From Shore To Sea (Inactive)

Game Master Baerlie

(During the boarding of the ship)

Iason apparently comes with a +1, which the others in the group first see when they board the ship: a hulking figure that stands a few feet back from the Chelish man's shoulder, carrying Iason's luggage for him, as well as a live, bleating, unhappy goat under one arm. The man (?) is wearing a heavy cloak with a hood drawn over his face, but this only partially obscures broad shoulders and powerful limbs. In the shadowed depths of the hood, two pinpricks of light glow like red coals, with a third glow above those: a complicated, twisting glyph.

"My bodyguard and porter," Iason says off-hand at any inquiring looks. "He is named Etrigan. Ignore him."

Oddly, given the close quarters of shipboard life, neither the goat nor Etrigan are seen again during the two weeks of travel.

(Anybody who has any experience of summoners or any ranks in Kn: Arcana would no doubt be fully aware that Etrigan is an eidolon. The whole 'glowing rune' business usually gives it away. Even if not, it is fairly obvious that the 'bodyguard' is not human.)

2.5 weeks later...

Despite the 'debates' of the first meeting, Iason has been reasonably good shipboard company. Like all Pathfinders, he has seen a good deal in his time as an agent, and over dinner in the mess, he tells of a visit to the Blakros Museum, of staffs that shot fire yet used no magic, and of terrifying liquid metal that can crawl inside a man's body and take over his will. Another story, drily related, is of an early mission for the Society-- a wearying night-time march through the woods following the guidance of a magical sword... as well as a dozen other stories. In turn, he asks what sorts of things his fellow agents have seen-- even taking a few notes here and there.

He speaks here and there of Cheliax, as they approach Chelish waters, but when they pass the first Chelish navy galley patrolling the edges of the territory, Iason stands at shipboard railing, watching it go by in a silence similar to some of the sailors.

When the cry splits the fog, Iason's head snaps up, his gaze scanning over the fog-shrouded black waters. "Did you hear that? Where...?"

(Sorry, just clarifying: where exactly are we, in relationship to this fisherman? Still on our own ship? On the path on the cliffs? Somewhere else? Assuming we can see the fisherman-and-crab, how far away is that?)

SM: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (17) + 15 = 32

Interesting sight, isnt it master Iason? Mollok stops by Iason's side to watch the navy galley go by. I get the feeling you too are not that thrilled to be back home either.

Back at the present time. What size is the giant crab? Large?

On board

Eshshah does her best to avoid going stir crazy on the somewhat cramped voyage. She spends her time dueling Clandelve or Kiyomi if they're up for it.

Eshshah is however a very frustrating dueling opponent, her attacks always seem to come either too fast or too slow. She's clearly not exceptionally skilled compared to her companions it's just hard to get into a nice rhythm, Eshshah's timing is frequently weird...

I share Iason's questions as to our current situation.

Clandelve enjoys immensely the duels with Eshshah. Her staggered timing makes her a great challenge.

(Prior to the now)

Iason looks startled at Mollok's words, shooting him a wary, sidelong look.

"On the contrary. I am delighted to be home, in a reasonable country," he says. "I was merely admiring the show of strength that the Chelish navy boasts."

Kiyomi barks once, looking warily at the naval ships.

Now:

Kiyomi barks excitedly at the fisherman, then runs around the ship's deck trying to gather her allies to go help the man.

Clandelve prepares to help the fisherman, drawing his adamantine warhammer and readying his shield.

Sorry for the misunderstanding, you sail across the Inner Sea and unboard at Corentyn and take the path at the coast to reach the Hellmouth Golf. So you are on the path on the cliffs.

From the path, you can vaguely discern a rowboat some 60 feet away through the morning fog, which is now beginning to lift. Adjacent to your position along the path is a 30-foot-wide stretch of sandy beach that breaks up into a 20-foot-wide zone of hazardous rocks bashed by the pounding surf dense rubble. A man struggles against the waves 10 feet from the termination of this rocky outcropping in water 10 feet deep.

The crab the man tries to get away from is really big, this lumbering hard-shelled creature stands as tall as a dwarf, its massive pincers waving menacingly. they are medium

The man spots you. "Help!" he calls out. "Take the rope and pull! Drag me out!" He throws a rope toward the shore.

