In addition to their coral shortswords, each thug also carried 4 potions of cure light wounds and 4 tanglefoot bags, which you easily liberate from them.
The injured thug continues to offer up information to Pierre like he's just been reunited with his long lost grandfather.
"Look, it was this robed guy. We called him-her.. it? The Sea Witch."
The man gestures to the coral swords.
"He gave us those. Fancy but crazy sharp, right? Told us to get some book that you'd all likely have..."
As if in response to this information, Carlyle can feel his backpack jostle as the book seems to take on a life of its own. After a few seconds, it subsides.
"That's all I know. Look we won't jump Pathfinders ever again, and we'll go stop by the church of Sarenrae to see if they need some help feeding some orphans or something, right?"
By this time, Yargos has emerged from wherever he was hiding and he quickly moves in to pull Carlyle's arm.
"We don't have time for this! We need to find Ollysta, and we need to find her fast before the book opens again!! I know where we should go look next -- the Gilltown markets!"
Once again, the book jostles in reply yet at this time still does not flip back open to release its fiendish contents.
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"Do your due diligence and repent at the nearest temple!" Carlyle admonishes the group of thugs. "It appears that Desna shines upon you as well as you have a bit of luck that we are in a hurry. Offer a donation to them as well and never commit crime again!"
He quickly takes back his new coral-dagger as he ushers the rest of the party to follow him with Yargos in tow to the markets.
An assemblage of dilapidated wooden shacks, baked-clay huts, and random tents denotes the neighborhood of Gilltown. The smell of stale water mixed with a hint of longdecayed seafood permeates the air here. Only a handful of people wander the area, the majority of them gillmen, though a smattering of other humanoid races mingle here as well.
Most seem to be perusing the small stalls and impromptu markets, haggling with their gillman owners.
You're able to finally find Ollysta, who appears to be in the midst of haggling with a merchant over some sort of charm fashioned from a grey-black metal.
Ollysta continues to plead her case.
"Be reasonable, sir. I merely seek to get this item out of the hands of those who would abuse it. Surely you have some conscience and you can see my offer is fair given how it will be for the better good?"
The negotiation continues for a little longer before Ollysta and the merchant shake hands, and she turns her attention to you.
"Ah, it is good to see you all. That's another item of evil that should no longer fall into the wrong hands! I see Yargos is with you all, please update me on the situation with the Infernal Incantation?"
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Ezren tries in vain to identify what the hell was that piece of grey-black metal. Thinking it is something magical, it uses one of his spells that captures the magical aura of the object, however, he cannot identify exactly what it is. " What is this? Why Ollysta want it so much? ", the Wizard wanders while waiting for Carlyle, the carrier of the Infernal Incantation, to speak for them.
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"Huh. This kinda place, it's a wonder more people don't call themselves the Sea Witch. Very different from the woods I grew up in."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Ollysta smiles at Pierre's concern and pats him gently on the shoulder.
"I'm removing evil from the world wherever I can, Pierre. Not every victory is won by blade or blood. Now, if you would be so kind as to bring me up to speed on what you are doing here with Yargos - Amara Li mentioned something concerning to me in passing earlier..."
Ollysta taps her foot, arms crossed, while she waits to be brought up to speed on the matters at hand.
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"Greetings, madam! I am Carlyle, Master of Ribbons, for the Flaxseed Lodge and we are in need of your aid." he says with a flourish and a bow.
Carlyle pulls the Infernal Incantation from his pack and holds it for Ollysta to examine it. "The book has gone rogue and we need to contain it somehow." he says to the woman as he displays the book in his hands. "Yargos seems to think that you would be able to help in this objective."
Ollsyta nods thoughtfully and patiently waits as Carlyle recounts events.
"I must say first, Yargos... I'm disappointed in your recklessness."
She gives him the look of a mother scolding a child.
"However, what troubles me more is that I did not in fact receive the copy of the Celestial Song..."
Sighing, she begins to pace slightly as she continues to think aloud.
