Spirits of Shadow (IC)

[Temotei]

The world has been slowly declining over the past year. Kings have died of unknown diseases, assassinations, and old age, ruining the order of kingdoms. Villages and towns have fallen under in terms of economy and population, with ravages of all kinds sweeping through each. Out of all that has happened though, one thing has linked all the happenings. Every time a king, village, or whole ecosystem died, there was a shadowy cloud above, and it seemed there were unnatural shadows wherever the people walked.

Scholars are at a loss, trying to relate the current events to past ones, but nothing has come up in the histories, and no one has come up with answers. Once wise men have gone mad trying to solve this mystery. Once smart men have fallen beneath the soil because of their crazy rants and their habits of random attacks. It's as if the shadows have brought a new plague, ruining the minds of everyone and everything.

You are a group of hardened adventurers, hired by one of the last living kings of the land, where the shadows have not yet reached, although they are arriving on the horizon. Your search for the cause of the shadows and ravages that have run through each county has led you to a dark forest, where you are tracking a man who was said to have been carrying a strange item that seemed to emanate darkness. It's currently heavily raining, and there's an unnatural darkness around the forest, it seems. A great shadow hangs overhead like a cloud.

Spot DC 9:

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You see something move quickly in front of you from behind one tree to another.

Spot DC 16:

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You see a man darting from tree to tree on the ground, about twenty feet in front of the group. You can't make out any distinguishing features, or what direction he's looking, but you can see a particular aura emanating off him, as if a large shadow is following him around.

[Mangles]

St Garoth looks up at the darkened sky shaking his head in sadness. Hopefully this man is not beyond his help. Hopefully he redeems himself in time and gives up corruption. If not he will be ready.

[bigbaddragon]

Hanorp's eyes glow with a faint red glow as he sees a creature lurking in the shadows: "Be warned, we have company ahead of us". After giving a brief warning of possible danger to his companions he tries to conceal his presence from the creature.

[Kira_the_5th]

"I noticed." Jeremy said, staring into the trees. He then readied his sword, unsure what the man in front of him would do.

[Niezck]

I see .... nothing. I'll take your word for it though. Alaar steps forwards, taking the lead of the group incase danger should show itself.

[Kira_the_5th]

There's a man. Jeremy replied to his ally as he stepped forward. He had some sort of shadow about him, I'm not sure what it was, though.

[Temotei]

As Hanorp and Akatosh speak, something seems to make a snickering noise. The figure comes out, moving a bit slower now, but much closer to your group. You see a flicker of light reflecting off something, then the shadow disappears.

Listen DC 10:

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A particularly loud, although muffled (because of the rain) click goes off coming from the creature.

A small crossbow bolt bounces off Akatosh's armor.

Spot DC 14:

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You see the man shooting a crossbow at Akatosh, then hiding behind a tree about ten feet in front of the group. He has a smile on his face.

OoC: Roll for initiative.

[Mangles]

"I do not like this. He smiles too wide, this feels like a trap."

[Kira_the_5th]

If you think it's a trap, we'll just have to flush him out of there, then. I see him, and I've got a plan. Jeremy said, taking a small step to the side. Raising his sword, and speaking a quick word or two, two bolts of red energy erupted from his sword and toward the group's hidden attacker.

(In actions; 5 ft. step to get a better angle, then cast scorching ray.)

[Temotei]

Indeed? A trap? You believe me so untrustworthy? Come now. You think I would turn down one of my real chances at excitement? Really, I feel quite taken aback at your hostility.

The man pokes his head out of cover, showing a broad smile. Through the darkness, you can see his stark white hair, pale skin, and slightly sharper-than-normal teeth. One of his eyes is yellow, while the other is violet. The shadow that was following him is now settled over him, slightly darkening the area around him. It appears centered on an amulet around his neck.

Rain continues to pour down, but the drops seem to change as they hit the man. While the raindrops on your bodies and armor is fairly normal, the water on the mystery man changes to black.

A second later, the rays flying from Jeremy's hand go straight toward the shadowed man. One ray blasts him right in the chest. He manages to stay directly behind the tree, but you see his expression has changed to one of anger.

One hand appears on each side of the tree, and a second later, you see him top out on the tree, where he raises his hand toward Jeremy. A dark purple and black ray blasts toward Jeremy. It seems to go right through his clothing to his skin, and possibly beyond.

Jeremy:

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You feel a deep despair for a moment, then as if your heart has stopped. A moment later, the pain leaves, but you feel quite sluggish (4 Dexterity damage).

