Coreguy will continue the attack, swinging at the ape in front of him,
Positioned above the paladin approaches, the other ape-like humanoid drops down from the mist-covered arches above onto the paladin.
But, the Pathfinder is ready for the attack and responds his blade strikes hard against the creature as it lands.
However, the precision of the blow is so great that it nearly fells the paladin as the creature crashes into the Pathfinder.
With the foe now at it's level, the druid’s companion tears into the creature’s throat.
Yet, while the creature is hobbled by the pain of fresh wounds and its unnatural fur grows crimson with blood, the beast man somehow manages to still stand. Its weakened howls spur on the two apes still above.
One of the apes also drops its large frame down on Droogami.
The ape misses the big cat, but lands on its feet upon the stone floor.
The other ape remains in the arches for the moment.
First Round Initiative Cont’d
Mist-tainted Y -28 HP /-5 NL (on floor, dying)
Coreguy - 36 HP
Travail
Lini
Dragoomi
Kyra
Mist-tainted K - 5 HP | -4 NL
Ape (30 feet above)
Ape - 5 HP | -4 NL
Khellek
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Khellek keeps up his advice. "They expeditionary force also found that loud noises kept away the apes, although they learned to be careful after some seemed to be interpreted as challenges..."
He steps forward, drawing his wand as he does so and carefully taps CoreGuy with it.
"If these are not real apes, you should strike with the flat of your blades so that we may take them alive and study them." suggests Khellek.
Travail lets loose two cold iron arrows at the ape in the arches.
Two arrows sink into the ape's hide.
In response, the ape retreats back further into the room, swinging from the arches.
With the taint of the mist having withdrawn from him, the dying figure on the floor before the paladin continues to bleed. It is now apparent that the beast man still standing has likewise been tainted by the silvery mist.
The screams from within the battered cabinet increase in their shrillness and intensity.
Second Round Initiative Begins
Human Y -29 HP /-5 NL (on floor, dying)
Coreguy - 27 HP
Lini
Dragoomi
Kyra
Mist-tainted human K - 5 HP | -4 NL
Ape (30 feet above) - 13 HP
Ape - 5 HP | -4 NL
Khellek
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Coreguy reels from the Ape's attack, nearly defeated but the help from Khellek and Kyra color begins to return to his face. "AAARRRHHH thanks you two," he says as his hand begins to glow with a bright light as he lays his hand on his chest as more wounds begin to close.
Now that he is almost fully recovered from the assault, Coreguy will continue his assault, targeting the blue ape that attacked him.
The maddened ape crumples at the paladin's blow. It drops to the floor, bleeding profusely.
Second Round Initiative Cont'd
Human Y -29 HP /-5 NL (dying)
Coreguy - 5 HP
Lini
Dragoomi
Kyra
Mist-tainted human K - 5 HP | -4 NL
Ape - 26 HP (dying)
Khellek
Travail
Ape (30 feet above) - 13 HP
"Oh wow! Not all of them were transformed people like that first human! Look at how the ape you just finished isn't transforming back Coreguy!" Lini, despite her instincts, is curious about what's going on here. "Kyra, think you can heal that guy?" She points to the (red-marked) human that just transformed from being an ape.
Meanwhile she also gets Droogami's attention and calls out "Go Droogami! Lets bring that other ape back to its senses. Attack!"
For her part, Lini swishes her wand of produce flame and generates a fire in her hand to throw next round.
Droogami unleashes a flurry of claw and tooth against the still-standing ape-human.
As the cat’s claws cut into the beast man, it howls in anger and then tries to slam the druid’s companion in response.
Due to the animal's magical protection, the blow causes no harm!
Confused for a moment, the creature scurries back, climbs up on a desk, and beats its chest in an apparent display of contempt.
