(PFS2) Bounty / Quest Rotation (B4, B5, B7, B8, Q1) @ "The Sandstone Secret" (Inactive)

Game Master rainzax

After belting out the Rock Stew song, Kupyn Baro pants for a few minutes, leaning on her dog, Darb. "Whew! Singing that song takes it out of me every single time!"

She marches up to Ron and pats him on the knee. "I bet you're so excited for Rock Stew right now that you're wondering how to help! Am I right?" Then she looks to the rest of the party and wags her finger. "Hint. This is where you all are supposed to ask, 'Oh, Kupyn Baro, how can we help you make Rock Stew?'"

Maruta listens to Darb's halfling's story, but when she starts singing, puts his pinky fingers back into his ears "Aaaarrrgh!"

But soon enough it is over, and he addresses the dog again "Brownies it says?" he turns to look at his companions. Worse ideas than tallfolk, those. Back to Darb "You can give these to it" pointing to Kupyn "To activate Rock"

He hands over all the acorns the party had managed to find so far - their "toll" - as tribute to the winter ritual - all in all, there is about 4d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 2, 5) = 16 - and now looks very pleased with himself.

"Thank you, Maruta!" Kupyn pockets the acorns and nods to Maruta. "This will be a good start, but our rock stew will need even more than sixteen acorns to become magnificent!"

Maruta goes to fetch one more acorn. Now where did I chuck it!?...

Matei listens with interest to the story of the old halfling, but when he hears the song of the Rock Stew his face suddenly changes from attentive to embarrassed.

Um yes, he says, trying to get a more cordial expression, My dear lady, I think I can speak on behalf of the group in saying that we will be happy to help you in this matter of yours. The doctor looks for signs of agreement in his companions' eyes.

"I get it. It's an allegory for communal cohesiveness. Quaint and cute, but what does it have to do with us?"

Vanvathar bobs along with the tune and smiles when Kupyn is finished. "That's a nice song, and a nice tradition to have. I'd be honoured to participate in it."

To Ignatius, he says, "I guess she wants us to collect the ingredients. Is that right? If we can get a nice meal by going around town, I see no reason why we should refuse."

Kupyn beams up at Vanvathar! "Yes, young one, you have it exactly! And what a nice party of polite young men!"

“Every year I place a special rock in the stew. The one who finds the rock is said to have good luck throughout the coming year.” She stretches her toes to ready herself for a long hike. "I can pick up the mutton herself, but you will save me a bunch of walking if you pick up the following ingredients."

"One," she holds up a finger. "Carrots and celery from Farmer Greetle's farm, found in the southwest part of the village. You can't miss it, and even if you could, I'm certain that both Maruta and Darb will know the way." Then she glances at the distractible fey creature and furrows her brow. "Well... at least Darb will."

"Two," a second finger goes up. "A bag of deep root potatoes grown by the dwarves at the foot of the Hollow Hills, a bit west of the village."

"Three," a third finger, this one slightly crooked, goes up. "A bundle of scallions from the brownies who tend them in the grove just north of the village. Whatever you do, do not let Maruta get into an acorn fight with them again."

Then she takes a deep breath. "Once all is ready, bring the ingredients to my house within the village, where I will mix them into my family's cauldron—a special magical item with the power to multiply whatever is put into it."

Kupyn claps. "Remember... It's best to ask nicely, as it's almost Winter Week and it wouldn't do to offend anyone in Scallion's Wrap! Any questions?"

Darb wags his tail and shows his tongue to the party. "Woof!"

I'll be your guide! I'm the best dog!

"Yes, I have one question," Vanvatar says with a smile. He then turns to the dog. "Who's a good boy?" And starts ruffling his fur.

"Woof! Woof!" Darb answers, licking Vanvathar's hand.

I am! I am!

"You are a smart one," Kupyn notes, squinting at Vanvathar. "Are you a witch too?"

"Well, I wouldn't call myself that, but I have some experience with the occult, I suppose," Vanvathar answers, subconsciously tucking Iggy further back into his clothes. "Are the people of this town prejudiced against magic and the supernatural? I have no reason to show it off, but it's good to know beforehand."

"Naw. I've been witch here for over 70 years, as my mother, grandmother and great grandmother were before me! This is one town that doesn't mind a bit of magic! Though... some of the town's been grumpy of late. I'm sure it is for no reason. Maybe it's due to change in weather!"

