Healing up and gathering the spoils, the Pathfinders head down the northern passage toward the sounds of battle. Heading east at the end of the passage, you come across an eerie sight...
An ethereal woman and a serpentine dragon are locked in combat here, each countering the other’s strikes. The beast briefly looks toward the chamber’s entrance with curiosity noticing your entrance, and the woman takes advantage of its distraction to tear its throat open with her axe. The dragon rears back in pain and sinks into the floor, but the warrior’s apparition remains. With a sigh of relief, the warrior woman turns to look at you.
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"Whew! I sure thought my shot was gonna miss. That woulda sucked, 'cause I put a lot of energy into it, you know? So...Who wants to don the gross duds?" Pai is still vibrating from the adrenaline.
The beast briefly looks toward the chamber’s entrance with curiosity noticing your entrance...
Huh. So it's not just a scene replaying. They're actually fighting for some reason? You'd think after all this time that they'd've come to an understanding.
Once Elena has introduced the group, Pai blurts: "Yeah, we just had to re-kill King Alvard back there. He seemed...locked in the past, in a very not-useful way. Do you know anything about that?"
~THE ENDLESS BATTLE~
The king's spirit sighs in relief, then begins to sob.
"Oh, what have I done?"
The sobbing soon fades away. It seems that Alvard may finally be at peace, even after the terrible deeds that he has done.
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"Can I assume you are the Warrior Kolvi?" Elena asks with respect. "We are Pathfinders in search for information to clear your name and restore honor to your family. Is there anything we can do to help you here to pass on or anything you think we could do for your people?"
"Kolvi... Yes, I am Kolvi," the spirit answers.
"Has it been centuries since I fought Alvard? That coward... I called for him to help against the linnorm's spirit... he never came. I can’t seem to rouse him from his gloom. I have been fighting the linnorm’s spirit every time it stirs, defeating it for a matter of moments before it returns. I have not lost yet, however, and I fear what might happen to Frostbreach if it bests me in battle.
So, you have answered my call for help."
Kolvi leans on her axe, looking weary.
"You want to end this eternal struggle? I have a theory. I am no scholar, mind you, but I think that no spirit such as I can permanently defeat the dragon. If I cease the contest, allow the spirit of the linnorm to return to its body and become corporeal again, you can fight it, and destroy it before it regains its full strength.
What do you say, warriors? Will you help?"
"Yeah, we just had to re-kill King Alvard back there. He seemed...locked in the past, in a very not-useful way. Do you know anything about that?"
"King Alvard was craven in life and quick to abandon his unfinished business in death. I suspect he suffered from the linnorm's death curse. I sense that he is free of it now. I also sense that the linnorm has been weakened now that the curse has been lifted"
Agreeing to help defeat the linnorm once and for all, she thanks you and offers to lend you some of her equipment:
A masterwork cold-iron battleaxe, boots of the winterlands, and a ring of minor fire resistance (grants the wearer fire resistance 10). Each time she hands over an item, it becomes corporeal as it leaves her hands.
"Let me know when you are ready, Pathfinders. It won't be long until the linnorm reappears."
Much as the linnorm’s recuperation and hatred have tormented Alvard after death, so too have these kept Kolvi from joining the River of Souls. However, rather than being kept here against her will, she has remained voluntarily. At first, her will kept her here because she could sense the linnorm and desired a chance to fight one and prove herself at last. However, as she clashed with the beast in ghostly battle after battle, she determined that she was the only person standing in the way of the linnorm’s full recovery. She has periodically called out for help, and sometimes her pleas echo in the surrounding region as haunts or other phenomena. Other times she just calls out to Alvard to help her defeat the dragon once and for all, but she can’t rouse him from his gloom. Instead, she fights the linnorm’s spirit every time it stirs, defeating it for a matter of moments before it returns. She has not lost yet, and she fears what might happen if she does.
With the linnorm temporarily defeated, Kolvi has some time to rest and converse. She leans on her axe wearily and looks at the PCs, speaking first if they don’t take the initiative. Kolvi can relay her version of the infamous Jarlsblood Witch events, focusing on her desire to slay a linnorm, the king’s underhanded ambush, and the intervention by a supernatural elk-man that seemed to aid her by conjuring a blizzard to hamper her enemies. She admits that she is no scholar and cannot provide a deep understanding of what has happened since her death. Kolvi knows that she feels pulled to some other realm yet refuses to go, believing that if she stops fighting the linnorm, it will awaken and take vengeance on Frostbreach and beyond. Even after being killed by the townspeople, she refuses to abandon them to that fate. What’s more, defeating the linnorm is a personal challenge to prove what she could not do in life.
