Circling to the south and bleeding Profusly, Augusto Ignores his wounds in an Attempt to Finish off the Xill in front of him.
I 5 foot step to a10
another full round attack, Bane and Judgements still running
atk 1( +2 bane., +2 justice, +1 bless)
Dmg 1 (+2 bane, +2 desctruction)
bane
total: 23
Atk 2( +2 bane, +2 justice, +1 bless)
Dmg 2 (+2 bane, +2 desctruction)
bane
total: 22
OH atk( +2 bane., +2 justice, +1 bless)
oh atk(+2 bane, +2 desctruction)
bane
total: 17
Glancing to Augusto, confident the bkademaster can fend for himself and that Motokono is safe, Bors turns towards the only remaining foe. Hold fast laird, help be on the way. he shouts to Bwana.
What fiend, nae hae ye a kiss fer me? 'Ere, take a taste o' me blade instead.
With a quick nod, Elisen directs her magical starknife to continue attacking the xill attacking Bwana.
Attack
Damage
Seeing Bors moving toward the xill on Bwana, she moves forward getting close enough to help Augusto should he need it in the next round.
Fort:
The remaining Xill looks around, seeing his brethren dead, and screams, "I will be back to kill you!"
He then steps into Bwana's square (who is helpless), wraps his arms around him, and then you see the both of them begin to fade from sight gradually! ()
Zzamas screams, "Kill him now or he takes friend ta his world!"
Fearing for his Friend's Life, Augusto Drops his Blade, Drawing his Bow, Infusing it With the Power from Erastil, while he moves toward the Xill. Firing once he gets Close
" Erastil, I know i've been asking for alot Lately, but do not let me lose another Friend this day!"
Free action to drop Sword
Drawing bow as part of my move action to square B17
Judgement still running
Swift action to bane Bow
Single Attack at end of movement.
ATK (+2 justice, +2 Bane, +1 bless)
Dmg(+2 destruction, +2 bane)
Bane
Elisen reaches out and grabs her friend before he turns incorporeal. With a quick payer to Desna, she asks the diety to allow Bwana to move again, and to wrest free of the xill.
She again orders her starknife to swing at the monster before it vanishes.
Attack
Damage
Hold fast ye fiend. I'll hae a bit o' ye yet a'fer ye go.
Bors quickly moves Bwana's side and lunges around him, attepmting to strike the Xill while avoiding harming Bwana.
Fearing for his Friend's Life, Augusto Drops his Blade, Drawing his Bow, Infusing it With the Power from Erastil, while he moves toward the Xill. Firing once he gets Close
Augusto's arrow passes right through the Xill and Bwana, as they are fading from this world!
Hold fast ye fiend. I'll hae a bit o' ye yet a'fer ye go. Bors quickly moves Bwana's side and lunges around him, attempting to strike the Xill while avoiding harming Bwana.
Bors' attack is true, as it catches the Xill in between worlds, but he does not let go of Bwana.
Elisen reaches out and grabs her friend before he turns incorporeal. With a quick payer to Desna, she asks the diety to allow Bwana to move again, and to wrest free of the xill. She again orders her starknife to swing at the monster before it vanishes.
Elisen touches Bwana, who suddenly feels his limbs move again, even though he feels his physical form is fading from this world. The Xill is as surprised as anyone to see Bwana regain his movement.
The starknife connects, drawing more blood from the Xill.
The Xill tries to retain hold of Bwana, but magically, the summoner's body evades his grasp, like a slippery eel. The Xill screams in frustration and the party sees less of his body present on the Plane, as he continues to fade away. As his body slips away from the Xill's grasp, Bwana feels his form solidify.
Stoping in his Tracks, Augusto Takes 2 more shots at the Xill, Hoping they Connect before it leaves the Plane.
full ranged attack, Judgements and bane still running
atk 1(+2 justice, +2 bane, +1 bless)
dmg 1 (+2 destruction, +2 bane)
bane 1
atk2
dmg 2
bane 2
Elisen quickly begins caring for Bwana, but lets her magical starknife make one more attack for the monster to remember before it vanishes.
