"Brr...I really don't like the idea of leaving these guys to their own devices now that they know we're here," Clover shivers as the group searches the rooms. "But this cold is likely to get the better of us the longer we stay and we're not in the best shape to begin with."
The halfling looks around, a frustrated expression on her face. "Something's got to be causing this chill - it didn't start until the alarm was raised, right? So someone or something is doing it. I'm hoping for some*thing* so maybe we can put a stop to it..."
“Do we try to heat the hidden chamber, or go outside? Might be easier to go outside.”
Lets go out.
He will try to is the mask tomorrow.
"Sounds good to me. Outdoors it is!" Song says. "By the way, Nabi, do not feel bad. I did not trust the succubus either. Deals with a demon? That's how you taint your soul."
She cheerfully packs some blankets and pillows. Demon or not, the succubus has style.
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"Also, Nabi, I think your time in the circus has helped you -- she was totally being a townie." the medic-acrobat-archer offers before getting an idea.
"Hey, added bonus, she gave us a crate to put it all in, sis! Save your bag space, let's just use that."
Leaf-On-Wind should probably feel bad about this, but getting the pretty stuff out of the really nasty weather might save it -- and who knows, maybe the circus can use them for appointing wagons or whatnot?
You make your way outside, carefully descending and ascending the worn and slippery stone steps. The tower trembles twice more before you escape. Outdoors you find the late afternoon air to be far warmer and more pleasant than the frigid inside of the tower. Merely stepping from one side of the threshold to the other reveals the dramatic difference. Putting the oddity aside, you descend the scaffolding. Passing the broken bits of gargoyles, you hike toward the scrub where you can try to hide your camp from any other xulgath that may be in the area.
While you tend to your wounds, investigate the magical mask, and otherwise prepare the camp, you can see the erratic orbit of the giant aeon stone above the tower's peak. Is it more erratic than what you observed on your original approach? It is difficult to assess.
Once Rulean is finished helping Leaf-on-Wind tend wounds through magical and mundane means, he is able to determine that the mask is a demon mask.
Rulean asks Ephraim if they could repair their shield.
In the morning, he is feeling a little better but still not fully recovered.
"Of course."
Ephie and Mr. Splinters tap away at Rulean's steel shield:
CANTRIPS
Detect Magic
Electric Arc
Light
Ray of Frost
Shield
Telekinetic Projectile
LEVEL 1
Jump (1/1)
Mage Armor (1/1)
Magic Missile (1/1)
LEVEL 2
Glitterdust (1/1)
Scorching Ray (1/1)
Dispel magic (1/1)
Level 1: 1/1
Level 2: 1/1
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Nabi takes one of the pillow.
And strikes the unexpecting Clover with it, grinning
Pillow fight?
After he has finished his daily preparations, Rulean tries to heal his minor wounds.
The night passes uneventfully and you manage to rest with neither wild beast nor xulgath bothering your camp. While Rulean wakes with a lingering sensation of hollowness as a consequence of the succubus' malign touch, the rest of you feel healthy and strong. The hike back to the tower reveals no appreciable change to the tower.
Once you pass through the threshold of the tower, you find that it is no longer freezing. Instead, now it is swelteringly hot. Staying in this heat will fatigue you before long, so you press onward toward the central stair that the xulgath and quasit guarded so intently.
The stench grows as you near the top of the stairs, though most of you seem to have learned ways to endure it. It is especially repugnant, and Song-of-Air is greatly affected. The light from the orbiting orb of light makes shadows slowly dance across the top of the stone sun shade over the stairs.
A sun-shaped platform of marble rises ten feet above the flat, mud-brick summit of the Erran Tower. Four large columns support another marble slab over the circular staircase in the center of the tower summit, but there are no walls, so the open-air platform provides a commanding view of the Isle of Erran, the Inner Sea, and the Isle of Kortos to the south. A blazing ball of light three feet in diameter swings around the tower summit in a lazy circle, never approaching closer than within forty feet of the tower, causing shadows to spin across the marble. The orb provides bright light but no heat; instead, a soothing feeling of growth and life emanates from it. On the platform, a small heap of ripped nets, broken poles, and other debris is surrounded by several charcoal marks of geometric shapes.
