Gamplay thread open
The Blakros Museum rises into the night sky, its single black spire severing the full moon in twain. The black iron gates surrounding the exhibition hall grind in protest against the wind. Beyond, the museum’s large oaken doors stand wide open, a silver-gray mist belching forth from the cavernous darkness within. You wonder how you ended up here, standing at the precipice of unknown terrors, and instantly Venture- Captain Adril Hestram’s wide looming face is conjured into your minds’ eye. His booming words ring out from memory as clearly as he spoke them only one hour ago:
The Blakros Museum is cursed. Some darkness has descended upon the place and those who enter are blasted with evil and left raving through its halls, more beast than men. The curator, Nigel Aldain, is an old associate of the Society, though he chose to leave our organization some years back after a disagreement. Adril looked sheepish then, as if remembering some distasteful incident from his youth.
Nigel has long denied the Society access to the Blakros Museum’s considerable collection of relics and scrolls, using his extensive contacts to nab several excellent finds right out from under us... he always had a nose for the hunt. Whatever is past between Nigel and the Society, he needs our help now. Perhaps if we can come to his aid, he may think on rejoining the Pathfinder Society, or at least offering to share his discoveries with us.
Apparently the trouble at Blakros Museum began this morning, shortly after a wayward Pathfinder named Lugizar Trantos returned to Absalom after months spent in the Mwangi Expanse. Supposedly, instead of coming straight to the Lodge to report in, he went to Blakros, sold his finds to Nigel, and then disappeared with a hefty sum of gold. The few who glimpsed Lugizar claimed he was much changed by his time in the Mwangi... gaunt, his eyes yellowed and unfocused, a strange rasping cough that seemed to wrack his now wasted frame. Whatever he brought back with him, we believe it is the cause of the Blakros Museum’s ills. Root it out.
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Hessavi is a towering nagaji, wearing simple peasant clothes under a well-polished breastplate. Her eyes are a fierce yellow set among deep green scales with subtle highlights of blue. She wears a grim expression as she looks up at the spire.
"Lugizar's sort of famous among the local Pathfinders," she says. "I heard he'd been given up for dead a while back, but that he'd claimed to have found three idols in the shape of bearded monkeys first. They say there's a demon lord called Angazhan that rules over the heart of the Mwangi jungle, and his cultists make idols with the spirits of monkeys captured in them. Tik Taan, they call them."
"Seems like the sort of thing that'd be right at home with the Blakroses. Every time I come here..." She mutters the rest under her breath.
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The proud samurai holds the helmet of his O-Yoroi armor under his arm, which somehow does not lessen the frightening look of the strige head mask.
"Ah! Demons! I am well versed in these particular monstrosities.
It is said that the Tik Taan emit foul mists that invade the hearts of men if breathed in, but that wrapping a scarf over your mouth can protect you.
We should find such protection before venturing into the museum.
In addition, I have heard of special ritual daggers with bone hilts and obsidian blades that are used to kill these demons. We should keep an eye out."
Thrusting out his chest, he raises the helm and talks to the mask. "So, we get a chance to destroy more of your foul brethren. Such honor for this warrior."
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The wizard is tall, with long black hair and neatly trimmed beard. He carries a longsword, and dresses in robes of an archaic style.
"Angazhan... the demon lord that the Gorilla King serves. Yes, I recall the stories of the Tik Taan. Perhaps I had ventured there before? Or rather, He did?"
The wizard shakes his head. "No matter. Thank you, Kita, I had forgotten about the scarves. If ever I knew that. We shall make sure we are prepared."
"My contacts report that this Lugizar Trantos seemed to have lost his mind. He disappeared in the Mwangi Expanse. His letters to his family spoke of finding three bearded monkey idols - most likely these idols were Tik Taan. His last letter showed signs of insanity, and mentioned hallucinations of dark eyes glaring out of the mist. Hmm."
The mention dark eyes peering out of a mist seems to trouble him.
"...something...beyond..." he mutters.
Aroden shudders and goes quiet for a moment.
"Ahem. I also heard that after his return to Absalom, monkeys and apes in the zoos went insane. Attacked their keepers and fled. It seems this Lugizar has brought an evil spirit back with him, a curse of Angazhan, and its influence is spreading. Should we try to find him first, or head straight into the museum?"
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As the Pathfinders steel their nerves at the entrance, Garduk pulls a wand from his belt and taps himself with it, muttering something quietly. A pale white glow appears around his boots, then quickly expands, rising up from his feet to cover his legs, his torso, arms, and finally his head, then disappears. As the last of the glow fades, he pulls a scroll out of his pack and reads a brief incantation; the same ice-white glow suffuses his eyes before it too fades away.
