OutPost III: GM Kate's Grehunde's Gorget (Inactive)

Game Master Kate Baker

Splash!

You have all been summoned to the Lodge in Iceferry, in the Land of the Linnorm Kings. Introduce your characters, and describe how they're doing in the cold weather!

"Too bad yer not a polar bar, huh, girl?" A halfling playfully dashes in the lodge, hopping up onto a chair much larger than he. Not far behind him prowls a grizzly bear, leaving snowy pawprints all over the entryway. "Kinda cold, this place, but I guess the snow and ice is kinda cool to play in. Gotta get me some of 'em ice boots that let ya glide around! That'd be cool, huh?"

The sandy-haired, happy-looking halfling looks around at the others. "I'm Damien, and this here is Ruby. Nice ta meet ya!"

A tall, dark-haired man with weathered skin nods at the bear as it follows the halfling into the lodge. The winter furs and leathers that he wears masks his thin frame, but it is still clear that he is no brawler. "In the Taldane tongue, I am White Hawk. Qigip, in my own. The snow and ice can be fun and beautiful but also dangerous. Be careful to always give it the respect it is due," he says, smiling kindly. He appears enviably less troubled by the cold than others.

A tattooed half elven man quickly makes his way inside the lodge, giving a shimmy shake and ruffling of his cloak "So, if we're going to be outside I'm going to need some heavier clothing than this."

He scans the room and introduces himself to the Halfling with a handshake "JR Peppers, just call me JR, Damien." He gives the bear a look of respect and admiration, and tries to make nice with the beast.. from afar... to no avail. "Never been great with animals. I'm more of a plant guy I guess."

Nature: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Lothar moves closer to the fire to warm himself. There must be a fire, right?

"I'm Lothar Kuze. Not really an animal person either, but I do know enough to get by in the wilds" he says with a nod of greeting towards the others inside.

"I thought I'd seen cold winters in Nirmathas, but this weather makes that look like a warm summer day!" he says as he shakes some of the snow from his boots.

As you gather at the Lodge, you are greeted by a gnome named Lirall, who prominently wears a wayfinder. After letting you into the Lodge, she selects one cord labeled “Office” from a bundle of colored cords near the door.

The loud howl from a dog echoes throughout the building, followed by a trio of scampering, blue skinned goblins dashing down the hall. A large husky bursts into the hallway, snarling at the goblins until a tall half orc emerges a moment later and lays a calming hand on her back. He gestures for you to follow him into a meeting room, seemingly ignoring the goblins.

Venture Captain Bjersig Torrsen begins explaining the situation, his dog Mahki sitting attentively nearby. As he speaks aloud, the half orc punctuates his words with phrases in a sign language.

"Apologies for the ruckus. The Frostfurs are talented scouts, but they have an adversarial relationship with Mahki. She doesn’t particularly like them either."

"Blue goblins.. of the north I take it? It takes some getting used to working with goblins I must admit." He shakes his head and offers a hand in greeting to the VC. "I'm JR Peppers, and I grew up in Isger. The Goblin Blood Wars have shaped the history of my lands and most there still hold a strong grudge. I've been able to work past it, thanks to my Pathfinder training."

Cynehelm's experience with long nights on watch duty have made him somewhat inured to cold, but this is a bit much; stepping inside is a relief that he's not ashamed to show. They've also made him a good listener.

Qigiq chuckles at the Venture-Captains description of the husky and goblins relationship.

"Well awright then, JR!" Damien hops up to give JR Peppers a high five, but he's more than likely kept hanging.

At Mahki's entrance, Ruby finds herself suddenly curious. The bear lazily gets up and strolls over, sitting obediently in front of the husky. "Be nice, gurl," Damien calls. "Mahki's the VC's. Don't be maulin' anyone, please, or they might kick me outta the Society."

"Do the goblins have something to do with our assignment?" he asks.

A 6'4" tall Ulfen man makes his way into the group, wearing winter furs and several weapons. He just looks a the group and grunts. "Fafrd reporting for duty. Good to be home."

"No, No, they're just here working on another project. But yes, to the reason I called you here! The Grenskuldr family traces their lineage back to the storied warrior Grehunde the Sun Chaser, a Linnorm King who ruled over the city of Jol and whose victories in battle were legendary. The family still has a lot of influence. I’ve asked them to help out the Society, and they’ve asked for a favor in exchange. That’s where you come in. Are you familiar with Valenhall?”

I'm assuming that people will generally want to make checks for skills they are trained in. If you want to make an untrained Society check there, let me know!

Fafrd, like any good Ulfen, knows that the Linnorm King Ulvass sailed to Arcadia in –473 ar and established Valenhall. Brave Ulfens dream of making the perilous journey there at the end of their lives. King Sveinn Blood-Eagle recently did exactly this.

Lothar knows that Valenhall is well-defended by walls as well as powerful creatures: einheriers, valkyries, and a trio of norns. The partly supernatural settlement takes no interest in current affairs of the world.

I generally don't want to make Recall Knowledge checks that I'm untrained in, so I'm good. :)

"No," Qigiq answers. "Is it a place or a ritual?"

