GM Silbeg's 1-05 Trailblazer's Bounty (Inactive)

Game Master Silbeg

You move forward into the caves. More rubble and refuse is everywhere, signs of a home that has been ransacked, but nothing of value is left here.

A, B, C, D?

Nina votes A again.

"If the ogre is on the other side, we can run back through the narrow passageway!"

Chulyin nods and prepares to head through the narrow tunnel.

"Hopefully we can loop around this whole accursed place before the ogre notices," Yaegren whispers, nodding in agreement.

"Hopefully we can loop around this whole accursed place before the ogre notices," Yaegren whispers, nodding in agreement.

Considering we aren't being all that quiet he's either not home, dead, or sleeping... I'm voting for sleeping!

JR nods and follows along, trying to keep as silent as possible as he looks for anything interesting.. or a hiding huge ogre ready to squash them.

Chulyin moves forward, noticing another fork in the tunnel. The stench here is terrible, making one wonder who would live in such a place. You hear the sound of flatulence coming from the direction of 2.

Tokens moved up, but that's about it.

Yaegren votes to continue their long loop around the caves, moving towards A again. "Chulyin, can you talk to the wind as well? Wouldn't mind a good strong gust of that shortly."

Nina will repeat Shield instead of Detect Magic.

She will follow Yaegren. If he wants, Nina was cast Magic Weapon on his battleaxe.

The group moves forward, going deeper into the cave system. The roundabout path does not make the stench, which you can now taste lessen. In fact, by now the Pathfinders are wondering if they can ever get rid of the horrid smell and tastes from the mouths and noses.

Chulyin can hear some chittering coming from "A", some sort of animal-like sounds.

direction next?

Reminder, in encounter mode, you are moving at a rate based on speeds from table 9-2 Travel speeds. So, Yaegren will be moving at 200' per minute, but if you are taking an exploration activity, that is halved to 100' per minute.

Because of this, I am going to assume Nina did not cast magic weapon as it took slightly over a minute to get this far from the last post. It is really a last moment or encounter mode spell.

"There are animals that way," Chulyin says, pointing to the right. "The sound reminds me of rats. Maybe it is where the dead have been piled. We should keep looking for the ogre to see if we can catch him while he sleeps. We can search the rest of these caves once the ogre is dealt with."

"Agreed, so long as we don't end up fighting everyone at the same time."

"That may be unavoidable since the sound of battle is likely to draw whatever else is down here," he says.

JR continues to follow along in silent, now holding his shirt over his mouth and nose to breath through. Maybe if we let him sit in this stink long enough he'll just pass out from it?

A massive pile of refuse lies in the middle of this room. Animal parts and partially eaten fruit and vegetables make up most of the pile, and flies lazily buzz around the perimeter. Tunnels exit in all four directions.

Currently distracted with his latest meal, a boar carcass, the ogre sits with his back to the refuse pile, casually leaning on it.

As the light comes into the room, the animals, not quite the mice opr rats that Chulyin was expecting, shriek and start moving to attack. This does get the attention of the ogre!

Note, the stalagmite on the map is actually the refuse pile!

The critter that is covered with orange goop move up to Chulyin and starts biting! It misses twices, its teeth scraping his armor.
bite vs AC19: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
bite vs AC19: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 7 - 4 = 15

The ogre manages to stand himself up, and starts chucking refuse at Chulyin. The first clod misses, but something that might have been the thigh of an orc, in armor, hits Chulyin right in the face!
refuse! vs AC19: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
refuse! vs AC19: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 Bludgeoning: 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Chulyin, Nina, Yaegren, Ryk, JR is/are up.
Universal Adjustments:

Nina will cast shield on herself, and then magic weapon on Yaegren's battleaxe.

Huh, my post got eaten. No issue now that we're in combat.

Yaegren nods in thanks as he passes by Nina. His short sprint into the new chamber is cut short, with a jump upon noticing the aggressive animals. Eager for another moment away from the hurled refuse, he swings at the rat-like thing menacing Chulyin.

Stride, Rage, Strike.

