IC Lords of Ruin (Spheres PF1)

[Bansheexero]

As Krova is removing that last of the inmates cuffs, an arrow whizzes by, perilously close to her face and embedding itself into the wooden pillar of the processing building. It bears a piece of parchment, which unravels so that it is plainly visible to all. It reads:

"DANGER! DANGER! A detachment of fire giants have started to head towards this camp due to lack of communication from it. They are closing in. Suggested action is to leave as soon as possible."

- A. Ironheart, Royal Swordmaster

[Athaleon]

"Time to go. Toss your gear and anything else you want to keep in a box. I'll help carry it if we need to." Volistad dropped his remaining armor plates back in the crate they were stored in, and stuffed his scroll into a pocket. "Make sure everyone else in the camp is free and able to walk."

[CasualViking]

Calben looks around for Donna's saddle and bridle to toss in the box, and looks around for his trusty donkey once outside, but otherwise follows along without further delay.

[Bansheexero]

As the group packs up and gets ready to depart, they find themselves near the edge of the Darkwood Forest, with the Titan's Spine mountains looming in the other direction.

[Athaleon]

"Where do we all want to head next? And can anyone track down a good hiding spot for us to evade that patrol and finish gearing up?"

Spoiler

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Knowledge (Geography): 32 (rolled in OOC thread)

[Hazuki]

"I know my way around the wilderness," Krova offers.

[Bansheexero]

A few things are notable. For one thing, the group is not freezing to death, so they are far enough South that the Heart of Winter has not reached here yet. Additionally, as mentioned, the mountains loom over you, rather than being off in the distance, so you recognize that you are roughly near the Southern border of Grey Falls, near the caverns from which both dwarves and fire giants hail. You do not hear or see a coastline, so you are not near the harbor district.

Volistad is able to ascertain that the nearest human settlement is Fallen Oak (known for having an Oak Tree so large that when it fell, it supplied all the wood needed to construct the town and then some) to the West. It is unclear if they remain free or if the giants have advanced upon it. Another option would be to the South into the Caverns, but you are more than likely to run into a few giants, though Dwarven smiths, especially Forgeheart Dwarves, are legendary craftsman and could help empower the humans and allies to push back the Frost Giants and perhaps provide protection against the deadly cold that is creeping in from the North. Aside from the Dwarves, you could head up the mountains, bracing the elements to find Mountain Orcs, who are far more civil, albeit it still vastly stoic and combat oriented, than their standard ilk. They too are known for their smithing, but very few are ever seen. Finally, if you wish to go on the offensive, you could step into the forest, but you may run into either Fire Giants or the creeping cold from the North.

[rs2excelsior]

Eshegan shakes his head at the showy display--A note on an arrow? Seriously? Gear in hand, he joins the rest of the group at the edge of the forest. Unfortunately--or perhaps fortunately--he doesn't see the swordmaster to tell him off for that reckless fight. Ah well.

Volistad goes over the options. None seem great. "I may be able to find us a good camping spot for the night. As for direction... Fallen Oak's as likely to have--well--fallen as not. The dwarves might be our best bet for allies... We are planning to try and fight back, right? Not just go pick fights on our own, not again, but try and organize something against these bastards?" He didn't really know the others' intentions, after all. Could be they were intending to fade back into the forest and let the whole thing blow over.

Whichever route they decide, after they've made it a good ways away from the camp, Eshegan turns and raises his glaive towards the sky. Lightning crackles up and down his arms and his weapon, the wind picks up around him, and the skies darken. Rain begins to fall, a brief drizzle at first, then a steady downpour. He lowers his arms, the lightning dying down. "There. Should help wash away any tracks we left."

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I am assuming Volistad tells us what he got from his knowledge check, so in the interest of keeping things moving I posted assuming he had.

Regarding the weather sphere stuff:
UBy default I can create weather effects up to level 3 severity (light rain), plus one severity level per 7 caster levels. My caster level is 5, and I assume that while creating wind falls under the [air] descriptor, creating rain would not. So my Aeromantic Affinity boosts my CL for creating wind but not rain.

