Serpent's Skull [Racing to Ruin] (IC)

[lostsole31]

https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/059d8089-764a-4034-a2e4-4fe08cf89b83/de9bgsa-9c274b5a-9db0-4f03-a69c-fbdd27adaf88.png/v1/fill/w_1024,h_1168,q_80,strp/racing_to_ruin_front_cover_by_lostsole31_de9bgsa-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI 1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjphcHA6 Iiwib2JqIjpbW3siaGVpZ2h0IjoiPD0xMTY4IiwicGF0aCI6Il wvZlwvMDU5ZDgwODktNzY0YS00MDM0LWEyZTQtNGZlMDhjZjg5 YjgzXC9kZTliZ3NhLTljMjc0YjVhLTlkYjAtNGYwMy1hNjljLW ZiZGQyN2FkYWY4OC5wbmciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0s ImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl 19.mbnXjw6VV_64B4zteEYQBqnSAJeV5ARkdhH914Jm40o



DRAMATIS PERSONAE



Character
[Player]

Speech Color
AL

Race [Ethnicity]
(Gender ID)

Side #1

Side #2

Campaign Trait
Totem Animal


Aronnahar (Aron) Zyianthus
[NPC]

Teal

N
Wishtouched Half-Elf
[Taldan] (f)
Bard 6/
LA 1
Oracle (Lunar) 7
[Seer]
Boarded in Bloodcove
[Mwangi Expanse]
Zebra
[Equines]


Clarence T. (Book) Booker
[Buck Godot]

Saddle Brown

NG
Fortune-Blessed Human
[Taldan] (m)
Rogue [Contender] 5/
Pathfinder Delver 2
Swashbuckler 6
[Picaroon]/
LA 1
Mwangi Scholar
None


Fronaldo Claudex
[Blackhawk101]

Dark Orange

LN
Goblin (m)
Alchemist 7
[Eldritch Poisoner]
Rogue 7
[Knife Master]
Boarded in Cheliax
Korir River Gorilla
[Simians]


Gelik Aberwhinge
[NPC]

Golden Rod

CN
Gnome (m)
Bard 7
[Wit]
Nexus 5/
Pathfinder Chronicler 2
Boarded in Varisia
Hippopotamus
[Large Mammals]


Xhanfaerd
[Silphael]

Green

CG
Ekujae Half-Elf
[Wildborn] (m)
Arcanist 6
[Magaambyan Initiate]
Zealot 6
[Discordant Crusader]
Mwangi Scholar
Gerrhosaurus
[Reptilians]

[lostsole31]

ARODUS (LATE SUMMER), 4710 AR .... When everything that led to current events was set in motion)

The Sargavan merchant vessel Jenivere was one of many that make the yearly voyage along the western coasts of Avistan and northern Garund. Its trade route ran from the Sargavan capital city of Eleder all the way up to Magnimar in Varisia, and then back south again. The trip was 3,400 miles long and took just over a hundred days one way. Yet despite its length and sometimes dangerous peril, it was also a trip filled with opportunity for profit. The Jenivere’s ports of call included (from north to south) Magnimar, Kintargo, Pezzack, Corentyn, Ilizmagorti, Ollo, Quent, Port Peril, Bloodcove, Senghor, and finally Eleder—it was at these cities that the Aron's previous fellows boarded the ship, with Aron herself having boarded in Bloodcove of the Mwangi Expanse.

One of the Jenivere’s passengers appeared to be a plain-looking Varisian scholar named Ieana. Although friendly enough, Ieana mostly kept to herself, and whispers among the crew variously claimed that she was really a Chelish agent, the actual owner of the Jenivere, or even Captain Alizandru Kovack’s secret lover. None of these were true, but Ieana was indeed far more than she appeared—she was in fact a disguised serpentfolk cleric of Ydersius named. (In the final battle, Aron thinks "Ieana" referred to herself as "Yarzoth," but isn't sure if that was a moniker for herself or something else in the creature's snake-language, and so that is how Aron refers to that entity since.)

As the voyage progressed, Yarzoth kept to herself and maintained her disguise. Her talent at deception and her periodic and subtle use of suggestion on the ship’s captain and crew likely ensured that no one on board suspected the actual truth. As the Jenivere began the final stage of her journey across Desperation Bay, Yarzoth made her move. She used dominate person to enthrall Captain Kovack and thus ensured that the ship’s course veered slightly off its intended route, sending it many miles off course into waters known for their dangerous currents, piracy, monsters, and worse. The Jenivere was now on a collision course with the notorious island known as Smuggler’s Shiv.

With the crew growing increasingly suspicious of the unusual course, Yarzoth knew she had to take drastic action if she was going to reach Smuggler’s Shiv before a mutiny occurred. So, the night before the ship’s fateful encounter with the island’s northern shore, she slipped into the ship’s galley, murdered the cook, and used multiple vials of oil of taggit to poison the evening’s meal (excluding the already-dominated captain and the first mate Alton Devers, whom she dominated just before she murdered the cook). After hiding the cook’s body and disguising herself as him, she saw to the delivery of the poisoned meal to passengers and crew. Yet soon thereafter, with the majority of the ship (including Aron and her sister Erin) unconscious from the poisoning, Yarzoth’s plans finally began to unravel.

First, with so many of the ship’s crew unable to aid in manning the ship, the Jenivere was quickly snatched up by the notorious currents. Held fast in these currents and hurtling for the sharp rocks of the isle’s northern shore, the first mate accomplished something the captain could not—he managed to overcome the domination (when ordered by the captain to aid in the approach to the dangerous shore) and confronted the captain, accusing him of madness and demanding that he turn away from his disastrous course. Captain Kovack didn’t take well to the insubordination and, with some mental urging from Yarzoth, attacked Alton. The resulting battle was furious, but before the captain could kill his mate, the Jenivere struck Smuggler’s Shiv. The ship lurched as it impaled itself and split in half upon the sharp rocks, sending both Captain Kovack and Yarzoth plummeting into the surf.

Still on board the doomed ship, the wounded first mate’s concern shifted to the safety of the ship’s passengers. The ship’s crew, being housed on a lower deck, had drowned in the wreck, but her passengers yet lived. With a heroic effort, he managed to drag the passengers into the Jenivere’s lifeboat and made several trips to a nearby beach to off load the survivors. Alton then returned to the ship to make a last attempt to gather supplies, but here his luck finally ran out, for a horrific beast—a sea scorpion—had been washed onto the deck. The creature stung him several times, and although Alton managed to take shelter in a small supply room, he soon perished from the venom, leaving the passengers and a few others alone on Desperation Bay’s most notorious shore.

[lostsole31]

ROVA 4710 (Beginning of Autumn) ...

The survivors of the wreck of the Jenivere slowly die off for several reasons ... madness (via running off into the jungle's of Smuggler's Shiv, never to be seen again), disease, and cannibals. The remains of what Aron considered the "core group" of survivors that were the bravest finally broke the power of the Thrunefang tribe of cannibals. Towards the end, they cornered Ieana/ Yarzoth in hidden ruins of a place called the Temple of Zura (the apparent reason for Yarzoth's engineering the Jenivere in the first place) and kill her, though her body wasn't found as she fell into a pit. Meanwhile, they found one of their missing former castaways, Aerys Mavato, a woman with a secret talent for fiction writing.

The remaining survivors rebuild just enough of an attempted Chelish lighthouse, taking control of it from more Thrunefangs (who were the descendants of the original Chelish sailors that became debased) and managed to light its beacon, discovered an ancient Azlanti temple and defeateed Yarzoth, and all that was left to do was only to wait for rescue. And the defeat of Yarzoth gave clues to a place called Tazion, a set of ruins in the Screaming Jungle of the Mwangi Expanse that itself supposedly had clues to a lost Azlanti city named Saventh-Yhi.

The rescue ship that finally comes is a whaling vessel bound for Eleder, the Red Gull, captained by Aulek Tegerten. They send longboats to the shore and pick up not only the survivors, but also another friend of theirs they made on the island .... one Pezock, a crazed tengu sailor that had originally sailed with what seems from his descriptions to have been Mantis cultists.

It actually took some time for the party to sort through Yarzoth's notes, and included a significant amount of time in a library once they got to Eleder, the capital of Sargava, the recently independent country that was once a vassal state for Cheliax before the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune took power in the empire to the north.

But split loyalties and the party being observed was all that was needed for multiple factions to recognize what the party had stumbled onto.

Aron and Gelik (the latter having been a disgraced Pathfinder himself), gave information to the Pathfinders.

Stephan Brauer, Erin (who may have had a crush on Stephan), a Shoanti ranger named Ankarum, a former legal clerk named Jask Derindi, and an elven "Calistrian paladin" named Lalarlia made sure the government of Sargava knew about the clues leading to Tazion (and from there, supposedly, Saventh-Yhi).

Pezock tried to curry favor with the cultists of the Red Mantis. They took the information he had, but rebuffed him from serving as Pezock (a former slave) was not really a believer. Pezock joined forces with Aerys Mavato and the two of them instead went to the Free Captains and found a place with them.

[lostsole31]

Late Rova to Lamashan, 4710 AR...

It was the Sargavan Faction's (and Aron's previous companion) LT(jg) Stephan Brauer who was the key to deciphering Yarzoth's notes, as he was the only one in the group that spoke and read Aklo, having worked for about a week to decipher the script (with Gelik as his scribe and amanuensis, who in turn got a copy of the translation to the Pathfinders), though Gelik put in more time at Eleder's Colonial Archives for cross-archival research, finding a mention of an existing Azlanti ruins in the Mwangi Expanse.

Once deciphered and researched by the team of Aberwhinge and Brauer, Yarzoth’s notes proved quite complete. They detailed the Zura cult’s birth in the fabled city of Saventh-Yhi, their exile to Smuggler’s Shiv, and their planned return to the lost city. According to the notes, however, Saventh-Yhi was hidden behind powerful magical wards, preventing the banished cultists from simply returning home. Instead, they planned to journey to a smaller Azlanti outpost called Tazion, wherein they could use something called “the pillars of light” to finally make their way into Saventh-Yhi.

Thus, while the notes did not reveal the location of Saventh-Yhi itself, they did accurately describe the site of Tazion, placing the latter in the southernmost reaches of the Mwangi Jungle, north of the Bandu Hills, between the Upper Korir and Ocota Rivers.

But, as described before and for various reasons, the translation to Tazion was quickly released into the "wilds" of Eleder and many factions began preparing expeditions of their own - the Aspis Consortium, the Free Captains of the Shackles, the Pathfinder Society, cultists of the Red mantis, and the Sargavan Government itself.

PATHFINDER SOCIETY

The Pathfinder Society seeks Saventh-Yhi for the same reason they explore any other ancient ruin—for the lost knowledge it contains, not to mention the historical artifacts and rumored wealth that can be recovered from the fabled city. In addition, with the recent loss of their lodge in the city of Kalabuto, the Decemvirate is eager to expand their influence in the region, and Saventh-Yhi might just make a good site for a new Pathfinder Lodge.

Faction Leader: The Society has placed a skilled Pathfinder, Amivor Glaur, in charge of their expedition. A veteran of several expeditions into the Mwangi interior, Amivor is skilled at organizing and leading such missions, as well as appraising and exploring historical sites.

Rival Faction: The Pathfinder Society has long been at odds with the Aspis Consortium, and seeks to limit the trade syndicate’s influence here in Garund as elsewhere on Golarion.

Ally: Aronnahar (Aron) Zyianthus and Gelik Aberwhinge, two minor celebrities now for their returning knowledge of Tazion and Saventh-Yhi, worked with Amivor to contact and put together a team for a vanguard with Aron in nominal lead, but with a more democratic approach to vanguard leadership. Once Amivor Glaur's larger contingent of Pathfinders catches up to the vanguard (i.e., the PCs), he will take charge of camp organization and any inter-party disputes, but will primarily serve in an administrative capacity as an on-the-road venture captain.

Special: After establishing a base camp in Saventh-Yhi, the Pathfinders will assist the PCs’ explorations of the city using the Society’s knowledge and expertise in exploring ancient sites.

[lostsole31]

Late Lamashan, 4710 AR...

During this time, there was a revolt of a separatist group of natives who use more terrorist-style tactics than attempting peaceful interactions with colonists. They are called the Freemen insurgents who killed people at a whaling company before they were beaten and their leader killed by Aron, her sister, and their friends in the Sargavan Faction. They tried to peacefully de-escalate, but it was to no avail. Because of the Freemen's harsh methods, even against their own, none of the colonists that stopped the insurgency were blamed by more moderate locals (who have made far more inroads with diplomacy).

This could be written off it weren't for the fact that all five factions were wanting to court The Tempest - a local hermit - for his expertise. As a Bonuwat (ethnicity of Mwangi, tending towards seafaring and living along the coasts) Gozran who had traveled out west as a younger man, all were trying to curry his favor, but because of the Sargavan Faction's actions in stopping the excess bloodshed of the Freeman's Revolt, The Tempest offered them an audience. Even though Aron helped put down the revolt, she was the only non-Sargavan Faction member, so she was not invited. This cemented Aronnahar's decision to leave her sister with Stephan Brauer and redouble her loyalty with the Pathfinders.

Erin did tell her sister what happened, though. Something to do with gathering a rare feather from a nest, and then The Tempest performed some Gozran ritual wherein the party learned of their totem animals. The Tempest decided to go with the Sargavan Faction to find Tazion as an "outside consultant." There are rumors that two other factions attempted assassinations against him to deny Sargava their new resource in The Tempest's knowledge.

Finally, on Moonday, 25 Lamashan 4710 AR, the Pathfinder Society vanguard left Eleder, the capital of the former Chelish colony of Sargava.

[lostsole31]

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[The above is a rough look at what the Pathfinder Society vanguard did in heading to Tazion.]
Eleder, Capital City of Sargava (pop. 8900) was the place from which you left.

C) Marks the site of the Fzumi Salt Mine. There were signs of recent habitation by one or two persons, and some possible spoor from smaller predator lizards known as "dinosaurs."

E) A village was suffering from predations by some type of spirit-creature. It seems that the Sargavan Faction's vanguard - has gotten past you at some point. They stopped the "chemosit," freeing the village.

F) A large corpse belonging to what is called an "ankheg" is here, having been killed by a combination of weapons and spells. There is a large amount of "other blood" here as well, enough that possibly whatever the ankheg fought - assuming human-sized - lost enough blood to have been killed.

H) Gallows Tree seen as you approach Kalabuto. A tall and leafless boab tree stands alone in a clearing, its wood burnt black. A circle of tiny bones surrounds the tree. Over a dozen human bodies hang from the branches, making grisly silhouettes against the blue sky. More bodies lie on the ground at the base of the tree, frayed ropes still around their necks. A circle of tiny bones surrounds the tree. This tree shows the scars of a country at war. Mzali warriors have hung the bodies of several Sargavans high in the tree’s branches. The Mzali create these gruesome trees to instill terror in their neighbors. There are even signs that some of the tree's former "occupants" became undead but were destroyed. Because of the hideous damage done here, it is unknown at this point if the Sargavan Faction met their end here. This horrifies Aron, whose sister Erin is with that group.

Kalabuto (pop 11,340): The largest city of Sargava, and also the last vestige of "civilization" (read: colonialism) to the east as Sargavas unwritten borders effectively end here. Aron learns that while the Sargavan vanguard did make it to Kalabuto (the Gallows Tree was from earlier), she had a right to feel terror. It seems that her sister Erinelia was killed by the ankheg (and it was her gore soakage noted previously), but her body was reverently carried here - given gentle repose by the party cleric - so that Aron could then take care of the body.

The Pathfinders (you, plural) end up spending two-and-a-half days in Kalabuto to respect Aron while she made whatever arrangements were needed to send her sister's body onwards to Eleder with instructions. You know that this will set you back, but Gelik reminds people that getting to Tazion first isn't enough ..... that success will be measured by a group's ability to divine what is needed to find Saveth-Yhi ... and Gelik has a feeling that two paladins, a Shoanti, a former legal clerk, a Gozran holy man, and a small squad of soldiers aren't going to have a damn clue how to do that. In fact, though he doesn't say this to Aron (just the rest of you), the loss of Erinelea Zyianthus just might be a crippling factor to the Sargavan vanguard of really doing more than showing off their ability to orienteer. In addition, intelligence from a contact states that there was a falling out and that the Shoanti man has quit their party.

L) Leaving Kalabuto, the PCs follow the River of Lost Tears to a huge freshwater lake, the Lake of Vanished Armies. Here at the Sargavan border with the Mwangi Expanse, dozens of tribal settlements line the muddy banks of both the river and the lake. Locals earn meager livings catching mud crabs and turtles, making mud bricks, and growing rice, hippo grass, and other native grains. The soft, shallow banks make it difficult to land larger craft, though the tribesfolk typically pole rafts out to passing vessels heading to Kalabuto or elsewhere, hoping to barter their foodstuffs for worked metal, crafted technologies, and other such materials. The settlements are small, consisting only of collections of mud-daub shacks, and they lack such amenities as shops and inns. Still, outsiders quickly discover that these friendly folk are eager to accommodate travelers in their homes, and offer them all sorts of gifts ranging from exotic foods to mystic drugs, and occasionally their companionship.

