"That seems as good a place as any to start looking. A large unexplored hole sounds like a potential lair to me. We should go during the day so we can see to maybe track the creature. Although, as a predator, it could be a nocturnal hunter. Who can we see about buying a goat or sheep for bait?"
Hosk considers for a moment, "Just about any farm would probably sell you one. If you don't want to talk with individual farms you could wait till Toilday when they hold the market. Several farmers come in to sell livestock."
"Or a horse,"{/b] runt offers, unintentionally showing how the goblins have rubbed off on him, for goblins hate horses, [b]"it seemed to prefer a horse to you, after all."
"I can just conjure up an pony or horse" he states.
"How long will it last? Mine only last a few minutes and I'm not sure that would be enough time."
"What about... a sheep... made of explosives... No, no. Then I wouldn't be able to fight the monster. If you can't magic one up for long enough to attract the Devil, we can get a sheep or whatever from a farm nearer to the plateau. No reason to make one trudge for miles and miles from Sandpoint."
Runt nods, craning her head to look at the taller members of the group.
"That would make more sense. Preferably a loud and obnoxious one. Maybe you could put poison on it? that way you still get to fight it but even if we lose we will injure or kill it."
Runt, who is still getting used to this whole money thing then asks, "How much do you think one would cost? The poison too."
You would need to find someone in town who sold poison. There are a couple of herbs from the forest that some farmers use to try and poison rats but the potency is questionable. Finding someone who deals in serious poison, that can be difficult as that tends to give someone a bad rep. A goat or a sheep can be had for about 5gp, less if they are smaller, more if they are extremely hardy, a good breeder, etc.
Aliver "Pillbug" Podiver might sell poison if approached correctly.
Aliver will only discuss poisons with someone who asks "Have any happy pillbugs showed up lately?"
Lavanor listens to the evolving plan. "I don't know much about poison as I've never used it. But with my limited knowledge of medicines and herbs, I imagine the effectiveness would be dependent on what type was used and how much. Without knowing what exactly this thing is or it's size, I think we would just be guessing as to what we need to poison it. I think we are better off just tracking it down and luring it out with a goat and then attacking it. Everyone should make sure they have a ranged weapon."
I think Lavanor's right, I'm definitely not an expert in that area, and messing with something like that can get dangerous quickly. I'd rather we just use some bait and then we've got bows and arrows, or spells. the gambler adds to the conversation.
"So we buy a goat and stake it out? Is that the final pan?"
"I, too, agree with Lavanor. Best not to play with things we don't understand." Forest calls from Satos' stall. He leads the mighty stallion out to the main area of the stables and begins brushing off his coat in preparation for saddling. "Hosk, do you have a horse-drawn sledge or cart large enough to carry the devil so we can bring it back? I don't think throwing it over Satos' saddle will work if it's as big as Sato."
"I don't have anything at hand but we could probably rig up a large litter you could drag. That would make it easier to take out there as well." Hosk replies to Forest.
Lavanor looks at Forest and his horse. "How far from town are we going? It may not be ideal, but you may want to leave your horse here, Forest. We wouldn't want the creature to choose it over the goat," he comments.
"Eeehhh. I don't think a flying predator is going to go after prey its own size." Forest says after maybe a half-second of consideration. "And I don't want to drag a two-ton beast back myself. Maybe we can leave our horses and the litter at a farm near the platue, the same one we get our goat from. Then they are nearby. Let's get to that litter, Hosk!" Forest seems quite antsy and ready to go. He hadn't really defeated the land squid in the caves, Lavanor and Zherxikas had slain the ghouls while Forest was paralyzed and he wasn't even present for whatever had happened during the trial. He did not yearn for combat like some of the other rangers, but it was what he was best at. A fair challenge against some kind of flying elk monster would do him just right.
Hosk and Forest have the litter prepped in little time. After that, unless anyone wishes to grab extra gear (there was a mention about everyone getting a ranged weapon), the party is ready to depart.
