Round 3, Initiative 10
to hit; damage.
"Don't worry! I got it! I got it!" Spasi's missile goes wide right. Spasi turns to Bibic.
"You bumped me! You should watch that! I was dead on it until you bumped me!"
Noya attacks the larva
Round 2
"Who needs 'em Clem?"
Rhesus does indeed do his thing.
With a mighty swing, Rhesus brings his hammer thundering down on the creature and with a shuddering sigh, it collapses. Before it has even stopped twitching, it begins to dissolve into foul smelling clouds of acrid smoke and soon all that remains of the beast is its slime.
You recognize the statue as being of Runelord Alaznist.
"Oh yeah, Rhesus, that was a good smash. Good thing I scared it so you could hit it so good. Yeah, we make quite a team," Spasi says, his eyes flickering to Clem as he walks past Rhesus and into the room.
"What we got here? Neat statue, huh?"
Know (History)
"Looks familiar, but I just can't quite place it. Maybe it's the Whispering Tyrant? Probably," Spasi says, running his hand over the statue.
"We should take a rubbing...don't Pathfinders always take rubbings of things? Runes and etchings and rubbings? I bet the VC likes rubbings."
Spasi takes out a pen and paper and does a crude rubbing.
"Bibic, you see anything else in this place?"
Spasi looks around while waiting for someone to decide where to go next.
Perception
"Uh, yeah Spasi, you did just fine. Probably."
"Good work Clem."
Finneas looks at the slime carefully.
"Maybe we could bottle this stuff up for the next swarm of spiders? What ya think Noya?"
Noya shivers a bit at the thought
"I really don't like insects, especially the mess they make."
Bibic takes a closer look at the statue.
(shard)
"Sorry, that's beyond my knowledge. Good job on the rubbing though, that will win us some points with the Pathfinders for sure. Here, I think I have some charcoal - might work better than your pencil."
Bibic takes a look around the room as well, though his heart isn't in it. He doesn't think there's anything here of value and is eager to move on and collect the next shard piece and get out of this dungeon. Is this what Pathfinders do all day? What are we into here?
(shard)
Clement backs away from the dissolving larva a few steps, eyes wide at the sight of the vile creature decaying into ooze in a matter of minutes.
As the bubbles finally finish burping and become silent, Clement shakes his head and looks about the room while tending to his wounds.
"You should definitely sketch that statue, maybe Mrs. Heidmarch will know more about it."
Clement stands in front of the statue and looks at it like a bewildered canine trying to figure out its owner's commands.
"Hmph."
Doors to the south, east and west lead out of this room.
"Hey guys, look at this!"
He casts Detect Magic and looks closely at the weapon before climbing up and trying to remove it a couple times (without damaging the hand).
(shard)
Though he fails to identify it if it is magical, he does pull it free on his first try and hands it down to the party before climbing down himself.
"Anybody want to wield a cold iron ranseur?"
"Whaddya mean, Bibic?!" Spasi comes over to check it out, casting his own Detect Magic.
Spellcraft
"We should get that out of there...maybe give it to the VC. VCs juts love old shit like that," Spasi says, pretty dang sure he knows all about the Pathfinders.
"Rhesus, can you give a hand?"
The statue itself radiates faint divination aura. You suspect that the statue once may have served as a sort of remote observation device or even as a guardian, but now no longer functions. (Your venture captain you definitely want to know about this)
Once someone has secured the Ranseur (Bibic will carry it if no one else will - until we sell it), Bibic suggests the southern door.
"I like walking south. More sun. Well, on the surface of course. I guess down here it doesn't really matter much."
Bibic readies his bow and opens the door for the leaders.
Spasi nods at Bibic.
"That's a good eye, Bibic, to find that. Just like me, you are. A regular sharp-eye," Spasi compliments. "Lead on, Bibic! You're really getting the hang of this."
Spasi follows Bibic to the south.
"Sure Spasi, no problem."
Rhesus tugs the ranseur out of the statue's hands.
"You want I should carry this?"
The barbarian will strap the weapon to his back, out of the way.
*******************
Once Bibic opens the door, Rhesus moves in, hammer at the ready.