"I know of both tomes, and the only way to stop what is about to happen with the Infernal Incantation is to reunite it with its twin - the Celestial Song by pressing both tomes against one another."
Yargos jumps into the conversation.
"We were just jumped by some rogues... they seemed interested in the Incantantion and were hired by some... Sea Witch? Could they or it have stolen the Song?"
Ollysta taps her temple as she considers.
"It would seem our best lead. Was there anything identifiable about them that we could use as a lead on how to find where this Sea Witch might lair?
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Old Iron draws one of the coral short swords.
"They had these fancy expensive swords. Not seen anything like them since '87 when I was guarding a ship passing through the Shackles and we got jumped by sea elves. Don't usually see coral weapons."
Old Iron's gaze wanders over the lady paladin. He holds out a hand for a shake.
"Should introduce myself. People call me Old Iron. Pleasure to meet you; I hear you're pretty good. You wanna fight sometime?"
He grins, showing off his lizard teeth.
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"Not the most loyal of men, fortunately," Adeah adds, nodding at the coral weapon. "Gave up as soon as the fight turned sour."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Ollsyta grants Old Iron a slight smile.
"Perhaps a different kind of good... Doing good isn't always fighting, sometimes it's knowing when not to fight, but show me a demon on the horizon, and we can certainly test our mettle side-by-side."
Frowning at the sight of the weapons, Ollysta accepts one to inspect it closer.
"I'm afraid I've never seen any--"
The gillman who just sold the Silver Crusader an amulet steps forward.
"Err, I don't mean to interject, but I've seen those. Folks wearing those coming through some of our tunnels. I can draw and sell you a map, if you'd like?"
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" I knew it! I knew it! From the beginning I asked about this Celestial Song and no one paid attention to me, I knew it! ", thought Ezren at the time, making an expression of a wise man.
Once the Gillman offers the map for sale, the Wizard immediately asks, " of course, my good man! How much will it cost to us? "
The gillman brightens as the Pathfinders are amiable to a transaction.
"Why, fi--- yes, ten gold!"
"Mister Grrblarblarhgar, although most folks call me Mister Ger as they're not interested in my full name, although it's a fascinating story as each member of my family, upon marriage adds part of their name to the..."
The book in Carlyle's pack lurches again, letting out a low moan... it's only through substantial effort he holds it closed.
Ollysta nods gravely.
"You all better hurry. I'll keep an eye on Yargos here..."
Yargos smiles but bows low.
"Of course, my lady!"
You all immediately set off to the location where Mister Ger last noted seeing the coral weapons.
Initiative:
You head out from the market, backtracking through the alleys and taking the shortest path to the tunnel entrance.
Just as you set foot in a familiar alley, a hot wind passes over the area and all other sounds seem to die, as if following an unknown cue. Without warning, the ground ahead begins to glow a bright orange-red hue, and the symbol of a perfect pentagram burns itself into the floor.
A whispering hiss fills the air.
“Our bindings will soon be shattered! Now feel the wrath of Hell!”
Two thin, lanky wolf with reddish-brown fur, white claws, and burning, fiery red eyes materialize, rushing forward and opening their mouths, belching flame.
Round 1
21 Hound #1 : Breathes at Elliot, Carlyle, Ezren, Adeah
21 Hound #2 : Breathes at Old Iron, Carlyle, Ezren, Adeah
20 Pierre :
18 Ezren :
16 Old Iron :
15 Elliot:
10 Adeah :
9 Carlyle :
Now Up: Everyone!
for
for
Ezren and Adeah both blast one of the hounds while Old Iron wades through, easily dodging their bites. Carlyle's blade draws blood as well as one of the two looks about ready to expire.
Round 1 Con't
20 Pierre : Draws wand, casts bless
18 Ezren (6 dmg): Missiles #2 for 2
16 Old Iron (10 dmg): Moves (2xAoO), hits #1 for 24
15 Elliot:
10 Adeah (6 dmg): Shoots #2 for 10
9 Carlyle (10 dmg) : Stabs #1 for 6
Still Up: Elliot
for
for
Elliot takes a good chunk out of one of the hounds while both leap at Carlyle, who easily dodges them. This is apparently too much for the first of the hellish canines as it collapses then disappears in a puff of smoke.
