#5-02: The Wardstone Patrol [Tier 3-7] - GM Rutseg (Inactive)

Game Master Balacertar

After a minute of Harvest Season channeling pollen around should change to a next cycle which is growing fruits, at least Greet expects something like this to happen and stop allergic-rage reactions.

Tanbu continues to ride after the dwarf. "You know it was not your fault, Sir Ilivan." "You where not in control."

"Th-thanks, Tanbu" the troubled knight shakes his head and moves his hair tormented "Perhaps I should think about what to do about it more deeply. It seems it affected me more than I thought..."

Under Greet's influence the pollen recedes, the Worldwound is just to large, but at least it gives you a small margin to get back into your mounts and restart your chase of the demons.

The race does not last long before the Worldwound strikes you back once more. Around 20 minutes after you resumed your trek, the ground beneath you begins to blister and form sickly pustules as large as 3 feet in diameter, coinciding with a light rain of human teeth.

perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Mange abruptly halts and Cyclic cries out, "Look out! Those pustules hide swarms, though nothing like anything I've ever heard of."

Andrelis stops his horse, Should we just try to get by them? Those look very dangerous, good eyes Cylic. the elf's been quiet since the encounter with the pollen spores, but the thought of danger awakens him from his quiet reflection. This whole place is bad news certainly.

Cyclic backs away swiftly, not wanting to discuss plans while near the nasties.

Greet suggests to just go around dangerous nest.

The insects fly by before the party can run away, but Cyclic keen eyes and timely alarm grants the group is ready and do not suffer a surprise attack.

Boting Makras first round to avoid halting the whole team

Ride (control in battle) DC 20: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (10) - 3 = 7
Makras is the first one to react, his horse though gets scared in the middle of battle, and the dwarf has to spend his whole time trying not to fall, and moving away from the flying insects.

The swarms fly over Sir Ilivan and Andrelis, and over Greet and Tanbu and their mounts.
Swarm damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 2) = 7
Two Fort DC 13 saves required:
- first one is poison to avoid 1 Dex damage
- second one is vs distraction, to avoid nauseated condition

Mounts (Ilivan, Andrelis, Tanbu, Greet): 7 damage
Sir Ilivan: 7 damage
Makras: 5 damage
Andrelis: 9 damage
Alya's dog: 0 damage
Cyclic: 0 damage, protection from evil 1 min
Mange: 0 damage
Tanbu: 7 damage
Greet: 7 damage
Skyrocket: 0 damage

Riding a mount in battle
Remember, you are required a move action and a Ride DC 20 check to do something in battle. If you manage, you can still the mount movement to move.
If your mount is trained for battle this check is not needed (the mounts freely lent by the crusade are not).

New Worldwound wilderness map is available!

poison save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
distraction: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
ride check: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Tanbu, poisoned, distracted and unable to control his mount, can only hope his mount runs out of the swarm. He is nauseated and can not do anything about it.

mount is trained for battle
Animal Handling check fir dog 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
She pulls back away from the warms.
Casts shield on herself AC21

Cyclic slathers some vermin repellent on herself.

Poison save1: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
poison 2: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

With the Nauseated condition, can Andrelis attempt the ride check to get outta there? I'll go with it, but if it doesn't work, that's okay too!

Andrelis fights through the poison of the swarm, but the distracting swarms overwhelm the elf's concentration, he attempts to spur the mount forward to get out of the swarm's mess. Unable to see the mount, all he can hope is that the horse bolts on its own accord.

Ride, maybe?: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

I thought we were not so close... and Greet should be ride with Alya.
Greet asks tram to get out of here and becomes a Tree Shape likely not interested to insects.

Skyrocket flies away to skyws looking for an insect hunt.

Fort: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Fort: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Surmounting the poison and the distraction, Greet just dismounts from the horse and becomes a tree.

Cyclic pulls out a foul smelling alchemical and pours it all over herself.

Both tricks seem to work, as the wasps start ignoring them and flying around after the other potential victims.

Lady Alya chooses instead to pull her horse away and cast a protective spell.

Tanbu and Andrelis get distracted by the stings, they have a hard time to control their mounts, and can do nothing else.
This is not clear in the skill description, but I believe you get to move your mounts even on a fail. The only penalty is you lose your standard action. As you are also nauseated the action was lost already
They recover and can act normally again, but are still poisoned.
No longer nauseated, but Fort DC 12 or suffer 1 more Dex damage

"No, don't run away! Fight the insects back!" Sir Ilivan maneuvers his horse with astonishing ease while he pulls out a vial of holy water he tosses at the closest swarm.
Throw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Holy damage: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4 *1.5 = 6
The vial crashes just on the middle of the swarm that burns with the holy liquid contact!

Makras does something heroic!

