The Chitterwood stretches more than 100 miles from east to west and nearly as far north to south. However much of the forest was deliberately burned by Isger troops in the Goblinblood Wars to deny their enemies a refuge. Since the burning, the Chitterwood has begun to regrow in places. Thick underbrush, bare ground, and open trails under quick-growing evergreens can all be found during a few minutes’ walk.
Most trade in Isger is via the Conerica River and its tributaries. Isger’s undersized army focuses on securing the river trade, and consequently much of the hinterlands is easy prey for bandits.
Truly Iconic Female Human (Ulfen) Wizard (evoker, admixture school) 6 | hp 37 | AC {17} T 13 FF {15} | CMD 16 | F +5 R +6 W +7 | Spd 30' | Init +2 | Kn(Arc, Dun, His, Loc, Pla, Rel) +11 Kn(Eng, Geo, Nat, Nob) +10, Lngst +9, Perc +6 (+2 w Kalas), Scrft +14, SensM +0 (+2 w Kalas) | versatile evocation 8/8 | wands false life CL 3 6/7, m missile 42/50, summon monster I CL 3 9/9, unseen servant 8/10 | vanish 4rds
Natula explains the environment that the party will be moving through (though she doubts that people will really listen--see spoiler above), and changes up some of her spells.
Male LG Human Oracle 5.2 (Pei-zin Practitioner) | HP 53/53 | AC 10 T 10 FF 10 | CMB +2, , CMD 12 | F: +8, R: +2, W: +5 | Init: +0 | Perc: -2, SM: -2 | Speed 20ft | Lay on Hands 5/6 | Spells: Oracle 1st 8/8 Oracle 2nd 5/5| Active conditions:
"Watch out for bandits out here mainly." Juxian adds to Natula's description. "I hear Breachill is a pretty neat town near here...and that some adventurers are trying to rebuild the old Hellknight Citadel, Alterain around there."
At first light, the caravan departs, heading generally south. Over the next several days you get to know the caravan master, Jarkan, fairly well. He's currently an indentured servant, but follows the ways of the Prophecies of Kallistrade, wearing the white clothing and gloves common to the faithful.
In addition, there are three others along for the trip over and above the teamsters and porters. Jonas and Thef are Druman mercenaries hired to escort the caravan, while Gallion Land is a Hellknight of the Order of the Godclaw. Land is more gregarious than most Hellknights, although he doesn't reveal anything about his purposes on the trip beyond carrying "news" from Elidir to his order.
Soon you reach the gnome village of Umok, nestled against the edge of the Chitterwood Forest. Due to recent troubles with goblins, the town guard meets you a quarter mile out of town, and reminds you of the rules: no mundane of magical fire is allowed in the village or within within 500 yards of the pallisade. They also introduce you to the fact that there are as many tame animals as there are gnomes in the village, and that they are to be treated like any other citizen.
After a night spent in a bed under a roof, you again replenish food and bid Jarkan and his caravan farewell. You head into the Chitterwood Forest, searching for signs of the Scorchfeather goblin tribe which lives in this area. None of the locals have any detailed information, although recent travelers through the Chitterwood have spotted Scorchfeather tribe scouts along the road within the last week.
Give me a basic plan and we'll see how long it takes for you to find your way.
Truly Iconic Female Human (Ulfen) Wizard (evoker, admixture school) 6 | hp 37 | AC {17} T 13 FF {15} | CMD 16 | F +5 R +6 W +7 | Spd 30' | Init +2 | Kn(Arc, Dun, His, Loc, Pla, Rel) +11 Kn(Eng, Geo, Nat, Nob) +10, Lngst +9, Perc +6 (+2 w Kalas), Scrft +14, SensM +0 (+2 w Kalas) | versatile evocation 8/8 | wands false life CL 3 6/7, m missile 42/50, summon monster I CL 3 9/9, unseen servant 8/10 | vanish 4rds
GM Lamplighter wrote:
In addition, there are three others along for the trip over and above the teamsters and porters. Jonas and Thef are Druman mercenaries hired to escort the caravan, while Gallion Land is a Hellknight of the Order of the Godclaw. Land is more gregarious than most Hellknights, although he doesn't reveal anything about his purposes on the trip beyond carrying "news" from Elidir to his order.
