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The fourth and final day of training has come to a close at the Grand Lodge of Absalom, heralding the end of this year's Torchbearing. Pathfinders the world over attend this annual symposium to share their knowledge, teach each other new skills, and reinforce their connections across the Inner Sea and beyond. To celebrate the end of festivities, the lodge has hosted a grand banquet in the visiting agents' honor. A refreshing winter breeze blows through an open window, flickering torches and sending papers scattering. The smell of freshly baked desserts fills the air while initiates clear away the remnants of the first course.
During the annual Torchbearing, the Three Masters, along with other notable Pathfinders, taught a variety of seminars and panel discussions. For the athletic ones, Ambrus Valsin (or "Sir Muttonchops" as commonly whispered behind his back) ran obstacle courses and a triathlon. Those more inclined towards magic received rather personal, but sometimes erratic instructions from The eccentric Kreighton Shane himself. As for those lore-inclined, there were competing classes ran by Janira Gavix, the ever affable halfing conducted a number of popular classes, sharing the endless knowledge of past famous Pathfinders. (Did you hear of how Fatimah held off a ferocious dragon attack by transforming herself into a giant earth elemental, sacrificing her life but ensuring her young Pathfinder charges were able to escape? No? Well, you see...) And rumours abound that even Zarta Dralneen arranged for a couple of classes held in the middle of the night, but it proved impossible to pry from the mouths of those who attended what the classes were actually about.
But how the trials and lessons are over, it is time to celebrate. Approaching your group is the sometime-grumpy form of Drandle Dreng, although he is looking to be in a good mood today. (Any connection with his attendance in Zarta's classes is unknown). Grinning broadly, he calls out, “Ah, my young Pathfinders! It’s been awhile since I last sent some of you to collect that bottle of wine, eh? How you've grown since! What a gathering this year! Have you enjoyed the Torchbearing? Hope you you learned something useful!”
From the way he is swaying, he likely has been drinking. His sharp eyes catches the drinks table, and he quickly excuses himself. “Ah, um, there some ... um some more ex-students of mine I should catch up on. Go on, introduce yourselves! The Torchbearing is not just to learn but to also connect!" That said, he quickly saunters away.
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”Master Dreng, it is indeed good to see you again. I hope you are not … unwell,” the beautiful young man addresses Drandle Dreng respectfully and with great concern in his voice at the Master’s condition. As Dreng leaves to get a curative, Zarnel watches him go with some worry, and then turns to the group.
”I hope whatever’s wrong with him isn’t serious,” he mutters, more to himself than the group.
But then he focuses on you with purpose and extends his hand in greeting. ”Hello, I am Zarnel. I’m pleased to meet you all.”
His perfect angelic features, flowing blonde hair, and broad shoulders would normally be enough to make him quite attractive, but the golden flecks of color in his skin sparkle in the sunlight and make him a truly eye-catching sight. Then as he stretches forth his right hand, you notice the crisscross pattern of dozens of scars of varying lengths and thicknesses across both arms that continue up under the sleeves of his tunic.
Following your gaze to his arms, he comments, "Ah, my Lady goddess Vildeis both blesses and curses me.” With that he makes a small ritual gesture, using his off hand to momentarily cover his eyes then reverently touch his scarred and scratched breastplate while intoning solemnly, "See No Evil, Abide No Evil.”
I’m glad I got to attend Master Shane’s seminar on focus and presence in the moment. Something I find myself lacking sometimes.
While it would have been nice to see Janira again, she's not one of the Masters one must impress at these gatherings.
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The short kitsune looks over the Pathfinders close to him. He seems a bit distracted by the scent of desserts, but introduces himself nonetheless."Hi, everyone! My name's Draklor, I'm a preacher of Irori. I've been picking up some tricks on public speaking from Janira...from a ways away."
"She kind of scares me. I try not to mind my problems, but how can one die and stay that happy?" Draklor looks a bit uneasy about the whole affair, but quickly recovers and changes tack.
