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Grunyak is horrified by the scene before him. It is like they where here taking drugs to protect themselves and it didn't work. The dream monsters got them.
Grunyak is just too rattled to make sinse of things. He draws his axe and shifts back, feeling the static lessen he holds his symbol an prays. "Bless this group, our mission is righteous and good."
Taariik draws his blade and tries to read the strange creatures aura, while Grunyak invokes a blessing of Torag to aid you in battle.
The strange humanoid amalgamation roils and undulates along the room the better to strike at Huxwren. Where it's face should be are constantly changing expressions, but crude as if fashioned from clay. It's like a bad fever dream made real. It's arm-like appendages rise and slam into Huxwren.
Only one of the slams breaches Huxwren's newly improved defences, but when it does something strange happens; the force of it causes a large bruise to appear, and then the blood from the bruise seems to get drawn out from the wound and be drawn into the creature's mass! It also clamps down and attempts to hold on.
Active Effects:
Bless: +1 morale bonus to attack rolls and saving throws against fear
Mental Static: Those within 10 feet of the creature take a -2 to attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws. This is a mind-affecting effect
Blood Monster
Huxwren
Eldrin
Drusilla
Taariik
Grunyak
...
“AAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!” Huxwren shrieks, ducking ineffectively behind their tiny shield before the bloody creature grabs them. “Getitoffgetoffmegetitoff!” They frantically stab at the creature’s arm with their dagger, eyes wide with fear.
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There are plenty of moments in a battles.
Sometimes a warrior misses what would have been a sure shot.
Sometimes a warrior barely hits.
and sometimes (and this is the stuff of legends) where a warrior is one with his weapon, and uses it with maximum efficiency, doing mortal damage.
Unfortunatly for the blob of blood, this is one of these times, and Drusilla, who was just near Huxwen and comes to his rescue, delivers quite a walloping.
Lucifer, her magical morningstar, is truly and well introduced to the foe.
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Eldrin takes a step away from the blood thing in horror. Thinking for a few moments, he says "It's some kind of golem, but tied to the dream world somehow. It will take enchanted weapons to injure it and you'll need to hit hard. My magic isn't going to affect it."
Eldrin starts casting a spell on himself.
Taariik swings twice at the vaugely humanoid writhing blob. It's very fast and avoids his first, but the second strikes true and he runs it through, piercing where its heart would be. The blow would have killed a human, but to the blood golem it doesn't seem any more deadly than usual. Indeed it seems to take less damage than Taariik would have expected.
Huxwren drags their dagger along the "arm" grabbing them, cutting out some of the blood that splashes onto the floor, though again it doesn't seem as damaging as it might have been.
Drusilla draws her morningstar and lands a perfect blow on the blood golem's head, completely smashing it! Less than a second later a new head forms, its mishapen features staring at her quizically
Active Effects:
Bless: +1 morale bonus to attack rolls and saving throws against fear
Mental Static: Those within 10 feet of the creature take a -2 to attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws. This is a mind-affecting effect
Blood Monster
Huxwren
Eldrin
Drusilla
Taariik
Grunyak
...
Grunyak chops at the golem, but it's surprisingly agile even while holding Huxwren, and it easily dodges out of the way.
With it's new "head" spinning around to all the fresh sources of blood, it locks on Taariik as the source of it's most grievous wound. It drops Huxwren, pours toward Taariik in a most unnatural manner, and slams its gross mockeries of limbs toward him.
The first slam connects, and once again the resulting bruise seems to leak blood toward the creature. It tries to hold fast and squeeze.
With one "arm" holding on, it continues to smash with the other.
Finally it drains blood through the fresh bruise, sucking the blood into its form and replenishing some of that which was lost
Active Effects:
Bless: +1 morale bonus to attack rolls and saving throws against fear
Mental Static: Those within 10 feet of the creature take a -2 to attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws. This is a mind-affecting effect
Taariik
Huxwren
Drusilla
Eldrin
Grunyak
Blood Monster
“AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!”
