Fuin grins behind his mask as he follows Kvit. "Up past your bedtime, old man?" He pauses, blinks, and says, "Wait--how old are you?"...
"No. I am not up past my bedtime. And I'm- not that old.
.
Sneakers scurries up to sit on Kvit's shoulder, "Nah, don't listen to 'im. He's the oldest rat I know. Plus I saw that look in the bookshop, ain't no way Kvit here is going to have a bedtime at all tonight."
Cherry is very split on this. One it is a holy symbol of Erastil, and apparently something he blessed.
On the other hand, Erastil also teaches to care for your home and family and fulfill your duties, which might make the item better suited to on of their companions.
"If anyone wishes to wield this holy symbol for the betterment of Otari, I would happy to allow them to wield it in Erastil's name." Cherry Berry rubs the ground with one foot as they say it.
Fuin raises his hands placatingly to Kvit. "My bad. If it makes you feel better, you've got the Distinguished Elderly Gentleman vibe going on, rather than the Doddering Old Coot vibe. I think it's the whiskers." He nods solemnly, as if in affirmation of his words.
"We should get some rest and track down that sword tomorrow. Sleep tight, all." He heads toward Wrin's place and his sleeping spot under the stairwell, waving to the others as he slips off into the falling night.
When Fuìn tries to take his foot out of his mouth with Kvit, Kka sniggers. then out of the side of her beak, she says to Fuìn, "<ark, ark, ark> Nice save there Fuìn. Not!" Kka was definitely part of team Doddering Old Coot when it came to Kvit, but then again, pretty much everyone in Otari looked like an Old Coot to her.
As the mayor leads you outside again, a young girl of about 12 years appears in her sleeping clothes. "Dad? I'm getting a headache again, I don't think I can sleep anytime soon. Can I play a little more in the living room?"
Mayor Menhemes looks a little worried at his daughter. "Sweetie, again? Would you like some warm milk and honey to relax? Go ahead, but don't get too excited, or you'll never fall asleep."
He turns to you. "Could I ask a small favour now that you're here? My daughter's been having headaches and nightmares for over a week now. I thought it was just puberty, but I'm starting to get worried. Cherry Berry, you're a cleric, right? Would you mind examining my daughter for a moment to see if everything is all right?"
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Kka gives Cherry a hard look when they balk at taking the brooch. "Uh, Cherry? This is literally a holy symbol of Eraastil that once belonged to a healer of Eraastil. I really think you should be the one to keep an eye on it." If they continue to refuse, then Kka will slip it into one of Cherry's pockets regardless of any opposition from the Leshy.
Assuming the interaction with the mayor is complete, Kvit quietly makes his way to the door. He sighs and stops with his hand on the doorknob. He drops his hand and turns back around to see the situation. He wasn't a doctor or medically inclined in just about any way, but he knew sometimes these things were less medical and more devious. Especially in such close proximity to the Gauntlight. He recalled his recent brush with the staff of necromancy and how it started affecting his health in just a couple days.
He pads closer to watch Cherry and to look and listen for any clues from the girl. "Go on Cherry, you are certainly the most qualified here." He casts guidance on Cherry when they begin their inspection.
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Fuin shakes his head at Cherry's question. "Kka's right. It'd be crazy for you not to use it. I'm not like... super religious, but I definitely feel like anybody other than a cleric of Erastil using a magic item holy to Him, when one of His priests is literally right there... I dunno. Feels kinda sacrilegious to me." He shrugs. "But I don't get religious doctrine in general, so I'm probably not the guy to ask. My healing was a gift. A gift I'm grateful for, but it didn't come from focused devotion like yours does." He shrugs awkwardly. "All that to say, you are definitely best suited to taking it, if for no other reason than in your hands, it will definitely be used in a way befitting Erastil's name."
When it comes time to help the girl, Fuin stands back. He's also not medically inclined. If she had wounds, he could help, but whatever this is, it's out of his purview.
Kka listens as the mayor lists out the symptoms of his daughter's problem. "C'mon Cherry, let's give the girl a looking over to see whaat's wrong with her."
While Cherry leads the investigation, Kka will look over their shoulder and help as best she can.
Cherry Berry does a professional examination of the mayor's daughter and finds nothing wrong with her, physically (apart from tiredness from lack of proper sleep). However, with a Detect Magic, you discover a very faint, barely perceptible blip of magic. She might be developing psychic powers. It's still dormant, but slowly awakening. That could be the reason she's sleeping badly.
Mayor Menhemes thanks you for the examination and the revelation that his daughter is a budding psychic. He'll make sure to keep an eye out and seek proper coaching to make sure she's guided through that process properly.