"I heard tell some Pathfinders get fancy Wayfinders to commemorate their achievements. A few even go before the Ten, but that seems a reward for the services of Seekers. Time will tell, I guess."
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A young woman with dirty-blonde hair and pale green eyes wanders over to the table and takes a seat, followed by - of all things - a small chicken that also flutter-hops up into the seat next to her as though it were the most normal thing in the world.
"Hello New Friends," she waves cheerily. "Is it okay if Stuffing and I sit here with you? It's so packed in here, it's been hard to find a table with empty seats! New Friend Janira's history class ran a little long so we only got here just a few minutes ago."
As she actually takes the time to properly look at each of the Pathfinders already seated at the table, her jaw drops slightly. "Oh. My. Gosh. You two are so cute!" she exclaims, indicating Sangkip and Draklor. "I don't think I've ever had a chance to actually meet either of your peoples before! Oh, this banquet is already off to a wonderful start," she beams. Then, her eyes settle on Zarnel.
He's...he's gorgeous!
"Oh, um...h-hi..." she stammers, her cheeks flushing slightly. "It's nice to meet you, N-New Friend. I'm...um...oh! Corona. Corona Merrion! It's nice to meet you! I said that already, didn't I!" She rather abruptly sticks her hand out, for a shake.
"Um! Did you know that sometimes the Three Masters use the Torchbearing to look for super-talented Pathfinders!? Isn't that neat, New Friend?"
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A small ratfolk quietly sits down next to Draklor. She smells like grease and alcohol... and not the potable kind of alcohol either. Around her neck she wears a comically oversized wayfinder.
She remains there, awkwardly for a bit as she pulls a small journal,
pen, and inkwell out of her mouth of all places. "Janiwa is nice." She finally says quietly with a bit of a strange speech impediment.
"I wondew if I can get my wayfindew engwaved?"
Finally she removes a small set of vials from her other cheek, places them on a small napkin next to her, then begins to snack.
"I'm Chou Wei. I like to make things."
Her voice sounds much clearer now, however closer inspection of the vials she was holding in her cheek makes you question her sanity. Particularly the Alchemist's Fire.
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In contrast to Sangkip's reaction, Draklor flushes slightly at Corona's pronouncement. He shifts his gaze, which falls upon the chicken, forcing him to shift again.
No! There's food here, better and cooked! But why must everyone's familiar look so delicious?
Eyes roving about for a new topic, the kitsune sees Chou Wei and the vials. "What do you make most? And why'd you have those in your mouth? Surely there's much better food here."
Stop thinking about the chicken!
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A large, muscular, nagaji wanders in, looking around with an odd expression, and flashes sharp pointed teeth at anyone who gets nearby. Most of those then quickly move on, assuming the look somewhat threatening, when in fact it is just his not entirely successful attempt at a smile.
Finally, his eyes alight on Corona and starts over towards her, flashing teeth again at Stuffing... though whether a smile at the chicken, or thought of a meal at the same, are not immediately obvious.
When he finally speaks, his words come out accented with an odd lyrical cadence.
Old friend Corona
It is good to meet again
Another solstice
He waves his large hands, at the assembled masses, though his reptilian features are hard to read.
Human looks are hard
I will get the hang of it
Though perhaps not now
He does a short graceful bow towards the others, seated nearby.
Fellow Pathfinders
They call me Five Seven Five
And now it has stuck
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"Friend 575! I didn't know you were here," Corona exclaims happily, her attention momentarily distracted from Zarnel and from her own embarrassment. "It's so nice to see a familiar face...um, but not that meeting New Friends is bad, New Friends," she adds hastily, glancing around at the rest of the group.
"I like to make things too," she adds to Chou Wei. "Not like, tool things, but bread things! Cornbread's my specialty. Do you have a specialty too?"
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"Oh no, young Zarnel, I am very well !" Dreng grins broadly as he takes his leave. "Very well indeed!"
