Searching the trio of figures reveals that the three are two elven males and one elven female, though their coloration looks like no elf you have likely ever seen. The female has dusky purple skin, red eyes without any pupils, and white hair; the two males have coal black skin and white eyes (likewise without pupils), and one has silver hair while the other has white hair. The trio are armored in chain shirts that seem to have been treated with something so that they do not reflect light, and each is attired in a dark grey cloak and garments dyed in various shades of dark colors: black, grey, blue, purple, etc.
Policing their weapons and equipment comes up with the following:
If detect magic is used, the following are revealed as magical:
* an elven curve blade
* 13 arrows
* a mithral chain shirt
* a composite longbow
* a ring
* a cloak
* 2 rapiers
* 2 hand crossbows
* 20 crossbow bolts
* 2 chain shirts
In addition, the following nonmagical items are found:
There is also a kit in the leader's backpack that contains three vials.
Craft (alchemy), Heal, or Knowledge (nature) DC 20:
These are antifungal salves which can be used to remove the effects of fungi like the basidironds you fought in the entrance chamber of the tower. The kit itself is a sporecrafting kit.
Thankfully, the poison’s save DC is only 13, so you’ll both be free of its effects after 1 minute. Wymarc also stabilizes without any outside assistance at -2 hp.
The dim light spoils Jaakko's aim and his flail sails wide. Roderick tosses out a pair of bombs, and although the dark figure is able to duck behind the battered-and-beaten table to avoid the first bomb blast, he is unable to dodge the second. In fact, the explosion slams him against the table, and he crumples to the ground, lifeless. In a cruel irony, the blast of the explosion also extinguished the flames that would likely have killed him in a few more seconds anyway.
Combat over.
Wymarc and Shido, give me another Fortitude save each to see if you shake off the poison's effects after 1 minute or if you're unconscious for 2d4 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6 hours. Also, someone may want to stabilize Wymarc. (Give me a CON check to see if you're able to stabilize on your own, too).
Suussmaar -13 (entangled)
Ki Chin -67 (unconscious, stable)
Blue Baddy -74
Grey Baddy (burning) -93
Roderick
Wymarc -48 (unconscious, dying, sleep poison)
Shido -34 (unconscious, sleep poison)
Jaakko Red Baddy -82
Shido succumbs to the poison and slumps over Tobikuma's shoulder, leaving Glorymane out of position. The owlbear needs little prompting, however, and only the cover provided by the petrified wood table spares the remaining dark figure from a grisly end. Still entangled, Suussmaar is at least able to fight off the poison's drowsiness.
Roderick and Jaakko are up!
Notes: *The baddies dropped back behind the petrified wooden tables they were hiding behind after their actions (they have a stand up talent that allows this as a free action at any point during their turn). The tables provide them with cover.
*There are thick mats of fungi throughout the room, and squares containing the fungus are extremely difficult to traverse; each square is treated as both an obstacle and difficult terrain, requiring 4 squares of movement to move 5 feet. This fungus is a natural growth, which allows creatures with woodland stride to navigate it without penalty.
*Dim light is present throughout the room, and light from both magical and non-magical sources seem to be absorbed by the strange glowing crystals in the room. All targets have a 20% miss chance from concealment if you do not possess Darkvision or low-light vision.
Suussmaar -13 (entangled, 2 FORT saves needed)
Ki Chin -67 (unconscious, stable)
Blue Baddy -74
Grey Baddy (burning) -93
Roderick
Wymarc -48 (unconscious, dying, 2 FORT saves needed)
Shido -34 (FORT save needed)
Jaakko Red Baddy -82
Though stabilized, Ki Chin remains unconscious. Meanwhile, Suussmaar launches another volley of arrows at the pair of dark figures. The first trio strike true, and a melodic, feminine voice escapes the figure's lips as she collapses. An additional arrow lodges itself in the surviving figure, though the figure is able to twist aside in time to dodge a final arrow.
