"Why yes, it likely is mine. Doubly thanks for recovering it!" Forsend reviews the items from the iron chest and indeed claims them starting to pull the gear back on he explains the favor he needs.
"I was sent here to explore this ruin and perhaps bring back a certain item that my order suspected was trapped here until the earthquake opened the side. My order expected the ruins to be empty, which is why they sent me alone, but obviously there is a group of Troglodytes here now, and their leader, Trasskar has taken the item I was sent to recover. Would you aid me in its recovery? I'd see to it that the Society rewarded you well for your efforts."
"Is it a deal?"
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"Ah! A fellow thesbian!" exclaims Maximilian, as he (reluctantly) hands the other his rapier. "I'm afraid I'm not familiar with your work, but surely you must have seen my family's troupe perform. Our The Calistrite of Maheto played to sold out audiences across the Inner Sea, and we received positively glowing reviews for 'Tis Pity She's a Warpriest!"
"I wonder if the item you're looking for is the same thing those shady fellows in the bar wanted us to acquire for them?"
Forsend smiles at Maximilian's welcome and the mention of his own acting work. "I am afraid I have missed those shows. My work with the Society often takes me far from civilized lands, so I am afraid I have been a bit out of the circuit of what's hot in the theater district."
Responding to direct inquiries, Balenor sighs. "I have been tasked with recovering a certain pendant, a periapt if you will. It was held in the Temple of Nethys below, where I found and recovered it, but when i was captured by troglodytes, they took the periapt to their leader. He knows a little magic, too little to use the periapt, I hope, but perhaps enough to harm himself, or others with it. While I have had little time to study the object myself, my superiors say it is an artifact of enormous power that shouldn't fall into the wrong hands."
"It is possible there are others who would pay to acquire the periapt. Those others may have enough power or knowledge to actually use the thing. The Society would like to stop that from happening."
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"I see a problem with it. It is the same item we were commissioned to retrieve. At this stage of the game, i'm not sure who to trust with this alleged powerful item. I say we retrieve it and turn it over to the society ourselves. That way we can confirm it will be in safe hands."
Aarion turns to Forsend. "You mentioned your order. Were you referring to the pathfinder society or are you referencing a different organization? Being that I am an inquisitor of Pharasma, I am able to read people very well. Right no my gut is telling me you are holding something back about your presence here."
Forsend sighs. "Your help is appreciated. By 'organization' I mean the Pathfinder Society, I don't have any other agenda. The safe return of the item is my priority. It would be unseemly for non-Pathfinders to return the item; perhaps I can win your trust in the intervening time?"
All geared up and ready for action, Forsend smiles at the rest of the group, "Are we ready to head upstairs then? Trasskar awaits."
"By all means, good sir, lead on!" says Forsend amiably enough. With his rapier drawn, he looks ready to head into battle.
The party moves through the troglodyte barracks, to the door on the north wall. Listening intently, the group hears nothing from behind the door.
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"Well, I for one would prefer to turn the item over to the Pathfinder Society than the two who asked us to come here. Collecting artifacts is one of the reasons I want to join the Pathfinders. Maybe this deed will help us get in," Ruinor says as he starts to ponder the implications of finding the artifact and returning it to the Society.
The door opens into the quatrefoil shape now expected by the Pathfinders exploring the tower. However, this room is damp and humid. Cracks in the walls and ceiling have allowed rainwater to collect here, flooding the room and giving rise to a mild profusion of mold nd fungus along the walls and ceiling.
Standing tin the middle of a pond in the floor is a frog the size of a horse.
Giant Frog - Round 1
22 Josnavaarin
21 Ruinor
21 Orovan
20 Maxmilian
17 Aarion
16 Balenor
14 Giant Frog
8 Silverback
Josnavaarin rushes into the damp room, splashing through the puddles on teh floor. Seeing the giant amphibian he throws his chakram, hoping to take out the beast before it can act. The curved disc hits the frog, gashing open a wound.
Ruinor delays.
Orovan also rushes in, throwing his new favorite weapons, the wooden spike. Unfortunately, he isn't as lucky with this throw and it misses the frog completely.
With a flourish, Maximilian charges into the room, readying his attack if the frog comes near, but brandishing his rapier in theatrical tones in the meantime.
Aarion sees the frog, and quickly prays to Pharasma for divine protection, all the while studying the frog for an advantage if it should come to combat.
Balenor Forsend also draws his rapier, and not to be outdone by Max, he begins reciting a famous poem about a knight slaying a dragon, giving a Morale boost to all the heroes present.
The giant frog, motivated more by hunger than anything else, since food in the tower is hard to come by, looks at the motions of Maximilian and thinks "lunch". With a lurch it lets fly its sticky tongue, trying to grab the spell warrior. The tongue wraps around the warrior, grappling him, then starts to pull him toward the frog, moving Max 5' this round.
Giant Frog - Round 1 -concluded
Commanding his reptilian companion, Silverback enters the room behind Splittooth which rushes to engage the frog (double move). The druid also double moves to close on the over-sized amphibian.
