Rameth shrugs as attacks bounce off his magic armors, he steps out of a possible flank studies swiftly and attacks the demon woman.
You know what the worst thing about this is, you weren't even good in bed.
for using more inspiration
The succubus screams and renews her exortations that Mesdoram attack.
The succubus will try to grab Rameth.
But fails to grab hold of him.
Dor you are going to be buying me drinks for a month after this!
for
Rameth makes sure he stays out of flank and plunges the Spear into the creatures chest
knowledge check as needed. planes is +7
The succubus screams again after another hammerblow from Rameth.
Curse you! My children, attack this fool!
Unfortunately for Mohini, the cultists around her are busy running and screaming from the arrows and Yaduraya who's using a ribbon-like sword to slice up some of the cultists.
Your life for mine, Pathfinder!
Mesdoram attacks again.
Rameth is close to death, but seeing Mesdoram against him he knows that the battle is now lost, he presses on.
Dor, I will enjoy seeing you in hell for this!
any way to break the domination?
Perhaps this will avert that last attack on me and he can make it on her
Could use some arrows over here! Rameth shouts out, but he knows he doesn't speak the language.
He slams down his true strike and tries to take her with him
for
On the attack he releases his studied strike
Your Gurkhals are confused by the attacks by Mesdoram, but they know a demon when they see one and they let fly.
She might be a demon scorned, but she's still a woman and she goes for Rameth's eyes.
Failing to find purchase she roars at Mesdoram to assault Rameth.
Mesdoram breaks free of her control, as if from a dream.
You b@@!$!
He lunges for the succubus.
And drives his rapier through her heart.
Panting at the mental strain he turns to Rameth.
We've really *gasp* got to get you *gasp* a better class *gasp* of bedmate.
Then he'll faint.
The succubus screams in pain and hatred as her time on the Material Plane is shuttered.
NOOOOOOOOOOO! THEIR HUMAN LIVES WILL BE OVER WHEN I CAN RETURN AND TAKE MY REVENGE! MY QUEEEEEEN! AVENGEEEEE ME!
In a burst of brimstone and darkness she vanishes from the ground and the remaining cultists, seeing their high priestess and protector die, flee into the jungle pursued by arrows.
OK two things. One. What the crap?! Two. You are doing the dishes and the cooking for the next month.
He kicks dirt at Mesdoram
[bThree. Ow[/b]
He plops on the ground and takes his CLW extract
I don't like the sound of the queen...
Then he rummages in his pack then belt pouch, then snaps his fingers and inside a small false compartment in the heal is a small holy symbol of Brigh
Not a word pirate!
He closes his eyes and for the first time anyone who knows him can remember he prays to Brigh
Hey...so, I shouldn't be here. That demon should have slaughtered me. So I figure you must have helped me companion here break free and made her dumb enough to not hit me with another spell...so thanks...um...I owe you I guess...yea good talk...lets do it again sometime.
He pauses for a bit
Mesdoram continues to peacefully sleep after being mind-controlled.
He looks infuriatingly restful despite the dirt.
rameth gets up and used some dyes to paint an eyepatch and "call me stupid" on mesdorams face. After he frees the pathfinders
Mesdoram will wake up and groan at the headache he has.
I hate those damn succubi. I ever tell you about the time...
He shows absolutely no worry about any painting on his face.
As he's digging around he finds a cache of gold and gems dug up by the temple and stored in one of the dilapidated rooms. He shares it out amongst all of you, and Rameth and Mesdoram get 1,950 gp worth of loot in the bargain.
Thank the gods you arrived.
The Pathfinders are almost pathetically grateful at your arrival.
I swear, they were about to sacrifice us to their damn demon lord. But who sent you?
Your boss, who is going to get a major punch in the jaw when I get back, teaming us up with a succubis. What an a!%&!$%
The Pathfinders will look at you surprised.
Who? We don't have a boss anymore - our Venture Captain was killed during the battle?
If there's nothing else, the Gurkhals and Mesdoram will gather together the loot and get everyone back to the caravan site, then start the trek back to Niswan.
Rameth describes the man that sent them the asks what happened
I've never met anyone like that, although that does sound like our chapter house.. Our Captain was a half-orc named Bonecrusher, he was killed when we walked into the ambush. I don't know what they were doing here, but the cultists - they must have lured us here with that story of the lost city.
The Pathfinder who's talking, and has a fancy hat, looks exhausted and malnourished.
They summoned that...thing they were using as a high priestess when they sacrificed the first caravan apparently. I just wish I knew what they were thinking with sacrificing us?
Rameth quickly takes out some rations and softens them for the malnrouished fellow
Well we better get you guys back. Anyone want a hit?
Rameth pulls out his booze
The Pathfinders gratefully accept, and travel back with you to Niswan. The beasts are still present, prowling, but much less...feral looking. The city seems much cheerier all things considered.
When you return to the lodge the man, Blackoak, is missing. The furniture is covered in dustsheets but a small note is waiting with your names on it next to two scrolls.
