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“Rachikan has been discovered!” exclaims Venture-Captain Adril Hestram as he peers up from a collection of ragged maps, dusty tomes, and tarnished coins from behind a massive desk within the Grand Lodge in the heart of Absalom. His excitement quickly fades and Adril gestures toward an elderly man sitting by the hearth. “May I introduce a former Pathfinder and respected friend, Benton Grone. This gentleman has suffered a great loss to bring a grand discovery to us and he has agreed to trade all rights to his claim of locating lost Rachikan in return for locating his missing nephew. Go with him and make haste; he has agreed to guide you to the Pillars of Anferita in Cheliax.”
Seven days at sea end at a view of the Pillars of Anferita bursting from the Chelaxian coastline, waves crashing against their rocky flanks. The central pillar’s curves, flora, and shape are perfectly represented on the discolored Jistka coins Adril sent along with the expedition. As sailors from the hired vessel row toward the central column, a second rowboat in tow, Benton Grone breaks his silence.
“It’s got to be here; the coin says so. Look at the picture on the back: A temple-foundry high atop this pillar awaits to be discovered. If old Rachikan of the Jistka Imperium is inside, then my nephew must reside there as well. Please hurry—find my poor Eldis.”
As the sailors row away from the pillars, taking Benton Grone with them but leaving behind a rowboat to return to the waiting ship, the waves slowly begin to push higher up the rocky harbor, signaling the beginnings of high tide. An unguarded, well-maintained rope stretches up the cliff, beckoning to the plateau high above.
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A halfling of slightly below average stature for his race sits in this meeting. His hair is a light brown, and his eyes are blue. He wears blue breeches, as well as an open blue vest with gold trimming and a multicoloured butterfly embroidered on the back. Sheathed overtop it in a partial scabbard is a shortsword with part of the sheathe missing, as if to display the three notches in the blade. He carries a backpack that looks like it was built for an individual one-and-a-half-times bigger than him, as well as new-looking burlap bag.
After his pun-filled romp with a certain Dragon Disciple (of which Weiman doesn't even remember the details), he springs to meet the not-oft-mentioned Venture-Captain Hestrum. "What does your nephew look like, Mr. Grone?"
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A halfling, frail and small even by halfling standards, watches as the sailors row away. His eyes are hazel and his hair is (strangely for a halfling) almost platinum blonde. His armour and shield are made from fine mithral, and an unholy symbol of Asmodeous hangs proudly around his neck. His attire is otherwise very fine.
The halfling turns to his companions, mostly ignoring Benton Grome as he prepares to leave. "My friends, it seems we may be in a race against time... Or more specifically, the Aspis Consortium. From my schmoozing, I have uncovered that our competitors have been funding slaves and mining equipment through a gentlemen named Haliduris Karn. These resources have been sent here, to the Pillars of Anferita.
Be on your guard my fellows." He says with a rakish grin.
"Oh, he's a young boy, bright brown eyes full of excitement." Grone gives you a detailed description of Eldis.
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Eyeing the rope with some contempt is a human more than twice the height of the two halflings, clad in simple leather- and fur-edged clothing. While his ruddy skin and bronze-colored hair declare his Shoanti blood, he is uncommonly thin for those of his heritage, and the traditional Shoanti braid is barely shoulder-length instead of falling down his back. Equally odd is the tiny lizard-like creature, about the size of a cat, sleeping lazily just inside his collar.
Is this truly how we're expected to approach? Ludicrous.
Into Cheliax! What have you gotten yourself into? And look how gaut some of these people look, these are Pathfinders? I'll have my work cut out for me it seems.
I do not see another way. Let's hope a word problem is not waiting on the other end of that rope.
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"Ha ha ha... math." Weiman states, looking up the cliff face. He will start up the rope (unless anyone else wants to go first), will T10 for 16. If the rope's knotted, he'll take the accelerated DC of (DC+5) at a 20 ft/round (Half his speed, double moves.)
As a preface, Weiman has the Trapspotter Rogue Talent and lists his perception in his header (which is getting reset from last scenario's effects.)
A rugged-looking warrior in a well-made but battered breastplate stands on the mysterious shore, two swords slung at his hips and an irrepressible smile on his lips. Ragged dark hair frames a face sporting an interesting array of scars, and as he moves toward the rope dangling from above, his hands move as if of their own volition, checking the hilts of his blades, and pausing briefly to stroke the battered tankard that hangs from his belt.
Valeros surveys his companions as they variously joke about math and complain about the climb, then says, ”I think this looks like a fun start to things, myself. If you need a hand on the way up, Bruxo, I’m happy to lend it – though I haven’t known many Shoanti who’d shy away from such a task.”
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Lindum eyes the rope with annoyance.
"Physical activity... Ugh."
He looks about the air for a moment.
"Slip! Where are you? Get up to the top of the rope and do some scouting. Now!"
A tiny creature with red horns and a wicked looking barbed tail appears from thin air.
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"As you command." it replies with a bow. Then promptly turns invisible again.
The little creature flies to the top of the rope with remarkable speed, hovering at the top.
It glances about, on the lookout for anything of interest.
EDIT: Just added in that Slip turns invisible when scouting. It's just good sense. :)
Before the party begins to ascend the rope, Slip the Imp flies up the cliff face and is startled to find something waiting on top. It appears as a fallen angelic warrior with black wings and wielding a longbow.
Everyone stands about in the boat and waits for the Imp's report.
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I can go up and distract it until the rest can get up there. Raphael says with a knowing smile.
Raphael then jumps into the air and flies up the cliff.
hp 66
no conditions
in Crane Stance
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This fallen angel your imp describes...it sounds like an Erinyes devil. If so, it will resist damage that is not aligned to the forces of good. Judge yourself accordingly.
Bruxo will cast mage armor on himself and then follow behind Raphael, trying to let the devil take its shots at the swordsman, who is much better equipped to handle it.
As Raphael jumps into the air, Valeros calls out to him, "Any chance of a lift, friend? Two of us can distract her even better than one! Besides, I'd like a look at this exotic lass before we cut her to pieces."
Kyra will also cast Bless before the party breaks up in various directions.
Weiman begins climbing the rope while the rest of the party begins flying to the top of the cliff. When the flying party gets just over halfway up the cliff (two rounds of flying, 120' and 40' of climbing for Weiman), the Erinyes pops out over the cliff, bow in hand.
When he sees the erinyes devil appear over the edge of the cliff, Valeros curls himself around Kyra as a protective shield and continues to fly upward as quickly as he’s able, carrying the cleric along.
As they fly, he says to Kyra, ”Thanks for the blessing of Sarenrae down there. Every little bit helps, eh? Any chance Sarenrae’s got something to help me hurt this thing a bit more, since Bruxo said it can resist damage?”
Perhaps use could use extra strength to combat this creature? I would think the added power to your strikes would be beneficial.
Valeros continues his flying ascent towards the devil. The devil flies back and readies her longbow at Valeros.
Kyra then infuses Valeros with a spell and his muscles begin to bulge.
Raphael charges up at the devil but is unable to connect. Lindum casts a protective spell on himself while his imp tries to [i]suggest the erinyes.
Surprisingly, the erinyes drops its bow, which begins to fall down towards the water. The erinyes slowly puts its hands up.