Camil, seeing the demon stepping backwards presses the attack, moving toward the infernal thing... It cast Vampiric Touch! he calls out.
Camil gashes the demon, drawing its ire but still it cannot reach him.
Round 7
Runt
Yaenit
Isabella <==
Camil done
Father Zantus done
Guards done
At Magnimar...
Does the team head back?
Luckily, the trip back from Magnimar to Sandpoint is uneventful. Upon arrival they hear about the crazy battle with the demon. They also have a chance to go look at the old light and meet with Valtyra and Wrath who have been staying with Brodert Quink. They read the message Zherxikas delivers, thank him and plan to head back on the following day.
Isabella casts divine favor and then hefts her falchion again, hoping that with Reymenda's power the weapon might be able to cut through the demon's defenses.
Round 8
Runt <==
Yaenit
Isabella
Camil
Father Zantus
Guards
Runt moves forward and pauses in hopes that someone will set up a flank for her.
Delayed attack, triggered when a flank is established, lost if nobody flanks with her.
As if it matters :(
The Yaenit rolls into the weaker combatants to clear the battlefield and cuts down the two soldiers.
Round 8
Runt
Yaenit
Isabella <==
Camil
Father Zantus
Guards
@Zherxikas: They found reference to a powerful weapon called a Hellstorm Flume that could scorch an army miles away. However, its capabilities were described, its appearance was not. There are also several old Varisian stories about towers casting fire but most scholars believe this is a reference to the basic function of a lighthouse.
Now appropriately bolstered, Isabella drags up her heavy falchion and steps back in to try to help put the demon down.
The guards are down and Father Zantus fears getting too close to this thing. He hangs back, ready to heal one of the Sandpoint heroes should they need it. (There is a conscious guard on the ground but if he attempts to crawl away or stand he is afraid he will be cut down.)
Round 8
Runt
Yaenit
Isabella
Camil <==
Father Zantus done
Guards done
Camil, seeing Runt move to flank the demon heads in the opposite direction, trying anything to best the demon's thick skin.
1 Neth 4707 Sandpoint; 45 degrees F, clear skies
Round 9
Runt <==
Yaenit
Isabella
Camil
Father Zantus
Guards
6 Neth 4707, Sandpoint; 47 degrees F, partly cloudy
The travelers from Magnimar have returned and gotten briefed up on the battle with the demon and Nualia's fate. Zherxikas has delivered his message and spoken with Wrath and Valtyra about their Old Light research. What do the heroes of Sandpoint do now?
Runt keeps up the pressure and *almost* hits the sweet spot. If you can call any spot on a demon sweet.
If only the good father had a bull's strength spell.
The Yaenit steps toward the clerics and attempts to cut down runt but fails to land a solid blow. Father Zantus again moves away from the beast and steps behind Isabella (he is unarmed and unarmored).
Round 9
Runt
Yaenit
Isabella <==
Camil
Father Zantus done
Guards done
Isabella holds her position, letting Runt and Camil keep fighting while she takes a moment to channel healing energy so that the guards nearby don't bleed out.
Camil, holding his borrowed dagger as meanacingly as possible in his hands, attacks the demon again, growing desperate in his attacks.
1 Neth 4707 Sandpoint; 45 degrees F, clear skies
With Isabella's channel, the guards all start awake but are obviously scared to draw the demon's attention and remain lying where they are.
Round 10
Runt <==
Yaenit
Isabella
Camil
Father Zantus
Guards
6 Neth 4707, Sandpoint; 47 degrees F, partly cloudy
Runt steps into a flank with Isabella, continuing to harry the demon.
And she continues to rain down deadly attacks on the thing, this time grunting with the force of her blow.
Runt's blow drops the thing to its knees. Its darting eyes look between Runt and Isabella while it pants feverishly. Then it pitches forward on top of the downed guards and moves no more. The guards quickly separate themselves from the deadly thing. A search shows the only item of value it possesses is an expert quality falchion.
Runt sags with relief.
"I can't believe we really did that. I've been tormented all my life with threats that one of ou... some evil cultists priest will sic a demon like that on me. You do NOT want to know what happens when they have free reign."
