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The upstroke severs most of the silvery chords, the downstroke the final one, as our ulfen hero vanquishes the connexion between the kidnapped venture captain and the errant spirit, landing a graceful jump onto the ground below it as the energetic dissonance intensifies for a brief moment before sputtering out with anticlimax.
A clean flick of her wrist spatters the loose shadow-ectoplasm from both sides of the cold iron blade and onto the ground at a cleft angle, now shining as a smallest fragment of the possessing creature's essence remains within the forged metal, hostage to the spiritual energy of the infused implement, which Jakoby smoothly stows by drawing the decorated scabbard casing and sheathing it slowly in front of her body, careful not to unduly rub the blade but in the exact points of contact designed to retain it's edge.
She winks at Captain Astrid. And heads over to check up on Ro!
"You okay boy?" to which he nods and hops up onto her waiting arm, picking at her hair in the mimicry of grooming, while she let's him show her affection...
...Still keeping pace proportional to the situation yet unfolding! "Let's get to , shall we?" she heads towards the bowl, and with her steady hand, opens her mind's eye to the sensitive energies still swirling around to fill the void previously occupied by Urxehl's Disciple, looking to tap again once more the ley line attenuated to the same frequency as Dolok Darkfur's incorporal self, stretching the conduit so he may obtain entry back into the Material Plane!
Return to the Material plane.
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Amada shoulders his trident, surprised to see the fight resolved without any need for his weapon. At least I didn't have to break my leg again for this. Giving a quick whistle, Necalli returns to the elf's shoulder, oddly content with the rare fight in which she saw no injury.
"Happy to see you could make it, Kline. Does this ritual need more hands on deck? I've got a pair that are still surprisingly clean." The elf pulls down his scarf as he addresses the head of the Vigilant Seal, revealing a slight smirk. "Our target seems to be in good enough health, so if I'm not needed on ritual duty, I'll see to patching up my associates. Oh, and if you run into Dolok before I do, be sure to thank him for us."
The shield maiden moves over to Drandle Dreng and leans down, whispering into his ear. "Pull yourself together man. You're embarrassing us in front of God-Caller Nelket. Remember you're a venture captain and a member of the decemvirate, act like it."
Quinoline patches up Drandle's wounds from the water blast without issue, though it seems his source of agony is deep within. He continues to be unable to make a sound and otherwise turns fairly unresponsive to the shieldmaiden's questions. Wide-eyed, the unmasked Decemviriate member lays on his back starring up into the fire-lit sky.
Zac looks over at the other Pathfinders. About time you all got here, you are all late. Slow pokes. Though he doesn't say it in an agitated voice.
"We came as soon as we could!" Nelket responds to Zac calmly but with a sense of urgency as she and Eando Kline run past the group towards the spirit temporarily beat against the side of the bowl. While the party prepares to return Dolok back to the Material plain, Nelket and Eando work together to banish the spirit, driving it back into the firestorm where it appears to be torn apart. The firestorm then dies out and there's a moment of victory and reprieve for the assembled masses of pathfinders.
"Happy to see you could make it, Kline. Does this ritual need more hands on deck? I've got a pair that are still surprisingly clean."
Eando defers to Nelket who responds, "You're welcome to assist-- It is much more simple to return, provided he still has the energy. He does still have the energy, right?" Nelket asks somewhat apprehensively.
Jakoby, Amada, and anyone willing can join Nelket to return Dolok to the material plane. As they first attune themselves with the ley line connecting Dolok between both planes, Dolok's form first returns as somewhat wispy and incorporeal. Over the course of a minute Dolok's form slowly but surely returns fully to the material plane. As the Farheaven Clan's God manifests, he is noticeably on the verge of collapsing, "Well done...I knew you could do it" he says weakly.
As the dust settles on the site, Eando begins thanking the group for your actions.....
Though suddenly each of you experience a vision of the spirit reforming in a firestorm. In the vision, a barrage of lightning bolts strikes the ground of Min-Khadaim and the skeletal body of an immense dragon rises from the ground. Many of you () would recognize this draconic skeleton looking similar to Jadirahx. This flame-wreathed skeleton quickly rises into the air, collects the spirit, and flies off into the darkening clouds, towards the eye of the storm further into the Finadar Forest. At ritual anchors across the forest, rifts in reality tear open and expand, exposing the blasted landscapes of the Abyss. The largest of these rifts hovers over a ritual circle at the center of the storm. A rust-red claw rips the portal wider, and a hulking, troll-like creature wreathed in an aura of power steps through the rift. The figure raises its hands to the sky, and flames erupt from all directions, burning the forest to ash.
