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Vulpina ponders the setup a moment, then:
"You say this vessel has not been operated in five years? It simply would not do for our charges to set foot on a vessel we cannot be sure is entirely functional. I believe we four will go first," she says, pointing to herself, Pai, Loam, and Salvadore, "while the goblins enjoy the town's hospitality with their favorite among us."
Sorry, Mister mon Klesh. You're the only one I trust to be able to talk your way out of further scrutiny... and you are their favorite, after all.
Unless it's me.
Oh, by Daikitsu's tenth tail, don't let it be me.
She steps aboard the ferry.
After talking amongst yourselves, you divide in two groups, with Vulpina serving as a relay in both trips. Rimetusk does not mind, and gets to rowing as soon as you get on the boat.
Against the strong current, you realize how much force is needed to beat the river dividing both nations, and why this ferry was put in place. Rimetusk's burly arms keep the boat steady, and he sometimes needs to push the boat aside to stop it from colliding with rocks.
All in all, it takes him a solid 10 minutes of rowing to get through, and he deposits you safely accross what is the last patches of Irriseni lands before you reach the border. He grunts and paddles back, taking another 10 minutes. Finally, he reaches Flix and the goblins, with Vulpina by his side. However, his expression shifts once he moors - with a wicked smile, he gets up from the boat and grunts-"Alright, borbas. You keep Rimetusk busy, you must pay toll. Explain to lady Yulai that you needed to pay for passage, because Lady Uliyara put in place new tax. 200 gold pieces and I take you to other borbas"-smiling devilishly.
He makes no effort to hide his ill-will, as he probably planned to separate you before confronting you with his demand. He also does not care to hide the fact that the tax is probably made up, and said Lady Uliyara does not have even the slightest say on this.
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Flix plays along, He must not be informed, this breach of protocol is wildly inappropriate. turning to the goblins, do not worry yourselves, little lords, Yulai would have done no such thing and is in fact exceedingly revengerous for such besmirching of her reputation. back to troll, You will complete the journey or her laydship Yulai will be along to deal with you personally!
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Vulpina nods, turning back to the troll. "There should have been a courier. Did you not receive the courier? Do you not know about... Lady Uliyara's treachery?" she asks. "Lady Uliyara was found to be funding a rebellion with these taxes. Anyone found to still be collecting them is considered a co-conspirator. Lady Yulai will not be party to any such--"
She pauses a moment, then looks at Rimetusk as if seeing him in a new light.
"You wouldn't be conspiring against Baba Yaga... would you...?"
Her hand reaches for her pistol, slowly.
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Rimetusk seems to not believe your lie - he furrows his brow, "After all, why would mere servants ally with the Jadwiga so loyally? The witches can't get a grasp of everyone in their land...or can they?
Doubt fills the troll in a surge and completely shatters the angry look he just gave you. What if the witches know? What if one of them is disguising themselves as one of these servants? -his mind goes to the tax collecting he has done over the past few years, and a memory flashes in his head.
It is the memory of the farmers and hunters complaining about his increase in taxes. Surely, they couldn't have suspected it was all a farce to fatten his pockets. But what if...
The troll looks around the room nervously, his frown turned upside down, as he says-"Well, I wouldn't force borba. Rimetusk wanted tip, that is all. Tip for the ferry."-scratching the back of his head and trying to dismiss the whole matter.
"Noble borbas can't spare the tip, that is fine. Rimetusk will still take you nice borbas. For the glory of Irrisen!"-trying to hide his fear.
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What if one of them is disguising themselves as one of these servants?
Vulpina breathes a sigh of relief at not having to fight the troll for the glory of Baba Yaga. "For the glory of Irrisen," she affirms, waving the others onto the ferry.
"Shall we move onward, then, and put all this-- and this shore-- behind us?" she asks.
10 minutes later, and the group is able to spot Flix, Vulpina, Rimetusk and the goblins as they approach the coast. The troll moors his boat and lets the pair and the goblins step out, before rowing back.
As he rows back quickly, one of the goblins waves goodbye and yells-"Bye, bye, ugly big guy!"-ensuing laughter from his peers.
With that out of the way, you get your map out and continue on your journey. The snowstorms now long past, you are able to easily trek through Irrisen's last patches of land. Snow still covers the forest you're walking through though. It is after a few hours of walking that Pai is able to spot something in the distance...about 100 feet off, she sees a wooden tree-house, small enough to serve only a small-sized creature like herself or Loam as a house.
The eerie-looking house has a no windows, and a single door. The walls and the only entrance are painted a washed-out pink, with white details all around.
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Brow furrowed, Pai quietly gets everyone's attention by tugging at sleeves or waving. "Uh, hey guys. There's a tree house up ahead, like about a hundred feet or so. Should we backtrack and go around? Or just swing wide or something? It looks super creepy, like something trying way to hard to be cute in order to hide its true nature." She shudders slightly as she describes it.
