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Marra looks up the rope, answering Cirri "Sounds like a plan. Were you volunteering or asking for a volunteer? If the later, I'll go."
The halfling cast message spell on herself and the rest of the party, before turning to the rope. Calling up first, "Hello, is anyone there? We would like to talk." Waiting a few moments for a reply, If none comes Marra climbs the rope into the extra space.
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Cirri floats to the top of the rope,
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"Begone from the rope trick, or..." Cirri seems distracted by the lack of context.
"Oh! You guys should look out for the Shadow Lodge- they're trying to make a mess of the citadel."
squaw
"Huh? Oh yeah, are you guys part of the Shadow Lodge? Don't lie to Riddywhipple here, he can smell a fib a mile away!"
Cirri holds her position, preparing to cast Glitterdust if they make any hostile action.
If Marra climbed up, Cirri will look and whisper "Can you talk to them? I make bad first impressions!"
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Taking the slow route by climbing the rope, Marra arrives at the top shortly after Cirri. Smiling the small hafling tries to look non threatening as she speaks to them "Hi there. We don't want any trouble. There's no reason to get all worked up here after all if you as Shadow lodge you are still Pathfinders or were if your a splinter group. The point is, that the Shadow lodge isn't out to harm other pathfinders, they mainly disagree with those who run the lodge, and they are not us. So, we should be able to get along without resorting to unpleasant messy battle. So are you guy's in need of aid, healing or such? All we would like is to ask a few questions and then we would be on our way."
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The three look ready to attack Cirri, but Marra's cool head and truthful words calm them down. The man who seems to be in charge sighs and sheathes his sword, beckoning the others to do likewise. They then exit the rope trick so they can talk to everyone present. "Looks as if you aren't here to fight. A good thing for all of us, as even though you are double our number, we would fight to the end, although it would not likely come to that for us." The woman snorts and elbows him aside. "Don't listen to him," she says. "It was the better part of valor to stand down, save our skins. He's Hanig, the quiet one's Semfar, and I'm Elastrissa. We were hired by some Pathfinder, an old guy with a robe and an Osirian accent. Told us to hold down the entrance against another band of mercenaries claiming to be Pathfinders. Looks 'sif you guys have some sort of infighting problem. Anyway, our employer cast the rope trick, plus some more spells on four other mercs, before they all jumped through that hole. Said if the spell expired before he got back, he wouldn't be returning and we should go back to Manaket." The hole Elastrissa referred to is at the point where the fountain's runoff is draining to. It seems to go down perhaps fifteen feet, at which point it transitions into open space above a massive cavern, at least another hundred feet below.
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"Thanks for not trying to cut my head off, I like where it is." Cirri subconsciously rubs her neck. "Infighting is the nice way to put it, but I think Marra covered the gist of it."
"So, do we head down now?" Cirri pulls out some rope. "I can fly down, but let's see if we can do this normally... does anyone have another 65 feet of rope or so?"
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Shaking her head replies to the three merc. "Pathfinders hiring mercenaries to attack other pathfinders, that is low. You are welcome to leave or stay as you see fit, if any of you are interested in joining the Pathfinders, I can assure you we normally work together, the guy who hired you is an aberration ."
Marra shugs, "No rope on me, too heavy for me to carry around. I do have a potion of fly, but I would rather save it for a real emergency. Does anyone have a feather fall spell, it can usually target a group of people. We would just have to jump together."
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Marra shugs, "No rope on me, too heavy for me to carry around. I do have a potion of fly, but I would rather save it for a real emergency. Does anyone have a feather fall spell, it can usually target a group of people. We would just have to jump together."
" Oh yes, I have that spell memorized. " Cirri flips through her spell book and stops at the appropriate page. " I can use it on six people, so let's bunch up and jump down."
"We just need to figure out how to get back up here."
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Bidding at least a temporary farewell to Hanig, Semfar, and Elastrissa, the team jumps through the hole. Down they fall, some hundred feet, until Cirri casts her spell and they gently float the remaining distance. The landing point is just another small empty space among a sea of smashed and soot-scarred marble. Some buildings are recognizable and somewhat intact, with Jistkan mosaics, murals, and carvings in evidence. The walls and ceiling are that of a huge sandstone cavern, that part of the citadel seems to have tumbled in to after its destruction by Ahriman.
A roiling mass of dark clouds cover the cave's ceiling, occasionally crackling with elemental energies. From the floor, it looks like a stormy sky, but with other forms of energy sometimes taking the place of normal lightning. Vents and geysers pierce the floor and walls of the cavern at places, making the air ripple with heat. The only way forward from here seems to be a beaten but unbroken hall, down which a small stream of water from the fountain above flows.
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Marra jumps into the hole with the others, heart racing as they fall until Cirri saves them with her spell, "Cool! Can we do that again?"
As the heat starts to get to everyone, Marra takes out her wand of Endure Elements and gives everyone a tap, making the heat more bearable, "Here this should help."
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Whenever Cirri is done with her preparations, the team readies itself to venture forward. The only way ahead seems to be the way the water from the fountain above flows, which leads down a hallway. Eventually, the hall opens into what looks like a flooded prayer room. Not far from where the water recedes kneel four men dressed in desert adventuring gear on rugs, prostrate before the column, ignoring the Pathfinder's approach. Tied to the column is a white-robed woman with dark hair, arms up and head hanging loosely against her chest. She raises her head slightly upon noticing the new arrivals, and speaks in a melodious voice. "Welcome, travelers. If it would please you, would you be so kind as to join in my sacrifice?"
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"Oh, are they? We'll see about that...RIGHT, you lot!" He calls out to the four 'supplicants.' "There are no shackles stronger than those around your minds, and no key more sure than a simple act of defiance!"
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"No, they weren't the sacrifice. I was the sacrifice. But you kind of ruined it, so now you get to be the sacrifice. So, yeah, I suppose I'm going to kill you all now." The woman rises into the air and swirls her hands about. Each of her palms seem to open into some strange form of rift and from each appears a floating, demented, bestial human head!
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"Doru divs!" Cirri clutches her staff. "They prefer to be subtle. Are they weak to silver, or cold iron? I never remember."
squaw
"I know, Riddywhipple. I mean... I thought I knew it. Anyway! Winds of the tropics, carry me through the air!"
Cirri's hair begins to flap as she flies 30 feet above the ground and approaches the woman. "If those Doru are serving you, then it's time for a bashing."
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Marra also recognizes the Doru Divs as well as the women "She not what she appears. Its a Pairaka Div! A lustful and destructive creature. likes to exploit taboos, break up romances and friendships. Also little known fact they despises the color red?"
Marra moves forward drawing her small scimitar and cast Good Hope {link} on her companions.
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V advances on the wicked creature, subjecting it to the anguished cries of those who gave their lives for the freedom and dignity of mortals...!
[dice=ear-piercing scream, DC 17, replicating black powder]3d6+1[/dice]
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The foul creature shrugs off most of the screaming only she can hear, but still seems shaken and angry. Karos begins to power up, while Cirri does the same and takes to the air. Marra empowers her companions, but Anfial's arrow still bounces off the woman as if her skin is much harder than it would appear!
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V again subjects the fiend to his own transcendent wrath!
[dice=ear-piercing scream, DC 17, replicating black powder]3d6+1[/dice]
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Marra quickly relates, "The lady is immune to fire, disease, and poison."
The halfling begins her battle dance just before casting Bladed Dash {link}. Her multi-hued cascade of images flow the ten feet towards the woman, but the Dawnflower's small scimitar misses the critical time to strike throwing the whole attack off.
Move action: start battle dance
standard action: cast bladed dash
to hit
damage