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1) I am based in Southeast Asia (UTC +8) so my posting hours may be unusual (especially for those in North America). I usually update at least one or twice per day. Just to keep the game moving, please post at least once every day and at least once during the weekend.
2) Please label all three of your actions. Even if you think what you are doing is obvious.
3) If I am unavailable for longer than 24 hours, I will let you know in the Discussion Tab. Out of respect for your fellow players and myself, I ask that you do the same. Real life happens, and real life will always take priority over the game, but out of fairness for your fellow players, please let us know if you will be unavailable for an extended period of time.
4) Please note that on the following days, my posting can get unpredictable:
Tuesday/Thursdays - all day, as they are the 2 busiest days of my work week
4) Please complete the Macros and the Slides linked at the top of the page.
5) Questions, concerns? Feel free to share them in the Discussion tab.
6) Let's have some fun and tell a great story together! After all, that's what we are here for.
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A tall, muscular ulfen woman in heavy armor and festooned with weapons strides boldly into the meeting room. She looks around and scowls.
"Really? I'm the first one here? That never happens." She takes a seat and puts her boots up on a nearby table. She pulls a mug and a waterskin from a much too small bag at her hip. She pours herself an ale and waits.
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Eight mugs of ale later she looks in disgust at her empty waterskin and growls. "This won't do. This won't do at all.
A disreputable-looking elder ulfen man enters the room with a confused look on his face. "Whaddaya want? There's nobody here."
Holmgeir takes a seat and peers hopefully into the mug on the table, only to be disappointed to find it empty. He sighs and settles down to wait.
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Th-clink! Th-clink! Th-clink!...
A stocky young man of mixed heritage, in his mid twenties, and average height opens the door. He is bedecked in full-plate armor, has a hand and a half sword on his back, and a pack over top it. He has chiseled handsome features with unkempt short brown hair. His left gauntlet appears whiter in color and has runes that run down each finger. Tied by a leather throng to his belt is a slightly 'off' looking spellbook. His plate armor has a large symbol of Nethys emblazoned on the middle of the chest.
He looks over to the elderly ulfen man with curiosity, "Umm. Are you one of the agents being sent on this mission?"
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A blue-skinned goblin rushes into the room, out of breath. If he has some sort of grand backstory, it is well hidden beneath a set of colorful - or, more accurately, gaudy - performer's clothing. He's dragging behind him a suit of armor that it doesn't look like he's had time to don, and strapped to his back are a well-worn bow and quiver and a pack stuffed with writings and magical devices with unusual auras, plus a single silver die held in a pouch made from an oddment of chainmail.
"Sorry I'm late. I was just working on a piece with Zarta, and, well, you know how she can be. Can't carry a tune in a bag of holding, but still thinks she can tell you about diminished fifths and monophonic textures. Plus, I think I used up all my rhymes in that last fight. That lady - not Zarta, the other one - just wouldn't let up! But I think I will have a good verse about that dreamscape, as soon as I find a synonym for 'orange' that rhymes, and..."
Seeing the flat stares of the other Pathfinders, he brings himself up short. "Um, right. I'm Jiki. I'm here to befuddle our foes and then write about how incredible the Pathfinders - except maybe one weird little goblin - handle whatever fate throws at them! So... what is fate throwing at us? Did I miss the briefing?"
A lesjy resembling a lotuson legs, much more composed, follows the goblin into the room. "I believe you should take a breath and greet your former companions," she says with an exasperated sigh.
The old man's eyes go wide and he opens and closes his mouth for a moment before abruptly bolting from the room.
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A tall, muscular and slightly drunken ulfen woman in heavy armor strides confidently into the room. "It's about time you all showed up. What kept you?" She glances around the room and smiles. "Aha! There's my mug. I thought I'd lost it." She moves to the table and picks up the cup. She peers into it and frowns upon finding it empty. She turns it upside-down and shakes it. When no ale appears, she shrugs and places it in a bag at her hip.
She takes a seat and eyes the party carefully. When her gaze falls upon the goblin her face explodes into a grin. "Jiki? Is that you? Good to know that there's at least one person in here that I can count on. I don't know the rest of these folks."
