Have You Seen The Tainted Sign?

Arc - Invaders from Beyond The Stars
Duration- 4 sessions
Followed By- The Match Is Struck

Characters (Reserved)

Cordy/ 5 cloistered cleric 2 divine oracle/elf/ 7
Nerylos/Lizrdbastard/Ranger 4 Duskblade 2
Roka, Ranger 5/Deepwood Sniper 4, Foxkin, Level 9
Silk, Beastfolk Monk 3/Psychic Warrior 3/ 6

Gajendra/FighterHexblade/Loxophant/8

Challenges

• Ganesha Genocidus (CR 9)

(C/N/S)

• Gold & Electrum Horror Squad (CR 9)

(N/R/S)

• Xenotaph (CR 11)

(N/R/S)

Other

• Nerylos & His Animal Companion are deceased; his return to life via Resurrection has been paid for.
• Roka was trapped for some time (4 Days) in the Positive Energy Plane, where they were forced to wound themselves to survive. As a result they have gained a Phobia of positive energy (as per Heroes of Horror). It is a mild phobia and may be cured altogether or overcome. As long as they retain this phobia however, they also gain (pending MechOP approval) the Masochism Trait (as per Book of Vile Darkness) and 1 of 2 feats as a free bonus feat as described below)

+ show block

Phobias occur in three degrees of severity: mild, moderate, and severe. Characters can be given mild phobias by the DM either as part of that character’s background or due to some strange event that character experiences.

When a character with a mild phobia encounters the object of her phobia, she must make a successful Will save or become shaken. The DC of the save equals 12 + the CR of the challenge that is the object of thephobia. (Treat CRs of less than 1 as 0.) A moderate phobia requires the character to succeed on a Will save (DC 14 + the CR of the challenge) or become frightened. A severe phobia requires the character to succeed on a Will save (DC 16 + the CR of the challenge) or become panicked.

A phobia can be removed from a character through the application of a heal, limited wish, miracle, or wish spelldirected specifi cally at that phobia. If the phobia is only a mild phobia, a character can also overcome his fear by facing it directly. In order to do so, the character must succeed on his Will save against 10 consecutive exposures to the source of his fear.

######
Positive Energy Phobia [Moderate]

(Following the example of Pyrophobia on p. 62 of Heroes of Horror)

This phobia applies when the character is within the effect or area of a spell with the Conjuration (Healing) descriptor or another effect or spell that specifically uses Positive Energy, when the character is targeted by such a spell, when the character encounters a creature with the Positive subtype, and in any other situation when the character is at real risk from being exposed to Positive energy. The effective CR equals the actual CR of a Positive energy subtype creature (like a Positive Energy elemental), or double the spells spell’s level. If the character fails their save against Fear from being targeted or exposed to the spell, they must also make a save to resist the spell's effect and remain afraid for a number of rounds equal to the spell's level or the creatures CR.

While they are under the effect of the phobia, they may choose 1 of the following as a free bonus feat as long as they retain it:

Reflexive Psychosis [Vile, Deformity] (Elder Evils p. 14)
In the face of adversity, you withdraw into the haunted corridors
of your mind.
Prerequisite: Deformity (Madness).
Benefi t: As an immediate action, you can gain damage
reduction 5/— for 1 round. After using this ability, you are
confused until the end of your next turn.

OR

Deformity (Gaunt) [Vile, Deformity]
Through intentional starvation and macabre operations,
you are grossly underweight. You have a skeletal appearance,
and your weight is now half normal for creatures of
your kind.
Prerequisite: Willing Deformity.
Benefi t: You gain a +2 bonus to Dexterity and a –2 penalty
to Constitution. Furthermore, you gain a +2 circumstance
bonus on Escape Artist checks and Intimidate checks.

In addition to one of the above, they also gain the Masochism Trait as long as they retain their phobia.