He's in the water and throws us a line? That's quite an arm!

Li Shuo springs forward to seize the rope and pull the hapless fisherman to shore.

Kiyomi also grabs the line, ready to attack the crab once it inevitably follows him to shore.
Ah, a nigh-un-trippable creature, thanks to its 8 legs! A worthy test for little Kiyomi! :)

Li Shuo and Kiyomi grab the rope and start to pull. The waves are high and the boat is heavy. three consecutive DC13 Strength checks are necessary to get the boat out of the water, up to two characters can make an attempt at the same time

Strength: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (10) - 2 = 8
Kiyomi sees that she is having little effect, and barks at some of the others to help out instead.

Seeing a couple people on the rope, Eshshah calls upon Desna's blessing. Casting Divine Favor

She then rushes across the sandy beach, drawing her paired kukris as she runs effortlessly across the sand.

Eshshah ignores difficult terrain (Feather step slippers)

Clandelve moves to the rope and pulls with his might.

str check: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Oh, there's a boat. You didn't mention a boat!

Strength check (DC 13): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

If we're no longer on the ship, then Etrigan will be present. As a general rule, he'll be out if we're traveling overland or in any other place you would have your "porter" present. But not usually accompanying him for things like 'going inside taverns, temples, etc'. I'll try and be clear in advance at scene-setting about whether Etrigan is currently summoned so I'm not just abusing it according to 'well it would be more convenient if...' Also, Etrigan is usually buffed with mage armor if he is present, since it lasts 6 hours.

Iason arches a brow at the shout of the fisherman and the resulting scramble to action of everyone else. "I'm feeling a certain sense of déjà vu," he murmurs to his hulking servant. "Didn't we rescue some old fellows from the surf, as part of one of our earliest missions?"

The brutish figure behind him grins, showing a mouthful of white teeth in the darkness of the hood.

"As memory serves, 'twas a seaside tiff
"But you unkindly ordered me off the cliff."

"Details," Iason says with a shrug, while drawing a carved stick of wood from his sleeve and tapping the brute with it. "Go distract the crab, I suppose; it will make this all much simpler if it's not eating us as we retrieve the hapless local fisherman."

Etrigan nods, darting forward on the sand after Eshshah, and then into the surf and rocks beyond. The hood falls back as he goes, revealing a monstrous face: skin the mottled yellow of a bruise, a bestial fang-filled mouth, burning eyes, and devilish horns.

Iason
Move action: draw wand of touch of the sea;
Standard action: Touch Etrigan with the wand
Etrigan
Full move towards the crab: base speed 30', currently has a swim speed of 30', and can ignore 5' of difficult terrain. Whether or not he reaches the crab will depend on the terrain between him and the crab.

Etrigan AC: 25 - Buffs: Rd 1/10 Touch of the Sea

Could I get another strength check, please? :)

Seeing she can't do much Kiyomi drops the rope and makes room for Clandelve. Clandelve and Li Shuo drag the boat towards the shore, but there is still some distance between the rowboat and the shore. You can see that the fisherman used up almost all of his energy, he almost drops into the water but can grab a hold in the last second. one more stength check DC13 is needed, a second character may aid.

Iason sends his porter to distract the crab so it's easier to get the boat out of the water. +2 bonus on the strength check

Once Etrigan is in the water he can swim without problems. He can reach the crab in one round.

"Put yer backs into it, lads!" Clandelve yells as he strains against the crab.

str check: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 2 = 11

Iason arches a brow at the shout of the fisherman and the resulting scramble to action of everyone else. "I'm feeling a certain sense of déjà vu," he murmurs to his hulking servant. "Didn't we rescue some old fellows from the surf, as part of one of our earliest missions?"

The brutish figure behind him grins, showing a mouthful of white teeth in the darkness of the hood.

"As memory serves, 'twas a seaside tiff
"But you unkindly ordered me off the cliff."

Man, that sounds awesome! I bet you had a totally cool and sexy GM for that!

Strength check (DC 13): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Ugh. That's what I get for the above comments!

Unwilling to go into the water and seeing the valet off to deal with the crab Eshshah will sheathe her kukris and try to help with the pulling.

helping somebody: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 5

Kiyomi barks frantically but knows that she'll be useful in the water.