Second Round Initiative Cont'd
Human Y -29 HP /-5 NL (dying)
Coreguy - 5 HP
Lini
Dragoomi
Kyra
Mist-tainted human K - 14 HP | -4 NL
Ape - 26 HP (dying)
Khellek
Travail
Ape (30 feet above) - 13 HP
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Kultanien steps forward and taps the fallen figure with his wand of cure light wounds, to try and stop him dying.
He keeps up a stream-of consciousness about apes.
"Highly social creatures, Apes are fascinating. Feared for their brutal strength has led to more confrontations than these peaceful creatures would otherwise likely suffer from."
Travail ventures into the room, moving past the bodies on the floor, and, as the only Pathfinder with a ranged weapon out, takes aim at the ape in the arches.
Although one shot goes wide, the second sinks another arrow into the hide of the mad ape!
In response, the maddened ape beats its chest and then swings through the arches toward the rogue archer. It then seeks to drop down upon the Pathfinder.
The ape misses the Pathfinder and drop down upon the stone floor, the resulting impact rendering it unconscious and its body broken.
Terror-filled shrieks continue to be broadcast from the battered cabinet, now accented by a pounding sound.
Third Round Initiative Begins
Human Y -21 HP (stabilized by Khellek)
Coreguy -5 HP
Lini
Dragoomi
Kyra
Mist-tainted human K -14 HP | -4 NL
Ape -26 HP (dying)
Khellek
Travail
Ape (dying) -28 HP | -4 NL
Droogami snaps at the man-ape's heels as the creatures tries to escape to the desk!
[ooc]Yes, but just because you get an AoO, doesn’t mean you have to take it. ; P
As the man-beast scurries away, the big cat lunges with its teeth. It rips fur-covered flesh and tattered cloth alike as the creature pulls away. Though now free of the fangs, it can barely stand.
It is the non-lethal blow delivered by the flat of the blade of the paladin that finally fells the creature.
The howls and grunts cease as the last of the simian creatures slips into unconsciousness. The once ape-like men breath shallow, but stable breaths, as the mist seeps out of their bodies and they slowly revert to their human forms. Remnants of shredded clothing, now stained crimson and black with blood and ink, cling loosely to their now more fragile-looking forms. The larger gorillas lie more motionless still. Blood pools beneath their broken bodies.
For a moment, the site of the recently ended fray is quiet. But the silence is broken by an ear-piercing shriek. Followed by incoherent cries coming forth from the battered cabinet.
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As the battle ends as Coreguy Whacks the last creature with the flat of his blade, he leans on his sword to catch his breath as Kyra moves over and begins attempting to open the shrieking cabinet. Coreguy moves to assist her once the screaming begins.
with their combined strength it seems Coreguy and Kyra are able to open the cabinet!
The forcing of the cabinet door spurs a frantic grab from the person inside as a hand shoots out, trying to grasp the door. Stuck within the cabinet is an obese man, dressed in the garb of a scribe. As he peers out and realizes that the door was opened by two humans, he seems to begin to relax.
Until he spies the large cat. Then, realizing that the furry animal is not a primate and that the apes and ape-men that had attacked him are no longer moving, he tries to pull his massive form out of the tight space. When he finds his bulk largely trapped and unmoving, he reaches his hand out for help.
“Some, assistance, if you will!” the blubbery scribe cries out with impatience.
Once free, he looks down at the two humans in tattered clothing. “Alas, poor Kadarnik and Yannis.” He shakes his head as he looks at the two, then he turns his attention towards the desk that Travail had used for cover. Beneath it lies most of the remains of another human body, broken and bashed to pieces nearly beyond recognition.
“And poor… poor… Milgen.” The man erupts in tears and wailing. He blows his nose on his long, torn sleeve.
Coreguy extends a hand and helps pull the man free from the cabinet. once he sees the man is relatively unharmed, "What in the First Vault is going on here! Are you the Curator of this museum...Nigel?" he asks of the man before casting detect evil on the man.
