@Vertielle: it's quite possible that the Beast, or any other golem, can be controlled by some outside force. In fact, given what he said about finding himself in the university, and the fact that the item he took is sill missing, he may very well have been being controlled at that point and passed the item off to his controller.
The young man thinks a bit "Controlled? Probably. Most people creating such creatures do have some method of control. Usually, though, it's the first thing destroyed if the slay their creator. With Dr. Moritz dead, I guess you'd have to find his notes to see how he was planning to do so. And why it failed. Pity you can't just call him up and ask him" he half jokes. "But even 'Speak With Dead' is frowned on in Ustalav."
"Poor Dr. Moritz. He was instrumental in the group that led to the formation of the Palintates and the removal of the old nobility in them, and even getting the rest of Ustalav to accept that status. He was such a hero to the masses, I don't understand why he would have experimented like that. I guess even heroes have clay feet."
"Maybe he was just trying to prove himself better than the old count. I've heard he was a master alchemist, but he's cut himself off from the county since he was deposed. I'm not even sure he's still alive, or even still at his old family shloss. Though I've heard it's quite a masterwork of architecture. It's a bit to the north of here, past the entry to the Shudderwood."
As you continue your research, you are approached by another stranger, a tall, dark-haired, well-dressed man, who greets you "Aren't you Vertielle Seipar, student and friend of the late Petros Lorrimor?"
He bows, politely and elegantly. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Adivion Adrissant, also a friend and student of the late Professor. Such a pity about his loss. I always knew, though, that his inquiries would be his end. Can I help you in any way?"
Here he smiles, "I admire your courage and refinement, and your courage in accepting -all- of your companions, and in your grace in handling the -rather unfortunate- attitudes of the locals concerning your blood. A prejudice *I* do not share, I assure you."
Concerning my what?
She smiles charmingly.
Getting rather crowded in here, for being so late, she says in jest.
The man -Adrissant?- smiles disarmingly. "While I have met many elves -and other races- in my travels with poor Lorimor, the average Ustalavian feels that elves betrayed and abandoned them after the sealing of the Tyrant, leaving us to rebuild without the aid we so desperately needed. And of course, with Belkzen so close and so constantly a threat, orcs -and those of orcish blood- are always a threat. And as for halflings, well *I* know they're not some odd fey being planing mischief, or worse, but most common folk here will - not."
he takes a seat across from you. "But such prejudice would only blind them to such a charming lady as yourself. Can I assist you in any way? As one friend of Petros to another?"
You knew the professor, then? What did you study? I seem to find his friends everywhere I turn.
Wood quietly researches the people visited in the last two days.
"Weel, yer Judgeness, t'anks fer 'avin' us over. Sorry 'bout Vertielle. Dunno why she's always diggin' on our lillest member, been doin' it since I've known 'er. An' I t'ink ya joined on 'bout th' same time I did, right, Zhiden? Kept t'inkin' mebbe I missed sumthin'."
Rova sighs, "Sum folk, dey jus' need ta pick on someon' or somethin'. Don' pretend ta un'erstand it."
"I studied many things with him, but my efforts were more -academic- in nature. Fieldwork is so...messy and dangerous. And there is a need for those who remain in the background, preparing the way for the more adventurous types. Supporting them, backing them, paving the way for their discoveries. Perhaps, one so talented as yourself would find such efforts more suited to your taste and talents. And safer. I'd hate to see you and your friends fall like poor Petros. If you need any help establishing yourself, please ask. I'd be delighted to help."
He smiles, charmingly. "But, please, I seem to be hogging this conversation. Tell me all about your adventures, and what happened to poor Petros. I'm afraid I couldn't quite make it there. Other commitments I couldn't shake, you understand. Perhaps, over a late dinner?"
He will continue flirting and questioning you for as long as you stay.
Afterwards, you all can meet at breakfast for further planning.
You have the Beast's invitation and a sealed note from Judge Daramid for the count. She has informed you that the schloss is approximately 24 miles northeast of Lepidstadt, in a rocky gorge at the edge of Dippelmere Swamp.
Note: the seal resembles the eye symbol on the sealed book you delivered to her.
