Chapter 1 - A Den of Thieves

MAS wrote:Colonel Jim Corbett has been listening to this nonsense with an increased sense of frustration and general affrontery. he has had enough.

"Bollocks, Mr Fadula. We are NOT here to run your errands and transport illegal goods. I couldn't give less of a BLOODY FUCK about your carpets, or your bushiness concerns. There is evil afoot in Alexandria, and I am here to KILL IT, and anyone standing in the way of my hunt. This is your choice. YOU WILL come with us outside, and immediately identify the item in question, or, COLONEL JIM CORBETT will hunt you like a beast in the streets of the city, rooting you out of your lair, and SKINNING YOU ALIVE to take your hide as a trophy, as I did to those Thugee bastards in India. What is your choice?"

Intimidate -

You can use Intimidate to force an opponent to act friendly toward you for 1d6 × 10 minutes with a successful check. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + the target's Hit Dice + the target's Wisdom modifier. If successful, the target gives you the information you desire, takes actions that do not endanger it, or otherwise offers limited assistance.

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +12" :

12 + 12 = 24

Are we playing with Hero Points? If we are I will use one to buff this +4 after the roll

He's got to be minimum 10 HD creature with minimum 18 wisdom to resist the un-buffed roll.

Do you really do this?

and Matt, what's your alignment, just out of curiosity? Couldn't find it on yer sheet.

...and just as a point of clarity, at no point did Fadlala say that these goods were illicit.

"I have a very important shipment... ah, Persian Rugs coming in this evening at the river docks. (he looks at his watch) In about 40 minutes, the boat will be arriving with my merchandise. I still have yet to find adequate protection for these fine articles."

Not to butt in, but... maybe go with a 'discern lies' first, at least?

Can't wait to see what Fadlala has to say now..

whit10 wrote:...and just as a point of clarity, at no point did Fadlala say that these goods were illicit.  

"I have a very important shipment... ah, Persian Rugs coming in this evening at the river docks.  (he looks at his watch)  In about 40 minutes, the boat will be arriving with my merchandise.  I still have yet to find adequate protection for these fine articles."

COL Corbett does not care about the rugs, and doesnt care if they are or are not legal. He only cares about getting the info we came here to find.

Saving "discern lies" for when he examines the item!!!

whit10 wrote:

MAS wrote:Colonel Jim Corbett has been listening to this nonsense with an increased sense of frustration and general affrontery. he has had enough.

"Bollocks, Mr Fadula. We are NOT here to run your errands and transport illegal goods. I couldn't give less of a BLOODY FUCK about your carpets, or your bushiness concerns. There is evil afoot in Alexandria, and I am here to KILL IT, and anyone standing in the way of my hunt. This is your choice. YOU WILL come with us outside, and immediately identify the item in question, or, COLONEL JIM CORBETT will hunt you like a beast in the streets of the city, rooting you out of your lair, and SKINNING YOU ALIVE to take your hide as a trophy, as I did to those Thugee bastards in India. What is your choice?"

Intimidate -

You can use Intimidate to force an opponent to act friendly toward you for 1d6 × 10 minutes with a successful check. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + the target's Hit Dice + the target's Wisdom modifier. If successful, the target gives you the information you desire, takes actions that do not endanger it, or otherwise offers limited assistance.

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +12" :

12 + 12 = 24

Are we playing with Hero Points? If we are I will use one to buff this +4 after the roll

He's got to be minimum 10 HD creature with minimum 18 wisdom to resist the un-buffed roll.

Do you really do this?

and Matt, what's your alignment, just out of curiosity?  Couldn't find it on yer sheet.

Of course I am doing this! What good is a bangin' intimidate modifier if you dont use it?!?!



We'll say neutral good alignment.

I guess I don't understand what you want... he was already friendly towards you in the first place.  You're trying to intimidate him in his own business with his armed guards everywhere?

I'll give the evening to see if anyone attempts to speak just after he says this.

Elliot is kinda skittish, I guarantee he'll try to defuse.. stuck at work til midnight so please don't advance til tomorrow morning

I won't advance it yet... Matt is fixin to get shot by the guard standing behind Fadlala anyway... maybe

whit10 wrote:I guess I don't understand what you want... he was already friendly towards you in the first place.  You're trying to intimidate him in his own business with his armed guards everywhere?

I'll give the evening to see if anyone attempts to speak just after he says this.

