[OPVI] PF2e B12 - Somewhere Below (P7) (Inactive)

Game Master UncleFroggy

"Chirrrpp!"

My girl is going to cheat on me with another egg!

Ami asks for the trial to reset so she can have a go, just to see if she can succeed. Once it is done ...

athletics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

WHOOOOOOO HOOO!

Her face breaks out in a broad smile, the first one you've seen.

Sam tries to make it to the top.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

"Umm... I hope this is good enough..."

Galvaka cheers on her team members as they navigate to the top of the tree and applauds them once they get to the top. She is delighted to see them make their way through the trial.

Bitty, Ami and Samantha are all successful n climbing the tree and retrieving the egg without damage to either.

I doubt anyone else is looking to do it. What does the group want to do now, camp here and gather information?

Makes sense - and if it's a clear night, look for aurora

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

In case we decide to gather info.

Bee gathers with the team after checking in with the race officials. "I don't see any reason to be trying to push through the night. I do, however, see reason to ask around and find out if anyone else has been having problems with their gear."

Should we report what happened?

"That is a good idea. The others had some good tips, so I'll check to see if they needed to fix their gear.

Galvaka looks around for the Varki team, looking to thank them for their tips and aid. She adjusts her hat empathetically to express how much she took it to heart. Aside from that she eventually asks them, or others, about the issues with gear. [b]"Good thing we have tools to repair because loads of rocks got into our packs and were cutting them up! And they weren't really nice rocks either so I don't think I would have picked them up much less left them there. Did you get any rocks in your gear?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Diplomacy chatting for information: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Bee wanders around camp asking about people's equipment and how their travels went. He doesn't spend much time or effort trying to learn about the next days challenges, but maybe it comes up in conversation anyway.

You decide to make camp and find out how others are doing.

Just as you are setting up camp, Two Houses and the Wyrding Wayfinders reach the check point and attempt the tree challenge.

The Bluetongue’s Brawlers already have their camping area set up and are relaxing. Evidently they came in before you did.

Checking with the race officials, you find out that the Fangs of the Remorhaz and Without Trace or Fail had both decided to push on through the night. They look at the flint and the marks it left on a couple of your backpacks and ask if you know who might have done this and if you have any other evidence. They seem concerned that this happened, but do not feel they have enough to act on with what you’ve given them.

Corabee isn’t able to get any more information than that.

Samantha and Galvaka both get different versions of the same information about the terrain ahead and a possible short cut.
The whole party gains a +1 circumstance bonus to checks made for overland travel between the first and second checkpoint.

The weather remains clear for the second day of travel. Most of today’s travel is through artic woodlands.

Overland Travel: While traveling between checkpoints, you should make use of your skills to aid you on your trek. Each of you should choose a skill appropriate to your method of travel for the day. Relevant skills might be Athletics, Nature, and Survival, but if you have a different skill that you think would apply go ahead and check with me.

You can (and probably should) use the same skill as last time. Repeating the information for your convenience.

DC 15 today. Yesterday I accidentally gave you the low tier DC.

Bee gets a good night's sleep and prepares for more trekking the next day.

Athletics: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 1 = 8 Yeah, I'll hero point a nat-1
Athletics: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 6 + 1 = 16

He works on breaking the trail through the snow for the rest of the group. It is hard going today with the steeper terrain and deeper snow drifts as they get farther from the city that they started in.

Nature E: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

After a good night's sleep, Bitty is happy to help the group navigate. She has a wonderful conversation with a very informative mole and says, "Digs-with-Big-Claws says we should go this way!"

Ami spent part of the night watching the sky and seeing if any aurora occur before tuning in, trying not to disturb Bitty in the process.

athletics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

She's more looking at the scenery then looking for the trail.

Scouting Lore: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Sam tries following Bitty but missteps and ends up in a snowbank.

"Umm, a little help here?" she calls, embarrassed.

Ami goes over to help Samantha out.
athletics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Scouting Lore plus Short Cut: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 1 = 11

Galvaka's attention is to divided to provide effective scouting for this leg as she shows amazement at the artic forests. She bounces around as she looks about the plant-life and shows admiration of the frigid environment.

While Galvaka Samantha and Ami struggle with this leg of the race, Corabee is able to carry his own weight. Bitty (with the help of a burrowing friend) and Ami are able to find the better paths which helps quite a bit.

You do not make quite as good of progress as the first day

5 successes

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.

The official announces that this trial is meant to recreate the events surrounding the loss of Balgird's beloved pack horse.

When the steed was lost in a terrible blizzard, Balgird tracked a herd of caribou across the tundra, and watched their behavior from a distance, looking for one that he might be able to tame. The legendary Ulfen spent more than a week trying to get close to the herd, and narrowly escaped death by hundreds of stampeding hooves before he finally managed to sling his saddle bags over the animal's back and lead his new companion out of the herd and into the taiga.

Slide 6 shows where the caribou herd and the camping area are. No need for your avatars, can do this theater of the mind.

A race official patrols this area, watching over the restless herd of taiga caribou (a skittish breed of Medium deer) that has been gathered here as a part of the trial. Some of the caribou have had small bells tied into their antlers (choose any four of the caribou. The goal of the trial is to retrieve a set of the bells without disturbing the caribou.

