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Kahwen is pleased that they're not going to have to search the whole place. He is less pleased that Rajhan-Vol is stealthy enough to sneak up on them and might be wandering around, anyway. Even though it just makes sense, since it's his home.
He gives their host a wide berth as he heads down the newly revealed tunnel, his Wayfinder open to provide light.
This also seems like a perfect place for a trap, so he will search the tunnel carefully as he goes along.
Kahwen slowly advances down the corridor. The spacial distortions however play havoc on the tengu's nerves. Every now and then as he searches out traps he will look up to see that the stairs have moved closer or are suddenly far beyond the light of his wayfinder. Likewise, if he glances back the exit-way also seems closer or dangerously distant. Worse yet the old pirate ghoul does not immediately leave after showing the party the way. He waits by the secret doorway and hisses encouragement to the Kahwen.
"Go on. Go on. It iss ssafe."
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"In for a copper, in for a platinum," Kahwen mutters, largely to himself.
But, before he continues, he waits to see if his companions will follow. If not, he takes his rope out of his pack, ties one end securely around his waist then throws the other end down the hall.
Only then will he continue his exploration.
Kyra stands behind the rest of the group, ready to help. Any of the group paying close attention to her can hear her softly muttering under her breath about having to work with an evil undead abomination.
While Lumo and Kyra stand and then entryway to the secret passage minding a rope while also minding their gruesome undead companion.
Kyra stands behind the rest of the group, ready to help. Any of the group paying close attention to her can hear her softly muttering under her breath about having to work with an evil undead abomination.
Down below, the steep stairwell ends in a small chamber with only one other exit--a solid stone door carved to resemble an immense scowling face. The relief seems to stare down accusingly at the two.
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Kahwen requesitioned a second length of rope from the quartermaster. He hesitates for long moments, contemplating what that symbolizes before tying them together and continuing.
Given what the last relief did, he approaches this one with a great deal of caution. He'll search it for traps and locks. If he cannot find a way to open it, he'll eventually talk to it.
"Hello? Captain Sevenfingers?"
While Lumo and Kyra stand and then entryway to the secret passage minding a rope while also minding their gruesome undead companion.
Kyra stands behind the rest of the group, ready to help. Any of the group paying close attention to her can hear her softly muttering under her breath about having to work with an evil undead abomination.** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
Down below, the steep stairwell ends in a small chamber with only one other exit--a solid stone door carved to resemble an immense scowling face. The relief seems to stare down accusingly at the two.
Kahwen requesitioned a second length of rope from the quartermaster. He hesitates for long moments, contemplating what that symbolizes before tying them together and continuing.
Given what the last relief did, he approaches this one with a great deal of caution. He'll search it for traps and locks. If he cannot find a way to open it, he'll eventually talk to it.
"Hello? Captain Sevenfingers?"
[More scowling stonework]
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Kahwen forces himself to wait a solid 10...no...7...no...5 count after speaking to the carving before backing away. This place has left him on edge enough that he does not want to turn his back on anything. He's only comfortable with the open space at his back because Remmy is in it and he trusts his companion to protect him, especially after seeing what he can do to threats.
He's not too disappointed with not being able to open the door. Knowing this place, there is probably some kind of giant super ghoul on the other side that has a predilection for feathered meals.
"We found a door, Companions but I could find no way to open it. I believe it is a mystery for more skilled and powerful Pathfinders than us to solve," he reports to the people who were, thankfully, anchoring him to the surface. He unties the rope from his waist and starts coiling it back up.
"Shall we go?" he asks, eyeing their host askance.
"Shall we go?" he asks, eyeing their host askance.
Rajhan-Vol waves and smiles horribly.
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Lumo smiles and helps untie Kahwen. " Bird-Friend, did you get a good look at this door? Perhaps a drawing will help our chronicle. "
With that being said, Lumo waves goodbye to his new Ghoul friend and heads off. " Hey Remmy, I hope you kept that spire map. I'm ready for some grog and I don't want to oar around all night looking for it. "
Packing up, the party moves back through half-submerged tree room, the chamber with chilling hag relief and up through the crack in the ceiling past the staring idols in their root-entangled niches, into the sweltering evening air.
The party, waits out a sleepless and sweltering night atop of spire before descending the next day to the shipwreck at its base, board Captain Benarry's miraculous collapsible boat, and shove off.
They navigate their way out of mist and away from the Gloomspires to open water and spend another night beneath the stars feeling better for the distance between themselves and Sevenfinger's Tomb.
The next morning the Grinning Pixie comes into view and soon enough the party is taken aboard given food and a stiff drink and sent to their bunks to sleep the day away.
Sometime later there is a loud knock at the cabin door.
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Kahwen spends a weary night at the top of the spire. Images of Rajhan-Vol and his honor guard creeping up through the root laden tunnel and eating him alive haunt him each time he tries to go to sleep. He ends up making notes in his journal framing out the dangers and his observations of the spire. They are not descriptive but too the point.
Approach - Nerve wracking but not dangerous. Fall possible but unlikely.
Top - Likely to encounter Kuros - cannibalistic humanoids.
Entry - An easy climb but watch out for the statues (they aren't secured very well.)
