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There is a saying "If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together". Kazuki Sato, gruff forest ranger of Willowshore, decides today that he will go fast. Parting from his group, he risks life and limb trying to spy upon the fleeing Noppera-Bo and their young captive, tailing them through the wood to their destination...
➤ Level: Three (base DC 20)
➤ Complexity: 8 rounds
➤ Timeframe: 1+ hours per round
➤ Synergies: Terrain Expertise (Forest), Experienced Tracker, Terrain Stalker (Underbrush)
➤ List of Skills: Perception (moderate), Hunting Lore (moderate), Survival (moderate), Stealth (moderate)
Thresholds:
Critical Success (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, ⭐⭐): As Success, plus a whole-party bonus to future interactions (initiative, stealth, etc)
Success (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐): Learn information like where they are going, how many there are, features of location, info to allow party mates to Recall Knowledge, etc
Failure (⭐⭐⭐): No information, and minor consequences like whole-party penalties to future interactions (initiative, stealth, etc)
Critical Failure: Kazuki's player is rolling up a new character...
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Kazuki takes a few steps forward to begin the pursuit, but then turns to look at his companions. They look reluctant to give chase and consider taking Miyuki back home.
"Alright. We'll go after them later."
Kazuki thinks for a moment as he stares into the woods.
"I could go after them... alone. Trail them to where they're going and come back. I will not engage in combat unless strictly necessary."
Fighting to control her roiling emotions, Auntie Wu looks up into Kazuki's eyes. Nodding, with a tight voice, she replies: "Yes. Thank you. We'll get Miyuki to safety and return here to follow the trail and catch up to you. Good luck, Kazuki!" She gives him a sincere bow of respect. Turning to her granddaughter, she kneels and looks her in the eye. "Miyuki, here's your other sandal. Put it on. We're going to hurry to get you back to your dads at Matzuki Estate. Then we'll go rescue Midori as fast as possible. Got it?" She gives Miyuki a tight hug and urges: "Let's go!"
Totally dejected, Auntie Wu listens for signs of comprehension, searching her granddaughter's eyes, but finds none. She has to jam the shoe on her foot like one does for an infant who has yet to use it's legs to stand. In fact, someone has to carry her, for Miyuki has lost her will to live...
Several miles out from Willowshore, Auntie Wu and the remaining party bow to Kazuki and make their own way back in the opposite direction - East - giving their best prayers to their ranger friend who heads further West.
"Kazuki, we will return as soon as we can. May the gods bless you and your bravery." Sigurd bows serenely.
He stows his sword and shield. "Miyuki, may I carry you home?" He's not too surprised by her despair. He turns to Auntie Wu. "I will carry her, if you will allow me."
Lan will also volunteer to carry her.
Vekka is unsure about the group splitting up, but Kazuki seems resolved in his decision. The tengu looks back and forth between the ranger and the rest of the group before giving in.
He grumbles under his breath. Fine. But we will be fast, and we will catch up to you.
Auntie Wu's success (aided by Sigurd) to Navigate to your current location meant Tracking the Noppera-Bo for a couple miles , moving at half speed, and thus taking the better part of the morning.
Auntie Wu's check (assuming another Success) to head back to town would take about half this time since the party is no longer Tracking. Additionally, if the party wanted to Fatigue themselves, they can make the trip back in even better time, bumping the outcome of the Survival check up one tier.
Let's make that decision after Auntie Wu rolls!
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"May the gods be with you, my friends. I'll meet you back here."
And with that, Kazuki disappears into the woods.
------------------------------
In the heart of the dense forest, Kazuki the seasoned ranger, moves with a fluid grace, his steps barely disturbing the underbrush. His sharp eyes scan the surroundings, ever alert for any sign of his elusive prey, the faceless creatures that lurk within the shadows.
Drawing upon his extensive knowledge of scouting and survival, Kazuki anticipates the movements and behaviors of his quarry, allowing him to stay one step ahead in the pursuit. He relies on his innate stealth, blending seamlessly with the natural cover of the forest, making him nearly invisible to any who might seek to detect him.
