Once again, Dr. Lazarus surveys the battlefield.
Lazarus does not like them going after Jayma. Spying an opening in its defenses, the Doctor says, "Do not harm the lady. For that, you shall pay." He moves in and strikes twice in succession.
+2 Striking Returning Cold Iron Grabthar's Hammer (w/ Stratagem): 1d20 + 22 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 22 = 32
With sand in her eyes, Marine's first blow doesn't land. The second cuts deeply, though, and two scimitars slice into the sand as their owner collapses.
One of the giant's is quick to duck under Jayma's spell. The other... isn't. But as badly injured as the quicker one already is, even partial damage means they're both starting to look pretty rough.
The kholos stagger back away from the direction of the ball of flame.
Lazarus's hammer thuds into the giant's shoulder, though on his next through she dodges enough that it deflects off of her armor.
The giant with green boots drops her weapons and cries out in a panicked voice, "They killed Kya! I'm on fire! He was right, they're going to kill us all! The Slumbering King was right!" And, screaming, she runs off into the desert, completely oblivious to the kholo prisoners that she nearly runs over.
The last one looks about ready to follow.
Callistr's turn.
Initiative:
Callistro: AC 30/32, 137/140 HP (incendiary aura, cursebound 2)
Blue Desert Giant (-158 HP, bloodied, 4d4 persistent fire, Off-Guard until Marine's turn, concealed)
Jayma: AC 28, 107+1/107 HP
Marine: AC 33, 126/162 HP (+1 AC)
Dr. Lazarus: AC 30, 89/105 HP
Green Desert Giant (-100 HP, 4d4 persistent fire)
Callistro glances over to the group, Maybe we should take this one alive so it can tell us who this Slumbering King is?
He regards the remaining giant and addresses her, Madam, your mother was a donkey and your father doth smell of elderberries. Now sit down and stay there until Marine here can batter you unconscious.
◆ Bon Mot
Critical Success The target is distracted and takes a –3 status penalty to Perception and Will saves for 1 minute. The target can end the effect early with a retort to your Bon Mot. This can either be a single action that has the concentrate trait or an appropriate skill action to frame their retort. The GM determines which skill actions qualify, though they must take at least 1 action. Typically, the retort needs to use a linguistic Charisma-based skill action.
Success As critical success, but the penalty is –2.
Critical Failure Your quip is atrocious. You take the same penalty an enemy would take had you succeeded. This ends after 1 minute or if you issue another Bon Mot and succeed.
◆◆ Cast Command to fall prone.
HP Reroll
DC30 Will Save
Success The creature is unaffected.
Failure The creature must spend the first action on its next turn to obey your command.
Critical Failure The target must use all its actions on its next turn to obey your command.
I take 3 damage from my Curse.
"I don't know what a donkeyberry is!" the giant wails. She also turns to flee, evidently unaware that Callistro had cast a spell at all, as the sands cascade down around her back to their normal position.
Jayma, Marine, and Lazarus's turns.
Initiative:
Callistro: AC 30/32, 134/140 HP (incendiary aura, cursebound 2)
Blue Desert Giant (-170 HP, bloodied, 4d4 persistent fire, Off-Guard until Marine's turn, -3 Will and Perception until she insults Callistro)
Jayma: AC 28, 107+1/107 HP
Marine: AC 33, 126/162 HP
Dr. Lazarus: AC 30, 89/105 HP
Green Desert Giant (-100 HP, bloodied, 4d4 persistent fire)
Marine turns to Callistro, shrugs sympathetically as the spell didn't seem to take, and quickly catches up to both giants.
"You -" She gestures empathetically towards Green with her sword "- can go free."
"But you -" she points to Blue with her free hand "- will stay here unless you want to burn to death. Also, like the burning man up there said, we have questions for you."
Jayma is not happy to see the giants running away; these creatures deserved death for their treatment of the kholos. They are some distance from her, but not yet beyond her reach. She calls after them. "You may take flight, yet concealment shall elude you"
With another clap of her hands, and a "bolting brutes be blasted," she sends them a going-away gift, then trots after them as fast as her little legs can take her.
