Nylan unlocks his door, swings the latch and pushes forth the door. Immediately a splat of muck lands at the threshold and a squeaky snarly voice yells, "Here you go ya book loving pinky pig, I's been saving ya me stench." The foul odor of abyssal fecal matter wafts from the flung dung. "The swines got company, yay, maybe he's got friends, nah he's a loser loner book muncher." A second much deeper voice follows but sounds as though the source may be muffled. "I tell you Alu'shen, when we are freed from this wretched mortals binds you and I will have a reckoning of our own. Come now Nylan human, clean up that filth or I'll add another lifetime of pain to your debt." The first voice retorts, "Reckoning, you and me a reckoning. Well I reckon your reckoning would be laughable you dismal excuse for a fiend." Nylan pipes up. "Both of you shut your bloody traps! Your bicker like siblings for lords sake. Now, quit your filth slinging Shen and be as kind as you may abysmally be to our guests. Krulxk, I dare not add onto my lifetime of suffering so lets see about the muck." The room is a sty of open books and tomes, scrolls, sketches, notes. Any furnishing is pretty much covered in something out of place. His desk is the prominent article within the room and noone would guess the bed gets used much at all. The only parts of the room clean of debris are around a cage containing a shapely female humanoid with dark hair, dark eyes, and a pair of small black horns just above her eyes and small, black, leathery wings which protrude from her shoulders. Behind a medium sized bookshelf is a summoning circle intentional blocked from the sight of the caged demon'ess. Within the circle is another demonic-looking creature resembling a somewhat stocky humanoid with scaly blue skin, small fangs, and tiny dark horns that protrude above its crimson-colored eyes. "Excuse me while I tidy up this filth. Never will you see anything as foul as abyssal poop." He dry wretches as he uses an acidic mixture to cleanse the affected stone. "I tell you all now. Do not disturb that circle or you might very well be caught up in Krulxk the mighty's recompense." At that Krulxk turns on his 'charm'. "Ignore what he's saying meat bags. Let me free and I'll give you a lordy amount of riches right after I eat this fools eyeballs."
So this man is a Summoner. Apparently a skilled one.
Do you intend to bring the thing here?
Marcus didn't mean to, but he found himself standing protectively in front of Ascaria
"Me... Arrr. No! You are mistaken. You just speak the name of the kind to these two and it causes a cold quiet to befall them. I have had to do some coaxing to get them the tell me much about it at all. I understand your view however, but alas, these two here were brought here with aid as these powers are even beyond my ken and affordability. No, these I have managed to harbor with the Cypher lords permission and direction."
Then I am at a loss. Forgive me but Lurur said you were willing to help. In what way?
"Oh, I am sorry. You thought what exactly? I would summon your hatred before you and then submit it whilst you inflicted your pain upon it. Forgive me but you exude naivety in such matters. Let me try to illuminate the darkness in your mind then. Now, this demon you say, the Aeshma yes? Well, it is no lesser fiend by any stretch. Were I to summon such an entity here it would kill you, your friends, me and many others until some form of organized and orchestrated opposition to it could be formed. I will help you find the one demon, the individual whom you seek to destroy. The name you give me is merely the breed. You need the name or blood. Without the blood, you need the name. With the name you can bind it and summon it but only a fool would do such before he was prepared. And YOU, are NOT, prepared!"
Ethaniel coughs. "Perhaps I should not speak for Marcus, but we do not seek to face the demon this day...unprepared, as you say. If there were a beginning step in such...matters...what might it be?"
Honestly, I know the creature is beyond me. It destroyed an entire town when it broke free and killed warriors more skilled than I. For the longest time I only wanted to fight it. I know it would have killed me. Now I seek more. I seek it's death. Now it wanders the world, unrestrained and others will come to harm from it. I need to find it. I need a way to kill it. How do we do that? I don't know it's name nor have it's blood. Would those you have here know of a demon set free? Do demons discuss such things with each other?
Cypher Nylan answers. "Their are two options available to you. The first being the paid in gold way which will be a significant cost. If I were to guess, it would be around 1500gp in spell casting services. The second requires your trust and bravery. I will cast a Share Memory spell upon you which I will then use to view your memory of the Aeshma. But know that the memory will be reborn in your mind also. Things that you may have chosen to hide will be vibrant and you may even taste or smell things of that memory. Due to this, you may be overwhelmed and succumb to shock or very rarely slip into a protective sleep. Hopefully though, we will learn the name of the beast and with the name you have power over it and may call it."
Will that work? Unbound as it is? I'm sure I scoured the village but....do it, cast your spell.
