Symeon, Meadow, Eltis and Redd all realize that the Pathfinders across the stream are about to fall into a trap.
There is a large patch of thorny brambles that are covered by an illusion of a grassy meadow. The group of Pathfinders evidently did not detect the illusion and is headed straight for the brambles.
Time to try and convince them of the trap.
In order from easiest to hardest the suggested skills are: Fey Lore, Diplomacy or Intimidation, Nature or Survival
If you have a different lore skill that you feel is applicable, suggest it.
"Watch out! you are about to fall into a pile of jagged thorns." Krek cups his hands and hollers as loud as he can. When the Pathfinders turn he points straight ahead of them.
NG fem halfling | Bard (maestro) 4 | Emissary | HP 42/42 | AC 20 | F +7, R +11, W +9 | Perc +9 (low-light) | +2 Seek | Stealth +9 |Low-light vision | speed 25' | Spells: cantrips/5, 1st/3, 2nd/3 | Focus pts. 2 | Hero Pts. 2/2 | Explore Mode: search +8 | Active Conditions: ---
Redd also shouts at the novice Pathfinders.
Hey! Watch out! Yes, yes!
It's an illusiorious trap, indeed! Right there, near your feet!
She points at the ground near the other Pathfinders.
F Half-elf | Ranger 6 | ◆◇↺ | HP 74/74| AC 24 | F +11 R +14 W +13 | Perception +13 Low light vision | Hero 1/3 | Focus 1/1 | speed 35 |Prey=Wanikkawi| conditions: cat's eye elixir
Meadow frowns then yells at the top of her lungs.
"Hey you guys! Hold on for a minute you silly clompstompers! Remember that we're dealing with some tricky fae and a lot of them use illusions. You're about to walk right up into some nasty brambles. Be careful!"
diplomacy:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Nature DC 13 or speak Sylvan:
Clompstomper is a translation to common of a sylvan insult used by sprites against 'big' humanoids. They consider the larger humanoids to be terribly loud and clumsy when 'clomping' and 'stomping' through the woods.
NG Male Gutsy HalflingTeacher Investigator (Medic) 5Surgeon Instructor | HP 51/51 | AC: 22 | F +8 R +13 W +12 | Perc +12 | 25 feet | Class DC 21 |1 Hero point｜ Exploration Activity: Investigate (Society +13)| Active Investigations: Case of the Jistikan Relic; Case of the Interference| Active Conditions: None
Symeon gives a look at his companions and the field of brambles in front of them. He pauses for a second then pulls out an apple from his pack and tries to lob it into the illusion.
Nature?:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
It sadly plops into the river instead. "Dang, I need to work on my throwing arm."
Eltis, I'm going to give you that hero point back because Redd did her roll getting you the final success needed before you spent your hero point. At a normal table, you would have known before your roll.
The group of you manages to convince the novice Pathfinders that there is something strange about that meadow. They stop to listen to your explanation and thank you for the warning.
They promise to be more alert for possibly fey trickery as they continue on their mission.
Success
It is getting a little late but I will try to get an update out yet tonight for the next mission.
You meet up with Urwal again. He seems rather perturbed.
“It's just terrible,” grumbles Urwal, perched on top of a stone structure.
“Look at this!” He holds up a handful of freshly cut vines. “Yellow musk! What a thing to introduce into this environment. The Thorned Monarch will stop at nothing! Watch your claws. Or toes. Or fins.”
You see ahead a thicket with a plant in it that looks similar to the vines Urwal was complaining about. There are also three humanoids covered in fungus around it.
The plant waves it’s tentacles.
Round 1:
Bold may act.
Nature to identify Dark green plants are difficult terrain No moving through trees. Those aren’t just stumps, they are trees in a cutaway view.
Yellow Plant (delay)
Symeon
Krek
Redd
Blue Plant Guy
Green Plant Guy
Meadow
Eltis
Darlann
Red Plant Guy
NG Male Gutsy HalflingTeacher Investigator (Medic) 5Surgeon Instructor | HP 51/51 | AC: 22 | F +8 R +13 W +12 | Perc +12 | 25 feet | Class DC 21 |1 Hero point｜ Exploration Activity: Investigate (Society +13)| Active Investigations: Case of the Jistikan Relic; Case of the Interference| Active Conditions: None
Seeing as we didn't use any time to heal up, could Symeon use a minute to Pursue a Lead the 'introduced' yellow musk? Even if not there's enough time for him to pull out his bow and vial of Alchemist's fire?
Symeon takes a moment to judge how easy it would be to try tossing a flask of alchemist's fire over at the yellow plant.
Devise Stratagem:1d20 ⇒ 14
Additional Recall Knowledge check:
Secret NATURE roll:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
The following happens if he doesn't recall that the plants are resistant or immune to fire
Sensing that the wind is probably good for him to hit, Symeon moves in closer before winding up and launching the vial into the midst of the plants.
