[LPF] From Whence None Return

ooc: Vincenzo has no horse, fyi.

Weel, busy having a conversation with papers and sticks, simply follows the crowd where they're wont to go.

[sblock=ooc]Weel doesn't have a horse, either, and since there wouldn't be a good way to rent them and get them returned, might as well just walk it.[/sblock]

Lem says, "Look, we aren't in a huge rush and I'd hate to purchase mounts just to loose them into the wilds near the swamp. Let's just travel by foot with some packs loaded with food. When we run low we can take what we need from the land. If someone can do some hunting, I can provide the gathering, and also cook up a decent meal."

The halfling cook is ready to shop for some food, or to start off now and depend on the land. Whatever his fellows want.

Traveling by foot is easy to accomplish. It only requires putting one in front of the other repeatedly. And this is not a mission that is time sensitive, so speed is not an issue. Having Maui as your guide and a map as to where you are going, you do not get lost along the way. A couple of the nights are miserable as it rained and you didn't have shelter from the weather.

The swamp is old and thick, blocking a lot of the sunlight that would make it warmer and cheerier. To the northwest of your current position, Maui spots an old stone structure.

[sblock=Map] [/sblock]

Lem walks up to Maui's right side and squints towards the structure. "Huh. So anyone recognize the architecture. I admit I'm better at food design than architectural design."

Vincenzo looks the building over from where the party stands.

1d20+9=27

"Well what I see from here is . . . . . "

. . . an old stone building, probably a couple centuries by the looks of it. It looks like it has sunk a bit into the swamp here over the years. Thirty by thirty for the main structure is too small for a powerful wizard. There is probably more underground I would guess."

[sblock=SK]Thanks! I got a good chuckle out of that![/sblock]

Vincenzo gives a curt nod of assurance as he is quite sure of the accuracy of his assessment.

Maui had taken his time answering Vincenzo's question. "Te wise man does not go into te swamp if he can find what he is looking for any place else. Maui always found what he was looking for someplace else. But te sky is te sky, te rain is te rain, and te earth is te earth. Te swamp is not so different that Tane can not help us find our way. We will learn fast or die." With this cheery thought the rest of the group emerge at last and they set off. Maui's mood swiftly improves as soon as their feet hit the road as the group make there way towards the mysterious swamp and the stronghold of a wannabe lich. He consults with the others the map and quickly determines the route they should take. Their first night he prays to Tane Mahuta for assistance finding their way through the dangers of the swamp and clear sight to find any of the traps that they would surely have to navigate.

Some time later Maui stopped at the sight of the stone structure. "There is te way to enter. Maui does not think that there are many of te stone buildings in te swamp" he announces to his companions as the reach him. He begins a soft chanting as he smacks his legs and thighs and his legs seem to elongate and grow several inches, his balance shifting to seem lighter on his feet. He takes out a wand and sticks out his tongue to tap it once before putting it back away safely. He makes a deep rumble and Taniwha's ears twitch and his head begins to move around, as though now searching the area for something, his snout reaching up into the air to sniff in all direactions. Meanwhile Maui draws another wand and hands it over to Menik. "Please. Make te magic for Taniwha and Maui." They meekly allow themselves to be struck with the wand by the wizard before Maui takes it back and stows it away once more. He then bends down and runs his hand through the muddy waters chanting once more. A moment later he stands and draws a line of mud on each cheek just beneath his eyes. "Tane, korero mai. No reira te mate na?"

His eyes also begin to scan the area that lies between the group and the stone structure searching for hidden dangers. If he detects none, slowly but surely he begins making his way forward.

[sblock=Actions]Cast Longstrider: +10 ft movement; Duration 7 hrs

Draw Wand of Speak with Animals: Cast on himself; Duration 2 mins -> Tells Taniwha to search the area for any sign of danger which he does. Put Wand away.
Taniwha (Seek: Scent with Survival 1d20+4=17; Perception 1d20+5=18)

Draw Wand of Mage Armour: Give to Menik to Cast first on Taniwha then himself: 1hr +4 AC (affects Maui un Beast Form only) Stow wand away

Cast Detect Pits and Snares: 60 ft cone of detection in direction North West towards stone structure.
Detects pits, snares and dead falls and mechanical traps made with natural materials; also detects natural dangers like quicksand, sinkholes or unsafe walls. (Duration: concentration up to 70 mins)

Also searching the area himself for signs of danger as he does this.
Survival: 1d20+11=24; Perception: 1d20+11=19; Kn: Nature: 1d20+9=27; Kn:Geography 1d20+3=4

[/sblock]


[sblock=Lvl 7 Stats]
[http://livingpf.wikia.com/wiki/Maui_(jbear1979) Maui]
Initiative: +2
AC: 21 (Touch 14; FFt 18)
HP: 65 Current: 65
CMB: +10 CMD: 23 Fort: +8 Reflex: +8 Will: +10