+1 Striking Battleaxe vs. Orange: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 1 = 10
Damage: 2d8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5, 6) + 2 + 2 = 15

JR's eyes double in size as the edge of the light illuminates not only the ogre but also some strange animals! "Static... CLING!" He casts, and a zort of electricity jumps between the ogre and the orange 'thing'.

2 action cast and then recall knowledge vs 'animals'? +4 Nature. If not nature then I'll 'take cover' behind Ryk for +2? AC

Electric Arc, 30' Range: Basic Reflex Save DC17: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Yaegren invokes his inner toddler, and uses this to strike at the critter, but all he manages to do it take a big chunk out of the floor.

reflex critter DC17: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
reflex ogre DC17: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

The critter manages to completely avoid the arc of electricity, while the big humanoid avoids some of it.

FYI - while I used "ogre" that's an assumption you likely make as you were told an ogre would be here. Technically still needs a recall knowledge

JR does not quite know what these critters are. He is pretty sure that they are not ogres.

Chulyin reels for a moment as he is clobbered in the head. He shakes sense back into his head and gestures at the far (green) rodent and says, "Kill it."

He then weaves a complex gesture and chants words of primal power. Flames dance on his fingers and then a giant sphere of fire manifests over the further (purple) rodent.

Command, Cast flaming sphere (s, v)

Fire (Basic Save vs. DC 18): 3d6 ⇒ (5, 2, 3) = 10

The jaguar bounds around the corner and snaps at the (green) giant rodent.

Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
P: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Chulyin orders his unnamed pet forward, as he casts a spell. A ball of fire appears with the crittter, who shrieks out in pain before it dies a cruel death.
reflex save DC18: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 Ouch! Crit fail!

Meanwhile the cat misses the rodent.

Ryk shoots his bow at the ogre, but misses three times.
bow: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
bow: 1d20 + 7 - 5 ⇒ (10) + 7 - 5 = 12
bow: 1d20 + 7 - 10 ⇒ (5) + 7 - 10 = 2

The green critter bites ineffectively at the cat.
green bite cat: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
green bite cat: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 7 - 4 = 7
green bite cat: 1d20 + 7 - 8 ⇒ (4) + 7 - 8 = 3

Orange bites at Chulyin, hitting twice!
bite! vs AC19: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25 piercing + poison: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
bite! vs AC19: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 7 - 4 = 22 piercing + poison: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
bite! vs AC19: 1d20 + 7 - 8 ⇒ (7) + 7 - 8 = 6

Chulyin fort 1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 Save!
Chulyin fort 2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 Save!

The big loud stinky humanoid picks up his axe, and swings it at the jaguar.
AXE! vs AC18: 1d2 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

The blade continues on towards Yaegren.
AXE! vs AC18: 1d2 + 11 - 5 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 11 - 5 + 1 = 9

And back again at Yaegren
AXE! vs AC18: 1d2 + 11 - 10 ⇒ (1) + 11 - 10 = 2
Those were some amazing rolls there.

Chulyin, Nina, Yaegren, Ryk, JR is/are up.
Universal Adjustments:

Nina half-heartedly asks, "You wouldn't want to talk, would you?" Assuming he doesn't respond, or responds in a language other than what she understands (Common, Mwangi, Goblin), she's going to shrug and not try any more.

She'll step up so that the ogre is within 30', and cast Heal on Chulyin.

2-action Heal: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Yaegren takes a quick swing at the rodent as he leaves it behind to engage the ogre.

+1 Striking Battle Axe vs. Orange: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 1 = 15
Damage: 2d8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5, 7) + 2 + 2 = 16

Strike, Stride, Strike. AoO contingency: if the ogre has one and connects, I'll drink my juggernaut mutagen in place of the second strike.

+1 Striking Battle Axe vs. Ogre: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 5 ⇒ (16) + 6 + 1 - 5 = 18
Damage: 2d8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (3, 3) + 2 + 2 = 10

"Thank you," Chulyin says simply as Nina restores his strength and heals his wounds. He concentrates on the sphere of fire, and the ball rolls across the cave toward the ogre. He then speaks a word of arcane power and an intricate, translucent shield forms in front of him.

He commands the jaguar, "Finish it."

Sustain a Spell, Cast (V), Command

Fire (Basic Reflex vs. DC 18): 3d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 3) = 12

AC: 20
Reaction: Shield Block 5

Chulyin does not name his companions because he does not own them. Also, they're so breakable that I risk burning through a lot of aliases.

