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When Aeotsep returns, he casually chats about the pages’ contents and pays close attention to Meran's words, smiling quietly to himself as he does so.
"Come! The trials await."
Aeotsep next leads you into the Hall of the Inward Gaze, which currently contains several broad reed mats, racks holding wooden weapons, and a pile of small wooden boards. The old monk reminds you that "Physical might is often mistaken for brute force." He spends some time emphasizing that "Strength without control accomplishes little."
To illustrate the point, Aeotsep takes a wooden board from the pile and outstretches his arm, holding the board in front of his face. With a swift movement, he releases the plank and strikes it in mid-air, breaking the board into two symmetrical halves.
"Do you have both the control and the strength required?"
Meran moves up next to Sajan, "Interesting text. Different metaphors on self perfection. Do you strive for that?"
"I do. Do you as well?"★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★
"By facing the challenge, I will grow," answers Sajan, as he bows and steps forward.
Holding one of the boards in front of him, he steadies himself and proceeds to let it fly upwards.
Sajan then kick upwards with tremendous force with a back flip, then lands two feet behind his original position, adopting a martial stance by habit.
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"Strength without control... yes." Meredith takes a wooden board. Oak.
She raises the board and drops it.
Whether by instinct or by training, she reaches her fist out to match the board.
Thanks to her unarmed training she snaps the board with a clenched fist.
"Incredible..." She looks at her fist. Not even a scratch is on it. "I guess I have both."
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Garn's eyebrows shoot up, impressed at the lightning speed and focused strength. He would be the first to admit that he excels more in brute strength but he steps up nonetheless to try. Snowball raises an eyebrow in query, but keeps quiet.
Surprisingly, at least to him, he manages to bring his fist down rapidly just rapidly enough to connect with the board, and with sufficient strength to smash it in half.
"Hmm..."
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Deluge fumbles with the board, dropping and missing it twice before looking around to make sure nobody is watching, and then tossing it up first (instead of just releasing it like shown) and then slamming it as hard as he can.
I do hope they don't want me to do that again. The others make it look easy.
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Aeotsep looks impressed as first Sajan, then Meredith, and then Gan succeed at his test. Even the failures of Deluge and Meran don't seem to disturb him.
"Well done!" he smiles as he puts away the boards. From a weapon rack he picks out a quaterstaff and a blindfold. "Now, everyone close you eyes and be silent. " he slowly walks around the room, slipping between you as he does so.
"Pay attention to my footsteps. Use your nose to sniff the incense on my robes. Consciousness is achieved through all our sense combined, not by sight - or any other one - alone."
He grins "Now, let us see what you have learned." he holds out a blindfold. "Who would like to take the test. While blind folded you must try to parry or dodge my attacks."
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Deluge can smell just fine thank you, and it doesn't hurt that the monk left a few bits and pieces of lunch in his clothing or hair. But when it comes time to parry the blows?
Another physical test. Gah!
Deluge refreshes himself with a snack after the trial. The smelly monk made him hungry. Irritating tests make him hungry too. Physical tests. Well, any kind of test as long as it takes more than a couple of hours.
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Meredith wears the blindfold and takes a deep breath. "Come."
Transforming into a wolf paid off well. She grew used to her nose, and the hidden world of smell that her human senses were blind to. But not this time- she could smell the oil on his hand and the battered edges of his quarterstaff.
He's coming for her left flank! Parry it quickly!
She raises her leg and braces against the blow. "Like the tree against the storm, I stand tall."
Sajan puts the blindfold, and tunes his senses to the movements of the sensei. He can smell garlic, not incense...
The garlic triggers a subliminal anger reaction in the monk. Instead of dodging the sensei, the garlic fumes make the monk overly bold and he attempts a direct block.
Ugh.. some of that went through. Weird, that garlic threw me off mentally... He's very strong for his age. Perhaps garlic is key for anti-aging?
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Meran and Sajan manage to hear the approach of Aeotsep and then deflect his blows. Grog, unfortunately, is unable to hear the stealthy monk.
He looks on approvingly. "Come, follow me." he says, taking you from the training room. Leaving the monastery proper he leads you through the village and down a valley towards a waterfall. As you go your travel is noted by a number of the villagers and a small crowd starts to form to watch.
