Korez steps forward and tries to illuminate the cloud. Stars begin to shimmer, but suddenly wink out of existence.
Kaylee begins cheering on her companions as she moves into the room. The shimmering mist lashes out a tendril of fog at the woman, sending black energy surging through her body.
Seren begins her ghostly ballet as she moves into the room. Tactically, she awaits her companions to provide a distraction. Once Jiggo steps into position, she swings hard.
Jiggo can't quite make out what the shimmering thing is as the faces in the mist keep distracting him. Warding himself and his weapon to repel the villain, he steps into the room. As he comes up to the position opposing the dancing blade, another foe lashes out from an alcove. The creature just manages to connect with the man, and he suddenly feels his life-force drain slightly.
Jahod shoves his way past the rest of the group into the room and manages to make it behind Seren.
The mist floats over Seren, Jahod and Kaylee. The gaseous creature sends another rope like string of fog outward, this time towards the dancing lady with the pointy things. Black crackling energy surges through the woman, as it did Kaylee.
Defiantly, the paladin tries to avoid the beast. Catching sight of a lost loved one, he falters and finds himself deep within.
Jed
Sumil
Korez
Kaylee
Seren
Jiggo
??
Paladin
Hungry Mist
Jed
Sumil
This is a Wight
Undead Traits
Special Attacks:
Create Spawn: Any humanoid slain by this creature becomes a wight itself in a matter of seconds (1d4 rounds). Such creations are less powerful than typical wights and suffer a -2 penalty on all d20 rolls and -2 HP per HD. Spawn are under the command of the wight that created them and remain enslaved until its death, at which point they lose their spawn penalties and become free-willed wights.
Energy Drain: On a seuccessful melee attack the target automatically gains 1 negative level. After 24hrs this may disappear - a Restoration Spell can also remove it. Each time the wight drains a creature, it gains temporary HP
Specific Weaknesses:
Resurrection Vulnerability: A raise dead or similar type spell cast on a wight destroys it (Will Save Negates). Using the spell in this way does not require a material component.
You take a cumulative -1 penalty to all ability checks, attack rolls, CMB, CMD, saves, and skill checks. Your current HP and total HP is also reduced by 5 per negative level.
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Seeing his allies spring into action, Jed looks to see what is threatening them. Remembering very clearly what this creature is, he yells out, "it's a Hungry Mist! Really nasty. It's an ooze* that has some nasty area affects. In close it can drain your energy and a little farther out it has some sort of fear-like effect. The best option is to take it out from range, but I don't think we have that chance so just unload! I'll try to keep y'all swinging!"
Blind (but have the blindsight special quality), with immunity to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.
Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, and stunning.
Some oozes have the ability to deal acid damage to objects.
Not subject to critical hits or flanking. Does not take additional damage from precision-based attacks, such as sneak attack.
Proficient with its natural weapons only.
Proficient with no armor.
Oozes eat and breathe, but do not sleep.
Jed moves into the room and carefully casts a spell, reaching out to touch Kaylee on the shoulder.
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Seren has no interest in getting absorbed by the mist, and pirouettes nimbly away from its surging. The lashing tendrils still manage to burn into one of her arms, drawing the distracted hiss of Seren's voice from her lips while a second, masculine voice speaks out in the same moment. "The priest may have the bigger threat, I am more than enough for this blob. Witness me!" The spirit seemed suddenly eager as his grand battle is cheered on.
And the cheering really seems to encourage it to send Seren into a flurry. She kicks off of the nearby wall and spins wide through the air with both blades out in a vicious helicoptering descent lashing at the mist.
Spirit Aura: All allies within 30ft gain a +2 bonus on all non-spell damage rolls.
Bzzzt. Whirr
'Beginning Bot: Sumil: Using Assumption Protocols'
Sumil scurries into the room and slides out of Korez's way. Once in position, he swings he blade down on the floating creature.
In a puff of pink smoke, the claim abomination disappears. Faintly you hear
Click. Zzzt
Jed recognizes the shimmering creature and rushes into the room. Carefully, he casts a curative spell on Kaylee.
Sumil rushes in and swings with all his might, but the strange faces appearing inside the creature throw off his aim.
