The Solstice approaches once more and the question hangs in the air if the Pathfinders will be overwhelmed by the Solstice Scar or if they will overcome it.
This journey began months ago when the Society received a call for help from the Blakros Museum. It had been invaded by a group of intruders and the museum's own defenses now fought against friend and foe alike. The Pathfinders broke through these lines of constructs and beasts to confront the intruders. They identified themselves as the Twinhorns and were led by Medda Spiritbearer and after speaking with the Pathfinders revealed that their intent was to recover a relic of their tribe that had been stolen by agents of the museum.
The item stolen was the hilt of a blade belonging to Ivvora, a noble warrior from long ago. The blade had been broken in a battle with a powerful undead called Eshimka. The undead was forced to retreat into another plane and Ivvora had left the hilt to the Twinhorn tribe to ward away the evil whenever the the barrier between the planes was weakest.
Valsin was angered to learn that museum agents resorted to theft to gain relics and promised Medda that Pathfinders would accompany them back to the Tusk Mountains to return the hilt.
Securing passage for their convoy through the Hold of Belkzen the Pathfinders fought against more trials and tribulations, but even still arrived at the Twinhorn encampment too late. Eshimka’s forces were already flooding through a portal at the standing stones. The Pathfinders bravely fought back the undead and close the rift. Once done, they learned that the attack left an extraplanar scar and a warning of an even greater invasion that would come the next solstice.
Seeking to empower the fragment of Ivvora's holy blade, the Society members followed in her footsteps, seeking the place where she died battling a powerful white dragon. There the Pathfinders fought generations of white dragons and their kobold servitors until they reached the final resting space of Ivvora. There, Medda communed with Ivvora in the afterlife, learning how to reforge the broken dagger or create a new weapon to destroy Eshimka.
With the information Ivvora bestowed, the Pathfinders are setting their path toward an ancient battlefield where Ivvora and her comrades fought against an overwhelming undead force. It is there that the Pathfinders and the Twinhorns seeks to follow in the paladin's footsteps and gain the blessing necessary to be able to put an end to this undead threat once and for all.
Ambrus Valsin: Venture-Captain responsible for daily operations of the Grand Lodge.
Blakros Museum: Notable museum within Absalom that has been the site of a number of unfortunate incidents over the years, most of which the Pathfinder Society has helped rectify.
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Medda Spiritbearer: One of the major council members that lead the Twinhorns. She has a lithe build, especially for a Kellid, and wears her arburn hair tied in a tight braid. She a devout follower of Vildeis and is the host for the phantom of Anok.
Anok: A phantom of a Twinhorn warrior who fought alongside Ivvora in her battle with Eshimka. Even after his death he serves he tribe acting as a defender against the lingering evils that have plagued the Twinhorn lands. He is given form by Medda's own life force and has served many Spiritbearers over the years.
Twinhorn: A Kellid tribe that has existed for centuries near the base of the Tusk Mountains, a land far north of Absalom near the cold reaches of the Realm of the Mammoth Lords.
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Ivvora: A disciple of the divine martyr Vildeis and a powerful warrior. Centuries ago she fought various evils of the world following a great war against a powerful undead. She drove the undead Eshimka from this plane and ultimately traded lethal blows with a dragon at the end of her life.
Vildeis: An angel who devotes all of her being to destroy evil within the universe and empowers her followers to do the same.
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Eshimka: A leader of a vast army of undead that has been holding off assaulting the world of the living as long as she feared Ivvora and her weapon. With the weapon weakened and Ivvora dead, Eshimka now seeks to invade Golarion with the coming of the next Solstice.
Right now the party is traveling along a massive convoy along the Tusk Mountains within the Realm of the Mammoth Lords as you travel through Lastwall. Pathfinders and the Twinhorns are trading stories as teams are reorganized following the assault on the draconic hordes. While the snow is no longer constantly slows your step, it still is prevalent as you move through the war tested land.
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Bahen is a Vudrani man whose eyes occasionally flicker. Sparks and cinders occasionally dance from his feet. He occasionally speaks in odd tongues, and when fighting off some wolves, spoke only in odd tongues.
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A young Tengu walks along with the convoy, mostly keeping to himself, but not adverse to trading words when encouraged. He manners speak of good training, both physically and socially, yet he has an odd look in his eyes, almost as if he can see things others can not. When asked about it, he tends to keep his answers brief and purposefully vague. One time, when pressed about his past before joining the Pathfinders, he says only, "They all died. All of them, and then I watched them leave."