Using my Wild Surge boon to get a +2 CL in exchange for a 100% wild magic chance, so I can create severity 4 rain (moderate--about 1" of rain per hour per the Weather sphere guidelines) within medium range of myself (170ft). Spending a spell point to allow it to persist for 7 minutes per caster level. That should increase the DC on any survival checks to follow our tracks--hopefully it'll help.

Wild magic roll: (1d100)[61]

Oh, hey. "All allies of the caster treats all categories he is affecting as 1 lower for the duration of the effect." So that gets rid of the perception penalties we'd take for rain falling. Nice, wild magic is helpful sometimes!

[Hazuki]

"I do not know what to do," Krova admits. "I was in Grey Falls before and I think they are the best for fighting against these giant armies...but I do not know war. Maybe it is best to get friends for them. But I do not have authority to do diplomacy. That is what is needed, yes?"

[CasualViking]

Calben Traser Perception +4|AC 23 (+4 vs giants), Touch 12, FF 22, CMD 15|Fort +6 Ref +4|HP: 68/68 Calben takes off his cap, becoming his usual fabulous self. "I won't presume to speak for everyone, but *I* am certainly fighting. I think we should get some rest, then go and visit Fallen Oak. We don't know whether it has been touched by the wat, and even if it has, we might be able to make a difference." He strokes his beard, pensively. "Or, we could keep going all night. I'm certainly not some dainty princess. I do need about an hour to do a ritual before I can be of much help. I am a magic-user of some proficiency. I figure I will take on the power to muddle with the minds of these oafs, but...." - he bows with a flourish and a grin - "even the greatest artist stil takes requests".

[Athaleon]

"Killing some giants to free this or that village won't solve anything long-term. Even if things go well for us, the cold is still going to continue creeping south. Someone—probably us—is going to have to go north and put an end to it at the source. But I have no idea how to accomplish that, aside from getting our hands on protective gear, and that means a visit to the dwarves."

[PotatoGolem]

The dwarves are indeed likely to be our best first stop. They'll have no love for the giants in these times. We can work with them to resist the giants in preparation for attacking northwards.

[Bansheexero]

Going by majority vote, the group decides to head south, to the Titan Spine Mountains. Among the party, both Goliaths have reason to be nervous. Krova know she will not be welcome, and while she has not finished growing, lacking the vulnerability to fire her race acquired at the end of physical maturation, she still expects to be very, very uncomfortable where the Dwarves and Fire Giants live. On the other side of the coin, Volistad does not know how he will be received. His heroism in Grey Falls has earned him some renown on the surface, but he has no idea what to expect.

Xerxes will most likely have to stay his hand while amongst the dwarves and giants, as his nationalism is strong. Unfortunately, such pride in one's nation may present deeper conflict than he may expect, particularly leaving said nation and stepping into another. Still, they make their way to the mountain range.

Eshagen and Calben have the least to worry about. Gnomes tend to wander freely, as their gregariousness affords them such freedom, which they use to act as go-betweens regarding the mountains and the human settlements. Eshagen, on the other hand has little investment, but may find the lack of access to the sky somewhat crippling to his power as a mage.

Along the way, the group sees smoke from a campfire about a mile ahead, which may be more Fire Giants. If they are, then hopefully they are ignorant to what happened at the nearby camp. If they aren't, then the party may have to scout them out to learn more.

[Athaleon]

"I think we should avoid it. Could be giants. Even if they're not, we can't risk them getting captured and telling the giants we came this way."

[Hazuki]

"If that is the case, we will need a a different route," Krova points out. "Do we have a quick way to scout one?"

[rs2excelsior]

"I think so. I can at least get a better view of what's up ahead. With that, Eshegan takes a short run up and jumps... and simply doesn't begin coming down. He raises into the air, just above the treeline, and looks to see what he can see about the camp and possible routes around it.

Spoiler: OOC

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Turns out Elementalists can just get a fly speed as a class feature :)
20ft fly speed, doesn't cost spell points. I don't think I need any fly checks, not doing anything fancy.