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After safely returning Dolok Darkfur, Jakoby loses herself in the collection of pathfinders assembled, slipping away outside, to catch a moment by herself to take everything in, and collect her thoughts quietly, without the distraction of worrisome or speculative conversation throwing her own mental dialogue askew. Ro, knowing his master's rhythms intuitively, follows silent like hunting a cunning prey, knowing that while her goal is to capture a moment alone, that his own presence constitutes no trespass, for even as he is covered in feathers and she in flesh, the two of them are of one mind and spirit.
Far from a first vision - even a shared one at that - our ulfen hero studies the hallucination as it passes - - and with opportunism, seizes the moment to pack her pipe, for, even as being daunted by a task complete yet incomplete behind and before her, she pauses a moment to fix her head, stuffing the bowl with orange-haired sticky-buds of a pungently pleasant odor, which intensifies in aroma as a gentle flame is introduced, the cherry glowing a deep orangish-red, perhaps not unlike the forest set ablaze before their mind's eye in the passing vision.
So. Not quite finished are we? Into the eye of the storm with us, is it? So let it be.
At the bottom of her pack, she fetches out the well-worn but nearly-neglected symbol of Erastil. Perhaps it is time for us to come home? She casts a look at Ro, currently snatching at his plumage with his beak - cleaning himself from the day's adventure - and takes another heavy-lunged toke. Been a long time, you bastard! - I thought you had forgotten me - alas, it seems the arrow's arc is curved, as I return to the warmth your quiver once more, that I may be aligned with your aims anew. I had sworn never! But never, it seems, has already arrived...
She loses herself in thought a few moments more before everything picks up again with slow acceleration, the clouds in the sky brooking over the fire, parting...
Jakoby isn't able to tell what the creature is, other than some kind of undead dragon.
Dolok turns to the group and explains what you saw was neither the present nor immutable future--rather than a reflection of the spirit's plans and intentions as a bit of an after effect of the ritual. "It will take some time for the spirit to reform, enough time for the Society to prepare," Dolok continues. "Next we must track down and disrupt the ritual anchors...And I am in need of some rest myself" he says with a subtle smile.
Eando shakes his head and in a tone sounding both disappointed and unsurprised he says, "I figured we wouldn't be able to destroy the spirit that easily."
Eando orders some pathfinders to carry Drandle down the Colossus. Drandle continues to be fairly unresponsive both in movement and voice. The entire group of pathfinders return to the base camp of near the ruins of Min-Khadaim. Surprisingly the base camp seems to have been largely spared by the rain of fire, with only a few tents having been engulfed in flames. Aside from giving your full report to Eando, each of you are able to enjoy a temporary reprieve. "It will take some time for us to begin coordinating. You're welcome to stick around or head separate ways...But please be ready to come back at a moments notice. We couldn't have accomplished anything today without your help, and we will need our most experienced agents if we're going to head into the eye of that storm..."
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Sharing the vision with the party, through his mystical connection to his master, view the strange creature from two vantage points...
If it's still "in play" for 2-22, Jakoby would like to use her final hero point to re-roll that Recall check!
...before leaving, Ro drops a freshly-wounded but not-quite-dead rodent in such a vicinity that it could easily wander into the wide field of vision of an owl...
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Quinoline will brew a moderately alcoholic moderate elixir of life to tide Astrid over.
Astrid looks warily at Quinoline's concoction for some time, but finally she shrugs and drinks.
"Much better Quin." She grins at the alchemist. "You could make it a bit stronger, but overall it's not bad. Not bad at all."
What brief respite the party had, was not long enough. The firestorm died down following the victory atop the Colossus, but the forest stayed ablaze while pathfinder scouts began searching for the ritual sites. Over the past few days, the firestorm has begun to grow in strength and now the Finadar Forest burns under an intense firestorm.
Eando Kline has recalled you and all the other agents in the region back to the base camp just outside the ruined cyclops city of Min-Khadaim. Strong winds blow dust, small debris, and the occasional ember throughout the camp. Society field agents strap on armor and weapons, set up stations for triage, and secure tents and supplies. Eliza Petulengro has just arrived and requests your presence immediately.
