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Shota looks at his companions for guidance when the beast comes crashing in. He's about to suggest that they stand and fight together, but it seems like a few of them head Janira's warning. He ducks into the cavern and looks after the fleeing halfling and her monstrous pursuer, making a warding sign with his hands. "May the skies watch over her, and lend her guidance. I hope she won't have to follow Yasmin's example after all."
Seeing Bolty work with flint and steel, Shota takes a sunrod from his backpack and strikes it against a wall. "This would do, wouldn't it? I've found them easier than torches, and less messy as well." He hoists Janira's halfling-sized backpack up. She'll want this back, of course,"[/b] he says, leaving unspoken that her fate is quite uncertain. "Should I carry it?"
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"Someone should carry it who won't be slowed down by it." Kennaniah nods at Shota. "Maybe you should look in there. Might be something we could use if we really had to."
Touching his shield and saying a prayer to Desna he casts light on his shield, he then adds "Two light sources are better than one. This won't last long but I can renew it whenever I need to and it won't interfere with your sunrod."
The contents are clearly labeled in wavy, jittery handwriting:
potion of barkskin
potions of cure light wounds (2)
potion of feather step
potion of vanish
scroll of entangle
scroll of gust of wind
scroll of identify
scroll of mage armor (CL 6)
scroll of obscuring mist
wand of burning hands (CL 3rd, 4 charges left)
wand of cure light wounds (CL 3rd, 8 charges)
acid
alchemist’s fire (2)
holy water
smokestick
tanglefoot bag
thunderstone
The cave entrance is five feet wide, and as you enter, you hear Janira's taunts, and the sounds of the minotaur fade into the forest behind you. The cave system stretches deep below the foothills of the Kortos Mounts. You move through tunnels of varying width and height, between 3 and 10 feet, though most are a comfortable 7 or more feet wide in each dimension. The caves are damp. Water dripping from stalactites and the distant rushing of underground streams creates an eerie backdrop as you explore. The caves’ walls are patterned with blue-green luminescent fungi that provide dim light.
Petroglyphs--most depicting marine animals or spiral shapes--periodically decorate the tunnels’ walls, becoming increasingly frequent as you move further in. The rough surface of the carvings provides a natural platform for the fungi, causing it to grow thicker and making the carvings glow slightly brighter than their surroundings.
The narrow tunnel twists and turns for several hundred feet before slowly opening to a wider passage. A large hole spans the cave’s width and stretches ten feet down the path. At the bottom of the pit lies a small bundle of cloth.
The tunnel here is 10 feet wide and 10 feet tall with a ceiling mostly devoid of stalactites. The hole is also 10 feet wide and 10 feet deep, blocking your path. Several sharp stakes lay embedded in the hole's floor, and the walls are rounded, making it more difficult to climb out of. The bundle of cloth lay in the center of the stakes.
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Bolty will take the tanglefoot bag.
Boly comments offhandly "Somebody dug that pit, from those roots growing out of the walls I'd say many moons ago, at least a year ago, maybe more."
Looking down into the pit Bolty levels his crossbow at the pile of cloth.
"Does anybody else find that bundle suspicious?"
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"Yes, I am wondering about that the bundle, and a great deal of other things." He sets his shield down, reaches into his backpack and starts making notes.
Muttering to himself. "Petroglyphs- marine animals/spiral shape, more frequent deeper into cave, blue-green fungi- luminescent, pit trap with cloth bundle at bottom." He looks up, "Explore. Report. Cooperate. Isn't anybody else going to take notes?" Then with a prayer to his Lady, casts detect magic.
The bundle detects as magic with a faint Abjuration aura.
Cloak of resistance +1
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Shota reluctantly starts going through Janira's backpack. "I guess you're right. It wouldn't do for us to fail our Confirmation, because of something that Janira had meant for us to have..." He checks several of the arcane wands and scrolls. "Alas, there's a wand of Burning hands, but I've never had a knack for such fiery spells. I could use the scrolls for Mage armor and Identify, I guess. Korosh, there's a potion that will allow you to shrug off blows, and two potions for healing. Could those be useful to you?" He doesn't say it outright, but his suggestion that Korosh take them makes it clear that he thinks the axe-wielder rather reckless.
--
Shota moves up with Ken and Bolty to investigate the pit. "That is odd, is it not. A pit, so obviously placed here." He's about to suggest that they leave whatever it is at the bottom, when Ken thinks to detect for magic auras. Shota regards the man thoughfully. "You are right, Ken. Very wise. With the turmoil of Janira having to flee, I almost forgot." He scribbled his own notes, in Kellid. "Encountered pit in the tunnel. Man-made apparently. Very odd. Why would it be placed here. It this part of our Conformation? A test for Pathfinders?"
With magic to be researched, Shota is keenly interested. He repeats the spells that Ken had casts, and peers down the pit to examine the aura in more detail. "Hmm, interesting. It seems to be a cloak, meant to shield the wearer from all kinds of harm. I suppose we should make effort to retrieve it. Should someone climb down? And then maybe climb out the other end?" He doesn't seem eager to volunteer. Despite his great stature, he has spent more time training in the library than in the field.
