"The what of the who?" naught thinks aloud to herself, all these weird names and terms were going over her head at the moment..
You managed to scale the external walls and find your way to the tower roof. Around you torrents of rain gust and soak you to the bone. Lightning flashes ever several seconds. You are shaken by the constant cacophony of booming thunder.
The tower opens onto a flat platform high above the raging waters. A spire of twisted iron rises from the tower’s roof in a series of three triangular iron platforms. Perched at the very top stands a huge lightning conductor and numerous lightning rods.
A peculiar brass device, studded with dials and protrusions and filled with a strange purple liquid, stands high atop the tower, attached to a huge silvery conductor by thick, rubber coated cables.
"So we have to use that thing, somehow, to summon Mr. Golem?" Naught asks Zelda.
As the cold rain penetrates her inadequate outfit, Aliseya's drenched body begins to shiver. For her warm, torn coat was left behind on her slain friend's body.
She stands by, arms crossed protectively and teeth chattering, with hope vested in Zelda's knowledge of what to do next.
Hearing the distinct chattering of teeth Naught sheds Petros' coat and plops it on to Aliseya.
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Aliseya nestles into the coat with a few shudders. Her chattering teeth immediately chatter less so. She smiles back at her good friend. The scent of the old coat even brings back a warm memory of her deceased mentor.
But then Ali looks back at the now coatless Naught with a worried expression, "What about you?"
Naught thinks for a second before shrugging and chuckling. "Enjoy the rain I guess!"
Aleks stands around, unsure of what to do next. "This device is well beyond my ken. Anyone know what we should do?"
Zelda sees that the Storm Caller must be activated to energize the Bondslave Thrall. The Bondslave Thrall can then be used to summon the Beast.
Activating the Storm Caller requires a DC 20 Knowledge (arcana) check or DC 25 Use Magic Device check.
Activating the Bondslave thrall then requires a DC 25 Use Magic Device check.
"Not a clue?" Naught replies.
Roland preens himself in the rain before looking at the device, then goes back to preening.
With a mighty shake, a massive flesh golem abomination bursts through the wooden shudders on top of the tower observatory. The stitched abomination appears to be made from the parts of at least half a dozen creatures, including choker, chuul, cloaker and ettercap, blended together into a disgusting mass of unlife. The creature reaches its tentacles to the raging storm clouds above and howls with unearthly fury. As if to answer, flashes of lightning and crushing booms of thunder rage around you.
Aliseya smiles back at Naught, shakes her head, and says, "Please let me know when you start to get too cold?"
When the others stare at the device unsure of what to do, Ali does likewise. She simply shrugs. Her eyes then light up as an idea pops into her head. "Oh... um..." she struggles to find the right words. "Maybe I could, like, ask Govannon...?"
Before she can explain her strange response, the new threat bursts through. She stares at it, wide-eyed, and involuntarily unleashes a bloodcurdling scream.
”Okeis!” Naught happily tells the dancer with a wide grin.
When Aliseya brings up talking to Govannon the Storyteller gets a concerned look on her face, worried that it hadn't fully set in to the dancer that he was gone. That was put to the side for the moment when another monster appeared.
"Oh gods not another one!" Naught growled out as her claws reflexively lit aflame with the baleful fire again as her hands went for the creature's flesh.
Roland squawked and fluttered over behind Aliseya.
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Zelda attempts to slide pass the creatures defenses and moves to a flanking position with Naught than attacks the creature.
+ 4 bleed per round and his natural armor class is reduced by 4
Round 2
+ his natural armor is reduce by 4 again.
Working herself into a rhythm Naught starts growling as she continues slashing at the beast.
When the abomination bursts from the tower, Aleks swiftly steps forward, drawing his knives even as he does so. Without pause, he launches directly into an attack.
Crit?
Round 2:
Aleks keeps on attacking, his arms a hurricane of mithral blades.
Crit?
As her voice falters and her friends begin to claw and slash the creature apart, Aliseya's eyes glaze over. But rather than glowing red, they begin to glow a different shade of... violet.
In sharp contrast to her uncontrolled scream a moment ago, Aliseya's face grows quite stern and stoic now. She cooly observes the situation before her as if she were an elder wise woman, far more advanced in age than her youthful body. Her violet eyes glance upwards towards the heavens, hands circling upwards in supplication. Her hands then fold into prayer position and move to her chest. She speaks in a strange dialect, one not understood by any of her friends. It sounds rather earthy and primitive. Ancient, even.
As she speaks, her head tilts downward. Her half-open eyes stare at the creature's feet, as if meditating on them.
And her own feet begin to lift off the ground...
Aliseya's scream elicits shrieks of pain from the creature and sends it into berserk frenzy.
Alexs hits with his second strike and finds that his steel dagger is less than fully effective.
Zelda tumbles and sinks her blade into the construct, but finds that the construct does not bleed.