”Nigel?!” the scribe responds in surprise, Coreguy’s words seem to momentarily pull him out from an apparent freefall into despair. The scribe gives the paladin a disproving look. “Do I look like Nigel to you?” The man says with disdain, pointing to one of his nubby ears from which protrudes the long, curl of a single hair.
“I am Seldrak! Scribe Extraordinaire!” The man says with indignation. He walks over to the broken desk where the remains of Milgen lies. There, he picks up a fallen quill of obvious quality lying next to spilt ink well. ”Why else would I be here, in this room, where the many finds of the museum are catalogued and the considerable correspondence with distant travelers is managed.? Nigel hardly ever comes in here and, then, only when he really needs something!” He wipes the quill on his cloak to remove excess ink, before placing the fine quill within a pocket of his robe.
The man substantial in girth interrupts himself in order to make his way over to another damaged desk. He tries a drawer that seems stuck as the result of the beating that it has taken. ”A hand with this, if you will.”
He continues to try and force the drawer until it opens. He then reaches within it and removes a half-smashed, yet apparently still edible, cream pie. He brings the pie to his lips for a sizeable taste. His eyes roll upward with pleasure.
“No, the last I saw of Nigel, he was taking stock of the pieces in storage room off of the East Exhibit Hall.” Seldrak continues. “Although…” The man takes a bite of pie. “that was before…” And another. “before” He pauses again to chew, before taking yet another. Then, his jowls resume quivering and his eyes well up—though whether these emotions are brought on as a result of an oncoming memory or the simple fact that there are no more bites of pie to take, you cannot at first be certain.
“Before that cursed mist appeared!” Seldrak cries out before once again doubling over in a torrent of tears.
” Please calm down! We are now here and we will protect you! But we need to know what happened here and where Nigel is! Tell us everything you know please.“
"Oh, yes, well..." Seldrak says regaining a bit of his composure, though none of his dignity, "Before they were driven insane by the Mists, Kadarnik and Yannis worked here with me, along with Milgen. They were all rather mild-manner, capable scribes--not as good as I--but capable."
"In any event, early this morning, while we were here hard at work--at least I, anyways-- the offices were suddenly flooded with a strange mist. The tendrils of it seemed to pour down Kadarnik’s and Yannis’ throats moments before they went stark mad and beat Milgen to a pulp! Of course, Nigel was elsewhere doing stock work."
"I'm fairly certain the newly acquired idols are responsible for this terrible predicament! I smelled something wrong with those hideous monkey-faced things as soon as Lugizar brought them out of his pack. I’ve a nose for trouble, I do! No one listens!”
His ire up, it take a few more moments for Seldrak to gain a bit more calm. He then continues, "Those idols and their awful, accursed mist drove Kadarnik and Yannis completely insane, and the two fell upon Milgen, tearing the poor old man to shreds! I wisely managed to shut myself in that large steel cabinet," he says pointing at the battered container that once held his form. "I barred the inside latch with an iron cylinder--you know, the kind used to grind ink. Rather ingenious don't you think?"
"And that is where I remained, shut up in the cabinet all day, listening to my former colleagues batter the doors and skulk about the office." He says, the sadness beginning to overtake him once more. "That is, until you showed up."
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Coreguy eyed the fat man with distrust and disqust as he stuffed his mouth with the cake, He definitely has an evil stench about him, however faint...Still, Abadar can accept some stink if can help the greater good. "Odd that you alone seemed to be able to escape the powers of the mist..." he says, trying to gauge the mans response like he did when he was defending the innocent in Almas.
"Escape the mists powers? Oh, no. Not at all, at least not entirely." Seldrak protests. "When they first flooded into the room, those accursed fumes assaulted my mind with the most horrific thoughts and visions! Gave me a terrible headache! You'd probably be faced with them too if you were to remove those scarfs!"
The man looks at the partially covered faces of his rescuers before settling his eyes on Dragoomi. "Say, how DO you get that scarf to remain on a cat? And is that blood on the cloth? Has it been biting and, yet, somehow remain unaffected?"
