Balodek's Ironfang Invasion

Game Master Balodek

"Definitely, lets spend a few days stocking up." Bor looks worried that this was going to aggravate his own curse. He begins jotting down a shopping list. He pulls out his cold iron cestus that could use a little help.

Definitely, Lets sell some loot and see what we can afford.

We just did a divvy, but then the DM dropped a bomb, so in case you missed it it’s here (link).

Faolan listens to the smart folk plan, knowing that he’s got it covered. ”My shield overcomes magic, cold iron, silver, adamantine, and alignment.” he promises after looking at the table (link). "And my backup shield is Cold Iron, but not good. How much is that potion of Bless Weapon?"

He'll buy four (at 25gp ea).

He hopes his usual approach, smash everything until it stops moving, will work. And he’s pleased with his additional mental protections, shifting his new cap on his head. He hopes he keeps the side up!

Yes, would like Bazsil's bow enchanted to holy for 16000/8000 crafted, if you can Krowe?

Bazsil ponders and makes preparations.

I did indeed miss that. Thanks!

Bor goes over several ideas as he tosses around his cold iron cestus.

Will purchase a +1 Cold Iron Fey-Bane Cestus if Krowe is able to help with that. Total cost (10,310 gp)

I can help with these, though we may want to focus on evil outsider bane? We are trying to gain fey allies, right?

You are attempting to gain fey allies by defeating the fey who have them imprisoned, so it's reasonable to get cold iron weapons that can handle good. Having read through Book 5 and 6 I can say you'll probably get more mileage out of Good weapons than Evil Outsider Bane weapons.

Karburtin and the dwarves of Kraggodan help you prepare your items for the journey to the Darkblight.

Ah okay, so holy then similar to what Bazsil is doing instead of Bane then is what you are saying. +1 Cold Iron Holy Cestus for 8k it is then.

You pack your gear, the map to the runestone, the notes for Karburtin's ritual, and some token dwarven battle bread before teleporting to the ranger fortress deep in the Fangwood. You see few rangers but they all nod or salute you in respect. They've been fighting a hard war for their lands and even with the damage caused by the dragon somewhat repaired, scars remain.

You recall the drunken fey revelry you disrupted at another fort and wonder if they were related to the fey you are about to meet. After a few meetings and updates on the war effort, you follow Karburtin's map deeper into the Fangwood. After a full day of travel you camp for the night and set out again the next morning.

Suddenly, the gnarled trees part and a lush, green clearing stretches for fifty feet. In the center stands a twenty-foot slab of bluestone etched with blocky runes and inlaid with gold and gems. The cankers and blotches that mar so many of the local trees are absent from the trees and plants that border this clearing.

Bazsil pauses, looking into the clearing, and at the bluestone.

"Well, this is ominous," Bazsil readies his bow, wondering how a stone that inlaid with gold hasn't been tampered with or whatever...unless it was protected.

"Should we just go around it? Might be the smarter thing to do...but then again, it seems to be keeping the blotching away, so might be a good place?"

Bazsil will keep watch with his bow.

"What do you suppose it says?" Bor looks to Krowe to see if he understands the meaning of the runes. "Plus it looks expensive. Do fey care about gems and such?"

"Might be a place to make camp while we're here, which would be nicer than under the boughs of these other trees. Let's check it out."

If not stopped, Faolan will ready his shield, activate his flight, and fly into the clearing. He stays low, just 10’ up as he looks around.

Perception: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (19) + 25 = 44

”I can’t imagine anything like this would survive the casual greed of most humanoids. Either it’s dangerous, or an illusion.”

Krowe examines the stone from a distance with magical senses first, and if it seems safe to approach, with with his linguistic skills.

