Hortensia misses with the wisp as it approaches. Urktar smashes the wisp soundly almost dimming it. But Hortensia takes one more practice swing before finishing off the wisp
No magic missile needed
You are able to reach the survivors. They are alive, but wounded and one is suffering from the corrupting rot.
She places a hand on his forehead. Abadar, cleanse the corruption frm this man so that his community might be safe and he can return to his family as a productive member of society
It is difficult to tell how much time has passed through the smothering canopy as Medda addresses the regrouped Pathfinder and Twinhorn forces. “The ancient battlefield is just beyond those trees. There, Ivvora and her comrades scattered an undead army, but the necromantic taint never left this land. Instead, the plants and animals have gradually absorbed the evil, encouraged by someone calling herself Mother Bloodleaf.
“We must strike as one, simultaneously attacking the corruption’s heart as well as the seedpods spread out around the swamp. Their destruction will unleash harmful energies, so we of the Twinhorn following shall head toward the center to ritually disperse that energy to keep it from festering anew! Each team should follow its Twinhorn mystic to an intended target, and from there, three blasts of a horn shall signal our attack. May Vildeis bless us as she did Ivvora before us!”
Medda, the Twinhorns, and the Pathfinders spread out and make their way through the woods to their striking positions. When all are in position, three blasts of a war-horn echo across the heavily forested battleground. As the Pathfinders rush toward their targets, startled figures with purple glowing eyes hurry toward the seedpods and the enormous dark flower at the heart of the swamp. A shriek carries over the battleground. “What treachery is this? My minions have fallen without so much as warning me? No matter, I shall rip out any trespassers’ souls and feed them to the blight!”
Table GMs, the Unaware Guardians condition is now in effect, in addition to the Helpful Spirits condition. The way to area Q is now open. Please move to that encounter area quickly.
You are able to heal the one diseased pathfinder and make you way back to the staging area. You then heed the call and move towards the Blight itself.
The ancient battleground has turned into a fetid swamp that fills the air with the scent of death and decay. Rusted weapons jut out from the patches of solid land. Here and there, skeletal remains and grimacing skulls clad in ruined iron peek out from the glowing mire. A seedpod pulsing with purplish energy grows on an islet across the swamp.
Helpful Spirits:
: This condition triggers if the House reports enough spirit successes. The forest spirits accompanying the PCs open two connected portals that allow instantaneous movement between two trees in area Q. These trees cannot be more than 60 feet apart. When a creature enters the area of the portal tree, they can appear in a space adjacent to the other portal tree. The portals work both ways and remain open for 1 minute. The PCs can choose which trees form the portals and only the PCs and their allies can use the portals. Spells and effects do not travel through these portals.
When the encounter begins, one PC can attempt a Hard Knowledge (nature) or Spellcraft check to increase the distance between the trees to 120 feet.
Someone can mark your two trees for the portal
Unaware Guardians give you the better starting position
You each have the one special reroll from the test of might in this encounter
The swamp water glows visibly, providing dim light throughout the area. The water is about 2 feet deep and functions as a shallow bog for which it costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square. Though the water seems to be corrupted with the energy of the Blight.
On the island, there is a seedpod of the Blight Flower red square
Hortensia will have activated her wands of shield and bless before the fight. She will use her weapon bond to add +1 to her weapon and cast cast Divine Fvaour as close to the start of things as possible.
Urktar rushes forward and leaps over the water, entering rage and attacking the blight seed. "C'mon, Blackie. Let's bring a little Death to this Blight!"
70' movement with haste, has +16 on acro due to current base movement. Feel free to delete the red lines of his path. Just showing it in case it matters. Acrobatics:1d20 + 8 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 8 + 16 = 27 Falchion Raging Hasted Power Attack:1d20 + 12 + 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 12 + 2 + 1 - 2 = 28 magic adamantine slashing dmg:2d4 + 10 + 3 + 6 ⇒ (4, 2) + 10 + 3 + 6 = 25
Current AC: 16/11T/16FF
Current HP 61/61
Rage: 7/12 rounds remaining
CLW Wand: 11 charges used
Hortensia dashes forward, making use of her magically augmented speed and leaping between trees. She slahes out at the monstrous plant heart, source of the corruption in this place.