Lini eyes the fat man and then the cabinet and then back to the man, mulling over whether they'd all be better off if he was back inside. She shares a look of suffering with Droogami. "That 'cat' can wear whatever scarf she wants, thank you very much. I'd guess it'd be easier to fit one around her muzzle than around yours." Lini twitches her nose in irritation. This rotund fellow they've rescued doesn't sit well with her either.
Leaving the man to be questioned more by the rest of them, she checks the room, focusing most of her attention on the two large apes that appeared to have been driven mad.
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Khellek listens tot he scribe. "Ahh..Seldrak.. I think I remember seeing your lettering on one of the signs out there." says the scholar.
"Khellek, historican. You have probably heard of me." he says introducting himself to his fellow (semi) academic.
"So the mists came from the statues... and Nigel is in the eastern exhibit hall? It seems our tasks are not yet done." he eyes the mist banefully.
"I think we are missing something here.." he admits, wracking his brain for the missing information. "Quite ingenious way to lock yourself into the cabinet, I agree" he finally acknowledges.
He gazes at the dead apes. "I think we now know where at least some of the cities apes ended up.. Which would indicate that the statues were of the Tik-tan...interesting."
He suddenly smiles.
"You will recall I told you that the cultists who created the Tik Taan were hunted by a brave tribe of the Mwangi called the Jambala Jaeg. The Jambala Jaeg created ritual knives, crafted out of bone handles and obsidian blades, to slay the demons inside the Tik Taan. Legends speak of the deadly mists of the Tik Taan, ill humors that invade men’s hearts by seeping into their mouths. Anyone wearing a scarf or other protection against the airborne menace is immune to its effects."
He looks very satisfied. "One of the figures that attacked us in the previous room was a Jambela and was armed with bone-handled kukri and a jadecarved blade. I wonder if that kukri is one of the ritual knives..."
He suddenly smiles.
"You will recall I told you that the cultists who created the Tik Taan were hunted by a brave tribe of the Mwangi called the Jambala Jaeg. The Jambala Jaeg created ritual knives, crafted out of bone handles and obsidian blades, to slay the demons inside the Tik Taan. Legends speak of the deadly mists of the Tik Taan, ill humors that invade men’s hearts by seeping into their mouths. Anyone wearing a scarf or other protection against the airborne menace is immune to its effects."
He looks very satisfied. "One of the figures that attacked us in the previous room was a Jambela and was armed with bone-handled kukri and a jadecarved blade. I wonder if that kukri is one of the ritual knives..."
With the mention of the Tik Taan, a sudden hint of recognition appears to overcome Seldrak. He begins to root around the ransacked office. He first finds a half-eaten pie that he had apparently left in another drawer. He takes a bite of the pie, makes a bit of a face indicating that it may now be half-rancid, then finishes it, before continuing his search.
After a few moments, he produces a few scraps of Mwangi cloth inscribed with strange writing. The cloth (made from beaten bark) is quite ancient.
”You mentioned the Tik Taan, it reminded me that I had come across this, which I just recently catalogued, but wasn’t placed in the exhibit. See?” Seldrak points at the inventory tag, which states that it was cataloged along with “Tik Taan Idols, courtesy of Lugizar Trantos”.
“I believe the language contains some warning about the idol along with some mantra.” Seldrak suggests. “Here, make of it what you will.” He hands the cloth and tag over to Khellek.
Seldrak continues to go through the ransacked desk. He produces a bag of 200 coins. He looks at it for a moment, as if reluctant to part with it, but finally hands it over to Coreguy and Kyra. "Thank you for saving me. Now, I really must be going."
He makes a dash for the office door. "Good luck finding Nigel and, um, saving him if necessary." He steps out of the room, then adds, "Although if you do just find his remains, let me know. A man of my skills and knowledge make a very fine curator, you know!"
