GM Kate's Ruins of Azlant (closed) (Inactive)

Game Master Kate Baker

"Woah, what are these things? They look kinda like that little flying one." Toby moves to examine the clockwork servants.

These are much larger than the flying one, and clearly incapacitated for thousands of years. One was crushed by a boulder, wile the other is simply encrusted with calcite deposits and rusted over. Joli does notice more cipher glyphs here, however.

Toby notices some gray stones in the clockwork creature's chests.

Purpose identifies them as dull gray ioun stones.

Sile looks at the mineral deposits and algae. Pretty.

take 10 on perception for 19

In addition, the chuul has arranged a number of trophies in her den. Twenty-three skulls are stacked into a rough triangle against the western wall of this chamber. In the southeastern section of this chamber, six battered and rusted helmets are arranged in a circle surrounding an odd, elongated mask.

Against the wall, a dozen small piles of mundane adventuring gear (such as torches, grappling hooks, leather sacks, frayed and moldering rope, and cookware) sit sorted by material and shape. A small steel shield holds a rainbow of colored river rocks, among which are nestled eight cut emeralds and a tourmaline sphere ioun stone.

Appraise those emeralds!: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5 "Shiny!"

Local: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Local: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Cedar thanks Chad for his help and Chad swims off like, anytime bro.

Can I take 20 on linguistics? That would give me a 27 to understand the glyphs.

Cedar attempts to study the glyphs.

”More proof that a pathfinder was here!”

Kn: Local: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Cedar attempts to study the mask, but isn’t sure where it’s from.

Checks for previous things, plus heightened awareness.
DC 20 Knowledge (local)...: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 2 = 24
or DC 25 Linguistics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

You recognize symbols for safe haven and historical significance, as well as another set of coordinates.

Missing DC Knowledge (dungeoneering): 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 5 + 2 = 23

Much of the rock of this cave is pumice, a volcanic rock suitable as an additive for making alchemical cement.

DC 15 Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 5 + 2 = 19

The mask as the kind worn by Mordant Spire elves.

Purpose Creche gives a cursory glance to the majority of the cave's contents, quickly relating any information he has on the objects. His focus, however, is on the constructs, the room's mix of natural and fabricated construction, and the glyphs Jolly discovered.

Lots of questions on this room!
General Perception check: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 10 + 2 = 30
-Any similarities or like, "cohesion" factor with the collected odds and end? Like, is all the gear of the same make or anything?
-Any additional details/observations on the cave's construction style? Knowledge (history) if needed: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 9 + 2 = 28
-Do these clockwork constructs seem like the same style or make as the ones in the tower? Do they or the architecture offer any additional details on Azlanti-related stuff?
-Do I know anything about chuul collection habits? Is it normal for them to arrange e.g. a circle of stuff around a mask? Knowledge (dungeoneering) if needed: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 2 = 10
-How far away is the Mordant Spire?
-With that 18 K:local, do I know much about the Spire elves? Any idea why they'd be prowling around the island?
-How far away are the new coordinates we found on the glyphs?

Purpose knows that chuuls are known for decorating their elaborate lairs with trophies from their kills. The cave definitely seems manufactured, rather than a natural cave. These clockwork diggers seem much older than what you saw in the Tower. You would guess these are about 10,000 years old. The Mordant Spire is in the same ocean that you're located in, but much farther North. It would be a decent trip.

The new coordinates point you to the South of the island, the area identified on the map as the Sunken Laboratory.

The secondary cave is relatively dry and cramped, with a low ceiling and uneven natural rock underfoot. Faint murals and carvings line the cave’s walls, depicting winged humanoid figures holding lanterns as they descend from a mountaintop. Smaller humanoid shapes are depicted kneeling and reaching up to these figures. An adjacent cave wall illustrates primitive human religious concepts and hunter-gatherer imagery.

Silt looks at the skulls and shivers. Karl does not make art with victims' bones. A bad thing, this shape with three sides.

I help bury these, Purpose.

He admires the more crude cave drawings before setting to work.

Joli mimics Carver Hastings' voice as he remembers it from their many nights chatting at sea. "These paintings look ancient, but they may as well be commentary on the savagery of humans...?" He goes to the Strix' body and works to put it in order. "I imagine our Strix neighbors might be grateful for their fellow's remains. These chuul are terrible."

