Standing in a wide clearing within the Echo Wood, the Emerald Spire is the ruin of a large Azlanti tower that appears to be made of green glass harder than stone. The upper portions of the tower were destroyed long ago, leaving broken, halfmelted glass blocks lying jumbled around the tower’s perimeter and the ground nearby. The site is well known to locals from both Fort Inevitable and Thornkeep, and many travelers passing through the Crusader Road area make the trek into the forest to look on the ruins—from a safe distance. The Spire’s ruins are known to be infested with dangerous monsters, and the surroundings attract an unhealthy number of bandits, raiders, and hungry predators.
As travelers emerge from the Echo Wood underbrush, they find themselves staring up at a ruined keep guarding a broken central tower, all made of smooth, green glass. It’s obvious that a grand battle took place here many years ago, and the clearing around the ruin lies barren, with sickly weeds struggling to rise from the magic-blasted earth. Melted chunks of twisted glass pepper the ground, lending a green hue to the clearing’s light. Despite the damage, however, the glass of the keep itself seems to have avoided the ravages of time, with those pieces that survived the initial cataclysm unmarred by pitting or cracking, clean of moss and other clinging debris. At the top of a steep dirt path winding up through the rubble, a doorway opens onto darkness, its entrance seeming to steal light into its inky depths.
A broad shouldered and half feral looking half-ork female dressed in leather skins and furs sniffs the area around her and then spits on the ground..."...dwarf..." is all she manages to snarl out of her mouth...
A gnome casually approaches the others present... and looks at Luralee with a little smile and a raised eyebrow. "Well aren't you just a tall glass of water. Greetings... I'm Gneau... Gneau Effingway of Absalom. A pleasure indeed to meet you."
The words of Venture-Captain Holgarin Smine were baffling. Sure, the assembled Pathfinders had heard of the Emerald Spire before, but like most people from this region never considered the possibility of exploring it. But recently, two wizards from Thornkeep apparently did just that.
"Two weeks ago, he explains, "two wizards of the Goldenfire Order went into the fortress, but never came out again. Lady Iliara Starcloak, the leader of this order, is seriously concerned about her two missing members. A concern, should we provide aid, that we can obviously leverage to our advantage. I don't have to tell your that the Goldenfire Order can be a powerful ally. I want you to do as the wizards did and explore the fortress, on the premise of a rescue mission. Of course, anything else you might find noteworthy to report is of value as well. You would be the first to emerge from the fortress since time unknown."
Now, just a few days later, the Pathfinders find themselves assembled at the base of the tower.
The stone staircase that led up to the tower’s door is now nothing more than a rubble-strewn cliff. On the tower’s south side, a dirt path winds up the steep embankment to a pitch-black doorway.
Go ahead and introduce yourselves. You are on the path looking up at the fortress. Please make sure you have a light source!
F Human Witch/6 HP 39/39 AC16/T 12/FF 14 Fort +4/Ref +4/ Will +5 Init +4 Perc +2|Sense Motive +0|Active conditions: none
Standing outside of the tower, Ilarien shrugs and sets down her backpack. Her scorpion familiar scuttles down into her hand, and she carefully sets the arachnid down as well. "I suppose there's no time like the present. Perhaps I'll see you all again sometime." She puts both hands to the top of her head, to all appearances sinking her fingers into her skull and peeling away hair, clothing, and flesh to reveal a dwarf in a gleaming breastplate. "Ha! Time for some fun! It looks like I have to keep the name. Not a proper name for a dwarf, but it'll have to do." Her new voice is a low contralto. She looks around. "What are we waiting for?"
Anya shrugs, sparing a glance at Ilarien. "Call me Anya," she says, her gaze returning to the door into the ruined tower. Her sapphire eyes remain fixed on that point, studying, as she withdraws a sunrod from a pack at her side and answers the half-orc. "I'm a diviner and an antiquarian."
"Hello, lovely Anya... I'm not quite old enough to be called an antique, but I am at least vintage." He grins at her, eyes sparkling. "Shall we check out this tower and try to find these missing casters? What possessed two wizards to enter a tower without some fighters to hide behind is beyond me though."
Okay, now that everyone is introduced, any special considerations in approaching the tower? Or are you just walking up? Also, I still can't copy/paste tokens for some reason. I can copy/paste text, but pasting tokens keeps giving me the same token over and over. So please place your tokens and let me know if you have any special plans for approach.
The Pathfinders do not take precautions to conceal their approach as they get to know each other.
As they walk up the steep path to the tower, the group suddenly hears the call of alarm. Looking up, they see a small, green-skinned humanoid and some sort of dog.
knowledge local DC 11:
Goblin and a goblin dog
Round 1 (bold may act)
Devorin
Baddies
Anya
Gneau
Sara
Ilarien
Luralee
Devorin is up. I moved everyone back a bit on the trail. If you are not on the map yet, please place your token, but at least behind the closest PC.
A slender elven woman with fine features wearing well made clothing emerges from Echo wood. There is a faint floral scent about her and she carries a spear and bow "Are you the pathfinders? My apologies for my tardiness. Sara is my name, and I'm suppose to join you on this expedition."
