Round: 1, Initiative: 13
Conditions: Endure Elements (24h), Magic Vestment (1/9h)
Weapon Equipped: Greatsword
GreatSword Attack BAB +9/+4, Str +2, Focus +1, Magic +1, Size +1, (Power Attack -3) Damage Str +3 (1.5x), Magic +1, (Power Attack +9 (1.5x))
Summon Mount: 2/2 (Full round)
Smite Evil: 3/3 (Swift, +4 attack, +9 damage, +4 AC)
Lay on Hands: 8/8 (Swift, 4d6 healing +1d6 if not fatigued, diseased, or poisoned)
Pearl of Power (first) 2/2
Spells (caster level 6, concentration +10, DC 14+)
1) Bed of Iron, Hero’s Defiance,
2) Mirror Image, Paladin’s Sacrifice
- - -
Gretiem Lord of the Green
HP: 62/62 +29 temp AC: 26 (F23/T14) Included: +4 mage armor, +1 haste
Fort: 8 Reflex: 8 Will: 4 BAB: +5 CMB: 10 CMD: 23 Move: 40’
Conditions: None
Tricks: Aid, Air Walk, Attack x2, Come, Defend, Deliver, Down, Fetch, Flank, Flee, Get Help, Guard, Heal, Hunt, Sneak, Stay, Watch, Work
Bite Attack BAB +6, Str +4, Amulet +1 Damage Str +6 (1.5x), Amulet +1
Aldebert shouts, ”These may be guardians of the one we seek. Try not to kill them!” he turns to the gargoyles facing him, ”We wish to speak to your master, we have no quarrel with you!”
Never the less, he does return their attacks. He fights to subdue however and starts with nonlethal. He and Gretiem attack the one on his left to start.
(nonlethal) (nonlethal)
Another of the gargoyles breaks away from the group above, speaking while it does so. "We will see what they say. Stand down." These parting words seem to be addressed to the party as much as the surrounding gargoyles.
Round One: Pent now acting.
Round 1, Init 11
AC = 13
HP = 59/59
Weapon Equipped = +1 Light Crossbow
Condition(s) = None
Pent gladdens as the gargoyles use their words, not their talons/claws/mitts/paws/nippers. "Oye! We're hoping to speak to Oberhak. Speak, nothing more. We're travelers, strangers to this land, and seek his audience, with all the respect due to him, and to you."
One of the gargoyles stays aloft, careful not to move closer while showing no sign of retreat. "It is likely they will only report of your arrival. We cannot arrange such a meeting as you request. We will abide by the command of our leaders."
Round One: Ami now acting.
Ami hold Yeen back from attacking, but is ready to protect Spooky and Mahdi should the stony beasts attack.
Mahdi was quite ready to send magic missiles after the fleeing gargoyles, but Aldebert's words stop him, even if somewhat reluctantly. He lowers his hand and offers a stiff nod up at the gargoyles. "Yes, well. Let's hope your leaders see to it we can talk to your master, then."
He remains tense, the words of a spell not far from his mind, readied in case of any sign of hostility.
Aldebert too sheathes his weapon and pulls back Gretiem from further harm. "Thank you for being reasonable. We only want to talk."
He waits patiently for those in power to make decisions arrive.
The remaining gargoyles back away from the group, but remain watchful. They remain so until a duo of gargoyles return and give them word to depart.
"Leave them be. The guard has been informed of their arrival."
With that the gargoyles depart.
Ami nods, relaxing slightly. After the gargoyles have gone, he will continues to follow the trail onward.
"Let's go. They are expecting us."
"Are we meant to wait here, or go?" Aldebert wonders as his brother makes clear his intention.
"It's as good a guess as any." he agrees as he nudges Gretiem forward. He keeps his weapon sheathed and his countenance respectful.
Pent bucks up, pleased that blood will remain bagged in bodies, at least until they have words with Obie. He marches along with the others, watching back at the gargoyles, in case they get any insubordinate ideas in their stony noggins.
