The Father of Waters

Game Master Fighting Chicken

Naira pushed things forward nicely so no need for a post from me - I'm going to wait and see what you all decide to do.

Istiel will volunteer to go, simply because she is sworn to protect people (and the glory of course). If Naira is not comfortable with the potential rescue operation, Istiel can use the diving equipment while Naira holds on to the rope, or vice versa if Naira wants to do it. (Or Drazen can hold the rope with his big ol muscles)

Regardless, I think Istiel and Naira have the well covered if Imix, Drazen, and Oios want to check out what the bird skulls were pointing towards?

We should be careful- the bird priest could return at any time, and without the element of surprise to hit it with a tanglefoot bag or catch in a grapple it will just fly off or attack us from the trees.

The rope is 100 feet long, by the way.

I wonder why these people are down here? Who made this tunnel? It's crappy enough I'd suspect the agents of the Flame, but that would mean they've been planning this for a while(no surprise). Could be how the skinstealer and bird priest got in?

Oios will probably know what kind of prayers those are and be able to tell :). How deep is the well?

Oios will probably know what kind of prayers those are and be able to tell :). How deep is the well?

I've been assuming no one can hear exact words through the walls of the well, but the prayers are to the Takayah pantheon. That will be apparent to all shortly

Istiel would estimate, from what she saw earlier, that the well is at least 50 feet deep. I don't think anyone would know exactly how deep it is, because it is very likely that no one in the group has ever been down here before.

EDIT: The secret door is about 45 feet down.

Wow.

Shadeholme was really screwed from the beginning. How many other towns were treated to this level of subterfuge? I will be surprised if there is anywhere left to go near the mountains.

By the way BP, your NPC list in the Father of Waters Wiki is FANTASTIC. Thanks for keeping track of all this.

Ah, missed the suggestion to go north somehow. Not sure Drazan went either. Working on the assumption he didn't.

Were going to assume he didn't. I'm off site today and forgot my laptop, so update tonight or tomorrow as time allows.

Apologies for my rate of posting. My schedule hasn't been great due to the work load. I am trying to do better.

Drazan is likely to go off on his own to investigate though, his recent past being proof of that so...

^ No worries, TD. Sorry for the hamhanded manner whereby I've put you back with the others. My brain isn't working great tonight, and this is one of those times when splitting the party is not a good thing to do. If you all are going after the bird, I suggest you do it together.

By the way BP, your NPC list in the Father of Waters Wiki is FANTASTIC. Thanks for keeping track of all this.

Thanks! I've been going through the GP thread and trying to update everything, but it is taking awhile. I'll post a master list of updates to the wiki when it is done, hopefully this weekend.

Training at work today, will post when able.

We either go after the bird priest or feed Galton his own boots. Thoughts?

Would like to do both but we have squishy NPCs to take care of and without them we can't build the case against Galton.

We either go after the bird priest or feed Galton his own boots. Thoughts?

we can't build the case against Galton.

He's in the silkwood forest, somewhere...

I think this is what you were trying to link to BP.

I forgot Galton is already in the forest.... Probably with the bird priest :/ We have another rough fight ahead of us.

So we can send the squishies back safely and press on.

Ahhh.. alright then. I thought Naira's friends booked it though. Who else do we have with us?

^ Just the two rescued engineers and Utzi.

Thanks for the link, Istiel. Don't know what happened there.

Neat how the healing kept failing in the grove. Sometimes the dice are on the side of the story.

^Indeed! It is neat when that happens.

Hey, didn't someone hear something in the city about water sources being found to be contaminated?
And the Great Lake was going salty, right?

Yes, I think it was Jalya that said something about that.

^ Yep, Jayla's seen first-hand the fouling of waters in Tooyah lands in the north (technically not the Great Glacial Lake, but the marshy lands to the direct south of it).

You also heard rumors to the same effect in Cornucopia.

OK, so the setup is this. There's an area about 50 feet from you, that is the grotto, the creek flowing slowly from the south end of the grotto. The rest of the area - about 70 feet in roughly a circular shape, is surrounded by the blackberry bushes.

If you decide to enter, you can enter through the creek, which is shallow enough to walk in with no movement penalties. The entrance, while somewhat overgrown, can be pushed aside easily.

You can also go through the blackberry bushes, slowly without damage, or quickly but those thorns look like they could stick you if you're careless.

Two large willows rise from the west side of the grotto above the bushline.

How dark is the grotto? Does it seem to be unnaturally so?

