1 shot, Serenity Hollow (Inactive)

Game Master Chyrone

Just scratching my head trying to figure out a plan for powerful flying undead. Could we compel her to tell us where she sleeps?

Shaking his head as they leave the temple, Vaunu looks up at his companions, "I'm having trouble wanting to help these people since it seems like they don't want to help themselves." He turns and heads to the inn, "Lets hope the next time we see her she will fly inside where we may be able to hit her."

”Maybe they don’t care? I only got here recently. Having great fun! But why does the flying lady keep attacking this town?”

Oh they care, but they don't have everything ready on the spot.

Recall mention of a curse, though? ;)

But why does the flying lady keep attacking this town?

A very good question....it involves evil motives, i'll give you that.

Having purchased some blessed water, the team heads back to the tavern, where a meal and ale awaits them.

In the morning, you wake up to a commotion.

(casts silence on the lone cricket)

As the team gets downstairs, investigating what on Golarion is going on, they see the varisian girl (whose granny was taken by the manananggal) levitating in mid air, eyes glowing a bright jade light.

The guards have her surrounded, yet any effort to get close seems to get deflected by some sort of protective field of force.

Her voice is a double one, there is a 2nd present.
<Listen to me, fools!>

The guards are too cautious, suspicious more likely, to do so, however....

Letting out a heavy sigh, Vanue turns to the others, "Well you don't see that every day do you." calling out to the girl, "Well, go on then."

Finishing off his required morning studies he closes the book carefully and heads downstairs clearly perturbed by the noise.

"Well let her speak you wayward fools! Come now girl I do not have all day to wait for your missive."

The young woman/girl turns her head towards Jurgan and Vaunu.

"Finally, some sensible individuals.
I am Melena's grandmother, speaking through a psychic link with my granddaughter."

"The one kidnapping people from their homes, lives -within- Serenity Hollow. She, an unfortunate now corrupted, serves the dark lord who keeps me. I have heard mention of his name. Lord Kemnon. He seeks the ruin of Serenity Hollow, yet i know not his motive."

knowledge (nobility): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
knowledge (local): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Belegar is just about to shave as the commotion begins. He takes the jug of water beside his basin and pours it over his face as he heads downstairs, simultaneously washing the soap from his cheeks and the sleep from his eyes.

He listens intently to the woman, "Mortimer Kemnon? Some kind of noble Lord. An adventurer seen across Varisia, and with some Ustalavic blood."

He shrugs and looks at the others, "Well, a name's a decent start. And our foe is female, so that narrows the search."

Then he addresses the girl/grandmother, "Where now are you, good lady? And what more can you tell us of the woman we seek?"

"I am being held in a room in a manor or estate of sort, in the woodlands.
The woman isn't the sort to be out in daylight, and made some comment about the altitude being an ever pleasant change from her 'usual limitations'."

”Altitude? Limitations? A mountain creature, maybe? Or something from the Darklands?” Belegar muses.

”Why does it keep you?”

The mananangal was the kidnapper.

"No, it was a winged woman with no lower body below the torso. I know not of what limitations she spoke of. But it sounded like she would otherwise be limited in the capacity of traveling."

So, the mannangal lives disguised within the town!

Vaunu asks, as much to his associates as to the floating girl, "What are the chances this Mannagal took her to the hidden mansion in the forest?"

"Quite well."....

At that point, priestess Eileen enters the inn, along with two acolytes.

She holds a moment, when the object of the commotion is not as dangerous (?) as she was lead to believe.

"Well, this is new to me. Possession that is not malign."

So, we gather all of the women in town together. Jurgan casts detect undead and concentrates for three rounds...

I think the Mannagal is living in the hidden mansion in the western woods that has been avoiding us for the last year.

Monsieur Vaunu does not advance to the next round. ;)
What is the team going to do?

Monsieur Vaunu does not advance to the next round. ;)

What is the team going to do?

what? But but but he's come this far!

