Sefanit Batinayad's page

By the time Sefanit has been escorted out of the temple, Sefanit has come to doubt the wisdom of even trying to arrive at some sort of working accommodation with the Pharasman church.

While she's inclined to help in Wati, there seem fewer avenues for doing so than she has thought in the moment. She would not cooperate with the church, and it would seem now the group she'd met the day before were at loggerheads with her as well. How they could continue to align themselves with the Pharasmans was beyond her understanding, except for the Pharasman among them of course. He made sense because that's where his bread is buttered.

If Safanit thinks back to first reasons though, she had come to Wati for research. It is obvious now that research can't be carried out under the present circumstances. So she will get back to her original purpose and to Sothis to do it. It is more picked over for sure, but also less benighted in attitudes.

Sefanit doesn't wait around outside. She'd only met the other people the day before yesterday, and clearly she and they are not solidly friends. She writes out a note explaining her destination and intentions and wishing them the best. She leaves it with one of the guards at the doors.

After packing her things, Sefanit finds passage on a riverboat north. She will keep an ear to the ground for what happens in Wati in the days and weeks to come. She expects Nakht will eventually act as he has stated he would. Sefanit will still be keeping her vow if so, at a time and place of her choosing as she warned.

I work for the Oregon Department of Human Services. We're expecting to be hit with maybe the biggest rush of benefits applications ever due to statewide service sector closings.

I'm going to be pulled off my normal job to help process intakes somewhere between sometimes and a lot, and it's possible overtime could become involved.

I don't know what this is going to do to my availability right now, posts from me could become spotty at times depending on how things unfold. It's getting pretty crazy right now.

Quote:

Nakht only grins wordlessly at the harsh words leveled at him, though he answers Sefanit. “Stand with your friends if you will. Or step aside if you wish. This test has been decided and the choice is yours.”

That's not much of an invitation to consent to anything. Analogous to a automobile driver yelling, "I'm driving straight through you pedestrians. Get out of the way or not, your choice!"

But I see no reason to drag the debate over from gameplay to discussion.

Will do. I hope the move goes smoothly!

Yes, Sefanit is quite a pill isn't she? Damn academics. :p

"That's an interesting notion, I consented to a trial by combat without any awareness of my consent. In fact I was unaware until this very moment, when you told me I had consented, that I had consented. To me it seemed I acted in self-defense, which is everywhere, except within these walls apparently, not construed as consenting to bodily harm. One of those Pharasman idiosyncrasies is it? Another reason to not accept direction or oversight from this church. Who knows what I might consent to next? I certainly wouldn't!"

"I will continue to demand reparations and all my conditions from the church as a whole. I am not a member, and so I am not bound by any hypocrisy that holds Nakht as either separate from the rest of the church, this 'militant wing', or part of the church depending on which is convenient at the moment. My conditions remain unchanged."

"Please forgive my ignorance as a foreigner, but I must ask for clarification on a couple of points. Does the city of Wati have civil laws? Is Pharasma's clergy exempt from those laws?"

"The reason I ask is this: When is the last time a person tried for murder has been freed without punishment, though guilty, because Pharasma will judge him instead? My guess is never. Does Pharasman theology hold that those who are tried and executed for murders they committed will not be judged by Pharasma for them because the civil execution was quite enough? My guess is no."

"It seems to me then, that should Nakht loose his servants on the city, which we all already agree would lead to the deaths of many, loss of position and judgement by Pharasma is rather light punishment compared to that suffered by a common murderer. I am willing to accept a civil execution should that happen, but otherwise I will see that he faces both harsh punishments just as a common murderer would."

Sefanit concludes her argument with a dose of bitter sarcasm.

"I will keep in mind that if I do have to deliver justice myself, as a Pharasman he will understand that any act of self-defense on his part will be consent to a trial by combat. He will be accepting all bodily harm he suffers at my hands, for which I will then not be responsible."

"This has gone round and round long enough. Will my terms be met or not? If not, I would like to be able to pack my possessions in time to still take a boat to Sothis today."