Still aflame, the figure seems to notice Wymarc and taunts in Elven, "Nan, mellonlle na Edain?!"
Elven:
"So now the high-and-mighty elves consort with lesser beings--how the mighty are fallen!"
He lobs a pair of arrows at the elf, and both find their mark. Electricity crackles over Wymarc's form with each impact, and the elven archer collapses. The figure then turns his attention to Suussmaar, sending an additional two arrows his way. Between his kind's resistance to electricity and the warding bone hovering nearby, the two arrows do only minor harm, although drowsiness from their poisons creeps in on the edges of Suussmaar's consciousness.
Roderick, Wymarc, Shido, and Jaakko are up!
Notes:
*The baddies dropped back behind the petrified wooden tables they were hiding behind after their actions (they have a stand up talent that allows this as a free action at any point during their turn). The tables provide them with cover.
*There are thick mats of fungi throughout the room, and squares containing the fungus are extremely difficult to traverse; each square is treated as both an obstacle and difficult terrain, requiring 4 squares of movement to move 5 feet. This fungus is a natural growth, which allows creatures with woodland stride to navigate it without penalty.
*Dim light is present throughout the room, and light from both magical and non-magical sources seem to be absorbed by the strange glowing crystals in the room. All targets have a 20% miss chance from concealment if you do not possess Darkvision or low-light vision.
Suussmaar (entangled) -6
Ki Chin -67 (unconscious, stable, CON check needed) Blue Baddy -74
Grey Baddy (burning) -28
Roderick
Wymarc
Shido -34 (FORT save needed)
Jaakko
Red Baddy -38
Wymarc's arrow wings out of the darkness and embeds itself in the nearer figure's shoulder. Shido's lance lances out of the magical darkness as well, but the figure is able to sidestep the blow easily. Meanwhile, Jaakko uses a wand to heal Ki Chin.
That same figure takes a step back and fires his crossbow twice at the owlbear-riding nagaji. The first bolt misses, but the second pierces the snake-man through a gap in his armor--this bolt, too, carries with it a jolt of electricity and the urge to sleep.
Suussmaar is up!
Notes:
*The baddies dropped back behind the petrified wooden tables they were hiding behind after their actions (they have a stand up talent that allows this as a free action at any point during their turn). The tables provide them with cover.
*There are thick mats of fungi throughout the room, and squares containing the fungus are extremely difficult to traverse; each square is treated as both an obstacle and difficult terrain, requiring 4 squares of movement to move 5 feet. This fungus is a natural growth, which allows creatures with woodland stride to navigate it without penalty.
*Dim light is present throughout the room, and light from both magical and non-magical sources seem to be absorbed by the strange glowing crystals in the room. All targets have a 20% miss chance from concealment if you do not possess Darkvision or low-light vision.
@Wymarc and Shido: The area inside the darkness effect is pitch-black to anyone without Darkvision; the rest of the room is dim light. Do you two want to try something else instead? If not, give me a d100 roll each, as your targets will have total concealment against you.
Retcon on Ki Chin's concealment results: Ki Chin's blade strikes true, dealing a nasty gash to the dark figure. A moment later, the bowman's arrows strike the magus down.
Immediately after that, Roderick-the-gargoyle flies in and drops a bomb on the pair of dark figures. It explodes, setting the bowman on fire, though the other figure is able to throw his cloak up in time to shield himself from the blast (evasion).
Initiative - Round 1
Suussmaar (entangled) -6
Ki Chin -77 (unconscious, dying)
Blue Baddy -74
Grey Baddy (burning) -28
Roderick
Wymarc
Shido -15
Jaakko
Red Baddy -26
Wymarc, Shido, and Jaakko are up!
Notes: *The baddies dropped back behind the petrified wooden tables they were hiding behind after their actions (they have a stand up talent that allows this as a free action at any point during their turn). The tables provide them with cover.
