You move past the frozen fire giant. The mammoth chamber beyond houses man-sized gears, pendulums, and screws amid puffs of steam. The noise rattles through the room, occasionally shaking free bits of the stone walls.
The mechanical halfling-sized man stands in the chamber, awaiting you. "I heard that you've met Ongaur. I'm afraid he's not my biggest fan." He wards a cloak, keeping himself in shadows, although you can see that he must be made of stone and iron and has some sort of device that looks like a hand with keys and picks for fingers.
Male Half-elf HP 130/130 (172 for troll) AC33(40 for troll) Touch 13 Flat 31; F+17 R+11 W+18(+2 ench,+4 fey) INIT+4 Perc+21 CMB+16 CMD+30 Lion Shaman 13/Samurai 1, {see in posts} Shape changed 1/5 Beads 0/3, Rerolls 0/3
"Hrrmm,yes there are others not fond of you. In addition to righting the giant, there is a certain ant queen wanting restitution for kidnapped grubs. You need to return those to her and we will also need your token."
Fendahl is not trying to be dilplomatic but just stating the facts as he understands them .
Kolyaruts are enforcers of bargains, traveling to the very edges of the planes in order to punish oath-breakers and see that contracts are kept. They care little for the terms of the agreements in question, only that promises are fulfilled, debts are paid, and balance is maintained.
Least conspicuous of the inevitables, even in their natural form, kolyaruts are the size of tall humans, though they weigh far more because of their composition. Capable of using both invisibility and disguise self to pass completely unnoticed through humanoid lands, kolyaruts most frequently appear as cloaked warriors bearing finely crafted bastard swords, allowing others to chalk up any metallic noises to the clanking of hidden armor until the moment when they pull back their hoods and let their quarries look upon their mechanical faces, understanding only too late the nature of the mysterious strangers.
DR/chaotic and spell resistance.
DC 27 KN (planes):
They regenerate unless dealt chaotically-aligned damage. They have casting abilities but are also quite adept with a sword.
"Ah, I thought that might be the case. I knew she would try to send assassins after me eventually. No, I don't think I'll be giving them back. You see, I need them." He starts casting a spell....
Tolgarov, thanks to his See Invisibility was able to see his ennemy. He began to cast a spell.
At the end of his long casting, multiple colored glitter fall on the Ticktock man, revealing it to his comrade.
Persistant Glitter Dust (Will DC19 twice)
What is this Ticktock man ? he asked after casting his spell.
"Hrrmm, I will not sit down. We are not assassins, but were sent here to seek justice for your crimes. Do not resist or it will end badly for you. As you can tell, we are prepared for your tricks.
Fendahl will move up to the glowing form, drawing his katana as he moves. Issuing a Lion's challenge to the man. (+1 damage/AC vs Ticktock)
He does not strike, giving the man a chance to surrender.
Tolgarov outlines the Ticktock Man in glitter and blinds him in the process! He does not look ready to submit to you yet so Hawk puts an arrow into him to make your point. Maldoc then hits with an electric blast!
Initiative:
1. The Ticktock Man (38 dmg, blinded, persistent DC 19)
2. Hawkwren, Tolgarov, Romulus, Ace, Kirrah, Fletch, and Fendahl
Tattoos: Invisibility (x2) [Ring]; Fly [Chest]; Primal Scream [Shoulders]; Water Walk [Feet] | Haagenti’s Blessing | Overland Flight
"Feel remorse for your actions, Ticktock Man." Ace states dryly as he weaves a spell, initiating his Dirge of Doom.
Overwhelming Grief: You cause a single opponent to become profoundly stricken with intense grief. He can take no actions, takes a –2 penalty to Armor Class, and loses his Dexterity bonus (if any). He can attempt a new save each round to break the spell’s effect. Will Save DC 24. Dirge of Doom reduces his saves by 2.
If he is a construct, I still affect him from my dip in Impossible Sorcerer.
The Ticktock Man is shocked with grief by Ace's sad song. He stands still, not knowing what he is doing with his life. Fletch's blade sinks into the Ticktock Man's side, although some of the wounds start to heal themselves immediately.
Does the creature have a RM ?
Dirge of Doom is Supernatural mind-affecting fear effect and doesnt affect a construct, even with the Impossible Sorcerer bloodline.
@EF : Glitterdust is still under the Persistant effect, to get rid of it, the creature must roll twice as long he's under the spell effect.
Tolgarov wait to see if his comrades were able to take care of the creature without his aid.
Tattoos: Invisibility (x2) [Ring]; Fly [Chest]; Primal Scream [Shoulders]; Water Walk [Feet] | Haagenti’s Blessing | Overland Flight
Tolgorov is right. If he is a construct, then Dirge of Doom wouldn't affect him. Completely forgot about that when I brought up the construct thing. I don't think he is because you had us rolls Planes for knowledge, but still....
It doesn't affect him then. Not construct but after looking into it more he is immune to mind-affecting, which I had forgotten.
Also, with Persistent Spell you only have to roll twice if you make the first one. Since he failed the first save there was no need to reroll.
Yes, he does have spell resistance though.
---
Fendahl and Maldoc both miss! Fletch and Romulus leave him some gaping wounds though and it doesn't take much more to take him out completely!
Out of combat!
The Ticktock Man’s token, a brass and quartz lens called the Clouded Vision, rests forgotten on a table in the corner. It is worth 35 gp.
