Fluffy moves into flanking position.
Ayako sends out shadowy tendrils of darkness to try to pluck the kukri from the beast's hand.
Iolana realizing the cold won't work well fires an arrow of acid back at the tiger. "Let's see how you like some acid." It flies harmlessly just past his head and splashes against the wall.
Iolana has trouble aiming her acid and misses.
Ayako attempts to steal the rakshasa's weapon but he's too strong and hangs on.
Tyrandro moves up next to the rakshasa and Tunstall tries to slip passed into flanking but gets slashed as he moves within range of the rakshasa's blade.
Sebastian continues to try to strike at the rakshasa but still can't get past its defense.
The rakshasa attacks Sebastian with its kukri and Tyrandro with its natural weapons. The party does a got job fending off the attacks but Sebastian takes one hit.
Ayako starts calling out for a Lantern Archon to slip through the cracks in space to help.
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)
STATISTICS
Str 1 [5], Dex 11, Con 12 [16], Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 10
Base Atk +2; CMB -4 [-2]; CMD 6 [8]
Feats Improved Initiative
Skills Diplomacy +5, Fly +14, Knowledge (planes) +3, Perception +4, Sense Motive +5
Languages Celestial, Draconic, Infernal; truespeech
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Gestalt (Su)
Nine lantern archons can fuse together as a full-round action, becoming a single Large entity that is more powerful than the individual archons that make up its parts. Looking like a whirlwind of dancing firefly lights, the gestalt has all the powers and abilities of a Large air elemental plus the following: archon, good, and lawful subtypes; archon traits (aura of menace DC 16); 2 light rays (2d6); DR 5/evil and magic. The archons can remain in this form for 2d4 rounds. When the gestalt separates back into individual lantern archons, its remaining hit points are divided evenly among them; if it had less than 9 hit points, some of the component archons die when the gestalt ends.
Aura of Menace (Su)
Any hostile creature within a 20-foot radius of an archon must succeed on a Will save (DC 13) to resist its effects. The save DC is Charisma-based, and includes a +2 racial bonus. Those who fail take a –2 penalty on attacks, AC, and saves for 24 hours or until they successfully hit the archon that generated the aura. A creature that has resisted or broken the effect cannot be affected again by the same archon’s aura for 24 hours.
Light Ray (Ex)
A lantern archon can fire beams of light to damage foes. These light rays have a maximum range of 30 feet. This attack overcomes damage reduction of any type.
Tyrandro hacks at the rakshasa with his greatsword
With mixed results.
Fluffy Bites at the cat man.
Iolana moves up. She casts Enlarge Person on Tyrando. "Maybe this will help. If not, you'll at least look scarier."
Iolana starts casting enlarge person and he slowly begins to grow.
Ayako also begins casting a spell and a rift to the outer planes begins to tear in an empty space in the air.
Tyrandro finally scores the first hit on the rakshasa although its skin is like steel and the greatsword does much less damage than expected, only leaving a tiny cut.
Tunstall cannot hit the rakshasa but still provides helpful flanking with its nips.
Sebastian performs a superior feint, purposefully missing his next attack to throw the rakshasa off guard.
The rakshasa continues his melee assault, defending against his attackers but Tyrandro and Sebastian successfully block and dodge each of them.
Ayako and Iolana's spells complete.
Realizing that Sebastian managed to throw the rakshasa off guard she fires her Acid Arrow at the rakshasa
A glowing ball of light appears and twin points glow brightly as darts of divine energy streak out
Ayako begins another summoning spell, seeking to bring another achon into being.
"This is ridiculous, what are you made of?" Tyrandro complains.
Fluffy again tries to bite him.
Iolana's acid arrow hits. As a conjured effect, it bypasses the creature's resistance to spells and the acid begins to bore into his flesh and lingers to continue damaging him further.
Ayako's archon fires two rays of light. One hits and sears its skin, bypassing its resistances as well.
Tyrandro's attacks hit but still barely scratch the creature. One attack causes a minor cut and the other seemingly does nothing.
Fluffy bits down on the rakshasa leg and might as well be biting down on steel. His teeth fail to penetrate the creature's skin and his trip attempt fails to move him.
