[LPF] Allbright's Shadow

[section]The old priest answering Aradra, "How do we strengthen the Demonscope? Umm, umm, how do you strengthen an artifact? This isn't some generic trinket. You are going to have to see what damage has been done first. What am I saying? You won't even know what it looks like."

"Ugh! I am too old for this fighting crap!"
Turning to Relic, "Can these kids protect us? Oh well, fate of the world and all that means it doesn't really matter."

"Yeah, there is a back way in. It is an underground tunnel leading into the lower levels of the keep. I'm not one for drawing maps to secrets for strangers, so I will just have to lead you there. But before that..."
He kneels at the side of the Kalvalkas demon and pulls a black blade. With the skill of a master butcher, he starts slicing and harvesting bits and pieces. Handing the gory guts Aradra, "Bag and keep these." Aradra obeys and fumbles through his pack until he finds appropriate sacks. Heart, horns, kidneys and things he doesn't even recognize, all of them get stuffed in the sack.

Just as quick, the old man moves to the next beast and continues his harvesting. Vrock gizzards are apparently useful too.
[/section]
When Borric and Sylvain start collecting the rings off of the demon corpse the man is working on a couple of monks stop them, "You can't take those. Those are ..." The old priest interrupts by grabbing the ring from the monk, then handing it to Borric. "Oh, yes sir." as he backs down and walks away to fetch another body.

More of the heroic group makes their way over to the elders after Daylily's call of gathering. Once gathered, Relic starts a lecture on the capabilities of the demons that are within his sight. A few of the bystanders stop their milling about and listen to the lecture as well. When Relic is informed that the dretches have been rounded up over in the front, he adds his knowledge of dretches to the lecture as well.

[section]
After a few more introductions, the mermaid in a silk gown slithers up. "I'll join you too. You can call me Arianna. It's the only name I got that doesn't screech above the waterline. The Mithral Hand of Fate can attest to my fighting prowess once I put on my battle suit. But, being big, blue scaled and clawed, I am not calling on Teq just yet. Don't want to be mistaken for one of those horny beasts. Once we get into the tunnels I will get my legs."
[/section]"Well, if your tossing names around, I am Kutholiam Vuere. The treatise, Vuere’s Demonic Taxonomy, that's my work. I've been the expert here for thirty years."

Standing up, "Well, got the useful bits of these guys. If you got your group together, let's get moving." Not seeming to care about being covered in guts and gore, Anaerion does seem to care about the stench of it at least. A quick couple castings of prestidigitation and the slime and guts start sliding off the priest's tunic to the ground.

"Come on." The last of the gravity fields have fallen, so he walks straight up the aisle. Shouting to Gebidinger, "They are using rings of mind shielding, so you won't be able to just feel where they are. Some of them had rings of force fangs. So, your mage corp will need to choose something other than force spells."

"Where are you going?" Gebidinger demands.

"Don't ask, and you won't be able to have it stolen from your mind later."
as he passes the stage and heads for the door the messenger came out of.

[sblock=Cargo Net]a 25'x25' cargo net that behaves as a mass Ring of Mind Shielding[/sblock][sblock=loot]1 Cargo Net of Mind Shielding
14 Rings of Mind Shielding ~ one already missing before the body arrived
8 Rings of Force Fangs ~ only the dancing vrocks, the horny beast demons and the glaberzu had one[/sblock][sblock=Status]Aradra and Shadow's stats updated.
I wasn't planning on Kutholiam joining you, but if I don't, that leads to a few plot holes. This module was written for the Worldwound, so a bit of adaptation is being put in on the fly.

117/117 AC 19 BB38 ~ Daylily ~ Fly 18r, See Invisibility 26m, ~
..83/83. AC 18+4 BA35 ~ Relic ~ MA 58m,
..82/82. AC 17 AZ33 ~ Sylvain ~
..99/99. AC 24 BA32 ~ Orlando ~
105/105 AC 30 BA33 ~ Borric ~ +2 Heroism 967r ~
..65/65. AC 17 AT26 ~ Anaerion ~ MA/OFl/4hr/DS/16h/MC967r/4 MI 7m/~
..74/74. AC 18 BA29 ~ Elenka ~
..65/65. AC 21+4 AX26 ~ Drevezh'Korol ~ MA 8h, Gr Magic Fang 9hr, Large 59r
..
82/82. AC 18 BA28 ~ Arianna ~ MA/4h ~
164/164 AC 28 BB34 ~ Kalinn ~
..80/80. AC 18+4 BA34 ~ Breninyr ~ CR 13h/MA 10h
116/116 AC 26 BA31 ~ Aradra ~ Gravity Bow 99r, Good Weapon, Adaptation 58r
112/112 AC 24+4 BA30 ~ Shadow ~ MA 10h, defend


