|
Ylva laughs and replies, "Papa always told me a wise man always listens to his wife," when Janira gives a moral to her story. She's sad the evening had to end, but as Janira had said, there was always the trip back.
Ylva politely declines Zithembe's invitation, and stays well clear after she packs her things and stretches the kinks from her muscles. Somethings should not be bothered, and the spirits were at the top of the list.
|
"Certainly," Zithembe answers Janira. "What sort of seeker of knowledge would I be if I prevented others from their own studies?"
__________
For those not participating in the seance, it is a much quieter and less interesting experience to watch the jade man practice his slow kata. However, every so often, for the blink of an eye, it seems as though an ephemeral form emerges from a nearby rock or tree and mirrors his movement before merging into his body.
"Oh, thank you! I promise, you won't even know I'm here," Janira replies happily as she produces an inkpen and some parchment. All during Zithembe's seance she scribbles down her observations, eyes occasionally peering up over the edge of the parchment and then back down again. Once he finishes, she smiles and carefully tucks her notes away into one of her pockets.
"That was fascinating to watch," Janira muses. "Sometimes I'd almost swear that I saw something else moving too but I never could quite catch what it was. Tomorrow morning I think I'll join you, so I can add to my notes from firsthand experience!"
__________
Once the group is packed up and ready to go, Janira leads the group further off of the road and into the nearby forest that surrounds the Kortos Mountains. She gives Zithembe and his goat an apologetic look as they crash and stamp through the undergrowth. "Sorry, I know this isn't the best kind of terrain for horses. To be honest, that's part of the reason why I hadn't planned on using horses for the trip. Well that and the fact that we're passing through centaur territory and if we ran into any they'd see horses as an affront...and things would probably go downhill from there. Oh! But don't worry, I think we could probably get them to overlook your goat since he's the only one. I think." She smiles, but for once it seems a little strained. "Another reason to keep up a good pace, right?"
The party continues their trek deeper and deeper into the forests as the sun rises higher and higher. The trees towering overhead begin to shield what remains of the day's sun and the vegetation grows denser. Janira finally calls for a brief pause and pulls out what looks to be a small, intricate silver compass. After consulting it a moment she smiles and holds it up for the rest of you to see: emblazoned on the outside is the Pathfinder Society logo - the Glyph of the Open Road.
"This is a wayfinder. I received it when I completed my own Confirmation and the inside carries my initials. If we're successful on this trip, then each of you will get your own as well." The halfling closes the lid with a snap. "At any rate, we're still on the right track. We just need to keep heading northwest past those large rocks up ahead."
Before the group can gather themselves to continue the march however, the nearby remains of an old, rotted tree finally give up the ghost and tumble to the ground with a mighty crashing and snapping of wood! Numerous small animals scatter in all directions and after a few moments, ominous rustling and hissing can be heard coming from the fallen tree. As you watch in horror, an enormous, writhing mass of hissing snakes emerges and coming roiling and slithering towards the party!
"Oh! Worry not, my friends! By working together you can overcome any obstacle in your path....including snakes!" Janira's voice rings out, filling each of you with courage.
This is a snake swarm!
For every 5 that you beat the DC by, you make request a piece of information from this list.
__________
Round 1
Snakes!
==========
Ylva
Theodric
Janira
Hepsubia
Sylvak
Zithembe
Tupp
Kiango
Active Conditions: Inspire Courage
Environmental Conditions:
Everyone is UP!
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Tupp opens his eyes with a sharp intake of breath. "Whoa! The seance was a truly bizarre experience for the young halfling, and he's not entirely sure what to make of it. At first, he was a bit bored, unable to understand any of Zithembe's words, and then, as the silence drew on, his mind started to wander to thoughts of a second breakfast, but that's when the hallucinations started. "What was that?" He asks as he stands up and dusts himself down. "That was soo weird..." All thoughts of food have been halted, his appetite suddenly gone now that he has experienced catching a rabbit in his jaws. "Oh, but thank you!"