M) Under the rule of the Child-God Walkena, the people of the city-state of Mzali despise colonial Sargava, and have on several occasions attempted to raze Kalabuto. But Mzali doesn’t limit its attacks solely to Sargava—it wages war against all foreigners. Walkena’s warbands constantly scour the borders between Sargava and the Expanse, brutally putting any non-Mwangi or foreign sympathizers to the blade, hanging them from “gallows trees” (see area H), or skinning their victims alive.

Soon after leaving the Lake of Vanished Armies, the PCs encounter four dead Mzali warriors at the junction of the Pasuango and Korir Rivers, having been killed by Sargavan crossbows and other weaponry - the Sargavan faction, still ahead of you.

O) The trees grow broader and taller here, their gnarled branches rising to a tangled canopy that blots out the sun. Digging into their roots, giant, parasitic corpse-flowers blossom across the forest floor. Littering the banks of the river are several humanoid corpses, their armor and bodies ripped apart as if by large claws. Some distance away is also the body of a dire ape that was killed several days ago. The body, upon inspection, were likely some of the members of the vanguard belonging to the Free Captains. Pezock's and Aerys Mavato's body is not among them. It is unknown if enough of the Free Captain exist to continue their mission, or if Pezock, Mavato, and any other survivors ran off or not.

P) At this point along the river, the PCs notice snapped saplings and torn brush, evidence that something large has passed through the jungle. They find the tracks of a barefoot humanoid and a larger set of clawed humanoid prints with a stride twice as long as that of a human. The trail leads deeper into the jungle to a small clearing where a boar carcass lies splayed open on a boab tree, its entrails laid out before it. Aron, the seer, determines the boar was slain for use in extispicy—determining the future by studying an animal’s entrails. At the edge of the clearing sits a small gravesite surrounded by anthills, with a gaping hole in the side of the cairn marking where the tomb was breached.

Inside is a destroyed troll zombie's remains, as well as that of a Mwangi man with a wiry frame that was killed by a combination of sword and crossbow bolt. By now, you are beginning to believe that whomever is in the squad of soldiers is a hidden talent, as it seems from several battle sites that their sniper is an exemplary shot. The dead Mwangi had obvious scarification that marked him as a juju priest of some sort, and the world will not miss him.

Q) Near the ruined city of Liclac, the party finds evidence of a dead Sargavan soldier. It is here that the PCs fought their most pitched battle - against the Eloko. The Eloko are Mwangi spriggans with grayish-brown skin and spindly arms, and hair spiked with lime. Their faces are painted to resemble leering skulls. The entire party is wounded, with Gelik and Tor-ber particularly so, and though the PCs took down at least a dozen spriggans, they were forced to high-tail it out of there. They were hunted for about half a day before the Eloko of the Ironbell tribe dropped the hunt.

R) Zenj Spirit Dancers. The PCs learn much when they are met and given hospitality by the two sisters here. There was an obvious battle here, and they sadly mention that not only did they lose their sister, but the group that was here before you lost three of their members. It seems some otherworldly creature - a "succubus" - had enthralled the sisters and acted as one of them. A teenage woman named Athyra and two Sargavan soldiers were killed in the great battle. They have no more information to give regarding the Sargavans, and won't discuss the results of their spirt dancing.

That said, Xhanfaerd knows that Zenj spirit dancers are holy women and to not allow them to dance for you would be an affront not only to them, but to the local gods. They perform an amazing dance while the fire burned woods and plants that had mildly psychotropic effects.Each of you will be given a totem animal. Note, these are not chosen by the player as each totem animal is specific in what it offers and how that impacts the campaign moving forward.

[lostsole31]

ARONNAHAR ("ARON") ZYIANTHUS


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Of the two people in the vanguard that were the actual shipwreck survivors of Smuggler's Shiv, and therefore found information regarding Tazion and the "pillars of light" of Saventh-Yhi, Aron is by far the more proactive.

She has the burnished skin of those who have spent time in the sun, red hair, and green eyes. She wears typical Druman garb, but with some of the frills cut away. Her beauty is awe-inspiring, but she is so in tune with voices not of the world that she tends to ignore people who don't use direct address, having a far-away look sometimes.

Her zebra tribal tattoo is on her chest - from her suprasternal cavity down to below her navel, and includes the inner portion of her breasts. Given her clothing with the zebra's head tattoo above and below her limited torso clothing, this is likely to have a .... distracting effect on those not used to someone of her beauty.

While not the "leader" of the vanguard, she is nominally the one in charge of coordinating reports to Amivor Glaur, the lead Pathfinder in Eleder (who himself is on his way with a larger group of Pathfinder researchers). Since Kalabuto, her voice has taken a massive shift down in volume so that even when she shouts she isn't very loud, though her beauty and nearly ethereal quality have further increased. She no longer sings, but rather has poured forth her artistic effort into her flute. This lack of strong voice is another reason a woman who could easily take the lead with any group of which she is a part instead takes a support role.

Practically within the group, Aron is the vanguard's only divine caster, and therefore healing the party is her prerogative. Others have some healing or healing like ability (Gelik, Xhanfaerd), but primarily the duties fall squarely on her shoulders. She is also primarily a diviner with many strange powers related to her communing with the moon, but in-battle it often means that she knows when she is going to be attacked and effortlessly moves out of the way. Otherwise, she is the primary "first contact" with parties whose allegiances are unknown, and her knowledge of the natural forces of the jungle matches and that of strange metaphysics and cosmology rivals that of the far more studied Xhanfaerd. She is also the one who has he best chance of activating magical items not suited for the casting traditions of others.


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https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/059d8089-764a-4034-a2e4-4fe08cf89b83/de9iy4g-45cd9022-82e8-457d-a020-9510d1bf1a25.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJ IUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjph cHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMDU5ZDgwODktNz Y0YS00MDM0LWEyZTQtNGZlMDhjZjg5YjgzXC9kZTlpeTRnLTQ1 Y2Q5MDIyLTgyZTgtNDU3ZC1hMDIwLTk1MTBkMWJmMWEyNS5wbm cifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9h ZCJdfQ.j6Hi5NYK591IbmseqEKAk7RCu0af1yR-uYGL1Y3IYkg

[lostsole31]

FRONALDO CLAUDEX


https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/059d8089-764a-4034-a2e4-4fe08cf89b83/de9iy8l-9d8b7287-e279-4f29-820d-23dd07735918.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJ IUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjph cHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMDU5ZDgwODktNz Y0YS00MDM0LWEyZTQtNGZlMDhjZjg5YjgzXC9kZTlpeThsLTlk OGI3Mjg3LWUyNzktNGYyOS04MjBkLTIzZGQwNzczNTkxOC5wbm cifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9h ZCJdfQ.dJ80orVjUN5bdtEFR6iol7QhoDZaM15wAJPMvZRSm6U


This large-eared, green-skinned goblin has a devil may care grin and a wild glint in his red eyes. He is well spoken and dressed in well tailored coat and breaches with rolled down top boots. A pair of sharp looking daggers dangle from his belt. Hidden extracts, potions, poisons, and blades are secreted all about his person. He is full of energy and doesn't stop moving, constantly darting around the room investigating everything. He has a preternatural love of shiny things; especially gold and jewels. His shock of wild white hair hovers above his head as if burning.

He has a tattoo of a Korir River Gorilla tribal tattoo covering his whole back.

Fronaldo is quick-witted and intelligent, but easily manipulated by more forceful personalities. His high, childlike voice often leads others to assume that he is childlike. He is anything but. Raised in Cheliax by human "parents" after they found him abandoned in a gutter, young Fronaldo was raised as a beloved member of the Claudex household. While in public he was forced to behave as a slave until he reached adulthood and was able to purchase his freedom with the help of his parents Esmerelda and Javier. They taught him science and chemistry and gave him an excellent education. Once he gain his freedom and moved out on his own, only then did his true education in the real world began.

Chip on his shoulder due to his size; classic small man syndrome. Doesn't like working alone. Prefers the safety of an organized group. Weak willed. Greedy. Manic. Speaks with a high-pitched, child-like voice.

"So, Fro, if you are chosen for the vanguard, what do you bring to the table?" asked Amivor Glour, the venture-captain in Eleder.

"Poisons, potions, and pokin' holes in problem people, and vapid ideas."

That was it. That was the whole interview, and it was enough to get him hired on as the first addition (outside of Aron and Gelik). And that pretty much sums up his skill set.
https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/059d8089-764a-4034-a2e4-4fe08cf89b83/de9iynx-dff32d1d-573f-4250-bf17-60b540902fb0.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJ IUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjph cHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMDU5ZDgwODktNz Y0YS00MDM0LWEyZTQtNGZlMDhjZjg5YjgzXC9kZTlpeW54LWRm ZjMyZDFkLTU3M2YtNDI1MC1iZjE3LTYwYjU0MDkwMmZiMC5wbm cifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9h ZCJdfQ.Bws7r-5KdrZc5-5cMajFmapR2dDoTt702QKeZ1mlyNI

https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/059d8089-764a-4034-a2e4-4fe08cf89b83/de9iyqc-e3729f96-50e8-43b1-8031-6145dfd1ef61.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJ IUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjph cHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMDU5ZDgwODktNz Y0YS00MDM0LWEyZTQtNGZlMDhjZjg5YjgzXC9kZTlpeXFjLWUz NzI5Zjk2LTUwZTgtNDNiMS04MDMxLTYxNDVkZmQxZWY2MS5wbm cifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9h ZCJdfQ.OgAM-DP7rzc0EEH95v8ptDxkJTE2DQCfZFXEnMdQ1Dk

[lostsole31]

CALEB ("PIM") STARSEER


https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/059d8089-764a-4034-a2e4-4fe08cf89b83/de9iz65-156e04cb-a11e-4a74-ae43-3576ee99f475.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJ IUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjph cHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMDU5ZDgwODktNz Y0YS00MDM0LWEyZTQtNGZlMDhjZjg5YjgzXC9kZTlpejY1LTE1 NmUwNGNiLWExMWUtNGE3NC1hZTQzLTM1NzZlZTk5ZjQ3NS5wbm cifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9h ZCJdfQ.AONo624emuPYGRkhhUH3LsyTSJaBAYlVkL0QImYRLg4


His skin is just a touch too tinged with green with classic olive coloring, and with long red-orange hair, that human sailors had given to calling him "Pimento Loaf" ("Pim" for short). Due to a little shame at his skin color, he has old, dark blue tattoos on most of his skin, to the point where his skin now just looks olive and navy blue if you didn't know those were tats ... faded tats with blurry, old linework from a bunch of different, unknown, amateur artists. He looks older than he is because of the ink looking somewhat like wrinkles, and accentuating the uglier parts of his face.

He does have a much higher quality tattoo of a red-chested owlet on his left calf, which he jokes about saying it is there to watch his back.

Pim is an adult who was once a shy kid. That makes him quite self-reliant, but also cautious of others. He was made fun of a lot, so he embraces his flaws now and has full sail of his own personal crazy ship.

He is distrusting of very tall people, and empathetic to the small, so he has always tried to overcome shyness by grouping with the “short squad." This led to he and Fronaldo meeting. As Pim is sometimes called a goblin as an insult, he is protective of Fronaldo, who is younger than him. Pim is in no ways a wise person, he is too smart for his own good, and is really a brave coward with sophomoric thoughts. He relies on his trusted friends to help him continue to feel assured of himself, without them he would be alone and terrified, but if he had to start over again it wouldn't be the first time. He spends his mornings preparing, and reading the harrow, and he moonlights as a fortune teller, but he is also an avid gamer, and the harrow doesn't define him every second of the day. He is much more interested in following the paths that the harrow presents, rather than staying home and divining fortunes for elderly nobles. His upbringing was very religious, but he rebelled against that, instead using those teaching to make his own path. He still follows his families religion, but they wanted him to be a priest of Desna. Instead, he makes all of the normal rites and prayers in his own way, but communing with the night sky and constellations. While his routine consumes him, he has a lot of emotion to express, as he feels ambitious enough to try to gain experiences no one else ever has. He thinks that the only way to properly utilize fortune telling isn't to stick to what you know, but rather to embody chaos at all times, so that you can be in the “eye of the storm” looking out, but he would still try to protect his allies if able.

He runs the fortune-telling and magical visual effects for Fronaldo when he does his juggling act, so they can be found practicing and hanging out together a lot.

In addition to his significant arcane prowess and general knowledge, he has the dubious ability to claim the greatest amount of medical training in the group .... which is a hair better than basic battlefield medicine.


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[lostsole31]

TOR-BER AHMOSE


https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/776787210351018005/781867585830125578/Torber.png?width=575&height=899


A tall, sandy, brown-skinned half-orc, with chestnut brown hair that parts on the left, Brown eyes that are so dark, they could be black. While not handsome or good looking at all, with large teeth jutting from his lower lip, and half an ear missing, he comes across as brutish. Wearing a utilitarian style hot weather garb, in a light brown color, baggy light leggings, knee high burnt orange leather boots, suede light brown over cloak, covering the light cotton white shirt. Scarf type wrap bunched about his neck, a broad segmented leather belt on his waist, a satchel slung over his shoulders.

Tor-ber stands proud, and tall, being a local towns guard has taught him much, about himself, and the world around him, sometimes seeming larger than life for the better of it. do not let the lack of arms and armor accompaniment fool you, for he will surely pull something from a sleeve, or seemingly be protected by some tangible force gifted by gods, who can say. His totem (bushbuck) tattoo is on his left rear calf.

Full of bravado, and brashness, always eager to prove his worth, to the world, to his twin brother, Nar-dew, and mainly to himself. reluctant to ask for help, a lot of time knowing he should, this drive stems from a deep seeded emotional need to be the best for his family and friends, the strong rock.

Tor-ber is not only the primary muscle in the group, he is also the most given to pragmatic skills. All physical skills in spades, the ability to craft his own shoes or clothing (as long as he is provided good clothing material by Aron), it is he that the party relies on with his soldiering skills and animalistic senses to spot danger and understand far better than anyone else the various dangers the Mwangi has in store, for it is said, "The jungle devours." Oddly, he has an artistic side as well, and he puts solid professional training and that to good use as the group's cartographer.

https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/059d8089-764a-4034-a2e4-4fe08cf89b83/de9j04y-f82a658d-a887-4085-ba27-f867a524d8b4.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJ IUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjph cHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMDU5ZDgwODktNz Y0YS00MDM0LWEyZTQtNGZlMDhjZjg5YjgzXC9kZTlqMDR5LWY4 MmE2NThkLWE4ODctNDA4NS1iYTI3LWY4NjdhNTI0ZDhiNC5wbm cifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9h ZCJdfQ.nvg5GUMM8Iq6mNsjYFEYtWtekpnz--FIXE2JTY6Skpk

https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/059d8089-764a-4034-a2e4-4fe08cf89b83/de9j079-91d69d81-765f-4772-8e0d-dc899585f3ae.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJ IUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjph cHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMDU5ZDgwODktNz Y0YS00MDM0LWEyZTQtNGZlMDhjZjg5YjgzXC9kZTlqMDc5LTkx ZDY5ZDgxLTc2NWYtNDc3Mi04ZTBkLWRjODk5NTg1ZjNhZS5wbm cifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9h ZCJdfQ.s0EWs5esVC4ZHSHdIAxRLOW7vih8Ek-0S7Hn8cVKinA

[lostsole31]

XHANFAERD

https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/059d8089-764a-4034-a2e4-4fe08cf89b83/de8s28o-b546dee9-09f7-48e7-87ee-0dd09138c0f3.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJ IUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjph cHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMDU5ZDgwODktNz Y0YS00MDM0LWEyZTQtNGZlMDhjZjg5YjgzXC9kZThzMjhvLWI1 NDZkZWU5LTA5ZjctNDhlNy04N2VlLTBkZDA5MTM4YzBmMy5wbm cifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9h ZCJdfQ.BhXGEX542ynEweQphPTRNClVlEvs__v7bLNu4eZ6nYU

Robust among his kin, to the point of usually rising eyebrows when people see the ekujae's paintings on his face, often followed by somewhat confused gazes at his ears, Xhanfaerd has everything to stand out in a crowd. His elvish heritage can be seen through his sharp features and the light green tint in the sclera of his eyes, and he shows the kind of body one could see on a veteran fighter. His gerrhosaurus tattoo is on his right shoulder, head upwards as if whispering secrets to Xhanfaerd.

He usually wears brightly colored clothes when in town, in accordance to the fashion of the urbanite Magaambyans.

