Round 9, Init 21
Spasi casts Magic Missile at the horse...because, really, screw that horse.
force damage
SR check
4th: 3/4 (Telekinetic Charge*2,DDoor)
3rd: 4/7 (See Invis (ext),fireball*3)
2nd: 0/8 ( )
1st: 2/8 (MageArmor,Snowball,MMissile)
Wand of Magic Missile 38/50 CL 9 left
Wand of False Life, CL10 3 left
Wand of Dim Door 1 left
Wand of Fly 6 left
Arcane Bolt: (2/10) used ranged touch; damage.
Round 9, Initiative: 17
Weapon Equipped = Backup Longbow (-1/-2) (Longbow on the floor with the hounds)
Cold Iron Arrows = 54/67
Silver Blunt Arrows = 16/16
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 16/16
Ghost Salted Arrows = 16/16
Reptile Bane Arrows = 5/5
Bardic Performance = 12/22 (+2 round lingering, move action)
Boots of Speed = 5/10 (+1 attack, +1 bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves)
Shard Major Image = 1/1
LoreMaster = 1/1 (take-20 on any knowledge check)
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +7/2, Dex +4, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +2, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -2)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +3, Bow +2, (Deadly Aim +4)
Bard Spells: (CL 9, Con: +12, SR +11, DC: 13+)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) (5/5) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Timely Inspiration, Unseen Servant
2) (3/4) Calm Emotions, Cure Moderate Wounds, Glitterdust, Heroism
3) (1/2) Dispel Magic, Haste
Bibic stops inspiring courage (though it continues to function 2 more rounds) as he fires arrow after arrow at the awful rider or the awful horse - whoever is still standing when it’s his turn to act.
Rhesus knocks the horseman from his steed and the creature does not rise. A faint wail rises up, as if from the land itself, to mark the master's passing.
The Rider's vile steed cannot withstand the concentrated focus of the party's ire and at last it topples beneath Bibic's final arrow. In death it dissipates into a grey fog and is gone.
The keep still awaits, dark and foreboding, for your return.
Bibic walks up, casting detect magic and identifying the items. "Now that's a nasty flail." he remarks, almost wishing he could use it with regularity.
He replenishes his arrows, uses a few potions for healing (and the wand too if I need to), and is ready to return to the keep with the others.
Rhesus nods grimly then spits where the horse fell.
"That damned thing hurt. Clem you ok buddy?"
Spasi hoots happily as Rhesus and Bibs take down the creature.
"Oh yeah, now that was a fight! That was a good one!" Spasi says. "You guys should have seen your faces when those dogs started barking! You guys shoulda seen your faces!!! HAHA HAHA! I almost died." Spasi gets more serious. "I almost died."
Spasi looks frightened on his own for a moment, as if that moment really did scare him and shuts up, no longer laughing.
He's quite somber as he ID's the magic items.
"Wasn't so funny when you all left me alone."
Clem's face twists as Spasi examines the flail.
"Ugh, wonder what that came from... doesn't even look human. Some sort of devil?"
Clement applies some of his healing to Rhesus, but accepts Bibic's offer of employing a wand in order to conserve what spells he has remaining.
You return to the macabre dining hall. The double doors that the Rider opened with his entrance stand open, the room beyond beckoning. There are also two other closed doors leading out of this room.
Rhesus nods as his wounds are closed and takes extra time to smash any corpses.
"Sometimes they come back ya know."
Smiling as his wounds close, Rhesus pushes forward into the room the Rider came from.
"Let's see what we've got here."
"Not sure we can really use any of this, but I bet that flail will fetch some good money back in the Maga," Spasi grumbles, still annoyed at being left alone as he IDs and collects the gear from the Rider.
When Rhesus moves on, Spasi follows.
"Maybe we want to sleep before we move on? That stable looked pretty comfortable."
Clement shrugs.
"I think we're almost done here right? There can't be anything worse than that rider when it comes to 'Reese standing around and taking a beating."
Clement grins at Rhesus, and quickly adds, "those last two.. would a simple sidestep have hindered your swings that much?"
Clement demonstrates how one might take a sidestep to avoid a critical wound from a mounted knight, somewhat unsure if Rhesus actually "gets" his point.