Behind and to Rulean's flank comes a deep and coarse voice. "Balenni told me you were coming. Took you long enough," says, in an accented Taldane, the hulking xulgath with a wooden symbol carved to look like some kind of twisted and thorned vine or tentacle. He carries a massive stone maul over his shoulder with effortless ease.
Rulean and Clover both also quickly note the presence of a bat-winged dinosaur perched on one of the rays of the sunburst platform.
The Clash atop Erran’s Tower
Bold may act.
Rulean (44/[44] 48 hp) (drained 1; sickened 1) (see invisible)
Song-of-Air (38/38 hp) (sickened 1; -5 ft speed) (10 ft of stairs, 5 ft down)
Leaf-on-Wind (50/50 hp) (immune) (15 ft of stairs, 10 ft down)
Nabi (44/44 hp) (immune) (10 ft of stairs, 10 ft down)
Cavnakash
Winged Dinosaur
Clover (58/58 hp) (immune)
>Snowy (40/40 hp) (sickened 1)
Ephie (40/40 hp) (immune) (15 ft of stairs, 15 ft down)
>Mr. Splinters (15/15 hp)
Rulean casts Protection from Evil on Clover. He then raises his shield.
“You bored her, Cavnakash. Did you know that?”
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Song feels the wave of nausea hit her. "Why do all Xulgaths want to make me barf?"
Still, she manages to gain control of herself and shake it off.
◈ She climbs the stairs so that she can see, and dances, her feet tapping out an inexorable rhythm.
◇Lingering Performance
◈ Inspire Defense
"Ooh, I bet Rulean's comment hurts as much as this does." She shoots at Cavnakash, just to see what happens.
◈
Rulean wards Clover and raises his shield for his own defense.
"I got what I needed," the xulgath growls back at Rulean.
Song-of-Air climbs to the top of the stairs and inspires her allies to be wary. She fires off an arrow at the tall xulgath and grazes his scales. He sneers and narrows his eyelids.
The Clash atop Erran’s Tower. Round 1.
Bold may act.
Rulean (44/[44] 48 hp) (drained 1; sickened 1) (see invisible, shield up)
Song-of-Air (38/38 hp)
Leaf-on-Wind (50/50 hp) (immune) (15 ft of stairs, 10 ft down)
Nabi (44/44 hp) (immune) (10 ft of stairs, 10 ft down)
Cavnakash (-2 hp)
Winged Dinosaur
Clover (58/58 hp) (immune, protection from evil)
>Snowy (40/40 hp) (sickened 1)
Ephie (40/40 hp) (immune) (15 ft of stairs, 15 ft down)
>Mr. Splinters (15/15 hp)
Leaf-On-Wind blurs into motion, ascending the stairs with great speed then darting across the surface to put a pillar between himself, Cavernkrash, and the winged creature.
When he gets to the spot he takes a deep breath and focuses a bit.
◈ Nabi strides to the top of the stairs.
◈◈ Then she strides to hide behind a different pillar.
After all, there is no sense in the whole group being caught in the same fireball.
“Your own people fighting each other because it amused her?”
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I'm pretty sure you didn't even tipped her scales, which is the worst for something like you. Maybe she didn't like short tails.. or was it tales?
Nabi can't help but send some barbed words at their foe
"What different is it than what your surface gods do with you? They are nothing but thieves and hypocrites," Cavnakash growls, but there is something in the way that he moves his maul and the black flames that place across his fingers as he speaks that tells you he is invoking his demonic magic. "With demon lords, the exchange is naked and honest, they give you power and you spread destruction."
Rulean feels alien doubts threatening his soul.
Then the xulgath lumbers over toward Leaf-on-Wind with a feral, knowing grin.
The winged reptile hops and glides from its perch toward Song-of-Air. There is clearly something wrong with its wing preventing it from flying for very long. The reptile snaps its beak at Song's cloak as it passes her, but that is all it catches.
The Clash atop Erran’s Tower. Round 1-2.
Bold may act.
