Torch sees the panicked look on the creature's face, but does not relent.
Aerys strikes as she tries to leave ....
The green lady dissolves into seaweed, and Ralf returns to the surface after providing Aerys with some healing.
Aided by magic, you can take 20 on your Perception check so it is easy enough to find a black pearl. Also you find a skeletal hand wearing a silver ring inset with a fire opal worth 1200 gp.
Eventually you are able to return the pearl to Nkechi. He gives you a skeptical look and grumbles to himself as he retreats into his cabin to inspect it and the feather, leaving you outside. After half an hour he returns with a rare smile on his face. He invites you into his abode.
As you enter the smelly hut, Nkechi asks you to sit in a circular pattern on his floor about a large clay brazier filled with herbs. Nkechi picks up a wooden mortar filled with reddish paste, and proceeds to draw mystic symbols on your faces with the paste as he walks around the circle chanting esoteric words. He firmly snaps, “Do not interrupt!” at Gelik when he tries to comment on the proceedings. When finished, he pulls out a pouch filled with some small roots, eats a piece, and requests that the PCs do the same. With earnest gravity, he states: “We are going to speak to Gozreh.”
"A little snack? Well I was feeling a mite peckish, don't mind if I do!" Ralf replies to the offered root and he chows down on it.
Sniffing at the root, Kamal examines it carefully. Frowning the Mwangi guide shrugs before slowly chewing on the fibrous mass.
The root is a potent hallucinogen called dromotu. Anyone who ingests the root quickly falls into a dreamlike trance.
During the strange trance, Nkechi foreshadows the unveiling of the ruins of a forgotten city from ancient folklore. But he warns that many rivals seek the city, and it is unclear who shall be first to claim the location. He also sees a darkness within the city, and ominous storm clouds gathering on the horizon.
Suddenly in the midst of the crab's divinations, a serpent manifests and attacks. You notice that some of the markings on its scales are the same as those of Yarsoth, the serpent woman.
Roll for initiative.
Aerys watches as others take the root, with her senses on edge she takes a bite and starts to chew before spitting it out, its taste sharp sour taste assaulting her palate. However, she sees the others, who having taken the root are looking unharmed, so tries the next bit, chewing it and ingesting Nkechi's gift, wondering if she really will talk with a god under this man's guidance. Her stomach knots in apprehension of meeting such a powerful entity.
"Who?" Ralf asks in confusion.
Init:
Torch bites the root, intrigued by the cultural ritual, and is not completely surprised when the trance begins to take effect. The visions disturb him, troubled by the darkness in and around the city that is their goal, but he barks a cackling laugh, his hackles raising and teeth bared, as he sees the serpent intrude on the proceedings.
Sam “Torch” McQuarry
Male half-elf ranger (guide) 2 / rogue 2
CG Medium humanoid (elf, human)
Init +6; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +10
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DEFENSE
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AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13
(Dex +2, dodge +1, natural +3)
hp 37 (2d10+3 plus 2d8+4); current 37
Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +1 (+3 vs enchantments, +4 vs compulsions)
Defensive Abilities evasion; Immune sleep
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OFFENSE
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Spd 50 ft.
Melee bite +7 (1d6+6, 20/x2, plus trip)
Special Attacks ranger’s focus 1/day (+2 atk/dam), sneak attack +1d6, trip
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STATISTICS
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Str 18 (+4), Dex 15 (+2), Con 12 (+1), Int 14 (+2), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 7 (-2)
Base Atk +3; CMB +7; CMD 20
Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Disable Device), Two-Weapon Fighting
Skills Acrobatics +9 , Appraise +6 , Climb +8 , Disable Device +13 , Knowledge (dungeoneering) +8 , Knowledge (nature) +9 , Knowledge (history) +10 , Knowledge (planes) +5 , Linguistics +7 , Perception +10 (+11 finding traps) , Stealth +9 , Survival +8 (+9 tracking) .
Languages Aklo, Azlanti, Common, Draconic, Elf, Polyglot, Thassilonian
SQ track +1, trapfinding +1, trap spotter, wild empathy +0 (-4 magical beasts)
Traits Mwangi Scholar, Scholar of the Great Beyond
Gelik munches on the hallucinogen without hesitation, clearly excited.