Orange BB36 ~ Kutholiam leading group
Green BC32 ~ High Priest, reporting to Gebidinger
Light Yellow BD31 ~ Kalton Gebidinger, barking orders
G 0 1 F A D G D
Inside Red circle, Magic Circle vs. Evil 10'
Yellow-Green circles: Inspire Courage +2
Cyan circles: Channel Positive Energy bursts
Purple shaded state: Confused
Blue square shaded area: Reverse Gravity
Green diamond state: Weakened
Green dot state: Haste
Magenta Triangle state: Flying
Blue Circle: Prone
Red X state: dead
Grey X state: Paralyzed/unconscious
Balls around Demons: Mirror Images
[/sblock][sblock=inline map]
cathedral25.jpg
[/sblock]
 

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"I'm Sylvain, but everyone just calls me Syl. This is my buddy Waltor. Yes, he's a scorpion." As Syl introduces him, Waltor gives a scorpion-ly bow.

"I'm able to cast a good bit of spells, and harry the other side a bit. I need to be close for my better tricks to work, so any strong bodyguard type near me would be greatly appreciated.

Sylvain stat block: [sblock]
http://livingpf.wikia.com/wiki/Sylvain_Marana_(Gerald007)

Initiative: [/sblock]
[sblock]+9
AC: 17 (15 Flat-Footed, 14 Touch)
HP: 82/82
CMB: +4 CMD: 18
Fort: +8 Reflex: +9 Will: +10
Perception: +2
Current Weapon in Hand: None
Hexes: Misfortune, Healing, Fortune, Flight, Slumber, Cackle, Evil Eye, Retribution--Fortune on Borric.
Spells Per Day
Cantrips: Detect Magic, Light, Message, Stabilize
1st Level: Burning Hands (DC 18), Charm Person (DC 20), Enlarge Person, Ill Omen (DC 20), Ray of Enfeeblement, Shocking Grasp
2nd Level: Flaming Sphere (DC 19), Glitterdust (DC 21) (x2), Hold Person (DC 21), Vomit Swarm, Web
3rd Level: Dispel Magic, Fireball (DC 20) (x2), Heroism^, Stinking Cloud (DC 20)
4th Level: Black Tentacles, Confusion (DC 23), Dimension Door, Wall of Ice
5th Level: Baleful Polymorph (DC 22), Feeblemind (DC 24), Teleport
^means spell is used for the day.

[/sblock]
 

Uncharacteristically, the newly formed strike force walks past the organizing Gebidinger and into the back without comment or taunting. The first room seems to be a staging room. Luxurious couches and tapestries adorn the room, giving the priests a place to relax out of sight before going up to the pulpit. The door from here opens up to an open air garden. The first door to the right is open already and leads to what looks little more than a closet. But, in one corner an open trapdoor reveals a circular stone staircase going down.

Most people are able to walk down just fine. But, the big treant would be a tight fit. So, Elenka dismisses his enhancement. The mermaid hopping around on crutches also looks at the staircase as a challenge. "Clear the way down." Once it is clear, she does a bit of a hop/leap and floats in a spiral, swimming through the air with her big tail and controlling where she floats far easier that drywalkers.

Once at the bottom of the stone starewell, the roughhewn, lichen- and moss-covered tunnel walls average twenty feet in width. A stream of fast-moving water flows along a natural channel in the rock down the center of the tunnel. Lanterns hanging from hooks in the fifteen-foot ceiling provide ample light to see by. Statues of armored warriors stand silent vigil in niches in the wall, their shadowed faces bearing stern and grim expressions.

"Ah, I think this is private enough. Now don't freak out, Teq is mine and he is on our side." The mermaid removes her finboot, stows it away and then steps into the water. Reciting a ritual in squeaky aquan, a blue, demonic looking beast forms around her, with sharp claws and a huge thick tail. "Ah, that's better."

"But, but how? Summoners cannot bring in their eidolons inside the shield. It must be failing more than I surmised." says a confused Kutholiam. "We are of the sea. Water cannot be stopped. We always seep through."

