Artist: The Artist is depicted painting murals on the walls of impressive buildings, associated with Aroden having painted the city of Absalom with beautiful colors so that it might awe all who visited.
Hunter: The Hunter is depicted slaying a giant serpentine creature and then parading a trophy through the city streets—a sign to all humanity that the wilds are safe to inhabit once the monsters are slain.
Merchant: The Merchant is depicted weighing and trading coins
of different sizes, a reference to the holy text’s proverb that peace brings trade and prosperity to all people.
Scholar: 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.
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. 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.
Just beyond the column, you also notice a lone figure kneeling in the water.
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"The diorama is an intricately detailed model of Absalom, see that is the Starstone Cathedral."
Lysassa motions for everyone to be quite as she whispers, "This is what we came here for..to find out what the gillmen are doing here. Let's watch for a while and find out."
Lysassa whispers "Be careful, we have no idea who that is, or what he's doing here"
The gillman kneels silently in the water, not noticing Aldrea. He takes no actions as he watches Oster and Lysassa watch him.
The gillman simply watches Lysassa as she pulls out her journal and begins to take down notes. He makes no moves to come closer or move away or try to start a dialog with you.
On either side of the cavern are tunnels leading out.
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(whispering to Hargev)I think it does not understand Common. And since it does not seem to want to fight us, we should leave it in peace.
(loud enough to be heard by the gillman)I do not know if you understand my words, but we mean you no harm. We are just here to learn about this cave.
Oster begins moving toward whichever side passage is closer.
The gillman seems to watch Oster intently as he talks before he speaks.
"I can understand you fine, land dweller. As for learning about this cave, be wary, it is sacred to the Gillmen. You may do whatever rituals you wish to do to your dead god, but do not desecrate this cave as the presence of others has."
At the last bit you notice him glance toward the cave exit to the south east.
The gillman watches both Oster and Lysassa as they talk, nodding slightly before speaking.
"Yes, there are others that still roam these caves that desecrate this sacred ground."
You feel there is more that the gillman knows but isn't telling, but he doesn't seem to be stopping you from moving on further into the cave.
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"We would apreciate anything you might be willing to tell us."
I'm going to assume that we will fail to get any more information out of him. After Lysassa finishes her notes she will get up and move further into the cave.
Lysassa looks towards Oster. "I think we've learned everything we can learn here for now. We might as well look further down the cave."
"I'm sorry, but I've helped you as much as I can. You may do whatever prayers or blessings you'd like to do at the altar."
With that the gillman moves a bit further out into the pond.
As you continue down the tunnel, the air becomes increasingly stale and the stench of decay grows more and more evident. The passage turns east and opens into a small cave littered with broken glass, rotting pieces
of paper, and other unusable detritus. The body of a male dhampir lies facedown toward the back of the cavern.
Milling around the cavern, illuminated by the glowing fungus are 2 skeletons and 2 zombies. All look to be created from Gillmen corpses.
With a strange sound that sounds like a moan and growl put together, the two zombies lurch their way toward the group. But their staggering movements prevent them from attack Oster as they get within reach.
Aldrea raises her rifle and takes her shot, only to have a cloud of smoke emerge from her rifle instead of the normal thunderclap. Quickly she clears the damp powder and bad bullet from the barrel.
With a few words, Lysassa sends a mote of magical energy toward the zombie harassing Oster, but the movements of Oster and the zombie make it difficult for her to get a clear shot.
Unafraid, Akela bits down on one of the zombie's legs
With a growl, Akela bites down on the zombie's leg before shaking his head and pulling the monster to the ground. Before the Zombie can react to being on the ground, Oster's sword comes crashing down stopping the creature cold.
Without pause, Oster continues forward slamming his shield into the second zombie's chest, but the blow doesn't seem to have the impact the sword did.
Behind the remaining zombie, you catch view of two skeletons shambling their way toward you, but blocked by the zombie.
With a groan, the zombie slams a fist into Oster hard.
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Lysassa seeing the unliving still shambling towards her and her party members mutters something under her breath and points her finger at the closest skeleton trying to unraffel the unholy energies that bind it to this plane.
(casting Disrupt undead again)
With cover and I think according to the rules it's does not count as being in combat because it's to far away from an opponent
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No one's quite sure what it is that Oster is yelling in Skald, but the tone and volume make it a good bet that it probably wouldn't be considered appropriate in mixed company.
Despite the powerful blow staggering him for a moment, he continues his assault on the zombie.
slashing damage.
edit: extra slashing damage.
bludgeoning damage.
Akela waits in the shadows for a zombie to get close enough to attack.
Aldrea takes aim and fires. Her shot slamming into the lead skeleton, staggering it as the bullet breaks bones, but the skeleton remains standing, barely.
Lysassa again tries to disrupt the dark energy that connects these undead to this world, but her magic just can't find the mark.
Oster continues to curse as his blade bites deep into the remaining zombie, cutting a deep gash along it's front. His following attack with his shield glances off and doesn't seem to effect the zombie.
The skeletons shamble forward, but as soon as the lead one pushes past the zombie and gets close to Oster, Akela lashes out and bites into the bone, dragging the skeleton to the ground.
The second skeleton seems unfazed by the sudden ending of it's brother and shambles forward to attack Oster with the broken scimitar it holds.
The Zombie groans from behind the skeleton, unable to get at anyone.