Athar's page

"Killing them while they're unconscious and we're in no immediate danger from them doesn't sit well with me. But even if we knock out all of them and leave them tied up, they'll still starve to death, and that's hardly more merciful."

Athar mulls over the situation a moment longer.

"Personally, I propose we take their weapons and armor, search the towers for any extras they've stored. We tell them they've a chance to choose a different life. We leave all but one tied up, knocking out the last. They'll no longer have any advantage over any travelers, and if, when we come back this way, they haven't taken the chance to change their ways and better themselves, we show less mercy than we have this time.

"I'm open to hearing other suggestions, though."

Once Joneth definitively ends the battle, Athar hastens to channel some healing magic into the injured Ty.

CLW 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"The cloak is more important, true. When we leave, though, we'll obviously fall under attack again. I don't think in and of itself dealing with these men would cost us much time - but recovering the resources we spend to clearing them out... Though we do have the advantage now that if they want to approach us, they'll have come to us, now that we've taken the tower. Sir Rose, if you would take up watch with your bow at the ready?"

I confess I'm a little confused. AoOs trigger when you leave threatened squares, not when you enter them, right? So if Ty moves to a square where they're in squares he threatens, then at what point did he leave squares they threatened, given neither of them have reach weapons?

Trusting Thanephos to rally their allies, Athar lends a minor blessing of his own to Ty, well aware the stalwart man will no doubt put himself on the front lines.

Guidance on Ty.

Map 32

If I'm reading your statblock right, Daniel should factor in the +1 to his attack roll from guidance, for a total of 17.

Advancing past the downed dog to aid his companions, Athar leaves a minor blessing on Thanephos, leaving some small measure of aid for the one among them left most exposed.

Guidance on Thanephos, since Joneth is unlikely to need to make an attack roll/skill check/saving throw during the enemy round with the dog down and Thanephos is the one in the most vulnerable position of us.

Map29

Alexis, it looks like maybe your map might not have saved your movement?

Okay, I'm thinking that I'll move so I'm beside Ty, blocking the dog from closing with Thanephos, since he's got his bow out, and then use guidance on Joneth to give him a little boost for attacking the doggy. I don't want to cut off Alexis, though, if she wants to get inside first. So ideally Joneth would hold off on acting until Athar gets the guidance off, assuming he plans on attacking.

Resigned, the oracle lets a swift orison fall from his lips, lending steadiness to the archer, his magic now reaching farther than it could have before the events the day prior, no longer needing to touch. Still, if he withdrew into the cover of the tower, it would be too far for his spell to reach, and so he remains a target alongside his comrades, reluctantly drawing his weapon, all too ready for the hail of arrows and the dog's aggression to continue.

Cast guidance on Daniel. 5 ft step, draw shortspear.

Map 24

Does the unarmored traveler appear to have any lethal injuries from the dog attack? Does he seem like he's in bad shape?

Taking note that the archers seem to be focusing on the companions nearer the tower, Athar advances with them, should they need healing. However, as if to emphasize that he means no harm, he puts away his weapon. He knows well by now that to speak now would only hurt their cause - for in the heat of battle, only he can speak only in the devil's tongue - something he planned to mention to his compatriots sooner and now regrets lacking the wisdom of having not done so already. But he hopes perhaps actions will speak where words dare not.

Double move so I'm still close enough to heal those who were targeted last round by the attacks, putting away my weapon as I move.

Map 15

Here, still! I'm alive! Apologies, it was a busy weekend. I'll get to posting ASAP.

Athar mulls over the answers Tolion provides, regretful that he didn't sooner think to ask whether the divine spell Tolion cast before his passing was granted by Aroden or Masoumi. Then again, such an answer, in the end, would have been less useful to them than the one Sir Rose asked, and Athar can live with his idle curiosity unsatisfied.

Still... to have been touched by the divine of Aroden? How? Was the god no longer dead? Or had Aroden become something else? Could a god become... undead? Or was it some lingering divine magic of Aroden's that had persisted beyond his demise?