Huxwren screams much louder than their small form would suggest is possible as they flee from the creature while it is tied up with tying up Taariik. From the (relative) safety of the doorway, they yell back, “Killitkillitfasterhurryhurryhurry!”
Taariik frantically changes weapon and tries something easier to wield while grabbed. Unfortunately he finds his flail barely able to damage the blobbly monstrosity.
Grunyak begs Eldrin for some guidance and tries to hit the thing, but once again finds it too fast. Drusilla though, perhaps annoyed that her previous perfect strikes failed to end it, steps up and tears into it in a blur. Each strike smashes into the blob and shoots a spray of blood, weakening it with each strike.
Mental Static: Those within 10 feet of the creature take a -2 to attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws. This is a mind-affecting effect
Haste: +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves, double speed (to a max of 30 extra feet), extra attack on full attack action
Taariik
Huxwren
Drusilla
Eldrin
Grunyak
Blood Monster
With Drusilla now proving herself a threat, the strange amalgamation of bloody nightmares drops Taariik and turns its deadly attention to her!
Although the first slam finds its target, Dru twists away from its iron grip and it can't get a hold of her!
Again it slams her, the force of it nearly knocking her shield from her hands, but again the stalwart warrior wins the battle of strength and rips her arm from its grasp.
Unable to drain any blood, the golem cannot heal and is exposed and weak, near death.
Mental Static: Those within 10 feet of the creature take a -2 to attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws. This is a mind-affecting effect
Haste: +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves, double speed (to a max of 30 extra feet), extra attack on full attack action
Taariik
Huxwren
Drusilla
Eldrin
Grunyak
Blood Monster
Dru's first strike is enough to burst the belligerent blood-bag, and what blood remains coats her from head to toe. In an instant the scene looks entirely mundane once again, the memory of the blood golem fading like that of a recent dream.
Taariik
Huxwren
Drusilla
Eldrin
Grunyak
Blood Monster
The blood golem lies defeated, but three of the pathfinders still find that their fresh bruises are leaking blood which is only adding to the repulsive abundance already in the room.
Bleeding can be stopped by a DC 15 Heal check or through the application of any spell that cures hit point damage
Grunyak channels holy energy, and the black and weeping bruises seal back together and fade to purple.
Taariik
Huxwren
Drusilla
Eldrin
Grunyak
Blood Monster
The proprietor, Asnaan emerges from his place of hiding looking terrified.
"What on earth was that thing? I suppose I'd better come clean and pray to Suyuddha that you can help us out of this mess"
He takes a deep breath an launches into a story, trying to get it out as quickly as possible.
"It started with Frell Tann. He was a frequent customer here and came in one night boasting of a magic key and book that he'd found in the wreckage of some ceremony, a ceremony where the brotherhood of the spider betrayed and exiled some of its own members, or so he said. He had bartered the key for shiver when he came in, but he still had the book on him as he hadn't found the right buyer."
"That night he died in his shiver dream, so we fed him to the pigs."
He at least has the grace to look embarrassed as he says that.
"I kept the book, but Josef Barvasi learned of it when the brotherhood threatened to withold his payment over it. I gave it to him when he came to ask about it, and I believe he intended to use it as leverage. Until the cult was taken down that is; that was you was it not? He was hold up here afraid he was your next target, and he decided to get rid of the book just yesterday. He said he was going to sell it to a bookshop that dealt in such things, The Winding Way. He came back here with all his gang to lay low and avoid those pursuing them in their dreams, but as you can see it was not to be"
"If you wish to pursue those responsible..." he bows deeply and points to the bizarre apparatus with the daemon head and pipes going to beds "I offer my services to you."
“AAAAIIIIEEEEE!!!” Huxwren shrieks again as some sneaks up behind them and cowers again behind their shield. After a few seconds, a pair wide eyes peek out in the space between the brim of the hat and the edge of the shield. “...Oh, wait, you’re not another blood-sucking nightmare creation... Or are you!?!”
Carefully the halfling edges closer to the rest of the group, not letting their eyes leave to proprietor of the establishment nor their tiny shield fall from its ready position.
