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Temple of Blood
Round 6
Unsteady under the effects of the negative energy, as Shiv uses a burst of energy to blast at Ieana, powerful jaws clamping down on the serpentfolk. Rasping hisses carry a note of real alarm now, as Shiv inflicts terrible, jagged wounds.
Zaghigoth keeps his focus on Grym, sadly knowing the need to keep Ieana from using the half-orc as an ally. Grym already seems to be shaken, under Aerys' attacks and he looks like he's been undone by the negative energy as well. Zaghigoth wallops Grym on the back of the head, the trapper's eyes rolling up in his head as he collapses on the floor in a solid heap.
One of the vipers turns its attentions from Shiv and tries to bite Aerys. The half-elf and the snake begin a deadly dance, each trying to get past the other's guard. The other viper coils and strikes, biting deeply into Zaghigoth's leg. The half-orc can feel poison coursing through his veins.
Ieana and her doppleganger image both take a step back, further into the alcove. She speaks a word of power, and some of their wounds seem to heal. Despite her wounds and the beating she's taken, she glares at you with arrogant contempt.
Initiative
25 - Zaghigoth & Shiv
25 - Ieana & snakes
19 - Yekskya
15 - Rowena
10 - Aerys
4 - Grym
------
Grym Fort
Aerys Fort
viper 1
damage
poison
viper 2
clw
Yekskya steps up to the very edge of the bloody river. Seeing Ieana's wounds heal, he knows he will have to make his shots count or she'll be back on the attack with more than her snakes. He draws an arrow and fires it on her, hoping to penetrate her defenses again.
He sighs as the arrow harmlessly whistles past her blurred form, but nocks another arrow and sends it arcing toward her form.
This time the arrow makes it through and Yekskya nearly lets out a small cheer as he sees it hit her dead in the chest. Then the final duplicate disappears. "Just us and her now. Let's finish this."
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The Sargava Club
The Freeman's Alliance is an alliance of ex-slaves, mostly of Mwangi heritage of various tribes like the Bas'o and Ombo peoples. Their primary goal is to instil terror in the hearts of foreigners, merchants, and others they believe stand behind the slave trade. They seek to end the practice of the slave trade, but in doing so they also seek to cast out Sargava's colonists and return to their traditional ways of living.
Meanwhile, Lani hesitates bashfully before finally accepting Krolmnite's arm. You step outside into the warm night air, and it is instantly quieter outside. It's later on in the evening, and few people are going about at this time - most of the neighbourhood has gone to sleep.
Located in the Portside neighbourhood, the Sargava Club is situated close to the harbour district, and you find it is a nice walk along the waterfront. Lani seems to be more at ease away from the club, watching the ships bob gently in the bay.
Fort Save (I believe poison is an Ex ability, so my +4 save bonus against the Ex abilities of animals/magical beasts should apply):
Zag HP: 27 (31)/ 41 (45)
Con 14 / 16
Shiv HP: 23/34
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Temple of Blood
Round 6 continued
Yekskya moves closer and aims two more arrows at Ieana. The first looks like it should have hit, but Ieana's indistinct, blurred form makes her all but impossible to hit. Yekskya's next arrow punches past that defense, hitting one of the forms in the gut. With a flash, the last duplicate disappears, leaving only the original and deadly Ieana!
Emboldened by her earlier success and zeroing in on the true serpentfolk, Rowena lunges again with her rapier. Normally it would have been a devastating strike, but the spell effect blurring Ieana's image allows her to evade the hit.
Weaving a deadly dance of death with one of the summoned vipers, Aerys suddenly snaps an arm out and grasps the serpent by the throat. The snake lunges at the half-elf, its fangs inches away from Aerys' face, but she seems to have it under control.
Initiative
25 - Zaghigoth & Shiv
25 - Ieana & snakes
19 - Yekskya
15 - Rowena
10 - Aerys
4 - Grym - unconscious
------
Cat attack
damage
miss chance
Aerys grapple
snake aoo
Zag grunts as the fangs of the viper pierce his flesh and he can feel the venom of the beast sapping his vigor. "Spirits aid me..." he mutters, noticeably surprised that the snake was able to poison him. "Shiv, again I say, show this snake-woman whose bite is stronger!"
Shiv slithers forward again and lashes out at the serpentfolk with his fangs while Zag makes a sideways swing at the viper threatening him.