Cypher Nylan clears a space on the bed and after Marcus has taken a seat there, the places his hands upon your temples. "Now free your will, be at ease, breath deeply and when you feel a slight pressure on your temples think Aeshma and recall what you can to trigger the memory in full. We will persist for a full minute if you are able to withstand it so we can gain all the information we can. Be at ease, your friends are here to protect you. Are you ready? "
I am ready
Marcus closes his eyes and brings that day to mind starting with his fight with the summomer over his loves' affections. The young man's defeat and Marcus out on patrol and returning to...
As Nylan completes the spell, the rest of you watch as both Marcus and Nylan's faces turn into scowls of concentration and focus. Their eyelids closed, you are able to make out their eye's darting about beneath them.
Marcus's eye remain shut, but sweat and rage show on the rangers features.
Alashiel, NO!
He hands reach for his scimitar...
His body convulses as, in his minds.eye, he remembers his scimitar coming free of it's scabbard and he and his patrol, rush the creature, hoping against better judgement that maybe they could fell the beast. His master, the monk, Talathall, burst from the trees, summoned undead fallen around him like wheat from his scythe like kicks.
He dived and tumbled and intercepted blow after blow, calling, Run, stundents. This is beyond you. RUN!...
Nylan breaks his contact and sweat poors from his hairline. You would not think the man could be any more pale that he already was but now you wonder how the man had not passed out from the pallor he wore.
"Do you now know the name Marcus. I must say, I understand your need for vengeance. I had no idea it had such power and strength. I would warn you to be careful speaking the name of such and entity when you feel so greatly toward it. Your hate alone might be enough for it to feel you. That is the help I have been able to offer you today. It may seem trivial, but with understanding you will learn what I have done for you this day."
I know the name.
Marcus opens his eyes.
He remembered EVERYTHING. He hadn't come back from patrol late. He'd seen it first hand.
Talathall, his Sohei Monk master, had fought the thing so he and the only other member of the patrol, Adrielen could escape. He ran as he was told, but towards HER home. With all he had he ran. Then everything went black..was he knocked out perhaps?
Why had he buried the memory so?
He stands. I know the name. I need to kill it. How do we kill it?
"With silver." the elf says, smiling. "I am told they are weakened by silver. Or perhaps that was devil-kind..." he says, batting a hand dismissively at the Cypher who opens his mouth to correct him. "Regardless, you will need a great deal of silver to coax any magister to bind him, something that we are, as of this moment, entirely lacking."
"Thank you for your time, Cypher. I trust we have what we came for." The elf shrugs, and makes his way toward the door. "The goddess has given you a great gift, Marcus Whiteshae. Treasure it, and trust that one day she will give you the chance to use it."
I don't know if it's a matter of summoning is it? The demon was Called here and released. Unless something banished it, it remains here still. Can you summon it if it's already in Golarion. In any case I need to start saving and preparing. With the name I can track it you say. So I have much preparation to do before I can face it. Thankyou Cypher.
Marcus rises and takes Ascaria's hand. Not shy and needing her touch after reliving that horror. He nods to the mage and walks out with his friends and his dog.
Tam does not shudder with fear... but with utter FURY!!!
It is not a common quality a inner strength that refuses to yield despite adversity. A iron determination to never surrender to fight on even in the face of defeat. Liara always called it Tam's 'forthright heart' fueled by his desire to oppose suffering and promote happiness to hunt those that actively spread fear and sorrow and counter their deeds with goodness.
An inner fire of pure compassion that burned deep inside him.. an Avenging heart.
And it is now that heart burns with determination.
Ethaniel is clearly made uneasy by the spell. He says not a word more to the cypher, and is quick to follow his companions out.
"To kill it, you need to over power it, out smart it or overwhelm it. But what your companion says is true. You are not ready. Most demons are resistant to energy types and some are even immune to them. Most have resilience against normal weapons and require some special property to allow the demon to take normal damage. They will also have abilities they can use any time they so choose as well as spells or spell-like abilities. My knowledge is in both summoning and calling outsiders so I am aware of a few spells that the fool apprentice may have activated. He would have had to gain access to some powerful tomes or scrolls for the arcana involved is beyond an apprentice. If the demon was summoned, it would have returned to it's plane at the end of the spells duration or if it was brought to a near death state. If it was called though, it may have been bound to perform a task for payment and would only return home when the task was complete. We have no way of knowing which was the case for sure but I would hazard a guess that it was called with a spell such as a Greater Planar Ally or Gate spell. Such a fool to dabble in the arcane well above is knowledge."
