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Talon waits his turn to cross the plank. And when the bundle makes its way back up, he takes his own look at it, inspecting it both mundanely and magically.
”A resistance cloak of minor power. Useful to have.” He hands it back to Ai, ”Should help protect its wearer.”
Talon takes a moment to draw out the journal given him by Janira, scratching out some notes.
Inside the cave, we immediately came across a pit in the floor. Easily crossed with a bit of climbing and teamwork. A plank was found for the rest of us to cross.
Notably, though, there was a magic cloak of resistance at the bottom. Gillman gear? Something else?
After a few minutes, he finishes writing, blows the chalk dust from the pages, then returns it all to the waterproof bag at his hip. Then, readying his blade, he nods to the team and prepares to venture deeper.
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The tunnels continue on, leading deeper beneath the Kortos Mounts until they eventually open into a large cavern. What must have once been beautifully carved reliefs and inscriptions have since weathered heavily, their features dulled and softened to the point that it is hard to distinguish what each once depicted. A wide tunnel exits the cavern on its far side, and blue-burning torches line the passageway’s walls.
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When Ollo sees Talon making notes, he slaps himself on the forehead, under his lopsided helm. "By tha gods, man! I'd completely fergotten that tha lass asked fer notes!"
With these words, he digs out his own parchment and pens and begins to make notes about the trip, the minotaur, and the way the team worked together to find a way around the pit safely. He also notates that the item they found was unusual.. who would leave a cloak at the bottom of a pit in a cave supposedly traveled only by Gillmen?
As everyone moves forward, he packs his supplies away and follows Talon down the passage and into the large cavern. Looking about, he remarks "But sher'en these are older'n me pappies pappy!"
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Of all the carvings only four are decipherable, Ai and Talon each able to read two with the assistance of their companions. You recognize the four each as one of the twelve images of Aroden.
The Scholar, depicted writing on parchment and reading his work to passers by.
The Soldier, depicted carrying a lantern through a city, driving back the shadows with light.
The Fisherman, depicted hauling a large amount of small fish.
The Hunter, depicted slaying a large serpentine creature and parading his trophy through the city streets.
These ancient carvings each contain a parable that Talon and Ollo recognize as inscriptions from the History and Future of Humanity, the principle text of Aroden, though they are altered slightly. Perhaps earlier versions of the work.
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As the group attempts to identify the reliefs, Marock takes out a quil, ink, and a jurnal-book. Using the supplied magical light, he takes a moment to document the adventure thus fare.
I start this ledger on the first day of my conformation. I have been asked to keep this document in order to comprise useful information that we come across along our journey. To this end, I now intend to compile my thoughts and experiences with this log.
Day one, we have been sent by the society to investigate a mysterious cave where reports have a race called Gillmen habiting. The witness, a Halfling woman named Janira Gavix, has agreed to travel with us on this mission of discovery.
On the path to the cave we encountered a small pack of hungry wolves. Unfortunately we were forced to dispatch the canines in order to preserve the group’s life. Killing the wolves was undesirable, but the only course of action.
With a combined effort, we discovered the entrance of the cave. Upon the discovery we were set upon by a tremendous creature that Janira referred to as a Minotaur. The beast was enormous and intended serious harm to the group. Ultimately Janira decided to bait the creature away, which allowed us to enter the cave unharmed.
First inspection of the cave reviled a small pit that posed a minor obstacle, which we by passed quickly. Noteworthy information would include a bundle that was found in the bottom of the pit that contained a magical cloak. The cloak bestowed some miner protections upon its wearer. I found this noteworthy because of its implications of intelligent life inhabiting the cave. That and the fact that a wooden plank was laid next to the pit, for easy navigation, concludes that someone is using the cave.
Further into the cave we came across some old relief carvings. The carvings have endured a long passage of time. Many of the carvings show a great deal of weather damage, leaving only four that can be interpreted clearly. The ones we can decipher are as follows.
The Scholar, depicted writing on parchment and reading his work to passers by.
The Soldier, depicted carrying a lantern through a city, driving back the shadows with light.
The Fisherman, depicted hauling a large amount of small fish.
The Hunter, depicted slaying a large serpentine creature and parading his trophy through the city streets.
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Talon relays what he knows to the group. Then he steps back, sets aside his light-shedding blade, and also pulls out his journal.
