frp

• Third Age, Year 1108
• 7 May - Kill the Green Slaad that came to Miakoda with General Sewati

After the battle with the Green Slaad, there will be plenty of explaining to do! General Sewati is not a suspicious man by nature, but being around Odin for the past several years has made him that way by necessity! He will eventually come to believe whatever story the group tells him.

However, the general also knows that he has no real power. Odin sent him here to recruit an army - and he MUST return to Paco with one. The group will be invited to come along - and Malia will take advantage of the general's mandate and try to fold her agreement with the party into the general's plans. (In other words, she will have the general escort the group - and let Odin foot the bill for the boat that she already promised).

Because of the mess with the Slaad, the general only manages to sign up 29 men for his “army”. Normally, he would stay behind to change peoples' minds, but he will decide he has no time and will head down river ASAP. In fact, it will take him two days to get everybody together and get the boats ready.

Since the trip is downstream, it will take only two days on the barges to get to Paco. River travel beyond Paco is prohibited. Odin is paranoid about spies and has blocked all travel across the border to Sibutco territory. This is enforced on the river by several small fire boats - complete with some reasonably competent archers:

 War3: CR 2; Size M; HD 3d8+6; hp 23; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 16
 (+1 Dex, +5 Armor); Attack +5 melee, or +4 ranged; SV Fort +5, Ref +2,
 Will +2; AL LN; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 11.
 
 Skills and feats:  Alchemy +2, Hide +1, Intimidate +6, Jump +8, Listen +3,
 Move silently +4, Speak language +2, Spot +3; Alertness, Point blank shot,
 Two-weapon fighting.

On land, Tupi rangers keep the roads to Sibutco closed. Typical stats are included below. They operate in squads of six men with two advance scouts.

 Rgr2: CR 2; Size M; HD 2d10+2; hp 19; Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved
 initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (+3 Dex); Attack +4 melee, or +5 ranged; SV
 Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +2; AL NE; Str 15, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 15,
 Cha 15.
 
 Skills and feats: Concentration +6, Heal +7, Hide +3, Intuit direction +7,
 Jump +7, Knowledge (nature) +4, Listen +2, Move silently +3, Spot +4, Swim
 +7; Empower spell, Improved initiative, [Track].

The city itself is pretty much what the party expects. It is quite a bit larger than Miakoda - and more spread out. It has a less well-defined border, though the center is walled with a small stone wall that can be sealed tight at night (and routinely is). The people are not as prosperous here as they are in Miakoda - and there is a much larger lower class.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Kesi's staff will glow dimly anytime she is in the central walled area of Paco. Outside, she will have occasional faint detections lasting a few seconds or a few minutes. If she tries to follow one of these, she will likely find an infected Tupi guard off duty (see section III for more information). He will register only faintly, though - and if she antagonizes him, he will raise an alarm!

Odin's Tupi protect the city at all levels and they are everywhere! The typical stat for these men are listed below. They usually patrol in pairs, but if an alarm is raised, six or more can show up very quickly.

 War2: CR 1; Size M; HD 2d8+4; hp 19; Init +3 (-1 Dex, +4 Improved
 initiative); Spd 30'; AC 9 (-1 Dex); Attack +5 melee or +1 ranged; SV Fort
 +5, Ref -1, Will -2; AL N; Str 16, Dex 9, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 6, Cha 11.
 
 Skills and feats:  Disable device +3, Forgery +2, Hide -1, Intimidate +5,
 Jump +8, Listen -2, Move silently -1, Search +3, Spot -2; Improved
 initiative, Toughness.

Goods and services are normally plentiful here, but the city is on a war footing and any transaction with strangers could be construed as an act of treason against the king. Since punishment for such crimes is often swift and final, everybody is eyed with extreme suspicion. Many shopkeepers will completely refuse to do business with the party. Note: This will be the most dramatic difference with Miakoda that the party will notice.

Lodging near the palace will be arranged by General Sewati. The conditions will be nowhere near as nice as in Miakoda, but they will be adequate. The party will be encouraged to stay put until summoned!

 Sewati, male human Ftr8:  CR 8; Size M (5'3"); HD 8d10+16; hp 79; Init +5 (+1
 Dex, +4 Improved initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 (+1 Dex, +5 Chain); Attack
 +10/+5 melee, or +9/+4 ranged; SV Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +1; AL CN; Str 15,
 Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 12.                      ^^^^^
 
 Skills: Craft +8, Handle animal +8, Hide +1, Intimidate +2, Knowledge +1,
 Listen -1, Move silently +1, Profession +1.5, Spot -1, Swim +12
 
 Feats: Cleave, Improved critical (sword, short), Improved initiative,
 Lightning reflexes, Power attack, Two-weapon fighting, Weapon focus (strike,
 unarmed), Weapon focus (glaive), Weapon focus (shortbow).

