Krazok stays near the man, not threatening him with his weapon but keeping it ready. As the man gets more antsy and begins to back up Krazok keeps up with him drawing up his axe in both hands, at the curse he strikes out.
Surprise round
Despite all the hints and his detecting evil Krafnik is struck still for a moment by just how fast that old man runs.
"What the ?" Aurora adds
Albinius spots the lack of comprehension in the old mans eyes as he greets him and as the man runs away he quickly prepares a spell.
Surprise Round
Casts entangle on the the area around the old man. Partial Reflex save DC 15.
Krazok slams his axe into the old man's shoulder but he rolls with the blow lessening the damage. The foliage before the old man becomes alive, stretching out to grab any foolish enough to come close.
Round 1
Aurora 21
Jenya 20
Krazok 16
Krafnik 15
Old man, Cat: 11
Albinius 9
Round 1
Krazok turns and pulls the axe to reverse and strike out at the old man again, as he leaves himself open. Then following easily he brings down the axe again.
Krazok runs down the old man but dodges the claws of Cat as he gets by. Now only the puma stands.
Down kitty!
Jenya moves to 20 feet of the big cat drawing her pistol as she does and fires.
Aurora moves onto the cat as the Old man is down.
Krafnik will fire at the cat with his bow:
The old man lays broken and bloody before Krazok, behind him the puma has been utterly slain. In his last few words the old man says, "At least the voices are all gone now."
Gear on the old man: +1 leather armor, +1 whip, masterwork short sword, ring of prot. +1
Nearby there is a hollow oak tree contains next to nothing of value but obviously the living space of the old hermit: a few pieces of crude wooden furniture, a simple wooden bowl and spoon, and a pile of dried leaves for a bed.
A few minutes spent deciphering the scrawls and faded shapes on this map are enough to recognize that the map seems to point the way to a hidden burial cairn somewhere in the Kamelands between the Gudrin and Shrike rivers, due east of the northern shores of the Tuskwater. A potent weapon is said to be hidden within this tomb, although the map vaguely warns of traps and an undead guardian who stole out of the tomb to reclaim the magic weapon once before.
Tomb Treasure
he PCs gain an
Source: Treasure map found in the Mad Hermit’s den. Alternatively, you can begin this quest by having the PCs find the treasure map as part of any treasure stash in this adventure.
Task:
Completion: By following the map, the PCs come to the Lonely Barrow (area f), wherein the weapons promised in the map can be found.
Reward: You should adapt the type of weapon this treasure map promises to match the favored weapon of one of your players who doesn’t currently have a good magic weapon—the reward for this quest is that weapon’s recovery (see area f4).
Aurora notices something as she sits on the bed of leaves "What do we have here."
She uncovers it and adds
"Looks like a chest."
There are many treasures here but let us say a word for our fallen foe and bury him with honor before any other talk
"Who wants what? Some of these items seem well made." He says as he takes the whip and blade off of the corpse. He nods to Krafnik and takes a few paces before starting to dig with a spade recovered from his Axebeak.
Once the body is buried he waits for Krafnik and any others to say words before covering the body, with some dirt, then pulling over the puma. He stops thinking better about the situation picking up the puma and slinging it over his Axebeak's pack. He then offers options, "Which shall we head to now, the Willow Wisps to the South West, the lizard folk to the West of the Wisps, or the black rattles? Probably the Will o wisps."
Aurora looks over the items
"I'd take the armour as a starter armour for myself, but I'd first need to learn more about putting armour on properly and getting a feel for moment in armour itself.
Also add that I'd need it modified to account for the differences between me and it's former owner like myself having a tail."
"So unless someone else wants the armour I'll take it and use it as my first experience in using armour."
Krafnik asks with solemn words that the everwatchful eye of his goddess watch over this soul and bring him to his place of peace and then he too will help fill in the dirt and help collect and portion out the loot taking none for himself building into the map and handing the two options to their leader to dispense along with the coins.
Albinius also takes a look at the items.
Hmm, I'm not sure about the armour either but the ring should make you a little harder to hit
I'm set for equipment right now. Let's go see to the Wisps on the way to the lizard folk.
Aurora replies to Albinius
"Is that ring a copy of mine or is it different?
Cause it looks near identical to the one I have, and I recall the gentleman who traded with me mentioning something about not using identical rings."
Albinius takes a look at Aurora's ring.
"Yes the enchantment on that ring is the same as the enchantment on your ring"
Wouldn't mind taking it if nobody else wants it Jenya says.
Aurora replies
"I have to agree, Blienka, it is beneficial when one does not have armour.."
Then adds
"Since I've heard one suggestion for Will'o'wisps and no objections I take it that is where we'll be heading to next?"
Will'o'Wisps sounds good to me. Fascinating things, quite fascinating. Did you know that nobody really knows what they are or where they come from? replies Albinius
Aurora replies
"That does get me curious, but it also scares me some.."
Listening to the others' suggestions before acting, he offers up a solution, "We give the ring to Blienka, and look to get others in the future. Perhaps the witch could make some. Do we know what these options do?" He asks as he palms the two unidentified potions.
He nods to the group, mounting back up on his Axebeak and heading towards the wisps looking for the river saying in his growling voice, "To the wisps then."
Krazok helps Aurora get the armor on and surprisingly it changes to fit its new wearer, even leaving a slit for her tail.
The group heads South soon to find the the lake known as Candlemere. It is notorious in the Stolen Lands for being haunted. Off in the distance there is an island in the middle of the lake, where a lonely tower stands. Off to the South West you can see the lizard folk's walled in community on the water.
