Valandil's archon shoots two more rays at light at the bowman, and one hits for some minor injury, while the spellcaster himself fires two more magic missiles into the same man.
Valik considers the robed figure's offer, but quickly realizes that the man isn't being honest and drags him over to Melufiuos.
Ophelia continues to watch and wait, while Quiella continues her assault on the bowman, hitting him with her second blow.
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Heccan quirks a brow at the robed man and and takes a step back from the attacking thug. "If there is one thing I cannot stand, it is someone who refuses to bargain in good faith. I believe we will have much discuss in a few moments..."
Heccan does his best to stay out of the thugs way and calls upon his power.
School illusion (glamer); Level bard 2, sorcerer/wizard 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (an eyelash encased in gum arabic)
Range personal or touch
Target you or a creature or object weighing no more than 100 lbs./level
Duration 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless) or Will negates (harmless, object); Spell Resistance yes (harmless) or yes (harmless, object)
The creature or object touched becomes invisible. If the recipient is a creature carrying gear, that vanishes, too. If you cast the spell on someone else, neither you nor your allies can see the subject, unless you can normally see invisible things or you employ magic to do so.
Items dropped or put down by an invisible creature become visible; items picked up disappear if tucked into the clothing or pouches worn by the creature. Light, however, never becomes invisible, although a source of light can become so (thus, the effect is that of a light with no visible source). Any part of an item that the subject carries but that extends more than 10 feet from it becomes visible.
Of course, the subject is not magically silenced, and certain other conditions can render the recipient detectable (such as swimming in water or stepping in a puddle). If a check is required, a stationary invisible creature has a +40 bonus on its Stealth checks. This bonus is reduced to +20 if the creature is moving. The spell ends if the subject attacks any creature. For purposes of this spell, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe or whose area or effect includes a foe. Exactly who is a foe depends on the invisible character's perceptions. Actions directed at unattended objects do not break the spell. Causing harm indirectly is not an attack. Thus, an invisible being can open doors, talk, eat, climb stairs, summon monsters and have them attack, cut the ropes holding a rope bridge while enemies are on the bridge, remotely trigger traps, open a portcullis to release attack dogs, and so forth. If the subject attacks directly, however, it immediately becomes visible along with all its gear. Spells such as bless that specifically affect allies but not foes are not attacks for this purpose, even when they include foes in their area.
Invisibility can be made permanent (on objects only) with a permanency spell.
INVISIBILITY, GREATER
School illusion (glamer); Level bard 4, sorcerer/wizard 4
Components: V, S
Target you or creature touched
Duration 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless)
This spell functions like invisibility, except that it doesn't end if the subject attacks.
As Heccan steps back 5 feet and attempts to cast a spell, the well-trained thug immediately follows him and attempts to disrupt his spellcasting. The sorcerer keeps his cool, however, and disappears in an instant.
Melufiuos continues to make use of his True Strike wand, smacking the grappled man with the long side of his rapier instead of the pointy end.
The robed figure once again tries to break the grapple with Valik and fails. "Just grab the girl and get out." He nevertheless advises his men.
Taking Narris' advice to heart, the thug with the bow withdraws from melee with Quiella to move around the bins of produce to move directly adjacent to Zeeva.
Cursing more once Heccan disappears, the thug with a greatsword turns his wrath on Ophelia. Although his first attack misses, the second critically hits the cleric in the side, causing some serious injury and nearly dropping her.
Initiative (Rounds 4-5)
Valandil <= Up
Valik [15 Damage] <= Up
Zeeva
Narris (blue)
2 Thugs (red, purple)
Heccan <= Up
Quiella <= Up
Melufiuos <= Up
Ophelia [46 Damage] <= Up
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Heccan audibly gasps, though the sound seemingly comes from thin air, as he witnesses the thug viciously attack Ophelia. Heccan snarls and his voice takes on the echoing reverb of a higher power as the sorcerer tries to masks his arcane powered words as a deific command.
"YOUR SOUL ACHES AS YOU SEE THE VIOLENCE YOU HAVE WROUGHT UPON THIS INNOCENT HOLY WOMAN. RUN TO THE NEAREST TEMPLE AND CONFESS YOUR SINS BEFORE YOU SUFFER ETERNAL CONSEQUENCE!"
School enchantment (compulsion) [language-dependent, mind-affecting]; Level bard 2, sorcerer/wizard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, M (a snake's tongue and a honeycomb)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one living creature
Duration 1 hour/level or until completed
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
You influence the actions of the target creature by suggesting a course of activity (limited to a sentence or two). The suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to make the activity sound reasonable. Asking the creature to do some obviously harmful act automatically negates the effect of the spell.
The suggested course of activity can continue for the entire duration. If the suggested activity can be completed in a shorter time, the spell ends when the subject finishes what it was asked to do. You can instead specify conditions that will trigger a special activity during the duration. If the condition is not met before the spell duration expires, the activity is not performed.