"Gargoyle entourage. Gargoyle guard. Gargoyle accoil. Not sure about Obie, having such personnel. You gather gargoyles, what kind of person are you? Lay down with gargoyles, get up with, what, I wonder?" Pent mumbles words to himself, trying to find a fit.
"Moss, I think. You'd get up with moss. That, or fungus. Fungus sounds less appealing. Let's go with fungus."
"Mortar." the dwarf offers.
Otah eases his weapon back onto his shoulders. "Glad that worked itself out."
He starts to head off with the halflings.
The sand is much less forgiving than the surrounding forest, but the destination is easy enough to see. A sheer rock face that appears to be a cylinder. It is hard to know from this distance what rests beyond the slope of the rock. Though gargoyles can be seen aloft, all give the group further distance.
Aldebert continues to ride forward on Gretiem. "Anyone see a way to climb this thing, or get past it? I can ride Gretiem up if I need to, but if I strap myself in it's hard to get out again."
Pent readies for the desert ahead with a quick fount of water from Sarah, as well as a divine cloak from the heat from same.
"Perhaps we'll be shown the way, once we get there. The gargoyles might even give us a lift, if Obie is at all interested in meeting with us. Hope he's interested, otherwise, we're not going to find much headway here."
Pent predicts that a way will open somewhere along ground level, as the Golden Bowl is but a roof to the structure that houses the resident of Kakishon. He keeps his eyes peeled.
Ami is always happy to cast Endure Elements as needed, first with Yeen then himself.
"Maybe we should circle it, see if there are ways inside," Ami suggest.
As the group approaches the curve of the rock face it becomes clear that it is the size of several mountains, though not as tall. Climbing the near vertical height of the top most section of the rock face will be very difficult without equipment. Flight of course would easily grant a clear sense of what is beyond the top. By the time the group is close enough to circle the rock afternoon is slowly dining. Thankfully, the dipping light also offers some relief from the hot sand.
Pent doesn't revel in the idea of flying solo, sharing the sky with the gargoyles, for however docile they may appear at present. He turns to the firebrand, and waits to see if their way will be sped up by means other than feline or lizard. He does expect to travel until late night, if needs be, in order to find their way to the entrance of Obherak the Parched.
"You think everyone who lives here can fly? If not, looking around the base for an entryway seems likely. Good idea Ami."
The dwarf will gladly accept any heat protecting spells, but otherwise endures the best he can.
Aldebert will cover Otah with his spare casting, tucking away his pearl of power when he's done.
"I agree, let's not split up, but do the best we can. Mahdi, can you elevate us all with that chariot thing or does it not work that way?" he wonders.
He'll head to the right around the base if Mahdi can't supply magical aid.
As the group approaches the curve of the rock face it becomes clear that it is the size of several mountains, though not as tall.
"This is a strange welcome. There should be a door or path up around here someplace, right?"
Ami readily agrees with his brother. He is happy to cast Air Walk on Get'him as well as Yeen if it will help. But before he does that, he will continue to follow the path that they had been following to see where it leads.
Survival on the trail that the party was on
Mahdi is more than willing to call up his delightfully incendiary-looking flame horses once he realizes the scope of the structure, if structure it truly is. "I am not walking around all of that," he informs the others, though it is not likely anyone else cares about his declarations of such.
The chariot appears, and Mahdi takes up his usual spot near the front, luxuriating in the power of magic to spare his feet more blisters. "Anyone else, get on if you're going to. Let's circle and find a way in, or what-not."
Pent ambles over to the chariot, kicking the phantom wheel with pantomime, and nodding. "Let's get this troop a rolling, we've got words to exchange with Obie." The gnome takes his position towards the rear, as he likes the wind on his posterior as they pick up speed.
Aldebert bids Gretiem to stand guard as he climbs aboard the chariot. "I'll summon you on the other side." he advises Gretiem though Gretiem doesn't understand him.
As much as he likes being astride Gretiem, he does enjoy the smoother comfort of the chariot immensely. He grins as they move through the air seemingly effortlessly.
