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Bair smacks Cyan twice, leaving two great rents in the wolf's side.
Deshacerla sends her familiar forward, and delivers a burst of black energy to Cyan...
...but the wolf resists the spell, somewhat.
Adalan then puts some pep into Thorax's step, before directing a force-blast at Green.
"Alright Squad! Ready! Aim! Fire!"
Arrows sprout from Cyan, which goes down.
The two big wolves then target Bair and the Cat...
...each hitting their target once.
The remaining smaller wolf goes for the Cat as well...
...managing to bite once.
WW (-4, -25)
EW (-42)
Bair (-42)
Thorax (-)
Dran'Thor (-)
Smilodon (-44)
Deshacerla (-)
Adalan (-)
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Bair slashes across Red's flank, and then buries his halberd in Orange's skull.
The two big wolves howl in alarm, turn tail, and run away.
With the immediate threat of the wolves dealt with, you can turn your attention to the group that was originally attacked - A Taldan man, in a simple white robe, a Garundi man dressed in traveler's clothes, shielding two youths, and a pair of guards, lying on the ground groaning.
The Hobgoblins Commander sheathes her weapon, and nods.
"Gintka! Akrad! Help the wounded guards! Ozaril! Your with me."
She then moves over to the travelers, who shy away from the Hobgoblins, the man in white calling out:
"S-stay back! We don't want any m-more trouble..."
Thorax looks between the two groups.
Guards hurt, but can be fixed. Don't want others to run away, but don't know why they afraid. Help guards!
Thorax gingerly lays out his Healers Tools, and begins crafting bandages.
"Dogs bark more than bite. But when they bite, Goblins know how best to fix you up! Hopeful that one day, no more dogs around to hurt anyone."
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As Thorax attempts to render first aid, Akrag pulls out a set of healer’s tools while Gintka begins to mix salves.
Unfortunately, *reusing* bandages from an Osirion mummy turns out to be a bad idea, and the injured take a turn for the worse...
...but Gintka, with Thorax's deft assistance, manages to not only mix up an antidote, but also prepares some suitable antiseptics and wound sealants, and then Akrag sews their wounds, and bandages them.
As thanks, the guards offer you two Moderate Acid Flasks, and a Moderate Mistform Elixir.
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Adalan interposes himself between the travelers and hobgoblins, raising his hands in a placating gesture.
"They don't mean you any harm. This is Sergeant Drussem of Iolite Squad, and her comrade Ozaril," he says as he steps to the side and gestures towards the soldiers. "As an agent of the Pathfinder Society I can vouch for the fact that they're simply traveling with us on the way to a Society training exercise. And they helped defeat those beasts that were attacking you."
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The Merchant, who introduces himself as Caradrian, a humble seller of ecclesiastical literature on his way to Kaer Maga with his family, shakes his head.
"I am grateful to you, but not those beasts. The hobgoblins’ one small act of mercy can’t undo a long history of violence resulting from the greed and hatred of goblin-kind in the area. Frankly, it is only a matter of time before they revert to type..."
---------------------------
After you rest for the night, your journey continues to the southeast on less-traveled paths for nearly two days. During this time, the stoic Iolite Squad members remain vigilant, knowing that danger could come from hungry monsters and distrusting humanoids alike.
The road from Kaer Maga continues south and east through the foothills. The Iolite Squad seems comfortable in the rocky terrain, and they grow more relaxed as the path takes the group farther away from the more crowded main roads. After a few miles, the winding path descends into a shallow, shrub-strewn valley. Soon, the path becomes obscured with foliage, but a small stream leads the way to a large cleared area. Small tables and a few crates of supplies stand neatly at the center of the area, and four nearby patches of flattened earth ring a sizable bonfire pit. To the south, a ramp leads into a labyrinth of trenches that stretches across the valley floor. About six feet deep, the trenches are blocked with a sign that reads “DANGER: for Pathfinder Society training purposes only. Keep Out!”
The Iolite Squad sets up camp in a matter of minutes. They move with efficiency and obvious eagerness to begin their joint training. Sergeant Drussem barks a few orders in guidance, and a minute later the four hobgoblins stand at the ready near the bonfire pit.
Drussem addresses the squad in Common. “Here begins your real training! We have fought together many times. This is something new. These Pathfinders have seen things that would surprise us. We know how to fight, how to scout, how to use every tactic to gain the slightest advantage. We are the Iolite Squad! But soon, we will be more. To become Pathfinders, we must learn from Pathfinders. But we are not lazy students who wish to sit and read books in a dusty building. We will learn through experience. These Pathfinders are part of our team now, but there is much we can teach them as well. Let us show them what the Iolite Squad can do!”
