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"Mylow Metcalf." He sweeps his hat off, bows grandly and states, "We are just some friendly fellow travelers on our way to Molthune. May we be provided the courtesy of knowing your names? Does common courtesy not extend into the wilderness?" He gives a broad disarming smile while keeping his hands on his hips. "Are you going to be the insolent types and tell us to leave?"
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Zonk looks at Mylow in surprise at his turn of phrase, then back at the youths, peering upward at them.
"Zonk the Sunsaved, devoted of Sarenrae, it is a pleasure to make the acquaintance of civilized folk out here in the wilderness. We ... are going to be civilized, yes? And save any unpleasantness for any locals who take offense to our accidentally wandering into their hunting ranges? Yes?"
He then quickly looks around for any encroaching wildlife or Orc raiding parties, and seeing none, looks back to the under-prepared group in front of them.
They breathe a sigh of relief and invite you to share their fire ... and their chicken (it's burnt already).
Amyas Charthagnion is a flamboyant young man with an unruly mop of red hair. He has a calm demeanor that causes the others to naturally defer to him as their de facto leader and an uncanny knack for knowing exactly what is on the minds of any of his companions. Dressed in an expensive greatcoat dyed scarlet and carrying high quality hiking gear, Amyas considers himself a skilled outdoorsman.
Jasper Caperinas is visibly excited to meet a group of Pathfinders, and he eagerly tells the group that a few of his family members owe their lives to the Pathfinder Society after a group of agents came to their defense when the city was besieged by fiends. He boasts about his swimming skill and shows off a book on identifying footprints.
Sarevi Tilernos wears her family crest prominently displayed as a brooch pinning her cloak together at the shoulder. She appears melancholy, and if asked about it, she explains that this journey for her is an attempt to honor the adventurous spirit of her sister, a Knight of Ozem who was slain when the Whispering Tyrant destroyed the former nation of Lastwall.
Dacian Julistarc is arrogant, even by the standards of his noble peers. Cocky and aloof, Dacian leaps at any opportunity to talk about archery and show off his expensive and well‑crafted bow and arrows.
One of the women curtly introduces herself as Leonie Ciucci, and says no more.
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Bariel saunters up to Jasper Caperinas, hand extended,"Pathfinders saved some of your relatives? What city might that have been?" If the young man takes his hand, Bariel shakes if firmly. "Indeed, you sound like a strong swimmer. I am something of a swimmer myself. I was a sailor, down south in Garund. Let us talk more on it."
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Going up to Amyas, Mylow says, "How much time have you spent outdoors? I would just like to help and not to sound condescending but who picked this location to camp? You shouldn't set up camp in the open like this or have such a large fire. The smoke can attract all sorts of things. Voices can carry as well. You should be up against an outcropping of rock or within the shelter of trees to smother the signs. It would also be a good idea to always have someone on watch as the others are setting up camp and going about business. You may not meet someone as friendly as us next time and it wasn't too hard to get close to you. If we were trying to sneak up then we probably could have taken your chicken without anyone being the wiser." Mylow looks over at the burnt chicken and smiles.
Zonk expresses interest in seeing the fancy book on footprints that Jasper shows off.
"Did you know, that writing things down steals the words right out of your head? It's fortunate that I've learned to translate some of the pretty pictures that are in books instead of learning to read and write. Like this one here, shows an Orc! Hmm. Did you know, that there are many Orc's that live in these mountains? Maybe we'll come across some of these tracks!"
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Teja approaches Sarevi Tilernos. "Hi there Sarevi. I'm Teja. I know what it is like hunting for a family member. I've never even met my father, but I've spent the last few years trying to honor the memory of him...[/.b]"
Sighing she tries to explain "[b]Not that he is dead, or at least not as far as I am aware... just .. never where I am."
She eyes up the womans gear.
"It sounds like she died a hero. What was her name?"
Bariel saunters up to Jasper Caperinas, hand extended,"Pathfinders saved some of your relatives? What city might that have been?" If the young man takes his hand, Bariel shakes if firmly. "Indeed, you sound like a strong swimmer. I am something of a swimmer myself. I was a sailor, down south in Garund. Let us talk more on it."
Bariel and Jasper talk at length about swimming. Jasper has had all the best teachers - his parents even hired an undine teacher so that he could learn from the best.
Going up to Amyas, Mylow says, "How much time have you spent outdoors? I would just like to help and not to sound condescending but who picked this location to camp? You shouldn't set up camp in the open like this or have such a large fire. The smoke can attract all sorts of things. Voices can carry as well. You should be up against an outcropping of rock or within the shelter of trees to smother the signs. It would also be a good idea to always have someone on watch as the others are setting up camp and going about business. You may not meet someone as friendly as us next time and it wasn't too hard to get close to you. If we were trying to sneak up then we probably could have taken your chicken without anyone being the wiser." Mylow looks over at the burnt chicken and smiles.
Amyas is amazed at Mylow's knowledge, and smiles sheepishly at the burnt chicken.
"You guys wouldn't happen to have any extra chickens, would you?"
Zonk expresses interest in seeing the fancy book on footprints that Jasper shows off.
"Did you know, that writing things down steals the words right out of your head? It's fortunate that I've learned to translate some of the pretty pictures that are in books instead of learning to read and write. Like this one here, shows an Orc! Hmm. Did you know, that there are many Orc's that live in these mountains? Maybe we'll come across some of these tracks!"
Jasper is very interested in tracks. He and Zonk end up walking around and looking at all the animal tracks, but also how to look for things aside from physical tracks.
"Ciucci? That wouldn't be the Absalom Ciucci's would it? I seem to recall a Ciucci I knew. . ."
"Ugh! You Pathfinders are all the same. Always more interested in getting credit for doing things than actually doing them. Tell me, can you even name one thing that you've done for the betterment of Golarion?"