Fuin feels a little helpless here. What little magic he has is divinely-granted. He doesn't know anything about brain-magic stuff, though it was pretty common (so far as these things can be said to be "common") where he grew up. That doesn't mean he has any idea how any of it works, though. He wishes the mayor and his child a good night and heads outside.
Once they're out of earshot, he says, "Hope the kid's alright. I've heard of brain-magic going all wonky and hurting the caster, or those around them. Hope she finds somebody to teach her before that happens. Personally, I'm happy to stick to my big metal ball." He waggles his elbow, making the dull iron ball at the end of the meteor hammer wrapped around his arm jangle back and forth.
When Cherry's examination shows the girl's nascent psychic abilities, Kka says, "Cool!" Then turning to the mayor, she adds, "Yeah, you really waant to make sure she learns how to use those powers properly, or she might end up in the looney bin."
When they leave the mayor's house, Kka says, "Okay. See you guys tomorrow morning bright and early. We want to catch Caarman in Smuggler's Refuge before he moves on."
Kvit watches closely during Cherry's assessment but seems more worried than excited about the possible revelation. "I think she will be okay, for now, though yes, she will need help and guidance if this spark increases. I do not have much knowledge in this area, but I will send word to the warren. I'm sure there are a few that can find out."
.
Outside of the mayor's house, Kvit is pensive. "While it could be nothing, I am concerned this has something to do with the Gauntlight. Something or someone may be having an effect on her. We should check in on her regularly, even if we don't know how to help her yet."
Kvit leans on his staff as Kka leaves and gives a short nod. "Goodnight all, I need to do some research."
|
Dismissing himself from the mayor's manor - some people just don't understand, or even like Lough, unless he can somehow prove himself useful, even as, fortunately, he doesn'y seem to really care if they do or do not, pre-occupied with his own thoughts most of the time - he feels for the youngun's plight, could even relate to it ("her..."), but instead, leaves all alone and well...
...hunkering down for the night, he communes with Shalinnis at dawn in a secret glen, preparing his spells for the day...
Familiar Abilities (□□)
Familiar Abilities: Cantrip Connection, Familiar Focus
Prepared Cantrips (□□□): Figment, Telekinetic Projectile, Shield
Kka heads back to the Crook's Nook. She's a bit tired from all the activity today and tries to surreptitiously sneak in the back so that Yinyasmera doesn't catch her and put her to work. Despite the noise from the tavern downstairs and she doing her best to remain as quiet as possible, Kka reaches the door to her room only to hear Yinyasmera's voice calling up the stairs. "Kka! Clean yourself up, then get your feathery butt down here and make yourself useful."
Kka sighs wearily. The woman had eyes all over this place. She does a cursory search of the area but finds no trace of any surveillance spells or devices. It wasn't the first time she'd looked for them and the result was always the same; nothing. Kka was beginning to think that Yinyasmera had psychic abilities or something.
She quickly switches out of her adventuring leathers and into her regular server clothes and after a quick wash of the hands and face, heads down to put in a few hours work bringing out food and wiping down tables. When she does finally get back to her room, she throws herself onto the bed and falls instantly to sleep.
In the morning, she puts her leathers back on, carefully wraps her hands with her magical handwraps and makes sure all her jewelry and other magical accoutrements are in place and ready to use.
Invest the following items:
(1) - Wayfinder & Aeon Stone: Dusty Rose Prism
(2) - +1 Handwraps of Mighty Blows
(3) - Ventriloquist's Ring
(4) - Demon Mask
(5) - Bracelet of Dashing
Cherry wakes the next day and prepares their equipment, being very careful to properly prepare their new staff.
Fuin crawls out of his sleeping space under Wrin's stairs, and sits down for a short breakfast with her, filling her in on the wild day they had yesterday. "So in short, we've staved off the attacks for now, but we have no idea what kind of backup plans might be going on. Once we track down this last icon, we should be able to continue deeper. You know anything about this Samaran guy that might help?"
Kvit's Borrow a Spell previous results
- Success
Kvit pulls an all-nighter pouring through the spellbook. He arrives a little late and very twitchy, hopped up on Blood-eye Coffee. He stands at the meeting spot and rests his arms on top of his staff and dozes off while the others arrive.
Memorized Spells
Staff: (3 + 1 = 4 charges)
Advanced Alchemy: (5 Reagents)
Wrin shrugs at Fuìn's question. "Who? Oh yeah, I think he ran for mayor a few times. Wasn't that popular, though. But please, tell me more about those psychic resonances, that sounds much more interesting. Do you have any of the items with you?"
As a seller of magical oddities and a general magical enthusiast, Wrin doesn't seem too bothered with the lives of mundane people.
