Ubasu shakes his head at the mad lizardfolk for thinking she might best all five of them. "You might beat him, but you won't beat all five of us." He weaves a layer of magic into the comment, and attempts to overwhelm their foe with laughter - surely she must see the madness in what she's trying to achieve?
Critical Success: The target is distracted and takes a –3 status penalty to Perception and Will saves for 1 minute. The target can end the effect early with a retort to your Bon Mot. This can either be a single action that has the concentrate trait or an appropriate skill action to frame their retort. The GM determines which skill actions qualify, though they must take at least 1 action. Typically, the retort needs to use a linguistic Charisma-based skill action.
Success: As critical success, but the penalty is –2.
Critical Failure: Your quip is atrocious. You take the same penalty an enemy would take had you succeeded. This ends after 1 minute or if you issue another Bon Mot and succeed.
- https://2e.aonprd.com/Spells.aspx?ID=150 -
Pilzip can't recall much about lizardfolk, but he scores a good hit with his ray of frost!
The brawler ignores Ubasu's quip, but she begins to snicker as his spell takes partial effect.
She then cries out in pain as Mokhasi's spell wracks her mind, momentarily stunning her!
Taking advantage of the opening, Patizamo falls back, and Baldrek takes the magus's plaec. He lands one solid hit and follows up with a critical strike, forcing the lizardfolk back a few feet.
The lizardfolk shakes off her stun. She steps back up to Baldrek and swings her greatclub!
With the lizardfolk giggling, Pilzip tries to tumble through its space.
The grippli stumbles back, but this still seems like a good opportunity to spread out, so he tries again.
for and
Baldrek takes advantage of his great reach to stop the lizardfolk in her tracks, hurting her and sending her away again! He then teams up with Pilzip to flank their opponent.
Patizamo hangs back, relying on magic for this fight as he tries to recall something about Lizardfolk.
Since this apparently isn't the time for jokes, Ubasu emboldens his allies with a deep hum. He then weaves a mass of frost and launches it at the lizardman - she's out for their blood, and that cannot be condoned.
Pilzip and Patizamo struggle to hit the lizardfolk, but Baldrek delivers a couple of powerful strikes, then Ubasu lands a critical hit with his ray of frost! The lizardfolk groans and collapses!
Patizamo exhales and leans back, rubbing the slowly growing knot on his head. "I'm in rather poor shape right now - could someone see to my wounds?"
"Yes, yes. Patch up and we'll look around!"
Unskilled at healing, Pilzip starts looking through the room for clues to the lizardfolk's identity or motivation.
There doesn't seem to be much to go on in this room. There's still one room left in the shack, though, and this one is locked.
While the others patch up, Pilzip jimmies open the lock on the remaining door.
The Alijae inspects Patizamo's wounds and then, with the man's permission, starts humming a healing song. Flesh starts to knit back together and the worst of the damage done to Patizamo is healed.
Baldrek knees besides Patizamo, frowning at Usabu for using his magic. "While I do appreciate your help, Ubasu, magical healing many times make the job of healers more difficult, since it heals wounds randomly, sometimes leaving open wounds hidden."
"Thank you, Baldrek, Ubasu. That is enough to get me back onto my feet." Patizamo stands and readies himself for the next room.
With Patizamo patched up, you open the now unlocked door. This small room is quite tidy despite the general dilapidation of the shack. On a large table are orderly stacks of paper and coins. A full bookshelf stands to the south.
Baldrek and Mokhasi both spot a blue-scaled lizardfolk hiding in the corner of the room, crossbow drawn and aimed in your direction!
The lizardfolk seems disinclined to acquiesce to Mokhasi's request!
Once it becomes clear their enemy isn't cooperating, Baldrek swiftly moves forward to attack.
Baldrek meets the enemy lizardfolk with overwhelming force, impaling him with his ranseur! As the lizardfolk tries to move to put some space in between himself and the fighter, the warrior lands another devastating blow that halts his movement! Terribly wounded and with little other recourse, the lizardfolk snarls, drops his crossbow, and raises his hands in surrender.
"Okay, okay. No more violence, but tell us what's going on here. Why the crimes on the entertainers?"
"It was easy," the lizardfolk grumbles. "I was tried of making money slowly and carefully, like my boss wanted. Robbing street performers was the perfect way for me and my crew to get all the extra things we wanted."
