PFS - PbP Gameday IV - #4-05 The Sanos Abduction (3-7) (Inactive)

Game Master Paladin of Baha-who?

(Fair enough, though out-of-combat I don't consider it 'resorting' to wands, I consider it 'taking care of my own healing so that the casters can save their spells for in-combat emergencies'. :P Regardless, it sounds like we're resting here for the evening so resource management isn't likely to be a big concern.)

Dorn squints at Orophin's pretty words, then nods uncertainly-- but at Strang's suggestion of what he can contribute, Dorn is happy to grab said axe and follow Strang out for garbage disposal duty.

I've put a picture of Ignizi on the map page so you can have a face to imagine while she's talking. She's described as an old gnome, but I guess old gnomes don't necessarily look like old humans.

"I'd have expected them to just tear anyone they got to pieces too but no, no, a couple of big lizard skellingtons took Dijjit, headed north. Hope they didn't bother Ol' Riddywipple on the way, his lair's around there. Nobody is sure who's doing this, but a rumor is floating around the local gnome communities that something is collecting bodies and gradually building a zombie army."

She reads the letter and laughs. "Ambrus, you old son-of-a-b#$~*, I'll report when I'm good and ready! Well, you lot are supposed to help me, so you can help me get Dijjit back. She's got a real way with fungus, and I can't really do without her here."

When Orophin offers to go after the missing researcher immediately, she turns to him and looks him up and down. "Aye, you might do alright, but it's getting dark very soon, and these woods aren't the safest after dark, even without zombos and skellingtons about. If you absolutely must go tonight, at least have a meal first, but I'd recommend you wait until first light."

Up to you guys if you want to go at night or not. There's a good moon, so those with low-light vision or darkvision will be OK, but those without will have a miss chance due to concealment, unless of course you have light sources, which will give your position away. Whether you stay the night or go after dinner, you can ask the researchers and Ignizi any questions you might have, as well as make any skill checks you'd like to make regarding them.

The good doctor is content to wait until morning... but mostly because he wants to stay up and talk to Ignizi about her fey research. =)

In response to Dr. Strang's questions about her fey research, Ignizi answers, "Oh, the Fey are difficult to research, that they are. Notorious! Secretive! And ever so mischievous. I might think they were behind these attacks, but they almost never go in for necromancy. They don't bother us here, because they know me, but when you're on your own, they might decide to take a bite out of you, or prick you with a pin, or tie your shoelaces together! Riddywipple knows them too, but sometimes they don't listen to him. They know I mean business, though. That's why I was sent here to do the research, because I've got the knack."

"Who is Riddywipple?" asks Orophin, who offers to sing a song or two for everyone if the group stays for the evening.

"Don't sit well with me, leaving a young agent out with whatever foul necromancer's got hold of her, all night, while we sleep pretty and peaceful in our beds!" Dorn blusters, with some sidelong glaring at poor Strang for good measure. A little more quietly, the dwarf grumbles, "Though I guess if the rest of you can't see, no point in our blundering around the woods like blind basilisks... 'sides, the lass is probably already all zombified. Likely we'll be too late."

Yeah, ICly Dorn would want to go right away, since presumably the zombears didn't grab Dijjit to have a nice tea with her, but OOC-ly I'm willing to wait until dawn.

Dorn sits down heavily on a stump outside the cabin and wipes his axe clean of guts and gore. He tries to offer the shell-shocked junior agents a reassuring grin, but on Dorn's scarred visage, the effect is somewhat less than comforting and looks rather psychotic instead.

"Now how long's these boney bastards been bothering you lot?"

The younger researchers shrug at Orophin when he asks about Riddywipple. Ignizi answers, "Oh, Old Riddywipple's been here for ages. I heard about him when I came, from the gnomes who've lived here. They say he knows all the fey and all the creatures, but he's a mite eccentric. Lives in a hollow log to the northeast. He's a bit reclusive and normally doesn't help strangers, but he's your best shot at figuring out what's going here, so I'll send you with a token that he'll know is from me."

"They first attacked last Oathday (one week ago), and Drijjit got grabbed the day before yesterday when she was going out to get water from the well."

