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Shan draws out a dagger and taps it on the rocks.
"As usual, an excellent plan. I don't want to leave Linnea unarmed, so I will use my dagger. Tapping is better then yelling. Of course, if I'm yelling, then we might have other problems."
Shan approaches the maze entrance. From the damaged map, he is hoping to see a pillar directly in front of him.
“What relation is Mistress Borthwick to you, Goodwarf Saandrican? Is she your grandmother, Aunt, what?”
Saandrican looks a bit surprised and thrown off by the question. "Why, she's my sister-in-law. Why do you ask?"
This seems not unlike a series of 4E skill challenges, which would probably play out reasonably dramatically as a f2f game, but I suspect it will quickly get tedious as a pbp? Do you know what I mean?
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Luisila comes up with a foolproof plan guaranteed to get Shan through the maze safely and out to the corner where the unknown awaits him!
A handful of runes survive on the stele but you aren't sure of their significance. You are able to read one of them in Dwarven, however, and it reads "Koldukar".
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"Why, she's my sister-in-law. Why do you ask?"
“My apologies, Master Molnworret. But like the six of us, you are a veteran of an organization whose leaders wear masks and may not be exactly what they seem.”
“I have been on several missions where an apparent friend was foe and vice versa. Both the Church of Calistria and Venture-Captain Valsin teach us to be ever watchful for betrayal. I trust you will forgive me.”
The priestess makes a low curtsy to the tired dwarf.
Luisila then looks up and smiles. “On a brighter note, it seems the efforts of this group may enhance your own reputation and perhaps get you published in the Pathfinder Chronicles. I trust asking for a little help in return is not too much to ask?”
“What happened to the rescue crew dispatched by the Mithral Mallet? Also, what can you tell us about your former companions in terms of fighting style, the kind of magic they employ, equipment and tactics. I understand one is a halfling with … anger management issues, there is also a half-elf brawler and a human.”
“Why do you no longer accompany them?”
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Shan does a quick look around the room for any secret doors or traps (Perception 28). If he doesn't find either, he hefts the chest and brings it back to the party.
"Look what I found? Who wants to open it? Also, does 'Koldukar' mean anything to anybody? I believe its a formal name that was written in Dwarven runes in the other room."
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Luisila gives the monk a sideways look. "Well of course, Shan."
"Cold Euchre is a card game played by people of leisure in Irrisen, the Linnorm Kingdoms and even the Mammoth Holds if Shinkeer Aswander is to be believed."
"My sister Zynep plays a modified version with a marked Harrow deck every so often at the Pleasure Salon in Absalom."
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"Hmm, well Luisila's explanation sounds good to me. Sorry, can't say I know what Koldukar may refer to." Linnea holds up her pointer finger in a moment of inspiration, "Let's ask Saandrican. Also, wait - can anyone open the chest that Shan found?"
Linnea furrows her brow, "If not, I suppose we could use my rapier to break the lock."
“What happened to the rescue crew dispatched by the Mithral Mallet? Also, what can you tell us about your former companions in terms of fighting style, the kind of magic they employ, equipment and tactics. I understand one is a halfling with … anger management issues, there is also a half-elf brawler and a human.”
"Well, we made our way down here and a couple of mishaps ended with a dead agent-Beetle, the halfling. He was a good scout, quite cunning-just paranoid, is all. And then there was Shu-Lin Foo, a priestess of some Tien god. She was fairly quiet and shy. We also had along with us a fiesty and aggressive half-elf skilled with the elven blade. After Beetle went down, the others starting arguing and it wasn't long before blades were being drawn and the fighting began. I wanted nothing to do with it so I locked myself up here. I know I was with a rough-and-tumble crew of outcasts. . . I just didn't realize how bad they were until they started turning on each other."
Linnea pokes the locks and breaks it enough to open the chest. Inside are four silver-etched manuals for the construction of large, underground chambers.
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I am a big fan of Euchre, Lu!
"Just be careful if you ever play with Zynep, Cleaver. She won't even admit to having heard of the game and ask stuff like 'what's a bower again?' "
"But she incorporates Sczarni sign language into her table talk quite cleverly and I have seen some pretty shrewd operators lose their shirts (and more!) to her."
More generally. "Are we just about done in this wing of the chamber? Is it time to check Shan's steps yet?"
Luisila will have another quick look about Sandricaan's chamber.
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"Go ahead. The only thing else I found was a twenty foot room. It is undecorated except for a large stone stele that stands against the southern wall. There was a pile of rubble loosely covering this metal chest, but the ceiling above showed no sign of damage.
The only other marks of note were a handful of runes survive on the stele. I wasn't sure of their significance. Only one of them in was Dwarven, however, and it reads "Koldukar". I guess the other runes might have been in another language. Maybe some of you can figure it out."
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Luisila laughs out loud. "Sorry, Brachus. But that's exactly what I thought when I was first introduced to a stele in an ancient temple of Gozreh. It was in another part of Varisia, while on Society business with Cleaver and my sister, Zynep."
"It's basically a carved stone statue usually erected as a monument to someone or something."
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"Well, we know how to navigate that little maze room, right? Perhaps I could go over and take a look at this stele."
