Shana approaches as close as she can to talk to the Couatl as well.
"Surely the price of one token is worth the end of your sorrow? I dislike seeing a creature in pain and it is a simple thing to give up in exchange for peace."
Not seeing the creature as an immediate threat Khar will try and fly over to the other end of the bridge and see if there is anything of import there.
Anja reassures the couatl, "There, there. You don't have to worry about him. But things aren't what makes us unique. Take a look at this sword." She carefully pulls out her magic sword, so as not to alarm her sad friend, and holds it across her upturned palms, on display. "There's not another one like it. It causes pain to me when I wield it, but it causes more pain to the one I'm fighting," she says with a satisfied grin, that fades as she continues, "but it doesn't make me the swordsman I am. It's the years of practice. I'd be just as deadly with another blade, and in fact, I rarely use this one." She puts it back in its sheath. "The reason I carry it... that's what makes me unique. The choices I've made. The mistakes. The regrets. The way I let it all direct the choices I make after." She pauses thoughtfully. "We do need that token. It'd be a great help to us, but we won't make you give it to us. That's your choice. It's all your choices now that you're out from under Sonorae. You could choose to burden yourself with the sorrow for your regrets, or you can choose to makes amends for them. You'll still feel the sorrow," she shrugs, "but let it drive you to do better. Otherwise, the burden will paralyze you, and your inaction will just pile more regrets on. That token... will help us get home to a world made for us. Without it, you'll doom us to stay here, someplace that doesn't make any sense to us, forever. You can help us, or you can add that regretful decision to the sorrow you carry now. I don't know. I'm just thinking." Anja hangs her head, heavy with the implication if her friend doesn't help her.
You said Terry can hear Anja? His eyebrows go way up at this outpouring of emotion. "Never figured that big half-elf had it in her," he mutters quietly, to Skitter.
Valeeran holds his tongue, stepping back a bit from the creature to avoid further antagonizing it, and waits to see how those better at negotiation than he fare.
After talking some, some more and then some, Anja and Shana get the Couatl to actually use her voice. She has the most beautiful voice imaginable, which you wouldn't have though could be seeing as she is crying all the time.
She tells you that the Mourning Choir is her name, and she explains that she was originally one of the Conspirators who murdered Sonnorae, but the compassion she devoured poisoned her and left her in this state. The Barrow King, the host of the island, took that burden from her and now overflows with compassion only for the dead, filling the undead noble
with a powerful hatred for all living things. She warns that he will blindly attack anyone but mourners who approach the island.
"It doesn't sound like he's taken that burden if you're still here upset."
"Do you know where the Barrow King keeps the token from Sonorae? If he attacks us, we may have to kill him, so to speak, and if he has the token hidden, we might not be able to find it."
"Does he have any tricks, in case we do have to defend ourselves?"
"I know not where he keeps it. It should be about your fist big, since it was Sonnorae's heart. The latter question I cannot answer, save he has a big sword, and as far as I know, ample training with it."
|
”You said he wouldn’t attack mourners. Could we look like mourners and slip in, or does he know all mourners by face and the ruse would be a wasted effort? While deception does not appear to be anyones forte, it may be easier than cutting through an entire island of undead.” asks Shan-yu, his face expressionless.
"I'm not sure, are you talking about disguises? Coz he will not watch your face, he will watch your grief, I reckon."
"I don't think we'll be able to avoid a fight. Even if we could disguise ourselves as mourners, even if we could bring our grief to the front of our minds or whatever, we won't be able to maintain it long enough to talk him into giving us the token."
"And frankly, I've seen y'all in action. It may actually be easier to cut our way through an island of undead."
"I can pretend well enough, but I wouldn't pass up the chance to destroy some undead if we get a decent opportunity to. They're an affront to Gozreh." Terry chimes in.
"I know my Goddess would prefer as many of the undead destroyed as well, though there is no victory in it if we get ourselves killed in the process. I do agree with Anja, however. From what I have seen, our group should have little trouble as long as the numbers are not truly overwhelming."
Shana motions to her pack as she continues, indicating a smaller pouch on the side of the backpack.
"I also have several bottles of an oil that will bless a weapon against an evil creature if we wish to further prepare ourselves"
A gleam shines in the elfs eye as he rubs his hands excitedly before him. "Off to adventure then!"
