Olegaro crumbles Yellow into pieces and raises his Shield.
Moist moves and magically hurls something at Blue but the grippli misses.
Party Conditions: INSPIRE COURAGE for Rounds 1 to 3: +1 status bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against fear effects
Terrain Features: The severe fog completely impedes vision beyond 20 feet. It also partially impedes vision between 10 and 20 feet, imposing a –2 circumstance penalty to visual Perception checks and causing creatures to be Concealed when viewed within that distance.
ENCOUNTER MAP
Other Notes: ☘️ - Hero Points; Everyone gains a +1 circumstance bonus to Perception checks for this encounter.
❖❖❖CHARACTER IN ➤ BOLD TYPEFACE CAN ACT!❖❖❖
Otani Yoshitsugu (☘️ 1/3) (AC 18, 19 w Shield) (15/15 HP, 1 temp HP) | Minor Curse
Hanu, Friend of the Wood (☘️ 1/3) (AC 17, 18 w Shield) (18/18 HP, 1 temp HP) | Protector Tree (AC 10, 4/10 HP)
Big One (-53 HP) | Concealed to those at 10-20 ft, Hidden beyond 20 ft.
Moist Definitely (☘️ 1/3) (AC 15, 16 w Shield) (12/12 HP, 1 temp HP)
Olegaro (☘️ 2/3) (AC 17, 19 w Steel Shield (12/20 HP)) (14/21 HP)
Zepth (☘️ 1/3) (AC 17, 18 w Shield) (18/18 HP, 1 temp HP)
Small One (Red) (- HP) |
Small Two (Black) (-15 HP) |
➤ Rybar (☘️ 2/3) (AC 17) (17/17 HP, 1 temp HP)
Small Three (Blue) (- HP) | Concealed to those at 10-20 ft, Hidden beyond 20 ft.
Small Four (Yellow) (-21 HP) |
Rybar determines that Big One is weak with Slashing damage. He takes advantage of it in his attack! Rybar cuts the Big One into two!
Small Three Blue sends arrows to those within its view.
All miss their targets.
Party Conditions: INSPIRE COURAGE for Rounds 1 to 3: +1 status bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against fear effects
Terrain Features: The severe fog completely impedes vision beyond 20 feet. It also partially impedes vision between 10 and 20 feet, imposing a –2 circumstance penalty to visual Perception checks and causing creatures to be Concealed when viewed within that distance.
ENCOUNTER MAP
Other Notes: ☘️ - Hero Points; Everyone gains a +1 circumstance bonus to Perception checks for this encounter.
❖❖❖CHARACTER IN ➤ BOLD TYPEFACE CAN ACT!❖❖❖
➤ Otani Yoshitsugu (☘️ 1/3) (AC 18, 19 w Shield) (15/15 HP, 1 temp HP) | Minor Curse
➤ Hanu, Friend of the Wood (☘️ 1/3) (AC 17, 18 w Shield) (18/18 HP, 1 temp HP) | Protector Tree (AC 10, 4/10 HP)
Big One (-73 HP) |
➤ Moist Definitely (☘️ 1/3) (AC 15, 16 w Shield) (12/12 HP, 1 temp HP)
➤ Olegaro (☘️ 2/3) (AC 17, 19 w Steel Shield (12/20 HP)) (14/21 HP)
➤ Zepth (☘️ 1/3) (AC 17, 18 w Shield) (18/18 HP, 1 temp HP)
Small One (Red) (- HP) |
Small Two (Black) (-15 HP) |
➤ Rybar (☘️ 2/3) (AC 17) (17/17 HP, 1 temp HP)
Small Three (Blue) (- HP) | Concealed to those at 10-20 ft, Hidden beyond 20 ft.
Small Four (Yellow) (-21 HP) |
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Letting his cyclone dissipate, Hanu bounds on all fours and monkeyclobbers the remaining undead, jumping high into the air, he twirls his staff into a shining branch of primal energy which comes crashing down!