Essentials of Infiltration and Obstacle Avoidance:
Hobgoblins enjoy bloodshed, but they also seek out practical solutions whenever possible. This is especially true when exploring dangerous areas such as ruins, where blood can be spilled due to traps and hazards as well as foes. The Iolite Squad recognizes that the Pathfinders are the experts in exploring ruins and getting out alive—their own past experience generally covers traps and snares used in war and hunting, not the myriad traps left by civilizations long gone. The course leads through a series of simple traps and obstacles laid out in the trenches and designed to demand a variety of strategies for avoiding such dangers.
Exchange of Hand-to-Hand Tactics:
A hobgoblin army’s traditional “exchange of hand-to-hand tactics” exercise (also known as a “fight”) typically results in serious injury or death for one or more parties. More modern and practically minded hobgoblins have reduced the lethality of these duels by allowing a participant to surrender; they still recognize that the loser might be weaker, but they can also learn something from their loss and grow stronger for it. That doesn’t mean the hobgoblins go easy on you when you engage in this brutal wrestling exercise, however.
Understanding Artifacts and Lore:
Many hobgoblins fail to see the value in crumbling artifacts and forgotten lore—if it has no immediate practical use, why take the time to study it? The Iolite Squad, however, recognizes that they must understand such things if they are to become Pathfinders and help to elevate Oprak and hobgoblin-kind in the eyes of the Society. Lacking experience in such matters, they are eager for any advice that you have to offer in an impromptu field lecture.
The Art and Science of Smokeworking:
You learn the essentials of hobgoblin smokeworking, which combines alchemy and engineering to bring fire and smoke to the battlefield. This hands-on training is quite dangerous!
"Thorax led contingent of knights, fleeing from lich army. Had to teach them to be very sneaky!"
Thorax lets his son skin and stuff one of the wolves and uses it to teach the hobgoblins how being smaller can be beneficial - easier to strike underneath the jugular!
Thorax demonstrates his newly acquired knack for crafting alchemical bombs, and shows off his alchemist fires and current batch of frost vials.
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Trying to be diplomatic, Adalan gives the hobgoblins some tips on how to disrupt arcane spells and offers to toss a few weakened cantrips their way so they can practice avoiding magical attacks.
He jumps into the next task with markedly increased enthusiasm, providing a thorough if meandering lesson on the varieties of ancient ruins found across Golarion and the practical benefits which can be derived from exploring them.
Finally, Adalan does his best to learn basic smokeworking, taking notes and only reluctantly trying to pull off some mixtures himself.
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First of all, the dwarf tries to explain to the Hobgoblins how to act in exploration's mode.
Acrobatics:
Then he proceeds to an exchange of Hand-to-Hand Tactics telling about his weapon more than about jis spells because they are Hobgoblins, not wizards:
+1 Striking battleaxe:
In the end, he shows them how to put a fireworks on the battlefield with pyrotechnical effects.
Crafting:
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Watching Bair tumble and flip through the course, DC smiles. "That is one way to deal with such things. Though it's not always feasible."
Pausing a moment as she looks over the hobgoblins, she adds "Feasible means possible or convenient."
"Anyway, sometimes you have to disable a trap to bypass it, like..."
"More often than not, as you saw with those wolves, something will try to eat you. When that happens, you have to fight better, smarter than they do."
"Personally, Pharasma guides me." she adds, tugging out her holy symbol. With a few choice words, she kisses the symbol sending a bolt of energy outward.
"Lastly, after the fighting is done, you need to patch yourselves up to fight again. Now, bear with me. I've only started working on this bit...learned it from my companions here. Before, I'd always just relied on the Lady to keep me goin."
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Essentials of Infiltration and Obstacle Avoidance:
Deshacerla, Dran'Thor, and Thorax put on a good show, but Bair absolutely steals it.
He completes the obstacle course and teach the Iolite Squad a few new things about the sort of traps that are likely to appear in ancient ruins. Additionally, his explanations and feedback are swift, accurate, and clear. As a result, the Iolite Squad has plenty of time to practice the techniques he demonstrated.
Exchange of Hand-to-Hand Tactics:
Thorax, Dran'Thor, Deshacerla, and Bair then spar successfully with the hobgoblins. You match them blow-for-blow and move-for-move. The Iolite Squad is impressed with your fighting abilities, and you learn a few tips from Sergeant Drussem about reading your opponent and keeping a clear head in a fight.
