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Shilyn picks up the now useless wand before retrieving her bow and slipping it over her shoulder. Giving the wand a glance, she shrugs then stuffs it into her pack in hope that it could be recharged later.
"I'm going to take a peek down this other passage," she informs the others before stepping off to see what's down the way.
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Shilyn finds the Crow's body (as described above), as well as some gear that could not be consumed by the fungi (magic armor and more importantly, but now sorta moot, a +1 aberration bane longsword :) ).
Varian aids Mahasi's health, stopping the ghoul fever before it starts consuming the Vudrani.
The guards otherwise stare at the pair as Mahasi is treated in the cool evening rain.
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Mayor Heggry greats you in his office as the Crows escort the party after treating Mahasi's wounds. Deaglan and Owai leave to continue research on the whereabouts of any other Keepers (apprentices perhaps). The roads are once again bustling as citizens clamor over each other to return, their moods already lifted as the sagging weight of dread is lifted from their shoulders.
The Mayor himself is grateful. "Thank you, Pathfinders. You have not only defeated a lurking evil, but have saved our city in the process. If you wish, you may have any of the lots where the 'Keepers' as you called them previously resided for use for your Society. Inform us of your choice, and I'll have construction begin your new lodge."
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Returning to the Grand Lodge with good news, Owai bids the party farewell as he continues on his own journeys.
Meanwhile, Ambrus once again calls the party to his office, his large oak desk as intimidating as always, but a small gnome twitches nearby, standing intently otherwise.
"Welcome back; I heard news that you not only secured a location, but at a fraction of the price we were expecting. Very well done."
The stalwart venture captain looks to at the gnome with a smile. "Since Owai has been reassigned, this little fella will accompany you back into Thornkeep. I want you to explore the floor below the Vaults... the Menagerie I believe. Make your preparations and head out quickly.", Ambrus shuffling the party out as he prepares another briefing, leaving everyone alone to introduce themselves.
The trip back to the River Kingdoms is uneventful, and back into the rambunctious town of Thornkeep, things are the same as always. Brother Eldrast is trying to 'civilize' the thugs of the town through beer sermons at the Thirsty Ogre, Shandar is already abuzz with more juicy gossip while running the Greenforest Inn, and town goblins are still doing the rundown jobs in town.
"So whatcha guys doing back here? And who'z dat lil fella?", Shandar poking a thumb over to Quarr as he serves the party breakfast.
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"This is my friend, Quarr, who is taking Owai's place... not exactly his role among us, but joining us in his absence. He is quite adept and has some really interesting abilities. He's quite unique and I like him. So do tell us, anything interesting going on in or around town since we were here last?"
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Quarr pipes up as he looks up at all of the tall men. My name is Quarr!
Out from his cloak unfurls a pair of batlike wings. Large veins pulse down the membranes as they twitch behind his back.
Seeing the man look at him Quarr becomes slightly embarrassed. These were a mutation that went.... interestingly wrong. You see I had an elixir I was working on but I didn't account for additional power from the Ruby Sage. Seems it became a permanent feature on my body now... Has come quite handy here and there.
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Mahasi delicately takes a bite of his meal, fork balanced carefully in his hands. His meat is soft, pink, and gooey, with many whorls and and loops on its surface. "A very stimulating meal. Hard to believe I have forsaken meat this long - I must admit, my journey to the city of Carrion Hill was very enlightening." He dabs his napkin to his lips delicately. "Yes we have returned to finish our explorations of this 'Thornkeep'. Any stirrings of local tidings are naturally of interest to us."
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The dwarf sips from his ale while listening how Mahasi and Varian are trying to get more information. He nods at Quarr
"There is room for anyone with a good heart in Torags halls. Trudd will vouch for you if your heart is good. That Ambrus Valsin has confirmed that you are a Pathfinder is good enough for me. I am Deaglan, son of Donagh"
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Looking up from a plate that, although piled high with various meats, vegetables, and cheeses when the venture captain started, now sits barren of all but a leftover bone, a young half-Elvish woman reaches across the table with her left hand to snag an apple while taking a sip of wine with her right.