Masochism: Masochists are rarely at full hit points
because they continually inflict wounds upon themselves.
A masochist gets pleasure from feeling pain and sometimes
can’t tell the two sensations apart. Masochists wear jewelry
and devices that dig into their flesh with hooks and clamps,
they flagellate themselves with whips and barbed wires,
and they cut at their own bodies with knives and razors.
When encountered, a masochist has typically lost 1d3×10%
of his total hit points to self-inflicted wounds.

A masochist gains a +4 circumstance bonus on saving
throws against pain effects (such as a symbol of pain). Furthermore,
if he takes damage equal to his character level in
a round, he gains a +1 circumstance bonus on attack and
damage rolls, skill checks, and saving throws for the next
round. Masochists often grin with a sickening glee when
struck in combat, and they make noises of ecstasy even as
they suffer terrible wounds.

Experience

• Cordy: 1,400
• Nerylos: 7,200
• Silk: 7,200
• Roka: 2,700

Rewards

• All party members: receive (1) autographed 1st Edition copy of The Mysterie of Darke Cultes in a binding of their choice.

• All party members: receive an opportunity to accept Sir Tammuz Talwar-Kadath as their patron as apart of The Green Flash Company. To the ends of rooting out the Kaorti, Sir Kadath is willing to sponsor you as a group IF you are interested; it's also much easier to gather funding from others with his connections as an experienced adventurer if you are one rather than many. He imagines a group of sponsored adventurers, 'the last light on the horizon before the comming dark and the first flash that heralds the dawn', taking the initiative of driving the Kaorti from Therafim. But after that? You would be able to choose what missions you would undertake and for whom for, he would support you all the same. He MAY have some recommendations in mind, but ultimately selection of future or further membership would be up to you.

Initial startup funds of 18,000gp will provided for the group as long as it is spent on equipment, tools, travel, and other necessities; and after that on an as-needed basis.

• Cordy: 2250gp for her assistance, paid by Sir Kadath.
• Nerylos, Silk, Roka: 1500gp awarded by Weerasuriya for their investigation, 3000gp paid by Sir Kadath for completion of their mission.

For uncovering the Kaorti plot, Sir Kadath rewards The Three with (1) of the following items from his cabinet of curiosities:

• Abberant Sphere (Mic p. 149) - Flickering fist sized orb; part of a set purloined from from a cabal of Far Realm worshippers, perhaps not unlike those Xenotaph would have the Loxo become.
• Hair Shirt of Suffering (Mic p. 109) - Woven by Amazon priestesses who tore the hair from their heads in pennance after being seduced by male diabolists.
• Meteoric Knife (MiC p.53) - Knife crafted from one of the star stones in Sir Kadath's collection which you helped expand.
• Pipe of Grief (BoVD p. 115) -Finely carved smoking pipe from a collection originally owned by an Adaru with a penchant for pipe smoking; he love blowing smoke in the face of his mortal slaves. Its smoke instills despair in all who would breath it except the smoker.
• Spectral Arrow (BoVD p. 113)-This SINGLE invisible arrow drains life energy and ignores manufactured armor. Recovered from the seemingly empty quiver of an Arrow Demon, it would surely kill any ordinary man.
• The Nycoptic Manuscripts (LM p. 79) -Cryptic texts that concern the undead and necromancy; on the reccomended reading list of The Mysterie of Darke Cultes.

Summary

"The Tainted sign.

It is but one, and there are many.
And like all of them, it is very old, and has many meanings.

The flame of knowledge provides illumination, but beware the flame that consumes itself. The healing staff teaches to draw the worm from the wound; this rod instructs others to instill affliction. It is the torch that lights funeral pyres and the fires of revolution. This sign is at once the flame of life ready to be extinguished, and the cometfall, starry messenger that delivers your extinction."
- Sir Tammuz Talwar-Kadath

The party traveled through the Raging Jungle on a major trade route between Nok Zum, at once a sacred city of Bazram and a major spice and tropical luxury gathering center on the jungles edge and Butasta, City of Scales in the very heart of it all. Butasta is carefully guarded, and while most people on the continent think of the place as merely a legend, there are indeed trade routes to and from the place. They were in the employ of a '[Chaostronomer]' of some moderate local fame, questionaire Sir Tammuz Talwar-Kadath.

