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Ivan stands back, taking it all in. He merely shrugs when he sees the entire town assembled in the Boneyard. It had been just another stop on the long road...but up until now, it had always been he who departed from the town, not the other way around.
He addresses a soul he recognizes; someone from the tavern last night who seemed to particularly appreciate his music.
He takes out his violin and improvises a short, sweet dirge just for her.
" They're all cold to the touch! Room temperature at best..." Rali whispers to the party as they mingle with the townfolk.
"Dear friend, you have died. Your soul has passed on to the boneyard and you live no longer." Rali says to the Smith, a friend of his
Justus tries to convince people they are dead and they just laugh Dead? Ah,hahahhaha. You're funny. And I suppose you are going to tell us you are all ghosts.
When asked the mayor what happend, she doesn't know for sure.
Ivan convinces someone I can't believe I'm dead, no fix this if you can, bring me back to life
Aranor goes out to find her dad, but the town is big enough. The mayor speaks to her. Probably over there then, which resembles the woods
Survival 20, you find him
If you find him Aranor my girl, is that you? Are we both dead? At least it is nice to see you.
You all spent convincing someone they are dead.
Aranor looks for her father, but can't find him anywhere. Maybe he wasn't there. Maybe he's still okay. She bites her lip as she considers whether she should keep searching or...or start helping people move on.
She sees Dion, a neighbor she knows fairly well, outside his house tending to his garden. "Hello Dion. It's me, Aranor." She takes his hand, making the temperature difference between them fairly obvious. "I...I don't know how to say this, but we're in the Boneyard. Everyone in Rossler's Coffer...they all died. Including you."
There are tears in her eyes, but her voice remains fairly steady. "Your wife died ten years ago, didn't she? So...it's time for you to move on and be with her again."
Rali sighs as the Smith refuses to believe him. He moves on to a farmer he used to drink with and delivers the same speech.
The boy picked at whatever food was put in front of him, his appetite non-existent. After an hour or so, he accepted the dwarf's offer to have one of waitresses take him in her quarters for the night, where the lady proceeded to wash the boy and find clothes that were appropriate to his size, for the boy's clothes were meant for men and obviously not fitted properly. The boy insisted to pay the lady, as someone had left coins with him upon his arrival in this world.
Remembering the kind lady who took him in on his first night when he arrived in the world of Golarion, Akku heads for the inn and checks on her. He quietly sits at a nearby table where she works.
"Hi young lady. You've passed away it seems, and I'm here to guide your spirit to Pharasma's Judgement. We have a bit of time though. Could I get a drink? I know, I'm a boy right now, but I've been around for a long time I think, and I don't think it was a coincidence that you helped me last night. How about we talk about your Patron Deity? who is the god or goddess that you'd like to reunite to in the afterlife? this place here is just a waystop that looks like your town so that your soul is overly shocked in the transition to the Boneyard."
Rali also talks to the baker, who just yells at him.
Then he tries telling the acolyte about it, and it seems to get through.
Justus seeks the next person and tries his best to convince them.
Grod sees a town guard whom he had known in life, and approaches he man, shaking his hand. He immediately noes the temperature. "Hello friend. I bring ill tidings. You are cold, as cold as a corpse. I fear you are dead. I know that sounds strange. But you know that I knew death like no one in Roslar's. You are dead. It is time you accepted that."
1.
I don't know how, but I'm dead, and suffering the loss of her ten years ago was hard. You are alive though? If that is true, you need to get out of this realm and fast. He gets up and looks at his surroundings. Another problem, I don't know how to leave this place, I'm not even sure I can be with her, ah more sadness, a possible eternity without her.
2. Rali convinces a farmer, he ponders it for a minute. But all my crops are here too, crops can't be ghosts. This place must really play tricks on people. He offers you some crops
3. Ivan That's a nice one, can you play something to return me to life again, I need to be a watchman again.
4. Justus convinces two people. Well, you are a Paladin, bargain with the gods to send us back.
5. Grod Sadly yes, we died, but you are investigating our deaths right. We were young and healthy.
Garrid the phantom get mad at you. He speaks on a microphone. Attention, everyone, don't believe their lies, these guys aren't even adventures, they are con artists
the Creature He gets up in melee with the two Paladins.
Justus prepares his axe.
