The tatzylwyrm hisses at his fellow reptillian as Hskoro approaches, or does the best he can with Giovanni in his mouth. However, the tatzylwyrm doesn't get an opportunity to make good on his threat, as Everbloom's forceful flower blast pummels the creature into unconsciousness, gracefully doing no harm to the rogue.
Searching the creature’s nest reveals a mace made entirely of cold iron with a pentagram inscribed on the head and tarnished silver wire loosely wrapped around the hilt, revealing an inscription in Infernal along the handle. It would seem that this mace is the mace you seek, and that the inscription contains another portion of the fury's true name.
Close inspection of the table uncovers a hidden compartment containing a journal written in Common, a wand, and a scroll.
This is a wand of pass without trace (CL 3rd, 10 charges).
This is a scroll of fog cloud (CL 3rd).
The journal belonged to a hobgoblin commander called Malgrin. The journal details Malgrin’s strategies and victories. It describes his use of the foothills to lose pursuit and how he employed the druid medics under his service to conceal their tracks and modify the terrain for better camouflage.
The hobgoblin journal represents an insight into the opposition during the Goblinblood Wars. The journal details not only battles, but also Malgrin’s thoughts on the war’s direction and his concerns about new forces entering the field. He outlines new tactics to counter the new arrivals.
The table seems to have been used for maps and planning, allowing the unit to observe from the spiral.
You realize the unique historical significance of Malgrin’s tactical knowledge, and strongly believe that the journal may be of value to the Pathfnder Society.
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Giovanni falls from the clutches of the dragon creature trying to catch his breath. That was a close one. Thank you. Everbloom, that powerful attack finally landed, I figured it mostly for show.
Giovanni dons his glasses and looks over the materials. These battle tactics and location notes are particularly interesting. Our venture captains will be pleased.
The return to Umok is uneventful. When the group arrives back at the Badgers's Den to get some rest, they are greeted by Trigi Neppo.
"A letter for you guys arrived while you were on your quest! This was attached: a scroll of heroism. Somebody must like you! The messenger said it was urgent. Told me to tell you that someone else hunts the prize you're after."
With their next mission in hand, the group readies themselves for the final section of their adventure here in Isger. Trigi is able to identify the scroll and wand they found in the tatzylwyrm's lair, and she provides them with cheerful company that evening at the inn. Bearjaw joins the festivities, and is interested in hearing all about the old hobgoblin hideout.
The next day, the group sets out for the Chitterwood.
After days of travel on overgrown trails and hard sleeping in the wilds of the Chitterwood, a half-collapsed wall emerges from the trees winding around a long forgotten encampment. The Hellknight outpost was breached long ago, and decades of growth have begun to reclaim the interior courtyard. A few walls still stand, and undergrowth covers the ground in a dense carpet. A single building in the southeastern end seems to be whole, its entrance blocked with a crude piece of wood.
You notice that in the shadow of a broken wall hang several huge spider webs; scattered among them are a few sizable humanoid bones as well as broken gear and rotting packs. A few strange tracks are also visible among the bushes near the webs. The packs, upon investigation, contain about 125 gp in mixed currencies, all told.
The tracks seems to have been made by an ettercap.
The worm-eaten slab of wood falls aside easily to reveal a cluttered and rank-smelling hall. Rotten parchment scraps, worm-eaten carpets, and disintegrating furniture hint at a decaying Hellknight command center, a fact confirmed by the rusted remains of armor and ancient standards adorning the walls. A rusting iron statue of Asmodeus lies toppled to one side against a wall. Amongst the debris are the skeletal remains of five humanoid bodies. Two still wear rust-fused Hellknight armor, while three others are covered in molding, rotten leather. Surrounding these aged corpses are the remains of their goblinoid killers; it's clear that everyone was slain in a vicious fight.
However, the Pathfinders hear a faint chittering sound, just as the wooden slab is removed. This is enough warning to prevent them from being surprised when an ettercap reveals itself, ready to attack!
Round One Giovanni (up), Hskoro (up), Tholand (up), Mikhail (up), Ettercap (not yet up), Everbloom (not yet up), Smiley (not yet up)
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[=kn arcana]d20+2
Mikhail rushes up from behind Hskoro, giving the ettercap a bug-eyed glare to rival the creature's own as he chants an Infernal litany of fear, surprise, and doom.
Ettercaps are typically 6 feet tall and weigh about 200 pounds. They are solitary creatures and rarely group with others of their kind, even to mate. When they do group, they tend to attract a variety of different spiders, forming a strange collective of ettercaps and arachnids. Ettercaps are known for building cunning traps out of webs and other natural materials, using them to trap prey. They build shelters out of webbing, often high up in the trees away from other ground-based predators, and use monstrous spiders as lookouts and guardians.
