The venture captain loses another hp, going to 4 again.
Zothrias (-52) feels himself weakened, these intruders have had too much luck.
He drops his swords, and attempts to get a grab of Carr.
And Zothrias grabs hold of Carr, and in his eye is whispered with hate.
"I don't die that easily just yet, surfacer. I'll get you good."
Joseph has no idea what is happeninc, except hearing metal fall upon ground.
"Did you kill it?"
Carr & Ting
Heal, or should Joseph try to end this guy, thereby dismissing the darkness as well?
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"You made two mistakes. One, you hurt my friends. That was your first mistake. Two, you chose to tangle with an Angel. That was probably the worse mistake. They stabbed me in the heart and I didn't die. I was eaten by bats. You stabbed me. I am an ANGEL. You are nothing."
Carr jabs the sword into the man's gut, in close proximity as they are it shouldn't be that hard. "Now die. Die you insignificant little worm."
Carr stabs Zothrias in the flank.
A grunt of pain and some blood coughed up into Carr's face, he is mocked still.
"Gahk..got you, still."
An explosion follows, as Zothrias' body erupts in a blaze of fire.
After which the darkness dissipates.
The VC is unlucky, being within 20 feet, and is scorched beyond help.
Carr is lucky he has fire resistance, because he takes a fireball in the face.
Joseph and Ting still get their share, but both still stand.
What is the team going to do?
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'Oh no, not Brallenera.' Now having the light working, Ting takes a quick look around, "Lordy Joey, is she still breathin'?" He then looks around the room for any immediate threats.
Once Ting verifies the room is secure, he checks the body of their attacker, then checks the room and finally cuts the venture captain down and checks his body also.
Zothrias exploded in a fireball, leaving his swords on the floor, nothing else.
Ting finds nothing around concerning traps or other enemies.
Ting finds a stack of papers which, upon examination, turn out to be VC Miregold's findings and journals. The information you were set out to seek!
As Ting puts his ear against the door to listen for bats, he hears none.
He finds a note, however, about a concoction most foul of odor, but is said to repel bats within 15 feet of an object upon which it is applied.
Two grey bottles are found in a small box.
Grabbing the items, the team uses the concoctions to escape the bats, and makes their way up the elevator, and back to the lodge.
Where an agent of the decemvirate is waiting, instead of the woman who gave you your mission.
"I take it you've concluded your assignment. Report your findings, to the detail, if you please."
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'That looks like the badge of a decemvirate, well may as well report so's we can get Brallera to the temple.' Ting looks to the other two pathfinders still standing, he then nods to the bodies of their friend Brallenera and the venture captain. "We's went ta tha 'ouse o' tha bloody Ventury Cap'ain an got bushwacked by some bloody buggers pretendin' ta be pathyfiners, caused me ta end up dead, wroight." He nods toward Brallenera, "But she 'ad tha priesties bring me back wroight. 'En we's 'eaded ta tha basement and blew up 'es bloody loight hatin' blokes, wroight. 'En we's went down tha elevatory an' rowed tha bloody boats an' got attacked by bloody bats, wroight. 'En I's tickled a lock an' we's tucked in a door, wroight. 'En this bloody bastard 'at was torturin' tha ventury cap'ain toined out tha lights, wroight. So's air was a foight in tha dark and Brallenera got dead an Carr 'ear kilt tha bloody bastard, which 'en blew up an' kilt tha boody Ventury Cap'ain, wroight." Ting looks to the other two pathfinders to vouch for his story.
Assuming Carr confirms, as does Joseph...
The agent silently takes in the report, and writes it down.
When it is complete, he puts it in a bag hanging from his shoulder.
"Be back here at noon, i have this to deliver."
After you are back on the streets, you kill time, and by noon the same agent lets you in again.
When you are seated, he crosses his arms, as he leans against the desk.
"The decemvirate is most, most, displeased with this outcome. As is, nobody can be accountable for the mess over at thay lodge. He was to be tried, and while not all was your doing, the late venture captain was not brought back. The costs for cleaning and services regarding the dead pathfinder agents, will be taken out of your payment."
He silences any objections to that with a stern look and a quick raised hand.
"Now that this formality has been, you might have funds to get a priest to revive your friend at the temple, correct? Best get to it. Good day."
He takes his leave, and as he exits, another figure enters.
The lady from the theater who gave you the mission, the late VC's cousin.
She nods with a business air, yet a small smile.
"I have heard the mission's outcome. While it would have been nice to see the weasel grovel in court, i take comfort in knowing he no longer disgraces our family. I have been assigned Venture Captain in his place. I intend to turn it into a fully functional and efficient lodge, you can hop by if you ever return to those lands."
She takes her leave, with a nod.
