Shadows of the Past IC 3

[dantiesilva]

As the trees shake Alex looks around, I don't like this it smells like one of his traps. Alex says as he casts a simple spell to guard him from harm.

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Shield of faith
Spot (1d20+4)[21]
Listen (1d20+4)[23] These do not include Sense aura

[AlanBruce]

@Luthon: You can sense one thought coming in and you and Dantie spot something by the statue.

It's a pilgrim, or what used to be. The creature is well known to you.

It's a salt mummy.

The creature growls at the statue and pummels it as it breaks down in chunks of salt.

You are all, however, too far at this point to attack it in melee.

[Sliver]

Baaaaaaaaaaaaatle maaaaaaaaaaaaaaap

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[AlanBruce]

Initiative in advance, just to get it out of the way:

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Luthon 28

Archaidous 24

Meic 24

Aradia 21

Violet 19

Salt Mummy 18

Alex 12

Irraly 10

[Niwrad]

After several hours of tromping through the woods, Archadious is hot, sweaty, and physically exhausted. His ring may save him the urge to eat or sleep, but that doesn't prevent exhaustion after a long march.

After they arrive in the clearing with the statue, Archadious looks at it with curiosity.
"Huh, who is she...?"
He wonders

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Knowledge History attempt: (1d20+16)[25]

But as he stares at the statue, a salt mummy bursts out of the undergrowth. Archadious sees the monster, and prepares for battle.

[AlanBruce]

@Archaidous as you watch the salt mummy take down the statue, you notice immediately it does not break down like stone or marble.

It crumbles like a very large pile of salt.

There is no history to be learned here.... there is magic.

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Spellcraft check, please.

[Archmage1]

While at the palazio, Violet, realizing at long last that Kara and Melody were gone, flies over to Luthon, and sits on his shoulder.
"Hey, do you know where the dragon, and the dragon-lady are? I was hoping to talk to them more."

In the Fey Woods:
Along the way, as Violet and Irraly guide the party, Violet cheerfully tells a tale, of how a rabbit was eating flowers, and how the petals persuaded him to not do so, carefully sneaking up behind him, and yelling surprise! The rabbit had to have leaped 10 feet in the air at that one. But he never did eat flowers again.

At the Marker.
As they reach the statue, Violet is reminded once more of how much there is in the forest, and how little of it she has seen. Deeper in, she knows more, but on the edges... she had never traveled here. When Irraly looks at her, Violet shakes her head, not recognizing it.
"Maybe... something about Balion. The others always called him the guardian, but for what? I always thought it was just of the woods, and he was mean anyway, but maybe, he was for this Arrallae? But I have never heard of her. She sounds pretty, though."

At the Statue of the woman
(1d20+5)[22] spot
(1d20+11)[17] listen
Violet looks at her, and looks at what she is looking at, and then looks at her once more, however, as she starts to fly towards her, the salt mummy appears, and she flies rapidly back to the group, even as she wonders what happened to the poor woman, and how she was turned to salt.
(1d20+12)[19] spellcraft
"It's one of the evil mummies! And... and it killed that girl!"
Flying high enough that she was out of the mummies reach, Violet begins playing her harp, her music and voice weaving together into a song, a tale of overcoming impossible odds to win against an overwhelming threat.
Actions and Buffs:

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Cast bardic inspiration, fly up, start inspire courage.
Everyone gets +2 to attack, +2 to damage, +2 to saves vs fear and charm, and fast healing 3

[sparky9042]

At the Pallazio, Lúthon explains Kara's disappearance as best he can. "To be honest, I do not know. It would seem she left of her own volition, as finding her has not been discussed as a major priority. Perhaps someone else might be able to answer better than I? I would tread carefully when asking questions, though. This may be a sensitive subject for...some."

Later, at the marker, Lúthon realizes that he can answer more of Violet's questions. "We were fortunate to meet with Steiner Lacore before he passed on. Balion was one of Arrallae's three guardians, as was Lacore. Arrallae is a goddess...and she is in danger from Kazym and Balion. Balion has betrayed Arrallae and allied himself with Kazym."

Preparing for combat, Lúthon decides to launch a spell at the salt mummy, attempting to blind it with sparkles.

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Casting Glitterdust. I think there's somewhere I can hit the mummy and only the mummy. Will DC 18.

