GM Rinaldo's Ruins of Azlant (Inactive)

Game Master The Great Rinaldo!

wth I posted

Gilstrom looks curiously over the disturbed vegetation. He nods over to Gervase and produces his trident, holding it read to throw in case something nasty shows up.

With no one able to see through the tall foliage of the garden, Gervase hoists a nice-sized stone and hurls it at the area Lily indicates.

You hear a hissing sound that strikes terror in all of your hearts -- the sound of the horrible, acid-filled bugbeast from the barracks.

Gilstrom and Lily are first up. You can't see the creature yet, but you have a general idea where it is. You could attempt a ranged attack now, though it would have an AC bonus from cover and a 50% miss chance due to concealment. Alternately you could use a standard to ready an attack for as soon as it becomes visible (assuming it does). Or something else!

Lily takes a deep breath and takes a step back a smidge as she let's power sweep through her... flower petals and blossoms begin to swirl around her, her dress flapping in a breeze that isn't there.

Gather power as move, Extended range 120 feet. Readied attack...

wood blast: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Poor lily, she really is more of a lover than a fighter. She'll be startled bad when the thing attacks and her attack will go way wide.

"GAH!" shrieks Gilstrom as yet another horrific creature shows up. He holds back, waiting to throw his trident the moment he sees it.

Readied Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16 Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

You hear a strange, rumbling sound beneath your feet. Suddenly, a small hole opens up directly in front of Gilstrom and the bugbeast emerges. Lily, looking the wrong direction, turns to face it, but her thorn flies over it. Gilstrom's trident strikes true, piercing its chitin and eliciting another horrific hiss.

Bugbeast did a double move through the ground. Lily and and Gilstrom used readied actions, so Arcilde and Gervase are up!

Arcilde moves around the scorpiant-acid-thing to flank with Gilstrom.

If she can't move to a flank, she'll aim to get a flank next round.

Attack, battleaxe: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Round #1: AC 14; 10/12 hp

Without conscious thought, Gervase drops her bow, quick draws her harpoon and charges the bugbeast.

harpoon + PA + charge: 1d20 + 5 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 5 - 1 + 2 = 11
piercing damage: 1d8 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 3 = 16

While Arcilde manages to crack the creature's carapace with her battleaxe, Gervase's harpoon bounces off the chitin.

Target: Gervase, Arcilde, Gilstrom: 1d3 ⇒ 3
Bite: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
The creature hisses again, then turns its attention to the gnome. It scuttles up, but doesn't manage to get its jaw-clamps onto him.

Everyone is up!

Lily breathes, focuses, and fires another lance of wood.

Wood Blast: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Round #2: AC 16; 10/12 hp

Can I flank, GM Rinaldo?

Gervase taps the critter's chitin-covered butt with the blunt end of her harpoon as she 5' steps.

"Hey! Over here, big guy."

Whether it turns to face her or not, she aims a blow at the centre of bugbeast's head.

harpoon + PA + flank: 1d20 + 5 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 5 - 1 + 2 = 17
piercing damage: 1d8 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 3 = 12

Lily still has trouble landing a thorn shot, but then Gervase steps up and rams her harpoon all the way through its body.

It is an EX-bugbeast!

After ensuring the creature is no longer moving, you carefully inspect the fields. The crops have gone wild and need weeding and other attention, but are still salvageable if they receive attention soon.
as if the plots were overrun with massive moles. The plots are riddled with holes, as if numerous large moles had been here. The holes resemble the one left behind when the creature emerged to attack Gilstrom.

Continuing south along the road, you poke your heads into each of the houses in turn. They all tell the same story, of residents who left suddenly without packing any of their belongings. A few have small signs of small rodents or insects, though nothing like what you found in the community storehouse.

To the west you see several other fields in a similar state, and more houses. To the east you notice where areas have been marked near the edge of the forest for additional plots. To the southeast is a lone farmhouse with its own plot of land and a well.

Which way would you like to go next?