Naught's second claw connects with the golem, but she finds that her claw has difficulty fully penetrating the creature's supernatural flesh.
Aliseya blesses the group with divine power.
Alexsander sinks his first dagger strike deep but finds the second strike hardly penetrates the creature's flesh.
Zelda scores a critical hit.
Naught rages and thrashes the golem with both claws.
The golem shrieks and then slams Zelda with two gigantic monstrous tentacles that send her spinning to the ground .
; 1=Alexs, 2=N, 3=Z
; Z
Noting the low effectiveness of his daggers, Aleksander nevertheless keeps attacking.
"Zelda!" naught cries out but keeps focused on trying to take the monster down.
As Zelda goes down, Aliseya's eyes flash red now. Her serene expression gives way to anger, and her feet immediately plant themselves right back on the ground.
Wicked Ali comes forth from within to profane the creature in the speech of nightmares, stretching her now cronish-appearing hand accusingly at it; her fingernails extend and turn a sickly green hue.
Aliseya curses the golem and the construct seems to lose some of its strength.
Alexsander is unable to cut through the creature's hide with his blades.
Naught again thrashes the golem with both claws - though she finds the damage again muted.
The golem turns and slams Aleksander with both of its tentacles .
; 1=Alexs, 2=N
; Aleks
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The waifish storyteller continues to let out inordinate roars as she rakes at the monster.
Wicked Ali seems pleased by the creature's increased lethargy in reponse to her abhorrent powers of unlife. She presses on, attempting to sap the rest of the creature's vital life force...
Aliseya again curses the golem and the construct once again seems to lose some of its strength.
Naught cuts through the golem's defenses with one claw.
The golem again slams Aleksander with both of its tentacles .
Everyone is up.
; 1=Alexs, 2=N
; Aleks
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"Nooooo! Ali! RUN!" Naught cries out as she keeps raking the beast.
Wicked Ali changes tactics once Aleks goes down. Whipping out her bone mannequin, she taunts the beast in the nightmarish speech. The creature's bones begin to crackle as she manipulates her macabre figurine, sinister malice in her fiery red eyes.
She speaks in the dark tongue to her remaining friend as she back away back the way they came...
Lightning cracks and hits the metal lightning rod above you as crows wearing leather hoods descend over the stricken Alexsander. Slowly the psychopomps raise the fallen paladin's soul to the unearthly courts of Pharasma for judgement.
Aliseya calls upon her mystical energy to rend the bones of the golem - you hear a muffled creak, but the golem does not move.
Naught hits the golem twice but finds that her claws barely penetrate the creature's thick flesh.
The golem turns and slams Naught with both of its tentacles as it screams madly to the raging heavens above .
Everyone is up.
; Naught
She speaks in the dark tongue to her remaining friend as she back away back the way they came...
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As she watches her pet take a punishing blow from the creature, Wicked Ali hisses with vengeful intensity. Suddenly, she looks over her own shoulder with fear, and yells at... the thin, stormy air?
And her head suddenly jolts forward, the bones of her neck crackling loud enough over the storm for Naught to hear. Her eyes suddenly flash a brilliant violet, and her face is overcome with...
Calm.
This new vision of Aliseya... her serenity stuns Naught. She looks upwards, like a serene earth angel. And her feet... they now begin to levitate a few inches above the ground.
Pointing at the fallen Zelda, she looks deeply into Naught's eyes. She makes a grabbing gesture to her, suggesting she carry her. If the creature moves in to swipe at Naught, Angelic Ali will move in to provoke the beast's wrath upon herself instead.
Finally, she grabs a hold of Naught and, the three of them in an embrace, she drops off the edge of the tower...
Panicking, naught was about to retaliate on instinct when she heard Ali start yelling. Looking over her shoulder and seeing the Dancer float towards her she, not knowing what else could be done or if it would be of any use, does as prompted without thinking and grabs a hold of the unconscious locksmith.
As the battle rages, Aliseya undergoes a fateful transformation from wickness to serenity. As she begins to levitate, Naught dashes to pick up the unconscious Zelda. The golem swipes at her twice as she does so, but misses both times.
Naught steps into Ali's waiting arms with Zelda and the three heroes step over the tower edge into the darkness below.
As you plummet over the edge, you are surprised to see a monstrous shape climbing up the tower walls. As you fall and get closer you see that the climber is none other than the Beast! The Beast locks eyes with you momentarily and winks. It then continues its climb to the top of the tower where it will enter into mortal combat with its sibling - the aberrant promethean.
As you continue your fall, your mind races through all that has happened over the last several years - the Ravengro murders, the ghosts of Harrowstone, the gothic darkness of Lepidstadt, the trial of the Beast and finally the nightmarish constructs of Count Caromarc. Somehow you know that the Whispering Way and their imprisoned patron, Tar Baphon, are behind all of this. Perhaps you will find a way to stop the cultists if you can somehow survive.
