|
Not trained in geographical academia, Damiel stands silently as Phoebe rattles off her information gathering prowess and is satisfied with the specifics shared.
"Damiel...FULL elf, at your service. And do not get me wrong dear, your performance was more than satisfactory. I was just commenting on how I am glad we won't be accompanied by an olfactorilly offensive feline. I mean, it would be preposterous to proceed in the presence of a particularly pungent pussy...cat."
|
After copping a cheap feel off the elven bum she looks around and out of the corner of her eye she catches a familiar sight!
EEEEEEEEEE! she squeals, very much like a little girl in tone and tune of happiness. She runs up to the cleric and gives him a big hug and a kiss on the side of the cheek. She then turns around modeling her new armor. See, I told you I would get a set of elven chain. I think that it is very dashing and I think even the elf over there, whose butt really is nice compared to other elven butts, is a tad bit jealous that I have elven chain, magical at that, and he doesn't. Oh by the way I met a few other devotees of Sarenrae in my last adventure. Do you know Sidney the Flare? He shoots fire out of his finger tips, which wasn't too helpful taking out a devil and a pair of hell hounds but it did help taking out the octopus lady. I asked him if he knew you and he said that he didn't so I guess he didn't know Nella either, which isn't a bad thing. But I was real good in the fight with the devil and the hell hound, I made em slippy with my slippy shoes song and they fell down and I poked em with my glaive. she says all in one breath.
|
|
When Phoebee's attention is shifted to the newcomer, Damien almost speaks up in protest, but catches himself.
"Dear dominating deities of the damned, what the hell just got into me? It's all so...illogical!"
He straightens himself up and clears his throat. He says-not so under his breath,
"Thank goodness someone shifted the attention of that illicitly insufferable imp-ess!"
He starts brushing himself off in case some of the human part of her got left behind from the contact.
|
|
Malusha steps back, hands up protecting himself, but a friendly smile on his face. He fends off as many of Phoebee's affections as he can and finally, when she stops for a breath, jumps in. "Nice to see you too, Phoebee. It seems that you are doing well."
He puts a little more space between him and her. "So how's Masym? I seem to recall you guys were a thing. Is that still happening?" He looks over her shoulder at the elf she most recently was 'being friendly' with.
|
|
She gets a sad tinge to her voice. I haven't seen him since our last mission and even then he didn't say good bye as a tear drops from an eye. And besides I have a new friend she says clearing her throat and walking over to the elf, walking him arm in arm to Malusha.
Damien Full Elven, I introduce you to Malusha Full Cleric of the Dawnflower she says.
Amenopheus clears his throat when there is a lapse in the conversation. "Are we ready to go then? Remember, the Pillars of the Sun is a dangerous area, and we are going into the desert. Please make any preparations you need and I will weave the magic necessary to get us there quickly."
|
|
"Thank you for the reminder," Malusha replies respectfully to Amenopheus. Then he turns to his companions. "I have a wand I can use to give you protection from the desert heat. When we get there let me know if you need it." Malusha looks through the rest of his belongings to see if there is anything else he should acquire before they begin.
Amenopheus, satisfied that the Pathfinders have prepared themselves, raises his hands and weaves a complicated spell.
The world distorts, and you feel yourself, your soul, being tugged elsewhere. And then your flesh follows. Moments later, you find yourself in the early-morning desert, just north of the Pillars of the Sun. You start to follow the path left by Kafar and Nefti. Traces here and there, but mostly a steady walk for the two. Amenopheus aids you with his knowledge and tracking skills when he can. The sun gets hotter and hotter as the morning burns on and you find yourself fighting off the heat as much as you can.
Soon you come to a place where the tracks diverge, though. "Hmm," says Amenopheus. "It seems our quarry has split up. We don't know which of them has the jewels, or if they'd split them up too, so the best choice is to split up. I will take this path here, and you will follow the path the heads that way. I will keep in contact with you should I discover them."
Your path leads you through a series of switchbacks that ascend the steep side of a gorge. About an hour after you've split up from Amenopheus, you come to an immense cliff where the tracks end.
You spot a crevice that leads to a trap door that leads further underground.
|
|
As soon as they emerge into the sun Malusha turns his face to the sky, eyes closed, and he absorbs the radiant energy. "There's nothing quite as exhilarating as the morning sun in the desert."
As the team moves forward, and the sun gets hotter, Malusha digs his endure elements wand from his bag. "Anyone want some of this?" He asks around and gladly taps anyone who asks for it.
|
|
" It is so bright here." Dart casts create water on his robs to cool himself off. Then casts endure elements. "I can share the burden with you Malisha"
Before opening the door Dart pulls out several other wands from his robes and starts his preparations.
"Umbrato can you use the wand of mage armour on me?"
|
|
Oh, I am getting so hot and sweety. Malusha this is so different from the time we were up North fighting winter wolves and white dragons. I would greatly appreciate something to help it be not so hot but, FYI Damiel, we could cool each other off. How is Seityal by the way. I have heard about him but have never met him she says.
