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Taicho draws his sword and applies 1 use (1/10) of holy weapon balm to it ... then 5 ft steps next to Xasay.
Taicho grabs some balm while Van quickly casts a spell and alerts the others.
The two creatures, having been carefully approaching, both seem to realize their prey is more alert, and snarl and lean down onto all four of their limbs and scrape the hard-packed earth below.
Surprise Round:
23 Taicho : Draws a holy weapon balm
20 Van : Casts Mage armor
18 Festrog #1 : Snarls
18 Festrog #2 : Snarls
14 MacDowell :
13 Helm :
3 Xasay : Surprised!
Round 1:
23 Taicho :
20 Van :
Now Up: MacDowell and Helm (surprise round actions), and then Taicho and Van with full round 1 actions.
for with trip CMB
[spoiler=Taicho]You might've missed the earlier spoiler, you wouldn't have been able to draw (move action) and apply (standard action) your balm in the surprise round, so I assumed you just drew it and then applied it in round 1 with your standard, thus you didn't have a standard action to ready in round 1.[/ooc]
Surprise Round Con't:
14 MacDowell : Firebolt vs western festrog for 6 damage
13 Helm : Readies 2H swing
3 Xasay : Surprised!
Round 1:
23 Taicho : Applies weapon balm to sword
20 Van : Retrieves MM wand, zaps eastern festrog for 2 damage
19 Helm (readied) : Swings for 10 damage, drops festrog whose pustules erupt on Helm
18 Festrog #1 (-10hp) : Dead
18 Festrog #2 (-2hp) : Charges Xasay hits for 7 damage and trips him
14 MacDowell : Misses with a firebolt, draws mace
3 Xasay :
Round 2:
23 Taicho :
20 Van :
19 Helm :
Taicho hastily applies the balm to his weapon while Van quickly draws a wand and zaps the creature approaching from the east.
As Helm stands ready, the western festrog, burning from MacDowell's fiery bolt rushes directly into the waiting katana. As the creature collapses, puss-filled pustules splash Helm with a wretched ichor.
The eastern creature begins its own charge on all fours and barrels into the still shocked Xasay and sweeps out the wayang's feat before it rears up again in anticipation of future attacks.
Now Up: Xasay, Taicho, Van, Helm!
As another arcane missile hits the festrog, it wobbles slightly - it appears close to being destroyed.
Still Up: Helm!
Helm steps up and skewers the lone remaining festrog.
With the festrogs defeated, you are all able to more thoroughly investigate the desk and its contents.
After several minutes, you realize you have stumbled upon the collected works of Selmius Foster, one of the more preeminent early members of the Pathfinder Society.
It only takes a few minutes to realize that many of his notes never made their way into the Pathfinder Chronicles either.
In addition, you discover notes from Adolphus, who was said to be Selmius's protege.
Continuing to dig through the trove, you also discover that Selmius never finished his investigation into the gnome Eylysia, who reportedly never contributed some of her more important discoveries to the Society.
It would seem reasonable for intrepid Pathfinders to pick right up where Selmius and Adolphus left off, if they were so inclined...
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Xasay coughs up a burst of what would look like ink to a human eye as he exclaims, "Now THIS is a find!"
Then he cocks his head (wincing severely in the process). "Surely Dreng knew about this if this was here? Also..."
He looks back at the fallen festrogs and takes a few cautious steps toward them. "Um...were you meant to guard this? Perhaps we have had a misunderstanding?"
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"It looks like we should probably follow up on this, look cool and all that." Van suggests as he leafs through the notes, "Uh, maybe start at that tomb before we start tracking the people down."
As he waits for the input of the others, he looks at the injured Xasay, then to MacDowell, "Ahem, I guess you aren't one of those healing clerics, huh? Alright, I guess I'll heal him."
Putting his magic missile wand away, he pulls out another and taps Xasay with it.
Details left by Selmius Foster indicate the location of Arkath’s burial site: a plot of land in Eastgate operated by Amsodeus.
Foster's notes indicated that if were buried in a mausoleum on the church’s property, Arkath paid a substantial sum to have his remains guarded.
As you trek through the grounds, it seems one of the priests that tends to the tombs spots you as he whistles rather loudly and begins moving to intercept you. He appears armed with a mace and wears a rather well-kept breastplate which bears dents and scratches from use.
"Heeeeey! Lookie what we gots here! A bunch o' visitors, innit?"
You can tell from the countenance of the man, that he may have had a previous life as some sort of street vandal.
"You ain't thinkin' bout no dessecratin' sacred ground to the Prince o' Darkness, is you?"
The Asmodean draws a comb from his pack and begins working it through his overly long, greasy hair.
"Nah, ain't no trouble 'cuz dis place gots me watchin' over it, y'know?"
The Amsodean keeps his eyes trained on Van, seemingly not too impressed with the gnome.
"... and I ain't buyin' 'dat you got one of your own here. I ain't got no gee-nomes buried in 'dis yard."
"Yea, ain't no need to get like 'dat, and I'll have you know I'm actually the officially authorities here, private guard contract and all that."
He points a thumb at MacDowell.
