Syrak's first swipe is enough to kill the taer, and the body crumples to the snow leaving only the leader.
Before he can close distance, Paeter fells the leader!
Almost as quick as it started the taer assault is over. All that remains is the raging fire!
With the immediate threat contained, the party gets started straight away in trying to save the innocents and the waystation. Here and there others cry out for help and the Pathfinders wade through either driving off or killing the rest of the beastmen.
In short order the waystation itself is extinguished. Thankfully enough of it remains to save. Your contact Rysam is even thankful (though he's gruff in expressing it.) The survivors pledge themselves forever in your debt. They invite the you to remain for a few days to recover and wait for Osprey to arrive. Rysam adds that he could actually use the help getting things back to normal and making sure no further attacks are coming.
A few days after, the you find Osprey waiting for you, comfortably hanging out in front of the fire watching the logs spit and crackle in the dull orange glow. Presented with the bones, he thanks you for your services to the Society and tells you that you have indeed prevented a terrible fate by keeping the bones from the hands of those who would seek to steal the mystic’s prophetic truths. Then he graciously bids you farewell and, without warning, transforms into a long-winged hawk with mysterious dark markings about its eyes. Winging into to the ice-blue sky he soars off towards Absalom leaving you standing in the cold, with thousands of miles between where you stand and the City at the Center of the World...
Mission accomplished!
Indeed, because you succeeded in saving the outpost, your renown in the Society grows evermore...
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
♪ Flax-seed's back, all right! ♫
Syrak shortly gets a missive with the Sigil of the Open Road on it!
Excitedly, he opens the letter...
It's not sunny.
It's Varisia.
Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch stands before a window in her study, sunlight glittering on her signature emerald garments. She speaks in a deep and sonorous voice, and wastes no time getting to her point.
First, thank you for gathering here on such short notice. Please, have a seat. Once you've heard what I have to tell you, I believe you will forgive my enthusiasm.
Documents we recovered from our Thassilonian excavations describe an elven fortress on the border between the Mierani Forest and the former Thassilonian province of Cyrusian. Because the borders of the forest have receded in the years since, any remaining ruins must be well outside of the forest as it now stands. As I'm sure you're aware, the elves of Kyonin typically guard elven historical sites closely, but in this case it seems the elves have lost all record of the site; they don't even know it exists. Needless to say, this discovery represents an invaluable opportunity for the society to explore without supervision. Take this map and make your preparations. I want you to reach the tower before news of its discovery reaches any of our rivals.
First, verify that the ruin even exists. Assuming there's still something there, I want a detailed report on the architecture of the site. We don't gain access to ancient elven ruins often, and this investigation must be thorough. Finally, bring back any surviving artifacts left by the elves who built and occupied the tower.
Any questions?
Well, we HOPE you uncover elven artifacts the like we've not seen before. But we don't know, which is why we're sending you.
Similar locations we have read about have been warded by magic and guarded by outsiders. Now, I doubt that the elves would design anything that would harm their own kind, but we have not explored enough elven sites to offer more than speculation. I am confident in your skills and training.
Automatic DC for Kn (plot):
Sheila Heidmarch has little more information to share. The Celwynvian elves maintain tight borders, and many believe the territory to be haunted by spirits that feast on foreigners. Silly superstition, of course; but it has been enough to scare off curious eyes.
As for how we came by this knowledge, the tower appears as a reference in the journal of an emissary to the elves sent from Xin-Cyrusian. In her journal, the wizard left detailed notes about the tower's location and mentioned the building's luxurious accommodations. If it remains, it would be quite a discovery!
Mierani Forest:
Former Thassilonian province of Cyrusian:
|
Falco clears his throat and says, "Right, well we shouldn't have to worry about getting to the ruins, except for the elves themselves I guess. They are quite protective and are good at keeping intruders, loggers, and monsters out."
