The minotaur says something nasty in the giant language followed with a bestial laughter and starts to advance on Janira. As the party heads into the cave, Janira cracks him in the neck with her crossbow and replies something in giant. The minotaur is stunned and surprised at the halfling's resistance... eyes ablaze with fury, it charges her with its head down... she defty cartwheels away from the giant and starts running into the woods, the minotaur in pursuit.
This cave system stretches deep below the foothills of the Kortos Mounts. All of the tunnels in this area are between 3 and 10 feet wide and vary equally in height, though most are a comfortable 7 or more feet wide in each dimension. The caves are damp, which increases the DC of all Acrobatics checks by 2. Water dripping from stalactites and the distant rushing of underground streams creates an eerie backdrop. The caves’ walls are patterned with blue-green luminescent fungi that provide dim light.
Petroglyphs—most depicting marine animals or spiral shapes—periodically decorate the tunnels’ walls, becoming increasingly frequent as you go deeper. These are carvings left behind by gillman pilgrims and mystics over the years, each carving a mark to prove that she reached the caves and to commemorate the pilgrimage. The rough surface of the carvings provides a natural platform for the fungi, causing it to grow thicker and making the carvings glow slightly brighter than their surroundings.
The narrow tunnel twists and turns for several hundred feet before slowly opening to a wider passage. A large hole spans the cave’s width and stretches ten feet down the path. At the bottom of the pit lies a small bundle of cloth. The tunnel here is 10 feet wide and 10 feet tall with a ceiling mostly devoid of stalactites. The 10-foot-square pit here was once a concealed pit trap used by some of the local denizens, but has since been abandoned. There is no easily accessible means to bypass it. You are forced to cross an exposed pit with several sharp stakes embedded in the floor ten feet below. The DC of Climb checks in this area is 15, for those who wish to cross the pit by hanging on handholds and footholds and cracks in the rock wall, and whoever created the pit rounded its walls to eliminate any corners that a trapped creature might brace against while trying to escape.
--> Knowledge (dungeoneering) please.
---> Survival check please.
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I am pretty agile, I think I can avoid the spikes at the bottom, maybe there is something in the bag that Janira gave us that could help Us? I might be able to jump the pit with a running start as well and stretch a rope across to aid a climb over. Garak ponders aloud as he completed his notes and sketches.
A quick inspection of the backpack by Rogar reveals that it contains:
potion of barkskin, potions of cure light wounds (2), potion of feather step, potion of vanish, scroll of entangle, scroll of gust of wind, scroll of identify, scroll of mage armor (CL 6), scroll of obscuring mist, wand of burning hands (CL 3rd, 4 charges), wand of cure light wounds (CL 3rd, 8 charges), acid, alchemist’s fire (2), holy water, smokestick, tanglefoot bag, thunderstone, antitoxin, sunrods (2).
[as always, any items you find can be used before the end of the adventure; i.e. you are not adding these items to your permanent equipment list; after the adventure you usually have the option to buy any such items with the gold you receive at the end of the adventure... so in general, it's good to use these as much as you can before the adventure is over...]
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Alright boys back'er up, I'm gonna do this thing!
Garak leads Sweetpea back down the hallway and directs the others to follow as he hands Sweetpea's lead to Drogur.
You be good, I'll be back soon. he says to his mule. If this goes bad promise me you'll see she finds a good home he says to Drogur as he turns and runs towards the pit and makes a leap of faith.
Garak: you clear the ten foot pit effortlessly... approximately 30 feet beyond the pit and out of sight around a corner is a long, 3-foot-wide wooden plank that rests against the cave’s wall. I'm gonna assume you fish out the cloak at the bottom of the pit with a grappling hook or fish hook, or even by using the big plank at an angle down the pit... Drogur's detect magic confirms it's a cloak of resistance +1.
The group cross the pit on the makeshift bridge and continues its journey. 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.
The carvings here are different in style from the petroglyphs found elsewhere in the caves, and they date back to long before the gillmen explored this area. Scattered throughout the cave are inscriptions from the History and Future of Humanity, the principle holy text of Aroden, and images that depict these passages.
The carvings focus on parables that feature Aroden’s 12 guises, meant to illustrate his hopes for humanity: the artist, beggar, craftsman, farmer, fisherman, hunter, merchant, scholar, shepherd, soldier, tailor, and thief.