Oh absolutely. I believe you ran the encounter RAW. It was also an insane encounter that creates a giant plot hole in that rational characters who are not invested in the Pharasman church (Francis certainly has an out due to this) are left with no reason to want to have anything to do with them anymore.

Players just have to shrug and decide 'well, we don't want to quit the AP so I guess we'll just act like that was somehow kind of normal and move on'. It reminds me very much of a certain plot problem in Wrath of the Righteous that just sours things with an ally for no good reason.

Sefanit is on the extreme end of things though. She's a Rahadoumi atheist who has no reason at all to extend the benefit of a doubt to the Pharasmans because gods are mysterious, or priests should be respected or any other justification for cutting them a break. So she's not cutting them a break.

Sefanit shakes her head, rejecting Francis's argument.

"And again you bring things into this that I'm not even talking about. No doubt everyone is anxious to stop the risen dead. There's no question there. But there are two potential sources of indiscriminate slaughter to consider. One is the undead from the necropolis. The other is Nakht and his minions. Who here aside from me is willing to DO something about the second? That is my question."

"The answer seems quite clear to me. Pharasma abhors the killing of innocents when there is some external culprit. Very very abhorrent in those instances. But when the culprit is nestled inside your own church, that gets awkward doesn't it? Suddenly shoulders are shrugged and eyes are averted, and abhorrent becomes 'well, something we might just have to live with'. So, Pharasma abhors innocent lives lost when those who are not her own are responsible. Tell me why I am wrong."

"You yourself have by now spoken of Nakht as 'beyond reason' and his plans as 'crazy', but nobody here except myself and perhaps Emilia will oppose him? How many lives exactly is avoiding a 'rift' in your church worth? How did it become MY responsibility to clean up the mess avoiding a 'rift' will cause when you won't excise your own rot from within? Please tell me, keeping in mind I am free from caring about your politics and your hierarchies and your 'that's just how it is' evasions."

Obviously we were brought here because we might be useful. But when supporting us when we were under mortal threat due to an ambush in the place we were asked to might have involved some risk, we were on our own. Did we receive a bit of healing? Yes we did, because we were game pieces. I came here in friendship, and my extended hand was bitten. I will not extend my hand to see if it will be bitten again."

"Now, I merely share some aims with the church. I am willing to assist if my conditions are met. In the absence of friendship or trust, contracts will have to suffice. So, how are my conditions unreasonable? Please be specific."

"If the indiscriminate deaths of innocents is abhorrent to Pharasma as you say Francis, why am I, the unbeliever in this room, the only one willing to actually DO something about it? Is muttering and the sad shaking of heads a sufficient response to the abhorrent in Pharasma's view?"

I certainly do still think the encounter was absurd and designed for the party to lose.

But, I think Sefanit has reacted in a completely reasonable way to the situation. I mean what sane person would, after what just happened think "gosh, we showed up to ask if we could help, were nearly murdered for it with the side supposedly supporting us standing around to watch, but no (permanent) harm no foul."?

Sefanit has simply reacted like an actual person would react.

If telling the Pharasmans they completely suck afterward is so far out of bounds it's arrestable or thereabouts then not only is the combat encounter absurd, but the whole scenario is ludicrous.

She did specify "at a time and place of her choosing", which I don't expect to be within the immediate future. She'll get back to him come some point in later books when she's 12th or 15th level or whatever.

Of course there is an easy resolution if you want it. Sefanit will walk away if her terms aren't met.

On the other hand, if my decision to have Sefanit react negatively to the Pharasmans is problematic for this campaign, I will certainly drop out rather than create difficulties.

Francis doesn't dampen Sefanit's anger in the least.

"You mischaracterize what I've said. I'm not 'breaking ties' with the Pharasman Church; I've never had any ties to the Pharasman Church. I specifically said I would not accept or act under its oversight or direction. I will in no way acknowledge its authority in anything."

"You are free to do as you will. I would even accept working alongside individuals within the church that I hold respect for, such as yourself, Bal Themm, and Ptemenib because they are individually people who have proven their decency."