One week before, a bright meteor shower lit up the sky over Heaven's Tear. Fireballs could be seen both from the border of the Cho-Lin Empire as well as Bazram. Scholarly organizations including the [Trevalis Academy] and the [Astronomy Society of Avalon] (ASA) were seeking Star Stones. There were also many private collectors hunting them as well, each hoping to add them to their own 'Cabinet of Curiosities' or build up a collection worth donating with their name on it.

Their destination was a trading post owned by the [Azure-Eye Trading Company] that lay between Nok Zum and Butasta, run by a small clan of enterprising Blue Goblins, or Blues. A psionic subrace looked on with some suspicion by their larger cousins, this particular family struck out on their own rather than seeking to make it big in The Goblin Markets. Those hoping to pick up supply on the way to or from Butasta stop there. The post had experienced a surge in traffic since the Star Fall; mostly individuals hunting Star Stones, parties on funded expeditions, and the mercenaries that protect them. Once one had found a 'good spot' there is little to stop another from taking what they please by force-except the threat of retaliation. Sometimes other people can be as dangerous as the jungle itself. HOWEVER-the post had also seen a large influx of Loxophants on pilgrimage.

Seeking to avoid paying the exorbitant prices in private auction Sir Talwar-Kadath sent them to collect them "By whatever means you see fit" with the promise of paying more than the party could expect to get trying to sell them on their own. It should have been simple enough to seek information at trading post and go from their, however…the party stumbled into FAR more than they bargained for.

The party traveled the road alone, passing not a soul until they crossed the path of a young Loxophant boy, no more than eight years old or so. The youth tried to gather fruit from a tree but he was too short to reach even the lowest one, even standing on his tippy toes and stretching his trunk. Some regarded him contempt, disgusted by seeing weakness in their own race, and others with compassion. Those with hearts of flesh, the rangers of the party had no trouble making the tree rain on the little loxoohant. The party inquired in he knew the way to the Azure Eye, and he did "There's a trading camp, oh yes, not far down the road. My mama and papa, we've all come on pilgramage-the falling stars, they are a sign from heaven. But tell me mister, have you seen…IT?" The party was puzzled by exactly what "It" was, and when they asked they recieved a display of self mutilation and another question.

A cold breeze blew throught the hot jungle as he drew a small knife from a belt. In a single swift, but exacting motion he siezed his trunk with a free hand and put the blade to it with the other, slicing cleanly through it until the appendage camefree, flopping in his tiny hand. He held it out before him for all to see, pointing the stump to the ground. The blood that rans out seethed, curling whisps of steam spiraling up around his outstretched arm. "…Have you seen The Tainted Sign?" he asked in a voice more likened to a bull loxophant than a boy. The loxophant was visibly pained, and then he was no more, not dead but not all-vanished altogether. The party was shaken from the experience, but for the Divine Oracle is wasnt over. She was taken by a seizure-dream as an inscrutable glyph was burned into her mind.

Recovering, the party continued their way, not knowing what to make of the apparition. They arrived at the post by nightfall; questioning those still milling about they would gather some startling information.

(Still Being Written; more on the way.)

Quotes

EVAAAAR

[03:09] <Nerylos> that wasa blast
[03:11] <@Tammuz> *laughs*
[03:11] <@Tammuz> }:-)

[21:39] <Silk> For the record Tammuz…Best…QUest EVAR

Jungle High

[03:29] * Nerylos looks around curiously, seeming to jump at every small noise and looking for it's soource. He seems barbaric and wild, not only are his scales unaturally thick and his eyes burning with an unnatural internal light, but hes skin seems to be touched by insan ity and chaos itself. His scales are unnatureally thick in more ways than one, and the wolf that pads at his side has scales instead of fur. He idlally
[03:29] <Nerylos> smokes some strange smelling tobacco, probably bad marijauna, and despiten his jumpy nature is surprisingly quiet. While he's no sort of diplomat, he watches the ground as he does everything else, perhaps looking for tracks of unknown threats.

