"Regrettably, we just have a pesky arcanist from the Zho mountains, and besides, both arcanists and our kin, the wizards and sorcerers, do now have access to that arcanum."
He thinks. "I don't believe the wind is strong enough, nor the rain. It might clean their dirty feathers, but that won't help us. No, the air elementals are still the way to go. Er, yes, the undead first."
He nods at Freya. "Perhaps we could find a way inside Droskar's Crag. Are there tunnels?"
Teasel just shrugs at Helgrim's idea and says,"We could always make ourselves go deaf. Sure it makes spellcasting harder but we won't be able to hear their songs."
Upon thinking more about the situation she adds,"I can't do anything about the flying. My armor is so heavy and cumbersome because it's made out of rocks."
' With one sense out the others become more precious. I doubt the Harpies are dumb, and will when they figure out our sense of hearing is hampered and thus give us an advantage against one of their best advantages then they will try to take out our other senses. Or they will try to keep to another advantage." Wulf says as he begins to scratch at the dirt.
" Need things to keep them from flying off. At least long enough to really put a dent in their numbers. A foe with fewer allies becomes scared and will flee. They will seek to retreat and then we can try to either slaughter them or leet them retreat. That will be up to us" Wulf says as he takes out a ration and begins to eat some of it before he then drinks a bit of water.
Teasel furrows her brow and says,"I do the opposite of fly. I sink. Flying is a big advantage."
”We need some weighted nets or something . . . Teasel, can you call on the trees to tangle them with roots holding them fast? Or can you find some friendly Fey that might help us? I am sure our goals currently align with theirs.”
"You will find few fey decent enough to stand and fight for a worthy cause," Siffa grimaces, clearly disdainful of might now be considered her kin. "They disrespected even my predecessor, ignoring her noble qualities and crudely dubbing her Winifred the Buxom."
Siffa pauses to check the string of her crossbow.
"We could lure them among the ruins and crevices where their wings cannot carry them, then engage them face-to-face."
During the height of Tar Khadurrm, Raseri Kanton was the surface-based sister city of the kingdom's capital, Jernashall. While Raseri Kanton was half swallowed by the earth during the Rending, Jernashall was flooded by a river of lava that slew the dwarven inhabitants and, upon cooling, sealed most of its plazas and passages with stone.
Beyond simply being the "long way" around, gaining entrance to Jernashall would be a perilous trek. The risk, though, promises the reward of taking the harpies by surprise and potentially finding lost dwarven relics in the process.
"I like that idea, Siffa," says Qitaba. He ruffles through his notes. "I have...a small cantrip, that will protect us a bit from the harpies' song. And Freyja, I believe you as a bard can do the same to compliment, yes?" He crosses his arms and then looks thoughtful.
"'Buxom' can be a noble qual--er, yes, terribly short sighted of those fey."
”In times of old, wizards and clerics could silence them or the area around them. Would be nice to have one of them with us now.”
uf
Freyja looks contemplative for a moment. Your memory of times of old has value my friend. I have studied sound as a bard and believe I can manage such a spell.
" So get them in close, preferably in a ruin, use makeshift nets and spells to silence them, and then go in for the kill. If we can do this a couple of times and our enemy hasn't lost its will to fight, then we change tactics to range." He says his hands and gaze never leaving the dirt. He picks up and shifts the dirt through his hand as he smiles.
"We should try if we can incapacitate one and question it about the others as well as if it has any information on the Hags." he says finally looking up.
Yes, except that we silence us and not them. Either you or Helgrim I think. Maybe both of you.
Yes, except that we silence us and not them. Either you or Helgrim I think. Maybe both of you. That allows our casters to step in and out of the silence as needed.
Teasel nods in agreement and says," That should give us the advantage in battle. As long as we keep them on the ground we should be victorious "
Freyja is not well practiced at stealth but her armor is not too cumbersome.
Wulf gets to work on something similar to keeping chickens from flying away.
Qitaba steps on a potsherd. Crack!
Thinking quickly, Kit summons an earth elemental.
"Hullo old chap. Listen, I've been a dunce and made some noise. Can you burrow down and hide me in the tunnel? We're bound to attract nasty winged beasts."
The party's procession into Raseri Kanton is...prominent. The march is chorused by the click and grind of Teasel's mighty armor, providing a constant din that echoes across the older stones of the ruined city. Somehow, though, the crack of a forsaken potsherd beneath the ball of Qitaba's foot manages to rise above Teasel's commotion.
This is further punctuated when he summons a small elemental servant to aid him.
