Gm Aest's Kingmaker: To Forge a Kingdom

Game Master Aest

Stolen Lands
Combat Map (Also in my Header)

Loot Spreadsheet


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The Once and Future Kingmaker Battle Maps, Kingmaker: Svetlana's Tale Battle Maps

@Luthor: True. It all worked out this time, but in the future, readied actions are only standard. No full-rounders.

Laliytsa examines the dead spider, but the venom already appears to be drying out. It doesn't look particularly edible either. However, the silk could, just maybe, have some value if it could be harvested effectively. The method of doing that's beyond her, but silk's always popular.

She's not able to find anything of value on the various skeletons, all of which seem to have been in the elements for quite a while, but Luthor finds a small purse with ten Dragons inside it near a human-looking skeleton.

Filling in the hole a little and pressing on, or is there something else you'd like to do here?


Ini +3; HP 35/35; AC 16 T 13 FF 13; Fort+6 Ref +7 Will+3; Perc +10

"Silk's worth somethin' if'n somebody knows how to harvest it right. Don' think there's anythin' else useful here."


Female bard (duettist) 3 HP 15/23 | Init +3 | AC 15 T 13 FF 12 | CMD 14 | F +5 R +6 W +3 | Per +8
Resources:
Bardic Performance Rounds 11/11 | 14/20 arrows | 15/20 cold iron arrows | 13/28 waiting for Daen's answer

Cyanne is surprised that it is Luthor, not Daen offering the hand up, but then she notices how the half-elf favors his arm.

In a low voice, she mutters to Luthor. ""જસ્ટ શરૂઆતથી? અને મોટા ફોરેસ્ટ બાળકની ચા બગીચો છે",* echoing one of Aron's favorite phrases. She glances at Daen again and pleads wordlessly to Luthor to take care of it. She wasn't sure why Daen tried pulling away from her, but she didn't want to push it with him. Not yet.

*Elvish: "Just a scratch? Yes, and Kyonin is a child's tea garden."

When even Kaz wants to leave the body where it is, she sighs, allows Tango to hop to Luthor's shoulder, and climbs down again to retrieve her rope, and strip the body of its sword and armor.

When she returns she ponders the potential value of the spider silk, then shows the crude map to Lalliytsa. "Does this make sense to you?"

Appraise (Silk): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Knowledge Geography (Crude Map): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Looking again at the spider, she says, "I think I remember how one harvests that material. Aron had us do it for a project once. I don't know where he got the spider from, but it was one of these."

Untrained Profession Sericulture: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

Breadth of Experience allows one to roll any profession untrained.

Dangling the stag amulet in one hand, she says, "This almost seems too well crafted to be an ordinary bandit token. This fellow's gear was ordinary, but for this. Do you think it might be something else? A badge of free passage? The symbol for someone acting directly on behalf of the Stag Lord?"


The Once and Future Kingmaker Battle Maps, Kingmaker: Svetlana's Tale Battle Maps

Cyanne (profession and appraise):
These walls of checks better not back me into a corner where I'm contradicting myself, and if they do, you'd best not call me on it! XD

Cyanne remembers using spools, like with any thread, but lined with wax, and with sheets of wax-coated parchment to prevent the layers of threads from sticking together. From her trip down the spider's tunnel, she can see that those silk-strands are hopelessly tangled and covered in dirt, and the only ones of value are strung across the landscape. Harvested correctly, silk like this could be worth as much as fifty Dragons to the right buyer, although silkworm silk is of a much higher quality than spider silk.

Unfortunately, the drawing of the tree on the barren hill doesn't bear any key or explanation beyond a simple 'X' crudely beneath the hill. It does, however, trigger a memory of pirate tales from the Shackles. A treasure map, perhaps?


Female bard (duettist) 3 HP 15/23 | Init +3 | AC 15 T 13 FF 12 | CMD 14 | F +5 R +6 W +3 | Per +8
Resources:
Bardic Performance Rounds 11/11 | 14/20 arrows | 15/20 cold iron arrows | 13/28 waiting for Daen's answer

GM:
I double-checked what you said to Laliytsa... You told her that she had no idea how to harvest silk... But not to worry, I shall not abuse this. I'd rather have happy GMs!

As Cyanne considers the silk, she says regretfully, "Alas, we have none of the right equipment for harvesting it. No wax, no waxed parchment, no spools... Ah well. Shall we go on with our survey?"

She grins at Kaz and then nods to Laliytsa and Daen. "Before I forget... Excellent teamwork on the spider you three! I'm glad that you're all on my side."

She reclaims Tango, who looks over the treasure map curiously before chittering at her. "Yes, I could draw a better one. That's not saying much, though."

She then folds the "treasure map" and puts it in her journal. As she remounts Volte, she turns to Daen. He'd been prickly about the spider bite, but maybe getting him to talk about his achievements would make him smile again? "You know, you've heard Luthor and me talk fondly about the academy, but I've never heard anything about the dueling school you attended... What was it like?"


M Half Elf
Stats:
Magus (Kensai) 3 Init +4, perception +8 4/5/4, +7vs ench., 19/17/12, 7/15

I'm guessing that the Any Tool was okay to have, since you didn't say no.

Thinking that the Any-Tool was properly suited for burying the hole, Daen pulled the useful item out of his pack and started maneuvering the spikes and plates into a rake. "It will take a decent amount of time to fill in this hole, it's nearly ten feet deep in there, I'm guessing it will take the lot of us three to four hours. We could just fill it up half way, so that he's buried, and go from there if we wish." Raking the bones and debris around the hole looked like it might make things a little faster than that, but they also didn't have many tools, so they'd be moving things with their feet and hands.

"I'm guessing if he was a bandit, then he was looking for mites. The talkative bandit we captured said that mites had been siphoning off their wares, and they were probably looking to fix that problem. He could have been scouting for their base when he was caught in this trap, but the fact that the place is already known by the bandits suggests that he wasn't alone, but his compatriots were cold enough just to leave him."

He noticed Luthor being gentlemanly, and a pang of jealousy stabbed at him, and he did his best to bat it away. He's just being gentlemanly, and I was concerned with other things, so it's just my fault for being slow.

When she complained about the lack of tools for their silk harvesting, Daen could only shrug. The any-tool they had was useful for quite a lot of things, but being covered in wax was not one of them. She recovered from her disappointment rather well, and was soon interested in chatting him up again, particularly about their teamwork, which he rather liked. "We did well once Kaz was able to take out the door. We'll need to do better in the future. My recommendation is that from here out we follow an "X" pattern in the future. Laliysta and Kaz in the front, Luthor in the middle for equal access healing for anyone else and Cyanne and I covering the rear flanks. Does this sound acceptable?"


The Once and Future Kingmaker Battle Maps, Kingmaker: Svetlana's Tale Battle Maps

@Daen: So sorry, I forgot to address that! Sure, it's an okay item.