Even from this great distance, the Doctor is undeterred in attempting to devise an attack plan for only giant remaining.
Unsurprisingly, he shrugs, "Alas, it's too far away. For now." Instead, Dr. Lazarus uses his long elven legs to catch up to the kholos. He addresses the group, "My colleagues and I are here to help. Do any of you require healing?"
The most badly-wounded giant sees the fireball coming. Time seems to freeze. Her life flashes before her eyes. But in that moment of time, she can see everything. Her body twists, to no one's surprise more then her own, into an impossible twisting backflip that carries her 15-foot body between the flames with perfect, millimeter precision and back down into the sand. She is unharmed.
The other one doesn't, and takes Marine's offer.
Though at least she doesn't seem to be on fire any more.
The kholos look at Dr. Lazarus with blank shock. "We're.. okay," one answers softly.
Callistro's turn.
Initiative:
Callistro: AC 30/32, 134/140 HP (incendiary aura, cursebound 2)
Blue Desert Giant (-170 HP, bloodied, 4d4 persistent fire, Off-Guard until Marine's turn, -3 Will and Perception until she insults Callistro)
Jayma: AC 28, 107+1/107 HP
Marine: AC 33, 126/162 HP
Dr. Lazarus: AC 30, 89/105 HP
Callistro scowls at the rapidly disappearing giants and starts to run after them. Just wait a moment and let me make sure you dont die. Marine, the flat of the blade, the flat!
I hate exercise he mumbles as he stumbles across the rocky ground.
"I'm not falling for that!" says the giant hysterically, "I'll take my chances!"
She tries to bolt again, and Marine slams the hilt of her sword into the giant's gut. She collapses into the sand.
Too bad she's still on fire.
All PCs' turns.
Initiative:
Callistro: AC 30/32, 132/140 HP (incendiary aura, cursebound 2)
Blue Desert Giant (Unconscious4, Dying 1, 4d4 persistent fire)
Jayma: AC 28, 107+1/107 HP
Marine: AC 33, 126/162 HP
Dr. Lazarus: AC 30, 89/105 HP
Callistro sighs and rushes forward, All this exercise is not good for me!
He quickly conjures a ball of water and drops it on the burning giant.
Jayma watches as her lovely ball of fire spreads out to envelop the giants and cannot help but be impressed by the acrobatic abilities the wounded giant displays in its successful efforts to avoid being consumed. "Wow! Truly a sight to behold"
By the time she recovers, the giant is long gone and Marine has the remaining one under control. She trots over to join her colleague and to help in the interrogation once the giant regains consciousness.
The fire doesn't go out. On the plus side the revitalization effect might means she can endure it a little longer?
Marine finds that each giant carried two scimitars, but each had one with a small gem in the hilt that sparks more then event the desert sun can explain, and one that didn't. They also each wore a pair of mismatched rings, an intricate, gleaming golden ring with a square-cut ruby, and a thick, plain iron band. The hand with the golden ring was always holding the scimitar with the gem. They also each have small (for them) sacks at their belt holding hefty rocks.
Callistro: AC 30/32, 132/140 HP (incendiary aura, cursebound 2)
Blue Desert Giant (0 HP, 15 temp HP, Unconscious, Dying 1, 4d4 persistent fire)
Jayma: AC 28, 107+1/107 HP
Marine: AC 33, 126/162 HP
Dr. Lazarus: AC 30, 89/105 HP
Marine resists the urge to steal the scimitars and the precious looking rings. She stands guard over the giant, waiting for the flames on her to die out.
Dr. Lazarus nods to the kholos. "Glad you're in good health. You may call me: The Doctor. If you'll excuse me, I must tend to the giant." He starts to leave and adds, "If you care to wait, we're interested in what happened to you good folks."
Using Doctor's Visitation, Lazarus races over to the giant to perform emergency first aid.
With the creature unconscious and no longer dying, the Doctor slaps on a quick battle dressing to rouse him awake.
The kholos look on, dumbfounded. "Oh. Thanks," says one.
