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One by one, the Pathfinder initiates examine the reliefs and carvings. Surprisingly, even Hans seems fascinated by the carvings, going against his brutish, Ulfen exterior. The stoic warrior traces one hand over some of the carvings, feeling an unusual resonance with the meaning he infers, more so than the others, as if they were important to him intrinsically. As he begins to piece together the meaning—and identity—of the figures, it all begins to make sense.
Aroden, the God of Humanity.
Taelbin and Fensyriath likewise make great strides understanding the meaning of the legible carvings, while Caranthir certainly grasps one of them. All recognize Aroden for who he is, and that these reliefs must have depicted his twelve guises, the forms he took in order to inspire humanity to greater heights. Most notably, these inscriptions appear to be a variation of parables from one of Aroden's holy texts, the History and Future of Humanity, suggesting that these might represent an earlier version of the work.
Only Amahl stands unaware of the significant finding he is in the presence of, though any further research by the group is put on hold by Fensyriath's concern about the torch-lit tunnel.
Caranthir, breaking away from his cataloguing, moves to the tunnel to stand watch with his bow at the ready. Down the tunnel, the archer can see another—even larger—cavern beyond and the reflection of water glimmering across the cave walls and glistening calcium stalagmites and columns. The sounds of running water are all Caranthir hears, that and his companions discussion at his back. There likewise does not seem to be any movement in the cave beyond, at least from his limited perspective. But, without going down the tunnel there's no telling what else could be lurking in such a spacious cave.
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You recognize the first relief as Aroden's guise of the Soldier, vigilant protector of humanity. In this relief, the Soldier patrols a city with a lantern held aloft. The proverb below speaks of the importance of vigilance against darkness, and the necessity for lights to guide the way. There is an impressed importance on bringing light to the dark corners of the world, so that evil has no place to hide or feel secure, and that the reward for such vigilance is assured protection against future threats.
The second relief is Aroden's guide of the Beggar. The Beggar represents humility in all aspects of life, reminding the faithful that they are all united under the embrace of their species, and that humanity is at its strongest when it works together without ego. The script below the relief speaks of a means to present humility, by openly admitting ones shortcomings and flaws, and by recognizing those in the presence of others accept that your flaws are a part of who you are and are not a weakness, but opportunity for another to aid you on your journey through life. The reward for such humility is said to be assurance that when you are in need, you will not be alone and defenseless.
The third relief is Aroden's guide of the Farmer. The Farmer represents perseverance and forethought, planting the crops in the present so that the future is rich with abundance and ready for the challenges ahead. The Farmer also impresses the importance of the common laborer, and that all contributors to society are of value and merit. The proverb below the relief speaks of the formation of furrows in the earth for planting crops and instructions on practical farming methods. The words also speak to the reward of farming being resilience against plague and other such maladies that can target an unfed body.
The final relief only Taelbin can discern, and it depicts the guise of the Tailor. For Aroden's guise of the Tailor and the encircling of a city in the woven scarf represents Aroden’s proclamation that when the fate of all peoples is woven together, it shall be
humanity’s greatest strength. The writing below the relief speaks of an ancient practice where priests of Aroden would weave hundreds upon hundreds of bolts of cloth together in a ceremony representing the unity of a community, creating a fabric ring that would encircle a village or town. Typically—due to practicality's sake—this ritual would not be performed on overly large settlements, but demonstrated via means of draping cloth around a model representation of the settlement. The text also speaks of the boons of being a tailor and the unity of humanity that even when surrounded by threats on all sides, humanity can stand together as one against the darkness.
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"Fascinating... These carvings are religious parables regarding humanity's dead god, Aroden. Perhaps a pre-written word version. Very significant for the Society, this one guesses." ... And hopefully sufficient to satisfy the Confirmation requirements, if we can make it past the minotaur...
Fen will watch the torchlit passage while the others take notes, intending to spend time on a more detailed record once the cave complex is proven safe. He stows his bow and removes a length of metal-studded rope from his belt .
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As Caranthir, Fensyriath and Taelbon go to the torchlit tunnel, they too can see the cathedralesque cavern beyond the man-made lights. Notably, the torches do not seem to be emitting smoke or heat and no oil drips from their heads. With some of the luminous moss growing up their bases, it is clear that these torches are the byproduct of some sort of magic—more than likely everburning torches, a staple tool of many Pathfinders. As the group moves down the tunnel, a distant sound begins to be heard ringing softly off the cavern walls: a murmuring voice amid the sound of dripping water.
