a table. Forming a naginata made of magenta light, he attacks Red (missing).

 R1T10:    "Shadowblood wolfhounds ... Ustalav's pride and joy,"   shouts Victorine.   "As  you see from the way they tore through the judge, it's not just the  bite that's dangerous, but their foreclaws are sharp, too!"  

She then casts a spell, magic wafting over Brown, but nothing happens.

 R1T8:   Brown launches the body of the younger woman and snaps its jaws at  Viktorescu, biting him in the belly and knocking him down for  9 + prone. 
 R1T6:  Kokoro takes out her katana, but mentally concentrates on Brown as it slavers over Vik, and the dark doggo suffers  14  from wracking mental pains. She steps forward to engage.

 R1T3:  Sigo delays.

 R1T2:   Viktorescu , you are prone, but have 2 slams and super-speed (and  inertial armor ). What do you do?

Enemies on deck and in the hole ...
silphael
With a mental pulse and a loud clap, Vik jumps to his feet, and assails the bloodhound.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Swift action, manifest Hustle (doesn't provoke since I'm manifesting as a swift action), and I'll use the extra move action to stand up. Full attack on Brown, with Risky Strike (or without if I'm somehow still prone).

Bite
  Attack  - (1d20+12)[ 28 ] 
  Damage  - (2d6+14)[ 21 ] 

Mace 1
  Attack  - (1d20+12)[ 23 ] 
  Damage  - (1d8+11)[ 18 ] 
 (1d6)[ 5 ] 

Mace 2
  Attack  - (1d20+12)[ 32 ] 
  Damage  - (1d8+11)[ 13 ] 
 (1d6)[ 4 ] 

Slam 1
  Attack  - (1d20+11)[ 31 ] 
  Damage  - (1d8+11)[ 16 ] 

Slam 1
  Attack  - (1d20+11)[ 15 ] 
  Damage  - (1d8+11)[ 19 ] 
 
silphael
 
 Spoiler: Multiple crit rolls 
Can't remember if a D20 is needed, so I'm adding one for each crit, and I'll roll D20 then D6 (and both weapons only
roll a d6 for crit)

 (1d20)[ 8 ] 
 (1d6)[ 6 ] 
 (1d20)[ 12 ] 
 (1d6)[ 2 ] 
 
silphael
 
 Spoiler: woops 
Woops it's 2D6 each.

 (2d6)[ 11 ] 
 (2d6)[ 5 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R1T2:  With a mental pulse and a loud clap, there is the  brief buzzing sound of insects as Vik jumps to his feet as Brown tries  to chew through his defenses. Vik then assails the bloodhound. He bites  the left forepaw for  21  (and   fully healing   him) holding it briefly for his mace to clobber the same leg for  23 , and the cracks it in the skull, stoving in its head and killing it instantly!

 End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T23-17:   The other three wolfhounds look menacingly at the one that just killed a  member of their pack. Blue begins to close in, but Kuniyuki slices it  with his light-naginata for  12 . It adjusts and goes to  the desk instead and snaps at the Tian man who jumps above the attack  briefly. Green now closes on him as well, and he slashes it in the face  for  13  and it also snaps at him. Red moves forward,  ducking under the reach of the weapon to leap up and bite Kuniyuki in  his face for  6 mod , and he barely keeps his footing even as one of its claws slashes his right wrist for  3 mod .

 R2T14:   Terzo , what do you do?

Kuniyuki on deck, Victorine in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
Psionic energy wreathes Terzo’s hands and feet before he dashes forward; acrobatically avoiding any attacks from doggies. Once in place, he whispers    “Fierce tiger descending from the mountain,”      before initiating a martial maneuver and striking out with a clawed hand at two of the hounds.

 
 Spoiler: crunch 

No change to stance = Steel Coils stance (+4 Nat Armor)
FA: empowered strikes plus Blade Skill: Mind Shield +2 AC
MA: move 30’ North with acrobatics to avoid AOO.
SA:initiate martial maneuver: Steel Flurry Strike (-2 BAB, 3 attacks, +3d6 dam each attack). Including Blood Transfusion bonus to dam +7 and blood reserve. Defensive stance (TS) -2 To hit. +9AC.

 (1d20+11)[ 31 ]  to hit 1 (blue)
 (1d8+17)[ 22 ]  plus  (3d6)[ 7 ]  to dam 1
 
   
 Spoiler: crunch 
 (1d20+11)[ 18 ]  to hit 2 (blue)
 (1d8+17)[ 18 ]  plus  (3d6)[ 11 ]  to dam 2

 (1d20+11)[ 14 ]  to hit 3 (green)
 (1d8+17)[ 24 ]  plus  (3d6)[ 13 ]  to dam 3
 
Blackhawk101
my critical severity rolls
 
 Spoiler: crit rolls 

 (1d20)[ 1 ] 
 (2d6)[ 7 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R2T14:  Psionic energy wreathes Terzo’s hands and feet  before he dashes forward;  acrobatically avoiding any attacks from doggies, but that last little  push just barely keeps him from being exposed, but also takes out the  last little bit of energy that likewise keeps him from attacking as  well.

 R2T11:  Kuniyuki shifts his weapon smoothly  from a naginata made of light back to the katana form while getting  into a fighting stance and then hacking down at Green's right shoulder  for  29  +  off-balance .

 R2T10:   Vic looks over at the mass of dogs, squinting her right eye but popping  her left eye as wide as it will go, and it seems to twitch angrily in  its socket.

 R2T6:  Kokoro cuts around to be next to Terzo, katana in hand, striking it in the head with a two-handed power stroke for  16 , but the hound is too dumb struck to realize its peril.

 R2T2:   Vik , what do you do?

Enemies on deck and in the hole ...
silphael
Hoping to get rid of another of the hounds, Viktorescu steps closer, swinging his mace-arms before biting the hound.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
5 foot step NW, then full attack on green, with Risky Strike.

Bite
  Attack  - (1d20+12)[ 26 ] 
  Damage  - (2d6+14)[ 22 ] 

Mace 1
  Attack  - (1d20+12)[ 27 ] 
  Damage  - (1d8+11)[ 16 ] 
 (1d6)[ 2 ] 

Mace 2
  Attack  - (1d20+12)[ 24 ] 
  Damage  - (1d8+11)[ 14 ] 
 (1d6)[ 6 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R2T2:  Hoping to get rid of another of the hounds,  Viktorescu steps closer, swinging his mace-arms before biting the hound,  completely pulping the hand.

 End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T23-17:    With two of their pack dead, the remaining two wolfhounds withdraw at  full speed, leaping out of the shattered windows in which they entered.

 Combat Ends! 

While  the wolfhounds scatter, the door behind the bench has been smashed  open, and the drainage grating has been completely ripped from its  mounting bolts.

Kokoro points in that direction,   "That's the way of our quarry. We need to give chase! There is no time to lose!"  
 Terzo  and  Viktorescu ,  do you delay precious seconds or do you immediately give  chase? 
 Spoiler: OOC 
This is a binary question: you do or you don't. There  is no, "I do, but..." as the subject of your mission has a head start.
 
Blackhawk101
  “I cannot abandon those who may be in need of medical attention.”
“I will ssee if I can help thessse here. I will try to follow.”  
silphael
Vik nods at Terzo, and gives chase.
lostsole31
  "I'll cover him,"   says Victorine with her crossbow out as Kokoro and Kuniyuki follow Viktorescu down the hole.

Terzo, it takes you only a single round to see the young woman with her throat ripped out and the mauled judge are definitely dead. Do you then go with Vicki to follow the others?
Blackhawk101
  “Victorine. I am going to boost my speed and I can see in the dark. If you cannot keep up, yell out and I will guide you”
  Terzo focuses and there is some display as his legs grow long and spindly. He waits for confirmation from Vic before running into the sewer.
   “Sssmells like home… ”.    he mutters.  
 
 Spoiler: crunch 

activate Elongate Extremities-legs. Spend 3 PP for +10’ movement for 6 minutes.
run after Vik and the others.
 
lostsole31
With Terzo and Vic only a round behind the others, here's the important question...

 Terzo  and  Viktorescu  ... do you slow your movement for the party, or do you move as quickly as you can individually move to chase down what might be a fast-moving quarry?
Blackhawk101
Since I don’t know Victorine’s capabilities, Terzo’s intent is to move as fast as he can to chase down Vik and the others but if Vic falls behind he will wait for her to catch up and perhaps carry her if that is a viable option. If not move as fast as we can together.
silphael
Vik keeps pressing forward at full speed, considering that tracking anything inside the sewers would be way harder than simply tailing it.
lostsole31
Vik surges ahead to take advantage of his speed while the K-kids wait for Terzo and Vic before moving steadily.

As the PCs follow the Mauler into Ardis’s drainage tunnels, the tight confines of the courthouse sewers eventually open into wider tunnels collecting effluence from the neighboring buildings. The putrid stink of human refuse mingles with a more natural stink of decomposition. Bubbles and ripples occasionally break the water’s surface, filling the chamber with a constant gurgle. The water in the collecting chamber is 2 feet deep and counts as difficult terrain.