The canvas of Eando Kline’s pavilion tent ripples and flaps in the wind. A group of senior Pathfinders stand to one side, straightening their gear. On the other side stands Eando, Eliza, and Godcaller Nelket. As the last few agents walk in and secure the tent flaps, Eliza steps forward to address everyone.
“Welcome, agents. Let me be frank: the situation is grave. A demoniac cyclops spirit has manifested, free from the shackles of its former conjoined existence. It raised the remains of one of the forest’s stewards, an ancestor to the dragon Jadirahx who recently aided us. This animated abomination flew the demoniac spirit to the center of the new storm that rages all around us.”
Eliza squares her shoulders. “Several hidden ritual sites in the Finadar Forest, each dedicated to the demon lord of storms and disaster, Urxehl (URK-zell), have begun to stir. Thanks to the efforts of several Pathfinder agents, the number of ritual sites wasn’t enough to completely plunge the forest into the Abyss.” Eliza’s hands ball into fists. “If this ritual is left unchecked, Urxehl himself may soon walk Golarion. We believe the eye of the firestorm will be his point of entry, and the nameless demoniac spirit and their newfound draconic ally patrol the area. The heat of the firestorm makes it all but impossible to breach.
“Eando, Nelket, and I have devised a plan that should stop this catastrophe. First, you must brave the fringes of the storm and disrupt the ritual sites. This will weaken the ritual and diminish the storm enough to make a journey to its center possible.
“To begin, Eando and I will divide you into teams and brief you on the ritual sites.”
Eando and Eliza begin to divide agents into small groups. Eando takes you aside for a moment,
“It’s good to see you all again! You’re some of our most experienced agents, and we’re going to need your knowledge and skills to get through this. No pressure.” Eando wryly laughs to lighten the mood. “To maximize your effectiveness and cover as much ground as possible, you will each take command of a group of Pathfinders and lead them to the various active ritual sites. We need your expertise at each of these sites, so sending you all to the same place would be an inefficient way of utilizing your skills. With each of you guiding a team, we can strike most effectively. We’ve assessed the sites from a distance and hope to pair each team with a site that suits your individual expertise.”
Eando’s brow furrows, “Under normal circumstances, I would question asking agents to perform such a dangerous mission, but these aren’t normal circumstances. The agents you see around you now are all that stands in the way of a terrible tragedy. The ritual has evolved unexpectedly, cutting off our communications and access to the world beyond this forest, and time is running out. Good luck, agents. May Desna, Erastil, Iomedae, and all the other gods, smile on us all.”
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Quinoline is hard at work in her tent, carefully adding exactly 25 grams of refined spirit tar to exactly 150 milliliters of firewater. The reaction is strongly exothermic, so she's adding it half a gram at a time.
A strong wind suddenly shakes her tent, and an unearthly groan echoes throughout the camp.
"Abaddon's horsemen!" she yells, storming out. "Greezgux, stop eating those fried rats, it sounds terrible and smells even worse! And you're disturbing my work!"
She looks around and sees nobody near her tent. A storm rages overhead.
"... oh."
She makes a mental note to apologize to Greezgux when she sees him. Quinoline puts a stopper in the whole setup and gently lifts it into her bag of holding to finish later.
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Quinoline listens to Eando as he explains the situation, quietly elbow bumping Amada, Astrid, Greezgux, Jakoby, and Zac as they arrive.
"You look different, Zac, have you been working out?"
Quinoline hums a few bars of Eye of the Tiger before turning her attention back to Eando's briefing.
"Will we still be able to contact one another, or are we going to be totally separate? And what exactly are we striking?"
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No, I'm as strong as I've ever been, same strength. Oh, you must have noticed my fingers and hands a little red. No that ain't from weight lifting, I can already bench press a ton. That is from practicing archery. I would like to get close to the enemies, but I know that I can't always do that, so learning how to shoot them down is a good alternative. Also my hand is sore from holding the hammer, but it will heal up. yeah, I figured hammers are better than daggers.
He gives Quionline a smile So how you've been?
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Our ulfen hero's sabbatical is cut short - she does not have time to run the wilds with her life companion - not while the forest burns to the ground - instead, she spends the intervening days doing her best to firefight - donning her hatchet and chopping down trees pro-actively that would stem an otherwise jumpy blaze from crossing sections of the forest where the tinder is freshest.
Back at camp, she stops in from time to time to watch Zac train at archery - might even offer a few pointers if he be willing - while Ro prowls the circumference - dropping the occasional rat by Greezgux's fryer - and steering clear of the foul smells coming from Quinoline's tent.
