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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JediMike42" data-source="post: 5477090" data-attributes="member: 99886">It's been a while. This is what's been going on with the party.  Much has occurred. The party soon after fought a Froghemoth (just  like it sounds), dropped Roc eggs onto bandits waiting to ambush them  and then died soon after the paladin was kidnapped, caged in Gannon's  dimension. They broke free, got the people they needed out, killed most  of the Company of the Shining Stone (freeing the Rogue after killing  just the fighter and barbarian) and lost their Holy Avenger. HOWEVER,  while there the greedy rogue dropped from Neutral Good to True Neutral  when he knowingly exposed Boris the Dragon Disciple to a Book of  Opposite Alignment - from which he failed his save, changing from  Neutral Good to Neutral Evil.  In the next game they traveled to a far off island, saved some  druids, influenced a chain of reactions from a legend (shoggoth!), and  destroyed a vile worm wizard thing. During their time there the Rogue  fails a save vs Insanity gas and drops to Chaotic Evil. After returning  to their Keep, Boris' Church to himself has finished the basic  construction and has gotten onto detailed work.  An ambassador arrives from a country to the north under seige by it's  neighbors. After a mushroom trip in the wilds (not my idea, but my PC  got a +1 to his Wisdom!) the party splits, the rogue heading for the  attacking kingdom. After routing a few battallions the paladin and Boris  arrive at the castle as the rogue teleports in via a scroll with the  corpse of the opposing country's king. After destroying most of the head  of command and their heavy troops (clay golems) Boris and the rogue  kidnap and charm the new Battallion Commander and get a treaty signed,  basically handing over both Saxodsky, the nation under seige and  Moldnistrea, the attacking state, to Trianestra - the small country that  our characters have established as their territory outside their keep.  During these escapades, the Paladin finally realizes that Boris is evil  (not that the Rogue has also become evil) and has not acted on that  knowledge yet.  It's my turn to run again. My idea is for a tribal man from the woods  to arrive at the keep with a message inscribed on a piece of bark  reading: "Your performance was most satisfactory at the Arcane Fair. I  would very much like to see you and your compatriots for an audience in  my court. Do be so kind as to oblige me. I look forward to seeing you.  With Regards, The Grand Wizard Prend." (In one of the previous games  they attended a spellcasting tournament as a backdrop to a larger plot).  When Boris touches it, he gets hit with a Flesh to Stone. Hopefully  this takes him right out of the game so I don't need to worry about his  involvement. I assume this means that the PCs will take the Ranger NPC  and track the tribal. They get led into a trap of Summoned Nature's  Allies by the Shaman of a tribe which worships a local Green Dragon  (Prend) who masquerades as a wizard for the tournament each year, and  collects statues of the winners. He also is the unspoken lord of this  territory, which the Rogue and Boris want to annex into Trianestra. This  is a smaller thing to occupy the players while I get a bigger thing set  up with either the Imperial Alliance to the south or the Nation of  Connorea to the Northeast (although the Port City-State of Lethis is to  the west, they have established level 18 casters - these level 12  characters are not ready for that).  There is also the Church of the Green Avenger to consider, which at  this point is becoming something like a religious mafia. There is an  Awakened Rabbit with a level of Sorcerer as well as a few arcane  apprentices in that wing of the church, two fifth level warriors in the  militarized wing and the Rogue leads the shadow wing. Presiding over the  general population is a 6th level Cleric.  The Siege of Prendergast!  As construction continues on the Church of the Green Avenger, a  woodsman arrives with a piece of bark on which a message is written in  Draconic, which he hands to a follower/worker while growling and then  scampers off. It reads: "Your performance was most satisfactory at the Arcane Fair. I would very  much like to see you and your compatriots for an audience in my court.  