Anadyr, feeling somewhat more confident, stops his constant litany of jokes, and steps forward to introduce the skeleton to his rapier. Need to save some for when we stop the sacrifice...
Marius moves around the enemy.
miss
Marius then slays the creature with a powerful blow. Once the combat has ended you have a chance to survey the room.
Two stone altars, one black and one white, sit at either end of this large chamber, which takes up two wings of the tower on this level. The crumbling remains of wooden benches sag in front of each altar beneath rotting ceiling tapestries. Carved symbols and writings snake along the walls. The burnt corpses of two troglodytes lie on the floor in the center of the room.
Gregolyn, who is certainly no student of religion, does have some minor interest in history however...
He ponders for a moment; "Just who was the last known inhabitant of this tower?"
Marius sheathes his blade and moves about the stone altars, examining them but having no opinion. This wasn't a subject of study for him. He glances over at his companion, Anadyr.
"Know anything about these things?"
Anadyr shakes his head slowly, "No, sorry. I learned little lore at the Academy -- I spent too much time performing on the streets to pay for my schooling to actually attend much of it.... especially the drier parts."
He looks at the bodies and asks, "Can anyone tell how these were killed? Did they run afoul of our flaming friends? And if so, who keeps setting the locks and traps behind them?"
Gregolyn recalls that the Band of the Phoenix were one of the last to occupy the tower, although his historical intuition also lends enough clues to identify this room as a temple dedicated to Nethys.
Once inside the room it is easily observed that each altar contains asilver services, a holy symbol, and a scroll.
Marius moves to the altar to the south, and picks up the scroll there. He opens the scroll, and attempts to read it.
While the others are studying the ruins, Anadyr sighs, Maybe I should have attended more classes after all.. oh well, I should make myself useful, in any case.
With that, he casts Detect Magic and starts to scan the room, looking for any magical auras..
"Anyone care to wager that black altar over there holds no end of trouble for us?"
"Anyone??"
Gregolyn just laughs and waits for Anadyr to finish his magical scan of the room...
Marius moves to the altar to the south, and picks up the scroll there. He opens the scroll, and attempts to read it.
The scroll is written in magic runes and symbols.
As there is no where else on this floor to travel, the only other option is further up the stairs.
Anadyr reports, "Nothing has a magic aura other than the scrolls. I guess we should grab the valuables and head upstairs, unless anyone sees a better option?"
He chuckles, "And I won't take that bet -- at this point I think the whole tower exists just to trouble us."
Gregolyn walks over to the northern altar, then to the southern altar as he attempts to assess the values of the settings atop each of them...
Gregolyn laughs; "As I've said before, gems and jewels are not my strong point!"
He then moves over to the door to the stairwell, and checks to see if it is locked or perhaps trapped...
Marius nods in agreement with Anadyr, and waits for Gregolyn to finish his inspection.
You continue up the stairway until reach another door. The stairs continue and you see daylight over the spiraling stairs above. It would appear your options would be to enter the fourth level or move on to the roof.
This door is not locked but Gregolyn does here strange sounding voices from behind it.
Gregolyn stops at the door, then quietly readies his bow by nocking an arrow and says in a whisper; "Strange sounding voices behind the door! Perhaps more of those reptile-people, but I don't know... Be ready!
After waiting for his companions to ready themselves, Gregolyn opens the door...
Anadyr steps back and draws his bow at Gregolyn's news, Yup, something that wants to kill us, no doubt. The stories of adventurers seem much nicer than the reality of it... He shakes himself a moment and nods as he touches his magic, ready to fill the bow with a fraction of it.
The door swings open to reveal three Troglodytes lying in low bunks. Rotten blankets fly as they are startled to attention.
Marius quickly pulls out his bow and nocks an arrow. He moves into the room, directly south of the door, and fires at one of the trogs. At this point in the tower, there can be no hesitation. It's either his life, or theirs.
Gregolyn fires and misses.
Anadyr moves, fires and hits Trog 3.
Trog 2 jumps and grabs a club.
Marius moves, fires and sinks another arrow into Trog 3.
Trog 3 gets up off the cot and grabs a club.
Trog 1 stands up and moves towards Marius with no weapons in hand.
