The ghost's Hellfire blast disrupts Sahess' spellcasting!
Brother lands two attacks on the ghost.
Kel, in all his worldwide studies of the arcane, religion and the planar physics, has no idea what is the source of ghost's phasing. It appears similar to the Blink spell, but the ghost is actually phasing entirely from existence at a continuously changing frequency, not moving in and out of the ethereal plane...
Kel decides to launch magic missiles at the ghost: they strike unerringly and for the first time in this battle the the ghost issues a hiss of pain!
Its second scream of pain is when Thrag brings down his hammer on it as it appears to momentarily phase back into existence, its essence apparently greatly disrupted by the hammer's own auras.
PARTY BUFFS: INSP. COURAGE (+2/+2)
Round 4 [Bold is up]
Ghost -185 [alt. 10']
Brother [alt. 20'][haste]
Thrag -21 [-2 Cha][haste][averting success]
Kel [alt. 10'][haste]
Glaube -30 [haste]
Sahess -86 [-2 Cha, Fast Healing 1 (2/10)][haste]
Mal [panache: 3 pts][alt. 15'][haste][averting success]
Dora -68 [alt. 10'][haste]
Rusty [-2 Cha][haste]
Unable to make good on his promise to kill the girl due to her invisibility, the ghost moves on to the next victim on his macabre list: Sahess. This time the entire whip flashes a deep red before he strikes the nagaji.
The ghost's sight then continues to drive nails into everyone's souls; Thrag and Mal manage to look away...
PARTY BUFFS: INSP. COURAGE (+2/+2)
Round 5 [Party is up]
Ghost -185 [alt. 10']
Brother -13 [alt. 20'][haste][FORT 22 or 2 Cha dmg]
Thrag -21 [-2 Cha][haste]
Kel -13 [alt. 10'][haste][FORT 22 or 2 Cha dmg]
Glaube -43 [haste][FORT 22 or 2 Cha dmg]
Sahess -150 [-2 Cha, Fast Healing 1 (2/10)][haste][FORT 22 or 2 Cha dmg]
Mal [panache: 3 pts][alt. 15'][haste]
Dora -81 [alt. 10'][haste][FORT 22 or 2 Cha dmg]
Rusty -13 [-2 Cha][haste][FORT 22 or 2 Cha dmg]
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Mal is pleased that the fight seems to be going better, and continues his assault, remembering this time that he can make yet another attack, and that he can sacrifice accuracy for damage.
C'mon ghost, Brother and I aren't even wearing armor, you haven't tried our defenses cleary willfully ignoring that the ghost was clearly a competent martial artist in a past life that identified brother's crane and his crane and snake styles.
The ghost winks out of existence again after Mal's flurry of blows, but this time, he disappears much longer than before... and you wait... and wait... then nothing!
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Well, damned glad to have you two. I swear I've seen you before, Grand Lodge? Heidmarch manor? Mal asks the new pathfinders that joined them.
Mal thinks of saying something about Sahess's condition, but remembers you don't comment on a lady's age, especially if its been supernaturally inflicted.
He then shows of his clearly not terribly sophisticated knowledge of the undead, So, some things that should be dead, but aren't, don't stay dead when you destroy them... Maybe one of you who is better with magic than I am has some ideas about making sure he doesn't come back?
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Kel winces in pain as the damage from the ghost courses through his system for the first time... and he groans softly as he feels himself wither a little under the ghost's glare. "This is where you meet your final end, revenant. But even you shouldn't die forgotten... Before you leave this world forever, who are you and why do you linger here?" Kel is not trying to bluff or distract the ghost, he's truly curious and would like his chronicle of this adventure to be complete. Also, it might give him some insight as to what's going on here.
But an instant after he asks his question, Mal flies into a flurry of attacks, ending the ghost's unnatural existence. Kel is both relieved and disappointed.
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"Hello... I'm sorry we haven't been properly introduced, and you might have seen me around the Grand Lodge from time to time... I have attended many meetings, lectures and briefings there, not to mention helped fight off an attack or two or twenty on the Lodge itself. I've spent most of my time in Absalom deep below the Lodge in the Vaults though. As for Magnimar, we might have met there as well... it was my first introduction to the mainland. I did spend a good bit of time there in my younger days... But I'm sorry I don't recall you from there. Are you a native of the city?"