Godclaw, Godclaw, what's their shtick again? I swear they all look alike under those faceless helmets.
knowledge (Hellknights, take 10):10 + 10 = 20
GM Lamplighter wrote:
Soon you reach the gnome village of Umok, nestled against the edge of the Chitterwood Forest. Due to recent troubles with goblins, the town guard meets you a quarter mile out of town, and reminds you of the rules: no mundane of magical fire is allowed in the village or within within 500 yards of the pallisade.
This is a direct insult to Natula's sensibilities.
GM Lamplighter wrote:
They also introduce you to the fact that there are as many tame animals as there are gnomes in the village, and that they are to be treated like any other citizen.
"No, problem." Natula already treats gnomes like tamed animals. "Shall we giddy-up?"
Truly Iconic Female Human (Ulfen) Wizard (evoker, admixture school) 6 | hp 37 | AC {17} T 13 FF {15} | CMD 16 | F +5 R +6 W +7 | Spd 30' | Init +2 | Kn(Arc, Dun, His, Loc, Pla, Rel) +11 Kn(Eng, Geo, Nat, Nob) +10, Lngst +9, Perc +6 (+2 w Kalas), Scrft +14, SensM +0 (+2 w Kalas) | versatile evocation 8/8 | wands false life CL 3 6/7, m missile 42/50, summon monster I CL 3 9/9, unseen servant 8/10 | vanish 4rds
GM Lamplighter wrote:
Give me a basic plan and we'll see how long it takes for you to find your way.
Natula investigates her surroundings. While with the caravan she surreptitiously uses detect magic on everyone (and the carts, taking 10 on spellcraft and arcana checks for totals of 23 and 20 respectively) to identify possible magical threats.
Female Kitsune Sorcerer 4 (Fey) | 5/22HP | AC12{16} T12{16} FF10{14} | CMD10 | F +3 R +4 W +6 | Spd 30 | Init +3 | Perc +1 | Acro +4, Bluff +10, Arcana +4, Nature +4, Perf (Oratory) +10, SplCft +4, UMD +10 | wands mage armor 47/50, cure light wounds 12/12, comprehend languages 6/6, see invisibility 13/13, restorative wand 3/5 | Spells: Sorcerer 1st 6/8 2nd 3/4 | Active Conditions: Shield, Shaken (3 rounds)
"I know enough to know this isn't a great plan, but if scouts have been close enough to the road for casual observers to notice them, we can go to one of those spots, look for tracks, and I can charm the first gobbo we run into."
The Order of the Godclaw (sometimes written "Order of the God Claw"; sometimes referred to as the Hellknights of the Godclaw) is a Hellknight order that extols the virtues of five deities, distilling select tenets into a dogma far from any one god's faith. Not content with seeking divine approval for their knighthood's righteous path, the Order of the Godclaw's members have sculpted their beliefs from the harshest, most exacting philosophies of five lawful deities: Abadar, Asmodeus, Iomedae, Irori, and Torag. Remade as five stern, armoured paragons, the deities of this pantheon are known collectively as the Godclaw. The Hellknights follow revised doctrines to stamp out disorder, particularly its divine embodiments and beings of absolute chaos, with religious zeal. Rather than targeting the faiths of prominent religions, the order sets its eyes on supporting lawful crusades (such as the wars fought by Molthune and Mendev) and being at the vanguard of battles against the forces of chaos. No land is beyond the lawfulness provided by Hellknights—a fact the Order of the Godclaw endlessly seeks to prove.
Striking off the path, you look for signs of the goblin scouts you heard rumors of. (This willr equire a series of Survival checks... please let me konw who is doing the main check and who is aiding.)
