Will save (including +2 bonus vs enchantment and prayer, and penalty from aura):
"Yes. I do."
Arrow 1:
Image?: Image gone
Arrow 2:
Image?:probably not good enough
Arrow 3:
Image?: Image gone, unless the last attack was good enough to dispell the last image, in which case...
Damage:
All images gone
"Of course he does," Lym adds, as she levels her index finger at the snake-monster again. "He is not a weak-willed lackey, unlike some creatures I could mention. Ignem iubeo!"
Another two rays of fiery energy blast towards the creature, right after the last illusion has winked out.
As the star knife keeps stabbing...
Spiritual Weapon: prayer
to hit Damage
Tomaru begins casting is last Summoning spell.
Round 4
Praxim shoots down the remaining illusions. The creature get blasted by one of Lym's spiritual, but avoid the Tomaru's spirtual weapon.
Tomaru begins summoning.
From her position on the ground, Rhianni attempts to cast a spell, watching carefully so as not to draw an attack from the creature. But her ability to cast the spell, is offset by her attention on their enemy.
Round 5
Rhianni's spell fizzles.
The creature summons five mirror images.
"How many times can she do that?" Tomaru finishes his spell and a monstrous spider appears. Tomaru instructs it to ensnare their foe.
Web: rtouch, tremorsense, smite
to hit DC 12, 2hp
The spiritual weapon keeps attacking.
Spiritual Weapon: prayer
to hit Damage
Tomaru moves in to help as well. Flanking if he can, even taking an AoO to get it.
Morningstar: prayer, divine favor
to hit +2 if flanking Damage
"It matters not," Lym says. "It can not hide from my magic. Sagittae magicae, omne errore vacuae!" Four darts of force fly from the Wizard's hand and unerringly strike the right target.
Spiritual weapon Image?:Image gone (sorry, I needed to roll this to know how many images are left for him). Also, if Tomaru got the flank, I think that's enough to get rid of another image.
Praxim's arrows.
Arrow 1:
Image?:Image gone
Arrow 2:
Image?:Image gone
Arrow 3:
Image?:Real target hit
Damage:
I think that leaves 1 image left.
Rhianni, if she uses her AoO on me, we can hope she doesn't have combat reflexes and you can get out of there.
Round 5
A giant spider appears and immediately launches webbing at the snake-woman, entangling her, and provding a great boon for Tomaru's allies. Praxim and Lym give enough fire power to drop the creature.
When the creature falls, Tomaru quickly goes over to Rhianni and calls upon Desna to heal her.
Cure Serious Wounds
With overwhelming evidence of this creature's guilt, Praxim stands over it's unconscious form, takes careful aim with and arrow from 18 inches away, and puts the shaft through her brain, and he continues to scan her until the evil aura fades.
Rhianni thanks Tomaru for his gods powers and gets up dusting herself down. She casts a spell to see any magical auras on the creature, even as it lay dead in front of her.
"Well, that was interesting," Lym sighs, as she dusts herself off. Her eyes focus on the three chests. "Now, then. Let us hope there is some information left as to the reason behind all of this madness."
Praxim stands ready to help the ladies with whatever heavy lifting they require.
There are five aurus on the creature and seven coming from one of the chests.
Lym frowns, and takes a closer look.
"There is magic on the creature," she reports, "and also in one of the chests. Let me have a closer look..."
The first item is the longspear, sized for a large humanoid. It's a special magic item with ties to ancient Thassilon known as an Impaler of Thorns. It's a +1 weapon that, once per day, as it strikes a foe, can be activated as a free action to cause a 30-ft-radius burst of despair that affects anyone not wielding an Impaler of Thorns. All creatures affected must succeed a DC 16 Will save 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 second item is the medusa-like mask that you can't identify.
The third item is a silver medallion engraved with the sihedron rune, just like the one you found on Nualia, that you can now identify. While worn, the Sihedron medallion gives the wearer a +1 resistance bonus on saving throws, and once a day, as a free action, can be activated to bestow the wearer the effects of false life at CL 5.