Only four of these parables are still decipherable. Deciphering the images and writing is difficult because of their eroded state; a successful DC 15 Knowledge (history or religion) or Linguistics check is needed to understand one carved section. Alternatively, a PC can use Appraise or Perception with a –2 penalty. The writing combines Aquan and Azlanti, and a PC receives a +2 bonus on his skill check for each of these languages he can understand. For every 3 points by which the PCs exceed a check’s DC, they are able to understand an additional section (maximum of four total sections by any method).
Drogur you identify that the sections of the holy text depicted are slightly different than those that appear in the known version of the History and Future of Humanity, suggesting that these might represent an earlier version of the work. Even though Aroden disappeared or died over a century ago, these caves store a hint of his divine magic (like a wand with a single charge left) that can impart a minor blessing to those who perform a short series of rituals based on the parables... you have deciphered the following parables:
--> The 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. To
complete the Merchant’s ritual, a PC must place one of
her own coins in the miniature city and take one of the
other coins in return. Completing the ritual grants all
of the PCs a +1 competence bonus on Appraise checks to
determine the value of objects and on Spellcraft checks
made to identify magic items for 24 hours.
--> The 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. To complete the
Scholar’s ritual, a PC must record a historical fact, axiom,
or other piece of wisdom on a scrap of paper and place it
in the miniature city. Completing this ritual grants all
of the PCs a +1 competence bonus on Knowledge checks
made to identify the abilities and weaknesses of creatures for 24 hours.
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"That was quite the jump Garak!"
Garak blushes a little at Helvetcka's comment Thank you lass! Sorry 'bout the "boys" comment earlier, I meant no disrespect just my way 'o showin' camaraderie amoungst us dwarves in a general sense. All these carvings an' such have me quite excited an' fergettin' me manners. he says as he tips his hat with respect.
Garak quickly busies himself sketching and taking notes of everything and makes an extra copy of a page to submit as an offering to "the Scholar", he also grabs a gold piece to offer to "the merchant" and takes a similar coin in return.
Let me see if I can figure out the other two parables, Drogur can ye hit me with a little inspiration as well?
Garak you decipher the two following rituals:
--> The Beggar
The Beggar is depicted kneeling with an alms bowl
raised high, representing Aroden espousing humility in
all, lest they forget their shared humanity. To complete
the Beggar’s ritual, a PC must kneel before the city, admit
a personal shortcoming to another PC, or perform some
other act of humility beside the pool. Completing this
ritual grants all of the PCs a +1 luck bonus to AC during a
surprise round and while flat-footed for 24 hours.
--> The Craftsman
The Craftsman is depicted creating shoes, pots,
jewelry, and other moveable goods, referencing Aroden’s
delight at seeing his people express their ingenuity in
creating new products from raw materials. To complete
the Craftsman’s ritual, a PC must fashion a very simple
object with a successful DC 5 Craft check and place it
in the miniature city; this area has a few stones and a
small amount of clay that the PC might use in addition to
anything he has with him. Completing this ritual grants
all of the PCs a +1 competence bonus on Perception
checks to find hidden doors and concealed objects for 24 hours.
[NPCs updated; bottom map added; A stands for 'miniature city']
Heading south 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.
Here the cavern’s ceiling stretches 20 feet overhead and is crowded by dozens of stalactites, some measuring 10 feet long from base to tip. Despite the impressive geology, the cave’s focus is the sloping, 15-foot-deep pool and its tiny city.
---> Knowledge (engineering, geography, history, local, or religion) check please (roll once for every skill you have ranks in).
Kneeling reverently in the water is a lone gillman pilgrim. The gillman does not seem to hear you... he seems to be praying silently towards the miniature city, his back turned towards you all. What do you do?
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Garak completes the two rituals:
First by folding a sheet of parchment and crafting it into the shape of a hopping frog and placing in the city completeing the "the craftsman" ritual.
He then kneels, blushes and says humbly to the others:
'Member back in the Pig's Paunch when I said "I was but a humble merchant"? I'm not. I'm a grifter, I'm really good at knowin' an' learnin' an' talkin' 'bout stuff. I'm good at meetin' people an' managin' relation's, bluffin', tellin' stories jokes an' such an' I'm pretty good at appraisin' stuff too.
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Garak looks at the room in awe.
