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The mosslord's touch leaves a coat necrotic fungus on the azata, but its deleterious nature fails to mar her divine beauty.
The toxic moss sickens and damages Archaememnon's constitution, but Julian is immune to its poisonous effects, though both are entangled in the sticky sheets, like two lovers in a cheap motel.
Sir Hendric revs Sentry's engine and hits the accelerator. His steed rolls a few feet and pops an equine wheelie. The cavalier thrusts his lance thrice, landing blows twice, skewering the barometz for considerable damage.
Peter
---
Red Mosslord
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Bristor
Wynnreyell
Sir Hendric & Sentry
---
Blue Barometz
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Julian
Archaememnon
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“By Cayden’s cups!”
Bristor calls on his diety in the traditional manner to activate his judgements.
Using his evolved arms, he will then full attack the barometz after clicking his heels to get haste from his boots.
Extra full BAB attack from haste:
**Heals 6 hp** from judgment
Judgments: 5/6 activations
Boots of Speed: 9/10 rounds
Greater Bane: 16/16 rounds
Dimensional Hop: 32/32 5ft increments a day
Spells: 1st 7/7 ; 2nd 5/6; 3rd 4/6; 4th 5/5; 5th 4/4; 6th 1/1
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Feeling the need for speed, Bristor clicks the heels of his patent leather Doc Martens together.
Then the judgmental Favored of Cayden Cailean and Lord of Fangwood Keep reaches out with eidolonic, megatronic reach, swinging his heavily endowed falchion like a half-orc exotic dancer on ladies nite.
Finally, the inquisitor feels a burning on his tongue and a bit of heat in his belly, as the Drunken God sends a wee dram of healing spirits flowing through his thirsty servant.
Peter
---
Red Mosslord
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Bristor
Wynnreyell
Sir Hendric & Sentry
---
Blue Barometz
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Julian
Archaememnon
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Wynnreyell Moonsilver takes careful aim at the four-armed mosslord and uses his thumb to flick his enchanted bow's selector lever to full-auto. Like greased lightning, he looses four axiomatic, systematic, hydromatic arrows at the coughing, spit-spewing plant man. As they leave his bow, a pale glow outlines each arrow.
*Whiff. Whack! Whiff. Whiff.* One arrow finds the mark and sticks deep, but its electrical sparks pop and fizzle out with no effect. A split second later, a pale azure glow erupts from the wound and quickly surrounds and outlines the mosslord, bright as a candle.
The others arrows rocket past the target, then bank hard left, and return to the archer's quiver with a *snick. snick. snick.*
The gargantuan barometz roars in acknowledgement, swinging its powerful neck back and forth, tapping its roots on the ground as if it were counting eeny-meeny-minie-mo. Then it rears up on it powerful hind legs, and drops its mighty horned head to butt the dragon, Archaememnon.
The bewildered barometz nearly loses it footing and its intimidating composure, when it strikes the antiplant shell. *Doh!* The creature shakes its head, clearing the stars twinkling in front of its eyes and the circling birds twittering in its leafy ears.
Peter
---
Red Mosslord
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Bristor
Wynnreyell
Sir Hendric & Sentry
---
Blue Barometz
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Julian
Archaememnon
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Archaememnon snaps a command in the old dragon tongue and another mote of fire streaks toward the barometz.
Quickened Fireball
If that finishes it:
If that doesn't finish it:
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Hovering nap-of-the-earth over the hateful terrain of the Gallowgarden, Archaememnon drops two air strikes, napalm both and danger-close, on top of the barometz. It survives the first explosion, but it succumbs to the second, nothing left but a smoking ring of fire.
The mosslord opens its inhuman maw and howls, mourning its faithful minion and promising wrathful vengeance.
Peter
---
Red Mosslord
---
Bristor
Wynnreyell
Sir Hendric & Sentry
---
Blue Barometz
---
Julian
Archaememnon (-3 CON dmg; entangled, sickened, antiplant shell)
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Bareback on the hovering dragon, Julian congratulates his friend, Archaememnon, then the investigator studies the mosslord and, like any serious drinker, finds his heroism in the bottom of a bottle.
