Rise of the Runelords

Game Master Kevin O'Rourke 440

I think it is only me... Marten actually made the roll since he rolled fort rather than will, and he has a much higher bonus on will, so he would have made it.

You guys... it's this way.

Creydon jogs to catch up with Azalia.

"Azalia, it's really the way we were going! Now come back!"

Unless there is something magical involved here...

Azalia realizes that she is wrong, and follows Creydon back to the main path.

If she remains (magically?) convinced that her way is right, she shakes Creydon off and says

You guys must be under some kind of a delusion. This is definitely the right way, and I am not going to get lost with you. Just because you all agree on something doesn't mean you're right.

Azalia seems to be very confident in her conviction that it is the rest of the group who is taking the wrong route.

"Azalia, the rest of the group and I seem very confident in our conviction that it is you who is taking the wrong route."

I can't hear you over your ego, Marten. Say that again?

Azalia continues the way she is utterly convinced is correct.

Creydon sighs, then says:

"I think you're under an enchantment, Azalia. Allow me to test that!"

Before he finishes the sentence, Creydon quickly snaps his whip for a glancing blow against Azalia!

+3 Benevolent Whip vs Azakia: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29

Non-Lethal Damage: 1d3 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

If Azalia is enchanted: +2 to hit, +2d6 (non-lethal) damage

"My ego says the same thing! That you're going the wrong way!" Marten calls after Azalia. "Come back!"

Marten turns to Drazh.

"MY ego? As if this group isn't chock full of towering spires of hubris. Why does she think that calling me out isn't going to make her look foolish?"

It says in the description that it automatically makes a dispel attempt... do you have to roll something? Don't want to post as though I am free if I am not in fact. :)

”Dunno lad. I wouldn’t know, given how I’m the most humble one here.” Drazh said with a shrug.

Marten knows better than to fall for that provocation.

"Well, actually..."

Dammit, Marten.

"...if you consider that 'humility' concerns not recognizing one's own limits, but with my arcane education effectively raising my limits far above most, I'm probably the most aware of where my limits are, and therefore the most humble."

Making a dispel magic check as per Azalia's realisation and my misreading ;): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (18) + 16 = 34

”Oh aye, glad to know that, laddie. Mayhaps when this is over I can work up a trophy to yer humbleness. Ye can enchant it with yer arcane power!” Drazh said, his face finally cracking into a grin.

So lost was he in the conversation that he barely registered that the party was being split.

We'll say that works... at least you are uncovering part of the reason why this place has remained a legend.

When Creydon hits her with a whip, she instantly draws her bow and starts nocking an arrow, but luckily the blow casts the fog from her mind, and she realizes that Creydon had just rescued her from an enchantment. She puts the bow away sheepishly.

Creydon, thank you. ... Although I wish you had a better way to do that. Sorry. I think the magic is thick up here. Not sure where I thought I was going.

She walks with him back to the rest of the party.

Anyone taking nonlethal damage from starvation who stands at the source of the River Avah during a full moon can make a DC 15 Perception check to notice what appears to be a ghostly afterimage of the River Avah continuing up into the mountains to its original source from before geologic activity in the region altered it.

I haven't been keeping track of my nonlethal damage (including from Creydon), but Azalia has been fasting, and if the NL damage is going to be a factor later, let me know and I will try to go back and total it up.

Perception: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (3) + 24 = 27 (auto-pass, but you know, just to see how perceptive I am feeling)

Azalia sees a ghostly afterimage of the River Avah continuing up into the mountains.

Creydon, can you come over here? Do you see that? I want to make sure I'm not enchanted again.

"Best I could think of quickly. I'm glad that you're back with is, Azalia. I was getting worried."

Perception: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (15) + 19 = 34

Creydon peers and nods.

"It looks like a ghostly mountain. Can everyone see it?"

Perception: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (14) + 21 = 35

"Yes, obviously.

"This is fascinating! Nutritional attrition as a means of accessing a magical effect! We'll have to investigate if there's actually a passage that has opened to us, or if the illusory river is merely a guide that we're supposed to follow through the mountains as they stand today."

Perception: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (15) + 20 = 35

"Nice to see we're on the right track," Ferocia remarks as she follows the ghost river.

