Thunder snaps the green mask in two, destroying it.
The spirit oni fades from view.
Ansrasteia shouts out the location, but Curethric still misses. Bambang also now has a handle on it's location.
The oni moves close to Bambang and returns to visible as it tries to gore him. Bambang, however, is able to side step the attack at the last moment.
As the once raging battle begins to slow, a strange cloud of translucent smoke appears in the center of the arena, coalescing into the demonic form of Kiang Zhen. The oni raises her hand, and the remaining creatures suddenly fall back and drop to their knees as if to acknowledge defeat.
”Well done, well done!”
”My minions accept your victory, and you have adequately the Emissary. Please, lower your weapons. I congratulate those of you still alive, for you have grown that much closer to qualifying for the Ruby Phoenix Tournament!”
The oni pauses for a minute to study the crowd before continuing, ”Beneath the trapdoors lies a series of subterranean passages. Scattered within the passages I have secured a collection of small, but nearly priceless porcelain vases. Your challenge is to locate one of these vases and return it to me. However, there is a catch – there are fewer vases than competitors. Only those who present me with a vase shall pass on to the next part of the competition.”
The door opens easily, and the drop to the floor of the shaft below is about 20'. There is a rickety platform that appears like it should be able to lower by a rope pull, but once you start playing with it, you notice it is no longer operational. Still, the rope appears sturdy enough to hold at least one of you at a time for a climb down.
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"Can anybody cast that Feather fall spell on Thunder?" I am afraid that jumping down would hurt him...
If no one has it Yarricki will focus for a few seconds and tell Thunder to climb down.
Yarricki scrambles down after him, using her own knotted rope tied to a grappling hook.
When they are safely down she focuses again for a short time
"Can everyone see in the dark or do we need a source of light?"
Yarricki and Thunder manage to get down safely.
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letting the party progress past her Adrasteia then casts light on her belt to illuminate the rear of the group.
" Remember haste makes waste Yarricki besides I think another event like this may happen in ten or so years which isn't that far off" she says as if repeating something that has been told many times as she stops for a moment to listen for additional voices.
The first hall turns right, and the bird trots down to the end. At the end of this hall, there is a shaft.
After you consider your options, you look for another path. Unfortunately, Yarrick finds the pipes narrow to only 5' width.
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Yarricki sighs "that depends on what you call a Tien vase. I have seen vases from Minkai and Lingshen the last time I was in Goka. They differ more than a Irrissen vase differs from a vase from Taldor. Tian Xia is not a single country or culture. Oh, and before you ask: I was born there, in the nation of Jinin, and lived there for the greater part of my live."
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Adrasteia opens her mouth for as if to retort but then closes it before smiling as she rubs her fingers on the symbol of Calistria hanging from her belt.
"Thank you for the pottery lesson Yarricki and you do seem very well traveled. Maybe when the both of us have time I could ask you about the famed courtesan houses of Tien Xia and of the men and women who work them." pausing to wink at the gnome
"As for my opinions on my "honored bound" cousins that's a long story" she says with no lack of sarcasm on the word honor.
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Once he reaches the bottom, Bambang withdraws his wand of heightened awareness and activates it on himself.
To the elf, Bambang "Again, like what Lady Yarricki has mentioned, Tian Xia is not one country. The idea of courtesans, for example, is just as alien for those of us on isles of Minata as it would be for you." Speaking then to both, he continues, "But perhaps we should focus on the business at hand? We need to get our hands on the vase before the competitors do."
Bambang then proceeds past the big bird down the corridor.
Bambang marches ahead.
In this area stand three large straining tubs for sifting through waste. On the walls hang several nets and rakes used to clean the sewers.
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"ohh on the subject of pump I see instructions for operating it under that harmless gray fungus" she says after giving the longest eye roll at Bambang.
[dice=know nature at "harmless" fungus] d20+4[/dice]
"Besides I like to imagine that the people with whom I travel with are my business Bambang .... in fact I'm sure under your rough and gruff exterior and your no nonsense attitude you are a cuddly as a kitten. So what makes you tick Bambang?
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"Tick? I am no clock..." the straight laced Bambang replies. But was that a hint of sarcasm in his voice?
"But good eyes," he praised Adrasteia. "I agree with Velinov. I rather not stumble onto something later unpleasant later."
After reading the instructions that elf has spotted, Bambang proceeds back to the pump. Straining his bulging muscles, he starts working the equipment according to the instructions.