The swarms move over the retreating Makras and Sir Ilivan.
Swarm damage: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2
Two Fort DC 13 saves required:
- first one is poison to avoid 1 Dex damage
- second one is vs distraction, to avoid nauseated condition

Sir Ilivan Fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Sir Ilivan Fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
The swarm stings are weaker this time, and the knight shows to be stalwart, holding himself on the fight.

Blue swarm: 6 damage, slightly damaged
Mounts:
- Ilivan 9 damage
- Andrelis, Tanbu, Greet: 7 damage
- Makras: 2 damage
Sir Ilivan: 9 damage
Makras: 7 damage
Andrelis: 9 damage, -1 Dex
Alya's dog: 0 damage, shield spell
Cyclic: 0 damage, repellent
Mange: 0 damage
Tanbu: 7 damage, -1 Dex
Greet: 7 damage, tree
Skyrocket: 0 damage

"Aha! Holy water!"

Pulling out the vials handed out earlier, she guides Mange towards the nearest swarm(red) as she pulls out a vial of holy water and tosses it at them.

to hit holy water, touch: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
damage: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5 x 1.5 = 7 (assuming the damage is the same as for the good knight.

Tanbu dismounts. "I can't control the stupid beast."
fort verses poison: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Tanbu pulls out his holy water.
two move actions dismount and draw holy water out.

Fort: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
Andrelis shakes off the effects of the poison, and seeing as he doesn't have any holy water, dismounts, fishing out an alchemist's fire instead. Agreed Tanbu, how'd they send us into a place like this without hardened mounts... he grumbles.

After being stung by the swarm, Makras sobers up just enough to realise he was riding on a horse of all things! He climbs down awkwardly, almost falling, and fishes out for a jar of alchemist's fire he almost drank one night on a dare.

Move action to dismount and move action to grab an alchemist's fire.

Fortitude save vs poison: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 7 + 2 = 16
Fortitude save vs distraction: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Greet usually traforms into a vine, so leshy thought to be not in danger and just by Alya. Though bushes and trees are not usually cunning or quick reactive.
And even the fact that angry wasps are afraid of holy water would make leshy thing for a decade.

But sir knight said we engage, and that means we are.
As if growing quickly from fey or Castrovelian tree appears a weapon in familiar shape of Numeri-ish outworld rifle.
Spiritual weapon shoots the red swarm
Attack with Spell: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
dmg, Force: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

-Burn in a holy light!
squeaked Skyrocket, flying over and mocking as if that is she who spit FORCE

I suppose Speak with Animals still working in case I'd be back to leshy form?

Who is up? I think Lady alya??? Also don't see rad swarm in initiative order. It could be up. Not sure.
"Lady A, what are these things? Devil wasps or something? Use holy water. It seems to work." Tanbu yells out to see if an identification of the wasps can be made by Lady A.

"Crud, there is another one." pointing at red swarm. "I hate this place."

Kn All/if local +11 not +10 1d20 + 1d6 + 10 ⇒ (9) + (1) + 10 = 20

From her new view point she gets a good look at them, while taking out a flask of holy water.

Cyclic tosses the holy water that crashes on the ground pouring its content over the wasps, many of them dying under the burns of the holy water.

Surmounting the poison, Tanbu and Andrelis work in tandem, quickly dismounting and reading more holy water against the swarms.

Makras manages to dismount his horse without further accident and also readies some alchemical vial.

Coming back to his true form, Greet sends a spiritual weapon clashing against the swarm. It kills one wasp, but results ineffective against the swarm as a whole.

Lady Alya identifies the swarms as being worldwound wasps and shares her knowledge with the group.
You can open the knowledge spoiler. Moving on with the round to avoid further delays...
She produces a holy water vial and does something heroic with it!

"Ah! They have stings those ones!" the knight takes another vial and throws it to the wasps in front.
Throw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Holy damage: 1 = 1
On his attempt to avoid the swarm, the vial just crashes away and only splashes some damage.

The swarms move over the closest enemies, insisting to harm Makras and Sir Ilivan.
Swarm damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 5) = 10
Two Fort DC 13 saves required:
- first one is poison to avoid 1 Dex damage
- second one is vs distraction, to avoid nauseated condition

Sir Ilivan Fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Sir Ilivan Fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
The knight endures the stings fighting them with his hands until he makes some room to escape once more.

Blue swarm: 6 damage, slightly damaged
Red swarm: 8 damage, slightly damaged
Mounts:
- Ilivan 19 damage
- Andrelis, Tanbu, Greet: 7 damage
- Makras: 12 damage
Sir Ilivan: 19 damage
Makras: 17 damage
Andrelis: 9 damage, -1 Dex
Alya's dog: 0 damage, shield spell
Cyclic: 0 damage, repellent
Mange: 0 damage
Tanbu: 7 damage, -1 Dex
Greet: 7 damage, tree
Skyrocket: 0 damage
Round 3: Tanbu, Cyclic, Andrelis, Alya (+standard), Greet Round 4: Makras, Swarms, Ilivan

Lady Alya does still have her standard action from round 2 in case she wants to do something more that round.

