Poling as best he can Relan calls to Vuloo who is behind him in the boat Guide me. The fighter begins to move the boat towards the land in the south with a plan to land at the island if the boat seems to be getting away from him.
"Aidon, any of those dolphins handy to help us through this?"
Survival is reasonable.
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Vuloo, appearing a bit green, does as Relan requests and casts guidance for each of his checks, "May Sarenrae guide you, sir."
Relan is able to get his boat and team just to the beach, but Levelle and Braelex struggle as they get close to the shore and the boat gets caught in the current taking them to the roaring waterfall that cascades off into the darkness below.
Vuloo quickly grabs the hemp rope from his backpack and hands it to Relan. "Toss it to them and pull them back!"
Levelle continues to try to steer the boat with little success. Swearing to herself the elf hears Vuloo's plan. Reaching into her haversack, Levelle pulls her silken rope with great speed and pushes one end at Talaay. Take it to Relan.
Levelle works to hitch the rope to the small boat so that they are relying on the passengers strength on both ends...
Seeing both the offered rope but also Talaay bringing a rope Relan readies to try to hold the boat and to pull it to land.
Everyone on shore, assist me. he says indicating the rope on the ground.
Vuloo jumps on shore and attempts to assist Relan.
But he becomes hopeless entangled in the rope.
Andel will also attempt to assist, unsuccessfully.
"Aidon, any of those dolphins handy to help us through this?"
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The hunter secures the rope quickly as the bird hauls the rope to Relan. The valiant warrior grabs hold and secures himself and when the rope snaps taught, he skids forward a couple feet knocking Vuloo and Andel aside. However, with straining muscles he's able to stop the boat and hold it in place.
Andel gets up and again attempts to assist Relan.
Vuloo thinks twice about assisting Relan with pulling the rope and decides to instead cast guidance on Relan for each strength check.
Bracing in the sand as best he can Relan begins to pull the small craft in to shore. At first he has some trouble but begins to make headway.
Enhanced Summoning -
In Terran - "Pull us in my friends!"
Elemental Str Check -
Elemental Str Check -
Levelle motions to the others in the boat to try to also pull on the rope....
Levelle gives a hearty pull from her side as well, all the progress of which is lost quickly in the next moment as she slips on the boat and loses what gains she had made....
Braelex does what she can to help out.
With both sides pulling and with the additional effort from Aidon's elementals, you're able to successfully get the boat to shore ... just.
Vuloo will cautiously explore the beach area. He studies each mound and shoves a bit of the sand away to see if the mounds are covering anything. If it appears safe, he climbs up on top of the mounds and inspects each shield. Finally, he will carefully examine the stone door for anything of interest.
Andel will likewise study the area.
Vuloo searches the beach and discovers the mounds are relatively freshly turned sand that's been patted back down. Levelle notes that the marks are from a shovel.
The shields are heavy steel shields emblazoned with a rune.
The stone door is not locked nor does Vuloo (or Braelex) note anything of interest.
Breathing heavily from pulling the boat to shore Relan spends some time making sure both boats are secure on shore before joining the others in the search of the beach.
Vuloo muses, "The shield rune is the ancient Thassilonian symbol of lust, which is consistent with Sorshen. Yes, let's unearth the mounds and see what lies beneath."
Vuloo and Andel begin pushing sand away from one of the mounds.
Braelex nods. "We've come to the right place." While the others dig, she listens carefully at the door.
Levelle converts her traveler's tool into a shovel and begins to help...
Digging up the mounds, the party unearths two bodies of women who have just begun to decompose. Both bodies still wear suits of gray full plate with closed visors, larger red plumes and red capes. They clutch their
masterwork longswords across their chest.
Andel holds his nose, "Only the Gray Maidens wear this type of plate armor. The Gray Maidens are the disgraced Korvosan Queen's elite warriors."
Vuloo shrugs, "Let's keep moving."
He opens the stone door.
What has caused their death? And is any of their possessions magic?
Vuloo attempts to discern the method of death.
He will also detect magic on the whole area.
Levelle kneels down next to he bodies and looks over them with a discerning eye...
Levelle studies the bodies carefully and finds serious bruising and swelling ... signs of significant blunt force trauma. Of interest is a couple of very fine slivers of blue glass she finds just under the surface of the skin on one of the Maidens.
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Vuloo looks with concern at the bodies, "They must have been killed with a glass weapon ... or something made of glass." He look's with concern at the glass statue on the island. "We better keep moving!"
He hurriedly opens the stone door and heads in.
Braelex chugs down her mutagen, loads her crossbow, and follows Vuloo.
Aidon happily follows the group, the elementals would have helped dig and should still be around for awhile, they will lead
I do not think we need to rush off from here per say, but we should avoid that island if possible. Relan begins to move to the front but thinks better of it. Someone should be up front that can find traps. he recommends.
Levelle nods after Relan and pulls her bow, just in case.
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Vuloo opens the door and the party proceeds in. The walls of this room are covered by detailed murals depicting wanton acts involving otherworldly beings of every description. The murals cover every vertical surface, but stop abruptly after turning down the hallway to the south, as though abandoned by the artist.
The stone walls, floor, and ceiling of this hall are polished to an almost mirrorlike sheen. The arching ceiling is supported by twin rows of columns, all of which have been carved to resemble the same beautiful woman dressed in revealing robes.
Nearly as surprising is when a unearthly gorgeous white haired, chalk-skinned man wearing a cape and pants, but bare chested steps from behind a column up to the gate. His waist-length hair is braided thickly and he carries a bow on his back and a rapier at his belt. He grins wide, elongated incisors obvious in his mouth. "“Greetings, friends or foes,” he says with an almost otherworldly calm. “Which be you? I’ll open the gate for you myself if you be the former, but fear I must prevent your passage if you be the latter. Would you speak the pass phrase for me?”
Vuloo studies the mural, "The signature is Amivadeus Yasrin. This work suggests deep spiritual rot and decadence. I would expect nothing less form the runelord of lust."
Vuloo whispers to the others as the man approaches, "The man is a dhampir - the progeny of a human and vampire!"
He then smiles at the man, "I would prefer that we be friends, but I fear that I do not know the pass phrase. Perhaps there is something that we may trade for our passage? Possibly we could help you escape this forsaken place?"
And before we answer further I would ask you if a group of armed women have recently passed by you and if they knew your pass phrase?
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As you respond to the guardian dhampir, his eyes flash with an indecipherable look before he shakes his head sadly and simply states, "Then I have no choice but to stop you."
He steps back behind the column and you hear the telltale sign of spellcasting.
"Fall back?" Braelex queries, not very comfortable at the head of the train.
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Vuloo extends a life link to Braelex. "See if you can open the gate."
Relan advances pulling his crowbar and tries to force the gate unless he is warned not to. Someone give me a hand. he asks.