|
Upon viewing the undead creatures Caller whispers a prayer to his gods... Spirits protect us.
, *Resistances, Weaknesses and Special Defenses please*
Caller moves into the Library and casts Burst of Radiance DC 15 (Reflex)- centered on the central figure (Pink). Should also affect (Red) and (Purple), but not the other 1 (Dark Red)- unless I am mistaken, and if so, Caller's intent is to try to hit all of the undead.
"The warmth of the Sun shall send your cursed souls back to the Abyss!"
vs Evil Opponents
|
|
Before you depart the Grand Lodge, Nella holds a divine lottery, casting luck number. "Everybody, pick a number."
Hearing the racket coming from inside the Forae Logos, Caller of the Eastern Storm wards himself against the forces of evil and bestows the Green Man's blessing upon the party.
Spotting the Black Echelon operatives threatening the cowed librarians, Nella shouts, "These undead can use their sickles, darts, and claws to make sneak attacks, and they poison their darts with their sickly marrow when they draw the weapons!"
Fuzzfoot adds, "Their special defenses include innate protections, but they can bypassed by bludgeoning or slashing weapons. I don't recall any particular weaknesses."
Caller of the Eastern Storm imparts that " They're immune cold to cold damage, and they have the traits common to other undead creatures." The Shoanti oracle nods as Fuzzfoot calls out what the halfling knows about them. "Black Echelon operations are endlessly patient, very deliberate; they never charge or run."
Realizing why you don't hear anything, Caller explains, "They have a silent aura that dampens all noise around them, just like a silence spell. If you're caught within the silent aura, you'll have the creepy sensation that you're moving in slow motion."
Fuzzfoot tosses back an extract and moves closer to the undead attackers.
Caller of the Eastern Storm withdraws a piece of flint and a pinch of silver dust from his spell component pouch and casts a spell. A brilliant flash of shimmering light engulfs the undead and their victims.
The beleaguered librarians react with silent screams, cowering and covering their eyes from the powerful flash of light.
The Black Echelon operatives are wounded by the divine flash-bang, and all but the purple one are blinded. Moving with slow deliberation, they stumble toward the source of this new threat, slowing further as they climb the stone steps.
Caller
Fuzzfoot
---
Black Echelon Operatives
Maroon
Pink
Purple
Red
---
Brayne
Lancyn
Nella
---
Librarians
---
Kulga
Caller
|
|
Brayne drapes himself in the divine favor of the Dark Tapestry and advances into the Forae Logos.
Having accepted Caller of the Eastern Storm's magical vestment, Nella strides into the library with new-found confidence. Approaching the Black Echelon operatives, she casts a spell and a spiritual glaive of shimmering force that slashes at the purple-hued undead creature.
The walking-wounded librarians drag their more grievously injured colleagues away from the Black Echelon operatives.
Caller
Fuzzfoot
---
Black Echelon Operatives
Maroon
Pink
Purple
Red
---
Brayne
Lancyn
Nella
---
Librarians
---
Kulga
|
Happy to see that the undead have pulled away from the hostages, Fuzzfoot mixes some reagents and tosses the concoction at the undead with the pink hue, being cautios to not catch Kulga in the fire path.
Splash damage to Red: 6 - Ref 15 for 1/2 damage.
This would be just north of red, and splash would catch red and Kulga I'm afraid. I don't think precise bombs works if you miss your target.
|
|
The dwarf slayer's short legs churn, as she slips past the blinded undead.
Fuzzfoot gets danger-close, pulls the pin on one of his bombs and hurls it at Pinky. *BOOOM!*
Kulga and Red are caught in the blast, but the flames wash over the dwarf without harming her. Red isn't quite so lucky.
Caller
Fuzzfoot
---
Black Echelon Operatives
Maroon
Pink
Purple
Red
---
Brayne
Lancyn
Nella
---
Librarians
---
Kulga
|
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Rushing forward and around the Spiritual weapon seeing the foul undead beleaguering the librarians the warrior of light steps up to the Black Echelon Operative in Purple garb flanking with Caller of the eastern Storm. Towering over the abomination Lancyn brings his Longsword down across to fell the beast.
"May Iomedae Burn this scourge from the face of Golarion!" Lancyn bellows out a warcry to his god.
|
|
Caller of the Eastern Storm delivers a mighty overhead, crushing blow to the deep purple operative. *SPLAT!*
When the Shoanti oracle steals his kill, Lancyn adjusts course, delivering a fatal blow to the red operative.