Clement watches with mild interest as the others flock around the statue and disarm it, rubbing his larva-bit absentmindedly.
Standing again as Bibic readies to the open the door, he quickly hustles over and stands next to Rhesus before giving him a nod and raising his shield slightly.
The door opens onto a small landing and a set of stairs. At their base they intersect with another hallway running east-west. To the west, the hall turns a corner, but to the east it opens up into a small room before continuing on.
(C7) A pillar stands at either end of this wide room. The northern pillar is carved with the image of a beautiful woman wielding a ranseur (same as the statue). The southern pillar depicts seven robed men and women, their features eroded with the years. Each of them holds one segment of the seven-pointed star. Strange runes are carved into the floor.
The runes are in Thassilonian and ask, "Does true power lie within the one or the many?"
Bibic eyes the statues and the runes with care. He’s uneasy, worried about the power that may yet remain here.
(shard)
"I know not the answer to this riddle. If I had to guess, as there are many statues here, I'd guess true power lies in the many - but that could be a ruse."
"What Riddle?"
"Stand back, let me through. Yeah, yeah, I got your Thassolonian right here," Spasi says, stepping in front to take a good look at the runes. "I got enough to get by...that's why Dr. Toffitt hired me, after all. I got smarts. Lots of smarts."
Spasi peers at the writing and deciphering it aloud for everyone.
"Yep, uh huh. Uh huh," Spasi finishes. "So...does true power lie within the one or the many?" Spasi asks the party.
"Easy answer: it's lies in the coin. Whomever has the coins, has the power. Pretty obvious, in my humble opinion."
Know (Religion)
"So, who are these other guys? Aroden's followers, maybe?"
Spasi takes a rubbing and a sketch of them all for the VC...and another copy for Dr. Toffitt.
"I don't think that riddle is about coins. If you look at this place it does not give even a hint of greed or materialism."
"Ya don't send a committee to teach a guy a lesson, and there's only one mayor. Power goes to the one person that grabs it first and holds it hardest."
As Clement ponders where true power lies, his eyes scan his companions.
The many...?
He looks over Noya, Bibic and Spasi.
... or the one?
He looks to Rhesus.
Clement remains silent, his gaze fixed on the Shoanti.
Interacting or touching the pillars in someway might indicate a person's answer to the question.
"oh. Ohhhhhh. I get it now. See the two pillars? One has one figure, and the other several. We're meant to solve the riddle by picking a pillar and then we do, er, something with it."
"So is it the one or the many?"
"Well this lot looks like some powerful dudes. As opposed to this young waif with a scimitar. I'd go with the group. What do you think, shall we manipulate the group pillar?"
Bibic walks up to the pillar and takes a close look at it, though he doesn't touch it.
(shard)
"A group is stronger than an individual."
"A group is stronger than an individual."
Spasi laughs. "I don't think anyone believes that."
Spasi moves up to explain things.
"You see," Spasi points at the loner. "This guy here is clearly the guy with the money. He's in charge." Spasi points to the others. "Them guys are lining up to get paid. The only reason to crowd around like that is to get money or spend money. Only thing that makes sense."
Spasi nods, assured that's he's made his point perfectly.
Rhesus watches the discussion before getting bored and wandering over the the lone statue.
He looks for a way to remove the statue from the pillar.
Spasi examines his statue for magic, then the other statues for magic, then is ready to move on.
Spasi points Rhesus to the next place.
Bibic plays with the 'group' pillar a little, before drifting over to Spasi and heading down the hall bow at the ready.
"This place is really interesting. I wonder what it was for? You know, back in the day."
He joins the party and takes his place in line, ready to move forward.
Passing by a hallway, you climb up a short flight of stairs. At the top you find a guard room of sorts. Two vaguely humanoid, deformed figures with waxy, almost liquid flesh that hangs from their twisted bones in ropes stand motionless. At your sight, they turn in unison and hiss, raising clawed hands.
