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Kahwen watches the violence passively.
"Some problems cannot be solved with a sword. Some cannot be solved without one," he comments, quietly.
"Oh! Friend Kyra, I forgot!" he says, moving near the cleric. He holds out an obviously not new wand. "In case any of us need healing."
He looks at the scarecrow curiously. Perhaps, ironically, he approaches closely, far more curious than scared. But he does not fall behind the group.
"Be on your guards, companions. I fear something very dark is here."
He peers into the hole for a few moments before looking at the tree.
"May I have my gear, friend Lumo?" he asks, taking the grappling hook and rope he borrowed from the quartermaster out. He knots the rope at regular intervals to make it easier to climb then finds a secure point on the fig tree to lodge the grappling hook before tossing the rope through the largest gap.
He checks to make sure his own rope is easily accessible, looped loosely across his torso, just in case the shaft is deeper than this rope will reach then begins the climb.
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"Of course, friend Kahwen! " Lumo unceremoniously dumps the man on the ground, sets down his backpack and begins rummaging. H
e waits until Kahwen reaches the bottom of the hole, then calls down. "How deep is it? "
If the fall is not to great, he dumps the man over the side. If it is dangerous, he throws a knotted rope over the side and climbs down while holding the man across his shoulders.
The thirty-foot-long, root-covered crack extends deep into the black stone of the Gloomspire. Numerous gnarled tree roots creep down the sides of the shaft, a few of them hanging almost to the muddy floor 40' below.
Dozens of shallow niches are set at irregular intervals down each of the four walls of the shaft. Though some are empty, most of the recesses hold squat, four-foot-tall stone idols of leering, horned fiends.
The crack in the ground is shrouded by the strangler fig’s entangling roots.
As Kahwen and Remmy near the bottom everyone hears the unmistakable sound of stone rasping across stone.... and six of the statues tip out of their niches and come crashing down upon the pair!
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Kahwen looks up at the noise just in time to see several heavy stone statues, ones that had been creepy when he was face-to-face with them.
They hit him with bone jarring impact and threaten to send him tumbling.
He loses his grip but extends his arms to glide down.
But the impact has left him dazed and he cartwheels out of control to land heavily and is knocked out.
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Remmy yelps as he's struck...
but manages to hold onto the rope. Crawling down quickly down the rope, he runs to check on Kahwen.
Oh d-dear! Oh my... Please don't be dead...
He turns Kawhen over and listens for breathing. He does his best to hold his head steady and take care of him.
Luckily, despite his lack of knowledge in healing, he does know bones, and is able to get him into position to keep him from making it worse on himself.
Remmy is able to stabilize Kahwen though the tengu continues to lay on the muddy floor like a stricken crow. Within his unconscious mind, Kahwen's mind's eye sees other smaller tengu flitting about his head on wings that actually work.
The party finds itself in a 20-foot-square chamber with roots hanging down from the crack in the ceiling above. Two slit openings in the wall provides more light and air from the outside. A moldy wooden door sits ajar. It opens on a 20-foot long dark corridor that ends in closed door.
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Lumo waits for Kyra to use Kahwen's CLW wand on the bird. "Aye Remmy, neither have I. I look forward to learning the way of healing. Kyra, we have much to learn from you."
After waiting an appropriate amount of time after he regains his senses, Lumo moves forward. "Well, we've got about one full day before we need to get off this unholy rock. Let's find that artifact." Then he briefly checks the door for traps, opens the door and walks inside.
Lumo waits for Kyra to use Kahwen's CLW wand on the bird. "Aye Remmy, neither have I. I look forward to learning the way of healing. Kyra, we have much to learn from you."
After waiting an appropriate amount of time after he regains his senses, Lumo moves forward. "Well, we've got about one full day before we need to get off this unholy rock. Let's find that artifact." Then he briefly checks the door for traps, opens the door and walks inside.
The space beyond the door is completely dark.
The sickly sweet smell of rotting meat fills this perfectly square, low-ceilinged chamber . The far wall features a large bas-relief carving portraying a wide-eyed hag devouring her own hands. Her eyes move and lock on Lumo's.
In the corner next to the door opposite the one Lumo entered by, sits an obvious Kuru corpse. It's male and tattered as if dogs had gotten to it. It's left arm is missing.
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Lumo looks back to Conal. "Aye Conal, you are as smart as you are swift. Unfortunately, I am also as smart as swift." He cracks a smile and slowly turns around, to highlight his lack of grace.
As Lumo turns around he locks eyes with the relief and freezes. "Uh... Guys? There's a scary statue in here... I think it may be watching me..."
Lumo takes in the rest of the room and is further alarmed by the corpse. Slowly, not making any sudden movements, he backs towards the wall and sets down his unconscious Kuru. He continues to watch the relief, expecting something unpleasant. "Hang out here, buddy. I'll come back for you when it's safe." He pats the Kuru on the head absentmindedly, then draws his greatsword.
"Guys? You might want to see this..."
Kyra clambers down the large crack. She takes the want from Remmy, and gives Kahwen and Remmy a few taps with it, conversing as she does so.
Lumo, if you wish to learn some of the tenants of Sarenrae and worship the goddess, I would be more than willing to help you in whatever ways I can.
After the party is patched up, Kyra will nod to Lumo, mutter an incantation and hold her glowing holy symbol aloft to guide the party forward.
Upon entering the room, if there is no obvious danger present, she will approach the corpse and attempt to determine the cause of death.
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"Stupid mocking birds!" Kahwen mutters as he comes awake, flapping his arms over his head as though shooing something away.