GM Rolls, Nothing to Worry About Here:

1d100 ⇒ 26
1d100 ⇒ 41
1d100 ⇒ 92
1d10 ⇒ 4
1d10 ⇒ 1

With Daen's any-tool, the party's able to push and pull enough dirt and bone into the spider's nest to cover the bandit's corpse. With the spider eliminated and the bandit's gear and map accounted for, the party rides on into the rain and wind that's picked up more and more.

Aside from a few intrepid birds out in the rain, no one spots anything moving. However, as they crest a gentle hill, the party hears a faint, moaning whistle coming from a couple of ancient-looking stone blocks. Closer inspection reveals a few holes bored into them, producing the eerie sound.

Knowledge (history, DC 20):
Long, long ago, before the rise of man, the elves of Kyonin used most of the River Kingdoms as a hunting preserve. These stones acted as a sort of border-post at the edge of that giant preserve. The sound is thought to have been a way to let the elves know the border was near.

The remainder of the day is wet, miserable riding, with no real features to guide the party. The horses slip in the mud a few times, and the only difference between noon and dusk is the tone of grey in the sky. The tent goes up quickly, but a fire is an impossibility between the lack of wood and the rain. Fortunately, the rain seems to have suppressed anything that can find shelter, and the night's watches are all completely uneventful. Kazimir doesn't even see the silvery-brown stag that'd followed him in the Narlmarch.

Pharast 13, 4710 AR

By morning, the steady drizzle of the night before has shifted into a heavy snowfall, and there's a couple of inches blanketing the ground. Visibility is only a few hundred feet before the white terrain and grey sky blend into one, and temperatures are certainly below freezing, but at least the wind seems to have stopped. The morning meal is a cheerless one without a fire and with the snow falling down quickly around the party's camp.

If you all want to move on in the storm, I'll need a survival check to stay oriented. If not, you can stay holed up in the tent to avoid the worst of the weather, but it'll slow down the exploration.


Male Human Witch 4
Stats:
HP: 30, Initiative: +6, Perception: +11, Sense Motive: +3 AC: 12 (T: 12, FF: 10), CMD: 14, Fort: 4, Refl: 3, Will: 6

Knowledge (History): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

One of these days ill roll above a 5 on one of these...

As the weather steadily worsened, Luthors mood finally manage to erode with it. Talking less and less, by the time they made camp he had settled into complete silence, when not addressed directly. Rikka, not one to be overly cheerful to begin with felt the same, the depressed feeling bouncing back and forth through their link, amplifying itself.

As morning arrived and Luthor awoke to snow, he quickly realized he had not packed for this eventuality. Shivering like a leaf, he trudged around camp, wrapped in his bedroll. "A-a cozy tavern-n, just a-around the next b-bend would be nice r-right about now." He stammered through clattering teeth. If ever there had been a question on the matter, Luthor now more than ever look ill suited for the adventure he had embarked upon. He now seemed more like a naive boy suddenly faced with reality, than a grown adult.


Female bard (duettist) 3 HP 15/23 | Init +3 | AC 15 T 13 FF 12 | CMD 14 | F +5 R +6 W +3 | Per +8
Resources:
Bardic Performance Rounds 11/11 | 14/20 arrows | 15/20 cold iron arrows | 13/28 waiting for Daen's answer

Knowledge History: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Cyanne meets Luthor's questioning gaze, and shakes her head. "No, I haven't heard of these whistling stones either. Maybe Aron never lectured upon them?" She makes a note in her journal to write Lirpeth about these when they return to the Fort.

Not prone to cold herself, she worries over her companions and the horses in this weather. She likes the coziness of the tent though, and sleeps with one arm thrown around Daen after her watch is over.

In the morning, she looks around the glum faces of her companions and decides she has to do something about it. "Just because we can't have a fire doesn't mean that this has to be entirely cheerless... Luthor, can we have some more dancing lights in here? Make this place a little brighter?" Though she can cast the cantrip herself, she knows that people feel better when they do. She packs clean and fresh fallen snow into mugs, prestidigitates them so that the snow melts into hot water and starts passing out the mugs so everyone has something warm to hold. "What's your favorite hot drink?" she asks Laliytsa first, then everyone else. "I can flavor this water for you. Mind, I can only do 'thin' flavors -- nothing creamy. Lemon? Honey? I'm partial to mint tea myself."

Tango pokes his head out into the snow, then tests it with his paws. He plays around in it for a bit, coming in every so often to squeak at Rikka. Cyanne scoops up the damp mongoose and says, "Now is that how a gentlemen behaves? If she doesn't feel like playing, don't force the issue."

Then she looks to Daen and Laliytsa again. "Would it be a problem if we delay for a bit? Or do you two want to press on... in this?" She looks out the flap at the suddenly white world. So beautiful. So treacherous. "I for one think we should stay put. It'll delay me getting back to 'Lana, but better a delay then not getting back at all. And what will you see in this? Still, you're the ones charged with surveying this place. I'll understand if you want to press on."


M Half Elf
Stats:
Magus (Kensai) 3 Init +4, perception +8 4/5/4, +7vs ench., 19/17/12, 7/15

I don't have the time to do the training flashback right now, I haven't forgotten, I'll try to get to it soon.

The weather doesn't seem to sour Daen's attitude much more than it usually is. He remains serious and contemplative rain or shine. The snow, was definitely something he wasn't particularly used to either, and even though he felt like Luthor did, he didn't allow himself to show it or to complain.

Waking up next to Cyanne with her arm over him was a terribly pleasant surprise. He woke up almost immediately after she had thrown it over him, even though the delivery was gentle and graceful. As soon as he found what it was, he used his exceptional night vision to study the delicate curves of her forearm and fingers for the next few hours.

Though he didn't sleep, he felt quite invigorated in the morning, heading out to do his morning exercises in the snow besides an invigorated mongoose as well. He felt a bit of comradeship with the animal as they stretched their limbs. Upon reentering the tent, he found Cyanne making tea. "The house in which I lived had a few occupants who were fond of coffee. It is a sort of a tea made from roasted beans that are shipped all the way from Garund. It is best served fairly hot and I learned to use magic to mimic the flavor. It has a pleasant aroma, although it has a tendency to be a little bitter, especially if the beans are roasted too long. The real elixir has an energizing effect, and has been known to even give people tremors who have had several pitchers, but the magic version has the same effect as warm water to the body." Producing his own cup and also filling it with snow, he waved his hand over the quickly forming liquid which took a dark color and a rich smell. He offers if anyone else wishes to try it as well.

Pondering the question on whether or not to proceed for a moment while holding the warm cup in his hands, he shifted from foot to foot taking a sip on occasion. "If Laliysta thinks we can proceed, we should. We do not know how long this will weather will persist and it also may be possible for us to find better shelter as well. If we run out of stores, we may have to return to Oleg's before checking out the forest, and we definitely need to make it at least that far on this trip to satisfy all parties in the surveying crew assembled here today. The snow is not so thick as to cover the landmarks, but if Laliytsa is not confident, I suppose we can alter our route if need be."


