Merisiel looks at the running boar and grins to Hornietelle
"We did well here girl." then she realizes that the battle is not over. Swiftly she runs to help squash and stabs the boar
But her rapier hits the ground, she cuts the pig with her dagger
She leaves the dagger inside the boar.
Hornietelle moves and casts a spell.
Whatever she showed the beast, combined with its actual wounds, caused it to flee as well.
Merisiel moves towards the last remaining aggressor. She aims too low with her sword, but strikes with a dagger.
Round 3-4 - bolded may go!
SQUASH (-24 HP)
Blue (-54 HP, wounded 2)
Green (-43 HP)
Merisiel (-7 HP)
Hornietelle
Red (-47 HP)
Imiriax (-12 HP)
Ionic (-12 HP, haste)
|
With only the one left, Squash decides it is time to stop the game of cat and mouse pig and pumpkin.
He retracts his long viny arms, creating a more steady hold and then swings with all his might against the flat-footed creature.
◈ Interact (end grasping reach)
◈◈ Power Attack - +1 Spiked Chain (disarm, finesse, trip, uncommon)
One more sting of the spiked chain is too much for the final creature, which runs off.
SQUASH (-24 HP)
Merisiel (-7 HP)
Imiriax (-12 HP)
Ionic (-12 HP)
When the group is ready, they can continue along the path north.
|
With the boars running away, it gives time for Hornietelle to pick up her weapons and smiles at Merisiel, "Yeah, your knives left their marks. Even a 'Sting' can make a difference."
As Squash uses medicine to heal various members of the party, she pouts her lips, shakes her hips and starts her 10 minute commune with The Lady of Stings. Once refreshed the elven woman nods to both Ionic and Squash, "You are both have courage and strength, your protection on this expedition is most welcome. And Squash, your skill with the flora of the forest in healing is most commendable." She walks slowly and seductively around the fighters, before standing by Imiriax, "And your magics made the first flee, a good show." a nod of appreciation to the wizard, though she didn't understand all the magics he used.
"So I assume that having met the wild welcoming party, we should continue to seek out Masuhei Okonase to start our real mission. Once you are all ready that is." her head moves to the side as her hair drops to the side, "You know we might meet more of the local wildlife and that might meet those griffons. Does anyone know anything about those creatures?" she asks perplexed.
As the boars flee or fall, Merisiel moves to collect her daggers.
"Huh, we did it! Oh, they ripped my armor." says Merisiel as she attempts to patch it.
She drinks any herbal mixtures that Squash is giving her.
"Thanks Squash! I feel terrific!"
She pats Hornietelle on her arm "Thanks, it could be your god healing, but you picked whom to heal."
The rogue is ready to keep going.
The rest of the trip to the fortress is uneventful.
The forest gives way to an expansive clearing. A gigantic statue stands in front of what appears to have once been an entryway. Up ahead, ruined spires and ancient stone buildings litter the grounds. To the northeast, a mountain rises toward the sky. To the southeast, the terrain slopes downward and a gap in the tree line reveals a view of the sparkling sea. The buzz of distant cicadas fills the air.
A tengu woman stares at the complex muttering to herself. She’s tall and elegant, with dark feathers, clad in simple robes and wooden sandals. A smoking fire pit and a run-down wooden structure are nearby.
As you approach, the tengu turns and speaks in a soft voice, “Welcome, Pathfinders. My name is Kukuha. Apologies for not meeting you in Sakakabe, but I deemed it necessary to perform some advance observation of Kayajima to see what I could learn about the rumored ley lines. Fola’s information has proven correct. There are indeed ley lines running through the island here, and quite powerful ones at that, though it seems something is interfering with their function.”
Kukuha looks across the panoramic vista, then continues. “It’s quite beautiful, is it not?” She motions to the northwest, toward the trees. “Makuzen Forest, the verdant bounty of the land.” She turns to the sea glittering in the southeast. “Airishin Cove, resting by the sea.” Finally, Kukuha gestures to the mountain in the northeast. “And Soruseiji Peak, stretching toward the sky. These are not only places of natural beauty; my research and divinations would appear to indicate that each is a kind of gate for natural power. They appear to be damaged or malfunctioning somehow, though, but I believe by placing special focuses at each, we can repair them.” She taps the ground with a talon. “And when that’s done, here is where I will carry out a final ritual—uniting land, sea, and sky—thus stabilizing the protective powers of the convergence. This should make it safe to establish our lodge.