Do be so kind as to oblige me. I look forward to seeing you. With  Regards, The Grand Wizard Prend." As soon as Boris touches the bark, he must make a DC 30 Fortitude save  or become Petrified via Flesh to Stone. Only Boris must make this check  and on a successful save the charge on the bark is lost and loses all  magical properties. With a successful DC 25 Survival Check they can  follow his trail, moving a few miles each day through underbrush, vines  and thorns. Otherwise they are doomed to be lost - see the appropriate  section in the book.  A week after traveling into the Forests of Entri they enter the territory of the Green Claw. Every half mile or so is a statue. "Set into the ground with no living thing within fifteen feet of it is  an ebony tree that is devoid of foliage. Staked and tied against it are  the skeletal bones of a myriad of creatures. The legs are birdlike, the  torso from an owlbear, the several arms of a girrallon, the skeletal  wings of some giant bird and the slender predatory skull of something  otherwise unrecognizable. The visage in front of you is clearly  fiendish." (Successful Knowledge: Nature or History Check 25 - Displacer  Beast) Passing the statues and entering the territory, they will begin to get  followed by Hawkeye, the Druid's familiar. Once they work themselves  into the forest as far as they can get, the track going cold instantly,  Grenthed the Shaman emerges from the woods with nine summoned Girallons. “Emerging from the wood equidistantly with a 5 Girallons on each side,  encircling the three of you, is a tall, slender wood elf female dressed  in a set of black dragonhide fullplate. The plant life contorts around  her, equally desiring to be near her and terrified of actually getting  her attention. When she speaks it with a smooth and slow wisdom that  resonates in dissonance with the forest around you.” A quick talk is had where she commands them to leave as they have  already procured the statue of what is now Boris - if the PCs are smart  and drag it out longer than a minute and a half (in-game time), the  summoned Girallons begin to disappear. If not, the Druid departs and  they attack.  After traveling for a while they will find that there is one gigantic  tree larger than all the others, and that it seems to be in the center  of Green Claw territory. As they approach any side of the tree, there  will be a Fiendish Giant Flytrap waiting for them about 50 feet from the  trunk. With Tremorsense and the amount of cover from foliage it can get  within reach to snatch at minimum one of the party members for a  surprise round. Once they've thwarted it, they will be approached by a fancifully  dressed Gnome playing the lute. This is Tahrr Entz the Glabrezu, a demon  who used to have worshippers in these woods. The past century or so,  however, a more powerful foe has taken root and now they worship him.  This is unacceptable for Tahrr, but he lacks the power to overcome both  the Tribe and the Dragon. If, however, the Player Characters have any  interest in resolving this matter for him he would be MORE than happy to  make it worth their while and offer what limited magical assistance is  available to him (a Wish spell). All that he requires in return is that  they leave all but their friend up in the trees, for him to help. All of  this will be veiled in lies. If they manage to see through his ruse and  combat ensues, he will first Reverse Gravity and then attempt to summon  allies, following with Power Word Stun, Chaos Hammer, Unholy Blight and  Confusion. Ultimately if he doesn't think he can win he'll flee,  leaving the PCs to climb the tree. "A small fancifully dressed Gnome cautiously gripping his lute wanders  towards you from the base of the tree. 