Kingmaker: Stolen Lands of the Shining

Game Master BloodWolven

Quince looks at Angeus with a double take. He smiles."Whatever has visited you it has been playing with your hair in the light for some time. I thought I was seeing things . . ."

"Quince, are you going in now?" Kev points to the structure.

Quince looks at Kevros, "Curiosity alone is reason enough at this point."

Quince approaches the structure. Erastil, Lord of the hunt, if this is somehow not fitting, deny my entrance. He hesitates a moment and outs fourth his hand.

The oval is still permeable since Angeus exited. After you push your way through the barrier it becomes opaque and hard.

Katrina smiles as each of you come out of the pyramid with determination and then happiness. She goes over to look and inspect Angeus' new hair coloring, "I like it Angeus, it seems... right."

Curse you fat fingers. Lost huge post. Yes it was Erastil or Satan I went with Ole Deadeye rather than Ole Slue-foot.

He emerges from the pyramid looking at his hands and turns around as if trying to see something right behind him. He begins speaking in a rush all in Celestial.

After a moment he paces himself, "Oh sorry. Kevros, Katrina, Erastil himself spoke he is apart of all this. It is beyond my explaining." Quince picks at his clothing around his chest and swings his shoulder absently. "He said soon we will be at his statue, there we will find answers."

He smiles "Excuse me my armor seems snug, too much good cooking lately." Quince loosens some bindings on his hide armor and puts it back on so he has more room to move. Those who have been around him lately note he has some added bulk to his frame.

Kev nods to Quince then looks to Katrina with a kind smile, "Do you want to go next?"

She smiles at the compliment from Quince and says, "I don't think it is just that Quince, everyone has emerged changed. Changed for the better but still changed slightly in the least to the grand colors of Angeus."

"Why thank you Kev, I will gladly go next." She says with a bit of blush on her cheeks. She goes forward and through the permeable oval. The oval hardens and become opaque like before. The pyramid's structure seems to crumble in some places and light bleeds through a lot more this time. She comes out of the pyramid with a glow, not a literal glow, a happy at peace look on her face. Her body movements are supple and at ease. She walks up to Kevros and gives him a big kiss. She pulls herself off of him and saunters towards the horses with a big grin on her face.

Quince chuckles "This experience agrees with you Katrina."

"It seems the gods support our hunt."

Kev looks at Katrina and opens his thoughts to her during the telepathy,

And he returns the kiss.

She simply says in response to Quince without looking back, "Yes, yes it does."

Kevros enters the building ...

Angeus beams when Quince emerges from the pyramid, almost hopping from foot to foot, then waits impatiently for Katrina to take her turn.

She grabs hold of Quince's hand as they wait for their friend to emerge, eyes alight , "This is just so amazing, isn't it?" she enthused.

Quince and the others couldn't quite be sure if Angeus had become more beautiful or charming, or if it just wasn't her newfound joy and effervescence; but she was certainly more compelling.

+2 to Charisma

When Katrina emerges and walks over to Kevros and kisses him, Angeus crows with delight, grabbing Quince's hands and dancing him around in a circle.

She then stops, suddenly embarrassed by her behaviour, not quite used to it herself. She leans in and gives Quince a quick kiss on the lips, then smiles wickedly, before leaning back and tumbling back onto her hands. A quick transition back to her feet, beside Kevros as he approached the pyramid.

Giving her friend a playful slap on the shoulder as he went by, she stood in the middle of her friends, slowly looking from one to the other, smiling out her joy, her love.

Sorry still working on profile update....

Kevros looks at Angeus in surprise, then smiles, "I hope my experience is just as good."

Quince smiles and chuckles at Angeus's actions, he goes to speak but is interupted by a kiss. "mmm." He kisses back and smiles as Angeus flips away.

"If the rest of you are done enjoying each others company, perhaps we can track down this murderous dog and put this all to an end." He frowns as he mounts up being all broody and hardened.

Kev is still in the pyramid, I retcon for Angeus. Waiting for GM Wolfe.

"Tristan is right. We need to get moving. Once Kevros is finished."

Quince settles his gear and talks to the horses.

As Kevros enters the pyramid it seems to crumble even more. Even more light pours out of the cracks. Katrina looks back worried.

After Kevros exits the pyramid it seems to collapse in on itself. The magic appears to be gone. No lights and the oval is devoid of the permeable barrier. Now it looks more like a pile of rocks with a small alcove in them.

Once ready the group mounts up once more and finishes exploring the area finding a decent sized pond, though you can smell it before you can see it. The fey call it frog pond.
Just reiterating. 11th of Pharast, Day 62, 100 (Boar) +8- 6= 102 equivalent rations left after this day. Intended Path: 18, 22, 24, 27. NPCs with the group: Grig, faiere dragon, Katrina...dead boar. ;P

The pond is 150 feet in diameter and appears to be the source for the skunk river. Two hot springs bubble and give the area the distinctive smell of rotten eggs. You could make camp here or somewhere else.

As Kev exits the small pyramid, Kev also has a smile on his face and sporting a newly crafted buckler on his left shoulder with the all so familiar symbol of Erastil. It appears that Kevros was under some sort of time alteration while in the pyramid for he was able to finish his buckler and his hide holy symbol shield covering. He smiles and winks at Katrina as he climbs up on to Hala.

