GM Worg's Down the Blighted Path (Inactive)

Game Master Kyle "Worg" H

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BZZZZZZT

If you are not posting in a reasonable time when the adventure is on, you will be pushed forward via W.O.R.G-Bot.

A Garundi with a bow that some would say belongs in the hands of an elf (It is a greenwood long composite bow) joins the team. A tiny stylized bow and arrow hangs around his neck, and on his right forearm, a tattoo of the same symbol can be seen... both are obviously holy symbols to Old Deadeye.

It is apparent that he is a man of few words by his introduction. "I am Archer. I arch."

You all start out in the dwarven trading town of Davarn in the Five Kings Mountains. The town hosts its Spring Festival every year to celebrate the spring thaw that opens the mountain passes into Druma and Andoran.

Davarn’s Spring Festival is especially known for its tournament, the Spring Muddle, which attracts competitors from neighboring human and dwarven communities. The competitors vie for a prize of gold and magic items, which the town guards and the temple of Torag jointly fund to attract new recruits.

A local merchant named Lukher Stinnison sponsored you all to partake in the contest, as a replacement from his previous team.

You all have the opportunity to introduce yourselves to each other at this time.

The tall goateed man wears robes that seem very old fashioned. He wears what looks to be a finely made longsword at his waist.
"Greetings. I am Aroden. Scholar and wizard. A man trying to follow the example set by the Last Azlanti."
Technically true, but of more than that I cannot be sure.

If this "Spring Muddle" is some sort of acrobatic or athletic contest, is the use of magic permissible? If so, Aroden might have prepared spells appropriate for such a contest.

We will get to all of that soon enough :)

When the winter’s cold releases the Five Kings Mountains and the spring rains wash away the snows that blanket the area, the residents of Davarn celebrate the return of songbirds and trade caravans with their annual Spring Festival. The event occurs a full week after the spring equinox to celebrate Davarn’s official reopening along trade routes to Druma, Isger, and Andoran. While some caravans arrive earlier, the town sends out engineering teams before the event to clear and repair any road damage caused during the winter months.

Colorful banners decorate the public square surrounding the city reservoir, and the surface doors are thrown wide to flush out the stagnant winter air and replace it with mountain breezes and the smell of freshly baked pies and roasted meats.

Traveling performers set up their stages to entertain the young and old alike with puppet shows, music, and death-defying stunts. Davarn’s residents build temporary stalls to display their finest handicrafts, worked metals, and raw materials mined deeper in the cave systems beyond the town.

During the event, Daravan functions as a small city rather than a large town, increasing base value and purchase limit to 5,600gp and 37,500gp

Lukher Stinnison, a smiling and charasmatic dwarf, greets you as you arrive to Daravan. "Welcome, friends! It is an honor that you could come out to the Spring Muddle event. As promised, I've covered your entry fees for the festival. Now allow me to give you some details, but first, why don't you all introduce yourselves?"

After introductions are made...

Lukher goes over some information with you all about the preliminaries.

"They are nothing to worry about for capable adventurers such as yourselves. It is a shame my cousins couldn't be around to compete as we regularly do. They all just dropped contact with me and vanished, but before I can even focus on what is happening with them, I need to fix my business here."

"I'm an honest merchant, that I am. Many people here know of Lukher Stinnison, grandson of Delbera Axebringer's sister and cousin of Erna Stoneheart, leader of the chokers! My family name has helped me tremendously for business, but sometimes business decisions can sully a good name."

"I won't go into details, but I may have made a few business deals that, in hindsight, were not the best. Normally, the Spring Muddle would be a good time to sell my wares and sponsor my team; but half of them vanished and I have you here."

A tall, thin man with a familiar pendant around his neck approaches. Hallo! My name iz Vitz Geschichtserzähler, but you all may call me Vitz. I can help profide zupport from ze back viz my bow und performanzes; az vell az profidink healink in a pinch. Ach, I zee anozer vorshiper ov Eraztil, how do you do? He then proceeds to run over to Archer.

let me know if the accent becomes a problem and I can stop using it.

I like it.

A scruffy Kitsune wearing battered breastplate with a faintly glowing greataxe over his shoulder and a heavy chain secured to the unholy symbol, a spider bearing its fangs, easily recognizable as the symbol of Rovagug. Surveying the party an eager yet vicious grin spreads across his muzzle "So, what are we here to hunt".

Another kitsune looks around, all the while grinning and spinning a flail like a kid with a noise maker. He also wears a symbol around his neck, a circle with a skull on the surface. "This is interesting. I'm Kipp, although ever since I've been here people have been calling me Kip. Nice to meet all of you."

