Ezren is silent as he watches the others plan the best approach here, nodding slowly in agreement with the plan to scout ahead. "In this situation best to take it slow." He comments after intoning a protective spell.
Soft and silent as the Owl who scouted before him, Xuan slips into the museum. On the main floor, he passes by two noteworthy rooms.
The first room, highlighted by a sign that says "The Shining Armory", contains Shining Crusade artifacts that move and rustle by some unseen force. Eerie light seems to dart between the objects while the din of a raging battle echoes throughout the chamber. The central feature is a low, artificial hill atop which stand two stuffed owlbears surrounded by shattered undead foes. Each of the beasts wears chainmail barding and an orange-and-black caparison depicting a stylized owlbear. A dead man dressed in furs lies on the floor before a suit of full-plate armor. Dancing around the room, a pair of banners twitch and move, snapping at random as they seem to look for foes. (A1)
For every 5 that you beat the DC, you may ask for one piece of information from this list.
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Long shadows cast by ruined displays and broken furniture litter the floor. A humanoid-shaped figure made of shattered clockwork lies slumped over a bench. Above, an elaborately painted sign reads “Crusader’s Chronicles.” Two dogs sniff around the clockwork figure, while a third watches warily. (A2)
For every 5 that you beat the DC, you may ask for one piece of information from this list.
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Meanwhile over the garden, Sova sees thousands of glowing glyphs forming a protective shell around the fountain. The many runes move and swarm the area as if they're a living, breathing creature. (A3)
For every 5 that you beat the DC, you may ask for one piece of information from this list.
Now that you folks have scouted, you can decide which creature you would like to tackle first. Where would you like to go first?
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Zavubak pauses in thought as Fung explains what he had seen. "Those banners... They remind me of something I've seen before. Let me think for a second."
He then nods at Corona, brandishing his orc double axe as he prepares to head inside. "I agree with the lady here. I'm more familiar with the banners, snapping or otherwise, but magical runes aren't really my specialty. It would be difficult to claw apart a set of swarming runes, after all."
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Sova returns from her aerial recon and resumes her perch on Skye's shoulder. She whispers what she's seen in Skye's ear.
"The swarm-like things in the gardens are Living Runes, but I don't know anything more about them, either."
Listening to what Fung has to say about the interior of the museum, Skye says, "The Shining Crusade banners sound like some sort of animated objects. Let me think..."
"I'm afraid I don't know much about the dogs."
He nods in agreement with Corona and Zavubak, "Let's enter the museum and deal with what we know."
Skye casts a few buffs in preparation for what's ahead.
Zavubak realizes that those banners constrict their enemies from reach to subdue them.
Skye realizes that the Runes have fast healing, plus the defenses of both swarms and constructs. They're immune to mind affecting and weapon damage. Their best save is reflex, but their saves are not good over all. He also realizes that the swarm can be disabled.
Where are you headed first?
Ezren grunts as the others report on their scouting. "Those runes...I think I can deal with' em but no rush here. We can take out those banners first." He quietly responds, drawing a slender wand.
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Skye recalls some useful information about Living Runes. "The Runes have fast healing, plus the defenses of both swarms and constructs. They're immune to mind affecting and weapon damage. Their best save is reflex, but their saves are not good over all."
"That's the bad news. The good news is the swarm can be disabled. We can use Disable Device, Knowledge (arcana), Linguistics, Spellcraft or Use Magic Device, but it will require multiple successful attempts to defeat it."
"If enough of us possess the requisite skills, perhaps we could deal with them. I can help with my knowledge of the arcane and spellcraft. Ezren, my brother-from-another-mother, you probably know even more about them, right?"
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575 five seems eager to enter the museum and start dealing with the threats therein. Apparently strategizing is not really his forte. Still, he waits patiently for the others to come to a consensus.
I have no such skills
My training aimed more for strength
Good for distraction?
He nods towards the museum proper.
Those threats seem more apt
At least for muscle like me
Leave the runes for last
Ezren recalls that these Living Runes are set up to catch and detain foes with non-lethal attacks. He also remembers something critical. Living Runes are usually set up with a nearby trap they can control and move at will. They have both darkvision and lowlight for senses. Although they are essentially made out of paper, they are not especially vulnerable to fire and water.
About the Guard Dogs... Ezren knows that standard guard dog training includes biting and tripping, but that they could be bypassed by someone who is especially good with handling animals.
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We have two votes for the Banners... Ready to head there, team?
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"Let's take out the animated banners and deal with the dogs."
As the party reaches the entrance, Skye asks them to pause for a moment. He snaps a wand from his spring-loaded wrist sheath and activates it, "Gesundheit! Loosely translated, 'bless you.'"
The party is filled with a wave of courage. Skye stows the wand and grips his longspear. "Ready."
Ezren quickly relays what he knows of the Living Runes. "That trap will need to be found and disabled first."