As you approach the area, the fens give way to a deep, rocky gorge at the northern end of the swamp. You can see a peculiar building(or, rather, group of buildings) clinging to steep cliff edges above half a dozen plummeting waterfalls. Beyond a fortified gatehouse, a stone bridge arches gracefully over the raging torrents below. Perched precariously beyond this is a fine, fortified manse and a ruined building that appears to have partially collapsed into the river below. A slender rope bridge, replacing fallen remnants of a stone bridge, links the ruined building to a strange tower pierced with beautiful, stained-glass windows depicting bizarre beasts. A further building teeters to the north of these, but it's impossible to see how that one is reached. Far above, a great tower rises from an isle of stone into the sky, ending in a huge steeple topped with an equally huge lightning conductor.
Vertielle meets up with the group, silent as the grave.
Vertielle has a charming evening and dinner, spending the night in a small bed and breakfast on the outskirts of town where hopefully no locals harry her or her new friend Adivion.
110gp light combat-trained horse
16gp riding kit
15gp 1 point of influence in Caliphas
"Impressive!"
"Shall we knock!"
And he does.
Evangline
Rova
Vertielle
Wood
Zhiden
Wood, do you still want to march right up?
Eva whispers to the group
"Oh Crap, I see two Trollhounds sleeping in the shadows."
Wood stops short.
"Whoa!"
Maybe they're friendly. Kind of an exotic guard dog, to be sure, but...
Slavering and voracious, trollhounds seem to be trolls in smaller canine form, and indeed, are often found as pets among gangs and tribes of trolls. Requiring vast amounts of food to fuel their regenerative metabolisms, packs of wild trollhounds range far and wide through the mountains of the north, their ravenous hunger driving them to hunt and consume any prey they can track down and kill.
A typical trollhound stands 4 feet tall at the shoulder, has short but powerful legs, and weighs around 350 pounds. A trollhound's skin is somewhat scaly, with patches of rough, greenish-black fur. It has oversized jaws with a pronounced underbite, and its eyes are normally a dull, hateful orange.
Trollhounds are believed to be the outcome of infusing particularly ferocious worgs with alchemically prepared troll blood. The resulting beast loses the worg's wicked intelligence but gains the ability to regenerate even the most grievous wounds, except those inflicted by fire or acid. Whatever their origin, trollhounds breed true and are often raised by trolls.
Trollhounds are fearless on the hunt and in combat, relying on their ability to regenerate to carry them through. Not even fire is enough to repel them, as the beasts are apparently too dull to recognize the danger it poses to them. Nevertheless, fire is one of the most effective tools in combating trollhounds, and canny hunters know to burn every last remnant of a slain trollhound, for as is true of trolls, even the smallest piece of trollhound flesh will eventually regrow into a full-sized trollhound.
The trollhound’s ability to regenerate requires vast amounts of food, like that of trolls, and trollhounds spend the majority of their lives on an endless hunt. They are normally carnivorous but will eat almost anything to assuage their voracious appetites, though vegetable matter proves a poor substitute for fresh meat. Trollhounds consume the entirety of their kills, leaving very little for scavengers. A powerful digestive system and quick metabolism make short work of fur, scales, hooves, horns, antlers, and even bones. Only stone and metal are later excreted, coated in foul-smelling slurry.
Trollhound females give birth to litters of up to a dozen pups, but only rarely does more than half that number survive to adulthood. Although trollhound pups are able to regenerate at birth and are born with a full set of teeth and claws, most fall victim to the hunger of their littermates or parents. Domesticated trollhound pups often meet the same fate as snacks for hungry juvenile trolls. Trollhound mothers feed their pups strips of meat from their own flesh until the pups are old enough to hunt for themselves, usually after about a year. Barring misfortune, a trollhound can live up to 20 years, though most die long before that, killed and devoured by their packmates or troll masters.
Habitat & Society
Trollhounds are most often found in the company of trolls, who breed the beasts as hunters, guards, pets, and food. Trollhounds seem to have an affinity for their giant masters, and tamed trollhounds always regard trolls as alpha members of the pack. Usually, a domesticated trollhound bonds with one particular troll. Thereafter, a trollhound fights to the death to defend its bonded troll, willingly laying down its life for its master. Unfortunately for most trollhounds, their troll masters rarely return this devotion. In times of hardship when food is scarce, a tribe’s trollhounds are usually the first item on the menu.
When not eating them for sustenance, trolls use trollhounds as guards for their lairs, as few trolls have the patience or attention span for long stretches of boring guard duty. Trolls also use trollhounds to aid them in their own hunts. Armed with an incredibly sensitive sense of smell, a trollhound can track prey for miles, often leading its troll masters to a den, lair, or settlement containing even more food. Once a hunt is successful, trolls and trollhounds share their kills, tearing indiscriminately into their prey and squabbling over scraps.
