"Gotcha, watching out for undead it is."
Narku continues toward the ruins carefully, weary of possible attacks from the lengthening shadows of the ruins, he keeps his falchion at the ready, trusting in his darkvision to spot any danger to the group.
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Current Effects: Whetstone edge on falchion, scimitar and cold iron longsword, +1 damage on next successful hit;
The group moves on with Narku and Sarala taking the lead. As usual, the half-orc's armor makes his approach clangorous, while Sarala - several feet away for good measure - soundlessly descends the hill. Regardless, there is no response to their movement, no apparent sentries hidden amidst the ruin.
As you draw close, you are able to get a better look at the structure's exterior. On account of years of exposure to scouring desert winds, there is little to see. A pair of towering statues flank the front entrance of the ruin, but their features have long been sandblasted into anonymity. You can pick up on faint vestiges of elaborate friezes that must have once decorated the entrance, but nothing more. Any kind of doorway that might have once been here is long gone - the way is open.
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Julius considers what he read of the area back in Absalom and what he has heard during his and Sarala's journey to reach this place.
Julius squints in the darkness trying his best to see what the others can easily see without light.
Sadly, his eyes remain human. Noticing Narkû's noisiness, Julius attempts to move quietly behind him knowing all the focus will be on the half-orc.
Naturally Julius' attempt at 'infiltrationing' is foiled by his own evolutionary inadequacies. He trips over a rock and falls on his face in the moonlight.
"Blasted lack of night vision!" he grumbles into the silence, betraying any chance of his presence remaining a secret.
A low grumble can be heard from Narkû as he moves closer to the ruins.
"... dang Pathfinder... gonna give Narkû's position away... need to get some distance..."
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Current Effects: Whetstone edge on falchion, scimitar and cold iron longsword, +1 damage on next successful hit;
As a delver of the arcane, you have come across readings that made mention of ancient shrines constructed by the faithful of Nethys, The All-Seeing Eye. These monasteries were dedicated to the research of magic, particularly of its dualistic nature - its power to both create and destroy. Furthermore, they were often constructed near magical phenomena, so that they could be properly studied.
Perhaps this ruin was one such shrine?
Pulling back her veil and adjusting her robes for better ease of movement in the darkness, she moves forward in a half-crouch. A pale hand never straying too far from the desert fox, though they move forward with the smooth motion of one used to walking through the harsh desert.
With a few graceful steps she crouches behind the pillar near the pair of smaller outbuildings.
Narkû looks through the opening ahead of him with his darkvision, trying to maintain his 'Infiltrationing' while between the outbuildings.
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Current Effects: Whetstone edge on falchion, scimitar and cold iron longsword, +1 damage on next successful hit;
Peering through the entryway, Narku can see into the first chamber of the refuge. From what he can see right away, a creature appears to be lying still on the ground - a spider the size of a man, its legs facing upward and curled inward. So far does his darkvision reach that he can even look into the chamber beyond, though something in that room appears to be obscuring his view.
Narkû looks back to the others, interlocks his hands together at the thumbs and splays out his fingers to the left and right and wiggles them, mocking the movement of a spider. He follows that by holding up a single digit, accompanied by a slash motion of his thumb across his throat.
He then begins to walk up to the doorway, and waits for the others.
Keeping very low, Ruika's eyes sparkle lit by their internal fire as the pair move forward down the corridor. 'A guardian.... or just animal?' she wonders internally.
In the dim light Ruika looks up at the imposing building, then back to the rest of the group.
"I hope everything is well," considers Thurrios.
Closer to the doorway, Narku and Sarala are able to see that the bodies of at least four more spiders occupy the chamber. Most of them have had at least one of their legs messily chopped off, but one of the spiders has been utterly pulverized. Otherwise, the room appears to be empty.
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Julius can barely make out Narkû as he turns a waggles his hands. Is he making a bird? Julius squints, but it's no help.
Inwardly he groans, and finds himself hoping that Haidar announces that he knows they followed him out of the dark, so Julius can just light a torch or something and not be the only person for 20 miles who can't see.
He decides he will stay back and begins to ruminate on the structure now that he's closer. He frowns at the stone and tries to remember. As a particular article is recalled in his mind, his eyes widen.
This place...! It could be, it could be...!
His patron god was rewarding him after all.
In the darkness Julius grins and feels his magical "muscles" begin to itch, begging to be used in what could very well be a laboratory of Nethys.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Keeping a wary eye out, she notices the mage and the manic glint in his eyes returning. 'What now, something possessed the half-blind man?' she wonders as she decides to move further into the building - for if they remain outside they could be spotted sooner than later.
