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Having let go of Kalkamedes' tether, Doc watches him trundle off toward the sleeping beauty in the other cavern. “Well, what's the... worst that can... happen? “ he muses aloud as he steps away from the closest of the wriggling hands.
Now then, what are you exactly, Illvaster?
Doctor O'Mayga reaches into his spell pouch and withdraws a small fetish of bone and wire. As he dangles it from his fingers and mutters the arcane words, it begins to twitch and dance of its own power. On the last syllable, a tendril of black etheric energy snakes out toward Illvaster and seeps down into its bones.
This spell has 2 very different results depending on whether the target is alive or undead. I'd ask you to read it (link provided above) and decide how you want to adjudicate it. If Doc learns Illvaster's true nature by interaction via the spell, then he'll use it to make it attack Orange. Or perhaps the spell fizzles cause he didn't know which version to use during casting and targeting. Or maybe Koani had time to say something. Completely up to you. (I only peeked at your spoiler cause I have run it before, and was curious to read how you phrased the reveal.)
As the hand approaches, Blarg instinctively swipes at it with a talon.
Although the Orange hand does manage to slip through Blarg's defenses the brave little dinosaur does manage to snap off a finger as the thing leaps upon him!
It's at this point that Koani cries out, "Watch out, he's not what he seems! He's not alive, but dead!"
As Koani speaks and the words register in your minds Illvaster's form seems to shimmer as though you're seeing him through a heat haze...and then the illusion that had been placed upon him falls away like so many grains of sand. Instead of the magnificent, black-scaled creature you now see his true form, riddled with rot and decay!
Quickly deciding that Illvaster is a much bigger threat than the hands Baijiu flies into a rage, moving up to the beast and swinging Gamin around and down in a powerful blow that cleaves deeply into his flank! Korivan follows it up with a blast of void essence to the face that leaves Illvaster sporting some ugly-looking burns and some missing teeth. But the dazzling light doesn't seem to affect him at all.
Now aware of Illvaster's true nature Doc performs an encore of the Boneshaker symphony, usurping control of Illvaster from Koth'Vaul for a brief moment. The rotting monstrosity suddenly swings a scaled, bony claw at Orange...
...and very nearly crushes it! Bones crack and splinter, leaving the hand still gripping Blarg but looking as though it might now release its grip if faced with so much as a strong breeze.
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Round 2
Baijiu
Ayla
Korivan
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Illvaster
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Koani + Blarg
Liasna
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Orange Hand
Blue Hand
Green Hand
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Doc + Hogo
Active Conditions: Bless
Ayla is UP!
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Ayla settles for avoiding taking 5 to the face before drawing out her rapier and skewering Blue through the thumb! Blue balls itself up into a fist, angrily shaking at the impudent gnome.
Meanwhile Illvaster continues to mindlessly attack those within his reach but his attacks are noticeably erratic and unfocused, moving from target to target...
...but are still powerful, still deadly. Baijiu takes a claw across the shoulder, Blarg suffers a tail slap to his flank, and Ayla finds herself caught in the creature's powerful jaws for a second time! The undead beast gives the gnome a vicious shake before dropping her to the cavern floor where she lies still, a pool of blood rapidly puddling out around her...
"No! Ayla! You monster!"
Koani utters a cry of anger and rage, raising her bow and firing another shot at Illvaster...
...which sinks directly into the skull! Illvaster staggers, his long-dead form finally seeming close to collapse! And Blarg flails and snaps at the Orange hand that grips him by the throat...
...and manages to kill it! Orange releases its grip and falls to the ground, twitching slightly before growing still.
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Round 2
Baijiu
Ayla
Korivan
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Illvaster
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Koani + Blarg
Liasna
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Blue Hand
Green Hand
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Doc + Hogo
Active Conditions: Bless
Liasna is UP!
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Liasna grimaces at the state of affairs - the first thing she needed to do was stabilize her allies. A quick glance at Ayla's present, dire situation was enough to inform her of just how feasible it would be to get to the girl right away.
It wasn't.
Instead, she advanced carefully, trying to keep to a central-ish location. It was difficult for her to track all of the enemies around, but she figured she'd get more mileage out of her abilities than they would. Liasna takes a deep breath and uses herself as a conduit for positive energy to heal her allies.
