Your party has defeated Araqiel, Iahhel, and their followers!
Melinda gains 28500 XP.
Ebonheart gains 25650 XP.
Siora gains 30000 XP.
Vestele gains 30000 XP.
Fartooth gains 30000 XP.
Loot:
Swiftend and Surefate
Despair of the Unclean
Zadkiel’s Bracers x2
Zadkiel’s Collar x2
Boots of Swiftness x2
Mantle of Epic Spell Resistance x2
Ring of Weaponbreaking
Bag of Holding, Type IV
Iron Flask
Contemplative’s Acid Tongue
Iahhel’s Rod
Ring of Universal Energy Immunity
Periapt of Epic Wisdom +12
Handy Haversack
Cubic Gate
+4 Full Plate Armor x4
+3 Heavy Steel Shield x4
Amulet of Natural Armor +2 x4
Ring of Protection +4 x4
+4 Longsword x4
+2 Composite (+5 STR) Longbow x4
Belt of Giant Strength +6 x4
Pink Rhomboid Ioun Stone x4
+4 Studded Leather Armor
Amulet of Natural Armor +1
Ring of Protection +1
+4 Shortsword
+4 Composite Longbow (+5 STR) x2
Belt of Giant Strength +4
Gloves of Dexterity +4
Periapt of Wisdom +2
17900 PP
You have Leveled Up!
You are now Level 31.
478500 / 496000 XP to level 32.
+1 Epic Attack Bonus
HD: 1d8+10 = 14
+1 Bluff, +1 Diplomacy, +1 Intimidate, +1 Perform (Dance), +1 Sense Motive, +1 Spellcraft, +1 Use Magic Device
I smiled as I saw the messages from the Voice of the World roll by. Plenty of experience, a level, and a great deal of loot. Of course, how much of the loot we could actually use was questionable, at best. I doubted that we’d even be able to do more than pick up the Archons’ gear without suffering some consequences, and the items from the soldiers and archer were too weak to be of use, which is why I didn’t care overmuch about losing most of the second archer’s gear in the water.
Sanvi had a pleased smile on her face. When she noticed me looking, she could only shrug. “I spent so long under the yoke of my father. It is good to finally start tearing apart his ambitions, once and for all. He will know that his wives have perished, by now, but their deaths also broke the link that would allow him to come here.”
“Then it is a good thing that we killed them so quickly,” I said.
“And once again, Mel, it is your fey abilities that allowed us to end them like that,” Siora grinned. “It would have been a lot more difficult to weaken them without that aura of yours. But don’t rely on it too much. If that Zadkiel guy knows of you, he’s probably got some kind of plan in place to keep you off him.”
“He has,” Sanvi nodded. “The last time he returned from the mortal realm, following your defeat of his mortal shell, he commissioned two items. I do not know their full effects, for I am not an enchanter, but I do know that his ring has a field that keeps all Fey from getting within five feet of him. This would normally mean a stalemate, since a swordsman like Zadkiel needs to be in melee with a foe to use his skills, but the second item was an enchanted blade, which can extend its reach, allowing him to strike foes further away.”
“Hmph,” I smirked. “Cheating bastard. If he wasn’t trying to kill me, I’d almost be impressed. Not enough to spare him, but still. Fortunately, my abilities are not wholly melee-based, so, while we can’t use my aura to fell him, he’ll still fall, regardless.”
“Sounds good,” Fartooth chirped. “But could you check these items? I’m getting an icky feeling from some of them.”
“Of course, I’ll get right on that while you split the coin.”
Swiftend and Surefate
Type
One-handed Martial
Weight
4lb each
Damage
1d6+7
Damage Type
Slashing
Crit
15-20 / x4
Range
These twin scimitars are mirror images of each other. One with a hilt of silver and an emerald in the guard, and the other with a hilt of gold, with a ruby inset upon the guard. Both have their names engraved upon the blade in the celestial script. The matching sheathes are both made from leather taken from the hide of a celestial lion.
+7 Enhancement to Attack and Damage
Pair-bonded – Two masterwork weapons, bound together when they were first enchanted. Afterwards, they share the same enchantments, and improving them counts as improving a single weapon.
Maiming – When scoring a critical hit, deal extra damage based on crit multiplier. +1d6 for x2, +2d6 for x3, +3d6 for x4.
Keen – Critical threat range is doubled
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Subtle – Critical multiplier is doubled
Illuminating – Glows with pure light, illuminating 20ft radius and shadowy illumination for another 20ft beyond that.
