Knowledge (arcana)
Karthan looks at the two skeletons coming up, and doesn't recognize them. He does however, see two rapidly moving creatures in close proximity - and hears what the guards say.
He casts Black Tentacles on grid squares N7 through Q7, N6 through Q6, O5 through P5, and 08 through P8.
"What hurts these things? Grey, heal the boy if you can."
As his move action, he starts loading his crossbow.
1d20+10 Knowledge (arcana)
A creature with immunity to magic is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance.
With no immediate response forthcoming, Kelne moved to engage the furthest foe, intent on preventing him from escaping, "Make your decision quickly now," he told the trio over a blade dripping with fresh blood. Taking anybody alive wasn't a priority at all at this point, which left the three in a very precarious position indeed. The monster ought to be able to keep the remaining guard from escaping. Or possibly pound him flat. Kelne wasn't picky about which.
As the guard attempts to move, the monster crushes his plate armor around him like an empty can, leaving a pile of twisted metal and blood lying on the floor.
Then he turns to the skeleton which had attacked the boy and roars as he brings his massive hand back, seeming not care that the creature is incapable of being intimidated, and slaps it against the wall with a thunderous clank of metal and a deep crack of broken marble.
Dazed and bloodied from the attack, the boy reacts instinctively, imagining a protective shield around him. Unable to react from the thrashing dealt by the monster, the lead skeleton is unable to take advantage of his spell casting to harm him.
Gray grunts in pain has he is smacked by the skeleton. He quickly focuses his Energy onto to his shield and it begins is glow softly.
Gray then looks around the room at the mass combat he takes a 5ft (J-7) step to the NE, Then Channels Pharasma's energy healing his group.
healing
Karthan's magic causes a horrid mass of rubbery black tentacles to spring up around the skeletons, but they do not seem to notice this one way or the other, their gem eyes are focused purely on the half-orc and his paladin companion.
Monster, meanwhile, succeeds in hammering Feral Boy's attacker into the wall, but the construct slides lithely out of his grasp before he can successfully wrap up its swinging limbs.
Kelne's brutal swordstroke puts down another guard. The only human servant of Ormir left standing is the clumsy guard who dropped his guisarme when Kelne went rushing past. He is just inside the ballroom, one eye on the monster and one eye on Kelne, and clearly considering just making a run for it. Suddenly, he's not such a big talker.
OK, if I'd known that those things had a CMD of 30(!) at a CR 7(!!!) I'd've used a Hero Point to add +4 to that roll. Mind if I do it retroactively, DM DRA? That gives a 31. They'll still get out of it amazingly easily in a round or two...
(10+20 combined from BAB, STR and DEX mods? Ye flipping gods...and immune to everything else I have other than Glitterdust. Remind me to figure out how to take control over these things. We don't want to kill them, we want to bring them with us...)
OK, if I'd known that those things had a CMD of 30(!) at a CR 7(!!!) I'd've used a Hero Point to add +4 to that roll. Mind if I do it retroactively, DM DRA? That gives a 31. They'll still get out of it amazingly easily in a round or two...
(10+20 combined from BAB, STR and DEX mods? Ye flipping gods...and immune to everything else I have other than Glitterdust.
Sir Justahl--
AC 28 (26 this round only)-- Touch AC 11-- Flat-Footed AC 27
CURRENT HP 80 (100%)
CONDITION: Normal
Nouhves--
AC 27, touch AC13, flat-footed AC22
CURRENT HP 92 (100%)
CONDITION: Normal
Seeing the skeletons revealed as constructs, Sir Justahl's hand twitches briefly as he consideres going for his warhammer. But no, that's for real skeletons, not constructs. Chances are the only hope is to overpower whatever kind of armor it has, and the knight did way more damage with the lance. He picks the one that hit the Feral Boy, since Monster missed, looks like he could use a hand.
"GLORY OF THE INHERITOR! CHAAAARRRRGGGEEE!" Sir Justahl shouts as he kicks Nouhves into a short charge, laying his lance hard (power attack) into Skeleton 1 in a ride by attack (denying AoO from target), holding up in (C,3).
Lance charge power attack: for a possible piercing damage.
Nouhves skids to a stop before the fallen bodies.
The final guard, facing down both Kelne and Jorzan, spits at the ground and lets loose a coarse oath before running for it. Curiously, he doesn't run for the open archways that are along the walls of the west ballroom, but rather the other large set of doors that lead into the east ballroom.
Meanwhile, the skeleton that was pummeling the boy spins to face down the monster and hammers its metalshod fists into the shaggy outsider's leg. The cracking of bone can clearly be heard as the construct scores a brutal hit on Monster's knee. The other skeleton steps over to flank the monster, but gets tangled trying to decide between whether to hit Gray or Monster and ends up hitting neither one.