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Ayla's mostly untethered spirit settles a bit, happy and content to hang around a little longer.
Nothing happens. Because this scene never happened.
Ayla cut it in the final editing process of her next novel due to extreme absurdity! No one would ever believe Ayla Vivindor Ada Mantine would nearly die sit out a fight!
Absurdity!
...Meanwhile, Ayla lays on the ground, only 'nearly dead.' Which is a great step up from 'almost certainly dead.'
Determined that there'll be no deaths on her watch - and to avoid what would surely be a really awkward scene with Doc later - Liasna carefully advances and sends a burst of healing energy washing over the cramped battlefield. Baijiu and Blarg's injuries knit up and disappear entirely while the worst of Ayla's mend themselves and she ceases bleeding out.
The two remaining grabby hands continue to scuttle about the battlefield, seeking new targets to throttle. With Ayla down, Blue changes its focus and leaps after Kalkamedes while Green launches itself at Doc...
...and this time, they fare much better. Blue latches on tightly to Kalkamedes' throat while Green leaves Doc with a large scratch across his cheek! Though asleep, some of Kalkamedes' survival instincts seem to surface somewhere in his unconscious mind...
...and he snatches the hand up, flinging it away as though he were simply swatting a fly!
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Round 2/Round 3
Baijiu
Ayla
Korivan
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Illvaster
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Koani + Blarg
Liasna
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Blue Hand
Green Hand
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Doc + Hogo
Active Conditions: Bless
Baijiu, Korivan and Doc are UP!
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She brings up her gourd to her lips and takes another long drink, using the alcohol to continue to fuel her Rage. She then brings down Gavin hard, worried that she will let her friends down, and won't let that hold her back!
But in her rage, she brings it down and misses the large dragon. Her mind might be blocked off, but her spirit cries out in despair that the undead aren't stopped yet.
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DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! Hogo think-yells at Doc.
No matter how annoying she is, she's still your teammate, not a subject on a morgue slab.
They angrily shake their thorns at the undead hand attacking Doc. And you, our mistress Pharasma declares you anathema.
However, little Hogo's tirade against the hand is without teeth as they can't actually attack it effectively. Instead they bestow some guidance on Doc, should the big galoot need it.
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I wasn't going to, my friend. I'm not a complete monster. Although... No, never mind.
As he gingerly steps away from the tiny hand, Doc draws his dagger, belatedly realizing he'd entered a fight without a weapon in hand. He looks down at the little thing, and before his curiosity about it gets the better of him, decides to send it fleeing through the ranks of his allies.
As the hand skitters off, Doc swipes his dagger at it.
Rattled by seeing Ayla go down Baijiu brings Gamin down in a powerful blow, attempting to cleave Illvaster's skull in two...but her nerves get the better of her and the sword glances off the cavern floor with a loud *CLANG!*
"Whoa now, watch whar ye'r aiming me, lassie!"
Hogo gives Doc a stern reminder that allies are not test subjects (as well as a bit of guidance) and shakes his thorns and leaves at Green grabby hand. The hand ignores him, probably because it's largely animal-like in intelligence and thus can't understand subtle threats.
Meanwhile Doc attempts to get in a jab on his attacker while its guard is down but tiny hands are frustratingly hard to hit and the attack goes wide. Still, it can be done and so Doc winds up another Boneshaker against it...
...and assumes direct control! Green suddenly zips away, skittering towards Baijiu and Blarg!
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Round 3
Baijiu
Ayla
Korivan
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Illvaster
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Koani + Blarg
Liasna
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Blue Hand
Green Hand
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Doc + Hogo
Active Conditions: Bless
Korivan is UP!
Korivan would normally love to take advantage of the fleeing hand but alas, he left his dagger in his other pair of boots back home! But that's okay, there are still plenty of targets for his wrath.
The little gnome gathers another burst of power and fires on Illvaster once more...
...and as the void blast connects, the undead beast quite literally explodes! A shower of bone fragments and rotting flesh rains down on everyone in the vicinity!
