"She's right, you know." Zalamandra speaks up, smirking at Carina's tirade. "I distinctly remember her being redder. And with a tail."
Her smirk fades. "I was there when she was brought back. Looking at her now, I can see she's lost a great deal that she can never get back. Can anyone say with a straight face that she deserved to have that happen to her?"
She looks at Mayor Neff. "I know you have little reason to trust me. But understand this--I would not lie about any of this, even if I was able to. I literally cannot lie in this courtroom--you have Astraden here to thank for that." She glances at the priestess before turning her gaze back on the Mayor. "If you're still sore about our little indiscretion from before, let me be the first to apologize. It was a foolish mistake. Now, can we please put this behind us and see justice done today?"
Zalamandra smirks. "I'm glad you asked, Mr. Trask." She produces the letters found in the Vecnan's hideout and hands them off to him.
"Not only that, but evidence of Smenk's dealings with the Triad are still down there--boxes upon boxes of supplies, all stamped with Smenk's brand." Her smirk grows wider. "And from what I've been able to learn, Smenk was an eager accomplice in all this before he outlived his usefulness."
"And how would I know all of this, you ask?" She stands up. "Simple--I ventured in there alongside them myself. Believe me, none of us here could make this up even if we tried."
Her smirk disappears. "So yes, I intend to go down this road with you, Smenk. More importantly, I intend to bury you at the end of it."
Relieved, Zalamandra speaks up again. "You're an undine now, Carina--someone with elemental ancestry. Specifically, from the Elemental Plane of Water." She takes a step closer to her. "You shouldn't have a problem swimming with your new body, though I can't really say the same for your muscle mass." She looks the undine up and down.
Knowledge (Planes):1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16 "Carina." Zalamandra bows, not missing Carina's discomfort. "I understand you have quite a few reasons to hate me, but rest assured I didn't come to reopen old wounds." She looks into Carina's eyes, her tone genuinely apologetic.
"In fact, I wished to apologize. I kept badgering you to work for me no end long after you made your disinterest clear, and couldn't take 'no' for an answer. To put it bluntly, my head was so far up my own ass it's a miracle I could even see where I was going. To make amends, I helped your friends deal with the Ebon Triad cell under Diamond Lake." She nods at the assembled team.
Zalamandra explains everything that happened under Diamond Lake to Valkus Dun.
"Yes, Wierus always struck me as being slightly utterly raving mad." She sighs. "He has a certain charisma, but the plain truth is no sane person would want to whip themselves bloody for every single sinful thought that crosses their mind."
Once she finishes her explanations, she gives Valkus a bow. "My thanks for granting me this audience, sir."
--------------
Figures.
Mayor Neff wasn't interested in what she had to say without Allustan being around. It was abnormally sensible of him.
All I can do is wait, I suppose...
--------------
The sight of Carina's body covered by the roots makes Zalamandra look down in guilt.
Zalamandra nods before turning to the rest of the team. "Astraden... if you're dead set on fixing this yourself, I'm not going to stop you." She shrugs. "Farrukh, would you like some help getting your eyes fixed?"
"So, Astraden, let me make it clear what will happen to you if you don't get yourself looked at immediately: the corruption from that elemental will settle into your soul within a day. In two days, the corruption in your soul will have physical manifestations, including, but not limited to: peeling skin, muscle cramps, ichor secretions, and potential sexual dysfunction." Zalamandra explains. "You were lucky you took a glancing blow--a spell to remove disease ought to clear it right up."
"Now, there's no need to panic. There are ways to guard against taint--such as a rod crafted from pure jade that's about the same size as a human finger. I wonder if one of the churches in town sells those kinds of things..." She ponders.
Would Zalamandra's Knowledge check have revealed anything about taint and how to cure it?
"Astraden, let me put it this way--if you got bit by a rabid dog, wouldn't you get to a healer as soon as possible?" Zalamandra puts her hands on her hips.
Zalamandra breathes a sigh of relief when the taint elemental finally dies.
