The Pathfinders advance upon the source of the speaker’s voice. A pair of double doors on the north side of the seating area block your view, but as they are opera house doors, they swing upon well-oiled hinges with hardly a sound.
Beyond the doors, a rather plain, marbled hallway is filled with simple granite pillars. The floor is split by a bright green carpet, indicating that this entrance is reserved for commoners when they are allowed to attend. A number of theatergoers fled this direction and now stand together in a pack, pressed against the exit doors on the other side. Some are frantically pulling at the door handles, desperately trying to get them open while others jostle and shove, seeking the safety of the center of the crowd. A woman in relatively simple dress shrieks in terror as a frightened looking man in golden silk robes pushes her toward the zombies lumbering toward them, apparently led by a well-dressed woman in a fur-lined cloak.
The woman holds a wicked looking pick made from a human skull and bone. As she notices your entrance, she brandishes it at you and screams.
”Kill the meddling scum, my minions! For the triumph of Fel Bustrani and the glory of the Grim Harvestman!”
Known as the Grim Harvestman and the harbinger of unexpected tragedy, cultists of Zyphus hold that he was formed from the enraged soul of the first mortal to die a hollow, meaningless death. Each additional accidental death is said to add to Zyphus’s strength, so that some day he will be powerful enough to engineer the death of his most hated rival — Pharasma. The true believers of Zyphus preach that those who are slain by accidents they engineer do not travel on to Pharasma’s Boneyard, but are instead captured by the Grim Harvestman, their souls consumed and absorbed by his malignancy. His cultists are widespread, but relatively small in number — they hold court in graveyards that have fallen from favor or otherwise no longer sit upon hallowed ground. Even in well-used and relatively safe graveyards, it is not uncommon to see carvings depicting Zyphus or his symbol on gate arches or vault roofs, wardings against the Grim Reaper. Zyphus’s symbol is a heavy pick made of a femur, skull, and a sharpened rib.
Surprise Round
---------------------------------
Odo
Qualif and Verna'th
Shardra
Yoon
---------------------------------Round 1
Enemy
Odo
Qualif and Verna'th
Shardra
Yoon
|
Shardra prattles for a bit even as she works through a readied Misfortune Hex, with the trigger being the monologue spouting woman should she approach within range of the hex (30')
Ironically, if she can pull it off, Shardra would be closer to causing an 'accidental' death than the apparent necromancer...
Taking his words as a que to attack as she had in the past, the eidolon rushed forward to attack the nearest threat. Running as fast as she could, Verna'th made her way into the room and thrust as hard as she could with her dark longspear!
Yoon's eyes go wide, "Sure are a lot of dead folks here!"
With a quick move forward , she allows the flames to travel from her, shooting one of the undead.
Verna'th charges in, ramming her spear through the nearest zombie's throat and down it's gullet, the spearhead ripping through vertebrae as she spits the undead's spinal column. By the time she can removed the weapon, the creature has crumbled to bits around it.
The woman gives a throaty chuckle in reply to Shardra's taunting. "You'd be surprised how many accidents can occur in the midst of such brilliantly orchestrated chaos! You know nothing of Zyphus' will! I shall-" but her indignant snarl is cut short as her own will is preempted by another. Odo's calling pulls her focus and she barrels toward the paladin.
Yoon sends forth another gout of flame that engulfs her target. It's flesh melts like wax and blackens as it slips to the marble floor in a smoldering heap.
The remaining undead shamble toward Qualif and Verna'th, only one of them managing to move in enough of a path to charge, but still his blows are deflected.
Surprise Round
---------------------------------
Odo – casts knight's calling on Blue
_
Qualif and Verna'th – mount up / charges in, skewering green and bringing it down
Shardra – casts misfortune on Blue
_
Yoon – torches Yellow with fire blast, bringing it down
---------------------------------Round 1
Enemies:
Blue – double move
Red – moves
Purple – charges Verna’th
Orange – moves
Odo
Qualif and Verna'th
Shardra
Yoon
---------------------------------Round 2
Enemies
|
|
"Oh, WHUPS! You WERE saying?" Shardra starts Chanting...
