GM Doug's Lost on the Spirit Road (Inactive)

Game Master Doug Hahn

Capricio moves closer to the action, and tries to recall what he may know about the undead.

Religion on the Warrior: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Religion on the Skeletons: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

He nods in recognition.

"The skeleton guards are evil, and resist cold, electricity, and fire. Your hammer will work well on them too, Haggra."

”Yes, but they are to be intimidated by us, so many of my abilities won’t work on them. ”

"Don't see any problem with electricity, but I'll take your word for it. If it resists fire, I'll just have to use more fire."

To be clear it resisted some of the electricity but failed the save; it had 1 hp left.

Kooz is up

Kooz moves forward a bit, quickly folding away the awl on his polytool and unfolding something that looks like an axe handle. Gripping that end, he looks ready to bash the skeletons with the body of the tool, or to deflect their blows. Stride, reconfigure polytool to the bludgeoning damage, Dueling Parry (+2 AC).

Caprico imparts more knowledge about the weaker skeletons, while Kooz optimizes his strange weapon.

The skeletal warrior bumps along the fence as it moves toward Haggra — the nearest form of humanoid life! It slashes at the hobgoblin twice, cutting two bloody lines into his flesh! Stride, strike x2 for -12 HP

The weaker skeleton moves toward Kralgang, perhaps drawn by an instinctual hatred of the religious iconography he wears. The creature cuts at him once with the scimitar. Stride Stride Strike for -5 HP

By now, the town is silent but for the noise of your battle. Villagers occasionally peek out from shuttered windows to watch you fight.

≜≜≜

I Guess These Undead Are Picking On Hobgoblins Today

Kralgang Doomseer (23/28 hp)
Haggra the Hobgoblin (14/26 hp)
Kooz
Timtenzekil
Capricio
Tougher Skeleton (unnumbered)
Skeleton 2
Makkioz

≜≜≜

The meaner looking skeleton was still staring at Haggra with its undead eyes. He looks at it, trying to determine the best way to attack.

Devise a strategem: 1d20 ⇒ 8
With this, a free Recall Knowledge due to Known Weakness

He decides that the situation is probably wrong to strike the tougher skeleton, so instead glares menacing at the skellie, hoping it will be affected.

Intimidation(E) to demoralize w/ intimidating glare: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

He then attempts to trip the skeleton with his meteor hammer. hoping the skeleton was, indeed, frightened.
Athletics: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 5 + 1 = 17

Haggra can't recall anything about the skeletal warrior.

The weaker skeleton seems immune! It's too stupid to be afraid. Immune to Mental

The meteor hammer clanks against the warrior's legs, failing to trip it.

Kralgang looks for the most effective means to dismantle this horrific abomination.

Devise a Stratagem: 1d20 ⇒ 10
Free Recall Knowledge: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12

Seeing it is not Pharasma's will for him to strike just yet, he Steps back to lure it onto the platform, and attempts to heal himself with Battle Medicine.

Uses assurance to get an automatic success.

Battle Medicine: 2d8 ⇒ (4, 7) = 11

Deciding the bigger skeleton is the more immediate problem, Timtenzekil steps closer and casts a field of slippery grease under its feet!

Casting Grease in the green box, DC18 once more.

Kralgang heals himself. The mindless skeleton watches him. Heals to full

The warrior skeleton slips a bit as Timtenzekil’s grease appears underfoot, but regains its balance and remains upright! It met the DC, thanks only to the level bump.

≜≜≜

A Not-So Slippery Situation

Kralgang Doomseer
Haggra the Hobgoblin (14/26 hp)[/b]
Kooz
Timtenzekil
Capricio
Tougher Skeleton (unnumbered)
Skeleton 2
Makkioz

"Sounds like acid is the preferred choice, then!"

Makkioz moves onto the platform, then draws and tosses an acid flask at Skeleton 2.

Bomb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
acid flask: 1d6 ⇒ 4 persistent acid plus 1 splash acid
The splash still goes through if that's a fail

Stridex2, Quick Bomber

Kooz moves forward and attempts to tumble through the skeleton's space to get into a flanking position!

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

If that's a fail, I'll use a Hero Point to try to improve it.

Pausing there to know whether I succeeded before continuing.

Makkioz's bomb sizzles at the bones of the weaker skeleton! Success!