As pieces of Illvaster clatter and splatter all around Baijiu casually and gleefully grasps Gamin and skewers Green as it attempts to skitter past her, all but pinning it to the cavern floor. Like Orange before it, it too twitches for a few moments and comes to rest with its middle finger extended towards Baijiu and the rest of the group.
With the great undead beast and two of the three hands defeated it's a simple matter for the rest of you to slash, stab, and otherwise beat the Blue hand to death. Kalkamedes strides up to the circle where the unconscious elven woman lies and stops, as though waiting for something. And Ayla still lies on the floor, unconscious but stable amid a mess of blood, bone, and stinky pieces of flesh.
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Doc pulls an unidentifiable bit of undead gore from his hair, pauses to stare at it in deep thought for a moment, then tosses it aside. He pops his wand of "curing-the-living-whom-we-don't-want-to-let-die" from his wrist sheath, and steps over to Ayla's... corpse(?). He again ponders for a moment, before tapping her with it, again and again.
When she revives, he comments, slowly and dryly, “You were... mostly dead,“ before he simply turns away and walks over to join Kalkamedes.
He carefully considers the woman and the magic circles as he absentmindedly continues to pick bits of undead detritus from his person. I know I've seen these before. Where was it?
Doc uses his healing wand to bring Ayla back around to consciousness, though he seems deeply ponderous about it as he works. Color returns to Ayla's face and worst of her wounds mend as she returns to the land of the living decides that it's now safe to quit playing possum and get to her feet.
"Iffin' ye say so, lass," Gamin remarks wryly...but also with noticeable relief. "Can't blame ye, that hunk-o-bones was somethin' else, eh?"
With Ayla now back in action Doc moves to catch up with Kalkamedes who continues to stand outside the runed circle, almost as though standing guard over the unconscious woman.
"Zzz...dawn...the light..." he mumbles, the first words of any sort you've heard him speak all night.
"Hey! Mebbe he's wakin' up," Gamin remarks excitedly. "Kalk! HEY KALK! CAN YE HEAR MEH!?"
Largely ignoring the chatter Doc considers the runes and the woman within. After some careful examination he realizes that the runes are actually part of a summoning circle, designed to prevent extra-planar beings from leaving it and infused with positive energy to prevent the undead from entering. With a start he also realizes that there's nothing at all preventing him or anyone else from simply stepping into the circle. And if the circle that binds Koth'Vaul, whatever he is, is the same...well, it's probably a good thing that no one got very close to it!
Moving on from the runes Doc then turns his attention to the woman within. Now that he's able to get a better look an old memory stirs somewhere in the back of his mind, a memory from long ago. He's seen beings like this woman before, but he knows now that she's not actually an elven woman but a being called a ghaele azata that hails from the plane of Elysium.
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Korivan's joint loosen as he notices the parts of the dragon everywhere around him
"Well, that was weird. I felt so still randomly. Almost like a robot. But we got him! So I'll take it."
Looking around to where everyone else is looking, to the "Elf", Korivan rejoins the party
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As he recalls the pleasant memory of an encounter with another azata in another life in another time, Doc rolls the wand that's still in his hand back and forth in his fingers. With an uncharacteristic slight smile from the memory, Doc turns and briefs his compatriots on what he knows. He tries to keep it succinct, since he already has a plan of action in mind and doesn't wish to delay. But succinct to Doc is still likely too long for others.
“An azata will... definitely not... harm us, so there *should* be no... danger in entering the circle, “he finishes before turning around and striding into the circle.
At the azata's side, he kneels down to check her health....
...before gently tapping the beautiful outsider with the wand. Anyone watching closely may note that he was very gentle in his ministrations toward the azata, completely unlike how he simply jabbed Ayla back to life wakefulness earlier.
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She moves over after puking her guts out, the colorful contents finally stopping as she hears of an Azata, something mentioned in the temples of the Drunk God, for he resides in Elysium. She rushes over, and channels for everyone twice, trying to make sure that, mostly the Azata, is healthy.
She looks down and says to the azata, "Hello free one... Well how can we get you free? I will do what ever is needed to free you." She has her tankard symbol to show her worship of the Drunk God.