*There are thick mats of fungi throughout the room, and squares containing the fungus are extremely difficult to traverse; each square is treated as both an obstacle and difficult terrain, requiring 4 squares of movement to move 5 feet. This fungus is a natural growth, which allows creatures with woodland stride to navigate it without penalty.
*Dim light is present throughout the room, and light from both magical and non-magical sources seem to be absorbed by the strange glowing crystals in the room. All targets have a 20% miss chance from concealment if you do not possess Darkvision or low-light vision.
Thank you for pointing that out- Jaakko should be just after Shido.
Initiative - Round 1
Suussmaar (entangled) -6
Ki Chin -77 (unconscious, dying)
Blue Baddy -74
Grey Baddy
Roderick
Wymarc
Shido -15
Jaakko
Red Baddy
Roderick, Wymarc, Shido, and Jaakko are up!
Notes: *The baddies dropped back behind the petrified wooden tables they were hiding behind after their actions (they have a stand up talent that allows this as a free action at any point during their turn). The tables provide them with cover.
*There are thick mats of fungi throughout the room, and squares containing the fungus are extremely difficult to traverse; each square is treated as both an obstacle and difficult terrain, requiring 4 squares of movement to move 5 feet. This fungus is a natural growth, which allows creatures with woodland stride to navigate it without penalty.
*Dim light is present throughout the room, and light from both magical and non-magical sources seem to be absorbed by the strange glowing crystals in the room. All targets have a 20% miss chance from concealment if you do not possess Darkvision or low-light vision.
No, the red foe is down and his icon shouldn't be visible on Slide 1. Ki Chin is the one adjacent to the red/yellow foe. Ki Chin's is the one that looks like Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshi.
Ki Chin's eyes betray him in the dim lighting, and his longsword passes through air where he was sure an opponent stood. The farther of the surviving two dark figures turns his bow on the magus, sending a flurry of arrows at the Tian-Min. The quartet of arrows all find their mark, each seeming to cause the magus to convulse momentarily as if shocked, and he collapses.
Initiative - Round 1
Suussmaar (entangled) -6
Ki Chin -77 (unconscious, dying)
Blue Baddy -74
Grey Baddy
Roderick
Wymarc
Shido -15
Red Baddy
Roderick, Wymarc, and Shido are up!
Notes: *The baddies dropped back behind the petrified wooden tables they were hiding behind after their actions (they have a stand up talent that allows this as a free action at any point during their turn). The tables provide them with cover.
*There are thick mats of fungi throughout the room, and squares containing the fungus are extremely difficult to traverse; each square is treated as both an obstacle and difficult terrain, requiring 4 squares of movement to move 5 feet. This fungus is a natural growth, which allows creatures with woodland stride to navigate it without penalty.
*Dim light is present throughout the room, and light from both magical and non-magical sources seem to be absorbed by the strange glowing crystals in the room. All targets have a 20% miss chance from concealment if you do not possess Darkvision or low-light vision.
Also, I pulled in the 15 damage that Shido had from last encounter, as I don't believe anyone has healed it.
Does Ki Chin have darkvision? Even outside of the area of the darkness spell, the whole room's lighting level is only dim light, so anyone without darkvision has a 20% miss chance due to concealment.
I'm assuming he doesn't, so go ahead and roll against concealment for me.
The first series of Suussmaar’s arrows thuds harmlessly into the petrified wooden table the dark figure is hiding behind, shattering the table. The follow-up shots find their mark more easily, and the dark figure crumples to the ground with a cry of pain.
Initiative - Round 1
Suussmaar (entangled) -6
Ki Chin Blue Baddy -74
Grey Baddy
Roderick
Wymarc
Shido
Red Baddy
Ki Chin is up!
A couple of notes I forgot to add:
The baddies dropped back behind the petrified wooden tables they were hiding behind after their actions (they have a stand up talent that allows this as a free action at any point during their turn). The tables provide them with cover.
