ok.
About 30 ft down the passage way you see a board that looks long enough to cover the pit you just crossed as a little bridge.
you do have the cloak that you found at the bottom of the pit
As you continue afterwards....
The tunnels continue on, leading deeper beneath the Kortos Mounts until they eventually open into a large cavern. What must have once been beautifully carved reliefs and inscriptions have since weathered heavily, their features dulled and softened to the point that it is hard to distinguish what each once depicted.
A wide tunnel exits the cavern on its far side, and blue-burning torches line the passageway’s walls.
Scattered throughout the cave are inscriptions.
All but 4 scenes accompanying them are illegible. Those that are, are difficult to decipher due to their eroded state.
You can make 4 separate checks each, 1 for each scene.
This is a DC 15 Kn. Religion or History check. Alternatively, you can make a perception or appraise at a -2 penalty.
The language on it is a mix of Aquan & Azlanti, you get a +2 bonus on your check for each language you know.
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Lyra's eyes light up with amazement. "Wow, this is incredible! These murals must be thousands of years old." She walks up to one of them, and carefully brushes off some of the dust that had gathered onto it, revealing it's Azlanti scripture.
"Mmm, I can't seem to read any of the writing here. I wonder what these reliefs were for..."
Lyra gives a half-hearted shrug "Eh, the imagery seems familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Does anybody else have any idea what this reliefs are for? Could they have something to do with the gillmen?"
Working together you are able to piece the following together:
The scenes depicted, are four professions.
With a little study, the team deduces the way it is described, is slightly different from what the tale is told as in the common city nowadays. Perhaps it is even older than current time version?
The scenes depict:
#1 The Fisherman is depicted 'hauling in an enormous catch of small fish to take back to Absalom', illustrating Aroden’s declaration that a great host of creatures could accomplish a great task, whether that be taming the wilds or feeding a nation.
#2 The Tailor is depicted 'sewing together a long cloth of featuring many patterns that wraps around a city like a moat', referencing Aroden’s proclamation that when the fate of all peoples is woven together, it shall be humanity’s greatest strength.
#3
The Shepherd is depicted 'herding animals out of a crowded city to the pastures beyond', just as Aroden blessed leaders with the foresight to direct people to the tasks and places that best suit them.
#4 The Scholar is depicted 'writing on a piece of parchment and then reading from it to passersby', just as Aroden was said to smile on those who recorded history and other knowledge to share it with others.
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As the team advances, after exchanging discoveries (no doubt RP ensues on this ^^), they arrive in a greater cavern.
The soft light of the surrounding fungus mixes with the flickering glow of the nearby torches to reveal a grand chamber. A large pool of water along the chamber’s southern edge reflects the blue and green radiance to illuminate the massive stalactites that cling to the ceiling overhead.
Two other tunnels branch off from this area, leading to the east and west. Rising up from the pool is a column of rock with steeply sloped sides and a flat top, as if someone had sawn off the top of a massive stalagmite.
A miniature city carved from this same stone occupies nearly the entire surface. Tiny trinkets such as ancient coins, polished semiprecious stones, and ornately braided loops of string are scattered throughout the diorama, and pale cave frogs clamber atop it.
DC Know Religion, Local, History, geo, enignerring check
The smooth cavern floor is covered in gravel and pebbles along the edge of the pool, and several foot-long centipedes prowl among the gravel in their search for prey.
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Roldala is simmering by the end of learning about Aroden's blessings.
While cooperation is obviously helpful, but the idea of leaders herding people to their assigned places has her clenching her shattered fangs until they once more tear open the scars that cover the inside of her mouth.
For some reason she's not in the mood to carefully examine the lovely diorama.
But she does crush a centipede.
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Welby is amazed as the others share what they've learned from the scenes. He learns much of a higher purpose, and Drake quacks to emphasize that this is another step for the once homebound halfling.
I like the Tailor best.. weaving things together. I sometimes to do what me old clothes Welby says.
Drake catches and swallows one of the frogs, while Welby studies the fragile diorama.
This city... is done with so much care. Whoever did this must be intelligent and blessed. We must be careful with our dealings with it Welby says.
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Orgrim is amazed and energized by this finding of the inscriptions "Aroden...imagine, if we can restore fully the other inscriptions. I wonder what else we can learn"
When the party encounters the miniature diorama, Orgrim stares at it with all the various trinkets lying about it "I wonder what is this...some sort of altar?"
He begins mapping out the cave and taking down notes of the cavern and the miniature diorama for future reference Besides reporting this to the society, I should also bring this to members of the church of Aroden if any are left. They will be interested in this as well
As you enter into the room you notices a man kneeling before the pool of water.
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Orgrim is startled when the others start yelling at the man kneeling before the pool of water, especially at Roldala's threat How rude. Surely there is no need to threaten He puts aside his notes, walks over to the front of the man and puts a hand on his shoulder gently "Greetings friend. May I ask what you are doing here?"
on a single attack roll made against a flanked target
within 24 hours.
After a few more moments the man opens his eyes and asks
"Who are you strangers, what brings you to this holy place?"
Scholar Ritual Completed
Completing this ritual grants all
of the PCs a +1 competence bonus on Knowledge checks
made to identify the abilities and weaknesses of creatures.
forgot to paste this in:
Rising up from the pool is a column of rock with steeply
sloped sides and a flat top, as if someone had sawn off the top
of a massive stalagmite. A miniature city carved from this same
stone occupies nearly the entire surface. Tiny trinkets such
as ancient coins, polished semiprecious stones, and ornately
braided loops of string are scattered throughout the diorama,
and pale cave frogs clamber atop it. The smooth cavern floor is
covered in gravel and pebbles along the edge of the pool, and
several foot-long centipedes prowl among the gravel in their
search for prey.
The pool looks to be about 25 ft long and 35' wide.
The gillman responds to the quer "I am on my pilgrimage. It is a custom for the gillmen to visit this place." I am Uori, and proper respects to this sacred site are well received.
These cave's waters are of significance to my people, as its calm and clarity represents what we aspire to. Clarity and peace.
Though these were once a site to the worship of the now dead god Aroden, god of humans."