As promised, Tupp offers a freshly laid egg to Ylva and then packs up his things, ready for a trek through the wilderness. "I don't think we need the stars tonight, Janira." He chirps, thinking about what she said about camping. "It's the company that's important when camping, and I think we have that sorted." He smiles. "Plus, a cave might be a good location to tell spooky stories tonight." He follows the group's mentor closely, trying to take note of how she uses her Wayfinder to navigate, and starts looking around intently when the conversation turns to centaurs. "They see horses as a front? But I always thought centaurs had the hindquarters of a horse... Wouldn't they see horses as a back?" He's almost definitely joking... probably.
"Don't worry guys, I've got this!" Tupp yells as he draws his Katana and steps towards the mass of serpents. He quickly assumes a solid battle stance, one leg in front of the other, slightly bent at the knees, and with his sword held tightly in both hands over his head. "SEEEERPENT SLASHEEEEERRRR!!!" He yells and the sword swoops down in a smooth practised motion.
"Buh-gawk! Buk bok?" Sori starts clucking loudly, her feathers ruffled as she runs through the legs of Pathfinder agents. "BAWK! Bok bok." In a flurry of wing beats, she finally hops clumsily onto a log and continues to make a racket.
Tupp! Why don't you think before you act? GET BACK! Listen to Janira and stop trying to do everything on your own.
|
|
"Wait. They are merely animals in their own territory. Why kill them?" Zithembe calls out over the halfling's exuberance. He ties the goat's lead to a nearby stump and moves away. "Move this way and let them busy themselves with this offering or continue on their way unmolested, however they choose."
Tie knot
Move 20 ft
|
a swarm?!? I’ve heard nasty things about these... I’m not sure giving away the goat and hoping for the best is the right course of action...
”Pointed and bladed weapons aren’t going to work well, but I think crushing and alchemical ones should,” Sylvak calls out as he moves north and little bit east, to place where he has some distance from the snakes and can target them with a cone without hitting Tupp. He places one hand on his holy symbol and gestures with the other, causing a searing wave of blue-green light to blast forth and since the wriggling mass.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Story-Telling last night...
"My grandfather told me this story, that he learned from his grandfather while on the Thirty-Second Qadiran Expedition during the Grand Campaign. While in Qadira, my great-great grandfather's unit made peaceful contact with a band of desert nomads who had no love for the Padishah. The nomads' leader was a man named Beni, and he had a magnificent black beard: for, not unlike the nobles back in Taldor in those days, the leaders of this nomadic tribe were all expected to have very long and elaborate beards. Indeed, if the leader of the tribe were to lose his beard, the dishonor would be so great that he would be forced to step down.
"Beni and his nomadic tribe trained with the Taldan forces for a few months, but there was a catch. It seems that the nomads had a tradition that if a warrior was defeated in combat but not slain, he must shave his beard as a mark of dishonor. And it apparently mattered not if the combat was a training exercise: Any defeat meant that the warrior must shave his beard.
"And so, their leader Beni, while attempting to learn superior Taldan military tactics, was defeated in combat training by my great-great-grandfather's most skilled knight. And, keeping with tradition, Beni shaved his beard... and thus lost the right to lead his tribe. Beni became despondent after losing his rank, and just a few days later, drank hemlock and died. His tribe, though, remembered him fondly, and built a funeral pyre for him. Afterward, they collected his ashes in a great silver urn, which the tribe still reveres to this day to rember their lost leader Beni."
Theo pauses dramatically, then continues. "After my grandfather told me this tale, he looked me straight in the eye, and asked with great seriousness, 'Now, young Theo... Do you understand the lesson of this story?' Being but a youngster myself, I said that I did not. He then told me...'" Theo can't help but crack a smile, " 'A Beni shaved is a Beni urned.'"
The Seance...
Theo gladly joins Zithembe's seance. "Thank-you for the invitation! I am always looking to learn of new mystical experieinces. Magic takes many forms, after all!"
