I suspect that we will be facing the undead or other other planar createre and should prepare accordingly.
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In the middle of the night, Trevor wakes up. Perhaps it is due to his alligence to Cayden Cailean, or his own chaotic nature; but Trevor Kastner never felt comfortable in one of Abadar's temples. And tonight was no exception. The caydenite sighed, trying then failing to get his body at ease to get back to sleep.
Quietly, Trevor stood up and looked around the chapel. Everyone from Betony Estates was sleeping; no doubt exhausted after yesterday's events. A student of faith himself, Trevor took in the place of worship for the Gold-fisted. Letting out a small yawn, Trevor quietly walked up near the front of the room where some of the pews were not being used as makeshift beds. Trevor quietly sat down in the pew and looked up at the altar, The Gold Key, Abadar's holy symbol, prominently shown.
Sighing quietly again to himself, Trevor closed his eyes in prayer.
Trevor sat in the stillness for another minute, collecting his thoughts, then continued.
I never..well.. we never saw 'eye-to-eye', as they say. Even as a noble to one of the most prestigious families of Taldor, the rigid social and legal rules of modern nobility irked me. Vexed me even.
As a caydenite, I personally don't believe in Marriage as an Institution, but I am a Kastner. And I know what is expected of me. Demanded of me. To carry on the Kastner name. And Malphene is an extraordinary woman. And a few years after our marriage, we'll discretely open the marriage to affairs. Making sure to deny bastards, and the like, of course.
I place my faith in Cayden Caliean. I am his Man. But..since we are both here..I would like to request you protect my soon-to-be lawful marriage to Malphene Trant. Make sure the documentation and legality is protected. As well as it's institution, Trevor frowned.
Looking behind him at Icabhod sleeping, Trevor turned back to the altar. The way I see it, Cayden will do his best to protect me tomorrow. But I ask that you protect my 'found family', especially those whom revere you. Keep them safe. After a few moments of finding nothing else to say, Trevor opened his eyes again, sat up from the pew and made his way back to his bedroll, which was a much more comfortable cooler in his absence. Trevor laid back down, close his eyes and slept.
When you are ready, you unlock the doors to the royal tower. The first room beyond is a royal office.
This overstuffed, roughly triangular-shaped office is fit for a king, with every surface an example of expert artistry and all but dripping with gold leaf. A large desk of dark, fragrant wood decorated with golden candelabras fills most of the office, while carved cherubs dance among storm clouds all through the molding above.
Tychus spots a dangerous magical trap designed to protect the emperor. The cavorting cherubs are poised to rain lightning bolts down on those entering the room without permission. Normally, disabling a magical trap requires the Trapfinder ability (which could be a problem for the party in the future) but in this particular case, Tychus also notices that the trap is powered by a wand of lightning bolts held in one of the cherubs’ hands. He carefully removes the wand (no check needed) and disables the trap.
A door behind the desk continues further on.
Tychus blinks several times, still trying to get used to his new eye-wear.
"Seems like we aren't wanted here." Tychus muses pointlessly.
He offers the wand to Xallis.
"Perhaps you can make use of this?"
Henrika prepares for their expedition into the tower by casting extended mirror image, false life, heightened awareness, Hermean potential, and message. She implants her Mesmeric Mirror trick into Ichabod's mind as well as her own.
Icabhod drinks Barksin (+3 AC 1 hour)
Xallis and Navia stand ready. In preparation, Xallis casts mage armor from his wand on himself and Navia, as well as an extended barkskin on the eidolon.
He offers the wand to Xallis.
"Perhaps you can make use of this?"
The summoner grins. "I may as well add this to my growing collection. Perhaps I should get a quiver of them!"
You open the only door forward and enter the royal sitting room. Alternating bookshelves and paintings line the walls in this large, warm space. Warm colors, plush carpeting, and overstuffed furniture all combine to give the illusion of warmth, while the scent of tobacco hangs faintly in the air. A large portrait of Veleto Lotheed stares down from one wall. A small plaque on the Duchess’s frame reads, “My Veleto, in loving memory. P.”