As the group emerges from the other side of the tunnel, 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.
The source of the murmuring comes from a tan-skinned man kneeling in the shallow end of the basin, his dark hair wet and slicked back away from his prominent brow. A cloak—one made of the same material as the one discovered in the pit—lays folded behind him, revealing his bare shoulders and large, fanned gills down the side of his neck. He leans forward, pressing his brow to the surface of the water, murmuring once more.
This must be the gillman that Janira spoke of. What makes this situation even stranger is the realization of exactly what the diorama is. At first it's hard to make out the structures, but rising up from the center of the model the Starstone Cathedral is unmistakable.
It's a model of Absalom.
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With your high Perception check you can clearly make out what the gillman is murmuring, however you do not speak his language and are uncertain of the meaning. You also note that his voice has an unusual inflection to it, it sounds muffled as though something were in his mouth or he were having an otherwise difficult time speaking.
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Looks like we've found the halfling's gillman.
Taelbin whispers to the others as he takes in the cave and strange creature. Slowly he'll work his way up, keeping his bow ready but arrow pointed down.
What do you make of that? he nods toward the model. Looks like a model of Absalom. Look there's the Starstone Cathedral.
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Caranthir's love of architecture and engineering gets the better him as he looks in fascination at the miniature city.
"It does look like Absalom," he agrees quiety, not wanting to notify the gillman of their presence. "It's fantastic! I can see why this gillman has been drawn here."
He looks around the room once more, looking for anything out of the ordinary...not that this whole cave hasn't been out of the ordinary.
"Someone should go talk to him," Caranthir says, his bow still trained in the general direction of the gillman. "Someone more skilled in diplomacy than I am," he adds.
Hans gives a self-deprecating smile.
"Well, that counts me out then," he says jovially.
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Amahl frowns. "I could speak to him, if you wish, though I pray he speaks the common tongue or Kelish." Amahl straightens his clothing and slow steps out, his hands clasped in front of him. He makes enough noise so as not to startle the poor gillman.
"Good day, sir! I am Amahl Bishankar, called the Fat, a Pathfinder and servant of Saranrae. Might I speak with you?"
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As Amahl approaches to speak to the gillman with Caranthir, the gillman continues his prayer regimen, keeping his brow pressed to the surface of the water. But soon he rises to sit up straight, cupping water into his hands and letting it splash down upon his face, trickling down his neck and shoulders. It's then that the gillman notices the large shadows cast against the back of the cave by Amahl and Caranthir, their frames silhouette by the torches from the tunnel. The gillman lets out a wet rasp and turns around, visibly startled, and looks wide-eyed at the pair as they make their attempt at introductions and diplomacy. Still partway submerged in the water, the gillman takes no further motion, watching them with wide, lavender eyes.
Amahl's introduction and and Caranthir's addendum echo through the cave, and yet the gillman is unresponsive. A long, awkward silence hangs in the air between human, elf, and gillman. Then, with brows furrowing together, the gillman looks back over his shoulder to the model of Absalom, then to the strangers before him. He says nothing, but raises his open hands in a peaceable gesture as he steals an inscrutable glimpse at Hans in the distance.
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The gillman looks starteled, as if he had not even heard the group approaching. From his posture, you can ascertain that he is wary but not aggressive. While Amahl's words don't appear to have had much effect on the gillman, he doesn't seem offended by them either.
Aside from his uncertainty, the gillman is also eyeing the cloak that Hans is wearing, the very one you'd discovered in the pit. He likely notices its similarity to the one folded nearby.
Assessing this cavern, it appears to be a natural formation and not man-made. While there are elements of it that have been shaped by hand, such as the diorama of Absalom and the reliefs in the previous cave, those appear to be additions to the cavern and are—at best estimate—at least 4,000 years old. The cave, while you're no spelunker, is likely older by a magnitude of tens of thousands of years.
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Fen whispers to Hans, "The gillman's cloak looks much like the one found in the pit... this one hopes it does not offend the gillman for Hans to wear it."
Fen opens his hands, palms out, in a gesture of peace. "These ones mean no harm, descendant of Azlant," he begins, bowing slightly. "This one is curious about this place and its intended function. May these ones explore, or will it disturb?"
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4
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As the group attempts to make contact with the gillman, his posture relaxes and the visible tension in his shoulders eases. Scanning the party with large, violet eyes, the gillman steps aside so as to not block view of the diorama of Absalom. Though on direction to the cloak the group discovered, the gillman's brows furrow and a look of visible curiosity crosses his face. Remaining silent, he exhales a steady sigh and settles down on a rounded rock nearby to the pool and folds his hands in his lap, water dripping off him and running in rivulets down the stone and pooling at his feet.
