Heroes of Lastwall PbP - User contributions [en]

Main Page

2022-08-21T17:27:43Z

Treppa: /* Campaign Information */

'''Welcome to the Heroes of Lastwall Pathfinder Campaign Wiki.'''

''The intent of this wiki is to provide all of the necessary and useful information for the party who are participating in the Heroes of Lastwall Pathfinder Campaign''

== Campaign Information ==

;* [[People]]
:These are the people in your neighbourhood, in your neighbourhood, in your neiighbooorhooood...
;* [[Locations]]
:See the world, they said... Go to exciting new places, learn new things - and try not to die.
;* [[Rumours/Stories]]
:Those little snippets of things that you heard that you think maybe - just maybe - could be important later
;* [[Campaign Journal]]
:As the Killers say: All the things that I've done. (I can't speak to whether you have soul or are, in fact, soldiers)
;* [[Investigations]]
:Things we have found in the Rustknoll adventure
;* [[Milestones]]
:Major events and happenings (index)
;* [[Battles and enemies]]
:Who were our enemies in each fight?

== Mechanics ==
;* [[Build Rules]]
:Character creation guidelines
;* [[Campaign Traits]]
:Little things from your past.
;* [[House Rules]]
:A list of house rules, add-on rules and new traits, feats and spells.
;* [[GM Prefered Post Format]]
:A description of preferred format for posting, including bonus breakdowns, contingencies and languages.
;* [[New/Special Items]]
:Unique or "new" magic items, materials, etc.
;* [[GM Stuff]]
: Pregenerated Initiative and Perception Rolls, Status Blocks, that sort of thing.

== Links to the Game ==
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/discussion Discussion Thread]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay Gameplay Thread]
* [https://app.roll20.net/campaigns/details/8352595/heroes-of-lastwall Roll20]

== External Links ==
* [http://www.archivesofnethys.com Archives of Nethys]
* [http://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Pathfinder_Wiki Setting Information (Pathfinder Wiki)]

30 Desnus 4711

2022-08-01T02:26:13Z

Treppa:

Delivered verbally by Sahar and Costin to Marquan:

[quote=Sahar's Report]We set out in good time from Castle Firrine. Slightly before noon, we spotted a thread of smoke from the nearby trees. We debated going straight on to Rustknoll, but decided it might be something orc-related that was too far away for the villagers to know about. Investigating orc activity seemed useful, so we did that.

We found a party of seven Bloodtalon orcs that had been slaughtered by another party of three orcs lead by a half-orc. The half-orc was a priest of Szuriel - the Horseman of War. His comrades set him on a pyre when they left, but the fire failed to burn him completely. He had his weapon, holy symbol, and garments, but not a left hand. The hand was removed deliberately.

The dead Bloodtalons were in a pit which had been dug around a great silver acorn, split open and poisoned. Our mage was determinedly interested in the magic acorn, and he and our oracle were able to remove the tainted metal wedge holding it open, heal the putrid parts within the acorn, and seal the split. We reburied it so it could continue to work its magic, which seemed to be powerful growth magic for the surrounding orchards.[/quote]

Sahar grimaces at Costin. [b]"I should have stopped on the way here to see if it was unmolested."[/b] She continues,

[quote=Sahar's report]We proceeded to Rustknoll with no further issues. There we were briefed over dinner by Rickan and Hamish, who gave us interesting background about the area. When the two arrived in the village, they found that the village seemed built on the bones of a larger dwarven settlement. The area seemed to be avoided by other orc tribes because of some curse, involving brass dwarves, a molten dragon, and an immortal sorceress. The last exists, but not in the Rocknoll area. The others are just talk, so far.

In the last year and a half, the Bloodtalons have replaced their shaman with a masked witch doctor and developed some real magic. They added a party of a War Drummers since then. Around midwinter, they started becoming more active. Their leader is pressured by younger orcs and the new arrivals, so he has to make himself look dangerous to keep control. Other orc tribes have been settling nearby, ignorant and uncaring of the Bloodtalon leader's rules for raiding Rustknoll. That's bad news for Rustknoll.

On top of that, there are new orcs in the area, the Outcasts. They take in the orcs with defects, poor warriors, failures, females, and have build their own tribe. They may be weak for orcs, but there are a lot of them about. They are smart and well-organized; they fight together instead of for individual glory. They have some dwarven weapons, and there is talk amongst them of a second Dwarven Forge somewhere near Rustknoll. The known entrance was completely blocked by a severe rockfall, but they believe a second entrance was in the area. The orcs were discussing getting blasting powder - "stump powder" - from Rustknoll's farmers and trying to blast through the rockfall, as well as searching for the second, hidden entrance.

To summarize: the local Bloodtalons are growing in capability and ferocity. Their new witch doctor was apparently trying to steal magic - for whatever reason - from a powerful artifact.

Second, new orc tribes are pushing in to the area and acting like orcs will, without the restraint of the old Bloodtalons.

Third, the Outcasts/Blacktusks are a new and different faction, smarter, more organized, and with a completely different philosophy from the usual orcish "might makes right" rules. They took the left hand of their dead leader, possibly to become reincarnated. Which means they could be just about anything. The reincarnated with be excellent spies.

Rickan suspected the Outcasts of having message drops in the area. He led us to the first one that first night. We found it and its contents to be sophisticated - an actual hole in the ground, covered by a rock with a rune of destruction on it. An orc party - led by a half-orc - arrived, and we ambushed and killed them. An inking kit was hidden in the leader's shoe, along with an unusual smoked glass. We dug around the cap, fearing it would incinerate the contents. Inside, we found leather strips with markings on them only seen when viewed through the smoked glass from the leader's shoe - symbols, not a clear message. We also discovered that the hafts of the two orcs that lead the party coming to the message drop had inscribed leather wraps, and that these new leather strips fit around them, so we took the hafts, along with other loot. When we returned to town, we recorded the contents of the strips, then tried to decipher them. It took a long time, because they were in several languages. The group of orcs at the drop called themselves "Blacktusk," possibly a grouping within the Outcasts, and their leader was a half-orc, like the warband by the Acorn. The half-orc leader also worshipped Szuriel.

The next day, Hamish and Rickan helped decipher the strips and a couple of maps we found on skins. We assumed the maps were to other drop locations. After helping Rickan clean out a nasty and apparently deliberate bunch of mold in his basement, we set off for the second drop: Rickan's wife's family farmstead, burned to the ground 13 years ago and abandoned.

We encountered a group of rapors and and ash drake who had been baited to a signal fire by a Quickling, who had apparently been tormenting us since we arrived. He warned us to return to Lastwall.

At the farmhouse, we found the ground littered with various traps and guarded by a tiefling orc and a half-orc caster. We also found Costin here, who had been trapped in the barn, hiding. He told us his guide was in the house. Once we killed the guards, we found the guide being transformed, probably alchemically, with strips of various hides - including undead - grafted to his body and face. He was suffering and dying, so -with his agreement -I gave him the coup and took his hand for reincarnation, at his request. We found quite a number of fun strap erasing and writing toys, some clever magic devices, and more straps in the pedestal of a table. The house, rebuilt since it burned, seemed to be a way station for the Outcasts, a place for their alchemist to brew whatever they needed, and for them to experiment on captives. It took us until after dark to return.

The next day, we heard from Hamish's scholars about the topics they had been researching. The closed mine apparently had green ore that the orcs sought, as well as a Runic Hammer. The Hammer could be a formula for forging formidable weapons, or an actual [i]Hammer of Torag.[/i] The claw symbol we found was also used by a famous half-orc pirate, Blacktusk, who terrorized Lake Encarthane up until 60 years ago. Blacktusk recruited the weak, deformed, and unwanted for his crew, much like the Outsiders do, which could mean their name is no coincidence. we debated going to the third message drop, seeking the hidden mine entrance, or pretending to leave. We opted to go to the third drop, and had to rescue a child - used as bait - from a pair of landsharks, goaded on by a voice we couldn't see. The boy had been out watching goats when he fell asleep, along with his goats, and woke up in the middle of this field. He froze and hid when he heard something thump up from under the rocks. We visited the third drop, found more straps, and hid messages of our own. We told them the "Lastwall war party" - us - was leaving town because the leader was killed. No more raiding farmsteads, switch to searching for the entrance. And that "the dwarf" - their contact within the village - had been misleading them, to kill the dwarf.

We brought the messages back to town to decode, but then got wrapped up in preparations for yesterday's travels and plans. I believe our Mage has them and may be decoding them even now. The rest of the group peeled off the road into the countryside around Rustknoll to patrol and protect the town.

We also found there is a fox enrolling awakened trees to watch the village. It watched us for a time without offering to attack, but I sent it off so our more, uh, defensive party members didn't slay it. A Quickling is definitely our enemy, and we can't see or stop it. We are very unpopular with certain factions in town who seem to be actively undermining us... seem? By Sarenrae, they [b]are![/b][/quote]

Sahar takes a moment to calm herself, then continues:

[b]"In summary, we believe:
* The nearby mine still had something of value within when it was shut down 3 centuries ago, something the orcs seek.
* The Outcasts/Blacktusks are the remainders or descendants of Blacktusk's crew, who kept the tradition of claiming outcasts and focusing on fighting smart, not ferociously. They are the ones seeking the mine.
* Whatever is in the mine, the Blacktusks think it will allow them to make better weapons, the better to kill everyone with. Szuriel is not particular about who dies, just that it's done in correct, smart military fashion. If they are bound together by Szuriel worship, this could be a very large effort.
* The Blacktusk search parties are operating independently and use the message drops to communicate between the groups and recieve orders from their commanders.
* The Blacktusks have alchemists to brew weapons for them, as well as to experiment on grafting onto the living to change them. They may also have been involved in polluting Rickan's cellar with the destructive mold and injecting his cat with poison... well, at least the mold.
* The Blacktusks have druids or shamans, someone who can reincarnate their dead into a new form. This would help build loyalty and make spies who can walk among us without notice. They may have been spreading among the people here for years without us being any the wiser.
* The Bloodtalons have changed since the arrival of the new, masked witch doctor. It was daring to try to steal the magic of something as powerful as that Acorn. The new shaman may be a force to be reckoned with.
* The [i]Pax Rickan[/i] has gone by the wayside since the witch doctor's - Helgu, I think - arrival and the normal pressures of new orc tribes entering the area.
* We don't know why villagers or the quickling are against us, unless... We should probably speak Orcish to Norfin - the innkeeper's malicious assistant - and see if he responds to it automatically. I could certainly see him being a reincarnated orc![/b]

Sahar takes a deep breath and sits back in her chair. With a half-smile at Costin, she says, [b]"Did I miss anything? Besides all the fighting? Oh, and did you wish to join us?"[/b]

30 Desnus 4711

2022-08-01T02:07:16Z

Treppa: Created page with "Delivered verbally by Sahar and Costin to Marquan: [quote=Sahar's Report]We set out in good time from Castle Firrine. Slightly before noon, we spotted a thread of smoke from the nearby trees. We debated going straight on to Rustknoll, but decided it might be something orc-related that was too far away for the villagers to know about. Investigating orc activity seemed useful, so we did that. We found a party of seven Bloodtalon orcs that had been slaughtered by a party..."