Move action, 40' speed woth haste lets her get there using the portal tree. Single attack.
Just outside of getting both. Witch Will:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
The goblin isn't blind but still curses.
Ibaz moves forward, but teatering in the swamp he feels its necrotic energy sucking the life out of him.
negative energy:1d4 ⇒ 3
As Hortensia leaps across she finishes off the seed pod. As it does so it relesaes a wave of negative energy hitting her and Urktar
negative energy:6d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 3, 3, 2, 6) = 23 Will,Hortensia:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 Will, Raging Urktar:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Urktar resists some of its effects.
The Shambling Blight then moves towards the part, effortlessly moving though the bog.
Urktar snorts in disgust at the spores covering him, then turns and starts a mad dash toward the goblin. As he nears the log, he attempts to climb? over it.
60' of movement gets him to his current position, which he has 10' of movement left in a single move action (a standard action remaining). If it's climb to get over the log, he'll do that as his other action. Even climbing at normal speed, i.e. 1/4 movement, he can climb 20' with his remaining movement...if climb is viable option to get over the log. acrobatics long jump:1d20 + 4 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 16 = 28 climb:1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 10 + 2 = 26
still maintaining rage
Current AC: 16/11T/16FF
Current HP 50/61
Rage: 6/12 rounds remaining
CLW Wand: 11 charges used
Male Human Ranger 2/Rogue 4 | HP: 40/40| AC: 22 (16 Tch, 16 Fl) | CMD: 22/24 v disarm | F: +5, R: +12, W: +3 | Init: +3 | Perc: +9/+11 v Human, SM: +6/+8 v Human | Active conditions: none
Will sees the pod collapse and rushes around the bend toward the witch, climbing up on the log once he gets close. He draws his rapier and points it at the witch..
Double move allows him to just get there, but not attack. I don't think haste helps here.
Seeing Ibaz potentially in trouble with the plant Hortensia takes a step back and strikes out at it. Deal with the caster, Ibaz and I have this. I hope
I believe we have flank there, if not subtract 2 from each atttack. 5' step and full attack against grappling AC.
Urktar flinches when he sees the witch getting ready to hawk a loogie at him, then snarls in anger, mostly at himself for flinching. "Stupid goblin... Thanks, Silgil!"
Several blasts of purple energy momentarily light up the battlefield. The initial shouts of celebration are quickly drowned out by the agonized screech emitted by the heart of the blight.
Table GMs, the Weakening Blight condition on page 8 is in play.
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?”
~~~~~~~~~~~End of Part 5 / Beginning of Part 6~~~~~~~~~~~
Part 6 begins after a long journey back to the Twinhorn territory.
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.
Between your encampment and the target areas is the hordes of undead. Your options are borrow canoes up he river and rapids. You can just fight your way though the small skirmish patrols, or you could just sneak past the roving bands.
Is this a new day with new spells or not? Either way I don't think we will have much luck sneaking as I don't think any of us has stealth. So we either fight or row.
"long journey back to Twinhorn territory" means daily uses/spells reset, correct? Urktar would prefer fight way through or rapids, v sneaking, though he doesn't object to sneaking.
Hortensia eyes the battlefiled and the canoes. Stealth is not an area I am going to succeed in, and swimming is likewise not a good fit for me.. Let us take the battle to the enemy, there are undead to be slain, let us take them!
Hortensia tries to activate her wand of longstrider regardless of which route we take
Seeing that the best way forward is though, over land though the patrols seems to be the best option.
You track though the scrub and finding a weak point in the line, target a patrol of three Kellids cultists following a Mummy commander. Seeing your chance you strike.
As we approach Hortensia will try and activate her shield wand.
UMD:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (6) + 16 = 22
Moving forward to confront the enemy she calls to her companions.
Try to stay close to me and you will not succumb to their fear. Let the mummy come to us
Hortensia is immune to fear and anyone within 10' gets a +4 morale bonus to saves against fear effecvts. If you are beyond 10' you still get a +2 morale bonus to fear saves due to inspire.
Come at us most monstrous undead, you will not prevail this day!
Single move and begin to ispire for +2|2
OA:
If the mummy moves through he threatened are Hortensia will try and trip it. She lacks improved trip but will be making her attack with reach so unless the mummy also has reach it wont provoke.
