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...unless you want to kill some villagers or these unconscious demons...
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The men that reaming standing look around, even more confused than before. "Are... are the voices finally gone?" #4 drops to his knees. "Oh, thank the Inheritor! She... she must have sent you! But... the rest of us..."
#2 = damgme DEAD ish
#3 = 9/9 hp
#4 = 9/9 hp
#5 = 68 + 15 = 83 DEAD ish
#6 = -11/ 12 con
#7 = -1/12 con
Do any of you need healing?
"We were fleeing from the attack... Kenbares... it's... Everyone is..." #3 breaks down and collapses into a ball of depression.
#4 adds more, grasping at Luisila's lower clothing, "There were... at least 5 dozen of us at the gates. We didn't make it 5 minutes until... voices... spoke to us. Told us we would live if we... if we..." He does not finish the statement.
---
#1 = Absent/Ran away (casty type)
#2 = fighting off death (casty type)
#3 = Healthy
#4 = Healthy
#5 = fighting off death (cast-y type)
#6 = fragile (melee type)
#7 = fighting off death (melee type)
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For the first time in her life, Luisila makes a sympathetic face at someone who has been trying to kill her.
“Dhalia stands in line waiting for the Lady of Graves. After she is judged, your wife will tell the Inheritor about the highlights of your life together.”
“Let’s get everyone healed up and then we can talk some more, OK?”
Luisila gathers the party’s warriors in a loose circle around any of the injured farmers, at least 30’ distant from the fallen demons, before asking the peasant folk to kneel down.
She takes the intrepid paladin’s left hand in her right, and the fearless barbarian’s right hand in her left. She looks over to the ranger tough standing opposite her.
“Desmond, hold hands with Cleaver and Omrax so I can get the healing prayer started. Go on! What are you waiting for? It’s just holding hands – it’s not like you’re engaged! Oh for Threv’s sake!!”
Luisila drops both warriors’ hands and gives the three men an exasperated look. Then she reaches her right hand into the middle of the circle above the farmers’ heads.
“OK everyone, stack your hand on top of mine in the middle of the circle … 'Pathfinders' on three. One ! Two! Three! Pathfinders!!”
With a *clang* the priestess then operates her wrist sheath and finishes healing Varg and Omrax’s wounds with her wand of CLW.
She will then replace her wand and re-tension the sheath's spring, before helping Baz with medical checks of the farmers.
@Baz: As you slash the unbursted cast-y guy, you find most of his innards to be gone and replaced with one of these Vermlek demons.
@Luisila: You channel and have group prayer, and the two that are currently up, as well as a third that awakens from the channel, thank you profusely. The man the bird bit crititcally, however, doesn't stand, though does heal from the channel.
#3 = 9/9 hp
#4 = 9/9 hp
#6 = -11/ 12 con
#7 = -1/12 con
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As Luisila fusses over the surviving Mendevians, she heals the remaining unconscious victim with her wand again. She also keeps an eye out for lewtz and the cold iron arrow that missed its target.
After examining the innards of the vermleks' hosts, Luisila discovers some rings before suffering a brief coughing attack from undertaking the disgusting task.
She will make eye contact with Baz and Omrax before beginning to question the survivors about their ordeal and anything they can tell the party about trouble in the area.
“Tell us more about the attack on Kenabres. Do you have any word regarding Fort Portolmaeus or any information about enemy activity in the area that may help us?”
@Luisila:
As Luisila goes over the demon bodies left about, she untangles the squishy tentacle-like appendages and finds that the two demons left behind each had a magical ring on what could be considered one of their most finger-like parts. They also have scythes, though they're not magic and were likely once owned by an unfortunate farmer.
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Desmond collects his longbow, pats Sahrek, "Good boy - you'll get 'em next time," and then circulates among the farmers.
"These voices that you heard...have they stopped? Is there any way we could help you settle somewhere else - maybe further from the Worldwound?" I can't imagine trying to eke out a decent living as a farmer out here...
He nods in appreciation to Luisila for the healing. He then looks around, "Where's our fearless leader? He was sure helpful..."
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"Thank you for the healing, Lady Luisila. Strong work team."
Omrax will scan the area for any remnants of evil auras. Then he will look back for the Commander and see where he has been.
"Sir, we will be ready to go soon enough. Those demon-worms infiltrating these farmers cannot be good for the populace. If we do not protect the innocent, then who are we protecting?"
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Súrë quickly cleans off his weapons and checks BIG BIRD for injuries.
"Squawk!" he says. Where is Sir Ilivan?
