Way of the Wicked Book 1 Act 3

[archon_huskie]

He is make your attack roll.

[Zweanslord]

"Thanks." Amber offers to Irene having doused her flames. She then tosses another acid orb at one of those still in the kayaks.

Spoiler: Acid Splash

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Ranged Touch Attack: (1d20+4)[18]
Acid damage: (1d3)[1]

[CasualViking]

Caleb summons another decoy, then stabs at the foolish hunter: attack - (1d20+10)[21], damage - (2d6+9)[12]

[Farmerbink]

With an angry, wordless curse, the Half-Orc flings himself down on the deck's surface and begins rolling back and forth in an effort to stifle the flames.

Spoiler: X, round 2

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X
M CE Half-Orc Sorcerer, Level 3, Init 1, HP 17/24, Speed 30
AC 12, Touch 11, Flat-footed 11, CMD 15, Fort 4, Ref 2, Will 2, CMB +4, Base Attack Bonus 1
Claws +4 (1d4+3, x2)
MW Falchion +5 (2d4+4, 18-20, x2)
No armor (+1 Dex)
Abilities Str 17, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 11, Wis 8, Cha 20
Light sensitivity
+1 damage vs good celestials
+4 saves vs fear
Condition 1st level spells: 6/7
Claws: 8/8

Heal for 1 from infernal healing. Stop drop and roll. Nothing else I can do to hit the targets that far from the ship.

(1d20+6)[17] reflex to extinguish the fire? else, take another (1d6)[4] damage

[archon_huskie]

Start of Round Three

White Tusk shouts angrily at Mira. He doesn't speak common. Roll linguistics to guess at what he's saying from his hand gestures.
He moves his kayak closer to the Frosthamar.

Grumblejack moves to balance the ship with Caleb.

Odenkirk grumbles and orders his men back to their posts.

The Creature says. "Enough of this. I'm out! Peace!" It takes a double move action for 80ft of flight. It flies to the Northeast and off the map.

AMBER's ACTION GOES HERE
Amber flings an orb of acid at the hunters in the kayaks.

MIRA's ACTION GOES HERE
Mira attacks the young chief.

X's ACTION GOES HERE
X rolls on the deck and manages to snuff the flames.

CALEB's ACTION GOES HERE
Caleb stabs the chief with his spear.

The hunters back off and watch their leader attempt to board the Frosthamar. As White Tusk grips the guard rail, Mira and Caleb make a co-ordinated attack on their chief. He cannot even pull himself up before he is lacerated by Mira's sword and impaled by Caleb's spear. Caleb pulls his limp body aboard. They have seen enough, They would have faced three giants, a knight, and at least one sorcerer. Plus Amber did hit one of them. They backpedal by back paddling away from the Frosthamar. They will report back to the tribes what has happened here.

[CasualViking]

"Ut Curari". Caleb applies the healing wand to his own injuries.

"Does anyone else need healing?" He shouts, before bending down to loot the fallen hunter.

[Zweanslord]

Amber shrugs. "Nothing a good night's rest won't fix. And I doubt they will come back, right?" Amber looks at the kayaks leaving in the dark she can see through so well now.

[Ionbound]

Mira laughs as White Tusk is sliced and impaled before he can even do anything, and after he's dragged aboard, she slices his head off and places it on the prow of the longboat. As she walks back to the group, she nods to Caleb and asks, "If you could, please. Getting a spear to the chest hurts."

[Farmerbink]

The Half Orc leaps to his feet, cursing the smoldering hems of his cloak with a wordless snarl. He dashes forward, even as the singes and blisters on his skin begin to slowly slough away- the lingering effects of Caleb's spell, looking to bring swift and violent punishment to the fools attacking them. He meets instead unfathomable disappointment, at the discover of the tribesmen's dead leader. "Depends on how stupid they really are," he growls in response to Amber's comment.

"Let them come," he utters with a disgusted spit towards the retreating kayaks. "I didn't get to play." His arms flex irritably on his heavy blade's handle as he turns away from their foes. Lip still twitching irritably, he begins to pace the deck, hoping someone will pick another fight.

[archon_huskie]

The next morning, the Frosthamar sails up the River Taiga. Kargeld, more relaxed with less giants and fire onboard, demonstrates his skill nimbly sailing the heavy craft through fields of floating ice. He barks his orders in Norspik and his sailors comply. Again and again he turns the boat at the right moment to pass between the broken shards craved from ancient glaciers.