"That is what this is about ultimately, decency. Sebti may be 'on our side' as you say, but her actual actions were insufficient to show it. I came here because I believed meeting with the church would be productive, but it was far, far less than not productive. We did not agree to some insane contest with that idiot man's things, it was forced upon us. 'Fairness' doesn't even enter into it. Far more basic is the indecency of standing by and letting it happen at all."

"I stand by every single word I have said. My conditions will be met before I move an inch. I came to Osirion for reasons of my own and I will go back to pursuing them instead if they are not met; for the church though its actions and inactions has demonstrated it is not a friend of mine. It has not treated me decently as a friend would. I will kill Nakht if he lets his servants loose in the city. I have taken that oath and I will not retract it."

Sefanit will not let Nakht leave the room without a response. She shouts at him in a fury, her tone dripping with acid.

”Stop! Now that I have seen the inner workings of a temple, I have never been prouder or more grateful to be a citizen of a nation ruled by the Laws of Mortality. This pathetic, infantile stunt of yours has only proven the lack of wisdom in bowing to the gods, for their servants here are fools who have more regard for their own prestige than they do for those among whom they live and purport to shepherd.”

”We came here offering our help, in a way that would save lives. In return, and without our consent, you rejected our argument with deadly violence. You are a leech, feeding off the hope and wealth of people and offering nothing in return except displays of self-aggrandizement. You are contemptable."

”Know this now and clearly you arrogant pig. If you let the filth you call servants loose on this city, I will kill you. If we see, or so much as hear a rumor of those things loose on the streets, sleep lightly. Look over your shoulder. Hide yourself away well. At a time and place of my choosing, I will visit and execute you in the names of those whose blood will be on your hands. I swear it will be so.”

Sefanit then turns her attention to Sebti. Her voice is calmer but not much less acidic.

”And you want our help because we know compassion. Is that because there is none to be found in you or your own church? When one of your own viciously attacks us, your face shows disapproval but you stand aside and let that absurdity continue? You stand and watch even though we have already been on the streets dispatching the undead and saving lives, even the lives of two of your own.”

”We will help the people of Wati, but not this church. Now there are terms you will have to meet. This stupidity has robbed us of a day, and tomorrow things will be worse than they are today. This church has submitted us to great pain and suffering for no sound reason except because we extended our hands to you in friendship. Your infighting has robbed us of essential resources in a fight we did not want.”

”You cannot restore our time lost. You cannot undo our suffering. But you will replace every bit of equipment we used defending ourselves against your despicable co-religionist. In fact you will do better than replace what we used. You will gives us a wand to restore ourselves against injuries from negative energy, with at minimum a number of uses equal to those used from this one to preserve ourselves against those psychopomps.” Sefanit holds up the curing wand Emilia and she were using.

”Further, we refuse the church’s oversite. We will keep our own council and make our own decisions and plans. You no longer have our trust. Finally, any needs we have for treatment of wounds or restoration of health will be given to us by the church upon request and without delay or question. These terms are not negotiable.”

Sefanit throws the acid.

Attack (Ranged, Touch): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Crit?: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Ah, I guess I do have one more flask on hand. Sure, why not.

Attack (Ranged, Touch): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Oh, I guess that's why not. Whatever.

Sefanit tries to do something that will draw the vanth's attention away from Elliander to aid him.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

Sefanit takes the last flask of alchemist fire from her bandolier and tosses it.

Attack (Ranged, Touch): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Don't think 18 will be enough Elliander.

Well, if nobody's bothered by the friendly fire.

Sefanit takes a flask of alchemists fire from her bandolier and also throws it at the vanth.

Attack (Ranged, Touch): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Sefanit tosses the healing wand to Emilia. She then moves over to place a hand and Elliander and heal him, not really caring if the vanth can strike at her.

CLW: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Emilia, want to take the wand of CLW and use it? Sefanit can cast CLW one more time. That way we could, with a couple of good rolls, heal about 50% of the damage Elliander is almost certainly going to take this round.

