Fafrd moves in and stabs the undamaged corpse. Seawater spurts out. Jayma mangles the one that Ionic hit with 3 missiles for force!
❄ ❄ ❄
Ionic, -13 HP
--
Draugr 3, -29HP
Draugr 4, -9 HP, hunted prey
--
Jayma
Fafrd
Chulyin
Farzin
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Draugr 1
Draugr 2
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Sun fire Boom Boom
Sailor one seems more aware; sailor 2 less so — its jaw flies off in the force of the blast!
❄ ❄ ❄
The other two sailors clamber up the slope, towards the back flanks!
As the creature slashes the gnome, rotting flesh and seaweed splatter on her! It smells super gross!
❄ ❄ ❄
Ionic, -13 HP
--
3, -129HP
4, -9 HP, hunted prey
--
Jayma, -7 HP, Fort save needed
Fafrd
Chulyin
Farzin
--
1, -3 HP
2, -14 HP
--
Sun fire Boom Boom
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Sun Fire Boom Boom once again sings for his fellow party members
"While we were just looping for maps
The undead have come through our gaps
Their attacks shall be discarded like phlegm
Instead we shall defeat them
When Ionic gives them the axe!"
Sun Fire Boom Boom follows up with a snowball to the back of the head of the horrible creature assaulting him.
Sun Fire hits the Draugur; the arrow sticks out of the creature's ribcage. It doesn;t seem to mind much.
❄ ❄ ❄
Ionic, -13 HP
--
3, -29HP
4, -9 HP, hunted prey
--
Jayma, -7 HP, Fort save needed
Fafrd
Chulyin
Farzin
--
1, -17 HP
2, -14 HP
--
Sun fire Boom Boom
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Ionic gives a grumble over the fact that there are undead attacking him and marks the one that struck him as his prey , before pulling out his axe and 'giving' it to the creature. "Nice song Sunfire, but don't go givin' 'way my axe. He's older den you and I wanna keep him."
He then swings the axe back up in a back handed sweep across the front of the creature, followed quickly by his clan dagger coming down on the thing's head.
Ionic takes out the Draugur with a mighty swing — a dead sailor’s head rolls. As the head falls away, the corpse stares Ionic in the eyes. Its mouth mutters vile curses at him!
Critical Success The target is unaffected.
Success The target becomes sickened 1. Reducing its sickened condition to 0 ends the curse.
Failure The target becomes sickened 1 and can’t reduce its sickened condition below 1 while the curse remains. Whenever the target is sickened and on the water at least a mile from shore, it is also slowed 1.
Critical Failure As failure, but the target becomes sickened 2.
He then follows through with a chop at the other draugr, cracking bones.
❄ ❄ ❄
The remaining creature swipes its axe in a wide arc, cutting at the dwarf and the Mouser, but it cannot connect. It then tries to chop at Fafhrd again but misses.
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Ionic, -13 HP, DC 17 Will save needed vs Curse/Necro.
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4, -20 HP, hunted prey
--
Jayma, -7 HP, DC 15 Fort save needed or Sick. 1 (2 on Crit fail)
Fafrd
Chulyin
Farzin
--
1, -17 HP
2, -14 HP
--
Sun fire Boom Boom
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Ionic has a very brief moment where he has a very vivid image of the sea seething with loathing at him, at a life of constant seasickness, of never being able to ride in a boat and sail again. He lightly slaps himself across the forehead with the flat of his axe to snap himself out of it and gives a shake of his head as if the curse was water in his hair.
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Jayma watches, more in disgust than fear, as one of the rotting sailors shuffles up to her and tries to whack her with his battleaxe. As the axe is about to fall, she puts on a little show. Opening her eyes wide, she grimaces in apparent terror; raises her arms; and cringes from the coming blow. "Noooo!"
The sailor pauses at the sight of Jayma's apparent cowering. It's descending battleaxe loses some energy and glances off her shoulder instead of cleaving her arm off. The smell of the sailor is still somewhat overpowering, so she holds her breath momentarily...
... avoiding the worst effects of its stench.
"Ow! That hurt you stinking slimy shhh... ailor," cries out Jayma when the battleaxe nearly shatters her shoulder. "I'll teach you to beat up on the defenseless, you, you... cur."
Jayma immediately starts weaving another spell. She points her open hand at an area a few feet behind and to the side of her antagonist and swings it down like she's scooping snow up into a fist. She calls out, "Buddy bash brute."