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Carr did indeed support the claims that Ting put forth, a little infuriated personally at what had gone on and how the higher-ups were handling it. A pathfinder was dead, several in fact, and their only concern was their failure? What of respect for the dead?
The blood boiled within him, he wished to generate violence upon them but knew somehow that a level head was necessary. "As you will, sir," was nearly all he said after that.
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Brallenera finds herself in a long line in an otherwordly environment.
The skies are grey and an ominous purple, the lands barren decorated with bones, pillars and ruined structures. Leafless bushes scattered, and like herself, the figures ahead are transparant spirits of the dead.
The line seems to split into a branched set of lines.
A spirit of a child carrying a teddy bear, turns her head towards Brallenera. The wounds of a large canine's jaw show on her shoulder.
"Hullo there miss. Bad luck found you too huh."
Emily, as the child turned out to be called, fell victim to a stray wolf, and she has been waiting a long time, but she didn't have an indicator of time to relate to.
...do you have people who miss you too?"
After some chatting for, only the gods know how long, Emily points to Brallenera's transparent feet. They seem to light up.
Emily: "Oh, i've seen this before. You seem to have people calling you back. I'm not that lucky, mama and papa don't have a lot of money.
If you ever meet them, please tell them i love them."
She folds open a ghostly piece of paper, showing her drawing of a tall black mustached varisian and a woman with fiery red curly hair and herself between them, before a stand of fruits and vegetables.
The light below Brallenera's feet shines brighter, and her hands feel tingly, and her sight is overcome with light.
-------------Down below----------------
Her sight coming back, Brallenera finds her transparant self levitating in a sanctum, to see her three friends, a priest and an aide standing by her body, displayed on a stone table.
Feeling more tingly all over, she is drawn back towards her own body.
With a sudden gasp for air and rapid breathing, Brallenera is returned to the land of the living, three worried yet relieved faces looking at her.
The priest smiles, and he and his aide leave the group alone.
Welcome to : Assault on the Kingdom of the Impossible.
========================================
The city of Padiskar near the northern tip of the Isle of Jalmeray is not so much a city as a ring of small villages surrounding a massive, howling ruin, from which terrifying screams of whatever the Vudrani Maharaja Khiben-Sald left there in ancient times can still be heard. The new VentureCaptain Vasuman Mihir maintains a small safe house for the Pathfinder Society here, taking over from Padiskar’s longtime Venture-Captain Aamina Shahrazad, who was recently murdered by men loyal to Zamir, a bandit lord and rumored Aspis Consortium agent who operates out of the nearby jungles.
Venture-Captain Mihir’s briefing was short and serious.
"This is a fake scepter of the arclords," he said, hefting a bejeweled staff in his hands bearing glowing runes across its surface.
"You will lead a caravan toward Niswan carrying this false relic and several crates of minor magical items. My porter, a young boy named Waman, will give you a detailed travel itinerary, which you must follow with care.
Except that it is almost certain that you will be ambushed before you reach your destination, since young Waman is a spy for the Aspis Consortium and has sold out and murdered a dozen or more of our brethren and associates, including our former venturecaptain—I’m sure of it.
The scepter is bait in a trap, and you are the teeth. Do not let on to Waman that you know of his transgressions—we need him to lead us to his master, the bandit lord Zamir. We’ll either make Zamir our man or disrupt his business permanently. I’ll deal with Waman myself once this affair is resolved."
Venture-Captain Mihir held up a second item, a plain-looking but easily recognizable wayfinder.
"This wayfinder is also a fake, although unlike the scepter, it does have real power. The dial always points to the scepter." Mihir demonstrated, moving the wayfinder in a circle around the scepter, the needle pointing unerringly at it.
"Waman gave Zamir information that enabled the bandit fool to steal artifacts from dozens of our caravans and even from safe houses such as this one.
Zamir has a method of disassembling the artifacts so that he can smuggle them off the island with ease, bound for ports of call in Cheliax.
What we do not know is where Zamir is, since he never attacks with his men.
I gave Waman the information about your journey, so at some point along the route, Zamir’s bandits will ambush you. Previous experience indicates that his bandits will not kill if they don’t have to.
Let them steal the scepter. You must put up a small struggle, maybe even kill or injure several of his men, but most importantly you must let them escape and they must escape with the scepter.
"Give them a few hours after the ambush to escape and then use the wayfinder to track Zamir to his hideout. Zamir is an arrogant man whose loyalties lie with whoever can make him famous to the people of Jalmeray.
Right now he believes the Aspis Consortium is the answer. You will either convince him that the Society is the answer—as he could be a very powerful ally in the region—or you’ll end his operations for good. How you handle it, I leave to you. Good luck on your journey and may the gods guide your hand."