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Ini +3; HP 35/35; AC 16 T 13 FF 13; Fort+6 Ref +7 Will+3; Perc +10

The tent flap opens and Laliytsa shoves herself inside. Five people in a four man tent is a bit snug. She winds up being half sprawled across Luthor.

“Darn spring blizzard. I’da hoped we’da miss ‘em.” she says with a sigh. Cyanne’s offer of a hot drink sounds wonderful. She sips on the honey flavored beverage as the rest talk.

“Well we can move if’n that’s what you want” she responds to Daen. “If we oughta though, that’s a different question. Sure is harder to keep the trail in a blizzard an’ I reckon the rest of you ain’t used to it. But if yer willin’ I’m good with movin’ on. I’d sure like a campsite where we can get a fire goin’.”

She pauses to take a sip of her drink. “We got rope. Tie ourselves to each other so nobody wanders off an’ lead the horses. We could make some decent ground.”


Female bard (duettist) 3 HP 15/23 | Init +3 | AC 15 T 13 FF 12 | CMD 14 | F +5 R +6 W +3 | Per +8
Resources:
Bardic Performance Rounds 11/11 | 14/20 arrows | 15/20 cold iron arrows | 13/28 waiting for Daen's answer

Cyanne scoots over a bit to make room for Laliytsa, sitting snuggled up between Daen and Kaz. She tries a sip of Daen's coffee. She'd tasted coffee often back when she was a dancer in New Stetvan, but every shop had made it so differently. The coffee that Daen reproduced wasn't like the heavily flavored and sweetened varieties that they had served in the theater district... She raises her eyebrows. This coffee is without adornment, and has so much complexity in the layers of flavors that at first she isn't sure she likes it. The coffee, much like Daen himself, is intense, nuanced and slightly bitter.

As she savors the finish, she realizes something else... This coffee is not only higher quality than anything she's ever tasted, but likely also prohibitively expensive. Well, when you have most of the treasury of Brevoy to draw from, luxuries like these become much more affordable. Then she pauses, thinking again. He's sharing a memory. Is it the lost luxury he remembers, or the person who drank this with him?

"An interesting drink," she hands the cup back with a smile. "Thanks for letting me try."

She turns to Kaz and Luthor. "You've heard our opinions. What do you two think? Shall we press ahead through the storm while tied together or stay here?"


Male Human Witch 4
Stats:
HP: 30, Initiative: +6, Perception: +11, Sense Motive: +3 AC: 12 (T: 12, FF: 10), CMD: 14, Fort: 4, Refl: 3, Will: 6

"The way I see it." Luthor began, pausing to throughly shiver before continuing, giving an appreciative look to Laliytsa and Kazimir, their bodies so close in the crowded tent, he wasnt feeling quite as cold. "The longer we stay here, the longer I will be freezing my butt off." He managed a proper smile, lower lip quivering slightly from the cold. "I also agree with Daens reasoning, but its mainly so I can hopefully get in front of a fire." He looked apologetic as he spoke, fully aware how selfish he was sounding. A shifting bulge at his chest was the only indication that Rikka was still with him, the mongoose having finally given up on her stoic confrontation with the weather.


The Once and Future Kingmaker Battle Maps, Kingmaker: Svetlana's Tale Battle Maps

GM Rolls, Nothing to Worry About Here:

1d100 ⇒ 1
1d100 ⇒ 95
1d10 ⇒ 6
1d10 ⇒ 1
1d6 ⇒ 2

Sounds like no-one would mind pressing on in bad weather, so here goes.

Laliytsa Survival: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Cyanne Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Daen Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Kazimir Fort: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Nonlethal: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Laliytsa Fort: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Nonlethal: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Luthor Fort: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

Packing the camp up is the worst part.

Wet from the snow and unable to dry properly, the tent fly is frozen and has to be slowly bent until it fits in a saddle-bag. The tent itself is also damp, but at least the party's bedrolls only get hit with a few snowflakes during the transfer from tent to bag. Laliytsa runs a section of rope from waist to waist, securing herself to Kazimir, him to Luthor, Luthor to Cyanne, and her to Daen in the back. About fifteen feet separates each member of the party. With horses' leads in hand, the party trudges off into the white expanse.

The good news is the snow's not accompanied by howling winds or, worse, a lightning storm. Of course, that's a small comfort. The day is spent first walking normally through inch-or-two deep snow and occasionally post-holing through deeper drifts, which grow ever more frequent. By noon, it's become apparent that the snow isn't stopping. At least, not soon. The drifts pile up, and even the snow on the ground becomes a major obstacle. Laliytsa gets tired from breaking trail, allowing Kazimir to take over. After a few hours, so does he.

Laliytsa and Kazimir gain the fatigued condition and take 4 nonlethal damage each, as per the "cold" rules.

As Kazimir is about to ask for relief, he comes across a trio of ruts in the snow. The center one is deeper than the other two, and all three converge in a place about three hundred feet further down. Blood and fur carry on for perhaps fifty more feet, when he finds the carcass of a deer, badly savaged Laliytsa is able to identify the killers as a pair of wolves, but the hide is savaged beyond salvage for anything useful.

With Daen now in the lead and Laliytsa guiding him, the party begins climbing a long, lonely-looking hill. It's not until the half-elf nears the summit that he spots a lone tree, dead-looking and bent into a claw shape. There's been no sign of cover since the previous day, near the spider's nest.

Survival (DC 20, can use tracking bonus):
There's a small crack at the base of the tree that hasn't been covered by the snow, but looks to have been carved by human hands. Digging the snow away from it reveals a hidden cache of a masterwork dagger, a wand with a red crystal at the tip, a silver ring (75 gp) and a spellbook, badly damaged, with identify, reduce person, mage armor, silent image, and unseen servant. All this is wrapped in a heavy leather cloak. In addition, there's a stack of small branches, cut into the right size for an easily-manageable fire and dry.

These "wolf" random enconters are coming at terrible times. Please, Aid Another each other on the survival roll.


M Half Elf
Stats:
Magus (Kensai) 3 Init +4, perception +8 4/5/4, +7vs ench., 19/17/12, 7/15

Survival, Aid another: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (15) - 1 = 14

Daen became quite a bit remorseful of their decision, although he didn't feel like he could show it. The problem was their lack of shelter, and fire. Out here, there wasn't much wood and they had little to go with. The half elf was thinking through the wonderful stores the Surtovans had that would make this trip much easier like the pocket campfire or even just some more proper clothing. If they just had wood, they could dry it out with their magic and be able to get something going.

When he spotted the tree, he pointed up at it and led the group up the small hill to it's base. "We should at least harvest some of the wood here for fire. A second night without it, especially because of the wolf activity in the area would be not preferable."


