I will like to get it done as quickly as possible so that we can resume on our journey with the hafling purified. Gold is just gold something that we can get more of.
he says leaving the cash please yet your spells ready on the morrow, we shall camp around here tonight and watch over our little problem he says
"As you ask, leave us and we will get to cracking. Feel free to take to the adjacent rooms they are guest rooms. Tomorrow you will have your answers." The reverend replies to Oscar. "Oh don't worry with the salt circle and the rune etched walls, no evil spirit will be leaving this spot any time soon."
|
Sable brings up a topic to discuss, "Reknar had some good points and it seems that we need to have a discussion on our future goals, tactics when fighting, and how to work more as a team. I wish to help our mistress in cleansing these lands to help her gain a power structure to stand on, I believe Koldur has the same goal in mind. Suggestions?"
Reknar stands to the side looking as if he has something to say, but remains silent while munching on a piece of dried meat, and waiting for the others to pipe in.
Koldur looks up, grateful that the halflinf at least has a chance.
"I have to agree with my dour friend here. Gold is something that can be earned but this one's life is worth more than teh gold we just spent here. He did not choose this for himself and if it gives him more control over his fate, the better it'll be." as he looks about the place.
Koldur offers a grin.
"If you do not mind our presence here, I'll offer to stand guard here over my friend while you prepare your spells."
Hykan watches as well, listening to each person as they speak and taking in their mannerisms
The next day comes and they cast new spells. After a few more hours they stop and talk to Koldur, "So it appears that the contract is to keep the halfling healthy and alive, if we exorcise the spirit it might kill him. He will likely be sickly and not have powers anymore. The devil switches to another host after the Phoenix clause has started, otherwise will stay in the halfling, what do you want us to do?"
Koldur blinks at the priest's statement.
"Do you have the full wording of the contract? I'm sure my companions would likely be able to parse through fine wording better than I can."
Koldur is unsure of himself as if the ontract would keep the halfling healthy then there must be something in that infernal contract about release and conditions.
better yet he turns toward the hafling this is your life and your decision so please do so
oscar will turn toward the cleric What is that phoenix clause you mentioned? can the spirit use it before beeing sent away ?
"Agreed - it should be him who decides" - Reknar nods at Oscar.
"I don't want to hurt anyone but I don't want to die, let alone be sickly and without power. " He says simply.
The Reverend responds, "We don't have the contract we only were able to pull some information. To get the contract word for word it seems we would need to bleed the halfling and chant to have the blood form the contract. The phoenix clause is just what we call it, when the halfling dies his body will be engulfed in flames and be brought back to life."
That is really to bad and very unfortunate for you. I advise you to choose wisely. Remain as you are with this great evil inside you or be free from it. While you will suffer the loss of it's power for sure you won't be alone. You have made some friends and you can stay and help out at the fort should you wish. The important thing is that now you have a choice. A choice you didn't have back then he says with a neutral voice
"Not an easy choice here" - Reknar ponders, looking at the halfling - "I have to agree with Oscar here though - you should just get rid of it, and start from scratch" - his eyes are somber - "Believe me, starting from scratch isn't easy, but it can be done, and sometimes it is for the best"
Koldur looks at the halfing.
"Tis is a choice you'll need to make by yourself. No one is born strong. You'll have to work for it. We can help you by providing training in the various disciplines we are in or help you in forging your own path. It'll be better than this."
"I am of the flame and trust it, I can only say to go through the trial of fire is not as scary as it seems, although I have to admit the dying and coming back part would fill me with trepidation as well.. "
Hykan also speaks from his place near the wall.
The halfling listens to each of you and thinks upon your words. Eventually he seems to have made his choice and looks at the Reverend, "I am ready, let me be cleansed of this curse and dark force. I will grow again with my new friends aid."
The Reverend looks to each of you and tells about the preparations, "Now after we start the ritual to separate the two and break the contract the spirit could take physical form and you will need to defeat it, keep it away from this circle. The pig in the center room will be the new vessel it can take over, please go over and make sure it does not get back to the room let alone the circle." The Reverend and his fellow priest wait for everyone to be in their proper locations before beginning the chant. One or two may stay in the room if you choose. The others should be ready for a fight should the pig become possessed.
The pig is chained down in the center of the room, the acolytes and lower priests leave for their own rooms or leave entirely, leaving the possible threat to your group. It takes a few hours before you can see a shadow pass under the door between the salt lines to the pig. The pig squeals as the chains bite into its flesh as it grows nearly four times in size. Then the chains snap and the pig shudders and mutates. Fur grows, bones jet, and the body transfroms. Within seconds the transformation is over and now a humanoid demon with a pig snout, hooves and the fat body of a pig. Thick shaggy fur is growing in patches and two horns are growing out of its head.
-4 Dex for the chain and special abilities appear once each round after the first. DR 5 at the moment.
AC 20, touch 10, flat-footed 19 (+1 Dex, +10 natural, –1 size)
hp 68 (8d10+24)
CEUSTODAEMON CR 6
XP 2,400
NE Large outsider (daemon, evil, extraplanar)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect good, detect magic, see invisibility; Perception +15
DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 10, flat-footed 19 (+1 Dex, +10 natural, –1 size)
hp 68 (8d10+24)
Fort +9, Ref +3, Will +8
DR 10/good or silver; Immune acid, death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, polymorph effects, sleep effects; Resist cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee bite +11 (2d6+4), 2 claws +11 (1d6+4)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks breath weapon (30-ft. cone; 6d6 fire damage; Reflex DC 17 for half; usable once every 1d4 rounds)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +10)
Constant—detect good, detect magic, see invisibility
At will—dimension door
3/day—dispel magic, fly
1/day—hold monster (DC 17), slow (DC 15)
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 15
Base Atk +8; CMB +13; CMD 24
Feats Alertness, Blind-Fight, Power Attack, Step Up
Skills Bluff +13, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (planes) +9, Perception +15, Sense Motive +15, Stealth +8, Survival +9
Languages Abyssal, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft.