After a few hours of this, the dangerous headwaters of the Taiga's entrance change to the open water of a mighty and mostly uncharted forest river. It is a savage land you are now in. And the forest before you likely has no name in common.

The wind is with you and pushes the Frosthamar upstream. And after miles and miles of picturesque pine trees frosted with snow, the ship comes to a great mountain range. In violation of natural geological features, the river flows through a great rift in the mountains that looks as if some impossible huge primordial giant smashed a pass through the rocky slate.

You head south, though this does little to change the cold. The direction of the river reverses in the mountains and carries the Frosthamar along. And you reach the the great interior sea of Talingarde, the Great Lake Tarik. Across the lake, to the south, is the Watch Wall. On the northern banks in a wide wooded valley is your destination – the camp of Sakkarot Fire-Axe.

There is only one place to dock the boat – a crudely made pier jutting out into the river. You can see the camp from the river. Thousands of bugbears have assembled. Worse, there are more that just bugbears here. The occasional polar bear lumbers around the camp untended. Fur-clad goblins scamper here and there laughing with frentic glee. Even a few hill giants gather at the camp's fringes.

As Kargeld docks, four hulking bugbears stoll towards the ship with weapons drawn.

The Nessian Knot
The Frosthamar Amber Caleb “X” the Sorcerer Mira Irene Grumblejack

Spoiler: Group goals

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• Protect the Frosthamar and its cargo.
• Deliever munitions to Bug-bear chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Northern Coast of Lake Tarik
• Go South to the town of Aldencross
• Kill Odinkirk and crew. Burn the Frosthamar with no survivors
• Reclaim Odinkirk's payment for your own.
• Infiltrate Balentyne
• Kill Balentyne's Commander
• Open the gates of Balentyne for the horde.
• Break clay seal to contact Cardinal Thorn

1

[Farmerbink]

The Half-Orc paces the deck throughout Kargeld's skillful display. Though the ship is in good hand, the sorcerer is more than a little uneasy by the close proximity of so many potential icy graves. As the ship creeps towards her destination, he seems more and more jumpy, eager to be at their first destination.

The sight of so many ferocious warriors gathered in one place stirs him into an odd glee. The air is practically humming with pent up violence, as the ship is poled closer to the dock. From beneath his hooded cowl, the warrior looks on the gathered masses with an impressed frown. Though some part of him still regrets his relative inaction the night before, even he is forced to gaze upon the gathered army and swallow his pride.

He steps forward to meet the bugbears, leaving his falchion sheathed over his shoulder. Raising his arms in a gesture meant to be placating, he calls out loudly, "Easy, friends. We bring gifts for Sakkarot the Fire-Axe."

Spoiler: OOC

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Gonna actually go for a diplomacy check here, though its untrained. Too bad that's not a skill for sorcs, guess it'd be too good with all the Cha floating around. (1d20+5)[20]

[CasualViking]

Caleb steps up behind the Sorcerer. His longspear is pointe at the ground, but held ready. He lets his cloak fall open to show the glint of heavy armor beneath it. "Gotta show these tough guys that we're ready to throw down if they start sum'tin", he mutters under his breath.

[Ionbound]

Mira shrugs, blade out and balanced on an armored shoulder. She remains silent, opting to let the savage talk to the savages, but even so she's evidently uncomfortable.

[Zweanslord]

Amber looks wide eyed at the gathering of so many bugbears. She's completely unused to such a sight and it shows. Noting the polar bears, the goblins and the hill giants, she draws in breath and moves a hand through her hair. Glancing between grumblejack and the gathering now in sight, they certainly share the lumbering gaid.

After the geographical feature she was impressed by on the journey, this meeting is another thing that leaves a sight to remember. Not knowing what to say in such company, also because if they are as skilled in the common tongue as some of the sailors here, the conversation may not go as she wishes. Happy to see the orc step forward and take up the conversation, Amber stands at the ready to interject if her social skills are needed, though she's not exactly experienced at the face of such a large group of bugbears.

While it may have been clever to use her disguise, she forgot to do so as she was thrown off guard at the sight of so many gathered bugbears, despite being warned ahead of time this would be what they encounter.

