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Nigel shakes his head. What a shame. Letting other people die for your cause, because you are frightened of meeting the afterlife. If you die on this battlefield, it would be full of honor and you will be remembered as a hero. If you run, you may still die and be remembered as the one who runs away. You will meet the afterlife and not find honor. We are fighting with or without your help, but I hope you can live with your self and the choices you make if you leave.
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After hearing countless attempts to sway opinions, Kragr stands up and proclaims loudly. "Enough! We shall put this to a vote." He pauses as he looks at Medda and Jala, who both are equally keen to put this discussions to a rest. "All in favour of standing against the undead?"
Unaimously, everyone's hands, including that of the Pathfinders (unnecessarily) are raised. However before the preparations could be made, frantic screaming can be heard from outside the tent.
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Immediately you rush out of the tent to see what the commotion is all about. There, you are met with the sight of panicked settlers running amess as they attempt to escape the undead that have somehow found their way in!
This slimy, shifting mass has the shape of a humanoid, but is made out of what appears to be some form of sticky rope or cloth. Its body lurches jerkily, struggling to maintain its horrid form. It destroys everything in it's path!
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Angela gives a nod as the leaders come to the most efficient decision, but gets cut short by the screams. Abadar above what is it this time? She testily moves out of the tent prepared to give a tounge lashing to whoever was causing a ruckus, but getting stopped short by the creatures in the road.
Her annoyance finding valid targets, it turns into a sharp resolve. "My, that's a..."
She pulls out her longspear and moves forward a few feet, readying a distracting attack should there be a good condition for it.
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"...Ectoplasmic human!" Finishes Angela. Angela goes on to explain that these beings don't have resistances but can be horrifying when coming into contact with their ooze like bodies.
But before Angela finishes, Haska has already jumped into the fray dramatically with a well placed lob of a bomb. The bomb infused with a little bit of inspiration from the elders, blow up on of the ectoplasmic creatures completely.
Medda, Kragr, and Jala, inspired by the turn of events earlier, comes out to lend their support! They bring themselves to arms to assist you with eliminating the threat to their settlement. "Tonight.. we cancel the apocalypse!" Yells the barbarian Kragr.
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Kahwen is pleased when the Twinhorn Elders see reason. But, he is also pleased to hear the ruckus outside. Talking is not his strongest suit and he is glad to have the opportunity for action.
He is brought up short by the strange entities they face but when Haska so easily takes one down with the assistance of some Twinhorn warriors, his confidence is bolstered and he rushes towards one.
Hadza is right behind him and strikes before he can but he swings anyway, just in case his powerful companion doesn't do quite enough to take their foe out.
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Action being his strong suit, Kahwen immediately springs to display his capabilities. With the help of Medda, he lines himself up with the closest ooze like humanoid and slices through it with one sharp powerful motion! The force is so strong it obliterates another ectoplasmic human.
However breaking from the pack provides the undeads with a perfect opportunity to charge right at Kahwen! The impact of both undeads smashing into him is powerful. And immediately it knocks Kahwen unconscious!
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Angela gives a curse as she sees Kahwen go down. "Dammit, Kahwen! Don't break rank! You just cause everyone problems when you do!"
She rushes up and gets into a prime spot to help whoever wants to attack one of the two things flanking the now unconcious body of the bird.
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Perhaps by the shock of watching their comrade fall unconscious, Dark and Angela seem to be distracted in combat. Dark's spell barely misses it's target and Angela stumbles with her footing as she moves up to help out in combat.
Haska immediately rushes in to aid the injured tengu. With a flick of his wrist, life breathes back into Kahwen.
Relieved that their friend is not at a risk of death, Hadza confidently pulls through a large whack that obliterates another ectoplasmic being.
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Recovering to consciousness, Kahwen strikes the undead from his disadvantageous position. His attack hits but barely wounds the monster.
Nigel comes around a little late and throws in some acid. But his aim is far from accurate.
The ectoplasmic being continues to attempt to take Kahwen out once more. But with his allies down, he seems to have lost the strength.
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Finding the unfirm footing to be a nuisance, Angela stomps her feet in frustration, trying to find or make a clear spot to stand.
Her footing settled she looks up to see Haska healing Kahwen. With a mental purr of pleasure over the Alchemist's efficency she comments, "Haska, Good! Thank-you for making sure that Kahwen stays alive. And Hadza, Impressive work as always!"
She then takes a moment to center herself. I WILL be of use in this fight or Abadar pox me with poverty. Settled she focuses on the last standing creature and takes a feinting stab at it trying to get its attention offf whoever is attacking next.
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Nigel seems to snap back into awareness after being glazed over for a bit. This cursed bleaching is starting to take hold! He then looks at the enemies he has been fighting Wow, those are some ugly fellows! Nigel then conjures up a ball of acid to throw at the green enemy.
But still recovering from the stiffness of the bleaching, he shoots too high.