Korez summons up a cone of burning fire. The mindless beast tries to swing at the opening he leaves during the incantation, but is unable to find it's mark.
Having managed to stay clear of the mist, Kaylee shakes off the uneasy feeling of seeing her loves ones swirl about within. Stepping away, she focuses her performance on Seren.
Feeling a surge of power coursing through her, the possessed woman dances a dazzling display of death. Slashing the insubstantial thing, she manages to end it. With a wailing as a strong wind, the mist dissapates.
Jiggo trying to fight back against the undead minion sapping his lifeforce, just misses. His second swing bouncing harmlessly of it's thickened bones.
The wight grins maliciously at the man. Spotting the mist disappear behind him, it frowns. "You will join me and atone for that!" it screams, as it slams against Jiggo again. The pour man's essence seeps further away.
Thankful the mist is no more, the paladin looks around. Noting the thinner Jiggo, he rushes over. "Դուրս եկեք այն մարդուց, նորից նորից ծեծեցրեք"
Jed
Sumil
Korez
Kaylee
Seren
Jiggo
Wight
Paladin
Hungry Mist
Jed
Sumil
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Seren and Korez turn the mist into more of a smokey film, and she only holds her positions for a few wild turns as Jed catches her arm with his blessing. Without freeing a weapon from her hands she somehow sweeps him up in several steps of dancing, dragging him along. "We're on it new buddy!" Her overly chipper voice rings out, followed by the second again. "We shall crush any foe that thinks to challenge us. We are coming priest!" Then she's free of the dwarf and gliding to the other half of the battle.
Much like Jed, Jiggo finds himself dancing with Seren for a few beats as she shuffles into his place, sweeping around him in a whirl that launches the little medium at the wight with a furious blow. "We're gonna save ya, Jiggo! Don't worry!" Oh crap, please don't hit me!
Bzzt. Phhfft.
With another puff of pink smoke, the clay abomination reappears. Emitting a grinding noise it begins to shape itself to resemble Sumil.
'Botting Assumption Protocols: Sumil Active'
Moving towards the continued fighting, it finds itself unable to reach the foe. Standing behind the others, the clay creation squints its eyes and snaps it's fingers. A bolt of electrical energy flies towards the wight in response.
Click. Whirrr.
The entity begins to reshape itself, gaining a slightly blue hue as one arm turns into a crossbow.
Switching to Assumptions Korez
The oracle moves towards his companions, drawing his loaded crossbow as he goes. Stopping when the creature comes into view, he fires.
With another puff of pink smoke, it disappears.
Bzzt. Zzzz
As the group comes down on the wight with a vengeance, it collapses in a heap.
Kaylee (-3)
Seren (-1)
Jiggo (-9, 2 negative Level)
As the dust settles, the paladin glances around the room for any further opponents. Spying the corpse in the corner, he rushes over to it and kneels nearby.
"ՕՀ Իմ ընկեր! Խնդրում եմ, խնդրեմ, օգնեք նրան պատշաճ թաղել: Օգնիր ինձ վերցնել վերեւ:"
"OH! My friend! Would you please help me give him a proper burial? Help me get him up top."
The undead you faced have no gear to offer you.
In the corner near the corpse lies a small wooden box (12inch wide, 6 inch long, 6 inch deep). Within the box you find 55g, a potion, and a candle. The corpse itself weares MWK Hide Armor, 2 quivers (with 40 total arrows), a MWK Composite Longbow and a MWK longspear lies nearby.
Potion of Heroism
Candle of Spirit Protection
The box is in fact the folding boat, currently folded
Continuing deeper into the depths you find the stonework changes dramatically here, as large blocks of dull gray stone abruptly give way to smooth, highly polished black marble. Though the marble is seamless and unadorned, shadows skitter across its surface - moving faster when viewed out of the corner of the eye. These ephemeral shapes and spectral wisps occasionally take on vague humanoid forms with horror-stricken faces. Somewhere in the distance, a low growling sound echoes from deeper within the tomb.
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"Thank the gods that's over." Jiggo feels the strength drain from him. "At least I can heal the immediate bruises. Something tells me I'm in no position to lead anymore." He pulls out a wand.
"Is anyone else injured?"