◆) Stride
◆◆) Elemental Blast
Tumbling overfar, he somersaults and smacks into a tree - tweeting ethereal birds circle his head as he regains his wits, dumfounded!
Olegaro bludgeons the last enemy, breaking the same into pieces!
The others make sure that these enemies will not come back to unlife by attacking them again.
After they defeat the undead, the caravan finishes packing for the final day of travel. They accompany the grateful travelers to Caliphas. Though the fog hangs thick for the entirety of the day, the journey is otherwise uneventful. Once the caravan reaches Caliphas, the drivers thank their hired guards for their vital assistance, give them their reward, and bid them farewell.
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Moist unloads the rest of the stones orbiting him, causing them to skip across the undead bodies and ricochet off any exposed bone.
Should we burn them to be sure?
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For the rest of the journal Moist feels on edge. He's constantly peering into the mists and manifesting imaginary weapons that, per Rybar's discovery, should be slashing! They seem like cooking knives.
Behind the Mask finally catches up with the group, panting heavily after finding them. "Whew. Good thing you are still here." they say. "I caught wind about a certain Silverscales Tournament that calls for citizens and adventurers to compete to catch silver trout, that might interest your group. We are going to teleport from here to Anthusis, the capital of Vidrian." they motions to them after conjuring a portal that will bring them to their next destination.
The group have finally arrived in Anthusis, capital of Vidrian in the Mwangi Expanse. The Broad Captain Inn in Anthusis is a favorite gathering place for aspiring adventurers, mercenaries, and sailors due to its low prices, decent fare, and a meticulously maintained bulletin board displaying job opportunities and upcoming events. Shortly after they arrive, two people walk up to the board to read a prominently displayed scroll.
A tall Mwangi woman with dark hair and a red headband lets out a booming laugh.
“Think you can do better this time, Demed?”
“Better than you and your crew? Certainly!” retorts a slender Mwangi man, who pulls out a notebook as he walks to his seat.
The woman snorts derisively before joining him at a table. “If you can avoid falling into the water, that would already be an improvement.”
“I think you forget that my crew is the only one that managed two victories in a row, sis,” the man boasts. “This year we’ll do even better, and you’ll eat your words before the day is over.”
The siblings smile widely at each other, a fierce love for competition burning brightly in their eyes.
The Silverscales Tournament seeks the brave and the daring!
Join us at the Lower Harbor to pit your skill, wit, and magic against other participants in an exciting competition to catch silver trout and win incredible prizes! But victory doesn’t simply go to the angler who reels in the most or the biggest fish! Our judges award prizes to crews who embody the Vidric values that brought our liberation: bravery, dedication, cunning, and solidarity. Due to immense popularity, spots for teams are limited! Each crew is required to secure their own fishing spot for the tournament, so come early!
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Hanu, never having teleported before, clutches his staff tightly when the ~POP~ shunts him feet-first through a planar warphole and ~PLUNK~ onto the ground in front of an Inn. He wobbles a little, weak in the knees, and let's some of the contents of his stomach - yellowy g&*& - release itself while he falls to a prone position.
He stands, wiping his mouth, watching the exchange between the brother and sister, before heading to the bulletin board.
"Fishing, I have never attempted to do, and be taught by one of you I must be"
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Rybar sees Hanu chunder and says "Ban-na-nas!"" teasing him a bit. Then he turns serious and asks "You okay?"
He takes a look at the Bulletin Board and reads, and while he does he catches the conversation between the Mwangi siblings. "Hello! I'm Rybar and these are my companions Hanu, Otari, Zepth, Olegaro and Moist. We're Pathfinders. Where should we go to register>"
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Olegaro stumbles as they reach their destination with a PLUNK, although perhaps more from the onslaught of the cloying heat and humidity than the movement itself.
"Umm, where are we now?" he will ask as he gets his bearings.
As the Mwangi siblings banter and Rybar introduces the group, he will watch on with interest and wave as his name is mentioned.
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Moist plods around on the docks leaving wet footprints behind before they head to the Broad Captain Inn, not sure what to expect.