Bibic puts his bow away and collects his favorite off the ground when they return. Keeping it at the ready, he follows Spasi following Rhesus into C16.
A raised, circula pool like well, ready to overflow, stands in the center of this room, the blue liquid inside too vibrantly colored to be water. The rest of the room is blank and empty, and the whole place hums with a barely heard vibration. A pair of imposing iron doors stands in the wall opposite you.
A voice calls out from the emptiness, "You were warned, and now you must die" It is Maligast, the undead scholar.
Combat
16 Bibic
13+ Baddy
13- Spasi
8+ Rhesus
8- Clement
Round 1, Initiative: 16
Weapon Equipped = Longbow
Cold Iron Arrows = 54/67
Silver Blunt Arrows = 16/16
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 16/16
Ghost Salted Arrows = 16/16
Reptile Bane Arrows = 5/5
Bardic Performance = 11/22 (+2 round lingering, move action)
Boots of Speed = 5/10 (+1 attack, +1 bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves)
Shard Major Image = 1/1
LoreMaster = 1/1 (take-20 on any knowledge check)
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +7/2, Dex +4, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +2, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -2)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +3, Bow +2, (Deadly Aim +4)
Bard Spells: (CL 9, Con: +12, SR +11, DC: 13+)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) (5/5) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Timely Inspiration, Unseen Servant
2) (3/4) Calm Emotions, Cure Moderate Wounds, Glitterdust, Heroism
3) (0/2) Dispel Magic, Haste
Not liking the sound of that, but not seeing an opponent either, Bibic prepares the party. He steps up (5’ step), begins inspiring courage (move) and casts Haste (standard).
”I think it is you who shall be destroyed this day, not us.” he shouts back at the darkness.
The undead creature pops back into view, as it casts Dismissal on Rhesus.
Rhesus sidesteps the spell, right into his home plane.
Round 2, Initiative: 16
Weapon Equipped = Longbow
Cold Iron Arrows = 50/67
Silver Blunt Arrows = 16/16
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 16/16
Ghost Salted Arrows = 16/16
Reptile Bane Arrows = 5/5
Bardic Performance = 10/22 (+2 round lingering, move action)
Boots of Speed = 5/10 (+1 attack, +1 bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves)
Shard Major Image = 1/1
LoreMaster = 1/1 (take-20 on any knowledge check)
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +7/2, Dex +4, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +2, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -2)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +3, Bow +2, (Deadly Aim +4)
Bard Spells: (CL 9, Con: +12, SR +11, DC: 13+)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) (5/5) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Timely Inspiration, Unseen Servant
2) (3/4) Calm Emotions, Cure Moderate Wounds, Glitterdust, Heroism
3) (0/2) Dispel Magic, Haste
He worries about Rhesus, but cannot help him, so he draws arrow after arrow and tries to drop the fell creature before it happens again!
Round 1, Init 13-
"Get it, Rhesus!" Spasi hears the voice and knows, just *knows* that Rhese will clobber the smug out of it without a doubt. However, he quickly realizes that Rhese has been sent back to...someplace. "Ah, piddlespot."
Is there a plane where angry thugs come from?
Spasi shrugs and begins a full round cast.
4th: 4/4 (Telekinetic Charge*2,DDoor,SMIV)
3rd: 4/7 (See Invis (ext),fireball*3)
2nd: 0/8 ( )
1st: 2/8 (MageArmor,Snowball,MMissile)
Wand of Magic Missile 38/50 CL 9 left
Wand of False Life, CL10 3 left
Wand of Dim Door 1 left
Wand of Fly 6 left
Arcane Bolt: (2/10) used ranged touch; damage.
Clement shouts out to Rhesus as Maligast appears to engage them.
"Duuuuuck!"
As Rhesus winks out of view, Clement's mouth hangs open.
"Crap..."
Knowing they have their work cut out for them, Clement works up a spell of his own.
Clement then moves to spreads out, worried a spell may target the entire group.
Two of Bibic's arrows sink into the undead flesh, but seem to have little effect.
Maligast manages to shield his eyes from Clement's spell, but the holy brilliance still burns him.