Male Human Witch 4
Stats:
HP: 30, Initiative: +6, Perception: +11, Sense Motive: +3 AC: 12 (T: 12, FF: 10), CMD: 14, Fort: 4, Refl: 3, Will: 6

Survival Aid: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

Crap, shouldnt have aided.

Luthor stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the tree, sharing a look with Rikka and getting a confirming nod. Only when Cyanne showed up right behind him did he remember that he had to keep moving, slowly starting towards the tree. "Say..." He said, a bit loud so as to reach everyone with his voice. "Doesnt that tree sort of remind you of the one on that dead bandits map, back at the spider hole?"


The Once and Future Kingmaker Battle Maps, Kingmaker: Svetlana's Tale Battle Maps

@Luthor: It's fine. I don't like how Aid works with skills, so here's my houserule. If you're physically aiding the person, I'll take the highest check. If you're giving advice (Kaz with the poison) your roll can only be an Aid. In other words, you get to read the spoiler.


Female bard (duettist) 3 HP 15/23 | Init +3 | AC 15 T 13 FF 12 | CMD 14 | F +5 R +6 W +3 | Per +8
Resources:
Bardic Performance Rounds 11/11 | 14/20 arrows | 15/20 cold iron arrows | 13/28 waiting for Daen's answer

Survival, Aid Another: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (3) + 0 = 3

Cyanne is so turned around by the blowing snow that she is completely, totally lost. It's a good thing I am tied to the others. On my own, I think I'd be lost until the snow melted. She does look over at where Luthor is pointing. "The drawing on the map was crude, but yes, it somewhat resembled that tree. Should we take a closer look?"


Ini +3; HP 35/35; AC 16 T 13 FF 13; Fort+6 Ref +7 Will+3; Perc +10

Survival: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

Luthor's observation makes a light go off in Laliytsa's head. She digs through the snow underneath the tree. She pulls out the cloak, opens it to take a look, and passes it to Luthor. "Here. Magic stuff. Wood with it's nice. Reckon would could make a good fire with it."


The Once and Future Kingmaker Battle Maps, Kingmaker: Svetlana's Tale Battle Maps

As Luthor and Laliytsa pull the party's newfound gains out of the gouged-out crack in the base of the tree, a small roll of parchment flutters to the snow.

Parchment:
[/i]'Stanns,

If you found this, two things happened. The Stag Lord found out the loot wasn't all there, and you figured out the map. I'm probably dead if you're here, so I want you to take what's here, head back to Grayhaven, and make a new life for yourself.

Love, Albin"[/i]


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Male human Paladin (shining knight of Erastil) 2 / Bloodrager (Celestial) 1 | AC 19, T 10, FF 19 | hp 7/34 | Fort +9, Ref +3, Will +5 | CMD 18 | Initiative +1 | Perception +0 | Smite Evil 0/1 | Lay on Hands 1/3 | Bloodrage rounds 3/6

I've missed a bit, so I'm just speeding through a few things. Sorry.

After the dead bandit is buried, and the new riding order is established, Kazimir takes easily to riding at the front with Laliytsa. Surefoot seems to enjoy it as well, trotting with somewhat more vigour, as if proud to lead the others, old head held high. The eerie sound coming from the holed stones gives both pause, though, Surefoot shying away from them, and Kaz trying to ignore the crawling sensation down his spine. When the rainfall hits, both look considerably more glum, and the farm boy apologizes profusely to his horse as he brushes him down. With nothing happening during his watch, and with nothing to do in the rain, he spends his few hours outside the tent huddled up next to his horse for warmth, thoroughly bedraggled.

Waking up to snow is new, and almost frightening. After shaking the snow from Surefoot's blanket, he huddles in the tent between Cyanne and Luthor, sipping gratefully on a cup of hot tea-flavoured water. It's not quite as nice as what his grandmother makes (he'd had some trouble describing the taste to Cyanne), but the heat and taste is comforting. When the group moves on, he dutifully ties the rope around his waist, taking over leading when Laliytsa tires.

It's harder than he thought. Trudgin through snow is a new experience, and after nearly falling more than once into invisible holes, he's well and truly beat. Finding the wolf-ravaged carcass is just another moment of misery, and by the time the group finds the tree, he's unable to do much more than sit against it, trying to work out his aches and pains, dream the prospect of moving on. "Anything interesting?" he manages to ask, before a mighty sneeze takes him by surprise.


M Half Elf
Stats:
Magus (Kensai) 3 Init +4, perception +8 4/5/4, +7vs ench., 19/17/12, 7/15

Daen took a look at the items Luthor and Laliytsa gathered. People didn't make wands and take them out here for aesthetic reasons. And the book was definitely a spell book, although he'd have to wait until tomorrow to prepare the proper spell to read it. There was some magic left in this spot, things that he could make some use out of most likely, he just had to figure out what they were. Daen cautiously picks up the wand and takes a look at it. He mutters a few words and gestures with his off hand, and his eyes begin to glow with energy as he gazes at the wand particularly, and the rest of the cache generally.

Detect Magic to determine Aura: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24
Spellcraft to Identify Properties: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

"This wand is magical" Daen assumed, as he gazed over the rest of the treasure. "I can make use of that spellbook as well, but it will take me a little time to descipher it."


Male Human Witch 4
Stats:
HP: 30, Initiative: +6, Perception: +11, Sense Motive: +3 AC: 12 (T: 12, FF: 10), CMD: 14, Fort: 4, Refl: 3, Will: 6

Luthor lightened up considerably at their discovery, amazed in equal measure by the prospect of magic and firewood. "Oh thank the Gods!" He exclaimed, pulling the wood bundle from Laliystas grasp and hugging it. "I feel like I cant even remember what heat feels like." He exaggerated, handing back the wood since he didnt know much about how to light it. Rikka poked her head out, hugging Luthors neck and sharing in his joy.

The distraction of firewood having been dealt with, he turned to Daen and the items. "I might also have a use for the spellbook, though ill wait until we know what it contains to make a fuss about it." He said, smiling as had been his norm up until the snow happened. "I can teach Rikka the spells, and she remembers them for me, instead of using a book as you do." His eyes shone with wonder as he added "Another of the quirks of being bestowed magic as opposed to "simply" learning it. Sometimes the rules seem rather arbitrary, dont they?"


The Once and Future Kingmaker Battle Maps, Kingmaker: Svetlana's Tale Battle Maps

GM Rolls, Nothing to Worry About Here:

1d100 ⇒ 52
1d100 ⇒ 6
1d100 ⇒ 24
1d10 ⇒ 1
1d10 ⇒ 5
1d6 ⇒ 3

Daen identifies the wand as one of Burning Hands, caster level second, with only four charges remaining. The remainder of the items show no real sign of magic.