The 6 Pathfinders (and a chicken) take their seat around a table and they make acquaintances of each other. The last few days have been a trial for many, and this was good time to kick back and enjoy the company of fellow Pathfinders.
Just then, a gentle chime sounds throughout the banquet hall. The food is served! Servants pour out of the kitchens bearing the first dish of assorted chilled seafood - jellyfish, oysters, squids and others that you do might not recognise. Excited murmurs sweep through the hall as the banquet begins in earnest! Course after course of the most mouthwatering food flow out from the kitchens. The feast was simply amazing! Platters full of grilled peasants. Slabs of succulent ribs. Piles of spiced potatoes. All washed down with copious amounts of ale and wine. The Pathfinders partake heartily, enjoying each other's company, and just celebrating the completion of a arduous but enjoyable four days of Torchbearing.
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As the Pathfinders conclude the dessert course, however, a small origami swan flutters through the room and lands on the center of the table. In moments, it unfolds itself into a crisp and crease-less piece of paper.
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Chou pulls a small clockwork gadget out of her cloak pocket shaped like a mask. "See, this little mask helps you if you are hit by fire. It warms your belly when you breath in through it, and when you breath out you can make a big breath of fire!"
She pulls another gadget out that looks like a set of ear muffs. "This one fits over your ears and if someone talks to you in any language you'll understand it! Just like if it was Taldane!"
"I also like to make clocks with cute animals that come out and dance whenever the hour changes."
"Hmm... going to the Blakros museum... I read a field report about that museum and it usually has problems. Maybe that's why everyone else is laughing? 'S closed right now since they are setting up the new Shining Crusade exhibit. We should probabably help out... Nigel loans lotsa artifacts to the Society and we probabably don't wanna make him too upset."
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Draklor is a little sad to see the message interrupt, but even he was almost full. He wracks his memory for information on the subject, coming up with a great deal. "Let's be off to Skyreach, then," he declares, deciding to stick with his new friends wherever they're going. On the way, he relates what he knows.
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Taking Corona’s proffered hand, he looks deeply into her eyes. "It’s nice to meet you too, Corona New Friend. Ah, but who is this that approaches?” he asks as 575 draws near, professionally appraising the newcomer’s obvious strength and fitness. Excellent, another strong warrior joins us.
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As the food is served, Zarnel performs his small ritual gesture again. ”See No Evil, Abide No Evil,” he intones, before digging into the feast as if it’s his last meal. After reading the note, he does indeed laugh bitterly. ”Off to work, eh, friends?”
Heading into Skyreach, he walks alongside Draklor. Switching easily between Common, Tien, and Celestial, he gets the young kitsune to relate what he knows about the museum and Nigel. ”It’s always good to keep one’s language proficiencies fresh. Else we forget too much as the decades pass, yes?”
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The front doors of Skyreach burst open with a loud crack. Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin strides to the edge of the platform, with a slender elf dressed in practical but expensive clothing trailing meekly behind. The red-faced venture-captain addresses the crowd in a booming voice.
“Pathfinders, I regret interrupting the festivities, but we have something of a situation. Approximately twenty minutes ago, unknown forces invaded the Blakros Museum. Fortunately for everyone involved, the Torchbearing is about cooperation and helping our colleagues, so let’s think of this less as an inconvenience and more as an opportunity to practice what we preach.”
The elf, Nigel, exhales sharply, then speaks, “Now, Ambrus, I’ve spent a king’s ransom fortifying the museum from all sorts of invaders: sentinels from the Golemworks, magical wards from the Arcanamirium, and even contracts for guard beasts, both magical and mundane—spared no expense. I didn’t want to come here, but I’ve got no choice.”
Valsin’s forced smile cracks slightly, showing his annoyance. “Out with it, Nigel. Get to the point.”