Aranor hugs Dion. "I'm sure...now that you've accepted your death, the psychopomps can help you move on. You'll be with your wife again. I promise."
Hearing a loud yelling from elsewhere in the town, she moves towards it and sees a phantom approaching Justus and Grod. What is he doing?! The town is having enough trouble without him lying to everyone! She tries to remember what she knows about phantoms. Why is he doing this?
As she thinks, she draws her crossbow and prepares for battle.
Well, we will talk later, right not I see you have an angry bird over you. I believe though. and that is when the combat starts. We will see who is right, I challenge you all to a fight
Justus is upAkku
Ivan As is Ivan and Akku
With a shrug Justus answers.
"Challenge accepted!"
Justus attacks with his huge axe,
Justus moves up and hits the creature good
Ivan and Akku is up
[+2 if undead]
"Garrid.. y-you... you're a LIAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!" says Akku, pulling his kukri and stepping forward to scream at Garrid, his voice amplified by the psychic energy pouring out of his pure, cold-filtered, distilled soul. His eyes begin to shine white, his hair standing on end, and an uncontrolled wind starts buffering his attire.
"What the boy means to say, my dear, is that you're way past your best before date. How about I help you die, a$~~&#@?"
Siiska charges the monster and attacks!
for bludgeoning dmg.
After Justus hits the thing for full damage, Akku makes sure that it's incorporalness can't escape anyone.
Siiska then hits it, but it resists some dmg. DR 5/slashing
Ivan then makes a terrible soundstrike at the outsider causing it pain.
It goes +6 to each vs Justus
And it slams into him once
And then heroes take it out As it falls down to the ground dead. But it's soul will go somewhere back on this plane in several days, but won't bother you again.
The townsfolk speak. I guess it has no power. And many cry over their deaths.
Ivan, pretty much know everything about it The creature
Aranor lowers her crossbow, still furious at the phantom's meddling. But now that it's gone...
"Rali? Have you seen my father anywhere? He's not home, but I'm not sure if that means he's...if he's still alive, or if he's just somewhere else."
Justus quickly heals himself to get rid of the worst damage.
Aranor isn't able to find her dad and the Mayor gives a speech.
I suppose we are all dead. I don't know how, but hopefully we are remembered and these fine heroes are investigating our deaths.
She then turns to you all. Don't die on us, help me Pathfinders, you are our only hope.
Part 3
Pathfinders then travel the Walking the Dead Roads Umble and Thoot speak as you are traveling.
“Well then, yes, I suppose we are prepared. The ritual is quite simple, but I must ask you not to pay too close attention, as we’re not technically empowered to perform this bit of extrajurisdictational transposition.
“Like most things involving psychopomps, the Dead Roads rely on a complex bureaucracy. They’re maintained by Barzahk the Passage to allow us to come and go, but creatures of... of non-psychopompological nature need authorization to prevent abuse. Specially appointed bureaucrats control way stations along the routes, and can offer a stamp on your body to pass freely. Without a stamp of passage, beings tend to, oh... ‘slide off’ the Dead Roads and land back here—hopefully. We never did locate more than a few fingers from that one poor waywardarian Keleshite who found his way in.
“The route to Roslar’s Coffer passes three way stations: the Palace of Teeth, a manor called Nine-Eaves, and Salighara’s Scriptorium. You’ll need to stop at all three to make your pilgrimage back to Lastwall. Each way station master will probably charge for passage. Given your pauparian circumstances, I assume they’ll trade services. I hope.”
Also after you defeat the phantom a little boy thanks you, Here take this, it is a deep red sphere ioun stone.
Let's roll for it then:
Grod stands stoically by as the bureaucrats do the bureaucracy. Once the psychopomp is through, he says "Let us be quick about things. We should waste no time."
As they travel upon the Dead Roads, the party sees Akku growing at an incredible pace. After their first night of sleep the boy wakes up with his trousers a good half a foot too short. After some quick modifications of his outfit and some jury-rigging, supplemented with some liberal use of his mending spell, Akku adapts. He also finds out that someone had put extra fabric in his backpack, along with a sewing kit...
After the second night, his voice breaks out, and the heroes can see the beginning of some fuzz on his face. By the third morning, the heroes see a fully grown man in their midst, his hands now fully capable to wield the scythe Rali had to carry for him until now.