The other two skeletons snap free of Karthan's magically summoned Black Tentacles and stride over to flank the charismatic sorcerer, ready to pound him with the same mindless efficiency they used to break the tentacles' hold.
Nouhves skids to a stop before the fallen bodies.
Kelne was counting on somebody else to deal with the fleeing guard. It was important he not reach the other ballroom and reinforcements, but there were plenty of candidates for the job and he had something else to.
Using the vest once moe, he took on the appearance of one of the fallen guards before striding forwards and shouting, "Guards! Break off and return to your posts! I repeat, return to your posts!"
Karthan will hold his action until he sees if Kelne's deception works.
If it does not, he's casting Fly (defensively), and if it succeeds, he's going as far up as up will go in this room and hopefully out of reach of these constructs, which he has no way of affecting.
If casting defensively doesn't succeed, he's probably dead.
As the guard makes a break for it, Jorzan instantly expertly whips his flying talon, the chain spear wrapping around the guard's legs sending him crashing to the floor.
Stepping forward to continue his attack suddenly the shadowdancer feels an irresistible tugging in every part of his being. It literally feels as if a piece of his soul is being torn away and he screams in mortal agony. It is at this very same moment that he hears the voice once again, louder and closer than ever before "Joooorrrrrsssssaaaaaannnnnn! I come! and with a terrible tearing, sucking sound, that is almost, but not quite, drowned out by his screams, Jorzan's very shadow begins to move away from him!
As both Jorzan and the fallen guard watch in horror the shadow moves past the guard and forms up on the other side of him. Rising to a height and shape roughly similar to the shadowdancer from which it just originated, the terrifying shade quietly, almost gently it seems, reaches down and simply touches the nearly paralyzed with fear guard. At the deathly touch, cold as the darkest, deepest places where no light has ever been, nearly all of the guard's coordination instantly drains from his body as a paralysis and numbness begins to creep in. In a deep, gravely, inhuman voice, void of all emotion, the pitch black spectre says one word. "Ssstaaay"
Despite the pain and initial horror, and though still physically weak, Jorzan quickly regains his metal and emotional equilibrium. He has a vague sense that he should know what has happened to him but the trauma of the event has driven nearly all knowledge and memory from his mind. Yet at the same time though, he knows that this creature is a part of himself, somehow. He can feel it in his mind, communicating with him. He also knows that something very significant has just happened to him.
His hands on his knees, head bowed and barely able to speak or stand himself, the young rogue manages to raise his eyes and croak out "Call off the guards..or I'll let it suck out your very soul.". The look he gives the guard makes it clear that the next words he speaks shall decide his own eternal fate.
Jorzan is for rounds.
AoO (trip) vs DC18:
Steps to F-10
Shadow touch attack:
Dexterity Damage:
Knowledge(arcana) DC10:
Fort save DC15:
Intimidate:
Been waiting a long time for that! ; )
Few things I wanted to run by you to make sure they're ok. Woulda done it before, but kinda wanted to have the shadow's 'coming out' to be a little surprise for you too.
-1), I used one of the Shadow variants and made it dexterity damage instead of strength damage. Just seems more in line with what the shadow of a dexterous shadowdancer might do.
-2), in the Summon Shadow ability it says " This shadow serves as a companion to the shadowdancer and can communicate intelligibly with the shadowdancer." But in the bestiary description for Shadows it says as an 'unofficial errata' that shadows can speak common.
So, two things from that:
-2a) My take is Jorzan's Shadow can communicate intelligibly with him but can only speak very limited common with anyone else. And it usually doesn't speak at all.
-2b) The text on the Summon Shadow ability is frustratingly vague on how exactly the 'companion' part of the relationship functions. As the Shadowdancer continues to level, if the Shadow stays the same as originally summoned it will very rapidly not only become useless, but a liability. So my thought is to have it function roughly the same as the Druid animal companion (or perhaps a familiar, if you find that more appropriate?) and the Shadowdancer's level would be equivalent to the Druid/Wizard level. My main concern is the HD, BAB and Saves. I haven't yet worked out how best the other attributes of the companion, like skills, feat, natual armor bonus and feats should or shouldn't be added or not. And it's late so I'm not going to attempt it now. But whatever you think is fair is cool with me. Obviously the tricks are unnecessary.
Jorzan being staggered and surprised is something I just threw in for flair. Seemed boring and inappropriate for the shadow to just turn up one day and say "howdy partner!".
So whatcha think?
The monster slams the guard as he attempts his cowardly retreat, delivery a devastating, nearly fatal strike.
The second skeleton approaches to flank him, the monster whirls furiously around his opponents, delivering a mighty back hand blow to the construct.