Cast true seeing and detect magic.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (12) + 22 = 34
Arcana: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (5) + 24 = 29
Perception: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (6) + 19 = 25
Linguistics: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20

Known Languages: Common (Taldane), goblin, draconic, infernal, sylvan, aklo, terran, ignan, dwarven, undercommon, auran

The stone radiates a moderate aura of abjuration and based on your translations of the runes is part of a ward network to keep the Blight at bay. You estimate the stele to be at least 400 years old. You remember Karburtin talking about how the stones were slowly lost over the years due to human avarice, it's easy to see why that would be the case. The gold and gems seem to be part of the magic and if they were removed it would destroy the power of that stone. Chipping off a small part as Karburtin has asked would not cause a problem.

During your examination of the stone the rest of you watch the clearing and Bor and Bazsil see a woman approaching from the forest. She has terrible scars on her right arm and appears to have been in a fight recently.

"Thank the gods you are here. I thought I would die in this horrible place!"

Bazsil keeps his bow ready, though he's not aiming it at the woman.

"Well, maybe we can help you. Maybe you can help us? What is this place?" Bazsil offers in his deep rumbling voice.

1d20 + 28 ⇒ (12) + 28 = 40 Diplomacy

Faolan waives at the hairy brutes, "Be careful guys, she's got a couple of real knuckle draggers in the treeline covering her back. I dunno how tough they are, but they are ugly!"

He takes up a defensive position near, but in front of, Baszsil. He'll lower to 5' above the ground, flying easily.

Bor draws his shield as he calls out to the woman. "Stay where you are!" He grips the cestus. "This some sort of trap then Faolan?"

”If you have allies waiting to ambush us you might want to reconsider. We will not be trifled with. Speak quick, and speak the truth. We have ways to know if you are lying.”
Krowe tries to spot the threat in the trees, but takes precautions even if he can’t by casting a shield spell.

The woman smiles and stops moving. "I'm not sure what you mean travelers. I was attacked not far from here and fled. If you are not willing to help a woman in need then I will move on."

Perception: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (9) + 25 = 34
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (16) + 20 = 36

"I can still see them, but it's getting harder." he points them out to the others in case it helps.

"Sorry miss, but most folk out this way are likely to be hostile and, well, fey are said to be beautiful."

"Who are those brutes in the trees behind you and what attacked you?"

1d20 + 28 ⇒ (13) + 28 = 41 Sense Motive

"She's lying about something," Bazsil informs the team in a whisper as he casts Heroism first on himself, then on Faolan. "Not sure what she's lying about though. Something."

Bazsil waits to hear the answers to Faolan's questions, with his ear for tone and pitch hopefully able to detect falsehood.

1d20 + 28 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 28 + 2 = 49 Sense Motive

"Oh, you think I'm beautiful? Such nice words from such rude men. Well, I'm not sure why I thought I could trust you lot but I'll be on my way." She turns and moves away from you, not in the direction of the watchers Faolan spotted.

”I guess she doesn’t need help after all. She’s fine and in no danger,” Bazsil notes and waits for her to leave, and looks at Faolan for a report on what the goons are doing.

Faolan shrugs, but he's not surprised. If he was alone, and stumbled onto this lot, he wouldn't linger either.

He laughs and walks toward the goons in the treeline. "Gentlemen, is there something you need?"

Perception: 1d20 + 25 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 25 + 2 = 31 (heroism)

As the woman departs, Krowe moves to where she was standing. Adjusting his magic lenses he examines the area, studying her footsteps and looking to see if her injuries perhaps left any blood trail behind.

Survival to track?: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (4) + 21 = 25

"Just let her go on her way." Bor waves her off. "Be careful out here. You are on your own but the Hobgoblins completely surround us." Bor's eyes glow red as he looks to see if something may be playing tricks on his mind.

True Seeing.

Krowe finds no blood, the wounds looked more like burns. Her footprints end at the edge of the clearing, as soon as she would've been out of sight of you.

Faolan advances on the shadows where the large hairy men were waiting and finds them gone, with no trace of their passage either. You begin to wonder if this was real or not.

Bor's spell reveals nothing that normal sight did not. You can see that they were really here but they are also truly gone, not just invisible or hiding in shadows.