"Oh, right," she says before letting out a belch a dwarf would be proud of, " Introductions. I'm Shilyn, resident requisitioning and relocation expert specializing in abandoned, neglected, or under-appreciated antiquities or other items of inherent value or interest." She concludes with a mischievous grin.
Waving an apple filled hand in greeting she a bite out of it as she turns to the dwarf. "Deag, you going to eat that sausage?" She eyes the link of meat greedily as if she hadn't already eaten enough for two..
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After the party finishes their meal, they head back down the long walk to reach the Menagerie doors. Shilyn expertly unlocks the heavy doors that block the descent to the next level. The party ready, they go into the dark steps.
A series of steps wind back and forth leading to an large stone room. A scuffed circle of blue and white can be seen in the northwest corner of the landing, but closer inspection will be required to investigate further.
The true oddity is a floating, flickering gray image of a metal helmet.
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As the party peers over the railway guarding the stairs and tries inspect the room, they get little information.
@Deaglan: It is indeed magical... it's an animated object, with some other enchantments on it to make it practically incorporeal.
Quarr spots several torches that line the walls, present but not lit.
Mahasi tries talking to the helmet, but to no avail.
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As soon as Varian takes his first step off of the stairs and onto the floor, the torches automatically light, warm hues now illuminating the room . A large, unseen bell emits a single, deep, toll. The helmet solidifies somewhat, still somewhat transparent, but less blurry, and it begins to fly towards the party, with curiosity than with ill intent. It looks over at Mahasi and nods.
In Azlanti, it speaks, "Welcome to the great Menagerie of Nhur Athemon! I am your guide, Melabdara. I must warn you that without the Master present, some of the exhibits may get out of hand. Unfortunately, we do not cover any injuries, broken bones, maiming, disembowelments, accidental or intentional death, or reproductive dysfunction that may occur during the tour."
With that, the helmet floats over to the single door at the end of the chamber.
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"Correct; dismemberments require the original body part for claims.", Melabdara quips back as the party opens the door to enter the Menagerie.
A long hallway has a door to the right and another at its end. "Straight ahead is the Masque of the Many, a representation of a serene badland landscape. To your right, you will enter a small portion of the Mwangi expanse."
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"Ahh, good question dwarf!" It is interesting at this point that the helmet, which was speaking Azlanti before, is now speaking Common, much to the party's benefit.
"Nhur Athemon's exhibits are more than just animal viewing areas; they are magically recreated environments to properly display the proper habitats of these variety of creatures. I was commanded, though, to leave exactly what out, though, for the surprise and enjoyment of the Master's guests."
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So," Shilyn asks, "which way we going to start?" Grabbing a coin from her pouch, she casually flips it into the air and catches it, quickly slapping her palm against the back of her other hand. Taking a quick peek at the coin, she winks and heads towards the western door, tucking the coin back into her pouch as she does.
"Nice and carefully thought out approach making use of all pertinent information available to arrive at a logical conclusion," she says with a giggle.
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The party passes the first door and heads to the end of the hallway. Shilyn does her first bit of snooping and, finding the door unlocked and untrapped, opens it.
The archway of this chamber's entrance is curtained with black chains and metal rings, from which hang the hands of many species - animal paws, humanoid hands, and skeletal fists. Within this room stretches a sun-drenched, dusty canyon. Layers of reddish rock create small plateaus that rise up in graduated ledges against the walls of the room, which appear to be impossibly high canyon walls. Tall pillars of orange stone rise up from parched earth, all seemingly randomly dispersed throughout the barren landscape. One of these hoodoos soars well above the rest, easily rising thirty feet into the sky above. A fissure in the walls opens up to the northeast, revealing a night sky full of stars in the distance.
"This is the Masque of the Many, a collection of hoodoos and stone from Nalgaia, a badland south of Azlant."
The helmet looks around the room and continues. "Do not stare directly into the sun; it is bad for your eyes. Also, it appears that the ropes that used to aid in climbing to the next chamber, the Nightsky Gauntlet, you will have to use your own skills to continue the tour!"