The night's weather doesn't show much improvement from the previous day's. Snow swirls around the camp, and at times the fire seems ready to gutter out. Worse, the wolves howls return, this time accompanied by a larger, more guttural voice. To those who fought it, it sounds suspiciously like the worg, and the camp's watch rotation struggles to sit close enough to the little fire to stay warm while still being able to see.

Pharast 14, 4710 AR

It seems the gods are showing mercy the next morning. The wolves and worg stop howling and the sun breaks through the clouds, shining a thin light onto the camp and campers. The temperature creeps up above freezing, although it's still hard going pushing through the snowdrifts. Fortunately, with the snow stopped, it's much easier for Laliytsa to guide the party forward.

Even with the day and night's snow, the tips of grasses still poke out of the blanket of white, and here and there a copse of trees fills the space in between two of the Kameland's hills. And what a variety of hills they are. Some gently roll on one side, only to suddenly end in a plunging cliff just after the summit. Others are rocky, craggy things. Others bear more of those stones with the holes. It's fully dusk as the party crests one of these, surprising a small group of three elk, each rooting around in the snow for whatever grass they can find. The elk don't possess the large racks of antlers distinctive of males, and their bellies seem quite large.

On foot, exploration is slower. It'll take two days to get this hex explored.


Female bard (duettist) 3 HP 15/23 | Init +3 | AC 15 T 13 FF 12 | CMD 14 | F +5 R +6 W +3 | Per +8
Resources:
Bardic Performance Rounds 11/11 | 14/20 arrows | 15/20 cold iron arrows | 13/28 waiting for Daen's answer

Daen and Luthor's joy in finding the spellbook is infectious. "More spells for you two? Wonderful!"

However, she's more interested in the parchment letter. Reading someone else's letter has a delicious thrill of impropriety to it, but in this case, both the recipient and the sender were dead. Shaking the snow off, she reads it aloud. "Looks like our dead bandit with the map had a name. He was called, 'Stanne.' Albin must have loved him very much to entrust his spellbook to him. It's odd though. Stanne was wearing leather armor and a sword. Do you think he was like you, Daen? One of those who fuse magic with study of the blade? Otherwise, I don't think he'd have gotten much use of Albin's treasures."

As Daen examines the wand, Cyanne wraps one arm around him and studies it with him, noting aloud the auras she sees.

Spellcraft aid another Daen: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Cyanne also looks at the ring. Does it look like it might have been crafted in the same style as the necklace? Maybe as part of a set?

Appraise: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

That evening because the GM snuck in a post while I was still composing!

Glad of the fire, Cyanne took her watch seriously though she had little idea what she would do if the wolves and worg actually showed up. Scream and hope to hold them off? Well she was getting better with her arrows, and maybe a shot or two would deter them. The howls were eerie and a little frightening, and after her watch Cyanne once again slept close to Daen, wrapping an arm around him as if it would keep him safe.

The next morning

The next morning is so much better, especially with a hot breakfast in her. Cyanne's heart lifts to see signs of Spring out everywhere. The bits of grass poking out of the snow is a welcome sight, and she loves the ever changing variety of the hills.

Knowledge Nature, Aid Another: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

"Huh, pregnant elk..." she turns to Laliytsa and Luthor. "With them grazing here, shouldn't there be an overprotective male around here someplace?"


M Half Elf
Stats:
Magus (Kensai) 3 Init +4, perception +8 4/5/4, +7vs ench., 19/17/12, 7/15

Learning Swordplay:
Thinking back to his training days, Daen began moving into his prepared speech. "I arrived at the Boriski house after being forced to leave my ailing mother, so I was originally resentful of the arrangement. They wanted to focus me on studying something besides magic, as magic made them a bit uneasy. To be honest, my mother was a bit concerned that I might end up taking after my elven father and use my magic to get away with any sorts of revenges against my family who did not treat me well."

"The training itself was harsh, and would take the majority of my day. I learned much, although it was difficult for me. I'd basically been self taught, going after whatever suited my fancy from an early age. Having someone impose their knowledge upon me was very unpleasant, but I eventually grew to appreciate it. At the end of it, I was thin and sharp like the aldori Sword that I was learning. I found the exercise heightened my mind instead of dulling it, and I would stay up all night some days weaving my magic with the maneuvers I learned during the day.

"The swordlord and his family there also became somewhat dear to me. They never held a place in my heart like my mother, but when I lived with them, it was the first place where I actually ever felt comfortable. We had disagreements and confusions at times, but I ended up learning quite a lot from them and I am grateful to them to this day."

-At the tree-

The half elf nodded with Luthor. "If it is useful to both of us, that's even better. I'll have to admit I know little of witchcraft. Although if it made me a better healer, I would have probably gone for it. But I had no talent for healing, despite my devotion to it. I always thought it was due to my lack of faith, if I had known an arcane solution existed where I could heal, I would have likely pursued it."

At Cyanne's suggestion Daen merely shook his head. "It's hard to say until I read the book, but there are spells that people who blend their magic with swordplay don't learn because they aren't useful. You don't need conjured armor when you wear it for instance. And it might have just been mutual self interest instead of love. The bandit life is not really very good for anyone. They may have tired of it and were simply looking for a way out."


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M Half Elf
Stats:
Magus (Kensai) 3 Init +4, perception +8 4/5/4, +7vs ench., 19/17/12, 7/15

Daen was actually getting increasingly uncomfortable concerning the closeness of Cyanne. He was having feelings that he wasn't really able to explain. He found himself desiring to do all sorts of unseemly things to her, but three things held him back. The first was fear. Any number of things that came into his mind he'd seen men get slapped for, and he wasn't about to do that. He had no intention of upsetting the lady. Second, propriety demanded that he not move to quickly. It was easy to get carried away physically while not paying attention to the equally important mind. Such behavior ended up helping the woman to think that she wasn't valuable for her mind, and that was simply unacceptable. Third, he was a bit reluctant to show his affection in front of everyone else. Even if they said they didn't mind, they might resent him for his connection to the beautiful lady and become envious. Daen had often felt so when he saw couples together in the past, and it was likely others might feel the same.

Regardless, the positives still far outweighed the negatives, and he wouldn't take anything back that had been given so far. In the morning before he got up, he brought the hand that had been laying on his chest up to his lips and gave it a tender kiss before getting up to do his exercises in the warming weather.

Rikka was also out doing exercises, and Daen gave a nod of respect to the mongoose, especially since he now knew that the mongoose was the repository of Luthor's magical knowledge. That was one smart mongoose, and agile as well. He had little experience with familiars, but it may be a useful thing to consider for the future.

The swordsman was keen on the better weather. It would be so good to actually ride his horse instead of dragging Chernilla through the drifts when she didn't really want to move. "Well, we've lost a day off our intended rate anyhow, but finding the tree and having a fire made it worthwhile to me to keep going. Kesten won't send out a search party if we're one day behind schedule, so I don't see any need to alter our route as of yet."