Perception: (1d20+8)[24]
K(Geography) to assess a good route?: (1d20+5)[18]

Also, what is the terrain like around here? Fairly forested, isn't it, or is that more to the north?

[Bansheexero]

As Eshagen ascends, he does notice other methods of approaching the mountain entrance, but they are not on favorable terrain. They approach a cliff shelf, which must be scaled, whereas the fire is coming from the path that approaches the most gently to the higher ground.

[CasualViking]

Calben Traser Perception +4|AC 23 (+4 vs giants), Touch 12, FF 22, CMD 15|Fort +6 Ref +4|HP: 68/68 "Or we could lay low, wait for them to move on. Give me a chance to summon up something. I could turn all of us into something that can slide up the rock face." Calben seems to be muttering to himself, mostly.

[PotatoGolem]

Any sign of how many we're talking about? We could attack by surprise, take them out. Fewer fire giants around would be a good thing for us and the dwarves The Beast nods its head in agreement. Yes, yes. Hunt the prey. Eat the prey.

[rs2excelsior]

"Can't tell from here, unfortunately. They may be packing up to move out soon, whoever they are. Could be gone by the time we get there, regardless." Eshegan looks off in the distance towards the campfire. "Personally I say we take the long way around and not take the risk... but I have to say, I wouldn't mind the chance to fry a couple fire giants if that is what's up there."

[Athaleon]

"I would also rather go around them." Volistad said after pausing to give Eshegan a dirty look.

[CasualViking]

Calben Traser Perception +4|AC 23 (+4 vs giants), Touch 12, FF 22, CMD 15|Fort +6 Ref +4|HP: 68/68 "Come on, Xerxes. Eshegan. There will be plenty of opportunity to fight fire giants, no doubt. But this is not looking up to be a story about a great victory. This is shaping up to be a fire giant's story about that time a small band of stragglers wandered into camp, grossly outnumbered, and got themselves killed. They'll be laughing for years as they tell that one. "

[Hazuki]

Krova nods in agreement with Calben.

[Bansheexero]

As Krova, in typical stoic fashion, agrees with Calben, the consensus is to go around whatever is at that camp.
The group ventures forth, maintaining sufficient distance from the site. As they come closer to the mountains, they arrive at a sheer cliff face, roughly 40 ft high, stretching in either direction.

[PotatoGolem]

Xerxes shrugs. Simply done. Come, Calben, step onto the Beast. It will bear us both easily to the top. Eshegan can already fly. Krova, Volistad, my mount cannot bear you at the same time. We will ascend and make sure there are no unwelcome surprises. Then I will send it back for you.

[CasualViking]

Calben Traser Perception +4|AC 23 (+4 vs giants), Touch 12, FF 22, CMD 15|Fort +6 Ref +4|HP: 68/68 "Just like that, huh?", Calben says as he climbs aboard. "In this story, am I the wolf, the sheep or the head of cabbage?". In the air above him, simple, faintly glowing sketch appears, of a man, a small rowboat, a wolf, a sheep and a big head of cabbage.

[Hazuki]

"Okay. Do not die while you are up there. That would be bad," Krova tells Xerxes.

[Athaleon]

"Fine. If you leave me behind though, you're gonna miss me," he said with a grin.

[rs2excelsior]

Eshegan chuckles at Calben's joke, and lifts into the air beside the others, ascending at a leisurely pace. He crests the top of the cliff with weapon in hand, in case anything hostile is about, and waits for Xerxes' beast to get the others.

[Bansheexero]

The three make it to the top safely for the time being.

Spoiler: Stuff you don't need to worry about yet

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Spoiler: Seriously, no peeking

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Spoiler: why are you so persistent

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Spoiler: please stop

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Roll 1 = (1d20+15)[25]
Roll 2 = (1d20+4)[6]
Roll 3 = (1d20+6)[12]
Roll 4 = (1d20+8)[26]

As they collect their bearings, Eshagan notices something . . . off, but he can't quite place it. The growing heat from proximity to the caves causes distortion in the air, as it normally would, but some of it seems to actually approaching the group.