As luck would have it, the combination of 'airship mast' and 'high quality' as descriptors seems to register something specific with the clockwork servant. After whirring and clicking for a moment, another pleasant chime is heard.
"Lo-ca-tion of ob-ject with-in sta-ted pa-ra-meters...known. Please fol-low me."
After taking a few moments to get your bearings, you follow the clockwork through the junkyard to bit of airship wreckage; half the deck of a once-magnificent craft. Nearby, you can see a mass of debris anchored to one of the many pylons scattered about the premises. Amid the debris you spot the broken remnants of a mast, which is affixed a brass statue of a slyph. The statue holds a crystal horn to its lips; amazingly, the fragile looking horn is still in pristine condition.
Yet as you prepare to move closer and retrieve your prize, you notice that the sky is beginning to darken and you hear the ominous rumble of thunder in the air...
In most parts of the Plane of Air, an individual chooses the direction of gravity’s pull. When walking on solid surfaces, choosing the direction of the surface to be “down” is relatively intuitive and does not require a skill check. In midair, creatures with natural flight can fly normally. Those without the ability to fly, or those who would prefer to move faster, can attempt to set the direction of gravity.
(1) Once per round as a free action, an individual can attempt a DC 16 Wisdom check to pick a new direction for gravity.
(2) If she succeeds, she begins falling in that direction, moving 150 feet in a straight line on the first round and 300 feet on each succeeding round.
(3) If she fails, she can attempt the Wisdom check again the following round. The DC decreases to 12 until she succeeds.
(4) Once an individual starts falling in a direction, stopping requires a successful DC 16 Wisdom check to set gravity in the exact opposite direction. If she succeeds, she continues falling 150 feet in her original direction for 1 round, and then stops.
(5) Because an individual in free fall cannot stop quickly, performing actions during the fall is difficult. However, you may ready actions and perform them during the free fall, such as readying an action to grab an object or to attack a creature while soaring past it. Moving past an opponent in this manner provokes an attack of opportunity.
(6) A PC under the effects of a Feather Fall spell falls at only 60 feet per round and gains a +2 circumstance bonus on the Wisdom checks to change direction.
|
"Trouble, huh? 'Bout time things got interesting," Holan-Ji says while stifling a yawn. "Been itching for a fight all day."
He rolls his neck, cracks his knuckles, and draws a wand. He peers into the darkening skies. "Flyers are always hard to get to, and they'll like to buzz by and attack on the wing. Maybe this'll help," he says as he taps it to himself.
Just then, a dragonfly zips past his shoulder and hovers off his left side. It watches the oni-spawn tiger-man for several seconds before darting away toward the horn.
"Good point, little friend," Holan-Ji says (to himself?) as he watches it go. He summons a little bit of tiger from his soul, though he feels like there's something else growing within him. Something to do with dragonflies, but he can't quite put his finger/claw on it. Eh, not the time to contemplate that now, anyway.
Uneasy, some of you look around and prepare for trouble while others try to spread out a bit. Maria carefully edges out onto a broken piece of rigging and manages to snag the horn that you've been seeking. As she does, three creatures come into view from the eastern side of the junkyard. Two of them look like dark storm clouds, with sparks suggesting eyes and long sweeping arms charged with bolts of lightning. The other looks much like air elementals you've tangled with in the past. Yet you realize this is no ordinary elemental when it calls out to you in a voice you recognize!
"We meet again! The Duchess of All Winds has seen fit to give me another chance, stripping me of the weak flesh that only served to weigh me down!"
Chalissier then looks directly at Maria. "Ahh...the magical energy I sensed comes from that horn you're holding. Be a dear and hand it over, would you? Your end will be much less painless if you do!"
spell?
The two creatures accompanying Chalissier are lightning elementals.
______________
Holan-Ji
Hepsubia
Effie
Maria
==============
Chalissier
Blue
Red
==============
Grandfrogger
Zithembe
Active Conditions: Inspire Courage +1
Environmental Conditions: Plane of Air, Yo!
Holan-Ji, Hepsubia, Effie and Maria are UP!
|
Hey, it's the first time I'm seeing Maria becoming horny, don't come ruining my fun now!
