Ferocia screeches at the puny man who stabbed her and tries to tear him in half with her teeth! Then she lashes out with a claw.
Anneka watches, spellbound, as Ferocia savagely rips the creature apart. It's surreal to see the dwarf she has known for so long, and sold so many bearclaws to, now become a feral monkey.
Not that she's complaining.
Azalia double moves, trying to catch up.
Azalia double moves, trying to catch up.
Anneka circles about the tower as she ascends up toward the top with Ferocia.
Ferocia screeches at the puny man who stabbed her and tries to tear him in half with her teeth! Then she lashes out with a claw. At the end of her rain of blows the figure falls hurtling to the foot of the tower.
Anneka watches, spellbound, as Ferocia savagely rips the creature apart. It's surreal to see the dwarf she has known for so long, and sold so many bearclaws to, now become a feral monkey.
Not that she's complaining.
Marten casts telekinetic charge on Drazh. He grumbles something about "proper strategic notification" after he does so.
Azalia double moves, trying to catch up.
Miron powers up the stairs, urgently towards more secure ground.
Sounds of snapping and breaking reverberate around the tower as groaning would gives unable to bare the assault of our heroes.
...quick thinking and very aware of how much gravity can hurt both Marten and Drazh hold onto foot holds and broken bits of beam jutting from the wall.
Fortunately Drazh is not far from the top and Marten is much lighter even if further down. Ferocia will be able to aid them to get to the top after a few minutes.
Four Three immense bronze bells hang from timbers here, affixed by rusting lengths of chain and thick ropes. Above the bells are massive gears and clockworks, although they seem both rusted and scavenged—many of the smaller components are missing entirely. The rickety wooden stairs wind up and around them but don’t quite reach the ceiling above, coming to an end at an opening in the wall. Here, the stairs continue up the exterior of the tower to a room that must lie just beyond the ceiling directly above the bells.
Azalia spider climbs to the entrance, looking to see if this is where the rope is attached from outside.
Miron turns to Ferocia:
"Ferocia, will you assist Marten and Drazh in getting up here? I will keep watch for further enemies."
Miron has bow back in hand and looks around the floor, seeking evidence and enemies.
"Oo."
The massive monkey grunts in reply. She reaches out to pick up Marten in her clawed, hairy hands. Then she carries him up to a safe landing. She climbs back down and does the same for Drazh.
Seeing what looks like a makeshift platform outside, Ferocia peeks her head out to see what it is.
When Ferocia reaches the bottom of the tower, she finds Marten examining the bodies of the two men that had fallen from above. Marten will collect anything interesting or valuable that survived impact and then hang onto Ferocia's back as she climbs him to the top.
As they climb, Marten talks to Ferocia now that nobody else can hear them.
"Pay no attention to anyone placing a stigma on your abilities. We each walk our own paths to reach the height of our power. If we continue on this investigation, for example, 'shape change' effects will not be the most unusual thing any of them will see."
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Azalia does indeed find the part where she attached her rope. A few ravens sit on this exposed outside section, the caw noisily at her.
A timber cabinet with a mesh door sits against the southern wall of this room, while a boarded-up door stands in the wall to the east.
This large and cluttered room is filled with immense gears and clockworks. Most of them appear to have rusted into place.
You must be nearing the top of the tower, but will it reveal any truths for your investigations?
|
Drazh shook as he walked up the tower. He had flown! He thought he was falling but he was going up. It was unnatural to say the least. And now he was at the top of a tower with no stairs going down. It was a terrifying prospect. Oddly enough, the promise of foes to fight steadied him. He could hit an enemy with a hammer, that wasn’t scary. But to fall to the ground? No amount of skill could defend against that.
Anneka's wings melt away. So she sprouts another pair as needed to follow along with the others.
The smoky, fIlthy rooftops of Underbridge sprawl below this dizzying perch. The conical roof supports an onyx statue of an angel. Towering like a god, her weathered features are caked with grime, making her seem almost demonic in countenance. At the far end of the hollow space under the roof, in the angel’s shadow, is a nest of cushions, silk sheets, and a line of several small chests.
A cloud of spores and a trail of feathers surrounds this twisted cross between a man and a gigantic vulture. It sits hunched preening itself.
This creature is a Vrock, a demon bent on destruction from the Abyss itsel. They are resistant to most mundane attacks save for blessed weapons. They are immune to electricity and poison.
