Everyone - Battle in the Temple (End of Prologue)

The map is here: docs.google.com/drawings/d/1oiVkC3MoMA6zzpGrJLuCqFwmpRE97q8qlOB9Ge4BRgM/edit?usp=sharing
NOTE: You can't edit it. Just say here/IRC what you're doing, and I'll post a synopsis if it's on IRC.

Your avatar is your character (Zooming in is recommended). The bluejay is... The Bluejay. R and M are Ranger and Maxim's new characters, who I don't know what to put for it (Ok, I could have put Dreyar, but... ah well. The tiger is T and assuming it doesn't have large yet... if it does, I'll change it). In Maxim's case, the samurai guy is Raijin, since Maxim doesn't have one of LightWolf's avatars. A C means cultist, P means Priest, and I means Innocent Civilian, at least as far as you can tell.

GS: Being by the door WOULD have been good, except they were already here.

Initiatives are on the map, but they're also here:
Lynx - 24
Milliana - 21
Culist J20 - 21
Raijin - 21
Adrasteia - 19
Oros - 15
Jenara - 14
Cultist G19 - 12
Vulthen - 11
Luce - 11
(Maxim) - 11
Bluejay (GS) - 10
Jacob - 10
Cultist F18 - 10
Cultists F17 and K18 - 9
Dreyar (Ranger) - 8
Cultist F19 - 7
Linebeck - 7
Loric - 6
Cultists J21 and K21 - 5
Cultists K19 and L19 - 4
Priest of Milnai - 2
Innocents - 0

The ten shots ring out (surprise round)... and Zephyr drops to the ground.

Vulthen, take your surprise action. Raijin, too.

A lot of things went through Raijin's mind that morning, thoughts that he, later, would regret.

His initial reaction to Dahak's offer was to laugh. After all, why would he betray his friends and Hope? His friends had taken him through all this way, and it would be a sure violation of his personal statutes. His order would likely abandon him for this disloyalty towards his companions. It wasn't as if he was making a measly salary with the imperial army either.

But...

His mind went to how he managed to get himself into this mess. He had joined the army, not out of any sheer patriotism to his country, but because his father told him to. He had helped an old man get out of a ditch, a nice act of community service that was expected of any good citizen, much less a soldier. Perhaps Raijin should have noticed something fishy with how heavy the man was, but still. And for this act of service, what did he get in return? A duty and a mission to save the world from Fate, a being that had been victorious many times, and why? Because Hope told him to. Now here he was, at the temple of a goddess of rebellion, about to face what was likely his biggest challenge yet, when he and his companions had plenty of opportunities to just leave. Because his companions told him to.

In the end, he considered, was this not simply a different kind of fate? He was always, always told what he was supposed to do, and while he could simply have abandoned the cause, he would have been labeled a traitor to his uniform. As if that wasn't enough, considering how many times Fate won, there was a particularly large chance of death before the end. All this because, what, he decided for one weak moment to help somebody out? Some reward this was! On the other hand, Dahak had offered him cash and, perhaps most importantly, a chance to live past Fate's eventual victory.

Hope? What hope was there. This was a threat that was accustomed to winning, and could very easily do it all again. If his companion's visions were right, and they almost certainly were, the emperor would die, to the very rebels they were fighting with! If that didn't spell stupidity to Raijin, he didn't know what did. In the end, the empire would defeat itself. So then, why not take advantage of this chance, to come out on top? He could survive the end of the world, rake in loads of cash, and eventually retire on some pocket dimension until Fate finally hit that too. The best part was, all Raijin had to do was defend some champion and join the winning side...

Suddenly, one of the priests got a knife to the back, and several people, presumably the cultists, drew their guns and started firing. When Raijin saw this, he knew that his time was now, and started to charge towards the cultists.

But he stopped about midway...and thought, then suddenly he turned his weapon around towards his comrades and said "At least, that's what I used to believe, but since you all are apparently too stupid to realize that the guys standing next to you will soon commit regicide...I suppose that's not really an option anymore is it? I sincerely hope that you all have fun dying, I'll be much too busy getting rich."

And thus Raijin quietly stood with the cultists.

(Raijin drinks a Potion of Bull's Strength and moves 10 feet to get out of the way of the cultists' firing lines. [Two spaces southeast])

All but the one targeted by a natural 1 drop. The one that misses is: the one just south of Raijin.

Loric had just finished praying at the altar and was pacing around the temple when the assault started.

"They are already here! Be careful not to strike at the innocents or our friends."

PbP guide; may help
paizo.com/threads/rzs2nr91?DHs-Guide-to-Play-By-Post-gaming

Raijin turn. When it becomes his turn, a draconic being appears, seemingly both there and not there [Religion DC 20 identifies].


The creature speaks: The one with the Ransuer is the biggest threat to this operation! He's one of your enemies, anyway, so you know what to do!" He draws out a semi-transparent sack appearing full of gems and gold, and smiles at it.

Knowledge result: 28

"Dahak! Raijin you are aligned with this fiend? I thought you had better sense than to listen to the bane of dragonkind! You idiot, if I don't kill you first, I'll beat some sense into you!"

Raijin's eyes light up with greed at the bag full of money, then he says "With pleasure." as he steps to the side and readies his Naginata.

"Nothing personal...I just need the money." he says with an evil grin, then charges.

[17:42] <+Maxim_6> 1d20+18 CHARGE!
[17:42] <%Alea> Maxim_6, CHARGE!: 26 [1d20=8]

"You're not getting away!" He says as he sweeps the naginata in front of him to ensure a hit.

Spending a hero point to add +4 to the attack roll

[17:44] <+Maxim_6> 1d8+14 Damage
[17:44] <%Alea> Maxim_6, Damage: 17 [1d8=3]

Oros is more than slightly annoyed at Raijin's ignoring of him. "You think this is a game, you idiot!? You're playing into Dahak's plans!"
Oros calmly pushes up his glasses, "I guess I'll need to beat the sense you lack into you."

Bladed Dash to Raijin to end flying 5-feet above L19 (Raijin's Space). 31 crit threat with 31 confirm roll.
45 damage.

Oros then starts Raging Song as he orates about the destruction and evil of Dahak (accepting it as he does). Range is 30 foot radius for anyone who wishes to accept before their turn.
(+2 Str and Con, +2 Nat Armor, +2 Will (morale), 2 claws, -1 AC, normal rage downsides, you can accept it at the beginning of your turn if you are within range)