She looks over at Astraden, concern plain as day on her face. "That was a nasty blow you took--how are you doing?" She inspects Astraden's injury. "Taint elementals have a propensity for corrupting a person's soul as well as their body--we should get you to a healer as quickly as possible."
So, here's what Zal's planning for her three days before Carina returns:
--Priority 1: Make sure there aren't any lingering effects from the Taint Elemental's touch. Can't exactly fight raw corruption without getting a little on you, right? That'll involve going to the Garrison or Wierus (in that order of preference).
--Discreetly inform both Sheriff Cubbin & Mayor Neff of Smenk's involvement with the Ebon Triad, then let Tanith break the fat bastard's nose before he's dragged off in chains.
Zalamandra pales. "I knew it was too easy. That's a taint elemental--that thing is resistant to physical attacks! Don't let it touch you: it's made of impurity and corruption!"
Do I learn any other way to hurt it?
She then extends her finger and utters an incantation, sending a red ray of fire at the beast!
"Barely. Everyone, if you have potions, oils, or anything else at all that can enchant a weapon, use it now or forever hold your entrails as they splatter all over the floor. I have a feeling we're not out of this yet." Zalamandra looks around the room again, looking for anything that might still be lurking about.
"This was too easy..." Perception:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Round 2: Actions Move Action: Move behind Astraden Standard Action: Throw four Magic Missiles up that rat bastard's ass!
Seeing Tanith fall is the last straw. Tanith Creed, one of the strongest men Zalamandra's ever met, was NOT going to die here. Not if SHE had anything to say about it.
She steps forward, stopping behind Astraden.
Infernal:
"SUCK THIS, YOU F**KING FREAK!"
She screams in a language born from Hell. She extends her middle finger.
"No. That was a creation of Vecnan cultists called the 'Eye'--named after their lord's missing one. This Ebon Aspect sounds like something else entirely..." Zalamandra trails off as Eben returns, announcing his find.
She promptly races over to the storeroom, where her eyes light up and a genuine cat smile appears on her face. "Eben, you magnificent bastard!"
"Huh..." Zalamandra holds the bracers up. "These are enchanted to cover their wearer in a layer of magical force. It should help fend off blows." She glances at the Faceless One's body.
"Of course, it wasn't much help to him, all things considered..."
Zalamandra looks over the letter and Theldrick's journal with the cipher, smirking. "Well, well, well... looks like Smenk outlived his usefulness to the Triad. I think Cubbin & Mayor Neff would be VERY interested in hearing this..."
She gathers up the items the party has uncovered and detects magic on them.
Zalamandra pokes the Faceless One's head with her foot. Eugh... no wonder he wore a mask. Although I have to wonder if he'd have been open to working at the Emporium...
"Don't forget why else we're here--we need to find evidence of Smenk's involvement with the Triad." She says as Eben dismisses his illusory wall. She steps past them into the room with the eyeball golem, poking around for anything worthwhile.
Zalamandra cringes as she hears the ripping and tearing of flesh from the corridor. Peeking around the corner, she spies a curious sight--Tanith crouching over the Faceless One and a wall behind him. That wasn't there before...
Will Save (Disbelieving Wall):1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
...in fact, the closer she looks at it, the more it seems... translucent. Not really there.
Ah. An illusion. Clever.
She puts her crossbow back on her belt and steps into the corridor. "Is that the last of them?"
Round 8: Actions Move Action: Move to just outside hallway where Faceless One is Standard Action: Draw Crossbow
Frustrated at the sight of so many people crowding into the doorway before her, Zalamandra takes off to the right, up through the hallway on the right. She stops short of the doorway to the left of her new position, pausing to draw her crossbow.
Active Effects Shield: 91/100 rounds Resistance: 2/10 rounds
Round 6: Actions Standard Action: Try to escape her web!
Zalamandra flails about, trying to escape the web she finds herself in.
CMB:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Unfortunately, all she succeeds in doing is getting herself more tangled up in it.