This is a negotiation, he has offered to give us what we want if we run errands for it. CJC is making a counter proposal, which is that he gives us the information, we dont run the errand, and he doesnt have CJC hunting him. Or at least that is what CJC is threatening him with for the purpose of role-playing the skill check.

He has stated what he wants - for Fadula to cut the crap and identify the item/cough up the info we came to get.

I suppose you could give him a modifier against CJC's intimidation skill in the skill check, for being on home ground and such - but that would be an arbitrary wiping away of the skill mechanic that is in place precisely so that a pc can use the skill this way.

I was kinda joking earlier, but seriously, whats the use of having the skill (with a high score in it) if a player cant use it?

-Thats gonna be the last mistake that goon makes

Olivia stays seated holding her staff closely. She half-smiles at the Col's brazen act of discourtesy. She hasn't seen a man gunned down for stupidity since she left Dominica, when the shit went south with the Crown Colony.

Robyo wrote:Olivia stays seated holding her staff closely. She half-smiles at the Col's brazen act of discourtesy. She hasn't seen a man gunned down for stupidity since she left Dominica, when the shit went south with the Crown Colony.

lol! I assume you mean the goon, right

The GM is the final arbitrator of the rules, but it seems to me like Matt is clearly within the scope of the skill use.  

Specifically:

If successful, the target gives you the information you desire, takes actions that do not endanger it, or otherwise offers limited assistance.

Fadlal, if his HD + wis < 24, should just give us the info we want.  It doesn't in any way endanger him.

Matt did leave out the 2nd part of that use of the skill though:

After the Intimidate expires, the target treats you as unfriendly and may report you to local authorities. (or send his goons after us)  but if he is intimidated, the goons can't attack us right now, imo

So it is essentially burning a bridge, which makes sense.  You bully someone to do something they don't want to do, then they are mad at you.  We could get away with it this time, but have now made an enemy in Fadlal.  

Let me pose this question - Wouldn't an application of Diplomacy also work here?

Diplo, from the skill description:
If a creature's attitude toward you is at least indifferent, you can make requests of the creature. This is an additional Diplomacy check, using the creature's current attitude to determine the base DC, with one of the following modifiers. Once a creature's attitude has shifted to helpful, the creature gives in to most requests without a check, unless the request is against its nature or puts it in serious peril.

Request Diplomacy DC Modifier
Give simple advice or directions –5
Give detailed advice +0

Fadlal seems at least indifferent, if not friendly right now.  1 Diplo roll could shift him to Helpful, in which case (as stated above) he is going to give in to most requests without a check.  Or with 1 Diplo roll, assuming he is at least indifferent, we could request that he give us detailed advice at a +0 modifier.

Would this be unreasonable?

If not, both are just uses of a skill to sway or modify how an NPC reacts to the party.  I think it is clearly the intention of PF to allow PCs to "get their way" with NPCs by using skills to force them to do\say things, as long as it doesn't endanger them.  Fadlal is certainly not endangered here and we are even offering to pay him 2000, he is just greedy and wants 5000.  PF doesn't have "Barter" skill, but in its place both Diplo and Intimidate allow a PC some ability to win a non-combat scene.

The GM did say he wanted more roleplaying and less scenes that always end in combat.  Here is a perfect example of a legal and appropriate skill use by a PC to "win" the scene.

Chris wrote:The GM is the final arbitrator of the rules, but it seems to me like Matt is clearly within the scope of the skill use.  

Specifically:

If successful, the target gives you the information you desire, takes actions that do not endanger it, or otherwise offers limited assistance.

Fadlal, if his HD + wis < 24, should just give us the info we want.  It doesn't in any way endanger him.

Matt did leave out the 2nd part of that use of the skill though:

After the Intimidate expires, the target treats you as unfriendly and may report you to local authorities. (or send his goons after us)  but if he is intimidated, the goons can't attack us right now, imo

So it is essentially burning a bridge, which makes sense.  You bully someone to do something they don't want to do, then they are mad at you.  We could get away with it this time, but have now made an enemy in Fadlal.  

Let me pose this question - Wouldn't an application of Diplomacy also work here?

Diplo, from the skill description:
If a creature's attitude toward you is at least indifferent, you can make requests of the creature. This is an additional Diplomacy check, using the creature's current attitude to determine the base DC, with one of the following modifiers. Once a creature's attitude has shifted to helpful, the creature gives in to most requests without a check, unless the request is against its nature or puts it in serious peril.

