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"Lets hope none of the demons were avid readers and decided to take it home with them then," Isilme says with a laugh.
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2-5 Rova 4713
The heroes finish their preparations and leave Fort Portolmaeus by boat. They travel down the West Sellen River for three days, then dock in Nerosyan.
Along the way, Nurah copies the map of the Worldwound for the heroes, and since the boat ride is long and uneventful, goes over the various places on the map for their education.
Frostmire
The Frostmire is the cold tundra of the northwest corner of the Worldwound. It is desolate, and the least demon-haunted of the five regions of old Sarkoris.
- Dyinglight: Dyinglight was once the largest Sarkorian settlement in the Frostmire. It is now inhabited by demons.
- Frostmire Fen: This is a vast expanse of frigid marshlands punctuated by sulfurous hot springs.
- Jormundun: Jormundun is a recently discovered dwarven sky citadel - a massive fortress, of which only a small portion of the citadel is visible above ground.
- Sabertooth Vale: The former home of the Roaring Sabertooth tribe, one of the mightiest warrior clans of ancient Sarkoris.
- Shadow Spring: The largest sulfur hot spring in the Worldwound, located at the bottom of a large sinkhole.
- Shroud of Unicorns: Once a proud forest and the home of the largest herd of unicorns in Golarion until the fall of Sarkoris.
- Wolfcrags: The ragged foothills of the Northeastern Tusk Mountains, so named for the large number of dire wolves that lived there.
Riftshadow
The Riftshadow was called the Northmounds before the fall of Sarkoris - but today this cleft formed by the Sarkora river separates the eastern Worldwound from the west.
- Ghalcor’s Tower: A tower once held by the Iomedaean cleric named Ghalcor, a master crafter. Lost in the Second Crusade.
- Needleglens: An ancient forest now twisted into a mess of thorny undergrowth and blighted trees.
- Raliscrad: A ruined city of ancient Sarkoris, currently ruled by the lilitu Minagho.
- Sarkora River: Once a trade route that connected the major cities of Sarkoris, the Sarkora river is not safe to travel on due to number of demonic vessels that use the river to transport both demon and cultist alike.
- Storasta: Once one of Sarkoris’ greatest cities standing where the Sarkora River flows into the West Sellen. The last city of Sarkoris to fall. Currently ruled by the corrupted treant, Carrock.
- Undarin: Undarin was a mercantile city known for constructing a great lift that allowed traders to move from the valley up to the plateau. Currently ruled by the Demon Witch Areelu Vorlesh.
- Valahuv: A small town still inhabited by Sarkorians due to its relatively remote location from demon strongholds. Unlike the Sarkorians who live in Gundrun, they are fairly xenophobic towards outsiders.
Sarkorian Steppe
The Sarkorian Steppe was always sparsely inhabited by humans, and today it is mostly a barren wasteland inhabited by corrupted megafauna from the nearby Realm of the Mammoth Lords.
- Bridespool Fen: Once a beautiful lake, it has been transformed into a rancid bog. Avoid.
- Domora: Once the largest city of the Sarkorian Steppe, Domora is now abandoned by demon and barbarian alike.
- Forest of Embers: Once known as the Forest of Warriors, the demons razed the entire forest at the end of the First Crusade.
- Fort Clearwater: The only existing Crusader fortress within the Worldwound - run by the alchemist Commander Yylda Svyn and her soldiers, known as the Order of the Solar Lantern.
- Gundrun: The only remaining friendly Sarkorian settlement in the entire Worldwound, completely comprised of stubborn kellids.
- House of Reflections: This was once a floating pleasure palace patronized by aristocratic Sarkorians. Now, the lake has dried out, and the palace has crashed to the bottom of the lake bed, abandoned.
- Moonscream Glade: Located in the Shudderwood, this was once a village of ancient Sarkoris, said to have been inhabited by a tribe of werewolf kellids.
- Shudderwood: The largest forest in Sarkoris before its fall, it is only a fraction of its former self due to demonic forest fires.
Stonewilds
The Stonewilds were once an immense, ancient woodland known as the Forest of Stones.
- Circle of Hierophants: A circle of ancient menhir left by ancient druids of the Green Faith.
- Greengrave Keep: An ominous structure built from uprooted standing stones atop the sacred mount of Spiral Hill.
- The Lake Lost to the Sun: In ancient Sarkoris this lake was known as a large, narrow body of water with unusually still, dark waters of seemingly endless depth. These waters look black even under the noonday sun.