As the others prepare for the banners, Ezren nods his readiness as well gripping his cane tightly.
Your group heads to the Shining Armory, with the Banners of the Last Crusade. As you come into the room, the banners turn towards you, snapping to attention!
Xuan, Skye and 575 are up!
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Just at the entrance of the museum, Fung sees the same two fluttering banners he had scouted earlier. Briefly debating which one to go after, he sees Skye uncomfortably close to the red one. Fung quickly moves up to get a clear shot, draws the electrical energy from around him, and sends a focus bolt at it.
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Skye moves forward, using the wall on the east side of the steps to give himself some cover. His eyes turn black, his skin pales and colors drain around him as he calls upon the aid of the Tender of Dreams.
He directs his gaze and points his index finger at the blue banner. Stardust materializes around the banner, and it begins to shed light as a candle.
Xuan shoots an electric blast at the Red banner. Fortunately, the banners are still flat-footed, so there is no attack of opportunity from his ranged attack. A zot of electricity hits the red banner, which starts to smoke!
Then Skye lights up the Blue Banner with stardust!
575 is up!
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Seeing both banners, 575 heads towards the one nearest Fung, unsure how one fights an animated roll of cloth. He decides to treat them like anything else, and lashes out at it with one scaled fist!
, for damage
The banners yet wave
O'er ramparts and museum
But how to strike it?
575 punches a hole through the Blue Banner, which then reciprocates by slamming him, but the Nagaji is too dodgy for the animated cloth!
The gaping hole in the banner the shape of the poet's fist must have disoriented it!
Meanwhile, an angry and smoking red banner lashes out at Skye...
...and hits, despite all the magical defenses on the Shaman!
Then Zavubak's axe slices off a section of the red banner, but it still has Skye engulfed in its silky grasp!
Everyone but Zavubak is up!
Ezren hobbles over to where Corona stands, uttering a magical phrase and sending a bolt of magical energy into the banner engulfing Skye!
Ezren hits the red banner for another 4 points of force damage, enlarging the tear already in the fabric. Meanwhile, 575 contemplates the sensual possibilities of a silken rendezvous before composing his next poetic action!
Everyone but Ezren and Zavubak are up!
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"Oh wow, it's got him wrapped like a pig in a blanket! That's amazing!" Corona exclaims, momentarily entranced by the movements of the hostile banners. But then she remembers that she should really probably help Skye out and takes a halting step forward in front of Ezren before attempting to jab at the thing with her longspear.
"Grrgh! Stupid...legs..." she hisses through gritted teeth. "Work, darn you!"
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Corona misses the Red Banner. Meanwhile, 575 rips the Blue Banner to shreds all by himself!
Xuan, Skye and Zavubak are up!
Zavubak mighty axe and Xuan Fung's electric blasts hit the Red banner, ripping it apart. Colored soft pieces of silk fall to the floor in a soft rain around you, and then all is quiet.
In the next room, you can hear the howls of dogs.
Are you going straight there, or casting buffs and healing first?
As 575 approaches the next room, the guard dogs go nuts, barking and growling with excitement!
Your buffs are still active, including the Bless. Everyone but Corona is up! You all can feel free to have moved forward with the impetuous 575.
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Having continuing following after Corona despite all the ruckus and noise of battle, the chicken continues to do so...although the excited barking and growling of the dogs nearby does seem to give her pause. She clumsily flaps her way up onto the center pedestal.
"Bawk!"
I'm not scared! I can just see better from here, that's all.
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Hearing some growling, Fung takes a step forward and just manages to look into the next room to see a dog.
Slightly taken aback, he mutters, "Uh, what? Are we ... killing dogs now?" He recalls the bad memories when he first moved to Absalom when the neighborhood bullies would pick on him, calling him, among other names, dog-eating Tian.
Nonetheless, he concentrates and draws power from the atmosphere around him until he is bristling with energy, but he holds the charge, only releasing it should the dogs prove to be aggressive and attack.
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Skye agrees that there's no need to kill the hounds. "I'll use color spray and the slumber hex to put them to sleep. It'll buy us some time."
Ezren shuffles along behind the others. "You can try to befriend them here, though I have my doubts. Still the less blood shed here the better."
The entire team moves foward, but then so do the dogs... They growl and bark, charging forward!
As the dogs attack, Xuan and 575's readied actions goes off! Orange gets hit with a bolt of electricty, and 575 hits the surprised red dog on the nose!
The punches and bolts of electricity startle all three dogs so much that they snap at air, their teeth snapping and snarling as they attempt to bite you!
Everyone is up!
575 misses the Orange guard dog, which dodges his blow! He knocks Red out with his second flurried fist! The dog goes down with a surprised yelp, and collapses!
Everyone but the Haiku Hero, 575, is up!
The dog falls to the floor and snores.
Xuan, Zavubak, Ezren and Corona are up! There's only one Blue dog left!