Bob rushes to the elves in the cage, but is unable to free them just yet. The captured elves are all rather stunned at the crazy events in the cave, and just sort of stare at him in a daze.
Kaghaze's shallow breath rattles in his chest, and he seems to be inches away from permanent death.
Combat round 5
Active Effects: Inspire Courage +1, Demonic Whispers -2 to attack and saves
Ilarien - Mage Armor
Devin
Bob
Essilor - Mage Armor
Ash
Sakura
Kaghaze - (-35 HP, dying, 1 bleed)
Altar - (21 damage)
The bold may act!
With Ilarien's healing touch, the bleeding wound seals itself, and Kaghaze's shallow breathing becomes more stable. While still grievously wounded, the healing has taken away the threat of death.
Combat Over!
Between the slams of the earth elemental and the wicked strikes of Sakura's greatsword, the group makes short work of the altar. When the final blow rings out, there is a sharp burst of psychic feedback and a distant shriek as the voice finds its connection to this plane severed. The feedback is sharp enough to cause everyone in the room to flinch and close their eyes for just a moment.
When your eyes open, you find that the evil form for the werebat that Kaghaze had assumed is no more, and in its place is one very injured and unconscious Ekujae elf, lying in a pool of his own blood but still just barely alive.
Fola rushes in and quickly sets to work freeing the elves in the cage, and soon everyone is free and gathered around the broken remains of the altar and the shallowly-breathing form of Kaghaze.
Illarien's magic heals Kaghaze enough to bring him back from unconsciousness and into the real world once more. The transition does not appear to be a peaceful one, though. The elf's eyes snap open and frantically look around the cave in fear, and his breathing increases into a panic. After a couple of seconds of this, you can see a change come over him; a look of realization, disgust, and eventually pure horror cross his face. "What have I... What did I... All those people!"
You eventually are able to calm the distraught elf enough that he can begin speaking in whole sentences again. Fola touches his shoulder with kindness and says "Tell us what happened Kaghaze". Finally, he takes a deep breath and begins his story.
"Several weeks ago, I was leading my patrol on a hunt for a mobat that had been attacking the eastern portion of our lands. We followed the beast to the ancient stone markers that delineated the outskirts of Dehu Inu. I knew the area was off limits, everyone did, but the beast was close! What would it hurt to come in just a little and finish the job? I convinced everyone else that our duty to rid our community of the beast was greater than our need to stay away. I was so stupid, so arrogant..." A tear slides down the slender elven face as he remembers all this. He is quiet for a moment before continuing. "We tracked the beast to a cave, this cave, and cornered the thing in here. I didn't realize that this was a shrine to Camazotz. I was so focused on the mobat I didn't even really notice the altar. Our battle was fierce! The beast tore apart Lahalion, one of my best men, and hurled his remains atop the altar. What dumb luck that he landed there... As his blood, the blood of an Ekujae, flowed over it, a flash of the demon god’s power broke through to this world. It struck me head on, and I could hear that, that voice in my head! It was like I had become a passenger in my own body. It corrupted my mind and my body, and it transforming me into that... thing!"
He paused again, building himself up for this next part. "With this new power, I made quick work of the mobat. It didn't know what had hit it. Everyone else thought they were saved! Vile as I looked, they assumed I was in control. They were wrong. I quickly captured them, every single one of them, and one by one I sacrificed them to my new god. Camazotz!" He spits out the name as if it were a curse word, a vile thing in his mouth. "As I did this, as I committed these vile acts, I could sense that their deaths had an effect on the altar. Whispering demands for more blood invaded my mind, drove me to more and more evil! I began nightly hunts for new victims. Our people, they sent patrols out to find and eliminate this new unknown threat. These new patrols were easy to deal with, though, because they all followed the strictures to avoid Dehu Inu. I could fly out, pick them off, then retreat here. This lack of pursuit made me bolder. At first I took great pains to cover my trail, but the death I was delivering wasn't enough. Eventually, I was driven to leave enough evidence behind for the scouts to prove that my lair was here, within Dehu Inu..."
"I suppose you know the rest. I don't know who you are, but thank you for dealing with me before I could hurt more people." He takes a deep and quivering breath, then looks up at everyone. There are tears lining his eyes, and so much pain. He looks at his fellow Ekujae and says "I am so, so sorry for the pain my foolishness caused. I am ready to face whatever punishment comes next..."
|
Sakura listens and with little emotion looks at Fola and then the now freed Ekujae.
"Very unfortunate. Maybe this is a lesson that you need to keep records and write down your knowledge about the paths that the Ekujae have walked. This would not have happened if you had done so in the past I assume. Let us take everything we need and return to the village. You will need to face your people's judgement."
|
|
Essilor joins in the eye rolling. "Your logic if flawed Sakura. Kaghaze knew that he wasn't supposed to come here but he did anyway. The results would have been the same if the warning would have been written down in a book instead of being passed down from one person to another."
"I am glad you are better, now Kaghaze. I am sorry for what you were forced to do. I hope you can forgive yourself and that your kinsmen forgive you, as well."
Although the evil aura and psychic presence within this cave is no more, and Camazotz's plans to open a portal to Golarion have been thwarted for now, the cave maintains an aura of danger and a persistent smell of blood. Exploration of the room reveals several collapsed passages that have been sealed with many tons of rock. For now, the question of whether they can be cleared and further investigation of the cave system can be done will have to wait.
The entire group make their way out of the cave and down the cliff face. They perform the burial rites for the elven heads that had previously been on the spikes, Kaghaze in particular working very hard at this. Once complete, the group quickly makes their way back to Jalunth. Once there, Elder Kalwe meets with them and listens patiently to the story of what they found. Afterward, she sits silently for a few minutes before replying.
"What you say is troubling in many ways. Some of our stories spoke of the evil in Dehu Inu, but not of its nature. That an Ekujae's spirit could become so corrupted so quickly and completely by this bat-god makes me wonder what other secrets our long-held stories may contain. I cannot thank you enough for what you have done. I will spread word of your deeds. Perhaps one day we Ekujae may find that we have room for friendship with your Pathfinder Society."
Elder Kalwe invites you to spend the night in Jalunth as her guests, and to participate in a ceremony that evening, a celebration of the returned elves. You join the ceremony, and in addition to a generally pleasant party you each end up having your face painted by Elder Kalwe in the Ekujae style. Kaghaze, forgiven by the clan if not yet by himself, adds a mark to your faces as well, representing his gratitude, and Fola Barun adds hers as well.
While some time must still pass before healing can complete, through your actions the area is once more safe and the process of healing can at least begin. The Ekujae won't soon forget your help.