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Ayla pulls out a potion and drinks it.
She stands up, dusts herself off, and retrieves her dropped gear. While the others check on the chick in the circle Ayla scampers over to the dead dragon and checks to see if it has any nice loot on it.... She also peers into the water, wondering if dead dragons keep hoards...
The group begins to gather around the unconscious azata (except for Ayla) as Doc makes use of his healing wand and Baijiu channels multiple waves of positive energy over everyone. A few of her more serious wounds close up and her eyelids flutter...and slowly open.
"...Wha...?" she mumbles as she takes in the sight of unfamiliar ceiling and the rather concerned faces surrounding her and peering down at her. Then, as if remembering something, her eyes open wide and she suddenly bolts into a sitting position. As she gazes around at each of you, you notice that her eyes seem to radiate with an otherworldly glow.
"Koth'Vaul! Where is he?" she asks anxiously. "You didn't free him from his prison, did you?" Then, she pauses. "No, no you haven't...if you had, we wouldn't be having this conversation now. He's still within the binding circle, isn't he?"
Now fully awake, the woman grimaces and staggers to her feet. Gazing down at her tattered clothing and many wounds, she grimaces and then places her hand over her heart.
"ದೇಹವನ್ನು ಸರಿಪಡಿಸು, ಮನಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಪುನಃಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸಿ," she intones and her wounds quickly and completely vanish.
"Mend the body, restore the mind."
She just cast Heal on herself.
"Much better," she sighs with a radiant smile. "Now, I suspect you've got some questions of your own for me, don't you? The first and easiest to answer, a simple matter of names. I'm called Sulianna and it's quite a pleasure to meet you...?" she trails off, clearly waiting to hear each of your own names.
Meanwhile, a little further away, Ayla begins poking through what's left of Illvaster and his grabby hands. What she finds is mostly just bones and rotted flesh but the glint of light on metal does catch her eye, drawing her attention to the beast's horned skull. There, on the left horn, she spots what appears to be a small band made of mithril.
A peek into the waters of the pool sadly fails to yield anything else of interest. If Illvaster had a hoard it's either long gone or was kept somewhere else.
The band easily slips off the dragon's horn - for that's surely what Illvaster was in life - and then...
*bloop*
...it suddenly transforms into an old, floppy straw hat!
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Ayla jams the straw hat onto her head. Interestingly, it seems to shrink slightly to fit her. Another quick peek at her reflection in the pool confirms what she already knew: this magnificent form-changing straw hat only adds to her majesty.
Oh and given the circumstances it's probably a magic hat, which makes it that much cooler.
It's a Hat of Disguise! Seems someone decided that Illvaster needed a magical face-lift at some point and stuck it on.
Sulianna quickly raises her hands. "No no, you can't fight Koth'Vaul directly, he's much too powerful for even your combined might! But thankfully I'm not completely spent yet. What I can do is grant one of you the ability to cast a spell of Banishment on Koth'Vaul," she explains. "It's not as good as destroying him here on this plane, which would destroy him forever, but at least it'll spare this realm from the horrors that a free Koth'Vaul would inflict."
From within his circle, Koth'Vaul can be heard spitting a colorful variety of curses at the group. Big words, but it seems clear that if Koth'Vaul were going to visit death upon the group he would have already done so. Sulianna confirms this as she shakes her head and remarks, "Ah, there he is. Don't worry, the magic that currently binds him here is still strong enough to hold him - at least for now."
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“I am Doctor O'Mayga... , but please... call me Doc... , or Doctor, or... well anyway, “ he trails off clearly flustered by the presence of the azata and the memory of his last encounter with one, those many lifetimes ago.
When Hogo pricks his scalp with a thorn, it's enough to force him to focus on the task at hand.
“Sulianna, I have... so many questions. But first, what is... going on with... this man? “he asks gesturing to Kalkamedes.
He listens to her answer, then asks about the spell of banishment. Why can't she just cast it herself? (She's clearly a far more powerful caster than even him.) How will he, or another of his group, be able to overcome Koth'Vaul's magical resistances? Can she act as the "object of opposition" that can make the spell more powerful?