 Bodyguards, male human Ftr3:  CR 3; Size M (5'10"); HD 3d10+3; hp 23; Init +6
 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+2 Dex); Attack +5
 melee, or +5 ranged; SV Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +1; AL LN; Str 14, Dex 14, Con
 13, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 10.
 
 Skills and feats:  Craft +7, Handle animal +6, Hide +2, Jump +7, Listen +2,
 Move silently +2, Spot +0, Swim +5; Dodge, Great fortitude, Improved
 initiative, Mobility, Power attack.

 Odin, male human Rgr8:  CR 8; Size M (5'6"); HD 8d10-8; hp 28; Init
 +4 (+4 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+4 Dex); Attack +11/+6 melee, or
 +12/+7 ranged; SV Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +3; AL LE; Str 16, Dex 18,
 Con 9, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 13.              ^^^^^
 
 Skills and feats:  Animal empathy +12, Balance +6, Concentration +10,
 Heal +10, Hide +6, Intuit direction +10, Jump +14, Listen +9, Move
 silently +4, Open lock +4.5, Spot +1, Wilderness lore +12; Dodge,
 Endurance, Expertise, Point blank shot, [Track].
 
 Ranger Spells Per Day:  2.

The largest and most defensible building in the central city is Odin's palace. It is of mostly stone construction and there are dozens of well armored and armed guards visible on the walls at all times. Entrance is tightly controlled! The party will not be allowed in unless they are escorted by someone in authority.

The primary reason for the rampant paranoia in the palace is that an invisible White Slaad has taken up residence in a corner of the throne room! It has lured almost all of the guards to it and injected them with a toxin that makes them his willing slaves.

Since the palace guards do not often mingle with the city guards, the infected people are concentrated at the palace. However, they do often go into the city - especially in their off hours.

    White Slaad, Large Outsider (Chaos)
    HD 9d8+27 (67 hp)
    Init +1 (Dex)
    Speed 30'
    AC 18 (-1 Size, -1 Dex, +10 Natural)
    Attacks: 4 claws +10 melee
    Damage: Claw 1d6+4, bite 2d8+2
    Face/Reach: 5' x 5'/10'
    Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities, summon slaad, domination (injection)
    Special Qualities: Fast healing 5, resistances
       Resistance 5 to Acid, Cold, Electricity, FIRE, and Sonic
    Saves: Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +6
    Abilities: Str 18, Dex 8, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 10
    Skills: Climb +16, Hide +9, Jump +16, Listen +12,
       Move Silently +13, Spot +12
    Feats: Cleave, Multiattack, Power Attack
    CR: 9

If it makes at least two hits with its claws, it can inject the target with a poison. Fort Save vs. DC17 to avoid becoming a willing slave of the White Slaad. It can also, once per round, convert up to two of its infected slaves into a lesser Red Slaad (see below). This transformation is irreversible!

    Lesser Red Slaad, Medium Outsider (Chaos)
    HD 7d8+21 (52 hp)
    Init +1 (Dex)
    Speed 30'
    AC 17 (+1 Dex, +6 Natural)
    Attacks: Bite +10 melee, 2 claws +8 melee
    Damage: Bite 2d6+4, claw 1d6
    Face/Reach: 5' x 5'
    Special Attacks: Pounce
    Special Qualities: Resistance 5 to Acid, Cold, Electricity, FIRE, and Sonic
    Saves: Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +3
    Abilities: Str 19, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 6, Wis 6, Cha 8
    Skills: Climb +14, Jump +14, Listen +6, Move Silently +5, Spot +8
    Feats: Dodge, Multiattack
    CR: 7

The results of the fight

I've added these notes after the game so that the results of this pivotal battle can be recorded while they are fresh in my mind. They are perhaps disjoint, but better than nothing.

I forgot about Vincent's frog until late in the fight. Since this would have had a dramatic effect on the results, I decided at the time to use this as an excuse to undo the death of Kesi. However, since then I've decided that the frog merely required activation. Once Vincent activated it, the tide of battle turned and the party won (just barely). And, while this still leaves Bigby, Kesi, and the King dead, it doesn't retroactively undo stuff that actually happened.

Since the King is dead, though, all the resources of the city will be brought to bear to bring him back, if possible. These same resources could serve the party's advantage, as well.

Problem #1) The King's war with Sibutco is still on course - and may be difficult to stop.

Problem #2) The King's wizard/shaman was assassinated a few weeks ago. This man was the most likely person to help resuscitate the king. The next most likely is the wizard who serves the King Apollo of Sibutco. See problem #1!

Notes about the combat timeline:

Bigby's spells (as I recall) went as follows: See Invisibility, Magic Missile, Levitate, Magic Missile, Magic Missile, Magic Missile, Sleep. Soon thereafter, he got leapt on by a pair of lesser red slaad and was killed.

The White Slaad's actions were: Fear, Summon(2), Summon(2), Summon(2), Summon(1), Attack, …

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