I just realized when checking to make sure that Devise a Stratagem worked with bombs that I miscalculated all of my stratagem strikes using his Dex instead of Int. I feel stupid. FIRE IN THE... glade? Stratagem:14 + 8 - 2 = 20If he could Pursue a Lead beforehand he'd move that last 5 feet to get in the first range increment. Damage, fire!:1d8 ⇒ 3 Strategic strike:1d6 ⇒ 2
Seeing as we didn't use any time to heal up, could Symeon use a minute to Pursue a Lead the 'introduced' yellow musk? Even if not there's enough time for him to pull out his bow and vial of Alchemist's fire?
Sorry, since no one was hurt I didn’t think anyone would need the time.
You had ten minutes between fights. More than enough time to switch around weapons.
As for the Pursue a Lead, I think you would have had time. I’ll allow it.
Simeon:
The plant is a Yellow Musk Creeper.
Neutral Medium Mindless Plant.
It has a weakness to fire and can spray spores that cause victims to become fascinated and approach the creeper. The creeper can create Yellow Musk Thralls. Another Recall Knowledge to remember more.
Simeon runs towards the bushes and flings a bomb at the plant in the center. It hits and caused significant damage to the creature.
The plant does not like that at all!
It moves 5’ and then sprays a line of pollen at Symeon!
Will save please.
Round 1:
Bold may act.
Nature to identify Dark green plants are difficult terrain No moving through trees. Those aren’t just stumps, they are trees in a cutaway view.
Symeon Need a Will save
Yellow Musk Creeper -21, 1 persistent fire
Krek
Redd
Blue Plant Guy
Green Plant Guy
Meadow
Eltis
Darlann
Red Plant Guy
Krek quickly cuts off one of the plant people with his scourge. "Did this yellow musk kill them? What is it doing to them?" He looks on a bit horrified at the victims covered in the pollen and snaps his scourge against the vines to see what happens.
Krek has no problem snagging the plant person with his scourge. The creature falls unconscious.
There is one complication though, the creature is surrounded by a mass of tendrils. If Krek isn’t careful, he will become entangled in them.
Must succeed at a DC 14 Reflex or be grabbed by the unconscious creature.
Round 1:
Bold may act.
Nature to identify Dark green plants are difficult terrain No moving through trees. Those aren’t just stumps, they are trees in a cutaway view.
Symeon
Yellow Musk Creeper -16, 1 persistent fire
Krek Need Dex save or be grabbed
Redd
Blue Plant Guy
Green Plant Guy -12 NL, Unconscious
Meadow
Eltis
Darlann
Red Plant Guy
NG fem halfling | Bard (maestro) 4 | Emissary | HP 42/42 | AC 20 | F +7, R +11, W +9 | Perc +9 (low-light) | +2 Seek | Stealth +9 |Low-light vision | speed 25' | Spells: cantrips/5, 1st/3, 2nd/3 | Focus pts. 2 | Hero Pts. 2/2 | Explore Mode: search +8 | Active Conditions: ---
Redd moves around a tree trunk several paces and gets just behind symeon. She sings inspiring songs about happy flowers and plants and tries to extend the length of the benefits.
Performance:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
She fires off an arrow at the large, possibly the main, plant.
+1 shortbow & IC:1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 8 + 1 = 26 piercing & IC:1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 deadly?:1d10 ⇒ 2
stride, inspire (and linger for free), shoot. 3 rounds of inspire courage!!!
Redd’s gardening song sets just the right mood and she uses an arrow to clip some of the tendrils off the plant.
Blue slowly shambles along around the thicket and just barely makes it to Redd and Symeon.
DC 14 Reflex or be grabbed
The Green plant continues to slump unconscious but the tendrils are a nuisance.
Round 1:
Bold may act.
Inspire Courage until round 4.
Nature to identify Dark green plants are difficult terrain No moving through trees. Those aren’t just stumps, they are trees in a cutaway view.
Symeon Need Dex save or be grabbed
Yellow Musk Creeper -20, 1 persistent fire
Krek Need Dex save or be grabbed
Redd Need Dex save or be grabbed
Blue Plant Guy
Green Plant Guy -12 NL, Unconscious
Meadow
Eltis
Darlann
Red Plant Guy
Redd is entangled in the tendrils surrounding the Blue Plant Guy.
Eltis fires off a lance of holy energy only to find out that the plants are not evil. It has no effect on the Blue Plant Guy.
If you have questions about that, ask in Discussion. Alignment damage is weird.
Round 1:
Bold may act.
Inspire Courage until round 4.
Nature to identify Dark green plants are difficult terrain No moving through trees. Those aren’t just stumps, they are trees in a cutaway view.