[archon_huskie]

"What gifts you bring? Give gifts to us and we take to him." The lead bugbear says. The bugbears wear dirty leather armor that desperately needs cleaning. They carry primitive clubs apparently made from hacking off a tree limb and then wrapping the handle with rope for grip. The leader of the squad has a stone piece inset to the club for added weight.

The Nessian Knot
The Frosthamar Amber Caleb “X” the Sorcerer Mira Irene Grumblejack

Spoiler: Group goals

Show

• Protect the Frosthamar and its cargo.
• Deliever munitions to Bug-bear chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Northern Coast of Lake Tarik
• Go South to the town of Aldencross
• Kill Odinkirk and crew. Burn the Frosthamar with no survivors
• Reclaim Odinkirk's payment for your own.
• Infiltrate Balentyne
• Kill Balentyne's Commander
• Open the gates of Balentyne for the horde.
• Break clay seal to contact Cardinal Thorn

2

[Farmerbink]

Matching Caleb's tone, the Half-Orc mutters "These four don't worry me, but those giants?" He turns just far enough to peripherally note the cleric's expression with a smirk. "If you're not scared of them, you're even dumber than you look." He chuckles quietly as the Bugbears come to a halt.

Turning back to face their apparent hosts, the sorcerer nods at the speakers words. "Odenkirk!" he yells over a shoulder. "Have your men bring one of the crates, eh?" To the Bugbear he responds, "It will take more than you four, and I think you will find them much to your liking."

He draws his blade slowly over a shoulder- clearly more for show than action. "Those sticks and leathers won't be much help to tear down the wall." He waits a moment, to make sure he has the attention of all four Bugbears. He grips the blade and stares them down, rolling his shoulders both in a deliberate stretch and a clear display of comfort he doesn't feel and strength he very much does.

"You will lead us to your chieftain, for we also carry a message for him."

Spoiler: OOC

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Gonna go ahead and intimidate the bugbears. He's better at that than diplomacy, anyway. XD

(1d20+18)[27]

[archon_huskie]

The lead bugbear sizes up the sorcerer and decides his small group would not be able to take him. "Make way for the Fire-Axe. he says, "His ship has arrived."

Within five minutes, a great black-furred bugbear carrying an orange great-axe that periodically erupts flame arrives on the pier. He points his axe at X. "WHO SENT YOU? Sakkarot demands in unaccented common. Thorn had briefed you on this. This is for show you would know. Sakkarot knows who sent you, but his horde does not. He is reminding them that they have allies in their war. His allies. You only need give your master's name.

The Nessian Knot
The Frosthamar Amber Caleb “X” the Sorcerer Mira Irene Grumblejack

Spoiler: Group goals

Show

• Protect the Frosthamar and its cargo.
• Deliever munitions to Bug-bear chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Northern Coast of Lake Tarik
• Go South to the town of Aldencross
• Kill Odinkirk and crew. Burn the Frosthamar with no survivors
• Reclaim Odinkirk's payment for your own.
• Infiltrate Balentyne
• Kill Balentyne's Commander
• Open the gates of Balentyne for the horde.
• Break clay seal to contact Cardinal Thorn

[CasualViking]

Caleb steps forward, to stand beside the half-orc. "Cardinal Thorn sends us", he intones. "With the BLESSING OF ASMODEUS upon the BRAVE WARRIORS of Fire-Axe HE SENDS US!!", he booms out at the top of his lungs.

[Zweanslord]

As Caleb shouts out the blessing of Asmodeus, his voice booms out the arcane words Amber lets out, weaving the spell Silent Image to bolster his announcement.

Above the cleric Caleb, five blood red dots flare up, set in equal distance apear. Like blood flowing, the red drips along lines to the other dots to create a foreboding pentagon.

Source: https://pathfinderwiki.com/mediawiki...oly_symbol.jpg

The air around it is palpable with power as the light dims, just as does the air around Caleb itself. As Caleb intones "HE SENDS US!" his eyes flare a flaming red, as if he peering from Hell itself. The darkness rolls from the symbol in the air and along the ground from Caleb, pulsing with power.

[CasualViking]

"Eyes forward, Caleb. They are staring at something. Don't turn around. Eyes forward, shoulders down. Don't flinch".

