Hey folks, this may (or may not) seem abrupt but I've given it some thought and I believe that it would be best for me to put this game on an indefinite hiatus. I certainly set out with the best of intentions for this game and was quite excited about it (and I still do really dig the AP's story), but found myself getting waylaid by RL stuff (mostly good, thankfully) which then snowballed...and here we are nearly a month out since my last in-game post. That's no way to tell a proper story and that's certainly no way to keep people engaged, either.
So my thought process is to put a pin in this for now and perhaps, hopefully, come back to it at a future time where life is calmer and I'm in a better position to give the game the time and attention it deserves. When and if that happens, I'll send out PMs to see who is interested in picking things back up - and if there's no interest, that would be more than understandable.
Desiring to be as efficient as possible, you opt to kill two birds with one stone and make your way back to the main road and further into towns towards Dawnstep Bridge. As before, all remains eerily quiet and there continues to be no sign of life...that is, until the bridge looms out of the fog, roughly 100 yards away. Blood smears the gray stone of Dawnstep Bridge, evidence of a recent fight. The flame of Willowshore's iconic stone lantern is - for the first time in memory - extinguished. A large humanoid figure sits on a throne made of stolen furniture heaped on the bridge. As he drinks from a brewing pot, several much smaller humanoids around him caper about, apparently mimicking and mocking death throes and reactions of recent victims.
You recognize the smaller humanoids as being more jinkin gremlins, like the two dead ones you found at the base of the eastern watchtower. The larger one, however...
Recall Knowledge - Large Humanoid (DC 18 Society):
This is a buso. Busos are tree-dwelling folk with a simmering desire to consume the flesh of others. They heavily supplement their food with leaves and root crops, possess significant knowledge of agriculture, and boast innate powers over plants and their growth. In regards to meat, however, busos reject the flesh of beasts; they instead consume other humanoids. Not only do they find the taste of other creatures repulsive, but their bodies reject non-humanoid meat since it provides them no nutritional value and consuming it leaves them sickened and weak.
Buso are fairly hardy creatures and possessed of a similarly strong will, but aren't exactly the most graceful of beings.
Saves from best to worst: Fort > Will > Reflex.
It looks like there's quite a large grouping here - probably 10 to 12 jinkins plus the humanoid on the throne - but luckily for all of you, their cavorting and other antics are loud enough that they have absolutely no idea that you're here.
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You may observe these guys from your current position, for now, without the need for any Stealth checks. If you observe for several minutes, it's possible that you could learn something useful. Otherwise...what do you do?
Since it's part of the Player's Guide, I presume that our characters know what's in the Kanka descriptions for the various locations? For instance the info about the lantern at the Dawnstep bridge. This comment was in no way meant to be a dig at Skaav's previous post (as I realized it could be construed to be after writing it.) Just checking with the GM that we would know that stuff without having to roll for it.
Yep! The information blurbs for map locations are things that all of your characters would know (or at least have the option to know). There's a fair bit of information *to* know since the adventure is centered on Willowshore and the region around it, hence setting up the Kanka portal to help everyone (including me) keep track of people, places, and things :)
Though you're concerned about the tracks, you're also painfully aware that continuing to carry Tatsuki's body around poses its own share of risks. Since you know his home is on the north side of the river, you know that you can either take the longer route of making the crossing at the Dawnstep Bridge or you could try to use the Willowshore Dam as an improvised bridge. Alternatively, you could try to find a rowboat but with most of the boating infrastructure located on the northern side of the river, you suspect that finding one on the southern side might prove a challenge.
I'm alive (and thankfully well) but have had a lot going on with work and family stuff lately. I've got to head to bed in a moment but I will catch up on things later tonight. Thank you for your patience and I apologize if I've made anyone worry.
Noting that there don't seem to be any signs of a struggle having happened here, Castor and Pollux step outside to look around while the rest of you set about laying Ren's body to rest. Looking around for some signs of what his beliefs might have been, Amila has no trouble identifying a small personal shrine to both Shizuru and Kofusachi located just off of the sleeping quarters. She offers up a simple prayer while Sneakerz and Petal see to making sure that his body is carefully placed in his bed, with a single rose placed in his folded hands. While none of these rites specifically invoke the Empress of Heaven or the Laughing God those inside the home feel a brief touch of warmth, as though you've stepped into a beam of sunlight. It fades as quickly as it came, but there's a lingering feeling of assurance that you've done what needed to be done.