Not listing the deity because its not one of the big ones. Also the flail is specifically a heavy flail. ...and no there is no difference in pronunciation between kip and kipp, Kipp just knows.

Archer looks at Witz as he runs towards him. "Yes, I am a priest of Old Deadeye. I am an expert marksman, as is befitting of followers of our god. However, I do not adventure for glory, but only to care for my family."

kn:religion: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
He nods to Kipp. "Good day, sir. Perhaps it would be better were you not to treat that weapon as a toy. I would hope that even a follower of the Harbinger of Last Days would understand. Know that I will work with you, though I suspect our motivations will be at odds. "

Slightly short and skinny for a dwarf, Gordy's baggy clothes hang off off his body, dark with moisture and covered in patches of crusty salt. Briny smelling water drips off his hat and scraggly blonde beard and oozes out of his boots as he approaches the group.

"Ahoy, me mates! The name be Gordy Grimes and I'll be happy ta meet ya all I am sure."

Gordy extends a damp palm to shake.

After shaking the dwarf's hand, Archer wipes his now briny hand on his cloak, without even realizing he had done so. "Good day, Mr. Grimes. How do you do?"

"Ohhh, but it's so fun." Kipp stops spinning the flail letting the head crash to the ground, but he is still smiling as he says this. He then walks over to Gordy, the flail leaving drag marks in the ground. Dropping the hadle of the flail he takes Gordy's hand in both his vigorously shaking it "Nice to meet you mister sopping dwarf guy, Gerdy Grim right." Kipp then picks up his flail and properly puts it away.

Insert Nate's character introduction before the contest begins...

Lukher welcomes each of you individually. "Is it common that the Pathfinder Society sends adventurers of different faiths to work together on missions?"

He walks with you down towards a tough spit of granite poking up from
the town’s reservoir. "That there is called Spinebreaker Mountain, the final grounds of the Spring Muddle."

"The highlight of every Spring Festival is the Spring Muddle, where dozens of teams composed of everyone from children to professional athletes compete in challenges of combat, skill, and speed."

Dwarven children run across your path, and Lukher stops for a moment and chuckles. "The children’s event is a free-for-all, and every youth who reaches the summit is awarded a small prize. The adult competition is more strategic, and teams compete against one another to reach the mountaintop, waylay their opponents, and capture flags along the way."

"If you wish to participate, we can get you signed up for the preliminary rounds right away. If this seems out of your interests, we can find other ways to get decent attention for my business."

So this adventure, should you decide to partake in Spinebreaker Mountain, will start with you all at the Semi-Finals. If you decide to skip Spinebreaker Mountain, the adventure has a different start. It is your call.

Spinebreaker Mountain is as much of a skill-check race as it is a combat, but lethal force will disqualify a competitor. Real weapons may not be used or carried during the race, but wooden practice versions are permitted. Magic that aids or enhances the competitor's abilities are allowed, but not magic that circumvents challenges.
(IE: Teleportation, Flying, etc...)

"Lukher, this is quite common."[b] answers Archer. [b]"In fact, I think this is the first time I have been partnered with another Erastitilian!
"

Archer ponders the situation. He personally is not that skilled in many of the obstacle-course type things, but he is a decent tracker, and probably not too much of a burden. "I would be game to try the event, if my team is as well."

Archer spends a gold piece to purchase 40 “practice” arrows. He thinks it is a silly, frivolous thing, but if this is what is done, he will do it.

"I like games. Don't know what it's about, but it sounds fun." Kipp says. He then moves over to archer, raises a hand to his mouth, and whispers "psst, hey bow-guy. What's non-lethal combat?"

A burly, bald-headed man approaches the group with a smile framed by his handlebar mustache. His bare pecs flex as he carries a hefty barrel under one arm and a backpack slung over the other. "Hello, I am Sergei." he says with a heavy accent.

"Strange lady paid me to deliver barrel." Sergei sets the barrel down with an audible thud before leaning the backpack against it. "Barrel has been delivered. Sergei has been paid. Have nice day."

He then proceeds to turn around and walk away, engaging with some of the festival attractions.

There is a note attached to the barrel.

Upon further inspection, the barrel has several holes punctured through the top, and a sloshing, violet slime can be seen within. The bag contains several alchemical flasks, writing materials, a few wands, and other miscellaneous adventuring tools.

Lukher just looks at the barrel, his usual welcoming and confident smile replaced by confusion.

"Erm... This is the Pathfinder?" He looks over the note, then stares at the barrel, uncertain if he wants to open it.