- Petrified Library: Once the home of a druidic order called the Preservers of Notions, who were rendered extinct during the Second Crusade.
The Wounded Lands
The Wounded Lands are the center of the Abyssal taint, and the most heavily influenced by the evil influence of the Abyss. Nothing works as it should in this horrible place.
- Blackearth Cairn: The tomb of one of Sarkoris’ greatest ruling clans, now controlled by the seraptis Jaalika.
- Drezen: A massive citadel built by an army of dwarven crusaders during the First Crusade, then lost during the Second.
- Hanging Tower: A strange, floating tower that floats in the sky in the northwestern corner of the Wounded Lands.
- Iz: The greatest of the ancient cities of Sarkoris, and the first to fall when Areelu Vorlesh opened the Worldwound. Now controlled by Khorramzadeh, the Storm King.
- Lake Ipona: One of the few lakes of ancient Sarkoris that did not dry up, Lake Ipona is now instead hopelessly tainted by hezrou demons.
- Pulura’s Fall: One of the only parts of the Wounded Lands that is not utterly ruined, Pulura’s Fall is controlled by a small group of good-aligned outsiders and clerics in service to the Empyreal Lord Pulura. Only by divine intervention does the temple still stand, as it is hopelessly surrounded on all sides by the demonic host, preventing it from being a useful safe zone for the Crusades Ruled by an aasimar named Eliandra.
- Threshold: This was once a great tower-prison of ancient Sarkoris used to lock away arcane spellcasters. Now it is Ground Zero - it is the heart of the Worldwound Rift.
- Winged Wood: A mostly intact forest now under control of a succubus named Zelimisdria.
- Yathscar: The site of an organic, living demon tower called Yath. The tower itself is in fact a sentient demon.
On the 4th of Rova the heroes dock at Nerosyan, the capital of the crusader nation of Mendev, an enormous metropolis gracing the confluence of the West Sellen River and the Egelsee Rivers. The land rises gently from the rivers to the northeastern part of the city before falling again just past the northeastern wall, where it subsides into the plains surrounding the city in a decline sculpted into breastworks and earthen fortifications.
Nerosyan is protected by 20-foot-thick walls that form a straight-edged diamond, which grants it the nickname “the Diamond City”. The Cruciform Cathedral sits at the heart of the city, the largest temple to Iomedae in the world, and the seat of power of Crusader-Queen Galfrey. Each point of the diamond holds a tall tower, with the Woundward Tower protecting the city’s wardstone.
Nerosyan is a city built for, and supported by, war, and so most businesses here cater to Crusaders and their needs. The heroes stop by the Confluence District to pick up supplies before they leave, and part ways with Nurah Dendiwhar and Ser Jorsal of Lauterbury, leaving only Annabelle behind to wait on the boat during the daylight hours. The city is bustling with citizens and crusaders alike, and soldiers are hurriedly repairing the walls of the city after the last siege.
They spend the night in an inn in the Egelsee District. They wake up on the 5th of Rova early in the morning. They are still a five-hour march from Storasta, once their barge drops them off on the Worldwound side of the river.
So the first decision to make is - what time will the heroes depart? How will Annabelle come along, if at all?
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She was a bit… excitable and more than a little blunt. It turns out she’s from Cheliax, much like myself. There are only two kinds of halflings in Cheliax. They’re either slaves, or escaped slaves doing their best to either free their fellows or get far far away. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that she’s one of the former. There are entirely too many slaves in Cheliax. Though… if father hadn’t kept slaves, I doubt there would have been anyone who gave a single damn about me my entire childhood. At least they kept me fed and breathing. But that’s neither here nor there. I think chatting with Nurah brought up a few memories. She was interested in all of our pasts. It seems that we’ve gotten a bit of a reputation in Kenabres and that story I came up with when I got hammered after the assault on the Grey Garrison has been making the rounds. Somehow, I have a feeling it’s going to be around for quite some time. Still, I gave Nurah a copy while we had time so she could have a copy. She seemed very excited to get her hands on it.
Anyway, she was asking some questions about things and I guess I just got caught up reminiscing. It’s different telling one of those stories when it’s with someone you don’t really know. Anyway, despite all her questioning, her real goal was to recruit us for suicide mission. Apparently, she recently dug up an old prophecy that may or may not have something to do with the invasion in Kenabres and the destruction of the wardstone. And us specifically. A Pathfinder was sent in to try to recover a second book of prophecy in a city within the Worldwound called Storasta. It’s overrun with demons, in enemy territory, and the Pathfinder hasn’t been heard from since. So of course we’re being sent in to get the gods damned prophecy ourselves.