Fortunately, there is no sudden shriek from the harpies nesting on the far end of the city. You're confident that your approach has not gone unnoticed, but the sky is not suddenly filled with filthy wings. You still have some time to seek shelter.
Just ahead, down the old cracking dwarf road, you espy a cluster of stone shells that were once impressive edifices: perhaps a temple and coaching house. The walls and remaining roofs would provide cover from an aerial assault.
Meanwhile, Qitaba's elemental burrows down into the earth, but it quickly taps into an old passage that seems to connect to cellars or cisterns beneath the neighboring buildings.
"Hey! Friends! I think I found something...there are tunnels down here!"
Kit sticks his head out of the hole. "Perhaps a better way to get past things? Or worse, I don't know."
He doesn't bother to be that quiet. :D
I am not sure our goal is to get 'past" things. Are we not trying to encounter things but on our terms? Freyja asks.
" Yes. I thought the harpies were helping the the hags and harassing the humans ," Teasel says while jingling quite loudly while moving.
"Yes we want to fight the battle on our terms on our field" he says with a smile before going back inot his stealthy mode
"You Taldans and northern barbarians! Meet the birds head on, yes, that's valiant, and insane," mutters Qitaba. He tells the earth elemental to go explore the cistern and come back to report if it reaches another building quickly.
Teasel nods in agreement in response to Qit's comment.
Underground, the earth elemental trundles westward. It soon returns, reporting that the tunnel does indeed lead to a large cistern. However, a narrow but deep fissure at the cavernous bottom has drained away any water that might have accumulated within.
In the opposite direction, the tunnel leads towards cellars beneath the nearby ruins. Another, connecting passage can be seen in that direction, creating a T-intersection just before the cellars.
Back on the surface, a quick survey of the ruins confirms their nature. The ruins closer to the road were once an inn, likely serving pilgrims visiting the old temple that comprise the second set of ruins within the clearing.
The dwarf clears his throat.
”During the height of Tar Khadurrm, Raseri Kanton was the surface-based sister city of the kingdom's capital, Jernashall. While Raseri Kanton was half swallowed by the earth during the Rending, Jernashall was flooded by a river of lava that slew the dwarven inhabitants and, upon cooling, sealed most of its plazas and passages with stone.”
”These half sunken tunnels and buildings will be our only way to gain a tactical advantage, but may hold their own dangers.with the help of your elementals however that should be mitigated.”
The dwarf reveals his armor.
”Not to mention, my armor’s magic is renewed when I am underground. Something about the fading enchantment.”
” Raseri Kanton represented a commercial partnership between the dwarves of Tar Khadurrm and old Cheliax, serving as a vital trade center. Plus Humans liked trading and making their homes and shops under the open sky rather than sleep nestled in mother earths embrace protected from the weather.”
He peers down.
”Darkvision should help a bit here . . . “
”Assuming it’s clear, I’ll go down and check it out.”
I'll go with. Freyja says, excited to hear the history so casually spilling from Helgrim. There must be some little light spilling in from somewhere as I can see well enough down there.
"Freyja, old friend, glad to see you're willing to delve," says Kit with a wink. "And I do apologize for lumping you in with the Taldans."
Kit takes a moment to cast Mage Armor on himself and flips out his ioun torch.
He dusts himself a bit and strolls with the earth elemental.
"Walk with us, friend, and if you detect anything with tremorsense, lift your left arm and point at the direction."
Teasel makes her way down in what can only be described as a controlled fall.
Common superstition posits that the ruined cities are rife with undead. Given the violent, sudden, and likely horrifying nature of their fall, you don't doubt the veracity of these rumors. Of course, you have little to fear from lesser undead.
Although your objective, the logging town of Falcon's Hollow, lies farther still beyond the forest that cradles this arm of the Five Kings Mountains, you spot plenty to draw your attention. For starters, you espy the distinctive architecture of an Abadaran shrine, constructed in the old Chelish style, sitting proudly among the ruins. Though it is now little more than a shell, its walls have fared better than the adjoining pilgrim's inn.
Perhaps more interesting is the group of explorers upon the old dwarven road passing close by the shrine. Of their number, four appear human, while another is a dwarf, and the last - at first glance - appears to be some manner of dryad bedecked in stone armor. Rather than the ruins of the shrine or inn, however, they focus their attention upon some manner of tunnel or shaft that has been uncovered just beside the road.
"I will take stock of these ruins," Siffa announces quietly. "If what remains of the roofs are sturdy, they may yet provide a bastion against our winged foes."