Meanwhile, Castor and his eerie sibling search around the exterior of the home and the immediate vicinity to try and get any leads on where the other occupant might have gone. While Pollux isn't able to discern much of anything in all the fog, Castor does manage to find a single set of humanoid footprints leading away from the home and back up the path towards the main road. Though not as experienced with woodcraft as perhaps Skaav might be, Castor has observed enough to note that the tracks are spaced further apart than what is typical for a walking pace. Whoever the footprints belong to seems to have left the home in a hurry...
Though none of you know Skaav particularly well (and vice-versa), it's reassuring to have safety in numbers. Not wanting to burn anymore daylight, you proceed the last several paces to Ren's home. After taking a moment to try knocking, which garners no response, you carefully slide back the wooden door and step inside. The home is simple but clean, the floors covered with tatami mats and walls adorned with a few small, decorative scrolls.
As with the other homes you've passed, this one is also empty and devoid of life. A simple uneaten breakfast meal, laid out on a low table, is the only evidence indicator that anyone has been at the home in recent hours. You note that there are two place settings at the table, one surely meant for Ren and the other probably belonging to a wife or other family member who prepared the meal.
I'll give Puc-Lee (who I know has been out of town) and Castor a little more time to react to Skaav's arrival and then look to move things on either late tonight or tomorrow~
Amila senses that the footsteps belong not to the living, but to a restless spirit that seeks to frighten. But she isn’t afraid. She bids the rest of you to hold as the footsteps draw closer…and closer…and closer…then, just as the footsteps draw within a few feet of the group, she recites a mantra to instill courage and drive the spirit away.
The footsteps suddenly stop. In the silence, a whisper.
"Live for us. Thank you…"
And then, the presence fades away.
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Skaav:
Yesterday was a day much like any other in the forest you call home, spending your time hunting and trapping for meat and furs to trade in the nearby Willowshore market. Your efforts were fruitful and you bedded down for the night with the plan to head into town in the morning to trade your harvest for the things you need. While you were vaguely aware that some manner of festival was supposed to occur that day, you don’t really know the particulars and were quite happy to avoid the noise and the crowds such things tend to bring.
But as you opened your eyes this morning, you were immediately struck by the sense that something was different. The forest was unusually quiet and not long after you gathered your things and set off for town, a surprisingly thick fog settled over the area that has yet to dissipate. On their own, these things would’ve been odd and a bit unsettling, but likely nothing to worry about. However you were very quick to reconsider after arriving in town to find it seemingly deserted and showing signs of recent battle and unrest. Yet you didn’t hear a thing last night, and surely any hordes setting upon the town would’ve made enough noise to wake you.
Unsure of what to do, you’ve been slowly wandering around the outskirts of Willowshore in an effort to find someone, anyone, who might be able to explain what’s going on. Using the skills you’ve honed through hunting and less legal activities, you’ve managed to keep your bearings in the fog and also keep your movements more or less quiet. As you make your way through the forest outskirts near the Nine Ear Shrine, you pick up the sound of voices from the road up ahead...
Though none of you can pinpoint a source for the sounds, you ready yourselves for possible trouble just the same. Puc-Lee and Sneakerz carefully set the bodies they're carrying down on the ground and adopt readied stances while Sakura gathers power around herself. Castor sends Pollux out into the fog, back up the road; their shared connection allows him to see through the eidolon's eyes...but try as he might, Pollux doesn't see anything.
Meanwhile, Amila focuses her magic and 'pings' out into the immediate vicinity to see if she can discern anything. For a moment, she senses nothing. And then, as the footsteps continue to grow closer, she feels her magic 'ping' off of something that's coming towards the group...
Amila:
Based on the circumstances as well as the feeling you get when your mind 'pings' off of the approaching force, you suspect that you're dealing with a haunt with the ability to frighten those it targets. Someone trained in religious ritual might be able to ward it away or the spirit can likely be set to rest using knowledge of the occult.
I went ahead and rolled your RK: Occultism check for this, with the +2 bonus for Oddity Identification.
While some of you may be reluctant to depart Amila's home and the peaceful setting of the lodge - or as peaceful as can be expected under the circumstances - there is still work to be done and only so many hours of daylight to do it. You set back off towards the main road, bolstered by the nourishment you've received, and set off toward Ren's home.
Once more, you're struck by how eerily quiet and empty the town seems to be. There's no sign of anyone, yet as you make your way further into town you begin seeing evidence that some manner of battle took place here - overturned carts and stalls, slaughtered pack animals, burnt and scorched buildings, jumbled footprints, and splatters of old, dried blood.