Looking up to the flying sorcerer, "Say Khar...can you tell how far we'll need to go from up there? Or perhaps our new friend here can tell us."
Anja gives the couatl a big hug. "I'm sorry there's nothing I can do to make you feel better. I'll come back by to see you again after we finish on the island."
She turns to the others before leading the way across the rest of the bridge. "If anyone knows about the different kinds of undead, let us know when we're being inefficient. If Shan-yu's arrows would be more effective on one thing attacking us than another, speak up. That sort of thing. When we see the king, hit him with ranged attacks before we rush him. I'll try to pull his sword away from him."
Terry nods in acknowledgement. "I've made a bit of a study of these things...I'll keep it in the forefront of my mind."
Anja takes the lead, with her ranseur drawn. She moves quickly, ready to rush anything that tries to block the bridge. She also looks to Khar above to help keep an eye out for anything ahead.
Terry feels no fear of this thing Anja has been giving emotional counseling to. He will walk across the bridge to continue on.
Shana moves behind Anja, buckler and axe in hand to shield the rest of the party from anything that might get past the half-Elf. She draws her Silent metamagic rod in her free hand as well, fighting her haunting spirits to complete the action.
Flickering, colored fireflies scatter in all directions. Beyond the light undergrowth lies a maze of leaning gravestones. In the center, two white candles stand burning atop a weathered stone sarcophagus.
> SHANA and TERRY: Each of you get to choose one card!
Make it count in your next post.
When the party starts moving once again Valeeran begins chanting a stream of arcane words. At his first pause an translucent shimmer appears at his side where a shield might be held and then largely fades from view. Hustling a bit to catch up with Anja he says, "This may tickle a bit but I believe it will help." suddenly she seems to shift over a foot or two though she made no movement to do so. Finally he closes his eyes for a moment, exerting his will, and those near to him can sense a feeling of protection upon them.
"How long does this last? ... Ah. Not long. Well, best not to waste it!"
Anja moves forward quickly toward the central sarcophagus, watching out for any movement.
Shana moves to follow Anja and take position on the other woman's left side. A single card falls from her pack as she begins her movement, pushed by her ever present haunts, and she scoops it up to examine as she stops.
Shana quickly stows The Survivor card and returns her attention to the landscape around her, axe held in a firm grip at her side.
Terry narrows his eyes, feeling something pressing against his thigh in his pocket. He reaches down, plucking The Winged Serpent out, and staring at it for a few moments.
Round 1
Suddenly, a man of average height and build, dressed in black clothing all over his body and face, stand up from begind an altar or sarcophagus in the middle of the island.
He knocks over the votive candles atop this altar/sarcophagus, and they land on the ground next to him. He then smiles, and draws a greatsword.
As the Barrow King rises behind the sarcophagus, Anja moves close enough to reach him with her ranseur if he moves, and taps into her primal rage.
Seeing that the islands lord has revealed itself Valeeran summons up his arcane knowledge, twisting time itself to aid his companions.
As a swift action, Terry's head falls back and light shines from his eyes as Gozreh manifests wings of air from the halfling's back. This gives him 60 feet speed, and he will take to the air, moving 30 feet diagonally upward and toward the enemy with the greatsword, getting in position for a lightning storm.
With an exhalation of breath, Terry fires off a beam of electricity from between his teeth. DC 18 reflex for half damage - take lightning damage from the bolt.
>>
Within moments of first contact, the restless dead interred on Barrow Island burst their arms from the earth to clutch and tear at all living creatures they can reach. The Barrow King does not seem to be affected, but Anja is being teared at from different angles and a whole lotta arms.
The Barrow King grins, and mumbles something in a foreign language none of you understand. He walks around the sarcophagus and puts all his might into a single devastating blow, almost breaking Anja's shoulder bone.
Terry's eyes blaze a pure white and he shouts "Teelen pah raduus!"
His pointed finger aims at the Barrow King and the winds pick up, gusting across him.
and knocked prone, unless you Fort save.
>> http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat#TOC-Cover
But if it makes it easier, yes, you were already grappled :)
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/special-abilities#TOC-Energy-Drain-an d-Negative-Levels
The Barrow King feels the wind sweep past him, knocking bits and pieces agaisnt him. He does not buckle though, and laughs as the wind blows chunks out of his cloak and cape.