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You can just barely see the minotaur chasing after Janira through the trees, fighting its way through the dense undergrowth. Soon the cacophony of the chase fades and the sounds of the forest slowly return to normal as you make your way into the cavern
Everything is conveniently labeled;
potion of barkskin, potions of cure light wounds (2), potion of feather step, potion of vanishAPG, 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 3rd, 4 charges), wand of cure light wounds (CL 3rd, 7 charges), acid, alchemist’s fire (2), holy water, smokestick, tanglefoot bag, thunderstone
This cave system stretches deep below the foothills of the Kortos Mounts, though most of it is accessible only through a narrow keyhole tunnel. 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. The caves are damp. . Water dripping from stalactites and the distant rushing of underground streams creates an eerie backdrop as you explore. 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. These are carvings left behind by gillman pilgrims and mystics over the years, each carving a mark to prove that she reached the caves and to commemorate the pilgrimage. 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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Daniloth slings his bow over his shoulder. "I'm not sure I'll get much use out of that in here," he says while unsheathing his short sword in preparation for what might come. "Does anyone have a light source?"
Daniloth, sword in hand, scours their surroundings looking for tracks or anything else that might be of interest while also looking for anything that might trigger his knowledge of dungeons.
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"I'm guessing she means for us to use these things or she wouldn't have tossed it in here for us." Seijiro says while taking a few things out of the pack. "Does anyone mind if I take a few items myself? I used 2 alchemist fires against the mosquitos so I'd like one of those, and maybe a healing potion and that vanish potion... would that be alright?" He sets the 3 items he wants to the side, waiting for a response from the others before actually taking them.
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Fronar smirks, "I say take whatever you feel would be useful to you. No complaints here about you selection. I'm fairly certain, should someone in the party need a particular item, we all would be willing to share them. Hope y'all don't mind, while you are distributing the items Janira left us, I want to add a few things to my journal." Fronar proceeds to draw pictures mostly, usually with captions of what is pictured. One was of Janira leading the minotaur away while the group sneaks into the cave, one of the fungi shedding light on a wall carving, one of the group in a circle... diplomatically dispersing the items from a backpack in the middle of them, complete with stalactites in the background.
Once everyone claims the items they would like to carry, Fronar motions further into the cave, "Shall we proceed further and see what surprises lie within? So far, this adventure has the makings of a great tale to be re-told to others back at the lodge!" Fronar scratches a few still itching stings from the swarm.
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"Grab anything that is of use to you now, and the rest we can carry with us until we determine it is needed." Markas watches over the group as they take any items from the pack they might find useful.
"As for a light I have a torch and some flint." Markas reaches into his backpack abd removes the items, then proceeds to create a flame to be used as a light source
"Once everyone has what we need, let's keep moving." Markas picks up the pack and it's remaining items and slings it over his shoulder.
"Fronar, take the torch in case I need both arms while we are in here."
-Posted with Wayfinder
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As the party good through the contents of Janira's backpack and starts making their first notes under some provided light to ensure there's enough light around for everyone to see by. Daniloth takes a good look around.
He doesn't see anything other then the pictures on the walls. Taking the lead he starts to scout down the corridor, followed by the others when they are done with the note taking.
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.
The tunnel here is 10 feet wide and 10 feet tall with a ceiling mostly devoid of stalactites.
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Vohnkar moves to the front of the part, I do not need light.
As they reach the pit he kneels down and examines the stone. Placing a large hand on the wall of he pit he closes his eyes for a moment as if meditating.
This pit was dug by hand more than a year ago
The warrior then removes his rope and Grappling hook from his bag. Securing it he proceeds to climb down to the bottom of the pit.
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The bundle of cloth at the bottom of the pit is actually a cloak.
(when examined it turns out to be magical and has a very distinctive if unknown pattern of decorations)
Using the rope provided everyone is easily able to make it across the pit to the other side.
Approximately 30 feet beyond the pit and out of sight around a corner is a long, 3-foot-wide wooden plank that rests against the cave’s wall.
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.
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Daniloth can tell that the tunnel continues for a bit ..and then seems to open into a bigger cave.
As Vohnkar rubs his hands across the carvings as he's studying them he's able to make out some individual pictures.