The creature laughs and begins to sling some spells:
It launches a lightning bolt at Clement:
And uses a quickened Magic missile to try to disrupt Spasi:
Ac27
Hps: 104/120
F+7/R+7/W+11
Round 3, Initiative: 16
Weapon Equipped = Longbow
Cold Iron Arrows = 50/67
Silver Blunt Arrows = 16/16
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 16/16
Ghost Salted Arrows = 16/16
Reptile Bane Arrows = 5/5
Bardic Performance = 9/22 (+2 round lingering, move action)
Boots of Speed = 5/10 (+1 attack, +1 bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves)
Shard Major Image = 1/1
LoreMaster = 1/1 (take-20 on any knowledge check)
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +7/2, Dex +4, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +2, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -2)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +3, Bow +2, (Deadly Aim +4)
Bard Spells: (CL 9, Con: +12, SR +11, DC: 13+)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) (5/5) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Timely Inspiration, Unseen Servant
2) (3/4) Calm Emotions, Cure Moderate Wounds, Glitterdust, Heroism
3) (0/2) Dispel Magic, Haste
Bibic tries to get a feel for his opponent. (+7 more if knowledge arcana)
Bibic continues to inspire courage, and fires as though his life depended on it - and it probably does!
Round 2, Init 13-
Concentration vs. DC (10+16+4)
The archons shoot the lich-thing, dancing to the beat of Bibic.
touch to hit;
light damage;
touch to hit;
light damage;
touch to hit;
light damage;
touch to hit;
light damage;
For his own standard action, Spasi will offer the lich-thing a middle finger, having completed his spell and waits for the lich-thing to cast again so he might try to interrupt it's casting with a spell of his own.
damage;
SR check
Archon CR 2
XP —
LG Small outsider (archon, extraplanar, good, lawful)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +4 Aura aura of menace (DC 13)
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+4 natural, +1 size; +2 deflect vs. evil)
hp 13 [17] (2d10+2) [2d10+6]
Fort +4 [+6], Ref +3, Will +0; +4 vs. poison, +2 resistance vs. evil
DR 10/evil; Immune electricity, petrification
OFFENSE
Speed fly 60 ft. (perfect)
Ranged 2 light rays +3 ranged touch (1d6)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd):
At Will—aid, continual flame, detect evil, greater teleport (self plus 50 lbs. of objects only)
4th: 4/4 (Telekinetic Charge*2,DDoor,SMIV)
3rd: 4/7 (See Invis (ext),fireball*3)
2nd: 0/8 ( )
1st: 4/8 (MageArmor,Snowball,MMissile*2)
Wand of Magic Missile 38/50 CL 9 left
Wand of False Life, CL10 3 left
Wand of Dim Door 1 left
Wand of Fly 6 left
Arcane Bolt: (2/10) used ranged touch; damage.
Clement leaps as the lightning ripples through his body then looks down at his wounds.
"Hey! That's not as bad as the usual scratches that Rhesus usually takes!"
Shrugging, Clement closes on the wizard while brandishing his dagger.
for
Bibic remembers that liches are mostly bone, and decides to try using his blunt arrows. Several arrows bring the pain. Spasi's glowing friend's lasers all miss, but his spell does some work. Clement's stab connects, but does little damage.
Maligast reaches out a skeletal hand to grip Clement:
Ac27
Hps: 49/120
F+7/R+7/W+11
Spasi hopes Bibic can do some good shooting.
Round 4, Initiative: 16
Weapon Equipped = Longbow
Cold Iron Arrows = 54/67
Silver Blunt Arrows = 8/16
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 16/16
Ghost Salted Arrows = 16/16
Reptile Bane Arrows = 5/5
Bardic Performance = 8/22 (+2 round lingering, move action)
Boots of Speed = 5/10 (+1 attack, +1 bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves)
Shard Major Image = 1/1
LoreMaster = 1/1 (take-20 on any knowledge check)
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +7/2, Dex +4, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +2, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -2)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +3, Bow +2, (Deadly Aim +4)
Bard Spells: (CL 9, Con: +12, SR +11, DC: 13+)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) (5/5) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Timely Inspiration, Unseen Servant
2) (3/4) Calm Emotions, Cure Moderate Wounds, Glitterdust, Heroism
3) (0/2) Dispel Magic, Haste
Bibic continues to inspire courage, and fires only blunt arrows, though his supply of those is meager. He hopes it will be enough!
