"Let us be careful! Sunset means that some wild beings just are about to wake up!"
Damiel follows, too!
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As everyone heads into the cave system without Janira, you hear her shout in Giant to the minotaur. For those of you that speak Giant, you clearly understand these are insults that don't translate well to common. For those of you that don't speak Giant, you can still these are insults thanks to her tone and the fact that she blows raspberries at the minotaur before luring it away into the forest.
Everyone has a flashback to what Janira said the day they started their mission, "Let's see... a potion of barkskin, two potions of cure light wounds, a potion of feather step, a potion of vanish, a scroll of entangle, a scroll of gust of wind, a scroll of identify, a sandwich...make that three.., a scroll of mage armor, a scroll of obscuring mist, a wand of burning hands with a couple uses left, a wand of cure light wounds with a handful of charges, some trail rations, an acid, two alchemist’s fires, one holy water, a smokestick, two tanglefoot bags, one thunderstone, an antitoxin, two sunrods, and about thirty bolts." she finally looks up after going through her backpack and blushes a little, "Always be prepared you know..." she says with a smile.
These are exactly the items you find in her bag, minus the food, crossbow, bolts, and whip (the food, she ate, the weapons, she's carrying).
Once the group finishes rummaging through her bag, they look around to get their bearings. This cave system stretches deep below the foothills of the Kortos Mounts, though most of it is accessible only through a narrow keyhole tunnel, the one that Janira discovered and led you to. All of the tunnels in this area are between 3 and 10 feet wide and vary equally in height, though most are a comfortable 7 or more feet wide in each dimension. Water from stalactites and the distant rushing of underground streams creates an eerie backdrop as you explore the caves. The caves’ walls are patterned with blue-green luminescent fungi that provide dim light.
Petroglyphs—most depicting marine animals or spiral shapes—periodically decorate the tunnels’ walls, becoming increasingly frequent you go deeper into the caves. The rough surface of the carvings provides a natural platform for the fungi, causing it to grow thicker and making the carvings glow slightly brighter than their surroundings.
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Reggie has already taken out his lance and is ready to put metaphorical (he would never wear real ones) to Rowdy's flanks to charge at the minotaur when the rest of the party chooses the better part of valor (and obedience to a superior and wisdom.)
He is clearly reluctant to follow but does so, pausing with the rest to look through the pack.
"The barkskin potion is the only item I would likely have use for, but it might be better used by someone else," he says.
"It's a shame about the sandwiches though. That would really hit the spot, right now," he comments as they make their way into the tunnels.
He and Rowdy will take the lead with the halfling only dismounting when the tunnel gets too small for them to fit through together. When that happens, Reggie will take the lead with Rowdy right behind him.
"I kind of feel like a coward now. Do you think she will survive?"
"I hope you are right. Let us move on." Damien starts to walk down into the cave.
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"We can carry it, if you like. It shouldn't slow him down any more than me and my equipment does. Has everyone gotten the gear they want to carry out of it? Do you want the flaming hands wand, Stigand? And someone should take the healing wand. I don't want to be halfway across the battlefield with something useful to someone else when it's needed," Reggie replies.
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1 potion of barkskin
2 potions of cure light wounds
1 potion of feather step
1 potion of vanish
1 scroll of entangle
1 scroll of gust of wind
1 scroll of identify
1 scroll of mage armor CL6
1 scroll of obscuring mist
1 wand of burning hands CL 3, 4 charges
1 wand of cure light wounds CL 3, 6 charges
1 vial of acid
2 alchemist’s fires
1 holy water
1 smokestick,
2 tanglefoot bags
1 thunderstone
1 antitoxin
2 sunrods
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As you continue into the caves, you are greeted with a narrow tunnel that twists and turns for several hundred feet before slowly opening to a
wider passage. A large hole about 10ft across and 10ft deep spans the cave’s width and stretches down the path. At the bottom of the pit lies a small bundle of cloth.
Upon inspecting this hole, the party realizes that it is an already exposed spiked pit trap. The spikes look wicked and extremely sharp, somewhat faded, watered down crimson covering a handful of the tips. However, you don't feel like you are any immediate danger of falling into the pit, nor being impaled on the spikes, but there is no way around. If you wish to continue going deeper in the caves, you will have to figure out how to get across the pit.
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"My mage hand would be able to pull up that bundle of cloth." Stigand casts Mage Hand to bring up the bundle of cloth.
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one non-magical, unattended object weighing up to 5 lbs.
Duration concentration
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
You point your finger at an object and can lift it and move it at will from a distance. As a move action, you can propel the object as far as 15 feet in any direction, though the spell ends if the distance between you and the object ever exceeds the spell’s range.
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I'd say you need to be at least strong enough to make the character's weight a light load, about 13str in this case, to be even remotely effective at throwing a person. It would be a ranged touch attack vs AC 5, for the square, with an improvised weapon penalty -4, and a range increment of 5ft (-4 here). The thrown character will take falling damage equal to 1d6 per 10 feet, first d6 is nonlethal.