Linnea carefully makes her way through the maze room, keeping to the path that had been determined.
When she makes her way into the room, she immediately draws close to the stele, studying the features carefully.
Sandricaan spends some time studying the stele closely. "Ah!" he says after a few moments of contemplation. "Oh! Oh, very clever! And quite the find! These runes here-" he begins tracing his fingers over the various markings "-represent the Dwarven Sky Citadels. There are similar steles said to exist in other Sky Citadels, though this one is among the better preserved I have heard of among the dwarves. They were repositories of knowledge for the dwarves. See here! There are runes for Dongun Hold, HIghhelm, Janderhoff, Kraggondan, Kravenkus, and Koldukar."
As Sandricaan speaks this last name, the rune he was pointing to begins to glow with a faint blue light for a fraction of a second. Sandricaan stands amazed at this sight as the light fades away. "Could that? Did you? Did you see that? That response? That could mean Koldukar has another stele-one well-preserved enough to respond. But Koldukar lies in what is now Belkzen, land of the orcs! This is quite the find! We must take this information to Venture-Captain Heidmarch as soon as possible! We'll all get our names in the Chronicles for this."
The dwarf seems ecstatic by the news. He marks the wall with a personal rune, allowing him more accurate teleportation to the room in the future in order to avoid the drudgery of the maze from now on.
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Linnea shares inn Sandricaan's excitement. "Wow - that would be something, wouldn't it? But to try and make into Belkzen? Good luck to whoever Heidmarch decides to send on that errand."
Linnea brushes dust off her shoulders as she considers the possibilities. "Well, we can let VC Heidmarch know about all this once we're free and clear of these caverns. Speaking of which... I think there's still more to clean out."
She starts taking a few steps towards the narrow tunnel leading back up the the room with the wide staircase.
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"This is indeed excellent news. So much knowledge to be obtained. But I agree with Lady Linnea, we have another level to investigate. You are welcome to join us Sandricaan or stay here until our return so that we may return to the surface together."
Unless there is anything else, Shan will lead the party down the staircase.
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On their way back to the steps, Luisila will check to see whether the backpack she concealed in the antechamber has been interfered with. Once satisfied either way, she will leave it in-situ. As they approach the steps she will also look to see if there are any new footprints or such on the dusty stairs.
“Cleaver, let’s start getting you ready for the end-game.”
The priestess intones. “Our great axe was forged in the flames of the Unquenchable Fire. Calistria protect him from the same!”
Luisila *casts* Protection from Energy (Fire) on Varg.
Sandricaan asks to remain here to rest until you are finished, but requests that you take him with you. He is quite tired and low on spells.
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Shan leads the party back down the stairs he examined earlier.
An acrid smell permeates this natural cavern, and a thick coat of dust cakes nearly everything here. To the north, what might have once been a passageway has collapsed. Several inches of murky water cover the floor here.
As you look into the cavern, you can see a Tian woman on the far side. She looks hurt and caked in mud. "Help," she says feebly.
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Luisila manoeuvres herself close to Varg and sweeps the chamber for hidden threats.
Even if she sees nothing, based on Sandricaan’s report, the priestess suspects treachery and *casts* Detect Magic about the chamber, including on the fallen woman, who she thinks may possibly be an illusion.
“Oh, Sweet Heart, how are you hurt? Come to us and we’ll help you out.”
“Blessings from Avistan to Tian Xia. Perhaps our respective deities are the same and just called different names? Will you join me in a prayer?”
Luisila *casts* Bless.
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Shan looks around to make sure the room is stable then calls out to the Tian woman in a language that should be familiar to her.
I've been away so long
I may go wrong and lose my way
Do you know the way to San Jose?
I'm going back to find some peace of mind in San Jose
Luisila detects many auras on the woman but can't identify them.
"Please, I'm hurt and can't move. They hurt me. Come. . . you must help me out. This is not the time for prayer, we need to run."
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" ... This is not the time for prayer, we need to run."
Luisila screws up her face in surprise. "Not the time for prayer? What kind of priestess are you? My goddess, that's a paddlin' "
"But look ... if it upsets you, I'll cast something else instead."
Luisila *casts* Bull's Strength on Varg.
"Brachus, I'm wondering if Invisibility Purge might be in order?"
"Stop!" the woman yells before Luisila can cast her spell. "Ignorant fools!" She rises and motions to someone unseen in the shadows.
Linnea creates a pool of grease and trips up the Tian cleric! As she moves into the room, she notes the halfling hiding in a niche off to the side!
Shan moves around and tries to grab the female fighter but is thrown off when he gets closer to realize that she has since morphed into an undead abomination!
Luisila effectively brings the room into silence!
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Marcetta swings her elven blade at Shan!
Brachus channels and all three of the former Pathfinders cry out in pain.
Jakarno creates a wall of stone to block in the halfling. Shu-lin Foo yells out silently, recognizing the spell, but is unable to transfer her knowledge to the halfling.
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In retaliation, Shu-lin Foo also channels, hoping to harm those of you in the room!
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The halfling moves up and touches the wall but thinks that he is trapped and merely takes up a defensive stance inside.