Continuing his lecture, the halfling scholar intones, "But of course the Thassilonian province of Cyrusian was under the rule of Xanderghul, Runelord of Pride. And while the elves were isolationists even in those days, it might be that they exchanged some knowledge, particularly arcane knowledge related to illusions, with the magicians of Cyrusian trained by Xanderghul."
"In short," he finishes, "we need to keep a watch out for elves and the illusions they might use to trick us."
Following the map up the Varisian coast past Riddleport, you make your way into the Velashu Uplands. The journey is arduous but uneventful, and the hilly land is abundant with fauna, including the wild horses followed and sold by the Horselords.
Where the X on the map is appears to be another unremarkable hill. Pandoor is dejected that Venture-Captain Heidmarch misled them until Falco casually points out that the hill looks out of place on this portion of grassy plain. Sure enough, closer investigation finds a cave in the back side away from the trade route, and that the hill isn't a hill at all, but the ruins of an elven tower!
Dorvhan quickly learns it's not a door*, but a breach in the foundation of an ancient building. Crumbling stone walls, their blocks blanketed in moisture trails and weeds, slowly give way to the soil of the surrounding plains. The ceiling is partially open to the sky, beneath which shards of fallen stone litter compete for space with small mushrooms and other fungi that grow out of the spiderweb pattern of cracks in the floor. Against the chamber's western wall, the remains of a door made from petrified wood lies open, barely linging to the door frame with nearly disintegrated hinges.
|
Pandoor follows his cousin and companions joyfully, mumbling a song. He suddenly realizes that he's not been speaking for a while.
"Oh wow, I ALMOST forgot how to talk." he shouts, bursting out laughing.
He scratches his head with a thoughtful face.
"Note that it would be quite annoying." he concludes.
"HEY! Have you not noticed? Nobody's dead the last mission we got! If that's not something that lifts up your mood, I don't know what will!" he says with a large grin.
His confidence raised by his find traps spell, Dorvhan leads the way through the open door.
Stone walls stretch between three rounded turrets to form a vaguely triangular central room. Long forgotten elven heroes bearing swords and hunting hawks stand proudly immortalized as marble statues, silently guarding the shadowed alcoves between the towers. A damp, earthy smell rises from the carpet of moss and small fungi that covers the floor.
As the party crosses into the central room, a voice resonates all about.
Both statues appear to turn toward the party, and a silver magic field erupts over the entire room.
|
|
Falco is double lucky, as he studied Elvish at academy and is also unfazed by the statue's spell. He responds to Syrak, "Yes, that is exactly what it did. It has announced that there are intruders, by which it means us of course. We should really be more careful, I guess. These elves are clever with their traps. Dorvhan, keep leading the way but watch out for more traps."
Almost as if on cue, the door to the west opens, and the party is surprised to see a pair of strange plants consisting of four spidery stalks, long green tendrils, and an inverted bell-shaped cap filled with spores.
rounds.
Round 1
Syrak
Basidironds
Pandoor
Dorvhan
Falco
Falco pontificates and freezes Yellow with a ray of frost!
The Paladin steps up and swings, but finds only the solid earth and stone of the tower for his trouble!
Blue moves out, and accepts the AoO from Syrak! Undeterred, it continues forward and issues a slam at the glaive-wielder!
Syrak is covered with spores, but being immune to disease has its perks!
Yellow, even slow as it is, five-foots and releases a cloud of tiny, almost invisible spores! Every non-basidirond within the radius needs to make a Fort save! (This is a mind-affecting effect, not a disease effect.)
Dorvhan blesses the party while Pandoor inspires them! Syrak claws Blue and Falco force bolts Yellow!
Blue releases its own cloud of tiny spores! Every non-basidirond within the radius needs to make another Fort save! (This is a mind-affecting effect, not a disease effect.)
Yellow lethargically strikes out at Syrak!
Dorvhan casts a spell and moves into position!
Blue five-foot steps into flank with Syrak!
Yellow attacks as well!
Blue five-foot steps into flank with Syrak!