Also, there are thick mats of fungi throughout the room, and squares containing the fungus are extremely difficult to traverse; each square is treated as both an obstacle and difficult terrain, requiring 4 squares of movement to move 5 feet. This fungus is a natural growth, which allows creatures with woodland stride to navigate it without penalty.
Suussmaar has hardly entered the room before a pair of figures pop up from behind overturned tables in the room. There is the distinctive twang of a crossbow, and suddenly the whole area is covered in darkness. A moment later, you hear the sound of a bag striking something (those of you with darkvision see a bag strike Suussmaar in the chest--evidently a tanglefoot bag, given the tar and other adhesive goo that suddenly cover him).
Finally, another crossbow bolt lodges itself in Suussmaar's chest. He suddenly feels woozy as it becomes evident that there is poison on the bolt.
Initiative - Round 1
Suussmaar (entangled, FORT save needed)
Ki Chin
Blue Baddy
Grey Baddy
Roderick
Wymarc
Shido
Red Baddy
There is nothing of interest in the basement room you entered, beyond the open doorway in the southern end and the stairs you just descended.
Strangely, the magical light of your wayfinders does not seem to extend beyond the open doorway, and instead, a dim purple and orange glow seeps out from the chamber.
Knowledge (dungeoneering) DC 20:
You recall that the radioactive crystal called caphorite both absorbs magical light and emits a dim purple-and-orange glow of its own.
Suussmaar:
Beyond a few pieces of furniture made of petrified wood and a stack of sleeping pallets, the rounded triangular room before you is devoid of furnishings and gives the appearance of having been ransacked. A wealth of mushrooms and fungi grow to a height of three feet around the periphery of the room. Open doorways allow passage to the north and south, and a closed door made of petrified wood stands in the middle of the curved eastern wall.
You all descend the stairs into a dimly-lit basement. The furniture and supplies that may have been in the room have long since rotted away, but you do notice that the ceiling rises unusually high, to 20 feet.
The air here is cooler than the upper floor, and the room is relatively clean and clear of debris. The walls, though made of stone, bear the carved likeness of fresh soil riddled with tree roots. The staircase you came down runs along the northern wall and winds upward to the floor above, and an open doorway leads to the south.
New map/slide up. Also, please note that you are in an area of dim light, so what light source(s) are you using?
This wide circular room is relatively clean and clear of debris. Faintly glowing runes embossed into a crescent-shaped pedestal near the center of the room cast wild shadows against the walls. A heap of dirt and rubble along the west wall covers what were once stairs leading up, while to the north, a wide staircase descends into darkness. A stylized map woven of metallic fabric hangs on the east wall.
DC 5 Knowledge (geography):
The map depicts northern Varisia.
DC 15 Knowledge (geography) or DC 20 Knowledge (history):
This map was not made recently. In fact, you are sure that this map depicts Varisia as it was 10,000 years ago.
DC 25 Knowledge (history) or DC 20 Knowledge (geography):
The map shows signs of being altered recently. Several modern settlements are marked in charcoal in an unfamiliar script.
The pedestal itself is 4 feet high with its top surface sloping down toward the center of the room. Six large runes on raised buttons form a hexagon, with many smaller symbols woven around them.
If you choose to interact with the pedestal, give me a Knowledge (arcana) check.
Based on the size of the footprint, you think it probably belonged to a female elf. It seems almost carelessly placed, as if she was not particularly concerned about covering her tracks. Based on the direction of its facing, you think that she was leaving the tower when she left the footprint.
What at first looked like a cave reveals itself as the foundation of an ancient building. Crumbling stone walls, their blocks blanketed in moisture trails and weeds, slowly give way to the soil of the surrounding plains. The ceiling is partially open to the sky, beneath which shards of fallen stone litter compete for space with small mushrooms and other fungi that grow out of the spiderweb pattern of cracks in the floor. Against the chamber’s western wall (I'm pretty sure it means 'northern wall,' but that's what the scenario says), the remains of a door made from petrified wood lies open, barely clinging to the door frame with nearly disintegrated hinges.
