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Durest watches as Vit tackles seemingly nothing before hearing the resulting splash and struggle.
"By Torag's bearded... Lads hold them undead off Vit got th' Rat!"
Durest ran over to Vit and dug through his backpack. "Steady lad dunnae let em out of yer grasp now."
The dwarf pulled Vit's rope from his pack and prepared to tustle and hog-tie the bedroll-wrapped bandit.
Wolthur shakes off the effects of the paralysis and immediately strikes the undead water corpse with such incredible force that he cuts off the creatures torso!!
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Ghouls and Half-Elves (10/26/09)
Q: Are half-elfs immune to a ghouls paralysis effect now that they are treated as elf blood?
A: (James Jacobs 10/26/09) Traditionally, only elves have been immune to ghoul paralysis. But it does look like the current wording for "elf blood" would extend to half-elves. And since "elf blood" IS more of a disadvantage than an advantage since very few "elf only" items or effects exist. So yeah, upon further reflection, I'd say that half-elves are fine and immune to ghoul paralysis.
If you agree, this would mean I just have to roll the disease saves, right?
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"Oh? YIPPEE!!" she squeals. "Cuddles! Take aim and lets bring down another one!"
Quickly chucking another rock into the strap she slings it towards the doorway.
The cactus with a little twist to the right and a big twist left flings a pair of thorns across the room in response.
*THUNK* rings out as the boulder bounces off the doorframe and both thorns slam into the wall.
"Criminy! We've gotta aim better Cuddles. Don't worry, we'll get the next one."
All the other Pathfinders have little luck and connot hit the last standing undead!
The last undead creature uses its sharp teeth to attack Danira again but none of its natural attacks connect.
* * * Last Ghoul @ Danira * * *
* * *
Du Moire cries out. "You ... you can get titles! Money! Whatever you want!" and he tries to escape but Vitrack is holding him tight!
* * *
Round 4
1. All PCs -> GO!
2. Darsielle Du Moire
3. Undead
#Darsielle Du Moire: 0 Damage
#Undead (red): dead
#Undead (green): dead
#Undead (blue):Durest: 14/14 HP
Vitrack: 11/11 HP
Wulthur: 3/15 HP
Danira: 7/9 HP
Helvega: 6/10 HP
Cuddles: 3/10 HP
"Criminy! We've gotta aim better Cuddles. Don't worry, we'll get the next one."** spoiler omitted **
The last aquatic ghoul is struck by Wolthur’s sword and drops to the gooey water and stops moving!
Durest joins in and uses his rope to maintain control of Du Moire and he is able to get a good grip on the pirate.
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Turning from the gooey undeath, Helvega eyes the invisbile hugfest in the corner. "I...uh..." glancing towards Wulthur, she asks, "That's not obscene is it? What exactly are they grabbing...."
"Uh...anyway...seems you two have it handled right now. We'll keep a watch if the rope starts floating away..."
Durest reached down to try and tie up the pirate using vit's rope.
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"Any praise or reward we receive will be from the proper authorities, after we place you in custody to either the Andorens or Chelaxians. For the atrocities commited at Wittleshine, we place you under arrest, Dariselle Du Moire. Now let us dispense with these parlour tricks."
Danira grabs a nearby bilge bucket and scoops some of the water collected on the floor, dumping the contents on the roped expanse between her two dwarven compatriots.
Danira grabs a nearby bilge bucket and scoops some of the water collected on the floor, dumping the contents on the roped expanse between her two dwarven compatriots.
Vitrack was lucky the first time and now he tries to use the very useful bedroll to wrap it fully around Du Moire so that the pirate is pinned and he really is able to get the pirate! Du Moire cannot move anymore!
Du Moire shouts and screams and tries to escape but he is not successful and still is invisible.
”You do not know who you are dealing with! I am a noble and will be able to provide you all the riches that you seek! You just have to let me go! Please do not do anything foolish as I have friends in high places and will come back to haunt your dreams and eventually take your life!!“ he spits out.
Now that the battle has ended you look into the flooded cargo bay again and see that beyond the door several dozen drowned men and women are lying on the floor.
Some of you with knowledge about the undead know that their horrible, torturous deaths probably stirred their departing souls, raising some to exact vengeance upon the living.
You look at the three ghouls that you had to cut down and you still remember how these living dead lurched forward with hate filled eyes trying to kill you!
You see a box hidden beneath one of the bodies. If you examine it you see that it is small padlocked chest of wood and hardened leather. The lock can easily be removed. Inside, wrapped in moldering velvet, rest four tablets each crafted from a different material— copper, gold, lead, and black slate. The crudely fashioned tablets are incredibly ancient and of Azlanti heritage.
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Danira notices one of the pallid corpses hunched over, as if it were laying over something. She nudges the body with her boot, wary of it springing to life as a ghoul, but it simply plops over with a wet thud.
