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Zakon deftly dodges Firebug's careless spit.
"I bet your aim is similar in an outhouse."
With Uncle Tetchy on one side of the pit holding the rope to climb out and Zakon on the other, everyone but Jubal is able to climb out of the pit. Zakon uses another cantrip to clean and dry the cap then examines it closer. Afterwards, he places the cap on his head and tilts it to the side to conform it perfectly to his hairstyle.
"Shall we continue our journey? Jubal, can you jump across safely if you are unwilling to use the robe Uncle Tetchy offered?"
Nowing little about how to make a cape, or to value them, Zakon knows no more of the cape. But, once he had cleaned the cape, he´s pleased of how it fits him, so he keeps it.
And then, when every one had dressed as he fits, spited and/or picked the ropes, the groups continues deeper into the caves.
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.
Between Uncle and Jubal the meaning of some of the carvings are discovered. They can´t understand what´s writting they realize some of the carvings depict two of the Aspects of Aroden. They point you to:
The Soldier, who 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.
And the Thief, who is depicted stealing a gem from a shop while whispering a prayer, an allusion to a passage saying that larceny—though illegal—is a form of praise, for anything worth stealing is also worthy of praise for its craftsmanship.
This are part of the History and Future of Humanity, but with little different of the current copies you have read. Like this are an from an early version of the book. Or from one more focused in telling rituals than the exact words.
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. In the middle of the pool you can see a man, kneelig in the water and wathching to te opposite wall, he had not note your presence.
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.
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The soldier and the thief. The vigilant shall carry light to the darkest corners of the world. Thievery is but a form of praise. Makes you wonder why I stopped being a... he hesitates for a moment sailor, eh?
I remember the stories differently. The ones I know didn't have the carrying of lanterns or the stealing of gems in them. Less actions, more words. I would've liked them better if they had told me this version.
Tetchy scribbles a bit on a piece of paper, though he gets frustrated quickly as the quill punctures the sheet. He's made a couple of crude drawings, then moves on.
Seeing the gillman, he moves to the edge of the pool, clear his throat - causing a bit of a rumbling to echo through the cave - and then says Hello!
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Yes...sailor as in 'pirate', but i'm one to talk. I'm a saboteur and conisseur of explosives.
"I~~~'m not exactly the most versed in diplomatic affairs and neither is mr. Posh here.", he casually points at Zakon. "Maybe Quinn or Jubal's the one to talk to the guy in the pond, they would strike a total stranger as the more open types i reckon."
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Jubal is the last to leave the carvings, as he takes his time documenting each one and trying to due crude sketches of them. Its tough though as he is frequently distracted by Zakon´s magnificent hat.
In the next cave Jubal husles to catch up with the rest and then seeing gillman he politely moves to the front.
Greetings friend. I am Jubal Early and we are exploring the cave. We are interested in its history and any significance it holds with your culture. Would you mind discussing such matters with us?.
The Gnome asks shyly.
Both of you can see how the Gillman opons his eyes slightly when he see the cape Jubal had put on
And also he is wearing a cape with similar colour and motives
All of you can see how the Gillman turns to you as Jubal and Zakon walks in front of him. She stares firmly at Jubal as he answers.
So you have came here searching for knowledge?
Well, this is not aplace of knowledge, but of wisdom and misticim. This is a sacred place for my people, as it was a sacred placed for Aroden. But his influence has been fading in the last century, with his sacred carvings weathering and dissapearing. And it sees soon Aroden´s influence will go away completly.
The gillman moves to a place where he can see all of you, and stares at Masaru as he makes his questions.
Well, it´s a symbol of our pilgrinage. When a gillmen put a cape with this calor and motive, it means he, or she, is traveling to a sacred place searching for wisdom.
Then his gaze turns to Jubal. I´m amused to see a landman with a cape similar to ours. May I ask you if you are in a pilgrinage?
The gillman looks approachable and willing to talk with you about "their ways", misticism and possibly anything you want to talk about.
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Jubal smiles as he finds a nice place to sit and talk with the man. In fact, I am on a quest for wisdom as well. As a new member of the Pathfinders I have traveled here to discover that which has been lost or hidden. It would seem this shire to the Last Azlanti has been lost to the landmen for many years. You and your people are very brave to traverse such inhospitable lands to tend to the shrine and worship here. It is a very noble pilgrimage, one that honors greatly Aroden.