Metalline – As standard action, can change composition of weapon to Adamantine, Alchemical Silver, Cold Iron, or Steel.
Sacred – +1 Morale bonus to Attack and Damage for followers of Torm
Blessed – Treated as though under Bless Weapon effect, but gains no enhancement bonus.
Araqiel’s scimitars were nice, but they weren’t something that any of us could use. The ‘sacred’ bit was dedicated to the wrong god. That wouldn’t hurt any of us, but the Blessed property made the weapons ‘good’, and they did not rest easily in the hand for oh-so-wicked people like us. However, I was sure that we could figure some way to make them more useful.
Despair of the Unclean
Type
Martial Ranged
Weight
3 lbs
Damage
1d8
Damage Type
Force
Crit
X3
Range
110 ft
This bow, made from the branch of a celestial yew and strung with an archon’s hair, is a terror to all those servants of chaos or evil that find themselves in its path. Few are the beings of that type who can stand up to this weapon’s onslaught.
+7 Enhancement to Attack and Damage
Holy Power - +3d6 Good damage and one negative level to evil targets. On a crit, deal +9d6 Good Damage and 3 negative levels to evil targets. Bestows 3 negative levels to any evil creature attempting to wield it.
Axiomatic Power - +3d6 Lawful damage and one negative level to chaotic targets. On a crit, deal +9d6 Lawful Damage and 3 negative levels to chaotic targets. Bestows 3 negative levels to any chaotic creature attempting to wield it.
Force – Turns attack into force damage. Deals same damage as normal weapon.
Sacred – +1 Morale bonus to attack and damage for followers of Torm.
The bow was wholly and completely useless to us. However, it was definitely something far too powerful to just leave lying around. Maybe there was a way to corrupt it into something we could use? I’d have to check into that.
Zadkiel’s Bracers
Type
Arms
Weight
1 lb
These exquisitely wrought bracers are clearly designed to bolster the wielder’s abilities, and are a sign of wealth and influence. However, the rings at either wrist, suitable for a rope or chain to pass through them, suggest a darker purpose.
Relentless Might – Gain +12 Enhancement bonus to STR and CON
Cursed: Zadkiel’s Assurance – Cannot be removed by anyone but Zadkiel. Wearer cannot attack Zadkiel.
Zadkiel’s Collar
Type
Neck
Weight
1 lb
This collar of iron inlaid with silver looks to be an exquisite neck piece, worthy of nobility, at the very least. However, the rings around the collar, suitable for a rope or chain to pass through, denote a different purpose.
Epic Natural Armor – Gain +8 enhancement to Natural Armor bonus.
Cursed: Zadkiel’s Command – Cannot be removed by anyone but Zadkiel. Wearer must obey Zadkiel’s commands. If he is concentrating, Zadkiel can teleport to the wearer’s location, so long as he is on the same plane.
Now that I got to see what Sanvi’s bindings were like before their enchantments were broken during her fall, I was even more convinced that Zadkiel needed to die. Preferably slowly. I knew that I was no saint, but that kind of outright slavery was not allowed in Frostreach. Bindings to punish enemies of the state, or magical compulsions to torment those who failed me? This I could accept, but the rest? I had too many bad memories from my own life, and I wasn’t going to let that kind of thing happen in my lands. And these items were clearly a means of enslaving his wives while pretending to protect them. Bastard.
Ring of Weaponbreaking
Type
Ring
Weight
This adamantine band has been enchanted to offer the wearer great protection from weapon attacks.
DR 15/Adamantine
Any weapon that hits the wearer must make a DC 20 Fort save or be destroyed
A simple and effective ring. Protected the wearer from damage, while at the same time striking back at the enemy’s weapons. Unfortunately, it had no chance at working on my blade, since, by a quirk of the system the world worked under, items someone was wearing or holding used the person’s saves. And it was all but impossible for me to fail that save.
Bag of Holding, Type IV
Type
Tool
Weight
60 lbs
This bag looks like a simple canvas sack. However, it is far larger on the inside than the outside. It can store up to 1500 lbs of material. Regardless of how much, or how little, is stored in the bag, it always wears exactly 60 lbs.
An old stand-by of adventuring parties around the world. The Type IV was rarer, though, since it was the largest, and most expensive of the varieties of the Bag of Holding, and weighed the most. Still, when you needed to carry an ungodly amount of loot, there were few things better.
Iron Flask
Type
Tool
Weight
2 lbs
This special container is typically inlaid with runes of silver and stoppered by a brass plug bearing a seal engraved with sigils, glyphs, and special symbols. When the user speaks the command word, he can force any creature from another plane into the container, provided that creature fails a DC 19 Will save. The range of this effect is 60 feet. Only one creature at a time can be so contained. Loosing the stopper frees the captured creature.