He heads over to Dacian, eager to see his archery equipment. ”Ooo, pretty!”, he says. ”You like to hunt? Bet there’s good pickins around here!”
Dacian and Zoosh talk about archery. Dacian loves to shoot, although it soon becomes clear that he's shot at nothing but targets in a controlled environment. Zoosh takes him around the campsite, showing him how to use the terrain to his advantage.
"I get it," Dacian proclaims, "make sure the hunter doesn't become the hunted!"
Teja approaches Sarevi Tilernos. "Hi there Sarevi. I'm Teja. I know what it is like hunting for a family member. I've never even met my father, but I've spent the last few years trying to honor the memory of him...[/.b]"
Sighing she tries to explain "[b]Not that he is dead, or at least not as far as I am aware... just .. never where I am."
She eyes up the womans gear.
"It sounds like she died a hero. What was her name?"
"Mina." She pauses for a second. "She is a hero. She could have saved herself, you know. They were trapped at the base of a cliff and she made three runs up the cliff face, ferrying two children at a time while climbing with one hand. She tied the last two to the rope and told the people up top to pull them to safety while she stayed and held the zombies at bay."
She pulls out a poorly knotted rope.
"This is the rope she used. I can't figure out how she tied knots strong enough to climb on ..."
Sarevi marvels at the knot.
"I don't know. I wanted to, but the more I see the world, the more I realize there are many ways to help people. Maybe I will become a Pathfinder instead!"
[Ooc]Success![/b]
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Bariel's eyes light up, "Ah, yes, the Undine! I have heard of them, but I have never actually met any. I would love to see one of their ship-towns some day." He follows Jasper and Zonk at a respectful distance, but closely enough to continue their conversation. "The best swimmers I ever met were Iruxi. But nevermind me, listen to Father Zonk here. He obviously knows from whence he speaks."
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"You guys wouldn't happen to have any extra chickens, would you?"
Mylow raises his voice slightly to get Zoosh's attention, "Maybe Zoosh and Dacian can hunt up some more fowl."
Mylow explains more of what he knows to Amyas, "The camp also should be protected from the elements as best as you can. Trees or rocky overhangs can help deflect wind and rain if a storm brews up. Sometimes the highland climate can suddenly change. Not to mention the change to elevation and how hard it gets to breath. You have to be in really good shape."
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Arlo rubs his chin as he considers the women's claim about Pathfinders. Calmly, he responds:
"My dear madame, it seems we have a difference of opinion on this matter! I think my organization has done many things for this world, and I would say we have done much more quietly than perhaps you think we have!"
Arlo sits down on a rock and continues. "Have you ever heard of the legend of 'The Mosquito Witch'? Let me tell you about my adventures in a little village called Shimmerford, and how we helped the villagers with a particularly stubborn infestation of mosquitoes...."
Arlo goes on to tell her about his adventures there, and some of the people he met, and the mysteries that still remain....
All the nobles are suitably impressed.
With little they can do to pay the Pathfinders back, the nobles gift the research they have so far: purchased maps and charts that, though incomplete, cover much of the territory and indicate likely passes for
a sustainable route.
The next morning, the nobles and the Pathfinders bid their farewells. The nobles have seen the folly of their hubris, and intend to go back to their homes, a little less proud and a little more wise.
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After passing through the foothills, the Pathfinders arrive at the feet of the mountains. The lower reaches are covered in dense pine forest and traversing the steep terrain becomes increasingly difficult. Their journey is unremarkable until they come across a swift‑flowing mountain stream.
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The dense forest opens up to a gently sloping clearing, cut across by a brook.
The stream is the nesting ground of a flock of ravens. An alarm caw rings through the forest air, and a huge flock of birds has gathered in a nearby tree, screaming alarm caws.
would it be possible to use say Survival or Nature or even Perception (same bonus of +6) to determine if they are alarmed due to US, or something else near where they're gathered?
Absolutely!
There are some wolf tracks on the ground leading to the ravens' grove.
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"The water is beautiful! I wonder if there is good fishing here?"
Mylow responds, "Most fish spawn on the west side of a bank if there are any. That stream looks to be moving pretty fast. Depending on the type of fish, they may be hanging around any protection such as the rocks protruding in the middle."
Mylow starts to head in the direction of the stream when the Ravens begin cawing. He looks at the huge flock of Ravens and whispers, "We may want to head in a different direction so as to not further antagonize the Ravens. They seem agitated."
Zoosh sees orc tracks leading up to the nests.
Unsure of your intentions, the ravens swarm at you.
The ravens descend on the group, pecking with their many beaks (Stride, Stride, Strike).
Everyone except Bariel and Zoosh will take:
DC 17 basic Reflex save, plus 1 persistent bleed
Round 1!
Ravens
Teja (1 piercing DC 17 basic Reflex, 1 persistent bleed)
Zonk (1 piercing DC 17 basic Reflex, 1 persistent bleed)
Mylow (1 piercing DC 17 basic Reflex, 1 persistent bleed)
Arlo (1 piercing DC 17 basic Reflex, 1 persistent bleed)
Bariel
Zoosh
Mylow swings and knocks a raven out of the sky. However, it doesn't damage the swarm as a whole.
Zoosh bites at the ravens, crushing multiple ravens. It definitely doesn't do as much damage as if it were a single creature, but it does some. His tongue then lashes out and knocks several ravens in the air.
Round 1!
Ravens (-12 hp)
Teja (1 persistent bleed)
Zonk (-1 hp, 1 persistent bleed)
Mylow (-3 hp, 1 persistent bleed flat check)
Arlo (1 piercing DC 17 basic Reflex, 1 persistent bleed)
Bariel
Zoosh