Perception or Survival DC 20:
You notice a single footprint on the floor of the room.
A2:
Ki Chin: The statues are both of long-forgotten elven heroes, sword in one hand and a falcon perched on the other outstretched arm.
Wymarc: You do not notice any other traps in this room. You had not noticed the trap that sprang when the elven voices announced non-elven intruders, either, though.
The plant creatures were charnelhome basidironds, deadly plant monsters that feeds on mineral-rich moisture, be it runoff from cave walls or fresh blood.
The charnelhome variant is a basidirond with the advanced and fiendish templates. As such, it has some damage resistance to non-holy weaponry, and is resistant to fire. All basidironds are immune to cold, though they become lethargic (slowed) by it anyway. They can transmit hallucinogenic spores by spewing a spore cloud, or via striking creatures with their tendrils. They're not able to transmit the spores while affected by their cold lethargy, though.
Roderick
Wymarc
Suussmaar (pending CL check to resolve)
Jaakko
Shido
Ki Chin
Shambling Plant -76 (slowed for 2 rounds)
Suussmaar realizes belatedly that his divine favor spell failed to materialize, but it does not change the outcome--the first three arrows find their mark even as the latter two sail wide, and the plant collapses, unable even to spew a spore cloud before its demise, thanks to the lethargy induced by Ki Chin's ray of frost.
Combat over--again.
Given the opportunity to look around the room in a more leisurely fashion, the party is able to take a closer look at the fungal life in the room. Among the fungi, mold, and crystals, the lumpy floor is also littered with the remains of several horses and humans.
DC 15 Heal or Perception:
Closer examination of the corpses reveals that all of the bodies are missing their eyes.
DC 15 Perception:
You notice that one of the corpses thrown to the plants had a pouch of Chelish platinum crowns tucked into the toe of its boot.
DC 20 Knowledge (dungeoneering):
The purple and orange glowing crystals are caphorite, a radioactive crystal not harmful to animals but known to cause rapid growth and mutation in plants. It is sometimes referred to as drowstone because the dark elves settle near particularly large deposits in the Darklands. Caphorite absorbs light; anyone attempting to cast a spell with the light descriptor within 30 feet of caphorite must make a DC 15 Caster Level check or the crystal absorbs the magic.
DC 15 Knowledge (nature):
The fungi growing in here are poisonous.
DC 23 Knowledge (nature) or DC 18 Craft (alchemy):
These fungi are used specifically in creating drow sleeping poison.
Roderick
Wymarc
Suussmaar (pending CL check to resolve)
Jaakko
Shido
Ki Chin
Shambling Plant -34 (slowed for 2 rounds)
GM stuff:
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Roderick lofts another bomb over the frontliners' shoulders. It explodes with concussive force, battering the suddenly-lethargic plant. Shido shoots, and Jaako swings, at the creature, but their attacks bounce off of its thick leathery hide (if plant-monsters can be said to have a 'hide').
@Suussmaar: I missed in a previous post that you cast divine favor, but I need a caster level check from you for that.
Rays can crit...but unfortunately, this thing is immune to cold damage.
GM stuff:
1d4 ⇒ 2
Round 1 init
Roderick
Wymarc
Suussmaar
Jaakko
Shido
Ki Chin
Shambling Plant -14 (slowed for 2 rounds)
Wymarc sends an arrow flying at the newest threat, managing to catch the plant-thing off-guard. Ki Chin's magical ray follows a moment later. The plant doesn't appear harmed, but its movements after catching the blast of frost seem sluggish.
It takes roughly 30 seconds (5 rounds) for the spore cloud to clear. After it does, Ki Chin, Suussmaar, and Roderick move nearer to the eastern doorway.
A riot of colorful fungal blooms striped and spotted in bold red, yellow, blue, and purple cover the uneven floor of this round chamber. Several chunks of dimly glowing orange and purple crystal peek through the carpet of mold and puffballs. Amid this riot of colors, you spot another one of the plant-things that attacked you moments ago.
