RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4
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The moment the giant fleas land, Hans is already moving, his feet thundering across the ground. In that movement, he draws his greatsword from his back. The flea ahead of him hunches down, spreads its bristly legs and opens its mandibles with a wet hiss, wing-like plates on its back fluttering and clattering together in a threatening gesture. But as the mighty Ulfen comes to a stop adjacent to the creature, it is the gleam of his tremendous sword that is Hans' threatening display.
The blade rends the flea in twain, leaving a sticky yellow-white coating of haemolymph drooling down the length of steel and across one side of the barbarian's face. "Nicely done!" Caranthir yells at Hans. Setting his feet, he draws an arrow and waits for a good shot.
Though while Hans leads with steel, Fensyriath leads with his intellect. Fen looks at the creatures carefully, trying to recall his zoology classes. ""Giant fleas. Disgusting vermin!" The wayang informs the others, raising his shortbow and nocking an arrow in the same motion. A split second to steady his arm, and then the arrow is withdrawn, whistling through the air to stick soundly in the trunk of the tree the flea was partly occluded by.
At the sound of the arrow's impact, the flea scuttles out from behind the tree and springs to the side, hissing loudly and rattling its elytra in the same display of threatening strength its compatriot had done. The fleas, as Fensyriath surmises, are not cunning adversaries.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4
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Taelbin blinks at Han's savagery, but can't deny it's effectiveness. "Looks like I need to read up on my fauna a bit more," he remarks casually as he pulls his bow from his back. Taking a step to get a clearer shot, he aims at the remaining insect and lets an arrow fly. The arrow whistles through the air and strikes the flea square in its back, cracking its chitinous armor, though mostly just bouncing off.
Following suit, Caranthir draws his longbow in a practiced, elegant motion and quickly fires two arrows. Both arrows fly true, the first bouncing off of the angered flea's armored carapace like an acorn off a stone. The other strikes between armored plates, but barely penetrates into the insect's flesh.
However, Amahl sees the giant fleas hop into view, watching with a slight wonder as he notes their similarity to the sand fleas of Qadira, if sand fleas were the size of dogs! With a shouted, "For Saranrae!" He charges the flea as fast as he can, his heavy girth and chain armor making for a raucous noise as he barrels after the critter.
Amahl raises his blade, and as he begins to swing downward—clearly too wide—Janira lets out a sharp whistle. "Amahl! Let the dawnflower guide you!" That brief fit of inspiration is all the urging Amahl needs, for as he shuts his eyes and lets his hand sweep blindly it is Sarenrae who guides him the rest of the way with a swift slice through the back of the flea's neck.
Its head hits the ground, body hops away a few times before falling over into a twitching mass of chitin and yellow-green ichor. Opening his eyes, Amahl finds the flea dead, and his scimitar only slightly messier for it.
[ ]
Janira exhales a relieved sigh when she sees Amahl victorious over the last flea. Brushing back an errant lock of blonde hair from her brow, she waits a moment to make sure the last flea isn't getting up, but eventually seems satisfied enough to let her guard down. "Well!" Janira exclaims cheerfully, "That certainly went in our favor, didn't it?"
Adjusting the straps on her pack, Janira reaches down to her side and pulls out her wayfinder, flipping it open and watching the compass needle pivot and turn until it finally comes to a stop. "Well, we're right on course. Though..." wrinkling her nose, she looks up at the dense canopy overhead, then to the dappling of sunlight filtering through to the forest floor. "I'm worried we might not make it to the cave by dusk."
Looking to the others, Janira raises one brow. "Are any of you good in the wild? We could probably take a shortcut to make some time, but I'm not that much of a trailblazer." Grimacing, the halfling closes her wayfinder. "Otherwise we're going to need to pull double-time."
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Well done Amahl. It seems that Saranrae chose her disciple well.
Taelbin calls out to the paladin as he dispatches the flee. Once they are sure no other enemies are attacking, Taelbin will then replace his bow and inspect one of the fleas.
Unfortunately I am of little use in the wilderness such as this. Though I will try to help as best as I can since we should do our best to arrive at the site on time. Would hate to miss the Gillmen when we're this close.
Hans grins.
"Worry not, I am used to trail-blazing - there aren't a lot of roads here I come from!"
He then blithely surges forward, doing his best to find a path...