Shiv Bite:
Damage:
Grapple:
Concealment:
Zag club:
Damage:
"Well done Zag. Aerys, be careful!" Inwardly flinching, I see Aerys grab the viper threatening her, by the neck and I silently pray to Cayden Cailean to keep her safe. However, with the threat of Ieana still around, I have no time to keep my attention on the others too long. I take a moment to judge Ieana's real position and this time I have the satisfaction of feeling my rapier sink deep into her serpentine body.
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Round 6, Cat's Move
Taking a moment to judge Ieana's true position, Rowena leaps forward to attack with her rapier. The half-elf feels the satisfaction of feeling her rapier sink deep into Ieana's serpentine body. Ieana hisses as dark blood gushes out of the wound, and she staggers back a couple steps. "No! My plans! Undone by hotbloods!"
Round 7
Zaghigoth reels a bit as he begins to feel the viper's venom coursing through his veins. Seeing Rowena get the upper hand against Ieana, he urges Shiv to the attack. The crocodile eagerly tries to trap Ieana in its great maw, but despite her wounds Ieana slides out of the way as the jaws clamp shut. For his part, Zaghigoth lays about with his club, knocking back the viper close to him.
Trying to beat back Rowena's punishing strikes, Ieana suddenly lunges forward and sinks her fangs into Rowena's shoulder! The bite leaves a pair of deep puncture marks, the blood discoloured with poison.
Zaghigoth can feel the poison working through his system as he tries to bash away at the snake that bit him. Though he tries to keep out of reach, the viper still manages to strike and bite him on the arm - another wound!
The snake Aerys is holding tries to bite her, but she manages to hold it at arm's length.
Initiative
25 - Zaghigoth & Shiv
25 - Ieana & snakes
19 - Yekskya
15 - Rowena
10 - Aerys
4 - Grym - unconscious
------
snake 1 attack
damage
snake 2 attack
Ieana touch
damage
Ieana confirm crit
crit damage
Ieana poison Str
continuing poison Con
viper poison Con
Fort Save 1:
Fort Save 2:
Zag HP: 26 (31)/ 41 (45)
Con 14 / 16
Shiv HP: 23/34
Ieana shakes with pain. Zag sways. Rowena is bitten. Seeing the fight is about to tip one way or the other, Yekskya again draws a pair of arrows. He sights each carefully and sends them flying across the battlefield hoping a well placed shot might finally end the duel.
Reeling back in pain and surprise as Ieana bites me, I feel the venom burning in my veins. Through the pain and a feeling of reduced strength, I grit my teeth and mock Ieana: "Tsk, tsk! What kind of woman do you take me for? Some harlot who kisses on the first date? I'll have you know, I was raised a decent woman. So no kissing, let alone teeth."
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Temple of Blood
Round 7 continued
Grim, Yekskya aims two more arrows at Ieana, trying to draw a bead on the snakefolk's blurred image. Time seems to stop as the arrows cut through the melee. The second arrow clatters harmlessly against the back wall. The first arrow though, buries itself deep in Ieana's chest. The snakefolk looks down at the fletching, stunned. Rowena follows up by ramming her rapier up to the hilt in the serpent's gullet. With a heavy boot and a grunt she pushes the foul creature off her blade and Ieana sinks to the floor. A look of disbelief still lights her cold eyes. "No..no! How could this be? Saventh-Yhi was to be my discovery! The Headless King shall live again..." With a final croak, you can see that the serpentfolk that had masqueraded as the Varisian scholar Ieana, is dead.
The two vipers continue to hiss. The one Aerys is holding struggles vainly to escape her iron grip as she carries it over to the stream of blood and throws the serpent in. You are not sure whether that particular species is comfortable swimming, but the snake tumbles along with the slow current as it heads for bronze grate in the east.
Initiative
25 - Zaghigoth & Shiv
25 - Ieana & snakes
19 - Yekskya
15 - Rowena
10 - Aerys
4 - Grym - unconscious
------
snake 2 break grapple
Aerys hold grapple
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Krolmnite: You and Lani take a leisurely stroll along the harborfront. The moon shines languidly as ships bob quietly beside the quays. In the distance you can see the towers of the Baron's palace.
Suddenly a low shape stumbles out of one of the dockside taverns. A Halfling with short-cropped hair weaves an unsteady line down the street, bumping into you. He hiccups. "Sorry there, my friends! Try the ale; I think they've brought out their best stock tonight!" he says as he pats you both on the shoulder. Lurching between you, he stumbles on into the night.