He patted Laliysta on the shoulder, it was stiffly done, possibly because he'd never really done it before, but read it in a book somewhere that it was a good idea. "You did a great job keeping us moving in the right direction, getting lost could have done quite the number on our schedule. It is good we have you."


Ini +3; HP 35/35; AC 16 T 13 FF 13; Fort+6 Ref +7 Will+3; Perc +10

Laliytsa thinks over Cyanne’s question. Are they in danger of meeting an angry male?

K.Nature: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

She shakes her head. "Nah. Females leave the herd to give birth an' won' go back 'til the calves are bigger. We oughta give 'em space though. Don' wanna upset em."

She’s still watching the elk when Daen pats her on the shoulder. The gesture surprises her; it’s unexpected but appreciated. She nods to Daen in return.

“Thanks. I’ma tryin’. I hope this is the last of the snow.”

For the next few words her volume drops to a loud whisper. ”I’ma thinkin’ that worg is trailin’ us. Don’ wanna freak out everybody but we needa look for defensible places to camp.”


M Half Elf
Stats:
Magus (Kensai) 3 Init +4, perception +8 4/5/4, +7vs ench., 19/17/12, 7/15

Daen was not terribly adept in social situations, but he knew how to match someone's tone when the situation required. "I wouldn't be surprised him looking to attack when we are weakened. If he brings a couple friends and hits us when were vulnerable, that'd be the smart route. I think we'll be okay until then. He even held off attacking us in the snow, so we should be safe for now."

Thinking again, he recognized her desire for caution. "Of course, we don't know what else is out there either. So defensible locations to camp are always preferred, we can go without a half-hour of work or backtrack a little if you find one.

Addressing the group again, the half elf encourages them to get going to the next area. "I doubt we'll be able to make up any time, but we should at least be able to maintain our course."


Male human Paladin (shining knight of Erastil) 2 / Bloodrager (Celestial) 1 | AC 19, T 10, FF 19 | hp 7/34 | Fort +9, Ref +3, Will +5 | CMD 18 | Initiative +1 | Perception +0 | Smite Evil 0/1 | Lay on Hands 1/3 | Bloodrage rounds 3/6

"I'd rather not face that thing again, if we can help it," Kaz mutters, remembering the dull ache in his thigh, which had taken days to fade. "Let's keep moving, then. Leave these ones to their grazing."

-Posted with Wayfinder


The Once and Future Kingmaker Battle Maps, Kingmaker: Svetlana's Tale Battle Maps

GM Rolls, Nothing to Worry About Here:

1d100 ⇒ 79
1d100 ⇒ 2
1d10 ⇒ 7

The camp for the night is set upon the hill with the howling, whistling rocks, though the night is mercifully windless. However, the clouds break up completely, and the night's watch is frigidly cold. Huddling near the fire blunts the worst of it, but the watchpeople can see every breath, and even the horses press closely together for warmth. Once again, the night is relatively quiet. Luthor and Rikka hear a pair of wolves on their watch, but the sounds seem to be coming from far to the northeast.

15 Pharast, 4710 AR

The sun shines strongly for the first time in a couple of days, and the hills roll gently across the land. Here and there, small purple flowers poke through the snow, usually in the valleys or on the southern sides of slopes, and the already-melting snow produces innumerable tiny streams that provide a trickling melody for the party's journey.

It's Laliytsa, of course, that spots it first. A single tree looms over the surrounding valleys and hills, towering over one hundred feet. Its branches sway in the light breeze, and it's obvious this is the sycamore the bandits mentioned; the one with the mites living in or around.

Perception (DC 16):
Near the base of the sycamore is a root-lined shaft, covered with old leaves and sticks, that drops down into darkness.


Female bard (duettist) 3 HP 15/23 | Init +3 | AC 15 T 13 FF 12 | CMD 14 | F +5 R +6 W +3 | Per +8
Resources:
Bardic Performance Rounds 11/11 | 14/20 arrows | 15/20 cold iron arrows | 13/28 waiting for Daen's answer

School Day Memories with Daen and Luthor:

As Daen finishes his recital of his time at Boriski house, Cyanne exchanges a glance with Luthor. She's trying to imagine Aron and Lirpeth forcing any of them into harsh training, or imposing knowledge upon them. The environment that Daen described was so alien that Cyanne has trouble envisioning it.

The elves had encouraged, cajoled, and inspired their students to high performance. If you didn't want to be there, didn't want to learn... Then Aron and Lirpeth would do the worst thing possible. They'd let you leave. Let you go off to apprentice in some other field. No more mongoose pups. No more tight circle of friends and fellow students, no more baking cookies with Aron, or going on field trips with Lirpeth. It was the rare child who wouldn't do everything they could to stay.

Cyanne's studies had been challenging and hard, but she had determined her own curriculum. She had wanted the dance, the music and the magic. Needed them like she had needed to breathe. Daen had been forced to the sword, though he'd later found that the discipline of the blade had suited him. And then when he'd told her that he'd been kept from his magical studies because his family feared it would make him more elvish and more prone to revenge, she could keep silent no longer.

"Why would magic or elvishness make you any more prone to revenge? Was treating you poorly fine only so long as you could not defend yourself?" Then she schools herself and calms down. "I'm sorry. We were talking about your schooling time, being at Boriski house. I'm glad that you found a way to merge both disciplines, magic and the sword. The way you wield your sword... it's like a dance. Your experiences were so different from mine and Luthor's, but I am glad that the Boriskis welcomed you into their home and gave you a place to belong. Everyone needs that."

___________________________________________

Daen's hot and cold approach baffles Cyanne. At first, he had been everywhere she turned, eager to be in her presence and babbling about her hypnotic hair. He had liked the kisses they shared on the watch tower, and had held her while speaking about special books that one would never let go of. But now on this journey, he would freeze when she put her arm around him, and look anywhere but at her. Does he not like her touch anymore? Cyanne craves touch, craves affection. She wants him to reassure her by returning her touches, holding her hand, giving her spontaneous hugs.

She remembers an argument she'd had with Caramir, so long ago. She'd been crying, and Caramir had angrily told her to stop being clingy. Is she being clingy now? She didn't think she had. Mindful of the others in the group, she had tried hard to confine herself to only subtle and passing displays of affection.

Does she need to give Daen space? She'd thought that she had woken up to him kissing her hand, but what if she'd imagined it? Daen's so formal. Perhaps he believes that she's being too forward? Perhaps he had wanted a challenge that he could pursue rather than an easy conquest? She wishes she knew him better. Maybe Laliytsa could help her figure out what should she do here.

Instead of being watchful, she's still pondering this quandary as they approach the sycamore tree.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9


Ini +3; HP 35/35; AC 16 T 13 FF 13; Fort+6 Ref +7 Will+3; Perc +10

Laliytsa stops the group before they get too close to the tree. There’s no sense in blindly riding in to danger.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

She can see something that looks like an entrance at the base of the tree. If that’s the only way in they’ll have to leave the horses behind. Maybe she can find a better route.