Understanding Artifacts and Lore:
Adalan tries his best, but the Iolite Squad becomes confused by the expectations for handling and documenting ancient artifacts and lore—they try their best, but they do not engage enough to have learned anything useful.
The Art and Science of Smokeworking:
Deshacerla receives a few minor burns, and her eyes won’t stop watering for hours! On the other hand, Thorax, Adalan, and Dran'Thor get hurt a few times while attempting to duplicate the techniques and processes that the Iolite Squad demonstrates, but after several attempts they eventually succeed, impressing the hobgoblins.
-----------------
Overall, however, the training seems to be going smoothly, and the Iolite Squad are much more relaxed around you, opening up about the fact that each of them recently earned special recognition from General Azaersi for their impressive service record in securing allies in the fight against the Whispering Tyrant. The Squad members have always had great respect for their general, and after meeting her in person and being in the presence of her charisma and passion, they understood why so many rallied behind her during the Ironfang Invasion — and why so many have stayed by her side following the armistice.
With the training exercises completed, it is time for the practical - an exploration of an old Dwarven mine!
-----------------
A few miles from the training grounds, a stone edifice rises against the northern slope of the valley. Thick vines drape over a fifty-foot-wide archway that leads into the structure and cover most of the rough-hewn stone around it. A cool wind carries the faint stench of dust and decay from the ruins...
The Sergeant nods.
"Alright Squad! We've trained for this. Time to show the Pathfinders what we are capable of..."
-----------------
Akrag takes a few moments to explore the entrance to the ruin. Rough stairs descend to the left and right and lead to multiple hallways. He holds up a hand to warn the others to halt. “Possible traps—all routes compromised. Status unclear. Request assistance locating, will attempt disposal.”
Rounding a corner, the Iolite Squad discovers a half-dozen skeletal dwarves. They shed centuries of dust and cobwebs as they rise to attack the intruders with ancient picks and shovels.
"Squad! Clubs and shields!"
A ruined, rotting campsite occupies the east wall of this large chamber. The hobgoblins spend a few minutes picking through the wreckage. Sergeant Drussem says, “This must be where those dwarves made camp. A long time ago, it seems.” After a few minutes, Ozaril exclaims, “I found something!” He lifts a small wood chest still largely preserved, and the hobgoblins open it to find ancient scrolls, a dusty tome, and a few miniature stone statuettes.
Thick cobwebs and hundreds of spiders choke this passage. “Our weapons will be no use here,” says the sergeant. Gintka steps forward, already mixing a few vials of volatile liquid eagerly. “This should clear them out...”
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Disarm The Traps
"Whashout fer da... oh nevahmin. Medic!"
_____________________
Vanquish The Skeletons
"SLASH EM O SMASH EM O STAB EM I DON MEMBER!"
_____________________
Record Ancient Findings
"Lissun heah, godda repoht in commun. Dey don liakh gobb-speak."
_____________________
Smoke Out The Spiders
(Hireling)
Daniel steps out of the darkness, almost as though no one has seen him for several months. He looks at Bair, "Shut it, you don't know anything. Use essence of cranberry for the odor. Spiders hate it."
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"Left is right and Right is wrong is what mamma always said." announces DC with a smile. "That one looks like a pressure...yep that was it."
"UNDEAD! You gotta kill them! Fire tends to work, if you have enough of it. Blunt things work well too... Ultimately, Pharasma's holy wrath seems to do the best!"
"Record keeping is soooo boring. I find it's best to find a teammate that likes to write and just take them along with. BUT if you absolutely have to, makes sure to jot a few random bits in the margin too. The big-wigs really like it that way. Makes ya look smarter."
"ACK! Where'd he come from?!" shrieks DC, eyeing Bair, she quickly does a circle around him. "Whatcha got really big pockets or something?!"
With a shake of her head, she frowns. "I suppose you could use essence of cranterries...The don't like getting peed on either."
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Adalan tries to remain on the lookout for traps but is too distracted by examining the ruin itself to find any.
"I would recommend bludgeoning them, to crack or dislodge the bones," Adalan offers as Iolite Squad engages the undead. "And you will likely find your incendiaries somewhat less effective than they would be against living targets."
Adalan writes a comprehensive inventory of the hobgoblins' discoveries, including some preliminary analysis of the documents.
"I thought it was essence of elderberries...?" Adalan ponders. "No, you're probably right."
Ever on the alert for pits, deadfalls and snares, Thorax's eyes glow a malicious red in the darkness of the tunnels.
Watcher-Lord Ulthun speaks up from behind, "Sire, your dogslicer will not be as useful against these old bones. Take the Hobgoblins' advice, and grab a club!"
