Rath feels a headache beginning. He shakes his head, "No. Looking for... uh specific man. We look for famous man, Sorcerer-King named Putnapuanti. Not just any man."
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Seeing nothing to lose by talking with the crazy old man, Rath shrugs. "We were searching for a man but got lost. Now we are here."
"Nice to meet, Bee-billy-bow-ah-bow. You see this is Biter's stick and he would like whole stick back. Is favorite stick. Will you take something in trade?"
Rath feels as if he's landed in an asylum and he's not sure which side of the cage door he is on. He waves at both men in an appeasing gesture. "OK, OK. So, I am Rath. This is Biter. You are?"
Rath looks surprised by both parties. "Hmmm... maybe find solution that doesn't need stick-breaking or people-breaking?"
Rath hops up, ready to follow Biter's lead.
"Hmm... How much you value that bow, Friend Biter?"
Biter looks up at the hut, "So it is'ing related to the Sorcerer-king? Or just'ing related to your dream somehow?" Rath stares at the hut for a moment before shrugging. "Don't know. Maybe one, maybe other... maybe both. You saw dragon, I saw this. Let's go see."
Rath stops short. He lays a staying hand on his friend's shoulder, if his words aren't enough. "Biter. This is hut from my dream."
Rath watches, with feigned gravity, the odd caperings of his sodden cohort. Yes, we find bow and cut off big damn chicken leg for dinner. But first - only one point for Rath. Friend Biter gave Rath honor of kill... no points for that. So we even til next interesting challenge." The monk studies the surroundings and the second sun working towards the horizon which lights the volcano up like its made of brass. He points towards the impossibly steep mountain. "We came from that way. Bow should be somewhere over there I hope." He swipes the persistent dust from his hakama and sets off in what seems to be the right direction.
The friends enjoy the last few seconds of free-fall as they plunge towards the surface. Rath turns his attention fully to the ground, waiting to deploy the sash until the last possible second. 500'... You can smell the approaching earth 300'... Rath lets the sash spool free 100'... He grips the clasp 40'... : click : The monk's timing is near perfect. The hurtling figures shriek earthward trailing 50' of rope and a bright red sash. A mere 40' above the ground, they slow and their prone bodies whip upright - hakama and pant legs flaring in the sudden updraft. In seconds, the monk's legs hit the ground and absorb the shock. Two puffs of dust blow up from his foot-slaps. Rath looks over his shoulder and winks at Biter before mimicking his friend's voice, "Rath was'ing to hit first. Rath wins." You are standing in the midst of uneven, dry, and dusty plain.
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Rath can only shake his head at the sight of the tiny, crazed, red-eyed goblin straddling the neck of the gargantuan and raggedy-looking Thunderbird - a demented Goblin Valkyrie. He enjoys the moment until the ruffled eagle-head spins round. The beak snaps shut on his friend putting a brutal, sideways V-shaped, bloody groove into the goblin's armor. Biter struggles briefly then begins to pry the beak open. Fueled by concern and irritation, Rath launches himself into a flying kick at the weakened strut of a rib. His foot shatters the bone with a crunch and forces a horse-length sliver of rib through the bird's heart. Dead before it has a chance to register pain, the head flops sideways, releasing the goblin. The lifeless right wing collapses and the Thunderbird begins a sickening, gut-churning spin, helicoptering towards the valley floor that is rocketing up to meet them. Rath is spun away from the bird only to be yanked to a hard stop a foot away - his rope bound arm secured to the flailing corpse by the Stone-Biter. Rath's brain kicks into gear. Even at the full rope length, I may not be able to trigger the sash at the right moment. Too early and the full weight of that bird on the rope will cut us in half or, more likely, overwhelm the magic and drive us into the ground at full speed. Too late... and the result will be the same. The monk debates trying to pull the arrow free, but with no way to get leverage, it's a fools chance at best. He examines the arrowhead as best as he can given the topsy-turvy spin. There is no obvious weakness in the metal that he can see. Sh!t. Rath sighs and starts punching at the narrow loop of adamantium holding the rope, all the while keeping an eye on the rapidly expanding terrain below. On the third blow, the loop snaps. Rath laughs in relief and spreads his limbs - the wind sucks him up and away from the plummeting bird. "BITER - LET GO BIRD!"