"And..." asks Orophin "Is Riddywipple a gnome, or... something else?"

He nods to Dorn.

"I can see okay at night, but if the rest of our companions can't, I'm sure someone here can make a magical light."

Ignizi laughs, "Oh, he's something else alright! He'd be mad at me if I spoiled the surprise. You'll see when you meet him."

-Posted with Wayfinder

Avril finds a thatch of grass to wipe her lance on and Cryxial does the same with his claws and jaws. "Phaw, this rotten flesh taste horrible." The eidolon comments.

Avril dismounts and walks over to the gnome and holds out her hand. "I'm Avril Axiel, nice to meet you." After introducing herself she chips in her cents on the issues at hand. "I can't see much in the dark, heading out now would be dangerous. If the girl has lived this long, hopefully she'll keep up a bit longer. Ignizi can't you please tell us what Riddywipple is? We wouldn't want to run into any misunderstandings. I almost killed someone innocent in a maze once because of a misunderstanding. What else lives in the forest besides Riddywipple and whoever sent those undeads though? If we are going out there it might be really nice to know."

diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Ignizi considers the situation, and leans over to whisper in Avril's ear.

Stepping back, she grins. "Who else lives here? All manner of things! Owlbears -- normally the living variety, of course -- pegasi, I think there's a unicorn or two, and fey, always fey. Hard to say how many though, because they'll get bored and disappear into the First World for a day, or a year, or a decade, and not realize any time has passed here when they come back. There's sprites, pixies, gremlins, quicklings, satyrs, twigjacks, redcaps... I can't even count them. Some of them are kindly, and others are cruel and fierce."

Avril looks serious while listening to Ignizi, then right as she finishes her looks turn into one of surprise or seemingly so anyway. She didn't get that it wasn't meant for right away.

She retains the look as she listen to the researchers. "If we are spending the night, maybe we should continue the conversation once we are comfortably inside? It's surely nicer there and another attack by zombies might be less devastating. Also, you have a lot of stuff going on, so it might be a bit weird or tiresome for some to stay out here the entire time. Let's see about those turnips and that fire. Do you have enough food here for all of us or do we have to eat from our rations?" With that she proceeds to the task of getting ready for the night, though she'll still listen to what else is going on.

Later inside the building she says. "Out of those creatures you mentioned before I belive I've only faced the one named redcap. You are researching these creatures right? Maybe you could provide some insights into the other types. It could prove helpful if we do meet them at some point." Unlike the good doctor Avril isn't really interested in knowledge for it's own sake, but rather what she can do with it. Still she'll listen to the details about the various creatures in hope of gleaming some insights to potentially use in battle.

Are we allowed to get info equivalent of knowledge checks from her, basically her doing them for us? It might be a bit boring to list everything though. Maybe some information about some of them?

perception: 1d20 ⇒ 9

As it looks like the group is heading inside, Orophin begins to unstrap his armour.

"Heavy stuff this. But I'm told it will save my life one day."

He smiles broadly.

"Toasted Turnips and campfire songs. Fantastic. Tell me, do the Fey like music?"

Knowledge checks to identify a creature can't be done by someone else for you. The check represents not only what you've heard and read about the subject in the past, but also what you're able to remember in the heat of the moment. However, if you spend the night and listen to her lecture about the various fey, I could see giving you all a +2 circumstance bonus to identify fey creatures in the Sanos forest.

"Sure, dearie, sure! I can tell you lots of things. Might take a while, though, since there's as many different types of fey as there are stars in the sky, or grains of sand on a beach! Music? Oh why yes, they love music! And so do I! Can you favor us with a song, pretty boy?" Ignizi winks playfully at Orophin.

Dr. Strang eagerly waits to listen to her lecture on the Fey.
He will take notes and ask lots of questions!

Orophin begins to sing. It is a moving song about gnomes and their separation from the feywild.

