Search Posts
The boggard looks at you with an expression of vague confusion. "You go?" he asks.
Erik also recalls hearing that there are several boggard tribes occupying the region known as the Hooktongue Slough, far to the west of your current location (and well outside the region you've been chartered to conquer). Ruled by priest-kings, the tribes are every bit as cruel and bloodthirsty as their species would suggest. If this one came from there, though, he is quite far from home.
"Right," the boggard says and mimics Dare's spread-hands gesture. Dare gets the sense that he doesn't really know what the word means, but is hoping for an agreeable outcome. Adela, with her healer's training, recognizes that the boggard's mangled hand is the result of having been crushed sometime in the past and healed poorly.
"Truce," the boggard calls out again. He steps out into the open and drops his hands. He scrunches up his face, as though trying to concentrate. "Me..." He gestures at the two buildings. "Me." He pats his chest to indicate himself. "You go." He points toward the woods in the direction you had already been heading. "Truce," he adds again. From an opening in one wall of the larger building-- one that no doubt once had a door-- a second head appears. This one resembles the boggard only inasmuch as a gorilla might resemble an elf; it has slimy purple skin and a face that looks like a squat toad with large tusks protruding from its lower jaw. Knowledge (arcana), DC 12:
This is a slurk, a carnivorous magical beast with the intellect of a small child. It croaks at you loudly. The boggard looks toward it and utters a series of his own croaking sounds. "ಒಳಗೆ ಹಿಂತಿರುಗಿ, ನಾನು ಇದನ್ನು ನಿಯಂತ್ರಣದಲ್ಲಿಟ್ಟುಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದೇನೆ." Sense Motive, DC 20:
The words may be a mystery to you, but the overall message is clear: the boggard is telling the creature to stand down.
The vines and growths prove too thick and stubborn for hands alone, forcing you to use various tools and weapons to cut them away. Curiously, the cutting edges of these tools seem to grow sharper with each use rather than duller, as though the plants themselves were acting as a sort of magical whetstone-- or some sort of boon from Erastil himself. Indeed, by the time the statue has been fully freed of the clinging vines, your weapons are more razor-sharp than you could possibly have made them yourselves.
It also becomes clear, after spending some time here, that the statue itself radiates a magical aura of protection. The local wildlife is prevented from approaching near , making the glade around the statue a good place to return to at night to rest.
GM dice:
* * * * *
The ground just east of the Skunk River further into the woods slumps away into a soggy mire. Trudging through the swampy area is a repulsive but necessary task, as the swamp stretches for several miles up and down the river. More than one boot gets stuck in the mud and must be pulled free, and even the least domesticated among you is looking forward to seeing the back of this area. A pair of ruined stone buildings jut from the soggy ground some distance away from the river, evidence, perhaps, of someone's attempt to defy nature and their own sorry lot. The larger of the two buildings is roughly square and thirty feet across; the smaller is barely half the size with one wall almost completely collapsed. "Truce!" a croaking voice calls out as you approach. Two frog-like hands appear from behind a collapsed portion of wall, followed by an even more frog-like head. One of the hands is a mangled and poorly-healed mess. "Truce!" it calls again. Knowledge (local), DC 12: This creature is a boggard, a swamp-dwelling amphibious humanoid. Boggards have a unique croaking language and are often gathered into primitive tribes.
With what can only be described as an annoyed last look, the will-o'-wisp retreats and disappears from sight. The rest of the night passes uneventfully. GM dice:
* * * * *
After spending two days in the open plains north of the Narlmarches, you reach what you're pretty sure is the edge of your chartered area, so there's nothing to be done but to head back into the forest. The edge of the trees is not far behind you when you find a 15-foot-tall statue of a stag-headed humanoid standing near the edge of the Narlmarches, partially overgrown at the base but towering above the surrounding shrubbery. This clearly ancient sentinel might once have overlooked a building of some sort; no traces of any other structures can be found nearby, but the statue remains. The statue can be easily recognized as a depiction of Erastil. You also notice that, while the statue is overgrown with vines and other creeping vegetation, it is strangely devoid of animal life-- no insects crawling on it, no bird droppings dirtying the stone, and no wildlife tracks within a 60-foot radius. Any worshippers of Erastil: Just like the temple after it had been cleansed, despite your hostile surroundings you feel oddly at peace in the vicinity of this statue, as though your deity is particularly close to you here. Clearly, this ancient statue still has Erastil's favor-- though it could use some tidying up.
