Few dare tread through the ancient groves of the Verduran Forest, and those who do settle in these woodlands tend to stay close to their communities. Mystery and danger rarely deter agents of the Pathfinder Society, however. When the semi-retired Pathfinder Falbin ventured from his home deep in the wood, he came across an unexpected pocket of flourishing growth and summer weather in the middle of the wintery forest. He fears that this disturbance is the work of a cabal of druids whose mayhem the Society ended six years ago. Have the druids returned to wreak havoc, or are other forces at play?
Post here and delete the post to activate your PFS character in the game.
After days of travel you arrive in Bellis via riverboat. You review a letter given to you by Venture-Captain Brackett of the Almas Lodge explaining the mission.
Maps updated
The Sellen River bears a multicolored blanket of fallen leaves upon its broad surface, but the Freewind’s bow scatters them as it glides towards Bellis. Though the logging season has ended, the townstill buzzes with life. Bellis is a small but thriving town whose inhabitants produce lumber, honey, beeswax, and mead the scents of which fill the air.
Make the character introduction you would have made on the boat. Then tell me what you would like to do. Your adventure begins pathfinders!
Ren spends the days on the river boat, desperately trying to absorb any lingering summer heat. Sunbathing during the peak of the day on any empty surfaces.
As they approach Bellis, Ren comments to the other Pathfinders "I hope this hot spot is benign. It sounds pleasant."
On the trip up the river Slippy eagerly swaps tales with his fellow pathfinders or any of the crew that can spare a bit of time. As they get closer to their destination Slippy gets more and more eager to get to work.
From his perch near the boarding ramp Slippy chuckles a little at Ren, "I like your optimism. I don't know what sort of benign reason there would be for such strange weather patterns. But then, I don't know of any malicious reasons either. Maybe it's just a portal to somewhere nice."
When the boat is secured Slippy happily scrambles onto the docks to look for anyone that might be a local. Approaching someone he guesses to be a local dock worker he inquires, "Excuse me, sir. We're looking for gnome by the name of Falbin. Do you know where we might be able to find him?"
Male Human Investigator(Empiricist) 2 | AC 18 FF14 T14 | F+2 R+7 W+3 | HP 11/17 | Init+4 | Perception+9(+10vs traps) | CMD 15/11FF
While on the boat ride Philip would have taken notes in his journal about any unusual flora or fauna that he saw during the trip and asked if anyone wanted to play a card game to pass the time.
Replying to both Ren and Slippy "I do hope that this hot spot is benign, but even if it isn't and is in fact malign I`m curious as to how it has come to be and hope I`ll have a chance to study it" Philip Sighs "A portal would be something different, sounds like fun."
Philip nods his head at the dock worker. "Thank you for the directions good Sir, i do hope you don't have to eat your hat it might give you terrible indigestion." and begins walking into town
It was my 3rd life that I made my home in the woods Cylipsti, recently freed slave, fairly new Pathfinder agent, and devotee of the demigod Raginori says to the dockworker as he steps off the skiff. Yes. Terebaum was my past self’s name master of the two weapon style of fighting. And his loyal companion, Fang the celestial wolf, always at his side. You my good man stepping within 6 inches of the dockworker You ever have a celestial wolf? Hair with a golden tint? Eyes like the silver moon? That was one of the most faithful friends I have ever had the pleasure of training!
He notes that his companions are leaving him behind. Hey wait for me!. He hurries after them.
"Thanks! I certainly hope he's not dead or gone. We need to talk to. So I hope you don't need to eat your hat either."
Slippy bounces down the path to town with childlike energy as he expands on his theory, "I hope it's a portal to some strange demiplane. Like that tapestry that I hear is hanging in some basement or something in the Grand Lodge. And the demiplane will be full of exciting new discoveries! What do the rest of you think it is?"
Male Samsaran Warpriest lvl 3 AC 20, FF 17, T 13 F+4, R+5, W +8 Per +7 Int +5
Cylipsti catches up with Slippy and falls into step beside him. I’ve heard of this demiplane in the Grand Lodge though I’ve never been inside. The closest I remember to being in a demiplane was my 6th life when I was a swordlord of the River Kingdoms. There a fey had accidentally ripped open a portal in a castle and pulled me and my entourage inside a crystal plane of some sort. What about you? Ever been inside a demiplane?
