King Maker Solo

[Pyrophilios]

Having the beast dispatched, Vindariel takes care to take off it's head. He considers to take its pelt, but it feels wrong to do that to the corps of a sentient creature.
Instead he, once again moves a corpse away into the plains. He has no shovel, so a simple cairn of stones has to suffice. The sun is up before he is finished, but there is no rush.

Once he is done with the exploration, he packs up and moves in a straight line back to Oleg's place, to check if there have been any other problems with bandits.

[Eonn]

You are able to complete your exploration of the area without further trouble.

When you arrive arrive back at the trading post, you quickly discover a few new faces. Wearing polished and oiled armor bearing the crest of Restov, these four men are likely the guards that had been promised to Oleg before your arrival.

One of the group, likely their leader, approaches you as you dismount.

"So you're the one they have exploring the region? Well, best of luck to you. The traders have told us how you dealt with the bandits that were harassing them, so I think you can handle yourself out there. My name is Kesten Garess, I've been dispatched to protect this post. It you have a moment, we've set up a wanted board. The throne is willing to pay good coin for the heads of various men here.
The trader also is willing to pay for the head of some rare beast."

[Pyrophilios]

"Greetings. My name is Vindariel." Vindariel replied and listened politely to the man.
"Of course, I'm certainly interested in taking care of those who would destabilize this region.
But that rare beast hopefully isn't a worg, or I'll have to track back to dig up it's corpse."

[Eonn]

The man smirks before responding. "Many men would be happy if worgs were so rare." He says before showing you to the wanted board. Currently, 4 leaflets hang from it.

Spoiler: WANTED: BANDITS

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The bandits in the Greenbelt need to be
shown that their actions will not be tolerated.
Capture or defeat at least six of them to send
a message.

Reward: 400gp, paid from the coffers of the swordlords.

Spoiler: KOBOLDS IN THE HILLS

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The Sootscale kobolds dwell in a cave
somewhere in the Kamelands. Normally not a
problem, they’ve been riled up by something lately.
Find their lair and ensure that the kobolds aren’t
going to continue being a threat. Either slay the kobolds
or forge an alliance of peace with them.

Reward: 800gp paid from the coffers of the swordlords
once kobold activity is under control.

Spoiler: WANTED: TATZLWYRM

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The way everyone talks about tatzlwyrms,
one might think they’re swarming throughout the
Stolen Lands. This isn’t the case; they’re actually
quite rare. A tatzlwyrm head would be a great
conversation piece at my trading post. I can promise a
reward for anyone who can deliver one.

Reward: 600gp

Spoiler: WANTED: FALGRIM SNEEG

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--A personal request from Kesten Garess--
Falgrim Sneeg is a mercenary I worked with a few
months past. He robbed us blind and fled into the
Greenbelt. Bring him in alive so I can return him
for punishment.

Reward: I cannot promise payment in gold, though
I will allow someone who has brought this
man in for justice to pick through our extra
weapons.

[Pyrophilios]

"Too true." Vindariel said while studying the board. He rather liked the work he saw. And since he intended to survey the whole belt, he was certain he would come across those items sooner or later.
But since he had gotten this bow, he had wanted to modify his armory somewhat.

He greeted Oleg and Svetlana and took to the room they had promised him.
Once there, he fell into a special trance with which he was able to change certain properties of his armor.

Eight hours later he changed into his regenerating trance, emerging exactly 12 hours after he had gone in to find something to eat and drink.

To Oleg he said: "It is good that you now have adequate protection around here. Not only will it keep you safe, but it should prove favorable for business too. I'll be heading westwards now. If everything goes to plan I'll stop by here in a week again, so do me a favor and scrounge up rations for that time. I'll stop by here again on my way back."

Well rested and re-provisioned, Vindariel took off again towards the western border of the belt.

Spoiler

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Removed Ranged Attack from the astral armor and replaced it with Darkvision

[Eonn]

Spoiler: OOC

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I forgot to mention this, but you got 100xp for completely exploring the last hex. You get 100xp for every hex explored, in case I forget again.

Your first day of exploration is uneventful, spent almost entirely mapping otherwise featureless plains. Towards the western end, however, groves of trees become more common. Continuing west will put you in the northmost point the Narlmarches, a forest which runs through the center of the Stolen Land.

Spoiler: OOC

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You completely explore the hex without running into any monsters of bandits. +100xp. You can mark it off on you map, with the landscape being plains like the last one you explored.