Purpose Creche talks as he writes notes in his small oilskin ledger. Waterfall cave: Azlanti artifacts, ancient cultural site, chuul behavior and art, building supplies
He takes particular note of the constructs' manufacture, drawing intricate diagrams and filling the margins with observances and conjecture.

"Did the strix carve these. Did humans. If the former, it may inform how we treat with the strix." He nods stiffly to Jolly. "Maybe returning the body will help. If we bring it to the colony one of the Fathers can preserve it." Would I know if that's the case? What state is the strix body in?

Once his notes are completed, he thanks Silt, and the two of them begin ferrying the skulls to the ground outside the cave, where they dig a small hole for each. When the holes are filled in, Purpose Creche walks from grave to grave, kneels, and pricks the soil with the tip of his devotee's dagger. He intones a prayer at each.

"We know not your name or your story; they rest with the Lady of Graves. We know not your pasts; She knows your future. The River flows ever onwards, towards Her sound judgement, towards your rest."

Correcting my post from before: the cave is natural, hence the ancient wall art, but the main area was excavated, giving the walls a manufactured look.

The strix body is in pretty bad shape, but probably identifiable to those who knew him in life.

Toby shudders at Purpose's suggestion. Now we're bringing dead bodies with us?

The skulls now grin underground; the cave is dark and dry.

Silt yawns, lips pulling back from his needle-like teeth to reveal red gums. We rest here now, and walk home in the morning, yes?

Joli hums for a moment. "I think Jalaijatali can help me preserve its remains if we want to find the Strix from here. Once we rest."

"The strix are far to the west. And if you or others can preserve this body I don't think haste is necessary. Let's stop at Talmandor's Bounty and relate our findings. The settlement lies close to the new coordinates. We could then decide how to proceed."

Strix're on an island to the west of Ancorato, near the crystal monument. The sunken laboratory (lines up with new coords) is just a little south of Talmandor's Bounty. Both the strix and T's B are about equidistant from us, though.

”Either way, it seems like we should camp here over night,” Cedar says in his spooky voice.

"Why are you talking like that, Cedar. The chuul cave is well constructed. Easily defensible. Steeped in cultural import. Imagine the beings that walked its halls before us."

*Sticks his tongue out at Cedar*

While I should totally start using the random encounter table from the back of the book, the night passes uneventfully. Where would you like to go next?

Did we officially level up? I think we wanted to head back to town to check in.

You level up overnight, yes!

After dinner and prior to bed, as the firelight flickers on the cave paintings, Cedar summons Mitzi and friends for cuddles and companionship.

”Well done team. I can already tell this pathfindering thing is going to work out.”

Purpose Creche picks through several samples of luminous fungus, tearing them to examine their internal structure. "Why did you Pathfinder Society, Cedar. I'm curious."

Joli spends the evening singing to some of the equipment that the party has found. As he does so, corrosion gives way to sparkle and certainty. Lots of castings of Mending.

Eventually he makes his way into the water. He comes back with a long piece of driftwood. Sitting at the entrance of the cave, he intones prayers softly to Iggy and the new stick for a few hours.

Top on item wish list: greater plague rat belt

"Why did you Pathfinder Society, Cedar. I'm curious."

*join the, arg!

I leveled Silt up a couple days ago and was going off memory; add a skill point in survival and his con modifier to the elvel up stats.

In response to Purpose’s question, Cedar shrugs.

”Something to do I guess.” Then he grins and scratches Mitzi’s ears before sending her over to play with Toby.

Cedar stands and stretches. He pulls off his bandana and wipes his face.

”When I left the Shackles to become a sailor, I thought, this is it. This is my destiny. Get out and see the world. Become the person I want to be. Then I heard about this Bountiful Venture Company, and I thought that’s what I’m meant to do. And I met you all, and we swore our pact. But even before, when I learned I was bunking with you, I knew I had made the right decision. And when Carver mentioned the Pathfinders, I felt it again. It wasn’t so much that I chose to become a Pathfinder as much as the opportunity appeared and I rose up to meet it.”

Cedar ties his bandana back around his head.

”I don’t know what it will lead to, but already, in this cave, with these drawings and these constructs, I can feel it again. Even when things are tough, with Rayland and Eliza, and the tower, even learning there’s a hag here, and of course there’s a hag here. All of these things only convince me I’m on the right, well, path I guess.”

He grins again.

”So why not become a Pathfinder? Why not take an opportunity when it comes? It’s like Hakkuho said, one molecule says yes to another molecule and whamo! Us here. This island. The open sea. The bigness of the world. I want to keep saying yes!”

