Upon investigating the tools, she determines that they are of very high quality.
She also detects that there's an object at a corner of the easternmost table that is not a tool. It appears to be a silver-and-gold seven-pointed star; one surface is studded with nodules and blades, and the other features a thin, curved handle.
Upon investigating the tools, she determines that they are of very high quality.
She also detects that there's an object at a corner of the easternmost table that is not a tool. It appears to be a silver-and-gold seven-pointed star; one surface is studded with nodules and blades, and the other features a thin, curved handle.
Having gone through the doors Arrian asks the others, "Should we rest before attempting the last door with the evil thing or charge ahead?"
Ano stays quiet the entire time. She sits down in a nearby area, lost in contempt.
"Ano?" Cherry chirps, "You okay?"
The catfolk doesn't answer. Instead she looks at the walls, absorbing everything she has seen...she couldn't fathom how Nualia found comfort in a place like this.
"I'm fine," she huffed, sharpening her rapier, "I'm taking a bit of a breather. I would suggest going after what's hiding behind the door immediately...but I'm not oppose to resting either."
Arrian follows Ano's example and uses a whestone to sharpen his falchion, cold iron rapier, and dagger. He then offers the whetstone to Ano and anyone else who needs to put a finer edge on their weapon.
"I will be of much more use in a confrontation with whatever lies behind that door if I am rested and have said my prayers, but if the rest of you wish to do this now, I will do whatever I can," Ethan says.
"The runelords, if I recall, weren't by necessity evil. This is the Material Plane, not Hell. They did literally study sin magic, so I don't think any of them were good. I don't know them all, but I'd wager the best would probably be like me and my family. Shady and shifty as s$+% at times, but trying to do good for people." Juriya adds as she looks everything over. "I know basically NOTHING beyond that, it's why I don't want to touch that stuff with a 10ft pole. Even then, greed and transmutation still fits the bill for us. "
Donimah blinks a bit at Juriya's words.
"I'm...surprised, Juriya. It's rare to hear discussion like that outside an arcanist's guild or magic school. Sandpoint's a very lucky town to have such strong education available. Did your parents ever discuss sending you on the path of wizardry?"
"The runelords, if I recall, weren't by necessity evil. This is the Material Plane, not Hell. They did literally study sin magic, so I don't think any of them were good. I don't know them all, but I'd wager the best would probably be like me and my family. Shady and shifty as s!&# at times, but trying to do good for people." Juriya adds as she looks everything over. "I know basically NOTHING beyond that, it's why I don't want to touch that stuff with a 10ft pole. Even then, greed and transmutation still fits the bill for us. "
Donimah blinks a bit at Juriya's words.
"I'm...surprised, Juriya. It's rare to hear discussion like that outside an arcanist's guild or magic school. Sandpoint's a very lucky town to have such strong education available. Did your parents ever discuss sending you on the path of wizardry?"
With a snicker Arrian interjects "No but they talked about sending her to reform school hehehe."
"They did at one point, but well. There was someone in my family once that people light-heartedly say reincarnated as me, both for better and for worse. Yoshi Arima, was his name, my paternal grandfather. He was specifically an arcanist who mixed magic in his blood with learned magic, and alchemy, and quite a list of other things. He was, from what I gather of his writings, a lot like me.
He also was very infamous for his lack of common sense, and his diaries show that he got in trouble for it. A lot. So my parents, much more gently than Fosyo and with more evidence and actual reasons, nudged me away from actually casting spells with my hands like you do, but they still nurtured my appetite for learning by spending a good portion of their excess funds on importing books when a topic caught my eye. How I learned to fight was from a rigorous treatise using literal geometry. I never really fought in actual combat before the festival."
She coughs. "That's why I'm so fond of them, they can be simultaneously absolutely slimey in their methods at times, as Ano has realized, but they want what's best. They align more with Daikitsu and Abadar far more than with deities like Erastil and Cayden, but they make sure to keep me away from Mammon's and Haagenti's influence as well."
She looks over the surgical implements. "Holy crap, these are nicer than mom's! Could probably get 10 platinum for these!" She then turns to Doninah. "And Donimah, my granddad did have a spellbook, but my parents would probably make you pay a potentially reduced fee to copy it. Spat directly in the face of sin magic though, it's filled with transmutation... but also enchantment and illusion spells."
I mean, I heard of 2 examples of non evil half demons, or at least those who know them think they are non evil. One is an assassin/bounty hunter for Callistria, supposedly extremely professional and never creates collateral damage, and the other is supposedly an opera singer originally in Kintargo but then random chelish b%!*&%~$ happened.