Shambling Plant (green) -116 Shambling Plant (blue) -127
Suussmaar
Shido -15
Ki Chin
Roderick
Jaakko
Wymarc
It does not take long for the second plant to drop under a combination of stabs, slashes, bomb blasts, and arrows.
Combat over.
The air is still again as the last giant plant collapses, a fluid similar to sap seeping from its numerous wounds. The cloud of spores remains, hovering over the eastern half of the room.
There are three doors exiting from the room--one to the east, from which the plant monsters came; one to the north, and one to the south.
Shambling Plant (green) -116
Shambling Plant (blue) -24
Suussmaar
Shido -15
Ki Chin
Roderick
Jaakko
Wymarc
Shido jabs at the nearer of the plant-monsters (forgot to add, roll Knowledge (nature) if you want to identify the two plant-things) with his lance. A moment later, the creature collapses in a heap as it is pierced by multiple arrows in a tight cluster. The nagaji and his mount then withdraw to the west, away from the spore cloud.
Roderick lobs a bomb over Shido's shoulder, catching the remaining plant in the blast--strangely, it seems less flammable than expected. Ki Chin's spell goes wide, smearing frost over a section above the doorway, and Wymarc plants another arrow in the plant while Jaakko reloads his musket.
For its part, the plant shambles forward into the room, agilely stepping over its fellow-plant's corpse, and lashes out with a tendril at Suussmaar, who narrowly dodges the appendage.
Shambling Plant (green) -8
Shambling Plant (blue)
Suussmaar
Shido 2 FORT saves needed -15
Ki Chin
Roderick
Jaakko
Wymarc
Tensing and expecting trouble, the party find that their suspicions are well-founded. A pair of man-sized plant-things shamble out from the eastern doorway, each looking like an inverted bell-shaped cap atop four spider-like stalks that seem to serve as legs. Long, green tendrils writhing about in the air as they skitter nearer to the source of the noises, the party is quick to react and send a hail of arrows and other pointy objects their way.
The first such projectile, Wymarc's arrow, pierces the lead plant-monster's skin. Jaako's gunshot doesn't fare as well, narrowly missing that nearer plant-monster.
A moment later, a puff of spores erupts from the farther plant-monster, spreading out over the eastern half of the room you occupy. Then, after Shido closes with it, the nearer of the two slams a tendril into his side.
Their appearance in the room triggers everyone's readied attacks, so those of you who didn't spoiler an attack roll for your readied actions (Shido and Ki Chin), please do so now.
Again, just to clarify: Jaako is not asleep and never fell asleep. Deep Slumber only affects 10 HD of creatures, starting with the lowest HD target in an area. Ki Chin is the lowest at level 6, and since he failed his save, it didn’t affect anyone else because no one has 4 HD or fewer.
Generally, none. In this case, someone woke you up, which is why you were able to take an action in round 1. If we were doing initiative order strictly, it would need to be someone before you in the order who woke you up (or, potentially, your place in the order delays/drops until after the person who woke you). But since you’re all in the same initiative block, it’s easier to just leave the order as-is and let you take an action if anyone wakes you.
There may also be corner cases like a feat, magic item, spell, or special ability that awaken you, too, but I’m not aware of any.
Suussmaar finds that something seems to be interfering with his spellcasting, as the spell fails to take effect. At the same time, Roderick moves to Ki Chin's side and wakes him.
Let me know if I need to make any corrections anywhere. Thanks for playing, all!
Aoi Rosenthal wrote:
1) Player name: Colin
2) Character name: Aoi Rosenthal
3) PFS#-Character#: 2411798-22
4) Character Class & Level: Witch 8
5) Faction: The Exchange
6) Regular or slow speed for chronicle: Slow advancement
Would you mind correcting the chronicle sheet for me?
And are there any looted scrolls?