Conditions: Longstrider (7hrs); Speak with Animals (1 min); Mage Armour (1 hr);

In Hand:
Cold Iron MW Scimitar: +11; 1d6+5 (Crit 18-20:x2)
and Heavy Shield

Spells: Orisons: Detect Magic, Guidance, Know Direction, Detect Poison
1st: CLW 2/2; Longstrider: Used, Detect Snares and Pits: Used, Aspect of the Falcon
2nd: Bull's Strength 2/2, Bark Skin, Delay Poison
3rd: Mad Monkeys, Greater Magic Fang, Resinous Skin
4th: Thorn Body
Wild Shape: 3/3 uses left per day

[sblock=Leopard Shape]
Medium animal; Senses: low-light vision, scent;
AC 16 (20), touch 16 , flat-footed 12 (16)
Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee:Bite +11; 1d8+6; 2 Claws: +11; 1d4 +6 dmg
View attachment 57927
[/sblock]

[sblock=Lizard Bird Shape]
Deinonychus
Medium animal; Senses: low-light vision, scent;
AC 16 (20), touch 16 , flat-footed 12 (16)
Speed 60 ft.
Melee:Bite +11; 1d6+6; 2 Talons: +11; 1d8+6 dmg; Foreclaws: +5; 1d4+3
View attachment 57928
[/sblock]

[sblock=Dire Tiger Shape II]
Dire Tiger
Large Animal; Senses: low-light vision, scent;
AC 17 (21) , touch 15 , flat-footed 14 (18)
Speed 40 ft.
Melee:Bite +12; 2d6+7 (+Grab); 2 Claws: +12 ; 2d4+7 dmg (+Grab)
http://s2.hubimg.com/u/6753809_f520.jpg
[/sblock]

Wand of CLW Uses: 10/16
Wand of Magic Fang: 46/50
Wand of Speak with Animals: 47/50
Wand of Mage Armor: 46/50
Rod of Lesser Extend: 3/3
Potions: CLW 2/2
Flasks: Holy Water 2/2
Sling Bullets: 19/20

Taniwha
Initiative: +7
AC: 22 (26)
HP: 50 Current: 50
CMB: Trip/Disarm +10 CMD: 25 (29 vs Trip) Fort: +7 Reflex: +11 Will: +3

Conditions: Mage Armor (1 hr)


Bite: +10 ; 1d6+4 dmg; special: Trip
2x Claws: +10 ; 1d3+4 dmg
[/sblock]

Ugh. Why would a wizard want to live in this damp, dirty place? It must be hard on books.

After returning the wand to Maui, Menik casts his own spell of mage armor on himself.

"Not an elven building, that's for sure. This being a swamp, lower levels could be flooded. I should have thought of that before."

Be careful, Maui he almost says. But he knows that already. I can see that. It would make no sense for me to offer him obvious scouting tips. So what should I say, good luck? I have no control over luck. It'd just seem ominous to say it.

[sblock=Menik mini stat block]
Menik

AC 17 (touch 13, ff 14) w/mage armor, hp 44/44
Init +3, CMB +4, CMD 17, Fort +5, Reflex +6, Will +6; Perception +8 (low-light vision), Stealth +9

attack longsword +4 (1d8+1, 19/x2) or dagger +4 (1d4+1, 19/x2)

force missile (Sp): (1d4+3, as magic missile, 8/day)

Arcane bond: ring; cast any spell in spellbook 1/day except Abj or Div

spells prepared: DC 15 + spell level; (& = evocation, +1 DC); (~ = fire, +1 DC)
concentration: +11 (+5 Int, +6 level)
lesser metamagic rod, selective (3/day, up to 3rd level spell, exclude up to 4 creatures from area of effect)

Level 0: message, disrupt undead (40', +6 ranged touch, 1d6), detect magic*

Level 1: mage armor (cast), magic missile& (1d4+4,1d4+1,1d4+1) (x3),
chill touch (6 touches; 1d6 damage + 1 str damage (Fort part DC 16)
or undead panic 1d4+6 rounds (Will neg DC 16)),
ear-piercing scream& (45', 4d6+3, daze 1 rnd, Fort DC 17 for 1/2 + no daze)

Level 2: mirror image (1d4+2, 6 min),
flaming sphere&~ (3d6+3, Reflex neg DC 19, 160' range, 6 rounds) (x2),
toppling magic missile& (1d4+4,1d4+1,1d4+1; trip +11) (x2)

Level 3: haste (6 targets, 6 rounds),
halt undead (160', Will DC 18 neg (Int only), up to 3 undead, 6 rounds,
ends if they are attacked or take damage),
fireball&~ (8d6+3, Reflex half DC 20, 20' radius, 640' range) (x2)

Gear: 4 days' rations, potion of CLW (1d8+1), periscope, pearl of power (1st level)
[/sblock]