With a reserved sigh, the praetor relents. “As the Pathfinders are responsible for getting us into this mess, I see it fitting that we give them the chance to remedy the situation. I’m putting my faith in you, and the lives of the people in Fort Bandu. I pray that you don’t betray that trust, for the consequences could be quite dire for all who call this home.”
“Most unfortunate,” Valacosti observes with disappointment that gives way to menacing resolve. “I believe you are making a grave mistake by placing any faith in these glorified tomb robbers, praetor. Once they fail, remember that the Aspis Consortium has extended a generous offer of aid in this troubling time. One can only hope that this Pathfinder experiment does not exacerbate the situation further and necessitate our renegotiating the terms.”
As Valacosti leaves, the Praetor provider the party with the information of Sharrowsmith’s last known location at a Gold Crown mining operation approximately 20 miles away as well as a rough estimate of his travel route. He also takes a potion from his desk. This is a potion that will allow to endure the heat a bit better. You might need it.
The journey will take a full day.
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Pitbull closes her eyes and breathes deeply of Valacosti's wake, Asbo likewise ambles to where the man exited and simply looks around.
She reopens her eyes,
"Who runs Gold Crown? Dwarves? Who we need to speak to?"
To her comrades - "Happy traveling at night, make it harder for that man to follow us maybe, a bit cooler at dawn and dusk, mid day very hot and horrible, up to you all"
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"When I was a slave I used to work hard regardless of the heat. I don't mind it, and have brought fit clothing for that kind of weather."
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Marra also confirms that the don't know what happed to cause the Kobolds to attack the locals other than timing with the disappearance of sharrowsmith.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Dwarves, humans. Some halflings even, they do get through the smaller tunnels quite well. Address yourself to the foreman.
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Hexagonal basalt columns scarred by mining tools line the walls of the gorge. The floor of the gorge is a patchwork of scrub grass and leafless vegetation flattened by frequent traffic. Wooden scaffolding, mining equipment, and trampled tents lie abandoned across the camp. Corpses of laborers rent limb from limb lay amidst the camp’s wreckage, and dried blood darkens the rocks. Several banners depicting a golden crown adorn the scaffolding.
Several festrogs are feating on the corpses, and they look up as soon as they notice .
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Holman
Cacumattus
Pitbull
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Festrog
Festrog
Festrog
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Jhalan
Grimaldus
Marra
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Survival
All party members can get +2 to their Fort saves, as well as +2 for the Hot weather gear.
Can travel without armour, but before moving into inhabited areas would stop prop and re-equip.
Fort
Fort
Fort
***
The slightly sunburnt Orc is a bit cranky about finding things in disarray, and the Owlbear doesn't look much happier. They both rush the enemy.
The Owlbear moves to the first creature, biting at it quickly -
Attack
Damage
Crit?
Pitbull then move in to flank up... and likewise slashes.
Attack
Damage
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Despite the heat, Holman wears his armor. After the first jaunt, however, he realizes quickly that, while this may not have been the best plan, he would have been better off without. Right up until we're ambushed, anyway...
Holman charges toward the nearest festrog, drawing his dagger as he does, and thrusts it at the undead creature.
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Cacumattus is convinced to travel by day by Holman's offer of the potion. "We gnomes do burn easily," he comments as he drinks the potion.
As soon as he sees the festrogs at the camp, Cacumattus casts a spell, surrounding his hand with crackling blue sparks. He leaps over a crate, skips around the festrog is stabbing at, and grabs at the other.
Pitbull and the owlbear pounce at the first festrog. The owlbear bites, and ruptures numerous pussy boils on the festrog, while rending the putrid flesh. Together, they tear the undead to pieces.
Holman deals massive damage with his dagger, striking at the spinal cord of the creature, but also covering himself in a rain of pus.
Cacumattus then takes out the last fesrog with a shocking spell, aimed right for the decaying heart of the creature. It jitters and shocks before it falls down to the floor, and stops moving.
At the far end of the camp, several shouts for help can be heard. Three members of the Gold Crown crew are still alive, having barricaded themselves in a supply shed far from the festrogs.
These men are severely hurt, and too dehydrated to travel
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Asbo - Fort Save
Pitbull laughs at the carnage, but then she frowns at Asbo and starts muttering something in Orcish when she notes the mess all over the ursine avian. Asbo responds with a hissing protest of counter complaint as the pair squabble as they move to rescue the trapped miners.
She looks them over with a concerned brow.
Heal
"Well you lot aren't going real far, are you?" she grunts at them unhelpfully and slightly dismissively "Water and some rest in the shade might fix you - and some bandages - I have bandages"
She does what she can to treat them, though her bedside manner is far from warming and delicate - simply handling them methodically like livestock.