'Ho there! You wouldn't be  looking for those statues would you?' His spiel: 'Well it's a pleasure  to meet you. The knightwatch, I assume! You must be Feeliu. You are so  very well known in these parts. And you, Archibald. Well just the kind  of adventurers I was hoping to see! My dilemma, gentlemen, is thus: I  told an old adventuring friend about these statues, which an old drunk  barbarian in a tavern informed me about. He is incredibly interested and  wants them for research, to restore these people to their natural state  and all you understand. For a few weeks now I've been trying to get up  there to do recon so my friend can teleport here, but the Tribe simply  will not let me! I can't do it myself; I'm infirm, you see, but I am  predigiously talented with scrolls and my wizard friend, Alteer,  provided me with a scroll to give one good adventurer, like yourselves, a  boost in their desire and ability to get him to those statues! So what  do you say boys?"  If they can succeed on beating average Perception checks (+11) they  may be able to get up to the canopy without being noticed. If not they  find their path subtly leading to the treetop village of the Green Claws  and are quickly surrounded and herded to the central branch by dozens  of barbarians. There is a pit 50ft across carved 20ft down into the wood  with a sickly green well in the center. “Dropping into the pit in front of you is probably the most fit thing  you’ve ever seen, a primal elf. He peaks above seven feet in height and  is rippling with lithe muscle with a grace matched only by brute  strength. Your unease with him turns to a mutual respect tinged with  fear as he begins to speak, unholstering the two picks slung across his  back and dipping them into the well, where you notice the phrases  ‘Murderstick’ and ‘Murderpick’ on his weapons. His voice echoes in the  pit as he bellows, “You have invaded the territory of the Green Claw  Tribe. We have but one law in our territory - Do not tread where you may  bleed. The Green Claws leave no tracks. - Therefore my sister and I  Grenthed challenge the two of you to combat. Draw your blades, dip them  into the Well of Prend and prepare to die.””  The two of them will answer any questions related to the battle but  otherwise remain silent until someone rolls initative, where Grenthel  Rages and Grenthed Wild Shapes into something Huge. As the battle moves  on she will change to Diminutive size and try to revive Grenthel,  calling in Hawkeye to create a distraction.  After successfully subduing their two leaders, the Green Claw tribe  descend onto the bodies, ripping out pieces of flesh to consume (brain  and heart included) while stripping the bodies of what they can, they  then disband into the woods. The Druid’s Full Plate will probably be all  the PCs can salvage. A perception check in the pit will yield granite  and with an Intelligence Check DC 15 they can figure out where above  them it fell from - leading them to Prend’s lair. As they climb and  clear the giant bough, they see this: “Strolling casually among dozens of statues is a miserly old man with a  gigantic wizard’s hat, nearly as tall as he is. As he passes each statue  he spends a moment of reflection in each, sometimes casting a small  Illusion spell that replays the events of each Arcane Tournament  Champion. Among the assembled petrified spellcasters are creatures of  every race, some powered through divinity. The only dragon disciple  among them, however, is Boris, who takes the center of all the statues  (also being the largest). It is here where he stops to look directly and  and address you. “Welcome to my home. I saw what you did below, but  that’s not a great matter. They can be easily replaced. I have to do so  because of one or another roving bands of adventurers anyway. Tell me,  do you like my collection?”” From there the party is welcome to attempt negotiation, but success is  unlikely. Prend is not interested in sharing his lands, and will be  absolutely and totally unwilling to release any of the petrified  spellcasters (of which only three are evil, including Boris)  Grenthel Elven Barbarian 11/Ranger 2 CR 13 Init +6; Spd 40ft; Low-Light Vision; Perception +21 AC 25 = 10+ 6 Dex+ 6 Armor+ 1 Shield + 2 Deflection HP: 162; BAB +13/+8/+3; CMB +19; CMD 25; DR 2/ - Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +4 Melee: +18/+13/+8 Heavy Pick (1d6+7+1d6 Acid, Crit 19-20/x4) and +18/+13/+8 Light Pick (1d4+7, Crit 19-20/x4) Special Abilities: Fast Movement, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense +3,  Greater Rage (Fiend Totem and Lesser and