The chariot speeds the surveying considerably. As the group makes its way around to the northern edge of the cylindrical rock, a small stone temple perched atop the rocky slope is easy to spot. Climbing to the structure is about as difficult as making the assent to the top of the near vertical slope.
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Pent looks about casually, shielding his eyes with his bony hands, until he fixates on the small stone temple, perched atop the rocky slope.
He squints a little, refining his sight. "Well, well, well. There's someone up there, just within the temple. Might I suggest we work our way cautiously closer, yet remain at a distance, to surveil a little from afar? Can't tell who it is, nor what it does."
Pent presses his attentions, temple and all, goading the chariot a wee bit closer, yet not too close that they would draw undue attention, but close enough that he can tell if the figure has feminine or masculine attributes, yet not too close that the figure would be able to count accurately the number of folk occupying the chariot, but close enough that he can tell if the figure is alone, yet not too close that he could get hit by some kind of long-range magic, but close enough that they could find a more decent way to get up to the temple that's not sheer, yet not too close that they would hurt the chariot's feelings for no longer needing it, but close enough to possibly hear if the figure is singing or soliliquizing, yet not too close that the figure would hear Mahdi's nasal breathing.
Ami follows Pent on the air walking Yeen.
"So far so good."
"Pent, if you can see them, they can clearly see us in this flaming chariot. Or at least the chariot. I say we head over there and greet them formally. Mahdi, take us in good sir!" he suggests.
He checks his gear and tries to make himself presentable.
"Oh, sure, you can make that assumption, but it is a temple, and the individual may very well be genuflecting, and completely unaware of our approach. I have a keen eye, whereas the temple denizen may be an old man with little in the way of seeing or hearing. If you want to reason your way into a direct get-together, I'll not stop you. You halfs aren't much on discrete these days."
Aldebert grins, "Well I suppose that's possible, and you do have a keen eye, but I think my scenario more likely. Besides, never underestimate your opponent, and we don't yet know if these folks are friendly."
He suggests the group close, but he's willing to wait and watch as well.
Ami waits with his brother with Yeen anxiously air-pawing the ground. They are both ready to run or pounce or try to make nice.
Mahdi shades his eyes trying to see what Pent sees, but his eyes are not the equal of the gnomes. "Well, I cannot 'take us in' closer than the base of this mountain, unfortunately. But we are close enough to hail him, I imagine. Unfortunately I have no further spells of flight to bestow today."
He cups his hands around his mouth and calls up: "Master Obherak! We would speak with you! Will you deign to come down to us!" He then repeats the message in Terran.
"Well I suppose that's possible, and you do have a keen eye, but I think my scenario more likely. Besides, never underestimate your opponent, and we don't yet know if these folks are friendly."
Pent wipes his face from bushy brow to tip of beard. "I thought that was why I was saying that the man who might be praying will be likely staying right where he is, so our delaying could help us weigh-in on whether the gargoyles were inveighing against our attempts at parlaying."
The gnome bobbles his head, in the universal 'shouldn't that have been obvious enough I didn't need to explain all that to you?' body gesture.
"Not sure you want to assume that Master Obherak is going to be the one greeting us, Mahdi. He's probably got folks who do the greeting, like the forger did."
Pent debates the means of getting to the temple, as it seems to be a proving of a kind. The Bowl and the cylinder need inspecting, so he takes off in flight, no longer worried about the gargoyles, with the temple so near, and their initial meeting imminent. Before he does, he touches Aldebert, giving him the gift of flight as well.
Enjoying the flight, though he does so somewhat clumsily, Aldebert tries to keep up with Pent so he has protection, just in case.
He looks down and tries to see a way in for the others.
(to find a path?)
Though there is no response initially to Madhi, as soon as the pair reaches the height of the temple, a female voice replies. "As soon as this pair of featherless birds lands I will join you and discuss a meeting with my leader."
Pent hears female voice, so trusts that it's safe to land, and entreat the lady to wait, while he points Mahdi the chariot chauffeur to temple grounds. This way, everyone can share the conversation with the female, who must be acting as liaison for Oberhak.