Now...
Theo moves north of the rest of the party, hiding partly behind a tree. He speaks some arcane words and the ring on his right hand glows brightly. Jets of bright yellow-orange flames shoot from his hands, engulfing most of the swarm of snakes.
"زهرة المباركة من الفجر ، أدعو لهيب المقدسة!"
Tupp boldly (or foolishly, depending on who you ask) rushes forward to meet the oncoming swarm of snakes, bringing his sword down in a mighty slashing motion! The blade cuts through some of the snakes, leaving wriggling halves in its wake, but largely fails to significantly diminish their numbers.
Hepsubia and Sylvak both know that the swarm would be largely unaffected by weapons, though the snakes are big enough to be slashed or pierced, as Tupp demonstrated. They also know that it possesses no other particular weaknesses or vulnerabilities save the expected susceptibility to splash weapons and certain evocation spells.
Armed with this knowledge, Kiango attempts to throw an acid flask but the vial slips as he releases it and it smashes...
...just to the left of the snakes, stinging a few of them with flying droplets. Both Sylvak and Theodric decide that magic is the answer here, attempting to roast the snakes with a fan of roaring flames.
While neither spell does as much damage as was hoped for they still have a noticeable effect as many of the tiny snakes now lie scattered on the ground, cooked to a crisp. Meanwhile, Zithembe suggests simply leaving the goat and vacating the area - not a terrible idea, unless you're asking the goat!
__________
Round 1
Snakes!
==========
Ylva
Theodric
Janira
Hepsubia
Sylvak
Zithembe
Tupp
Kiango
Active Conditions: Inspire Courage
Environmental Conditions:
Ylva and Hepsubia are UP!
__________
Deciding to show the rest of the group how it's done, Ylva draws her warhammer and steps up to what remains of the swarm before bringing the weapon down with a loud *SPLUTCH!* that sends blood and tissue flying in all directions - dispersing the swarm for good.
|
|
"Woah, you weren't joking!" Tupp says as he sheathes sword, "They really didn't like that crushing hammer. Nice blow, Ylva!" He watches carefully as the snakes disperse into wilderness, and once he is sure everyone is safe, he gives himself a quick once over. "I'm fine thanks! Much better then them..." He adds, nodding towards headless, burnt, and crushed little snakes. "You know... I've never actually eaten snake before, Hepsubia, but I heard that some people really love them." He gives a singed snake a sideways glance. "I don't think I'll try one today, though."
|
|
In the shade under the trees, Zithembe's face is inscrutable, but his voice is calm and even as he unties the goat and asks, "Is anyone hurt?"
He regards Kiango thoughtfully. "I do not know the King of Biting-Ants, but I respectfully disagree. I sensed no ill influence over these animals. We were trespassers in their land and they, an obstacle that could have been stepped around. We have spent resources to throw ourselves in their way. Fortunately, none of us were injured, but I assess this encounter to be a loss--no matter how glorious Tupp looked charging through the woods." The last bit he adds with a genuinely pleased smile.
"But people remembered their training - using the acid flask, the fire magic, Ylva's big hammer - it was wonderful to see," Janira pipes up. "And I'd rather you get the practice now on something a little easier to handle than end up on the spot against something a lot more nasty."
Your guide glances at the pile of burnt, chopped, and smashed snakes, making a face. "But I can see Zithembe's point too. It's always good to try and avoid danger when and where you can. So...how about we call this one not a loss, not a gain, but maybe a draw?" she smiles. The pleasant feeling of inspiration that came from her earlier words still seems to hang in the air despite the battle being finished. Perhaps there's more to the little halfling than meets the eye? At any rate, she seems quite pleased with how the group handled themselves just now.
"I wish we had more time to catch our breath but we really need to get moving again if we want to reach the caves by nightfall," Janira continues. "Are any of you able to conjure up a trail as easily as you conjure magics and other heroics?" She winks at Tupp and Ylva. "Even if you aren't, teamwork can sometimes accomplish things that one person can't manage alone!"
