Hallimir Duskrin |
In response to Tawner's question, "possibly not, but since he was already down there I figured it couldn't hurt to have a look."
"So, who has rope?"
"I have one Lydia. But I'm not sure what we could secure it to."
Turning towards Airyn, "AIRYN!!!", he yells "CAN YOU SEE ANYWHERE WE COULD SECURE A ROPE"
Turning back to lydia, "or we could just jump it.....doesn't look too hard"
Lydia Stillbourne |
"If nothing else, El Garrapata could hold it once he makes up to the other side."
Tawner Kelenfold |
"If you're afraid to get wet, Lydia, Sidi could probably just toss you over. But can your demon-thing cross the water or is that a moving current that it can't cross?" Tawner says as he idly scratches his chin while watching El Garrapata.
Airyn Skystalker |
Rocks, rocks, rocks Airyn thinks as he searches the area around him for a suitable outcropping.
Fomalhaut |
"If you're afraid to get wet, Lydia, Sidi could probably just toss you over. But can your demon-thing cross the water or is that a moving current that it can't cross?" Tawner says as he idly scratches his chin while watching El Garrapata.
"I think you're getting myself, demons, Lydia, Lydia's kin, and gods-know-what else all very confused together, Mr. Sunshine. If it weren't for my being bound to Lydia, *I* would have no trouble at all crossing...."
With that, Fomalhaut begins a subtle transformation, the black ice of its form subliming into that of a pure apparition.
Full-round action to shift to incorporeal form, in which he can fly (but is still stuck adjacent to Lydia :P).
Lydia Stillbourne |
"I'm not afraid to get wet, and I'd rather not be tossed - though that is an interesting idea, I guess. It's just that that pit looks like a tougher climb than I'm ready to try."
On the other hand, am I mistaken in thinking there's any danger? If I fell, would the water protect me from getting hurt?
Sidi Yawgu |
"Watch your head, Airyn!" Sidi tosses his pack across the pit with a grunt and then hefts his club across. "Toss what? Oh. That would not be safe. Better to dive in if you can swim."
Climb: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (19) + 8 - 1 = 26
He then carefully climbs across the cave wall to the other side.
Sidi removes a coil of knotted rope from his pack. "Garrapatta, you might need to climb back to the others so you can hold this rope for them."
The World's Most Interesting GM |
Rocks, rocks, rocks Airyn thinks as he searches the area around him for a suitable outcropping.
Map Updated.
Tawner Kelenfold |
"Oh I'm not getting anything confused Mr. Puddle of Nothing. And I don't talk to the dead."
Tawner gestures to Lydia, "And what would a half Fey have anything to do with your kind? Why don't you..." Tawner backs up as Fomalhaut twists and melds into a new form. He decides he'd rather be on the other side of the pool and he jumps in.
swim: 1d20 - 6 ⇒ (2) - 6 = -4
armor check penalty
Tawner realizes his mistake too late and starts flailing under water.
Sidi Yawgu |
"Garrapatta! Can you save him?"
Sidi lowers one end of the knotted rope into the pool so the rescuer and rescued have an easy exit.
Airyn Skystalker |
Airyn returns from down the passage carrying long wooden planks. "For those of you who do not wish to get wet, would you care for a bridge?"
Lydia Stillbourne |
"Half...Fey...?"
Lydia stares at Fomalhaut for a moment, and her face hardens. She looks down at the thrashing priest with narrowed eyes.
"Ah, you're just in time," She nods to Airyn. She had literally just been about to jump in the water.
Hallimir Duskrin |
"good job Airyn. Pass them across. "
As Airyn carefully passes the planks across one at a time. Hallimir helps him secure them side by side to make a bridge as wide as possible.
"Your Bridge my lady.", hallimir gestures jovially towards Lydia as he stands up holding one hand out.
Hallimir Duskrin |
Hallimir crosses the bridge pulls out his inkpen and some paper amd starts to describe the cave and the pit.
Tawner Kelenfold |
Tawner struggles as El Garrapata grabs him.
swim: 1d20 - 6 ⇒ (4) - 6 = -2
For all that El Garrapata tries to help, Tawner just cannot swim.
