GM Aeon's The Confirmation

Game Master d'Eon

"I'm not so good at this sort of thing, and walking a plank makes me nervous... If you'd be so good as to steady the other side, Lukas, I'd appreciate it." If/when Lukas complies, Gribbl will attempt the crossing, using the sticky pads on his fingers and toes to stay on the plank as he crosses... using his climb speed of 20 to cross the plank, since his acrobatics of +2 is pretty lousy, lol

Clapping Shef on the back as he approaches the plank, Heiliger looks to make sure that Rook has the other end firmly steadied also before crossing slowly and deliberately.

While crossing the bridge, his eyes fall upon the cloth at the bottom of the pit. Someone should check that out. I'll mention it on the other side. For now, focus, you big dummy. Left foot. Right foot....

Taking 10 + 1 Dex - 4 armor check penalty = 7

Upon reaching the other side, he lets out the breath he didn't realize he was holding, in spite of having compete confidence in his teammates.

"Is no one going to check out that bundle? Perhaps after Shef is across, we could drop the far end of his bridge down to make a ramp."

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"I may not be good at crossing bridges, but I'm excellent at climbing... a ramp or rope would make it a cakewalk for me..." He holds up his hands showing his sticky finger pads... "Got 'em on my toes too!"

climb to go down: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 8 - 1 = 19 (with a climb speed of 20

climb to go up again: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 8 - 1 = 23 (with a climb speed of 20)

Gribbl goes down and collects the cloak, makes sure there's nothing else of note, then climbs back up again...

'"Atta boy Gribbl! How cool is it you can climb like that?" Shef says awaiting Gribbl's return with a hand held up for a high five.

Gribbl grins at Shef, and looks up at his hand, thinks long and hard about it and holds up his hand as well... which only reaches Shef's mid-thigh when held up high... "That's as high five as I can go, unless you want me to climb you too." he says with a froggy grin.

He casts detect magic on the cloak after that. IF it's magical, he does his best to determine what it might be.

spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

but if it applies, he's unable to learn much about it.

"it's... um... a cloak?"

Shef pulls out the folded up Stilts in his pack and shows them to Gribbl. "Haha! How about instead you wear these so we can high five proper. This way people will be looking up to you instead of the other way 'round. But next time let's allow someone less squishy to go down into the holes. Heiliger's ramp idea was a good one, and I don't want nothin happening to my new frog buddy. I can't protect you from traps, ya know?"

This is when Shef's older brother mentality really begins to show. Usually being one of the larger, tougher people on a crowd he finds himself obligated to protect anyone or anything smaller than himself. He may not be the brightest tool in the shed, but he's loyal to a fault.

"Or you could bend down... those don't look easy to wear. Point taken on squishiness and hole delving though... I agree."

Thanks to Shef's preparedness, everyone makes it across easily and without incident.

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. Four of the murals remain legible enough to decipher, though they are written in an old language.

A DC 15 Knowledge (history or religion) or Linguistics check, or a DC 17 Appraise or Perception check will decipher one of the murals. If you speak Azlanti or Aquan, you get a +2 bonus for each language you speak. If you beat the DC by 3, you decipher a second mural, beating the DC by 6 gets you three, and beating it by 9 or more deciphers all four murals.

"Looks like somebody got bored and drew on the walls. I used to get in trouble for that at home when I was a wee little one. Looks like they made up their own gibberish language just like me too! We need a small child to decipher this. Maybe come back with one later?" Shef says really focusing on the murals, scratching his chin, trying his best to seem like an investigator deep in thought. While having absolutely no clue as to what he was looking at.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Linguistics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Life in a library was not a waste it seems. I wonder if this has anything to do with the twelve forms Aroden took? It is obvious that I need to brush up on my Azlanti or Aquan.

Lukas starts flipping back and forth through a notebook scratching his chin in almost the exact way Shef was. After quickly making some detailed notes Lukas starts to explain what each mural means to the best of his ability. Lukas also mentions Aroden took all of these forms after working out Aroden was in the first mural.

As Heiliger approaches one of the murals to look at it closely, he hears Lukas begin to explain everything.

