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- potion of barkskin
- potion of cure light wounds (2)
- potion of feather step
- potion of vanish
- scroll of entangle
- scroll of gust of wind
- scroll of identify
- scroll of mage armor (CL 6)
- scroll of obscuring mist
- wand of burning hands (CL 3, 4 charges)
- wand of cure light wounds (CL 3, 8 charges)
- acid flask
- alchemist’s fire (2)
- holy water
- smokestick
- tanglefoot bag
- thunderstone
- antitoxin
- sunrod (2)
The caves are damp and slippery, and usually about 7 feet wide and high. Some tunnels are tighter or more spacious though. The walls are covered with patches of blue-green luminescent fungi that provide dim light.
Petroglyphs periodically decorate the walls, mostly with marine animals and spiraling shapes. The deeper you travel, the more of these wall paintings that you find.
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Ash peers into the backpack, "It doesn't feel quite right using her gear, but without Janira, it might be best if we do." He moves a few things around in the pack, his hands landing on two potions, "If none of you object, I would like a potion of cure light wounds and the potion of feather step, I can also use the cure wand if needed, but I suspect the rest of you can as well."
Ash continues to look at the pile, "I also would not mind an acid flask."
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"She brought it for this mission, best to use it for this mission," Raul reassures the Shoanti, "Besides, hopefully we will not run into any trouble in here and be able to return it all to her when she catches up with us."
Raul looks through the inventoried contents and chooses: a potion of barkskin, a scroll of entangle, a tanglefoot bag, and a flask of holy water.
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Maudi blocks most of the light from outside as he lands before the cave entrance. "I could have taken that two-legged cow. I fail to see what all the fear is about. You all reek of it. I cannot let Raul get into trouble without me, though. Much more disgraceful than running away from a grass-chewer."
The vulture hops along through the tunnel, slower than the rest, but surprisingly well, as though he can sense where he's going in the dark. Once the fungus begins to illuminate the cave, he has even less difficulty.
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"Raul's right; she packed all this stuff for a reason so I'm sure she'd prefer we use it if we need it instead of one or all of us dying because we didn't," Minna agrees as she peers into the pack.
"Hum...I guess I'll take...this, this, that, and that," she says after a few moments of studying the items. Her selections are the second wand, a scroll whose writings are familiar to her, one of the alchemist's fires, and the solitary thunderstone.
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The narrow tunnel twists and turns for several hundred feet before slowly opening to a wider passage. A large hole spans the cave’s width and stretches ten feet down the path. At the bottom of the pit lies a small bundle of cloth, snagged on one of many spikes. The corners of the pit are rounded, and the tunnel walls don’t look easy to climb either.
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"It looks as though someone dug this pit," he says, pointing at tool marks on the stone, "Probably to keep strangers out."
Raul takes out a coil of silk rope and begins to knot it. "Is anyone decent at climbing? Or jumping?" He looks at the others. "If not, I can hold the rope while you all climb into the pit, then I will join you. Maudi will fly to the other side with the rope, and we will all climb out."
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Ash looks down into the pit... ( ) ...he looks to Raul, "Agreed, somebody doesn't want us in here."
He thinks for a moment after watching the Oread cross, "Raul, you should assist anybody that needs help climb down. Check the pack while you are down there, and then throw the rope up to Durm and I on the other side. We will make sure everyone make it to safety."
Ashwalker takes a running leap across the pit and lands next to the Oread.
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The vulture fluffs his feathers and then makes a short flying hop across the pit, waddling behind the oread and the Shoanti. "Of course I did not want to carry them. I would have, just to prove my superiority, but still... see what my wondrous wings can do?" Maudi poses regally behind the two men, undaunted by the fact that nobody can understand his thoughts.
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These parables 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.
Even though Aroden disappeared over a century ago, these caves store a hint of his divine magic (like a wand with a single charge left) that can impart a minor blessing to those who perform a short series of rituals based on the parables.
About 50 ft. after the pit, the tunnel curves and you find a plank big enough to span the pit. 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.
The carvings here are different in style from the petroglyphs found elsewhere. It seems like there might have been a dozen carvings at some point, but only four are still decipherable. As best you can tell, they are images from the History and Future of Humanity, the principle holy text of Aroden.
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Crossing the bridge the young wizard looks in wonder at the depictions on the wall. Some of this theological training comes back to him as he examines the carvings.
