These public restrooms seem to be for the use of visiting clientele. Several stalls are here, and a huge cesspool below collects the offal. The stench of sewage battles the cold of the mist, but through the haze can be seen smears of blood across the floor, walls, and ceiling, as well as the doors of several stalls. The source of the mad laughter is also clearly evident, for standing over one of the stalls you see another ape-man . This one is much chunkier than the others, and he is almost completely hairless, but the pronounced brow and tattered cothes are clear indicators that this is another victim of the mists. He seems to be having the time of his life as he repeatedly pokes an annoyed looking snake with a greyish finger that had presumably once belonged to the half-orc whos head now lies at his feet.
Enraged at your interruption, the ape-man throws the finger at Sidi and beats his own chest loudly to display his dominance.
For each 5 you beat the DC, you may ask an additional question from this list.
The half-orc's finger bounces off of Sidi's chest, and the gruesome projectile distracts just long enough for the bald ape-man to catch him off guard. It closes the distance in an instant, leaping across the small room and pouncing on the big Bas'o warrior in a feral rage, fists pounding against his shoulders. Despite several layers of magical protection, the sudden blows land with a sickening thud that echos around the tiny room.
Free from it's tormentor, the speckled viper makes a dash for the door. Unfortunately for it, the door is blocked by six heavily armed Pathfinders and an eidolon. Driven mad by either the situation or the mists, the snake attempts to take its frustration out on the closest warm body, Patros. However, its teeth are unable to puncture Patros' toughened skin, and the snake is no more satisfied with the situation than it was moments ago.
Though his brain is still foggy, Selmy recollects that the poison of speckled vipers is quick acting and will drain your stamina and can lead to death within seconds "Don't get bit! Death quick if not tough like me." He moves to the other side of the room and lets loose the air that has been coalescing in his hand. With the ape-man's significant girth, Selmy is able to blast the creature without fear of hitting his ally, who is completely shielded by the creature's back.
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Patros dismissively cuts the head off the snake at it slithers near, and then in one fluid motion, strikes at the ape-man with incredible accuracy. It falls to the ground with a thump, cracking one of the tiles as its head bounces off the floor. Now unconscious, you can clearly see mist escaping from it's lungs and, just like in the offices, its bestial features quickly recede, revealing a pudgy, bald human.
Apart from the half-orc head and finger, and a broken pair of spectacles, the room is empty.
Sidi easily manages to stop the bleeding, tearing off what remains of the unconscious man's tattered shirt to form temporary bandages. Overall, the bald man doesn't seem to be in too much trouble and a couple of days bed rest would probably be enough for him to get back on his feet.
Sidi opens the door to reveal the room which shows off the Blakros Museums finest collections. Mock vines cling to the walls and hang from the fifty-foot-high domed ceiling, and huts of grass are strewn about the open area. At the centre of this sprawling chamber, a band of savage primates surround a miniature replica of a traditional Mwangi ziggurat. The structure rises out of the mist to a height of nearly twenty feet, and at the top lays a rail-thin elven gentleman, strapped to an altar, his bare chest painted with strange sigils and monkey paw-shaped blots of paint.
There must be nearly two dozen apes, baboons, and other monkeys revelling here, snarling, spitting, and cavorting madly. However, as soon as you step into the room, a terrifying howl shatters the revelry, and the assorted primates scatter into the mists, making way for an 8’ tall gorilla. It pounds its chest threateningly, the deep hollow sound reverberating throughout the room of chattering primates.
You all notice that just as the gorilla finishes pounding its chest, a small wooden idol runs through the crowd of primates and touches it. You can tell that some sort of arcane energy has been passed onto the giant beast, but are somewhat distracted when it charges straight for the largest among you. A massive fist slaps the side of Sidi's head with terrible force, followed by a howl, demanding the newcomer to submit to it's dominance.
For each 5 you beat the DC, you may ask an additional question from this list.
For each 5 you beat the DC, you may ask an additional question from this list.
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Sidi grunts as the ape's blow echos through the room. The power of the blow dispels the necromantic protections, but at the same time, Sidi's skin begins to become ashen, circles of exhaustion appear round his eyes, his lips look bluish, and the old scars around his wrists and neck become much more noticeable.
"Da'Tunga!" he shouts at the ape as he steps closer and levels his own blow at the great beast.
5 ft Step
Standard: Attack Da'Tunga
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Untir looks with concern at the screaming primates in the room, but decides to focus on the giant ape and the animated wooden idol. In all his travels and studies, he has not come across creatures such as these. Nonetheless, he moves into the room quickly then calls upon the aid of his ancestral spirits. They flit from him, dive into the ground beneath the giant ape and a chain burst forth from the ground, coiling around the large animal and attempts to pull its feet from under it.
