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As Nadhi rushes the minotaur, it takes a swipe on the incoming threat.
The minotaur reaches out to axe Nadhi on her way in but the axe misses its mark.
Patros's devastating strike barely misses.
Nadhi lands a fiery slash across the beast's abdomen.
Zenjaya is able to get in range but misses her opportunity.
Finding the green crop of Pathfinders inept, the minotaur wheels around and chases his initial prey: Janira. He leaves the immediate threats and attempts to leap across the stream to land between Janira and Golthwur.
Janira takes cracks her whip as it lands.
And misses.
Golthwur x2
Patros
Janira
Nadhi
Zenjaya
Minotaur (-18)
Janira slashes again with her whip as her only recourse.
To no avail.
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The minotaur attempts to bound away from the Pathfinders locked in melee. Nadhi's scimitar passes under the fleeing villain's arm. Patros stabs his magical longsword into the minotaur's achilles causing it to groan in pain. His fight-or-flight instinct kicks in. He thinks better now of challenging the Pathfinders and hobbles away from the fray.
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Janira drops to her knees panting. The positive energy flows over the group and everyone is just a little less worse for the wear. Thank you, Pathfinders. I felt our doom approaching quickly. After a moment she stands back up.
Well we should move on before other threats encroach on us in our slightly weakened position. Come. Tell me what you found.
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”Having tasted the sting of my force bolts, the minotaur was wise to flee when he saw me draw the wand.” Golthwur declares following the battle. “It ended the battle far sooner than your chopping tools would have done alone.”
In response to Janira’s request, the old wizard takes the opportunity to expound. “Upon entering the caves, we uncovered a pit that held a magical cloak, found a grotto devoted to the deceased deity, Aroden, which was filled with statuary of some note…”
The old man strokes his beard. “Come to think of it, they may be worth some further study, I suppose.”
After muttering his thoughts aloud, the wizard continues, “Then, within the grotto, we encountered a gillman who could not hear. He was most impressed by my credentials in magic.”
The old man strokes his beard again. “Come to think of it, the gillman said something about ‘lingering magic’, now I am certain that further study is necessary.”
“We explored a branch of the cave that housed dead creatures who were apparently unaware of their current state. We sufficiently alerted them." he explains.
Once again, the old man strokes his beard. “Come to think of it, the letter suggested that their condition had been the work of the dhampir necromancer whose body we discovered.”
”Then, of course, we were drawn to you upon hearing the sounds of battle.” Golthwur concludes. “You witnessed, of course, how I drove the man-beast away with a few well-placed magic missiles and threat of further devastating magic from my wand.”
Golthwur concludes by stating, “I trust this account comports well with the maps of cave entrances that you yourself had constructed?”
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At Janira's request, Nadhi gives her summary.
"As you wish, timanah. After fleeing from the minotaur on your initial command, we entering the cave, and found a sprung pit trap with a blue cloth at the bottom, which Mistress Zenjaya, Master Patros, and I were able to recover by working together, and which Master Strath . . ." There is the slightest pause before Nadhi continues, "identified as a cloak of resistance. Working together, we traversed the pit, then continued on. We then came to a large cavern which seemed to have devoted to the worship of Aroden in past days."
"Leaving the cavern, we came through a hallway to a grand chamber that held a pool of water. Rising from the pool was the model of a grand city, carved directly into the top of a large pillar. It was here that we encountered the gillman that Master Strath spoke of. He was wary of us at first, but we were able to reassure him of our good intentions.
"The gillman seemed to be a holy man. He said he came to commune with the waters, and bade us act 'more respectfully than those who came before.' It seemed that he considered the caverns as sacred, though we were not able to ascertain what made them so. He did say he believed that the 'lingering magic of Aroden' had brought us here. He also asked that we deal with undead creatures to the east, which we were happy to oblige."
Nadhi excitedly continues, "Moving to the east, we encountered a trio of skeletons, which Mistress Zenjaya dispatched nearly singlehandedly with sword and sorcery!" At the recounting of this battle, Nadhi's face breaks into a wide smile. She continues, "We discovered there the corpse of a dhampir necromancer who wished to make an undead army from the many 'fish people' in these caverns. In this room, Patros found a secret door. We heard sounds of your battle and came to assist. The rest you know
Nadhi's brows furrow and her face takes on a slight frown. "I guess we never discovered the meaning of that city carved from the rock, or why the caves were sacred to the gillman. We also don't know anything of those 'who came before' or how they were not respectful, unless the gillman meant the dhampir necromancer. We also don't know how many gillmen roam these caves, though it seems like many, from the dhampir's notes. Finally, I remember that there was another exit to the west from the grand cavern, which we did not explore.
Brightening up somewhat, she continues, "Still, we learned at least something of these caverns, we avoided open conflict with the gillmen, and everyone made it out alive, despite our encounter with a true monster. We have been blessed."
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Three days following your test with Janira, you are summoned to a ceremony led by the Masters of Sword, Spell, and Scroll. Kreighton Shaine, who invited you to your confirmation speaks, Congratulations, Pathfinders. You have performed admirably and expertly. Janira has shared your reports of the gillmen’s cave as expected and we are quite impressed with your thoroughness and creativity. May we present to you a personalized wayfinder to signify you as a Pathfinder in the world. Remember always our principle duties: explore, report, and cooperate. Good luck on your future adventures.