GM Aarvid PFS #3-09: The Quest for Perfection - CORE (Inactive)

Game Master GM Aarvid

Another arrow flies past the riders while Huck reloads.

The entangle was really big here or they would have you out-gunned instead of this Varasani Stand-Off.

Ruth reloads her crossbow kneels a little to rest the crossbow on the deck railing for added support and fires another arcane charged bolt at the leader.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Do I get cover from the railing?

Yes, Ruth would have cover from Meredith and the tiller as well. For future reference, the rails do not offer much cover to those standing as they are not very high or dense on this boat.
But kneeling/laying would work. This works both for you and them unless you are against the rail while shooting.

Ruth fires a shot and again hits the leader. With the second injury, half his forces scattered or entangled, you see the leader raise a fist and the riders stop.

*Out of Combat*

The riverboat continues downstream, leaving the would-be ambush to the receding shore.

Feel free to perform any after-combat actions/healing etc.

About a half-day’s travel downriver from the Kogendu Basin and ambush you notice a change in the terrain.

Several horses and goats contentedly graze about the wide grassy plain on either side of the river, but the fields look as though they have been recently flooded. A half-dozen yurts, drenched from a recent storm, dot the northern shoreline, smoke curling from their rounded roofs. Two small shrines sits a few yards east of the camp, surrounded by wildflowers.

"Good, they backed off. Those idiots." Meredith shakes her head and continues sailing the craft.

“Ah,before I forget, you’ll also need you to make a quick stop along the way. The ritual requires a large amount of rare incense—more than I could easily procure from any of my local suppliers—so I’ve contacted a nomadic tribe in Shaguang,

the Jhemulit, and they have agreed to provide you with the prepared herbs. I’ve Already paid their shaman, a man named Ogokai, and I’ve marked their approximate
location on your map, so it’s simply a matter of picking up the incense on your way to Shokuro."

Some time later she peers the village. "This must be the local tribe, right? We need to get some incense from them."

Let's heal up before we do anything. After we stop the boat at the village Ruth walks up to Meredith and hands her a wand. "Please use this wand on healing on yourself and I as much as needed."

Assuming Meredith uses the wand.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 Ruth is full HP

"Yes this may be the village we need or it could be another fight. We should be on our guard." ruth pulls another wand off her belt and touches her chest while saying a short command word. Mage Armor

Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
"Thanks. A trade's a trade though. Use this on me and yourself." Meredith hands the wand back to Ruth, then hands her a wand of Mage Armor.

"Hopefully those fools won't follow us anymore."

Huck finishes loading his crossbow just in case he needs it again and then stand back up. "It must be, yes. I would welcome some time on shore anyways. Maybe they can tell us who those attackers were."

Ruth uses the wand from Meredith on the Druid. ... well at least one person beside me thought of bringing protection and healing on this dangerous mission ... "Thank you Meredith but I have my own protection wand. I will use yours on you whenever you want thou."

Anyone who wants me to use an Arcane wand on you I will. Just make sure let me know and track your own charges. Also I will not use it in combat unless it is the best option at the time.

A short, middle-aged Tian-La man with graying hair and a scraggly beard sees your ship approach from around a bend in the river and waves you ashore on the northern bank of the Tuunma.

"Hello!" Huck calls to the woman. "Do you speak the Common tongue?"

He then tries Halfling. "An bhfuil Gaeilge agat?"

And Elven, "Ma quetet Quenya?"

He then looks around to see if anyone else has a language they can share with this woman, or at least some magic to make communication easier.

Saldoc grabs a rope and holds it above his head, offering to throw it to the man in order to help them dock the boat. Hi! I think you are looking for us?

Ruth stands up straight, brushing her clothes off and holding her chin high. Yelling down to the man at the shore."Hello Sir, we are Pathfinders here to see Ogokai about some herbal incense. Can you let him know we have arrived."

Assuming Meredith guides the craft close enough for the rope, Saldoc tosses it. The man catches it and tethers the craft to a post at the shore.

Me Ogokai. Welcome. Come. Follow me. he says with a grin and deep eastern bow.

Once you have disembarked, he leads you to the small shrine a short distance away from the camp so they can discuss important matters in private.

