Perc +14 | 35/40 feet | Class DC 25 | Active Conditions: Fire Resistance 5, Slashing/Piercing Resistance 7 CN Male Gnome(Sensate) Barbarian 9 HP 161/161(174/174) | AC: 27 | F +20 R +16 W +14
"This may be the best mission I've ever been on," Zabu comments as they go to yet another place with free snacks.
He takes cookie in each hand and takes a bite that takes up about half of it.
As he chews, he eyes Raliadra contemplatively, trying to imagine her in Kuthite clothes and behaviors.
Well ... after we have conducted our Pathfinder business, we can talk about underwater instruments
But yes, this box. Shelyn with a mix of Zon-Kuthon. Would it be significant that the two deities are brother and sister? And if you can help us sort this out, it would be most appreciated.
Ralliadra suddenly looks a lot more tense. "What? That was a long time ago. I don't know."
She pales when she sees the box and takes a step back. "That thing?" she says quickly, in a high, nervous voice, "No idea. Never seen it. Underwater instruments? Fascinating, tell me more!"
Zarina's not quite successful, but someone else could try a Diplomacy check. Or, since you learned about her student, a Performance check to relate to her by discussing techniques for fighting stage fright.
"Long do our experiences stain us, shape us, but consider that perhaps yours are not entirely unique?" she pulls out her poetry journal, licks her finger, turns to a specific page, and hands it to Ralliadra.
"Go ahead, read"
A page from Anri's poetry journal:
Immortal Lamashtu,
In your moist pit of swampish brack,
Mother of beasts, weaver of wiles, this I pray:
Dear Lady, don’t crush my heart with pains and sorrows
But come here, if ever before, when you heard my far-off cry, you listened.
And you came!
Leaving your fetid lake, yoking your chariot of filth.
Then bloodthirsty bats led you over the black earth from the sky through the middle air, whirling their wings into a blur.
Rapidly they came!
And you, O Blessed Goddess, a smile on your immortal face,
Asked what had happened this time, why did I call again,
And what did I especially desire for myself in my frenzied heart
“Who this time am I to persuade to your love? Anri, who is doing you wrong?
For even if she flees, soon she shall pursue.
And if she refuses gifts, soon she shall give them.
If she doesn’t love you, soon she shall love even if she’s unwilling.”
Come to me now once again and release me from grueling anxiety.
All that my heart longs for, fulfill.
And be yourself my ally in love’s eternal anguish...
Human Fighter 6 | AC 24 | HP 92 | F +14, R +12, W +12 | Perception +12 | Athletics +15 | Performance +11 | Acrobatics +10 | Intimidation +9 | Crafting, Sailing Lore +8 | ◆
Performance:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Yakuthiel makes an attempt to show how one could get over being frightened. But, since he's never actually been frightened, his attempt is lackluster at best.
Perc +14 | 35/40 feet | Class DC 25 | Active Conditions: Fire Resistance 5, Slashing/Piercing Resistance 7 CN Male Gnome(Sensate) Barbarian 9 HP 161/161(174/174) | AC: 27 | F +20 R +16 W +14
This lady already seems scared enough and since they need something from her, Zabu keeps his normal methods of convincing people to himself.
"Yes, of course they are..." she says vaguely, reading the poem. "Oh, it's beautiful I think."
She smiles at Isaku. "Thank you. Okay."
She takes a breath, and beckons for the Pathfinders to follow her into the shop's back stockroom, where she takes a roll of parchment--the sort belonging to a phylactery of faithfulness--from a drawer. It's inscribed with Shelynite prayers, but wreathed in shadows. She explains the parchment was brought to her by someone who found it at an antique sale in the city; they hoped she could purify it, but so far she's been unable to. Worse, an eerie, mournful singing sometimes emanates from the parchment at night, accompanied by a ghostly harp, and at times Ralliadra even finds herself standing over the parchment when she awakens, singing along with the wordless melody. Reluctant to burden anyone, she hasn't yet asked for help, but she's run out of ideas to fix the problem.