Post-holiday ping. ;-) Where do you want to explore?

Sounded like we wanted to go to the well place.

Pfft. There's more than one holiday.

With the bugbeast dead, Gilstrom gives it a hearty kick before he stomps off for the well.

Travelling south along the road, you pass more houses and another large field. Turning the corner, you approach a solitary cottage built apart from the rest of the colony, atop a slight hill. A stone well has been built not far from the house’s front door. A large stone near the entrance is painted with the words “Levin Farm.” Just south of the cottage is a tilled vegetable patch that grows wild from neglect.

The strange tracks that you were following terminate at the front door of the house. Some of the plants near the house have been trampled recently (possibly within several days).

The front door is closed, and the visible windows are covered from the inside by curtains.

Lily holds out her arm and forms a lance.

Anybody feel like breaching the front door?

“Levin Farm”

“Le vin is Galtan for wine, Bumpkin. Perhaps it’s a sign from Halcamora?”

Harpoon in hand, Gervase studies the doorway for traps and turns the doorknob.

Take 10 Perception: 10 + 6 = 16

Gilstrom looks at the house judiciously and unhooks his warhammer. "Let's. It looks like there's been recent activity here."

Gilstrom lets Gervase open up, and gets ready for a fight with something else awful.

The interior of the house is comparable to the other private homes in Talmandor’s Bounty. It contains only simple wooden furniture and an assortment of common household and personal items. Unlike the other residences, this house is in disarray, with chairs and tables flipped over, blankets torn to shreds, and produce such as corn and melons gnawed upon and then discarded to rot on the floor.

Two doors lead off of the main room; both are closed.

As Gervase gives the room an initial look, she notices that near the door a few of the floorboards have warped and would probably squeak loudly if stepped on. Looking more closely, she realizes that the warped area is a separate piece of flooring, possibly used to cover a secret compartment.

Can we tell what type of creature gnawed on the produce or tore the place up? Do we see any sign of anyone being injured (blood, etc.)?

When Gervase points out the warped section of the floor, Arcilde whispers, What do ye want to do first? Pull up tha floor or open tha door?

It actually looks like a humanoid type creature ate messily and discarded the remains, more than an animal having been through.

Prying up the floorboards will definitely make noise.

Gervase gestures at the two doors leading from the hall with open palms.

*Think* an air stewardess gesturing at the emergency exit locations during pre-flight.

which door? : 1d2 ⇒ 2

Hand on hip, she pokes the head of her harpoon at one of the doors and raises her eyebrows.

Take 10 Perception on doors: 10 + 6 = 16

Lily follows the others behind the doorway and stays back, swaying her arm from one side of the room to the other in a covering motion to make sure that no one can easily get a jump on them.

Gilstrom frowns as he looks over the trashed home. Gilstrom proceeds with caution. If Gervase finds nothing, he'll do the same to the other door.

Take 10 for 16 perception and then open the other door - unless Gervase finds something fo note.

Gervase carefully moves over to one of the doors as Gilstrom goes to the other, with Lily and Arcilde watching. Gervase opens hers, and finds what appears to be an empty bedroom. Nodding to Gilstrom, she readies herself as he opens the other door and finds another bedroom. This one contains two barrels - one upright near the window, the other on its side pushed into a corner - and on the bed is a 3 foot tall, gray-skinned vaguely humanoid creature with rubbery skin and spiny claws lying on the bed. It appears to have just woken up.

No surprise round.

Lily and Arcilde are up!

Someday, Lily would learn not to judge books by their covers.

Today was not that day.

Wood Blast: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

With a squeak of terror the farmgirl let's a razor sharp shard of wood fly through the room at the enemy.

If this is what ate tha discarded produce, it might be a vegetarian. Arcilde moves into the room and blocks the window, her battleaxe at the ready. She addresses the creature on the bed. Oy! Wha are ye doing 'ere? Explain yerself!

Readying an action to attack the thing if it does anything hostile.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Despite her revulsion at the sight of the creature on the bed, Lily fires off a thorn that drives deep into its skin. Arcilde moves in to block the window, axe raised.

