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Jorah reaches into that old bag of tricks once more but it doesn't have the full effect he was hoping for. That same Daemon drifts slowly to the ground (not Flying), and unleashes a gout of electrical bolts, catching both Andruss and Rivanni. You are uncertain jut how it new to strike there, but luckily it couldn't aim any higher while being grounded. The sudden lighting bolts issued from the thing's mouth nearly slays Andruss outright, dropping him to the ground in a sizzling ball of fetal flesh, though Rivanni manages to avoid most of it, enough to call on his own powers, to psychically punch back.
Following that, the air borne Victoria edges closer, loosing a small barrage of magical bolts that each smash into the daemon's chest and causing it to nearly falter to the ground, but it finds the last reserves of strength and continues to stand. Seinaru closes his eyes to focus an altogether different power, calling on healing light and warmth to help seal wounds of those he fight with.
ROUND 3
<Bless -> R5, Haste -> R9>
Jorah ()
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Daemon 2 (-76, blind -> 6)
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Rivanni (-2), Victoria (), Seinaru (), Eric (), & Andruss (-14)
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Daemon 1 ()
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When he was hit by the lighting bolts spreaded by the daemon, Andruss just had time to blink his eyes, since Sen wakes up him with his healing power.
"I'll thank him, later", he thought while looking for his crossbow.
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Jorah reaches into that old bag of tricks once more but it doesn't have the full effect he was hoping for. That same Daemon drifts slowly to the ground (not Flying), and unleashes a gout of electrical bolts, catching both Andruss and Rivanni. You are uncertain jut how it new to strike there, but luckily it couldn't aim any higher while being grounded. The sudden lighting bolts issued from the thing's mouth nearly slays Andruss outright, dropping him to the ground in a sizzling ball of fetal flesh, though Rivanni manages to avoid most of it, enough to call on his own powers, to psychically punch back.
Following that, the air borne Victoria edges closer, loosing a small barrage of magical bolts that each smash into the daemon's chest and causing it to nearly falter to the ground, but it finds the last reserves of strength and continues to stand. Seinaru closes his eyes to focus an altogether different power, calling on healing light and warmth to help seal wounds of those he fight with. Eric moves closer again, but doesn't otherwise act, and Andruss draws his own wand to help heal his wounds that much more.
The Daemon atop the damn manages to clear it's eyes, and seeing outsiders fighting back, snarls and charges at Eric, again taking to the air 5ft up and reaching down to bite.
ROUND 4
<Bless -> R5, Haste -> R9>
Jorah ()
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Daemon 2 (-76, blind -> 6)
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Rivanni (-2), Victoria (), Seinaru (), Eric (), & Andruss (-8)
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Daemon 1 ()
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Tapping that last bit of power still flowing through him, Jorah blasts the other Daemon a final time with his light fireball, but it seems ready and shields it's eyes just in time to avoid the worst of it.
Suddenly the dam breaks, completely giving way, and a torrent of water slams into the other one, catching it full on and sending it further away downstream. Unsure of what exactly is going on, it uses it's magic to vanish, appearing in the distant horizon to the north before beginning to flee.
ROUND 4
<Bless -> R5, Haste -> R9>
Jorah (), Rivanni (-2), Victoria (),
Seinaru (), Eric (), & Andruss (-8)
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Daemon 1 (-13, Dazzled -> R7)
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Tapping that last bit of power still flowing through him, Jorah blasts the other Daemon a final time with his light fireball, but it seems ready and shields it's eyes just in time to avoid the worst of it.
Suddenly the dam breaks, completely giving way, and a torrent of water slams into the other one, catching it full on and sending it further away downstream. Unsure of what exactly is going on, it uses it's magic to vanish, appearing in the distant horizon to the north before beginning to flee.
Rivanni begins to all-out run towards the dam, while Victoria again blasts away, sending multiple nearly invisible balls of energy at the towering demonic figure. Seinaru moves to help Andruss, who grasps and fires off a single bolt, ineffectively. Eric moves up to the horned beast who in turn closes in and goes all out, sending Eric to the ground in a mound of blood and lacerated flesh.
ROUND 5
<Bless -> R5, Haste -> R9>
Jorah (), Rivanni (-2), Victoria (),
Seinaru (), Eric (-25), & Andruss (-8)
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Daemon 1 (-28, Dazzled -> R7)
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The Daemon does not follow, nor is it able to get an extra swipe of it's claws in as Eric falls back, holding his abdomen and it's contents closed.
