Rajuna bolts around behind the fleeing creature mounting a small set of steps in long strides. He flanks with Vlad of the bloody smile. "Not this time, ya gnat." He stabs the fairy cleanly in the back.
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Raj gives Marya a thankful nod. Still woozy, he debates what to do. Since a stiff wind would likely knock him down, he chooses staying alive over maintaining his cover. He sighs, "I'm a'right. I got this." From a secret compartment in his clothing he pulls out a holy symbol of Iomedae and mutters a set of spells that heal a fair portion of his wounds.
Rajuna dodges and slashes at the little pliers-wielding maniac at the same time.
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Sorry for my absence. I had projects that had me working 7 days a week. I've put a stake in the heart of the nastiest ones so I should return to my normal posting rate.
Rajuna's summation of the strange creature is, "Uh..." Relying on fast aggression, he rolls on the creature while drawing the heavy mace. He hopes that smashing a glass monstrosity was the winning play.
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Raj moves quietly and cautiously along the wall toward the open alcove, looking for trouble.
Fueled by anger, Raj's parting slash is strong but poorly aimed.
Raj's muscles suddenly unknot, followed hard by a tirade. "SON of a b!tch! OK, new plan... we kill every one of these little horrors on sight except for their leader." He rubs at the pain in his jaw then reclaims his lost tooth and puts it away for safekeeping.
Raj fights off the nausea caused by the wretched stink of the exploding fey. And he delivers a fair slash to the faerie that swoops on him through the twinkling cloud that was its brethren... But the toxin in the foul creature's bite causes the rogue's luck to run out. His muscles lock up, tight as a vault door. Status:
Pliers in your face really focuses your mind. Raj tastes blood as the molar comes free. Blades drop into his fists and he drives a stab at the gut of the little bastard that is crowing over the prize from his mouth.
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Due to his lack of social skills and the sight of the pliers, Rajuna keeps his mouth literally and metaphorically shut. He holds his hands out at his sides, showing his friendly intentions. Of course, he's ready he draw weapons in the blink of an eye.
Conscious that faeries were reputed to be clever and stealthy creatures, Rajuna assumes they are already under surveillance. He says neutrally. "Interestin' decorations. Let's see what arrangement we can reach with these folks. I'm inclined to deal fairly if we're dealt with fairly."
Raj unconsciously rubs at the divot in his nose. "So, likely a puzzle or a dull task. 'Dull' being a wildcard here. Hmm... I'd opt for the task and hope it isn't too taxing."
Raj commits the details to memory as well their direction of travel. "You all ready to go? I want to be well gone before Mictena comes looking."
Raj almost sighs his relief, prepared as he was for Umble and Thoot to not live up to their word. "Thanks for the warning and your help. I hope the powers-that-be above Mictena give you credit for your good work with the folks of Roslar's Coffer."
"They have accepted the truth so you'll look good for your chiefs... Now, you need to keep your part of the bargain and get us on the road home as fast as you can. One of your people named Mectina has decided making us fully dead would be the best solution to our situation. We want to avoid that."
As soon as the bird flies off, Raj says. "We need to find Umble and get out of here, now. That bastard means to kill us to right the ledger. I'm not stickin' around for that." He heads off at a jog, calling for Umble.
Raj didn't know much about psychopomps but he understood the insidious nature of bureaucracy and didn't fancy the cheerful (and possibly homicidal) 'help' the new psychopomp was likely to offer. He matches the creature's cheerfulness, "Lovely to meet you, Mictena. We were just speaking with Umble and Thoot - well, mostly Umble - about our condition. I imagine you're busy with helping all these townsfolk, so while you're doing that - and please take your time - we'll just finish our chat with Umble to make sure we're all on the same page." Raj, starts looking around for the other psychopomps and hoping to get away from this one as quickly as possible.
At the town meeting Rajuna looks around for the Tian woman, hoping and not hoping to see her one last time.
Raj nods his thanks to Marya and continues to pursue Garrid, resuming the attack.
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Rajuna closes again on the spectre. "Surrender and this trial by combat can end. You are in Pharasma's domain - see it." His blades slice at the creature's belly.
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Rajuna looses a second blade and attacks the spectre with both weapons.
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Take your time!
