GM Rednal's Jade Regent (Inactive)

Game Master Rednal

"I am willing," Shutai replied, "But I am not sure how much help I will be. My spells have been several depleted. I am not sure how much help I will be if the thing or things that fought so many Goblins is as dangerous as it seems." The Goblins had taken a surprising amount of effort to see off.

His findings had worsened his earlier fears. "I've used little magic, but I must heal if we plan to follow these trails. Perhaps we should rest for the night, and recover. I do not want to get caught in the swamps in the dark by these things."

Casts Cure Light Wounds on himself. CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

I have a fairly good sense of how many beasties you murdered. ^^

Shelby frowns, but nods. It seemed her two companions were settled on recuperating, so she shrugs and starts looking for a building in the goblin village that is defensible. Preferably one with only one door.

The goblins were quite social creatures - about the only place that had a single standard entrance was their treasury room (H11). Everywhere else had a minimum of two doors and occasionally even more. Of course, there was no reason you absolutely had to remain in the village - you could also rest at Walthus' place, or even return to Sandpoint if you preferred. Any of these was a workable option.

"Let's go see if Walthus minds some visitors. Better than going all the way back to Sandpoint and wasting all that time coming back out to resume our search." If nobody objects, she starts to head out towards the reclusive halfling's abode.

Shutai nodded. "Better to camp out than stay in this place or go back to Sandpoint. Walthus' house seems a sensible middle ground." Reasonably confident that nothing was going to eat them, Shutai shifted back into her human form, slipping into the mask as she did so.

The halfling is a welcoming and gracious host as you return, clearly interested in what's going on at the goblin village - and from his expression as you explain what you saw, it's obvious that he doesn't mind the thought of having some well-armed protectors around for the night.

Dinner is a simple but flavorful stew (he doesn't seem quite up to more complicated dishes yet) with all the refills you could want, and eventually, the background noise of the swamp lulls you into a respectable sleep. Morning dawns... a bit dim, actually. The trees are so tall that they filter out the worst of the morning light, but there's no fog to get lost in, and that's always nice.

Shelby stretches as she rises just before dawn, giving thanks to the coming sun and day. Her thoughts drift to her father for a few minutes, and she allows herself to shed a couple of tears before she turns away from the window, getting dressed quietly before entering the living area.

"We appreciate your hospitality, Walthus. You are a most gracious host." Shelby's shadow of a smile perhaps doesn't back up her polite words very well, but she tries, nonetheless.

She turns to her companions, "Ready to set out?"

Hisoka nods, strapping on his pack and checking his blades. "Thank you, Walthus for the hospitality."

Shutai nodded to Shelby, and bowed slightly to Walthus. "Thank you for the honour of staying beneath your roof." She felt better - stronger - than she had before, although she wished she could have completed her morning prayers and rituals in the correct, prescribed manner. Still, such things couldn't be helped when one was beneath another's roof.

Pulling her pack onto her shoulders, she started to consider how to track down the Goblin's attackers.

"Should we backtrack to the goblin encampment and follow the tracks from there, do you think?" The woman asks her companions, as they might have a more expeditious way in mind. Shelby was nothing if not meticulous.

The halfling just nodded. He didn't seem likely to admit it, but living out here could get a bit lonely and having the occasional guest wasn't that bad... especially when said guests had saved your life and deserved what hospitality you could provide.

Given the nature of the swamp, it might be all but impossible to find the trail anywhere except where you'd first spotted it - not unless someone had truly phenomenal tracking abilities, at least. A professional may have had the skill, but most others were out of luck.

"Yes," Shutai replied after a few moments, "I think that would be wise." The Kitsune wasn't especially good at tracking, and wanted every advantage she could get.

"Lead on."

Satisfied that things were in order, Hisoka stood ready with a last nod of farewell to Walthus.

Shelby leads them back to the former lair of the Licktoads, then tries to pick up the trail they saw the previous day. Something more dangerous than the goblins themselves was out here, and it was their duty to slay it if they could, or report it if they could not.

Survival (Selbarina): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

You know the trail's there, but the changing nature of the swamp and the squelching mud below is making it harder and harder to find the passage.

Survival (Selbarina): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Finally, after more than an hour of effort as you slowly moved away from the village, a faint depression in the swamp could be seen. Three hours of careful tracking later, during which you moved through much of the swamp, the plants finally parted a bit.

What appears at first to be a strange tangle of branches is in fact the moss-covered ribs of a wrecked ship. The ruined ship lies on its side, split down the middle and mostly sunken into the mud and murky water.

Shelby approaches the curious shipwreck cautiously, looking about for any possible ambushes.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

If she doesn't see anything, she proceeds forward, directly at the wreck.