Istiel will take the rear if we're going single-file. She can charge through allies and difficult terrain with Dragon Style to get to the front if need be, and cover our squishies to boot.

How dark is the grotto? Does it seem to be unnaturally so?

Not necessarily. You can give me a perception check if you'd like.

So, Imix's "Rigel is an assassin" is about to be useful, if I'm right.

Busy day here. I'll get us moving on tonight.

I hope we get anther guest appearance by Rigel!

I've been in contact with DR about Rigel since she left the game, and the offer was made. Sadly, DR is going to sit this one out, though I was hopeful on the same account, Istiel!

Be careful what you wish for, honey!

EDIT: Lol, just seen this:

So, Imix's "Rigel is an assassin" is about to be useful, if I'm right.

Yeah, Imix gets to do the big "I told you so" (for all the wrong reasons) - assuming he survives; and assuming anyone survives for him to tell so.

If we all make puppydog eyes would you do it...?

You know you want to grind us into xp!

How can I resist my adoring fans...?

OK, GMBP, let's give them what they're asking for ^_^

How can I resist my adoring fans...?

OK, GMBP, let's give them what they're asking for ^_^

YESSSSSS

I'd say prepare the stretchers, but we don't have shovels and it's too hard to scoop all the giblets on there without one.

So.

Pray instead.

Alright, excellent!

I'm working with Google Slides this time for the map. Here's the shareable link:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1QngqLzxdX-Ae3KeNgXaawrady3tYA1 XuLtJmlArnXbM/edit?usp=sharing

I'll post the map on the wiki for those folks that have Google-incompatible phones.

OK, any square that is totally blackberry takes a full-round action to move through. You can move through one as 2 actions with a 15 DC Reflex save, or one action as a 20 DC Reflex save (or take 1d6 damage). The creek doesn't effect movement, but the pond is difficult terrain to move through. The large trees can be moved under, except for the squares that contain the tree trunks, which must be moved around. The small trees cannot be moved through and must be moved around.

The darkness is 50' high in the trees.

Link was problematic. Here we go.

That's a beautiful map, BTW.

Ooooh excellent map BP. Are you using maptools or any similar program?

This encounter is making my spine tingle. I will need to find appropriate battle music later...

Heh. Looking back, I just remembered this post (see point 6). And the answer is...

Less than 12 months' real time, apparently.

Heh. Looking back, I just remembered this post (see point 6). And the answer is...

Less than 12 months' real time, apparently.

I pictured it going another way in my head... haha

Ooooh excellent map BP. Are you using maptools or any similar program?

Nope, just Photoshop and old tabletop dungeon tiles, scanned.

I thought that corpse was Thom. But Rigel called to him as if he was far away.

Nope, not Thom. This is some relevant text, bolded for emphasis:

Your friend draws two kukri across the corpse's scalp, a wicked smile spread across her face. Still clutched in the corpse's hand is a single metal dagger, its golden light long dimmed.

Perhaps the words "your friend" were misleading...

yeah, I got that. Imix plans to animate sad corpse once his turn comes up. And not because it's tactically a good plan.

or at least, I think I got it.

I'm just hoping that "Rigel" doesn't have as good a reflex save as Rigel. It'll make the drowning her easier ;)

All this stuff she said here. Really, take a look, it is very good!

In hindsight, extremely well done :)

^ Yeah, Rigel did a really nice job setting this up.

This is a no b#~$~&@$ fight. These enemies are tough, and I'm not pulling any punches. Don't be afraid to spend your resources.

Yeah I was kind of expecting Drazan to charge. Hah!

I was kind of expecting Drazan to charge so Oios wouldn't be on the front line!

This is a no b$$&!*+% fight. These enemies are tough, and I'm not pulling any punches. Don't be afraid to spend your resources.

Yelp, just read how much damage I took. Think its time for two vortexes if I can live that long...

Oh, I knew personally because of the dagger, bit it wasn't obvious to Istiel. Blurring the line between PC and IC knowledge is difficult.

Naira- Rigel will have very high reflex saves but poor fortitude saves. (Well, if it is her, it could be a skin-stealer given that corpse has Rigel's metal dagger, but we can only assume at this point.) My plan was to stunning fist "Rigel" and dismantle her before she got into a flanking position, but the presence of Shadow Thom has hindered that. May have to attack him first.

BP- can we get an updated map on everyone's positions when you have a chance? I have the feeling we're going to have to be as tactical as possible to win this.

Also, does the 20% miss chance against Shadow Thom qualify for Istiel's Blind Fight or is it a Blink-like effect?

I think Oios gets an AOO right?