After a moment's hesitation, she confides her real secret: she's feared her past may somehow be bringing on this strange haunting, although rationally she knows that's unlikely.
She opens the chest and extracts the source of the shadowy aura--a phylactory of faithfulness. The shadows on both it and the parchment begin to roil. "Empty," she says, examining the small box with a nod. "So we have two parts of one whole here."
Everyone knowledgeable about magic or religion immediately recognizes that bringing the two objects together seems to be calling up some type of spirit.
DC 21 Religion:
The haunting couldn't fully manifest until the two portions were brought together. A ghost is appearing--immanently!
Religion (Trained) w/ Student of the Canon (Lamashtu) vs DC 21:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23
"Brace yourselves - It cannot now be undone!"
She uses her advance knowledge to pre-emptively draw her weapon, and drawing runes into the air, observe future versions of herself: What Will and Will Not come to pass. She borrows Time from her future, weaving it into the present to create a double-overlap effect!
A figure rises from the shadows. The ghost is hazy, and their shape is vague. It's hard to make out much about them at all, but they're not attacking.
Ralliadra gasps. "Oh! Oh! Now I understand--I know what to do! There's a ceremony that can purify it and lay the ghost to rest. First we have to begin the ritual song."
She puts down the haunted objects and stands back away from them and the ghost, but she also starts writing down some symbols on loose pieces of parchment while calling out some instructions. She clearly intends to leave most of the work here to the Pathfinders, but she's an able assistant and guide.
This ceremony has three parts. Once PC should take the lead during each part, though it doesn't have to be the same person. The others can Aid if they wish. On a failure you can try again, but repeated failure might be bad.
For this first section, we'll need a Performance or Religion check.
Perc +14 | 35/40 feet | Class DC 25 | Active Conditions: Fire Resistance 5, Slashing/Piercing Resistance 7 CN Male Gnome(Sensate) Barbarian 9 HP 161/161(174/174) | AC: 27 | F +20 R +16 W +14
When the ghost appears and does not attack, Zabu looks disappointed.
As the others start the process of exorcising it, he picks up another cookie and starts to munch at it with a bland expression on his face.
"Ty bin Lamine," the ghost babbles. It's making an effort to communicate, but its speech comes out as an incomprehensible string of syllables.
With Yakuthial, Anri, and Ralliadra's guidance, though, Zarina is able to--"That isn't quite right!" Ralliadra calls, "The ghost should be becoming a little more solid. Then we can try to establish a connection, then once we know who they are we can relate to them. Try it again!"
Anri's critically successful Aid gives Zarina a +2 bonus, which is enough to succeed.
The spell doesn't help. The ghost isn't speaking another language, her attempts to speak are just babble.
Hang on, "her"? Yes! The spirit is taking enough shape that the Pathfinders are starting to get at least a vague idea of what she actually looks at. Enough to guess that she was probably a woman, most likely human.
"Mekana." More random syllables, or... perhaps her name?
"It's working!" calls Ralliadra excitedly, "Next we need to try to communicate. Try to understand what she's telling us. But I'm not sure how..."
Next round: Occultism or Perception to Sense Motive
Ralliadra isn't able to Aid this time, but other PCs can still Aid the primary check.
Anri's breadth of weird experiences, her knack for twisted poetry, and her tempestuous emotionality provide strange context for the ghost's ecto-babble!
"Mekana!" says the ghost, clearly and triumphantly. The team can see her now. "I'm Mekana. I suppose you're going to tell me that stealing that thing was wrong. Well, I know that now. I got my hands on some nice trinkets from several different priests. I got that too close to something from Zon-Kuthon's priest, and that happened. I knew I had to give it back, but on my way to the Shelynite temple I got run over by a speeding carriage." She sighs. "Can you believe it? Completely unrelated accident, and now I'm bound to the thing. Tell me you're trying to help, please."