Anadyr winces as the troglodyte takes two arrows and continues to advance, and is especially concerned about the one that hasn't taken up a weapon. Spellcaster, perhaps? Or just one that wants to fight with its claws?
He drops his bow as the troglodytes close on him, drawing his rapier and shortsword, then taking a small (5') step to stand next to Marius, filling the weapon with a fraction of his magic while trying to jab it into the unarmed troglodyte.
When the beast doesn't fall, despite the jab, he sighs and says, "These blasted lizard are tough.... Next time can we go to a tower full of harmless fluffy bunnies?"
Gregolyn curses as his arrow misses! He steadies himself, and fires another arrow at one of the reptilian humanoids...
Marius smirks at Anadyr's comment. "Sure, after this we'll go find one, okay?" He then lets off one more arrow at the same trog he fired at before, drops his bow and draws his longsword, staring down the trog directly in front of him.
Gregolyn arrow slays Trog #3.
Anadyr adjusts, swings, and slices a hit!
Trog 2 moves to the south east door and opens it. He calls for help in the Aklo tongue.
Marius deals a fatal blow to Trog #1.
Anadyr wonders aloud, "What do you guys think -- is this that Tasskar the kids were telling us about?"
He walks a wide path around the newcomer, Careful, that scimitar looks sharp, and the Trog looks like he knows how to use it..., shifting into a flanking position.. Marius should help keep it distracted...
He raises his rapier to strike, keeping his concentration on the foe while pulling some of his magic into the blade.
Gregolyn moves into the room, he too circles around the foe in order to get into a position of flanking, but trying to keep some distance from the reptilian humanoid...
All the while, keeping his bow ready...
Marius growls as the heat of battle and blood lust envelops him again. He brings his blade down with both hands to the trog who called for help. His eyes glance up to the larger trog in the now opened room, but only to catch a quick glimpse of the creature, before returning his concentration on the target.
Gregolyn moves, shoots, and misses.
Anadyr moves around and attacks but his attack is narrowly deflected.
Trog 4 moves out the the room and above Anadyr.
miss
Trog 2 teams up on Anadyr.
Anadyr is wounded!
Marius swings and misses.
Seeing no other option, Gregolyn fires another arrow at the lizard-like humanoid...
Gregolyn Curses; "Desna laughs at me once again this day!" He then drops his bow and draws his shortsword...
Anadyr grins as the Troglodytes attack him, laughing, "I guess I'm just not as scary looking as you are, Marius!", he exclaims, letting his wise tongue distract him from the pain and fear.
He grits his teeth a little and focuses his attention on the one that he's flanking with Marius, hoping to reduce the number of foes trying to kill him, while drawing on his magic to charge his weapons.
miss
Gregolyn misses again.
He then heaves a mighty swing which wounds the flanked Trog.
Trog 4 attacks Anadyr.
It misses badly.
Trog 2 turns to Marius and attacks.
miss
Marius does his best to finish off Trog 2.
hit!
Marius thrusts his long sword through the heart of his foe. It slumps to the ground in a lifeless fall.
Shortsword in hand, Gregolyn moves into a flanking position. Aiming for a vital spot, he then trusts hard into the creature's softer tissue...
Anadyr smiles as Gregolyn steps behind the Troglodyte, "I'll swing high and low, you aim for the middle!" He draws his magic out into his weapons, and tries to strike down his distracted foe.
After bringing his blade through the trog, Marius turns his attention to the remaining one. The adrenaline running through him brings him to a heightened state of consciousness, one that makes him oblivious to everyone else but him and the target. He takes a 5-foot step to the west, and glares down at the trog. He roars out a battle cry, and brings his blade down with ferocity on the final trog.
Gregolyn and Marius stab fatal wounds into the last standing Trog. His masterwork scimitar and leather armor can be collected.
Beyond the door of the next room you hear muffled cries for help, and swing open the door to reveal Balenar Forsend, the lost Pathfinder scout you were sent to collect.
Balenar suggests an immediate retreat from the tower without a confrontation with the mighty Tasskar and his pet.
Satisfied to escape with your primary mission accomplished, and your lives you waste no time in returning to Absolam and reporting to the Vencture Captain.
You each receive the 200 gold promised, as well as invitations to join the Pathfinder society as regular members for exceptional performance in the field.