The command word can be given only once per day.
If the individual freeing the captured creature speaks the command word, the creature can be forced to serve for 1 hour. If freed without the command word, the creature acts according to its natural inclinations. (It usually attacks the user, unless it perceives a good reason not to.) Any attempt to force the same creature into the flask a second time provides it a +2 bonus on its saving throw and makes it hostile.
Currently Empty
This was an interesting item. The flask hurt for me to even touch it, of course, due to its composition, but the item was potentially incredibly powerful. The limit, of course, was the fact that any of the creatures I was likely to square up against were not likely to fail such a save. However, having options was always better than not.
Contemplative’s Acid Tongue
Type
Simple Ranged
Weight
8 lbs
Damage
1d10+7
Damage Type
Force
Crit
19-20 / x2
Range
120 ft
This crossbow made from celestial wormwood has an acidic green tint running through it. The stock is clearly embossed with the symbol of Torm. The string looks to be a shining line of magic.
+7 Enhancement to Attack and Damage
Force – Turns attack into Force damage. Deals same damage as normal weapon.
Sacred – +1 Morale Bonus to attack and damage for followers of Torm.
Quick-loading – Extradimensional space stores 100 bolts. Reload as a move action.
Unerring Accuracy – Negate the AC benefit of cover, except for total cover. Ignore the miss chance of concealment, including total concealment (wielder must still aim at the correct square).
Quickened Acid Arrow – Can use Acid Arrow as a quickened spell, 1/round. CL 20. Ranged touch attack, dealing 2d4 Acid damage, with lingering 2d4 Acid damage each round for 6 rounds after.
This crossbow was actually quite useful. If it could somehow be changed from being sacred to the followers of Torm, then it would be a potent weapon. Perhaps Vestele could make use of it?
Iahhel’s Rod
Type
Tool
Weight
2 lbs
This scepter is made of blackened celestial oak, and is inlaid with mithril infused with diamond dust. The result is a powerful item that is the perfect boon for any spellcaster, but especially those looking to delve into epic spellcasting.
Epic Spellcaster - +10 Insight bonus to Spellcraft to cast epic spells
Epic Splendor - +8 Enhancement to CHA. 3/day creates and garbs her in exquisite clothing worth 70k-100k gp in fabric, furs, and jewels. 1/week create palatial mansion for 250 people, lasting 3 days.
Excellent Magic - 1/day when casting spell that has XP component, supplies up to 2000 XP for the spell. Can be permanently drained to substitute the XP cost of developing an epic spell.
This, well, this was just wonderful. Of course, only Sanvi was able to cast epic spells, or was anywhere close to that level in the art of spellcraft. And, according to her, she already had items that gave her similar things. So, into the bag it went, until we found a use for it.
Ring of Universal Energy Immunity
Type
Ring
Weight
This ring grants the wearer immunity to acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic damage from all sources.
This beauty was just as useful as it sounded. Conferring complete immunity to the most common types of magical attack, it was a potent boon to anyone’s defenses. Assuming, of course, that they didn’t have to give up something equally as good to wear it. Fortunately, as Siora leveled up, she gained a feat which allowed her to wear a second magical ring on her right hand, so that went to her.
Cubic Gate
Type
Tool
Weight
This item is fashioned from carnelian. Each of the six sides of the cube is keyed to a plane, one of which is the Material Plane. The other five planes are the Elemental Plane of Earth, the first layer of the Abyss (Pazunia), the Seelie Court, the Infinite Battlefield of Acheron, and the Elemental Plane of Air.
If a side of the cubic gate is pressed once, it opens a gate to a random point on the plane keyed to that side. There is a 10% chance per minute that an outsider from that plane (determine randomly) comes through it looking for food, fun, or trouble. Pressing the side a second time closes the gate. It is impossible to open more than one gate at a time.
If a side is pressed twice in quick succession, the character so doing is transported to a random point on the other plane, along with all creatures in adjacent squares. (The other creatures may avoid this fate by succeeding on DC 23 Will saves).
This item was… very interesting. Not exactly the kind of thing you’d expect an archon to be carrying around, given some of the places those gates went. However, it was too useful to simply throw away, especially if you needed a way to escape your current plane in a hurry. Which is why we would definitely be holding on to this.
Honestly, if they weren’t too busy being dead, I would thank the archons for providing us all this loot.