Ezgara |
Ezgara came prepared for even the contingencies of interplanetary travel. Nothing is needed. Ready
Nicholo Reiland |
Well, the designs on these weapons they have are exquisite! I'm headed over to that armorer that was recommended. Maybe even ask around about local food for me to try.
Nicky goes and buys a curved elven blade with some inscriptions.
He also tries a couple different foods from around the village, only finding them so-so. It must still be his Tiefling palate that likes spicy foods that keeps him from appreciating Castrovelian cuisine.
Spending 4 GP. Buying Elven Curved Blade. Ready.
Onye Dinta |
Onye Dinta travels with the others to the market where he gets by as best he can speaking in sylvan. There he finds an enchanter who can sell him a pair of ribbons covered with runes.
-35 GP for handwraps of mighty blows
GM Tyranius |
Odioki's Nature (T): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Onye Dinta's Nature (T): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Ezgara's Nature (T): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Daehalya Shadowsun's Nature (T): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Nicholo Rieland's Nature (U): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Ezgara and Odioki know the Kareq is a cross between a dinosaur and an insect. The kareq's torso extends back into a bulbous abdomen like an ant's. They seem to be immune to sonic damage.
Having gatehred new gear you are ready to head out in the morning. It takes half a day to march through the jungle east of Loskialua and reach the Offering Spire.
A slender spire of vine-choked gray stone juts out of the jungle and points to the sky above. Sixty feet high, the tower is terraced with narrow ledges and windows at every story, plus a yawning open archway at its base. Mounted atop the spire’s uppermost ledge is a giant horn.
Your Oatia guides halt at the edge of the clearing around the sacred spire. It’s been decades since any Oatia has visited the spire, and while the jungle has seemed strangely reluctant to reclaim it, there’s no telling what might be living inside. "We will wait here with the fruit. When you reach the top of the tower, lower the ropes and we will haul it up."
A large, squared-off doorway offers entrance into the tower’s cavernous ground-floor chamber. In the center of the room, branches and dried leaves form a pungent animal nest. Above, the space extends all the way to the hollow tower’s roof. Stone catwalks line the interior walls.
Daehalya Shadowsun |
"Come, friends, we didn't mean to harm Alleli, but we do bear responsibility. If this is what we must do to save her, then let's not waste anymore time," Daehalya says.
Taking a firm grip on her staff, she leads the way forward, eyes open for any hidden dangers. Searching!
GM Tyranius |
You can either enter through the front door and climb the stairs to the top or you can climb the vines on the outside of the tower to reach the top. Or other ideas that work of course.
Nicholo Reiland |
Odioki is totally right. Messing with the nest is not a good idea.
My only concern is if whatever made the nest also hunts for prey and will pick off vine climbers while they are holding onto the side of a tower!
Unless we are working with magics that I'm not aware of - going inside and skirting the nest is the best plan that leaves us on our feet.
Nicky stands at the doorway and peers deeper into the room. He sniffs the air.
@gm- anything I pick up from the "that's odd" ability? The pungent smell. What is that exactly? Vegitation? or dead bodies? or bird scent?
I also have Starlore, so if that helps with this nest creating creature +8. Survival is +6.
Onye Dinta |
"Onye Dinta agrees that the inside of the tower provides the most shelter from the eyes of hunting predators," the catfolk says.
GM Tyranius |
Odioki's Nature (T): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Onye Dinta's Nature (T): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Ezgara's Nature (T): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Daehalya Shadowsun's Nature (T): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Nicholo Rieland's Nature (U): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
Ezgara and Odioki recognize that the nest inside the building belongs to that of a Kareq. A kareq looks like a cross between a dinosaur and an insect. The kareq's torso extends back into a bulbous abdomen like an ant's that you were warned about.
Seems the eyes of the predator Onye warns about is already inside of the tower.
Daehalya Shadowsun |
"Outside may be best," Daehalya agrees. "We'll be at risk while we're climbing, but it looks like the risk may be greater inside."
She'll quietly make her way to the vines, only moving her staff on its strap to her back once she safely arrives.
Onye Dinta |
"Onye Dinta has rope and a grapple," he says.
Ezgara |
Don't miss! Hit the target! Neither left nor right, but center! Do you understand? Ezgara's exhortations spin to life as crude images around Oyne. Spin a tale… +1 status to attack rolls which throwing the grapple should count for?
GM Tyranius |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Sure thing. An Attack roll will do.