Whatever the case - and whatever his reservations about the clergy of Iomedae - he accepts the potions and holy water, even offering a polite, "Thank you."

So we each get 3 potions and 1 holy water, but we have only one key for the whole party, and Thanephos is holding it, yes?

Initiative looks right.

I'm fine hanging in back for the march, but once we get into the dungeon I'd prefer to be a bit closer to the action.

Color spray has a very short range, and my movement per round is only 20 ft. Admittedly, for now I'll need to spend mythic power to cast color spray (inspired spell lets you cast mystery spells, as long as they're of a level I can cast, even if I can't cast color spray from my spell slots yet).

Thoughts from my fellow party members?

"I suppose getting to know those I'll be working with and their talents and tactics wouldn't be an unwise use of my time."

Once dinner is wrapped up and we part ways, Athar goes off on his own to gather information with regards to Genedair, and any history he can learn about the church's use of the cloak of the Inheritor while it was in their possession.
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
hours spent: 1d4 ⇒ 3
... Well I guess Athar learns absolutely nothing.

"I didn't leave out anything deliberately, no." This was too important a matter to hold anything back. "Did you or anyone else catch a glimpse of anything more than what I saw?"

Athar meets Genedair's gaze evenly, but declines to press his point with the priest further. Offering one final glance toward Albar Tolion, he gives the priest a small nod. Tolion spent his last breaths to warn them of a dire evil.

"Tomorrow morning, then," he assents.

Still, there's plenty to be done between now and the morrow's dawn... yet Athar finds Alexis seemingly waiting for the rest of them, just outside the temple.

"Lady Von Brant?"

In contrast with the others, Athar hesitates. He's loath to leave such a potent artifact in the hands of the Chelaxians, but he's equally loath to draw such attention to himself. The Chelaxians have held such a wonder for centuries now, without using it to darker ends - at least, not that anyone had spoken of. Perhaps they could not use it, or perhaps they simply kept its use a secret, for fear it would be stolen from them, just as it had been stolen from the faithful of Iomedae.

If it were not for the vision, perhaps he would not have lent such credence to Tolion's pleas, but remembering the vivid images that flashed through his mind, Athar finds his resolve.

"I will retrieve the Inheritor's cloak, but not for a reward - not for you. Your friend, Albar Tolion, told us that there was a great evil in the Cathedral before he spoke of the cloak of Iomedae. Your god would not have left behind a relic of such power so it could be treated like some precious jewel to be admired. It was always meant to be used. And I think it is needed now. In lieu of reward, I ask that it be used to seek out the evil that resides in the Starstone Cathedral. If these terms are unacceptable, know I will seek it on my own without your blessing. I will not have your reverence for your god endanger those who might already be imperiled by whatever lurking evil Tolion witnessed and spent his final breaths to warn us of."

"More importantly, it looked like Tolion cast a spell before he made his pronouncement. It might just have been the ability to create a lightless flame that Masoumi gave to all humans present, though."

Athar nods toward Daniel. "He gave Sir Rose his holy symbol, and as he did, I had a vision. I cannot speak as to whether I was alone in this - I cast a spell on him, healing, though it did nothing more than ease his passing.

"There were four images in rapid succession. First, I witnessed Absalom from above as it rose from the seas, as if I were flying. Next, I saw Desna laughing and Irori perplexed by her joy. Third, a beautiful angel - or something that took the appearance of a resplendent angel, radiant with light. Finally... pain." He feels a touch self-conscious. None of the other five have spoken of having any visions, though Thanephos mentioned feeling as if he'd been changed, just as Athar himself feels changed, different.

The opulence of the temple does not impress the prodigal scion of Cheliax's nobility - instead, it leaves him uncomfortable. It strikes him as unnecessary, wasteful, to glorify a god with a statue studded with gemstones when the wealth could have been spent for the less fortunate or on resources to fight the myriad evils that beset Avistan.

Still, he supposes, at least one of theirs cares for the passing of the priest.

