The mutant plant resists Ulrich's attempt to suffocate it, though it is still staggered. Two of Gabbi's arrows hit the creature but don't seem to harm it at all. As Amnayel closes in, the plant lashes out with a tendril, but fails to hit!
Amnayel takes note of Allie's response, but does not think now is the appropriate time to respond. Now she's focused on this creature before her and devotes all of her attention to ending it. With two powerful swings, she tries to cut it down.
With the shiny lady and the plant at close quarters Rascal circles around and then starts on his salad.
Allie incants a simple spell of protection for herself.
"I'm not a pharasmin." Allie says firmly to a plate armored back.
"Don't be silly, of course you are. You've just been backsliding," Gabbi says without taking her eyes off the aggressive plant.
"I'm not a pharasmin." Allie says firmly to a plate armored back."Don't be silly, of course you are. You've just been backsliding," Gabbi says without taking her eyes off the aggressive plant.
"Am not."
"Am not.""I'm not a pharasmin." Allie says firmly to a plate armored back."Don't be silly, of course you are. You've just been backsliding," Gabbi says without taking her eyes off the aggressive plant.
"Are too."
What in the hell is wrong with them?! Must they argue NOW?
The child-like arguing behind her back distracts Amnayel, turning to look between the two bickering ladies she shouts " Now is not the time for this! Focus!" while trying to keep an eye on the plant out of the corner of her eye.
As Gabbi readies another magical arrow, she can't help but quirk a smile.
"She even sounds like Sister Timisha," she says with a small giggle. Her voice takes on a very prim tone. "'Ladies, now is not the time for whispered discussions. Your attention should be on me. Focus.'"
"Like that's the kind of focus she wanted. Allie replies. "Also, am not."
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If she had a choice in this, Elká would dive headfirst into the plant-creature's tendrils and book herself a one-way ride to Pharasma's garden. Sadly, the twins would find a way to get her back, meaning she might as well help in dealing with the plant.
You score several hits on the writhing reed, hacking at its tendrils. Rascal is unable to trip the thing as it has no legs, only roots tethering it to the ground.
The plant seems to be drawn to Amnayel due to all the noise she is making. She fends off its jagged maw, but one of its tendrils slams into her, wrapping around her neck and beginning to strangle her!
"Blessed silence." Allie comments, before aiming a ray of gray light at the strangling tentacle.
The light seems to leach something from the plant, leaving it dry and dessicated.
"Damn, I already miss the the nagging," Gabbi says with a frown as she releases more arrows.
"Don't tell me you're falling for this one." Allie replies, aiming for banter, but her sister easily catches the darker undertone that creeps in.
Ulrich draws the wand of magic missile to fire volleys of black spirits.
"Everyone here is in service to the Lady of Graves, regardless of faith. Pay attention!"
Kamosh flies over to the plant monster and lands on the tendrils wrapped around Amnayel. As he pecks furiously at them, his invisibility sheds, revealing a bird the size of a hawk, black as night and wearing the skull of a large raven as a mask.
"I was just ..." Gabbi begins, but then trails off with a shake of her head. The desire to continue the repertoire vanishing entirely. She focuses on the target and the drawing of the bowstring.
The monstrous plant withers and wilts before your assault, and its tendril releases Amnayel as it dies.
Amnayel gasps as she struggles mightly against the plant. She knows her allies will free her in time, so she does her best to keep it engaged until they do so. When it finally releases her, she turns to her new companions with a broad grin. "Well DONE my friends! Your competence is battle is admirable. I am blessed to be accompanied by such accomplished allies as you all."
She bows her head in thanks "You have my thanks for saving my life. I will dutifully see that I shall protect yours in the coming days."
Kamosh makes a light peck against Amnayel's metal grieves.
"Greetings, angelic warrior. Can you understand me?"
"You can thank us after this is all done," Gabbi snaps as she shoulders her bow. "We've still got a darkwing to defeat."
Without another word, she continues the trek towards the tower.
The paladin approaches Gabriella and places a gauntleted hand on her shoulder "I will thank you when we are done, Gabriella, sister of Alessandra, follower of Pharasma and saver of Amnayel. But I must thank you now for saving my life. Would you not do the same in my position?" She looks into the dhampir's eyes with a knowing smile, self-confidence radiating from it.
When the familiar speaks, Amnayel turns to face Kamosh, her face lighting up with pure joy. She throws her hands out in praise and speaks to the nosoi, her features clearly animated in excitement.
Kamosh hops slightly in excitement to be able to talk to another person again. He flutters up with his double pair of wings and perches on Amnayel's shoulder.
"I do not recall my proper name, but my master calls me Kamosh. I have been sent by the Lady of Graves to oversee him, and prevent him from defiling the sanctity of life and death. There is good in his heart, but his lust for knowledge is leading him down a path more in common with our enemies than with our allies. Be warned, Amnayel, that even though he does not speak our tongue, he listens. For now, he fears you, but remain vigilant should he try to deceive you. Gabriella has already fallen to his influence. Do not make the same mistakes as she has."