In the wild, trollhounds form packs under the leadership of an alpha male. Such packs usually contain only half a dozen adult trollhounds or so—when a pack grows larger, its members invariably fight one another for dominance. Those too weak to defend their position in the pack end up as food for the more dominant members, reducing the pack to a more manageable size. Only the alpha male and alpha female are allowed to mate, producing one litter at a time whenever the previous set of pups reaches adulthood. Fights for mating rights also serve to keep a pack’s numbers in check.
Trollhound dens are usually located among mountainous crags, frequently in small natural caves. A single pack can claim quite a large territory and hunts all manner of life in the region until it is depleted, at which point the pack moves on to a new territory. A trollhound pack does not tolerate any rival packs in its territory, and territorial disputes are common. Rather than drive away rivals, the victorious trollhound pack claims a free meal.
Zhiden didn't wait for any argument over what they were and how they would react. Instead, he quickly drew both swords and drew back into a crouch, a stance more conducive to moving unseen. The problem was, they could probably track him by sent in pitch darkness, judging by their appearance. As he prepared for whatever might come, he watched for a place he could move to, preferably one where his sent wouldn't betray him, and where he could attack, if necessary.
...They're kind of cute, she observes.
I wonder if they belong to the Count?
She looks around briefly.
I don't see any trolls around, anyways.
Actually - you don't see any outside, but...
You do see a large green arm at the window of one of the towers of the gatehouse.
Oh, dear. Well that can't be normal.
Vertielle whispers a string of ancient elven, her eyes flashing green.
"Fergetabboutit.. Dem t'ings ain't gonna wait. An' dey ain't gonna chat."
Rova will draw his blade and get ready for the combat he's expecting in..3..2..1..
Wood looks at the troll dogs and lights a torch.
He then casts and creatures of fire appear.
"If they get aggressive they will pay."
Wood points and the fire creatures head to the troll dogs.
+4 to listed STR and CON
Fire Elemental, Small
This creature looks like a living, mobile bonfire, tongues of flame reaching out in search of things to burn.
Small Fire Elemental
CR 1
XP 400
N Small outsider (elemental, extraplanar, fire)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +1 dodge, +3 natural, +1 size)
hp 11 (2d10)
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +0
Immune elemental traits, fire
Weaknesses vulnerability to cold
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft.
Melee slam +4 (1d4 plus burn)
Special Attacks burn (1d4, DC 11)
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Base Atk +2; CMB +1; CMD 13
Feats Dodge, Improved InitiativeB, Weapon FinesseB
Skills Acrobatics +5, Climb +4, Escape Artist +5, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (planes) +1, Perception +4
Languages Ignan
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Burn (Ex)
A fire elemental deals fire damage in addition to damage dealt on a successful hit in melee. Those affected by the burn ability must also succeed on a Reflex save or catch fire, taking the listed damage for an additional 1d4 rounds at the start of its turn. A burning creature can attempt a new save as a full-round action. Dropping and rolling on the ground grants a +4 bonus on this save. Creatures that hit a burning creature with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take fire damage as though hit by the burning creature and must make a Reflex save to avoid catching on fire. See Burn for more details.
ECOLOGY
Environment any (Plane of Fire)
Organization solitary, pair, or gang (3–8)
Treasure none
Fire elementals are quick, cruel creatures of living flame. They enjoy frightening beings weaker than themselves, and terrorizing any creature they can set on fire.
A fire elemental cannot enter water or any other nonflammable liquid. A body of water is an impassible barrier unless the fire elemental can step or jump over it or the water is covered with a flammable material (such as a layer of oil).
Fire elementals vary in appearance—they usually manifest as coiling serpentine forms made of smoke and flame, but some fire elementals take on shapes more akin to humans, demons, or other monsters in order to increase the terror of their sudden appearance. Features on a fire elemental's body are made by darker bits of flame or patches of semi-stable smoke, ash, and cinders.
A small fire elemental is 4 feet long and weighs 2 pounds
Good call, Wood. They'll regenerate if you don't burn them- and they're quite territorial.
Eva=1, Gkirkhan=2, Rova=3, Vertielle=4, Wood=5, Zhiden=6
Evangline
Gkirkhan
Rova
Vertielle
Wood
Zhiden
trollhound x2
troll x?