"I am called Athar."

Despite having obviously used some healing magic to ease the passing of Tolion, Athar is bereft of any and all holy symbols, with nothing at all to signal a faith in any divinity - most unusual for a healer. Like the others, he bears armor and arms, a shortspear and a shield, but what he wears is not so striking or so memorable as his beauty. His ebony hair falls to his shoulders in ringlets, his lips red as blood, his skin white as snow.

Nothing he was not capable of before. Knowing himself that sometimes the touch of the gods comes at a price, he wonders if others in the crowd will find the same is true for them, now that they have been touched by Masoumi.

"Yes. I can understand the reluctance, of course."

Forgot before but auto-success on the Knowledge religion check even on a natural 1, and Knowledge local untrained, so I can't make those checks no matter how high I roll.

I cannot help but feel that I've received some kind of power, I can't quite describe it, but it is as if I have, in some small way, begun to ascend. Am I going insane, or do you feel it as well?

"You are not alone," Athar assures the man. "I feel it, too. And there was a glimpse of some strange vision... did you share that as well?"

As Masoumi's blessings rain down on those present, Athar observes the five gathered around Tolion and the differences in Masoumi's generosity. Tieflings are not unknown in Cheliax, and, at least to Athar, her horns and tail mark her as planetouched. The absence of light is telling - it's obvious that Masoumi has withheld his magnanimity from non-humans... but even Alexis, of human blood, is denied, because the new god does not deem her blood pure enough. Athar cannot say he feels this bodes anything but ill - though perhaps, he considers, he is allowing Tolion's final words to color her perceptions.

In turn, Athar cups his own hands, even as a woman approaches, the title of Iomedae on her lips...

"Would you all be willing to come with us, back to the Seventh Church? If Albar Tolion truly did make contact with Aroden, and had a vision of some kind, His Grace, Genedair the Faithful, would wish to hear of it, from as many witnesses as possible."

"If the Genedair you speak of has a priest with sufficiently adept proficiency, he might be able to hear answers from Albar Tolion himself. But I am not opposed to going with you, if not."

Dammit. My reply just got eaten. /tries again

Athar shakes his head, expression solemn at the passing of the priest. "You need not apologize, I assure you. I am afraid that little short of a miracle of the highest order or druidic magic could now retrieve him. His passing is not an injury that could be healed - his span of time in this mortal coil has ended. I have done all I can for him." Though some measure of new power had flooded him, he instinctively understood that bringing back the deceased was still far beyond his power.

Though Athar was hesitant to loiter too long in one place, there was something strangely compelling about Tolion's words, given credence by the vision. Had the man given him a gift for his kindness? Had it been a result of bearing witness to the triumph of Hazim Masoumi? Had using his divine magic at that moment called to some sympathy from the Starstone?

Whatever the truth was... "... Far be it from me to deny a man's final wish." If what he spoke of was true, then only those here gathered knew the truth. The others might have some greater authority to turn to, to appeal to - Athar did not. Perhaps if he did, he might have sought out someone capable of casting a spell that would allow one to question the dead, but for now, he turned to glance at the triumphant Masoumi, taking measure of the man - or was it the measure of a god he was taking, now?

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

"I'm a healer." Athar doesn't raise his voice as he draws close.

Perhaps if Aroden truly has returned, Cheliax could once more be the nation it was in those operas Armand once so delighted in - but Athar isn't sure that Cheliax deserves to be that nation again. The greater implications and repercussions are brushed aside, however, in favor of that which is before him - an ailing old man in need of aid.

There is someone in front of him who needs help.

Athar's hand reaches out, alighting on the aged priest's hand, magic flowing through the touch. "I am afraid that a balm for the affliction of age is beyond my skill," he confesses. There isn't a thought to what he may be missing by turning his attention away from Hazim Masoumi. If Hazim Masoumi could not understand how precious a life was, greater in import than glory, then he would not be a divninity Athar could choose to follow.

Cure light wounds?

Alright then.