I was so pleased to discover you'd survived your trip into the jungle. I honestly had thought that at least one of you would perish there at the Demon Lord's Lost Temple, but as I am sure you will agree one must make sacrifices when playing a larger game. You came highly recommended from a fellow player in the city of Wati and I can see his judgement was as impeccable as it has been.
Do not fret however, your toils were in an excellent cause. The eruption of a demon invasion on Niswan would have disrupted trade terribly, and I do need the trade from Vudra to move through to the Inner Sea for the foreseeable future. In recompense for your service, I have left two enchantments for you - little bonuses to your physical well-being. A small bit of gold to have the spells cast, of course, but I'm sure you managed to find a small amount in your travels.
Demons do love their shiny baubles.
I am certain we will see each other again, and until then I wish you good health and a lucrative future.
Your friend,
M
local for Wati and here to see if the M might be someone we know.
good prize there! we both need to save for a way finder and clear spindle stone
The only "player" who might have recommended you in Wati was Ibrahim. But who would he recommend you to?
The trail soon goes cold and Rameth and Mesdoram realize that they will simply have to wait for the other player to make himself known. They find themselves back in Magnimar, where Rameth has some contacts, and more importantly a place to stay while the next move is plotted and planned.
Rameth spends his evenings drinking, while Mes spends his gambling and womanizing, all in all it is a good vacation. One evening while Rameth has already drunken himself into a stupor Mesdoram notices a burly looking man, with the look of a warrior in the corner drinking, looking otherwise broken. Mesdoram, being a few cups in is overcome by curiosity and he wanders over and says...
You look like a man with a tale to tell. Can I buy you a drink?
Sometimes greed gets the better of you. It did of me and my friends and not there is no one left. Just what is left of me. He gestures to his leg, Mesdoram looks down and sees it is missing below the knee.
Now that sounds like a hell of a sea story.
He'll settle at the table and then toss his mug at Rameth's head.
Barkeep! Two fingers of the meanest swill you've got for my no-longer-sleeping-friend, a bottle of your finest red for me and the storyteller!
Rameth sits up and shrugs, feeling good about himself and he takes the swill happily.
You know the basics. We were a groups of strangers who met at a bar and became adventurers. We wound up being pretty good too, killed more monsters than we can count, made tons of loot. A few months ago we got word of a Orc warlord who had a treasury in Belzkin. I mean they were orcs, how hard could it be. We fought our way in and it was going well until they was a deafening roar and we were filled with dread, then a horrific blast of cold hit us, everyone else was frozen solid and I left the rest of my leg there. I managed to crawl out of there as I was taunted mercilessly by the orcs who for some reason let me leave. So now I am alone and lame, so I drink.
More fool than I - Belkzen is hardly "just Orcs".
Aye, that's terrible. What was it that hit - a White dragon?
No idea. I never saw it
Well, not to be indelicate about this, but where was this treasury?
you really wanna know?
Mesdoram waits when the waitress delivers the wine, a fine vintage from Southern Varisia tasting of sunshine and starfruit. Then once she's out of earshot he leans in.
I do. My friend over there, he says jerking a thumb at Rameth, and I are looking for trouble and treasure to fund an expedition to the Dragon Empires.
I know this place is painful for you, and I won't gainsay you the drink. My friend seems to, well, have a problem and it's hard to see good friends die. But as my friend is fond of saying, he's fought death. And I need coin to get back home and take my rightful place, and anywhere that well protected has to be something special.
He shrugs and pulls out a map and puts it on the table.
[b] pay for my room for the rest of the month and all I can drink and its yours
I'll pay for your room and cover a generous drink allowance, but I've seen my friend drink and I don't have all-you-can-drink money. Mesdoram counters.
He seems honest btw
He counters after looking at the purse
200. That will let me have a few nights of the good stuff. I saw the treasure. Thousands of gold. Maybe tens of thousands are there.
Mesdoram will think about it.
I'll make Rameth split the cost if it pays out.
Done. Making sure to shake the drunk's hand, he'll lean over.
Show me on the map.
He smiles sadly as if he knows there should be a better way to live.
He reaches into his adventurer pack and pulls out the map and shows Mesdoram. He points out the mountains in the hold of Belzkin.
Here is how we infiltrated to avoid the bulk of the danger. He traces a path through th eRealm of the Mammoth Lords. Though were we coming from here I would have considered taking a boat all the way up through the Storval planes. I suspect there would be more raids, but it would probably be safe enough.
He then points out a spot in the Kodak mountains, about what looks like 5 miles from the mouth of the river. This is where we found the orc warlord camp. There were lots to them but we managed to battle our way in easily enough. There is a secret door into the mountain complex here. He points. There were lots of traps on it, we got caught because there was a mechanical alarm on it, as well as a magical one. We missed the magical one. Inside there are tons of rooms, each one has different kinds of supplies. Food, weapons, armor, you get the idea.
He slides it across the table.