Cavnakash (-2 hp)
Winged Dinosaur
Clover (58/58 hp) (immune, protection from evil)
>Snowy (40/40 hp) (sickened 1)
Ephie (40/40 hp) (immune) (15 ft of stairs, 15 ft down)
>Mr. Splinters (15/15 hp)
Rulean (44/[44] 48 hp) (drained 1; sickened 1) (see invisible, shield up) (Will DC 24 vs. Crisis of Faith (see below))
Song-of-Air (38/38 hp)
Leaf-on-Wind (50/50 hp) (immune)
Nabi (44/44 hp) (immune)
Critical Success Unaffected.
Success 8 Mental Damage
Failure 17 Mental damage; stupefied 1 for 1 round.
Critical Failure 34 Mental damage, stupefied 1 for 1 round, and can't cast divine spells for 1 round.
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Ephie huffs up the steps. "What manner of creature was Aroden, to craft stairs such as this?"
He raises a SHield.
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Rulean winces in pain as the spell takes effect. Not liking such things, he casts his other Protection spell on himself and tries to clear his senses.
Rulean is too busy retching to continue the conversation at the moment.
Clover leaves her sickened badger on the stairs, where he won't become a dino snack. "Demon lords honest? They're all stinking liars just like you!"
She then activates her Fighters Fork for reach and strikes.
"My cloak!" Song shrieks as the dinosaur tears it. But she has better things to attend to, like smashing a demon in the face. With the succubus's blessing on it, the xulgath is likely to save against her enchantment spells. So she just moves to get a good view, and tosses a rock.
◈ Stride
◈◈ Telekinetic Projectile
Clover's fork glances off of the tall xulgath's armor. Snowy follows after his halfling trainer.
"Ha! Your gods have deceived you just li--ARGH!" Cavnakash roars in pain as Song-of-Air takes out his left eye with a rock. He appears to be weighing who to hit with his massive stone maul.
The Clash atop Erran’s Tower. Round 2.
Bold may act.
Cavnakash (-22 hp)
Winged Dinosaur
Clover (58/58 hp) (immune, protection)
>Snowy (40/40 hp) (sickened 1)
Ephie (40/40 hp) (immune) (shield up)
>Mr. Splinters (15/15 hp)
Rulean (36/[44] 48 hp) (drained 1; sickened 1) (see invisible, protection)
Song-of-Air (38/38 hp)
Leaf-on-Wind (50/50 hp) (immune)
Nabi (44/44 hp) (immune)
"Actually, there are some gods who would agree with you on the hypocrisy, but also say the same about demons." Leaf-On-Wind rather blandly and matter-of-factly mentions as he steps away from the xulgath leader and lets fly with a bunch of arrows.
Cavnakash turns back to Leaf-on-Wind soon enough to see the shot coming. He raises his arm to protect his head, and the arrow skims across his scales. The second and third arrows slam into the pillar next to the xulgath.
Having decided which of you proves the most dangerous, he turns toward Song-of-Air and chants in some unholy language. Black fire dancing along his fingers, he throws a crackling bolt of blackness into Song-of-Air. She is afflicted by painful cold. The xulgath steps towards her.
Nabi takes her moment to dash into position. She stabs at the xulgath. Though she draws blood, Cavnakash does not seem particularly concerned (compared to the tengu who took his eye).
The winged dinosaur makes its way toward the intruders with flapping hops. It snaps at Rulean, tearing a long wound across his arm. It snaps at Song-of-Air, too, but this time even her cloak escapes unscathed.
The Clash atop Erran’s Tower. Round 2-3.
Bold may act.
Cavnakash (-26 hp)
Nabi (44/44 hp) (immune)
Winged Dinosaur
Clover (58/58 hp) (immune, protection)
>Snowy (40/40 hp) (sickened 1)
Ephie (40/40 hp) (immune)
>Mr. Splinters (15/15 hp)
Rulean (25/[44] 48 hp) (drained 1; sickened 1) (see invisible, protection)
Song-of-Air (26/38 hp)
Leaf-on-Wind (50/50 hp) (immune)
Rulean moves to a position where Nabi could easily flank with him against the dinosaur. He then attempts to heal his wounds.