Abermonkey shrieks with glee, hopping up and down a few times before he sees the snake.
Torch surges forward, teeth flashing as he leaps on the snake.
Str 19 +4
AC 15 +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 Natural
Senses low-light vision, scent;
climb 20 ft.
Melee bite +7 (1d6+4 plus grab), 2 claws +7 (1d3+4)
Special Attacks pounce
*Caw!* Kamal quarks while ruffling his feathers at the unusual shape.
Feeling Torch's strong jaws burying themselves in its neck, the snake tries to retaliate but Torch is too quick for it.
You are all up.
Ralf takes to the air (clumsily), flies 20' up and uses his mystic skills to stab at the snake's mind.
Brain Drain (Wis DC 16 negates): damage
Torch tries to shift positions to clear a path for the leopard that is Aerys, then makes another bite with his powerful jaws.
Aerys feels the powerful muscles and feline form, she has taken. She feels the deadly talons, flicking them long and short on her paws. She opens her mouth, a roar escapes as her tongue flicks the sharp canine teeth inhabit her mouth. She flexes the muscles in her hind quarters and begins a to run at speed towards the serpent. She jumps, her claws and mouth ready to sink into the scaly foe.
Ralf's magic pierces the snakes mind, causing it to writhe in pain, and Aerys sinks her teeth into its scaly flesh, but it is Torch's powerful jaws that find its neck and literally bites its head off. The decapitated serpentine body thrashes and writhes violently before gradually fading away.
One by one, you come to your senses, . Nkechi is looking grave. "It appears that your mission is of greater import than I imagined, and it also concerns Gozreh, or at least her children. I will come with you and be your guide through the wilderness, and I will use my powers to keep you safe and sound."
It only takes the old man a short while to gather his possessions, and then you can return to Eleder.
The time to depart finally approaches, and captain Kassata Lewynn gives you a map of Sargava and the southern Mwangi expanse. With Yarsoth's notes, that should enable you to find Tazion. She suggests that you act as trailblazers, travelling a few days ahead of the expedition proper. Kassata encourages you to travel light and to restock in Kalabuto, wherre she knows some people.
You would be well advised to avoid contact with the locals, who might be working for another faction, and to approach her contact, a dwarf named Cheiton in the Shrunken Head, a popular tavern. He can be recognized by the distinctive cave-and-pick tattoo on his shoulder, and can be trusted. He also owns a house where you can stay.
Pleased with their recruitment success, Torch takes up his trusty backpack, dons his armor, settles his scimitar on his hip and his cestus on his left hand, pulls his broad-brimmed hat down over his eyes, and turns his steps toward the road that leads to Kalabuto. He is in extremely good spirits - this is exactly the sort of thing he set out to reach Sargava to do...
Ishirou and the pirates, Nkechi and the leshy will be staying with the main caravan, so you'll be on your own unless you wish differently.
Dammit! I missed my chance to fling some poo.
Gelik has chosen to don silky pantaloons, a little leather vest, and sturdy walking slippers for their grand adventure. In the spirit of freebooting, he's going with a tricorn "pirate" hat. He's still carrying the spear he took from the fungus-men, though he holds it awkwardly.
I'm going to just go ahead and assume you guys know how to get to this Kabbahooty place. Sounds like fun. He then begins marching behind Torch, though he immediately starts to fall behind.[/b]
According to the map, the fastest route to Kalabuto is to travel overland through the wild scrublands and savanna, along the older trade routes that skirt between the Bandu Hills and the Laughing Jungle. These routes were used primarily by early colonists, most of whom were prospectors seeking their fortunes in salt, gold, and diamonds. While several successful mining operations remain, the trails are far less used than they were in the past, particularly because merchants using them are easy targets for brigands and wild beasts. This same remoteness should lessen the chance you encountering the any of your rivals seeking to block or sabotage your mission. The caravan routes lead to the edge of the M’neri Plains, at which point you can break from the trail and head west to Kalabuto. The entire trip is expected to take about 2 months, and it's about 20 days to Kalabuto.
You'll be moving ahead of the caravan, scouting and clearing the way. You can spend the night in the main camp, though, so you needn't worry about setting up camp or guard order.
