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"Huzzah! Come on Companions, let us save this noble lady!" Kahwen is rushing off toward the next monument before he realizes that others might be pausing to pray and gain a boon from said lady.
He stops and waits as patiently as he ever does. He watches, his head tilting and cocking in various ways to orient one eye or the other on them. But then he spots something shiny on the ground. It turns out to just be a button but he pockets it. He also studies the fallen flower petals, smelling them and looking closely at them before taking one of them as well.
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Faliana falls into a series of steps with Matrialda and gives the woman an supportive smile as she realizes that the older woman is humming a sad song. She just dances in silence with her, letting the woman work through what ever she might be experiencing. She does at the end of the dance ask, "That was a lovely tune, where did you learn it?"
She sadly seems to be more focused on her dance partner, and the unusual for her male lead part, that she barely pays any attention to the monument itself.
Red light engulfs the Cenotaph, emanating from the grand, cylindrical monument’s core as ghostly murmurs echo from within. Apparitions occasionally flicker into sight, confused and distorted, before fading back into the stone.
As the team approach, Pharasmin priests step forward, ”While we normally welcome all, this is not a good time to visit, we suggest you plan to return on another day.”
"You are, are you? And who are you that you think we should just step aside and let you enter?"
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"Well, good sir, it does seem like an ectoplasmic conflageration of the third degree. Unless you want it to reach the fourth degree, you will want us to deal with the issue. We are experts sent to deal with this mess by proper authorities."
Kit will flash the document (after getting it of course) and showing of the VIP signature without giving them much of a chance to read the text.
Slightly bamboozled by the responses of the team members, at the sight of the writ from the Varisian Council and the mention of being members of the Pathfinder Society, the priests quickly change their tone.
"Indeed, unquiet spirits linger within the monument. If you can find a way to calm them it may be possible to purge the monument's corruption."
Within the catacombs, Inghinn remains solely focused on the task at hand and the potential dangers. All other members of the party notice that several of the sarcophagi in this area are marked with the Glyph of the Open Road. All of these tombs are in pristine condition, decorated with fresh flowers and several small trinkets.
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Faliana watches her comapanions as they interact with the Pharasmin priests and steps forward to start adding her plea to the deal. She takes a step and then stops still, frozen in place her face a grimace of pain, her brow set in the high-raised, wide-eyed look of Sasha, and her mouth set in a determined grimace that could only be one of Fali's looks.
She stays stalk still like this as Sasha seems to want to, begging to, needing to, get into a theological argument with the priests. The-half-elf then very stiffly swings leg around leg into the Cenotaph. Fali finally lets go inside as Sasha's eyes positively light up looking at the ghosts and catacombs and all the things inside. "OH MY ASHAVA ABOVE THIS IS AMAZING! Kit you said this was a third degree event? What's a FOURTH degree? I mean look at these tombs over here, there missing lids and, ooooooh, these ones have ECTOPLASM! And then these ones... are untouched? They're Pathfinder tombs? Could their graves have been properly hallowed before being buried? Did someone respect their graves? or mayhaps DIS-respect their graves by NOT using them to power whatever is happening here? Any idea what it could mean? Kit you seem to know what this could be! What do you say?!"
As the team progresses into the Cenotaph they encounter a series of agitated spirits. The first one fairly soon after they enter glows with goodly radiance and has a joyous cadence to its voice.
While under this effect, you find any form of deception or subtlety to be challenging. You take a –10 penalty on Bluff, Disguise, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth checks, and cannot willingly accept polymorph effects.
The spirit does not seem placated by Matrialda's approach. Instead, it passes through her leaving a halo of light above the Pathfinder's head. It then continues to hover in the area.
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Kahwen watches the spirit for a bit then climbs up one of the walls, doing the best he can to avoid clambering over anyone's mortal remains or desecrating a tomb with his feet or hands.
When he gets as high as he can, he jumps off, extending his arms.
They catch the air and he only falls a few feet before beginning to glide down. As he does so, he maneuvers and twists to circle around the joyous spirit, delighting in the freedom of flight...or glide, anyway.
While under this effect, you find any form of deception or subtlety to be challenging. You take a –10 penalty on Bluff, Disguise, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth checks, and cannot willingly accept polymorph effects.