“Unfortunately, I have not been able to access these locations. That is where I need your aid. I have prepared several ritual focus items that should aid in restoring each gate. Travel to Makuzen Forest’s heart, Airishin Cove, and Soruseiji Peak, and take a ritual focus to each. I do not know what you will find there, but I trust that your instincts will guide you true.”
Kukuha then shakes her head. “We have to do this the right way. Kayajima is home to many creatures. To simply take the island’s powers and position ourselves as its tyrants—I cannot allow that to happen, and besides, honest negotiation is always a better foundation than force. Pay the island and its inhabitants the utmost respect as you carry out this mission. In this way, I hope the Pathfinder Society will be viewed as a welcomed presence rather than a conquering foe.”
|
|
Hornietelle bows back to the woman, "Indeed Kukuha, we will treat this island and it's inhabitants with respect and hope that friendships can be established. Although the wildlife is somewhat aggressive, we discovered that when three boars decided to attack us." she extends her sculptured hand in a wide sweeping arc as she continues, "My friends in the expedition have proved their mettle, should we need to defend ourselves and the Pathfinder Society."
Hornietelle gives time for each of the Pathfinders to introduce themselves, before she introduces herself, asking what Kukuha might know of griffons, that she recalls as being one of the island's citizens.
Kukuha regretfully responds that she knows nothing about griffons.
Merisiel looks at the tengu
"I am Merisiel. It is good to see you in health. I was afraid that some predator ate you." she listens to the information given and summarizes
"We should visit those places and respectfully use those items. Is that it?"
“Indeed. If my intuition is correct, it should be clear once you reach each gate what specifically needs to be done. The ancient people of this island, too, harnessed the energies of the ley lines, so perhaps there will be sites where they drew those powers.”
Kukuha excuses herself and fetches a crystalline prism from her campsite. She holds it to the sunlight, which catches the prism and refracts in an array of vivid, impossible colors. “A sky diamond—the perfect focus for Soruseiji Peak. At the place of power, it will surely shine even brighter.”
“Each presented their own complications, and I am more scholar than explorer. The forest is too vast and tangled for me to traverse. The ancient people of this island seemed to have constructed a way up Soruseiji Peak, but the path ends with a broken bridge, and I was not able to continue. And there appears to be a dragon guarding the cove that’s... well, a dragon.”
|
"Thank you, Squash," says Imiriax when the leshy heals him. He watches curiously, wondering if the herbs are similar to those used by human chirurgeons.
______________________________________________________________
Imiriax smiles at Kukuha, listening intently. This talk of ley convergences has the analytical mind of the wizard very excited. "I might be able to help with the bridge," he says. "I've built a few temporary structures in my day. And that forest looks to be filled with good raw materials. But this dragon interests me more. Do you know what kind of dragon? Or its name?"
"I believe it was a sea dragon, but I did not remain long enough to learn any more."
|
|
"You have a sky diamond for Soruseiji Peak, are there similar objects of focus for the other two places? Should we leave those with you whilst we use the diamond to focus the ley lines on the peak? It may be best to get to the peak first as we have the Sky Diamond ready to take." Hornietelle asks, before her frown screws up in thought.
"Kukuha, so how long will it take us to travel to the various places, do you have any idea? And do you have any equipment we might find useful."
Kukuha walks over to her campsite and returns bearing a small clay pot. Planted within the pot’s soil is a small sapling, with gossamer, rainbow-hued leaves sprouting from its budding branches.
“This is a rainbow cedar sapling, a magical tree attuned to the earth. It should make for an ideal focus for harnessing the power of the land.” Kukuha gestures toward the northwest. “It would seem the Forest’s Heart Gate rests within Makuzen. Journey deep within—this little one will let you know when you’ve reached the location.”
Kukuha scurries to her campsite and returns with a brownish-green stone shaped like a twisting double helix. “This olivine fulgurite was created from green beach sand struck by a lightning elemental. It will serve nicely to channel the latent power of the stormy sea.”
Kukuha motions to a path leading to the southwest. “Follow that path as it turns to rock, and it’ll lead you to Airishin Cove, the location where you must place this focus. I scouted the location yesterday, and it seems a sea dragon has taken up refuge in the cove, right near the Wrathful Tide Gate. From afar, it seemed as though they might be struggling in some way, but I deemed it unwise to approach the dragon regardless. It would be a shame to fight them without parleying first. Perhaps you could earn the Society a mighty ally.”
