Lan will attempt to Calm the Spirits by pointing out that there has been enough bloodshed. He will conveniently ignore his own faults in that regard.
Lan will cast Amped Shield on himself.
↺ Shield Block the first hit: break one layer (hardness 10) for damage under 15, and break two layers (hardness 15) for damage 15 or higher.
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Grateful that Sigurd kept track of one of them, Auntie Wu sends another Vitality Lash at the spot he pointed out.
Then she uses Lay on Hands on herself.
Lan is about to speak...
"Servants of Kugaptee? Surely not us!"
Don't hide spirits! We don't mean any harm!
Lan's and Vekka words calm the Poltergeists immediately, who stand down, discorporating entirely, 'in' to the bookshelves around the room.
"If you are not servants of Kugaptee, then, what are you doing in this monastery?" a moderate voice demands, sounding, as it were, like the combined voices of the 3 poltergeists moments, but less violent, and more... harmonious.
"My name is... was... Yen Rui"
---
"Yen Rui, we are but simple villagers from Willowshore. We have crossed the Wall of Ghosts to find out what has corrupted this monastery."
"Kugaptee has happened here. His perversion has taken over this monastery. My wards have prevented him from being able to penetrate into here, though" It is now that you notice runic markings on the wall "What I did not expect is that his minions would lock me in here from the outside..."
"Honorable Yen Rui." Sigurd bows. "Please accept my apologies for attack you. Kugaptee's minions are quite ferocious and we've had to defend ourselves."
"We are trying to cleanse this monastery, focusing on the statues within. We have cleansed two of them so far. When we do, a gh- spirit named Zui Hui emerges and helps us understand the nature of the Wall of Ghosts. Have you heard of her?"
"It seems we are fated to repeat this annual cycle, starting from the Reenactment Festival and ending right before the next one. We do not remember anything from the previous cycles, but I hope defeating Kugaptee will break it and allow Willowshore to grow again. There is a... merchant who has been selling us goods and items, but we all know he is much more than he appears to be."
"Would you allow us an opportunity to rest here?"
"Honorable Yen Rui." Sigurd bows. "Please accept my apologies for attack you. Kugaptee's minions are quite ferocious and we've had to defend ourselves."
"We are trying to cleanse this monastery, focusing on the statues within. We have cleansed two of them so far. When we do, a gh- spirit named Zui Hui emerges and helps us understand the nature of the Wall of Ghosts. Have you heard of her?"
"It seems we are fated to repeat this annual cycle, starting from the Reenactment Festival and ending right before the next one. We do not remember anything from the previous cycles, but I hope defeating Kugaptee will break it and allow Willowshore to grow again. There is a... merchant who has been selling us goods and items, but we all know he is much more than he appears to be."
"Would you allow us an opportunity to rest here?"
Yen Rui goes on to tell the legendary tale of Tan Sui-Jing and her successor of sorts, Zhi Hui, confirming what the party already knows.
She also explains about the Statues, including where all of them are located, again confirming what the party already knows.
But there is a long pause after mention of the Wall of Ghosts, the Reenactment Festival Cycle, and the Mysterious Merchant.
"Perhaps your fates are worse than mine. At least, I am able to keep my memories. I know nothing of the world beyond this monastery, nor have I met anyone, besides you, before my imprisonment. You will find Kugaptee below. And, from what I can tell, he might become defeatable once you purify those statues, weakening his grip"
She goes on to describe what she can to help the party defeat (or, atleast dislodge) the Trapped Fiend...
"Kugaptee is below? It will be my pleasure to banish the fiend. If I am fated to repeat this cycle again, I will relish banishing him another time. I wonder if he is aware of his multiple defeats..."
Sigurd's zeal to smite demons grants him an incredible insight!
"Kugaptee is below? It will be my pleasure to banish the fiend. If I am fated to repeat this cycle again, I will relish banishing him another time. I wonder if he is aware of his multiple defeats..."
"Not directly" Yen Rui speaks "I mistook you for , a powerful acolyte of Kugaptee, who has devoted herself to him through multiple reincarnated lifetimes. It is She that is likely below..."