Hag sculpture - Beware. It's a trap. Don't let warriors near it, they will want to poke it and set it off.
Flooded room - Beware. There was a leech here and there will likely be other dangers that find it comfortable.
Hall of the Flesh Eaters - Giant tumor needs to be dealt with. Advise bringing religious types who can properly vanquish it.[i]
[i]Rajhan-Vol - reasonable. Can be negotiated with, but do not trust him. He'll require fresh meat to be cooperative and will eat the wounded and dead if allowed to. May attack the non-wounded if he thinks he can succeed. May also oppose attempts to get rid of the tumor.
Downstairs - The passage and stairs are safe but unnerving. I was unable to find a way past the door. Suggest a more experienced magic user or lockbreaker examine it.
Eventually, he falls asleep, the exhaustion caused by previously being in the ghoul's mere presence overwhelming him. His sleep is fitful and he wakes with a start, hand on blade and flailing against attackers who aren't there.
He does not relax until they are in open water and he gives a cry of joy and victory with the Grinning Pixie comes in view.
In all his years as a sailor he has never been so happy to fall into a bunk. He sleeps soundly and deeply, feeling safe for the first time in days.
But when the knock comes to the door, he is well rested and quick to get to his feet.
"Good morning," he says with the Tengu equivalent of a smile when he opens the door.
The door opens on Frau Blücher whose stern gaze illuminated by a flash of lightning and peel of thunder is enough to make a person jump. Horses in the nearby hold neigh in fear. She looks about as if to see if the party is up to something in their room. In particular she gives Kahwen a peculiar look.
"It iz time for dinner. Get drezed." She pauses to look everyone up and down. "Venture-Cabdain Benarry vill zee you now."
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As they leave, Remmy makes sure to grab the gem and study it through the night, marking detailed notes on what magic he can glean from it.
He combines this with his map and calculations for finding the tomb, as well as some potential thoughts on how to find it faster next time.
He, perhaps a little less squeamish than others about the potential moral implications, also builds a recommendation report on how the tumor might be cut back and used to feed pathfinders on further explorations if things go south, studying a small sample from the thing to determine the type of flesh and it's properties.
He then includes his opinion on Rajhan-Vol and various suggested methods on dealing with the magic door at the bottom.
Remmy sees Blucher open the door and nods, wrapping up the orb and rolling up his reports, ready to turn them in to the Venture Captain.
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Lumo gets very drunk very quickly, once he is on the boat. However, he did stay up most the night on the spire for guard duty and passed the time writing in his journal.
"Ghoul is nice. Crazy humans are bad. Weak, but bad. Weak humans on top of spire. Ghoul on first floor. Bring rope for fall. Don't touch pottery. Fragile. Tipsy. "
"Witch carving is nice, don't listen to Kahwen. Some of these Pathfinders are weird though. Don't like carving. Bring boots, lake after witch. Snail slugs in lake. Big ones. Bring rat-knife tornado. Tree is boring. "
"Gross tumor feeds ghouls. Bring Cleric of Gorum. Smashy smash the tumor. Nice ghoul live next to tumor. Bring him a cow and be nice or he eats you. Don't die, or he eats you. Don't hurt, or he eats you. "
"Staircase to lower level is in tumor room. Cool door at bottom. Bring a wizard and a thief. You should get through it just fine.
Love, Lumo. "
Kyra will spend some time in the evening carefully preparing notes on the various creatures they encountered. She will list off the ghouls and festrogs, as well as their paralytic and stench abilities. She will consult with Remy about the leech and what he knew about that (I think it was him that made a successful knowledge check?). She will also converse with Remmy about what he knows about the tumor, and include a drawing along with a description of the hunk of flesh, so that others might research it before making further expeditions.
The companions are shown to the Captain's room where a magnificent Shackle's style banquet has been prepared for them an a handful of other officers and senior crew.
Primary Goal: Retrieving the Orb of Stars. Check. +1 prestige point.
Secondary Goal (must complete three):
PCs provide written notes (or, at the GM’s discretion, give the venture-captain a spoken report) that describe at least five important features of Sevenfingers’s tomb. Check.The PCs should discover the secret door that leads to the second level of the tomb. Check.
The PCs should either destroy Rajhan-Vol or successfully negotiate safe passage for future expeditions (any report should include notes on the terms of such an arrangement, if made). Check. +1 more prestige point.
“Well lads and lass and um, lizard, you have done a great service for me and the Society. The recovery of the Orb of Stars paves the way for future expeditions . Soon, perhaps, we’ll learn more about the Gloomspires’ mysterious creators, unravel their arcane secrets, and perhaps even delve deeper into old Sevenfingers’s tomb to liberate his ill-gotten wealth. Considering what you’ve seen, you’re all now among the foremost authorities on the Gloomspires. I hope that I may call upon all of you again should the Society decide to fund another expedition.” *wink* She raises her cup in a toast. "To ill-gotten wealth!"
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Kahwen literally preened at Captain Benarry's praise and, oddly enough, he finds himself hoping he'll get chosen when the time comes to return and explore further. He hoists his mug.
"To Friend Lumo, Friend Remmy, Friend Conal and Friend Kyra! Here's hoping Rajhan-Vol gets heartburn!" he toasts before taking a modest drink then diving into the feast.