Jian is looking extremely damage,d blood now flowing from several large gashes across his body. Despite that, he presses on, attacking as best he can to bring this foul woman down.
Johannes's small body is wracked with negative energy, not once but twice. He shudders as elemental vileness courses through him, and he feels something like birthing pains combined with the worst kind of hangover. His vision blurs for a moment before clearing up. As it passes, still feels addled, but not so much that can't do his part to send Nualia to the Boneyard. "If there's one goddess ye can't be arguin' with, it's Pharasma. Lucky fer you, ye'll be sein' her soon!"
As the unholy energy again washes over her, it is only through sheer force of will that Ilysaria is able to stave off the worst of the effects. Her whip arcs overhead, the priestess channeling her pain and fury as she winds up for a brutal attack. "You should have stayed dead, Nualia," Lys declares as she lashes out at the woman.
It seems as though the vile woman might bring down Jian, but at last, together, she is no match for your prowess combined! Your mighty strikes lay her low, and she bleeds out.
I will go out on a limb here and assume you will search her body and the room.
You find several mundane and magical items.
For mundane items, you find a golden unholy symbol of Lamashtu (clearly worth a decent amount of money), 7 PP, a masterwork composite longbow (+4 str), and 5 GP.
You also find, scattered about the room, a journal (which I am currently making available in roll20).
As far as magical items, her bastard sword, her armor, the rod she had held in a prehensile tail, and a medallion around her neck all detect as magical. To speed up the process, you may go ahead and roll Spellcraft once for the lot.
Jian signs to Ilysaria, indicating his deep wounds (currently Jian has 5 HP remaining) and requesting assistance.
Jian also turns his eyes to the magical gear, attempting to identify them.
Finally, upon coming across Nualia's journals and perusing them, Jian frowns, the expression magnified on the face of the ape that he currently wears. He then signs, conveying his thoughts.
"This isn't good. Apparently, there's an even greater power somewhere in the depths of Thistletop. We can't allow it to roam unchecked. Once I'm patched up, we should keep exploring and ensure no harm comes to Sandpoint."
Jian; the bastard sword and breastplate are both +1. The rod is a Lesser Rod of Quicken metamagic rod. The necklace is something new; you haven't encountered it before. However, looking at it, it bears a seven pointed star; a symbol you've seen before.
However, you can tell that gives you a resistance bonus of +1 to all your saves, and also enables it's user to, once per day, cast false life upon themselves.
Have we lost the others?
Lys mechanically coils up her whip as Nualia lies dying. Only once she is certain that the woman is gone for good does she allow her attention to be drawn by Jian's curious gesticulating. It only takes a few moments for her to decipher the meaning behind the ape-man's gestures. Nodding, she retrieves a slim wooden wand and swirls it over Jian, Johannes and herself until all three of them are fit to fight once more.
Their injuries seen to, Lys then reads Nualia's journal for herself, skipping over the earlier entries and to the more pertinent information toward the back. There would be time to read about the woman's fall from grace and the story behind her betrayal once they got back to Sandpoint, if she still cared to. "Hmm... This Malfeshnekor is described as a demonic goblin-wolf." Cutting her eyes to Johannes, Lys asks, "Any ideas about what we might be coming up against?"
If you wish to, you may roll Knowledge Planes.
Jian places the medallion around his neck; a strange item, to be sure, but not without it's uses.
He indicates that he is ready to continue whenever everyone else is prepared.
Johannes relates that, more than likely, the creature mentioned is a Greater Barghest, a shapeshifting evil outsider that enjoys dominating wolves and Goblins. It can cloak itself and it's surroundings in a sphere of invisibility and is quite strong and dangerous.
The only way to continue is initially south; however, the path soon splits southwest and then east. Following the right-hand rule, you go east first.
The hallway continues on for a bit before opening up into a space that has three rooms; one north, one south, and one east.
The southern room, you try first, but you can immediately tell is there is something odd about the room; the doors are made of stone, but bear no handles. An indented outline of a seven pointed star, it's shape covered by hollows and slits, graces the spot where the handles should be. The star, you realize, is the exact same as the one on Jian's new medallion, in shape though not in scale.
The door is locked and you cannot find any way to unlock it. Very likely, you must find a key.
Next you try the eastern door. This room contains three low tables, their tops covered with a strange and chilling selection of tools, saws, long-bladed knives, and objects whose purpose is not readily apparent. A strange collection of bones lies near the southern table; too many to be one skeleton, but too few to be two.
