"Bloody hell.. Oy! You two! did you wake these beasties?!"
Frowning at the monstrosity, Donnell switches his crossbow to one hand and pulls a short metal rod from his bandolier, shaking it vigourously at the creature.
Little Dove looks at the door dubiously, but she gamely gives it a shove.
The capybara audibly snickers as she positions herself for the shove.
She give him a sidelong glance and mock-scowls
"I think we will have to retrace our steps. Perhaps those young brothers of mine could force the door, but I cannot."
"Un... tentacle him, you ugly blight!" Raven Six curses as she hurls another bomb at the tentacle.
Little Dove and Daeshna sigh as they realize the door is stuck beyond their abilities and start doubling back as the sounds of the combat rage to the south.
Raven Six wracks her brains trying to figure out waht the hell this thing is but unfortunately, there are just too many tentacle monsters. Whatever is beyond this strange, shallow pit is huge though.
Raven's fire bomb seems to partially wash on the tentacle, but nonetheless does damage as it is badly burned!
"BUGS, AND NOW TENTACLES!? LET GO OF MY BUDDY THERE, YOU UGLY WHATEVER-YOU-ARE!"
Thod simply continues the rage, stepping forward to make himself an inviting target, and slashing madly with his halberd.
Thod, just done with this s%@#, roars his challenge at the tentacles while the Shoanti who came here to laugh at you look increasingly nervous. Thod makes two mighty chops which almost entirely frees Raven Six while Sevenspawn remarkably manages to struggle free of the tentacle which hangs by a thread. This time, he manages to block the tentacle as it attacks.
The second tentacle lashes across the pit, but is unable to reach the group.
Tentacles
---
Daeshna
Little Dove
Donnell
Sevenspawn (divine power) (-24)
Raven (-44)
Thod (-58)
The rod seems to slow down the tentacle a bit, but it waves off the spell.
Frustrated and annoyed that he doesn't know anything about this creature, Donnell starts shouting to the Sklar-Quah:
And, muttering to himself: "Might be worth just walking away from this, though I dunno how we'll convince Thod to stop..."
Considering the options, Donnell decides to attempt the Rod of Wonder again:
A lightning bolt blasts from Donnell's rod, and it completely severs the tentacle! It falls into the pit below. However, the second tentacle is still thrashing around.
"HAH, HAH! COME ON, THEN! I'LL SEND YOU BACK TO THE DEPTHS MISSING A FEW PARTS!"
Thod hustles around the edge of the pit to get closer to the other tentacle. He stops partway around the pit, banging the shaft of his halberd on the ground, and making a ruckus, goading the tentacle to attack him.
Thod charges out over the pit to start beating on the tentacle while the catfolk and Shoanti who entered the dungeon quickly charge across the pits in turn.
Sevenspawn looks curiously at the two people approaching but deciding they're not hostile, quickly moves to heal the party.
Thod's ploy works as the tentacle whips around to attack him, and he gets two tremendous slashes in before it slams back at him, grabbing Thod in the process!
Worried about pressing his luck with the weird scepter, Donnell nonetheless focuses on it once again:
Distracted, Donnell shouts over his shoulder again: "Krojun! Speak!!"
Daeshna dashes towards the party, "Ahoy there, help is inbound!" she shouts.
Well. I see that if I travel around much with her, I will have to be quick on my feet to keep her on hers.
Little Dove hustles along behind the swashbuckler, trying to evaluate the health of the figure held by the tentacle. He seems to be holding his own, but he's hurt...
"HAHAHA! GOT YOUR RIGHT WHERE I WANT YOU NOW!"
Though his halberd is ineffective in a grapple, Thod is able to quickly draw his backup dagger and resume hacking at the beast.
It seems Thod overestimated attacking with a dagger while being wrapped and whipped around by a giant tentacle.
Thod almost drop shis dagger as he drags it out but he's still damn game for a fight!
Daeshna runs to the aid of the thrashing dwarf. "You seem to be in a bit of a bind, friend! Let's see if we can work you free..." She lunges at the tentacle with her rapier.