Does anyone remember Aroden’s death? The thing that caused multiple natural disasters, shattered entire regions of Golarion, and generally ruined a lot of people’s plans? And utterly wrecked pretty much every prophecy in the world. Because the Chelaxians f*cking remember. I remember the rants about how Cheliax was supposed to rise to glory and be led by the god of humanity. I remember the century of war we faced because it turned out to be wrong. I experienced what Cheliax became after Asmodeus decided to step in and take Aroden’s place as the god of Cheliax. Going after a prophecy in the middle of enemy territory when the last mission has likely already cost a good woman her life is foolishness. But if I refuse, my friends will do it anyway. And I can’t let them go without every blade they can get to try and keep them alive. So I’m marching into the Worldwound with them anyway. But no matter what we find, and I have a feeling that we’re not going to find much other than ruins and demons, I make my own fate.
I write this as we prepare to leave Nerosyan, the capital of Mendev itself, to head into the Worldwound and try to recover a worthless prophecy from a death trap. Gods help all of us. Starsong, grant us luck. Inheritor, grant us strength. Pharasma, stay the hell away from us. We’re not ready to be judged just yet.
During the trip, Markus thinks. There will be days in the open, in enemy territory, and only a few hours last time invalidated the protections they'd brought for Annabelle.
He approaches her to talk about it, sitting by her in the hold. "So, Annabelle." he begins, as carefully as he can. "It might not be the safest idea to bring you into the Wound with us this time. We'll be days away from friendly territory or shelter from the sun at all times, and if we bring a cart there's no guarantee it won't be destroyed like last time."
"I'll be asking to arrange an escort for you... to avoid lynch mobs like last time, but I'd feel safer if you met us in Gundrun after our foray to Storasta, without coming with us to the city itself."
"How do you feel about that?"
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Annabelle really isn't happy about it - but she understands Markus' rationale. She grimaces the entire time Markus talks - but she doesn't argue.
"Aye aye, Lieutenant..." she says, morosely. She slumps in her seat and sighs. "I'll try not to fall into any rivers... or get framed for murdering a bunch of kellids while you're gone." She hesitates, before finally bringing up the nerve to speak up. "Two days is a long time. I'll uh... try not to succumb to my baser instincts." She grins wryly, running her hands over the black lace of her new mask. She doesn't like wearing it normally, but she has kept it close ever since Hinagiku gave it to her.
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Dear Lord Gwerm,
It probably seems odd that I'm writing to you, when it doesn't directly concern your safety... and isn't really a business affair. But I'm just writing you to let you know that we're all doing well. We made our first trip into the Worldwound a few days ago, and managed to save a few Crusaders, hopefully one from himself.
In two day's time we'll arrive in Nerosyan, should you desire to respond. From there, we'll be heading back into the Worldwound, chasing old-world prophecies that might pertain to the destruction of the Wardstone barrier.
How are things going for you? I've heard that you've done a lot of good for the city in the last few days. I know you don't really need thanks as you know you're doing good things, but I wanted to thank you, anyway. Without people like you, the Crusades would have fallen apart long ago.
Speaking of the Crusades, how is Ethan doing? Is there any news I should be informed of involving Kenabres?
Wishing You Well,
Ary
"Mmm... I'd feel better having 'Belle with us. I mean, ultimately it is dangerous, but so is virtually everything else we do, day or night. I understand that the risks are compounded by there being daylight around... but there's also daylight here, and thoughtless people who throw open blinds. Do you think she should avoid rooms with windows for the rest of her life? Should she cease being a Crusader in order to ensure that the Demons can't ever hurt her either?" Ary says, concern showing in her face, along with a bit of the confusion and frustration that came along with seeing one of her shoulders 'benched' by Markus. "I'm not going to order her to go out there... but I think telling her not to is going to do a lot more harm than good. We can find a way to keep her safe, if you're up to it. I know you're the expert here, so I'll obviously defer... but at what point does Annabelle stop having to stay in the closet every time something big happens?"
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The next morning I found I definitely had my work cut out for me. When we arrived at the gallows, Daena was already doing her best to ensure the crowd would loathe her, thus ensuring her death sentence. Unfortunately for her, I am not one to pull my punches in these situations. Her own words provided the leverage necessary to sway the townsfolk’s opnions by making it clear that death was her goal all along. Making use of magic and my knowledge of the Sarkorian’s traditions, I was able to appeal to them in terms they would understand. In the end, the majority supported imprisoning her, much to Daena’s chagrin. Perhaps it’s wrong to take pleasure in the result, but to deny that I enjoyed it would be a lie.
As the sentencing wrapped up we were approached by Ser Jorsal and his entourage, who all seemed to be watching with interest. He wasted little time getting to the point, first getting us to speak with Nurah Dendiwhar, a historian who has devoted her life to the study of the worldwound. She was interesting to speak to, and I enjoyed the chance to set right some of the misconceptions about my kind. It took everything I had not to laugh when she was acting as if I had never conceived of setting down history in writing. Her questioning drew out perhaps more than I would normally be comfortable sharing, but I think it is for the best. Apparently the notes she has taken will be compiled and presented to the Crusader
Queen as part of a report on what occurred in Kenabres. That she has taken interest in the events there speaks of the gravity of the situation. The loss of the wardstones is something that cannot be taken lightly, even if the surge of energy it released destroyed most of the demons’ amassed forces.
When she had had her fill of questions--or perhaps more accurately, when Ser Jorsal had had his fill of her questions--the topic turned to books of prophecy. Apparently a writer in Sorasta predicted the coming of the Worldwound, the fall of Kenabres and the breaking of the wardstone. Ser Jorsal and Nurah are quite interested in recovering a third tome of prophecies thought to be in Sorasta, but their prior attempt failed with the loss of their agent. Now we will head to Sorasta and attempt to recover the book from the city. This will likely be the most difficult task we have faced to date, and Val has expressed concerns over whether the mission is worthwhile. Though I have not said so openly, I agree with her assessment. While it is possible that the prophecies contained within might be valuable, the prior two tomes were almost entirely gibberish save for one passage in each. I am not certain that the relevant passages would have stood out prior to the events happening, making the usefulness of the predictions questionable.
Still, I pledged my service to the crusades, and so retrieve the book we shall. Perhaps I should send Aravashnial a letter when we arrive in Nerosyan. I look forward to being able to return to Kenabres to see him and the students. Perhaps we will find some more of those exquisitely mundane days awaiting us when we finish this task.
-----------------
The days on the boat have been quiet thankfully. It has given me time to collect my thoughts again and write the letter to Ai’sintar so I can have it delivered when we arrive. I have managed to find a bit of time on the journey to practice with Valaria again. I feel like I have a better understanding of her technique, but something is still missing. Her fighting style has a certain boldness… panache even… that mine lacks. Still, I feel as if I am close to understanding how to adapt it to my own fighting style.
Dearest Ai'sintar,
We have been tasked to travel to Sorasta within the world wound to retrieve a tome of some importance believed to be there. Afterwards we are to continue on to Gundrun, so you should send correspondence there if you reply.
The past few days on the boat, and our stay at the fort was peaceful, but for Annabelle being accused of murder. Apparently Apovonicus has taken note of our group and gave orders to cause problems for us by making it appear we were untrustworthy. The servant they sent was quite effective, managing to use the Quasit she'd been entrusted with to plant evidence against Annabelle while she murdered those we had saved in Bedir in such a way as to appear as if they had been drained of blood. Thankfully Ehren and Val were able to uncover the quasit, and we caught the dhampir when she attempted to impersonate the inquisitor to further implicate us.
Despite her best efforts to get the townsfolk to demand her execution, I was able to talk them down. In the end they agreed to remand her to the crusaders. I believe she was certain I would not be able to change their minds, as her reaction to the sentence was quite spirited.
I hope that we will be able to return to Kenabres after we arrive in Gundrun. Until then, take care.
Isilme
"I could... drain you a bottle or two of blood if you want." he says, thinking about Annabelle's predicament. "Would you drink them?"
- - - - -
Markus thinks, later, when Ary comes to talk to him. "How comfortable are you marching, fast, during the night? One protective penumbra scroll while in Storasta should keep her safe during the day while we do our mission... but then we need to bunker down until the night, (staying in Storasta all day long) march during the night and bunker down during the day for our second day of march to Gundrun."
"The problem isn't going to the mission or performing the mission. It's escaping."
"We could spend the second commendation to avoid this problem, though... We could buy scrolls of scrying and teleport and teleport directly to Gundrun from Storasta."
"Well... that would definitely be an efficient use. But it also sounds like an expensive one. Can you get everyone with a single scroll? Cause... otherwise, who's gonna get the rest of us out? Or is that something Ehren or Isilme can do for sure?" Ary asks, trying to reason out his idea. It was definitely in line with the Crusader's goals to spend the money in one swoop to definitely get the prophecy. Or at least, Jorval's and the little halfling's.