Navigating through the thick undergrowth, Kazuki maneuvers with a practiced ease, sidestepping obstacles and minimizing any noise that could betray his presence. His familiarity with the forest terrain allows him to move swiftly and confidently, ensuring that he maintains the chase without hindrance.
Despite the oppressive silence of the woods, Kazuki presses on, his determination unwavering as he closes in on his elusive prey. With each passing moment, he edges closer to finding the faceless creatures, his senses keen and his resolve unyielding in the face of the unknown dangers that lie ahead.
"As you wish, Auntie Wu. Please lead the way."
Vekka sheaths his katana.
I can carry the child for a spell too, unless my appearance makes her nervous.
He looks at the child.
I assure you, I am a friend.
The translation is rough as a beak can't really make a conventional humanoid smile, but he hopes his warm tone lands.
By some stroke of fate, Auntie Wu is able to drop off her surviving grandchild and reconvene at the rendezvous at nearly the same time that Kazuki returns from his Scout Quest with a cord of information ! Hearing his detailed reports, the group puts their heads together to make sense of the goings-on of the "Abandoned" Lumber Camp just over 8 miles West of Willowshore!
⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤
Size: 3500 sq.ft, capacity 50 workers
Number of Current Inhabitants: about two or three dozen Noppera-Bo
Organizational Structures: A couple Captains overseeing several Lieutenants overseeing many Grunts
Other Notable Characteristics: Inner Wall sharpened into Stakes (Expert DC to Climb) with two Entrances (Northern and Southern), Loading Island gives access by Ceiba River
Challenge Ratings: Captains [3], Lieutenants [1], Grunts [0]
⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤
The camp is loosely organized like an army, with superiors having direct command over subordinates. There is a rotation of Grunts that take shifts in the Guard Tower, two at a time, or patrolling the Inner Camp in twos or fours, and spending time in the Guard's Dorm otherwise.
You are already familiar with the Noppera-Bo "Lieutenants" ("Rogue" / "Tricksters" w/ Sneak Attack etc), as you have fought one before. The "Grunts" are weaker versions of them; martials without any special tricks.
But the other, more powerful Noppera-Bo "Captains" who seem to occupy leadership positions also seem to have various magical trainings in either Arcane or Occult traditions, akin in power to Basic Spellcasting Feats: some cantrips, and maybe a rank 1 and/or rank 2 spell slot.
Critical Success w/ Arcana?
If you later encounter a Noppera-Bo Arcanist, I will give their spell list upon rolling initiative!
Critical Success w/ Occultism?
If you later encounter a Noppera-Bo Occultist, I will give their spell list upon rolling initiative!
Prisoners are kept in the Warehouse, with meager supplies delivered by Grunts, but guarded by Lieutenants commanding Grunts. Whatever foul "Sacrifice Ritual" is afoot, it appears that first there are many preparations to make.
The prisoners will be burned, tied to elaborately carved wooden stakes. At the moment, these ritualistic stakes are in the early stages of completion. The ritual will not proceed until they are completed, which could take days or weeks.
Critical Success?
There is a specific astrological event that should amplify the power of the ritual - it will take place on the 8th day of Summer!
A historian PC may recall the brief history of the Lumber Camp!
The Lung Wa lumber consortium installed Governer Heh Shan-Bao around the same time this Lumber Camp was built in 7102. With the collapse of the Lung Wa empire in 7106, the Lumber Camp was abruptly abandoned, it's primary buyers in Shenmen no longer creating the demand for lumber at a scale the camp needed to operate.
Critical Success?
In the fallout, the workers looted the camp - and there are rumors that even precipitating this event, a few of the lumber managers who had been "skimming" left their ill-gotten stash somewhere inside, which has either yet-to-be substantiated and/or yet-to-be recovered.
While the party discusses their plan in their "rendezvous grove", a human middle-aged man in comfortable attire toting a large backpack of dangling goods approaches suddenly!