Male Human Magus 4 | hp 24/26 | AC 18 T 13 FF 15 | CMB +5 CMD 18 | F +4 R +4 W +3 | Spd 30' | Init +3 | Perc +0, Diplo +6, Splcrft +10 Arcane Pool 5/6
PreparedSpells:
Level 0 - Daze (DC 14), Detect Magic, Light, Read Magic Level I - Shield, Shocking Grasp, True Strike, Mount Level II - Euphoric Cloud (DC 16), Mirror Image
Ratesh spends most of the trip chatting up the Hellknight, regaling him with tales of when he earned the favor of House Thrune by helping them find one of their own who had disappeared on a mission.
Truly Iconic Female Human (Ulfen) Wizard (evoker, admixture school) 6 | hp 37 | AC {17} T 13 FF {15} | CMD 16 | F +5 R +6 W +7 | Spd 30' | Init +2 | Kn(Arc, Dun, His, Loc, Pla, Rel) +11 Kn(Eng, Geo, Nat, Nob) +10, Lngst +9, Perc +6 (+2 w Kalas), Scrft +14, SensM +0 (+2 w Kalas) | versatile evocation 8/8 | wands false life CL 3 6/7, m missile 42/50, summon monster I CL 3 9/9, unseen servant 8/10 | vanish 4rds
I'm guessing that means we haven't found our way out of the back of the caravan wagon yet. ;)
"Grrr... Snuff me now." Natula pushes her way to the front (where all wizards stand) "We're just tracking goblins for Gorum's sake! How hard can it be!?"
After some random wandering, Natula manages to find what looks like an old campsite, with definite signs of goblin presence.
Following the tracks on and off for the rest of the day leads you deeper into the Chitterwood. By the end of the dayyou reach aclearing that was likely burnt during the Goblinblood Wars, but the ground cover has clearly been burnt away again within the past few days. A few minutes of sifting through the ashes uncovers a broken Small dogslicer, two empty ceramic jugs, and the jumbled bones of a small-sized creature that Juxian identifies as a wild turkey.
By the afternoon of the second day you're pretty sure you're on the trail of the Scorchfeather goblins. A shallow cleft in a rocky hill appears to have provided the goblins with a resting place for the night but little to burn. The dung of several creatures is scattered about with no regard for sanitation. Near one pile of dung is a discarded string of large feathers tied together as a crude headdress, typical ornamentation for the Scorchfeather warriors.
By second breakfast on the third day, you reach another SCorchfeather camp, this one beneath a spreading oak. The first thing to strike the senses is the scent of charred flesh and fuzz. The unplucked carcass of a small bird has been nailed to the oak tree and set on fire. Discarded scraps of food are scattered around a crude semi-circle of stones facing the tree. Among the scraps lies a small blood-smeared vial.
Female Kitsune Sorcerer 4 (Fey) | 5/22HP | AC12{16} T12{16} FF10{14} | CMD10 | F +3 R +4 W +6 | Spd 30 | Init +3 | Perc +1 | Acro +4, Bluff +10, Arcana +4, Nature +4, Perf (Oratory) +10, SplCft +4, UMD +10 | wands mage armor 47/50, cure light wounds 12/12, comprehend languages 6/6, see invisibility 13/13, restorative wand 3/5 | Spells: Sorcerer 1st 6/8 2nd 3/4 | Active Conditions: Shield, Shaken (3 rounds)
Using mage hand, Junko lifts the vial into the air and examines it. Still levitating the object, she turns to the others, saying "Natula, Ratesh, you two are pretty smart. Do you think this is important?"
Truly Iconic Female Human (Ulfen) Wizard (evoker, admixture school) 6 | hp 37 | AC {17} T 13 FF {15} | CMD 16 | F +5 R +6 W +7 | Spd 30' | Init +2 | Kn(Arc, Dun, His, Loc, Pla, Rel) +11 Kn(Eng, Geo, Nat, Nob) +10, Lngst +9, Perc +6 (+2 w Kalas), Scrft +14, SensM +0 (+2 w Kalas) | versatile evocation 8/8 | wands false life CL 3 6/7, m missile 42/50, summon monster I CL 3 9/9, unseen servant 8/10 | vanish 4rds
Sorry. Looks like I should have rolled more. PS Kalas aids Natula if he can. He is untrained in survival but has a +2 Wisdom modifier.
