As a note, the creature keeping pace with you seems perfectly willing to move past the warning signs.
"Hmmmm." Andre frowns. "A warning sign...could be anything. Could be our quarry, could be...someone else entirely. Celestial seems like an odd choice for Rovagugites."
Celestial would definitely be an odd choice for followers of Rovagug. It occurs to you that it is more likely to be left by the followers of Erastil as a language that the followers of Rovagug might not know.
"Hmm, so, do we ignore the warning and head on that way or play it safe and go in another direction?"
Ihon continues to stare off into the forest. Neither. We will continue on suitably warned.
Andre smiles approvingly. "I like you more and more, Ihon. Indeed--on that way, with our eyes forward! This warning was probably left by the Erastilians anyway. Perhaps even warning their brethren that the Rovagugites lair nearby." When the group heads out again, Andre keeps a watchful eye on their surroundings.
Before leaving, Sazu takes a quick charcoal imprint of the sign for later referencing on one of his extra pieces of parchment.
"It is odd...that the warning would specifically be in Celestial. I mean, it leads me to believe either the message is for those who commonly read celestial or rather the one who know's celestial is warning others."
He lets his words hang in the air as they continue on, wondering if his companions have any input on the observation.
As soon as you all move beyond the warning signs, the creature, now toward the front of you, starts to move closer.
Andre, the creature speaks to you telepathically and says You have made a grave mistake in coming here.
I look at the sign and then shocked at everyone else, "How can you not read that? It says 'Danger. Go no further.' Have none of you studied other tongues? If you really want to proceed, then caution is the best bet, but why not go around where it is safer?"
Seeing that everyone is intent on going forwards I shake my head, touch the sign with my hand and lower my head slightly and speak quietly in the same tongue the sign is written in, "Sorry."
With that I walk forwards, both hands on my blade and ready to react to the aforementioned danger.
Andre whirls to stare at the creature. "You speak in my mind?! What is the nature of our mistake? Tell us how we have trespassed, and against whom, and we'll go on our way!"
Ihon continues to follow the others, then stops as they stop. He makes no indication that he understands why.
Phaedra looks from Andre to the creature and then back again. "Seriously? You say it is talking to you with his mind?"
Sazu strikes up an oratory that acts as bardic performance to Inspire Courage.
"Remember friends, the nature of the beast is to hunt and we are clearly intended as its targets. A classic tale of history, the attacker and the attacked. Though we stand against this force, we must repluse it with our might to prove our worth in this mission trusted to us. If he draws blood, so shall we..."
Ihon takes no action other than to stare off into the woods. He doesn't seem to even notice the creature appearing.
Andre mutters a brief prayer, then tries to appeal to the creature one last time.
"In the name of Old Deadeye, Erastil, the Forest Father, I ask you: what have we done? Why do you plan to chase us off? Answer me!"
I place the tip of my blade on the floor and stand it upright, so the handle is by my chest and speak in the same language as the sign.
The creature moves 60 ft forward, seemingly uninfluenced by the Diplomacy checks. It doesn't seem to even understand the words that Rona is saying.
Once the creature finishes its movement, you see what looks like a grotesquely obese orc with a distended stomach. It is holding a longsword and looks like it plans to continue its approach.
Ihon, you know the creature is a demon called a Vermlek and typically has a habit of inhabiting corpses to use as a form of armor and disguise. It is resistant to spells, elements, and has damage reduction against weapons that aren't cold iron or good. It does take damage from positive energy, however. It can do negative energy damage a limited number of times to those around it, but otherwise has limited damage ability despite its toughness.
Sazu pauses his speech, his mouth agape.
"Oh...oh dear..." he stammers before resuming his bardic inspiration.
Vermlek, demon. Resistant to attacks, magical or otherwise. Susceptible to holy power, but harms others with its unholy presence, he says in a monotone voice, as if reciting from a book.
Ihon then suddenly shouts a harsh magical word and points at the creature.
The creature, miraculously, doesn't seem to tumble due to the Grease.
Round 1
Sazu will cast Grease in front of the creature to hopefully trip it up or at least delay it's advance.
"A demon, eh? And susceptible to the light of Erastil?" Andre growls dangerously. "Well, if that's the case..." He holds his holy symbol high.
Light floods out of the holy symbol, bathing the area in eerie shadows.
The demon steps carefully out of the Grease Ihon cast and seeing the other pool in front of it, curves around the side to continue its advance.
The creature winces, but takes little damage as it is hit by Andre's burst of energy. It stops 25 feet from your group and channels energy of its own.
Hostile intent confirmed, Pheadra takes her glaive and swings it at the creature.
Seeing that the creature is not wanting to settle this peacefully I walk to the creature, placing it between Phaedra and myself. I crouch slightly so that I am in a more defensive stance and bring my blade up with both hands.
The creature seems damaged by Rona's attack, but snarles and seems perfectly content continuing combat.
Sazu continues his inspiring rhetoric, and tries his new (oversized) crossbow.
The bolt from the crossbow strike the demon, but it buries itself in the rotten flesh of the creature and seems to do no damage.
Ihon steps forward to stand behind Almathea, touching her shoulder before she attacks.
Can't get a computer for a while, but say maintains his inspire courage and reloads his crossbow for round 3
Andre grits his teeth as the pain washes over him, but raises his holy symbol and, murmuring, begins to channel energy once more. This time, wounds on his body and his allies' begin to close. Having done so, he drops his bow and grimly strides toward the creature, drawing his quarterstaff.
The creature winces slightly again, but seems mostly unhurt. Seeing itself surrounded, it strikes at Andre who has been hitting it with positive energy.
Phaedra swings her glaive at the creature again.
"Argh! Damn you, fiend!" Andre spits as the creature's sword opens a terrifying gash in his side. He grits his teeth. I'll not leave my companions now... Trying desperately to avoid the creature seeing how little he's paying attention to it, he lays his hand on his side...
But its hate-filled eyes see his weakness, and the priest cries out desperately to his god. "Heal me, Erastil! Hear your servant's cry!"
Round 4
"Is this thing working?" Sazu cries in frustration as he lets loose another oversized crossbow bolt.
His gut gets pushed in a bit from the force of the shot, but Sazu maintains his inspire courage.
Making sure to keep someone on the other side of the creature the whole time I continue my barrage of strikes whilst keeping my defensive posture.
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If it is still up I shall continue to strike at the creature, hoping for it to go down quickly whilst everyone is still up.
Rona strikes the creature twice and continues to wear it down slowly. Sazu is able to hit it with a bolt, but it again seems to do no damage at all. Phaedra's strike minimally harms the thing, but it continues to fight back.
The demon swings a longsword at Rona and attempts to bite Andre.
Phaedra growls in annoyance and swings at the creature again.
Ihon steps up to touch Andre's shoulder.
Round 5
"Comrades...my particular skillset is ill-suited for this beast. I'm afraid I can only continue inspiring with my speech, and staying out of harms way."
Sazu does his best to keep out of range of the enemy while maintaining his speech of inspire courage.
Ihon steps up again to touch Andre's shoulder.
By this time the creature looks very badly injured, but it continues to fight, attacking Rona twice.