[Pyrophilios]

Spoiler

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updated the map in the OOC post

Vindariel enjoyed the relative peace that he found here. When he was done here, he continued on westwards. When the woods became to dense to ride safely, he climbed down and led his trusty steed, counting on both his horse's and his crystal's senses to warn him from impending danger.

[Eonn]

All the vigilance in the world couldn't have helped you spot the real danger in these woods. It's not beasts you have to worry about, but unmarked bear traps set by a careless trapper. You are 3 hours into mapping the area when the first of the steel-jawed contraptions, formerly hidden under fallen leaves, slam shut around your ankle.

Spoiler: OOC

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The trap makes an attack at you (1d20+10)[18] and deals (2d6+3)[7] damage if it 'hits'. Weather it hits or not, you are immobilized until you free yourself, which should be an easy task since your not being attacked or anything.

You know that there's bound to be other traps in the area, though stopping to mark them all would take a large amount of time. Or you could just proceed carefully, being careful of where you step until you are both figuratively and literally out of the woods.

[Pyrophilios]

The pain is sudden and severe. Vindariel couldn't help but yelp as the sharp steel sheared through the carapace of his armor, stopping only just a hair's breath away from nicking his skin.
It took his considerable strength to bend back the steel fangs, so he could extricate his foot.

Although he didn't relish the thought of disposing of those traps, it seemed prudent to make this area safe again - and since he intended to explore it thoroughly, he could just as well spend the extra time to do so.
Not to mention that the traps might prove useful in the defense of the outpost later on.

So he began by cutting a long branch and whittling it into a long stick with which he could safely trigger any remaining traps.

Methodically he began to clear the area.

[Eonn]

Spoiler: OOC

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Make a perception check for me please.

[Pyrophilios]

Spoiler

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(1d20)[19]+3
Psi Crystal
(1d20)[16]+6

[Eonn]

You are able to clear out all the traps in the region while mapping it out. Actually, doing so was less taxing than you thought it'd be, as all the traps were confined to a single glade. Two days later, and you have the area mapped and can move through it without having to worry about stepping into the odd bear trap.

Spoiler: OOC

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You gain 100xp for mapping the region, and 400xp for overcoming the traps.

Terrain: Forest
Features: Trap-Filled Glade
Status: Explored

Additionally, you may keep the traps if you'd like. They each weigh 10lbs, and there's a dozen of them.

[Pyrophilios]

Vindariel gathers all traps he could find and stashed them out of sight under a big tree that he was certain to find again, covering them with leaves and twigs. They are to heavy to lug around and he doesn't want to tire out his horse unnecessarily.

Leaving the glade to the west, he thanks his lucky star that it had worked out so well. Just an inch further and he would have been seriously injured - or worse if his horse had come to harm. He isn't sure if the potions he carries work on an equine.

Once more he realizes how many dangers this wild country contained and how different it was from the woods of his home. Having lived a lonely, solitary life before, this place was practically teeming with all sorts of people. Sadly, quite a lot of them are a danger to him or others. With renewed determination he presses on, ready to face the next obstacle...

Spoiler

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Cool,
I'll stash them for now. I really need to buy a Handy Haversack as soon as I get the chance.

[Eonn]

You are able to move faster overland as the trees clear out and you are once again in a grassland. Once again, you set to mapping the area.

During your exploration, you come across a small herd of elk. They're passive so long as you keep your distance, and would likely flee even if you were to come close. Still, they're good eating if you'd be inclined to attempt to hunt them.

[Pyrophilios]

Vindariel entertains the notion of a hunt only for a moment. In truth he would have to waste quite a lot of meat as he neither has the training nor the carrying capacity to dress the carcass efficiently.
His trail rations are still plenty and so he sees no reason to harm a fellow living being.

Instead he concentrates on mapping the area to make good some of the time he spend hunting for traps.

[Eonn]

Compared to what you had dealt with in the days prior, mapping this segment of the plains seems incredibly easy. Besides the elk herd grazing, you don't find much else noteworthy. You finish mapping and are able to move to the last segment along the northernmost boundary.

Spoiler: OOC

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+100xp for mapping the hex
Terrain: Plains
Features: Nothing worth noting
Status: Explored

[Pyrophilios]

Vindariel keeps moving west until he reaches the borders of the green belt again. Moving methodical, he turns around an moves to the south to the next quadrant. He suspects that he'll soon get back into the woods from earlier when he moves east again.
Now that his armor allows him to see in complete darkness, he feels much safer when he starts his meditations each night. Still, his sword is never far from his reach...