Robust of body and mind, Xhanfaerd was used to playing on both of those aspects. "Surely someone so well built is not as bright", or "That dork reading those horribly precise books is probably scrawny" was the kind of things he got used to play with quite fast, earning a mischievous stance on the way. He knows quite well that most other sapients aren't as gifted as himself and how lucky he is, and won't show off, at least not voluntarily. If he knows he can do something to help, he will, and that might raise jealousy and rivalries. At least it did already, more than once. People don't like when you solve the riddle of their lives with one glance.

He tries to do his best to live up to the standards he set through his books, while knowing very well that without a major civilizational shift it won't be possible, at least not on a personal scale.

The Pathfinder vanguard is a group of stunning geniuses - Pim, Fronaldo, and Xhanfaerd. But with his training from the school of the Magaambya in the openly secret/not secret city of Nantambu in the Mwangi Expanse, Xhanfaerd's training and scholasticism makes him first among equals, with particular expertise among subjects arcane, historical, natural sciences, linguistics, and the peoples of the Mwangi and their customs. Within the group, he is blessed of an almost supernal insight into personal motivations and actions, and as such is usually a voice of reason and common sense.


https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/059d8089-764a-4034-a2e4-4fe08cf89b83/de9j0l5-f5c3f058-ad45-4455-99cd-424960d7b991.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJ IUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjph cHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMDU5ZDgwODktNz Y0YS00MDM0LWEyZTQtNGZlMDhjZjg5YjgzXC9kZTlqMGw1LWY1 YzNmMDU4LWFkNDUtNDQ1NS05OWNkLTQyNDk2MGQ3Yjk5MS5wbm cifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9h ZCJdfQ.yZ0GX-hPYfO1tMjw6GgxDTOTu-Jy_GPgjassNF4mgm8


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[lostsole31]

GELIK ABERWHINGE

https://www.rpotor.com/SerpentSkullTW/Gelik.jpg


Gelik is a spry, energetic gnome with blond hair and a neat goatee. He dresses like a noble at all times. ("If you can't take the time to dress properly, no one will take what you have to say seriously, and they'd be right not to!")

With liberal use of prestidigitation, his fine clothes always seem freshly cleaned. Only the ink stains on his fingers break the illusion of a proper gnome nobleman. ("If you don't have ink stains on your fingers, no one will take your writing seriously, and they'd be right not to!")

His hippo tattoo is on his left shoulder.

Gelik is quick-witted and a talented speaker. Unfortunately, he has a mean streak when it comes to the misfortunes of others; he often simply can't help himself from making a snide comment or a scathing remark at another's expense.

While Xhanfaerd has a more artistic touch with writing, Gelik's writing skill, equal (and more reliable) skill at linguistics and cryptography, and dedicated skill as a scribe means his position as the party's Pathfinder Chronicler is still secure at this time. He is a perfect second to Aron's skills at diplomacy and negotatiations, has a jarring ability to mimic any sound his voice box can even remotely simulate, and oddly, he has a greater grasp of the Mwangi's overall geography, even over that of Fronaldo or Pim.


https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/059d8089-764a-4034-a2e4-4fe08cf89b83/de9j14o-07cce7aa-05fa-4cde-8ddc-8f44181fb66b.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJ IUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjph cHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMDU5ZDgwODktNz Y0YS00MDM0LWEyZTQtNGZlMDhjZjg5YjgzXC9kZTlqMTRvLTA3 Y2NlN2FhLTA1ZmEtNGNkZS04ZGRjLThmNDQxODFmYjY2Yi5wbm cifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9h ZCJdfQ.Baha7B1onWatBfrl6q8ua_u_0a3xTFw0LzUHqlar9I0

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[lostsole31]

At one point, Fronaldo asked about why his totem was a gorilla of all things, and likely other members of the party might have wondered about their totems, too. Alala joked and made a quip about his hunger-grumps. Masozi does respond, though, "We merely beseech the wendo to speak through us to show us the way. We entice them to us with dancing, but then they move us to make the tattoos .... our skill, their inspiration. In the end, we do not choose, and we are not given reasons. We dare not believe we understand the wisdom of the wendo."

The party leaves the following day, and in doing so leaves behind the Upper Korir River that they have followed for some time as they cross the M'neri Plains. The sisters showed the group how to awaken their tokens, and in so doing travel goes by a bit quicker than expected (knocking off a full day). Still, the group faces off against more than a half-dozen giant ants a couple days out, but easily dispatch them. It is the final 100 miles of travel covered in a mere week.

But then again, the entire transit from Eleder took 1100 miles and nearly just over two months. 63 days by the time you reach what you think might be Tazion as you enter the Mwangi Jungle .... a jungle far older and more dense than the Screaming Jungle that you traveled through some time back.

But there you are, mid-day on the Sunday, the 26th of Kuthona, 4710 AR ... facing a massive, ruined enclosure wall. The ruins of Tazion stand as a remnant of a forgotten age, an outpost of an ancient Azlanti civilization lost in the southern Mwangi Jungle. Little remains within its walls, with most of the settlement having crumbled or been buried centuries before. The majority of Tazion’s structures, once you explore, will remain unidentifiable. Centuries of weathering and erosion have transformed the once-splendid architecture into little more than scattered stones, curious topography, and fetid tar pits. Few outside your party suspect that the ruins possess the key to finding the lost city of Saventh-Yhi, and its secrets are ripe for the taking!

The crumbling remnants of a massive enclosure wall mark the perimeter of the ruins. In its current condition, the wall provides little defense. Entire sections have eroded away or lie buried beneath sediment, while vines and vegetation strangle what little exposed stonework remains. It would not be a very difficult climb at all for any PC to scramble over those sections of wall still standing, but there are several large holes in the walls that can simply be walked through.

Aron recommends spending the day making a massive perimeter walk of the outside to get a sense of where the easy entry points might be, and then set up camp since you are just finishing up an incredible journey.

The party does so (see Discord map), and then at camp, it is time to discuss intentions for the next day .....

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo paces the perimeter of the group as they discuss the plan for the next day. His red eyes track Aron when she speaks or moves, fascinated by her tall, alien (to his perspective) beauty. He causally flips a dagger up into the air and catches it as he paces. He offers no opinion on potential options for tomorrow’s activities.
He has erected his tent and left his camping supplies inside. He prefers to bring the portable alchemist lab along, just in case.

[Robert821]

During the perimeter walk, Torber's sense were overclocked and surveying everything, hoping to catch a sound or scent, that may clue him in on what the party is up against in the days to come.

After, Torber will set up his small tent, gather some firewood, make sure there is fresh water nearby, spent an hour, attempting to hunt a large enough animal, or several for the party, forage for some greens, clean and cook a simple evening meal, Torber then takes his meal into his tent. when his is done, will gather his mess kit, and other utensils used, and clean up. then bringing the fire back up, then disappear into the woods for a sweep of the area as it gets dark.

When that is done, he returns, and sets up watches that will hopefully make everyone happy and rested.

Let me know if that needed any rolls, to adjust story.

[GM_Dave]

As the group arrives at the site, Pim grows more and more eager. Once the others start setting about on their own to take care of whatever it is they're doing, Pim will make sure he is the center of attention. He walks confidently up to the ruins, hands on his hips, and he loudly says,
"Watch out jungle, don't ask me how I know, but we will stomp all over you," he gruns, with a wink, and then makes sure everyone is looking at him. If he notices any of the others ignoring him, he will start to walk away, but will trip (accidentally on purpose), and as he catches himself, he laughs, "I KNEW that was going to happen," and he sticks his tongue out. That's right, Pimento has ARRIVED.

[lostsole31]

Aron will go with Tor-ber. If there is one thing that is absolutely essential in exploration? Buddy System. Like, going off behind a tree to answer nature's call is one thing, but going off by yourself to hunt, forage, gather firewood, etc. ..... that's asking for the jungle to do what it does best: devour.

Their hunt/ gather will provide five provisions, which is enough to feed the party, and even a little bit extra for the food-greedy Fronaldo. But just as they are returning to the campsite (that Gelik is "taking charge of" by giving people various tasks), they hear the buzzing of flies and smell something awful. Investigating, of course, because .... Pathfinders die by their curiosity .... they find a body. This body, Tor-ber estimates, has been decomposing for several days now, maybe even as much as a week. Scavengers have had their way with the body. It is pretty badly mauled and in significant decomp because of jungle humidity and carrion bugs, but they can make out the livery of a Sargavan guard ..... one of the members of the Sargavan Faction has met a bad end here. Anything of worth on it has been taken, which tells you that this man was killed - or at least looted - by something intelligent, for animals do no such thing.

Aron casts speak with dead since as bad as the corpse is, it still has enough of a mouth and tongue and jaw to speak. It is a particularly disconcerting thing for Tor-ber to witness. She has to cast the spell twice.

1. "What was your name?"
"I was Private First Class Danaus Gisler."


2. "To what unit were you assigned?"
"Sum of All Fears Squad, Sargavan Expeditionary Vanguard."


3. "What killed you?"
"I was swarmed by rabid monkey-men."


4. "Where is Lieutenant Brauer?"
"I lost track of him."


5. "Where is Lalarlia?"
"Missing in Tazion."


6. "Where is Jask Derindi?"
"The coward fled."


And that is the limit of what Aron was able to do with two castings of her creepy spell.
Aron and Tor-ber will return to camp with food for everyone for tonight so as not to dig into the dwindling rations, but she will mention the above event, the questions, and the answers. "It seems," she says ruefully, "that the Sargavan Faction came to a bad end. It may sound wrong of me, but if Jask Derindi got away, I am glad, for after Lalarlia, he and I were relatively good friends. Still, we now have to be on guard against 'rabid monkey-men.'"

[silphael]

Once the report arrived, Xhanfaerd thinks a little, then simply says :

"I've heard quite a few tribes described as 'rabid monkey-men' and it was always described as such by non-Mwangis. Can't tell a lot about what fell them with just that information."

[lostsole31]

Aron asks the party. "We are currently camped 100 yards southeast of the enclosure wall. Tor-ber and I found the body in a place that was closer to the closest entrance to our camp. That doesn't indicate anything, but for the lack of any other guidance, I say tomorrow we come in offset from that one ... the southwestern entrance. All in favor?"

[Blackhawk101]

“AYE!” gushes Fronaldo enthusiastically.

[GM_Dave]

"First," Pim holds one finger up in the air.
Then he focuses, and his hand quickly moves to his cards, contained on his hip in a dispenser.
He holds the card energetically towards the sky, and a bunch of magic affects him as if the spell were flying out of the card, and superimposed images of the cards geometric art. Colors flash in every spectrum as a rainbow of ambient light shimmers across his silhouette, then, it is instantly over.
As the spell is cast, Pim begins to float, kicking one leg up behind him in a fashionable pose.
He floats over toward the entrance on the other side, touching the tree canopy as he flies up.
He returns after getting a look ahead, traveling there takes two minutes each way.

Take 10 +11+ 5 owl= 36
take 20 +13 = 33

[lostsole31]

It is not long before Pim is out of Xhanfaerd's collective (assuming he had it up, and then recovered Aron and Tor-ber once they returned as well).

His first stop is the SE entrance. Pim looks carefully around, tapping into his owl's totem ... perfect for the dim light of the early evening, enhanced ever farther by his own ability to sense what lies in shadow. Just inside the entrance, the area is covered by thick jungle. However, his keen eyes do pick up what appears to be a camouflaged barbed net trap just inside the entrance. There is no way to step around it, so to get a party safely through, it would have to be tripped, disabled, or bypassed.

[GM_Dave]

Pim will draw a card, and cast Summon Monster 1 from his arcanist pool. A Fire Beetle will appear from his card, with some strange visual changes. The card beetle is summoned onto the trap, as pim withdraws to the safest distance, watches, makes sure the trap is deactivated, and then will head back to the others.

[lostsole31]

The fire beetle is snatched up as an entire 10' square area is caught and snatched into the trees. It takes 1 pt of damage from the barbs. The beetle thrashes wildly enough so that the barbs rip into it from multiple points .... enough to dispel the summons. At that point, Pim flies back to the party.
"Well?" asks Aron of Pim. "What did you learn?"

[GM_Dave]

Pim, on returning will touch down to the ground as his spells duration wears off. He lightly catches the ground with his foot, and transitions into a thoughtful walking pace. He walks to the others with an inquisitive expression,
"Did anyone put a net over near that entrance? No? Because there was one... I took care of it, but by the looks of my poor beetle, that net was lined with hooks."
Pim shudders, then he asks,
"If there was a body near by... do any of you think that the killers could have set a trap for us too?"

[silphael]

As he relinks Pim to his collective, Xhanfaerd says :

"They also might have entered by another way, and that trap was already there, undisturbed."

[lostsole31]

"Awfully arrogant to think it was meant just for us," echoes Gelik. "It might be actual anti-sapient security, but it might just be simple hunting as well. I mean, it does sound like we are likey to run into ... not rabid monkeys, but rabid monkey-men. That tells me that however debased they might be, they can still fashion tools and traps, solve problems, and protect their domain .... if that is what Tazion is to them, and they'd be right to do so!"

"Which is why, Gelik," says Aron, "I'm sorry, I know we talked about the rest of us going through Tazion and giving you reports to sift through at the end of the day while you are in the comfort of your tent, but I can't do that. With the dead soldier where we found him, the rabid monkey-man range out and don't just stay in Tazion, and I can't leave you alone. We can't leave our things behind, people, but full packs go in with us when we go into Tazion tomorrow."

Gelik looks horrified, and then glum.

"Don't fret, Gelik, you did say you wished you could see the ruins themselves, so you are going to get your wish after all .... for your safety, not against it."

She looks to the sandkin before everyone else. "Okay, Tor-ber, because it seems we're in hostile territory, we need double-watches. We don't have to travel tomorrow, so we can do three-section rotation of four hours for twelve hours total to make sure everyone gets rest. Remember not to let the fire go out. I'm more worried about disease than being seen."

Does anyone have anything before adjourning for the evening?

[GM_Dave]

As the night turns dark, and the stars come out, Pim sets about his early bed time routine that he would become known for. Pim rests early, but before he does, he takes a starlit stroll through the campsite, looking up at the stars. He fraternizes with the watch, praying short blessings for his allies, asking Desna to send good tidings.
He does this for about ten minutes, almost as a self care ritual, rather than a religious ceremony. Then, he takes to his bed roll rather early, and sites that he needs his , "beauty rest". Which is true, as he also will wake up early, and spend his mornings as he usually does, doing card readings for his future.

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo will curiously watch Pim stare up into the thick dark foliage overhead as he strolls through the camp as people get ready for bed. “What is he looking at?”,Fronaldo wonders but he is unable to discern any clue as to what the diminutive gnome is fixated on. He almost asks him several times but gives it up as it must surely be some kind of magic ritual. Hungry, Fronaldo prowls the camp looking for some forgotten scrap or rind. He absentmindedly flips and catches a dagger as he walks.
Eventually, he will enter his tent and curl up on his bed roll to try to sleep until it is his turn to watch.

[silphael]

Xhanfaerd will simply reread his notes, add a part about today in his journal, take his watch, and sleep. Of course, he doesn't stay silent between all that, and if anyone talks to him, he will answer and participate in conversation.

[lostsole31]

Aron, sensing that her team will be put to it on some level, holds off on her morning divinations beyond her basic meditation and prayer, followed by soulfoul tunes on her flute.

Gelik will be writing copious notes and taking to himself for as much as an hour. Then, he meditates for half an hour. He shapes veils that are uncommon for him. First, a wicked pair of arms ending in giant pincers are brought forth from his waist. Added to his throat is now a choker of feather and bone, which seems to be a bit low-brow given his normal sartorial flair. Finally, his form seems somewhat hazy and out of focus, as though he were immersed in a light mist.

[Robert821]

In the Morning, Torber will check over his clothing and boots, make sure all are in order, pull out his local map that he has been working on, marking any details he can recall from last nights hunting/gathering and scouting trips, grumbling to himself, "This should have been done last night." Packing up his inside gear, so that he only has to stow his tent when ready.

Arriving outside from his tent, Torber Sniffs the air, checks the fire, sees that it is large, grabs a stick and scraps some embers off to the side. Pulls out his mess kit, "Anyone Hungry?" he asks loud enough to be heard. settling down to start cooking breakfast.

after that is done and cleaned up, Torber then goes through a short training exercise program with a long stick, and machete and dagger, and finally punching the air, ending with a moment of stillness.

"Anyone up for a short foraging trip?"

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo will rise at the appointed time and ready himself for the day. He will spend some time mixing various chemicals at his portable lab before cleaning up and meticulously stowing his belongings and gear in his pack. When he hears Torber call for breakfast, he sprints to join him. He will volunteer to assist with foraging if there is time. He pulls out a goblin sized hand crossbow to help bring down small game they might encounter. He offers to take point when they are ready to proceed; dagger in one hand and mutagen in the other.

prepare extracts. Add reduce person extract to first level allotment as shown on his sheet, leaving one slot open.
prepare Dex Mutagen.