Listening to the briefing, Jakoby has no questions, and awaits meeting her team. In the back of her mind, the image of Jadirahx's ancestor burns bright, as she wonders what kind of trace it would leave so that she could follow it's trail into the heart of fire...
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"So what do you mean by going into the center. You mean go in after the Demon Lord? If so can I eat him?"
"I have no objections, as long as eating the spirit doesn't involve it possessing your body. I've had enough possession for a lifetime."
Turning to Eando, the elf asks, "So, about this dragon. Do we have any information about what kind of dragon it is? I recall we were having some difficulty identifying it before, have the Society's loremasters been able to identify the beast yet?"
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Astrid stumbles into the briefing red-eyed and listless. She steps ofer to Jakoby and whispers. "You disappeared on me when I went to buy us drinks. I'm disappointed." She grins at the archer. "Don't worry though. I didn't let that extra mead go do waste. Hmm...That reminds me. I need to see if Quin has a good hangover cure she can whip up for me."
Eando and Eliza begin to divide agents into small groups. Eando takes you aside for a moment,
"It’s good to see you all again! You’re some of our most experienced agents, and we’re going to need your knowledge and skills to get through this. No pressure.” Eando wryly laughs to lighten the mood. “To maximize your effectiveness and cover as much ground as possible, you will each take command of a group of Pathfinders and lead them to the various active ritual sites. We need your expertise at each of these sites, so sending you all to the same place would be an inefficient way of utilizing your skills. With each of you guiding a team, we can strike most effectively. We’ve assessed the sites from a distance and hope to pair each team with a site that suits your individual expertise."
Astrid interrupts. "So wait a minute. Have I got this correct? You want each of us," she points to herself then, Quinoline, Zac, Greezgux, Jacoby and Amada in turn, "to split up and each lead a team of wet behind the ears agents in a desperate attempt to simultaneously shut down all of the ritual sites?" She frowns as she ponders this for a moment then her face brightens. "Ha! You couldn't have chosen better!"
Eando’s brow furrows, "Under normal circumstances, I would question asking agents to perform such a dangerous mission, but these aren’t normal circumstances. The agents you see around you now are all that stands in the way of a terrible tragedy. The ritual has evolved unexpectedly, cutting off our communications and access to the world beyond this forest, and time is running out. Good luck, agents. May Desna, Erastil, Iomedae, and all the other gods, smile on us all."
Astrid loudly claps her hands together then rubs them vigorously while grinning maniacally. "Ha! I eat 'dangerous missions' for breakfast. Well then let's get started. We don't want a terrible tragedy to befall us. Our access to the world is cut off and I'm almost out of mead. That would be a terrible tragedy indeed."
She gives Eando an almost pleading look. "Are we quite sure that undead lizard is a dragon though and not a linnorm?"
What do you know about these Demon Lords?
Eando gives a confused look at first but answers the question, "Just what you know already, that Urxehl's faithful often strive to conjure cursed storms, with a rain of fire considered a sacred manifestation of their lords will. Urxehl is known as the demon lord of storms and natural disasters, as well as the father of trolls though he did have a following of some cyclopes as well near the end of the Koloran empire"
"Will we still be able to contact one another, or are we going to be totally separate? And what exactly are we striking?"
"Great question...You will be going in totally separate of each other for this first phase of deactivating the rituals. You'll have a team, of course, just not quite as experienced as you are. The plan is for each of you to lead the teams through some of the ritual sites to disrupt the firestorm enough that this group can rendezvous and head into the eye of the storm. As far as what exactly you're striking, we have some information on the various ritual sites that we were able to get from our scouts so you won't be going into the sites blind."
"So what do you mean by going into the center. You mean go in after the Demon Lord? If so can I eat him?"
Eando laughs, "Well, ideally we stop the Demon Lord from setting foot on Golarion. But should that fail and you think you can take a bite out of him...." he trails off with another laugh.
"So, about this dragon. Do we have any information about what kind of dragon it is? I recall we were having some difficulty identifying it before, have the Society's loremasters been able to identify the beast yet?"
"Ah, yes! We did have some time to study it. Eliza tells me it's a weakened form of a truly formidable creature known as a ravener. She'll brief you more when the time comes. The demoniac spirit raised it. Supposedly it's an ancestor of the forest's steward. The storm you're approaching is actually a bit of a blessing in that regard. With the density of the trees and the high winds it's nigh impossible for the thing to fly up to you at the moment."
