Flanking now with Jarreck, the Archon brings it's greatsword down in a huge overhand chop! It then tries to lunch forwards hoping to pierce the terrible creature's hide but it has to duck aside at the last moment when the Yaoguai tried to grab it!
From afar Seventeen sends another volley of missiles slamming into the Yaoguai, powered by a spidery word.
Mort uses the trees as cover as he descends down upon the large creature, flying slowly and carefully into place before trying to dtrike the creature with his beak.
Haste 3/7
Round 5
Seven's Archon chops the Yaoguai for 11, Seven sends bolts of energy that pepper the creature for 15!
Guaire moves south and sends an arrow streaking at the YG, it hits!The Pilo moves to engage and is bitten for
Mort flies down and pecks at the beast, but its hide is too tough.
Jarreck stabs the beast a whole bunch, but only one hit gets through!
Omo hurls a bomb that misses
Big YG roars a massive roar and tries to grab the Archon once more the Archon is grappled and and the Archon takes and
Redfang fires his bow and one arrow finds its mark!
Haste 3/7
Round 6
Seven
Seven's Archon Friend [grappled]
Guaire
Guaire's Pilo friend
Mort
Jarreck
Omo
Big YG [grappled]
Redfang
Guaire hears Spike growl against being hit.
"Spike, kill it."
Guaire 5ft steps NE.
Spike growls and attacks.
Omo throws a bomb with a hope and a prayer.
Mort attacks with his talons and his beak to try and inflict any damage possible.
Seventeen whispers the arcane phrase again sending another volley of missiles into the great beast!
FILTH FEVER
Type disease, injury; Save Fortitude DC 12
Onset 1d3 days; Frequency 1/day
Effect 1d3 Dex damage and 1d3 Con damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves
Emphasis mine...its not every attack....its not even immediate. It's 1 time per day and then only after 1d3 days.
Haste 3/7
Round 6
Seven sends some magic missiles at the Yao Guai, but they fail to harm the creature as its antimagic nature warps reality.
Seven's Archon Friend [grappled] is figuring out what to do
Guaire's attacks all either miss, or fail to do any damage.
Guaire's Pilo friend manages to harm the Yaoguai somewhat.
Mort flaps and flails, but ultimately fails to harm the Yaoguai.
Jarreck stabs the Yaoguai twice for good damage.
Omo tosses a bomb that deals very good damage
Big YG [grappled]
Redfang
Haste 2/7
Round 7
Seven
Seven's Archon Friend [grappled]
Guaire
Guaire's Pilo friend
Mort
Jarreck
Omo
Big YG [grappled]
Redfang
The archon, realizing escape is futile, struggles mightily. It viciously snaps it's jaws and lashes out with it's powerful legs!
The Archon's bite deals enough damage so that on Omo's turn his bomb kills the creature (or at least deals enough HP damage to render it unconscious).
Redbeard fires two arrows into the creature's skull and then says Gozreh's lighting that thing was big.
"Is it dead? Let's make sure.'
"We should look around to look if there are any survivors who need our aid."
Omo searches the surroundings.
Jarreck easily follows tracks to the beast's lair...it seems it made a den in the middle of poor Jevik's Orchard. It waylaid several travelers it looks like, and their belongings are scattered throughout the foul smelling den. Poor Jevik is also scattered around the den...
35 pp, 376 gp Ivory (50 gp) Jade (120 gp) Onyx (50 gp) Opal (500 gp)
Masterwork Greatsword Masterwork Shortspear
Scroll of Blessing of Courage and Life (
Scroll of Detect Thoughts
Scroll of Summon Monster II
Wand of Cure Light Wounds
Wand of Read Magic
Wand of Sleep
Omo approaches Redbeard when they find the lair. "I'm sorry for your loss. It's hard losing someone you have known all your life, even if you aren't the best of friends."
*********************
"These weapons look well made. Do you think they are magical, Seven?"
Guaire looks at a likely annoyed by death Redfang.
