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The Pathfinder Society received a call for help from the Blakros Museum, where intruders tripped the many defences and barricaded themselves inside the building. Upon overcoming these safeguards, they encountered Medda and her Twinhorn warriors. Medda was willing to discuss the Kellids’ reason for attacking. 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. Following this promise, the society secured passage for their convoy through the Hold of Belkzen and fought off renegade tribes’ raiders.
However, they arrived at the Twinhorn encampment too late; Eshimka’s forces had begun flooding through a portal at the standing stones. The Pathfinders needed to fight back the undead and close the rift. Once sealed, they learned that the attack left an extraplanar scar. Expecting an even greater invasion the next solstice, the Pathfinders must prepare to defeat Eshimka and end the threat forever.
The Society members followed in the footsteps of the paladin Ivvora, seeking the place where she died battling a powerful white dragon. There, Medda hoped to commune with Ivvora in the afterlife, learning how to reforge the broken dagger or create a new weapon to destroy Eshimka. In the process, those present had to fight the new generations of white dragons and their kobold servitors who inhabited the area.
Now preparations are being made to travel to an ancient battlefield where Ivvora and her comrades fought against an overwhelming undead force.
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Your story begins with you travelling alongside the Pathfinder Society forces and Tiwnhorn through a harsh environment. The long journey south from the slopes of the Tusk Mountains to the edge of Fangwood, rumoured to be a cursed forest, taking several weeks on foot.
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But of course, Fung doesn't actually travel on foot when he can fly. But out of sensitivities to the rest of the group, he still goes through the motion, although anyone moderately perceptive would notice that his feet doesn't actually touch the ground. But it does get unnerving when his "steps" don't make any sounds whatsoever...
Fung is dressed in simple blue robes and sandals, although under his garments appear to be gleaming mithral breastplate. Otherwise, he carries little other than a few simple weapons and a small backpack. A constant breeze constantly surrounds him, stirring his robes and his long flowing jet-black hair even on a windless day. If you get too close to him, a faint static electric field makes your hair stand on end.
Occasionally, he look shyly at his teammates but otherwise someone speaks to him first, he stays silent.
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Shoved together with a new pack of pathfinders, Daniel sticks to the mission briefing until they all get a chance to chat around a campfire. He keeps things simple at the start, simply saying he'll scout ahead and try to give some warning to the group if a danger presents itself. From that point on, he pretty much disappears from sight.
Later, when the group settles for a break he reappears. Before you is a tall half-orc dressed in mottled green clothing. Various weapons are strapped or slung around his frame. A buckler and chain shirt are visible, but it appears he's gone for more subtlety than obvious armor.
Finally able to take a break he smiles a toothy grin and offers a handshake to all, "good to meet ya! Daniel at your service, skilled woodsman and experienced drinker of ale. We run across trouble, I'll be the one sneaking around and shooting it with arrows."
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Rallas treads along with the others, realizing that for a change, he is with some people who can appreciate subtlety. His wickedly curved blade bounces off his back as he picks his way along the road. He rummages around in his pack as they rest alongside the path. he produces a pot and a bag of ground up beans. he sets about making a large pot of coffee and gets out a small jar of honey and a tin of fine sugar.
I am Rallas, nice to meet you all. Coffee? It'll help keep us focused on our journey. It is a blend from Katapesh, strong, but not bitter.
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A small, strange looking man keeps quiet as the day wears on. Smiling at the though of the tall creature scouting ahead, he slips into the foliage and sneaks about as they travel. Reappearing moments before Daniel, he looks around the group.
The hooded man has no visible armor to speak of, while a pair of finely crafted short swords hang at his side. More prominently, numerous scrolls seem to overflow from his pack. Sitting with his back to a tree, he pulls a small crossbow from the sleeve of his robe and stows it. Tugging a bit of parchment from the overstuffed backpack, he begins to fold it delicately as the others converse.
A gentle nod to Rallas, he smiles. "I'd gladly try some. Names Umbato Shawart. I'm a humble crafter myself....specializing in the art of turning papers into useful or aesthetic items." Holding up the newly formed swan, he shrugs. "Perhaps not your standard Pathfinder but we all come from somewhere, do we not? I promise you, I am more than meets they eye."
Turning towards the ranger, he adds "While I won't be sneaking through the brush and raining arrows up our foes, I too appreciate the subtle things in life. It's a pleasure to join you on this quest and may 'She of Ebon Wings' ensure our victory."
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The word "subtle" floats up into the night before it's shattered by a large human stumbling over to the campfire. He's wearing the tattered remnants of a courtier's outfit and shoving the last of a pancake into his toothy mouth. Syrup and butter dribble between his dirty fingers.
