The Confirmation (Inactive)

Game Master Akinra

"Hammerdas recreate the fall of the star stone!", the Ulfen laughs to himself. Then looking at the city he struggles to provide some meaningful assistance.

Aid: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12

Daru will do her best to spot Apsu somewhere on the walls. WHo knows, might even see something worth mentioning to the gnome...

Aid Another: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

y'know, for having such a high intelligence, I'm starting to think Daru may not be the brightest bulb on the tree... Wait, what do you mean it's the player, not the character.

Hammerdas....I about spit my beer on my comp screen reading your last post

I look around....forcing my eyes, if they could to peer through the darkness like a dog or cat..looking for movement or anything that might aid Findlefarb.
Aid Another: 1d20 ⇒ 20

Daru is able to decipher the words, but has no real way to put them into context. The pictographs are some form of recitation of prayers, or parables of the dead god.

Will everyone who has not done so please make a perception check, and everyone a stealth check for the heck of it? Thanks!

perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

stealth: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

stealth: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (11) - 2 = 9

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20 also has darkvision, if that is relevant
Stealth: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22

Ping?

I got a bad feeling about this.....

Something feels out of sorts and I keep a pilum ready to be hurled or hastily trust into anything my might pose us a threat.....

You all notice, moving back into the cave, a single gillman studying, or perhaps praying, on the far side of the pond. He does not appear to have notices you despite the goodly amount of noise generated.

Keeping my voice low I speak to my companions arching up one of my eyebrows ..Well now, that is something you don't see everyday...a gillman...who should be happy in the ocean or on the beach..hanging out in a cave....as still as can be...anyone got any ideas? ...as I wait to hear form my companions, by reflex my hand comes to rest on the boxwood pommel, grip and guard of my blade....fingers well trained and drill push off the goatskin strap that serves to help retain the blade in its the goatskin and tined brass scabbard while my fingers in my left hand curl around the horizontal grip of my tower shield....my eyes scanning and straining..looking for anything out os sorts...or a threat.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Samiya peers in the direction of the Gillman, curiously trying to figure out what he is doing.
"I don't believe I've ever met a Gillman before. Maybe he is the same one that was spotted before?" she whispers to her comrades.

Findlefarb, you swim almost into the oracle before you notice him (dark caves and underwater, and .. . ) The man looks at you rather incredulously, and moves to the surface, obviously confused, even more confused as he notices all your companions.

Did I miss it, or has no one yet inspected the backpack your bard guide left you?

"I Hammerdas fish man. We not stare at you long." , the Ulfen says awkwardly, feeling embarrassed to have been caught by the gillman gawking. He feels more self-conscious having spoken out loud as he hears his voice echo through the caves. He slinks down his large frame as if trying to hide, to no avail, and whispers, "Hammerdas."

As if on cue ahem, Daru avoids a potentially awkward social situation (okay, they're all awkward social situations for Daru), she'll start rummaging through the pack they were given by their fearless guide before she selflessly held off the minotaur, trying to appear much too busy to chat.

Perception: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (12) - 4 = 8

The hillman finally seems to finally take notice of you. His look is inquisitive, but he does not speak. It is probable he is attempting to assess your reasons for being here.

Diplomacy

Ever eager to put her best foot forward, Samiya lights up her face with a (seemingly) warm smile and shows the gillman empty hands with a non-threatening gesture. Ste studies the gillman as she does this to try to see what she can learn from his body language.
Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 3
"Hello there, please do not be alarmed. We are not here with hostile intentions, we only wish to have a look around while we wait for our companion to meet us here. My name is Samiya and I've never had the chance to speak with a gillman before. I love your statue of the city by the way, very beautiful."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

I am content to let Samiya be our "voice" of the party.....hoping that the gillman has a liking for humans and redheads....I rest my shield on the ground and rest my hand on the rounded boxwood pommel of my blade in a non threatening manner...my eyes ever scanning not just the gillman for the first sign of hostility...but where any threat might launch out at us....flanks...front...rear...above...repeating the process in a box scanning process.

Findlefarb finds a way to tread water, then continues to the city spire to hold onto the base for support. He looks the gillman over.

"Hello," he begins. "This is a shrine to Aroden, yes? Would you be able to tell this silly gnome about this shrine? I, and everyone else, are here to learn. That's all, just learn."

The man blinks at the Ifrit sorceress, perhaps not undemanding her.

Perception DC 10 will reveal the man is deaf. You will have to talk slowly and clearly so he has a chance to understand by reading your lips.

Samiya looks at the strange gillman, who is giving her a blank look.
What in the world is going on with him? she wonders.
Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 4
She takes a closer look at him, searching for signs of something wrong.
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Suddenly it makes sense why he hadnt noticed their arrival...the gillman is deaf!
And here I am...in a damp smelly cave...talking to a deaf gillman. If only my mother could see me now.