The creature bellows in pain, "Suq juHwIj!" It rolls out of the bed, barely landing on its feet, and staggers toward Arcilde. She swings her axe, but misses as it trips over its own feet. It comes up, reaching out toward her, but seems to be attacking something a few feet to her left.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Everyone is up! Arcilde is adjacent to it, everyone else is outside the bedroom door, about five feet away.

(Sense motive and perception are the same): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

If Arcilde can five-foot away, she'll try to cast Comprehend Languages. If not, she'll attack the thing again. She's aiming to knock it out, not kill it.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Because she's against the wall, Arcilde doesn't have a place to move that won't provoke.

Arcilde swings again, but the creature somehow dodges again, despite not actually looking directly at her.

Round #1: AC 16 ☤ 10/12 hp ☤

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

“That thing is drunker than Lily on Ladies’ Night at the Stumble Inn.”

Gervase scratches her head, before moving to flank with Aqueros' enforcer. “I think it’s using deadly force on where it believes Arcilde is.”

harpoon + Power Attack (PA) + flank: 1d20 + 5 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 5 - 1 + 2 = 17
piercing damage: 1d8 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 3 = 17

Lily grins at the memory.

Your just mad cause I drank you under the table lightweight.

She aims and fires again, not much caring about the health of the creepy abomination.

Wood Blast: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

I'm sure we could get good info from that thing, but I can't see Lily being big on saving the life of aberrations and such considering backstory.

Gervase steps in, and noting the creature's odd behavior, manages to aim for where it is about to stumble. Her harpoon rams through its back and out the chest; the creature is quite dead.

With it no longer stumbling around, you are able to note its odd star-shaped feet, and surmise that this is the creature that made the odd tracks, probably while rolling barrels of ale down from the storeroom.

Searching the house, you find nothing else of note, other than the potential storage area under the warped floorboard. With a bit of work, you are able to pry the boards up, and find a long, thing storage space holding a sword carefully wrapped in a cloth. When you unwrap it, you notice that it glows with a pale emerald light.

Arcilde Spellcraft: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20; Arcilde Craft (weapons): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Arcilde studies it with her arcane sight, and can tell that it it enchanted to be sharper and more accurate than normal; with her knowledge of crafting, she can tell this is not like any weapons made in the Inner Sea region, though she isn't sure exactly where it is from.
+1 longsword that permanently glows with a light spell effect.

---------
[MAP] You have a few fields left you haven't examined, and that's it. Let me know what you are doing next.

Gilstrom lets out a shriek as the creature emerges, and begins to laugh as it lurches around drunkenly. He's far too busy laughing as the group competently disposes of it. "Ah well, that worked out. Nasty thing. What is it??"

He pokes it a few times, which is not a good way to identify monsters. After that he's out of ideas.

He joins the group searching the house, and goes out of his way to see if there's any ale left in the barrels. Priorities and all that. Once that's done he helps pry open the floorboards with the hook on his warhammer. He lets out an oooh as the glowing sword is retrieved. "Very nice! Anyone good with swords? Too big for the likes of me. Still wonder what that creature is. Did it take advantage of the empty village? Was it a part of the disappearance? How did it know that ale was tasty? So many questions!"

Excitedly, he pushes the group to go take a quick once-over of the remaining fields.

Lily agrees with Gilstrom

I need to do at least a brief survey, get an idea of what's the status of the fields around here... if those scorpion bug things are infesting the fields, it's gonna be a problem.

profession Farmer: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

“So I’m light on my feet then, Lily?”

Gervase gives her friend a bone-crushing shoulder-hug. “You say the sweetest things!”

“Arcilde, do you want the longsword? It will come in handy for despatching that ghostie in Old Deadeye’s chapel later.”

“In the meantime, I agree with Gilstrom. Let’s head progressively west from this place and investigate each of the three farm plots and their associated homesteads one at a time.”

