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Todric steps into the room and begins singing in a jovial tone, hoping to urge his companions on!
"Let every good fellow now join in our song, vive la compagnie! Success to each other and pass it along, vive la compagnie!"
Begin bardic performance, inspire courage. +1 to attack rolls, weapon damage, and fear saves.
The ape attempts to slam Mez as he charges into him, but the canny inquisitor instead takes the opportunity to thrust his rapier deep into the beast's chest. The gorilla groans, and Ebon leaps upon him, roaring a battlecry to his deity. He feels a moment as if the mighty iron warrior is there with him, guiding his blow directly to the gorilla's heart, for the combined force of Mez and Ebon send it to the ground with a loud thump. The monkeys and apes watching on seem to be sent into shocked silence for a moment, but then the screeching and howling resumes - although it seems more scared than encouraging now. Both have to dodge out of the way as a few retaliatory scraps of food or fragments of broken exhibits are lobbed at them in protest.
All that's left is the idol, and although its grimacing grin does not change, you sense that it's rather unsettled by the felling of its champion. There's a faint shimmering in the air around the idol before all the plants and vines around the exhibit suddenly shoot out and grasp at everyone in the room, and even Dracothis back out in the hallway.
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knowledge-Arcana:
Reflex Save:
Targost passes on the information he has gained from examining the Idol:
Though it's obvious that the spirit of the Tik Taan makes it something special, at its basis it appears to be some kind of wood idol, a construct of sorts.
Wood idols can use a variety of wood and earth spell-like abilities, which they use in preference to combat. They can share their spells with allies within 5 feet. They also regenerate health while standing on wood, grass, or earth (fire stops this, though).
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Agile Feet (Su): As a free action, you can gain increased mobility for 1 round. For the next round, you ignore all difficult terrain and do not take any penalties for moving through it. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
Norine casts her spell, asking for the luckiest blow, and has the grace of Desna in her feet as she strides through the tangles to approach the idol with the bone and stone knife.
Initiative: Idol - Ebon - Norine - Dracothis - Mez - Todric - Targost
Status
Ebon - fatigued (2 rounds)
Norine - entangledEntangled save/break/escape DC is 12.
Ebon is able to resist the entangling vines, but the strain of his rage takes a toll on him and he slumps over a little. Norine unfortunately cannot break free from the plant that has her wrapped in its ferny embrace. Dracothis weaves his way through the magically enlivened foliage as Mez fights to pull them off of himself and Todric attempts to wriggle his way free. Targost manages to reach the very edge of the entanglement and moves up close to the idol.
With the half-elf approaching, the monkey-faced idol swiftly tumbles backwards. Conjuring a darkwood splinter out of nothingness, it shoots it at Targost, scraping across his chin painfully (but not lethally, thankfully).
Initiative: Idol - Ebon - Norine - Dracothis - Mez - Todric - Targost
Status
Tik Taan - 2 damageOOC
Decided to just post the round actions now - Tod, feel free to take two actions in your next post. Just wanted to do this while I had a chance.
Mez helps free his gnomish friend, and Ebon and Norine close in on the idol. Targost fires off a magical missile - and while it certainly strikes true, chipping off a bit of wood as it goes, the blow was slight and weak.
The elven man strapped to the ziggurat struggles against his bindings as Dracothis climbs up the small, pyramid-like structure, his eyes shining bright with madness. He growls gutturally and attempts to bite the archaeologist (to little effect).
The Tik Taan turns towards Ebon - and to all others in the room, it appears to do nothing else. However, the mighty barbarian sees the room disappear, transported to an illusory jungle. He is strapped to a ziggurat altar, and all around him cavort fiendishly twisted apes and baboons. The blood of innocents smear his bare chest, decorated with some bizarre, demonic rune. A gigantic red-furred ape-like creature looms above him, reaching out to crush his puny head with one giant, clawed hand...
The real world returns for the barbarian, but for a moment he feels... maybe... almost... afraid?
Mez's rapier strike seems to put the Tik Taan off balance, and Norine brings the jade-encrusted kukri down upon it before it can recover. It visibly shudders as the blade approaches and attempts to dodge out of the way, but it simply can't avoid Norine's magically-enhanced strike. There's a loud shrieking as the blade effortlessly cuts through its wood exterior, and the grimacing monkey face finally shifts into a pained scream as Norine slices right through it. With a flash of green light--whether it's emanating from the idol or from the kukri, you're not sure--Norine finishes carving the idol in two, and the two pieces fall to the ground with a dull thud.
All the apes and primates - and the elven man atop the ziggurat - seem stunned at the destruction, casting the room into a momentary, gloomy silence. The mists infesting the museum suddenly stop rapidly swirling, instead slowly fading into nothingness. After a few moments, the monkeys, freed of Angazhan's mad embrace, try to flee the museum in sudden confusion; the cacophony of screeches and hoots as the hoard makes to flee out the door makes it almost impossible to hear one another.