[bigbaddragon]

As he sees his ally hit by the creature a feeling of anger is starting ti fill Hanorp and he begins to whisper strange words and points to the creature ... a moment later sparkling dust falls over the creature and sticks onto it illuminating it and making it much easier to spot. After that Hanorp moves away from the creature and speaks in worried tone:

Jeremy, are you alright?


(Action: Hanorp casts Glitterdust on the creature (Will save DC 18 or the creature is blinded for the next 6 rounds in addition to being illuminated) and moves 20ft away from the creature)

[Temotei]

The man is outlined in glittering dust, but it shines slightly less brightly than it should. It still allows him to be seen more easily. You see him close his eyes as well, as the now-black dust covers his eyes. A moment later, he disappears.

Find me now!

Spot DC 29:

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Leaves rustle in a tree twenty feet from the tree he was previously in, but not enough to make a noise or to alert even a normal person looking directly at the tree.

[Kira_the_5th]

Jeremy shook himself after getting hit with the black beam. Yeah, Hanorp, I'm fine just a bit stiff. Ohh, look at all the pretty stars! Were'd he go, anyway, My sight's a bit off from getting hit.

(Edit: Also, I think I'm also gonna take a shot at spellcraft to figure out what that was.)

[Niezck]

Show yourself and face us, coward!

Alaar swings his sword with a flourish, and readies himself for the unknown man to show himself.

[Mangles]

St. Garoth whispers a short prayer and raises his shield as light starts to shine out from him. He turns to where the man last was and casts detect magic, trying to discern where the man is.

((activating Protection aura and also casting detect magic))

[Temotei]

He doesn't show. You hear nothing at all, in fact, and you see nothing at all. The air is completely calm, and nothing seems to happen at first. The silence and eerie lack of action lasts for about thirty seconds.

Then another blast of the same type comes from a tree thirty feet from the group, quite far away from the original tree. You can't see the source immediately, but you can tell where it came from based on the direction from which the beam came. This time, it hits Alaar straight in the arm.

Alaar:

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You suffer a slight pain, then you feel a bit weaker than you did before. Moving your arm relieves the pain, but the weakness stays. (1 Strength damage)

You all see the man, still angry from the fiery rays Jeremy sent his way. You see him spin once, then appear on another tree about another twenty feet back. Saint Garoth's detect magic shows on him throughout his movement, even through the "invisibility phase."

St. Garoth:

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You detect very strange powers.

Come, my friends! Together, we shall prevail against these...killers!

A creature claws its way up from the ground. It has wings, stained with black, apparently useless as they hang to the creature's side. All over, you see hardly a speck of flesh. Bones are all that remain of this abomination. Its head looks vaguely like that of a humanoid, with spikes coming from its chin. Bony spines line its back and the end of its thin tail. Its body looks like that of a feline.

Closer to you, two humans claw their way from the ground as well. Their weirdly colored skin is stretched, clinging tightly to its body. The shoulders show bones nearly protruding. Muscle mass appears to mean nothing to these creatures.

[Niezck]

Get behind me!

Alaar* steps forwards, getting the others behind him an under his protection.

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*His first name is Alaar, btw

[bigbaddragon]

Hanorp moves in line behind Alaar and with the words "This should help" starts his incantation. A moment later his companions begin to feel lighter and full of energy.

(Action: Hanorp moves behind Alaar and casts Haste) on himself and his allies. Next 6 rounds the party has extra attack, +1 to attack rolls, AC(dodge bonus) and reflex saves and +30 ft. speed)

[Mangles]

St. Garoth moves towards one of the Humans and strikes down with his Morningstar onto the humanoid beast.

[Temotei]

The humanoid, feeling the crushing blow of the morningstar, crumples for a moment, then steps back up. Instead of standing straight up, it hunches over, using its hands for balance like a gorilla.

The odd skeletal beast rears, then leans over forward. At first, it looks like it's bowing, respecting the strength of the group. Then its tail appears over its head, releasing several spikes which fly in a spread, hitting the closest of you--Garoth, and the most forward of you--Alaar. Two large spikes the size of your forearms land in each of you, drawing blood and causing quite a bit of pain. Two spikes fly harmlessly into the ground near Alaar.

The humanoids get up, nearly in unison, both biting at Garoth, who happens to be the closest. Fortunately, both miss in their feverish attempts at an attack.

Garoth and Alaar:

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You each take 16 damage from the spines.

OoC: Jeremy's up.