"I'm afraid my knowledge is pretty limited, especially in this part of the world. I'll be excited if I can identify some of the plants and animals we come across, but the local customs and cities are beyond me." He continues to listen on, curious to what the favor they will be called on to complete.

In Cynehelm's opinion, one place and people are pretty much like any other. As usual, he keeps that opinion to himself.

"I've heard of the place. I once read a report on their defences when researching defensive walls for my Mentor's keep. It seems that strong walls combined with powerful defenders like Valkyries and Norns are very effective. I also read that they are a partly supernatural settlement that has no real interest in most of what goes on in Golarion."

He thinks for a moment before continuing.

"It mostly read like something out of myth to be honest. Are you telling me that is where we are going?" he says with disbelief clear in his voice.

"It would be a valiant voyage to undertake, twer that the one we be doing. Following the footsteps of King Ulvass would be a fine way to die."

"No, you won't be going that far. Grehunde the Sunchaser never got to sail off to Valenhall—she died in what she planned to be her last battle. Her gorget was passed down to her descendants, most recently Hlavard Grenskuldr, also a Linnorm King. Hlavard was an impressive warrior in his youth, but a month ago he sailed off toward Valenhall to set up a shrine to Grehunde there and finish her journey. He planned to ensure the gorget found its final home in a place of honor. Unfortunately, something happened to his ship, the Shoreseeker, along the way. Merchants report that the ship is still partially above water, but they didn’t get close enough to find out what happened. While his children respected Hlavard’s decision, they would rather not have their father’s body and the priceless family heirloom at the bottom of the sea. I’d like you to find the ship and retrieve Hlavard and the gorget. I’ve arranged a ship for you, the Wandering Hearth, to follow the Shoreseeker’s path through the Steaming Sea. Any questions about your mission?"

"I have a few... what are the water conditions around the ship. Are there known shoals and currents? What sort of creatures inhabit those waters as well?"

FYI - GM Kate, I just want to let you know that I've run this one once

Fafrd, Damien, and Qigiq have heard that the Steaming Sea is named for the thick mist that hangs over the waters. Frequent volcanic activity from the Hellrung Mountains leads to the sudden formation of new islands and ridges.

Lothar and JR have heard that the Steaming Sea is very safe due to the trade routes that lead merchant ships through frequently.

VC Torrsen says, "Well, there'll be bad weather, for certain. There are some dangerous creatures in those waters, but you should be pretty safe on board the ship; you're with a very experienced captain. The ship itself is not totally sunken, based on the reports from merchants. We don't really know what happened to it, though. The crew made it to shore on a lifeboat, but their stories conflict. Something may have attacked the ship, or it may have just run aground of something, and Hlavard told them to leave while he investigated. He never lit the signal light that said it was okay for the crew to return, so they made their way back home."

"His ship may have struck one of the volcanic ridges common in the Steaming Sea," Qigiq poses.

"Well I'm glad we don't have to go diving under the waves to find this ship. I much prefer dry land than going to sea but swimming wouldn't do my poor crossbow any good at all. says Lothar as he pets the stowed crossbow on his back.

"Swimming around in the ocean is foolish to begin with. There are plenty of things to eat you in a lake or river, never mind in the sea!" JR imagines looking over the ocean from the safety of the ship, but his stomach still gets a bit queasy.

"I'm surprised the ship hasn't had any issues with pirates trying to claim that valuable gorget. None of the merchant ships even tried to make a landing?" He asks. "What about if there's locals aboard that don't approve of our mission?"

"Yeah! Lothar 'n JR said it!" Damien brightens up. "I can't imagine puttin' ol' Ruby underwater. What kinda grizzly bear would find a home in the sea anyway? I dunno! Not this one, at least not unless she could somehow breathe water. Dunno how ya'd get her ta do that, though. Some weird magic s*&*, probably."

"The merchant ships were too cautious to approach given the dangers in the area. Pirates are certainly a possibility, which is why I want you to get there first. As I said, you shouldn't have to go underwater. If our information is wrong and the entire ship is sunk, we'll need a new plan, but I hope this will be quick, easy, and dry."

If you have no more questions, you are free to make purchases or just rest up in the Iceferry Lodge for the next day's journey.

The next morning, you board the Wandering Hearth. The captain is Eynilla Vriggdahl, a middle-aged Ulfen woman.

"Hrmmph. Pathfinders, huh? New ones, by the look of you. Are you prepared for this journey? Do you have all your supplies? The route is far from a safe one."

Why does everyone keep saying its so dangerous? I've always been told the opposite. Maybe half elves are more welcomed by pirates... just in case though I should stock up.

"Well, some more scrolls could be a good idea. I'll stock up before we leave, just in case." JR heads to town for some purchases.

Fafrd requisitions a potency crystal and a healing potion, lesser from the Swords.

"I stand ready to face the winds and seas." states Fafrd.

"Yep, I got all supplied up!" Damien replies, his grizzly bear following close behind him aboard the ship. "Got me one of 'em boat-tan-see crystals. Makes yer weapon glow! And had ta get a healin' potion too, cuz ya never know."