Kipp looks at the note, opens the barrel, shoves his face into the slime, and gurgles a hello.

Nate feel free to non-lethaly hit Kipp for that

The wriggling ooze compresses itself, backing down towards the bottom of the barrel. After a moment of surprise, it gradually creeps back upward, generating a long, blunt pseudopod. It waves 'hello' with the appendage.

At least, it's probably waving.

Rorik inspects the new arrival "An ooze huh, hey Witz your basicly an exprt on these after that one tried to eat you, Right?" He says, proceding to pull witz right next to the barrel.

"Pathfinders!" commands Archer, with the tone of a drill sergeant (or Ambrus Valsin). "We have all met ... interesting... teammates in the past. Perhaps she is one of the more interesting that you will meet. Hopefully she will come out of her barrel soon to talk to us, but if she does not, we will make do. Explore! Report! Cooperate!"

He sighs, and turns to Kipp. "Pick yourself up one of the blunted practice weapons that they are selling. This contest we are entering is a sporting event, not a war. It is their custom to use practice weapons... and not attack to kill. This is what we will do."

As Archer wipes his wet hand on his cloak, Gordy's cheeks redden. "Apologies, mate. Let me get that fer you." Gordy stares intensely at the dampened cloak and magically, the cloak becomes as dry and crisp as it would had it been hanging from the line all day on a hot summer day.

Lukher welcomes each of you individually. "Is it common that the Pathfinder Society sends adventurers of different faiths to work together on missions?"

"I ain't a religious man me'self, but I always give a little prayer n' offering to Gozreh, Besmara and even ole Hatspur before I get on a ship and I give a little thanks t' Torag when I get back onto shore. But I ain't never given a prayer to the Rough Beast or to Groetus neither. Always seemed to me that those are gods best not to attract a whole lotta attention from. But maybe ye' can enlighten me on that."

Seeing the ooze morph Pathfinder; Gordy smiles. "Normally, I'm the grimiest feller in the group, but I think I'm gonna have to hand that crown over to you fer this trip."

Lukher chimes in, "Ultimately, Archer is correct. If you wish to partake, you will need to get practice weapons. You can buy them at half value to their real counterparts around here, plenty of stalls would sell them. No killing in the events, and while knocking someone unconscious isn't illegal, it is frowned upon."

Looking at the ooze Kipp says "That's amazing! I didn't know pathfinders came in goo form!"
Upon hearing the definition of non-lethal his response is less enthusiastic "But dosen't that take some of the fun out it? I guess I'll get a 'practice weapon', but only if I need it."

Kipp will purchase a practice weapon when we are sure what we're doing until then he won't.

Vell I vas unconzious at zee time, zo I do not zink I vould be conzidered an expert. However, zis zeems like a friendly von and I am interezted to zee vat zis group can do.

Witz also proceeds to purchase 5sp of practice arrows.

"The weapons I use be made of salt and seawater; I don't got much need for weapons of iron. I suppose I can see if they got any wooden daggers left, but me thinks I'm gonna have to contribute some other way."

Gordy will spend a go to buy a non-lethal dagger.

The majority of you gather some practice wooden weapons and practice arrows to get ready for mock-combat.

Just need Rorik and Malsuza to confirm if they will, then I will get the map for this uploaded. Its kind of a unique one that surprisingly doesn't come with the PDF, so I am gonna need to work on it.

Rorik sighs " Fine I'll get a toy weapon for your contest."
Rorik buys a non leathal great axe

The ooze-filled barrel wobbles a bit as its living contents shift around. The violet ooze surges out from the airholes, pouring itself onto the ground and reforming in a very vague humanoid shape. From there, it twists and bends and fills itself out with details, the sharp violet bleeding into other colors as she takes shape.

A human woman wearing traveler's clothes and leather lammelar smiles as she looks at the last remaining strand of ooze, which hangs from the line where her raven hair begins. She pinches her fingers at the tip of the goo and rolls it between her fingers until it takes the shape of errant strands to match the rest of her.

"This is gonna be great!" Malsuza says as she crosses her "So we get to slap eachother around without having to worry about getying hurt, right? Sounds like fun!"

The human-looking pathfinder is quick to procure a proper weapon or two. She ends up with a wooden quarterstaff and a trio of clubs. Excitement shines in her eyes, which happen to be colored with the same shade of purple as her ooze form. "I'll try not to be TOO rough with you!"

Yes, I'm suspending disbelief to pick up double-wooden weapons. Or maybe they just have padding built in?

"So, Mr. Stinnison, what is the nature of this contest?" asks Archer. "Now that we've decided to play as your team, knowing the nature of the challenges we are about to face would be helpful."

