GM Erich's The Flesh Collector (7-8) for Gameday IX (Inactive)

Game Master Thereus, Silver Crusader

@Shardra This plant version of entangle renders you immobile unless you break free (move action - making a Strength or Escape Artist check). You can still cast spells with the CL check, as you did.

Ahh, than please move me back GM. Will still cast the spell as soon as I see one other companion within 30 ft.

Sorry, meant to post this earlier, but only now getting the chance.

When Ajax sees Shardra get entangled, he reflesively fires a liberating command.
Ajax's caster lvl is 9 on account of Magical Knack

Pai pulls her wand of infernal healing, and she starts burning off charges.

Fast healing one, for a minute.

@Shardra With the granted +18 bonus, Shardra is automatically freed. I moved you two spaces forward in the difficult terrain. If you want to move again instead of casting haste you can, and be out of the entanglement completely. If you wish to stay in the area, you will need to make another DC 19 reflex save on Jathyl's turn or be entangled again.

Ajax only has that one spell. I'd have to use my last pearl of power (got 3 at 1st, I think I used 2) again next round if you got stuck. That would stop me from firing on what's her bucket.

Ajax calls out, "Free yourself!

Shardra moves out of the entangled area!!

Vanzetti, don't know how close we want to clump. Ajax is moving back north on his turn. You could move closer next round if Shardra is going to cast Haste..

Pai begins the long road to recovery while Shardra hastens to the stone path to avoid the entangling vines. The fire elementals continue their heated assault.

fire damage to tree: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 1) = 6

Round 8/9 - Bold can act - Blessing of Fervor, Rallying Cry, Life Bubble and Moment of Greatness is up for all, Suppress Charms and Compulsions is up on Pai, Shardra, and Ara
Jathyl <in ground> -126 damage
Master Aadesh and the Monks (Pradnyara entangled)
Pai -63 damage (Overland Flight [on ground], Mage Armor, Protection From Evil, infernal healing)
Shardra (False Life 14, Mirror Image 6, Protection From Evil, Bless)
Fire Elementals (Bless)
Water Elemental (Bless)
Vanzetti (Mage Armor, Shield, Heroism, False Life 5, Bless)
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Ajax -16 damage (Barkskin, Shield Companion, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Heightened Awareness, Heroism, Protection from Evil, Resist Fire, Bless)
Ara -15 damage (Mage Armor, Cats Grace, Bless)

Waiting on Vanzetti

Sorry; needed a small break, I guess.

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16 Err...Ajax, you made this roll, have I been informed of what you know? It makes a difference.

V keeps on the move, and his wand at the ready....

readied wand of CL 3rd magic missile, Rallying Cry, Sacrificial Boon: 2d4 + 5 ⇒ (1, 3) + 5 = 9

@DM: My false life is presently down to 3, BTW (and will be down to 2 if I can get this readied shot off); Sacrificial Boon isn't called that for nothing.

So for official purposes, Ajax and his undead favored enemy bonus - properly applied - would have actually downed her with the lone arrow prior to the second volley on Pai (so save those infernal charges, and any other consumables people used from that point on). But for narrative purposes I will describe it as if it played out until now (cause it is much more dramatic). Pai you can come back into the fold too.

Jathyl appears behind the tree, ready to quench the elementals and the flames that consume it.

With a final arrow, Ajax is able to connect with the ghost and she stops. For a moment, that is.

There is a whisper that rustles the leaves of the tree. “Your corpses will burn when I return from death.” With that, her ghostly body dissolves into a pinpoint of ethereal light that drifts toward and into the roots of her tree.

Combat Over

Really sorry about not tracking that real-time and kind of undermining a fun battle. My bad and apologies to the other players as well. Would have been fine with continuing the battle.

Ajax instantly regrets the outcome of the battle, perhaps some perverse notion of union with the dryad still lingers.

"Shardra, can you quench the flames with the water elemental? Let us hope the tree survives, though I fear it may have only been the dryad's magic that sustained it."

Ajax recalls liberating command into his last pearl, as he retrieves his wand of gravity bow and reassures Ara with some affectionate rubs.

Ajax then waits to see how the others react, particularly the monks.

Were the trampled monks still alive? not sure what's going on with them.

No worries, you built your character to face a Jathyl, so it's all good. The priests are alive, just semi-buried. You would have killed Jathyl with your next hit anyway (plus the MM wand), and she was just going to quench the tree and destroy the fire elementals with 12d6 damage each.

I'll most a more thorough update tonight. There is some wrap up left to do.

Since it was alluded to earlier..

"Does anyone have a way to locate Jathyl's wand?" Anyone with Detect Magic or Locate Object? I suspect DM won't work because it's probably buried underground or behind a lot of stone.

Still bleeding, Pai flies back onto the scene. ”Is it over? I’ve never been hit so many times by something,” she whispered.

