GM Silbeg PFS2 1-02 Mosquito Witch GD9 (Inactive)

Game Master Silbeg

"I don't know anything about any iron cave! If I did, then maybe some of this would make sense. Oh, why did I come here??!??!"

Grisaia watches the histrionics with grim resolution, certain that whatever the witch is, they are responsible for the ill health of the community.

Talking with the man, it becomes pretty clear that his mind has been shattered. He cannot keep a coherent thought, and keeps going back to calling himself an idiot and crying over the doll.

What would you like to do next?

Toadlicker walks away from the loon, spitting in disgust. "Not worth time. Time for buggies?" he asks the others, hopefully.

"Yes. Time for 'buggies', Toadlicker."

"Yes," Arra says, "though I think we should try to talk to her, not eat her! She will lead us to this iron cave, and then we will be able to solve this. Perhaps we shall be instruments of her vengeance."

The team wraps up their investigation, and spends the rest of the night relaxing, before going out to visit Witchtop Hill. The next morning, they all get in a good breakfast. The innkeeper puts out a decent spread of eggs, biscuits, and bacon, with some blackberry preserves and clotted cream. For Toadlicker there are some extra eggs set aside, very softly boiled, to satisfy a goblin's love of sucking eggs!

AS you head out of the inn, they are greated with the high-pitched screaming of horses! Barreling up the road towards the inn (and the cliff after the inn) is a carriage being pulled by a team of six horses! The horses have been driven wild by the cloud of bloodseekers that follow them, and are charging the their doom!

You can:
- Leap on to the carriage to pull a passenger to safety (Acrobatics or Athletics)
- Calm the horses (Nature)
- Create a barricate (Crafting or athletics)
- Something else that you can justify as being able to prevent a team of horses from running off of a cliff!

The goblins' inbred fear of horses nearly overwhelms Toadlicker at the sight of the rampaging carriage. Instead, he channels that fear into action, as he quickly squats down on all fours, his knees nearly up to his ears, and leaps up onto the passing carriage, grabbing whomever is in reach with his great strength before leaping off again.

Athletics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

I can't recall if I've already used this, but if not, I'll use my HP now. If I already did, then just ignore this.

Athletics (re-roll): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

The goblins' inbred fear of horses nearly overwhelms Toadlicker at the sight of the rampaging carriage. Instead, he channels that fear into action, as he quickly squats down on all fours, his knees nearly up to his ears, and leaps up onto the passing carriage, grabbing whomever is in reach with his great strength before leaping off again.

[dice=Athletics]1d20+8

That is a failure - did you want to use a hero point?

Already edited my post for that. ;)

Dorian too tries to leap to the carriage to get folks to safety.

athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Leaping to the horses, Grisaia attempts to calm the frenzy.

Nature: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Zandu springs into action, also trying to retrieve a passenger.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

"Stop," Arra says, pointing at the horses as she exerts her will on them.

Nature (trained): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Let's Hero Point that.
Nature (trained): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25 That'll do, pig, that'll do.

Toadlicker leaps up onto the rapidly moving carriage. Just as it looks like his is going to miss his jump, he reaches out, grabs the spinning wheel, using it to propel him onto the carriage. Once there, he grabs a passenger, and leaps off, saving one person!

Dorian also leaps into the carriage, but with perhaps less peril and derring-do than the goblin, grabs a woman, and leaps out himself before the carriage gets too close to the cliff!

Grisaia takes a different tact, attempting to calm the horses. While she does not stop them, they slow down momentarily, allowing a passenger to leap out safely!

Zandu times the carriage going by perfectly, as he grabs a rail and pulls himself up. He helps a passenger out before the carriage goes too far.

Arra then is able to get the horses to shy up for a moment, allowing two passengers to escape the carriage.

At this point, I am assuming that Autumn is no longer playing... I will try and DM Autumn's player, but don't hold out hope. Until I see a post, I will assume Autumn is no longer playing

As the last passenger is heklped out, the horses and the carriage fly over the edge of the cliff. The scream of the horses is clear as the fall is clear, followed by the horrifying sound of the carriage exploding into a shower of shards, and the horses hitting the sharp rocks below.

The passengers thank you all profusely, and offer you some delicate silver jewelry in thanks. Additionally, one of them has a minor healing potion that they offer you.

Toadlicker gives a great, wide-opened mouth grin, stretching in a frog-like manner. "Welcome. We hunt for buggies! You find?"

Toadlicker can see a flight of bloodseekers flying away in the distance.

"They... they attacked us... flew in as a swarm! We tried to get in to the village and to the inn in time... but they got to the horses, and they panicked... oh, those poor horses!!!" says the driver.

Arra looks downcast. "They should have stopped," she says, "but we will have words with the Mosquito Witch about this. Where were you coming from? Where were you attacked?"

"We were on our way in from Riverton on the way to Tymon. Though this would be a decent stopover spot, had heard good things about this town's inn. They attacked us just outside of town!"

"The inn is decent. Get yourselves over there, and ask about another carriage. If there's nothing then I suggest you link up with the next caravan that comes through town. Though I don't know that they get a lot of foot traffic here, so it might be a bit of a wait," Zandu advises them, then pauses to think. "Actually, we'll be heading back to Tymon soon, so if you want we can probably travel together. We just have to finish an investigation here which shouldn't be more than a day or so."