Having missed the whole conversation, Maruta finally returns, triumphant in his posture, and hands the seventeenth acorn to Darb "He got this for it!" pointing to Kupyn.

Somebody then explains to him about the vegetables, potatoes, and onions "Acorns don't need vegetables" he informs / protests, and after some back and forth, can be made to come around to the actual mission at hand.

"Have you need of your witch?" he asks Darb, gauging the dog's friendliness and relative domestication towards tiny fey creatures such as himself.

Nature (Trained) +4

"Woof!" Darb wags his tail and nods.

I have need of her and she has need of me. I'm her spell book, and such a good dog!

"Very well"

Maruta looks towards the other witch - Vanvathar - and offers advice "What ideas they have is nigh" pointing to the center of the village, he spits on the ground as if to demonstrate some seriousness, all in an awkward attempt to seek common ground with him, whether or not it comes off that way.

"Farm, Hill, or..." he shudders a little here "...Grove" looking at the elf with his arms crossed, but really addressing the whole party. Though it wasn't clear in his deep-voiced intonation, these words actually lay the foundation of a travel question.

"You don't plan on paying us in acorns do you?"

"Tabhair dearcán do sióg, agus tugann sé d’fhear é"
"Tabhair dearcán d’fhear, agus caith sé uaidh é"
"Caith dearcán ar shiúl, agus fásann sé ina chrann"

To the common ear, and coming from Maruta, this sounds like it might be a sad and/or angry poem...

"Acorns?" Kupyn laughs. "No, I have gold!"

You take your leave of Kupyn, who waves and says, "Bye-bye boys! Have fun storming Greetle Farm!"

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Greetle Farm

Darb barks as you approach. From the new paint and fine wooden carvings of the farmers' god Erastil lining the gate, it's evident the farmer has been doing well. Bunwol Greetle, an elderly human, sits on the front porch with his grandchildren, shelling peas and singing about rock stew.

♫ Rock stew for me, rock stew for you!
It's the soup that helps us in all that we do! ♫

Far from unfriendly, when Farmer Greetle sees people approaching, a smile breaks over his face. “Hail and well met, strangers! What can I do for you on this fine day?”

Hello friends! The name is Ron and we are here in service to Kupyn. She asked us to collect some ingredients to her magical rock stew that we have heard so much about.

As soon as the singing stops, Maruta looks at the shells out of which the peas are shucked from.

This tallfolk and it's little-tallfolk seem to be gathering these for some reason...

Pointing to them, he asks Darb "Do you think your witch would want?"

"Specifically carrots and celery."

Ignatius wondered what they were supposed to do if the farmer refused. He'd know what an Chelaxian tax collector would do if the peasants didn't pay up, but he wasn't so sure that was the tact employed around these parts. It seemed doubtful they would be so... direct.

"Oh? Now Kupyn wants my help?" Bunwol Greetle asks. "Just last week she was grumbling about Winter Week. Put me out of the holiday spirit, it did. And now she sends strangers instead of coming herself. Strangers who might not understand what Winter Week means to everyone..." The old man sounds hurt.

You can convince Bunwol Greetle that Kupyn does share the spirit of Winter Week with a diplomacy check in which you describe her enthusiasm, or you can do a perform check in which you perform that classic, "Rock Stew for me, Rock Stew for you."

"Woof!" Darb wags his tail, and looks at all of you hopefully.

We need those carrots and celery!

"Those peculiar globules" Maruta walks up to the child closest to his height and, pointing at the peas (not the shells, per Darb's instructions!), addresses it with a serious tone "I understand a lot of the ideas here to involve a Ritual" pushing a little more breath into that capitol "R" to infuse it with proportional importance "Such in which all tallfolk what live inside of it are bound to the fate of it's entirety, and Inextricable" that capitol "I" similarly so spoken "Thereby leading into consequence a chain:" punctuating the colon (:) here with an absence of breath, he makes his plea to the grandchild whilst pointing to the other taller members of the family "To bereave this celebration would be like to exodus this very existence!" he spits on the ground here to gravitize his point, the dirt wet unto the excretion oxidizing audibly; a gestus demonstrating the hypothetical inaction of his audience "Would you wish this upon your kin?"