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While most of the Pathfinders find themselves unable to connect with the sneaky ectoplasmic undead. In the confusion, Hadza is able to put in a very strong swing to smash the last creature to nothing but mushy goo.
A few warrior Kellids come from different directions, panting heavily, to meet with the elders immediately. Upon arrival, it's clear that they were scouts sent by the Twinhorns, Jala turns to them for a report. They both comically reply at the same time shouting over each other.
"I have noted that there is a dragon terrifying the area east of here! It looks to be headed in this direction!"
"I have witness a gathering of undeads, there is a shadowy place just west of here that looks like some sort of portal!"
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"Huzzah Friend Hadza!" Kahwen says as his old friend smashes the last opponent.
He jumps to his feet and brushes himself off as though nothing untoward has happened.
His eyes fairly light up at the news of a dragon. "Yes! Friend Angela has it right. To the dragon!"
He will start going that direction unless someone either verbally or physically restrains him.
Along the way, though, he hands his wand to Haska. "If you don't mind. And if you want to alternate it with the other when people get injured."
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Jala listens and contemplates as well, and provides some guidance on the matter. "It seems like we're at a turning point, I don't think my warriors are equipped to handle a dragon... I suggest that we spilt, the Twinhorns can hold the line at the undead stronghold, perhaps long enough until you are able to catch up with us. We cannot leave any situation unmanaged."
As it is, you decide to hold the fort and wait for the inevitable. Soon you are met head to head with the dragon as it makes it's way towards the settlement! But to your surprised, the dragon is no larger than a dog, perhaps this was blown out of proportion. The small black dragonlike creature has charcoal-colored scales and shadowy wings and it flies to your direction!
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Kahwen is a little disappointed when he sees the stature of the dragon that they're facing. He knew something the size of a house was out of his capacity to deal with, but a horse sized opponent would at least have been glorious.
Maybe they could vanquish this thing fast enough to get to the portal, after all.
He heeds Angela's advice and does not rush too far forward, taking up a defensive stance as he gets closer to the dragon.
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The group spreads and takes position as the threat approaches. Angela does the same and hustles up hiding behind the tents waiting for it. Dark immediately recognizes it to be a giant shadow drake.
Dark engages by releasing some arcane magic in the form of magic missiles. It takes a hit but is enraged as he screams a unnerving dragon-like howl.
It dives straight towards Kahwen, who defends himself well in anticipation, then the drake immediately disengages and flies up into the sky above the pathfinders having a vantage point.
The eagle finishes forming adjacent to the wild drake. The eagle then draws upon the holy power of the planes to attack it with all its might.
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Kahwen is doubly disappointed - first because he's not going to get to face a real dragon. Second because this fake dragon won't let him really test his blade against it.
It is with obvious disappointment that he drops his sword and draws bow and arrow to take a shot at it.
"Stupid bow," he grumbles even as he pulls back the string and releases the arrow in a smooth motion.
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Dark knows that this dragon is weak against fire, and has some sort of light sensitivity as it's purely nocturnal in nature. It has a special attack that allows call stygian breath which allows it to exhale a ball of black liquid that explodes.
Although small in stature, the creature is not to be messed with it seems! It somehow manages to dodge every attack thrown at it so far.
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Medda rides by, calling above the din of the raging battle, “The path is clear—we can reach the valley that holds the stone circle. Let us band together and stop the undead tide. I am concerned that some of the foul creatures had the name ‘Eshimka’ on their rotting lips. We must stand together and use all of our power to close this black portal before it’s too late!”
Fighting side-by-side, the Twinhorn following and Pathfinders have carved a path to the stone circle. This affords only a brief opening to stop the undead army, and the fighting will be difficult.
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"Shadows are not substance, yet light still banish shadows." Do shadows barn? Look out eagle buddy!"
Haska moves forward and around to try and get an angle at the flying thing. He pulls out a clay ball and jams something into it. He then throws the mess at the dragon spinning it so as to inert the side towards the eagle.
; ; splash dmg 4 or dc 14 for 2.
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As Medda yells on, the drake coincidentally grows bored of the pathfinders and just casually flies away leaving the team with a clear conscious to head immediately to the undead site!
The clearing on the riverbank features a circle of standing stones with a large stone altar at its center. A shadowy tear floats above the altar, so dark that what little light shines from the stars seems to become trapped inside. Eight large tendrils of inky darkness coil around the menhirs as if keeping the stones in a stranglehold. Other tendrils lick out from the shadowy rift as if tasting the air.
In the clearing, four skeletons stand around waiting anxiously for the Pahtfinder's charge. One of the skeletons look a bit more formidable than the others with a large sword.
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Nigel prepares for the upcoming fight by bring in another holy bird into existence. He then makes the talons of the bird full of magic. Watching Nigel cast non-conjuration magic is awkward and odd. It is clear he does not normally do this sort of thing.
When the fighting starts, Nigel moves forward at full speed, wanting to be close enough to effect the battle field with his magic.