Knowledge checks:
Upon entering the stalactite chamber and seeing the gillman praying, he motions for the others to stop and allows the pilgim efficient time to complete his prayers. After a couple of minutes Garak raises his hands in a non threatening manner and addresses the Gillman (oddly his dwarven brogue is now absent from his voice):
Well met good sir, do you speak the common tongue? I am Garak a student of the world, archaologist and lover of things ancient. My friends and I are here to document and research the cave and learn it's significance. I notice that you are praying, is this a holy place to your people?
[You all get the Merchant, Scholar, Beggar and Craftsman bonuses for 24 hours]
The gillman does not seem to hear you. However when you enter the pond to perform the rituals around the miniature city, you enter his field of vision and he looks at you with an amused look on his face as you perform the rituals.
Garak: you identify the diorama as an intricately detailed model of Absalom, easily identifiable by its Starstone Cathedral. This representation of the City at the Center of the World and the Inner Sea also acts as an altar to the dead god Aroden that retains enough power to bless a few more pilgrims.
--> As the lone gillman looks at you with a bemused expression (see NPC link above) make me a Sense Motive everyone.
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As Garak completes the rituals and notices the Gillman noticing him, he waves friendly, pulls out his chronicle and starts sketching and taking notes. He keeps eye contact with the Gillman and repeats himself.
Well met good sir, do you speak the common tongue? I am Garak a student of the world, archaologist and lover of things ancient. My friends and I are here to document and research the cave and learn it's significance. I notice that you are praying, is this a holy place to your people? This miniature looks like Absalom, I can see Starstone Cathedral, have you been there?
Garak make a diplomacy check please.
waiting for Drogur and Helveticka before continuing... i.e. as you may suspect those rolls are not that good... consider assisting each other if you want to win this.
[Drogur you notice he's eyeing your cloak a lot, and you notice that he's got a similar cloak. Your body language has moved him from indifferent to friendly!]
The gillman focuses on the dwarves' lips, then smiles, and nods. He then talks, his voice overly loud, almost shouting in a heavily accented Taldane, "Forgive me for ignoring you earlier, but my ears no longer work. I am Uori. You have entered a site sacred to the gillmen. It was once sacred to Aroden, the dead god of humanity, as well, but over the past century, the carvings in the nearby room have weathered and melted, and I think that soon Aroden’s influence will have faded completely from these caves. Other creatures have invaded the other caves, and some may be hostile towards intruders. Be careful..."
[Drogur diplomacy with +8 bonus please]
"Thank you for offering... but keep it... if you found it at the bottom of the pit this means it used to belong to one of our tribe member a long time ago... a tribe member that is no longer living..."
(you've made him helpful --> he gives you a wand of shield of faith)
"Take this wand. If you don't mind cleansing the caves to the east of the undead taint, that would be appreciated. Some despicable necromancer animated the buried bodies of my kin a few full moons ago, and experimented with some dark magic of some kind... Some of us tried to fight him but never returned. I'm too old for this... I'm waiting in the hope that my undersea kinsmen send a squad at some point to attempt a rescue mission... it's been a week and no one has come from my clan, and the necromancer hasn't come out of that cave either... but if you young and able dwarves are up to it, perhaps you could try this rescue mission instead? what say you?!"
"I am Uori. It is my honor to make your acquaintance. I will wait here. Thank you!"
As you navigate the tunnels in the direction he indicated, the cave’s damp air becomes increasingly stale as you continue down through this tunnel, and as you approach this area, the stench of decay grows increasingly evident.
The passage turns to the east and opens into a small cavern littered with bits of broken glass, rotting pieces of paper, and other unusable detritus. The body of a male dhampir lies facedown toward the back of the cavern.
Also disturbing is the sight of 2 skeletons and 2 zombies...
Round 1:
Garak
Skeletons
Helveticka
Drogur
Zombies
Rogar
-->Garak: you're up!
(map updated)
Garak snaps his scorpion whip at a distance, which reaches around a stalagmite and smacks a skeleton in the skull, knocking its skull off. The skull rolls to the ground, teeth clacking, as the body steps from behind the obstruction, heedless of being headless, and moves towards Garak. Out of the corner of his eye, Garak sees a second skeleton amidst the stalagmites to the north, making its way towards him...
Skeletons on Garak:
for damage. [MISS]
for damage. [MISS]
Round 1:
Garak
Skeletons
Helveticka
Drogur
Zombies
Rogar
-->Helveticka, Drogur: you're up!
(map updated)