(It's going to take an DC 15 Knowledge (history or religion) or Linguistics check to identify one section. Alternatively, you can use Appraise or Perception with a –2 penalty. The writing combines Aquan and Azlanti, and you'll receives a +2 bonus on the skill check
for each of these languages you can understand)
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"These look very interesting. let me see if they spark a memory of anything I have seen, heard, or come across before..."
"... At the very least, we should copy these images down for someone back at the lodge to decipher."
Fronar draws in his journal diligently, pausing every so often to scratch his head with the pen and have his eyes look up and right, as if searching for an answer by looking for it in his head.
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Even though Daniloth and Seijiro have trouble seeing anything in the carvings Fronar with his extended knowledge of history is able to determine that these pictures are inscriptions from the History and Future of Humanity, the principle holy text of Aroden, and images that depict these passages.
The carvings focus on parables that feature Aroden’s 12 guises, meant to illustrate his hopes for humanity: the artist, beggar, craftsman, farmer, fisherman, hunter, merchant, scholar, shepherd, soldier, tailor, and thief.
Fronar also identifies 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.
But most of them have eroded so much that you can't see them anymore..only 4 of them are clear enough to be able to tell what they are meant to represent..and be able to copy.
The Artist, The Tailor, The Farmer and The Hunter;
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 Tailor is depicted sewing together a long cloth of 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.
The Farmer is depicted plowing four lines in a field, retelling Aroden’s prophecy that humankind would prepare the rocky earth for planting and over generations wear the pebbles down into fertile soil.
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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"Fronar, I am glad we have someone of your knowledge in this party. This is surely information that someone would like to know." Markas pats Fronar on the back after he has finished making his drawings of the inscriptions.
"Take your time to finish your drawings, but let's remember Janira gave us a mission, so we need to continue moving shortly."
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After finishing the drawings you move further down the tunnel towards the bigger cave Daniloth saw when he scouted ahead
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.
Here the cavern’s ceiling stretches 20 feet overhead and is crowded by dozens of stalactites, some measuring 10 feet long from base to tip. Despite the impressive geology, the cave’s focus is the sloping, 15-foot-deep pool and its tiny city.
Kneeling in the water is a lone gillman with his back turned towards you. He doesn't seem to have noticed you entering the cave.
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Fronar softly relays his observation to the rest of the party, "What an amazing replica of Absalom! You can really tell by the carving of the Starstone Cathedral!" Fronar raises his voice so that the gillman might hear him. "Greetings friend! That is a remarkable replica of our great city! Have you ever been there?"
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The gillman points to his ears as he closely studies Fronar's mouth, watching his lips move and then pointedly ignores Fronar (and the rest of you) with no expression on his face what so ever.
(Diplomacy wasn't enough to make him like you. If you don't do anything for a while he will turn his back to you and go back to studying he water)
(And just in case it was overlooked from the description above, there's 2 more tunnels in here)
Im sorry, haven't been able to post the last couple of days. Will be more active after today. I understand if you kick me or have already given up on me Revvy.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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The combined friendly efforts of the party win over the gillman and you see the start of a smile appear on his face.
(he's friendly now and will try to answer questions you have and will allow you to explore the area)
At Seijiro's question he answers:
"I can speak, but I am deaf..so if you want to address me, please look directly at me so I can read your lips"
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The combined friendly efforts of the party win over the gillman and you see the start of a smile appear on his face.
(he's friendly now and will try to answer questions you have and will allow you to explore the area)
At Seijiro's question he answers:
"I can speak, but I am deaf..so if you want to address me, please look directly at me so I can read your lips"
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The Gillman introduces himself as Uori and explains that is a holy site for his people.
When you mention hostile creatures his face tenses up and he seems angry.
He then tells you that there is indeed some sort of infestation of dungeon dwellers that have made their way inside the holy caves of his people..and he would be grateful if you could take care of them.
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Positioning himself directly in Uori's line of sight, Fronar inquires about the intruders and what significance this shrine has to his people.
"Infestation, you say? What kind of infestation? It would be helpful to know what we will be looking for. If this place is dangerous and infested, why do you and others like you still come here?"
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"Over there" He points to one of the cave entrances "are some kobolds. I know because I went there and then came back here when I saw them. And through that other tunnel I can sometimes see something moving as well"
"This place is holy to us, and so far they haven't entered this holy site yet..just the tunnels around it. But I fear that won't last"