Salaish succeeds on all her goals. That evening she posits a theory about who to give tokens to.
Lokoloko finishes the wall while only exploiting Pathfinder labor. Dethor complains a lot.
Makai gives a religious lecture; it seems that consecrating the shrine to her deity of choice is important to her. They say good workers "own" their project, so maybe this is part of that!
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Salaish Talenduth
Daraj l'Bayal —
Makai Goldenoak
Lokoloko
Honzakqed
Dethor
With the shrine done, there is little left that we can't do on our own. Daraj will invite Junissa and any two of his fellow Pathfinders to start on the battlements.
And realize that everyone is getting tired of this project. He promises ot bake something extra special when the lodge is finished.
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On this day, Salaish stops by the Horgats's house for some conversation and socializing. These two really shouldn't be left to their own devices for too long until the friendship is cemented.
Afterwards, she dithers a bit, deciding who to call on next. When she bumps into Plisken the Brown walking through the street, she takes it as a sign that he's the one she should spend the rest of the afternoon with.
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Dethor takes the day off, not really telling anyone he is doing this.
He spends the day at the inn, drinking in the tavern, chatting with the folks there.
First, he tries to make friends with Bessama as she serves him.
Then he chats with Lotte and Mikkel, talking about how they can make the place even better.
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"Ok, you might not know that but Torag does not accept an inferior work. So if you want to add a symbol of another deity make it right. Grab a chisel, you will not scribble on the wall like some Goblin. We shall make it to last."
She grabs a hammer and leads Honzak to do the proper work. Torag is all about craft after all...
Honzak's face deepens to a brilliant purple at the mention of his scrawled holy symbol. When Makai suggests doing a better, actual symbol, he wavers a little. "Really it ought to be done in jade but there's no way to get enough of that here to do a proper in lay... but if you could show me how to chisel out that design properly, that would help."
The next day he finally throws himself into some physical labor... or more importantly, Dimitsi picks him up and forces him to deal with Loko.
Honzak pastes a very, very false grin on his face and tries to work on the opposite side of the roof, but can't escape the clutches of the goblin and his horrible pickles.
Trying to avoid getting into that topic, Honzak asks, "So, uh, what food do you like... other than, uh, those things?"
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With Makai's praise, Dimitsi gives a happy sound not unlike a symphony reaching a crescendo, but muffled as if it was a few rooms away. He turns back to the spiral and adds a few more details in a somewhat detailed etching.
The next day, Dimitsi gets his revenge for being ungloriously unsummoned without consent by Honzak a few days earlier and bundles the gnome up before deposting him in the same worksite as Loko. The goblin had been kind and friendly to everyone but it was the gnome who took offense at first. He needed to make amends or burn that bridge forever. Dimitsi makes sure that the gnome stays where he is for the rest of the day. Catching Honzak when he'd try to run away, and dragging him out of any hiding spot he found.
Daraj, Lokoloko, and Makai make progress on the battlements while the others hobnob around town… with varying degrees of success.
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Over the course of the next three days, life settles into a routine. Your crafters craft, while your laborers help out to save money. You schmooze in town, getting everyone to helpful.
You even have a day off! You meet up at the inn, drinking ale and admiring your cost and schedule performance. Fort agate glitters up on the cliff, as good as new.
You should be proud of the work you have done.
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Makai is glad of the work that they did and especially proud of the shrine that they made. Not only they cleansed some evil place but left it consecrated to Torag who would appreciate their work.
Makai orders a pint of beer and does enjoy a day of break.
"So, should we send a message to Pathfinder Society describing our work? I prepared a letter to ask for Torag Cleric, there is still plenty to be done in here, and the shrine needs a cleric. People might enjoy variation when it comes to religion in this region."
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Lokoloko turns to Honzak with a big toothy grin. "Oh, I's like all foods. Grow up in streets of Absalom, can't really chooses food if hungry. Eats rats too! I's makes you rat?"
Seeing a large rat, Lokoloko hurls a blue bottle at it, shocking it to death. Jumping down, he quickly guts the rat, soaks it in a bit of pickle brine, and presents it (on a stick) to Honzak. "This good. Especially with pickle."
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As promised, when the fort is completed, Daraj works with Lotte and the inn staff to bake for the Pathfinders and the residents of the town. He makes honey-spice cakes and calls the whole town to the common room to distribute them.
He even scrounges some lemon juice to create royal icing and draw on top of the cakes. Many have a mask out of state-mandated respect for the Living God, thrice-somethinged be his name, but one has a picture of a pickle.