Taking extra care to speak slowly and use gestures to get her point across says "Hello, I am sorry to bother you. We mean you no harm. We only want to look around. Please do not be afraid."
Turning to the others she says "Apparently he's deaf, don't look threataning, she catches herself as she notices Daru, "If you can help it that is."

Daru looks up from rummaging through the backpack given to the party by our guide. She tries to read the vibe of the Gillman, then smiles and nods encouragingly.

Perception: searching backpack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 3

Aid Another, Diplomacy: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (6) - 3 = 3

Oblivious to the fact that she's now convinced the gillman she wants to eat him, Daru happily goes back to rummaging through the pack, humming tunelessly to herself.

"SCORE!" Daru looks furtively about. "Er--uh--I mean I wonder why she gave us this empty bag? Just kidding!" Daru's laughs awkwardly at her own bad attempt at humor.
"Seriously, once we finish chatting up Mr Fishface, we should divvy up this up among those who can use it."

I look over at Daru and smile at her observations..wondering what useful items my be in the slip's bag....hopefully something that could aid me in a fight...or my companions....

Upon learning the gillman is deaf, Hammerdas covers his ears to empathize. The Ulfen lacks total self awareness as he stands with cupped hands to his head and holding his anvil between his knees.

Findlefarb just waits patiently, and looks around. He finished his swim to the diorama, but makes sure he only holds onto the area below the city for support.

the hillman dives to the bottom, with Findle, to make sure the bard is not causing any harm to his diorama

I look around.....not sure to make of the deaf gillman...yet scanning the area....for threats.....

Wait, did he just drag me under the water?

Watching as the gillman suddenly dives into the water, Samiya thinks Where's he going? Maybe he didnt understand me?

oh Hells...what is gilly guy doing

I go from a slight resting posture to a much more defensive stance...shield up....blade drawn and in hand....should and sword arm cocked back in the first position, my fingers and thumb wrapped in a interlocking grip around the boxwood grip, guard and pommel...the blade resting ever so lightly on the brass edging of the layered curved tower shield.....ready to strike like a scorpion...or pounce like a camel spider

Daru looks at Titus and whispers conspiratorial: "Is it time for more bombs yet?"

Aye Daru, it just might be the tie for a few more of your lovely bombs!....Thought lets make sure that we have a real problem on our hands.....I don't mind dispatching foes....but lets not put the gnome at risk...or kill ole gill if he is really not a threat....but be ready...the sword..drawn but not swung...the bomg ready but not used can be just as effective sometimes..

Hammerdas drops his anvil from his knees and kicks off his boots. He wades waist deep into the pool to observe the situation with the Gnome. (He treads water should wading be impossible.) He remains nonthreatening but is ready should his ally need help. He wears concern across his face for Findlefarb.

Swim: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Hammerdas...let me know what you see...I got funny feeling about things here

The gillman seems to be merely checking to make sure that Findle did not harm the altar underwater.

Swimming away from the altar (and not pushing off from it), Findlefarb summons forth some dancing lights and dives into the water with them to see what else might be happening with the diorama below the water line.

The altar is the diorama.

The gillman seems amused and waves at the little bard before returning to the surface, having made sure his holy place was safe.

I let out a sigh of relief....the situation appear to de-escalate itself

"Oh look, Findlebarb made a friend...apparently his little city thing is special to him, so lets not disturb it?
Samiya puts on a big smile and motions to the bard to come back to the rest of the group.

Hammerdas exits the pool and sits on his anvil as he puts his boots back on. He is relieved the situation seems to remain friendly. Yet also eager to know more about this mysterious gillman. Why do they come to this cave, he thinks to himself as he mutters his name.

After looking underwater to see if the diorama has additional details below the waterline (we're talking gillmen, they might have a second whole city down there) Findlefarb swims back to shore.

"Maybe we can still talk to him, even if he can't hear us... Let me tell a story."

The gnome lets the dancing lights illuminate a patch of air above the lake, four torchlights turning in a circle. He pulls out his recorder and pipes a small tune. The circle inscribed by the lights fills with color, looking like a stained glass window. The figures in the window move around, and soon, it is clear that they represent the Pathfinders. The city of Absalom, the forest, the cave, and the gillman all appear. And then... time rewinds within the circle. The city shrinks, and Aroden arrives, his symbol prominent.

Findlefarb looks toward the gillman for response.

Casting silent image.

The deaf oracle smiles, bemused "I listen to the holy water. Do not hurt." he utters in a broken, overly loud tone. "With light, I can read lips O.K. Hard to see in dark."