Into the Haunted Forest - The Game!

[Pvt Minsk]

INTO THE HAUNTED FOREST
humbly presented by Pvt Minsk
starring
* Kaeam as Magnus Olafson
* Lottel as Falash
* Luca Stefan as Rohn Wisk
* Monkey King as Morgoon Maclain
* Teh Jake as Aman Juriah
* Ziadan as Rorihann Leafstride

------

It is the 17th of Rova, early autumn, 4708 Absalom Reckoning. The Old Arthfell Road meanders before you. But then, it also meanders off behind you. It’s done this for several days now, and you’re starting to grow weary of it.

The travel northwards has been… tense, certainly, but it hasn’t been high adventure. They say that Darkmoon Vale has countless opportunities for adventurers not afraid to risk their lives, but here in the Arthfell it’s only been travel since you entered the woods. The only people you’ve seen on the road have been woodcutters returning to their families in their thatched hut with a little more firewood, most likely still not enough to last the winter, and worshippers of Desna on one of their holy pilgrimages. You have no idea where they’re heading, and most likely they don’t either. For Desnans, the travel is the important part and the destination a mere aside. Sometimes, you see a surprised deer grazing on the roadside after rounding a bend, and it skirts into the shadows of the Arthfell after recovering from the shock of seeing you.

Evening is slowly nearing but for the time being it’s still light, even with the tree leaves filtering the dying sunlight. Arthfell Forest has gathered a grim reputation which you haven’t been able to verify, as the Old Arthfell Road runs along the edge of the primeval woods. It’s uneven dirt, winding around copses of trees apparently from where the hills are lowest, occasionally bending a bit deeper into the woods. At this distance, and at daylight, Arthfell Forest is pleasant enough, nothing out of the ordinary for an Inner Sea forest. Evergreen trees tower on all sides, finches perch on tree branches and sing cheerfully, squirrels run up tree trunks into their homes, long grass blades sway on a cool breeze from the mountains…

But ever since the road joined the woods, there’s been an atmosphere of wariness around you. It could just be the paranoid and fearful nature of the woodcutters getting to you too, but there are times every day when the forest quiets and the shadows seem deeper in the trees. It feels like something in the forest, or perhaps the forest itself, is watching you to see what you are doing inside its boundaries. It’s even worse at night, when twigs snap in the woods, each closer than before, and the torchlight and shadows play tricks on your mind.

Today promises respite, though. After a few days of roughing in the woods, you should be arriving at Travelers’ Stop Inn today. At the crossroads of the Old Arthfell Road and the road to Oregent in the east, the inn is the only lodging on the road from the south of the Arthfell to distant Falcon’s Hollow. Those more accustomed to civilization will warmly welcome a meal and roof over bed, and those in tune with nature can appreciate a chance to restock any lacking supplies before continuing.

A trail appears on the left of the road, but by your estimations Travelers’ Stop Inn should still be an hour’s distance to the north. You correctly guess, instead, that this is a Wayshrine of Desna. There’s been a few of these country shrines to the goddess of travel before on the road, and this one seems no different. In the centre of the shrine is a small fire pit, flanked north and south by lean-tos meant for travellers to rest in. The west side displays a granite statue of the fairy-winged lady of luck. Into the pedestal is written the prayer of Desna:

“Blessed is the long road, the destination, the homeward path, and all who make the journey. Let each dream be a bright star in the night sky of your mind, and let it light your path in the day. Do not be troubled if your dream falters, for there are countless stars in the sky and countless dreams to experience—pick a new one and change your course.”

These Wayshrines are meant for the travellers of the world to stop for a moment and reflect on their travels while resting and regaining the strength to continue their journey. Certainly, you yourself feel like you could take a minute to catch your breath. Travelers’ Stop Inn is not so far anymore but still a ways from you, and it would be best to regain one’s spirits for the last stretch. As a resting place, at least a Wayshrine is safe from highwaymen. The local brigands, superstitious as they are, are usually followers of Desna themselves and wouldn’t dare commit harm on the holy ground of the goddess of luck and travel.