A very reasonable suggestion causes the save to be made with a penalty (such as –1 or –2).
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The Archon turns its ire on the red thug, continuing to blast him with bolts of light.
As the thug dashes past Valandil he lashes out with his staff.
While the blow does little, still more serpents spring forth from the staff, chasing at biting at the man in red.
The perhaps foolish wizard dashes ahead to block any attempt by the man in red to drag Zeeva out
"Leave now, while you still can." he hisses.
Heccan attempts to use magic to force the greatsword-wielding thug to leave the market, but the man merely shrugs off the magical compulsion with a personal insult towards the invisible sorcerer.
Valandil's archon hits the bow wielding thug with another ray of light, while the spellcaster himself fires two more Magic Missiles into him.
Melufiuos continues using his wand of True Strike to nonlethally hit the grappled man with his rapier.
Quiella switches to her hammer and charges the thug with the bow, but her attack misses the man.
Valik keeps his grip on the grappled man, now adding in a headbutt for good measure.
Critically wounded, Ophelia swiftly withdraws from melee with the thug with the greatsword.
Zeeva quickly withdraws from the thug next to her to position herself behind some bins.
The thug with the bow drops his weapon, places his hands on the back of his head, and gets down on his knees, "This contract ain't worth dying for, I surrender."
The thug with the greatsword is not yet convinced, so he charges Melufiuos. Despite the momentum of his attack, the man misses the elf.
Initiative (Rounds 5-6)
Valandil <= Up
Valik [15 Damage] <= Up
Zeeva
Narris (blue)
2 Thugs (red, purple)
Heccan <= Up
Quiella <= Up
Melufiuos <= Up
Ophelia [46 Damage] <= Up
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The party can hear the exacerbated grumbling of the sorcerer as he says out loud "Once, just once I would like that to work. Practice makes perfect I suppose. But for now, I think this man just needs a forceful reminder of who has superior firepower here." Disembodied guttural incantations echo the room as four magical force missiles appear out of the air and slam into the hold out ruffian.
The archon moves and fires another beam of light at the thug which is easily sidestepped. The thug cannot avoid the snake-like magic missiles that Valandil fires, however.
Valik keeps his hold on the robed man and headbutts him again.
Quiella sternly warns the surrendered thug not to try anything as she moves up and swings her hammer at the thug that misses.
From his invisible vantage point, Heccan casts his own Magic Missile spell at the thug and four magical arrows slam into him.
Melufiuos keeps his focus on the grappled man and whacks him again with his rapier.
Ophelia stays behind in her position to the northwest, as she contemplates healing herself.
Zeeva moves at top speed around the combat towards the injured Ophelia.
Still not yet ready to give up, the robed man attempts to break out of Valik's grip, but makes absolutely no headway.
Not wanting to die, the thug does as he is told by Quiella, pushing his bow away and lying prone on the floor.
Yelling with anger, the thug steps up to Valik and swings his greatsword at him.
Initiative (Rounds 6-7)
Valandil <= Up
Valik [15 Damage, potentially 24] <= Up
Zeeva
Narris (blue)
1 active Thug (purple)
Heccan <= Up
Quiella <= Up
Melufiuos <= Up
Ophelia [46 Damage] <= Up
Heccan fires another burst of Magic Missiles into the standing thug, while Valandil's archon hits the same man with a beam of light. Valandil himself begins casting another summoning spell, while Quiella hits the man with her armor spikes and he drops to the floor. Valik headbutts the grappled man once again.
"Okay, I surrender for real this time, no need to kill anyone else!" The grappled man yells out, "Tie me up, make me lie on the floor, whatever!"
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Heccan wills himself to materialize and steps toward the man being held by Vailk. He nods to Valandil and speaks to the captive.
"Indeed. Intimidation. Unprovoked violence. Deceit. Were we an order of Hellknights, your life would already be forfeit. Such audacity! Begging for mercy after using that ploy to gain tactical advantage. I have the right mind to let my friend show you really what he is capable of..." The sorcerer gives Valik a knowing look and continues. "And I might. Depends on what you have to tell us. So, I suggest you answer the man's question. What are you and your serpentine friends after? And, more importantly, who do we have to see to end it? Who is pulling your strings worm?"
During the fight, both the shoppers and merchants in the market made quick escapes from the market. Melufiuos notices that all the bystanders now appear to be gone.
Valandil casts Detect Magic on one of the thugs and discovers magical auras. He also makes inquiries concerning the Aspis' business with Zeeva.
Heccan also demands more information from the enemy, and the grappled man replies, "Look, we were just here to place more pressure on the woman to sell the market to us. The word around town is this place makes money hand over fist. We weren't going to hurt her, but your guys spooked my guys. Why don't we just give you our stuff and promise never to bother her again and we'll call it even. That seems fair, right?"
