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Gallix steps forward, his closed fist over his heart, and gives a short bow to the Twinhorns. "We are the Red Arm of Absalom," he says, "A contingent of the Pathfinder Society sent here to quiet the disturbances that have wreaked havoc in this museum tonight. Tell us, Anok, Medda, what is it that has been stolen from you? Perhaps if we work together we can restore your property to you and restore peace to this place."
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Mr Pepper's eyes flare blue as he looks at the pair, especially the man, as he nods along with Gallix "Gallix speaks the truth, we've been sent by the curator of this place to apprehend the 'thieves' who've broken in. And it appears you see him as a thief, it sounds like we've got some talking to do."
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Uesugi steps forward with barbarian further backing up his claim. "My sword-brothers speak the truth. There seems to be a matter of dishonour that has taken place here. As representatives of the lord of this place we would hear your words and treat with you in a way that does not lead to more being harmed."
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Medda responds, “These Blakros people stole our most precious heirloom.” Medda retrieves a bundle of bloody bandages, then unwraps it to reveal a dagger hilt with only the fragment of a black blade. “It belonged to Ivvora, a champion of Vildeis who vanquished the great black evil from our land over 900 years ago. We kept it safe until the Blakros agents stole it three months ago.”
Mr. Peppers watches as Anok lights up blue through his magical eyes. He recognizes Anok as a phantom, and it appears he has a casting of Mage Armor on himself.
Uesugi doesn't sense that they're lying about anything.
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Cup also recognizes the glowing guy as a phantom, the sort of spirit attuned to a psychic spellcaster. While she's sizing up Anok, he growls, "I'm a phantom, not a ghost. I am Anok, and I protect the guardian of Ivvora’s hilt, Medda."
To Uesugi's question of how it happened, Anok responds clearly: "They came into our camp asking about Ivvora. Medda gave them shelter and told Ivvora’s story, but we would not part with the hilt. The next morning the hilt and the Blakros agents were gone. We tracked it here, to this building."
"We are from the northern lands—the Realm of the Mammoth Lords to you southerners. Our following, or tribe, has been searching for our stolen heritage for months," Medda says. In response to Cup, she says, "The great darkness was an evil spirit known as Eshimka. It was with the heirloom that Ivvora was able to stop it. Without it to ward off the spirits, we believe that evil will soon return."
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Mr Peppers listens along to the discussion, knowing what he does about the Blakros and the museum, he's quickly won onto the side of the Kellid's. "It sounds like we need to speak with Nigel, all of us. We are not a band of hired thugs to protect someone's stolen property!"
He looks around at the others, and then at the two 'intruders' "Are there more of you we need to know about? We've recovered the bodies of two of your people downstairs. We are sorry for your loss, and hopefully their sacrifice was not in vain. Let's all go speak with Nigel about this."
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"Hired thugs protecting our property? What do you mean?" Medda asks. "Why should we believe that you're willing to help us anyway? How do we know you're not just another Blakros agent tricking us? As you say, we have already lost two of our own at the hands of those metal men downstairs. We cannot risk losing more!"
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*Nerve twitches at his temple*
"Fine, you want proof we're not in league with Blakros.
Would they so easily hire foreigners like us?"
He points at himself and Uesugi.
"We've already demolished the metal soldiers. I could get you their weapons, heads, or whatever trophy you want."
"I will not be mistaken for some mere brigand."
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Gallix looks the Kellid warrior and her undead companion in their hard, stern faces. "You have every right to mistrust us. But let me assure you of this, when this is all done, we will stand by your side as the honorable party in this whole affair. We will make sure you keep your relic, and," he says, looking especially at Anok, "We will make sure those who have perished are treated with all the honor that is due to them."
Then for the first time anyone among the Red Arms can remember, Gallix removes his cesti from his hands, throwing each of them on the ground at the Twinhorns' feet. He steps forward once again and offers a his forearm to the Kellids, extending the gesture of peace and cooperation as his last hope of working things out without further bloodshed.
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"Hired thugs protecting our property? What do you mean?" Medda asks. "Why should we believe that you're willing to help us anyway? How do we know you're not just another Blakros agent tricking us? As you say, we have already lost two of our own at the hands of those metal men downstairs. We cannot risk losing more!"
Mr Peppers looks a bit flustered at the miscommunication "I'm sorry, I stated that poorly. Nigel asked our organization to investigate the disturbance here, and we were under the assumption we were hunting thieves in the museum. It appears that we were lead astray and he is the thief. I am no thug to be hired to protect something that was stolen. My time and my good name is far more valuable than that." He gains a miffed look and instinctively smooths out his cloak in annoyance at the thought.