__________
|
|
"Fair enough," Zithembe concedes to their teacher.
He removes his jade wayfinder from his belt and moves over to Kiango. "If you do not have one of your own, this will help you to find our bearings." The wayfinder vibrates softly for a moment as he passes it to the samsaran.
Zithembe does what he can to assist in finding signs of a trail or stream.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Sori hops down from her perch and waddles over to inspect the remains of the remaining snakes. "B-Bok?" She clucks quietly, before looking up at both Tupp and Janira. "Bok bok bawk! Gawk buk buh-gawk?" Finally she starts scratching and pecking at the floor, moving closer and closer to Tupp before 'accidentally' catching a toe and immediately running off into the long grass.
A draw? Ha, I like this one! Empress, why couldn't you assign me to the halfling with a brain instead of this one?
|
|
All the philosophy goes right over his head, but when Tupp hears mention of his heroics, he can't help but smile. Wow! Did he say I looked 'glorious'? I guess all the- "OUCH!" He looks down just in time to see tail feathers disappear into the long grass. "Hey, Sori! Come back!" He immediately dives into the undergrowth, chasing after his errant chicken. A minute or so later, the abashed halfling returns holding Sori in his arms, "Sorry about that... Umm, which way are we going again?"
"Bok..." Sori clucks miserably.
But I could have sworn it was that way...
Janira watches as some of you begin trying to help Kiango in finding a usable trail...she nods encouragingly at Zithembe...then blinks as Sori makes some scratches in the dirt and then promptly runs into the nearby tall grass with Tupp in pursuit...and gives Theodric a rather bemused thumbs-up when he discovers a natural rain gully.
Ooh...I guess I know where we can stand some improvement. I'll have to make a note for the Masters.
Those watching and listening closely might catch a soft sigh of relief from Janira as Kiango finally finds a trail that they group can follow, aided by Hepsubia's keen elven eyes.
"There we go! I knew you could do it," she smiles, hefting her pack once more. "Lead on you two; we'll follow!"
And so the rest of the day goes, with Kiango leading the way and Hepsubia occasionally diverting the group around some of the larger rocks and fallen trees the party comes across. Just as night begins to fall, the forest opens up to a wide clearing at the base of a sheer cliff. Thick vines cover the surface of the cliff stretching 30 feet overheard. Janira's eyes light up at the sight.
"Here! This is where I saw the gillmen enter the caves," she exclaims, once again bouncing on the balls of her feet with excitement. "The entrance should be just behind these vines." As she speaks, she approaches the cliff and pulls back the thick layer of vines, revealing a narrow fissure in the cliff's surface. "And we made it right on schedule, too! Good work everyone! Now you can-"
Suddenly, the surrounding forest comes alive with the sound of birds and other animals but these aren't the typical forest sounds of night. There's an urgency to them that seems to say, "Danger!" And then, growing louder by the second, there comes another sound - the sound of something heavy crashing through the trees and the undergrowth, headed directly towards the clearing.
"Quick, inside before whatever it is spots us!" Janira hisses but the warning comes too late. From out of the forest steps an enormous horned monstrosity, easily standing eight feet tall on its cloven hooves. Spotting the party, the creature brandishes it's enormous axe and roars with anger. "Oh no...it's a minotaur!" the halfling cries. "There's little chance we can stand against it! Hurry, take my bag," she shrugs off her pack and lets it fall to the ground, "and get inside! Finish your mission and don't worry about me! I'll lead it away and lose it in the forest and then come find you! Now GO!"
With that, the brave halfling casts a spell and darts towards the minotaur before turning to attempt to lure it away.
Yep, it's a minotaur, alright! For every 5 that you beat the DC, you learn one piece of information from this list.
__________
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Ylva sighs at Sylvak's apt assessment.
"Next time," she grumbles, "I find us a wizard that can magic us up a bath."
Ylva picks up Janira's pack. Her rational mind knows that the halfling is right, but still...