The final test is to relate to the spirit. For the thief Mekana, the most relevant skill is Thievery. One PC should make the check, though others can Aid.
Perc +14 | 35/40 feet | Class DC 25 | Active Conditions: Fire Resistance 5, Slashing/Piercing Resistance 7 CN Male Gnome(Sensate) Barbarian 9 HP 161/161(174/174) | AC: 27 | F +20 R +16 W +14
Zabu starts to pay more attention when he realizes the ghost is a lady ghost.
Unfortunately, the only real effect of that attention is that he stops eating the cookies.
After all, he may be a thug but he's no thief so he doesn't really have anything to contribute to the conversation.
"Pfft," says Melaka, "I hardly expect things to start going right for me now. You gave it your best shot, so I can... hardly... oh."
She smiles, looking relieved and peaceful, and fades from view. The writhing shadows dissipate, and Ralliadra slips the parchment into the phylactery. "There," she says happily, "I don't think you need to seal it in that chest again. Thank your setting that lost soul to rest. You're always welcome in my shop."
Ralliadra gifts the Pathfinders a set of holy prayer beads currently attuned to Shelyn. Along with a box containing the next batch of cookies.
Soooooooo .... Aquatic harps. Zarina says. I've been thinking of learning to play one. Maybe we can discuss the .... erm .... possibilities over tea and cookies sometime.
Alas, Ralliadra seems oblivious to Zarina's charms. Perhaps her heart belongs to another?
If you haven't read Grand Bazaar, all of the shopkeepers from this adventure and quite a few others are profiled there. Part of why this adventure has so much art, I assume--they didn't have to commission new pieces, because most of it was existing art.
Ralliadra is crushing on another shopkeeper.
With the final relic purified and restored, there's nothing for he Pathfinders left to do but return to the Lodge to report back to Bicklock and Zarta.
A grinning figure leers around a corner in front of the Pathfinders before stepping out. It's humanoid, but it's... not a normal person. It's extremely thin with long limbs, like a person who's been stretched out. Its toes trail along the ground as it levitates slightly off the cobblestones, and its hands end in tentacles rather than fingers. It appears out of the darkness as though the darkness itself formed into this shape.
There's a second one behind it, and on the nearby rooftop another strange creature lurks. This one is shaped something like a gargoyle, but shaped out of the inky darkness rather than stone, and again with unnaturally long and think limbs and neck. It has no face.
Whatever these creatures are, they're hostile and moving to attack--but Yakuthiel is quick to react. He might have caught a glimpse of the winged creature before the others started advancing.
Yakuthiel's turn.
Initiative:
Yakuthiel
Yellow Dream of Doom
Zabu
Blue Dream of Doom
Isaku
Zarina
Anri
Red Elite Nightgaunt
As Yakuthiel approaches the creature, it fixes its red eyes on him. He feels a sudden acute awareness of his own mortality--though the feeling passes once he moves away again.
The Dreams of Doom have a 15-foot aura. Anyone within the aura is Doomed 1, although they don't seem to be affecting each other.
He realizes as he swings that the creature isn't entirely substantial--but that's a situation for which he was prepared. It seems surprised to be hurt by a physical weapon, lurching back with a hiss.
That's a crit. It's Incorporeal, but you have ghost touch so it doesn't matter yet. That is indeed a crit.
The other one glides after Yakuthiel, though it keeps its distance. It remains silent, but the Pathfinders hear a voice nonetheless--particularly Yakuthiel, who feels the whispering voice trying to impose itself at the edges of his mind. Let us show you what Aslynn has in store for you, Pathfinder. * Fly, ** cast impending doom on Yakuthiel. DC 24 Will save.
Zabu's turn.