Helgrim is proud to see how well the dwarven-designed tunnels beneath the old city street have fared despite the Rending and the passage of centuries. They likely provided access to civil works, like the nearby cistern, as well as linking the cellars of affiliated buildings.
Something malevolent has been stirred by the arrival of you and your companions.
Hissing whispers from that way. Freyja mouths.
His steps were measured and rhythmic as he strode through the ruins. He was dressed in a breast plated emblazoned with the Abadar key upon it's front, the dress of a cleric underneath the armor. His hands were folded behind him until he noticed the group in front of him. At that point he extended both hands, a greeting showing they were empty. A bright smile flashed their way showed off a pair of sharp canines as he spoke.
"Good day. Judging by your appearances I assume you are all here on formal business? My name is Tarson Lierdien. I've been sent on behalf of the church to provide assistance in local civic reform. Am I correct in assuming you share the same zeal for public service?"
Once he had confirmation this was the correct adventuring group he would open up a bit more on his mission.
Teasel's eyes grow big in confusion. Dusting herself off she continues to look at Tarson. " My name is Teasel. Pleasure to meet you. As for your question. I'm not sure. I don't know much about humans. Best to ask the others ," she says very deliberately trying to figure out what he means.
"Um..."
Qitaba looks grim.
"...human? That's a vam--er, yes, human. Sir, would you mind holding still? I need to detect your alignment."
He begins to wave his hand.
He is a follower of Abadar, or at least pretends to be. Freyja tells the group. Speaking to Tarson she adds You will forgive us if we pause to consider your credentials. We were not expecting to find an ally in these abandoned runes infested with hags and harpys and perhaps even red mantis assassins. It is somewhat astounding that you are here. Have you been attacked?
He will chuckle as he reaches into his back pack to produce a small sealed scroll.
"I have instructions to destroy that once it has been read. I'm not aware of what it says but it should prove everything that I claim. I can't promise it's not explosive runes."
He smiled at his own joke before going on.
"I find most creatures are shy to attack a long wandered who strides as if he owns the place. It confuses them. I imagine the threat you provide left them hesitant to risk being attacked from the back if they came after me."
Wulf has been quiet and begrudgingly let the others talk. It was frustrating to already have teasel in her bulky armor let out a lot of stone armor crunk and clang as she moved, or the others talking in normal decibels.
Aside from this they were on their way to accomplishing this goal when a man in armor came in, Supposedly a follower of Abadar. Which Wulf, not a religious man kinda shrugged off. He just scowled.
"yes let's blow our cover, even more, Hell I'll light a damn torch and set out signal beacons"The Farmer said followed by a string of very unsavory curse words in Celestial.
oh shoot, I planned to have Qitaba use Disrupt Undead on Tarson and have it not work on him, thus proving he isn't a vampire, but I looked at some forums that suggest that it would work on him. What would you rule? I don't want to do any PvP here!
Helgrim shakes his head in disgust.
”Our detection skills seem highly lacking. Can’t even hear a man waking up to us in a dead ruin.”
The dwarf looks at the man then at Qitaba.
”You said he is a human-vam-yer-what?”
The dwarf looks the new comer over.
”Were you the source of the uncanny whistling coming from the eastern passage, from the direction of the inn cellar? It sounds like the wind, but none should be passing through these tunnels.”
“It was not me. I am not much of a whistler myself. As for my race the best way I can describe it is my father was a vampire and my mother a human. Because of that I share some common traits with the undead. While I eat, drink, and sleep as normal please be advised that only negative energy can heal me.”
Qitaba stops his spell, letting it poof into nothingness.
"Ahh. Forgive me, ser...Tarson. I was about to cast a spell designed to harm the undead. It would have probably harmed you as well." He looks about. "Cannot anyone cast a detect evil spell among us?"
He chuckles. "Very well, I'll look at the scroll." He shakes his head and nods to Helgrim. "I'm sure there have been worse plans laid out by would-be heroes."
The mention of the unnatural sounds in the tunnels and cellars below causes Siffa to stiffen her already stern demeanor.
"Beware," she declares. "Of the countless poor souls who perished with this city, many suffer still. They linger on in undeath. What you hear might be such remnants of the lost."
The imposingly tall swan maiden walks over to Tarson. She looks him over thoroughly.
"My senses have lost the Inheritor's divine guidance, but I can still discern the wicked from the true. I believe we can trust this one."
That is good enough for me. The duelist says extending a hand. I am Freyja. We are here to put an end to the harpy threat in the surrounding wood. It seems your presence here is literally a god send.
”Very well than! It looks like we were about to head into this tunnel correct?”