Beforeresting, he spends each night going through a ritual of oiling his sword and putting it to rest in it's sheath, even if it was never drawn that day. Every morning, the ritual continues by wiping the blade clean of the oil. "Cleaning the spirit of impurities," someone heard him saying once, probably to himself.
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Benu seems oddly equipped for a Pathfinder. He wears no armor and the only weapon he carries is a small knife. His willow walking stick never leaves his hands however. He has the look of a fellow who likes fighting even though he doesn't really look prepared for one, at least not the type this group is likely to get in. If asked about it he replies, "I used to love me a good scrap but I'm too old for that nonsense now. I have other ways of helping the young 'uns these days."
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A female human form of high stature but fine and agile, the skin of the color of the oceans of a turquoise blue is part of the convoy. Her hair, darker blue, is knotted in bun at the back of her head. His face is hidden behind a tiger mask. But is it really to hide it in order to be discreet or not to frighten the viewer any more that she is obliged to wear the toupee which, in the meantime, impresses strongly by itself? Through it, however, one perceives eyes of a clear blue. Ears similar to small fins and webbed hands are the endings of this being. A shoulder strap descends along his torso, a light crossbow protrudes from behind his back, while a quiver clings to a past belt around his waist. His clothes have bluish tones like those of the ocean.
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The long journey south from the slopes of the Tusk Mountains to the edge of Fangwood took several weeks, during which many of the Twinhorns and Pathfinders exchanged ancestral stories and tales of daring adventures to pass the time on the relatively uneventful trek. By the time the Fangwood rises ahead in the brisk morning air, both groups are eager to confront whatever lies ahead.
Medda addresses the crowd gathered before her. “South of here lies a battlefield where the paladin Ivvora risked her life in a daring ploy to help her battalion defeat an undead horde. For her selflessness, Ivvora earned a token of Vildeis’s favor: the dagger she used to deal a terrible blow to Eshimka! For all the crusaders’ heroism, I can sense an undead taint lingered here, and that stretch of the Fangwood has expanded in the centuries since to absorb it. It is now our turn to earn Vildeis’s blessing, risking ourselves to end this threat so that in turn we might slay Eshimka once and for all.
“The terrain favors small groups over larger formations, so we shall divide into smaller groups to navigate the forest and identify the corruption’s heart. May Ivvora’s example guide us to victory!” With that, Medda and her phantom Anok turn and enter the Fangwood, followed by Pathfinder and Twinhorn teams that fan out behind her.
As your team breaks off to explore the forest you find the brambles growing wild throughout the edge of the wood. Here a thick canopy of trees begins to filter out sunlight, turning day into night. The overgrown plant life forbids easy access deeper into the forest and fills the air with the sickly-sweet smell of decay.
Throughout the dark shadowy wood small creatures skitter within the plant-life and the various plant-life is covered in sharp nasty barbs that will require the careful attention of Pathfinders to avoid.
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As the larger crowd of Pathfinders splits up on Medda's orders, a young Taldan man dressed in dark leather armor covered by a cloak and gray overtunic joins the group. His cloak is clasped with a bronze brooch that bears the symbol of the Eye of Aroden. He bears a longbow and longspear on his back, and has a hunting dagger at his belt. Dark hair frames a sun-bronzed face with a crooked nose that looks like it was previously broken and not set properly and with piercing gray eyes.
The young man moves with a predatory grace as he approaches, and then stops and gives a polite bow. "Bellius Vulso, pleased to make your acquaintance," he says in a cautiously neutral tone. "though I wish it were under better circumstances. Still, 'fate helps those who help themselves,' as my father always said."
Bellius moves through the forest adeptly, avoiding the hazards from local plant life through quick reflexes and agile maneuvers.
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A young tengu bows formally in greeting. "I am pleased to meet your acquaintance on this field of battle. You may call me Ken'ichi. May our blades strike true and our spirits pure."
Ken'ichi makes his way through the forest as if it were something familiar to him, pointing out harmful flora and how to avoid them.
The party is able to force their way past the small hostile fauna and the poisonous plant with haste and skill. Both Ken'ichi and Ifzari suffer from the ailments as poison from the plant life tries to hamper both of the pair, leaving rashes that offer clear sign of hatred from this wood. Now that the party is out of the brambles, it will be a short time before these aches settle.
