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- Lower your weapons and state your purpose - we mean you no harm. But play fair - you're outnumbered and outskilled. - Kheferu's frail body seemed to resonate with willpower, as if some malevolent intimidating entity spoke in his place. Without turning, he told his comrades: - We can help each other. Keep calm, but be wary.
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Boys moved closer to their leader, waiting what she will answer to Borislav words:
— Hey, those tiny creatures are still there, if you want to meet them. And their small bows, of course. Just look for golden statues with red eyes.
But we keep our share: there are plenty of other old jewelled plates around here - you look strong enough to carve your own from the wall
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- Now you using my language. Pathfinder Society is on duty - We are decemvirate representatives. Let our historican check your share - we don't want to loot you, but if you find something valuable for society - I think you can travel with us to Grand Lodge and get your reward directly from our patrons.
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Marcel's hand moved towards scabbards while he was keeping his stern gaze on the girl.
Halfelf sheathed his sword and came 10ft closer to her. Staying at the center of the passage, he gently demanded: Excuse our rude tone, mylady. It is a strange place and a strange meet. Come here too, please. What is your name?
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After approaching, Marcel could see that most part of the bag is filled with jeweled tiles, probably taken from walls somewhere in a temple. This things are not worthy much, depending on how precious is the stone in it. As well, there was nice coral holy symbol with some simian features. Most precious thing was an apple. Probably it was made from gold.
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May I take a closer look? - Marcel poke hand into the bag and drew the holy symbol of Who was supposed to be monkey god. - Do you know, what is this? Or this, - he put the holy thing back and drew the apple.
After holding hey look for a second, half-elf continued:
As my hardly patient frient has noted, we are Pathfinders. Our chiefs keep a kind of museum and send someones like us for new showpieces.
Another second-long stern gaze to force the girl to understand the words in the way inquisitor wanted:
I am sorry, mylady, I cant lie to you. If we dont come back with these historical valuables, there is a severe man to send musket armed squad to track us down. Or not just us.
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- "Little golden bastards! Like small kids or monkeys, but with claws and teeth. They had shining red eyes and sharp arrows. It could be easy fight, but they managed to get up high and our bolts were not doing much to them. There was a glowing book and other magical stuff, but we could not risk fighting them"
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Oh, Iomedae's pants, that stuff must be taken too. Ashvika, I would like you waiting for us for a while. I hope this will not take long, and I am going to talk to you about your potential.
Did you ever think about joining Pathfinder Society? It provides lots of possibilities to perform things the way you want, also there is few Pathfinders experiencing financial difficulties.
Half-elf takes the holy symbol and apple. Then he uses his more gentle and gallant tone:
My name is Marcel, viscount d'Arte, at your service. I will be happy see such a promising young woman among my friends. Also, this is the safest way for you to get the pay as we are unlikely to visit Niswan soon.
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- "Let's speak about your society after you return and I get paid," she looked at Pathfinder's again, "you don't look like guys that own ship to leave Jalmeray, without dropping by in capital port. Anyway.. We'll wait there till morning" she pointed at opening in the jungle not far away from the temple entry.
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Pathfinders follow the large hall, where columns line the walls, each decorated with a high-relief carving of a monkey in a different pose. Some of these monkey sculptures sit serenely in meditation or reach out with their hands as if to deliver blessings to the visitors, while others adopt more naturalistic poses. The floor is littered with decaying plant matter and mud, and the stench of rotting muck pervades the area. There is an archway that separates this room from the next one.
A mosaic of a monkey-faced figure decorates the floor of this room, though some of the tiles that would form eyes are missing. The north end of the room is filled with rubble blocking an arched passageway. Looks like roof have collapsed inside leaving only narrow passage for tiny or specifically nimble creatures to pass through.
To the west, vines and foliage intrude into the temple through an open-air balcony, but it is still possible to descend or navigate there, while a similar balcony to the east remains relatively clear of plant life. Looks like, Ashvika and her team used that way to enter and run away from internal rooms of temple.
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Marcel returned to the entrance to check if Gladiator got disturbed by Ashvika and her brutes.