Astrid interrupts. "So wait a minute. Have I got this correct? You want each of us," she points to herself then, Quinoline, Zac, Greezgux, Jacoby and Amada in turn, "to split up and each lead a team of wet behind the ears agents in a desperate attempt to simultaneously shut down all of the ritual sites?" She frowns as she ponders this for a moment then her face brightens. "Ha! You couldn't have chosen better!"
Eando silenty nods and is relieved by the enthusiasm, "Yes, we're going to put you each in charge of a team of less experienced Pathfinders. They need your leadership and expertise to succeed. The ritual sites need to be deactivated at once so time is of the essence and your skills will be best utilized coordinating the smaller teams."
Astrid loudly claps her hands together then rubs them vigorously while grinning maniacally. "Ha! I eat 'dangerous missions' for breakfast. Well then let's get started. We don't want a terrible tragedy to befall us. Our access to the world is cut off and I'm almost out of mead. That would be a terrible tragedy indeed."
She gives Eando an almost pleading look. "Are we quite sure that undead lizard is a dragon though and not a linnorm?"
"Ha! We are certain it is not a linnorm, though raveners are just as, if not more, vicious than a linnorm. But, if that doesn't satisfy you then I'm sure you'll be able to take a nice, long vacation after all of this to find a linnorm!"
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Missing the first round of questions smoking in silent thought, Jakoby pipes up "What is the nature of these ritual sites? I'd like to make sure my team and I are prepared" she lets out a puff in the shape of a bow, which billows into the air slowly growing in circumference, then snorts a second jet like a shooting arrow, penetrating the bow and beyond, before the wind snatches the forms in scattering dissipation.
"What is the nature of these ritual sites? I'd like to make sure my team and I are prepared"
Eando smilles, "We've got some dossiers on the ritual sites and will go through those momentarily, but at the moment they will require a wide range of skills and expertise-- This being the reason we need you to lead some less experienced pathfinders"
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Amada takes the chance to consider what he knows about Raveners .
Astrid interrupts. "So wait a minute. Have I got this correct? You want each of us," she points to herself then, Quinoline, Zac, Greezgux, Jacoby and Amada in turn, "to split up and each lead a team of wet behind the ears agents in a desperate attempt to simultaneously shut down all of the ritual sites?" She frowns as she ponders this for a moment then her face brightens. "Ha! You couldn't have chosen better!"
"I admire your enthusiasm, Astrid. It takes a strong will to laugh in the face of a potential world-ending catastrophe. That said, you make a solid point; I've had ample experience leading ragtag groups of misfits over these past years." The elf cracks a wry smile before quickly pushing up his scarf.
Amada recalls the raveners are known for unleashing a torrent of negative energy and they also possess the power to drain life from every living creature that gets within 10 feet.
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Jakoby's final Daily Preparations consist of attuning herself to her various enchanted vestments, as well as, of course, a well-packed pipe, some flint and steel, and a quiet place to squat, meditating on her task.
When meeting her recruits shortly, she arrives promptly red-eyed and smiling, feeling sociable, hoping her relaxed state will act against the inherent tension created by what's at stake on this mission - which surely wouldn't go over the head of even the greenest recruit!
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"I admire your enthusiasm, Astrid. It takes a strong will to laugh in the face of a potential world-ending catastrophe. That said, you make a solid point; I've had ample experience leading ragtag groups of misfits over these past years." The elf cracks a wry smile before quickly pushing up his scarf.
"Ha! I laugh in the face of fear, and tweak the nose of the dreadful spindly killer fish." She frowns for a moment before shaking her head dismissively. "Or something like that anyway. I forget how it goes."
As the group finishes making preparations, Eando goes to a nearby table and recovers the dossiers which were being held down by a large rock. As he passes them out to the group, he says "We've already sent out some teams but here are some of the remaining ritual sites. Talk amongst yourselves to coordinate and then gather your teams together and set out. You'll find that each ritual site could benefit from different skills, but don't forget you can also rely on the pathfinders in your teams."
If asked about the leftover ritual sites, Eando would assure that there are enough teams being sent out that the majority of sites will be disrupted as long as everyone does their part.
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As the group finishes making preparations, Eando goes to a nearby table and recovers the dossiers which were being held down by a large rock. As he passes them out to the group, he says "We've already sent out some teams but here are some of the remaining ritual sites. Talk amongst yourselves to coordinate and then gather your teams together and set out. You'll find that each ritual site could benefit from different skills, but don't forget you can also rely on the pathfinders in your teams."