Ettercaps are not brave creatures, but their traps often ensure that the enemy never draws a weapon. When an ettercap does engage its enemies, it attacks with its claws and venomous bite. It usually refuses to come within melee reach of any foe that is still able to move, and flees if an opponent gets free.
Giovanni doesn't know of any resistances, immunities, or vulnerabilities of the ettercap, though he has heard tell that like some spiders they have a poisonous bite that gradually paralyzes their victims.
Ettercap poison—injury; save Fort DC 15; frequency 1/round for 10 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex; cure 2 consecutive saves.
Ettercaps don't have SR or DR, but Mikhail knows they are pretty easy to hit since they don't wear armor and don't have much natural armor; he's pretty sure Hskoro could have hit the thing even if it wasn't flat-footed. He knows that the creature is pretty resilient in all areas, although its reflexes are slightly less quick, while its fortitude and willpower are about equal.
The ettercap hisses and clicks in fury and pain as he is hit right in the face by a blob of acid. Before he can do anything about it, Hskoro rushes forward and slashes him with an axe, and suddenly the tables are turned on the erstwhile ambusher. Nonetheless he seemed unfazed by Mikhail's magic, and simply stares back with his huge, black, beady eyes, before turning to tear into Hskoro with jaws and claws. Hskoro manages to avoid the creature's bite, but the ettercap rips into him with one of its claws. The creature steps over so its back is against the wall.
Round One Giovanni (acid splash sneak attack), Hskoro (axe attack), Mikhail (cast doom), Ettercap (clawed Hskoro), Tholand (up), Everbloom (up), Smiley (up)
Round Two Giovanni (up), Hskoro (up), Mikhail (up), Ettercap (not yet up), Tholand (not yet up), Everbloom (not yet up), Smiley (not yet up)
Ettercap- 15 damage
Smiley's shin-kick causes the ettercap to double over in pain, and Hskoro brings his blade down in a solid blow that nearly decapitates the creature, just as Giovanni moves in to stab the creature in the back simultaneously. The Pathfinders have made quick work of this aberration.
With a brief search of the room, the Pathfinders quickly turn up the remains of what must have been Dremlut Irrica.
Someone also finds a sunken stone near the statue of Asmodeus which hides a stash of old Chelish coins worth 326 gp.
The Irrica family signet ring is still on her desiccated finger. It’s encrusted with dirt but still retains its magic.
The wearer of this ring and everyone within 60 feet is protected from the erinyes that the Irrica family controlled, even without knowing the creature's true name. A brief moment spent examining the ring is sufficient to attune with it and activate its ability to protect the wearer and nearby creatures from the erinyes.
Once cleaned off, the gold ring reveals delicate Infernal text carved into the band, but the letters are hopelessly lost in the dense calligraphy. Only through many hours of study might somebody fluent in Infernal pick out and decipher the last piece of the name.
However, it is around this time that a woman's voice calls from the outside.
"Explorers! I am Pava Irrica and I believe you have been traveling across Isger, collecting my family heirlooms. However you've come by them, I am willing to forgive and forget as long as you turn them over to me peacefully. You can walk away, and I'll not get the authorities involved. Now, come out and sheathe your weapons."
Pava steps up into view, accompanied by a pair of thugs.
"Very well, if you want to do this the hard way, I'm game," she says. But suddenly the situation changes.
A sharp bang announces the arrival of a black-winged figure in tight leather armor, wielding a longbow. She appears on top of a broken wall nearby, dark eyes darting around the courtyard at the assembled face-off. "Ah, I see the Irrica family line isn't entirely wiped out yet," she observes, "And facing off for a fight! You mortals make such tepid entertainment. But I am merciful. Give me the fragments you've collected and I'll let you live."
Pava scowls at the winged creature, "You serve the Irricas, devil. I know you cannot harm me. Now, you lot, quickly, give me the ring and I'll command it to spare you."
Pava practically fumes with anger.
"Have it your way," she says, turning to her men, "Kill them."
The bandits reach for arrows from their quivers, and the erinyes lets out a derisive laugh. Pava takes up a martial arts stance and begins to stalk forward.
Round One Mikhail (up), Tholand (up), Hskoro (up), Pava (not yet up), Everbloom (not yet up), Giovanni (not yet up), Bandits (not yet up), Smiley (not yet up)
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From past information given and that Pava wants the ring so badly, Hskoro talks just loud enough for his companions to hear. "Someone put the ring on. Maybe that will allow you to control that black winged vixen."