Erik senses that, while the will-o'-wisp would no doubt eat you if you let it, it doesn't seem interested in attacking. In fact, it's not really watching you like a wolf, but more like a vulture. The blue ball winks into existence again (now visible to everyone), then winks out again and reappears near a different tree, never approaching very close. "No feeear? It shoulddd fear. Fear is ussseful out here. The staggg morsel uses it and grows stronnng."
The group decides to let sleeping dogs lie-- where 'dogs' here means giant carnivorous frogs, and 'sleeping' here means waiting for a chance to eat you-- and continues through the woods. GM dice:
* * * * *
The group emerges out of the northwestern edge of the forest again to find the open plains of the northern Greenbelt. The edge of the trees is a good place to make camp for the night before venturing out again on the morrow, so tents are raised and a campfire set. As the last rays of the sun disappear over the distant horizon and she beds down for the night, Yuki spots a glowing ball of pale blue light wink into existence between two trees. It stays for only a few seconds, then winks out again, only to reappear next to a tree somewhat closer. Then, it vanishes again. From seemingly empty space, a voice can be heard (by everyone) muttering to itself in a raspy, unhurried whisper: "Going the wrong waaay, these morsels. I can't feassst if they head that way. Nothing to finnnd them but the rockkks." Knowledge (dungeoneering), DC 16: This is a will-o'wisp, an intelligent and dangerous aberration known for luring victims to an untimely demise. Will-o'-wisps are said to be attracted to fear and death.
Rhiann knows a giant frog's sticky tongue is much longer than its body would suggest and it can pull creatures toward itself . It will often swallow its prey without caring overmuch whether the prey is dead yet , although she is confident everyone here is too big for it . GM dice:
Everyone gets into fighting position, and a heartbeat passes. Several heartbeats. A dozen. Just when you might start to wonder whether the frogs have lost interest, Adela, Rhiann, and Yuki spot two pairs of eyes poking up out of the water. They don't seem eager to charge after such a well-armed group so far from the water's edge, but they are very much aware of your presence.
Adela will use Detect magic and check that everything about the temple is now safe. Adela is confident this grove is no longer dangerous. Indeed, the place is quite sheltered and defensible from its surroundings, and there is an indefinable but undeniable aura about the grove that makes you feel safe and protected-- at least, as much as can be expected in the middle of a yet-untamed forest. The cave from which the man-bear emerged is large but empty, with only the single way in or out.
With Yuki's heritage finally known to all among the party, your adventure continues.
GM dice:
* * * * *
Several days later, you reach the source of the Skunk River to find two hot springs bubbling there, filling the surrounding area with the distinctive odor of rotten eggs-- perhaps giving the river its name. Were it not for the smell, the springs seem like quite a nice place to stop and relax. Adela and Erik spot two giant frogs lurking near the opposite bank of a large pond at the source of the river. As soon as they see you, they each jump into the water with a splash!, presumably heading in your direction.
Knowledge (nature), DC 11: Unlike their much smaller kin, giant frogs are aggressive and territorial.
I apologize, it's been a very rare level of busy for me the past few days. I should be able to move us along Wednesday.
Soooo this is an example of a storytelling trope called the Fantastical Mundane (and perhaps a mismatch in expectations), wherein something that would be strange and wonderful-- or frightening-- in the real world is considered commonplace in-universe. If you saw someone in real life wave their hands and vanish on the spot, it would break the laws of physics and possibly your brain; if your Pathfinder character saw the same thing they would think "oh great, that person is probably up to something." The playable races generally fall into this category, unless specified otherwise (I'm currently playing in a game where dwarves are said to have all gone extinct, so even a normal dwarf would be pretty amazing to see.) One interesting case, you might even say it's an exception that proves the rule, is anadis in PF2. They're basically kitsunes but for spiders instead of foxes, and they are typically shunned from "proper" society and forced to keep to their human forms pretty much all the time. But even then, they aren't shunned because they're shapeshifters-- they're shunned because spiders are icky. We certainly can say kitsunes are unusual to the point of being prejudiced against, but it might be more interesting to say they're shunned where Yuki in particular came from-- only for her to discover that her race isn't a big deal in most other places.
Erik knows kitsunes are a shapeshifting species known for both a love of art and a certain penchant for trickery (though usually not mean-spirited). Their true form resembles a were-fox, though some can also turn into a true fox indistinguishable from normal ones.
The body of the cursed bear shapeshifts into an incredibly old man, a look of contentment on his face as though death was a relief to him. Then the old man crumbles into a pile of dust, his final transformation complete.
The cool water tastes almost sweet on Rhiann's tongue. As it washes through her body it takes both the pain and the wounds with it. In only a few moments, the warrior woman is completely healed and revitalized.