"A pleasure to meet you, Doctor O'Mayga, and the rest of you," Sulianna smiles as she clasps each of your hands (or whatever approximates hands, in Blarg and Hogo's cases) tightly in her own. Her very skin seems to radiate warmth and light.
"As I'm sure you may have guessed by now, Koth'Vaul is not what he seems," she begins, and as if on cue, another stream of curses can be heard from the next alcove. "He knows his time is at an end; I can hear the fear in his voice. Anyway, whatever form he showed you when you arrived here is false - Koth'Vaul is a powerful demon, called and bound to this realm long ago by those you call the Thrallkeepers. He was made to serve his masters but once the Thrallkeepers were no more, he remained here, still bound to his circle...but not for all time."
"You see, the binding circle has slowly weakened...eventually it will break and Koth'Vaul will be loosed on this land," Sulianna continues, her tone grave. "A month ago, I journeyed here to put an end to him before that could happen...but the circle was already much weaker than I had expected. With the aid of his undead puppet Illvaster he managed to draw me in close and we battled." Here, she sighs deeply. "I was not strong enough to slay Koth'Vaul and it was only by escaping to this circle, bound with positive energy where Illvaster could not follow, that I lived. But I was in a sorry state, as you saw."
During Sulianna's speech, Kalkamedes has remained standing as still and silent as a statue. Sulianna gazes at him, a look of thankfulness but also sadness on her face. "This man, Kalkamedes, was my unwitting savior. Though I was unconscious, I could sense his mind when he drew close to this place one day. I tried to reach out to him for aid, but Koth'Vaul guessed my plan and intervened to dampen my call. Kalkamedes journeyed on, unaware that both of us had touched his mind so. But...yes, I see it...his subconscious still remembered and drove him to seek this place out."
The angelic woman hangs her head, wiping away a tear. "And it very nearly cost him his life. And all of you yours, as well, because I was too weak to finish what I had begun on my own."
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"Well, that's an awesome story if I've ever heard one!" Ayla pipes up. "Heroes, villains, pretty ladies, subterfuge, tragedy! Awesome! Man, that's going to make an awesome addition to my book. So tell me, how do I spell your name dear? Right, and Koth'Vaul? Great, great."
With a bow and a doff of her magnificent, regal straw hat, Ayla announces, "Well, I'm Ayla! Ayla Vivindor! Celebrated novelist and all around amazing adventurer!"
Ayla digs around in her bag a produces a professional looking novel entitled 'Ada Mantine and the Overly Convoluted Mystery, An Adventure Novel by Ayla Vivindor.' She passes it to the ghaele.
"Read it, read it! You'll love it, I swear! It's the best one I've written! Ada's gone on 16 adventures--most based on my own exploits, mind you--and this one's pretty nifty! Based on my last mission in Mendev! A little confusing, but, you know those crusaders, huh? Demons this and demons that and -- well honestly there's no demons in this one at all. All kinds of human hubris though! And superstitions! Oh, it's a good one! Of course, thanks to Kothy over there my next novel will contain demons. Huh. Bit of irony there I suppose."
She waits a whopping four seconds before asking "Well, whaddya' think? Pretty swanky, huh? Want me to sign it for you?"
Ayla whips out a quill and proceeds to sign the novel. "You know there's a fan club for Ada Mantine called the Adamants, who dig around and try to find all the hidden gems in those novels! I'll give you a pin!" She pulls out a shiny little pins and pins it onto the outsider. Each reads: 'ADAMANT! I <3 ADA MANTINE!' Then she grins. "You should join the fan club. It's gonna be HUGE!"
Ayla sticks her backpack back on and grins. "So about this demon I totally knew was bad news –– you're welcome for saving your lives, everyone! –– just one spell and he's gone? Bazap and done? Sounds suspect! What are the complications we're talking about here? Chance for mishaps? Chances it will work?"
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Sulianna remains silent all through Ayla's explosive and exuberant outpouring of words, words, and more words and it's hard to tell if she's actually listening or if she's maybe a little shell-shocked by it all. But during the brief pause between the talk of the book and the talk turning back to Koth'Vaul, Sulianna grins and wipes at her eyes.