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"Saranrae smiled upon me, but I think I also need to thank our dear guide Janira for her timely inspiration! Thank you, my teacher, for your words and presence. And a great thanks to the rest of you! Is anyone hurt?" Amahl cleans the ichor from his blade before examining the fleas. He makes a few sketches in his journal on their exposed anatomy, then conjectures what great beasts such enormous fleas could feed from...
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4
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Smiling at Amahl, Janira waves off his praise with a demure smile. "A teacher is only as good as her students." While Amahl may not be fully aware of it, his compliment means more to Janira than she'd ever be willing to let on. She shows the truth only in the flushness of her cheeks and the hasty way she turns away from the conversation.
Hans, asserting the birthright of his people, takes to the forest with a canny eye. Though his familiarity with woodland survival is adept, Taelbin's assistance as a spotter helps speed the group's pace along, allowing for them to effectively scout and travel together, spotting dead-ends, blockages, and other disruptions to their forward progress. Following Janira's guidance with her wayfinder, the party makes the last two hours of the trek through the ancient forest with ease.
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The entire way through the forest, Hans has been unable to shake a feeling that something is off. Not because of any one event of sign, but something about this section of forest leaves the barbarian ill at ease. The forest is quieter than usual, foliage more sparse, well traveled. Worse yet are signs of scarring ten feet up on some of the pine trees, like in the way stags scratch their antlers on a tree during molting season, but the markings don't seem right.. Nothing seems to have been through the area recently enough to have left tracks, but the whole experience has lingered in the back of Hans' mind like a cloud, distantly rumbling thunder; like a warning.
Eventually, sound of running water carries alongside the chirp of birds and cry of other forest creatures. Urging the group to follow the sound, Janira and Hans lead the party through the remaining woodlands until eventually the dense forest opens to a wide clearing at the base of a sheer cliff. A flock of colorful sea birds erupt from a perch atop the cliff as the group makes their way out of the underbrush, soaring overhead and disappearing beyond the treetops. Thick vines cover the surface of the cliff stretching 30 feet overhead. "Here!" Janira shouts, moving ahead of Hans with her wayfinder held aloft. "The cave entrance is behind those vines!"
As Janira emerges from the forest into the clearing, she looks back to the others, closing her wayfinder. She quickly hustles across the clearing and down into the banks of a gently flowing and relatively shallow river that—even with her modest height—only comes up to her waist. Coming out on the other side of the river, Janira comes to a stop at the cave and pulls back the vines concealing the entrance she'd spoe of before. "This is where I saw the gillmen enter."
As she motions toward the aperture, the surrounding woods come alive with the sound of small animals fleeing some unseen danger, birds scatter from the trees and immediately Hans' bad feeling is justified as and a large creature crashing through the undergrowth. With a thunderous presence a massive, horned monstrosity emerges from the trees. Standing eight feet tall on a pair of cloven hooves and wielding a tremendous, notched axe, the bull-headed creature roars with unbridled anger when it spots the group. There is fury, deep and resentful, burning in the dark eyes of this foe.
A minotaur.
Making a snap judement, Janira swings her backpack off of her shoulders and hurls it into the cave entrance. "Take my pack and get into the cave! I'll distract it! Run!" She urges, uncoiling her whip from her side with a crack of its tip, drawing the minotaur's attention with a ferocious snort.
"Go now! "
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Not having spent much time in the wilderness, Taelbin is pleased to see some of his skills are still useful as he helps to guide the party through the woods. As they break into the clearing and see the vine-covered cave, his eyes dart about taking in scenery.
It is quiet a nice place. A bit too rustic for my tastes though.
His mouth opens to ask Janira a question when the hulking form of some monster comes crashing through the underbrush. Instincts yell at Taelbin to grab his bow, but Janira's command draws his attention. he can see in her eyes the determination.
Move everyone, to the cave! Taelbin yells as he grabs his bow and rushes toward the cave, taking up a position near the entrance and training his bow on the beast.
Hans looks impressed.
"That... is big."
Reluctance clearly suffusing his countenance, Hans nonetheless follows Janira's entreaty, and hustles into the cavern.
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Fen marvels at the forest during the trip, despite his fatigue from the long travel day. He is impressed that anyone can find their way through these trackless woods without getting lost.
Arriving at the cave, Fen dismounts and stretches his legs. At Janira's shouted warning his head spins toward the sound. His eyes widen at the site of the beast, and he tries to recall its identity.