Hskoro then moves up to use the wall directly in front of him as cover against the archers, waiting to either let them get closer or to provide defense if the group decides to withdrawal with their spoils.
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Before they leave Tholand will clean up the statue of Asmodeus, and leave 5 gold as an offering.
Mikhail also helps with this, and not to be outdone, leaves 7 gold pieces (one for each layer of Hell, sparing 1 for his Lord Geryon, and another because HERESY!)!
"A-HA!" Mikhail barks triumphantly as he seizes the ring and jams it on his (atypically slender, for a Dwarf) finger.
Mikhail flashes his ringed fist toward the erinyes. "Sensechal-slave of House Irrica, HARM us not, harm US not, harm us NOT, for I stand before thee with thy masters' talisman!"
He spins on his heel to face the prodigal nun. "Betcha didn't expect THAT, did you?!?" There is an unholy twinkle in his eyes, and others hear, perhaps not so much in their ears as in the pits of their hearts, the sounding of unearthly horns.
Tholand moves forward cautiously to join Hskoro, and takes up a defensive stance in the Dragon Style.
Pava gives a smug smile and begins to advance, moving towards Mikhail but watching her fellow martial artist, Tholand, out of the corner of her eye. From her stance as she approaches it becomes clear to both Tholand and Smiley, if not some of the others, that Pava is trained in hamatulatsu, an exotic but deadly fighting form inspired by the varying attacks of the barbed devil, intended to maim and scar rather than kill.
But as she closes the distance, suddenly a wicked, baroque, spiked chain erupts from somewhere below her feet! The chain whips about, and despite her dexterity it slashes Pava across the shoulder sending an arc of blood into the air. A brief flash of fear crosses her face. But despite being shaken, the Irrican scion grits her teeth, keeps pushing forward, and launches herself at Mikhail with a feral shout, the fingers on her hand bent like claws as she attempts to strike the inquisitor. Mikhail feels a piercing pain in his chest as she strikes him, and her hand comes back red with blood.
Round One Mikhail (moved and cast judgement), Tholand (double moved), Hskoro (moved), Pava (moved and missed), Everbloom (not yet up), Giovanni (not yet up), Bandits (not yet up), Smiley (not yet up)
Pava- 6 damage; shaken for 2 rounds
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Everbloom moves forward, but can't get a clear shot on the bossy woman. Instead she grins and thrusts her hands out at the nearest thug, firing a barrage of razor sharp pine needles into his chest!
A moment later the tips of all her fur turns a greenish hue, but closer inspection reveals that she seems to be growing long pine needles from her flesh, in amongst her fur.
Giovanni's acid blob misses the mark, but Everbloom sends countless tiny needles sticking into the monk. Pava cries out in pain.
The thugs Pava brought with her nock and loose arrows, one each at Giovanni and Everbloom. Giovanni barely sidesteps to dodge, but an arrow hits Everbloom, just missing her throat.
Round One Mikhail (moved and cast judgement), Tholand (double moved), Hskoro (moved), Pava (moved and missed), Everbloom (hit), Giovanni (missed), Bandits (hit and miss), Smiley (up)
Round Two Mikhail (up), Tholand (up), Hskoro (up), Pava (not yet up), Everbloom (not yet up), Giovanni (not yet up), Bandits (not yet up), Smiley (not yet up)
Pava- 18 damage; shaken for 2 rounds
As Smiley tries to wrap up Pava her well-trained hands move swiftly to block each attempt of the dwarf's to grapple her.
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As Smiley tries to wrap up Pava her well-trained hands move swiftly to block each attempt of the dwarf's to grapple her.
"Bugger," Croaks Mikhail as he sees the nun pull her bloodied hand out of his torso. His wound begins to emit a subtle, unholy glow while the non-good vicar himself bounds off in pursuit of the better part of valor!
Pava-18
Pava, seeing that she is nearly defeated withdrawals.
Bold may Act
Everbloom
Giovanni
Bandits
Smiley
Mikhail
Tholand
Hskoro
Pava-18 damage
Everbloom takes down one of the bandits in one shot.
While Giovanni scolds one into a panic.
The remaining bandit takes off.
COMBAT OVER
Once the PCs resolve the standoff, they can follow the trail back to better-traveled roads for transport to Almas, where Venture-Captain Brackett awaits their report. Brackett’s primary concern is keeping control of the erinyes devil out of improper hands, so as long as the PCs managed to keep the items that contain the name fragments from Pava—whether by turning them over to Brackett or by giving them back to the erinyes—Brackett considers the mission a success. He thanks the PCs for their efforts and awards them 1,000 gp as promised.