(Pathfinder) The Curse of the Crimson Throne IC

[Drothmal]

As of late, Rennard had been alternating his nights between the Academy and the room given to the party. Logically speaking, it would increase his chances of hearing any developments on Blackjack and Trinia.


When the messanger arrives, the magus looks up from his spellbook. He was still trying to make sense of some of the spells left behind by the mysterious necromancer, but so far, he had been unable to decipher some of the magical writings...

Reasoning that the cost-effect of answering the summons versus continuing his studies tilted very much towards seeing Kroft again, the magus closes his book and reaches for his sheathed blade (which he never kept further than arm's length). As soon as his hand secures the pommel, the fencer can feel the blade's excitement and a small hint of apprehension about the perils that the group would have to face .


After fastening the black rapier to his side and donning the mytrhil armor taken from the fugitive woman, the duelist says to the guardsman

Let us go

[Leviathan]

The Curse of the Crimson Throne
Part 2: Seven Days to the Grave

21 Arodus, 4708



Korvosa's North Bridge is a massive edifice of grey stone, which spans the wide Jeggere River. It is wide enough for legions of men to march across on the way to war, and its sides are lined with crenelations. But tonight, no armies march; indeed, there is hardly a soul on the street. The sound of your horses' hooves on the hard cobblestones clatter through the sleeping city and across the waters.

In the middle of the North bridge sit a pair of catapults, massive contraptions of dark wood and iron, one facing out from each side of the bridge. There is little light to be had, but a cluster of soldiers have gathered at the north-facing siege engine. As you draw nearer, the sounds of your horses are made comparably quiet compared with the sound of the catapult's arm being winched back into its firing position.

Kroft strides out of the darkness as you and your escort dismount. "Reporting, ma'am," the guardsman says; his voice has a sort of superstitious, whispering air about it.

"Good," the Field Marshal replies. Her voice, unlike her subordinate's, has lost none of its usual sharpness. "Before you ask, no, we haven't found Blackjack or Trinia. In fact, I doubt this has anything to do with either of them. You'd best come see for yourselves." Gesturing with a gauntleted hand, she leads you to the bridge's edge, by the battlements. She points northwards, out over the Jeggere. "Look there."

In the middle of the River, between the Eastern and Western shores, there is a light, a pale yellow glow that glides through the dark water, still very far away, but getting closer.

"It's a ship," Kroft explains. "In the dead of night, and it isn't responding to our signals."

She turns to her men, who stand ready at the catapult. "Prepare to fire."

[SanguinePenguin]

Atavian stood staring over the water in confusion. "Yes... I see it. There is a ship. I'll agree, it's a bit odd... at night, but it's... well, it's one ship. It's not like a whole legion will jump out if it comes to close. Why do you want to sink it?" Still groggy from being wakened at such a dreadful hour, Atavian yawns, "or maybe a better question, why did you call us here? If you plan to sink it, I'm not swimming after it."

[DaedalusMkV]

Dastan had been asleep for more than an hour when the guardsman arrived, a habit borne from his order's preference for prayer at dawn in honour of their patron goddess. He rises bleary-eyed from bed at the messenger's excited tone, then rubs his eyes and yawns. "Very well, guardsman. Give me a few moments to don my equipment and I will come with you." He quickly sets about gathering his weapons and armour and becomes more and more aware and energetic as he does so. The paladin has been on edge ever since the aborted execution, waiting for the tension in the city to finally break or one of the other threats lurking in the darkness to strike and feels almost relieved that something urgent has come up once more. Once his heavy plate armour is properly arrayed upon his body and his longsword is belted in its' proper place on his hip he rushes after the Marshal's messenger. "Lead the way. We do not want to keep the Lady Marshal waiting..."