Delivered verbally by Sahar and Costin to Marquan:

[quote=Sahar's Report]We set out in good time from Castle Firrine. Slightly before noon, we spotted a thread of smoke from the nearby trees. We debated going straight on to Rustknoll, but decided it might be something orc-related that was too far away for the villagers to know about. Investigating orc activity seemed useful, so we did that.

We found a party of seven Bloodtalon orcs that had been slaughtered by a party of three orcs lead by a half-orc. The half-orc was a priest of Szuriel - the Horseman of War. His comrades set him on a pyre when they left, but the fire failed to burn him completely. He had his weapon, holy symbol, and garments, but not a left hand. The hand was removed deliberately.

The dead Bloodtalons were in a pit which had been dug around a great silver acorn, split open and poisoned. Our mage was determinedly interested in the magic acorn, and he and our oracle were able to remove the tainted metal wedge holding it open, heal the putrid parts within the acorn, and seal the split. We reburied it so it could continue to work its magic, which seemed to be a growth magic for the surrounding orchards.[/quote]

Sahar grimaces at Costin. [b]"I should have stopped on the way here to see if it was unmolested."[/b] She continues,

[quote=Sahar's report]We proceeded to Rustknoll with no further issues. There we were briefed over dinner by Rickan and Hamish, who gave us interesting background about the area. When the two arrived in the village, they found that the village seemed built on the bones of a larger dwarven settlement. The area seemed to be avoided by other orc tribes because of some curse, involving brass dwarves, a molten dragon, and an immortal sorceress. The last exists, but not in the Rocknoll area. The others are just talk, so far.

In the last year and a half, the Bloodtalons have replaced their shaman with a masked witch doctor and developed some real magic. They added a party of a War Drummers since then.. Around midwinter, they started becoming more active. Their leader is pressured by younger orcs and the new arrivals, so he has to make himself look dangerous to keep control. Other orc tribes have been settling nearby, ignorant and uncaring of the Bloodtalon leader's rules for raiding Rustknoll. That's bad news for Rustknoll.

On top of that, there are new orcs in the area, the Outcasts. They take in the orcs with defects, poor warriors, failures, females, and have build their own tribe. They may be weak for orcs, but there are a lot of them about. They are smart and well-organized; they fight together instead of for individual glory. They have some dwarven weapons, and there is talk amongst them of a second Dwarven Forge somewhere near Rustknoll. The known entrance was completely blocked by a severe rockfall, but they believe a second entrance was in the area. The orcs were discussing getting blasting powder - "stump powder" - from Rustknoll's farmers and trying to blast through the rockfall, as well as searching for the second, hidden entrance.

To summarize: the local Bloodtalons are growing in capability and ferocity. Their new witch doctor was apparently trying to steal magic - for whatever reason - from a powerful artifact.

Second, new orc tribes are pushing in to the area and acting like orcs will, without the restraint of the old Bloodtalons.

Third, the Outcasts/Blacktusks are a new and different faction, smarter, more organized, and with a completely different philosophy from the usual orcish "might makes right" rules. They took the left hand of their dead leader, possibly to become reincarnated. Which means they could be just about anything. The reincarnated with be excellent spies.

Rickan suspected the Outsiders of having message drops in the area. He led us to the first one that first night. We found it and its contents to be sophisticated - an actual hole in the ground, covered by a rock with a rune of destruction on it. An orc party - led by a half-orc - arrived, and we ambushed and killed them. An inking kit was hidden in the leader's shoe, along with an unusual smoked glass. We dug around the cap, fearing it would incinerate the contents. Inside, we found leather strips with markings on them only seen when viewed through the smoked glass from the leader's shoe - symbols, not a clear message. We also discovered that the hafts of the two orcs that lead the party coming to the message drop had inscribed leather wraps, and that these new leather strips fit around them, so we took the hafts, along with other loot. When we returned to town, we recorded the contents of the strips, then tried to decipher them. It took a long time, because they were in several languages. The group of orcs at the drop called themselves "Blacktusk," possibly a grouping within the Outsiders, and their leader was a half-orc, like the warband by the Acorn. The half-orc leader also worshipped Szuriel.

The next day, Hamish and Rickan helped decipher the strips and a couple of maps we found on skins. We assumed the maps were to other drop locations. After helping Rickan clean out a nasty and apparently deliberate bunch of mold in his basement, we set off for the second drop: Rickan's wife's family farmstead, burned to the ground 13 years ago and abandoned.

We encountered a group of rapors and and ash drake who had been baited to a signal fire by a Quickling, who had apparently been tormenting us since we arrived. He warned us to return to Lastwall.

At the farmhouse, we found the ground littered with various traps and guarded by a tiefling orc and a half-orc caster. We also found Costin here, who had been trapped in the barn, hiding. He told us his guide was in the house. Once we killed the guards, we found the guide being transformed, probably alchemically, with strips of various hides - including undead - grafted to his body and face. He was suffering and dying, so -with his agreement -I gave him the coup and took his hand for reincarnation, at his request. We found quite a number of fun strap erasing and writing toys, some clever magic devices, and more straps in the pedestal of a table. The house, rebuilt since it burned, seemed to be a way station for the Outcasts, a place for their alchemist to brew whatever they needed, and for them to experiment on captives. It took us until after dark to return.

The next day, we heard from Hamish's scholars about the topics they had been researching. The closed mine apparently had green ore that the orcs sought, as well as a Runic Hammer. The Hammer could be a formula for forging formidable weapons, or an actual [i]Hammer of Torag.[/i] The claw symbol we found was also used by a famous half-orc pirate, Blacktusk, who terrorized Lake Encarthane up until 60 years ago. Blacktusk recruited the weak, deformed, and unwanted for his crew, much like the Outsiders do, which could mean their name is no coincidence. we debated going to the third message drop, seeking the hidden mine entrance, or pretending to leave. We opted to go to the third drop, and had to rescue a child - used as bait - from a pair of landsharks, goaded on by a voice we couldn't see. The boy had been out watching goats when he fell asleep, along with his goats, and woke up in the middle of this field. He froze and hid when he heard something thump up from under the rocks. We visited the third drop, found more straps, and hid messages of our own. We told them the "Lastwall war party" - us - was leaving town because the leader was killed. No more raiding farmsteads, switch to searching for the entrance. And that "the dwarf" - their contact within the village - had been misleading them, to kill the dwarf.

We brought the messages back to town to decode, but then got wrapped up in preparations for yesterday's travels and plans. I believe our Mage has them and may be decoding them even now.
We also found there is a fox enrolling awakened trees to watch the village. It watched us for a time without offering to attack, but I sent it off so our more, uh, defensive party members didn't slay it. A Quickling is definitely our enemy, and we can't see or stop it. We are very unpopular with certain factions in town who seem to be actively undermining us... seem? By Sarenrae, they [b]are![/b][/quote]

Sahar takes a moment to calm herself, then continues:

[b]"In summary, we believe:
* The nearby mine still had something of value within when it was shut down 3 centuries ago, something the orcs seek.
* The Outsiders/Blacktusks are the remainders or descendants of Blacktusk's crew, who kept the tradition of claiming outcasts and focusing on fighting smart, not ferociously. They are the ones seeking the mine.
* Whatever is in the mine, the Blacktusks think it will allow them to make better weapons, the better to kill everyone with. Szuriel is not particular about who dies, just that it's done in correct, smart military fashion.
* The Blacktusk search parties are operating independently and use the message drops to communicate between the groups and recieve orders from their commanders.
* The Blacktusks have alchemists to brew weapons for them, as well as to experiment on grafting onto the living to change them. They may also have been involved in polluting Rickan's cellar with the destructive mold and injecting his cat with poison... well, at least the mold.
* The Blacktusks have druids or shamans, someone who can reincarnate their dead into a new form. This would help build loyalty and make spies who can walk among us without notice. They may have been spreading among the people here for years without us being any the wiser.
* The Bloodtalons have changed since the arrival of the new, masked witch doctor. It was daring to try to steal the magic of something as powerful as that Acorn. The new shaman may be a force to be reckoned with.
* The [i]Pax Rickan[/i] has gone by the wayside since the witch doctor's - Helgu, I think - arrival and the normal pressures of new orc tribes entering the area.
* We don't know why villagers or the quickling are against us, unless... We should probably speak Orcish to Norfin - the innkeeper's malicious assistant - and see if he responds to it automatically. I could certainly see him being a reincarnated orc![/b]

Sahar takes a deep breath and sits back in her chair. With a half-smile at Costin, she says, [b]"Did I miss anything? Besides all the fighting? Oh, and did you wish to join us?"[/b]

Reports to Firrine

2022-08-01T02:05:01Z

Treppa: /* Reports to Firrine */

== Reports to Firrine ==

* [[30 Desnus 4711]]
*

Reports to Firrine

2022-08-01T02:04:22Z

Treppa: /* Reports to Firrine */

= Reports to Firrine =

* [30 Desnus 4711]
*

Reports to Firrine

2022-08-01T02:04:09Z

Treppa: Created page with "= Reports to Firrine = * [ 30 Desnus 4711] *"