Attack
Damage
Stoping in his Tracks, Augusto Takes 2 more shots at the Xill, Hoping they Connect before it leaves the Plane.
Augusto's first arrow passes through the Xill but the second arrow finds its mark, deeply embedding itself in the creature's back, leaving the Xill teetering on, barely hanging on to life.
Elisen quickly begins caring for Bwana, but lets her magical starknife make one more attack for the monster to remember before it vanishes.
Elisen's starknife passes through the creature harmlessly.
Taking a last desperate chance, Bors skirts his allies and spins his blades into an attack stance, seeking to pierce the escaping fiend's heart.
Iomedae, let this monstrousity find True Justice for it's crimes upon these lands.
Black Longsword Damage
Black Longsword Damage
Defender Damage
Defender Damage
[edit] Resubmitted as the dice roller was playing merry hob with the damages in a most weird manner. If desired, simply rule each attack missed and let the will find the way.
Taking a last desperate chance, Bors skirts his allies and spins his blades into an attack stance, seeking to pierce the escaping fiend's heart.
Bors' sword pierces the Xill's heart, just as it was about to leave the Plane and its body solidifies and falls dead on the ground!
You hear Zzamas yelling, "Thank you! Ghost Stone is mine, mine! Spit on the zill! Now, friends, deal is deal!"
Suddenly, a chest appears in front of the party and Zzamas smiles and skitters toward the monolith, where it fades from this world. Inside the chest, the party finds a ring, cloak, and a wand that radiate magic.
Once the FoM spell wears off, you're both paralyzed for 2 hours.
Do any o' ye hae a dagger or dirk I kin borrow? We need be getting tha eggs outta Motokono right quick. Magic preferred, but any good sharp blade'll do.
While the group waits for Bwana and Motokono to become unparalized, Augusto Tends to the Groups wounds with his wand of Cure Moderate wounds.
Cure mod wounds Wand -8 charges (32/50)
total healing 100hp
After this is Done, Augusto attempts to Study Each magic item to Idenify it, taking his time.
Ring
Cloak
Wand
Unfortunately, Augusto is unable to determine the magical properties of any of the items.
It is a Knowledge(Planes) skill.
Both Bors and Augusto know this already since they previously succeeded on their KP checks:
A xill's eggs hatch in 24 hours, at which point the young consume the host from within, inflicting 1 point of Con damage per hour per young until the host dies. The young then emerge and planewalk to the Ethereal Plane, if possible, to mature. A remove disease spell (or similar effect) rids a victim of all implanted eggs or active young, or they can be cut out one at a time with DC 20 Heal checks (each attempt takes 10 minutes).
"Well, I can try and cut the eggs out of Motokono, but it will be very tricky. If we feel that we can wait until the morning, I will be able to remove the disease with a spell. Once Bwana gets back to himself, he can tell us which option he prefers."
" anyone else wanna take a Crack at Identifying these items? My knowledge of spellcraft is a little rusty..."
"Let me take a look while we wait."
Spellcraft in the same order as Augusto:
"Let me take a look while we wait."
Two hours later, Bwana and Motokono's muscles react and they start to move. It's about 10pm at night. Is the party camping at the Ghost Stone?
"Let us rest here tonight, we need to make sure our Furry Friend is Cleansed of these... things, before we set out"
"I agree. Even though they are moving again, I think they need some rest before travelling again. If they are feeling better in the morning, we can try and make up some time."
'Motokono does not simply travel to a place on the far planes. He becomes one with them. If I send him there he won't suffer, and I can recall him before it is dangerous, so Elisen can heal him.'
"That should work, Bwana. I'll try and get those eggs out of him first thing in the morning."
The night passes without incident, while you marvel at the architecture of the monolith from an ancient time. Morning arrives and Elisen's spell cures Motokono of his "bellyache" and he now has new regard for the female as he smiles and pets her hair. While the group finishes its breakfast, suddenly Bors experiences something wholly and completely unfamiliar to him.