Kahwen engages in an aerial dance with the spirit but a miscalculation has the tengu pass through the spirit on his glide back to the ground. When he arrives, he too has a halo of light above his head.
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Kit is sideswiped by Sasha's rapid fire questions, not expecting to have to BS one of her own party members.
"Well, a 4th degree event involves lots of slime and blood. We tend to try to avoid those. As for what is the meaning of this, we will have to asks the ghosts."
When they finally get there, she oozes charm and brings out her performance voice. though not singing, it is very melodious.
"We re here to being peace, fellow Pathfinder. The open road leads to rest as well as adventure. Please tell us what troubles you and allow us to put your fears at rest."
And then, for good measure she breaks into a jaunty bar song she heard at the Wounded Wisp.
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Sasha stares at Kit with wide-eyed wonder, clearly the woman has become his new best idol! "Slime AND Blood? OOOOOOHHHHH I wanna see one now! But ooooooh let me talk to the spirits! I'm SURE I can convince them reeaaalllllyyyyyy well!"
Sasha then bounds over to the next spirit they meet and asks, "Hey there Mr. Spirit! May I ask you some questions? Can I help you? Why are you haunting this place? Is there something you need to do here?"
The spirit appears to settle to Kitoro's voice, fading out even as Sasha bombards it with questions.
The group proceeds.
The next spirit they come across has erratic movements and its eyes are pits of grey smoke. It seems quite disoriented.
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Sasha gives a huff of annoyance as the spirit disappears before answering his questions. He tries a slightly different tactic with the next one. "So hey! You're a spirit right? I'm a spirit tooo! Spirit buddies! Ugh, what ya doing hanging here? Is something happening? Did you get woken up? Or are you sad about something? Are you going to made blood and slime? I'm a spirit you can tell me! I'm just also being channeled in Fali's body. She's kind that way! Maybe she could channel you too if you want! "
While Kit and Elado manage to calm the spirit, helping it recognise its surroundings and find its resting place, it is not before it passes through both Faliana and Matrialda. Matrialda's halo disappears though Kahwen's remains.
A little further in the team encounters a gaunt spirit that looks very tired and emaciated.
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Once again the glib kitsune speaks up.
"Hey, you are talking to the resident ghost expert here. I know you are feeling a bit out of sorts, but I have it all under control. Return to your grave now and I will make sure your god gives you an afterlife feast. Trust me!"
Oh what a perfect smile she presents with an all knowing look. Surely a face a ghost can trust!
The team of Pathfinders seem to be becoming more adept at dealing with the spirits. The gaunt spirit is calmed and disappears as three of the team address it, although it really seemed only focused on Kitoro.
The fourth spirit they encounter wails in agony, its body covered in glowing red scars.
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Sasha, feeling his connection with Fali become a little more tenuous, tries to test what he can of their connection while everyone talks with the gaunt ghost, he does finally notice the newer ghost and pops on over, body moving a little more raggedly than before. "Hello, there Mr. Ghost! Those wounds look painful! I'm sure I could help you with them if you wait there for a second and quiet down! Here, Come, Sit and Tell Uncle Sasha all about it!"
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Kit will go for intimidate this time.
Kit pulls out her finger puppets and mocks the ghost, showing it exactly how ridiculous it sounds. The finger puppet dances around and wails "Oh, poor me! I died and I can't let go of the mess of life. I know, I'll stick around and make everyone else miserable too!"
She stops and puts the puppet away. "Ach! Stop your caterwauling. Scars are cool and you are dead! The only reason you are miserable is you won't stay dead. Now go to bed or there will be no heavenly rest for you!"
For the most part, the team approaches this new spirit with a combination of sympathy and firmness. Unfortunately, Kahwen is too slow and too close; the spirit moves through him and then on through Elado, whose conviction to his words is lacking. The others see these two erupt in scars and look to be in pain. Thankfully, Faliana/Sasha is able to calm the spirit while Inghinn sympathises with it and then Kit banishes it with a stern admonition.
Scars erupt across your body, wracking you with endless pain.
Scars erupt across your body, wracking you with endless pain.
With most members of the team suffering the effects of various spiritual encounters, they continue on. They believe they are nearing the catacombs. Then, as they descend some stairs before them appears the shape of a carefree child, someone who clearly perished before her time.