The jaguar agilely springs out of the way of the rodents rapid snapping. He rolls out of the arc of the ogre's axe and then bites and swipes at the giant rodent (green).

Strike, Strike

Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
P: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Claw: 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 8 - 4 = 13
S: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Not that it mattered because they all missed, but you gave the ogre 4 actions: Interact, Strike, Strike, Strike.

"Huh, not much static there.. let's try again. Static Cling!" He sends another arcing bit of electricity between the ogre and the green thing, then takes a step forward.

Electric Arc, 30' Range: Basic Reflex Save DC17: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Being in the back limits my spell options. Being in the front limits my living through this options... guess I'll do this for now. I can also add to the healing if Nina wants to take a more offensive role.

Nina has fewer offensive options than JR! :) She does have Divine Lance, and will see if he's got a weakness to lawful or good. She can also Daze and hope he crit fails his save. But overall, she (by design) does very little damage.

Nina heals Chulyin, while Yaegren strikes the varmint. He chops the thing in half, and then moves up to try and do the same to the ogre, but his axe deflects off of its hide armor.

Chulyin rolls his ball of fire at the ogre, who dodge out of the way.
ogre reflex DC18: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

The cat moves up to attack the greenish critter, finishing it off.

JR then lets loose an electric arc, which does hurt the big humanoid.
ogre reflex DC17: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Ryk then moves to get a better shot and then shoots his longbow, but he misses.
bow: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

The ogre then steps back from the fire, and attacks Yaegreb.
battleaxe vs AC17: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28 slashing: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 Ouch, critical for 26!

As Yaegren still stands, he swings again, but misses!
battleaxe vs AC17: 1d20 + 11 - 5 ⇒ (4) + 11 - 5 = 10 slashing: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Chulyin, Nina, Yaegren, Ryk, JR is/are up.
Universal Adjustments:

Nina will activate her Angelic Halo and then cast Heal on Yaegren. Unfortunately, he will not be in the halo.

2-action Heal: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Yaegren grunts his thanks again, as pain suddenly shoots through him and is partially alleviated. He throws back the drink he was holding, then advances and swings again. "Running? I'm not done over here!"

Drink Juggernaut Mutagen (5 temp. HP), Stride, Strike.

+1 Striking Battleaxe: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 6 + 1 = 18
Damage: 2d8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (2, 3) + 2 + 2 = 9

"Well done," Chulyin compliments his jaguar. He concentrates a moment, and the flaming sphere rolls after the ogre. He then gestures and speaks words of power. Restorative energy rises from the cave floor and infuses the dwarf.

Sustain a Spell, Cast (V, S) 1st level heal @ Yaegren

Fire (Basic Reflex vs. DC 18): 3d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 6) = 15

Heal: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Now that all those creatures are gone, I can get a clear shot at this stinky ogre! Quickly races through the half elf's mind, he moves up and into the room next to Chulyin.

He conjures up a ball of elemental fire and tosses it at the ogre!
Produce Flame, 30' Range: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 211d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

As he is being healed, Yaegren hits the ogre again!

Then, the ball of fire moves, causing him to avoid it once more. The big lug does not avoid it, and collapses from the damage.
reflex DC18: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Combat over!!

Summing up

[ooc]Not going to beleaguer the point that you search everything

In the refuse heap, the Pathfinders find the remains of a few orcs. The metal of their gear has began to rust, while their leather is starting to rot, giving an idea of how foul the Ogre's refuse is. Two other bodies are also in there, partially eaten, but probably human.

Between the Ogre's gear, and that found in the refuse heap, you find gold earrings set with gems, the other a set of silver bracelet, ogre-sized hide armor, 6 javelins, and an ogre sized battleaxe.

Moving into the bedroom (marked on the map), you find a chamber has been turned into a makeshift bedroom. Beds have been pulled from elsewhere in the cave and pushed together to form one large misshapen sleeping place. The beds have collapsed and now lean haphazardly against each other. The blankets and pillows are filthy, and flies buzz about. Tunnels exit to the north and south.