Jayma's connection with her ancestors isn't just a mental one. At times like these she can ask them for help of a more physical nature. The snow behind the attacking sailor starts to vibrate, then bursts upwards as a zombie wearing the tattered remains of what once were rather fancy clothes crawls out of the snow and stands (somewhat) upright. "Ah Buddy, there you are. I'm so glad you came to help. Perhaps you can convince this person here to stop trying to kill me."
Buddy reaches out twice at the Draugr attacking Jayma. "Arrrgh!"
Ionic feels seasick for a moment… but then he resists the curse!
Jayma pleads with the draugr… though he hesitates, he still connects!
Buddy hits the dead sailor twice.
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Ionic, -13 HP
--
4, -20 HP, hunted prey
--
Jayma, -3 HP, Sustaining Summon
Fafrd
Chulyin
Farzin
--
1, -17 HP
2, -25 HP
--
Sun fire Boom Boom
As the sorcerer's arc blasts the mariner, its eyes stare at him in the flash of light — like two huge, rotting eggs. The horrible after-image is burned into Farzin's mind. The waterlogged lips whisper horrible maledictions…
You afflict the target with the curse of the roiling, unforgiving sea. The target must attempt a Will save.
Critical Success The target is unaffected.
Success The target becomes sickened 1. Reducing its sickened condition to 0 ends the curse.
Failure The target becomes sickened 1 and can’t reduce its sickened condition below 1 while the curse remains. Whenever the target is sickened and on the water at least a mile from shore, it is also slowed 1.
Critical Failure As failure, but the target becomes sickened 2.
This is an effect that will not be able to be removed during this combat, but we can discuss that if needed afterward.
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Ionic, -13 HP
--
4, -20 HP, hunted prey
--
Jayma, -3 HP
Fafrd
Chulyin
Farzin, C 17 Will save needed vs Curse/Necro.
--
1, -28 HP
--
Sun fire Boom Boom
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Farzin feels like he's back on the boat. And he only escaped hours ago! How horrible.
Chulyin disintegrates the dead sailor with a lance of pure white fire. It disintegrates. Its eyes stare at him from the ground, but the druid refuses to hear what it's saying.
❄ ❄ ❄
Ionic, -13 HP
--
4, -20 HP, hunted prey
--
Jayma, -3 HP
Fafrd
Chulyin
Farzin, Cursed!! Sick 1
Sun fire Boom Boom
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Sun Fire Boom Boom waggles his tongue at the remaining zombie before singing a bit.
"Blannahahhh, you not even be food!"
Success The target takes a –1 status penalty to Perception checks and Will saves for 1 round.
Critical Failure The target is temporarily immune to attempts to use Goblin Song for 1 hour.
Sun Fire Boom Boom then follows up with a dazing spell, hoping to slow the zombie further but not get hit by the spooky curse.
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Ionic glances back at Jayma, "So, should we let Buddy handle dis? Kinda like de idea of undead destroying each oder." He raises his dagger to parry off the undead in case it tried to attack him and then moves into a good position to flank with buddy when he comes closer. Finally using the slightly lower 'cliff' positioning to his advantage, the dwarf tries to flip the waterlogged undead onto its back.
Boom-Boom sings an annoying song at the Draugr; a mollusk slides out of the sailor's ear and plops onto the ground, trying to flee its erstwhile home.
Ionic, thinking tactically, moves around and trips it!
❄ ❄ ❄
Ionic, -13 HP, parrying
--
4, -20 HP, hunted prey, Stunned 1, Prone
--
Jayma, -3 HP
Fafrd
Chulyin
Farzin, Cursed!! Sick 1
Sun fire Boom Boom
Fafhrd chops the draugr in half! The corpse drops to the ground. Its left half then raises its hand, pointing a bony finger at the Mouser as if in accusation…
You afflict the target with the curse of the roiling, unforgiving sea. The target must attempt a Will save.
Critical Success The target is unaffected.
Success The target becomes sickened 1. Reducing its sickened condition to 0 ends the curse.
Failure The target becomes sickened 1 and can’t reduce its sickened condition below 1 while the curse remains. Whenever the target is sickened and on the water at least a mile from shore, it is also slowed 1.
Critical Failure As failure, but the target becomes sickened 2.