The forest floor is blanketed with eerie dark flowers that paint the otherwise lightless woods with their purple incandescence.
Disorienting paths cut through the trees, forward-facing paths
seem to lead back to where they started, and retracing one’s steps leads to unfamiliar terrain. A pair of elk with glowing eyes glare hungrily at the party. Their bodies carrying those same dark flowers prevalent throughout the wood. Their teeth covered in stains of blood. Meanwhile the from the impenetrable thickets vines are slowly curling around anyone who gets too close.
The vines begin to wrap around the legs of Benu and Bellius as the elk give a unnatural cry as they launch forward at the party, clear intent to tear them apart.
- Round 1 -
Bahen
Animal Red (Will be attacking Bellius)
Bellius
Ifzari (sickened)
Animal Green
Ken’ichi (sickened)
Benu
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The dark-haired Taldan swiftly retreats from the red elk, a look of horror on his face as he quickly moves away from the animal while attempting to evade the hostile plants. It is obvious that he has never fought this sort of unnatural enemy before. Despite his bewilderment, he draws his longbow as he's moving, setting his feet in the stance of a practiced archer as he nocks an arrow, drawing it to his ear.
At the moment of a shot, it's just you and the target in the world, boy. The words of his old master, a retired Chelaxian sharpshooter, ring in his mind. He focuses his eyes on his target (), and exhales gently, letting the arrow fly.
As it creeps out of the woods the vine covered elk slows the charge as Ifzari makes agressive calls toward it. But that trepidation turns into a full out panic as Bahen's magic invades the creatures mind. Whatever evil that has crept into its body isn't strong enough to keep the creature in place as it bounds away from the party fleeing as fast as possible.
The blood spattered elk tries to drive the set of sharpened, filthy horns into Bellius as it charges and as he withdraws, but neither attack is able to strike the agile archer. On the arrow his arrow strikes the elk with a slight blow, drawing blood from along the side of the creature.
- Round 1 -
Ken’ichi (sickened)
Benu
- Round 2 -
Bahen
Red Elk (2 damage)
Bellius
Ifzari (sickened)
Green Elk (fleeing, panicked)
Bahen recognizes the fact that this are elk driven to madness by some outside force. While their will is weak, they are hearty creatures and able avoid most hazards. Their agility is their only defense against weapons though, their hide isn't capable deflecting any attack that connects with them. Their gore attack is their most powerful weapon, but if presented a target, they can attempt to combine that with a pair of attacks with their hooves.
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Benu steps away from the grabbing underbrush. He then points his willow stick at Ken'ichi, "May Grandmother Crow guide your hands."
Even with the venom of the woods doing all it is able to hold Ken'ichi back, his blade still deals a clean blow as the creature is nearly felled by that single strike.
Bahen takes measure of the animated plantlife and finds their ability to be limited to slowing and binding, but not damaging. Considering that he moves forward with his shortspear and offers a diversion to aid in Ken'ichi's attack as the vines take hold of him.
Bloodied and battered the maddened elk cries as it flails its body at the tengu attempting to tear him apart with horn and hoof. In the frenzy though none of the blows find their mark.
- Round 2 -
Ken’ichi (sickened, aid another +2 attack, blessing)
Benu
- Round 3 -
Bahen (entangled)
Red Elk (10 damage)
Bellius
Ifzari (sickened)
Green Elk (fleeing, panicked, moving)
The elk struggles to stand after the pair of blows but it slumps to the ground as it goes unconscious, the purple glow of the eyes being shut out as it does so.
The other elk continues a retreat from the party, crying throughout the wood as the flowers are stripped from the creature's hide as it scrapes against the branches and bushes in the haste to flee.
The other wildlife hisses within the bushes, but does little but posture deep within the undergrowth, fearful of the party more than what drives them.
Other Pathfinder teams also find their success pressing forward into the wood. You are called to by another Pathfinder. "Apologies, organization has been in tatters since we hit this wood. Several members of teams have been separated from one another. I've got another person ready to join with you as try to keep groups together."
With him is another Pathfinder ready to join you group, even still the woods chitters around as the hesitation to attack even now is steadily dropping. While a moment is available to compose yourselves the party will soon need to head deeper into the woods before it attempts to surround them.