You happen to notice that a strange little creature with a tiny hammer lurks behind the closest hoodoo.
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Quarr rises up, being level with the sloped passage to the northwest. Down below, he sees the little man with a hammer Shilyn described and notes its crab-like head, but next to him is a tiny dog-faced creature with a tiny bow and arrow. It looks up at you pointing!
Quarr, usually better at fly, almost stumbles during his ascent though as he almost hyper-extends his wing as he climbed up.
Meanwhile, as Mahasi enters the room... the little man Shilyn spotted smacks his hammer against the hoodoo it is next to topples over into Shilyn and Mahasi!
Mahasi expertly avoids it. Shily, though, was about to step backwards, but somehow slips on a pebble, causing her to stagger her evasive maneuver and get bashed in the head by the lead portion of the hoodoo which is now in ruins on the floor.
With Shilyn's bleeding headwound, the little dog-faced man, now visible to all, giggles with malice. Meanwhile, the other little crab-head man runs to the east behind another hoodoo. Worse, the sound of more giggles can be heard throughout the room, exposing more little creatures hiding about unseen.
The dog-faced creature is a pugwampi, a gremlin of bad luck. Anyone within 20' is afflicted with horrible bad luck that will plague them as long as the gremlin is around!
. Only those blessed by luck , gnolls, and other gremlins are immune to this effect.
Being fey, they have some small spell resistance and require cold iron to fully damage them. Finally, once a day they can try to willfully shatter unattended objects, often in conjunction with the bad luck to cause increased mayhem!
The crab-headed thing is a vexgit, a gremlin of destruction. They are surprisingly strong for their size and experts of destroying and disabling objects, relishing the mayhem of crippled wagon wheels, faulty doors, and other such mishaps.
Being fey, they have some small spell resistance and require cold iron to fully damage them. Finally, once a day they can destroy metal upon touch!
The little dog-faced man in the open fires a toothpick-sized arrow at Quarr! The arrow hits his face, causing some painful irritation!
Init Order (round 1) Bold = up!
P1
Quarr (1 non-lethal)
V1
Shilyn (14 damage)
Varian
Mahasi
Deaglan
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Quarr drinks something and mutates even more!
Once again, the little crab-headed man takes his hammer and tries to knock down another hoodoo!
It gets close, but can't knock the stone enough to cause it to topple!
Init Order (round 1) Bold = up!
P1
Quarr (1 non-lethal)
V1
Shilyn (14 damage)
Varian
Mahasi
Deaglan
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As Varian moves closer, the sound of metal hitting rock can be heard again!
The rocks tumble on top of the aasimar who almost gets out of the way, before some dust gets up his nose, causing him to sneeze and throw his head into one of the toppling rocks.
Behind the now smashed hoodoo are another duo of a dog-faced creature and its hammer-wielding crab-headed ally who promptly high five each other and point at the injured aasimar.
Varian then slams his hammer, smashing the little dog-headed creature in reach , he almost fells it in a single blow, but it barely stands!
"The denizens are restless it seems.", quips the helmet as it floats by Mahasi's side.
Init Order (round 1) Bold = up!
P1 (6 damage)
Quarr (1 non-lethal)
V1
V2
P4
Shilyn (14 damage)
Varian (7 damage)
Mahasi
Deaglan
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Shilyn almost stabs the tiny menace through, but the glare of the sun above reflects off of a shiny bit of from the tall, western hoodoo, to her rapier, and then into her eyes, causing her aim to falter!
Mahasi meanwhile moves into position to shock the maligned creatures, only to find two more of them lurking behind the rocks!
Mahasi's resolve is stronger than the bad luck and the lightning fries 2/3 of the foes!
The rest of the party easily mops up the last two gremlins
The shiny metal that messed up Shilyn's aim is actually mithral ore! It looks like it can be dug out from the hoodoo in 30 minutes.
"Interesting...", Melabdara muses. [b]"Up ahead, if you dare to climb, is 'The Gauntlet'