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Finding the Spark (Pathfinder 1E Quest)

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Arc 2 Post 4: From Whisper to War
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    • From Whisper to War ​

    The Season of Still Stone

    "What is the ring I bear?" If the thing is going to be so much trouble than you'd at least want to know why.

    "Key and lock, bound and broken, lure and legacy," the strange creature pulses, the words embedded in the flashes of light and dark. "Twice forgotten, slave's spite, master's mourning."

    Clear as mud, you sigh inwardly, though there isn't any point arguing with this thing. Either its nature does not allow it to be any clearer or you are trying to wring answers from the manifestation of your own budding madness I don't think I am mad, but then what madman does? They say the dero are the most serene of folk in their rambling plots.

    "Who then are the Lost?"

    "Lost those who wandered keep, lost are damned, pale, changed and hungering," comes the answer, almost-verse, just as pointless if it had not been for that same cadence, not one thing thrice described, but three. The Lost are the pale, the changed and the hungering

    Akorian Sense Motive: 1d20 +8 = 18 (Success)

    Maybe that means you are supposed to lead...

    [] It's nothing, you do not know enough

    [] Write in

    "Who poisoned the Dancer? The One I could not save?" To tell the truth you to not know why you even ask the question. Why would this being even know of the comings and goings of Cauldron

    "Servants without a master, lords without a land, those who think that last is first learn not the law of cost. Those who carry the light burning with the fires of desire. "

    As you open your mouth to ask a fourth question you feel a hand, pulling at your arm, shaking you.

    ***​

    Waking as though with sand in your eyes and water in your ears Mina's face revolves above. You might have asked about the worry writ clear upon her face, if you could not already hear the sounds of battle up ahead among the gallery of rough-hewn pillars that makes up this portion of Nar Voth, carved long ago by water, now a hunting ground for beasts great and small. The four of you had found an alcove in one of the largest such pillars, carved out as as shelter by some long vanished folk... now far less secure.

    It is not the sharp cries of hunting bats, the familiar tap-tap-tap of a hunting spider or a serpent's hiss, it is words, words the language of the Deople, distorted by distance and lost amid cries of pain they cannot be mistaken for anything else.

    "Gorok is out there, he took Cob with him since he was getting..."

    "I know," you cut her off with a a shake of the head. This is not the time to blame anyone, but someone has to stay with Warty... either that or you have to get the enormous slurk moving without either his preferred rider or handler. The bulbous head perks as you get to your feet, luminous eyes turning in the direction, but just as you and Mina his sight cannot reach past the third row of columns. For what it's worth he seems to want to help... or at lest find something to sink his tusks into.

    What do you do?

    [] Leave Mina with the slurk and go in the direction of the fighting to find Gook and Cob

    [] Try to wake Warty with you


    Dero Talk - Gibberish; the ravings of madmen.

    OOC: Darkvision is cool in a lot of ways, but unlike normal vision or even low light vision it has a hard limit to how far it can see in absolute darkness and whatever is causing those sounds is beyond that 120 ft range.
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • DragonParadox said:
    Key and lock, bound and broken, lure and legacy," the strange creature pulses, the words embedded in the flashes of light and dark. "Twice forgotten, slave's spite, master's mourning.
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    It seems that the ring both carries a consciousness or a soul and is able to free it too.


    DragonParadox said:
    "Lost those who wandered keep, lost are damned, pale, changed and hungering,"
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    Wandered deep pale and changed fits the Dark Folk. Damned might come from their own doings. Hungering from poverty.

    Otherwise, it might be referring to Ghouls. And I don't think that the case.

    DragonParadox said:
    Servants without a master, lords without a land, those who think that last is first learn not the law of cost. Those who carry the light burning with the fires of desire.
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    Maybe there are some typos here? I don't completely understand this.
     
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    DragonParadox said:
    "Servants without a master, lords without a land, those who think that last is first learn not the law of cost. Those who carry the light burning with the fires of desire."
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    I think this means the Dancer was poisoned by fellow Darkfolk?

    The Dark Folk descended from Azlanti refugees who became servants of dark entities of godlike power, but then those masters went away and the Owbs just kinda took over, filling the masters' places, IIRC?

    Those same Azlanti they are descended from were once basically the lords of the land, and much of Golarion, but now Azlant doesn't even exist as a co runner any longer.

    And when a Darkfolk dies, their body combusts in a flash of blinding light.I

    Or maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree?

    DragonParadox said:
    OOC: Darkvision is cool in a lot of ways, but unlike normal vision or even low ligh vision it has a hard limit to how far it can see in absolute darkness and whatever is causing those sounds is beyond that 120 ft range.
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    Mina has Darkvision, but Kori has See in Darkness. I don't think the latter has a defined limit?
     
    Tomcost said:
    It seems that the ring both carries a consciousness or a soul and is able to free it too.




    Wandered deep pale and changed fits the Dark Folk. Damned might come from their own doings. Hungering from poverty.