And asks "How do you intend to approach these enemies who invade your town and take your people? Do you intend to bring furious ruin to them in battle, or do you think you can fool them into believing that you are one of them to effect a rescue without resorting to violence?”
His smile is gentle, knowing, and... something else...
vs DC 18
vs DC 19
vs DC 13
"Aiyah, my mind is blank."
"Sir, we will do whatever is necessary to secure the town and its inhabitants. While we deign to challenge such a number of foes, we would welcome it if it were our only chance. But if we can rescue everyone, all the better. Do you have suggestions?"
"Better" the middle aged man replies "I have the goods" beaming with excitement to Lan.
Producing two very different vestments from his backpack, he holds out in his right hand a gorgeously woven red cape with silver runes, and in his left hand a unpleasantly skin-colored sack-leather hooded cloak.
a [url=https://2e.aonprd.com/Equipment.aspx?ID=268]Noppera-Bo Hood[/dice]!
"I can part with only one of these gifts, as is my donation charitable but not ruinous" he blinks with anticipation, awaiting to see which "hand" the party will choose!
You feel as though he is familiar somehow.
Like someone you met once.
Perhaps a long time ago...
Kazuki makes it back to the rendezvous point to meet his friends.
"Whew. I made it. No trouble at all. I learned quite a bit about their camp."
1) "Captain" Status Noppera-Bo (the "???'s").
2) The Noppera-Bo Ritual Activities.
3) History of the Lumber Camp.
-------------------------
Kazuki is slightly surprised by the strange merchant's sudden appearance.
"Uhh... Greetings, friend." he says with a nervous smile and a slight bow in greeting.
He watches his friends decide on which item they will choose.
Vekka is relieved to see Kazuki more or less immediately at the rendezvous point.
Did they see you?
He listens to the breakdown of the observed lumber camp, all the while thinking on what else he might know.
With so much preparation it sounds like the prisoners will be burned, tied to elaborately carved wooden stakes. It sounds like they have a long way to go, days or weeks. If we act relatively quickly it could be avoided.
He strokes his beak, thinking.
I suppose one could also introduce delays and setbacks in their preparation process, but that is less direct.
This lumber camp went in about the same time Governer Heh Shan-Bao was installed by the lumber consortium. Then it was abruptly abandoned at the collapse of the Lung Wa empire two years ago.
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Auntie Wu knows little of armies their organization, and will have to trust that the others' combined knowledge will suffice for this mission.
Rituals, however, are a different story. She's read of several nefarious ones, and sincerely hopes it isn't one of them. Those, at least, require preparations that take time.
"Hmm. Yes, Vekka, I agree. We could try to destroy their stakes during the rescue. That would buy the remaining prisoners more time until we can muster a large enough group to rescue all of them. Even if we could break them all out, they may not be capable of running fast or long enough to get to safety, and we don't have enough people now to protect them along the way."
And then some random person comes wandering through the dangerous woods offering to give them fancy stuff for free. It seems...ominous. Is this a trick? Or is the hand of Pharasma guiding this person to offer a boon on her behalf? She looks more closely at this unidentified person and the goods they offer.
Unfortunately, she must've been deep into her stash when she read about magic cloaks. On a whim, she begins casting Read Aura as she stares at the skin-colored cloak. It definitely seems creepier.
The tengu gives the merchant a sideways glance, asking
How did you know we would be meeting here?
Something unsettles him deeply about this meeting. It feels out-of-place.
Is this an auspicious event, or are you just very good at targeting your market? Perhaps you spoke with Granny Hu or Old Matsuki and they mentioned us. All the same, your arrival does seem... fortunate.
He attempts to shift his tone to grateful towards the end, as he tries to get over his unease.
He begins to train his arcane eye on the two items that the man holds out.
He cannot immediately determine their effects.
Perhaps you can explain their properties to us?