Once they find the treasure chest of tomes, Thorax's daughter hops up and down with excitement.
"Go on, Orica," Thorax pats his daughter on the back with pride, "You're here to learn, too."
Likewise, Jydno grows alert when the cobwebs appear.
"Father, these are the same as from the Fangwood. Very big. I will do as you have taught me."
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Dran'Thor and Thorax help spot traps, and point out how Akrag can identify them on his own, and he successfully disarms every trap without setting any of them off.
Adalan advises the Iolite Squad that the skeletons will attack without thought of tactics. The hobgoblins funnel their enemies into a narrow corridor and quickly destroy them.
Following Adalan and Thorax's advice, the hobgoblins carefully translate the ancient dwarven texts and discover clues about when the site might have been constructed.
With Dran'Thor's help, Gintka smokes out most of the spiders, though a few remain to harass the group as they move through the passage.
----------------------
Rough stairs rise to the west, and a wide passage leads east. Thick webs cling to the walls and ceiling. A loud scrape and thud alerts the Squad to the presence of something beyond the east passage. “Wait here,” says the Sergeant, who signals her squad to stay on their guard as they press forward. One of them shouts a curse as a sharp twang echoes through the ruins—part of the ceiling above, concealed by webbing, suddenly collapses. The hobgoblins rush forward, dodging the cascade of boulders that fall and block the passage.
As the dust settles, the hobgoblins’ faint battle cries mix with a hideous chattering noise... before you have time to start digging out the tunnel to help the trainees, you are ambushed as well!
Dran'Thor (-)
Thorax (-)
Bair (-)
Adalan (-)
WL (-, -, -, -)
GT (-, -)
Deshacerla (-)
Thorax grins, "Just in time! Was getting hungry!"
He Quickdraws/Tosses an alchemist fire at the red spider...
...but instead of continuing with more fire, he pulls out a Lesser Antidote and drinks it.
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and he's still thinking about eating. He's a real stomach on feet.
But there is no time to discuss about necessity to eat all the time. Perhaps they will organize a BBQ after the fight but for now they have to take in count the request of the spider.
The dwarf summons a new storm upon the green spider.
Tempest Surge:
Then to the smilodon:
Attack it and kill it.
Pounce:
Damage:
Sneak:
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Dran'Thor tries to blow up the Green tarantula...
...and does a darn good job of electrocuting it!
He then directs his Cat forward to take a bite.
Thorax throws an Alchemist's Fire at Red (which misses), then fortifies his constitution.
Bair moves forward, and starts swinging, down a small amount of damage.
Adalan then dumps a blast of fire...
..toasting three opponents to a greater or lesser degree.
Blue and Cyan move to flank Bair...
...but miss.
Yellow and Purple clamber along the walls, and try to bite the Cat...
...each hitting once.
The two unusually sized spiders then try to bite their tormentors...
...the Cat is savaged, but Bair dodges.
Deshacerla (-)
Dran'Thor (-)
Cat (-83)
Thorax (-)
Bair (-)
Adalan (-)
WL (-17, -8, -, -)
GT (-70; Persistent Electricity 3, -15)
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Bair snorts at the dumb spiders, "YA JUS GAVE ME MOAH TAHGETS!"
Angrily swinging his big weapon, he slashes across two of his targets.
for
Thorax grumbles at the reflexes of the red tarantula, and decides to rush behind it and flank with Bair's useful reach.
+1 Striking Shifting Dogslicer :
+1 Striking Shifting Dogslicer :
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Thorax ninjas in, and shanks the giant tarantula, which oozes ichor.
Bair then stabs through the humanoid spider into the tarantula, leaving the former severely wounded.
Deshacerla (-)
Dran'Thor (-)
Cat (-83)
Thorax (-)
Bair (-)
Adalan (-)
WL (-17, -8, -37, -)
GT (-70; Persistent Electricity 3, -87)
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Deshacerla heals the cat.
Dran'Thor channels electricity...
...scorching the hairs from the tarantula's forelegs.
The cat then bites down hard, further wounding the already damaged spider.
Adalan then summons a leopard, but it doesn't manage to hit.
Blue and Cyan target Bair, whilst Yellow and Purple work on the Cat...
...and Bair is hit twice.
The giant tarantulas then target *their* tormentors (which happen to be the same targets).
Bair is hit once, but the Cat is bitten twice by the heavily-injured spider.
Deshacerla (-)
Dran'Thor (-)
Cat (-86)
Thorax (-)
Bair (-35)
Adalan (-)
WL (-17, -15, -37, -)
GT (-125; Persistent Electricity 3, -87)
"Stupid... crunchy... delicious... deep-fried... with tater tots... and no napkins... hate napkins. What's the point? Just lick fingers..."