That's excellent! I'm so lucky to have such well informed colleagues. This find is probably exactly what Janira would want us to write about in our notes. And with that he takes out his nearly empty notebook and scribbles some pictures and notes from Lukas' lecture. At least what he can remember and understand....

But Lukas, why would the gillmen come here? Do they still worship Aroden?

"I didn't know ya studied kid gibberish! How lucky are we?" Seeing the others with their notebooks out Shef pulls his from the bottom of his pack, beaten and battered from being tossed in with the rest of his things. His crude stick figure drawings were barely legible, as though a child had really drawn them. After spending entirely too much time on his depictions, he tossed it back inside and began looking down the cave to make sure no one was sneaking up on them.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

"Are yall thinkin this is some sorta shrine to this dude down here? And that's why all the gillymen are comin'? If that's the case it seems we should just leave em to their business. They aren't hurtin' nobody it don't look like."

Part of me selfishly wanted you to be short one or two points from the final DC so Shef could've used his chalk or powder to help accent the writing and indentions in the wall.

"Why would these gillmen come here to worship a dead god... and oh, by the way, this cloak is magical..."

"Sweet! What's the cloak do?" He says eyeing the item. "Who knows dude? They're guys with gills on their face, they probably do a lot of weird stuff. Let's see what we can find deeper in the cave. Maybe we will find the answers there."

"Dunno... try it on and find out?" He hands the cloak to Shef... "It's a little big for me, but they do resize if they're magic, don't they? Oh well, you try and see if it does anything interesting for you."

"Sure!" Shef's eyes get huge once the cloak is offered. It takes Shef less than an instant to Don the cloak, both arms pointing straight out, Superman style. "How do I look? Anything different?" He says giving the most handsome grin in his arsenal, raising one eyebrow.

"It looks very ... dashing ... on you, Shef," Heiliger comments with a twinkle of amusement in his eye at the antics of the young man.

"I don't know anything about Gillmen, but Aroden was a god of Good. If their visits are related to him, then likely they are simple pilgrims. Though who knows what else these caverns hold...." he continues, looking toward the torch-lit tunnel leading deeper into the caves.

"But if we're done here, shall we press onward, my friends?"

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Rook busily takes notes of what he deems important especially the one about stealing things, "It looks like they won't mind us taking there valuables...well at least not that much. Speaking of that the cloak looks a little off. Mind if I take a look too? Before you turn into a toad or something."Rook starts to bellow as he puts away his notes and holds the cloak.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

He might be a little reckless but I can appreciate someone else setting off any traps.

After reviewing and sharing any information he can find about the cloak he nods at Heiliger motioning everyone forward.

"Thank you Heiliger! I must say I agree. Now let's go find us some action." Shef replies back to Heiliger just before Rook speaks up."I was just making sure it was safe Rook, calm down. I know it makes me look amazing but don't let the jealousy overwhelm you. I'll let you wear it too." He says with a huge smile as he let's Rook examine it. "What can you tell us about it, other than how good I look in it." After a short conversation on the properties of the cloak, and who should be wearing it, they decide to continue down deeper into the cave.

"I agree. We should move deeper in."

agreed. We should keep moving spoke avelbane after their pause at the murals.

Gribbl continues further in, worriedly fussing at his brow ridges as he contemplates Janira's fate... He looks back toward the exit... "I hope she's going to be okay... she's a wee thing like me... and it was SO big."

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. Kneeling in the water at the edge of the pool is a single humanoid, with a robe folded on a rock nearby. He takes no notice of your arrival.

The cloak is a cloak of resistance +1

"What do you suppose that fella is doing? Maybe we should talk to him?" He whispers to the group as they see the man. "His robe folded up there and the cloak we found look like they're a matching set. You think it's his?

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

know religion: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

"Oh look, it's a little model of Absalom... and oh my! little cousins!" Gribbl approaches the kneeling figure and the pillar in the water, mostly to get a closer look at the model and it's 'inhabitants'...

When he gets close to the water, he calls out, "Hello? Don't mean to disturb your prayers, but what is this place? And why do you pray here?"

Heiliger replies to Shef in a whisper born out of awe and piety at the sense of holiness in the air. "Aye, Shef, but wouldn't it be odd for a man to own a pair of matching magical cloaks? Swords or daggers, sure, but still.... Perhaps another pilgrim to this sacred space lost it in the pit before our friend there arrived?"