Not that this will factor into his decision - Janira has given an order, and Fen follows it. Grabbing Janira's pack, he leads his mount into the cave entrance. Assuming the cave holds no threats [ooc(darkvision)[/ooc] he will send his ram deeper into the cave mouth and out of sight, and pause at the entrance. If Janira appears to need help, Fen will cast a grease spell between the beast and her; otherwise he moves into the cave as instructed.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4
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[ ]
Caranthir's arrow streaks through the air and strikes the minotaut squarely in its right shoulder, spinning the beast around and giving Janira enough of an opening to run between the tall creature's legs and tumble away once through. As the Pathfinders on their Confirmation hustle into the cave, Amahl is the last to enter and see Janira lashing her whip across the minotaur's back. The whip cannot cut through the minotaur's thick hide, but the loud crack and sting gets its attention, and the Sarenite's last sight before plunging into darkness is Janira dashing off into the underbrush with the bull-creature charging after her, axe held aloft and one arrow bristling from its body.
Soon out of sight and in the darkened depths of the narrow cave, the group finds the quarters close and slick with water and mold. Distant sounds of dripping water echo up from the darkness, and the last vestiges of dusk filtering in through the cave mouth shed little visible light. Moving a few feet in, Hans' boot catches something that causes him to briefly stumble—Janira's backpack.
Having hurled it in ahead of the group, Janira's pack seems to have a collection of useful items in it, undoubtedly intended to help on the journey. Though now, she's left those tools to the Pathfinders while she distracts the terrible beast that had tracked the party down...
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Gathering up Janira's backpack, the group makes its way deeper into the cave, following her orders. All the while, Fensyriath racks his brain, trying to pin a name or identity on the beast that ambushed them, and finds himself unable to come up with more than a name—minotaur.
While it seemed as though the cave the Pathfinders venture into is subsumed in darkness, the gloom subsides after only a few feet into the narrow passage, where patches of luminscent blue fungus—which Fensyriath recognizes as a form of mycena chlorophos—grow on the cave walls. This plentiful fungus sheds like like hundreds of candles through the glossy, damp cave, illuminating strange carvings on the walls.
These petroglyphs—primarily spirals and silhouettes of aquatic creatures—look to range across a myriad of ages. Some of them are ancient and faded, while others look to have been carved recently. The glowing fungus and petroglyphs continue down the twisting, narrow tunnel for several hundred feet before slowly opening to a wider passage. A large hole spans the cave’s width and stretches ten feet down the path. At the
bottom of the pit lies a small bundle of what might be cloth, spotted with mold.
With the pit taking up the full width of the tunnel, the Pathfinders will need to find a means to bypass it.
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DC 10: This pit is artificial, with rounded edges to prevent easy escape from people who fall in.
DC 15: The pit is at least a year old and looks like it may have been covered in the past.
antitoxin
acid
alchemist’s fire (2)
holy water
smokestick
tanglefoot bag
thunderstone
(DC 16) potion of barkskin
(DC 16) potions of cure light wounds (2)
(DC 16) potion of feather step(APG)
(DC 16) potion of vanish(APG)
(DC 21) scroll of entangle
(DC 21) scroll of gust of wind
(DC 21) scroll of identify
(DC 21) scroll of mage armor (CL 6)
(DC 21) scroll of obscuring mist
(DC 16) wand of burning hands (CL 3rd, 4 charges)
(DC 16) wand of cure light wounds (CL 3rd, 8 charges)
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Moving carefully into the tunnel, Taelbin's eyes adjust to the darkness quickly before the light of the moss creates enough light. He gazes at the glyphs trying to decipher a meaning to them.
Upon reaching the pit, Taelbin takes a moment to make a few notes in his journal.
Taelbin moves up to the pit and looks about for some means across. Hmmm, looks like whoever uses this cave system made this pit here, it's artificial. The edges have been done up to make it harder to get out too. But why leave it exposed?
Hans, lets have a look at the lady's pack. Perhaps she left something that might help us.
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Amahl lingers before heading into the cave, clearly torn between obeying orders and helping the halfling. He finally turns, but not before muttering a prayer to the Dawnflower to keep the halfling safe.
Once inside, he pauses to consider the pit. He moves back, and with a great OOMPH of exertion, he running leaps across the pit! , barely clearing the far side and landing not unlike a holiday turkey falling from a pan...
Brushing himself off, he stands and retrieves a rope from his backpack, tying one end to a nearby solid object and dropping the other into the pit to make the climb out easier.