Since the trick seemed to work beneficially for the party last time, Sebastian does it again and superior faints the rakshasa, denying it its Dex to AC yet again.
"Enough of this nonsense! I will not suffer these wasp stings."
The rakshasa 5-steps to get out of flanking and unleashes a devastating lightning bolt that passes through Tyrandro and Iolana before crashing into the far wall with an explosion of stone debris.
Tyrandro ducks most of the lightning.
Fluffy doesn't think it's ok for that guy to go away.
"Sorry, I'll try harder from now on." Tyrandro pledges betterment about only be stingy with the damage.
The twin Lanterns unleash more divine light
If Iolana falls. Blast! BWEE!! BWEEE!
Suddenly Mu Shu leaps out of Ayako's satchel with a potion of CSW in his mouth and darts over to Iolana, ready to hand it too her as Ayako hobbles over and casts Cure Serious Wounds on her.
Sebastian, growing tired of their tiger-headed enemy's declarations of superiority, lunges forward to teach him otherwise. Master Orisini had taught his student many ways to disarm a foe, but sometimes the most effective way was to simply strike the hand, and the creature's freakish backwards hands make an excellent target.
Iolana luckily dodges the killing blast of lightning.
The acid continues to burn away at the rakshasa.
The archons fire more rays. One hits and sears another hole into it.
Ayako makes it over to Iolana and erases the damage causes by the lightning bolt and returning her skin to baby smoothness.
Fluffy is inspired to fight harder and bites through the thick flesh and tears the rakshasa off its feet.
Tyrandro also dodges the full lightning bolt effect even in his enlargesd size.
He hits the rakshasa once and hard this time.
Finally, Sebastian knocks the creature's weapon away.
Badly injured, disarmed, and prone, the rakshasa stays on the ground and holds up his hands in defeat. "I may have underestimated you. Let's call this a truce and talk like civilized people. I'll forgive you killing my pets if you just let me return to the Arkona palace alive. In return I'll also tell you how to find the secret entrance to the Vivified Labyrinth. That is why you came down here, isn't it?"
Iolana pulls out her wand of Cat's Grace, and taps Sebastian with it.
"Yes it is, but why would we let you leave. You told us you would eat us, and we didn't do anything but open this door." Iolana conveniently forgets they stole Fluffy from the other room.
Ayako moves down to tap Sebastion with the wand
Seems we have wandered into a rather big hornet nest. I suspect that the Arkona's know all about you. This some kind of little game for the head of the house to send unwitting toys down here?
"Yes, I was going to eat you. But that was before you proved to me that you were worthy prey. I rescind my statement. And of course the Arkonas know about me. I maintain their temple here. You risk Glorio's wraith if he finds out something happened to me."
Mmmm....Is Glorio like you?
"Now what would make you think that? Are the statues a bit much?"
It does make me wonder. So comrades, what do you think should happen?
Sebastian holds his rapier at the ready, in case the strange creature attempts any trickery while they deliberate. He searches its furry face for any trace of malice or honor. This was clearly a dangerous enemy, but there was no honor in pressing the attack when surrender was on offer.
"This all seems incomprehensible to me. It would be better had we been able to deal with Vimanda than Glorio. As mad as it seems that Glorio houses a concealed labyrinth, he did not lie about his intentions for us or for Kalepoplis. House Arkona's honor is well-known. I say we take the deal, so long as our friend here agrees to turn over his weapon." Moving slowly, he moves over to where the weapon lays on the ground to kick it away.
Works for me
With Sebastian's sense motive, it is obvious that this is a murderous evil creature but will likely honor his word.
"Keep the weapon. It is a pittance compared to the Arkona's wealth. As promised, I'll reveal the path to the Vivified Labyrinth that you seek."
Along what appears to be a nondescript wall to the east, the rakshasa pushes on a hidden panel and the stone slides away revealing a long winding tunnel that goes on for 100 feet into the darkness.
"There you have it. I hope you find what you are looking for. Hahahaha."
The rakshasa continues up the bridges to the exit, laughing all the way. Unless you decide you want to stop him.
Your evil laugh needs a little work.