Seemingly content to observe the party, as much as they are to observe this cave, the gillman keeps his silence and attentively watches the landwalkers' antics.
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Heeding Fensyriath's words, Hans unclasps the cloak, and proffers it to the Gillman.
"We found this in a neat bundle at the bottom of a pit. Is it important to you?"
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While Caranthir presumes that lines of communication are unable to be opened with the gillman, Hans' simple gesture does more to build bridges than all the words thus far have. Taking the cloak, carefully, the gillman's brows furrow together as he brushes one hand over the silken fabric. Closing his eyes, he exhales a watery breath, then looks up to the barbarian. "Yes," he replies in a muffled Taldan, "and no. It is—the words do not translate well into land-tongues."
It's clear from listening to the gillman speak that he isn't so much imposed by a language barrier, but a different kind of barrier altogether—he's deaf. Capable enough of speech and mindfully watching the mouths of others when he talks, the gillman folds the cloak in his lap and rests his hands atop it. "This one is Uori. What brings land-walkers to this one's sacred waters?" There's an earnesty to Uori's words, as well as a genuine curiosity as he watches Caranthir considering the branching passages.
"Well met, Uori. My name is Hans Olafsson, and my colleagues and I are fledgling members of the Pathfinder Society. It had been noted that Gillmen were making a monthly pilgrimage to this cave, and the Society was curious as to why Gillmen would be coming so far inland. Consequently, we were sent here to explore the cave, and to politely ask why you are here, as well?"
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Glancing over at the others, Taelbin sees that Amahl and (surprisingly) Hans have taken up conversation with the Gillman. He then turns back tot he model of Absalom.
Since they have that handled. What do makes you so important my little friend?
Taelbin begins to earnestly examine the model, poking and prodding the buildings and the pillar. He'll also pull out his journal and be jotting notes down in it as he goes.
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Uori watches Taelbin as he moves into the water to get a closer inspection of the model, brows furrowing only in the slightest before his attention turns back to Hans. "This place has been sacred to this one's people for generations, we come to listen to the water. Once sacred to Aroden as well..." At that, Uori's brows furrow further and he looks to the passage the group came from. "Time fades even legend," he adds softly. Though as he finally notices Caranthir inspecting the branching passages out and Fensyriath observing as well, the gillman tenses visibly.
"Don't—" he starts to say, before hesitating and changing his tone. "Others, less friendly than this one, reside beyond those tunnels. This one has not seen them, but his people warn of dangerous creatures living in the passages beyond the spring." There's a hint of frustration in Uori's tone at mention of the hostile invaders, but he says nothing further.
While Uori has been talking, Taelbin has been giving a look over the diorama. There's tiny, faded, inscriptions all along the model's surface that he can see, each one flickering with a dim and faint light and wisps of arcane energy.
Noting Uori's flashes of irritation, Hans asks:
"Whilst I am not usually called upon to act as a diplomat, I am awfully good at killing things... Would it be helpful if we cleared out the dangerous creatures, as a show of good faith?"
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Pulling out his journal, Taelbin rereads over the information from the murals, looking back and forth from the journal to the model, running his finger over the faded inscriptions as he talks lowly to the model.
Hmmm, the soldier, bringing light unto the dark corners of the city. And the bits of energy that are still here, it's weak almost dormant. So what releases that energy? I wonder, could it be that?
Moving back toward the tunnel lined with burning torches, Taelbin pulls one of his own from his pouch, lighting it from the ones already burning. Carefully he moves back toward the model.
The mural talks about being vigilant against the darkness. How light will guide our way. So lets give the city some light, to brighten up the dark corners.
With that, he carefully places the torch down within the town. Trying to keep it away from anything that might catch on fire.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4
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While Hans and Caranthir concur on exploring the depths of the cave and dealing with the unknown hostiles within, Taelbin's attempt at discovering the nature of the magic trapped within the holy site bears surprising fruit. The moment he lays the torch down within the diorama of the city, there's an explosion of light that erupts from the miniature Starstone Cathedral. It blasts upwards towards the ceiling like a geyser of golden sparks, then spreads out across the ceiling, raining down firefly-like motes orange illumination.