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** spoiler omitted **
Seldrak continues to go through the ransacked desk. He produces a bag of 200 coins. He looks at it for a moment, as if reluctant to part with it, but finally hands it over to Coreguy and Kyra. "Thank you for saving me. Now, I really must be going."
He makes a dash for the office door. "Good luck finding Nigel and, um, saving him if necessary." He steps out of the room, then adds, "Although if you do just find his remains, let me know. A man of my skills and knowledge make a very fine curator, you know!"
Coreguy takes the bag of gold from the man and waits for him to leave before he divides it evenly amongst the party,"A wretch of a man, but a deed must be paid for." he says as he hands the coins to everyone.
"Kyra, I still have this one cut on my shoulder from that damned gorilla, can I get a tap from that wand before we go get Nigel?" he asks the cleric while smiling.
"eh...Maybe one more? it still stings." he says sheepishly.
"Can you take your colleages with you?"
The portly scribe pretends that he cannot hear Khellek as he disappears out the door and into the mist, leaving the party with the two remaining, unconscious scribes and the two dying apes.
The grateful scribe breathes deeply once revived. Though he inhales the mist, he now seems immune to its effects. He asks what has happened and why he is wearing tattered clothing.
Upon explanation, he is able to confirm much of Seldrak's story, correcting the other scribe's self-aggrandizing embellishments. He agrees to carry the unconscious scribe with him and get clear of the museum.
"One of the figures that attacked us in the previous room was a Jambela and was armed with bone-handled kukri and a jadecarved blade. I wonder if that kukri is one of the ritual knives..."
Lini retrieves a scroll case from up on top of the cabinet and while the rotund scribe continues blabbering she opens the case up. She blinks in surprise and offers an appreciative "Oooooh" for the labeled scrolls inside. She pulls the scrolls out and shows them off to Kyra, Khellek and whoever else looks interested. "I can use these if we get into a pinch!"
As soon as the scribe leaves, she heads on over to Khellek and looks around his side to peer at the weird cloth. "You think you can do something with this Khellek? What's it for? Will it stop Droogami from turning into a monster ape? Please tell me yes." She grins hopefully at the leopard.
She also pats the recently revived scribes on the back and encourages them to make haste for the exit and bring word of what is happening in here out.
When Travail suggests the Beasts exhibit next, Lini nods in approval. "Hopefully a lot fewer undead that way. Though maybe more crazed animals? We should be on our guard."
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"The scroll has words on it that, I believe, will allow me to try and... encourage a persons true self to reemerge from within, should they be overcome by the mist. Should we encounter Nigel in a transformed state, it will be invlauable, and an interesting experiment." explains the scholar.
"Though I am personally more familiar with library research, the chance to do a little field world has come up on occasion, and this may prove interesting."
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** spoiler omitted **
Seldrak continues to go through the ransacked desk. He produces a bag of 200 coins. He looks at it for a moment, as if reluctant to part with it, but finally hands it over to Coreguy and Kyra. "Thank you for saving me. Now, I really must be going."
He makes a dash for the office door. "Good luck finding Nigel and, um, saving him if necessary." He steps out of the room, then adds, "Although if you do just find his remains, let me know. A man of my skills and knowledge make a very fine curator, you know!"
”This is a very strange man and I have to admit that I am not unhappy that he has left us! I mourn the dead and hope that they will find peace in the afterlife! Khellek, what do you believe we should do now that you have uncovered hints towards the source of this evil?! Can we continue exploring or do we need anything else here? Is the beast exhibit the right choice?“
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Khellek shurgs. "We are tasked to find Nigel and see if he has further knowledge about how to remove the mist from this place."
He takes out the map. "I beleive the hint we had was that he was at the end of the passage. Good tactics through would be to ensure we left no obvious force of apes or mist afflicted clerks to assault us from the rear. However I leave just decisions up to my more martial colleages."
He diverts past the non-undead warrior to get its weapons and ensure they are distributed. He does take the time to quickly scan them for signs of magic before handing them over.
"Remember that sword is magical."