Valik continues to keep his iron grip on the robed man as he talks.
Zeeva goes first to Ophelia, then to Valik using her Healing hex to soothe away some of their injuries. "Thank you for protecting me, I sorry that you got hurt." She says afterwards.
Ophelia then contributes to her own healing with a converted spell, then readies a spell in case the robed man tries to double cross the group again.
Quiella picks up her dropped sword, looking perhaps quite intimidating but impractical with 2 two-handed weapons in her hands.
* * *
Before anyone can react to the Aspis agent's statement, Ophelia and Valik begin to hear faint rhythmic chanting in a language that don't understand and notice some of the fruits and vegetables begin to stir by themselves.
Initiative (Surprise Round)
Valik [13 Damage] <= Up
Valandil <= Up
Melufiuos <= Up
Heccan <= Up
Ophelia [13 Damage] <= Up
Zeeva
????
Quiella
2 Conscious Aspis Agents
Getting a bad feeling about the group's current circumstances, Valandil begins another summoning spell.
Heccan feels the same bit of wariness and quickly casts another spell to turn invisible.
Ophelia senses a Haunt stirring to life and casts a Prayer spell on herself and her allies.
Valik drops the robed man and draws his Haunt Siphon from his bandolier.
Melufiuos says something weird and then casts Shocking Grasp back into his Spell-storing Rapier.
Zeeva looks around her market with alarm, unsure how to react to her business coming to life.
A terrible wind now begins blowing through the Green Market, shaking the tree in the central plaza and the many decorations placed in the various stalls. Fruit and vegetables in carts, bins, and baskets shift about as the ground shakes as if an earthquake were hitting.
What appears to be several hundred of pounds of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other produce now rise telekinetically from the adjoining stalls to fly dangerously fast in a swirling tornado around the center court! The northern tree also begins to animate as it begins to pull its roots from the soil.
Initiative (Surprise Round)
Valik [13 Damage]
Valandil
Melufiuos
Heccan [Greater Invisibility active]
Ophelia [13 Damage]
Zeeva
Haunt
Quiella <= Up
2 Conscious Aspis Agents
Group Effects
Prayer: +1 luck bonus to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, and skill checks; all enemies take a -1 penalty to the same rolls.
As Quiella stores her hammer, the robed Aspis agent on the ground looks back and forth between Valik and the animated plant matter and decides to stay prone for the moment. The other conscious agent takes the opportunity to stand up as he also watches events with a disconcerted look.
Initiative (Round 2)
Valik [13 Damage] <= Up
Valandil <= Up
Melufiuos <= Up
Heccan [Greater Invisibility active] <= Up
Ophelia [13 Damage] <= Up
Zeeva
Haunt
Quiella
2 Conscious Aspis Agents
Group Effects
Prayer: +1 luck bonus to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, and skill checks; all enemies take a -1 penalty to the same rolls.
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As Valandil finishes his incantation a holy warrior appears near the disruption. The dog headed creature steps up and lashes out at the rapidly condensing fruit trying to turn it into a salad before anything more can happen.
He then for good measure adds a couple more snakes, zapping an orange and an apple as they swirl through the air.
"What is that thing?"
Valandil finishes casting his spell, and a hound archon appears, which immediately begins destroying some of the floating produce. Valandil himself uses his staff to destroy a couple pieces of fruit.
Melufiuos pulls out a scroll of Gust of Wind and casts it, which pushes the whirlwind of natural foods 60 feet away from the Magus. The tornado still continues to spin, however.
Recognizing the events as part of a Haunt, Ophelia channels positive energy. Additional positive energy is released when Valik opens his Haunt Siphon. Despite these precautions, the whirlwind and animated tree still continue moving.
Heccan attempts to use his knowledge of spellcraft to discern something helpful about the situation, but only surmises that the fight with the Aspis must have triggered something in this usually peaceful place.
Valandil thinks back to his knowledge of religion, and realizes that the Haunt can be stopped if they knew the root cause of the place's aversion to violence, but whatever that could be is not readily apparent.
Quiella yells at the man standing up, but he doesn't seem as cowed now that the market itself seems to become a threat.
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Heccan's brow furrows in frustration at his inability to diagnose this phenomenon.
He quirks his brow at Valandil's words. "Violence...very interesting Valandil. I have an idea... Heccan turns to the group, flawless ebon locks flowing with the swirling winds, robe flickering behind him as he shouts to his fellow agents over the winds "Friends! Let us take this outside shall we? Get these snakes outside now! I believe we will be safer outside the halls." The Chelaxian sorcerer then begins to call for his fellow agents to remove the Aspis agents from the building...corpse included.
Heccan's strain is apparent as his thoughts race I hope Valandil is correct and by removing taking the violence from this place will calm these spirits. I wonder if the Shoanti cursed this place, or if this phenomenon is connected to the previous owner's demise? Bah, questions for another time. For now, we must get safety.