The surgical tools in the room are all exquisitely made and together would be worth 100 GP. Furthermore, on the easternmost table, you find an object not a surgical tool at all. It appears to be a silver and gold seven-pointed star; one surface is studded with nodules and blades, and the other features a thin, curved handle. Having just seen the door to the south, you are certain this will fit the lock.
Before you open the door, you decide to follow the right-hand rule and check out the northern door.
This barren room contains an upraised dais on which sits a marble throne. To either side stand statues of a man clutching a book and a glaive. A ghostly figure seems to be seated in the throne, an image of the same man who appears in the statues. He seems to be addressing an audience as he moves his hands about, his fingers decorated with hooked rings, but the words issuing from his phantom mouth are difficult to make out and in a strange language.
The message than repeats from the first word.
Finally, you return to the southern door and open it.
Inside, you see large room with a shallow, fiery pit ten feet across in it. Before you can take in much else, however, you find yourself face to face with a Large creature; quadrupedal, with a lupine quality, but it;s face is a squashed cross between a goblin and a wolf.
It's time for initiative!
The party, , once again, wins initiative. Jian, Ilysaria and Johannes, you're up!
Jian will five foot step to the southeast and engage the Greater Barghest.
He will take a full attack and Flurry.
Searching the body turns up another journal. "What is it with these folk and their diaries?" he wonders aloud. He pages through it curiously, but his face turns ashen as he reads. The entries give a full accounting of Nualia's fall into darkness, nearly reducing Johannes to tears. "She was just tryin' to be what everybody told her she was." The halfling feels more than a twinge of guilt over the way they had handled the situation. Maybe they could have done more for her, but he had been too busy being a Caydenite when he ought to have been being a Desnan.
Somberly, he pulls out a bottle and empties it into his tankard. Then he reaches under his shirt and pulls out a necklace with a delicate silver charm in the shape of a butterfly. Holes have been punched out of the wings in the shape of stars, the sun, and the moon. Dipping this holy symbol into the tankard, he lets the silver steep as he prays, not as a priest, but simply as worshipper. "O Great Dreamer, hear this wanderer's prayer. Watch over this fallen dreamer who was once one o' yer own. She has fallen down a dark and treach'rous road, but you know yours among the lost the way you know the notes in a song. Gone from this world, her road still goes on. Please, don't begrudge her a bad turn at the crossroads on account of fickle fate. Lead your lost wanderer home, so that she may sing your song forever in peace." Closing his prayer, Johannes gives the tankard a gentle swirl and pours the cider, now gently glowing cilver, over Nualia's fallen form.
After identifying the threat that looms ahead of them as probably being some sort of evil outsider, Johannes takes a short break to pray to Cayden to help overcome their unnatural enemy.
A sense of foreboding, greater than what she had felt at the doors to the Temple of Lamashtu, overcomes Ilysaria as they ready themselves to vanquish the barghest. "I don't understand," Lys admits outside the door to the southern chamber. "If the key was down here the whole time, why hadn't Nualia released the creature already?"
As the strange key fits into place and the door opens, Lys follows Jian into the stifling chamber, careful to keep herself and her trailing whip as far away from the fiery pit as space will allow. The holy symbol grows warm against her throat as she asks for Calistria's favour and, empowered by her Goddess, Lys strikes out at the hideous beast.
Jian and Ilysaria, you both score hits.
It recoils a bit from the damage, then it bays at you, a fell sound if ever there was one.
Make Will saves for me, all of you, DC 18. On a success you're fine.
Jian shrugs off the magical attack, then attacks again.
Utter hopelessness nearly overwhelms Lys as the barghest's howl rings out, but she manages to shake off the oppressive sadness at the last moment. She channels her faith in The Unquenchable Fire into the Goddess's chosen weapon before lashing out at Malefeshnekor with a particularly vicious strike.
As Jian engages the beast directly, Johannes holds back near Lys. "Gimme jus' a second with yer whip," he says. Muttering a quick prayer to Cayden, the whip glows with additional magic, Cayden's mingled with Calistria's. It should make for a potent brew.
Not a moment after giving his benediction, Malfeshnekor's otherworldly howls pound at the gates of Johannes's mind, sapping his pluck and courage. In it, he can hear the howls of the slavers' dogs chasing after him, the jangling of chains and the jeers of the overseers. It's a sound that makes him feel very, very small. Clutching his tankard, he wants nothing more than to shut it up. With his free hand, he draws the shortsword he had claimed earlier and moves up to join Jian in battle.
You can get to flanking but unfortunately a 16 is insufficient.
Jian and Ilysaria, the Barghest is beginning to look quite injured. However, Jian, it decides to let loose it's fury and lashes out at you.
Luckily for you, only one attack lands, and you are clawed for 8 points of damage.