You wake up early and head to Smuggler's Refuge. It's about an hour away from town on the way to Absalom. The last ten minutes or so you go off-road to find the cavern.
A wide cave opening leads into a rocky hill sheltered by a stone overhang. Dense trees and berry bushes grow near a few logs arrayed around a well-used fire pit.
The fire pit is cold and clearly hasn't been used in weeks. The remaining logs are wet with rain and all the ashes have long since blown away.
Kvit peers into the cave. " yaaawnn I could scout in a bit. Sneakers and I that is. I can shrink down quite bit."
Lough moves into the cave opening and sees the following.
This area contains several stalagmites and stalactites, ranging from a few inches to a few feet in length. The alcove to the north holds a pool of clear water with a mineral tang.
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Fuin seems mildly perturbed at her lack of interest in the man. And, seeing how he's not exactly an expert in occult matters, the conversation dies pretty quickly.
Always a people person, Drosil, he thinks sardonically.
----
At the cave, he murmurs, "I can see in the dark just fine, and I'm pretty stealthy. Let me take a closer look inside, yeah? I'll holler if things go south."
Fuin strides into the cave, slipping from shadow to shadow as best he can.
Fuìn creeps into the cave and trusts on his darkvision to see things Lough and Kvit cannot. Indeed, past the area of low light, he sees a man sitting by the remains of a campfire with a blade on his lap. He seems to be deep in thought by the dying embers of the fire.
However, Fuìn accidentally kicks a loose rock deeper into the cavern and the man looks up, spots Fuìn, and dives into an alcove. Fuìn's first instinct is to rush up to the man, but from the corner of his eye he suddenly sees two shapes peel themselves off the wall and slowly hover over towards Fuìn.
The shapes look weird to him. Their limbs are impossibly long and spindly, as if they've been forcefully stretched out. At first Fuìn thinks they're cloaked in black cloth, but then he realises he can see right through them. They seem to be beings of pure darkness!
Kka
Cherry Berry
Fuìn
Kvit
Orange
Red
Lough
Kka, Cherry Berry, Fuìn, and Kvit are up! I presume everyone has their weapons drawn. Please keep your vision level in mind. The enemies are currently in low-light.
Identifying these things would be a Religion check.
Lough looks to Kka.
"We should Sneak in..."
Kka gives Lough a little side-eye. Then sarcastically adds, "Ya think?"
Kka quietly follows Lough and Fuìn into the cave. When Fuìn kicks the rock, scaring off the man and alerting the dark floating creatures, Kka rolls her eyes and sighs exaggeratedly, "Ugh! Good one Fuìn." She squints at the strangely translucent creatures. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say we're dealing with more ghosty dead things here." From her experience in the vaults, she knew how practically impossible it was to find any vulnerable parts to aim for. Still, not wanting to lose the element of surprise, Kka charges into the cave and takes on the creature closest to Fuìn, hoping to distract it sufficiently to give the fighter an extra edge.
Cherry moves forward and casts a light spell to try to help those tat cannot see.
◆Stride
◆◆Light
Kvit sighs and mutters, "Yes, nevermind, let's just charge in. That's a much better plan." He leans on the staff and ambles forward.
Kvit makes a complicated gesture towards Lough and mutters,
Lough should suddenly feel much quicker as time slows down a bit around him. "You should probably get in there, Lough."
Then kvit leans his arms on the staff and rests his head again. He isn't asleep, just resting his eyes.
Fuin cringes as the rock goes skipping across the ground, sounding like a series of gunshots to his ears. So much for being good at something, he supposes.
When the weird shapes peel off the walls and attack, he briefly wonders how the Hells Carman got past them, then wonders if Carman perhaps summoned them or bargained with them, somehow. Fuin doesn't know much about these things, but they're shadow-creatures, and he knows better than most that most things potentially tied to the Shadow Plane are dangerous.
Fortunately, he's one of them.
He rushes up into a flank with Kka and whips the hammer at Red before throwing up an inky disc of force to protect himself.
♦ Stride 25 ft.
♦
♦ Cast shield.
Kka walks up to Red and slashes right through it! It's like attacking a mirage, its body dissipating and reforming as the blade goes through it, but it still seems wounded by it. Not as much as Kka would have liked, though.
Cherry Berry makes some light and moves in.
Kvit casts a spell and hastens Lough's movements.
Fuìn runs in, flanks with Kka, and whacks some essence out of Red.
Orange floats over to Fuìn (provoke from him!) and extends a shadowy claw. The claw goes straight through Fuìn, but it doesn't hurt. Then Fuìn feels his life essence being siphoned away.