Maybe I should just sink to the bottom and walk.
Sidi Yawgu |
"Garrapata! Just tie the rope around him. I will haul him up!" Sidi calls down as the men struggle in the flooded pit.
The World's Most Interesting GM |
Garrapata tries to grab the sinking cleric! [dice=Swim]1d20+8
Did I find anything in the water from searching?
One thrashing, half-drowned cleric, and one scintillating cloak crafted of fine, interlocking discs, like fish scales.
The World's Most Interesting GM |
"Garrapata! Just tie the rope around him. I will haul him up!" Sidi calls down as the men struggle in the flooded pit.
Not the neck!
Later, after Halliamr makes some notes, and Sidi and El Garrapata wring Tawner out ("Out with the bad air, in with the good! And now... the breath of life!") the party continues forward.
As the irregular path continues into the depths the air grows musty. The ceiling drips and the walls run with condensation, and pale moss-like fungi. An unseen river rushes through the stone nearby into some subterranean estuary, its power marked by noise, and vibration.
Increasingly as the party progresses deeper in, they note at points the pattern of the fungi becoming more regular. Soon it becomes apparent that the blue-green moss is clinging to parts of the wall where various hands, by various means, have, over the span of centuries, etched the walls with petroglyphs depicting rough humanoid figures, aquatic flora, fauna, strange spiral sigils, and other less identifiable drawings that seem to be some combination of the others. The drawings seem to grow older the further the party plumbs, glowing faintly in ropy, fungal relief.
At this point the party is not exactly sure how deep they are only that they have been traveling for about a half-hour.
Condition: Damp stone floor Acrobatics checks made in the caves are made at +2 difficulty.
Sidi Yawgu |
Once the armored cleric has had a chance to recover, Sidi resumes his position as the rear guard. The wet sloshing at the front of the line slightly distracting for the Bas'o. He runs his hand across the petroglyphs, curious but failing to gain any sense of narrative.
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (8) + 0 = 8
Tawner Kelenfold |
Tawner grabs and tucks at his arms and torso. I hate the feeling of being in wet armor.
“Thanks, back there.” Tawner nods to Sidi and El Garrapata.
He studies the markings and tsks at his waterlogged journal.
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
The petroglyphs are strange and unfamiliar to Tawner.
Airyn Skystalker |
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Airyn takes some time examining the strange carvings, "These drawings seem to be a sort of archeological graffiti, marks to show who has passed through here across the ages." He points to a particularly vigorous set of scratch marks, "These might depict the travails of whomever left them here, but the meaning has eroded over time."
Hallimir Duskrin |
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
Hallimir wanders from section to section attempting to gleam any hint of meaning from the carvings, but is unable to determine anything from the ornate images.
"Absoulutely stunning" states Hallimir.
"but, my guess would be that they were done by gillmen, given the nature of the images and where we are.
The World's Most Interesting GM |
The damp tunnels continue on, leading deeper beneath the Kortos Mounts until they eventually open into a large cavern. The air is cooler here. 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 tunnel exits the cavern on its far side, and blue-burning torches line the passageway’s walls, casting everything in their weird light.
Note the cavern itself is dark, lightening to dim nearer the blue-lit passage.
Deciphering the images and writing is difficult because of their eroded state.
Each character may make one Skill check to decipher the images in this room. Open all the spoilers that apply. The writing combines Aquan and Azlanti, and a PC receives a +2 bonus on his skill check for each of these languages he can understand.
Scattered throughout the cave are inscriptions and stylized images from The History and Future of Humanity, the principle holy text of the century-dead god Aroden.
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.
This one for example depicts The Fisherman, an old salt in yellow rain gear holding a ship's wheel, and presiding over a huge haul of tiny stick-shaped fish!
This time it is The Artist, a young man with a tin of paint beautifying the city with big, colorful, stylized lettering upon the facings of it's buildings, bridges, and walls. Most depict the god's own name, but some are short phrases of encouragement!
You've uncovered The Thief, a diabolically sly fellow in a skintight black suit that hides his identity. He steals only things worth taking. In the light of day all of his worthy victims proudly gossip that they too have been robbed by someone who knows quality when they see it!