Indeed, Runt shudders as he relives some nasty memory of hers.
After the battle, during their traditional meet up at n agreed upon revertant, Runt looks for guidance on what to do. She's not all that imaginative when it comes to planning her time and will continue to just do the whole guard thing unless someone invites her to do something else.
Isabella lets her falchion droop in one hand, the tip clattering against the ground. She looks at the dissolving demon-heap and then to the ruined corpse of Nualia.
"Oh Nualia," she says sadly. "It didn't have to come to this. I'm so sorry that I failed you."
She sighs and looks for Father Zantus. "Father, let's get the wounded to a safe place where we can treat them. I suppose the guards can signal for the gravedigger to come for Nualia's body. We should... probably give her last rites and a shroud before she's buried."
Camil picks up the expertly crafted Falchion, and over to Nualia's corpse with Isabella standing over her. He quietly crosses to where the cleric stands, giving orders. Isabella, I know she was your friend once, and I do not claim to be an expert, but something in her changed. The trauma she endured pushed her to the Mother of Monsters, and it seems like she willingly did ... he waves his hand at the carnage around them this. I am sorry once again, but I do not know what more you could have done.
Looking at the cleric, as he stands with the very large sword in hand, he holds the hilt out to her, Here, why don't you take this, and carry it as a remembrance to her, and of the evils of trauma unhealed. Let it stand as a lesson you can share with others to be more compassionate and accepting of those around them... he looks genuine in his gesture, although somewhat out of depth when talking about emotions with the Aasimar.
Father Zantus agrees with Isabella’s suggestion. He also remarks on blessing the remains to ensure she does not rise again. He’s never encountered an undead but someone as troubled as Nualia strikes him as a prime candidate. The mess is cleaned up, the injured healed. Your quick action and bravery staved off a possible town slaughter. Again, the founders extend their gratitude. They gift the heroes in attendance an additional 300 gold (total). The guards get their retainer doubled and father Zantus is gifted a stipend for a new acolyte.
Feeling left out after missing the battle with what was apparently some kind of demon god that nearly wiped out the entire garrison of Sandpoint, Forest seeks out a worthy foe for himself to have a legendary battle against. Preferably one without tentacles. This Sandpoint Devil sounds interesting...
Camil and Isabella are locals so they have some base information.
1) It varies in size and appearance depending on who tells the tale. Sometimes it is as large as a large dog at others the size of a large deer.
2) It has antlers in most all of the tellings.
3) Depending on the story it sometimes drains its prey of blood, other times it just swoops off with its prey
4) It preys on sheep, goats, and small pigs/cows
5) It can fly
6) It bellows like a bull
There is the sage Brodert Quink who may know something of the beast. It is also said that Deverin Hosk, owner of the Goblin Squash Stables and a friend of Forest's father, once hunted the thing.
On another note, Quink lets Zherxikas know that he would be willing to pay for any information found down in either the "Old Light" or the "Wisher's Well".
"Very well, certainly if we find anything we will let you know."
Well, do we want to find out more about the Sandpoint Devil, or investigate a couple of these spots for Quink? I think if we're going after the Devil, we should talk to Quink and Deverin as well to learn what they know, other than the rumors Isabella and I have heard here in town. I could use a few days away from the card tables, so I'm fine with either avenue, or we start with the Devil, see how that goes, and then investigate the spots for Brodert? Camil's game for either avenue, depending on what the others want to do.
"Sure. Whatever you guys want to do, I'm in."
Runt seems excited about the prospect of going after a monster with her friends.
Per Camil and Isabella's suggestion, Forest seeks out the one known as Deverin Hosk. He thought it strange that a breeder of such fine horses was not employed by some noble in a big city like Magnimar - Sato had certainly proven to be of a superior breed, not bolting off into the woods at the sight of the undead as the other horses had - but it was not his business where Deverin chose to ply his trade. He walks into the now familiar stables to find the proprietor. "Hosk! I seek news of a terrible monster. I'm told you are the man with whom to speak."
The Sandpoint devil sounds a lot like a devil horse variant. If so it likely has a fear inducing bay, fiery breath, and is resistant to spells.