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Reggie pulls out his rope.
"Do any of you big guys have any skill at climbing or jumping? We can anchor the rope on this side then climb down then someone can climb up on the other side and anchor it and the rest of us can climb up," he says.
"Rowdy should be able to make that jump if he's not carrying me."
“Can someone please jump over and then we use a rope to help that nobody falls into the pit? And then someone needs to climb down to get the magic item. “
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"Ah! New idea!" Reggie says. He looks at his rope a bit sadly but then cuts it into two unequal pieces, one section about 15' long, the other 35'.
He takes the 15' foot section and ties it very securely to Rowdy's saddle after unloading everything else from the wolf. Then, he takes the animal back 10' feet and does his best to explain what he needs.
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The wolf cocks his head to the side and stares uncomprehendingly at Reggie as the halfling cavorts and gambols around but then seems to understand what is being asked of him. He starts, lowering down on his two front paws before both halfling and wolf go racing toward the pit.
The quadruped quickly outpaces the heavily armored biped and when he gets to the edge, takes an impressive leap, the rope tied to his saddle trailing behind him..
He lands on the other side with momentum to spare and skids to a halt, standing at the edge of the pit with the rope dangling into it.
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"I don't know much about magic, but that definitely means it's magical!" Reggie says, holding the cloak out towards the more magically inclined members of the party after it changes size.
"Can one of you figure out what it does? I don't want to put it on if it's going to turn me into a giant flea or if it lets the wearer cast extra spells or something."
"I unfortunately cannot!" Damiel says with a sigh.
"One would believe that an alchemist should be able to detect magic and understand it but no ... everything I tried was futile. So let me get over there now." and Damiel uses the ropes to get to the other side.
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This is a cloak of resistance +1.
The tunnels continue on, leading deeper beneath the Kortos Mounts until they eventually open into a large cavern. What must have once been beautifully carved reliefs and inscriptions have since weathered heavily, their features dulled and softened to the point that it is hard to distinguish what each once depicted. A wide tunnel exits the cavern on its far side, and blue-burning torches line the passageway’s walls. Even the most basic magical skills easily tell you that these are everburning torches.
The carvings here are different in style from the petroglyphs found elsewhere in the caves, and they appear to be extremely old. Scattered throughout the cave are phrases referencing Aroden, and images that depict these passages.
The carvings focus on parables that feature Aroden’s twelve guises, meant to illustrate his hopes for humanity, it seems many of them are damaged, but four remain: the artist, craftsman, merchant, and thief.
You can tell that the sections of the holy text depicted are slightly different than those that appear in the known version of the History and Future of Humanity, suggesting that these might represent an earlier version of the work.
The Artist is depicted painting murals on the walls of impressive buildings, associated with Aroden having painted the city of Absalom with beautiful colors so that it might awe all who visited.
The Craftsman is depicted creating shoes, pots, jewelry, and other moveable goods, referencing Aroden’s delight at seeing his people express their ingenuity in creating new products from raw materials.
The Merchant is depicted weighing and trading coins of different sizes, a reference to the holy text’s proverb that peace brings trade and prosperity to all people.
Finally, the Thief is depicted stealing a gem from a shop while whispering a prayer, an allusion to a passage saying that larceny—though illegal—is a form of praise, for anything worth stealing is also worthy of praise for its craftsmanship.
The carvings focus on parables that feature Aroden’s twelve guises, meant to illustrate his hopes for humanity, it seems many of them are damaged, but four remain: the artist craftsman, merchant, and thief.
The Artist is depicted painting murals on the walls of impressive buildings, associated with Aroden having painted the city of Absalom with beautiful colors so that it might awe all who visited.
The Craftsman is depicted creating shoes, pots, jewelry, and other moveable goods, referencing Aroden’s delight at seeing his people express their ingenuity in creating new products from raw materials.
The Merchant is depicted weighing and trading coins of different sizes, a reference to the holy text’s proverb that peace brings trade and prosperity to all people.
Finally, the Thief is depicted stealing a gem from a shop while whispering a prayer, an allusion to a passage saying that larceny—though illegal—is a form of praise, for anything worth stealing is also worthy of praise for its craftsmanship.
Even though Aroden disappeared or died over a century
ago, these caves store a hint of his divine magic, akin to a wand
with a single charge left.
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Through the wide tunnel you can see the soft light of the surrounding fungus mixing with the flickering glow of the nearby torches that reveal a grand chamber.
A large pool of water along the chamber’s southern edge reflects the blue and green radiance to illuminate the massive stalactites that cling to the ceiling overhead. Two other tunnels branch off from this area, leading to the east and west.