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Medda and her phantom drop their guard, the combined words of all six of you enough to assure them that you sincerely mean to help. "We know what we must do. Come, let's do as you say and report to the curator. He must know more about our stolen property." They begin packing up their gear to depart.
... And then, a low roar cuts the air like a blade through a simulacrum. The chandelier above you begins to vibrate and twist, before the whole thing comes crashing down on top of Gallix, Uesugi, and Longjing!
The space above the chandelier bends and folds as if time itself were distorted. The silhouette of an armored devil turns from black to its true red and black six-legged self.
"Ah! I'm finally free! Serves that grizzled museum owner right!"
Medda readies her longspear and motions for her skirmishers to stay back. "Red Arm of Absalom, assist us in battling this fiend! Before it consumes us all!"
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The first skirmisher backs up behind a chair and launches a shot at the devil.
The shot pierces through the devil's shoulder. It throws its head back and laughs, ripping the arrow out and snapping it in half.
Sirettis, Gallix, Skirmisher Green, Cup, Longjing, Uesugi, Devil, Mr. Peppers, Sir D, Anok & Medda
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Sirettis is glad it didn't come to blows, only for a devil to emerge. "I suspect this is one of the many creatures your hilt protected."
Sirettis focuses on the devil and causes an Air Geyser to erupt underneath the creature.
Sirettis has much to learn about these creatures. But first, she darts for cover behind the couch.
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*Click...fssshhsss....*
Gallix slides easily away from harm and lights his cigarette mutagen as the devil comes crashing down with the chandelier. "Hey there, ugly! Can't you see we were having a conversation? Geez, no manners at all!" He steps back from the devil and assumes a defense position as he enters his fighting style.
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Cup bows to Pep's superior planar knowledge of the demonic creature...
The little gnome raps to record the moment for posterity.
♫ Yeah, so here we are again at the Blakros Museum
You may be askin about what all the fuss is
Grab a pen -- we'll call them as we see 'em
So, we've had runic swarms, clockwork goons
And a bunch of Kellid Warriors seekin justice
They've been traveling for many moons
And in the middle we find a trapped demon?
Yeah, this place's feng shui is busted!
We're not surprised 'cause this place's teemin
With bad juju that goes way, way back
Maybe, just maybe, Nigel's not to be trusted...
Team, don't over think it, just attack! ♫
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Sirettis' spell flops, and the devil takes no damage at all.
The other skirmisher backs up and imbues his bow with magic, increasing its power.
The devil grins wickedly at Uesugi, then swings its trident at him.
... And kicks him in the gut!
"No!" Medda shouts as Uesugi's flesh is ripped open. "Anok, please, assist them!"
She steps back and casts Sanctuary on herself.
Anok begins slamming the devil with his ethereal palms.
Skirmisher Blue, Sirettis, Gallix, Skirmisher Green, Cup, Longjing, Uesugi (-35, delayed), Devil, Mr. Peppers, Sir D, Anok & Medda (Sanctuary)
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Mr Peppers looks up at the towering Devil and cringes, draw out the pearly paladin wand and cautiously steps over close to Uesugi then offers a brief prayer to Nethys to make the wand function Please Nethys make this wand work properly so Uesugi here can be the true threat and this Devil will leave me alone..
He says his silent prayer then reaches the wand out and touches the dull grey katana with the wand, watching its bright white energy envelop the weapon after a few seconds. A smile crosses the Elf's face "Go get 'em!" He says with emphasis.
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Uesugi waits for Mr. Peppers to imbue his blade and invites the devil to attack him with it's wicked looking trident. The speed of the devil surprises Uesugi who cannot dodge the first attack and barely steps out of the way to dodge the second attack.
As soon as the devil's fork pierces his armour Uesugi instinctively summons a blade to strike back at the devil. The samurai jumps back avoiding the devil's clawed feet. Uesugi watches as his katana glows when it is touched by the shugenja wand.
"I know not what you name yourself vile oni but know this you will be sent back to the pool you emerged from to be torn apart by your kind for absolute eternity."
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The devil takes a slice from Uesugi's spiritual weapon, then a brutal set of chops from his blade that renders him shaking in his skin. D follows it up with a blast to the horned face of the creature, cracking off its jaw and bloodying the chandelier.
The blue skirmisher enchants his bow while the green fires a shot that misses the devil.
Skirmisher Blue, Sirettis, Gallix, Skirmisher Green, Cup, Longjing, Devil (-80, shaken), Uesugi (-17), Mr. Peppers, Sir D, Anok & Medda (Sanctuary)
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"Behind me, Pepps! Don't want those pretty pointy ears to get all bent out of shape," Gallix calls with a laugh. He steps in front of the arcane expert and throws a three hit combo at the devil, hoping with all that he's worth that the creature's infernal resistance won't make his attacks totally useless.