Greater, Improved Damage  Reduction, Mighty Swing), Favored Enemy: Humans +1, Track, Wild Empathy,  Combat Style: Two-Weapon Fighting Skills: Acrobatics +22, Climb +22, Knowledges (Geography, Nature) +12, Intimidate +18, Perception +21, Survival +19, Stealth +24 Feats: Double Slice, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Greater Two Weapon  Fighting, Two-Weapon Defense, Improved Critical: Heavy Pick, Improved  Critical: Light Pick, Toughness Str 22, Dex 22, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 16 Equipment: +1 Furious Corrosive Heavy Pick (+3 Raging), +1 Furious  Corrosive Light Pick (+3 Raging), +2 Mithral Shirt with Moderate  Fortification, +2 Ring of Protection RAGING - HP: 195 , DR 3/ -, Str 28, Con 22, Will +7 Full Attack +23/+18/+13 Heavy Pick (1d6+12+1d6 Acid, Crit 19-20/x4) and  +23/+18/+13 Light Pick (1d4+12+1d6 Acid, Crit 19-20/x4) and Gore +18  (1d8+5 Piercing) Barbed, anyone striking with a melee weapon, unarmed strike or natural weapon takes 1d6 piercing. Aura of Menace: Good creatures adjacent are Shaken and take 2d6 Slashing  at the beginning of the barbarian's turn. Neutral are Shaken but take  no damage. Evil are unaffected.  Grenthed, Elven Druid 11 CR 11 Init +3; Spd 30ft; Low-Light Vision; Perception +28 AC 25 =10+10 Armor+3 Dex+2 Deflection HP 100; BAB +8/+3; CMB +10; CMD 26 Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +13 Melee +10/+5; Ranged +11 Spells 0th At Will Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Purify Food/Drink, Read Magic, Stabilize 1st 6+1 Calm Animals, Cure Light Wounds x4, Entangle x2 2nd 6+1 Hold Animal, Barkskin (+4 NA) x2, Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Flame Blade, Owl's Wisdom 3rd 5+1 Dominate Animal, Poison x3, Cure Moderate Wounds (2d8+10), Greater Magic Fang (+2) 4th 4+1 Summon Nature's Ally IV, Cure Serious Wounds (3d8+11) x3, Reincarnate 5th 3+1 Beast Shape III, Animal Growth, Baleful Polymorph, Cure Critical Wounds (4d8+11) 6th 2+1 Antilife Shell, Greater Dispel Magic x2 Special Abilities: Nature Bond (Animal Domain), Nature Sense (+2 K/N and  Survival), Orisons, Wild Empathy, Woodland Stride, Trackless Step,  Resist Nature’s Lure, Wild Shape (4/Day, Diminutive to Huge Animals as  Beast Shape III, Small to Large Elemental/Plant as Elemental Body  III/Plant Shape II), Venom Immunity, Speak with Animals 14 Rounds/Day Skills: Fly +18, Handle Animal +16, Knowledges (Geography, Nature) +11, Perception +28, Spellcraft 16, Survival +20 Feats: Combat Casting, Dodge, Mobility, Natural Spell, Skill Focus: Perception, Toughness Equipment: Dragonhide Fullplate of Wild Speed, +2 Ring of Protection Str 14, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 22, Cha 14  Hawkeye; Small Neutral Evil Hawk 9HD Speed 10 ft, Fly 80 ft (Average) AC 19 =10+4 Dex+5 natural armor HP: 36+8d8 Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +4 Attack: +8 Bite (1d4+3) Talons +3/+3 (1d4+1) Str 14, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 9 Skills: Fly +11, Perception +17, Stealth +21 Feats: Run, Skill Focus (Stealth), Skill Focus (Perception), Stealthy Special Abilities: Link, Share Spells, Evasion, Devotion  Girallon N Large Magical Beast CR 6 Spd 40ft, Climb 40ft; Space 10ft, Reach 5ft Init +7; Darkvision 60 ft, Scent; Perception +11 AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+3 Dex, +6 natural, –1 size) HP 86; BAB +7; CMB +12; CMD 25 Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +5 Melee: Bite +10 (1d6+4), 4 Claws +10 (1d4+4; if two or more hit, +1d4+6 Rend) Feats: Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness Skills: Climb +14, Perception +11, Stealth +5 Str 19, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7  Giant Fiendish Flytrap N Huge Plant CR 11 Spd 10ft; Space 15ft; Reach 15ft Init +8; Darkvision 60ft, Tremorsense 60ft; Perception +10 AC 22, touch 12, flat-footed 18 (+4 Dex, +10 natural, –2 size) HP 149; BAB +9; CMB +18 (+22 grapple); CMD 32 (can't be tripped) Fort +17, Ref +8, Will +5 DR 5/Good; Resist Cold,Fire/10; SR 16 Immune: Mind-Affects, Paralysis, Poison, Polymorph, Sleep, Stun; Resist Acid 20 Melee Bites +15/+15/+15/+15 (1d8+7 plus grab) Feats: Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Stealth), Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (bite) Skills: Perception +10, Stealth +9 (+17 in undergrowth) Str 25, Dex 18, Con 25, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 6 Engulf: Turn begins with opponent two sizes smaller grappled, it closes  jaws with new CMB as a Pin. 1d8+7 and 2d6 Acid. Airtight.  