As the swirling mist at the bottom of the gorge draws closer, you become aware of ethereal winged psychopomps manifesting around you. Ali reaches to grab onto a window ledge and feels her boots begin to activate. Perhaps death will be held at bay. Perhaps you will survive to live another day.
The world fades to black.
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Vieland's great capital city slowly returns to it's usual ho-hum pace in the days following the trial of the Beast. While locals relish in their cherished rumors of the escaped Beast's morbid murders-yet-to-be, their convenient target to jeer at and blame for all their woes has abandoned them.
In time, they'll have forgotten all about the Beast. Naught but tall tales shall remain of his dark legend. Nursery rhymes, to frighten the grandchildren into eating their supper or minding their language. Lest the Beast of Lepidstadt come for them...
The crowded streets thin out as three young ladies make their way northwest. Eventually, they reach the edge of the city, where the buildings give way to some less urban verdancy. And there, no longer barred by dense tall walls, they see it.
The red-orange sky graces the western horizon over Lepidstadt. Beneath the fiery sky rest the city's ancient standing stones, the Spiral Cromlech, as they take in the day's last rays of the sun. The ladies are stunned by the majestic beauty before them.
While enjoying this beautiful sunset, the three brave young women cannot help but ponder the truth of the so-called Beast. The truth of what dark events have truly transpired here. Of not just the brutal murders and their true origins. But of the belligerent ignorance too many in this world are capable of when they fall prey to their own worst fears. And of the underlying evil of what transpired at Schloss Caromarc as well, where they bore witness to the dark designs of the sinister cult of the Whispering Way. And, as well, of the loss of two dear and brave friends...
For now, though, the world is beautiful.
Here at the somewhat verdant yet still urban edge of the city are many small homes, interspersed by several small shops... and, of course, there's the Tricky Flail Inn and the Scrawny Baron Tavern. A popular spot for entertainment and inebriation, the ladies can easily hear the boisterous patrons assembling from a distance away.
Taking in a deep breath, she releases a sigh of relief...
A stunningly beautiful young woman plops down on the ground, seated in Vudrani style. By her tan complexion, flowing dark hair, and eccentric attire, one might identify her as one of the Varisian wanderers from the western country.
Her knee-length suede & fur-lined coat keeps her warm on this cool day of Calistril. Her flowing dress protects her less, its slitted sides revealing hints of sensual legs beneath. An assortment of bracelets, anklets, and jewels of pearl, silver, and red carnelian lightly jingle with her limber body's movements.
She looks to her friends nearby. As she makes eye contact with each of them, tears well up in her watery eyes.
Her friends... understand.
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Quietly Zelda looks around her wondering if this is real. Is she really here or is she slowly falling from the tower. She doesnt really know.
I can still imagine Govannon attempting to roll his cigerattes and watching most of it fall to the ground, or Aleksander swinging his blades. Its hard to imagine they are both gone!"
She gently lowers herself to the ground and shares the sunset with her friends.
Naught but tall tales shall remain of his dark legend.
A short woman wearing a large winter coat over her simple pants and nightshirt scampers along with her friends before collapsing backwards onto the ground next to the two other ladies. Her dark mass of hair listlessly writhing through the sun warmed grass. Reaching out her hands she gently rests them on Zelda and Aliseya's legs.
"They were good guys, they just wanted to help..." Naught mumbled out as she scrambled to collect what little memories she had of their fallen friends.
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Aliseya simultaneous blubbers and laughs as she recalls to mind the sight of Govannon and his terrible cigarette-crafting ability.
"At least we knew we could never get lost with him around," she manages to say in between laugh-cries. "We could always just follow the trail of tobacco and paper back the way we came."
"Yeah. They did," Ali agrees with Naught. She notices the hand, but doesn't seem to mind. She even returns the favor, placing her own hand, cautiously, upon Naught's head, soothing her writhing hair.
Taking a deep sigh, Ali gets an idea. "I know what'll uplift us."
She turns her head to scan the homes and small shops. Her eyes stop at the tavern just down the road.
Musing aloud, "I wonder if they have a stage..."
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"Sing?" Aliseya laughs at Zelda's suggestion.
"Maybe after I get a few drinks in me," she considers. "And only if you both join me!"
Suddenly leaping to her feet, she causes the two ladies some surprise and alarm... especially Naught's hair. Firmly grabbing her friends' hands, she bolts in the direction of the Scrawny Baron Tavern...
"Let's go!" she exclaims enthusiastically, nearly knocking down a local or two along the way.
A faint smile crosses naught's face as her hair begins to gently coil around the Dancer's hand. If she was a cat she would be purring.
She would then make an undignified cat like sound as Aliseya jumped to her feet, dragging her up as well. Thankfully there was some elasticity to the tendrils that covered her head.
After the split second of shock from the sudden movement passed she chuckled as she righted herself. "That sounds lovely. Lead the way!" Naught called out while turning her head to make sure they didn't run off without Zelda.