It's not until he is past that Lani stops. She seems a bit more sceptical of the halfling's actions, and checks her pockets. "Hey, he just stole my money!" Hearing her shout, the Halfling takes off down the street!
Initiative
8 - halfling
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Sleight of hand
Bluff
Lani Percept
Krolm Percept
Lani Sense Motive
Krolm Sense Motive
initiative
Yekskya wipes the sweat from his brow, gritting his teeth and getting ready to reach for another arrow when Ieana finally falls, "Yes! That did it!" he exclaims before realizing that one of her serpents still remains. With a weary arm, he reached back into his quiver for another arrow and fires it at the remaining snake.
With only one enemy left, Zag breathes deeply and points at the snake writhing nearby. "Shiv. Feast."
Shiv Bite:
Damage:
Yekskya raises a fist, "Shiv, nice! We've done it!" Yekskya crosses the stream of blood to make sure all of the enemies are dead and to see what he can do for Grym and his injured allies.
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Temple of Blood
Finally, at last, peace. Ieana, or at least the serpentfolk calling itself Ieana, lays dead. One of the summoned snakes ripped apart by Shiv's teeth and Yekskya's blade before disappearing as Ieana's summoning magic faded. The other snake, thrown into the stream by Aerys, is likewise gone. The skeleton left straddling the stream but knocked in by Shiv, lies helplessly wedged in the stream, immobile.
With time to look around, you are struck again at this foul place, that must have been the inner sanctum of a temple to some foul god. To the west, some steps lead up to a shrine presided over by a ten-foot-high statue of a beautiful, fanged woman, save that instead of arms she possesses two upraised bat-like wings and instead of feet her legs end in talons. She looms over a glistening altar of blood-red stone that seems to weep blood into a trough below; this is the source of the stream of blood running down the trough along the length of the room before disappearing at the east end of the chamber through a set of bronze bars in front of a large opening in the wall that drops away into darkness.
Stone pillars support the roof 25 feet above, and two dry fountains sit opposite each other against the walls in the middle of the room. Three large alcoves, one to the south and two to the north, contain complex wall carvings. The entire chamber feels unnaturally cold, and now and then strange disembodied whispers slither through the air.
The alcoves appear to once have been meditation corners, and the carvings along the walls are all in Azlanti. With Rowena translating, you work out that they tell the story of this cult of Zura, the Vampire Queen and demon lord of vampires and cannibalism, in three stages. The southern alcove tells of the cult's genesis in the city of Saventh-Yhi in the jungle, ending with the cult's exile from Saventh-Yhi and how they made a dangerous overland journey that ended on the shores of a remote island far from their homeland.
The northwestern alcove takes up the story at this point, detailing cult's exploration of this island, their discovery and defeat of a large group of serpentfolk who had gone into hiding after the defeat of their kind many years before at Saventh-Yhi, and the creation of this temple amongst the ruins of the former.
The northeastern alcove plots the cult's future plans, focusing on how they had hoped to earn the gift of vampirism from Zura by undertaking extensive and vile rituals, and once this gift was theirs, how they planned on making the journey back to Saventh-Yhi to awaken the city with Zura's blessing - vampirism.
These carvings present a wealth of new information about Azlant's presence in Garund. Particularly, the references to the lost city of Saventh-Yhi, one of the most sought-after lost cities of Garund, and according to legend was built by the Azlanti. Such a discovery could revolutionize what is known about this ancient empire, and the information alone, properly transcribed and recorded, could be worth thousands. Even more, any hard evidence of the location of Saventh-Yhi could well be priceless.
As the final snake falls, Zag slumps where he stands and sighs deeply in relief. Wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, he walks over and kneels next to Shiv, scratching the crocodile on the top of his head and giving it a pat. "Good work, my friend. Rest some, now." He then moves over to Grym's unconscious form and kneels down to check the fellow half-orc over, making sure there aren't any grievous injuries and otherwise alleviating anything he can without magic.
Heal:
During the translations, Zag silently looks at the ground and shakes his head solemnly. "For as long as people have been and will be, they seek to become more, I say. Smarter, stronger, faster...more powerful, immortal. Seek to escape the natural cycle. And look what they do..dark things. Evil things. Death is but part of the order, I say. Yet the chaos of people always seems to win." He sighs sadly and looks to Shiv. "It is why I prefer the company of beasts."