 Round One of Chase (NOT Combat) 
 Viktorescu , it is dark. You cannot see, and you are standing in a pool of water (2' deep). What do you do?
silphael
Vik grabs his darksight elixir and drinks it, his eyes bulging to perceive the faintest traces of light. He then resumes walking in the same direction, hoping to keep the track.
lostsole31
Viktorescu finds himself standing in 2' of water in a collection room. The collection pool extends 30' north-south, and exiting from here to the west is a 10' wide river of water bounded by 5' walkways on each side. There is an intersection 25' to the west that extends north and south, with only a 5'-wide path of water in the center even as the main western thoroughfare continues west into a much larger north-south intersection.

 Vik , do you go the first smaller intersection and go north or south ... or continue west to the larger intersection. And do you do so through the water or on the walkway?
silphael
Vik goes on the walkway, and looks around. It's clear at that point he has lost the track, so he waits for the others while looking around for signs of passage, kinda grumbling.
lostsole31
The rest of the group catches up two rounds later. At this point, Victorine wastes no time looking for tracks (assisted closely by Terzo). They are unable to find anything to track or any signs of passage down here, so the next is Kokoro, who claims to have a decent sense of smell for blood, but has only minimal training in tracking, something she never picked up easily anyway. She fails as well.

The party moves along the walkway to the next section where there is the smaller N-S passage, but that seems to go nowhere. They then continue west into a larget intersection with a much broader north-south profile than the one you are on, though the sewers continue west as well.

At this point, it is a crap shoot. Which direction do you (generally) take? North, south, or west?
silphael
Viktorescu snaps his fingers, clearly frustrated.

"  Given the danger, we can't separate again, but there is no track to be found... yet if we wait, we lose the trail further. Let's go on the north-south path, in the same direction that the water.  "

He tries to remember what he's seen of the map of the city to figure where they are and which direction might be better to lose someone's tailing.
Blackhawk101
  “Anyone have a scrap of food I can have. I might get some idea of the sewer layout from the local rat population.”
  Terzo looks for sewer rats that he can communicate with.
lostsole31
There are some curious rats about, of course! One is tugging a strange type of street food ... it is a somewhat triangular food, strange, a type of unleavened crust, topped with a thin red fruit relish and melted cheese and cured meats on top of that.
 
Blackhawk101
Terzo chitters at the rat with it’s prize.
 
 Spoiler: rat speach 

  “Greetings. Have you seen a big sscary wolf-man run past?”
  
 
lostsole31
The rat blinks at Terzo, trying to take a measure of him, and then just jumps into the muck of the sewer water with its prize, unseen.
Blackhawk101
Terzo shrugs to the others.   “Not very friendly around here.”
”North, I guess,”   ​he suggests.
silphael
He nods and steps into the northern passage, taking care to not be too close to the light source.

"  As good as any other option, I suppose.  "
lostsole31
In heading to the north ... individually, do you take the western and/ or eastern walkway, and/or walk through the muck in the center?
silphael
Viktorescu walks in front, on the west sidewalk.
Blackhawk101
Terzo will follow the rest of the group. He will have his fists empowered and a greenish glow surrounding him briefly before disappearing.
 
 Spoiler: crunch 

Empowered fists to take advantage of the dueling enhancement bonus to initiative. He will also manifest Inertial armor for 1 PP. 6 hr duration.
 
lostsole31
Viktorescu, leading the group, comes to a terminus, showing that this  was a poor choice. Just as he is about to turn around, a large nest of  centipedes must have been disturbed and come out of the wall.

 Begin Round One ...

R1T18:   Kuniyuki takes out a flask and tosses it at the mass of squirming bugs,  towards the back end so the flaring heat of the sudden fiery flash  doesn't burn Viktorescu, but does   7 fire   to the swarm, though it doesn't catch fire.   "I've only got two more flasks. So either you have something, or we need to pull back!"  
 R1T17:  Kokoro jumps into the 2' deep water and starts sploshing to the south quickly.

 R1T15:   Terzo , you are in the back ... enough that you didn't jump to the "section" that everyone else is on. What do you do? Also, you have  mage armor  and  inertial armor  already active.
Blackhawk101
Terzo retrieves one flask from a side compartment in his haversack.
  “I have five flasks of alchemist fire. Come get some!”
   
 Spoiler: crunch 

MA: retrieve alchemist fire flask from RT compartment handy haversack.
SwA: enter stance of Steel Coils.
SA: Ready action to retrieve another flask from haversack if this one is taken.
if people come to him for flasks, he will say   “Belt”   to indicate more flasks there.
 
lostsole31
 R1T15:  Terzo retrieves one flask from a side compartment in his haversack.   “I have five flasks of alchemist fire. Come get some!”  
 R1T12:   Viktorescu , you are uncomfortably close to a mass of squirming and uncountable, wriggling legs. What do you do?
silphael
Viktorescu quickly moves south, lacking options to deal with swarms.

"  I can't help with that. Let's explore another passage.  "
lostsole31
 R1T12:  Viktorescu quickly moves south, lacking options  to deal with swarms, though he has to jump in the water and do so as the  walkway isn't wide enough for passing allies. His enhanced speed  carries him out of Vic's blue light, and he passes Kokoro, only the teal  glow from his  inertial armor  keeping him from total darkness.   "I can't help with that. Let's explore another passage."  
 R1T10:   With Kuniyuki in the way, Victorine steps back and takes out a vial of  her own. She tosses it into the mass of centipedes, doing   3 acid  .

 R1T7:  The swarm rolls forward to cover Victorine (and her familiar) and Kuniyuki! Victorine takes  9 +  1 poison  . (Familiar TBD). Kuniyuki seems to to shake them off and be unaffected.

 R1T6:  Sigo is now battle aware, and delays ...

 R1T0:  Unseen by Viktorescu, something big splashes at him from the water! Something big, formless, and wet slams into Vik's chest  8 , and it begins to sizzle part of his armor and his sternum for   1 acid  . Its strange, indescribably body tries to wrap around him, but he manages to fend it off.

 End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T18:   Kuniyuki splashes into the water and reaches up and grabs the  alchemist's fire out of Terzo's hand. Terzo, in turn, takes out another  flask.

 R2T17:    "Something's attacked Viktorescu from the other direction!"   calls Kokoro.   "Ochre jelly, an ooze! Decent climbers, blindsight, and flesh-eating touch."  

She  sloshes south a few feet and casts a spell upon herself, and her  forelimbs wrench and pop and twist and stretch to twice their length.

 R2T12:   Vik , what do you do?
silphael
Vik shifts his energy around, investing more into his hands, turning them back into maces before swinging at the jelly.

"  Can't help with the swarm, but at least here I can do something !  "

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Swift action to move 1E from Maw to Armaments (bringing the bonus damage to 2d6), and full attacking the jelly with Risky Strike.

Mace 1
  Attack  - (1d20+12)[ 17 ] 
  Damage  - (1d8+11)[ 13 ] 
  Extra Damage  - (2d6)[ 2 ] 

Mace 2
  Attack  - (1d20+12)[ 15 ] 
  Damage  - (1d8+11)[ 13 ] 
  Extra Damage  - (2d6)[ 9 ] 

Bite
  Attack  - (1d20+12)[ 26 ] 
  Damage  - (2d6+16)[ 28 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R2T12:  Vik shifts his energy around, investing more  into his hands, turning them back into maces before swinging at the  jelly with both maces for a total of  37 , and biting it for  28 , but taking   2 acid   in his mouth, despite fully healing first. He calls out, "  Can't help with the swarm, but at least here I can do something!  "

 R2T10:  Victorine fights off the poison in her system. She hustles to get away from the centipedes.

 R2T7:   The centipedes surge forward, climbing on walls and ceiling to easily  move southwards and then swarming around Terzo and Kuniyuki. Terzo gets  bitten by  7 ; Kuniyuki takes  3 mod +  1 poison  , just barely keeping his wits about him to not freak out.

 R2T0:   The ochre jelly swings a pseudopod with a lucky strike with a numbing  blow against his Vik's left arm. Had his left mace not been part of his  arm he would have dropped it, taking  11 + 1 DEX   +  2 acid  .

 End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T19:   Terzo , you are surrounded by hundreds of squirming, biting centipedes, with a flask of alchemist's fire in your hand. What do you do?

Kuniyuki on deck, Kokoro in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo will move SE on the walkway until he reaches the gap near Vik. He will hurl his flask back at the centipede swarm.
  “We need to move! They’re coming!”
   
 Spoiler: crunch 

MA: move S-SW along the ledge about 20’ until he comes to the gap.
SA: throw flask of alchemist fire targeting an intersection of the centipede swarm on the ledge were he just was. Thinking a firm surface is needed to rupture the flask.
 (1d20+8)[ 17 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R3T19:  Terzo moves southeast on the walkway until he  reaches the gap near Vik. He will hurl his flask back at the centipede  swarm - right into the area where he was just standing, doing  6 fire  to the swarm, but Kuniyuki also takes   1 fire  .   “We need to move! They’re coming!”  
 R3T18:  Kuniyuki resists the poison and sloshes back only a little bit before tossing his alchemist's fire, doing   1 fire + catch fire  ! The initial strike wasn't a lot, but it was enough to send a bloom of flame throughout the mass.   "Everyone in the water if you can! That might minimize the flames when they come."  
 R3T17:  Kokoro does a power stroke against the ochre jelly, only to find it now splits in twain!

 R3T12:   Viktorescu , what do you do?

Vic on deck, enemies in the hole ...
silphael
The ooze blocking the way, Vik keeps biting and swinging at it.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Full attack with Risky Strike on the ooze.