This is an effect that will not be able to be removed during this combat, but we can discuss that if needed afterwards.
❄ ❄ ❄
All is calm. The forest is silent. But Farzin's stomach roils; he fears the effect might be permanent. Or at least, far longer than he wants to deal with this. And the mouser might also succumb to the mariner's curse…
The curse also ends if the draugr is buried in a calm sea or after 1 week passes.
"A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor." …But it's a good place to bury a dead one.
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"The waves," says Farzin clutching his stomach. "Please don't mention the waves..."
"Sea's calm, boss," squawks Papayo.
Farzin peers out toward the shore.
"Does any among us know how to conduct a funeral? No worries. I shall disguise myself as an admiral and say a few words."
Farzin's mood seems to brighten at the mere thought of dressing up.
"I've always wanted to wear epaulets. Again."
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Ionic narrows his eyes for a second then springs them open. "Right, not used ta dem on land. Dese draguars need ta be putta sleep in da see. I know da ritual if ya want me ta do it."
He pulls out a small bundle of supplies from his pack, a bag filled with some incense, a candle and a small bell. "Right, first get some rocks, and tie them on. Next light de incense with'de candle, den drop some wax on dere eyelids. Finally say a short prayer. Don't matter to who nor what it about. Dirges work or some, I think the captain called it 'reverent' silence is okay too. Should be about 5 minutes while de incense burns out, dough."
He then starts gathering some rocks and looks for old fishing net so he doesn't have to use some of his good rope.
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Jayma is about to sic Buddy on the remaining draugrs, but before she can do so, her colleagues take care of business for her, leaving poor Buddy with no one to play with. Buddy was one of her less charming ancestors and not much of a conversationalist. Unless there was something around for him to chew on, he tended to stand motionless and stare blankly into space.
"Looks like your job here is done Buddy. Thanks for all your help. Until we meet again." She waves and releases Buddy from her service; he slowly sinks back down into the snow whence he came.
She then examines her shoulder. She's less interested in the pain she's feeling as to the damage the draugr battleaxe may have inflicted on her new fur coat. Fortunately, it was but a glancing blow and the damage to her clothing is minimal; a wave of the hand and an "abstergo" makes everything like new again.
Jayma then joins the rest of the crew in formally disposing of Farzin's draugr. She's always game for a good ritual, especially if there might be explosions involved. No such luck, as it turns out. "Oh well, maybe next time."
You say goodbye to Buddy and then craft a makeshift boat, following Ionic’s instructions to weigh the bodies with stones so they sink into the water after the makeshift vessel quickly burns up. The Grey Mouse helps do much of the labor — a true group effort! While there are no explosions, there is fire.
Admiral Farzin and his Parrot watch on, while the goblin Boom-Boom sings a new kind of dirge that sounds strangely like a limerick anyway.
When the little boat tips and the bodies sink, Farzin feels like he just drank some good medicine — much better!
You make it back without further incident. At Blood-Eagle's hall, the old Ulfen is glad to see his scout — and as a result, in a much better mood! He gifts you an antique silver armband engraved with a knotted pattern of grappling linnorns.
Blood-Eagle also offers you his hall as a candidate for the Society's lodge… on one condition. I'm for Valenhall after the next wave of monster attacks. Won't need this feasting-hall anymore. I'll have a much grander one where I'm going. Your Society should take it and use it as a lodge — that way I can fulfill my promise to you Pathfinders and no one will be speaking ill of Blood-Eagle behind his back. But you cannot have it unless you impress the mayor and Rahahksenwe. I won't have my feasting-hall tarnished by people who are unliked in town. That would tarnish the Blood-Eagle name too. And I won't have that.
The Ulfen king turns to his scout. Now, Tewakam — let us see these maps! Tewakam pulls large sheaves of paper from a doeskin case and unrolls them onto the table — you can easily see that they also chart the coastline in exquisite detail. These maps would make Bennary happy… and then some.
Sveinn Blood-Eagle pours some mead and gives you a look. Don't you lot have somewhere to be? Shouldn't you lot be scuttling off to impress those bureaucrats like I told you to? What are you waiting for?
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"We have, in fact, already impressed Rahahksenwe," Chulyin replies. "And, yes, we do have a task to do for the mayor. Lest I am misunderstood, we are also very grateful for the generous opportunity to inherit your feasting hall as a place to establish our lodge. However, might we be able to negotiate adding that map or a copy of it to the reward?"
