|
Dissa will do his best to aid Bozmir in the tale-telling. He explains (for his part) the desire to explore and discover relics of unique application.
"We have befriended a historian in Corentyr, with mutual benefit. Our next expedition sees us unearthing a lost Taldane colony near the city of your cousin. I believe we are already behind our competitors, so any advantage you could provide would be extremely helpful." Dissa hints at the magistrates influence, attempting to withdraw a declaration of power or prestige.
|
"The lost colony of Ibhir to be precise. A flourishing trade spot in its time, but sadly lost during the Everwar. Nobody knows what befell it. Cataclysm? Magic? Base pillaging? This is what we hope to uncover."
"It would be in your best interest to let us go. A lost colony will give Cheliax a strong historical claim to the Kharijite province. You could even be lauded as a hero."
Mavius again claps his hands, "Marvelous, just marvelous. I am something of a history buff, though I stay away from anything labelled 'black cover' to avoid the eyes of Hellknights or anyone looking to lie about Cheliax's past and Thrune's glorious rise to power."
Not entirely true, Mavius seems to be stating the official Chelish lines with the conviction of a long-suffering man.
“I have heard some wild tales about the exploits of Pathfinders. I’d like to hear more of your adventures, or perhaps you’d like to showcase your considerable skills!”
|
|
Dissa tosses an apple in the air directly above him from his seated position. He rolls away from the table, grabbing the shaft of his Fauchard at the end of the roll, and attacks the apple as it falls to the place he was previously seated.
Dissa slices the apple, but looks perplexed.
"I was much better at that when I was older. Perhaps now, in my youth, I lack the expertise I developed over the years. I think I am rusty... " Dissa declares, nonplussed at his roll and slice.
A disheveled half elf with a scimitar belted to his waist rushes into the room, "So sorry I'm late, I was only now dropped off by my ship. Pleased to meet you all, I am Seltyiel, Mr. Mavius I hope you have been informed of my arrival. What is everyone doing, showing off skills? Hmm..." He mutters a few arcane words under his breath and places some paste over his eyes. Casting about the room he picks up a pen lying on a table, "Very clever making anyone holding this pen more amenable to suggestions. I may have to borrow this trick for my personal...project."
Mavius flushes and grins, "I have so much faith in all of your abilities! It was magnificent watching these displays! Consider all of your fees waived, I'll have a travel permit written for you immediately. And! If you find yourselves back in the city please come and see me again, it was most enlightening!"
Your day of travel is safe and uneventful, mostly thanks to the carefully annotated map provided by the Athenaeum.
You notice the signs of a rising sandstorm well before it is going to hit. Because of that you're able to increase your speed enough to help beat the storm. Take 2 off the DCs for the following challenges.
The last rays of the setting sun light up a bluff to the southeast that towers over the desert. Ruined buildings and leaning towers jut up from the plateau on its top as ominous clouds loom to the south of Ibhir—a sandstorm roars across the desert toward the ruins.
Seeing the sandstorm you spur your mounts faster, trying to reach the bluffs before it fully engulfs you.
Upon reaching the bluffs the sandstorm has still not come fully, but it whips your clothing and scratches any exposed skin. Getting to the top of the bluffs requires you to get your mounts up the snaking path along the side of the cliff.
Having surmounted the bluffs the whipping sands begin to obscure your vision. It is difficult, but you should be able to see the Chelish camp from here to help you navigate the sands.
Replace the first two checks with a DC 13 Constitution check and a DC 16 Acrobatics or Climb check.
|
|
Check #1 Success!
Check #2 Success!
Check #3 Success!
Dissa thinks back to his future, and recalls dire situations with grim determination.
Dissa plows through the sand, jogging to keep pace with the party. The young, grizzled Tian General climbs with all his might, leading the way up the steep bluff, dragging a tag line behind him for others. Finally, the Paladin of Tsukiyo spots the Chelish camp through strained eyes, wind-whipped and weary, but relieved to have a destination.
"Let us return to this outpost, and seek some much-needed rest. Our mayoral benefactor has hopefully earned us a good meal in a wind-proof room." Dissa states the two most simple yet most urgent desires from his travel. "I also think I would like to take a bath."
Everyone except Dissa gets some form of sand in their eyes on the hard ride out of the storm and into the camp.
Most of the buildings in this area are heavily damaged by the battles of the Everwar and centuries of abandonment to the elements. The Chelish base camp is located in the middle of the wrecked village, surrounded by a palisade. In the center of the camp stands a partially intact sandstone building that leads into the chambers below.