    Otherwise, it might be referring to Ghouls. And I don't think that the case.



    Maybe there are some typos here? I don't completely understand this.
    Click to expand...
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    It's describing the same thing in several ways
    • Servants without a master
    • Lords without a land
    • Those who think that last is first
    • ...and learn not the law of cost
    Goldfish said:
    Mina has Darkvision, but Kori has See in Darkness. I don't think the latter has a defined limit?
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    See in Darkness is like Darkvision only it can work even though magical darkness of arbitrary level
     
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    Kori isn't in the right headspace to be thinking about leading anyone, IMO. He might not ever be. No sense in trying to lock that in right now.

    [X] It's nothing, you do not know enough

    [X] Try to take Warty with you
    -[X] Ask Mina to try to use her Slumber Hex on Warty if he reacts badly to our attempt. She'll cast Mage Armor on herself at the first opportunity, if combat doesn't interrupt, and Kori will use his Cloak of Darkness ability to enhance his AC and Stealth.
     
    [X] Try to take Warty with you
    -[X] Ask Mina to try to use her Slumber Hex on Warty if he reacts badly to our attempt. She'll cast Mage Armor on herself at the first opportunity, if combat doesn't interrupt, and Kori will use his Cloak of Darkness ability to enhance his AC and Stealth.
     
    [X] It's nothing, you do not know enough

    [X] Try to take Warty with you
    -[X] Ask Mina to try to use her Slumber Hex on Warty if he reacts badly to our attempt. She'll cast Mage Armor on herself at the first opportunity, if combat doesn't interrupt, and Kori will use his Cloak of Darkness ability to enhance his AC and Stealth.

    I so want to write about leading Dark Folk, but I can't quite find a justification just yet. But I want to at some point. We would be an awkward leader, and I like the change of pace.

    Thinking about it... maybe it means leading the spirits of the restless Azlanti? It could mean many things. I wanna go punch this manifestation of the conciousness of the universe until it gives an actionable answer.
     
    DragonParadox said:
    "Lost those who wandered keep, lost are damned, pale, changed and hungering," comes the answer
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    @DragonParadox , answer comes, but there were no question. Well, it was in winning vote, but not in the text. This is very, very confusing.

    [X] Leading someone is an interesting but confusing idea. You should think about it later.

    Basicly the same, but with different flavour. I am becoming more interesting in restoring Azlanti heritage.

    Tomcost said:
    It doesn't cite darkvision. Is just says that the creature sees perfectly in darkness of any kind.
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    Also, Darkvision is an extraordinari ability and See in Darkness is supernatural.

    [X] Try to take Warty with you
    -[X] Ask Mina to try to use her Slumber Hex on Warty if he reacts badly to our attempt. She'll cast Mage Armor on herself at the first opportunity, if combat doesn't interrupt, and Kori will use his Cloak of Darkness ability to enhance his AC and Stealth.
     
    Arhin said:
    @DragonParadox , answer comes, but there were no question. Well, it was in winning vote, but not in the text. This is very, very confusing.

    [X] Leading someone is an interesting but confusing idea. You should think about it later.

    Basicly the same, but with different flavour. I am becoming more interesting in restoring Azlanti heritage.


    Also, Darkvision is an extraordinari ability and See in Darkness is supernatural.

    [X] Try to take Warty with you
    -[X] Ask Mina to try to use her Slumber Hex on Warty if he reacts badly to our attempt. She'll cast Mage Armor on herself at the first opportunity, if combat doesn't interrupt, and Kori will use his Cloak of Darkness ability to enhance his AC and Stealth.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Urgh... got lost in an edit, thanks for pointing that out. Fixed now.
     
    [X] Leading someone is an interesting but confusing idea. You should think about it later.


    [X] Try to take Warty with you
    -[X] Ask Mina to try to use her Slumber Hex on Warty if he reacts badly to our attempt. She'll cast Mage Armor on herself at the first opportunity, if combat doesn't interrupt, and Kori will use his Cloak of Darkness ability to enhance his AC and Stealth.

    I like more how the above vote sounds
     
    Not a lot of votes. I'll wait until we have a few more
    Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on May 4, 2023 at 8:03 AM, finished with 10 posts and 4 votes.
    • [X] Try to take Warty with you
      -[X] Ask Mina to try to use her Slumber Hex on Warty if he reacts badly to our attempt. She'll cast Mage Armor on herself at the first opportunity, if combat doesn't interrupt, and Kori will use his Cloak of Darkness ability to enhance his AC and Stealth.
      [X] Leading someone is an interesting but confusing idea. You should think about it later.
      [X] It's nothing, you do not know enough
    Click to expand...
     
    [X] It's nothing, you do not know enough

    [X] Try to take Warty with you
    -[X] Ask Mina to try to use her Slumber Hex on Warty if he reacts badly to our attempt. She'll cast Mage Armor on herself at the first opportunity, if combat doesn't interrupt, and Kori will use his Cloak of Darkness ability to enhance his AC and Stealth.
     