While you linger in the room, you get the feeling of being watched. As your eyes drift to the duchess’s face, the eyes of the painting shift to stare back at you. Then, the duchess, or a likeness of her, steps out of the painting leaving a blank landscape behind. Her expression is twisted with rage.
”You aren’t supposed to be here! This is my beloved Panivar’s and my private sanctum. No one is to disturb us! No one is to see me like this! No one can know my secret!” Duchess Veleto shouts. She appears beyond reason.
•This trompe l’oeil’s type is construct (humanoid, human).
•Trompe l’oeil creatures are life-sized portraits animated by powerful magic or occult phenomena. Able to move and talk, these constructs can also step out of their frames to become three-dimensional beings. Born from artistic masterpieces, trompe l’oeils can easily pass for their original models, though close examination reveals that they are not flesh and blood, but only layers of paint.
•A trompe l’oeil can enter a painting it touches. When it does so, its physical body disappears, and its image appears in the painting.
•When a trompe l’oeil is destroyed, it reforms a few days later on its original canvas. The only way to permanently destroy a trompe l’oeil is to destroy the original canvas before the creature reforms.
•Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms).
•Immunity to bleed, disease, death effects, necromancy effects, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning.
•Not subject to ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, energy drain, or nonlethal damage.
•Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is
harmless).
The Duchess is wielding a rapier. Thanks to the latest upgrade to Icabhod’s subtle mask, he can see that the rapier is magic and that she also appears to be wearing armor under her dress that radiates magic. He can also see that the painting she stepped out of is magical and probably her original painting that would need to be destroyed to prevent her from rejuvenating.
Round 1
Initiative
24 – Tychus (51/51 hp)
21 – Icabhod (47/47 hp)
20 – Xallis (51/51 hp)
20 – Navia (32/32 hp)
19 – Henrika (59/51 hp)
08 – Duchess Veleto
07 – Trevor (47/47 hp)
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲ Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲False Life (8 hp, 6 hr), ▲Mirror Image (6 images, 6 min)
Icabhod: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲Barkskin (+3 AC, 60 min)
Trevor: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Tychus: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Navia: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), Barkskin (+3 AC, 120 min)
Everyone but Trevor goes before the Duchess.
Icahbhod moves to give others space to act.
”You aren’t supposed to be here! This is my beloved Panivar’s and my private sanctum. No one is to disturb us! No one is to see me like this! No one can know my secret!” Duchess Veleto shouts. She appears beyond reason.
"Madam Veleto, we have known of your secret for a while now", Trevor plainly speaks. "If you surrender to me, you will continue to live as my courtesan for my family, and for the Kastners to come."
Intending to allow the 'duchess' to move into the fray, Henrika draws a potion of bull's strength and drinks it.
Trevor, please do not seduce the undead.
"You know, after all that I've been through? This feels like a palette cleanser..."
"Madam Veleto, we have known of your secret for a while now", Trevor plainly speaks. "If you surrender to me, you will continue to live as my courtesan for my family, and for the Kastners to come."
..a Hail Mary..
"I don't think this contraption intends to parlay..."
Tychus moves to find an opening, and shoots the painting woman.
Round 1
Despite Tychus shooting first, Veleto isn’t caught flat-footed and attempts to dodge the shot, but she isn’t fast enough. Instead of blood, oily red paint drips from the wound.
The duchess rushes forward. Her movements resemble that of a trained assassin rather than an elderly noble. She dodges a claw attack from Navia and stabs Trevor between the joints of his armor. Then she puts her hands on Trevor’s shoulders and somersaults over his head to land behind him. Henrika also tries to catch Veleto with her sword but the woman is too fast.
"Madam Veleto, we have known of your secret for a while now", Trevor plainly speaks. "If you surrender to me, you will continue to live as my courtesan for my family, and for the Kastners to come."
”No! No one can know! I am hideous! The truth dies with you! I was lonely, but I was wrong. My darling Panivar is all I need.”
Round 2
Initiative
24 – Tychus (51/51 hp)
21 – Icabhod (47/47 hp)
20 – Xallis (51/51 hp)
20 – Navia (32/32 hp)
19 – Henrika (59/51 hp)
08 – Duchess Veleto (20 damage)
07 – Trevor (29/47 hp)
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲False Life (8 hp, 6 hr), ▲Mirror Image (6 images, 6 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (3 min)
Icabhod: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲Barkskin (+3 AC, 60 min)
Trevor: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Tychus: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Navia: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), Barkskin (+3 AC, 120 min)
Back to Tychus, Icabhod, Xallis, and Henrika.