Such a nice girl really may confirm herself through field commission. It's totally worth talking to sir Valsin. Should ask Morgana how had she joined the Society.
What did she say, little golden red-eyed apes that have got up high? As she has made good impression on me, - Marcel glanced at Morgana's face at this moment. - This is probably not a bull.
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A narrow path extends between the exterior wall of the temple and the thick web of vines and tree branches that cover the temple’s walls. At either end of the path, small open-air balconies lead back into the temple.
A 20-foot-tall, high-relief sculpture of a mountain dominates the north end of this large chamber. A statue of a figure now missing its head sits in the lotus position at the mountain’s peak, while smaller statues of monkey-faced pilgrims rest on ledges farther down the mountain. Shattered pieces of yet more monkey atues litter the floor.
The southern half of the room is filled with rubble, obstructing an arched passageway to the south.
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Stealth (passive):
Perception:
Bad Guys:
Surprise:
Init:
Round 1:
Group went deeper into temple hall, that has a strange mountain. In the center of the room, a small enclosed shrine made of dark brown stone faces south toward the rubble. A hallway to the west leads to a balcony overrun by foliage.
Suddenly, Kheferu felt something penetrating his skin. He started looking around and got another "needle" piercing through his neck. He gasped and party turned to see a tiny creature armed with longbow sitting on top of mountain. It targeted Kheferu again, but he got another arrow stroke him even before the creature shot. Osirian man felt on the ground and with loud hiss his outworldly companion dissapeared.
Golden creature made a loud laugh and let her arrow into Marcel. Even with god's blessing, he wasn't protected. It stroke him and left an open wound in his neck.
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Marcel reacted at lightning speed and stepped to lying Kheferu. He got up low on one knee by duying comrade, grabbing sword with left hand while covering himself and young mage with shield.
Praising Iomedae for he had forgotten to give the wand back to Borislav, half-elf drew and used it.
Not now, le revêche jeune! You hear me?!
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Creature let her greased weapon out of its hand and made a dissapointed remark.
- "You will be next one!"
The second creature, while still hidden let it arrow fly and strike Seytiko, as revenge for casting. Both outsides run over the ceiling and took positions over Seytiko head, and then disarmed one called for some internal magical power. Long tongue appeared from its sharp tooth mouth and start liking bolt wound, which started to close
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Heavy crossbow was able to hit the creature, but could not penetrate it's thick skin. The only thing, Borislav could understand that those creatures are somehow afraid of multiple monkeys, jumping from outside inside the temple. As quick wave of thousand creatures, real simian army those monkeys rush through the hall, leaving nothing as it was: mostly they throw rubbish in the strange outsiders, but some of them jump high, catching enemy's hair and stuff. After several seconds monkey disappear as fast as they appeared, leaving golden beasts without their weapons or any means of protection.
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The mysterious creature affected by Seytiko magic started falling carefully fall from ceiling as a feather from the bird. Marcel was still kneeling over his friends body and he quickly moved his sword to hit the beast, but couldn't make it fast enough.
The creature tried to bite him in response, but could not make that as well.
Second creature used it's magic to get to Seytiko and bite him. The cook felt himself a bit dizzy as poisonous saliva started moving in his veins. Heroes could see that creatures wounds were fully healed at the moment.
Kheferu got up and used his innate magic to call for help - a fiendish eagle appeared near Marcel and started to attack the small beast. But he had no luck.
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Morgana decided to shot instead of speaking, but since that small creature was to close to her and Seytiko, she couldn't get a shot quite good.
Levitating, unharmed creature decided that it is not a best position and lowered himself to the ground, just to jump and bite Seytiko again. Seytiko was ready to meet her with his sharp cooking knife, but it wasn't sharp enough to penetrate it's skin. The other one, jumped away from Borislav's great weapon and bite Seytiko as well. Both of them opened their mouths just to whisper:
- "Dirty wizard! You'll die and then rest will do"
Eagle hovered over the wounded creature, but it's claws and beak also couldn't do any harm.