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The Story So Far...
When the Shining Crusade defeated the dread lich Tar-Baphon in 3827 AR , the lich’s lieutenants scattered, hoping to evade the crusade’s triumphant armies. Eshimka, one of the nightwalkers serving Tar-Baphon, fled north to hide and build up its power. Ivvora, a disciple of the divine martyr Vildeis, tracked the evil creature into the Tusk Mountains. There she contacted a nearby tribe of Kellids known as the Twinhorn following, and together, they formed a plan to destroy the nightwalker.
On the winter solstice, they lured Eshimka to a circle of standing stones where the Twinhorn druids used their powerful magic to bind the nightwalker. Ivvora leapt from the shadows and attacked, burying her sacred dagger deep into Eshimka’s flesh before the blade snapped off near the hilt. Try as it might, the nightwalker could not pry the blade loose. As the druids’ ritual concluded at the darkest hour of the solstice, Eshimka sensed its imminent demise and used magic to escape back to the Negative Energy Plane.
After the escape of the nightwalker, Ivvora left the ruined hilt of her blade with the Twinhorn following, instructing them to place it on the center stone each year when the world grew darkest. She then traveled north, pursuing new threats in her never-ending quest to eradicate evil from Golarion. The Twinhorns have kept their promise to Ivvora over countless generations, ensuring that their nomadic circuit always brings them back to the standing stones each winter.
For centuries, Eshimka has been able to travel the planes and build up its power, gathering armies of undead followers. However, the combination of the druids’ magic and the fragment of Ivvora’s blade have prevented the nightwalker from returning; the former bars it from traveling to the Material Plane except during the winter solstice, and the latter pulses painfully with holy power as a reminder of what awaits the undead menace if it returns. Eshimka is patient and waits for the day it can gain its revenge on mortals. Each year it prepares itself to travel back, but thinks better after sensing Ivvora—in truth the hilt of her dagger—waiting to finish it off.
Recently, acquisition agents from the Blakros Museum discovered the Twinhorns’ interesting tradition while following the story of Ivvora, champion of the Shining Crusade. They approached the following, asking to buy the relic to display in their new exhibit. When the Twinhorns refused, the acquisition agents stole it, unwilling to let such a rare treasure rest in the hands of barbaric northerners. They quickly traveled south, returning to Absalom with their prize. Once the following became aware of the theft, they dispatched a large group of warriors to retrieve the hilt, led by Medda, the following’s spiritual leader and keeper of Ivvora’s treasured weapon. They vowed to return with it before the winter solstice, for it was not a point of pride but a matter of life and death for all living creatures in their territory.
The Pathfinders received a call for help from the Blakros Museum, where intruders had tripped the many defenses and barricaded themselves inside the building. Upon overcoming these safeguards, the Pathfinders encountered Medda and her Twinhorn warriors. She 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 the Pathfinder Society will accompany them back to the Tusk Mountains to return the hilt.
The Pathfinders 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 have begun flooding through a portal at the standing stones. The Pathfinders fought back the undead and closed the rift. Once it's sealed, the Pathfinders learned that the attack left an extraplanar scar. Expecting an even greater invasion the next solstice, the Pathfinders prepared to defeat Eshimka and end the threat forever.
They followed in the footsteps of the paladin Ivvora, seeking the place where she died battling a powerful white dragon. The Pathfinders fought and defeated the new generations of white dragons and their kobold servitors who now inhabit the area. There, Medda communed with Ivvora in the afterlife, learning how they can reforge the broken dagger or create a new weapon to destroy Eshimka.
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Together with the Twinhorn forces, you and the rest of the Pathfinder Society are travelling through harsh terrain to where Medda directs the troops. 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.
The Pathfinders have been grouped into teams of six to facilitate organisation, and you are no different. The six of you march on, taking sometime to get know each other along the way.
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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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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. This outer edge of the blighted forest is overgrown with barbed plants which looks poisonous, and through the thick foliage you spot tiny critters weaving in and out in its nooks and crannies, critters which you suspect are venomous.
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"Goodness, would you look at all these plants?" Drelluandast says excitedly, seemingly oblivious to the sharp thorns. "It must be an otherwordly influence, like a creature born on a different plane of existence!" His familiar Rattholomew sticks his head of of Drelluandast's sleeve curiously, then quickly hides himself again.
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Either through careful studying of the trail or manipulation of the poisonous critters, Seldiir and Babine manage to make their way through the brambles completely unharmed. The rest are not skilled enough but Vindex manages to duck away just before a multi-hued bug dive bombs him, and while Drelluandast is scratched by the thorns from a bright-blue flower, he is strong enough to resist its poison. Poor Vincenza unfortunately trips and falls into a mass of brambles and by the time she manages to extricate herself, the poison has coursed into her body, leaving her shivering.