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Unaware that any of the group may have previously worked together, a pale elven woman makes note in a slim volume as Vasuman Mihir gives his mission briefing. As he draws to a conclusion she scowls, cocks her head thoughtfully and then carefully tears the page of notes from her book. Without a word she holds the page over a candle flame until only a small corner remains between her forefinger and thumb.
"Bats?" Mylvwara raises an inquisitive eyebrow.
Then she turns to the Venture Captain, "If he seeks fame, smuggling is porbably a poor choice of profession. What kind of relationship can we offer him with the society? A contract, freelance work, membership, or something ad-hoc and informal? Is there anything flashy coming-up in the region that we can tempt him with?" As the elf's mind whirrs an eager smile slips across her lips.
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Ting enters the safe house with his friend Brallenera, nodding to the Venture Captain and the scholarly looking elf with the slim volume and writing utensil. As the captain explains the situation, Ting looks around the room, standing on one foot, then the other, cocking his head occasionally and scratching under his conical shaped hat.
Nodding his head in agreement with Brallenera, he lulls his tongue in a tengu smile when the elf inquiries about bats, he waits still she’s done asking the venture captain her question, then he answers her. ”Bloody well wroight, bats. We’s was in a basement flaotin’ in a boat, an ‘e’s blasted bloody bats attacked us fer no good reason what so’s ever, wroight. An en we’s broke inta a room an got in a foight with some bugger in tha black. ‘en when tha bloke blew up it kilt tha adventury Cap’ain ‘at we’s was supposed ta find.” Ting shook his head. ” ‘ay’s wer’n’t to ‘appies about ‘at, wroight.”
Realizing he had forgotten to introduce himself, he gives a quick bow, then lulls his tongue in another tengu smile. ”Where’s me manners, I’s is Ting Tang.” He deftly draws out a lock pick from his pouch. ’I’s tickle locks wit these, and tickle everytin’ else wit ‘is, wroight.” Patting his bastard sword with his other claw. Then he nods toward the Dwarf, ”’An tha ‘Mistress O’ Mayhem’ over ‘air is Brallenera, She’s just back from a short vacation in tha land o’ Pharasma.”
In response to the question about the bandits, the VC nods.
"We don’t know exactly how many there are. The villagers are sure that he’s absorbed several smaller jungle-bandit groups and we’ve heard rumors that the long-deposed and villainous monks of the Tiger’s Eye are working for him."
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Mylvwara' smile broadens into a grin, "Now that, Mr Tang, is a tale worth telling."
Then she turns and nods to Brallenera, "I'm glad to hear that Pharasma did not detain you indefinitely."
Mylvwara rises respectfully and makes a tiny curtsy, "Mylvwara Elberion, scholar and wizard." she opens the door and a lean fox slips through, "And this is Cariad, plate-cleaner and mouse-chaser."
The fix settles down beside her pack, tail curled comfortably around his feet.
When the VC finishes speaking she mutters woefully, "Monks? Oh, dear."
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Turning to the elf
Awww, I was dead, but I feel better now. Not the first time, and I guess won't be the last time either. So you're good at wizardy? Nice to hear. Can be helpful. To blast bats, among other things.
She seems to shiver at the simple mention of the blodsucking winged creatures. Then she looks at the fox.
Awww,if we fix some wings on it, do you think it can chase the flying rodents, Foxy Lady?
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'Magic provides all manner of solutions... It will be nice to work with someone who has solutions.' ting cocks his head, and shifts from his left foot to his right. Looking from the elf to the dwarf and back again. "Well, we's is all friendly loikes now. So's we's can 'ead out. So's we's can go get robbed. So's we's can ask tha feller 'at robbed us ta come work's fer us. So's 'e can be famous."
He stops and scratches his head a little, shifting back to his right foot, addressing Mylvwara, "I 'ope's 'at's more logically soundin' ta you's smart blokes's 'an it is ta 'is simple Rook, Wroight."
Then turning to Brallenera he asks, "Should we's wait fer Carr er Lord Joey ta see's if 'ey's is goin' wit us?"
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VC: "Yes, regarding one of your associates. A letter was delivered, addressed to "miss Ragedwarf", "Beak" and "Mr Stoic", fitting your descriptions."
He hands you the letter.
To my comrades,
I will not be venturing with you anymore.
A family related situation has come up, and it will take my full attention.
Regards,
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Joseph
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Mylvwara shrugs at Ting's question, "Not especially, we should definitely be prepared to send this fellow on a more permanent trip to the Boneyard."
She pulls out a reinforced tome and begins flicking though it, "That said, we can make the plan's success more likely... For instance, we could have some foolhardly hero run off with the 'sceptre' to protect it from the villians, then they might drop the damn thing and turn invisible, just as a fog cloud separates us from our foes. That would be unfortunate."
