CN Male Goblin (Unbreakable) Rogue 2 | HP 32/32 | AC 19 | F +7 R +8 W +5 | Perc [E] +5 | Stealth [T] +6 | Speed: 25ft | Darkvision | Active Conditions: Frightened 2 | Exploration: Avoid Notice
Avoid fear:1d20 ⇒ 16
For some reason, the sight of the skeletons don't seem to be an issue for Loohi. He strides up to the nearest unarmored skeleton and pummels at it with his gauntleted hand.
Your many punches work to great effect. Each skeleton so hit collapses into a pile of harmless bones! The one remaining unarmored corpse swings at Loohi in a clumsy manner.
HP 44/44 | 1/1 Hero Points | (Trap Finder) Perc’ +10 (+11 vs. traps) ; Stealth +8 ; Speed 25 ft. | (Deny Advantage) AC 19 (20 vs. traps) | Fort' +10 ; Ref' +10 ; Will +10 (+1 vs. traps)
Active conditions: Deny Advantage ; Exploration: Avoid Notice
Lilic just lets loose with his mace, hitting left and right and then aiming for head of the armored skeleton.
Left--
Light mace:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26 bludgeoning:1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
The skeleton snaps its shield into place to block the worst of Lillic's leftward swing. It steps around him, hissing as it does so. "I feed and taste your fear." But it strikes at Chulyin instead!
LN Twilight Halfling Sorcerer (Investigator ) 7 | 25 ft. speed | HP 42/48 | AC 22 Resistances evil 3| F +11 R +12 W + 14| Perc +12 T +1 Pursuing Lead (low-light vision; Expert prof for finding hidden things )| Stealth +12 | Focus 1 | Active Conditions: none
Hamir retrieves his sling, then concentrates and casts forbidding ward on Chulyin and the skeletal champion.
Forbidding Ward:
Chulyin is warded against the attacks and hostile spells from the skeletal champion. Chulyin gains a +1 status bonus to Armor Class and saving throws against the skeletal champion's attacks, spells, and other effects. It is sustainable for up to a minute.
Male NG Dwarf | Monk 1 | HP 23/23 | AC 15 | Fort +8 | Reflex +5 | Will +6 | Perception +4 | Speed 20ft | Active Conditions: None
Ravelgar strides forth to the armored skeleton, his every move resembling an avalanche slowly making it way down the mountain. Upon reaching the target he lets loose the falling stone strikes.
Only Shirota is able to land a blow as most of you close in on the champion. It blocks, but the punch cracks the shield and a few bones with it. Loohi's quarry swings right back at him, and scores a light blow.
HP 44/44 | 1/1 Hero Points | (Trap Finder) Perc’ +10 (+11 vs. traps) ; Stealth +8 ; Speed 25 ft. | (Deny Advantage) AC 19 (20 vs. traps) | Fort' +10 ; Ref' +10 ; Will +10 (+1 vs. traps)
Active conditions: Deny Advantage ; Exploration: Avoid Notice
Lilic takes a careful Step back from the resistant skeleton--
--and then, waving his hands in the air, still gripping his mace, he mumbles ancient primeval words, stemming from before Golarion was Golarion.
Then, suddenly, and arc of electric primal magic appears out of nowhere, and runs across the skeleton's bones and armor, blue light sparking!
Electric Damage:1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 DC 17 Basic Reflex Save
Crit' Success = no damage
Success = 1/2 damage
Failure = full damage
Crit' Failure = double damage
Though it doesn't dodge, the skeleton barely seems to care about being shocked. It casts away the broken shield, then retaliates. Its several swings amount to even less than the lightning.
Chulyin, Ravelgar, and the cat take apart the big skeleton. Loohi eventually manages to batter his foe to dust. A sudden silence falls over the village.
Eventually, the townsfolk slowly trickle back towards you from their various hiding places. First among them is the man whom you've been chiefly talking to. "Thank the heavens for you, Trail Seekers! I don't know what we could have done about that. Where did they spring from so quietly?"