Active Effects Shield: 93/100 rounds Resistance: 4/10 rounds Grappled by web!
"...everyone, the Faceless One might be the least of our problems. What Farrukh just described is a creature called The Eye--a flesh golem of sorts made from the eyes of hundreds of living victims. It's immune to most magic and difficult to damage with non-adamantine weapons, and it's also packing a massive 'head-eye' that can sap your life force." She says.
"In other words--KILL THAT F**KING EYE-BEAST BEFORE IT GETS GOING!"
Round 5: Actions Standard Action: Cast scorching ray on wizard with the web scroll OR: Whichever one is still standing after Eben's shots Move Action: Attempt to escape the web
Zalamandra smirks as the allip is destroyed. As the wizard tries to unroll his scroll, she turns and fixes the acolyte with her trademark cat smile.
It promptly turns vicious as she calls out in their language and points at the acolyte.
Infernal:
"BY FIRE BE PURGED!"
A red, flaming ray leaps from her finger, arcing toward the wizard...
Scorching Ray Touch Attack! *Action Point!*:1d20 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (10) + 4 + (4) = 18 Damage:4d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 1, 5) = 14
Once her ray is fired, she attempts to move out of the web.
CMB:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
With disastrous results.
Active Effects Shield: 94/100 rounds Resistance: 5/10 Grappled by web!
R'kellor was raised by his clan after his parents died in a landslide. He rose quickly to the top of his peers in combat training to b warriors. His unmatched size and strength were accompanied by a soft heart and a fierce sense of companionship. When he was 15 he saw the chief's son abusing a smaller boy off away from the camp. He ran over and shouted at the larger boy to stop. He finally gave up on using words and tackled him to the ground. The chief's son tried to push him off but was unable to escape. He finally calmed down and R'kellor let him up. The chief's boy dived at his throat with a share stone knife and without thinking about it he slammed his hand into the smaller man's chest. As he did so he felt a deep primitive rage burning in his blood and long razor sharp claws ripped from his finger tips and sheared through his attacker rib cage, and lungs. R'kellor stood in trance trying to figure out what had just happened. He was awoken by the shouting of his tribesmen coming from the village brandishing weapons and torches. He ran as fast as he could and finally he couldn't go any farther. He spent the night in a deep cave.
For the last 10 years R'kellor has lived alone in the wilderness hunting for food and living in the same cave where he stayed that last night alone. In the heat of battle his hands still sprout dangerous claws but he prefers his hammer "Bear Shatter" a heavy instrument of death made from a large rectangular piece of granite lashed to the end of a long fire hardened ash handle.
Description:
Picture R'kellor stone hammer is a monster among men. He weighs 270 pounds and stands at just under 7 feet. He wears very little armor just loose fitting hide pants, a few scraps of fur and leather over his mostly bear chest and a bear hide over his shoulders and head with the bear's head serving as a helmet. His eyes a deep crimson and a four long scars across his chest where the bear ripped it open.
Character:
R'kellor
Male Human Warrior 3
LN Medium Humanoid (Human)
Init +3; Senses; Perception +6
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DEFENSE
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AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+4 Armor, +1 Dex)
HP 37 (3d12+12)
Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +1
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OFFENSE
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Speed 20 ft.
Melee +8
earthbreaker +10 2d6+9
x3 bludgeoning
Ranged +4
(5) javelin +4 1d6+4
x2 piercing
50 ft.
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STATISTICS
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Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 12
Base Atk +3; CMB +7; CMD 18
Skills: Intimidate +10, Perception +6, Survival +6
Traits: Nomadic, Reactionary
Feats: Power attack, Furious focus, intimidating prowess, weapon focus (earthbreaker)
Languages: Common
Combat Gear: mwk earthbreaker, hide armor, 5 javelin's
Other Gear: 8 gp, 8 sp, atlatl, soldier's uniform, waterskin, belt pouch, eye patch, signal horn, 50 ft. of hemp rope, 10 torches, flint and steel
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Dual talent
heart of the wild
Track
lesser beast totem