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What! Maps now, too!?
Tewakam puts up his hand. Sveinn, I can make them a copy. I want to. It's all I can do for them saving me.
The king assents. You now have Calisto's maps.
It is time to move on and settle this land dispute; if you can get both parties to sign the paperwork, you will have a new lodge site.
You will have to split the party. Read the dossier on each landowner and choose.
The mayor wants you to resolve this situation by getting each family to let the town buy the land in question and appoint a neutral steward. That steward could be the Society!
Those dossiers should give you a hint about the strengths and weaknesses of each NPC. You should choose which one you want to convince to sign the agreement.
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Please decide to visit the Molwan family or the Yrmingar family.
Chulyin
Fafrd
Farzin
Ionic Saltbeard
Jayma
Sun fire Boom Boom
Chulyin: Yrmingar Farm
Fafrd : Molwan Ranch
Farzin
Ionic Saltbeard
Jayma
Sun fire Boom Boom: Yarrinmar Farm
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Seeing that Farzin is off to charm the Yrmingars, Jayma decides to tag along with Fafrd and visit the Molwans. "Flattery is my forte, but as Farzin has that covered with the Yrmingars, then I suppose I'll be the one to put the screws on Deishu Molwan. Good thing I'll have Fafrd with me, because my history with horses is not a good one." She still has nightmares of the time she was nearly trampled to death by the horses of a run-away coach in a previous mission.
Chulyin: Yrmingar Farm
Fafrd : Molwan Ranch
Farzin: Yrmingar Farm
Ionic Saltbeard
Jayma: Molwan Ranch
Sun fire Boom Boom: Yarrinmar Farm
As you approach, an older woman rides from the grazing area. Hiy there, strangers! Her dark hair is pulled back in a gray-flecked braid and her skin weathered by sun and the elements. Combined with her razor-sharp cheekbones and bright eyes, the woman’s age could be anywhere from a hard-won 40 to a youthful 60.
You speak to Deishu Molwan, leader of the Molwan family. What's your business? And talk on the move — ther's a foal being born a pasture over, and birthing don't wait on politeness. She's trots her horse quickly along the path — forcing you to jog to keep up.
As you approach the field, she admonishes the farmhands birthing the foal. That's not how you do it. She tosses Ionic a rope:
After you assist her with the difficult calving, she finally has a free moment to listen to your plea as she washes her hands in a large bucket of standing water.
Please, accompany me along with my duties for a moment, and let me clean these hands before they handle any delicate feathers or parchment. As you move along, Balasz introduces his sons and daughters, as well as his wife Hildak and his husband Ferrard.
Finally, Balasz brings you back to the main farmhouse, where he cleans his hands in a large bucket of standing water and then invites you to join him at a large oaken table to discuss the particulars of paperwork.
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Sun Fire Boom Boom sings an impressive song.
"There once was a wonderful farm
It had a really cool barn
With many daughters and sons
We could all be great chums
for this song has all of my charm"
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Once they have finished reading through the particulars of the contract with the towering Valenborn, Chulyin makes a case for the Pathfinders as stewards. "The Society trains many with a strong affinity for the land not to mention those like myself who have taken oaths to protect it. With the Pathfinder Society serving as stewards, you can be sure that the the Molwan ranch will receive the help it needs to avoid spoiling the river, the damage that has already been done will be cleaned up, and the salmon will run thick again. Furthermore, you will have them as a resource for your own farm to assist in times of foul weather or infestation so that your beautiful family will always be well-fed and secure."
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As Ionic is enlisted to give his brawn a role in the birthing, Fafrd tends to the mare. Though things start off well, it almost seems like he has angered her until he starts quietly singing an Ulfen lullaby to the horse. This calms her enough that the birthing continues, and the frightened mare does not run off before the colt gets the chance to suckle.
Not one for small talk, Fafrd makes his plea
”Ma’am, I’ll be honest here. The mayor asked us to come down here and talk about the dispute over the water supply and the salmon harvest. While it is likely true that the Yrmingar farm is at least in part to blame, you should look to your own practices in sanitation. It would seem that the run off from your ranch is also poisoning the water
“Maybe there is a compromise that can be sought here. I am sure you have manure in great quantities, and I am guessing that you divert the streams to clean it out. What if, instead, you were to offer it as fertilizer for their farm,? This would keep it out of the water supplies, and they could supply some of the labor!