Patros moves swiftly, delivering a nasty slash under the gorilla's armpit causing it to howl with rage, spraying spittle over Patros's face and causing his hair to billow out behind him. However, when Sidi shouts out it's name, the gorilla stops and looks at the big man in surprise "Uuugh?" The momentary lapse of concentration was all that was needed for Sidi to slam his greatclub across the side of Da'Tunga's head! Revenge is sweet, some people might think, as teeth fly, bones crack, and Da'Tunga wobbles on his feet. Then Untir summons ancestral aid, bringing forth a chain that coils around the giant beast and drags him to the ground. Tied up and knocked senseless, the great ape is no longer a threat.
With their champion down, the assorted primates gathered around the edge of the room, redouble their noise making efforts as they scream and pound museum objects on the floor and walls. Although most of the havoc is lost hidden by the mist, you occasionally catch a glimpse of baboon teeth and flying exhibits.
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Untir looks with satisfaction as his allies take down the giant ape, and turns his attention to the last threat. Hmm, seems to be made of wood.
Untir moves into the room straight towards the wooden idol, while calling upon the fury of his ancestral spirits. They rise up from within him and burst forth from his outstretched hands as flames burning at it.
The flames surround the idol, and it raises a tiny wooden hand to shield itself. This, of course, does little to protect the diminutive figure from charring, and it turns almost completely black.
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The blast of air throws the tiny idol into the wall causing it to splinter and break into a dozen pieces, leaving charcoal streaks over the nicely decorated surface. As soon as the idol breaks, all the cavorting primates immediately cease their cacophonous howling and destruction, casting the room into a gloomy silence. This silence, however, only lasts a few moments before the stunned creatures regain their senses and start fleeing the premises, climbing out of windows and swinging towards the door on fake vines. Soon after, the mist dissipates, leaving you with a clear view of the severely vandalised exhibition hall for the first time. One of the most important changes, however, is that Selmy and Patros' minds begin to clear, their proportions begin to return to normal, and they are hit by a wave of tranquillity. With their minds once again their own, and the bubbling anger replaced by a feeling of peace, the two pathfinders can breath a sigh of relief.
Only moments have past since the idol was destroyed, but the museum seems like a completely different place. The howling noise and supernatural danger replaced by silence and a mundane mess. The group of Pathfinders only have a second to enjoy their success when an unsure voice calls from above the ziggurat "Umm... Hello?" followed by the sounds of struggling "Is there... Is there anybody down there?"
"Please..." The voice continues "If there is someone there, I could use a little help." At the top of the ziggurat, the rail-thin elven gentleman lays on an altar, struggling in vain to free himself from the leather straps holding him fast against the stone. You see him lift his head slightly and glance at the strange sigils and monkey paw-prints painted on his bare chest, and he seems to give up the struggle "Oh, my head! It's my stag night all over again..."
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"This would have been a lot easier just a few moment ago I reckon." Selmy grumbles as he follows Patros up. Once near the straps he fires a few small bursts of air until they give way.
"What's all them sigils about anyway? And who are you? Can barely remember how I got here, just a lot of shoutin' smash and shootin' things really."
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Untir waits a bottom of the ziggurat, knowing he is not one for such athletic deeds. "Quick, bring him down and let me examine him.
"Are you Nigel? One of the librarians we rescued earlier told us there is someone by that name still trapped here." Pointing to the remains of the wooden idol, Untir intones, "I believe that is the source of your problems. Can you tell us anything about what happened?"
The look of relief on the elf's face as Patros comes into view is priceless "Oh, thank the gods!"
Selmy blasts off the straps around the elf's arms and legs with small controlled bursts of air, and Sidi easily snaps the strap holding his head down. Slowly the man sits up, rubbing his head "The sigils?" He blinks a few times and slowly looks down at his chest "Would you look at that... It seems like I was to be sacrificed in the name of the demon lord Angazhan." He looks up at Selmy again and smiles "I guess that would explain all the monkeys." With the help of the three Pathfinders, the man gingerly makes his way to the museum floor where Untir gives him a thorough examination "I am Nigel, yes. You talked to some of my staff then? Are they all safe? The last thing I remember, I was unpacking the new artefacts in the office with Maldroog and Sheg and..." His eyes go wide and follows Untir's finger to see the remains of the wooden idol "That's right! One of the artefacts was a Tik Taan idol! Terrible, terrible things. It is said that the Gorilla King's cultists, the Tik Taan, captured the souls of monkeys in the wood-grains of those idols. The monkeys' tormented spirits became the slaves and playthings of Angazhan, who murdered their playful whims and replaced them with a deep-seated hate and wild madness. My gods, if I knew Trantos had one of those things in the crates, I never would have bought them!"
Apart from being agitated by the revelation of what had just happened to his museum, and a few minor scratches, Untir gives Nigel a clean bill of health "Thank you! Thank you so much, all of you! When those monkeys swarmed into the office and carried me off, I thought I was done for sure." He goes to each of you in turn and shakes your hands enthusiastically "But who are you, and why are you here? Don't get me wrong, I am terribly grateful that you are!"