Crossing his arms here for additional affect.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Pardon me, Mr. Greetle, but am I wrong, or were you singing the Rock Stew song just a moment ago? Asks Matei politely. Isn't that like an hymn to cooperation for the people of your village? We may indeed have yet to fully understand the meaning of Winter Week, but we are part of an organization that values working together and helping each other very highly. Also, Ms. Kupyn is a firm believer of these principles, she seemed a firm believer of the cooperative spirit that distinguishes your village. So please, in the name of community, help us and Ms. Kupyn with some vegetables for your traditional Rock Stew. He says to the farmer, a warm smile on his face.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Vanvathar chimes in, "Oh, it's not that Kupyn doesn't want to visit you, it's just... She's getting quite old of age, so she sent us, instead. See, we have Darb with us here, to indicate her blessing." Vanvathar kneels down and gives Darb another ruffle on his head.

At first, the toddler is completely confused by Maruta's extravagant speech, but then it claps and pops a pea into Maruta's mouth. One of the older children hastily offers Maruta a bowl of peas though, saying, "Tis best to keep on the good side with the fey! Here, take the bowl!"[b] The bowl is roughly twice the size of Maruta, who can now balance it partially on his head and arms.

At first, Matei's words make little headway with the Greetle Clan, but then Vanvathar points out the unmistakeable presence of Darb, wagging his tail. When Matei sings the Greetles all join in and some are in tears by the end. [b]"Oh that is a lovely voice you have! You should sing at the gathering! We are so happy Kupyn taught you the song." They all get up, bringing lots of carrots and celery for you to bring back.

SUCCESS!

"Woof!" Darb wags his tail.

Good work! Where to next?

Thank you for all these vegetables, says Matei with a little bow, And I would be honored to sing at the gathering, my good Sir and he tends his hand toward Old Greetle.

"Thank you for your contribution," Vanvathar bows. "We will name you in our thanks for the feast during the celebration."

He heaves a sack of carrots on his back, and you can hear some popping noises - are that the carrots breaking, or Vanvathar's joints creaking in protest?

"Now, where do we want to go next? Since Maruta doesn't seem to like the Brownies very much, let's leave that for last? Or should we do that right now, to just be done with it?"

Thank you for helping with this magic stone stew! I wish your family luck with getting the stone in your stew! Ron still seems confused how getting a rock in your food is a good thing. [/i]I hope it is at least clean...[/i]

I do not know much about brownies so I will take Maruta's word about that. I don't have a preference on what task we need to do next! Ron seems excited to be part of all this.

Maruta is nearly squashed by the bowl of peas!

His Bulk Capacity is 2!

Pulling himself out from under it, he gives the older children a fearful look, and when the singing starts, closes his ears again, entering a state of fight or flight, and performs the latter ...... when it's all over, he comes back from behind a closest bush or rock, and pointing to the bowls, asks for assistance in strapping them to Darb.

"Brownies more perilous than tallfolk's little-tallfolk" he warns his party, bracing himself for an even worse experience than being terrorized by the farmer's children!

GM Coin Flip: 1d2 ⇒ 1

The party flips a coin and decided to head towards the dwarves now, and save the brownies... for dessert!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Deep Root Potatoes

A small mining compound sits just at the foot of the Hollow Hills. Several dwarves sit outside eating lunch. Hanging above the entrance is the sign Steim Mine: Our Roots Run Deep. At the head of the table sits a venerable dwarf with a flowing white beard spilling over his mining leathers. “Hello there. Here for ore or potatoes? If it's the former, you're in luck. If it's the latter, there might be a problem.”

Good day Sir, Matei begins to the venerable dwarf, What's the problem with your potatoes? We came to collect some at Kupyn's request. Are there any problems in the mine?

"No, no problems with the mine... problems with my jojnts!" The old dwarf proclaims. "I'm Jaget Steim, and I set aside the current crop of potatoes for Kupyn Baro, but she's yet to pick them up. Since you're here on Kupyn's behalf, I want to know where my joint pain tincture is."

The old dwarf throws up his arms in exasperation and looks at Darb. "The old biddy used it on herself this month, didn't she?"

"Mmmmp." Darb whimpers and nods.

Her joints hurt!

Kupyn hasn't told us about your joints, Mr. Steim, but if you're in dire need of medication for your problem, I think one of us could easily go get the tincture from the old sorceress. In the meantime I could visit you and give you some advice. I studied medicine at the University of Lepidstadt, and although I am not a physician I can still try to help you in some way.

That said Matei retrieves his healer's kit from the backpack, to show the dwarf that he's indeed capable of help with the joint problem.

"I too was required to study medicine growing up. I learned a thing or two about joints."