He goes on to explain that is an Undead Creature who can cast spells akin to an Oracle !
"She is well attended by her Meokdan neophytes..." continuing to explain them as some sort of low level ghoul-like (but non-undead) fiends...
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Auntie Wu isn't sure what to make of the information about Kugaptee being below. There must be a basement or something. But Xin Yue sounds awful, and the Meokdan neoplyts...well, she's not sure which kind of bad news they are. "What are those creatures capable of ? Do you know how many of them there are? Do they have any weaknesses?"
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"They love Xin Yue, but they might eat you!"
Auntie Wu surmises that Meokdan neophytes are capable of consuming the flesh of their targets!
They consume flesh, but are not undead? Vekka wonders, confused.
What manner of creatures are these? Perhaps simply demons.
Yen Rui corrects Vekka
When an evil mortal soul that has been reincarnated multiple times is wrenched from the cycle of souls and corrupted, it can undergo a horrific transformation into a fiend known as a nindoru. A force for entropy and the breaking of cycles, nindorus are hideous creatures whose bodies often appear distorted, who wield weapons that have been shattered yet still function, and whose true face is often hidden from view. They display traits one might expect to see in an undead creature, such as decaying flesh or exposed bones, yet a nindoru is very much still alive.
Each nindoru epitomizes the fracture of a specific cycle, be it one from the natural world or from societal traditions. To the nindoru, nothing is more delicious than the consumption of a creature who has reincarnated multiple times, with those who are theoretically about to ascend to true enlightenment presenting the tastiest meal. Those slain by a nindoru are themselves torn from the cycle—the lucky ones move on to the Boneyard for judgment, but many are instead corrupted to form more of these horrific fiends.
Followers of Sangpotshi find nindoru to be particularly abhorrent and count them among the greatest threats imaginable. Most commonly found in regions of the world where the reincarnation cycle is strongest, nindorus are, like rakshasas and oni, associated most strongly with the Material Plane.
Kazuki scratches his head in thought. Then picks up on what Auntie asked.
"Yes. Weaknesses. Is Xin Yue weak to anything?"
Yen Rui explains that the Meokdan neophytes are weak to silver.
"The little wretches can be smote with valuable metals..."
vs DC 28
"I don't even know what else to ask ..."
"Scrawny little things..." "...but buggered fast, and stubborn"
Staying the night in the Secret Library, the party learns what they can about Xin Yue and her Meokdan neophytes.
They awaken feeling refreshed, and emboldened, and before departing, are bestowed gifts by Yen Rui.
"For you, 'Auntie Wu', a fabric that hardens your weapons against evil spirits"
"For you, Kazuki, footwear that will let you hail your arrows from on high"
"For you, Lovely Lan, accents for your hair that render you the center - or outlier - of the attention and admiration of others"
"For you, Sigurd, a bit of magic thread that could completely alter your fate"
"For you, Vekka, a headband to inure you against the fiend Kugaptee's trickery"
Yen Rui bids the party goodbye, as they prepare to make their next move throughout the Temple.
"Where will you go?"
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Wrapping the scarf around her neck, Auntie Wu's fingers linger over the gauzy fabric. She worries the edge of it, lips pressed together as she fervently hopes that it never billows upward on its own. Shaking her head a little to force her mind back to the matters at hand, she grips her staff of healing and suggests: "Let's clear out the northeast section of the Temple, then work our way south to get the statue there."
"They have Returned"
"But not Transcended"
"Nor visited Every Room!"
And:
"Why have you come back?"
"Every Ghost, every Death, they have Not"
"But maybe they have Learned?"
Making no motion yet to draw their broken shortswords, the three monks await what they party says...
Sigurd careful ties the Red Strings around his arm and bows gratefully to Yen Rui.
Auntie Wu gives a suggestion. "Ah. The room in the Northeast, yes. I'd like to avoid the mold if possible. May we enter from the Eastern entrance?"
Vekka eyes the monks warily, but keeps from letting his hand approach his katana at his side.
Transcended? Perhaps not, but we are not yet done visiting the rooms... and statues.
