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Hopper was looking with his big dark eyes at kelpie saying
"Now horsie, you will be part of our herd, Hopper will protect you. No need to worry now." He reaches out to touch it...
But then kelpie attacks Wolfie who squeal in pain
Hopper shakes his head and looks at Wolfie
"You attacked my Wolfie... you attacked my herd." says with a voice so quiet that it was hard to hear.
Hopper reaches out for his weapon and takes out a sickle. He stretches his arms and roars at the horsie. That could sound terrifying if not for his diminutive stature.
He takes a step out of water and attacks with his sickle
Then Wolfie lays down his ears and raises his flews showing his teeth. Wolfie begins to growl and his fur on his back raises. Not waiting for a command Wolfie jumps to bite Kelpie
With encouragements from Marcus, Lydia hits the creature! Who hiss in pain.
Still not sure that the creature is not a real horse, The Mad Hopper is unable to land a blow on it but Wolfie gnaws at it with some ferocity!
Frogger call the winds of winter and strikes the Kelpie with a ray of frost! But like Kazikli, fails to demoralize the creature.
Marcus continues to encourage his teammates but too distracted by his excellent show almost hit Lydia with his stone!
The creature takes a steps in the water and bites at Natesh! The jaws goes deep into the wizard's flesh, and stops next to his heart! .
The kelpie tries again, but this time, luckily for Natesh, fails to connect.
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"Not again." Natesh blanches as he manages to just barely avoid the second blow as he holds his wound. The blow rattles the wizard as fear drives him away from the center of combat. Only the quick healing from Marcus stops Natesh from a full retreat.
"Press the advantage." He mulls over the words as he struggles to grip his weapon. "I will try, if only for another moment. I won't gain anything if I don't endure."
He takes a single swing at the monster and only releases his weapon after to enhance Lydia's blade.
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"Excellent positioning! A classic outflank, despite the prohibiting terrain. Let's...." He stops short as the creature lets go of Natesh and he sees the depth of the wound. "... oh sh-"
His hands turn jet black as he places his fingers on his own stomach, matching the places where Natesh's flesh was pierced. Suddenly, the wounds on Natesh turn black... as though becoming holes into a void... and a moment later they are gone.
"...as I was saying, let's continue to press our advantage."
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Frogger ribbits as the kelpie fights back. "Aha. Evil creature. Don't you see we're trying to help. Stop resisting."
◆◆ Cast Ray of Frost
◆ Stride
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Lydia nods as Natesh empowers her sword, and she then gives pursuit to the foe. Her eyes are still intense and the scales on her skin make her feel invincible as she tries to draw the creature's attention with another flashy trick. She pretend-slices one blade through the air before deftly revealing her second sword and slicing the creature with all her might.
Lydia with a masterful strike, cuts the head off the kelpie!
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The surprise from the abrupt end of the combat makes Natesh forget his wound for a brief moment. It quickly returns though as he gathers his gear. "Excellent blow Lydia. I would have studied the strike myself, but I wasn't able to follow your blow."
"I would be blessed, but if you are able, I will need aid to tending to the wound as we proceed."
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"Thanks Natesh, I daresay I could've done it myself! That spell worked wonders. And sure thing, just give me one minute."
Lydia then runs over to Hopper, her skin still covered in scales. "It worked!! did you see?!" she asks as she rolls up her sleeves to prove the point. After Hopper has had a chance to look she asks for Wolfie to follow, and then she rushes over to Natesh with a sudden burst of speed that sheds the scales.
"Let's see what we can do here" she says as she pulls out her healer's tools and begins tending to Natesh and Wolfie's wounds.
Lydia seems to be somewhat distracted by all the adrenaline still pumping through her system.
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Marcus breathes a sigh of relief as the creature falls to the ground. "Hrmmm... one less bit of fey chicanery to worry about... especially as the newer agents make their way through. So long as they don't find themselves spooked by corpses that is... although as regrettable as it may be, a fear of corpses may prove to be an issue in this line of business."
He snaps out of his darker line of thought and back to business. "But I digress... we have work to do and it seems as though Natesh and Wolfie are a bit battered but none the worse for wear... Perhaps it would be a good time for me to take the vanguard position for a bit and allow you a brief respite?"
Khoumrock Blackthane sits on a rock, looking thoughtfully into the trees. I could swear that I just heard a talking lizard. Can you go and check it out?
As you move to where the Venture-Captain sent you, you see a group of reptilian creatures approaching, clearly looking to attack.
Before you react, the "leader" of the group makes a strange sign, a peace sign with its paw! and starts speaking some language!
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"Ha re lithoto, ua tseba. Re tla ka kgotso. U batla boithabiso ba mofuta ofe?" Frogger responds in Mwangi, cautiously, attempting to repeat the peace sign.
"They think we may be stupid, but they seem peaceful. And want us to entertain them. Though that could mean fighting them. Not sure what they mean. I asked for clarification." Frogger tells the Pathfinders.