Astrid ponders for a moment. "How are we supposed to pick our teams? Is it the usual 'Well I guess you six will have to do, follow me' like it is for other missions or will we be able to chose our minions based on their abilities?"
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Gunda "Jakoby" Kolkind sends Ro to deliver a missive to her junior rangers, which itself is folded into one of her boots.
Junior Rangers,
Tracking is about knowing your surroundings, and observing changes made within it.
This boot belongs to your human teacher. As a team, first discuss what you know about this forest. Then discuss what this clue can tell you about the person whom you seek. Finally, put the two together, and think about what kind of changes might be made by that person in this environment. Proceed along the trail until your mentor is found!
-J
Leaving just enough of a trackable trail, our ulfen hero treks ahead of her junior rangers to make sure the path is safe, and meets them at the site, where a different set of foreign tracks have been left by an unknown quarry, near to where the erratic Signature should be beaconing from.
Once her mentees arrive, she repeats the process with them, consulting on what they were able to learn from their first test (tracking her), and trying to play it forward by discussing with them about what these new clues might tell them about this new situation (tracking the unknown tracks).
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This stone tower, crafted by centaurs in ages past, crumbled to ruin a long time ago, leaving piles of stone blocks strewn about the area. The base of the tower partially collapsed into its own cellar, but there is still room enough to explore it. Inside, spectral silver chains tether two orbs of light to the floor. The orbs yank on the chains and ripple in distress.
Arriving at the site recommended by Eando, Amada quickly takes charge of the situation after having surveyed his group's talents. "All right team, the ritual site is up ahead. Gec, Burgess; I want you two on standby in case anything goes awry, your magic will be important for ensuring we all make it out in one piece. If there are any enchantments on the ritual site that require dispelling, we'll need your assistance there as well; be ready."
"Unlikely." The disfigured leshy speaks up in a disinterested tone that does not match the severity of the situation. "I have seen myriad futures, golden one, and you fail to measure up to our elven companion in every one. I'd advise you find your own path to the grave with what time you have; better to burn out brightly than burn unseen as an understudy. As for your request, Am; just remember to scream loudly if anything falls. My magic can buy you enough time to finish the job before your timely end at the barest minimum."
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"Klatzu, you and Siva will work with Masei. See what you can do to stabilize the structure. Anything you can do to support the stones long enough for us to get in and disable the ritual will be of immense help."
The black-skinned Orc lays down her obsidian scythe before taking the 'hat' in her hands. After a brief moment of meditation, her eye flashes a blinding orange as her body begins to expand, growing the shield to an immense size.
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"That leaves you and me, Fester. We'll be conducting the primary operation of dismantling the ritual site. If what you've told me of your skills as a master locksmith and powerful arcanist are to be believed, then we should work well as a pair. Let's finish this quickly before Masei's magic runs out."
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"All right, you have your assignments. Remember the one rule of today's mission."
In unison, the group clasp their Wayfinders in a gesture of solidarity, before repeating as one the phrase the elf invoked many times on the way here; a phrase he had etched into his soul during the evacuation of the Hao Jin Tapestry.
Astrid ponders for a moment. "How are we supposed to pick our teams? Is it the usual 'Well I guess you six will have to do, follow me' like it is for other missions or will we be able to chose our minions based on their abilities?"
Eando opens the tent flap temporarily and motions to 6 groups of 5 pathfinders, "Your teams have been assigned, they are a bunch of pathfinders, and while they may be relaitvely inexperienced, they should be able to do well with your leadership"
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Zac attempts to keep the poles in place or reposition them if possible. Athletics 28
In Zac's group is a particularly inexperienced orc pathfinder by the name of BAGA. BAGA doesn't seem to have many skills, but is muscular and attempts to help Zac. The pair manage to dislodge several of the metal poles covered in arcane runes, though Zac feels he will need to continue his efforts to fully disrupt the ritual site.
Gunda "Jakoby" Kolkind sends Ro to deliver a missive to her junior rangers, which itself is folded into one of her boots.
Leaving just enough of a trackable trail, our ulfen hero treks ahead of her junior rangers to make sure the path is safe, and meets them at the site, where a different set of foreign tracks have been left by an unknown quarry, near to where the erratic Signature should be beaconing from.