“Plus, if you work a good enough deal out, you might be able to take advantage of some of their new surpluses from the added yields!”
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Jayma is a little put out at having to run to keep up with Deishu as the rancher rushes off to help birth a foal. The gnome's short legs have trouble keeping up and she ends up arriving sometime after the others, panting to catch her breath. "How tragic that I didn't arrive in time to help," she thinks ironically as she looks at the mess created by the foaling. "Ew!"
Before getting to the point of their visit, Jayma tries to break the ice with a funny horse story. Pointing to Deishu's horse, Jayma asks, "Is that one of those talking horses I've heard about?"
After Deishu looks at Jayma strangely and replies in the negative, the gnome looks a little disappointed. "That's too bad. A friend of mine once told me a story about a talking horse and I was really hoping to meet one someday."
"Apparently my friend was travelling through Taldor one fine day and passed a paddock with a horse in it and a sign reading 'Talking Horse for Sale.'"
"Intrigued, he approached the horse and asked, 'So what have you done with your life?':
"You can imagine his surprise when the horse replied, 'I’ve led a full life. I was born in Hongal, in the northern reaches of Tian Xia, and hauled goods along the danger-filled Path of Aganhei for many years. Later I was sold to Kelshite nomads and used in raids against Taldor before being captured and used in battle by a knight of the Taldan Horse. And now, I spend my days pulling farm carts and talking to passers-by.'"
"My friend was flabbergasted. He asked the horse’s owner, 'Why on Golarion would you want to get rid of such an incredible animal?'"
And the owner said, 'Because he’s a liar! He never did any of those things!'
Now that she's softened Deishu up a little, Jayma gets to the point.
"What Fafrd says make sense. Keeping the river clean and full of salmon benefits both families in the long run, so it's up to each family to do what they must to keep it that way."
"To be honest, this dispute between the two of you strikes me as a little ridiculous. From what I hear, you're practically kin, and like kin, you should be working together for the benefit of both your families and that of the town.
"The mayor wants the town to buy the disputed land and appoint a neutral arbiter to make sure it is taken care of properly. We Pathfinders are new to the area and will be setting up a permanent lodge in town. We have no axe to grind in this situation, so if both you and the Yrmingars agree, we Pathfinders will be more than happy to act as neutral stewards of the land. Our colleagues are presenting the same deal to the Molwan's as we speak."
"If you're worried about who will police this agreement, then worry no more. We Pathfinders are quite capable of knocking heads together if either family steps out of line."
"So, what do you think? Sounds like a pretty fair deal to me."
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At first, Farzin isn't sure what to think of the massive man in the bearskins, but after he is introduced to Balasz's wife and husband he begins to feel more comfortable.
Farzin smiles and slides off a glove to shake Balasz's massive, dirt-stained hand with his own smooth, manicured one.
"Well met. I am Farzin Maaravi, emissary of the Pathfinder Society. We cannot thank you enough for meeting with us. Signing these documents and establishing a lodge here will open a new, world of opportunity for both the settlement and the Society. We have so much to share with each other in terms of knowledge and resources. I know I can already envision a thriving and prosperous Port Valen."
His smile broadens.
"I may even come back and visit someday."
Balasz enjoys the song Sun Fire sings about his home; he listens seriously to Chulyin's words about using the farm as a resource for manure. He appreciates the compliments Farzin pays him. Deal. And if those blasted horse-farmers sign, I will for sure. He signs.
Deishu enjoys the lullaby Fafhrd sings to the newborn calf; she listens seriously to Fafhrd's words about sourcing her manure to the farm. She appreciates the joke Jayma shares with her. Deal. And if those blasted vegetable-farmers sign, I will for sure. She signs.
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You go back to the mayor and report. The mayor is so enthusiastic that you got both to sign that he rewards you with 4 moderate acid flasks, 4 moderate alchemist’s fire, and 100 gp. You won't believe the headache you've saved me…
It's evening. It's time to rest! There are some very nice hot springs in the hills where you can bathe in the warm, mineral-rich water to get refreshed. And of course there is a feast to be had at Blood-Eagle's feasting hall.
You have secured Calisro Bennary's maps, and three new locations for a lodge: Blood-Eagle's feasting hall, the land near the salmon-river, and the land near the port with an ocean view. You may have thoughts on this as you eat…