GM Lamplighter wrote:
Among the scraps lies a small blood-smeared vial.
Detect magic. Take 10 on spellcraft for 23.
Junko Kataribe wrote:
Using mage hand, Junko lifts the vial into the air and examines it. Still levitating the object, she turns to the others, saying "Natula, Ratesh, you two are pretty smart. Do you think this is important?"
Male Human Magus 4 | hp 24/26 | AC 18 T 13 FF 15 | CMB +5 CMD 18 | F +4 R +4 W +3 | Spd 30' | Init +3 | Perc +0, Diplo +6, Splcrft +10 Arcane Pool 5/6
PreparedSpells:
Level 0 - Daze (DC 14), Detect Magic, Light, Read Magic Level I - Shield, Shocking Grasp, True Strike, Mount Level II - Euphoric Cloud (DC 16), Mirror Image
Ratesh takes the vial away from the magical hand and casts detect magic on it.
1d20+10
You can still smell what they were burning, they probably aren't far away. he says warily.
So is the bird carcass actively on fire, or just has been burnt? If it's still on fire I will suggest we put it out.
Also, either I'm having some stupid brain lapse with formatting, or the dice expression and the ooc expression isn't working. Pretty sure I've got the formatting right.
The vial turns out to be a potion of cure moderate wounds, no doubt dropped by some clumsy goblin.
The carcass is burnt out, although quite freshly burned. As you examine it, you can still smell the smoke and stench of burnt feathers. Luckily, a whiff of breeze blows through the forest, clearing the air somewhat. However, the wind also carries sounds - high-pitched, shrill voices, accompanied by a much louder cry that is certainly no goblin. It seems to be coming from the north of you, likely several hundred yards away.
Let em know how you react over the next minute or so.
Truly Iconic Female Human (Ulfen) Wizard (evoker, admixture school) 6 | hp 37 | AC {17} T 13 FF {15} | CMD 16 | F +5 R +6 W +7 | Spd 30' | Init +2 | Kn(Arc, Dun, His, Loc, Pla, Rel) +11 Kn(Eng, Geo, Nat, Nob) +10, Lngst +9, Perc +6 (+2 w Kalas), Scrft +14, SensM +0 (+2 w Kalas) | versatile evocation 8/8 | wands false life CL 3 6/7, m missile 42/50, summon monster I CL 3 9/9, unseen servant 8/10 | vanish 4rds
Is there a map up?
Natula begins by casting mirror image on herself.
Number of images:1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Konner Therinor wrote:
Konner bolts towards the noise.
Let's go....
"Well, it was nice knowing that guy... whomever he was. Hopefully he's wearing some light armor because he's going to have to run really fast."
Natula begins powering up a spell. First she places the heels of her palms together and draws them back and down near her waist. A small but intense ball of pure light coalesces in her hands, as she begins intoning the magical phrase.
Map is up. Sounds like you start to move in immediately so we'll go to initiative. Assume that you have all completed your first round of actions only, and we'll pick it up from there. Ratesh, you still have a standard action of defensive spell (only) from pre-initiative.
As you reach a fork in the path, you come across an odd sight. Three short, squat humanoids with bulbous heads are holding a large flightless bird at bay against a tree, while beyond it a large vulture sits on the ground, its wings spread. The humanoids are clearly goblins, and seem quite brave for typical members of their species to be confronting such a large target. Another goblin goads the vulture, shouting orders to the warriors below. As you run into view (by yourself), one of the goblins notice you and shouts a warning.
The purple goblin's eyes widen as he sees Konner appear around the corner. "Longshanks!" he calls out to his companions. "Just one longshanks... we can haz longshanks stuffing with birb!" He jumps onto the vulture's saddle and kicks its side, and the great bird flaps its wings and slowly climbs into the sky. "Me get longshanks, you gets birb!" he orders the others.
