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Bright colors, and then suddenly everything goes dark for Moist.
No no no no no
Moist attempts to back away until he bumps into... someone.
'scuse me!
He simply manifests a shield of force in front of himself
and shouts a request
Can some point me towards that blasted creature so that I might do the same to it?
Even when Dazzled, Olegaro is able to hit from a shorter distance the blindheim that almost blinded him.
Rybar squints for a while, almost missing to hit the knee of Pinky.
Moist, unfortunately, has his eyes wide open and did not anticipate the blinding light that blinds him, retreating, trying his best not to step on anyone's foot before raising his shield.
Party Conditions: : +1 status bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against fear effects
Terrain Features: ❗ Soggy Terrain - the deep muck throughout the map squelches as creatures move through it. While it doesn’t slow creatures in the area down, it provides a –2 circumstance penalty to Stealth checks and gives creatures a +2 circumstance bonus on Perception checks to Seek a creature they can’t see.
❗ Square with full foliage provides Standard Cover (+2 to AC, Reflex Stealth; can Hide) and is Difficult Terrain.
❗ Square with partial foliage provides Lesser Cover (+1 to AC; cannot Hide).
Map Link: ENCOUNTER MAP
Other Notes: ☘️ - Hero Points. OG means off-guard. Wooden box A contains large, rare trevally. Parcel B contains briney pickled fish eggs.
BEFORE YOUR TURN
❗❗❗ Ōtani Yoshitsugu: DC 20 Fortitude save vs Spotlight (see below) ❗❗❗
❗❗❗ Hanu, Friend of the Wood: DC 20 Fortitude save vs Spotlight (see below) ❗❗❗
CHARACTER IN ➤ BOLD TYPEFACE CAN ACT!
Rybar Gannon | carries B; Dazzled (1 rd)
➤ Zepth
➤ Ōtani Yoshitsugu
Moist Definitely | Blinded (Round 2 and 3)
➤ Hanu, Friend of the Wood
Olegaro | carries A; Dazzled (1 rd)
Pinky (Blindheim)
Hidden Bog 1 |
Hidden Bog 2 |
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature is dazzled for 1 round.
Failure The creature is blinded for 1d4 rounds.
Critical Failure The creature is blinded for 1 hour.
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Holding up his hand too late, Hanu's eyes are momentarily blinded. Never-the-less, he remembers where he saw Pinky last, and gathering a viscous wind, whips it straight ahead, protecting himself then with a low hymn, whereupon a golden lotus rises from the ground to block any oncoming attack!
◆◆) Aerial Boomerang
◆) Shield
↺) Shield Block
Zepth, away from the area of blinding light, send metal darts flying to Pinky before he raises his shield!
Hanu, even when blinded blasts forth winds at Pinky...
but not enough to harm the blindheim!
Party Conditions: : +1 status bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against fear effects
Terrain Features: ❗ Soggy Terrain - the deep muck throughout the map squelches as creatures move through it. While it doesn’t slow creatures in the area down, it provides a –2 circumstance penalty to Stealth checks and gives creatures a +2 circumstance bonus on Perception checks to Seek a creature they can’t see.
❗ Square with full foliage provides Standard Cover (+2 to AC, Reflex Stealth; can Hide) and is Difficult Terrain.
❗ Square with partial foliage provides Lesser Cover (+1 to AC; cannot Hide).
Map Link: ENCOUNTER MAP
Other Notes: ☘️ - Hero Points. OG means off-guard. Wooden box A contains large, rare trevally. Parcel B contains briney pickled fish eggs.
BEFORE YOUR TURN
❗❗❗ Ōtani Yoshitsugu: DC 20 Fortitude save vs Spotlight (see below) ❗❗❗
CHARACTER IN ➤ BOLD TYPEFACE CAN ACT!
Rybar Gannon | carries B; Dazzled (1 rd)
Zepth
➤ Ōtani Yoshitsugu
Moist Definitely | Blinded (Round 2 and 3)
Hanu, Friend of the Wood | Blinded (Round 2)
Olegaro | carries A; Dazzled (1 rd)
Pinky (Blindheim)
Hidden Bog 1 |
Hidden Bog 2 |
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature is dazzled for 1 round.
Failure The creature is blinded for 1d4 rounds.
Critical Failure The creature is blinded for 1 hour.
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Oani screams!
Blinded by the light! Wrapped up like a....
The Oracle curses light and all its lightness! He Strides forward blindly to find the Pink Fella!
The blind Oracle then casts Weapon Surge!
And Strikes!
Even blinded, Otani tries his best to get close to the blindheim, with its known location from the last time he saw it. Unfortunately, his swing is a miss.
Pinky, now salivating, carefully approaches Olegaro who has the trophy in him and attacks with its claws!
slashing damage
With a grin of satisfaction on its face, it begins to smash open the box of rare trevally!
Party Conditions: : +1 status bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against fear effects
Terrain Features: ❗ Soggy Terrain - the deep muck throughout the map squelches as creatures move through it. While it doesn’t slow creatures in the area down, it provides a –2 circumstance penalty to Stealth checks and gives creatures a +2 circumstance bonus on Perception checks to Seek a creature they can’t see.