"Hah! Maybe I shouldn't have been so worried - if the rest of your companions are like you three," she gestures to Doc, Baijiu, and Ayla, "then I'm not sure that death would be much of a setback. Perhaps just a small stumble, instead."
"An' don't ferget 'bout me in them stories," Gamin pipes up. "Ain't everyday ye encounter a talkin' sword now, is it?"
The ghaele graciously accepts the offer of a signed copy of Ayla's novel and the pin placed on her shoulder. "Thank you, Ayla. I will treasure them always. Oh, and um...maybe later, leave me a note on how to get in touch with this 'fan club' you mentioned? Perhaps I can help to start an Elysium chapter," she winks.
"But um, to answer all of your other questions, yes, just one should work," Sulianna explains. She looks down at the runes encircling her and frowns. "First thing, I'll need you to help break these runes for they hold me just as tightly as Koth'Vaul's runes hold him. Then we'll finish the job I couldn't do alone and I'll heal your friend's mind. After that, well...I think an early morning stroll would do us all some good," she smiles.
With nothing else to stop you and all the time in the world on your hands, the group manages to chip away at the runes holding Sulianna until she is free at last. "I'm still weak even though my wounds have healed," the azata explains as she steps from the broken circle and stretches her leg. "And it also seems appropriate that you be the ones to send Koth'Vaul back to the Abyss, since it's thanks to you that I'm alive and free at all."
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Everyone now ready, Sulianna closes her eyes for a moment and reaches out to touch Doc's hand. "You seem as though you're the most practiced in the magical arts among your companions...er, no offense," the azata remarks, eyeing Baijiu cautiously.
Doc feels a great humming, tingling sensation as the azata bestows him with a fraction of her power, power that would normally be well outside his current capabilities. Taking a deep breath, Doc begins to weave the spell of banishment as the rest of you look on. Koth'Vaul's form shimmers and the illusion that had covered him drops away, revealing a massive horned creature, easily standing 18 feet tall with one set of humanoid arms and another set of larger, thicker arms that end with massive pincher-like claws. He roars in anger and claws furiously at the barrier holding him in place, all to no avail. A large, swirling vortex opens in the air behind the demon and with an angry, echoing cry of "NOOOOOO!", Koth'Vaul is sucked inside. With a *pop* the vortex closes and the cavern is silent.
"And that, as they say, is that," Sulianna says with an audible sigh of relief. "Now, let me see to Kalkamedes and then I suggest we get out of this place!"
True to her word, Sulianna approaches Kalkamedes and gently takes his head in both hands, softly brushing her lips across his forehead. As she releases him and steps back, Kalkamedes' eyelids flutter briefly and then open. The sleepy, dream-like expression is replaced by one of utter confusion and wonder.
"I...where am I?" he asks as he looks around at everyone and then at the cavern he now finds himself standing in. He gives his head a good shake to clear it. "Um, okay. Wow. You folks must be with the Pathfinder Society, right? Guess ol' Sheila came through for me after all. Looks like you've got quite a story to share with me, but first - is it over? Did I accomplish whatever I'd been trying to do?"
"Aye, ye did!" comes Gamin's voice. "But dagnabit, this ain't tha proper place ta do a big bunch of talkin'! Come on, let's git outside and our new friends ken tell ye alllll about it!"
"I can't speak for the rest of you, but I'm with the talking sword," Sulianna laughs. "And I don't believe I got your name, Sir Blade. Come, we'll make introductions as we walk," she continues as she links her arm through Kalkamedes'. The pair wait, Sulianna explaining a bit of the night's events while the rest of you scour the cavern to make sure that nothing important is overlooked or forgotten. Good thing, too, for further back within the depths of the alcove where Illvaster's pool sits the group finds several items that turn out to be a Scabbard of Vigor, a Phylactery of Faithfulness, a potion of Cure Serious Wounds, and five pieces of amber carefully sealed within two great stone pots. Not a bad way to end the night!
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"I...whew," Kalkamedes goggles as you catch him up on the night's adventures on your way up and out of the Black Edifice. "That's a heck of a thing to take in! Good thing I'll have the entire walk back to mull it over. You said it was nearing dawn when we came down here, right? The sun should be coming up by now so at least we'll have some light for the walk back."