"What's wrong? Was this a friend of yours? I'll pray in their name." Jiggo assumes it's grief over a fallen friend and mumbles a quick prayer.
Entering the massive maze, Jiggo tries to remember his years in self-exile.
"Heh, it's like a big forest." Jiggo falls back to the middle of the group, keeping his quarterstaff lit and his bottles of holy water at the ready. Everyone, keep together, remember the landmarks and don't separate!"
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"Haaaaah! I thought it was going to get me next for sure!" Seren drops to the floor in her own, less rotten heap. She sits there as something unseen drifts away and her color slowly returns, just trying to rest up. "Whew, I think the room is spinning."
She will eventually drag herself to her feet and pat Jiggo on the shoulder. [b]"I have one of those sticks too, if you could use mine to fix the couple bruises Jed missed, yeah?" Seren will let the smarter, wiser folk gather up the items, but as a proper vagabond she will make certain nothing is left behind from the corpse. Who knows what could be useful.
---
As they enter the maze she draws her weapons back out, expecting another ghoulish fiend to jump at them. When nothing happens she starts giving the walls the stink eye, furrowing her brow and peering closely at the the shapes. After a long moment she jumps back and points the tip of one of her swords at the wall in accusation. "Blast it, Wynn! You knew one of them was gonna jump out and make a face at me, didn't you!" She glowers and then turns to the others, awkwardly crossing her arms while refusing to drop her weapons. "Okay folks, there's spooky things in the walls! My expert advise is they're probably bad and don't make'em angry!"
Seren's innane ramblings are apparently just a little useful for Jiggo's pathfinding.
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"I am sorry, Jiggo, but my healing powers are not yet strong enough to remove that curse inflicted by the wight."
He has a good look at the items in the wooden box, inspecting them for magical properties.
"Well, I'm not sure what any of these are. Probably useful, though."
As they enter the maze, he fights the urge to respond to all the mysterious sights and sounds, instead focusing on finding a path through.
But the spooky faces are too distracting.
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Jed walks over and takes a close look at Jiggo, "ahhh!! That should fade and you will get your strength back in no time. For now though, how about we swap spots? I feel pretty comfortable down here underground, plus I don't need any light to see. Just keep that wand of yours handy and we will make it outta here.
Jed takes a look after Korez, and tries to identify the three items.
"Well damn, I've never seen anything like those before."
Jed leads the way carefully into the darkness, making sure his allies stay close enough to help guide him on the right path through. He is fascinated by the faces, pretty sure he can figure out what exactly is going on with them.
With the combined efforts of everyone, and Jiggo's lead, you manage to navigate the maze of frightening stonework with ease. After about an hour of turning this way and that, you find yourselves in a large banquet room.
This chamber resembles a lord’s banquet hall, complete with a fireplace and a long oak dining table. Dozens of ghostly entities fill the chamber. A score of lords and ladies are seated at the table enjoying a feast, a group of minstrels play lively music in one corner, and more revelers dance and cavort in an open area to the south.
Amid the dancing subjects, you spy a few slimy, shifting masses with the shape of a humanoid, but they seem to be made out of some form of sticky rope or cloth.
The slimy guys are Ectoplasmic Revelers
Undead Traits
Special Attacks
Horrifying Ooze (Su) Any creature struck by an ectoplasmic creature’s slam attack must succeed at a DC 12 Will save or be shaken for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Defenses:
DR 5/Slashing
Resist Cold/Electricity 5
The creatures and the dancers turn to look your direction. The nobles ignore you and continue eating away. Everyone but Jed notice there is something off about the dancers, they seem way to interested in your group.
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Seren!
Haunt
??
Jed
Korez
Sumil
Kaylee
Seren
Jiggo
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Seren gets rather quiet as hey enter the room, then gasps loudly. "It's ghosts! Everybody look out!" She does indeed spring into action by jumping forward with a hand out to touch the haunt. The liveliness of a moment ago fades as her fingers connect, it's all very dramatic as one of the dancers gets drawn into her hand, then she blurts out, "Where is the orb of the stars, ya dumb spook!"