The skeleton takes a stab at Kooz as the kobold tries to tumble through! It caches the kobold in the collar bone!

Strike, pre-rolled 19: 19 + 11 = 30
AOO, P: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 doubled to 24

≜≜≜

A Not-So Slippery Situation

Kralgang Doomseer
Haggra the Hobgoblin (14/26 hp)
Kooz (2/26 HP), 1 action left
Timtenzekil
Capricio
Tougher Skeleton (unnumbered), reaction used
Skeleton 2, -5 HP 1 pers. acid
Makkioz

Reeling from the blow, Kooz staggers around to the far side and strikes at the skeleton!

Polytool vs. flank: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Bludgeoning damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

"Kooz, watch out!"

Capricio moves in and calls to Desna for aid.

"Please heal our friend Kooz!"

Heal: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Kooz stumbles into the blank and bashes the creature — the kobold sees some bones crack!

Positive energy washes over Caprico’s hurt friend, bringing him back from the brink. 17/26 HP

≜≜≜

The Champion turns to the last creature who hit it, and stabs twice at him, but only hits Kooz on the first attack. It then raises its shield, instinctively remembering how to protect itself from harm but not intelligent enough to leave the flank. Hit for 6 against Kooz; 17-6=11

The second creature turns and walks up the plaza steps, focused on the Pharasman. Its attention pays off: it slashes the hobgoblin — once — twice! The second time getting the hobgoblin in the neck! Hit for 5, crit for 10

The skeleton then continues to sisal; some ribs clatter to the ground. It doesn’t seem to mind.

≜≜≜

A Critical Situation

Kralgang Doomseer (13/28 hp)
Haggra the Hobgoblin (14/26 hp)
Kooz (11/26 HP)
Timtenzekil
Capricio
Tougher Skeleton, -9 HP, Shield Raised, Reaction Available
Skeleton 2, -6 HP 1 pers. acid
Makkioz

≜≜≜

"Ow!" Kooz grunts in pain as the skeleton hits him again, but maintains his focus. He darts one way, then attacks from the other, trying to throw the skeleton off guard!

Deception to Feint: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Feeling a renewed sense of confidence, Kooz strikes at the creature before raising his polytool in a defensive stance. Feint to gain panache, Confident Finisher, Dueling Parry (AC 21).

Polytool (Confident Finisher) vs. flank: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Bludgeoning damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Precision damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 4) = 9 Half of precision damage on a failed Strike.

The skeleton blocks some of the damage, but nonetheless, Kooz's polytoool almost snaps its spine clear in half! It wobbles… but still stands, held together mostly by necromantic energy at this point.
25 on the crit, reduced by 5.
≜≜≜

Crits For Everyone

Kralgang Doomseer (13/28 hp)
Haggra the Hobgoblin (14/26 hp)
Kooz (11/26 HP)
Timtenzekil
Capricio
Tougher Skeleton, -29 HP, Shield Raised, Reaction Used
Skeleton 2, -6 HP 1 pers. acid
Makkioz

"Cat!" Calling out to his companion, Timtenzeki gestures to the weaker skeleton, sending the leopard into flank alongside Kralgang. Focusing on the bigger threat, he whirls a sticky vine out of nothingness and casts it towards the undead.

Tanglefoot Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Timtenzeki's tanglefoot wraps around the weak skeleton's leg bones, gumming them up with sap!

retconning in the d6 persistent too.

≜≜≜

Crits for Everyone

Kralgang Doomseer (13/28 hp)
Haggra the Hobgoblin (14/26 hp)
Kooz (11/26 HP)
Timtenzekil
Capricio
Tougher Skeleton, -29 HP, Shield Raised, Reaction Used
Skeleton 2, -8 HP 1d6 pers. acid, tangleffooted (-10 speed)
Makkioz

Capricio throws a divine lance at the tougher one.

”With Mother Moon’s might.”

Divine Lance: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 Good

Haggra looses at the tough skeleton he has flanked, hoping to find a weakness in its defenses.

Strategem: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (16) + 0 = 16

He thinks he has one, so he strikes with his meteor hammer!
Meteor hammer, flank: 16 + 6 = 22 B: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

If the skeleton still stands, he will attempt to demoralize,
Intimidation(E): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

The warrior skeleton remembers how precise strike works and decides to die. It finds peace at last, perhaps its spirit ends up on Axis. Forgot to double Kooz's precision, whoops! Haggra envisions an amazing killing blow that would have dropped it. Well, next time maybe he will get it.