"Oohhhhhhh I know your god better than you know your god and your god ain't too keen on that. Ooooh... I know your god better than you know your god and he thinks you're going to splat. Oooohhhh.... I know your god better than you know your god and that's that...."
Shardra STARES intently at the woman!
The shaman is perusing the armor of the necromantic sort. "Armor is full of flaws waiting to be exploited. Accidents waiting to happen, even."
A tall, frighteningly thin man of advanced age begins frantically waving to the Pathfinders. He wears the finery of his office, a blue silk shoulder sash over long white robes, and his fingers are encrusted with bejeweled rings. His short, gray hair sticks to his head as if it were bathed in cooking oil and his thick, white beard, meticulously trimmed and shaped, positively glistens with wax.
“Finally, my rescuers have come! I am the one you are looking for. I outrank everyone in the room, your Emperor requires you to save me!”
Yoon accepts the man's words, but calls out, "I don't have an Emperor!"
Then with a single step forward, Yoon draws flames from around her, then coalesces into a blade of flames and she flicks it out with the quickness of her youth at the woman before her.
Taking a step back, the eidolon stabs at the red creature! "Stay back from those people! You fight us instead!"
The woman in the fur-lined cloak looks surprised to find herself surrounded by Pathfinders. Odo strikes at her with his scimitar, but finds she is well protected by some armor she wears beneath her clothes.
But it doesn't protect her from Qualif's acid splash. Verna'th continues to impale the undead meat before her, steadily tenderizing them.
Shardra continues to taunt the woman, hexing her with the evil eye as Yoon forms a blade of pure flame and strikes the woman, burning her badly and scorching her fine cloak. Sucking air through clenched teeth from the pain, she steps as far from the young kineticist as she can and begins casting while trying to avoid the eidolon's spear. But she errs on the side of caution and the spell fizzles.
The undead step up to pummel Verna'th but her tough hide and magical armor resist the clumsy blows.
Surprise Round
---------------------------------
Odo – casts knight's calling on Blue
Qualif and Verna'th – mount up / charges in, skewering green and bringing it down
Shardra – casts misfortune on Blue
Yoon – torches Yellow with fire blast, bringing it down
---------------------------------Round 1
Enemies:
Blue – double move to answer call, Odo strikes, missing
Red – moves
Purple – charges Verna’th, slams for 8 damage
Orange – moves
Odo – strikes with scimitar, missing
Qualif and Verna'th – casts acid splash on Blue for 2 damage / stabs Red for 6 damage
Shardra – gives Blue the evil eye
_
_
Yoon – flaming blade scorches Blue for 18 damage
_
---------------------------------Round 2
Enemies:
Blue – steps back, casts cause fear defensively
Red – steps up, strikes Verna’th
Purple – steps up, slams Verna’th
Orange – slams Verna’th
Odo
Qualif and Verna'th
Shardra
Yoon
---------------------------------Round 3
Enemies
The man looks scandalized to be so addressed by a child, but upon seeing the power at her command, he changes his tune, somewhat. “A glorious strike, peasant! The divine hand of Emperor Stavian has guided you here to save me!”
Taking the opportunity to help the halfling, Yoon once more creates her blade of flames, steps forward quickly and slashes at the woman.
"I agree!" the eidolon answered in agreement while dropping her spear. Quickly, she lashes out at the red creature with her clawed hands!
Odo’s luck continues to elude him as he strikes and misses again. Qualif holds onto the jostling saddle as Verna’th drops her spear and slashes at the red-furred zombie. It’s dead flesh gives way more easily beneath her claws, but the creature still stands strong. Shardra increases Odo’s protections and keeps up her chanting. Yoon keeps the pressure on with her flame blade, searing the woman yet again.