The Whispering Well is an old Thassilonian tower base. It is but 30' high but is 60' across. From the top, it drops into blackness down below. You can supposedly hear water splash when you toss something in. Some have estimated the drop to be a hundred feet or more.
"Forest, back safe and sound. Good to see it. A monster you say. Of what beast do you speak?" Hosk replies to Forest.
It does sound to me like the Devil may be an actually devilish horse variant. It may cause terror in those that hear it, can likely breathe fire, and it may be resistant to magic. Camil looks at the group cheerfully, So what do you say, go Sandpoint Devil hunting?
Runt is up for just about anything.
"Mmm. OK!"
"That sounds like a good plan. I wonder if that is what we heard when we went hunting that one time," Lavanor says. He was looking forward to tracking the beast down since it was one of the reasons he came to the area.
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"Some kind of flying demon deer. Word around Sandpoint is you have tangled with it before. It's called the Sandpoint... munchkin, or something to that effect."
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"Ohh, that beasty. He's no munchkin that's for sure. Before I took the stable I had a small farm to the east of town. It was at the base of the mountains north of Cougar creek and just south of the Devil's Platter. I kept losing sheep so I bought me a good guard dog. Two days later I wake to find my dog gone. I had heard of the Sandpoint Devil, that be yer munchkin, but thought it a bunch of pig slop. Well, the stories appeared to be true but I was not going to be outdone by a sheep snatcher. I went hunting the thing. My first mistake was going alone. Then the second night out I realized my other mistake. I was so angry I didn't check the phase of the moon. It was a new moon and so dark you couldn't see your piece to take a whiz. Well, I was near The Pit when I heard this horrible scream, I ain't ever heard anything like it before and never want to either. It chilled me to the bone and then the thing swooped down on me. It's big, the size of a large horse. It knocked me down and pinned with its antlers. The only light was that coming off its red eyes. They revealed a skull with teeth in the maw like an alligator. The blood was pounding in my ears so I'm not sure what happened but the thing suddenly leaped into the air and flew off. I think my horse must of stumbled in the dark, maybe broke a leg, and its cries or some other sense drew the beast after it. I went straight south to get off the platter, patched myself up, sold the farm and moved to town. That thing is for real, I tell ya." Hoskins says finishing his story.
"Um, where is this pit place? Sounds like a good place to start looking"
In spite of her brave words, she is starting to doubt the sanity of this whole thing. Fighting gobs is one thing, fighting monsters 10 times as big as you are is another.
"The Pit is near the middle of the Platter." Hosk replies to Runt's question.
Runt looks around at the others to see if they have any idea what the fellow is talking about.
Noticing the puzzled looks, Hosk tries to clarify, "The Devil's Platter. It's a large plateau to the east of town. The Pit is a large hole, unexplored I might add, in the middle of the plateau. Unnatural and intriguing at the same time." Hosk finishes.
"Hmm." Forest grumbles thoughtfully. He had expected the stories of the Sandpoint monster to be more myth and exaggeration than fact. If the levelheaded Hosk had personally tangled with it, there must be more to the legend than just... legend. "That is quite the tale! I wouldn't mind a fair fight against something that doesn't have grabby tentacles or paralyzing claws. I shall avenge your sheep, your dog, and your farm, Host. I will need a bow if it can fly. Does Sandpoint have a bowyer?" Forest never had much of a liking for the bow. Truth be told he hadn't the skill with the weapons that most of his compatriots back home did, but it was always wise to carry one just in case. Since it seems he will be sticking around Sandpoint longer than expected, he may as well try to find an adequate missile weapon. "Also, where is the post office? Should send word home that I'm staying for a while."
"Savah's Armory is your best bet for a good bow and the town hall will take posts. They normally go out with regular runs to Magnimar and semi-regular runs to Riddleport. Otherwise you would have to talk with one of the messenger carriers to see how much to deliver to a particular location."
Savah's Armory is indeed the best spot to check but she does not have a CLB strength +4 on hand. She has a strength +2 or she could have one made. There are a couple of Shoanti she reaches out to for most jobs but that powerful of a bow she will probably reach back to Magnimar to have it made.