Garduk nods as the others echo the information rattling around his head, and doesn't bother to repeat what they already know. He peers through the mist into the open door of the Museum and grimaces, the deep scars that crease both cheeks stretching painfully as he remembers his previous assignments here.
"I've been here before. The exhibits can be ... unexpected."
The tall, scrawny half-orc is dressed in stained, second-hand clothes, scorched in places from fire or acid, suitable for travel on foot, a bandolier with various vials and flasks slung across his chest, wands jabbed through loops on his belt for easy access. A dagger, billy club, and a couple of pouches hang from his belt as well, and a crossbow is slung over his shoulder along with his with his pack.
You set out toward the building. As you approach the doors to the museum you see that there is a mist the seems to be coming from beneath the front door.
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Aroden also uses his wand of Mage Armor. He wraps a scarf around his face and prepares to enter the museum (forewarned by Kita, he bought such an item as I assume everybody did, probably 1 sp or less).
"Allow me to open the doors from a distance."
He'll use his Open/Close cantrip once everybody is ready.
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While protection is of the most importance, a Samurai must portray a certain image. Kita finds a silk scarf with a fine, close weave in a color of blue that matches the colors on his O-Yoroi.
Removing the mask from his helm, he wraps the scarf over his mouth and nose hoping that the effect is not too silly.
He nods to Aroden's suggestion for opening the doors using magic. "Very wise, though it is still likely a good idea to look for traps beforehand."
As they reach the main doors of the museum, he draws his katana and signals his readiness to proceed. "Remember everyone to be on watch for these obsidian daggers, in case they are needed to defeat the demons."
Saying a quick prayer to Abadar, he stands ready.
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With a grunt of thanks to the samurai for the suggestion, Garduk buys a filter scarf as well.
As the party hurries toward the Museum, Garduk clears his throat and begins to speak. His voice is gravelly, and thickly accented with a combination of Skald and something rougher.
"Hrm. Should we introduce ourselves as we go? I'm Garduk. I'm a student of the arcane, I guess. Mostly self-taught, but I've been working in the Archive since I got to Absalom and the Master of Spells has insisted that I use some of my time there to study with some of the older wizards who work there."
Once they reach the entrance to the museum, after casting his spells and returning his wand of Mage Armor to his pack, he checks the wands in his spring-loaded wrist sheaths - one of Shield, the other Infernal Healing - and the other wands tucked into his belt along with his dagger and billy club.
He nods at the other wizard's suggestion to open the door from a distance, and grunts his approval of the warrior's comment about checking for traps first. He looks over to the lightly-armored elf to see if he volunteers to give the door a once-over before they open it.
Turning back to the Tian fight, Garduk notes his unusual mail and helm, and the confidence with which he holds his katana.
Cautious and well-armored. He may not be Kulga or Brayne, but he looks sturdy enough.
Garduk takes a few steps back to be sure that the samurai is between him and whatever waits beyond the door.
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"Greetings, Garduk. I am Aroden. In honor of the Last Azlanti. A wizard trying to follow his example."
"Self-taught? That's interesting. I was... um... hmm."
The wizard trails off, then casts a spell on himself.
"This is a good one to learn, Garduk. We cannot always count on our steel-clad friends to be in between us and harm. I will teach it to you later if you wish."
Aroden opens the door from a distance by magical means. The mist billows out, but other than that nothing happens.
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Kita walks somewhat stiffly, with the bow-legged stance of someone more used to riding than walking. However, he holds his back straight as he scans the passers-by for any sign of danger. The banner attached to the back of his armor flutters lightly in the breeze, showing off his personal sign of three black triangles in a field of blue.
I don't suppose there will be much use for Okane inside of a museum. I'll just leave him saddled at the Grand Lodge. He's going to be upset about being left out of the adventure again.
As Garduk starts the introductions, he realizes that he has been quite rude and flushes in embarrassment. Giving the half-orc a bow in greeting, he remedies the situation.
"Hello, Garduk. I am Kita Kyuichi, samurai in service to Daimyo Po of Po-Li. I am pleased to meet you."
He extends greetings to Aroden as well, though he frowns a bit when the wizard's thought tapers off into silence.
"It is good that we will have arcane powers on this mission, if we are to be going up against demons."
He looks curiously at Taman, wondering at the oddity of a man carrying a large sword but wearing no armor. He keeps his thoughts to himself and simply greets the warrior, vowing to try to learn more about the man later.
When the door is finally opened, Kita leads the way into the museum, peering through the mists.
