"They always hide in the last place we check, don't they? Evil is like an infestation of cockroaches. Let's not waste anymore time." Elris says moving through the door shield raised once the others are ready.
Bridge to Celestial Shrine
The stairs ascend to a small, second-floor landing with ornate
doors, which slide open to reveal a stout skybridge connecting
the minor shrine to the elevated building behind it. Where
the southern portion of the shrine might have once been
tranquil and inviting, the main shrine was created as a work
of praise to the celestials who once fought to protect this land
from the qlippoth hordes. The structure itself is pure white
with red accents. Unlike the rest of the compound, the walls
of this building are unstained. Vibrant paintings of celestial
dragons grace the outer walls. On closer inspection, the
dragons appear to be in mourning, their heads bowed in grief.
This area is completely untouched by the storm, which
appears to swirl directly above the apex of the building,
creating a strange curtain of rain around the whole building.
Two paper lanterns light the door to the main shrine. A pair
of heavy wooden doors leads to the celestial shrine.
This entire building is one massive, open room. Balconies overhang the space 10 feet above the floor, and the ceiling rises 15 feet farther above the balconies. Along the room’s walls are the remains of what must have been splendid mosaics of celestial figures, but they have been smashed and many tiles pried free of the walls. Pools of dried blood and desiccated remains turn what was once a place of faith into a charnel
house. Fragments of robes similar to Mitoko’s are scattered throughout the room, but the majority of the bodies are nowhere to be found. The various symbols of worship have all been utterly destroyed, leaving this room almost empty. A skylight above allows a single shaft of light through to shine upon a space in the north of the room, between the stairs leading up to the balconies. A water mirror stands on the floor here, its surface showing the image of a roiling storm. A group of tengus in bloodstained robes sits on their knees in the center of the room, eyes closed. When the you enter, one of them speaks. “You have done well to make it this far, Chosen. Hei Feng has seen it right to deliver you
through the challenges that have prepared you for the conflict we soon face. Now, complete your final challenge. Defeat us, and replace us as the guardians of this place! Send us to join his heavenly host!”
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (red, yellow, and blue powder or colored sand)
EFFECT
Range 15 ft.
Area cone-shaped burst
Duration instantaneous; see text
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
A vivid cone of clashing colors springs forth from your hand, causing creatures to become stunned, perhaps also blinded, and possibly knocking them unconscious. Each creature within the cone is affected according to its HD.
2 HD or less: The creature is unconscious, blinded, and stunned for 2d4 rounds, then blinded and stunned for 1d4 rounds, and then stunned for 1 round. (Only living creatures are knocked unconscious.)
3 or 4 HD: The creature is blinded and stunned for 1d4 rounds, then stunned for 1 round.
5 or more HD: The creature is stunned for 1 round.
Sightless creatures are not affected by color spray.
M Human LG Male Ulfen Monk (Qinggong Zen Archer) 2 | HP: 17/17 | AC: 17 T: 16 FF: 15 | CMB: 2, CMD: 18 | F: 5 R: 5 W: 7 | Init: 8 | Speed 30ft | Active conditions: None
Rutavlf moves into the room and shoots an arrow at the Tengu directly north of him.
Composite Longbow w/ PBS:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18Damage(P):1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Male CG Half-Orc Unchained Barbarian (Invulnerable Rager) 6.1 | AC 21 (T 13/FF 19) | CMB +11 CMD 24 (FF 22)+2 CMB/CMD Sunder | HP 65/65 | Init +3 | Fort +7 Ref +4 Will +2 | Perception +5 | Darkvision 60' | Speed 30' | Orc Ferocity 1/1 | Rage 12/16 | Draw Weapon as Free Action during Surprise | +2 STR & Ignore 2 Hardness to break object+Smasher: Ignore 6 Hardness | Damage Reduction (3/-), (6/lethal) | Extreme Cold Endurance(Cold Resistance: 1)| Active Conditions:
Yaiho heads for the left most one since Xavier looks like he is going for the other one. He swings his maul in a wide arc at the creature. "Yaiho do as request. Send you to heaven."
"This is all a test? Unfortunately for Hei Feng my allegiance is to another but if he seeks allies in a battle against evil...that I can do. Ragathiel shield me as I prove my worth." Elris says charging forward to join the fray.
Swift: Fervor to cast Divine Favor on self. Move: Move.
Yellow leans aside and lets the flames pass harmlessly by. Blue sits motionless as the flames lick over him, leaving him slumped over, apparently unconcious.