Combat round 1
19 Noya
19 - Baddies
17 Bibic
10 Spasi
10 Rhesus
4 Clement
XP 400
LE Medium outsider (devil, evil, extraplanar, lawful)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., blindsight 60 ft.; Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (+2 natural)
hp 5/5, 5/5
Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +2
DR 5/good or silver; Immune fire, mind-affecting effects, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee: 2 claws +1 (1d4)
TACTICS
Nupperibos unerringly follow the orders of their commander. They are relentless in their pursuit and attack, and continue to assault anything in their path until ordered to stop by their commander. A nupperibo killed in battle is 99% likely to be reformed (by a duke or arch-devil) into another nupperibo; the remaining 1% are “promoted” to lemure status, having proved their worth in combat.
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 4
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 11
Languages Infernal (cannot speak)
Gear spear
Bibic looks for any part of the pillar that he can 'depress' like a switch. He runs his hands along the pillar feeling for cracks - but only for a round or two. He really doesn't think there's anything here, and so doesn't spend much time on it.
(shard)
Noya sensing evil goes on the offensive
Noya attacks the Nupperibo with a smite evil
And makes it explode.
The instant that Bibic touches the pillar it glows briefly and Bibic is filled with a sense of deep disappointment and an unnerving chill washes over him
"Oofff. That was the wrong thing to do." Bibic mumbles to himself as he catches up with the group.
"Don't touch the pillars! They're no good at all... no good."
Bow at the ready, he prepares to engage the Nupperibo, but I think they go before me.
Spasi snorts at Bibics displeasure.
"I told you that you want to be the one paying the workers, not one of them."
Out of Pathfinderish curiosity, Spasi will go do the same thing BIbic did, but to the one statue.
The instant that Spasi touches the other pillar it glows briefly and he is filled with a sense of joyous approval and an invigorating warmth washes over him
Spasi saunters a circle around Bibic on the way to C6.
"Oh yeah, who got paid!?"
Bibic sighs inwardly, He's insufferable when he wins. - but he cracks a smile none the less and even laughs with Spasi.
"Oh, you'll get yours all right... you'll get yours!", he jokes.
"So Rhees was right then? True power's with the one?"
Clement nods his head appreciatively at the Shoanti's wisdom.
I wonder if this means that there's only one true god with power, and the rest are just a group of lesser powers...?
Noya checks the statues without touching them, but when she checks the statue of Sorshen bending over a little to get a better look, she slips on a smooth rock on the ground and lands chest first on the statue.
And touches the statue's legs as she gets back up
Round 1, Initiative 17
Weapon Equipped = Bow
Cold Iron Arrows = 14/20 (1 miss)
Silver Blunt Arrows = 10/10
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 5/5
Ghost Salted Arrows = 5/5
Bardic Performance = 9/12
Shard Major Image = 1/1
Bard Spells Remaining: (First: 3/3) (CL 3, Con: +6, SR: +5)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Spark
1) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease
Bibic sees the enemy and shoots at the Nupperibo on his right. He skins its knee and Bibic considers offering it a bandaid.
Round 1, Initiative 10
Spasi delays, expecting the team to take out the remaining bad guy.
Round 1, Initiative 4
Clement hesitates briefly as the gray-skinned creatures descend upon him, Rhesus and Noya.
"What are you?"
Realizing they are hostile, he turns to Rhesus and states the obvious.
"They don't look friendly. Watch out for that spear!"
Clement once again maneuvers next to the large Shoanti and works to position his shield to block strikes against his friend.
for
Round 1
Rhesus swings at the remaining creature.
Combat round 1/2
19 Noya
17 Bibic
10 Spasi
10 Rhesus
4 Clement
1 - Baddies
XP 400
LE Medium outsider (devil, evil, extraplanar, lawful)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., blindsight 60 ft.; Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (+2 natural)
hp dead/5, 3/5
Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +2
DR 5/good or silver; Immune fire, mind-affecting effects, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee: 2 claws +1 (1d4)
TACTICS
Nupperibos unerringly follow the orders of their commander. They are relentless in their pursuit and attack, and continue to assault anything in their path until ordered to stop by their commander. A nupperibo killed in battle is 99% likely to be reformed (by a duke or arch-devil) into another nupperibo; the remaining 1% are “promoted” to lemure status, having proved their worth in combat.
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 4
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 11
Languages Infernal (cannot speak)
Noya attack the other Nupperibo