She is going to cast prestidigation on herself to clean up and get rid of the sweat
She will inspire confidence in Dart to help him. The ally gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as he or she continues to hear the bard’s music. Certain uses of this ability are infeasible. The effect lasts as long as the bard concentrates, up to a maximum of 2 minutes. A bard can’t inspire competence in himself. Inspire competence is a mind-affecting ability.
I believe that you can do this Froggy, I think you are really good at finding directions. In fact, I have a song about it,
Why are there so many songs about rainbows
And what's on the other side
Rainbows are visions
But only illusions
And rainbows have nothing to hide
So we've been told
And some choose to believe it
I know they're wrong, wait and see
Some day we'll find it
The rainbow connection
The lovers, the dreamers, and me
Who said that every wish
Would be heard and answered
When wished on the morning star
Somebody thought of that
And someone believed it
And look what it's done so far
What's so amazing
That keeps us stargazing
And what do we think we might see
Someday we'll find it
The rainbow connection
The lovers, the dreamers, and me
All of us under its spell, we know that it's probably magic
Have you been half asleep?
And have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name
Is this the sweet sound
That called the young sailors?
The voice might be one in the same
I've heard it too many times to ignore it
It's something that I'm supposed to be
Someday we'll find it
The rainbow connection
The lovers, the dreamers and me
Perception
Dart has trouble following the trail, taking wrong turns and having to double back within the twists and turns of the mountainous region. Then he correctly ascertains where Kafar and Nefti might've gone and, spotting the door. He sees no signs of danger or traps and opens it.
You descend through a rough hewn tunnel into the mountain. Soon enough, you reach an underground gallery. Enigmatic hieroglyphs cover just about every surface of this chamber excavated into the mountain. Bas-relief engravings stretch along the walls all the way from the lofty, tapered ceiling down to floor level, their eerie pictography suggesting an unnerving story. Toppled columns, crumbling shreds of cloth, and potsherds scattered throughout the chamber attest to the place’s abandonment and antiquity. Small holes in the vaulted ceiling let in thin beams of sunlight but do little to illuminate the chamber.
You reach a part of the gallery and suddenly the undead begin to rise up to combat you! All but Umbrato is able to see that there are two more combatants hiding behind the columns, too. Two hairless blue lions with twin tentacular tails. Dozens more thick tentacles quiver and twitch where the mane should be.
In Combat!
Bold may act.
Active party buffs:
Damiel
===========================
Undead (Blue, Red, Orange, Purple)
===========================
Umbrato
Malusha
Phoebee
Dart
===========================
Lions
===========================
Phoebee knows that the undead are normal skeletons. She has no idea what the lions are.
Damiel elects to wait and survey the scene more thoroughly. The abnormally quick skeletons lurch into motion, grasping claws searching for living flesh. Two round on the party, attacking from both sides. They rake their claws across Phoebee and Damiel, the skeletons screeching with satisfaction in their unliving hatred.
Damiel (-3)
===========================
Undead (Blue, Red, Orange, Purple)
===========================
Umbrato
Malusha
Phoebee (-4)
Dart
===========================
Lions
===========================
In one sweep, Malusha clears the battlefield of the skeletons!
Bold may act.
Active party buffs:
Environmental effects:
Damiel (-3)
Umbrato
Malusha
Phoebee (-4)
Dart
===========================
Lions
===========================
|
|
I don't know what those lion creatures are but I think we need an inspiration here she says as she begins to sing
Goodbye Joe me gotta go me oh my oh
Me gotta go pole the pirogue down the bayou
My Yvonne the sweetest one me oh my oh
Son of a gun we'll have big fun on the bayou
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and fillet gumbo
Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio
Pick guitar fill fruit jar and be gay-o
Son of a gun we'll have big fun on the bayou
Thibodaux Fontaineaux the place is buzzin'
Kinfolk come to see Yvonne by the dozen
Dress in style and go hog wild me oh my oh
Son of a gun we'll have big fun on the bayou
Settle down far from town get me a pirogue
And I'll catch all the fish in the bayou
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie
Later on, swap my mon, get me a pirogue
And I'll catch all the fish on the bayou
Swap my mon, to buy Yvonne what she need-oh
Son of a gun we'll have big fun on the bayou
Umbrato is oblivious to the lions while Phoebee starts her inspiring song. Dart delays. The lions come bounding out from behind the pillars. One makes its way around to strike at Phoebee, and the other charges straight for Dart. But miss horribly, unable to get past the Pathfinders' defenses.
Then a howl of another kind echoes through the temple. A gaunt, long-limbed quadruped emerges from its invisibility at the rear of the Pathfinders' formation. It has huge, soulless eyes and a toothy maw. The lean creature moves with a predatory grace, attempting to eviscerate Malusha's body with tooth and claw.
Bold may act.
Active party buffs:
Environmental effects:
Round 2
Damiel (-3)
Umbrato
Malusha (-5)
Phoebee (-4)
Dart
===========================
Lions
Hound
===========================