M Human LG Male Ulfen Monk (Qinggong Zen Archer) 2 | HP: 17/17 | AC: 17 T: 16 FF: 15 | CMB: 2, CMD: 18 | F: 5 R: 5 W: 7 | Init: 8 | Speed 30ft | Active conditions: None
Rutvalf prefers to let his arrows do the talking, so he move across the room and shoots at Yellow.
Arrow w/ PBS:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13PBS P Damage:1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Drupka kills yellow. Blue is unconscious and bleeding.
A few of the former priests’ belongings
lie scattered about the room, including two jade
figurines worth 50 gp each and a flute. Additionally the high priest’s body is slumped on the ground near one of the shattered statues,
still clutching an ornate staff. This is a finely carved quarterstaff worth 300 gp, and the abbot also carries a lesser merciful metamagic
rod.
Male LG Nagaji Bloodrager 4 | Raging: HP 45/45 | AC 17 T 9 FF 16 | CMB +13 CMD 20 (27 vs grapple)| F +11 R +5 W +5 (+2 vs. mind-affecting & poison & cold) | Not Raging: HP 37/37 | AC 18 T 11 FF 17 | CMB +11 CMD 20 | F +9 R +5 W +5 | | Init +5 | Perc +6 (low-light) SM +0 | Speed 20' | Rage 5/12 | Reroll 1/1 | LoH 1/1 | Spit 3/3 | Active Conditions: Barkskin 12:30, Heroism 12:50, Clay Skin (10/25) 12:50, Shield (13:04), Delay Poison 15:00, Alch. Grease 16:00, Vermin Rep. 16:00, Ablative Barrier (0/25) 17:00, Blood Pill 20:00
Drukpa rushes over to Elris to see if he can be roused. Unfortunately, he has no ability to heal. He waves his wand of Cure Light Wounds about - "Quick, can anyone use this?"
M Human LG Male Ulfen Monk (Qinggong Zen Archer) 2 | HP: 17/17 | AC: 17 T: 16 FF: 15 | CMB: 2, CMD: 18 | F: 5 R: 5 W: 7 | Init: 8 | Speed 30ft | Active conditions: None
"I can but I expect our Warpriest can activate it without having o maybe blow up the wand". Rutvalf attempts a heal check to stabilize Elris while waiting. Provide First Aid DC 15:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15 "We should probably also tie up that bleeding guy and then stabilize him too, to face justice."
Assuming that you stabilize and wake the tengu, the tengu assumes that anyone capable of defeating them must also be worthy of the truth. The tengu explains that what Storm Prophet told the uninitiated was not entirely true. According to the Prophet’s teachings, ascension into
the storm requires eschewing worship of all gods in favor of growing the storm’s essence within themselves.
Mitoko is horrified by the revelation that her friends at the shrine have been killed, but the evidence that the cult of the Storm Prophet is actually under the influence of Abyssal forces is even more terrifying. Before returning to Yiangma, she suggests the PCs help her perform a sealing ritual using Zepha’s talisman in order to end the corruption that is causing the strange mutations in the animals and cultists. The sealing ritual requires an hour of prayer, and the amount of power it can draw from the talisman depends on how effective the PCs collected information throughout the scenario, in the form of the artifacts recovered from the
shrine and knowledge gained about the corruption’s nature. The books found in the shrine’s office detail a ritual to draw Abyssal influences into a closed space and seal them behind a door upon which the talisman is affixed. Mitoko understands the rituals well enough to participate in them, but she asks the PCs to assist her.
Participants must spend an hour in preparation for the ritual, and the ritual itself takes another hour. Have each participating PC attempt
her choice of a Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), Spellcraft, Use Magic Device, or Wisdom check.
"Mitoko, your dedication to seeing this through is an inspiration. You have all the aid I can give. I may not follow this god but the monsters from the abyss should be stopped at any cost." he says preparing for the ritual using his history of dealing with demons.
A shining column of light descends from the sky when the ritual is completed. Great golden wings sweep over the shrine’s grounds, restoring the buildings to their former beauty and burning away the bodies of the slain in golden flames. All surviving members of the Chosen immediately revert to their previous forms, free of the corrupting injuries the qlippoth had inflicted upon their bodies. From the column, Zepha appears,
prompting Mitoko to let out a surprised gasp and collapse to the ground in adoration. Zepha bids her to rise and speaks to the PCs. “You have done an extraordinary thing. Not only has the Abyssal influence been purged from this place, but you have fully restored the shrine’s sacred power to that it held when my people still resided on this plane. This place will now stand as a bulwark against the Abyss for generations to come.” With a twinkle in his eye, he lets the PCs know that he will call upon the Pathfinder Society again in the future.
I will get the chronicle sheets posted hopefully tomorrow.
