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1. Somewhat, but not very.
2. Yes, but in the same way that any human could potentially be negotiated with.3. They are normally small.
Peri creates some illusory copies of herself to further defend herself, and leaves Exiel to fend off the chrysmals.
The chrysmals converge on the three of you who are still standing by the altar.
On Ignatious:
On Oswin:
On Exiel:
Three of the chrysmals go for Ignatious, lashing out with their scoprion-like tail stings. One of them seizes and opening and lunges towards a particularly vulnerable spot...but its sting passes right through him! The other 2 however coordinate their strikes well and are able to get him rather painfully.
Two more go for Oswin, but he easily fends them off with his shield.
The last three go for Exiel, but seem to make rather poor attempts at attacking, and he easily evades them.
Initiative order:
Round 1
Exiel: 23
Oswin: 15
Peri: 14
Chrysmals x 8: 14
---------------------------------------------------------Actions Resolved
Reiko:13
Ignatious: 5
Reiko and Ignatious declare actions, the rest wait as something will be happening at the end of this round. ;)
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Reiko moves up and delivers a strike at what she thinks should be a vital point...but the tugging sensation she feels causes her to lose focus on the creature at the last second, as she ends up swinging at air!
As the creatures continue to press in on the party, you continue to feel the tugging at your persons, and reality continues to melt away.
You see the chrysmals looking about in apparent bewilderment, then retreat beneath the ground. Zeeva and a few of the other people in the market stare in amazement at you, though upon further observation it becomes apparent that they are looking through rather than at you.
You find yourselves in a small clearing of sparse trees, in which stands a solitary table of stone before a pool of clear water. A simple camp with a smoldering campfire and a large tent made from animal skins and wooden poles has been set up to the east. Superimposed over the idyllic landscape is a gray, ghostly image of the Green Market-its wagons, carts, and stalls seemingly untouched from a moment before. This image fades to mist approximately sixty feet away, revealing a great battle being fought farther in the distance on all sides.
A booming voice sounds out, resonating strangely in the hollow space.
"I was never a pacifist. My belief was merely that the way forward for my people was unity. The Azghat divided us in the time before memory, but the world had moved on. Every quah could maintain its honor, but without the need to divide the people against itself. So I renounced the powers of the sun and the flame, to walk the green path-to become the Green Heart."
Suddenly, a humanoid figure appears above the stone table. His form is comprised of swirling fiery energy and wispy vapour, and he has the semblance of a bald male, garbed in hide armor and holding a short spear in hand. A corona of fire sheathes his head and rises from his eyes. Molten gold drips from where a spearhead and shaft protrude from his chest. He is flanked by 2 towering creatures of animate flame.
"I was such a fool!" He snarls as he approaches you, emitting an ominous heat that belies his intentions for you.
Initiative:
Initiative order:
Round 2
Exiel: 23
---------------------------------------------------------Actions Resolved
Firey things: 19
Ghostly person: 18
Oswin: 15
Peri: 14
Reiko:13
Ignatious: 5
Exiel, actions please. Everyone, please also roll a knowledge plains.
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Exiel, you realise that you have all been shunted to the ethereal plane, which is why the people in the green market can no longer see you. You realise however that if the beings before you are also in the ethereal plane, and they appear to be, then you will be able to attack them normally (but if they are also incorporeal, then that will still apply normally). More importantly, whilst on the ethereal plane, you are capable of moving in any direction, even up or down, albeit at half normal speed. This could be important, as I realised that I forgot to mention 2 things:
1. The stone table is about 5ft high.
2. The ghostly humanoid is 5ft above the table (10 ft above ground).
Initiative order:
Round 2
Exiel: 23 (0ft above ground)
---------------------------------------------------------Actions Resolved
Firey thing facing left: 19 (0ft above ground)
Firey thing facing Right: 19 (0ft above ground)
Ghostly person: 18 (10ft above ground)
Oswin: 15 (0ft above ground)
Peri: 14 (0ft above ground)
Reiko: 13 (0ft above ground)
Ignatious: 5 (0ft above ground)
Exiel, you also realise that the two big creatures are really big fire elementals. They are big, they burn things that they hit, and are usually very fast. Also, they have the usualy elemental traits and immunities.
Peri, you can take a knowledge religion if you wish to see if any of those creatures are undead.
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Exiel darts forward whilst the ghostly figure is still speaking. Recognising the plane that you are in and the implications of being on the ethereal plane, he rises up to just below the ghostly man's feet and deftly yanks the man's spear out of his hands.
The firey creatures beside him immediately lunge into action, swinging at Exiel with flaming appendages (yes, they reach you from where they are).
The elementals strike Exiel once each, dealing some damage. Both Exiel and Ignatious wince in pain as the force of the blows is shared between them.
The ghostly figure scowls at Exiel's audacity, but his burning gaze is instead fixed on Reiko.
"YOU! You are the one most responsible for the trouble at the market! YOU ABOVE ALL MUST SUFFER FOR YOUR CRIME!"
He floats a little further from Exiel and utters an incantation. Suddenly a long plane of fire springs up between Reiko and the rest of the party. Waves of heat wash over Reiko, and she finds herself very grateful that the party has been warded against flames. The ghostly humanoid however also notes this, and his face grows more livid with rage.
Initiative order:
Round 2
Exiel: 23 (0ft above ground)
Firey thing facing left: 19 (0ft above ground)
Firey thing facing Right: 19 (0ft above ground)
Ghostly person: 18 (15ft above ground)
---------------------------------------------------------Actions Resolved
Oswin: 15 (0ft above ground)
Peri: 14 (0ft above ground)
Reiko: 13 (0ft above ground)
Ignatious: 5 (0ft above ground)
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Exiel smiles as he notes the ghostly man cautiously stepping back to cast his spell.
"I only had one weapon in hand that I could use, and he still stepped back to cast his spell. This must mean..."
"You don't like being stabbed with your own spear, do you?"
Exiel moves up after the ghostly figure and attacks the ghost-man with his own spear.
+anything from the spear
+anything from the spear, using 1-handed for now
+anything from the spear
+anything from the spear, using 1-handed for now
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Peri can move up to 30ft vertically and her images will move with her.
Exiel, you can make that 5ft adjustment, but only because of the weird way that movement works in the ethereal plane as far as I can tell. If you think of the 3 axis, you can adjust 5ft in each axis in 1 adjustment. So you do get your full attack. And you are at 5ft elevation.
Reiko will be risking going through the wall of fire, and you can get to where you have indicated with no trouble. You can get an elevation of up to 35ft with your double move. By the way, the ghost-thing is the blue-ish thing just south of the fire elemental. The flame you are beside is just a campfire.
Ignatious is at 18 hp and holding the charge on a healing spell. That's quite brave.
Waiting on Oswin to declare actions.
Initiative order:
Round 2
Exiel: 23 (5ft above ground)
Firey thing facing left: 19 (0ft above ground)
Firey thing facing Right: 19 (0ft above ground)
Ghostly person: 18 (15ft above ground)
---------------------------------------------------------Actions Resolved
Oswin: 15 (0ft above ground)
Peri: 14 (0ft above ground)
Reiko: 13 (0ft above ground)
Ignatious: 5 (0ft above ground)
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Oswin charges in towards the nearest flame creature, bracing himself for an opportunistic attack as he charges in, but is surprised when the creature strikes at him not once, but TWICE! (Once when you leave the square 15ft away from it, and again when you leave the square 10ft away from it. It seems to have very good reflexes in combat!)
It delivers two quick blows before Oswin plows into its side with a substantial hit, though Oswin gets the feeling that the elemental did not feel some of the blow (you feel it has some DR, but you don't know how much).
Peri rises 30ft into the air and attempts to bore the elemental that had just been struck by Oswin.
The creature looks at Peri...and if a creature of living flame could yawn, then it probably just did.
Reiko goes invisible, at which the ghostly-man lets out a howl of frustration. She scurries unseen to the back of the ghost-man, and presumably readies herself to unleash a barrage of (sneak) attacks. As she passes through the firey wall, the flames of the wall lick at her but she takes no damage thanks to Ignatious' ward.
Ignatious decides to go for broke, charging right at the ghostly-man, weaving an enchantment as he goes and mustering every ounce of positive and divine energy he could possibly muster in a single strike. As he passes, however, the nearby fire creature also lashes out at him twice in rapid succession.
The fire creature's attacks almost bring Ignatious to unconsciousness, but he perseveres just long enough to land his attack on the ghostly figure.
The ghost man howls in agony as a surge of white light is transmitted from Ignatious' hand into his form, dispersing some of the ghostly substance of his body, though some of the magic seems to have trouble clinging to his insubstantial form. As he lands his attack, the strain and the sum of his wounds causes Ignarious to lose consciousness, though his body does not fall to the ground.
Exiel shuffles in slightly and delivers two quick jabs with the ghostly man's spear. To his surprise, as the spear sinks into the ghostly form, it feels very much to him as if he were striking yielding flesh, and the ghostly form dissipates slightly with each stab of the spear.
The firey creatures continue their assaults on Oswin and Exiel.
The creature scores a hit on Exiel, and whilst he is happy to note that he does not feel the full force of the strike, he is horrified to note that a spurt of blood burst from Ignatious' mouth at the same time!
Oswin also suffers a hit, but fortunately none of it is passed to Ignatious.
The ghostly figure looks around, and failing to spot Reiko, fixes his gaze on the rest of you.
"You also were involved! You too must PAY!"
He floats further back from Exiel, directly above the invisible Reiko, and begins casting a spell, leaving himself wide open for Reiko!
Initiative order:
Round 3
Exiel: 23 (10ft above ground)
Firey thing facing left: 19 (0ft above ground)
Firey thing facing Right: 19 (0ft above ground)
---------------------------------------------------------Actions Resolved
Ghostly person: 18 (15ft above ground)
Oswin: 15 (0ft above ground)
Peri: 14 (30ft above ground)
Reiko: 13 (15 ft above ground)
Ignatious: 5 (10ft above ground)
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Reiko jabs the ghost in what she thinks should be a sensitive area. The ghost whips his head around in surprise, then in pain as the staff connects with him, and he struggles to maintain concentration on his spell.
He makes a heroic attempt at focusing on the spell, but Reiko had never come across or heard of a spellcaster who could cast a spell whilst being whacked in the balls. Fortunately for Ignatious, Reiko still has not come across or heard of a spellcaster who could cast a spell whilst being whacked in the balls.
The ghost gives Reiko a hateful glare, and as he does so, waves of heat begin to emanate from his body. Ignatious' ward continues to protect all of you from the heat, but it also causes the air around him to shimmer and warp.
Initiative order:
Round 3
Exiel: 23 (10ft above ground)
Firey thing facing left: 19 (0ft above ground)
Firey thing facing Right: 19 (0ft above ground)
Ghostly person: 18 (20ft above ground)
---------------------------------------------------------Actions Resolved
Oswin: 15 (0ft above ground)
Peri: 14 (30ft above ground)
Reiko: 13 (15 ft above ground)
Ignatious: 5 (10ft above ground)
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Exiel continues to press forward towards the ghost-man, taking 2 stabs as he goes. This time, however, he drops the hooked lance and changes to a 2-handed grip, and remembers to declare Smite Evil!
+anything from the spear, +6 if evil
+anything from the spear, +4 if evil
+anything from the spear, +6 if evil
+anything from the spear, +2 if evil
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Ignatious' reckless gamble pays off, as between the himself, Exiel and Reiko, the ghostly figure crumples into formless mist.
The ghostly figure reappears a few moments later, hovering directly above the stone altar. He appears to have calmed down, however, and solemnly dismisses the fire elementals with a wave of his hand. Proud and hot tears roll down his cheeks as the ghost explains with a heavy voice, "In returning to my original self, I forgot who I had later become, and why I was right to do so."
His armor passes through him to land on the ground with a thud, and he clutches at his chest and seems to pull the flames from his body into his heart as he closes his fist around it. Squeezing, he forms it into a glimmering red gem, which he tosses to the ground. A number of small beads formed from molten fire of his chest wounds also clatter to the ground.
"It is not weapons or armor which prevent peace, but succumbing to wrath. I see this now. I will not protect the Green Market, as others must find their own unity, unmotivated by fear."
The Shoanti ghost, now no longer smoldering and smoking, salutes to the party as though raising a spear (his own spear being held in Exiel's hands), and then melds with the stone table.
You have a few moments to collect the gem, armor and beads, and then inspect your surroundings for a way to return to the material plane. After about a minute, however, the scene before you begins to waver once more, and you find yourself once again in the Green Market. Zeeva Foxglove runs up to you and asks, "Where did you all go? One moment you were fighting those crystal spiders, and the next moment, you were gone, and the spiders simply burrowed back into the ground!"
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"In returning to my original self, I forgot who I had later become, and why I was right to do so."
"It is not weapons or armor which prevent peace, but succumbing to wrath. I see this now. I will not protect the Green Market, as others must find their own unity, unmotivated by fear."
The Shoanti ghost, now no longer smoldering and smoking, salutes to the party as though raising a spear (his own spear being held in Exiel's hands), and then melds with the stone table.
"Go in peace, then, warrior. We all fall, at times, and stumble from the path. Sometimes we need help finding our way back. The true Flame is welcoming to those that honestly seek it. My hope is that she finds a place for you to find yourself."
"Where did you all go? One moment you were fighting those crystal spiders, and the next moment, you were gone, and the spiders simply burrowed back into the ground!"
Bruised and bashed all to heck, "It's a long story, but I believe your supernatural worries are over. The spirit of the guardian has found his way, . . . past. It warned that it shall no longer guard this place, and charges you, "wifey", with that task. I believe our duty is done here, but before we leave, may I offer a suggestion. The spirit mentioned seeking unity. Whatever this place might have once been, it has a true second chance. The tribes we spoke to still feel bitter. Mistreated. It might serve you well to extend an invitation to them to return here, this place they feel is rightfully theirs, as allies. Open your heart to them, and see if they might fill the void of "guardianship" of this place, and against the Aspis."
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Reiko gathers the items with her companions.
"We went to another plane of existence I think. There we fought with what appeared to be the ghost of Galdron Greenhart. He was....confused it seemed and lashed out to us. We fought him and when we defeated him, I think he found insight in who he was. I believe he passed on peacefully. I don't think that the events of today will repeat themselves."
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Exiel starts to answer, then decides that the answers of his allies would suffice. He simply seats himself on the ground, contemplating just how close to death they had all come numerous times in the last 24 hours, especially with that tree earlier in the day.
All things considered he was just glad to be alive.
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Zeeva gives Ignatious a bemused smile, but considers his words seriously. "Yes, Greenheart no longer guards this place, but this place is still prosperous, and I am beginning to believe that it prospers by his blessing. Perhaps it would be wise to share that blessing with his people. This place will surely still require guards, and the Shoanti are well-suited for that purpose, if they are willing. And the market trades in many of the goods that they use and value. And as a gesture of my goodwill, I shall have Galdron Greenheart's shrine permanently unearthed and restored as a fountain in the center of the Green Market in his honour. I believe this may work well for all involved. "
"I thank you, Pathfinders, for your aid and counsel. You may report to your society's leaders that I am grateful for the assistance you have rendered, and if there is any way in which I can aid the society in the future, the society needs but ask."
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