Korosh is able to circumvent the trap, grab the cloak, and climb out the other end. On the opposite side, thirty feet down the chasm, he sees a ten-foot long board leaning against a corner, hidden from sight. Placing it over the pit allows the rest of the group to move further into the cave system.
The tunnels continue on, leading deeper beneath the Kortos Mounts until they eventually open into a large cavern. What must have once been beautifully carved reliefs and inscriptions have since weathered heavily, their features dulled and softened to the point that it is hard to distinguish what each once depicted. A wide tunnel exits the cavern on its far side, and blue-burning torches line the passageway’s walls.
soldier, merchant, tailor, farmer
The carvings here are different in style from the petroglyphs found elsewhere in the caves, and they seem to date back a long time.
Ken is able to decipher each of the four carvings that are able to be pieced together. They seem to be inscriptions from the History and Future of Humanity. They seem to be four of the guises of Aroden, the god of Humanity: the farmer, the merchant, the soldier, and the tailor.
The Farmer is depicted plowing four lines in a field, retelling Aroden’s prophecy that humankind would prepare the rocky earth for planting and over generations wear the pebbles down into fertile soil.
The Merchant is depicted weighing and trading coins of different sizes, a reference to the holy text’s proverb that peace brings trade and prosperity to all people.
The Soldier is depicted bearing a lantern through the streets of a city, following the dead god’s prophecy that the vigilant shall carry light to the darkest corners of the world to banish the shadows.
The Tailor is depicted sewing together a long cloth of featuring many patterns that wraps around a city like a moat, referencing Aroden’s proclamation that when the fate of all peoples is woven together, it shall be humanity’s greatest strength.
Although these carvings project a slightly different version than those found in the History and Future of Humanity.
As you move further into the cave, the soft light of the surrounding fungus mixes with the flickering glow of the nearby torches to reveal a grand chamber. A large pool of water along the chamber’s southern edge reflects the blue and green radiance to illuminate the massive stalactites that cling to the ceiling overhead. Two other tunnels branch off from this area, leading to the east and west.
Rising up from the pool is a column of rock with steeply sloped sides and a flat top, as if someone had sawn off the top of a massive stalagmite. A miniature city carved from this same stone occupies nearly the entire surface. Tiny trinkets such as ancient coins, polished semiprecious stones, and ornately braided loops of string are scattered throughout the diorama, and pale cave frogs clamber atop it. The smooth cavern floor is covered in gravel and pebbles along the edge of the pool, and several foot-long centipedes prowl among the gravel in their search for prey.
You see a lone gillman crouched at the edge of the pool. He seems to be praying.
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Shota thanks Korosh for placing the plank. However, he has a look that betray worry, of confusion. He scribbles several notes. Plank just down the hall. Were we meant to find it? Is this all a ruse? Did Janira leave us here on purpose? He temporarily stows his writing gear to study the reliefs with Ken.
He listens respectfully as the Desnan describes the four carvings and many of the cleric's explanations match what Shota thought about them. "Guises or Aroden, indeed... Did you know that Sarkoris fell shortly after Aroden was meant to return? Apparently his death was the thing for which the demons had been waiting." He sounds not quite resentful, but resigned. It's clear at least that he holds little love for the once-time God of Mankind.
Moving on, Shota studies their surrounding with interest. However, his demeanor has taken o a distrusting aspect, realizing that they're dealing with a site related to Aroden. He moves up next to Mask and also hails the Gillman. "Greetings. We come in peace, and would like to speak with you."
The gillman has his back turned to you, kneeling at the water. After several seconds of trying to get his attention, he notices Mask and Shota out of the corner of his eye.
The gillman stands abruptly, turns around, and bows to the assembled group. "Greetings, travelers. My name is Uori. Why have you come to this place?"
He watches your lips as he waits for a reply.
He says to Shota, simply, "It was. No, I do not."
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"Calm yourself, Korosh"Ken says in soothing tone. "I think he's just noticing how much your new garment resembles his own rainment"
"Neighbor", Ken says addressing the gillman with a friendly, smile on his face. "We're explorers, archaeologists, historians, and agents of the Pathfinder Society here on a graduation exercise of sorts." Ken keeps his body language open and non threating as he continues. "My name's Kennaniah. We've been tasked to explore these caves and see what has been drawing your people here so far from the sea. What draws you here to this place of worship to a dead God?"
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Shota puts a hand on Korosh's shoulder, to stay the man's aggression. "He doesn't look hostile, Korosh. Breathe, and be calm." He then steps forward next to Ken, and lends his words to the Desnan's explanation. "It is curiosity that drew us here, and we harbor no ill. Be at ease, and if you will, tell us what brings you to this place."
Uori stays silent for a moment while he reads each set of lips. After everyone is through, he says, "Well met, each of you. Yes, this was a site sacred to Aroden, but it has mostly faded, and will likely fade completely away soon. This site is now sacred to my people. The waters here are pure and untainted. Although," he looks in the direction of each branching passageway to the east and west, "Other creatures have since taken up residence here. I did not get a good look at them, but each of those tunnels seems to hold danger. I would advise caution, but if you were to cleanse this place, it would mean a great deal."