While only one character is required to attempt the trial, others can make their own attempts or Aid an attempting character (though not both, as the race officials remind the group before they begin their attempts).

Two steps, first listen for the bells then try to retrieve one.
I do need to know who is doing the primary trial. Someone doing poorly enough will make it difficult for anyone else to make the attempt after that.

Everyone may do a perception check to locate a caribou with a bell. You may do this before deciding who is the first person to attempt to retrieve the bell.
If you have a different way to locate the bells, go ahead and try it.

The obvious ways to retrieve the bells would be stealth to sneak up on the creatures or nature to calm them enough that you can take the bell without issue.

You may suggest other courses of action.

DC 17 Perception to find a bell.

Bee trudges into camp somewhat exhausted. And then is met with the race official who explains their next challenge. "Oh. Right. The campsite challenges."

He allows himself a minute or two to rest, then consults with the rest of the team. "I can be pretty quiet. Most of the time. I'm not any good with animals though." He looks over at Ashun. "You got any magic that would help. Maybe just summon some bells? Or make the bells silent?"

Ami listens and watches for bells
perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

If she detects any caribou with bells, she'll point them out.

Ami can hear at least two different bells. She starts to point out the caribou only to have an official shake their head and her to realize that even if it were allowed it would be difficult to point the proper one out while the herd is milling about and someone is trying to approach them.

Everyone gets to make their own perception. Failure doesn’t prevent the attempt to capture a bell, it just makes it a little more difficult.

Oh, sorry she apologises meekly. I did not realise we could not do that.

She then looks around for suitable caribou food before trying to approach one.
nature: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

She also listens for any cracking noises from the ice.

Ami finds some plants that she thinks the caribou would consider tasty. She then carefully approaches the herd, slowly working her way towards them. She manages to catch the interest of the lead caribou and the pack follows Ami around for a brief time.

She returns with the bell from one of the caribou.

Success on the task, since she was so successful another character can try as well.

Perc: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Sam spots one of the bells and decides to try to retrieve one.

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Sam becomes the snow and ice after rolling around in the snow to cover her clothes. She sticks to the ground. The caribou does not even realize that its bell was stolen until Sam is halfway back to the party.

"Ummm. I hope this helps."

Bee looks out over the herd.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

"Should be easy," he states boldly. "I just need to disguise myself as Ami and then just walk out there and ask them nicely for a bell."

"Or I could try it Sam's way."

Stealth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

Sam has no problems getting a bell. The caribou barely even notices it is gone.

Corabee doesn’t manage to get a bell. Although he spooks the caribou, you think someone else could still try.

When he gets back to the rest of you, he asks to see the bells that Ami and Sam took off their caribou. Inspecting them, he notices they are both stuffed with bits of wool and fur, making them harder to hear. Suspicious!

Ami has to grin when Bee suggests disguising himself as her.
If you think you can pull it off, you're welcome to try

She frowns when she discovers the bells had been muffled. Sabotage she hisses. Has to be

She stalks off to report this to the officials. Of course she is going to be very embarrassed if she is told this was done deliberately.

She stalks off to report this to the officials. Of course she is going to be very embarrassed if she is told this was done deliberately.

Perplexed, the official asks what Ami is talking about. She shows them the bells.

“That is not the way we placed them this morning.”

They then stop the trial and check each of the caribou. It turns out of the four bells (two of which your group had retrieved) on the caribou, three had such muffling. The official thanks Ami for bringing this to their attention. They note that they had already heard of the complaint about the packs and ask if anything else seemed off.

It appears that although the officials don’t know how it is happening, they are not ignoring the complaints.

No .. nothing else thank you she replies.

The changeling was busy trying to get Bea to stop running off and didn't notice the others were busy until Bee called for him.
"Oh, I am sorry. But I do not think I have something to calm the caribous, and I highly doubt that these will work."
Ashun draws a small glyph with a drawing inside, that plops a bell into existance. Very clearly a cheap toy bell.

"However...", he takes a vial with a thick dark swamp-green paste and a shiny liquid from his medbag, "I have this.", and shakes it slightly to mix both, turning the sludge into a glittery blue and yellow juice.

"Although I do not think we are going to need it for now..."
He looks around to notice that they stopped the trial.

"Still, if any of you would need some aid, feel free to use these."
He takes four vials from his medical supplies and presents them, first two with green mud at the bottom and shiny white liquid at the top.
"These make your senses keener and help in dealing with the natural world, they are attuned to the knowledge that comes with age. Also tastes like starfruit." (serene mutagen)
Then presenting the other two, with what looks like coagulated blood at the bottom and a matte yellow-white liquid at the top.
"And this one after mixing tastes like apple. They enhance your current knowledge and makes you remember and analyze stuff easier." (cognitive mutagen)
"Worry not, you can take them whenever any of you need it. Actually, I would much rather any of you use them at will, than being unsure and never touching them.", he gives a slight smile and a head nod to Bee.

Bea jumps into a snow bank, flopping head first and waving his hindlegs and tail out.