On increasingly higher alert, you turn off the main road once more and continue down a smaller street, past the Nine Ear Shrine towards Ren's home. As you approach the small, modest house adorned with paper lanterns, you all feel a strange chill that compels you to pause for a moment. Yet from behind you, back the way you came, every one of you distinctly hear the crunching of footsteps and quickly turn to look.
^Yes, that would work just fine! As I mentioned when the others were making their characters, you're free to decide if you want to have any ties to local NPCs (friends, rivals, friendly rivals, occasional hunting/trapping partner, etc.) or if you'd rather play it by ear and see if such things develop as we go.
@OceanshieldwolPF 2.5 - Hello and thank you for checking out the game! There aren't a ton of modified rules in play but there are a few things that are spread through the Discussion thread that I'll post links to:
As far as myself as a GM goes, I try to be fairly laid-back and flexible when it comes to rules and rulings and I'm willing to entertain a fair bit if the reasoning and/or RP behind it is good. My pace tends to be on the slower side of things, partly due to life and partly because I don't like to rush the RP if everyone's having fun with it.
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@Everyone - You'll now notice that there's a link to Current Quests posted at the top of the campaign page. While I know it might sound a little 'meta' or 'video gamey', this should hopefully be useful in helping folks keep track of both the major and minor tasks you decide to take up during the course of the game :)
Though the strangeness of everything that's happened still weighs on your minds, each of you is able to find a small bit of respite in either the meal that Amila provides, the company of your fellow abductees, or both. Even Shadow Fang allows herself to relax a little bit, quietly partaking of a bowl of congee as she keeps one eye on the nearby forest. As you finish your meal and begin thinking of your next move, she finally speaks.
"From what Hai-er said, Ren's home isn't too far from here. We should stop there next."
With one eye still on the forest she continues, more quietly, "Carrying two bodies slows us down. And it's a danger if we're caught by something out there."
Yes, I decided to leave a lot of that up to the dice - if the Stealth rolls had been really bad or their Perception rolls really good then you would've had a fight on your hands. But since you decided to take an unorthodox approach then I also had no problem letting you guys pull it off without combat if the dice favored you :)
Okay, game is completed and chronicles have been sent out! As mentioned in the email, please let me know if any changes need to be made. Otherwise, I'll give things a day or two and then mark this campaign inactive.
Thank you again for your time and your patience and I hope everyone found some enjoyment in the game even with all the delays. I look forward to hopefully seeing everyone at other tables in the future, as a fellow player :)
After the briefest of deliberations you opt to pass on Darius' offer to stay at his shop and continue on your way...though not without some grumbling from Popcorn who still feels that the alchemist has gotten off way too lightly for his involvement in all of this. But it's also very late and you're all very tired; with the Shades now safely rescued, perhaps justice can wait until you've had some sleep.
The rest of the trip back home to the Verduran Forest is blessedly uneventful and everyone crashes hard, needing to make up for lost sleep. But your return hasn't gone unnoticed and by the time you wake the next day, word has spread of what you've done and you're greeted as heroes - not just by your fellow leshys but by the other creatures who call the forest home. Though you know that some degree of vigilance will always need to be maintained - after all, the safety of the woods lies on your shoulders - for now you're content to relax and enjoy a well-earned rest and celebration. In fact, Glimmer already seems to have the whole thing planned out and ready to go, which she's eager to explain in thorough and exhausting detail!
And the tale doesn't end there. Word soon reaches the forest that there's been a big uproar in some of the nearby settlements, which began as dispute over stolen floral arrangements and quickly escalated into a major scandal regarding the unlawful kidnapping and enslavement of sentient, sapient beings. While the fallout is still ongoing, it sounds as though the reputation of one of the nobles from Rosentry is in tatters and that the local alchemist of Petalbrook has been implicated as an accomplice. With Crystals and Candlewax now closed until further notice, the locals lament the lack of freshly-made candles but are hopeful that whoever steps in to fill that gap will stock scents other than jasmine...
Hey folks, I've spoken to UncleFroggy and they'll be bowing out of the campaign as it's not really been a good fit for them. I'll bot Shadow Fang as necessary for the time being until we reach a good point for the character to step out of the spotlight.
Now, that leaves the game with 5 players. I'm content to carry on with just the 5 of you but I'm also happy to look for a new 6th/take suggestions if there's someone out there you guys would like to invite to join us. Just let me know.