Sand gusts into the building through the open door to the west and the southwest corner of the canvas roof, where the broad tarpaulin has broken free at one end. The canvas strains violently in the wind as the rest of the bindings begin to pull loose. Only half of the building’s original floor still exists to the south. A ladder descends ten feet to a ledge below, and another ladder descends further into a jagged crack in the ground. A campsite sprawls across both ledges, and several bloodied corpses are scattered throughout.
The Chelish team set up their camp in this sandstone building. The ceiling rises 15 feet above the floor to the south, which is 10 feet above the lower floor. The northern floor has an opening that drops 20 feet into the lowest area.
The clacking of bones resounds in the chamber along with the snapping of the canvas and two skeletons rise from their resting places to menace you with their rusty broken longswords. They perform an antiquated Chelish salute before charging.
The tattered remains of the skeleton's uniforms are from the Everwars.
|
|
"It feels good to be out of the wind and sand, doesn't it gentlemen?" Dissa sighs as he descends into the sandstone chamber. As the skeletons perform their salute, Dissa is more quizzically amused than filled with righteous fury.
"Let's get em!" He giggles, running forward.
Dissa charges the closest, and prepares an AoO for any closing to melee range.
-- If necessary, use the AoO for any closing to 5' range. They'll have to move through reach. --
Both Dissa and Dulomak hit their respective opponents, which Dissa completely destroys and Dulomak knocks the jaw off. Kontha's bite is less successful and merely skitters off the rotten chain shirt on the skeleton. Seltyiel curses, "Skeletons. My spells are useless and my scimitar won't do much. Perhaps I'll just try and tie off this tarp so the sandstorm does not end up inside."
The skeletons are not going to take this assault lying down. One climbs from the nearby pit and approaches Bozmir, the other attacks Dulomak and Kontha with sword and claw.
Both attacks hit and Dulomak and Kontha feel magic course through them, making them feel a nearly unquenchable thirst before shaking it off to continue the attack.
Dulomak disposes of his skeleton before Kontha can get another bite in. The dinosaur moves to the best location to help Bozmir before crunching through that skeleton as quickly as Dulomak finished his.
"Excellent, now if someone wouldn't mind helping me here I'd really like to secure the tarp before I get more sand in my eyes."
Seltyiel fails to climb far enough up the wall to secure the tarp.
|
|
Dissa swiftly moves focus to the next objective: Securing shelter. He scampers toward the tarp, and works swiftly to both reach and stabilize their protection from elements.
Unfortunately, he loses footing on the loose sand, and is unable to assist this round.
"Perhaps this is one of those 'cooperate' moments we went through with Janira. What do you guys think?" Dissa grunts and wheezes as he struggles through the sandstorm.
Seltyiel nods along with the song. "While I would normally be against such means, they may prove useful here..." He lets the song fill him and power his muscles. His eyes turn a much darker shade as veins in his forehead pop, and he lets out a bestial roar as he attempts to tackle the wall and tarp once more.
His fingers nearly punching deeper crags in the wall, Seltyiel ascends with no issue at all. He grabs the tarp and pulls it tight before securing the ropes to stop the sandstorm from entering at all. He breathes easier once he is down off the wall, shaking from the great exertion. Once he has calmed for a few more heartbeats he speaks again, "That was exhilarating, terrifying, maddening, and so much more! Never make me do that again."
|
|
"I found it very odd that those skeletons saluted in a Chelish way before attacking. I thought this was an ancient Taldan colony? Let's find what made these creatures and map the ruins." Dissa makes his way toward an entrance, surveying the security of their shelter.
"Let's check all these bodies for relevant information, then bury them. I will sleep better, certainly." He attempts to relocate skeletons and corpses in the most respectful and organized manner possible. Assuming shovels and picks are available, he will get started on a mass grave.
"I can take a middle watch if you need to rest. It's dark, and we probably can't do much outside this building in this storm."
|
|
"If ancient Taldor did extend this far, the skeletal salute could be the result of cultural mixing or traditions kept."
"Next time, Seltiyel, simply ignore it if you prefer. I don't see why you wouldn't embrace it, it makes one feel alive!"
"Speaking of which, I'm not tired yet, let us continue. I'll take the rear."
Identifying potion:
This cold, dark stone chamber has walls covered in ancient markings that the ages have worn to the point of illegibility. The higher portion holds a dried-up well, a ladder leading up, and descending stairs to the north. The lower portion to the south has two ancient buildings and a collapsed passageway. The floor has fallen near the east wall, exposing another chamber below. A robed corpse lies at the bottom of the ladder. A satchel lies next to the broken body. Inside of the satchel is a tightly bound scroll.
Looking back over the report from the Athenaeum it mentions two things authenticating this was a Taldan colony in this particular chamber, broken clay Taldan pots, and a well-preserved ancient Taldan home.