She looks to the party members suggestively, as though they should do the talking...
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Failed - take 3 NL damage
Grim had fallen to the rear of the group by the end of the day - feeling rather like an oversized steak slowly cooking in the oven that was his armor. And so he was late to the party and completely missed his turn swinging at the festrog piñatas...
Finding the miners, he sympathizes with their dehydrated condition and offers some of his water to the men.
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After quickly wiping the pus from his face and hands, and after cleaning his dagger, Holman approaches the miners. "So, what's been going on here, other than being holed up in a shed for a while? Anything you can tell us about where those beasties came from, or anything else for that matter, might be helpful in our mission to set things aright 'round these parts..."
Here's an opportunity for your faction: you could either use the rescue of the miners to impress the Golden Crown Company, leveraging your heroism to secure a lucrative deal or contract. Alternatively, you could sell the mine’s location to the Deeptreasure Mining Company (a much more powerful, albeit less scrupulous operation). In doing so, the Exchange would gain an even more powerful friend in the region while sabotaging its competitor’s investments in the region.
The miners are grateful for Grimaldus' water, and the healing provided by Pitbull. A kobold raid took a dozen of our men. Kidnapped them, and marched them off to a settlement in the hills. There's a kobold settlement 15 miles from here. I'm sure that's where they were taken.
The sun has settled down a bit, and it is not as hot anymore. As a result, travel is much easier.
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Jhalan follows Pitbull, confident in her tracking abilities. As they're wandering towards the kobold village, he scratches his head.
"The praetor has a point, actually. We'd better try and solve things peacefully, lest we make the situation worse. I'm sure these kobolds must be after something. We should be able to find out what that is... provided they aren't of the "attack first, speak later" crowd."
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At the mention of stealth, Holman perks up, "Did someone say something about watching them unnoticed, unseen? Why, I do believe you have the perfect halfling for the job, right here," he says with a smile.
The party discusses their approach as they move through the Bandu Hills. Suddenly, Jhalan spots a shadow on the floor, changing shape. Looking up, he sees a large dragon approaching, possibly attracted by the scent of Asbo.
---
Holman
Pitbull
Jhalan
Cacu
Grim
Marra
--
Wyvern
---
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Grim takes the darkwood composite shortbow off his back and starts to move towards the cover. "Is it real? A dragon might explain why the kobolds are acting strangely - they may be under its direction. Or that could just be an illusion to scare us away. Best be ready, just in case..." He'll have an arrow nocked and ready.
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Marra points out the wyvern in a amazement "Look at that dragon, Isn't it majestic how it flies through the air!" The halfling shares what she knows about it's special attacks and any immunity, or defenses. "Oh look how it's banking to dive at us!"
Pulling out her light crossbow, Marra imbue the bolt with magic {arcane Strike} as she loads it ready to fire if the wyvern moves to attack.
Pitbul moves into position, standing ready, while Grimaldus tries to get a good shot. Jhalan braces for a fight, while studying his target
The creature is a wyvern, a special kind of dragon. It looks to be a pretty young one.
---
Holman
Pitbull
Jhalan
Cacu
Grim
Marra
--
Wyvern
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I'm pretty sure it has a poison tail, and no breath weapon.
Question one: Any special defenses such as DR or immunity?
Question two: Is there any special bonus for capturing it?
Marra comments to the other "It's a young Wyvern dragon, not a regular fire breathing dragon, but still dangerous."
Marra while holding her crossbow ready glances around to make sure their aren't any more.
Cacumattus manages to land a ray of frost on the dragon, freezing some of the scales. The dragon moves to the party, under the crossbow fire of Marra
The creature swoops down at Asbo, evading all other attacks on the way, whips its tail out at him, before flying backward again.
---
Holman
Pitbull
Jhalan
Cacu
Grim
Marra
--
Wyvern (6)
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Grim quickly pulls out another arrow to shoot at the wyvern, since it wasn't going to stay on the ground for a real fight...
-Posted with Wayfinder
After making a turn, the wyvern crashes down the cliff. Jhalan and Pitbull manage to pepper it with arrows, and particularly Jhalan's arrow causes tremendous damage, almost piercing the creature's heart.
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Holman
Pitbull
Jhalan
Cacu
Grim
Marra
--
Wyvern (51)
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To make matters worse for the Wyvern, Marra lands another crossbow bolt between the scales of the creature. It then clambers back up and takes to the air again, trying to make some speed and altitude before making a turn.
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Holman
Pitbull
Jhalan
Cacu
Grim
Marra
--
Wyvern (54)
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Pitbull shoots his bow at the creature as it tries to turn. He manages to hit the exposed flank, lodging the arrow in the soft underbelly of the creature and hitting an artery. The creature crashes to the ground one last time, defeated.