|
Crugeon can't get ahold of the scholar, while Throck misses his attack. Lem's dagger scores a hit and the woman looks badly injured. And soon goes down as Denizabyss's arrow drops her. Barboo notices that most of the religious aspects of the room are that of Ragdya’s, but there seems to be other gods represented too...although Barboo isn't sure who they are.
|
As Lem is about to scout other areas, Denizabyss clasps his shoulder.
Be careful Lem, I feel we've been pretty lucky so far as we were led to expect many Aspis in the area but we have yet to come across them.
He then continues searching the area for anything useful or more information about the Aspis, their forces, and what they are doing here.
|
|
As the team searches around Throck absentmindedly walks back into his planar eddy and disappears, back to the Grand Lodge. Crugeon stands by.
The temple’s inner sanctum is an elaborate representation of Ragdya’s holy texts and major religious iconography, including the legendary mountain Bahmenu upon which he is said to reside. The elaborate carvings on the columns and walls depict scenes from the legendary deeds, from his youthful escapades stealing from the six-armed calikangs of Astangapur, to his wooing of his hundred brides, to his crossing the sea on the back of a celestial garuda.
The brass mountain at the sanctum’s center is hollow, and holds within it a great statue of Ragdya and a gold and-gem-encrusted mosaic covering its inner surface. Within the hollow mountain are two everburning torches.
The Aspis Consortium have set up camp here, with the paper-covered desk with a lit lantern, a chair. The desk has a detailed map, albeit somewhat allegorical and stylized, of the Vudran peninsula, Denizabyss finds it detects as magical. Lem examines several crates and finds they contain pilfered valuables. Of note is a small golden statuette of a many-armed and grotesquely tusked woman, which rests in one of the Aspis Consortium’s crates here. Also, a much larger statue has been wrapped in blankets and tied with tough twine, and lies on its side beneath the desk.
The scholar has a plethora of scrolls when examined with read magic you find they are scroll of bear’s endurance, scroll of cause fear, scroll of charm person, scroll of false life, 2 scrolls of identify, scroll of tongues. A spellbook, a spell component pouch, a silver Aspis Consortium badge, and 5 gp.
The other woman has a potion of cure light wounds, an antitoxin, a masterwork chain shirt, 3 daggers, sap, cold-weather outfit, 4 sunrods, a bronze Aspis Consortium badge, and 17 gp.
|
|
Barboo is thankful that the battle is over and all make it through. But wait! Throck has disappeared. She stops her singing.
Aw, we did a great job but I do miss our companion, Throck. Maybe we will see him again in the future.
Barboo walks over to Crugeon and looks at the scholar.
Good job, Crugeon! Let's see if we can get some information out of her.
Looking around, she sees the cat. Again, she sings to the cat.
Here kitty, kitty.
If the cat comes over, she tries to speak to the cat. If the cat does not come over she continues to interrogate the scholar trying to get more information about others in the area and what she is doing here.
|
|
Saddened by the unexpected exit of Throck, I'll miss that slow-moving rock of a dwarf!
He helps gather up the found items I suggest that we use the scrolls of false life and bear's endurance on Crugeon and Lem before we run into a large mob of Aspis or at least right before we sneak attack others!
Turning back to the desk, he attempts to identify the map
He also attempts to remember any additional information that might be useful about the statues
Hey Lem, maybe you should keep the bronze Aspis badge in case you are caught off-guard while scouting ahead so that you might be able to bluff your way out!
If the scholar can be interrogated:
Who and where is the leader of this expedition? Where are the other Aspis members?
|
|
Denizabyss isn't sure of the maps magical qualities, but he's more sure about the statue, it's of Meenashdu, god of charity and almsgiving.
The potion of Cure Light Wounds bring the scholar back to consciousness as Crugeon sits on her, as Barboo and Denizabyss question her.
Leska leads and is out exploring, but when she gets back she'll deal with you. I'm guessing by the fact that you made it back here that you've likely already dealt with the rest; lousy guards, I told Neevidi they likely wouldn't be able to handle a Pathfinder assault; she assured me they would be fine, now look...did you kill her? Denizabyss believes she's telling the truth about the leader.
Barboo is distracted from the scholar by the presence of the cat and casts speak with animals. The cat won't approach but does respond, Why you hurt mine? You should get funny cat off of mine.
Lem scouts ahead he finds yet a another solid sheet of ice bars one way, while other interior rooms loom to his right. Inside, stuffy and hot, this shrine has been transformed into a guardhouse and barracks for the Consortium’s henchmen. The smell of cooking food fills the air, and the poorly vented fire, burning in the shrine’s southwest corner, leaves a smoky haze in the room. Everywhere there are signs of a hurried collection of artifacts—the walls are covered in an elaborate relief sculpture, its surface marred with deep gouges where parts of its face were haphazardly carved from the larger whole, and a number of niches in the wall now lie empty, their icons and relics absent. The fire consumes a huge sheaf of palm-frond pages, upon which Vudran calligraphy may be discerned as the flames devour it. The room is surprising unoccupied.
|
|
Feeling that they've gotten all they could from the scholar, Denizabyss binds and gags the scholar so that she can't cause any more trouble especially when this leader Leska comes back.
