The strange village-Chapter I

[phaedrusxy]

"Yes... we just finished purging the source of the Taint that was contaminating this village, and were about to embark on a campaign to destroy the source of that taint... which is evidently a race of horrible ratmen who were thought to have been driven to extinction long ago..."

Looking uncomfortable, he looks down and says "'Fina... want to chime in here?" with a big, stupid grin on his face.

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I got that correct, right?

[Raineh Daze]

"..."[/font[/color]

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I have no idea how to respond to a giant bunny like this. Make knowledge checks, yes, and prepare to maybe use divine shield, but otherwise... xD

[oslecamo]

Oh, the azanídeos are back? Yes, I knew this scent was familiar! Fine, you can deal with those leftovers, I'm going to go look for the main dish.

Steyven can see the Giant Death Bunny turn and start to fly away towards the horizon, swooping closer to the ground now and then.

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Giant Death Bunny is an ancient holy beast.
Makes both heroes and villains into its feast.
Giant Death Bunny loves the taste of taint.
But when hungry enough will also eat a saint.
Giant Death Bunny is sometimes thought dead.
It always returns in a way left unsaid.
Giant Death Bunny grows stronger as it feeds.
Eventually nobody will be able to stop its deeds.
Giant Death Bunny has a white, white body.
End it now before it kills everybody!

[phaedrusxy]

Steyven looks even more confused, but also somewhat relieved, and says "Well... that was awkward. So... where were we? About to teleport to certain doom or something like that? Hmm... maybe we should invite the bunny..."

[SorO_Lost]

"I'm pretty sure it's a bad idea to invite the Death Bunny anywhere given it's purely motivated by hunger and we just killed it's favorite food seasoning." Bob recounts the poem (see Osl's spoiler) and afterwards he gestures to the townsfolk, "And he called them leftovers."

[ketaro]

"The rabbit is leaving then? We can return to.....Tsukiyo-no-Mikoto questioning the man." The child points a finger towards the figure the goddess had singled out before the rabbit had distracted everyone.

[oslecamo]

"No, I think not. Now that the divine beast is gone, we will be doing the questioning."

The figure lets fall their dirty rags on the dusty ground, revealing the immaculate white robes below, a hood hiding their face.

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(roll initiative! Also state how close were you keeping to the robbed figure.)

[VennDygrem]

Serafina had remained quiet during the talk with the... giant death bunny? Perhaps she was just tired from fighting evil, but this was a long day already... and about to get either a lot longer, or a lot shorter!

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Fina uses Nerveskitter to boost her Initiative, for the following roll: 1d20(19)+11 = 30

Also, she flew up with Steyven, so presumably would be up at whatever height he was at when talking to the Giant Death Bunny. Not great for first-round buffing of the party, but we'll see...

[Raineh Daze]

At least, unlike the death bunny, these were close enough to identify.

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I was probably right beside the robed thing, IIRC. Clearsight should be relevant here (if they're disguised in some way):

Init 23, plus some knowledge rolls if they're useful..

Still in Divine Treasure Sword, after looking back a few pages.

[SorO_Lost]

"They look like ghost centaurs" Bob says pointing out the obvious but maybe they are something else.

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Initiative: 16.
idk, umm 8~34.6ft away? Whatever was a socially acceptable answer for a new guy that's not even shook hands with anyone yet.

Which Knowledge, forgot to roll them for Devotion.
@RD you can actually ID anything you can see, it's "range limit" is a successful Spot Check, or anything the DM says you can see.

[phaedrusxy]

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Steyven was up in the air chatting with Death Bunny. He was probably on his way back down when... whatever this is... happened.
I think Gazzien/Imos is no longer in the game, right? Just trying to figure out which group buffs are still applicable...

Rolled 1d20+4 : 20 + 4, total 24

[ketaro]

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Init 5

Nina is probably about 30 feet behind Tsukiyo. She walked into the crowd to meet him whereas the rest of of just stood back and watched.

[oslecamo]

The ghost centaurs point their hands towards you, in strange movements that seem to simultaneously be instantenous and take an eternity to complete. From their fingerprints are unleashed blasts of white warping energy at Tsukyio and Steyven! The goddess manages to dodge in time, but the warrior is hit directly on the chest and suddenly feels like it's been years since he rested or ate anything. Everything around him seems to start going faster, much faster.

"Let's make a flower bloom on this desert."

The hooded figure touches the ground and three magic circles appear around him, each one sprouting a tiny closed white lotus floating in the air that quickly grow until each is as big as him, then their petals open revealing black cores filled with runes. Each lotus slowly turns towards a party member,  Tsukyio, Bob and Nina and the runes start glowing brighter. Nothing happens right away, and you feel like you could easily outrun the flower's movements if you moved.