"Squawk." BIG BIRD replies. Over there.
"Squawk." Súrë responds. Thank you. You are a wonderful creation. I am so glad to have you. You performed admirably against these devils although you need to be more careful trying to hover and attack at the same time. In the future you should also only attack the foes I tell you to attack. Some of these people were nice innocent farmers. You should apologize to them.
"Squawk." BIG BIRD responds. I'm sorry.
BIG BIRD then goes and nuzzles up against the farmers to make them feel better.
"Sir Ilivan!" Súrë calls out. "We have taken care of the demons! Please come join us again!"
---
"We were looking for a city that might still be standing... or at least that was our plan until we got captured..." the man responds to Desmond's inquiry. Though he looks over the ring, we would need the ability to Detect Magic to actually identify the property of a magic item, though knowledgeable as he may be.
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"When did we get caught?" They look around to each other. "It's been Hell on Golarion since it happened, and the sun doesn't always work right around this close to the Worldwound... we're not sure... at least a week? Maybe 2?"
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Omrax heads back to the knoll, where Ilivan is still waiting, keeping a vigilant eye over the party and villagers. "There are millions of people just south of the border of Mendev; that's who we're protecting. If we can't get the wardstones functional again, the entire world is doomed." He pauses a moment. "The rightful generals of the Inheritor gave us order only to check on the Wardstones. This could have easily been a trap, set by shape-shifting demons, with nary a villager included. I'm not making up ghost stories; I've seen that kind of thing before." He keeps his bow in-hand and stays still. "I'll remain here and we'll return en masse, just in case this still is a trap."
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Súrë makes bird noises and yells out to Sir Ilivan, but doesn't get an audible response.
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Luisila shows Bazresh and Desmond the rings she found. “Any idea if they’re magical, Baz?”
As it starts getting later in the day but before they re-join Sir Ilivan, Luisila will touch her wand of Endure Elements to all members of the party, including Big Bird and Sahrek, of course!
Luisila makes eye contact with BB, but glances over to the Sky Druid to ensure he’s fine with her approaching his animal companion. “Súrë, are you all right with me getting this close to Big Bird?”
To the Divine Hunter: “Yes, Omrax. I’m ready to move on.”
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Súrë runs back up to Sir Ilivan. "But Sir! Aren't you coming with us? We need to keep moving. I'm sure glad we saved those farmers though."
"Squawk."
Orisons - 4/day
Create Water
Enhanced Diplomacy
Read Magic
Stabilize
1st level - 4/day
Cure Light Wounds
Shield Companion
Shillelagh
Windy Escape
2nd level - 3/day
Bull's Strength
Chill Metal
Gusting Sphere
The half-elf glares at Súrë. "I think you misunderstand, Mr. Súrë; It looks like some of you are still putzing around here. When they're done, we'll be back on our intended mission. But we do leave out of each others' line of sight; that misstep has lead to far too many deaths around here."
Baz is unsure of what the first ring is, though he's discounted a few theories.
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You detect no difference in personality/intent his statements, both in the fact that Ilivan was always there on the hill (though hiding from what could have been beefier demons.) He is focused on this mission like a sniper to his mark.
A last bit (that they just failed to mention until now, though I think you asked earlier), "To Redeem the Black Prince" is referencing Iomedae's 8th act (not that I have any clue what they actually were.)
Once everyone has returned to the hill, Ilivan (while keeping a close eye on the villagers) escorts them to the road. Upon their confusion of what to do now, he suggests to them that Nerosyan still stands (to which the villagers are ecstatic to hear.) They head out from whence you came, and you begin to ride again.
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He slows a little about half-an-hour into the second leg of this trip, stopping next to Desmond (though continuing to look forward.) "You had asked about my supply lines. I assume you've heard about my past; it's nothing I'm ashamed of. Yes, I have some less-than-reputable sources of Cold Iron." He then looks to Desmond. "The men here need these blades now more than ever, though, and the blade that can plunge into the heart of a succubus and one that just bounces off her breast can mean the difference between life and death." He pauses a moment in contemplation or remembrance of something. "I have a number of contacts of both information and cold steel that have set up shop in Nerosyan, given the circumstances. If you want, I can introduce you to them when we return to home base. Are you working directly for someone specific, or are you freelancing? As I'm sure you're aware, my contacts will only want to deal with anyone who already has a reputation for efficiency."
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When Luisila give Súrë a sidelong glance, Súrë returns her look with a smile. "Hello, I'm Súrë. I've got a pet bird."
