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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dark Dragon" data-source="post: 3657244" data-attributes="member: 1115">the march of the gladiatorsThe party divided the loot, then questioned the dragon disciple about his background, powers and the like. He willingly answered the questions, and the party accepted him as a 'traveler on the same way as the group' (so to say...).Istandilar left the group for his home area (the southern Great Dale). Then the adventurers traveled with some Phantom Steeds back to the castle close to Lake Murthil.Their next plan is (after some discussions) to visit the Thayan farms in Ashanath in search of the Thayan who has helped the Shadow Masters to capture the group (a difficult task, since one wrong move could alert the Red Wizards and/or the Shadow Masters that someone is asking strange questions, plus the adventurers had no clue of where to start  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" /> ). To push the story forward and to avoid a possibly fruitless search, I decided that it is time for the tempest to give birth to her half-dragon baby. A lot of complications threatened to kill the tempest, and the ranger and the druid were away to hunt some animals for food, so there was no healer present.The hathran Jasmina who had earlier promised the tempest to help her if needed, returned in this moment to the party as a telthor and saved the tempest's life and that of her baby. I house-ruled that a telthor can be away from his special place as far as 1 mile per HD, so Jasmina was able to come to the castle without problems.During the night, her friends told her what has happened and that they don't see a way to deal with the Shadow Masters or the church of Tiamat. Jasmina in return explained what has happened to her and that she can't travel with the group large distances to help.With the baby as a new 'member' of the party, some difficulties showed up:1) Where leave the baby during a fight?2) Is there a place to hide it securely?A big discussion followed. Jasmina offered to bring it into the Urling Forest (a secret and well protected place in Rashemen). The dragon-disciple offered to hide it in Velprintalar, and another idea was to go to Chult (the ranger's home area) and hide it among the jungle people there. Someone proposed to cast a Temporal Stasis on the baby, but the tempest disliked this idea. Carrying it around and risk it being killed by spell or accident was also proposed. There was no consensus on how to proceed, since the party fears the effects of demand and scry spells and possibly other ressources of the enemy. But the monk had the idea that Jasmina could scry on some important figures in Two Stars, namely Lady Gallidy and the cleric Shanton of Shaundakul. So she did (greater scrying), and both targets failed their saves. To check for enchantments, Jasmina also cast Detect Magic through the sensor.Lady Gallidy was in a meeting with one of her bodyguards (the elf rog/asn/wiz), stating that she has no more options left than to allow the Shadow Masters to rule the city. Too many people have been killed by guys who pose to be the adventurers  <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":]" title="Devious    :]" data-shortname=":]" />  to show that the Lady's rule is weak. She appreciated the work of the elf and his halfling friend but she thinks that it is wiser to end the fight and thus dismissed her bodyguards. She does not believe that the adventuring party is still alive, she asked Shanton to search them but he hasn't found a sign of life of the party yet (Shanton cast a scrying one weeks ago, but the group was in a protected area at that time).The elf said that he hates unfullfilled jobs but he accepts that the Lady has made her decision. However, secretly he is more than happy to leave the city to hunt Ajuntis and his thugs without 'official' rules of the city.When this talk was over, Jasmina switched to the cleric Shanton. He was visited by some unknown guy beyond the sensor's range, but the cleric was very angry and demanded a sign of life from his student Pelerin. The other person told the cleric that the Lady has