Helophh. Imph Ibph.
Strapped across his back is a nodachi — later, you will find out Ibb likes to call it his "butter knife."
A red-eyed thrush roosts on the big man's head. Some white goo dribbles down near Ibb's cornflower ear.
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The bird screeches. Manners! Manners! Manners! I am Irp. This is Ibb.
Ibb tries to knock it off its perch; the thrush dodges out of the way with practiced aplomb and does a courtly bow, extending a wing.
Can you believe it? Princess Eutropia made this… this… blockhead a knight!? They mustn't be picky anymore, those Taldans. Decline of glory, fall of empire — Oppara's likely in flames as we speak. Meanwhile I am marooned on this barnacle, drifting an ocean of fatuity.
The bird pauses and looks down at the group, red eyes twinkling in the firelight. [/b]Let's see… last time we marched with the Twinhorns, Ibb only got me killed…[/b] the bird flaps its wings several times. Four times. The white dragon hurt the most.
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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.
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You begin to travel into the Fangwood, venturing into what seems to be lush, wild, vegetation. Brambles grow wild throughout the edge of the wood where 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. To say it would be a challenge to navigate your way through the dense greenery would be an understatement. The Pathfinder's will be put to the test if they're to make it through unscathed!
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Daniel nods that he'll take a cup of the warm coffee, "I had something similar to this on a mission near the Five Kings Mountains. Some sort of dwarven brew, they called it a stout coffee ale, went down very smooth." He takes a sip and wrinkles his nose at the taste, "not as smooth, but not bad. Woah, nice little energy kick!"
He nods and greets the remainder of the group as they drift into the campsite, chuckling at the back and forth between Ibb & Ebb... or was it Irb? Irp? Whatever, the smart one.
Daniel looks at the forest and cracks his knuckles with confidence, "I'll head in and try to scout a bit, that looks tight so you all be careful." He looks at the elf with his little glow-ball, "carefuly, that kinda thing will be a magnet to predators.
With a quiet whisper of leaves, he slips in through a gap in the brush barely visible to the untrained eye.
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As the overhanging branches and brambles form grows tightly around, Fung stays near his group, still floating in the air but only a couple feet. As the lighting worsens, he pulls out a scroll and seeks Daniel for help. "Sorry to trouble you but could you cast this on me? I could try it myself but I would more likely mess it up."
As the going gets tighter, Fung releases his wysp who had been residing within him. A tiny sphere of gently humming swirling air and lighting floats and orbits around him, helping to seek out safe routes for its master to fly through.
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Smiling at the newcomers, Umbrato considers 'The loud one there will likely draw attention away from the rest of us...the smart one seems competent. We shall see how this goes.'
Eyeing the brambles and low vines, Umbrato frowns. "Well, this is annoying. I think I can handle it though." Twisting and flipping through the narrow breaks in the brush, the small man quickly vanishes into the darkness. Calling back to those left behind, "I'll help Daniel out. Just try not to back light us with those things."
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Getting through the thick shrubbery is not an issue for Daniel Thrice the ranger! With vast knowledge of flora and fauna, he avoids the dangerous plants and leads the party into the ever dense terrain.
Rallas, Xuan Fung, and Umbrato follow the half-orc beast master closely avoiding any obstacles in their path with great acrobatic skills.
Cernan and Ibb fall slightly behind for a moment..
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Ibb and the bird are having a scuffle over navigation. You hear his shouts echoing through the forest…
I don' like stupid plants, Irp. I don't care what you say, you can't fool me! I'll fly like a birdie over 'em, n' laugh! Just you watch!
Ibb spreads his arms out and furiously flaps them up and down, up and down, up and down… suddenly a set of oversized black thrush wings sprout from his back! He then draws his butter knife.
Ibb is now ready to fly (per the fly spell) if needed.
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Hey Fung, this isn't a straightforward question, so here's my take on this:
"thick canopy of trees begins to filter out sunlight": my interpretation is you can cannot fly normally over the denser parts as you would they lose sight of your team completely. You could arguably come up with a unique solution to keep tabs of your team members, and I would assume the trees are 30ft high, per standard tree height.
If you fly within the forest range, I would arguably say at a 15-20 ft height.
Regardless of both options, I would threat attempting to fly through the trees and what not as complex flying... i.e. DC20 to manoeuvre, else stuck in place. i.e. You bump into a tree on a failed check!
Since you have no wings you won't be subjected to plummeting from a failed check
But with that said, you know the scenario as well as I do! So I would be glad to hear your reasons out too!
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Ibb, Irp, and Cernan struggle to get through the thicket, and come into contact with some unusual looking purple and black thorny vines. A few cuts and bruises are had.
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.