A trail rises about forty feet to a mountain ledge, where a series of wooden posts overlooks the waterfall's pool. Aeotsep hops atop one of the posts "Come, join me."
"To know oneself, one must be able to block out the rest of the world. Stand here, immobile until I return."
Status, bold to post
Beluge +
Meredith +
Meran +
Garn +
Sajan +
Grog
Trial 5
Sajan bows respectfully and jumps to one of the pole, balancing in the crane position.
[Fist check: Acrobatics +10 --> Automakes]
[Second check: Acrobatics +10 --> Automakes]
[Third check: Acrobatics +10 --> Automakes]
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Garn allows himself to be blindfolded, uncertain about the whole series of tests, but too apprehensive for now to simply withdraw. His previous life as a trapper with his tribe had trained him well for this - in trailing and bringing down a prey requires more than eyesight alone. And similarly, this time when he is the prey, through the echoing sounds of Aeotsep's footsteps, the faint scent of sandalwood incense still lingering on his skin, the faint breeze as he moves, announces to Garn where he is. And when strikes. Garn brings up his staff, with just enough strength to parry the blow.
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Hoping that this is the final test, Garn follows Sajan up the poles, climbing up it rather than hopping onto it as gracefully as his teammate had. What he lacks for agility, he makes up with plain doggedness. He titters briefly in the first 20 minutes, but the effort barely tired him up. The next 20 mins find him of surer footing, but the long duration of holding himself in the same position almost causes his muscles to cramp. He grunts and forces his body to hold up, viewing this as a personal challenge by now, caring little for the monk. And surprising, his body continues to hold on, and he makes it through the hour!
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"Huh, you want me to stand here, on this pole?" Meredith frowns. She's not a bird, she would just recall the spider's climbing ability and be done with it. But she will entertain him.
The first twenty minutes aren't too bad. Reminds her of the times she assumed the form of a bird and spied on some smugglers atop a fence.
The next twenty minutes pass without issue. Meredith wonders how Sajan does it so well. He doesn't ask nature for its aid. Heck, he hasn't even blinked.
Meredith gets so wrapped up in thinking about it that she doesn't notice how much she's broken her stance. With a look of shock on her face she plummets into the pool.
"You too, Grog?" She spits up some water. "Stop laughing Snowball, I know that look." She glares at the Snow Leopard before climbing out.
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Sajan and Garn have little trouble with the test. Grog teeters on the pole for ten minutes, never looking comfortable before falling in. Meredith lasts almost the full hour, but is distracted by a giant eagle just before the time is up.
Aeotsep leads you back to the monastery. There are various nods of approval from the crowd that had watched. Especially for the rather wet Meredith, who the crowd was obviously hoping would make the whole hour.
“Many years after he began to teach students in these mountains, Narmek Tar Kuata challenged the air spirits for mastery of the winds. They attempted to tear him from the peak, but he struck the mountain and caused a great pillar of stone to rise high into the sky. Acknowledging Narmek Tar Kuata’s superiority, the air spirits granted him the respect he had earned, and have served the monastery ever since. The spire, as we call it, still stands as a reminder of our alliance with these spirits, and our founder’s remains reside in a reliquary at its top.”
Aeotsep steps out from the covered path and into daylight, where a impossibly tall stone pillar rises from the mountainside. “Climbing to the top symbolizes the metaphysical ascent that Narmek Tar Kuata realized. This climb is your next trial.”
Aeotsep further elaborates that climbing the spire is much like walking the same path that led Narmek Tar Kuata to enlightenment, and sometimes one of the monastery’s students—including one in recent memory—attains a level of mastery and wisdom that could have rivaled the founder’s.
Status, Trial #5, bold to post
Deluge +
Meran +
Garn +
Sajan +
Grog 6NL
Meredith 2NL
Trial 6
Sajan spits on his palms and rubs them together. He closes his eyes to focus, then opens them and looks to the sky. He spots an eagle in the distance. He breathes out, and walks to the pillar.
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Aeotsep nods approvingly as Grog also makes it up the cliff.
"Well done everyone.." he starts, but waits for Garn to also rise to the challenge.