Although Kolvi doesn’t know for certain what will destroy this linnorm forever, she knows that her ongoing struggles are only slowing it down. She’s willing to try something different, so long as she has the PCs’ help: let the linnorm return to its corporeal body and defeat it there.
Her will to maintain an eternal struggle is nearly at its end.
"Linnorms are formidable beasts. And quite clever."
She says with furrowed brows.
"They will attack with tooth, claw, and tail. Their bite is poisonous and burns like the fire that they breathe unto their opponents. They can also wrap you up in their tail and squeeze you to death...
Good luck, my friends."
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Elena is fairly quiet hearing Kolvi tell her tale. She had only expected to confirm the events that lead to her death but this... There's something that hurts from her tale, like a forgotten pain in her chest. She's been here for over a century fighting off this evil, keeping it at bay.
She looks down to her holy sword with sadness.
"Are they weak or resist any type of damage?" she asks to either Kolvi or perhaps Lulari who might know. "I assume this creature is as evil as they come, so my sword would come in handy either way."
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Elena's prep as they arrive. She suggests Artic to get the Enlarge Person from the scroll she gave to Lulari.
T-2R - Casts Hedging Weapons (1 min)
T-1R - Casts Expeditious Retreat (1 min)
Elena opens with Seize the initiative on Shidou.
In Round 1
- Swift action: Challenge on boss. Allies receive a +1 circumstance bonus on melee attack rolls against the target of her challenge whenever she is threatening the target.
- Move action: Move to flanking position with anyone already there and avoid any minions if possible.
- Standard: Activates Tactician (Precise Strike for all allies, +1d6 on each attack flanking attack for 4/rounds)
~THE LINNORM'S VESTIGE~
Kolvi waits for the linnorm to reappear. As it rears up to attack, she steps aside, leaving the exit open. It hesitates, narrows its eyes with suspicion, then flies out of the cave. The entire catacomb complex rumbles softly, dust and pebbles fall from the ceiling.
You run through the catacombs, chasing the dragon's spirit back to the entrance. Once outside, dark storm clouds swirl in the sky above, and the bones in the side of the hill break away from the stone and reassemble into a great linnorm atop the hill. Where the bones rip themselves free, the stones bleed rivulets of molten rock that quickly cool in the cold air.
In the dark sky above, an image of Kolvi appears, readying for battle as a cloud coalesces into the image of a linnorm.
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"Geez! I wanna get this going. I know it's happening fast and all, but it feels so slow!" Pai gripes a bit as she activates her Enveloping Winds. Then she flies up and away from the rest of the group, shouting at them: "Dragons spray stuff! Spread out!" On a whim, she also activates her Air Shroud. Not likely, but it won't hurt. "Comeoncomeoncomeon! Let's go already!" Her energy has a frenetic edge to it.
~THE LINNORM'S VESTIGE~
The linnorm fully forms above the hill and spreads its wings to take flight. You notice that in its corporeal form, not only are its wings tattered and torn, but the linnorm is also missing patches of scales and flesh. The partially skeletal head lets out a tremendous roar which is then interrupted by a hacking cough.
*cough, hack, cough*
Pai:
Mykel:
Elena:
Artic: (resist fire 10)
Linnorm:
Shido:
Lulari:
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Pai's voice seems amplified as she Gathers Power, stretching out her arms and soaking up all the electricity and water that begins swirling around her. Now that it's happening out in the open, everyone can see that the swirling elements extend out a good 20 feet from her. This time, she holds the effect for longer than before.
The huge linnorm spirals overhead and lands between the two large rocky outcroppings. It throws its head forward and spews a gout of fire that pours into the cavern entrance. Shido, Elena, and Artic are engulfed in flame!
Pai:
Mykel:
Elena:
Artic: (resist fire 10)
Linnorm: (recharge 3/3)
Shido:
Lulari:
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Lulari cringes as she is engulfed in flames.
She dodges some of fire and her resistance takes the edge off what remains, but it's not fun.
Taking a deep breath, she runs up closer to the dragon and casts prayer defensively, getting everyone in the radius
Lulari blesses the group with divine power which causes the linnorm to feel even more ill.
The dragon hacks up a massive ball of phlegm and spits it out.
The great, great, great, great grandson of Fafnheir doesn't look very well.
Shido charges forward on his mighty owlbear steed. The great beast snaps its jaws at Shido's head.
But only snaps at the air above his head.
Shido pierces the dragon through the neck. Hot black blood sprays out, melting the snow below. As he pierces the dragon, Glorymane takes two quick bites, the first one striking, but barely doing any damage .
Pai:
Mykel:
Elena: -40 hp
Artic: (resist fire 10)
Linnorm: -34 hp (recharge 3/3, -3 to all rolls)
Shido: -20 hp
Tobi: -20 hp
Lulari: -15 hp