Grappling Hook: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Grappling Hook: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
Onye ties up his grapling hook and tosses it to the top. It takes him a couple throws as the first falls short, dulling thudding into the dirt at his feet. The second through hits high and arcs across getting a good hold. Pulling on the rope twice it seems like it would hold some weight. This will allow you to bypass climbing the spiked thorns as well as the assassin vines within the interior. :P
Smooth, three-foot-tall battlements surround the Offering Spire’s flat top. In the center of the stone floor, an engraved circle depicts interwoven vines and esoteric runes. On the eastern side, a horn of living fungus grows up out of the stone, its hollow stalk starting as a small mouthpiece and growing larger as it encircles itself and ends in a large trumpetlike bell. A nest of sticks and bones fills the roof’s northeastern corner.
Daehalya Shadowsun |
"Yes," Daehalya agrees, though her eyes continue to stray toward the nest as she reclaims her staff from her back.
"I suggest Ezgara as the most verbose of us," she says, glancing over at the other Ilverani.
Ezgara |
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Verbose? My internal monologue meanders, walking the mazes of genius, but I am silent to the world. They cannot hear my thoughts. None can. This is the way of wisdom. To speak little, and only with import. Can they read my thoughts? Can they hear? No. None can penetrate the veils of my mind. Least of all these. They are merely confused. Perhaps Daehalya does not know what "verbose" means.
Ezgara turns to his companions and grimaces. Or smiles, Yes. My ancient lungs have wheezed for a thousand years. Why not a bellow a little longer?
He examines the fungus-horn. Nature? Then, barring any nasty surprises revealed by his recall knowledge check, blows.
Nicholo Reiland |
As soon as Odioki asks about who should blow the horn.
Nicky cites the childish mantra and evokes the required somatic gesture.
One, Two, Three - Not IT! and he puts his right index finger on his nose.
He then swooshes the same hand and pointer finger towards Ezgara. Electing him to blow the horn.
When Ezgara seems ready to blow the horn, Nicky nods his head - but then speaks up.
Before you do that, aren't we supposed to hoist the twigs and berries up first- BEFORE blowing the horn and summoning a creature they revere as demi-god like?
Nicky also gives Ezgara a bonus to his roll +1 as this is a part of his follow a lead. Nicky will also try and look at the meaning of the images within the engraved circle.
@Gm, a knowdlege roll? Note: I picked up StarLore as my variable skill at +8. Survival is +6
Onye Dinta |
"Nicholo is correct," Onye Dinta says as he begins to secure the ropes for hauling up the offering.
GM Tyranius |
The group secures the ropes and waves the elves in to bring the berries quietly so as not to disturb the nest below. While ONye secures the ropes Daehalya investigates the nest on the roof and finds a magical shortsword. +1 striking short sword with an obsidian inlay of a serpent.
The Oatia guides below tie on the sacks of fruit, which Onye then hoists up and spreads them out in the demarcated circle. Giving the signal to Ezgara he blows inot the horn.
As Ezgara blows the bizarre horn, it releases not only a surprisingly deep, mournful tone, but also bright orange spores that explode from the horn’s bell cap.
For several minutes, nothing happens.
Onye Dinta |
Onye Dinta draws a javelin from over his shoulder and waits with anticipation. "The horn may draw more than the one the tribe wishes to summon."
GM Tyranius |
A low rumble, like a peal of distant thunder, shakes the tower. To the east, the jungle canopy seems to rise up and crest like a wave. The surge resolves itself into a titanic, quadrupedal body made of the jungle itself, a form either made of plants or encrusted so thickly that no flesh can be seen. The foliage on the creature’s back is thinner, and her head is crowned with a knot of trees around a glimmering freshwater spring, barely visible through a protective ring of glacial ice.
She Who Walks Through Seasons approaches quickly but stops 20 feet short of the tower and opens a whale‑like mouth of tree roots and moss. At this cue, the flocks of birds following her descend on the tower in a flurry, working together to pluck up the offerings and carry it into her waiting maw.
The Oatia call ot from below. "Now is your chance! Jump, JUMP!" Tey wave over to the behemoth Demi-God.
The demigod’s flank is 20 feet from the edge of the tower, meaning a character will need to make a successful DC 20 Athletics to Leap to land atop She Who Walks. Characters who fail can use the Grab an Edge action (DC 20 Reflex save) to attempt to catch one of the trees lower on the flank, but a character who fails this save falls all the way to the ground 60 feet below.
Onye Dinta |
Athletics (T): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
Reflex (T): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18 Well, shoot.
Hero Point: Reflex (T): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Hearing Oatia's imperative, the amurrun breaks for the edge of the tower and leaps into the air. "Easy as falling!" he shouts. It begins to look like he will make it, but as his fall accelerates, he lands a yard short and on the slope of the behemoth's body.