End of Round 1
Giant Frog - Round 2
22 Josnavaarin
21 Ruinor
21 Orovan
20 Maxmilian (grappled)
17 Aarion
16 Balenor
14 Giant Frog (4 hp dmg)
8 Silverback
inspire courage active - +1 to attacks and Dmg and some saves
Thanks to the courageous bardic performance of Forsend, Maximilian is able to break free of the grasping tongue of the giant frog. He steps away trying to not repeat the experience.
Giant Frog - Round 2 - concluded
Dropping his chakram, and switching to his elvish blade, Josnavaarin rushes into melee combat, but his initial swing is wild and misses everything.
Orovan moves into flanking position, even if it means standing in the stale water. His punch at the frog stikes the creature, but glances off its moist hide harmlessly.
Nearby, Aarion punishes the frog with his fauchard, cutting it deeply enought that the frog falls aside dead.
End of Combat
The room is swamped in water, mildew, and fungus, but there is some broken up furniture in this room, as if it were once a bed chamber of some sort.
There is another door in the room, but when opened, it leads to the ruined section of the tower, now with access to the outside.
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"Let me just tidy up a bit..." Orovan says, bagging something from under the table.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Besides the jade angel found by Orovan, there is nothing else of interest or value in this room or through the door to the outside. It appears the only place to go is up...
The four wings of the tower are completely open on this level, forming one great, cross-shaped chamber with arched ceilings. The decayed remnants of a carpet run from the doorways at the end of each wing, meeting in the center, where a spiral staircase drops out of sight below. A large, throne-like chair stands in the middle of the eastern wing next to a big chest.
Standing at the eastern archway, his back to the stairs, is a large troglodyte, carrying a long bone scimitar. An smallish albino alligator stands near him.
Troglodyte King - Round 1
25 Trasskar
21 Snapjaw
16 Ruinor
14 Aarion
11 Josnavarrin
11 Orovan
10 Silverback
7 Maximilian
7 Balenor
Commanding his croc to attack, the Troglodyte leader then begins casting something. The Croc sprints forward in an astounding burst of speed, snapping its jaws on Orovan's leg for 5 hp dmg and grappling the half-orc.
Troglodyte King - Round 1 - continued
Aarion rushes to the aid of Orovan, stabbing the albino crocodile with his fauchard. Even with the aid, Orovan is not able to break free from the grapple.
Josnavaarin studies the target looking for strengths and weaknesses to use to his advantage. Curved blade in hand, he spends the few seconds in contemplative study.
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"Is there no end to these foul beasts‽" Maximilian cries. Once again a red glow fills his eyes, and his voice takes on a dark, menacing growl as he begins to intone,
"Evil and flying beyond the towers
We find numb eruptions near the earth
Be aware! The pleasure keeps going
Sinister and invisible in the wind
We poke electric graves beneath the sky
Atone! The heat must continue
Sinister and numb under the vapors
You examine angry illusions within the flock
Take cover! The sin is hard
shining defiant
saying goodbye
nothing to lose
In whose eyes
the traveller
unlearn his past
while the snow fell"
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Ruinor watches as the Troglodyte casts a spell trying to determine what it is. "It looks like he is trying to summon a swarm!" he says as he recognizes some of the gestures.
Unable to reach the troglodyte to attempt to disrupt his casting, he moves to the wall for cover and unleashes a jet of flame at the crocodile.
Troglodyte King - Round 1 - concluded
Ruinor identifies and calls out the spell being cast by the Trog caster. He then unleashes a fiery jet at the caster's pet crocodile. The croc moves deceptively quick, and dodges most of the fire damage.
Letting fly with his sling against the casting Troglodyte, Silverback grins as his bullet strikes the boss, but frowns when he sees it does not disrupt his spellcasting.
Breaking into song, Maximilian sings a Raging Song, adding damage to his allies weapon attacks.
Seeing that the skald is already singing, Balenor instead fires his shortbow at the croc grappling Orovan. The arrow strikes the beast between the eyes, killing it.
End of Round 1
Troglodyte King - round 2
25 Trasskar (7hp dmg, casting)
16 Ruinor
14 Aarion
11 Josnavaarin
11 Orovan
10 Silverback
7 Maximilian
7 Balenor
Raging Song in Effect: +1 to enhancement bonus to weapons of allies
Trasskar, the trog caster, finishes his swarm spell, and thousands of tiny spiders appear near the spiral stair swarming over the allies. Silverback, Splittooth, and Balenor are overcome with spiders, taking 3 hp damage from thousands of tiny bites.
Traskaar then casts Flame Blade, stepping backward aroud outside and onto the railing. "Thissss tower issss Mine!" he cries at you. "Go back to your flessssy cccity and let ussss alone here."
Though the dinosaur had not been a reliable creature thus far, now it seems to recognize the druid's commands. It quickly moves away from the spiders and toward the troglodyte leader, snapping at it with its toothy maw.
"Ahiiiissss!"