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Finding the Spark (Pathfinder 1E Quest)

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Goldfish said:
Moving at night makes us somewhat less noticeable, but it also makes it easier for others to sneak up on our group to attack under the cover of darkness. It's a large group and we can only be in so many places at once.

If we're going to move during the day, however, we should do so as quickly as possible. If we really put some effort into it, we can cast a lot of Conjure Carriage spells, easily enough to carry a little over half the tribe at once.

Add in a Tailwind spell to allow everyone to hustle, which is the equivalent to a jog that is twice as fast as regular movement speed, without getting tired, and we should be able to outpace the thralls at the very least and keep ahead of a lot of other incidental trouble.

[X] Upping the Pace
-[X] Kori agrees with Gorok that it is best to start moving during the day, for all it opens the caravan to more danger from the strange thralls and any Chelish forces
-[X] People Moving: Between Mina, Sirim, and Kori's efforts, they will cast eight Conjure Carriage spells, each capable of carrying 6 passengers for 7 hours (or 10 with Sirim's). The slowest members of the tribe will ride in the carriages, along with as much baggage as they can accommodate. All of the carriages will be made to appear as unremarkable as possible from a distance.
--[X] Mina will prepare two Mount: Communal spells in place of Glitterdust and one of Invisibility spells. She will also prepare Conjure Carriage in place of Delay Poison: Communal.
---[X] She will cast the Mount spells staggered throughout the day using the Extend Spell Metamagic Rod so that there is always at least one of them active, using her 2nd level Pearl of Power to recover one of them in order to cast it a third time. The six light horses Summoned by each spell will each last 4 hours and be used to allow those not in the carriages to take turns resting.
----[X] She will cast Conjure Carriage, then use her 3rd level Pearl of Power to recover the spell. She will then use Wild Arcana to cast Channel the Gift in order to cast another Conjure Carriage spell without expending it. She will then use Wild Arcana to do this once more.
----[X] Sirim and Kori will also each use Wild Arcana or Inspired Spell once to cast Channel the Gift to allow Mina to Summon two more carriages. Mina will then cast Conjure Carriage one final time, for a total of six carriages.
--[X] Sirim will prepare another Shadow Conjuration spell in place of Greater Invisibility.
---[X] He will cast Shadow Conjuration twice to duplicate two Conjure Carriage spells.
-[X] Kori will use Inspired Spell to cast a Tailwind spell to allow the entire group to hustle throughout the day without worrying about fatigue.
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I can't fully agree with this.

We will spend a lot of magic, even mythic power, and leave most of the tribe, especially the able-bodied people who'll walk the whole day, tired by nightfall.

If I were a vampire, I'd see a camp with exhausted guards and low-on-magic NPCs as a perfect opportunity.

Maybe moving slower and staying ready for when trouble comes might be smarter?
 
Artemis1992 said:
I can't fully agree with this.

We will spend a lot of magic, even mythic power, and leave most of the tribe, especially the able-bodied people who'll walk the whole day, tired by nightfall.

If I were a vampire, I'd see a camp with exhausted guards and low-on-magic NPCs as a perfect opportunity.

Maybe moving slower and staying ready for when trouble comes might be smarter?
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Updating the plan right now. With more speed and less exhaustion.
 
Upon further thought, we can do this even better.

This does use a lot of spells and Mythic power, but it doesn't exhaust the party by any means. In exchange, it gets us enough carriages and mounts to carry the entire group, all 94 Iruxi, plus Anippe, the drunk, and our party.

The light horses Summoned by the Mount and Conjure Carriage spells can hustle at 10 mph, and the Tailwind spell will let them do it without tiring. That doesn't mean no one will catch up with us, but it would require the enemies to be mounted and they would ride them into the ground, literally killing them in the process, to try keeping up with us for that long. Whoever follows, there won't be nearly as many of them as if we let the thralls keep following us at a walk.