Henrika steps closer to the duchess construct and swings her sword at it, trying to deflect her attention from Xallis by instructing the sword to protect him. She aims for Veleto's blade first, and then goes for her chest in the opening.
Doing a quick about face, Tychus turns to unleash another bolt, but halts as he notices all his allies crowding around her. He waits a beat for an unimpeded shot.
Xallis' spell completes, elarging Navia's form. With their enemy standing right in front of him, frees one hand from his crossbow and draws his dagger in hopes he can at least distract the artificial being.
After Navia attacks, Xallis gets to distracting!
Round 2
Tychus finds an opening and pierces the duchess with another bolt.
Icabhod reverses course and stabs at the duchess. The chain shirt hidden under her outfit absorbs the attack.
Duchess Veleto dances around, dodging left and right as Navia tries to claw her. Only one attack slips past her acrobatic defense.
The duchess falls for Henrika’s feint and gets slashed across the chest. A deep gash shows that she has no bones or organs, just layer upon layer of paint.
The duchess jumps between Trevor and Henrika to attack Tychus with her rapier. Her wounds are visibly taking a toll on her body and her features smear into an abstract visage. ”Y-you insufferable troublemakers. I c-cannot die. My beloved has gifted me with immortality.”
She stabs twice but her arm falls limp like a melting crayon.
Round 2
Initiative
07 – Trevor (29/47 hp)
Round 3
Initiative
24 – Tychus (51/51 hp)
21 – Icabhod (47/47 hp)
20 – Xallis (51/51 hp) (Defending +1 AC)
20 – Navia (32/32 hp)
19 – Henrika (59/51 hp) (Defending +1 AC)
08 – Duchess Veleto (74 damage) (No Dex to AC, 1 rd)
07 – Trevor (29/47 hp)
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲False Life (8 hp, 6 hr), ▲Heightened Awareness (60 min), ▲Message (60 min), ▲Mirror Image (6 images, 12 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (3 min)
Icabhod: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲Barkskin (+3 AC, 60 min)
Trevor: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Tychus: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Navia: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), Barkskin (+3 AC, 120 min)
Everyone goes.
Henrika nods with grim satisfaction and swings her sword again, feinting again almost out of habit. She instructs her magic sword to defend Tychus instead.
Icabhod finds his path blocked and holds his strike in case Velveeta slips past
Navia cocks her head to the side. "Maybe you're like me. Soul and Body, one and the same. Sadly, after we break you down, we gotta find your essence and snuff it out."
Xallis follows up with another distraction.
Round 2
The duchess jumps between Trevor and Henrika to attack Tychus with her rapier. Her wounds are visibly taking a toll on her body and her features smear into an abstract visage. ”Y-you insufferable troublemakers. I c-cannot die. My beloved has gifted me with immortality.”
Spitting up blood from the Duchess's attack, Trevor draws his rapier. "Perhaps. But gifts can be taken away."
The cleric then starts slashing the nearby paintings with his sword.
Surprised by the painting suddenly lunging towards him, Tychus tries to keep it at bay with the butt of his crossbow.
Round 2
The duchess dodges Trevor’s attack.
Round 3
Tychus whacks the duchess with his crossbow, knocking her head back. Her neck snaps back but her face remains caved in like a smashed pumpkin.
Icabhod stabs and feels barely any resistance from her discorporating flesh. If it weren’t for her chain shirt, his fist might have gone clean through her chest. As it is, his weapon leaves a narrow hole that does not close back up.
Navia rends the duchess with two claws and finally her form can no longer hold itself together. She wordlessly liquifies into a colorful swirling paint puddle. However, a few items she wore seem real enough and clatter separately to the ground.
Combat over.
Left behind are a magical rapier, a magical chain shirt, masterwork thieves’ tools, an a platinum-and-diamond wedding ring.