+1 Striking Shifting Dogslicer :
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With a nod to Dran'Thor, DC sends another wave of light into the animal. Turning her attention to the foes surrounding her favorite goblinoid, she frowns.
Closing her eyes, she holds the holy symbol high and bites a chunk out of her finger. Spreading the fluid over the ankh, she reaches towards the blue tinged spider and slowly closes her hand...a blackness swells up and draws out of the beast towards the little gnome.
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Deshacerla pumps healing into the cat, then tries to drain the life from Blue...
...which now looks ready to fall over.
The cat takes Poison damage, then shreds the giant tarantula.
Dran'Thor's subsequent electrical discharge...
...is partially dodged by both, as they shelter behind the spider's corpse.
It takes all three strikes, but Thorax *finally* brings down the other giant tarantula.
Adalan puts some pep into Thorax's step with a Haste,then directs his leopard forward, chomping down hard upon Yellow.
Bair swings wildly at the two hybrids flanking him...
...splattering Blue, and then stabbing Cyan in the gut.
The three remaining hybrids chitter angrily!
Yellow and Purple Climb across the wall, and bite at the Cat...
...but only one manages to hit.
Meanwhile, Cyan can't land a hit upon the sprightly Goblin it is tangling with...
Deshacerla (-)
Dran'Thor (-)
Cat (-65)
Thorax (-)
Bair (-35)
Adalan (-)
WL (-36, -21, -16)
Thorax hastily Strides over to [cyan], mashes his teeth hungrily, and Strikes twice!
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Thorax scares Cyan, then slices and dices it.
Adalan's summoned leopard then disembowels the remaining hybrid.
Shortly thereafter, you hear the Iolite Squad’s victorious shouts. It takes about an hour for the two groups working together to dig out the deadfall debris. The Squad vanquished a giant tarantula; Ozaril has a vicious bite wound, but they otherwise fared well in the battle.
With a thorough search of the rest of the ruined dig site, the Iolite Squad discovers several objects in surprisingly good condition, from religious symbols and prayer beads to precious gems. In addition, they find a standard-grade cold iron shield.
------------------------------
With the abandoned dig site cleared of danger, the Iolite Squad can fully explore the site. They discover signs that this location was once a way station of sorts for dwarven travelers, but they also find the remains of ancient writings that suggest this was a hideout of some kind for an exiled religious sect. They lack the knowledge to piece together exactly when these dwarves used the site, or when it was built, but they are eager to continue their research once they reach Absalom. There is pride in Sergeant Drussem’s eyes as she sees her squad poring over their findings.
Over the next few days, you escort the Iolite Squad to Korvosa, where they board a ship to Absalom. There, they report their findings and the results of their joint training at the Grand Lodge. Sergeant Drussem thanks you for completing their field training and expresses hope that the two teams can work together in the future. Later, you receive a letter from Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch commending you for yout successful diplomatic mission. She expresses uncertainty at what the future holds for the Society and the nation of Oprak, but is also confident that it is brighter thanks to your successful mission!
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On the top deck of the Kingfisher, Venture-Captain Muesello wipes the grease off his hands onto a rag. The pockmarked mechanist spent the early morning running a chain through a twelve-foot tall clockwork contraption mounted on the deck. Stuffing the dirty rag into his smock, he turns to address the group.
“I’m sure you’ve guessed this isn’t just a fishing trip. I would have filled you in sooner, but I was asked to keep everything confidential until we arrived. An expedition of Pathfinder initiates recently discovered this uncharted island, Burozi. The recruits found some Azlanti ruins, and we have a special assignment for your team.”
Muesello turns to the shore just five hundred feet from the moored ship, the peak of the island barely visible against the orange glow of the morning sun behind it. He clicks open an intricate compass, and its needle snaps to the direction of the island.
“Open your wayfinder, and you’ll see the same thing. This close to Burozi, all wayfinders point toward the island. As for the one in my hand here, this was found on Burozi—I’ve never seen one quite like it. The expedition team found it near a sealed hatch made out of reinforced skymetal. They couldn’t get in, which might have been for the best. The recruits were inexperienced, and Azlanti devices can be incredibly dangerous!
But you’ve got more experience under your belts, so I need you to find a way through that sealed door and investigate whatever is on the other side.”
With a reassuring nod, Muesello returns to his work, meticulously checking each bolt as crew members emerge from below and begin preparing a sailboat for passage to the island.