Truk leaps into the water.
And then climbs up on the other side.
"I...um...I can't swim...and I am not good at jumping, my...my b...body isn't very strong..."
Garborn says in a small voice, looking very sheepish.
Iolana too looks uncertain.
"That makes two of us....i can swim very well, but will never manage to climb those cliffs, not out of that running water."
"Wait over there", Truk says over the crashing water.
"Maybe Synd and I can figure this thing out."
"It should be enough if one of you two tied a rope to something on the other side, while i tie the other end at my waist."
Gatherine watched the demiork jump into the water,slice through the water,then claw his way up the buttee.
She though about swimming into the water but didn't relish the thought of getting herself,her gear, or her munitions wet.She eyed the distance between where she stood and the butte.
Perception
Judging the distance and how far she would fall should she fail,she decided to go for it. Besides,there was still that damned chupacabra lurking down there along with several corpses.
The dwarf maid started to stretch and bent her knees.She backpedaled several paces before taking a charging waddle off the edge of the cliff!
Then she sprang and sailed across the water below in a bound worthy of a mountain goat,stubby legs extended.She hollered at the top of her lungs.
Acrobatics plus running start.
Grit and glory!!
"Gatherine, show-off as always.And by the way Truk, i'm not stripping naked to jump in the water like i did several times when we first landed here, you can forget it."
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"Ah, come on!" Truk grukbles in disappointment.
Gatherine landed directly on top of the butte with a thump and shot both fists up into the air with a whoop.She hopped about in a frenetic dance of triumph.
HAH! I did it and I didn't hafta to get wet!
Syndlara takes a running start and leaps over the chasm to the butte, following Truk.
"Well, I...I guess I can just st...st...stay here and keep the captain company."
But I shouldn't send them in alone...ah, I know.
"Fleek? Guard!" Garborn indicates Gatherine.
Fleek, having the speed of a greased lightning bolt immediately moves forward.
She likes to stay in the rear, so she could use a guard, and...um...there is something about her...
As Gatherine finishes in a victory pose, she starts to fall over the edge.
Aiiiieeee...I spoke too soon!!
Syndlara turns just in time to see Gatherine falling backwards, and starts forward to aid her--but stops, when she sees Truk grab her arm and pull her fully onto the butte. "Stop messing around," she quips, turning back to the standing stones.
Truk'tosh is able to yank Gatherine from teetering on the edge onto secure ground of the butte.
In the middle of the butte, you see four large rectangular stones. All are leaning toward the center... surrounding a dark rusty-red pyramid set upon an ornate stone pedestal.
The stones are each similarly covered with carvings of snakes. The largest snake on each stone is carved to look like it is piercing the center of its stone. Their tails extend to the center... over the pedestal holding the pyramid.
The entire structure is about 7 feet high ... it is vibrating, and emitting a low constant hum. The large snakes protrude from the stone at about three feet from the ground with open mouths.
Str 12/Dex 13/Con 13/Int 17/Wis 12/Cha 14
HP 26/27
AC (lamellar armor) [Tot 17] [Touch 12] [FF 15] (armor+4 dex+1 dodge+1 natural+1)
CMB:+4 (+3BaB +1strength)
CMD:15 (+3BaB +1strength +1dexterity +10)
Fortitude save +5 (+4base +1con)
Reflex save +2 (+1base +1dex)
Will save +5 (+4base +1wis)
BaB+3
Initiative+1
Perception +7
Caster level check +11
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(armor check pen. not included)
Climb +6 //Intimidate +7 //Knowledge Arcana +10 //Profession(Sailor) +5
Spellcraft +10 //Swim +7 //Sense Motive +4 //Survival +9
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Speed 30ft/9mtr
+1 Scimitar [att+5 dam1d6+2 18-20/x2 type S]
Shortbow [att+4 dam1d6 x3 60ft type P] 15 arrows
Prepared Spells :Level 0(cantrips):Daze(will DC13);Acid Splash(1d3 acid);Light;Detect Magic
Level 1:Shocking Grasp x2 (4d6 elect)
Level 2:Web (reflex DC15); Bull's Strength (+4 str)
Arcane Pool(1/2 magus level+int mod)[5]
Carrying 40lbs/light emcumbrance/check penalty -1
used the pearl of power for the day
Iolana strips almost completely and ties everything in her sack, keeping the spellbook as much covered as possible.