Entering the building the orc looks wide eyed at the dead arachnids, trying to keep away from the bodies - in case they have a swarm of young inside their rotting corpses.
As nothing as jumped out to attack him, most likely due to his superiour skills of 'Infiltrationing', Narkû continues cautiously to the next doorway and peers inside.
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Current Effects: Whetstone edge on falchion, scimitar and cold iron longsword, +1 damage on next successful hit;
As more of the group enters the ruins, it becomes even clearer that the spiders are indeed very dead.
Beyond the outer ruins, a wide doorway leads into a forest of stone pillars: the roofless, colonnaded hall of a temple interior. A light breeze blows into Narku's face, carrying with it a pungent scent of decay. Two rectangular depressions run across the pillared hall's rubble-strewn floor, perhaps once filled with water, but now choked with thorny desert weeds.
Narku can see through yet another entryway on the opposite end of the room, but cannot make out much more detail.
She waves an arm towards Julius, whom seems to be either having difficulty seeing or containing himself, for him to follow into the building.
Ruika slides forwards with Lyssa at her heels and moves following the left hand wall where she sees what appears to be an archway or doorway. 'Must protect flanks.'
"Shall we?"
Narkû continues moving stealthily and watching for dangers, as he goes into the next chamber.
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Current Effects: Whetstone edge on falchion, scimitar and cold iron longsword, +1 damage on next successful hit;
The scent of death grows ever stronger as Narku plods into the pillared chamber. Try as he might, his armor's hundreds of shifting metal components are difficult to keep quiet. The denizens of the forlorn temple finally appear to take notice. A sharp, inhuman cry breaks the silence as a small, vaguely humanoid creature swings into the half-orc's view, latching onto a pillar with one of its long, tentacle-like arms. Just a moment later the bizarre creature is joined by three others, all of which crawl out of notches in the ruined walls.
The gangly-armed creatures banter with one another in a strange tongue, all of them throwing hungry glances at the lone Narku.
"Crap!" is the only word of warning Narkû gives that something is about to take place.
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Current Effects: Whetstone edge on falchion, scimitar and cold iron longsword, +1 damage on next successful hit;
Lyssa bounds off from beneath the white orcs robes and nudges Julius' legs as an offer to be his guide.
Having heard Narku, Thurrios moves forward ready to fight whatever has attacked his companions.
I will do a full double move (40') headed towards the battle.
Narku's brief exclamation is all Thurrios needs to hear. He races into the temple, making it as far as the room with the dead spiders. By this point the clamoring chokers can be heard all throughout the structure.
Having apparently agreed on some kind of arrangement, two of the chokers swing forward from pillar to pillar, their pliable arms making the movement a simple matter. One of them drops to the floor and whips at Narku with one of its tentacles, which stretches to cover the long distance. The thick appendage lashes the side of Narku's head, and instead of being pulled away, proceeds to wrap around his neck. The choker tightens its grip, constricting the cavalier's windpipe and pulling him toward itself.
Hoping to join in on the fun, the other choker swings by and lands by Narku's flank. Before it can attack however, it glances down the hallway, noticing Sarala and Thurrios. Unable to resist the prospect of capturing its own prey, it shouts something to the rest of its clutch before rushing toward the Vanaran with supernatural quickness. It wildly swings one of its tentacles at her, which snaps around the corner and gives her a solid smack across the abdomen. Before it can squirm its way up to find her neck however, the monk is able to slip out of its grip.
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Sudden shouting and other strange noises erupt from within the structure.
Julius looks down at the foxy shape pressing into his legs. The nudging and bumps of her head tell a story...
"What's that, Lyssa? Strange tentacled creatures are choking the life out of Narkû and hurting Sarala?!"
Julius sighs.
"I guess the sneaking didn't work out. I should have just done this from the start."
Julius mutters some words and some glowing orbs poof into existence swirling around one another in playful patterns. With a gesture the lights move into the room ahead of Thurrios ruining night vision for all. .
Julius steps out from behind the pillar or wall or whatever the ruined section is and draws out his wand of summon monster i.
Lyssa yips softly and shakes her head sadly. Keeping near Julius' feet, whilst not being under them.
As the dark shape wafts into the room it's tentacle flicking out at Sarala, Ruika turns to observe it. 'Hurting my new..... I'll teach it!' she thinks darkly, her eyes glimmering with promise of the pain it'll receive in mere moments....
Ruika curses it loudly.
"Anapa, hurry, there has been an attack!"
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"Hey, get your slimy slimers off of me, you creep!" says Sarala to the choker next to her, hopping up to do a spinning kick, kicking three times and then landing on her opposite foot.