Not one of his favorites, but a reasonable performance by most standards.
sing: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (6) + 18 = 24

Avril also gets out of her armor once inside and removes the wrapping around her breasts so they are less restrained, though still covered by her clothes. She got a sizable pair, at least for her small stature, though still standing straight up with the perkiness of youth. They strain against her shirt. Avril eyes Orophin up and down, drinking in his beauty. "Pretty boy indeed. Your looks are even more beautiful than your song and that was magnificent. You couldn't sing something more amorous though? A girl could use some loving." The last is said with a wide grin and a wink as she goes over to Orophin to stroke his arm.

Ignizi begins speaking of the mysterious creatures known as Fey and their birthplace, the First World. Some highlights:

"We gnomes came from there originally, thousands of years ago. I don't know exactly why, but some folks say it was because gnomes born here on the Prime get a soul the same way other humanoids do. Fey don't have souls the same way we do. They have spirits, but they don't get picked up by Pharasma and sent to an outer plane. Instead they get renewed by the First World, and pretty soon reborn, not quite the same, but still alive. What happens to them if they die on the Prime isn't quite known. That's one thing I've been researching."

"Around here, we get all sorts. There's surely some pixies listening to your songs, pretty boy, invisible and hiding in the trees. There are sprites, and atomies, and other little tiny creatures. The wee free men, some of them call themselves. Dryads, Nymphs, Satyrs, Fauns... they get up to some very memorable frolics in the springtime, let me tell you!" Some of the younger researchers blush red when they hear her say this.

"Then there's the darker sort. Selkies, kelpies, the odd Forlarren, Spriggans, and worse. There are all manner of gremlins, who always seem to cause bad luck for everyone. Every now and again we get rumor of, well, a Redcap which are simply the worst of the worst. Exist only for killing, they do."

Ignizi continues talking well into the night, until many of you have fallen asleep.

The next morning, you feel like you knew everything there was to know about fey when you fell asleep last night, but now you can only remember bits and pieces. Hopefully they'll be useful.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Dorn has no idea what he's not aware of. He settles himself down in a corner of the house, arms crossed, seemingly intent on sleeping upright-- still in his armor-- a weapon near at hand. He listens to the stories, and the singing, without talking much, his eyes drifting to half-mast and a bit of calm drifting over his features for at least a little while.

Visions of fey, evoked by Ignizi's words, flit through his head all night. Come dawn, he's up and moving, stamping circulation back into his limbs after his awkward sleeping position. He also eats very heartily of whatever Ignizi is willing to provide them, assuming she does so.

"So!" he says through a mouthful of food. "Off to this Riddywhippet, right?"

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Beromir nods his head as he hears what Ignizi whispers but says nothing special about it. He takes a lot of interest in listening Ignizi talk about feys, asking questions from time to time.

In the morning, he is ready to go.

[ooc]Had hoped for a reply from Orophin before we went to bed, but oh well.[/b]
Avril sleeps well enough. Not troubled by the encouter with the zombies, she had faced plenty of such creatures before. She is cheery in the morning and gets dressed quickly before summoning her companion. "Let's go and rescue the poor girl."

Orophin smiles at Avril.

"I'm always ready for a song for a pretty lady."

He changes tunes and comes up with a Taldoran love ballad. It's a little ivory towery but the intent is obvious.

Sorry for the delay, my mother ended up in hospital over the weekend and that was a bit distracting.

As you prepare to leave at first light the next morning, Ignizi warns you that there are many poisonous creatures in the woods, and hands over some helpful items. She gives three potions of neutralize poison, two scrolls of detect undead, a potion of cure light wounds and a small box of uncut alexandrite. "Some fey like gems, so you might be able to bribe some with that, but really, it's more of a payment for you for helping with getting Dijjit back."

Directions to Riddywipple's log are clear, leading you to unmistakable landmarks through the forest. A series of ravines leads upwards, towards the location where Ignizi indicated would discover the log.

This trek takes most of the day, with a stop for a brief lunch of trail rations, and pushing on through the afternoon. Finally, as the sun is growing reddish near the horizon, you find the log, which is distinguished by a series of distinctive carvings that adorn the trees for twenty yards in every direction.

Unfortunately, there seems to be no sign of Riddywipple.

Map updated!

"So, who do you think Riddywipple is? I've heard tales of trees that walk? Do you think he might be a talking tree?" asks Orophin.