Oh my goodness! It's The Hunter, a big tough guy who with the help of giant constructs, and techno-magic weaponry defeats the evil, giant monsters bent upon destroying his city on a nearly weekly basis! He's seen besting a giant moth, a fire-breathing lizard, a big ape, and a flying turtle, and then parading about the defeated beasts in the now half-ruined city while accompanied by huge cheering crowds!
Lydia Stillbourne |
Linguistics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
"Oh, I think I know what these are...they're representations of Arodenite scriptures. Aroden was big on teaching by example, and was supposed to appear in 12 guises to demonstrate His hopes for the Human race. This one," Lydia points at a sodden man holding a platter of what could be generously described as fish, "is the Fisherman."
Airyn Skystalker |
Airyn proceeds easily into the the dark cavern, his elemental vision allowing him to see clearly despite the lack of light.
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
His face brightens and then falls into concern as the weathered remains of carved reliefs and inscriptions come into view. "Such a pity. Knowledge etched in stone lasts long whiles, but always erodes in time. If only such words were carried on the voice of the wind. They might have avoided such a fate."
Tawner Kelenfold |
perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
There is something at the edge of Tawner's mind that beckons the familiar. But he cannot figure it out.
"You're right, Garrapata. Lots of art. A lot of work went in to this place. I thought they were just unfinished caves."
To Airyn, "How does knowledge last on the wind?"
Sidi Yawgu |
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
"I see. You are right," Sidi concurs with Lydia, "But I cannot find any other patches clear enough to make out. Best to document what we can."
Sidi retrieves parchment and pencil to make several notes.
Hallimir Duskrin |
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Hallimir inspects the cave walls, also unconcerned by the lack of light. He stops at the patch that Tawner is investigating "Ahh, yes Lydia your correct"
Hallimir puts his hand on Tawner's shoulder and points to the various aspects of the etchings, " You see, Tawner, this here is 'The Artist'....can you see the young man painting the city walls and buildings with Aroden's name and short phrases of encouragement."
Hallimir moves to another area clearly showing his excitement and interest "and...and this one...this is 'the Thief'. Now you might think 'why would Aroden want humanity to apire to be theives?', but you see he only steals things worth taking, and so to have something stolen, allows the victim to gossip proudly regarding the quality of their wares, for the theif would not have stolen poor quality goods."
Hallimir pauses and looks around the cave in awe, "All of this is fascinating...I wonder why it is here, and what do the Gillpeople have to do with it?"
Then Hallimir remember's their mission and hastily retrieves his stack of bound paper and starts sketching the petroglyphs and making notes on his interpretations.
Tawner Kelenfold |
Tawner raises an eyebrow at Hallimir's explanation of the thieving aspect.
"Perhaps that is what the gillwomen are doing. Stealing artifacts."
Hallimir Duskrin |
Hallimir complete's his notes and packs away his things "Perhaps you are correct Tawner. But we shan't find out sitting here"
Hallimir heads towards the tunnel bathed in 'weird light', "shall we continue"
The World's Most Interesting GM |
The soft light of the surrounding fungus mixes with the flickering glow of the nearby torches to reveal a grand, dimly-lit 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 to make a table. 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 along the gravel in search of prey.
A frail old man with a long, damp fringe of colorless hair kneels in meditation, up to his shoulders in the water before the miniature. His back is turned to the party. A frill of fish gills open, and close rhythmically below his jaw-line along his neck. He seems to have not noticed the group's approach.
Map updated.
El Garrapata |
"Ah! This must be a Gill-woman. I can see the GILLS quite clearly!" Garrapata pulls his paper and ink out and begins sketching the kneeling Gill-woman, though it looks more like a stick-man with wings on its neck. Clearly art is not a strong point for El Garrapata.
Tawner Kelenfold |
"Garrapata, shhhhh!"
Whispering to Hallimir, "We found the Gill people. We need to go now before we're discovered."
Tawner starts to back up towards the others.
The World's Most Interesting GM |
The figure in the water doesn't move.
Airyn Skystalker |
Airy gives Tawner a quizzical look, "Weren't we sent to talk with her or him? That was the reason to be here on the full moon."