After two days of travel the phantom River Avah leads through a partially frozen wetland. The area is riddled with hummocks of solid ground and protruding rocks.

Careful travelers can move through the fen without falling into the water, but doing so requires someone in the party to make a successful DC 25 Survival check once per hour. One check please.

I'm crap at Survival, so not me.

”I’ve never been in such...terrain...before.” Drazh said, his doubt evident in his voice. ”Can try to lead us through this. But can someone just fly us over? Seems much more efficient.”

Only have +8. Not the best odds

Oh, good call. Sure, that sounds better.

Azalia can cast fly on up to 6 people.

Marten's got himself covered. Ferocia can fly on her own.

Creydon would have +10 (+18 if his Order ability applies here). But flying sounds better!

"I think I'd have good odds of finding a way through that mire. But honestly, Azalia, I'd prefer to stay above the muck. Flight on the table?"

Azalia casts fly on whoever wants it, then starts flying through the fen in the direction they are headed.

Survival: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (14) + 21 = 35

Ferocia leads the way for everyone through the fen.

...Or flies if everyone else is flying.

Ferocia moves through the area... it's almost like the area is a little less resistant to her presence.

After three hours of travel a strange woman with fey features and pale blue skin approaches you as the mists part. She wears no clothes and shows no care for the cold or any cultural inhibitions those looking at her might have about walking around in the nude. She smiles at Ferocia as strands of black hair move at the winds passing. "You are the one who helped my cousin Myriana avoid her cruel fate and are one of her court. You are welcome to my court, these lands have become more dangerous in the past few seasons and have brought far more strange visitors than you but yet I must wonder why you have come?" There is a playful twinkle in her eye which compliments her other worldly beauty.

Ye'd probably be burning through one spell slot per hour per person who needs it with each casting of fly... it would be quicker but thats a lot of slots... With Creydon and Drazh aiding Ferocia can reliably navigate the area.

Creydon takes in the view while waiting for Ferocia to reply.

Azalia smiles at the woman, appreciating her beauty, but also reminding herself that this was a fey creature and they needed to be careful of any agreements. She seemed to already know Ferocia though, so that was decidedly a bonus.

She keeps her mouth wisely shut, though is willing to speak up if Ferocia asks anything or indicates that it would be okay.

Ferocia smiles brightly -- a quite un-Ferocia-like sight. "Thank you for your welcome." She gestures at her companions. "These are my... friends. I beg you welcome them, as well -- at least while in my presence. We've come seeking the ancient Thassilonian city of Xin-Shalast. Do you know it? Enemies we've encountered this past year have ties to the jerk who runs the place. Or used to, or something. The point is, him, him servants, and his plans are the reason loads of people are dead. He needs killing. We've come to oblige."

"It is not far from here. In seasons past few moved through this area bar dragons and rocs but more recently there have been far more visitors and of diverse natures. Most notable are giants, lamias, and abominable
snowmen that dwell in Xin-Shalast. Not enough to fill the city once more but enough to make it dangerous to rest in. If you require somewhere to rest you can return here."

"Xin- Shalast has not been entirely vacant. There are the skulks-descendants of the city's original citizens, they live still in the city's ruins. Therevare two factions among the skulks-the relatively
peaceful (and less powerful) " Spared" and the vampiric minions of the Hidden Beast, a creature with whom I have battled before. I would suggest you seek out a member of the Spared for further information about the city once you enter the place, for few other factions within Xin- Shalast are likely to be as willing to help you."

"Thank you, cousin of Myriana. Is there anyone among the Spared that you have had dealings with? A name that we could ask for?"

She thinks for a moment. "Not this century... I don't think they live that long. You understand."

Azalia studies this area carefully in case they need to teleport back here, since they were offered it as a place of rest.

"Ferocia, please ask your friend what the effects of this occluding field are," Marten asks Ferocia at regular volume and easily heard by everyone nearby.

Drazh remained silent, being self aware enough to know that anything he said would be most likely counter productive.

Ferocia raises an eyebrow at Marten. After a LONG look, she turns to the fey (sorry, do I know her name?) and asks, "What's an occlusion field?"

Svevenka elaborates further. The occluding field renders the
entire area near the peak impenetrable to divination or scrying of any sort she has seen. The occluding field sheds a powerful effect that spurns and rejects those not attuned to the region. This field feels like an invisible force, almost like gravity, that seems to push against intruders.