"Does this mean we have to get captured again?" another asks the first. They don't seem concerned that the party is going to suddenly turn on them, but they also seem more, well, ambivalent then is typical for rescuees.
The giant is less ambivalent. She opens her eyes, then immediately yelps and recoils. "No! No, not you!" She scrambles to her feet and tries to run again, but Marine knocks her back down.
The giants recognized the party when they saw them. They were already afraid of the adventurers, and this one seems terrified now of being captured, willing to risk it all to get away.
All PCs
Status:
Blue Desert Giant (0 HP, Unconscious, Wounded 1, Dying 2, 4d4 persistent fire)
Jayma: AC 28, 107+1/107 HP
Marine: AC 33, 126/162 HP
Dr. Lazarus: AC 30, 89/105 HP
Callistro: AC 30/32, 132/140 HP (incendiary aura, cursebound 2)
Marine turns to the others and holds up her hands to point at the burning and very unconscious giant.
"Look, I really don't think it's worth toying around with someone that desperate to get away. We'd be no better than they were with the kholos."
She turns to Dr Lazarus.
"Can I get you to heal her again? We'll just let her leave with her life."
Marine sheathes her sword and trots over to the Kholos.
"What's this about being captured again? Were you...trying to get captured on purpose?" She says.
"I'm very glad we didn't go with that infiltration plan last time round..." Marine mutters under her breath.
The Doctor nods to Marine. "Of course, of course. A skilled physician can cure all, my dear Marine." He adds, "Ahem, for the next hour, my in-battle healing shall be slightly limited." He assures everyone, "It shouldn't be a problem."
Since we're sending the giant on its way, the Doctor attempts to use a better approach to provide more comprehensive healing.
Callsitro sighs, I run all the way down here to save this ungrateful giant and we are just going to let her run away. At least she can leave her stuff he mutters, knocking her scimitars away from her so she cannot take them when she gets back up.
He looks over to the Kholos, Err, what do you mean captured again? We have rescued you from these very unpleasant and terribly ungrateful giants. Didn't you want to be rescued? Do you know what's going on here and who this Slumbering King is? Also, its far to hot for all this running around, can we at least find somewhere in the shade to have a chat?
It is clear to Jayma that they aren't going to get anything from the remaining giant, assuming Thurston could even bring her back to the land of the living.
The giants had clearly recognized the party when they first laid eyes on them, and their extreme reaction suggested that this Slumbering King of theirs had told them the party was to be greatly feared. She assumed that the Slumbering King was Swirly's new moniker in these parts; who else would know them so well.
She gives up on the giant and joins Marine and Callistro talking to the kholos. She tries to put them all at ease. "My new friends! Take heart, for the giants will trouble you no longer. Those brutes who do not turn tail and flee shall be sent off to swim in the river of souls. You are now free of their yoke."
She is a little surprised by their ambivalence at being rescued, and their comment about having to be captured again struck her as odd. She gives them a good looking over to see if she can get a clue as to their state of mind.
The giant wakes from the doctor's ministrations. She awakes with a start once more. "What are you doing to me??" she wails as she takes off again, apparently oblivious to the lack of hostile response.
"Wow," says one of the kholos, shaking his head.
"Just like any bully," says another, "Pick fights with people half their size, then panic when somebody hits back."
One steps forward. "Yes, um, thank you for the rescue I guess," she says half-heartedly.
Jayma notices that the kholos were putting on an act when they were acting meek and frightened. They may not be able to physically stand up to the giants, but neither were they cowed.
Marine and Lazarus notice more: The act was intended to trick the giants, but there was a bit of almost eagerness there--which died when the heroes stepped in to save them.
When the adventurers ask them about their intent, they look at each other nervously and seem hesitant to speak.
"We're the Cactus Eaters," one blatantly changes the subject, "Our village is built on an oasis, but that's far from here. There's some shelter under those big rocks, I think?"
Between the giant who fled and dropped her weapons, the dead giant, and the disarmed giant, the party has collected six giant-sized scimitars, two sacks of rocks, and four rings.
Three Large +1 striking scimitars.
Three Large mundane scimitars.