HP 44/44 | 1/1 Hero Points | (Trap Finder) Perc’ +10 (+11 vs. traps) ; Stealth +8 ; Speed 25 ft. | (Deny Advantage) AC 19 (20 vs. traps) | Fort' +10 ; Ref' +10 ; Will +10 (+1 vs. traps)
Active conditions: Deny Advantage ; Exploration: Avoid Notice
Lilic eyes the villagers:
"They mostly come out at night, mostly."
He kicks the bones around, making sure arms and heads are all separated from torsos.
"Is this the first time they sprang up like that, here?"
Having sheathed his weapon, Lilic will ask Chulyin and Loohi if he can look over their wounds.
Pointing to his healer's tools: "It will take a few minutes, but I can clean up the cuts and dress them."
If allowed and he has time:
Lilic will spend 10 minutes tending to Chulyin--
Treat Medicine DC15:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15 HP healed for Chulyin:2d8 ⇒ (6, 5) = 11
--successfully patching him up.
And then spend another 10 minutes looking over Loohi-Loohi's bruises--
Treat Medicine DC15:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18 HP healed for Loohi:2d8 ⇒ (2, 8) = 10
--managing to heal them.
CN Male Goblin (Unbreakable) Rogue 2 | HP 32/32 | AC 19 | F +7 R +8 W +5 | Perc [E] +5 | Stealth [T] +6 | Speed: 25ft | Darkvision | Active Conditions: Frightened 2 | Exploration: Avoid Notice
After being patched up, Loohi turns to Lilic, "Thanks for the assist, friend.", before turning to the townsfolk, "Other than the people we are looking for, has anything changed around here recently that may have angered the spirits of the Road?"
"Things seem to have changed, but we have no idea of the cause. This is the first time they have gotten to our village. We kept hearing rumors of their activity in the weeks prior. But were even one such attack to take us unawares, it would be over!"
Three separate people press vials into your hands as gifts. "Whether or not the spirits are angry, these corpses run amok. But they will not like this blessed water! You have more use for it than we."
"I heard tell a lone warrior is doing his best to guard villages like ours from the things," a young woman pipes up. "He wore some light armor and bore a magnificent katana, but I couldn't see his face."
LN Twilight Halfling Sorcerer (Investigator ) 7 | 25 ft. speed | HP 42/48 | AC 22 Resistances evil 3| F +11 R +12 W + 14| Perc +12 T +1 Pursuing Lead (low-light vision; Expert prof for finding hidden things )| Stealth +12 | Focus 1 | Active Conditions: none
"We heard that our comrades were charged with the care of a fine katana." notes Hamir. "Perhaps, this lone warrior is one of our missing. What more could you tell us of him?"
No one is able to conjure up more details on the warrior. Some shake their heads sadly at Chulyin's question. "They are no longer here," one replies. "The warrior is but one, as far as we know. He cannot fight hard enough to save us all. After a village, Tano, burned despite his efforts, others were abandoned. Some think of us as fools for remaining but we cannot afford to leave. Our rituals have kept the problem at bay until now anyway. Perhaps your help is what's needed?"
Barring any more questions, you press onward in the indicated direction. The road is easy to follow, as any branches you find are dead ends or quickly return to the main route. Snow occasionally falls from collected masses atop the tree line.
About a day into this leg of the journey, a strange sight appears. A drag mark in the snow inches towards you, but stops a short distance away. A flurry falls almost only in its general area. The snow accumulates on the air as if an invisible person stood there, then is slowly shaken off again.
What are everyone's exploration tactics?
Nature or Religion:
DC 10:
Spoiler:
This is a minor kami, looking to possess a member of your team to better interact with you. Such nature spirits are not strong enough to wrest away control of their host body, but can impart memories this way.