Bite
  Attack  - (1d20+11)[ 19 ] 
  Damage  - (2d6+15)[ 23 ] 

Mace 1
  Attack  - (1d20+12)[ 20 ] 
  Damage  - (1d8+11)[ 19 ] 
  Extra Damage  - (2d6)[ 2 ] 

Mace 1
  Attack  - (1d20+12)[ 15 ] 
  Damage  - (1d8+11)[ 14 ] 
  Extra Damage  - (2d6)[ 4 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R3T12:  The ooze blocking the way, Vik keeps biting and  swinging at it, destroying the one in front of him (Red) so completely,  that by the time he tries to bite it, it has denatured quickly enough to  neither scald his mouth nor provide any healing. The nature of the  ooze's protoplasm breaking down creates a lot of disgusting goo, but not  a fixed corpse that blocks any movement.

 R3T10:  Victorine desperately splashes to get away from the burning centipede ball, and then takes out a glass flask of her own.

 R3T7:  The burning centipede swam takes   4 fire  . It rolls forward to cover three allies now. Kuniyuki suffers  6 mod +  1 poison  +  2 fire  . Terzo suffers  6 +  6 fire  + distracted ! Kokoro suffers  7 + distracted !

 R3T0:  The other half of the ochre jelly surges forward and swings a pseudopod at Vik.

 End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T19:   Terzo ,  you are having a freakout (distracted) from being surrounded and bitten  by hundreds of burning centipedes. What do you do? 
 Spoiler: Distracted  (Nauseated) 
You are unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on  spells, or do  anything else requiring attention. The only action such a character can  take is a single move action per turn. You drop out of stance.
 

Kuniyuki on deck, Kokoro in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo splashes down into the sewer to his SE.
​ 
 Spoiler: crunch 

MA: move 5’ to the SE.
 
lostsole31
 R4T19:  Terzo takes   2 fire   from being in the burning mass, and then splashes down and up again onto the next walkway.

 R4T18:  Kuniyuki takes   2 mod fire    while in the water from the bugs all around him. He splashes north of  the mass. He tosses a light-kunai into the ooze to the south, destroying  it.

 R4T17:  Kokoro moves to the south east.

 R4T12:   Vik , what do you do?

Vic on deck, Centipedes in the hole ...
silphael
Shifting his shape again, Vik's forearms turn back to normal as his neck grows, bloating slightly. He walks away from the swarm, his voice now slightly gurgling.

"  This way ! I should be able to damage it now, but slowly !  "

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Standard action to manifest metamorphosis again for 5 PP, this time picking the ranged attack (ranged touch attack dealing 3d6 acid damage and 1 con damage on a failed fort save) and the move speed buff (+20 feet).

Move action to 1 SE, 2 S.
 
lostsole31
 R4T12:  Shifting his shape again, Vik's forearms turn  back to normal as his neck  grows, bloating slightly. As he does so, a swarm of ectoplasmic spiders  manifest on Vik, swarming all over him harmlessly. He walks away from  the swarm, his voice now  slightly gurgling, "  This way! I should be able to damage it now, but slowly!  "

He spits and a sizzling loogie of acid hits the burning swarm, putting 2 or 3 centipedes out of their fiery misery.

 R4T10:  Victorine throws the flask at a point that shatters and sizzles the swarm for   9 acid    while Kuniyuki ducks into the water just in time to be fine! She then  sloshes through the disgusting poop-water to the south, getting back up  onto the walkway just south of Terzo.

 R4T7:  The swarm continues to take   3 fire  .  The burning swarm panics away from the water - not having the  intelligence to understand what water could do for it - and climbs  around the walkway and ceiling and walls to now swarm around Terzo and  Victorine. Terzo takes  2 +  4 fire   + distracted  ; Vic takes  7 +  1 poison  +  6 fire  .

 End Round 4, Begin Round 5 ...

R5T19:   Terzo , you are freaking out again as you are in a burning mass of centipedes (nauseated). What do you do?

Kuniyuki on deck, Kokoro in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo will leap back across to the NW walkway and keep moving 10 more feet until adjacent to Thing #2.
  “This is not going well,”   he states obviously.
lostsole31
 R5T19:  Terzo will leap back across to the NW walkway  and keep moving 10 more feet until adjacent to Thing #2. He tries to be  blithe by stating the obvious, but it is clear that he is bothered by  the mass of bugs,   “This is not going well!”   
 R5T18:  Kuniyuki draws another flask and tosses it at the mass, where it erupts for   4 fire  . From the other side, Victorine didn't see it and takes a heat bloom of   1 fire  .

 R5T17:   Kokoro casts a spell, aiming so as to just miss Victorine as a fan of  flames washes over the swarm. The oxygen displacement and water diminish  the blast some, though, as the swarm only takes   10 fire  . Still, the most effective thing thus far.   

"Sorry,"   Kokoro says as she opens datum to the southeast,   "I only had one of those. Everyone back off if you can and let the fire take them."  
 R5T12:   Vik ,  you learned that your acid spit - while killing a couple at a time -  isn't enough to affect the whole to matter. What do you do?

Vic on deck, swarm in the hole ...
silphael
"  Crap, that didn't work. Still, let's keep our distances and hope it keeps burning ! I have one more option, but...  "

He keeps moving south, hoping the swarm will come his way.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Moving 2 S, to the square E of my ally. Staying on the sidewalk.
 
lostsole31
 R5T12:  "  Crap, that didn't work. Still, let's keep our distances and hope it keeps burning! I have one more option, but..."   Vik calls as he keeps moving south, hoping the swarm will come his way.

 R5T10:  Victorine hustles south and jumps between her allies onto the metal grating that is like a walkway.

 R5T7:  The swarm takes only   1 fire   from  the burning, and move north to the closest bit of food they are too  stupid to ever end up getting to enjoy as the swarm will inevitably burn  out. In doing so, Kuniyuki takes  7 mod +  6 fire   as Terzo takes  5 +  1 fire   (but doesn't freak out this time).

 End Round 5, Begin Round 6 ...

R6T19:   Terzo , you are back in the mass of burning but not freaking out, taking   4 fire  . What do you do?

Kuniyuki on deck, Kokoro in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo moves away from the swarm to the North and then retrieves a flask from his belt.
 
 Spoiler: crunch 

MA: move North 30’ staying on the walkway.
SA: retrieve a flask of alchemist fire
 
lostsole31
 R6T19:  Terzo moves away from the swarm to the North and  then retrieves a flask from his belt. In trying to stay on the walkway,  he has to shimmy more slowly where the walkway becomes too narrow to  move quickly over, and then ends up having to hop across anyway.

 R6T18:  Kuniyuki takes   1 fire  . He splashes forward quickly to the north.

 R6T17:  Kokoro moves south and east out of sight.

 R6T12:   Vik , what do you do?

Vic on deck, swarm in the hole ...
silphael
Vik keeps the swarm in sight, ready to move away if it gets closer.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Readying an action : I'll move 1S and 5 E if the swarm moves within 10 feet of me.
 
lostsole31
 R6T12:  Vik keeps the swarm in sight, ready to move away if it gets closer.

 R6T10:  Standing on the walkway, Vic takes out a flask and tosses it to splash over the swarm for   6 acid  .

 R6T7:  The swarm only takes   1 fire   from burning. It now heads north, and swarms over Terzo for  4 + distracted +  6 fire + catch fire  !

 End Round 6, Begin Round 7 ...

R7T19:   Terzo , you take   1 fire  ,  are burning/ on fire, and are freaking out (nausea). You are absolutely  screaming in burning pain and confusion. What do you do?

Kuniyuki on deck, Kokoro in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
  “Ahhh! Get ‘em off me!”   Terzo moves West as he takes a breath and splashes into the water. He then hurries South following the channel. He throws himself prone there to extinguish the flames.
 
 Spoiler: crunch 

MA: move West 10 ft, then 15 ft South. If he can, he takes a breath and goes down at the end of the move in the water.
 
lostsole31
 R7T19:    “Ahhh! Get ‘em off me!”   Terzo  moves west as he takes a breath and splashes into the water. He then  hurries only a few feet more to the south, the freakout and difficult  terrain affecting his ability to move fully. He throws himself prone  there to extinguish  the flames.

 R7T18:  Kuniyuki takes out a flask  and tosses it, but loses his footing and falls into the water even as  his flask hits the water in the alcove hard, breaking open and burning  briefly before dissipating.

 R7T17:  Kokoro delays ... somewhere.   "What's happening now?"  
 R7T12:   Vik , your readied action didn't go off. What do you do?

Vic on deck, Swarm in the hole ...
silphael
Vik moves closer, hoping to attract the swarm away from his more fragile allies.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Moving 1N, 1NW, 3N, 1NW, 2N (likely taking 2 move actions)
 
lostsole31
 R7T12:  Vik moves closer, hoping to attract the swarm away from his more fragile allies.

 R7T10:  Vic delays ...

 R7T7:  The swarm takes   3 fire  . With their prey having escaped, only one source is nearby and the swarm covers over Vik, doing  3 +  2 fire  .

 End Round 7, Begin Round 8 ...

R8T19:   Terzo ,  you are face-deep in dark poop-water and the sewage is such that you  don't see in the water. At least you are no longer on fire. What do you  do?