Do It For The Benjamins (and he is a rich man)

[03:30] <@Scathien> *Roka didnt really like Tammuz… he came off as well… really fucking creepy… the kind of creepy that made her fur stand on end… but the pay was good, and the foxkin was light on funds after her most recent purchase. The job didnt seem very difficult and he did ask nicely enough. However, the phrase "By whatever means you see fit" caused curiousity… surely it wouldnt be -that- bad would it? Roka glanced
[03:30] <@Scathien> around at the others she had joined up with, and then also looking around the town.

IT!
[04:00] <@Tammuz> By their combined effort Nerylos and Roka rain mangoes on the boy; he holds the basket over his head, chuckling a little as the heavy fruits thudded into the wicker basket. "Oh…" he said in a small voice, "There's a trading camp, oh yes, not far down the road. My mama and papa, we've all come on pilgramage-
[04:01] <@Tammuz> -the falling stars, they are a sign from heaven. But tell me mister, have you seen…IT?"
04:02] <Misa> Cordy swayed on the ground, not dressed properly for climbing let along having the strength for it. she would however would move over to the young one and tilt her head a little. "Seen w-what e-exactly?" she asked a bit curiously doing her best to avoid any potential mango attacks.
[04:02] <Gajendra> "It?" he grunted readily between bites as he shifted forward as intel was apparently being offered. Feet grinding the turf underneath him the heavy beast stood before the youngling of his race and glowered down at him, not exactly inviting deception.
[04:03] <@Scathien> *Roka giggles a little and smiles at Nerylos before setting down on the branch after helping drop mangos into the basket* It? What are you talking about?

[04:01] <@Scathien> hmm…. IT!… *glances at his copy of Patapon*
[04:01] <Nerylos> WHAT THE HELL IS IT?!
[04:01] *** ChanServ sets mode +o Tammuz
[04:02] <@Tammuz> Lol I love patapaon

You dont want to see it….

[04:06] <@Tammuz> A cold breeze blows throught the hot jungle, he draws a small knife from a belt. In a single swift, but exacting motion he siezes his trunk with a free hand and puts the blade to it with the other, slicing cleanly through it until the appendage comes free, flopping in his tiny hand. He holds it out before him, pointing the stump to the ground.
[04:06] <@Tammuz> The blood that runs out seethes, curling whisps of steam spiraling up around his outstretched arm. "…Have you seen The Tainted Sign?" he askes in a voice more likened to a man.
[04:10] <@Scathien> *….. what… the… fuck…. Roka's eyes widened at that… this just got very disturbing very quickly…. and Roka scrambled backward on the branch a little more, her bow soon coming into her hand and an arrow in the other, bracing herself against the tree as if she expected monsters to rise up from the ground or winged monkeys to decend from the sky or something….*
[04:11] * Gajendra began backpedalling the moment the child brought out the blade, black eyes wide as this was something even he couldn't have prepared for. A shiver ran down him at the sympathetic pain in his own trunk and he quickly girded himself, moving back roughly ten feet from the "boy". A shadowy figure detached itself from Gaj's own shadow and rippled forward to move about the youngling.
[04:11] * Gajendra The creature seemed roughly feline but it was hard to tell where exactly it was more shadow t }:-han substance.
[04:12] <Nerylos> The Lizard ranger pauses in the tree, and glances to his friends, the maddening, chaos touched nature about him speaking as much as the loom of bewilderment on his face. On one part, he seems to be saying, "Yeah, I've seen some crazy shit…and possibly crazier than what we just saw" On the other hand, he clings to the tree he's climbed rather unmoving., in kind of a 'o shit are we going to be attacked' body
[04:12] <Nerylos> kind-of language.