[Farmerbink]

The Half-Orc looks up from where he stands, now abreast with Caleb. "Bit much, ain't it?" he mutters quietly, unsure what to make of the grand display. He looks to the Bugbears, curious how they'll react to it.

Spoiler: OOC

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Since I'm so good at those, sense motive! (1d20-1)[15]

[Ionbound]

Mira just sighs, shrugging as she hopes the display of power will cow the savages into behaving themselves.

[archon_huskie]

The red star appears above. The gathered bugbears stare. Magic is a rare thing for them. Few have the wisdom for divine magic. Less have the intelligence for arcane magics. They begin with awe that turns to clapping. They are genuinely impressed as if watching a fireworks display. A chant in goblin begins.

Sakkarot Fire-Axe smiles a toothy grin, “They are Welcome here!” He boasts. “They are my guests and our Allies! I will deal with any who harms them.” He walks over to the boat and rips open one of the crates, revealing the finely made battleaxes within. He tosses one to the leader of the group that met you on the dock. “BEHOLD. They bring STEEL!” The chant gains a chorus of howls and cheers from the monstrous assemble.

The Frosthamar is unloaded. Sakkarot's lieutenants see that each case is distributed and a visible transformation occurs in the camp. Where once there were a thousand bugbear savages, now there are a thousand bugbear soldiers each armed with uniform axes and shields, all bearing the emblem of a firey axe. What a terror you have helped create. . .

“A FEAST!” Sakkarot calls. “To honor this shipment!”

Odenkirk and his men are less than excited. “We shall stay with the ship. Perhaps sail out into the river and set anchor for safety. . . I don't want my men to be snacks” he says.

A feast is held. The highlight of the party is when a great shaggy dire boar, captured from the northern woods, is dragged in by a dozen bugbears. Sakkarot beheads the wounded animal with his fire axe. One ton of pork in then spitted and roasted over a great open pit. You are given a place at Sakkarot's table, a front row seat to a spectacle of savagry.

The Nessian Knot
The Frosthamar Amber Caleb “X” the Sorcerer Mira Irene Grumblejack

Spoiler: Group goals

Show

• Protect the Frosthamar and its cargo.
• Deliever munitions to Bug-bear chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Northern Coast of Lake Tarik
• Go South to the town of Aldencross
• Kill Odinkirk and crew. Burn the Frosthamar with no survivors
• Reclaim Odinkirk's payment for your own.
• Infiltrate Balentyne
• Kill Balentyne's Commander
• Open the gates of Balentyne for the horde.
• Break clay seal to contact Cardinal Thorn

[Farmerbink]

In an instant, the Half-Orc is at home. As the sailors lay anchor in the middle of the river, he gleefully dives into the practicality of distributing blades and armor. More than a few punches are exchanged. Perhaps to the bewilderment of the crew's less-savage members, none of them seem particularly injurious, though the Half-Orc is severely bruised about the shoulders and a few of the Bugbears retain less teeth when they depart with their newly claimed blades.

As various game roasts over several open flames, the sorcerer prowls about the camp, eyes reflecting the fire they tend to linger upon. He comes across a small group testing their newfound blades, many using them ineffectively, unsure where to grip and tiring themselves out with inefficient swipes. With a cry, "No, that's all wrong!" he claims the attention of a few of them. Wrenching one of the battle-axes from a nearby Bugbear's misplaced hands and claps his chest loudly until all eyes settle on him- it seems some of them don't understand the common tongue, but for those that do... "Take the blade like this!" He grips the axe tightly- hands spread, with one near the base of the haft and another higher up to control it. He demonstrates, facing the fire, how this grip allows the wielder to both direct the weapon carefully and make use of its heavy head for delivering brutal blows. One stump- previously a seat- is nearly reduced to splinters as the axe-head plunges through it. The second blow makes it worthless, but effectively punctuates the demonstration. Thrusting the blade back into the hands of its owner, he gruffly nods before tossing the ruined seat into the fire. As they grip their blades, many of the Bugbears smile at the way it feels. It isn't a pleasant sight, but the Half-Orc responds in kind before stalking back to Sakkarot's table.

"Your army needs work," he grunts, by way of greeting. As the chieftain turns to respond unkindly, he breaks out into laughter. It fades shortly, but leaves the most genuine smile on the sorcerer's face that any of you have yet seen. "But they'll do. They learn quickly. The axe is a good tool."