"Kalk, me friend, it's good ta have ye back an' have all this sleep-walkin' business at an end," Gamin remarks as you all step out of the Black Edifice and into the light of dawn. "If I had a body I think all tha worryin' I've done over ye wou' have given me heart palpitations by now! What do ye say we take a...a...vacation or somethin', after all this?"
"Hah! Maybe, old friend, but let's focus on getting back home first," Kalkamedes laughs as you all turn your sights back towards the way you came and to a well-earned rest.
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Thankfully, after the night everyone's had, the return trip back to Kalkamedes' cabin goes without incident. Sulianna also accompanies you on the return trip. "It's the least I can do, after all you've done for me. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to any of you on your way back," she explains.
With Kalkamedes now able to proceed under his own power, the return trip goes much more quickly and you all find yourselves back at his cabin by early afternoon. Good thing, too, as nearly everyone is feeling the effects of the long, long night and day that you've had. For her part, Venture-Captain Heidmarch is delighted to see you all return in one piece and listens with rapt attention as each of you take turns filling her in on all that has happened since you parted ways.
"Well! That's quite a tale...and quite a find you've made in the Black Edifice," she remarks. "Now that it's been cleansed of its demonic prisoner the Society will have to send a team out for further investigation. The cloaking magics in particular are worth study, as are the bindings that held this Koth'Vaul for so long."
Heidmarch beams at each of you. "Not only have you come to the aid of one of our own, you've provided the Society with invaluable information regarding these Thrallkeepers and their activities during the days of the Runelords. Well done, Pathfinders! Please, take a rest once you return to Magnimar - you've more than earned it!"
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After having spent a slightly cramped but otherwise restful night at Kalkamedes' cabin the group rises early the next morning, making their preparations to return to civilization and, ultimately, the Magnimar Pathfinder lodge. Sulianna had departed the night before for her home on Elysium, but not before offering each of you a parting gift.
"A fraction of my power," she had explained as she gently touched her hand to each of your foreheads. "It will only work once, but if you ever find yourself in dire need, invoke my name and my power will aid you. Be well, my friends - I will never forget you and what you have done for me and for the cause of good and light."
Then, as you watched from the cabin's porch, Sulianna transformed...becoming a being of pure light and streaking up and away into the night sky.
"Beautiful," Kalkamedes had whispered. "I...I still wasn't sure if I could believe that she was really from the heavenly realms, but now..." Even in the dim light of the stars, it was clear that he had been smiling. "I'm glad to have met her."
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Now, as you prepare to depart, Kalkamedes clears his throat. You all notice that he holds Gamin in his hand, almost as if saluting the group. "You've done a great thing for me. I can't repay you with gold but I can spread the word among my friends that are still part of the Society, put in a good word for you and all," he explains. Then, a pause.
"And there's something else I can do. You see, Gamin and I, we've been talking it over and...I think he should leave here with one of you - if you'd be willing to take him on. We've done a lot together but I think he could do more good in the hands of someone like you folks."
"Was a hard decision ta make, but I agree with me man Kalk. Might do me some good ta see a little more of tha world an' I ken ye folks be good people, ta be trusted," Gamin chimes in. Then, of all things, the sword makes an almost hiccupy sound, like something between a laugh and a sob. "Now, I...dangit Kalk, I'll miss ye, ye ken that, right? We've made a right good team together, we have. Ye were tha first one ta look at me an' see somethin' promisin' instead of just a busted blade. An' these folks were tha second."
"And you looked at me and saw something more than just a washed up old knight, not able to hack staying completely on the straight and narrow," Kalkamedes replies with a small chuckle. "I'll never forget that."
He reaches out, offering Gamin's hilt to one of you. "To better days and sunnier skies, my friends. For all of us."
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She reaches out and takes hold of Gamin and says, trying to not shed tears as their adventure comes to an end and says, "I will take Gamin with me, in remembrance of our Adventure together. Tales will be told over full mugs in all the tavern's of Golarian." She carefully puts Gamin on her back, and begins to pass out the drinks to everyone!!!