Your turn again!
Jian grunts as the claws slice his flesh, and he has only one thought; he cannot let this monster harm his friends. He attacks again.
Lys takes her eyes off of Malefeshnekor for only a moment, but a moment is all she needs to see that the ever intrepid halfling has been affected by the barghest's oppressive howl. "Johannes, what you're feeling... It isn't real! Fight it!" she calls out, her words of encouragement punctuated by the crack of her whip as it cuts through the air.
Johannes, despite what he is afflicted with, attempts to continue striking the fiend, attacking with the shortword;
Johannes' blade sinks deep into the monster's ribs, and with a final scream, it falls, dead, and disappears back to it's home plane, soundly defeated.
Looking around the rest of the room, you see that the south wall bears an immense carving of a seven-sided star, just like the one that Jian wears around his neck.
Being the highly perceptive individuals you are, you deduce that on the sides of the southern wall near the carving, there are two hidden alcoves that open up when you press a pressure plate.
The southeast alcove is empty, it's contents taken long ago. The southwest one, however, still contains, still contains a silver coffer. The coffer itself is likely worth a decent sum of money, but inside, there is in fact a ring.
Detect Magic pings it as magical.
Furthermore, as you leave the room, you notice that in the north of the room, on racks and providing small amounts of light, are 60 candles in total. The candles are all magical as well.
What do you do?
Once the items are pointed out as magic, Jian will attempt to figure out their purpose.
Jian- the candles, you're not so sure about.
The ring, though...that's a potent item. It is a ring of Force Shield +2, granting the wielder a +2 Shield Bonus to AC.
Jian relays that information through signs.
Lys eyes Johannes critically but chooses not to say anything as she winds up her whip in neat coils. It was something the man had to work through on his own—a swig of Cayden's liquid courage might go a long way—and the priestess doesn't wish to demean him or draw more attention to things by trying to coddle him. Rather, she helps search the chamber alongside Jian, giving Johannes the illusion of privacy while he shakes off the barghest's affliction. She nods as Jian relays what he knows about the discovered ring in their strange new nonverbal communication and, on seeing the damage Malefeshnekor's claws left up close, channels the power of her faith in the Goddess to mend the ape-man's wounds.
"Candles you never have to replace? That would save me quite a bit of gold each year," she jests, as much to shatter the tense atmosphere as to gauge whether or not Johannes was feeling like his old self once more. Whether the joke falls flat or not, Lys turns to her companions and, after taking a deep breath, asks, "So, is our work here finished?"
With Malfeshnekor banished back to wherever he came from, the creature's howls and the darkness they stir in him is gone, too. The barghest doesn't even leave bloodstains on his new blade, so Johannes replaces it in the sheathe behind his waist.
Though the beast is gone,his hands still tremble. Johannes reaches into his sack, touching a bottle. He doesn't pull it out, but knowing it's there helps ease his mind. He sets for the other side of the room, away from Jian and Lys, and tries to put his fears to rest by giving his mind something else to think about.
"I'm not so sure ye'd want these candles. Always be remindin' ye where ye got 'em. I don' know 'bout you two, but I'm lookin' forward to gettin' back to the Rusty Dragon. The sooner we get back to Sandpoint, the sooner we can start forgetin' this place."
Jian will nod in agreement, but continue to sign. He agrees with Johannes, but feels that the group should fully explore the level to ensure no nasty surprises are left.
You continue exploring the level, and find a room that has had water filter into it from the surrounding sea. There is a large golden helmet in the pool, and as you walk around, it actually rotates to follow you. It does not detect as magical, or a trap, and once you get close, claws and pincers erupt from the helmet and attack you!
All three of you have a turn before the creature. It is within one move.
Jian-the-Ape rushes forward to engage the creature.
"Ack! I've heard o' hermit crabs before, but helmet crabs be somethin' new!"
Johannes joins in the attack with his tankard raised high.
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Lys hesitates, her bemusement evident by the small dimple that forms between her fine, dark brows. Stumbling upon the curiously behelmed creature so soon after fighting the depraved Nualia and their harrowing battle against Malefeshnekor, the incongruity of it all strikes the Calistrian as nearly humorous. A ghost of a smirk flits across her lips as the creature clacks its pincers menacingly at them and Lys moves to exit the room, the priestess perfectly willing to cede to the animal's territorial instinct and call it a day.
Nevertheless, her hand falls to the handle of her whip as her companions respond with force rather than retreat. If overgrown crustaceans were the sort of nasty surprises they felt impelled to end, then so be it. Whatever it takes for us to leave this place for good.