“Think I see a way in. I’ma gonna get a closer look. See what kinda setup they got. Wait here.”

Wild’s reins get thrust into Cyanne’s hands. The horse seems happy with this exchange; he sticks his nose on her stomach and lips at her clothing. Meanwhile Laliytsa drops low to the ground. Slowly she starts moving towards the tree, her steps careful and measured, her focus on blending in with the scenery

Stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12


Female bard (duettist) 3 HP 15/23 | Init +3 | AC 15 T 13 FF 12 | CMD 14 | F +5 R +6 W +3 | Per +8
Resources:
Bardic Performance Rounds 11/11 | 14/20 arrows | 15/20 cold iron arrows | 13/28 waiting for Daen's answer

Cyanne takes the reins from Laliytsa, and strokes Wild for a minute. Volte nuzzles a bit at Cyanne too, both horses apparently wanting her attention. She scratches Volte's nose absently and then turns to cast message on the ranger. "Do you know how this spell works? I whisper, and you can whisper back to me and I'll hear you even if you go out of sight. Should you want backup, I'm fairly quiet, and can see in the dark."


The Once and Future Kingmaker Battle Maps, Kingmaker: Svetlana's Tale Battle Maps

Laliytsa's observation doesn't show any way in except the half-hidden hole in the ground. It seems to be a root-lined hole perhaps ten feet down, with a pair of cramped pathways leading off in two different directions. The walls are root-lined dirt, perhaps five feet tall and only a couple feet wide, and they quickly fade into darkness.

Okay, for this dungeon, the conditions are cramped for medium-sized creatures (that'd be everyone). Everyone suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls. The dungeon has two maps. The main map is the big one, but there's also a vertical cut-away look that'll be useful for tracking progress. If you have questions, feel free to ask.

EDIT: The hole entrance drops in between R1 and R2, so I haven't placed anyone on the map yet.


Female bard (duettist) 3 HP 15/23 | Init +3 | AC 15 T 13 FF 12 | CMD 14 | F +5 R +6 W +3 | Per +8
Resources:
Bardic Performance Rounds 11/11 | 14/20 arrows | 15/20 cold iron arrows | 13/28 waiting for Daen's answer

Cyanne leads Wild and Volte to a clearing a safe distance away, pats each of them on the neck and tells them, "Be good, now." Returning to the group, she looks down at the hole then looks at the others. "Do you want me to be the first in? I can see in the dark, and you can pull me up again if there's trouble waiting." She grins at Luthor. "We can go wild with dancing lights once we're all in there, but a little stealth now might give us warning for what's up ahead."

She loops a rope around the tree, renews her message spell on Laliysta, and climbs down easily.

Climb: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Cyanne's Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Tango's Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

She looks down the passages before giving the others the all clear to descend after her. Does she see anything?


M Half Elf
Stats:
Magus (Kensai) 3 Init +4, perception +8 4/5/4, +7vs ench., 19/17/12, 7/15

Daen tied Chernilla's reins around a branch, but not too big a branch. She'd be able to pull free if some mites came out of the hole and tormented her. Having Cyanne go down the hole by herself didn't sit very well with the half elf. "I'll come with you. I can see a bit in low light, and it would be good to have someone watch your back."

Climb: 1d20 ⇒ 5 whew

Using the light from the hole entrance, Daen went back to back with Cyanne, checking the other direction, and making sure nothing was sneaky enough to come out at them. He moves as quietly as he can, taking her lead on that point.

Perception, low light vision: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19


The Once and Future Kingmaker Battle Maps, Kingmaker: Svetlana's Tale Battle Maps

Cyanne makes her way gracefully down into the hole, landing gracefully on her feet and peering toward the left. There, a set of crude dirt steps makes its way down into a narrow chamber (Toward M2). There, a pair of voices waft up from below, accompanied by an occasional *twonk* sound.

Undercommon (from the left):
"Hey, no more for now!"...*twonk*..."I said no more-" *twonk*

A moment later, Daen clambers down the deep hole, landing awkwardly but managing to turn it into a roll that absorbs most of the sound. He gazes to the right, where a similar set of dirt stairs spiral down into the ground, crossed by an occasional root. He hears a small trickling sound, as if a tiny stream was falling just a few feet. Aside from that, the spiral stairs are silent.


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Male Human Witch 4
Stats:
HP: 30, Initiative: +6, Perception: +11, Sense Motive: +3 AC: 12 (T: 12, FF: 10), CMD: 14, Fort: 4, Refl: 3, Will: 6

Tying his horse to the same branch as Daens, Luthor watched as the half-elf spoke soothing words to his mount before leaving it. Looking between his own horse and Rikka, he whispered. "You know, we really need a name for the horse. Does it already have one? I forget." He mumbled, looking the horse in the eyes. "Maybe ill ask the others for suggestions? Or should we just come up with one of our very own Rikka?" Rikka nodded enthusiastically.

Moving towards the hole, Luthor got down on his knees for the last few yards, clearly finding it precarious to stand at its edge. "I hope they will be alright." he mumbled to Laliytsa and Kazimir on either side of him, having edged himself between the two.


Female bard (duettist) 3 HP 15/23 | Init +3 | AC 15 T 13 FF 12 | CMD 14 | F +5 R +6 W +3 | Per +8
Resources:
Bardic Performance Rounds 11/11 | 14/20 arrows | 15/20 cold iron arrows | 13/28 waiting for Daen's answer

Cyanne is glad to have Daen with her. Whispering for his sake and Laliytsa's, she says, "I hear two voices coming from the left passage, but I can't make out what they're saying. I don't recognize the language. They sound preoccupied, like they're moving something?"


Ini +3; HP 35/35; AC 16 T 13 FF 13; Fort+6 Ref +7 Will+3; Perc +10

Laliytsa whispers back "Mmm. Peek at 'em? If'n they see ya hightail it back an' we can shoot 'em through the hole"

She nocks an arrow in case things go south

Things go south:

Arrow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4


Male human Paladin (shining knight of Erastil) 2 / Bloodrager (Celestial) 1 | AC 19, T 10, FF 19 | hp 7/34 | Fort +9, Ref +3, Will +5 | CMD 18 | Initiative +1 | Perception +0 | Smite Evil 0/1 | Lay on Hands 1/3 | Bloodrage rounds 3/6

"So do I," Kazimir mutters to Luthor, keeping his eyes on the hole. He draws and loads his crossbow, sliding the bolt into place with clumsy motions, as if unused to the action. "Hopefully if anything bad happens, they'll yell or something." He crouches by the edge, glancing over once to Surefoot, grazing contentedly near the others. "I've half a mind to go in after them, just to be sure, but I was never too good at keeping quiet."