To your surprise, there are what seems to be pockets of clearing from the thickets allowing to move relatively easier at times, but enough to ease your travelling burdens. And you do your best to keep your distance away from the plant-life as vines keep reaching in attempt to ensnare you or anything that approaches too close. Glowing eyes glare hungrily from within the impenetrable thickets. From the vague outline that the shadows cast, these creature seems to be a beast of some sort, as if a bunch of different animals fused together to form this monstrous sickly being with a bear’s torso and head, clawed ape legs, and a furred tentacle arm.
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The denser parts of the forest are very difficult to navigate. Entering a square costs 4 squares of movement, and each such diagonal movement costs 6 squares. The thick growth also provides cover against any attacks that pass through at least 10 feet of a thicket, and anything protected by at least 20 feet gains full cover. Any creature that ignores natural undergrowth (such as with the woodland stride class feature) can move at normal speed but does not ignore the cover.
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Ibb and Umbrato knows of these creatures and their name, the Yaoguai, mismatched and deformed monsters born of unnatural magic. No two yaoguai look the same, but most have similar abilities. Invariably, the torment of its genesis and the ongoing pain of its existence leave a yaoguai violently insane and prone to attacking at the slightest provocation. Being born of magic, they are immune to nauseating and sickening affects, as well as have some innate resistance towards magic. They are also have tough exterior skins giving them some sort of fortification.
Daniel and Umbrato play a bit cautiously at the sight of the threat and cast a few spells to hopefully give them an advantage against these monstrosities!
Ibb dives immediately into action delivering a powerful strike that wounds the creature badly. The fighter is able to avoid the reaching vines as well. The hurt yaoguai releases a horrible squeal!
Cernan adds to the pain by throwing a lightning arc that barely hits as the bolt travels through the thicket.
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The denser parts of the forest are very difficult to navigate. Entering a square costs 4 squares of movement, and each such diagonal movement costs 6 squares. The thick growth also provides cover against any attacks that pass through at least 10 feet of a thicket, and anything protected by at least 20 feet gains full cover. Any creature that ignores natural undergrowth (such as with the woodland stride class feature) can move at normal speed but does not ignore the cover.
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Fung is almost stunned into inaction when he spots the three monstrosity. Thankfully he recovers quickly enough as he takes off into the air, taking care to keep away from the reaching vines. As he flies, he draws the winds and static electricity about him and when he arrives, he releases all the gathered energy into a tremendous blast of swirling lightning and swirling air to smash into the same target that Sir Ibb had gone after.
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Rallas prepares himself with magical enhancement while Fung jumps into action! Harnessing an unbelievable inner strength, he immediately knocks out the injured yaoguai through a very powerful electrical force.
As that was happening, the creatures in the safety of the thicket run towards the group! Unusual, they move swiftly and the plants make way for them.
With a passive start, Umbrato was able to take in his surroundings and prepare himself of the impact as he deflects the tentacle with his weapon.
Unfortunately, the energy used causes Fung on the other hand to lose momentary focus, and the creatures tentacle clasps the human kineticist tightly!
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The denser parts of the forest are very difficult to navigate. Entering a square costs 4 squares of movement, and each such diagonal movement costs 6 squares. The thick growth also provides cover against any attacks that pass through at least 10 feet of a thicket, and anything protected by at least 20 feet gains full cover. Any creature that ignores natural undergrowth (such as with the woodland stride class feature) can move at normal speed but does not ignore the cover.
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'Thank you goddess for saving me!' he considers, as he casts a spell on himself. Keeping an eye on the beast, he cautiously weaves the magic. A crackling blue light begins to flicker around him.
Stumbling on an unseen stone, the mans defenses drop momentarily as he moves; drawing a magical blade. Realizing his mistake, he hopes his divine grace keeps him safe. "Help me with this one! Someone, distract it from the far side."
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Umbrato continues to count his blessings as the monster reaches out once again but misses as the wayang crouches under his large reach.
On the furhter end, Xuan Fung wrestles against the creature attempting to manipulate the air around him while Ibb lunges to his aid! The creature is badly wounded after their strikes, but continues to hold Fung tightly for the moment.
In a similar manner, Rallas and Daniel bombard the creature with a multitude of attacks, making every hit count. The creature is also visibly wounded, but stands strong for another round of fighting.
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The denser parts of the forest are very difficult to navigate. Entering a square costs 4 squares of movement, and each such diagonal movement costs 6 squares. The thick growth also provides cover against any attacks that pass through at least 10 feet of a thicket, and anything protected by at least 20 feet gains full cover. Any creature that ignores natural undergrowth (such as with the woodland stride class feature) can move at normal speed but does not ignore the cover.