"Unaticapted." Shutai switched over to her Kitsune form, just in case, and followed Shelby, keeping one eye out for trouble and danger. She considered casting Mage Armour, but for now it was simply a wreck.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

As Selbarina searches, she's able to uncover a verdigris-encrusted nameplate that reads Kaijitsu’s Blossom. The ground churned a moment later as three skeletons erupted out from the muck just ten feet away, drawing ancient, rusted wakizashi as they rose.

Initiative (Enemy): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Initiative (Hisoka): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Initiative (Enemy): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Initiative (Enemy): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

With a series of guttural hisses, the three skeletons ran forward, one towards each of you...

Melee (Hisoka): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
Melee (Selbarina): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Melee (Shutai): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

...and the swings of their rusty weapons were singularly unimpressive, despite how off-guard you'd all been caught.

Kn Religion: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

"Use a blunt weapon against them, as their bones will turn aside your blades!

Shelby turns her blade in her hand, trying to swat the skeleton in front of her with the flat.

Longsword: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 6 - 4 = 6
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Shutai grunted at the attack, and backed away, casting Mage Armour as she went. It would last long enough to explore the area further. But why were these creatures here? And why would they, or something like them, attack the Goblins?

Move back 5 feet, cast Mage Armour

Hisoka also takes a careful step back, drawing his katana as he does. With a flourish and an uttered word, he casts a spell upon himself.

5 Foot step back, drawing his katana as a free action, then Casts Shield of Faith

@All: Remember, when you're using abilities that modify your AC, Saves, or other stats, you should include the results of those effects at the bottom of your posts.

The undead seem to be fairly normal skeletons, save for their unusual weapons, though Selbarina's swing completely missed. The three promptly retaliated, their bones shuddering as the wakizashi were thrust through the air.

Melee (Hisoka): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Melee (Selbarina): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Melee (Shutai): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

For all their efforts, though, none of the skeletons managed to land a hit on you.

Gaining confidence at the impotency of the skeletons' attacks, Shelby again smacks at the skeleton in front of her with the flat of her blade.

Blunt Longsword: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 6 - 4 = 8
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Having no blunt weapons on hand, Hisoka attempts to follow Shelby's lead, attacking with the flat of the blade.

Katana: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 5 - 4 = 18
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Sorry about that, Shield of Faith bestows +2 Deflect AC. AC: 21, T: 16, FF:17, CMD: 20

Shutai weaved around the clumsy blow, once again backing away from the creature trying to kill her so she could cast. With no blunt weaponry she would have to rely on her more offensive spells, and since these had no minds that meant Snowball.

Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 3) = 7

Going for... bludgeoning damage, by trying to use the flat of the blade? I'm fairly certain that unless you have an ability saying otherwise, you can't strike as a damage type not listed in the weapon's description (not even with a penalty), and longswords/katanas are slashing-only. If that's in the rules somewhere and I've just missed it, though, feel free to point it out for me. XD Also, I would not advise trying to hit someone with the flat of a katana - they're not built for that AT ALL. I mean, maybe Adamantium blades could handle it, but not normal ones.

Selbarina didn't quite manage to hit her target, but Hisoka's blade struck the one he was fighting, badly damaging it, while Shutai's spell outright blew apart her own foe. That left one 'healthy' (as it were) and one injured. Had they possessed minds, they might have been worried about this, but... well, undead were often brainless to begin with, and that was doubly true for mere skeletons like these.

Melee (Hisoka): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22 for Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Melee (Selbarina): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

I've just been using the rules for improvised weapons, as far as taking the 4 away from the to hit. If you rule that inappropriate, no worries.

Shelby growls at her ineptitude in this fight, slashing fiercely at her skeleton opponent.

Longsword: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Sorry for the delay in posting.

Shutai nodded in satisfaction as one Skeleton was smashed apart by her magic. Turning her attention to a second one, she cast again.

Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 4) = 12

Hisoka drops his Katana, preferring not to damage it further. Carefully skirting his target and drawing his Wakizashi, he slashes at the same skeleton as before.

5 foot side-step, drawing as free. I believe that provokes.

Wakizashi: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

*Notices something* ...Well, not a big deal this time. XD Nothing for you three to worry about! Also, double-checking the list, I saw nothing about drawing as a free action specifically provoking... so you're good, Hisoka.

Another skeleton fell as Selbarina and Shutai pounded it - Hisoka's attack with his wakizashi came nowhere close to striking, and the mindless, battered skeleton simply swung out at him one more time.

Melee (Hisoka): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20 for Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Somewhat surprisingly, it actually managed to hit him, though the wound itself wasn't particularly deep. Working together, the three of you managed to put the creature down for good a moment later- (It had one HP left, okay? XD Just saving some time here!) -and that finally offered you the chance to look around and explore the area in relative safety.