Live swallowtail butterflies, patron animals of Desna, appear to perch on the statue. This is the first time you’ve seen butterflies in the Arthfell. One could take this as a sign that the shrine is particularly blessed by Desna herself.

(Okay, let’s do this! The preceding intro applies to everyone more or less, but YOU DO NOT ARRIVE SIMULTANEOUSLY. The shrine is empty at first, and the first to reply in character is the first to arrive at the shrine. You all arrive in the order which you post. Assume that enough time has passed for the person(s) before you to have settled at the shrine between you and his/their post(s). Feel free to redescribe what sort of character we're looking at! Once everyone’s met and shook hands, tried to carve their eyes out, the usual, I’ll move the plot gears along.)

[Luca Stefan]

Rohn grabbed his share of the gold and headed towards the door. He stopped as he heard the exchange of words between Blunnde and Falash. "The gnome is short enough to look down on him even without placing yourself on a pedestal, hat-man." He turned around "Especially since you have no pedestal" he said before leaving, and heading for his destination, Falcon's Hollow.

[Monkey King]

Morgoon snorted at the gnomes outburst, Fool. Morgoon approached the innkeep, I doth not remember killing any goblins good sir, and payment would indeed be best. Morgoon slid over 10 gold from the 50 given him by the sherriff. Tis to pay for mine companions rooms and for thine food, rations or lodgings.

[Ziadan]

Rorihann grabs his share of the gold, when the Innkeeper has the travelling rations ready, hes of for falcons hollow aswell... maybe there he can find the clues he seek....

[Pvt Minsk]

"Ah, bless ye, sir," the innkeeper nods to Morgoon. "It looks like all of yer lodgings' on the ser here. Room one fer you, ser," he tosses a key with "1" etched on it over to Magnus.

It takes a bit less than an hour for the innkeeper to make rations for all of those looking to buy some for the road. During the time spent mingling at the inn proper and and waiting for the food to get done, Grelm and Byron approach those left of the party one last time.

"I'd like to say that we could leave on a blank slate and let bygones be bygones, my friends," Grelm starts. "You humbled us right good in the Arthfell, but also showed us mercy and saved the lives of me and my good friend. Sheriff Blunnde's already paid you, but I feel Byron and I owe you something for saving us from Knu's double-crossing. We both feel we're done with adventuring, but I think you could use our gear more than we do."

Grelm takes off his longbow and quiver and places it on the table. He then digs out 10 gold that he drops on the table, and three bottles. "This is holy oil, it'll make your weapon bite into deeper into evil ones. And these two potions will heal you of wounds."

"Yeah, I'm done too," Byron adds and digs out a crossbow, some bolts and a potion. "This here is a potion that blurs your features, making you harder to hit. And this," he picks one ornate bolt out, "is what's called a screaming bolt, a special magic missile to fire."

"It's the least we can do," Grelm nods to the party.

[Lottel]

Falash grabs the things Byron put out and bows. "You two are done, eh? Done done?" He goes over to the bartender and asks for a key. He turns back to the guys. "Becauuuuuse... I'm on my way somewhere every fun. High profit, low risk. Just need a couple chaps to go with me." He smiles. "And the guys I was traveling with are so serious and not very fun at all." He extends his hand. "Wanna come with?"

[Monkey King]

Morgoon pulled out his mace and stepped towards Falash and attempts to hit Falash, Thou hast stolen enough from us gnome!

[Pvt Minsk]

"Eh, sorry, mate," Grelm shrugs. "Byron's never had the spine for this stuff, and I'm so ashamed by how I've been played by Knu and my own pig-headedness, I just want to settle down now. And, besides..." Grelm coughs and looks at his feet a bit, "the sheriff over there isn't all that happy with us and the goblin working together, and might not let us off so easy. And honestly, we kinda do deserve it for HOLY COW!!!" Grelm and Byron back away in surprise as Morgoon comes swinging in!