❗ Square with full foliage provides Standard Cover (+2 to AC, Reflex Stealth; can Hide) and is Difficult Terrain.
❗ Square with partial foliage provides Lesser Cover (+1 to AC; cannot Hide).
Map Link: ENCOUNTER MAP
Other Notes: ☘️ - Hero Points. OG means off-guard. Wooden box A contains large, rare trevally. Parcel B contains briney pickled fish eggs.
CHARACTER IN ➤ BOLD TYPEFACE CAN ACT!
➤ Rybar Gannon | carries B; Dazzled (1 rd)
➤ Zepth
➤ Ōtani Yoshitsugu | Blinded (Round 2 to 5)
➤ Moist Definitely | Blinded (Round 2 and 3)
➤ Hanu, Friend of the Wood | Blinded (Round 2)
➤ Olegaro | carries A; Dying 2 (Prone)
Pinky (Blindheim)
Hidden Bog 1 |
Hidden Bog 2 |
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature is dazzled for 1 round.
Failure The creature is blinded for 1d4 rounds.
Critical Failure The creature is blinded for 1 hour.
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Hanu looks down at the fallen fighter - reaching into the dirt, he touches his fat thumb, pressing a tiny hole, which upon removing, nests a tiny seed. With a wave of his hands, he causes the bogmuck to fold around it: a tiny banana tree rapidly grows forth!
He grabs a "banana of mending", unpeels it point to stem, and quickly stuffs it into Olegaro's mouth, using his fingers to press on his chin to gently "chew" it for him!
◆) Fresh Produce
◆) Interact to Administer to Olegaro
◆) Elemental Blast
He then uproots the tree, and wallops Pinky with it!
KAPOW!!!
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Moist, still without his sight, is unsure of what to do. He shuffles along the ground, veering a little bit away from the chaos he can hear.
At the end of his path, he manifests a shield again, but he is unclear where it aim it. He swings it in different directions quickly.
Somebody! What direction can I aim a spell?
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Realising that the creature is seeking the box they are supposed to guard, Olegaro will call out "Nice blow Hanu and thanks for the banana! I'm going to try and keep the box away from this thing" and then
◆ Stride into the trees
◆ Take cover amongst the trees
◆ Interact to draw his flail (swapping with the sling)
↺ Reactive strike with the flail
Bringing down the fighter is just a daydreaming of the blindheim, thanks to the shield blocking its lethal claws!
No longer blinded, Hanu witnesses the almost deadly scene, prompting him to heal Olegaro with his banana. He then magically grabs a nearby tree and bonks the blindheim, defeating it with a solid hit to its head!
Zepth (18/18 HP)
Ōtani Yoshitsugu (15/15 HP)
Moist Definitely (12/12 HP)
Hanu, Friend of the Wood (18/18 HP)
Olegaro (5/21 HP) | carries A
A few moments later, those who were blinded recover and can now see the blindheim lying on its back, motionless with head trauma.
After their small jesting about whether Moist is related to the blindheim, the rest of the trip to Absalom is without incident, and it’s easy to find Hulfheen Manor to deliver the trophy fish. They collect the payment from a grateful Kulrin Hulfheen. He has also received the parcel of briney pickled fish eggs to his delight.
Finally, the Pathfinder Society has summoned the agents who had been roaming around Golarion for bounties.
Once, a letter arrived at their doorstep.
You have done well. I may not be able to congratulate you personally but I commend you all. It may seem I have not witnessed your good acts but I have eyes around.
Again, congratulations.
BTM
With it, is another small parchement.
I have a mission for you. Meet me at the Grand Lodge, immediately.
Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin
Once they arrive at the location, they are met by the venture-captain.
“All right, Pathfinders, you’re going on a little bit of a cleanup mission.” Valsin taps his finger on the map of a familiar island, tracing north and west from the giant star marking Absalom to a sketch of a castle near the island’s western shore. “A short while back, a group of veteran agents ventured into the ruins of Citadel Uromaz, where they defeated the lich Hekoz and stopped the ritual she was attempting. After dealing with the undead, they were called away to handle another issue. Frankly, we need someone to go back and do the hard work of cataloging the place. Most of the large artifacts and valuable items have been noted and brought back to the Grand Lodge, but the previous agents described a huge mural carved into the stone, and no one even thought to take a rubbing of it.” Valsin sighs, “So, it falls to you to go in and document the site properly.
“I need you all to pop over there, go through and take rubbings of as much of the mural as you can. Everything should be in the central chamber, but if you find any other archaeological finds that are worthwhile? Please note and collect them. Be careful, be prepared, and be vigilant, as usual.
“Any questions?”
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What does the mural depict? Is that really all they mentioned that was missed in their mission?
Moist rubs his head with his wet webbed hand, thinking before he remarks
I suppose if they did neglect to catalog even more they might be embarrassed to admit it. Especially if you clearly expressed your anger about the mural!