The pyro-kinetic youth has drawn the full attention of her target now, and the woman in the fine cloak with fur edging now scorched black smiled as she reaches to stroke Yoon beneath her chin with a cold, bejeweled hand in a cruel parody of a loving caress. ”Naughty little thing, we shall have to punish that fiery temper.” The hand grows colder before it leaves her skin, sapping Yoon of warmth and life. The woman’s smile turns to a sneer and she shouts to her undead minions. ”Kill the child!”
The two that can reach her, swing for the young girl while the last one just continues trying to pummel Verna'th. The red-furred zombie strikes Yoon with it's morningstar but it's lesser kin grope uselessly at their opponents armor.
Surprise Round
---------------------------------
Odo – casts knight's calling on Blue
Qualif and Verna'th – mount up / charges in, skewering green and bringing it down
Shardra – casts misfortune on Blue
Yoon – torches Yellow with fire blast, bringing it down
---------------------------------Round 1
Enemies:
Blue – double move to answer call, Odo strikes, missing
Red – moves
Purple – charges Verna’th, slams for 8 damage
Orange – moves
Odo – strikes with scimitar, missing
Qualif and Verna'th – casts acid splash on Blue for 2 damage / stabs Red for 6 damage
Shardra – gives Blue the evil eye
Yoon – flaming blade scorches Blue for 18 damage
---------------------------------Round 2
Enemies:
Blue – steps back, casts cause fear defensively
Red – steps up, strikes Verna’th, missing
Purple – steps up, slams Verna’th, missing
Orange – slams Verna’th, missing
Odo – steps, strikes with scimitar, missing
Qualif and Verna'th – holds on / claws Red for 10 total damage
Shardra – casts protection from evil on Odo
Yoon – flaming blade scorches Blue for 10 damage
---------------------------------Round 3
Enemies:
Blue – touches Yoon for 19 damage and steps
Red – attack Yoon
Purple – slams Yoon, misses
Orange – slams Verna’th, misses
Odo
Qualif and Verna'th
Shardra
Yoon
---------------------------------Round 4
Enemies
"She, she hit Yoon! YOU MONSTERS!" the eidolon shouts as her anger makes her focus more on the task at hand!
Clawing at the red zombie again, Verna'th's focus is tearing through these things as fast as she could to help Yoon.
"Grandmother always said that Fortune Favor's the bold," with that, she steps back so only the cleric is close to her. "Grandmother was bold, was" With that, she pulls the flames around her, drawing them in on herself before lashing out with a light blade crafted from the flames once more.
"You don't know just how fiery we can be yet, does she Gom-Gom!" Her blade is charged with a burning enchant, so that the cleric must prevent the flames from staying.
Odo strikes true and scores a serious wound on the horrid woman as Verna'th continues to unleash her wrath on the red-furred zombie. Shardra chants to maintain her hexes and moves up. Yoon is not dissuaded by the barrage of blows and the evil woman's chilling, draining touch and keeps after her target. A final slash of her flame blade and the woman in the once fine cloak sinks to the marble floor, still aflame.
The red zombie follows after Yoon, still swinging at her, but missing while the others fumble at Verna'th uselessly.
Surprise Round
---------------------------------
Odo – casts knight's calling on Blue
Qualif and Verna'th – mount up / charges in, skewering green and bringing it down
Shardra – casts misfortune on Blue
Yoon – torches Yellow with fire blast, bringing it down
---------------------------------Round 1
Enemies:
Blue – double move to answer call, Odo strikes, missing
Red – moves
Purple – charges Verna’th, slams for 8 damage
Orange – moves
Odo – strikes with scimitar, missing
Qualif and Verna'th – casts acid splash on Blue for 2 damage / stabs Red for 6 damage
Shardra – gives Blue the evil eye
Yoon – flaming blade scorches Blue for 18 damage
---------------------------------Round 2
Enemies:
Blue – steps back, casts cause fear defensively
Red – steps up, strikes Verna’th, missing
Purple – steps up, slams Verna’th, missing
Orange – slams Verna’th, missing
Odo – steps, strikes with scimitar, missing
Qualif and Verna'th – holds on / claws Red for 10 total damage
Shardra – chants, casts protection from evil on Odo
Yoon – flaming blade scorches Blue for 10 damage
---------------------------------Round 3
Enemies:
Blue – touches Yoon for 19 damage and steps
Red – strikes Yoon for 6 damage
Purple – slams Yoon, misses
Orange – slams Verna’th, misses
Odo – strikes with scimitar for 10 damage on Blue
Qualif and Verna'th – holds on / claws Red for 8 total damage
Shardra – chants, moves
Yoon – flaming blade scorches Blue for 11 damage, bringing her down
_
---------------------------------Round 4
Enemies:
Blue – unconscious, dying, on fire
Red – steps up, strikes Yoon, misses
Purple – slams Verna’th, misses
Orange – slams Verna’th, misses
Odo
Qualif and Verna'th
Shardra
Yoon
---------------------------------Round 5
Enemies
|
|
Well, how about that, then? I guess you really were... in for the glory of your deity. Huh.
Now that the leader is down, the shaman attempts to give the undead thing nearest her (Red) a firm whack with her morning star.
She'd channel energies against them, but given how much the party has had to fight so far, she doesn't want to risk not having that asset available in a later fight.
Stepping back, "NO! Bad zombie...you can't have Gom-Gom!" Then she draws the fire around her, protecting herself slightly before letting the flames fly from her fingers.
"They hurt the girl! They will pay for doing that!" she shouted back mentally as she continued to claw, this time changing her target to the purple thing in front of her, after taking a step to the side!
Odo lands another slash on the furred zombie as Verna'th rends one of the lesser creatures to pieces, bringing it down. Shardra's blow lands with a wet thud, like a butcher tenderizing meat, but does not seem to hinder the creature at all. Yoon's flaming blade sears through the undead beast finally, and the monster slumps to the ground.
The last zombie shambles closer and raises it's dead arms to slam them down, striking Shardra.
Surprise Round
---------------------------------
Odo – casts knight's calling on Blue
Qualif and Verna'th – mount up / charges in, skewering green and bringing it down
Shardra – casts misfortune on Blue
Yoon – torches Yellow with fire blast, bringing it down
---------------------------------Round 1
Enemies:
Blue – double move to answer call, Odo strikes, missing
Red – moves
Purple – charges Verna’th, slams for 8 damage
Orange – moves
Odo – strikes with scimitar, missing
Qualif and Verna'th – casts acid splash on Blue for 2 damage / stabs Red for 6 damage
Shardra – gives Blue the evil eye
Yoon – flaming blade scorches Blue for 18 damage
---------------------------------Round 2
Enemies:
Blue – steps back, casts cause fear defensively
Red – steps up, strikes Verna’th, missing
Purple – steps up, slams Verna’th, missing
Orange – slams Verna’th, missing
Odo – steps, strikes with scimitar, missing
Qualif and Verna'th – holds on / claws Red for 10 total damage
Shardra – chants, casts protection from evil on Odo
Yoon – flaming blade scorches Blue for 10 damage
---------------------------------Round 3
Enemies:
Blue – touches Yoon for 19 damage and steps
Red – strikes Yoon for 6 damage
Purple – slams Yoon, misses
Orange – slams Verna’th, misses
Odo – strikes with scimitar for 10 damage on Blue
Qualif and Verna'th – holds on / claws Red for 8 total damage
Shardra – chants, moves
Yoon – flaming blade scorches Blue for 11 damage, bringing her down
---------------------------------Round 4
Enemies:
Blue – unconscious, dying, on fire
Red – steps up, strikes Yoon, misses
Purple – slams Verna’th, misses
Orange – slams Verna’th, misses
Odo – strikes Red for 5 damage
Qualif and Verna'th – casts guidance / claws Purple for 16 damage, bringing it down
Shardra – strikes Red to no effect
Yoon – flaming blade scorches Red for 19 damage, bringing it down
---------------------------------Round 5
Enemies:
Blue – unconscious, dying, on fire
Orange – steps up and slams Shardra for
Odo
Qualif and Verna'th
Shardra
Yoon
---------------------------------Round 6
Enemies
Yoon has had enough, tired of the dead creatures, she launches another gout of flame, her eyes practically glowing from the light that shines from her hand as she blasts the flames forward.
Odo and Yoon make short work of the last zombie and smell of burnt flesh hangs heavy in the air.
The man in the blue sash steps forward once the threat is ended, raising a perfumed handkerchief to his nose. "I am Magistros Sebastus Hustavan, Emperor Stavian III’s consul for the fourth district of Oppara Prefecture. You have done Taldor a great service in saving my life, I assure you. Now quickly, get these doors open so that I can alert the authorities about this attempt upon my life." He speaks with a note of command as one who has enjoyed the privilege of respect and immediately the other patrons turn to do his bidding, struggling against the closed doors.
Try as you might, no one can open the doors to the outside.
|
|
"You may not want to open those doors. That's where one mass of the undead came in through a different entrance. I'd recommend you hold up here and wait for us to get the rest of the theatre secure first. Now, if'n you DON'T think that's a good idea, I'm sure that the Emperor'd be glad to have a new consul when we're proven right? An' I don' recommend y' tailin' with us, we seem to have a habit for dealin' with the attentions a bit more harshly than you're capable of?"
|
|
Odo gets up to address the crowd while Shardra deals with the Emperor's consul.
"Gentlemen and Gentlewomen, if I may have your attention. We do not know why the opera has been attacked, nor who is behind this senseless violence. Someone has started a very deadly drama here tonight and, with the doors sealed, has made it impossible for us to simply walk out of it. Let me assure you that my companions and I are going to find culprits responsible and bring the curtain down on their dark designs. What I need you to do is remain calm, protect each other, and be wary while we secure the theater and take the fight to the actors putting on this show. Is that clear?"
Eyes wide at all the talking, Yoon simply keeps quiet and whispers to her stuffed animal, "They are good at talking to people, huh Gom-Gom?"
The crowd, including Hustavan calm considerably at the confident demeanor and comforting words of Shardra and Odo.
A thorough search of the now unconscious and smoldering woman in the fur-lined cloak reveals an elixir of fire breath, two potions of cure serious wounds, a smoking cloak of resistance +1, +1 full plate armor, heavy steel shield, a masterwork heavy pick made from human bone, and a wooden holy symbol. You also find a crumpled note secured in her belt pouch.
|
"Odo, I believe that while your intentions may be well founded on their safety, from the looks of what happened here, we may be in better course to take them along. Just at the slight glance, it seems that they may not be able to defend themselves, at least from what I had witnessed during out last act of brutality. Asides, mayhaps they may have some sort of reward for us if we help them through this?"
Qualif smiles, while looking at the "Emperor" as he hops off the saddle on Verna'th's back.
"Master! That's not nice! Charging your fees to people you saved!" quips the eidolon as she picks up her spear. "Besides, I don't believe you have any of your papers for receipt of service."
Verna'th stretches her wings out wide before folding them back in and looking at the "Emperor" and others. "I would be happy to help as best I can!" she says.
|
|
The dwarf grumps a little because grumpy dwarf is definitely a stereotype.
"Let me just go on record as sayin' this is a horribly bad idea, but it's not the worst one I've heard today. If'n you folks would be so kind as to adopt someone as your partner in your group, watch not just your back but theirs, workin' together will keep you safer, you may not see something coming at you, but ye might see your partner's attacker."
With the stated misgivings, Shardra will take up the rear of the group, to make sure that the civilians don't get picked off by an assassin or something...
"Can we not just walk them to the front door and get them the hells out of here?" such words coming from a little girl.
|
|
"Well, Yoon, this exit is sealed in some way that we cannot get through. I think it likely that other exits are sealed as well. That said, we could still search about for another way. Perhaps there is some weakness in the forces imprisoning us here. Maybe we could break through a weaker window or less secure door." Odo looks about. "I think we should start right here and see where this door goes." He indicates the door nearest them in the hallway.
The door heading east opens easily. This vast, empty room is primarily used to entertain the king and his court. It was set to entertain the few royal court followers in attendance for Among the Living, but the advance of the undead has left the banquet in ruins. The red carpet indicates that this room is also an entrance for wealthy non-nobles, it is the entrance your party passed through before the opera began.
Odo's words prove prophetic as your party is unable to make any progress toward opening any of the exterior doors as you make the circuit around the House of the Immortal Son Opera House. The crowd of frightened patrons follows along some distance behind you, paired up as Shardra instructed and clustered close together for safety and comfort. You proceed south through the ruined banquet hall and open the next set of doors.
Another of the specialized entrance halls, the next room is a gaudy, marbled hallway with finely carved pillars, the white floor here is split by a dark blue carpet. This entrance is reserved for the nobility who are not considered part of the royal court. Again, the exterior doors will not yield. One of the women of begins to sob, wailing over the seeming hopelessness of the situation. Finding nothing of note here, you proceed south again.
The next room might normally be a welcome sight to most. An angular bar sits in the northern corner and tables dot the long room. Known to regulars as the Immortal Drunk, this bar normally serves theatergoers before the opera, during intermission, and hosts after-parties for wealthy merchants or socialites who are not part of the nobility. The red carpet indicates that this room is also an entrance for wealthy non-nobles.
But the carpet is not the only red upon the floor here. On the marble floor lie the entwined bodies of multiple combatants, puddles of their drying blood stain the pristine white marble. The hands of noble corpses grip daggers, makeshift clubs, and even a gem-encrusted rapier. Mixed in are the twice-dead bodies of more zombies, their gray skin fetid and rotting. The overwrought woman begins to shriek as her eyes fall upon the heap of death and gore.
You move to test this exterior door before investigating the bodies when a sudden noise to the west draws your attention. It sounds like someone, or something may be creeping near the door to the next room!
Round 1
---------------------------------
Qualif
and Verna'th
Yoon
Odo
Shardra
???
Yoon, hearing the noise begins to draw flames around herself, building up the intensity.
"This might sting..."
|
|
Shardra will be a bit more encouraged by the fact that the noble folk do have some sense about them, but wishes the human that's built like a dwarf would stop screaming. She gives the shrieking woman's partner a glance, and a slight hand motion to indicate to turn her away from the scene for the time being.
At the sound of someone creeping near the door she offers a word of caution to Yoon... "If'n someone is sneaking around they may not be an enemy. Discretion, Valor, all that."
With a multitude of other party members capable of handling the possibility of engagement, Shardra works on making sure that the fallen in the room are all really dead-dead not just dead-faking-dead.
School divination; Level cleric 1, paladin 1, sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (earth from a grave)
Range 60 ft.
Area cone-shaped emanation
Duration concentration, up to 1 minute/ level (D)
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
You can detect the aura that surrounds undead creatures. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area.
1st Round: Presence or absence of undead auras.
2nd Round: Number of undead auras in the area and the strength of the strongest undead aura present. If you are of good alignment, and the strongest undead aura's strength is overwhelming (see below), and the creature has HD of at least twice your character level, you are stunned for 1 round and the spell ends.
3rd Round: The strength and location of each undead aura. If an aura is outside your line of sight, then you discern its direction but not its exact location.
Aura Strength: The strength of an undead aura is determined by the HD of the undead creature, as given on the table below.
Lingering Aura: An undead aura lingers after its original source is destroyed. If detect undead is cast and directed at such a location, the spell indicates an aura strength of dim (even weaker than a faint aura). How long the aura lingers at this dim level depends on its original power, as given on the table below.
HD Strength Lingering Aura Duration
1 or lower Faint 1d6 rounds
2–4 Moderate 1d6 minutes
5–10 Strong 1d6 × 10 minutes
11 or higher Overwhelming 1d6 days
Each round, you can turn to detect undead in a new area. The spell can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.
Not that she'll need it for that long, but Shardra is 7th level, and can use it for 7 minutes. She starts by perusing near the door.