Unlike the immune Julian, Archaememnon can't ignore the sticky moss's persistent poison, and the toxin continues its pernicious attack on his constitution.
Peter
---
Red Mosslord
---
Bristor
Wynnreyell
Sir Hendric & Sentry
---
Blue Barometz
---
Julian
Archaememnon
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Archaememnon's suffering worsens under the sheets of poisonous moss.
While Peter considers which actions to take himself, he orders his summoned celestial assistant to heal Bristor, and then fly upwards to try to draw off the mosslord.
The mosslord swats at the azata with a clawed arm as she leaves the sanctuary of the antiplant shell and flies past. The mosslord pumps its other three fists in unsportsman-like celebration, when it rakes a long gash in the angel's serpentine lower body.
Peter
---
Red Mosslord
---
Bristor
Wynnreyell
Sir Hendric & Sentry
---
Blue Barometz
---
Julian
Archaememnon
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Peter books an extended flight to the safety of Archaememnon's antiplant shell, careful to not dip his toes - or anything - else in the toxic moss.
Having seen what happened to its barometz minion when it attacked the dragon, the mosslord suppresses its cough - for the moment, at least - its jowls undulating as if it were swirling a throat lozenge around in its maw while it thinks.
The mosslord focuses its attention on the beastrider, gauges the distance, and nods, its vegetable lips curling in a self-satisfied, evil grin. Its eyes narrow, boring into Sir Hendric's and Sentry's minds, like pernicious roots deep into the earth.
Peter
---
Red Mosslord
---
Bristor
Wynnreyell
Sir Hendric & Sentry
---
Blue Barometz
---
Julian
Archaememnon
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The mosslord's claw attack carries a horrid, deadwood curse, transforming the lillend's left arm into an immobile wooden branch. The arm hardens and becomes entirely immobile until the curse is lifted. Her strength is sapped, and she cannot wield weapons in that hand or use the hand in any way.
Narrowly escaping the mosslord's psychic mindf@&+, Sir Hendric spurs his steed into a charge, and Sentry's nimble hooves avoid the edge of the poisonous moss. Reaching the charred remains of the barometz in the center of the clearing, the cavalier thrusts his lance deep into the mosslord's vitals and wheels his mount away, skidding to a halt halfway down the northwest trail.
Mount and rider crane their necks back to see the damage they wrought, and they're shocked to see the plant creature still standing.
Wynnreyell steps away from the toxic moss and the protection of the antiplant shell and fires off another 4-round burst. When three of these arrows also return to his quiver, the arcane archer begins to wonder if there's a Kyonin factory defect with his bow or his ammo!
Peter
---
Red Mosslord
---
Bristor
Wynnreyell
Sir Hendric & Sentry
---
Blue Barometz
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Julian
Archaememnon
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“One down and one to go!” Needing some more time to heal, Bristor tucks some of his entrails back into his body as the wounds continue to close. He moves to get out of the moss covered area, and then casts lend judgment on Archie, giving him Judgment of Sacred Purity. “You are looking a little green there. This might help.”
Judgements: 5/6 activations
Boots of Speed: 10/10 rounds
Greater Bane: 16/16 rounds
Dimensional Hop: 32/32 5ft increments a day
Spells: 1st 6/7 ; 2nd 5/6; 3rd 4/6; 4th 5/5; 5th 4/4; 6th 1/1
** fast heals 6 more hp**
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Trying to encourage Archaememnon to be a little more aggressive, Bristor lends the Lucky Drunk's judgment of sacred purity to the dragon disciple sorceress.
The mosslord, entrails leaking from its torn belly and enraged at its most potent of threats, glares at the cavalier, determined to crush him.
The wracking cough returns, and the mosslord hacks up another gob of phlegm. Puffing out cheeks, it spits another loogie at Sir Hendric and Sentry, covering them with an entangling and sickening blanket of toxic moss.
"If you will not be turned, you will be destroyed. Young fool. Only now, at the end, do you understand," the moss says in Common, mocking the brave knight. "Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the dark side! You will pay the price for your lack of vision."