After that it's just the wand, and with a good roll it will heal about 25% of the damage he will almost certainly take in further rounds.

Otherwise we can stand and watch so this ends sooner.

@West: I wasn't trying to imply you have rigged this combat. Maybe there was a narrow route to success at the beginning. But there isn't one now. The math is just not there. This fight started back in mid-November and it's been weeks since there's been any significant chance we could do anything but lose.

We have one weapon that matters between us all. Spells are shut down. We can muster one attack per round with a roughly 50% chance to hit. The vanth has two attacks at roughly 75% and 50% and each of them delivers more damage than ours. When Elliander is out of the fight there's literally nothing left for the rest of us to do.

The fight doesn't even really matter. When it's over everybody's healed and some dick priest gets bragging rights. It's tiresome. If this is RAW from the book then either we're just not the party this AP is asking for or it's a crap encounter we were meant to lose.

Sorry if this rubs people the wrong way but I would like to call it a loss and just move on without wasting more time.

Sefanit uses her wand to stabilize Hasina.

CLW: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Well that's it for Sefanit. She has three spells remaining to cast. The chance any of them would get through both SR and the Will save are sightly better than nil. If they did they would have no impact on combat. I'm not sure there's any point in wasting any more wand charges either. We will lose this fight because we're meant to.

With only the vanth psychopomp remaining, Sefanit knows she has few options available to her.

She stares balefully at it trying to foul its action with bad luck. She then takes a wand in hand. She might at least be able to help Francis keep others in the fight.

Misfortune Hex on the vanth psychopomp, DC 16. Draw wand of Cure Light Wounds.

If Sefanit has ever wavered in her in her belief in the wisdom of the Laws of Man, this stupid, pathetic display is all she needs to put those thoughts to rest. Yes, the Laws of Man have stymied her research on occasion due to bans on certain documents. Yes, her unusual (and unasked for) ability to use magic has made life in Rahadoum rather uncomfortable of late.

But if this is the sort of nonsense that happens within a church, especially when there is so little time to act against a clear danger, then how much worse must things be between churches as the compete for worshippers, attention, wealth, and power? This sad episode makes the almost inevitability of the Oath Wars in her own home's history very easy to understand.

Sefanit puts a little more space between herself and the dog-like psychopomp. Snatching a pearl from her pouch, she recalls one of her expended spells and again bathes the thing in flames from her outstretched hands.

Burning Hands: 4d4 ⇒ (3, 3, 4, 4) = 14 DC 15 Reflex save for 1/2 damage.

5' back (to the right, already moved token on the map). Move to retrieve Pearl of Power, Standard to cast Burning Hands. Sefanit has the esobok at the extreme end of a 15' cone so the squares occupied by Eliander and Hasina/Francis will be excluded.

West: in the previous round Sefanit was using Ill Omen on the Esobok (token with yellow border), not the Vanth. Is it too late to change the results?

Sefanit moves along to the other side of Francis to get a better view of the Esobok (yellow) surrounded by her friends. She gazes at the beast and curses him with misfortune.

10' move, Standard to use Misfortune Hex on Esobok (DC 16 Will save).

Sefanit skitters away from the scythe-wielding psychopomp, taking cover behind Francis and Emilia. She knows that working magic on outsiders can be dodgy, and figures the one with the scythe is the one her spells would be mostly likely to fail against.

She puts aside her desire for retribution and decides to help whittle down the weaker ones. With a few arcane words and a gesture, Sefanit curses the dog-like psychopomp beside Hasina and Emilia.

5' step, move to put wand away, standard to cast Ill Omen on yellow psychopomp.

Sefanit moves from behind Hasina and Emilia. With a couple of arcane words she sends flames leaping from her outstretched hands to engulf both the beastly esoboks. She can get both of them in the cone without catching Hasina or Emilia in it.

Burning Hands 15' cone. Damage = 4d4 ⇒ (2, 3, 4, 4) = 13 DC 15 Reflex Save for half damage.

As an actual fight breaks out over the dispute, Sefanit can only roll her eyes at men and their pissing matches.

So we're going to waste time and precious resources...