He blinks his bright, golden eyes as he looks around. The moment he remembers what happened is clear as his gaze falls on one of the statues that are half buried in the mud and he glares reproachfully at it.
"Sorry, companions. Normally, I am not so clumsy," he says as he climbs to his feet.
He doesn't have long to meditate on his failure as Lumo then others call out from the next room.
He draws his sword and opens his Wayfinder to add a little more light as he moves down the hall.
"Is this whole place filled with creepy statues?" he asks as he sees the animated bas relief.
He watches it warily, keeping his distance, for the moment but studying the chamber for signs of danger.
....
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"Companions, Friend Lumo is right, we should avoid the witch. She is dangerous. I don't think she is alive but there is magic in her and if we get too close it will be harmful. Let us see if there is a way out of here without dealing with or getting too close to her," Kahwen urges.
"I do not mind not being able to fly friend Lumo. I just like to fall with more style, usually."
Giving the statue as wide a berth as he can, he heads for the other door in the room and checks it for traps or other dangers. Assuming there are none, he listens to see if he can hear any danger on the other side.
This corpse was killed by some sort of canine creature. The arm appears to have been torn off after he was dead. Be on alert, there are likely hostile animals around.
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Lumo looks at the corpse. Then at the witch. Then at the corpse. Then at the witch. "Kyra... how does Sarenrae feel about respecting the corpses of your enemies? "
Lumo walks over to the corpse and picks it up. "Sorry, bub. " He then tosses the body at the witch and yells "HOOGAHBOOGAHBOO! "
Lumo pulls out a stone from his pouch and tosses it at the witch and yells "HOOGAHBOOGAHBOO! "
Kyra, delighted at being asked about the tenants of Sarenrae launches into a long involved speech about the finer points of the rituals for sanctifying the bodies of the dead before burial or cremation. She is so involved that she doesn't really seem to notice what Lumo is doing.
Well, that is an interesting question. Obviously, Sarenrae would frown upon ritualistic desecration of the bodies of one's enemies. However, there are various purifying rituals one can perform if the body in question was the worshiper of an evil god, and another set of rituals to purify the bodies of, for example, one that was possessed by a demon or raised as some sort of undead. These rituals have different purposes. The rituals for those who freely worshiped evil gods, or just generally did evil in their life are intended to make it more difficult to raise the bodies as undead later, or resurrect them, or other such things like that that evil gods tend to like doing. The rituals set forth for those that were possessed serve to purify the soul of an otherwise good person who was unwillingly made the pawn of an evil entity, such that they might find their final rest in the afterlife despite the actions their body was forced to perform in life. For those that don't fall into either category, Sarenrae teaches respect for the dead, but there aren't any incredibly strict tenants that are prescribed for them, other than the normal rites that we would give to any other person. Now, it is very common for all of the rituals to be concluded with a creamation, as the purifying flames are the best...
Kyra is snapped out of her speech by Lumo's shouting.
Oh well... um... that's not the sort of thing we usually do...
The witch watches Lumo, an inhuman wolfish smile spreads upon her face. Suddenly she lunges forward at the burdened Nagaji!
If Lumo starts trying to eat the still alive Kuru, Kyra will attempt to grapple him to stop him. If he goes after the corpse, she will let him go, but look disgusted.
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Lumo reacts to Kyra just like he did to the priests at the temple of Gorum. He tunes her out. "Uh huh. Sure... very interesting... "
Then, Lumo tosses the body at the wall, more out of fear than intention. "WHOA!!! That was freaky. Everybody alright? " He looks around at his comrades, making sure none of them were witchified.
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Lumo rushes to his companion's aid. "Birdbrain, I hope you are not making a habit of this! " Lumo pulls the smelling salts from his bag and holds them beneath the Tengu's face.
If unsuccessful with the salts, Lumo gives Kahwen a few slaps across the face to rouse him.
If any of this works for Kahwen, I replicate it on Conal.
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The Tengu rolls to his feet, and out of range of Lumo's heavy hand after the first blow.
He rubs his cheek then glares at the Nagaji.
Getting to his feet he grasps the beefy snake man by the upper arms and tries, unsuccessfully to shake him.
"Friend Lumo, what did I say about the statue? I said stay away from the statue! It is dangerous!" he says.
He gives the fighter another quick glare before turning back to the door. He is about to open it when he rethinks the action.
"You could open the door, though," he continues.
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Lumo smiles and let's loose his boisterous laugh. "Friend, I was just checking your reflexes. " He gives Kahwen a wink. After Conal is awake, Lumo nods. "Gorum says iron can only be strengthened through pounding. I'll gladly lead. "
Unless someone points out something interesting in this room or a reason to slow, Lumo picks up his captive in his left hand and walks through the door torch in hand.
Yes, let us proceed onwards. Time is of the essence.
Kyra will follow closely behind Lumo, holy symbol raised aloft to illuminate the area.
This long, high-ceilinged hall is partially flooded with murky, stagnant, scum-covered water, and the sound of slowly dripping water echoes ominously throughout. A massive banyan tree has breached a large section of the south wall, and the tree’s enormous invasive roots now extend several feet into the hall. Long sheets of thick moss and other detritus cling to the twisted tree roots, forming a curtain-like barrier.
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Kahwen follows his burly companion into the next room. He eyes the water warily for only a couple of moments before wading in. Much of a Pathfinder's life is unpleasant and slogging through murky water is a relatively minor unpleasantness.
He keeps an eye on the water but also looks down the chamber and into the branches of the trees for any threats.
"There are so many directions danger could come from here." he comments.