Spoiler

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by the map I now should have reached the western most hex. When that one is explored, I'll move to the south and from there make my way back to the east.

[Eonn]

As you fill in this corner of the map, you come across a thicket of blackberry bushes growing over rocky soil. The tart berries are ripe for the picking, making this a good stop for a moment of rest.

Spoiler: OOC

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Could you make a perception check for me?

[Pyrophilios]

Vindariel looks around. Wild berries usually were a sought after treat by the local wildlife.
Cautiously he moves closer while his crystal watches his back.

Spoiler

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Perception:
(1d20)[7]+3
Crystal
(1d20)[17]+6

[Eonn]

As you look around the area, you notice that the rocks and rubble the brambles have grown over are actually cairn stones. While the first few you find were toppled in ages past by looters seeking the burial goods stashed within, you manage to find a single cairn still standing in one of the densest parts of the thicket. Whether you leave it that way is up to you, however.

[Pyrophilios]

Vindariel feels conflicted for a moment: On the one hand it wasn't very honorable to open up graves, not to mention distasteful. But on the other hand he was curious who had been buried here - not to mention that those kinds of graves might contain ancient magic artifacts and weapons.

Finally, his curiosity wins and he carefully dismantles the kaern so he can rebuild it again if necessary.

[Eonn]

After a few minutes of shifting stones, you find the skeleton of a long dead human. It wears the tattered remains of what was once hide armor, and was buried with a few weapons that are little more than rusted scrap now. You note that the skull seemed to be crushed in, and you suspect it was what lead to this particular person's demise.

The only thing in the grave which holds any value is a strange rind made of green wood on one of the skeleton's fingers. The material, and the intricate carvings which decorate it seem untouched by the years.

[Pyrophilios]

Vindariel removed the ring very carefully from the dead warrior's hand.

He concentrated until he could see the energies of the world and studied the ring.

When he was done, he carefully closed the kaern back up before continuing on his travels

Spoiler

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detect psionics to see if the ring has magic properties followed by a
Spellcraft check (1d20)[8]+7

[Eonn]

While you aren't able to discern what exactly it does, it's clear that the ring has magical properties. If you don't want to test it on yourself you'll have to try again later or seek out someone who knows more than you do.

Other than the gravesite, you find nothing exciting as you finish mapping the northern border.

Spoiler: OOC

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Terrain: Plains
Features: Barbarian Cairn
Status: Explored

+100xp

[Pyrophilios]

Vindariel pocketed the ring - there would be time to analyse it back at Oleg's.
He finished the exploration and went to the south so he could circle back through the woods to the east.

During this new exploration, he made sure that he kept the sensing power shared with his crystal, boosting its receptiveness. That would hopefully be enough to notice any issues before they could become problems

Spoiler

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Exploring the westernmost hex in the second row.
I'll spend standard actions to manifest Synesthete as discipline talent for free (on level 1 the duration is only one round, so I'll have to do it continuously)
to give the psi crystal +4 to it's perception check for a total of 10

(1d20)[1]+10

[Eonn]

Your exploration proceeds as planned. For the first few hours, you find nothing of particular interest. Eventually the sun sets, and it is time to stop for the day. As you settle in, you hear howling in the distance. Now, the sounds of animals isn't uncommon in the wilderness but the howls sound a second time, this time closer to you.

Spoiler: OOC

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Roll perception for me, thanks.

[Pyrophilios]

Spoiler

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Perception Psi Crystal [roll0]+10

Vindariel concentrates on keeping the psi crystal alert, while he steadily moves forward

[Pyrophilios]

Spoiler:

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(1d20)[11]+10
damn roller doesn't work if you use preview

[Eonn]

Spoiler: OOC

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(1d20+6)[22] This is filler text.

As you creep forward, you catch sight of something moving towards you through the grass.

[Pyrophilios]

Receiving the telepathic warning from his crystal, Vindariel gets down from his horse and pulls out his sword. With a thought a haze in the air hints at he existence of a force shield.

With loud and clear words he calls out:
"Come any closer and it will cost you your life."

Spoiler

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Casting Force Screen for AC 23

Ini
(1d20)[3]+3