"Should we go make sure the bugs don't attack anyone else outside town," Arra asks, "or go discuss what is happening with the Mosquito Witch?"

It's clear she prefers the latter, he eyes already fixed in the direction of Witchtop Hill.

The look on Toadlicker's face is one of avid anticipation, enhanced by his little foot-to-foot dance and overly wide eyes. The drool escaping his mouth doesn't hurt either. But he somehow manages to keep himself from repeating his usual litany.

"Is there more that needs discussing? If so, then sure but let's be quick about it. I don't think it'll do much good though," Zandu says, also glancing towards Witchtop. "We're going to the hill sooner or later."

Assuming no one wants to buy anything or whatever... moving on

You make your way up to Witchtop Hill, following Mordha Lyon's instructions. You find find a dimly lit grove of uncanny, bare-branched trees, with thousands of the townsfolks’ Mosquito Witch dolls nailed to the bark. Investigating the dolls reveals contradictory information as to who could have placed them or when they were placed, for a patina of grime suggests they have been there for a long time, but the dolls should not have survived in such pristine conditions if exposed to the elements.

"Hello?" Arra calls out. "We have come to talk to you, Mosquito Witch."

Dorian moves toward the hilltop, shield and hammer at the ready looking around after he hits his hammer to shield hard 1 time causing a resounding *clang*. Might as well be announcin our presence.

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

No one answers the call from Arra and Dorian.

Toadlicker is feeling a little exposed as they make their way to the hilltop. He's looking back and forth, his head on a swivel, but whether it's because of anxiety or hunger is hard to tell.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Looking down at the doll, he pats it on the head. "You bring buggies, yes?"

Hearing the drone of nearby bugs, he says to the others under his breath, "They all over, but not close."

Zandu keeps quiet, lurking nearby while the others draw attention. He does his best to be hidden while keeping his ears open and eyes peeled.

”I do not know what the best way to get their attention is, but perhaps the doll is part of it?”

Arra nods absentmindedly as Grisaia's comment as she looks around the hilltop, wondering if there might be any clues. She reaches for the doll she's been carrying for this entire trip, wondering if it still remains in her pouch.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Perhaps surprisingly, the doll is still in Arra's pouch. Exactly where she left it, even!

Folks, please remember that Perception checks to search are secret checks... so if you are wanting to search, please just note that activity with your perception bonus.

If you would like, you can make a survival check to find tracks.

Sorry. Habit.

Toadlicker peers down at the tiny sword with interest. He reaches out for it, but snatches his hand back defensively. He stares again for a moment before finally reaching down to pick it up and examine it. "This yours?" he asks the doll, holding in front of the one sitting in his bandoleer.

Dorian moves near the tiny sword and scowls and looks for tracks...

survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Dorian finds the tracks of a Small, humanoid-like creature that approaches the tree and then flees to the northeast into the woods.

Well the owner of that sword went thatta way. Dorian stated...and hes got small feet.

"Let's see where it leads."

Arra seems disappointed that she has no response to her entreaties. She holds the doll up to her lizard to see if Branthlend can make any sense of it, but other than touching it quickly with his tongue, her familiar seems unable to help.

Finally she tucks the doll back in her pouch and turns her attention to the others.

"Yes, perhaps it will tell us more," she says.

Dorian takes point following the tracks towards the woodline

You follow the tracks, but quickly lose them.

Survival check to keep looking for clues on where to go

Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Toadlicker gets down to nearly a belly crawl, looking for the tracks and their source.

Survival: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Grisaia personally doesn't think getting down on the ground really helps, but given her own lack of skill in natural settings, wisely keeps the observation to herself.

Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Zandu watches Grisaia study Toadlicker, then does his own scan for tracks.

Survival (trained): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22

With plenty of experience in the woods and following trails, Arra points to the tracks.

Following Arra's lead, you all come to a large muddy pond that looks nearly identical to many such ponds in the Shimmerford woods, except that it seems to be teeming with unseasonable life—the water is squirming with mosquito larvae. Arra spots a man with fine brown hair and white clothing lying supine on the ground. The man is on the shore of the pond with his head and torso floating in the water, and his clothes are inexplicably pristine despite the mud. As you approach to look closer, you can see mosquitoes crawling out of his mouth and from underneath his eyelids onto his blankly staring eyes.

Dorian holds his hand up, havign had some experience with the undead, and picks up a rock throwing it at the body. Lets make sure it doesnt get up before we approach any closer.

he readies himself in case the dead body isnt dead.

"Ack!" screams Toadlicker at the sight of the man. He manages to only hold himself back long enough for Dorian to throw his rock before he runs over, yelling, "I save!"

When he gets there, rather than pull the man out of the water, he proceeds to lick the mosquitoes off the body.

He held out for sooooo long!

Edit: Sorry Dorian... was in the middle of posting when you did. Slight modification.

"Nine bloody Hells," Zandu swears as Toad Licker rushes forward.

"That must be Andor," Arra observes impassively. "If he is undead, maybe he can still talk, and will answer our questions and explain what is happening here."

She waits to see if Toadlicker is able to help the man. That method works for me.

A little impulsive, and he just 'might' be doing this for himself. :p