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"May the Dawnflower's light protect you," Aziroth yells to Janira as he runs for the cave. "Darius, he could take you out with one swing of that greataxe!" he says as he runs past him.
Once safely inside the cave and seeing the Minotaur chase after Janira, Aziroth stops to see what is in her bag that will help with the task. "Someone else will have to carry her bag, it's too heavy for me."
It seems Darius is quite on his own in his brave opinion on the minotaur.
-four potions
-two wands
-five scrolls
-acid
-alchemists fire (2)
-holy water
-smokestick
-thunderstone
-tanglefoot bag
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Cursing loudly, Darius slings his greatsword over his shoulder and proceeds to walk inside.
"Blasted chicked pathfinders, bah! You are lucky I am under orders to cooperate."
Just before entering, Darius turns back and he shouts to Janira
"You better stay alive missy! And leave some of that minotaur for me!"
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Aziroth casts detect magic on the items. Shaking his head as he looks at the glowing items, he looks up at everyone. "I'm afraid I'm not going to be much help here. I focus on healing not reading scrolls or identifying magical items. Does anyone else have any idea what these potions, scrolls, or wands are?" as he holds the bag out for others to look at. "If no one objects, I'll hold on to one of the alchemists fire to replace the one I used on the swarm."
The cave's narrow tunnel twists and turns for several hundred feet before slowly opening to a wider passage. Every now and then a small petroglyph is carved into the wall. A large hole spans the cave’s width and stretches ten feet down the path. At the bottom of the pit lies a small bundle of cloth.
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Aziroth looks down into the pit and then across to Darius. "Should someone go down and see what that is? We could then see how deep the water is too in case we need to climb down and then back up the other side to cross. I don't think I can clear the pit as easily as Darius did. Or if someone has any pitons, we can attach them to the wall to create a rope bridge?"
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Eloisa finally pipes up. She has been silent since fleeing from the Minotaur into the cave. Her concern for Janira is clearly visible on her face.
I am most likely the lightest if someone has a length of rope I will check the object in the water
She again removes her pack from her shoulders taking only her sword and the armor that she is wearing and approaches the edge of the pit. She looks down at the water and bundle of cloth at the bottom.
Besides I could use a bath. For that matter after all the exercise we got today so could the rest of you! She says with an uneasy smile on her face as she tries to interject some levity into the tension of the days events.
From the other side of the pit, Darius can see around a corner of the tunnel, where a long, three foot wide plank is stored out of sight. The plank can easily be used to cross the pit.
Eloisa manages to climb down to the water, and sees that the crumpled bit of cloth is actually a cloak of some sorts.
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"Oh nevermind, seems like I solved this little problem for you lot already. Now next time you go exercising: don't forget legday!" Darius says as he pulls out the plank with one arm and sets it over the pit.
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It looks like a cloak! She calls out from the base of the pit! Help me out and we'll see the first bits of loot found in our career as a pathfinder will be! Eloisa secures the cloak by wrapping it around her left arm. She then grabs the length of rope and holds fast as she awaits her comrades to lift her out of the pit.
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.
A single gillman is kneeling in the water, his possessions neatly folded at the waterline.
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.
You can, but know that this is a place sacred to our people The gillman speaks with the nasal voice and poor vocal feedback of a deaf man. You are probably wondering about this place.
Us gillmen come here to worship the moon in this place of serenity. It was once
sacred to Aroden, the dead god of humanity, as well, but over the past century, the carvings in the nearby room have weathered and melted. I believe that soon, Aroden's influence on this place will be gone forever.
The gillmen, upon turning around and seeing the rest of the party, shows special interest in the cloak the party found earlier in the pit. Among the gillman's possession - neatly folded by the waterside - is a very similar cloak.
There's many infestations in this cave.. he finally adds, pointing both to the west and east exits of this cave.
That cloak. Yes, I would have it, if you would be so kind. It carries much symbolic value to me as a pilgrim. He doesn't seem to want to go into detail.
To east, creatures lurk in the shadow, whereas to the west, you'll find caves connected to the deeper underground. On both sides this place is encroached with who should not be here.
It is a pilgrim's cloak. he points to the one he has lying by the waterside. The owner of that cloak... some accident must have befallen him. If you let me inform the family...
The eastern passage leads into a tunnel with little airflow. As the tunnel makes a turn south, the air becomes mustier, and after a turn east, it becomes downright stale, turning into the smell of putrefaction and decay. The tunnel opens into a cave, littered with broken glass, pieces of paper and other unusable detritus. The body of a humanoid lies face-down in this cave.
This is the body of a dhampir, the living offspring of a vampire.
The dead creature aside, the cave is also host to four undead gillmen - now shambling skeletons. Three of them wear tattered cloaks - what must have been capes quite similar to the one the party found.
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Hisao
Eloisa
Arion
Darius
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Skeletons
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Danu
Aaziroth
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"As long as that means I can crush their skulls hahaha!" Darius laughs as he advances on the nearest one and slams it with his lucerne hammer.
But his mirth gets the better of him and he swings wide.
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Eloisa riles up Arion and Darius as they advance towards the gillmen skeletons. They both seem to have a terrible time in the putrid smell, as both of their attack fail miserably.
These gillmen skeltons are corpses animated by necromancy. The flesh of these creatures is almost completely gone in a rotting process, making these creatures less vulnerable to piercing and slashing weapons.
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Inspire courage active
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Hisao
Eloisa
Arion
Darius
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Skeletons
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Danu
Aaziroth
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Hisao strikes at the skeleton, crushing bones, and breaking off splinters. He leaves a good dent in the skeleton's ribcage, but it's still standing.
Hisao is attacked by two of the boney creatures, who claw away at the ninja
The other two skeletons divide their attention between Arion and Darius
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Inspire courage active
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Danu
Aaziroth
Hisao
Eloisa
Arion
Darius
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Skeleton(4)
Skeleton
Skeleton
Skeleton
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--
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"Damn you puny creatures!" Darius yells as he starts to rage. He takes a step back and bashes it with the hammer.
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