As the vulture climbs into the sky, the axe beak lashes out, narrowly missing the vulture's tailfeathers.
bite:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11damage:1d8 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
The blue goblin hesitates for a second, his eyes moving ebtween the axe beak and Konner, conveniently putting two PCs together in initiative order. delay
The blue goblin looks back and forth between the axe beak and Konner, then swings around to fire at Konner with his bow. The arrow ignites as soon as it leaves the bow, trailing fire off into the trees as it misses its target. bow, +1 flaming arrow:1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 9 + 1 = 15damage:1d6 ⇒ 6 plus 1d6 ⇒ 3 fire damage.
The red goblin also shoots at Konner, with the same result. bow, +1 flaming arrow:1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 1 = 16damage:1d6 ⇒ 4 plus 1d6 ⇒ 2 fire damage.
Truly Iconic Female Human (Ulfen) Wizard (evoker, admixture school) 6 | hp 37 | AC {17} T 13 FF {15} | CMD 16 | F +5 R +6 W +7 | Spd 30' | Init +2 | Kn(Arc, Dun, His, Loc, Pla, Rel) +11 Kn(Eng, Geo, Nat, Nob) +10, Lngst +9, Perc +6 (+2 w Kalas), Scrft +14, SensM +0 (+2 w Kalas) | versatile evocation 8/8 | wands false life CL 3 6/7, m missile 42/50, summon monster I CL 3 9/9, unseen servant 8/10 | vanish 4rds
Ratesh wrote:
I still can’t edit the map....
Are you working from a phone. If so that might mean you don't actually have the app on your device, or are not actually using it. My phone for example, has the Google Slides app, but since Google is not my default browser, makes me select it by first holding down on the link and then selecting from a drop down menu. In other words, you might be able to see what's going on even without using the Google Slides app.
I would move Ratesh, but I am guessing that some of this applies.
Edit I stand corrected, it's not Google Slides, but something else, that apparently doesn't like my phone either without whatever app it actually is. So I can't move anything on this phone anyhow. It's probably that app--Google Aggravate.
Female Kitsune Sorcerer 4 (Fey) | 5/22HP | AC12{16} T12{16} FF10{14} | CMD10 | F +3 R +4 W +6 | Spd 30 | Init +3 | Perc +1 | Acro +4, Bluff +10, Arcana +4, Nature +4, Perf (Oratory) +10, SplCft +4, UMD +10 | wands mage armor 47/50, cure light wounds 12/12, comprehend languages 6/6, see invisibility 13/13, restorative wand 3/5 | Spells: Sorcerer 1st 6/8 2nd 3/4 | Active Conditions: Shield, Shaken (3 rounds)
Junko moves off into the trees to the east, plants her feet firmly, and begins pouring magical energy into the surrounding vegetation. As she does this, she calls out to the swashbuckler. "Konner, you really, really want to get out of there!"
Readied action to cast entangle, DC 16, when Natula lets off her fireball. Google sheets isn't cooperating with me but the target point is the very bottom of Natula's crosshair. If the regular plants are difficult terrain, Woodland Stride lets Junko ignore it.
The map is a Google drawing. I'll try and move it to Slides if that works better, but I'm also fine t move you if that's easier.
Round 1 (continued)
Ratesh casts mirror image and starts wading through the forest. (Yes, difficult terrain for squares more than half-full of trees.)
Junko lightly dances through the foliage and readies her entangle spell.
The yellow goblin ducks into the brush Stealth:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10Konner Perception:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22 and fires a flaming arrow at Konner. arrow:1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 9 + 1 = 19 Konner feels the heat of its passage as it narrowly misses him.
The axe beak strains to reach the goblins, but its feet seem to be stuck to the ground by some sticky mass. It manages to break free at the end of the round, a fact that the goblins don't seem to notice.
Juxian, you're up in round 1, and Konner and Natula are up in round 2!