Having failed to identify the map directly, Denizabyss uses a scroll of Identify on the map.
Crugeon, if the chain shirt fits, I think it would look awesome on you!
So Lem, did you find any other guards or signs of guards? Anything we need to check out?
After hearing from Lem on what he found.
Hmm. I wonder if we might be able to spring a trap on the leader and the missing guards? I'm sure she would know about the Haunt and would avoid the area so would most likely come through where Lem found signs of their camp. We could set up near there to catch them unawares as with the loss of Throck, we might be outnumbered in the next fight and need every advantage we can get. We could possibly catch them coming across the ice before they notice their Aspis comrades are out of the action. Thoughts?
|
|
Shiny shirt too big... Crugeon says sadly as he shoves it into the loot sack with his bottom lip stuck out in a pout.
He wrinkles his nose in a quizzical manner at Barboo as she "talks" with the cat. He then climbs off of the scholar after she's bound and gagged.
Funny lady sound funny. Sound like kitty. Maybe Crug-on talk to kitty too.
Crawling up beside Barboo in a non-threatening manner, he crouches and gently holds out his scarred hand. He says in his best cat impersonation.
|
|
Before returning Lem retrieves what's left of the book, and puts out the cook fire, looking through the room he finds only personal effects.
The cat gives Barboo a quizzical look at the question of who it belongs to. Here we looking for warm places to nap, it is hard here, but I like by the fire, but the mean red cat doesn't like me there, when he is gone that's a nice nap. The funny cat sits on mine. You think it is referring to Crugeon, who moves over toward it. When Crugeon moves over and meows at it, it pulls back and tell Barboo, See it says things funny! I like to help mine, funny cat shouldn't sit on mine.
|
@Barboo--Wonder if the cat is the wizards familiar. See below
Familiars
A familiar is an animal chosen by a spellcaster to aid him in his study of magic. It retains the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but is now a magical beast for the purpose of effects that depend on its type. Only a normal, unmodified animal may become a familiar. An animal companion cannot also function as a familiar.
A familiar grants special abilities to its master, as given on the table below. These special abilities apply only when the master and familiar are within 1 mile of each other.
Levels of different classes that are entitled to familiars stack for the purpose of determining any familiar abilities that depend on the master's level.
If a familiar is dismissed, lost or dies, it can be replaced 1 week later through a specialized ritual that costs 200 gp per wizard level. The ritual takes 8 hours to complete.
|
|
Barboo tells the others about the cat and what it has to say. Barboo continues to talk to the cat.
Dont worry about this guy (Crugeon). He likes to play with you. Would you be my familiar? You could help me out when I go on adventures. I would be much nicer than whoever you belong to .By the way, what is your name and what abilities do you have?
Barboo uses her sweetest voice to try to persuade the cat. She hopes the cat will help her out.
|
|
Denizabyss watches for any sign or noises that the Aspis leader has returned while Barboo continues to talk to the cat. Once she is done, he continues discussing with the group how and where to set up a potential ambush and thinking that sitting behind the opening where the tree fell could allow for seeing anyone enter as well as the tree and ice providing a round or two of attacks before any melee could respond.
|
|
Can we inspect the ice by steps next to the tree vs over by the guard station steps going to the ice? Specifically looking for dirt or junk maybe indicating they cross into over the ice rather than climbing over the tree each time like we did? Might focus where we do our ambush. Don't know if crugeon has a distance weapon to use behind the tree as they approach? I have a short bow I can use.
|
|
Perception
Stealth
Init
Stealth
Perception
Initiative
The group readies for a possible ambush on returning Aspis agents. Crugeon hides in the front corner; as Lem, Barboo, and Denizabyss hide deeper in the room. Not long after you set up a muscled ulfen woman bursts through the door, Battleaxe drawn, wild blonde haired going in every direction. She's followed by another blonde haired ulfen, who looks striking similar to the first woman, expect she wields a longsword instead. A third man, a red-skinned tiefling bring up the rear.
While they seemed to be expecting a fight, they didn't spot anyone, and the Pathfinders have the advantage.
Surprise Round
map
Denizabyss
Lem
Barboo
Skell, blue
Crugeon
Hildr, yellow
Drabbin, red
|
|
As the Aspis enter, Denizabyss fires at the first woman, putting an arrow in her shoulder. Lem leaps out from hiding and stabs her in the ribs. Surprise washes over her and she lets out a scream in anguish, but she stands strong. Barboo begins her song to inspire, as Crugeon emerges from under his hiding place, but his scimitar clangs off the woman's chainmail, she looks at the halfling disapprovingly.
Round 1 Effects: Inspire Courage and Flagbearer
map
Denizabyss
Lem
Barboo
Skell, blue
Crugeon
Hildr, yellow 11 dmg
Drabbin, red