Tearhh Entz the Glabrezu CE Huge Outsider CR 13 Init +0; Darkvision 60 ft, True Seeing; Perception +26 Spd 40ft; Space 15ft; Reach 15ft AC 28, touch 8, flat-footed 28 (+20 natural, –2 size) HP 200; BAB +12; CMB +24; CMD 34 Fort +18, Ref +4, Will +11 DR 10/Good; Immune: Electricity, Poison; Resist Acid, Cold, Fire/10; SR 24 Melee: Pincers +20/+20 (2d8+10/19–20), Claws +20/+20 (1d6+10), Bite +20 (1d8+10) Special Attacks: Rend (2 Pincers, 2d8+15) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th) Constant—True Seeing At Will—Chaos Hammer (DC 19), Confusion (DC 19), Dispel Magic, Mirror  Image, Reverse Gravity (DC 22), Greater Teleport (self plus 50lbs of  objects only), Veil (self only), Unholy Blight 1/day—Power Word Stun, Summon (level 4, 1 glabrezu 20% or 1d2 vrocks 50%) 1/month—Wish (granted to a mortal humanoid only) Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (pincer), Persuasive, Power Attack, Vital Strike Skills: Bluff +28, Diplomacy +22, Intimidate +22, Knowledge (History,  Local) +18, Perception +26, Sense Motive +18, Stealth +7, Use Magic  Device +17 Languages: Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic; Telepathy 100 ft. Str 31, Dex 11, Con 31, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 20  Prend, Mature Adult Green Dragon LE Huge Dragon (Air) 17HD CR 13 Init +0; Darkvision 120ft, Blindsense 60ft; Perception +27 Speed 40ft, Fly 200ft (Poor), Swim 40ft Space 15ft; Reach 10ft (15ft with Bite) Aura: Frightful Presence (210ft, DC 21) AC 30 (Touch 8, Flat-Footed 30; +22 natural, -2 size) HP 195; BAB +17; CMB +28; CMD 38 (42 vs. trip) DR 10/Magic; SR 24; Immune: Acid, Paralysis, Sleep Fort +15, Ref +10, Will +15 Melee: Bite +24 (2d8+13/19-20), 2 Claws +24 (2d6+9/19-20), 2 Wings +22 (1d8+4), Tail Slap +22 (2d6+13) Special Attacks: Breath Weapon (50-ft. cone, DC 23, 14d6 Acid), Crush (Small creatures, DC 23, 2d8+13) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 17th; Concentration +20) At Will—Charm Person (DC 14), Entangle (DC 14), Suggestion (DC 16) Spells Known (CL 7th; Concentration +10) 3rd (5/Day)—Fireball (DC 16), Haste 2nd (7/Day)—Alter Self, Detect Thoughts (DC 15), Mirror Image 1st (7/Day)—Magic Missile, Shield, Silent Image (DC 14), Summon Monster I, Ventriloquism (DC 14) 0 (At Will)—Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand, Message, Resistance, Prestidigitation Str 29, Dex 10, Con 21, Int 16, Wis 17, Cha 16 Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Flyby Attack, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (Bite, Claws), Iron Will, Multiattack, Power Attack Skills: Fly +12, Knowledge (Arcane, Nature) +23, Perception +27, Spellcraft +23, Stealth +12, Survival +23, Swim +37, UMD +23 Languages Common, Draconic, Elven, Sylvan Special Abilities: Trackless Step, Water Breathing, Woodland Stride LOOT: Potion of Greater Magic Fang (+3), Robe of Blending, +1 Thundering Speeded Repeating Heavy Crossbow, 16,000 Gold  THE QUESTIONS I POSE TO YOU: What do I do with the Paladin? He's not keen on doing anything else with  the character - we talked about maybe going Anti-Paladin or something  but he had no interest in it. According to the Cursed Opposite Alignment  rules Boris isn't supposed to want to change his alignment back and  doing so is quite a pain in the ass.  Nobody knows that the Rogue has gone insane and evil either - I can  get that to come out in the next game though, but should I? It'd be  about the same time frame for when Boris became Evil and got exposed.  Ideas for Wilderness traps. I'm thinking the tribe could live up in a grand tree that is tied to the  dragon, so upon his death (he living in the highest reaches of the  canopy) the whole thing topples down slowly, but that's an after the  fact kind of thing. Trapped by the Druid via plenty of Summoned Animals. Maybe have her  Dominate Animal a Tyrranosaur and have it run them off their trail to  the tribe's dwellings?</blockquote>

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