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Gallix's attacks are not useless at all, and he leaps up, punches the devil in the face (achievement unlocked), then crouches and lobs another hook at its belly. The devil topples over, and Gallix punches the back of its head in for good measure, ending its life.
Medda rushes over to Uesugi. "What brave and powerful warriors you are. Let me mend your wounds." She holds her palms over his bloodied arm.
"I have newfound respect for you, especially of your quick victory and of our shared hatred for evil," Medda sternly says. Anok floats over. "We must speak to your captains and locate the hilt, and quickly -- before more devils like this find their way into our plane."
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The crowd of guards, onlookers, and concerned citizens outside the Blakros Museum quiets as Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin approaches a woman clad in furs exiting the museum. "My Pathfinder agents tell me that you are Medda of the Twinhorn following, is that correct?"
"Yes, I speak for the following." Medda glares at Nigel Aldain, "I have come to reclaim what is rightfully ours. His agents stole our most sacred relic after we refused to sell it. We have traveled through dangerous lands to claim it back, and still he refused—"
"My agents claim they bought it," Nigel protests. "I’m not going to just give it to you because you stomp into my office demanding priceless artifacts."
Valsin interjects, "Nigel, let us listen to her story and decide how to proceed. Medda, tell us about this relic. Why is it so important to you?"
Medda takes a deep breath. "Over 900 years ago, a powerful warrior named Ivvora came into our camp. She spoke of an angel named Vildeis who guided her hunt for a great dark evil she called Eshimka. Several of our scouts had recently disappeared, later found ripped into pieces. The elders insisted that we help banish this evil and ensure the safety of our following. They laid a trap for the evil spirit, luring it to our sacred standing stones on the winter solstice. There, Ivvora and the great dark evil, Eshimka, fought a mighty battle that raged for hours. Just as the night was darkest, Ivvora dealt Eshimka a telling blow, digging her dagger deep into its flesh. The creature tried to escape, but it only snapped off the blade and then collapsed on the center stone. The elders finished their ritual and destroyed it completely.
"Ivvora rested with us for the winter before departing to eradicate more evil from the world, but not before leaving us the hilt of her weapon." Medda withdraws a bundle of bloody cloth from her bag, then unwraps it to reveal a small hilt with a bloody fragment of black metal. "She told us to bring the hilt back to the standing stones every year at the winter solstice to keep evil away. We’ve had to travel for so long to retrieve the hilt, I’m afraid we won’t make it back in time for the solstice. Please, let me leave now."
Ambrus Valsin contemplates Medda’s story for a moment, then nods, his brow furrowed. "Nigel, you should send for the Blakros agents who ‘obtained’ the hilt and hear what they have to say. Medda, I’m going to send as many Pathfinder agents as you deem necessary to travel with you and your following. I want to ensure we return this relic to its proper place." Nigel starts to protest, but Valsin cuts him off. "Nigel, you wanted my help; you are getting it. I’m helping you fix a mistake your agents made. As for your museum," Valsin takes a moment to survey the heavily damaged museum, "I’m told most of the damage was done by your own security, not Medda and her following.
"Pathfinders, prepare to head north to the Realm of the Mammoth Lords."
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Medda and Ambrus Valsin discuss long into the night how the Society might help the Twinhorn following. By the morning they have concluded that while teleportation magic might take the Kellids and Pathfinders as far as Lastwall, Medda insists that Ivvora’s hilt has lost some of its spiritual strength since being stolen. She believes the only way to restore its power is to walk the same path that Ivvora took into the Twinhorn’s land after the Shining Crusade—and that path leads straight through the Hold of Belkzen, an unforgiving land controlled by orcs!
Society mages gather to transport small groups at a time to Lastwall, and from there, the convoy of Kellids, Pathfinders, and supply wagons set off north. For all their brutal reputation, the orcs have become somewhat more welcoming of caravans at the urging of Grask Uldeth, one of the strongest orc chieftains and the ruler of the de facto capital Urgir. Those who stop at the Table of Ralock can purchase safe passage in the form of special tokens from tribal representatives. It remains to be seen whether the Pathfinders can secure enough.
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Mr Peppers stands and listens to the story, a bit in awe but also with mind moving This is no place for someone such as me...cold and brutish.. and ORCs!
"Are you sure it wouldn't be better overall to just teleport back to your homeland? Think of the time saved and the blood not spilled!" Maybe I could stay and investigate in the museum some more...