The team gathers their belongings and are soon on the road. You head out over the eastern bridge. The road turns south and veers around the spur of the Ravenroost mountains. When you come to the bridge crossing Cougar Creek, you head east toward Hosk's old farmstead. After about an hour you ride up on the small farm. The house, you figure two maybe three rooms with a loft, is in good repair. There are several outbuildings to include a barn, shed, and a large chicken coop. A lone cow stands near the barn along with a donkey and eight sheep. They eye you curiously.
The first time Runt ever saw a cow she thought it was a monster, but their placid chewing and indifferent consideration of her became almost relaxing.
'Boy, those things are HUGE!"[b]
But anxious to test her new found abilities she follows quickly with [b]"So which way do we go from here?"
The fight with the demon did a lot to bolster her courage and self-worth and she felt ready to take on a dragon.
Lavanor was relieved at their non-eventful ride to the farm after his trip to Magnimar. He eyes the sheep as they approach the farm trying to determine if any one looks better or worse than another. "Do you think the farmer would be more open to sell us his worst looking sheep rather than a better one? I doubt it matters much for us," he wonders out loud.
Camil thumbs through his playing cards, before discarding the idea. I suppose we ask what he's willing to part with? I don't know that it matters much at all honestly.
"They are only sheep." Forest says. "How much could one cost? Two-hundred gold?" Forest knows little of livestock. He rides up to the house, Sato's hooves clopping on the trail. "Hail!" He calls out to whomever may be within calling distance.
The group is there but a moment with the staring cow when a shaggy dog with a lopped ear comes around the corner of the barn and begins to bark. Shortly after this canine warning a man steps around the corner. "What can I do you for?"
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Runt is no more savvy than forest and jumps right on the 200 gp band wagon.
"We are just here to buy a sheep, or goat, or something like that. Is 200 gold about right?"
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Camil grimaces when Runt and Forrest begin haggling with the poor farmer, and he quickly interjects, Ha! Runt, stop teasing the good man. and he turns back to the farmer talking quickly to make him forget about Runt's outsized offer...
My name's Camil, nice dog you got there. Anyway, my friends and I are interested in looking for anything unusual in these here parts, anything like that ring a bell to you? He wipes his brow, continuing, See something like a legend around here, and we're very interested in taking some notes on the thing, this Sandpoint Devil. Any idea where we would start looking for something like that? Camil adjusts his ridiculous floppy hat on his head, And we were wondering if we might, indeed, purchase a sheep or goat from you to lure out the monster. Now, nothing would happen to this sheep or goat, Lavanor here swears it, the gambler indicates the Ranger with a jerk of his thumb, But we're willing to pay a fair price for small livestock as a rental, and we'll even give it back to you when this is all said and done - you keep the money! How's that sound to you? How's 10 gold for the animal sound? Runt, pay the man... Camil grins at the end of his evasive and slightly wandering introduction.
Runt digs out 10 shiny (yes she polishes them) coins and holds them out.
Lavanor also looks confused at Forrest's and Runt's suggestions of the cost of a sheep. While he's never bought one, he can't imagine a sheep costs more than a set of chainmail.
He is relieved when Camil steps in to take over the conversation and nods at the man when it's suggested that the animal will not come to harm. "That might be a stretch but better his sheep than one of us," he thinks to himself and forces a smile at the farmer.
"Please, please, stop. My mammaw would beat me silly if I took 10 gold for a sheep. I tell you what, I'll sell you a sheep for 5 and if'n she makes it back with ya, I'll buy her back. As for strangeness, this is about as strange as it gets around here. I've had some bad luck in the past with something, not sure what it was but then I got Stumpy there." the farmer says gesturing toward the donkey. "Whatever was taking stuff apparently doesn't like donkey's. Leaves the livestock alone most of the time unless they wander too far from Stumpy. Other critters stay away on account of Shep." He finishes, rubbing his dog's head vigorously.
"Naturally." Forest says from atop his steed. "Donkeys are natural warriors. I wouldn't want to tangle with one."