After a minutes of travel the forest opens to a small clearing that is free of the dark flowers that seem to permeate the rest of the landscape. A ring of tall grey trees circles the clearing, their branches reaching toward each other to form a ceiling of black leaves. A chorus of whispering voices echoes within the clearing as countless faces form out of tree bark only to meld back in, flowing from tree to tree. Three of the faces remain in place and speak out in unison. "Who wanders these forlorn paths? Do you seek to join us? Join us!"
One of the three grumbles and lashes out calling out the party with a wrathful cadence, "It isn't like you have asked before barging your way into here. Introduce yourselves! We know nothing of you or why you have entered our forced home."
"Please, hold your bile for another," adds another voice, this one acting much calmer than the prior as it looks over the party in a studious manner. "These questions are critical, but I'm certain you have those of your own as well. You should understand our wariness as even speaking to you may be worth drawing Mother Bloodleaf's ire."
The third laughs out loud as it declares, "Oh I can guess why they have come. They are certainly tourists who have come in mass to watch the leaves change with the seasons. I do have to warn you though, the bark the trees here has a little more bite than you might expect." The humor filled spirit descends into raucous laughter as the other two glace turn back to the party to see their responds.
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A burly male dwarf stepped forward, a giant grin spread across his face. "Hail and well met!" Both his sharp shield and more conventional falchion still had a small amount of uncleaned evidence of his own battle he had just participated in. "I am Logan of Clan Hammerbammer. 800 plus of us and some of those cousins are somewhere here as well. I have it on good word that Ambrus is gonna make Nigel pay for everyone's drink tabs after this is over, so fight well or keep me fighting well or your drinks are forfeit!"
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Upon seeing Ifzari's phantom for the first time, Ken'ichi bows low in reverence to it.
The same thing happens when the group comes across the spirits in the trees, bowing to each in turn. "Greetings spirits. We wish no harm to you or those who dwell within these woods. We seek only to rid it of an ancient evil that has been detected therein, born of an undead source."
The young tengu speaks with respect and reverence, attempting to be as polite as possible, but he delivers his words to the second spirit mostly.
The calm visage turns toward Ken'ichi as it takes measure of him. "I would offer that you are not the first to have attempted such a task. Some of those have joined our number at the hands of Mother Bloodleaf and even the evil of the swamp before her. To suggest to fight off such an evil is a commendable goal, but how would you be able to drive off such a power when many others have failed before you?"
Addressing Ifzari it adds, "There are far more things in this swamp you will need to be cautious of. We are those who have long since past, almost any ability we may have to fight has been stripped of us. The most we could offer is guidance and passage though this forsaken area."
The jovial spirit notices Bahen's irritation and seems more than content to make light of the vishkanya's markings. "Oh calm down, it would be a poor choice to make a rash decision." It gives out a laugh to drown out the others before continuing, "Serious mug over here is right though, more than a few people have stumbled over here over the years and found and end at ol' mom.
While you seem to be nice of enough sorts, I'll say you don't seem to be the sorts of people I like as bunkmates. I get enough of that from a lot of these fellows."
Sense Motive Checks
Ken’ichi
Bahen
Benu
Bellius
Ifzari
Logan
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Bellius collects himself after the first battle, surprised that he managed to evade the crazed elk's attacks.
"Bellius Vulso, pleased to make your acquaintance," he says to the wrathful spirit in a tone that is probably a little too formal. "We seek only passage through this forest, and wish you no harm." As the young Taldan speaks, his eyes take in minute details about the spirit, giving him a slightly predatory appearance despite his polite words.
"Well I would introduce myself in kind if this forest hadn't stripped it of me as I'm stuck between life and death," spits back the wrathful spirit toward Bellius. "Yet through your frivolous skipping about you and your sort are already dragging us into a fight that is going to do more damage to all of us as your lot turns this into a bloody battlefield! Some of us are sure to find you lot interesting enough to follow and they will suffer for you hubris."
He barely has finished that rant before he turns on Benu. "Fool is right! What is so blasted important that you not only throw your own lives away but seek to burn a path of pain and suffering through souls that very well had enough of this! Mother Bloodleaf is a powerful witch of these woods as she strode in years ago. She saw the seeds of evil here and tended to them with the blood of many another who wandered too close. She has tended to many and has an army of dead of any body she found useful and plants grown from the corpses she saw only worth of being mulch. By provoking her she will only grow only more wrathful, more angry, and bring nothing but pain and anguish to those who are unfortunate to be around!"