= Reports to Firrine =

* [ 30 Desnus 4711]
*

Milestones

2022-08-01T02:03:45Z

Treppa: /* Toilday, 29 Desnus, 4711 AR */

== The Story So Far... ==
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay#1 Selection, Lord Kalthun's Introduction, Contract, first mission description]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=2#69 Banquet and introduction to Firrine BMOC]
=== Fireday, 27 Desnus, 4711 AR ===
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=3#110 Departure for Rustknoll]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=3#149 The twisted orchard, the magic nut, and a roasted half-orc]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#263 Arrival at Rustknoll]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#277 Meeting and dinner at Hamish's]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 Night ambush at the first orc dead-drop]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 Stripping the bodies]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#604 First night in Rustknoll, in the stable]
=== Starday, 28 Desnus, 4711 AR ===
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#618 A pleasant breakfast at Taran's]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#636 And our home away from home]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#636 Xia's note]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=14#636 Rickan's and Hamish's takes on the orcish message straps]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=15#715 Cleaning the cellar at Assorted Goods]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=17#801 Heading to the second dead-drop at Asha's farmstead]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=18#875 Dino duel]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=22#1063 Drake joins the party]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=23#1131 Looting the monched corpses]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=24#1151 WHOPUTSTRAPSINABARNYARD?]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=24#1176 Witch in a barn]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=25#1213 A clever ruse]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=25#1219 The enemy revealed]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=29#1405 Lani, are you OK? Are you OK? Are you OK, Lani?]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=29#1445 Finally, the farmhouse]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=30#1471 A hideous experiment]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=31#1501 Looting the farmhouse]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=32#1551 An Unexpected Elf]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=32#1568 The Magic Cupboard]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=32#1595 The Two Towers (of fire)]

=== Sunday, 28 Desnus, 4711 AR ===
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplaypage=34#1661 Why didn't we just skip breakfast?]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplaypage=35#1744 Whatever you do, don't split the party]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplaypage=&page=36#1771 Townies]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplaypage=&page=36#1786 Road Warriors]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplaypage=37#1819 Together again...]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplaypage=37#1836 Taking a lunch meeting]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplaypage=39#1939 Heading for third]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplaypage=39#1939 Would you take a bullette for me?]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplaypage=42#2075 I went down to the crossroads]
=== Moonday, 29 Desnus, 4711 AR ===
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplaypage=44#2183 Whatever you do, don't split the party, Part II]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplaypage=&page=44#2185 Yokels with yaks hit the road]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplaypage=&page=44#2190 Protectors do their thing]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplaypage=&page=46#2286 Battling the bards]
** [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplaypage=&page=page=50 Parley]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplaypage=&page=46#2285 Beddy-bye time in Firrine]
=== Toilday, 30 Desnus, 4711 AR ===

Sahar Wasem, Warpriest of Sarenrae

2022-08-01T02:02:34Z

Treppa:

[[Sahar L3 Start]]

[[Sarisa L3 Start]]

[https://www.deviantart.com/janjam963/art/Sahar-Sharisa-graphite-862935795 Character Sketch]

[[Sahar Loot Bag 12]]

[[Personal Log: Desnus, 4711]]

[[Investigations]]

[[Reports to Firrine]]

[[Main Page]]

Investigations

2022-08-01T01:44:46Z

Treppa: /* Possible actions */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak orc tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

At the farmstead: A group of five orcs and their warhound wolf thing had recently left. A tiefling orc and a half-orc remained to experiment on Costin's guide and protect the place.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1806 Mother Endzi, the rural herbalist], said she's been treating many more animal bites lately. They seem to be in a mood between defending the young and a mating display, but no sign of the dreaded rabies. Mostly wildcats, coyotes, velociraptors, and one wolf.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=43#2107 At the tree stump drop]:
* Several message straps in Aklo and Skald, like from the first drop.
* We left 3 message strips forged by Merlan to mislead the next orc party, and Sandy cleaned up our tracks.

=The orc messaging dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's whelp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

''' Straps from the tree stump drop '''

''' Straps left at the tree stump drop, for to mislead yon enemie'''
* Contact says warband broken, leader killed. Warband to Lastwall for supplies.
* No raiding farms. Search for mine entrance.
* Dwarf making us look in wrong place. Kill them.

=What our research has found:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1850 Shala's research on the Runic Hammer]: The Runic Hammer might be a recipe for a magical warhammer. The Ironhearth Foundry smiths had sets of runes that would set stable enchantments that even non-magicians could use. Another reference said Garam Ironhearth had a smith's hammer said to be a gift from Torag himself, that claim marked in runes upon the hammer. It may be a Hammer of Torag, which allows master smiths to make masterworks.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1842 Lauris on the mines and possible locations]: The local dwarven mine, Greenore Mine, was held by Clam Hammerstone and abandoned 3 centuries ago as it was depleted. The copper ore was green, and there may be adamantine - and there may not. The mine entrance is 12 hours afoot to the NE. The entrances were collapsed when the mines were abandoned (probably). The initial wealth from the mine opening was what some might call... unnatural.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=38#1868 Marcan's report on the pirate flag/claw emblem]: The flag is the symbol and flag of the pirate Blacktusk, but that's information from 60 years ago. Blacktusk was a half-orc who took misfits and outcasts onto his crew. He captured a Chelish ship for his own use -the Infernal Folly - that was supposed to be or carry something special, but can't find what. It (and he) were destroyed when they fell into a trap and the blast prepared destroyed everything and everyone nearby. The tale of his destruction may be false, but if it is, Blacktusk retired from his piracy at around that time. But it is certain that much of his crew survived and set up a cache in Lake Encarthan that H&R found.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs to use as a waystation, hiding in plain sight? The orcs also used it as an alchemical lab, storehouse, and experimental lab. Note that they experimented with fungus as well as flesh transplants.
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider? Yet he does not help them at all at the actual drop locations.
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* <s>Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph</s>
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other Foundry entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?
* Destroy Outsider/Blacktusk bodies so they can't be reincarnated.
* Check on bodies we've left to see if they have been de-handed.
* Visit the orchard and see if the Acorn is still there.
* Try to capture a Blacktusk orc and see what it knows? Doubt we can eliminate them since they are fighting the Blacktusks/Outsiders.

Investigations

2022-08-01T01:17:09Z

Treppa: /* The messages: */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak orc tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

At the farmstead: A group of five orcs and their warhound wolf thing had recently left. A tiefling orc and a half-orc remained to experiment on Costin's guide and protect the place.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1806 Mother Endzi, the rural herbalist], said she's been treating many more animal bites lately. They seem to be in a mood between defending the young and a mating display, but no sign of the dreaded rabies. Mostly wildcats, coyotes, velociraptors, and one wolf.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=43#2107 At the tree stump drop]:
* Several message straps in Aklo and Skald, like from the first drop.
* We left 3 message strips forged by Merlan to mislead the next orc party, and Sandy cleaned up our tracks.

=The orc messaging dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's whelp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

''' Straps from the tree stump drop '''

''' Straps left at the tree stump drop, for to mislead yon enemie'''
* Contact says warband broken, leader killed. Warband to Lastwall for supplies.
* No raiding farms. Search for mine entrance.
* Dwarf making us look in wrong place. Kill them.

=What our research has found:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1850 Shala's research on the Runic Hammer]: The Runic Hammer might be a recipe for a magical warhammer. The Ironhearth Foundry smiths had sets of runes that would set stable enchantments that even non-magicians could use. Another reference said Garam Ironhearth had a smith's hammer said to be a gift from Torag himself, that claim marked in runes upon the hammer. It may be a Hammer of Torag, which allows master smiths to make masterworks.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1842 Lauris on the mines and possible locations]: The local dwarven mine, Greenore Mine, was held by Clam Hammerstone and abandoned 3 centuries ago as it was depleted. The copper ore was green, and there may be adamantine - and there may not. The mine entrance is 12 hours afoot to the NE. The entrances were collapsed when the mines were abandoned (probably). The initial wealth from the mine opening was what some might call... unnatural.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=38#1868 Marcan's report on the pirate flag/claw emblem]: The flag is the symbol and flag of the pirate Blacktusk, but that's information from 60 years ago. Blacktusk was a half-orc who took misfits and outcasts onto his crew. He captured a Chelish ship for his own use -the Infernal Folly - that was supposed to be or carry something special, but can't find what. It (and he) were destroyed when they fell into a trap and the blast prepared destroyed everything and everyone nearby. The tale of his destruction may be false, but if it is, Blacktusk retired from his piracy at around that time. But it is certain that much of his crew survived and set up a cache in Lake Encarthan that H&R found.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs to use as a waystation, hiding in plain sight? The orcs also used it as an alchemical lab, storehouse, and experimental lab. Note that they experimented with fungus as well as flesh transplants.
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider? Yet he does not help them at all at the actual drop locations.
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* <s>Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph</s>
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other Foundry entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?
* Destroy Outsider/Blacktusk bodies so they can't be reincarnated.
* Check on bodies we've left to see if they have been de-handed.
* Visit the orchard and see if the Acorn is still there.
* Try to capture a Bloodtusk orc and see what it knows? Doubt we can eliminate them since they are fighting the Blacktusks/Outsiders.

Investigations

2022-08-01T00:43:37Z

Treppa: /* What we have found */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak orc tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

At the farmstead: A group of five orcs and their warhound wolf thing had recently left. A tiefling orc and a half-orc remained to experiment on Costin's guide and protect the place.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1806 Mother Endzi, the rural herbalist], said she's been treating many more animal bites lately. They seem to be in a mood between defending the young and a mating display, but no sign of the dreaded rabies. Mostly wildcats, coyotes, velociraptors, and one wolf.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=43#2107 At the tree stump drop]:
* Several message straps in Aklo and Skald, like from the first drop.
* We left 3 message strips forged by Merlan to mislead the next orc party, and Sandy cleaned up our tracks.