All goes according to plan and Rings is able to spirit the two kidnapped leshys out of the greenhouse without altering the leshy guards. With your recovered friends - and Darius - in tow, you beat a hasty retreat from the scene and from the town of Rosentry entirely. Though traveling into the night isn't ideal, you decide that it'd be best to put as much distance between yourselves and the Meliosa Estate as possible before morning comes and the absence of the lavender leshys are discovered. Thankfully the night sky is clear and the moon shines brightly down, providing just enough dim light that everyone is able to follow Rings as you head back down the road towards Petalbrook.
By the time your eclectic party once again finds itself on the doorstep of Crystals and Candlewax it's past the witching hour and your bodies are definitely feeling the strain of the very long day that you've had. "So, uh...I guess that's it, innit?" Darius whispers as he carefully unlocks the door to his shop/residence. "I mean, uh, you can rest here for the rest of the night if you want, but I figure you'd all feel more at home out in the woods..."
His voice trails off and he's clearly not really sure of what else to say. Both Summer and Willow Shade, long since freed from their jars, scowl and make ugly faces at their former kidnapper. There might even be a rude gesture or two mixed in there as well, though where they would've learned such things is anyone's guess! Though realistically, it's probably Glimmer's fault...
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And we're basically done! Just doing a little wrap-up RP to hopefully give things a satisfying conclusion :)
Rings manages to communicate to Willow that he needs to pipe down for the moment which the little leshy finally does, making a comical zipping gesture against his face to show that he understands. And with that brief scare past, Rings is able to make his way back to the open window without waking the four leshy guards.
After some quick discussion you decide on a course of action, with the first part of that being a stop at Amila's home to pick up some food and other supplies that might come in handy. You move along the road, passing the town's outermost fields and small homes, but all remains eerily quiet and there's no sign of anyone else out in the fog, friend or otherwise. After a short walk you reach a path that Amila knows quite well and that the rest of you are at least familiar with, which leads to the eastern section of the old Silvermist Lodges as well as Amila's home. You continue down this path, the only sounds being the crunching of your footsteps as you move.
You pass a few more small homes, noting that most of them look to have been left in a hurry - doors standing partially open, belongings hastily gathered, before you finally enter into a small clearing in the forest where a large wooden building of elven design stands. Though the original elves who founded the Silvermost Lodges have long since moved on, they left behind offspring and descendants who still call the lodges home to this day and make their living as hunters and trackers. Yet even this place seems empty and deserted.
Nearby, in the same clearing, is another, smaller building that serves as Amila's home. From the outside, everything looks to be just as she left it the previous evening...
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Willowshore map updated to reflect the party's current location. Also, @Amila - please feel free to describe your home or share a picture if you like. @Everyone Else - please also feel free to be thinking about what your homes might look like as well, since I imagine you'll eventually make your way around to each of them as you're able.
Darius does *not* look thrilled at the prospect of being bait but after the thrashing you gave him earlier, he clearly knows not to object. Instead, he simply gives a resigned nod and settles back with the rest of you to wait and see if Rings can sneak the two captive leshys out.
Rings eases his way over to the first of the two captives, noting that this one is Summer Shade once he's close enough to get a good look. He carefully picks up the bell jar containing the little leshy...and Summer doesn't even stir from her slumber. Seems like her ordeal has worn her out.
Next, he moves to collect Willow Shade. As he picks up the jar, the movement rouses Willow from his slumber. The lavender leshy stares blearily at Rings for a moment, confused. And then surprise and recognition dawns on his little face and he begins squeaking and gesticulating wildly from within the jar. Though the sounds are muffled by the glass, they are audible. Yet three of the leshy guards continue to sleep, blissfully unaware that anything is amiss. The fourth, which looks like an overgrown wisteria, sighs, shifts...and then continues to snore softly.
While at first Rings wasn't 100% sure, as you peer more closely at the mysterious leshys you realize that they're actually asleep as well! Clearly they weren't anticipating anyone breaking into the greenhouse when the manor itself would surely be a more attractive option to would-be thieves.
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So yes, they're currently asleep! That said, you'll need to make some Stealth checks if you want to try and sneak your kidnapped friends back out without waking them up - or you can still run with the Darius distraction plan if you'd rather hedge your bets.
"Oh, um...I think Ren lives just a few houses to the south of the Nine-Ear Shrine," Ha answers, giving Sneakerz a rather disconcerted look. "And Tatsuki's home is on the north side of the river, not too far from the Hand of Spring."
Before you move on, Ha takes a moment to climb up into the tower and back down again. She holds out a feather, its shaft dipped in gold and bearing a single rune, and a crossbow bolt. "Here, you're more likely to need these than I will. This is a ladder feather token and the bolt is a shining bolt. It's not much but if you're willing to try and check on my family then it's the least I can do. Please take care out there, okay?"