Qigiq purchases a set of fresh healer's tools and loads the most frequently used materials into his bandolier. "Do we have rope in case we need to haul something up or dive for something?" he asks. "I am used to following the stars across the tundra and can hunt fish and seal from a kayak, but diving is not a strength of mine."

"I have rope. Thought it was part of the standard kit."

"I've grabbed a few things from the lodge too so I think we're ready to head off. Need any help with the ship Captain Vriggdahl?" offers Lothar, mostly out of a sense of professional courtesy.

"Not right now, but there's some bad weather ahead. Always is."

Captain Vriggdahl's worries are not unfounded. As the ship journeys through the Steaming Sea, a storm strikes. Winds and rain strike the ship from seemingly every direction.

The crew desperately keep the ship upright, but the torrential rain and heavy waves batter everything on board. You may be able to help reduce the damage to the ship and their supplies.

You may attempt Sailing Lore to help Captain Vriggdahl sail the ship, Athletics to secure crates and equipment or Climb the rigging, or DC 15 Acrobatics to secure ropes at the sides of the ship without falling overboard.

You don't think you can make things worse by trying to help, but might put yourself at risk.

FYI - I have +1 hero point from my campaign coin (that I can allow others to use)... should note I slotted that boon... forgot. And as a 1 glyph GM I can give one person +1 hero point. 1d5 ⇒ 4 goes to Lothar!

Even though the check is worse, it makes more sense...
sailing lore to help: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
HERO POINT: sailing lore to help: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Unfamiliar with this sort of vessel, Qigiq keeps himself out of the way of trouble.

"I thought this was going to a be a safe trip!" Hollers JR as he holds on for dear life.

"I've got some rope if someone needs it, but I don't think there's much I can do to help.. I'd probably just get in the way!" He keeps himself hunkered down, no sense in making matters worse falling overboard.

Sorry guys, not trained in any of those and not worth it trying to make a DC15 untrained Acro check.

Oops, I didn't mean to leave that DC in! For what it's worth, the three have different DCs and the Acrobatics one is the hardest.

Cynehelm puts himself to use pushing and pulling things as directed by those with more know-how. Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Looks like we still need checks from Lothar and Damien, or a statement that you're not attempting a check. I'll summarize successes once everyone has gone.

”Come on, Pathfinders! All hands must help out in a storm !”

"Hold still, damn it!" Damien scurries over to the crates, putting his halfling might to the test as he props himself between a box and the side of the ship. "Ruby, can ya help us out too? C'mon!"

Athletics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

My animal companion similarly has +6, but I'm unfamiliar 1) how aiding another works in PF2, 2) if I'd even be able to command her to do this. Putting the check here anyway

Athletics, Ruby: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Lothar tries his best to help the others securing ropes.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Well as i have an extra Hero Point may as well use it now.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Thanks dice...

Fafrd dives into action, helping take over the main till so Captain Vriggdahl can direct her crew!

Cynehelm can't quite get the crates moved quickly enough.

Damien is able to just barely move a crate!

I'm going to say the animal can't aid, since I think this is too complex an action.

Lothar, despite his best efforts, can't quite help with the ropes and narrowly stops himself from going overboard.

As the storm clears, Captain Vriggdahl surveys the damage. "Good work, Pathfinders. I think we can spare some of our supplies to help you on your mission, seeing as you saved quite a bit of them."

She hands you two crowbars, two spears, and two lesser elixirs of healing.

"Shoreseeker is in sight, Captain!" yells a sailor from the crow's nest.

Captain Vriggdahl pulls out her own spyglass to take a look at the ship.

"That's odd. I thought it might have run aground a volcanic ridge, it looks like it's on top of other wrecked ships."

Lothar and JR recognize the pile of wrecked ships as a sea serpent’s lair! Sea serpents are known for capsizing ships to build their homes.

JR emerges from his personal lock down to help clean up the ship after the storm passes. "Great work everyone. I don't know how to repay your efforts, at least until you need medical attention."

--------

"Huh, a bunch of wrecked ships in a pile, sounds a lot like a sea serpent nest. That's.. not good." He looks around at the swells with suspicious eyes. But is it an active nest or an old one...

"Sea serpents, huh?" Damien rubs a spot on his bicep, now sore from having held the box with all his might. "Guess we got no choice but to go and check it out, 'n hope that we don't run into any of these serpents."

”Sea serpents? I am not worried.” says the Ulfen rogue. ”They’ll be more afraid of us than we are of them. Or they should be. ”

"I have never encountered a sea serpent," Qigiq says. "I understand they are fearsome beasts. Perhaps a measure of caution is warranted."

"Sea serpents? Hmmm. Those are awfully big, and I would think it would have attacked by now. Well, let's be quick about this and get out." The ship approaches the wrecked Shoreseeker.

Captain Vriggdahl brings the ship around and crew members lay down boards so you can cross.

Can I get a marching order on the boards, please? Also, please verify that you have your exploration mode activity entered into Slide 3.

Junior approaches the boards with caution, letting the others lead the way. His eyes stay focused on the wrecked ship ahead. This doesn't seem like the best mission for new recruits!