I’m working on an update of the loot sheet today as well.

Arcilde shudders visibly at the thought of more of the scorpiant things. I don't know any spells t' protect us against the acid. I'd suggest using Gilstrom's net, but we still have the clockwork beastie tied up in that.
Can we find something else to put the clockwork in? Or something we can move Arcilde's overflow stuff to? Right now, I think it's in Arcilde's sack, still in the net. But Arcilde still needs to open the sack occasionally.

I'm 'appy to 'old it. I'm not sure we can attack a poltergeist, but we can try!

Walking east along the road from Levin Farm, you pass more fields in the same shape as the others you have seen. As Lily extends her senses into the fields, she notices a lone fruit tree between them.

The tree has spiny branches and reddish-purple, apple-shaped plums. A few plums have fallen to the ground to spoil in the heat and irds have pecked at others. Nevertheless, there are still many fruits still fit to pick and eat. Lily confirms that they are healthy and edible, and they provide a welcome addition to the meager rations you brought with you from the Peregrine.

As you take a moment to enjoy them, you notice a spot on the ground, next to a fist sized stone, where the earth has been disturbed. Digging a few inches beneath the soil yields a small, flat, leather pouch like a wallet. Gervase guesses it has been buried for a few weeks, but it is not significantly deteriorated. Inside is a note:

After Dulin went on the “fishing expedition,” I thought it was smart to change the drop point, lest they drag it out of him. Rayland is becoming bolder and cockier now that more people have resumed supporting him. Don’t tell him anything, no matter how convincing he seems. If necessary, talk to Eliza, she’s on our side and it’s clear that Rayland resents her for usurping his authority. Some of us plan on taking the canoe—since those bastards conveniently took the boat— and finding somewhere to hole up until the supply ship comes. We can’t all go at once, so wait for the quarter moon and go down to the docks a few hours past nightfall. Barnabus will pick you up. Don’t get followed!
—Una

---------

Looking around the remaining fields, you notice several small animal skeletons and a partially buried skull of a monkey goblin, which alerts you to trouble just before it happens. One of the cornstalks suddenly animates, pulling its roots up and ambling toward you. Its leaves are razor sharp, and you notice blood up and down the stalk.

Gervase and Lily are up! The creature is about 20 feet from you, and the area is wide open.

"I've got a waterproof bag you can put the wee clockwork beastie in, Arcilde."

Round #1: AC 14 ☤ 10/12 hp ☤

“Can you make crops walk, Lily?”

Gervase charges into the side of the corn triffid, looking to give Lily an unimpeded shot and Arcilde or Gilstrom a flank.

“A-maizing.”

harpoon + Power Attack (PA) + charge: 1d20 + 5 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 5 - 1 + 2 = 23 vs Flat-footed Lily friend
piercing damage: 1d8 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 3 = 15

GM Rinaldo's cool note at the bottom of this.

I have also updated the loot sheet if anyone wants to check it over.

Arcilde, did you Spellcraft the magic buckler? Gervase is not proficient with shields, if someone wants to grab it. :)

Heh, don't give me credit for the note, that was the image from the book. I copied the text out for ease of reading in the forum, then put the image there for future reference.

Gervase charges forward, heedless of the sharp leaves, and manages to skewer the main stalk, almost severing it in half.

Massive damage, but it is still up.

knowledge nature: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

Lily swings up her arm and starts to back away.

It's a blood maize! Careful, thing will cut you to ribbons and it keeps the blood flowing!

She takes aim as she finishes backing up.

Also will blast pollen in your eyes and try to blind you!

She takes a deep breath and fires...

Wood Blast: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

...and with the panic that stems from recognition of the creature, Lily fires off another bolt with deadly accuracy. The creatures falls before it gets close enough to do anyone any harm.

With a final sweep of the fields, you complete your examination of the colony. You have little information, just a few strange clues, several corpses of unusual creatures, and a poltergeist haunting the chapel.

