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"Plotting a suitable route is certainly a sensible course of action." notes the doctor. "Unfortunately, it appears that I was not able to get much helpful information on my own--at least, not yet."
"While I, suppose, I am generally more at home in the city, I have read a bit about the wilderness," he offers. "For instance, would you like to know the scientific name for that particular species of fir tree?"
Joran remembers a piece of advice from an old hermit: when camping at night, it is best to store his food in a shallow hole beneath the bedroll. Anywhere else is sure to attract animals that will steal it away.
Doctor Gnoeth looks at Scratch's map and agrees that a side route would be safer and ultimately faster.
You finish your purchases and return to the starting position. Already the other teams have lined up at the start line. "Come on, slowpokes! Enough tourism for today, you've got a race to win!" Dahila waves you over as some of the crowd chuckles.
"As Balgrid once said, persistence will save the day but speed will keep your butt warm! Good luck to everyone here. We'll see you in four days at the finish line. Now go!" One of the officials makes an arcane gesture and sparkles fly into the air giving a loud POP!
And you're off!
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"Ya ya, fancy names for trees n shrubs, I get ya Ed, I get ya." Scratch mutters as the Doctor educates the group. "Just cuz yer givin' me the latin names fer a white spruce tree don't mean that much unless yer talkin' to a latin speakin' person... What about usin' the goblin name fer a white spruce?" He chuckles and says something squeaky and slobbery.
"Sharp food, yuck!"
It might sound like he's not enjoying the lesson, but he's just a bit cantankerous. It does look like his shortcut isn't half bad if you ignore the spruce and fir sprills going down your neck. "Don't step on grey snow, could be deep slush.. and while yer at it, don't eat yellow snow, unless its a whiskey slushy."
You leave Kalsgard, you watch the smoke escape from the chimneys and miss the warmth already. The smoke missed you too, and soon the trail turns foggy. Clarence finds the fog too thick and has to slow down so he doesn't fall into a hazard.
Scratch's secret tip pays off. The side path is very calm and easy to navigate. Dr. Gnoeth has no trouble following along, even noting some of the rare flowers along the way.
Joran is glad to be back, and the land welcomes him. Cross referencing his maps with various landmarks means he doesn't need to see through the fog, and he critically navigates the team along.
The tall pines ahead are heavy with snow, and the forest is quiet. Ahead, officials for the Balgirdtrek stand around a roaring fire. Several campsites have been cleared nearby as clerics stand ready to examine and treat any injured racers. Beyond the fire and campsites, in a small, raised clearing, is a tall, thin pole carved with the intertwining necks of a Tarn Linnorm. Atop the pole rests is a small platform, an oval shape resting within it.
Dahila waves you all over. ”Enjoying the race? Good, your first major challenge is up ahead. Balgrid got hungry while searching for a Linnorm. He scaled a giant tree and snatched an egg from the top without bending the tree or angering the momma bird.” She laughs.
”That pole over there is a tree. There are some eggs on top. You can’t damage the tree or the eggs. You can climb up yourself or aid your friends, but not both.”
Thor begins climbing.
Someone hollowed out part of the tree. Sabotage?
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Scratch looks up when Cheat is called out "Hey now, you guys been with ole Scratch all day, weren't me!" Some past events could be giving Scratch's conscience a hard time. To prove it he moves over to the pole to climb it next.
"Don't eat the egg Thor, I'm headin' up next." He drops off his backpack but pulls out a bunch of harnesses and ropes. "Got some climbin' gear here if any of yas want ta use it."
"Yep, smells like mackerel up here Thor." Scratch says as he notes the altered tree. Doesn't matter though, Scratch he robbed his share of bird's nests for breakfast and makes quick work of the obstacle.
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Clarence looks up and is overcome by curiosity as to what Thor and Scratch sees. Not to be outdone, he, too, tries to climb up...
... but doesn't get much further than the lowest branches before falling back down to earth... He looks up anyway to see what there is to see.
He roars with disgust at how people could even dream of cheating at tests of strength.
Scratch and Thor have little trouble climbing the tree, winding around the wood, and reaching the top.
Scratch and Thor get a chance to carefully look at the weakened wood.
Dahila approaches them once they climb back down. "You hopped up like there faster than a bear. I'll need that egg to make things official." She takes the egg and inspects it. "Not even a crack... good job. That's two points for you."
"Good news: You're tied for first. The Fangs of the Rhemoraz practically run up their tree. Ylva and Marbin make a good duo."
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Scratch plucks some cloth scraps from the tree's wounds "Looks like this bear found a clue." He holds them up for everyone to see "Looks kinda like what Ostog Oakfeller wears. He leads the Without Trace or Fail team."
"Looks like we should introduce ourselves to 'em eh?"
"They're the team I chatted with on the way. Reigning champions. Not pleased about having us or the Varki in the contest. I convinced them to be a little less hostile but they really want to win."
Joran will approach the nearest team and ask how they are getting on.
+2 if Without Trace or Fail or the Caydenite priestess.
When Clarence and the Doctor approach one of the officials, she laughs. "You have 3 more days of racing, silly. But you could take a shortcut around the Devil's Foot. Don't let the name fool you, just walk around the dead drop and you'll be fine."