The last human guard makes two gross miscalculations; he underestimates the length of Monster's arm, and the deadly accuracy of Jorzan's whip. First Monster bashes him in the chest, snapping most of his ribs. Before the man can recover, Jorzan yanks his feet out from under him, sending him gasping, sprawling to the floor.
The guard freezes as Jorzan's shadow approaches. The man's breathing is labored. He watches it get closer and closer. As Jorzan speaks, the guard shakes his head. "I...would rather...let a...thousand...of your shadow things...eat my...s-soul...than face...the baron as a failure...you...can go...to hell!" he spits this last word out, flecks of blood and spittle flying from his mouth.
** spoiler omitted **
Perception:
Recalling what the guard had originally said to make the skeleton's attack, Jorzan whispers to Kelne though the message spell "Try something simple, like 'Guards, Halt' or 'Guards, Stop!'. "
Nodding, Kelne tried again, this time shouting both "Guards! Stop!" and "Guards! Halt!" He supposed he should have expected that neither guards nor constructs would be particularly bright.
As suddenly as they sprang to life, the four constructs cease all movement. Karthan lets out a small sigh of relief and steps out from between the two that had him flanked, their lead-covered fists poised to hammer him flat. The other two are now frozen on either side of the Monster.
Seeing this happen, the last human guard drops his head back on the marble floor with an audible *thud* and lets out another shuddering breath. "ohhhhhh...shit." he mutters.
Gray looks to the group then looks to the last guard. "Firstly, does anyone need medical attention? Secondly, What will we do with him?"
While taking a few moments to catch his breath Jorzan whispers through the Message spell. "Karthan, Kelne, let's use this oppourtunity to try and find out if this guard has any idea where Kevin is."
He then takes the time to disarm, gag, secure and search the remaining alive and conscious guard. Finally, having put it off as long as he could, he turns to the dark and ominous form hovering before him. "So...what..what exactly are you and what the hell am I supposed to do with you?"
He seems to hear a low chuckle in his mind and then the shadow answers him "What am I? Do you not know Jorrsaaann? I am YOU. I am piece, am part, of Darkness in you, which always part of you, Jorrssaann. And what you do with me? That up to you, for I yours to command."
As the Shadowdancer and his shadow converse, the young man does not seem to be at all aware that no one else can understand the communication the two seem to be having with each other.
The boy, beaten, crushed, and bloody, doesn't answer Gray's question, but shambles over the monster pets the huge creature, laying his hands on the monster's shattered leg while he whispers soothing words.
"I guarantee that extradimensional space is somewhere in this room," Kelne said, "There are guards on the rooms to either side and constructs in here. Clearly they're guarding something. Jorzan, Karthan, could you two check the room again for anything out of place? Secret doors, cracks in the stonework, anything which might serve to disguise magic? If we didn't notice the damned constructs were magical, it's a good bet other things could be disguised." Jorzan's newfound companion might be able to help him in that department. It was unsettling, but something to be discussed later. For now, it seemed to be acting at Jorzan's direction, which was good enough for him.
"Justahl, could you secure the sleeping guard? Make sure you relieve him of whatever he was going to use to summon help. Now, you," he said, strolling over to the conscious guard and looming over him, disguise abandoned, "There is no way out of this which doesn't involve Ormir being angry at you. But I guarantee you I can make him angrier. Your best hope is that I be on my way quickly and without any lingering rancor. So. Where is the boy?"
The guard is shaking his head furiously, stammering out his answer as best he can. He is clearly terrified of Kelne, but also clearly has no idea what he's talking about. "I...d-don't know...what...you're talking...ab-about...what boy? Ormir's g-got...d-dozens of...boys..."
There is a weary laugh, then, and one of the doors to the east ballroom opens. A gaunt old man in a red and black harlequin suit appears in the torchlight, his head down looking at a deck of cards. He is speaking. "Hahaaahehehehhh...okay boys...old Red needs his backup deck of- ACK!"
He looks up and interrupts himself, staring wide-eyed at the scene of carnage and damage before him in the Promenade. He is only about 5'6", very thin, and is stooped and bent, his hair stringy and eyes tired. Suddenly he peers at Karthan. "K-Karthan? Little Karthan Zhosk? Well, my boy, how are you? It's me! Red! Your old Red. Oh my! Hehehee!" He looks at the bodies strewn about and the blood-spattered walls. "What in...what by Callistria's sweet sting are you doing here, with these people? I...what is all this?"
The terrified guard rolls his eyes. "great" he growls blackly.
Red had always been something of an enigma to Kelne. Clearly Ormir had him as a jester for a reason, but just what that reason might be had always eluded him. He supposed he was about to find out whether the old man was yet another of Ormir's victims or whether... No. Everybody in this cursed land was one of Ormir's victims, one way or another.