The calm spirit gives a small sign of nodding his head toward Logan as he takes in his words. "Well stated, but I question how you will execute that purpose that drew you here. Words alone will be not enough. How will you decimate this evil you are now coming to face with? The power is deeply rooted and require nothing but the most dedicated to deal out a just retribution upon the virulent blight that has brought nothing but suffering to this world. A blight that the vile Mother Bloodleaf has continued to spread. What is your answer?"
"If you wish to go, then go. Just don't expect us to follow you on on your suicidal mission.
Influence Checks
Ken’ichi
Bahen
Benu
Bellius
Ifzari
Logan
Spirits
Wrathful
Calm
Jovial
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Bellius turns from the wrathful spirit and faces the group, quietly saying, "I believe this spirit fears this witch's reprisal against the spirits if they aid us. Perhaps someone could reassure him . . . gently." He pauses and seems to hesitate before adding, "I'll be honest, diplomacy is not my strong suit."
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After taking a moment to compare notes with his colleagues, Ken'ichi approaches the calm spirit once more. "I understand your trepidation, spirit. This Mother Bloodleaf that you have described seems a worthy foe for the heartiest of travelers. But we are of the Pathfinder Society, and there are many more of us gathered than just we few. We also have many followers of the angel Vildeis, who seek to restore the broken weapon of Ivvora to help in defeating this foe."
The tengu shifts his position into a combat ready stance, hand on the hilt of his sword, as he continues to speak. In a blurring motion, he unsheathes the katana into a swift striking motion."So as you can see, we are many..." He slashes again, in the opposite direction. "And we are strong..." Ken'ichi continues his attacking gestures at the air, going through the motions as if he has done so a million times before. "And spirits willing, we are worthy.
With slow, deliberate motions, he re-sheathes his weapon, then turns and bows towards the spirits. "And," he continues, "We would be humbled by any help that you may offer us, should you be willing."
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"If there's one thing I hate it's a bully. This Mother sounds like she's just a bully with a lot of power. She doesn't scare me, I have Grandmother Crow on my side," he holds forth his cane with a hand adorned with crow feathers. "I may not look it now but I've put many a bully in their place, usually all it takes is one good whoopin'. You show us where she is and we'll give her the whoopin' of a lifetime, you've got my word on that."
The calm spirit's eyes flash with interest as it focuses on Ken’ichi's blade swing, already picturing it cutting a swath through the hordes of the Mother's minions. "Vildeis. Fragments of my memories call to such a name. A powerful one that would stop at nothing to bring an end to this cursed land. With your strength, you may be capable."
It turns to Benu as it adds, "And you seem to have nothing but a clear understanding of what this villain is as well as the knowledge of how to properly end her vile schemes. I will offer my guidance where I am able. I will offer you the smatterings of knowledge I have acquired over the years as I guide you through this wood."
Laughter fills the jovial spirit's mouth as it answers Logan, "Oh I doubt that. Don't you know, the more people you add to the problem, the less any of them know what they are doing! I know from experience that the hordes working for mother barely have a thought among them."
As Bahen presses though, the jovial spirit becomes more solemn as it takes in the words before making a decision that leaves it cracking a grin again, "Well, I have never have been one to stray from a crowd. I'm sure one of you has some jokes they can share rather be dead serious. I will offer my aid as I brighten your path."
Influence Checks
Ken’ichi
Bahen
Benu
Bellius
Ifzari
Logan
Spirits
Wrathful
Calm (Convinced)
Jovial (Convinced)
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Hearing Ken'ichi, Bahen, Benu, and Logan address the other spirits, Bellius decides to take a shot at talking to the wrathful spirit.
"It sounds as if Mother Bloodleaf has terrorized this forest for years," Bellius says sadly. "This expedition offers a way to change that, though! And members of the Pathfinder Society always seek to shield innocents from harm, often at great personal risk. We will not permit her vengeance on those who aid us."
Drawing on his knowledge of Society lore, Bellius then attempts to bolster his case with examples of Pathfinders protecting innocents in the past.
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The spiritualist calls her phantom to return in her consciousness. They should be better together. Because the party feels that is would be easier to convince the spirit with a gentle breeze. But the Undine can't blow a such one. She simply doesn't know. But she can try to be more wrathful than the other.
Listen to me! We are Pathfinders and we are here to secure the area. And that will be. If you try to resist we will knack you in two pieces like a small piece of wood. So it is in your interest to help us in our plan. Is it clear?
Intimidate: