The southern fissure opens into a small hollow with a small crevice in the floor. Wedged in this crevice is the skeletal corpse, partially devoured. It still bears some valuables consisting of a +1 guisarme, a pair of boots made of a dark slick unknown leather that identifies as a pair of boot of elvenkind, and a small belt pouch with a greenish stone amulet depicting a crude horned figure (worth 35gp).
Knowledge (local):
DC 10: This is the corpse of a Bugbear. These goblinoid creatures are typically lone, stealthy, psychopathic killers.
DC 20: These boots are of drow make.
Knowledge (religion)
DC 15: This is a holy symbol of Baphomet, the demon lord of beasts, labyrinths, and minotaurs.
Argos will use two of his channel energies to heal the group.
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Sakura takes a quick look at the items on the skeleton nearby and then informs her group "It looks like we have one of the Underdark soldiers that assaulted this hill decades ago. I'm amazed he's been here this long without some drow or other creature looting his remains." After pausing a moment to look around while the items are gathered up, so looks further down the tunnel. "Shall we continue exploring?"
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The flesh along Mishka begins to grow back, spouting new tufts of fur, complimented by the sound of realigning bones. She softly nuzzles Argos as her way of showing gratitude, before returning before Momir for the final healing she needed.
Resolute and loyal, she stands beside Momir.
"Well, eh Mishka is no worse for wear, eh! Lets get to it."
The group continues down the tunnel. A large chamber has been dug out of the mound here. It appears to have been enlarged at some point, and large gashes like claw marks still mar the walls. Several complete skeletons in reclining positions are visible in the dirt that comprises the walls of the chamber. A very narrow passage leads out through the east wall.
DC 21: You are startled to see that your light source is somehow projecting the shadow of a massive bear on the far side of the chamber, poised as if to strike, yet you see no source for this strange phenomenon. You may act in the surprise round.
DC 13: This is some kind of Shadow, an incorporeal undead creature that drains strength on touch.
DC 18: Any creature killed by the Shadow’s strength damage will rise as a shadow.
DC 25: This is actually a Shadow Dire Bear, a specific type of Shadow that is tremendously deadly. These rare creatures are a strange incarnation of sentient darkness and feral rage. While incorporeal most of the time like other shadows, it can also manifest itself as partially corporeal to maul its prey.
V:
Sakura:
Momir:
Mishka:
Argos:
Enemy:
<MAP: Barrow 3 R0>
Again oblivious to danger, Argos notices nothing coming up upon the party.
Surprise Round:
V calls out her warning, and then readies her sword for the oncoming creature. The shadow darts across the chamber, a massless shape of darkness and fury. It swipes at V, the first creature that it senses. She drives her sword into as it attacks, but that seems to only enrage it as it saps her strength. Momir sends an arrow flying, tearing away a small bit of shadow essence, and Mishka moves up behind V.
<Map: Barrow 3 R1>
25 V
24 Bear
19 Momir
12 Mishka
10 Argos
8 Sakura
Attack:
Confirmation:
Damage:
Bear: -24
The shadow bear attacks with all of its fury. Its incorporeal claws latch into V, vitality leeching out of her body. She staggers under its assault, falling to one knee before rising shakily again.
Attack 1:
Damage 1:
Attack 2:
Damage 2:
Attack 3:
Damage 3:
Bear: -85
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Momir looks back at Sakura, upon her nod, he leaps back, quickly launching a volley of arrows, aimed for what few wisps of shadow he thinks his arrows may find purchase with.
Mishka then inches forward, cautiously approaching the shadow, and does the only thing she knows to do when faced with an angry bear, undead horror or not.
Argos pulls out his sword while moving up next to V and the shadow creature. Calling down the wrath of Ragathiel, he strikes at the creature while his blade burns with a fiery white light.
Argos steps up beside the faltering crusader, striking with holy might. The shadow bear recoils from the blast of holy energy, but surges back with a spectral roar. Sakura flicks her fan and five points of light shoot out, leaving a trail like waterfall mist. The light strikes the creature and blasts through its darkness, tearing the creature apart.
Immediately once the shadow disperses, Argos plants his sword in the ground, beginning a complex ritual near V. Eventually, after a long prayer to Ragathiel and his crusade against fiends, Argos touches his glowing hand on V's shoulder, relieving her of the damage the shadow wracked on her body.
The party finds nothing of interest in this chamber. There is only one exit out of this chamber...a tiny, narrow 2-1/2ft passage. The narrow passage has a greater concentration of burials than elsewhere, and the preponderance of bones protruding from the walls makes it seem even more claustrophobic.
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Momir peers down the tunnel and sighs, his shoulder's slumped. Regaining his composure he bares a grin chuckles, "Eh...deeper into Earth's maw we must go then, eh? Keep within reach though, aye? If it get too...uh wormy...I can get us back here...I think it best if Mishka just stay back for now, no?
The half-orc squeezes sideways into the tunnel, leading with her shield arm. She is closely followed by Momir and then Sakura. The going is painfully slow until V rounds the bend in the tunnel, coming face to face with a solid wall of cold, dark material with a full skeleton embedded in it.
DC 15 This appears to be some kind of ooze.
DC 21 This is an undead ooze, an unusual creature that dwells in forgotten tombs and graveyards. It moves slowly, but tends to simply mow down prey and engulf them with its frigid touch.
DC 26 The undead ooze gains its name from its ability to animate the skeletons within it and expel them at foes. Luckily, unlike many oozes, it does not have any special defenses.
V:
Sakura:
Momir:
Mishka:
Argos:
Enemy:
Not knowing what lies ahead, Argos holds his action until he sees an enemy.
The ooze disgorges a gang of skeletons in an effort to overwhelm the party, but the move is fruitless. The blob is rapidly dispatched by the party. They continue squeezing down the narrow tunnel until they reach the final chamber.
Inside, Tark and his warriors are waiting, their barbarian finery clinging to their bones. His minions turn their gazes upon the party, instantly turning both V and Momir insane. Worse yet, Tark darts in and out of combat with frightening speed, his unearthly touch draining the vitality of the living. Sakura calls upon her sorcerous might, great fireworks exploding across the undead warriors. Momir regains a moment of clarity, enough to shoot and injure Tark. V turns to a primal rage, nearly turning on her companions until threatened by the barbarian warlord. In a race against time, the band of Pathfinders manage to bring down the undead horrors. Then, they have to face a greater threat... their friends. Fortune smiles upon them, and with a few moments of lucidity, the half-orc and the elf allow themselves to be subdued and bonded. Sakura and Argos search the cavern and recover Tark’s equipment. Then, they pull out one of the scrolls supplied by the Venture-Captain and teleport to the Wardstones border, walk across the line of menhirs, and teleport to the Nerosyan Lodge.
The group takes a few days to recover after a house visit from a Iomedean cleric. They catalogue their artifacts, sell their miscellaneous equipment, and restock on supplies. Afterwards, they return home to their inn in the same way, by teleporting to the border and then walking across.
There, they find their first guest. A charismatic halfling, Phedre, armed with shadow and flash stands up to the group’s scrutiny (despite V’s grumbling protests) and she joins them in pursuit of adventure. The party traverses to one last site in the Ashen Wastes...the massive arachnid that menaced them when they first started their explorations. They engage it much the same way they did the first time...dropping fire into its lair. The hideous beast of massive proportions springs out, thwarting invisible Phedre’s defenses and pinning her with its webs. Sakura and Momir weave their attacks from afar as V stands as a wall against its poisoned fangs. After the furious battle, they descend into its lair to find a vast collection of eggs, numbering in the thousands. They leave none alive, fire crackling and bursting the fragile skins in a rain of ichor.
After the fight, Phedre slips away, a creature of her own whims. The Pathfinders cross the road into the Dead Fields. They head towards a dark shape in the distance, which reveals itself as they get close.
A single leathery wing rises high into the air like a malignant sail. Ahead is the ponderous bulk of a massive dragon, lying on its side, its scales a dull, charcoal gray. It lies on the ground completely still. One wing extends skyward, locked into its current position. Its other wing is curled beneath its bulk at an awkward angle. Its skull- like head stares vacantly ahead into eternity. The carrion stench floating on the breeze is horrifying.
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Seeing the skeletal dragon in the distance, Sakura stops to observe the site from afar. "As with everything else in this wasteland, we should be cautious of this skeleton. Hosts of creatures could be using it as a lair or the skeleton itself could even be animated or alive." Upon reaching somewhat closer to the skeleton, Sakura speaks hums a verse from a rousing speech given ages ago by a Tian general. Moments later she speaks arcane words and draws symbols in the air, as the air in front of her seems to shimmer with some bit of magical force. "Let us go and investigate."
The party looks out over the Dead Fields in all of its desolation. It exists as a hardened plain of bare rock, thin soil, and brittle bones. While not as arid as the Ashen Waste, it is still susceptible to the occasional bone storm when the winds are just right. The entire brown expanse is dotted with gleaming white patches where bones and bone fragments protrude from the hard earth, and every step in this region produces a crunch as these remains are reduced to powder and white flakes underfoot. Amidst the many dead are the skeletal remains of many siege weapons. Rolling towers, covered rams, armored battle wagons, and crude breastworks dot the plains and hills, all in extremely poor repair.
DC 15: Based on the smell alone, the corpse seems reasonably fresh, probably less than two weeks old.
DC 20: Despite the distance, the state of decay seems to indicate that it’s probably right around a week old.
DC 25: Winds have scoured most of the evidence away, but a dragon of this bulk still leaves quite an impression in the land. It looks like there is a trail that the dragon left on the ground behind it, but the party would need to get closer to ascertain more.
DC 13: This appears to be a black dragon, judging by the curved horns and the color. They usually live in swamps and are associated with water.
DC 18: Black Dragons breathe horrifying streams of acid and command lesser reptiles.
DC 24: Taking into account its ponderous bulk and the size of its horns, the dragon was likely an old or very old dragon. Alive, it would have been a very difficult challenge for the party to defeat. At this age it would have powers over plants and water.