Man, that sounds awesome! I bet you had a totally cool and sexy GM for that!

Oh, he was OKAY, I guess.... ;) Nah, you rocked it.

Iason watches idly from shore, then sighs and moves for the rope. Manual labor is not something he usually deigns to perform. But... under the circumstances...

Iason STR check to help tug: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

"Here." YANK!

Mollok does not believe he will be of much help with the rope but cant thing of anything else to do so he grabs it and helps pulling. The monkey familiar at his shoulder starts to jump up and down while screaming: Eeeee eeeeee eeeee...
Str: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (20) - 1 = 19

I dont see you helping. He mumbles annoyed.

The crab lets go the boat and you manage to drag the small vessel to the shore.

The fisherman pulls at his wet, ruined clothes as he wipes seawater from his many lacerations and licks his cracked, sunburnt lips. "Thank you! You arrived in the last second!" he says and slumps to the ground. He's conscious, but very weak. "Who are you? Are you here to rescue Blackcove?" he asks.

Out in the surf, the yellow-skinned monster advances on the crab with a ferocious grin. Iason glances that way a moment, debating recalling his servant, then shrugs. A crab is far from the most objectionable thing his servant could be venting his penchant for violence-- or taste for raw flesh-- upon...

(GM: Etrigan intends to fight, kill, and eat the crab. I mostly mean this as flavor goofiness and I don't want to slow the game down with the need to run a combat for it, so, if you're okay with this being a "thing going on in the background" that's fine, and if not, then I'll just say that Iason orders Etrigan back to shore.)

"You look unwell, sir, permit me..." he says, approaching the old fisherman. Iason draws a wand from those stowed at his belt-- a piece of wood with a carved devil's tail curling around it-- and (unless the fisherman objects) lightly touches one end to the old man's worst cuts. (1 charge of Infernal Healing = 10 HP over the course of a minute)

"We are agents of the Pathfinder Society," he says as the fisherman's injuries begin to heal. "And, yes, I suppose we're here to rescue Blackcove. Here, I have fresh water in this canteen... my name is Iason Blaise, and yours, good sir?"

(Out in the surf, the creature that looks rather like a devil is happily tearing the crab limb from segmented limb, a look of savage glee on his inhuman face.)

Kiyomi runs up to the man and yips happily at him, bouncing up and down on her dainty fox paws.

"Aye...we be 'ere ta 'elp Blackcove," Clandelve responds to the fisherman.

"What problems ye be facin', aside from overly aggressive seafood?"

Eshshah reluctantly nods along with Iason.

"Sorry, my name is Adler. I wanted to return to my home village up the coast to recruit help. My wife insisted we follow tradition and row to the wedding rock. Several skum arrived and snatched her from me. The creatures were conjured by some sea witch on the island, I'm sure. The villagers got panic and gave me this to find help."

Adler unwraps a wet cloth and shows you a golden comb in the shape of a manta ray.

"They promise more if only somebody will help. Sara, my wife, was just a pretty fisherman’s daughter — she didn’t deserve this!” Adler says.

In the water you see Etrigan, still fighting with the crab.

Kiyomi barks emphatically, obviously trying to convey that the party should try to find this poor man's wife. :-P

"Whoa... What sort of skum? Bandits, marauders, minor devils?"

"Skums, these hunchbacked, green-skinned humanoids with wide, frog-like heads and mouths like fishes. They usually dwell underground or in ruins, but for some reason they came out and attacked." Adler answers.

Yes, there is a creature called 'skum'

Iason purses his mouth at the description of the skum. "Charmingly grotesque. I suppose they are water-creatures, emerging from the sea when it pleases them to do so... A moment, that comb is quite interestingly crafted."

He murmurs a few words in Infernal beneath his breath, hands sketching a gesture in mid-air, as he glances at the manta-ray comb.

(Casting detect magic, just to see if the comb is anything other than merely a treasure to hire heroes with.)

"In any case, Master Adler, it is a day of good fortune for you and your village. We have actually been sent to investigate the occurrences. Are we to understand that all of the villagers are stranded out on this 'wedding rock' at the moment?"

(Out in the surf, Etrigan is beating the crab over its shell with one of its own claws, it seems.)

Clandelve listens to the fisherman's report.

"Per'aps somethin' be drivin' the 'skum' to th' surface," he muses.

