Sparrow follows along, listening intently to anything Quink says, though it doesn't stop her grumbling. "I just don't like where this is going. Not one bit."
Alkaid adds
"But he might provide knowledge that we'll need later."
If that thing we fought was a sinspawn, that means we've found a functioning runewell. Just thing, an item of power surviving for that long, right next door.
"Fascinating! Hm. Probably wrath. I'm not sure how to destroy it. If my translations of the old records are correct, it's charged by drawing in the souls of people who died influenced by that particular sin. I think, depending on the size, it might also be able to feed on the wrath of the living, enhancing it so that they make better fuel for it."
He will continue to lecture as you head down there, and will identify the woman's statue as Alznast.
"If you can't drain it, perhaps placing guards over it, ones capable of taking one down from a distance, or keeping people from summoning one might work while I study ways of destroying it. Pity, though...such an opportunity!"
There doesn't seem to be much you can do here - now.
Perhaps tracing other leads might be more profitable while Quink studies the thing.
Alkaid ask a question of Quink
"What if one force it to expend more energy than it had, could that not but the well into a dormant state."
"Yes, that might very well set it to dormancy. It must have been so for ages, awakening only due to absorbing emotions from the town above. I wonder when it first woke up?"
Alkaid replies
"That is a good question. When did it awaken,
and did it's awaken have any effect on the people above?"
"So shall we try summoning another one?"
Alkaid replies
"If those with dark intent got to it, I'd rather the well be dry, than full."
Why don't we dismantle it. Or fill it in with morter?
Alkaid replies
"Dismantling while it has energy is like having a open flame near a full barrel of coal dust that your breaking apart, and mortar is just a stop gap."
Two more 'summonings' quiets the runewell, ending it's threat for now, however, there does not seem to be a way to destroy it.
Quink comments"I'd be very surprised to find a simple way to destroy one of these. They've survived undamaged for over 10,000 years since Earthfall, in fact surviving even that. The Thassilonians built to last, and with some forms of magic lost to us int he Era of Darkness."
"So back to stop gap for now then? Better buried than open for use." Sparrow rubs a hand through her hair thinking. "So what options we have now?"
"I have no problem returning occasionally. Let's go to this Thistle top."
@Cil: The island of Thistletop sits in the Varisian Gulf off the coast of the Nettlewood. This strangely round rock formation is currently held by the Thistletop goblins, but there are rumors the site was actually once the head of a giant statue. In fact, many locals still claim to see a face hidden within the eroded rock
"maybe I can buy this island?"
"Sounds like we know where we're going next then."
"And let's hope that it won't be as troublesome."
"And let's hope that it won't be as troublesome."
"You can say that again."
@the group: If you want to head out to Thistletop, make your preparations and we'll get rolling.
The big man is ready.
Brin thinks about Thistletop.
If we take it from goblins, maybe I can just claim it. I think I'll bring a flag to plant there. The Brin Inn needs to get started.
Before leaving Brin finds a weaver to make a flag for him to plant on Thistletop. He describes the logo he wants on the flag, a circle of six people of different colors represented ambiguously by the three primary colors and three secondary colors in a circle holding hands in a background of white. Obviously the three secondary colors are between the two primary colors that make them.
He has 'Brin Inn: All are Welcome' stenciled underneath in common.
That is a very impressive flag Brin, but why don't we see what the goblins had done with the place. Knowing goblins, you'll have quite the mess to clean up before you're ready for business.
Thistletop is about 6 miles from Sandpoint; a 2-hour walk. The approach is difficult due to the passage through the tangled mass known as Nettlewood.
Each Survival check takes 1d4 hours.
Alkaid
Brin
Cil
Kaddoc
Sparrow
Thistletop is a curiously round island about 60' off the shore, connected to the mainland by a rope bridge.
As you approach closer you realize that the briars and thistles that grow so rampantly in Nettlewood are even more dense and tangled here, near the shore. Although not dense enough to block the sound of waves crashing on the unseen shores to the west, the undergrowth is certainly thick enough to block sight and access to the coast. Few trees grow this close to the edge of the sea, but the briars themselves often reach heights to rival them. Here the patch is nearly 20' high!
"I may be able to hack through this."
hour.
Hey guys, I've found a way through.
Due to the fog every morning and evening on this part of the coast, the "walls" here are quite damp. The gate itself is simply a mass of interwoven, rigid mat of thistles and nettles. Opening this door (or any like it) is a standard action or a move action 9though taking a move action requires a DC 15 reflex save to avoid taking 1 point of damage from the thorns. A character wearing gauntlets or heavy armor automatically makes the save.
The doorway leads to a 4' high tunnel winding through the dense briars and nettles. The floor is densely-packed earth with patches of wiry plants growing stubbornly here and there.
Large creatures must crawl to navigate these passages; medium creatures must hunker down, effectively squeezing to move, taking a -4 penalty to attack and AC, and using 2 squares of movement for every one traveled. Small and smaller creatures have no problems, nor to medium quadrupeds. Large chambers have higher ceilings, negating these penalties. Due to the denseness of the walls and ceilings, creatures only take damage if shoved into them, though a DC15 reflex save will avoid any damage. Woodland stride also negates damage and penalties.
The floor reflects countless goblin and goblin dog tracks.
"Nice job, Cil!" Sparrow looks around on the ground, attempting to make heads or tails of the tracks before finally giving up. "I can't follow them. Any of you have better luck?"
I haven't got a clue, I'm not much of a tracker
Pausing for a moment, Cilyanka draws a rune of black fire on her forehead, after a few seconds it flickers and fades[/b]
Want me to go first or should we let Brin take point?
HP: 36/36
Temp: 19/19
AP: 5/5
AC: 26/16/18
Effects: mage armor
"I can go up front."
Following behind Brin, Cilyanka enters the hedge maze, sword drawn.
The nettle tunnels split into three directions; west, north, and east.
Which way do you go?
Brin leads them toward the sound or smell of water. If he can't make that out, he goes left.
Going either right or straight seems more likely to bring you closer to water and to the island.
Bring heads straight.
Moving straight ahead leads to a 'T' intersection.
Brin points to the tracks right and follows them out of mostly sheer curiousity.
"What did the goblins drag?"
It looks like something large...maybe a big animal. You do find bits of - hair?
"Let's just hope they dragged a wild boar in."
"Well, let's follow them for now and see where it leads?" Start moving right.