Although the construct is defeated, you know that if left alone, it will reform on its original canvas in a few days. Fortunately, the canvas in question is in this room. While it is magically reinforced, a few slashes from Henrika’s sword or Navia’s claws will shred the painting preventing the trompe l’oeil for rejuvenating.
You may have thought that the feeling of being watched would end with the destruction of the trompe l'oeil, but in fact, the feeling gets even stronger.
Taking-10 to examine the magic items, Xallis identifies them a +2 chain shirt and a +1 rapier. Icabhod evaluates the value of the wedding ring to be 1,000 gold.
While those two are identifying the items, someone checks the eastern door and sees that inside is just an empty but well-maintained restroom. However, from the western door, you hear the sounds of a male child crying.
Once you are ready, you carefully crack open the door and peer inside.
Two small beds look over a soft blanket laid out on the floor here along with soft toys, wooden blocks, and various small musical instruments. Painted lions cavort along the walls, moving through simple patterns.
The sobbing gets louder when in the room and you can follow the sound to its source and spot what looks like a small child hiding under one of the beds, although in the darkness under the bed, it is difficult to get a good look without getting closer.
Status
Henrika (59/51 hp)
Icabhod (47/47 hp)
Trevor (29/47 hp)
Tychus (51/51 hp)
Xallis (51/51 hp)
Navia (32/32 hp)
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲False Life (8 hp, 6 hr), ▲Heightened Awareness (59 min), ▲Message (59 min), ▲Mirror Image (6 images, 11 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (2 min)
Icabhod: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲Barkskin (+3 AC, 59 min)
Trevor: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Tychus: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Navia: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), Barkskin (+3 AC, 119 min)
Careful. I suspect that this child may be more than they appear.
Trevor asks Navia to use her height to remove the painting from the wall, damaging the wall if need be. Once it's down, the cleric uses his masterwork dagger to cut the painting from the frame. Crumbling up the canvas, Trevor sticks the painting in a wastebasket nearby. Removing his flint and steel from his backpack, Trevor strikes the flint on the canvas in the basket until it catches fire. The cleric waits until Duchess Veleto's painting is in flames.
"It's all for the best", Trevor talks to himself over the flames. "The thought of a thinking pleasure automation was making my thoughts darker than they should be. I-I did not like myself thinking those thoughts. Not thoughts to have when trying to revolutionize the country. It is best The Duchness lies in ashes. If for nothing else, but my own soul."
Trevor takes out his potion of cure light wounds and raises a toast over the flames. "Duchess Veleto Lotheed. Haunt me no longer."
Careful. I suspect that this child may be more than they appear.
"Children, likely", Trevor answered, pointing at the two beds. "I have a sneaking suspicion we just burned their 'Mother'."
The caydenite holds his holy symbol out before him.
Henrika enters the room and casts dancing lights to help them get a better look at whatever is underneath the bed. "Are you all right, little one?" she asks with a suspicious grimace, still unwilling to treat the child-sized figure as an enemy without confirmation.
Trevor drinks a potion of cure light wounds followed by a potion of cure moderate wounds and feels much better afterwards.
When Henrika casts dancing lights and approaches, the child crawls out from under the bed. A tattered blanket covers his head. He runs up and hugs Henrika but his body lacks the warmth of a living child. ”Take me with you.” the child cries. Concerned, Henrika throws back the blanket to see the boy’s body is gray and emaciated with only dust and cobwebs for clothes. It’s head is a naked skull.
"Take me..." the thing begins to say, its voice shifting from that of a little boy's to Henrika's voice. Horrified, Henrika feels her voice being stolen and forcefully thrusts the child away. The child lands hard on its rear and begins to cry. The air around the child is filled with unnerving childlike whimpers and sobs of not just one voice but of multiple different people. "Waaa Aaaah!" The sobs worm their way into the minds of those nearby and causes a supernatural depression.
•This child is a creature called an attic whisperer.
•An attic whisperer’s type is undead.
•An attic whisperer spawns as the result of a lonely or neglected child’s death. Rather than animating the body of the dead youth, the creature rises from an amalgam of old toys, clothing, dust, and other objects associated with the departed—icons of the child’s neglect. The widely varying materials that fuse together to form these creatures lead to attic whisperers with vastly different appearances. Attic whisperers linger in the places where they were formed, typically old homes, orphanages, schools, debtors’ prisons, workhouses, and similar places where children might be discarded. When an attic whisperer first forms, it does so without a skull—this does not impact the creature’s abilities in any way, but it usually seeks out a small animal’s skull as a form of decoration soon after it manifests.
