Schadenfreude Studios > Tabletop > Pathfinder: Locair (3rd Level)
April 14, 2011 12:55 AM | Post #11
She listened intently to the old crone's tale, ears perking as she explained the origin of the cat's scar. On the one hand, the woman was a firm believer of the old adage, 'survival of the fittest'; that only the strong and clever were due the privilege of life and that all others should be shown no mercy or compassion, lest they slow one down on one's trek through life. However, she felt the idea of hunting for sport to be distasteful and a waste of the life that had been ended before one's blade or arrow; to purposely scar a simple beast in order to frighten such a frail, old thing was a cowardly way of showing one's superiority. The fact that such a coward was described as being a swordsman piqued the woman's interest, however; perhaps, by chance, she might find him in the upcoming tournament and there could test his ability and find which was truly the superior being.
“Non,†the woman spoke up with a low yet harsh voice. “Thou shan't worry, madame.†Her eyes noticed the weakness in the elder's form, and took hold of her as gently as she could. “Perhaps thou should'st rest, non?†Looking up she tried to espy any location that would house adequate shade, before reaching behind her for her waterskin to offer a drink. “'Ere, 'ave some; tracking est ma forté, and it can take its toll on even the 'ardest of bodies. Let us find thee some rest, and pray tell thou can tell m'once thou last saw thine féline?†This was not the forest, and the woman was as lost amidst the streets and buildings as any other foreigner; yet her natural talent for hunting and tracking could be waylaid only a little in this new environment.
GAME: The ranger offers the old woman some water while looking for a place to rest, before asking her the last, known location of the cat as she readies to track it down.
URNOTE
April 23, 2011 5:57 AM | Post #12
As you looked around you notice that their is no shortage of shade. You notice a number of shady ally ways, and many buildings that one could enter.
Buildings: White Rooster Inn, Dragon Claw Tavern, Naomi's Goods, Goloth's Armor and Shields, Arloghs' Weapons, Debolas Hired Hands
The old lady continued on to say; " I live near Sheoleign's Churh just 25 minutes west from here. Dunno what you will be able to find but your free to look if you'd like."
Don't blame me for what my minions have done. Blame yourself for being the target.
April 23, 2011 7:42 AM | Post #13
Looking around, the woman saw many buildings that were familiar to her, and others, still, whose hospitality she had not yet enjoyed. The White Rooster Inn had served her little need in the past since her preference for sleeping out doors, its use saved for when she was in the area while suffering from some grievous injury. Naomi's Goods had always kept her well supplied with trail rations, healer's kits, and the wide variety of tools she carried in her pack. Likewise, she could thank Goloth's Armour and Shields for her continued existence, who's breastplate had kept her safe from many a tooth and claw, while Arlogh's Weapons had allowed her to fight back with great ferocity, keeping her quiver fully stocked and her greatsword well sharpened. Debolas Hired Hands was more of a curiosity; she had entered it now and then to look for spare work as a means to break the doldrums that forest living had often caused. She might have need of it again, very soon.
It was at this moment, however, that her attention had turned to the Dragon Claw Tavern. It's ale was often clear, if not always cool, although she had always done her best to ignore the rabble-rousers whom frequented the dive. If anything, she had begun to garner a reputation there as the strong, silent type; the kind of lone warrior who was equally ignored, sitting quietly in some dark corner as she was left to her own devices. All things considered, it was likely not the most appropriate place to take one so elderly, but it would have to serve for now until the one she was tending to could get back on her feet. After all, she began to reason, she could not take care of both her and her feline, especially if her search were to take her all throughout an expansive area such as this; and with what she had spoken of, the search might take longer than expected.