An unnatural cold permeates this chamber and the tendrils of silver-gray mist flowing out the front archway into the courtyard beyond seem to effortlessly pierce the flesh and gently caress the bone in a cold embrace. The grand entrance way’s vaulted ceiling is supported by six great pillars of hewn black stone. Braziers mounted on the pillars cast white radiance from balls of continual light. The light glimmers eerily in the silvery haze that fills the atrium, giving the impression of something alien watching from the glowing fog.
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Kiaru has remained silent all the way observing this strange group of adventurers trying to know them surreptitiously. It is fixed that some are wiser than others and decides to acquire the scarf also. When he reaches the doors, he takes out his spear and lets the magician open the doors, but if one resists, it will be his moment.
Enscarfed as well, Hessavi cautiously makes her way forward and looks around the room.
The mists swirl as Kita moves through the room. He does not see anything that looks overtly threatening and nothing seems to loom out of the fog as he moves through the Entraceway.
Aroden opens the door and you look inside. The mists here congeal into a thick and silvery fog that cools the lungs. Arranged throughout this large hall are exhibits on the funerary traditions of several civilizations, along with preserved corpses arrayed in grim stillness. A giant warrior looms from the haze, his arms crossed at his chest, his helm solemn and still. Beyond lie sarcophagi of varied designs, and a few glass cases wherein withered dead are held upright by rods and string; grim exhibits of long-dead citizens whose fallen empires were erased an age past.
A placard above this hall reads “The Honored Dead” in blood-red calligraphy.
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Moving a little closer so that he can peek around the others to see into the exhibit hall, Garduk winces at the sight of large, immobile - at least for the moment - warrior.
I'm really beginning to dislike this museum.
"I hate to suggest this, but we probably ought to try to find Nigel first," Garduk growls unhappily. "He might be able to tell us something about the stuff he bought from Trantos. But it looks like the only way to get to the museum offices is to go through this exhibit."
As Kita moves deeper into the room four figures lurch out of the mist, animating unexpectedly.
Combat Round 1 - Bold May Act
Red Enemy
Taman
Green Enemy
Garduk
Kiaru
Blue Enemy
Hessavi
Kita
Aroden
Yellow Enemy
Red is a withered, mummified thing from beneath Osirion’s sands bearing a jeweled scarab on its chest among its spiced wrappings, a scarab seer and warrior-priest of an old Pharaonic age named Taltuma-Matl.
Green is a hulking skeleton, a towering ancestor of the Kellid race who wields a greatclub fashioned from a mammoth’s ivory tusk.
Blue is a shrunken, emaciated corpse wrapped in rotten silks, and holding a silvered Qadiran scimitar in its bony fists.
Taman moves up, swings and misses the blue enemy.
The hulking skeleton (green) moves forward and swings a massive club at Taman.
The greatclub slams into Taman, crushing bone.
Combat Round 1 - Bold May Act
Red Enemy
Taman -6
Green Enemy
Garduk
Kiaru
Blue Enemy
Hessavi
Kita
Aroden
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At the sound of battle, Garduk quickly follows the others into the exhibit hall.
I knew this was going to happen. I just knew it!
Once inside, he jams one hand into a pouch hanging at his hip. He barks out a phrase that crackles with arcane power - "Rasvaa lattia!" - and rubs a small bit of wax paper smeared with butter between the thumb and index finger of one hand. The ground under the two abominations facing Taman glistens with an oleaginous sheen.
Both the blue and green enemies fall to the ground, slipping on the suddenly greasy floor.
Combat Round 1 - Bold May Act
Red Enemy
Taman -6
Green Enemy
Garduk
Kiaru
Blue Enemy
Hessavi
Kita
Aroden
Kiaru deftly slips by the green enemy, gets to the back of the blue enemy and attacks it from behind. It takes a lot of damage, but seemingly not as much as it should.
The blue enemy tries to stand.
It regains it's feet
The blade bounces off Kiaru's armour.
Combat Round 1 - Bold May Act
Red Enemy
Taman -6
Green Enemy (prone)
Garduk
Kiaru
Blue Enemy -16
Hessavi
Kita
Aroden
Kita's charge takes red out in one attack as he hits a vital point and it collapses.
Hessavi begins to sing a rousing song about the crusades, inspiring everyone who's heart is stirred.
Combat Round 1 - Bold May Act
Taman -6 (AoO on Blue if you want it)
Green Enemy (prone)
Garduk
Kiaru (AoO on Blue if you want it)
Blue Enemy -16
Hessavi
Kita
Aroden