Out of simple respect, prayers and meditations should not be interrupted. But I fear we could miss our chance to learn what we must. And little Janira awaits us.

Heiliger moves around the edge of the pool to a position where he can respectfully address the pilgrim to his face, rather than speaking to the back of his head. Holding his hands out in a gesture of peace, he raises his voice slightly - just enough to be heard while still keeping a reserved and reverent volume.

"Good sir, we apologize for interrupting your devotions. Could we speak with you about this place and your activities here?"

He's got a +6 to Diplomacy, so he'll be happy to roll as the lead, but perhaps he can get an Aid from any others willing to try first?

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"T'wood be weird Heil. But these are weird dudes. Maybe they wear cloaks over robes. They may belong to the same order though, as you said. S'pose that's possible." He says back in attempted whisper, but never quite grasped the concept of being quiet.

"If you wouldn't mind answering a few questions from random trespassers of your secret place, that'd be great." Shef tries his best diplomatic voice to help Heiliger.

Diplomacy: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (11) - 2 = 9

That was supposed to be an aid role. Sorry about that. At a -2 I wouldn't be trying to speak for the party lol

Rook approaches the figure at the side of Gribbl to protect him if the need arises.

"I hope is as friendly as you little one." Rook says quietly.

Is he ignoring us or has he just not noticed us?

"Greetings. "

The gillman looks up after a moment but remains silent as you all speak. You notice he is watching the lips of whoever speaks quite intently, and once you finish he waits silently.

Diplomacy rolls would be appropriate now.

sense motive dc 15: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

diplo: 1d20 ⇒ 6

Gribbl seems too intently fascinated by the frogs on the model city to be attentive to the gillman.

Rook looks over to see Gribbl paying more attention to his kin than the gillman who is now watching them closely. He lets out a sigh and pulls his attention back to the gillman.

Sense Motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (16) - 1 = 15

I had a feeling that cloak would be trouble one way or another. He doesn't look openly hostile though so maybe we can get through this without being covered in fish guts.

In a calm and paced tone Rook says,"Hey Shef, I believe that cloak you are wearing may indeed have belonged to the kin of our new friend"

Noting Rook's words and watching the gillman's eyes, Heiliger reaches one long arm out and draws Shef gently to his side.

Shef is a Good man at heart, I'm sure he'll want to do the right thing by the original owner of his fine new cloak. Well, I think he would. Maybe....

Addressing the gillman with one hand resting calmly on Shef's shoulder, Heiliger politely continues his entreaties, "Good sir, we found this cloak at the bottom of a pit trap near the entrance. Does it belong to a colleague of yours? Can you could return it to its rightful owner?"

Pausing briefly to gauge the pilgrim's reaction, he continues, "As I said earlier, we've been sent to learn about these caves, what's in them, and what the connection to you gillmen are. I understand your reticence in this holy place, but is there aught we can do to learn from you?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Well, that roll sucked, sorry everyone. I'd prefer to save my reroll for later just in case. If that wasn't good enough to get him to talk, maybe we can come back to him later.

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Guilt and embarrassment rush over Shef after Heiliger draws attention to the cloak in front of the gillman. With a bit of shame in his eyes that are focused on the floor as he hangs his head he says, "Erm... yeah... we found this... we thought someone just didn't want it... I apologize if it was a relatives or a friend... I just thought no one was usin' it and didn't want it to go to waste. I've been treatin' it well I swear... so, do you recognize it?"

Nice one Shef. Puttin' on a dead man's cloak then wearin' it in front of his friend or family. You're off to a greeeeaaatt start.

Whispering to Heiliger he says almost hopefully, "You know, there is always a chance they was travelin' together and this guy pushed him down the pit and got rid of the body. Maybe we shouldn't give it back. You never really know."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

Gribbl tears his attention away from the little city and its froggy in habitants... and addresses the gillman. "Ah yes, we'd love to learn more about this place, and your folk, while we're here... If you'd speak with us, we'd appreciate it. Is it true your people come here once a month? and why is this a special place for such a pilgrimage?"

diplo: 1d20 ⇒ 17

Handing over the cloak is a +8 bonus to Diplomacy, so you aren't far off. There are still three others who can try to bump that roll high enough. I'll let anyone who hasn't already rolled Diplomacy add theirs if they would like before having the gillman respond.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Lukas stays mostly quiet so not to overwhelm the new gentleman but he can't help but join in on the discussion especially when the topic of discussion changes to the possible shrine we are in.