[GM_Dave]

Pim wakes up early, and spends three hours reading while he lays out his harrow cards. He forms the cards to provide a reading, and he takes his time looking up the meanings of many card combinations in his books. He lights a cone of insense that smells like a storebought mixture of sandalwood, and frankincense; powerful, but aromatic.
The last ten minutes of his study is when he does his augury. He will draw a card, one for his future; and another, for the future of all.
When he casts augury, he draws his card, and flips it face up. He inspects it with much humming.
He will ask the harrow if it is a good idea to use the entrance they intend.
Once he gets a look at the cards, Pim will have a grave look on his face.
He wont mention the outcome to anyone else, and will just get ready to take his things, and head out; but, one thing he does out of the ordinary is the removal of the the tyrant card from his "throwing" deck, and then return all the other cards from his "spellbook" deck, along with the extra tyrant, and put them away in their cases.

[lostsole31]

The party, having prepared itself for the day, and the initial foraging done (?, see Discord message), the party heads towards Tazion for their first official foray.

It is Aronnahar's belief that one of two things have happened. Either the trap that Pim sprung yesterday has been reset, or it hasn't. Either way, that tells her something more than going through a different entrance would have given.

So, the party is at the southern/southeastern entrance to Tazion. Unlike last night when it was evening, it is Tor-ber whose senses are at their ascension. But with Pim helping and pointing out what he saw yesterday, Tor-ber easily sees the camouflaged spike trap. It is set so that anything coming in the entrance would be snatched up. That instantly tells Aron what she wants to know .... that the owner of this trap patrolled this area in the past 12 hours to reset the trap.

So, do you trip the trap? Disarm the trap? Bypass the trap by going to a different entrance or just climb over the way and enter the hard way?

[Robert821]

"If I am to guess, all the major in's and out's will be trapped similarly." Torber remarks, "That said, not to tip our hand, can we disarm it, but make it look like it is untouched?"

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo had been impatiently hoping from foot to foot as the group milled about, but pipes up excitedly when Torber suggests disarming the trap.
“Oh, I can do that!”
He removes his pack and removes a small leather bound parcel from the left pouch. He shrugs back into the pack straps before moving forward to the trap and examining it. He unwraps a set of gleaming implements and sets about disabling the trap but leaving it so it appears intact.

Use 1pt. Guile pool to aid skill check +2
MW thieves tools +2 bonus disable device
attempt to disable trap and leave it appear intact
[roll0]

if successful : The small dexterous fingers manipulate the tools with skillful precision, clipping here and probing there as Fronaldo moves carefully around the trap.
“That should do it.”

If not: “Whaaa!”

[lostsole31]

Success! Fronaldo is able to bypass the trap to get the party through and leave no trace of his tampering!

Crossing the threshhold, you are still in jungle, but there are stones on the jungle floor marking out something like a path going WSW to NE. Do you follow one direction or the other of the path, or do something else like plunge blindly ahead in the thick forest (which does include heavy undergrowth, unlike most jungle)?

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo replaces his tools carefully in his haversack before donning it once again. He draws his favorite dagger in his right hand and a small vial of green fluid in the other.
He steps carefully past the now dormant trap so as to not disturb it. At the fork in the path he looks back at the party for guidance. His head tracks back and forth as he continuously scans the jungle for threats.

“Which way?”


green vial is his mutagen.

[lostsole31]

Aron smiles at Fronaldo. Normally, at times like this, it is Fronaldo's job to assist Tor-ber as best as he is able in reading and identifying the terrain.

Tor-ber (and Fronaldo) can report that there isn't much foot traffic heading to the right. While there isn't a ton heading to the west, it is a sign that coming into the entrance and heading west is what several small-sized, simian-footed creatures seem to do. That said, it seems that the trees are just as much a highway (and more) than the ground itself. So, some type of small-sized ape (for they are too large for "monkeys").

Aron nods, and she wants to go that way, with Tor-ber and Pim in the front to be wary of danger ...

... Gelik and herself in the middle ....

... and Fronaldo and Xhanfaerd being aware of threats from the rear.

What does everyone have in-hand at this time? Aron doesn't have anything in hand starting out. Gelik has a very finely crafted longsword, which is comical, really, as he is faster than he is strong and would have done better with a rapier. Then again, it is more of a metal "safety blanket" than anything he can be expected to use to good effect. He also has his fine buckler readied as well.

What about everyone else?

[silphael]

Before going any further, Xhanfaerd surrounds himself in a force field, and places his maul on his shoulder, taking a light, near dancing, stance.

Before adventuring, Xhanfaerd casts Mage Armor. He has his earthbreaker in hand, and takes his Silver Crane Waltz once the Collective is established.

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo moves into the position at the rear of the group as indicated by Aron. He has his returning dagger in his Right hand and a vial of mutagen in his left.

[GM_Dave]

Pim nods, his red hair trailing in time to his body language. As he walks, he keeps a very spry step, almost as if he was ready to take flight at any moment (but those who know him know that this is more due to his personality, rather than any ability to quickly fly in actuality). He holds his throwing cards close at hand, on his hip case, one finger on the release mechanic.
As they reach the cross roads, Pim will take a look around, and say
”I’d rather keep this moving, those trees do not look advantageous for us. I say we avoid the tracks, lest we walk into an ambush. But... then again, what if those are false tracks... what if? What if-“ Pim trails off in his own world of possibilities. He will think deeply, but will otherwise defer to the others decisions, and is simply ready to throw down should the need arise.

[Robert821]

"Let's keep our eye's sharp, and ear's clean, people!" Torber pulls his machete out in his left hand.

Nodding to Aron, eyeing Pim, and tilting his head to the west path. In his mind he is running through his powers, readying his call weaponary and inertial armor to start, but then minding his fluidness in combat, and moving forward.

[lostsole31]

The party travels roughly 175' to the west or so before a major area clear of jungle (but not dense undergrowth) to the relative north. A single massive ruin rises from the dense brush, consisting of concentric rings of crude stone columns surrounding a yawning pit in the earth. Heavily overgrown with jungle plants, weathered writing and stylized pictographs cover the columns.

About 60' from you, and 20' from the yawning pit (itself 80' from the front line of you) are four small creatures that see you emerging from where the jungle belches you forth. The scream and whoop angrily.

Initiative Begins (Note I did not specify "Combat), Round One ...

R1T21: Fronaldo, you are in the back, and the group has 10' spacing between ranks, so this is happening 90' from you. What do you do?

[Blackhawk101]

“Okay...you guys see the angry monkey creatures, right? What should we do?”

He delays, waiting for a response.

[lostsole31]

R1T21: “Okay...you guys see the angry monkey creatures, right? What should we do?”He delays, waiting for a response.

R1T20: Pim Starseer, what do you do?

Fronaldo delaying ...

[GM_Dave]

Pim will draw a card, holding it in a defensive stance, and moving 5Â’ back.

”Ready everyone?,” ,he thinks to the collective. “First, I draw my a card,” which he does, after which, a magical energy is transferred from the cards unto Pim, the fortune of the Harrow.
“Now, I activate my card enhancement. With this, I can place a defensive card on my next turn,” he pantomimes, even though his talk of “turns” is a staple taken from his favorite game of Towers.

He recites his actions aloud, preparing to mentally stack his advantages, and relishing at the thought of using his skills in the field.

In his mind, he thinks of fantasies of fancy; of games; and of the perfect steps to ensure their victory with maximum efficiency. Sadly, those who know him have seen how obsessed he can get, and not always to his benefit.

As he surveys the enemies, he prepares to give an unnatural stink eye to any approaching enemy.


MA: 5’ step back
SwA: enhance cards using magus pool for +1 and defending (i cant benefit from defending until next turn)
SA: holding to attack the first simian that approaches him within a distance of 30’ around him ( his range is 20 on the first inc. so if the simian in question is charging him he will instead wait until that is 20’ away from him instead. Otherwise, he will attack the first within 30’ )
His card is modified by the alignment of the card he draws, which will determine his crit range.

[GM_Dave]

[roll0] this post has to be at least 10 characters long

[lostsole31]

R1T20: Pim draws a card, holding it in a defensive stance, and moving 5’ back. ”Ready, everyone?,” he thinks to the collective while at absent-mindedly speaking allowed.

“First, I draw my a card,” which he does (and says, only vaguely teping it), and he notes that it is the Waxworks (CE), not a bad card for him.. “Now, I activate my card enhancement. With this, I can place a defensive card on my next turn,” he pantomimes, even though his talk of a "turn" is a staple taken from his favorite game of Towers.

He recites his actions aloud, preparing to mentally stack his advantages, and relishing at the thought of using his skills in the field. As he readies his aim at the closest simian, he will prepare to use shocking magic on his card. Meanwhile the rest of his deck begin to fly out of his secondary Harrow satchel. Right now, they are orbiting in a tight halo around his head .... too fast for him to read them to "cheat," but easy enough to grab (or defend him if necessary).

R1T18: Tor-ber, you have a machete in hand. What do you do?

[Robert821]

"Anyone have an idea on weather they are friendly, or up to no good?" Torber asks out loud.

As he is asking, he sheathes his machete, squares his shoulders, sets his left arm like he is readying a shield.

manifesting Focus Shield, standard. Also making a sense Motive roll: [[roll]]1d20+7[[roll]]

[lostsole31]

R1T18: "Anyone have an idea on whether they are friendly? or up to no good?" Torber asks out loud. As he is asking, he sheathes his machete, squares his shoulders, sets his left arm like he is readying a shield. There is a temporary visual warping around Tor-ber before that visual warping ends, a sign that he has put up his force screen. From this distance, he can't really get any kind of sense if they are openly aggressive or standing with a territorial, oh, wait .... never mind ....

R1T17.1-17: ... as one of the creatures gives out a great shrieking cry, hopping up and down. It is small, walking upright like a man, but definitely has simian features. He(?) bursts forth with breathtaking speed. As it closes faster than anyone here can move, Pim is readied with his spell. Lightning arcs about onto a picture of a waxwork figure and he throws it forth to hit the thing in the upper torso for 4 + 18 electricity. The card doesn't return to Pim's hand, but rather to his deck which orbits him. The simian screeches again in pain, making a course correction to focus less on Tor-ber and more on Pim. But the sudden pain of the hit and the course correct is too much for the obviously amped up and not natural speed of the creature that it ends up spraining itself with a bad miss against the gnome, causing itself 4 DEX damage.

R1T16: Xhanfaerd, what do you do?

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo quivers like he wants to dash forward and engage the. Monkey man in some witty repartee, but decides to continue to delay.

[silphael]

His hammer in hand, Xhanfaerd gets close to the ape-man and unleash a focus empowered attack, aiming to mangle him and one of his allies.

"Let's see what you got !"

Move action : get in melee.
Standard action : Chains of Doubt, spending 2 PP and my focus to add 2d6 damage, +1 to the DC, and also affect the green one.

[roll0]
[roll1]
Both my target and the green have to roll Will vs DC 18 to avoid being Nauseated.

(Ignore those two last lines if no crit threat)
[roll2]
[roll3]

[lostsole31]

R1T16: Fronaldo quivers like he wants to dash forward and engage the monkey man in some witty repartee, but decides to continue to delay.

His hammer in hand, Xhanfaerd gets close to the ape-man and unleash a focus-empowered attack, aiming to mangle him and one of his allies. "Let's see what you got!" He shatters the monkey-man in the left knee for 23, which blows its leg off and drops him outright.

Seeing that grisly end to one of its own, another of the monkey-men (green) retches.

R1T15: "Charau-ka!" shouts Gelik, beginning his oratical performance while advancing mock-heroically with fancy longsword raised high. "But think not on end swarmed by the scourge of the Mwangi. Think instead, revel if you will, on the glories that await us when we pry open the secrets of TAZION!"That is him using inspire courage, by the way.
R1T14-9: The other charau-ka advance regarding the challenge, even the one that is nauseated. The two unfettered throw rocks at the foolish little man, but both miss.

R1T8: Aron steps up several feet, a little behind Gelik, and calls on her strange powers of the moon and the night to cast a spell. It is as if small pieces of the very night form as bits of dust to puff out to cover two of the charau-kas(red and blue). Blue seems fine, but red seems to have some of its vitality taken away ... perhaps tiring as if it were nightime.She cast dust of twilight.
End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

[Blackhawk101]

Ending his delay after Gelik’s performance, Fronaldo moves straight forward and stops on Gelic’s left. With a flick of his wrist he throws his small dagger at the monkey man in front of Gelik.

move 30’ forward
throw dagger at green Charau-ka.
Risky Strike
[roll0]
[roll1]
with another flick, the dagger will return to him before his next turn.

[lostsole31]

R2T21: Ending his delay after Gelik’s performance, Fronaldo moves straight forward and stops on Gelic’s left. With a flick of his wrist he throws his small dagger at the monkey man in front of Gelik. The dagger plunges into the already retching guts of the beleaguered charau-ka for 9.

R2T20: Pim, what do you do?

Tor-ber on deck, Xhanfaerd in the hole ...

[GM_Dave]

"Something tells me they aren't here to give us a warm welcome!"
Pim grimaces at the sight of the mutilated creature as its leg flies off, but quickly acts to protect the group from the remaining simians.
He will raise his hand with fingers out stretched, and magically directs the hand of large card shaped emanations that rotate around. One of his card effects floats over to the center of the two simians on their left, and once the "card" reaches the intended spot, it evaporates into magical motes, leaving behind several(?)(see below) silhouettes of winged snakes that hover near the enemy. They cackle with electric energy, and immediately begin biting the simians.
Then he will lower his hand with intention, as he swiftly causes the remaining cards near him to flip vertically several times before eventually laying flat. The newly created barrier of cards encircle Pim, as he takes a step back.



Free: Allocate 1 to ac for defending property on cards
Standard: Cast Summon Monster Lesser from arcanist pool for 1d3 ([roll0])aerial vipers
Swift: 5' step south

Vipers: Attack the blue simian

[lostsole31]

R2T20:"Something tells me they aren't here to give us a warm welcome!"Pim grimaces at the sight of the mutilated creature as its leg flies off, but quickly acts to protect the group from the remaining simians.

He raises his hand with fingers outstretched, and magically directs the hand of the large card-shaped emanations that rotate around. A picture of a an Eclipse (LE, WIS), and the Wanderer (NG, INT) float over to the center of the two simians on their left, and once the "card" reaches the intended spot, it evaporates together into a magical mote, leaving behind a silhouette of a winged snake that hovers near the enemy. It crackles with bioelectric energy with a bright top and the belly seeming to drift into barely seen shadow. Once directed by Pim, it nips the simian in the chest for 1 NL + 1 electricity, but the simian does not appear otherwise hindered.

Then he lowers his hand with intention, as he swiftly causes the remaining cards near him to flip vertically several times before eventually laying flat. The halo of cards splits off into three rings of cards that spin around him even faster, but do not interfere with his movement, senses, or attacks.

R2T18: Tor-ber, what do you do?

Xhanfaerd on deck, Gelik in the hole ...

[Robert821]

Torber moves forward and a little left of party, giving himself plenty of room, as he reaches out his hands and manifests a Guisarme from his Call Weaponary, using some of his power.

Risky Striking the blue Charua-ka with the summoned Guisarme: [roll0]; [roll1]

[lostsole31]

R2T18: Torber moves forward and a little left of party to give himself plenty of room, and begins to summon ectoplasmic force to his hands.Takes 1 full round to manifest, sort of like most summons or enlarge/ reduce person.
R2T16: Xhanfaerd, what do you do?

Gelik on deck, enemies in the hole ...

[silphael]

As those opponents seem rather weak, Xhanfaerd keeps pressing forward, adding another hammer strike to the next one, aiming at the ape's guts for a vicious blow.

Move directly up to green, then I'll be using Gutstrike. If it hits, it will have to roll fort save vs Gutstrike (DC 17 negates).

1d20+11
[roll0]

Same setup for Martyrdom, and I'll be using Body of Delusion on the first attack that deals damage to me (no Focus atm, so cannot use it to shield my allies.)

[silphael]

As I misstyped the attack roll, redoing it here :

[roll0]

[lostsole31]

R2T18: Torber moves forward and a little left of party, giving himself plenty of room, as he reaches out his hands and manifests a glittering guisarme. He scores a deep gash across its belly for 23.

R2T16: As those opponents seem rather weak, Xhanfaerd keeps pressing forward, adding another hammer strike to the next one, aiming at the ape's guts for a vicious blow for 19, which drops it.

R2T15: Gelik continues his rousing oration, but then bolts to the west to give him a clear line to the only unengaged charau-ka (red). He opens the planar portal that is his very body, switching his sword momentarily to his bucklered hand, and shoots forth a burst of chilling energy that is likely to confound a creature of the hot jungles. The charau-ka is hit squarely in the chest for 8 cold before switching his sword back to the proper hand.