On the second day, as you are travelling through a desolate area, a hideous creature leaps out at a bush. It looks like an emaciated rooster but it's got bat wings and leathery, glistening skin.
Roll for initiative.
"Cockatrice!" Torch roars, a note of genuine worry in his voice. He is already reaching for his blade.
Aerys looks at the creature, "So we know what it's called, you know it's weaknesses Torch?",
Know:
Init:
"Watch out for that monster chicken -- a few pecks and he could turn you to stone, he could!" Ralf counsels.
Language! Gelik scolds Torch.
Backing away quickly Kamal nods to the others. It's a Cockatrice! Kamal yells in confirmation. I will summon a child of stone to attack it. Try to stay at range and avoid its beak at all costs.
The cockatrice goes on 8, so all except Kamal can act. It's within a single move away, and I don't think we need a map.
Aerys shouts "Scatter!" as she moves away quickly to the left, drawing her bow and stringing an arrow. Once on her own she lets fly, hoping to wound the bird.
Torch changes the direction of his move as well, grabbing for his bow and an arrow as Aerys does. Gritting his teeth, he circles right, then fires a shot at the cockatrice from that side.
The cockatrice goes on 8, so all except Kamal can act.
Ralf also sits around slack-jawed (since he acts on 6).
Torch's arrow hits the monster in its flank. Gelik delays and the enraged monster makes a bee-line for Ralf, but even slack-jawed, his armor is too much for it.
You are all up.
Seeing Ralf threatened, Torch throws aside his bow and hurls himself toward the cockatrice, drawing his scimitar as he does.
Ralf steps back and blasts the chicken with a burst of noise.
Discordant note, sonic damage plus staggered for one round, Fort save DC 16 for 1/2 damage and no staggering.
(I assume Ralf usually has his club/walking stick in hand.)
Seeing Torch bravely go to rescue Ralf, Aerys cannot stand away from the beast and charges in too, using all her strength to hurt the creature.
Watching as the others begin to rain blows upon the creature, Kamal preparied himself to begin summoning a creature of stone and mud should the creature survie the attacks.
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That's one dead chicken.
The rest of the day is uneventful. In fact, the trip is uneventful for three more days, at which point the main trail snakes northeast around a tall section of hills, and then detours north connecting with several of the region’s more profitable and still operating mines.
Your map shows the location of an abandoned mine to the southeast marked as the Fzumi Salt Mine. It appears to lead to the edge of the M’neri Plains, suggesting that passage through the mines provides a shorter route south through the hills.
The map doesn't say much about the mine or its owner, but it seems that you could cut your journey time by 1 day by taking a shortcut. Are you interested?
Pointing out the diverging path, Kamal pauses at the fork. That way leads to the Fzumi Salt Mines. It was abandoned some time ago. It would shorten our journey if we were to clear the route for our caravan by a day or two. The other path would take longer, but it is well traveled. What do you all think? If time is of the essence I think the mine is the better option, but I doubt it will be uninhabited and may lead to complications..
Torch has already begun grinning his ghastly, stomach-churning grin before Kamal has finished his second sentence. "I know we don't know each other very well yet," he tells the Mwangi guide, "but 'complications' in an abandoned underground complex is like sweet music to my ears..." The grin fades, though, and he frowns back over his shoulder, looking down the path they have taken. "And honestly, we've already faced sabotage, even attempted murder, to slow us down. There are other groups out there looking for a piece of Saventh-Yhi, and it's a race to see how well we each make it. Every hour might be worth something."
"Yeah, and danger is Torch's middle name." laughs Aerys. "It would seem we'll be going underground again. I'd best go and make sure Torch doesn't get lost or hurt." She takes out her longsword and twirls it around in the air, "Yep, this will do the trick."
"Lead the way, gents!" Ralf suggests affably.
Gelik, who had chosen to watch the recent magic-chicken murder instead of pitching in, now decides to break out of his marching induced apathy to add, unhelpfully, Why would anyone mine salt? You can buy it at the store.
Then he follows the gang.
Perception: , -4 if it's sound-related
"Hey folks," Ralf blurts out in what he thinks is a whisper, "don't look now, but there's a girl following us back yonder!"