Erik sees neither traps nor any explanation for how the strange bear-creature came to be here. Deepening the mystery even further, he also sees none of the normal signs of a bear having made its lair here-- no animal bones, no droppings. Indeed, with Rhiann's wounds now fully healed, the tracks left in the grass and the scratch marks on the pillars and rock face are the only evidence the creature was ever here at all.
The bear takes an unexpectedly fast barrage of weapon attacks and magical flames and quickly succumbs to its many wounds. But while a normal animal would whimper in pain, or try to run away, or perhaps even roar in defiance, in its last moments the bear gives an almost human sigh and seems almost relieved. Its dead body collapses on top of Rhiann, a crushing weight of fur and bulk-- but even as she pushes against it and fights for air, the body begins to shrink. The body of the cursed bear shapeshifts into an incredibly old man, a look of contentment on his face as though death was a relief to him. Then the old man crumbles into a pile of dust, his final transformation complete. The effect is not limited to the body. With the bear dead, the entire shrine becomes a more vibrant and peaceful place, as though this death had brought new life to it. The chipped and weathered stones seem to shine as though newly-polished, and the algae in the pool dissolves and vanishes. Indeed, the water is now more crystal-clear and refreshing-looking than you might have thought water could be. The edges of the pool glow softly with a faint golden light. Detect magic + Knowledge (arcana), DC 16:
Yuki, you still with us? Been about two weeks since we've heard from you.
* * * * * Fortunately for Rhiann, the bear doesn't have a long reach and must get within striking distance to attack her. Unfortunately for Rhiann, it does exactly that and rears up to swipe at her with a massive paw, seemingly heedless of the opening it has left its target.
With a practiced swipe, the bear pulls Rhiann in to smother her. ~~ Turn Order (Bold may act) ~~
[dice=crossbow + bless] 1d20 + 2 + 1;
The bear receives a sudden volley of painful hits from both near and far, including a small burn. ~~ Turn Order (Bold may act) ~~
Oh hey, I just noticed that as far as I can tell, I'm now your longest-running GM (at least in terms of time spent in this Gameplay thread). Score!
The strange bear rushes forward to attack the intruders. Unlike most foes, it seems equally dangerous from all sides even during such a headlong assault.
~~ Turn Order (Bold may act) ~~
GM dice:
When the second stone lands with a splash in the fetid water, a creature makes its appearance. It is, in fact, a bear, though its brown fur is mottled with algae-green. It sees Rhiann, now much closer to the shrine, and it stands and roars a second time. Visible on its chest is a stag symbol very similar to the one carved into the shrine, but one that has been warped; an angry mockery of the gentle animal depicted in stone. The bear makes no indication that it has noticed Erik, and starts to charge at the fighter!
~~ Turn Order (Bold may act) ~~
Adela is confident this isn't common for a shrine to Erastil. Erastil has no particular affinity for bears, and while the lack of upkeep to the shrine probably bothers him much less than it would most others, he (like any deity) would have more to lose by scaring sentient people away than he could ever hope to gain from the local fauna.
Nothing about the scene changes as you deliberate from a distance. The creature (or creatures) seems content to let you stay where you are for as long as you like.
The surface of the algae-covered pool ripples thickly when Rhiann's rock hits it with a splash, behaving in all ways as one might expect of an algae-covered pool. It doesn't take long for stillness to retake the stagnant water, clearly so unused to being disturbed. From the cave you hear a bestial roar. However, nothing pokes its head out of the depths. Knowledge (nature), DC 14:
You recognize this as the sound of a grizzly bear. Sense Motive, DC 15: You sense that the sound is more of a warning to stay away than a precursor to a battle.
GM dice:
Erik, searching the area, sees a great many bear tracks around the shrine. Whether it's one bear or many is unclear, but what he does not see are any tracks entering or leaving the area. Indeed, there is no sign that anyone or anything but you has come here from the outside in a long time. Surely even bears need to hunt... right? Adela sees no sign of movement in the cave, although from this distance nothing would be easy to spot.
The group returns to the now-abandoned bandit camp, crosses the bridge, and continues their journey to . GM dice:
* * * * *
A particularly thick tangle of brambles gives way into a small clearing in the woods, its border partially defined by large, weather-worn pillars. The western face of the clearing is dominated by a looming rock ridge that rises to a moss-topped height of 100 feet above the earth. The side of this towering boulder has been carved in the likeness of a massive elk, its antlers drooping down from its weathered face to frame a cave entrance 50 feet wide. A flight of stone steps leads up from the forest floor to the cave entrance. The immense elk carving, the stone pillars, and even the steps are clearly quite old and covered with moss. Between the pillars and the stone steps is a large pool, 50 feet long and roughly oval in shape, its stagnant water thick with algae. Knowledge (religion), DC 10:
This is a shrine to Erastil, or at least it was once. Though the god values nature, this site has allowed nature to overtake it through lack of maintenance.