CN Male Goblin (Unbreakable) Rogue 2 | HP 32/32 | AC 19 | F +7 R +8 W +5 | Perc [E] +5 | Stealth [T] +6 | Speed: 25ft | Darkvision | Active Conditions: Frightened 2 | Exploration: Avoid Notice
For the most part, Loohi generally stays towards the front of the group keeping his eyes open and his ears listening. As the group moves deeper into the dark wood, he decides to move forward and stay quiet in an attempt to avoid notice. As soon as he sees the invisible void, he steps back, holding up his hand and whispers back to the others, "Keep aways from there. That might be an evil kami. All bads."
LN Twilight Halfling Sorcerer (Investigator ) 7 | 25 ft. speed | HP 42/48 | AC 22 Resistances evil 3| F +11 R +12 W + 14| Perc +12 T +1 Pursuing Lead (low-light vision; Expert prof for finding hidden things )| Stealth +12 | Focus 1 | Active Conditions: none
Hamir pauses, then thinks for a moment, before suggesting, "If it's intentions are evil, then I can provide a protective spell to ward one against such intentions."
NG Male Human (Sarkorian) Halycon Druid 9 | HP 106/106 | AC 27 (28/29) | F +16 R +16 W +18 | Perc +17 | Stealth +13 | 30 ft | Hero 1/3 | focus 1/1 | wand 1/1 | staff 6/6 | spells 1: 2 2: 3 3: 3 4: 3 5: 1 | halcyon: 1 | Active Conditions: toughness, catfall, resist fire 5, evil 3 (adj. allies), negative 1, cold 1, electricity 1, regenerate 1 hp/min
Somewhere between Sense Direction and Track since we're trying to find our way in a wood that changes its paths.
Nature (T):1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Unless there is more information to be gained from a critical success that might change this...
"No. Do not fear," Chulyin says to the others as he slowly approaches the invisible shape in the falling snow. "This one is a minor spirit, and I do not believe it means any harm."
He squats down in the snow and reaches out a hand, palm up, toward the kami.
Male NG Dwarf | Monk 1 | HP 23/23 | AC 15 | Fort +8 | Reflex +5 | Will +6 | Perception +4 | Speed 20ft | Active Conditions: None
Ravelgar moves with the cart, ready to spring into action at the first sign of danger. He almost drops into stance of the mountain at the sign of the invisible creature but relaxes at his team mates words.
Ravelgar observes Lilic closing in on the spot where the Kami resides and thinks Oh my, that one certainly has heart. Glad to be traveling with one so brave!
Lillic courageously steps up and is rewarded with a flood of memories not his own.
Lillic:
The image comes to you as your own memory would, but cracked around the edges. You watch from an above as an old man scrambles through a forest. A small wagon tears off in the distance. The man had just been repairing it, and bid the woman driving to go without him, as it wouldn't yet support his weight. He stops his mad dash and turns around to sit down. Not long behind him is an oncoming horde of ravenous animals.
In what appears to be more recent imagery, you see the caravan Amara Li described. Lin Po, Ti Lan, and several others stagger about blindly, occasionally shooting or swinging a punch and hitting themselves. Each wears a translucent mask bedecked with many yellow eyes and horns. From the treeline, a humanoid with a fox's head and tail slings rocks at them. Shortly after, he sprints to the back of one caravan and hauls away a jangling bag before making his exit.
Once per encounter, you can reroll a save. You also gain Weakness 2 to natural attacks.
HP 44/44 | 1/1 Hero Points | (Trap Finder) Perc’ +10 (+11 vs. traps) ; Stealth +8 ; Speed 25 ft. | (Deny Advantage) AC 19 (20 vs. traps) | Fort' +10 ; Ref' +10 ; Will +10 (+1 vs. traps)
Active conditions: Deny Advantage ; Exploration: Avoid Notice
"Yes... we must track Fox-Man to get to the stolen bag,
But also beware "masks of yellows eyes and horns", that make us attack ourselves. Is that something this Fox-Man brought on?