She places a well-used shield on the table and pounds it with a gauntleted fist. She puts her boots up on the table, leans her chair perilously far back on two legs and addresses the party. "I'm sure you're all heard of me. I'm Astrid Gertasdottir, shield maiden and famed explorer. I'm stealthier than moonlight and fiercer than a thunderstorm. I've killed more men than winter and drunk enough ale to drown the rough beast himself. I've ridden dinosaurs into battle in distant lands and frightened a demon lord back into hell." She pats a cold iron shortsword at her hip. "I just got back from anointing Hagsneiðari here with the blood of a night hag and I've been celebrating ever since. Anyone have any idea why we've been summoned here?"
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Katrina is not far behind Astrid. Hi. Sorry I'm late. Katrina. Rogue and circus performaer. Traps, escapes, that sorta thing my specialty.
She looks towards Leo. Hey. Didn't we meet at Seedy's place?
She then looks to Astrid. Did I hear you say ... stealthier than moonlight? I'm taking that as a challenge.
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"Ah yes!" Leo exclaims after a moment frozen in thought. "You were inquiring about a wand of purely magical armor!" Leo's eyes light up at this as he continues enthusiastically, "So, I've done a bit more work on that subject and have found that the efficacy of purely magic armor is maximized with a maximal agility. This is due to the behavior of the magic as it is anchored to the subject. See..."
"...In conclusion, I'd suggest magically enhanced armor over purely magical armor."
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Sorry I'm late everyone! You see a tall half-orc with a quiver full of arrows on her back. My name is Lena, and as you can see, I LOVE shooting things! I've been doing missions for longer than I can remember and whilst I've lived MOST of my life in Absalom, the Society has also proven how rewarding it is to get around and meet new people.
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Your adventure begins early in the afternoon at a Burning Sun camp about 25 miles southeast of Urgir. You and dozens of other Pathfinders arrived in Urgir with the help of the Maze of the Open Road, a magical hedge maze filled with portals that connect numerous locations across the world, and were told to quickly make their way to the camp. Though they’re all experienced, you are the most skilled Pathfinders present and the others look to youfor instructions and guidance as the group makes their way to camp. The camp is brimming with a chaotic energy as warriors gather their armaments, riders ready their mounts, and others dismantle tents or prepare supplies. The Burning Suns are preparing for war, and they seem eager to do so. As you and your fellow Pathfinders arrive at the camp, Mahja Firehair offers a quick greeting and shouts for the Pathfinders to find a place to rest for a moment while she tends to other matters. You have an opportunity to take in the sights of scrambling orcs and their allies. One of the other orcs points you to a relatively clear area where stakes mark a recently dismantled tent, so you’re out of the way.
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"Quite a lovely day besides all this talk of war," says a young, dark-haired lady who gazes into a mirror. The raven perched on her shoulder cocks its head as if it too gazes intently."
Taking her attention off the mirror for a moment the girl studies her companions. The robes she wears and the staff she carries appear as though they were made out of hundreds of scrolls, rolled up and bound.
"Hello, yes, I am Marta, student of the arcane arts, librarian, as well as a dabbler in the art of intrusion and legerdemain. This regal bird is Everness."
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"That blade earned the name, Astrid. Though it may be hard to fit into the stories I've been writing."
"What? Impossible! The tale was epic!"
Astrid looks around at the preparations. "Looks like they're getting ready for a dustup. Let's wander around and see what we can do to help. I'll tell you the story while we walk."
Astrid turns and heads off into the camp. She stops frequently and offers unsolicited advice in the ways of war to the various soldiers.
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"Sure, have at it," she shrugs, pulling a spellbook decorated with many runes across the exotic leather cover. As pages are turned it appears that there are still as many pages left to be turned."
Caustic Blast, Daze, Frostbite, Light, Phase Bolt, Read Aura, Slashing Gust, Tangle Vine, Telekinetic Hand, Time Sense, Void Warp
Rank I
Create Water, Dehydrate, Fear, Pet Cache, Pocket Library, Share Lore, Synchronize, Tailwind
Rank II
Create Food, Darkvision, Dispel Magic, Environmental Endurance, Invisibility, Knock, Loose Time's Arrow, See the Unseen, Stupefy, Sudden Bolt (uncommon), Umbral Extraction, Water Breathing
Rank III
Cozy Cabin, Dive and Breach, Earthbind, Fireball, Haste, Lightning Bolt, Slow, Time Jump, Vampiric Feast
Rank IV
Fly, Mercurial Stride, Mirror's Misfortune, Sanguine Mist, Translocate, Vision of Death
Rank V
Elemental Breath, Mirror Malefactors, Quicken Time, Stagnate Time
"As an archivist, my thesis was on the use of symbolic encoding to increase the capacity of written media, but I think you are smart enough to figure it out."