Searching through this all, which makes holding in the breakfast the orcs fed you challenging, yields a pile of copper and silver coins of Chelaxian, Isgeri, Druman, and Molthuni denominations.

Moving into the latrine makes you glad that you went the way that you did. This room was once a storeroom, apparently for leftover crates and bales, but has been recently and regularly used as a latrine. The jaguar outright refuses to go in there, and JR, Ror'Ryk, and Yaegren are all sickened 1 by the putrescence. You also realize that the retching would be loud enough to attract the attention of the ogre. You do not find anything here,

You return the orc encampment, with perhaps a stop at a mountain stream to clean yourselves, to be greeted by Grakcha. "So, how did it go, and what is that smell?"

"That, my friends, is the smell of victory."

Nina beams.

"No, its the smell of Ogre feet. And filth, and... " He stifles a small level of stomach heave, taking a long breath of his bag of fragrant herbs.

"The deed is done, you'll have to do the cleaning yourself." Showing them any particular item that would prove their story, if someone was willing to carry the stench with them.

"We found the remains of at least 3 orcs in the cave, as well as some humans, and all sorts of other detritus." He says, his voice muffled by the leather satchel.

"There can be no victory with a smell like that in the world," Yaegren grumbles, wheezing from exertion.

The dwarf chips in again when talking to Grakcha. "There was also a pest problem. I'd say we cleared out the worst of that, though some might still be hiding in corners. Not sure what exactly they were, but they seemed to have it good living off that thing's filth."

"It was successful," Chulyin says. "We have completed our task and you have your home back if you wish to claim it. Now, could we negotiate a safe path through your territory for merchant caravans?"

"Grakcha promised an accord, so an accord you have. Was I not clear?" she asks.

The orcs treat you to a feast where the primary consumable is a bathtub gin so strong that it makes pickle juice seem tame!

The next morning, you stagger out of camp to complete the final part of the voyage.

When you make it to Canorate, you meet up with the noble kids that you talked out of the adventure. They greet you with open arms, and thank you for saving their lives, after you tell your tale. They realize that had they likely would have died had they continued. They give you a animal staff in thanks.

You are also met by Karla Wesver, who started you on the mission. She asks you how things went.

"We found a path! It's a bit convoluted but it'll get from here to there. There are some orcs, one human, and a bunch of goats along the way, but they've all promised to behave. Oh, and we met some grossly unprepared nobles. Can't blame them, really ... the life of a noble isn't as idyllic as people think it is ..."

Chulyin lays out the charts and notes. "Here are the paths we explored," he says. "And these are our recommended routes."

"Surprising amount of wildlife about, but Chulyin here talked our way out of trouble every time on that score," Yaegren adds, thumping the human on the back. "Shouldn't be much issue for the next passersby. My only concern is that loose bit of mountain we nearly caused an avalanche at."

JR chuckles and ruffles his in need of a proper bath hair "Was truly an adventure. Complete with steep climbs, foul ogres and orcs that drink paint thinner." He holds his still upset stomach. "Not a route I'd travel daily for sure."

"Is it a safe route? That's what we need to know!"

Primary Objective: Cross the mountains

Secondary Objecting: earn 23 discovery points. You earned 27!

Faction bonus: You earn bonus reputation with the Horizon Hunters for earning 25 discovery points, which you did!

"The ones we recommend are the safest," Chulyin says and then continues, pointing to a few spots on the charts. "There are a few spots--here, here, and here--where the route will benefit from a team of engineers. We have made notes on those areas and marked them on the map. We also negotiated a treaty with the orc tribe that lives along our recommended path."

"Let us know if the orcs misbehave. I'm going to drop by and run some finishing school xlassws to teach them some human manners so they don't embarass themselves."

"Safer for the next group to go that way than it was for us," Yaegren chuckles, passing drinks to any who might want them. "Here's hoping. I don't think you've got much more to worry about there."

"Excellent! Well, you won the prize, and from what I understand, drinks are on Calisro Bennary at the lodge's bar tonight, in celebration!"

Good job, all.

"No more gin, please. I beg you." JR can't even make eye contact at the thought of more gin.

Nina offers JR something to get the taste of gin out of his mouth.

JR declines the pickle brine. Again.