If anyone got an empty bottle, it's now or never, folks! Maybe that will shock you, but these two are lightning elementals, Flashy and Thundy!
Hepsubia prepares an explosive mix to throw at the flying foes
Catch that!
If we were on the plane of earth, I'll drink a mutagen. I like my potion on the rocks!
Hoping to make your enemies come to you, everyone begins to take up position and ready projectile weapons and such. Hepsubia pulls out a bomb, ready to throw it at the first foe that gets close enough. She recalls the Chalissier's two peons - lightning elementals - don't have any particular weaknesses or vulnerabilities.
Maria moves back to rejoin the rest of the group, recalling pretty much everything else there is to know about lightning elementals. They have no resistances but *are* of course immune to electricity and posses the other immunities common to elemental beings. She remembers that they have no special defenses but they do posses some capabilities against foes that wear or wield metal.
A lightning elemental gains a +3 bonus on attack rolls if its opponent is wearing metal armor, is wielding a metal weapon, or is made of metal (such as an iron golem).
A lightning elemental gains a +10 bonus on bull rush, disarm, overrun, and trip attacks when it charges a creature against whom its metal mastery ability applies.
Effie readies her gun as she continues her inspiring performance and also takes a step to clear some room for Holan-Ji. Rather than risk trying to 'fly' himself around, the tiefling simply opts to jump to the nearby sail before shifting into his tiger form.
"You may have bested me last time but what will you do now that the battlefield favors me?" Chalissier calls out as he glides slightly to the northwest and begins casting. Two bolts of energy shoot across the open space and slam into Effie!
The two lightning elementals break off and begin to approach, one circling around to the south and the other moving to the northwest.
______________
Holan-Ji
Hepsubia
Effie
Maria
==============
Chalissier
Blue
Red
==============
Grandfrogger
Zithembe
Active Conditions: Inspire Courage +1
Environmental Conditions: Plane of Air, Yo!
Grandfrogger & Zithembe are UP at the bottom of Round 1 and Holan-Ji, Hepsubia, Effie, Maria are UP at the top of Round 2!
|
|
"Have we met this chump before? He doesn't look familiar," Tiger asks his comrades as he peers at the monologuing bad guy.
Deciding that all these air-critters kinda just look alike anyway, he turns his attention back to the reddish tinged lightning bug.
I'd've taken the time to use one more wand if I'd known these guys were just gonna dance around and not actually attack us. He gingerly sets one huge paw on the edge of the sail structure, testing its sturdiness. He decides to wait them out, rather than try to go flying off into the forever.
He wears boots of the cat, which we've chatted about before. Rereading the Subjective Gravity spoiler, I noted that being under the effect of a feather fall grants a bonus to the check and slows your falling speed.
The boots are constructed using that spell. Obviously, that doesn't directly count as being under the effect, but the boots are intended to provide some benefit that only occurs when falling.
So, what do you think? Full benefits? None? One of the two benefits (a speed reduction or check bonus)?
{Big begging kitty eyes}
|
Maria frowns, ”well , they do good against anyone wearing or using metal.”
She looks over at Zithembe, ”Or made of metal? Anyway, that probably doesn’t apply to most of us, so advantage there. However, we are a bit clustered up on this barge, perhaps a bit of space could be useful? Either way, just don’t leave me completely alone.”
She steps up to get a clear shot, pulls out her longbow and fires at the nearest enemy (red).
for
Since getting around in the Plane of Air without actual flight is basically just falling in a determined manner, sure, I'll allow the boots to give you the speed reduction benefit.
Still not inclined to take to the not-so-friendly skies just yet, Holan-Ji edges out on the sail a little further and readies to swipe at the first foe that comes within reach.
Maria encourages the group to spread out as best as they can before stepping forward, drawing her bow and taking a shot at the Red Elemental. The arrow just manages to strike the elemental, in...well, something. It's hard to tell exactly that the anatomy of a lightning elemental is, but Maria knows she hit the target.
Opting to hang back, the Grandfrogger uses his connection with the spirits of air to ask for their blessing in battle, furthering bolstering himself and his companions!