Seltyiel follows Dulomak and Kontha deeper into the dig and once he finds no danger begins investigating the room.
|
|
"Ah yes, I remember this from the books," Bozmir says as he picks up a shard of pottery. "This is definitely Taldan in origin. Quite ancient, certainly pre-Everwar."
"But hold on," he looks very closely at the well preserved building. "This actually looks..." He chips off a bit of wall, revealing a thin layer of plaster. Certainly not an act a man of history would perform unless he was sure that "This is fake. Someone has put a thin coat on this building and artificially aged it."
Seltyiel examines the clay pottery himself, "You are right Bozmir, these are Taldan. Too Taldan actually. They're the right age, but made of the wrong type of clay for this region. What we have are Taldan pots from ancient Taldor rather than here. In addition that passage to the south there," he indicates with a pointed finger, "was collapsed rather recently. It looks far more intentional than would be considered for such an old site. Given a week of excavation we can get it open, but let's explore the rest of this area first, yes?"
To the north, a winding stairway descends to the dim chamber below. Four alcoves hold marble statues of grim soldiers from ages past, two on either side of a faintly glowing statue of a regally appointed man who towers in front of the southern wall. Two golden lion statues stand at guard in front of the god. The roof has collapsed at the northwest corner, where a large stone slab lies on the floor below the opening.
The features mentioned in the Athenaeum report here are the quartet of Taldan statues, the pair of golden lion statues, and the large statue of Abadar.
|
|
"Hey everyone, did you see these bones under this slab? Let me see if I can lift it..." Dissa grabs the ring from the bone mash and shows it to Bozmir. "That's a pretty nice ring. Do you think it does anything special?"
Dissa attempts to assist the others through lifting, guarding, and organizing whatever they are working on.
Dissa traces his fingers over the ancient statues in the room, especially after the number of fakes identified by Bozmir and Seltyiel previously.
"Did you all see this secret door with chains and stuff? I know you're pretty engrossed in the plaster and whatnot." Dissa jerks his thumb toward the statue of Abadar.
|
|
P
"These four are commanders serving under General Coren. None of them survived 'til the founding of Corentyn, so either this is ancestor worship, or someone didn't read up on their timelines before carving them."
F
P
"The gold on these - it's just a layer. And scratching some off - yep more plaster. This is recent work."
F
F
"That's just a statue Dissa. Has your head really gotten so messed up you no longer perceive reality?"
P
"Nice find, Dissa. I also saw it, but you are a fast one. Let's have a look at this ring."
|
|
Dissa takes the pommel of his Fauchard and pushes it into the chains locking the secret door.
"You bring up a good point. I am not yet completely insane, but I vow to keep working at it. That said, if this statue is real, how can I jingle chains behind it with my weapon?"
Dissa hopes to reveal the illusion, and highlight the chain and padlock with the end of his weapon. "You can hear that, right?"
As Dissa looks to his friends, he gets a sudden flash of insight and dread. "Why would someone create a fake archaeological site? Also, if the previous crew disappeared, is this strictly a trap? Have we also been lured here for some isolated and nefarious purpose? This feels pretty bad all of a sudden!"
Seltyiel shakes his head, "No, I think he's onto something. Look here." He pushes his hand through the statue and steps into it to examine the door.
"This door back here bares the symbol of an Archdevil. Do we have silver weaponry available? I can only imagine infernal annoyances ahead. Is anyone adept at opening locks? Or do we have to break this chain to continue on?"
|
|
"Seltyiel, we're a chain-breaking kind of people. As far as silver weaponry, my Fauchard is often capable of overcoming their resistances, but I do have a cold-iron spiked gauntlet on one hand and a silver one on the other. Just in case." Dissa looks for a stable position from which to strike the chain with his Fauchard.
"That chain took a little more than I suspected! I'm guessing if anything is here, it's ready for us. Let's prep for combat!" Dissa brandishes his wand of Fallback Strategy and casts it upon himself.
Shadows cast by a blazing brazier behind a metal lattice to the south flitter across the wall paintings here, granting the images the illusion of haunted animation. A seven-foot-tall statue of a hunched, robed figure with three eyes and a mouth ringed with tentacles stands before the lattice.
|
|
Dissa braces the pommel of his Fauchard against the base of the wall next to the grate, attempting to pry the grate with two hands while using his Fauchard as an anchor point to push with his feet.
"I'm surprised at the strength of this grate, it certainly didn't look as durable at first glance. Perhaps I am still weak in my youth, and have not yet built the power I used to have." Dissa looks down at his hands, and back to the gate, a little disappointed.