There’s a 20% chance per night spent along Candlemere’s shores of seeing what are known as the “Candlemere Lights,” flickering spheres of color that dance over the waves or along its shores. The island in the middle of the lake is particularly prone to these strange lights, especially at its low summit, where a lonely tower stands. The island itself is covered with thick brambles and stinging nettles; moving through it counts as difficult terrain, and anyone who spends any time doing so must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or become sickened from the nettles for 2d4 hours (this is a poison effect).
The tower itself is a crumbling ruin—nothing remains but a half-collapsed, 40-foot-tall stone cylinder and a swath of rubble within and without. The stones of the tower are ancient; a DC 25 Knowledge (engineering or history) check is enough to note that these ruins are far older than any others in the area and could even date from the Age of Destiny. Faint carvings of strange symbols are barely visible in some of the tower’s stones—a DC 25 Linguistics check identifies them as being written in the ancient Aklo language, after which a DC 25 Knowledge (religion) check identifies them as fragments of a series of blasphemous prayers to the ancient gods of the Old Cults (the eerie name “Yog-Sothoth” can be found with a DC 25 Perception check).
Although the cult that once used this site as its center of worship has long since been destroyed, the ruins themselves exude a 100-foot aura of unease. Any creature that enters this area feels as if something unseen were watching or waiting and that intruders to this area are distinctly unwelcome. A DC 20 Will save keeps these feelings to vague senses of unease, but a failed saving throw results in the intruder becoming shaken as long as he remains within 100 feet of the tower. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. It can be suppressed by hallow, or removed entirely with a successful dispel chaos if the caster can make a DC 30 caster level check.
Creatures: The lights, of course, are will-o’-wisps. Dozens of the evil monsters haunt Candlemere’s environs, and any wandering monster result that occurs in this hex is with a will-o’-wisp 75% of the time. If the PCs make it to the central ruined tower, they automatically attract the attention of a will-o’-wisp, which attacks at once in an attempt to drive the PCs away, as the unsettling aura surrounding the tower is, to the will-o’-wisps, an almost intoxicating font of nourishment (they are immune to the harmful effects of the tower’s aura).
Every additional hour the PCs spend on the island attracts the attention of another will-o’-wisp. Some two dozen will-o’-wisps in all live in the area, although they tend to give each other a wide berth.
Will-o’-Wisp
XP 2,400
hp 40 (Pathfinder Bestiary 277)
CR 6
Treasure: A DC 30 Perception check (or detect magic) reveals a single strange treasure buried under the rubble by the northern inner wall of the ruined tower—a wickedly-curved+1 dagger that gains the human bane weapon quality for 24 hours whenever it is used to kill a human with a coup de grace action. The dagger is also cursed and imparts a negative level on any nonchaotic wielder as long as it is carried.
Development: If the PCs clear this area of nettles and will-o’-wisps (a daunting task) and manage to remove the tower’s eerie aura, the site is a promising place to found a city. The ruined tower can either give the city a free monolith structure or a ruined caster’s tower or watchtower structure. Founding a city around the ruined tower can have other effects, of course, such as a growing influence from the Old Cults or the alien gods they venerate (although expanding this element is beyond the scope of this adventure).
Aurora checks the armour as she wears it and does test movements with it to get some feel for it.
"The leather armour fits nice, but I can feel some restriction in my movements, thankfully it's not enough to cause a hinderance.
And I like how it altered its style some to myself, though I never knew armour could do this."
Krazok growls lightly a bit then offers up, "We swim out to that accursed tower, explore and wait for wisps to find us, meet with the lizard folk, or see if we can find a boat. We could go back up East to cross the river to find those black rattles before crossing to the island. Any other suggestions or agreements to said options?"
Aurora adds
"Does anyone really know what lives in this lake, as I would not like to be fish food if there is a predator that can swim in the water..."
Wisps first right? Then we'll go on to the lizard folk. Hells maybe they'll be glad that we got right of the wisps for 'em.
we talk to the lizardfolk first and secure boats and use the wisps as bargaining tools if needed and then to the wisps
"How good is everyone at swimming? I can swim fairly well and can prepare an extract to help me swim even better but if other people in the group are not strong swimmers or have stuff that they need to keep dry then we will need to look for a boat. If so then I suggest speaking to the lizardfolk first to attempt to secure one."
"I can swim reasonably well, since I'll need to swim in some of the rivers here."
Valisia nods to the group as they plan to head for the waters. "I am a terrible swimmer."
I'm alright. But getting wet ain't my most favourite thing in the world. A boat would be real nice
"Well there are the wisps that are terrors on their own. Creatures in the water... possible large frogs, large turtle like creatures, though those are far and in between still possible. I can swim well. I can get us a boat with the lizardfolk, my kin has had many interactions and trades with them. Considering it might be best to check with the lizardfolk and get that boat. We will still need to do some swimming unless you want to take the rest of the day to circumvent the other river."
"Yeah, it might be best to get a boat for those that can't or don't want to swim."
With the decision made, Krazok goes to mount up on his Axebeak and leads the group around to a better place to cross and towards the lizardfolk settlement while keeping an eye out for a boat.
Albinius
As the group travels an hour and a half Albinius speaks up...
Upon further investigation... it appears that someone has a hidden dock. The reeds are very thick around the dock and several trees help camouflage it as well. A fishing boat about 12 feet long is tied to the dock which could hold three medium humanoids easily.
there is a small boat here, if we have a pilot we can ferry members back and forth while some swim. I will require a ride
I'll prefer a boat. Want to keep my powder dry and all