"We will try to save as many as we can." he gives a slight nod, then turns to head in the direction of the villiage
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"When did we become the search and retrieval team?"
With Almah's blessing your party leaves the old monastery for the second time, to resume your infiltration of the village. Again the hour-long journey across the pesh fields passes uneventfully, the area's only notable predator already dead by your hands. From afar, nothing appears to have changed about Kelmarane in your absence. A trio of rather large vultures lazily circles over the hilltop village, their cries occasionally piercing the air. By the time you complete your southern approach and reenter the village, it is just about noon. At least from where you stand, there is not a gnoll in sight.
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"What's wrong Sir Thurrios? You think seek and destroy is more fun than search and rescue?" Julius chides cheekily.
"I've been wanting to talk to you about something. What you said back in the camp to Mistress Almah. Something about a 'tempest.' I want to believe I've heard you talk about it before. What exactly is that about, if I might ask?"
"Would you look at those buggers? Called geiers. Native to this country and nowhere else if I have it right. We should definitely be mindful of them and where they're circling. They are a bit on the this-do-be-my-place-to-eat-carrion kind of mentality. Basically think vultures the size of a man. Don't figure they would be shy about striking a living thing though, if that living thing is getting a little too close to their favorite roost."
"You say they are carrion eaters? I wonder what manner of creature they feast on now? Hopefully not your other missing Pathfinder. Should we check?"
He grins, "I assume it was buried by some selfish previous owner, you know how that is." After reverting back to his serious face, he continues, "I can only assume that She guided me to it, and now we are off on some quest, although I know not what it might be."
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"Well, isn't that interesting. You remember that book you gave me? It mentioned an ancient order of five genies known as the Templars of the Five Winds. One of them, Vardishal, wielded an ever-changing weapon which he called Tempest. Vardishal represented the north wind which carries the battle cries of all armies within its gusts."
Julius eyes the scimitar and walks along quietly for a moment. Then raising his gaze to meet the taller ifrit's, he says,
"Wouldn't that be something if you were somehow carrying that Tempest? Since it's described as being ever changing with no fixed form, I wonder if there would be anyway to find out..."
Julius turns back forward, his eyes fall onto the horizon, his mind working furiously. Anything Thurrios might try to say to him will most likely have to be repeated, or some method of jarring the arcanist from his mind puzzle will most likely be required.
Julius' mouth twists wryly, and he rolls his eyes at Thurrios' suggestion. "Of course, I suggest being careful, and the first thing mentioned is 'Let's charge in!'" Julius sighs. "Well, I suppose we did say we would try and find this Oxnard person. Just be ready, the geiers may attack if they're feeling threatened or that we're going to steal their meal. Which I guess is what we should do after all."
"If it is a fallen person, it would be best to retrieve them for proper burial and last rights" he adds his opinion. The dead need their peace
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"Hmm? Oh, sure, right. Couldn't be. Why would it? Named magic items never get lost or go missing. Yes, and no one other than Dawnflower worshipers use scimitars. Silly of me to even suggest such a thing."
For once, Julius doesn't sound remotely sarcastic or playful. His eyes jump to the scabbard containing Tempest and once again he seems to retreat into his thoughts.
"Thanks for answering my questions," Julius says absentmindedly and makes something kind of like a wave in Thurrios' direction. He quickens his pace in order to catch up with Sarala.
"So? What do you think?" Julius asks his friend quietly, his eyes intent.
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"I guess we should find out what they're on about," says Sarala about the carrion eaters, "Maybe they're circling a bloated gnoll corpse that washed up, but maybe Oxvard can be recovered there. May as well play the heroes and find out. Maybe Julius has a nature fact that will allow us to make short work of them if they attack us?" She looks hopefully to the arcanist, before listening to him.
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"Ifrits have genie blood, don't they? Sometimes, Sarala, you prove you are much more genius than I am." Nodding, Julius strokes his chin and the silken blond hair that's trying to grow there (and failing). He'll have to shave again now that he has that nice dagger.
"We'll have to see if he will be willing to talk about it more later. Maybe flatter him into letting me examine it closely. If it is the Tempest of legend, there is a strong possibility that Thurrios is right. Vardishal the North Wind would never have intentionally buried it in the sands and left it. Something far more interesting may be afoot!"
Julius eyes gleam in that way that Sarala would surely recognize as preceding the many times Julius' curiosity has caused trouble for himself and Sarala in the past. Definitely some of the more fun and exciting times, but most certainly the ones that had gotten them in trouble or just narrowly missed if not.
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"I'm afraid I've told you all I know of geiers. Having never encountered them personally, I can only tell you what I heard from one of our more esteemed veterans in the Society, Sarala."
Julius looks at Anapa, Narkû, and Thurrios. "Any of you know how to fight off giant birds? Fighting wisdom is not to be hoarded after all." He throws in a wink and a smile with the last statement.
"Anything to hamper their flying is a good idea." he suggests
"Nets perhaps? If we had those"
"Narkû just waits for the bird to get close and then Narkû hits it with Narkû's sword. If the bird dumb enough to come back after that, then Narkû just does it again."
"Now if the bird really big and the bird tries to grab Narkû, then I use these spikes," Narkû finishes as the points to this armor spikes.
As large and ferocious as they are reputed to be, the geiers do not seem to be interested in your party; they continue to circle hundreds of feet above, out of your reach. Investigating their reason for being drawn here, you move further into the village. At least on the lower tier, nothing appears to have changed. As you near the gatehouse where Old Bonegrinder was slain, however, a loud, terrible scream of rage abruptly rings out, the very same one you heard the previous day. Whatever it is screams out again, and again, carrying in it an unmistakble bloodthirst.
"Be ready, I believe we will soon be the target of that rage" the paladin warns
Narkû continues to move forward in the direction of the gatehouse, his short hairs standing on end as he anticipates the coming battle.
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"Hey Julius, mind if I get you to hit me with some of those invisible magic pyjamas?" says Sarala, referring to the mage armor. "Since I guess whatever we're gonna be fighting in a sec is gonna be mad and mean." She draws her temple sword, resting it on her shoulder for a moment while she waits for Julius's response.
Among them are a fiery-haired man, wielding a strange scimitar; a scholarly human with a wand in hand; a warrior with a strong Osirian motif, carrying a sword of foreign manufacture; a half-orc with spiked armor and a rather sharp-looking falchion; and an unarmored warrior who, for lack of a better description, appears to be a human-sized monkey. They seem just as surprised to see you as you are to see them.
Having made your preparations for battle, you rush past the gatehouse and up the hill, back toward the church where you encountered Halruun. The violent screams continue, growing louder and louder as you get closer to their source. No sooner than when you pass the church do you cross paths with a cloaked figure, their face shrouded by a voluminous hood. You cannot see their features, but you can tell right away that the individual is desperately trying to get away from something.
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Julius raises his wand of magic missile and readies it to attack the hooded ghostly figure.
"Hey, I thought we already purged the revenant. You two religious boys are losing your touch," Julius quips to the group.
"Um...okay. Maybe we aren't dealing with a ghost. Though whoever it is might be pale enough to be one," Julius says hesitantly as the figure approaches. The rage filled screams might be driving this haste.
Raising his voice, he calls out to the scurrying cloak. "You there! Is the owner of that angry scream pursuing you? We may be able to help...provided you yourself are not a part of the problem here in Kelmerane."
"Shush, hu-man! you bring IT here - also gnolls." The robed figure replies in a deep but feminine voice, one not used to talking in a while, except above the whispering of the dunes. The clipped tones and strange accent are not from the region.
There's a flash of pale skin as the figure whips around lithely to look behind her, slipping into a hunters stance a curved knife glistens in her white hand.
"Lots questions..." the figure backs up against a wall keeping a decent distance from the group; glancing at the sky and to alleyway they've just exited. "Howling goat-demon, beware. No know Felliped or what an Oxvard is!"
The wicked curved blade seems to glint in the scorching sunlight, matched by a brief reflection from the eyes under the cowl as the wary create looks about with a predators wariness.
Narkû keeps an eye on Cloaky and for the Howlin' Goat-demon, thinkin' Cloaky is either bait or a scout for the demon.
He pays particular attention to the tone and pitch of the howls as an idea slowly begins to grow in his mind.
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Current Effects: Whetstone edge on falchion and scimitar, +1 damage on next successful hit;
Unfortunately, the delay posed by the party's arrival gives the demon all the time it needs to locate its prey. With a mighty leap it hurtles over the wall of a ruined building and lands in the middle of the street, kicking up a small cloud of dust.
The creature is a muscular humanoid with the head and hooves of a goat; its horns however, are far larger and more dangerous-looking than any goat's. Ragged, filthy white hair covers the demon's head, as well as its forearms and lower legs. It is at least seven feet tall, but it moves with a hunched back, which heaves up and down as it takes haggard breaths. The demon turns its jaundiced eyes toward Ruika, and then to the rest of your group, clearly surprised - or perhaps pleased. Its breathing picks up, huffs of steam coming out of its mouth, before finally it tosses its head back, letting out yet another scream, far louder than all those before it. Only then does it brandish its weapon, a gore-splattered halberd with an odd, twisted blade.
Lowering its head again, the demon Kezurkian slathers its tongue over the end of its weapon, covering it with putrid saliva. Even from afar you can sense its bloodlust.
Still unsure of Cloaky's position in the situation as ally or foe, Narkû moves to the other side of the cloaked figure to either defend or slay the figure.
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Current Effects: Whetstone edge on falchion and scimitar, +1 damage on next successful hit;
Round One (Part 1)
Forced to dispense with the formalities, Narku abruptly pushes past Ruika to face down the demon. Kezurkian stares at him with his crazed eyes and starts to gnaw on the end of his halberd, grinding its blade in between his teeth.
I will move 20' directly NE, so 3 diagonal steps.
Thurrios brandishes Tempest and prepares to receive the demon's assault.
"We can do introductions later mystery person, prove yourself worthy and be counted a friend, do otherwise, and be treated likewise."
Round One (Part 2)
Thurrios moves past Ruika as well, prepared to take the ferocious demon's assault head-on.
prepared to take the ferocious demon's assault head-on.
Round 1
Able to prepare the battle field to his favor, Narkû warns his allies of the impending charge.
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Current Effects: Whetstone edge on falchion and scimitar, +1 damage on next successful hit; Tactician(Intercept Charge), 4rds, [Party]
Round One (Part 3)
Narku hastily warns his comrades of a potential charge, instructing them on how to counteract such an attack.
As though to oblige the half-orc's strategy, Kezurkian lowers his large horns and charges forward, flecks of spit flying out the sides of his mouth as he rapidly closes the distance.
Ferocious as the charge appears, Narku stands his ground. Only at the last second does he carefully maneuver himself, avoiding the tips of Kezurkian's horns. The top of the demon's skull loudly rams into his armor, inflicting no major damage. Kezurkian quickly pulls his head away, giving it a quick shake before staring at the cavalier hatefully - he takes this opportunity to scream at his face.
Can I take my immediate action to have moved 20' to get along the path of the charge and get my AOO as he charged by? Can someone move me?
18-20/x2
Anapa moves up to the demon, his weapon wreathed in black flames
"May Anubis send you to Apep with haste abomonation!"
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Out of the deep folds of the cloaked figure comes a deep, but feminine laugh as Narkû charges forward. "Добро, тоа е начинот да се делува." the figure says softly to themselves.
The laugh continues softly as the rest throw themselves into the fray attacking the demon. Whilst in the shade of her cowl there's a glint of burnished gold, a light curse slips from her lips aimed at the demonic creature.
From within the folds of her robes, held within pale hands is produced a wickedly curved dagger of a silvery material.