Once her mentees arrive, she repeats the process with them, consulting on what they were able to learn from their first test (tracking her), and trying to play it forward by discussing with them about what these new clues might tell them about this new situation (tracking the unknown tracks).
Survival 25
Jakoby follows the trail for a while and was just about to follow a false trail when she notices the signature actually went into a nearby river. Her junior rangers are mostly inexperienced, though one by the name of Tri Horn sticks his nose to the ground and seems to show some promise in tracking. While he's sniffing the ground he starts to nibble on some nearby foliage; meanwhile, Jakoby has a revelation-- The trail is coming from a turtle! Quickly, Jakoby leads the junior agents downstream to where the river opens up into a large lake. In the middle of the lake is a large turtle wearing a harness and is shrouded in Abysssal energy. Working together Jakoby, Ro, and the junior agents are able to recover the granite slate that was strapped to the turtle. On the slate there is abyssal text, which while somewhat unfamiliar, clearly gives praise to Urxehl. Once the slaba is broken, the magical signature disappears and the turtle's behavior seems to return to normal.
Arcana 27
"Alrighty, listen up. This place is littered with magical crystals. We're going to have to use our sixth sense, our magical sense, to de-link the fire from the wind."
Quinoline has no one who seems quite as well trained with Arcana but a very eager Kobold sorcerer by the name of Umbra tries to help. "Yes, yes!" he shouts, though, he seems unable to help despite his eagerness. Quinoline manages to make some progress delinking the crystals herself, but believes she's only halfway done.
Thievery 34
"That leaves you and me, Fester. We'll be conducting the primary operation of dismantling the ritual site. If what you've told me of your skills as a master locksmith and powerful arcanist are to be believed, then we should work well as a pair. Let's finish this quickly before Masei's magic runs out."
Amada and Fester manage to get inside the partially collapsed structure and together begin to unlock the spectral silver chains. The pair are able to unlock several of the chains but but feel they are are only halfway there. The orbs continue to yank on the chains and ripple in distress as Amada and Fester try to unlock the remaining chains.
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Astrid approaches her pathfinders and carefully reviews her troops. A young half elf girl in leathers seems to be arguing with a snow-white owl, while a nearby goblin is on all fours shouting into a gopher hole. A pale chelaxian man sits despondently on the ground staring at the firestorm that is the Findar Forest audibly bemoaning his 'cursed fate.' Nearby an ancient Mwangi man of at least seventy is aparrently attempting to encourage another group of young pathfinders by telling a long-winded story about someone called 'Nana Anadi.' The last member of this merry band is a tien woman with a flowery surcoat who kneels serenely while playing softly on some sort of strange harp. On the ground next to her is the fanciest glaive that Astrid has ever seen. The entire shaft covered with carved dragons and monsters while the blade is etched with chrysanthemums. Gods, what a bunch of misfits! Is this what the Venture-Captains see every time we walk through the door to get briefed for a mission?
She gestures for everyone to gather around and begins pointing at her charges barking orders. "You, and you, get up and get ready to move. You, pull yourself together. You're a pathfinder, stop acting like an old woman. You, get over here. Storytime is over and you, stop yelling at that owl and join us." The shield maiden gives her troops a moment to get themselves ready then addresses them once more. "Okay everyone it's time for the pathfinders to save the day once again and unfortunately I'm stuck shepherding you five. We're off to steal a large crystal from some huge fiery monsters so you all need to be in top form. That means you need to stop your yammering and be quiet. This mission calls for some stealth and I hope you're up to it. Now there's no time to lose so let's get going." She gestures for the group to follow her as she turns and heads towards the firestorm.
A voice from behind her says, "It's six."
Astrid turns, confused. "What?
The young half elf replies, "You said there were five of us but there's actually six." She points at herself and the owl, then each of the team in turn. "There's me, I'm Meadow, that's Silence, Hobbs, Milo, Olombe, and Jun-Mei. That makes six."
Astrid sighs, "I meant five pathfinders obviously. I wasn't counting the owl."
"But he's a pathfinder too," the young woman whines.
The ulfen stops for a moment and stares at Meadow for a moment mouth agape before sighing once more. "Just...everyone follow me." She turns had leads the group into the maelstrom.