The Grandfrogger isn't the only one conjuring spirits, either. Zithembe swiftly performs a spiritual invocation, conjuring memories of piracy in the Endless Sky and soaring through the air to aid the group. He then takes a running leap off the airship wreckage to land upon the nearby junk pile.
______________
Holan-Ji
Hepsubia
Effie
Maria
==============
Chalissier
Blue
Red
==============
Grandfrogger
Zithembe
Active Conditions: Bless, Champion Spirit (Orange Aura; +2 non-spell damage), Inspire Courage +1
Environmental Conditions: Plane of Air, Yo!
Hepsubia and Effie are UP at the top of Round 2!
|
Speak for yourself, Maria! Effie thinks, as she tries to remember whether Chalissier saw her mithral armour last time they met. I'm glad at least I don't look like I'm carrying a lot of metal...
Keeping her gun twirling, Effie takes a leap over to where Zithembe awaits the enemy...
"Let's do this!" she nods to the shabti, and unloads her firearm at the nearest elemental.
Effie slips a cartridge into the pistol and keeps it turning.
As soon as Red gets within a decent distance and clear line of sight, Hepsubia flings her bomb at the elemental but it falls a bit short of the target.
Effie carefully hops over to where Zithembe stands before firing off a blast at the already-injured Red Elemental. Unfortunately, her aim is a little wobbly and the shot misses. Still, she keeps on inspiring the rest of you, never one to give up!
Chalissier glides forward a little more and this time directs a blast of missiles at Maria...
...while Blue continues to close in.
______________
Holan-Ji
Effie
Maria
==============
Chalissier
Blue
==============
Hepsubia
==============
Red
==============
Grandfrogger
Zithembe
Active Conditions: Bless, Champion Spirit (Orange Aura; +2 non-spell damage), Inspire Courage +1
Environmental Conditions: Plane of Air, Yo!
Hepsubia is UP!
Hepsubia tries flinging a bomb at Chalissier but it falls short by a fair bit as he's still way out of her normal throwing range.
Red Elemental moves in and attempts to yank Effie's gun from her hand!
______________
Holan-Ji
Effie
Maria
==============
Chalissier (Orange)
Blue
==============
Hepsubia
==============
Red
==============
Grandfrogger
Zithembe
Active Conditions: Bless, Champion Spirit (Orange Aura; +2 non-spell damage), Inspire Courage +1
Environmental Conditions: Plane of Air, Yo!
Grandfrogger, Zithembe are UP at the bottom of Round 2 and Holan-Ji, Effie, Maria are UP at the top of Round 3!
|
|
What are you waiting for, you pathetic kitten? Your friends are being hunted, yet you sit on your haunches, afraid of the sky!
Shut up! I can't fly! What am I supposed to do?
Be the hunter. Be the hunter for all environments. Someday you shall hunt across the skies and in the seas, and you shall FEAR NOTHING!
Shut up. SHUT UP.
Holan-Ji's allies, beset as they are with the battle, likely don't notice the tiger shaking his head as if arguing with himself. They are more likely to notice when his claws and fangs burst into fire. And they certainly notice when he charges across the sail he'd been on and launches himself out into the sky with a ROAR!
After grappling with his own inner demons for a moment, Holan-Ji launches himself to the other side of the sail and snatches the Blue Elemental out of the air, dispatching it with one powerful bite.
As Red swoops up into Effie's face, she reflexively punches the elemental even as it suddenly yanks her gun out of her grasp and sends it spinning away a few feet, where it finally stops and hovers.
Subjective Directional Gravity: The strength of gravity on a plane with this trait is the same as on the Material Plane, but each individual chooses the direction of gravity’s pull. Such a plane has no gravity for unattended objects and nonsentient creatures. This sort of environment can be very disorienting to the newcomer, but it is common on “weightless” planes.
Maria fires her bow, landing a direct hit to the 'face' of the elemental attacking Effie. Though it doesn't seem to be as effective as it would've been on most other types of creatures, the elemental is still left looking rather battered.