That went wrong quick... Ruefully, Raj closes on the spectre, reluctantly drawing his dagger. "We don't want to fight. We want even less to fight a man who was a hero... but this is Pharasma's domain, not the livin' world. Look at that moon. Look at the ghostly people. You need to see that and move on to your reward, just as the good folks of Roslar's Coffer do. Please stop, you ain't helpin' your family here." Raj steadfastly refuses to strike until the spectre launches its own attack.
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If you need to take a hiatus, do it. Your health is more important and the game can wait.
Geez! What is with this string of bad luck?
Yikes! Glad to hear everyone is safe!
"A scout? Good. We'll need your ears at this meetin'." Raj acknowledges Coral's questions with an approving grunt, liking her logic. "I've got a thought or two on the causes but I'm not ready to say just yet. What I've heard so far is no one was awake for whatever kil't us. That smells wrong. We keep our ears open at this meeting, hopefully we'll hear a diff'rent tale - someone who remembers somethin'." The look on his face makes it clear he doesn't have much faith in that result. As they approach the rest of the team, Rajuna raises a hand to draw their attention, not wishing to disturb the bitter-sweet reunions. "We've got the town's leader seein' the truth. She's gonna call a meeting, but she wants us to convince the Council and some woman named Arbella Tharmethion first. And, I got a request as well. At this meeting, look at the townfolk to see if there's anyone missing."
Rajuna nods, relieved. "Of course, ma'am. We are here to help the townsfolk understand what happened. As you rightly pointed out, we're..." he includes Coral in his explanation, "strangers. I'll round up the others. As locals, their words will carry more weight with the rest of the townsfolk and the council. I've already spoken with several of the children - emphasizing they are spirits and the 'magic' they can do. For them, it's an adventure." He puts a hand on her shoulder. "Again, I'm very sorry." With Grive organizing the town meeting, Raj gives Coral a let's go tilt of the head, and heads off to gather his allies. As they walk, he glances as the halfling woman, not hiding his weariness. His voice takes on a decidely more 'folksy' cadence. "I'm Rajuna, if Marya didn't say so. Thanks for not risin' to take her bait. Could've bound me up good."
The woman looks over at the children and then back to Rajuna. "I know most of everyone here, everyone but you that is. Strange things afoot here...." she trails off looking around before snapping back to Rajuna. "What is going on? Is this your doing? Something is ... wrong. This started when you came into town, didn't it?" Rajuna ignores the superstitious paranoia. He was reasonably certain the matriarch didn't run the town by fear and ignorance. "So it isn't just rumors, is it? You're already beginnin' to see the truth. You need to see more of it. Watch - and stay calm. The kids and the people of this town need your strength more than ever." Rajuna signals to the young flyer. "Show her what you can do. It's OK, you won't get in trouble." As the child begins to fly, Rajuna prays the town matriarch is perceptive enough to see it. As she watches, he says quietly, "Whatever did this to your town, I think it was months or years in the planning. I had nothing to do with it. You don't have to believe me - ask Damian, Feena, or Marya." He adds, gambling that Vlad's unorthodox beliefs probably didn't endear him to the biddy. "Here's the hard truth - nearly everyone in town died suddenly last night. I'm sorry but we are in Pharasma's Boneyard. You, your neighbors, and these kids are spirits now. That's why they can fly. We don't know who did this... but we're going to do our damndest to find out." Raj gives Coral only the barest of nods for the moment, trying to keep from feeding into the old lady's paranoia.
Makes sense to me.
Question o' fearless leader regarding the prayer bead... The power of a special bead is lost if it is removed from the strand. Is this bead, since it is off the strand, powerless? Or is this an exception to the on-the-strand rule?
She leaves a group of children and stomps over towards Rajuna, her finger pointed at him angrily. "Are you the one spreading weird rumors and upsetting people?!" Ah, and here comes the alpha wolf... Raj matches the biddy's posture, but not her tone. He shows her no deference. His response is measured and quiet. "There are five of us speaking with the townsfolk. The other four I think you know - Feena, Marya, Vlad, and Damian. I'd have to know what 'weird rumors' you heard before I can tell you whether I said them. Though, I would say I have spoken nothing but the truth today. As for upsetting people... at the moment, the only one upset is you. Calm yourself, ma'am, there are children here." He pointedly looks past the woman to the children, asking solicitously. "Are you guys, a'right? Don't worry."
