The trip to the race area is fairly short, and it is clear that your attendance in the sleigh is more for the sake of tradition than convenience.
The starting area cleared for the Balgirdtrek in Kalsgard is bustling with activity. Merchants and traders hoping to support the race have set up stalls and carts to sell supplies and equipment to the teams. You and the other competitors are greeted by cheers and applause as the sleighs pull up to the starting area. As each team disembarks from the sleigh, they are introduced to the crowd by the drivers of the sleighs. The driver of your sleigh asks you, "What's going to be the name of your team?"
Unifax - radiant steed! - neighs excitedly at Haohji's suggestion for a team name.
His master, Ghul, remains silent, stoic, still, as if frigid from the snowflakes falling upon his rotted skin...
The driver steps forward and announces,
He then hands you a hand-written note. "Here are some items you might want to get before the actual 'race' begins."
A race worker comes up to you and gives you a pack containing:
* three minor healing potions
* a single climbing kit
* vouchers for lodging in Frostgarten
* flint and steel
* a signal whistle,
* a list of supplies they should procure before the race begins:
** [code] winter clothes, tent, hatchet, rations, healer's kit, 100 feet of hemp rope, repair kit[/code]
You have three hours of downtime to gather supplies, secure services, and interact with the other teams before you must report to the starting line for the beginning of the race.
During that time, a race official approaches you to confirm that you know the race’s rules.
"In short:
* You must complete the course within four days.
** If you’re any later than that, the officials will send out parties to retrieve you and you’ll be officially disqualified. Please do your best to
avoid getting lost out there.
* Don’t do anything to injure your competitors, though this should of course go without saying.
* Don’t try to bypass any of the checkpoints, they are there not only for the trials, but to make sure that you and your team are well enough to continue on.
* You’re welcome to advance as far as you can in a day, but the officials don’t want anyone traveling after dark.
** If you find yourself at a checkpoint near sunset, they may ask you to stay. I’d heed their advice. It’s easy enough for some of the more dangerous things that stalk the tundra to slip by the rangers patrolling the trails under the cover of darkness.”
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* a list of supplies they should procure before the race begins:
** [code] winter clothes, tent, hatchet, rations, healer's kit, 100 feet of hemp rope, repair kit[/code]
Ghul uses coins from the purse to procure winter clothes, tent, hatchet, rations, healer's kit, 100 feet of hemp rope, and repair kit.
Unifax - radiant steed! - gladly accompanies Ghul to tend to the chore - then nudges him into friendly chatter with another of the race's competitors:
Striding up to Two Houses, our shining hero introduces himself "Hello!" a talking horse "Me and my fellow here are new to the races. Do you have any tips?"
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A race worker comes up to you and gives you a pack containing:
* three minor healing potions
* a single climbing kit
* vouchers for lodging in Frostgarten
* flint and steel
* a signal whistle,
* a list of supplies they should procure before the race begins:
** [code] winter clothes, tent, hatchet, rations, healer's kit, 100 feet of hemp rope, repair kit[/code]
The members of Two Houses politely introduce themselves.
They are Steen and his wife Unn and Leif and his husband Oluf.
Steen (with only minor interruptions from Unn) says "We undertake the Balgirdtrek each year as a joint anniversary celebration. This is our fifth year competing."
They seem much more interested in reliving their triumphs on the course from years previous, than speaking with you.
Looking down at Haohji, Unn takes Steen's arm, and guides him away from your group. "No need to take offense, they are just excited like any other group. Of course, not being Ulfen, what do you expect of them," you hear her whisper to Steen.
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Sensing the two are full of themselves, the Veiled Lady still introduces herself.
"Lovely to meet you. I am Krinolyn, leshy priestess of Gozreh. It's kind of windy here, isn't it?" the Veiled stretched her leathery arms to feel the non-existent wind. She only feels the cold air. "It is my first time to participate in behalf of Pathfinder Society. We are Pathfinders," she adds and shows to them her wayfinder. "Isn't it beautiful?"