[Kira_the_5th]

Hmm, that skeletal beastie looks like a problem. Let's take care of that one first, shall we? Jeremy ran towards the creature, muttering a few words under his breath and sliding his hand along his sword as he moved. He struck at the winged creature, lightning crackling from the tip of his blade.

(Action: Move action to approach the monster, then a channeled cast Shocking Grasp on the attack.)

[Temotei]

OoC: Most of us are using the present tense--should we all?

The beast screeches, rearing back. Its claws barely miss Jeremy's head as he ducks away from the slashing blade-like things.

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Note: This is before Jeremy's attack, due to movement provoking an attack of opportunity (Large size).

Lightning crackles along the worn bones of the creature, creating new fissures in them. The creature doesn't seem to react, despite the clear damage to its structure.

Hanorp:

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Hanorp, contemplating the nature of the creatures, and not having to think very hard, realizes the skeletal creature is a deceased manticore. The two humanoids are ghouls. Nothing stands out about any of the undead creatures, other than the fact they crawled out of the ground when called.

OoC: Alaar is up, then Hanorp.

[Niezck]

Shifting towards the now-identified ghoul, Alaar raises his greatsword above his head and rains down a flurry of mighty blows against the undead before him.

You will die fiend!

[Temotei]

The ghoul drops dead immediately after the first hit connects from Alaar's mighty hand (OoC: Make sure you calculate with -1 on Strength, in case you forgot).

The ghoul comrade screeches as its fallen ally dissipates into darkness, leaving but a trace of black dust.

[bigbaddragon]

This day just got a little bit better. With those words Hanorp began to move in a way to place Alaar and Garoth between himself and the remaining ghoul and quickly evaluating the new situation concluded that Jeremy is in the toughest position an the moment. Hanorp raises his finger towards the winged zombie thing and says "Down boy". A second later the ground beneath the beast changes into a greasy and slippery surface that the beast will soon find is not to it's liking ...

(Action: Uses move action to place Alaar and Garoth between himself and the remaining ghoul and than casts Grease that covers all the squares that big winged monster next to Jeremy occupies. Reflex DC 17 for the monster to stay on its feet. Also please refer to how balancing in combat works if need be.)

[Temotei]

Alaar turns to the screeching humanoid, chopping its head off from the upper jaw. It stays up for a moment, then drops to the ground in a heap, dissipating into shadowy dust as its comrade did just a moment ago. A small wooden chunk is left behind as well. The grass beneath the humanoid dies.

Hanorp's spellcasting releases a thick goop covering the ground a bit of the winged skeletal creature. It trips over itself in an attempt to keep balance, showing next to no grace, falling to the ground in a heap on its side, leaving the beast vulnerable to attack.

The same voice from the man before comes up again, fairly far away this time.

Temporarily.

This time, no blast comes, but rather, you all feel a sense of life love, and the need to look at everything, examining each and every living thing in the area, appreciating their beauty.

Everyone not immune to mind-affecting effects:

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Will save DC 17 negates: -4 Concentration, Listen, Search, and Spot, and only one standard or move action per round, but not both.

Map:

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EDIT: Alaar gets distracted, barely able to keep his concentration on the fight. The rest of your group look around for a second, but manage to keep cool.

Saint Garoth is up.

[Mangles]

St. Garoth moves up to stand along side Jeremy. "Somebody take down the source. We can deal with this monster."
He swings his mace at the creature

[Temotei]

Saint Garoth trips while moving towards the manticore, but the abomination is too busy trying to stand up. The abomination screeches as Garoth's attack barely misses its face.

Listen DC 15:

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You hear a rustling of leaves to the right of the current enemies.

Jeremy's up.

[Kira_the_5th]

Alright, then, let's see if I can finish this thing with another Lightning Blade. Jeremy says, as he looked down at the creature slipping in front of him. He slides his hand along the side of his sword, lightning crackling across the edge before swinging it down on the beast before him.

(Action: Channel Cast another Shocking Grasp, and ready to move or something dependent on the listen check)

[Temotei]

Jeremy's practiced hand brings his blade to bear upon the beast, the lightning and the metal slicing through the large skeletal thing. It does not dissipate into shadows, unlike the humanoids, as the animated bones turn into just plain old bones.

Hanorp:

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A few leaves fall from a tree, but seem to slow down unnaturally above a bush to your right.

You all hear muttering, although you can't make out the words. The voice comes from the same bush Hanorp is looking at.

Alaar's up.