With that, Ha ascends the tower once more and takes up position with her crossbow, leaving you to press on through the fog and into town...
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Willowshore map has been updated with markers for Ren and Tatsuki's homes. Also, please let me know what you're choosing as your Exploration Activities as you move further into the town.
Rings motions for the rest of you - sans Darius obviously - to follow him through the window and then points out the missing leshys as well as what look to be four resting leshy guards. A whispered conversation ensues as to whether you should ambush the guards or try to simply sneak back out with Summer & Willow. Popcorn, feeling vindictive and mischievous, suggests utilizing Darius as a distraction...
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Reading along, just let me know what you guys decide ;)
Rings continues to take the lead and carefully lifts the window before climbing through. Though darkness envelops the world outside, this haven of glass and greenery pulses with an ethereal glow. Delicate blooms unfurl their petals, revealing hues of moonlit ivory and midnight amethyst while shadows dance and play upon the glass panes. The air is warm and humid, even at night, and filled with the scent of greenery and damp earth. There's even a small fountain, the flowing water providing a quiet but pleasant sound.
As he scans the greenhouse, two things catch his eye. First, he spots the missing Summer Shade and Willow Shade sitting within decorative glass bell jar displays. The pair look worn out - in fact, they're asleep within their prisons - but otherwise whole and unharmed. The second thing he notices is the presence of four other leshys stationed around the building, leshys that he's never seen before. They don't appear to have spotted him or the party. Yet.
"You don't remember the rhyme? They teach it to all the children...or at least they did when I was a child. Anyway, it goes like this..."
~Lazy Adou took a break, and
did not light the lamp that day.
This proved to be a big mistake, for
then the ghosts came out to play!
Hazy mist and moon of blood,
all because he just gave up~
"I thought it was just something the elders made up to keep children from getting up to mischief and blowing out the Eternal Lantern, but now...now I don't know," Ha explains, still casting uneasy glances here and there. "It might be worth checking out."
While none of you recalled the rhyme, you *do* know the Eternal Lantern. Located on the southern side of the Dawnstep Bridge and lit by three blessed copper coins, it was gifted to Willowshore many years ago by Master Zhi Hui. It's said that the light from this lantern protects Willowshore from all manners of evil and that it has never been extinguished for as long as anyone in town can remember.
"As for the sounds, there were screams and cries, some sounded human and others didn't. But I couldn't leave my post. I...I'm glad you understand," she says, giving Amila a small smile of thanks. "Go home, check on friends and family, make sure everyone is all right. That's what I would do if not for this fog. Pharasma bless us, I hope my daughter is okay. Even though I asked Granny Hu to babysit, I worry. And my husband... hopefully he's safe at the Matsuki estate right now. That place is nearly a fortress!"
Though still clearly unnerved, Ha takes a deep breath and puts on a brave face. "I'll stay here. Someone's got to watch out for any further danger and keep watch for Choe and anyone else that might be out on the road. If I see anything else strange, I'll ring the bell. And if I see Choe, I'll let him know that you're all okay and that you've been looking for him."
Rhyme about Lazy Adou? Are we supposed to know that one? Society or Willowshore Lore +7?
I actually already rolled for this earlier to see if anyone might think of it but no one hit the DC - but that's fine, because Ha is about to give you some exposition on it :)
A bit late, but glad you're feeling better Castor!
I took off from work for a much-needed staycation so I'm tentatively hoping to be more active here with the game this week. Once I finish my Fistful of Flowers game my plan is to have this game as my sole GM focus for the foreseeable future, aside from when my turn comes up in a couple of rotation groups I'm in.
With the lights dimmed, everyone does their best to follow Rings through the darkness towards the greenhouse. Darius, having no sort of nighttime vision at all, is forced to more or less either keep one hand on someone's shoulder or otherwise be haltingly nudged along. More than once he stumbles over his own feet or shuffles them loudly over the stone walkway that winds through the property. Still, even with all that, everyone manages to make it without causing a big ruckus. No lights suddenly flare in any windows, nor do you hear any unusual noise yourselves.
Now that you've drawn up close to the greenhouse, it's easier to tell that it's constructed almost entirely of glass and metalwork, both functional and ornate. After motioning for the rest of you to wait, Rings carefully approaches a door set in the western wall and very gently tries the handle...and finds it locked. He then moves to check the windows, finding that they too all seem to be locked...until he reaches a window on the southern side of the building and discovers that someone must've forgotten about this one. Rather than lift straight up the windows here are designed to open both upward and outward, likely to allow for fresh air while deflecting inclement weather. Rings thinks that everyone should be able to fit through, though - except for Darius.