Understanding that you not all speak the noble language of the Mwangi, the talking lizard switch to common.
Let me be the judge of your stupidity, two-legs walker. He says.
Since the two-legs walker are here, this is chaos. Why will I not chase you from my land?
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Kazikli stands silent for a few moments, his masked face not giving any indication he understands what's being said. Only when Frogger is done does he join in, in passable Mwangi. "U ema ka pela mosireletsi ea hlapantseng oa linaha tsena. Ho bontša hore ha ho mali a lokelang ho qhalana mona, ke amohela litlhoko tsa hau."
The half-orc draws a flute from his pack and, sliding it over a mouth hole on his mask, performs a quick ditty for the creatures.
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Marcus prepares to cast a spell to translate the tongue of the lizard to one he can understand, but decides to conserve his magic once he notes that he has multiple allies who understand. He places a plain white mask on his face which quickly shifts to a visage with one half resembling the Joke from a harrow deck, and the other as that of the Idiot. He pulls out his dulcimer and calmly plucks out a series of chords, starting slow and increasing in speed.
"I will not contest our stupidity. In my year working with the Pathfinders I've recruited someone who attempted to steal our research by impersonating Pathfinders, a thief who attempted to steal our equipment, an soul aching for rest beneath the streets of Absalom, and all manner of unsavory sorts. And these are the folk whom I trust to keep my back clear of arrows, knives, and other painful devices... so if this is about whether or not we are fools I will not even attempt to dissuade you on that."
He begins to pluck an ascending pattern as he continues. "But as that may be, it takes a certain amount of foolishness... or idiocy... or buffoonery, lunacy, or incompetence, to choose of our own free will to place ourselves between a treacherous monarch and those who will most certainly be plunged under their dark influence. Yet here we are."
He strikes a triumphant chord and pauses.
"As a wise man once said... the definition of insanity is doing the same thing an expecting different results... so here goes. How would you feel about becoming a Pathfinder yourself?"
He ends his little tune with a fingerpicked chord leaving on a slight cliffhanger, as though a question in and of itself.
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"They think we may be stupid, but they seem peaceful. And want us to entertain them. Though that could mean fighting them. Not sure what they mean. I asked for clarification." Frogger tells the Pathfinders.
Natesh takes a sour look, he seems half inclined to debate on the matter of party intelligence. However he settles down after some of the lingering pain from the Kelpie wound wells up.
"Well, far more experienced to the defense of others, I'm certain I can offer some reasoned arguments to hopefully sway you."
"Qxal, is a tyrant that once terrorized the lands beyond here and will so again provided the means. There are other goals our people have, but we do not desire to bring chaos to those such as you. However, if Qxal did truely terrorize the lands outside this place, I can only assume your lives here have not been peaceful under their rule."
"This your chance to be free of that tyranny. Not only allow us passage, but fight alongside us... two-legged walkers. Take the chance for your own freedom."
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"It worked!! did you see?!"
"It sure did! Let me have a look" says Hopper in his shrieking voice.
He looks Lydia in her eyes and touches the scales on her arm. "As expected, great!"
Then he urges Wolfie to go and take his share of healing. Wolfie goes but without any enthusiasm, his head is kept low and he walks really slowly.
"Oh, come on you big baby. I know that you don't like it, but this needs to be done"
----------- It talks
Hearing about entertaining Lizards, Hopper rolls his eyes
"We really don't have time for that, you know? The Thorned Monarch is a deceitful being, I saw him turn the city to ruin. It killed its citizens in hundreds, and he needs to be stoped. You may not trust him."
The talking Giant Chameleon seems entertain by the Pathfinders and he listen to Frogger and Lyida.
Continuing in common he says Mmmmh, seems like you aren't the invaders I believed. I see know that the Thorned Monarch could be a threat to you.
But I don't think it's a threat to me or my friends. May be by killing you, I will even be rewarded by this Thorned Monarch? What's my advantage to letting you go?
You see that the other lizards have started moving.
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Kazikli also returns to Common, nodding to the chameleon for his courtesy. "You could. But the Thorned Monarch doesn't deal in rewards. I won't claim to know exactly what comes of that. Most likely, you'd gain the privilege of being left alone, or becoming lieutenants. Not that such a 'good solution' would last long. Your usefulness would expire, or your existence becomes a threat, however unlikely, and you are consumed."
"Such a powerful being with sinister motives can't be trusted. Our strength rivals it, but it is diffuse, and won't be twisted into bad ends for your people."
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Natesh loosens his collar as struggles to find a better declaration to the large lizard. He decides to attack the credibility of the Thorned Monarch's loyalty to those who serve him. "Even if you do so, can you be assured Qxal will grant you any reward? Based on all that I've heard, once you turn us in, their battle won, they would have no reason reward you or keep you around."
He does his best to argue, but works on assumptions and guesswork as Natesh knows little to nothing of how the monarch treats those that serve them loyaly.