”Blunt everyone, it takes blunt to fully harm it! Damn bones…”
Mid-stab, Clement suddenly freezes, his eyes darting to Spasi and Bibic for help.
Round 3, Init 13-
The archons shoot the lich-thing, dancing to the beat of Bibic.
touch to hit;
light damage;
touch to hit;
light damage;
touch to hit;
light damage;
touch to hit;
light damage;
damage;
Archon CR 2
XP —
LG Small outsider (archon, extraplanar, good, lawful)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +4 Aura aura of menace (DC 13)
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+4 natural, +1 size; +2 deflect vs. evil)
hp 13 [17] (2d10+2) [2d10+6]
Fort +4 [+6], Ref +3, Will +0; +4 vs. poison, +2 resistance vs. evil
DR 10/evil; Immune electricity, petrification
OFFENSE
Speed fly 60 ft. (perfect)
Ranged 2 light rays +3 ranged touch (1d6)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd):
At Will—aid, continual flame, detect evil, greater teleport (self plus 50 lbs. of objects only)
4th: 4/4 (Telekinetic Charge*2,DDoor,SMIV)
3rd: 4/7 (See Invis (ext),fireball*3)
2nd: 0/8 ( )
1st: 4/8 (MageArmor,Snowball,MMissile*2)
Wand of Magic Missile 37/50 CL 9 left
Wand of False Life, CL10 3 left
Wand of Dim Door 1 left
Wand of Fly 6 left
Arcane Bolt: (2/10) used ranged touch; damage.
Bibic's arrows chip away at Maligast and second light barrage from Spasi's helpful outsiders slice into the lich. He lets out a wail and stiffens. Before your eyes, he loses color and definition until only a rough likeness of snow and ice stands before you. It topples over into a pile of quickly evaporating slush.
An ornately carved set of double doors leads to the pinnacle of this odd keep.
Bibic looks at Clement and looks at Spasi. "Don't look at me. I'm the lessor restoration guy. I've a number of scrolls and potions, but Clement is the one who might be able to heal this particular affliction. I cannot."
He checks the area for magic, casting Detect Magic.
"I think we gather whatever loot it might have, and we carry Clement out of here to be fixed up. Maybe see where Rhesus went off to. I don't think we can press on ourselves..." he shrugs.
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Spasi walks up to Clem, looking at Clem, then at Bibic.
"What do you mean? What's wrong with him?" Spasi asks Bibic. Spasi touches, then pushes Clem, trying to get a reaction.
Heal
Spasi sticks his pinky in Clem's ear, trying to get a temperature reading.
"It's probably gout. That's my guess. Or maybe he thought he saw Noya and is standing still so he's not spotted. I dunno," Spasi says, pulling out Clem's tongue and checking for puffiness.
"You think this is a curse, huh? Might have just the thing here." Spasi rustles up a scroll.
"I'm sure this will do the trick. Totally sure. No problem...lemme see here...huh...okay..."
Spasi reads the remove curse spell from the scroll.
CL check
Spasi looks to see if Clem comes back. If Clem comes back, Spasi will do some general scouting around while waiting for Clem to recover.
"Maybe we should wait for the night, see if Rhese comes back? Right?"
"Well, I dunno where Rhesus is... he could be far away indeed. We could spend the night, see if he meets back up with us." he looks around uneasily, "But are we safe here?"
"The stable looked somewhat safe. Plus it has hay. Hay is good," Spasi comments, hoping Clem can agree.
Clement blinks a few times before looking at Spasi.
"I... I thought I was being sent to where Rhesus went, but nothing happened."
Clement scratches his leg, having identified the need to itch several places once he could no longer move in order to perform the requisite scratching.
"We could double back, try to cut the distance to reunite with Rhesus in half?"
"Nah," Spasi says lazily, because effort is hard. "We should wait for him to come to us. We don't know where he is and searching for him could be hard. We should rest and hope for the best."
Spasi yawns tiredly.
"I'm sure he's fine. He's totally not in the astral plane without at sword that severs the silver cord, so he's *fine."