Rising up from the pool is a column of rock with steeply sloped sides and a flat top, as if someone had sawn off the top of a massive stalagmite. A miniature city carved from this same stone occupies nearly the entire surface. Tiny trinkets such as ancient coins, polished semi-precious stones, and ornately braided loops of string are scattered throughout the diorama, and pale cave frogs clamber atop it. The smooth cavern floor is covered in gravel and pebbles along the edge of the pool, and several foot-long centipedes prowl among the gravel in their search for prey.
Kneeling in the pool of water, back toward you, you see what appears to match the description of a Gillmen
-> Damiel shares what he deduced. You can read the spoiler.
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Hullric looks over the scriptures. "Hmmm... these are Aroden's writings." He then snorts with sarcasm. "Hopes of Humanity."
He spends a few more minutes reading the scriptures. "They discuss four things. The Artist, Craftsman, Merchant, and Thief.
The Artist is depicted painting murals on the walls of impressive buildings, associated with Aroden having painted the city of Absalom with beautiful colors so that it might awe all who visited.
The Craftsman is depicted creating shoes, pots, jewelry, and other moveable goods, referencing Aroden’s delight at seeing his people express their ingenuity in creating new products from raw materials.
The Merchant is depicted weighing and trading coins of different sizes, a reference to the holy text’s proverb that peace brings trade and prosperity to all people.
Finally, the Thief is depicted stealing a gem from a shop while whispering a prayer, an allusion to a passage saying that larceny—though illegal—is a form of praise, for anything worth stealing is also worthy of praise for its craftsmanship."
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Reggie listens closely as the more scholarly members of the group break down what he's seeing.
"It would have to be old if it's dedicated to Aroden, right? Wasn't he a gillman, too? I could swear there's something about him and the gillmen, isn't there?"
Reggie dismounts when he gets about half way across the bridge. Rowdy follows a step behind him, watching the man next to the miniature city curiously, his ears perked up.
"Hello, friend!" Reggie calls out, tossing the man a jovial wave as he continues to walk forward.
"What is this place?"
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Andy does his best to copy the 4 carvings, inscribing the information shared on the back of each one, so he can turn them in when they report back.
Andy also moves into the tunnel and says.."yes, hello. We are pleased to meet you, and promise we mean you no harm. My name is Andy Applebottom, and you are..."
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The Gillmen fails to respond to either Reggie's or Andy's words in any way and remains kneeling in the water focusing on the miniature model city.
1 potion of barkskin
2 potions of cure light wounds
1 potion of feather step
1 potion of vanish
1 scroll of entangle
1 scroll of gust of wind
1 scroll of identify
1 scroll of mage armor CL6
1 scroll of obscuring mist
1 wand of burning hands CL 3, 4 charges
1 wand of cure light wounds CL 3, 6 charges
1 vial of acid
2 alchemist’s fires
1 holy water
1 smokestick,
2 tanglefoot bags
1 thunderstone
1 antitoxin
2 sunrods
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Stigand ponders what to do. At least the formal greetings didn't anger him. If he is in a deep prayer, disturbing that isn't nice. Know when I was zoned in with my scribing, the mistakes on the page were infuriating when someone disturbed me.
In a low voice to Hullric, "What would the best action to gently disturb a person's prayer be?"
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In regards to performing some of the mural's activities.
You see several scattered pebbles around the cavern that can be ground into various colors, creating a crude paint
The Gillmen looks up for a moment, then turns around. Upon seeing Andy, as well as the rest of the party, he looks quite startled.
"Who are you and why are you here?" he says a little nervously due to the surprise of seeing five new people behind him in a infrequently traveled cave.
You can tell that the Gillmen is eyeing the cloak Andy has with interest.
The cloak of resistance you found looks extremely similar to the cloak that this Gillmen is wearing. Same color and same style as though they were made in pairs.
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Stigand walks up to Hullric and Andy to reply to the Gillman, "I apologize for our startling you during your prayer. I am Stigand and we are with the Pathfinder Society. We have been tasked to map and note this cave. Our other assignment was to try and find out why your people seem to be drawn to this cave every full moon."
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The Gillmen looks intensely at Stigand while he waits for him to finish speaking. Once Stigand finishes, there is a small pause as the Gillmen thinks to himself for a moment.
"Ah, well met then. I do not frequently see non-gillmen visit these caves. To see so many people, armed at that too, was quite startling.
In regards to your investigation, I can tell you that these caves are a sacred site to us Gillmen, we come here on a pilgrimage, once every full moon. This wasn't always the case, I know of the human god, Aroden, and that this was some site of importance to his followers before it was sacred to us. They performed quite a number of strange rituals here, or so the stories of my people go.
Sadly, it seems that his presence in the world is fading, as his magic in these caverns. While this makes no difference to us Gillmen, it is sad to see the passage of time, especially the loss of a race's deity, which is quite a rare occurrence."
Finished speaking, he looks at the party intensely again, as though he expects them to vanish in an instant.
He is clearly reading the lips of the people speaking. Odd considering you can hear him quite easily and you believe he should be able to hear you fine as well.