She then motions towards a small pile of items. “I found these in the fortress. I don't know if they will help you, but you are welcome to them.” The items include a tile game made of bone, a box with several sets of brass chopsticks, and several stone stamps carved to resemble various animals.
|
|
"All these are extraordinary things you have collected Kukuha. It's probably best to leave those we don't need behind. To loose or break any during our explorations would be very careless and no doubt seriously delay establishing a lodge." the cleric sweeps her hair from in front of her face.
"Friends, we can do that, take the sky crystal to the sky, then return to Kukuha with our stories and reports." she smiles. "Do we have enough equipment with us to fix the bridge and get across to the other side?" she asks her eyebrows rising as she looks across the Pathfinder's faces questioningly.
Merisiel takes the item. "If you found them in the forest, it means that someone could have lost them. We could bump into that one, so let me take the items. They will be safe with me" she gives Kukuha a grin.
"Sure let us take the crystal and move out. I know a thing or two about building, but I never built a bridge."
|
Ionic mostly stays back from the conversation with Kukuha, only extending a hand and a brief introduction. He mostly listens, while he did get some basic training in the various circles of magic, he is no where near an expert and knows it.
He takes a look at the crystal in Meriseiel's hands and pipes up for once. "Ain't ta heavy, is it? Got room in de pack, if needed."
He then reaches into the pack and pulls out a length of rope and a feather with the tip dipped in gold and a ladder painted on the main part. "Gots some rope'n' a ladder. Also, might just jump, ta."
He hangs the rope on the pack and tucks the feather into his belt, before adjusting the weight of the pack into a comfortable position and looking at everyone. "Ya ready? Let's get movin'."
You head northeast through the ruins of the fortress and a small stretch of woods, eventually reaching a sloping and winding path that carves its way up Soruseiji Peak. As you travel, the rocky path switches back and curves along the slope.
Eventually, you encounter the broken bridge that stopped Kukuha’s progress up the mountain, originally built to traverse a gap that passes over a section of path the PCs walked up earlier. The broken rope-plank bridge dangles from the posts on your side, the ropes that connected it to the other side having long frayed.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Ionic pulls the rope off his pack and sets it on the ground before pausing and grabbing his trident from his belt as well. Setting both on the ground he kneels over the side of the ravine and looks down, curious as to how deep the gap is, as he also starts to work to drag the scraps of the bridge back up.
Laying the bridge out on the flat ground he gives Merisiel and anyone else with some skill in repairing things a look. "How's it look? Wood still good? Just replace de rope?" He hefts his trident and adds, "Can probably toss it over wi'dis."
Knocking on the wood he scowls for a moment. "Could make a rope bridge instead. Like on a sailing ship. 'll need lots more rope, dough."
"You need the dough? Are you making donuts or building a bridge? Ahh, you mean though. Sorry, your beard sometimes makes it hard to understand you." She begins to look through her backpack
"I have a grappling hook, should work better than you fish fork" she takes out the hook and her rope.
The gap is 40 feet deep. The planks seem to be in good condition, as do the posts on both sides; only the rope supporting them was damaged.
Merisiel looks at the distance and nods to what squash has said. She takes out her dagger and says
"Look, this is what we can do..." Merisiel begins to make drawings on the ground presenting her ideas...
"Someone, Squash or Ionic throw the grappling hook to the other side, ideally making it stack onto something."
The elf looks at the faces of others "Come one, this is the plan. I never learned to draw, and this dirt here is hard to leave marks in!"
"Then one of us gets across using the rope. When on the other side, we pull in the remains of the bridge and try to reattach them together."
Using a grappling hook is a secret attack check. Who wants to make the throw?
Repairing the bridge requires two checks: a DC 18 Athletics check to haul up the planks (the Aid DC for this check is 15), followed by a DC 18 Crafting check (Aid is automatic for this check).
|
|
Hornietelle puzzles over the problem, "Well my friends you seem to have this covered, I am quite good at throwing, but I'm sure one of you strong armed friends can throw better than I." she smiles at you, in a way that she expects you to take on the task and succeed. "As for getting my hands dirty in sewing the rope, well I think you can find another." She turns her back and adds, "Let me know when it's built."