(I'll work out the fight a bit later - I'm still waffling over if I should run the Ultimate Showdown as a straight 3.5 fight, or at this point of the adventure go for something lighter on rules and more narrative, or just bring the curtain down. Preferences?)

[Pvt Minsk]

(My apologies, those who were hoping for the Morgoon-Falash smackdown. I've waffled on this long enough, and ultimately I just don't want to run a fight anymore at what should be the wrap-up at the end, especially not something as depressing as an inter-PC fight. There wasn't an overwhelming wish to see the fight played out (well there wasn't an overwhelming wish for anything) so I am leaving this clash of the titans' results ambiguous and simply moving to the concluding notes of this adventure.)

“Eh, sheriff…” one of the hunters grumbles and yawns while Falash proceeds with evasive maneuvers. “Is it really time for another bar brawl? This early? Cause it really wu’unt seem proper to hit the bottle in the morn and all…”

“NO!!!” Sheriff Blunnde flails his hands frantically in an attempt to do crowd control, forcing the local woodcutters and other peasantry to keep sitting and eating their porridge. “By the gods, not a repeat of what happened last time! I’m enforcing a strict ‘no-brawls-in-the-vicinity-of-adventurers’ policy in the inn starting five minutes ago!

“Ah, you adventurers…” he shakes his head and leans on the bar counter to watch the proceedings. The innkeeper and his serving girls clear away tables and chairs to give ample space for the favored soul and whisper gnome to finally give each other a piece of their minds. “A toast to your fiery spirits living ever on… far, far away from my shire, preferably.”

Thus this tale ended with the heroes’ names cleared of suspect, but with the alliance forged under the tenuous conditions proving to be as fragile as it appeared, and the adventurers breaking up after finishing their tasks. The road remained the same for all, though, with the notorious bard Rohn Wisk being the first to depart northwards for his hometown. The elven ranger Rorihann Leafstride followed this trail too to seek answers to his clouded past. Later, once Morgoon Maclain and the gnome debonaire Falash had finished sorting their misgivings, the survivors (if any) left northwards to seek their fortunes, along with the arcanist Magnus Olafson on his search for arcane power. Only the monk Aman Juriah took a different road, apparently having found the goal of his journey and voyaging back south to his monastery.

And very soon, the Old Arthfell Road passed the northern boundaries of the Arthfell, and a valley of rolling hills and woodlands greeted the adventurers one by one. Thick clouds greyed the autumn sky, warning of the coming winter, and a chill wind reminded of the harshness of the land they were entering. For in the far north horizon stood a tall, grim sentinel at the edge of the Five Kings Mountains, the mighty stratovolcano, Droskar’s Crag. Truly, now the adventurers faced the severe frontier that was the Darkmoon Vale.

(The ofminskial credits theme kicks off… wait for it… now.)

EPILOGUE

Kage Blunnde continued his duties as sheriff of the Arthfell for years to come, sorting out issues occurring among the peasantry. However, the incident with the shroud and the adventurers taught the sheriff not to be so lax with the law of order, however sleepy his hamlet may be. He learned his lesson and took a sterner stance on the law when adventurers showed up in the forest, and when events like Doctor Krane’s exhibition occurred he was there to make sure that order proceeded. Although the marauding goblinoids and other horrors of the Arthfell ensured that it would never be a truly peaceful place, thanks to Blunnde the civilized folk of the forest did not help in disrupting the peace.

Doctor Phineas Krane wrapped up his exhibition and returned to his duties as curator in the Museum of Antiquities in Absalom. A few years later, with several exciting finds relating to the Four Pharaohs of Ascension in the field of osirionology, Doctor Krane returned south to his old love, Osirion, to help in the several archaeological digs occurring there. Buoyed by success in Osirion, the Doctor then decided to carry out his grandfather Sir Septimus Krane’s legacy and lead an expedition into the Mwangi Expanse to find one of the fabled flying cities of the Shory. His fate was the same as his grandfather’s, too – neither the good doctor nor any of his expedition crew were ever heard of again, save for one crewmember found wandering the jungle in an insane stupor, unable to cease repeating over and over again the words: “Tekeli-li! Tekeli-li!”