"I think you're right! Only a few minutes more and..." Nigel trails off and makes a gesture with his finger across his throat "Well, I suppose Saldak did try to warn me about the idols, but he thinks everything is cursed and cries 'we're doomed' when I procure just about anything..." He says to himself more than anyone else "Besides, the original idol Trantos showed us was much smaller than the Tik Taan, and definitely not curs-" Something suddenly hits him, and he looks at Patros in shock "Did you say the Society, as in Pathfinders!?"
Nigel suddenly laughs, the sound seems a little startling given the recent variety of screaming and howling you have been subjected to "Ha! Primeval compulsions... Yes, that's certainly one way of putting it, I mean it does have a better ring to it than any way I could explain tonight!" He slowly settles down, and starts thinking "But joining the Society? Hmm, I'm not sure..." He says as he wanders through the rubble thoughtfully "I actually was a Pathfinder once, but I had a bit of a... disagreement with a fellow agent, Adril Hestram, have you heard of him? If not I bet you have certainly have heard him, that blowhard has a voice that can make a Chelaxian opera singer seem timid."
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"Well, I don't know about all that." Selmy says, reflecting on the scant few missions he's had with the society so far. "But the Society sent us in here for you, so it might be worth settin' that disagreement aside. Won't know when you need the Society again, and they always got their nose in everyone's business anyway, right?"
Selmy chuckles as he continues feeling his forearms, making sure they're his regular old dwarven limbs still.
"Can't say I'm eager to be back here though. Spent the last few hours dumber 'an a brick and draggin' my knuckles on the floor. That ain't the kinda museum I'm lookin' for."
"Ha! I think I know how you feel. I don't remember anything after that gang of primates kidnapped me, but even now, my arms feel way too long!" Nigel says to Selmy cheerfully, but on hearing the news of his staff, his tone takes a more solemn note "Oh, oh no! They worked for me precisely so that they would not have to deal with the sorts of dangers Pathfinders find themselves in..." He shakes Sidi's hand once more "Thank you for saving those that you could! Thank you all! My staff, they are all good people, I'll contact the families of those fallen personally, and let them know what happened."
He stands silently for a moment, taking in the gravity of the situation, and the suggestions of his saviours "Hmm, perhaps I've been a tad too hard on you lot these last few years. Perhaps I should re-petition for membership, maybe then we could avoid any more nights like this? Yes, it is definitely worth considering, at the very least I could share a little more with the Society from now on..." Nigel frowns and starts patting himself down "Wait a second, I think I have something around here..." He walks over to the side of the room and clears the broken pieces of ancient plates off of a cracked display case. Opening the case, he retrieves a bejewelled spear of exceptional quality with brittle, white bird feathers tied with crumbling leather straps beneath the sharp spearhead.
He returns and offers the spear to you, saying "This is an incredibly rare and ancient Mwangi spear that Chelish explorers found near the colony of Sargava during the reign of the expansionist Chelish prince, Haliad I. Please take it with my thanks! I know that your superiors would hungrily pay to have this in their own collection, I did outbid them after all..." He sighs and takes a proper look around at the destroyed hall "After what happened here today, I think I've had just enough of Mwangi artefacts for a while, and perhaps gifting it to the Society will help mend a bridge or two." He also hands you a cracked mulberry pentacle ioun stone, saying something about it being of particular significance for Pathfinders.
I'm hoping to make it a tradition in my games to invite players to do a DVD-style Closing Credits Easter Egg for thier character. It's obviously completely optional, but since this game was a bit of a dungeon dive without much role-play, if you wish to stretch your writing muscles, now's your chance! :)
I'm shamelessly stealing this idea from a game run by GM Hmm, and King of Anything summed it up nicely when he said:
<Philosophical Exploration of the Easter Egg>
The closing credits are a great place to sum up your adventure and how your character has grown throughout. You've been playing for awhile now, so take some time to look back through the adventure and think about what moments stood out as meaningful, or could be explored a little more.
Your Easter Egg can be presented as a vignette centering around your character, or as a report or letter to your superiors/family, or as a quick scene between NPCs reacting in your character's absence. There are many possibilities!
Some good questions to ask yourself and/or answer in an Easter Egg:
1. How did my character introduce themselves? Are they the same character now?
2. What relationships did my character form in this adventure? How will they end? (Or will they continue??)
3. What did my character learn about themselves or the world?
4. What does my character do between adventures?
Some more questions to consider:
5. Will Patros or Selmy ever shake the urge to check for tiny parasites inhabiting the fur of their friends?
6. Will Sidi grow nostalgic, and join an expedition back to the Mwangi Expanse.
7. What will happen with all those monkeys that are now loose on the streets of Absalom?
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Thank you everyone for being in my game!