R2T14-13: Blue hops back and from a pouch throws a rock at the flying snake, hitting it hard enough to make it disappear. It gives a snarling grimace of victory, not realizing how hollow that victory really is. Red zooms around at incredible speed to throw a rock at Gelik (that misses).

R2T8: Aron moves SW and takes out her whip, snapping it at Red's fast-moving legs, and tripping it.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ..

R3T21: Fronaldo's dagger returns to his hand. What does he do?

Pim on deck, Tor-ber in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo’s small dagger slaps into the palm off his right hand and he is immediately on the move. He rushes forward and to his left before tumbling into the square directly behind the creature fighting Torber. The attack (when it comes) is so subtle that it would be easy to miss if you were not skilled in observation.

catch returning dagger
Move 15 ft ahead straight and then 5 ft to the left so he is adjacent to blue monkey man. He then uses acrobatics
[roll0]
to move from a threatened square to a threatened square behind blue monkey man, moving diagonal to Fronaldo’s left.
If he fails the roll, he will use his “Dodge” feat bonus to AC.
he attacks the blue monkey man using Risky strike.
[roll1]
[roll2]

[GM_Dave]

After taking a good look at the battlefield, Pim will repeat his last turn by summoning another aerial viper, this time in between Gelik and the simian near him, as the defensive card pattern swirls around his body.
Standard: Summon 1 from arcanist pool and direct it to attack

[lostsole31]

R3T21: Fronaldo’s small dagger slaps into the palm off his right hand and he is immediately on the move. He rushes forward and to his left before tumbling into the square directly behind the creature fighting Torber. The attack (when it comes) is so subtle that it would be easy to miss if you were not skilled in observation, as Fronaldo cuts at the back of the creature's head for 14, dropping it!

R3T20: After taking a good look at the battlefield, Pim will repeat his last turn by summoning another aerial viper, this time in between Gelik and the simian near him, as the defensive card pattern swirls around his body. The creature, born of The Uprising card (CN) and the Mute Hag (NE), easily nips the prone charau-ka in the left shoulder for 1 NL + 1 electricity. The snake this time looks thick and obscenely muscled, and yet has green, stringy hair hanging down from its head!

R3T18: Tor-ber, what do you do?

Xhanfaerd on deck, Gelik in the hole ...

[Robert821]

Torber quickly moves to his left 15', and makes a risky strike to the last annoying monkey-man, they seemed vicious, and unfriendly.

Risky striking.[roll0]; [roll1]

[lostsole31]

R3T18: Torber quickly moves to his left 15', and makes a risky strike to the last annoying monkey-man to hit it in the left lower leg for 21, knocking it unconscious. They seemed vicious and unfriendly.

R3T16: Xhanfaerd, there are no active enemies. What do you do?

Gelik on deck, Aron in the hole ...

[silphael]

Quickly refocusing his psionic powers, Xhanfaerd looks around.

"No wounded among us ? Well, it seems we're on point then. Any chance they could have ringed any sort of alarm that would put the rest of them on alert ?"

Simply recovering my focus if all of them seems down.

[lostsole31]

R3T16: Quickly refocusing his psionic powers, Xhanfaerd looks around. "No wounded among us? Well, it seems we're on point then. Any chance they could have ringed any sort of alarm that would put the rest of them on alert?"

R3T15: Gelik ceases his oratory as he moves to take a central position, surveying the scene.

R3T8: Aron calls out, "These creatures are the bane of the Expanse, fecund and fetid and viscious. Do not offer mercy where none will ever be reciprocated." She steps over to the one being attacked by sky-viper, pulling out her sword, and stabbing it in the belly for 8.

End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T21: Fronaldo, what do you do?

Sky-Viper on deck, Pim in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo will efficiently slit the throat of the Charau-ka at his feet (blue).

[lostsole31]

R4T21: Fronaldo efficiently slits the throat of the charau-ka at his feet.

R4T20.1: The sky-viper, seeing no more active enemies, continues to attack the one it was sicced on (until told to stop) to do 1 damage.

R4T20: Pim, what do you do?

Tor-ber on deck, Xhanfaerd in the hole ...

[GM_Dave]

Pim will make a sigh of relief as his magic effects wear off. He will then turn towards the pit.

"They crawled out of there? What in the world is it, a sink hole?"

[lostsole31]

R4T20: Pim makes a sigh of relief as the battle seems to have worn down. He turns towards the pit."They crawled out of there? What in the world is it, a sink hole?"He has to get a better look, though, and begins walking in that direction.

R4T18: Tor-ber, what do you do?

Xhanfaerd on deck, Gelik in the hole ...

[Robert821]

I do not think they came from the pit, they seem like tree dwellers, or primitive huts. Possible, that they worship something down there, or a great evil to them, and they are guarding it?

Torber will quickly check the bodies for any clues, personal affects, then drag them to the leafy vegetation to toss them into.

[lostsole31]

R4T18:"I do not think they came from the pit, they seem like tree dwellers, or primitive huts. Possible, that they worship something down there, or a great evil to them, and they are guarding it?"Tor-ber steps over to the closest charau-ka, and looks through its ... gear. A rotting bladder pouch with some rocks, and a club. Not even much for clothing. It has nothing of value.

R4T16: Xhanfaerd, what do you do?

Gelik on deck, Aron in the hole ...

[silphael]

Xhanfaerd also takes the direction of the pit, shaking his hammer to remove the splatters, still wary about a potential second group in ambush nearby.

[lostsole31]

R4T16: Xhanfaerd also takes the direction of the pit, shaking his hammer to remove the splatters, still wary about a potential second group in ambush nearby.

R4T15: Gelik scurries to brown to find out ... "This one has nothing worth a farthing! Just some dumb rocks and a worthless club."

R4T8: Aron stabs red in the heart to finish him off.

End Round 4, Begin Round 5 ...

R5T21: Fronaldo, you assured the death of the charau-ka you are over. You aren't sure of the status of blue or green (a single MA away). What do you do?

Sky-viper on deck, Pim in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo scurries to green Charau-Ka. He checks the creature for signs of life.

[lostsole31]

R5T21: Fronaldo scurries to green Charau-Ka. He checks the creature for signs of life. Though comatose, this charau-ka seems to have stopped bleeding.

R5T20.1-20: Sky-Viper delays until directed to do something else. Pim, what do you do?

[lostsole31]

Pim beckons Sky-Viper to him, who complies, as he continues towards the pit.

... Interruption ...

A creature climbs out of the pit. It is a swollen, squid-like creature with ten writhing tentacles. It has something that vaguely passes as a "face," with pale, milky eyes on its bulbous body.

Begin Round One ...

R1T30: Fronaldo, what do you do?

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo spots the new threat and he decides to augment his capabilities to deal with this creature. He removes a small vial containing a green fluid from his belt pouch and drinks it. He gasps in pain as the potent elixir takes hold of him. His skin ripples and takes on a shiny scaled appearance. Rainbow highlights reflect from its surface as it catches the light. His normally round pupils elongate vertically and a long forked tongue darts out between his lips before returning.
“Ware the pitsss!” he hisses.
Then he retrieves a flask from his belt.

SA:consume mutagen: Dex
MA:manipulate item-retrieve flask alchemist fire.

[lostsole31]

R1T30: Fronaldo spots the new threat and he decides to augment his capabilities to deal with this creature. He removes a small vial containing a green fluid from his belt pouch and drinks it. He gasps in pain as the potent elixir takes hold of him. His skin ripples and takes on a shiny scaled appearance. Rainbow highlights reflect from its surface as it catches the light. His normally round pupils elongate vertically and a long forked tongue darts out between his lips before returning.

“Ware the pitsss!” he hisses as he retrieves a flask from his belt.

R1T21: Gelik tries to figure out whatever that thing is. He casts a spell on himself. "If that thing is intelligent and speaks, I might understand what it wants; but I can't speak to it, I'm sure." He steps out next to Fronaldo and calls out in Taldane. "I say! If you are sapient, let us know!"

R1T20: Tor-ber, what do you do?

[Robert821]

"what is all the ruckus about? something new?"

Torber will double move up and around the few fallen pillars, and debris, to get slightly in front and of to the left of Pim. Unsure what he is looking at, he will await orders so far.

Using his swift action while moving, Torber will enact Dragon Style

[lostsole31]

R1T20: "What is all the ruckus about? Something new?" Torber will double move up and around the few fallen pillars, and debris, to get slightly in front and of to the left of Pim. Unsure what he is looking at, he will await orders so far.

R1T16: Xhanfaerd, what do you do?

Sky-Viper on deck, Pim in the hole ...

[silphael]

Xhanfaerd moves closer and prepares himself to bash the creature as it comes in range.

"Get ready to hit it hard !"

One move action to get closer (and give it a charge path) by moving 20 feet and get in a direct down line from it.
Then ready an action : Harmony-Shattering Strike, spending my focus so it gets no save (so if it hits, any ally attacking it deals +1d6 damage).
Also, I still have the THP from Biokinetic Adept, right ?

[GM_Dave]

"No, no, no," Pim pops, as he struts towards the monster; one hand pointing a finger at it, and his other hand near his card dispenser. ""A late comer? Oh, we already dispatched those monkey things, and now this? This is too much, this has gone too far!" Pim over dramatizes while flipping his hair behind him like a stallion's mane. A stallion made out of olives.


Move: towards enemy 15' so i am 30' away
Standard : Evil Eye (will save is dc18)

[lostsole31]

R1T8: "No, no, no," Pim pops, as he struts towards the monster; one hand pointing a finger at it, and his other hand near his card dispenser. "A late comer? Oh, we already dispatched those monkey things, and now this? This is too much, this has gone too far!" Pim over dramatizes while flipping his hair behind him like a stallion's mane. A stallion made out of olives.

R1T7.9: The Sky-Viper flies to keep up with its master.

R1T7: Aron's voice is felt over the collective..."Decapus, aberration from Darklands. Tentacles dangerous, but they tend to focus all on one target at a time."She casts a spell on herself that she may see the various possibilities of this encounter and how best to capitalize on them, while moving forward.

R1T6: The monster, moving forward only a little bit, burbles out something in a language that only Xhanfaerd and Gelik can understand."I am hungry. There are bodies. Give me bodies and I will leave you alone. Don't want to fight. Need food."
End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T30: Fronaldo, what do you do?

Gelik on deck, Tor-ber in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

”Was it speaking? Do we attack?”


ready an action to attack the creature [throw dagger at it if within 20’ range] if another player attacks.

[lostsole31]

R2T30:”Was it speaking? Do we attack?”
R2T21: Gelik, what do you do?

Tor-ber on deck, Xhanfaerd in the hole ...

[silphael]

"It wants corpses !"

[BuckGodot]

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I've got this!" Gelik says and strides boldly and
uncharacteristically towards the beast...
Bowing, characteristically, he gestures with a flourish towards the deceased monkey meat and says,"Eat your fill! The buffet is open!"

Looking back to the others, he says "If we let him dine out, he'll eat take-away."

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo’s jaw hangs open that Gelik could assign gender to such an alien creature.

[lostsole31]

"It wants corpses!"
R2T21: "Whoa, whoa, whoa! I've got this!" Gelik says and strides boldly and uncharacteristically towards the beast. Bowing, characteristically, he gestures with a flourish towards the deceased monkey meat and says,"Eat your fill! The buffet is open!" Looking back to the others, he says "If we let him dine out, he'll eat take-away."

Fronaldo’s jaw hangs open that Gelik could assign gender to such an alien creature.

R2T20: Tor-ber, what do you do?

Xhanfaerd on deck, Pim in the hole ...

[silphael]

Slightly relaxing his stance, Xhanfaerd answers in Aklo.

"You can take those corpses, it's not like they'll still need them. Take them with you, but do share what information you can about this place, please."

Then to the others through the collective.

"Let's let it eat. I asked for informations though."

[lostsole31]

Initiative Ends ...

"I live at the bottom of the well. The little creatures feed me, but I don't mind feeding on them. Thank you, but that funny little friend of yours made me feel bad by looking at me. And if I try to get to food behind you, I don't want you to think I am moving on you, but I don't want to be surrounded either."
Aron moves up to Xhanfaerd and says to him, "I need to perform a divination, so I ask it to give me a minute with one of the bodies."

[Robert821]

Torber will take the parties words to heart and gather up the dead bodies, and move them closer to the tentacled creature, asking a question.

"Does she want me to place them in the pit?"

[lostsole31]

Aron asks Tor-ber to wait a minute, as she needs to perform a divination with one of the bodies. "Feed it the others' first, and talk to it, but I have things to do."

Does anybody interrupt Aron (further) before dealing surprisingly peaceably with the decapus?

[GM_Dave]

Watching the interaction with a critical eye, Pim assumes a less aggressive posture, instead instantly acting superior to the pit creature.
He will eventually walk over to Fronaldo, and talk through the collective.

"Am I the only one who isn't so sure that this thing wont just stab us in the back later? I mean, we are feeding it? What about in a few hours when it gets hungry?"

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo’s gaze is fixed on what Aron is doing with the corpse of the creature as he flips his small dagger up into the air and catches it. His iridescent scales shimmer as he constantly moves from foot to foot.
“Mmmm, yeah.” he says distractedly.

[lostsole31]

Aron uses he short sword to cut open the entrails of one of the charau-ka. For 10 minutes of prayer and moving the entrails semi-randomly, she studies what she sees. Meanwhile Tor-ber and anyone else who wanted to help him piled the other charau-ka where the decapus could get to them easily The creature moves very slowly almost comically so. It slowly snacks on one of the charau-ka (ew!) while Aron does her haruspicy (ew!).

Finally, Aron is done and Tor-ber can toss the last body the decapus' way. The decapus seems to be just fine gathering up charau-ka in various tentacles to head back towards the hole.

However, and only because a party member mentioned something that implies possible treachery with this deal ... does anyone try any treachery and attack the decapus, or was Pim just spitballing?

[Blackhawk101]

“What did you learn Aron?”

[BuckGodot]

Watching from afar, Gelik grimaces at Aron toying with the bits and pieces of cadaver before speaking... "Yes... Do tell us if the old fellow has any last words... Or is this all just monkey business?"

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo flinches away from Gelik, sure he heard a rumble of thunder following the comedian’s words.

[lostsole31]

Aron answers in the collective. "What I learn is not something I understand or articulate until a split-second before I can make use of it. With haruspicy, I am able to get a subsconscious insight into dangers of the future. Nothing I can say or even see. But an added intuition that helps me when I need it."

[Blackhawk101]

“*channels Spock*Fascinating! Let me know when the guts give you insight.
Are we going to stand around while it eats, or what?”

Fronaldo paces with nervous energy, flipping his knife and catching it as he walks.

[silphael]

Nodding, Xhanfaerd looks around to make sure nothing of interest has been left behind.

"Yes. Let's go."

[lostsole31]

From here, the group has three major directions to go...
1) Along a game trail to the west.
2) East-northeast, parallel to a large lake of tar, heading to a smaller set of ruins and rocks.
3) Straight ahead, which is to the NW and NNW, to a much more open space of ruins and rocks.

[lostsole31]

Aron gathers the group up, as they are spread about. "We need to clear this area, as the charau-ka might bring others like it did the decapus. Tor-ber, I look to your woodcraft to determine the best way to go from here."

About this time, Sky Viper winks out of existence.

[Blackhawk101]

“One direction is as good as the next since we don’t know where the thing we are looking for is.”

[Robert821]

"I will assess each trail, quickly and quietly, but have been wondering about the dead man found yesterday, and if his troop made it inside, not seeing much tracks if they did." as Torber turns to regard each direction, looking in the trees as well.

Torber will glide up each trail just a little, inspecting the terrain for signs of travel, come back and look at his map.

"The game trail would seem the most troublesome, with it narrow, single file, and most likely trapped. we are here to look for ruins, the other two have them, but more exposed and weathered would be my guess, and will not reveal much."

[Blackhawk101]

“I will takesss the lead if you are worried about trapsss.” says Fronaldo.

[lostsole31]

One thing Tor-ber and Fronaldo will notice, though ... is that while there are tactical difficulties with a game trail, the two more open paths are very heavily traversed by innumerable charau-ka feet. There is some traffic to and from the game trail to the west, but not as much.

Okay, Tor-ber, give your professional opinion on the direction to take.

[lostsole31]

Tor-ber thinks about it. "If the monkey-men are like monkeys, we won't find a lot of ground tracks along the game trail, but assume they use the trees at that point as a byway. I think we should just go straight in, but be alert for dangers. C'mon, Fronaldo, you're up front with me."

The party traipses along the paritally marked trail - more of a crumbling road - for more than a hundred yards, just getting into the area with ruins.

Surprise Round ...

Somehow, against all odds, the entire party is surprised by a band of charau-ka behind and on top of ancient, crumbling statue. They throw rocks at the party.