Kuniyuki on deck, Vik in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo will pop up to standing and moves to the South to the full extent of his movement splashing through the sewage.
 
 Spoiler: crunch 

SA: stand
SW: martial stance -Steel Coils
MA: move South or SE for 30’ of movement in difficult terrain.
 
lostsole31
 R8T19:  Terzo will pop up to standing and moves to the  south to the full extent of his movement splashing through the sewage.  His heart is pounding as he is standing right next to the swarm which is  covering Vik.

 R8T18:  Kuniyuki also pops up, ready for something.

 R8T12:   Vik , you take   6 fire  . Roll a Fort save (here). What do you do?

Swarm on deck, Terzo in the hole ...
silphael
Trying to get rid of the swarm, and hoping it dies soon, Vik still steps out of it to let the grenadiers do their job.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
First, fort save :

  Fort  - (1d20+8)[ 20 ]  (unsure if any bonus applies here)

Move action to go 2S. If not distracted, I'll ready another move action if the swarm wants to enter my square, to move further south, while staying on the sidewalk.
 
lostsole31
 R8T12:  Trying to get rid of the swarm, and hoping it dies soon, Vik still steps out of it to let the grenadiers do their job.

 R8T7:  The swarm takes   4 fire  . It moves over the ceiling and western wall to surround Terzo, biting him for  12 +  2 fire  .

 End Round 8, Begin Round 9 ...

R9T19:   Terzo , you take   6 fire  . The pain overwhelms you and you fall into the sewage ... and into blackness.

 R9T18:  Kuniyuki doesn't delay, but continues to seem ready.

 R9T12:   Vik , your readied action didn't happen. What do you do?

Swarm on deck, Terzo in the hole ...
silphael
"  Terzo ! No !  "

Viktorescu moves toward Terzo, and manifests a power, taking Terzo's pain upon himself.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I'll move 1 NW and manifest Empathic Transfer for 5 PP, healing Terzo for 6d10 and taking the same amount of damage.

  Healing  - (6d10)[ 39 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R9T12:     "Terzo! No!"    Viktorescu shouts as he moves toward Terzo. He manifests a power, taking Terzo's pain upon himself, taking  39  even as Terzo heals   39  .

 R9T7:  The centipede swarm takes   3 fire  . it now covers over Vik for  8 +  1 mod poison  +  4 fire + catches fire  !

 End Round 9, Begin Round 10 ...

R10T19:   Terzo, you wake up underwater. Because of the sudden shock, you expel  your air and need to at least get your head above water, as you are  prone and submerged in 2' of water. But you feel the heat on the water  above you, seeing through thick sewage the orange glow of something  burning. What do you do?

Kuniyuki on deck, Vik in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo will swim away from the burning ball of death in which ever direction that seems to be. When he can swim no farther he will break the surface to take a breath while remaining mostly submerged.

 
 Spoiler: crunch 

double move swimming moving away from the glow of the fire. if straight ahead accomplishes that, then he goes to the South. If not, then turn around and go North.
 
lostsole31
 R10T19:  Terzo tries to swim away from the burning ball  of death in which ever  direction that seems to be, which is directly above him. Having just  woken up underwater, he's not even sure of what direction he is moving.  And he is less "swimming" so much as he is crawling along the bottom. As  soon as the orange glow isn't directly above him and a little bit past  that, he break s the surface to take a breath while remaining mostly submerged.

 R10T18:  Kuniyuki is closer to Terzo now, noting Terzo broaching, but still readied for something.

 R10T12:   Viktorescu , you have poison in your system and you are burning (  3 fire  ). Roll a Fort save. What do you do?

Swarm on deck, Terzo in the hole ...
silphael
Vik taps into his mental reserves, turning them into resilience, and dives underwater.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Immediate action to manifest Mind Palace at 1 PP, adding 1d4 to my fort save. Standard action to manifest Vigor, spending 3 PP to gain 15 THP, and move action to move underwater, going 2S, 1SE, 1S.

  Fort  - (1d20+8)[ 20 ] 
  Extra  - (1d4)[ 3 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R10T12:  Vik taps into his mental reserves to turn them  into resilience, but the constant burning sensation fouls him, though he  still manages to resist the poison. He is much better at focusing  through the pain to turn his power to fortifying against pain (  +15 THP  ).  He then drops prone to get as much of his body submerged as possible,  but finds he can only crawl along the bottom a few feet in doing so.

The centipede swarm finally disperse from the burning pain ... dying or scattering.

 Combat Ends! 

Viktorescu is assumed to move forward some more before coming up to find he is no longer on fire and the swarm is gone.

What now? People are badly wounded, and yet the werewolf is getting away, loosed upon the city of Ardis!
silphael
Viktorescu takes out one of his dorjes of natural healing, and begins healing himself.

"  I can heal myself with that, but it'll take a while. I'll use my superior mobility to keep on track. If any of you know how to use those, I have another one.  "

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
With my current move speed, I can more or less move at the same pace as the others while recovering 3 hp per round.
 
lostsole31
Terzo and Kuniyuki rendezvous with Viktorescu, who make it to Kokoro and Victorine and they continue on their way.

Victorine shows a bag as you move.   "I found the bodies of a couple that must have tried to find a quiet place to tryst, but it seems that the centipedes got to them. They had a pouch and I will share it with you once we have a chance to breathe ... but not know. We have to move!"  

There are questions on the move about the crystal stick Vik offered to use. Of his first dorje, Vik has to burn 24 charges to be just shy of fully healed.

Both Kuniyuki and Victorine mention having some training in fidgeting with strange items without the actual training needed to operate them properly, but they can't deal with that right now until the group stops, and a werewolf on the prowl is a dangerous thing.

Before you exit the sewer, Vik's  metamorphosis  and  vigor  end, as does Kokoro's  longarm .

As the group exits Ardis' sewers, the mouth-filling stench of the sewers finally breaks in the relatively fresh air of Ardis’ docks. The moonlight shining down upon the weathered stones beneath the sewer gate catches a glint of gold: a small, worn locket smashed upon the rocks holds a pair of tiny portraits. One shows a Vonran Vilk who might have walked the streets fifty years ago. The other, torn and gnawed, shows Markov Rutowski—Vilk’s former lover.

A howl pierces the night sky. Several blocks away, a hunched figure pauses to watch its pursuers emerge from the sewer, then takes off running in the direction of Rutowski’s townhouse.

 WOLF HUNT! 

(More to come....)
Blackhawk101
Terzo will shout,  "Let's Move!"

  He will manifest a psychic power and his limbs will elongate. He stoops to pick up Victorine and then runs after the werewolf.

 
 Spoiler: crunch 


SA: Manifest Elongate Extremities and spend 6 PP (2 PP for duration 10 min/level or 60 min. / 2PP for +15 speed  / 2PP for elongate both arms [+5 reach] and legs)

MA: Move to Victorine and pick her up

Empowered strikes active and use Dueling to help with initiative.

Shield offline since he is carrying Vic.
 
lostsole31
 ACT 3: TO CATCH A KILLER 

The party starts out in a Collapsed Structure.

 Begin Chase Round One ...

  R1T24:   Kuniyuki moves through the structure, trying to clamber over an  obstacle, succeeding on the second try and entering an Overgrown  Greenbelt.

 R1T23:  Terzo had it in mind to pick  up Victorine, but she is already moving, throwing herself against stuck  door. She fails, and then attempts to clamber over a low wall and fails  that, too.

 R1T22:  A shadowy, masked figure  enters the Collapsed Structure. Jewelry on their wrist appears and they  put a hand out - creating 3 motes of light that light up the Collapsed  Structure, the Overgrown Greenbelt above Kuniyuki, and the Crumbling  Bridge beyond that.

 R1T20:   Terzo ,  Victorine is still here in the same Collapsed Structure, so you can  choose to do what you had intended (your last post) or do something  else. If you want to exit the Collapsed Structure, you must choose to  either Force a Door or Clamber Over a low wall. What do you do?
Blackhawk101
Terzo decides to clamber over a low wall.
lostsole31
 R1T20:   Terzo  clambers over the law wall and into  the Overgrown Greenbelt with Kuniyuki. You can either look for a hidden  shortcut or wriggle through the thorny thicket. Do you try to keep  moving through one of those obstacles, or something else?
Blackhawk101
Terzo looks for a hidden shortcut.
lostsole31
 R1T20:  Terzo's amazing senses find a hidden shortcut,  and he moves forward to the next block to the Crumbling Bridge where the  Midnight Mauler was howling when they first got out of the sewers.  Looking ahead, he will either have to take a leap of faith, or move  through water that is deep enough to swim.

 R1T17:   The Midnight Mauler continues his motion, but through much more crowded  areas so has to be more careful - slipping around back of a guard  station and then leaping over a gaping sinkhole, moving two blocks  ahead!

 R1T11:  Viktorescu, if you go at normal  speed, the Midnight Mauler will make it to Rutkowski's home and kill  him, and who knows how many other people? See the chase rules in Discord  handouts for guidance. If you try to leave the Collapsed Structure, you  will have to deal with forcing the door or clambering over a low wall.  What do you do?
silphael
Vik plans to rush toward the door, hoping to be able to quickly plow through multiple obstacles.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Let's go with the full round action to attempt to cross 3 "squares", beginning with the forcing the door.
 
lostsole31
 R1T11:  Vik forces open a door and into the Overgrown  Greenbelt, where he must either look for a shortcut or wriggle through  the hedges ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo will make a leap of faith.
silphael
Vik looks for a shortcut, hoping to keep pressing forward.
lostsole31
 R1T11:  Vik fails to find a shortcut at first, and only  with Sigo's prodding does he just barely see where Terzo went through.  Making it through with a slight delay, he gets to the Crumbling Bridge  .... where he will next either have to take a leap of faith or swim.