Realizing the threat is quelled, the monks move quickly to the temple. They help to free the priests and work to put out the fires on the tree (with the help of the water elemental as long as he lasts).

Master Aadesh moves to your group, his frustration quite apparent. "Is this as you intended? Jathyl has been vanquished. For now. But she will return. Who is to protect us when she does?"

Shardra looks at the others and then at the monks.

kn religion, no idea as a player so maybe the character has ideas : 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30

”I would love to support her to regain some peace in this life! So I believe that we have to do everything we can! But I am not an expert in ghost so let me think for a moment!“

”This tree is apparently not merely haunted, but enchanted with a vicious vitality. Perhaps something could be done about that,“ V offers as the scent of myrrh mysteriously permeates the air around him....

dispel magic, replicating myrrh: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Shardra would know (also supported by earlier research in the library) that ghosts are restless souls that typically have some sort of action or duty to fulfill before they can move on the the afterlife. In Jathyl's case it obviously has something to do with this tree.

Vanzetti's detection spell leaves no trail to follow, until he focuses it to the base of the tree. The embers of the elemental's assault still smolder and the tree lies in charcoaled pieces, its lush growth (magically enabled by the ghost moments ago) has already begun to fade - leaving the twisted amalgam of life and death struggling to hold up the roof of the temple.

Enough of the "trunk" has burned that it looks like there is a hollow space beneath it. One that warrants further investigation.

Ajax pushes Ara to dig..

Pai keeps healing herself while the other begin their investigations of the tree and whatever secrets it held.

Although it is still a bit warm here, Ara is able to dig out the area enough for you to peer inside. As the dying tree’s roots receded, they left behind a small space beneath. The area is about three feet in diameter and it lies about five feet beneath the surface, directly beneath the temple’s pillar/tree. Nestled in the small alcove, are Jathyl's two remaining corporeal treasures: the wand and... a pinecone.

Pai and Vanzetti (remembering back to the haunt they experienced) recognize the cone as belonging to the towering pine in the vision.

Spellcraft 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (9) + 18 = 27

Know. Nature 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27

Pai tells the others what she knew about the wand and the pine cone.

K. Nature (Take 10)=25

"Perhaps if we burn this cone and plant it beneath this dead tree, it will put Jathyl to rest."

Looking at the dried and inert ground under the temple, the two of you think that perhaps planting it outside would be more beneficial for growth. Also, the forest Jathyl sought to originally protect could eventually grow again in the generations to come.

I was gonna say....

Make it so.

Shardra is relieved!

“The solution is simple! We take this fruit of life and plant it in fertile ground so that the majestic tree can grow again!“

She immediately starts to search for an adequate location!

kn nature to find the perfect spot : 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

Master Aadesh overhears the discovery and steps to the group. "The hour is late, a suitable spot should be found in the morning. Let us heal the priests and and rest tonight in the hallowed library."

He makes a subtle set of gestures with his hands and the monks reenter to lay the priests in repose to accept their healing. As Pradnyara steps close to administer the divine rites, an abrupt voice fills the room with a short litany of words and descriptions designed to break the Paladin of Irori's tight sense of decorum. She stands, mouth agape, as it finishes - then turns to face the spellcasters. Pai first, then Shardra, before quickly settling on the unblinking face of one Julian Leroux Vanzetti. Her lips purse, almost exploding with a response, before she closes her eyes and turns to resume her solemn duties.

Within minutes of the scrolls and spells, the priests regain consciousness and are received by their brethren with needed food and thin blankets. Although they each have memories of their forced servitude to the vengeful ghost, none can explain the ease or length of their willingness.

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Dawn breaks with a subtle orange sky that stretches over the length of the Obari Ocean to the east. Moving past the untended crop garden, Shardra finds a small prominence with still fertile soil that would be an ideal spot for the regrowth of tree and forest.

Master Aadesh provides a flickering torch to the pinecone and it forcefully snaps open to reveal a single gold-green seed pod within. It is planted dutifully and the monks and priests take turns watering the spot, offering you the jug as well.

"The task is complete. Four from Absalom have delivered us from a great danger and quieted an unsettled spirit. We and the world owe a debt of gratitude to these just souls."

At the closing of his words, the air seems to shift around the brand new planting. A form coalesces above it, barely visible in the chill morning air.

Jathyl reappears - smiling beatifically, her quills and nails falling away to the grassy ground, before she too quickly fades into nothingness.

And that is how you get your second prestige point...

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With the monastery secured and the tree replanted, the group is able meet their merchant ship and return safely to Almas with the manuscript. After much bickering, the Society permanently relocates the Fleshforge Manuscript to Absalom for safekeeping and you are properly rewarded for your insight and heroism.

End of Scenario

As Jathyl begins to fade away, Ajax hears himself whisper..."Call me?"

Shardra just smiles silently.