"By the constellation of eleven star swords I shall smite you!"

Not yet finished, the hooded figure raises his arms and from his sleeves fly out eleven blades covered in bright golden energy that fly above in elaborate and elegant arcs before descending upon the party members! Most fail to land a clean hit, but five do hit, and on impact their energy sears your being before solidifying in golden translucent chains attempting to bind you to the ground, besides Steyven who succeeded on defending against all the blades.

Bob feels his perception of time starting to sloooowww dddddooooowwwwwnnnnnn...

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Tsukiyo  takes 6+21 “light” damage

Steyven takes 64 (crit)

Nina takes 6 slashing +16 “light” damage.

Serafina takes 8 slashing +21”light” damage

Bob takes 4 slashing + 10 “light” damage

Everybody but Steyven must make a Reflex save with DC 25 or be unable to move and take a -2 penalty to attack rolls. Getting free is a DC 18 Str check or 15 damage.
Steyven must make a Fort save with DC 23 or be put into temporal stasis for 5 rounds.

Bob must make a Will save with DC 23 or be unable to take any actions.

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Those are lesser versions of the legendary time-warping aberration known only to a few erudites, the Phane. It is unclear whetever it's a failed attempt at copying one or some echo of the original reflected accross space and time.

Either way, a fragment of a Phane's power will still makes for a fearsome opponent. They are incorporeal, immune to Energy/Ability drain and ability damage, polymorphing, petrification, their wouns will heal at high speed, resistant to sonic and magic. Their simple touch can hurt and a lesser Phane can still fire chronal blasts that make a spasm of space-time flux inflicting heavy damage and  perhaps putting the target in stasis for around half a minute. Simply being too close to a lesser Phane may result in you being locked in time too. They can replicate time manipulating magic such as Haste, Slow, teleport and True Strike, plus Detect Good and Invisibility. Yet a lesser phane's greatest abilities are their ability to summon a past time duplicate from somebody else and even turn back time itself for several seconds should a situation drag too long.

[ketaro]

The child hardly flinched as a blade struck her before it transformed into a mass of chains locking her in place. She looked down at the links of light holding her, then back up at the robed man; her blank expression unchanging.

"Those weren't questions, Mystery Man."

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HP: 105/127
AC 32

Swift Action: Change stance to Colorful Wind Typhoon
Ready Action: Ready to use Gorgeous Sweet Flower (Chinese Star 4th) if a hostile approaches within 10ft

Current Buffs: Colorful Wind Typhoon (30% concealment)

[Raineh Daze]

Unfortunately for the goddess, the chains locked firmly in place--not that this seemed to be much of a deterrent as she lowered a lidded glare towards the creatures, scripts appearing in the air around her.

"These are... lessened forms of a monstrosity that can alter time. Incorporeal and hard to hurt--but it's possible."

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Reminder: retain dex to AC even when immobilised. AC 39

Actual damage: 22, Fast Heal 5. Miss chance failed.
HP: 88/110

Move Action: Sacred Knowledge "War Strategy": +6 to damage against these enemies, 1/minute (recorded in buff thread)
Swift Action: Stance - Fate - Old Immortal Fire (DC21, 13 damage and exhaustion/entangled/confused if failing a fort/ref/will save on the 1st/2nd/3rd attacks to hit; half on save; ignores immunities but +5 saves)
Standard Action: Strike - Ambition Crisis (Cruelty) (DC 21 Will or panicked for one round, shaken even if they succeed; +5 on saves but bypasses immunities)

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After over a year, I should probably put these somewhere I can find them...

God:
Crossroads of Heaven
Bad Luck--Scar
God Hidden Among Tree Leaves
God Sign--Beautiful Holy Spring

Scholar:
Sacred Treasure Mirror
Ambition Crisis (Conquest)
Ambition Crisis (Cruelty)
Erase History
Sacred Treasure Orb
Burden of History
Origin Sign
Punish the Forgetful
Light Ancestor

[oslecamo]

"Those weren't questions, Mystery Man."

"I just asked how to make you bleed. Never said I would use words for all my questions."

[SorO_Lost]

Time seems to crawl for a moment allowing Bob to see things a bit more clearly and from his vantage point Steyven seems to have taken a fairly brutal blow. Shrugging off the ghost horse's strange temporal magic he flies over to him and blesses him with the restorative effects of his magic (+21hp). "Here, let me help you with that."