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FOB & Stuff:
FULL: FOB Hand (20/2x)
MODS: +1, Ghost-Touch, Power Attack HIT: <-CRIT?
@ ARROW
HIT:
HIT:
Tweet AoO v AC:23:
Levering off the monstrous leg, Rath sends a flurry of kicks into the lacerated breast of the beast but fails to crack the exposed rib. "Son of a #@$@(&(&-eating @#^&%*# with a *&#$&# of $&(!&(&# on a brick!"
ORDER: 99|190
rolls: FULL: FOB Hand (20/2x)
MODS: +1, Ghost-Touch, Power Attack HIT:
HIT:
HIT:
HIT:
Rath smiles painfully, "FINE. THINKIN' CHICKEN DINNER SOUNDS GOOD."
Rath wraps the rope around his wrist, hangs onto the embedded arrow shaft, and drives a series of stiff kicks into the bird's wounded breast. The erratic flight throws more than a few of his blows aside.
rolls:
FULL: FOB Hand (20/2x)
MODS: +1, Ghost-Touch, Power Attack HIT:
HIT:
HIT:
HIT:
HIT:
A pendulum at full arc - Rath hangs for a moment behind the massive eagle and then slings forward and beneath it - through rain intermixed with blood and shredded feathers. The monk grins at Biter's handiwork and takes a quick look down. 1200'... more or less. He looks up at the 40 or so feet of wet, wind-whipped rope. This, I can handle. Faster than a Hasted monkey, Rath scampers up the length of the rope using hands and feet. As he scrambles into the shadow of the bird, it spies him. It's wicked sharp beak lashes out and comes away with a chunk of shoulder meat. Undaunted, Rath continues to climb until he is next to the talon holding Biter. He pulls the Stone-Biter arrow from his belt and slams it into the tendonous joint. He gives the arrow a quick tug to ensure it's well buried. He grins at the wet-feathered and blood-encrusted goblin. "You are ugliest baby bird, have ever seen."
ORDER: 174|190
Tweet AoO v AC:27:
Rath Rolls:
EDIT - Fall from AoO?:
Rath grabs for the stone-biter arrow and line, hoping it doesn't snap or that he can catch the trailing end of it, if it does. But 'down' becomes a wicked sharp-left turn far too quickly. The rope thrums under the strain but holds... barely. Rath is yanked sideways, the rope binding around his waist ferociously.
The monk has only a moment to watch the rope before it stretches taut. Oh no...
"SHOOT STRAIGHTER!" Not for the first time, Rath debates whether he should have studied more offensive Ninja magic. He was, he hated to admit, all but useless at this range and in this circumstance. How do you close with an enemy while falling at terminal velocity? was not a question posed at the monastery or in the dojo. Right at this moment, it seemed a serious hole in the training program. Seeing the large rocks picking up speed as they tumble and crash down the face in the wake of the companions, Rath turns his attention to gaining distance from the wall and the avalanche. He glides smoothly away from the wall and the shower of rocks, while slipping a shuriken from his sleeve. The valley floor was approaching very fast and he'd need to be ready for it.