But I dont think you can practise sin magic for a long time without it messing with you, or it woudnt be called sin magic.
I mean, I heard of 2 examples of non evil half demons, or at least those who know them think they are non evil. One is an assassin/bounty hunter for Callistria, supposedly extremely professional and never creates collateral damage, and the other is supposedly an opera singer originally in Kintargo but then random chelish b$+@@&!# happened.
But I dont think you can practise sin magic for a long time without it messing with you, or it woudnt be called sin magic.
"I'm a non-evil half-orc but some people still give me the stinkeye."
Ano decides to speak up in regards to the family and arcane.
“It’s funny, as a kid I thought about learning some wizardry-it wasn’t a serious decision, just a fun idea to learn a couple spells. My mom uh…shut that down. My aunt says there were some wizards in the family, and my father told me his grandfather was one of those…what are they called, those mages that use a sword or something? One of those, but my great grandfather used an axe. Though most arcane magic that comes from the family are those who were born with it, or can use it without studying-bards and sorcerers. I don’t know if anyone in my family had what I have…not like I can ask anymore.”
"They did at one point, but well. There was someone in my family once that people light-heartedly say reincarnated as me, both for better and for worse. Yoshi Arima, was his name, my paternal grandfather. He was specifically an arcanist who mixed magic in his blood with learned magic, and alchemy, and quite a list of other things. He was, from what I gather of his writings, a lot like me.
He also was very infamous for his lack of common sense, and his diaries show that he got in trouble for it. A lot. So my parents, much more gently than Fosyo and with more evidence and actual reasons, nudged me away from actually casting spells with my hands like you do, but they still nurtured my appetite for learning by spending a good portion of their excess funds on importing books when a topic caught my eye. How I learned to fight was from a rigorous treatise using literal geometry. I never really fought in actual combat before the festival."
She coughs. "That's why I'm so fond of them, they can be simultaneously absolutely slimey in their methods at times, as Ano has realized, but they want what's best. They align more with Daikitsu and Abadar far more than with deities like Erastil and Cayden, but they make sure to keep me away from Mammon's and Haagenti's influence as well."
She looks over the surgical implements. "Holy crap, these are nicer than mom's! Could probably get 10 platinum for these!" She then turns to Doninah. "And Donimah, my granddad did have a spellbook, but my parents would probably make you pay a potentially reduced fee to copy it. Spat directly in the face of sin magic though, it's filled with transmutation... but also enchantment and illusion spells."
"Plus you seem to know enough about obscure minor divinities to be a theologian," Donimah comments. "So your grandfather learned a different set of arcane cultural practices, no skin off my back," she adds with a shrug. "Doesn't mean I wouldn't benefit from seeing his technique and seeing any insights his perspective has to offer. That's the way of wizardry: the power and skill of the ancients is a foundation you build your own upon, not just recovering what was lost, but improving on it and adding your own discoveries to the collective understanding of the arcane."
"I'm a non-evil half-orc but some people still give me the stinkeye."I mean, I heard of 2 examples of non evil half demons, or at least those who know them think they are non evil. One is an assassin/bounty hunter for Callistria, supposedly extremely professional and never creates collateral damage, and the other is supposedly an opera singer originally in Kintargo but then random chelish b!!#%#@+ happened.
But I dont think you can practise sin magic for a long time without it messing with you, or it woudnt be called sin magic.
"I can relate to that, surprisingly. Let's just say my fellow students at the Lodge learned very quickly not to call me "horser" the hard way," she adds with a glower.
Ano decides to speak up in regards to the family and arcane.
“It’s funny, as a kid I thought about learning some wizardry-it wasn’t a serious decision, just a fun idea to learn a couple spells. My mom uh…shut that down. My aunt says there were some wizards in the family, and my father told me his grandfather was one of those…what are they called, those mages that use a sword or something? One of those, but my great grandfather used an axe. Though most arcane magic that comes from the family are those who were born with it, or can use it without studying-bards and sorcerers. I don’t know if anyone in my family had what I have…not like I can ask anymore.”
"Magi," Donimah adds with a nod. "Like Zeldrith is."
She notes his absence.
"Think he stayed behind to help guard Sandpoint more directly."
"I'm a polymath by nature and necessity. If I didn't study the world around me as fervently as I did, I'd probably have died relatively quikly at the festival putting myself in danger," Juriya says dismissively.