Joli pipes up, having finished his evening ablutions.

"I met another Pathfinder once. He was traveling on the Bounty, headed for some trouble or other. He didn't seem to have good judgement, but he sure was amorous to every last mammal on board... I guess anyone can be a Pathfinder. Me, I've a calling already. Make this place a home for my creche. And help you make it a home for yours, if you choose."

He returns Cedar's grin. "Of course, happy to help you find your way while we're on the same path!"

I think I've said before: I'm excited to be playing a Pathfinder the Game character who doesn't have to be a Pathfinder! So novel!

Per group decision, you're spending about 5 days in Talmandor's Bounty. You will have enough time to craft, but some other stuff will also happen while you're here!

The Oathsworn return to the village, but unfortunately, you spot two of the colonial soldiers making their way back along the coast, but with substantial injuries.

"The troubleshooters! Thank goodness you're back. Soran Vigaldo, the fisherman, disappeared a couple of days ago. We went looking for him, and we got attacked by a couple of weird creatures. They were kind of lizardy? With wings?"

Joli shakes his head at the soldiers and begins to sing a soothing song.

Channel energy: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 5) = 10

He stops singing and asks, "These winged things. Did they walk as men, or beasts?'

"Like men! On two legs!"

"Ah. The Strix, I think. Maybe we can talk to them. It may be they were just acting to defend their land. Let us talk with them. But first, tell us what you know about dear Soran's disappearance." Joli listens carefully to the soldiers, as always gauging that they're in their right minds.

Sense Motive to gauge enchantment on #1: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (6) + 14 = 20
Sense Motive to gauge enchantment on #2: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34

"He left around dusk two days ago, and just never came back. He always goes off by himself to fish, says that everyone else is too loud."

Neither show signs of enchantment.

Before entering the village, Silt visits his friends on the outskirts. He tells Karl about Path Finders and together they eradicate two berry bushes that encroaching upon a nearby glade. He goes for a swim at the kelp farm and chases off a young Tiger Shark with Llyu-Llyu.

Silt pulls a large object from the waves on a seaweed-drenched rope, lays it down in the mud, and wriggles inside. Later, a bizarre organic shape walks into town: a drenched rainbow of spirals, pillars, stag horns, stars, and branches protrude from Silt's new suit of coral armor at odd angles.

It smells like a mudflat when Silt approaches. You hurt. We escort you to Eamon. Inside a purple tube angled off on Silt's right breast, a pale crab waves its pincers at Cedar.

We look for the Deer Sore-in now? I fly backwards, as these walked. He gestures up the coast.

Unless there are any objections Silt will scout back up the coast for evidence of Soran or the Strix, once the injured soldiers are safely recuperating.

Joli worries aloud. "Maybe it's not a good time to take a break. This is really serious news. What if the aboleth's gotten hold of Soran?"

"Where is Soran's usual fishing spot. And where did you encounter these creatures."

As soon as the soldiers answer Purpose Creche's questions, he tilts his head and goes still. The sea breeze carries notes of smoke and evergreen when it wafts around his inert body. On close inspection, the exposed wood of his body shimmers with translucent flakes of ash, attached to his form but shifting in an invisible wind. (Kinda like this!)

Using my new divination power! Invisible scrying sensor, 60 ft. fly speed, can go up to a mile away from me. It can travel that mile in 2 minutes 12 seconds!

Cedar scratches his chin.

”Could be the aboleth, could be the hag or the scum or the missing prisoner from the tower. And now the strix. We’ve almost no end to our enemies.”

"He likes to go to the south. We got about three miles away when we got attacked."

"Let’s not count the Strix as our enemies yet. Could be they blame us for their lost kin, just as we’ve so quickly counted them among the suspects." He looks at the shrouded body in the party’s possession. "We need all the friends we can muster."

WHHHUUAAAARRRRKKKKPHHHH

Silt will scout the coastline to the South, walking the first mile then scouting from the air for another 3.3 miles South before turning back.

His take 10 on perception is 20.

Silt isn't able to spot anything. What's the Perception check for the mind's eye, Purpose?

It uses my own senses!
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22

Both the shifted Silt and the disembodied eye examine the rocky shores, but don't spot anything.

Will the group continue investigating?

”A life is in danger. Silt. Can you leave the departed with the Fathers then catch up with us.
It seems urgent, and I think we’ve got our daily resources and things, so I vote we investigate now