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Sahess slumps as the ghost dissipates. That thing had hurt her more than a dozen other foes in previous battles. There was definitely something exceedingly annoying about ghosts and other incorporeals. She takes a wand out of her pouch as she begins deep breathing, and taps herself with it whenever it seems that she is no longer healing. "Not right... dead things should stay dead," she coughs between bloodstained lips.
There are magic auras near the man's corpse: ghost touch bracers of armor +2, cloak of resistance +2, ring of force shield
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Dora cheers as she still smarts from the unholy fire.
Hooray! And yes, a zillion thanks guys for saving our bacon there. I thought for sure we were going to buy the farm.
Seems like this ghost was either the spirit of the driver, or his likeness...check out that ring! Or is that what summoned the ghost? I was on a mission in the Far East once and was told ghosts may need to have something special done to permanently slay them.
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A bit of healing would be appreciated.
Thrag offers up a wand.
a few nicks are left, but nothing that can't be ignored.
Upon hearing the magical qualities of the bracers and the ring.
Bah, wear some real armor.
Spotting the medusa ring Thrag pulls it from the driver's finger.
Willing to bet this will come in handy, eventually.
To the newcomers
Good timing and thanks. I should have been better prepared.
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"Trying to recall what I've read about ghosts... Haven't run into too many of them, but it seems to me they are pretty hard to kill... they keep coming back unless you let them or help them resolve what made them ghosts in the first place. Did this one say anything before I got here that might explain his return, something that would help us end him permanently and put him to rest?"
Kel casts detect magic and points out the magical items. "Wonder if he's tied to one of his items somehow... Might explain why he's been here so long and no one's seemed to have successfully looted his corpse. Though I don't see a pile of dead bodies about either. Maybe he's just been undisturbed all this time. Perhaps he just needs a proper burial and final rites.
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"Hello... I'm sorry we haven't been properly introduced, and you might have seen me around the Grand Lodge from time to time... I have attended many meetings, lectures and briefings there, not to mention helped fight off an attack or two or twenty on the Lodge itself. I've spent most of my time in Absalom deep below the Lodge in the Vaults though. As for Magnimar, we might have met there as well... it was my first introduction to the mainland. I did spend a good bit of time there in my younger days... But I'm sorry I don't recall you from there. Are you a native of the city?"
“ I’ve had a lot of missions for the society, must have just seen you around... I’ve been in just about every dojo from the Mindspin Mountains to the Varisian coast, but I doubt a wizard would have been there, so probably from the grand lodge. We only have so many seekers after all”
Opening the coffin reveals an empty, richly pillowed interior smelling vaguely of roses and decay; the cushions bear the impression of a slight, frail body.
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"When this is all over, you will have to come and see the dojo I have on my ship, Mal. I won't take no for an answer; I'll take you wherever you want to go, my treat." Flashing the man a grin, he turned back to the the scene.
"I think we should be worried by the fact that the coffin is empty. We just fought a ghost. Who knows what this," Brother Rabbit gestures towards the imprint left at the bottom. "Could have become in that time."
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I'm definately going to have to see the dojo on your ship!
Indeed, I got so caught up looking at the indents on the cushions and neglected to worry about the empty coffin! This is a tomb, if you're here isn't it likely this where you 'should' eventually be interred, present company excluded...
Mal uses his wand on himself.
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"Hello, everyone. Sorry I'm late. I boarded a boat, thinking to start my retirement. But I got a note from the Society telling me to divert here. I am Glaube. I don't know anything about dojos, but I make a fantastic herbal tea." The human before you has a lined face and tired eyes. He wears a holy symbol of Sarenrae openly--though he eschews proselytizing.
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The cleric will take a look at the remains to get a sense of how long ago they perished, cause of death, and related details.
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"For those only now arriving, I am Senator Sahess, Lady of Taldor and ambassador from Nagajor." She gives a slight bow, wincing as she does so but thankful that her helmet hides the expression.
"Ever since that business with the decemvirate, nothing seems to be easy or simple. I didn't even get promoted to Captain."