Nodding slowly, he locks eyes with the Sakkarot. "The Mitrans won't know what hit them."

For the rest of the evening, he relaxes in the chieftain's presence. The drippings of half-cooked meat mingles freely with wine and fruit juices as he eats haphazardly, making a mess of virtually everything within arm's reach. Several hours later, he turns to Sakkarot again. "Tell me, chieftain, how do you control the bears? And how are there Giants that heed your call?"

[archon_huskie]

Sakkarot gulps from his tankard. “The hill giants come because a fight is coming and they want to fight. The bears have similar reasons I am told. I don't speak their language, though they call themselves Naatanuks. The Mitrans believe rumors that Bugbears ride these beasts into battle. We don't. But I see no reason to correct the Mitrans.”

At this moment, a fight erupts from another table. A female Ogre, with a bone piercing her nose, has started the fight by stabbing a male Ogre with a spear. The pair is wrestling on the ground now as other ogres and bugbears encourage their fight. As the male gets the upper hand, and a few bruises, the female breaks free and runs off. The male ogre looks up and grins. It is Grumblejack. “What a woman,” he says to you. “Me in love!” He chases after her.

The Nessian Knot
The Frosthamar Amber Caleb “X” the Sorcerer Mira Irene Grumblejack

Spoiler: Group goals

Show

• Protect the Frosthamar and its cargo.
• Deliever munitions to Bug-bear chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Northern Coast of Lake Tarik
• Go South to the town of Aldencross
• Kill Odinkirk and crew. Burn the Frosthamar with no survivors
• Reclaim Odinkirk's payment for your own.
• Infiltrate Balentyne
• Kill Balentyne's Commander
• Open the gates of Balentyne for the horde.
• Break clay seal to contact Cardinal Thorn

[Ionbound]

Mira frowns and shakes her head, eventually muttering, "Guess we're leaving him here, then."

[CasualViking]

Caleb stand besides Mira. "Beautiful, isn't it? No deception. No hypocrisy."

[Zweanslord]

Amber looks at Grumblejack and smiles. "Ah, love." She sighs. "Don't know how she's taking it, though.." She frowns at the fleeing ogre and wonders if this is the way it is with ogres or whether Grumblejack is just forcing himself onto her. She then shrugs, as she is unlikely to get the answer. Other than this event, Amber does not seem particularly interested in the feast as this.. just isn't her type of crowd to mingle in.

[Ionbound]

Mira shakes her head and grumbles back, "No honor, no civilization and..." She wrinkles her nose, "No bathing by the smell of it either. I'll be sticking with the city, I think."

[archon_huskie]

“Such is the mating rites of Ogres.” Sakkarot says sipping from his tankard. Unlike the other bugbears, Sakkarot paces himself never getting more than a little tipsy. As the bestial festivities die down, he invites you into his private chambers. His private chambers is an A-frame hut made of mud and pine branches, which actually gives the building a clean smell. The hut has a cozy fireplace and fur rugs from previous hunts. A pair of bugbear women and waiting here, but he dismisses them with a growl.

“My followers do not need to hear our conversation,” he speaks softly as he places his flaming axe in the fire place.

“When they saw your display, they were chanting “Red Star” in Goblin. The hoard is not knowledgeable enough to recognize the symbol of the Infernal Father. Red Star may yet be your organization, your master, or even one of you. Rumors among the men will be plentiful. . . But that is not why I asked you here.

“You are traitors to your own kind. You must know that. When Balentyne fails and my horde pours through its shattered gates, we will slaughter the Talireans by the thousands. Yet I see no regret in your eyes. Tell me, How can this be?”

The Nessian Knot
The Frosthamar Amber Caleb “X” the Sorcerer Mira Irene Grumblejack

Spoiler: Group goals

Show

• Protect the Frosthamar and its cargo.
• Deliever munitions to Bug-bear chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Northern Coast of Lake Tarik
• Go South to the town of Aldencross
• Kill Odinkirk and crew. Burn the Frosthamar with no survivors
• Reclaim Odinkirk's payment for your own.
• Infiltrate Balentyne
• Kill Balentyne's Commander
• Open the gates of Balentyne for the horde.
• Break clay seal to contact Cardinal Thorn