Then, after a decent pause, she takes a pained breath. "I... at one point went adventuring without knowing enough about the world yet. I couldn't protect everyone. I ... I wanted to make sure the next time something like that happened, that I was ready. Combat manuals. Alchemy manuals. Bestiaries. I didn't want to lose someone again."
The group finds that the second level is perfectly comfortable for some rest, despite it being tilted.
"I'm a polymath by nature and necessity. If I didn't study the world around me as fervently as I did, I'd probably have died relatively quikly at the festival putting myself in danger," Juriya says dismissively.
Then, after a decent pause, she takes a pained breath. "I... at one point went adventuring without knowing enough about the world yet. I couldn't protect everyone. I ... I wanted to make sure the next time something like that happened, that I was ready. Combat manuals. Alchemy manuals. Bestiaries. I didn't want to lose someone again."
Donimah frowns and scratches the back of her bald head.
"I'm...sorry to hear that, Juriya. I...guess it's a little hard to sometimes realize how precious lives can be, having grown up in a city where life is cheap. I'd...I'd say that preparation has paid off. You've certainly saved my ass more than once in this venture."
Once the party has rested and eaten, Ethan says his prayers, asking Erastil to grant him to power to overcome the unknown Evil behind the door.
He turns to the party and says, "I can grant all of you Erastil's Blessing, and up to four of you an additional divine protection from extraplanar evil. Finally, I can blessing the weapons of up to four of you with that ability to harm evil outsiders. This last blessing will only last for about half a minute, so I will wait until the last possible moment before I utter it."
Once the party is rested, Juriya prepares her daily bombs and adds the to her growing pile stored within her clothes. "Always best to ccontinually make them if you expect combat. Never know when you need some semi-magical bombs."
"I'll down this," Juriya says as she motions to her extract of shield, "right before we enter. And... Donimah, you've got that... I think it's visualization of the mind prepared? I know you talked about it at one point. Do you have a second preparation? It'll help me make sure I actually hit vitals."
Ano stretches, popping a few cricks in her neck and shoulders. “Ready as I’ll ever be. If there’s any kind of spell for my rapier to hit better, that will be appreciated.”
When it is clear the group is about to open the door and move in, Ethan speaks his prayers to Erastil.
"I will enhance your blades at the last possible moment," he says to Ano and the others. "That blessing doesn't last very long."
As the group prepares to initiate combat with the unknown creature he also prepares by calling upon the divine magic within him, granted by Cayden Cailean, to bolster his efforts.
As the group casts spells before entering the door, some spells can be heard being cast on the other side as well.
"It sounds like whatever is on the other side knows we're here," Ethan says. "I better add one additional precaution."
He grasps his holy symbol and utters one additional prayer.
I shall rely on my smite once the door is opened, Sir Arrian to me if you would
Alicia chants in celestial
Sirène, enchaînée
Noble reine, éplorée
Poème d’amour
Elle règne, monde sourd
Dans la force et la douleur,
Elle dévore, cauchemars et terreur
Et se déchaîne, orage, monde en peine
Maiden in chains
Noble queen she deplores
a poem of love
she reigns a deaf world
Dance with strength and gainst the pain
She devours the nightmares and terrors
Unchained, she rages, gainst the world of pain
Singing she casts bless weapon upon Arrians falchion.
Donimah musters her arcane energies and strengthens both her mind and Juriya's. Then she recites a different incantation and lays a hand on Alicia's shoulder.
"I grant you the might of the aurochs."
The paladin can feel a surge of energy through her core and into her arms and legs, as she hears the sound of the beast lowing in mind.
She casts another spell, this time on Arrian, and he can feel a strange, stretching sensation in his arms. When he looks down at them, they seem longer, but a test swing or two of his blessed weapon reveals they function just the same, somehow not getting in their own way.
Finally, she recasts her defensive wards to protect herself.
The group steps towards the door to open it, Arrian and Alicia leading the charge. Suddenly they notice that there is no doorknob. The doors to this room are made of stone but bear no handles. An indented outline of a seven-pointed star, its shape covered by hollows and slits, graces the spot where handles should be.
After a brief pause, Juriya remembers the thing that was not a tool in the transmutation room to the east. It does fit the hole indeed and it proves to be the only key to open it. The doors open as the group finishes casting their boosting spells.
Behind the doors nothing can be seen, but a growl can be heard.
Before anyone can do anything, the creature appears. This snarling, canine beast pads forward on all fours, its slender front limbs looking more like hands than a wolf’s paws. Strangely, the creature seems to be blinking in and out of existence, without pattern, making it hard to lock down.