** spoiler omitted **
I’ll get to that later today. As for the scrolls, I’m assuming that you did search the ruins (given that you had to spend some time in them to restore the wards). That said, the Chronicle does not list the scrolls of Dimensional Anchor, Summon Monster IV, or Teleport among its loot list. So I would assume they’re not available to take, but would be happy to be wrong.
Wymarc enters first, followed closely behind by Shido, Roderick and the others.
As soon as Shido enters, a voice announces loudly in Elven, "Minne gothrim i barad."
Elven:
"Intruders have entered the tower."
It seems to have emanated from the two statues in the corners of the room. Simultaneously, a wave of sleepiness assaults all of your senses. Give me a Will save, for you lesser beings non-elves.
Ironically, the plea for mercy only actually benefits Silver Crusade PCs, and the Chronicles differ based upon whether on the outcome of the Diplomacy check on the deserters' behalf--but, again, only for SC characters.
Commander Gu Xiang seems swayed by Omar and Aoi's arguments. "You make a compelling case. It is true that many were taken in by this false prophet's words--perhaps it is worth offering these deserters the opportunity for redemption."
The Twenty-Four Masks ride back with you the following day toward Hisuikarasu, where they introduce you to their reclusive bladesmith friend and you all part ways.
That's the end of the scenario. I'll try to get Chronicles out in the next day or two.
Roderick opens the door while Shido prepares to charge. The preparation seems unnecessary this time, as the room seems devoid of occupants.
Stone walls stretch between three rounded turrets to form a vaguely triangular central room. Long forgotten elven heroes bearing swords and hunting hawks stand proudly immortalized as marble statues, silently guarding the shadowed alcoves between the towers. A damp, earthy smell rises from the carpet of moss and small fungi that covers the floor. In fact, this whole room seems almost choked with fungi--some of which you recognize as poisonous, but the variety of species is too broad to allow a PC to discern exactly what poisons they might be used to make.
You are currently outside of the tower still, but let me know in what order you enter.
Between them, the party restore the wards. With the threat ended, you turn to make the journey back to North Wind Watch.
The trip is uneventful, and when you arrive at the fort, you find the archon Zepha waiting for you on the road before the fort. Zepha eagerly listens to the PCs’ reports before thanking them: "You have done Tianjing, and perhaps all of Golarion, a great service this day; one that this world may not be able to repay. But do not forget that my reach extends a bit beyond this world."
Zepha does not follow the PCs back to North Winds Watch, but instead promises to maintain his own vigil over the region and keep in contact with the Way of the Kirin and the Pathfinder Society, via Venture Captain Amara Li.
When you arrive at North Wind Watch, you are greeted with a hero's welcome by Commander Gu Xiang and her soldiers. She allows you to keep any gear that you requisitioned from the armory as a small token of Tianjing's thanks. You also managed to earn the lasting respect of the Twenty-Four Masks. Captain Tai Dan makes a point of offering to introduce you to a reclusive master bladesmith they are familiar with once you are back in Hisuikarasu.
You overhear that the captured deserters are to stand trial at the North Winds Watch shortly after your return to the fort. The standard punishment for desertion to the forces of evil is execution, but you may argue for mercy and an opportunity at redemption if you wish. To sway the Commander's decision, you'll need to make a Diplomacy check.
Won't be necessary--it only had 4 hp at the start of round 2 anyway.
Khugron finishes off the remaining qlippoth, which Xasay is able to identify as a shoggti qlippoth. Even as soon as the first qlippoth--presumably the Shepherd of Apotheosis who had been masquerading as a priest of Hei Feng (the one who called himself "Obika")--falls, the Abyssal rift flares up briefly and seems to lose some of its intensity. It seems that the rift wasn't strong enough, or big enough, to remain open without the Shepherd's influence and direction.
Combat over!
Beyond the task of defeating the Shepherd, you recall that you were asked to restore a series of wards in the area. Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (planes) will reveal the information about how best to go about with the final task of your mission here.