 R1T5:  Kokoro forces open a door and into the Overgrown Greenbelt, but then gets stopped when she fails to find a shortcut.

 R1T4:  As a passenger, Sigo delays ...

 End Chase Round One, Begin Chase Round 2 ...

CR2T24:   Kuniyuki spots a shortcut and wriggles through, getting to the  Crumbling Bridge. Not stopping he leaps across, but an at angle to  splash in the water and swim to get to the edge. Once at the Guard  Station he fails to slip around back and becomes  mired .

 CR2T23:  Victorine magically creates a pit, causing a bunch of rubble to fall in, and she moves past and into the Overgrown Greenbelt.

 CR2T22:   The masked figure kicks open a door and gets to the Overgrown  Greenbelt, finds a shortcut, and makes it to the Crumbling Bridge.

 CR2T20:   Terzo, you are at the Crumbling Bridge. What do you wish to do? If  crossing to the next block, you must either (if using a normal MA) or  both (if attempting a FRA to move) to deal with a leap and/ or a swim.

Midnight Mauler on deck, Vik in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo will attempt both the jump and swim (FRA).
lostsole31
 CR2T20:  Terzo brilliant moves past both obstacles into  the Guard Station. He starts off hiding from part of it, but then gets  stuck trying to talk his way past a couple guards and his turn ends.

 CR2T23:  Ahead, the Midnight Mauler keeps moving ahead.

 CR2T11:   Vik ,  you are at the Crumbling Bridge. The obstacles here are a leap of faith  and/or a quick swim. What type of action do you wish to take for your  turn?
silphael
Vik attempts the leap of faith, planning to keep pressing forward.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
IE, full round action.
 
lostsole31
 CR2T11:  Vik presses forward as quickly as he can, doing  just poorly enough to stumble on the leap, but great on the swim ...  but he still ends up at the Guard Station (where next turn the obstacles  are to either talk your way past and/ or sneak by).

 CR2T5:   Kokoro is now focused on picking up speed, as she is in the back at the  greenbelt with Victorine, but she thrashes about and blows it bad and  is  mired  in the thickets.

 End Chase Round 2, Begin Chase Round 3 ...

CR3T24:  Kuniyuki spends his entire turn getting un-mired at the Guard Station.

 CR3T23:   Vic finally makes it through the thorny thicket to the Crumbling  Bridge, and then balks when she's about to make the leap of faith.

 CR3T22:   The masked stranger clears the Crumbling Bridge, then the Guard Station  ... and finally clears the Gaping Sinkhole to make it to the Lingering  Mob!

 CR3T20:   Terzo , you are at the Guard  Station. What action type do you want to use for the round? Note that  here you can either talk your way past the guards and/ or sneak past  them.

Midnight Marauder on deck, Vik in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo will go with his strength and sneak past the guards.
lostsole31
 CR3T20:   Terzo  goes with his strength, creating a  diversion and sneaking past the guards and gets to a gaping sinkhole.  He can either Walk the Plank placed some distance above the sinkhole, or  go around it and just hope that the foul emanations don't bother him.  What will he do?
Blackhawk101
Terzo will try the balance test.
lostsole31
 CR3T20:  Terzo then  barely  passes the balance test, but ends up in the area of the Lingering Mob with the masked ... vigilante?

 CR3T17:  Meanwhile, Terzo sees the Midnight Mauler clamber over the District Wall a block away, disappearing from view.

 CR3T11:   Vik ,  you are currently at a Guard Station where you can either talk your way  past the guards and/ or sneak past them. What action type do you  undergo?

Kokoro on deck, Kuniyuki in the hole ...
silphael
Making sure that his hands look like hands, Vik attempts to sneak past the guards.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I shouldn't have any ACP atm, but to be sure, swift action to be sure one of my hands isn't in the form of a buckler. I reduce the ACP from Consuming Scales by 2, 1 from a racial trait, 1 from Armor Expert.
 
lostsole31
 CR3T11:   Vik  does a great job sneaking past the  guards, and finds himself at the Gaping Sinkhole, where he can Walk  Along a Plank well above it, or to just move quickly around the side,  and to deal with the awful fumes. Which does he choose?
silphael
Without any time to lose, Vik presses forward, attempting to press through the obstacles.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Full round action to attempt to go through "both".
 
lostsole31
 CR3T11:  Vik presses through, ignoring the fumes of the sinkhole and entering an area of a Lingering Mob.

 CR3T5:  Kokoro spends her turn getting un-mired at the Overgrown Greenbelt.

 End Chase Round 3, Begin Chase Round 4...

CR  4T24:   Kuniyuki rushes as far as he can ... quitting the Guard Station, has a  little bit of trouble with the fumes at the sinkhole, and ends up at the  Lingering Mob.

 CR4T23:  Victorine makes the leap at the bridge and uses her small size to easily avoid the guards, stopping at the Gaping Sinkhole.

 CR4T22:   The masked stranger moves as quickly as they can. They easily clear the  District Wall to points beyond. A bit of a pause, and then a call is  heard by those in the Lingering Mob (incl. Kuniyuki, Terzo, and Vik),     "Cease your hunt, Vonrak Vilk! You will not take another victim this night!"    
 CR4T20:   Terzo , what do you do?

Midnight Marauder on deck, Vik in the hole ...
silphael
Definitely not comfortable talking to strangers, Vik attempts to go unnoticed.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
So only attempting to go unnoticed.
 
Blackhawk101
Terzo will attempt to pass the mob unnoticed. He will shift to body of night stance unless doing so slows him down.
 
 Spoiler: crunch 

SwA: adopt body of night stance for +6 stealth check. Not sure if Swift actions are allowed but he will forego the stance if it delays him.
 
lostsole31
 CR4T20:  Terzo realizes that in the middle of a  Lingering Mob - hiding or not - is not the place to get into a combat  stance, not even one for stealth. He trusts in his own native training  and performs brilliantly, getting to the District Wall.

 Terzo , for your second half of a turn, do you wish to clamber over the wall, or go along the top?
Blackhawk101
Terzo will clamber over the wall.
lostsole31
 CR4T20:  Terzo climbs over the District Wall, and finds himself in a Rose Garden.

 CR4T11:   Definitely not comfortable talking to strangers, Vik attempts to go  unnoticed. It is an abysmal failure, as Viktorescu fails ... it seems  that people have never seen his like before, and people are ringing  around him and screaming in terror at his monstrous form.

 CR4T5:   Kokoro finally wriggles through the thickets to get to the Crumbling  Bridge and confidently swims across ... making it to the Guard Station.

 End Chase Round 4, Begin Chase Round 5 ... 
 CR5T24:  Kuniyuki brilliantly talks his way past the guards, but coughs on the fumes at the Gaping Sinkhole.

 CR5T23:   Victorine makes it around the Gaping Sinkhole, fighting off the fumes,  and then makes use of the Lingering Crowd focusing on a tall, creepy,  ugly monster right now, making it to the District Wall.

 CR5T20:   Terzo , looking ahead in the Rose Garden, to get out he'll either have to make  his way through a Hedge Maze and/ or swim across a Reflecting Pond. Which does he do?

 Vik ,  you are stuck at the Lingering Crowd. Do you wish to talk your way out,  or distract them somehow to get out of there unnoticed?
Blackhawk101
Terzo will try the maze.
lostsole31
Terzo finds his way through the maze and ends up in a Shopping Block, where he sees a standoff in the distance (more to come).

 Viktorescu , it is now your turn. See above for what your obstacles are.
silphael
Vik keeps trying to go unnoticed.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Trying only one obstacle again.
 
lostsole31
 CR5T20:  Terzo finds his way through the maze and ends up in a Shopping Block, where he sees a standoff in the distance.

 CR5T11:   Vik makes a distraction and uses it to get out of the Lingering Mob and  get to the District Wall. Vik, do you clamber over or run along the  top?
silphael
Having been seriously delayed, Vik attempts to power through, doing both.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
FRA to attempt the good old triple.
 
lostsole31
 CR5T11:  Viktorescu trusts his balancing skills far more  than any ability to descend walls. It is challenging, but he makes it  over the District Wall and into the Rose Garden.

Here is what  Terzo  witnesses upon getting to the Shopping Block...
 
 Spoiler: Terzo 
The  old wolfman hunches down on the cobblestones, panting from the chase  and glaring with fiery red eyes at the masked stranger.   “So,  you’re the lap dog the Decemvirate sent to cull me? Pathetic. All of  your cut throats will barely slake my thirst from our little run.”  

Low, feral growling can be heard coming from the shadows of a nearby alley.

The Mauler grins, bearing ragged, yellow fangs.   “How shall we do this, little one?”  

The Midnight Mauler stands cautiously, waiting for his pursuer to make the first move.

The  masked stranger is surrounded by two softly glowing, multicolored  lights of pale blue and green, distanced from them at 10' to the north  and south, framing them in a pool of light. They reveal a man's voice,  albeit an upper tenor.     "Vonrak, do you not wish to be cured?"    