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"If you get your own ship, then you can declare yourself as captain, Senator Sahess. Captain Senator does sound like a fantastic title, does it not? Perhaps not as good a ring as Venture Captain Senator Sahess, but if you do not dwell on it, it does not hurt as much. It is fine to meet you, Glaube. I am Captain Brother Rabbit. If you are interested, you are also welcome to my dojo. In fact, all of you are. I'll host a celebration for our inevitable victory." Brother Rabbit continues to speak loud and brashly, but it's obviously in good fun. He is apparently unfazed by the fight for their lives they were just in.
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"Hmmm.. based on what I saw, and the position and equipment of this long-dead corpse, I'd say the ghost and this corpse were one and the same, and that he was the driver of the wagon... which means, if I'm right, and I'm not saying I am, but IF I am, we're missing what was once a dead body. As the good Captain here said, who knows what it might be now."
Kel grows grimly quiet on the subject of the Decemvirate and Venture Captaincy, his face taking on both a stern and solemn expression, brow furrowed and eyes half slitted, mouth taut.
"As for the invite to your ship, Captain, I would be honored to accept when we are quit of this place and have completed our task here. In pursuit of mental agility, magic and knowledge, I fear I've rather let the my physical abilities dwindle. Some training in that regard might be just what I need." He bows formally to Rabbit.
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"I think Thrag has a good idea, let's clear out the small tombs around the perimeter before closing in on the larger ones." While military tactics aren't exactly Kel's forte, it seems like a good idea to him to clear out these small buildings around the edge before taking on what might be greater threats in the larger structures.
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"It's possible this place is removed from normal constraints of reality and exists in its own time frame. The stars and constellations are correct for where we should be and the time of year, but who knows 'when' we are? Try not to worry about it too much, you'll just make your head hurt... mine does just trying to fathom it all..." He rubs his forehead with a pained expression as he contemplates myriad possibilities including alternate realities, magical pocket dimensions and time travel, all things he thinks Thrag might not understand. "I say let's just accept that we are in a place and time removed from the reality we thought we knew. On that note, shall we move on?" he concludes with a little smile to hide his own displeasure at not knowing the exact nature of this place.
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The cleric nods pensively at the range of explanations. "I can still feel the divine warmth of the Healing Flame. But, it's as if some force were trying to sever that connection. It requires more effort than I expect to draw upon her favor."
"Sarenrae, preserve me! I was supposed to retire last week." The tired man heaves a heavy sigh.
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"My full title would be Senator Ambassador Lady Sahessrala Lyruhe, in order of precedence, but being a venture captain would have put me in quite the spot. Does that precede Senator? In such an intertwined world, I wonder the value of a position within an organization vice a country."
To the discussion of the location, she only mentions, "Could this be the boneyard? I'm not well versed in Pharasmin lore, or any real religion, but it would seem to me a kingdom of shades might be responsible as well as appropriate."
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"I don't think this is the boneyard... Pharasma does not tolerate the undead, she finds them abhorrent - a perversion at best... and this place seems to have at the very least, ghosts. If this were her demesne, she'd have sent that soul onto his final fate long ago."
As for a title, I think you should order them as you see their importance.. though I'm sure there are some that might disagree with your choices. Where I am from, your title would actually be "Lady Sahessrala Lyruhe, Senator and Ambassador to "... wherever land you are an Ambassador to. My people think rank within the nobility takes precedence over political titles. Personally, I think it is all a matter of what is appropriate where you are from and what you think is of importance. My father lost his title long ago, so you may take my words with a grain of salt if you wish as I might have a slight grudge against the nobility. Nothing personal against you, of course."
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Dora finds the discussion fascinating and could spend hours debating and recording the differing arguements and hypothesis. She shakes herself.
Oh, wait silly girl. This is more the talk to be done over a glass of wine or before a fire pit with food on sticks. Should we venture towards the smaller buildings first as proposed?
She points (as indicated in the yellow path...)
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"Yes. We are Pathfinders regardless of titles. We can find the longest, clunkiest title at the celebration on my ship after all of this is over. For now, let us make some semblance of haste, like we're trying, but not trying too hard."
The captain will start heading off in the direction Dora had pointed in. He kept a critical eye out for his surroundings.