The lizardfolk has a +1 hand crossbow you can claim. Several neat stacks of coins sit on the table: 40 gp, 40 sp, and 80 cp. The chest in the room contains 75 gp, three virtuoso handheld musical instruments (a hand drum, lyre, and shekere) and a reed flute lesser maestro’s instrument.
"Who is your boss, and why did he want you making money slowly and carefully?"
"Because he was probably smarter." Baldrek answers Patizamo.
The lizardfolk clams up, refusing to divulge his boss's name.
"Okay, okay. We're not interrogators. Let's take this mess to the Chime-Ringers."
Pilzip eyes the filthy lucre, but figures the authorities need to handle any confiscations.
The Alijae can't believe the level of brutality and violence these common thieves displayed, and for what? Enough coin to maybe see you through for a year? This is no way to live a life. The Good Gods above and the Bad Gods below both would not want it that way.
"Agreed. Let us leave this dwelling of despair."
You turn the thugs over to the Chime-Ringers, who dutifully take them into custody. Janatimo is pleased to hear that the gang responsible for the robberies has been dealt with, trusting the authorities will follow up further if need be.
With no more tasks immediately clamoring for your attention, you return to your studies.
***
About six weeks pass as you focus once more on your magical studies. Soon enough, though, a few more opportunities arise that require your attention. You can choose the order in which you tend to them:
* Janatimo asks you to meet him at the exclusive Black-Crowned Crane restaurant. The note politely suggests you dress up.
* You receive an invitation to meet with Teacher Lesedi, a Cascade Bearer and specialist on extraplanar portals and creatures, to assist her with a task.
* A third request summons you to Teacher Zuma’s office in the Magaambya’s Elephant Museum.
The time spent outside the academy lingers in Ubasu's thoughts in a way that leaves the young half-elf off keel. The disciplined nature of his studies clashes with the rough and tumble world they're supposed to venture into, and supposedly bring positive change to.
Pilzip spends the free time thinking about integrating natural ingredients in alchemical compounds. His research is stymied by various dead ends.
Pilzip jumps at the chance to talk to Teacher Lesedi. "Planar portals? They'd never let us explore them as students. How interesting!"
You make your way to Teacher Lesedi's office. Lesedi is a diminutive Alijae elf dressed in a pink caftan adorned with tiny bones. In a cheerful voice, she exclaims, “Thank you for taking this request, conversants! I have a friend with a new house and an awful problem: a poltergeist! Tokku hasn’t been able to sleep a full night in his new house for weeks. It’s proven difficult for me to find the time to get over there to help, but this is a great opportunity for students with real potential to learn more about the afterlife.
“So, are you ready for a... haunting experience?” She laughs loudly at her own joke.
"Any idea what is causing the haunting? We probably can't take care of it permanently unless we know!" Pilzip tries to remember what he learned about haunts. It doesn't seem great to have them in your new house!
|
Mokhasi keeps up with his studies a bit, but seems a little more interested in physical pursuits, crafting new things, and practicing storytelling in the process. He spends much of their academic break talking to Chiesi about the optimal way to loaf, and puts this into practice by having frequent naps.
**************
Later, Mokahsi seems invigorated by his rest, and he nods appreciatively and vigorously at Pilzip's idea. "Portals yes - I am also interested." He listens as Teacher Lesedi's office, and greets the fellow Mualijae courteously and reverantly,
He nods thoughtfully, "we have solved a number of problems for the school - I think ghosts would be a new challenge. Something we are not perhaps familiar with. Perhaps we may make a new story from the experience?"
Lesedi's humor is wasted on Ubasu. The prospect of having to deal with a haunting doesn't exactly thrill him. Is he scared? Maybe. Maybe just a little. Whatever they'll uncover will most likely be mired in pain and agony, and digging into such a cesspit definitely doesn't excite him.
"We will deal with it and resolve the issue, mistress Lesedi." The teacher's name rolls off Ubasu's tongue like warm honey: a reminder of Nagisa, six simple letters that manage to spell the contents of a letter from home. How long will it be before he can visit Nagisa again?
"Tokku believes the haunting spirit is a poltergeist, but I'm sure he will be able to tell you more himself," Lesedi says to Pilzip. "So, go talk to him! And good luck! I have faith in you!" she says with a cheery wave.