Female bard (duettist) 3 HP 15/23 | Init +3 | AC 15 T 13 FF 12 | CMD 14 | F +5 R +6 W +3 | Per +8
Resources:
Bardic Performance Rounds 11/11 | 14/20 arrows | 15/20 cold iron arrows | 13/28 waiting for Daen's answer

Cyanne sighs and continues her report. "How about instead I take up a position where I can warn you guys that they are coming, and you try to come down? I warn you it's cramped as a rabbit warren in here. Even you'll be hunched over, Lali. But I think that we need to get the whole group down to explore. Can you guys come down quietly when I signal?"

Cyanne puts her finger to her lips then blows Daen a kiss. She's a tall girl, so she has to bend her knees as she proceeds quietly forward towards the sounds of the conversation and the banging.

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Tango's Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

Despite the awkwardness of the tunnel, she manages to stay very silent indeed.


M Half Elf
Stats:
Magus (Kensai) 3 Init +4, perception +8 4/5/4, +7vs ench., 19/17/12, 7/15

Daen agrees with getting the rest of them in there, nodding his approval. He gives Cyanne a smile as she blows a kiss at him, suddenly giddy, as they are sort of alone. As she proceeds, he tastefully puts his hand on the small of her back for encouragement. Speaking up to the group, he whispers almost reluctantly. "For there to be enough mites to cause a problem, these tunnels will have to be extensive. We won't be able to lure them all up here. Come on down."


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The Once and Future Kingmaker Battle Maps, Kingmaker: Svetlana's Tale Battle Maps

Mite Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Mite Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

As Cyanne makes her way down the crude dirt stairs, her shoulders can't help but bounce softly off of roots hanging down into the tunnel. As she pokes her head around the corner, she sees what could only be a crude workshop. Three tiny workbenches stand in the center, covered with small tools and bits of scrap metal. However, more interesting than the tables themselves are the room's occupants.

One faces the entrance, while the other seems to have some sort of contraption in its hands. The one facing away from Cyanne has a balded blue head covered with little red pustules and acne. He aims down the sights of his contraption at his comrade, who's about as tall as Cyanne's waist. The impending target opens its mouth, revealing a half-dozen tiny metal caltrops, only to turn his head as he suddenly sees Cyanne. Unfortunately for the creature, his companion lets loose with the device, catapulting another caltrop off the target mite's ear. There's a moment of silence as they look at Cyanne with stunned, pathetic expressions, and then the two creatures start squealing at each other in the same tongue used before. The shooter fumbles for another caltrop, dropping it on the ground instead, while the target swallows the caltrops in his mouth, laughing.

Cyanne Init.: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Daen Init.: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
Kazimir Init.: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
Laliytsa Init.: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Luthor Init.: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Mites Init.: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Begin Round One: Order is Party, Mites (poor Mites).

Knowledge (nature, DC 8):
These hideous creatures are Mites. They're mean-spirited and considered the lowest of the low in fey circles. Cowardly, they often wait years between forays to the surface before their hatred and impotent rage overcomes their fearfulness.

Knowledge (nature, DC 13):
Mites have a way with vermin. They can imbue even mindless vermin with a modicum of intelligence. They also have a small amount of resistance to any damage from non cold-iron weapons as a result of their fey nature.


Male Human Witch 4
Stats:
HP: 30, Initiative: +6, Perception: +11, Sense Motive: +3 AC: 12 (T: 12, FF: 10), CMD: 14, Fort: 4, Refl: 3, Will: 6

"O-okay." Luthor replied, inadvertently stammering. He really didnt like heights. Anything more than his own height and a drop seemed dangerous to him. Shakily clambering over the edge, he gripped the rope tightly. "Ill go first, atleast then noone will get injured from me dropping on them." He said with an awkward, wavering smile.

Climb: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (11) + 0 = 11

Safely down, he exhaled a sigh of relief, turning to watch the tunnel that Daen and Cyanne hadn't entered. "Lets keep a look out Rikka." He said, trusting her eyes to be better than his in the darkness of the tunnel.


Female bard (duettist) 3 HP 15/23 | Init +3 | AC 15 T 13 FF 12 | CMD 14 | F +5 R +6 W +3 | Per +8
Resources:
Bardic Performance Rounds 11/11 | 14/20 arrows | 15/20 cold iron arrows | 13/28 waiting for Daen's answer

Cyanne stares for a second, dumbfounded by bizarre sight of the caltrop-swallowing mites. Then she realizes that they've spotted her too.

"મોન્સ્ટર શ્વાસ!* Backup, now!" Cyanne five foot steps away from the entrance, draws her scorpion whip, and casts dancing lights in the chamber, lighting up both mites.

*Elvish Swearword: "Orc breath!"

Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 Great...

"We have you outnumbered. Surrender!" Just in case, she repeats the message in Sylvan.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

____________________
Free action: Five foot step
Move action: Draw weapon
Standard action: Cast spell


M Half Elf
Stats:
Magus (Kensai) 3 Init +4, perception +8 4/5/4, +7vs ench., 19/17/12, 7/15

Once he heard the squawking of the mites in surprise, he felt in his chest that Cyanne was in danger. Moving his feet with purpose past Luthor, he caught up to his angel in the squat hallway. He ducked under her arm, catching a whiff of the scent of her hair as he burst into the dark workshop, pulling his sword in a sideways motion due to the cramped quarters. Once he was past Cyanne, he stopped in his tracks, not able to see anything. Calling upon eldritch energies, he lit up his sword, but the light was magical in that it glowed in the darkness, but failed to illumine even his own hand. In the dark, he waited for one of the creatures to reveal itself so he would know where to attack.

Move into workshop, Swift action to enchant Sword, Standard to Ready action to strike when someone turns on the lights.

If the lights go on:
Attack: 1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 8 - 2 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5


Male Human Witch 4
Stats:
HP: 30, Initiative: +6, Perception: +11, Sense Motive: +3 AC: 12 (T: 12, FF: 10), CMD: 14, Fort: 4, Refl: 3, Will: 6

Maybe it was that Luthor somehow sensed Daens need for light, or more likely, he had no intentions of joining any fight in pitch blackness. Whatever the reasoning, he conjured up four bright orbs of light, sending them down the tunnel. Once they were ahead of him, he followed, in case there were any bends up ahead which would spoil his line of sight.

Cast Dancing Light, moving 30 feet down the tunnel or until he reaches Cyanne. Will move the light into the room if able, making a conga line of the four lights so that light also shines in the tunnel.


Female bard (duettist) 3 HP 15/23 | Init +3 | AC 15 T 13 FF 12 | CMD 14 | F +5 R +6 W +3 | Per +8
Resources:
Bardic Performance Rounds 11/11 | 14/20 arrows | 15/20 cold iron arrows | 13/28 waiting for Daen's answer

Light everywhere!

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