Temple of Empyreal Brute Squad (Inactive)

Game Master ThorGN

Petr helps Tanrov with his armor.

"Yes thanks Tanrov. I will give you a hand with the armor while everyone else cleans up"

Erin assists Tanrov with his armor.

"I am thinking that speaking our suspicions likely prompted this attack. Either directly from them, or someone they are speaking to. We only have the garden left, and then we can leave."

Ashur wipes his mouth after he is finished vomiting up the last 2 days meals. "Told you talking to them wouldn't helped. Let's just get to the garden so we can leave already. Though we're probably going to be attacked there too."

Once back in his armor, Tanrov flexes and stretches testing the fit.

"Thanks 'Rin. Thanks Pete."

"I have got to get out of this room before I am seeing my breakfast too."

Erin states, as she steps out into the hallway and looks for signs of any more attackers or dangers.

You complete the library cataloging without further interruption.

When you return to the garden you find the Gnome called Gastidem meditating near the central font. Are you now ready to attempt the holy rite of the Kiss of Korada?

Petr calms himself so as not to lash out at this charlatan, this heretic.

"Kiss of Korada? Tell us more of this holy rite. And then maybe you could show us how it works."

The Kiss of Korada grants inspirational visions to those who are pure in heart and mind. To test if you are worthy, merely place your hand deep within the mouth of our noble turtle here. I am not currently prepared to undertake the rite, though I assure you, the experience is most rewarding, assuming Korada finds you worthy.

Erin pipes up from the back of the group.

"So you just stick your hand in, no other special requirements?"

There are no other Physical actions required, if that’s what you mean.

"Well you will not mind if I make a few alterations first then."

Erin states as she moves up to the turtle and produces her kit.
Disable Device 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25

I’m sorry? Wait, what are you doing?! Hey now, that’s a holy turtle!

The Gnome’s face pales a little as he realizes what you are doing and he starts to look for an escape from you presence.

Erin disarms the turtle.

Erin slides her hand into the turtle, when nothing happens she states.
"Yup, not feeling very enlightened here."

Anything inside the turtle?

Tanrov moves around to cut off any possible escape.

"How long have you been here?", he asks the uncomfortable little man.

Sense Motive - 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

I have been living here for many years. I had no idea the rite had been tampered with. No wonder so many have not been found worthy recently.

The little Gnome wrings his hands as he speaks, and you notice that all of his fingers are still intact.

Is anybody else in the garden right now?

Tanrov closes on the gnome, standing up straight in his armor and really putting emphasis on his superior size.

"Can you repeat that?"

Intimidate - 1d20 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 7 + 4 = 29

Ashur will help surround the gnome as he sees Tanrov close the gap. "Something up, Tanrov?"

"Yeah, nothing at all in this turtle but blades."

Despite his intimidating stature, Tanrov has to work really hard to maintain his fearsome guise.

"Gastidem was just telling us all about the temple."

"Oh good. Please tell."

Arkwright steps forward towards this little man and holds up his hand near the man's face. Lightning begins sparking around his hand, glowing bright as starlight.

"Yes. Do tell." He says with an expression of infinite irritation.

The Gnome looks like he is going to wet himself.

Ok, ok! Please don’t kill me. The Kiss of Korada is an invention of my own. A prank really, for those silly enough to believe it’s a holy ritual. Which is actually most of the people around here…

Don’t even bother telling Dakang about it, he already knows. I thought I would be kicked out for sure when he found out, but he just let me carry on like nothing was the matter.

Erin give the turtle one more look over to make sure she has not missed anything, then makes her way back to where the gnome is cornered.

"Get anything useful from him yet?"

"Your invention hurts people", Tanrov growls. "In a very permanent way!"

"Why would you do that?"

"A prank? That's so lame.." Ashur sounds almost disappointed at the mundaneness of it all. "Well if Dakang is in on it, he should be our next stop."

"I say we take him and this turtle to the Aasimar. And this fellow is so very lucky I wasn't raised to believe in eye-for-an-eye justice. Otherwise he'd have one, maybe ten less fingers by now."

"Lets map this place first, then deal with the gnome, just in case things go downhill."

Tanrov grabs the little man.

Grapple - 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

"You're going to help us sort all of this out."

What's going on here?!

You turn to see the three Aasimar standing on the edge of the garden.

Dakang said he thought you all were bringing impurities and disorder into our fair temple, and now we find you manhandling one of our own!

Tanrov jostles the offending gnome.

"Tell them what you just told us!"