For a second, the soothing non-threatening voice almost sways the werewolf to remember his humanity. But it is not enough.    "ENOUGH TALK! KILL!"   

At that, Vonrak Vilk howls, heard throughout the entire district of Ardis and chilling the blood of all who hear.
 

 End Chase Round 5, Begin Round 6/   Begin Combat Round One ... 
 C6T23:   Victorine hears a terrifying howl and tries to will herself to move  faster. She climbs well, but has trouble with the balancing, but still  makes it past into the Rose Garden, catching up briefly to Kuniyuki.

 C6T11:   Viktorescu hears an eerie, bestial howl not far from him. He moves  deftly through the maze of the Rose Garden and even cuts across a  reflecting pond, despite not being a strong swimmer. He then makes it to  the Shopping Block, where he will see the following confrontation (and  is  jacklighted  as he exits the chase and joins initiative.

 Combat Round One ... 
 R1T20:   Viktorescu ,  you make it up next to Terzo, and despite having just arrived on scene -  for Terzo stopped momentarily to watch something - you have the inertia  to push forward. What do you do?
silphael
Not yet seeing the Mauler, Vik presses forward, hoping to not let the masked stranger alone.

"  Vilk, we can help you, surrender !  "

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Double move action W. Swift action to be sure my hands are hands (with which I'm trained anyway)
 
lostsole31
 R1T20:  Not yet seeing the Vilk (not Vik), Vik (not Vilk) presses forward, hoping to not let the masked stranger alone, shouting,   "Vilk, we can help you, surrender!"  
 R1T14:   With Vik (not Vilk) now only 10' away, the masked stranger steps a  little closer to Vik (not Vilk). He draws a rapier made of gleaming  metal and enters a foreboding combat stance. Looking around, two more  motes of light appear, and one of them lights up the Vilk (not Vik)  about 45' or so west from Vik (not Vilk). Another reddish light appears  in an alley, lighting up a shadowblood wolfhound - likely the one that  ran through the glass and escaped from the courthouse. One of the extant  motes of light moves east to cut the difference between Terzo and Vik  (not Vilk).

 R1T13:  The wolfhound bolts out of the alley to charge Vik (not Vilk) and bite him in the right thigh for  10 .

 R1T11:   Terzo ,  the masked stranger's magic (presumably) has courteously lit up the  battlefield beyond where your own powerful vision extended. Right now,  only  inertial armor  is active. You now clearly see Vilk (and Vik).

Vilk (not Vik) on deck, Vik (not Vilk) in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
  “Vilk! We can help you!”   shouts Terzo.
He takes a martial stance and his skin grows shiny and scaly. Then with a mental and visual display, Terzo’s limbs stretch and elongate freakishly long. He rushes forward his hands and feet crackling with psionic energy.
 
 Spoiler: crunch 

SwA: Enter stance of the Steel coils stance.
SA: manifest elongated extremities. 5 PP (1 PP base, 2 PP +15 MV, 2PP affects both legs and arms +5 reach. Duration 6 min)
FA: empower strikes
MA: move 45’ West
 
lostsole31
 R1T11:    “Vilk - no, not you Vik! We can help you!”   shouts Terzo. He takes a martial stance and his skin grows shiny and scaly. Then with a  mental and visual display, Terzo’s limbs stretch and elongate  freakishly long. He rushes forward his hands and feet crackling with  psionic energy.

 R1T6:  Vilk (not Vik) charges  the masked stranger while drawing two short swords, but at the last  minute, the charge is interrupted by the danger of the stranger's blade.

 End Chase Round 6, Begin Chase Round 7 ... 
 CR7T23:   Vic (neither Vik nor Vilk) looks for a way out of the rose garden,  making it to the Shopping Block, where the action is happening.

 End Combat Round One, Begin Combat Round 2 ...

R2T20:   Vik  (not Vilk or Vic), what do you do?
silphael
Having been bitten, Viktorescu (not Vilktorescu) strikes back at the hound, hoping to down it in one round, his hands back in the form of maces.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Swift action to move 1E from Armament to Maw (turning them into heavy maces), and full attack on the hound, with Risky Strike. (healing from the potential bite damage)

  Bite  - (1d20+12)[ 28 ] 
  Damage  - (2d6+15)[ 19 ] 
  Mace 1  - (1d20+12)[ 30 ] 
  Damage  - (1d8+11)[ 19 ] 
  "Bonus damage"  - (1d6)[ 4 ] 
  Mace 1  - (1d20+12)[ 13 ] 
  Damage  - (1d8+11)[ 18 ] 
  "Bonus damage"  - (1d6)[ 1 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R2T20:  Having been bitten, Viktorescu (not Vilktorescu) strikes back at the  hound, hoping to down it in one round, his hands back in the form of  maces. He bites the wolfhound in the fetlock for  19 , and gaining   9 healing   for himself, and one of his mace-hands slams it in the shoulder for  23 .

 R2T18:  Vic (not Vik) moves to the southern side of the street, moving at carefully to stay in the shadows.

 R2T14:  The masked stranger steps around Vik (not Vic) and crouches low, thrusting upwards to strike the wolfhound in the leg for  26 + half speed ( +1d6 bleed ) ,dropping the wolfhound to bleed to death.

 R2T11:   Terzo , what do you do?

Vilk (not Vic) on deck ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo moves quickly past the masked stranger. He long legs powering him quickly across the plaza to near were-Vilko.
Concern crosses his face as his makes his attack.
  "I must apologize for this abussse of your persson Mr. Vilk!"

  He performs a martial maneuver and his elongated appendages dart out in a series of lightning fast blows.    "Steel Rain Falls from Heaven."

   Blood flows from the wounds and is absorbed by Terzo. He keeps his defenses alert with this unfamiliar opponent.


 
 Spoiler: crunch 


MA: Move west 35' and then south 10'.
 
   
 Spoiler: crunch 
SA: Perform Steel Flurry Strike Maneuver (BB-3) with reach +5', Defensive stance [TS], Blood Transfusion Damage (INCLUDED +7) goes into Blood reserve.

 (1d20+11)[ 15 ]  to hit #1
 (1d8+17)[ 25 ]  +  (3d6)[ 10 ]  to dam #1

 (1d20+11)[ 15 ]  to hit #2
 (1d8+17)[ 20 ]  +  (3d6)[ 8 ]  to dam #2

 (1d20+11)[ 13 ]  to hit #3
 (1d8+17)[ 24 ]  +  (3d6)[ 10 ]  to dam #3
 
lostsole31
 R2T11:  Terzo moves quickly past the masked stranger. He  long legs powering him quickly across the plaza to near were-Vilk (as  compared to non-were Vik). Concern crosses his face as his makes his  attack,   "I must apologize for this abussse of your persson Mr. Vilk!"

  He performs a martial maneuver and his elongated  appendages dart out in a series of lightning fast blows while chanting  to himself,    "Steel Rain Falls from Heaven."

   Vilk - not Vik - is a whirling dervish.  He doesn't try to completely deflect the blows, but efficiently deflects  them just enough that Terzo's fists glance on Vilk's - not Vic's - fine  chain shirt.

 R2T6:  Vilk - not Vic - steps  northwest and begins an attack run on Terzo. His first sword thrust  stabs Terzo in the upper right arm for  13 ; his left sword is stopped by Terzo's hardened skin; his primary strikes the old "man" again but in the neck this time for  13 ; and his off-hand soft crits Terzo in the hip for  13 . This is enough to drop Terzo, but the old man then maul's Terzo's for  8 ,  so savagely against the old dhampir's weak frame that it tears off  Terzo's arm at the shoulder and his blood pours out of the now-lifeless  corpse.  Heartened by his first kill, Vilk - not Terzo, because that guy  is dead - howls terrifyingly.

 Chase Round 7 ...

CR7:    Kuniyuki tries to move along the top of the District Wall. It is a  difficult balance, but he makes it to the Rose Garden, whereupon he  makes it through the Hedge Maze and appears at the Shopping Block!

 CR5:  Kokoro talks down the mob that screams at her monstrous form, and then up and over the District Wall and into the Rose Garden.

 End Combat Round 2, Begin Combat Round 3 ...

R3T20:   Vik   (not Vilk), your brief traveling companion has become another casualty  of Vonrak Vilk (not Vic), the Midnight Mauler, showing himself to be  expert at defense with his swords as well as deadly in his werewolf  form. There might have been some desire to softball things, but you see  now that cannot be. What do you do?

Vic (not Vilk) on deck, Masked Stranger in the hole ...  
silphael
Seeing his friend fall, Vik taps into his psionic power and turns gigantic, his muscles bulging.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Manifesting Metamorphosis, spending 5 PP, to grow to Huge size and gain a +4 enhancement bonus to strength.
If possible, growing away from Vilk, to keep my distances. If needed, 5 foot step E before changing to keep at least 10 feet between us (to force him to trigger AoOs).

Swift action to  move 1E back from the Maw to Armaments, turning my hands into a Kumade, which will be used for potential AoOs (and will attempt to grapple on a crit).
 
lostsole31
 R2T11:  Terzo moves quickly past the masked stranger. He  long legs powering him quickly across the plaza to near were-Vilk (as  compared to non-were Vik). Concern crosses his face as his makes his  attack,   "I must apologize for this abussse of your persson Mr. Vilk!"