Both warriors realize no one, save their gods, can hear their war cries in the foul creatures' aura of silence.
The two remaining Black Echelon operatives expand the unnatural fog that swirls around their bodies, creating a pea-soup fog extending around the undead creatures in a 30-foot radius that partially conceals them from those not standing next to them.
Through the foggy mist, the librarians shrink away from the danger.
Caller
Lancyn
Fuzzfoot
---
Black Echelon Operatives
Maroon
Pink
Purple
Red
---
Brayne
Nella
---
Librarians
---
Kulga
|
|
Kulga tears into the pink operative with shield and axe, crushing the Black Echelon minion into the stone flagstones of the library's floor.
Brayne discovers it's a lot easier to bite these undead villains, when they're blind. He's almost blinded himself, when he tears into the creature's necks and thick, black ichor splatters across his face.
As the fog dissipates, Nella's spiritual glaive hovers over the fallen undead, as if daring them to rise again. They don't.
"Help us," come the frightened, weak calls of the surviving librarians. "We have many wounded friends, some near death."
|
|
Nella allows her spiritual weapon to remain hovering for the moment as she hurries down the stairs and towards the injured group of librarians.
"Hold still and try not to move, okay?" she says as she quickly surveys the scene and then channels a burst of positive energy to heal the worst of the damage...which seems to be stronger than usual, somehow.
Or maybe not. Still, the priestess is reassured that at least none of the survivors are in any imminent danger of dying now. "That should get at least some of it," Nella reassures the group. "We're here to help. Can you tell us what happened while we finish mending your wounds?"
______________
|
|
Caller approaches Nella and asks,"Do you speak the language of the heavens or spirits of air?"
"In battle, I am filled with the spirit of my ancestors swell within me, and the languages of heaven and air are the only tongues I can understand and speak."
In a somewhat defensive manner, uncharacteristic for such a rugged warrior,"It shows that I am chosen of the gods... the Tamiir-Quah are the chosen people of the spirits of the air."
|
|
Nella glances over her shoulder and shakes her head. "I'm afraid not," she responds sadly. "There's not been much time for me to pick up more languages even though I know that I should. I'm familiar with the Common tongue of course, as well as the language of the halflings and a bit of Skald that I picked up during some of my earlier assignments in the north. Oh - and the language of Varisia herself. But that's all."
She looks thoughtful as she glances at Brayne and Lancyn. "But maybe one of them might be able to help?"
"Still, that's an interesting way for your ancestors to manifest! Thank you for letting me know to expect it," Nella adds, giving Caller a smile.
|
|
Nella heals the injured librarians, as Caller of the Eastern Storm reveals a personal blessing or curse bestowed upon him by his faith, something to do with a divine swelling of some sort and celestial tongues...
"Thank you, lady, for treating our wounds, and thank you all for saving our lives," a bespectacled, dark-haired young woman says, still trembling after the terrifying ordeal. "My name's Tammy, Tammy 2."
"We've no idea where those creatures sprang from. One minute we were doing our best to secure everything, and the next, we were being assaulted from beyond the grave. Thank goodness you came along when you did. Why on earth are people like you visiting the Forae Logos, when the city is besieged? I'm afraid this would be a bad time to peruse the library."
|
Brayne wipes the blood off his face and casually walks over to the survivors, and confidently speaks in attempt to calm the nervous librarians. ”Fret not fellow citizens, it is not by coincidence that we have come to peruse the library, but rather fate. You see, we are very aware of the plight that besides the city walls, and it is for that reason we come seeking the codebook of Black Echelon, in hopes it finds us an answer to stop this madness. It would greatly help if you were able to assist us in this time of need.”
|
|
"Ah, that dangerous codebook would be among the priceless collection of monographs secured in the vault of the Forae Logos," says Tammy 2 as she beckons you to follow her. " Unfortunately, Sandaril was the only ranking librarian on duty who knows how to open the vault, and he’s been missing since the attack began."
Tammy 2 halts before a massive steel door. "I must warn you, locks, traps, and magical wards protect the vault, and since Sandaril’s whereabouts are unknown, you'll have little choice but to break into it. The door has three locks, but I don't think you have to open them in any particular order."
When you examine the vault door, and yes, you see three locks.
A symbol depicting a closed eye adorns a brass-colored lock. The lock doesn’t seem to have a dial, keyhole, or other means of opening it.
A symbol depicting a flying dragon adorns this gold-hued lock. The dragon’s mouth is wide open.
A symbol depicting a spider adorns this lock made of dark metal. The keyhole is perfectly round, with a diameter slightly larger than that of a human’s index finger.
|
|
Nella casts an orison and studies vault door and its locks for time. She detects a faint aura of illusion magic on the brass lock. The door itself also presents an aura.
Caller of the Eastern Storm applies his oracular talents to the examination of the vault door. He detects poison in the area of the dark metal lock.
|
|
"If it's only poison and no one's good with locks, the dark iron one's about finger shaped." Kulga shrugs nonchalantly, and takes off a gauntlet so she'll be able to root around in there if needed.
Before she resorts to that though, she runs her fingers along the lock with no holes, suspecting that they might just be hidden behind the magic Nella had found.
|
|
”Watch out for that gold dragon. Looks like it is ready to breathe fire. And that poison,” as he sniffs and examines it, ”Don’t touch it. Certainly don’t taste it. From the red spine caterpillar- very dangerous.”
Not having access to detect magic, Fuzzfoot has been around magic plenty and tries to help sort out the third puzzle.
”So, shall we try our luck?”
|
|
Kulga passes her fingertips over the surface of the brass lock, and she sees through the illusion magic hiding a small handle that opens that lock.
Fuzzfoot takes a look at the symbol depicting a flying dragon adorning the gold-hued lock. He identifies it as a gold dragon, and he realizes that its posture suggests it is about to breathe fire.
Kulga notices the needle trap on the dark metal lock, and Fuzzfoot identifies the poison as the venom of the red spine caterpillar that diminishes a victim's dexterity over almost thirty seconds.
With some help from Fuzzfoot, Brayne assesses the vault door is cursed, temporarily fatiguing anyone attempting to physically damage the door.
Confident you've revealed the traps and wards on the door, all that remains is to disable the traps and and locks, then open the vault door...
|
|
"I am not skilled in the working of traps and such... perhaps the rest of us should stand back while Fuzzfoot does his work. I will be ready to render aid if need be."
(Reaching into his Handy Haversack, Caller fetches a vial of Antitoxin and offers it to Fuzzfoot), "If you think this might help... here you go."
(If Fuzzfoot doesn't use it, Caller will place it back into his Handy Haversack).
|
|
After Kulga showed him the small handle hidden by the illusion, Fuzzfoot discovers that merely turning it is enough to open the brass lock.
Then Fuzzfoot, after a couple of attempts, disables the poisoned needle trap on the dark metal lock, and having accomplished that, simply inserting his finger in the hole and pushing the button opens the lock.
However, none of the investigator's tools is effective against the design of the last lock, the gold-hued one with the symbol depicting a flying dragon adorning it. The gold dragon, depicted as if poised to breathe fire, stares into space, impassive...
The halfling's puzzled. There's no mechanism to manipulate and no trap detected. There must be another way...
|
|
"Kulga, I think you're right - we need to apply some fire to the lock," Nella agrees, snapping her fingers. "Hold on, let me see..." she rummages through her pack and pulls out a vial. "If no one has a tindertwig I've got this; we'll just need to stand clear of the door when we throw it. And if that doesn't work, I have a spell or two that might help..."
Beckoning for everyone to stand well back from the door, Nella brings her arm back and launches the vial at the golden lock...
_________________
|
|
When Nella tosses her flask of alchemist's fire at the gold-hue lock, the flames cover the door, and the scent of napalm in the morning wafts through the Forae Logos.
When the flames clear, there's a sharp *snick* and the dragon seems to offer a ghostly smile.
The door swings open, soundless on massive, well-lubricated hinges.
Tammy 2 steps inside, retrieves the yellowed codebook, and hands it to Brayne. "I hope this tome contributes to vanquishing the foes at our gates."
---
Upon receiving the codebook, Zarta Dralneen is relieved. "Thank you, Brayne, and the rest of you, of course."
She quickly flips through the tome. "I've identified a few key entries with which I can disrupt the attack on Absalom." She and her team of enthusiastic assistants set to creating bursts of light. [b]"These lights will begin leading Black Echelon operatives into ambushes and to sites they cannot easily destroy."