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Amada seems to think that the Hand of Urxehl actually has 5 fingers with the fifth finger being permanently invisible. When the hand is hurt, the invisible finger will trip those who attack the hand.
Amada's trident then soars towards the hand and punctures it at the base of one of the fingers! Black blood oozes from the wound as the trident returns to Amada, and seemingly no invisible finger attempts to trip him. .
As Necalli approaches the hand she starts to feel the will of Urxehl whisper evil thoughts into her ears. . Quinoline also would've felt this if coming within 10ft of the hand. Necalli then attempts to bite the hand, but the fingers are incredibly nimble and Necalli doens't manage to get even close to biting one.
Astrid: -15, Concealed, Shield block 34 slashing dmg?
Jakoby: -31, Drained 2, wounded 1, 2 actions left
Ro: -6,
Zac: 0hp, Dying 3 (DC 12 flat check with toughness), Wounded 1
RedHandOfUrxehl -20,
Greezgux: -10, 5 temp HP, Vital Beacon (D8 next)
Mosquito Witch Doll -30,
Quinoline: Maybe DC 30 will save
Amada: -14, HuntRed, Drained 1
Necalli: -33, DC 30 will save, Drained 1
Necalli is unnerved by the entity's presence, but is otherwise unaffected as she positions to attack it.
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"Ro - we will need to bring Zac's sword to bear - bring him this" His master had said to him, and, although he couldn't understand the words, what he did understand was their intent - she had placed a beaker in his beak, and indicated the direction with a nod of her head after all.
Master...
◆) Hunt Prey
◆) Command Ro
◆) Draw Longbow
...& Me
◆) Draw Naturalist Potion
◆) Fly towards Zac
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Zac is busy having a nightmare that a stationary troll is kicking his butt again and that he can't move, as well as a nightmare that a hand is taunting him from over a football field away. Zac is going to be disappointed when he wakes up from that potion to find out his nightmare is still very real. He is expecting to wake up long after the hand dies.
Ro can probably hear Zacs heart still beating or see his breathing.
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As the giant finger crashes down upon her Astrid raises her shield and manages to deflect a portion of the blow.
The sight of the giant hand rising from the chasm causes a fire to light in the shield maiden's eyes. She growls menacingly and shouts,
With a mighty roar she rushes towards the abomination, draws her bastard sword and strikes!
Astrid's words seem to fall silent against the hand, but the words echo down the abyssal rift. As she charges towards the hand, it seems the hand begins to quiver slightly. Meanwhile the words of Urxehl are whispered from the chasm and resonate within Astrid's head for a moment, "I will rise, and kill every last one of you vandals!" When Astrid swings her sword she manages to -just barely- strike Urxhel's forefinger. The sword slices deeply into the the finger--about halfway through flesh and bone.
Eliza and her teams continue working swiftly on the runes and one by one the black abyssal flames falter. The chasm in the center of the ritual circle more rapidly begins to close as Urxhel's hand claws into the side of the ledge and holds tightly.
Urxhel's forefinger lets go and is about to lunged at Astrid, when the rest of the hand seem to be dragged closer into the chasm. The forefinger quickly replants itself into the side of the chasm as a deep groaning sound echoes from below.
Greezgux: -10, 5 temp HP, Vital Beacon (D8 next)
Mosquito Witch Doll -30,
Quinoline: Maybe DC 30 will save
Amada: -14, HuntRed, Drained 1
Necalli: -33, DC 30 will save, Drained 1
Astrid: -33, Concealed, Shield block 34 slashing dmg?
Jakoby: -31, HuntRed, Drained 2, wounded 1,
Ro: -6,
Zac: 0hp, , Dying 2 (DC 11 flat check with toughness), Wounded 1
RedHandOfUrxehl -32,
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Greezgux continues to Heal as his slobber flings all over like small puddles against the ground as he tries to find a small snack. "Quit moving around so much hand."
HP 72/82; Temp HP 5 (Vital Beacon Active; D10's used)
AC 26 (27 w/ Shield; Clumsy 1 AC 26/25)
Resistances (Resist Fire 5 | Self and Adjacent Allies Resist Evil 3)
Spells (1) 4/4
Spells (2) 2/4
Spells (3) 0/4
Spells (4) 0/4
Focus 1/2
Hero Point 1/3
Mosquito Witch Doll
HP 10/40
AC 26
Items: Necklace of Fireballs II
Decanter of Endless Water
The the hand clenching the side of the rift, it is less able to dodge out of the way. One of Amada's trident throws does end up striking it again at the base of a finger and Quinoline's bomb splashes the hand with electricity. Then Greegux takes an iconic, massive bite of demon lord flesh while Jakoby peppers the hand with arrows and Astrid tries to send Urxehl back through the rift. The finger resists the shieldmaiden's shove attempt, though ramming her shield into the forefinger she manages to sever the finger's connection completely. When the finger is separated, the hand begins to thrash in pain, causing the ground to shake and potentially hitting those nearby .