finally accepted the Shadow Masters' terms and that the Shadow Masters would not hesitate to remove Shanton from his positions if he makes demands again. However, he will receive a sign from Pelerin soon.Luckily, the unknown person closely passed Shanton (entering the sensor's range), and Jasmina instantly switched the sensor to that guy. She described the guy and his voice quite accurately to her friends, and the tempest recognised that the person is most likely Ajuntis himself although disguised. He left the temple and rode his mount (a Phantom Steed CL 5, from a wand) to the north, towards Ashanath. He didn't notice that he was scryed upon and rode the whole night, passing the western shores of Lake Ashane.While her friends were sleeping, Jasmina kept an eye on the rider. Early in the morning, he arrived at a house, entered it unhindered and went into a cellar via a secret access. When he wandered through a narrow tunnel, voices, cheers and screams were heard before the scrying sensor was blocked by Mordenkainen's private sanctum...Jasmina informed the party about what has happened and cast a minor image to give some details about the house.Seeing a great opportunity to attack the leader of the Shadow Masters' assassination squad, the party quickly made a plan: The alienist would summon five phantom steeds and the party would try to find the house as fast as possible. He also cast Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion as a hide-away for the baby, the hathran and a woman from the castle people would take care of it. The hathran cast a Chain of Eyes on the monk to be up to date about the proceedings. She wouldn't accompany her friends.After a six hours flight, the ranger found the house...What the NPCs know:Ajuntis knows that something happened to his wiz/acm because he didn't made a report. He does not know what has happened, so he rode to that Thayan farm. There, a Red Wizard hosts more or less illegal pit fights, and some of the adventurers were supposed to fight in such a match. The wizard should help Ajuntis to find out more about the party and the wiz/acm...Ajuntis has sent another Shadow Master already to the house to arrange a few things (nothing serious, no traps or the like). Pelerin is supposed to fight in a match, too, so he is imprisoned somewhere in the house.The halfling friend of the elf has secretly observed Ajuntis during his talk with Shanton in Two Stars and told the elf that Ajuntis rode north on a phantom steed. Because the two rogues only have normal light war horses as mounts, they couldn't catch-up with Ajuntis. Nevertheless they rode north as well, the only information they got is that there was a meeting close to the lake three weeks ago. Three farms fit into that info, but the the two rogues don't know that, so they have to search their way through... They also assume that the party was killed.What the PCs DON'T know:There is a pit fight going on in a secret cellar, and there are dozens of spectators (all are bandits, cut-throats, assassins, clerics of Malar, Mask, Loviatar, and Tempus), plus the master of the house, a Red Wizard and his Thayan Knight...The area is protected with a powerful Forbiddance (CL 20, harming all those of non-evil alignment, or not saying the proper password) and Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum.I have built two pit-fighters so far, both are specialists in unarmed combat: Mad Bear Male Orc Bbn14/Ftr4; CR 18;Medium Humanoid (Orc);HD 4d10+14d12+108; hp 244;Init +1; Spd 40 ft/x4;AC 14 (+4 armor, +1 dex, -1 misc), touch 10, flat-footed 14;Base Atk/Grapple +18/+31;Full Atk +28/+23/+18/+13 One-handed  (1d3+11;19-20/x2, Unarmed Strike);SA&SQ Fast Movement(Ex), Greater Rage, Uncanny Dodge(Ex), Improved Uncanny Dodge(Ex), Trap Sense(Ex), Damage Reduction(Ex), Indomitable Will(Ex);AL CE; SV Fort +19, Ref +6, Will +11;Str 28(+9), Dex 13(+1), Con 22(+6), Int 8(-1), Wis 13(+1), Cha 7(-2);Skills (trained only): Intimidate +17, Jump +29, Listen +16, Survival +4.Feats: Improved Critical, Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Stunning Fist, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike), Weapon Specialization (Unarmed Strike), Close-Quarters Fighting, Improved Toughness.