And with that, Kamosh flies back to his master's shoulder: Dr. Ulrich Kurbanov
While the bird talks, Amnayel's joy falters, her smile slowly fading.
Her gaze shifts first to Gabriella, studying her briefly and then finally to Dr. Ulrich Kurbanov. She stares at the doctor silently for a moment, wondering if that is why he wanted to speak earlier. To fill her head with corruption. To bring her in line with whatever dark agenda he has planned. She will watch this one closely. Her eyes narrow briefly on the doctor before she focuses away on something else instead.
As the bird flies away Amnayel calls out to it in celestial.
Once the bird has returned, Amnayel takes a knee and touches her breast, looking skywards sky and continues to speak in celestial.
Rising, she smiles once again, she turns to Ulrich and smiles "I like your winged friend, doctor. I believe his true name is Shemyaza, and so shall I call it henceforth. Would you mind filling me in on the details of what you while we search for this nightwing creature? I was made aware of some great travesty of the small town of Roslar's Coffer. While investigating, I followed a trail that brought me here to Vigil. I had heard rumors of some great evil about to present itself when I was abruptly killed along with the rest of the town. Through the grace of the Spirit of Abandon, I have been blessed to return to finish their work. What can you tell me about what has happened here? About the greater threat?"
"Should have left her with the plant..." Allie mutters, falling into step with her sister and Rascal.
"Thank you, Amnayel. He's an... interesting companion. A planar familiar for arcane spellcasting, as you may or may not know. I have great doubt that his True Name is Shemyaza, but I must admit that form of magic is a bit beyond my studies.
Now let me see... yes
You perished just yesterday from the detonation of a shard of the Shattered Shield of Arnisant. This was a technique that was tested in the town of Roslar's Coffer roughly three weeks prior. Everyone present except for Rascal the wolf was living in the town when the detonation occurred. We were sent to the Boneyard, but there was an anomaly. We were not vague souls lingering for judgement, but solid of flesh and blood. I have a theory as to why that is the case, but no evidence. At any rate, we returned to the Material Plane - with great effort, mind you - to put Roslar's Coffer at peace. It was occupied by a witch and other lackeys of the Whispering Way, who installed a necromantic artifact known as the Fetoring Maw. We received word that a sentient undead known as Gildias was at work in Vigil to destroy the city, and we rushed to stop him. By the time we managed to find out exactly what his plan was, he had escaped and Vigil was no more.
Gildias is a minion of none other than the Whispering Tyrant, who has taken advantage of the arrogance of Last Wall to engineer his revival. As his minions have collected the shards of the Shattered Shield of Arnisant, he has removed his largest threat. Not only that, but you may be aware that there was a seal to the Tyrant's prison located here. It was the last seal remaining. By thanks of the blast, it is gone, and Tar-Baphon shall rise again. It is inevitable."
He pauses for a moment, to think of anything else to add.
"Any questions?"
Amnayel follows along as the doctor speaks, not surprised in the least by what he says. When he finishes, she nods curtly. "Thank you, doctor. No questions. When I had been given my assignment, I had suspected this was the ultimate goal. To hear you state it so plainly now with this additional information, I fear as you that this is our shared path."
Her chest pushes out slightly as she tries to stand a little straighter, her hair catching a slight breeze and allowing the golden strands to flutter about behind her as she makes a proclamation. "Should the Whispering Tyrant be among us once more, we shall end him and his undead minions once and for all!" she declares boldly. Looking across her allies she adds "I am honored to be among such brave souls as yourselves. Together we will work to restore the freedoms and livelihoods that this foul abomination strives to take from these lands!"
"At the least, we may delay the suffering he will inflict upon Golarion, but we are not Gods, and I have yet to meet someone who is both more competent and more invested in this effort. I trust you know of the Red Crusader, yes? Our efforts shall never amount to the abilities of a Divine Herald. We are but mortals."
"The only actual advantage that we have is that there are other, more powerful, figures moving behind the scenes to help arrange his downfall," Gabbi offers, but doesn't clarify. "We're just the tools that are being used."
Amnayel nods to Ulrich, "I am familiar with her story, yes. I cannot say that I have met her, no. I do not lay claim of a demigod, but I will gladly give my life in service to free those that would be slaughtered and tortured by him. A mortal, yes. Death has been attempted once upon us, yet we still stand here alive today. We are more than mortals, and our coming has been foretold. Though he may not cringe in fear of us, I shall state with defiance that we will see him brought down once and for all."
To Gabriella, she nods and smiles, speaking confidently "This is reassuring. I concur with your asset, me are but tools in the larger game that is being played. Through us, victory shall be assured."
"Yeah," is Gabbi's response.
The ballista tower is a two story structure of weathered stone. As you approach, the survivors inside open the doors and one leads you up the stairs. A wedge-shaped deck points south from the ballista tower, away from Vigil. An enormous ballista is affixed to a hinged mount at the point of the wedge, providing a wide field of fire. A barrel of ballista bolts stands near the siege engine. The northern portion of this deck contains several holes in the floor, a winch mechanism, and a fortified balcony that looks upon the devastated city.