While Urxehl shakes his hand he simultaneously manages to loose what little grip he had on this material plane. The hand begins falling down the rift and you hear Urxehl's screams of rage as he begins to plummet-- the voice echoes. Eliza's teams finish their work on the runes and the rift finishes sealing itself; leaving only a scorched mark upon the ground. The threat...is vanquished.
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"...what, like in the next 10,000 years? Hoping to be good and dead myself then, eh?" picking herself up where she had fallen "Elf - hand me that ancestral sword you carelessly tossed to the ground - might need to get you a third hand!" she jokes to cover her annoyance.
With the wee god swallowed back into the earth, Jakoby does a cursory check to make sure Ro is okay, then pulls out her handmade pipe and stuffs it with the last sticky nugget she had been saving for a "celebratory" occasion - a single puff flushes her eyes a deep red, and she nearly stumbles a second time, and looking around the group, passes it to anyone who would indulge with her...
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Knab finally comes to...
"What did I miss?"
He rubs at the lump on his head, flicking away the strands of wispy grey hair in what is otherwise an exceedingly sparse combover, and with his giant arms, lifts himself to his feet, looking about confused...
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While Urxehl shakes his hand he simultaneously manages to loose what little grip he had on this material plane. The hand begins falling down the rift and you hear Urxehl's screams of rage as he begins to plummet-- the voice echoes. Eliza's teams finish their work on the runes and the rift finishes sealing itself; leaving only a scorched mark upon the ground. The threat...is vanquished.
[/ooc]
Astrid gives a satisfied smirk. "And I'll be waiting to send you back to the abyss once again."
The shield maiden stamps her foot solidly on the ground where the chasm had been. Finding it to be solid, she turns to Quinoline. "Seems pretty solid now. I don't think we'll need that fence after all, Quin."
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Knab finally comes to...
"What did I miss?"
He rubs at the lump on his head, flicking away the 1d4 strands of wispy grey hair in what is otherwise an exceedingly sparse combover, and with his giant arms, lifts himself to his feet, looking about confused...
Astrid gives the dwarf a huge grin. "Ha! It was glorious! Urxehl himself tried to climb out of a giant chasm and I managed to frighten him away. It'll be some time before he has the courage to cause any more trouble."
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Amada breathes a sigh of relief as the portal closes, before turning and signalling a thumbs-up to Eando and the other Pathfinders on the support team. Never thought I'd have to fight this many deities when i first came to this world... So be it. Whistling for Necalli, the bird tiredly returns to the elf and he begins the slow process of patching their wounds. "Good job out there, girl. You'll be enjoying a nice long rest after this."
With the wee god swallowed back into the earth, Jakoby does a cursory check to make sure Ro is okay, then pulls out her handmade pipe and stuffs it with the last sticky nugget she had been saving for a "celebratory" occasion - a single puff flushes her eyes a deep red, and she nearly stumbles a second time, and looking around the group, passes it to anyone who would indulge with her...
"I'll trade it for that pipe. Or my Meteor Hammer. Preferably both." The elf chuckles briefly before moving to retrieve the sword from the ground around his feet. "Your tool did me well while I had it. Perhaps I should look into a weapon with a more versatile grip as well."
As everyone has a few moments to get back on their feet or relax, Eando Kline slices through the last remaining Brimorak. The surrounding agents begin to clap and cheer at the monumentous victory--specifically turning towards the inside of the circle to cheer for the group's efforts.
Eando and Eliza both start organizing their teams into groups, seemingly from those who are in best condition supporting others who are heavily wounded. Eando approaches Zac, "I don't know many agents who could've taken such a strike from a Demon Lord and live to tell about it. Sorry to have put you through such danger but I am glad that you were able to pull through"
Turning to the rest of the group, "And well done!! All of you. I look forward to hearing and sharing tales of today's events for years to come!"
A group of agents try to carry Urxehl's finger but the junior agents seem to give up fairly quickly at the size and weight and instead they await a cart to assist them. Slowly the Pathfinder forces start to make their way back to base camp where Eando Kline ushers the group and Eliza Petulengro into his command tent for a debriefing. Eando starts, "Just a few points of business, but first, let's hear those reports. We were there close by but obviously you had the first-hand experience with the ravener, Urxehl's demoniac spirit and the ritual, and Urxehl's hand! Any lessons learned?"
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Greezgux grows huge to lift the finger and help place it on the cart with ease. "Hehe, first-hand experience." The goblin giggles. "Lesson learned. Don't activate unknown rituals as they could summon forth a Demon Lord for more fingers." Greezgux isn't sure there is a lesson to be learned as this was less of a normal mission and more of a seat of your pants rescue mission. "So what does saving the world pay?" He rattles his bird skulls.