As he slips and begins to fall, he reaches out and grabs hold of a branch. Arresting his momentum, he dangles from the branch.
Uhu the Owl |
The shadowy owl follow the catfolk's leap but is blessed to be born with wings and simply perches on one of the trees atop She Who Walks Through Seasons. There, he await his charge.
Ezgara |
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Odioki's legs are like twigs. Not like donkey-hoofed Ezgara, who knows how to leap with the utmost power, and also to bray with wise words. Should he help? Why help a thief? Then again, if the human utterly fails and snaps his neck, I shall never taste that sweet sour wine he owes me. Yes, I will help him. Nice Ezgara, so many friends he has. I will envision a future wherein Odioki does not mangle his spine upon that sharp boulder so far down there…
As Ezgara rambles he blesses Odioki with guidance. And he also blesses himself. GM willing happy to Guidance all other PCs
Athletics (U), Guidance: 1d20 + 0 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 0 + 1 = 20
He stamps his hoofed feet and soars to the other side.
Sagacity prevails. He looks at down Onye and shakes his head. The twisted wise prepare for all eventualities, especially the uncertainties which are inevitably inevitable. They sheathe their feet with the horseshoes percipience. Thus, never shall they fall upon their glorious asses.
Onye Dinta |
"Never fear," the catfolk yells back up at Ezgara as he dangles from a tree. "Onye Dinta is fine!"
Daehalya Shadowsun |
"I've heard catfolk always land on their feet," Daehalya murmurs as she uses her staff to vault across the gap. Unfortunately the butt of the staff slips, and she nearly falls before grabbing a hold with one hand. "Apparently as well as elves..."
Athletics (trained): 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 10 + 2 = 14
Reflex (expert, +1 vs. traps): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24
2nd: Staff Acrobat Dedication: When you High Jump, Leap, or Long Jump while wielding your staff, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to any Athletics check required and add 5 feet to the distance you can Leap vertically and horizontally.
Nicholo Reiland |
The urgency in the voice of the Oatia spurs Nicky forward. He REALLY should have thought a bit about the whole situation first.
He runs on the stone blocks of the tower platform. Nicky gets a decent cadence to his stride, but as soon as he makes the hurdled leap to clear the crenellation, his head tilts downward and his eyes see the ground a mind numbing 60 feet below!
athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9 DC 20
and he realizes that he worried far more about clearing the ramparts instead of propelling himself outward a difficult 20 feet!
He reaches out with his hand!
Reflex: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14 DC 20
hero point!
Reflex: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10 DC 20
It is meant to be...
Nicky misses everything. He tumbles down, bouncing into one of the baskets that had been partially lowered as it dropped off it's twigs and berry cargo. He reaches for that lifeline too, but doesn't get any purchase!
He's falling and prays to Cayden Cailean to make the landing as soft as possible. Big C - please help so I only break like two bones and not all of them!
Odioki |
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Odioki jumps for the creature, but even with Ezgara's guidance, he aims short. He scrambles to grab on, and for a moment he thinks the boney elf upon the creature's flank is the last thing he'll every see.
But then his fingers find a hold, and he is flooded with relief.
"The thief survives." He gives Ezgara a wry smile.
Athletics: 1d20 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (9) - 1 + 2 = 10
Reflex: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Hero Point!
Reflex: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23
GM Tyranius |
One by one you leap across onto the Demi-Gods backside. First Onye makes it look easy as he nimbly leaps onto a grassy surface. Then Ezgara stamping a hoofed foot across the moss. Daehalya uses her staff and vaults the distance with ease.
Odioki and Nicholo are not as fortunate. Odioki slips on the side and barely manages to grab ahold of the root of one of the lower trees. Nicholo smashes into the side of the demi-gods leg and flips 60 feet down inot oe of the baskets. 30 fall damage.
Nicky tries to catch his breath as he watches She Who Walks begin to move away. Looking around there are plenty of trees to successfully secure a rope to her to lower down to Nicholo and Odioki.
Daehalya Shadowsun |
Daehalya quickly pulls the rope from her adventurer's pack and begins tying it to a tree, glad Nicholo and Odioki managed to survive their fall, and knowing how close it could have been to being her too.
Nicholo Reiland |
CRUNCH!
Nicky's body lands in the basket and sends wicker shards flying. Oatia stare at him with disbelieving eyes as the Tiefling rolls off of his back and onto his side and then to his knees.
They do not come rushing to help, still in awe at their demi-god's arrival and quick departure. Their eyes move back up to watch She Who Walks.