Worse, once a minute, the field pulses with invisible force that creates wracking, blinding pain. She's not sure how you become attuned but some move into the area without any issue so there must be a way. She has noticed some of them wearing amulets with a sihedron rune on it.

"Sihedron runes...wait, Anneka, don't you have a medallion like that?"

Azalia glances at Anneka to make sure she isn't going to interrupt, then volunteers

I do. I pulled one off of one of the cultists, I think way back in Sandpoint when we were trying to trick them into giving us more information, right? I took one of the large ones from the loot pile, but I think there were smaller ones as well, weren't there? Honestly, that was so long ago I don't remember, but this is the one I have.

Azalia detaches it from around her neck and shows everyone.

All I could figure out about it using spellcraft is that it magically boosts your endurance to certain kinds of attacks +1 to all saves. Does it do more than that?

"If you can catch more of them outside the occlusion field and claim their medalions it might make getting through it easier for you."

At this point along the ghostly river's route, the phantom waters are joined by an ancient road paved with flat stones that have a faint sheen of gold to them. This road continues north to Xin-Shalast-from this point on, you have a physical route to follow and need no longer depend upon the phantom waters of the Avah. The road itself is one hundred feet wide, its surface patchy here with swaths of ice but providing a welcome flat surface upon which to travel.

Drazh and Ferocia are both taken by surprise as large rocks smash against their enchanted armour. Two grey skinned giants begin reaching for more rocks...
Boulder Vs Drazh: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22
Boulder Vs Ferocia: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

Azalia Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Ferocia Initiatve: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Anneka Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Creydon Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Drazh Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Marten Initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
Monster Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Azalia
Anneka
Giants
Creydon
Marten
Drazh
Ferocia

Azalia shoots at the closest giant.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 20 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 20 - 2 = 23 (rapid shot)
Attack 2: 1d20 + 20 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 20 - 2 = 26
Attack 3: 1d20 + 15 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 15 - 2 = 19

Damage 1: 1d8 + 6 + 1d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 6 + (2) + (4, 4) = 20 (acid, holy)
Damage 2: 1d8 + 6 + 1d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (5) + 6 + (6) + (1, 4) = 22
Damage 3: 1d8 + 6 + 1d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (2) + 6 + (1) + (5, 2) = 16

Remember clustered shots, if applicable for overcoming DR.

Azalia shoots at the closest giant.

Anneka casts blessing of fervor.

Azalia and Drazh both block return fire from the two giants by the cave mouth.
Boulder Vs Drazh: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27
Boulder Vs Azalia: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16

Creydon
Marten
Drazh
Ferocia
Azalia
Anneka -Blessing of Fervor
Giants Green -22

Azalia shoots again at the same giant.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 20 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 20 - 2 = 21 (rapid shot)
Attack 2: 1d20 + 20 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 20 - 2 = 19
Attack 3: 1d20 + 15 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 15 - 2 = 29

Damage 1: 1d8 + 6 + 1d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (2) + 6 + (6) + (1, 4) = 19 (acid, holy)
Damage 1: 1d8 + 6 + 1d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 6 + (3) + (5, 5) = 23
Damage 1: 1d8 + 6 + 1d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (7) + 6 + (1) + (5, 2) = 21

clustered shots, if applicable

Also clarification on a former statement... reading over the "isn't going to interrupt" line from a few posts back, I realized it could sound like I meant that I didn't want Anneka to interrupt, but I actually meant to make sure that *my* character wasn't going to interrupt Anneka. So, just in case anyone read it that way, I wanted to clarify so you don't think that Azalia is a jerk (or more of one... whatever). :)

Creydon breaks into a stirring rendition of "When the slayers cut down the giants, third scene" as he advances!

Inspire Courage +3, BP 39/40, moved 60ft

Blessing of Fervour benefit: Gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls and a +2 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves.

Taking the AC and Reflex bonus from blessing of fervor.

Marten moves forward and quickly assesses that the giants are too far away for him to be able to telekinetically fling a dwarf at them. Instead, he opts to buy the party time move closer by casting reverse gravity on the area around the giants.

Ferocia and Emriss hurry forward.

And activating her chimeric forms.