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Kord walks up to Albis and kneels, and holds out his hand palm down. He patiently waits for the wolf's (and Niza's) approval before scratching behind it's ears. "Magnificent." It is 'kindest' act any have seen the half-orc take. "Have no worries about this one." The paladin takes out the wand and activates the magic held within.
You buy the supplies you want before setting off in the heat. The 20-mile journey to the Gold Crown mining operation in the Bandu Hills takes the PCs across mostly level terrain following a well-worn trail into arid and rocky hills. The mining camp is located in an isolated gorge in the shadow of sheer basalt cliffs. At the entrance to the gorge, Albis is the first to notice the scent of decay clinging in the air in the gorge. By the time you come across the camp, the smell is overwhelming.
Hexagonal basalt columns scarred by mining tools line the walls of the gorge. The floor of the gorge is a patchwork of scrub grass and leafless vegetation flattened by frequent traffic. Wooden scaffolding, mining equipment, and trampled tents lie abandoned across the camp. Corpses of laborers rent limb from limb lay amidst the camp’s wreckage, and dried blood darkens the rocks. Several banners depicting a golden crown adorn the scaffolding.
You spot an undead creature feasting on a corpse just as it spots you coming round a bend in the gorge. Beyond the bodies is a hut
As Albis gives Niza a look of do we have to come down here most of the rest of the party acts
Bold to act
Kord
Yridhrendir
Niza
Gruk
Ahmande
Other thing
Kaya
Undead Thing
Albis
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Pointing towards the corpses littering the ground, Gruk advises his companions.
"Though the festrog be a runt
yall need to be quite blunt.
If ya slice a griever
you'll gain a fever!
If I use these blades, I'll need a shunt...
Stepping forward, he points to the Zombie, as he announces "Oh, and that there's a zombie. They are problematic too."
Gruk Inspires
Kord Moves
Niva Multitasks
Yridhrendir Channels
One postule on the festrog bursts into nothing Although the Zombie's arm burns at the starlight of Desna
Initiative Bold to act
Kord
Yridhrendir
Niza
Gruk
Ahmande
Zombie (-3)
Kaya
Festrog (-1)
Albis
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Almost out of habit, Ahmandé nearly begins a performance intended to inspire his allies, but finds that Gruk is spinning fascinating rhymes, so he changes his approach. He moves up until he's just close enough to the creatures to cast a spell. Gesturing as he moves, he slips his hand into his pouch, his fingers emerging with a greasy coating, like butter. As he rubs his fingers together, a much larger patch of what seems like the same butter appears under the feet of both undead.
A grease spell covers a solid surface with a layer of slippery grease. Any creature in the area when the spell is cast must make a successful Reflex save or fall. A creature can walk within or through the area of grease at half normal speed with a DC 10 Acrobatics check. Failure means it can't move that round (and must then make a Reflex save or fall), while failure by 5 or more means it falls (see the Acrobatics skill for details). Creatures that do not move on their turn do not need to make this check and are not considered flat-footed.
The festrog suddenly finds its footing all over the place and falls prone. The zombie rises and promptly falls over falls over.
Initiative
bold to act
Kord
Yridhrendir
Niza
Gruk
Ahmande
Zombie (-3) prone
Kaya
Festrog (-1) prone
Albis
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Kaya watches all her teammates spring into action, wondering what the heck is going on! Realizing she is just standing there watching, she dashes around the corner to see what is happening.
Eyes wide she surveys the scene and pulls out her crossbow, thinks for a second and says, "Uh... Gruk, I feel all inspired and whatnot... but can I shoot them with my crossbow?"
The festrog crawls out of the greased area and tries to take a bite out of Kord
It struggles to find his boots
Shouts of "Help us! Watch out for the undead monsters!" emerge from the hut in at least two different voices.
Albis stays put
Initiative (Bold to act)
Kord
Yridhrendir
Niza
Gruk
Ahmande
Zombie (-3) prone
Kaya
Festrog (-1)still prone
Albis
Kord also has an aoo from the Festrog crawling up to him
Gruk decapitates the zombie and Kord and Yridhrendir finish off the Festrog. As the sounds of battle fade a voice from inside the hut calls out "Is it safe to come out yet?"
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"What are ya?" he asks the unseen voice, as he wipes the gore from his blade on the ground. "Should we be expectin another fight?"
Taking a hand off the hilt of his blade me mumbles to himself "boch lughoStaHvIS!" Waving the free hand he forms a shimmering circle of purple light before him. Peering through it, Gruk looks at each corpse in turn.
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Kaya crinkles her nose at the stench, now more noticeable as her adrenaline starts to fade. Keeping her crossbow out and loaded in case the inhabitants of the cabin aren't friendly, she watches intently as Gruk weaves a spell. Ah, a wise call. I'll have to ask if he sees any auras and offer to help identify them once we figure out if the people are friendly.
Three rather bedraggled humans emerge. Not had a bath in about three weeks and in sore need of proper food and water. "Kobolds attacked first took nearly a dozen hostage and marched em off. The gods know where to. Their priest did some ritual to old skerries and he bacame that thing. he points at the Festrog.
They have two high quality picks and a large wooden shield of similar quality. Gruks spell finds no new magic
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"You said the kobolds had a priest that did that..." Yri says, also gesturing to the festrog.
