Viviana recites a prayer to Shelyn, and Goodluck immediately feels the tension in his swollen muscles ease.
She then retrieves a scroll and reads from it. Taecuss also feels his injuries vanish.
I can provide a little healing, if any of you are seriously wounded, Meycho says before tending to Falling Star's wounds.
"Thank you, Meycho, that is very kind" Caelin said as a few of his wounds closed up.
"While I don't need it myself, I am happy to purchase the remaining scroll for someone, if they find themselves short of gold."
"Thank you, Meycho, that is very kind" Caelin said as a few of his wounds closed up.
"While I don't need it myself, I am happy to purchase the remaining scroll for someone, if they find themselves short of gold."
Caelin nods to Tae, says "Agreed" and hands the gold to Viviana.
Meycho spreads a little love to his old travelling companion.
Meycho spreads a little love to his old travelling companion.
As you are getting ready to move out, Elyin breaks off from directing the cleanup to give some final advice to the group.
"To get to the area where you are likely to find Devarre, you have two options. The safest way is to take the road heading south west towards Sauerton for 50 miles, until you reach the banks of the Verduran Fork. From there, you can follow the river north for another 25 miles or so, until you reach the forested hills where Devarre's retreat is said to be located.
It may be faster to move straight west through the forest though. If you follow the Sellen north-west a few miles, you will reach a loading-station where the Lumber Consortium ferries logs downstream. From there, a trail leads straight west into the woods. It will not take you all the way through, but it should make you able to make a faster progress for a good while."
Elyin then hands you a map of the Verduran Forest. The forested hills where Devarre lives are marked by a grey circle.
Right before you leave, Lumi also comes over, and speaks briefly to Meycho in private.
"Elyin said you were heading out to find answers to all of this. I want to ask you..." she pauses briefly, a bit uncertain. "If you run into Tenzekil...I understand that he was behind this attack, and that he should be punished for it...but...In the past, he may have been a sorry and depressed gnome, but never malignant. Something has changed him, and not the Bleachling. Perhaps it is this Fellnight Queen he was shouting about. Maybe something can be done to bring him back from the darkness that grips him..."
She falls silent for a moment, looking a little sad. Then she quickly leans over and gives you a soft kiss on the cheek. "Be careful out there, she says, and hurries off.
Meycho stands a little in silence watching her go, then returns to the others.
Meycho spreads a little love to his old travelling companion.
Jervaise nods his thanks to Meycho.
"Thank-you, old son! That certainly took the edge off the pain. I for one feel ready to head-out."
He then turns to Caelin.
"I know I would prefer to hurry as much as possible; I don't know what plans might be in store for the townsfolk, but I dare say that whatever force is causing this does not have their best interest at heart. Do you feel that it would be possible to take the direct, cross-country route?"
Caelin sized up his companions, picturing each moving through the forest in this thick mist.
"Regardless of route, we will need a mount for Meycho, at least. We'll need his help, but his size will slow us somewhat." He nodded respectfully to the halfling, trying to show that he meant no offense.
Looking over the map, he thought out loud. "If we follow the road and the river, we'll not risk getting lost, but it will take us 4 days to reach our goal. If we go overland, and push on a bit at the end of each day, we'll make it in two. But it's very, very possible that we could become lost in this mist, depending on how well we can work together."
JaceDK: Please check my math, and let me know if we can use Aid Another and/or Goodluck's vision (can he see more than 60' and can this help me?) and/or Tae's knowledge skill bonuses.
Speed of characters
Caelin: 30ft
Goodluck: 30ft
Jervais: 30ft
Tae: 30ft
Meycho: 20ft.- Meycho at least will need a 30-ft speed mount to keep up with the others.
Survival Scores:
Caelin: +13
Goodluck: +0, but he can see
Jervaise: +0, for this part of survival
Meycho: +10
Taecuss: +0, but has Local and Geography for +5 to avoid getting lost.
30 miles overland in forest (30ft = 24 miles x 1/2= 12 miles. Add a 1 hour forced march hustle at the end: 6x1/2 miles= 3 miles. DC 12 Con check to avoid 1d6 points of non-lethal and fatigue (removable with healing). Total daily travel is thus 15 miles, and thus 2 days.)
Chance of getting lost: DC 16 for forest, -4 for poor visibility, +4 for map.
Caelin alone: 13-4=9 vs. DC 16; need 7 or better on 8 rolls per day, so almost certain to get lost.
Possible benefits for Goodluck's sight, aid another, and Tae's Knowledge skills.
Caelin with Meycho's aid: 13-4+2=11 vs. DC 16; need 5 or better on 8 rolls per day, so almost certain to get lost.