Two sacks of rocks. Giants are notoriously skilled at rock-throwing. Marine could probably use these as an improvised weapon, but they're too large for the others... but anyone who wants a sack of rocks could just pick them up off the ground. There are plenty around. The giants probably just carry the satchels so they have some handy.
Marine is about to lose interest. So what if these Kholo were disappointed that the party did them a favour? There are always more damsels in distress to save. But then she hears something about a village and realises that her mouth is starting to feel dry and parched.
"Could they have water?" She thinks to herself. She forces herself to pay attention to the social encounter and investigate something useful about the Cactus Eaters.
Marine passes over the rings - fine clothing is one thing, but jewellery? They get in the way when dueling. She beelines for the scimitars and gives them a good few swings.
"I love swords and I can just buy the gleam of these scimitars that some of these tell are quite magical. Too big for anyone smaller than me to use well, though. Same goes for these rocks." Marine gives her expert appraisal.
Marine notes that several of the Cactus Eaters have small, portable musical instruments with them. She thinks the party may be able to connect with them by sharing methods of entertainment with the kholos to put them at ease.
"The giants have never been a problem before," one of the kholos tells Jayma irritably.
"Yeah, a lot of our people are afraid of them, but it's not because they've done anything wrong. They're a lot stronger then us, and it's scary because we've always known we'd lose if there was conflict, but... you're a lot stronger then us too, obviously, and you're not really scary."
"The giants who moved into those caves over the last few months are nasty though. This is the third time they've raided Cactus Eater villages and kidnapped people!"
"We were ready for them this time, though!"
The kholos reveal that they’d been hoping to trick the desert giants and volunteered to be captured, all to be brought into the giants’ lair in the Choke so the Cactus Eaters could then escape and seek their missing kin; even though the kholos understand they’ll be outclassed by the giants, they hope that the daring nature of the plan and the giants’ arrogance would even the odds.
As the giant lumbers off, the venerable Dr. Lazarus sighs and shakes his head. "The manners of youth these days..." Looking over the equipment, he says, "Now let's see about this jewelry."
The doctor quickly dismisses the trinkets as uninteresting, "As I suspected, these baubles are Doubling Rings." He adds, "Commonly found in second-hand stores. Which I try not to frequent." Clearly beneath him, he hands them to Jayma for record-keeping.
Turning his attention to the kholos, he realizes his personality can be ... off-putting ... to some. He tries to determine the best way to interact with them.
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Callistro perks up at the mention of mean giants. You mean there are other desert giants out here who arent mean? Why, this whole situation reminds me of the time when I played the hero, Jamira Puddlecluck. He was a half elven man on Kyonin who had come into conflict with a massive giant who lives on top of a mountain where he hoarded gold and jewels, which was important for Jamira as he had just sold the family's only cow in exchange for a faulty fulu.....
This story will go on for quite some time and involves him re-enacting his key scenes through the medium of dance and mime.....
When Jayma hears that the kholos like music and even brought instruments with them, she gets a little excited. She's no slouch at dancing, but seeing as Callistro had that side covered, she instead decides to sing a song. Jayma brings out her familiar Twyl, who hops down to the ground and starts chirping and clapping to accompany his mistress's dulcet voice.
"We came unseen with blade and fire.
And fell upon the giants dire.
All those not slain did turn and flee.
And now their slaves were once more free.
We’ve come to kill the Slumbering King,
And end the evil he would bring.
For he is our Swir-ly of yore,
And must be flushed away once more."
The doctor notes that most of the Cactus Eaters wear the symbol of Gozreh, and they often reference them in their expressions. They're clearly a fairly religious community, and showing respect for Gozren traditions may appeal to them.
The kholos are delighted by Callistro's performance, and seem to forget their troubles for the moment.
Jayma's performance may be a little less impressive, but there's something about her words that more then makes up for it.
"Have you really come to kill him?"
"You're going to the Choke? Can you rescue our missing kin? You're so powerful!"
"Do you think you can defeat the Slumbering king who's rallied the giants?"
The kholos don't know who or what the Slumbering King is, but do know the giants have been bringing kholos to the Choke as offerings to this mysterious monarch.