Wellllll there's a big difference between what something costs and what it's worth. A treatment for muscular dystrophy costs quite a lot IRL-- but if you don't have that, is it worth anything at all? From Lista's description, this thing wouldn't have worked on anyone else. Obviously that theory went untested, but if true, what would it have been worth to anyone but you?
You lay Dare to rest and head back out from Oleg's, one party member fewer, to continue the business of fulfilling your charter.
* * * * *
~~Two Weeks Later~~ You return to Oleg's after a stretch of mostly-fruitless adventuring to find a sealed letter waiting with Svetlana, along with a small package wrapped in brown paper. The letter reads: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Good Adela, I'm so grateful to you for sending me the sad news. Enclosed in this package is a small vial that, I have been assured, will return Dare's life to her if anything remains of her body. Please do not try to use it on anyone else-- her name and likeness (as best I can remember them) have been infused into it, so it won't work. It is my hope that this is enough of a safeguard to ensure the vial reaches her. Dare, if you can read this, I'm ever so happy I was able to repay the debt I owed you: one life spared for another. Please do pay me a visit whenever you can, however long that may be-- although I'm sure I will still be doing extra duties to pay this off. Your servant, Lista Harbron ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The package contains a small potion vial that glows a brilliant celestial gold. You set to the rather undignified task of exhuming Dare's body--which is well into advanced decomposition-- from its resting place, and pour the small potion's contents into what remains of her mouth. Immediately Dare's flesh regrows itself before your eyes, and her body fills out to its previous size and shape. She takes a raspy breath inward, and opens her eyes.
Yea I kinda figured posting will be low for the next week or two. Enjoy your holidays everyone!
Wrapping up Dare's body for transport is a somber task but a necessary one, having decided that it's better to bury her near Oleg's than in an unoccupied region of wilderness, where she's likely to be lost and forgotten. You all make the slow journey back to the trading post, the reality of your charter weighing heavily on your shoulders. The miles between you and the trading post seem somehow much longer than they did before, and although each of you deals with the grief in your own way, the trip is a much quieter one.
GM dice:
* * * * *
As the new month begins, you return to Oleg's with heavy hearts and minds. Svetlana is particularly saddened at the loss; Oleg simply gives the body a long look followed by a nod of respect and a grunt. "This letter came while you were away," Svetlana says, her eyes brimming with tears. She holds out a sealed envelope. In the center of the envelope, printed in neat letters, are the words: Dare Ashborn "I don't know who it's from, the courier didn't say. I, um... think she would want to know what it says." You break the seal and, realizing quickly that it's a personal letter, read it out loud to Dare's body. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My dear friend, How are you? I hope this letter doesn't take TOO long to reach you, being where you are and where I am. My information may be embarrassingly out-of-date by the time you read this-- so sorry! I can truly never thank you enough for your bravery at the Redeeming Light. I hope you don't hold it against me that in the aftermath of the incident, I left New Stetven as quickly as I could. I knew you were being blamed for it, but I was just so afraid, and I was young and alone and helpless. I found passage to Absalom, where I've been staying ever since. Last year I managed to get myself taken in as an acolyte at the temple of Sarenrae. It's hard work, but the food is better here than any orphanage I've been to and I never have to worry about a bed or what might happen at night. And guess what-- I'm actually learning magic! Just like you! I've only managed a few simple spells, but the abbess says it means I could even be a CLERIC one day. I was SO happy to hear you'd been granted a charter to go out and explore! I think it suits you. You've always wanted to do right by those around you-- don't I know too well!-- but you also seemed to like the untethered life. Goddess grant that it will be everything you wanted the assignment to be! Please write back as soon as you can. Rumor has it the Stolen Lands are teeming with bandits-- I am praying for your safety. May we meet again someday so I can thank you properly. Forever yours, Lista Harbron ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We can assume you take her body back to Oleg's for burial rather than burying her in the middle of nowhere. But yes, I think it's reasonable that bringing her back may not even enter your minds at this level and in this circumstance.
A desperate shot goes wide from Yuki, and another from Erik does the same. Adela squeezes the trigger of her crossbow, the bolt glances off the creature's head-portion at an unexpected angle, and with a final wood-creaking moan, the shambler teeters to one side before crashing to the ground.