“Someone broke into my museum and set off the magical protections! I was preserving priceless Shining Crusade pieces for our new exhibit when the first alarm activated. I sent for district guards and went to investigate, but by the time I arrived, the thieves had already locked themselves in my study. They somehow caused the Shining Crusade relics to fly around the museum and attack my sentinels. Everything is going haywire! The magical traps started to target me, the sentinels are not responding to my commands, and—”
Valsin holds out a hand to steady the increasingly agitated elf. “The last you knew, the thieves were still in your study?” Nigel nods. “Very well. Pathfinders: the Seekers should prepare to teleport directly into the Blakros study—“
“That won’t work,” Nigel interrupts, “The study is magically sealed. After that dreadful Numerian exhibit, I turned it into a magical safe room. The robbers must have figured out how to activate it; no one can get in or out while the wards hold. I can work on breaking the wards, but meanwhile my sentinels are smashing up the collection. Some of those priceless relics are on loan from your own Society lodges, so helping me is really helping yourselves.”
“Fine.” Ambrus Valsin takes a deep breath and then turns to the assembled Pathfinders. “Pathfinders, go to the Blakros Museum, secure any relics you can, disable the security systems, and apprehend the looters if possible. Stay safe.”
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Corona blinks and turns to the rest of the group. "Um, New Friends? Does anyone else feel like...really weird? That deja vu thing Friend 575 mentioned? Because a lot of this seems really familiar for some reason..."
Then, Corona suddenly laughs and shrugs her shoulders. "Oh well! It's probably not that important, is it New Friends? Come on, let's get to the museum!"
On the way to the Blakros Museum, Corona does nearly everything she can to keep pace with Zarnel...though she's oddly quiet now, as if unsure of what to talk about. Sangkip's remark about monkeys does get her attention though and she whips her head around, eyes wide.
"Wow, he turned everyone into monkeys!? Really???" she gasps. "Man...I miss all the best missions..."
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The Pathfinders, not terribly surprised that yet another disaster had befallen the ill-fated museum, make their way to there en masse. They arrive to find dozens of Wise District guards surrounding the Blakros Museum. The sergeant nods to Ambrus Valsin as he approaches, a subtle smirk dancing across the venture-captain’s face. The museum itself is alight with swirling whorls of color and the sounds of metal and stone clashing. Occasionally, brief flashes of light burst from the front entrance, illuminating a toppled banner that says “Legacy of the Shining Crusade.”
The broad-shouldered, middle-aged Ulfen man salutes, a somewhat bemused expression on his face. “Well met, Venture-Captain Valsin. I am Svaralk of Asleifar, Sergeant of the Learned Guard. The Guard appreciates your assistance.” He points to his subordinates, “Our initial attempt to quell the animated relics within failed. I’ve ordered the Guard to withdraw and form a perimeter.”
Ambrus Valsin returns the sergeant’s salute, a gesture of mutual respect. “You once served in Grand Prince Stavian III’s Ulfen Guard, did you not?”
Svaralk nods, “That’s right. Afterwards, I retired to Absalom and have served this city for seven years. This is not the first catastrophe I’ve responded to at the Blakros Museum, all the way back to the first case of those poor souls transformed to monkeys. But really, none has been quite so dramatic as this. As if anyone needed further proof of the museum’s reputation for trouble.”
The Ulfen confides to the Venture-Captain, “After Nigel Aldain harangued me for dereliction of duty in not immediately retaking the museum, I’m in no rush to sacrifice the lives under my command until the warring creatures inside wear each other down.” He holds up a hand and shakes his head, “I don’t hold Nigel Aldain’s outburst against him. I recognize the elf is rightfully concerned — albeit rather precious — about his exhibit.”
Svaralk turns to your team of Pathfinders and says, “Before you enter, I can provide you an overview of the museum’s layout and tell you that there are animated relics and guard animals on the ground level, and clockwork creatures skirmishing with each other on the floor above. We also have an especially challenging problem in the gardens at the southeast corner of the museum grounds. Some kind of magical runes displaying swarm-like behavior, more magical device really than living creatures. They proved too complicated a challenge for me and my guards; we simply lacked the skills to disable them.”