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Taariik tries to give Hux some comfort and is clearly impressed by the longevity of the medium’s attachment to the spirits that he calls!
“Calm down Hux. All good I think!“ he says.
He then listens and takes notes but it’s hard to keep up and he really has trouble understanding.
“Ehh ... okay! So ... ehh ... is the book here? Or has he sold it already? And we did only lawful acts! Really!! I mean we are not just invading peoples’ stronghold for nothing!“ he says and looks at Grunyak and Eldrin, “... you also tell him!“
Asnaan responds to Taariik.
"Yes he told me he sold it to a local bookshop, the Winding Way. It is just round the corner on Nacre Street. It deals in all manner of occult topics, from trepanning to the secrets of unlocking shakras, or so Diogorgio tells me when he comes in. That's the owner."
to Drusilla he gives a little more detail.
"Barvasi is- er, was a powerful man. His father was Devargo Barvasi, a well connected drug lord, and Josef inherited his father's empire when he was slain by a group of adventurers some years ago"
"He was respected by his gang though, and always treated me well. The book was called the Paginarum Lethargica, and it was quite something. Huge, hundreds of mismatched parchments and ragged vellum bound between two hinged darkwood slats. There was a large dark gem on the front. Josef showed it to me but I didn't read from it I'm afraid."
You set off to find the Winding Way bookshop, descending the rickety stair to ground level and heading off around the corner on Nacre street. Up ahead you see a small crowd gathered around a shop front, which as you approach turns out to be the Winding Way.
A crowd of onlookers is gathered, muttering amongst each other about what might have caused it. Exactly what "it" is isn't clear until Dru pushes her way to the front and sees Captain Crandon standing over the ashen body of a human man. The bodies legs have clearly been crushed from a fall, and it's covered in a great many cuts and gashes.
"Nothing to see here" Captain Crandon announces to the crowd. "This death has been ruled accidental. Adverse shiver reaction caused a suicide. Please disperse"
"But what about the claw marks?" Shouts one onlooker, careful to duck behind a larger bystander when Captain Crandon's piercing gaze attempts to pick them out.
"Yeah who minces themself like meat pie filling then decides to kill themself by jumping from a roof? It just doesn't make se-"
This time Captain Crandon spots the speaker and jumps on them like an Ogre Spider spotting its prey. She has the tall fellow manacled within a second and the crowd quickly starts to disperse. From the doorway in the shop a young girl watches nervously. She catches your eye, and makes a quick come-inside gesture while flicking ocassional fearful glaces at Captain Crandon.
Huxwren blanches visibly at the sight of yet another corpse, then tries to sidle into the shop while Taariik distracts the guard.
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Grunyak looks at the body for clues as to what caused the wounds.
"Hmm, Interesting."
He then makes his way to the the shop where the little girl is.
He looks on as Taariik negotiates the politics of the situation. "I need to use one of the restorative scrolls on him." He pulls one out and will use it on Taariik before they enter the shop.
Outside, Taariik appeals to Captain Crandon. She was the one who first chose you to look into the problems in Bridgefront, helped you with the gang-members at Greeley's Den, and stood watch outside the House on Hook street herself.
Her reaction to Taariik though is not at all what he expected after their history, especially given his silver tongue and kind words. She snaps a response at him as she is handing over her detainee to another guard.
"The investigation is over! Korvosa is a large city, and not every death is tied up with sinister cults. You and your allies have been friends to Korvosa, but I find you've been stirring up unrest I'll throw you in the cells as sure as sunrise"
She marches off now that the crowd has dispersed, leaving some of her guards to gather the body on the cobbles, and Taariik to follow the others into the Winding Way.
Inside, the ground floor of the bookshop is a mess, with books strewn all about as if it had been been thoroughly searched by someone unconcerned about the mess. The young girl has introduced herself to a very stealthy Huxwren and then Grunyak as Avigail.
"You're the ones they say are here to help, with the nightmares?"
She looks young and frightened, maybe 15 or so.
