Cade keeps his calm even though his dog is severely wounded.
Riori, if you would not mind tending to Bellum for me. That would be great.
He turns to the creature all the while his trade mark smile is there.
Wow. Tiny man...really...tiny. Come on you can do better than that. It is pretty apparent to just about every one that I am a halfling and that means we are shorter than most folks. If you are going to try and wound me with your pathetic words...try harder and come up with something original...please.
Cade continues to smile and even laughs slightly.
Yes I do have friends. Difference is my friends help each other. Yours put you in a cage. Locked away for how long? Must suck to be you. I mean I can be a dick and even then my friends do not do that. You must really be an a!#@#$! that your friends do that to you. A real paragon of evil.
Cade throws his weapon out in a lazy jab...
Keep his attetnion
Riori also notices that Talia could be slain with one more well aimed strike. "I will if I can, but people come before dogs." She aims the last word with a glare at Malfeshnekor, and casts cure moderate wounds on Talia.
Feeling her life draining away Talia grits her teeth and tries her best to take Malfeshnekor with her. Her dagger scrapes across his skin, but fails to penetrate.
Cade keeps his calm even though his dog is severely wounded. "Riori, if you would not mind tending to Bellum for me. That would be great."
Riori also notices that Talia could be slain with one more well aimed strike. "I will if I can, but people come before dogs." She aims the last word with a glare at Malfeshnekor, and casts cure moderate wounds on Talia.
He turns to the creature all the while his trade mark smile is there. "Wow. Tiny man...really...tiny. Come on you can do better than that. It is pretty apparent to just about every one that I am a halfling and that means we are shorter than most folks. If you are going to try and wound me with your pathetic words...try harder and come up with something original...please."
Cade continues to smile and even laughs slightly. "Yes I do have friends. Difference is my friends help each other. Yours put you in a cage. Locked away for how long? Must suck to be you. I mean I can be a dick and even then my friends do not do that. You must really be an a&@~~#@ that your friends do that to you. A real paragon of evil."
Cade throws his weapon out in a lazy jab, trying to keep Malfeshnekor's attention on him.
Bellum continues bleeding.
Malfeshnekor gets a pensive look on his face. "A halfling? I had never encountered one of those when I was sealed away." Smiling, he said, "You shall be the first I get to eat! How exciting! I didn't think I'd get a new delicacy. Is the woman with the spear a halfling too? I wonder if there's a difference in the taste between the male and female halfling. How delightful!"
He swipes a claw each at Talia and Karu before trying to bite Cade.
Cade's defensive fighting style fends off Malfeshnekor's maw, but Talia and Karu are each hit by claws, and Karu falls to the ground.
Karu bleeds on the ground, unconscious.
Cade - 16/40
Talia - 12/22
Karu - -12/27
Bellum - -10/13
Malfeshnekor - 6/85
Cade laughs some more..
Keep him occupied. Maybe if I...
You will see that I have a slight bite...I doubt you could handle me. I am too much for your pallet.
Cade's smile is big and innocent looking.
Who am I do deny you your last supper. Here take a nibble...Go on?...a little hors d'oeuvre.
Get his attention...
Cade sticks his off hand out for the creature to see. When the creatures's eyes shift to take in the offered hand , Cade stabs across with his other hand.
I will find an opening...Got ya!
See told you, I have a slight bite.
Talia gives Riori a grateful look, "Bless you!" she gaps. Gritting her teeth as she is again shredded and fighting back with grim fatalism.
Riori retrieves another vial of holy water and throws it.
A stab from Cade and a scratch from Talia's dagger appear to have no effect in slowing Malfeshnekor down. The number of wounds on his body make it incredible that he's still standing, even as the group feels itself weakening. Riori throws another vial of holy water at Malfeshnekor. It breaks as it hits him, and the monster screams in pain as the water sizzles against its skin. He rears up, a look of disbelief and rage on his face, before collapsing to the ground.
Cade and Talia make sure he's dead while Riori sees to Bellum and Karu, who are both fortunate to be alive. Riori expends what healing she has left to get them back to consciousness, then the group searches the room. The candles are found to be eternal candles, minor magic candles that burn forever without generating heat, 60 in all . The group also finds two secret doors, revealing two alcoves. One holds only dusty shelves, but the western alcove has a silver coffer sitting on one of the shelves. Inside, resting in a bed of sand, is a ring of force shield. When manifested, the ring takes the form of a seven-pointed star - the Sihedron Rune.
From there, it's another rest, and then back to the sunken treasure room to deal with the crab and get the treasure out of there. The fight with the crab goes much smoother, as the crab has neither the power nor the intelligence of Malfeshnekor. With some swimming and diving, you are able to recover the treasure.
3,500 sp
630 gp
40 precious stones worth 10 gp each
jade amulet of natural armor +1
Giant-sized golden helm worth 3,000 gp
All apparent enemies in Thistletop dealt with, you return to Sandpoint to tell the town that they've been saved, and Nualia's plot has been dealt with. Perhaps, if you continue to help the town, you will become known far and wide as the Heroes of Sandpoint.
But that is a story for another day.
Riori does all she can to be sure everyone stays in top health. Disturbed by what she has seen in the temple, she consults with the stars once they return to Sandpoint. She is surprised by the reading that she discovers, seeing a clear pattern that Desna is drawing her attention toward events in the wilderness and states she must leave. She invites Karu to join her if she wishes, showing her the portents Desna has revealed to her.
But, casting charts for Cade and Talia, she assures them they will find what they need to continue to keep Sandpoint safe should they choose to continue to do so. Bidding what seemed a new home for a time farewell, Riori departs, ever following where Desna and the stars lead her.