Wow, that hot spring really stinks! Normally I would say make camp here because of the beauty, but I think it is too stinky to do so. What do you all think?"

Does this seem odd? Or natural occurring?

"Why would the water smell so fowl?"

At the pyramid
Quince whistles, "You have a buckler . . . a gift? It is nice."

At the pond

Quince pulls a scarf and covers his mouth. "Some mineral maybe in the rock bubbling up."

knowledge nature: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

@Tristan - Natural occurring, hot springs. Not all hot springs are odorless.

Kev waves the air trying to get less of a dose of rotten eggs but it does not seem to help, "Let us move on or all we will smell is putrid eggs?"

I added Kev's +2 ability boon to Wisdom. Thank you, that helped.

Yummy sulfur.

Quince notes the site on the map. "Not sure I want to know why they call it the frog pond." He looks for the fey allies. "Why do you call it the frog pond?"

"Err, if any frogs live in that, I am not too sure I want to meet it? That stench and the water can be healthy for normal frogs?" Kev smiles.

Angues leans over her pommel, looking at the steaming water, her nose wrinkling from the smell.

"Ug. I'd love a nice long soak....but that smell." she says wistfully, thinking about Kevros' and Quince's question.

Knowledge, Nature: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

The dragon speaks in sylvan to answer Quince's question.

Angeus snaps her fingers, "That's right. I heard about a similar hot spring, stinky as this one...it's natural alright, but they got rid of the smell by immersing a rod of copper.."

"Does it have to be a rod. I mean we could likely come up with quite a bit of cooper coins."

Kev simulates reaching for his pack, "Sure, one moment, I have a copper rod in my pack and always carry one with me. And if you guys do, you would surprise me?!" Kev smiles.

"Yes if the coins would work cleaning this area of the smell would make it a nice place to visit, but these are things we do not have time for while the stag lord still lives. Quince if you can mark this area on our map we can revisit it."

Quince looks to Tristan, "Its marked."

The copper coins might work, if you warmed them up to make a rod, that might work too. The copper rod in question might need to be tempered, so a craft alchemy DC 12 check might be needed. Otherwise you could just throw in the copper pieces and hopes that works.

12th of Pharast, Day 62, 102- 6= 96 equivalent rations left after this day. Intended Path: 18, 21, 24, 27. NPCs with the group: Grig, faiere dragon, Katrina...dead boar. ;P

Your group moves out. Another day of exploring and searching for a statue. The forest seems to have much life about, they flee at your approach like most life in the forest. Near the end of the day you are near the edge of the Narlmarches.

A 15-foot-tall statue of Erastil stands partially overgrown at the base but towering above the surrounding shrubbery.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

Angeus allows her steed to amble up towards the statue, following the others.

She peers up at the statue, then looks about.

She frowns, looking off to the side, then exclaims, pointing "Ware. Archer in the bushes!"

Surprise Round

The hand pointing , forms a fist ,then spread open, palm up.

Four balls of light appear out of thin air, then speed off to begin circling a bush around 80 feet away.

Dancing lights

perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

Quince closes his eyes taking in the sight. "I can feel the very presence of Erastil himself."

Quince slides from the saddle smiling.

Wow, two 20s in a row!
At the statue

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

"What?"

Tristan looks about unable to see any threats.

Quince answers Tristan, "I said I can feel the very presence of Erastil."

Round 1

She looks around watching the orbs fly over to a bush. She dismounts feeling the presence Quince was speaking of. "Yes Quince, I feel at peace."

Angeus was able to act in the surprise round. Nothing else has happened, what are your actions for Round 1?

Wow I somehow missed Angeus' warning. My post hit 4 minutes later. Oh well. Clearly Quince was distracted by the majesty of the scene.

Quince sees the determined look on Angeus' face. He then follows her gaze toward the bush.

Are we able to see the archer with the aid of the lights?

With the dancing lights about the bush, you should know where the threat is currently at. Though unless you get a Perception Check DC 20, you still would not be able to see the concealed man.

Round 1

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

"I still see nothing. If there is someone there I suggest you come out before we treat you as an enemy."

Tristan dismounts from his horse.

Nothing happens... I hope Kevros catches up. Round 2, go!

Most of your group dismounts but nothing seems to happen.

Sorry all, I am here!

ROUND 1

Kevros day dreaming about the future is partially surprise and then brings himself back to the present after realizing the group is in danger, he also utters out an official Tristan, "What?!

Kevros also feels at peace near the statue but right now their peace is violated. He quickly looks for the offender of Holy Land.

ROUND 2

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Kevros catches a glimpse of the offender, he makes the attempt to quickly dismount since he is not quite trained in Mounted Archery ...

Ride VS 20 - Free dismount attempt: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Kevros dismounts but gets his foot stuck in the stirrup but pulls free before anything bad can happen (Since he failed, the dismount is a move action).

Before shooting, Kev looks at the man to make sure he is truly an enemy since he did not fire when everyone was dismounting, searching, and Kev had a glazed over dumbfounded look. )(Firearm Safety Rule #3 - Be sure of your target.)

Quince stares in the direction of the lights.

perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Quince draws his crossbow and moves to the statue for cover. Those who are used to his movements note he scrambled faster than they are used to.