He lights up with delight at the mention of fishing.
I don't know. Fishing could be fun! Maybe we'll catch something that I could make a new dish out of.
He approach Demed and tugs on his sleeve.
Say, do you think you could teach some resilient Pathfinders how to fish? I don't think we'll be much competition for you and your friend, but we'll be all the more enriched for it!
He figures in the Mwangi folk are more used to gripplis and shouldn't recoil from the exposure... too much.
Deka laughs. "Your friend knows where to go," answering Rybar.
"Of course it's fun!" she announces to Moist with a grin. "The tournament is not just about fishing, entertaining the crowd is half of it. What we love about the Silverscales Tournament is because its performative aspect encourages contestants to impress the judges by embodying the core values of the Vidric Revolution: dedication, bravery, ingenuity, and collaboration. Tell me, what your group can do?"
"I am more in favor of those who use strength and the like." Deka tells them while she flexes her muscles.
"Me? I prefer techniques, some alchemy, technology of course, and other clever ideas in fishing." Demed tells them.
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Moist looks for bits of leftover local fish at the nearest table and breaks into an impromptu cooking demonstration, very abruptly.
Speaking of strength, you can't go weak on the spices when enjoying the local seafood! For this dish we're going to use salt and tiger clove...
He lets those ingredients dissolve in heating water as he trims the fish and lays them out next to the bowl... minutes later they are all combined into a satisfying melange.
Demed slightly cringes. "What's that?" he asks Moist after cooking and presents the contents of his bowl.
"It is nice to see you are being honest, let me show you." Deka shows Rybar how to make a knot.
The same is impressed by the strength displayed by Hanu as he pulls out a net that contains some... more nets.
Zepth catches the attention of Demed when he sees the gnome perform electric trick to electrocute fish while fishing. "Whoa! Haven't thought that! I should try that." Deka, on the other hand, just smirks.
The twins listen to Otani's story of the tengu about rebellion and fighting. "That will be a nice story to tell the crowd!" they exclaim together and laughs about it.
After a short while, Deka and Demed move to join a crowd of people heading toward the Lower Harbor for the tournament. They wave for them to follow, and the innkeeper ushers them out as well, seeming just as impatient to join the throng.
"Come now! The tournament is about to start!"
The journey from the inn to the Lower Harbor takes two hours due to the crowds converging along the rocky cliffside path leading down to the harbor. Once they arrive at the docks, the docks creak under the weight of the crowd. Mwangi and Chelaxian citizens stand shoulder to shoulder in the midday sun, waiting for the excitement to begin.
The contestants stand in line with their teammates, waiting for the signal to claim their fishing spots. Some aspiring anglers seem to have already chosen their spot, while others are carefully scanning the waters for a glimpse of the glimmering scales that give the tournament its name. Tall and imposing, Deka stands out from the crowd as she inspects her reinforced grappling hook. To her right, Demed hurriedly jots down notes before telling his crew to be ready to cast.
A silver-haired Zenj woman wearing a judge’s colorful sash raises her hands to silence the crowd. With a warm smile, she utters a single sentence that unleashes a flurry of activity.
Otani - Failure
Rybar - Failure
Moist - Success
Olegaro - Failure
Zepth - Crit Success
Working their own ways to secure a spot, the group finds an ideal fishing spot they agreed to do fishing for the tournament. The spot teems with lots of different fish.
"The tournament plays out over the course of four rounds, each representing about 15 minutes of activity." the announcer declares. "Fish, distract competitors, impress the judges and the crowds. Go!"
Tournament Points for the team
Otani - ???
Rybar - ???
Moist - ???
Hanu - ???
Zepth - ???
Olegaro - ???
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Mimicking the others, Hanu first uses the net to scoop as many fish he can from the surface, catching many but watching yet others escape, so, he chases a few for a bit hopping over other contenders' poles and spears "Apologies, apologies" to eventually track down a few stragglers, but, one fish in particular evades him completely, so he gets frustrated and zaps it with an electricity bolt, overcooking the flesh (he knows because he tries it and burns his tongue), so, he attempts to preserve it cutting out it's guts and stuffing it with some herbs he picked which smell fragrant and may or may not help with the changed texture from electric shock... who knows?