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Think of something like this picture for basic building design and how the windows work.
Hey, things are thankfully okay but they've just been busy lately. That said, I took this week off from work for a staycation so I'm going to be getting caught up on all my games - including this one. Gameplay update to follow shortly, please stand by.
As Petal quickly rattles off four of the eight practices - with Amila and Sneakerz chiming in a fifth and sixth for extra credit - some of the tension leaves the woman's face and she slowly lowers her crossbow. Now that she can get a better look at the guard's face Amila recalls that her name is Hai-er Ha, though she doesn't know the woman personally.
Ha is quick to clamber down from the tower and it's clear that she's relieved to see you, though she continues to keep her crossbow ready. Now that she can also see you better, recognition dawns in her eyes. "Oh! That's right, you're last night's abductees. I'm sorry for my initial hostility, but...well, you can see that it's not without reason." She glances at the bodies of her fellow guards and shudders before quickly looking away.
"It was around midnight during our watch that those horrible little blue monsters came out of the woods to the south - and they had snakes with them! Snakes! Tatsuki and Ren managed to kill the monsters but then they...they died from the snakes' poison," she whispers. "I've been here alone since. I couldn't leave my post..."
She pauses and shakes her head. "No. That's not entirely it. The fact is, I was afraid. There's been strange sounds - screams, roars, and things I can't even describe - coming from town. But since dawn, it's been quiet. Too quiet. And then this fog...it's just like in that old rhyme about Lazy Adou!"
Pressing on, you follow the well-traveled road and leave the Spider Gate behind. After about a mile or so, the watchtower finally emerges from the depths of the fog - but something's wrong. The tang of blood fills the air and you see four bodies lying on the ground. Two belong to town guards, their legs swollen and expressions of pain frozen on their faces. The other two bodies appear to be tiny blue-gray humanoids with sharp teeth and giant ears, seemingly slain by sword blows.
Recall Knowledge - Nature (DC 15):
You recognize the two tiny humanoid bodies as jinkin gremlins. Fey creatures, jinkins are sadistic tinkers who steal and sabotage items and take great pride in their power to curse precious objects. They hold grudges and create convoluted plans for revenge whenever they feel slighted, such as when a creature dares to remove one of their curses. Rarely content to wreak simple mayhem, jinkins also take immense pleasure in torture and murder, though they prefer to lead victims into traps designed to capture or incapacitate rather than kill outright. Deep pits are favorites, since victims who survive the fall face a slow death from starvation and thirst. Jinkins enjoy gathering at the edge of pits to mock, tease, and torment.
Examine the Guards - Medicine (DC 13):
These guards succumbed to the bites of poisonous snakes, as you find several small puncture wounds on their legs.
"Halt!" cries a feminine voice from up at the top of the watchtower. You see a woman dressed in the uniform of the town guard peering down at you, crossbow loaded and ready. "Not a step further until you prove you aren't more of those foul things in disguise! Name four of the practices of the Season of Ghosts - and don't try anything funny!"
Living in Willowshore as all of you do, this is information that each of you know - at least in theory.
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The eight practices of the Season of Ghosts can be found in the Player's Guide for the adventure path and is considered common knowledge for anyone that lives here. Alternatively, you can also try to put her at ease with a Diplomacy check.
As Sneakerz and Amila set about rigging up a makeshift stand for the lantern, Puc-Lee examines the area for tracks. Unfortunately, he finds the ground much firmer here and isn't able to pick out any distinct tracks.
It doesn't take long for a rudimentary but serviceable lantern rest to materialize from Sneakerz and Amila's efforts and you've soon got it lit once more. The light it sheds doesn't pierce too deeply through the fog but the glow is a welcome sight just the same - hopefully it'll help if anyone else is out traveling the road today.
The strange disappearance of Ugly Cute is worrisome, but you also know that Willowshore's eastern watchtower stands only a mile further up the road and that surely one of the town guards stationed there will have more information about what's going on...
Those of you who are lifelong inhabitants of the region know that fog such as this isn't unheard of, even during summer. That said, usually fog tends to be heaviest in the predawn and early morning hours, eventually burning off and clearing as the sun rises in the sky. This seems the opposite, with the mists only just appearing a short while ago and growing denser as the minutes pass.
Sakura:
You happen to recall an old legend that claims that summer fog brings with it summer sickness, which is rather worrisome.