As you approach the center of town you hear one voice that rings out above all others. Following it, you are lead to the town squrare. Across the way, Falbin stands on the steps of the Bellis Library, arguing with a stately female humanoid with gold eyes and intricate henna tattoos. A bird with magnifcent plumage perches on the woman’s shoulder.
You hear Falbin’s voice ring out insisting, “The druids are to blame, I’d bet anything,” while the woman shakes her red mane, saying, “Think bigger! There’s more to this than your old grudges.”
Have any of you played?:
Pathfnder Society Scenario #3–05:
Tide of Twilight, Pathfnder Society Scenario #3: Murder on the Silken Caravan forTyranny of Winds trilogy.
Falbin, Hello, welcome to town and thank you for coming. Let me introduce Jamila." Falbin gives Jamila a sideways glance.
"Good day, I will start by apologizing for the Concordance and our initial misunderstandings and mistrust of the Pathfinder Society, though you travel with one of our new members. This is a good sign. Hello Ren."
Falbin chimes in, "You're going to look into the crazy weather and find the druids responsible. Do you have any questions for us? What will you need?"
"Do you have any more information about what's actually going on? All Venture-Captain Brackett's note said was that there's lots of flowers and warm wind. Where is this happening? What kinds of flowers? Has anyone else gone to investigate at all? What makes you think there's druids involved?"
Slippy pauses for breath and to give a chance for some of his questions to get answers.
"Hey Jamila! What do you mean something bigger? What are the Concordance goals here?"Damn convincing recruiting drive they had, I really should have figured out what they were trying to accomplish.
Has anyone else gone to investigate at all?
”I did. I saw it, clear as my own nose, and felt it on my gooseflesh. ”
Do you have any more information about what's actually going on?
”Everything suddenly gets hot. Summery. I dare say, even tropical! The flora overflows. It’s a jungle out there!” ”
Where is this happening?
”About 3 miles south of Bellis—a fine spot to gather pokeroot, even in autumn. ”
What kinds of flowers?
”Bightly colored ones unlike any I have ever seen. ”
What makes you think there's druids involved?"
Falbin goes to answer, but Jamila raises a hand to cut him off, “We don’t know enough to hazard a guess. That’s why you’re here—although I hope you don’t mind if I accompany you. An extra pair of eyes can’t hurt.”
"Has anything else unusual happened?"
“No this is quite unusual enough wouldn’t you say?” Falbin says in a huff after being cut off by Jamila.
Please roll either a Diplomacy (gather information) or Knowledge (local or nature) and describe how you are gathering information.
Falbin recommends you talk to some local experts before leaving setting out.
Jamila says, “I will be in the Bellis Library preparing. If you are so inclined you may find some useful info in here.”
10+:
The vast Verduran Forest teems with druids, fey, and treants, many of whom clash with the Andoran-based Lumber Consortium over their clear-cutting practices.
15+:
One reason for the Verduran’s high population of fey is the thin border between the forest and the First World, a plane of reality where fey can live forever.
20+:
Enclaves of druids perennially cause trouble for loggers in the Verduran Forest. Although the most feared cabal are the Primordial Ones, a feral gang from Briar Henge has been snifng about the woods to the east, transforming into giants and ambushing loggers.
25+:
The forest’s fabled afnity with the First World sometimes attracts those who wish to exploit extraplanar magic. Tales tell of hapless arcanists who open gates to the First World only to unleash more than they bargain for. These gates are ofen accompanied by sudden and fantastical spurts of growth among the local flora and fauna that planar scholars refer to as blooms.
Male Human Investigator(Empiricist) 2 | AC 18 FF14 T14 | F+2 R+7 W+3 | HP 11/17 | Init+4 | Perception+9(+10vs traps) | CMD 15/11FF
Philip will head to the library and consult the books on the history of the area, the druids that have lived near here as well as for any on plants native to tropical locations so i can compare them with Falbins descriptions of the flowers
knowledge nature:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 91d6 ⇒ 2
lets hope that the virtual dice are less hot/cold then my real dice are
Slippy asks the locals if any of them have seen the portal to the tropical demiplane that's nearby and if they know anything about it. He spends more time trying to convince them of his theory than actually asking any questions.