Lukher goes over the rules...

Spinebreaker mountain is an obstacle course run by two teams simultaneously. It begins at the waterline for the "Mountain" itself in the city reservoir, and spirals upward until competitors reach the peak.

• Participants line up on the southwestern landing, and six obstacles block the way, each with its own red flag.

• Teams score points by getting as many members as possible to the peak and by capturing flags, each of which is worth 10 points, and each team member to reach the peak is worth 10 points. The first person over the finish line earns 10 bonus points for their team.

• The competition ends when all the members of one team reach the peak or are disqualified.

• Anyone who falls into the water may climb out and rejoin the race wherever they are able.

• Competitors may steal flags from the opposing team using disarm and steal combat maneuvers, or by simply claiming them from unconscious competitors as a move action.

• Use of lethal force will disqualify a participant immediately.

• Use of magic that helps with an obstacle is accepted, but use of magic to bypass an obstacle entirely is not permitted. (Flying, Teleportation, Disintegration, etc..)

• Competitors must stay within 15ft of the mountain if they fall into the reservoir below.

Hearing the rules of the competition, Archer will purchase 5 grappling arrows, and 2 50' lengths of silk rope. "I would assume that this is allowed?" he asks Lukher.

"Should be fine." Lukher confirms. "Just make sure they are in good condition."

You all partake in the competition, and manage to get into the finals!

The festival grounds begin to thin out as most attendees line up along the rope barrier surrounding the city reservoir. An angry-looking spur of granite pokes up from the water, carved into a spiraling obstacle course marked with poles, logs, and ropes.

The crowd bursts into cheers as the other semifinalist team and defending champions, the Davarn Chokers, approach the starting line. Their dwarven leader, Erna Stoneheart, waves to the crowd as they shout her name. Her teammates follow suit, waving and smiling as the chant of “Chokers! Chokers!” rises above the general cheering.

The course is outfitted with climbing nets and towers, balance beams, swinging ropes over the river, and red flags. A large bat familiar hangs lazily from a perch near the starting line, clutching an additional red silk flag.

Map is up to date, currently slide 7 is our focus. Please feel free to order yourselves as necessary.

The flag bearers wave the flag...

And the race is on!

Round 1: FIGHT!
Light Condition: Normal
Active Party Buffs: None
Active Penalties: None
Gordy Grimes(-0,Fine)
Witz(-0,Fine)
Kipp(-0,Fine)
Rorik(-0,Fine)
Targrenon Raedad (Orange)(-0,Fine)
Archer(-0,Fine)
Malsuza(-0,Fine)
Erna Stoneheart (Green)(-0,Fine)
Mavin Marbeket (Red)(-0,Fine)
Gerherd Roderson (Blue)(-0,Fine)

Swimming Across the Channel (DC12 Swim): Move through the water at half speed as a full round action, or one quarter speed as a move action.

The Flag: The flag is just barely visibile 20ft below the surface.

Kipp will move forward, drawing his practice heavy flail as he goes, and swift casts bulls strength. Kipp will then ready to trip the first enemy to walk towards him.

I don't seem to have access to move my character on the slide, so just move me a knights move to the edge of the water in front of the other team.

"Won't be a problem fer me to get on down there. I can swim like a fish. A fat, slow fish, that is."

Swim, Take 10: 10 + 8 = 18

Gordy cannonballs into the water and begins sinking towards the flag like a stone.

Gordy has the Sea-Souled trait, which allows him to always take 10 on Swim checks.

Witz moves to the edge of the water and pulls out his flippers.

I knew zese vould come in handy some day

move action to edge of water and move action to pull out flippers

Changed the access on the Powerpoint, should be accessible to all now.

Rorik moves 5 feet forward drawing his great axe and casts shield of faith. He turns to face the Dwarves, hackles rased, ready to meet their advance.

I just moved witz and gordy. If you want to be elsewhere and can't move your character just let someone know.

Round 1: FIGHT!
Light Condition: Normal
Active Party Buffs: None
Active Penalties: None
Gordy Grimes(-0,Fine)
Witz(-0,Fine)
Kipp(-0,Fine)
Rorik(-0,Fine)
Targrenon Raedad (Orange)(-0,Fine)
Archer(-0,Fine)
Malsuza(-0,Fine)
Erna Stoneheart (Green)(-0,Fine)
Mavin Marbeket (Red)(-0,Fine)
Gerherd Roderson (Blue)(-0,Fine)

The dwarf Targrenon makes his way swiftly past Rorik...