Eager to keeping moving, you continue on across the Duyue River bridge towards town. The thick fog continues persist however, restricting your vision. Thankfully you found the road back before it rolled in, else you realize you'd have had a much more difficult time finding your way back. Even more disconcerting is that the fog seems to play tricks on your eyes; each of you periodically catch glimpses of strange shapes moving and shifting about at the limits of your vision.
After a few more minutes of walking you approach the Spider Gate, which is considered to officially be the eastern entrance into Willowshore. However, something seems off as you draw closer. Normally a stone statue of a guardian spider stands at the gate, next to a small roadside shrine. But the statue is nowhere to be seen, the lantern once held in its fangs now lying extinguished on the grass.
Amila & Castor:
After the slaughter caused by an attempt to harvest the Tan Sugi, Willowshore's governor caved to the demand for a new lantern for the entrance of the village. While the original plan was for the carpenters of Willowshore to build a tori gate or Tian-shu gateway on which lanterns could be hung, a Lung Wa aristocrat offered a free stone guardian spider from his garden instead, since it no longer fit in with the garden’s decorations. Most Willowshorers thought the giant statue was the ugliest thing they'd ever seen when it arrived. Nevertheless, they assumed the statue housed a guardian spirit and respected it accordingly. In time, villagers accepted their unique entrance guardian, even calling it their “ugly but cute” mascot.
The stone spider known as “Ugly Cute” is the size of a horse and made of solid stone, which makes it unlikely that someone simply made off with it...
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Added a spoiler re: weather at the top of the campaign page. Mirage Mist condition is in effect.
Eager to get away from this place, you finally set out. Though still concerned about Choe, you know that the easiest way to reach the place you should have awoken in is to head back towards town along the road and cross the river.
As begin to move, Puc-Lee keeps his eyes peeled for tracks - and very quickly, his suspicions pay off. At the very edge of the clearing he spots a tangle of tracks, most of them humanoid in appearance. However, there are also strange indents in the dirt that are arranged in a manner that reminds the tengu of a spider. A very large spider. Following the tracks as you continue to move, it looks as though the humanoids that made them were moving through the forest and encountered something large and arachnid-like as they reached the clearing.
Continuing on, you follow the game trail you found and move steadily to the west, back towards Willowshore. A faint mist begins to roll in as you travel, having grown into a full-fledged fog by the time you finally step out of the forest and onto the road proper. Further up the road, looming through the fog, you see the Duyue River bridge - a welcome and familiar sight.
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Rings slips through the hedge and between the bars of the iron fence like a hot knife through butter, while Popcorn uses her long, viney arms to practically vault over the top. Bottlespeaker follows Popcorn's example and climbs up and over as well, with a little guidance from Twinsprout on how to proceed. Meanwhile, Fluff Fang tries to pick the lock on the gate to keep Darius from having to try climbing the fence or squeezing through - and likely making a lot of noise in the process. Unfortunately, the lock proves trickier than they'd initially expected and it ends up being easier to let Rings unlock the gate from the other side.
Slight difficulties with the lock aside, you've gotten everyone inside. In the dim light you can see that you currently stand in a well-kept garden with a large, open path that cuts down the center. Along the garden walls are patches of wildflowers that, while pretty in their own right, look quite foreign to this part of the world. You imagine that the center space is likely where Lady Constance plans to set up for her party tomorrow.
Just to the north, as Darius said, you see a building that looks to be constructed primarily of glass - this must be the greenhouse that Darius spoke of. The interior looks to be dark and from a distance, you can't make out any details on who or what, if anything, might be inside.
Having defeated the centipedes you're left with even more questions than before. Whatever caused the centipedes' aggression certainly isn't normal and Amila takes a moment to try and divine what it might be. Though she can't pin down any specific spell, she does determine that the centipedes seem to have been affected by some manner of enchantment and transmutation magics.
With such creatures wandering the woods, your thoughts quickly turn to Choe Chung-hu, who even now may be out searching for you. From what you remember of the previous evening, you should have awoken in the woods to the north of town - in an area Sneakerz might even call his own stomping groundz. How on earth did you end up where you are, all the way across the river to the east??
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Oh no, they were absolutely speaking Common. I just used a tool to make the text look all janky and f*$*ed up for that extra creepy factor - guess it worked a little too well! They were saying stuff like 'meat', 'bones', and 'warm, juicy meat' :D
Unnerved by the centipedes' strange behavior, Puc-Lee advances on the last one and cracks it soundly with his staff. Then, as Sneakerz moves to Shadow Fang and gently lays a skeletal hand on her shoulder to heal her wounds, Sakura conjures a tree of protection before proceeding to finish off the centipede with another blast of plant power. Amila, who had begun to gather mental force, now finds doing so unnecessary.