The fourth item is a tunic made of large scales that you can't identify.
The last item is a ring of protection +1.
The chest is locked.
Rhianni tries to identify the mask and tunic, she struggles to make any sense of the auras on the mask.
Lym quickly recites the qualities of each item she has managed to identify, and then casts a considering look at the chest.
"There are spells that can shrink down items," she says in a thoughtful tone of voice, "so the spear may not be a complete loss. If we cannot use it, we could at least find a museum interested. Seeing as we now have two of these sihedron amulets, I should like to have one. Rhianni might benefit from the other one. Someone else can then take my own Cloak of Resistance. The ring... Ah, a very nice item... which I also think should go to Rhianni, given recent events. Now, this chest...
Hostes semper salutata sum!"
The Wizard casts a spell at the chest.
Tomaru will also try to identify the items (the mask is the only one left so)
Spellcraft Guidance, Bit of Luck
Spellcraft Guidance, Bit of Luck
If this isn't good enough, we can try again the next day. Since it will be only one roll, I can give Bit of Luck and Guidance to each of you if you'd like.
The tunic is a snakeskin tunic.
The mask is a medusa mask
The lock to the one chest opens. You find four potions - three of which you identify as cure moderate wounds and the last remaining a mystery, a +2 kukri, a ring of jumping, and a beetle-shaped pin.
"Rhianni had best take the amulet," Lym says, with a brief sigh. "I'll stick with the cloak. Now. Let us see about this pin..."
Medusa Mask- This 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 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 cause the central gemstone to glow with pale green light, at which point 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.
Snakeskin Tunic- is a tight, form-fitting shirt crafted from the scales of a giant snake. When worn, it grants a +1 armor bonus to AC, a +2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity, and a +2 resistance bonus on saving throws against poison.
The pin is a golembane scarab.
With everyone doing well, Tomaru looks around to see what else she has been hoarding.
Perception Take 20 for 24 total.
Rhianni thanks Lym taking up the amulet, "that will look fine on me and give me some protection from the evils we face. oh and the ring too, do you really mean I can have it? she asks surprised by everyone's generosity.
"Watching you lying on the ground, bleeding your life away, is rather distressing," Lym murmurs. "Please take the ring."
Rhianni takes the ring, "Are there any tomes, anything that might help us discover what this creature was trying to do, other that destroy us?"
Attendants at the doorway of the Temple of Iomedae are there to greet you. When you tell them your business here, they direct you to the back of the church, where you take the stairs to the 2nd level, and onto Brother Pietre's armory.
When you show him the collection of masks, Pietre barely raises a brow, but doesn't outwardly inquire about how you came to have the masks. He offers 750 gp for each Skinsaw mask, and 6000 gp for the Reaper's Mask.
"Let's take this back to the Church of Iomedae and see what wisdom Brother Pietre can impart. Also, he may be able to help us get an audience with the authorities on favorable terms so that we can inform them of our findings." You remember? Secret killer cult in a sawmill and monsters in the bell tower.
"It does sound like The Lord-Mayor may be in danger. It also sounds like we might not exactly care too much, if he's ready as corrupt as this letter suggests."
"As far as I know, he has done nothing wrong and I will not take the word of one of these villains that he has. With no other evidence that he is corrupt, as the lord of the land, he should be warned of the machinations of this vile band which include an attempt on his life. My concern is that we don't get into trouble for the criminal acts we committed in trying to gain this information."
"What criminal acts? We destroyed a cult apparently practicing humanoid sacrifice by their own admission, and killed some kind of demon that was murdering citizens. If that's against the law, then it's proof that this city's government is corrupt."
Tomaru puts his hands up in surrender and takes a step back. "Ok. You seem very eager to believe that the lord mayor and the government of Magnimar is corrupt, and that's fine. You don't seem to care to try and save the Lord Mayor's life, and that's fine too. I won't try to make you. I will not even try to convince you. But, I do think it would be good for us to inform our allies at the church of Iomedae of our progress."