"Can you remember any insignia or holy symbols he might have worn or displayed? Perhaps a word he might have used that stuck out?" He also takes out some more rations and two more water skins and offers them to the other humans.
"I am sorry to press you so, especially so soon after such a harrowing experience. It is just that with what you have told us about the hostages, I am extremely concerned for their safety, as are my friends. The more information we have, the better prepared we can be to rescue them.", he says with genuine sympathy.
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Kaya looks at the poor state of the humans and walks over, pulling out a wand after slinging her crossbow over her shoulder. "Were any of you injured? I can help if you were." She thinks for a second as they respond, "oh, and how long ago did they take the hostages?"
She responds to Kord with a shrug, "I could never figure out tracking. All footprints look the same to me. Sorry."
"Must have been the kobolds they came a few days ago and the damm thing turned up just after they left. Got any food or water it's a long trek back to fort Bandu. You those Aspis guys we heard so much about?"
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Handing the man some trail rations and a waterskin, "What direction? Turning to his allies, "Unless one of you think you can track 'em."
"Can you remember any insignia or holy symbols he might have worn or displayed? Perhaps a word he might have used that stuck out?" He also takes out some more rations and two more water skins and offers them to the other humans.
"Of course I can! May Desna heal you with her radiance."
The priest then channels the positive energy of his faith to heal the survivors.
He will also take out his wand and offer more healing for each as necessary.
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The shimmering light vanishing, Gruk announces "Welp, only magics are what we brought with us it seems." Glancing towards the pitiful looking men, he ponders their information a moment, before realizing his companions seem to have the matter well in hand.
He decides to look around for any obscure tracks that may hint at the direction of travel. However, he finds only his own prints in the dirt.
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Niza gently calls Albis over to her. He comes to her willingly. She scratches his head between his ears. Looking into his blue eyes, she orders, “Track.”
Albis puts his nose on the ground and tries to sniff out the kobolds.
While Albis tries to locate the kobolds by scent, Niza searches the area looking for footprints.
The one on the right offers the middle one doing all the talking one of Yridhrendir's waterskins as the one on the left offers a piece of Jerky from Kords rations. Yridhrendirs healing with channnel and wand is much appreciated too.
"You mean your Pathfinders! Like that Sharrowsmith guy? the one on the left asks incredulously. The one on the right counters "Yeah Bob they're Pathfinders. They turned up helped us out and fed and watered us. Do you see any actual aspis here? Thank you for your rescue Pathfinders. We are feeling strong enough for the trek back to Fort Bandu. We wish you good luck tracking down those kobolds. They came from the direction Sharrowsmith headed off to come to think. I am sure the Gold crown people back at Fort Bandu would appreciate you keeping stum about the size of the claim here.[/b]
Albis and Niza follow the tracks and you follow a loose trail of some medium and small humanoids that head further into the valley. You find yourselves at another. This ancient valley nestled in the Bandu Hills is well hidden, being almost impossible to spot from more than a mile away. Ancient megalithic stones—most of which are toppled and partly buried—ring the border of this deep valley. These stones, long since weathered by time and encrusted with vegetation, serve as the only indication that humanoids may have at one time settled this region. The thick forest canopy of the valley below hides any sign of civilization—ancient or otherwise— from outside observers. The dwarven engravings on the stones mark this as the entrance to the valley of the city of Ashkurhal
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Kaya's eyes light up when she sees the ancient stones. Tracing her hands over the runes, she starts smiling. "Hey everyone. Hey I think we are here. Yeah, this has gotta be where that old transcription was talking about. I know it is getting late but I think we better push on. Who knows what kind of trouble those hostages and Mr. Sharrowsmith might be in."
With that she prepares to follow the others into the valley. Crossbow in hand, loaded.
I recommend the survival check
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Before the workers head off to return to Fort Bandu, Ahmande asks a favor. "Make sure you mention the aid we offered today. We had difficulty convincing the praetor to allow us to investigate instead of Aspis. It would help if he knew he made the right decision."
Ahmande allows those with better wilderness knowledge to handle the tracking of the kobolds, especially when it comes to a 300 ft drop. "I'm going to leave this to you experts. I don't want to make the wrong choice about that!"
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Nodding in agreement with her companions as they talk to the frightened subjects, Gruk follows their path to the cliff.
His thoughts drift towards the possibly results dallying would cause the kobold's captives. Shaking his head to clear the images violently, the half-orc grimly replies. "Yes, we should push on."
Staring down the cliff face, he frowns. "Not much of a climber I must admit. There's got to be a better way to get down there..."
Maybe it was something written in the stones that tipped Kaya off but as the rest of the party can only find the clues pointing to a game of lead the humans to the cliff edge being played by the kobolds Kaya finds the track down between two stones.
The switchback path twists and turns it's way to the valley bottom and the party can continue on its way
The dense forestation of the valley jungle thins here, opening up enough to reveal the sky through the canopy. Beneath this opening, an ancient ruin consumed by the jungle is barely visible. Vines and leafy foliage encrust toppled blocks of quarried stone, tall grass grows up between derelict paving stones, and squat statues depicting dwarves in heavy armor stand crooked or fractured entirely from the infiltration of twisting roots. Among the more notable features here are the exotic flowers—tall, pitcher-shaped, golden blooms with seven petals, the interior of each a deep red. The soothing fragrance of the flowers fills the valley, and motes of pollen drift lazily in the air.