Intimidate - 1d20 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 7 + 4 = 27

As the gnome begins talking, Arkwright heads to the close-by library and grabs the corpse of one of the dretches. He walks out, dragging one by the arm nonchalantly as he waits for the gnome to pour his guts out.

Erin tosses one of the working parts to the blades from within the turtle back and forth between both hands. Waiting for the gnome to speak.

"We've got some zombie pieces over there that you could take a look at. I definitely didn't bring those with me." Ashur nods towards the crypts.

Gastidem bears his soul, and story for the Aasimar. A concerned look begins to cover their faces. Ok, we're listening.

Alright, make your case, present all your evidence, and roll diplomacy, or take 10 if you want. I will allow the use of Aid Another on this check.

I think it's safe to assume that Petr is leading on this.

Tanrov nods a lot and chimes in when appropriate.

"And the zombies were immune to my hammer. IMMUNE. If that's not a sign of something being wrong, I don't know what is!"

Aid Diplomacy - 1d20 ⇒ 8

"Dretches and zombies don't exactly ooze enlightenment. More like evil magic." Ashur chuckles at Tanrov's infallible logic.

Diplomacy to aid
1d20 - 3 ⇒ (6) - 3 = 3

Though his infernal heritage and their subconscious prejudice seem to work against his attempt to aid.

"And our cleric colleague Petr discovered that many of your 'holy' books in the library had been altered."

Diplomacy to aid
1d20 - 2 ⇒ (6) - 2 = 4

In other news why is Tanrov's mighty 10 CHA the 3rd highest in the party? =(

Your manly, rippling muscles are more attractive than my thin, waifish figure.

Valid point.

And I'm a jaded tiefling with giant horns(That overshadows everything else about me apparently). Besides, you're happy go lucky. Whats not to like?

Petr moves towards a position to speak directly with the Aasimar.

"Brother Tanrov, if you could please release Gastidem and allow our friends, the sworn guards of principles of Korada in this temple, to deal with him."

"As you have heard from my companions, there are more transgressions against good in this temple than a sadistic gnome. Please allow me to lay out what we have discovered. If you do not agree with us, we will leave by the end of the day without uttering one word of our disagreement to any of the rest of the temple."

Petr unrolls a palm sized piece of parchment and begins to read from a list:

"Gastidem is evil. You heard him plead guilty.

Gastidem says Dakang knows about his sadism and his perversion of the faith. What man of enlightenment would allow the maiming of his flock?

Three Dretches attacked us in the library. Demons! Here in your temple.

Three zombies attacked us in the crypt.

The library is missing more than half of the collected teachings and references it once had.

What books that are left in the library have been altered, more than half that once were there are missing.

The ceremony we witnessed this morning was full of contradictions.
The city of Vantian is a city in the abyss, a region under the control of Sifkesh.

The food from the banquet table is poisoned. My poison detection spell has never been wrong before.

The symbol of celestial silence your master wears on his scarf and paints on his subjects' faces are not of Korada.

Diplomacy - see trait on char sheet: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Tanrov puts the gnome down but gathers all of his barbaric ferocity and hits him with a glare that says - Move and I crush every bone in your body.

Arkwright quietly applauds Petr with the sound of one hand clapping, as the other is currently holding a body of one of the aforesaid dretches.

*clap-clap-clap*

"Let's see these Aasimar try to deny it now. Pompous arrogant wanna-be celestials." While unable to speak a word without offending someone, he could at least recognize a good speech. The tiefling smiles and folds his arms waiting for the response/backlash.

Diplomacy (Aid)1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

"Honestly these people deserve better. What kind of worship has someone stick their hand into a bunch of whirling blades for enlightenment."

The Aasimar seem a little distressed as their view of a perfect world comes crashing down around them.

It seems we are being deceived, and our trusted teacher is at the center of it all. Please, we must ask you to confront Dakang and find out the truth of all this. Apparently we are unable to see clearly when it comes to his instruction. He has been here so long…

Arkwright nods with an expression of immense satisfaction.

"I'm glad you finally understand."

He looks around at his companions.

"I say we do as they request. And i'll bet Dakang isn't immune to electricity..." Arkwright's smile shows a few more teeth.

Erin presses pieces of the turtle contraption into one of their hands and says.
"Here you go."

She then approaches a second one and hands him some drafting items.
"We will go talk to Dakang, but if you could return the favor by drawing us an accurate map of these gardens it would be appreciated. You guys have been here a long time, so you should know every nook and cranny."

If Dakang is indeed in league with Demons and Undead, then there is one small way we can help you. Accompany us to the Chapel.