He leaves his answer simple, so as to expedite passing through.
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Deeply unsettled in the presence of these three ambiguous and yet threatening figures, Auntie Wu tries to hide her wariness as she explains: "Don't mind us. We're taking a closer look at this statue here. Then we'll continue to the other rooms." Gripping the Staff of Healing in one hand and her shield in the other, she keeps one eye on them as she inspects the statue with more intent than she did last time.
"We have learned much. This temple balances itself on divinity. Whether it will ascend or descend- we must learn more. These statues, once cleansed, will tell us much more."
Sigurd's weapons are sheathed, but he will stand guard for his teammates. At worst he will take the brunt of their wrath.
Transcended? Perhaps not, but we are not yet done visiting the rooms... and statues.
"If you have not Transcended, why have you Returned?"
The first monk draws his broken sword!
"Don't mind us. We're taking a closer look at this statue here. Then we'll continue to the other rooms." Gripping the Staff of Healing in one hand and her shield in the other, she keeps one eye on them as she inspects the statue with more intent than she did last time.
"Mind you? You come into Mind here, and Incomplete, and expect not to be Minded!"
The second monk draws his broken sword!
"We have learned much. This temple balances itself on divinity. Whether it will ascend or descend- we must learn more. These statues, once cleansed, will tell us much more."
The third monk keeps his brokewn sword sheathed for now - reaches for it, then seems to change it's mind - instead points his finger at the party.
"Incomplete Cycle, yet you claim to Learn. What do you know of Balance? And what do you know of Cleansing!"
"Cycle... I think they know of our nature. Of our previous attempts to solve the mystery. We must be repeat visitors." Sigurd turns to his teammates briefly.
Kazuki pipes in.
"I know alot about balance, especially in the natural world. And I have learned much about cleansing this monastery. We need a bit more time to cleanse the evil within."
Apparently, Kazuki doesn't know very much about the balance within this monastery, though.
Balance is but a lifelong struggle! We merely seek to pass through and continue our journey of completion and cleansing!
Sigurd frowns as the monks will turn violent soon. Alas, his katana is currently sheathed...
"I hope you achieve the enlightenment you seek."
Vekka sighs as his taloned hand grasps the handle of his own blade. He draws his katana and grips it with two hands.
"Not good enough"
"Not good enough"
"Not good enough"
The last of the Monks draws his broken sword, and together, they all point at Vekka, as if holding him single-handedly responsible, looking to focus their attacks on the poor magus!
Party Initiative (Macros)
(Incredible Initiative, Seasonal Boon)
Monk Initiative
Recall Knowledge
Religion (20) or Occultism (22) or Nindoru Lore (18)
silver 5
negative 5, sonic 5
Weak Fortitude, Moderate Reflex / Will
Stolen Scream [two-actions] (auditory, emotion, enchantment, fear, mental, occult)
The sojiruh targets a creature within 30 feet that it can see and then inhales, creating a sound identical to that of the target’s scream. The targeted creature must attempt a Fortitude save, after which they’re temporarily immune to that sojiruh’s Soul Scream for 24 hours. If the creature becomes frightened as a result of Stolen Scream and has had a past life, the sojiruh restores Hit Points.
Manifest Armor [two-actions] (concentrate, conjuration, occult)
The sojiruh manifests a layer of armor on its body that appears to be made of interlocking bones and wicker weaves, increasing its AC. The armor is permanent but collapses and vanishes if the sojiruh takes a critical hit from a Strike that inflicts bludgeoning, force, or slashing damage, reducing its AC back.
Occult Innate Spells
3rd @ distracting chatter
2nd @ item facade, shatter, sound burst
1st @ fear, ventriloquism
Cantrips @ ghost sound, telekinetic projectile
Soul Shred
Creatures killed are difficult to bring back to life or animate as undead. It automatically attempts to counteract any attempt to resurrect or animate any creature that it has killed (counteract level 3). If the sojiruh who slew the creature is itself slain, the creature can be brought back from death or become undead normally.