The dancer bows to you and you are immediately caught up in a whirling dance as her ghostly partner spins her wildly about the chamber for 1 minute. The dance forces affected victims to use a move action to move their full speed each round, but they can select their paths and take standard, swift, immediate, and free actions as normal. After 1 minute of dancing, affected victims take 1d4 Wisdom damage and are fatigued until they rest for 8 hours.
Each round during the dance, a victim can attempt a DC 20 Perform (dance) check as a standard action to end the dance prematurely and avoid the Wisdom damage and fatigue.
Seren reaches out to touch one of the dancers and a spark of bright white light engulfs the translucent smiling creation. The remaining dancers bow to the young lady and get sucked into her outstretched arm.
The gooey undead converge on the group. Although the green tinged one blatantly floats by the dwarf, the seem to be setting up in a purposeful arrangement. Once in place, all three slam against an opponent. Distracted by the choice of targets, it splits the space between and misses.
Ectoplasmic Revelers
Jed
Korez
Sumil
Kaylee
Seren
Jiggo
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Jed's eyes go wide with paranoia and he steps over to the wall, frantically whispering for aid from his deity. He makes a symbol with his hand and points first at Sumil and then at himself. As his mind calms, he pulls out his pick and yells defiantly!
If Sumil fails the save, the fear is then suppressed. Either way, both Jed and Sumil gain +4 vs future fear effects for 10 minutes.
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Seren proves herself quite the little exorcist and soaks up the attention of the haunt, sparing everyone from its attention as it vanishes within her. But, despite her profession, she's never been literally possessed by the spirit of dance before and it overwhelms her. There's no effort made by her to enter the fray and strike at their foes, she doesn't even seem to notice the discussion about what exactly they're facing.
No aura of her fighting spirit to empower her allies washes through the room, though she does dance. There's an awkward jerk into motion, like she isn't familiar with the steps and being led by an unseen partner. In a moment she's disappeared into the banquet, past the purple and green revelers to twirl about the room in a fast waltz, eyes and face blank.
Jed steps away from the pink creature and carefully calms his and Sumil's minds.
Drawing a flask of green goo, Korez lobs it over Sumil at the pink foe. The flask shatters on contact and the green fluid burns into the undead creation.
Taking the hint, Sumil steps back to make some room. Envisioning a fiery death of these troublesome undead, he conjures up a bit of what awaits them in the afterlife. Caught off guard, they both take the full damage.
Kaylee begins to cheer on her companions as the haunt takes hold of Seren and she begins dancing around the room. Taking two full hits for her trouble, she spins away from her companions.
With a clear path to the blue one, Jiggo chucks a vial of holy water at the thing. A satisfying shriek escapes the slimy thing as the vial explodes.
The green creature attacks the dwarven caster nearby while the other two retaliate against Sumil. None of the undead manage to connect.
Ectoplasmic Revelers
Jed
Korez
Sumil
Kaylee
Seren
Jiggo
The dancer bows to you and you are immediately caught up in a whirling dance as her ghostly partner spins her wildly about the chamber for 1 minute. The dance forces affected victims to use a move action to move their full speed each round, but they can select their paths and take standard, swift, immediate, and free actions as normal. After 1 minute of dancing, affected victims take 1d4 Wisdom damage and are fatigued until they rest for 8 hours.
Each round during the dance, a victim can attempt a DC 20 Perform (dance) check as a standard action to end the dance prematurely and avoid the Wisdom damage and fatigue.
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Seren ignores Jed's question, her body far too busy caught up in dancing about the room to her own rhythm while the rest of her seems entirely comatose. Something has clicked in her though, as she finds where the steps are meant to go. While the rest of the party does grand battle against bizarre piles of ectoplasm the medium puts on an exquisite, frantic waltz about the far side of the room. A routine enough to humble this particular haunt.
She comes to a sudden, jerking stop and wobbles in place for a heartbeat. Then she turns on Jed with a finger pointed accusingly. "What do you mean 'more than usual!?' I'm never off at al--- Ow! Why does my everything feel like I got smacked around?" She starts examining herself for injuries, incredibly concerned about them and her voice quavering as if she doesn't understand precisely what's going on, or how she got where she is.
Stepping forward, Jed jabs at the pink undead. Though his attack does quite a bit less than he's used to, it's enough to end the beast. The slimy thing dissolves into a pile of goo.