Mylvwara eyes her companions, "I mean, we should definitely kill or subdue a decent number. At least half. Otherwise we'll only have to confront them twice, and we need Zamir to respect our strength."
After the conversation, she raises an eyebrow, "Angelface? SongBird?"
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Awww, you'll meet AngelFace soon.SongBird won't come with us, Foxey Lady. Too bad, I'm sure he would have been delighted to meet you. Maybe he would have even wrote a song about you
Venture Captain:
"Any other questions?"
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Carr arrives in all his finery, though his finery is rather diminished as his purse is. He appears to have a few vials at his side that weren't there previously. "Friends! It has been too long! I have missed you." He goes over to Ting and shakes his hand, and then shakes Brallenera's hand vigorously as well, before moving to the next person and expecting to find a Joseph finds not a Joseph. "You are not the Lord Joseph I was anticipating."
Quirking an eyebrow, Carr looks Mylvwara up and down. "You are in fact not a Joseph at all!" He turns to Ting. "What is the meaning of this?"
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Awww...she's a lady.And she's got a fox, so she's Foxey Lady. She's a mage, doing what mages do usually, I guess. You know, Mageyin".
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"Songbird, Beaky, Foxey Lady... you do have a penchant for naming things accurately, Brallenera." Of course his own name was far more flattering than Beaky, so he didn't exactly sound upset as he stated this, more bemused. "A mage, you say... blooded or studied?" Knowing only so much of the arcane arts, he asks a general question to gauge her abilities.
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"No, not a Joseph, nor a Lord..." Mylvwara looks down at herself, confirming nothing untoward has happened.
"I am in fact, Mylvwara Elberion. I was asked to join you by Captain Mihir." She nods respectful acknowledgment to the Venture Captain.
"I am a wizard: very much a student of magic, amongst other things." She smiles, "You must be Angelface, although, I imagine that's not your birth name?"
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Ting shakes hands with Carr, shifting feet again, 'The meaning of this?' Looking mildly confused, he thinks for a moment scratching under his conical helmet, realization floods his face, he lulls his tongue in a tengu smile and responds with conviction. "It' means we's got's ta find a good reason ta talk ta the bloody bugger, cause we's ain't supposed da kill's 'im's out-wroight unlessin' 'e don't gives us no choice, wroignt."
Turning to look at Mylvawara, ting nods his agreement, nodding toward Carr and then pointing to his own crooked beak. "You's is wroight, tha 'Mistress o' Mayhem' calls 'im's 'Angely-face' and me's 'Beaksies'"
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"Oh, perhaps it was. I am otherwise known as Sir Carrsoth Van Beldenar, Lord of the Beldenar estates, Viceroy of the Fallen River and so on and so forth." Carr gives a sweeping bow, removing his fancy hat as he does so. "In addition, I am occasionally called Carr as my full name and title tend to overwhelm or at the very least not provide for rapid discussion." Setting his hat back aright, Carr looks around.
With Ting Tang's explanation, Carr looks the puzzled one. "No, I meant the change in our traveling companion. This is not Lord Joey, whose gallant tales of my heroics spurred me to be even more heroic and gallant. As to our mission, it is one I believe we will accomplish with relative ease. Get robbed, track someone down, and then give him, her, or it the option of joining or becoming a former person and current bloodstain. I do like a rather direct mission like that, hopefully this time no one tries to stab me through the heart while I sleep."
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'Stories?' Ting, opens his beak slightly, cocking his head, giving Carr a look of concern. "Tales, you's say, 'e weren't writin' tales about me's was 'e? I's don't need no tales about me's. I's is supposed ta be layin' lows, wroight." He looks from Carr to Brallenera, "I's hadn't told you's at had I's."
ting shrugs his shoulders, then leans in, putting his claw up to his beak and whispers, nodding at the venture captain. 'Airs somt'in' I's been meaning ta tell's ya, but it'll need ta wait until's wern't in front of you's know who's."
He then winks at Mylvwara 'I's'l be tellin' you's too since you's'll be travelin' wit us, wroight."
Ting nods his head in agreement with Carr, "Yeah's 'em bloody buggers sneakin' up's on us was purty unpleasantry, at's fer sure," Ting unconsciously rubs the spot where he was stabbed.
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Shrugging his shoulders, Ting tuckes the scepter in his belt and then tosses the 'wayfinder' to Brallenera. turning to the venture captain he asks "Aint' it about's time you's introduces us ta yer porter? I is sure tha young feller Waman, is ready ta give's us tha detailed travel itinerary." He then winks at the venture captain. "which we's'l foller wit tha utmost care's, wroight."