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Vulpina offers a wry smile; ”He attempted to accost us while we were separated; rest assured that Mister mon Klesh and I put him in his place,” she explains.
She casts a glance at the goblins. ”It will be... interesting to hear what tales might be told of it, long after we depart the region,” she considers.
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”I believe suspicion is the correct course of action,” she agrees.
As the group decides it's better to steer clear of this creepy-looking house, they find a path through tall grass, avoiding notice. However, as they enter it, they are able to see a cat-sized figure make its way through the brush. Moments later, the figure zips through the grass at unnerving speed and jumps out!
What comes out of the tall grass is nothing short of horrifying. A single porcelain doll, smaller than Pai or Loam. But instead of a pristine youngster's face, lays a crone's wrinkled visage. Without saying anything, the doll lurches forward as if animated by magic! The doll floats over to Flix and extends her hand, touching him and instantly sending a wave of negative energy through her touch. Flix's flesh starts rotting and freezing instantly, like Baba Yaga herself had touched him.
Round 1
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Doll
Pai, Loam
Vulpina, Flix (save pending) and Salvadore
Everyone is up! (save pending from Flix)
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Pai nearly jumps out of her skin! "Yikes! Flix! What the fudge?!" She skitters off to the side so she can get a clear shot at the evil possessed doll. Nightmares! Nightmares! Nightmares! Nightmares! But still, that's way kinda cool!" Her movements are so quick that it's hard to see that she is trembling slightly through fear--and excitement. With an wide-eyed expression of terrified amazement, Pai stretches out her hand and releases electrical energy at the doll.
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Blade already in-hand, Vulpina frowns at the creature’s(?) approach... then breathes a slight sigh of relief.
”Truth be told, the aged face makes this less unsteadying,” she states, drawing her pistol.
”I suppose there is nothing to be done but to blow it to pieces!”
Rather than the usual crack of her pistol, there’s kind of a... chk as the flintlock mechanism scrapes and doesn’t seem to accomplish anything.
”Oh, curse all this snow!”
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Flix staggers and takes a huge deep breath as 95.6% of his life leaves the body. He staggers back in to the goblins to back it up. A voice emanates from Flix with an history that belies his age, "My lifeblood shed, my eyes go red, as Sigurnn had said, A WITCH BE DEAD!"
Inspired Rage (Su) At 1st level, affected allies gain a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution and a +1 morale bonus on Will saving throws, but also take a –1 penalty to AC. While under the effects of inspired rage, allies other than the skald cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration. If an ally has her own rage class ability (such as barbarian’s rage, bloodrager’s bloodrage, or skald’s inspired rage), she may use the Strength, Constitution, and Will saving throw bonuses, as well as AC penalties, based on her own ability and level instead of those from the skald (still suffering no fatigue afterward). However, inspired rage does not allow the ally to activate abilities dependent on other rage class abilities, such as rage powers, blood casting, or bloodrager bloodlines; the ally must activate her own rage class ability in order to use these features.
Skald's Vigor: While maintaining a raging song, you gain fast healing equal to the Strength bonus your song provides, starting in the round after you begin the song. If you stop maintaining your song, the fast healing ends, even if the effects of your song persist.
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Salvadore glares angrily at the doll, casts a spell, and points a finger at the doll...
...and then moves away.
The doll takes Pai's electric shock directly, but her expression remains still like porcelain. It dodges both Loam's and Salvadore's attacks, floating quickly as if by magic. Using the same power that holds her aloft, she levitates 20 feet into the air.
It then summons up a ball of fire and shoots it at Salvadore, hitting him square in the chest and causing major burns!
Round 1
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Doll (-12, 20 feet in the air)
Pai, Loam
Vulpina, Flix (-22, AoO pending) and Salvadore (-14)
Everyone is up!
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Vulpina growls... then decides to do the Swashbuckleringest thing she can think of.
She takes a few steps forward, tosses her pistol to the ground, and draws another. She leaps as high as she can...
...which turns out to be a straight-up five foot vertical jump.
Which is just enough!
She raises her pistol high, and as she reaches the apex, pulls the trigger.
There's a POP and Vulpina howls in ignoble frustration as she tosses another gun aside.
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"Eeep! Okayokayokay. Okayokay. Yeah." Pai breathlessly chatters to herself as she eases a little bit closer so she can be sure to hit that evil doll with everything she's got. She's so focused on that doll that she doesn't even notice the trouble Vulpina's been having with her firearms, but she does see how badly that doll can hurt someone with one shot. Poor Flix and Salvadore! Gah! I don't wanna be next! These thoughts flash through her mind as she releases another blast of electricity at the doll.
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Salvadore moves his badly burnt body further away, then turns and casts a spell causing a burst of golden particles to explode around the Doll from Hell.
The group unleashes their next volley, trying to bring down the evil, creepy doll. Both Flix and Vulpina seem to miss it - the arrow from the skald is dodged to the side, and Vulpina's weapon almost explodes!