All your attacks hit, and deal damage. It attempts to grab Jian with it's claws;
The Crab hits once, and the pincer latches on, grabbing Jian. You are now Grappled! It is your turn, players.
Jian attempts to control the grapple.
I think you mean break the grapple. You do not succeed.
Lys can't help but to be a little impressed by the crab's fortitude, able to hold its ground despite their combined efforts to bring it down and still manage to give Jian a pinch he'll not be forgetting any time soon. Unfortunately for the crab, the Calistrian's admiration of its tenacity doesn't keep her from lashing out at it a second time.
And that does it! The hermit crab expires from it’s wounds, freeing Jian.
Looking around the room, you can see several items shining in the water. Explorations into the cavern yield several treasures. You find;
3,500 SP
1,850 CP
A magical amulet made of jade (roll spellcraft)
The largest treasure is the skull that the crab had been inhabiting; it’s not gold but it is solid bronze and easily worth over a thousand gold. It’s quite heavy, but Jian, with the two of you to assist him, can haul it out of the depths. Pulling and dragging ot proves much easier.
You have all your loot. The horse you rescued is where you left him, as is Suitor. Examining a bit more closely, you find the horse has a saddle and though it is faded, the name “Shadowmist” is stitched into it. The horse is too emaciated to carry much loot, and certainly is unable to bear a rider, but you can tell that when he is hale and healthy once more he will be a powerful warhorse. He has taken to all three of you, his saviors, and regards you all with great affection.
You may divvy up your loot however you wish in the time it takes for you to return to town. Kindly handle that in Discussion. When you return to town, the guards, much more watchful than when you came to Sandpoint for the Swallowtail Festival, call out a greeting when first they see you. One of them moves away from the gates, and in the time it takes you fo reach the gate, he has returned with other people. The Mayor, Kendra Deverin, is there, as is Father Zantus, smiling and happy to see you. Sheriff Belor Hemlock is as dour as ever, but you can see in her eyes how happy she is to see you. Ameiko, now one of the town’s nobility, greets you. She seems much recovered from her abduction and grief, and looks upon you all with affection and admiration.
As you drae near, the Mayor speaks.
”The Heroes of Sandpoint! You’ve returned and we are all thanking the Gods that you’re in one piece. What happened out there? Are w in any danger?”
Jian grins at their assembled allies, happy to see them again.
”I’ll leave the proper telling to our silver-tongued Johannes, but we’ve broken the alliance between the Goblin tribes and stopped their leaders. Sandpoint is safe!”
Jian, however, was finding it difficult not to stare at Ameiko. Had she always been so pretty?
A tired sigh leaves Ilysaria as she leads Suitor through the gates of Sandpoint, the poor noble steed relegated to the role of pack mule for the trip back from Thistletop. The road-weary priestess's demeanor brightens considerably on spying Ameiko among the welcoming party, looking better than when they had left. Lys would have to ask that the proprietress have a hot bath sent to her room after Suitor was settled for the night. Any other evening, the Calistrian might have also inquired about having a personal attendant for the night. As it was, the day's events had taken such a toll on the half-elf, Lys would consider it a blessing if she managed not to fall asleep in the bath. A shame, too, for it seemed she was not the only one whose eye Ameiko caught. "You have a bit of drool on your chin, Monkey Boy," Lys teases Jian, a knowing smirk playing on her lips.
Clearing her throat to hide her tittering at Jian's expense, Lys adopts a more serious mien as she addresses Kendra Deverin. "Yes, Madame Mayor. The goblin leaders have been neutralized, and their tribes reduced to naught or scattered to the winds." Her stormy gaze flickers briefly over to Johannes in what she hopes is an inconspicuous manner, remembering clearly the grief he expressed after Nualia's death. For his sake, as well as for any lingering fondness the people of Sandpoint might feel for their lost daughter, she tries to choose her next words delicately. "As for the greater threat posed to your town, Nualia has been... laid to rest, and her plans unraveled so that none might try to unleash the devastation she had sought to."
Jian grunts a laugh. After Lys speaks, he stands next to her and whispers.
”Like I’d no what to do with her. Perhaps I should seek out your...expertise,” Jian said, slowly stretching his body and emphasising his physique. ”What I lack in experience, I surely make up for in enthusiasm and endurance. After all, you would not want a friend of yours to be said to be unskilled, would you?”
He somehow managed to keep the blush from his face. He had never in his life imagined being so forward! But his recent adventure had shown him that while discipline was a powerful tool, he would need to better experience and process his feelings lest they control him.