A mere 10 seconds later, a rift opens 20' in front of the Ghost Stone and out steps a handsome blond-haired elder elf wielding a staff with 2 other elves flanking him and holding on to his aqua blue robes as they step out. One is a pretty female elf wielding a bow, wearing an exquisite chain mail shirt and traveling leather boots. The other is a bald, corpulent Elf with piercing gray eyes. He wears a cherry-red robe with purple trimming, festooned with Thassilonian runes picked-out in gold and silver thread.
"Hail Warriors, I am Lucentius Maltisse, Mage of the 7th Circle of Kyonin, and these are my friends, Zarianna and Hrafen. I am glad you were so close to this monolith, it made my teleportation spell so easy to cast and center. But I digress. We seek my uncle Skerrin. We have lost contact with him and he advised us that he was traveling with your band on some noble quest of learning as of three days ago, but he has not responded to any of regular sendings since then. The poor soul, he's never been out of the library all of his life, so we worried about him." Lucentius looks around the campsite and not seeing Skerrin, a look of worry covers his face. "Yet, I do not see him with you. Please tell us what has happened. Did he leave your band and return to Kyonin? Something worse?"
Bwana shares a look with his companions.
Then in a soft friendly tone says, 'I have bad news to tell you of your uncle. He was slain by a being most foul, and lies, wrapped in preservative magicks underneath a cairn until such time as we were able to return him to civilisation and his family. It is well that you have sought us out, for though we grieve deeply, we have not the time to shed a tear. My deepest sorrows share with your spirit, may it ride the river to sea.'
Elisen was playing with game with Motokono when she saw a rift open and the three strangers step out.
She nodded in agreement with Bwana's words. {b]"A truly terrible happening. He was beyond my capabilities of healing,"[/b] she says quietly.
Lucentius looks shocked to hear the news. Calmly, he says, "Where is his body? I can take him back to Kyonin, have him raised. The practice is frowned upon in our society but for a person of his knowledge, I am sure I can convince our priests. Please tell me what happened. Who is this foul being underneath a cairn? Why did you not stop him?" His voice rises a little in anger as he awaits a response.
Taking his Hat off as a Sign of respect, Augusto intoduces himself
"Howdy, I am Augusto De La Mancha, Inquisitor of the Holy Church of Erastil. Your.. Our Friend Skerrin was Attacked by a "Soul Eater" In the Middle of the night. It seems the Beast was specificly after Skerrin, because it attacked him on two different nights. He soul was Drained from his Body. Despite out best efforts, we where unable to raise him from the Dead. Our Deepest regrets to you and your kin the loss of Skerrin. He was a good friend, quite full of knowledge, and always nice to Speak with. I wish there was more I could have done. I feel I have Failed him"
Lucentius pauses. "Your condolences are noted Augusto. A Soul Eater? I believed they were myths, rumored to be dark assassins, stories told to children to make them afraid of the dark. Whomever you've angered certainly has access to some ancient magics to have summoned that creature. I have heard that you must kill the assassin within minutes of its draining and within 30' of the body to prevent permanent death. I am sure you did what you could." His voice trails off. "Perhaps then, some directions to Skerrin's body so we may take him home and bury him there. Zarianna here is an excellent tracker and well acquainted with the woods. Hrafen, you have been awfully quiet. What do you say about these events?"
Bors takes a few moments to confer with the indicated Zarianna, drawing out a map in the dirt to lead the group to Skerrin's remains.
Though it be of no comfort, and little regard, I assure ye, by Iomedae's just graces, we will see tha guilty paid what took Skerrin from ye. On tha ye hae me word, an me swords.
When informed of Skerrin's death, Hrafen's features dissolved into a frown. However, when the manner of Skerrin's demise is explained, the color drains from his face.
"Do you mean to tell me that his very soul has been destroyed, digested by this foul creature? That there is nothing left of his essence?"
His voice drops to a whisper, and he looks wistfully off into the distance.
"Ah, Skerrin. I warned you that the outside world was not a safe place. A life lived solely in cities does not prepare one for the wider world... I guess we will never now be able to share that bottle we had set a side for your safe return..."