Round 1 Con't
20 Pierre : Draws wand, casts bless
18 Ezren (6 dmg): Missiles #2 for 2
16 Old Iron (10 dmg): Moves (2xAoO), hits #1 for 24
15 Elliot: Axes #2 for 11
10 Adeah (6 dmg): Shoots #2 for 10
9 Carlyle (10 dmg) : Stabs #1 for 6
Round 2
21 Hound #1 (30 dmg): Misses Carlyle, drops unconscious, disappers
21 Hound #2 (23 dmg): Misses Carlyle
20 Pierre :
18 Ezren :
16 Old Iron :
15 Elliot:
10 Adeah :
9 Carlyle :
Now Up: Everyone!
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Old Iron moves down to the end of the alley and begins looking around.
He shifted his lucerne hammer to one hand and cupped another next to his mouth as he begins calling out.
"You out there! Mr. 'Shattered Bindings.' Guy that summoned the doggies! Come out! Or at least send something it a bit more bite. If that's the best 'the wrath of hell' can offer, I can see why the demons are doing such a better job conquering the world than you."
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Huh. Summoned by some caster. Well, should probably take out the other before it does any more damage. Adeah reloads.
-Posted with Wayfinder
No summoner steps forth to answer Old Iron's call as Carlyle finds it difficult to sink his blade through the tought skin of the remaining hell hound.
Ezren's magical bolk thuds into the beast's hide and Adeah steps up and BOOM - hell hound bits shower all over the Master of Ribbons.
Everyone except Ollysta, who's likely milling about the market seeking to liberate more evil relics from the gillmen, hastens their step as you all descend into the tunnel network below the city.
You turn left. You turn right. You turn right again. Just when you think you're about to be ambushed as a spidery shadow looms from the light from Ezren's spell, you turn the corner and find the tiniest of spiders fleeing deeper into a web.
But then, you all start to hear something. Chanting? Singing? It's in a language that none of you understand and as you continue on, it grows louder, almost as if its source is the destination you seek.
Finally, the tunnels open to a vast chamber of crudely cut stone that extends upward sixty feet to a large, cavernous ceiling littered with moss-covered pipes. Eight tunnels exit the chamber, four on each side of the room. With the exception of the two southernmost exits, slabs of solid granite block the tunnels several feet down the halls.
In the center of each of these six granite slabs is a crude, rusted chain extending into a hole. A set of great stairs begins at the halfway point of the room, ascending upward to a sealed metal door. Inexplicably, the stairs begin at a height of thirty feet off the ground, their base made of the cut stone that fills the room.
Each of the six doors bears some runes or symbology.
Door/tunnel # 1 reads "5 ft"
Door/tunnel # 2 reads "20 ft"
Door/tunnel # 3 reads "12 ft"
Door/tunnel # 6 reads "4 ft"
Door/tunnel # 7 reads "6 ft"
Door/tunnel # 8 reads "3 ft"
As you all stand in the room observing the doors and shouting at one another, you once again take stock of the room you are in, trying to shake the song (which isn't a bad one, it sounds almost angelic, it's just ridiculously loud) from your heads.
In addition to six doors that are roughly at your same level of the tunnels you came in through, thirty feet above you seems to be the bottom of a staircase that leads to another set of doors.
As Ezren takes a closer look at the runes and the solid granite seals that cover each of the six passages at your level, he considers the length of chain that dangles from each. First, he suspects it will take some strength to pull the chain. Second, he ascertains that pulling it will perhaps rotate the slab along an axis, releasing something from beyond. Based on the design of the seal, and the fact these are gillman tunnels dating back to Azlanti times, he makes the reasonable deduction that pulling the chain will undoubtedly release a torrent of water into the room in which you are standing.