•An attic whisperer’s touch can steal a creature’s voice, preventing it from speaking. Once an attic whisperer has stolen a creature’s voice, it can perfectly mimic that voice even after its victim’s voice has returned.
•All of the voices that an attic whisperer steals linger around it in an invisible but audible aura of unnerving childlike whimpers, songs, and sobs.
•In addition, an attic whisperer’s bite causes extreme fatigue and possibly a deep sleep.
•Attic whisperers speak Common plus any language stolen.
•Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms).
•Immunity to bleed, death effects, disease, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning.
•Not subject to nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain. Immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Constitution, Dexterity, and Strength), as well as to exhaustion and fatigue effects.
•Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless).
The boy stands up and looks around confused. ”But… I’m Carr. Prince Carr. Don’t you recognize me? Where’s my father?! Where’s my sister?!” The sobbing aura around it grows louder with every word.
With supernatural speed, the “child” Carr lunges towards Henrika and tries to bite her. It stumbles on the clutter of toys scattered across the floor allowing Henrika to quickly snatch away her leg before it can bite down. Then Carr lays a hand upon Henrika, somehow finding her true form among the jumble of illusions. Its mere touch is enough to try to steal away her voice, and this time it succeeds. Henrika tries to say something in protest but no voice escapes her mouth.
Carr speaks, his voice now a perfect imitation of Henrika’s. ”No one comes to play with me, not even auntie. It’s so lonely all by myself.”
Round 1
30 – Carr
21 – Tychus (51/51 hp)
20 – Xallis (51/51 hp)
20 – Navia (32/32 hp) (Squeezing)
14 – Henrika (59/51 hp)
10 – Icabhod (47/47 hp)
08 – Trevor (45/47 hp)
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲False Life (8 hp, 6 hr), ▲Heightened Awareness (59 min), ▲Message (59 min), ▲Mirror Image (6 images, 11 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (2 min), ▼Stolen Voice (1 hr)
Icabhod: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲Barkskin (+3 AC, 59 min)
Trevor: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Tychus: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Navia: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), Barkskin (+3 AC, 119 min)
Carr: ▲Aura of Sobs (10-ft. radius)
Everyone goes.
Henrika narrows her eyes and steps around to swing her blade at what is obviously an undead creature, inexplicably unable to speak but still martially eloquent as she attempts a difficult feint. She mentally instructs her sword to protect Trevor in addition to herself.
Round 1
Trevor stepped forward, holy symbol in hand.
"Alright, children! Go to sleep!"
Round 1
Icabhod steps up and stabs
To say Xallis was relieved to see that his opponent was a small undead would not be entirely accurate, but he was certainly not ready to struggle with the moral dilemma of seeing a traumatized child while his hands were stained in the metaphorical blood of his mother.
Navia moves first, forcing herself through the doorway and taking flight through the room, landing amongst the toy pile in a flanking position.
Wishing to purge this monster as quickly as possible, Xallis draws a wand and attempts to fire!
"Avoid it's bite. I don't think any of us really intend on taking a nap right now!"
Feeling a little distraught with shooting a child, Tychus reminds himself that this was indeed no real child, and simply an amalgamation of regret and sadness.
Round 1
Tychus shoots the unsuspecting creature.
Navia soars over the fight and claws at Carr when she lands. The child lets out a shocked gasp in Henrika’s voice. Her claw scrapes bone but the creature appears unharmed.
Xallis fires a ray of fire at Carr. Carr narrowly avoids the attack by hiding between the legs of Xallis’ allies.
Carr is easily tricked by Henrika’s feint and opens himself up to Henrika’s next attack, allowing her to cut him with a powerful slash.
Icabhod benefits from flanking with Navia but like her, only hits hard bone.
Trevor presents his holy symbol and Carr’s exposed flesh and bones blacken and char. ”It hurts! Auntie, it hurts!” the creature cries, still sounding like Henrika.