Again Cyclic drops another holy bomb on red. Or tries.

to hit holy water, touch: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
damage: 2d4 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4 x 1.5 = 7 (assuming the damage is the same as for the good knight.

"You would think these things would be easier to hit."

"Consumed by hellwasps in the Worldwound with flames licking at my feet! I dreamed of this night!" Makras hurls the alchemist's fire straight down, laughing uproariously.

Throwing the alchemist's fire at the swarm around me. I'll take 1 point of splash if it hits.

Looks like I failed the Fort save vs poison and take 1 Dex damage.

Fort save vs poison: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 2 = 10
Fort save vs distraction: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Alchemist Fire (ranged touch attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5 (+50%)

The elf, alchemist fire in hand, calls out, These are abominable things, reminds me of the dungeons of Cheliax! Sir Ilvian, look out! he says, lobbing the alchemist's fire at the swarm around the half-elf.

Ranged touch, dex dam: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
fire!: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Round 2 uses the catrip telekinetic-projectile and sends the holywater vile at the swarm. RTA TH 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 DMH Holywater If they take bludgeoning damage deals + 1d6 ⇒ 5 blunt force

@Lady Alya
From TK Projectile: The type of object thrown doesn’t change the damage type or any other properties of the attack, even if you throw a weapon or magic item in this way. So this would not do holy water damage. At least I do not think so.

Cyclic hurl's his vial, but it goes a bit wide and crashes past the wasps. Still some holy water splashes over them causing a few of them to die. 1 splash damage

Makras laughs madly while he throws his alchemical fire, fortunately it hits just on place, greatly decimating the group of insects.

Andrelis throws his one, crashing it with good aim at the other swarm, leaving behind a good amount of dead wasps.

Lady Alya's projected vial hits the insects, the blunt damage killing one wasp, but as the recipient shatters it spills its contents burning the surrounding insects anyway.
Holy water damage: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 4) = 6 *1.5 = 9

Sir Ilivan controls his mount, takes air and throws another vial.
Throw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Holy damage: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 2) = 6 *1.5 = 9
The half-elf does not seem happy on his success though "That was my last vial Pathfinders, I hope you have some last blast remaining! These things are going to be tricky to outrun, we will have to do in different directions."

Tanbu does something heroic!

Greet does something heroic!

The swarms move over the closest enemies, insisting to harm Makras and Sir Ilivan.
Swarm damage: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 2) = 3
Two Fort DC 13 saves required:
- first one is poison to avoid 1 Dex damage
- second one is vs distraction, to avoid nauseated condition

Sir Ilivan Fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Sir Ilivan Fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Makras alchemist fire damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6 *1.5 = 9
Andrelis alchemist fire damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2 *1.5 = 3
The alchemist fire further burns, which finally kills the swarm that was over Makras!

Blue swarm: 32 damage, dead
Red swarm: 26 damage, badly damaged
Mounts:
- Ilivan 22 damage
- Andrelis, Tanbu, Greet: 7 damage
- Makras: 13 damage
Sir Ilivan: 22 damage
Makras: 21 damage, -1 Dex
Andrelis: 9 damage, -1 Dex
Alya's dog: 0 damage, shield spell
Cyclic: 0 damage, repellent
Mange: 0 damage
Tanbu: 7 damage, -1 Dex
Greet: 7 damage, tree
Skyrocket: 0 damage
Round 4: Tanbu (x2), Cyclic, Andrelis, Alya, Greet (x2) Round 5: Makras, Ilivan, Swarms

Tanbu and Greet can post their round 3 actions along their round 4 ones at the next chance they have.

Tanbu closes in on the red wasp swarm haressing Sir Ilivan. He throws the holy water vial at the vermin.
thrown vial at red: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
damage holy: 1d6 ⇒ 5
"Get out of there Sir Ilivan."

Seeing the swarm burn to ash all around him, Makras looks disappointed. He sighs and grabs the reins of his horse, looking the animal squarely in the eyes: "This time I'm walking!"

I don't have anything else to use against swarms, so we'll just call it Total Defense.

Fortitude save vs poison: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 2 = 22
Fortitude save vs distraction: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Tanbu pulls out a second vial to throw if the swarm seem still to be dangerous.
Will throw if needed, you can bot Tanbu for me if I am holding things up. Sorry for the delay.

"Third time's the charm!"

to hit holy water, touch: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
damage: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5 x 1.5 = 7

"That's more like it."

Greet is shocked goddess weapon not working but he continues to shoot and Skyrocket continues to eat wasps as snacks one by one as they fly

Tanbu's and Cyclic holy water strike both true, the holy water not harming Sir Ilivan of his horse, but killing most of the remaining wasps and dispersing the rest!