"We could help build a funeral pire, or preparations of whatever means you use for a funeral. Paying respects to our host, you see."
In a monotone Seventeen replies, "I shall check."
Seventeen casts detect magic just to be sure.
Turning to Redfang she asks, "This was no natural creature, it was either made or mutated. We have seen two so far, there could be more. Do you have any idea where it might have come from?"
Redfang replies to Seven Somewhere in the Wastes I'm sure... but he seems evasive in his statement.
Wand of Cure Light Wounds
Wand of Read Magic
Wand of Sleep
Redfang is pleased with the party for assisting with the fight (+2) and defeating the Yaoguai without using technology (+3).
He says You sort seem like you might be decent folk...so I'll tell ya now, Ivek Gunnett our Ealdorman knows more about the Technic Spy. You can show him this. Redfang takes a pin off his cloak, the pin is shaped like a leaf. And he'll know you are to be trusted. I can finish cleaning up here and get some folk out to help me claim the rest of Jevik's things so damn scavvers don't steal everything.
Guaire nods at the man.
"You're welcome, and thank you for sharing that with us."
Looking at the others:
"Shall we go visit mr Gunnet then?"
|
Jarreck recovers from the effect of his rage while sifting through the debris found in the creature's nest, taking care with how he treats the victims there, out of respect for the hunter. Some of these were doubtless friends or known individuals.
"Sorry for your loss" he echoes others words when he returns, echoes of his own still floating amongst his minds eye. The creature seemed to shred it's prey as much a kill and eat them.
He nods in thanks as they set off to find Mr Gunnett.
"Yes, let's find him."
The party travels back to Iadenveigh and heads to the home of Ealdorman Ivek Gunnett.
Gunnett, a weather beaten man of middling age, has a broad face and a big smile. He waves as the heroes approach Hey there! Ole Gerena said we had newcomers, she's such a gossip! How can I help you! he extends his hand to shake each of yours in turn. You can see why he's been given the title of Ealdorman (Mayor), he's a natural charmer.
Seventeen nods her ascent and adds quietly, "I believe I know where he lives."
She turns to walk towards Ivek's place.
At first the Ealdorman is confused by your subterfuge, but then he nods and winks. He whispers " I'm glad you've come to Iadenveigh, as I find myself in need of your kind-people who have run afoul of embedded agents of the Technic League. Iadenveigh has had its confrontations with the League, but they've largely left us alone of late, since we don't have anything of interest to them. Yet I have reason to believe a spy from the Technic League is somewhere in Iadenveigh-a fear that has only grown darker now that I've heard tales of similar problems in other towns throughout the Numerian Plains. Alas, I can do little, for I have no proof. If the townspeople got wind of this, they'd point fingers every which way and might end up punishing the suspicious rather than the guilty. I need to know if my fears are based in fact, and if so, I want the spy identified before I take any formal action. Will you help?
We'd like to help, but tell us some more about how we can. we've got no love either for the TL, if we can strike against them we will.
Gunnet nods and replies A hunter brought this to me a few days ago, he got it from a bird...but the bird was all wrong. It had gears and metal where its innards should have been. The Bird was carrying this piece of paper. We cannot read it, but we know this is the tongue of the Technic League. But I recognize the drawing, its Iadenveigh here Gunnet points to a well drawn map on the page and that's the Badwater. he points to a spot on the drawing that has been circled.
"Locals identified southern springs as the source of the area's mutations and now avoid it. Afflictions consistent with mutagenic gas poisoning, as you posited from Silver Mount expeditions. I will explore with caution; locals avoid the area and my current cover would seem noticeably out of place were I discovered there." The letter also contains a detailed map of Iadenveigh and the area known as Badwater has been circled.
Omo translates the missive.
"You are correct, sir. There is at least one spy in your midst."
Omo could make cloth masks that filter our certain things, but he doesn't have the materials or workshop to make anything more sophisticated than that. There are magical solutions also...