And similarly, againt all odds ... they miss (only Fronaldo and Gelik were targeted).

Begin Round One ...

R1T31: Fronaldo, nothing is in hand right now. Your DEX mutagen has plenty of time remaining. What do you do?

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo flicks his dagger at the nearest ground based Charau-ka and retrieves a flask from his belt.

Fronaldo does have his returning dagger in his hand (see post from 1/18). When in a dangerous situation this is typical.
He throws it at pink Charau-ka. Risky strike. throw weapon
[roll0]
[roll1]
Is this damage correct for risky strike?
retrieve alchemist fire

[lostsole31]

R1T31: Fronaldo flicks his dagger at the nearest ground based Charau-ka and retrieves a flask from his belt. His dagger hits pink in the right elbow for 9.Yes, the numbers after the double-slash are for thrown dagger damage.
R1T22: Aron casts entropic shield on herself, and is guarded by motes of distracting color floating around her. She then moves to the base of a statue while getting out her whip.

R1T21: Brown shrieks in fury, moves up and throws a rock at Fronaldo.

R1T20: Pim, what do you do? You are the farthest away from this mess. Nothing is in hand right now, and any enhancements you had in the last battle are long over.

[GM_Dave]

Pim stops in his tracks, spooked by the ambush. He was musing to himself about the events of the last encounter, when he looks to the mass of monkey men and says, ”More food for the squid!”. The words leave his mouth with a catty grace, and at the end he trills his tongue and screams, “OKAY?”, directly at the [red-blue] monkey near Gelik.
The scream is no normal taunt, in fact the air ripples as a shockwave of bitchiness fires towards the charuka. Pim will walk slightly backwards.


Move: move back 25’ so i am 45’ away from the red blue enemy
Standard: bouncing ear piercing scream, if it saves, it will target the red green enemy instead.
Draw a card to my hand as part of moving
Swift: Activate defensive property (wont take hold until next round)
[Damage: [roll0]]

[lostsole31]

R1T20: Pim stops in his tracks, spooked by the ambush. He was musing to himself about the events of the last encounter, when he looks to the mass of monkey men and says, ”More food for the squid!”. The words leave his mouth with a catty grace, and at the end he trills his tongue and screams, “OKAY?”, directly at the [red-blue] monkey near Gelik. The scream is no normal taunt, in fact the air ripples as a shockwave of bitchiness fires towards the charuka. Pim will walk slightly backwards. Actually, compressional sound waves knock him back, but he times it right so he looks like he's in control and adjusting lines of sight. As far as the charau-ka are concerned, the compression waves whallop red/green for 9 sonic.

As he moved, Pim had also drawn a card, and it is another card that is not great for him .... The Avalanche (LE), signifying disaster. He focuses his arcane power into the rest of his deck.

R1T19: Red charau-ka shrieks horrifically and zooms down at blinding speed to throw a rock at Fronaldo.

R1T18: Gelik, what do you do? Your comprehend languages is still active, and you have buckler readied and longsword in hand.

[BuckGodot]

Gelick will take a 5' step back from the beasts and as he does so emit a shrieking sound.



Vrock's Screech

[lostsole31]

R1T18-17: Gelik takes a 5' step back from the beasts and as he does so emit a shrieking sound, far more powerful in volume than Pim's (who was really just shouting, as the spell effect is ultrasonic). The yellow and red-green charau-ka are both staggered by the sonic onslaught.

R1T16-14: Pink goes into a shrieking fury and throws a rock at Fronaldo. Red-blue also goes into shrieking fury, but throws a rock down at Aronnahar.

R1T12: Xhanfaerd, what do you do?

[silphael]

Still dancing on the battleground, Xhanfaerd gets closer to Fronaldo, before changing his stance, his face turning grim and fearsome as his resolve, as he unleashes a spell, stones and dirt falling from the sky, his voice adding thunder to this sudden storm.

"It is still time to give up !"

Ok, big turn here !
Move action : going 3 square NW, for a total of 20'.
Swift action : Entering the stance Black Seraph's Glare.
Standard action : Casting Stone Call, centering in on the intersection that is : from green dotted charau-ka, 2 square down, on the SW corner. That should hit all charua-kas but the red one, and no ally.
Free action : Intimidate from Black Seraph's Glare, against each of those damaged.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[lostsole31]

R1T12: Still dancing on the battleground, Xhanfaerd gets closer to Fronaldo, before changing his stance, his face turning grim and fearsome as his resolve, as he unleashes a spell, stones and dirt falling from the sky, his voice adding thunder to this sudden storm. "It is still time to give up !"

R1T11: Tor-ber, what do you do? You have no active effects left over from last battle.

Remaining charau-ka on deck and in the hole ...

[Robert821]

"I feel late to the party!" As Torber swiftly enacts Dragon style, and charges towards pink, stopping right in front of Xhanfaerd and Fronaldo.

Manifesting a weapon, calling forth from space and time, a silvery horse-chopper, during his charge, and swinging it mightily at the Charau-ku(Red/Blue)

Manifesting call weaponry with a PP and risky striking at Red/Blue: [roll0], damage [roll1]

[lostsole31]

R1T11: "I feel late to the party!" As Torber swiftly enacts Dragon style, calling forth a weapon from space and time .... and goblin society, bringing forth a glinting horse-chopper and swinging it mightily at pink charau-ka. Now, if only goblins could make horse-choppers that looked that fine, though surely Fronaldo could appreciate the workmanship, especially as it splashes deep into his foe's right shoulder and torso, dropping him.

R1T9-4: Green, purple, blue, and yellow all go, each entering their shreking fury. Green scrambles north to throw a rock at Fronaldo. Purple hits Tor-ber in the neck with a rock for 5. Blue also throws a rock at Tor-ber. Yellow was a little woozy from a previous effect; it shrieks and throws a rock down at Xhanfaerd, hitting him in the belly for 5.

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T31: Fronaldo, you are enjoying doing the "matrix dodge" against all the rocks thrown at you while still juiced on your mutagen. Your dagger returns to your hand. Meanwhile, rocks fell out of the sky over a large area, just barely missing you (thanks, X!). What do you do? Note most of the enemy is in difficult terrain, though you could 5' step due north to attack those charau-ka (or stayin missile combat). Then again, you also have alchemist's fire in your hand. So many options for a goblin full of mischief! :redcloak:

Aron on deck, brown in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

The shiny dagger flies back to Fronaldo’s waiting hand, splashing a little Charau-ka blood as slaps into his palm. With a flourish, he slings the flask he is carrying at enraged monkey-man. He then takes a vial of clear fluid from his pouch of alchemical mystery (TM) and concentrates on it. A riot of purple and green colors swirl in the vial and it starts to glow.

Throw alchemist fire at blue Charau-ka.
[roll0]
[roll1]
create arcanotoxin: Int, inhaled DC=13, increase frequency +2=4 then halved =2 via inhaled.

[lostsole31]

R2T31: The shiny dagger flies back to Fronaldo’s waiting hand, splashing a little Charau-ka blood as slaps into his palm. With a flourish, he slings the flask he is carrying at enraged monkey-man, just barely catching him on the side of the head, but erupting about him for 6 fire (and on fire)! Brown, purple, and pink likewise get seared for 1 fire.

He then takes a vial of clear fluid from his pouch of alchemical mystery (TM) and concentrates on it. A riot of purple and green colors swirl in the vial and it starts to glow.

R2T22: Aron snaps the whip up, and catches red/green to trip him. Because of the imperfect surface of the statue, red/green falls to the ground prone (1) as she steps away.

R2T21: Brown moves back a little and throws a rock at Tor-ber to catch him on the cheek for 7.

R2T20: Pim, you set up defending (but still offense until otherwise noted), and you have Avalanche (LE) in your hand. What do you do?

Red on deck, Gelik in the hole ...

[GM_Dave]

Pim Will draw two cards, as he sends one of the large spell effects forward to summon another creature. He places the cards down in mid air where they reveal their faces just before granting their power to the summoned monster. Pim will have the glowing "card" effect land just north of the [red-green] enemy he damaged before. Then, the remaining spell cards floating around him will put up their barriers, granting him their full defensive property.

Pim will Summon a "dark" eagle and direct it to attack the [red-green] monkey man.



Standard:Cast Summon monster 1 from arcana pool for a dark eagle
Free: Direct the eagle to attack red-green
Free: Allocate 2 enhancement from cards to AC

talons [roll1] bite [roll]1d20+3 = 13 [roll2]

[lostsole31]

R2T20: Pim Will draws two cards, as he sends one of the large spell effects forward to summon another creature. He places the cards down in mid air where they reveal their faces just before granting their power to the summoned monster. The second card drawn, for fate demands execution of a prior Harrow card, not drawing a lot and choosing the desired, is The Inquisitor (LN, Int) to match with the Avalanche (LE, Dex). Again this summons will last only half as long, but will be fast and clever.

Pim has the glowing "card" effect land just north of the [red-green] enemy he damaged before, the one Aron knocked down to the ground. Then, the remaining spell cards floating around him will put up their barriers, granting him their full defensive property. Pim will Summon a "dark" eagle and direct it to attack the [red-green] monkey man, slashing it with one of its talons for 4.

R2T19: Red zooms over and throws a rock at the little guy making creatures on the field (Pim), hitting Pim square on the hip for 6.

R2T18: Gelik, what do you do?

Several charau-ka on deck and in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Gelik, wishing to be as supportive as possible to his fellow adventurers, turns and heads west about 15 feet. As he does so, his voice rises above the melee... "Well, my fine fellows! Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do or... Strike and strike hard at the heart of our enemies! This foe will be overcome! They may seem to have numbers to array against us, but we have proven that our skill and teamwork can vanquish worse than this..." He continues, bolstering the group with courage and skill.



He uses his powerful monologing to Inspire Courage.

[lostsole31]

R2T18: Gelik, wishing to be as supportive as possible to his fellow adventurers, turns and heads west about 15 feet. As he does so, his voice rises above the melee... "Well, my fine fellows! Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do or... Strike and strike hard at the heart of our enemies! This foe will be overcome! They may seem to have numbers to array against us, but we have proven that our skill and teamwork can vanquish worse than this..." He continues, bolstering the group with courage and skill.

R2T17-14: Red/green hops up, dodging a peck from the eagle. It steps down between the eagle and Aron, drawing its club. From atop the "safety" of the statue, red/blue tosses a rock at Xhanfaerd, zinging him in the lower left leg for 6, before throwing another rock and missing.

R2T12: Xhanfaerd, while they are in their shrieking fury, the charau-ka seem to be moving incredibly quickly .... throwing two rocks and being little bothered by the terrain of the rocks you left behind. Note that the two charau-ka due south of you (including the one that just pegged you) are both 15' up on a statue. What do you do?

Tor-ber on deck, green in the hole ...

[silphael]

As he had hoped for a more sizeable impact of his first spell, Xhanfaerd returns to his dancing stance, and add another spell, this one helping his allies instead of trying to hinder his foes.

Swift action, return to Silver Crane Waltz.
Standard Action, casting Haste (all of us but the one all at right are affected)
Move action, going 1 up, 3 left.

[lostsole31]

R2T12: As he had hoped for a more sizeable impact of his first spell, Xhanfaerd returns to his dancing stance, and add another spell, this one helping his allies instead of trying to hinder his foes. Everyone except for Pim feels the world slow down a bit around them. Xhanfaerd moves up and over, and green snaps at him with a bite as he goes by.

R2T11: Tor-ber, what do you do?

Charau-ka on deck and in the hole ...

[Robert821]

"I plan to draw their attention." Torber rolls his shoulders to loosen up. "Growing up!"

manifesting "Karak's Expansion" as a standard action. Calling upon "Martial Flexibility" to gain cleave as a move action. As a free action, 5' move to the most advantageous position to strike all with reach 15', possibly capitalizing on ​Combat Reflex.

[lostsole31]

R2T11: "I plan to draw their attention." Torber rolls his shoulders to loosen up. "Growing up!"Because of the square you were in, and are in inclusively, you are in difficult terrain, so you cannot make a 5' free move.There is a smell of fresh-grown blossoms as he does so.

R2T9-4: Seeing the sudden change in the "terrain" and what it represents (Tor-ber), most of the charau-ka change their tactics. Green moves to flank Xhanfaerd and Tor-ber responds with his hose-chopper, but he overextends and misses. Green has its club out and attacks the Mwangi, hitting against Xhanfaerd's magical protection; it seems even though flanking, its fear of him kept from connection. Purple throws a rock at Tor-ber, who in turns hits it for 18, though Tor-ber is still struck for 5. Blue takes 6 fire; it foolishly tries to throw a rock at Tor-ber, who in turns cuts him down. Yellow throws a rock hits Tor-ber for 7, and Tor-ber - not used to his slower reflexes at this size, fails to respond.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T31: Fronaldo, what do you do? You have your created arcanotoxin in hand, an inhaled poison (DC 13 with extras).

Aron on deck, Brown in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo seeing an enlarged Torber already playing with all the monkey men in one direction, he hops over to a lone Charau-ka and introduces himself and his shiny friend.

Free five foot move, difficult terrain-use acrobatics .attack green Charau-ka.
[roll0]
FAA, risky strike dagger, +1 attack Haste
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

[lostsole31]

R3T31: Fronaldo seeing an enlarged Torber already playing with all the monkey men in one direction, he hops over to a lone Charau-ka and introduces himself and his shiny friend, but finds no matter how gymnastically brilliant he is, it is more effort than he wanted to expend. Still, a quick jab to the monkey-man's chest for 18.Difficult terrain is difficult terrain. It makes a five-foot free move a five foot move action costing 10' worth of movement. Acrobatics can't mitigate that.
R3T22: Aron ducks past red/green (who misses with a bite) to move to a protected area on the other side of Tor-ber, and casts CSW on him for 23.

R3T21: Brown swings at Xhanfaerd with club and bite.

R3T20.1: Dark eagle fails to connect against its target with talons or bite.

R3T20: Pim, what do you do?

Red on deck, Gelik in the hole ...

[GM_Dave]

Pim will turn towards the [red] enemy, holding his drawn card like a shuriken towards it. Instead of throwing, however, Pim casts a spell to command the monkey,
”Drop your weapon,” he demands, with heavy emphasis on the first word.


Standard : cast command “drop weapons, cant pick up for 1 round” selection

[lostsole31]

R3T20: Pim will turn towards the [red] enemy, holding his drawn card like a shuriken towards it. Instead of throwing, however, Pim casts a spell to command the monkey,
”Drop your weapon,” he demands, with heavy emphasis on the first word.

R3T19: Red drops his club, but takes attacks Pim at super-speed with rocks, but Pim's defending deck blocks them.

R3T18: Gelik, you are currently inspiring the party. Do you continue (FA)? What do you do?

Enemies on deck/ in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Gelik will continue to be inspirational.

[lostsole31]

R3T18: Gelik continues to be inspirational. I mean, when isn't he? *brushing palm on doublet in supreme confidence*

R3T17-14: Red/green misses its first attack, then hits dark eagle with the second for 5. Red/blue tosses rocks at Tor-ber, both hitting for a total of 12.

R3T12: Xhanfaerd, what do you do?

Tor-ber on deck, green in the hole ...

[silphael]

Raising his hammer, Xhanfaerd ties two of the ape-men with metaphorical chains.

Standard action : chains of doubt on orange, tying it with purple.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
Will save DC 18 vs nauseate. If he fails, purple will have to roll the same save.

[Robert821]

Torber swings at Red/Blue, maybe continuing into yellow with cleave. Interim attack to purple. Hasted attack to Red/Green.

Risky striking with cleave into Red/Blue: [roll0], damage: [roll1]. Maybe hitting Yellow: [roll2], damage: [roll3]. Risky striking Purple:[roll4], damage: [roll5]. Risky Striking Red/Green: [roll6], Damage:[roll7]

[lostsole31]

R3T12: Raising his hammer, Xhanfaerd strikes brown (not orange, just so we use common vocab) in the lower center chest for 21, causing him to instantly vomit. Purple, seeing that powerful blow, likewise becomes nauseous.

R3T11: Torber swings at Red/Blue, but misses wildly. Still, he recenters his grip on his horsechopper after the failed double-punch and readies against any actions the enemy may perform.

R3T9-4: Green swings twice at Fronaldo with its club. Purple vomits and withdraws in the rubble field to relative safety. Yellow seems to be doing better (though still a little worried like all of his kin) than when the battle first began and he was pummeled by sound waves. He goes to throw a rock at Tor-ber (who misses a counter-attack with a fist) to strike the offending, punching bicep with a rock for 5. When he tries again, Tor-ber is ready this time and comes down with a hammer fist on yellow's head for 24. That doesn't knock yellow down, but definitely rings his bell as his aim is thrown off with the second rock.

End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T31: Fronaldo, you are fighting gobbo-y-chimpo right now, with that arcanotoxin still in your hand while standing on the edge of difficult terrain (1 sq east would take you out of it). What do you do?

