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Strands of purple energy whip across the battleground and begin to swirl above the remains of the giant flower. The continuous chant of the Twinhorn shamans reaches a fever pitch and then suddenly stops. After a breathless moment of silence, a loud reverberating boom echoes across the swamp as a column of purple energy pierces through the clouds, dissipating into the starry sky. Shouts of celebration begin to sound across the field as Medda makes her way to the heart of the blight. A shaft of moonlight shines on the site through the parted clouds as she rips through the withered roots of the blighted flower. Medda reaches in and draws out the shriveled remains of a female crusader. In stark contrast to the rest of the remains, her silvery breastplate glimmers in the moonlight. A grievous blow has scarred its surface where a golden engraved figure spreads out her wings. Trails of blood seep out from scars running across the figure. Medda lowers the remains gently upon a white cloak that a Twinhorn warrior has placed on the ground.
With a heavenly glow, the ghostly form of Ivvora appears in the clouds above. “She was my sister-in-arms against the vile Tar-Baphon. I now know that her sacrifice spared me all those years ago, as it will all of you in the days to come. Go with Vildeis’ grace and use this blessed plate to vanquish my hated adversary. Hurry back north, for the moment of Eshimka’s reckoning draws near!”
Medda looks up to the sky as the visage of Ivvora dissipates, the red phantom hand of Anok floating above her shoulder. After a moment, she kneels next to the crusader’s remains and carefully wraps them up in the white cloak, which is slowly soaked with red. She looks at the crowd gathered around her and speaks up. “We stand here triumphant, having rid this land of corruption. But this is a mere shade of the darkness that awaits us at the Solstice Scar! Fear not, for Vildeis’ blessing will guide our weapons to strike true and eradicate Eshimka for good!” Medda motions for the Twinhorn warriors to raise the bundled remains on their shields as one of the honored dead. “Pathfinders, you have done much for my tribe and our lands, but I ask you once more to lend us your weapons so that we might end the evil that haunts Solstice Scar. What say you?”
Inspired by the events in the Fangwood, the Pathfinders and Twinhorn warriors have at last returned to the Kellid following’s territory. The scattered woodlands that once stood in the Tusk Mountains are now cast in perpetual shadow despite it being only a few hours after noon. The trees are bare, the grass crumbles at a touch, and even the accumulated snow of midwinter is melting in the freezing air as if surrendering to entropy.
Medda confers with some of the Twinhorn following who stayed behind, then she addresses the crowd. “The winter solstice does not peak until tonight, yet already Eshimka’s vanguard has escaped the Negative Energy Plane. They now control the area around the planar scar for several miles in each direction. If we’re to stop them, we need to break through these outer forces, regroup at the center, and take control of the rift. If that doesn’t draw Eshimka out, a few brave souls will need to pass through the rift to crush her lieutenants, destroy whatever is keeping the rift open, and draw her into our world. When they do, we need to ensure there are no reinforcements, and that means eliminating any commanders who have already broken through. That includes a corrupted dragon that has our scouts worried.”
She smiles grimly. “When the paladin Ivvora faced the beast Eshimka here centuries ago, she fought with Vildeis’s blessing and banished the fiend. Tonight, Eshimka would return to our world, but we are not one paladin; we are many!” She pricks her finger on her spear and paints a set of bloody wings upon her forehead. The Twinhorns follow suit “And we too carry Vildeis’s favor!” With these words, the painted wings blaze with light.
Each of you start with one blessing that you can expend to perform one of the feats below:
Burning Radiance: As an immediate action when dealing damage to an evil creature, the PC can cause her attack to ignore that target's damage reduction and deal an additional amount of damage equal to 1d6 plus twice the character's level.
Healing Sacrifice: As a standard action, a PC can touch another creature to heal it. This functions either as breath of life or as restoration (CL 15th). The temporary negative level from this blessing's breath of life effect lasts only until the end of the next encounter and is ignored for the purpose of determining whether a PC would die from having too many negative levels. This ability can be used offensively against creatures vulnerable to positive energy, but its damage does not exceed 4 × the character's level.
Unstoppable Wrath: As a swift action, the PC can choose one of the following undead immunities: bleed, death effects, mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, or stunning. For the duration of that encounter, the PC's abilities, equipment, and spells ignore that immunity for undead creatures. Additionally, the PC ignores the impeded magic property of the Negative Energy Plane during that encounter.
You need to get past the undead patrols if you are to reach the rift and other high-priority targets. You have three options: canoes, combat, or evasion.
Canoes:
Seasonal rivers and lakes crisscross the Twinhorn following's territory, and the Kellids stash long canoes made of wood and hides at various landmarks to catch fish and move materials easily. In winter, these waterways are typically frozen, but the entropic influence of the Negative Energy Plane is causing the ice and snow to melt and flow for miles around. Dark water rushes around jagged rocks and down toward frothing rapids. By piloting the canoes, the group can swiftly bypass the wandering undead.
Any number of characters can be paddlers, and there are two optional roles—lookout and navigator—each of which a single character can fill. As the group approach a challenge, the characters attempt checks in three stages:
* The lookout is in charge of spotting rocks and other hazards. This character must attempt a Perception check. If successful, the navigator gains a +4 circumstance bonus to her check.