Request Diplomacy DC Modifier
Give simple advice or directions –5
Give detailed advice +0

Fadlal seems at least indifferent, if not friendly right now.  1 Diplo roll could shift him to Helpful, in which case (as stated above) he is going to give in to most requests without a check.  Or with 1 Diplo roll, assuming he is at least indifferent, we could request that he give us detailed advice at a +0 modifier.

Would this be unreasonable?

If not, both are just uses of a skill to sway or modify how an NPC reacts to the party.  I think it is clearly the intention of PF to allow PCs to "get their way" with NPCs by using skills to force them to do\say things, as long as it doesn't endanger them.  Fadlal is certainly not endangered here and we are even offering to pay him 2000, he is just greedy and wants 5000.  PF doesn't have "Barter" skill, but in its place both Diplo and Intimidate allow a PC some ability to win a non-combat scene.

The GM did say he wanted more roleplaying and less scenes that always end in combat.  Here is a perfect example of a legal and appropriate skill use by a PC to "win" the scene.

+1

I might have gone the "diplomacy" route, but my intimidate skill has an extra +3 buff beyond my diplo skill.

OH correction - I messed up. Added WIS and not CHA

the result of my roll is actually 16, 20 if we are using hero points. Although if I had read my stats right, I would have burned the point prior to my roll to make it a +8.

Are we using Hero points?

I agree totally. Good role playing!

If a PC wasn't supposed to use it, it wouldn't be a skill.

Ballsy move though, and my guy is nervous as hell about it.

We'll see how it plays out!

Mechanics question:

Could this be a situation where other PCs could use 'aid another' to buff Matt's roll? I think the rules I read were pretty much in the context of that being used in combat or that is to say, with Initiative active) but, for example,  could CRIII  or someone else cross their arms menacingly and aid the roll?

It was targeted at Fadlala only. Yes you have Hero point, maximum of 3 and you'll lose one here if you use it (not a heroic act, so you'll lose it)... up to you if you use one. Your roll is currently a 20

the guards have no reason to do anything other than get very angry at this point given that Corbett just threatened to kill Fadlala... this is all assuming, of course, that Fadlala isn't really damned powerful or Immune to Fear.

No question this is an nice idea of Matt's... but I doubt you'll like the outcome (so much for that whole discretion thing that Norris asked you for)

Wait, now I'm a bit confused.... is your total roll a 20 if you use a Hero point?

whit10 wrote:Wait, now I'm a bit confused.... is your total roll a 20 if you use a Hero point?

That depends on your call - I originally stated that it was used after the roll (for a +4), but that was made on me miscalculating the numbers for the roll.

Had I looked at the correct numbers (and realized it was a CHA skill and not WIS, guess I wasn't paying attention) I would have declared the hero point prior to the roll and received +8.

Skill check result ALSO pending your call on Dan's question regarding "aid another".

whit10 wrote:
the guards have no reason to do anything other than get very angry at this point given that Corbett just threatened to kill Fadlala... this is all assuming, of course, that Fadlala isn't really damned powerful or Immune to Fear.  

well sure, unless their boss (who maybe just got intimidated) says, "Ok, ok, I'll tell you what you want to know"  Then I would assume the goons would stand down.  I understand your point, but it basically just ignores the use of the skill if you say, "ok, you intimidated the leader, but his goons attack you anyways and now everyone is dead"

I don't think Intimidate (for this application, not demoralize) is a Fear effect, it doesn't say that it is - so immunity to Fear wouldn't come into play here, but his HD certainly would.

Arcturus2 wrote:
Mechanics question:

Could this be a situation where other PCs could use 'aid another' to buff Matt's roll? I think the rules I read were pretty much in the context of that being used in combat or that is to say, with Initiative active) but, for example,  could CRIII  or someone else cross their arms menacingly and aid the roll?

from PF:

Aid Another

You can help someone achieve success on a skill check by making the same kind of skill check in a cooperative effort. If you roll a 10 or higher on your check, the character you're helping gets a +2 bonus on his or her check. (You can't take 10 on a skill check to aid another.) In many cases, a character's help won't be beneficial, or only a limited number of characters can help at once.

JT opens his jacket a bit, ostensibly to pull out a cigar, which he lights with his trench lighter.  JT makes sure that his arsenal of guns and TNT is clearly visible.  He puffs his cigar with one hand and the other rests on the hilt of this axe.  JT winks at the nearest goon.