"Surely those things couldn't have brought an entire goblin village to its knees by themselves?" Shelby shakes her head, starting to look around the area for anything of note, slowly making her way to the sunken wreck. The Iomedaean wanted to make sure there were no more surprises before they potentially entered the vessel itself.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

This wreck has been burned and looted at some point in the past - quite possibly by the goblins (for whom burning things is about as common as breathing), though there may have been another cause as well. While there's nothing of particular interest by the wreckage, even after a close examination, you are able to spot a passage leading south towards the cliff... and a number of bony footprints can be seen heading in that direction.

"Without blunt weapons or magic," Shutai replied thoughtfully, "They might have done it. But unless something led them to the Goblins, I don't see how enough of them would have found there way there. Maybe something controlled them and attacked?"

The Kitsune glanced at the tracks. "I hate to suggest it, but without weapons more suited to the undead, should we return? Warn the townsguard and return better equiped to deal with whatever is within?" She knew the others were much more martially inclined and unlikely to back down - but two Snowballs and the Mage Armour had been a significant amount of her Arcane spellcasting power, and she was concerned she would soon be near useless.

Leaving was possible, of course - but given the nature of the swamp, finding your way back would be more difficult than finding it the first time around as all the tracks were swallowed up. If nothing else, you could probably break apart some of the driftwood and turn it into clubs that would be moderately more effective on the undead.

Shelby retrieves a serviceable club for each of them, smiling at her sister. "Let us cleanse this den of filth ourselves, and tell the town guard of its demise." Nodding to Hisoka, she proceeds to follow the bony prints towards the cliff, getting anxious as they draw closer, wondering what foe they might be facing.

Shutai swung the club in a testing manner. She wasn't used to using such a weapon, but it was better than nothing. Nodding, she followed Shelby towards the cliff. Mentally she made sure to hold back a couple of spells in case they needed to beat a hasty retreat.

A fifty-foot-high cliff rises along the marsh’s southern border, its face a thick tangle of jutting rocks and bright green vines and nettles. A curtain of these thick nettle vines partially conceals a cave opening at the base of the cliff.

New map. The vines/entrance have been marked by a green circle, and you can see a little ways inside.

Sighing, the Kitsune looked at the vines. At least we don't have to climb them. She considered sending her familiar into to take a peek - she could it feel it now, pressed onto her skin - but decided against it after a few moment. She wasn't sure if the creature could die, or exactly how real the small fox was. Instead she glanced over at the others. "See anything?"

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Walking to the cave opening, Shelby calls upon the blessings of Iomedae, bringing forth a divine light that she focuses on her shield, illuminating the entrance. Her brown eyes slowly assess the room and its contents as she stands on guard, ready for an attack.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Sorry for the delay. My new job as me scrambling to sort things out with the new schedule.

Hisoka accompanies Shelby, searching what could be seen of the cave entrance with a critical eye.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

It seemed legit.

Other than getting a close look at the vines - which were nasty indeed - it seemed the cavern itself was safe to the extent you could see inside. One path branched off to the side soon after entering, while the main part of the passageway continued into a moderately deep pool.

Frowning, Shelby leads them further in, taking the side branch as opposed to the pool of water. She continues searching for signs of the group's elusive quarry, makeshift club held at the ready as her dark eyes flit about from shadow to shadow.

Fortitude DC 12: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

The needles sting out at Selbarina as she tried to brush them aside, pricking her skin badly - but her overall vitality is enough to ward off the danger, and the other two are able to be much more careful as they pass by the stinging plants.

Meanwhile, the side passage quickly leads to a cave, and there's nothing particularly special about it - aside, of course, from the giant, red-backed, hairy spider crouched low over the carcass of a giant gecko, and it jumped up and turned to face you as you came around the corner.

Initiative (Enemy): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Initiative (Hisoka): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Initiative (Selbarina): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Initiative (Shutai): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Selbarina can act, then the enemy, then it's on to round 2!

Shelby decides to bring the fight to the creature, hoping to end the disgusting abomination before it can even begin to retaliate.

Longsword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Selbarina's sword went straight into the creature's side and actually managed to chop off a pair of its legs. The creature let out a high-pitched shriek, then crouched down and snapped out at her with its mandibles.

Bite: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13

They clicked a few times as they fastened onto her armor, but were unable to penetrate it and reach her flesh.

Shelby gasps as the creature's mandibles try to close around her armor, her momentary panic subsiding when the steel scales hold and do not let the spider penetrate. She swings again, aiming for the large bulbous body of the hideous creature.

Longsword: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

With a grunt Shutai dashed forwards, club raised in an attempt to crush it. As big and as gross as it was, it was simply a bug.

Club: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

The spider collapsed to the ground, legs curling up in its death throes until it finally stopped moving. There didn't seem to be anything else of interest within this chamber aside from the opening in the cavern up ahead - you could try to head further into the area, or head back to the area with the pool and explore from that direction instead. Either would probably work.