ORDER: 190|190
The warm wind roars up the cliff's face and buffets the monk's ears, making him all but deaf to the threat above. He watches the sheer wall become a slope, punctuated by the meandering walking trail that cuts back and forth as it winds its way around the volcano. Rath considers the length of the serpentine trail and the endless hours it would have taken them to walk it... a thought cut short by the more immediate concern of the expanding slope below. Their initial leap was not enough to clear the full distance. Unchecked, they'll hit what looks like a steep section of rock and probably roll down to the trail below it. Not fatal, but definitely painful. Experimentally, the Vudrani base-jumper adjusts his arms and legs - managing a wobbly glide further away from the slowly encroaching cliff-face. Better. Focused on the task of controlling their plunge, Biter's movements register as only a shifting variable to the monk - one that must be compensated for to keep them flying level and moving away from the wall. The tap on his skull comes as a surprise. The sight of the massive stooping bird silhouetted against a storm cloud is even more so. Rath eyes the creature as best he can over his shoulder. It looks familiar but he can't put a name to it. He yells to Biter over the wind-roar, "I don't know what it is! If it's hunting US, then hunt it BACK! I'll try to keep us off the rocks and out of its gullet! Hang on!" The monk pulls his arms in to cast a spell, setting the tied figures into a series of gut-churning, uncontrolled, somersaults through the whistling air. Their fast-steady fall becomes a headlong hurdle earthwards. Only unwavering focus enables Rath to trigger the spell that sheathes him in magical protection before splaying himself wide again to regain control of their descent.
ORDER: 170|170
rolls: MOVE:
FREE: STAND: Cast Mage Armor
Rath gives Biter a smile and a thumb's up. "You're never boring, I'll give you that." The monk wanders along the edge of the precipice, looking for a rock-solid jump point over a relatively straight drop while he removes his sash and ties it around his wrist. He picks a good spot and kicks some loose rocks out of the way to give himself a clear path to the edge. Rath takes position about 10 paces from the edge, tightens his bandolier, and gives the pint-sized warrior a ready-when-you-are look. Biter scampers up the monk's back and, after some discussion, lashes himself low down to keep their combined weight roughly centered. Biter wedges his feet through Rath's cloth belt and hangs on to his bandolier like it's a set of reins. As ready as he can be, the goblin slaps the monk on the back. Rath takes a couple of bouncing steps getting used to the new center of balance before his legs pump like pistons - rocketing them at a breakneck pace towards the cliff's edge. He shoots the little goblin a grin and hurls them both into the chasm of open air... The monk's arcing leap carries them over 60' from the cliff. With only a single flip and a bobble or two, Rath settles into a splayed position that lends some control over the fall. Hopefully, it's enough. Bouncing us off this wall would not be good. Once Rath is stable, Biter sits up carefully (mindful of their balance) and enjoys the ride, feeling like a jockey on a strange plummeting steed. He listens to the wind's howl and watches the wall racing by - a slate-colored blur. Rath slowly pays out the red sash. It's tail whips past them like a trail of blood and fire.
rolls:
He stares at the tooth in the goblin's fist. "I had a dream too. No dragons, though. I saw the strange ice-spire castle on the lake and at its base was a crappy little hut of mud and straw. The door was open and light was coming from inside."
Rath rolls his eyes heavenward, as if imploring the Gods to spare him from the rants of small green warriors. "Sissy-cheater, fine." He replaces Biter's air tick mark in the "win" column. "Now, score at Biter 169 to Rath 168." He catches the tossed dragon-tooth deftly as he leaps lightly out of the crater. After three years together, Rath's Goblin-tongue and Biter's Vudrani are easily better than either of their broken attempts at Common. And their conversations often switch jarringly from one language to another by some unspoken set of rules. Rath's gaze sweeps the area while he digests the Goblin's information. His eyes alight on the ruined Hall. "You broke building, Biter! Goblin skulls harder than stone - maybe as thick too. Hope you got moneys enough to pay for it." He smiles and switches from Common to Goblin. "I have a full wineskin and almost a week of rations. As for where this is... I don't know. Maybe this is part of the journey to find Putnapuanti? All that old manuscript in Kaerkarkorum said was Travel the Great Snake... which we found was the ancient name of the M'bobiana river ... until its head you reach. Challenge its Fangs and Putnapuanti, Sorcerer-King, you will find." He thinks for a moment while looking down the precipice - 3000' give or take - adjacent to the destroyed Hall and the trail. "Maybe this is the 'Challenge of the Fang' or maybe Putnapuanti is here somewhere and this bit wasn't written into the legend." Rath leaves the view and pops his head into the ruined Hall before returning to where Biter rocks on his haunches. He hands back the dragon's tooth to the small warrior. "I think this is a pilgrimage trail. If it's like the ones in Golarion, some of these little houses may provide water and shelter." "So, we have a choice. We walk the trail, hopefully learn a bit more from passing pilgrims, and trust that our water supply will last or that we can resupply at one of these huts... OR... we take the 'fast way' down." Rath smiles and taps the red sash around his waist. It's clear to Biter that he is talking about a 3000' free-fall along the precipice with a theoretically soft landing using the mystical power of his sash.