A door across the deck leads into what once were an officer’s quarters. This area has been transformed into a field hospital to tend to injured survivors, with a few cots and medical supplies now occupying the space. The gnome venture-captain Evni Zongnoss tends to several injured sailors. In one corner of the room, Veena Heliu, the half-elf war mage, babbles quietly to herself, rocking back and forth with her hands around her knees.
Evni is relieved to see you. ”You made it! And you have Iomedae’s needle! Maybe we actually have a chance of getting out of here in one piece.”
Amnayel moves to the front and extends her hand to Evni "Greetings. . I am Amnayel, the holy champion of the Spirit of Abandon. In what way may I offer my services of healing to those in need gathered here?"
Gabbi spends time with the ballista in an attempt to familiarize herself with the weapon, having never fired something so big in her life.
Evni shakes Amnayel’s hand. ”Well met. Your healing services would be appreciated. Captain Stetter and her men are the crew of the Golden Dawnrose. The monster known as the Haunting Dark attacked them on the way to this tower, and all of them are still injured.”
The gnome gestures to the half-elf in the corner. ”Poor Veena. We had been trying to discover the Haunting Dark’s true name, as that knowledge would significantly increase the likelihood of striking it with Iomedae’s needle. I managed to rescue nearly the entire contents of the local Pathfinder lodge’s library in a portable hole, and I suspect the nightwing’s actual name might be found in its contents.
“Veena discovered the right book, but an enchantment in its pages—one I never knew about—afflicted Veena with an insanity spell. The book is in the adjacent storeroom. If you are brave enough, I would like you to search for the Haunting Dark’s name in the book, but beware its magical protections.”
When Gabbi finally makes another appearance and the potential for gaining the creatures true name, she grows agitated.
"Do you know what kind of magic protects the book?" she asks, her eyes intense.
"Bravery is not a concern, we will retrieve this book. My companions and I hold no fear for magical protections, we will overcome these obstacles." Amnayel says immediately in response. "This information is critical in dispatching this creature, so we will obtain it at all costs."
"Greetings. I am Doctor Kurbanov, a medical doctor and arcane scholar. I will see what can be done, but the theories of True Names are not my... specialty."
Ulrich takes a seat and casts Detect Magic. Then, he starts by studying Veena to identify the spell affecting her. Then, he will examine the book specifically to identify the protections, and if dispelling them would also remove knowledge of the True Name.
The adjoining storeroom contains sufficient food and water to last the survivors here for a week. Atop the supplies is a flimsy black cloth—Evni’s portable hole—and a heavy book entitled The Tome of True Names. Ulrich can sense strong necromancy and enchantment magic coming from it.
After a little studying of the situation, Ulrich decides to try his best to dispel the insanity protections on the book.
The spell fizzles out before he had even finished uttering the incantation. He closes his eyes and exhales deeply as his patience is tried.
"How crucial is it that this is done, today?"
"The Haunting Dark has left us alone since we got to the tower," Evni says. "It seems attracted to large groups of people out in the open. I think we'd be okay to hunker down here a bit longer if you need more time."
"Give me that." Allie says impatiently, grabbing the book from Ulrich. She sits cross legged on the floor and holds the book with both hands.
Nothing happens for a while, although a close observer would notice tendrils of gray creeping out of Allie's hands and across the black cover of the book. Suddenly there is a crackling sound and Allie hurls the book away from herself with an annoyed yelp.
"Protections are strong." She says, sucking on a burned finger. "I cracked them though."
Elká rolls out the leather bag containing all her illicit tools and spills them out of the floor. She searches through the mess in the hopes of finding a mithril pick but it's nowhere to be found. She curses and swears and settles on a worn-out tin finger cap. Tin is supposed to be good against magic, right? Or was it lead? Think like an orc. It doesn't matter which is better, as long as you believe it to be better.
So she tries to fool herself.
Armed with a set of weird and less-than-optimal tools the changeling attempts to bypass the book's protections without setting off the trap.
Unfortunately, despite all of her precautions, the twisted words and phrases within the occult tome assault Elka's mind!
The silver lining is that the magic has been temporarily suppressed. If you're quick, you can search the book for the true name of the Haunting Dark.
Amnayel watches the exchange with the book and is prepared to do it herself when Elká marches right in and does. She calls out "Do you need assistance?"
Allie snatches up the book as Elka drops it and starts riffling through the pages. "No... no... maybe... no. Damnit. Gabbi! What does this mean again?"
"Ulrich, see if you can help her," Gabbi says as she pulls the book into her own hands, steels her mind and begins searching through it.
Amnayel watches all of the women pass the book back and forth and look through its pages quickly. She repeats, "Can I be of assistance in any way?"
"Unless you know the planes just be quiet and let us concentrate." Allie says, flicking backwards and forwards as her sister reads over her shoulder.