Looking at the map and Longacre's position relative to the estuary and sea, if we can maintain this pace, we should reach a good spot to cast Summon Ship very quickly, perhaps even tomorrow.

pathfinderwiki.com

Longacre - PathfinderWiki

pathfinderwiki.com pathfinderwiki.com

[X] Upping the Pace
-[X] Kori agrees with Gorok that it is best to start moving during the day, for all it opens the caravan to more danger from the strange thralls and any Chelish forces
-[X] People Moving: Between Mina, Sirim, and Kori's efforts, they will cast 15 Conjure Carriage spells, each capable of carrying 6 passengers for 7 hours with Mina's spells, or 10 or 12 hours with Sirim's. The carriages will all be enclosed and designed to attract as little attention from a distance as possible. The party will change their appearances to resemble Chellish armsmen while escorting the carriages.
--[X] Mina will prepare three Mount: Communal spells in place of Glitterdust and her Invisibility spells. She will also prepare three Conjure Carriage spells in place of her regular 3rd level spells.
---[X] She will cast two Mount: Communal spells using the Extend Spell Metamagic Rod so the party and a group of Iruxi combatants will be mounted along with the carriages. When those expire, she will cast two more, one using her 2nd level Pearl of Power and one Extended. For the last hour or two of travel, the Iruxi guards will jog along with the convoy, switching out with fresh guards from the carriages when they tire. The six light horses Summoned by each spell will each last 4 hours and be used to allow those not in the carriages to take turns resting.
----[X] She will cast three Conjure Carriage spells, then use her 3rd level Pearl of Power to recover the spell. She will then use Wild Arcana three times to cast Channel the Gift in order to cast three more Conjure Carriage spells without expending it.
----[X] Kori will use Inspired Spell twice to cast Channel the Gift to allow Mina to Summon two more carriages. Mina will then cast Conjure Carriage one final time, for a total of nine carriages.
--[X] Sirim will prepare another Shadow Conjuration spell in place of Greater Invisibility.
---[X] He will cast Shadow Conjuration three to duplicate three Conjure Carriage spells, then use Wild Arcana to cast three more, for six more carriages.
-[X] Kori will use Inspired Spell to cast a Tailwind spell to allow the convoy to hustle throughout the day without worrying about fatiguing the horses.
-[X] Cob will disguise himself as Anippe, and ride close beside her, while she disguises herself as an Iruxi.
 
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I was thinking, maybe we should have Cob disguised himself as Anippe, and Anippe disguise herself as an Iruxi riding beside him.

That way if someone successfully Scries her, they will see her because Cob is right there beside her disguised form, and if there is an attack and she's targeted, he has the best odds of avoiding that and counter-attacking with extreme prejudice.
 
Vote closed.
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Jan 17, 2025 at 8:03 AM, finished with 20 posts and 6 votes.
  • [X] Upping the Pace
    -[X] Kori agrees with Gorok that it is best to start moving during the day, for all it opens the caravan to more danger from the strange thralls and any Chelish forces
    -[X] People Moving: Between Mina, Sirim, and Kori's efforts, they will cast 15 Conjure Carriage spells, each capable of carrying 6 passengers for 7 hours with Mina's spells, or 10 or 12 hours with Sirim's. The carriages will all be enclosed and designed to attract as little attention from a distance as possible. The party will change their appearances to resemble Chellish armsmen while escorting the carriages.
    --[X] Mina will prepare three Mount: Communal spells in place of Glitterdust and her Invisibility spells. She will also prepare three Conjure Carriage spells in place of her regular 3rd level spells.
    ---[X] She will cast two Mount: Communal spells using the Extend Spell Metamagic Rod so the party and a group of Iruxi combatants will be mounted along with the carriages. When those expire, she will cast two more, one using her 2nd level Pearl of Power and one Extended. For the last hour or two of travel, the Iruxi guards will jog along with the convoy, switching out with fresh guards from the carriages when they tire. The six light horses Summoned by each spell will each last 4 hours and be used to allow those not in the carriages to take turns resting.
    ----[X] She will cast three Conjure Carriage spells, then use her 3rd level Pearl of Power to recover the spell. She will then use Wild Arcana three times to cast Channel the Gift in order to cast three more Conjure Carriage spells without expending it.
    ----[X] Kori will use Inspired Spell twice to cast Channel the Gift to allow Mina to Summon two more carriages. Mina will then cast Conjure Carriage one final time, for a total of nine carriages.
    --[X] Sirim will prepare another Shadow Conjuration spell in place of Greater Invisibility.
    ---[X] He will cast Shadow Conjuration three to duplicate three Conjure Carriage spells, then use Wild Arcana to cast three more, for six more carriages.
    -[X] Kori will use Inspired Spell to cast a Tailwind spell to allow the convoy to hustle throughout the day without worrying about fatiguing the horses.
    -[X] Cob will disguise himself as Anippe, and ride close beside her, while she disguises herself as an Iruxi.
    [X] Upping the Pace
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Arc 10: Post 26: Riding on the Edge
  • Threadmarks
    • Riding on the Edge ​