☠⚔ ☠⚔ ☠⚔ ☠⚔ ☠⚔
Kazuki notices all of the monks pointing at Vekka.
"Uh-oh. Looks like they really dont like you."
Kazuki slides a step back, widening his stance to line up a clean shot at the monk in white robes lurking in the southeast corner. His focus sharpens to a single point as he marks the monk as his prey—the hunter’s arrowhead charm on his quiver flaring with a soft, pale green glow.
In one smooth motion, he draws and releases.
Then releases again.
Two arrows streak through the air in rapid succession, whispering death toward their mark...
Two arrows slam into the White-robed monk, piercing the tattered garments easily...
...but it's gaze remains on Vekka, undeterred!
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Realizing that these three are likely more powerful than the similar-looking monks they've fought already, Auntie Wu takes a moment to study them.
Attack: Stolen Scream [two-actions] (auditory, emotion, enchantment, fear, mental, occult)
The sojiruh targets a creature within 30 feet that it can see and then inhales, creating a sound identical to that of the target’s scream. The targeted creature must attempt a Fortitude save, after which they’re temporarily immune to that sojiruh’s Soul Scream for 24 hours. If the creature becomes frightened as a result of Stolen Scream and has had a past life, the sojiruh restores Hit Points.
Defense: Manifest Armor [two-actions] (concentrate, conjuration, occult)
The sojiruh manifests a layer of armor on its body that appears to be made of interlocking bones and wicker weaves, increasing its AC. The armor is permanent but collapses and vanishes if the sojiruh takes a critical hit from a Strike that inflicts bludgeoning, force, or slashing damage, reducing its AC back.
------------------------------
She quickly shares what she recalls. Then, in the hopes of preventing them from maneuvering to flank her boys like the others did, she casts Grasping Earth under the feet of the two nearest Sigurd. Please work! Pleeease...
Auntie Wu's earthen spell holds the monks fast! Stubborn-mindedly, they force their way through, trying to escape!
Black, Grey, White
◆) Escape
Two remain held fast, and continue to thrash against the encapsulating earth!
Black, White
◆) Escape
One becomes hopelessly entangled, and the other makes one final push!
Black
◆) Escape
White
◆) Forfeit
Hopelessly stuck , and without a ranged weapon, the stuck monk remains stoic and fixated, it's eyes still fixed upon Vekka.
Grey
◆) Stride
◆) Strike
The Grey-clad monk reaches his target, and brings his broken blade down upon him!
Failing.
THREE MONKS OF REINCARNATED DOOM
Terrain: Auntie Wu's Grasping Earth spell (brown 10-burst)
RK the Sojiruh Monks w/ Religion (20) or Occultism (22) or Nindoru Lore (18)
Known Info: Stolen Scream and Manifest Armor
R2
Kazuki
Auntie Wu
Black Monk @ restrained
Grey Monk @ free!
White Monk @ grabbed @ -14 shot
R1
Sigurd
Vekka
Lan
☠⚔ ☠⚔ ☠⚔ ☠⚔ ☠⚔
I assure you, I'm not that interesting Vekka mutters to the monk in front of him.
Setting his feet, his trusty katana traces a rune in the air just before flame begins to gush from the blade.
Maybe this will deter you.
He raises the blade and slashes it down at the monk.
Sigurd ◆draws his katana. "You seek enlightenment. Perhaps we can grant you peace."
Sigurd recalls their Weaknesses. Silver weapons should do the trick. "Silver will cut through them."
He makes a Critical discovery and thinks about their Resistances. "Avoid using Sonic or Void damage."
With one foe right in front of him, Sigurd does not hesitate.
But maybe he should have thought a bit longer...
With a single blow, Vekka sunders the monk right into blazing halves.
Sigurd is about to swing - but his foe is already slain!
The rest of the party…
>>CHOP<<
”Can it Be?”
”Is he The One?”
The two remaining monks keep their guard. But. A permeable fear radiates from their twisted souls…
Lan feels no need to get close enough to see how powerful the monks are.
◆ Glass Shield
◆◆
Sigurd takes a Step forward towards the monk with the Black robe.