[Archmage1]

At the Palazio:
Violet seems to droop at this news. She was really hoping to talk to them more. What tales they would have hold! Still, perhaps she might encounter them later? Her voice sounds quite disappointed.
"Aw..."

At the Marker
Violet looks excited at the news about Arrallae.
"A goddess? Here? I always wanted to meet one! But... She is not here, surely I would have heard if she were? Maybe we can tell Kazym that, and he will leave us alone?"
Violet seems strangely hopeful.

[Niwrad]

Following Luthons example of disabling the mummy, Archadious decides to follow suite. Fingering the pork rind in his fingers,the elf mutters a short phrase.

"YouZhiTaJiaoDi"

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casting grease

Suddenly the mummies feet becomes slick with oil and grease

Reflex Save DC: 18 (or fall prone)

[Sliver]

@Luthon - As you cover the area in glitterdust, the salt mummy raises it's hands in a vain attempt of covering it's eyes.

@Archaidous - You cast your spell and watch the mummy drop to the oily forest ground

@Violet - You begin playing your music, bolstering the morale and courage of your new companions.

@The Party - The mummy manages to stand up and struggles, but is able to, retreat out of the greased area and away from the group while flailing it's hands wildly and in a very exaggerated fashion.

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Initiative - Meic and Aradia moved to second party of the round:

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Luthon

Archaidous

Violet

Salt Mummy

Meic

Aradia

Alex

Irraly

[Christine Daae]

Worried about the last fight she had with one of these creatures she calls upon her heritage to make a field of force to protect her from blows, and for a few seconds a visible Lavender aura can be seen around her.

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Standard action casting shield, ready action to use my anklets of trans location if something tries to attack me.

[dantiesilva]

Alex takes into account all that is happening and casts a simple spell on Aradia. This will keep all close to you as well as yourself safe. Alex says as he throws powdered silver down around her, a faint glow surrounding her when the spell is finished.

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Magic circle against evil (+2 to AC and Saves, 1 hour and 30 minutes)

[AlanBruce]

@The Party: Glittered and Greased, the undead pilgrim still manages to get up and wave its salted arms around as it runs deeper into the woods.

To kill or let it go...that is the question.

[AlanBruce]

@The Party: The mummy runs into the thicket and disappears.

Eventually, the roots and thick canopy cover the glittering mummy and this one can be seen no more.

@Aradia: An extremely high pitched sound can be heard on your shoulder as you turn around and see a small fey. Much smaller than Violet. This one is pink colored and has extremely delicate elven features, as well as a pair of gossamer wings.

Another, blue in color lands on your hair as it speaks in an unintelligible language.

@Alex: A green elfin creature, smaller than Violet lands gently on your armor as a golden one flies around you in spirals.

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Know. Nature to ID what they are

@The Party: A concert of multicolored light dances around Aradia and Alex as they are covered in thousands of tiny specks of light that seem to get in between the armor. Into their noses, ears, and mouths.

@Aradia & Alex:

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16 damage + Distraction, Fortitude or become nauseated.

@The Everyone else: The swarm of fine sized creatures creates a hypnotic pattern, leaving you mesmerized at the beautiful dazzling colors.

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Will or become fascinated and automatically dazzled

[Archmage1]

Violet, seeing the tiny creatures, turns to look at them more clearly. You can hear a simple phrase from her, as her music stops.
"Ooh! Pretty!"
A portion of her mind tries to tell her that something is wrong, something is very wrong, but it just can't seem to get her to do anything.

[Business Scrub]

What the..? Aradia looks around, pestered suddenly by a swarm of tiny... fey... things? It didn't matter: they were starting to hurt and needed to die.
In a flash of white light, a thin skin of ice covers her companions. Let's see these pests hit us now.
Taking a step out of the colorful swarm, she takes a deep breath, accidentally inhaling some of the buggers, before releasing a cloud of snow and icy wind, now glittery from the tiny fey tumbling about in it.

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5-foot step out of the swarm, ideally closer to the salt mummy.
Breath attack any section of the swarm that doesn't also hit an ally.
Switch to Energy Shield Aura.

BA damage: (5d6)[17]
Cooldown: (1d4)[3]
Ref. DC 21.

[AlanBruce]

@Aradia: You step away from the swarm and breathe a gout of cold air.