It immediately starts to bite and swing its claws at Alicia.
This is a creature known as a greater barghest. The normal barghest comes to the material plane to feed on innocents. After feeding enough, it gains power to shed its skin and become the greater version, which you see here. Then it tries to find tribe of goblins or other creatures to rule.
If you beat the DC by 5 or more, let me know what other characteristics you want to know about it. One per each 5 above DC.
The creature's ferociousness is visible. Its bite moves towards Alicia's head, but it blinks out of existence just before biting. However, this doesn't happen with both claw attacks.
Juriya breathes a sigh of semi-relief. "Good news. Not a daemon, so I'm not blaming Fosyo for this. Bad news. Still a fiend. Greater Barghest, I'm trying to recall what its weaknesses are."
Arrian moves forward slightly and strikes at the foe:
Ethan grasps his holy symbol, and invokes Erastil's blessing. "Stagfather, grant these heroes the power to strike down your foes!"
Tsss, is that all?
Alicia strikes, but like hits nothing
The instant before you are reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, you can expend a use of your lay on hands ability to heal yourself as if you had used lay on hands, plus an additional 1d6 hit points.
If this healing brings your hit point total above 0 hit points, you do not fall, and may continue to act. If you have no more uses of lay on hands this spell has no effect.
This goes active is Alicia is reduced to less then 0 hp. By the Barghests next turn.
Juriya lobs a bomb at the creature, , then backs up, fleeing from the creature. "HAHA! Hope you like fire! That goes for all of you, I don't think I can pierce through its hide, even with magic!"
Damage: (2 splash)
---------------
(Figure it might be a while before you respond, so I'm just putting this here, and I rolled with the same dice so as to be fair)
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Immediately seeing her new teammate getting mauled, Ano's spots flare blue, and she whirls around Arrian to get behind the barghest before striking.
Ano's ferocity becomes unmatched, and she skewers her blade deep into the fiend's hide. She has decided, right then and there, if there's a way to tan this thing's hide, she will skin it herself.
Отличный удар, сестренка, дай ему!
Great strike sis, get him!
Alicias eyes flare blue as she sees Anos quick and efficient movement.
Donimah's eyes widen at the sight of the barghest. She opens her mouth to tell what she knows about it before Juriya jumps in and does it for her.
"Yes, thank you Juriya," she says.
She sidesteps around the alchemist to get a clear view of the monster.
"Għidilna ismek, ja jiekol il-katavri, biex inkunu nistgħu nafu fuq min se nirbħu!" she says confidently.
Then her arm snakes out to the barghest, weaving between her companions, her hand limned in blue, cold light!
Arrian's falchion strikes true!
"I'm just glad you aren't a Daemon. I don't want to have to deal with that servant of Laivatiniel more than necessary. You attacked us first, so you're getting bombed to hell. Or Abaddon. Or the Abyss. Wherever Barghests go." Juri quips.
As Ano walks by the creature, it takes advantage of the situation for an attempt to bite her.
The bite removes a chunk of the catfolk's shoulder. On the other side, however, Ano's blade penetrates a vital part of the creature. However her thrust does not do as much damage as she thought it would.
Donimah's spell is about to hit him, but he blinks away just in time.
The barghest replies to Donimah in Goblin and Juriya as he strikes those around him.
"You will all fall before the might of Maleshnekor!"
Chernij Voron Ja ne tvoi
Alicia whispers in her melodic Abyssal, although a more colloquial version, as her heros defiance spell kicks in as she heals,
She quickly focuses on herself, letting more healing energy flow through her.
Oh Black raven, I am not yet yours
За надежду, за правду, за любовь!
She shouts, as she unleashes an almost too perfect strike with her scimitar
He scimitar comes close to slicing the wings head off, delivering a massive blow!
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Juriya lets out a gut-wrenching scream as she sees what the creature does to Ano, steps to avoid hurting Arian, and hurls a bomb from the back ranks, nearly crying. "I'M NOT LOSING ANOTHER FRIEND! SOMEONE, PROTECT ANO! F!%+, f@+$, f*$$, I should have learned how to make infusions!"
Ano held a lot of confidence in her strike. Yes its hide is tougher than she thought, but if she can keep it up then-
That’s when she is overwhelmed by searing hot pain…immediately followed by a deathly chill.
The color in her spots dim, her eyes roll into the back of her head, and she collapses in a pool of her own blood.
Cherry shrieks, the bird safely away from the fight, now fluttering to check in on his friend.