So, the group happily pays five gold and receives a sheep. Unless you have further questions for Clyde, the farmer, the group can begin the arduous task of working its way up the side of the Devil Platter's plateau.
Runt mentally gapes at the idea that a monster would be afraid of a donkey, but keeps her mouth shut. Once they are away from the farmer, though...
"Do you really think it's possible it was afraid of a donkey? Do you think it might be afraid of a horse too?"
Other than that, though, she happily starts off towards the ill-named Devil Platter.
Moving up to the Devil's Platter you begin searching for a viable path to the top. Lavanor takes the lead on this portion. After making several backtracks he manages to find a path that eventually leads to the top. The top is covered with a tough yellow grass that stands about knee high. Small copses of trees, a mix of spruce, pine, and silver maple, are scattered across the undulating surface of the plateau. To the south-east, you can make out Wisher's Well. Finding a good path up took quite some time so it is well past noon by the time you crest the top.
With sweat dripping from her forehead, Runt huffs and puffs a bit as they finish their climb. Her head just clearing the grasses, she has a tough time spotting the well.
"Could you guys let me know when we are getting near to that well?"
When they get within a couple of minutes of the well, Runt will cast a heightened awareness spell.
Travel along the top of the escarpment is relatively easy until you begin to close on The Pit. A large cliff face rises above the ground a good twenty feet. It runs for nearly a half a mile causing you to detour out of your way and causing your half hour trip to take nearly triple that. Finally, around mid-afternoon you come riding up on The Pit.
The Pit is a large rocky hole similar to a sink hole but is at least a hundred feet across. The grass seems hesitant to move into the clefts of the hole so it sides remain barren. The smell of sulphur is noticeable and seems to emanate from the hole. There appears to be a narrow path that leads down into the hole but there are also two rope ladders and one knotted rope that disappear into the darkness below. With the sun up you can see a good sixty feet down into the hole and still it drops further into darkness.
"I've heard local stories about the Pit, but never seen it," says Isabella. "I would imagine there must be some truth to the stories about it being a place of malice. It seems... unnatural."
Forest stops Sato a dozen yards from the pit and dismounts. Sato whickers and dances sideways, unnerved by the strong smell of sulfur and the unnatural seeming sinkhole, but the warhorse does not run. Forest scratches the beasts neck and speaks a few soothing words to the animal before leaving the horse and sheep and approaches the pit. Squatting near the descending path, he examines it for tracks and signs of disturbance.
Looks about and chants a spell of detection of magic. just in case
Runt also takes a look around, looking for signs of trouble or traps.
Forest locates some old tracks near the rope ladders, goblins. Zherxikas doesn't see anything magical or old emanations at first but then Runt draws his attention to something shiny about fifteen feet below the lip of the pit near the knotted rope. It's a small amount of metal showing but Zherxikas is able to confirm it has a faint illusion aura.
Lavanor looks at the size of the pit with awe and concern. "It's much larger than I imagined. There's no telling what might be down there. Nice job noticing the goblin track, Forest, and Runt, that's some good eyesight. I didn't notice that. What do you think it is, Zherxikas? Should we light a torch and drop it to see if it illuminates anything for us or should we just start down?"
1st Round: Presence or absence of magical auras.
2nd Round: Number of different magical auras and the power of the most potent aura.
3rd Round: The strength and location of each aura. If the items or creatures bearing the auras are in line of sight, you can make Knowledge (arcana) skill checks to determine the school of magic involved in each. (Make one check per aura: DC 15 + spell level, or 15 + 1/2 caster level for a nonspell effect.) If the aura emanates from a magic item, you can attempt to identify its properties (see Spellcraft).
Runt also casts a detect magic, but her skill in not as good and it seems she hs no familiarity with the magics involved..\
"I could always summon something and see if it triggers a trap?"
It is a magic item with an illusion aura, faint invisibility and disguise self. To know what type of item you would have to dig it out.
Zherxikas is unable to see anything the others cannot at this time of day. The hole is moderately lit from the sun overhead but it definitely goes down deeper than 60'.
Nods, "Not a bad idea"