The young Shoanti woman muses aloud, "Perhaps I can help him help himself."
Reaching toward the grappled barbarian, she holds her hand just so...
As Thod jabs wildly at the dagger, Daeshna rushes in, slipping under the thrashing tentacle before stabbing upwards with her rapier. The blade hits solidly and with another swipe, she severs the tentacle which collapses into the pit below.
End of Combat
Krojun walks out as the tentacles fall, looking at everything in bewilderment. "I heard you, halfling. The assassin is tied up. What horror did you awa... Little Dove?"
He stares over at the Shoanti woman. "What are you here for? Why have you brought a ... large cat with a sword?"
This is Krojun Eats-What-He-Kills, a notorious young warrior of the Sklar-Quah. He is also a famously violent braggart and xenophobe and general pain in the ass although with a certain sense of honour and purpose to him. He is not someone you'd normally find in the company of outsiders.
Donnell turns to glower at Krojun, his voice dripping acid: "Thank you for dealing with the Red Mantis, but as your companions here looked increasingly nervous about our fighting the beast below, it would have been nice to know if we were killing something sacred to the Shoanti. Although," looking curiously into the nearer pit, "I'm not convinced we killed anything - just drove it off for now, I suspect. Did you get a good look at that thing, Thod?"
"Now, as for who awakened it, I'm going to assume it was these ones who brought light into this chamber, which I ... Daeshna?! What in the Nine Hells are you doing here??" Donnell is so shocked that he's momentarily at a loss for words.
Little Dove faces Krojun and replies, "I am here because the Korvosan witch wears the Fangs of Kazavon. These tshamek have aided the quah and now come to the people for knowledge. Elder Thousand Bones seeks to aid them in their conflict with the witch, as do I. I find it surprising to see you aiding them, but it is a welcome surprise. How do you find yourself in their company?"
She blinks peacefully at the new arrivals. 'Click!'
"Greetings. Always nice to know we are not the only ones concerned about the fact that Ileosa wears the teeth of one of the most evil dragons ever to have darkened Golarion."
Daeshna stares blankly at Donnell for a moment, attempting to place his face to a place. Her eyes widen slightly once it registers, though she can't quite recall his name. "I see you've come a long way since last we crossed paths. It does my heart good to know that we can and do recover. Vencarlo tells me your party is most formidable. It is my hope that I may offer my sword in service to putting an end to the Queen's madness. I know nothing of these fangs, but it sounds as though I have done right by finding the folks who do."
"I'm not convinced we killed anything - just drove it off for now, I suspect. Did you get a good look at that thing, Thod?"
"Uhh, yeah. It was a big, sort of green tentacle. Had spines on the side, and a white underside."
Thod quickly calms down, taking a swig from a flask to celebrate his recent victory. He finally gets a good look at the new arrivals. He looks more confused than anything, looking back and fourth at the multiple conversations, and otherwise keeping silent.
Little Dove bows slightly, "Thousand Bones sent me. He told me that you have a formidable healer among you, but one cannot have the aid of too many gods. I have come to lend my talents - which I can assure you are more than those of the young pups that accompanied you from my quah, strong though they may be."
She looks at the dwarf, "You fight fiercely. I see you are injured. I would offer to help with your wounds if it does not offend your healer." She glances at the apparent cleric of the group for his assent.
"Apologies," Donnell gives a short bow. "Of course, you might not remember me - we met only briefly, and years ago - but I've met few of the Amurrun, even in a place like Korvosa. I am Donnell - though in certain parts of the city, I am more commonly known as 'The Fox.' My companions, here, are Sevenspawn, cleric to the streets of Old Korvosa; Thod, once-soldier of Janderhoff; and Raven 6, alchemist extraordinary. Or is it Raven 6a today? And somewhere," frowning at the shadowed corners of the chamber, "there's a naked homunculus who's purpose mainly seems to be annoying Thod."
"As for these," jerking a thumb over his shoulder toward Krojun et al., "they are not so much 'helping' as making sure that we don't cheat while we risk time and injury to prove we are worthy to receive the knowledge that will help us defeat Ileosa."