Combat is over!

With that the area becomes calm again. Sir Ilivan controls his horse and calls out to you while retrieving a vial from his belt "Heal up and mount again. We have a chase to complete." with that he drinks the potion swiftly.
CSW: 3d8 + 5 ⇒ (5, 8, 3) + 5 = 21

"Sure am glad they handed out these holy waters back at camp. Thanks to the repellent, I am uninjured. The rest of you look a little beat up though. I can cast s few cure spells, but nothing that will fix everyone."

Cyclic dispenses a CLW on the most injured.

CLW on Makras: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
CLW on Ilivan mount: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Lady Alya checks everyones mounts are steady.

"Ready" she says when done.

Anyone have a decent heal skill and can do a treat wounds? Cyclic has +0 and no kit so she is of no use for mundane healing.

Still perched atop the squirming wolf, Cyclic makes an offer.

"I think we should deal with the wounds before we leave. If someone has a cure wand they want me to use on them, hand it over."

Andrelis looks at the swarms with an irritated glance, I hate swarms. I remember once we uncovered swarms of scarabs in the desert. Awful things - but these may be worse. Andrelis pulls out his wand, handing it over to Cyclic, Please do for everyone needed! Healing completed, he climbs on his mount ready to proceed.

"I am with you there Andrelis"

She says and checks her gear.

"Cyclic, please tap me once with this wand and tap my pony once. Thanks."
Tanbu hands Cyclic his wand of cure light wounds.
Assuming she does the task, using charges 6 and 7 of this scenario.
my charge: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
pony's charge: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Assuming she does the task, using charges 6 and 7 of this scenario.

Yep. Already said she would.

forgot to roll clw for me!
clw: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Greet joins the party game tapping everyone injured with his Wand of CLW while Skyrocket eats crispy wasps covered with remains of alchemistt fire.

I've got some medicine skills, although not really enough to treat wounds without possible fail...

Makras saved against the last poisoning, but still has to save against the ongoing poison on him (Tanbu and Andrelis made this check already). There are 3 rounds pending to save, losing 1 Dex each round if he fails the DC 13.

The group treats the worst of the wounds and then mount back to the horses. It does not take you long to recover the soldiers' tracks where you have left them.

Sir Ilivan is silent for a mile, then, as you slow down to ford through the river, he starts to speak while looking to the horizon "You have made me realize that the war has changed me irrevocably. You have fought to bring some hope to this world without leaving anyone behind, making me remember the values that inspired my first years in the crusade. It is clear I am no longer qualified to make command decisions."

"Once our mission has ended, whether we succeed or not on rescuing the crusaders, I plan on resigning." then looking at you with a timid smile he vows slightly with his head "On the meantime, I promise to help you the best I can."

Sir Ilivan: 1 damage
Makras: 12 damage, -1 Dex
Andrelis: 1 damage, -1 Dex
Alya's dog: 0 damage, shield spell
Cyclic: 0 damage, repellent
Mange: 0 damage
Tanbu: 2 damage, -1 Dex
Greet: 7 damage, tree
Skyrocket: 0 damage

Makras trudges along, briefly happy that everything is happening exactly as he predicted!

Fortitude save vs poison Round 2: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 2 = 14

"Retirement? Or do you have something else in mind. I never understood the lure of retiring. But then, as a gnome, it would be odd if I did."

"You did great back there Sir Ilivan. No one can question your fighting ability. The holy water choice was key. You got us through it."Thank you." Tanbu smiles at the knight. "I appreciate your pledge to see this through. With help like the holy water idea, we stand a much better chance." "Now let's save some soldiers." Tanbu rides on pulling ahead of Sir Ilivan.

You seeing that in yourself speaks to the true heart of a crusader. Should you truly retire, your wisdom would be invaluable to the Pathfinders, to say nothing of your sword arm! Andrelis grins.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33

Tanbu's right, we've got work to do. Let's be about it!

"Yes, I never thought about retiring until today myself." Sir Ilivan listens attentively Andrelis' suggestion "Do not know, I cannot return to my hometown of Egares. Discrimination was terrible in there, and I had not the best of beginnings to be honest. But my career in the crusade put me on place and maybe my experience can be on place at some more peaceful position in the South. Do not know if the Pathfinder Society can offer me somewhere to shine without office paperwork..."

After crossing the river, you push your horses, hastening your pace once more. Pressing on for one more hour, you find the tracks start to quickly get fresher. A mile ahead, at the middle of a narrow valley, you spot a group, though it is impossible to tell numbers or races at this distance "We are on them. One last push."

Cyclic wants to cast some spells before engaging. I'm guessing the barkskin has elapsed so...

Cyclic casts barkskin and ant haul on Mange and uses a wand of bless on the party.