"A single scroll... I believe can carry three people plus the caster. There are seven of us, so we need two scrolls or a scroll from a much more powerful caster. The most powerful caster in the world can only bring six people with them when they teleport." Markus frowns. This probably won't work after all. "Ehren likely can't cast teleport, and I don't think Isilme can either."
Ary nods, then nibbles on her upper lip as she thinks. "What about getting her that Casket if she wants it. If it's made out of something Sturdy, we don't risk it breaking. And as long as we don't run into any breaker demons, we don't have to worry about anything directly targeting it except out of spite. If it's light enough, I should be able to carry both her -and- it, without too much trouble. And if she wants to fuss about it, she can carry me at night." Ary grins.
Wandering about the ship to pass the time, Isilme overhears her name mentioned by Ary as she and Markus discuss means of Egress from the worldwound "Teleportation? Even before I could only teleport myself unfortunately, and I am not familiar enough with teleportation myself to make use of it without having some chance of losing control of the spell. There is a spell that might help, getaway, but while it is not limited in distance traveled, it can only return you to where you were when you cast the spell. It also has a time limit, meaning we would have only about half a day in which to retrieve the book. At that point we would need to decide whether to continue the search without an escape route, or to leave via the spell."
"I would suggest using a spell like mount, as it would simplify the journey there and back, but I would need either a more powerful version of the ring I currently have, or we would need to purchase a wand to make use of the spell efficiently."
"Well, for a mount... we already have Blossom. Sort of. I'm not really sure how ghost-horses work." Ary shrugs.
"Blossom is only one mount though, and we would need several mounts. Three or four would be enough to speed the journey in, and again on the way out," Isilme replies.
"I could... drain you a bottle or two of blood if you want." he says, thinking about Annabelle's predicament. "Would you drink them?"
Annabelle groans.
"If I had to. I guess... it's better than the alternative."
"Alright, Annabelle." Markus thinks, massaging his temple for a moment. "You have two choices. I can go drain a bottle or two and you can get yourself to Gundrun, meeting us there in a day or two, or you can come with us, drink my blood as needed and sit in a coffin during the daytime."
"It's up to you."
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Chaleb sits in his cellblock - his beard is starting to get long and ragged, and he is still recovering from his injuries from their fight.
He remembers her, of course. She was the one who beat him into submission, after the tiefling woman stuck a starknife into his chest - even now his torso is swaddled in bandages.
”Hinagiku, is it? Pretty name for a pretty girl. Have your come to keep me company? Couldn’t stop thinking about me since our last meeting? I don’t blame ya…”
”I’m a little sore thanks to you, but I assure you… I can still treat a girl right…” He smirks and thrusts his hips.
His arrogant demeanor leaves him when Hinagiku ignores his advances, and he slumps against the wall, listening sullenly. She came to preach. Like every other f%!%ing person in this godsdamn nation.
”Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ve heard the spiel before,” he says, sounding unmoved. ”Here’s the thing, lady. Life is torment. Maybe I’ll end up in the f#@&ing Abyss - or… maybe I’ll end up in f$%&ing the goddess Calistria for an eternity.” He smirks. ”I don’t know, and you don’t know, so don’t claim to know how the universe works. A f%!+ing kellid once told me that I’m gonna end up turned into a bird or some crap. No one knows. You’re just some lost soul tryin’ to get by like every other poor sod on this planet.”
”I don’t even f&$%ing know what this Master of Masters is but if I was gonna pray, it’d be either Calistria or Cayden Cailean. Least those gods have their priorities straight in life - sex and booze.”
”But if you’re worried that I’m going to go hang out with more demons, you can stop. For now I’m just gonna do what I need to to coast by. That Commander b*@+~ seems like a soft person, I’ll probably get let off scot free, then I’ll get the f$$+ outta here like that creepy mage guy in your group suggested. Iunno, work as a mercenary in Absalom, something. I’m f+!!ing done with demons.” He grins at the thought. "Thinkin' I'd be a good bouncer at some brothel."
Before Hinagiku leaves Fort Portolmaeus for Nerosyan, she hears that Chaleb Sazomal was sentenced to forced conscription as part of the Condemned - a special branch of the Crusades that puts low-risk criminals to work sent from other nations of Avistan.