Dastan nods respectfully and salutes Kroft as the group arrives at her position atop the bridge, then listens quietly to her greeting and remarks. After she gestures to the approaching ship and Atavian makes his comments Dastan speaks up somewhat hesitantly as he does his best to dredge up his knowledge of Varisian geography. "Where could they be coming from? All that's upriver of here is the Bloodsworn Vale, unless I've forgotten something?" He squints down at the barely-visible approaching vessel. "I can't imagine Nirmathas invading, much less with a single ship from a river that doesn't even make it into their country, and only a particularly stupid smuggler would try to pass through the city all lit up like that. I really can't imagine what's so threating about it that we'd need to smash it to kindling..." His voice trails off as his ineffective line of reasoning runs its course and he glances expectantly at Kroft.

[Drothmal]

Upon seeing the ship, Rennard tries to think and categorize different scenarios that could lead a single ship to approach the harbor without responding to signals. None of them were good, but very few threatened the city enough to destroy it without finding more about the strange vessel...

Before the duelist got a chance to speak his mind, the paladin and the summoner express his concerns in full. Atavian's question acts as a catalyst in the magus' head and the situation becomes clear to the fencer

You are preparing a strike, but you have noticed the unusual circumstances and don't want to sink the ship so until you gather more data on the situation Rennard proceeds to tell Kroft as an answer to Atavian's question It is highly probable that you called us here to see if we are willing to act as a scouting force before you give the order to fire. Am I wrong?

[Blisstake]

Aldrin, irritable from recent events, looks at the ship unconvinced. Was this really worth their damn time? "Well this hardly seems like an emergency; I imagine your men have this situation under control, Kroft. Although I must admit that I'm curious what the ship is doing here in the first place... there has to be some purpose to this..."

The sorcerer puts a hand over his chin and concentrates, trying to come up with a few reasons that a ship would show up out of nowhere into one of the most well-defended cities in Varisia. There was no possible way it had enough troops inside to cause any damage, and if it was here for business, its presence would have been accounted for ahead of time.

"Very unusual."

[Leviathan]

"I don't want to destroy it," Kroft replies. "But Aldrin's quite right, this is unusual. The last time was years ago, when a ship full of drunken Riddlesport pirates decided to test their luck."

She clasps her hands behind her back, peering out at the river and the approaching yellow light. Her hair blows back as a cool wind picks up. "I have a boat ready and waiting. I need someone to board the ship. Sable Company has already stepped forward, and will be flying overhead when I give the word, so this is for volunteers only."

[Blisstake]

Aldrin sighs, but agrees to the request.

"I suppose I might as well see what they're up to. Maybe subject them to my, ah... unique diplomacy methods.

[Drothmal]

Gathering more data is the logical action to take replies the magus nodding.

Count me in. the fencer states to the Field-Marshal. To his companions, he adds Does anyone know how to handle a boat?


This is exciting! chips in the blade, happy that their work does not seem to involve arresting any seemingly innocent women
Rennard does not reply, but he double checks the knots that secure Reve and her scabbard to make sure that there is no chance of loosing the magical rapier

[RocketMan]

Jensi

"Let's go!" Jensi chimes in enthusiastically. His head is brimming with exciting things that could be on the ship. Smugglers? Pirates? Invisible wizards? Invisible pirates? Jensi eagerly bounds towards the waiting boat.

[DaedalusMkV]

"I agree. We might as well check up on it before we take any irreversible actions." Dastan agrees wholeheartedly. "The last thing we need is to destroy something we don't have to..." His voice trails off and he sounds slightly regretful as he thinks back to the near execution of Trinia Sabor, who he's still far from convinced of the guilt of. "I'll admit, I'm not particularly good with boats, though. I can man an oar just fine, but don't ask me to do anything more involved."

[SanguinePenguin]

Atavian looks nervously at the boat over the water, "I... I guess I'm in too."

He says to his allies, "I come from a long line of shippers and dock hands, but my parents were on the managerial end, unfortunately. If you need the shipping logs looked over, I'm your man. Concerning actually moving a boat... well, I know my aft from my starboard, but I'm no expert."