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Jakoby makes the trade - pipe for hammer.
"You mean - besides "yewr welcome" Venture Captain!?" her ulfen snark kicks back in full force, emboldened by her party's deeds in equal proportion "Got to say, using those trolls as a power source was a shock to see - thank Erastil this elf here" she nods to Amada "Had the wherewithal to get to sneaking around the circle unseen to sever those contact points - think we'd have had a much rougher time if he hadn't been so clever"
Unsure exactly what Eando wants to hear, she let's the compliment hang in the air - toking another slow-burning pipe puff, letting the wisps smokily billow out from her nostrils.
Ha! the debriefing is just a formality of course! But as for pay, I think you'll find this to be worth your while" Eando responds while placing six bags on the table.
Eliza speaks up, "Great, now that that is out of the way, we have some other business to discuss...First, on behalf of the Decimvirate, thank you for your excellent work, and clever thinking, today" Eliza says with a smile while looking at Jakoby. "Also, with Drandle Dreng's unmasking, the society must now choose a new member to wear the Sapphire m ask. This will require some consideration, though usually the Decemvirate is quick in facilitating such replacements. Not to worry though, Drandle Dreng is recuperating in Absalom
"Lastly, I hope each of you will head back to Absalom for a little while. We intend to host an extravaganza in your honor--recognizing each of you as Saviors of Golarion for your deeds in stopping Urxehl's attempted breach onto the Material Plane!"
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Quinoline chuckles at the large bag of gold coins on the table - a lifetime's earnings in the sand mining town where she was raised. She drops it into her bag of holding rather casually.
She's actually far more interested in those greater elixirs of life that were handed out. She can't believe they titrated at 4.2 hp/ml!
I've learned so much, and yet, there's so much more to learn, she thinks to herself. After sharing some whiskey strong enough to make her eyes water, as well as some uncharacteristically emotional hugs, with her teammates, she sets out not for Absalom but for a desert town in western Thuvia.
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At a giant sand pit on the outskirts of Merab, a stingy sand refiner berates an old man about the quality of sand.
"This is the worst lot yet!" he yells, theatrically throwing a handful of what he knows to be high-quality sand over his left shoulder. "I'll give you 5, and if you argue, it'll be 4."
The old man nods mutely, about to accept less than half of what he was promised, when a familiar face steps out of the shadows - a face familiar to both parties.
"Master Quinoline, I ... I just received a shipment of the small-particle quartz sand you like," the sand refiner blubbers.
"Quinnie!" the old man yells, simultaneously.
Quinoline carefully takes off a pair of white gloves, and pulls out of her pocket an intricately-carved bottle, popping the stopper to allow a sickly green smoke to billow out.
"What have I told you about cheating the sand miners?" Quinoline asks the sand refiner as she grabs his collar.
"Master Quinoline, it was not my intention ... I ... I ... it was just a down payment. I swear!"
Uncle Rajj stifles some laughter while "Quinnie" threatens the refiner. He still remembers the day that 8-year-old Quinnie learned how to make the alchemical creation - the flatulence smoke looked potent, and smelled putrid, but was harmless.
The refiner quickly pays everything that he owes, both for this shipment as well as past shipments he had cheated on.
After loading up the wagon with supplies for the return trip, Quinoline settles in beside Uncle Rajj for the 3-day journey across the Thuvian desert.
"Uncle Rajj?"
"Yes, Quinnie?"
"Tell me everything you've heard of the sun orchid elixir."
Quinoline spends several months in the area, trying to learn about things she had assumed were fairy tales growing up, but were now tantalizingly within reach for her.
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Joining Quinoline in the evening's share of events - but politely declining the brown liquid in the shot glass - our ulfen hero and her mighty bird recall and retell the stories with bits of exaggeration that posit each person present as a little more larger-than-life (and this literally in Greezgux's case) with each recalling and retelling. After all, without telling the story again, their would be no storytelling to pass down to nephews, nieces, grandchildren, and what had transpired these weeks would have to become forgotten.
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The same view atop the knotted tree overlooking Hillcross, Gunda "Jakoby" Kolkind and Ro enjoy the sunrise once again, having parted ways with her party nearly a week past now, and having never made it back to Absalom, instead knowing a better route and an alternate destination, she strikes a spark with her flint and steel and intakes a long draw, once again lost in thought - and now, prayer! "Old Deadeye - you bastard - I am survived your indifference, having met you not, but another immortal, it's hand reaching out to me in malice and not love, and yet, still I wait, like some dreaming fool, for your own hand to stir...
Jakoby looks up, the morning sprinkle coming to a cessation now, the rays of the sun with their brilliance, and with Ro shaking dew off of his brightly colored red wings, the duo continue their wandering in the next direction their heart guides them...