"Good morning, Red," Kelne said, once again opting to dispense with subterfuge. If Red chose to raise the alarm, none of them were close enough to reach him before a frantic yell carried to the other guards, "I've stopped by to achieve my long-delayed vengeance on Ormir." He touched a hand briefly to the pendant at his neck, "Callistria willing, we'll be rescuing a prisoner, casting down the tyrant and freeing the admittedly uncooperative people, in that order. I don't suppose I can talk you into helping reduce the bloodshed?"
Kelne's light tone belied the scrutiny he regarded Red with. Fear could be a powerful motivation to serve Ormir, as the guards had just demonstrated. The old man might easily be a vampire in thrall to Ormir himself, much as Kelne would prefer not to believe it. It seemed the kind of punishment the baron might visit on an enemy - to serve as his jester forever.
Sense Motive:
jorzan had been helping Justhal search the guards He was particularly interested in what the now sleeping guard had been reaching for on his belt.
Perception:
When the newcomer enters the ballroom Jorzan is instantly alert and instantly suspicious, despite the man's seeming friendliness and that half of his companions seem to be familiar with him.
Seeming to have an immediate and intuitive understanding of his new companions abilities, Jorzan gives a quick whispered command to it. Silently nodding it's understanding the Shadow sinks into the ground and glides through the earth until it reaches a point behid the old man, ready to act, attack or block his escape should he prove dangerous
so had any chance yet bro to have a think yet on how we should best consider the shadow?
Karthan casts Detect Thoughts, using the Mockingbird Amulet to send the incantation somewhere else, and very calmly settles down to interrogate the guard.
"Oh, we know about Ormir's predilections. There's one boy in particular. Missing a finger." Karthan will gesture to Jorzan to bring it to him.
"Ormir can only kill you, raise you as a revenant, and torment you until he gets bored...you don't really want to know what will happen if we don't find that boy."
Intimidate vs guard.
Karthan will look at Red when he shows up - with Detect Thoughts still active. (Both of them get a Will save. Maybe one of these days the die roller will behave.)
The guard continues to shake his head vehemently. "y-you can threaten me...all you want...I d-don't know...what...BOY...you mean!"
Justahl and Jorzan search the guards and find nothing of any interest. Their guisarmes are of good quality, of course, as is their armor, but they have no magic and no money. Only that strange brooch with the purple stone on the sleeping guard's belt is unique among the five of them.
When Red opens the doors, a quick glance past him reveals nothing; only a mirror image of the ballroom in which the shadowdancer and paladin are currently frisking bodies. The east ballroom seems to be utterly empty, though only one of its doors is open, so plenty of sightlines are blocked, and of course someone could easily be hiding behind the other, still closed, door.
Red listens thoughtfully to Kelne's words, absently shuffling a battered old deck of cards as he does so. "Prisoner! Tyrant! Oh my, I don't think that sounds like any kinda work for an old man like me. I just tell jokes, and juggle, and do tricks! I don't think any of that would be much use toppling a tyrant. Not the way I suppose you're intending to do it, anyway. Hee hee! HEY! You want to hear a joke? Like old times? One before you go to topple a tyrant!" The old man smiles hopefully, and his teeth look awful.
Jorzan's new shadow creature moves away from him and Red nearly jumps a foot. "ACK! THAT BOY'S SHADOW JUST MOVED ALL ON ITS OWN! You all see that? TELL ME YOU SAW THAT!"
As the shadow moves, Karthan directs his mind magic at Red, and the half-orc immediately clutches his head in pain, but then shakes it clear. He looks at Red with a new understanding.
Red, who has started walking closer now, peering curiously at you all the while, looks at Karthan. "Now young Mr. Zhosk. What's the matter with you? Ahehehehee Huh? heehehehehee Don't you like jokes no more? You sure used to! hoo-hoo-hoo!" Red is still about 80 feet away, absently shuffling his cards as he likewise shuffles forward on dancing feet.
Gray sighs as the old man walks into the room. Thinking to himself this man is just here to stall us and kill us. With a grim look on his face he looks to the group once again in silence. Then sits on the floor where he stands. Grey begins to recite Pharasma's prayer aloud.
"Dark Lady guide these poor souls who have fallen in combat safely to your realm. Protect them from undeath and make sure these souls are not lost. Judge them properly and fairly. Remember a man is only a man by nature and fault."
Continuing his lips move but no sound comes out it seems he is praying to himself.
Pharasma give to me your power and guidance for this task you have bestowed upon me. Give me guidance to find the lost boy. Give me strength and Holy power to fight our foes. Bolster my mind to match wits with the Devil's.
You are known as the Godess of souls and prophecy. I humbly ask for your wisdom. Please show me a way as i am your pawn. Control me with your will with all your greatness. Send me a vision. Confirm your prophecy. guide me on the correct path.
Gray sits and prays with his holy symbol in his hands. Until he is either spoken to or hears the sounds of combat.