And then... what is that old vision? The man who stayed behind to save his woman. Did die to ravenous animals? Is he the Fox-Man?"
NG Male Human (Sarkorian) Halycon Druid 9 | HP 106/106 | AC 27 (28/29) | F +16 R +16 W +18 | Perc +17 | Stealth +13 | 30 ft | Hero 1/3 | focus 1/1 | wand 1/1 | staff 6/6 | spells 1: 2 2: 3 3: 3 4: 3 5: 1 | halcyon: 1 | Active Conditions: toughness, catfall, resist fire 5, evil 3 (adj. allies), negative 1, cold 1, electricity 1, regenerate 1 hp/min
"I am not specifically familiar with them," Chulyin says. "We need to find both the stolen relics and our lost comrades--hopefully alive. Keep an eye out for both."
The fox-man is a kitsune, a species of shape-changing humanoids local to Tian Xia.
No one is quite sure how best to piece together the various tidbits, and the kami isn't offering explanations. Lillic feels it exit his body. It leaves behind a sense of calmness and desire to do good, but is also making him feel countless bites and claw marks that aren't there.
Within a few hours, you find it - the caravan! Several wagons trundle down a path that joins with the one you were taking. All of a sudden, they stop. You see two people who look to be Lin Po and Ti Lan in the second cart. No one notices you, even if you signal them or make noise, until you get closer. At that point, Lin Po yells frantically, "Wait! Stay back or-"
But it's too late! Dozens of ghostly faces erupt from thin air. They swirl about and try to shove the masks you saw onto anyone too slow to get away. Several caravan workers are hatted. Lillic feels a chill as he remembers - these must be the murderous spirits he heard about!
The area inside the circle is affected. The hazard won initiative, but everyone roll your flat checks against fear. Lillic, you are automatically frightened 1, or 2 if you fail the flat check.
HP 44/44 | 1/1 Hero Points | (Trap Finder) Perc’ +10 (+11 vs. traps) ; Stealth +8 ; Speed 25 ft. | (Deny Advantage) AC 19 (20 vs. traps) | Fort' +10 ; Ref' +10 ; Will +10 (+1 vs. traps)
Active conditions: Deny Advantage ; Exploration: Avoid Notice
Society, trained:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
"Around here they call the fox-man a kitsune, they are shape-changers", says Lilic, while rubbing and scratching himself all over, as if he were bit by giant mosquitoes.
Frightened, Lilic tries to not shake even more--
Flat Check:1d20 ⇒ 18
Male NG Human (Tien) Monk 1 | HP 19/19 | AC 17 | Hero Points: 1/3 | F: +6, R: +7, W: +7 | Perc: +5 | Speed 25ft | Unarmed Strike +7, 1d6+4 | Active conditions: None.
Flat check:1d20 ⇒ 14
"Gah!" Shirota says, jumping back a little, but he regains his composure assuming the DC is the same as last time/14 is enough to beat it, if not, he does not regain his composure.
LN Twilight Halfling Sorcerer (Investigator ) 7 | 25 ft. speed | HP 42/48 | AC 22 Resistances evil 3| F +11 R +12 W + 14| Perc +12 T +1 Pursuing Lead (low-light vision; Expert prof for finding hidden things )| Stealth +12 | Focus 1 | Active Conditions: none
Loohi looks a bit spooked at the spirits' sudden appearance. Hamir seems unfazed, until suddenly the masks are forced over goblin and halfling both!
"Calm these spirits down!" Ti Lan calls, ducking under a spectral mask. "They are vicious, but respond to most any overtures at peace!"
You can roll Occultism or Religion to try exorcising the spirits. Alternatively, Diplomacy, Nature, Occultism, or Religion to calm them slightly and lower the first check's DC. Each try is 2 actions. The first to do either gets a successful Aid from Lin Po and Ti Lan.
Hamir:
With the mask over your face, you start seeing things. Everywhere you look is an image of yourself suffering awful wounds from the surroundings. You are suddenly seized by the urge to follow their example.