He sits on the log and launches into a song he learned from a pixie, talking of the wonders of the First world. His voice is clear, carrying over the glen, and hopefully attracting Riddywipple.

Shortly after Orophin begins to sing, you all hear a high-pitched, squeaky voice coming from up the hill. "Oh! My leg! Trapped now, it is! Oh no!"

Direction of voice noted on map.

"Maybe it's Riddywipple?" asks Beromir before walking towards the direction of the voice.

Please move yourself on the map when you say you are moving.

Once more Dr. Strang spends most of the trip playing 'teacher', pointing out interesting flora and fauna, inwardly hoping to run into a fey creature of some sort.

When they reach the end of their instructed directions, his frequent discourse has run down somewhat, as he seems a little tired from the journey.

"Strange place to call home." He adds, looking at the log. "We sure this is the correct location?"

He takes a closer look at the carvings. "These are interesting..." He mutters, as he gets distracted by them, barely noticing the call for help from the strange voice.

Anything interesting to learn form the carvings?
He'll cast detect magic in case there's anything more to them.

The carvings are not magical. Some of them are the rounded glyphs of the Sylvan alphabet, while others are the angular, sharp lines of Draconic. Others are just drawings. Those of you who can read those languages note that most of them say things like "Riddywipple's patch, stay away!" or "Beware, dragons!"

Strang speaks both!

The doctor examines the carvings with interest. "Seems an odd mix of Sylvan and some parts in Draconic." He mutters, one hand tracing the various runes as he describes them.

"Trespass warnings mostly. Would appear this is indeed this Riddywipple's demesne." He looks at the log dubiously.

"And to beware of dragons." He adds puzzled, looking around.

"What?" He asks, noticing everyone reacting to the cries of distress finally.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

I made a double move on the map

The voice seems to be coming from the direction of a ravine (the V shape with two trees sticking out of it on the top of the map) to your north.

Orophin, upon hearing a voice in distress stops his song and hurries in the direction of the voice.

Did a double move on the map. It looks like the terrain may not be suitable to run in.

"Don't worry, I am coming." he calls out.

Avril and Cryxial charges forward, though without Avril lowering her lance. Instead she chants a quick cantrip, touching herself briefly before saying. "Oh mighty and noble dragon. We've come to seek your aid, yet it seems like we can be of aid to you in turn. We will get you out of there, don't you worry."

diplomacy with guidance: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

Moved Avril forward on the map.

Logs and tree trunks are difficult terrain, unless the tree trunk occupies an entire 5-ft square in which case it is impassible. Other than that, your movement is unrestricted: if you can find a straight line to run in, you can run.

"Who's there? Oh! I'm over here! Down in the ravine!"

We haven't rolled initiative, but the others should probably get a chance to move first... Didn't move Avril on the map because of that, but feel free to move her.
"I'm Avril, a pathfinder. I assume you are the magnificent Riddywipple?" Avril says as she descends into the ravine on Cryxial's back to free the faerie dragon. She is curious to see what a faerie dragon actually is.

perception Avril: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
perception Cryxial: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Woop, here we go!

Dorn squints at the high-pitched voice calling them forward from the log to the ravine. "Well, hold your horses," he shouts back. "We're comin'..."

Double-moved closer on the map; you can assume Dorn will continue moving towards the ravine's edge, and get out some rope, unless something happens to interrupt this action.

"It is Orophin, bard and lover of life." replies the oracle to the voices question, as he continues toward the edge of the pit and looking down to see what may be there.

I doublemoved. North 8 squares and east 1 square.

Moved Orophin to the edge of the ravine, as he indicated.

Orophin looks over the steep edge of the ravine, and sees nothing below except bushes, rocks, and fallen leaves. The voice seems to come from somewhere nearby, but he's not sure exactly where.

Do Avril and Dorn, who are closest, continue and join Orophin at the edge of the ravine? Trying to descend would be a climb check.

I already posted perception checks for both Avril and Cryxial above... She was rushing ahead and they are faster than Orophin so they should be ahead of him. I didn't move Avril's avatar last time since a) I was on the phone and b) I wanted to give others time to respond.