• Fast Movement(Ex): +10 to speed when in medium armor or lighter and not carrying a heavy load.• Greater Rage: You can fly into a screaming frenzy once per encounter, up to 4 times per day. This gives +6 to Strength and Constitution, +54 hit points, and a +3 morale bonus to Will saves, but gives a -2 penalty to AC.  Cannot use any skills that require patience or  concentration while enraged. Your rage lasts up to 12 rounds.• Uncanny Dodge(Ex): You retain your Dexterity bonus to AC even if flatfooted or struck by an invisible attacker.• Improved Uncanny Dodge(Ex): You can no longer be flanked, except by a level 18 rogue.• Trap Sense(Ex): +4 to Reflex saves and AC against traps.• Damage Reduction(Ex): 3/–• Indomitable Will(Ex): You gain a +4 bonus on Will saves to resist Enchantment spells.The stats include his rage, I haven't added any equipment yet (it shouldn't be much, though). The guy is absolute loyal towards the Red Wizard, but otherwise a brutal means of destruction and straight forward in a fight.Heart RipperMale Human(Nar) Ftr10/Mnk7/01; CR 19;Medium Humanoid (Human, humanoid, shapechanger, lycanthrope (wererat));HD 8d8+10d10+37; hp 149;Init +10; Spd 50 ft/x4;AC 22 (+6 dex, +3 natural, +3 misc), touch 19, flat-footed 16;Base Atk/Grapple +15/+23;Full Atk +22/+22/+17/+12 One-handed, Flurry of Blows  (1d8+6;19-20/x2, Unarmed Strike);SA&SQ Armor Restriction, AC Bonus(Ex), Flurry of Blows(Ex), Evasion(Ex), Fast Movement(Ex), Still Mind(Ex), Ki Strike(Su), Slow Fall(Ex), Purity of Body(Ex), Wholeness of Body(Su);AL LE; SV Fort +15, Ref +14, Will +12;Str 19(+4), Dex 22(+6), Con 16(+3), Int 10(+0), Wis 14(+2), Cha 9(-1);Skills (trained only): Balance +18, Climb +24, Intimidate +9, Jump +34, Listen +13, Spot +13, Tumble +18.Feats: Improved Trip, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility, Improved Critical (Unarmed Strike), Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Stunning Fist, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike), Weapon Specialization (Unarmed Strike), Greater Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike), Close-Quarters Fighting, Extra Stunning, Fists of Iron, Roundabout Kick, Improved Toughness.• Armor Restriction: If wearing ANY armor or carrying a shield, you lose your Wisdom bonus to AC, fast movement and flurry of blows abilities.• AC Bonus(Ex): Add +3 AC; this bonus is not lost unless you are immobilized or helpless, wearing armor, carrying a shield or carrying a medium/heavy load.• Flurry of Blows(Ex): As a full attack, you may make one extra attack(s) All attacks made in the round suffer a –1 penalty.• Evasion(Ex): On a successful Reflex save against a magical attack, you take no damage.• Fast Movement(Ex): Your speed increases (limited by armor and encumberance)• Still Mind(Ex): +2 to save against Enchantment spells and effects.• Ki Strike(Su): Your unarmed attacks are treated as magic weapons.• Slow Fall(Ex): As long as a wall is within arm's reach, you take damage from a fall as if it were 30 feet shorter.• Purity of Body(Ex): Immune to all diseases except supernatural and magical diseases.• Wholeness of Body(Su): You can heal your own wounds, up to 14 points  per day.A mean, combat experienced lycanthrope. He relies on his DR to survive in a fight and does not fear foes who try to grapple him...Also loyal to the Red Wizard. Not magically equipped yet, but he shouldn't get much stuff.I haven't totally worked out the Red Wizard yet, currently he is a enchanter 5 / RW 10, but maybe I should add at least 2 spellcasting levels more of a class that fits (mindbender???).His bodyguard should be a ftr 6 /Thayan Knight 10, have to work out her details...Ideas for other people in the arena? They should be evil, but not overpowered...The arena itself? Thunderdome? Fight Club? Blood Sport? A very small colosseum? Or like the pub in Ong Bak? Hmmm... I want to keep out summoned monsters (that's why I used the Forbiddance).Ideas for the elf and the halfling? Should the party encounter them before an attack, as helpful NPCs? Or use them as reinforcements if the party is threatened of being overwhelmed?</blockquote>

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