She quickly take in the scene before her, although her eyes brighten at the sight of Ilarien "Ah Ilarien, it is good to see a familiar face. However, pleasantries may have to wait till we have dispatched of these critters here."
Frozen in its tracks by Devorin's spell, the goblin sentry stops calling out for help. Whether anything has heard its cries and the barking dog remains unclear.
The mangy canine companion, with a face with the same flat nose, beady eyes, and protruding teeth as a rat grown grotesquely large, tears toward Devorin. It bites his leg fairly hard.
Round 1 (bold may act)
Devorin
Baddies
Anya
Gneau
Sara
Ilarien
Luralee
Devorin needs to make a DC 12 Fort save. Everyone is up!
"pinkies with bows kill goblin if you can...before spell wears off...grey-skin switch with me..." Luralee says to the others as she readies her shield and scimitar to take the front line from the damphir...
Sara quickly assesses her companions, and given the narrow path that's currently being blocked by the half orc, drawing her bow and and arrow in one smooth motion.
Upon hearing the half-orc's curt words, Sara's brows furrow as she suppresses her irritation Who does this half orc think she is! Probably as clumsy in action as she is with words!
Nevertheless, Sara takes aim at the goblin and fires an arrow, hoping to silence it before the spell wears off to prevent it from summoning further help.
Ilarien takes aim at the dazed goblin with her crossbow and fires off a steady shot. It contacts the top of the goblin's head, dropping her instantly.
Luralee draws a weapon and heads up the trail to engage the goblin dog.
Gneau tries to hurt the dog with a glob of acid, but misses widely. Anya, if possible, misses even more widely, almost striking a companion.
With the goblin already dead, Sara fires at the dog and earns a yelp in response to her well-aimed shot. Devorin fights off any harm he might have endured from the dog bite, but can't hit the feisty thing.
Apparently, a second goblin and its mount heard the alarm from the now-dead goblin...they come barreling through the dark portal of the tower with a warcry.
"ಪಿಂಕ್ ಚರ್ಮ! ಅವುಗಳನ್ನು ಕೊಲ್ಲಲು!"
goblin language:
"Pinkies! Kill 'em!"
While the dog moves in support of its companion, the newly-arrived goblin fires an arrow at Sara, which whizzes uncomfortably close to her head.
Round 2 (bold may act)
Devorin
Baddie
Baddie dog 1
Baddie dog 2
Anya
Gneau
Sara
Ilarien
Luralee
Devorin hits the dog with a brutal blow, but somehow it maintains its footing, if barely.
Ilarien and Anya both take shots at the enemy goblin, but neither can hit it and it sneers back at them.
Sara's shot is better, and hits the goblin, but glances off its armor.
Luralee moves up the trail, but finds her way blocked by Devorin.
Gneau, on the other hand, is able to hit the goblin with some acid, scorching it and earning him a vicious glare. Gneau, if you want to move to that place you will need a climb check...it's too steep to walk up.
The dog Devorin hit retaliates with one last bite, but the effort is too much and it falls in the dust. The second charges forward and also can't bite the quick skald.
The goblin ignores Gneau's taunts in the thick of battle and fires an arrow into Sara's shoulder.
Round 3 (bold may act)
Devorin
Baddie (-3 hp)
Baddie dog 2
Anya
Gneau
Sara
Ilarien
Luralee
Hey, this was my 25,000th post to the boards, over 90% of them for PbP. That's what happens when you want to play and don't get the opportunity to play F2F very often, I guess.
1. GM, can I kneel to fire my shortbow? Is there any benefit / penalty? If so I would like to apply that action to Sara.
2. Also, I noticed you ask Gneau to make a climb check to move somewhere? Can Sara actually climb up to attack the goblin directly?
Sara sees where the arrow has left a shoulder wound (and more importantly, tore her blouse!) Dammit! This is new!
Sara glares at the goblin, shooting an irritated glance at those ahead as she nocks another arrow and fires at the goblin again
shortbow:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14 damage:1d6 ⇒ 6
This narrow pathway is really a hindrance...and those oafs upfront are preventing me from moving either...
Ilarien fires another bolt at the goblin, but the shot just misses. Congrats on your post count! You should be entitled to an auto crit or something, right?! I've got about half your number, though at the pace I'm going I'm sure I'll reach that milestone someday.
Daviron hits the second goblin dog, dealing a vicious wound but not taking it down.
The third time is the charm for Anya, who hits the goblin with the acid and leaves it with some minor sizzling injuries. Gneau is not so fortunate, missing with his attack.
Sara fires another arrow, but she can't hit the small target, either.
Sara, you can certainly kneel and fire a weapon, though I'm not aware of any tactical advantage of it. Style points? Yes, you could try to climb that slope, looking like a DC 15 Climb check if you would like to try off-roading.
Luralee finds her way barred and waits for a place to attack.
The wounded dog tries to retaliate against Daviron, but only snaps at the air.
The goblin continues firing at Sara, but this time aims very poorly as it focuses on survival.
Round 4 (bold may act)
Devorin
Baddie (-4 hp)
Baddie dog 2 (-8 hp)
Anya
Gneau
Sara
Ilarien
Luralee