Offering only agreement with Kazikli, Natesh concurs, "Like he says, if you wish for a true reward, it would be with us and not the Thorned Monarch."
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"It may not be a threat to you now. But in time, Qxal will likely destroy all, you included. If you help us, we can reward you." Frogger feels stiff in his conversation, but switches tactics.
"We humbly request your help. As a fellow Mwangi and as someone who reveres nature, we need your help. We are part of a very capable organization and can help you with resources if you want - or we can leave you in peace as well." Frogger thinks, "One of our leaders is an Iruxi from.. somewhere around here. Are you friendly with the Iruxi?"
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"Maybe the Thorned Monarch would be willing to reward you for our deaths, but then what? Who else will you throw into the swamp to placate the fey? Each serpent that gives them the side-eye? Do you think the fey will stop to avoid a stone providing shelter for a serpent? Will they keep the waters clean such that the local fauna can drink? Or will they stomp through wreaking havoc until the land yields to the bearer of the crown?"
Marcus wonders to himself, I really hope that actually applies in Mwangi...
Now engaged in real conversation, the Pathfinders are at ease and go back and forth with the Giant Chameleon. Arguments and counterarguments fly over like a joust of ancient past!
At the end, everyone wins! As the Pathfinders are able to convince the Lizard to not attack them and even to join forces with them as he realized the threat that Qxal really is!
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Natesh calms for a moment after the high stakes debate ends and sighs again and he reacquaints himself with the dangerous environment he finds himself in.
"That went far better that I would have predicted. I have to wonder if this is merely the calm before we enter an even worse battle. Hopefully I'm ready for it."
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Marcus offers an outstretched hand to shake. "I am quite impressed with your leadership abilities and mien under pressure. I will admit that several pathfinders I know are more of... murderous... hobos... and would be less inclined to skirt the line of threatening and open for debate. If you are so interested and I am alive after today's work, I would happily provide a personal recommendation for you to join the Pathfinder Society if you so desire."
Back to his allies he stretches his arms, cracks his knuckles, and checks the remaining orders of the day. "So... befuddled pathfinders to set straight? I sure hope they weren't any of my recruits."
offers a flask from her coat pocket. How you holding up, Pathfinders? Anyone need a little nip? She takes a swig. There are some real green agents on this mission. I don’t think they even know which end of a spyglass to look through. I just saw a group head that way looking like lost puppies. Can you make sure they’re not getting themselves into trouble?
Directed by Calistro's indications, you get through the forest and start hearing voices.
A group of Pathfinders is about to forge through a calm and shallow stream to get to the other side.
if you make a DC20 open the spoiler
You can try to warn the Pathfinders (an your comrades) and do
• A Fey Lore (or any close Lore) check to explain that the Thorned Monarch is using fey magic to be tricky.
• A Diplomacy check to convince the Pathfinders that fording the river is a bad idea.
• An Intimidation check to cow the Pathfinders into going a different way.
• A Nature or Survival check to give evidence that the river must be moving much more swiftly than it looks.
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Natesh watches the area and forces himself to shake his head before he motions to the others to stop as he declares to the crossing Pathfinders. "Stop! The waters are not safe!" Natesh gestures to the calm waters to declare. "Fey magic is throughout, if you try to ford you will be swept away!"
Seeing his comments being taken as madness Natesh tries to calm himself and reiterate the point.
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Marcus happily accepts the flask. "Warms the belly and the soul, dulls the wits but numbs the mind to horrors that may cause a man to flinch. A worthwhile trade off... when taken in moderation."
Considering Calistro's orders he cringes. "If they don't know which end of the spyglass to hold at least they'll be comforted in thinking their doom is much further away... I really hope those weren't any of my recruits."
Realizing that the Pathfinders are about to attempt to ford the rapids, and recognizing the illusion for what it is, Marcus pantomimes marching into the water and getting swept away to a horrible death.
Natesh and Marcus realized that the scene is just an illusion! They warn their comrades that were unaware of the fact and starts trying to stop the green Pathfinder to cross the stream.
The stream is not the calm and shallow but a torrent of furry! The new Pathfinder agents go straight to their death!
Natesh starts trying to convince the newbie of the imminent threat but fails. Then, Marcus starts getting their attention by pantomiming marching into the water and getting swept away to a horrible death! The Pathfinders immediately stops and start wondering.
But they are still not sure if they need to cross or not.
After Kazikli's warning, the green Pathfinders starts wondering if they really need to cross this river, but are still unsure.
These experienced Pathfinders could be illusions trying to lure them out of something important!
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"Hello Pathfinders. I remember being new as well. Oh, the joys and wonders those days were." Frogger will hold up his hands in a non-threatening way. "But alas, there is evil in this world. Not us..." Frogger stumbles in his words. "There are evil fey in this world. Those fey can create powerful illusions - the water being one of them."
"Who are you reporting to? Calisro Bennary? Urwal?"