Round 2
Carr hisses angrily and lashes out at Trevor.
Carr bites Trevor and he understands Tychus’ warning. Suddenly he feels extremely tired. Carr also tries to steal Trevor’s voice but Trevor forcefully resists.
Round 2
30 – Carr (42 damage) (No Dex to AC, 1 rd)
21 – Tychus (51/51 hp)
20 – Xallis (51/51 hp)
20 – Navia (32/32 hp)
14 – Henrika (59/51 hp) (Defending +1 AC)
10 – Icabhod (47/47 hp)
08 – Trevor (41/47 hp) (Defending +1 AC) (Fatigued 60 min)
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲False Life (8 hp, 6 hr), ▲Heightened Awareness (59 min), ▲Message (59 min), ▲Mirror Image (6 images, 11 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (2 min), ▼Stolen Voice (60 min)
Icabhod: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲Barkskin (+3 AC, 59 min)
Trevor: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Tychus: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Navia: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), Barkskin (+3 AC, 119 min)
Carr: ▲Aura of Sobs (10-ft. radius)
Everyone goes. Remember to add in -1 to attacks and -1 to damage if you are attacking within 10 ft. of Carr from his aura.
Round 2
Henrika steps further around Carr to flank with Trevor and feints again, feeling a shade dishonorable brutally attacking a child-shaped creature but rallying herself to remember what it is. That animal skull... she thinks, as she pretends to kick and follows up with a powerful swing.
Round 2
Trevor bats the attic whisperer away with his holy symbol.
"GO! TO! BED!!"
Tychus closes his eyes momentarily in order to centre himself amid all the noises. His resolve unchanged, he proceeds to attack the undead creature with impunity.
Icabhod flanks with Navia and tries doing some damage
"Why do they have a dead half-thing thing in here, anyway?!" Navia shouts as she attempts to destroy the undead.
With the crowd of allies around their target, Xallis can't imagine himself ever getting a clear shot. He drops his crossbow and draws another wand, attempting to activate it.
Round 2
With Carr distracted by Henrika, Tychus is able to put another bolt in the undead creature and put it down. Suddenly, the crying voices in the room race off with a final joyous gasp, finally freed from the creature’s grasp.
Combat over.
"Why do they have a dead half-thing thing in here, anyway?!"
Knowledge (Nobility or History) DC 20 Rolls
The creature stated he was Prince Carr. Henrika and Xallis recall the late Grand Prince Stavian III had a son named Prince Carrius II, who was also Princess Eutropia’s younger brother. Before the law of primogeniture was recently voted down, being male, Prince Carrius was the first in line for the throne. However, the prince died in a riding accident twenty years ago. Prince Carrius was in his teens at the time. This “child” looked no older than five years of age.
You continue up the stairs in the nursery to the second floor.
At the top of the stairs, you enter the royal bedchambers. A towering, domed ceiling that curves overhead in this room depicts the shimmering summer stars, with major constellations outlined in gold leaf. A massive bed trimmed with silk sheets and a darkwood vanity fill much of the space, while expensive bric-a-brac covers the waist-high shelf circling the room.
These chambers were intended only for the grand prince and his wife (or concubine), but while the Lotheeds have held residence in the Palace of Birdsong, it has been the infrequent home of Duke Panivar Lotheed.
Upon closer examination, the glitter of the stars overhead isn’t magic, but wealth. Each of the 35 stars is a large, white pearl, though this treasure notably belongs to the royal family and probably would be best left alone.
As you approach the double-doors exiting the room, an intense feeling of fear emanates from the room beyond. Nevertheless, you open the doors.
The room beyond was once a study but has been converted into an arcane laboratory. Plush, red carpeting has been cut away from the center of the floor here, and what remains is badly stained. Desks line the walls, covered in bones, brass instruments, glassware, and jars filled with bizarre collections. The stink of old peat and insect activity is rampant.
Icabhod can see that several of the implements on the desks are magical, but that will need to be resolved later.
Something speaks directly into your minds. ”Oh, how I’ve savored watching you scurry about the palace acting like righteous heroes. You think your actions will make a difference, don’t you? You are fools. I am forbidden from harming a Lotheed, but I’m not forbidden from harming you. You are weak-minded and weak-bodied. My favorite type of meal. I will enjoy tormenting you while I eat you one-by-one.”