[Blisstake]

Aldrin rolls his eyes.

"I assume you have someone to steer the boat, Kroft?"

[Leviathan]

"I do," Kroft replies to Aldrin. "My men will row you close, and then stand by in case you need them."

The Field Marshal raises her voice to an authoritative bark. "Sergeant, get your patrol to the boat, on the double!"

----------------------------

You are led down a flight of narrow stone stairs down to a small dock at the bridge's base. In the dark waters sits a long rowboat, large enough for at least twenty people. The hard-nosed sergeant who leads you has assembled ten guards, each of whom sits with an oar in hand. You climb into the middle of the boat, between the two lines of rowers. "Row, men," the sergeant calls, and the boat pushes off.

By now, the ship with its yellow light is drifting closer to the bridge, perhaps a mile off, but moving slowly. The rhythmic sound of oars cutting through water and the accompanying jolt of the boat as it lurches through the Jeggere, is the only sound. The guards are hushed, keeping their eyes down. Even the sergeant is hushed as you approach the vessel.

Up close, the ship is a narrow schooner, its dark wooden frame made even more so by the nighttime. The entire ship is cast in a sickly yellow light, and shadows spiderweb the deck. The source of the light is a large lantern, nearly the size of Atavian, which hangs from the main mast.

Silently, the rowboat pulls alongside the larger ship. A ladder descends the hull of the schooner to the waterline, making boarding a simple process. You climb on deck to find a silent, lifeless, empty scene: the deck is barren, with no coiled ropes, crew, or lifeboats present. Towards the stern, up a small flight of stairs, the ship's wheel has been tied in place such that it cannot move of its own accord.

From the boat, the guard sergeant calls in a hissing whisper: "Anything up there?"

[Blisstake]

"You know," comments Aldrin as their small boat approaches the large ship. "If this was just an elaborate plan to kill us specifically, then it's off to a wonderful start." It's a bit difficult to tell if he is serious or not.

While on the deck, he looks around, somewhat annoyed that absolutely no else is present on the ship. He folds his arms across his chest, and then scans the deck one last time before responding, "No. There's nothing."

[SanguinePenguin]

Atavian initially braves the journey on his own, but the eeriness of the deserted ship is enough to push his nerves to their limits. He summons Tallox to his side for the first time in days. The presence of the beyonder has become a comfort to him, but only in times of duress.

Once the ritual is complete, Tallox immediately begins to complain about the subtle rocking of the boat, "ugh, where are we? And, why are things so... ugh, nauseating?"

Atavian outwardly ignores the beyonder's complaints, "we're on a boat. It's deserted... and creepy. Come on, let's explore," Atavian proclaims with a renewed confidence - partially stemming from the presence of his guardian and partially from his own seaworthiness being superior to Tallox's.

[Drothmal]

I'm having a bad feeling about this whispers Reve nervously

Nonsense, we have yet to encounter a reason to be worried replies the magus, oblivious to the blade's instinct


We need to procure light sources the duelist says aloud to the rest of his companions. Immediately after, he unsheathes the black rapier and casts a small light cantrip upon the blade so it will provide illumination
Anyone else?


To the other spellcasters, the fencer adds
Can anyone detect any traces of magic before we move on?

Then, turning to the paladin, Rennard asks the server of Iomedae
Dastan, do you detect any evil presences?

[DaedalusMkV]

Dastan climbs cautiously up the rope ladder, his heavy armour clicking and clanking together as he ascends, his heavy shield strapped to his back to leave both hands free. He lets out a grateful sigh as he clambers onto the ship's deck and looks around warily, in case somebody is waiting to ambush them as they arrive. When no threats present themselves, he calls down. "There's nobody on deck. Looks like the wheel's tied off, too. We'll take a look belowdecks."
At Rennard's suggestion, Dastan takes a moment and scans the ship for evil auras. "I will try, but do not place too much trust in anything I find. It is far too easy to deceive such a simple tecnique... Once again, I require very little illumination, so it may be best if I lead the way." He begins pacing along the length of the ship, doing his best to scan the entire thing, above and below the deck.