Untangling Dare's body from the now-inert vines is a somewhat arduous task but a manageable one. With the threat abated, you can see the glint of metal hidden within the shambler's body-- no doubt leftovers from past meals. Digging through the earthy-smelling leaves and compost, you discover: a +1 light steel shield, a masterwork scimitar, and two non-identical potion bottles.
Spellcraft, DC 11:
Spellcraft, DC 11:
Been thinking about this, and if there's a TPK I think we should all decide how we move forward. Not right now, and you can always change your mind, but there are a few options. 1) At least for right now, the adventure could pretty easily be continued with different characters-- "Well the previously chartered group all got slaughtered, so here's a new group that's been given the same charter, good luck." Another interesting way to slot in new characters would be having you all come out of the Stag Lord's bandits; maybe you decide to break good and finish the job, then go get a charter retroactively. 2) Resurrecting the same characters is always doable, although I may work with each of you to come up with a way of explaining it in-universe. 3) Depending on the exact circumstances of the TPK, some third option may present itself. If it's another big monster like the shambler, maybe one of you wakes up to discover the party has been taken to its lair, and you have to revive the others and get yourselves out. If it's NPC's, maybe they bring you back for some nefarious scheme and now you have to defeat them but from your back foot. Or something. 4) It doesn't even have to be unanimous, so some combination thereof. Yuki said she doesn't mind rolling up a new character and Dare strongly prefers not to, so maybe at least one of you is new and at least one of you gets brought back. Et cetera. The final option would of course be to simply stop playing, and if someone does decide that then I'm happy to have spent time with you. Regardless, it's worth thinking about what you personally would prefer.
* * * * * Now badly injured and hoping to preserve its own life as well as the meal it had secured, the shambler wraps Dare's body in vines once again and hobbles toward the relative safety of the trees.
~~ Turn Order (Bold may act) ~~
My advice to you all is: Stay the course. You're actually doing really well against it. Erik's tactic is sound-- your enemy is slow, certainly slower than most of you, making it perfect for kiting (hitting it from a distance while moving to stay out of reach). At the same time, Rhiann having a reach weapon has worked out great for her (and by extension all of you), giving her some free attacks and letting her swing without provoking any attacks herself. And remember Rhiann: the enemy is no faster than you are, so if you forego your attack and double move to get out of reach, it has to forego its attacks and double move to get back to you-- while all your allies get to make attacks of their own. This is what it means to be a successful tank! In Pathfinder, 1 hit point is no different than all of them, at least in terms of the actions you or an enemy can take. So it can feel like you aren't making any progress and cause frustration in a tough battle like this one. But you are! Without giving too much away, it's well below half HP and at this rate won't last much longer. Keep going!
The monster, knowing it has only a buffet of bad options against so many well-armed and fast-moving enemies, moves in to protect its meal.
GM stuff:
~~ Turn Order (Bold may act) ~~
[dice=Crossbow] 1d20 + 2
* * * * * The monster, seeing that it can't hope to catch up to Erik-- who is, at all events, retreating from its meal-- quickly enough, turns in frustration and runs toward the target that's closest to the body: Rhiann!
~~ Turn Order (Bold may act) ~~
* * * * * Under a continued barrage of bolts and arrows, the monster roars in frustration, drops Dare's body again, and charges toward Erik! Its wounds, however, do appear to be (slowly) adding up.
~~ Turn Order (Bold may act) ~~
You just never know... I've seen (and even been in) a party that took down a CR +4 monster with very little difficulty, even though it's supposed to be an extreme challenge. This one definitely seems to be the expected level of challenge though. I love the tactical thinking!
Yuki gets as much distance as she can, before reloading her crossbow again When Yuki turns and runs, the shambler sees an opening and takes it!
* * * * * The shambler, wise enough to know when it's being toyed with, returns to Dare's body and wraps it with vines. The creature doesn't seem bothered by its injuries, which in any case are not extensive. ~~ Turn Order (Bold may act) ~~
[ooc]Party is up![/ooc]
* * * * * The monster drops the seemingly-unconscious Rhiann, uninterested in securing more than one meal at a time. Having just taken a nasty crossbow bolt from the seemingly-elven girl, it rushes toward Yuki.
~~ Turn Order (Bold may act) ~~
The shambler, now under attack, drops its meal and goes after Rhiann. One giant appendage shoves straight at her chest, and the other grabs for her weapon-- it may not be winning debates anytime soon, but it knows what an ouchy-stick is.
The vines immediately wrap around Rhiann's body and begin crushing her. The force of the blow and the air being squeezed from her lungs plunge her into unconsciousness.
~~ Turn Order (Bold may act) ~~
|