Aid another, Intimidate
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 -1" :

11 - 1 = 10

+2 for Jimbo

I'm not going to argue about Intimidate... if you're immune to Fear, you're immune to Intimidate effects.  that's just common sense.


I have a DC check of 22 total for this attempt (Matt's correct roll plus Chris's aid another)

Regardless....

Fadlala smiles  "It certainly has been a long time since I've been spoken to that way in my own home.  I admire your courage and spirit Mr. Corbett. Abdul (his guard who's hand went immediately to his pistol) stand down."

"This sort of rudeness is not what I expected from someone in the employ of Mr. Norris.  My offer stands but, if there is any more posturing (looking directly at Corbett) our business will be over.  Your choice."  

(as sort of a exclamation point, he flicks his wrist and, magically, the windows open up to allow in a pleasant night breeze."

(GM note, you JUST missed the number needed)

whit10 wrote:I'm not going to argue about Intimidate... if you're immune to Fear, you're immune to Intimidate effects.  that's just common sense.


I have a DC check of 22 total for this attempt (Matt's correct roll plus Chris's aid another)  

Regardless....

Fadlala smiles  "It certainly has been a long time since I've been spoken to that way in my own home.  I admire your courage and spirit Mr. Corbett. Abdul (his guard who's hand went immediately to his pistol) stand down."

"This sort of rudeness is not what I expected from someone in the employ of Mr. Norris.  My offer stands but, if there is any more posturing (looking directly at Corbett) our business will be over.  Your choice."  

(as sort of a exclamation point, he flicks his wrist and, magically, the windows open up to allow in a pleasant night breeze."

(GM note, you JUST missed the number needed)

Fair enough, but just so I know what is going on here mechanically -

Did you take the pre-roll or post-roll buff for the hero point?

Are you allowing more than one "aid another" buff? So far 2 characters have stated their intent to do so, and the others haven't chimed in either way on it yet.

Just trying to bracket what exactly my skill check number ended up at, so I can make note - thanks!

only one person at a time can do Aid Another, you just get the best roll. I can't remember where this is stated, but I know I've seen it somewhere. Or rather, only people with Intimidate could Aid Another here

I took the 22. That's what I had for the final roll.

Right now, he is neutral towards all of you, as a matter of point.

Roger that.


"Hrumph."

all is not lost (though I'll admit that you had me going... "oh crap, that's scrubbed everything I had planned") Nice try though!

whit10 wrote:only one person at a time can do Aid Another, you just get the best roll. I can't remember where this is stated, but I know I've seen it somewhere.  Or rather, only people with Intimidate could Aid Another here

I think you are quoting old 3.x rules, in which you also had to have 5 actual ranks in something to use Aid Another. I quoted the PF wording about it above, which wasn't what I thought the rule was either, in all honesty.

But, it's your game, so whatever rules you want to use\ignore is cool....

"If you boys had finally finished with your school-yard antics, I'd really like to get on with the mission," Olivia yawns. Now she's holding her staff with her hair and filing her nails with her hands. The map is resting on the table. It flutters a bit in the breeze.

"Oh dear, look at the time, we're late for the colonel's medicine..." Cr3 looks at his watch and stands in alarm. (Then to Fadala), "Right ornary he gets if 'ee dousn't have it! Terribly sorry sir...,"

navyik wrote:"Oh dear, look at the time, we're late for the colonel's medicine..." Cr3 looks at his watch and stands in alarm. (Then to Fadala), "Right ornary he gets if 'ee dousn't have it!  Terribly sorry sir...,"

(This bastard Fadula is tougher than he looks, Ill give him credit) thinks CJC as his attempt at intimidation is rebuked. (Good show, Rothschild, the old "addled by malaria" trick!)

"Whats that Rothschild?" Mumbles CJC, his eyes taking a slightly glassed look, as if peering deep into the jungle. "Are the men ready to march?? WHERE is my ELEPHANT...I EXPRESSLY demanded that there be an ELEPHANT!!"

JT closes his jacket and anyone observing might notice that he pats his sticks of TNT and whispers something to them into his collar, "Soon, my babies, soon."

Loudly to the group, "Oy, so let's get about them shags, so we can quit this porter routine". JT gives the goon he winked at a look up and down and thinks to himself, next time big fella.

lol... I love the interplay with you two. Keep it up... in fact, since I haven't said so yet... I really like this party.