"The next event is the Caribou race. You gotta be loud and proud to catch up to them, alright?" She snickers. "Good luck out there."
Joran finds himself drawn to the outside of a tent, chatting with one official in particular. The same official spouts more runaround advice about the Devil's Foot, but Joran manages to keep her on topic. "Devil's Foot, great shortcuts. Pretty treacherous if you don't know where you're going. The trick is to climb down and stay on the bottom. It's called the foot because that's the most stable part. Anyway, I gotta go - Dahila hates when we chat too much with the racers. See ya!" She bounces off to chat up another official.
Joran stands up from the bench and finally sees Scratch, hidden under the shadow of the tent. He took good notes and he's ready to roll.
With your preparations complete, it's time to take a rest.
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The red sun rises over the land, bathing the snow in a warm red glow. The skies are clear for now.
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"Looks like we best keep on our toes on this route fellas, one bad step n we're a bunch of heels!" Scratch lets the others take point while he keeps an eye on the terrain for likely natural issues.
"This kinda rock can be real unstable.. prone to freeze n thaw fracture n landslides.. be careful up there." He produces a handful of spider cracking talus from the base of a rock outcrop.
The Devil's Foot lives up to its name: A fifty foot descent into an icy basin. Long winding paths twisting to and fro. The sun sometimes peeks out from among the cliffs. Scratch and Joran note how unstable the edges are - too much weight would toss anyone into the crevace, head first.
Joran and Thor seem very keen to the workings of the Devil's Foot. He never forgot the stories of the foolhardy trying to run along the edge, only to tumble in. He's able to note the crumbled edges until he finds a tunnel formed from the remains of an unstable wall. He critically leads the team through. Clarence's enthusiasm keeps the team going.
As you reach the checkpoint, you notice the officials split between helping you unload your cargo and helping the Varki unload theirs- the Fangs of the Rhemoraz seem like the only other team here.
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A small, frigid stream runs between the dense pines, opening onto a frozen pond. To the east, a few small columns of smoke rise above the trees from several small campfires. To the north, a dozen caribou walk along the surface of the ice, snuffling and pawing at the thin grasses poking up from the snowy shoreline. As a race official watches over the small herd, the wind carries the gentle sound of bells.
Dahila watches the crossing with a smile as warm as the summer. ”Balgrid’s pack horse was lost in a blizzard. So what did he do? He tracked a herd of caribou for an entire week. They almost trampled his brains out. But let me tell you, when you tame one of ‘em they bond with you for life. Reminds me of Old Tucker...” She loses her professionalism for just a moment before resuming.
She turns to you. ”Listen up. There are a dozen caribou on that ice. Four of them have bells around their necks. You need to be kind or quiet as you approach them and get those bells. You need at least one bell to proceed, and you’ll earn more points for more bells. Just… don’t get trampled in the process.”
Dr. Gnoeth hears the telltale jingle of a bell wrapped around one of the caribou's necks. Clarence gets really close to the herd before he is able to spot a second bell; it will make his attempt difficult.
Joran waits for Scratch to get things started. He and Thor know the value of patience.
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"I think the key to approaching is to let the caribou sniff you--catch your scent--as you move slowly and out in the open. Then move your head as if on alert, from side to side, up and down. Appear as a fellow herbavore rather than as.a potential predator." Doctor Groeth explains. "Please, allow me to demonstrate."
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Scratch gives Joran a look of sly confidence Damn right this is my jam! Scratch finds a pair of sticks and ties them to the top of his helmet, pulls on his gloves and scans the herd for another bell... target acquired!
He starts making his way across the ice on all fours, doing a few decent grunts and blows as he goes to get up close...
Animals don't argue.
Animals don't whine over politics.
Animals survive.
Scratch is a survivor. He quickly spots all four caribou wearing bells. He quickly approaches one and snatches the bell off of it before anyone is the wiser.
Dr. Gnoeth has different plans, however, and quickly announces himself to the beasts. But they don't seem too startled, and he's able to easily get the bell off of one of them.
Clarence follows the Doctor's lead, moving up and announcing himself. But his impressive bulk causes the caribou to take a few cautious steps from him. At the last moment he remembers to lay low and not threaten them into stampeding.
Joran reaches for one, and grabs one.
"Three bells. Good job." Dahila claps. "That's three points for ya. Take a rest, we're going to grill some caribou for everyone."
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With his confidence partly renewed by obtaining a bell, Dr. Gnoeth decides to once again try his luck with the Wryding Wayfinders. Approaching them, he says, "Quite the race, we're having? Wouldn't you say?"
"Not sure that we would be doing as well without a bit of Pathfinder training under our belts, but then, I suspect, you already know something about that. What drew you to this adventure?"
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Knowing his strengths vs his weakness(es), Scratch decides to send a message to the other racers, particularly the Ulfen Without Trace or Fail team. After some consultation with his vast centuries of experience, as well as Joran, Scratch builds an extremely good representation of two larger than life individuals.
The pair of 8 foot snow 'men' are placed at the center of the encampment, facing the campsite of Without Trace or Fail. They are constructed shaking hands and giving each other respect: Erastil and Torag, both highly revered by the Ulfen, and of course Dwarves. Sometimes humans just need ta be reminded the Gods are always watchin'...