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The group reaches their destination a little over an hour later. They carefully crawl atop a small hill to get an overview of their target. Astrid points to a pedestal in a burnt-out clearing. "There it is. We need to get that crystal atop that pedestal. Hopefully without getting ourselves roasted to death by those giant fire-monsters roaming about. Okay here's the plan. Jun-Mei and Olombe, you'll be our distraction. Give the rest of us ten minutes to get into position then do your best to get the attention of those monsters. Play your harp, tell stories I don't really care what you do, just get their attention and do your best to lure them away. Whatever you do, don't let them catch up to you. From the looks of things they'll cook you in seconds. Milo, Meadow and I will split up and each try to sneak over to the pedestal and grab that crystal. As soon as one of us has it we all scatter and meet up back at that weird rock that we saw about a half mile back. Any questions?"
Milo speaks up. "I just want to apologize in advance for those of you that will perish in this endeavor due to my curse. I'll do my best to get your remains to your family should I survive."
"My friend you do not have nearly as much experience with curses as I have, believe me. I'm sure we will all be fine." Olombe replies. "This I have heard and heard once more so I think it is true. One day Nana Anadi was travelling to visit a sick friend..."
Astrid pinches the bridge of her nose and interrupts the storyteller, "We do not have time for this. You can tell your story later, Afi."
Meadow gives the shield maiden a concerned look. "Do you have a headache Miss Astrid? You're pinching your nose just like Venture-Captain Valsin does whenever Silence and I talk to him."
Astrid waves the girl off. "No I'm fine. Now everyone has your tasks. Let's begin."
Reroll.
Greezgux heads out to meet his team at the Monoliths. He finds little more than a group of stragglers hat were sent to try and figure it out. As Greezgux drew near the Monolight his stomach rumbled louder and stronger than before. "Do you feel that? Look here." He leans in to see what it means.
Occultism 23
"The stars will tell us what to do!" one of the junior pathfinders, a fetchling by the name of Zenith, states despite it being daylight. Unfortunately Greezgux, Zenith and remaining team weren't able to make any progress in disabling the runes.
"There it is. We need to get that crystal atop that pedestal. Hopefully without getting ourselves roasted to death by those giant fire-monsters roaming about. Okay here's the plan. Jun-Mei and Olombe, you'll be our distraction. Give the rest of us ten minutes to get into position then do your best to get the attention of those monsters. Play your harp, tell stories I don't really care what you do, just get their attention and do your best to lure them away. Whatever you do, don't let them catch up to you. From the looks of things they'll cook you in seconds. Milo, Meadow and I will split up and each try to sneak over to the pedestal and grab that crystal. As soon as one of us has it we all scatter and meet up back at that weird rock that we saw about a half mile back. Any questions?"
Stealth 32 (nat20)
The plan goes flawlessly, Jun-Mei and Olombe provide a distraction while able to keep their distance from the roaming elementals, and the remaining group is able to move the crystal off from the pedestal. Immediately the energy surrounding the area dies down....moments later the elementals chasing Jun-Mei and Olombe just dissipate into the air as the crystal cracks in half.
With progress being made at several ritual sites, the teams are able to continue their work. And the two teams that excelled at their ritual sites may head to a new ritual site.
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In the back, quiet and meek but critical, Knab watches as Jakoby appoints Tri Horn as the leader of the junior rangers - she says to him "Good nose there" then tries her hand at humor to the whole gathering "That was a tough shell to crack, ya?"
World's in jeopardy and this ulfen cracks jokes? Knab shakes his head - and being a head shorter than the rest, as usual, he goes unnoticed, even in his malcontent.
Suddenly everyone starts moving again - Tri Horn positioned up front and chatting openly with the senior ranger - and being a kneecap shorter than the rest, as usual, he struggles to keep up with the pack. Should have brought a mule, dagnabbit!
Arriving (late) before a spikey mound, dome-shaped, barbed Vines spiraling the semi-sphere in a knotted patchwork pattern, Knab's first instinct is to get out his clan dagger and start cutting! He nicks his finger on the regenerating vegetation, and sticks that finger in his mouth reflexively, when Jakoby comes over to where he is standing, a scolding tone in her voice "Now what did I tell you about the primal energy feed?" the question was rhetorical - no, WORSE - designed to emphasize the point he was trailing too far behind to hear: - his mind goes blank! - he is vaguely aware of being used as an example, the teacher talking and pointing to him, his finger, the blood - his humiliation endures for several moments - each longer than the last! - until finally, it seems everyone has returned their attention to their own task - and once again he can feel himself think.
Pulling his finger out of his mouth - how long was it there? - he jams a gooey poultice into the cut, and wraps it in a muddy rag - and instead of stubbornly rushing in, goes now to observe what everyone else is doing first...