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For the first time in days, Salaish stops by the fort to check on the progress. When she walks down to the shrine, she whistles in appreciation at all the work that was done to it. Suddenly, her brow knits a bit. "Oh, Makai. I think your work in the shrine is great, but the official religion here is...not that. Is there any way we can avoid showing it to them when they inevitably ask for a tour? Like, can we hide it, or say it isn't finished or something? Or create a temporary stand-in for the Living God or something, just to mollify them? I don't want there to be trouble, is all. Your craftsmanship is so beautiful."
Back at the inn, Salaish effusively compliments Daraj on his pastries, and giggles uncontrollably as she offers the pickle-picture one to Honzak. "Hahahaha! Oh Honzak! I think this one has your name on it! Hahahaha!"
On the 16th day, a black-lacquered carriage rolls into town; the horses are lathered.
Narsen steps out and almost runs over to the inn, where you're enjoying a cool drink in the shade with the friendly townsfolk.
“Pathfinders! I am so glad to have found you! How are your renovations going? Well, I hope? Being that you are lounging about? Have you completed the task ahead of schedule and under budget?
He stops and shakes his head. "What am I saying, I have no time for this!” The priest lets out a small shriek of nervousness and pulls back the hood of his robe to scratch at his unkempt greying brown hair — it seems he's been on the road for days.
“I’m sorry for my outburst, but I have… bad news. You see, our scouts along the Glass River caught sight of a small… ish… company of skeletons and zombies who seem to be marching toward Fort Agate, slaughtering everything in their path! They are no more than a day away.”
“I know you don’t owe me anything, but our armed forces are deployed far to the East and won’t be able to reposition in time. Fort Agate is the most defensible position in the area. I don’t think you would stand much of a chance against so many undead on your own, even behind the walls of Fort Agate, but I also don’t think the villagers would survive if they fought them in the village. Will you take us in, so that we can make a stand together? Together, we may have a chance. If you do this, I promise you, Razmiran will be in the Society’s debt.”
Oh… ahh… hmmm. At least 50. Maybe more.
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Seeing a large rat, Lokoloko hurls a blue bottle at it, shocking it to death. Jumping down, he quickly guts the rat, soaks it in a bit of pickle brine, and presents it (on a stick) to Honzak. "This good. Especially with pickle."
Honzak watches with a bit of an odd look on his face. A rat? He'd had odder sources of meat, but still... Watching the process with a bit of interest, he stops when the still raw meat is just served to him covered in brine. The gnome runs away with the sounds of him retching off the roof echoing through the chamber before Dimitsi drags him back and stands the gnome upright with his toes barely touching the ground. " Really Dimitsi? But it's RAW and covered in that JUICE! ugh, FINE!" Honzak gives Loko a smile, propped up on his toes. "That, look, uh, interesting. I'm sorry but I can't eat raw meat it messes with my stomach. But you love them, so why don't you eat it for me?"
He stands there, turning a little pale in the face as he watches the goblin devour the rat, but keeps a smile plastered on his face.
Later that day, Honzak only picks at his meals.
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After a few days of working with Loko, Honzak has avoided trying any of the foods with pickle or pickle juice on or in them. Having finished the Fort, he's more than glad to be done and hopefully not near the goblin anymore.
He gives a laugh at seeing the pickle decorated cake. "FINE! As long as there's not a pickle or pickle juiced something in there, that's fine." He picks up the cake, sniffs it and then takes a bite just as the carriage starts into town.
"I'm okay with using the fort to keep everyone safe. Also a bit of a word of warning, there was an Urgothoan shrine down there that was apparently being a beacon to undead and what not. It's been cleared and purified, but that might be why the undead are coming here."
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Dimitsi gives a look at the rat and holding Honzak, does calmly look at the goblin. In his deep eomtionless voice he comments. "Master Loko, I understand goblins can eat a variety of things and not get sick, however not all peoples can enjoy raw meat without risking their lives. It's nice of you to share, however."
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Dimitsi gives a look at the rat and holding Honzak, does calmly look at the goblin. In his deep eomtionless voice he comments. "Master Loko, I understand goblins can eat a variety of things and not get sick, however not all peoples can enjoy raw meat without risking their lives. It's nice of you to share, however."
"Why do you think Goblins live up to 20-25 years? Good life choices..." comments Makai looking at eating raw rat.
She is surprised to see the priest looking like that, he was always so calm and in control of things.
"More than 50 undead is heading our way. Are there other villages in between us and then? Should we send couriers to inform others?"
She stands up and drinks her beer in one go.
"I think we got our rest here and should move as many things to the fort. Let us start with food as it is not provisioned for a siege."
"I hadn't thought to test these walls so soon, but I look forward to showing off how the cooperation between Pathfinder and Razmiran has produced the strongest fortifications this side of Nerosyan."
Daraj grins at Lokoloko. "Fifty undead, eh? Seems like a perfect test of whether dwarf or goblin can brew the strongest bomb."