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The Pathfinders head straight for the front entrance of the museum, hoping to start clearing a path through, entering the main reception hall. Under a sign that reads “The Shining Armory,” priceless Shining Crusade artifacts displayed on pedestals creak and move by some unseen force. Eerie light seems to dart between the objects while the din of a raging battle echoes throughout the chamber. The central feature is a low, artificial hill atop which stand two stuffed owlbears surrounded by shattered undead foes. Each of the beasts wears chainmail barding and an orange-and-black caparison depicting a stylized owlbear. A dead man dressed in furs lies on the floor before a suit of full-plate armor.
However, whatever force has wreaked havoc in this museum seemed to have affected these artifacts and many of them are animating, attacking at all corners. While you see other Pathfinders battling the animates, two banners of the Shining Crusade starts flapping towards you!
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575 looks at the museum confused. He would have thought they would upgrade or change some things, after the last lapse. Now here it was, happening all over again.
Lax security
Is once again the culprit
Window treatments pay
Cloth that reaches out
Try to approach with caution.
Long streamers entwine
He tries to call a warning, about the animated banner's reach as the vanaran races across.
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Chou looks puzzled. "Haunted bannews? What would make someone haunt a tapestwy?"
She shrugs, pulling out her rapier as she approaches. "I dun have any positive enewgy... but I can twy to cut it down!"
She jumps up and looks pleased with herself as she frays a corner of the tapestry. Upon further inspection, it turns out that there was a tassel there all along...
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Draklor starts orating what he knows of these animated banners, inspiring greater morale within his allies. Sangkip dashes straight for the banner on the left, poking serious holes into the fine needlework, fraying it badly with a few well-placed strikes. 575 follows shortly after, tearing the banner along the perforations that Sangkip has introduced.
Meanwhile, Zarnel sprints towards the one of the right, and with a mighty cleave, almost slices the banner in half. Chou moves up to assist him, but her rapier fails to punch through the tough cloth.
The mindless constructs slams their waving forms against whoever attacked them first. The one on the left hurl itself at Sangkip, but the dexterous jumps out of the way easily. The one of the right, however, manages not only to swat Zarnel with a mighty blow, but catching him momentarily off his feet, it wraps itself aross his chest and starts squeezing tight!
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Once Sangkip manages to disable the banner, 575 nods, then moves lithely over to assist with the other, hoping to pull Zarnel free of its entangling folds!
,
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"Oh! I've got a spell for this," Corona exclaims as they step inside the museum and are immediately confronted by the hostile banners. With a flick of her wrist, a small wand drops into her hand and she waves it over the group.
She starts to try and move forward but exclaims, "Ugghhhh! Why do my legs pick the worst times to quit working!?"
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With her legs now back under her control, Corona hustles into the room, drawing her longspear as she goes. She gasps in horror to see Zarnel wrapped up tightly by one of the angry banners and calls out, "Don't worry New Friend Zarnel! I'll save you!" as she begins casting.
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With another two quick slashes, Sangkip slices the badly torned banner, leaving just strips which float lifelessly onto the ground.
Seeing one threat down, 575 races across the room up the artificial hill towards the other banner. Before he closes in, it swings out one cloth tendril, smacking painfully across his shoulder. He ignores the pain, however, and rips a large chunk of cloth out from it. Chou strikes again with his rapier, and this time the strike is good. He pierces through many folds of the banner, causing a large tear when he withdraws his weapon. The damage is too substantial and whatever animates the cloth flees, leaving another badly torn flag lying lifelessly on the ground.
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"We've got quite some warriors here," Draklor says admiringly, putting his shield down. "Where to next? I was hoping to see the gardens; we might be able to disable the runes, or smash them if necessary."
The kitsune draws a wand from behind an ear, tossing and deftly catching it again. "Anyone need healing? If you have your own, I can use that too."