Eventually the wind spirits also take Deluge up to the platform on the top of the spire where he find the rest of the team already with Itephta who is hovering above the spire, accompanied by a slender Garundi woman carrying a long spear, her dark hair woven into a braid. Aeotsep joins you a few moments later, carrying a large bag on his back.
“This is your last test, Pathfinders—one I personally requested and insisted on observing,” Itephta says without taking his eyes off the wooden case in his hands. The young monk opens the lid, gracefully plucks a wand from inside, and hands the empty box to Aeotsep. Itephta points the wand at the spire, and in a matter of seconds, the narrow summit expands into a broad platform, like an unfolding mushroom."
“Irori teaches that inner peace and knowledge are key, but one must be able to defend his values in trial by arms,” he explains as the Garundi woman alights on the platform. “I ask that you spar with the monastery’s champion, Aramaya. Please make it an honorable fight, for the great Tar Kuata watches us today.”
Aeotsep opens his bag and takes out a selection of training weapons.
"Take a moment to get your breath and prepare yourselves"
She takes up a defensive stance and gives you a "come hither" gesture as she readies herself.
Status, Trial #6, bold to post
Deluge
Meran
Garn
Grog 6NL
Sajan
Meredith 2NL
Aramaya
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Garn picks up a wooden scimitar that feels quite exquisitely well-balanced. Just then, Snowball reaches the top, who starts snarling when he recognises the start of combat. Garn quickly holds up his hand, gesturing for his companion to stand down for now, worried .
Garn first lays some enchantment on Snowball. He then activates a wand on himself, increasing his speed. He then draws upon the power of the earth to harden his skin before he wades into battle.
He rushes towards the monk, bringing up flank with the half-orc. While holding up his shield in case of counter-attack, he brings his scimitar down upon the monk.
Sajan bows to the noble adversary, and adopting a nonlethal style, he springs forward, attempting a numbing strike with his wooden sword in Aramaya's shins, then backflipping backwards northeast of Garn Harlardorn's position!
for nonlethal damage.
for nonlethal damage.
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With a sigh after being rudely hauled to the top of that spire, Deluge casts Shillelagh on his club and moves forward (assuming it stays NL, otherwise he will be casting Bull's Strength on Sajan and will wisely hold back). Bonus: away from the edge.
I wonder if I would have time to shift into a bird before hitting the ground. I knew I needed to practice bird forms, but I really prefer the earthbound ones.
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As Garn dashes forward, the monk lashes out at him too with her spear, but his preparations were enough to deflect it.. this time.
Garn's own scimitar however lands a stinging blow on her.
She returns Sajan's salute, assaulting him as he closes on her
Once again she lands a blow, but comes off second best in the exchange.
A Deluge closes she lashes out yet again
Status, Trial #6, bold to post
Meran
Meredith 2NL
Aramaya 28 NL; 3 AOO used
Grog 19NL
Garn
Sajan 16NL;
Deluge 15NL damage
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Meredith flexes, and casts Barkskin. Her skin turns as hard as a birch tree.
When offered a collection of weapons, she politely refuses. "Thank you, but no thanks." She decides to rush in and hold the woman down.
But she isn't able to get a good hold on her.
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Meran closes on Aramaya, also receiving a stab for her trouble
But the lady monk is distracted by the press of bodies.
Seeing Sajan between her and hte edge, she gives her fellow monk no quarter. She glides out from the middle of the melee, and then offers the monk a quick stab with her staff.
Bug the winds on top of the spire of rock work against her, blowing dust in her eye at a critical moment.
Status, Trial #6, bold to post ; inspire courage is active.
Meran
Grog 19NL
Garn
Sajan
Deluge 15NL damage
Meredith 2NL
Aramaya 28 NL; (1)
Sajan sidesteps and goes on the offensive:
Flurry of Blows:
for nonlethal damage.
for nonlethal damage.
for nonlethal damage and Fort Save DC 13 or STUNNED for 1 round.
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With a mutter about annoying monks that bounce all over the place, Deluge casts a warp wood (DC 19) on the spear just used to double Deluge over and steps forward a little, careful not to provoke another one of those nasty attacks.