The Varisian raises an eyebrow at the response. Seeing the target of the halfling's interest, Raj chuckles to himself then moves along to find Moon Akechi, the butcher. As he walks, he notes the dead's faces, comparing them to faces he saw yesterday - looking for the missing, those not among the dead. Not wanting to waste time while looking for a proverbial needle in a haystack, he idly examines the curious bead and frog.
Without many questions, the children thank the magic man and set off on their way to start spreading the news to their friends and family. Rajuna blinks at the adaptability of children. Dying in their sleep was clearly an odd mercy. He yells after them. "HEY! There's a raven in a mask and a big boney man going to show up. Their names are Umble and Thoot. They'll guide you on your big adventure so tell your parents NOT to run them off again!" The rogue puts out the fire, pockets the frog, then heads into town - determined to see how the others are doing. And, with some apprehension, he wants to see if the Tian woman he ran into outside the bathhouse has put the pieces together. On his way, he spies the dazed halfling coming along the road. That isn't remarkable. Many of the dead appear dazed and wander aimlessly. But this one isn't glowing... so, not dead, or something other than dead. Rajuna waits as she approaches, eyeing her cautiously. He greets her as the townsfolk might. "Welcome, stranger. Can I help you?"
"We can do magic!" they all laugh excitedly. Raj roots the kids on until all of them are floating, if not flying. He waves the children back to the fire. "You are doing great! But, before you go flying off like kites, I need to tell you a couple more things about your magic AND I need to ask a big favor from you. It's important." When he's got their attention, he continues. "The reason you can do all this magic is because you are spirits. And because you are spirits, you are about to go on a great adventure. I'll try to answer any questions you have about spirits but the important thing to remember is that it's fun. It lets you fly, and that's a good thing, right? I can't tell you about the adventure... but your families and friends are going with you because they are also spirits! So they could fly with you, if they want to. But, you know how we talked about parents not seeing things like you do? Well, some of your parents can't see that they are spirits yet. They think they are just unspecial people - plain frogs. I need your help to show them they are special spirits. It's important because until they see they are special, they won't be able to fly, and you guys won't be able to start your great adventure. So, will you help me talk to your families and show them that you are special spirits and they are too?"
Coral, take whatever class combo makes you happy. A bit of redundancy isn't a bad thing - especially when it comes to sneaking, peeking, and things that go boom. I wouldn't mind having a stealth partner.
That’s a shame. I liked his character. But your decision makes sense.
The kids all sit around the fire and scoot closer. They emit ooohhhs and aaaahhhs at Rajuna's magic tricks, clearly caught up in whatever he was weaving. One of the kids calls out "Can the Gods make me glow?" Most adults let go of childhood in small degrees, over years. And it isn't really a 'letting go' so much as slowly forgetting it by small degrees. Forgetting the mystery of an ordinary wood where, as a child, they would see a faerie hiding behind every leaf, or had the surety that knot-holes contained treasures, or that a peculiar door-like configuration of trees was a portal to another world... As maturing brains filled with 'facts' like knot-holes are knot-holes and trees forming a door is nothing more than chance, the wonder of childhood fades and is forgotten, set on a shelf to gather dust like a once-prized toy. But when a childhood is cut short, when the dividing line is carved in blood, that slow fade doesn't occur. Child to Adult are before and after images - both equally clear. For Raj, his childhood is a sharp memory, as real as a book on a shelf. He pulls down the text of his childhood and opens it to speak with these spectral children. He says conspiratorially, "The thing about parents is they don't always see what's right in front of them. They worry and work so much, they don't see what kids see, do they? They look at this great tree and they think 'tree'. But they don't see that it's a fort, and a friend, and shelter from rain, and the safe base when you play tag, right? They don't see that a tree isn't just a tree." He looks for signs of agreement before pressing on. He crooks a friendly finger at the boy who asked the question. "That's a great question! Yes, the Gods can make you glow and so much more. There's better stuff than glowing. But here's somethin' your parents aren't seeing yet and maybe some of you missed it too... you all are already glowing. Look closely." He holds his arm next to one of the phantom children's arms. "I'm like the plain old frog or the branch, but look at you guys. You're glowin' like the magicked frog - better than him even!" Raj lets them compare for as long as needed until the majority of them begin to see the difference. "I didn't do that. I can make a frog glow but I can't make you glow. Only people who can do magic that big are the Gods. I told you, you were special and magical... an' you just proved it." He smiles reassuringly. "You are very special. I bet if you try and really believe it, you can probably float in the air or walk through that tree. You guys wanna try? Take it slow, though. Magic like that takes practice."