"Bea!", Ashun sighs and goes to take his iguana out of it, but just before he catches him, the blue lizard burrows deeper into the snow.
"I should not have taught him how to burrow..."

What's the shelf life on those? Ami asks.

As you are finishing up your trial, you notice Two Houses arriving. You see that Bluetongue Brawlers have set up camp. No signs of the other competitors.

Camp and gather information or continue?

"I would say about a day. After that it turns into a tasteless gelatin on top and a sour powder at the bottom, does not taste very good.", he jokes, "But I can make them again at the morrow morning with Bea's help."

how late is it? can we keep pushing or is it late?

Looking around, Bee only sees one other team. "Well either we are way ahead, or way behind. Or some of the other teams haven't made it here at all."

He goes up to one of the race officials. "Are you able to tell us if any of the other teams have made it to this checkpoint? If they have come and gone already and we are just behind, that is one thing. But if they are still out in the snow, that is more concerning."

He goes up to one of the race officials. "Are you able to tell us if any of the other teams have made it to this checkpoint? If they have come and gone already and we are just behind, that is one thing. But if they are still out in the snow, that is more concerning."

The official checks some papers. “Everyone except the Wyrding Wayfinders have already checked in. Two Houses is about to start their trial. Fangs of the Remorhaz and Without Trace or Fail may already be at the next checkpoint.”

“I don’t see any signs of injury on any of your team. Provided you set a good pace, you might be able to make it to the next checkpoint before dark.”

You are middle of the pack right now.

Bee thanks the official and returns to the team. "We are in the middle of the race. What do you think? Should we try more to win this? We could set out now. If nothing goes wrong we can try to catch up with the leaders. Maybe get ahead of whoever is tinkering with the checkpoint tasks."

"That is indeed a good plan, Bee.", the changeling agrees with trying to catch up

By this time I think everyone has figured out what skills they will use for Overland Travel
DC is 15 still.

"I like that idea! I can still go a bit further today!"

"OK everyone. Let's go. See if we can catch up a bit."

Athletics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Bee continues trying to break trail, but it is apparent that he is quite a bit more tired than he is letting on.

Survival: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
With the sunlight starting to fade, it makes it quite difficult for the changeling to keep track of the path

Ami is an Umbral Gnome so she has Darkvision. She also tries one of Ashun's serene mutagens but it proves not to be as helpful as she thought.

athletics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Scouting Lore: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Galvaka is still fairly distracted by this leg as well, but the enchantment the frozen forest has on her has faded a bit. She is more excited to see what the terrain looks ever farther.

Poke poke poke

Waiting on Bitty and Sam’s overland travel checks.

[...]
Would someone please bot them?

ignore if not needed

beep boop, botting for Bitty
Nature E: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

beep boop, botting for Sam
Scouting Lore: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

You travel through the rest of the night. Ashun and Corabee struggle but the rest of the group is able to chart the course.

Four successes

Steam and spray from the Whitegold River hangs in the air as the checkpoint draws near. The wet air carries a cold sting. The snow on the trees drips, plopping heavily to the ground and the snow and frost seem to be clinging only in shadowed nooks and slick patches, despite the frigid air.

Race officials offer you what is left of the fish caught from the banks of the river near the camp. South of the campsite, another official stands near the riverbank.

The race officials tell you it is too late in the day to take the trial, you will need to do attempt it in the morning.

Corabee gets a Hero Point.

As you are finishing setting up camp, Bitty and Galvaka catch sight of a large creature watching the camping area. It flees into the forest.
Thise two may attempt a Nature check for what sort of creature it is. Others may attempt it at -2 since they are going off of a description.

Overnight it starts snowing and continues into the morning. Fresh snow may look beautiful, but it will make the trip more difficult.

Now that is it light you can see anofficial stands near the riverbank. Several long poles lean against a mossy rock. Across the river, the course stretches away from the river and through the thinning trees into the snow-dusted hills beyond.

Once you are ready, the official tells you this trial is particularly important to the Balgirdtrek.

After spotting the tarn linnorm, Balgird gave chase to the beast. The linnorm slipped through the trees and made its way across the Whitegold River to evade Balgird. The rushing river was frigid and cold, and as Balgird approached he could see the tarn linnorm lurking in the trees on the other side, waiting to pluck his exhausted body from the shore if he swam across. Balgird felled a tall sapling from the riverside and vaulted across the river with as much of his gear as he could carry, foiling the linnorm and chasing it further into the wild.

The preferred method for crossing the river is to use the large poles on hand for the trial. Each fifteen-foot long pole has a small plate affixed to the base, just below the tip to prevent the pole from simply sinking into the mud of the river.

Swimming through the fast moving, frigid water is not recommended.
Athletics or Acrobatics to use the poles to try and cross the river. You can suggest other approaches and try them.

Everyone must complete this trial. Each person’s first attempt determines the race progress.

DC 18 using Athletics or Acrobatics to vault the river using the provided poles.
Critical Failure will land you in the river.

May as well get this over with Ami remarks as she takes a pole.

ALLONS-ZEEE!

athletics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

I hope Bitty-p and Sam-p are okay