Combat Over!
As the sounds of combat end, silence returns to the forest clearing. Except now, after what you just experienced, the silence seems much more ominous than before...
Having taken care of Red, Petal stabs the branch in her hand into the ground and conjures a vine that strikes Blue with a fair amount of force! The centipede hisses and scuttles towards Shadow Fang, who happens to be the closest.
Blue bites into Shadow Fang's leg and enjoys the taste so much it tries for seconds! Luckily, she's able to dodge the second bite. Not so luckily, she feels a stinging, burning sensation from the first bite.
Shadow Fang takes 3 piercing damage and must make a DC 14 Fort or take 1d6 ⇒ 1 poison damage.
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Round 1/Round 2
Shadow Fang (-3; Pending DC 14 Fort)
Amila
Petal
Castor
>Pollux
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Blue (-3)
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Sneakerz
Puc-Lee
Re: poison - That's a good question and now that I've had time to do some further research, I think it does make sense to rule that monster poisons work under similar conditions. So in this case, a poisonous bite ends up having no effect because there's no damage (puncturing of the skin) happening - whereas if it were something like a contact poison, then a save would still be applicable since contact was made even if no damage was done.
Sooooo, I'll just retcon again and say that the poison thing doesn't happen, which means that Petal hasn't taken any damage at all :P
*edit* I'll try to start up a document for any particular rulings/House Rules that come up for everyone's reference, including my own!
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And in other news, Happy New Year! May this year be even better and brighter than the one before :)
Holiday busyness is over and though the post-holiday doldrums + work busyness has admittedly been getting me here lately, I think those are finally settling down as well. So hark! An update!
Sneakerz wrote:
I'm not sure you can use reactions before you've had your first turn, but some you can? Remastered book mentions is up to the GM.. so you're call. Otherwise he would use his champion reaction to protect the first person hit, aka Petal.
You'll see I allowed Sneakerz to use his reaction, though I wanted to bring the discussion over here. In doing a bit of thinking and a bit of research, I've found my views on Reactions and When They Can Happen to align with this post. So you heard these things approaching and therefore no one was surprised to find themselves in a battle. With a reminder that what's good for the goose is good for the gander, I'm willing to make a tentative House Rule that reactions may be used before your first turn comes up in combat if everyone is on board with it.
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In other news, I hope everyone had (or is having) a wonderful holiday/winter break/weekend/etc :)
Time blips and wobbles for a moment, as Sneakerz gazes upon Red and forces them to contemplate their actions as they move to bite Petal. While the creature persists in its course of action and bites down, this decision doesn't go unpunished as Red grows noticeably enfeebled!
(Petal takes no damage from the initial bite, but still needed to make the Fort save, which I'll resolve below.)
The strange creatures aren't the only ones eager for battle. Shadow Fang is quick to draw her rapier and maneuvers around to try and strike Red from behind, only to miss and nearly poke Petal in the eye.
Amila knows that these things are giant centipedes. Hunters and scavengers that live amid dung and detritus, centipedes are a relatively common and often reviled threat faced by adventurers. Scurrying about with surprising speed on the scores of legs attached to their long, segmented bodies, centipedes strike with poisoned mandibles to slow and torment their prey with a vicious toxin before they settle down to feed in slow and disgusting leisure. Thankfully, there aren't any special defenses to worry about when dealing with them.
Amila:
That said, these giant centipedes are acting quite strangely - and aren't normally capable of speech. You suspect they might be under the influence of foul spirits.
She then focuses on Red, using her magic to highlight a small weak spot in the centipede's chitin and then to give Petal a bit of a boost. And a boost might just be what's needed, as the poison begins to burn through the little sprite's veins!
Petal Poison Damage:1d6 ⇒ 2
But she also recognizes these things as giant centipedes and knows that such creatures tend to fare poorly against things that attack the mind. (Will saves are weakest.) But for now, she opts to fight back in a more practical way - she channels power into the plantlife, forming a club to pummel Red with...
*CRUNCH*
...and smashes the centipede into paste on the very first swing! Working as a team clearly pays off. (Petal can do something else with her last action.)
With Red now taken care of, Castor and Pollux turn their attention to nearby Purple. Castor uses his own magic to give his sibling a boost in power, which Pollux uses to cleave through Purple like a hot knife through butter! (Adjusted Pollux's movement to account for Red being down already).
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