"I care naught for this lord mayor or his government," Lym says as she looks over the letter again. "Politics and corruption go together like ham and cheese. What concerns me is the notion that this foul beast has a more formidable sibling -- and that these wretches are also responsible for the rash of murders we came to investigate. Informing the temple seems like the best course, by all means; I suppose we can more or less trust them to deal with any local corruption while we hunt down the murderers."
"When did I say I wouldn't try to save him? I just said I don't think we've broken any laws in what we've done, and if we have, any magistrate that doesn't see the reasonable justification for what we've done must not be one that holds to the spirit of the law. I don't know anything about this Lord-Mayor, but these demons do, and any man who is admired afar by demons for his black heart I will view with a certain amount of suspicion. Such a leader would never be healthy for his community, but neither would having its leader sacrificed in some gruesome ritual."
"On speaking with the Iomedaens, however, we completely agree. I just don't understand why you're so worried about facing the headsman for vanquishing evil."
"If the Lord Mayor is at least warned that his way is leading him to be harvested and be murdered, who's to say he won't change his ways. And this letter leads us away from here, we need to find if Fort Rannick is fallen, before we make our way back to Turtleneck Ferry and confront the evil there. If we trust the church, they must know of this treachery too, for if we fail, they can send others to follow to defeat this malevolent threat." Rhianni says concerned.
"Looks like we have a plan. Let's go."
As you finalize your plans for revealing what's been going on in the city, you notice a large black raven swoop in and land on the Tower roof nearby where you stand. A few moments later, it is joined by a second one. They sit silent and watch you as if expecting you to do something...
Far above, a large eagle circles lazily above the Shadow Clock.
Lym narrows her eyes at the ravens, then shrugs and addresses them.
"Are you messengers?" she asks. "Representatives? If you have something to say, then kindly speak up. It has been an annoying day and I am in no mood to be coy."
Rhianni tries hard to recall details of the creature.
If the crows seem to ignore Lym's kind advances, Rhianni then tunrs to each crow in turn, speaking soothing words reminiscent of the purple edge of night.
School enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area living creatures within a 10-ft.-radius burst
Duration concentration + 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
Any creature within the area that fails a Will save becomes drowsy and inattentive, taking a –5 penalty on Perception checks and a –2 penalty on Will saves against sleep effects while the lullaby is in effect. Lullaby lasts for as long as the caster concentrates, plus up to 1 round per caster level thereafter.
Rhianni tries hard to recall details of the creature.
You know this creature is some type of Lamia, perhaps even a matriarch of that race. Half human, half snake, throughly evil, lamia matriarchs are spellcasters of considerable power.
If the crows seem to ignore Lym's kind advances, Rhianni then turns to each crow in turn, speaking soothing words reminiscent of the purple edge of night.
Rhianni's lullaby is interrupted by a commotion on the streets below. The slamming of doors and window shutters is accompanied by the tramp of metal-shod feet. Through the ever-present shadows under the Irespan, you can see a sizable guard contingent march up to the base of the Shadow Clock and form up in a defensive position at the door.
With a fierce screech, the eagle that was circling above you falls into a sudden dive. The great bird alights on the roof next to you, and with one simple move, transforms itself into a man wearing the silver tower and blue field of the city guard.
"In the name of the Lord Mayor of Magnimar, you are all under arrest." He looks around at each of you, holding your gaze in turn. As if he reads your thoughts, he states evenly: "For the murder of one Variel Ironbriar, Chief Justice of Magnimar." From the look on his face, you have the distinct impression that you do not have much of a choice.
Turning to Tomaru, Praxim whispers, "Right. I did forget about that part."
He uses detect evil, but even if the guy does ping, Praxim is not about to kill soldiers just doing their duty.
Tomaru gives Praxim a quick I told you so look before responding. "We will be given a chance to explain our reasons?"