Aru also dismounts and offers his mount to Yaziyah and Kali. Both were strong independent women, but it was still the right thing to do. No matter what, Aru still had a glimmer of chivalry buried deep inside.
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"Viciously crazed creatures..." Aru says, as he approaches the dead beasts. "Always a cautionary tale on the abuses of magic."
It is just by dumb luck that Aru's horse doesn't disappear since he was fully affected by the lightning. Taking an old compass from his pocket, Aru tries to remember the chilling cold of the Land of the Linnorm Kings, the wind against his cheeks, the snow falling in the morning and finally the sun reflecting from the snowflakes. A single snow flake materializes between the chimeras and explode, coating them in a shimmering layer of bright white colored glitter.
"The fewer days we need to spend in this weather, the better. Our people has learned a lot how to survive it, but this is not something to be taught easily. While I believe I could guide you, complications do tend to appear here and there." Their new companion and the bullet being very good examples.
"Well, sit with us then, so you can also have rocks on your ass. Welcome to the Plateau. And we even have tea, but it is far from decent... like all teas." Aru offers, before sitting again.
"Vera, how certain are you this letter actually came from Vera?"
"If she wanted you, or us, dead right now, she'd have shot one of us when the landshark attacked." Aru chimes in, sitting back against a rock. His feet were a bit sorrow from all the walking on the badlands. "Well, that if we assume she operates with a modicum of logic and sense... which could not be the case considering her clothes."
Walking around Kaer Maga, Aru remains quiet and wary for some reason. He takes in the colourful and strange places and people, but doesn't comment, and the same can be said about Goro. He pays no mind to the slaves being sold in the market, but looks between the buildings and the alleys as if looking for something else. He is annoyed but the owner of the Canary House, as he is always presentable no matter what. --- Throughout most of the meeting, Aru seems distant and lost. He doesn't know this Laori as the others and doesn't particularly like this Shadowcount. Once a deal has been struck, however, he shares a couple words. "I indeed am part Shoanti and I've travelled the Plateau and the Cinderlands many times. I've broke horah with the Sklar-Quah and I've danced with the Lyrune-Quah." He shares and boasts, slightly. "I'm confident in my ability to guide you in my people's harsh lands." He has more to say, but not in the presence of the Kuthites. "If our dealings here are concluded, I'd rather leave Kaer Maga sooner rather than later."
As the man starts with his shenanigans and their guide has to tie him up, Aru approaches the man and whispers to him. "Here me out, mate. There are spirits around us and I'm specially attuned to them. My hand is, in fact, possessed by one such entity. Some spirits are murderous and vengeful. Others are just plain weird, you know? And we are heading for the City of Strangers. So should you not shut up and follow the rules, it will be my utter pleasure to strike a bargain to a particularly nasty spirit and ask them to lick and tickle your b%~*@#!! everytime you are to take a dump."
In a list of the most undignified and ridiculous things, fighting against your own hand is probably on the top ten. "F$~@ of Goro!" He says as he finally tucks his hand under his left armpit. Later, when Shale asks them to run, Aru adds. "With haste!" When they arrive and the Adrian guy is freed, Aru makes a tight circle with left hand, licks it discreetly, and winks at him. A+&##*&.
"We shall be fine if we stick to the path. So let's do just that."
As they wait, Aru takes a notebook of his own and starts to pose Goro an assortment of questions, as if brainstorming about a hot topic. As they are about to leave, he then tries to make sense of it.
"It is considerably more dangerous, of course." Aru points out. "Basically the very nature of every shortcut ever devised or still to be devised." "You want the safe route, you take the long path of the Yondabakari. You want speed, you don't care for passing close to the creepy undercity, and you don't mind your legs twitching for a day or two, you go up the Halflight path."
Goro gives Trinia a thumbs up when she asks if he wants her to come. As they leave to buy supplies, Aru points out some choices, specially about the need to heavy cloaks, veils and hats to block the scorching sun and the biting wind of the plateau. "You city folks will love it." He lies. --- As the hippogriffs approach, Aru squints his eyes against the sun to try to figure out what is happening.