Symeon Need Dex save or be grabbed
Yellow Musk Creeper -20, 1 persistent fire
Krek Need Dex save or be grabbed
Redd Grabbed by Blue
Blue Plant Guy
Green Plant Guy -12 NL, Unconscious
Meadow
Eltis
Darlann
Red Plant Guy
NG Male Gutsy HalflingTeacher Investigator (Medic) 5Surgeon Instructor | HP 51/51 | AC: 22 | F +8 R +13 W +12 | Perc +12 | 25 feet | Class DC 21 |1 Hero point｜ Exploration Activity: Investigate (Society +13)| Active Investigations: Case of the Jistikan Relic; Case of the Interference| Active Conditions: None
I think there was also a will save needed a few posts ago. Will save DC??:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15 Reflex vs. grabby vines DC 14:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Symeon is fascinated by the pollen that he was sprayed by. Then he gets grabbed by the tendrils.
Since the creature did not attack you, it just moved up to you, I am going to say that did not break the fascination. I can't see how the creatures could work together if the aura broke the fascination.
Currently grabbed and fascinated. If you escape the grab, you would wander towards the Yellow Musk Creeper.
Updated spoiler based on new information found while researching rules question.
Meadow:
The plant people are called Yellow Musk Thralls.
N Medium Mindless Plant.
The Yellow Musk can turn a creature into one of these. The process destroys their brain and causes them to become a plant creature. If you find the thrall within a few days of when it is converted, you can restore the victim with magic to remove a disease or a 1-hour long medical procedure. These look like they have been thralls longer than that and can no longer be restored.
They are immune to mental and weak to fire damage.
Tendrils surround them as an aura causing creatures to be grabbed by the tendrils.
Their touch carries the Yellow Musk pollen that you just saw Symeon become fascinated by.
When they are almost dead, tendrils tear through the creatures limbs to extend them, extending their melee reach by 5’.
F Half-elf | Ranger 6 | ◆◇↺ | HP 74/74| AC 24 | F +11 R +14 W +13 | Perception +13 Low light vision | Hero 1/3 | Focus 1/1 | speed 35 |Prey=Wanikkawi| conditions: cat's eye elixir
"Oh no! I think you're right Silence. They're too far gone to be helped. The only thing we can do now is make sure they can't hurt anyone and that awful plant can't do this to anyone else."
"Fire works well on them everyone."
With tears in her eyes she carefully studies the closest thrall before quickly drawing her bow and firing.
Meadow’s arrow flies straight and true, piercing the thrall. It slowly crumples to the ground. Symeon and Redd are released as the tendrils shrivel and die.
Crit hit
Darlann hits with his first strike, the second misses.
Need a DC 14 Reflex save or be grabbed
Symeon moves up to the central plant and then just stands there, fascinated.
The Yellow Musk Creeper moves between Symeon and Red Plant Guy, then reaches out with it’s tendrils for Darlann.
Tendrils, reach:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29 Piercing damage:1d10 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
I believe that drops Darlann.
It continues to burn.
Flat check for persistent damage:1d20 ⇒ 1
Round 2:
Bold may act.
Inspire Courage until round 4.
Nature to identify Dark green plants are difficult terrain No moving through trees. Those aren’t just stumps, they are trees in a cutaway view.
The plant guys have an aura that grabs people if the creature or a person ends their turn adjacent. If you do this, please just make the DC 14 Reflex save to determine if you are grabbed.
Symeon Fascinated
Darlann -20, dying 2
Yellow Musk Creeper -21, 1 persistent fire
Krek Need Dex save or be grabbed
Redd Blue Plant Guy
Green Plant Guy -12 NL, Unconscious
Meadow
Eltis
Red Plant Guy -5
NG Male Gutsy HalflingTeacher Investigator (Medic) 5Surgeon Instructor | HP 51/51 | AC: 22 | F +8 R +13 W +12 | Perc +12 | 25 feet | Class DC 21 |1 Hero point｜ Exploration Activity: Investigate (Society +13)| Active Investigations: Case of the Jistikan Relic; Case of the Interference| Active Conditions: None
Symeon drools some as the image of him winning a prestigious medical award for his breakthrough discovery in using Yellow Musk as an anesthesia dances through his head. He has to get a sample of it from the source.
I'm not entirely sure how weakness and persistent damage work but wouldn't even persistent damage proc it's weakness?
NG fem halfling | Bard (maestro) 4 | Emissary | HP 42/42 | AC 20 | F +7, R +11, W +9 | Perc +9 (low-light) | +2 Seek | Stealth +9 |Low-light vision | speed 25' | Spells: cantrips/5, 1st/3, 2nd/3 | Focus pts. 2 | Hero Pts. 2/2 | Explore Mode: search +8 | Active Conditions: ---
Oh, dear...
Redd says with dismay when Darlann falls.
I'll help you, Darlann!