While waiting around for the mermaid to do her thing, Daylily's fly spells wears off and he floats down to the ground. Sylvain's does the same, but Anaerion stays walking above the stones.

[sblock=Status]The multi-colored line shows the path through the back and down. You are now in a lantern lit tunnel.
117/117 AC 19 BB38 ~ Daylily ~ See Invisibility 23m, ~
..83/83. AC 18+4 BA35 ~ Relic ~ MA 55m,
..82/82. AC 17 AZ33 ~ Sylvain ~
..99/99. AC 24 BA32 ~ Orlando ~
105/105 AC 30 BA33 ~ Borric ~ +2 Heroism 937r ~
..65/65. AC 17 AT26 ~ Anaerion ~ MA/OFl/4hr/DS/16h/MC937r/4 MI 4m/~
..74/74. AC 18 BA29 ~ Elenka ~
..65/65. AC 21+4 AX26 ~ Drevezh'Korol ~ MA 8h, Gr Magic Fang 9hr,
82^62/82^62. AC 30 BA28 ~ Arianna ~ MA/4h ~
164/164 AC 28 BB34 ~ Kalinn ~
..80/80. AC 18+4 BA34 ~ Breninyr ~ CR 13h/MA 10h
116/116 AC 26 BA31 ~ Aradra ~ Gravity Bow 69r, Good Weapon, Adaptation 28r
112/112 AC 24+4 BA30 ~ Shadow ~ MA 10h, defend
.,??/??.. AC 15 BB36 ~ Kutholiam leading group
G 0 1 F A D G D
Inside Red circle, Magic Circle vs. Evil 10'
Magenta Triangle state: Flying
[/sblock][sblock=map]
cathedral26.jpg
[/sblock]
 

"How far from here to where we are going ... to where we might encounter demons?" enquires Relic, wondering if he should wait any longer to cast some of his spells.
 

Kutholiam responds, "It's about a forty five minute walk for my old bones until we get to the entrance at the keep's end. If they got into the tunnel, then it could be anytime now."
 

Borric Hawkins, Male Human Fighter

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Borric repeated his question to the old wizard since it was ignored in the confusion of preparing for their back door entrance. "My Ioun Stone is upgraded by a higher level cleric. Will that be enough should the demons start flinging darkness around?" he asked Relic.

As the old priest mentioned the demons potentially being in the tunnel, Borric suggested, "Mayhap we should have a scout ranging up ahead and then use armored warriors being the vanguard just in case, yeah."

Borric asked the priest, "Should we be using this mind-shielding rings and net to help mask our journey? I had the impression you told the grumpy paladin that we would need them for this covert strike."

[sblock=Mini Stats]Borric Hawkins
Initiative:
+4 Perception: +16
AC: 31 (25 w/out shield, 28(23w/out shield) flat-footed, 13 Touch) w/Haste 32
HP: 105 Current: 105
CMB: +15 CMD: 28 (30 vs. Disarm/ 32 vs. Trip) Fort: +12 Reflex: +8 Will: +7 (+10 vs. Fear), Ref +9 with haste,
Conditions in Effect: Ioun Torch (in darkness), Combat Reflexes (3 AoO), Step Up, Greater Trip, Power Attack (-3/+6Dmg) or Combat Expertise (-3/+3AC), Lunge, Heroism (+2 Att/SVs/Skills)

Current Weapon in Hand: Shield (LH), Spiked Gauntlet (RH), Holy Flail (RH)
Chakram: 1/1 MWK & 6/6 Cold Iron remaining
Light Hammers: 2/2 remaining[/sblock]
 

"Well, let me see." Kutholiam takes it and casts a minor spell upon it. Looking it over carefully, "A normal wizard built ioun torch would be useless against the darkness spell. But this, this has been enchanted by a cleric. So, it will block a darkness spell without a problem. Now, deeper darkness, that is a different story. Both this and that spell are of the same level. So, this entering that area would allow those with darkvision to see in a small area around it without being normally blinded by the unnatural darkness. But, if it was specifically targeted, a deeper darkness spell could snuff this out for a while, making it useless for a bit of time. We can expect to see both versions of the spell thrown at us, depending on what type of demon is doing the casting. So, a little useful, but not as powerful as if someone had used heighten spell to raise the spell level. Raising the spell level to four or five would have properly negated both forms of the darkness spell."

He hands the stone back. "Worn by one of the front line warriors who has darkvision is the best place for that to be."