Annabelle sighs and mulls it over. ”You really need to give Ary a talking to about better captaining - shouldn’t it be up to her? I don’t want to make this decision.” She mirrors him, massaging her temple.
”It sounds like if I went with you guys to Storasta, I’d just get in the way… no way you could run carrying around me in a coffin, and what if someone opened it? So I’ll just… meet you guys in Gundrun.”
The heroes leave in the morning, and Annabelle hugs Markus before they set off. ”Be careful, okay? I don’t really know what to do without you.”
Ary leads the way into the Worldwound, and though she occasionally loses her bearings, she is able to follow the Sarkora River towards Storasta.
The heroes cross the West Sellen River into the Riftshadow… an enormous valley that stands in shadow of the Wounded Lands. It is cold, but the heroes have their new cloaks to protect them. Dark clouds shot through with lightning rages overhead, and rumbling thunder and howling winds fill the air.
A few hours into the trek and it starts to rain frozen, dead locusts - just a sprinkle, really….
The terrain within the Worldwound shifts both subtly and drastically from moment to moment, resulting in strange, fleeting sights in one’s peripheral vision. What remains of an overland road passes through a circle of long-standing burial mounds. Most sport collapsed entrances, though the northernmost barrow remains intact, its door looming ominously. Air vents billow forth putrid steam in all directions, and the ground is soggy with filthy water, which is coated in a thin layer of floating locust corpses.
Curiously, the water is warm.
Your memories don't reveal anything about geysers in this area. These are a new development, after the Worldwound consumed the region.
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Val tries to look supportive. "We'll make this quick and be back in no time," she says. "Just don't have too much fun while we're out on our insane retrieval mission."
Val looks distinctly unhappy during the beginning of their trek. The vague wrongness of the terrain leaves a constant creeping on her spine like something's about to jump out at them. Then it starts to rain locusts... "Gods. Damn. It! Why must everything associated with this place be giant insects and disgusting weather!"
She looks over the terrain, frowning slightly. The oddly warm water and the ruined landscape seems... odd, but she can't place just what happened. Perhaps something bursting out of the ground. "I... this place makes no sense."
The trip through the worldwound is exceedingly cold, and Isilme is glad for the fur cloak she'd been given. She grumbles a bit to herself about yet another inconvenience that wouldn't affect a proper Azata, but mostly she tries to keep her eyes open for anything odd. Needless to say when it began raining frozen locusts she had to redefine what level of odd she was looking for. "I'll take frozen locusts over teeth and wasps bursting from pustules in the ground," Isilme responds to Val's complaint.
The barrows that they encountered as they continued through the Riftshadow worried Isilme. Something about them didn't seem quite right to her. After studying them for a few moments, she speaks to the group, whispering, "The barrows... several of them are missing their tops. Almost as if they had exploded from within. Could something have escaped from them?"
Val brushes a frozen insect off her shoulder, fighting down a small look of disgust. "True. They could be live locusts."
The ground beneath the heroes starts to rumble, and suddenly a geyser of acid erupts from the ground. Are the heroes fast enough to dodge it?
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Seeing as though the criminal is not interested at in in what she is saying, Hinagiku simply bows to him, turns back, and leave. All the while, her expression stays unchanged and serene. Not that she does not care for the man, like she cares for every being she has encountered (except Onis), but forcing anything on this man would likely be useless. In the following days, she passes every so often to salute the man, and one last time to wish him enlightenment in his future endeavors once she learns about his sentence.
With Ary, she tries to cater to her needs. When alone with her, Hinagiku lets her lead the conversation, focusing and listening so has to provide insightful comments.
With Valaria, she discusses traveling, the cultures of various places of the world, and continues telling her about the land of Minkai.
With Isilme, she spends time meditating, teaching the bard techniques aimed at improving her control over her emotions. These mostly take the form of slow choreography quite alike to martial arts.
With Markus, Hinagiku tries to inform herself on the nature of the man's biology. Trying to understand how negative energy might heal him. Doing so, she hope the distant man might open up a bit.
With Ehren, she simply tries to learn more about the young man's faith, trying, hoping the young man might feel less shy around her.
To avoid panick and annoyance at the frozen rain, Hinagiku keeps her mind fully open to the sensations around her, not focusing on any, but not allowing any to slip past her attention. That's probably what allows her to quickly roll out of geyser of acid's splash.
"Everyone, are you all fine?" she asks, looking left and right for the presence of Onis or more eruptions.
Before the acid geyser even begins to erupt, Isilme dodges out of the way reflexively, easily avoiding it.