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Using Detect Evil, obviously. The emanation can bypass up to three feet of wood, so the deck of the ship should be no barrier to detection for anything belowdecks.

[Blisstake]

At Rennard's request, Aldrin casts a simple spell to detect any magical presence on deck.

"Veyer Arcans"

[Leviathan]

Dastan and Aldrin begin their mystical inspection of the ship's deck...

Dastan

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Profound evil emanates all around you.

Aldrin

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Your spell detects magic all around.

Only a scant minute later, the yellowish lantern hanging from the ship's main mast flickers, plunging everything momentarily into darkness. Its light resumes, still sickly, spreading long shadows over the deck once more. Only now, the shadows begin to move.

They rise from the deck to stand there, their shapes humanoid, distorted and writhing in a grim pantomime. Wispy fingers claw at faces that dissolve into the night like inky smoke, and mouths open into pits of blackness, contorted in silent screams. They turn, and red eyes materialize in their shadowy faces as they begin to advance towards the party...

Round 1

Map:

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[Drothmal]

As soon as the shadows begin their approach, Rennard's mind starts to furiously work on a strategy against them.

Realizing that these creatures were outside of his realm of knowledge, the fencer decides that the best course of action would be to protect Jensi, whose powers might be more effective against the enemy

Dashing through the wooden floor towards the right side of the party, the duelist imbues his blade with arcane energy, giving the white gleam of the light spell a slightly azure tone. As the magus runs, his left hand traces the glyphs of "illusion" and "reflection"

Summoning forth his arcane powers, Rennard whispers

Mirage!

Suddenly, the fencer is surrounded by four exact copies of himself moving in unison, making it impossible to know where the real magus is

Actions

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Swift: Use Arcane pool on Reve
Standard: Cast Mirror Image for (1d4+1)[4] copies
Move: Move next to Atavian

[Blisstake]

"Yes, there's a fair bit of magic everywhere... it's difficult to localize, however, and... no, no, GET BACK!"

The sorcerer backs up as the shadows begin to move toward the group, not entirely sure which spell in his repetoire he should use to combat them. Perhaps Jensi was better suited to combating them?

"Jensi, I sincerely hope they don't like your light in the same manner as those skeletons we fought earlier..."

With that, he casts his signature spell, releasing a sonic blast toward the closest approaching shadow.

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Using Ear Piercing Scream on S1. (2d6)[8] sonic damage. I assume it's undead, but if it's not, it gets a DC 17 fortitude save to avoid daze.

[DaedalusMkV]

Dastan's eyes widen slightly in shock and he calls out, "This whole ship is blanketed in an evil aura. It's like..." He never has a chance to finish as the shadowy manifestations appear from the deck. He immediately recognizes the taint of some sort of ghostly undead, but little else. He darts quickly for the Shadow in front of him, quickly reaching across his back for his shield in an unknowingly pointless gesture while calling on the divine energy of his goddess. "They're undead, that's for sure. I'll take the centre!" He shouts as he reaches out for his opponent, his hand glowing slightly with a golden light.

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I'll move adjacent to S3 and ready my shield as a Move action, activate Smite Evil targetting S3 as a Swift action and then try to hit it with Lay on Hands as my Standard action. Eat positive energy, undead monstrousity!

Attack roll: (1d20+10)[23] vs Touch
Damage roll: (3d6+8)[21] (Positive Energy Damage, so it fully affects Incorporeal Undead)

Summary:
HP: 40/40

AC 21, FF21, Touch 10 (+4 to all against S3)
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +11
Energy Resist 5 vs. Electricity, Fire, Acid
Immune to Fear (Allies within 10 feet gain +4)
Immune to Disease
Smite Evil 1/2
Lay on Hands 5/6

[RocketMan]

Jensi

"I don't like this place," Jensi says quietly. "It feels... wrong." The ship isn't exciting at all - in fact, Jensi would much rather leave. He hardly hears Aldrin and Dastan as they note the peculiar auras on the ship. The young oracle stares, moth-like, at the lantern.