Rook looks back to the Gillman and speaks, "Surely you can now see that we mean no harm and are merely looking for information. Will you help us?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (20) - 2 = 18

This really isn't my thing but if it keeps us safe it is better to make a friend than an enemy.

And that's enough to get him talking!

The gillman takes the cloak and nods. "Thank you. This is indeed one of ours." He pauses and watches everyone speak, then continues. "So many questions; please, one at a time. I can only watch so many of you speak at once. I am Uori, and this is a sacred place among my people. We make a pilgrimage here to listen to the water once a month." Uori points at the model of Absalom. "This was also once a sacred place to Aroden, but that connection is fading. Soon all of the carvings will have faded away, but that is of little concern to my people."

He eyes your weapons and armor and ponders a moment. "You are polite enough, and did not know you were entering a sacred place. That is more than can be said for the other visitors recently." Uori points down the tunnels to the east and west. "Some unfriendly creatures have taken up these tunnels. If you could deal with them, there may be more I could tell you."

Shef pouts a little as he begins unclasping the cloak. "Ya know, it'd be a lot easier taking care of these monsters if we could borrow it till we are done." Puppy dog eyes and a bulging bottom lip fill his face as he asks.

Diplomacy: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (18) - 2 = 16

Greetings, Uori. We would be happy to see what help we can provide. Avelbane said while glancing around and gesturing to Khoda, her wolf companion. She looked around hoping to see if there were any signs of the tunnels inhabitants and what they were.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

what can you tell us of these creatures in the tunnels? May my friend here borrow the cloak till we return?

Uori frowns a bit at the request, then pauses for a moment. "Very well, if you truly think it necessary, you may borrow it until you have checked the tunnels."

There's a fork in the road, East or West?

I don't really think it matters, it's likely 50:50, but rather than wait for everyone to chime in, and/or disappear for the weekend, how about this?

"Thank you for your graciousness, good sir. We shall do our best to remove those who would desecrate these holy grounds, and will then promptly return your comrade's cloak.

Turning to address his friends, Heiliger removes a copper coin from his pouch and rests on on his thumb. "If no one among us has a preference for one direction or the other, then ... heads to the East, tails to the West?"

And with that he flips the coin into the air, letting it fall to the ground at Shef's feet.

Heads is 1, Tails is 2....

flip a coin: 1d2 ⇒ 1

"Ah, the face of ... um, well, I'm not sure whose face that is. But heads it is, so onward to the eastern tunnel then! Come friends, let us purge these caves of evil-doers and unholiness!"

Listen: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Lukas gets ready to move out in whatever direction sounds the loudest.

"I like your thinking! If we are going to have to clear out both tunnels it won't matter much where we start." Rook says frankly and nods at Heiligier.

I wonder if Uori wants to join us...Rook lets out an awkward guttural laugh...probably not since I wouldn't either.

Rook starts checking his equipment and makes sure he is ready for a fight.

Shef lights a candle to see if he can detect any wind from either passage, if there is none, he concurs with the coin flip method. Marking their trail with a piece of chalk in case Janira makes it into the cave.

gribbl brushes the little frogs off the city... "Go to the water... be free, little cousins!" Then he hops after the party.

Gribbl, as you herd the frogs around, you feel a sense of divine grace. Remembering the mural depicting Aroden as the Shepherd, you are blessed with the insight to direct others in tasks that best suit their talents.

Everyone gets a +2 bonus on a single roll made to aid another in the next 24 hours.

The cavern's damp air becomes increasingly stale as you proceed down the tunnel, and the stench of decay gets more prominent. The tunnel turns and opens into a small cavern littered with broken glass, torn paper, and other bits of debris. A corpse lies facedown towards the back of the cave, surrounded by undead!

Bold may post
Avelbane
Heiliger
Lukas
Yellow Skeleton
Gribbl and Blue Skeleton
Mhazruk
Green Zombie
Red Zombie
Shef
Wolf