Something sings in her blood calling out to her, begging her to join the fight. What a tale she'd have if she could help fell this beast.
She shakes her head, clearing the thoughts away. She wasn't a Pathfinder, not yet. She hadn't even had the training the others had. All she had was a minor reputation as a brawler and even then most of the people got her name wrong.
"You heard the lady," she says gruffly, "in we go!"
She shoves the others deeper while trying to the ignore the voice damning her as a coward in her own mind.
|
|
”Actually,” Sylvak replies with a little bit of embarrassment, ”it’s usually priests who can conjure up water... that’s not a spell I’ve learned though.”
by the gods... it is a minotaur... and unless some of my new companions are much, much stronger than they seem, Janira’s right about us being outmatched...
Sylvak turns to flee into the cave but is stunned into a bemused stillness by the sight of Kiango trying to toss the heavy pack with his staff. He quickly recovers his senses when Ylva grabs the bag and he follows her into the cave.
|
|
Zithembe seemed on the verge of speaking when several of the others bolt into the small cave. He frowns for the briefest of moments before he releases to goat to distract the minotaur and then ducks into the cave.
He pulls a raw crystal from his pouch. The crystal begins to radiate light with a slowly increasing intensity. "For those of you not blessed with eyes that cut through the darkness."
|
|
Ylva gives Zithembe a nod, but she keeps looking back every few steps. had she done the right thing?
"Er jeg en feje?" She asks in a soft voice as they head deeper into the cave. She was glad that she wouldn't be matching her strength against such a devastating foe, but she couldn't help but feel shame at having left Janira alone to face it. For the first time since they'd met her, the others see her shoulders slumped and see her head bowed.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Tupp's chicken doesn't need to be told twice, and Sori takes off clucking into the cave without hesitation. The brave young halfling, however, requires a little more convincing. He places a hand on the hilt of his katana and is just about to take a step towards the creature, when a feminine hand wrapped in leather slams into his chest, knocking him back a few steps. "B... Wha... We have to..." As Ylva continues to shove the protesting wannabe samurai into the cave, he sees their mentor run towards the minotaur with exceptional speed. "Janira!"
It all happened so fast, but after the chaos of farm animals running to and fro, flying backpacks, and yelling, Tupp finds himself walking deeper into the caves with his fellow initiates. His shoulders are just as uncharacteristically slumped as Ylva's, and his bare feet drag along the ground. "It was an order from our superior..." He says quietly, head bowed, as he starts reciting words from his special book. "And if we don't follow orders, we follow chaos. We must always respect legitimate authority." It doesn't make him feel much better about the situation, but he does resign himself to doing the mission given to him, to the best of his abilities. Finally, he nods at Zithembe. "Yes, it was the right thing to do... And you're right about Janira, she must know what she's doing. Now, we just have to make sure we do our mission well, so we can tell her that she didn't risk her life for nothing!"
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Sori starts clucking madly for some reason as the chicken continues to waddle further into the caves, a little ahead of Tupp. The young halfling himself, can't help but smile at Hepsubla's joke, and feels a lot better despite himself. "That was terrible, Hep." He groans lightheartedly, suddenly feeling a little better.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"BAWK bok bok buk buk!" As a lover of puns, Sori laughs heartily at the joke, flapping her wings in hysterics, "Buh-GAWK buk bok bok!" Making full use of her unique link with her ward, Sori takes advantage of the situation and sends waves of mirth and reassuring emotions to her ward.
Cowards... Cow-ards... COW-ards! HA ha ha!
|
|
Ylva manages to smile a bit at the puns, but the reprieve is short-lived. By the time she sets the pack down so the others can look through it, she has to pace to work off some frustration. She needed to act. At the very least she needed to be sure that Janira was alright. She wasn't helpless, but it didn't feel right to leave her alone. Soon, Ylva's stalking around the edge of the light Zithembe has maintained looking more like a caged wolf than nervous young woman.