She looks at Aru. "How's your geography?" "My geography? Oh, I think you are moving way too fast, miss. We've not even had dinner together..." He jokes.
"The Akashic Records are surprisingly vague about Kazavon, but it backs what Neolandus have shared. I've got a sense that records about him were hidden or erased, but that is merely a conjecture." Aru shares, getting to his feet. "I've heard rumors about the church of The Spanked One actually trying to contain Kazavon, collecting any related artifacts and bringing them to Nidal, But those are just rumors, so take that with a grain of salt." "I agree it is very likely that the fangs of Kazavon and the Midnight's Teeth are one and the same, but I don't know more about it... and there are likely more artifacts made of other parts, but that is also merely a conjecture."
Marcus's frown turns into a sneer. "We don't all have the luxury of occupying the back line." Goro makes a 'no' with his finger and Aru translates. "It is neither a luxury nor a privilege, but the result of important choices made that culminated to such an advantage. Goro would say." Aru then busies himself with looking for a cup and then sits on the ground. He takes an old compass from a pocket, opens it and them moves the cup, presumably thanks to some reading he is doing. Once he finds the right spot, the cup fills with water. Aru then touches it with his golden gauntlet, swirls it and takes a sip, followed by him consulting his book. "Hum, did you know the word 'impregnable' has its origin tied to a fortress so well secured that a sieging enemy was unable to break in even after bashing the main gate with a massive ram?" He lies.
"I'd rather avoid this trip if possible, just because... it will be a chore and I'm admittedly lazy. So, please, do not interrupt me for ten minutes."
"Hey girl, how are you doing?" Aru asks Trinia and gives her a hug, then Goro shakes her hand. "Looks like you've got some extra scars here and there, uh? Don't advise being hit in the first place."
Level UP! HP: +5 HD, +2 Con
Mental Focus: +2
As they run aground, Aru gets closer to Vera. "Marcus is being too simplistic about fate. You either believe in it or you don't, like religion or an oath, so you can't disbelieve it when it suits you." He turns to Marcus and shrugs. "No offense." He brushes her hair and in a twist of his hand there are two of her cards in there: the twin and the joker. "Perhaps I'm supposedly the twin take your place for now, but remember that the joker is a poor substitute at best."
"F*$%!" Is all Aru can say when the ghost manifests and he falls from the barge. Ashamed, he gets back aboard once he realizes what happened and dries himself with magic.
So Bahor was dead, and Aru reappears by Vimanda's side. "I must confess that I considered betraying you after Bahor was dealt with, considering this very moment will probably be your most vulnerable one." "That was short-sighted on my part, though." He says, offering his non-possessed hand for her to shake. "In the ideal world, we'd kill you and free the city from your soon to be organization of criminals... but we are far from being in an ideal world." "If there is to be someone in charge of your organization, I'd rather be you than some anarchist."
Aru escapes the grasping skeletal hands in the last moment. He then zips forward in the direction Bahor is fleeing and stands by the door.
Aru zips through the garden and closes the doors before Bahor can escape.
Aru flies over the fountain and readies himself in case Bahor tries to cast spells.
Meanwhile, the demon steps back and once more tries to deplete Bahor's magic protections.
Aru smiles as his plan to waste Bahor's turn with the illusionary version of Vera indeed works. He then flies across the garden and once more focus on finding him.
Meanwhile, the babau with the goat on his back moves towards a bush and then tries to destroy another one.
Aru flies by Vera and whispers to her. "Could you hide for a moment?" He then checks his tracker on Bahor and ascertains he is still in the garden. This isn't going well, but in truth he did not expect this whole thing to be trivial. Quite the opposite. Having observed Vera using her space altering magic, Aru duplicates it for a moment, and in the middle of the garden a fake dimension door opens and an angry version of Vera steps through it, looking around for Bahor.
--- This wasn't going well enough, so Aru flies away and behind Vimanda, eyeing her waveblade. At the opportune moment, he touches it causing it to shine with holy might. "This will be uncomfortable for a bit, but now you have the means to grab what you want. And your brother is there, so go after him as you wanted."