As the shadows solidify, Jensi turns. His eyes widen and his brow furrows. "Wha-" he starts, surprised. When he next opens his mouth, however, his voice isn't remotely shaky, rather he sounds resolute and determined.

"Back!" he calls. "You shall not harm any of us!" As the last syllable resounds in the night, a wave of shimmering silvery-gold light erupts from the oracle's outstretched holy symbol, washing over the shadowy forms.

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Channel Energy: (DC 18) (2d6)[7]

I believe Jensi can hit all the shadows from where he is standing now, but if I'm mistaken he'll move so that he can do so.

[SanguinePenguin]

Atavian backs up, something about this was very, very wrong. Tallox, without fear, steps forward and launches an all out assault, slashing with both claws and biting at the creature. Atavian briefly considers sending Tallox away, but the beyonder's attacks seems to affect the shadow. Instead, he rushes behind tallow to shield him.

Action:

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Tallox has magic attacks, so he should be able to hurt them. Step forward 1 square. Full attack.

L. Claw: Attack (1d20+7)[15] Damage (1d6+4)[5]
R. Claw: Attack (1d20+7)[10] Damage (1d6+4)[6]
Bite: Attack (1d20+8)[23] Damage (1d6+6)[7]

Atavian moves behind Tallox and casts mage armor

My apologies, I thought I had posted... I must have never sent it.

Summary:

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Tallox
HP: 28/28. AC: 21 (17+4 mage armor) (15 Incorporeal), 11 Touch, 20 Flatfooted.
Saves: +4 Fortitude, +2 Reflex, +3 Will.

Atavian
HP: 40/40. AC: 16, 13 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +4 Fortitude, +4 Reflex, +5 Will.

[Leviathan]

Rennard reacts to the appearance of the shadows first. The duelist springs forwards, coming up beside Atavian, Reve flickering in the now-greenish-yellow lantern light. He casts upon himself an illusion, and at once he is surrounded by wavering figments, each identical to himself.

Aldrin calls out his warning, then lets loose a blast of his magic at the approaching shadows. One of them reels backwards, but does not fall.

Dastan strides forwards and strikes at one of the shadows with his light-infused hand. The blow connects with the shadow's wispy chest, releasing a torrent of holy energy. The shadow convulses, its dark, elusive form buckled over in a facade of pain. It shakes as the paladin's light spiderwebs across its darkness, unravelling its very essence and leaving only the night air in its place.

Jensi's holy symbol unleashes another flood of light across the ship's deck, briefly illuminating everything in golden rays. The shadows howl in silent pain, black, shadowy blood dissolving into the night, bodies fraying under the divine assault.

Atavian casts a protective spell on Tallox, and the eidolon steps forwards. His fangs and claws tear at the air, much less effective than they have proven to be against flesh and blood. Nonetheless, strands of black smoke are torn from the shadow's body by Tallox's attacks, leaving it diminished and less solid.

The remaining shadows glide across the deck, reaching out with tendrils of blackness. One coils around Tallox's leg, which grows numb and cold at its touch. Another slides icily across Dastan's armour, passing through it to clutch at the paladin's flesh. Jensi barely manages to escape the third's clutches.

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2 STR damage to Dastan and 6 to Tallox.

Then, from high above, at the crossbeam which holds aloft the mainmast's sail, there comes a cruel hissing noise, as if wind were passing through a tunnel of razor rocks. In the rigging is crouched a demonic figure, possessed of a cloudy, contorted body much like the shadows below, but with a pair of bat wings jutting from its back, and inky claws affixed to its undulating hands.

Rennard

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The mast upon which this being is perched has been largely cut through at the base.