Aron on deck, Brown in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo’s green iridescent scales are practically vibrating with the potential mix of mutagen and magical speed that is affecting him. His forked tongue darts out as he feints with the arcanotoxin and then slashes with blinding speed with his dagger.

MA to feint
[roll0] + 2 spending 1guile pool
Risky strike, sneak attack if feint is successful plus bleed plus debilitating injury: hampered.
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3] plus [roll4]

[lostsole31]

R4T31: Fronaldo’s green iridescent scales are practically vibrating with the potential mix of mutagen and magical speed that is affecting him. His forked tongue darts out as he feints with the arcanotoxin and then slashes with blinding speed with his dagger down low along the back of the charau-ka's left gastrocnumeous muscle and carve around and then longitudinally up its demoral artery to instantly kill it in a massive spray of blood (that gets all over Fronaldo).

R4T22: Aron shrugs and smiles as Tor-ber was beaten back down by rocks, but she just builds him up again with another CSW spell that fully heals the half-orc.

R4T21: Brown vomits on itself, and like his other buddy so afflicted, does a restricted withdrawal as well into the surprising safety of the rubble field.

R4T20.1: Dark eagle slashes red/green in the shoulder for 4 and 6 with its talons.

R4T20: Pim, what do you do? Red is currently tossing rocks at you, though your deck protects you.

Red on deck, Gelik in the hole ...

[GM_Dave]

Pim, jogs back, takes a deep breath, and smiles.
"Lovely day for a spree; a frolic, really," with a spirited energy.
As he backpedals away from the monster, Pim takes aim with his card, and flings it at the [red] monkey man.
The card ignites with a sudden burst of electricity, jolting forward at the target.


Standard: cast shocking grasp, and throw card

Damage [roll]1d3+3+5d6elec
Move: walk 20' west

[lostsole31]

R4T20: Pim, jogs back, takes a deep breath, and smiles. "Lovely day for a spree; a frolic, really," he chirps with a spirited energy. As he backpedals away from the monster, Pim takes aim with his card, and flings it at the [red] monkey man. The card ignites with a sudden burst of electricity, jolting forward at the target. It catches his target in the neck for 4 + 14 electricity!

R4T19: Red is no longer moving quite as quickly. He tosses a rock at Pim with lackluster effort.

R4T18: Gelik, you are currently inspiring the party. What do you do?

Enemies on deck and in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Gelik will continue with his partyrific inspirational quotification and look around to see if anyone is in need of healing.

[lostsole31]

R4T18: Gelik continues with his party-rific inspirational quotification and looks around to see if anyone is in need of healing. Pim and Xhanfaerd are the only two who have any wounds at all, though neither one badly so.

R4T17-14: The shrieking fury of a couple other charau-ka seems to diminish as they are now temporarily winded by their previous efforts. Red/green staggers south to throw a rock at dark eagle. Red-blue ducks a counterpunch thrown by Tor-ber as he throws a rock at the half-orc, critting him in the left calf for 7.

R4T12: Xhanfaerd, what do you do?

Tor-ber on deck, charau-ka in the hole ....

[silphael]

Xhanfaerd gets closer, gathering a silvery light in his hammer, before smashing it down on the creature.

Moving toward "purple nuke" one, the initiating Silver Knight's Blade. Also, until the fight is over, I'll redirect the first damage taken by anyone else each round to me.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

Those extra damage are also healed by me.

[lostsole31]

R4T12: Xhanfaerd gets closer, gathering a silvery light in his hammer, before smashing it down on the creature for 25, causing the charau-ka to crumple under the blow, while providing healing to himself of 10!

R4T11: Tor-ber, you reset your AOOs. You are in Dragon style, no risky strike, and you attempted a cleave last round with that fighting knowledge in your melon. What do you do now?

Yellow on deck, Fronaldo in the hole ...

[Robert821]

I quick succession, using the horse chopper, take a swing at Red/Green, then back fisting Red/Blue, and punching Yellow full on.

Standard attack with Horsechopper to Red/Green: Attack 1d20+12; Dmg: [roll0].
Unarmed attack to Red/Blue: Attack [roll1]; Dmg: [roll2].
Unarmed Hasted attack to Yellow: [roll3]; Dmg: [roll4].

[lostsole31]

R4T11: Tor-ber cuts at red/green but the statue foils his line of attack before he backfists red/ blue for 9, and punches yellow full on for 14. The last is enough to throw the charau-ka off the statue on the other side where it lands to take another 4. It lays there, unmoving.

End Round 4, Begin Round 5 ...

R5T31: Fronaldo, the inhalation arcanotoxin is still in your hand. What do you do?

Aron on deck, Brown in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo scurries over to Pim.
“Watch this! Stay out of the cloud.”
He hurls the vial he is holding at the Chaura-ka. The vial shatters and a purple and green gas roils out, briefly obscuring the creature

move 15’ East.
throw arcanotoxin at the square that red Chaura-ka is standing in.
Range 30’
1d20+13
DC 13
duration =4 rounds
Int track

[lostsole31]

R5T31: Fronaldo scurries over to Pim. “Watch this! Stay out of the cloud.” He hurls the vial he is holding at the Chaura-ka. The vial shatters and a purple and green gas roils out, briefly obscuring the creature. It is a picture-perfect throw, but the charau-ka seems to be unperturbed by the gas.

R5T22: Aron closes right on red charau-ka while drawing short sword in off-hand and then stabbing it in the neck for 11.

R5T21: Brown recovered previously from its nausea, and now recovers from the post-shrieking stagger to throw a rock that hits Xhanfaerd's upper right bicep with a crit for 7.

R5T20.1: Dark eagle flies around in a loop to attack red/green from the south, critting it with its talons for 8 (as it also is inspired by Gelik now).

R5T20: Pim, yup. You watched the alchemist toss a green-cloud thing that didn't seem to bother the charau-ka. Okay, what now?

Red on deck, Gelik in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Gelik continues his inspirational speechifying and seeing that he has a clear shot at red/green he lets loose with a gout of flame.



Planar Detonation:

Attack: [roll0]

Damage: [roll1]

[GM_Dave]

Pim will withdraw the defensive cards, causing them to spin in reverse until the large rectangular spell effects are recalled back into the deck. He will then draw another card, which bursts into an electric energy; he throws the card at the [red] charau ka.


Swift: swap enhancements to shocking
Standard: activate shocking
Standard: throw at red
[roll0]
Damage [roll1] [roll2]

[lostsole31]

R5T20: Pim will withdraw the defensive cards, causing them to spin in reverse until the large rectangular spell effects are recalled back into the deck. He will then draw another card, which bursts into an electric energy; he throws the card at the [red] charau ka. It barely skims its right shoulder for only 4 + 1 electricity. Still, it is so battered that even that little bit is enough to have it barely on its feet. One more strike should easily spill it.

R5T19: Red, despite staggering, steps back to throw a rock at Aron.

R5T18: Gelik continues his inspirational speechifying and seeing that he has a clear shot at red/green he lets loose with a gout of flame that whallops the poor widdle adowable chimpy-man for 15 fire, dropping it. (MONKEY MURDERER!)

R5T14: Red/blue takes out his club and swings at Tor-ber. He only does 4, but after doing that, he no longer seems to be carrying the lingering fear from earlier in the battle.

R5T12: Xhanfaerd, what do you do?

Tor-ber on deck, Fronaldo in the hole ...

[silphael]

Xhanfaerd closes the gap and tries to take down that ape-man with a vicious blow.

Move action : getting closer (1 square left)
Standard action : Gutstrike (melee attack, if it hits the ape has to roll Fort vs being sickened (DC 15)). It'll also trigger Zeal, giving a +2 morale bonus to everyone in my collective if it hits.
[roll0]
[roll1]
For body of delusion, with your parameters for counters, that's quite simple : it'll trigger on any attack against myself that deals 20+ damage, or against an ally that deals 10+ damage.
For martyrdom, I'll redirect to me the first damage that's above 6..

[lostsole31]

R5T12: Xhanfaerd closes the gap and tries to take down that ape-man with a vicious blow, crumpling the ape-man below the blow. That heroic takedown is enough to further invigorate the other heroes in their own battles.

R5T11: Tor-ber, what do you do?

Fronaldo on deck, Aron in the hole ...

[Robert821]

Shifting his feet a bit, and swinging his mighty fist, One, Two, Three punching motion, in a flurry of blows attack.

Making a quick jabs to the foolish Red/Blue that is just standing there. Flurry of Blows:
Att: [roll0]; Dmg: [roll1].
Att: [roll2]; Dmg; [roll3].
Att: [roll4]; Dmg: [roll5].
Att: [roll6]; Dmg: [roll7].

"So done with that one!" as Torber turns and looks about.

[Blackhawk101]

In order to burn off some energy (and hopefully impress Aron), Fronaldo sprints around Pim, does a couple hand-less cartwheels before skidding to a halt before the outlier Chaura-ka and stabbing it with his dagger.

move using acrobatics to move into melee with red Chaura-ka.
Fronaldo selects a route with minimal rough terrain (since I cannot tell from the map where it is).
[roll0]
strike with dagger, Risky strike
[roll1]
[roll2]

[lostsole31]

R5T11: Shifting his feet a bit, and swinging his mighty fist, One, Two, Three punching motion, in a flurry of blows attack that turns red/blue into a piles of jelly and powdered bones atop the statue, maybe a torn arm sloughing off and falling down the front. "So done with that one!" aTorber says as he turns and looks about.

End Round 5, Begin Round 6 ...

R6T31: In order to burn off some energy (and hopefully impress Aron), Fronaldo sprints around Pim, does a couple hand-less cartwheels before skidding to a halt before the outlier Chaura-ka and stabbing it with his dagger underneath the back left shoulder blade to the upper part of its lungs for 18.

And with that, there are no more active enemies on the field.

Combat Ends ...

Shall I assume CDGs are in order? I will assume that Gelik ends his inspiration, and dark eagle will poof in only a few seconds, anyway, practically wing-saluting Pim as it goes.

[Blackhawk101]

With almost surgical precision, Fronaldo will zip around and end the pain of any remaining living Chaura-ka. He leaves (red) Chaura-ka last. For it, he first examines it thoroughly. He takes several blood stained notes in his formulae book, muttering about onset times and pathogen delivery as he writes. He then kills the creature and performs a quick autopsy, if the group allows.

[GM_Dave]

Pim will smile, and do a victory pose by juggling a few cards, and then he puts them in their carrier pouch with a flourish.

[lostsole31]

Anyone else do anything? Does anyone mind Fronaldo conducting an autopsy on the charau-ka?

[silphael]

Somewhat wounded, Xhanfaerd looks at the different corpses, mostly looking for objects of cultural signifiance, not to gather them, but to gather information about charau-ka's society.

[lostsole31]

One odd thing he notes .... all the charau-ka are male.

[BuckGodot]

Gelik will wrinkle his nose at another autopsy but otherwise, he doesn't care. He will, however, go about dusting himself off and ensuring he is presentable for the next encounter.

[lostsole31]

Fronaldo, are you willing to do an actual one-hour autopsy, which is what would be needed for an in-depth study of various body/external chemistry interactions?

Does anyone in the party have an issue with that?

[GM_Dave]

Pim, while not having any issue with waiting, will use his time to get a lay of the path ahead, going so far as to use his tattoo’s perception bonus power in an effort to scout out the road ahead for any more trouble. He will start by heading opposite of where they entered, and scoping out for any visible paths leading away. He will walk around the perimeter of the battlefield, until he gets an idea of each path, and a short glance down each to get an idea of what lies ahead, no more than a mile away in any direction. He will make sure to keep the battlefield in sight, and not take any winding paths.

[lostsole31]

Pim will soon realize that where the party is now is a large field of statuesque ruins that is almost a hub of various broken paths.
* The group came from the SSE.
* Not but 30' ahead the path splits into a NW and a NE path.
** The NE path moves steadily northeast until reaching a large statue or shrine of some sort.
** the NW path curves gently to the west and out of sight, obscured by patches of jungle.
* There is an eastern path that moves off to distant tar pits.
* There is a western path that moves that is more broken and with fewer trail markers, canting ever so slightly southwards.

[Blackhawk101]

Try as he might, Fronaldo’s over amped nervous system makes it difficult for him to concentrate on the task and he gives up after a minute and joins the others searching the area.

[lostsole31]

Everyone, please note two posts above for the path leading from here.

As far as the now-dispatched charau-ka, they have crude clubs and pouches of small rocks. These are worthless, and even then only Fronaldo, Pim, or Gelik have the small digits to comfortably handle them (charau-ka are size Small). A careful look of the area notes that charau-ka may have had little things of snacks here or there .... and lots of urine and feces .... there is nothing, not even padded grass .... that gives a clue that the charau-ka use this obvious "hub" as a living area.

Aron looks for input, but she says, "So far, we seem to have made a direct line inward to Tazion. Either we can simply go north and choose a direction, or be more circumspect and start looking at these side flanks of this very large ruin before we find that we have gone so far in that we have alerted everything and then cannot get back out."

[BuckGodot]

Gelik will walk slowly around before saying, "I am, of course, all in favour of erring on the side of caution. The less chance we have of being flanked, the better... It is the wiser choice."

[Blackhawk101]

“We should make a map of the area so that it less likely that we become lost. I have the materials and am willing to do so unless someone else would be better suited to the role of amateur cartographer.”

[GM_Dave]

Pim will agree that they should take it slow, and check their flanks.

”Why don’t we start by taking a look around the tar pits to the east? It sounds a bit interesting, if you ask me.”

He is enthusiastic, yet silent, in case of prying ears nearby.

[BuckGodot]

"TAR pits? On the contrary my silent friend... It sounds disgusting, dirty and smelly. I suggest any other way but there."

[lostsole31]

"Alright, then," says Aron, taking the input. "How about we head west, loop back if we need to so we didn't overlook anything, but 'close out' that path wherever it leads for now, which is at least closer back to the enclosure wall?"

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo will retrieve his map of the Muwangi expanse, a pen and ink. He will turn the map over and make a crude map of their exploration so far into Tazion.
“Good idea Aron!”

not having much artistic training other than standard education in Cheliax, Fronaldo will sketch to the best of his ability the map. I will upload a file to discord for the group.

[GM_Dave]

“Okay, West it is; let’s just keep an eye out for traps. Looks like there is just a trail that heads slightly south after a little while. No idea where it leads; maybe, back out? “

[lostsole31]

So, Fronaldo might have the excitement, but ....

Fronaldo's use of the map of the Mwangi Expanse ... and his geographical expertise in concert ... really is about larger area geographical skill.

The best "mapping crew" is going to be consisting of two parts, the survey experts and the actual cartographer who takes those inputs.

Gelik is actually your best surveyor, only then aided by Fronaldo.

Tor-ber is the group's only trained cartographer (which is far more than most groups, really).

So, it should be Tor-ber with the map to draw, and Gelik and Fronaldo making notes.

This means that this central group would in turn be protected by Aronnahar, Pim, and Xhanfaerd as the other three are too busy and focused on their task to be really alert for dangers.

So, what I gave was a list of the objective "best people for job" .... which each of you do know (as you've worked with each other for a couple months now) .... but sometimes egos make people steer off track because they just "wanna." Do you follow that cartograhic advice?

[GM_Dave]

Pim will suggest he takes a surveyor task, instead of guard duty. He might not be the top spotter in the group, but he is better at it than he is at handling ambushes. If Fron , or Gelik feel at all up to the task of guard duty, Pim would swap, but if not, he will promise to do his best.

[lostsole31]

When not using his map to deal with larger-Mwangi geography, Fronaldo and Pim are actually evenly matched, so this can make sense.

What do you (plural) think of my suggestion, but with Pim as Gelik's aide?

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo’s heightened state makes him want to move and it is difficult to focus on menial tasks. He readily agrees with Pim. He will give Tor-ber the map and pen, if he needs them.

[BuckGodot]

Gelik will get out his note-taking gear and join the central group since it will be well protected.

[lostsole31]

The remainder of the day's work is going to be needed to withdraw the way you came, mapping ..... and then going around the enclosure wall a second time to actually map it this time (because, no, you don't get to "map from memory" to scale as you need).

At this point, it is definitely time to go back to camp again.

Aron recommends withdrawing a half-mile from Tazion to be well clear and to not have any cookfires seen or smelled easily, as fires are still needed to help ward off disease. It is too late today to begin hunting foraging, so food will come from rations. Aron will ask that Fronaldo share a ration with Gelik, who seems to have run out. Meanwhile, she will provide fresh water for the camp.

While neither are actual physicans, Aron will aid Pim's knowledge of battlefield medicine to get a sense of how badly everyone is wounded...
Pim: Light wound (> 75%). Healed after CLW from Aron.
Tor-ber: Light wound (>75%). Healed after CLW from Aron.
Xhanfaerd: Medium wounds (~75%). With one CMW from Aron, he has superficial wounding that should be good overnight.

