"grrr... yet you're not saying your people will stop killing trees in this forest... always... always with your WORDS!!! YOUR MEANINGLESS WORDS!" yells Trajet, as she finally snaps.
bold can go
SURPRISE:
Trajet orders Firepaw to attack (free action - fail: the bear stays there and does the chewbacca yawn/roar...) and starts casting something.
Kimjonghealz can act in the surprise round.
Round 1:
ANCIENT TREE: The tree speaks as Trajet starts casting, "Dear guests! please show mercy to my children!! They are sometimes misguided!!"
Kimjonghealz
Frostwind
Yuukyou
Trajet/Firepaw
Ren
Umberto
Bielsi
Polgrin
Surprise Round Handle Animal:
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In the surprise round Kim will ready herself for battle by moving forward, ready to confront the attackers, who betrayed the group.
In the first round of combat, Kim will move forward, shield and sword at the ready, and engage the bear, Firepaw.
....But in her haste to battle, promptly misses her strike.
ANCIENT TREE: "...you... display the same faith as Honaria, but none of her honor! Honaria would not have drawn steel against a bear cub! show mercy to my children or see my wisdom fade quickly!"
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Yuukyou looks at the ensuing battle, backing up and swearing softly.
Please don't die, Please don't die...
He shouts to the tree...
Tree! I promise I will try not to kill her!
He holds out his hand and his eyes begin to glow in a sickly rainbow of color. As he speaks, his voice a disturbing reverb.
YOUR MIND IS MINE!
ANCIENT TREE: Have mercy! I will say no more... and the tree falls silent. His mouth seemingly disappear from view.
Trajet reels backwards as the force of Yuukyou's mental assault slams into her mind... her nose and ears and eyes begin bleeding and she cries in pain, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!"
Firepaw defends himself. for damage.
Trajet's spell is wasted as her mind is blown apart... she 5-foot steps backwards, draws a scroll as a move action, and casts a spell.
Ren, Umberto and Bielsi are up!
for
The bear pats the tankard away and the beer ends up on Kimjonghealz' dress. Liking the smell of it, the bear nearly bites Umberto's left hand off trying to get to the final drops at the bottom of the mug!
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Things are quickly spiraling out of control. One of their guides has turned against them. There's a small, but dangerous bear on the verge of a rampage and the tree they came to talk to seems disinclined to do so.
Bielsi decides they need some time to calm everything down.
Reaching into his mind, he flings an overwhelming sense of terror at Trajet.
"Don't hurt her!" he calls to Zarisha.
[Frightened for rounds]
A terrible fear, a dread, comes over Trajet. She trembles like a leaf, and cold sweat starts to bead on her forehead. She must go. Leave this place. The forest intruders in front of her are the vanguard of a terrible apathy that will take over all of the land and blight all plants into rot and decay. Then, now, later. It has happened. It will again. Why is the forest still green though? The phantom's eyes are lifeless and pointless and have seen this. She looks to the treetops, where the green transforms the light in more green... perhaps there...
Ren is up.
Trajet starts climbing the ancient tree at an amazing speed... within seconds she is more than 30 feet up and branching out to the tall canopy that stretches over the river. The bear, uncontrolled, reverts to his 'defend' training and tries to follow the gnome druid the best he can from his ground position and withdraws east. Polgrin accepts Ren's plea for peace and sheathes his spear.
[COMBAT OVER]
The ancient tree's face returns. "I am glad the fighting stopped. We are all brothers and sisters flying on one big rock amidst many rocks that all twirl around the life giving sun endlessly. Our diversity, when viewed from the emptiness of space are just tiny pixels of color that together make up the tapestry of life that clings so tenuously in the coldness of the void. We are all in this together. Fighting is like a cancer or virus that's meant to keep our numbers down sometimes, but some other times it's just darn stupid, like a snake with an extra head on its tail trying to fight the head that's in the right place... especially when one end wants to learn something from the other end. Which leads me to ask, why are you here?
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Yuukyou breathes deep, trying to come down from his psychic influence.
His eyes slowly stop glowing and he coughs a few times, wincing.
Sorry about that. Ehem... as we where saying before... un-pleasantries happened, that we are looking stories you might tell us about Alcasti. They where the ancestor of a patron of ours, but the records of their deeds have gone missing. Being recorders of history, we seek to rediscover this lost past and return with those stories. We had hoped you might help.
"Ah... you are quite, direct... but not just in words as you boldly offered your life to sue for peace with my cousin Polgrin!! I see your intent is pure... Hmmmm.... let me see, little candle of peace... I must think back. ... ...... ..yes... yes... She was a commander in the outlanders’ army some years ago, before they split into squabbling nations. She came to round up fugitives in the woods, but she always treated the Wildwood Lodge with respect."
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"Fugitives? Was there a band of them that operating out of the Verduran Forest? Our lore tells of Honaria leading an army, did she come with an army to pursue fugitives or has out lore forget too much?"
"As you offer us shade, we offer you water. The tempers here are like the dry summer grasslands of home, one spark away from an inferno. Can we help?"