  He performs a martial maneuver and his elongated  appendages dart out in a series of lightning fast blows while chanting  to himself,    "Steel Rain Falls from Heaven."

   Vilk - not Vik - is a whirling dervish.  He doesn't try to completely deflect the blows, but efficiently deflects  them just enough that Terzo's fists glance on Vilk's - not Vic's - fine  chain shirt.

 R2T6:  Vilk (not Vic) steps northwest and begins an  attack run on Terzo, but the old dhampir puts up a dizzying defense  until the bite - which even then gets stopped by Terzo's tensioned  muscles from his stance. 

Chase Round 7 ...

CR7:   Kuniyuki tries to move along the top of the District  Wall. It is a difficult balance, but he makes it to the Rose Garden,  whereupon he makes it through the Hedge Maze and appears at the Shopping  Block!

 CR5:  Kokoro talks down the mob that screams at her monstrous form, and then up and over the District Wall and into the Rose Garden.

 End Combat Round 2, Begin Combat Round 3 ...

R3T20:  Seeing his friend pressured by so dangerous a foe and with a bite nearly scoring,   Vik  (not Vic) taps into his psionic power and turns gigantic, his muscles  bulging. Minuscule crystals coat the entire area within 30' of Vik (not  Vilk).

 R3T18:  Vic (not Vik) sneaks up behind Vik (not Vilk).

 R3T14:  The masked stranger moves into a flanking position with Terzo, stabbing Vilk in the neck for  23 , his silvery blade easily penetrating the werewolf's hide.

 R3T11:   Terzo , you had a psychic insight into how dangerous Vilk could be, but luckily that did not come to pass. What do you do?

Kuniyuki on deck, Vilk (not Vik) in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo grunts in new appreciation for the old sword master...even if his best days are gone.
He tries a new tact swinging with more focused intent using the masked stranger to hopefully distract the werewolf.
  " Ram butts against the bush and becomes entangled."   
 
 Spoiler: crunch 

SwA: Initiate Bronze Knuckle Boost (BB-1) +2d6 damage per melee attack this round (ignore DR).

FAA: Defensive Stance [TS] (+9 AC -focused defense Blade skill)   , Blood Transfusion [+7 damage and blood transfer to Blood pool], Empowered strikes =magic weapons

 (1d20+11)[ 22 ]  to hit #1 +2 flanking
 (1d8+17)[ 21 ]  plus  (2d6)[ 4 ]  damage #1

 (1d20+11)[ 22 ]  to hit #2 +2 flanking
 (1d8+17)[ 18 ]  plus  (2d6)[ 6 ]  damage #2

 (1d20+6)[ 16 ]  to hit #3 +2 flanking
 (1d8+17)[ 18 ]  plus  (2d6)[ 7 ]  damage #3
 
lostsole31
 R3T11:  Terzo grunts in new appreciation for the old  sword master...even if his best days are gone. He tries a new tact  swinging with more focused intent using the masked stranger to hopefully  distract the werewolf, and calling his maneuver.   " Ram butts against the bush and becomes entangled."   

This  time Terzo does much better, as his first two blows are poorly  deflected - getting past his armor but losing enough steam not get push  past Vilk's (not Vik's) werewolf hide. Meanwhile it seems that Vilk (not  Vic) is nonplussed by being surrounded, warding himself well against  pack tactics.

 R3T10:  A kunai made of violet light zips past Vik's (not Vilk's) hip to strike Vilk's (not Vic's) knee, but doing no harm.

 R3T6:   Vilk (not Vic) steps out of the attempted flank and does some fancy  footwork, but not faking out Terzo, but the singular stab still comes in  enough to push almost past Terzo's tense muscles, stopping just short.

Kokoro still isn't here.

 End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T20:   Vik  (not Vic), what do you do?

Vic (not Vik) on deck, Masked Stranger in the hole ...
silphael
Shifting his essence around, Vik gets closer, and attempts to bite the werewolf.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Swift action to move the 3E in Armaments : +1 in Maw (total 3), +2 in Consuming Scales.

Move action, go 2W.

Standard action, attack with Maw (unsure if it's my only natural attack or not atm) with Risky Strike (at -2 since it's not a WLV).

  Attack  - (1d20+14)[ 34 ] 
  Damage  - (4d6+18)[ 36 ]  (+9 extra if it's my only natural weapon)
 
silphael
 
 Spoiler: Crit rolls 
Well let's roll then !

 (1d20)[ 4 ] 
 (2d6)[ 5 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R4T20:  Shifting his essence around, Vik (not Vic)  realizes he overextends his intended many investments, and his consuming  scales is not quite as strong as he had hoped. He gets closer, and  bites Vilk (not Vik) in the side of the belly for  37 mod .  In addition, Vik (not Vilk) will gain a damage bonus against Vilk (not  Vik) on his next turn just from overwhelming momentum from his great  size.

 R4T18:  Vic (not Vik) continues pacing carefully behind Vik (not Vilk) and shoots, but Vilk dodges out of the way.

 R4T14:  The masked stranger hooks northwest and then southwest and says,    "Vonrak  Vilk, I will not kill you, but with the aid of these strangers will  heal you of your affliction. You cannot win this night."   

It is a particularly chilling delivery that unnerves Vilk (not Vic).

 R4T11:   Terzo , what do you do?

Kuniyuki on deck, Vilk (not Vic) in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
  "Think about the damage thesse killingss are doing to the Pathfinder reputation."   says Terzo earnestly.

He moves a little and continues to press the attack, hoping for the knockout.  "   Mists     form and obscure the sun   "
  
 
 Spoiler: crunch 

MA: 5 ft. step to align again with the masked stranger.

FAA: Defensive Stance [TS] (+9 AC from Blade Skill: Defensive Focus), change to NL damage (B), Empowered Strikes (Magic), flurry of blows

 (1d20+13)[ 22 ]  to hit #1   (+2 flank Not included)
 (1d8+10)[ 17 ]  to dam #1

 (1d20+13)[ 20 ]  to hit #2   (+2 flank not included)
 (1d8+10)[ 13 ]  to dam #3

 (1d20+8)[ 17 ]  to hit #3   (+2 flank not included)
 (1d8+10)[ 18 ]  to dam #3
 
lostsole31
 R4T11:    "Think about the damage thesse killingss are doing to the Pathfinder reputation."    says Terzo earnestly. He moves a little and continues to press the  attack, hoping for the knockout, but all blows land against armor or  press to hide, but no farther.  "   Mists     form and obscure the sun   ."  
 R4T10:  Kuniyuki moves forward, tossing a light kunai at Vilk's elbow, doing no damage.

 R4T6:  Vilk steps south and again fails to fake out Terzo, and the latter deflects a single, focused thrust.

Kokoro finally makes it to the Shopping Block.

 End Round 4, Begin Round 5 ... 
 R5T20:   Vik , remember that you currently have "momentum" and there is a damage bonus if you strike Vilk. What do you do?

Vic on deck, Kokoro in the hole ...
silphael
Since Vilk is still in range, and perfectly placed, Vik keeps smashing, hoping to simply knock him unconscious, or to capture him if worst comes to worst.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Swift action to remove the 2E in Scales, and putting them back into Armaments (as long as they can be manifested), turning both hands into Huge size Kumades (so I'll take -2 on their attack rolls).

Full attack without Risky Strike, and on a crit on the Kumades I'll try to grapple him. Attempting to deal nonlethal damage.


Bite :
  Attack  - (1d20+16)[ 22 ] 
  Damage  - (4d6+14)[ 27 ] 

Kumade 1 :
  Attack  - (1d20+14)[ 24 ]  (-2 taken into account)
  Damage  - (2d6+11)[ 23 ] 
  "Extra damage"  - (1d6)[ 4 ] 

Kumade 2 :
  Attack  - (1d20+14)[ 30 ]  (-2 taken into account)
  Damage  - (2d6+11)[ 18 ] 
  "Extra damage"  - (1d6)[ 2 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R5T20:  Since Vilk is still in range, and perfectly  placed, Vik keeps smashing,  hoping to simply knock him unconscious, or to capture him if worst comes  to worst. He is having a lot of trouble, and both kumade strike against  the werewolf, but not hard enough to penetrate Vilk's hide.

 R5T18:  Victorine adjusts her position behind Vik so the werewolf might lose track of her.

 R5T15:  Kokoro hustles into the fray with both blades in hand.

 R5T14:  The masked stranger moves faster than the eye can register into flanking and stabs Vilk in his left hand for  18  with some specialized attack.

 R5T11:   Terzo , what do you do?

Kuniyuki on deck, Midnight Marauder in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo continues his assault knowing that it is his best defense.
   "Snake crossing the valley."   
 
 Spoiler: crunch 

FAA: Defensive Stance [TS] +9 AC from Defensive Focus Blade skill, Flurry of blows (+1 attack -Blade Skill), Blood Transfusion to Pool with +7 damage included.

 (1d20+11)[ 12 ]  To hit #1 (+2 flanking)
 (1d8+17)[ 19 ]  to dam #1

 (1d20+11)[ 31 ]  To hit #2 (+2 flanking)
 (1d8+17)[ 20 ]  to dam #2

 (1d20+6)[ 11 ]  to hit #3 (+2 flanking)
 (1d8+17)[ 22 ]  to dam #3
 
Blackhawk101
 
 Spoiler: fumble and crit check 

 (1d20)[ 3 ]  fumble

 (1d20)[ 9 ]  plus  (2d6)[ 7 ]  severity check
 
lostsole31
 R5T11:  Terzo continues his assault knowing that it is his best defense, muttering,    "Snake crossing the valley."   