    29th of Kuthona 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)

    Steeds and carriages fly through the middle of the day under branch and wide blue sky as the waters of the Iseld rush along on one side. True, there had been some teething, part of it literal as the hatchlings try to gnaw on the smoke-wood doors and even adult iruxi are troubled at the thought of riding upon beasts that move only when they are bid and stop without protest, needing neither food nor rest, but the journey had gone well enough. The wind from the north, spell conjured, driving you all on helping to bear the weight of the journey as once it had done at the call of the Farseeker's priests. A touch of irony to that, you admit, scaled-folk fleeing the lands of an empire that counts itself the heir of the High Realm now the plaything of devils, though perhaps in his tomb the dead god might smile at slipping the noose of those who so twist his command to seek out new places and wander until the end of the cosmos, ever-curious.

    Alas, the riverbank, the swiftest path to the sea though it be, places your company in sight of barges and skiffs that slide down river with cargo of timber, amber, iron, and raw wool to be processed in Remesiana. Had Gorok's people been few enough in numbers to all ride in conjured carriages mayhap they might have passed you by without challenge. It doesn't do to be too curious in Queen Abrogail's realm, least one get in the way of noblemen or worse, but lizards riding horses of mist... well you wouldn't be too surprised if one of the nearby baronies, now that you are well clear of Longacre, will think to send knights to intercept and find out what in the hopefully-not-Hell is passing them by.

    What you did not expect was the sight of riders behind you, a ragged bunch atop horses that for the most part seem more used to the plow than a rider. By Gorok's count they are about thirty strong, armed with spears and bows for the most part, though four of them bear a knight's armaments, poorly cared though they be, and these ones are also along atop proper warhorses, large and broad-chested.

    The 'taken' had found you, riding on through the night when you had stopped to rest. Are those horses even flesh and blood to be able to keep up that pace? According to Gorok they're not, lest they be flesh of the north wind itself. Horses aren't made for keeping to gallop, he says as he turns at bay, ready to defend the convoy along with you and Mina and Cob while Sirim stays further back to defend Anippe.

    Yet instead of the unceasing charge you had expected of the strange folk, the one in the lead calls out in a loud monotone: "Give us back what you have taken and we shall not follow you. Give us back our brother!"

    "Do... do they mean the fellow in the bushes?" Mina asks, looking around for an answer none of you can give. Not lightly are you going to open your mind to whatever had changed so many minds in Longacre.

    As though fate hadn't finished playing you a poor enough hand, Pepper chooses that moment to inform you that a galleon of the Chelish Navy is coming into view. All they'd see if you choose to fight would be strangers massacring the subjects of Her Infernal Majesty.

    Encounter: 1d100: 2 (Taken and River Ship; too close to avoid)

    "Could we show the danger to the ship?" Gorok asks Sirim.