=The orc messaging dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's whelp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=What our research has found:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1850 Shala's research on the Runic Hammer]: The Runic Hammer might be a recipe for a magical warhammer. The Ironhearth Foundry smiths had sets of runes that would set stable enchantments that even non-magicians could use. Another reference said Garam Ironhearth had a smith's hammer said to be a gift from Torag himself, that claim marked in runes upon the hammer. It may be a Hammer of Torag, which allows master smiths to make masterworks.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1842 Lauris on the mines and possible locations]: The local dwarven mine, Greenore Mine, was held by Clam Hammerstone and abandoned 3 centuries ago as it was depleted. The copper ore was green, and there may be adamantine - and there may not. The mine entrance is 12 hours afoot to the NE. The entrances were collapsed when the mines were abandoned (probably). The initial wealth from the mine opening was what some might call... unnatural.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=38#1868 Marcan's report on the pirate flag/claw emblem]: The flag is the symbol and flag of the pirate Blacktusk, but that's information from 60 years ago. Blacktusk was a half-orc who took misfits and outcasts onto his crew. He captured a Chelish ship for his own use -the Infernal Folly - that was supposed to be or carry something special, but can't find what. It (and he) were destroyed when they fell into a trap and the blast prepared destroyed everything and everyone nearby. The tale of his destruction may be false, but if it is, Blacktusk retired from his piracy at around that time. But it is certain that much of his crew survived and set up a cache in Lake Encarthan that H&R found.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs to use as a waystation, hiding in plain sight? The orcs also used it as an alchemical lab, storehouse, and experimental lab. Note that they experimented with fungus as well as flesh transplants.
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider? Yet he does not help them at all at the actual drop locations.
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* <s>Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph</s>
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other Foundry entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?
* Destroy Outsider/Blacktusk bodies so they can't be reincarnated.
* Check on bodies we've left to see if they have been de-handed.
* Visit the orchard and see if the Acorn is still there.
* Try to capture a Bloodtusk orc and see what it knows? Doubt we can eliminate them since they are fighting the Blacktusks/Outsiders.

People

2022-07-31T23:53:05Z

Treppa: /* Others */

== [[Castle Firrine]] ==

=== Leadership ===
* [[Lord Kalthun]], Commander of Firrine
* [[Marquan]], Advisor to Kalthun, Cleric of Erastil
* [[Marina Savenko]], High Clerist of the Fortress, Inquisitor of Iomedae
* [[Tessara Elfblood]], High Arcanist of the Fortress (and [[Tarynal Leafstitcher]], her Familiar)
* [[Mother Brydia]], Cleric of Iomedae
* [[Abroshthoren Beancount]], Quartermaster
* [[Sauman Keystone]], Justicar of Abadar

=== Craftsmen/Shopkeepers ===
* [[Glabren Brimstone]], owner of ''[[Infernal Cures]]''
* [[Kilthana Stoneheart]], owner of ''[[Shieldmaiden's]]''
* [[Zatquilamaneer Blacklung]], owner of ''[[Blacklung's Blades]]''
* [[Yamyra Jinx]], owner of ''[[Happy Accidents]]''
* [[Fellet Wintsson]], Moneychanger
* [[Aemira Fellwind]], owner of ''Amber Dragon Inn''
* [[Drewan Blackpaw]], owner of ''[[Inheritor's Light]]'' (General Store)

== [[Rustknoll]] ==

=== People ===

==== Townies ====
* [[Rickan]], Human, Hero, apparent leader, and shopkeeper of the settlement (Assorted Goods)
* [[Bryn]], Human, Blacksmith and part-time stable keeper at the Blackened Shoe
* [[Hamish]], Dwarf, Schoolmaster and caretaker for the farmers' children.
* [[Taran]], Dwarf, Innkeeper of the Feather and Tankard (Taran's Tavern)
* [[Norfin]], Human, Taran's sinister handyman and assistant
* [[Daven]], Half-elf, Watchman and night patrol
* [[Shala]], One of Hamish's pupils
* [[Asha]], lives with Rickan (Rickan's mate? unmet to date)
* [[Old Endzela]], healer and herbalist, lives and works out of her son's farm. 40 minute walk from Rustknoll. Seems concerned about everyone's sex lives....

==== Local orc tribe, the Bloodtalon. Had a long accommodation with the local humans. ====
* [[Grolthk]], leader of the tribe
* [[Helgu]], masked witch doctor - trouble started after he came to some power in the tribe.
* Outcasts think Bloodtalon were trying to steal the magic from the magical acorn.

==== The Outcasts (?) ====
* Killed Bloodtalon in the grove even the Bloodtalon had double their number.
* [[Mozark]] was a half-orc of some prestige (cleric of Szuriel) in this tribe but was killed at the grove.
* No nore names, but we suspect they operate in bands led by a half-orc and are the ones using the dead drops.
* Took Mozark's left hand with them.

==== Others ====
* Unknown orc contact in Rustknoll. Dwarf? Someone is providing info to the orcs about the party's movement.
* Some cult was around 13 years ago. Orcs kidnapped Asha wanting a pure maiden to sell to this cult.
* Quickling in town threatening the party and trying to kill them when they venture out (with apparent foreknowledge). Doesn't seem affiliated with the Outsiders/Blacktusk or the fox's crew.
* Intelligent fox watching the area (including the party) and awakening trees to guard the village and protect ?Rickan?.

Investigations

2022-07-31T23:30:51Z

Treppa: /* What our research has found: */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak orc tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

At the farmstead: A group of five orcs and their warhound wolf thing had recently left. A tiefling orc and a half-orc remained to experiment on Costin's guide and protect the place.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1806 Mother Endzi, the rural herbalist], said she's been treating many more animal bites lately. They seem to be in a mood between defending the young and a mating display, but no sign of the dreaded rabies. Mostly wildcats, coyotes, velociraptors, and one wolf.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The orc messaging dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's whelp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=What our research has found:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1850 Shala's research on the Runic Hammer]: The Runic Hammer might be a recipe for a magical warhammer. The Ironhearth Foundry smiths had sets of runes that would set stable enchantments that even non-magicians could use. Another reference said Garam Ironhearth had a smith's hammer said to be a gift from Torag himself, that claim marked in runes upon the hammer. It may be a Hammer of Torag, which allows master smiths to make masterworks.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1842 Lauris on the mines and possible locations]: The local dwarven mine, Greenore Mine, was held by Clam Hammerstone and abandoned 3 centuries ago as it was depleted. The copper ore was green, and there may be adamantine - and there may not. The mine entrance is 12 hours afoot to the NE. The entrances were collapsed when the mines were abandoned (probably). The initial wealth from the mine opening was what some might call... unnatural.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=38#1868 Marcan's report on the pirate flag/claw emblem]: The flag is the symbol and flag of the pirate Blacktusk, but that's information from 60 years ago. Blacktusk was a half-orc who took misfits and outcasts onto his crew. He captured a Chelish ship for his own use -the Infernal Folly - that was supposed to be or carry something special, but can't find what. It (and he) were destroyed when they fell into a trap and the blast prepared destroyed everything and everyone nearby. The tale of his destruction may be false, but if it is, Blacktusk retired from his piracy at around that time. But it is certain that much of his crew survived and set up a cache in Lake Encarthan that H&R found.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs to use as a waystation, hiding in plain sight? The orcs also used it as an alchemical lab, storehouse, and experimental lab. Note that they experimented with fungus as well as flesh transplants.
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider? Yet he does not help them at all at the actual drop locations.
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* <s>Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph</s>
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other Foundry entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?
* Destroy Outsider/Blacktusk bodies so they can't be reincarnated.
* Check on bodies we've left to see if they have been de-handed.
* Visit the orchard and see if the Acorn is still there.
* Try to capture a Bloodtusk orc and see what it knows? Doubt we can eliminate them since they are fighting the Blacktusks/Outsiders.

Investigations

2022-07-31T21:26:02Z

Treppa: /* The attacks: */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak orc tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

At the farmstead: A group of five orcs and their warhound wolf thing had recently left. A tiefling orc and a half-orc remained to experiment on Costin's guide and protect the place.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1806 Mother Endzi, the rural herbalist], said she's been treating many more animal bites lately. They seem to be in a mood between defending the young and a mating display, but no sign of the dreaded rabies. Mostly wildcats, coyotes, velociraptors, and one wolf.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The orc messaging dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's whelp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=What our research has found:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1837 Shala's research on the Runic Hammer]:
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1842 Lauris on the mines and possible locations]:

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Invisible fey dude (Quickling) knew we were on the way to the second drop. It attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards. It also stole an ash drake egg, lured the adult egg to the location, and irritated the drake by insulting it while making it appear as if the party were speaking. The six orcs poisoned by the quickling were all Bloodtalons.
* 5 - Someone (guessing the quickling) knew we were on the way to the third drop. It kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs to use as a waystation, hiding in plain sight? The orcs also used it as an alchemical lab, storehouse, and experimental lab. Note that they experimented with fungus as well as flesh transplants.
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider? Yet he does not help them at all at the actual drop locations.
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* <s>Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph</s>
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other Foundry entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?
* Destroy Outsider/Blacktusk bodies so they can't be reincarnated.
* Check on bodies we've left to see if they have been de-handed.
* Visit the orchard and see if the Acorn is still there.
* Try to capture a Bloodtusk orc and see what it knows? Doubt we can eliminate them since they are fighting the Blacktusks/Outsiders.