SQ drawn to service
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Drawn to Service (Su) When brought to another plane with a planar binding or planar ally spell (or any similar calling effect), ceustodaemons take a –5 penalty on the initial Will save and on their Charisma check to refuse service. Ceustodaemons also take a –5 penalty on saves against binding, planar binding, and other spells designed to bind a creature to a particular plane as long as the daemon is commanded to serve as a guardian for a single area or small complex.
The demonic possessed pig will strike out at the the one who hurt it most during surprise round. Likely biting him once and clawing him once as well.
Hykan will be as far back as possible then he unleashes a blast of fire at the demon in the suprise round and in his initiative order.
Surprise Round
Oscar will smite evil an attack
Current AC vs Evil: 21
Koldur stares as the pig transform from his postition in front of the door.
"Dang Fat Pig." he curses. "Ugly too. Somehow I think pork chops maybe on the menu this fine day." his axes already in hand Koldur prepares to rush in though for now he takes up a defensive position.
"What the hell?!" - Reknar roars as the creature begins to form - "Let's take it down lads!"
With a movement from his wrist, a thin wooden wand springs out from the sheath in his left forearm, and he attempts to activate the magic within.
When he is successful, an invisible shield of force is summoned, hovering in front of him.
Round 1
The possessed pig boy actually misses every strike against Oscar. The opposite is true for your group. Hykan hits both times though to little effect. Sable misses completely on the first strike but slams the blade hard into its shoulder leaving the smell of fouled blood on the ground and his blade. Oscar left a massive cut in its belly spewing guts as it raged.
Round 2
With so much damage done to the pig it begins to rage as it attacks, screaming with pure animalistic instinct. Its horns grow longer, more hair sprouts on its skin, and warts start filling any place that does not have hair. It focuses on Oscar cutting his arm with a flailing claw, a paltry few drops to the amount of damage the group will likely inflict, let alone Oscar.
Round 3
You can tell that the transformation is complete even though it may be in more pieces from your group. This brown, shaggy-furred beast stands on slate grey hooves. Its head resembles that of a maniacal horned pig. Unless taken down it continues to fight, tearing a chunk out of Oscar's armor and shoulder in a massive bite before tearing with its claw into his side through the armor.
Round 2
"Ok then..." - Reknar wades in at the creature, drawing his silvered heavy mace, and whirling about to flank it with one of his companions.
Round 3
Round 4
Round 2
Hykan blasts the pig demon again
Round 3
Hykan blasts the pig demon again
Round 4
Hykan blasts the pig demon again
Round 1
with Smite Evil
Round 2
with Smite Evil
Swift Action on himself
Round 3
with Smite Evil
Swift Action on himself
Koldur rushes in and his steps become a beautiful dance of deadly steel as his axes dip and roll, slashing this way and out. A blade clips, reverses and slams straight down to the bone and sliding out as mass does its work and pulls Koldur out of the way, his second weapon slicing deeply into the flesh.
From there, Koldur's steps becomes a blizzard of blades as his spins, dances, steps in a rythem of his own, his twin axes slamming into the creature, momentum driving them deep and resetting his stance to flow seemlessly into yet another movement. His secondary weapon glancing off but enough to provide disraction as he leaps over his foe.........
.....to land and roll, his axes swinging in wide arcs to keep his foe off balance and also to spray its own blood back towards its face.
The pig possessed demon falls to the ground in pieces. It screams an unearthly loud, Fort save DC 15 or be deafened for several minutes. The black spirit comes from the body and evaporates being cut off from its source. The Reverend comes bursting into the room, and yells, "He won't make it without an anchor, the contract is made of pure magic with the devil banished all you need to do now is cut yourself and hit the halfling with some of your blood."
Koldur pushes away the sound in favor of the Reverend's voice. His hand drops the maulaxe and slashes across the blade of Moonshine with no hesitation, the resulting pooling of blood welling up as he swings his hands as if still in combat, flinging his blood in a wide swath on the halfling!
Seeing the others throw blood Hykan refrains assuming their efforts to be enough.
"Do we all need to do this?" - the veteran hesitates.
oscar rush over and th his weapon so that blood can be smeared onto the hafling
With the three of you getting over to the halfling quickly the Reverend seems to calm down and says, "Excellent with each of you as an anchor he is pulling through." Each of you can see he was having spasms and sweating a lot but now he is resting peacefully.
The Reverend suggests, "You can take him with you if you wish, let him ride and rest, or you can leave him here to recover for a while."
The Reverend thinks on it then responds, "It probably would be best if you stay in close proximity but he should only need rest. Being on a horse should be fine, either riding with someone or in a large saddlebag. Bed rest would be best but he is out of the woods of dieing from the ordeal."
"How long would that be needed?" Koldur eyes the halfling, noting his more resful position.
"Where we are headed is bound to be danger but would be more rewarding to all good folk once successful."
"The more rest is better, I would theorize that after three days of bed rest he would be able to walk not fight." The Reverend says as he pulls lightly on his beard.
then lets take him with us. It is unlikely we shall face combat very soon
"That's decided then - he comes with us" - Reknar nods at the halfling with a wink - "We'll keep you safe"
"I like a good challenge."
Hykan says with eagerness and n trace of sarcasm or doubt
Koldur rolls his eyes but agrees.
The group leaves the temple, Reverend, and his people behind. Outside of the village the rest of your party was camped and quickly pack up. The group is on the road again figuratively as you venture out into the lands again.
So we are off to deal with this Stag Lord ?