Realizing that perhaps he's been a bit too harsh, Donnell amends: "To be sure, the Sklar-Quah should not hand over their sacred knowledge to any outsider that crosses their path. But, Little Dove, we have several boneslayers with us as observers, hopefully you spoke with them on your way in - are you here as another observer? Is it your intention to help us, and if so, will this taint our victories? Speaking of which, perhaps we should leave this chamber before that creature returns and anyway we have a Thrallkeepers Mark to find." You aren't sure when Donnell managed to take a breath in all of that, and he's fairly dancing with unasked questions.
"I am of the Skoan-quah. The young boneslayers you left at the entrance are my brothers - members of my quah. I have no foreknowledge of what lies within this structure, so my presence is not an impediment to your reward. I am merely another member of your party, if you will have me. Your mission is important to my quah and so I come to represent them."
Daeshna nods at each member of the party as they are introduced. "It is a pleasure. As Donnell has indicated, I am Daeshna. I will spare you the details of my being, as I believe my halfling friend is correct in his assessment that it is unwise to linger."
Krojun looks over everyone ominously before nodding once. "The halfling is right, we are here because to have tshamek in these halls is an outrage, but we will not bar their way. If they want the Thrallkeeper's mark, so be it. We will observe."
Sevenspawn briefly introduces himself, he is a somber cleric of Milani who carries a large war hammer.
There is a bit of a rumbling from the pit so you all quickly make your way back to the room with the Thassilonian writing on the walls that so enraptured Raven Six. There is your prisoner, an unconscious red mantis assassin.
"Alrighty, I'd like to have a talk with bug-eyes, there... Well, I mean, I'd like somebody to talk with bug-eyes. Let's move to a safer room, first."
Donnell nods in agreement with Thod, waving at the newcomers to follow (while advising them to ignore the writing on the walls).
Back in the little room, Donnell first checks the bindings on the Red Mantis and ensures that the assassin has been stripped of weapons and other items (including the mask) (poison capsules?):
Waving a vial of Smelling Salts their nose, Donnell brings them back to consciousness, then sits crosslegged on the floor. Keeping his hands occupied by cleaning, filling, and lighting his pipe, Donnell begins questioning:
"So, let's review, shall we? Red Mantis assassins, from Garund, and faithful to Achaekek. Best and most expensive of hired assassins in all of Avistan. Purportedly, your god doesn't permit assassinations on rightful monarchs - it appears he is rather more lenient when it comes to contract from a false monarch. Tell me, what are Achaekek's views on aiding a usurper? No. never mind, I suspect we don't have time for an extended theological debate. Perhaps, instead, you will outline for me the terms of your current contract? And how can we end or circumvent it so we don't have to keep killing you?
You close the door to the room with the weird Thassilonian writing and although you hear murmurs and strange sounds, eventually the trouble in the pit dies down. The woman underneath is middle-aged, has brown skin, a shaved head, and a set, fierce expression.
It appeaers that her armour was her means of escape and she does not have any poison capsules, false teeth, or other various super-assassin gimmicks you would associate with such a person.
She stares at Donnell silently and does not answer. Her expression is hard but otherwise unreadable.
"Huh, an older gal. Not who you'd think of as an assassin, I gotta say. Then again, guess that makes 'em better, if they're not who you expect."
After Donnell's questions go unanswered, Thod follows up by grabbing the woman by the shoulders and shaking her madly.
"HEY! DIDN'T YOUR MOTHER EVER TEACH YOU ANY MANNERS!? SAY SOMETHING! EVEN A CURSE OR DEATH OATH, C'MON!"
Donnell sighs and pushes to his feet: "Well, this is boring and we've work to do. Should we just toss her in the pit and continue on our way?"
She continues to stone-face Donnell. Krojun snickers.
"Dwarf, your name is Thod? Allow me to mend some of your wounds. Your challenges are not yet complete."
Assuming Thod allows, Little Dove will use her healing hex and a cure moderate wounds on him.
She continues to stone-face Donnell. Krojun snickers.
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"Yes, and this is why you have me along, gentlemen," Raven Six says in a dry tone of voice.