His  first attack is a wild spin but he leans into that failure to continue  his spin all the way around to do a knife hand strike to Vilk's upper  left arm for  13 mod +  7 blood transfusion  . Despite that pain, Vilk does a double cross defense to ward away the next attack.

 R5T10:   Kuniyuki crosses west and forms a light naginata - brighter than you've  seen so far - but fails to strike and the extra brightness goes away.

 R5T6:   Again the Midnight Marauder fails to fake out the canny dhampir, but  that doesn't account for the fact the man is still a superior swordsman.  He stabs Terzo in the same spot of the upper arm as Terzo himself had  drawn blood, doing  14 .

 End Round 5, Begin Round 6 ...

R6T20:   Vik , you no longer benefit from your previous momentum. What do you do?

Vic on deck, Kokoro in the hole ...
silphael
Noticing his lack of efficiency with twin Kumades, Viktorescu shifts his hands again, returning to one single Kumade and keeps swinging it.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Swift action to reallocate E (and turns one Kumade into a hand to 2-hand the other one).

 
 Spoiler: Current E allocation 
Warper of Flesh : 3E (Bound)
Essence-Honed Flesh : 2E
Warsculpter's Armaments : 2E
Maw of the Starving Beast : 3E
 


Full round action to full attack without Risky Strike.

Maw
  Attack  - (1d20+16)[ 23 ] 
  Damage  - (4d6+14)[ 34 ] 

Kumade
  Attack  - (1d20+16)[ 33 ] 
  Damage  - (2d6+15)[ 23 ] 
  Extra Damage  - (1d10)[ 4 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R6T20:  Noticing his lack of efficiency with twin  kumades, Viktorescu shifts his  hands again, returning to one single kumade and keeps swinging it. His  bite misses, but his kumade strikes the old man in the hip - because old  people break their hips all the time, amma right? - for  22 mod .

 R6T18:  Vic closes and casts a spells, calling to the werewolf,   "Mouseur Vilk, sil-vous-plait! We have wolfsbane to cure you if you should find it in your heart to join your humans again!"  

As she looks to Vilk for a response, she tries to wave off her allies from pressing the attack.

 R6T15-14:  Kokoro and the masked stranger, possibly recognizing the spell cast, delay ...

 R6T11:   Terzo , you don't know what spell Vic cast. What do you do?

Kuniyuki on deck, Midnight Mauler in the hole ....
Blackhawk101
Terzo will raise his hands and step back. He will concentrate and regain some expended energy while providing a bit of protection to himself and his allies.

 
 Spoiler: crunch 

FA: five foot step to the NE.
FRA: recover maneuvers. Self and allies within 30’ get 18 THP (1 min) and +7 Fort saves for 1 round.
 
lostsole31
 R6T11:  Terzo raises his hands and steps back. He concentrates and regains  some expended energy while providing a bit of protection to himself and  his allies.

 R6T10:  Kuniyuki delays.

 R6T6:   Vilk no longer seems shaken from before. He ignores the ratfolk's  appeal and brilliant tumbles to the northwest. He does a power thrust to  Kuniyuki's forearm for  17 mod .

 R6T5:   Kokoro closes from the northeast. Some of the blood she suffered from a  previous injury with the storm drips down her free hand and turns to  fire. She touches Vilk's upper arm, doing   6 fire  .

 R6T4:   The masked stranger shifts his stance. He no longer is as threatening  with his rapier as before. He then slams the forte of his blade to crack  Vilk's primary short sword, doing  3 mod + broken . It almost feels like a faint pall falls upon Vilk from that.

 R6T3:    Kuniyuki gets into his own fighting style while forming a light-katana  and completely befuddling Vilk with his sword work to strike his armor.

 End Round 6, Begin Round 7 ...

R7T20:   Vik , what do you do?

Vic on deck, Terzo in the hole ...
silphael
Switching strategies, Vik steps closer, his hands looking like hands again, then attempts to grab Vilk, his scales beginning to move to partly engulf the werewolf.

"  I'll try to capture him.  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Swift action to shift the Kumade into "unarmed", then 5 foot step W (or move action if needed to get closer). Standard action to attempt to grapple Vilk. Since I have Unarmed Combattant, it doesn't provoke. If it succeeds, I'll pull him to the WNW square. My CMD to "maintain" the grapple is 31 (base 25 +2 from Unarmed Combattant +4 from Consuming Scales). Consuming Scales should deal damage when succeeding a grapple, but I'm pretty sure it won't pass his DR.

  Grapple  - (1d20+19)[ 32 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R7T20:  Switching strategies, Vik tries to step closer,  but his allies keep him from - not from stepping forward if he wanted -  but from being able to take position where he wanted. "  I'll try to capture him."   His hands looking like hands  again, he then attempts to grab Vilk, but Vilk is too far from him to grab since he couldn't close due to his massive size.

 R7T18:  Vic clears the area by Vilk and gets  screening from allies before staring at Vilk. The werewolf staggers for  just a second before rallying.

 R7T11:   Terzo , what do you do?

Midnight Marauder on deck, Kokoro in the hole ...
Blackhawk101
Terzo, seeing that the attempts to stem the combat have failed, moves forward and unleashes a powerful flurry of blows with closed fists.
   "Sun dips behind the hills"


      
 Spoiler: crunch 

SwA: Initiate Boost : Bronze Knuckle (+2d6 damage per successful attack this round) Ignore DR.

FA: 5 ft. step to the west.

FRA: Full Attack on Vilk, Flurry: +1 attack (-2 to hit included), +5' reach from Elongate Extremities, Defensive Stance [TS] (+9 to AC), NL Damage, Empowered Strike(s).

 (1d20+13)[ 23 ]  to hit #1
 (1d8+10)[ 11 ]  plus  (2d6)[ 9 ]  Bronze Knuckle boost. To Dam #1

 (1d20+13)[ 24 ]  to hit #2
 (1d8+10)[ 12 ]  plus  (2d6)[ 3 ]  Bronze Knuckle boost. To Dam #2

 (1d20+8)[ 27 ]  to hit #3
 (1d8+10)[ 17 ]  plus  (2d6)[ 2 ]  Bronze Knuckle boost. to Dam #3
 

  
Blackhawk101
Third attack was a potential critical hit.

 
 Spoiler: critical confirmation 

 (1d20)[ 10 ] 
 (2d6)[ 8 ] 
 
lostsole31
 R7T11:  Terzo, seeing that the attempts to stem the combat have failed, moves  forward and unleashes a powerful flurry of blows with closed fists, saying,    "Sun dips behind the hills."   

His  first strike slams against the old man's armor, acting as a combat  distancing strike. The second is a strike to Vilk's stomach for  10 NL mod . The final strike is a spinning hook kick to Vilk's back thigh for  15 NL mod ,  enough of a shock that the old man slams down to the ground in a fit of  convulsions, coarse fur falling out in clumps as his body writhes and  warps to eventually reveal a withered old man.

 Initiative Ends! 

Kokoro looks to Terzo and says,   "You're the healer, and you have the wolfsbane."  
Blackhawk101
  “He is alive and I will try to cure the cursse!”  
Terzo will give Vilk all the five doses of the wolf’s bane using his medical skill to assess the man’s condition.
 
 Spoiler: crunch 

use heal check to administer the wolf’s bane and check his condition. Use healer’s kit if necessary.
 
lostsole31
 DENOUEMENT 

Terzo feeds Vilk all five doses of the wolfsbane, and it seems that it works, because now the old man becomes more feeble than before. Doing so, however, does   3 poison   to Vilk. Terzo begins in earnest to keep Vilk alive while the wolfsbane (aka aconite) - a poison - runs rampant through his system. It is a minute to be sure, but Terzo succeeds in keeping Vilk from suffering any farther harm from the toxin, assuming that Viktorescu aids him.

By the time they finish with saving the subdued old man, Ryado's carriage finds them on the Shopping Block. By ending the Midnight Mauler’s reign of terror before the city guard could track Vilk down, the PCs spare the Pathfinder Society from an awkward situation that may have eventually led to the entire Society’s expulsion from Ustalav, barring heroic deeds or extraordinary blackmail. Ryado has Vilk loaded into his carriage and taken back to his safe house.

Vilk recovers consciousness around sunrise. He thanks them for saving his life, but otherwise remains silent and withdrawn, ashamed of his actions. Within a week, he leaves Ustalav for Varisia, where he eventually settles into the hustle and bustle of Korvosa to live out his final years.


 

Congratulations, you have finished The Midnight Mauler!

Each of you will receive a boon:  Averted Mauling.  By saving the half-elf courtesan Markov Rutowski in Ardis, you gain a political favor you can trade in while in Ustalav. Within the Immortal Principality, you may trade this political favor for any non-magical item worth up to 400 gp, including but not limited to masterwork weapons and armor and courtier clothing and jewelry.

The Pathfinders gained an additional benefit, but that is only for interactions with other members of the Pathfinder Society.

In addition, you will each receive (2) 1000 gp blue sapphires - combination of what the Pathfinder Society pays for thanks in combination with selling off the various things Victorine found in the sewer.

This game is officially closed out.