"Yeah, scouts and a vanguard is a good idea."
"Just a second and I can do that." Especially ones that can see invisible things." "That too." Arianna pulls out a rod from her pack and buffs up with a couple spells before putting it away. She then steps forward and glides through the air about a foot off the ground, ahead of the pack.

"The group doesn't have to wear the rings if they are going to charge in, but some demons like the succubi you saw, or even the lowly little quasit can detect good beings in a way that is quite similar to the way a paladin can feel evil things about him. Gebidinger was not going to have enough to cover his army, so I appropriated these to give us an option of stealth."
Looking at Borric's full platemail, "Well, at least until they hear us coming."

With the mention of the rings, Arianna comes back. "Yeah, I am going to need one of those rings." She pulls off the forcefangs ring she has already emptied and stows it away to make room for the mind shielding ring.
 

"Don't suppose any of you mages could spare a casting of Mage Armor, could you? I've got one of those nifty pearls you could use, so you don't actually lose your spell. If one of you would be so kind, ID appreciate it." Syl pulls the pearl from his belt pouch.

He also nods as the mermaid's suggestion, pulling off his force based ring, and places the other captured ring on his finger. "Yeah, stealth' probably a good idea, since they've got an army of demons out there..." he realizes what he's saying and shuts up before he's snapped at.

Sylvain stat block: [sblock]
http://livingpf.wikia.com/wiki/Sylvain_Marana_(Gerald007)

Initiative: [/sblock]
[sblock]+9
AC: 17 (15 Flat-Footed, 14 Touch)
HP: 82/82
CMB: +4 CMD: 18
Fort: +8 Reflex: +9 Will: +10
Perception: +2
Current Weapon in Hand: None
Hexes: Misfortune, Healing, Fortune, Flight, Slumber, Cackle, Evil Eye, Retribution--Fortune on Borric.
Spells Per Day
Cantrips: Detect Magic, Light, Message, Stabilize
1st Level: Burning Hands (DC 18), Charm Person (DC 20), Enlarge Person, Ill Omen (DC 20), Ray of Enfeeblement, Shocking Grasp
2nd Level: Flaming Sphere (DC 19), Glitterdust (DC 21) (x2), Hold Person (DC 21), Vomit Swarm, Web
3rd Level: Dispel Magic, Fireball (DC 20) (x2), Heroism^, Stinking Cloud (DC 20)
4th Level: Black Tentacles, Confusion (DC 23), Dimension Door, Wall of Ice
5th Level: Baleful Polymorph (DC 22), Feeblemind (DC 24), Teleport
^means spell is used for the day.

[/sblock][/QUOTE]
 

[sblock=OOC/SK]Both Bren and Kalinn will take a Mind Shielding ring as well, using them rather than the Force Fangs right now. Sorry for the lack of RP posting on this one - not sure how much time I'll have this morning.[/sblock]
 

Borric Hawkins, Male Human Fighter

Swash1.jpg

Borric nodded appreciatively and remarked, "Huh, well I should probably look into a cleric recasting a better spell on the thing then when next I able."

Watching the mermaid begin scouting ahead, Borric chuckled as he was pretty much along for the ride in the circus. When the priest looked at him and mentioned stealth he shrugged, "Well it is what it is, gramps. But I am one bastard that doesn't have worry about the fookin' demons detecting my goodly aura. I don't have one, ha!"

After all the flying demons, Borric unstrapped the shield from his arm and stowed it and Giantslayer. He took up his bow in hand.

[sblock=Mini Stats]Borric Hawkins
Initiative:
+4 Perception: +16
AC: 25 (31 w shield, 28(23w/out shield) flat-footed, 13 Touch) w/Haste 32
HP: 105 Current: 105
CMB: +15 CMD: 28 (30 vs. Disarm/ 32 vs. Trip) Fort: +12 Reflex: +8 Will: +7 (+10 vs. Fear), Ref +9 with haste,
Conditions in Effect: Ioun Torch (in darkness), Combat Reflexes (3 AoO), Step Up, Greater Trip, Power Attack (-3/+6Dmg) or Combat Expertise (-3/+3AC), Lunge, Heroism (+2 Att/SVs/Skills)

Current Weapon in Hand: Longbow (LH), Spiked Gauntlet (RH)
Chakram: 1/1 MWK & 6/6 Cold Iron remaining
Light Hammers: 2/2 remaining[/sblock]
 

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