She immediately begins looking around for other areas that might have geysers as well. "Keep an eye open for more geysers everyone," she warns the others.
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"The storm is only an illusion," Ehren remarks, looking up at the clouds, and instead seeing sunny sky... while still taking care not to open his mouth too widely. "The locusts are real, though. How... quaint."
Looking to Isilme, he frowns. "These were burial mounds, once. If something 'escaped' then-"
When the geyser explodes, Ehren instinctively raises his shield to defend himself, but far too slowly. Strangely however, when the acid splashes against his skin, it is immediately neutralized. It does still singe his clothing, though.
"Mm. I'm fine."
Val reacts to the geyser an instant before it actually erupts, easily avoiding the spray. "I think I'm good. This place really hates intruders through. I think we're going to need to step more carefully."
She glances over at Ehren, but takes his word that he's not hurt. "Wait, if these are burial mounds... yeah, I'm pretty sure that Abyssal energy can do raising the dead."
Though Ary manages to avoid the geyser, Markus is too slow. He is drenched in acid.
The howling winds begin to increase in intensity, lifting tons of stray ash from the ground around the burial mounds, creating a dust storm of still-hot cinders. It fills their eyes and mouths, and sears hot into their skin.
Val grabs her scarf and drags it up over her mouth, shielding it from the billowing ash and searing cinders. She tries to shield her eyes as best she can, though she can still barely see through the blasting wind. She manages to keep pushing forward, keeping one arm half blocking her gaze to try to keep herself from being completely blind.
Ehren opens his mouth to warn the others that the winds are real, but ends up taking a mouthful of burning ash. He can feel the bottom of his feet singe as he digs his heels in, pulling himself forward against the burning wind.
The burning ash continues to swirl around the burial mounds, burning into the heroes' skin and eyes.
Isilme tries to make headway against the wind, but finds it impossible between the strength of the wind and trying to protect her nose and mouth from the ash. She raises her arm and buries her mouth in the crook of her elbow, hoping to be able to use her sleeve to try to allow her to breathe without ending up with a mouth full of ash.
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Earlier:
"Yeah 'Belle. You're right. Ary should totally be in charge of telling you whether to risk your life or not." Ary says, sticking out her tongue. "Ary doesn't want to touch that with a ten foot pole. You're a big girl."
"Hmmm... that's strange. Why are there fake storm clouds, but real locusts..?"
"Actually... geysers aren't uncommon in the Worldwound. Everything burbles."
As the geyser begins to erupt, she simply raises her shield, and ignores the blast, stepping just to the side of it... then raising her shield over her head to prevent it from raining down on her. She then flicks the shield to clear it of any left over acid.
Ary digs her old cloak out and begins to cut it into strips, covering her face after passing the strips out to the others. Then she pulls out her rope and shouts over the storm "Grab Hold! Move Together! Circle around!" She doesn't leave anyone behind.
The heroes trudge forwards, buffeted by the horrible dust storm. The reach the center of the circle of mostly ruined barrow mounds. They are no longer in danger of suffocating to the storm, thanks to Ary's quick thinking, and are able to keep close to each other due to the rope.
After a few steps of moving out into the middle of the barrows, the wet sand begins to give away. The vibrations of their foot steps on the surface allow the compacted top layer to lose solidity, revealing it as quicksand... The heroes quickly sink in, now waist-deep, but fortunately connected by Ary's rope.
It is extremely difficult to pull something directly out of quicksand, as the pressure needed to move upward through the sand is roughly equivalent to having been buried alive. A trapped character may easily free himself with levitate, fly, or similar effects (note that only magical flight helps, as quicksand fouls wings).
The ash storm continues to buffet the heroes making visibility difficult, though they can still roughly see the barrow mounds that surround them. What do they do?
"Quicksand!" Ary shouts. "Don't fight it! We'll float to the top naturally over time. There may be faster ways. Rocky, do you think you could turn into the earth elemental again? Would that help? Maybe water?"
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"We need to take shelter! We should head for the barrow with sealed doors!" Isilme shouts to the others.
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As Isilme finishes calling out to the others she tries to trudge forward through the quicksand and finds herself losing ground quickly. Panicking, she ends up fighting against it, only speeding up the process, disappearing quickly beneath the surface.
Ehren sits absolutely still and thinks frantically on Ary's question. "Water would be more feasible, I think."
When the rope tugs down on his hands, he turns around just in time to see Isilme disappear under the surface.