Sefanit takes a few steps to place herself behind Emilia and Hasina until she is readied.

Over who's going to protect the city...

She draws a wand from her belt.

Which will almost certainly mean the best of my magic used...

With a word she draws a sheath of magical protection about herself.

And probably a day wasted recovering from this absurd display before anything that matters can actually be done.

10' move to behind Emilia and to draw wand. Standard to cast Mage Armor.

The atheist in Sefanit isn't exactly comfortable getting involved in church debates. But if the question is taken to what she sees as it's root, there is a clear choice to her mind. With Kushi, who had emerged earlier to watch the debate, perched on her shoulder Sefanit interjects herself into the debate before time wasting violence breaks out.

"The wrong question is being debated here. This is not a question of whether we, and others of our ilk, or summoned servants are the stronger. It is a question of what will best preserve Wati and it's people. I have no doubt your summoned servants can deal effectively with the undead scourge Nakht, But they would also kill all the living who found themselves entangled in the battle, perhaps even those who were not."

"We are also quite capable of handling the undead plague, and we are discriminating. We can save people who are in danger, preserve property, complete the task while leaving the city as close as possible to intact."

"Further, we have accomplished much this very night to prove our effectiveness. We dispatched the undead who menaced this evening's auction, saving the attendees. We prevented an undead judge and his minions from executing people and put him to rest again. Your priestess Bal Themm, a hero this evening who should be recognized for her great courage, and I held the gates alone against a shadow until reinforcements arrived. We insured that shadow is no more. Wherever we have passed, none of the unliving have remained. And during this we have still found time to dispatch bandits who were guilty of thieving from the Necropolis and rescue Ptemenib."

"There is no need for a fight to show who is stronger. Both possible solutions are strong enough for the task. But we have proven ourselves to be flexible and surgical, exercising reason and judgement in the use of violence. The servants that would be summoned in our stead cannot show such evidence, and would not even bother to make a similar claim."

"The reasonable decision to to allow us to proceed, and if we should fail summon the servants as a last resort."

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. I have been in the process of finding and buying a house, which has eaten up all my spare time lately. That's about finished now though so things should be getting back to normal.

Sefanit chooses the spellbook that includes Dancing Darkness to keep for herself. She also grabs the bird feather tokens to ensure they don't get lost in the shuffle of loot. Finally, she selects one of the silver bracelets and a nice pair of earrings for herself because why not? I deserve to have nice things.

"Yes, let's finish up and get on out of here."

Sefanit can use the scrolls of Identify and Levitate but none of the others. She currently has both those wands. If Ki'dhir wants one of them he's welcome to it. I think Scorching Ray wand is down to 2 charges remaining though.

Sefanit has an intuition about the tin bird and feathers and detects magic on both.

Otherwise I'm ready to move on.

I'm currently in hectic work project mode. I'll be back in action on the boards Thursday. Please bot as needed.

Sefanit introduces herself to Ptemenib. "We haven't met before. My name is Sefanit Batinayad. It's a pleasure to meet you. Yes, your little psychopomp friend was very insistent that we come looking for you."

Sefanit helps search around. When that is done she suggests retiring to more comfortable and secure surroundings.

"It's been a long day, and evening. We should find a place to rest. And escort Ptemenib to a temple where he can receive care."

Sorry! I thought I'd posted this round already.

Sefanit helps Ki'dhir, looking over the things he finds to see what they might be. As she does she continues the conversation they had started.

"Yes, I'm attached to the university in Manaket. Sure, I can tell you what I know. I'm not sure it adds up to a "path" exactly though. Unless wandering around blindfolded could be said to result in a path."

Here are some Spellcraft rolls to identify what he finds if needed.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20

"Nice to meet you Ki'dhir. I'm Sefanit Batinayad. I am a historian and linguist by profession. As for the rest... It's something I can't quite explain myself. Sometimes I think Kushifalhikma here is the Fatespinner, and I'm her instrument. Sort of like a magnifying glass."

Sefanit is standing not far away from Emilia and Ki'dhir, engaged with Kushifalhikma, who is resting on her hand.