As Zithembe reminds Chalissier what happened the last time he chose to take up arms against the group, he turns around and brings his sword cleaving down through Red's form, which dissipates with an angry howl!
______________
Holan-Ji
Effie
Maria
==============
Chalissier (Orange; Zith’s Smite Evil)
==============
Hepsubia
Grandfrogger
Zithembe
Active Conditions: Bless, Champion Spirit (Orange Aura; +2 non-spell damage), Inspire Courage +1
Environmental Conditions: Plane of Air, Yo!
Grandfrogger is UP at the bottom of Round 2 and Effie is UP at the top of Round 3!
|
|
My pistol! It'll fly away! Oh. It's just floating there. Huh. Kinda pretty.
Effie snaps out of a momentary daydream, and hops across the netting to recover her weapon.
"Thanks for the assists! Let's put that guff of hot air in his place!"
A spark ignites within Effie, not explosive as it's always been before, but warm and soothing. The hurts from Chalissier's blast fade away.
|
|
The Grandfrogger’s eyes flash again, and in the air above him a similar red glare materializes into the ghostly form of an elderly grippli matron. As one, the two figures point at the flying elemental. As one, the two croak. Then the higher figure slips the sandal off her foot and hurls it through the air.
Relieved to have the two elemental goons taken care of Effie carefully hops over to retrieve her pistol before swiftly mending her wounds. And of course she keeps her inspiring oratory going as well!
Meanwhile Grandfrogger conjures the spirit of his family matriarch, who flings a ghostly shoe at Chalissier. It misses but she's got an endless supply of spiritual sandals to fling!
Having just seen what the overgrown tiger did to one of his minions, Chalissier wastes no time in moving south, away from the nearby ship wreckage. After circling around he comes to a stop and flings a lance made of lightning at the tiger!
______________
Holan-Ji
Effie
Maria
==============
Chalissier (Zith’s Smite Evil)
==============
Hepsubia
Grandfrogger
Zithembe
Active Conditions: Bless, Champion Spirit (Orange Aura; +2 non-spell damage), Inspire Courage +1
Environmental Conditions: Plane of Air, Yo!
Hepsubia, Grandfrogger, Zithembe are UP at the bottom of Round 3 and Holan-Ji, Effie, Maria are UP at the top of Round 4!
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
So that's all you can do? Bring some lackeys to get destroyed, and flee away? I can't imagine your Mistress being soooo happy with that. One more failure for you. Even with your so called "increased powers" you are STILL no match for us. Unless you want to bore us to death, then you'll have your chances.
Hepsubia unsheaths her sword, and starts singing, empowering her friends weapons
How many times must we beat Chalissier down
Before he calls it a day?
How many blows must his body withstand
Before his brain realises he lost?
Yes, and how many times must the arrows and bullets fly
Before the Big Baddy hits the ground?
The answer, my friends, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
|
|
As the ghostly grandmother continues to hurl both verbal and physical projectiles at the living whirlwind (though thankfully in the native tongue of the grippli people, so only the Grandfrogger feels his ears burning), the shaman himself carefully makes his way across the fallen sails and masts towards the flaming tiger. A long pink tongue lashes out, the tip glowing with pale blue light that leaps to surround his feline companion.
"Fleeing? You misunderstand intelligence for cowardice," Chalissier responds grimly as Hepsubia directs barbed words his way. "After the last time, why would I choose to engage you directly?"
As Hepsubia lifts her voice in song, the Grandfrogger's spiritual nana chucks another sandal at Chalissier, which finally connects, glancing off of his cheek. Even with this, your foe seems determined to continue on his current course of action.
Having seen the lightning being flung, the Grandfather carefully picks his way over to Holan-Ji and uses a bit of magic to protect the tiger from further electrifying magics.
______________
Holan-Ji
Effie
Maria
==============
Chalissier (-3; Zith’s Smite Evil)
==============
Hepsubia
Grandfrogger
Zithembe
Active Conditions: Bless, Champion Spirit (Orange Aura; +2 non-spell damage), Inspire Courage +1, Weapon Song
Environmental Conditions: Plane of Air, Yo!