The tengu grimaces until Auntie Wu responses (relatively) positively. He only realized after what the suggestion of the burning ritual might do to her. The preparation delay obviously helps.
We should see how many we can reasonably free in this first attempt. Any we leave behind will shoulder the wrath of their captors.
The middle aged man bows to Kazuki as the latter tentatively makes greeting "And to you, Kazuki Sato"
He smiles as Auntie Wu uses magic to glimmer their properties - even holds his hands higher as if to tilt them towards her magical sensors.
Auntie Wu, take a look at the Remastered Read Aura spell.
Let's go ahead and apply the "+2 circumstance to advise" to anyone who rolls against the DC!
Auntie Wu, take a look at the Remastered Read Aura spell.
Let's go ahead and apply the "+2 circumstance to advise" to anyone who rolls against the DC!
"Oh me? Just lucky I guess" he answers Vekka without pausing "I have more goods for trade, if you are interested..."
He is lying about being "just lucky"!
Awaiting you Sense Motive check, if you like!
He is lying about being "just lucky"!
He is lying about being "just lucky"!
Awaiting you Sense Motive check, if you like!
To Vekka's second question, he retorts "Perhaps I could" and refrains from saying a word more, apparently taking liberal interpretation of the word "could"...
Vekka's side eye intensifies.
What do you have to lose by simply telling us why you knew to be in this place at this time? Luck had nothing to do with it. I would rather hear that you're simply a crafty merchant more concerned with increasing business before you move on than defending this community. That would at least make some sense. But if you did have some knowledge of the recent goings-on, or interest in strange phenomena, then perhaps that would be worth discussing.
"Perhaps it would"
Doesn't seem like he is saying much more than he wants to!
Sigurd returns to where they met the noseless ghosts. He paces impatiently, and loudly. Kazuki must have revealed himself just to silence Sigurd's armor. He is met with a hug. "I knew you'd be back. Are you injured?" He has a cursory glance for injuries, like a concerned father.
Finally he clears his throat. "So then... what do you know about our kidnappers?"
He hears about the captains.
"The captains would have some kind of spellcasting capabilities. Not divine or primal. More like arcane or occult, around the same spell ranks we are capable of."
Then he hears about the rituals.
The history of the lumber camp is intriguing...
But the knowledge escapes him.
A middle-aged man approaches them, and Sigurd is already on alert. "Well met, sir... I didn't get your name. Be wary, this area is quite dangerous."
The man produces two garments.
"This red and silver cape... have I seen this before?"
"This cloak is skin colored... I, hmm."
"I have no idea what these are."
"Be aware that the lieutenants and captains are both capable of sneak attacks, hitting hard when we are off guard." Sigurd reminds everyone.
"Excellent work, everyone. If we destroy the stakes this will buy us precious time. They may wind up retreating since their location is compromised."
"What do you have to trade?" Sigurd wonders if this is truly a wandering merchant, or a spy, or an opportunist. Best to figure it out now.
"What do you need?"
He is lying about being "just lucky"!
"Hmm..." Sigurd keeps his thoughts to himself.
"I can part with only one of these gifts, as is my donation charitable but not ruinous"
"Oh, come on. Not even for an old friend? I recognize you from someplace, a long time ago ..."
"Oh me? Just lucky I guess"
"Have you been following one of us here?"
Lan, wearing a fabulous pink jacket, wonders which of his unstealthy teammates allowed themselves to be followed.
---
Lan doesn't even realize the item on the right is magical.
"Indeed, our meeting with you is more than just luck." Sigurd's armor clanks as he shifts. "If we are at a loss for what these do, exactly, let us take the..."
"The cloak." The skin colored cloak. Maybe Sigurd can purify it once this is over. Best to keep it out of this man's hands, at least.
"For an old friend..." the strange merchant searches Lan's eyes for a lingering moment - then seems to arrive at a decision "...Yes" handing over the Cape as well as the Noppera-Bo Hood. To his second question, he just winks at Lan.