"Listen to all that over who got to kill the man and claim the credit Kushi. As if someone weren't assuring they fought him with somewhat more than one of his hands tied behind his back. The poor villain was practically crippled by fate as they picked him apart wasn't he?"

It almost looks as if the scorpion makes a shrugging gesture with her pinchers and shakes her head sadly.

Sefanit can practically smell Ekram's frustration and laughs at it.

You haven't seen your worst day quite yet mister.

She shifts a bit to her right to get a better view of the man. Speaking words that cannot be understood by mortal ears, she reaches toward him with her hand as if grabbing hold of something and tugging it down.

5' Step, Move to Cackle and extend Misfortune, Standard to cast Shadow Trap on Ekram DC 15.

Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

Yes, Francis loaned Sefanit both of the wands.

Sefanit shrieks and falls back from the stabby man who suddenly appeared in front of her. But when she realizes he barely hurt her at all she laughs her laugh and wills bad luck on the formerly invisible man.

5' step away from Green, Move action to Cackle and extend Misfortune on Ekram, Standard action to hex Green with Misfortune DC 16 Will save.

The hit smarts, which makes Sefanit's laugh sound a little hysterical. She returns fire (literally) against the one who sent it Yellow, using the wand to send a beam streaking at him.

Attack (Touch): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 5, 2) = 16

Move action to use Cackle Hex to extend Misfortune Hex on Ekram. Standard action to attack, wand of Scorching Ray already in hand.

And a double check to make sure Ekram's attacks on Emilia occurred before Sefanit hexed him, if after he must make 2 rolls and take the worst on all d20's. Worth checking in case it negates the crit on her.

EDIT: Forgot Sefanit must UMD the wand: UMD: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

Welcome aboard Ki'dhir and Farid! Glad to have you!

Sefanit decides she doesn't want to test their prisoner's trustworthiness too much. She makes a pincher motion with her hand for him to see and says "remember" so he doesn't forget what's (supposedly) his possible fate should he make any false moves.

She then moves up beside Francis while telling Kushi to stow herself back in the pouch she travels in. Pointing at the masked man she tells him "you wear the mask of the dead. I daresay you didn't imagine this morning's fashion choice would be this evening's portent."

Hexing Ekram with Misfortune DC 16 Will save.

Sefanit keeps her wand pointed at their captive. "Go ahead and get him out. I'll keep an eye on our friend here. If he tries anything at all, I'll turn him into something else, maybe a scorpion."

Speaking to Kushi, who is riding on her shoulder, Sefanit asks "What do you think dear, would you like a nice, handsome boy as a playmate?"

She gestures with the wand for the man to move on over in the direction of the well.

Intimidate: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Sefanit bites on her lower lip as she thinks, unsure what to do. Finally she admits to herself that it's best to accept things don't always turn out for the best.

"We can't wager his life on our being able to return. If something goes wrong, we will have doomed him if we leave him there."

Sefanit takes one of the wands Francis has given her (Scorching Ray) and keeps it trained on the man who gave up, doing her best to look menacing.

Sefanit turns her attention to one of the men facing Hasina, eying him in a foreboding way.

Misfortune Hex on Orange targeting attack rolls.

I'm glad to hear things are look up West, and I'm still around.

I'm very sorry West, that's a lot of stuff to deal with all at once. I went through a similar time a few years back and it puts a heavy load on a person. I'm glad you've found an apartment, having a place of one's own really helps.

Don't worry about the game. Real life always has to come first. Take whatever time to need to get things sorted out and back on track. Worrying about getting posts up can become just another stressor you've adding. Wait until it will be fun rather than an obligation.

Take care, and we'll see you when you're ready.

Sefanit titters in her unsettling way and turns her attention to the farther man threatening Emilia. "And you'll fare no better you fool!"

Move = Cackle, Standard = Misfortune on Blue (DC 16).

Sefanit stares at the bandit in front of Francis and pronounces upon him that he "will regret bothering us."

Misfortune Hex on red bandit DC 16