Together you drop the last skeleton with some Burning Hands from your druid! The villagers come out and cheer. One of them reaches into their bag, producing three Lesser Bestial mutagens.

Thank you so much. Something is in the forest, making the dead restless! We can fel it. Be careful out there. We wish you safe travels and good luck.

You will be healed and it will be the next day when we arrive at the next scene.

You travel the Spirit Road toward the east, taking the same path that the caravan traveled before you. Along the journey, the road branches off several times, typically only for a short distance before rejoining the main road or reaching a dead end. The seemingly endless rows of conifer trees create a serene yet monotonous backdrop.

≜≜≜

Several days later the path becomes choked with snowdrifts, making it too narrow for your wagon to traverse easily; it regularly catches on roots or stalls in the drifts.

Though the weather has obscured the trail you notice obvious signs that the caravan has run into similar difficulties: an abandoned wheel lies alongside the road, and branches along the path are snapped. This is a terrible caravan route. Whatever your fellow Pathfinders were after, they were determined to see it through.

You travel this way for a while until the late afternoon; the forest fills with shadows. Occasional flurries of snow drift down as breezes sift the branches. Suddenly, the forest falls eerily quiet.

You look to the left and see two humanoid shapes outlined in the swirling snow. The apparitions move slowly toward your group, hovering just above the ground.

They will be here in a few moments.

"There, to the left, spirits looking for hosts. Shall we speak to them?"

Given the importance of acid in the last battle, MAkkioz changes up her preparations a bit.

"Yes, we certainly should! Does anyone want to allow a spirit to enter their consciousness?"

”They are seeking us, and will not possess us without our leave. I will allow one to enter me.” Haggra replies.

He moves up to the spirits, bows, and beckons a spirit to come to him.

Haggra bows; the spirit rushes into him!

Sent you a PM.

The other spirit moves more quickly, coming closer…

"Kooz has no fear of ghosts!" Kooz steps forward and opens his little arms wide to welcome the second spirit.

The last spirit melds with Kooz! PM Sent!

"This one was quick, until tree fell on head. Goes to show that it safer underground. Anyway, ghost-Kata saw caravan! Evil ghosts bothering caravan, and sneaky fox-human stole things, including lantern!"

Kralgang stays silent and eyes the spirits with suspicion.

"Be careful of the bargains you make with your souls, friends. You may do as you like but I for one will not allow them near me."

As a Ghost Hunter, I can't imagine Kralgang being cool with it.

Haggra takes on a much more arrogant demeanor.

”I saw a fox-faced humanoid escape from the caravan and followed him to a clearing deeper in the woods. There, I watched this person retrieve a paper lantern and hold it his hand. With the other hand, he silently runs his thumb along the symbol of a spiraling comet that hangs on a silver chain around his neck. He nodded with an expression of resolve.” says Haggra, with an accent not quite his own.

He shakes his head, and gives a puzzled look. ”This is quite interesting. Lord Haan is sharing my mind with me, and I can see what he saw. The fox-faced man was, indeed, a kitsune. ”

Capricio smiles with curiosity as he hears the spirits stories.

"In all my journeys I've never seen such a thing. What a clever way for spirits to communicate. How does it feel?"

Caprico believes the evil spirits Kooz described must be spirits who want to aggressively possess and harm anyone in their stretch of forest. The only way to get rid of them would be collective exorcism! A haunt. You can do so it with Occultism or Religion checks (trained only) to exorcise the spirits. But it's a difficult check, and sometimes you can use other skills to negotiate with these angry spirits first. You can try to Recall Knowledge about this if you meet the haunt.

Haggra disagrees; perhaps everyone is being rather silly and overly superstitious because they don't know the forest very well. Or maybe Lord Haan is influencing his thoughts a little bit!

Makkioz takes copious notes as Kooz and Haggra describe their experiences.

”Feel?!” barks out Haggra. ”You superstitious fools cannot understand what it is to be Lord Haan. You should just bow down and show the proper obeisance!

“While you do, I will excercise my vast experience in the forest to put your worries to rest.”