Grelm Hammerlock, after serving a year of municipal duties due to conspiring with goblinfolk, bade goodbye to his old friend Byron and set up shop as a charcoal burner in the Arthfell. Thirty years later, when the latest Goblinblood War flared up along the border, a now aged Grelm’s spirit flared up again and he picked up his armour and sword in service of Andoran one more time. Chelish guerrillas picked him off one cold night when scouting the borders.

Byron ‘Pudge’ Whartley, likewise spending time for conspiring with Knu, journeyed eastwards to Oregent to try and continue the magical studies he had gotten started before the Company of the Black Banner scheme. Finding repeated failure, he settled to use what meagre magical talent he had in the career of a street magician, living a fairly contented life.

Knu the goblin found himself in the sinister court of his patron god Norgorber, the Reaper of Reputation, where, having not been successful in his earthbound schemes, faced an eternity of assassination and plotting, where more often than not he was on the painful receiving end. His only comfort in his miserable afterlife was that no one ever DID find the treasure of Forest’s Heart Inn.

Cachee the nixie continued guarding Narven’s Sacred Pool, even when she grew to accept that her only friend, the druid Willowroot, was gone for good. But as years turned into decades and then into centuries, and no one remembered the Forest King or the folk of the Arthfell, dementia began to set into the little fey and soon the forest itself feared the bitter spirit haunting the insignificant pool that had been lost from the consciousness of the outside world.

Aman returned south to the monastery where he had grown up and learned his trade. There, he presented the ashes of the regenerating creature known as the wooden protector, hoping it would help in curing his ailing grand master. To everyone’s dismay there, Aman’s journey had been fruitless, for the wooden protector’s power was in the spirit enchanting the plant, not its physical form.*

The adventuring party had broken up, and its members continued solo northwards on very uneven terms. Despite these misgivings between the heroes, was this trek Into the Haunted Forest their first and only adventure together? One could not say, for in their travels to the north, they each found the Darkmoon Vale to possess great danger, but for a hearty band of adventurers, also great opportunity.

INTO THE HAUNTED FOREST
by Paizo Publishing
Written and Designed by Greg A. Vaughan
Development and Editing by Jason Bulmahn, Mike McArtor and Jeremy Walker
Published by Erik Mona
Cover Art by Andrew Arconti
Interior Art by Vincent Dutrait, Drew Pocza, James Zhang, and Wayne Reynolds

Presented here by Pvt Minsk

PC CAST
Kaeam as Magnus Olafson
Lottel as Falash
Luca Stefan as Rohn Wisk
Monkey King as Morgoon Maclain
Teh Jake/Pvt Minsk as Aman Juriah
Ziadan as Rorihann Leafstride

NPC CAST
Hugh Laurie as Doctor Phineas Krane
Michael Ironside as Kage Blunnde
Liev Schreiber as Grelm Hammerlock
Michael Lee Aday as Byron ‘Pudge’ Whartley
Alyssa Milano as Nirashi Sylvanmede
Paul Teutul, Sr. as Ostler Merinwaite
and
Tara Strong as the voice of Cachee
with
Shia LaBeouf as the voice of Knu

BROUGHT TO YOU IN TECHNICOLOUR.

(*Here I would have liked to have fulfilled Mr. Jake's wishes and kept Aman as lawful evil all along. In this case, the epilogue would have featured him being beaten into a bloody pulp for wasting time and lifting everyone's hopes in curing his master for no reason. However, the plot twist that Aman was evil all along was leaked onto the Skype chat and to most of the players, so he gets the lawful good ending after.)