"Very well, I'll just be up top grabbing a few more supplies. When you're ready, come on back to the door and I will take you back up." Heryn heads back up the stairs, and you can hear her cross the plank and start rummaging around in the barrels and crates near the stairs.
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Lu nocks an arrow and looks around for trouble. On some level, this is absurd. There are no threats, and it's nonsense to be on guard unless we're attempting to draw the Wine of Doom from the Cellar at the Center of the Worldwound. On the other hand, the half-orcs assured me that 'protectin' the 'readers' while they go pokin' around.' is part and parcel of any Pathfinder mission.
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Reaching into his cloak, he pulls out a small stone and lets it free. As he does, the light of a torch begins slowly orbiting his head. "There, that's better."
Shaking his head, he grumbles a bit more loudly than before, "You know, I had blathered on about being sent to pick up booze, but I was meaning it in jest. I can not believe that Dreng sent us here for wine. I feel that this is an abuse of power." Eventually, he will look at the bridge and decide to drop his backpack to the side and then walk across very slowly. [ooc] Take 10, without backpack=no worries on encumbrance [ooc]
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I think your over estimating just how important we are to the society Pan. Dreng probably figured this would at least keep us out of trouble. Bored with looking for the bottle Shechera moves over to the chasm, cracks a sunrod and draws on of her swords. You guys keep looking I'm going to take a peak down here. She says with a smile before hoping down into the hole.
As Colt looks along the wine rack, the rooms brightens with the additional sources of light. Shechera jumps down into the chasm, landing safely despite the rubble and mud at the bottom. The chasm seems to have broken in to an old sewer pipe, although one that hasn't been used for many years. The chasm narrows quickly as it leaves the footprint of the cellar's foundation, although some small cracks and gaps would be accessible to very small creatures.
Colt recalls the vintage you are looking for - an Ember Lake Red from Varisia - and spots it, covered with dust on the rack near the floor. As he grabs the bottle, there is a grinding sound behind the wine rack, and suddenly the entire section in front of him slides inwards and pivots away to the left. The bottle was apparently the trigger to open a hidden doorway.
A faint light emanates from the room ahead, coming from an object hanging from the ceiling by a chain. Against the far wall is a dusty writing desk stacked with documents and scattered notes. Two wooden chests sit under the desk. On either wall, cracks have formed entrances into caverns beyond this room, probably created naturally during the earthquake.
As the door slides forward, Pan thinks he hears a slight shuffling from behind the door, but there is nothing there when the doorway opens.
Shechera easily climbs up the rough-walled chasm to see the secret door.
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"And so, the test begins, Lu says, as if she were expecting something like this.
"So, let's pretend we're on a mission, in Jalmeray or some misty museum or caverns, or whatever. Shechera and I go in first and deal with any dangers. Colt and Pan, be ready to support us. Tal, Amenhotep, stay where it's safe until we know the coast is clear. Any way to make the plan better?"
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Ah ha! I knew there was more to this mission that just retrieving an old bottle of vinegar. Now things get interesting. A secret room with a haunted writing desk. A proper setting for a Pathfinder to explore. Ladies first!
Colt stands aside to let Lu and Shechera pass, following close on their heels.
You enter the room as per your plan (see figure placement on the map, and adjust if you want). The room has obviously lain mostly undisturbed for decades, if not centuries, but there is a faint but definitely trail in the dust leading to and from the various cracks that intrude into the room. Something has passed this way.
As Lu and Shechera leave the short hallway and enter the room itself, a canine form comes charging out of the darkness!
The creature lopes out of the left passage on all fours, but you can see that it is - or was - a man, not a dog. The feral beast is rotting and its eyes burn with unholy light. The creature snaps at Lu with a maw full of jagged teeth! Luckily, the beast nearly trips on some of the rubble coming out of the passage, rendering its attack ineffective.
From the right-hand passage, you can hear a low growl, indicating that another foe hides in the shadows in that direction.
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Lu has her bow out, so she's going to need to move away from them to get a shot off. She take a 5' step back away from the monster and into the upper-left corner of the room.
Lu spends a point of panache to fire at its touch armor class instead of its regular AC.
. Even with a masterwork bow and point-blank shot, that will likely miss.
As a move action, Lu drops the bow and draws her bastard sword. "Ee'gh narstavan spidged-fitik." she calls out.
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"Cut off it's charge, Lu. Shechera, step to the side so that I might assist you."
Pan points his blade towards the far corner where the ghoul dog, then points towards the closest target.
Once/if Lu and Shechera move, Pan will quickly step forward and make a slash towards the creature, attempting to aid his companion's defenses.
Round 1 - partial
Lu steps back from the monster and fires an arrow at the creature, but misses. She then drops the bow and draws her bastard sword. "Ee'gh narstavan spidged-fitik."
Colt draws his pistol and step up to the entrance to the room. Seeing Pan and Shechera engaged with red dog on his left, he takes aim at the right hand passage, waiting for whatever is in there to come out before firing.
Round 1 - partial
Lu steps back from the monster and fires an arrow at the creature, but misses. She then drops the bow and draws her bastard sword. "Ee'gh narstavan spidged-fitik."
Colt draws his pistol and step up to the entrance to the room. Seeing Pan and Shechera engaged with red dog on his left, he takes aim at the right hand passage, waiting for whatever is in there to come out before firing.
Taliesin unfurls her banner. "What foul spawn of the grave dare assault this valiant band?! Vanquish them, brave Pathfinders!"