Luisila gives Súrë a vacuous smile in response. Hi …
When the sky druid turns his back to her, she will close her eyes, put hand to her forehead and shake her head for a second or two.
Once she has taken a moment, Luisila *casts* Guidance on Bazresh.
Her experience with Night March of Kalkamedes is probably also coloring her view.
A little wiki research tirned up that the Black Prince was a Graveknight whom Iomedae convinved to kill himself, which allowed him soul to actually be judged by Aroden (as opposed to undeath's normal "Soul-goes-away-forever" bit.)
Ilivan interposes his voice after Omrax answers Varg's question. "As stated during the briefing, we're heading to Fort Portolmaeus to assess damage to the Wardstone, and then return to Nerosyan."
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Desmond takes another look at the rings, now that Baz has informed him that they are magic.
But he gets distracted by Sahrek humping his leg.
"Down boy!"
In response to Sir Ilivan's proposal. "Sir, I represent Guaril Karela. While he may not be known in these parts of Golarion, his reputation throughout many parts of the Inner Sea is strong. I thank you for the opportunity to meet your contacts in Nerosyan."
"Karela, Karela... I know I've heard the name before..." Ilivan says to himself. "Regardless, I'll write you up a letter of introduction when we stop at the fort after we've completed our job."
-Posted with Wayfinder
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"Aye Sir Varg. Onward! Evil awaits the blades of the Inheritor. " Omrax coaxes his steed forward along the path towards their destination, his eyes closed briefly in thought.
• I will never refuse a challenge from an equal. I will give
honor to worthy enemies, and contempt to the rest.
• I will suffer death before dishonor.
.
Ilivan's nods at Varg, and ceases his self-contemplation of the Sczarni faction leader. The ride for the next few hours is uneventful (barring self-made events.)
Baz, Luisila, & Sure notice that in the distance, there is a plume of smoke past one of the hills, far in the distance (that I would normally embellish as a possible combat or something, but doing such things don't translate well into pbp), which Ilivan identifies as Fort Portolmaeus.
Fort Portolmaeus sits on a tall rock outcropping in the West Sellen River, surrounded by rushing waters on three sides. A stout, stone bridge connects the fort to the river’s eastern bank, with a closed wooden drawbridge protecting the final approach. The keep itself is built of dark stone with tall curtain walls surrounding a squat central keep that peeks out above the outer fortifications.
Portolmaeus has been the scene of a recent battle. Soldiers dressed in the colors of Mendev move around it making repairs, while others use carts to remove the bodies of humans and demons slain in the recent attack.
As the group approachs, a patrol of four horsemen from Fort Portolmaeus quickly approaches, arrows knocked in their bows. They stop 60 feet away and call out: “Halt in the name of the Queen!”
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Looking sideways at Ilivan, Súrë whispers, "What Queen? Is she the Queen?" The sylph nods towards Luisila.
“Quiet, Fool or We shall have thee dressed in thy motley! We are a mere baronetess. We are also beginning to regret bringing you with Us from Fangwood Keep in order to keep Us entertained!”
“And what’s more … if you start singing The Bear and the Maiden Fair or …
♪♫ Under the sky, the fish have feathers for scales
Oh, I know, I know … ♪♫ We SHALL ”
To the guardsmen while gesturing to Omrax and Sir Ilivan. “Do you not recognise two of the Inheritor’s Own Swords of Light? Pray lower your weapons, we are reinforcements sent from Nerosyan so that the Black Prince might be redeemed.”
“Can you tell us what happened here? And then take us to your leader!”
Seeing nobody respond properly on the immediate, Ilivan looks irritated and chimes up with the pass code "That the Black Prince might be redeemed, " and raises his hands, interrupting Luisila's queen act.
Accepting the pass code, the envoy shows you to the closed gate while one of the guards on the wall scans the group...
-Posted with Wayfinder
-Posted with Wayfinder
The garrison then lowers the drawbridge and raises a heavy portcullis studded with cold iron spikes, after which a handful of soldiers lead the group through a narrow zigzag tunnel to the central courtyard. The fort’s central building sits squat in its center, an impressive, monolithic edifice with few openings. A number of young stable boys come out from a side building to care for the your mounts, quartering them in the stables.