To Sigurd "You will need more than just luck this time..." somehow, the conversations appear to tickle the strange merchant, for his smile grows with each exchange "If you haven't anything to trade, I will be on my way"
Meanwhile, momentarily distracted by the "merchant", the party decides how to approach the Lumber Camp.
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"Uh... Thank you." Auntie Wu utters, perplexed by this strange man giving away magical items for free. As she doesn't care to trade any of her possessions, she steps back to allow the others to do business with him.
While the skin-colored hood is creepy-cool, it's not remotely her style. And since she doesn't know what the other cloak does (only that it's magical), she'll decline to use it as well (red's not her color).
Until the mystery merchant has left the vicinity, Auntie Wu tries to split her attention between keeping an eye on him and trying to figure out the best way to approach the lumber camp. Once the party is alone, she muses aloud: "Entering through the south gate sounds easiest, as the bulk of the faceless ones will likely be on the far side of the camp. But they'd be fools to leave that area lightly guarded, and I'd wager there are traps among those log piles as well. Pity the walls are so hard to climb. I don't think all of us could make it. And we'd have to get the gate open anyway for our escape."
Vekka is just as perplexed as Auntie-Wu.
Reticent, mysterious and then suddenly fully generous. We thank you.
He turns to the group and joins in with Auntie-Wu's planning.
With the hood, one in disguise could infiltrate and even pass off some of the rest of us as new prisoners to get inside. It doesn't have to be all of us, some could still skulk quietly at the perimeter until a signal is given. We suddenly have more options than we did a moment ago.
"Well, thank you for this hood. And this cloak. I wonder if we'll see you again-"
The merchant is already gone.
"It would be best for us to infiltrate the camp. We need to disable the locking mechanism on the gate. We need to disrupt the gh- Noppera-Bo's totems. And we need to locate the prisoners and free them."
"If we can trick some of the guard into scouting- perhaps we were scouts sent by the town army and the guards should send a contingent to look for the rest of the army- we can thin the herd, so to speak."
"Both items. Nice. These should be quite useful."
With the hood, one in disguise could infiltrate and even pass off some of the rest of us as new prisoners to get inside. It doesn't have to be all of us, some could still skulk quietly at the perimeter until a signal is given. We suddenly have more options than we did a moment ago.
"If I remember correctly, from my visits to the logging camp in the past, there's a warehouse whose corner juts right up against the outer wall. If I can climb that wall, I can get onto the roof of the warehouse, keep my head low, and keep watch of the main courtyard with bow at the ready."
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"Sounds like a good idea, Kazuki. How will you warn us if someone's coming? Do you know bird calls?" Auntie Wu asks, then replies to Sigurd. "As much as every captive needs rescuing, I don't think the five of us can rescue that many people and defend them from that many foes until we get them all back to Matzuki Estate. It makes my blood boil just thinking about leaving them there, but we must prioritize partial success over total failure. We get Midori and a few others--no more than one for each of us--and hurry back with the intel for Old Matzuki. Then we can form a plan to rescue the rest of them with a larger force." Grimly, she adds: "I bet that's where most of the missing people are, so we're not abandoning our previous mission at all."
"By the way, how are we getting the gate open? Who's good at picking locks?"
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The party brainstorms a three-phase plan. First, they plan to Case the Grounds, getting just close enough to learn some more information before fully committing. Secondly, they need to enter the grounds, half of them by Infiltration through Front Gate, the other half by Scaling the Spiked Wall. Once inside, there are multiple conflicting Objectives, including saving villagers immediately, sabotaging the ritual, and doing so without alerting the entire camp. Can the party get in and out and pull off the heist?
☀☀☀
Casing the Grounds
➤ Level: Three (base DC 18)
➤ Complexity: 2 rounds
➤ Timeframe: 1 hour
➤ Synergies: Expeditious Search
➤ List of Skills: Perception to Seek (easy), Scouting Lore (easy), Stealth (easy)
Thresholds: Part A
Critical Success: For every full +⭐⭐ above success, the party gains a +1 circumstance bonus to a single full round of subsequent skill challenges (in Parts B and C).