Shechera Snarls at the beast and dodges to the side, making two quick slices with her swords as she moves. The first slashes the creature across the chest, releasing a gout of pus and ichor at Shechera as the creature splits wide open. Her sword arm is coated in putrescence as the ghoul-dog sinks to the ground and expires.
Pan shouts to his companions. "Cut off its charge, Lu. Shechera, step to the side so that I might assist you." He then steps forward and attempts to aid his companions.
Round 1 - complete
Lu steps back from the monster and fires an arrow at the creature, but misses. She then drops the bow and draws her bastard sword. "Ee'gh narstavan spidged-fitik."
Colt draws his pistol and step up to the entrance to the room. Seeing Pan and Shechera engaged with red dog on his left, he takes aim at the right hand passage, waiting for whatever is in there to come out before firing.
Taliesin unfurls her banner. "What foul spawn of the grave dare assault this valiant band?! Vanquish them, brave Pathfinders!"
Shechera snarls at the beast and dodges to the side, making two quick slices with her swords as she moves. The first slashes the creature across the chest, releasing a gout of pus and ichor at Shechera as the creature splits wide open. Her sword arm is coated in putrescence as the ghoul-dog sinks to the ground and expires.
Pan shouts to his companions. "Cut off its charge, Lu. Shechera, step to the side so that I might assist you." He then steps forward and attempts to aid his companions.
Amenhotep awaits developments.
The remaining ghoul-dog snarls and leaps out of the tunnel. Suddenly a deafening explosion echoes around the small room as Colt discharges his firearm. The bullet nicks the ghoul-dog in the shoulder as it slavers forward at Lu!
One claw slashes deep into Lu's side, and the creature's jaws clamp down on her leg, tearing a chunk of flesh from the bone. The creature tosses the meat into the air and swallows it whole, seemingly invigorated by its meal.
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Eyes grow wide as he sees the creature bite into Lu. "Now now, there will be no more of that!"
With a flourish, he slashes his sword cane in front of the creature's face, attempting to deflect it's attentions away from Lu or at least disrupt it's future attacks.
Giving a bit of a grin to Lu, he nods, "If you move a bit more lightly, we might be able to have him miss the next time he bites..."
Round 2 - complete
Lu mutters in a strange tongue and swings at the man...dog...thing!
Colt reloads his pistol and fires again, the report shaking dust from the walls and ceiling in the restricted space. He hits the beast again, further wounding it and sending up a spray of foul slime from the wound, but it remains standing.
Taliesin moves to assist Lu in her attacks while reciting inspiring rhetoric.
Shechera slashes at the second ghoul-dog, which finally brings it down.
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Lu removes a black metal wand from a pocket on the side of her backpack and quietly intones the word Si'hiip. Within the span of a breath, her tissues start to knit and her skin closes over her wounds.
"Alright. What in tarnation was those things?" She peers down the nearest tunnel to make sure there aren't any more of them.
The other passages seem clear of any threats.
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Sheathing his blade smoothly back into the can, he leans on it casually with one hand, the other stroking his beard as he looks at the ghoul dogs. "They are horrible creatures that delight in charging enemies. Thankfully, we had such strong arms that were able to execute the strategy so well. Though, Lu...if you are to use a bow, perhaps we should have stand further back?" he raises a brow wistfully, as he nudges one of the dogs with his can.
"Also, could someone be a delightful one and grab my backpack? I feared it was too heavy for me to carry over that rickety bridge. I have some things in it that may well come in hand."
Looking over to the bard, "I appreciate your standard, that was quite uplifting. And please, do not hesitate to use that wand to heal folks if they need it. I don't skimp on those who travel with me." He almost has the sound of a benevolent ruler to his tone, but he is not derogatory at all...constantly complimentary, in fact.
The room's only treasure is its documents. The notes on the table seem to be the personal notes of one Selmius Foster, a founding member of the Pathfinder Society. Many of Foster's adventures were published in the earliest Chronicles, and here you find his original notes upon which the Chronicle accounts were based. Perhaps of more value are various notes and leads which Selmius was pursuing before his death in 4330 A.R. One investigation which Selmius seemed obsessed with was tracking another Pathfinder agent, a gnome named Eylysia, whom he suspected of not reporting her finds to the Society. One passage, on a sheet of paper inserted at the front of the main journal, is particularly telling.
Selmius Foster's Journal notes
"I write this letter in the event that my upcoming expedition to Bhopan goes poorly. In this trove I have left my considerable findings, which I hope will be of use to our growing Society. While most of this information will no doubt already be in the hands of fellow Society members, there is a personal matter which I have left contained within.
"Events over the past decade have led me to suspect a fellow agent of hoarding her knowledge and not submitting it for review. This woman - a surprisingly sensible gnome by the name of Eylysia - has partaken of almost as many missions as I, yet she reports only a third of what I have brought to light. In order to ensure knowledge is not concealed, I have begun an investigation into Eylysia and her activities here in Absalom, hoping to find her hidden repository of stored knowledge. Thus far, I have come across two promising leads.
"The first is Eylysia’s contact with a well-known stonemason by the name of Arkath. I had the displeasure of meeting this fellow in his dying days, when he promised to take any secrets he held to his grave. He was interred in a mausoleum in Eastgate weeks after our encounter, though I still believe there is more to his connection with Eylysia.
"Another lead is Eylysia’s friendship with a member of the Arcanamirium. The fellow is a gnome by the name of Fimbrik. All of my attempts to speak with him have failed, though I have noted his home address in my files for follow-up.
"It is my sincere hope that I am able to return to discover what Eylysia has hidden, but should I not, I entrust this to my assistant Adolphus or any brave Society agents who come across my unfinished work.
- Selmius Foster"