Dr. Lazarus responds, "Yes, we're going to The Choke. And yes, you can count on me and my colleagues to rescue your missing families."
As a self-proclaimed expert in religious studies, it's painfully obvious to the good Doctor that the kholos are devout followers of Gozreh. He says, "If I'm not mistaken ..." and under his breath he adds "...I so rarely am..." before continuing, " ...your people follow the wise teachings of the great Gozreh themself. Nodding knowingly, he concludes, "Who's no doubt extremely proud of your sacred understanding of the natural beauty of this land."
"A performance! This is my time to show off my patented centaur breakdancing!"
Marine thinks to herself excitedly as she sees the Cactus Eaters eat up Callistro's acting.
She prepares herself for the show by quickly whipping up some performance enhancing mutagens to improve her acrobatic ability. As she drinks the smooth silver liquid, the party and everyone around her can here the distinct sound of several bones snapping as the mutagen weakens her skeleton.
"Pay no attention to the sound of my ribs snapping. Ribs grow back!" Marine baselessly asserts.
"No zhey don't." Marine whispers to Dr Lazarus. "I could really use some medical attention after this."
Now all prepared to Perform, Marine shows off her acrobatic breakdancing skills. She attempts to pull off incredible flips, freezes and even the Windmill. Long, gangly horse legs go flying every which way. Her heavy plate armour (which miraculously stays on the entire time) smashes into the sand with every gyration, creating large plumes of sand that spray into the audience. For several long minutes, Marine frantically dances to the beat of Jayma's dulcet tunes.
Panting heavily from the exertion (and probably from the pain of snapping a few more bones), Marine stands up and awaits the Cactus Eater's rapturous applause.
Callistro, seeing Marine's rather laboured efforts, joins in with his own counterpoint moves. You see how we complement each other he says to the Kholo's. It is the same in battle, we work as a perfectly measured machine, move and counter move, perfectly aligned with one another under my particular directorial skills...
"Well, we weren't hiding it," says one of the kholos proudly, indicating the symbol of Gozreh dyed into the fur over his heart. The Cactus Eaters are more then willing to talk about their religious practices with the doctor. This does not seem immediately useful, but they are opening up more to the party and seem more at ease.
They are also very impressed and moderately alarmed by Marine's dancing.
Callistro steals the show, though, and they seem to be paying more attention to him. But the applause that follows is definitely for both dancers, probably.
The kholos start talking amongst themselves. They seem to be debating sharing something with the party, who they clearly find very impressive.
"It's a reward for their help!"
"They haven't actually done anything yet."
"Well, they saved us from the giants, sort of."
"There's a good chance our kin are already dead. If that's the news they bring to the village nobody will want to reward them, and that's not fair."
"I'm sure they can do it, so there's no harm in rewarding them now. And some of the items are useful, so if we give it to them now they can use it!"
Eventually the kholos come to a consensus. "We have a treasure cache and supplies hidden in the desert. It's a little out of your way, but we'd like to give it to you before you head into the Choke."
"You might want to rest up, first. It's about an hour's hike from here."
"There shouldn't be any danger on the way, but one's never completely sure of that in the desert."
Assuming the party accepts this offer...
The Cactus Eater warriors eagerly lead the party to their treasure cache, before departing for their own homes to the north. The cache, wrapped in camel's hide and tucked into a narrow niche at the base of a cliff, consist of four moderate elixirs of life, two potions of flying, and a type 1 spacious pouch filled with water and food in the form of unusually sweet-tasting cactus jerky. One piece of jerky is wrapped in red silk.
"That piece isn't just jerky, it's alchemically treated. If someone eats that, they won't need any other food or water for a full day. It'll also give them a lot of strength for a tough journey... though that part only lasts a few hours. I think in most places they make this with bread instead of jerky?"
"Yes," adds another with a nod, "It's called 'power journeybread'--though our alchemist adapted the recipe to work with cactus. We have more cactus then bread here."
As they head towards the hidden cache Callistro happily chats with the Kholos about their love of musical theatre. He regales them with the tales of his many performances around the Inner Sea and encourages them to come to Absalom to see his next event, even promising them free tickets.