Lying in his crater, Rath enjoys the contoured-to-his-body feel of the pulverized rock beneath him. He assesses the apparent lack of damage and tests his conclusion by triggering individual muscles groups, starting with his face and ending with his toes. All good. He takes a little time to enjoy the feel of the sunshine through his closed lids as he hears Biter hack, jump, and shake himself. Only when the goblin claims a point in their 3-year on-going match of 'I win' does he crack open an eye and moves a balled hand in a gesture that erases Biter's tick mark. "Hmm... Wasn't awake to see who hit when. Can't say who first. No witness... no point." The monk rises slowly and dusts himself off casually as he awaits the anticipated, spirited protestation from his little green friend.
Rath nods, "This Planescape Gem, I would like to see."
Rath smiles at his small friend while waiting for the goblin to free him. "Time almost, Friend Biter. First, need to get rid of liabilities to colony success."
Rath sits in lotus on the brig's floor with eyes closed, considering his and the mission's fate. Killing the witch, Imogene, had been the right decision regardless of the Peace Bond between the Pathfinders and the Prisoners. He smiles to himself. As a former Pathfinder, he didn't consider himself a part of the Pathfinder 'contingent' any longer and, therefore, not subject to the idiotic solution Brycen had enacted. It was splitting a legal hair but Rath was comfortable with it. Needless to say, legal hair or not, Brycen wasn't about to tolerate Rath's blatant insubordination particularly when he dumped the witch's body into a latrine pit in front of the prisoners to emphasize the new power structure.
Dot... I live again!
Rath regards the small blonde, feeling markedly better on The Nereid than on any ship with a more floral name. He smiles, "Rajkumari, this I think, was inevitable."
It's been good playing with you guys. I hope to see you in other games down the road!
I've updated the loot log.
So, aside from the Whip feathers, how would you guys like to distribute the items? Anything not claimed, I'll file in the 'group bag' that Rath is carrying.
Round 0: Rath steps in front of Alexis and readies an attack if either the hag or a witch comes for the Rajkumari.
Round 0: Rath delays for a bit to see how things play out with the teammates actions.
Since the Hag could be anywhere, Rath swings back around and returns to the base of Alexis' tree. He searches in a circular pattern moving away from the tree hoping to hear or run into the Hag. If he finds her, he will attempt to grapple.
Round 6:
Round 5: Grapple (hand):
To Hit: Rath's AC vs Grapple: 24 / 21 (Due to Improved Grapple)
Rath moves to finish off Wolf 3.
Rath's Actions: Rath attacks the wolf at DT156 and then the one at DT155 if he manages to drop the first one.
Full Round Action - Flurry of Blows (hand):
To Hit:
Rath turns on the Witch between Biter and himself. Rath Round 2: Full Round Action - Flurry of Blows (hand): To Hit: Damage:
AoO:
Standard Action - Single Hit (hand):
To Hit: Damage:
Rath sends a flurry of kicks at the downed Hag. His second kick is aimed at her head, hoping to stun her. Round 1:
Penetrate Concealing Mist 0-20 Miss -
effects: A defender who fails this saving throw is stunned for 1 round (until just before Rath's next turn). A stunned character can't take actions, loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, and takes a –2 penalty to AC. Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be stunned.
Rath sprints from the bushes noting that the faerie dragons have left him with a leafy head of hair. Using Biter's attack as a distraction he attacks from the other side. Surprise Round: Standard Action - Charge (to DS 156) w/ normal move and strike at the HAG. To Hit: Damage:
Go for it. No one lives forever.
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