Unless you can think of something to do about the spirit now, it appears your job is done, and you should prepare for the journey north to meet the Peregrine. It is still morning, and if you set out soon you should be able to make it by nightfall.

--- END OF CHAPTER 1 ---

Gilstrom is fascinated by the note. "So... there were factions and politics. Very interesting! What rent the colony asunder? Well I suppose we don't know. Onwards!"

---

In the battle with the plantchamcallit, Gilstrom once more raises his hammer, letting out a cry and ready to charge into combat. And once more the creature is dead before he starts a swing.

"Ah, well then. Good. Glad you have me to motivate you."

Pleased that the sweep of the fields is complete, Gilstrom whistles for Persephone and lets her know they're moving north.

"All good then? Onwards!"

Lily looks at the sword they have now.

Ya know... now that we got ourselves a magic sword... might be worth it to see if we can't handle that old ghost this time. What do you say? Or should we just go back to the captain and report?

“Lily, I agree with Arcilde that we should leave the ghostie for the time being. It’s not going anywhere, and I think we should save our strength for the journey to Plan B Land.”

Gervase takes up the hidden note and frowns. “This looks to be written by the rebel faction which comprises the wizard Una Hendrake (whose spell component pouch we found), their leader(?) Eliza, someone named Barnabus and a fourth person Dulin.”

“Interestingly, the person Una wrote the note for is not named.”

“It seems some of the rebels escaped Talmondor’s Bounty in the canoe we found, but I’d guess their transport method was discovered and scuttled by the loyalists before all of the rebel faction could evacuate.”

“The note also implies the Loyalist Leader, Rayland Arkley said or did something to put off many (most?) of the colonists – sparking the rebellion.”

“But later he said or did something else to win the majority back.”

Lily nods along following. Suddenly, she looks around.

Huh? You hear that?

She turns in place for a moment and goes just a little past where they killed the bloody Maize.

Hello? Who's there?

After a moment, Lily kneels down and gives out a screaming squeak.

OH HALACOMORA BE BLESSED YOU ARE ADORABLE!

Lifting something up to her face, her face brightens widely.

Your name is... flower? Petal? Blossom? Blossom! Oh that's adorable!

Lily jumps up and down excitedly before returning to the others and holding out her hand to show the tiniest, cutest little rabbit you've ever seen with a crown of flowers, and on closer inspection, seems to be made out of wood and grass.

Look at what I found everyone! Her name is Blossom, and she wants to help! I can feel it!

Before anyone can get to confused, she explains.

She's a plant spirit! I can't... quite talk to her just yet... so their is some communication barriers, but I can tell she wants to help! Hence the ADORABLE self!

“She wants to help us, does she?”

A sceptical Gervase puts a hand behind an ear, engaging her Wild Empathy. “Great Deadeye’s Raven, Lily! You’re right!”

Lily gasps and holds blossom closer to her chest, glaring at Goldhawk.

Don't you DARE!

She sets the little rabbit on her shoulder, and it nuzzles into her shoulder. Lily closes her eyes and the little spirit fades away. After a moment she nods.

Got it Blossom.

She grins and taps her head.

She's still here, but it's safer for the poor thing if I hold her spirit. Apparently, according to blossom, there is a lot of dangerous stuff on this island!

The last bit is dripping in sarcasm.

“Do you know how many times I shot wild hare during our rambles in Andoran, Lily?”

Gervase continues teasing her friend. “As many times as you had bunny stew for dinner.”

However, the ranger’s voice sounds distorted and faraway, as new words speak into Lily’s subconscious …

Lucy huffs.

That's different. None of those rabbits had little crowns of flowers. Or talked.

Lucy blinks a few times and shakes her head. Momma had warned her about getting to involved with the plants spirits. She would have to be careful about hearing to many things.

Bringing herself back, she shakes the cobwebs out of her head.

Speaking of which, we should keep a eye out. The hardtack rations aren't bad or anything, but a hearty stew would be much more palatable don't you think? I wonder what kinda game can be found around here...