The shadowy creature swipes one of its claws at the lantern hanging in the rigging. The ropes holding it aloft tear, and it crashes to the deck. Fire springs up around it, the wooden deck beginning to burn...

Round 2

Map

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Note: the being in the rigging is on the rear mast, near the fire. It's 25 feet up, and was hidden. Jensi's channel energy did hit it in the past round.

[Drothmal]

Jensi! Stay behind me! cry all the Rennards in unison as the fencer and his illusions trace magic symbols with their left hand. Immediately afterwards, five rays of positive energy jump at the closest shadow


Bonded! Reve warns her master The mast has been cut! Maybe it can be brought down!


Agreeing with his weapon, the duelists asks for help from the party's sorcerer

Aldrin! Use your spell on the damaged mast! The force of the impact might be able to elimiate the winged creature's tactical position!

Trusting his teammate, the five magi infuse their blades with even more energy and lunge at the shadow menacing Jensi

Actions

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Swift: Activate Arcane Strike

Full round: Spell combat
DisruptUndead - (1d20+7)[27] (vs ranged touch)
Damage - (1d6)[1]

5-ft step forwards (and asking Jensi to move to where Rennard was standing)

Attack - (1d20+8)[23]
Damage - (1d6+4)[9]

Status

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HP=37/37, AC=19 (14 touch, 15 FF)
Arcane Pool=7/8
Mirror image illusions=4

[DaedalusMkV]

Dastan smiles in satisfaction for a moment as the creature in front of him disintigrates in the face of his divine light, failing to notice another of the shadowy figures approaching from his flank until he feels the chilling sensation of its energy-draining touch. He flinches back for a moment, then brings his hand around again to try to destroy it as he did his first opponent as he calls to the others, "We've got to put out that fire before it burns the whole ship up!"

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I'll try to hit the Shadow that just attacked me with another Lay on Hands, not bothering to Smite this time, then 5-foot-step closer to the rest of the group.

Attack: (1d20+6)[7]
Damage: (3d6)[9]

Summary:
HP: 40/40

AC 21, FF21, Touch 10 (+4 to all against S3)
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +11
Energy Resist 5 vs. Electricity, Fire, Acid
Immune to Fear (Allies within 10 feet gain +4)
Immune to Disease
Smite Evil 1/2
Lay on Hands 4/6

[Blisstake]

"Sorry, Rennard, I'm a bit more concerned about the fire itself..."

Aldrin's hands glow blue as he summons frigid magics of Hell's seventh level to hopefully halt the progress of the recent fire spreading across the ship's deck.

"Aylo Cocytus!"

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No idea if this will do anything or not, but I'm using Frost Fall on the 4 squares that the fire in is. It persists a total of 2 rounds. It terms of game effects it would cause 2d6 points of ice damage plus 1d6 each round (plus stagger, but that's obviously not applicable here)

HP: 34/34
AC: 12
F: +3 R: +3 W: +4
Level 1 Spells: 7/8
Level 2 Spells: 3/4

[SanguinePenguin]

Atavian can feel Tallox's strength being sapped. The beyonder continues his assault, but Atavian knows he can not endure this. To keep him going, the halfling shrouds his guardian with a aegis against evil forces. Still, the cowardly halfling retreats back with his other allies.

Action:

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L. Claw: Attack (1d20+4)[17] Damage (1d6+1)[6]
R. Claw: Attack (1d20+4)[22] Damage (1d6+1)[5]
Bite: Attack (1d20+5)[9] Damage (1d6+1)[7]

Atavian casts protection from evil and withdraws as far from the shadows as he can.

Summary:

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Tallox
HP: 28/28. AC: 21 (17+4 mage armor) (17=15+2 Incorporeal & Evil), 11 Touch, 20 Flatfooted. Prot Evil
Saves: +4 Fortitude, +2 Reflex, +3 Will.

Atavian
HP: 40/40. AC: 16, 13 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +4 Fortitude, +4 Reflex, +5 Will.