Seeing that they have to climb to get down Avril gets off Cryxial, mutters a quick cantrip touch both herself and Cryxial before they both attempt to get down.

climb Avril: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
climb Cryxial: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Though given her carelessness she's now probaby bound to fall down and get attacked.

Orophin looks around.

"Where are you? We can't help you if we can't find you."

perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (6) + 0 = 6

Sorry, I didn't move figure as I wasn't sure about timing of the others.

Dorn doesn't add his voice to the others. He merely retrieves his rope from his pack and looks for a place to tie it off, where the excess can be thrown down into the ravine.

Not planning on climbing until he has a rope secured to assist him with the climb; the voice isn't claiming it's being attacked or anything right now, so Dorn sees no reason to rush

Is Dorn at the edge of the ravine, or some distance back from it?

He's looking for a rope anchor, so.... if that large fallen log shown on the map that protrudes out of the ravine is, in fact, there, I suppose he'll use that, the root system should provide a bunch of good anchor points. I moved him on the map accordingly.

OK, just needed to get a clear indication of where everyone was.

As Cryxial and Avril reach the edge of the ravine, their weight causes loose ground to give way, a small landslide of dirt and gravel starts to carry them down the cliff side. Avril recognizes the danger a split second before Cryxial is carried away. Dorn is not within the area that collapses.

This is a trap, with a reflex save which Avril succeeded at, but in order to escape being carried down on top of her mount, she'll need to dismount as a free action. I rolled the Ride check for you and that was also successful. So if Avril wants to, she can dismount as a free action before Cryxial falls, avoiding the fall. Or she can choose to stay on his back and take the damage.

The victims of the trap are carried down a 30 ft slope, falling into a patch of sharp-thorned briars. 10 damage to Orophin, 12 damage to Cryxial and 9 damage to Avril unless she chooses to dismount before the fall.

Down below, Orophin, Cryxial (and Avril if she fell) are peppered with questions by a voice emanating from some non-visible entity.

"Who are you? Why did you come here? How did you know my name? Why are you in my patch?"

Technically, Beromir has Woodland Stride, so would moving along quickly

"Perhaps some caution might be in order." Dr. Strang observes, as everyone rushes off to help the mysterious trapped voice.

He moves to catch up somewhat, though is some ways behind.

"Remember, these are fey woods... luring unsuspecting passers-by into unseen pratfalls, or worse, would be right in their bailiwick..."

He stops trying to catch up with an exasperated sigh and instead mutters a few arcane words, and starts looking around cautiously.

casting detect magic again, but this time looking around to see if there is some fey trickery at work. (Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15 if it matters)

Edit: Dangit, was posting this while the GM was posting his updated =) Guess the warning comes a bit late!

The 23 Perception I rolled for Cryxial did not see the trap correct?
Avril and Cryxial both notice the trap when the ground starts to collapse under Cryxial, but Avril has quick enough reflexes and is a trained enough rider to jump off and away from the fall in time to not go down with Cryxial. "It's a trap!" She shouts before she winces from the pain she feels from Cryxial through the bond. She rolls to her feet, lowering her lance to prepare against any attackers. "We're helping Ignizi find one of her kidnapped apprentices, Dijjit. She said she hoped they didn't bother you on the way past. She said you were our best bet to figure out what is going on with the zombies and all. We got a token." She temporarily removes one hand from her lance to dig at her belt to produce it. "Here! To show we come from her."

The Doctor sighs as his warning comes a little too late. He then hurries over, with caution, to see who's injured.

"Everyone still breathing?" He calls, almost cheerfully, as he looks around for the source of the voice, scanning for magical emanations.

"Ouch"
Mutters Orophin.

"As I said, I am Orophin. Orophin Telemnam to be precise. And what type of spirit are you?"

He pauses to consider the other questions. "What I was doing was trying to help someone I thought was in trouble. Now, hopefully I didn't land on top of you, but would like to know that you are unharmed, if that is alright with you."

He looks around the area. "As for your name, it was mentioned by Ignizi who refused to tell us more about you. "

He tries to calm whatever spirit this is.
diplomacy: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24

"Is your leg still trapped?"

Those looking closely might think that Orophin looks worse injured than the fall really should account for.