To himself and his God, Nicky lets out a few thankful words. Oh, that's more than two bones there Big C. I guess I haven't been as pious as I should. I'm gonna make note that you kept me alive.
The floral cloak, which didn't take any damage from the fall, just thinks inside Nicky's mind You are stupid and decidedly not athletic. Did you see that old batty Elf made the jump, and you didn't.
You need to perform better - you are failing. You get a Big Fat 'F'!
Nicky thinks a few choice swear words back at the cloak as he looks around. Seeing the rope Daehalya is dropping - he gets up and starts moving toward it. Limping.
Oh! Broken rib. Something's broken in the shoulder also. Maybe the wrist too. F~%+ This hurts!
Fighting the pain receptors in his body, Nicky tries to stumble to the rope.
GM Tyranius |
Lowering the rope you are able to get Odioki and Nicholo back up in time before the behemoth wanders too far away.
A long, narrow strip of grass runs down the length of the behemoth’s spine, forming a temperate valley between imposing walls of glacial ice. The grassy glen is studded with small, gnarled trees bearing fruit of all different types.
An enclave of different hued turtle-like creatures defend the Oasis of Seasons atop the spine. One red, one blue, one orange, and one purple Kappa. The Kappas take the oasis water for their head bowls and surviving solely on her fruits, which they also brew into potent spirits.
Unlike kappas on Golarion, these Castrovelian natives are mottled with bright colors. They have wavering antennae that grant them telepathy, as well as bulging eyes that can rotate independently of one another.
The Kappas block your way to the Oasis. "We who defend find you unworthy! Are you a dire threat to the great water-headed beast?"
Onye Dinta |
"The tribe does not come to bring harm but to undo harm accidentally done to another," Onye Dinta says. "Some of the water from She Who Walks through Seasons is needed for the cure."
Ezgara |
Ezgara pretends he's seen all this before, but fails to mask his amazement as he trots among the glacial valleys dimpled with kettle lakes and moraines full of gnarled little trees.
He peers at the turtles. Stereopsis not superior to monocular depth cues. You are wise, seeing both fore and aft. This I know. He gestures to his crooked blind eye. Warily I watch problems, while monitoring the environment in all degrees of the azimuth. Degrees of opportunity. This is wisdom. Wisdom of the mind. Always waiting… watching… biding… plotting. Some would say paranoid. Hehehe! yet I have outwitted donkey, pigeon, and gravity with this technique. Mastered it over thousands years of solitude in the groaning grinding glaciers. The path of preparation is wisdom, and wisdom is always wise. And the wise are worthy. Therefore, Ezgara is most worthy. Do you see? He licks his dry lips. Worthy of sweet wine too. Yes.
GM Tyranius |
The Kappas lower themselves ready to attack when the entire ground beneath your feet shakes violently. The spine of the Behemoth below you shudders and the Kappas stand down. "The Great Water-headed Beast allows you to pass."
A ring of trees, their leaves flickering through vibrant colors, surrounds a bubbling pool fogged with fragrant steam. Jets of boiling water occasionally burst from the water’s surface.
Odioki's Perception (E): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Onye Dinta's Perception (T): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Ezgara's Perception (E): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19 Low-Light vision
Daehalya Shadowsun's Perception (E): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12 low-light vision
Nicholo Rieland's Perception (E): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Onye and Ezgara notice that a geyser of boiling water erupts at anyone who attempts to take water from the oasis.
Disable DC 21 Thievery (trained) to concoct a mechanism for indirectly harvesting the water from a safe distance.
Onye Dinta |
"Onye Dinta is the cause of the suffering; Onye Dinta will endure the scalding water to collect the cure," the catfolk says. He fishes a carved wooden mug from his pack.
Daehalya Shadowsun |
"No, my friend, let me try," Daehalya interrupts, eying the jetting water. There were places in the Crown of the World with similar hazards -- though the water there was freezing, not boiling.
Thievery (expert): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15 Jeez. Dicebot does not like Daehalya.
Nicholo Reiland |
I'm not trying to be a downer - but I don't think your device is going to work. It just doesn't have the reach.
He then tries to think of other options.
Yuck, I'm out of solutions looking at this. I think we might need to just go for it. Anyone else have some suggestions? All I know, I'm not in an position to do anything- I still have some broken bones I'm dealing with.
GM Tyranius |
Who is going to get the water then?
Nicholo Reiland |
Onye Indicated that he will go into the scalding hot area. He only delayed to give Daehalya and opportunity to create a work around. We are assuming that the failed Thievery check means she didn't make anything that will work -- so it's Onye *probably* moving into action.