Success (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐): GM answers one question (about guards, prisoners, traps, secret doors, treasure, etc) plus one question per additional +⭐
Failure (⭐⭐⭐⭐): No intel, but the PCs do raise suspicions, and the Lumber Camp goes on alert, raising the DCs of subsequent challenges.
Critical Failure: As Failure, but the PCs are spotted - DCs of subsequent challenges raise dramatically!
☀☀☀
Infiltration through Front Gate
➤ Level: Three (base DC 18)
➤ Complexity: 3 rounds
➤ Timeframe: 10 minutes
➤ Synergies: Lengthy Diversion, Schooled in Secrets
➤ List of Skills: Deception to Lie (easy to moderate to hard, depending on "outrageousness of claim" and "appearance of prisoners"); or Crafting (hard) to help make a disguise, Occultism (hard) or Religion (hard) to discuss ritual, or Stealth (hard) to conceal a weapon.
Scaling the Spiked Wall
➤ Level: Three (base DC 18)
➤ Complexity: 3 rounds
➤ Timeframe: 10 minutes
➤ Synergies: Quick Climb, Quick Unlock, Swift Sneak
➤ List of Skills: Athletics (moderate), Stealth (hard), Thievery (hard)
Thresholds: Part B and C combined
Success (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, ⭐⭐⭐): Players successfully accomplish one of their Objectives (see below), plus one additional Objective per additional +⭐
Failure (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐): No Objectives accomplished; Party must then face a Moderate / Severe Encounter just to escape!
Critical Failure: As Failure, but a Severe / Extreme Encounter!
☀☀☀
⬤ Rescue Midori
⬤ Rescue All Other Prisoners
⬤ Damage the Ritual Stakes
⬤ Totally Destroy the Ritual Stakes
⬤ Avoid combat with Unfavorable Numbers
⬤ Avoid combat Altogether
☀☀☀
Sigurd follows Kazuki, trying to keep his distance as his armor creaks. He's just glad he is able to keep up with the team. He's much faster now.
Sadly he is no scout, so he relies on his vision to look for easy places to breach the camp site.
Keeping his distance and spotting weakpoints are conflicting. He isn't able to spot much.
For the first phase, Vekka focuses on simply getting close undetected.
Not wanting to despoil the tengu’s trained stealth, Sigurd keeps a distance, and interprets the hand symbols the former throws at him, signaling the number and direction of oncoming guards.
Lan will "trade" the stranger 2 gold pieces for a disguise kit.
Lan observes the guards, and begins to don his disguise. However, he's so focused on the minutiae - the way they walk, the way they hold their weapons - that he completely forgets how many there were or where they are.
Lan hyperfocuses on a single Noppera-Bo grunt, losing the forest for a single tree, but satisfying his Ego enough to be Altered. Auntie, for her part, makes a couple key observations.
Casing the Grounds:
Scaling the Spiked Wall:
Party Final Progress for Part A: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, ⭐
Thresholds: Part A
Critical Success: For every full +⭐⭐ above success, the party gains a +1 circumstance bonus to a single full round of subsequent skill challenges (in Parts B and C).
Success (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐): GM answers one question (about guards, prisoners, traps, secret doors, treasure, etc) plus one question per additional +⭐
Failure (⭐⭐⭐⭐): No intel, but the PCs do raise suspicions, and the Lumber Camp goes on alert, raising the DCs of subsequent challenges.
Critical Failure: As Failure, but the PCs are spotted - DCs of subsequent challenges raisedramatically!
Kazuki spies from an unseen place.
The party learns two important pieces of information (about guards, prisoners, traps, secret doors, treasure, etc) without alerting the camp, and have a quick discussion before breaching the point of no return...
Sigurd relaxes a bit as he teammates return.
"Did you find anything about the guards?"
"And the prisoners, where are they?"
Vekka nods at Aunti Wu's astute questions.