Having "Fun" yet kiddies? }:-)
[04:37] <@Scathien> *Roka's fur was still standing on end about the whole encounter… shoulda known that working for Tammuz would land her in some really -really- wierd crap…. but a job was a job, no use in turning around and running now…

[04:25] <@Scathien> *ponders making a Sanity roll
[04:25] <@Tammuz> lol
[04:25] <@Tammuz> Ah Call of Cthulhu, I remember that game
[04:26] <Gajendra> Fun setting at times

Payback; and they say ELEPHANTS Never forget

[22:10] <Nerylos> Oh shit the ranger does NOT look happy. Time to pummel this things ass again. Chanting a brief parseltongue phrase to cause his amulet to once again bolster his health, he again sends the pair of white fletched arrows and a third viscous ironshod sailing into the beast, their shapes trailing snow in the air as they fly. "The wolf will be back, you however, are fucked," he remarks to the beast, hoping to gain some
[22:10] <Nerylos> mote of revenge for his broken companion.

Dont Want TO End Up Like The Elephants

[23:30] <Nerylos> oh hey can I get cordy to remove the taint from me with remove curse and disease before she decides to retire?
[23:30] <Nerylos> I'd rather get it from a friend than shell out on it all the time >.>
[23:30] <Nerylos> Ner is a po boy
[23:31] <@Tammuz> Ummmmm. Sure. (albeit I thought it made you look tough)
[23:32] * Gajendra pets his gutworm
[23:32] <Gajendra> Some scars is fun to play hehe
[23:32] <Nerylos> it did, and I didn't know who to talk to about getting rid of it
[23:32] <Nerylos> but I don't wanna end up like that elephant
[23:32] <@Tammuz> XD
[23:33] <@Tammuz> }:-) Who calls to you Nerylos? Khorn? Slaanesh? Narylathotep?

Ninjas.
[23:53] * @Silk rubs one of her ears and looks about through the trees. "Do you guys hear that? Sounds like some kinda machine…Oh no…please tell me there's no gnomes in the area."
[23:53] <@Scathien> *Roka suddenly well.. comes out of nowhere…* Yea… I hear it too… its over by those bushes….
[23:57] <Nerylos> The Lizard nods, suddenly becoming quiet. "Theres machines alright. Working on those trees there," he points.
[23:58] * @Silk almost jumps into a tree when Roka comes out of nowhere! "Gyah…Oh…it's you Roka…don't scare me like that." she says, rubbing the back of her neck with a wry smile. At least there was a more friendlier face in the group now. Looking at where Nerylos points she nods, "Oh yeah, gotta be gnomes…or someone who taught someone how to make those machines…whatever

Big Guns
02:55] <@Tammuz> There are also some scrolls ….if you open them and look through them, it doesnt take long for you to realize they apart of some sort of tantric text. But SOMETHING ELSE catches your eye, a set papers that are unlike the rest. They seems to be a few pages of hand drawn pictures -
[02:55] <@Tammuz> depicting strange creatures; text acompanies the image, speaking of proportions, ratios, and using many difficult anotomical terms. Even for the most educated, its difficult to read, as the writer seems to ramble. It gives names to the…things, but not any you are familiar with.-
[02:56] <@Tammuz> TEXT: http://therafimrpg.wikidot.com/forum/t-365207/have-you-seen-the-tainted-sign#post-1170620
[02:57] <@Tammuz> The images include such things as….
[02:57] <@Tammuz> "Right Hands of The Horrifying Wrath That Is Not of Matra Born" http://i54.tinypic.com/2cqyx3d.jpg
[02:57] <@Tammuz> "Venomous Night Father" and "The Eyeless Eyes of The Eternal Void" http://i53.tinypic.com/1sjezc.jpg
[02:58] <@Tammuz> "Slo-Ar, He Who Greets With The Old Fire" http://i54.tinypic.com/vh6tjc.jpg
[02:58] <@Tammuz> "Eighth Mistress of the Leetha Supplicants and Second Lady of the Starfall" http://i53.tinypic.com/2usbig7.jpg

[02:59] <Nerylos> yeah that's gonna need holy arrows
[02:59] <@Silk> Yus

But Chicks Dig It
[22:16] * Silk watches what is going on between Nerylos and the…statues…her legs shifting a bit…if Nerylos sells them out, they were in a lot of trouble.