Returning with a net full of mostly-uncooked fish, he brings it right over to the silver-haired Zenj woman wearing a judge’s colorful sash, plops it down in front of her, and awaits his judgement!
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Otani jostles, sidesteps, twirls and hopscotches his way to a good fishing spot!
I felt Heroic for a split second!
The Tengu winks.
Floundering about setting up his fishing gear, the Samurai ends up using his trusty Samurai experience too!
The Samurai smiles at the end of the hour. His pail empty, save for dirt, water and dreams....
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Rybar goes to the left camp, and chats with his fellow competitors. He asks them basic questions about fishing, where they learned how to do it, and what their biggest catch ever was.
He sees Hanu catch a fish using his hands. Not to be outdone, he tries to show his simian friend that he too - can do it.
Rybar sees a bunch of competitors laugh at him for being unable to catch fish with his hands. He tells them off by saying "Can you do better?" But, he doesn't say it as a challenge, rather as a threat.
Finally, he arms his hand crossbow and takes a shot at a fish.
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Enjoying the spectacle, Olegaro will start with the basics and cast out a net,
and drag in a good haul of fish.
Then seeing as the fish are close to the surface he will spend some time spearing fish with his dagger!
He will take a break and chat with the crowd, gathering stories of past contests, their winners and memorable contestants
In the last quarter hour he will find a sharpened stick which can be used as a spear and again try his hand at spearing fish.
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As the competition begins, Zepth decides to start by showing his own prowess at fishing before moving on to woe the audience and the judges.
He starts by finding the best possible spot by taking a look at the currents and throwing just the right amount of bait to gather a large enough group of fish .
Then he proceeds to rain metal like needles into the waters hitting as many fish as he's able to, ,
Having done so, he climbs into some nearby boxes and raises his voice to get the crowd's attention
And finally he delivers his fishing results over to the judges with a flourish!
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Oh boy... frogs are supposed to be good at catching things, right? I'm used to others bringing me the ingredients.
Moist begins with a casual distraction of nearby competitors, figuring he can get them friendly and off-track from their competitive focus.
Then, he hopes to misdirect them away from their chosen fishing spot to some lesser location. He's not sure if they'll listen to him.
Ultimately it's time to get some actual fishing done. These fish are so near the surface he suspects they can perceive fishers (or feeders, such as it would be at a hatchery). So, he attempts to creep closely to the dock before casting out his nets...
That does not go well and they seem to scatter as he stands at the edge. Finally, he tries his most brute-force method: telekinetically launching a sharp splinter (really, a shard of wood) from the dock into the water at a fish.
Otani - 0+0+1+1 = 2
Rybar - 2-1+1+0 = 2
Moist - 0+2+0+1 = 3
Hanu - 1+1-1+0 = 1
Zepth - 1+2+1+1 = 5
Olegaro - 1+1+0+1 = 3
TOTAL - 16
Tally after Round 3
Team Pathfinders - 12
Team Deka - 9
Team Demed - 12
The Team Pathfinders skillfully navigated the waters with different strategies, both in fishing and impressing the crowd. For the first three rounds that happen, they are able to garner a total of 12 points.
Meanwhile, Team Deka, though valiant in their efforts, secured a total of 9 points so far. Despite the challenge, they showcased resilience and a spirit of competition that echoed through the cheering crowd. Meanwhile, Team Demed, mirroring the Pathfinders with an impressive score of 12, proved to be their worthy adversaries, setting the stage for an unforgettable showdown. Just before the final round starts, something happens.
“Deka, your lines!” shouts Demed. Four lines snap in quick succession, causing those nearby to yell in surprise and frustration. While the crew hurries to pull the remaining line, Deka points at a dark shadow in the water. The shadow belongs to Linesnapper, a young tiger shark that has been attracted to the tournament by the large concentration of fish.