Then the planar creature several people have mentioned makes its appearance, shifting from the Ethereal Plane to the Material one. This monstrosity looks like a massive cockroach made from putrid hair. A humanoid face leers in place of an insectile head.
”How can you possibly hope to fight me? Your sanity is failing. You bodies are quite literally falling apart.”
The creature’s eyes flash and Trevor, Tychus, and Navia feel as if their bodies are falling apart; that their fingers and toes begin to fall to the floor one-by-one, and that their limbs are hanging on by a thread. This is a mind-affecting effect. To Henrika, Icabhod, and Xallis, their allies all look whole.
Knowledge Planes
Xallis can tell everyone the following information:
•This is an ichkoh.
•An ickhoh’s type outsider (evil, extraplanar, sahkil)
•Ichkohs savor the fear of the failure of the flesh, and enjoy tormenting those who take pride in their bodies. When an ichkoh selects victims, it torments them with the knowledge of how they failed to maintain their bodies in their youth. Sometimes an ichkoh pursues a single creature for years, encouraging increasingly self-destructive behavior that, if allowed to continue, can drive a victim to suicide.
•An ickhoh is vulnerable to good-aligned weapons. It is resistant to cold, electricity, and sonic damage. It is immune to death effects, disease, fear effects, and poison.
•An ichkoh can cause all creatures nearby to feel as if their bodies were falling apart.
•An ichkoh’s gaze can cause fear.
Sahkil Traits
•Immunity to death effects, disease, fear effects, and poison.
•Resistance to cold, electricity, and sonic.
•Most sahkils are resistant to magic.
•Sahkils speak Abyssal, Celestial, and Infernal.
•Telepathy.
•All sahkils have a gaze attack— the exact effects caused by a particular sahkil’s look of fear depend on the type of sahkil.
•Many sahkils can shift between the Ethereal Plane and the Material Plane.
•A sahkil’s natural weapons, as well as any weapon it wields, are treated as though they had the ghost touch weapon special ability.
Everyone goes. But the creature also has a gaze attack that affects anyone within 30 feet at the start of their turns. Since Xallis made the knowledge check, and I’ll assume he shares the information, you are aware that it has this attack, and can choose to avert your eyes if you want to.
You have three choices, 1) look at the creature and make the Will save; 2) avert your eyes; 3) close your eyes.
If you avert your eyes, you avoid looking at the creature’s face, instead looking at its body, watching its shadow, tracking it in a reflective surface, etc. Each round, you have a 50% chance to avoid having to make a saving throw against the gaze attack. The creature with the gaze attack, however, gains concealment against you.
If you close you eyes, you don’t need to make a saving throw, but you cannot see the creature at all. The creature gains total concealment against you.
If you are subjected to its gaze, you need to make a Will save DC 21 or be shaken for 1d4 rounds. This is a mind-affecting fear affect for any bonuses to saves you might have. I’ll let you roll this save yourself because of the potential variability with your choice.
You are continually subjected to the creature’s gaze each round.
Icabhod can see with his mask that the ichkoh has 1 spell effect active on it. The effect is visible to everyone, the creature's form is blurred and difficult to focus on. (A blur spell.)
Round 1
28 – Ichkoh
19 – Henrika (59/51 hp)
19 – Xallis (51/51 hp)
19 – Navia (27/27 hp) (-3 Con)
16 – Icabhod (47/47 hp)
09 – Trevor (42/42 hp) (-2 Con, Fatigued 59 min)
08 – Tychus (41/41 hp) (-3 Con)
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲False Life (8 hp, 6 hr), ▲Heightened Awareness (58 min), ▲Message (58 min), ▲Mirror Image (6 images, 10 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (10 rd)
Icabhod: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲Barkskin (+3 AC, 58 min)
Trevor: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▼Falling Apart (3 rd)
Tychus: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▼Falling Apart (1 rd)
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr)
Navia: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), Barkskin (+3 AC, 118 min), ▼Falling Apart (6 rd)
Ichkol: ▲Blur
As you approach the double-doors exiting the room, an intense feeling of fear emanates from the room beyond. Nevertheless, you open the doors.
