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>HERE< are your chronicles. I also emailed them to you individually. Check on them for accuracy and sign off on them if they look good to you.
Chief Archivist Zarta Dralneen enters. "Yes, Rain in Cloudy Day. You did well- what is that smell?" She looks at Meat Wagon. "Another day, another collection to check." With one quick motion, she plucks Marcien's pistol from Stitch. "You can see the Blakros insignia on the handle. It matches Ralzin's description." Valsin agrees. "Yes, the Onyx Alliance members you sent our way have been useful and informative. We want to start their retraining into Pathfinder field agents soon. But first... yes, it would be wise to get clean."
Sarnia’s voice cuts through the thunder of the portal, which has almost closed on the Gale’s Claw. “Your forces are defeated, Aslynn—and their dream essence is just what I needed. I’ll be taking back what’s mine… and I’ll need a piece of your mind while I’m at it Aslynn. Thanks for letting me in.” Flashes of yellow and purple lightning arc along the ship, overloading the metal coils and setting it alight. The crew frantically fights to keep the ship afloat long enough to pass through the portal, and the storm clouds begin pouring into the vault as the rift fails. Aslynn’s psychic scream of pain as Sarnia tears at her mind lasts only a moment before the deafening crash of the failing portal silences her. The ship is gone, and the figure of Sarnia Blakros hovers in its place, her glowing yellow eyes narrowed in concentration. “Thank you, Pathfinders. Sorry I had to wait so long to reveal my plans. I knew I could count on you.” She grins. “Time to send you home. As for me, I’ve had enough of hags for now. It’s time for a fresh start. If you don’t mind, I’ll be sending you home with a few… gifts. Hopefully, you can protect these treasures better than I have. Or see that they’re destroyed before Aslynn strikes again.” A gossamer snarl of blue-white light fills the room. You reappear in the Grand Lodge, along with all the treasure Aslynn's forces were trying to steal. It isn't long until agents swarm you. For once, Rain in Cloudy Day does the right thing and runs away to tell one of the Venture-Captains. Ambrus Valsin comes first. "Yes, yes, what couldn't wait for an explanation- Desna's Yawn..." He stares at you in awe. "Rain in Cloudy Day, go fetch Zarta Dralneen! She has much to categorize." The leshy runs off with a "Yay! I'm helping!" Valsin looks at you. "This isn't what I expected when I asked you to protect the vaults...what happened?"
Roark takes a step and impales the dream with such confidence it evaporates. Stitch uses Marcien's pistol to shoot Arisept. The so-called greatest of "Mother's" children collapses.
DC 24 Will Save (Success Frightened 1, Fail Frightened 2, CF Frightened 3 and Fleeing for 1 round): Stitch, Meat Wagon, Roark, Vardarel, Professor Bun Bun Basic DC 27 Reflex Save vs 23 Fire Damage: Greenbrier, Stitch, Meat Wagon, Roark, Vardarel, Professor Bun Bun (Round 9 for most buffs during the Marcien fight)
(Round 10 for most buffs during the Marcien fight)
In exchange for burning them, Greenbrier slows Arisept's movement. Arisept had a plan... but his rapier is too slow. So he drops his guard to prepare more fire. Rumbleweed quickly reacts.
But he's too slow. Arisept unleashes another fireball. It deals If Vardarel reacts with Recognize Spell:
Definitely Fireball!
If Vardarel reacts with Recognize Spell: The dream is casting Fear.
GM Screen:
Stitch fights off the nightmares and shoots Arisept. Meat Wagon focuses on blasting the immediate burn wounds shut, to the point where it misses its mower blades. Professor Bun Bun glares at Arisept but the Changeling ignores his intimidation. So instead the Professor cusses him instead, cutting through his defenses. He tries to study the incorporeal entity but he doesn't draw any conclusions. Basic DC 27 Reflex Save vs 23 Fire Damage: Greenbrier, Rumbleweed (Round 8 for most buffs during the Marcien fight)
(Round 9 for most buffs during the Marcien fight)
Roark twirls his dancing scarf even as the flames erupt around him. Vardarel moves into the room and tries to shoot the dream. His second attempt hits but the creature seems to resist the damage entirely. 2x DC 24 Fort Saves: Stitch
(Round 8 for most buffs during the Marcien fight)
(Round 9 for most buffs during the Marcien fight)
2x DC 24 Fort Saves: Stitch
(Round 8 for most buffs during the Marcien fight)
Vardarel, Recognize Spell?: Yup, it's a Fireball alright.
Roark is too eager to rush in and only manages to raise his shield. Stitch takes a moment to shoot Arisept with Marcien's firearm, and even Meat Wagon dings him with a rock.