"This guy here can tells ya. Anyways, I see you guys'll be alright with him around, so have at your Pathfindin' or whatevers. Give me a shout if yous need somethin'."
Durward waves you on before pulling out a smoke and tindertwig and lighting it. He leans against one of the stones in the graveyard and winks at you all.
**
As you locate the mausoleum of Arkath, you note the interior is empty save for a single sarcophagus.
Like all good Pathfinders, you investigate closer and determine a lone skeleton resides within which bears no possessions outside of a single coin left within the mouth.
The shiny coin jostles and glows for a moment before a voice can be heard emanating from its tiny surface.
The path and chamber are complete, hidden behind the nameplate of the requested aspirant and guarded by the word you requested. Fimbrik will add more.
After speaking this, the coin falls silent again.
Fish and Bountiful Sea (Gobru)
Sixteen Poses (Oggo)
Sacrifice (Demuren)
After a short hike to the Grand Lodge in Absalom, you find yourselves standing before the renown Wall Of Names.
The monument is a curving wall of black glass that stands atop a small hill at the western edge of the lodge’s grounds. Trees surround the hill, providing ample shade and privacy for those visiting the wall to remember fallen comrades. Carved into the wall are the name and date of death of every Pathfinder killed in the course of duty since the wall’s construction, and most entries also include a sentence or two summarizing either the agent’s greatest accomplishments or how she died.
Examining the names mentioned in Foster's notes, you find their markers:
Doulgonlir Caskmail Deceased 4332 AR
Respectfully resigned after losing a friend. Lost to a life among the fish and bountiful sea.
Hollis “Evil Grin” Thorne Deceased 4331 AR
Travelled to distant Jalmeray. Failed to maintain the necessary Sixteen Poses.
Karina Clamp Deceased 4330 AR
Sought the jade idol of ten thousand faces. Now but another sacrifice to the charau-ka of the Mwangi.
Taicho finds no hidden compartments or evidence that there are any secrets related to the Wall Of Names.
With one major clue left to pursue, the party gathers itself up to investigate the gnome, Fimbrik, mentioned throughout Foster's notes.
The notes indicate Fimbrik's addresss within Absalom's Wise Quarter. You also confirm within the Arcanamirium that the address is indeed correct and the gnome is still alive, although he hasn't been seen in several years.
The home is an impressive stone dwelling reminiscent of what one might
expect from an eccentric wizard’s home.
A brick step leads to Fimbrik’s front entrance Numerous stacks of newspapers — seeimongly a few years worth - are puled at the door. Each rounded corner of the building bears a large window.
There is no response to MacDowell's knocking, however the tiefling spots some sort of movement from beyond some of the home's windows.
Glancing through another window, you note a room full of books and chairs - presumably a study. After a moment, a blue-haired gnome wearing a green hat enters the room and begins looking at the various books on the shelves before smiling and tipping his hat at the window and exiting the room.
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Once MacDowell informs the others of the activity through the windows, Van suggests, "Let's go inside and see what's up with that." He pauses, then adds, "Although please don't ask me to explain the behavior of other gnomes."
Van then checks the door for traps and to see if it's locked. If it is, he tries to keep his fellow Pathfinders between and the street while he pulls out his masterwork tools and tries to pick the lock.
Perception:
As the five Pathfinders "let" themselves into Fimbrik's to investigate, they proceed cautiously, alert for any clues to the gnome's whereabouts.
Seemingly as they step foot in the house, the illusionary gnomes, programmed to respond to those looking into the windows becomes evident, and without someone gazing in through the window, they all shut down simultaneously.
As MacDowell and Taicho proceed cautiously into the living room's interious, the sofa starts to shake and temple, and in a puff of smoke suddenly three large red beetles appear and seem intent on doing the party bodily harm.
Round 1
16 Helm :
15 Taicho :
14 Xasay :
8 MacDowell :
4 Van :
3 Beetles:
Now Up: Everyone!
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Having presumably taken more than an hour to arrive at their current destination since fighting the festrogs, Van opts to cast Mage Armor on himself again, then backs away into the northwest corner.
The puff of smoke makes Van suspicious, however, so he tries to actively disbelieve the beetles are real.
Fire pours over the fiery beetles, which chitter in anger at MacDowell.
Unfortunately for Van, these beetles appear to be very real and not illusions.
Still Up: Helm
for
for
Helm steps up and skewers a beetle while MacDowell burns away most of the carapaces of the remaining two bugs.
Both creatures chitter with anger and advance, but manage very little in terms of appearing to threaten the Pathfinders.
Round 1 Recap:
16 Helm : Chops a beetle in half
15 Taicho : Misses
14 Xasay : Detect magic, finding none
8 MacDowell : Burns remaining beetles for 2dmg
4 Van : Cast mage armor
3 Beetle #2 : Misses MacDowell
3 Beetle #3 : Misses Taicho
Round 2
16 Helm :
15 Taicho :
14 Xasay :
8 MacDowell :
4 Van :
Now Up: Everyone! Finish the beetles!
Xasay slashes out at the beetle near Taicho and handily chops it in half. With a poof it disappears.