The arrows strike true, but appear to do very little damage!
29 Quenly
28 Tad
25 Kahl'Heel
21 Flyn
21 Tamerius
18 Red (Damage: 9)
13 Green
Tad steps into the room, out of the silence, casting a prayer of holy energy at the two assassins!
The first assassin was clearly unprepared, taking the full brunt of the holy energy, while the second slides out of the way unscathed!
Shaking off the injury, the injured Red Mantis gestures at Quenly, fell magic falling over the Pathfinder. His companion does likewise, targeting Flyn.
Finishing their spells, both assassins vanish from sight. Foes are moving in! Your psuedodragon ally warns of their approach.
29 Quenly
28 Tad
25 Kahl'Heel
21 Flyn
21 Tamerius
18 Red (Damage: 57)
13 Green
Tamerius's summon sees the two Mantis and explains to his master the localisation of each mantis before shooting the one she already targeted.
Flyn follows the flaming arrows paths and send his own to the same location, a pincushion corpse falling to the water!
29 Quenly
28 Tad
25 Kahl'Heel
21 Flyn
21 Tamerius
13 Green
Tad enacts a holy ward on his allies as Quenly attempts to strip away the assassins wards!
29 Quenly
28 Tad
25 Kahl'Heel
21 Flyn
21 Tamerius
13 Green
The mantis assassin shrugs off the shadow glitter, becoming visible just in time for Tamerius' delayed action!
Moving in to threaten the archer, the assassin springs into a duplicate copy as he strikes!
The holy ward deflects the blade just in time!
29 Quenly
28 Tad
25 Kahl'Heel
21 Flyn
21 Tamerius
13 Green (1 Mirror Image)
Flyn arrows down the last assassin, all but one striking true!
If any of the figures hears him, they don't react. Looking at the closest, you see their eyes are closed as they sit slumped in the alcoves.
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Flyn sighs. ”They’re asleep…perhaps enchanted…or drugged…let’s see if we can wake ‘em up…”
Flyn will start with the figures to the west and continue clockwise. He’ll slap them to try and awaken them, asking, ”Are you Stanton Strake?” and continue on till either one of them answers in the affirmative or he goes thru ‘em all…
Flyn shakes the first of the captives awake, the man looking blearily at his face. "Whu-what is...where?" With a shake of his head at the question he continues. "My lord? What is this? Has the princesses gala passed? Did I miss my task?"
Moving on from the confused prisoner, the next few react much as the first did. At Flyn's question, the small goblinoid nods. "Yes, that's me." Looking at his hands, his jaw drops open to reveal rows of sharp teeth. "What in Besmara's name happened?! Where am I? WHAT am I?"
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A look of relief comes over Flyn’s face as he momentarily looks back towards his companions, saying, ”This little fella holds Strake’s memories…”
Turning back to goblin-Strake, he says, ”You are at the Pagoda of the Mantis,” as he nods to the large corpse of the Master. ”That rather large many-eyed fella over there…transferred…your memories into this creature and some cobbler’s into your body. Your body is fine; I believe my friends here can dispel the magic used on you which should return you back to your real body…
“But first, we need you to answer some questions for us. We were told you know a gnome lady by the name of Eylyshia; can you tell us how you know her? And where we can find her?”
Rising to the full shortness of the goblin, Strake rests his claws hands on his hips. "Well, I'm relieved to know my usual form is in good hands, as much as I am dismayed to be in this poor bastards skin. You have my thanks and I certainly will owe you some hospitality for the assistance. Now then, Eylysia, eh? Lovely old gal, can't rightly tell you where she is, she keeps it secret from even me. When I need to talk to her, I hire kobolds to take a package into the jungle. She approached me some time ago about a mutual exchange of knowledge, me for history of the isle and her for the goings on in the world at large."
"Oh, the jungle covers most of the island, but the ruins we use as a dropoff are maybe eighty miles inland. She doesn't live there, but if you're looking for her that's the best place to try picking up her trail." He picks at the goblins teeth with one claw before continuing. "Naturally, she is keen to hear about her former organization, so what little I hear I pass on. Should I take it you share an affiliation? No one has come asking after her in my memory, but it would certainly make sense if your are Pathfinders."
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Flyn nods. ”Got it, eighty miles inland…what can you tell us of these ruins? Are they inhabited?”
"Should I take it you share an affiliation? No one has come asking after her in my memory, but it would certainly make sense if you are Pathfinders."
Flyn arches an eyebrow and gives a wry smile. ”Hmm…mayhap so, mayhap not…and mayhap it might be safer for you not to know. Let’s just say, like you, we wish to have a mutual exchange of information with her. Now, why would you think we are Pathfinders?”