Professor Bun Bun gets in a quick remark, clearly harming Arisept's pride. "Excuse me! I'll have you know that I am CLEARLY Mother's favorite!" He turns to the dream. "What are you waiting for! GO!" The gray cloud moves up towards Stitch.
A terrifying vision seeps into Stitch's mind as the tendril lashes him. Meanwhile, Arisept goes to old reliable. He hurls a spark of flame over Stitch's head, exploding against the wall in a massive burst of fire.
Arisept realizes he's a sitting duck if he stands still, so he dashes closer and around the corner.
Vardarel's power scouter manages not to break as he analyzes Arisept. He doesn't know if the scanner is correct, but first thing's first. He forces the shadows of the Netherworld away long enough to shoot the animated dream, burning it with divine magic. But he knows it's not unholy. His spiritual armament misses, however. (Round 8 for most buffs during the Marcien fight)
Vardarel begins to channel light, and feels the shadows of the Netherworld trying to snuff it out.
(Round 8 for most buffs during the Marcien fight)
With Greenbrier's magic, Roark feels his feathers turn into slate, giving him a light shell of additional armor. With the door gone and time short, you rush forward into the vault! This chamber’s vaulted ceiling rises up nearly a hundred feet, with four terraced levels lining the walls to support individual niches that hold and catalog the Onyx Alliance’s most valuable prizes from centuries of acquisition. The vaults floors and shelves are mostly empty, with some items scattered in a disorganized sprawl. Several bodies are strewn on the floor— fetchlings, humans, bugbears, and many others. The wall’s surfaces glitter with the inscribed runes of wards to prevent intrusion and divination alike from all those hoping to plunder the vault’s riches. A massive rift in the north wall pulses with billowing shadows, leading to some dark, unknown place. A semi-corporeal sailing vessel hovers in the rift, half inside the vault, and half concealed in shadows. Reddish-purple lightning arcs along massive metal coils affixed to either side of the hull, maintaining some sort of equilibrium between the ship and the portal of shadows. Completed 3-14: Tomb Between Worlds:
You recognize the strange portal-generating coils on the ship as being similar to the umbral vises you found within the pyramid. One man steps off the ship and remains in the vault. "Go, bring the goods to Mother Dearest." The crewmates continue to prepare the ship as it slowly inches into to the portal. "Pathfinders, is it? Arisept's the name." He bows as twisted dreamstuffs come to life and lash out. "Shall we dance? Mother enjoys a good show!" DC 20 Religion or DC 15 Warfare Lore check as a free action:
Something is odd about Arisept. While he is a Nephilim changeling with a Hellish ancestry, his body surpassed human limitations. He deflects blows like a sturdy set of armor. Initiative:
So, we're up to the final battle. What should we do next?
Vardarel heals the party while Stitch picks up the pistol.
Marcien's Backbiter:
Is a +1 striking dueling pistol. Creatures struck by Marcien’s pistol, Backbiter, must succeed at a DC 26 Will saving throw or become confused for 1 round (or 1 minute on a critical failure).
We're about to start the final battle. If you haven't declared Downtime and you want it on your Chronicle, do so now.
Rumbleweed moves in and thwacks Marcien upside his head, knocking off some more of his stony skin. Marcien tries to reload his firearm, causing Rumbleweed to take another swipe.
It's enough to knock him out. The screams between Aslynn and Sarnia finally die down, with Sarnia's voice ringing in your heads. “I’ve managed to hold Aslynn off... I’m sorry, Marcien. I must draw on your power.” Marcien, slumped on the ground, breathes slowly. “Sleep, my son. This nightmare will be over soon. Now, Pathfinders, go! Stop Arisept so I can make my move before Aslynn regains control!” The door begins to crumble. You can see motion from the room beyond.
Meat Wagon slams into Marcien, knocking off some of his stony skin. Stitch takes this opportunity to patch a chunk of his wounds.
"Whose screams echo around us?" Marcien sidesteps Roark's reckless charge. "Whose laughter holds her life by a string? Do you really think you'll free her a second time while that hag has her by the psychic throat? Only by felling you do I have a chance at saving her." Marcien retorts before clutching his head and glaring at Professor Bun Bun. "Maybe another one of your rants against academia could substitute for a lullaby!" The stone doors to the north remain sealed. Whatever is going on behind there is a mystery.
GM Screen:
Marcien tries to cast a spell as Roark gets in his face. Vardarel tries to >recognize the spell< but all he knows is that it's not a Divine spell.
With his weapon reloaded, he takes aim...