It isn't long before you put the other beast down, this time permanently. Afterwards, Arkar approaches to apologize for his earlier accusations. He also confesses that several years ago, he replaced the authentic cradle with a duplicate, aiming to prove to Yukaza that the relics of Malikeen hold no actual power. "The one you found is the true one, and I see now that it does hold power. I am ashamed of my actions."
Shortly afterwards, once the villagers have begun to come out of hiding, the two elderly smiths you saved approach you, and though they can not speak any language that you understand, both bow before you all, handing over a bronze medallion. Arkar explains that it is a family heirloom, and dates to the Lung Wa dynasty.
Unsure what has happened with Bakten, a chilling realization comes to you. On both of the missions you came to, the two aspects of Bakten's past have been undone, if not by your actions, by your presence. The dam was destroyed and the peace treated shattered. Calling upon the last bits of magic within the candle, you are able to finally return to the monastery.
Upon arriving at Bakten’s sanctuary, you find his pooka servant aggrieved. Twig acts as a telepathic eyewitness, showing the following mental images: Bakten meditating, Bakten horror stricken, and Bakten’s body evaporating. Tears streak the pooka’s tiny face as she says, “Bakten so gone. But gone-gone? Great Beyond. Show candle, yes?”
It takes you a moment to figure out what she is asking, finally discovering Twig is asking if she can examine the candle of conveyance, hoping to determine if Bakten has truly passed to the Outer Planes. As you draw out the expended magic candle, suddenly it once again flairs to life, burning with a small, pale flame. Twig’s sorrow turns to joy: “Walk-lookers! Hope burns! New Bakten means new answers soon!”
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I am in but prob not this character. Yes I redeploy soon but as soon as I touch down I will still be out for up to 2 weeks. Grandma is terminal and I taking emergency leave
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Since the death of Venture-Captain Bakten Shengrah, New Oppara has been in mourning. The heavens echo the city’s grief, bestowing shrouds of inky storm clouds on the city, rolling down from the Zi Ha Mountains to the north. On orders from the Lantern Lodge, all local Pathfinders have cloistered themselves within the samsaran guru’s sanctuary, combing his libraries for clues that might explain the strange resuscitation of Bakten’s candle of conveyance, for none of the sages of Amanandar can explain how the candle still burns when Bakten’s soul has departed.
As the black clouds hurl blizzards from above, an unlikely source of aid appears at the sanctuary’s gates: an elderly elven noblewoman stumbles in, frostbitten and half-delirious. “I came to atone,” she cries, “Bakten was once Malash—a hero. But what was Malash next? That evil woman! I loathed her so. I thought she stole my love’s heart, and blamed her next life, Bakten, too! But if he knew nothing of his own veiled life?” Her ancient hands clutch a weather-beaten scroll case, as if it were a lifeline. “Tell me he is not dead, please!” She begs, “If Bakten is fallen, I fear the shrouded one may rise and doom us all!”
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"Wow she was right. This looks like the address Victoria gave me. I just need to find a couple more angel blooded folks like her. How hard can that be, eh Whiskers? I mean there can't be that many running around anymore, right?."
Wembly is young for a gnome. He is casually dressed, in clothes that do not seem to fit, and maybe have been slept in more than once too often. His hair is badly in need of a comb, but he seems oblivious to his appearance while his eyes dart back and forth from his strange green cat, to the sky and back. His mind is definitely not focused on the here and now, as he smiles caught in his own thoughts.
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Since Baktan's disappearance, Jorah has spent his time with his fellow Pathfinders trying to search for answers. While the search so far has proven fruitless, he has learned much about Tian Xia and it's history.
"I believe we have met before. Lady Shiori is it? We do not know Baktan's true fate and have been scouring for clues for weeks now." He notices the scroll case in her possession. "Perhaps you have some information that could help us?"
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Andruss joined the people from New Oppara in mourning for Bakten's death. The taldan was intrigued with all the recent events. First, the Venture-Captain was in its "final life" and dies, then Twig suggested that his master will have another incarnation, or even still alive. Everything was obscured in his thoughts, certainly there were more behind this, but he couldn't see it. At least until today.
The witch was veiling Bakten at the sanctuary, when the ancient elf arrived, and he listen her words, all of them, while try to recognize if she had a familiar face.