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Eleder
The Sargava Club
Dargan Etters gives you a moment to respond, but when he doesn't get a response a barely concealed look of contempt and indignation crosses his face. "What, is the work not good enough for you? I thought I was helping you out, seeing as you looked like you were new to town." He leans closer again. "Tell you what, we'll think of it like a bounty. I know that the Freemen's Brotherhood are using a trader's shop, Bevren's Goods, as a cover and a hideout. It's in Portside, my agent was jumped not far from there. If you get my items for me, I'll give you the compensation for your trouble. If you don't, say by the end of the week, I contract someone else to do it. Take them out any way you like - negotiate, blast them to the nine hells, whatever, as long as I get my goods. They owe me. Nice doing business with you." With that, he makes his way out the door. You realize that you've neither agreed nor turned down his offer.
The Harbour
The fleet-footed Halfling is making good his escape. Lani stamps her feet in frustration, unable to stop the pickpocket's escape. Then she looks up at Krolmnite. "C'mon, let's go back. At least neither of us was hurt. That money was important, but I'm not risking my life over it."
Maudrill glances at the surprisingly quiet Quinta, nodding to Dargan as he leaves. At least we have the option available.
"Yeah, thank goodness you joined us Shiv. Not sure we would have gotten out of this fight without you." Yeks listens as Rowena works out all of the details about the temple. "So, this city of Saventh-Yhi...have any of you ever heard of it before?"
"Stop, you no good halfling! Bring back the McKee lady's gold, or I'll be forced to smite you!". He pulls a javelin and hurls it toward the fleeing thief.
Attack
Damage
As soon as Dargan leaves, Quinta rolls her eyes. "Bah," she snorts. "I'm too honest, I am. Should have had him pay us, then warn those people at the shop that he's tracking them. We could have eaten like kings off his - Whoa!"
From the corner of her eye, Quinta notices what is transpiring between Krolmnite and the Halfling. "That idiot is going to get us in hot water with the town guard!" she hisses as she rises to her feet. "Maudrill!"
Maudrill turns from his tea, then shakes his head as he stands. "Why." He sets down the coin for the drinks and walks outside.
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Eleder
Round 1
Krolmnite shouts at the escaping halfling to stop. When the thief continues to flee into the night, the paladin takes a javelin and hurls it at the retreating figure. It hits the halfling, hard. The pickpocket skews to the left and collides with a crate on the dockside, but he keeps running.
The halfling casts a nervous look behind him as he runs. The dockside is littered with various crates and gear, and being forced to dodge everything prevents the thief from running at full speed. He hops over some lobster traps and around a wooden crate and shouts into the night in his reedy voice. "Afua! Idir! Help!" With this two tall, strapping human men emerge from a nearby alley. Seeing the halfling, still screaming bloody murder, they turn towards him with nasty-looking cudgels in their hands. Lani sees them and sighs in resignation. "Right. Here we go, then. Krolmnite, do you think we can take them? Looks like he has friends."
Round 2
Hearing the commotion, Quinta and Maudrill hustle out of the Sargava Club into the night. The club is not far from the dockside, and even in the dark you can quickly see a halfling running away from Krolmnite and his companion, and towards you. The halfling is perhaps 60 feet away from you. Closer, you can see two troublesome looking humans heading towards the ruckus. Indeed, the sound of the halfling's yelling seems to be rousing sailors from the nearby ships at anchor, and lights are going on up and down the street. A whistle calls in the distance.
Initiative
21 - Quinta
19 - Maudrill
15 - Krolmnite
8 - halfling & thugs
5 - Lani
------
Maudrill init
Quinta init
Krolm init
Lani init
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Temple of Blood
Taking the time to scour the chamber, Yekskya locates a hidden cubby built into the back of the altar. Inside is a carved ivory box, within which you find 20 large rubies. Their size and cut look much like the rubies that powered the strange dolls you encountered in the pit trap. They could be worth some money.
On the serpentfolk's body, you also find a sheaf of parchment sheets. They look like they have been scavenged from used magical scroll castings, but they have since been filled with scrawlings written in Aklo. Aerys, who can speak Aklo, is able to translate them as transcriptions of the carvings in the alcoves, along with several of Ieana's own notes. In addition, you find a finely-made scrollcase with several more scrolls inside, an interesting-looking ring, a potion, and 18 platinum pieces.
Zaghigoth inspects Grym's wounds and administers treatment to the worst of them. The big half-orc is still out for the time being, but is resting much easier and should feel better when he awakes. You can determine that the enchantment he is under should have worn off since the caster is dead.