Recall Knowledge, if allowed.

The new and improved Haggra remembers that barking deer sound like horrible monsters and frighten those ignorant of the way of the forest… especially at night!

The road gets even worse as you move on. The Pathfinders must have been determined indeed.

However, soon it gets easier. The spirits and minor kami begin to move aside brush and reveal wagon tracks, reveal lost scraps of fabric on trees, and sweep away falls leaves to reveal old potholes. It’s as if the forest itself wants you to travel faster! And maybe it's a little creepy, too.

Then — finally — you see a broken wagon ahead! A a short, heavyset Tian man with a round, clean-shaven face sits alongside an athletic woman with broad shoulders and a stern demeanor. They both carry Wayfinders at their belt, and It’s Lin Po and Ti Lan!

They look travel-worn, and very afraid. They have weapons drawn. Lin Po sees the branches part as you approach their wagon and shouts Wh-who goes there?

Kooz leaps out into the open. "Hookclaws and other Pathfinders! We looking for you!"

Haggra looks at Kooz with disdain, but says nothing to him. "Yes, we were sent by Arama Li to rescue your sorry selves.

"How did you manage to break your wagon?"

The pathfinders at first blanch at Haggra's words, but also seem relieved — and a little ashamed.

Lin Po speaks: We were traveling along the road when we began having visions and dreams… a spirit, a kami resides within the paper lantern. It wants to come home after being away for hundreds of years. And we were taking it there.

Ti Lan cuts in: We took a detour to return it, but some nefarious force in the forest is trying to capture it, or stop it from getting home.

Lin Po: We have been harried at every turn! Just an hours ago the relic was stolen from right under our noses!

Ti Lan continus: Since then, we've followed trails left by the spirits in hopes of finding their way back to the spirit road. We've glimpsed the thief — a kitsune — in the distance several times, but they have never managed to catch up with him.

Lin Po sighs. The the spirits are trying to lead us to the thief. They are doing what they can, but keep geting attacked by evil spirits who fling debris at us.

You can tell they are tired, scared, and frustrated, and they feel guilty.

Ti Lan concludes: Will you track the theif? We can guard the caravans here. You may be able to move faster on foot.

"A kami! What a fascinating discovery. Yes, I would like to meet the kami myself! We will look for the thief."

She checks her notes from Haggra's possession. "Was this a fox-faced thief?"

Why, yes!

So you'll help? Thank you. They seem relieved. Please, take these. They may help. They open a chest in the wagon, it contains a composite shortbow with 10 arrows, a greataxe, and a greatclub.

"Happy to help. Did you happen to glimpse these debris-flinging spirits?"

When Caprico brings up the spirits, Lin Po and Ti Lan stutter stare over the cleric's shoulder; the blood drains from their faces. Caprico turns, but he knows he'll see something horrible…

A cadre of wispy, angry faces stare at you from the shadows of the forest! They murmur about their unjust and violent deaths! no fair! no fair!

You can try to disable the haunt with the usual skills (You will need more than one success. Disable is a 2-action activity at a high DC for your level. You can also try to lower the DC or harm the haunt by pleading with the spirits, incanting kami wards, leveraging obscure haunt lore, or performing a lesser exorcism. DCs below.

Sticks and stones rise from the ground, swirling in the air…

≜≜≜

G-g-g-ghosts!

No map; the haunt is all around!

Kooz
Haggra
Kralgang
Makkioz
Angry Spirits
Timtenzekil
Capricio
Lin Po & Ti Lan

≜≜≜

When we have a chance, after the haunt, Haggra will change his 2nd lead from Lin Po to the kitsune, keeping the other on the lantern.

Haggra attempts to weaken the haunt! Reducing DC
Occultism: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

HP Reroll Occultism: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Yay. RNG

Kralgang will attempt to exorcise the haunt.

"Be silent spirits! In the name of Pharasma I banish you from this world!"

Occultism: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Hero Point!

Occultism: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

Haggra can't seem to affect the haunt, but Kralgang might if he gets some assistance from Makkioz or Kooz.

≜≜≜

G-g-g-ghosts!

No map; the haunt is all around!

Kooz
Haggra
Kralgang
Makkioz
Angry Spirits
Timtenzekil
Capricio
Lin Po & Ti Lan

≜≜≜