Thankfully, as you get deeper, the brambles clear out somewhat. 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. Glowing eyes glare hungrily from within the impenetrable thickets where the vines slowly curl around anyone who gets too close. There are distracting movements within the thickets which seems to be due to the vines. Until a number of you spot movement of larger creatures. Two creatures are clearly hiding in the thick plant growth, intending to ambush you. They look like elks, eyes that glow faintly purple, and the same eerie flowers that blanket the forest grow also on their bodies
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If it is dark, Vindex will have activated his sun rod and will be carrying it in his off hand. When he notices the creatures, he'll drop the sunrod in order to wield his weapon effectively.
Noticing the creature, Vindex drops his sunrod at his feet and whips his Naginata up, readying to strike at the creature if it approaches.
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"Ooo, elk!" Drelluandast happily cries. "I mean, they're different, but the base creature is still an elk. Watch out for its hooves and horns!" He pulls out a small bottle of green liquid and prepares a quick incantation to toss some at the red elk should it get too close.
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Vinny picks herself up from the bramble patch, shaking from the poison. "Definitely not a nice place" she mutters to herself as she pulls out her sunrod and activates it. Upon noticing the glowing elk, she drops the sunrod and pulls a bomb out of her bag, getting ready to throw it at the creatures. "Just cause I'm not feeling good doesn't mean I can't throw things!" she exclaims, as much for herself as for her companions.
5 damage splash DC 14 for half.
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Other than Vindex, the Pathfinders stay put, waiting for the corrupted elk to draw nearer. Indeed, the two elks charge, one for Vindex and the other for Babine. Interestingly, the thickets bend aside to let them pass . Drelluandast is the first to throw his attack, lobbing a magically summoned orb of acid but the tall humans in his way foul his shot. Vincenza lobs her bomb at almost the same time but her shaky hands causes the bomb to fly short. Nonetheless, the resulting explosion partially burns the elk which manages to duck from the bulk of the explosion. Vindex's naginata similarly misses his elk, which deftly leaps out of the way. He quickly reverses his swing as the elk continues closing, and this time manages to slice a deep gash across its chest. Babine also manages to strike, and what a strike, slashing deep into his neck.
Both elks swing their heads and their antlers at Babine and Vindex in retribution but their massive wounds weaken them and they miss. In fact, the one facing Babine was so weakened that it collapses.
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Babine moves up to the final elk and with a mighty swing, chops off its head!
The vines beside Babine reaches out and grabs onto him, coiling tight around him and holding him fast. However, with time, the team manages to extricate him and moves away, keeping clear from the corrupted plants.
Unhindered by the beasts of blight, the Pathfinders make their way through the forest to continue their search. Vincenza finds that in time, the sickness from the poison fades naturally and feels almost as good as new. The blighted plants seem to cover the area in full earnest, but eventually 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!"
From the trees appear a face full of laughter and glee, a face of disgruntled anger and hatred, and lastly a face of calm evaluation. They circle the Pathfinders, popping up from tree to tree, wondering just what it is these newcomers have come to do. However, they also appear very impatient, and would likely move on soon to find other new entertainment.
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Feeling much better, and happy that she managed to help with defeating the elk, Vinny continues walking along with her companions.
Upon coming to the clearing and seeing the tree faces, Vinny decides to talk to the laughing spirit. "Hi there! We are a group of Pathfinders, passing through this forest. It's a fascinating place so far, so many...interesting plants and animals!" She smiles at the spirit in a friendly sort of way.
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"Hi there! We are a group of Pathfinders, passing through this forest. It's a fascinating place so far, so many...interesting plants and animals!" She smiles at the spirit in a friendly sort of way.
The laughing spirit laughs even louder. "Interesting? What's so interesting? The spirits are gone! Corrupted. Are you next? Am I next?" It starts giggling again. You get the sense that it is not a very empathic creature.
"Why, the flowers here are almost otherworldly! Do you know where they came from?"
"They're from here! Well, the flowers at least. What kind of question is that?" Again the irritating laughter.
”You sure must have some stories to tell. Where you from?”
"Indeed we do. But I know little of you, and you know little of me. I don't think your interest is with me or us. I wonder what exactly you are fishing for?" it replied placidly.
Seldiir doesn't quite pick up much from this but the more observant Eru'Tept realises what it is concerned about is you are simply looking out for your own interest in dealing with this blight.
"So, what's your problem? You got an issue with us coming through here or something?"