Male Samsaran Warpriest lvl 3 AC 20, FF 17, T 13 F+4, R+5, W +8 Per +7 Int +5
diplomacy:1d20 - 2 ⇒ (10) - 2 = 8
Cylipsti doesn’t really understand about how to go about talking to others, so he instead talks about himself, his past lives, and the deity Raginori. Eventually he finds an old man with a wispy swath of white hair who seems to hang off his every word. So he sits down and drones on and on.
Two hours later he finds out the old guy is deaf.
He returns to his companions a little dejected with no real info.
“Ashasar wanted to be here in person,” says Jamila, watching as her colorful pet bird circles overhead, “but his new duties as liaison to the Pathfnder Society fnd him full of cares. Still, he sent me in particular, partly to sing the virtues of the Concordance to new Pathfnders—and I’d treasure your help with that chore, to be sure.
“But there’s more at stake here. Now that the Concordance is settling in on Golarion, Ashasar craves knowledge about the elemental forces that form this world’s atmosphere. To those native to the Elemental Planes, the seasons that are so familiar to you are a symphony of mysteries. This strange region of Falbin’s, with its bizarre weather, promises insight for us, especially if a planar portal is involved. “This mission is a chance to impress Ashasar,” she confdes, her gold eyes glittering. “Anything you can recover pertaining to the four seasons would please him immensely. He’s very hands-on; he prefers physical evidence to mere theories.”
Two miles out from Bellis, Falbin and Jamila rekindle their debate about the verdant zone’s origins. The gnome soon becomes so firmly convinced that the Briar Henge druids are responsible that he wagers 150 gp on this theory. Jamila agrees, staking a large tourmaline gem of the same value against Falbin’s bet.
Falbin prods each of you "Pick a side show Jamila she doesn't know what she is talking about. To show you how sure I am, I will bet any of you. Bet me 50gp and I will give you a tangleburn bag (150gp) if I'm wrong."
Jamila sighs, "Well... if that is what we are doing. If you are silly enough to bet, the same amount (50gp), against me I will give you a scroll of elemental speech."
Each of them allows you to bet up to 3 times. These are real bets that affect what you earn.
"Don't like messing up the natural order? I've read some funky reports in the chronicles regarding these druids." Then quieter, "I also heard that Falbin was very wrong regarding the danger of the druids and their ritual... His bad info turned a few Pathfinders into beast men... Maybe they still wander this forest?"
Male Human Investigator(Empiricist) 2 | AC 18 FF14 T14 | F+2 R+7 W+3 | HP 11/17 | Init+4 | Perception+9(+10vs traps) | CMD 15/11FF
"I`m going to have to disagree with Falbin here, there are too many other options then it being druids with no evidence to support it. As we continue to investigate what we uncover will determine what is causing this."
Philip then turns to Cylipsti "We don't even know if the natural order of things is being disturbed as Slippy says it might be a portal opening to another plane or as Ren has stated it might be an unusual druid sect that has an odd view of what the natural order is"
also quieter to Ren "then lets keep our guard up and be ready for them if they are"
The cloud formations spiraling unnaturally to the south, a phenomenon which often occurs near planar disturbances; Falbin admits this counts as evidence against his theory.
DC:10 Perception or Survival:
You spot large humanoid footprints in the mud, which Falbin associates with the shapechanging druids of the Briar Henge. Jamila concedes this clue counts in Falbin’s favor.
Chilly fall winds become balmy zephyrs, and bare trees yield to jungle-like growth. Falbin points out flourishing plants that have no business growing in this climate. Although the undergrowth sometimes covers the path, it has not progressed enough to impede movement.
Falbin says, “this is nearly mile closer to Bellis. Oh dear, oh dear it’s expanding we must make haste.”
DC:10 Knowledge (geography or planes):
You calculate the rate of the verdant zone’s expansion. Jamila confirms the rate is consistent with recorded examples of blooms surrounding rifts to the First World, a point against Falbin’s theory.