Thankyou.for all you've done today. Might I call on you again, with suitable payment, for study? I will learn all I can about this thing and it would help to have a sage to call on.
If not silver, which metal to hurt it? I thought Cold Iron. In any case you have given me more than I honestly hoped for today. Thankyou.
"I'm afraid I do not know? Perhaps these lesser fiends would know but they aren't the most helpful of beings at the best of times. Feel free to call on me if you wish and any payments would be appreciated of course."
"Then where did you get it? Can I come next time you go get one?"
Marcus leads the group back down to collect thier weapons, Thankyou all for coming....we better find Tam and get back. Istill need to see if saul is willing to add his blades to the roster. Gods know, with the 'friends' we're making, we could use it.
Biting her lip, Ascaria watches Marcus's face contort and sweat trickle down his face. She hates to see him go through the ordeal but she knows it has to be. When the process is over and Marcus takes her hand, she does not pull back. On their way out, she lightly strokes the back of his hand with her thumb and whispers "I will stand by you through this. Whatever I can do for you, I will...".
Tam stands near and entrance to a nearby ally. His posture and ...demeanor are stern. His face scarf is down his pale blonde almost white hair framing his not-unhandsome features ... but his eerie violet eyes are practically with some inner struggle{?}, its hard to tell. He is such an intense individual seemingly all the time.
One would think him in a raging fury from the cold set to his eyes, but on spotting the party leave the Lodge his eyes soften his expression relaxes... not in relief but in recognition of those approaching. No, not anger, then, at being put out of the lodge but something else was... on his mind.
Strangely his expression becomes contemplative as he watches the group approach ... and oddly settling on sad and one might think forlorn.
He steps forward his tone soft and controlled like usual, "I trust things went well for you? Did you get the assistance you needed... despite my rudeness?
The mage was very helpful. We know the creatures name now, but it seems beyond my ability to fight. I will not give up though. I will need to learn more of it's kind and weaknesses, but at least now we can track it. The task completed, but I believe you still have business with Ethaniel, so you are coming with us to the goblin?
Marcus has not released Ascaria's hand.
Tam's expression shifts to one of joy. But quickly it is gone. He closes up again, his expression becoming cold his eyes drifting to the couple's clasped hands.
Setting his shoulders, a slight shift to his posture... a decision has been made.
Tam reaches into his belt pouch and takes out the 5 gold handing them back.
"I should give these back. I must tell you... I am possessed by a demon. One that I have just learned can do more than just whisper obscenities in my mind. I am dangerous, too dangerous to be around and I would not endanger you, your woman or your friends."
Tam turns away facing the town his expression hidden and his tone cold.
"There is a conflict coming for me... no information your 'Sting' can tell me will change that. I must face that darkness... and I'm not sure I will be victorious. I must face it alone so as to endanger no more innocents. I could end my life now and forestall it.. but I am no coward, and my dear Liara's shed blood deserves better vengeance than a weakling surrender."
"I thank you for the kindness you have shown me... few have ever done so for one such as I. Funny... a stranger is more a friend than I've had all my life... pathetic! I will not forget thee, however short a time I have left in this realm. Fare thee well... may DESNA smile down upon thee."
Tam starts to walk away...
Marcus watches the elf turn and walk away. It was the natural act of a GOOD man. If he was truly possesed, then he posed a danger to everyone around him, but Marcus had already seen the results of a demon that walked free.
Hold, Tam. Marcus looks to the group.
I cannot fault you for what has been done to you. But I see a man who reminds me of a patrol leader I once knew. Facing this alone to protect others may seem the best course, but I tell you it is not. What if you fail? I would be there to aid you in this and if called for end it for you when the time comes if you cannot. I cannot speak for the rest, but I have spent months walking alone.
He looks at Ascaria, Only the support of friends has brought me strength
** spoiler omitted **
Tam stops and is silent for long moments.
"That... is uncommonly kind to a complete stranger. I'm... not sure what to say...? You may be getting yourself into more than you know... perhaps even more than I know!"
He turns his expression one of sincere concern, "It is... a great burden to ask of someone I just meet. Are you sure? I'd rather die than bring more pain or danger to... such kindness."
"You have your woman Miss Ascaria to look after and your friends you would endanger... would you do that for me? It would seem selfish for me to ask anyone to embrace such danger."
He looks the party over.
"Love and Friendship are the most valuable things a person can possess... in fact the ONLY things one TRULY possesses that cannot be bought or replaced! I who have neither know this to be painfully true. It would the height of rudeness to ask someone who possesses both to risk them... simply on my behalf!"