The old road had opened up into a clearing before the gatehouse of about 100'. The creatures, awakened by your approach, stand up and charge, howling eerily. [40' move]
Round 1:
Zhiden
Eva
Vertielle
Gkirkhan
trollhound x2
Wood
Rova
trolls
Assuming the beasts hadn't noticed him, Zhiden remained where he was, waiting for the opportune moment to attack.
Wood tries to summon his fiery creatures before the troll dogs arrive.
"Oh crap, Good Doggy, Stay."
Eva Casts Enlarge Person on Gkirkhan.
Vertielle draws her bow, backs up a couple of steps, and greases the ground ahead of the dogs.
Stay, you motherless crag-teethed inbreds!
"Aww, de doggies vant to play."
Gkirkhan flexes his muscles after growing to almost fourteen feet in height. The hammer is out and a vicious light gleams in his eyes. He walks up to the charging hounds and heaves a two-handed blow at the trollhound on the left.
Vertielle, despite hearing the spell being cast, is still astonished to see Gkirkhan, beaming with malicious glee, go whizzing past her.
Gkirkhan's blow catches the trollhound solidly, triggering a pained yelp from the monster.
The trollhound attempts to return the favor.
trollhound 1 vs Gkirkhan for
It's slavering buddy/mate? also turns on Gkirkhan (hey, they're dumb, if the food rushes up, they'll try it). for
[PS:Gkirkhan, aren't, er weren't you at full? I also need a fort save: DC 14. Hm, better make that 2 fort saves.]
Trollhound 1: 30-16=14
When the beasts attacked Gkirkhan, Zhiden launched himself at the nearest one, with one sword extended, intending to bury it in the creature's spine.
The fire elementals surround a single trolldog and attack.
After the pathetic demonstration by the fire elementals, Wood launches a fiery explosion at the troll dogs.
He does his best to keep his friends out of it, but the fire elementals will love it.
"Incoming fireball" he lets out beforehand.
Trollhound 1
Trollhound 2
Trollhound 1
Trollhound 2
Hm. I guess Gkirkhan doesn't need those saves after all... ;)
Rova enters a tip-toe stance with a slight sway to it, and double-moves towards the melee.
Gkirkhan roars with glee now that he is in a fight that he understands who's who after the fights before the Beast's trial. He draws his sword and introduces the trollhound who felt his hammer to it as well.
Vertielle delays if it gets to her turn, waiting for a clear shot should one of them run or more show up.
Trollhound AC 15 -4 = AC 11 while prone
Trollhound 1: 30-16=14-4=10+3r=13
Trollhound 2: 30-21=9+3r=12
Round 1:
Zhiden = attacks trollhound
Eva = casts enlarge
Vertielle = casts grease
Gkirkhan = attacks trollhound
trollhound x2 = regenerate, slip in grease
Wood = summons elementals
Rova = takes stance
trolls = ???
Trollhound 1
Trollhound 2
Round 2:
Zhiden =
Eva =
Vertielle =
Gkirkhan = attacks prone trollhounds, first blow misses, second connects
trollhound x2 = regen, stand up
Wood = fireball!!!!
Rova =
trolls = toss rocks
Startled by his opponent's sudden fall, Gkirkhan somehow misses his first swing, but connects solidly with his second blow.
Even after Gkirkhan's might blow, the one he's attacking rises, shakily, then falls to Wood's fireball.
As the trollhounds drop (though one is still twitching, feebly), two large rocks fly toward the two forward members of the group from the battlements of the gatehouse.
Trollhound AC 15 -4 = AC 11 while prone
Trollhound 1: 30-16=14-4=10+3r=13-10=3+3r=6-15=-9
Trollhound 2: 30-21=9+3r=12+3r=15-15=0
for
for
Crit confirm for Zhiden
No confirm.
Wood's fireball hits both trolldogs and may burn some of the grease. He leaves Gkirkan and the hobbit out of it.
He speaks in ignan and one fire elemental flanks with Gkirkan to strike the rising troll.
The other three he sends rushing to the trolls.
Wood casts again and sends a pellet streaks into the open window of the gatehouse detonation in another fiery explosion and engulfing both trolls.
"Gkirkan, get those trolls!"
Eva moves ready to use CLW on either Gkirkan, or Zhiden.
Vertielle shoots through the window before running towards it, stowing her bow on her way.
The arrow flies high, hitting the building instead of its mark, embedding there with a dull thwack.