The encounter with the woman was unsettling and you have some questions about it, but she is gone for now. Your goal in this clearing is to complete a one hour ritual with a small piece of the rune stone in order to find the heart of the Blight. What is your plan?

"We should assume we are being watched, so perhaps we should be on our best behavior."

Krowe moves to the rune stone and examines it carefully before taking out his jeweler's tools and chipping away a small piece for the ritual.

Perform the ritual as needed. If a roll is required, use this I suppose?
Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (14) + 24 = 38

”Ayep, let’s get started,” Bazsil says, thinking about how to prepare. Bazsil will cast extended See Invisibility when Krowe is ready to start.

”Let’s get ready to make sure there are no interruptions.” Bazsil will scout the area, looking for a good place to do the ritual and where he can stand guard.

"Fey." Faolan mumbles, "Hard to know what they're doing/thinking/planning."

He keeps his eyes open while Krowe does the ritual. He doesn't want to get jumped while they're busy.

Perception: 1d20 + 25 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 25 + 2 = 47 (heroism)

"So any of you know how to perform this ritual?" He looks around unsure himself. "I'll help where I can."

With Karburtin's instructions you have no problem performing the ritual. The shard of runestone begins to tug you deeper into the forest, leading you towards the sardonyx shard. You move in the direction of the pull and ready yourselves for whatever you might find at the end of the spell.

It is not long, perhaps a hour after lunch, when you reach a muddy creek. Keeping a wary eye as you cross, you spot some smoke from around a bend in the slow moving water. Moving to investigate, cautiously, you see the ruins of a small village still smoldering. It is apparent from the size of what few buildings still stand that the inhabitants were smaller than humans or even dwarves.

Untrained in Knowledge Nature
Can't miss Perception check
Untrained in Knowledge Arcana
Can't miss Perception check

"Hey, check out these tracks. My but that's a big beasty. Hopefully it wandered far from here aye?" He points out some massive clawed tracks in the mud of the creek.

He also grabs the end of a satchel, secreted in the mud. "Check this out." he hands over four potions of cure serious wounds, three potions of good hope, and seven potions of haste.

He readies his shield in case that claw comes back, with whatever monster it's attached to!

1d20 + 16 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 16 + 2 = 23 Know (Nature)
1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 18 + 2 = 36 Perception
1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 12 + 2 = 20 Know (Arcana)
1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 18 + 2 = 37 Perception

”Yeah, I see. I think this was a quickling village, but those vicious lil buggers are all cleared out. I wonder if those tracks are the reason why. But mostly, not sure how anything could catch a quickling…they are really dang quick.”

Bazsil keeps an eye out for danger, and will help identify the items that Faolan found.

”Well, this is odd.”

Perception 1: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (2) + 21 = 23
Perception 2: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (18) + 21 = 39

Great find Faolan." Bor looks over the stash of potions. "You think that woman and two thugs did this?"

You aren't sure what destroyed the village, but you keep your eyes open for clawed creatures and move on. Faolan didn't get a good look at the feet of the lurkers before, but they didn't seem large enough and they appeared to be mostly hair. Still, stranger things have happened in a forest being consumed by an extradimensional rift to the plane of fungus, so who could say for sure.

After a few hours you encounter a small hillock with deep scrabbling marks carved into the soil, leading to an enormous tree. A large section of the tree’s bark has been stripped, and on the wood are words written in long-dried blood.

You see no signs of a struggle and nothing appears to attack you at the tree.

It is closer to dusk when you happen across a small swath of greenery and bubbling springs that appears clear of the Darkblight. You hear voices around you.

"Help!"
"We're over here!"
"It's too late."

Bazsil follows along, keeping his eyes open for all sorts of fey bullshit and traps.

1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 18 + 2 = 29 Perception

When nothing happens, he almost seems both more worried and disappointed. ”Whatever the fey are doing, they are laying it on rather thick. I wish they’d just try to trick us and get it over with.”