The mosslord extends it four arms and points its wicked, claw-tipped open palms at Sir Hendrick. "Now, young Pathfinder... you will die!"
Peter
---
Red Mosslord
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Bristor
Wynnreyell
Sir Hendric & Sentry
---
Blue Barometz
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Julian
Archaememnon
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Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng emerges from the jungle, addressing the scouts. “Sometimes, there is great power to going unnoticed. Especially when you’re walking into dangerous territory. Not everyone in the big, obvious group of Pathfinders on the front lines understands the value of subtlety. Let’s make sure that they know what they’re walking into, so they are ready to act fast when danger strikes.”
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Trying to encourage Archaememnon to be a little more aggressive, Bristor lends the Lucky Drunk's judgment of sacred purity to the dragon disciple sorceress.
The mosslord, entrails leaking from its torn belly and enraged at its most potent of threats, glares at the cavalier, determined to crush him.
Eschewing the need for spell components, Archaememnon casts haste on the team, drawing a rod from his bandoleer as he flies to the northeast, Julian on his back. Both of them disappear amidst the total concealment of the dense jungle vegetation.
Peter
---
Red Mosslord
---
Bristor
Wynnreyell
Sir Hendric & Sentry
---
Blue Barometz
---
Julian
Archaememnon
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As the mosslord comes into his elongated range, Julian takes a single attack with his spear, drawing on his well of insight to aim true.
46
35
Landing a solid hit , Julian presses his weight behind the weapon.
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As Archaememnon starts moving into the dense vegetation, Julian thrusts his enchanted longspear with his enlongated arms. The investigator strikes his studied target, finding one of the more vulnerable points in its defenses.
Map & Images
Peter
---
Red Mosslord
---
Bristor
Wynnreyell
Sir Hendric & Sentry
---
Blue Barometz
---
Julian
Archaememnon
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Peter calls to the Azata in celestial " Forget the charge, Hendric was unable to take advantage this time!"
The azata, flies into a flanking position with Julian, seeing offered and taking advantage.
Peter himself moves into the antiplant shell once more. He readies to move away from an aoe attack should one target him .
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Its cursed left arm hanging wooden and useless at its side, the brave but weakened lillend azata swings her sword at the mosslord, unable to land a blow.
Peter follows Archamememnon through the dense jungle vegetation and emerges onto the northeast trail, ready for a quick getaway from any of the mosslord's area of effect attacks.
The mosslord's wracking cough returns, and it hacks up another gob of phlegm. Puffing out its cheeks, the mosslord spits another loogie at Sir Hendric and Sentry, covering them with an entangling and sickening blanket of toxic moss. *Splat*
Please roll d4 CON damage.
"If you will not be turned, you will be destroyed. Young fool. Only now, at the end, do you understand," the moss says in Common, mocking the brave knight and his companions. "Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the dark side! You will pay the price for your lack of vision."
The mosslord extends it four arms and points its wicked, claw-tipped open palms at Sir Hendric. "Now, young Pathfinder... you will die!"
Peter
---
Red Mosslord
---
Bristor
Wynnreyell
Sir Hendric & Sentry
---
Blue Barometz
---
Julian
Archaememnon
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Bristor uses his newly granted enhanced speed to skirt the moss patch and get within reach of the sentient salad, where he then calls down greater bane against plants, and does a vital strike.
**heals 6 hp**
Judgements: 5/6 activations
Boots of Speed: 10/10 rounds
Greater Bane: 15/16 rounds
Dimensional Hop: 32/32 5ft increments a day
Spells: 1st 6/7 ; 2nd 5/6; 3rd 4/6; 4th 5/5; 5th 4/4; 6th 1/1
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The mosslord's wounds regenerate somewhat, hardly consolation for its rage at its failure to slay the cavalier, who is more resilient than many of his ilk.
Bane-of-Biomass Bristor administers the Accidental God's judgment through his magical falchion, slashing at the mosslord.