Know Religion
I am able to make out 2 of the carvings. The Tailor is depicted sewing together a long cloth featuring many patterns that wraps around a city like a moat, referencing Aroden’s proclamation that when the fate of all peoples is woven together, it shall be humanity’s greatest strength.
These parables 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.
Even though Aroden disappeared over a century ago, these caves store a hint of his divine magic (like a wand with a single charge left) that can impart a minor blessing to those who perform a short series of rituals based on the parables.
The Hunter is depicted slaying a giant serpentine creature and then parading a trophy through the city streets--a sign to all humanity that the wilds are safe to inhabit once the monsters are slain.
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Ash raises his earthbreaker to shed more light. After hearing Quintillus speak, he nods before pointing to the third relief, "I also see a fisherman, back from his day at sea. There is the basket, and there is one of the spires of Absalom." He traces the tower in the air with his finger. "If I am not incorrect, this may be Aroden's call that any group large enough can accomplish any task, your speaks of taming the wilds, this speaks of feeding all."
The Shoanti nods to his allies, "I would be willing to take the lead. I may not be trained in the thiefly arts, but I am not blind."
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Though Minna can appreciate the general artistry involved in the carvings, she finds herself unable to really 'see' the images that Quin and Ashwalker do.
"I don't know how you two are doing it, but I'm looking right at these things and I can't make out doodly-squat," she comments. "But I'll take your all's word for it. So this is all stuff relating to Aroden, eh?" She whistles. "That's a pretty big deal, right? Definitely the sort of thing the Society'd wanna know about! Should we be taking notes or anything?"
"Oh, and feel free to take the lead Ash - I can follow along at the back unless someone else wants to. As long as there's at least a little light then I can make sure nothing trails along behind us."
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The soft light of the surrounding fungus mixes with the flickering glow of the nearby torches to 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 semiprecious 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.
This cavern is not unoccupied though. A lone gillmen kneels in the water, seeming thoughtful and unaware of your presence.
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The giant vulture takes to the wing and weaves between the stalactites until he is over the pool. With a swift beat of his wings, he glides over the gillman and lands on the carved city.
Maudi pecks at the giant centipedes until he catches one, which he bashes on the city streets until dead. He snaps it in half, swallowing part with a quick gulp and letting the other half drop onto the city below him.
He then spreads his wings before the gillman. "Behold my magnificent wings, creature of the water!"
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"Yeah, after the entrance Maudi made I don't think we have much choice but to go and say hello," Minna chuckles. As she follows Durm and the others towards the kneeling gillman, she calls out, "Um, hello! I hope we didn't come knocking at a bad time but we were in the area and figured we'd better come and say hello..."
"What? It's basically the truth!" she whispers as she realizes that Stela and perhaps some of her companions are staring.
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The centipedes seemingly enjoy the vulture's game, as they repeatedly skitter away just before his beak flashes at them--and some even crawl up and over his talons as they scrape the ground. But a minute later, when Maudi suddenly cuts one of the vermin in half, the others quickly flee into nearby cracks and crevices.
"Do not desecrate me with your filthy, land dweller touch!" The gillman stands up, throwing the cloak over his shoulders. "Leave this sacred place immediately!" He then cups his hands to gather some water from the pool, and pours it over the spot where Raul touched him, mumbling a prayer to himself.
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When the gillman rebuffs Raul, the giant vulture flares his wings and shrieks. He hops into the air and flaps his wings violently, rippling the water around the miniature city.
"Who is filthy? Who? Little fish man, I will eat your liver for the offense."
Landing back on the miniature Star-Stone Tower, he glares menacingly at the gillman and snaps his beak several times.
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Ashwalker steps forward, holding his earthbreaker in the least threatening position possible. He glares at Raul in the process.
"Good sir, we did not mean any insult; may Pharasma guide you." He bats away Maudi to the best of his ability. "Please forgive both this irritating bird and our forwardness, we were merely trying to get your attention. If there is anything we could do in return, say pray with you for example, to make up for this slight, please let us know. We came across the cave and were admiring the carvings, perhaps you could tell us more?"
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Maudi spares a glare and hiss for Ashwalker.
"Irritating bird? From Pharasma's Chosen to 'irritating bird'? Oh, I do not know with whom I am most displeased: you with your mercurial admiration or this disrespectful fish man! If you were not under Raul's protection, I would most certainly demonstrate the divine sharpness of my beak and escort you to our Mistress myself. 'Irritating bird!?'"
Fortunately for all, nobody can speak with animals.