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Shota isn't all that interested in an old site sacred to Aroden, but he knows that as a Pathfinder he's expected to be curious. It would not do for Janira to give her life for their Confirmation, only to have them leave empty-handed. "Uori, if I may... What makes these waters pure and untained? And do many of your people come here? And you mean the tunnels hold dangers to you, and your people? What can we expect?"
He looks back at his companions and raises an eyebrow, asking them whether they'd be willing to explore further to the sake of the Gillmen.
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Ken nods silently back at Shota, answering his unspoken question with a yes.
He thinks to himself what did he mean this place's power hasn't completely faded yet? The only things we've seen here are the carvings from The History and Future of Humanity and the model of Absalom. I wonder ...
Ken pulls out his his notes and reads over the section he just wrote about the wall carvings and compares it to the city model. The Soldier, The Merchant, The Tailor, and The Farmer he thinks.
tiny trinkets such as ancient coins, polished semiprecious stones, and ornately braided loops of string are scattered throughout the diorama,
Uori says, "I am not sure how to answer your question. My people feel the pull of this place, the waters here. We are...how do you say...connected. Those of us who feel its pull most keenly make the pilgrimage, and arrive on the full moon. It is not many of us, but few.
"The tunnels hold danger for all living things, I suppose. I smelled the reek of undeath when exploring one of the tunnels." He points toward the eastern tunnel. "The other tunnel, I'm not sure. I saw little shapes in the dark and fled."
-------
Ken does get the feeling that there is something still lingering in this place. An echo of the long dead god. Puzzling over the miniature city and the guises of Aroden, the notion comes to him that these objects are in fact offerings tied to the guises.
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Shota bows his head to the Gillman. "Thank you for the explanation. If there is nothing else, we will leave you in peace, and continue our exploration" He makes a rudimentary map of the cave with its pool and miniature city. "Shall we go that way," Shota says as he points to the tunnel heading east. "Unless you want a better look at that city, of course, Ken," he adds.
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"No," Ken says with a sigh, "Let's go Explore." He puts his notebook back into his pack and turns away from the model city. As he starts to step away, he pauses, and turns back around.
Reaching into his belt piece he grabs a coin, cast light on it and places it on the model's streets. "For the Solider," he says. He then grabs a coin of similiar value saying "and for the Merchant".
"Now lets go"
As Ken places the coin and takes another from the model city, the entire party feels something warm and good suffuse the air around them, like a reassuring hand from a trusted friend on your shoulder.
You take the eastern tunnel as far as it will go, and amidst the wet rock and smell of stale water, you sense another, more foul odor in the air. The stench of decay. The passage turns to the east and opens into a small cavern littered with bits of broken glass, rotting pieces of paper, and other unusable detritus. The body of a humanoid creature lies facedown toward the back of the cavern.
Amid the debris, three shambling creatures stagger toward you, flesh rotting off their bones, arms outstretched toward you.
In combat!
Bold may act.
Round 1
Bethany
===========================
Red
Green
Yellow
===========================
Korosh
Mask
Shota
Kennaniah
Bolty
Bethany correctly identifies these creatures as zombies, and knows most anything about them.
The zombies shamble clumsily into the mouth of the cavern toward the closest warm meal.
Bold may act.
Round 1
Bethany
===========================
Red
Green
Yellow
===========================
Korosh
Mask
Shota
Kennaniah
Bolty
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"There's not a lot of room to maneuver!" Ken exclaims as he tries to find a way forward to the foe. Not seeing a way that doesn't hinder an ally. He gives up, reaches out and touches Mask on the shoulder.
"My Lady's blessings" giving Mask a Bit of Luck.
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Shota looks mildly intrigued as he feels the power of the ancient shrine wash over him. He then shrugs. "Seems like even a dead God casts long shadows. We'll report it, there are probably scholars of Aroden with the Society who will want to know more about this." He scribbles some hasty notes, and then nods his farewell to the Gillman.
--
"Zombies, eh?" the tall Kellid remarks at seeing the zombies in front of them. "I think they've escaped the Lady of the Graves long enough. Poor souls..." He chants a small bit of magic, then launches a tiny ray of frost at the front zombie, hoping to aim past Mask's shoulder.
--
Korosh, raging, chops the closest zombie into pieces. Maggots wriggle out of its ruined flesh as it collapses to the cavern floor. Mask manages to strike a solid blow with his rapier, but the holes the weapon makes do not seem to bother the creature.
Shota fires a ray that sails over the zombies' heads, striking the cavern wall behind them. Ken uses his magic to aid Mask Bolty backs away into a defensive position.
Bold may act.
Round 2
Bethany
===========================
Green
Yellow
===========================
Korosh
Mask
Shota
Kennaniah
Bolty
-Posted with Wayfinder
Bethany delays as she decides what to do. The two remaining zombies shamble up, bumping and jostling into each other. The first lunges for Korosh, groaning.
But just barely misses the large man.
Bold may act.
Round 2
Bethany
===========================
Green
Yellow
===========================
Korosh
Mask
Shota
Kennaniah
Bolty
-Posted with Wayfinder