Peter
---
Red Mosslord
---
Bristor
Wynnreyell
Sir Hendric & Sentry
---
Blue Barometz
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Julian
Archaememnon
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The team has little hope the cursed lillend azata can battle the mosslord in her weakened condition.
Peter offers to transport Sir Hendric - and his mount? - out of the sickening and entangling toxic moss, and the cavalier is only too happy to accept.
But then Archaememnon recalls that cold damage suppresses the mosslord's ability to regenerate. Mindful of that critical vulnerability, the sorcerer detonates a cold-fire explosion on top of the team's formidable foe.
Caught in the full force of the icy fireball's blast, the mosslord falls, its frost burned body, disintegrating on the mysterious jungle floor of the Gallowgarden.
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The azata tends to the wounded before going back home.
I cannot make it all better, but I can help, she says in celestial.
Peter suggests asking junior agents nearby to cast lesser restorations as the most judicious use of the pathfinders limited resources in this protracted incursion into hostile territory.
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Shevar Besnik steps forward, his clothing ripped but a smile on his face. “Pathfinders! We’re almost to... well, the crater where Gallowspire once stood. Be sure you cut down any opposition; we don’t want them creeping down after us or blocking our exit!” Shevar raises a weapon and charges into battle.
With a final surge, the expeditionary force of Pathfinders finishes off the last of its foes. Shevar Besnik nods to Ollysta Zadrian, and the two lead the expedition to the edge of a massive crater. The crater’s sides are smooth and glassy, as if melted by an immense heat. Several passageways extend from the sides of the crater, many of them nearly blocked by tons of fallen earth. Ollysta Zadrian narrows her eyes and points at the bottom with her sword. “That way leads to the Catacombs, and beyond it the wards set up by the Whispering Tyrant. Steel yourselves,” she says, sheathing her weapon.
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With a relatively safe staging area set up at the top of the crater, the Pathfinders can descend into the crater though either mundane or magical means in relative safety. It takes most of you only about 10 minutes to get to the bottom.
---
The expedition reaches the bottom of the crater and moves into the passageway beyond, where Ollysta Zadrian stands in a half-collapsed chamber. A ball of light shines brightly in her hand, although its power seems dimmed by the oppressive atmosphere of the room. The walls are constructed entirely from the bones of thousands of humanoid creatures, fused together with unknown power. "Pathfinders, it is time to make our way to the wards and move beyond them. Be cautious, and may the gods watch over you."
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Due to its long history as a stronghold of evil and later a prison of that same corrupt force, the dungeons below the crater are infused with numerous foul energies. While some of these energies were released or destroyed when the Whispering Tyrant was freed, and others were disabled by previous adventurers, there remain several features that hinder you and add to the oppressive feeling.
The dungeons are pervaded by an oppressive gloom, the illumination throughout the dungeon is dim light. Nonmagical light sources cannot increase the light level, and magic ones have their areas reduced by half. No light source, no matter its origin, can increase the light level to bright light.
Though reduced in its power since the departure of the Whispering Tyrant, negative energy still flows through the very stones of Gallowspire's desecrated halls in dull, black veins, desecrating the entire area. You sense that any undead guardians in the dungeons will feed off this energy, growing stronger and more resilient.
However, a capable Pathfinder could suppress the blight of the unliving for as long as an hour in a 20-foot radius with the consecrate spell.
The Catacombs of Gallowspire are massive and contain much of the important research done by its recently departed inhabitants. The servants the Whispering Tyrant took with him when he left had only a little time to gather up their most prized work, leaving behind a veritable treasure trove of information about the inner workings of Tar-Baphon’s facility. However, collapses have blocked the way to most of the rest of the catacombs, and a full excavation is beyond the scope of this mission.
The catacombs maintains its original furniture, kept in pristine condition through magical preservation.
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Sir Hendric stores his warhorse in his Hosteling armor and climbs down to the bottom of the crater.
At the bottom, he releases Sentry and mounts up again.
Seeing the oppressive darkness, the cavalier drinks his Potion of Darkvision.
He says a silent prayer for the countless dead making up the walls of Gallowspire.