"And if you don't like my kicks, I've got plenty o' punches just waiting to come out!" While she's talking a tough game, she seems a bit worse for wear after that last hit.
The choker can feel Narkû begin to chuckle, as if Narkû is unaffected by the grapple and challenging the choker to do more. Knowning his falchion is useless in this situation, he lets the blade fall to the ground as he slips his cold iron longsword slowly out of it's scabbard.
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Current Effects: Whetstone edge on falchion and cold iron longsword, +1 damage on next successful hit; PA; falchion on ground;
Round One (Part 2)
Ruika turns her sinister gaze on the choker that attacked Sarala, cursing it for its wickedness. Doubt creeps into the primitive creature's mind, its erratic predatory movements suddenly becoming sluggish, as though it regrets its decision to attack the Vanaran.
At Thurrios' behest, Anapa barrels into the ruin after him, in spite of his earlier hesitation to do so.
Meanwhile, the other chokers continue to jeer, excited by the prospect of new prey. Despite Narku having already been "claimed," the one further cross the room swoops down, drops to the ground, and flails at the half-orc's vulnerable back. The tentacle slaps against the back of his armor ineffectually, eliciting a hiss from the choker grappling him.
The other jealous choker hops into the weed-choked water basin to assail him, but when it attempts to attack Narku the grappler shoves it aside, sending its tentacle flying in the wrong direction. The three chokers immediately start shouting at one another, clearly lacking any sort of coordination.
Realizing that the party's little stealth mission has more or less failed, Julius evokes some orbs of light which fly past Anapa and Thurrios, coming to a halt beside Sarala.
Being strangled is all so very amusing to Narku. As the chokers argue amongst themselves, the cavalier lets his heavier blade fall to the floor with a clatter. Even the sound of metal on stone fails to draw their attention back to him. By the time they realize that Narku has drawn another blade, it is too late. With a single swing, he sends the choker's beady-eyed head flying from its shoulders. Its grip on Narku's neck slackens immediately as its body slumps to the ground, dark blood pouring out of the stump on its neck.
Befuddled by Ruika's hex, the choker in the other room proves an easy target for Sarala's flurry. Its rubbery body absorbs the impact of her first kick, but her next two land with crushing force. A few of the choker's teeth go flying out of its mouth.
Thurrios starts his damage judgement and charges #4 and attacks!
18-20/x2
"Attack!"
Hearing Thurrios' instruction to continue the attack, Narkû looks for the next choker and motions for him to 'come get some' and try it's luck against Narkû.
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Current Effects: Whetstone edge on falchion and cold iron longsword, +1 damage on next successful hit; PA; falchion on ground; Glorious Challenge 1;
Round Two (Part 1)
Thurrios pronounces divine judgment on the choker as he charges forward, Tempest in hand. The Dawnflower guides his blade as he swings it forward, cutting into the aberration's flesh.
The choker lets out a cry of pain and turns its dark eyes away from Sarala. Its wound oozing, it hops back a step and snarls at Thurrios hatefully, before stretching out a tentacle to attack him. Still recovering from the momentum of his charge, the inquisitor is struck across the face. Its long, spindly "fingers" then wrap around his throat and tug him forward, rapidly increasing the pressure on his neck.
"Good spinny kicks." Ruika says as she walks forwards behind the agile monk. Beneath her pale robes her hands glow to match her eyes and then she taps Sarala on the upper arm transferring the pure healing energies to close the terrible wounds suffered.
Round Two (Part 2)
Ruika reaches out to Sarala, suffusing her wound with her curative magic. The fledgling bruise that the choker's attack had inflicted fades away instantly, leaving the monk unscathed.
Anapa rushes forward to fight the nearest choker, but finds that by pulling Thurrios toward itself, it has blocked his way. Instead he lays a hand on the inquisitor's shoulder, blessing him with some of Anubis' power.
The choker on Narku's left violently flails its arms at him while screaming at the top of its lungs, each blow heavily pounding against his chest. By the end the half-orc finds that he is being strangled yet again, the choker tightening both tentacles around his neck.
Seeing its fellow choker nearly strangling the life out of Narku, and left without prey of its own, the other choker suddenly turns on it, spitting incomprehensible obscenities at it. Once again the two creatures argue, utterly oblivious to the fact that they are actually outnumbered. The argument culminates in the choker jealously assaulting its kin, throttling it with its tentacles and shaking its head back and forth. Even as it is being strangled the choker defiantly keeps its hold on Narku, resulting in an awkward chain of asphyxiation.