Your first action this turn is to attack yourself with environmental debris. The attack roll is +16, for 1d6+3 damage. Your fear doesn't go away automatically, but will at the end of your turn with a DC 18 Will save.
Loohi:
With the mask over your face, you start seeing things. Everywhere you look is an image of yourself suffering awful wounds from the surroundings. You suddenly feel an urge to inflict similar injuries on yourself, but suppress it.
Your fear will go away normally at the end of your turn.
HP 44/44 | 1/1 Hero Points | (Trap Finder) Perc’ +10 (+11 vs. traps) ; Stealth +8 ; Speed 25 ft. | (Deny Advantage) AC 19 (20 vs. traps) | Fort' +10 ; Ref' +10 ; Will +10 (+1 vs. traps)
Active conditions: Deny Advantage ; Exploration: Avoid Notice
Shaking out of fear, Lilic looks around, and tries to remain under control.
He sees Loohi Loohi and Hamir become masked--
--but also hears Ti Lan calling out about the spirits to be calmed.
So Lilic thinks back to when he would meet and talk with the fey, in the forest near the family farm.
He opens his hands and tries to find words that might soothe the spirits, explaining that there is no need for antagonism--
Religion, trained, frightened:1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 7 - 1 = 14
LN Twilight Halfling Sorcerer (Investigator ) 7 | 25 ft. speed | HP 42/48 | AC 22 Resistances evil 3| F +11 R +12 W + 14| Perc +12 T +1 Pursuing Lead (low-light vision; Expert prof for finding hidden things )| Stealth +12 | Focus 1 | Active Conditions: none
With the mask obscuring his face, Hamir appears to momentarily panic, then gain his composure. Waving his hand and muttering, he draws nearby stones and sticks toward himself, which batter him considerably.
Struggling to maintain his composure, it is clear that the spirits about him are urging on a stronger force within him, one he cannot
easily contain.
The force within thwarts his efforts to placate the spirits, causing the halfling's ire to approach a boiling point.
More intimately familiar with this inner diabolical force and the threat it poses, Hamir switches his focus, steeling his mind and will in an effort to once again contain the evil seeking to erupt from within him.
He succeeds in driving back the infernal energy that had been welling up from within and, in the process, manages to shake off the effects of the spirits, at least for the moment.
"Let us end this...quickly." he barely manages to say aloud through battered lips.
CN Male Goblin (Unbreakable) Rogue 2 | HP 32/32 | AC 19 | F +7 R +8 W +5 | Perc [E] +5 | Stealth [T] +6 | Speed: 25ft | Darkvision | Active Conditions: Frightened 2 | Exploration: Avoid Notice
As a wave out self-doubt and self-loathing passes, Loohi blindly calls out to try and appease the spirits "We are nots worthy of your meanness. Please, go from this place and leaves us in peace." He then moves through his colleagues back the way they came.
NG Male Human (Sarkorian) Halycon Druid 9 | HP 106/106 | AC 27 (28/29) | F +16 R +16 W +18 | Perc +17 | Stealth +13 | 30 ft | Hero 1/3 | focus 1/1 | wand 1/1 | staff 6/6 | spells 1: 2 2: 3 3: 3 4: 3 5: 1 | halcyon: 1 | Active Conditions: toughness, catfall, resist fire 5, evil 3 (adj. allies), negative 1, cold 1, electricity 1, regenerate 1 hp/min
Chulyin frowns with concern as the masks affix themselves to his comrades. He moves away from the immediate threat of his possessed companion and begins a Magambyaan chant to exorcise the evil spirit possessing Hamir.
Hamir isn't looking good, but manages to shake off the mask. Loohi's efforts see the spirits swirl around him a bit slower. "Positive energy, perhaps? Channel it through one affected by the spirits...but it may take too long," Lin Po muses. "Best to calm them rather than kill."