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Looking at the drawings the bearded, rough accented, and to be truthful muffled, dwarf looks down at Merisiel's drawings and shakes his head. He takes out an eating knife and sits down next to her. "Mosta de bridge on dis side. Just tie extra rope to dis side. Toss grapple. Climb over, pull up bridge bits. Tie off. Simple, no?"
Ionic drops his pack and nods at the plan, continuing the process of hauling the broken half of bridge up.
The hefty hauling dwarf strains at the boards but it sadly seems they been caught on something below and he has to drop them.
He looks over at Squash and asks, "Get de oder half? Got stuck."
If they get he rest of the bridge up, Ionic hands the grapple to Squash. "You tossit. Got a better arm, I suppose."
|
|
Hornietelle looks at the struggling dwarf and with a huff, she looks down on Ionic Saltbeard, "You know I had expected a little better from you, what in heavens name of a tangle are you making of this simple task." But she is unable to help, as she steps on ropes already pulled up and stumbles around Ionic, getting in his way.
Eventually Squash tells her to get out of the way, which she does with some relief.
"Really, I'm not cut out for this sort of work." she pouts and walks away.
Ionic, Squash and Hornietelle all grab onto the fallen bridge and try to pull it up, but get into each others' way. The leshy then tries solo as the others step back and manages to pull it up. A quick inspection shows that it will indeed hold if new ropes are used to tie it to the posts on the other side.
|
|
Ionic, feeling shame he couldn't get the bridge up on his own, tries hide it while working on tying the rope to he grappling hook and then the rope to the bridge. As he's tying, though his thoughts start to wander and he loses sight of the task at hand... After a moment he has a granny knot on the bridge and has somehow encased the grappling hook in a giant monkey's fist.
Merisiel looks at Ionic and Imiriax trying to tie the rope and failing at that.
She goes to the 'tied' part and begins working on that
"I am not sure if this would hold. But let me try this... I use this knot when I am tieing someone down... Sometimes it is handy"
|
|
Ionic blinks for a moment over the ropes and realizes that he'd truly messed up the ropes and very nearly risked losing the bridge, rope, and hook. He watches what Merisiel ties in the line and gives a small chuckle. "A True Lover's knot? What kinda tyin' up you been doin'?"
Squash grabs the grappling hook from Merisiel and throws it across the gap. It catches on one of the posts on the opposite side on the first try.
Merisiel ties the loose end of the bridge to herself and uses the rope to cross. Despite the added weight, her moves are graceful, and the grappling hook remains attached. She then reattaches the loose end of the bridge to the posts and walks back across, showing that it is now safe.
The path reaches a series of switchbacks, each climbing about ten feet higher, as it curves toward an aerie. As the peak grows near, the sound of harsh wind accompanied by frantic screeching sounds through the stony path.
At the top, you see a pair of large creatures with the heads, wings, and forelimbs of an osprey and the hindquarters of a snow leopard fighting against what seem to be large, ethereal weasels made of wind and water vapor. As the beasts lash out with claw and beak, the weasels seemed to turn gaseous before solidifying and striking with blades of compressed air.
As soon as you approach, the weasels turn to attack you, and the other creatures retreat to protect something.
Round 1 - bolded may go
Squash
Green
Ionic
Red
Hornietelle
Imiriax
Blue
Merisiel
Squash moves forward and prepares to strike one of the creatures. He gets his chance, as one of them flies quickly towards him. Just as the chain is about to strike, it seems to become less solid, and the weapon passes through with minimal resistance. It slows down and carefully closes the gap between it and the leshy.
Round 1 - bolded may go
Squash
Green (-1 HP, ???)
Ionic
Red
Hornietelle
Imiriax
Blue
Merisiel
These are wind malevolents, a type of small air elemental. They can react to attacks by discorporating into wisps, which gives them resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage, but weakness to area and splash damage. They cannot use their melee attack when discorporated. They automatically reform at the start of their turn.
Ionic moves towards the elementals, though he cannot remember anything useful about them.
One of the creatures flies toward the leshy, striking with a blade that is somehow both airy and sharp.
Squash ducks out of the way easily.
Round 1 - bolded may go
Squash
Green (-1 HP, discorporated)
Ionic
Red
Hornietelle
Imiriax
Blue
Merisiel