Caelin with Meycho's aid, Goodluck's vision, Tae's local and geography: 13-4+4+2+5=20 vs. DC 16, auto-success, won't get lost.
50 miles on road (24 miles, thus 2 days)
25 miles on river (12 twice, thus 2 days)
4 days total; no chance of getting lost as we follow a road and then a river.
"The mist will not be an issue for me. I can see through it without difficulty."
You math seems pretty accurate for the most part, even though you wont have to roll to avoid getting lost each hour. But remember, this is for normal conditions. You have no way of predicting how the Fellnight mist will affect your travels. Also, once you reach the forested hills, you can't be sure Devarre lives within sight of the river. You will most likely have to move into the forest to find him.
So the short answer is: Only the GM knows what can happen in the mist.
Turning to Goodluck, Caelin bows. "We will have need of that sight, so thank you, and Gozreh who has blessed you."
He takes a deep breath and sighs, turning to address everyone.
"While the mist's effects on our overland journey is unknown, this merely adds urgency to our goal of finding its source. Many rely on the forest and must travel through it. If the mist hinders us, it will also be hindering those less able to protect themselves. Therefore, I counsel the shortest path. I will do my best to see us there quickly."
So the short answer is: Only the GM knows what can happen in the mist.
Oh, now I feel MUCH better! :-)
Alright, if I don't have to roll 18 times, we'll go overland.EDIT: "Oh wait, we're going east. THAT'S west. Sorry."
Meycho will shop around for a pony, war trained if possible.
Taecuss:
Caelin:
Jervaise:
Goodluck:
Meycho:
G -K(n)
After a brief visit to a local horsetrader, the group bids farewell to Elyin and sets out into the Fellnight mist. On the outskirts of town, you pass hastily armed militia-men already hard at work erecting barricades. They pause to let you pass, giving you nervous glances before turning back to the fortification of Bellis.
Heading North-west along the west bank of the Sellen river, you realize the strange effect the mists have already begun to have on the land. Hedges and bushes seem more sprawling and thorny than they should be, and there is a hushed, pressing silence everywhere. Moving swiftly, with Caelin and Goodluck in front and Meycho bringing up the rear on his newly-acquired pony, you make good time.
The two hawks, unable to take to the skies, spend most of the time perched on the packs or shoulders of their masters, although they from time to time take off and circle a few feet above the group. They never go off further than a dozen feet at most, since even their sharp eyes cannot see further.
Only Goodluck sees the surroundings clearly, the full extent of the creeping corruption apparent to him. The bidding of his god still rings in his ears, and he guides Caelin along, keeping a constant lookout for the landmarks and shifts in the terrain that the elven ranger instructs him to watch for.
A few miles upriver, right where Elyin said it would be, you come upon the lumber loading station. A series of piers extend into the river, allowing wagon-loads of heavy timber to be rolled up and dropped directly into the water to be ferried downstream to Bellis. The normally busy place now seems all but abandoned, although Goodluck spots several lumberjacks peering out into the mist from a shack, weapons in hand. Not wishing to be delayed, you give the station a wide berth and set off westward into the forest along a narrow wagon-trail.
Although the trail clearly sees frequent traffic from both wagons, horses and men, the surrounding undergrowth is already moving in on both sides, and you can just barely move single file.
About an hour or so before dusk, just when you are about to increase your pace, Goodluck suddenly spies something up ahead...
About 100 ft up ahead, the trail seems to widen into an open area. You spot tents and piles of lumber, and guess that this is one of the Lumber Consortium logging camps mentioned by the lumberjacks you competed against in the caper toss.
In the middle of the open area, kneeling by a bush, you spot a frightfully thin humanoid with long, pointed fingers and a forest of razor-sharp wooden spines for hair. Its thick skin has a barklike texture and patches of thorns jutting from it, and from its mouth flickers an overly long tongue, studded with wooden splinters and barbs.
Trained in the lore of nature, you realize that you know exactly what this creature is - a Splinterwaif, an evil breed of fey with the ability to turn dead bodies into bushes. You clearly recall reading a detailed account of the ecology and habits of this nasty fey (see the spoiler below).
The Splinterwaif does not seem to have noticed you yet. You see no other creatures from your current position.