Underneath it is a small padlocked chest of wood and hardened leather. She smashes it open with her morningstar, and inside lay four tablets wrapped in moldering velvet, each crafted from a different material— copper, gold, lead, and black slate.
"I cannot read it, but I know ancient Azlanti script when I see it. These must be the tablets you thieved from Myraxus Threeshadows in Wittlestone, no? What say you, Du Moire?"
"You cretins! I already have a buyer lined up! We can share the profits! No, wait ... you can have everything! You just have to help me to navigate the ship out of the harbor! Come on guys!"
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"Oh, what I wouldn't do for a sleeping enchantment or silencing glamer right about now..."
Danira re-wraps the tablets, sealing them back into the small chest, then puts the chest into her backpack. "We've recovered the stolen tablets, and have captured the man responsible for the theft, not to mention his many other crimes." She tightens the shoulder straps of her pack, then carries her longbow over one shoulder, taking care to let the bottom spine touch the water on the floor of the hold. "I believe our work here to be done, no?"
"Noooo ... aahhh .. ehhh ... gghrrrr ..." are the only sounds that you hear after you gag Du Moire. You carry him to deck.
You look over the stern and see the boat you all arrived on floating a couple of meters from the Hydra’s fang.
The sea creature wondered where the meals went and then obviously vanished. You see no sign of danger at the moment and board your boat to return to the harbor.
* * *
Pulling up at a slipway along the breakwall, you move past a small crowd who are protesting because of a new consortium law.
Everyone moves away from the rough and bloodied adventurers carrying the unconscious form, and no one makes any enquiry or challenge - your appearance, and the overly packed boat immediately linking you to the conflagration... and to business that is probably not wise meddling in.
You travel back to Absolom and hand Du Moire over to the authorities and here he is picked up by Andoren representatives.
The Pathfinder Society receives grand thanks from the Chelish and Andoren embassies for saving their home countries from entering into what was sure to be a bloody war and you get a warm meal, dry clothes and a well earned rest.
* * *
The ancient artifacts are examined in detail. The crudely fashioned tablets are incredibly ancient forgeries of the original tablets marking the royal seals of four of the Old Azlant’s noble houses. Regardless of their non-authenticity, their uncanny detail provides great insight into lost languages and historical data associated with the four houses.
Rumors and stories you hear after delivering Du Moire to the authorities and returning to the Grand Lodge:
Furious Paracountess Zarta Dralneen
You hear that Count Du Moire was a dear companion of Zarta Dralneen and she enjoyed keeping him pleased. His son’s latest folly caused him much pain, and he no longer visited Zarta in Absalom as he was too busy managing this latest crisis.
Zarta would very much have liked a taste of Count Du Moire's company again soon. Obviously, Count Du Moire’s patience for his son’s incorrigible roguishness and play-piracy had come to an end and Zarta would have wished that although the boy had dredged the family name through the mire too often, somehow it would have been possible to see Count Du Moire's good name restored.
Zarta Dralneen had tried to maneuver one of her trusted agents to be part of the mission to get the tablets so that the Pathfinder could have disposed of any indisputable evidence linking the acts of piracy to Count Du Moire's family name. But she was not successful and is now furious that she will surely never taste Count Du Moire's lips again.
Happy Baron Jacquo Dalsine
You hear that Jacquo Dalsine was really enjoying that Cheliax and Andoran rattled their sabers. War between the two nations was too much to ask for, of course, but hostilities between these nations always bring a rare smile to Jacquo Dalsine's face.
You hear that as Taldor’s influence wanes, Jacquo seeks deals with lesser organizations all over the world. A necessary evil, and even though it is beneath a noble to do so, Jacquo Dalsine desires to keep Taldor's place in the new world, and thus he believes that he must scratch the backs of serpents and worms alike if that is necessary.
One foothold few have attempted is the port of Diobel. Jacquo Dalsine strongly desires to establish relations with those that control that festering waterlogged dung pile, and if that means creating positive connections with the so called “Kortos Consortium,” then so be it.
Apparently these criminals use a special coin as a marker to allow one to pass freely through their port. Jacquo Dalsine was unbelievably pleased when he heard that your group of Pathfinders really was able to retrieve this coin during your mission - this is potentially a good start for his relationship building with the Kortos Consortium.
Mixed feelings for Colson Maldris
You hear that Colson Maldris has no heart for cordiality at the moment. The latest atrocities committed by Darsielle Du Moire have claimed not only dozens of Andoren innocent citizens, but also Colson Maldris uncle ... yes, you learn that the aged sage named Myraxus was Colson Maldris's uncle.
Obviously, Colson Maldris longed to leap shipboard with your Pathfinder team and deal with Du Moire personally, but duty demanded that he remains in Absalom!