"Well now! That was a new experience for me! Perhaps I shall call myself Amahl the Flying now!"
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Glancing quickly around to ensure nothing threatens the group, Fen pauses and looks at the petroglyphs. Explore, report, cooperate... but in what order? Putting safety before curiousity, Fen leaves his journal in his pouch and goes through Janira's backback. "Janira wished these ones to have her backpack - there must be something important here."
"This one sees that Janira is well-prepared - there are alchemical remedies and weapons here. Also there are magical elixirs of healing, protection, and invisibility, and scrolls which contain magical spells to provide armor and animate the forest to trap enemies. There are two more scrolls and two wands that this one cannot identify." He holds up the backpack, then frowns. "This one wonders if the items should stay in Janira's pack, or if these ones should each carry some, in case..." he trails off uncertainly. Now you will face the unknown, Fen - are you ready for it?
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Caranthir smiles at Amahl, who he is growing fond of despite himself.
"Amahl the Acrobat! That was an impressive, if potentially unwise, display!"
Caranthir uses his own rope to lower himself carefully into the pit...it seems there is something down there.
What is that moldy cloth? Did someone drop something in?
Hans laughs.
"I agree, that was an impressive display of aerial acrobatics, Amahl!"
In response to Fensyriath's question, Hans shrugs.
"You can keep everything if you wish, but it would probably be better if the contents of the pack was distributed to whomever could best benefit from it. That way, it is easier to use when we inevitably are attacked by something..."
He then carefully looks over the edge of the pit, and, moving to one corner to take advantage of the opportunities for 'bracing', climbs down to investigate the bundle of 'cloth'.
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Amahl that was quiet impressive.
Taelbin calls out to the paladin, unable to keep the awe out of his voice. Looking over at Fens and the items in Janira's pack.
Hmmm, unfortunately unless it's a potion I can not help identify them. But I do agree with Hans, it might be better to divide the items. Perhaps the healing should go to Hans and Amahl, since they seem like the two that would be in close batter, where as the rest of us seem to prefer our distance.
The tiefling picks up one of the wands and looks it over for a few moments. Can't tell what it is, but I may be able to activate it if need be.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4
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From the edge of the pit, Caranthir's low-light vision allows him to clearly see the cloth's outline, noting a few metallic components to it that looks like a clasp and pin. The cloth doesn't look to be any common fabric, however, though at a twenty foot distance he can't tell exactly what it is, save for that it's some sort of thick weave. Tying his rope off to a stalagmite, Caranthir carefully lowers himself down into the pit while Hans opts for a more direct route, free-climbing down alongside the archer.
Down inside of the pit, Hans drops the last five feet to the muddy bottom with a loud squelch a moment before Caranthir carefully touches down beside him. Judgng from how dank and brackish the pit smells, it might flood depending on the status of the tides.
Picking up the bundle of cloth, Hans' observation confirms Caranthir's quiet suspicions, it's a cloak of some fashion. The fabric is soft and slippery to the touch, like woven strands of unusual violet-colored kept. A mother-of-pearl seashell clasp give off a metallic sheen and pins with a narrow spiral conch fashioned made from seaglass. Around the neckline of the cloak is a bright blue embroidery with an opalescent iridescence that looks to be some sort of writing.
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The cloak radiates a faint magic aura.
The object is a cloak of resistance +1
Hans rubs the a corner of the cloak between his thumb and forefinger, getting a feel for the quality of the weave, and paying careful attention to it unusual design.
"That... is a very nice cloak. What was it doing bundled-up at the bottom of a pit!?"
Shrugging, he puts the cloak on , and then climbs Amahl's rope to get to the other side.
He then pulls out his journal, and makes a few notes.
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Fen judges the distance carefully, then moves to collect a few items from his mount. ooc](inventory updated)[/i] "This one will not be gone long, Ovji," he murmurs to the beast, putting on its feedbag.
Fen places the other items from Janira's backpack into his own, glancing at the others. "When these ones and those ones are on the same side of the pit, items should be distributed. This one is not built for bearing burdens!" He gives a half-smile, then sprints headlong down the tunnel towards the pit. Unfortunately, his foot slips on the wet edge of the pit, and he falls just short. Fen manages to catch the far side of the pit, sliding down and somewhat breaking his fall.