Ignatius didn't let on that the reason he was required to learn medicine as a Thrune was so that he could apply more effective torture techniques to his enemies. There was a fine line between heal and harm.

Trained in medicine but still saving up money for a healer's kit.

You can treat Jaget Steim's joints directly with Medicine and a Healing Kit. Additionally, if you are feeling ambitious, someone trained in either Medicine or Nature can use Crafting to make a tincture for Jaget Steim's joints that will keep the old dwarf spry through the entirety of the Winter Week holliday Pease roll for these and remember that you each have a Hero Point if needed.

Matei accompanies the old dwarf to a slightly more secluded area to begin a medical examination.

Medicine: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

After the examination, the doctor takes his healing kit and tries to create a medicine for his patient's problem.

Crafting: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

I'll use my Hero Point to reroll this check.

Crafting: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Those dice hate me...

With the few means available and without having access to a laboratory, the young man does everything possible to create an ointment that can give relief to Mr. Steim, but is not sure of the effectiveness of his creation.

Matei's healing hands and expertise helps ease Jaget Steim's joint pain. "Ooh, thank you!" Still, the dwarf sniffs at the ointment and hands it back to Matei. "Are you sure you mixed it up right? It don't smell like the other stuff."

Does anyone else want to make a try at the ointment?

Vanvathar steps in, glad to be of help.

"Ah, what my colleague probably forgot was to add McAllister's theorem in his equation, which states that a Dwarves' toughness also means you need to add more numbing agents. It's easily forgotten, as we usually practice on human subjects. Conversely, you want to ease up on the numbing agents for Elves, otherwise you could knock them out cold..."

He takes over from Matei at the healer's station and mixes up some herbs, also careful to add in some of Iggy's shed scales - they've been proven to aid magical healing.

Crafting check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Yeah, let's reroll that.
Crafting check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
I even have Herabalism Lore at the same modifier, if anything especially herbal is needed.

Sorry to hear about those joints! I am sure Matei over here will be able to treat you up nice. Ron nods at Matei as he gets to work. While you do that, I can try my hand at making you a little something to help in the long term. Let's see what I can put together! Ron hasn't bought a healers kit yet either given their price and he wants to buy a bow soon.

Ron starts playing with Matei's healer kit to make something that will help (which Ron is sure Matei's would help) but also smell good.

medicine: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
hero point: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

Once it is whipped up he takes a sniff and hands it to the dwarf... hope it helps!

The problem is that his joints are too big!

Maruta folds his arms grumpily, unable to assist, quiet.

Vanvathar and Ron remix the joint ointment for Jaget Steim and he sniffs it and rubs a little on his knuckles then gives a happy sigh. "Oh yeah! That's the stuff!"

The dwarves give you a bag of potatoes. "We look forward to seein' all of you at the Winter Week Feast!" They also give you four flasks of ore solvent, made from the distilled essence of deep root potatoes and used for special mining operations.

These have the same statistics as acid flasks (lesser).

You have celery, carrots and potatoes! It's time to get scallions!

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

BUNDLES OF SCALLIONS

As you approach the grove, a multitude of twinkling lights begin dancing about in the shadows beneath the ancient trees. Giggles and whispers fill the air, but you see nothing. Upon reaching the center of the grove, where scallions, garlic, onions, and chives grow in thick clumps amid the dark soil, the whispering stops and the twinkling lights fade.

Then an acorn flies towards Maruta's head!

Acorn Throw!: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Damage: 1d3 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1

There's a flurry of giggles and flowers fall in a rain all around you.

Several diminutive fey wearing leaves and flowers emerge from their hiding places from within the wood. One, taller than the rest, wearing a crown of woven scallions and holding a purple onion flower (several times her height) like a scepter, steps forward. “I am Nelia Starsister, the Grove's Grand Garlicia and Alliumic Empress. Who are you to set foot in our domain?” Another brownie whispers in her ear, and Nelia nods and points to Maruta. "You! Are you here to--"

Darb comes out in front of you, and barks, "Woof!'

It's Winter Week! Peace and flowers!

The brownies all squeee with delight, their dispute with Maruta temporarily forgotten! “Sir Darbious the Glorious!” Several brownies leap on poor Darb and start braiding flowers into his fur. "Ooooh, we can make you so pretty!"

Darb's presence here gives you a +2 to all interactions with the brownies.

Darb looks up at you with big sad eyes. "Woof?"

Hurry up with the business and get me out of here!