Sumil for a moment to see how the dwarf handles himself while Kaylee continues to inspire her allies. The young lady prepares to grant one of her companions an extra bit of encouragement if they need it.
Seren manages to step into the rhythm of the dance and finishes it with an awe-inspiring flourish. Suddenly the dancers from earlier shoot out of the woman, surrounding her. Each in turn bows and they all offer an applause as they vanish.
Jiggo concerned as to how to assist in his weakened state fakes a stab at the closes creature. The undead thing falls for the feint and leaves itself open to Sumil's attack.
The creature steps right into the mans swing and it's head finds itself flying free across the room. Another steaming pile of goo forms in it's place.
Comfortable with the way things are going, Korez draws his loaded crossbow as he steps into the room. Leveling it at the remaining...thing, he pulls the trigger.
With a sneer, the remaining ectoplasmic reveler steps around Jed, putting him between the team and the lone foe. Getting tired of this dance, Jed simply sidesteps as the green creature tries to slam into him.
Ectoplasmic Revelers
Jed
Korez
Kaylee
Seren
Jiggo
Sumil
As the pathfinders fall on the sole remaining opponent, it finds itself quickly over run and dissolves as its predecessors have done.
Jed (-4)
Seren (-9)
Sumil (-6)
Now that you are able to full appreciate the aesthetics of the room, you note a beautifully crafted longsword mounted over the fireplace. Stumbling into the room, still unarmed the paladin sheepishly looks to each of you. "Այնտեղ անկեղծ ապոլգոններ կան: Ես զարմացած էի ... առանց զենքի, ես սահմանափակվում եմ այն ամենով, ինչ կարող եմ անել նաեւ ... Սուրը?!"
Without a moments hesitation, the paladin walks over to the mantle and starts to take the sword from its perch.
"Sincere apolgoies there. I was taken surprised...being without a weapon I'm limited on what I can do as well...OH my! A sword?!"
You realize these steaming green globs could be refined to aid in fighting incorporeal creatures, though the refinement process would take too long to be feasible at this moment.
+1 Ghost-Touched Longsword
Finding nothing else of interest in this room, you head back out in to the maze beyond. Jiggo starts picking your way through, but Korez quickly sees where the path lies and takes over. After another hour, you find yourselves before another door, though this one stands ajar.
This chamber is furnished to resemble the parlor of an upscale brothel, but it is covered in a thin layer of dust. Shelves holding various trinkets, ships in bottles, and decorative glassware line the walls. A table and three large chairs, all made of fine mahogany, sit in the southern end of the room. Garlands of dried flowers surround a fancy ceramic urn on the table. To the north, a short flight of stone steps extend to a raised area obscured by an emerald-colored lace curtain. Bronze statues of women in sailor’s garb with hollow eye sockets stand at the base of the dais. Each of the statues is covered in a green patina. Sad, brooding music fills the chamber, emanating from a quartet of ghostly musical instruments that float several feet off the floor.
You recognize the melancholy tune
These statues are Celedons; Construct Traits
You recognize the hollow eye sockets of the sockets are a sign that something is severely wrong with these celedons and suspects that they may be nearing a crisis of faith. Celdons explode if they abandon their faith, leaving behind mindless husks.
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Seren looks surprised at the ghosts bowing to her, but then begins to return the gestures and loudly accept the accolades of the spirits as her head swells. "Thank you, thank you!" As they vanish and the last pile of goo turns into mush, she stretches excessively before doing anything else. "You know, guys, this ghost fighting stuff isn't so bad. You really just gotta know what they like."
Of course as the paladin heads for the sword, speaking more of his nonsense her nose crinkles with a sense of loot. Quick hands and feet have her ripping the blade off the wall and she can at least realize it's magical. So she runs back to the party and chucks it dangerously at Sumil. "Hey pal, I found you some dowitzy magical thing you can stab folks with. It's better than your's... probably...? I dunno, it glows."
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In the room the party advances to she stops at the door and stares up at the instruments, looking confused. "It's a pretty good tune, I guess. Never heard it before, but I ain't never seen ghost instruments, neither. Ghosts playing instruments? Sure, but not ghost instruments themselves."