Book 1, Act II: Into the Churlwood

The all-powerful Runelords, near-immortal wizards who ruled Varisia in ancient days, stir to terrible life once more, surging across the frontier with plans to reignite their time-lost empire!
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RorytheRomulan
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Book 1, Act II: Into the Churlwood

Post by RorytheRomulan » Tue May 10, 2022 2:43 am

Dwarf grudgingly parts with her 10 pieces of gold. Who knows what these toll bandits will get up to with heavier purses. Lullaby & hers are not off the hook, but she bites her tongue. She gives a parting nod to Hallen and trundles toward the south side of the clearing.

(is there a typo? Lullaby recommended against sleeping under the cursed tree, correct?)

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ManWithDoor
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Book 1, Act II: Into the Churlwood

Post by ManWithDoor » Mon May 16, 2022 5:21 am

Hallen looks relieved that you weren't hurt, and waives as she heads back across the river.
*cough* Corrected the typo. The tree is bad news, Lullaby recommends NOT sleeping under it.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Othniel
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Book 1, Act II: Into the Churlwood

Post by Othniel » Thu May 26, 2022 11:52 pm

'Very well, a fair trade," Myri agrees, counting out her coin. "I thank you for the information. Perhaps we'll see each other again sometime," she adds with a winsome smile and a wink. One caught more flies with honey than with vinegar, she'd learned from the topsiders. Though maybe the wink was too much.

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Book 1, Act II: Into the Churlwood

Post by ManWithDoor » Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:36 am

The Vindictive Traveler

Making your way through the footpaths and trails through the Churlwood, you find yourselves following a network of trails that aren't quite roads, but aren't pure wilderness either. Heading straight south from the ferry, as suggested by the Roadkeeper, you stumble across a large clearing, within which a single dead oak tree looms.

The borders of this clearing are unusual in that they are well-tended, clear of brush, and strewn with gravel to form a circular road of sorts. A single dead oak tree looms at the center of the clearing, and something silver sparkles from one of the lower branches - what appears to be an amulet hangs there. Alarmingly, three recently slain people wearing the armor of the town watch from Roderic's Cove, lie near the tree's roots. All three bodies have been severely mutilated. Whatever curse or whatnot that Lullaby warned you of seems to be serious.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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RorytheRomulan
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Book 1, Act II: Into the Churlwood

Post by RorytheRomulan » Thu Jun 30, 2022 5:54 am

Rusilka blanches at the sight of the bodies. She pinches her nose and draws a breath, then raises her shield and approaches the dead.

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Othniel
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Book 1, Act II: Into the Churlwood

Post by Othniel » Sun Jul 03, 2022 6:54 pm

"Keep an eye out for an ambush," Myri suggests quietly.

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ManWithDoor
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Book 1, Act II: Into the Churlwood

Post by ManWithDoor » Wed Jul 06, 2022 10:08 pm

As they cautiously approach the dead tree, a monster lurches up from the oak roots and shambles forward to attack. It is a filthy, pallid figure that doesn't look entirely in control of its twitching limbs. It looks strong, but likely slow. It might have once been a man, but whatever it has become it looks decayed and corrupted.
Myri - Knowledge: Religion = 10, partial success. You can't identify exactly what type it is, but it is definitely an Undead.

Initiative:
Rusilka = 16
Myri = 12
Amelak (dragon) = 8
Undead = 2

You can act in any order, so don't worry about waiting your turn if you don't want to.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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RorytheRomulan
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Book 1, Act II: Into the Churlwood

Post by RorytheRomulan » Thu Jul 07, 2022 12:06 pm

"S-stand behind." Rusilka stutters, disturbed at having encountered a ghost, a dragon, a giant spider person, and now... this thing in a single day. In for a silver, in for a pound of flesh, it seems. With her shield up, she hurls herself at the creature.
Move + Overrun: 17
Standard Attack: 8 (crap!)

Movement through enemy space, knocking enemy to Prone, and damage from attack if hit, all pending GM confirmation.

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Book 1, Act II: Into the Churlwood

Post by ManWithDoor » Sun Jul 17, 2022 5:43 am

Rusilka takes her sturdy body and runs straight at the undead. She swipes with her weapon and misses, but her shoulder-checking knocks it to the ground.
Rusilka - Overrun Combat Maneuver = 9+8 (+4 more specifically for Overrun) = 21. Undead CMD was 12, so exceeded by 9.
- If the Overrun attempt exceeds by 5 or more, the target is knocked Prone.
Amelak the dragon charges forward to take advantage of the monster's disadvantage, biting off a huge chunk of dessicated flesh.
Amelak Charge: 15, Hit for 12 Damage.
Myri, right before the Undead can act ...
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Book 1, Act II: Into the Churlwood

Post by ManWithDoor » Wed Jul 20, 2022 3:26 am

Going to act for Othniel, to keep things going.
Myri takes out her crossbow and lets loose a shot. Under normal circumstances she would have hit, but the undead is on the ground, which makes the shot tricky.
Myri - Shoot Crossbow: 12+4 = 16 (normally a hit) but -4 for Prone (ranged) = 12, Miss.
The Undead is simple, and tries to get up to grab onto one of you fleshlings. Unfortunately for it, that gives both Rusilka and Amelak an opportunity to attack once again ... which is less than healthy for it. Unless you count an undead dying again as healthy? Regardless, Rusilka's axe bites deep into its torso, which would have been enough. But at the same instant the dragon bites deeply into its neck and completely beheads it!
Rusilka: 21, Hit for 15 Damage
Amelak: Nat 20 (confirmed) for 15 Damage
- The Undead was actually at -17 from both blows! FLAWLESS VICTORY!!!
With the undead killed, and given more time to study it, you recognize it as a Trialgaunt. They can be tough in the wrong situations, but all that matters now is the fact that any humanoid killed by it can eventually become a trailgaunt themselves if they are left both unburied and not within line-of-sight of an established road. If the three town guard bodies are moved, they need to stay on the road until they are buried. But once underground, they are not a danger even if something else digs them up later.

The amulet that was hanging from the tree itself is a Mind Sentinel Medallion, in the form of a holy symbol of Desna. It likely didn't belong to the three town guards, so its origin is mysterious. The town would likely be happy to get back their dead citizens. Each body still wears its chain shirt, short sword, light steel shield, shortbow, and stack of arrows.
Mind Sentinel Medallion = https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wo ... -sentinel/

Let me know what you'd like to do. Continue onwards, or stop and return the dead bodies? Do you want any of the loot/equipment they're wearing?
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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