"WHAT?!?! Of course, we do! Who are you, trespassing into our forest like that? What do you want!?!" the angry-looking spirit yells back.
This second round involves convincing the spirits to help. With the small talk aside, the spirits are eager to hear why they should assist the PCs. Each of you can make your pitch to one spirit — either independently or by using the aid another action. Any of the social skills can be used but appropriately (e.g. no using diplomacy to lie). I might accept other skills if you can convince me of its relevance. Obviously, talking about their likes will help, and talking about their dislikes will hinder. More than one can try to persuade a particular spirit, though after two failed checks, that spirit fades back into the trees. Two of them needs one success while one needs two, but it is up to you which one.
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"Oh yes!" Drelluandast agrees with Babine. "Why, there's more than just us here - as I'm sure you've seen. I can't even count how many teams we have infiltrating these woods. With that many folks working together, the probability of success rises exponentially - just think of the multiplicative effect your help would have!"
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Seldiir eyes the angry face, Well, we’ve had bad cop; time for good cop.
He addresses the scowling spirit, ”You know, the Pathfinders have handled a lot of things like this in the past: before you know it, you’ll be knee-deep in dryads and wood nymphs! We’ll put the shine back on this place: no sweat! We’ll see you right...”
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Seeing that his companions are taking a wide variety of tactics with these spiritual beings, Eru'Tept will attempt (somewhat blindly) to influence the Angry Spirit (aiding Seldiir)
"My name is Eru'Tept...a servant of peace and goodness. These are my companions. We have come to aid these lands and it is our sincere desire to rid them of their currupting influences if possible."
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"That simple, if you help, we will rid of the source of the corruption and you will not be the next person. I promise.
"Why, there's more than just us here - as I'm sure you've seen. I can't even count how many teams we have infiltrating these woods. With that many folks working together, the probability of success rises exponentially - just think of the multiplicative effect your help would have!"
While the spirit continues to bear a wide grin on its face, your arguments have clearly gave it pause. Finally, it replies, "Well, that makes lots of logical sense! You've got me!" It starts to laugh again, but this time, with less tension in it.
"What we're fishing for" snaps Vindex at the calm spirit "Is the end of the corruption of some ancient undead horde in YOUR woods. If you want our help, you had BETTER be helping us in turn here."
Vinny pulls a bomb out of her bag and moves behind Vindex. She puts on her craziest alchemist expression and begins to toss the bomb back and forth between her hands.
The spirit seems not to have noticed Vincenza at all, and glares at Vindex. You could almost sense its hackles rising. "You are right. These are our woods. If you are indeed as powerful as you seek to appear, then destroy the blight. You have my aid." Vindex realises then its seething anger is not on you but against the blight and its cause.
”You know, the Pathfinders have handled a lot of things like this in the past: before you know it, you’ll be knee-deep in dryads and wood nymphs! We’ll put the shine back on this place: no sweat! We’ll see you right...”
"My name is Eru'Tept...a servant of peace and goodness. These are my companions. We have come to aid these lands and it is our sincere desire to rid them of their currupting influences if possible."
Conversely, the words of Eru'Tept and especially Seldiir seems to soothe the spirit somewhat. In a voice that is somewhat wavering, "Well, then you better prove what you say!" You realise thus that its outward anger is masking fear of the blight, or rather its source.
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The three spirits meld back into the trees but appear shortly again in some trees further ahead. The joker spirit sticks an arm out of the tree and gestures at you to follow. "Come! We'll show you the way!" The calm spirit adds on, "To the source of the blight. The witch Mother Bloodleaf." The three spirits guide you deeper and deeper into the forest, and seeing how the effects of the blight are getting worse, you trust that they are indeed directing to the source.
Suddenly, a deep thunderous voice rings out across the forest.
The forest falls into silence as the Pathfinders crowd together for protection, looking around for the source of the voice. You look to the three spirits and they look confused.
Just as the angry spirit is about to speak, the spirits suddenly freeze in place as a burly middle-aged man with the ears and legs of a goat steps out from behind a tree, with a mug in hand. He starts laughing uproariously, slapping his knees, and in between his laughter, he gasps, "Oh, oh, oh, that was so much fun! Oh, oh, oh, you should have seen your faces!" Eventually, his laughter dies down.
He grins and waves his hand. "Ho there, adventurers! I got bored waiting, so I think we should have some fun! Don’t worry, this won’t take long. I wouldn’t want you to miss the main event, and I plan to have a front-row seat. Oh, where are my manners? The name’s Grimpfkin. So, what do you say? Do you choose to test your speed or might?"