The Ticktock Man’s most prized possession is Five Fingers, a severed hand with keys in place of fingertips. Five Fingers functions as a chime of opening, but with five uses per day. (The item is worth 6,000 gp.)
His collection of 14 technical manuals is worth 2,100 gp.
Marzalee is delighted to hear of The Ticktock Man's downfall. "Oh, him and the Nightpeddler both will be remade. They must be, that's the nature of this Realm. The Ticktock Man in particular is essential to keeping things moving, quite literally. But I will make sure that the process is painful and tortuous so that perhaps they will rethink their choices from now on."
I think she already gave you her token earlier but if not she will give it to you now: She carries her token on a bracelet. The Busy Hands is a 1,200 gp diamond and functions as her token.
You head out towards the Demon's Fen:
Once upon a time, the placid waters of Demon’s Lake saw bittersweet endings and tragic morals mingle and bubble together; dark things collected here, but dark things with great purpose. As the Briar grew and choked out the lake’s outlets, those dark things grew and festered and stagnated into sorrows and unhappy endings without purpose. Now, the Demon’s Fen squats across the edge of the Briar as a wet, stinking mess, avoided by even the Harrowed Realm’s darker residents.
Black and reeking of mildew, this frigid-looking lake spreads out from the broken terrain of the swamp. Its still surface reflects the distant shore. A single, rocky island rests in the center, capped with sickly grass and tangled growth and glowing with dozens of flickering, colored lights. An ancient, withered suspension bridge runs from the island to the banks. A gorgeous song—part lullaby, part dirge—pierces the otherwise haunting silence before dissolving into sobs.
Tattoos: Invisibility (x2) [Ring]; Fly [Chest]; Primal Scream [Shoulders]; Water Walk [Feet] | Haagenti’s Blessing | Overland Flight
Ace tries to imitate the song on his own with his voice and guitar as the group strolls along. "Hmm... I can work with this." He coughs before reworking the song into a power ballad as they move closer to its source.
You see a great serpent with multicolored wings and eyes that glimmer with intense awareness barring your way across the only bridge to the central island. It seems the music was coming from her, although she now sits sobbing. "Oh!" she says, wiping some of her tears with a feather from her wing. "I'm sorry. I hope I didn't disturb you. My name is Mourning Choir. Please, won't you stay with me for a while? It would bring great comfort to me."
"I once tended to the Demon’s Lake as its mistress, under a different name in those days, but in the mad rush to devour Sonnorae, I consumed Sonnorae's compassion and flew away distraught. I eventually crashed into the bridge’s terminus and vomited up the meal in disgust. Now I call myself Mourning Choir and have spent millenia here in pity and sorrow."
Male Human Ranger 14 (Freebooter and Skirmisher) - HP 122/130, AC 29/T: 16/FF: 25 - Perception +19 - F: +14/ R: +14/ W: +8* - CMB: +18 - CMD: 34, Speed: 30*, Init. +4
Fletch tried to follow that story and found his head spinning. He tried to remind himself that all the folk of this land are supposedly just story figures.
"You're, uh, mourning the death of Sonnorae?" he asked.
You see a great serpent with multicolored wings and eyes that glimmer with intense awareness barring your way across the only bridge to the central island.
^that bridge
---
"I have no choice," she answers Fletch. "Didn't you hear? I ate her compassion. Won't you stay and keep me company?"
Tattoos: Invisibility (x2) [Ring]; Fly [Chest]; Primal Scream [Shoulders]; Water Walk [Feet] | Haagenti’s Blessing | Overland Flight
"Why are you so sad if you rid yourself of her compassion?" Ace wonders, honestly never experiencing such despair.
"If anything, you seem the least egregious of the conspirators. Perhaps we can change your circumstances in the Harrow if you aid us with your token." Ace offers to Mourning Choir.
"Token? Oh, no, I don't have a token," Mourning Choir laments. "No, I am only a Former Conspirator, for it is true that I gave up on that quest when I expelled her compassion. That act changed me forever, although the Barrow King now carries Sonnorae's compassion. He is considered the Conspirator here although he took no part in the act. If you seek a token though, you must go further onto the island and speak with the Barrow King."
Ace's kind words seem to hearten Mourning Choir for a while and she is content to await for your return.
Flickering, colored fireflies scatter in all directions as you finish crossing the bridge and make your way to the island. Beyond the light undergrowth lies a maze of learning gravestones. In the center, two white candles stand burning atop a weathered stone sarcophagus.
Slumped against the sarcophagus is a aged wight. "You are not mourners and yet have the audacity to destroy the peace of my island. For that you will pay." He begins standing from between the burning candles.
DC 19 KN (religion):
Wights are undead. Their attacks drain energy from their foes but they have no special defenses.
Tattoos: Invisibility (x2) [Ring]; Fly [Chest]; Primal Scream [Shoulders]; Water Walk [Feet] | Haagenti’s Blessing | Overland Flight
Ace nods, feeling compassion for the creature. As a gift, he pulls one of his many guitars from his pack and signs it with a deft Arcane Mark and gives it to the couatl. "This shall be your new token! Remember the name Flesh Puppets!" Ace says brightly as his team moves on.
---
Ace studies the quickness of his compatriots as he barely has time to Inspire Courage in his teammates. He decides that is all he shall do for the time being.
"YOU! You got what I NEEEEEEED! But, you say..." Ace starts to croon.