“Perhaps thou would like to rest at le tavern, non?†she asked, turning her attention back to the older woman. “Le day est long, and not even I know whence thine féline shall be returned to thee.†Looking up at the sky, she focused her thoughts upon the surroundings before her, feeling the gentlest breeze brush past her cheek and carry the clouds above aloft. The experience gained after spending a lifetime in the wood had taught her how to recognize true north, making the task of finding Sheoleign's Churh that much easier. Turning back towards the tavern and then the old woman again, she spoke up again. “Let us go in for a moment, non? There thou might regain thy strength, Madame…?†she asked open-endedly, hoping to learn the elder's name.
GAME: Being trained in Survival, the ranger detects true north. She tries to coerce the old woman into the nearby tavern while also asking for her name, hoping for it to be a safe place of rest before she heads west towards the old woman's home, ready to use her expertise with her favored enemies, animals, to track the feline.
URNOTE
May 1, 2011 5:10 PM | Post #14
The Midel family are famous vampire hunters who specialize in the illusion school of magic. Most off them are wizards, but few are sorcerers. It's rumored that they discovered the secret to making even the mindless undead succumb to their illusions.
During Shensai's introduction you realized that the fighting tournament started in 30 minutes, and sign-ups ends in 20 minutes. The coliseum is 10 minutes to the east.
Don't blame me for what my minions have done. Blame yourself for being the target.
May 4, 2011 2:19 AM | Post #15
Midel. That name sounded vaguely familiar. Whispers she had heard in the past, tales of those whom prided themselves as hunters of the undead, the foul beings whom sustained themselves upon the life blood of the innocent. Apparently this clan was well renowned for their powers of illusion, even capable of fooling the mindless bones that rattled malevolently in the dark. The warrior had paid such stories little heed, however, for her thoughts had always remained focused upon the physical world around her, not the realm beyond. Still, if such a group of powerful men and women existed and she was one of them, then it made her wonder how she could have lost her pet so easily, as well as question the strength and nature of the man whom had wounded it. Her mind subconsciously began to warn her that such a man might indeed be out of her league, yet it only strengthened her resolve and her desire to fight him and challenge her mettle.
The roar of a crowd in the distance broke her out of her thoughts. Listening carefully, she deduced that the noise was centered on the coliseum, the location of the tournament; was it starting already? Her lust for battle was all but overcoming her senses, yet she had appointed herself the task of helping this poor soul and abandoning her now would surely leave a foul taste in her mouth. If she were to find the old woman's feline and make it in time for the tournament, she would have to quicken her actions and soon. Steadying her heart she looked west towards Sheoleign's Churh, the last known location of the feline. Twenty-five minutes away, Shensai had claimed; she prayed that was a walking pace, but even a full sprint would take some time and once she began tracking she would be forced to slow her movements. An annoyed sigh left through gritted teeth as she dropped her cigarette to the ground and grinded it out with her boot, before calming herself as she looked back upon her charge.
“Stay at le tavern for now, Madame Midel. I shall try and locate le féline for thee,†the warrior said with reassurance, before running off towards the west at full speed. Despite her great strength and health, her armor and gear weighed her down, yet she dare not remove it and leave it in the care of any stranger. She would have to deal with the encumbrance, and will herself to move with all haste.
GAME: Den can run at four times her base landspeed (20 ft.) for twelve rounds (960 ft.) before she'll have to succeed on a Constitution check or be forced to stop and rest for one minute (during which time she could still walk her base landspeed each round without problem).
If she does make it to Sheoleign's Churh, she'll begin to search for the feline's tracks and, if successful, begin tracking it at half-speed.
URNOTE
May 10, 2011 5:09 PM | Post #16
Just past the cemetery you find the Sheoleign's Church. Perhaps this is what she meant by Sheoleign's Churh. You can tell it took allot of gold just to build this magnificent and highly decorative building. to the right of the church is a equally decorative mansion, where Shensai probably resides.
From the front of the church you find many humanoid tracks, but no trace feline tracks. You slowly work your way towards the back of the church. You successfully find some old paw prints(lucky you it hasn't rained since the cats disappearance). You fallow the prints back through the cemetery losing them temporary at the road you traveled getting here. You find the tracks quickly on the other side of the road leading into the forest.