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Status
HP: 76 = 88 (last) - 12 (4 slashing -2 dr & 10 light)

Steyven gains +21 HP & is under the effect of Renewal: +((5d4+5)/2)hp next turn.

[phaedrusxy]

Steyven groans with the blow, and grunts "Thanks chap!" as Bob closes some of his wounds.

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I had actually had Steyven heal himself to full using his breath weapon back here, but forgot to update his stat block. In fact... it looks like the entire party was healed to full HP by Serafina.

So he's not quite dead... After Bob's healing,
 he's at 53/93 hit points.

Then he gets an angry look in his eye and says "That wasn't very nice. Let me give you a lesson in manners!"

He swings his bullroarer overhead, and everyone's weapon bursts into flames. Then he smashes it into the ghost centaur who attacked him.

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Actions: Rage (free) + Dragonfire Inspiration IC (move) + Badge of Valor (immediate) + attack (std)
33 to hit, 7 physical damage, 17 fire

And everyone gets +3d6 fire damage on their attacks.

His hit points go up due to his increased con, so he's now at 73/113. I'll have to recalculate his stat block, as I know at least his AC isn't correct.... because of the change in buffs...

[VennDygrem]

As the hooded figure's blades zip through the air, Serafina's minute form begins radiating heat at an even greater temperature than before, blazing with white-hot energy! The flames quickly begin smoothing over her wounds, and her bow leaps to her hand in a flash. Drawing back her arrow, it begins to sparkle with Fey magic, and she fires it toward the hooded creature.

"How rude! Let's put you in a time-out while we have a chat with your friends!"

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Reflex Save (w/ +1 Paragon Point spent to ensure success): 1d20(6)+24=30

Free Action - Begin Blaze (+4 Dex, +4 Cha, DR 5/magic): Duration 15/15 rounds
Free Action - Draw Longbow

Full-Round Action: Shoot Hooded Figure with a Sleep Arrow (+5 PP spent):
Attack: 1d20(11)+20=31
On hit: Figure is targeted with Sleep SLA; Can affect total of 22 HD, Roll Will save vs DC 33 (Can affect creatures with any immunities, though they get a +5 bonus to the save)

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HP: 72/88 hp
Saves: F +22, R +25, W +21
AC: 43 (10 +6 Dex +1 Size +12 Dodge +14 Misc), touch 43, flat-footed 25
Speed: 75' land, 90' fly (Perfect)
Senses: Low-light vision, Darkvision 60 ft.
Attacks:  Searing Touch +16, 6d6 fire damage, DC 27 or catch On Fire (Move action to put out at DC 20)
Defenses: Immunity to Fire, Resistance to Cold and Electricity 5, DR 5/cold iron, DR 5/magic, Fast Healing 5, Immune to stunning and paralysis, Immunity to Exhaustion, 50% fortification against critical hits, SR 21, Anticipate Teleportation, Disobedience
Paragon Points remaining: 4/10

[oslecamo]

The lesser phanes turn and start flying away from Tsukyio's glare. Even the Hooded Figure seems to hesitate a moment when the goddess stares directly at them, although they hold their ground.

Why? Why had you to come here so soon? Why must you damn moon deities always meddle in this land's affairs?

Serafina's arrow flies true towards the hooded figure and hits them in the shoulder. They seem to go drowsy for a moment, but then it waves its hand and golden runes form around the arrow's shaft and  extend towards the trail of sparks behind it, reaching Serafina in the blink of an eye and searing her!

Nina and Tsukyio see the flowers petals open completely before the runes condense in lances of light that shot towards them. A third such projectile flies through the position where Bob had been moments before. The flowers start flying upwards as new runes start forming on their cores, aligning themselves with their  previous targets.

You! Do you really know what the taint your godling called you to fight against even is? How do you know it to be the full extent of the truth?

The hooded figure disappears in a golden flash, and in the next they're right next to Bob, procceeding to violently headbutt him!

But there is hope for you yet! You only need to tell me everything you observed down there and I'll let you live!

Not finished yet, the hooded figures waves their hands in circles, projecting strands of white runes that surround Tsukyio, Steyven and Nina, forming cylinders 60 feet high and 30 feet wide with them in the middle. The runes start glowing brighter and brighter...

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First something I forgot to ask, but does Steyven's weapon has any special ability to hit incorporeal? If not, there should be a 50% flat miss chance there.

Nina and Tsukyo each take 39 damage.

Serafina takes 38 damage, DC 25 vs Daze for 1 turn.

Attack against Bob +35 vs AC, counts as magic and adamantine, 66 damage plus DC 25 vs Stun for 1 turn, dazed if immune to Stun.