She then ties the other end of the rope to her waist and dives in the water, quickly reaching the others and climbing the cliffs to the butte.
Satisfied, wet and naked the girl pulls over her equipment and begins donning it.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, but now i have to dress so look the other way please.And what to do with ...Gahrbone.... whatever his name?"
T-thanks...the dwarf maid clung to Truk's arm.
The bladedancer circles around the pyramid, inspecting it. "Well, I'd say it's magical. Or else, rocks naturally hum with power...."
"I wonder what happens if I do...this...."
The hum intensifies as Syndlara moves closer. You all feel a very slight tug toward the structure... like a weak magnet.
Hard to tell at first glance, but there seem to be several schools of magic involved within this contraption. It amplifies power... draws power... something like that.
You sense a feeling in your sides that comes with the rapid detoxification that can only come with magic.
Truk looks around.
"So does anyone know how to use these things?"
You see specks of filth slip from the other's pores as they move closer. The vibration turns the toxins into a fine mist which is "inhaled" by each of the snakes. Some dark substance drips onto the pyramid's pedestal.
The pyramid shakes then rises slightly... less than an inch.
"They're spillin' some kinda poison", Truk mumbles aloud as he oolges the nude Iolana.
Gatherine peered closely at the stones,stroking her chubby chin with long nailed stubby fingers.Perception
She wracked her brain to see if she remembered anything in her engineer training that would relate to this.After all,wasn't magical devices like arcane machines?Engineering Knowledge check
Iolana looked as Syndlara inspected the stones, and she was wiping her body and hair with her towel.
"By the look of those stones, they seem to be involved with multiple school of magic.Will look more carefully once i'm fully dressed and equipped again."
"Take your time. Heh."
"Actually, I think they're...cleansing things of poison. Like, pulling it from us--me, anyway--into itself."
"Um...Truk? D...Did you say poison? L...like snakes? L...like in the pictures in the...cave?"
Garborn calls out from the other side of the jump.
Truk studies the pyramid closely.
"Uh, yeah."
Suppose I should check it out. The tribesman thinks while looking at the waters with concern. He strips off his armor and leaving i with Garborn and enters the river trying his best not to drown.
After a while he manages to get to the butle and climbs it thanks to his magic shoes. I think I am getting good at this sort of stuff, curse this island. He looks around the stones.
When she has dressed and equipped back, Iolana points out to Garborn.
"I'm not at ease leaving him, he proved to be capable, and who knows what we'll have to face.Beside i don't leave crewmen behind."
This was made by followers of Ydersius.
It seems to draw the toxins from you, and those toxins make the pyramid in the center rise.... it is likely stronger toxins like venom would be far far more effective.
Strong magic here, ritual magic. Powered by venon... Ydersius again. Mugambi says after inspecting the structure. Maybe we take small pyramid with us and hide it, just in case.
"No, no. I think this is the key to the ritual to raise and lower the water here," Syndlara says, fiddling with one of the snakes on the pyramid.
Yes, it is da key, agreed. Snake witch brought it here from da cave. But she is not here, we going after her, right?
Letters appear as Syndlara tries to get some idea of how to "use" it... the surface of the stone darkens in splotches which form crude writing.
As this happens, the sky darkens as well. Clouds tear free in a perfect diameter of many miles in the sky, and race toward the center... directly above you.
You think that toxins make the pyramid hover.. stronger toxins likely work better... somehow through magnetics(?) it must lower the water.
You see dozens of snakes emerge from the sides of the butte, and wriggle up toward the group.
"Uh, Syndie, what did ya do?"
"Ware! Snakes are massing around you!"
Oh,great,Imma die by a bunch of little snakes.Gatherine glared at the wriggling swarm of snakes coming towards them.
....Wait,I got some poison for the blowgun.Should I smear it onto the stone?
The dwarf maid took the time to root around in her adventurer sash to retrieve the bowl of poisonous paste.
As Gatherine retrieves the venom from her satchel, the color drains from it... like coloring from a sno-cone. The pyramid begins to hover more, and you see the tiny snakes swarm up all around you from the edge of the butte.
The writing becomes clearer... and looks to be the same language Garborn was able to read.
"It's workin'!" Truk shouts. "You got any more?"