Finally you have a foe before you to smash you feel confident this thing should be dispatched.
You realise the creature before you is a cunningly fashioned illussion!
Drazh-Surprise round! Charge
First Round
Miron
Monster
Marten
Ferocia
Drazh
Azalia
Anneka
"A demonic Vrock! Weapons that have been blessed will be effective where most others will not. It is immune to electricity and poison."
Miron casts detect magic in hopes of uncovering more information.
"Clever just not clever enough little dwarf!" A thick shaft of a large darkwood spear and it's tip drives through Drazh's shoulder. A large creature with a serpentine lower body and a female humanoid upper body wields the spear while wearing a strange mask. Drazh's armour barely turns aside the rest of it's blows. A oppressive feeling of despair begins to seep into everyones mind!
You are overwhelmed with sadness and despair, taking –2 penalties on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls for 6 minutes.
Drazh nauseated with despair for 1 round.
The queens of a race consumed by bitterness and predatory instinct, lamia matriarchs mastermind all manner of foul plots in hopes of breaking the bestial curse that afflicts their race. They move with shocking ease from silken-tongued temptresses to dervishes, striking with all the deadly precision of vipers. Quick to covet, enslave, and overindulge, lamia matriarchs luxuriate in gory feasts, violent trysts, and bloody entertainments, reveling until their playthings are broken or until they tire and move on. They wield magic and are resistant to it.
Marten
Ferocia
Drazh
Azalia
Anneka
Drazh
Miron
Monster
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Anneka flies up to the entrance of the hollow and sees the monster inside. Even in the shadow of the Irespan, the light suddenly falls a little more pallid.
Ferocia screeches at the snake lady and beats her chest! Then she lashes out at the woman with her powerful jaws!
Azalia despairs, looking down at the rope below and briefly wondering what it would feel like to fall from this height.
Azalia knows that nothing really matters, and all of this is likely pointless, but just to be seen to be making some kind of effort, she casts magic missile, targeting the snake girl.
Anneka can't help but wonder if this will be their end.
Marten is dismayed that he did not recognize the Vrock for an illusion, and is worried about what other strategies this enemy may employ.
Marten casts his second haste spell on everybody. Obviously.
Marten is dismayed that he did not recognize the Vrock for an illusion, and is worried about what other strategies this enemy may employ.
Marten casts his second haste spell on everybody. Obviously.
Ferocia screeches at the snake lady and beats her chest! (Activating her bear minor aspect as a swift action to gain extra CON). Then she lashes out at the woman with her powerful jaws! As Ferocia charges in the snake woman thrusts at her with a spear.
Drazh spun around, looking more angry than hurt. ”Khazukan kazakit-ha!” He roared, as he swung his hammer again and again and again. His mind was like a fortress, it’s gates barred and defended. He refused her magic. He let his anger carry him. The snake woman deftly moves her spear to assault Drazh as he approaches.
Azalia despairs, looking down at the rope below and briefly wondering what it would feel like to fall from this height. Azalia knows that nothing really matters, and all of this is likely pointless, but just to be seen to be making some kind of effort, she casts magic missile, targeting the snake girl but to her horror the spell leave the creature unharmed.
Anneka flies up to the entrance of the hollow and sees the monster inside. Even in the shadow of the Irespan, the light suddenly falls a little more pallid. Anneka can't help but wonder if this will be their end.
Miron unleashes a hail of arrows but doesn't succeed at harming the creature.
The snake woman turns her head towards Drazh. Her intricate mask is made of gold-plated iron. Writhing snake tails radiate from a gemstone upon the brow, almost as if they were medusa-like hair. The central gemstone to glow with pale green light.
You're petrified!
Marten
Ferocia
Drazh
Azalia
Anneka
Miron
Monster HP-41
Ferocia howls again then lashes out at the snake woman! Biting and clawing repeatedly!
---
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Anneka flies around the tower behind Drazh. The height is dizzying, and it's all she can do to focus on Drazh's position. Approaching from the air, she delivers a healing spell.
[dice=Know (dungeoneering)]1d20+15
Hey Kevin, any ruling on this?
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Seeing her magic missiles do absolutely nothing, Azalia says under her breath.
Figures. I'm cursed. First with this skin that made my whole nation hate me, and then even when I find someplace more accepting, some undead freak decides to chase me around, coming back to life even after we kill him, and now the spell that always works doesn't work. Why am I even trying?
She shoots off some arrows in the general direction of the snake girl, certain that she will miss.
(rapid shot)
(haste)
Deliberating for a moment when he notices that Azalia's spell has no effect on the enemy, Marten's already intense expression increases as he tries to force his next spell through the creature's spell resistance.
Miron desperately tries to fathom what the threat in front of them is. His initial thoughts lead to the creature being a Vrock, a despicable servant of chaos, but on a moment's more inspection he surmises it as an illusion.
When he sees the true enemy, he cannot recognise it.
Doing his best to ignore Azalia's defeatist comments, his bow launching arrows as he does so, he shouts to the others:
"Does anyone know what manner of creature we face? I can bring it down faster if I know what it is!"
Tooth and claw, hammer and lightning, a volley of arrows and the beast is done. It's serpentine form soon collapses to the ground. The shadow clock is still once more returned to it's crumbling nature and it appears you have done in the monster behind the cult activity leaving a spate of murders around Magnimar.
An impaler of thorns is a +1 longspear. Once per day as it strikes a foe, the wielder can cause it (as a free action) to unleash a 30-foot-radius burst of despair that affects all creatures not wielding an impaler of thorns. Creatures affected must succeed at DC 16 Will saves or become overwhelmed with sadness and despair, taking –2 penalties on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls for 6 minutes. The target struck when this effect is triggered must also succeed at a second DC 16 Will save to resist becoming nauseated with despair for 1 round.
The mask grants a +4 bonus on all saving throws against visual effects, including gaze attacks and sight-based illusions. Once per day as a standard action, the wearer can ca she may target any one creature within 30 feet. The targeted creature must succeed at a DC 15 Fortitude save or be petrified for 1 minute, as if by flesh to stone.
Sihedron medallion- 1750gp to sell
Keys to locked chests
In the Chests
33,000 cp
8,100 sp
900 gp
100 pp
4,200 gp of various bits of jewelry and small pouches of gemstones.
Potions of cure moderate wounds X4
+2 Small kukri
Ring of jumping 1,250gp to sell
Golembane scarab
My sister—
I trust your little band of murderers is doing well, gathering the greedy souls for our Lord’s rise? Has Magnimar proven to be as sinful as you had hoped? It may interest you to know that my plan to nurture greed here in this backwater has blossomed—the quality of greed in a soul is so much more refined when it is given the proper care.
Are you still simply carving the Sihedron on them as they expire? How crude! My method of marking is so much more elegant. In any event, I’m sure that your plans for harvesting greed where and when you can find it “in the wild” are progressing well enough—I just hope that your raw, ungroomed, and likely inferior victims don’t interact poorly when mixed with the purity of my own subjects. If you tire of your little project there, know that you’re always welcome to come to Turtleback Ferry and serve as my assistant, little sister! Fort Rannick should be in our control by the time you receive this letter, in any event, so there’ll be plenty of room for you if you wish to take me up on my generous offer.
Oh! Before I forget! Have you managed to harvest that lord-mayor yet? By all accounts, he might just be the cream of the crop in Magnimar—his soul might even rival several from my hand-grown harvest!
Miron searches the area, suspicious that more enemies may lurk nearby.
He spots the crumpled parchment and examines it.
After a few moments, he says out loud:
"And we shall need every bit of that gold Drazh. This monster was a 'sister', literal or otherwise, of another cultist leader in Turtleback Ferry, which we purged. Both of them 'nurturing greed' in souls through differing methods and Fort Rannick is noted as being expected in their control soon. The author presents themselves as more subtle and refined than *this*.", pointing to the monstrous corpse.
"They also implicated the lord-mayor as a target, though whether they have been corrupted yet or not is another question. Being described as potentially 'cream of the crop in Magnimar' is no compliment in this context. We must warn the Proctor immediately."
Miron sees no more enemies only the caws of the ravens. One of them has moved into the room and sides on a rafter watching, clearly going to descend and scavenge meat from your fallen foe.
After the artificial despair wears off, Azalia feels much better.
She takes the Sihedron medallion and decides to wear it as a reminder of the battle and being able to overcome even despair.
After reading the parchment, Marten absently passes it to someone else and purses his lips in thought.
"This is not the first time our enemies have made mention of 'greed' as an almost tangible quantity. There was Xanesha's note to Aldern Foxglove, where it was mentioned that greed can go to waste."