He looks around for the sources of the voices, thinking that this is more like it.

Faolan readies his shield and also looks around, "We'll help if we can. Who are you?"

Perception: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (17) + 25 = 42

For the earlier checks.
Perception: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (16) + 19 = 35
K Arcana: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (15) + 24 = 39

Krowe was distracted. The devastated fey village had reminded him of his own past, and he hadn’t realized what he’d seen in the tracks until later.

The tree with the sylvan warning shook him back to the present, and was explaining that to the mercs when the voices called out.

”I agree Bazsil. We shouldn’t trust voices we can’t see.”

Krowe casts a spell to see invisible things and scans the area.

See invisibility

"Leave them be Faolan. If we ignore them they will grow bored and stop." Bor rolls out his sleeping mat. "This looks free enough of the blight to set up camp. I'll take first watch."

Before Bor gets too comfortable, Krowe stops him.

See Invisibility reveals 6 small spongy shapes floating in the clearing.

Faolan also notices the giant plant in the middle of the clearing appears to be...quivering.

Krowe has stolen the element of surprise and may act first in Round 1. Enemies will go after that and then the rest of the party. They will not get a Surprise Round since you noticed them.

Dungeoneering: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (2) + 16 = 18

”Damned will-o-wisps!”
Krowe moves to touch as many of the mercs as he can with a spell to resist electrical energy.

Casting resist energy communal for electricity resistance 30. Not sure if I can get everyone, but will try to focus on Faolan and Bazsil if the group is too spread out.

Krowe lunges around, protecting each of you from the will-o'-wisp attacks. They converge on Bor and Faolan.

Touch Attack 1 @ Bor: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (18) + 18 = 36
Electrical Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (4, 6) = 10

Touch Attack 2 @ Bor: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (15) + 18 = 33
Electrical Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (6, 1) = 7

Touch Attack 3 @ Bor: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (5) + 18 = 23
Electrical Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6

Touch Attack 1 @ Faolan: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (14) + 18 = 32
Electrical Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (3, 7) = 10

Touch Attack 2 @ Faolan: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (11) + 18 = 29
Electrical Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (8, 1) = 9

Touch Attack 3 @ Faolan: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (13) + 18 = 31
Electrical Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7

In addition to that, the huge plant begins to move and attempts to eat Bor.

Sundew @ Bor: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (17) + 21 = 38
Damage: 2d6 + 10 ⇒ (4, 2) + 10 = 16
Acid: 1d6 ⇒ 4
A giant sundew’s body exudes a sticky adhesive, holding fast any creatures or items that touch it. A giant sundew automatically grapples any creature it hits with its slam attack. Opponents so grappled cannot get free while the sundew is alive without first removing the adhesive. A weapon that strikes a giant sundew is stuck fast unless the wielder succeeds at a DC 23 Reflex save. A successful DC 20 Strength check is needed to pry off a stuck weapon. Strong alcohol or universal solvent dissolves the adhesive, but the giant sundew can still grapple normally.

Party is up. Krowe has pretty much neutralized the wisps but the plant is surprisingly deadly.

Faolan, once it’s explained to him, wonders if anything can be done to counter the sticky plant. ”Can anyone grease me?” he asks before launching himself into battle.

Delay for grease (if that would even work with unarmed strikes?) or at least buffs.

”I’ll butter you up.” Krowe grins and casts grease on Faolan.

Sounds like the sundew might operate differently than a normal grapple, but hopefully this helps!

Bor is held fast by the sticky substance as he tries to keep the creature at bay.

Concentration Cast Defensively DC 29 (Greater Bestow Curse): 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (4) + 21 = 25

Being assaulted he has difficulty maintaining the spell. "Kill it quick!"

Round 1

Free/Swift: Start song.
Move: Draw bow.
Stnd: Shoot sunny dew.

"Do do do doody dooo..." Bazsil begins a song even as he shoots at the dew.