Uori ducks reflexively at the burst of light, but on realizing that Taelbin may have awoken some long-dormant boon from the hand of Aroden, he looks to the ceiling with wide eyes. The golden motes are reflected in his wide, violet gaze as they drift down to land on each person in the cave. One by one, the motes wink out of existence, but their effect causes a faint firelight shimmer to ethereally drift over their bodies as they move.
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Hans whistles in admiration.
"That was an impressive display, Taelbin!"
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Taelbin jumps in surprise of the light, falling backwards into the water. He tracks the light up and then the motes falling down, feeling the brush of power as the boon washes over him.
He looks sheepishly over toward Fens and the Hans. Well, I hadn't quiet expected that, but it does show that this place does still hold some power. Definitely going to have to look further into this.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4
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When Caranthir makes his comment about elven magic, Uori quirks one corner of his mouth up into a sly smirk, but remains silent on the matter. Instead, the gillman watches as the group discusses their course of action and eventually agrees to head to investigate the eastern passage.
As the group leaves the safety of the watery shrine, the eastern passage begins to become more and more foreboding. At first a rancid stink is barely noticeable among the smell of mildew and must in the cave, but soon the stench of decay becomes overpowering. The further into the lightless tunnel the group traverses the more potent the smell becomes, until eventually it is nigh unbearable. Eventually the narrow passage opens up into a slightly larger cave with ten foot high ceilings and a collection of luminous moss.
Rounding the corner into the cave, Hans is the first to notice humanoid figures in various states of decay hunched over around the glowing fungus. Some still have bloated, waterlogged flesh on their bones—mottled with lesions and fissures. Others are wholly skeletal and bristle with subterranean fungus in their rotting chain armor. A fifth corpse, laying face down on the cave floor, is partly obscured by a moth-eaten cloak and is motionless. Judging from the pinpoints of red light flickering in these corpses hollow eye sockets, they are unliving, and the jerking puppet-like motions they possess as they turn towards the sound of approaching life all the more evidence of their unholy nature.
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Taelbin = 24
Caranthir = 24
Fensyriath = 18
Amahl = 18
Skeleton = 14
Zombie = 9
Hans = 7
Taelbin, Caranthir, Fensyriath, and Amahl are up!
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4
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Taking advantage of his quick reflexes, Amahl bursts ahead of the others the moment he notices the unliving, dashing down the tunnel and skidding through a pool of stagnant water to slide past one of the zombies. As he comes to a stop, Amahl is overwhelmed by the stench of decay coming from both the body on the cave floor and the zombies. Covering his mouth, he reels from the stench and watches the staggering corpses turn their ragged faces towards him.
A moment later, two arrows whip out of the cave mouth from Caranthir's bow, striking the zombie once in the arm, then again in the chest. In spite of these blows, the creature seems largely unphased, letting out a wet gurgling sound as brackish water spills from its mouth and a large centipede crawls out of its empty eye socket and scurries over the top of its nearly bare skull.
Taelbin, narrowing his sights on what of the zombie he can see beyond the cave mouth fires a crack shot that fires nearly flush with the cavern wall. Whistling into the zombie it strikes firmly, but the crossbow bolt simply falls out of a rotten area of pulpy flesh, seemingly leaving the zombie no worse for wear than before.
Two zombies lunge in at Amahl who turns and blocks one advance with a chain-armored shoulder, shoving the creature back with a stagger. As the second comes in, Amahl ducks under a rake of of its arms in a grasping gesture, his grip on his scimitar tightening. One of the fungus-laden skeletons comes in, and as it brings its scimitar down, Amahl raises his with a loud clash of blades meeting, parrying it aside.
The last skeleton, not drawn in to the melee with Amahl, moves to the mouth of the tunnel and takes a wild slash at Taelbin. Reacting quickly, the tiefling reels back and away from the jagged, rusty blade with lightning-quick reflexes.
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Zombies are relentless undead that shrug off harm from piercing and bludgeoning weapons. A good axe or sword goes a long ways towards ending them. Skeletons, however, resist slashing and piercing attacks well but a solid blow from a mace can usually put them down fast.
"We need to get to Amahl! He is surrounded..."
Hans steps up shoulder-to-shoulder with Taelbin, and takes a swing at the skeleton in front of him!
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Looking down at his bow, then at the shambles of the skeleton that Hans just destroyed.
Well this appears less than useful at the moment.
Dropping his bow where he is, Taelbin quickly moves up to help Amahl, getting one of the zombies between them. As he moves, his hands flex and sharp claws spring forth just as he slashes at the zombie.
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