Investigations

2022-07-31T21:20:05Z

Treppa: /* The dictionary: */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak orc tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

At the farmstead: A group of five orcs and their warhound wolf thing had recently left. A tiefling orc and a half-orc remained to experiment on Costin's guide and protect the place.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1806 Mother Endzi, the rural herbalist], said she's been treating many more animal bites lately. They seem to be in a mood between defending the young and a mating display, but no sign of the dreaded rabies. Mostly wildcats, coyotes, velociraptors, and one wolf.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The orc messaging dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's whelp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Invisible fey dude (Quickling) knew we were on the way to the second drop. It attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards. It also stole an ash drake egg, lured the adult egg to the location, and irritated the drake by insulting it while making it appear as if the party were speaking. The six orcs poisoned by the quickling were all Bloodtalons.
* 5 - Someone (guessing the quickling) knew we were on the way to the third drop. It kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs to use as a waystation, hiding in plain sight? The orcs also used it as an alchemical lab, storehouse, and experimental lab. Note that they experimented with fungus as well as flesh transplants.
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider? Yet he does not help them at all at the actual drop locations.
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* <s>Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph</s>
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other Foundry entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?
* Destroy Outsider/Blacktusk bodies so they can't be reincarnated.
* Check on bodies we've left to see if they have been de-handed.
* Visit the orchard and see if the Acorn is still there.
* Try to capture a Bloodtusk orc and see what it knows? Doubt we can eliminate them since they are fighting the Blacktusks/Outsiders.

Rumours/Stories

2022-07-31T21:05:18Z

Treppa: /* The Party */

== The Gamemaster ==

* I hear he's a real jerk

== The Party ==

* They're supposedly a clever bunch.. I guess we'll find out.

== Rumors from Rustknollers ==

* The party sacrifices cats and probably sacrificed the missing gnome (Lani)
* Jeran's boy said he saw a huge raptor - no feathers, but the size of a large bear.
* Shil said he saw a big green and black wolf with wings.
* Merin started talking about a wolf pack.

Investigations

2022-07-31T20:57:01Z

Treppa: /* What we have seen */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak orc tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

At the farmstead: A group of five orcs and their warhound wolf thing had recently left. A tiefling orc and a half-orc remained to experiment on Costin's guide and protect the place.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=37#1806 Mother Endzi, the rural herbalist], said she's been treating many more animal bites lately. They seem to be in a mood between defending the young and a mating display, but no sign of the dreaded rabies. Mostly wildcats, coyotes, velociraptors, and one wolf.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's whelp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Invisible fey dude (Quickling) knew we were on the way to the second drop. It attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards. It also stole an ash drake egg, lured the adult egg to the location, and irritated the drake by insulting it while making it appear as if the party were speaking. The six orcs poisoned by the quickling were all Bloodtalons.
* 5 - Someone (guessing the quickling) knew we were on the way to the third drop. It kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs to use as a waystation, hiding in plain sight? The orcs also used it as an alchemical lab, storehouse, and experimental lab. Note that they experimented with fungus as well as flesh transplants.
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider? Yet he does not help them at all at the actual drop locations.
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* <s>Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph</s>
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other Foundry entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?
* Destroy Outsider/Blacktusk bodies so they can't be reincarnated.
* Check on bodies we've left to see if they have been de-handed.
* Visit the orchard and see if the Acorn is still there.
* Try to capture a Bloodtusk orc and see what it knows? Doubt we can eliminate them since they are fighting the Blacktusks/Outsiders.

Investigations

2022-07-31T20:42:32Z

Treppa: /* What we have seen */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak orc tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

At the farmstead: A group of five orcs and their warhound wolf thing had recently left. A tiefling orc and a half-orc remained to experiment on Costin's guide and protect the place.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's whelp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Invisible fey dude (Quickling) knew we were on the way to the second drop. It attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards. It also stole an ash drake egg, lured the adult egg to the location, and irritated the drake by insulting it while making it appear as if the party were speaking. The six orcs poisoned by the quickling were all Bloodtalons.
* 5 - Someone (guessing the quickling) knew we were on the way to the third drop. It kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs to use as a waystation, hiding in plain sight? The orcs also used it as an alchemical lab, storehouse, and experimental lab. Note that they experimented with fungus as well as flesh transplants.
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider? Yet he does not help them at all at the actual drop locations.
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* <s>Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph</s>
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other Foundry entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?
* Destroy Outsider/Blacktusk bodies so they can't be reincarnated.
* Check on bodies we've left to see if they have been de-handed.
* Visit the orchard and see if the Acorn is still there.
* Try to capture a Bloodtusk orc and see what it knows? Doubt we can eliminate them since they are fighting the Blacktusks/Outsiders.

Investigations

2022-07-31T20:40:40Z

Treppa: /* In the past */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak orc tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's whelp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Invisible fey dude (Quickling) knew we were on the way to the second drop. It attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards. It also stole an ash drake egg, lured the adult egg to the location, and irritated the drake by insulting it while making it appear as if the party were speaking. The six orcs poisoned by the quickling were all Bloodtalons.
* 5 - Someone (guessing the quickling) knew we were on the way to the third drop. It kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs to use as a waystation, hiding in plain sight? The orcs also used it as an alchemical lab, storehouse, and experimental lab. Note that they experimented with fungus as well as flesh transplants.
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider? Yet he does not help them at all at the actual drop locations.
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* <s>Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph</s>
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other Foundry entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?
* Destroy Outsider/Blacktusk bodies so they can't be reincarnated.
* Check on bodies we've left to see if they have been de-handed.
* Visit the orchard and see if the Acorn is still there.
* Try to capture a Bloodtusk orc and see what it knows? Doubt we can eliminate them since they are fighting the Blacktusks/Outsiders.

Investigations

2022-07-31T19:03:34Z

Treppa: /* Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's whelp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Invisible fey dude (Quickling) knew we were on the way to the second drop. It attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards. It also stole an ash drake egg, lured the adult egg to the location, and irritated the drake by insulting it while making it appear as if the party were speaking. The six orcs poisoned by the quickling were all Bloodtalons.
* 5 - Someone (guessing the quickling) knew we were on the way to the third drop. It kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs to use as a waystation, hiding in plain sight? The orcs also used it as an alchemical lab, storehouse, and experimental lab. Note that they experimented with fungus as well as flesh transplants.
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider? Yet he does not help them at all at the actual drop locations.
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* <s>Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph</s>
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other Foundry entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?
* Destroy Outsider/Blacktusk bodies so they can't be reincarnated.
* Check on bodies we've left to see if they have been de-handed.
* Visit the orchard and see if the Acorn is still there.
* Try to capture a Bloodtusk orc and see what it knows? Doubt we can eliminate them since they are fighting the Blacktusks/Outsiders.

Investigations

2022-07-31T19:02:27Z

Treppa: /* Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's whelp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Invisible fey dude (Quickling) knew we were on the way to the second drop. It attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards. It also stole an ash drake egg, lured the adult egg to the location, and irritated the drake by insulting it while making it appear as if the party were speaking. The six orcs poisoned by the quickling were all Bloodtalons.
* 5 - Someone (guessing the quickling) knew we were on the way to the third drop. It kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs to use as a waystation, hiding in plain sight? The orcs also used it as an alchemical lab, storehouse, and experimental lab.
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider? Yet he does not help them at all at the actual drop locations.
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* <s>Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph</s>
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other Foundry entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?
* Destroy Outsider/Blacktusk bodies so they can't be reincarnated.
* Check on bodies we've left to see if they have been de-handed.
* Visit the orchard and see if the Acorn is still there.
* Try to capture a Bloodtusk orc and see what it knows? Doubt we can eliminate them since they are fighting the Blacktusks/Outsiders.

Investigations

2022-07-31T17:40:31Z

Treppa: /* Possible actions */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's whelp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Invisible fey dude (Quickling) knew we were on the way to the second drop. It attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards. It also stole an ash drake egg, lured the adult egg to the location, and irritated the drake by insulting it while making it appear as if the party were speaking. The six orcs poisoned by the quickling were all Bloodtalons.
* 5 - Someone (guessing the quickling) knew we were on the way to the third drop. It kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs to use as a waystation, hiding in plain sight?
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider? Yet he does not help them at all at the actual drop locations.
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* <s>Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph</s>
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other Foundry entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?
* Destroy Outsider/Blacktusk bodies so they can't be reincarnated.
* Check on bodies we've left to see if they have been de-handed.
* Visit the orchard and see if the Acorn is still there.
* Try to capture a Bloodtusk orc and see what it knows? Doubt we can eliminate them since they are fighting the Blacktusks/Outsiders.

Battles and enemies

2022-07-31T17:06:25Z

Treppa: Created page with "'''Fight at drop 1''' Blacktusk warband of the Outsiders * Leader: Half-orc follower of Szurial (Venak) * Leader's pet: Lizard-scaled cat thing * Lieutenant: Orc follower of Rull (?) (Thokk) * Mook orcs (4-6?) '''Dino fight''' * Leader: Quickling * Mooks: six velociraptors lured in by six dead Blacktusk orcs (no hands missing!) and bait in the signal fire * Outlier: Fairy dino who watched and ate, but did not mix it up with us * Drake: Ash drake who was lured by a stole..."

'''Fight at drop 1'''
Blacktusk warband of the Outsiders
* Leader: Half-orc follower of Szurial (Venak)
* Leader's pet: Lizard-scaled cat thing
* Lieutenant: Orc follower of Rull (?) (Thokk)
* Mook orcs (4-6?)

'''Dino fight'''
* Leader: Quickling
* Mooks: six velociraptors lured in by six dead Blacktusk orcs (no hands missing!) and bait in the signal fire
* Outlier: Fairy dino who watched and ate, but did not mix it up with us
* Drake: Ash drake who was lured by a stolen egg (broken) along with dragon roar signals from the fire

'''Fight at drop 2'''
* Leader: tiefling orc who does hurtful things, but needs potions for magic
* Partner: half-orc caster

Main Page

2022-07-31T16:59:33Z

Treppa: /* Campaign Information */

'''Welcome to the Heroes of Lastwall Pathfinder Campaign Wiki.'''

''The intent of this wiki is to provide all of the necessary and useful information for the party who are participating in the Heroes of Lastwall Pathfinder Campaign''

== Campaign Information ==

;* [[People]]
:These are the people in your neighbourhood, in your neighbourhood, in your neiighbooorhooood...
;* [[Locations]]
:See the world, they said... Go to exciting new places, learn new things - and try not to die.
;* [[Rumours/Stories]]
:Those little snippets of things that you heard that you think maybe - just maybe - could be important later
;* [[Campaign Journal]]
:As the Killers say: All the things that I've done. (I can't speak to whether you have soul or are, in fact, soldiers)
;* [[Investigations]]
:Things we have found in the Rustknoll adventure
;* [[Milestones]]
:Major events and happenings (index)
;* [[Battles and enemies]]
Who were our enemies in each fight?