* The navigator is in charge of steering the canoe and picking out an optimal course. She attempts a Knowledge (nature), Survival, or relevant Profession check to direct the paddlers. If successful, double the number of successes earned by the paddlers.
* The paddlers propel the canoe, dodging obstacles or powering past them. Each paddler attempts an Easy Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check. The number of successes determines the group's success in overcoming the obstacle.
Evasion:
Although hundreds of undead and void-touched foes have already emerged onto the Material Plane through the rift, they're spread out over more many square miles. If the characters are careful, they can evade the roving bands of enemies.
Combat:
Force your way through the Undead by fighting them.
Which of these options does the group want to do?
Boulder Slopes
The patrols are heaviest on the well travel roads, so you need to take the less traveled path. The path you have chosen requires you ascend a boulder strewn hill and then passes through a narrow ravines.
Each character may attempt one of the following checks: Climb, Escape Artist, Kn: Geography.
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Mun tries his best to not slow the party as they try to evade patrols. He makes good use of his traveler's any-tool, fitting it up to be an excellent marlinspike that, with rope, helps the climbing that is unavoidable along with trek. At a crucial juncture, he calls on Ashava to ease the burden of the cumbersome armor he wears.
Carrick and Mun both successfully navigate the hill and ravines.
Vanya gets herself caught for a short time as one of the boulders shifts just as she was trying to slip past it. She gets free, but lost some time.
Skye waits until the climbing becomes difficult, then uses their Monkeyfish spell to make it easy.
Your group manages to stay ahead of any patrols in the slopes.
Forest Cover
Your route cuts through thick forests, where boughs have recently shed needles at an alarming rate thanks to the Negative Energy Plane’s influence. The presence of nearby undead require that you avoid the creature’s paths and move stealthily.
You may attempt Stealth, Survival or a more difficult Perception check.
Skye keeps an eye out for any undead patrols.
Thanks to the efforts of Vanya, Darrioos and Skye the group is able to avoid any incidents on their travel through the forest.
River Crossing
Uncharacteristic melt waters have flooded a seasonal river, turning it into a swift torrent strewn with fallen trees. However, the group needs to cross nearby if they're to avoid prowling fiends.
You may attempt a Knowledge (nature), Swim or a more difficult Acrobatics check.
The group manages to clear the river crossing before any patrols catch up with them!
Seeing your group, one of the Twinhirn following’s scouts approaches you. You recognize him as Bayah, he traveled with you from the Fangwood forest.
The scout jogs up and skids to a stop. “Be careful, Pathfinders.”
“You are near the territory of one of the more fearsome creatures for miles around: a powerful drake. Several other scouts believed the beast emerged from the rift, but I've had a closer look, and I recognize the drake as a type common in the Hold of Belkzen, to the southwest. ”
“I'm not sure that it's truly our enemy, though I can see that it's angry and looking for a fight. It's likely not safe to leave alone, otherwise it might attack us when we should be focused on Eshimka.”
He rubs at his arm, which is raw as if burned. “I tried talking to it but might have given the wrong impression. Whether you defeat it with speech or spears, we can't afford to ignore it. There are a few things I can tell you. I know that this Drake is extraordinarily fast, can fly, and has the ability to spit caustic globules that explode on contact, spraying everyone nearby. I also knows that drakes aren't especially smart yet have a devious cunning.”
He gives you directions to where you can find the dragon, apologizing that “I can’t join you as my duty is to finish my scouting and report to Medda.”
The injured scout wishes you “May Vildeis find your actions worthy!”
You hear a loud bellow from the top of the hill “誰敢打擾強大的祖爾加？”
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Mun looks up at the glorious creature, and is grateful for the training he'd received earlier on this quest. The time spent fighting the kobolds and their dragon lord had left him with an understanding of the dragon's tongue. Though he hasn't practiced much, and his elven physiology wasn't adapted to it perfectly, he was still able to understand the drake, and even converse, if roughly.
He steps forward, and calls up the hill in a powerful voice.
"It is I, Mun, representing Ashava with my loyal companion Selune, and the Twinhorn following with these faithful Pathfinders. We seek your aid; as we speak others of our organization are preparing for a battle against a great evil. Your help could prove all the difference. Join us, and let us together rid the world of Eshimka!"
The Drake states “門，教別人禮儀。 他們應該提供他們的名字。”
Then in common, it says “Give your names!” returning Carrick’s stare.
Vanya doesn’t know anything more about the Drake than what the scout told you and that it seems irritable.
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To the Pathfinders, he relays the drake's request: "He would like everyone to introduce themselves; please do." Once that's been done, he continues in Draconic, praising the drake's ability.
"Your aid could be key in this battle against Eshimka; having one like you on our side could be exactly the thing that turns the battle in our favor!"
“Eshimka，是裂縫中那個人的名字嗎？ 那個膽敢攻擊我的人？” the Drake replies with a growl.
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Carrick detects the evil in the drake, but holds his blade.
Introductions? He asks rhetorically.
With a nod to the drake, I am Carrick Castermill, follower of the Inheritor.
Perhaps an act of good by defeating a larger evil, could lead this creature on the path of redemption. I'll allow Mun to parlay with the beast. Carrick eyes the drake nervously.