Redd mutters a hymn of Chaldira and points a finger at Darlann. Healing energy swirls about his body and sparkles with silvery light.
Cast Soothe healing:1d10 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
She then quickly fires an arrow at the creeper within reach of Darlann.
+1 shortbow & IC:1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 8 + 1 = 24 piercing & IC:1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 deadly?:1d10 ⇒ 7
Ah, I knew I was forgetting something in that post! I always use my reaction to either glimpse of redemption an attack against an ally by the enemy I'm engaging or, if I'm the one being attacked, on shield block. Since no allies were being attacked there I would've blocked 5 damage and stayed up. Not gonna ask you to retcon anything, but I'll make sure to add that to my turns from now on.
I thought your actions were Stride, Strike, Strike. Three actions, no shield raised. Sorry if I was wrong there.
Redd quickly gives Darlann some much needed relief. Then Redd fires on Red, killing it with the shot!
Critical hit.
Round 2:
Bold may act.
Inspire Courage until round 4.
Nature to identify Dark green plants are difficult terrain No moving through trees. Those aren’t just stumps, they are trees in a cutaway view.
The plant guys have an aura that grabs people if the creature or a person ends their turn adjacent. If you do this, please just make the DC 14 Reflex save to determine if you are grabbed.
Symeon Fascinated
Darlann -5, wounded 1, prone
Yellow Musk Creeper -26, 1 persistent fire
Krek Need Dex save or be grabbed
Redd
Blue Plant Guy
Green Plant Guy -12 NL, Unconscious
Meadow
Eltis
Red Plant Guy -5
My exploration action is Defend, which gives me an automatic raised shield on the first round of combat, unless we didn't technically get to use an exploration action before this combat?
With all that, I'm going to say you got free. The creature was already unconscious.
Krek gets free and far enough away from the creature that the flailing tendrils surrounding it can no longer reach him.
Doesn't look like anything broke Symeon out of his fascination...
Symeon continues to stare at the Yellow Musk Creeper.
Round 3:
Bold may act.
Inspire Courage until Redd's turn in round 4.
Nature to identify Dark green plants are difficult terrain No moving through trees. Those aren’t just stumps, they are trees in a cutaway view.
The plant guys have an aura that grabs people if the creature or a person ends their turn adjacent. If you do this, please just make the DC 14 Reflex save to determine if you are grabbed.
Symeon Fascinated
Darlann -5, wounded 1, prone
Yellow Musk Creeper -26, 1 persistent fire
Krek
Redd
Blue Plant Guy
Green Plant Guy -12 NL, Unconscious
Meadow
Eltis
Red Plant Guy -5
F Half-elf | Ranger 6 | ◆◇↺ | HP 74/74| AC 24 | F +11 R +14 W +13 | Perception +13 Low light vision | Hero 1/3 | Focus 1/1 | speed 35 |Prey=Wanikkawi| conditions: cat's eye elixir
@GM Bret
It looks like you skipped Eltis and Me.
Meadow moves closer for a better shot at the malicious plant, watching it intently the entire time. Satisfied that she has its measure she fires two quick shots from her shortbow.
Finding himself on the ground after his charge, Darlann rubs the back of his head, wiping off any fungus that he might've caught from the forest floor before stepping up to the fungus and striking it again.
One action to stand up, one action to stride, one action to strike. I will use my glimpse of redemption as my reaction if the yellow creeper attacks anyone other than me.
Working together, Meadow and Darlann destroy the Yellow Musk Creeper.
Calling combat since the only remaining creature is incapacitated.
Shortly after the Yellow Musk Creeper dies, Symeon comes out of his fascinated state. It is no challenge for the group to destroy the last remaining Yellow Musk Thrall.
Success.
You have ten minutes before the next section.
Darlann can completely heal himself via lay on hands and refocus in that time,
Anyone else that has something they need to do in the ten minutes can do so.
You come to another of the Pathfinder temporary camps set up for aid and communication.
“Have you stopped for a meal yet?” asks Valais Durant.
“It's important to keep up your strength. It's close relatively, but still far. And looking even further, for that matter. The Thorned Monarch has added all kinds of hazards to the route we mapped out ahead of time.”
“Why don't you see if you can find a safer path?”
Time for a skill challenge.
The Thorned Monarch has obscured the path to the Door of Seasons and filled it with deadly hazards. You must find a new path to the site of the Door that the entire Society can use to approach.
Each character may attempt the skill once. The group needs two successes or one critical success to pass each challenge. Use of a particularly appropriate non-Cantrip spell can also bypass a hazard. Critical failure endangers the character performing the action.
First, there is thick undergrowth where previously there were clear paths. You must find a better path or clear a route through this brush.
Obvious solutions are: * Athletics to force through the brush. * Acrobatics to skirt it. * Nature to recognize the plant from a distance. * Survival to spot its habitat.