The prints lead you to a shrine where the vanish. The shine is old and well hidden within the small forest. The shrine contains 4 crest one of which belongs to you family. The others 3 you don't recognize.
Don't blame me for what my minions have done. Blame yourself for being the target.
May 11, 2011 3:54 PM | Post #17
Fortune favors the bold, they say. She had first heard it in her youth years ago, when she was still brash and headstrong, her attitude having yet been tempered by wisdom and experience. She had been training with whatever weapon she could get her hands on, although her movements were wild and careless, drawing the laughter of many a soldier whom had begun to watch the foolish upstart. Without a second thought she charged one of them only to be soundly defeated, laying upon her back as the soldier's blade was buried in the dirt too close to her head; even then, he laughed at her, but not out of jest. Offering her a hand to help her to her feet he spoke those words to her, commenting that he admired the fire in her belly but also warning her that, if she did not learn to control it, it would go wild and consume her. Since that day she has often repeated those words to herself in times of indecision or great fear, giving her the strength to see herself through her next challenge.
As the path she ran upon turned west, she discovered that it also fell deep into the valley below; although this would make traveling upon it easier, the return journey would likewise be that much harder. Her breathing was growing more haggard, however, and she would not begrudge this moment of ease. Feeling her pack pull against her shoulders she swallowed a deep breath of air and continued onward, picking up speed as she ran downhill, keeping her steps in check less she trip over her own feet. A sense of surrealism began to come over her with each person or object she passed by during her descent, as if she were sinking into the depths of the very earth itself. Stopping a moment to catch her breath, she caught a haunting site out of the corner of her eye; a small wooded area, little tended to since the days of yore, hiding within the shadows of its canopy a secluded cemetery. Little had she ever visited this area, but that didn't stop the pain in her heart brought on by its sight; some of the headstones, neglected by their moss covering, bore the crest of her family, and the memories of her true name began to sink her spirits.
The woman's thoughts returned to the present when she noticed that some of the other graves in the area had been defiled. As a member of the Midel family, she would have to ask Shensai what she knew about this particular predicament. With her destination still some distance away and her breath finally caught, she continued her trek, leaving old memories of the past to collect dust while the thoughts of this being more than just a simple search and rescue began to race within her mind. Perhaps the elder and her feline were more than what they appeared, considering her family's heritage; she could very well be falling into a trap, and quickly reminded herself that this was the very reason why she never trusted anyone. If she were to give up this quest now, the guilt of doing so would be lessened, and with luck she might be able to make it back in time for the tournament. Unfortunately for her, that old saying flashed before her mind's eye once more: fortune favors the bold. Why shouldn't she see this through to the end? If this was more than it appeared, she would merely have to use all of her strength to overcome whatever fell deeds would come before her. A simple task, however, was the more likely truth.
Upon reaching her destination she took a moment to gaze at the sight before her eyes. Sheoleign's Church. Her elder had misspoke, as it would appear. Cathedral would have been more appropriate; yet another vision she had seen only in dreams of faerie tales, now standing tall and proud before her. The wealth that would've been required to build this bit of extravagance she could scarcely imagine, yet she couldn't help but feel a little put off by it. Maybe it was due to her own simple upbringing within the wood, but would not humility be the more favored of the virtues rather than pride? Such a choice was not her's to make, however, and did nothing but distract her from her duty. Taking in a deep breath and letting it out along with her frustrations, the ranger began to move at a snail's pace, her eyes focused upon the ground ahead of her while her ears shut her mind off from all background noise save for the unfamiliar. Humanoid tracks abound, no doubt from the congregation whom passed through the building's hallowed halls, but little in the ways of felines did she espy.