***
Tokku’s house is a creaking wooden structure that’s obviously quite old—although the house is new to him. The elf greets you amiably from the porch. Tokku is also an Alijae elf, a long-time friend of Lesedi’s who left Nagisa with her to learn more about the world outside. He makes a good living as a jeweler and finally decided to make Nantambu his home permanently by purchasing a house. As happy as his house makes him, he hasn’t had an opportunity to sleep there because there’s a poltergeist who angrily makes its presence felt at night or whenever guests enter.
After introductions, Tokku explains that he’d like to welcome you inside, but visitors nearly always irritate the poltergeist. It shows its displeasure by telekinetically tossing around anything in the house that isn’t affixed in place. He knows the poltergeist resembles a skeletal catfolk, but it rarely makes its form visible except to frighten people. Destroying the poltergeist is only a temporary solution, as it rejuvenates after a few days angrier than ever, so Tokku asks you not to destroy the poltergeist unless you can ensure it can’t return. He notes, “It’ll try to frighten you, for sure, but don’t fall for it. Just try to calm it down and maybe you'll be able to talk to it!”
Baldrek listens to Tokku tell his tale. "Hum... I assume you have not left any dangerous items for it to toss at us, correct?" He asks, trying to be practical. "If the spirit is not angry at you, it might be a good place to start before we enter."
"Do you know anything about the previous owner?" Pilzip wonders how long the house has been haunted. "Have you spoken to the neighbors about the haunt? Perhaps the remember something useful that could put it to rest."
Ubasu starts taking notes while Pilzip is asking the right questions. The poltergeist haunts the elf at night, or whenever guests enter, regardless of the time of day. It might have been a catfolk in life, or associate catfolk with fear, going by how it manifests itself.
Tokku gives Baldrek a sheepish smile. "I, uh, haven't been able to get things out of the house without the poltergeist throwing them at me. And unfortunately, I have a large collection of interesting rocks. Sorry."
He turns to Pilzip. "I don't know who owned the house previously. It was in foreclosure, and so I had purchased it from the city's government. None of the neighbors have been able to help, either."
"Sounds like we'll need to do some hands-on research. Were any of the former owner's belongings still in the house?"
Pilzip goes into detective mode!
Patizamo frowns. "I don't know much about undead creatures, but has this specter shown any signs of being open to discussion, or does it just throw things and try to frighten people out of the house? Has it said anything?"
Mokhasi recalls that when a creature dies, and for whatever reason its spirit is unable or unwilling to leave the site of its death, that spirit may manifest as a poltergeist: a restless invisible spirit that is still able to manipulate physical objects. Many poltergeists perished in a way that resulted from or has led to extreme emotional trauma. Many spirits, including poltergeists, can only be put to rest when something that’s wronged them is put right.
"I don't think there were any former belongings still in the house. I've never stuck around long enough to try to talk to it! Maybe you'll have better luck," Tokku admits sheepishly.
You don’t have to wait long for a supernatural manifestation. As soon as you enter the house, the doors and windows slam shut and household items launch throughout the house! A moment later, a ghostly, skeletal catfolk appears with a shriek! "Get out!"
"Hmm. Very interesting! Tell me, why should we leave?"
Pilzip approaches the ghost with academic curiousity.
"Hello. My name is Patizamo. Are you amenable to some conversation?"
Baldrek is totally unimpressed by the poltergeist's display. While the others talk, Baldrek looks around for loose objects and anything that could give them a clue as how to solve this issue.
The poltergeist hovers in the air, seemingly taken aback. "Hmm. Nobody has actually tried to talk to me before. The elf always hides or runs away, and the others he's brought here just tried to fight me. Fine. Let us talk.
"I was once known as Gerrus. A few years ago, this was my home. I can’t rest because a person I trusted took something valuable to me—a leopard figurine of the most beautiful rainbow hues. It had been in my family for generations. It belongs here in my house.
"The one who I thought was my best friend, Kalembi. He murdered me the night he stole it. I have no reason to give for his theft. Kalembi is one of the wealthiest traders in the city; my figurine was valuable, but not to one as rich as him. Others had offered to buy it, but I refused, since it belongs here in my house. But if my friend had only asked, I would’ve given it to him freely.
"Find the figurine and bring it back to my house. That will put everything right again."
"Thank you, Gerrus, for telling us your story, and what it is you need to be at peace. We will seek Kalembi and the return of your figurine. Will you allow the elf, Tokku, to live here so long as your figurine remains?"
"Well, that's easily sorted. And Tokku will have a new decoration as well as his house back after we find this Kalembi."