The babau keeps his distance from the rakshasa's but still in range to mess with them with his longspear. Looking at Bahor, he frowns and curses as he tries to deal with this magic.
That was close. Aru was harmed by a spell just because he happened to be on the wrong place at the wrong time, so better to position himself out of harms way again. Finding himself behind Marcus, he concentrates. The shadow of tree branches that create monsters on a wall, Goro's arm around his shoulders, his reflection on a calm lake. Things that feel to be there, but aren't. he touches Marcus, causing his image to shift.
Meanwhile, the babau follows Bahor into the courtyard, but keeps its distance. He looks intently, as if waiting for something.
Still invisible, Aru pictures something horrible in his mind while focusing on his magical ring. He thinks of suffering and blood. Nasty feelings cause a chill down his spine, not because what he was about to do was wrong, but just because even visualizing it in his head was troublesome. By the Grey Maiden, an emaciated figure that resembles a horned human skeleton smothered within a bone-tight hide of slimy and bloody leather. A longspear in its hands and the carcass of a dead goat on its shoulder.
"As we go in, and this is important, remember that goats, while creepy, aren't evil. Some might even help us."
Before the Bralani vanishes, she also helps with healing the others.
--- Still invisible and silent, Aru looks for traps on the locks and then works on them.
So this was taking longer than he had expected and the second Marai was extra bothersome. With a moment of focus fiddling with his golden ring, Aru thinks about the winds of the Storval Plateau. The shadows in the garden then swirl to forma a being made partially of wind, but also with elvish features, an azata for those in the know. Without wasting too much time, the azata frowns and sends a blast of wind towards the evil rakshasas.
With the combat somewhat handled, Aru flies around and circles his companions, whispering to them. "Bahor is upstairs, somewhere."
Before anything, Aru turns to Vera. "Vera, my dear, would you mind storing the gifted ring in your magical haversack?" Aru sits and concentrates on his jeweled gauntlet and his gold ring, touching the two to each other. Visually, nothing happens, but inside his mind, he is changing his mental focuses. His shape then distorts a bit, obfuscated by his ring's illusions . Aru heads over to Marcus and Yaziah, touching their weapons with his gauntlet . A swirling sphere is once again created, with him jumping over it and then disappearing from sight . "You may not see me, but I'm still here to help." Once they are ready to open the trapdoor, Aru touches their weapons again, summoning the image of Rürel, the ancient axe of King Dorokar Three-Stones, again. Sure, it was only of a kind, but it should not be an issue. Hopefully. "As we go in, and this is important, remember that goats, while creepy, aren't evil. Some might even help us."
The moment the trap door closes, Aru takes flight in silence and then concentrates to form in his head the image of one of Bahor's jewelry
"I agree with Magda. Considering the last fight we took and how close it was, I'm not comfortable with the odds of us being capable of beating Glorio. If he is the leader of the family, the most logic notion is that he is stronger than both the priest and Vimanda." "Aside from giving the two the option of deciding for their own lives, which I believe to be only fair, it frees us to actually have choices in the following conflict... if they are behind, our only choice is to win." Aru is clearly worried. He is tired as well. "If they want to leave, I can make them invisible for a while."
The hound keeps hampering the rakshasa, trying to give Marcus an upper hand.
Meanwhile, Aru tries to reach Yaziah, moving through the snow, while keeping an eye on the enemy in case he tries another spell.
Grumor, the hound archon, gets his blade stuck on the throne as he tries to help Yaziah. Perhaps he is missing his companion to much. Perhaps he just wasn't one of the most skilled fellows among his kind.
Still very wounded and worried, Aru stays put. Goro rummages Aru's pack for a healing draught while Aru keeps his focus on the enemy. Spells were nasty stuff.
The archon wounded by the icy storm goes after the snake, but gets brutally bitten instead. The other keeps his focus on the rakshasa, but knowing he is not a match, instead he tries to help Marcus.
Pretty wounded, Aru retreats to the corner of the room and hearing about the rakshasa's plan of freezing them again, he readies himself to foil it.