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As the animating spirit flees into the ether, Zarnel shrugs the banner from his torso, rolls his shoulders and stretches his arms wide. He groans deeply in satisfaction at having been freed from the constriction. And he does all this without the least hint of its effect on Corona, standing mere feet away.
”Chou wei,” he begins, nodding in salute. ”and 575. Thank you both for destroying it. I am … relieved that the battle ended so quickly.”
Had it taken any longer, I fear I might have let the hell-beast rage forth. It would have made me strong enough to shred that cloth, but at what cost?
The healing energy from Draklor’s wand washes away most of the bruises and stiffness. ”Thank you for that, Draklor. But I’ve my own, also.” he says while digging into his pack.
While using his own wand on himself, Zarnel repeats his mantra, ”See No Evil, Abide No Evil.”
Hmmm. My prayer was not sincere enough, perhaps. Let's try again.
I feel maybe I have dissatisfied Vildeis that she gives me only the weakest of healing magic. But I don't know what I might have done, so I shall wait to atone.
Then, noticing Corona standing there, he smiles gently. ”Ah, New Friend Corona, where do you think we should go next? Does your Mystery provide you with insight into where we can assist the most?”
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Many wards to pass
Both mundane and mystical
All much like before.
575 five says, not even breathing hard after the brief excitement.
I can not recall
If those out mirrored those in.
But if all must stop...
He shrugs, clearly not remembering if what Sangkip says was how it worked last time, but if they have to shut them all down anyway, it certainly couldn't hurt.
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The Pathfinders retreat back outside the museum, deciding to examine how to shut down some of museum's magical protection. Thousands of glowing glyphs form a protective shell around the outside of the museum, casting a sparkling aura of light that bounces off the fountain’s waters. You slowly circle round the building, looking for a weakness in this shell that you can target to shut it down. You find a possible opening near the gardens, where the glyphs seem to sit more unsteadily. Clearly the magical protection is cognisant of this as well. When it sense you approaching, a group of the swarming glyphs tear itself away and flies unerringly towards you!
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Chou timidly nods with the suggestion of going to the Gardens, although you can tell she's really looking forward to seeing someplace else...
Chou gets roughly halfway through Draklor's description of the swarm, then smiles and promptly walks straight up to the swarm, thieves tools in hand.
"Okay. I can do this. Lemme get my stuff out."
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Draklor also recalls that other than the usual defences that swarms have, living runes are particularly resilient, healing their wounds automatically every round. Even if substantial damage is done to them, they would only lapse into a regenerative state for a minute before reviving. The only way to permanently shut them down is to disable the runes. He shares this and other tactics with the team while dashing into the garden.
Chou also moves in but directly towards the swarm instead, drawing out his thieves' tools ready to get to work. Sangkip also dashes in, lobbing an orb of acid into its midst, melting a number of the runes in its path.
The swarm of runes suddenly flash brightly and almost in sync the ground in front of the remaining Pathfinders spew forth a burst of flames, wrapping 575, Zarnel and Corona in flames! The flames disappear almost as quickly as they appeared. Strangely, it left them feeling more drained than burnt.
The runes immediately start repairing its damage caused by Sangkit's acid while swarming towards the nearest Pathfinder, Chou. They crawl all over, threatening to nauseate him while he's in their midst.
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575 completely forgot about the fiery trap, though as the flames engulf him, he recalls it then... a little too late. He tries to dodge out of the way, but fails to do so as the heat hits him head on.
As they clear, he gets a determined look, and moves in after the others, trying to remember what they did last time to disable the thing.
Glow with inner fire
But blast with outer fire too
How did we stop it?
He watches the glowing runes and tiles flash past, almost too fast to follow, until he finally spots a few he recalls from before, pointing them out as possible weak points...
Maybe...
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The fire washes over him, and Zarnel freezes for just a moment, fearing that it might be some kind of hellfire.
His relief that it is only normal magical fire is palpable.
"I've not spent time studying in libraries. But I have an affinity for languages; perhaps that could help"
These runes are like nothing I've ever seen before. I don't seem to be able to decode them.