On locating and being shown the cache he gingerly takes a piece of cactus. Finding it deliciously succulent he happily chews away on it. You should try some everyone, its delicious.
Amused by the kholos bickering amongst themselves, Dr. Lazarus smiles and assures them. "My dear fellows, you've been very kind. We will of course do everything we can to find your family and free them."
On the hike to the cache, the Doctor lectures on and on about the terrain, and the local flora and fauna. The kholos have stopped listening long ago, but Lazarus doesn't notice. This is typical.
When gifts are presented, Lazarus joins Callistro in trying the special jerky . Spying the flying potions, he says to his team, "As many of you know, I'm studying the art of flight. Alas, it's one of the few things I've not yet mastered." He asks, "In case it's needed, may I carry one of these potions?"
Before long, the Cactus Eaters say that they'd better return to their villages to make their reports. While it takes a bit of time, it's relatively easy for the adventurers to return to the riverbed from there and resume their journey.
The dry riverbed finally comes to an end at a bowl-shaped depression below a shaft worn into the mountainside, leading up to a cave entrance fifty feet above. A roughly twenty-foot-diameter circular platform of wood sits within this depression; six thick braided ropes leading up and over pulleys driven into the stone at the cave entrance reveals it to be a simple elevator. On a nearby wall, a message has been scrawled in charcoal in large handwriting. The wind whips and howls through the upper reaches, but at ground level, the air is strangely calm. To either side of the dry riverbed, a pair of wooden poles have been driven into the ground. Disturbingly familiar-looking figures clad in rags have been lashed to these poles.
Jayma finishes identifying the giants' equipment and entering it in her ledger. She does the same with the Kholo gifts.
At Callistro's prompting, Jayma also tries some of the cactus jerky. "You are quite correct, Callistro. This is positively delightful."
When Thurston asks to hold one of the Potions of Flying, Jayma has no objection. "I believe I shall take the other, as one never knows when the need should arise." She takes the remaining one and hands it to Twyl to tuck away in her sleeve.
Once they get to the entrance to the Choke, Jayma looks into the darkness and sees the circular platform and the disturbingly familiar figures lashed to the poles on either side of the dry riverbed. She frowns. "Those figures affixed to the poles... there is something unsettlingly familiar about them. I fear this does not bode well."
Despite wanting to approach for a better look at the figures, Jayma holds back and lets the more robust members of the party advance before her.
Callistro looks at the entrance with its poles and weirdly familiar figures. What is up with them? he says. Should we take a look at them, they could tell us something about the people here?
He starts heading towards the nearest one unless someone stops him.
Dr. Lazarus looks at the charcoal message on the wall.
The Doctor nods to Callistro, "Yes yes, my dear boy. Let's do take a closer look at these poles." He approaches with the magnificent one.
As he studies the strange figures, he points out obvious things like, "Notice how the cloak blows in from the east. Yes, yes, that's very telling."
If the figures on the poles are corpses, the good Doctor will want to take five minutes to do a quick autopsy to get more information.
Lazarus might be able to understand the writing once he gets closer, but he can't quite make it out from here.
He realizes that since the bodies are fully covered in loose clothing and hoods, it's impossible to identify individuals. He think they're probably kholos, but he can't even tell that much for certain. Which means the sense of familiarity doesn't make any sense, and is clearly magical.
It doesn't click that they're an occult trap that is part of the complex's defenses until after Callistro approaches--though once that happens he has an idea of how to disable them.
The closest of the bodies suddenly begins to writhe and shriek. Callisro suddenly realizes he knows exactly who it is! ...but then immediately recognizes that doesn't make any sense.
The figure keeps shrieking and shrieking, though the others remain still as stone. It looks up and stares directly at Callistro, and he catches a glimpse under its hood. With a start, he suddenly realizes he knows who it is again! It's... a dead kholo that he's never seen before. Kind of unfortunate (and gross), but not personally shocking at all.
Lazarus's turn.
Initiative:
Red Cruel Welcome (active)
Dr. Lazarus (AC 30, 105+5/105 HP)
Blue Cruel Welcome (inactive?)