Ami follows Pent to the place that may or may not be an awful idea to land.
"C'mon Yeen, I'm sure this will be fine. Dealing with otherlanders is always great," Ami whispers into Yeen's ears, trying to give the cat hope.
Aldebert hears the voice, and lands with the group, eager to have a conversation, though he did enjoy his short flight. I should do more of that. he thinks idly smiling at the experience.
"I can appreciate a host who wants their guests on their feet." Otah chuckles at the featherless birds comment.
The dwarf waits, idly thumbing the haft of Zenzirad, feeling the texture of it's fine craftmanship in his hand. Wonder if the statesmen can talk Obherak into helping before a fight breaks out.
"Wonder what task she will have before we're permitted to meet."
A golden-skinned female emerges from the rock face after Aldebert and Pent have been solidly on the ground for some time. She smiles as she speaks, but is clearly not happy. "An amusing display. Perhaps if you come to ply your craft as jesters I can recommend an audition. Otherwise, it would be best if you went the way you came. I trust the gargoyles will leave you to your departure."
"I thought you just said you would discuss a meeting with your leader. Not much of a discussion, when you begin the meeting with its conclusion."
Ami nods along with Pent's words, hoping for diplomacy before destruction.
Diplomacy to Aid
"If you wish to live, your leader should listen to us."
Otah gives Ami a long side-glance as he adds "That's not a threat. The future of this scroll-place is."
"Yes, what my brother said is true, but Otah has the essence of it. This world is being unmade, and we're tasked by its creators to try and save your lives. Please, let us talk to your leader and see if we might be of assistance."
to aid Pent.
Mahdi says nothing, watching the speaker coolly and wondering if a fireball would reach this insulting woman. But he'll let the silver tongues of Pent and Aldebert try the task for now.
The woman laughs at Ami's words, clearly considering them apart of some audition. "There may be more discussion. As of yet this display is not enough to merit it."
Aldebert can’t help himself, he grows angry, ”Look here, we’ve come to help you. This world is going to be unmade, including your master. We have a way out, if you care to join us, and no strings attached. But if you don’t want to share that with your master, then you will both be destroyed.”
He shakes his head, ”I don’t know how to say it any plainer than that. I don't know what sort of display you're looking for.”
"There may be more discussion. As of yet this display is not enough to merit it."
Pent queries. "So, this isn't the discussion, as of yet? The display today is way too little to merit the discussion, or a meeting with Oberhak? I'm hoping that it's the latter, not the former, as we need the basis of conversation to push this thing forward, instead of stalling and waiting, staying or crawling. We are here, because this world is about to turn inverted. We are here, because the creators of this world are seeking out the sentient at present, hoping to herd before their word unravels all. They may not be willing or able to do so, if they don't have the consent of those they deem worthy of engagement. You and Oberhak are such worthies, I'm thinking. With your opening, I'm surmising that you're not really interested in entertaining the thought that this world is fit to unknit. That's a reasonable determination on my part. On yours, were we curiosities to you? We're not animosities, tis true. I just hope you are patient enough to stand and talk, where we may play our hand right, and chalk one up to merit your decision to let us meet."
The gnome looks back at the others, getting a sense that all shaitan are initially too full of themselves to give a s@~@e about those not fortunate to be born with djinni blood.
"There may be more discussion. As of yet this display is not enough to merit it."
Ami waits to see if the gnome's words have any effect for good or ill. Ami followed most of it, but knows that others may have some difficulty with the grammar, syntax, and overall sanity of the words.
The woman listens attentively, responding curtly to Aldebert while laughing a bit at Pent.
"This destruction you talk of sounds of fear and likes. Why should I believe what you say let alone think we would need your help. Seeming less tense as Pent speaks.
You have the sense of it. Yes, you may yet meet my master if I decide it worth his time. As for the makers of this place. Though they may have the knowledge to do what you and your friend her claim. I know they do not currently have the means. What purpose then would it be for you to talk to Oberhak about what he is already aware of?"