DC:10 Average Knowledge (arcana) or Spellcraft:
You notice that the vines underfoot closely resemble an augmented version of entangle, a favorite spell among druids. Jamila admits this clue counts against her theory
Roll any of the check you wish. You can choose to sway the bet by only sharing part or parts of the information. To do so include in your post which of the 4 clues you wish to share and which you would like to hide.
Ren shares everything he notices, as fun as winning the bet sounds he has no intention of withholding information from those who are putting their life on the line to fight beside him. "Lot's of clues here. Druid footprints and spells, first world influence... Let's continue closer."
Shortly after you enter the warm tropical area, you reach a clearing where shaggy mushrooms sprout up to 5 feet tall. The soil here is gray, a stark contrast to the normal brown soil in the surrounding area. A few pools of water dot the landscape, each roughly 6 feet deep.
Squares with mushrooms in them are difficult terrain.
A head of you are two enormous frogs hunt for prey among the overgrown mushrooms. They have bright, corkscrew-shaped tongues and skin that changes color constantly.
DC:13 Sense Motive:
The Frogs seem to be talking to each other. Do you share this with the group?
Ren stops his approach and whispers to the others "I'm not sure we are in Andoran anymore... Those frogs, they are responding to each other... They might be more than animals?"sharing the spoiler info.
"Could they be some of those druids you've been talking about, Falbin? We could try talking to them, see if they know anything about what's going on here."
Male Human Investigator(Empiricist) 2 | AC 18 FF14 T14 | F+2 R+7 W+3 | HP 11/17 | Init+4 | Perception+9(+10vs traps) | CMD 15/11FF
Sense Motive:1d20 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 8 + (2) = 12
Philip walks closer pulling out an extract while he does so
"Greetings, I don't suppose you can tell us whats happening here?" extract of shield, and speaking in common
The frogs look at Philip. The larger one looks at the smaller one and croaks several times. They both lick there lips and start moving toward you.
You see a flash of light behind you as Jamila casts a spell. She says calmly "The large one is telling the small one that he need to eat healthy food more often. Unfortunately, papa frog has identified you as a hearty meal."
Slippy scrambles up onto the mushrooms near Cylipsti and hops across the top of them to get into a better position, drawing his crossbow as he moves, he aims it at the nearest frog, getting ready to shoot if they do act aggressively.
"Are you able to talk to them, Jamila? Convince them we wouldn't make a good meal?"
Take 10 and accelerate the climb for a 17 Acrobatics:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28 if needed to hop across the tops of the mushrooms
As Jamila translates the frog speak Ren storms forward and begins yelling at the frogs. "Food!? OK frog! You better move on and find food that doesn't talk! Cause you seem like a nice paternal figure and trying to eat us will orphan that child of yours!"
As he speaks the old faded scars on his hands open up and start dripping blood.
Attempting to intimidate these frogs into finding a different meal. I understand that they might not understand Ren.
Move action forward,
Immediate action Sacrificial Boon for a +1 bonus to the next skill check,
Standard action to intimidate/demoralize the father.
Jamilia begins croaking at the at them. There colour fades slightly. You can't tell what she said but it seems to have had an effect.
The frogs seem unresponsive to the specifics of Ren's words but the fire in his voice seems to take hold of the father's (blue) heart.
In Combat!
Bold may act.
Active party buffs: (none)
Round 1
Jamilia
Cylipsti Slippy (can roll an attack)
Ren
Philip
===========================
Frog: Son (sickened) | Father (sickened/shaken(1))
===========================
Male Samsaran Warpriest lvl 3 AC 20, FF 17, T 13 F+4, R+5, W +8 Per +7 Int +5
Cylipsti moves through his companions spaces, trying desperately to move to the front of the group so he can stand between them and the threat. With a twang from his wrist a wand appears, and as he gets to the front he speaks the command word Heavy! and his whip seems to increase in density yet he still wields it as if it were feather light. He looks at the frogs and smirks Two hundred years ago, I fought your kind. I was forced to flee. But now the time for running is over! His whip is ready for any attack.
Cylpisti stands in front of Ren. (Move Action)
Spring Loaded wrist sheath for wand of Leadblades (Swift Action)
Casts leadblades on the whip (Standard Action)