His hands opening and closing upon his weapons' well-worn grips, it dawns on Akku that he has used these before. A sense of familiarity returns to him, and he looks at Siiska for a long time.
"Sister?"
For a moment all traces of anger appears to leave the young girl's face, and her pale phantom features momentarily warm up to a live, flesh-colored complexion. This brief moment is soon gone, however, as tears well up in her eyes, and the frown of anger returns tenfold.
you choose to start remembering me?! I've been scouring the planes of existence for eons trying to find you!! I've sacrificed my eternal soul, even a chance to return to life and live, love, grow into a woman and have kids of my own! I said no to all the temptations, distractions, and providers of wishes! At least I thought that we could have finally reclaimed the childhood we lost, now that I've found you... but NO! you go and grow up overnight, denying me even this! I HATE YOU! I HATE THIS F$&~ING S#~!HOLE OF A MULTIVERSE!"
She turns to the psychopomps, and yells, "KILL ME!! TAKE ME TO PHARASMA!!!"
Her hysterical rage is easily avoided by Thoot (Umble having flown away promptly, well ahead of her approach).
Akku, without a word, approaches. He steps in front of the psychopomps, fully receiving the barrage of her anger, not resisting. He slowly kneels and quietly begins to hug his little sister- nay! a being centuries old still confined to her childish appearance, he now realizes- and now eye level with her, the gambit results in a nasty black eye. After a few moments, as Akku's nosebleed begins to wet the ground at their feet, Siiska's wall of anger abate. As she begins to sob, her form dissipates, and the heroes gathered around them see her spirit merge with Akku's. Akku arms now wrapped around empty air, he rises, look at his companions, and quietly nods.
"She will rest now. I'm sorry..."
Akku turns away and walks alone for a moment. The heroes notice that he does not opt to heal his wounds that day, bandaging them and tending to them in the old, simple ways... like a farmer would.
The Pyschopumps turn to siiska Even if we killed you, you'd have to be worthy to see Phrasma in person. Not sure dying now is the answer.
After days on end, you are all almost there, just a few more minutes. The Psychopumps stop turn around and ask Any questions before we go?
"How will we return to the material plane at the end of our journey?"
They both turn to Rali and laugh. You're funny. Okay, seriously now, even we don't know the answer to that, but do yourselves, the town and us a favor, don't die. We too would like to know what happened to the town and unanswered questions could mean we clean up the mess.
All you then see Aranor leave the plane as she floats up into the sky Hey what gives, she can do it, but what about you all. The little one sees a light that the other one could not see and then points it out to you all. Um boss, she didn't know she was doing it, but Aranor isn't dead, nor was she ever here to begin with. She was astral projecting. The good news is that her real body according what to where she is headed and aura and other tell tale signs shows that she is about half a kilometer from her dad. Maybe she'll find him wake him up in time and save him.
Later on you reach the Palace of Teeth:
This tall, narrow castle rises from atop a hill near the road. Constructed of weathered wood and ivory-colored stone, the building is studded with thousands upon thousands of teeth, arranged in neat rows and spirals. The castle’s only windows are high and narrow. A tall gatehouse leads into a courtyard, its floor paved with yellowish bricks and old teeth.
"Thank you for your help. It was an honor to meet you. If you ever need anything from me, I am at your service."
Unless someone stops him, he approaches the gatehouse and knocks at the door.
"You see something I don't sis?... hmmm... you're right... there is something weird about those teeth... wanna come out and play? I'll understand if you don't feel like it yet. Whatever you decide, I got your back from now on."
After a few moments mists rise around Akku, and Siiska materializes.
"Clattering Teeth trap. Seen it before, out here in the weird planes. Don't know how to get rid of it though... do you have a shady locksmith in the party?"
Rali stops before walking into the trap. He looks up and over his shoulder. "I think our trapsmith left..."
"If worse comes to worst, I have good armor and the ability to heal myself. I'm not too worried about some teeth."
"...or you boys can just step around the trap? follow my steps, and don't step over THERE!"
Siiska leads everyone around the trap's location.
Justus tries his very best to follow Siiska´s Orders.
Heroes go around the trap with acrobatics checks.
Heroes step inside and see 5 flying creatures in the room with oversized pliers.
They turn around. Gifts, do you have gifts for us? You must offer gifts or we fight you