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"I guess I won't have a shooting partner. I'll just be careful not to hit any of you. Oh....and spells aren't my thing. I failed out of magic school a LONG time ago."
Lena just looks at everyone else and shrugs, but doing her own thing isn't exactly new either. She's not the most social, but she works with what she has.
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Katrina also tags along. Besides, this could be interesting.
So you wanna flanking buddy Astrid?
Astrid shrugs. "It couldn't hurt. Just remember that these guys are supposed to be friends. Try not to kill anyone."
The warrior looks around the camp. "Although it looks like they'll have plenty to fight about soon enough. I doubt anyone will want to start anything with us."
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After a few minutes, Mahja finishes helping load a cart with supplies and rushes over to meet you. Mahja appears a bit flustered with the various goings-on but also seems in high spirits. She calls you over to one of the remaining tents and takes a moment to catch her breath before explaining the situation.
"Ah, Pathfinders, I thank you for coming on such short notice. Two of my scouts encountered a massive undead army in the Itran River Valley in southwestern Ustalav. The army was marching southwest out of the valley toward Ustalav’s border. That alone was concerning enough for me to reach out to Ardax the White-Hair in Urgir in case he saw it fit to gather defenses. During that meeting, I received a second report that the army was now traveling northwest along the Aren River and in the direction of Urgir. That’s when I reached out to the Society." She pauses, taking a seat on a cushion set on the ground, and motions for those gathered to do the same, waiting just a moment before continuing.
"The undead being only a few days’ march away, coupled with the fact that they can march endlessly without growing tired, made us realize that we had little time to gather any sort of defenses. I volunteered my hold to intercept this army with the hope that we could slow it down or even take it out entirely, but I knew that we wouldn’t be able to do so alone. I figured that I could call in my favor with the Pathfinders and get some help. While this is probably not what you would expect with a typical assignment, I know you Pathfinders are more than capable as warriors." She smiles warmly as she continues.
"According to my scouts, most of the forces are simple undead like skeletons and zombies. However, they number in the thousands and even though they aren’t difficult to fight, that many undead is still an overwhelming number. Additionally, my scouts reported zombies that glow with amber light and emit noxious gases, plus several other undead, like wights, wearing armor and carrying weapons. This suggests to me that many of the forces are intelligent enough to pose greater problems."
"Since we have very little time, the plan is to make our way over to the small settlement of Freedom Town which sits on the Aren River, not too far from Ustalav’s border. Freedom Town’s position is favorable as a place to stage an ambush and hopefully hold against a siege for several days. The town is about a day’s march away and not ready for an assault of any kind at present. We will need to prepare the town’s defenses when we get there. We have little time to do much more, but I think we can ready Freedom Town enough to buy Urgir the time it needs against the rest of the undead forces. We set out within the hour, so ready yourselves. If you have any questions or reservations, let me know now."
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Um.... something here doesn't pass the smell test. I've had more time in Ustalav than I could care to count. Most of these forces are surely mindless. Are we aware of some supernatural force or commander leading a group of them? Any natural events occuring driving these forces in those given directions?
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Mahja turns back to Astrid. "A few days. But remember, they can march without getting tired."
You also take some time to recall information about your enemies and Freedom Town.
Sulfur zombies are much like a typical zombie, save that they burn with an inner fire. This putrid fire can blind anyone the zombie attacks. Wights are unusual undead that feed on blood. This blood courses through them like it does a living person, which makes wights susceptible to poisons, unlike most undead. Freedom Town was established about three decades ago by criminals and outlaws. It sits in an area of rich farmland and has become a somewhat prosperous farming settlement.
Wights are intelligent undead that drain the life energy from anyone they attack. People slain by a wight have a chance to rise as a wight themselves. Freedom Town was established about three decades ago by criminals and outlaws. It sits in an area of rich farmland and has become a somewhat prosperous farming settlement.