Seeing his clear shot to the xulgath leader evaporate, Leaf-On-Wind re-positions to get a better shot and try not to hurt party members.
More arrows fly, to no avail.
"Does the demon-blessing grant immunity to fire? I should think not." Ephie strides into position to avoid cover, blasting scorching rays at both the dino and the xulgath:
Ephie burns both of the enemies with rays of fire. Cavnakash growls in irritation. The flying reptile screams in pain as blisters form across its back and its flesh begins to char. It collapses in a heap .
Rulean calls upon Kurgess to heal his wounds.
Leaf-on-Wind comes close, but the xulgath manages to dodge all of his arrows.
The Clash atop Erran’s Tower. Round 2-3.
Bold may act.
Cavnakash (-38 hp)
Nabi (44/44 hp) (immune)
Clover (58/58 hp) (immune, protection)
>Snowy (40/40 hp) (sickened 1)
Ephie (40/40 hp) (immune)
>Mr. Splinters (15/15 hp)
Rulean (44/[44] 48 hp) (drained 1; sickened 1) (see invisible, protection)
Song-of-Air (26/38 hp)
Leaf-on-Wind (50/50 hp) (immune)
Seeing the dinosaur go down, Rulean decides to take a position that would allow him to heal any of his allies.
Song takes a guarded step back, and then casts Magic Weapon on Clover's Fighter's Fork.
"Kill him, Clover."
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"With pleasure. Snowy, let's get him!"
Clover takes a single sidestep that not only puts her into a convenient flanking position but also serves to protect Song, somewhat. She then attempts to drive her weapon deep into Cavnakash's flesh!
______________
Snowy bares his teeth and darts forward to try and bite down on the creature's leg!
"I won't be killed that easy!" Cavnakash yells as he bats Clover's fork aside with his maul despite Nabi's distraction. He keeps Snowy at bay with sharp kicks from his clawed foot.
The xulgath cultist whirls on Nabi as black fire runs along his maul. The acrobat nimbly dodges to avoid having her neck broken, and the stone cracks down hard upon her hip while the black fire saps her vitality.
Cavnakash then immediately spins back toward Clover and Song-of-Air to release a deafening roar that shakes their bones .
The Clash atop Erran’s Tower. Round 3-4.
Bold may act.
Cavnakash (-38 hp)
Nabi (17/44 hp) (immune)
Clover (58/58 hp) (immune, protection) (Basic Fortitude DC 24 vs. 8 bludgeoning)
>Snowy (40/40 hp) (sickened 1) (Basic Fortitude DC 24 vs. 8 bludgeoning)
Ephie (40/40 hp) (immune)
>Mr. Splinters (15/15 hp)
Rulean (44/[44] 48 hp) (drained 1; sickened 1) (see invisible, protection)
Song-of-Air (26/38 hp) (Basic Fortitude DC 24 vs. 8 bludgeoning)
Leaf-on-Wind (50/50 hp) (immune)
+
Ephie's eyes goggle as he drains Mr. Splinters. His arms jerk like a marionette's as he hurls more fire.
BURN.
Then he hurls the axe!
Rulean moves up to Cavnakash, quickly heals Nabi, and swings with his pick at the demonic xulgath.
Fatal d10
crit, die increase, extra die for fatal
Nabi slashes, more or less widly, at their foe, hoping to add damage to injury and of course insults to mockery, because thats what Nabi does.
What, that's all? No wonder the succubus was disappointed in you. All bark and no bite, and even your bark is less powerful than your stench. Or was it bad breath? A lack of general personal hygiene? Sooooooooo many reasons to drop you. From real hight and on pointed sticks, if possible.
Nabi cuts the xulgath twice with her blade, less so with her words. Cavnakash intercepts the ray of fire with his maul, but Ephie focuses his power and forces through .
Rulean advances and lays a healing hand upon Nabi before making his own assault. The tall xulgath just barely knocks the pick aside with his own weapon.
The Clash atop Erran’s Tower. Round 3-4.
Bold may act.