Greenbrier and Rumbleweed get a bit closer to the action. Rumbleweed knocks the other Onyx Alliance officer out.
Vardarel realizes the Purple Onyx member is bleeding out but there is a chance to save her if he wants. In the meanwhile, Professor Bun Bun finishes his rant, screaming at Marcien directly. "Tenure gives professors a free pass to abuse their power!" Marcien retorts after covering his ears. He then turns to the other Onyx Alliance officer. "Protect me or my mother will be angry!" Stitch takes the opportunity to sit upright and orders Meat Wagon to take it easy. Meat Wagon rams the Onyx Alliance officer but slows down to make sure it doesn't crush him. It's clear he won't be able to take another hit like that.
Roark runs up and impales the Onyx Alliance member after wowing her with a alluring dance. She falls, dropping her weapons. Marcien retreats. Then he takes a moment to reload his firearm. "Now now, safety first! Unless you're using one of those popguns with a cork tied to the barrel. Maybe we should duel with those next time!" He sustains his magic to keep Stitch laughing.
Greenbrier wallops the Onyx Alliance agent twice while Meat Wagon moves into position. The Onyx Alliance agent holds his Green Rapier ready and goes after Stitch, hoping to catch his prone body off-guard. He catches Stitch twice.
Then he tries to flee. Greenbrier is ready, but he leaps over the vine at the last moment.
"Oh! That's a much happier ending. Maybe those scamps did not get top billing..." She looks at the door. "I am more of an acrobat than an athlete. Can anyone force this open?"
Professor Bun Bun continues to cuss up a storm, and the agent in Purple almost falls under the critical sonic assault. "Must... silence... academia..." She Steps closer despite her fear and lunges at Professor Bun Bun.
But tenure was so close! She recoils back in pain. Stitch continues to laugh, slumped against Meat Wagon and unable to act.
Stitch finds Marcien's joke hilarious. It's so funny he doubles over, prone, unable to act.
Roark beaks the Green-clad attacker with confidence before confidently retreating. Marcien grumbles as his shadows are destroyed. He looks at Stitch. "Looks like we should have practiced gun safety before making our guns dangerous!"
Vardarel realizes a spell is being cast. He can choose to react and recognize it with either Arcana or Occultism.
Recognize Spell results:
He then retreats near his other two agents. "Enough with the bird! This metal menace will mulch me into manure unless you march on it!"
While Meat Wagon corners the real Marcien, Rumbleweed takes the time to take center stage and handle these Onyx Alliance agents, starting with a solid thwack to the Purple-clad agent. The Green Agent keeps going after Roark.
After impaling Roark, the agent breaks off and Strides over to protect Marcien.
RE: Dispelling the Mountain's Resilience Marcien split into 3 entities with 2 shadows. Vardarel targeted one of the shadows (the one near Roark) and dispelled its MR. Then Professor Bun Bun's Biting Words destroyed it. The actual Marcien ran to the left and Meat Wagon drove after him after destroying the shadow. The actual Marcien was never targeted with Dispel Magic. Does that make sense?
Stitch shoots Marcien and Meat Wagon crushes him against the wall, where he pops into a mass of darkness and shadows. And that leaves one Marcien. Meat Wagon thinks about what to do now that the weed is whacked.
Seek Action, DC 27: You know whether or not this Marcien is real or another one of his shadowy tricks.
Professor Bun Bun begins ranting against academia and the struggle for tenure. There's only one Marcien close enough to hear the worst of it, and he pops into shadowy essence. Vardarel takes the time to observe Marcien. He recognizes the Shadowy Doubles technique. Some Fetchlings adapt to this ability naturally, able to create illusory shadow clones. Marcien can see using all available clones. The clone's weapons are not as strong and they cannot cast spells. Anyone could attempt to Seek him out and spot the real shadow. Vardarel doesn't notice any mind control affecting him. Either it's cleverly hidden, or Marcien is choosing to save his mother over helping the Pathfinders. He uses his magic to strip Marcien of his Mountain Resilience. Or, one of the Marciens. Around the corner comes another Onyx Alliance agent, rapier at the ready. "For the Alliance!" She shouts as she catches Roark Off-Guard and lunges through his dancing scarf.
Seek Action: DC 23 - You can spot another Onyx Alliance Officer hiding. DC 27 - You know whether or not this Marcien is real or another one of his shadowy tricks.
Roark provides a captivating dance for the Onyx Alliance member and twirls a scarf around to conceal himself. Marcien calls the shadows and they swirl around him, splitting into 3 parts and revealing 2 more Marciens. One Marcien draws his pistol and takes aim at Meat Wagon.
Another draws his staff and charges the door. The third one runs to the side. |