Initiative:
Yakuthiel (DC 24 Will vs impending doom)
Yellow Dream of Doom
Zabu
Blue Dream of Doom (-26)
Isaku
Zarina
Anri
Red Elite Nightgaunt
The wounded creature glides towards Yakuthiel, and reaches forward with its wormlike finger-tentacles to lovingly caress his face. He nearly avoids them, but one touches him. The flesh where it touches becomes dry and painfully off-color, and it feels like something is worming its way into his mind as well.
It then glides away and up into the air.
* Fly; * Strike Nightmare Tendril:1d20 + 18 ⇒ (6) + 18 = 24 for void damage:3d8 ⇒ (7, 2, 1) = 10, 1d6 persistent mental, and make a Fortitude save; * Fly (this provokes Reactive Strike from Yakuthiel)
Zabu, Isaku, and Zarina's turns.
Initiative:
Yakuthiel (68/78, 1d6 persistent mental, Fort vs Endless Nightmare, impending doom round 1: Off-Guard)
Yellow Dream of Doom
Blue Dream of Doom (-26, 15 feet up, provoked Reactive Strike)
Zabu (144)
Isaku (74/74)
Zarina (78/78)
Anri (80/80)
Red Elite Nightgaunt
Perc +14 | 35/40 feet | Class DC 25 | Active Conditions: Fire Resistance 5, Slashing/Piercing Resistance 7 CN Male Gnome(Sensate) Barbarian 9 HP 161/161(174/174) | AC: 27 | F +20 R +16 W +14
Zabu is not one to shy away from creepy things (including Anri.)
He comes at the nearest creature, his face and hands shifting as he moves.
Yakuthiel tears through the creature, and wisps of shadowstuff start leaking into the air as though it's starting to come apart. This doesn't stop it from touching his face, bu it may not try that again!
Right, Reach. That hits and bloodies it. Still need a Fort save, though.
Blue Reflex:1d20 + 18 ⇒ (20) + 18 = 38, Yellow Reflex:1d20 + 18 ⇒ (5) + 18 = 23
The wounded one seems unfazed. The other one isn't nearly so quick, but as it isn't entirely physical the energy cutting through it isn't as effective as one might hope.
A critical success and a failure. Yellow does have resistance, as it's incorporeal.
GM Dice: Secret Check:
Anri Occultism:1d20 + 18 ⇒ (19) + 18 = 37
Anri recognizes the creature as a Nightgaunt, an aberration that dwells in dreams. They feed on emotions, and delight in inflicting nightmares so they can feed on their favorite emotion, fear. They're even better at inducing terror by carrying their victims away at dizzying heights while tickling them. They often leave their victims in places from which they'll never wake, for no particular reason other than that it amuses them.
A Nightgaunt can Fly while it has a Medium or smaller creature Grabbed, bringing them with it. It can also Tickle with its tail, an unusual tactic in combat that hinders its foes' ability to react to them (can prevent Reactions and inflict Sickened).
Whoops, sorry. As you can see I didn't even name your turn because I knew I had to apply the actions you already posted. And then didn't actually do it.
Flying doesn't protect the Dream from Isaku's weapon, and the bullet hits. Passing through its semi-solid form, it seems somewhat less hurt than most creatures would be by a bullet going right through them.
Hits, but incorporeal resistance prevents some of it.
Zabu tries to bite the Dream that's still grounded. It narrowly twists away from him.
Zabu, Blue is flying 15 feet off the ground. I added an arrow to make that easier to remember while looking at the map. Assuming you'd rather redirect to Yellow, let me know if that's a bad assumption. Although that's (just barely) a miss.
Anri's turn (two actions remain).
Initiative:
Yakuthiel (68/78, 1d6 persistent mental, Fort vs Endless Nightmare, impending doom round 1: Off-Guard)
Yellow Dream of Doom (-5)
Blue Dream of Doom (-58, bloodied, 15 feet up, Off-Guard to Yakuthiel)
Zabu (144)
Isaku (74/74)
Zarina (78/78)
Anri (80/80)
Red Elite Nightgaunt