The Alchemist squats in front of the bound assassin, closes her eyes - 'Click!' - and seems to enter a meditative state. When she opens her eyes again, there is a faraway, serene look in them...
...and abruptly her left hand clutches the assassin's face, thumb pressing against her eyebrow, fingers spaced just so along the neck. Meanwhile, the right hand clamps down on the assassin's opposite shoulder, holding her immobile.
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"Dwarf, your name is Thod? Allow me to mend some of your wounds. Your challenges are not yet complete."
"Uhh... That's a weird way of putting it, but if you're here to heal me up, then go ahead. My buddy Sevenspawn there I think is still trying to catch his breath from where the tentacle gave him a squeeze."
Thod steps back and lets Raven Six do whatever weird Raven Six-ey thing it is that Raven Six does.
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Sevenspawn nods feebly over to Thod while Raven Six tries some of her spooky stuff on the assassin. She notices a very, very slight hint of worry at the unknown arts.
As Raven holds the armour, she receives her visions. Snatches of a life in the streets of some far southern country, then of training, then of killing. Endless killing. A more elaborate vision appears before her.
---
Three large stone vats sit in alcoves in this room. Each is big enough to hold a human, but apart from a strange blue residue caking the insides of each, they are empty. A cot and a writing desk sit amid the vats—awkward additions of comfort in what once seems to have been a strange laboratory.
A beautiful, red-haired woman holds ornate knives and paces before the bearer of the armour, who turns to see three red mantis colleagues beside her.
"Neolandus has vanished. These four "heroes" are the new target. The dwarf Thod, the halfling Donnell, the woman Raven Six, and the former Dead King Sevenspawn. Watch Raven Six, we are studying her. There is something to her nature. Our client sees them as a great threat. You will be defeated in this mission, they are too much for you. We will learn from your defeat."
----
Raven Six detects a faint aura of evil from the assassin as she studies her.
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"This one isn't talking because she came after us expecting to die," Raven Six reports. "The Red Mantis knows our strength. This latest batch was meant to give the group greater insight by the way we killed them.
Originally, they were meant to kill Neolandus; now their client has made us the Red Mantis' target. Ileosa. Some redheaded woman gave them their marching orders in a room with four vats. Thanks to our prisoner, I now know the room. And her taskmaster's face."
The Alchemist's eyes bore into the Assassin's - and then she lets go of her. "Keep hold of her. I'm going to see if I can glean anything more from the aether."
Drawing a cheap pack of conjuror's cards from her belt pouch, Raven Six finds a convenient flat stone to read the Assassin's fortune.
"Wait... So they expect to die... But then how would they learn about how we fight if they all die? Do you mean they expected that some would die, and the rest would learn? Dang, guess those ones that got away are informing them. Ah, well. Guess we'll just have to be even more awesome next time they come around."
"Yes..." looking thoughtful, scratching at a cheek, "or do something unexpected."
"I had a thought when they showed up here - I think this turning to mist when they die, or rather, as they are about to die, allows them to return to a safe location where they... reform? I wonder if this is an innate power, or one derived from some piece of equipment... At any rate, allowing this one to turn to mist, I suspect, will mean fighting it again later. Raven6, did your vision give you any clues about this hypothesis?"
The tiny Shoanti woman smiles, amused at Thod’s blunt observation. ”I learned your language and others from the holy men of other cultures where I learned the healing arts. I realized later that these learned men do not speak like the average member of the culture,” she shrugs, ”But it is what I learned.”
Little Dove listens to the conjecture about the hit squad and offers, ”One would expect that her continued presence here means that you’ve taken away her means of escape. And if they expect to learn from a defeat, they must have some way of recording the event or they would lose all of their team and learn nothing - perhaps scrying on their team as they engage? Perhaps they listen as we talk right now and she continues to serve them in her capture. You say some got away?” She doesn’t seem concerned that they are speaking in front of the captive.
"Their armor," Raven Six says while laying the cards in a grid pattern. "Regardless what else it does, it probably makes an excellent focus for someone scrying on them. So recognizable."