We are looking for a gillman sorcerer named Gerlach. Do you know his whereabouts mr Adler? Mollok adds.

Iason examines the golden comb. He's sure that it's not magic and just a treasure.

"I don't know exactly where they took them, but I think they took them to the ruins of Nal-Kashel, an island offshore of Blackcove." Adler answers. "And I heard about this sorcerer, he visited this island often, but I haven't seen him recently. Maybe he's also a victim of the disappearances."

"Do you know why the sorcerer visited the ruins so often?" asks Li Shuo.

Looking impatiently "If there are people missing, time may be of the essence, let us make haste."

Information miss Eshshah, can be as usefull as steel or magic. He asks the fisherman one last question. Where can we find Gerlach's home?

"Perhaps we might combine the need for speed with the need for information," Iason says smoothly. "Master Adler, what is the quickest way to reach the village- to continue by the land-road, here? You are welcome to travel with us for safety, and we can talk as we walk. I trust there will be seaworthy craft in Blackcove that we might use to reach this Nal-Kashel? My friends and I are not sailors, however... if you would consent to helping us navigate the passage to the island, we can hopefully reach your wife, and any others who have been taken, in time to prevent a tragedy.

"Etrigan! Come!" the Chelish man calls to the figure out in the waves. The brutish hulk turns and makes for shore, standing on the sands dripping, grinning, and wearing a crab-claw as an ill-fitting glove. Iason looks irritated.

"Take that off and pull up your hood. You know the rules for traveling in public," he says shortly.

Kiyomi notices Iason's rudeness to his traveling companion, and pads over to Etrigan. She stares up at him, trying to make out whether he is resentful of Iason's treatment, but decides that his revelry in destroying the crab signifies enough free will for her tastes.

She then barks happily and starts walking with the group.

Clandelve listens to the questions of his companions, and appears content with the ones they have asked. He awaits a response from the fisherman, but appears to be a little impatient to get moving.

Etrigan grins toothily down at the little fox, and waves the crab claw at her, before discarding it into the surf and making a dripping way back to Iason's side. The now-sodden hood of the cloak is replaced over his inhuman visage, but does not conceal the eyes now glowing like coals. (Or the stink of raw crab.)

"I don't know exactly, but I think because of some Azlant research. This village is cursed, I'm telling you. You look like you are used to it, but I am not. I will return to my home village for the next few days. You find Gerlach's home directly in Blackcove. The island of Nal-Kashel is not hard to find, it's the one with the ruins. When the sea is calm you can easily reach it with a rowing boat."

Adler provides directions to Blackcove, explaining that it is hard to find from this road — the locals don’t like strangers. The village lies about 5 hours north of this location.

The man thanks you once again and abandons you to return to his home village.

So the man did not care that much for his wife after all. Not enough to risk his life anyway. Mollok thinks with some sadness watching the fisherman leave. He pats his monkey and resumes his walk to Blackcove. The pet tries to bite his fingers but gives up on it after the second trie.

Clandelve watches as the man leaves.

"Sounds like our destination'll be Blackcove, then. We best start walkin'," he suggests.

Isn't that what I said awhile ago...

Eshshah nods to Clandelve and heads off towards Blackcove.

@Mollok: that's exactly the same what I thought when I read the module the first time

You follow the coast road for about 5 hours until you finally reach your destination. With Adler's directions you have no problem to find the village.

Hidden from the coastal road by overhanging cliffs, the battered homes and hovels of this ramshackle fishing village cling precariously to the coastline, tightly nestled among the rocky crags. The tall, worn, stone tower of a lighthouse perches on a natural jetty that intrudes rudely into the surf, breaking the waves at awkward angles. Old boats tug gently against several rough wooden piers as hard rain pelts the coastline.

The village of Blackcove is small and isolated, nestled among the cliffs and crags of the Hellmouth Gulf and protected, for the most part, from both outside intrusion and government interference. Due to its position far below the road, many travelers pass by without noticing the sheltered village below.

When you arrive in Blackcove in the late afternoon, the village proper is almost totally abandoned. Many villagers are out in their boats.

Kiyomi pads along, sniffing constantly for dangers and watching the buildings of the village with interest. If scent is ever specifically useful, Kiyomi constantly has the ability.