With one of the snakes dead, one archon rushes towards the rakshasa while the other keeps fighting the brown snake.
Aru rushes inside to get away from the icy area and since he can't reach Marcus yet, he at least tries to mess with the enemy.
Nasty spell, mostly because Aru never really liked cold weather. His hand was a bit shaky as Goro takes a golden ring from his finger and starts to spin it, causing red lines of a foreign language to appear on its inside.
Inside the temple, a portal emerges and from within two soldiers emerge in immaculate armor, both with canine faces. "Zortak is here to serve." One speaks and barks at the closest snake. "To honor our deal, I, Grumor, lend my blade as well." Both of them then step towards the snakes to attack with the fury of Heaven.
Aura of Menace:
Aura of Menace (Su) A righteous aura surrounds archons that fight or get angry. Any hostile creature within a 20-foot radius of an archon must succeed on a Will save to resist its effects. The save DC varies with the type of archon, is Charisma-based, and includes a +2 racial bonus. Those who fail take a –2 penalty on attacks, AC, and saves for 24 hours or until they successfully hit the archon that generated the aura. A creature that has resisted or broken the effect cannot be affected again by the same archon's aura for 24 hours.
"Be careful Maiden... you seem very sinkable."
"A reefclaw? What would that be? A beast perhaps?" He asks the rakshasa, musing for options. "If it is hungry, we could perhaps throw the darksphinx's body in the water to buy us enough time escape."
So. Many. Traps. Some people say the best way to deal with trauma is facing it, which wasn't false, but the fact was that it wasn't something easy to do. By the time he finished disarming the deadly contraption with the many swords, his hands were visibly shaking. He had also shut up, which wasn't usual as well.
"And I'm Aru of the Wandering Hand, Pathfinder in leave and currently assisting your friends here." He says, offering him his left hand to shake. Goro offers Aru's right one in turn. "Now, if we could get away from this dungeon, that would be great."
"Hum, lets get this done then." Aru says, following Marcus and Magda.
Even if it was easier, some help was always nice.
The place was pretty cramped. The Maiden was doing a great job at hiding behind her shield and Sivit seemed pretty angry at Vimanda, which wasn't bad at all. Should he help her? His guts would be screaming no for sure, so instead he chills and works on the lever, making sure it is unlocked just in case they need it to rotate in an emergency.
"Much like a diapers, when trust is soiled, there is not really walk-around." Aru comments, not liking the path this was taking. He could not forget one thing his old mentor Eshra used to tell him: when an enemy gives you two choices, your best bet is coming up with a third one. "I'm also tired of your games and I'd rather flip the table." "I have a proposition for you, Vimanda: you leave us be and we'll do the same for you. We don't want your help in rescuing Vencarlo. In fact, if you could just leave your own labyrinth, that would be great. Should we overcome it or succumb, that would be on us." He says. "In return for your not help, if we get out of here alive, we'll do what we can to let you and Bahor face each other with no outside interference." "Interested?"
"So Glorio is stronger than you?"
There was a lot going on and apparently the Arkonas' lies were unending. "Vimanda. What is your game?" To say he was annoyed was an understatement, specially because he was proven right when he warned the others they were playing a game without knowing the rules and were just pieces on a board. He could not pick deceit in her words, but from all they've heard, he decided to rather trust his logic mind than his hunch about her honesty. "You've tried to pass as Vencarlo and trick us into leaving this place, which clashes with your brother's insistence of us coming down here." He muses. "You are not on Glorio's side, if you say he is a rakshasa and wants to sick us against him. If you are his sister, then you are also a rakshasa and unlike your brother, I'm completely sure you are a trickster and evil." "Thinking about it, Glorio sent us to rescue Vencarlo, while you wanted us to leave without him..." Using the old the enemy of my enemy thinking, it seemed Glorio was the ally again.
"Thing is, Mister Vencarlo, something is off with how you managed to not be affected by that evil spell." He says, while willing a spectral hand to appear in front of the sphinx's eyes as he tries to poke them!
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