    [X] It's nothing, you do not know enough

    [X] Try to take Warty with you
    -[X] Ask Mina to try to use her Slumber Hex on Warty if he reacts badly to our attempt. She'll cast Mage Armor on herself at the first opportunity, if combat doesn't interrupt, and Kori will use his Cloak of Darkness ability to enhance his AC and Stealth.
     
    I find it interesting that there are Dark Folk around here. I expected them to be mostly reclusive, with only the dancers moving around.
     
    [X] It's nothing, you do not know enough
    [X] Try to take Warty with you
    -[X] Ask Mina to try to use her Slumber Hex on Warty if he reacts badly to our attempt. She'll cast Mage Armor on herself at the first opportunity, if combat doesn't interrupt, and Kori will use his Cloak of Darkness ability to enhance his AC and Stealth.
     
    Vote closed.
    Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on May 4, 2023 at 12:45 PM, finished with 15 posts and 7 votes.
    • [X] Try to take Warty with you
      -[X] Ask Mina to try to use her Slumber Hex on Warty if he reacts badly to our attempt. She'll cast Mage Armor on herself at the first opportunity, if combat doesn't interrupt, and Kori will use his Cloak of Darkness ability to enhance his AC and Stealth.
      [X] It's nothing, you do not know enough
      [X] Leading someone is an interesting but confusing idea. You should think about it later.
    Click to expand...
     
    Arc 2 Post 5: New Foes, Old Ways
  • Threadmarks
    • New Foes, Old Ways ​

    The Season of Still Stone

    As you let Warty off the rope things go sideways fast in the form of a leaping slurk and a flying webbed foot that hits you in the chest, sending you flying. It's hard to tell if Mina's voice is wavering on the spell or if your head is just spinning, either way Warty is gone into the dark before either of your can move.

    Warty Will to be Good: 1d20 = 1 (Critical Failure)
    Warty Will to resist the sleeping Hex: 1d20 = 19 (Success)

    "I'm sorry..." she turns back to you, unsure if she should do something about the mess the escaping slurk had made of the camp.

    "Gorok will be able to find him, come on!" you call out as you stagger to your feet. The sound of the battle is getting closer, though how much that is truth and how much the fickle play of echoes you could not tell.

    Gorok is at 19/23 HP
    Cob is at full Hit Points

    The two of you rush forth, sharp stones flying underfoot such that makes you glad indeed that you had invested in better shoes. The ground here is dry, thankfully, and the stone beneath the loose rocks firm enough that you do not have any hesitation running full tilt without fear of crevices and sinkholes that are so common in lesser caverns. The way ahead is clear.

    If there had been any doubt in your mind that you fight some of your own people the banks of darkness, like clinging mist, dispel it. You can hear Cob fighting inside of one, cursing up a storm of half-understood goblin invective, but alas you do not get the chance to figure out why one's mother being a horse is such a dreadful sin as Gorok rushes out of the other end of the cloud, clawed hands outstretched as though he had been planning to push someone out with him, bleeding from the neck.

    Not three feet away from you, and barely seven or eight from Mina behind you, a whisperfoot in ragged patchwork garb appears from under a glamor. Far from worried at being among foes, he laughs. "You'll make such pretty lights, such pretty lively lights." He raises up a brass bottle like a weapon, finger on the wax seal... and closes his eyes.

    It does not take an alchemist to recognize a bottled lighting, fire that burns not just the flesh of the one it is turned upon, but also the eyes of those unfortunate enough to look upon them.

    Three things happen all at once then; Mina catches her breath and gathers it for a spell of slumber that once more misses its mark, dulcet tones lost in the din of death and battle, Cob literally rolls out of the cloud of darkness, looking none the worse for wear and sporting a jagged smile, ear to pointed ear, and the patchwork whisperfoot's hand twitches off his weapon as he looks towards you.

    But any hope that common heritage would have him hesitate in his mad attack ends with the words upon his lisp: "Yes, yes I have seen you. She has shown you to me."

    What do you do?

    [] Cast Blurred Movement and run at him, hoping he will waste the lighting on you

    [] Throw one of the acid flasks at him, that aught to break his concentration

    [] Just shoot him, that should give him something to think about

    [] Try to red his surface thoughts, you have to know what madness has infected him

    [] Write in

    OOC: A short update, but such is combat. Still a few clues in here if you guys can spot them.
     
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    • I don't trust our aim right now, and Blurred Movement is iffy beyond this opening round, since the effect doesn't do anything unless we move a certain amount each round. Running at him isn't necessarily a bad idea, though, since it gets us in melee range. Divine Favor would be better for attacking, but I think PoE is the better opener, since it buffs our AC and saving throws for the rest of the fight.

    [X] Cast Protection from Evil and run at him, hoping he will waste the lightning on you
     
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