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Ary very calmly stays right where she is, and does her best to pull on the rope, to aid her ally without sinking in herself. "Whatever it takes to get us out, please." Although she looks calm, her voice is clearly very terse. Especially with the near-lack of visibility, and her inability to actually turn around in the current conditions.
Markus chokes and coughs, sputtering and struggling against the terrain. His more martially-built comrades were made for this, but simply physiologically he's not.
He feels the pain from the acid and the strikes from the sandstorm. "I agree - into the cairns to shelter. I think I need to change."
Val hacks up ash and stumbles as they wander into the quicksand. "I think... *cough*... that might... *cough* *cough*... be our best... bet..." The idea of hiding from a storm in what's essentially a burial mound is a terrible idea, but they have no other chance to find cover and they'll be either slowly beaten to death by the ash storm or fall into some other hazard if they don't do something.
Isilme feels herself sink into the morass, realizing she'd done precisely what Ary had warned her not to do. She tries to relax to allow herself to float up while tightening her grip on the rope, hoping the others would be able to help her escape. Though to her it seems to take forever, almost immediately she feels a tug at the rope pulling her upwards.
Markus follows after the others, leaning heavily on the rope to try and ensure that he can get out of the suck of the quicksand and to drier and more solid ground.
Val struggles a bit in the quicksand, but manages not to let herself sink into the mess. She takes a deep breath, at least as much as she can, and tries to move more calmly.
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Ehren watches Markus and Valaria struggle to move through the quicksand, knowing that if they couldn't do it, then he had next to no chance of making it. Naturally, he would have to cheat. He does not even bother to close his eyes this time; the form he was about to assume was unfamiliar to him, but he had grown accustomed to the act of changing. All of the color suddenly fades out from Ehren's body as he turns translucent, rippling from the force of ongoing windstorm. The shape holds for all of a second before splashing apart.
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Round 1: Survival check
Round 2: Ary drowns
Round 3: Ary emerges
Round 4: Ary swims
Round 5: Isilme swim check -> Fails -> drowns + Ary’s aid
Round 6: Ary’s aid -> Ehren + Isilme emerges.
Round 7: Ary’s aid -> Valaria -> Valaria fails
Round 8: Ary’s aid -> Markus -> Valaria fails, again, is drowning
Round 9: Ary’s aid -> Hinagiku
Ary is the first to react - she almost slips beneath the quicksand, but she is strong and able to swim out of the quicksand without any help. She then grabs hold of the rope and uses it to try and help people get out of the quicksand, though she is buffeted by searing hot ash the entire time.
Isilme slips beneath the surface, but with Ary's help, manages to emerge from the quicksand. She still needs to get out of the quicksand, though, with a DC 15 swim check.
Ehren is still in the quicksand, though he has transformed into a water elemental, and can swim through it with little difficulty.
Valaria is currently drowning in quicksand, from failing her check twice. She needs to succeed on a DC 15 swim check to get to the surface, then another to swim out of the quicksand itself. Thankfully, she can hold her breath for 30 rounds, so its just a matter of time.
Markus is currently drowning in quicksand. He needs to succeed on a DC 15 swim check to get to the surface, and then another to swim out of the quicksand itself. He can hold his breath for 20 rounds.
Hinagiku has not attempted to swim to safety yet, and so she is still in the quicksand.
Only Ary and Ehren are free of the quicksand. Unfortunately, there is a complication. As if the brutal ashstorm, and the geysers, and the quicksand weren't enough - a tornado rises from within an abyssal geyser in the distance, drawing in swirling ash, dead and twisted trees, and even rocks into it. The funnel forms *250= 1500 feet away...
It will reach the heroes in 6 rounds. Once out of the quicksand, it takes 1 round at least to sprint to shelter. Four of you are still in the quicksand - how will you reach the shelter in time?
An aqueous head breaches the surface of the quicksand and regards the distant tornado with two conspicuously eye-like bubbles. If Ehren's face were capable of going pale right now, it probably would. It was as if the Worldwound was trying to outdo itself after their last excursion; he was afraid to wonder how much worse it could possibly get. So instead of focusing on that, he looks to his companions, running some rough calculations. Whatever he has that passes for a mouth curves into a grimace. They were going to be cutting it rather close.
Ehren wills his fluid body forth, going for Markus first.
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Isilme manages to get above the surface of the quicksand and tries to move. She feels herself floundering in the quicksand again, and unwilling to risk going under again, channels some of her magic into aiding her to break free. Empowered by the spell, she manages to scramble up onto the ground with Ary, trying to gain her bearings.