Magic adaptive longbow.
1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26 to hit;
1d8 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 2 = 10 piercing damage.

Faolan grins as the grease covers his body and music fills his ears! He launches himself forward (move to close) to fight the plant!

Unarmed Strike**: 1d20 + 20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 20 + 2 = 28 (song)
damage: 2d6 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (5, 3) + 6 + 2 = 16 (song)

** Knockout punch - If he hits, DC 23 Fort or be knocked unconscious for rounds: 1d6 ⇒ 1

In case the grease doesn’t do the job, or only acts as a circumstance bonus…
Stickiness: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18 vs DC 23 or my right hand is stuck.

Krowe covers Faolan in butter and the big man goes in swinging. Bazsil's arrow launches past the giant flower and Faolan's shield hits. Bor is having trouble concentrating with the wisps shocking him.

We'll give a circumstance bonus for the grease, in which case you're still stuck for now.

The wisps move over to shock Krowe and the plant squeezes Bor.

Touch Attack 1 @ Krowe: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (18) + 18 = 36
Electrical Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4

Touch Attack 2 @ Krowe: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (18) + 18 = 36
Electrical Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (2, 1) = 3

Touch Attack 3 @ Krowe: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (6) + 18 = 24
Electrical Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (2, 5) = 7

Touch Attack 4 @ Krowe: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (15) + 18 = 33
Electrical Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4

Touch Attack 5 @ Krowe: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (13) + 18 = 31
Electrical Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (8, 6) = 14

Touch Attack 6 @ Krowe: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (16) + 18 = 34
Electrical Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (8, 8) = 16

Constrict Damage @ Bor: 2d6 + 10 ⇒ (4, 4) + 10 = 18
Constrict Acid @ Bor: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Lightning, acid, and melted butter are flying through the clearing as Bazsil hums a lively tune.

EDIT: Fort Save for the plant. 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 15 = 33

Party is up.

Faolan, his right hand stuck, looks over his shoulder at Krowe, ”It didn’t work! I won’t be able to fight for long at this rate!”

Grappled, he sticks to his attacks using all his limbs as best he can - until he runs out.

Unarmed Strike: 1d20 + 18 + 0 ⇒ (13) + 18 + 0 = 31 (song, grappled)
damage: 2d6 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 5) + 6 + 2 = 14 (song)
Stickiness: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 32 vs DC 23 or my right foot is stuck.

Unarmed Strike: 1d20 + 18 + 0 ⇒ (3) + 18 + 0 = 21 (song, grappled)
damage: 2d6 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (2, 1) + 6 + 2 = 11 (song)
Stickiness: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (9) + 14 = 23 vs DC 23 or my right foot is stuck.

Unarmed Strike: 1d20 + 13 + 0 ⇒ (14) + 13 + 0 = 27 (song, grappled)
damage: 2d6 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 3) + 6 + 2 = 12 (song)
Stickiness: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18 vs DC 23 or my right foot is stuck.

Unarmed Strike: 1d20 + 13 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 13 + 0 = 18 (song, grappled)
damage: 2d6 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (2, 6) + 6 + 2 = 16 (song)
Stickiness: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26 vs DC 23 or my left foot is stuck.

Unarmed Strike: 1d20 + 8 + 0 ⇒ (13) + 8 + 0 = 21 (song, grappled)
damage: 2d6 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 2) + 6 + 2 = 11 (song)
Stickiness: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29 vs DC 23 or my left foot is stuck.

I think my right arm and right foot are now stuck. So he's repeatedly kicking it with his left foot until it gets stuck too, then I suppose we're down to headbuts as his shield arm has his shield and he's not giving that up - at least for now.

Concentration Cast Defensively DC 29 (Greater Bestow Curse): 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (11) + 21 = 32
Concentration Grappled check DC 17 + Grapplers CMB (Greater Bestow Curse): 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (1) + 21 = 22

Bor tries to squirm free but can't manage to escape the creatures grasp long enough to cast a spell. His face begins to turn a lovely shade of purple.