Ogokai and Jhemulit tribe welcome you, friends of Gokan woman.
You stay the night in extra yurt my tribe has set up for you, yes?

You see a couple of tribesmen with spears and bows near the yurts closer back to the ship.

Map updated for reference

Ogokai and Jhemulit tribe welcome you, friends of Gokan woman.

You stay the night in extra yurt my tribe has set up for you, yes?

"Thank you for your hospitality. We'll certainly stay the night."

"Well met Ogokai." Ruth give the man a slight bow. "Yes we will stay the night."

Ogokai looks relieved when you accept his hospitality...almost as if he was nervously waiting for the answer.

Ogokai gladly shares much information about the area as well as his people, and shares the following information with you once the topic of the incense comes up.

His face grows very serious.

“We have mixed the incense, but I am afraid we cannot give it to you. As soon as we placed the herbs in the crates the Gokan woman left, a terrible storm fell upon us. Many of our horses and goats were scared away by the thunder, and one man was struck by lightning. It is clear—the Sky Spirits are displeased we would give the sacred gifts of the land to outsiders. You may take back the hides the Gokan woman traded us, but you may not take the incense.”

But wait, we need that! Without it the trip is pointless! There must be something we can do to convince you to keep your end of the bargain.

Diplo: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

He shakes his head and crosses his arm.

“I am afraid that the Sky Spirits have spoken, and unless you can provide proof
that you are worthy of accepting these gifts of our land, then I do not wish to give you the incense.”

Proof? What sort of proof do you need?

There is always a catch. But I do like the tribe. They are less...distracted with society. Meredith nods.

"Saldoc is correct. Let us prove ourselves to the Sky Spirits."

Ogokai smiles at Meredith's comments.

"You are wise to the call of nature as well." followed by a greeting in druidic.

He bows then closes his eyes and after a moment of silent meditation he raises his arms as he stares into the distance.

“The Sky Spirits work in mysterious ways, but they are found mostly in this western region of Shaguang, near the Wall of Heaven. They occasionally fly overhead, and we know to fear them, for in our ancestors’ tales they have caused the ruin of many tribes.”

So, we need to go there and prove ourselves to them? Saldoc looks at Meredith and then back to Ogokai. If that's what it takes...

Huck nods along. "Of course! If we need to prove ourselves to the Sky Spirits in order to get the incense, then that's just what we'll do!"

Meredith nods to the man.

"We will visit and appeal to the Sky Spirits after some rest. What is the best way of communicating with them?"

At this point you have a few options:
1) Diplomatically convince him you are worthy of the incense.
2) Intimidate him into giving the incense to you.
3) Acquire it by some other means.

Please, we really do not have the time to waste. You must be able to tell that we are honorable people! Surely the Sky Spirits can see that! If they didn't want you to give us the incense they would have simply destroyed the incense. Doesn't that make more sense?

Diplo: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Unfortunately, someone other than Saldoc can try to be diplomatic. He stopped listening to the rogue.

Retry? You cannot use Diplomacy to influence a given creature’s attitude more than once in a 24 hour period. If a request is refused, the result does not change with additional checks, although other requests might be made.

Being used to getting what she wants Ruth's face tenses. "Fine! If you will not give us what we paid for then where can we find the amount of herbs we need?" Ruth stands tall with her arms crossed over her chest. ... can never trust savages to keep their word ...

"Certainly, we are-"
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Meredith breaks into a terrible coughing fit. "Maybe we need a day to recollect ourselves."

Huck shrugs and looks about. "We'd be willing to help you out around here, if there's anything we can do and if that might prove our worth."

Diplomacy aid: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

@Huck. Thanks. I had assumed Saldoc was attempting diplomacy to influence again (since the roll does not say...and I never paid much attention to the nuances between the influence vs request aid).
I am going to assume the old man is at least indifferent (mod does not explicitly say, but since he is offering free shelter). Saldoc hits the DC for the request.

Ogokai silently considers Saldoc's request, not much impressed with the others at the moment. He stares in the rogue's eyes....then relents.

Oh, very well. I probably should not do this lest the great sky spirits be angered. But I cannot dishonor my clan and go back on my word so easily to my guests. I trust you to do likewise should our places be switched.