However, in the cloud of smoke generated by the misfire, Pai and Loam takes the opportunity and shoot through it, hitting it unaware. The electricity shocks the doll, and one shot from Loam's pistol cracks the porcelain. As the now horrifying doll prepares to cast another ray of fire, Salvadore's well-aimed glitter spell hits her in the eyes, and blinds her! The doll tries to hit Loam next, but the glitter prevents her from aiming well.
The goblins join in with their warchants, trying to aid in their tied-up state-"Long and shortshanks are the bomb! Goblins mighty and we strong!"-their unified, chaotic and disorganized cheers somehow inspiring you to protect them.
Round 3
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Doll (-27, 20 feet in the air)
Pai, Loam
Vulpina, Flix (-18) and Salvadore (-14)
Everyone is up! (Goblins song is up)
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Salvadore takes off his backpack, then points at the doll. A missile of pure force streaks forth and hits the Doll from Hell.
Saving Throw: none Spell Resistance: yes Description: A missile of magical energy darts forth from your fingertip and strikes its target, dealing 1d4+1 points of force damage. The missile strikes unerringly, even if the target is in melee combat, so long as it has less than total cover or total concealment. Specific parts of a creature can't be singled out. Objects are not damaged by the spell. For every two caster levels beyond 1st, you gain an additional missile—two at 3rd level, three at 5th, four at 7th, and the maximum of five missiles at 9th level or higher. If you shoot multiple missiles, you can have them strike a single creature or several creatures. A single missile can strike only one creature. You must designate targets before you check for spell resistance or roll damage.
Salvadore will share any information he may recall with the group.
In a flash, the projectiles from Salvadore, Flix, Loam and Pai hit the blinded doll simultaneously, and prove too much for the force controlling it. The porcelain cracks in two, and the doll falls to the ground, lifeless. Inside its head, you see a pale-blue quartz carved into the shape of a snowflake, now exposed to the elements. Salvadore's expertise is able to correctly identify the creature- a soulbound doll of some kind, infused with so much fey magic that it gained the abilities of a sorcerer. The dolls are made by bounding a creature's soul to a gem, and connecting that gem to a construct body through a ritual.
Its body now cracked in two, the goblins approach it and kick it, celebrating with a cheer. As they do, its porcelain eyes roll over the ground, catching Salvadore's attention. Upon closer inspection, he realizes the eyes are magically connected to a far-off place deeper into Irrisen...
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Vulpina heaves an irritated sigh, clearing and reloading both pistols.
"I do not think the weather suits the black powder," she theorizes, "although I am glad that yours seem to have retained its integrity." She nods to the ratfolk...
...and casually steps on a porcelain eye, hoping to crush it beneath her heel.
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Still slightly smouldering, Salvadore walks up to Flix, reaches out his right arm and flicks his wrist. The Wrist Sheathe opens and a CLW wand pops out. "If you would be so kind, my friend/", he asks handing the wand to Flix....
..."Thank you very much." says Salvadore as he takes the wand back and re-loads it into his Wrist Sheathe.
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"It is safe for now," Loam replies to Vulpina regarding the fight and her gun. "Though when it jams with a spell in the chamber...a sight to behold, even if you don't want to."
The ratfolk crouches to look over the shattered doll. She picks up the gem. "If we are being watched, we should keep moving whenever able." She attempts to divine whether the soul gem can be tracked as well. She would rather keep it, but if it poses a risk...
Vulpina cracks one of the porcelain eyes with her foot, leaving one intact as the group ponders whether to bring it back or not. From Loam's investigation on the items, she concludes the soulbound crystal is not trackable, much like the porcelain eye - the eye serves as an extension of the Jadwiga's, but not as a scrying focus.
[spoiler=Knowledge (history) DC 15] You can guess that some important leaders in the Society could make use of what is essentially a Skype call to the Jadwiga./spoiler]
The group continues their journey, finally getting out of Irriseni land. While the snow covered-grass hasn't left your view, your instincts tell you you are out of that accursed land. It's almost unnerving how still and calm you perceive the snow...a couple of days of traveling through Baba Yaga's land had gotten you used to the snow playing tricks on you, and the howling winds echoing voices.
According to your map, you are now in the Land of the Linnorm Kings, in the lands surrounding the city of Trollheim. Sverrir's instructions point you to a Longhouse provided by the local Ulfen where you can rest and eat good food. Four hours later, and off in the distance you see a column of black smoke, and at its base, the very same Longhouse described by Sverrir's instructions. Right in front of the building, a humanoid figure waves hello and yells-"Travelers! Here!"
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"Careful not to slay any Linnorms we may run across," advises Vulpina, "lest you are prepared for the burden of rule."
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"We must ensure that the Wayfinders we find are specially-marked," Vulpina reminds the group.
She approaches the man, but keeps about 10 feet between them. "Good day to you, sir! My companions and I have been snowbound for far too long. I do not suppose there is room around the fire?"