Knowledge (arcana/planes) 15+:
Without the qlippoth to sustain it from the Material Plane, the rift has begun to collapse in on itself. At the current rate of decay, it should close within a few days at most. The ruined building to the south of the clearing appears to have served as a shrine and the engraved glyphs on the remaining walls and floor further indicate that it once served as an anchor point for a celestial ward of sort. Repairing the shrine and restoring the glyphs may hasten the rift’s collapse and prevent future incursions.
Restoring the ward requires restoring both the glyphs and the physical structure of the shrine, as the architecture played an important part in stabilizing the ward. To restore the glyphs, a PC must succeed at a DC 24 Knowledge (arcana, planes, or religion) check. To restore the shrine’s structure, a PC must succeed at a DC 20 Craft (stonemasonry), Knowledge (engineering), or Profession (architect) check. Spells such as stone shape grant a +4 bonus on attempts to restore the shrine’s structure.
Knowledge (arcana/planes) 20+:
While restoring the shrine would limit further Abyssal invasions in its immediate area, it is not a long-term solution. The shrine, probably along with similar shrines throughout the Kaimuko Wood, would require ongoing and constant maintenance. The lack of attention given to this shrine may explain how the qlippoth initially managed to slip through to the Material Plane.
Knowledge (arcana/planes) 25+:
Some qlippoth cults believe that, upon death, their most devout can break free from the normal cycle awaiting their souls. The souls of such cultists do not transform into outsiders, but instead form into quintessence that merges directly with the Abyss, denying souls for the demon horde while still strengthening the Abyss overall. The qlippoth mastermind behind the events at Yiangma and the North Winds Watch had been using that quintessence to strengthen the rift between the Abyss and the Material Plane. Without a steady flow of quintessence, the rift cannot sustain itself.
Circumnavigating the tower doesn't reveal much. There is what seems to be a partially collapsed section in the southern turret, which may provide an alternative entrance as opposed to the front gate. From an exterior vantage point, it looks like the crumbling stone walls have fallen outward, leaving a field of stones blanketed in moisture trails and weeds.
The front gate itself is unlocked and does not appear to be trapped.
Hekk slices and dices the qlippoth that called itself "Obika," tearing a great gash in its torso. It dodges the second blow from his bardiche, but cannot avoid his powerful teeth in time. The taste is probably quite horrifying, but that qlippoth collapses in a pile of gore.
The remaining qlippoth snaps at Khugron with its maw unsuccessfully, then flails at the nagaji with its tentacles, fogging his mind even further and battering him around.
Init Order - Round 2
Hekk +18 temp hp -31 (4 CHA dmg, raging song)
Qlippoth -76 (dazzled for 2 rounds)
"Obika" -137 (dazzled for 2 rounds) Aoi (flying at 35' up)
Sputnik, arbiter familiar
Khugron -23 (6 WIS dmg, grappled, raging song)
Xasay
Goran (staggered for 4 rounds)
Omar (staggered for 4 rounds, raging song)
The party is up!
Hazard: The rifts channel the extreme cold of the Abyss. Any PC that enters a square containing the blight fire takes 3d6 points of cold damage 6d6 points of cold damage (Reflex DC 18 half). PCs that end their turn adjacent to the blight fire take half the indicated damage (Reflex half, at the same DC). PCs that fly over a square containing a tear at an elevation of 40 feet or lower have a 50% chance to be exposed to a gout of blight fire and the resulting cold damage. Thankfully, the rifts currently only function in one direction and, though it may be disconcerting to stand atop a tear, it otherwise functions as solid ground and the PCs do not risk falling into the Abyss.
Xasay's remaining Knowledge info:
By "magical powers," I'm going to assume you mean Special Attacks. In this case, for the utukku, its special attacks are its horrific appearance, its ability to consume part of its target's essence and personality with a tentacle attack, and its ability to use some clerical powers. Its horrific appearance specifically staggers its victims.
For the shoggti qlippoth, its special attacks are its horrific appearance (which fascinates its victims) and its ability to sap the will of its victims with a touch or slam from its tentacles.