The creature then tugs at Fuìn's shadow, and it starts to come loose! It makes Fuìn deeply sick to his stomach, as if he's losing part of himself, somehow.
Red uses one action to stay afloat , then does the same to Kka.
It misses thanks to Nimble Dodge! Frustrated, it tries again.
Kka, 11 damage
Cherry Berry
Fuìn, either 1 or 11 damage, Enfeebled 1
Kvit
Orange
Red 15 damage
Lough
Everyone is up! Fuìn can make an attack of opportunity, unless you'd rather use Shield Block or Protector's Sacrifice.
|
|
Buggered out, Lough races forward holding his shield aloft, and grasping the wispy creature with his hagged claw "You don't look so hot Fu" he approaches from the other side, hoping to draw it's attention.
◆) Raise Shield
◆) Hasted Stride
◆) Stride
◆) Strike
+
↺) Attack of Opportunity
↺) Shield Block
~) First to trigger
Kvit tries to look into the darkness and then over to Cherry, "Are these ghosts or shadow-creatures? I don't recognize them. Oh, I can find out..."
Kvit retrieves a vial of salts, adds some clear liquid and it begins to fizz. He corks it quickly and tosses it towards the nearest shadow creature.
DC11 Success
He shouts into the darkness, "Did that hit them?! How'd it do?!" Just in case, he creates a barely visible shield of force. Then he settles onto his staff again.
Cherry moves up and brings light to the darkness. Now able to see one of the creatures Cherry tries to figure out what the creature is before shielding Kvit with a wave of their new staff.
◆Stride
◆
Cherry Berry recognises these creatures as Shadows, incorporeal undead creatures. They're sadly not extra sensitive to positive damage, but it will damage them as usual. As they're beings of pure darkness essence, they're immune to precision attacks, even if you had Ghost Touch (they lack any sensitive anatomy). Magical attacks get resisted quite a bit, even more of the attacks are nonmagical.
If they pull at your shadow three times, your shadow will come loose and be under the command of the shadow that freed it. If you recover from your Enfeebled condition, your shadow will reattach.
Cherry Berry moves forward and shields themselves.
Lough raises his shield, runs forward, and claws at Orange. Once again, it seems to hurt Orange, but not as much as you'd like.
Kvit makes some Ghost-Be-Gone and chucks it. The shadow howls in pain as the salts eat away at its body.
Kka, 11 damage
Cherry Berry
Fuìn, either 1 or 11 damage, Enfeebled 1
Kvit
Orange, 17 damage, enfeebled 1
Red 15 damage
Lough
Kka and Fuìn are up!
Fuin, worried about what these things can do, decides to focus on defense over offense, and is quickly glad he does when the thing tries to reach through him. He snaps the disc of force into place and blocks a good chunk of the damage, but not before the creature pulls on his shadow. It feels like someone stabbed a hook into his navel and yanked. He feels his stomach turn before some of the strength saps out of his limbs as the shadowy shield dissipates.
"Gonna be sick," he wheezes.
Even with his limbs feeling numb, Fuin does his best to keep hammering these things to pieces.
♦
♦
♦
Fuìn swings wildly with his meteor hammer, and with each swing cuts out more and more out of the shadow's life essence. It looks like it's going to keel over at any moment now.
Kka, 11 damage
Cherry Berry
Fuìn, either 1 or 11 damage, Enfeebled 1
Kvit
Orange, 17 damage, enfeebled 1
Red 34 damage, heavily wounded
Lough
Kka is up!
Kka sees the shadowy hand of death approach and manages to barely avoid it, only to impale herself on another. She withers slightly. "<Urk!> That don't feel so good. Like a baad haangover."
Flanking with Fuìn Kka continues to swish her sword through the misty creature.
Kka slashes once at Red and connects, finally cutting away all of Red's (un)life essence. She then steps north and continues her assault on Orange, also slashing away some of its essence.
Orange, now pretty injured, continues to pry away Fuìn's shadow.
Its first attack misses horribly, but its second attack hits home. What little colour Fuìn has left in him starts to fade away as life energy leaves his body.
It spends its last action hovering in the air.
Kka, 11 damage
Cherry Berry
Fuìn, 14 damage, Enfeebled 1
Kvit
Orange, 28 damage
Lough
Everyone is up!
Leaning on his staff, Kvit lifts his head again. He stands up and points the staff at the creature. Three bolts of our force streak towards the remaining shadow.
Lough slashes at the shadow like a madman, but his quickened moves only connect once. Then Kvit finishes it off with three force bolts to the face, and the shadow poofs out of existence.
The cave is quiet again.
Cherry Berry knows the Enfeebled condition will go away after an hour.
Fuìn saw the thief dive behind an outcropping of the cave slightly northeast of him.