Zithembe is UP at the bottom of Round 3 and Holan-Ji, Effie, Maria are UP at the top of Round 4!
|
|
When the lightning hits him, Holan-Ji’s fur stands on end making him look like a big, flaming, angry puffball. He sneezes from the ozone around him, shakes his head and realizes everything’s a little blurry. That’s okay, he knows where it came from, and decides to “fall” towards the source.
The big flaming very angry puffball starts falling towards its prey. He hears the Totally Awesome song of the Totally Awesome Hep and envisions ice mixing with his own hellfire. He thinks for a second that he felt a tongue touch his right hind leg (weird, but okay). He waits to attack until he’s right on top his prey and can smell its fear. That’s when he recognizes Chalissier, and knows this won’t take long.
Though Chalissier clearly learned a bit from his previous encounter with you he also clearly didn't learn enough as Holan-Ji manages to take to the air and does a sort of 'fall-charge' towards the reborn elemental. He collides into Chalissier as he delivers a powerful bite and then grabs hold, allowing for the rest of you to finish him off from a distance!
Combat Over!
It takes a bit of effort for Holan-Ji to 'fly' his way back to rejoin the rest of you after this but at least now you've got some time. With the Horn of the Hurricane now in your possession, there's little else to do but lay low in Jamila's safehouse until she returns, which she does the following day. She's quite pleased with your success, but urges you to remain cautious and continue to lay low in the city until Captain Nix returns to pick everyone up.
______________
About a week later you're safely back in Armun Kelisk, where Ashasar throws a feast in your honor and to recognize the first successful joint venture between the Concordance and the Pathfinder Society. After much eating, drinking, and merrymaking, he pulls everyone aside for a private word.
"Once again, you have my utmost thanks in retrieving the Horn of the Hurricane. This weapon will be invaluable in defending both our agents against the forces of the Duchess of All Winds. One matter remains: where will the horn be stored? The Concordance is best positioned to distribute the horn to those who need it most, but I’ve been informed that your Society has an impressive storage facility that keeps such relics safe. In the spirit of our growing relationship, I leave the choice with you."
The suli then turns to Holan-Ji and the Grandfrogger. "I received word from one Ambrus Valsin - I believe he oversees a smaller subset of the Pathfinder Society to which the two of you belong, yes? He said that should the Horn of the Hurricane be retrieved, the Decemvirate would also trust your judgement on where it should be stored."
|
|
Holan-Ji comes out of the kitchen with a platter of .... something. "Hey, you guys gotta try this. Chef said she wasn't gonna serve 'em to us. She didn't think we'd like it, but they're amaaazing."
He hands each of what looks at first like a soap bubble about the size of a large fruit. The surface is slick and a little slimey and threatens to slide out of your hand unless you're careful. Looking at it closely, it seems to be made of thousands of smaller bubbles.
"It's a bubble-fruit, or at least that's what it translates to. I think. Either way, she said don't let the first bite turn you off." With that "warning" he takes a bite of his, and his face contorts as if he'd eaten something truly vile. He chokes it down, appearing on the verge of gagging. Then to everyone's surprise he immediately goes in for a second bite. This time he smiles and lets out a pleased sigh.
"Something about the way it coats your taste buds when you swallow, the chemicals, blah blah. Oh, and the texture is a little like thick snot." He takes another bite. "But, oh, man it's good."
He nods at Effie's thoughts.
"Yeah, the Archive is great at storin' and studyin' stuff. And Zarta's super se...," he mumbles something and scratches the back of his neck as he does when he's a little embarrassed at his own thoughts. "I'm sure she's a great researcher, I mean. Uh, but Maria just kinda made the case for not givin' it to them. No one would ever be able to use it. They'd hoard it and never share."
He pauses to take another bite of the bubble-fruit. "You gonna eat yours, Z?"
"Yeah, there was some, uh, "tension" with the Concodance at the beginnin' of all this, but they turned out okay. Maybe we let them keep it as a token of a new alliance?"
You discuss things among yourselves and eventually it's decided to turn the Horn of the Hurricane over to the Concordance for the time being. When you inform Ashasar of your decision, he appears both grateful and even a bit humbled.