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Umberto apologizes to Kimjonghealz for the wayward tankard. Sorry, lass. Just trying to distract the bear. He ended up getting the better of me. He winces as he stretches an arm bit by the bear.
"And that, dear boy, is why I don't fight and drink. Carry a shield, will you, so as to better defend yourself. But, apology accepted."
"Hmmm... no. I don't think she was buried in these woods."
To Ren, the ancient tree says, "The fugitives? uh... they were outlanders who Honaria said were stealing from other outlanders. She said they used to be another part of the same army. The fugitives never gave us any problems, but the conflicts of outlanders are non of my concern."
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You'd think she was the one drinking. Umberto says with a smirk and raised hands signifying a joke.
Turning to the tree, Do you know how Honoria fared with the fugitives? Was it a successful rout? Or perhaps, do you know where we can find out more about the results of their encounters?
To Umberto and Bielsi, the ancient tree says, "Honaria broke the fugitives’ army and captured their leaders. We never heard from them again. Many of her fallen enemies were buried in a cave not far from here. Their bones are long gone, but a sword or two might remain. You may search through it if you’d like."
The cave is not far from the tree, but without the tree’s direction, you would have not noticed it as the entrance is covered in lush ivy that makes it look like you're staring at a cliff. A quick dig reveals several split helms and broken swords, each bearing the fox insignia of a unit in the ancient Taldan army.
CONCLUSION - QUEST 1
Although the tree had many fine things to say about Honaria, its testimony alone would not be enough to pass muster in the courts of Oppara. However, the broken equipment of her enemies adds weight to the story, particularly because the unit it belonged to was disbanded for treason.
The druids ashamedly lead you all back to your boat, and Trajet gives you her treeform cloak (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Equipment 269) as a part of their apology
Once you return to return to Oppara, Muesello congratulates you on your success in the Verdurant Forest, and tells you that Remaio will meet you the next morning to assist you in your next quest.
The next morning you make your way to the second location on your list, an easy feat as the blue dome and fluted spires of the Basilica of the Last Man rise from the skyline of Oppara. The basilica rests atop a tall hill, whose rolling, grass-covered slopes are free of the usual bustle of city life. A carriage bearing the symbol of a pegasus on its doors stops at the foot of the hill.
A young man in fine clothing steps out of the carriage and gives a polite nod. "Honored to make your combined acquaintance, valued members of the Pathfinder Society. My name is Remaio. Thank you all for coming. We’re here to check on the bust I mentioned in my note and, if we can, convince Brother Valicus to let us move it to a safer location. The gods know I’ve tried, but he just won’t listen to reason."
Remaio steps down, and gives his driver a gold piece.
"I don't know why Brother Valicus is being stiff here. Let us all go in and see, shall we? Perhaps with you all present, he will come to their senses."
The basilica is not as busy as it was before the death of Aroden. Most of its halls are long empty and its side rooms are blanketed in dust.
Remaio explains that he has visited Valicus several times before and has no trouble leading them to the brother’s workshop. As you all enter the workshop, you find Valicus searching the place. When he notices you approaching, he explains that the bust has gone missing, along with several other relics. This admission infuriates Remaio, who begins shouting at Valicus, accusing him of losing the bust on purpose by deliberately providing it with inadequate protection.
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"Yes, as Umberto said; a calm approach will serve all our interests here. I'm sure the other missing relics are a blow to Valicus and he is distraught also. Since Valicus is invested in recovering the bust and the other relics, I'm sure he will will be very helpful in telling us exactly what happened. Right Valicus?"
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Bielsi appears alone, though Zarisha is actually housed in his consciousness. He has found that people in cities are often a little nonplussed by seeing a literal phantom, whether in corporeal or incorporeal form walking down the street.
He is more than a little fascinated by the Basilica since it is dedicated to a dead god but people still show it respect and interest.
He winces as the shouting begins, though it is rather suspicious. He also studies Valicus for signs of treachery.
"Perhaps if you told us what other items were stolen it would aid our investigation, as well," he comments.
Remaio takes a deep breath and Valicus explains that he only left the relics untended for a few minutes. Several metal relics, including the bust, were gone when he got back.
Valicus pipes up at Ren's remark, "This literally just happened a minute ago! maybe the other staff saw something when I was gone though!"
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Though they have a myriad of differences, most religions share some traits, as do their places of worship. Bielsi frowns and looks around the place, searching the walls and passages for likely and hidden paths that the thieves might have taken in and out, for disruptions in the normal flow of the people passing through the area, and anyone who does not seem to fit in.
Though it is accompanied by a constant barrage of commentary on how pointless it all is, Zarisha adds her knowledge to his own from the spot just behind his eyes where she sits in her spiritual state.
Bielsi and Umberto's knowledge of religious architecture and patterns reveal a concealed door, which opens to reveal a spiral staircase leading to the basilica's basement.
Survival check everyone! ...and Perception too!
KJH: you hear the ratfolks snicker in the room to the east... the double doors are ajar... you also see their tracks in the dust going there.