Tonight's watch rotation will be ...
First section: Fronaldo & Gelik
2nd section: Tor-ber & Aron
3rd setion: Xhanfaerd & Pim.

Before people get to their own things or sleep, Aron has the group do some training...
Pim will be conducting mana gathering meditation by himself.
Tor-ber and Xhanfaerd will do strength and stamina training together. Surprisingly, little Gelik does Gelik-sized strength-training along with them. One doesn't know whether to laugh at him or applaud him, though in truth he is (a hair) stronger than the average gnome.
Though he plays with his knives the whole time, Aron and Fronaldo try to discuss what they discovered from the actions of the charau-ka to get a sense of what kind of society they might have.

In that little sliver of time before you go to bed (or go on watch), does anyone do anyone of particular note, or make any particular actions (answer here or with "no" in Discord?

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo will seek out Pim first to see if he can aid the goblin in cleaning an excessive amount of Charau-ka blood from his clothing. If unsuccessful, he will check with Aron next and so on. Tired from a long day and grateful for the first watch, he keeps his little crossbow handy as he hides just outside of camp; hopeful a nighttime jungle denizen should stop by for a late night snack...for Fronaldo!

use stealth and survival to find something to bolster the meager trail rations. He does not Actively hunt but will ambush prey should it happen by. He is not picky. Even large insects are fair game.

[GM_Dave]

”Oh, you need some prestidigitation, my friend. I didn’t... uh, prepare that one, but now that you mention it, staying out in wet clothes could be dangerous. Let’s ask the others if anyone has any spare prestidigititiytations,”
Pim cajoles with Fron, then sets to go find the others, and ask them if they can clean the goblin’s clothing.

“I should sleep right away since ill be taking third watch, so, I’ll see everyone bright, and early!”

[BuckGodot]

If approached, Gelik will gladly help clean up the creature. "Cleanliness is next to... Well... Gobliness... As I always say, If you can't take the time to dress properly, no one will take what you have to say seriously, and they'd be right not to!"

[lostsole31]

Fronaldo might find an insect here or there, and maybe something here or there plant-wise to munch on, but he does not find, collect, or snack on any effective value or quantity of jungle-provided comestibles.

Gelik cleans Pim well with prestidigitation.

The night goes by uneventfully. The thing to note about a jungle is that it is LOUD. A jungle at night is not a quiet affair with people holding their breath in semi-silence. So, if something comes calling, having a redoubt that you've created is going to be far more valuable than thinking you will notice something in the darkness while the nightime jungle sounds mask the sounds of approach. That said, the jungle does not care for fire and the quieter bubble of camp helps. Insects come calling, of course, but the whole purpose of the fire is to attract them to that point (which is why fire - even in a hot jungle - is ALWAYS a good idea), as they are a major factor of people catching diseases.

Toilday, 28 Kuthona ...

Fronaldo, do you prepare a DEX mutagen for today? Do you change up your extracts prepared?

Gelik, do you change prepared veils?

Pim, do you change spells prepared among your three classes?

Xhanfaerd, your mild wound is gone by the next morning. Do you change prepared maneuvers or spells?

[BuckGodot]

Gelik likes the veils he's wearing and so will not, in fact, change them.

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo is the person who will avail himself of Gelik’s magic cleaning to remove the splattered gore from his adventuring garb. He will prepare the Dex mutagen and same extracts.

[silphael]

Reviewing his spellbooks, Xhanfaerd prepares the same spells as the last days, then review the same moves, that have proved quite efficient so far.

No changes to spells nor maneuvers, and as always mage armor will be cast as we leave campsite.

[GM_Dave]

Pim wakes up early to practice reading the cards, while sitting near his bedding. The same spells as before will be prepared.

[lostsole31]

Alright, what's the plan of attack for Tazion today?

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo will support Aron’s previous decision to return to the statue fight location (S2) and strike out West....unless two or more members of the group have a different opinion. Then he folds like a house of cards and follows the majority....unless Aron pleads her case more forcefully and then he backs her play...

[GM_Dave]

“If we are truly unsure, I brought enough rare incense to perform one additional card reading, with accurate results. We can ask Desna for one answer, but, MY opinion would be to explore as we planned last night. If we run into any real trouble, we can divine the cards for answers then. If everyone is prepared, I have no objections with surveying the areas to the west of where we were before. Lead the way!

[lostsole31]

Aron nods to Pim, "That would be fine, thank you."

Tor-ber speaks up, "Given our discussion and realignment to mapping yesterday, I feel that we should go in and move around the periphery trails, not only for mapping but to make sure as we continue along to more central areas, we again don't find ourselves in the middle of things where - if they have any organization - they could descend upon us en masse from any direction.

"See, I don't think this is a place where these charau-ka are squatting. I believe this is their version of a fort or protected area. My only point of evidence might be enough .... there are only males that we fought. Not a single female among them. So these are war parties. We also didn't find any long-term evidence of habitation."

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo pulls at his chin in a thoughtful manner. “Yes, that would seem wise. Well, let’s proceed!”
Hoping from foot to foot, The spry goblin spins his tiny dagger up into the air, it’s arc like a glittering silver star, before catching it in his hand.

[lostsole31]

It is about this time .... breakfast has been had, people's morning routines finished. Using jungle camouflage to hide the camp (because it is silly to fully break down and rebuild each day), and discussion is underway (as above), that everyone thinks they hear distant noises. A great cacophany of screeching in the distance, and some other strange noises, like distant thunder, but the daily rain is many hours off, and it doesn't seem like the right weather for thunder and lightning.

[BuckGodot]

"Does anyone else think those are rather ominous sounds? Or is it just me?"

[Blackhawk101]

“What is that?” asks Fronaldo with concern.

check his knowledge to see if he can recognize it.

[lostsole31]

Fronaldo doesn't know what he is hearing, probably because of the distance involved in combination with all of the jungle dampening sound.

[GM_Dave]

“Could it be the sound of Charuka war parties marching on our location? Maybe we can ask that... pit squid thing, it seems to live here, and is somewhat... capable of intelligentness.”

Pim thinks, with a mild amusement, a smirk drawn across his lips.

[lostsole31]

Aron thinks, "Why would there be those noises on the march? More like there is a battle underway if anything."

[silphael]

Surrounding himself in his force armor, Xhanfaerd makes sure to have what he needs for the day.

"Let's go see what happens. We could learn a lot out of that."

[lostsole31]

What does everyone else want to do?

[Blackhawk101]

“Let us proceed with caution but proceed nonetheless.”

[BuckGodot]

"Friends, there are perfectly good paths in need of exploring. I suggest we try that way first..." says brave, brave Sir Gelik pointing in the opposite direction of the odd sounds.

[lostsole31]

Which, of course, happens to be in the opposite direction of Tazion! :smallsmile:

[lostsole31]

The party heads off in the direction of "their" entrance to Tazion, only to find that since yesterday, the camouflaged barb net trap has been placed there again.

So, will Fronaldo and Pim attempt to undo the trap "the old-fashioned way?" will Pim just toss another summoned creature into it and spring the trap?

[Blackhawk101]

Normally Fronaldo would relish the opportunity to test his skill against the device, but the strange sounds has him even more on edge than usual. That and the fact that the element of surprise has been thoroughly exhausted the previous day. He motions to Pim to chuck a sacrificial creature into the trap with a glint in his red eyes.

[GM_Dave]

Pim will, as was asked, summon another beetle from his arcane pool into the net.
“I’m not sure if these are being set to gather information about us, or if the trapper is just persistent. Either way, I think this should be the last day we camp where we are, I don’t like the idea of being followed.”

[lostsole31]

The beetle sets off the trap. The beetle isn't killed, but it's duration won't be enough to matter in transit through Tazion.

The party enter the little spur of game trail leading to the trap and fissure in the, heading inwards. ~225' heading westward before 75' heading north to the well.

It is by this point that the party will realize that at some point from leaving camp until now, they haven't heard the strange noises anymore. Well in the distance to the north, however, there is some significant amount of smoke. Not roiling smoke one would expect from burning dried materials (which would be a neat trick in the jungle without really being dedicated to burning a parcel of land). Rather, it is smoke - you can even smell the strange, almost brimstone-like smell - of white that you can't really see any source of fire from.

Does the party rally forth quickly, cautiously, from a not-direct angle? What?

[BuckGodot]

"My friends, it is at times like these that I recall the great General C'Uster. A man of great vanity and ambition. Yet he was cautious. I suggest we learn from him and gather all the information we can before venturing forth, and determine whether we face a little or big-horned foe."

[lostsole31]

"I'm inclined to agree with our little big man," says Aron. "The strange sounds we heard, that strange smoke which isn't natural and smells infernal. I am thinking rushing straight ahead in the open would be a bad idea."

[GM_Dave]

Pim will nod, and thinks,
"This might be the time to take ten minutes, scout ahead, and I will prepare an augury. Desna will answer us one yes or no question. That could tell us a lot about our position against the enemy. The marching sound ended, which I think means the troops are in their positions. We can ask for clarity on how to proceed safely, or how to eliminate a threat, if there is one."

[Blackhawk101]

“I will scout ahead but I need a buddy incase one of us gets ambushed.”

[lostsole31]

"I will go with you, Fronaldo," says Tor-ber Ahmose. After Pim, Tor-ber is probably the stealthiest, but he is also physically capable if needed and not as slow as Pim if you need to pull back quickly. "We can reconnoiter with no intention to engage, and Pim can do his magic here with the rest of you. Sound good?"

[Blackhawk101]

“My suggestion is that I go first, followed by Tor-ber after about 30 ft. Next the main party follows back 30 feet from Tor-ber. Move at a slow even pace, like this *demonstrates walking slow at 20 ft/round*. Be quiet as you can. You most likely will loose sight of me but don’t panic. This kind of formation won’t necessarily keep us from danger but it should give us the best chance that we see the enemy before they see us. We should head to the site of the ruin fight from yesterday since we know the route and escape routes. Pim, what is the range on the thought speech?”

[BuckGodot]

"'No intention to engage...' Those words are music to my ears..."

[Blackhawk101]

The predatory gleam in Fronaldo’s red eyes might suggest that he intends to engage. At least a bit...

[silphael]

"It would be 160 feet. And if you get out of it I'll have to reinclude you in it, it wouldn't just be suppressed while you are out of it. So... it would be better to just scout ahead while sticking in range, so that we can react to whatever happens."

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo looks around the group before settling on Arun’s tall figure.
“I don’t know what Pim’s magics could do to aid us but I prefer to keep moving. But I also don’t want to split the group. What should we do Arun?”

[GM_Dave]

Pim thinks to the collective
”I think it would be safe enough to split up for a few moments, but if everyone wants to stick together, I could join you Fron, and anyone else who wants to scout who feels lucky. If we need to we can fall back, but make sure we try not give away any more information about our position, yeah? I feel like those trappers might be following us.

[BuckGodot]

Gelik warily looks over his shoulder...

[lostsole31]

So, the group will attend to Pim's augury before anyone heads farther in..

Pim, what do you want to know (I will do the rolls)?

[Blackhawk101]

If there is no further discussion, Fronaldo’s plan is put into action. He moves out at a cautious speed, matching the rate he demonstrated to the party. He gives Tor-ber a silent hand signal to proceed when he is 30 ft. out. What are the jungle sounds/sights/smells at this time?

double move at 20 ft / MA. Use Stealth. Take -5 penalty for moving at faster than half but less than full speed.

[lostsole31]

There is an unnatural fog, and something acrid on the nose. Fronaldo has to close into the fog that soon is understood to be white smoke that is clearing, but slowly. He moves close enough that he is now in the area where the last fight was with the charau-ka yesterday. There are many bodies on the ground - mostly charau-ka, but some humans. There is nothing to strip off of the charau-ka, as you know, but the two people at this site have been stripped of gear.

[Blackhawk101]

“White smoke from a fire or explosion here. Many Charau-ka and a couple humans are dead. The humans have been stripped of gear. I will wait here and light my sun rod so you find your way to me.”



retrieve sun rod from haversack. Activate it. Hold the torch as he examines a human body to determine cause of death. Also try to determine if he can detect any chemical or magical accelerants used in the fire/explosion by smell or residue.

[lostsole31]

Outside of the smoke, the sunrod will be a wan light to follow as smoke obscures it outside of a certain range, but as the smoke is very slowly clearing, it is still something that Tor-ber .... and from his directions, the rest of the party .... can follow.

Fronaldo can't be sure because the smoke is still there and obscures .... and the sunrod has a lot of backscatter light off of the smoke ... as far as the bodies. But he breathes in the smell, and he is very sure of the nature of the smoke now. That, and the distant "thunder" that they heard .... surely, there were a large number of alchemical devices known as "firearms" that were used.

[Blackhawk101]

“This smoke is the result of a large number of black powder firearms being discharged. There is a rival faction near-by!”

[lostsole31]

"Pull back, and wait for the smoke to clear," comes Aron over the collective. "We aren't messing around where we can't see well, and I haven't heard the thunder .... or any sign of conflict."

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo quickly tries finding the group and returning to them.

[lostsole31]

The group does as Aron suggests, with Tor-ber having the group hide within the edge of internal jungle. The smoke actually doesn't take that long, but a few minutes.

What is left is a scene of death. Lots of charau-ka and a humanoid (mostly human, but some others, like a halfling or a half-elf here or there) in a field of scattered bodies heading north.

What now?

[silphael]

Looking at the others, Xhanfaerd looks puzzled.

"Was there survivors ? Any idea what way they went, then ?"

[Blackhawk101]

“The trail of bodies lead North!” smirks Fronaldo. “Following them will most likely lead to confrontation and “weakening” of our group. Better to avoid them if we can and focus on our primary goal. Now that we know that they are here, we must be on our guard. That many Firearms are no joking matter.”

[BuckGodot]

"Now that... Is the wisest course of action anyone has mentioned in a long time. I am Gelik Aberwhinge and I endorse this message."

[lostsole31]

"What do you suggest we do in the meantime, then?" asks Aron of the group.

[Blackhawk101]

“We should continue to search and map the site, looking for clues, just not that way.” says Fronaldo pointing in the direction of the trail of death.

[lostsole31]

Okay, which way do you want to go from here? [See Discord map.]

[Blackhawk101]

Without objections from the group, Fronaldo will take the lead in “sneaky” formation heading West.

sneaky formation is Fronaldo in the lead followed by Tor-bor 30 ft later, followed by the main group 30 ft after that. All moving at 20 ft/round except if Fronaldo needs to scurry from cover to cover and still maintain his lead. He will move at 30 ft/rnd in that case.

[lostsole31]

Aron doesn't wait for round robin discussion, but agrees to west and directs the party to carry out Fronaldo's plan.

Fronaldo guides the party from their hiding point in the internal jungle to a very narrow trail that goes west and then north briefly before joining with an old stone path that meanders eastwards to the "central area" (where you had your last big battle with charau-ka), but also westwards. Once the Fro-train travels 150' west, it looks like there might be a concentrated area of ruins (area T on the map).

Does the Fro-train continue, or do you regroup to discuss?

[Blackhawk101]

”Got some ruins here near the perimeter wall. I will wait until you catch up to check them out.”

​Fronaldo hides and waits.

[lostsole31]

Tor-ber .... followed by the rest of the party ... catch up to Fronaldo (see map on Discord).

Unlike the trail of smoke and death that led north, this area seems undisturbed.

"Okay, Pim," says Aron, "it's your turn. What does our fate look like should we explore that area?"

[GM_Dave]

Following along, Pim will think back to the collective, “Only one real way to find out, Desna told me that,”
He jests, before explaining mentally that augury is more of a yes-or-no situation.

”Lets continue to the west, and try our luck; seems that way would be more productive than heading towards those firearms. Makes me wonder... who has the nerve to disturb us like that... do they know we’re here? Ill get an answer later, once we know which question to ask.”

Pim will keep an eye out for any hostile surprises, but otherwise will happily allow Fron to take the lead into the western ruins.

[lostsole31]

Aron nods her head to Pim, but is watching a flight of birds go by before she is focused back on the party.

The Fro-train heads out again. The stone path gets near the area of ruins before doubling back and heading northeast. Fronaldo waits for the party to get up to this area. There are two relatively identical ruins ... or at least, they appear that they were once identical. Aron is able to figure that these two structures were once subterranean aqueducts that supplied ancient Tazion with fresh water. Though long dried up, two entrances to these cramped tunnels remain, but it is immediately apparent that northern one has fully collapsed in on itself.

If the party wanted to descend into the southern aqueduct, they could. Or simply note its presence.

What does the party want to do?

[Blackhawk101]

“Good. This aqueduct may be an entrance to areas below. We should check for recent use, note the location on our map and continue....(looks around) that way?” he points, hesitantly.



check out the site for recent use and the check trails leading from this location, suggesting one to the North without conviction.