    "Getting the message across wouldn't be the problem, though as to whether they will believe us when we don't even know what's gotten into this mob..."

    "Beside being able to keep up with conjured steeds over muddy ground," you note drily.

    "Besides that, yes."

    What do you do?

    [] Go along with Gorok's plan (Sirim rolls diplomacy to persuade the Chelish ship that the villagers are not what they seem)

    [] Sugest another course of action
    -[] Drive off the taken villagers and then put a hole in the ship and be on your way, the last thing you need is the attention of the Infernal Throne
    -[] Just hand over Trysus, it's not like you even know the man

    [] Write in

    OOC: I don't usually post encounter rolls, but this time it was so bad I had to include it.
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • Rock and a hard place.

    @DragonParadox I don't suppose Trysus is sober enough to have an opinion about all this, and doesn't wish to willing give himself up to help us out?
     
    DragonParadox said:
    He does not want to be handed over to the people he ran away from and hid from for days, rather desperately in fact.
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    Just making sure, and I'm sure that a couple of our party members would be against that action as well, Mina especially.

    If I wasn't sure that the Chelix Navy might turn against us as well I'd try to leave this up to them to deal with.
     
    Okay, the ship is pretty far away and we have some time before we have to act decisively. We might as well try to talk to them.

    Now is a good time for Kori to try one of his new spells. Hidden Diplomacy is perfect for someone with a high Intimidate bonus and no Diplomacy skills to speak of. With a +27 Intimidate bonus and rerolls courtesy of Mina, we have a good chance of learning what we need. Even if the spell fails, that's still a hefty Intimidate bonus.

    I no longer think the Taken are Pod Spawn, not if they're using magic, as would be necessary for them to have followed us. They could still be Begedhi, though that doesn't fit either, since they wouldn't have any interest in Trysus.

    [X] Diplomacy...sorta!
    -[X] Kori uses Shadow Enchantment to cast Bestow Insight (Intimidate) on himself and Mina casts Hermean Potential. He then demands to know who the 'Taken' are and why they want Trysus, but casts Hidden Diplomacy as he does so the target treats his Intimidate check as Diplomacy instead.
     
    Awwww, Hidden Diplomacy, that one spell that is perfect for barbarians and anti-social people. Hope it still works on something that I suspect is acting as a hivemind.

    @Goldfish could one of our flying PCs maybe send a message to ship while we are chatting up taken? See if that is worth it?

    [X] Goldfish
     
    Massgamer said:
    Awwww, Hidden Diplomacy, that one spell that is perfect for barbarians and anti-social people. Hope it still works on something that I suspect is acting as a hivemind.

    @Goldfish could one of our flying PCs maybe send a message to ship while we are chatting up taken? See if that is worth it?

    [X] Goldfish
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    I'll add having Pepper take an alternate form and fly out to warn the ship.

    EDIT: Actually, I think I'm going to wait on that, to see how the Taken respond to our questions.
     
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    If it comes down to a fight or handing Trysus over, I would rather just have Sirim use Wild Arcana to cast a Shadow Conjuration Phantom Steed for him and turn him loose. It would be able to run 45 mph, run on the water, and last for 12 hours.

    Let the Taken chase that instead.
     
    I just found out that there is a huge nation of Iruxi. It's far to the south, thousands of miles away on the continent of Garund.

    Droon - PathfinderWiki

    pathfinderwiki.com pathfinderwiki.com

    They ride dinosaurs down there. I think Warty is sufficiently dinosaur-like to qualify.

    Anyway, I know we've got other priorities for now, from getting the tribe situated and helping Urgor cleanse Jernashal, to investigating Azlanti redoubts and the coordinates Kori learned from his headband, but a stretch goal of eventually making our way down to Droon seems like it could be interesting. I bet it would be a real mindbender for Gorok to see Iruxi as the dominant species of a powerful nation, considering how far his people in the north of Golarion have fallen.
     
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