|
Uugghhh! Doesn't she realize how bad it will look if word gets around that *she* prevented us from saving Willowshore from the spiders?! Auntie Wu groans inwardly as she informs the messenger that she will report in shortly. "Sorry guys. I'd rather go up against a clutter of Giant Tarantulas than that sour prune, but she'll make things so much worse if we don't humor her. ... Good luck!" She heartily means it.
With a resigned sigh, she trudges toward Northside and her doom. (Well, it feels like that, anyway. Crusty old bag! Patooie!)
I'm not helping much here anyway.
Vekka slinks off with Auntie Wu, not really enthusiastically to see what Granny Hu wants.
From the West, a Clutter of Giant Tarantulas - possibly fleeing some greater menace? - are spotted heading straight for Willowshore. Can the party route them in time!?
➤ Level: Four (base DC 19)
➤ Complexity: 3 rounds; "Travel", "Hide", and "Lure"
➤ Timeframe: 1 day (R1), then 8 hours (R2), then 10 minutes (R3)
➤ Synergies: Spells / Abilities for Traveling (R1), Hiding (R2), Luring (R3), etc
➤ List of R1 Skills: Athletics (hard), Nature, Survival (easy); Forest Lore (easy), Hunting Lore, Scouting Lore
➤ Limited Skills (one use only, any round): Diplomacy, Society; Willowshore Lore
Skills not described as "easy" or "hard" are moderate by default!
Thresholds ➤ Critical Success @ (12 points or 80% rate) ☆☆☆☆☆/☆☆☆☆☆/☆☆, Success @ (9 points or 60% rate) ☆☆☆☆☆/☆☆☆☆, Failure @ (6 points or 40% rate) ☆☆☆☆☆/☆
Sigurd and Kazuki arrive at the threshold between tamed and untamed wild in easily half the time it's "supposed" to take, buying them several "extra" hours to prepare their ambush!
...Meanwhile, back at the War Room...
Granny Hu summons you to spy on "individuals of interest" for the entire week. Preventing you from helping with the Spiders...
If you fail, you will lose some standing with that NPC - and possibly with Southbank!
Granny Hu summons you to spy on "individuals of interest" for the entire week. Preventing you from helping with the Spiders...
But if you do tell Vekka that you are spying on him, and she finds out (I will roll her Sense Motive against your Deception DC!), then she may have additional consequences for you!
Granny Hu summons you to spy on "individuals of interest" for the entire week. Preventing you from helping with the Spiders...
If you fail, you will lose some standing with that NPC - and possibly with Southbank!
Plenty of time. Good. Maybe just a pair was the right idea. A larger group may attract more attention.
It was odd, Auntie Wu and Vekka seemed eager to help before excusing themselves. What happened there?
No matter, time for the task at hand. Quickly building traps and barricades to make Willowshore less tempting.
If only Sigurd could apply this effort towards the teahouse, it would have been done by now!
Round 2:
Kazuki crouched low in the tall grass, signaling to Sigurd to stay quiet as the skittering mass of giant tarantulas crept closer to Willowshore. Drawing on his ranger’s training, he moved silently, his steps calculated and precise, keeping to the shadows of the trees. His aim was simple: position himself upwind and out of sight to observe the spiders' behavior and assess their path.
Round 3:
Once he had a clear view of the horde, Kazuki shifted tactics. Pulling from his deep knowledge of hunting lore, he noted their erratic movements and natural aversion to smoke and certain scents. Using his flint and steel, he quickly lit a bundle of dried leaves from his pack, the pungent smoke curling into the air. He waved it strategically, creating a barrier that disrupted the spiders’ advance and funneled them toward a safer route, away from the village.
Simultaneously, Kazuki used his longbow to fire warning shots near stragglers, herding the tarantulas into tighter groups. He called out to Sigurd, who was ready to deter any that strayed too close. Together, they worked swiftly and efficiently, redirecting the arachnid swarm into the distant wilderness before they could endanger Willowshore.
|
|
= 22 Rajul Samudra (male nagaji shipwright) @ Dock (W23)
Right. Because it won't be a bit suspicious for *me* to suddenly be hanging around the docks all week. Ugh! Ego-bloated old hag! Nevertheless, Auntie Wu is true to her word and does her level best to spy on Rajul. She comes up with a "reason" to be there: When she was out scouting beyond the perimeter of the town, some of the plants near the river were concerned about a strange disturbance. "I can't be certain, but it sounded like there may be a threat coming from the water. It's hard to tell with plants: their thoughts don't work the same way ours do, so it could be nothing. ... It would be better for everyone's morale if you keep this between us until we know for sure." She appeals to Rajul's sense of community, hoping her farce isn't as see-through as it seems to her.
What am I even getting out of this favor? That crone poisons this community...
He stifles his resentment and gets to it in the way that seems most harmless. He is not yet practices at outright deception, so he tries his skill at subtle tailing and observation from afar.
Oh, hello You So-Jin! I didn't see you there? Working on any interesting poultices?
She's just an herbalist who wants to provide help to those around her. Why Granny Hu, WHY?!
For a moment, Sigurd wonders if Kazuki has left. Sigurd will have to do this alone- wait, the signal! How did Kazuki get over there so quietly?
With the newly built obstacles finally set, Sigurd gives the signal to proceed and he can see them already crawling toward the traps and barricades. Good. Sigurd presents himself and uses his katana to point the herd away from Willowshore.