Assuming he is not knocked unconscious, Fen will pick himself up, look up awkwardly, and attempt to climb out of the pit. . Once safe on the far side, Fen will help the others across as needed. Once all are safe on the same side, he will fetch a scroll from his case and read it, suffusing his body with a pale blue radiance. "درمان هر درد ، نوش دارو"
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4
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With Caranthir's help, Fensyriath pulls himself up the muddy wall of the pit, his hands and feet slick with grime and muddy stains are streaked up the front of his leather armor. As he gets to the other side of the pit with Amahl, it's clear that the tunnel passage continues at a gentle downwards slope into the earth, turning a corner about sixty feet from the pit.
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Having finished with his notes, Hans easily climbs up the other side of the pit, attempting (and failing!) to clean his hands by wiping them on the tunnel walls when he reaches the top.
"Shall we continue?"
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Taelbin looks at the wand thoughtfully before sliding it into his belt and lowering himself down the one side and moving over to the offered rope on the other.
Taelbin makes it up the side of the pit, barely, and does his best to dust himself off.
Well that was a fun exercise. Let us continue on.
It appears I am in the same boat as Fens here. could I get some assistance?
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4
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With journals updated and the pit traversed by working together as a team, the Pathfinder initiates continue their journey into the cave system, guided by the dim light of the fluorescent fungus bristling from the walls. The tunnel beyond the pit continues for several more minutes, snaking through the earth in meandering fashion. Water drips intermittently from the ceiling and the walls—crusted with calcium deposits—glisten with moisture. The air is cool and damp, cooler still the further the group progresses. Up ahead, the blue illumination intensifies as the fungus grows denser and the tunnel begins to widen and the ceiling raise.
Eventually, the tunnel empties out into an spacious cavern that echoes every sound the travelers make. The ceiling in this large cave goes up sixty feet, where enormous stalactites loom like teeth overhead. The floor of the cave is uneven and glistening in the fungal light with small, tiered pools of delicate calcium deposits resembling tiered baths cascade down from the tunnel entrance. In the dim blue light, what must have once been beautifully carved reliefs and inscriptions can be seen, though they have since weathered heavily, their features dulled and softened to the point that it is hard to distinguish what each once depicted. They appear to reveal humanoid forms performing tasks, some overgrown with phosphorescent fungus, others covered by centuries of calcium deposits and eroded by water.
Spreading out into the cave and examining the reliefs, the group sees that four of them are intact enough to get an idea of what they may have said. The writing, while faded, is partly legible but written in a pidgin language that resembles the script found on the cloak, but not exactly. One of the reliefs depicts a tall and broad-shouldered humanoid carrying a lantern aloft through what looks like an urban settlement, another shows a humble figure on their knees in tattered rags holding aloft an empty bowl, while the next relief depicts a lanky farmer plowing four thick lines through a field, and the last legible relief seems to depict someone sewing a hem on a long trail of cloth ornately embellished with many different patterns, wrapping around a miniature city like a moat.
Beyond the collection of reliefs, there is a wide tunnel on the far side of the cave that looks to lead to an adjacent chamber, and blue-burning torches light the tunnel from within ovoid sconces carved in the rock.
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(reroll)
Hans studies the worn reliefs carefully...
...and much to his surprise, is able to make-out a couple of sections!
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Taelbin takes in the cavern with a sense of awe. Running his hand lightly over the reliefs as he looks at the the intact ones and the ones that are too far gone. He leans in to peer at the languages.
Does anyone understand this? What language is it even?
Taelbin retrieves a vial and his formula book, taking a moment to mix up a potion. Once finished he reaches out to touch one of the languages and drinks back the potion. He then takes another look at the reliefs, with new understanding.
The Tiefling begins to move from relief to relief, making notes in his journal as he mutters, seeming to understand the connection between the different reliefs.
I see, I see. Yes, this makes sense now.
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Despite the potential danger of the far tunnel, Fen cannot help but make a quick examination of the reliefs.
Seeing Taelbin begin to work, Fen politely interrupts him. "This one suggests that the tunnel is checked before these carvings are studied in detail... the torches indicates the presence of creatures who require more light than the fungi provides."
Fen will move to observe the torch-lit tunnel.
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Caranthir's knowledge is extensive, but he is not as versed in history or religion as he is in other subjects.
Still, he takes a great interest in the writings. He carefully tears a page from his journal, places it on the wall, and runs a piece of charcoal across the page to create a relief of the writing.