He wanted to see Du Moire killed to pay him back with interest for his heinous acts of piracy. He wanted to spill his blood as he did
those innocent men, women, and children at Whittlestone so he was very disappointed when he learned that the man was brought back alive.
But unbeknownst to you Du Moire’s noble signet ring had great value to Colson's cause. Count Du Moire' house in Cheliax is highly placed and his ring will obviously prove most useful for his schemes in the next weeks.
You are now sitting in a meeting room waiting for Venture-Captain Dreng to talk to you so that he can asks questions about your mission based on the report that you submitted.
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Upon hearing the rumors, Wulthur seeks to meet with his fellow Andoran, Colson Maldris.
"I am sorry to hear of the loss of your uncle, Colson." the scarred warrior offers by way of condolences. "But, I believe that the cause of our country--the cause of freedom--is better served by having the man tried by a jury of his peers. Trust in the people that justice will be done."
"As for the Society," Wulthur continues, "though my companions were not Andorans, I believe the lot of them know the value of free choice and free action. That being said, it seems that, through your contacts, you may--from time to time--receive advance information or intelligence that a member of the Society might well find helpful in their pursuits. If that is the case, I would appreciate you passing such information along to me when possible. In exchange, should my activities with the Society provide me with an opportunity to provide you or our fellow countrymen with aid, let me know and I will do my best to render it."
Colson is eager to speak to Wulthur.
"Thank you for your explanations. I have to admit that I would very much have liked to be with you. I was only thinking about vengeance. But who knows what will happen to Du Moire. He may very well be hanged soon. To be honest, your group could not have solved this issue better. You brought back the tablets, you brought back Du Moire into Andoren hands and I have the signet ring." he says with a sly smile.
"I will surely contact you Wolthur should I hear anything that might be of interest to you and our joint mission to spread freedom and equality!"
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Accompanying her new-found friend to speak with Sir Colson, she nods. "Aye. Cuddles and I are certainly appreciative of the freedom civilized folk grant. Though we prefer the company of the woods over the city, we joined your cause for this very purpose."
"Whilst one slave remains, we are all slaves!"
With a deep curtsy to the man, she excuses herself. Sitting quietly, she strokes the prickly skin of her companion as she awaits the debriefing.
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Standing to the side of the group the dwarf tapped at his rotund belly. "While i's a shame the lad'll prolly be put to th' Axe soon, his actions lead to his fate. Meanwhile we stopped a war... jus' the few o' us! How many other folk kin say tha' as their first official mission fer th' Pathfinder Society ey? Uh.. halflin lass, dunnae remember catchin yer name bu' ya showed up at a right fine time ya did. You n' yer... uh.. thing, ya dun good."
After all the formalities of filling out paperwork were over, oh how he dreaded paper work, Durest smiled to the group, "Now who's up fer a drink n' a Meal with our new-found wealth?"
Accompanying her new-found friend to speak with Sir Colson, she nods. "Aye. Cuddles and I are certainly appreciative of the freedom civilized folk grant. Though we prefer the company of the woods over the city, we joined your cause for this very purpose."
"Whilst one slave remains, we are all slaves!"
With a deep curtsy to the man, she excuses herself. Sitting quietly, she strokes the prickly skin of her companion as she awaits the debriefing.
"Oh dear free citizen Helvega, I did not see you behind Wolthurs broad shoulders. Thank you for your efforts as well! Your words show that you are a shining beacon of freedom. I hope you excuse me now. All the best to you and you will hear from me." Colson says.
IN THE MEETING ROOM WITH DRENG
Standing to the side of the group the dwarf tapped at his rotund belly. "While i's a shame the lad'll prolly be put to th' Axe soon, his actions lead to his fate. Meanwhile we stopped a war... jus' the few o' us! How many other folk kin say tha' as their first official mission fer th' Pathfinder Society ey? Uh.. halflin lass, dunnae remember catchin yer name bu' ya showed up at a right fine time ya did. You n' yer... uh.. thing, ya dun good."
After all the formalities of filling out paperwork were over, oh how he dreaded paper work, Durest smiled to the group, "Now who's up fer a drink n' a Meal with our new-found wealth?"
Right after Durest ends his sentence and you feel encouraged by the dwarf's words to seek out the next tavern, you hear the door open and Dreng step in with a smile.
"I have to praise you! You did better than most agents after a year in the field. Fighting skills, diplomacy, careful to keep everybody alive. And now we will examine the tablets with our experts so they will learn even more about the ancient Azlanti languages. And though meddling in the affairs of nations is of no interest to the Society, by defeating Du Moire you have saved Andoran and Cheliax from entering a horribly pointless war. Congratulations, my friends!"
"Good! Now off with you and drinks are on me in the Wounded Wisp! I will inform Heryn immediately!" he says with a smile.