"I told the guard that my Dad didn't kill himself! He doesn't even use shiver, and I saw the thing. Last night, I heard some strange snuffling at my door, then it went away. I had a look and saw a weird skinless dog stalking around. I hid, and when I emerged the place looked like this and my Dad was ..."
She almost looks like she's going to cry, but then gets a fierce look of determination.
"That guard woman said I was delusional! Can you help us? Were they looking for something? Maybe it's still here?"
Looking around the shop, you find lots of books that belonged on shelves, books on every occult topic imaginable, but nothing matching the description of the Paginarum Lethargica. Eldrin, Drusilla and Grunyak do spot a box that looks to have been used to store books that Diogorgio purchased yesterday, but it doesn't appear to have the book in it.
During your search those of you capable of casting divination magics scan the room for any sign of magic, and each turn up nothing. Except... Eldrin catches the faintest flicker of magic coming from an unexpected book in the pile from yesterday, titled "The Order of Numbers"; an unremarkable copy of one of Abadar's holy books. It has the faintest aura of illusion that Eldrin has ever seen, very easy to overlook.
He determines that a bookmark in the back cover is actually a Bookmark of Deception, and it must have been how the book escaped detection last night. Once Eldrin removes it, the huge book is revealed.
A quick glance inside shows an extremely detailed history of the artifact known as the Dreamstone, and the church of Desna's extensive study of it. It has many spells and rituals, and untold other knowledge.
Taariik does not detect any evil aura from Captain Crandon.
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"Come, Taariik, the captain is just doing her job. We need to tend to our own business and we can't do that in jail."
Reads the scroll for Taariik and enters the book store.
After hearing the girl explain, Grunyak asks, "Young lady, do you have any family nearby you can stay with? We should find you some place safer to stay right now."
Huxwren clutches the oversized book in their little arms, glancing around worriedly at the room’s windows and doors. “Gotta study this someplace safe right away - can’t be too careful,” they mutter. “What if the Captain has been replaced by one of those faceless stalkers? Or what if the mayor has!? You can’t trust anyone you’ve let out of your sight!” The halfling’s voice rises higher and higher until they stop and take a deep breath. “It’s fine, I’m cool, I’m fine...” With measured breaths they wait for the rest of the team to be ready, though their wide eyes keep flickering between the room’s various points of entry.
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"Yes, indeed. Huxxren is right, we need somewhere safe to study this and until we find somewhere we should probably conceal the book once more with this." He hold up the magical book mark and if there are no objections will return it to its place in the book.
Turning to the young girl Eldrin says "May we take this book? We'd be happy to pay a fair price for it."
"I'll be fine, my aunt lives on Waydon Street and I'm sure I can stay with her. Although the nightmares have been bad. I've heard about Madame Carrington's sanctuary, though she's full up and we can't afford to pay. Could you- Would you mind putting in a good word for us with her? If she could protect us at night I know we could get through this"
Eldrin replaces the bookmark and restores the esoteric tome to its innocuous form.
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“We will definitely try to put your message in front of the Madame but ... I have to admit that I do not know how her prio ... ehh ... priority I think is the word or something... how that looks like. But I’ll gladly give up my protection for you! Now go to your aunt!“ he says and smiles at her.
He then turns to the others.
“Do you know that I am not really very good with the books? Then you know that I would rather try to find out more about what is going on here and try to act! Can we maybe study the book later?“
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"If we don't study the book, we need to find a way to cross to the dreamscape armed and ready to fight. We could take some of these nightmares head on. Is there anything here that helps us do such a thing? Or do we try the shiver route offered by that Anavaan fellow? I think that was his name."
Grunyak looks for sign in the others for what they should do next.
"Logically I know studying will get us to where we can help people. I just know it will not be easy for me to sit around while people are dying in dreams. And do we have time for it?"
He sighs and looks at his battle axe longingly. "We got to help somehow. If not the book then shiver."
He sighs again and looks at his holy symbol.
"We found the book. We need to use it or we just wasted our time." "Let's seal this place up and study here. One door in right and no second story. Dru and Taariik can take turns guarding while Eldrin and Hux study. I will help study and can help guard as needed."