[22:12] <Nerylos> hrm
[22:17] <Nerylos> Ner isn't going anywhere
[22:17] <Nerylos> he doesnt want a dick covered in suckers and eyes
[22:17] <Nerylos> seriously first reason i can think of not to even consider their offer
[22:18] <Nerylos> I think of the dead displacer beast and then the worst possible thing
[22:18] <Nerylos> and that'd be something happeneing to my penis =)
[22:18] <@Tammuz> "But chicks would dig it….okay, they wouldnt but once they go crazy, they'll come back daily"
[22:19] <Nerylos> =/
[22:19] <Silk> (Silk) "Oh…HELL no"

Pushing Buttons

[22:26] <Nerylos> I want to kill this person thats talking
[22:26] <Nerylos> =/
[22:26] <Nerylos> he's hitting my kill button
[22:26] <Nerylos> to be fair my kill button is -rather- large
[22:26] <Nerylos> sometimes it can even be rather hard to miss
[22:30] <Nerylos> I get the feeling when I tell them to fuck off it's going to push the "hurt" button
[22:31] <Nerylos> hence the feigned interest
[22:31] <Nerylos> although a fair bit of it was genuine curiosity

Dont Rock The Rock Baby

[22:55] <Nerylos> The Lizard appears to be thinking all of this over for a minute. "Well, this all sounds great and all, but I think I'd rather not have a tentacle for a dick. I do, however, have one last -burning- question." The Lizard 's eyes turn burning red as he raises his bow and sends three white-fletched arrows, tailing magical snow, at the statue of the hideous male Loxo-thing. "And that would be, do even your statues
[22:55] <Nerylos> get burned by holy water," he growls as he sends the missiles on their way.
[23:01] <@Tammuz> Nerylos' arrows strike true, no trouble for an inanimate target right in front of him. The male statue is struck, actually pushed back sharply by the impact. The roughly 1ft tall idol embedded in the wall slides back, revealing…. A HOLE! The idols filled more than what appeared to be a carved recess, but actually filled in an opening. The opening is now filled only by the female idol and darkness….
[23:02] <@Scathien> *Roka blinks when Nerylos opens fire on the idols and shrugs* damned if we do… damned if we dont i suppose *she draws an arrow and fires at the female idol*
[23:03] * Silk cracked her knuckles as they fired on the rocks. "At the risk of sounding wierd…guess we rock the rocks, Roka."

[23:03] <Silk> Try saying that three times fast
[23:04] <Silk> "At the risk of sounding wierd…guess we rock the rocks, Roka."
[23:04] <@Scathien> i didnt have trouble with it
[23:05] <Nerylos> I don't get it
[23:05] <Silk> Nevermind :p

Doing My Job

[03:58] <@Tammuz> ALSO: HE HAD A GRAPPLE MOD OF +5
[03:58] <@Tammuz> Someone could have manhandled him potentiially, if they could make his touch AC
[03:58] <Nerylos> fuck
[03:58] <@Scathien> Silk could have done it
[03:58] <@Scathien> shes a grapple monkey
[03:58] <Nerylos> easily
[03:58] <Nerylos> her grapple mod is like +22
[03:58] <@Tammuz> I know right?
[03:58] <Nerylos> its fucking redic
[03:59] <@Tammuz> Skinny undeady little caster punk wailing on you
[03:59] <@Scathien> and grappling has no size requirements
[03:59] <Nerylos> basically we could have won, but we didn't
[03:59] <@Tammuz> Grapple monkey….
[03:59] <Nerylos> it was not unbeatable
[03:59] <@Tammuz> HE COULD Teleport but he has a /day on that.
[03:59] <Nerylos> but we were scared of it
[03:59] <@Tammuz> Then I did a good job.

XP awarded By Lisa