Dracothis notices that the elven man's madness has drained from his face, and after a few moments of blankly staring at him, he seems to come to his senses. "I... oh god... what in the nine hells..." He groans. "Gods, my head... have you ended it all?"
"Thank you," the elven man says gratefully, rubbing his wrists where the leather straps had kept him bound. "That is the last time I blindly trust a crazy looking Pathfinder off the street, my goodness!"
Carefully climbing down to more solid ground, he approaches the group. "I'm not sure we've met--I'm Nigel Aldain, the curator of this museum. Thank you so much for getting rid of that blasted thing! Can I get your names?" He pauses a moment, looking you up and down. "Might I hazard a guess... Pathfinders?"
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"Yes, we were sent to resolve the... issues... that had presented themselves. Based on the mist evaporating and you coming to your senses without listening to Tod shriek, I'm guessing we succeeded." says Mez, casually flicking one half of the tiki statue across the room, well away from its counterpart.
"It seems so."
Nigel seems somewhat pensive at your acknowledgement of being Pathfinders. He almost hesitantly continues.
"Ah, may I ask... who was it that sent you? Your venture-captain, that is. I... was once a Pathfinder myself, you see..."
The thin elven man shivers, hugging around his naked chest to keep warm.
"I should probably find some clothes to wear. I'll catch the death of me like this."
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"You wound me, Mez! People have paid good copper to hear me 'shriek'."
Walking over to the shaken curator, he Tod extends his hand in greeting.
"Todric Callaster, Pathfinder and bard, at your service. During my nights off I've been known to sing at the pubs around Absalom. Perhaps you've heard of my act? I'm part of an entertaining group called the Black Forks Boys."
Nigel nods back to Dracothis and warmly shakes Todric's hand. "Alas, Todric, I'm not one to frequent the pubs of the area," Nigel says with a wry smile. "I spend too much of my time holed up in the museum researching one thing or another..."
"But if I hear the name, I will definitely come to watch your performance sometime."
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Huh. I guess the knife-thingy worked...
"It was Venture-Captain Adril Hestram who sent us, sir. Despite appearances -", Norine pulls out some more hair, "- we're not crazy Pathfinders. Not from off the street, at least."
"We should canvass the room for more threats, get you dressed, and then some of us will be needing to make our regrets and run for some healing attentions..."
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"Venture Captain Adril Hestram is who sent us, if you are familiar with him. And Tod, I would have thought playful jesting was part of your barding training. I've heard of Bards who can set men aflame with such blistering invectives." laughs Mez, finally glad to be free of the scarf. "This calls for a toast. To Norine, the slayer of Tik Taan!" he bellows, swigging mightily from one of his many flasks.
Nigel is visibly taken aback by Adril's name, but he smiles, his pupil-less eyes moistening a little. He appears to be deeply touched indeed. "Adril! Oh, after all these years... I will have to thank him personally. Maybe... maybe we can restore the friendship we used to share..."
"Perhaps I could reconsider my decision to leave the Society," he muses to himself. "Do let the VC know that he is welcome to send any of his agents here to study the Blakros Museum's collection, yes?"
Looking around the (rather messy and half destroyed from the monkeys) exhibit, Nigel notices a spear that seems to have escaped being damaged. He swiftly retrieves it and gives it to the party. It is a finely-made bejeweled spear with brittle, white bird feathers tied with crumbling leather straps beneath the still-sharp spearhead.
"This is from my own collection, actually; I'm so glad to see it safe. It's an incredibly ancient Mwangi spear that Chelish explorers found near the settlement of Sargava during the reign of the expansionist Chelish prince, Haliad I. I'm sure the Pathfinder Society would highly appreciate it in their collection. Consider this a reward from me for rescuing me."
"But yes, you had best be off. That certainly doesn't look healthy, miss gnome. Thank you, thank you so much again."
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"I'm sorry I mistook your tone, Mez! Perhaps a swig from that flask is what I need to calm my nerves. You know, many of my pals from bard college now work in the Guild of Fools and Joculators*. They've left me in stitches many times! Perhaps I can arrange for our little gang to catch one of their shows to celebrate our success. Of course, you folks are always welcome anywhere the Black Forks Boys are performing as well!"
*With all respect to Sir Terry Pratchett
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" YOU DID IT!!" Belts out Ebon as he drops his sword and grabs the gnome and swings her high around like a child. Setting her down carefully, he eyes her and says..
" Even if they can't fix it, you won't look too bad without hair, little one. And such a mighty warrior you are too!"
He goes back and gathers up his sword, then turns to Nigel.
" I am Ebon Kai, late of the Skoan Quah, now of the Pathfinder brotherhood! Two such missions have I completed! This is a great team to be part of. Such bravery and heroics makes me proud! My Ancestors too...." He trails off with a slight frown..." Tho Gorum might be a tad disappointed...After all it was Mez's blow as much as mine that finished the great ape...."