Doesn't seem like they are paying attention to him. No matter, the barricade will hold.
Deception +13 vs Vekka's Perception DC
Diplomacy +10 vs Vekka's Will DC
Stealth +9 vs Vekka's Perception DC
Ok, go ahead and roll to Lie to Granny Hu!
Believe it or not, you rolled a "1", but per your post, you are wagering a Hero Point to avert CF.
Go ahead and Secret roll again!
The spiders are routed - Sigurd and Kazuki lure them South, and they disappear into further parts of the Hinterlands.
But!
On the final scout mission to confirm the Route was successful, the duo make another startling doscovery:
And!
Upon arriving back to the village (pending some additional drama...), the two of them are greeted by rangers who make another disturbing report:
The party decide if spending another week scouting and routing is worth abandoning other projects around the village under siege!
Sigurd watches the spiders scatter off. Good. He wonders how long Willowshore will remain safe.
Not for long, apparently. The undead amass towards Willowshore from two angles. He can't cover all of this ground in one week.
"I was hoping to work on the teahouse, again..." he sighs. "This month has been busy. I'll have to contend with these... Phantoms."
When he gets the chance, he asks his friends. "Kazuki and I were able to handle the spiders, but... this week it looks like we are under assault from two directions. I will head Northeast and try to slow them down. If you can join me or redirect towards the more mindless undead, we can keep Willowshore safe."
"I have two gho- , uh, I mean, incorporeal charges, however, I have many arrows. It would probably be better if I went after the walking dead rather than the phantoms. We should split up into two groups -three if a couple of you wish to stay here and continue work on the town."
"Thoughts, friends?"
Kazuki waits for a response.
|
|
"Ugh! We can't catch a break!" Auntie Wu gripes, taking a swig from her alcohol gourd. "Well, I'm not going to sit on my thumbs. I'll help Sigurd with the...uh, not-physical ones. Unless Granny Hu decides to undermine the town's safety to satisfy her paranoia. Gah! I'll be glad when I'm done with her 'favors'!" She takes a long drag from whatever it is that she's smoking this time, mellowing out soon thereafter. With a benevolent smile, she sighs: "Ah, well. One way or another, we'll keep this town safe."
Kazuki, are you certain you couldn't use help with the Walking Dead?These threats are now, and we want to be sure. Granny Hu can wait on favors I think. She should understand.
Kazuki, are you certain you couldn't use help with the Walking Dead? These threats are now, and we want to be sure. Granny Hu can wait on favors I think. She should understand.
"I definitely do want help! Vekka, what do you have to go up against walking dead? (Are they zombies?)
Anyway, Sigurd and Lan should use their magik against the phantoms."He looks at Auntie.
"Do you want to stay here and work on protecting the town, or join us?"
Kazuki pauses in thought for a moment.
"We should quickly consider who's best for the tasks at hand!"
"I am well suited towards the undead, but the Phantoms can potentially be reasoned with. Religious expertise will help in either case."
He thinks for a bit. "The Southern group are most likely zombies. Raw physical force may be enough. I am quite athletic and could help there. But I am also loud. Stealth would be out of the question."
"I think I should handle the phantoms to help exorcise them. I am a better speaker, than a fighter." At least that's what Sigurd hopes.
"I definitely do want help! Vekka, what do you have to go up against walking dead? "
I have...
He holds out his katana, beats a familiar spell drum at his back, and sets the blade alight with fire.
Slash and burn undead!
A pincir threat twice the first, the party realizes that a few days time will converge the two bands of undead upon Willowshore, so they split up to route both, hoping to at least lessen their numbers!
➤ Level: Four (base DC 19)
➤ Complexity: 3 rounds Walkers or 3 rounds Phantoms (can't do both)
➤ Timeframe: 1 day (R1), then 8 hours (R2), then 10 minutes (R3)
➤ Synergies: Spells / Abilities for Traveling (R1), Hiding (R2), Luring (R3), etc
➤ Limited Skills (one use only, any round): Creative PC choice!
➤ Walker List of R2 Skills: Crafting, Stealth (easy), Survival, Perception (hard); Forest Lore, Hunting Lore, Scouting Lore (easy)
➤ Walker List of R3 Skills: Crafting, Deception (easy), Religion; Forest Lore, Hunting Lore (easy)
➤ Phantom List of R2 Skills: Crafting, Stealth (easy), Survival, Perception (hard); Forest Lore, Hunting Lore, Scouting Lore (easy)
➤ Phantom List of R3 Skills: Deception (easy), Occultism, Religion; Forest Lore, Hunting Lore (easy)
Thresholds ➤ Critical Success @ (80% rate), Success @ (60% rate), Failure @ (40% rate)
Sigurd's first plan is to figure out where the phantoms will amass. He feels like they tricked him already...
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Sigurd, wait! Let me conjure us some mounts to make the journey faster." Auntie Wu casts Marvelous Mount twice, conjuring Large fantastical beasts that look like topiary stags. One bows its head to Sigurd, offering its flank for him to mount it. The other kneels to aid Auntie Wu's climb onto its back. She stands on its withers, grasping its branching antlers, and calls out: "That way!"
The verdant stag leaps forward, nearly knocking Mogu off her head as it plunges into the forest. Mogu extends its filaments through Auntie Wu's hair to hold on more tightly.