Krolmnite pulls his sword. "I've got no problems with you two. Get out of my way, so I can return the lady's possessions."
[b]"Lani, my dear, please go back inside. I'll be back with your belongings directly. Or maybe I'll give you a couple cudgels."[\b]
"Zhag, while you're at it, how about some healing for Aerys? Grym may not have been knowing what he was doing, but he knew what he was doing, if you catch my drift."
While talking to Zhag, I rummage around in my backpack, looking for a clean piece of cloth. Ripping it into strips, I start tying Aerys' wounds, hoping I'm doing it right. Going entirely by instinct I manage to stop the bleeding. Hugging Aerys, I look into her eyes. "You scared me there. Thought you were done for. I'm glad to see you're made of stronger stuff than that."
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Temple of Blood
Rowena tends to Aerys' wounds with care, for which she is very grateful. Under your tender care, her wounds quickly look much better, though she may have a few scars to boast of. "Thanks, Cat. You know, Grym is strong."
As you work, you become preoccupied as the flowing blood from the altar continues to fill the chamber with a coppery tang. Occasionally, faint whisperings hang in the air, almost felt rather than heard. The dark, brooding statue of Zura doesn't help any, either. If only something could be done to turn aside its leering gaze! A small hole, perhaps just one inch in diameter, can be spotted on the ceiling above the statue. Odd, that.
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Eleder
Round 2
Krolmnite draws his sword, taking a protective stance beside Lani as the two Garundi thugs draw near and he urges them to move out of the way. When Krolmnite tries to convince Lani to retreat, he harumphs. "What, are you kidding me? I can fight my own battles, just watch me." She pulls at the flimsy lid of a crate secured nearby. With a loud crack, half of a plank comes away, and she brandishes it as if she were going into battle with a war hammer.
The two thugs keep advancing towards the two gnomes, spreading out so as to approach from two angles at once. Despite Krolmnite's and Lani's calm and confident demeanors, these guys look tall, looming and intimidating. It's difficult not to quake in fear at the sight of them, one broad and shaven-headed, the other tall with a filmy orb where his left eye was.
The Halfling checks his retreat in order to watch the fun unfold between his friends and the gnomes. Then, he turns and notices Maudrill and Quinta approaching from out of the darkness. "Hey, nothing to see here! Go away!"
Initiative
21 - Quinta
19 - Maudrill
15 - Krolmnite
8 - halfling & thugs
5 - Lani
------
intimidate
intimidate
"You all see that hole up there." Yekskya gestures. "I wonder what that could be?"
"It looks like you've taken care of her as well as I could, Cat. My link to the spirits has been exhausted for some time...I have no more healing magic today."
Walking over to Yekskya, Zag squints in the direction he points at. "Strange, I say... need a better look."
Maudrill pulls up the cloth around his eye, revealing the burned and scarred flesh pulling back from his eye. He raises a multicolored hand, pointing it at the gnome, and his eye starts to glow as the magic manifests. "You've made a mistake." He steps forward, then a crack appears in the air and he is standing mere feet from the gnome. "Kluchuduun ingis!" A multicolored spray erupts from his glowing hand, striking the gnome.
"I see plenty!" Quinta says as she glares at the Gnome. "Plenty! Simil clamo, simil MORIS!" The Chelish girl points her index finger at the Halfling as she casts her spell. Immediately, an eldritch voice starts to scream in the thief's head, causing it to ring.
While her magic is at work, Quinta loosens the whip hanging from her belt and uncoils it with a brief, sharp -Snap!-
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Eleder
Quinta glares at Krolmnite while casting a spell at the halfling pickpocket. The thief grimaces in pain and clutches his ear, but by shaking his head seems to shake off the worst of the effect. Quinta draws her whip.
Maudrill uses his instinctive feel for magic to slide through reality to stand just a few feet away from the rakish Halfling. He's surprised to see the aasimar appear in front of him, so is unprepared for Maudrill's mesmerizing color spray. He rubs his eyes and stumbles about, blinded. "My eyes, my eyes! What did you do to my eyes?"
Initiative
21 - Quinta
19 - Maudrill
15 - Krolmnite
8 - halfling & thugs
5 - Lani
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Halfling Fort
Halfling Will
"Have at it then, ruffians!". The gnome swings his sword at the closest adversary.
Attack
Damage
Possible crit
Damage