Yes, Orik is still with you
Returning to Sandpoint felt a lot different than Johannes had expected. The scene was more or less as he'd pictured it - they were the conquering heroes, returning nigh-unscathed from the depths of danger to deliver the town from plots and goblins and all the rest of it. They even brought back a horse (even if they couldn't ride him just yet)!
But facing the people of Sandpoint - even just these few representatives - is almost too much for the halfling. Knowing that the townsfolk's treatment of Nualia drove her to reject her divine gift and sent her running into the arms of the Mother of Monsters, he couldn't help but look at them differently.
Thankfully, Lys steps up to fill in the necessary details. Johannes wasn't going to get away without at least a few retellings at the tavern, but he wasn't looking forward to it like he thought he would. He'd need some time to get his spirits up, and he'd have to watch his drinks too. He was afraid of what he might say if his lips were loosened too much.
"I don' have much to add," Johannes starts, surprising himself, "'cept t' say that sometimes things ain't as black-and-white as they seem. Nualia's finished, that much ye can be sure of. But whatever she may've been at the end o' it all, she was one o' you. One o' us. On Sunday, I'll be holdin' a memorial service - not for the villain behind a foiled plot, but for the blessed girl we should all remember her as. I'd appreciate it if'n ye could be helpin' me get the word out."
At your words, Johannes, Father Zantus approaches you, laying a kind hand on your shoulder.
"I should be happy to assist in the ceremony, my friend. Tobin was my friend...and Nualia...well. I should have known...should have seen what was going on. The least I can do is help honor her memory and maybe attempt to see that this path is not repeated."
That sobers your welcoming committee somewhat. Still, they are all glad to see you returned and safe, and the news that the town isn't in imminent danger is cause for celebration.
After that, you have some downtime. It is several days until Sunday. You have more than enough time to identify all of your magic items; present me with the list of unidentified items (and where you found them) and I will provide you with item descriptions. You also have the opportunity to sell your gear.
Before Sunday, a couple of things happen.
Over the course of a couple of days, you are approached several times. The first, you are approached by Niska Mvashti,well known as a Seer, and Father Zantus. They explain to you that strange lights and noises have been seen and heard around Chopper's Isle. It's making the locals restless, and they want to know if you're willing to investigate.
Ilysaria, you get a letter from Kaye Tesarani, proprietor of The Pixie's Kitten.
I hope you find yourself well, and in a somewhat charitable mood. As you're aware, we're under more than a bit of pressure from outside forces, and I'm not in the mood to fold. In particular. Jubral Vhyski has been...rather insistent on, let us say, becoming an investor. I have no interest in this, but I have even less interest in seeing what he'll do when I make it clear that that's not possible. It would be beneficial, for all of us, if we could find some way to avoid this. I do know you're his type...maybe you could succeed where my more regular employees may have failed. If you can get some leverage on him...well, who knows what could happen?
I understand if you can't, but I hope you can help. My boys and girls would not fare well under certain other ownership. I know you understand.
Love,
Kaye
Jian, you are approached by Sabyl Sorn. She's one of the only other martial artists in town and maintains the House of Blue Stones, a library and teahouse. Word of your prowess has reached her ears. She's inviting you to spar and practice kata with her.
Your group is approached by Cyrdrak Drokkus, the owner of the Sandpoint Theater. He has written a play about your heroics during the Swallowtail Festival, and would be delighted if you wished to join the cast for one performance to play yourselves. Any or all of you are invited.
Finally, you are approached by Savah and Das Korvut, two of the prominent smiths in town. They inform you that they used to work together with a third, a man named Dante Jacinth. Together, they called themselves Kerberoi Arms.
They tell you their story; the three of them had been adventurers, and during their travels had found a location called the Forge of the Maker. This place was imbued with magical that assisted them in crafting, allowing them to make magical items with great speed and skill. The Forge, however, required three people, all of great skill themselves, to operate to it's full capacity.
Dante had a son named Simon. Simon's mother had died in childbirth, and Dante had doted on the boy. Simon, tragically, disappeared during the Late Unpleasantness. After that, Dante took to drinking, and lost all interest in his craft. Without him, Savah and Das didn't feel right continuing. Even if they'd wanted to, a band of Ogres found the Forge and drove them out.
Savah and Das, after the attack on Sandpoint, have seen the importance of getting the Forge up and operating to make sure that Sandpoint is well armed in case of another assault. They want you to convince Dante to rejoin them. Step one is to give him some closure with his son, which they hope will lead to the abatement of his alcoholism. After that, the Ogres will have to be cleared out before they can get the Forge up and running. In return, they're offering their services to you at material cost.
If you have any questions about any of that, feel free to let me know. When you decide what you would like to pursue, if need be I'll provide more information.