It was only towards the back of the church, nearby an equally magnificent mansion which she deduced to be Shensai's home that she finally caught site of a cat's paw prints softly embedded within the earth, thankful that the day's rain had yet to make its way here. Following the tracks carefully, she soon found herself back within the depths of the cemetery, losing them for only a moment across the road she had traveled only to find them across the way in the forest beyond. As the sunlight overhead fell hidden behind the canopy she followed the trail to its bitter end; a shrine bearing four crests, one of which had belonged to her family. She could not guess its age, only assuming that it had been built during an age when her ancestors held greater sway over the land than she would have dared imagine. Gritting her teeth and tensing her muscles she once more tried to forget the past as she set her pack upon the ground, searching it for a crowbar that could aid her in opening the way forward. The woman surmised that if the feline had gone anywhere, it would've been within the darkness beyond.
GAME: Den pulls out her crowbar to help break open the door to the shrine, if necessary. If successful, she'll use the everburning torch to continue her search for the tracks while trying to call out for the feline (if it's within) by using wild empathy, Handle Animal, or any other similar skill or ability within her repetoire.
URNOTE
May 12, 2011 4:43 AM | Post #18
Don't blame me for what my minions have done. Blame yourself for being the target.
May 12, 2011 6:06 AM | Post #19
Almost there. Embedded deep within the crevice of rock, the crowbar amplified the ranger's strength, vastly improving her chances of entering the old shrine. The crackling sound of the bar grinding against the rock; the low, loud creek of the door beginning to give way; the pounding of her heart within her chest as she gritted her teeth, pushing herself to her limits with each movement she made. She knew she was trespassing. She knew this was sacrilege. She didn't care. The woman had to find the feline and soon, less she forever lose her chance at entering the tournament. Why she was still focusing upon it after all of this strangely bewildered her harried mind, but even that realization would have left a smirk upon her face were it to do anything other than frown. She had to have a goal, after all. If you wanted a hero, you called upon a paladin. This task was nothing more than a means to an end, and although she would see it through, she would more than likely forget about it come morn.
With unexpected force the crowbar flew out of the crevice and out of her hand, its expulsion sending her careening back against the shrine's hard surface, an elbow smashing against her family's crest. “Merde!†she shouted, shockwaves rippling through her body, the pain so intense that her nerves were almost blinded by it. Unfortunately for her, however, she was not fully numb to it, nor would the sensation fade quickly. As she regained her composure she realized she had fallen to the ground, the past moment forever remaining unknown to her memories. What was known was the bizarre sight before her keen eyes; the blood from her wound covered the crest for only a heartbeat before being absorbed by it, as if some unseen entity drank it up. Her eyes then widened as the portion of the crest that had been covered began to glow with an eerie light; then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the light had vanished. Before her the crest was as clean as when she had first seen it.
Her task had been temporarily abandoned as she tried to gather as much of the spilled blood upon her elbow onto her hand, only to cover as much of the crest as possible with it. Never in any of her long years had she heard of such a thing, but she looked upon it with no less awe than when her young eyes had first gazed upon the stars so many years ago. Whether or not her experiment would be fruitful, her thoughts quickly returned to the feline whom she had been charged with finding. Grabbing her crowbar she returned to her pack, searching it for the everburning torch that had lighted her path on so many a dark night. Looking back at the door she checked to see if she could make her way inside now, steadying her nerves and readying herself for whatever may lie inside the darkness.
GAME: After fully examining the effects of her blood upon her family's crest, Den checks to see if the door to the shrine has been opened enough to allow her inside. If not, then she will continue to pry it open; if so, she'll grab the everburning torch from her pack and look inside for the feline and what other secrets may lay within.
URNOTE
May 12, 2011 3:34 PM | Post #20
15 steps down and the earth begins to shake once again(DC10 acrobatics check to not fall) as the shrine seals itself shut. If you fall which I doubt you will DC15 acrobatics check for no damage. 3 damage if you fail down the 10 remaining steps.
You enter(or fall into) a 25'X25' room. In the middle of the room their are 4 coffins. 3 of the coffins had been opened and raided while one was untouched. There are also spots with less dust on the floor where there used to be something.
Don't blame me for what my minions have done. Blame yourself for being the target.