Jamenas, you sense a dark evil emenating from the knight. He is wreathed in evil desire, noble drive driven to a dark degree.
Yet, he does not attack.
In the flickering of the firelight, you can see through his helm, a blue spectral energy the has a flicker of its own. His armor is polished to a silverish sheen, and he stands there, motionless, only turning his head to keep staring at Jamenas.
Darwin will stand up and buckle on his sword and shield and then walk up to the ghostly empowered armor and say "What do you want, exactly. Did you want us to follow you somewhere?"
The etheral armor stands motionless.
Abu wakes up and gets out of bed at the warning. Seeing the armor coming at them, he... well he doesn't like it. He dawns his leather armor. "Guys, I'm not so good with ghosts."
Jamenas staggers back, his face white. He draws his longsword and buckles his shield on. A noble knight, gone evil. Why is it staring here? Is this supposed to be me? Did I fall somewhere in my quest? My god still gives me power... why is it here? He approaches the knight and tried to see if it reacts the same to him as everybody else.
Darwin makes to start walking the way it came from, by stepping around the armor.
Jamenas approaches and though the armor turns its gaze to match Jamenas's position, it does make any hostile motions.
Darwin walks down the path from where he believes it came from, but doesn't see much, especially in the dark at this time at night.
Coming back to the camp, Darwin will say "Crappy as it is, we should pack up and move. I don't like the idea of our visitor watching us while we sleep."
Abu finishes putting on his armor and follows.
"Is there anything we can help you with so you can find rest?" Krogar asks the knight. If the knight does not respond, Krogar agrees with Darwin and decides to find a better camping spot for the night.
The party packs up and decides to move for the knight.
Yet, eerily, the knight follows. Its footsteps match your own and after much slight change in pacing and frustration, it's clear that it is following Jamenas.
"I think he likes you Jamenas. Figure out it's deal so we can get some sleep."
Well, it appears to be evil, so I guess I'll deal with it.
I hope that this doesn't end in something that gets us killed.
Jamenas gulps, steadies, and plunges his sword into the knights stomach.
"Nice hit! Seems like the fight at the siege did you some good!"
Krogar as quite taken aback by the sudden turn of events. 'Did we really need to resort to violence?' He thinks to himself. "Look - we really don't want to get bothered at night, so urm - if you value your unlife - it would be in your best interest to move on."
Jamenas moves to strike the armor, but his sword bounces harmlessly against the steel plate.
It draws its blade and attacks back!
[players up]
Not expecting a battle to start, Abu moves up once he sees the thing attack.
Darwin, on the other hand, always expects a fight to break out. He moves up to the knight and attacks him.
Krogar tosses a guiding bolt at the knight. "Begone, spawn of darkness, Flee back yonder into the night where you belong." The bolt of light, however goes wide, repelled by the knight's darkness.
Jamenas cries out in pain and suprise. He cries a vow of vengeance , and his longsword glows for a brief moment before he stabs it into the knight.
The mysterious knight creature repels some attacks though some blows lands. Its heavy armor seems to reduce the damage from your mundane weaponry, though Jamenas's radiant damage pierces and deals damage well.
Damage taken: 21
Not wavering from his target, the creature attacks again, its deft bladework trying to get past Jamenas's defenses.
[players up!]
Now that they are up close, Abu will slash twice at the foolish knight. Trying to get an advantage on him while doing so.
"Moradin grant me strength. And Jamenas healing." Krogar chants as he sends a guiding bolt at the spectral knight and a wave of healing at Jamenas.
Darwin presses the attack.
Bolstered by the success of his efforts, Jamenas presses his attack.
This time around none of your attacks land as the knight seems to ebb and flow, parrying and guarding with skilled accuracy. It again attacks Jamenas relentlessly.
Abu once again lashes out with his twin blades.
BUt only hits air again.
Krogar thinks, 'His armor is protecting him against us. But I wonder how fast he is once he's flat on his back' . He then tries to ram into the Knight, hoping to catch him by surprise.
He then calls upon Moradin to heal Jamenas.
Darwin presses the attack with his Rapier.
Jamenas strikes again.
Krogar moves to shove the enemy down, but he finds weighted metal and he cannot seem to budge him.
And while Abu and Jamenas both miss, it seems Darwin has finally grasped the rhythm of this mysterious being and stirkes with gallant force, driving a deep blow that seems to pierce the chest plate.
You see a misty air flow from the chest plate, and though he is still standing, the enemy looks a bit worn.
It stops fighting, letting it's sword hang and looks at you all as if judging you. It gives a curt nod, and slowly walks away.
Darwin waits until it departs and then says "I don't like that at all."
"I think it was some sort of test, and by the looks of it, we passed." Krogar answers. "I should hope he won't be bothering us anymore."
Jamenas stays on his guard. He thinks about pursuing the knight, by remembers how hard it was to hurt. To krogar, he says, I'm not so sure about that. You don't just test someone and do nothing with the results. He'll be back sometime. We need to be ready for him.
And with that, the party beds down for the night, however, much night is left to be had. In the morning, everyone gathers the makeshift camp and sets off to the Sacred Stone Monostary.
Krogar on the other hand asks the party to keep out for a man named Bastion, and gives a description on how he looks like - so that the party knows how to identify him on sight.
"Since we're talking about side jobs, I'm still on the lookout for that merchant's daughter." Darwin will then give the description he was provided.
It is near nightfall by the time you arrive at the Sacred Stone Monostory. A trail leads into an ever-narrowing defile between bluffs of wind-sculpted sandstone. Eventually, the walls draw in so closely that you can reach out and touch either side, but then the narrow space opens into a hidden canyon in the heart of the hills. A sprawling monastery with dark, narrow windows and red tile rooftops stands in the middle of this natural amphitheater, ringed by sandstone cliffs all around.
Ahead, a weathered flight of stone steps leads up to the closed monastery doors. The plain doors are made of heavy timber with iron studs. A dusty footpath circles the building.
It seems there is no one stationed at the door.
Abu moves forward to check the door.
"Well, it looks safe." he tries to open it.
Darwin will help push it open.
The door is closed, and from the pushing and prodding you're doing, it seems to be barred from the inside. However, it is the very late evening and one does not usually leave their front door unlocked.
"This is taking too long." Krogar gets impatient and rams the door with his shoulder.
"Don't do that, its..." *WHAM* "barred."
Krogar finds out that the existence of rebound exists and bounces off the door and lands prone on his back. While he scrambles to his feet, you hear the hasty movment or iron panels and a small peeking hole appears, an alarmed and angry set of eyes looking out at you.
"What do you want!?" it hisses quickly, in an irritated manner.
Krogar picks himself off the ground cursing violently.
"Sorry for the late hour but have you seen any of those earth cultists around this area? They may know something about the missing delegation from Miramar. If you have seen them, do let us know." Krogar answers, as he picks himself up.
He turns to the party. "Sometimes, you have to knock right."
Jamenas rolls his eyes in disbelief. You'd think someone trying to bash in the door would make them get away from it.
Abu looks around for another entrance.
There's a pause, as the person behind the door listens to Krogar's greeting and question.
"Earth cultists you say? You best come in."
You can hear a series of locks being undone and soon, the heavy doors are swung open inviting you inside.
"Thank you, good sir."Krogar thanks the person and enters.