== Mechanics ==
;* [[Build Rules]]
:Character creation guidelines
;* [[Campaign Traits]]
:Little things from your past.
;* [[House Rules]]
:A list of house rules, add-on rules and new traits, feats and spells.
;* [[GM Prefered Post Format]]
:A description of preferred format for posting, including bonus breakdowns, contingencies and languages.
;* [[New/Special Items]]
:Unique or "new" magic items, materials, etc.
;* [[GM Stuff]]
: Pregenerated Initiative and Perception Rolls, Status Blocks, that sort of thing.

== Links to the Game ==
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/discussion Discussion Thread]
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay Gameplay Thread]
* [https://app.roll20.net/campaigns/details/8352595/heroes-of-lastwall Roll20]

== External Links ==
* [http://www.archivesofnethys.com Archives of Nethys]
* [http://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Pathfinder_Wiki Setting Information (Pathfinder Wiki)]

Milestones

2022-07-31T16:57:40Z

Treppa: /* Starday, 28 Desnus, 4711 AR */

Investigations

2022-07-31T16:56:00Z

Treppa: /* Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's whelp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Invisible fey dude (Quickling) knew we were on the way to the second drop. It attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards. It also stole an ash drake egg, lured the adult egg to the location, and irritated the drake by insulting it while making it appear as if the party were speaking. The six orcs poisoned by the quickling were all Bloodtalons.
* 5 - Someone (guessing the quickling) knew we were on the way to the third drop. It kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs to use as a waystation, hiding in plain sight?
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider? Yet he does not help them at all at the actual drop locations.
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* <s>Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph</s>
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?

Investigations

2022-07-31T16:55:02Z

Treppa: /* Possible actions */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's whelp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Invisible fey dude (Quickling) knew we were on the way to the second drop. It attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards. It also stole an ash drake egg, lured the adult egg to the location, and irritated the drake by insulting it while making it appear as if the party were speaking. The six orcs poisoned by the quickling were all Bloodtalons.
* 5 - Someone (guessing the quickling) knew we were on the way to the third drop. It kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs?
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider?
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* <s>Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph</s>
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?

Investigations

2022-07-31T16:54:12Z

Treppa: /* The messages: */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's whelp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Invisible fey dude (Quickling) knew we were on the way to the second drop. It attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards. It also stole an ash drake egg, lured the adult egg to the location, and irritated the drake by insulting it while making it appear as if the party were speaking. The six orcs poisoned by the quickling were all Bloodtalons.
* 5 - Someone (guessing the quickling) knew we were on the way to the third drop. It kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs?
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider?
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?

Investigations

2022-07-31T16:32:02Z

Treppa: /* The attacks: */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's welp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Invisible fey dude (Quickling) knew we were on the way to the second drop. It attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards. It also stole an ash drake egg, lured the adult egg to the location, and irritated the drake by insulting it while making it appear as if the party were speaking. The six orcs poisoned by the quickling were all Bloodtalons.
* 5 - Someone (guessing the quickling) knew we were on the way to the third drop. It kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs?
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider?
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?

Investigations

2022-07-31T09:16:52Z

Treppa: /* The messages: */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Quick fey at the drake ambush'''
* You're better than they said. I won't underestimate you next time.
* (re Fiona) Turned her back on a dragon. Wow. Didn't expect that. Too bad the thing was too blinded by its rage to actually take advantage of that.
* You owe me for the bait, the signalsmoke, and the poison I used on the orcs. If you leave a handful of gold on the rocks, here, I won't have to come collect it from you later.
* I'll give you a hint: it's a simple Ventriloquism spell. Don't forget to leave my money on the rock.
* Oh, and go back to Lastwall, otherwise, I'll be seeing you all later... and I'll bring an even better surprise.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's welp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Invisible fey dude knew we were on the way to the second drop. It attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards. It also broke a drake egg, lured it to the location, and irritated the drake by insulting it while making it appear as if the party were speaking.
* 5 - Someone knew we were on the way to the third drop. They kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs?
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider?
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?

Investigations

2022-07-31T09:12:08Z

Treppa: /* Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's welp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Invisible fey dude knew we were on the way to the second drop. It attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards. It also broke a drake egg, lured it to the location, and irritated the drake by insulting it while making it appear as if the party were speaking.
* 5 - Someone knew we were on the way to the third drop. They kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs?
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most. He didn't want us getting to the Orc message drops, so he seems to be a friend to Outsiders. Maybe he's a reincarnated Outsider?
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?

Investigations

2022-07-31T09:01:47Z

Treppa: /* The attacks: */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's welp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Invisible fey dude knew we were on the way to the second drop. It attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards. It also broke a drake egg, lured it to the location, and irritated the drake by insulting it while making it appear as if the party were speaking.
* 5 - Someone knew we were on the way to the third drop. They kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs?
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so he could have prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most.
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?

Investigations

2022-07-31T08:18:45Z

Treppa: /* Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's welp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Someone knew we were on the way to the second drop. They attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards.
* 5 - Someone knew we were on the way to the third drop. They kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs?
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.
* An obnoxious, nearly invisible fey has been around the town, making trouble. What is his agenda? He was certainly capable of being hidden in the room when the party was planning next actions, so he could have prepared the dino and landshark traps for us. He messed with our weapons and spell component pouches before we would need them most.
* A fox paralleled us on the first part of our trip to the farmhouse. Sahar warned it off, and it seemed to understand and be offended.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?

Investigations

2022-07-31T08:02:15Z

Treppa: /* Assumptions and Speculations */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's welp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Someone knew we were on the way to the second drop. They attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards.
* 5 - Someone knew we were on the way to the third drop. They kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions, Questions, and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* Who rebuilt Asha's family's farmhouse? The orcs?
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?

People

2022-07-31T08:00:40Z

Treppa: /* Townies */

Investigations

2022-07-31T07:59:10Z

Treppa: /* The messages: */

==[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 In the past]==

A weak tribe, the Shattered Spear, "owned" the Rustknoll area. They vanished into Orcdeath cave.

Rickan and Hamish killed the warleaders and chiefs of the tribes that came to fill the vacuum, until only one tribe remained, the Bloodtalon. Rickan killed and the chief and shamed the next in line, Grolthk. He forced Grolth into an agreement to only raid the outlying targets, which were set up by the farmers. The orcs could preserve their token battles to win spoils, and the town kept its most precious posessions and its people. The Bloodtalon believe the area is cursed, and Grolthk and Rickan keep it that way. Things were in equilibrium for a while.

About a year and a half ago, Grolthk named Helgu, a masked witch doctor, the tribal shaman. The Bloodtalon started getting some real magic and were joined by a band of War Drummers. The tribe chafes under Grolthk and wants to do more than allowed. Also, the area looks good to outsiders, so Grolthk is pressured from inside and outside the tribe.

Another problem is a group of outcasts from the tribes. They have banded together and have the advantage of numbers, equipment, resilience, and organization. They may have a weapon cache or something that other orcs have not found, they are so well equipped. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#252 Rickan and friends are worried that they may have found another dwarven Foundry, since many of their weapons are dwarven.]

==What we have seen==

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=4#171 In The Grove:] A band of four orcbloods took down a war party of seven full orcs in a grove. The three survivors left a half-orc worshiper of Szuriel on a pyre, removing his right hand and apparently taking it.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=7#343 At Red Fox Drop:]Another band of five orcs and a half-orc were at the dead drop location to pick up or leave messages.

==What we have found==

'''At the Red Fox dead drop:'''
* A burrow covered by a rock.
* The rock is marked with a fire blast rune that would blast downward into the burrow, incinerating any flammable contents, as well as up into the air.
* A trap in the bottom of the burrow.
* 3 leather strips (40" long x 2" wide) marked with runes and symbols from various languages.
* The rock, when viewed through the smoked glass lens, had the a smeared thumbprint in a bluish-grey color
'''On the half-orc leader's (Venak's) person:'''

*[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#514 In one heel of a boot:]
** A small vial containing a [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#533 slightly grey, slightly thick fluid with a powerful, caustic smell.]
** A brush with short, sharp bristles
*In the heel of the other boot:
** A small vial [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#539of thin liquid with a violet color (ink?)]
** A tattooing needle
** A lens of smoked glass
* A belt covered with runes
** Looks like a substituion cypher, from strange runes to the dwarven alphabet
* A tattoo of a black stormcloud with a thunderhead.
* An invisible (except under the smoked glass) tattoo [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=11#545 of the claw/horn similar to the visible tattoo of the others.]
* A greatsword whose haft can be used as a message cylinder for the strips.
* [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=10#500 A black/grey fox pelt] with a map to a (dead drop?) location in the foothills
* A red fox pelt with a map to the dead drop location we raided
* A brown bear pelt with a map to a (dead drop?) farmstead. [https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 The maps are only visible using the smoked lens.]
'''On the second in command (Thrukk) and cannon fodder:'''
* A curved mark of a claw on their right forearms, about 3" long
'''[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=13#609 On Thrukk alone:]'''
* A belt with the same symbols in the same places as Venak's belt.
* An orc tusk necklace containing carvings of orcish runes for words paired with other runes that Lani identified as Aklo.
* An orc double-axe with the haft wrapped with rune-scribed leather strip. The haft can be used as a message cylinder.

