"If we camp here for the night, I can prepare a spell to help us find metal from the crater."
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Pulling a shovel out of the supplies, Nel shoulders it before turning to the group. "I'm going to attempt to find something here before night sets in. I think setting up camp sounds like the best course of action." Patting her horse on its side, Nel waits to see if anyone wants to follow her down into the hole.
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The search for skymetals takes long into the evening, stretching several hours of bending over, looking, moving another five feet, and then examining again. The work is dull and fruitless.
As the sun begins to set in the west, Rilia spies a shard of pale green crystal in the ground just past the perimeter of the crater. It shines strangely in the dusk.
Noqual is light, half as heavy as iron, yet as strong as the same. More importantly, noqual is strangely resistant to magic. An object made of noqual gains a +4 bonus on any saving throw made against magical sources. Creating a magic item that incorporates any amount of noqual into it increases the price of creation by 5,000 gp, as costly reagents and alchemical supplies must be used to treat the metal during the process.
Weapons made of noqual weigh half as much as normal, and inflict +1 point of damage against constructs and undead created by feats or spells (this is an enhancement bonus to damage).Armor made of noqual weighs half as much; noqual armor is one category lighter than normal for the purposes of movement and other limitations (light armor is still treated as light armor, though). The armor’s maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 2, and armor check penalties are lessened by 3. The armor’s spell failure chance increases by 20% and applies to all magic cast while wearing the armor, regardless of the magic’s source or class abilities possessed by the wearer. The wearer of a suit of noqual armor gains a +2 resistance bonus on all saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities.
A pound of noqual ore (unrefined) is worth 50 gold.
"I can make this easier tomorrow. I'll memorize a spell to help find metals. This one is an interesting one. Noqual. It resists magic." Pluck (and Rilia I'm sure) go on to explain noqual to everyone.
"We might want to secure one of the more stable lighthouses."
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Camping and settling in for the night goes well. During one of the evening watches, Setzer spots a few akatas. However, between his own blasts and waking the rest of the party, they are quickly dispatched and the rest of the night is uneventful.
The eastern lighthouse is the most stable of the structures, clearly having weathered the impact of the meteor and the passage of time well. The outer walls are encrusted with salt and grime. A moldering door hangs off of a pair of hinges.
"What a lovely place." Tamiro says sarcastically.
Drawing his swords, he looks to Nel, "Matawa watashibeki rīdo o toru yō ni chūi?"
The eastern lighthouse is the most stable of the structures, clearly having weathered the impact of the meteor and the passage of time well.
"What a lovely place." Tamiro says sarcastically.
"Yes. Very suggestive."
Nel takes a deep breath of the salty air as it crashes against the shore before turning towards the lighthouse. "If you insist, Tamiro." strapping her shield onto her right arm, Nel draws her sword and quickly closes the distance between the trail and the only visible door. Pushing against the worn wood, Nel glances around to ensure that it is safe before heading inside.
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The building itself is safe. Despite the moldy door, the inside of the tower is well-preserved. A stone staircase spirals upwards, ending at a trap door leading (presumably) to the great lamp that once shone as the island's beacon.
On the stairs gazing upon the party with glowering red eyes is the dark, ghostly figure of man wearing a fine suit of older Chelish make. It hoarsely calls out in common, "You cannot stop me! Your murder of Virashi shall be repaid in kind."
Eastern Lighthouse - Round One
Enemy
Party's Turn - Everyone's Turn!
The wraith floats down the stairs to the bottom of the tower and the waiting adventurers. Its reaches out to Nel, its hand passing through her armor and into her chest. A coldness tears through her . It laughs at her, "You will pay for Virashi!"
"Begone whomever you are. You are just a shadow of the person you once were a dangerously loud echo of what once was. Begone!" She turns to the rest of the group a bit stricken. "Don't let it touch you! Whatever life-force it drains from you is way beyond me to heal."
"Did any of you bring your primping mirror? Mine is back at the Goblin--I'm sure my hairs a mess."
She traces a finger around her exposed navel and the three-pointed tattoo painted there.
"They don't like the light. Probably why it is staying on such a nice day."
Nel is wracked by a cough as the creature shoves its arm through her armor. "Stranger danger." she murmers out, feeling suddenly very hot in some places and cold in others. Taking a step away from the red eye'd man, Nel points her sword at it. "What in all the planes is a Virashi?!"
Tamiro moves in with Nel as it reaches out through her armor, "Seishin! Go back to the Boneyard!"
He swings with his primary bladebiting deeply into the spiritual flesh, keeping his second ready.
"Otōsan! Otsukai no burēdo demo shisha no tamashī ni surudoidesu!" He yells in suprise.
"Um. We could just walk away and try the other lighthouse...." Rilia says in slow disbelief.
"Retreat?! It is one opponent, do not let cowardice over take you and it will be slain!....again!"
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Pluck sends a pair of magic missiles flying at the creature, the force tearing through its weaknesses and dissipating the fog that makes up its body.
Setzers throws one of his cards dart-like at the creature. The swirling force builds around it, hitting the creature with far more damage than would be typically expected.
Eastern Lighthouse - Round Two
Enemy
Party's Turn - Everyone's Turn!
The wraith, eager, reaches deep within Tamiro's chest, his incorporeal hand chilling Tamiro to the bone.
"Not good! We need to take this thing down quickly before it kills us all." Pluck raises a hands and two more shimmering missiles fly unerringly fly into the shadowy creature.
"So no one here besides me primps?" Waitaminute. A lantern goes on. "Setzer! You have to have a mirror on yourself somewhere, don't you?"
"What are you waiting for? Reflect the sunlight at it!"
Gritting his teeth as the chill hand of the wraith slashes at him, he swings at the creature wildly, dropping his second blade and gripping his fathers in two hands,"I will destroy you!"
Gritting his teeth as the chill hand of the wraith slashes at him, he swings at the creature wildly, dropping his second blade and gripping his fathers in two hands,"I will destroy you!"
Nel moves to help assist Tamiro by distracting the wraith "Watch out Tamiro!" Nel calls out, waving her sword in front of the foes face.
The chill reaches his bones as the wraith reaches into his body, but he manages to push back. Swinging his sword in a wide arc, slashing straight into the wraith, "Taunt while you can ikiryo!"
It's like encouraging your pet to be bad. And he's already got so many bad qualities. *Sigh.*
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Eastern Lighthouse - Round Four
Enemy
Party's Turn - Everyone's Turn!
Setzer once more tries to finagle the mirror to face the wraith, hoping to burn it with the pain of the sun. However, the light dances on the wall once more, missing the creature.
Pluck pulls the wand of magic missile from his bag and sends a missile flying at the creature.
Nel, seeing her efforts frustrated, continues to try to aid Tamiro's AC by distracting the wraith with her presence.
The wraith stands barely together, more wisp than shadow. It retreats slightly into the darkness, trying to avoid the stinging blade.
"No Dark Creature! You will not escape us so easily!" Tamiro yells, as he charges after the creature.
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With the final blast of harmful positive energy from Rilia, the wraith shrivels and dies. It lets out a screech, "Virashi will never truly die! May all you men die for destroying her!"
The dark tower rises. At the top of the spiral staircase lies a trapdoor. When pushed open, it lets in a flood of daylight. A pile of men's clothing lies in the corner, along with a set of full plate armor and a cold iron longsword. There is a journal in the middle of the pile.
Rilia blinks and then says "It was nothing really."