The mummy is now gone, but Alex is caught in the blast as well.

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Check the map, it covers 4 squares, with you and Alex inside it.

Some of the tiny creatures drop like flies, but keep shimmerling about, shouting in a thousand voices.

[Amidus Drexel]

Meic stands still, transfixed by the swarm of shimmering insects.

[AlanBruce]

@Violet, Irraly & Alex: The glowing swarm flies away from Aradia and engulf all three.

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16 damage plus DC 15 Fortitude or be nauseated for 1 round

At this moment, as the minute elfin creatures bite, tug and pull at various parts of your body, you break away immediately from the fascinating array of colors.

[Niwrad]

Archadious is momentarily distracted by the bright display of lights, but he is able to resist staring at them for too long, and he realizes they are under attack. He goes over his own list of spells and curses himself for not memorizing area egfect spells.
Moving over to Luthon, he shakes him roughly, and shouts.

Hey! Wake up! Stop staring at those lights, we are under attack!

[Archmage1]

Violet, nauseated, and knowing what they are, tries, in between her heaving, to talk.

[Sylvan]
"Hey! Why are you attacking us! We are trying to help everyone!"

[AlanBruce]

@Luthon: mesmerized by the show of lights, you feel a strong tug and shake as Archaidous nearly slaps you out of the fascinate effect.

And indeed, you see about a hundred of these tiny fey on the ground, flash frozen as Alex, Violet, and Irraly are now consumed by the living lights.

@Violet: The creatures tug at your flowery wings and bite your hair as all speak in a language only you can hear through the cacophonous din.


Despoilers!

Killers!

Shroud Walkers!

[Archmage1]

[Sylvan]
"No! We are trying to stop the evil ones from hurting anyone else! Please!"

[sparky9042]

Lúthon shakes his head vigorously. "Thank you. Someone ought to wake Meic." Addressing Violet in Sylvan, he says, "Violet! What's going on? Why are they attacking us?"

[AlanBruce]

@Violet: You know what they are.

This is a shimmerling swarm. Very ancient fey. Primitive even by fey standards. Disdaining clothes and living in between blades of grass and flowers.

Normally, harmless as individuals, but when angered, they are known to coalesce into a most dangerous hive mind and attack with impunity.

And here I thought you were ensorcelled, Violet...

A familiar voice sounds through the tree tops as the shimmerlings disperse into the canopy.

That's Uwellyn's voice.

[Archmage1]

Violet, still trying to reassure the shimmerlings in between her heaving, tries to answer Luthon as well.

[Sylvan]
"They think we are working with the mummies! If we..."

At that moment, Uwellyn's voice drifts among the trees. Violet responds, angrily.
"Uwellyn? You tried to get the shimmerlings to attack strangers? But... they are so small, they will get hurt doing that! Why would you? And... why do you think I am enchanted? Steiner was dead, so I got some others to try and help instead."

[AlanBruce]

@Violet: The treetops rustle as leaves rain upon the group.

"From what I have seen, they weren't in much danger...until that woman decided to breathe ice on them."

@The Party: From behind a tree a beautiful maiden wearing hide armor and long green hair appears. She has amber eyes and a tanned complexion.

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Know. Nature to ID her

"...and I wouldn't say Steiner is dead, little Violet. Not entirely. You may come out now."

A young human walks behind Uwellyn. He wears a ful lplate, similar to Aradia's and has light brown hair and blue eyes.

Most startling is the fact that a sphere floats above his shoulder.

"I believe you found some potential allies? My apologies for what transpired. Their nest was attacked not too long ago and they have been quite furious, what with not being able to harm the walking dead. I am Uwellyn, elder sister of the Eastern Coven and this young lad beside me is Reinste."

As the growls echo through the forest, Uwellyn motions for all to follow.

"The Fey Woods is not usually this dangerous, but times have changed. Follow me."

[Archmage1]

Violet sees the poor, frozen shimmerlings, and flies down to them, hoping that while frozen, they are still alive, or at least, healable.

If she detects any signs of life, she will once more play her harp, hoping to restore them.

[Business Scrub]

Aradia grumbles, pulling one of the fey creatures out of her hair and tossing it. "Hey, they started it!"
She follows the others as they lead: after all, where else was she going to go?
Mumbling a bit, she says in Draconic, "I officially don't like these woods..."