Connection to gillman is unsure. Do they follow Aroden? Do they gain something from coming here on the specific times Janira has recorded them arriving? Or is it coincidence?
He closes the journal and reclaims his blade once more, making his way to the blue flames and activating his magic-detection spell. ”Does anyone know anything about gillmen. Do they follow Aroden? I thought Aroden was a human god … is there some ancient connection between humans and gillmen?”
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Talon absent-mindedly continues his train of thought. "I've read they're called the Low Azlanti, believed to be the last descendants of the Azlanti people. Which I guess gives them a reason to be here if this is some kind of ancient religious site for Aroden."
He leaves the torches untouched as he waits patiently for the group to continue their investigations of the chamber.
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Ai looks around at the new cavern and reaches for her notes as it to write something. At Marock's words she stops, whistling a little tune to herself and then blinking in the sudden light of a trio of lanterns hovering in midair. "Picoperi said to me 'Let us make light!', and it was good. Also, I hope at least one of you catches that!" After a moment, she moves closer to the rogue. "Anywhere you want these? Your eyes aren't as keen as mine, so it's up to you."
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The soft light of the surrounding fungus mixes with the flickering glow of the nearby torches to reveal a grand chamber. A large pool of water along the chamber’s southern edge reflects the blue and green radiance to illuminate the massive stalactites that cling to the ceiling overhead. Two other tunnels branch off from this area, leading to the east and west.
Rising up from the pool is a column of rock with steeply sloped sides and a flat top, as if someone had sawn off the top of a massive stalagmite. A miniature city carved from this same stone occupies nearly the entire surface. Tiny trinkets such as ancient coins, polished semiprecious stones, and ornately braided loops of string are scattered throughout the diorama, and pale cave frogs clamber atop it. The smooth cavern floor is
covered in gravel and pebbles along the edge of the pool, and several foot-long centipedes prowl among the gravel in their search for prey.
more pilgrims.
Kneeling in the water is what seems to be a lone gillman, with his back toward the party, he does not seem to have noticed your presence.
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Talon stops a few steps into the large cavern, not sure whether he should be focusing on the lone gillman or the small city. He gestures to the city with his illuminated blade.
”That’s Absolom,” he whispers to the group, ”See the Starstone Cathedral?” He squints at the small representation of the city, and at the raised platform on which it rests. ”And the whole thing is some kind of altar. To Aroden, I’d guess. I wonder if it still has any blessings left in it.”
His gaze shifts to the gillman, but the young kellid makes no move to approach. He looks to his teammates, obviously uncomfortable being the one to engage the aquatic pilgrim.
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As Narika speaks she realizes the man she's addressing is elderly, and he seems to be focusing very intently on her lips.
Despite Marock drawing his sword, the gillman does seem to relax. He nods toward the party and speaks slowly.
"You have already figured out this is a sight holy to Aroden? Impressive. I am Uori, and I am here for my own purposes. Why are you so curious to know why my kind uses this pool? How curious are you? Curious enough to do an old man a favor?"
"You are not the only visitors to these caves. I fear the waning influence of Aroden has inspired less...polite creatures to invade. I must stay here the night, but I fear I will be killed if the caves are not cleared, but I am an old man, not strong like I used to be. If you clear out the caves, I will tell you what I know of this place, which may answer your questions."
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As Talon identifies Absalom, Ollo moves up with him and nods in agreement. "Aye, lad.. ye be correct there!"
As the rest of the party approaches the gillman, Ollo bows to him
"well, um.. sir.. We are here to study you and these caves.. but.. What is that you are wearing? Ai.. it seems we have found a key to the mystery of where the cloak came from.."
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Ai frowns at Ollo's mentioning of her beautiful new cloak before noticing the gillman's clothes. "I guess this is yours, huh? This is a really interesting place you have here. I think we're just curious enough about it to do you a favor, but this is a beautiful cloak. We, uh, found it in a pit with a bunch of spikes." She pauses, wrapping it around her and swishing it dramatically. "Do you need it back?"
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Uori nods his thanks and than answers Narika's question.
"I do not know exactly what you will face, but I do know that I caught a climpse of something undead in the cave to the right (b4), to the left I have seen some footprints that looked like clawed feet, perhaps by something standing on two legs (b5). Unfortunately this is all I can tell you, I was to afraid to investigate either area further."