Marine (AC 33, 162+5/162 HP)
Callistro (AC 30/32, 140/140 HP, cursebound 1)
Green Cruel Welcome (inactive?)
Jayma (AC 29, 107+5/107 HP)
Orange Cruel Welcome
Dr. Lazarus, a student of many magical disciplines, prides himself on his knowledge of the occult (along with other topics too numerous to mention here).
He immediately recognizes how to disable these traps. Although, it's interesting that he comes to his conclusion after Callistro shares with the group. "Yes, yes, dear boy, the trap is based in the occult. It's elementary."
The Doctor moves up to the nearest figure and begins working some occult magic.
Trap, what trap? What are you talking about. Its just a dead kkolo rustling in the wind. The giants probably put them here to encourage people to stay away.
As Dr. Lazarus reaches the first of the stakes, the corpse on the second also begins to writhe and shriek. The feeling of familiarity rises--but he immediately dismisses it.
He recognize the occult illusions woven into the trap and disables the underlying magic. The corpse is real, really tied to an upright stake. It is certainly a kholo. Determining the cause of death will take a few moments longer, particularly given that he can't see much of the body in its current position and clothing.
It's tied tightly, though. He doesn't see how it could have moved at all--the movement is entirely an illusion. It is an entirely dead body, not undead or animate in any way.
A convincing one, though, and now a second is screaming and writhing.
Marine and Callistro's turns.
Initiative:
Dr. Lazarus (AC 30, 105+5/105 HP)
Blue Cruel Welcome (inactive)
Marine (AC 33, 162+5/162 HP)
Callistro (AC 30/32, 140/140 HP, cursebound 1)
Green Cruel Welcome (active)
Jayma (AC 29, 107+5/107 HP)
Orange Cruel Welcome
Yes, these things might have some sort of basic illusion magic woven into them to scare the gullible away but they dont seem to do anything do they! he says, walking over to the second one.
See he says, poking at it.
As Callistro approaches, that one also begins to scream and strain at its bonds. Though it doesn't seem to do anything else.
Marine's turn.
Initiative:
Dr. Lazarus (AC 30, 105+5/105 HP)
Blue Cruel Welcome (active)
Marine (AC 33, 162+5/162 HP)
Callistro (AC 30/32, 139/140 HP, cursebound 1)
Green Cruel Welcome (active)
Jayma (AC 29, 107+5/107 HP)
Orange Cruel Welcome
See everyone, nothing to worry about!
Callistro mutters a quick spell of protection and wanders over to the next one.
It's close enough. The last one, begins to shriek and strain against its bonds... to no apparent effect. Perhaps they really are entirely harmless?
Marine's turn.
Initiative:
Dr. Lazarus (AC 30, 105+5/105 HP)
Blue Cruel Welcome
Marine (AC 33, 162+5/162 HP)
Callistro (AC 30/32, 139/140 HP, cursebound 1)
Green Cruel Welcome
Jayma (AC 29, 107+5/107 HP)
Orange Cruel Welcome
See everyone, I told you it was all fine. Just a minor bit of illusion magic to scare away the gullible.
"Illusion magic or not, I feel it's kinda disrespectful to leave these bodies unburied. Let's at least get them down off these poles." Marine calls back to Callistro.
As Callistro convinces her that these are harmless illusions, Marine Strides towards the Green pole and starts to untie some of the bindings holding it together.
Marine identifies small runes carved on the pole that focus the magic, and scratches them out.
Jayma's turn.
Initiative:
Dr. Lazarus (AC 30, 105+5/105 HP)
Blue Cruel Welcome
Marine (AC 33, 162+5/162 HP)
Callistro (AC 30/32, 139/140 HP, cursebound 1)
Jayma (AC 29, 107+5/107 HP)
Orange Cruel Welcome
Jayma watches the others approach the figures and listens as they explain the situation. She understands that they may dealing with some sort of occult trap involving illusion. After seeing Marine and Thurston disabling parts of the trap, she understands what needs to be done. She strides forward to one of the remaining figures and works her own version of occult magic to try and quieten the creature.