He smiles uneasily and the guards relax.

Now we must feast and share stories before we retire to the night.
If the great Sky Spirits are to come, at least we will be well fed and rested!

He shows you to the extra yurt his small tribe has set up, and provides you with as much humble food and drink as you need.

I read it as a new call for rolls, etc. since there was three options listed. I thought Saldoc would choose to ask again so I rolled Diplo again. Sorry I wasn't clear.

No worries. It works better this way...especially after I saw the next set of "assists" :)

Thanks for saving our bacon, Saldoc.

What? Did he not hear me?

"A feast? Yes, let's do that."

Well, we might as well enjoy the company and then get some rest, huh? I can take the first watch if you guys want.

... Wow! The rogue was able to sway the savage ... I am impressed ... Ruth's relaxes as the negotiations have completed to our satisfaction. In a much better mood Ruth will eat with the villagers and try to learn a little about their native language.

Linguistics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

"A feast?" Huck's eyes brighten and his hand instinctively pats his beer-belly. "I would be delighted! I think we're going to get along just fine."

Ruth will also ask the locals about any dangers that we can expect on the way to the village of Nesting Swallow in Shokuro.

Diplomacy: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
"Well, thank you for helping us. You listen to the sky spirits? I listen to the voice of the land. The trees and plants, in particular."

Knowledge(Nature): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Meredith spends her time talking to the villagers about the various plants she's seen, and comparing stories with them about their lives. She's much more comfortable out here than in the city.

The locals are more than happy to talk to Ruth and Meredith on the surrounding area's flora and fauna.

Many hazards in and around river. Both man and beast. Bandits, river snakes, rapids. Too many to count. Travel safe.

Ogokai speaks with Meredith of the concerns of the natural realm.

We nomadic Jhemulit have established ourselves in this area in the past few weeks, having led our horses and goats here to graze on the plentiful grass.
The runoff from the Wall of Heaven ensures that this area never experiences drought, but like much of Shaguang it is caught in the mountains’ rain shadow, and thus water is relatively sparse the farther one travels from the river Tuunma.

The night comes and stars come out. The guards are set and the shaman shows you to your yurt.

Sleep well, friends.

"I'll take last watch." Ruth turns and walks toward the yurt to bed.

Without any other interruptions you sleep off the ample food and strong drink without incident. A guard wakes you at sunrise.

It should be good day for sailing today. We hope you are well rested.

Saldoc yawns after waking up. Yep, all's good! Saldoc then asks, Sailing? Not another boat.

As you load the bundles onto your river vessel, the shaman and guards wave goodbye.

Take care on the river, friends. Other peoples are not as friendly as we are.
Safe journey, wherever you are heading.

After sailing for almost the entire day...

Clumps of green lichen cling to the links of an iron chain that spans the river a few inches above the water, the chain holding several vertical, bobbing logs in place. On the north shore, the chain is bolted to a squat stone block half-buried in the ground. To the south, the chain attaches to a large metal crank handle mounted to a ruined stone wall. A short wooden dock stretches from the front of the stone wall out to the middle of the slow-flowing river.

The checkpoint is overseen by an officious bureaucrat and there are three guards with him, who motion for your ship to stop and dock.

"And safe days to you, friend. May the Sky Spirits continue to protect you."

"Not too bad, all things considered." Meredith takes control of the wheel. "It was nice and peaceful there."

The day of sailing is quiet, and Meredith spends her time listening to the sounds of the river. Her carefree attitude fades away as she hears the clinking of the chains at the nearby checkpoint.

"And it was so quiet...what do these idiots want?" Meredith starts to slow down and line up with the docks.

They appear to be a boarding party searching for contraband or smuggled goods.

In addition to the bags of incense you just loaded, you recall you are carrying the relic Braid of a Hundred Masters for your main mission.
I need to know who is carrying it...or if it is stored in the boat someplace.

Ruth quickly uses her wand on herself and Meredith before the boat reached the dock. Mage Armor

If I can use Slight of Hand to try to hide the Braid if I'm searched I can carry it. Otherwise it may be better off somewhere else.

Maybe we just have to check in?

"Let's see if they can be reasonable, at least." Huck suggests.