Splinterwaif CR 3
NE Medium Fey
Init +5; Senses Low-Light Vision; Perception +7
--------------------
DEFENSE
--------------------
AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+5 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 12 (2d6+5)
Fort +1, Ref +8, Will +5
DR 5/cold iron, SR 7
--------------------
OFFENSE
--------------------
Spd 50 ft, climb 50 ft
Melee 2 claws +6 melee (1d4) or splinterspit +6 ranged (1d6)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Call brambles, sneak attack +2d6, splinterspit, transformation
--------------------
STATISTICS
--------------------
Str 11, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 16
BAB +1; CMB +6; CMD 16
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Toughness, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +10, Bluff +8, Climb +13 (+8 racial bonus,), Diplomacy +8, Disguise +8, Intimidate +8, Knowledge: Local +9, Perception +7, Sense Motive +7, Stealth +20 (+10 racial)
Languages Common, Sylvan
SQ Camouflage, damage reduction 5/silver,low-light vision, spell resistance 7,superior woodland stride
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Call Brambles (Su):
As a standard action, a splinterwaif can cause a thorny branch to grow out of any nonmagical wooden surface within 30 feet. Treat this branch as a Medium animated object with a speed of 0 feet and the constrict exceptional ability. Splinterwaifs are fond of creating animated brambles to help flank opponents or to hold them immobile for sneak attacks. Controlling an animated bramble is a free action. A splinterwaif can animate and control only one bramble at a time.
Camouflage (Su):
A splinterwaif’s skin changes color to match its surroundings. Doing this requires a full-round action on the part of the splinterwaif and grants it a +10 circumstance bonus on Stealth checks. While camouflaged, a splinterwaif also gains concealment. As soon as the splinterwaif moves or attacks, it loses these benefits until it takes another full-round action to camouflage again.
Sneak Attack (Ex):
A splinterwaif can sneak attack as a rogue, dealing an extra 2d6 points of damage on a successful sneak attack.
Splinterspit (Su):
A splinterwaif can spit a splinter of wood at a foe as a ranged attack with a range increment of 30 feet. The act of spitting a splinter provokes attacks of opportunity from any creatures that threaten the splinterwaif. A hiding splinterwaif can attempt to snipe at targets with its splinter spit attack by taking a move action to immediately hide after making a ranged attack. It takes a –20 circumstance penalty on its Stealth check to conceal itself after the shot. As long as the target is within 30 feet and unaware of the splinterwaif’s position, the splinterwaif can take full advantage of its sneak attack with this ranged weapon.
Superior Woodland Stride (Su):
A splinterwaif can move through natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain at its normal speed without taking damage or suffering other impairment. This includes thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that are magically manipulated to impede motion.
Transformation (Su):
A splinterwaif can transform a dead humanoid or fey into a Medium thorny bush at will. Doing this requires a full minute of oncentration; if the splinterwaif is interrupted during this time, it must start the transformation over from the beginning. A transformed body does not radiate magic, and is treated as a normal plant. Creatures that have been transformed into plants in this manner cannot be restored to life via raise dead or resurrection, although true resurrection, miracle, or wish can revive a dead character.
Skills: A splinterwaif has a +10 racial bonus on Stealth checks. It also has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.
Goodluck calls the column to a halt, whispering in a low voice to all those nearby. "Ahead dere is an evil fey by the road. Dey are called splinterwaifs and dey are nasty little t'ings. Dey have de ability to turn bodies into bushes. Anyone got cold iron on dem?"
Jervaise gives Goodluck a grin.
"Indeed I do!"
Since Goodluck has mentioned the Splinterwaif, everyone are welcome to try a Knowledge (nature) roll and read any of the spoilers below that you beat the DC for. Splinterwaifs are Fey, so Caelin gets +4 from Favored Enemy. Goodluck can read all of the spoilers.
A splinterwaif appears superficially like a thin, lithe humanoid. Its skin can change between a multitude of colors. Thorns jut from the skin, some dropping off while others rapidly grow to replace those that have fallen away. A typical splinterwaif is 5 feet tall and weighs about 70 pounds. Splinterwaifs are masters of camouflage, and they are rarely seen except by their victims. They can transform dead bodies into a bushes which they feed upon. Splinterwaifs lurk in environments containing large amounts of old weathered wood in which to hide and a fair amount of prey to catch, transform, and eat. A splinterwaif moves with remarkable speed, clambering up vertical surfaces with ease. Splinterwaifs speak Sylvan
Splinterwaifs often lie in wait in piles of discarded lumber, ramshackle buildings, or decommissioned ships, attacking with surprise and sneak attacks. While they are rather adroit with their claws, their favorite attack is to spit a long, thin wooden splinter at a target from hiding. When forced into physical combat, a splinterwaif is somewhat cowardly and tries to escape so it can stalk its prey and attack later on its own terms.