He appears lost in thought for a moment, as his voice trails off, before he focuses again on Skerrin's former companions, his voice now low and deadly.
"Do you have any idea whom or what you could have annoyed so much that such an assassin could have been sent out to hunt?"
He then turns to Lucentius with a look of determination on his face, his voice gradually rising to close to a shout, as his features turn a bright crimson.
"Lucentius, I know he was your uncle, but he was my friend for close to two centuries. I want the head of whomever orchestrated Skerrin's death, and I want to blast the life from it with my own hands!"
He composes himself somewhat, before turning to regard the others.
"Assuming, of course, that you have no objections to me traveling with you?"
Addressing Lucentius as well as Hrafen, Bors takes the moment to speak on behalf of his companions.
We hae nae objection ta any able body joining what wants ta see justice done fer Skerrin. Yer laird's death was beyond tha pale, an a'front ta all that be decent an' right. 'owever, twas nae our band what started this conflict. Tis seemin' tha folks o' tha Varnhold done poked round in ruins near 'ere an awoke somethin' from ages gone by. An evil tha Nomen folk feared from early on, some kinda cyclopean menace, so's been told. Twas most likely tha' evil beast tha got 'is dander up an took ta stalkin' our group, as well as endin' tha folks o' the Varnhold, gone ta man, women, an child. We be 'eadin ta end his life, an if'n ye wants it, tha head is all yours, should we be fer lettin' it survive intact.
Hrafen frowns again at Bors' revelation.
Fantastic. So you died because a bunch of rustic humans stirred-up some kind of ancient evil?
"Well, in that case, I intend to make sure that whatever inhabits those ruins ends-up a steaming pile of ash!"
He gives a great sigh.
"Still, you must have done something to attract this 'nameless evil's' attention, for it to so single you, and in particular Skerrin, out..."
His voice trails off as a thought suddenly occurs to him...
"It would not be the same, but if his soul is truly gone... Yes, yes! It would be better than nothing..."
Hrafen shakes himself out of his reverie, once again addressing Bors.
"You said that you had buried Skerrin's body. Tell me, what happened to the equipment that he had with him? In particular, the bejeweled leather headband that he wore?
I ask, because while its main purpose is to enhance the intellect of the wearer, and to act as a source of knowledge, it expands upon the mystical matrix it was created with by storing the relevant experiences of the wearer. As such, with Skerrin's soul destroyed, the memories and echoes it contains represent the last trace of him, besides his physical remains, on Golarion..."
Lucentius looks at Hrafen, "You seem to be personally invested in avenging Skerrin's demise, so I will grant you leave to pursue this matter. Your sister Zarianna and I will take his body and belongings home to Kyonin and prepare the proper funeral and mourning rites." The wizard then looks at the party: "Thank you for treating my uncle with respect during his life. I told him that his non-combat spells would not serve him well in the wilds, outside of Kyonin but Skerrin was nothing if not stubborn. I am sure Hrafen's offensive magic will aid you in your quest. As for this evil in the cairn, I wish you luck warriors. Since, from your account, it seems humans stirred up this mess, it only seems fair that you fix it. Thank you for your assistance." Zarianna bids farewell to her brother, wishing him luck and safety and proceeds to lead Lucentius, following Bors' map.
"Well, I wish it were under better terms, Hrafen, but welcome to our band, so to speak. Hopefully with your help, we can find out who send that soul eater, and have our revenge on the sorry cur."
Hrafen nods at Lucentius words.
"Just remember to take care of Skerrin's headband. It now contains the last echo of his existence, and I think he would wish it to be used appropriately."
He lets out a great sigh.
"I hope that this... matter... is finished before the funeral arrangements are finalised, but if not, could you please let me know when things are ready? I may not be able able to participate, but at least I can Scry on the proceedings."
Hrafen then turns to address Elisen.
"Better circumstances... would certainly be preferred. Nonetheless, I am a battle-mage, and specialise in blowing things apart. My revenge will certainly be loud and messy if I have anything to say about it."