"And you can thank us by paying for anything that gets broken in the first week," he adds under his breath.
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"Well, of course we can't let all our friends in town be killed and probably raised as undead! Let's go sound the alarm!" And with that, Salaish begins organizing the evacuation. First, she sends runners to gather everyone in town to the main plaza immediately. (The guards help with that.)
Once everyone seems to be there, she conjures a trumpet and blasts a quick call to get their attention. "Everyone! Priest Narsen has just brought news that an undead army is headed this way! All of you are encouraged to take shelter in Fort Agate. Quickly! Bring only what you need: food, clothes, sleeping pads, medicines and bandages. We have a good well at the fort. Before you leave! We don't want to miss anyone, so we're assigning a buddy system! Listen for your assignment!" Salaish groups households together and connects single folks into groups so no one gets left behind.
You heard Saliash. You shall fight for the glory of Razmir! The villagers seem releived to have the fort. Many seem nervous about fighting… but fight they will. They gather rakes, hammers, and sticks for weapons and cracked old leather or even thick winter sweaters for armor.
You make your way to your shiny new fort. You have 24 hours to prepare. There are several things you can do to fortify the surrounding landscapee and hopefully reduce the "small-ish" band of undead that approaches. Yes, it costs 1 GP to hire someone but it gets you the standard bonuses (e.g. faux training or trained+2).
Each activity takes 8 hours. You have 24 hours, so each of you can do 2 activities. or 3 and be fatigued tomorrow.
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Create Deadfalls
Requirements: You’re trained in Crafting or hired a stonemason, carpenter, or trapmaker.
Create a series of deadfalls using rocks or trees to crush large numbers of undead that trigger them. This activity requires 8 hours and a successful DC 15 Crafting Check.
Create Pit Traps
Requirements: You’re trained in Crafting or hired a stonemason or trapmaker.
This activity creates and hides pit traps to detain (or at least slow the advance of) the undead. This activity requires 8 hours and a successful DC 15 Crafting check.
Craft Snares
Requirements: You’re trained in Crafting and snare crafting feat, or hired a trapmaker.
This activity creates and hides a large number of snares in one area to entangle the undead and allow them to be easily dispatched. This requires 8 hours and a successful DC 15 Crafting check.
Train the Villagers
Requirements: You’re trained in simple weapons and light armor.
This activity trains 8 noncombatants of Prophet’s Rest in the basic use of weapons, shields, and armor. Although it won’t make them proficient fighters, it’s better than nothing. This activity requires 8 hours and a successful DC 12 Diplomacy check.
"'Rocks fall, everyone dies again' has always served me well."
"Maybe if I balance the rocks over here instead..."
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Since hearing about the large number of undead coming up the path, the staid and smooth motioned Dimitsi seems to take on a slightly jittery energy. Lecturing with Honzak, the psychopomp's form starts to fray at the edges as the spider webs that make up his outfit flay out. His low voice with no emotional inflection never changes, but the sounds behind it is a muted version of one of the joyous songs the Razmirians sang the day he and Honzak observed their services.
"Try and aim for the head. Most necromancers tie the core of their foul magics, and the soul of their victim, in there." At first the eidolon is a bit too zealous and likely to turn people off and scare them away from the fight but Honzak steps in and explains it a bit more calmly.
Morning Shift
Lokoloko can't make snares.
Daraj crafts a deadfall!
Salaish trains up the villagers.
Honzal trains up the villagers.
Dethor trrain villagers
Makai is up!
The villagers are all trained. You cannot train any more.
Second shift: make traps!
Everyone is up.
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Honzak has a flash of trying to train the villagers on how to fight undead, but then sees Dimitsi getting a hit too zealous about making sure they know to destroy each and every one of them! Now! WITH PASSION! And decides against it.
He instead goes over to the path nearby and with Plinsky's help starts setting up traps.
Honzak the hires someone to help him set up a rock fall trap.
No one seems to have worked on snares, so Daraj will give that a shot.
Honzak crafts more deadfalls. Makail and daraj have a rough go of it.
Lokoloko does too. Dethor creates TWO snared with Matthild.
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Salaish is up! You can hire someone to craft traps and add your level +2 to an untrained check.
No you actually had trained once too many times already but I was going to let it slide. There is a finite number of people to train.
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"Well, I like the idea of setting up a bunch of trees or rocks to do our work for us. Come on, Braderock! Let's set up a bunch of deadfalls!" Salaish's enthusiasm is contagious. She lets out a final blast on the bugle she'd been using to train the villagers, then lets it dissipate as she hops down to get her hands dirty.
Sylvina Norritch approaches you. Ahh. I almost forgot. Here's my stash o' healing' options.
She reluctantly gives you, free of charge, 10 minor healing potions.