"That is one solution Omo, there are also spells that can cleanse the air or blow away foul vapors. Alas I have not transcribed any such spells although I suspect they may be within my ability." states Seventeen as is she was in a classroom answering teacher.
"Since we're looking for a spy, would you have any idea who would be tempted by large sums of money? Or perhaps the most recent resident?"
The Badwater is...well its Bad. I don't know what caused it! No doubt some technic ruins. I've sent more hunters that way to patrol but they've not found anything. The Bardleigh's quarry rock down that way, maybe they know something. Gunnet responds
And when Guaire suggests it might be someone local the Ealdorman says That's downright insulting that is! None of us would turncoat like that!It has to be an outlander. Outlanders usually stay at the High Home, but you're the only ones there right now. Now, some others camp at Heddick Widefoot's lumberyard...In fact there were some sorts camped there recently. Maybe they'll know more.
Seventeen didn't answer Jarreck immediately, rather she cocked her head slightly and became perfectly sill.
While Jarreck waited on answer, Seventeen accessed her databanks to see if they contained any records of shops or personages who might conceivably have anything of use for sale...
"I'm sure we will find whomever it is. I agree Jarreck. First the yard then the bad-water."
Minor Items +1 leather armor, +1 shock warhammer, headband of vast intelligence +2, potion of undetectable alignment, robe of useful items, scroll of enlarge person, scroll of obscuring mist, scroll of remove curse, wand of detect thoughts (50 charges);
Medium Items +2 spell resistance (13) light steel shield, oil of dispel magic, ring of force shield, scroll of restoration, wand of acid arrow
(SO charges);
Major Items +1 holy longbow, amulet of natural armor +4
The hardworking Heddick Widefoot (LG male human expert 3) operates Iadenveigh's largest lumberyard along with his younger siblings and nephews. Heddick's home and grounds are situated near the dense forest along the Elkhorn Wall's western arc, although the forest shrinks with each passing year. Heddick considers it a solemn obligation to assist any exiles or refugees that pass through Iadenveigh on their journeys, so the swath of cleared land southeast of his home is often covered by the tents and cook fires of Varisian wanderers, Starfall expatriates, or those moving north from the River Kingdoms. Heddick ensures that each guest departs with sufficient provisions for a week on the road, in honor of Anton Iadenveigh, the Lastwall patron who funded the town's original Molthuni settlers.
Before the party leaves the Ealdorman's home, Ivek Gunnett says Please, keep this information quiet until you have some evidence we can present to the Deadeye council. And for Erastil's sake, don't kill anyone unless they make you! We are a peaceful community here!
If the party heads to the Lumberyard first, the busy looking Heddick Widefoot sighs as they approach and says Look, I know you think they stole something or something, but they aren't all bad you know. They are just here to trade.
Guaire nods at the man's request of self defense only.
"Noted. We aren't out for blood to start with, but your concern will be kept in mind."
Mort mumbles slightly under his breath.
"Well we don't need to kill anyone immediately ourselves... Posion or sickness might do the trick for us... Unseen and silent."
"Let's head for the lumberyard."
Guaire makes a slight shift on his leg to indicate he's ready to move.
Heddick Widefoot gives you an incredulous look Why in the nine hells would a bunch of Varisian gypsies want to go near that place?
You think he is annoyed with having to constantly defend the people he allows to stay on his property. It's been a source of local tension for some time, Widefoot isn't the typical insular Iadenveighan, he's one of the few that welcomes travelers. Of course, that means that he is also the one that gets some of the blame when anything bad happens.
I ain't seen em go near that place. But you can go ask em yer damn self if you like
"We understand your frustration, sir."
As they walk through the camp, Omo whispers to Seven, "I doubt that the spy is presenting as an outsider, when one could kill and replace a longstanding resident with less suspicion. I hope we don't stay here long. I think going directly to the bad water after Mort prayers for breathing spells will be more productive."
"That's no bad assumption, Omo, if the culprit used a strong disguise or masking magics it is possible."