Cavnakash (-67 hp; <50%)
Nabi (27/44 hp) (immune)
Clover (58/58 hp) (immune, protection) (Basic Fortitude DC 24 vs. 8 bludgeoning)
>Snowy (40/40 hp) (sickened 1) (Basic Fortitude DC 24 vs. 8 bludgeoning)
Ephie (40/40 hp) (immune)
>Mr. Splinters (15/15 hp)
Rulean (44/[44] 48 hp) (drained 1; sickened 1) (see invisible, protection)
Song-of-Air (26/38 hp) (Basic Fortitude DC 24 vs. 8 bludgeoning)
Leaf-on-Wind (50/50 hp) (immune)
Song dances her way over to Nabi and casts Magic Weapon! "Cut him to shreds, Nabi!"
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Leaf-On-Wind steps up to get a better shot, letting three more arrows fly...
[
Leaf-on-Wind fires his flurry of arrows while Cavnakash has his good eye turned elsewhere. The first arrow grazes him across the neck.
Song-of-Air enchants Nabi's blade.
The Clash atop Erran’s Tower. Round 3-4.
Bold may act.
Cavnakash (-68 hp; <50%)
Nabi (27/44 hp) (immune, magic weapon: sword)
Clover (58/58 hp) (immune, protection, magic weapon: fork) (Basic Fortitude DC 24 vs. 8 bludgeoning)
>Snowy (40/40 hp) (sickened 1) (Basic Fortitude DC 24 vs. 8 bludgeoning)
Ephie (40/40 hp) (immune)
>Mr. Splinters (15/15 hp)
Rulean (44/[44] 48 hp) (drained 1; sickened 1) (see invisible, protection)
Song-of-Air (22/38 hp)
Leaf-on-Wind (50/50 hp) (immune)
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"Yeah okay, I've had a lot worse than that," Clover smirks as she largely weathers the bone-rattling roar. "Keep up the pressure, Snowy!"
She tries again to skewer Cavnakash or at least distract him with the attempt...
______________
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Snowy continues to growl and snap, even after having his bones rattled!
Clover stabs one of the tines of her fork into Cavnakash's thigh. He growls but his attention turns toward Clover and her badger, and the xulgath successfully beats back their subsequent assaults.
"Now, shut up, you harpy!" Cavnakash growls as he spins on Nabi and slams his maul down toward her. No matter how nimble she is, Nabi cannot escape the powerful slam nor the black flames that engulf the hammer. Perhaps one small consolation as she collapses is the idea that she really was getting under the xulgath's scales.
"And you!" he snarls as he whips his maul from Nabi's dying body toward Clover. The stone weapon skips painfully across her arm, but at least there is no black fire. He then speaks an Abyssal word and summons a shadowy shield around his body.
The Clash atop Erran’s Tower. Round 4-5.
Bold may act.
Nabi (0/44 hp) (immune, magic weapon: sword, dying 1)
Cavnakash (-74 hp; <50%) (shadow shield)
Clover (38/58 hp) (immune, protection, magic weapon: fork)
>Snowy (32/40 hp) (sickened 1)
Ephie (40/40 hp) (immune)
>Mr. Splinters (15/15 hp)
Rulean (44/[44] 48 hp) (drained 1; sickened 1) (see invisible, protection)
Song-of-Air (22/38 hp)
Leaf-on-Wind (50/50 hp) (immune)
+
Ephie panics as he sees the fearsome, energy-infused weapon in action. Help me, Mr. Splinters! I'll give you another fraction of my soul! Mr. Splinters rotates his grinning head a full 360º as he recharges Ephie's focus point.
The wizard collects himself, and attempts to unravel the shadow shield
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The archer grumbles as nothing seems to be working with the arrows but then Nabi gets taken down in a brutal whack.
And if there's one thing he's been working on, it's getting fellow troupe members back into the fight and not-dying.
"Sis, MOVE. Help Clover!"
So he zips on forwards, dropping the bow while using Rulean for protection as he slaps bandages and other things on Nabi to patch up immediate injuries.
He then dumps the power of the gloves he has on into the other acrobat.
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