"Great. Unfinished work. Does anyone know what's wrong with this guy? Why doesn't he bleed like he should?" Tyrandro asks frustrated as the tiger-man leaves.
"He mentioned wealth. Wealth allows you to buy many things that keep you alive, and healed up. Who knows maybe he was a lich." Iolana jokes. She examines the room as the others talk about the tiger-man. Especially the statues.
Ayako taps Tyrando a few times with her almost depleted CLW wand
"Thank you." Tyrandro tells Ayako. "What's a lich?"
I do not know.
A very powerful undead creature that lives forever, and keeps part of himself safe in a different place so he can't die. I read about it in a book once. I doubt tiger man was was one of those. We wouldn't have lived."
Iolana doesn't find anything of value within the temple. But she takes note that the statues bear a striking resemblance to Glorio, if Glorio had a tiger head.
The sword the rakshasa left behind is a +1 kukri.
Once ready, you make your way through the secret tunnel.
At the end, the tunnel curves sharply to the north, ending at a set of large bronze doors, each carved with images of tigers chasing other tigers in four adjacent circles. At the center of each circle of tigers, a snarling tiger head looks out.
Iolana detects magic on the doors. "I think this might be the entrance to our puzzle."
No doubt. I think it is more deathtrap than puzzle.
Tyrandro fishes a potion out of his backpack and downs it.
"Has any of you some lemmings in their line of ancestors? We are not healed from the last fight - that was more a draw and no victory - and you're willingly walking into a deathtrap. Without further preparation?"
"Here."Iolana hands Tyrando a potion of Cure Moderate Wounds. "I just wanted to study the doorway he pointed out. I'm certainly not leading the way through there."
Perhaps we should try to learn more about Rakshasa before we battle them again. Ayako tires remembering her lessons from church
Oinkoink,Bweee
With your knowledge checks, you now recall all the information about rakshasas.
Rakshasas are outsider (native, shapershifter).
DR 15/good and piercing. And have SR.
They can change shape into any humanoid form and can detect thoughts at will.
They can also cast a number of spells as a sorcerer.
The rakshasa is an evil spirit that cloaks itself in the guise of a humanoid creature that it might walk unseen among its prey. They embody what is taboo among most societies, and in the shape of those it seeks to defile, a rakshasa gorges itself on these hideous acts. Were they human, these acts of cannibalism, blasphemy, and worse would mark them as criminals condemned to the cruelest of hells.
When not disguised as a humanoid, the otherwise humanoid rakshasa has the head of an animal. Often, they possess the heads of great cats (such as a tiger or panther) or a snake (like a cobra or viper), yet other heads are not unknown—apes, jackals, vultures, elephants, mantises, lizards, rhinos, boars, and more are possible. In most cases, the type of head a rakshasa possesses speaks in some way to its personality—a tiger-headed rakshasa is stealthy and ravenous, while a boar-headed one might be gluttonous and crude. These changes rarely impact the rakshasa’s base statistics, although there are more powerful variants of the standard rakshasa that possess multiple heads, more potent spellcasting powers, and additional deadly and unusual special abilities.
Rakshasas scoff at religion—they understand the power of the divine, but see themselves as the only thing worthy of worship from the mortal races. Rakshasa clerics are thus quite rare. Although rakshasas are outsiders, they are also very much creatures of the Material Plane, and many believe the first rakshasas chose this exile over some other role offered them by a long-forgotten god. Although they usually work alone, it isn’t unheard of to find extended families of rakshasas working together to ruin a mortal civilization from the inside out over the course of many generations. A rakshasa is 6 feet tall and weighs 180 lbs.
Ayako relates the information to the rest of the group. Considering their defenses, we might very well need to retreat if possible and procure weapons such as blessed arrows for Tyrando and something for Sebastion's blade. My spells will have little effect but the Lantern Archons I can summon are helpful.
"I would appreciate that. To waste the arrows for nothing is no fun." Tyrandro replies. "And Fluffy here got a bad cut. Could you take a look at that?"
Ayako gets to work on Fluffy.
10 hp healed. Fluffy now has an attractive bandage.
Ayako heads down the tunnel and to the ominous doors,They certainly like their tigers here. Tyrando, would you please examine the doors to make sure they have no traps?