At first glance, spy eyes appear to be cat's-eye marbles. When activated,. each comes to life and blinks, transforming into an eyeball. When pressed against an inanimate surface (such as a wall or article of clothing), the eyeball absorbs into it, leaving a magical sensor of the same size on the surface. Anyone holding an eye from a particular cluster of spy eyes can share the view from any other eye in the cluster as if that eye were her own, provided she is within 10 miles of that sensor. To recover a sensor, she can press a spy eye she holds from the same cluster against the one that's in the sensor form to make the sensor emerge and return to marble form.
A single bag of spy eyes contains five marbles (meaning that up to four may be deployed at any given time). Spy eyes in sensor form can be detected via the normal means for detecting scrying.
Clement glares at Spasi at the thought of being separated from Rhesus's side any longer than necessary.
"We're heading to meet up with Rhesus... or else we might have to stop finding all the extra time between assignments to detour with the Calistrians..."
Clearing his throat, Clement steps over to Bibic.
"Might if I borrow the wand a moment? My reserves are a bit low and I'd like to have them ready in case we find company heading back to Rhesus..."
Spasi runs his fingers through his greasy hair.
"Uh, not sure we should go back," Spasi says, trying to be delicate in the face of Clem's anxiety. "I mean, we can, but it won't help. It won't help one me. You see...I, uh, I need to rest. I can't get us by that trap without a rest. I just can't. Maybe you have a way by it, but I don't. I can't help Rhesus even if I wanted to..."
Spasi stops, realizing he said something wrong.
"I mean, I want to, obviously, but I don't think we all should go all the way back to that trap in the *hopes* that Rhesus is there. We don't know that he will be AND I'm telling you now that I can't get by it without a nap and some sleep. You see?"
Spasi looks around, hoping for a good option to present itself.
"I say we find a hole and dig in for the night. Tomorrow? Tomorrow, I can get us by that thing, but not before."
"I think Spasi might be right. We don't know where Rhesus is, but if he's on the other side of that trap, we can't get to him until tomorrow. So that means we wait, somewhere, until then."
"I don't think it's a good idea to go traipsing around here until we get Rhesus back as weak as we are, so maybe we should hole up here and go get him in the morning when our strength has returned."
Clement blinks a few times at the pair of his allies.
"Trap? Trap?? Rhesus pulled my charred body out of the collapse of the Golemworks... if he's back in the Magnimar, he's making his way back to us and he's not stopping for tea on the far side of any trap waiting for us... he'll barrel right through it to come back to us!"
Clement starts to recount the steps they took to get here.
"And what about those weird, creepy skinny guys? Can we trust them if Rhesus gets to them first?"
Clement paces.
"I don't even remember what trap we're considered about that we need a nap to overcome? We destroyed the fish-thing with the hat... and we just ran real fast past the blob when you guys were afraid of it."
Clement snaps his fingers.
"That's it! You're afraid of the blob-thing! You don't need to be afraid of it... just close your eyes and feel your way along the wall!"
Clement then tries to use logic.
"And... remember we needed to draw a rune on that door to get past? If that door closed again, I mean Rhesus is a great guy, but who really thinks he can trace runes like Spasi here? Right, Spasi? He needs us!"
Spasi considers, wondering if he needs to re-explain things to Clem, but then shrugs and gives up. Spasi knows better than to argue Clem's need to repay Rhesus.
Spasi consents to follow the Clem plan, but will need to find a spot to rest before getting past the trapped area.
"Bibic? What do you think?"
Bibic respects Rhesus, and though he does not share the bond Rhesus and Clement do - he respects it.
He shrugs, "You're the boss Spasi, but sure, we can get at least as far as the trap and see what there is to see. We should be particularly careful..."
He hefts his bow, checks his arrows, thinks over his dwindling spells, and generally makes ready to return back the way they came.
"I think we should nap, but whether here or where that grumpy snake is...thats unclear. We should probably see if them archivists saw the snake exit. Probably still around, probably."
Spasi returns with the rest.
Spasi rolls his eyes, confused that Clem would make something that happened yesterday seem it happened 8 months ago.
"How can you forget that?"
"So...you want to run through with your eyes closed, huh? I don't want to do that again, but if you'll go, that'll save us some danger. Sounds good, Clem!"