I find it sad that such sacred site should fall on such hard times. The Society has a lot of resources at its disposal, perhaps we could help restore this place. Do you think your people would welcome the aid of the Pathfinder Society?
Jubal will go on to ask him about the history of his people and this site as well as any special rites you preform here. He will happily scribble down notes in his journal as he talk.
Maybe you´re confusing your ways with my people ways. Aroden was an important god for your people, landman, but we´re not here to honor the dead god Aroden.
We came to this sacred pond, were spring water and wisdom flows interconnected. Here, every gillman found wisdom in a different way. I was hering the waters, even if I can´t hear you, and waits until I "hear" something important for my life or my people. Is not that I really hear anything, it haven´t since many years ago, but is the best way I can describe what I feel.
If you want to come to the water and perform your own rituals, I wouldn´t interfere And if you don´t consider it rude I´ll be glad to watch and learn.
Regarding to your willingness to restore this site. I really doubt no mortal can restore the fading magic of a dead god, and I prefer your society, wichever it is, don´t come here en masse to change the caves.
The site is almost perfect for us as it is, however other creatures have invaded the caves and are not so polite as you and your group.
As the deaf gillmen is talking with Jubal, Uncle goes to the miniature city to discover it´s a miniature city. Maybe someone more perceptive is neccesary to obtain any clue from it
The diorama is an intricately detailed model of Absalom, easily identifiable by its Starstone Cathedral
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Quinn follows Uncle Tetchy to the miniature city. "Fascinating... Jubal, could you ask if this city here was built by the gillman people?"
He inches his head closer for a careful look.
However, he is unable to offer any further insight.
Quinn makes note of the carvings of the soldier and the theif. "If one were to make worship here, would it best be done by making such gestures as those?"
He then, while standing in the water, does his best to copy the pose of the soldier. "Oh Iomedae, Lady of Light, please watch over our small band of explorers. And protect this peaceful gillman."
Once done, he turns to the gillman, "You said there were hostile creatures in these caves?" He draws his sword, "Where are they? We must put an end to them, for your protection!"
Not as far as I know. Tales says it suddenly appear without nobody claiming to be the responsible of built it
The mistic gillme sees amused how Quinn poses and declaims, but says nothing about it. He only answer the question:
They´re deeper in the caves. Get rid of them and you´ll protect not only me, but also future pilgrims
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Fascinating! Jubal continues to mutter as he jots down notes, I doubt the gillman built this since it is a tiny replica of Absalom, see there is the Starstone Cathedral. I guess it makes sense, since this site was once a holy site for Aroden. I guess we should get going, and deal with the.... Wait what are we doing?
The passage leading from the gillmen’s holy site varies from 3 to 6 feet wide and is coated with the omnipresent bioluminescent fungi. Though the you encounter several points where the tunnel branches off in different
directions, all of those paths either narrow beyond yours abilities of to traverse, lead back to this main trail, or are blocked by a cave-ins.
Suddenly, when you were traversing the caves, you fell a warm inside, as if a cleric had blessed you.
The persistent glow of the bluish fungi dimly lights the way deeper below the Kortos Mounts. The tunnels broaden to reveal a shallow river that bisects an immense tunnel stretching to the north and south. To the east a small passage exits the chamber at a steep incline.
When the group approaches what looks like a big chamber, Quinn warns about having found the hostile creatures, and it looks they had found you too.
Bold can act
Quinn
Bug
Zakon
Tetchie
Jubal
Masaru
Locke
Three blue guys
The bug, thinking of Quinn as canned food rushes to him to start its daily meal.
But Quinns armor proves to be more resistant than it expected and it causes no harm.
Bold can act
Quinn
Bug
Zakon
Tetchie
Jubal
Masaru
Locke
Three blue guys
The Three blue guys goes near the river, dagger in hand when they open widely their eyes which for a moment glows with a malevolent light. Jubal, Quinn and Tetchie feel an horrible dread caused from the magic of the unknown creatures.
Quinn and Jubal can overcome the feeling, but Tetchie is unable to do the same and continues feeling the fear.
Round 2
Bold can act
Quinn
Bug
Zakon
Tetchie
Jubal
Masaru
Locke
Three blue guys