After the stabling, the PCs are led into the central building to meet Commander Manaria Wardroxan, a young woman with pale skin and black hair who is dressed in a mud-spattered uniform with many cuts and tears. Standing at the bottom of a tall, amphitheater-like chamber carved into the bedrock the fort is built upon, she worriedly regards the fort’s wardstone, a massive menhir 30 feet high that pulses slowly with dull purple light and emits a low buzzing sound, but seems concerned about something else (and hides it poorly.) "Sir Ilivan," she says, "I regret to inform you that we've made no progress on repairing the wardstone, due to an attack last night."
"Then what's the status of the base," the half-elf asks.
"Functional, but damaged," Commander Wardroxan relates with obvious regret. "The demons attacked in the dead of night, a mixed group of dretches and schirs led by a terrifying brimorak, a creature of horn, claw, and fire. The wardstone had been buzzing like it is now, and it didn’t seem to stop them. They captured a scout patrol alive and staked them out on the ground in front of the fort. There they tortured them close enough for us to hear. I am ashamed to say that we deliberated on whether we had the strength to retaliate, but as the screaming and begging continued, I sent our cavalry to put at end to the suffering."
She sighs heavily before continuing, "Of course it was a trap. A group of schirs wielding halberds met our cavalry and wasted no time in dragging them from their horses. The dretches then overwhelmed them with sheer numbers, clubbing them into submission. They slaughtered the horses and dragged off the soldiers while we looked on helplessly from behind the fort’s wall. I sent out another party after that, but most of the demons had already withdrawn with our captured men." She shakes her hand in a pleading motion and continues. "Please, I implore you; go rescue them if you can. Our manpower has been drained since we've largely diverted our reinforcements to the bigger cities, given the recent major attacks."
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"Karela, Karela... I know I've heard the name before..." Ilivan says to himself. "Regardless, I'll write you up a letter of introduction when we stop at the fort after we've completed our job."
Luisila rides beside Desmond through the tunnel to the central courtyard. She is genuinely happy for her friend’s business success.
She speaks to him in a quiet voice. “Congratulations, Des! Uncle Guaril will be impressed. And you managed to achieve your goal without having to cut anyone’s tongue out!”
Once the party has dismounted and been introduced to Commander Wardroxan, Luisila curtsies to the warrior.
“Pardon me, ma’am. Is there a particular place these demons are likely to hold up in? Do you know how many of the different types there might be and whether they have any unusual equipment, tactics or magic?”
“Is there anything we can do to help with mending your Wardstone? How long has it been like this?”
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While Commander Wardoxan is giving the recap to Ilivan and the party, Súrë cuts in, "You're very pretty. You look like my girlfriend Miss Flowers. We've got a house in Kaer Maga. She makes me pay for dinner though."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
After the briefing, Súrë speaks up, "Oh! Oh! Sir Ilivan! We should help them out and go find these people! It must be terrible for them."
Súrë thinks for a moment. "Hey! You never answered me before: does the Sir in your name mean that you're a knight? Wow! I don't think I've ever met a knight before!" Súrë puffs out his chest and stands up straight, "Chivalry! Duty! Honor!" He then starts giggling profusely.
questions
The commander of the fort responds, with a sullen overtone. "At least three score of assorted demons attacked last night, and we counted fourteen dead dretches and schirs among their fallen this morning. Our lookout reported seeing the chained cavalrymen heading westward into the Worldwound a mile north of here, surrounded by a small group of guards—no more than a half dozen strong. The reports were rushed, as the situation's window of opportunity is closing fast. Given the circumstances, I have no specifics for you beyond what I've already said about the brimorak's initial group, beyond the fact that we did not find one among their dead. The best we can do is give you what we can, should you accept the side-trek."
I visited the Blushing Rose bumper sticker
Commander Manaria blushes at the comment, "Y-yes. Thank you. Anyways..." she returns to the briefing.
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Desmond smirks at Luisila's compliment. "Well, half-a-tongue, if I'm being honest. But yeah, I'm glad I didn't have to resort to anything too underhanded to get this connection for Guaril."
After the fort commander finishes up, Desmond nods but gives a questioning look to the others. "Do you think we'd be able to rescue these soldiers? I mean, I'm all for protecting farmers and the more helpless, but if seasoned fighters were taken, how well could the few of us fare?"
Ilivan adds to Desmond's comment. "I agree. We were tasked with picking up a report about the Wardstone, not to go on a suicide mission to cover up your tactical mistakes, Commander Manaria."
The woman looks to him, clearly upset. "Twelve of my men are out there, and we still have an opportunity to save them!" She looks to the group. "I'll leave you to deliberate, though I can't say it enough; This is the only chance we'll have to save these soldiers' lives. Please, for them, if not for me." She exits the Wardstone amphitheater room in a huff.