Sulfur zombies are much like a typical zombie, save that they burn with an inner fire. This putrid fire can blind anyone the zombie attacks. As a sulfur zombie is always ablaze in some capacity, fire doesn’t hurt it at all. Additionally, the zombie’s fire is so volatile, it erupts in a massive explosion when the zombie is destroyed. Wights are intelligent undead that drain the life energy from anyone they attack. People slain by a wight have a chance to rise as a wight themselves. Freedom Town was established about three decades ago by criminals and outlaws. It sits in an area of rich farmland and has become a somewhat prosperous farming settlement.
A sulfur zombie is always emitting a choking gas. Anyone standing next to the zombie needs to hold their breath or begin suffocating from the noxious fumes. Wights are unusual undead that feed on blood. This blood courses through them like it does a living person, which makes wights susceptible to poisons, unlike most undead. Freedom Town was settlement built in secret by Lastwall’s forces to spy on the orcs of Belkzen. Knowing the dangers involved with it, Lastwall built a massive network of secret tunnels beneath the town to aid with escape.
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With your questions answered, Mahja urges you to prepare to travel. The trip to Freedom Town is expected to take most of the remaining day and Mahja is insistent on avoiding delays. Most of the encampment is ready to set off. The dried, cracked earth of Belkzen begins to rumble and clatter as multiple pack animals, dozens of carts, and hundreds of warriors begin the journey toward Freedom Town. The trip takes several hours, and you have the opportunity to speak with key members of the Burning Sun hold during this time.
Mahja Firehair: Mahja is the stern, but caring leader of the Burning Sun orcs. When speaking with others, she listens intently and makes sure that every person has equal say in a conversation. While she takes the task at hand seriously, she also seems eager or excited for the battle that awaits. When discussing combat, she makes use of more over-the-top language to describe attacks or strategy, which clashes with her overall reserved personality.
Uirch: While Uirch claims membership among the Burning Sun hold, he has been away from his people for some time. Uirch has lately been spending time restoring the Bastion of Light, a temple of Sarenrae located in the Gravelands. Although he has the appearance of an intimidating warrior, Uirch is surprisingly easygoing. He is casual with others, even strangers, and carries an air of levity about him. Uirch is quick to focus and take a matter seriously when it’s called for. He is also happy to share advice to anyone who asks for it.
Khagrig Daybreak: Another orc born into the Burning Suns hold, Khagrig is now a member of the Knights of Lastwall. His focus is on the training and care of mounts for the Knights. He specifically favors large and unusual mounts, as much of his experience came with his time dealing with the beasts of Belkzen. While Khagrig is typically stoic, he opens up more when discussing the mounts he trains. Khagrig has plenty of experience dealing with undead directly and offers numerous combat strategies focused on exploiting the weaknesses of undead.
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In preparation for setting off, Leo focuses on repreparing some spells and learning one from Marta that he is particularly interested in.
Leo's last bit of preparation involves spending ten minutes repeating a lengthy incantation while seemingly tracing the outline of some sort of horse thing in the air. After his last tracing a figure solidifies-ish in the space. Standing as still as a statue is the figure of a horse. It is colored white and black, a bisection down the middle (length-wise) separating the colors. In the place of any sort of face is the holy symbol of the all seeing eye.
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Leo rides his odd Mount adjacent to Mahja during the first part of the trip.
"I've never been in a war before," he says nervously. "What should I do?"
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Eager to discuss the magical aspects of war. "That all depends on your mission. If you are on reconnaissance, magic that enhances stealth, perception, and knowledge are most useful. When fortifying a position, magical walls and spells that conjure supplies can be handy. In a fight... blast them straight into the grave. In any situation, be prepared to move."
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"Best be careful, spellcasters, you have to be careful with holding your breath, some of these zombies emit toxic fumes. So use your judgement if we encounter some of these smellier ones. Wights also abound, and consider dipping weapons or using poison spells. But either way, we have some unusual undead here to deal with."
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Astrid is delighted to find a fellow battle aficionado in the Burning Suns leader and travels with Mahja. During the journey she regales the orc with tales of her last large battle. "It's been a couple of years since I fought in anything larger than a skirmish. It was during that business with Urxehl up in Iobaria. So in order to stop a demon lord from being summoned...Waitaminute. This story is too good not to share." The shield maiden summons up occult energy which causes her voice to be heard throughout the army. She then proceeds to tell a wildly exaggerated tale involving scores of pathfinders and a pitched battle that culminates with her frightening a demon lord and causing him to flee back to hell.