"I know it might not have been an easy decision to make, especially considering the rocky start we got off to. Thank you, friends, for the vote of confidence in the Concordance. Having the horn in our possession will certainly help us establish order among the planes."
______________
After a few days crashing at Jairo's, the arrangements to return home finally come together and you make your way back from the Plane of Air to the city of Sothis. Venture Captain Balentiir is relieved to see that everyone made it back alive and congratulates you on all that you've accomplished.
"You have done great work for the Pathfinder Society this day. While some might think it a shame you didn't return with the Horn of the Hurricane, I feel confident that you returned with something far more valuable. Having strong allies within the Elemental Planes will be a huge boon to us. I don't think you could have found a more useful ally that shares so many of our goals."
"Now, take a rest while you have the chance - after word spreads of your deeds I'm sure you'll have your next assignment before you know it!"
|
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
A few days later, before heading back to Absalom (or whatever other corner of Golarion takes their fancy) each of the pathfinders receives a letter from a Lodge courier.
It reads:
Dear Friend, I have something to share with you. Please join me and the rest of our merry troupe at the Great Hall this evening at sunset. Effie.
When the 'troupe' gathers, Effie is waiting with Venture-Captain Balentiir, and Ollysta Zadrian of the Silver Crusade. On a lecturn is the book containing Ilyralene.
Effie is wearing a simple blue gown. Her coal-black hair is tied back, and her small ifrit horns are revealed. Her adventuring gear is absent.
"Thank you for coming, friends" Effie says with a heartfelt smile. "It means a lot to me."
"Years ago, I left the circus in Varisia. I set out for Absalom and the Pathfinder Society knowing only that I wasn't meant to spend my life as a circus entertainer. Something was calling me. But I didn't know what, or why.
Our recent adventures on the Plane of Air have given me the answer.
I've spoken with Ilyralene, and also with Ranginori. He needs me. The Plane of Air needs me. All the good peoples of the four elemental planes need me. I'm just one person, and I won't be able to defeat the evil elemental lords on my own. But I am not alone.
With allies in the Concordance and the Silver Crusade, with the Pathfinder Society behind me, and most of all with you by my side, I will fight to liberate the elemental planes from evil! This is my calling!"
Effie nods to Ollysta Zadrian, who opens Ilyarene's book.
"Child of Flame, there is no turning back once you start down this path" says the Herald of the Duke of Thunder. "Are you certain of your heart?"
"More certain that I've ever been before!" Effie answers.
"Then speak your oaths."
Effie looks around at her friends, and at the representatives of the Society. Her smile is warm, her gaze confident. She looks upon Ilyralene in the pages of the book, and speaks.
"I will strive for the freedom of Ranginori's brothers and sisters by opposing the evil lords of the elemental planes and their servants."
A gentle breeze blows through the Great Hall of the Lodge.
"I will fight tyranny and oppression wherever I find it. I respect legitimate authority not authority claimed via violent oppression. Tyrants hold no command over me."
"I shall open the way to the sky, so that Ranginori's gentle breeze may be felt by all who need comfort, and so that his righteous storm may strike at those who serve Evil."
The Hall's windows open, seemingly of their own accord.
"Like the wind I shall be ever-moving. Like the wind, I will carry the word of Ranginori across the planes. Like a storm, I will bring destruction to those who will not turn away from Evil."
A cool wind brings the scents of pastries and sweets into the Hall, and a clap of thunder rings out.
"Yet the Duke of Thunder does not glory in death and violence; I will achieve my goals through peaceful means wherever possible even if I must deceive to save lives."
Outside, a gentle rain falls. The water is felt upon the faces of the gathered Pathfinders, blown in on the wind that caresses them.
"You are henceforth dedicated to Ranginori's service, Effie Gee" says Ilyralene. "Go forth and do His holy work, that the peoples of the elemental planes may know freedom from the yoke of evil!"
Effie grins and bows to Ilyralene, and then to VC Balentiir and to Ollysta Zadrian. "Come on, you lot! There's food and drink on the terrace, get it before Ranginori's rains do!"
She laughs and races outside...