"Who else would be so brazen to infiltrate the high temple of the Red Mantis?" Strake laughs, a high pitched bark of mirth. "As intriguing as your motivation may be, it is certainly no business of mine. As for the ruins, they aren't inhabited, but they are in the territory of Rurat, Champion of the Green. He’s a fascinating creature, a saurian who shepherds the dinosaurs of the island. I have been writing a book about him. His kind used to the rule island, but the Red Mantis have hunted them nearly to extinction. He kills all trespassers.”
"I tried sending human messengers once, but they didn't return. The kobolds get the job done, perhaps he and Eylysia have some agreement?"
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"I tried sending human messengers once, but they didn't return. The kobolds get the job done, perhaps he and Eylysia have some agreement?"
Flyn nods. ”Aye, mayhap so. Thank you for the information, my friend; here’s to hoping one of my friends here can dispel this magic from you and you can return to your body and never-ending. No doubt, your sourpuss bodyguard will be happy to see that you’re back to your old self…”
Seems like looking as a Saurian gives you the opportunity to talk to this one. We can try to diplomatic way. says Tamerius.
”Aye…I was thinking the same thing…guessing your infernal friend can help us to look like Saurians, yes?”
”I can only imagine how this whole situation has Doane in a frenzy. He was my first mate, as stout a sailor as you could find. That stubborn sourness served us well enough. I hope you can forgive him that.”
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Doane is a good friend to you. Quenly adds.
Did Eylysia want to know anything in particular about the Isle? Did you prepare a package for her already?
And the shadowed elf adds to the Pathfinders alone I can get us close to these ruins without our having to run the gauntlet through the Pagoda. We can emerge from the Shadow plane within a few hundred feet.
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Having loyal friends is no reason to be sorry for. If he was rude, he has reasons to. and if we had to kill every rude person we meet, Pharasma will have a lot more job to do!
Says Tamerius before adding in direction of Fynn.
Yes, he could help us look like saurian people.
To Quenly he answers telepathically.
In this case, lets make sure we left no witnesses behind us and that no corpse is left so they could be raised or speak. It will make our pursuer less aware of what was our objective here.
I can incinerate the place with a fireball
"Your graciousness is most kind. Doane certainly takes some effort to get to know, something I can say I have greatly benefited from doing."
Did Eylysia want to know anything in particular about the Isle? Did you prepare a package for her already?
"Quite the opposite, she shares her knowledge of it with me. I'm compiling a history of Mediogalti Island, something to fill the quiet hours when the party grows stale. She's had far more years of learning than I, naturally. I haven't had cause to send anything to her since she last contacted me, she mentioned something too urgent to wait for our usual methods."
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So Eylysia has an urgent message for you? If so, perhaps we can bring it to you at your residence.
Quenly replies to Tamerius: There's no need to kill the Master's other victims. We only woke one of them before our goblin friend and they didn't seem very coherent. But by all means incinerate the Master and his two guards.
"No, I think it was for her former associates. One of them anyway. She still cares greatly for them, despite what happened so long ago. Apparently, she uncovered a terrible secret, one so dire that she had to risk discovery to warn someone that she could trust to do what needed done." Goblin-Strake offers a toothy grin. "But I'm sure that has nothing to do with you. What you'll need to get to the ruins is some good woodsmanship. There's a stone spire named the Horn nearby, it can be seen for miles. Use that and you can find the old ruins with no trouble, so I've been told."
”My lords?” The party sees one of the awakened captives standing apprehensively. ”What would you have us do?”
"Best to do something about those symbols on your heads as well. Rurat hates the Red Mantis. With good reason, of course." Goblin-Strake observes, gesturing to Flyn's forehead and the glowing brand.
"I haven't the slightest idea how their magic works. All I can observe is that it hasn't branded me or my fellow captives, so it doesn't seem to be a constant vigil against intruders."
Island and shepherded the numerous reptilian creatures
that live there. When the Red Mantis assassins built their
original stronghold, the Temple of the Ghost Mantis in the
center of the island, they clashed with the saurians and killed
many of them. Eventually, the assassins retreated to their
new mountain stronghold, the Crimson Citadel, leaving the
interior of the island to the Ghost Mantis.
With the casting of the spell, all of the gathered captives collapse, catatonic staring eyes registering nothing as the bodies lay motionless save for the rise and fall of their chests.
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This Rurat that Strake spoke of will be one of the last of the denizens of the Ghost Mantis Temple - the Red Mantis' original stronghold. He is an indigenous saurian, his people mostly destroyed in conflict with the Red Mantis. His hatred for the assassins must be strong.
Now perhaps we might try my wand on the Mantis brands? It's quite likely they are a curse of some sort.
Quenly will attempt his Break Enchantment wand against the Pathfinders' Red Mantis marks.
Casting the spell from the wand, the brands remain in place.