Clearly the kids weren't yet aware that the fire's heat wasn't reaching them as it should. Raj couldn't fault them and throws a couple more logs on the fire to get it roaring. "We're friends. Call me Rajuna... and sit a little closer to the fire with me so I can show you my next trick." When the kids settle in, Raj pulls out the little jasper frog he found in the crypt. He shows them the statuette. "See this? It's just a plain old frog statue." He taps it against a branch and off his forehead with a wince and a laugh. "Nothin' special about it... Now, I'm gonna call on the power of the Gods. Watch what happens." He pulls out his well-hidden symbol of Iomedae and taps it against the frog with a few quiet words. The frog glimmers faintly then bursts into a bright glow. He puts the frog down on a stump for the kids to observe more easily. "See, the Gods can make somethin' plain into somethin' special. And special things can glow."
The children cheer at Rajuna's spark. "Do it again!", "WHOA!" and "MAAGGIICCC!" exclaim from their tinny, cheerful voices. "He knows magic!" Rajuna laughs and continues sparking twigs and larger branches to their delight, eventually building a modest campfire for the kids. He sits next to it and warms his hands, leading them gently. "Nothin' like a nice fire. Do you like the heat?"
Gracias! The loot list is updated with prices - except for a few items. We still need to determine if the Jasper Frog is magical (doubtful) and what the magical bead does. I'll jump on those after the tree scene.
The child's eyes widen when Rajuna tells her he is a magician, "You do magic! I can't do magic... Can you show me a trick?" Rajuna smiles a little sadly and signals more of the kids to come over. "I can. In fact, I'm gonna show you three tricks. I'll do the first two tricks and you are gonna do the third and best one because you are magical. Ready?" When he's got his audience's attention, he rolls up his sleeves like a carnival magician then holds up his empty hand while the other one holds a dry twig for them to see. "Now watch closely..." He snaps his fingers and the twig bursts into crackling flames.
SL - What was on those two scrolls from the crypt?
He watches as several dozen children play together around a now massive dead oak tree. Just as he did when he entered town. One of the children waves. "Hey Mister! You sell stuff, right?" Rajuna stiffens his spine and musters a smile and a small wave for the spectral children as he approaches. He would be ending their childhoods - he had no illusions about that. It wouldn't be as horrible as his childhood-ending experience was, but an ending was exactly that... and he'd be delivering the coup de grace. He sits down wearily at the base of the dead oak, emotionally more than physically spent. He watches the kids play briefly, enjoying the moment. "I do sell stuff." He says as cheerily as he can. "I even do a little magic. But that's no big deal, you do magic too."
Rajuna can only watch the older man take the hit. He handled it better than could be expected... or he was in a profound state of shock. The loss was less for the rogue, of course. Roslar's Coffer wasn't his town or his family. Still, Raj understood the pain in a way few people could. His village, his family, and everyone he knew had died in one night as well. The only difference was how they died and the fact that Raj never really got to say goodbye. In those last hours, he tried with his mum but she was delirious from blood loss, grief, and pain. He didn't even know if she really heard him. Raj pushes it aside. Work the problem. Find the solution. He pats the paladin on the shoulder, sympathetically. "Deep breaths, Damian. Just keep breathing."
Rajuna faces Damian and delivers the news. "Sorry about this but... everyone in Roslar's Coffer died last night. They are in that valley over there. They are havin' trouble understandin' that they have passed on. We need to convince them of the truth, so they can go on to their just rewards." He tries to find a less black patch of news. "While it hurts, at least we'll have a chance to say goodbye. It ain't much comfort but it's better than the alternative."
I'm for it and I don't believe it hurts single class characters.
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