Looking from the floating girl possesed by her own grandmother, to the Priestess Eileen, "Are any of you coming along to help rescue her grandmother? Or are we on our own?"

Mary Dawnrose wrote:

Monsieur Vaunu does not advance to the next round. ;)
What is the team going to do?

what? But but but he's come this far!

Monsieur Vaunu is a bit sleepy, me thinks, when information is presented, is all. ^^

Priestess Eileen's face turns serious, the regretful sort.
"With me, let us talk in a more quiet place.", as she looks over to innkeeper Catharina, who then motions you towards a private room.

In it, priestess Eileen's face isn't turning any other mood.
"As much as i would like to, and my fellow council members for that matter, i can't. In the past, people have tried going there, but have turned back after some distance."

"Claiming 'there forest was too vast to yield any result'.
Something is disheartening those trying to venture there."

Monsieur Vaunu is a bit sleepy, me thinks, when information is presented, is all. ^^

Maybe more distracted then sleepy, what exactly did he Miss?

Listening to the cleric's explenation, he attemts to discern her motives.

sense motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

know arcana: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

sense motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

Outside of the room, there is a soft *thud*, as Melena's connection to her grandmother is gone.

Raising an eyebrow Vaunu looks at his associates, asking, "Well what do you think?"

”We are not of this place, their curse may not afflict us.” The young man runs his fingers through his hair, ”However, the immediate danger is here and should be rooted out.”

Then what is the plan now?

Wasn't the Manangal a redhead? Invite all of the redheads in town to meet up at lunchtime in the town square?

She may well have been, yes. She was a raven haired when encountered....but hey, there's Skills for that. ;)

I'll take that plan.

The group discusses some plans with priestess Eileen and, drawing the conclusion from Melena's grandmother and red hair from a scene of kidnapping to be connected, ask for a rally of all redheads in the town square.

A few auburn haired women show up, but the color of their hair is darker than the warm red colored hair you found earlier.

1d100 ⇒ 4
Lilliane 'The Red' was off into the forest, but given the mannanangal was medium sized, the team dismisses it. Besides, the gnome was met during the day thus far.

The only other redhead mentioned by alchemist Whescer, was the wheelchair bound leather worker, Christa, who sold both Alluriel and Belegar a pair of boots. She does show up, however.

Btw, had anyone rolled Kn. Religion on mananangals yet?

Looks like Belegar already rolled for it.

None of the invited people unaware of the purpose of the gathering, priestess Eileen casts Detect Undead.

..
...
....
.....

"Nothing....", she says, as she looks sideways at you.
"I sense no undead among the women gathered here."

diplomacy:gather info: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9. Anything else of note among the gathering of redheads? Uke will also use his storm glass among those gathered to see if there's any outsider presence amongst them.

Unsure of what else could be done, Uke tentatively suggests, "Perhaps we should look to spiritual means to discover the winged creature? Such as prayers to one's deity? I myself will see about building an abode suited for a Kami to dwell in; if there are any in this town, I know not at the moment."

Uke will use his ritualist trait to make a makeshift shrine when he has the opportunity to do so. He'll also try sussing out the existence of any local Kami; not sure what type of knowledge checks that would entail though.

Typo in previous post.
None unaware > none Aware.

I'll make a proper post in the afternoon. Can't do much at work break. ^^

Uke sets out to gather some wood and other available materials, and constructs a shrine, resembling a bird house on a short pole.

Hoping some spirit of this region will come for it, he prays.
1d100 ⇒ 65

It is not like a kami in his homeland, but a raven perches upon the shrine's roof, observing the nagaji with interest.

On a moment least expected, it speaks.
<You are a curious one, scaled one.
What is it you pray for, amuse me if you will.>

Belegar thanks the women profusely and apologises for wasting their time, "...we need to narrow the search. Maybe the redhead was someone else? Her hair was dark when we fought her... anyway, once again, thank you so much for letting us do this. I know it's not completely dignified but these disappearances need to stop!"