Henrika rushes forward to attack the creature. She doesn’t avert her gaze, trusting in her mental prowess to guard her against its evil mind powers.
Icabhod drinks a shield extract He then moves into the room, averting his eyes from the creature
Xallis recoils from the creature's vile gaze, seemingly unaffected. But then he flinches as Navia screeches while staring at her trembling claws. He does his best to focus on casting spells as her panicked cries echo inside of his head.
"Falling apart falling apart why am I falling apart Xallis make it stop make it stop make it stop make it sto-"
"Navia, no, it's just an illusion! Don't let it get to you. I wouldn't let her do that to you!"
Navia's wings flap desperately as she flies around to behind the creature. She clumsily kicks at it with the heel of her talon, not trusting the rest of her foot to be there.
Round 1
The caydenite looks down in horror as his body begins to fall apart. Even his grip on his holy symbol feels delicaste and might fall from his hand.
I CAN'T lose you, Cayden! Oh Righteous Boss! Be with me, your servant! Trevor cries out to Elysium. The cleric casts protection from outsiders on himself, then staggers closer to the battle.
Round 1
Tychus reels as his body starts to unravel. He stumbles as he wades forward, moving as if through molasses. Somehow maintaining his grip on Dignity's Barb, he searches his pockets with his other hand. His fingers finally close around the piece of parchment he was looking for.
He unfurls the scroll and reads it aloud, just as Trevor does similarly.
Round 1
Henrika charges forward and hits the creature with her sword. Its carapace feels as hard as stone and she barely scratches it.
The ichkoh lashes out at Navia as she lands beside it. The magical wards placed upon her deflect the attack. She stumbles with her own attack and misses completely.
Despite Icabhod’s attempts to avoid the sakhil’s gaze, their eyes meet and he is stricken with fear.
The illusion of falling apart ends on Tychus and he realizes that it was all in his mind.
Round 2
The creature steps away from being flanked (5-ft. step) and uses a spell-like ability on Henrika. ”You think you hurt me? You know nothing of pain. Let me teach you.” it says telepathically to her.
Henrika’s mind and body is wracked with agonizing pain like she’s never experienced before.
Round 2
28 – Ichkoh (9 damage)
19 – Henrika (59/51 hp)
19 – Xallis (51/51 hp)
19 – Navia (27/27 hp) (-3 Con)
16 – Icabhod (47/47 hp) (Shaken 2 rd)
09 – Trevor (42/42 hp) (-2 Con, Fatigued 59 min)
08 – Tychus (41/41 hp) (-3 Con)
Active Spells/Effects
Henrika: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲False Life (8 hp, 6 hr), ▲Remove Fear (60 min), ▲Heightened Awareness (58 min), ▲Message (58 min), ▲Mirror Image (6 images, 10 min), ▲Bull’s Strength (9 rd), ▲Haste (6 rd), ▼Inflict Pain (9 rd)
Icabhod: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲Barkskin (+3 AC, 58 min), ▲Shield (6 min), ▲Haste (5 rd)
Trevor: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲Protection from Outsiders (sakhil, 6 min), ▲Haste (5 rd), ▼Falling Apart (2 rd)
Tychus: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲Protection from Evil (6 min), ▲Haste (5 rd)
Xallis: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), ▲Haste (5 rd)
Navia: ▲Mage Armor (6 hr), Barkskin (+3 AC, 118 min), ▲Remove Fear (60 min), ▲Haste (5 rd), ▼Falling Apart (5 rd)
Ichkol: ▲Blur
Everyone goes.
Navia shifts her position in order to keep the creature pressed between her and her allies.
Xallis aims his wand and attempts to fire.
Henrika grits her teeth and fights through the spell's effect. "Yes, let us experience this pain together," she mutters, and fixes the ichkoh with her hypnotic stare. Since she has already wounded it, she wonders if she can demonstrate its brave facade is an act, and feints a quick cut with her enchanted sword. She averts her eyes, since it is already concealed.
When she sees the creature fall for her ruse and overcompensate, she chuckles through the agony and swings in the opposite direction. She mentally instructs the magic sword to defend herself and Navia.