I'm sorry to say I'm going to be really busy tonight. I'll do my best to keep things moving but, if I don't get much of it done tonight, we should be rolling along by tomorrow.

Elliot watches this exchange completely dumbfounded. When everything concludes peacefully,  he realizes his mouth has been hanging open.

He snaps it shut and breathes an audible sigh of relief...


"Uhh.. well. Yes. Well... if the good Colonel has taken his medication now, perhaps we should go, before he needs a... uh.. another dose."

He desperately wants to escape Fadlala's office without being shot.

"Are we agreed then?"

If so, he hands you the number of the section of docks where the merchandise will be at.

"Please bring my merchandise back here. When you have, I will give you the name of the man that can help you with that map fragment."

Any special arrangements before you go get his stuff?

whit10 wrote:
Any special arrangements before you go get his stuff?

just get the rest of the toys from the car

Rifle and extra equipment from the locked case. CJC will keep the rifle covered with a jacket so as to (at least minimally) conceal it.

MAS wrote:Rifle and extra equipment from the locked case. CJC will keep the rifle covered with a jacket so as to (at least minimally) conceal it.

Are we still agreed that we are taking the car for the pickup and not the donkey cart?

If so, we can keep the bigger guns in the car for concealment, along with us

Chris wrote:

MAS wrote:Rifle and extra equipment from the locked case. CJC will keep the rifle covered with a jacket so as to (at least minimally) conceal it.

Are we still agreed that we are taking the car for the pickup and not the donkey cart?

If so, we can keep the bigger guns in the car for concealment, along with us

Just keeping you on your toes

yes, taking the car, with larger weapons out of sight.

Elliot also retrieves his rifle, a customized Springfield M1903, from it's case in the trunk of the car. He'll load it and lay it on the back seat floorboards where it's easily accessible.

Ok, it seems like we have three people ready, as soon as I hear from the other two, we're off.

Otherwise I'll just update this afternoon

Dan, can I get an icon or picture of your guy for map purposes please? Matt, I just have the dude with the dead tiger in front of him for you. Post another if you want it changed. Everyone else is accounted for (based on the photos posted)

Olivia is ready. She heads to the car and hops in the drivers seat.

One thing to think about.... the carpets will take up significant space, so much that it might be an issue in one of the cars (are you taking both?) or especially so with only one car.

I will also provide stats for the car (as promised in case of an encounter) for you to have in the future.

whit10 wrote:One thing to think about.... the carpets will take up significant space,  so much that it might be an issue in one of the cars (are you taking both?)  or especially so with only one car.

Ok, I am confused now.

Earlier Fadlal said

whit10 wrote:"They are actually quite light.  "

and the GM said

whit10 wrote:
there is a horse drawn cart that they will be loaded in.  You can use the cart or carry two of them per person, your choice.  

They must be fairly small rugs, if they are light and a person could carry 2.  Big rugs are really heavy.  Even just a 5'x10' rug, rolled up would be a struggle for 1 person to carry very far because it is floppy and hard to manage.  However, because rugs are floppy, they can actually be folded in half quite easily.  

Jamie and I have gotten quite a few rugs from her grandmother, most recently 2 5'x10' and they easily fit into the backseat of my subaru.

This is a fantasy game. Maybe they're flying carpets. Doh!

It's not so much weight as it is bulk. They're just floppy and will take up space...

Still waiting on a character icon from Dan.

Are you guys just taking one car?

We'll pick up the action as you have arrived at the docks and the carpets are being unloaded from a boat on the river

let's just take 1 car, so we can keep all the rugs in 1 place, even if a couple of us are riding on the side boards, gangster style

Chris wrote:let's just take 1 car, so we can keep all the rugs in 1 place, even if a couple of us are riding on the side boards, gangster style

I get the impression from Josh that in his version of Cairo, the streets are quite narrow and we'll have difficulty traveling very fast in a large sedan anyway..

Elliot is cool with riding on the sideboards, or depending on how fast we go, even walking alongside or in front like he suggested before.

This'll be fun!

Dan, I'm just going to use your monk icon unless you want a different one

whit10 wrote: Dan, I'm just going to use your monk icon unless you want a different one

just get started, you can always sub a new token in or out as easily as you move a token

go to new page "Cairo Express"