It sounds like today's endeavor's focus lies upon discovering the manananggal's identity, yes?

Recap on what you know in relation to the manananggal and the kidnappings:
-She strikes at night, regardless of gender/occupation.
-She lives in town.
-She let slip of limitations, within earshot of Melena's grandmother.
-She does not come out during the day, is the assumption of Melena's grandmother.
-Red hair was found at the site of a kidnapping. May or may not truly belong to her.
-She was mentioned as an unfortunate, corrupted by Lord Kemnon.

Int checks anyone?

int: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

Vaunu ponders the information "Maybe we should buy a dog that can smell undead."

int: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14

Vaunu slaps his forehead softly, as the obvious only now hits him, and Belegar is experiencing a blockout on inspiration.

Thandir's polishing his axe, spitting on the blade and shining it with a cloth he has in his pack.

Jurgan is reading his scholarly materials.

Thandir walked with the party, lost in thought. They were talking about undead and noblemen and...undead noblemen? Something like that. He though, was lost in thought.

His axe was an heirloom. His only link to an unknown heritage which brought both shame, scorn and pride. And he had broken it. He had recklessly exposed it to dark magic and had paid the price. The prized blade was slowly crumbling away. Now it was mere as large as something which a pitiful little human would hold. Why...maybe even an elf! So he prayed.

Mend cast on axe

But, perhaps? Suddenly, without anyone but him being privy to his thoughts, he exclaimed, to no one in particular "This is a test! I put too much trust into this axe. It is broken because my god wanted it to be! Yes! This teaches me that I should not rely on earthly tools. We must rely on ourselves! Ah yes, we will find this undead woman and kick her in the head. Today..." he muttered to himself "...today we are dressed by destiny. But fear is trying to pull down our pants. And if we give in, then where are we? Naked and afraid, with our dangly bits hanging out. I will rip off her arms and beat her with them before I allow her to take my pants so. Yes..."

Curses...board ate my post i made much earlier.
Also, there's some firm Mortal Kombat material in those words.

Thandir casts some mending magic on his axe, hoping to restore the might of the weapon.

..
...

It didn't work, however. He sees it is still looking sharp and deadly, but not as much heavy metal to go around with as before.

Despite Mend, the axe still deals 1 size category less on dmg dice. 1d12 instead of 3d6.

Vaunu shares his moment of inspiration with the others, except Uke, who's elsewhere praying and about to speak to the raven.

See spoiler in previous post. What shall it be?

Jurgan picks up his tomes and closes it slowly taking caution not to get any dog ears on the pages of his book.

Walking downstairs he literally bumps into the wayang who seems to have an idea of what should be the group's next move.

"Well go on say what you need to say. The day is growing shorter, but before you say anything I have come up with a solution to this mystery. The idea to gather all the red headed was a sound idea even if ended being unsuccessful. Perhaps we need see what exists about this Lord Kemmon OR we should consider who these red headed ladies live with. The creature could be hiding in one of their attics or could be living with them in disguise? Alright what did you have to say now?"

"Little dwarf is a disappointing warrior, but is very wise! Let us go upend these attics."

Belegar listens intently to the dwarf.
”Right!”
He starts asking around the people they have met, ”What do you know if Kennon? Who holds the local lore?”

Our esteemed scholar is with us once more! ^^

Vaunu blinks for a few moments...

"That's exactly what i was thinking we should do! What, are dwarves mind-readers too these days?"

====================================

Asking priestess Eileen about Lord Kemnon,
"There is a small archive in the church, as well as in one of the six' houses. If you are looking for records of encounters in the early days of the town's formation, you'd have a fair chance of something coming up."

That now known, 1d6 ⇒ 3 hours of browsing both locations' literary content, yields you some information.

Belegar infers, ”Perhaps he seeks to resurrect his lost love? Or punish the Six? Or both?”

He shakes his head, ”Not much. But something.”

”What next?”