He looks expectantly at Valsin to see how he reacts.
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Slacked-beaked as he reads the missives from BTM and VC, the Tengu Samurai bows before the letters, saluting them with his trusty Katana.
Honor to us, fellow Pathfinders. We have been recognized by the VCs. Our time has arrived to honor the Ancestors!
At the Grand Lodge of Absalom, Otani bows low to the Venture-Captain.
...ruins of Citadel Uromaz, where they defeated the lich Hekoz and stopped the ritual she was attempting. After dealing with the undead...
The Oracle of Battle simply grins in anticipation.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Venture Captain Valsin. Would you know if they were able to rid the place completely of undead?"
"We believe so, based on the information reported to us by your fellow Pathfinders. You can never be too sure, though, so please make sure to go prepared for a fight, just in case."
What does the mural depict? Is that really all they mentioned that was missed in their mission?
Valsin blinks, not sure if he will counter the remark or not. He answers his question anyway.
"Unfortunately, the agents haven't had a chance to fully investigate
the catacomb as they were called away after barely getting a chance to rest. So yeah, we don't know what is in the mural. Can't blame them, they have eliminated the threats for us, you new agents can complete the investigation, anyway."
"Could you advise on the best way to reach this castle? Will we have supplies? Also did the earlier group have any reports on what they saw and left behind?"
“I’ve marked the citadel’s location on the map for you, it’s just north of the Swardlands, on the edge of the Welt. It’s about five day’s ride along the roads.” the Venture Captain then pulls out provisions they need including sufficient paper, ink, quills, and charcoal to do
the rubbings twice over, as well as several torches."I have arranged for horses to take you to the site, as well as a map
that will lead them there. The supplies also include three weeks of provisions for each of you and your mounts."
"How big is the place?"
The previous group had not yet made a map of the complex, as they were focused on fighting the lich and her forces, so we don't know how large is the area that you will cover to investigate. You'll likely have to do a bit of exploring to find the large ritual chamber."
You recall that the Pathfinders who completed the initial assault on Citadel Uromaz recovered beautiful treasures, including books, tapestries, and rugs. It’s unclear how many of these items were original to the keep and how many were the possessions of the lich Hekoz.
The venture-captain sashays them away to proceed on their mission. The journey west from the bustling streets of Absalom across the Isle of Kortos begins peacefully. At first, the roads are well-populated with travelers, guards, and caravans. Plains give way to forests and then farmland. A thin ring of fertile soil occupied by a partially constructed barn divides the fields from the barren lands of the Welt. Within the Welt, the weather takes a turn for the worse. Gray clouds fill the sky and a chill, misting rain pervades the air. By the end of the journey, the sky overhead is nearly obsidian, illuminated only by flashes of greenish lightning.
As the Pathfinders approach the ruins, they experience a palpable sense of unease radiating from it. No animals are willing to approach within 20 feet of the entrance or enter the catacombs.
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Now well used to the good company of the party, Olegaro will settle back into life on the road with ease, obviously enjoying the journey. That quickly changes when presented with the drab Welt and the sense of unease around the ruins.
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Dismounting, Olegaro will look around warily "Huh, I've got a bad feeling about this. This place is creeping me out! But we have a job to do, so onwards" and then advance towards the catacombs. Looking down into the gloomy catacombs he will ask "Could someone else carry the light this time? I want to have my shield handy here."
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Moist certainly notices the changes in weather as they approach the ruins.
Wow. This place really gives off a "Lich" vibe. We're certainly coming to the right place.
He also notices Hanu freezing in place. Moist attempts to diffuse the situation with a little humor.
It's almost like the lich is still here, eh? Or maybe she just left behind a funk from not bathing all of those years after the transformation!
He shudders visibly but is otherwise ready to go get the job done.
Feeling uneasy, everyone goes inside the ruins. As soon as the last of them enters the ruin, the whole group seems to be strangely transported, but everything looks the same except that colors seem to fade into muted hues inside the dark and gloomy place.
Looking around with their available light source, the catacombs are entirely underground, carved out of dull gray bedrock. Ceilings are 10 feet high . Dim light blankets the area, though it has no visible sources and light and shadows dance across the chambers of their own accord. The colors of everything in the citadel, including the Pathfinders and their belongings, fade into muted hues.
Currently, you are at the entry hall which walls are carved with ornate skulls and funereal adornments. The only features of note are a corridor leading to the west from the north end of the room, and a collapsed stairway to the south. An unlit torch sits in the sconce nearby. The stairs to the south that would lead upwards to the
main complex, on the other hand, have been completely blocked by debris.
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We have entered the Netherworld by passing into this place. There should be a portal back out. Perhaps it is back through the door we just came through. he muses, uneasily.
The grippli focuses and squints at the collapsed stairs.
This was deliberately collapsed; not left to the decay and passage of time.
His tongue lashes out to clean the right eye. He points at some dark residue.
That indicates a detontation. Centuries ago.
He hops closer and draws a bag from the rubble.
Rupees! I mean, gems!