"Calm down, milady, everything will be alright", Andruss told her, "I met Malash. Who was the woman who you were talking?", the taldan reaches out his hand toward the scroll case, while talking to her with a soft voice, "I'm afraid you're right in your words, I'm sorry. Maybe we can help prevent this doom to which you refers. Come on, sit down, let's talk a little".
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The elderly Tien woman bows politely, then accepts yours offer to sit before answering further.
"I am Lady Ishigo Shiori, of the elven nation Jinin. When I learned that Bakten was nearing the end of his cycle of reincarnation, I sought to fulfill an old oath, to kill the woman who stole my one true love. I arranged for some assassins to visit Bakten , as I believed he was once that same woman. But the truth is more horrible."
"After you Pathfinders visited Jinin, I realized if Bakten himself recalled nothing of the shrouded one, then perhaps she was a separate soul entirely. I sent one of my daughters to ransack Ryuu’s chambers. I had to know what creature had ensnared him centuries ago. She brought me this that scroll."
My Precious Ryuu,
Construction of the Black Grave Tower nears completion. Just as you have promised me a throne from which to while away the centuries, so has the Lord of Envy promised life and might eternal, once my other soul’s cycle has concluded. Two lifetimes is hardly an eternity. Let the storms rage across Tian Xia, to herald an eon of night.
Your Love and Sovereign,
Jujanil
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Wembly whispers to the party...Wow, you guys fought ninja-assassins? This sounds way-cool. Sign me up.
He steps forward and turns to the woman.
Lady Ishigo Shiori, your story sounds complex and I am not sure I follow all of this Bakten man-Bakten woman part.
But I am sure the others will fill me in later.
Did your daughter find anything else besides the scroll? Are there any other texts or tombs available on this 'shrouded one'?"
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Did your daughter find anything else besides the scroll? Are there any other texts or tombs available on this 'shrouded one'?"[/b]
"I'm afraid not. And therein lies the mystery. For you see, no one seems to know anything about what I call Bakten's "Veiled Life". There are no records. No recollections. Even divination seems to fail. It's as if there is, or there was another incarnation that had been completely stripped from reality. From existence. Here, let me begin from the start."
"Lord Mata Ryuu and I were devoted to one another. But one day I saw him dallying with a samsaran woman whose hair was a black shroud. He swiftly rejected me, and he was never the same man after that. Jujanil, the evil creature who stole my love’s heart. I was certain that she was one of Bakten’s past lives, a being of the same soul, but now I am not so sure. I made a terrible mistake, and now we may be doomed.”
"After you Pathfinders visited Jinin, I began to suspect that even Bakten himself might not have known. That is when I had my daughter retrieve this scroll. What if this ‘other soul’ she speaks of is Malash—and Bakten? What if Jujanil were somehow separated from her other incarnations and is waiting, now, for Bakten’s soul to leave, before she can arise?”
"Where do you want us to begin"
"I need you to climb the Zi Ha Mountains and look into the Black Grave Tower mentioned in the letter."
Before heading out, Lady Shiori calls in a few favors to help. First, she offers you a detailed map, indicated the most direct route towards the Black Grave Tower. Some amongst you immediately realize that the Tower sits directly in between powerful Ley Lines,, and those of you that had the opportunity to before, can still call upon their power. "I highly suggest you take some measures against the elements. Not just for yourselves, but any pets you may take as well." She is able to gather cold weather outfits for you all, but sadly not anything more substantial. Lady Shiori also gifts you with a single bone-white arrow, an arrow of slaying (undead). With this offering she states, “No such creature hails from the realm of the living. With this arrow’s purity, may you fell the beast that has vexed me for so long. Do this for me and help free my love from this monster’s thrall.”
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The arduous journey into the Wild Peaks in southern Zi Ha takes approximately 10 days on foot. In the lowlands, PCs can obtain directions from yak herders, but no amount of persuasion convinces the locals to accompany them to the accursed Black Grave Tower. The only trail leads through a 3-mile-long pass surrounded by steep cliffs. The high altitude, combined with punishing cold, fierce winds, and constant snowfall, make this region exceedingly hostile to travelers.
A crude wooden sign juts from the ice at the foot of a natural stair formation. Beyond, the mountain’s ridge drops away suddenly. The sign bears a warning in Aklo: