After finishing your dinner and setting a watch order, your little caravan settles in. Almost the entire night is filled with the distant sound of crackling leaves and branches and the faint howls of nocturnal beasts, though nothing that ever seems to get very close to your camp. Still, it's enough to keep each of you on edge as the hours steadily tick by. The sounds only abate during the last hour or two before dawn, when Ezren rises to take his turn at watch.
**************
Your second day on the road is less pleasant as the weather has turned rather damp and drizzly. Sometimes you hear sounds in the woods, such as snapping twigs, the wind rustling through the leaves, and the faint groaning of trees - or perhaps creatures.
It's later on in the morning, approaching noon, when Kisaya suddenly straightens up in her seat and hisses, "Shh! Listen!"
But try as you might, none of you can hear anything. Confusion flickers across Kisaya's face.
"But...but I could've sworn...it sounded like someone was sobbing, out there in the woods..."
There's a pause and then she shrugs, forcing a laugh.
"Hah! Guess...guess it must've just been my imagination," she says weakly. Still, Kisaya scoots a little closer to Sebasti and Isder.
______________
Later, a few hours past midday, you hear the alarmed whinny of the horses as the wagons suddenly come to a complete stop, swiftly followed by Arek's cursing.
"Of all the rotten luck! The bridge up ahead is out," Andri calls back to you. "Can you have a look and see what you can do? Arek and I need to keep the horses calm; they're acting awful jittery for some reason!"
______________
With a plan in mind, everyone begins working to put it into motion!
Scary Gourd has no trouble scouring the edge of the woods for suitable materials to use for repairing the bridge and comes up with plenty of timber that should do the trick. Meanwhile, Aella ranges back and forth until she finds a much shallower section of the ravine that allows for some (careful) crossing on foot. Now you can work on the repairs from both ends of the bridge!
Once the work is ready to begin, Ezren and ParnelBot confirm for a few minutes to work out the finer details. Then, Ezren remains to direct the work from the wagon-side of the ravine while Parnel goes around to direct from the opposite side...
...and it goes quite well! Both human and elf have clearly had some experience with this sort of thing before and have no trouble accurately and clearly directing the repairs as Isder and Sebasti work.
Though Sebasti quickly finds out that he isn't as spry as he used to be, Isder is able to more than pick up the slack as he clambers to and fro, hammer in one hand and nails clenched tightly between his teeth.
It takes quite a bit of time and work, but you're eventually able to get the bridge repaired! "Well, ain't you all something!" Arek exclaims, giving Ezren a hearty slap on the back. "Didn't know we were getting expert craftsmen as well as guards! Any of you ever think about making this sort of thing a full-time gig?"
"Come on Arek, they've probably got better prospects than this," Andri remarks with a roll of her eyes as the siblings get the wagons rolling again. "Still, he's not wrong. If any of you *do* ever want a change of pace, look us up again, alright?"
Thanks to your quick thinking and teamwork, the little caravan is able to get across the ravine and continue on without any further incident, arriving to your designated campsite only a little behind schedule instead of hours. This means that you're still able to do a thorough scout of the area and get settled in early enough to get a good night's sleep. You keep to the same watch rotation as the previous night, but this time the evening passes without any strange sounds or howling.
______________
As morning dawns over your camp, a deep fog rolls in to blanket the surrounding area. Everyone rises as usual and gets to the task of breakfast as well as packing up the camp for the day's journey that lies ahead.
Yet the other caravan passengers seem to be unnerved by the fog. "Are you sure we are quite safe?" Professor Shurgun remarks as he downs the last of his morning coffee. "This is the first fog we have seen and an awful thick one it is. It seems to me that it would make travel rather dangerous, even on a well-traveled path. Perhaps we should give it time to clear off before departing."
"Oh no," Kisaya responds with a firm shake of her head. "I don't fancy sitting around in this soup like a sitting duck. We should hurry and get away from here as quickly as we can!"
Eigil hefts his gear back into one of the wagons. "Eh...th' fog ain't so unusual, lass. 'O course that don't mean it ain't damned inconvenient at times."
"Eigil's right, fog like this isn't exactly uncommon here in Ustalav," Arek agrees as he sees to the horses.
"But that doesn't mean that we're safe, either," Andri points out.
A silence falls over the camp and over your traveling companions, broken only by Professor Shurgun's sigh as he stands up and quietly begins packing his gear.
Suddenly, Scary Gourd and Ezren become aware of sounds coming from the fog-shrouded woods, just outside of the camp perimeter. It sounds like groaning...and the rattle of bones!
Aware that trouble is imminent, everyone begins to take cover and get into position. Arek, Andri, and your three travelling companions are quick to get out of the way while Parnel moves closer to Scary Gourd, drawing and loading his crossbow.
The sounds of groaning and rattling grow louder until those of you that have taken up position on the edges of the camp spot movement out in the fog. Scary Gourd, Isder, and Parnel see skeletons begin to emerge, carryingg weathered, broken shields displaying the symbol of Iomedae. And judging by the sounds, there are more lurking in the fog, just out of sight...
These are skeleton guards, the most common type of skeleton minion encountered out in the field. You know that they possess a basic amount of resistance to many forms of elemental attack such as cold, electricity, and fire. They also resist damage from most forms of weaponry, though they *are* susceptible to being smashed.
______________
Scary Gourd
>Entropy
Aella
==============
Blue
Green
==============
Ezren
==============
Yellow
==============
Parnel
==============
Orange
==============
Isder
Sebasti
==============
Red
Active Conditions: None
Environmental Conditions: Severe Fog - Creatures between 10 and 20 feet away are Concealed (DC 5 flat check to target; this includes allies). Greater than that, they are Hidden (DC 11 flat check to target).
Scary Gourd and Aella are UP!
Entropy bounds up and bites at Yellow!
finesse
The brave and scary gourd raises his shield and moves up to Yellow, signaling for Entropy to put his jaws to good use. The leopard bounds up to Yellow and delivers a powerful bite to the skeleton. Though the leopard does feel some resistance from the bones, the skeleton is no match for the animal's raw power and shatters into pieces!
Further in the depths of the fog, Scary Gourd can make out another shape. Except this one is noticeably larger than the skeletons, a hulking mass of rotten, stinking flesh!
This is a zombie brute, a zombie that has been augmented by necromantic energies to increase both its size and power. Though it has greater reach and strength behind its fists, it's just as slow as any other zombie and possesses a weakness to positive energy as well as weapons that can cut.
______________
Scary Gourd
>Entropy
Aella
==============
Blue
Green
==============
Ezren
Parnel
==============
Orange
==============
Isder
Sebasti
==============
Red
Active Conditions: None
Environmental Conditions: Severe Fog - Creatures between 10 and 20 feet away are Concealed (DC 5 flat check to target; this includes allies). Greater than that, they are Hidden (DC 11 flat check to target).
Aella is UP!
Aella cautiously moves up until she can finally see a target. The air crackles as she sends an electric arc at it...and somehow the arc manages to pass between the skeleton's ribs without actually connecting!
Blue Skeleton, having a living foe close by, begins slashing mindlessly at Entropy with its scimitar but can't manage to strike the leopard - though its third strike does come very close!
Green Skeleton rattles and clatters forward, angling for a piece or two of Isder, but fares no better against its foe than Blue did against Entropy!
______________
Scary Gourd
>Entropy
Aella
==============
Blue
Green
==============
Ezren
Parnel
==============
Orange
==============
Isder
Sebasti
==============
Red
Active Conditions: None
Environmental Conditions: Severe Fog - Creatures between 10 and 20 feet away are Concealed (DC 5 flat check to target; this includes allies). Greater than that, they are Hidden (DC 11 flat check to target).
Ezren and Parnel are UP!
Ezren staggers through the fog until he too finally spots two of the skeletons. He delivers an electrical blast that completely shatters Green and blasts some chunks out of Blue!
______________
Scary Gourd
>Entropy
Aella
==============
Blue
==============
Ezren
Parnel
==============
Orange
==============
Isder
Sebasti
==============
Red
Active Conditions: None
Environmental Conditions: Severe Fog - Creatures between 10 and 20 feet away are Concealed (DC 5 flat check to target; this includes allies). Greater than that, they are Hidden (DC 11 flat check to target).
Parnel is UP!
As Parnel tries to decide on a course of action yet another skeleton comes rattling out of the fog! It too shambles up to Isder and swings its rusty-looking scimitar twice at the kobold. This time, blood is drawn as the first strike opens a painful-looking gash in Isder's upper arm! Fortunately the monk is able to dodge the second strike.
______________
Scary Gourd
>Entropy
Aella
==============
Blue
==============
Ezren
Parnel
==============
Orange
==============
Isder
Sebasti
==============
Red
Active Conditions: None
Environmental Conditions: Severe Fog - Creatures between 10 and 20 feet away are Concealed (DC 5 flat check to target; this includes allies). Greater than that, they are Hidden (DC 11 flat check to target).
Isder and Sebasti are UP!
Hoping to help put Orange down quickly Sebasti darts around to help flank it with Isder, calling out words of encouragement as he does. To help distract the skeleton he strikes it with his rapier, which seems to do a little damage but not as much as it normally would.
Deciding to take advantage of the help, Isder steps into flanking position and unleashes a flurry of blows at Orange! Though the first strike whiffs, the second one manages to land and chips off a few more pieces of bone from the skeleton - but it does remain standing.
______________
Scary Gourd
>Entropy
Aella
==============
Blue
==============
Ezren
Parnel
==============
Orange
==============
Isder
Sebasti
==============
Red
Active Conditions: None
Environmental Conditions: Severe Fog - Creatures between 10 and 20 feet away are Concealed (DC 5 flat check to target; this includes allies). Greater than that, they are Hidden (DC 11 flat check to target).
Isder is UP!
Isder delivers yet another blow to Orange, sending more bone fragments flying. Though his claws clearly aren't as effective as they would normally be, Orange now looks as though a stiff breeze might finish them off!
Springing into action Parnel advances to where he can better glimpse the two skeletons. He recalls some useful information, primarily that bludgeoning weapons are the way to go when dealing with these things! He then attempts to take aim at one of them.
Blue is pretty close so he takes aim at that one - and manages to see through the fog well enough to target and hit it! But the piercing bolt just bounces off the bleached bones.
"Grghhh..."
The enormous rotting corpse shambles forward through the undergrowth and, sensing something ahead, uses its long arm to take a swing in Entropy's general direction. But the fog is as much a hindrance to your foes as it is to you and the hulking corpse misses!
______________
Scary Gourd
>Entropy
Aella
==============
Blue
==============
Ezren
==============
Orange
==============
Isder
Sebasti
Parnel
==============
Red
Active Conditions: None
Environmental Conditions: Severe Fog - Creatures between 10 and 20 feet away are Concealed (DC 5 flat check to target; this includes allies). Greater than that, they are Hidden (DC 11 flat check to target).
Scary Gourd and Aella are UP!
Entropy shifts position and scratches at the big one.
finesse
Aella, upon spotting Big Ugly as he comes lumbering out of the fog, calls down the power of the storm! The creature is surprisingly agile however and only winds up a little singed as he dodges the lightning.
Scary Gourd pushes through the trees and undergrowth as he calls for Entropy to engage the big brute. It thankfully is too slow to react as both leshy and leopard move into position. Entropy takes a big chunk of rotten flesh out of the brute's hide with a single bite! But it doesn't look like this foe will go down as easily as the others.
Blue Skeleton continues to swing its scimitar at Entropy and manages to open up a wound on the leopard's flank with one of the strikes!
______________
Scary Gourd
>Entropy
Aella
==============
Blue
==============
Ezren
==============
Orange
==============
Isder
Sebasti
Parnel
==============
Red
Active Conditions: None
Environmental Conditions: Severe Fog - Creatures between 10 and 20 feet away are Concealed (DC 5 flat check to target; this includes allies). Greater than that, they are Hidden (DC 11 flat check to target).
Ezren is UP!
Ezren creeps up and, getting a better look at Red, decides it's time to turn up the heat. He unleashes a blast of flame that washes over Blue and partially over Red...but while Blue seems to take the full brunt of the attack it also doesn't seem to have any effect, as though the skeleton is resistant to the flames. At least the magic does seem to have some effect on Red, burning away a small chunk of rotten flesh.
Meanwhile, Orange turns to face its newest challenger and strikes out at Sebasti. As with Isder it manages to open a sizeable wound on the brave Pathfinder but Sebasti is able to avoid the two follow-up strikes.
______________
Scary Gourd
>Entropy
Aella
==============
Blue
==============
Ezren
==============
Orange
==============
Isder
Sebasti
Parnel
==============
Red
Active Conditions: None
Environmental Conditions: Severe Fog - Creatures between 10 and 20 feet away are Concealed (DC 5 flat check to target; this includes allies). Greater than that, they are Hidden (DC 11 flat check to target).
Isder, Sebasti and Parnel are UP!
Sebasti and Isder continue to focus on Orange, trying to finish it off. Sebasti strikes a blow with his rapier that sends a few more pieces of bone flying before Isder finishes it off with a closed-fist crushing punch!
With Orange taken care of, Parnel draws out his club and steps up next to Ezren. He swings at Blue and connects, sending the skull flying off into the trees! The rest of the skeleton collapses in a heap, dead (again).
______________
Scary Gourd
>Entropy
Aella
Ezren
Isder
Sebasti
Parnel
==============
Red
Active Conditions: None
Environmental Conditions: Severe Fog - Creatures between 10 and 20 feet away are Concealed (DC 5 flat check to target; this includes allies). Greater than that, they are Hidden (DC 11 flat check to target).
Isder is UP!
With Orange felled and then Blue, Isder knows that there's only one foe remaining. He turns and attempts to sight Big Red through the fog, which he does. The brave kobold moves up close and directs a clawful swipe at the creature, but misses.
Big Red swings around and slams a fist into Scary Gourd, bruising his melon and knocking him backwards! Another rotting fist swings in from the opposite direction but thankfully misses.
______________
Scary Gourd
>Entropy
Aella
Ezren
Isder
Sebasti
Parnel
==============
Red
Active Conditions: None
Environmental Conditions: Severe Fog - Creatures between 10 and 20 feet away are Concealed (DC 5 flat check to target; this includes allies). Greater than that, they are Hidden (DC 11 flat check to target).
Everyone is UP!
|
Scary Gourd decides to see if the undead can be frightened. They cast Fear on the big thing and then have Entropy attack!