Splinterwaifs can call long stands of thorny brambles out of any wooden surface to help them ensnare their victims. They can also move through thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain without taking damage or suffering other impairment. This includes areas that are magically manipulated to impede motion.
Knowledge (Nature) DC 28 or better - read Bonus info spoiler for Goodluck in the post above.
In response to Goodluck's question, Ceylin nods silently and puts his hand on his greatsword. Crouching a bit, he makes sure the others are ready for combat.
Meycho, sitting atop his new pony, draws an arrow from a quiver and puts it to the bow, without drawing the string back, saying So do I, though this fog makes it less likely I'll hit.
The mists swirl around you as you crouch on the trail, weapons ready. None of you except Goodluck are able to see anything up ahead except fog and tress.
The Splinterwaif seems to be absorbed in fiddling with the bush. From time to time, it raises it's head and looks about, but it does not look like it can see far in the mist. It certainly gives no indication that it has seen you.
Jervaise shrugs.
"I am happy to try and sneak-up on the beast; this fog should provide plenty of cover..."
Brutal Beating (Rogue class feature) means that by foregoing 1d6 sneak attack (which I have done), the target is Sickened for a number of rounds equal to half my rogue level (2).
Because I dealt non-lethal damage (by using a merciful weapon), the Enforcer feat allows me to make an Intimidate check (to demoralize) against the target as a free action.
If successful, they are Shaken for a number of rounds equal to the damage dealt, plus 1, because Frightening (Rogue class feature) increases the duration of Demoralize by one round.
I love synergies! :-)
Caelin's eyes widen as Jervaise skulks past him and into the mist. He blinks once, shrugs, smiles and heads forward as well. Caelin takes a slightly different route, hoping to get off the main path a bit and catch the foes between himself and Jervaise. As he moves, he first pulls out his longbow, nocking a magical arrow..
Goodluck will stay back, about twenty feet from the splinterwaif, just to ensure that everything goes as planned. He'll have his trident drawn and readied, as well as his ice armor up.
Meycho sends a prayer to the powers that be, thinking that this will never end well, before guiding his pony slowly forwards through the mists, stopping if he sees an enemy ahead, his bow at the ready.
Initiative:
Taecuss:
Goodluck:
Meycho:
S1:
S2:
T:
S1 perception:
S2 Stealth:
T1 Stealth:
T2 Stealth:
T3 Stealth:
Perception:
Taecuss:
Caelin:
Jervaise:
Goodluck:
Meycho:
Falling Star:
Aumgwe:
Jervaise and Caelin stalk carefully through the mist, the rest of the group following close behind. Suddenly, the splinterwaif appears in the mist, right where Goodluck said it would be. The evil fey is too preoccupied with tampering with the bush to notice the stalking warriors.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning seems to shoot from the woods, as Caelin sends an enchanted arrow against the splinterwaif. It cries out in a shrill, pitched voice as the arrow sinks deep into it's bark-like flesh. Moments later, Jervaise springs forwards and swings his mighty blade in a wide arc. The blow is powerful enough to knock the wounded splinterwaif senseless, and it collapses in a heap.
The assault was swift and deadly. Jervaise stands alone on the edge of the camp, only just able to spot the concealed form of Caelin behind him in the undergrowth besides the trail. The mists conceal everything else.
The camp is littered with debris everywhere. In the north part of the clearing, 10 ft high stacks of rough cut lumber are lined up in rows, along with a large pile of firewood. The south part has three large tents, and seems to be the living area for the lumberjacks. Thorn darts riddle the tents and supplies, and clear signs of combat are abundant.
From the corner of your eye, you catch a brief glimpse of movement among the wood-piles to the north - at least, you THINK you saw something. It was gone too quickly for you to be certain.
As he hears the sound of combat, Taecuss raises his voice in a battle hymn.
Surprise round -
Ordered Initiative-
Meycho/Falling Star: 26
Goodluck: 20
Caelin/Aumgwe: 18
Jervaise: 13
Taecuss: 7
Maps-
Meycho/Falling Star
Goodluck
Caelin/Aumgwe
Jervaise
Taecuss
Terrain Features-
Bushes/Dark green areas: Heavy undergrowth - difficult terrain and 30% concealment.
Lumber piles: 10 ft high.
Notes-
Because of the limited visibility, every player gets their very own map, showing what your character is able to see. This is a heck of a lot of work for me (Thank you, mr. Spicer), but should work nicely to simulate the limited visibility in the Mist.
Active Effects
Bard song: Inspire Courage +2/+2 - 1 round spent
That was almost too easy, Meycho says in a low, cautioning tone, before guiding his pony a little further ahead, ready to fire an arrow at anything hostile that comes into view.