=The dictionary:=
* Orc tusks - orcish symbols to Aklo symbols
**Dwarf
**Human
**Elf
**Orc
**Giant
**Beast
**Kill
**Find
**Get
**Hunt
**Bloodtalon
**Warband
**Witch
**Warrior
**Leader
**Magic
**Weapon
**Claw
**Fang
**Supplies
**Mine
**Farm
**Ore
**Black
**Green
**Red
**Blue
**Silver

=The messages:=

'''Leather Straps, from burrow'''
* 1 - Aklo: dwarf made contact - says the mine was collapsed, but there's another way in
* 2 - ?: a Runic Hammer in the deep forge. Take it, and all the ore you can carry.
* 3 - Skald: --- through the Clanhome, which was sealed but not collapsed --

'''Venak's/Thrukk's belt'''
* Key to substitution cipher

'''Thrukk's axe haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Rull, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Venak's greatsword haft wrapping'''
* Prayer to Szuriel, consecrating weapon and kills to them

'''Note at Taran's addressed to "The girl from the Stable"'''
* Address writing was in the forest language - Sylvan?
* Inside was a magic mouth delivering a message: "First and final warning. Go back now before you start getting in the way and I'm still feeling playful."
* Fiona surmises it is from a fae creature that she spotted in the stable during the night.

'''Three straps from Asha's kitchen table'''
* Heart of the Forest unusable - broken by Bloodtalon
* Caught a shaman's welp trying to bleed it, killed them all
* Lost Mozark -- preserved hand, still whole week since we left it

'''Five straps from Asha's kitchen table, wavy mirror, red script'''
* Warning: contact says Lastwall sending warband
* Start raiding farms -- make messes, plant gloves
* Will be well rewarded for giving up trophies
* Should keep humans busy and looking in wrong place
* Farms have stump-powder, take, will blast through collapse

=The attacks:=

'''Rustknoll'''
* 1 - Magic mouth note to Xia, first and last warning to go away.
* 2 - Rickan's cellar: cat was dead with a blade wound in its side.The cellar was splashed with mold. The cat had mold in its mouth and throat (did it eat some?), skin blistered around the puncture site, thin-seeming blood, and lungs full of bloody foam - lots of poisons or venoms will do that. Rickan has a cough from the mold and a spider bite on his leg (possibly irrelevant). Scraping the mold left a very sticky black goo on blades, probably alchemical. The goo may have been an accelerant for mold growth or the cause of it. There were bits of food and fruit in the sludge, revealed by Xia's purify food and drink - an alchemical component? Maybe that's why the cat nibbled on the sludge - it smelled like food? Multiple jars of preserves had popped lids, more than usual in a batch. The day before, Norfin had been yelling at Rickan to hurry from the top of the stairs, but did not come down. Rickan said the cat was asleep when he was there, and Norfin never came down.
* 3 - Evil rumors of cat sacrifice. The cat was put into a bucket of disinfectant and buried in it, so how did anyone know the cat was autopsied unless they were there (invisible - fey?) or dug up the cat (Norfin?)
* 4 - Someone knew we were on the way to the second drop. They attracted and riled up the raptor lizards during our trip, so we'd be met by angry lizards.
* 5 - Someone knew we were on the way to the third drop. They kidnapped a shepherd lad and used him to bait in the landsharks and to force us to go in and save him, exposing us to the sharks.

=Assumptions and Speculations=
* The Outcasts are well organized and operate in bands led by a half orc
* The half-orc is trusted (the second may be?) to fetch and read messages. So far, the half-orcs we've found have been Szuriel, Horseman of War, worshipers, while some orcs worship Rull the Thunderer. Szuriel loves wars and battles, but good ones, not pointless brawls. Are the Outsider leaders studying strategies and tactics as part of their Szuriel worship?
* The Outcasts operate through a series of dead drops to exchange information. Hamish believes the Outsiders are working in bands, searching for the mines and Runic Hammer. He thinks they may use the dead drops to communicate between bands.
* A dwarf is helping the orcs (!?!)
* The dwarf/Outcast team has found the "Deep Forge" - another dwarven Foundry?
* The Deep Forge contains a runic hammer that the orcs want
* The Deep Forge has ore the orcs want
* A mine used to lead in to the Deep Forge but has collapsed. There is another way in through a Dwarven Clanhold that is lost. The Outsiders are searching for it.
* The invisible tattoo on the half-orc might have something to do with deactivating the dead drop fire blast rune. We did it a different way.
* Hey... why Aklo?
* H&R have the flayed tattoos. Rickan says one looks like something on an old pirate flag they found in Lake Encarthan.

=Possible actions=
* <s>Find and raid the remaining dead drop</s>
* <s>Decipher the third strap and check the belt and haft wrap (we may not have looked at Venak's weapon wrap</s>
* <s>Have Rickan and Hamish look at the tattoos and other markings we brought back</s>
* <s>Have R&H look at the markings on the rune straps</s>
* <s>Scribe a map on a pelt using the invisible ink and drop it near a dead drop - maybe decoy an orc party into an ambush?</s> Merlan made up a message on blank straps that we dropped into the Landshark Drop.
* <s>Figure out what the acid is used for. Maybe that would have deactivated the glyph (brushed into the rock with the bristle brush?)</s> Used to "erase" and reuse straps.
* Tattoo Merlan with the invisible ink and see if that unlocks the blast glyph
* We know where the collapse is from Rickan - 12-13 hours NE from the village. Rickan seems uneasy about Orcdeath Cave. Orcs planning to blast through the collapse - should we do something about that?
* The other entrance is through a Dwarven Clanhold, which is NOT collapsed. We don't know where this one is - try to find it somehow. Captured orc said his group was looking for minecart rails to lead them to the entrance. Look for rails?

Investigations

2022-07-31T07:36:49Z

Treppa: /* Assumptions and Speculations */

Investigations

2022-07-31T07:21:47Z

Treppa: /* Assumptions and Speculations */

Investigations

2022-07-31T07:12:51Z

Treppa: /* The dictionary: */

Investigations

2022-07-31T07:11:38Z

Treppa: /* The messages: */

Investigations

2022-07-31T07:07:24Z

Treppa: /* The messages: */

Investigations

2022-07-31T06:32:28Z

Treppa: /* The messages: */

Rustknoll

2022-07-31T05:22:51Z

Treppa: /* Surrounding Area */

Rustknoll is a small settlement a day's ride southwest of Castle Firrine.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay#40 Kaltnun's introduction]

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#263 First Contact]

== Background ==
Rustknoll is one of the settlements along the ill-defined border between Belkzen and Lastwall. It is a tiny and independent farming community headed by [[Rickan]], a former adventurer who fell in love with a local girl and decided to retire there.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 Rickan and Hamish were interested in this wide spot in the road], where old dwarven buildings survived, obviously for a much larger town than Rustknoll. Some of the ruins have been reclaimed for use in Rustknoll's current building.

Rustknoll survived by coming to an agreement with the weakest of the local orc bands, helping them become dominant in the area, and leaving tributes of foodstuffs for the orcs to "raid" and take, while the town and its people were left intact.

Recently, that tribe has been disrupted by outsiders. Orc raids have become real, and more seems to be going on in the background.

== Facilities ==

*[[Assorted Goods]] The town's general store, run by Rickan and Asha.
*[[Blackened Shoe]] Livery stable and forge, run by Byrn..
*[[Feather and Tankard]] Taran's Tavern, food, drink, lodging, and baths.
*[[Hamish's Place]] Home and working are of the town's informal schoolmaster, who teaches the local farm children over the winter.

== Surrounding Area ==
* Foundries - Ancient Dwarven homes and foundries.
**First Foundry - Ironhearth Foundry? - is known, and currently not in the hands of orcs. Its occupants are a cult named the Steel Eaters.
**Second Foundry is being sought by the orcs, who already have some arms of Dwarven make. They know of one opening, but the entrance is blocked by a major rockfall. There is a second entrance that is currently undiscovered.
* Orcish dead drops
** [[Asha]]'s Farmstead - Around 1-1/2 leagues from Redknoll, this farmstead was raided by orcs and burned to the ground. When the party visited that drop, it was mostly rebuilt... but by who? By whom? Drop was in farmhouse kitchen table. Farmhouse was guarded by bear traps and more!

== Mission ==
The party's mission is to help the community as needed against the orcs without disrupting what remains of the balance, to win hearts and minds, and possibly convince them to fly the banner of Lastwall again.

Rustknoll

2022-07-31T04:36:17Z

Treppa: /* Background */

Rustknoll is a small settlement a day's ride southwest of Castle Firrine.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay#40 Kaltnun's introduction]

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#263 First Contact]

== Background ==
Rustknoll is one of the settlements along the ill-defined border between Belkzen and Lastwall. It is a tiny and independent farming community headed by [[Rickan]], a former adventurer who fell in love with a local girl and decided to retire there.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#280 Rickan and Hamish were interested in this wide spot in the road], where old dwarven buildings survived, obviously for a much larger town than Rustknoll. Some of the ruins have been reclaimed for use in Rustknoll's current building.

Rustknoll survived by coming to an agreement with the weakest of the local orc bands, helping them become dominant in the area, and leaving tributes of foodstuffs for the orcs to "raid" and take, while the town and its people were left intact.

Recently, that tribe has been disrupted by outsiders. Orc raids have become real, and more seems to be going on in the background.

== Facilities ==

*[[Assorted Goods]] The town's general store, run by Rickan and Asha.
*[[Blackened Shoe]] Livery stable and forge, run by Byrn..
*[[Feather and Tankard]] Taran's Tavern, food, drink, lodging, and baths.
*[[Hamish's Place]] Home and working are of the town's informal schoolmaster, who teaches the local farm children over the winter.

== Surrounding Area ==
* Foundries - Ancient Dwarven homes and foundries.
**First Foundry is known, and currently not in the hands of orcs. Its occupants are a cult named the Steel Eaters.
**Second Foundry is being sought by the orcs, who already have some arms of Dwarven make. They know of one opening, but the entrance is blocked by a major rockfall. There is a second entrance that is currently undiscovered.
* Orcish dead drops
** [[Asha]]'s Farmstead - Around 1-1/2 leagues from Redknoll, this farmstead was raided by orcs and burned to the ground. When the party visited that drop, it was mostly rebuilt... but by who? By whom? Drop was in farmhouse kitchen table. Farmhouse was guarded by bear traps and more!

== Mission ==
The party's mission is to help the community as needed against the orcs without disrupting what remains of the balance, to win hearts and minds, and possibly convince them to fly the banner of Lastwall again.

Investigations

2022-07-31T04:34:28Z

Treppa: /* In the past */

People

2022-07-31T04:30:38Z

Treppa: /* Rustknoll */

== [[Castle Firrine]] ==

=== Leadership ===
* [[Lord Kalthun]], Commander of Firrine
* [[Marquan]], Advisor to Kalthun, Cleric of Erastil
* [[Marina Savenko]], High Clerist of the Fortress, Inquisitor of Iomedae
* [[Tessara Elfblood]], High Arcanist of the Fortress (and [[Tarynal Leafstitcher]], her Familiar)
* [[Mother Brydia]], Cleric of Iomedae
* [[Abroshthoren Beancount]], Quartermaster
* [[Sauman Keystone]], Justicar of Abadar

=== Craftsmen/Shopkeepers ===
* [[Glabren Brimstone]], owner of ''[[Infernal Cures]]''
* [[Kilthana Stoneheart]], owner of ''[[Shieldmaiden's]]''
* [[Zatquilamaneer Blacklung]], owner of ''[[Blacklung's Blades]]''
* [[Yamyra Jinx]], owner of ''[[Happy Accidents]]''
* [[Fellet Wintsson]], Moneychanger
* [[Aemira Fellwind]], owner of ''Amber Dragon Inn''
* [[Drewan Blackpaw]], owner of ''[[Inheritor's Light]]'' (General Store)

== [[Rustknoll]] ==

=== People ===

==== Townies ====
* [[Rickan]], Human, Hero, apparent leader, and shopkeeper of the settlement (Assorted Goods)
* [[Bryn]], Human, Blacksmith and part-time stable keeper at the Blackened Shoe
* [[Hamish]], Dwarf, Schoolmaster and caretaker for the farmers' children.
* [[Taran]], Dwarf, Innkeeper of the Feather and Tankard (Taran's Tavern)
* [[Norfin]], Human, Taran's sinister handyman and assistant
* [[Daven]], Half-elf, Watchman and night patrol
* [[Shala]], One of Hamish's pupils
* [[Asha]], lives with Rickan (Rickan's mate? unmet to date)

==== Local orc tribe, the Bloodtalon. Had a long accommodation with the local humans. ====
* [[Grolthk]], leader of the tribe
* [[Helgu]], masked witch doctor - trouble started after he came to some power in the tribe.
* Outcasts think Bloodtalon were trying to steal the magic from the magical acorn.

==== The Outcasts (?) ====
* Killed Bloodtalon in the grove even the Bloodtalon had double their number.
* [[Mozark]] was a half-orc of some prestige (cleric of Szuriel) in this tribe but was killed at the grove.
* No nore names, but we suspect they operate in bands led by a half-orc and are the ones using the dead drops.
* Took Mozark's left hand with them.

==== Others ====
* Unknown orc contact in Rustknoll. Dwarf? Someone is providing info to the orcs about the party's movement.
* Some cult was around 13 years ago. Orcs kidnapped Asha wanting a pure maiden to sell to this cult.

Rustknoll

2022-07-31T04:27:52Z

Treppa: /* Background */

Rustknoll is a small settlement a day's ride southwest of Castle Firrine.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay#40 Kaltnun's introduction]

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#263 First Contact]

== Background ==
Rustknoll is one of the settlements along the ill-defined border between Belkzen and Lastwall. It is a tiny and independent farming community headed by [[Rickan]], a former adventurer who fell in love with a local girl and decided to retire there.

Rickan and [[Hamish]] were interested in this wide point in the road, where old dwarven buildings survived, obviously for a much larger town than Rustknoll. Some of the ruins have been reclaimed for use in Rustknoll's current building.

Rustknoll survived by coming to an agreement with the weakest of the local orc bands, helping them become dominant in the area, and leaving tributes of foodstuffs for the orcs to "raid" and take, while the town and its people were left intact.

Recently, that tribe has been disrupted by outsiders. Orc raids have become real, and more seems to be going on in the background.

== Facilities ==

*[[Assorted Goods]] The town's general store, run by Rickan and Asha.
*[[Blackened Shoe]] Livery stable and forge, run by Byrn..
*[[Feather and Tankard]] Taran's Tavern, food, drink, lodging, and baths.
*[[Hamish's Place]] Home and working are of the town's informal schoolmaster, who teaches the local farm children over the winter.

== Surrounding Area ==
* Foundries - Ancient Dwarven homes and foundries.
**First Foundry is known, and currently not in the hands of orcs. Its occupants are a cult named the Steel Eaters.
**Second Foundry is being sought by the orcs, who already have some arms of Dwarven make. They know of one opening, but the entrance is blocked by a major rockfall. There is a second entrance that is currently undiscovered.
* Orcish dead drops
** [[Asha]]'s Farmstead - Around 1-1/2 leagues from Redknoll, this farmstead was raided by orcs and burned to the ground. When the party visited that drop, it was mostly rebuilt... but by who? By whom? Drop was in farmhouse kitchen table. Farmhouse was guarded by bear traps and more!

== Mission ==
The party's mission is to help the community as needed against the orcs without disrupting what remains of the balance, to win hearts and minds, and possibly convince them to fly the banner of Lastwall again.

Rustknoll

2022-07-31T04:25:01Z

Treppa: /* Surrounding Area */

Rustknoll is a small settlement a day's ride southwest of Castle Firrine.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay#40 Kaltnun's introduction]

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#263 First Contact]

== Background ==
Rustknoll is one of the settlements along the ill-defined border between Belkzen and Lastwall. It is a tiny and independent farming community headed by [[Rickan]], a former adventurer who fell in love with a local girl and decided to retire there.

Rustknoll survived by coming to an agreement with the weakest of the local orc bands, helping them become dominant in the area, and leaving tributes of foodstuffs for the orcs to "raid" and take, while the town and its people were left intact.

Recently, that tribe has been disrupted by outsiders. Orc raids have become real, and more seems to be going on in the background.

== Facilities ==

*[[Assorted Goods]] The town's general store, run by Rickan and Asha.
*[[Blackened Shoe]] Livery stable and forge, run by Byrn..
*[[Feather and Tankard]] Taran's Tavern, food, drink, lodging, and baths.
*[[Hamish's Place]] Home and working are of the town's informal schoolmaster, who teaches the local farm children over the winter.

== Surrounding Area ==
* Foundries - Ancient Dwarven homes and foundries.
**First Foundry is known, and currently not in the hands of orcs. Its occupants are a cult named the Steel Eaters.
**Second Foundry is being sought by the orcs, who already have some arms of Dwarven make. They know of one opening, but the entrance is blocked by a major rockfall. There is a second entrance that is currently undiscovered.
* Orcish dead drops
** [[Asha]]'s Farmstead - Around 1-1/2 leagues from Redknoll, this farmstead was raided by orcs and burned to the ground. When the party visited that drop, it was mostly rebuilt... but by who? By whom? Drop was in farmhouse kitchen table. Farmhouse was guarded by bear traps and more!

== Mission ==
The party's mission is to help the community as needed against the orcs without disrupting what remains of the balance, to win hearts and minds, and possibly convince them to fly the banner of Lastwall again.

Rustknoll

2022-07-31T04:24:30Z

Treppa: /* Mission */

Rustknoll is a small settlement a day's ride southwest of Castle Firrine.

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay#40 Kaltnun's introduction]

[https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivlfk/gameplay&page=6#263 First Contact]

== Background ==
Rustknoll is one of the settlements along the ill-defined border between Belkzen and Lastwall. It is a tiny and independent farming community headed by [[Rickan]], a former adventurer who fell in love with a local girl and decided to retire there.

Rustknoll survived by coming to an agreement with the weakest of the local orc bands, helping them become dominant in the area, and leaving tributes of foodstuffs for the orcs to "raid" and take, while the town and its people were left intact.

Recently, that tribe has been disrupted by outsiders. Orc raids have become real, and more seems to be going on in the background.

== Facilities ==

*[[Assorted Goods]] The town's general store, run by Rickan and Asha.
*[[Blackened Shoe]] Livery stable and forge, run by Byrn..
*[[Feather and Tankard]] Taran's Tavern, food, drink, lodging, and baths.
*[[Hamish's Place]] Home and working are of the town's informal schoolmaster, who teaches the local farm children over the winter.

== Surrounding Area ==
* Foundries - Ancient Dwarven homes and foundries.
**First Foundry is known, and currently not in the hands of orcs. Its occupants are a cult named the Steel Eaters.
**Second Foundry is being sought by the orcs, who already have some arms of Dwarven make. They know of one opening, but the entrance is blocked by a major rockfall. There is a second entrance that is currently undiscovered.
* Orcish dead drops
** [[Asha]]'s Farmstead - Around 1-1/2 leagues from Redknoll, this farmstead was raided by orcs and burned to the ground. When the party visited that drop, it was mostly rebuilt... but by who? Drop was in farmhouse kitchen table. Farmhouse was guarded by bear traps and more!

== Mission ==
The party's mission is to help the community as needed against the orcs without disrupting what remains of the balance, to win hearts and minds, and possibly convince them to fly the banner of Lastwall again.

Locations

2022-07-30T20:20:50Z

Treppa: /* Surrounding Area (Other) */

== Within [https://pathfinder.fandom.com/wiki/Lastwall Lastwall] ==
* [https://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Vigil Vigil]
* [[Castle Firrine]]

== Within The [https://pathfinder.fandom.com/wiki/Hold_of_Belkzen Hold of Belkzen] ==

* [http://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Hordeline Hordeline]
* [http://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Sunwall Sunwall]
* [https://pathfinder.fandom.com/wiki/Freedom_Town Freedom Town]
* [[Rustknoll]]

== Surrounding Area (Other) ==
* Foundries - Ancient Dwarven homes and foundries.
**First Foundry is known, and currently not in the hands of orcs. Its occupants are a cult named the Steel Eaters.
**Second Foundry is being sought by the orcs, who already have some arms of Dwarven make. They know of one opening, but the entrance is blocked by a major rockfall. There is a second entrance that is currently undiscovered.