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The approaches himself from the Wayfinders and their champion. Hello, champion. How do you do? Tell me, do you have a secret potion to have won the last editions? He strokes his brown-red beard looking at the guy. Then he continues. With my companions we will participate this time. Any piece of advice to give to brand new ones?
Steen and Unn ignore Benkost, but Oluf will tell him, "There was a team of lycanthropes that almost won the Balgirdtrek many years ago, but miscalculated the phases of the moon and had to be rescued after stumbling through the forest in the middle of the night without any torches."
Leif will mention to the Veiled Lady some of the notable features and terrain of the first leg of the race while he admires the wayfinder.
As the various other teams purchase last minute items, Sassa (from the Wyrding Wayfinders) remarks to your team, "You are certainly very brave to undertake the challenge of the race considering what you have chosen to wear."
The race begins on a clear and only mildly chilly day.
Each of you must choose a skill appropriate to your method of travel for the day. For instance, Athletics to power through, Nature or Survival to know the best way, or perhaps an appropriate lore skill. You can be creative to explain why your skill *is* appropriate (for example, Performance to make everyone happy and productive).
** Haohji
** Veiled Lady
** Benkost
** Ghul
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Void.
It's what powers that which opposes light.
It's what infuses unlife into the souls of the corrupted undead.
Snow.
It's what opposes the sun.
It's what breaks the year into it's seasons leaving nothing green in it's path.
Ghul contemplates his existence while he trudges through the frozen tundra, void powering his rotted and cold legs throw the frigid snow.
Ghul is able, because of his cold nature, to trek through the snow with ease. Haohji uses his athleticism to forge ahead, while the Veiled Lady and Benkost are able to have the party avoid more difficult areas along the way.
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.
The Fangs of the Remorhaz team apparently arrived ahead of you, and are gathered around the pole, which is in fact a small tree.
You hear the officials at the trial explain to each team that this trial hearkens back to Balgird’s time in the wilderness. While searching for a Linnorm in the frozen reaches of the Saga Lands, Balgird Bluetongue survived by living off the land itself. In particular, Balgird was known to have scaled a great tree and retrieved the egg of a massive bird. He did this so swiftly and carefully that the tree did not bend, and the bird did not notice its egg go missing.
The tree itself stands 20 feet tall. There is a small platform holding an egg at the top of the tree.
Your task is to retrieve the egg and bring it to land without breaking the egg.
The Fangs of Remorhaz team go before you, and successfully climb the tree and retrieve the egg.
It is now your turn. How will you attempt to retrieve the egg?
The small platform holding the egg has a short lip along the edge to prevent the egg from being blown out of the tree by the wind or nudged out by an errant creature.
GM - is there a reason for withholding skill mechanics from the party so’s that our character’s have an in-game way to judge possible success?
=)
You see the egg the other team retrieved. It looks like a large chicken egg, perhaps 1-1/2 inches long.
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Haohji drops his pack and fishes out the climber's kit that he just bought earlier in the week and began the process of fastening it around his waist and crotch. Soon, he is ready and begins the ascent!
Having a bit of trouble with the climb, Haohji blows into his hands before fashioning a little pouch with his rope, his blanket, and the bowl of his mess kit to lower the egg off the side of the tree trunk down to the others...
Haohji climbs up the tree. His initial attempt is faulty, but, he doesn't fall, nor does he set the tree swaying enough to 'crash' the egg. His second attempt is successful.
At the top of the tree, he attempts to cradle the egg in an improvised cradle. The egg almost slips out while he is fashioning it, crashing to the ground below, but, at the last moment Haohji redesigns the cradle to be much safer.
Haohji lowers the egg to the ground successfully.
Afterwards, the other teams arrive, and some of them are successful, but, not all.
You are free to interact with any of the other teams (or with the officials) before turning in for the night.
The next morning is chilly and foggy.
While looking at your equipment in the morning, Haohji and the Veiled Lady notice that some of your equipment appears to have been tampered with. Before you can continue the race, you may attempt to fix it with an Engineering Lore or Thievery check.
Then, after dealing with that, you can leave the campsite to go to the next checkpoint.
➤ Haohji
➤ Veiled Lady
➤ Benkhost
➤ Ghul