Krentak looks at him and hangs her head.
This... this is bad news. I am sorry to hear that Warvil is dead. He was proud warrior.
She shakes her head at the question however.
Warvil took all with him with he left... unless he left something in the temple.
She muses thoughtfully.
Go there sometimes he would... Krikika are not allowed to enter sacred grounds, but smoothskin can. He would go when tired, or upset, and he wanted to be alone.
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Why can you not go to the sacred grounds? Would us smoothskins be allowed to go? I appreciate your hospitality, and I do not want to be rude, but we are expected to be on a schedule, and will have to eat and run. I don't have much that I think you would find useful, but for your hospitality, let me give you these. Socrates pulls out three vials of antiplague.If any of your people get a disease, give them one of these and it should help.
I'm also keen to learn if we'll be facing much hostility at the sacred grounds. Any information you can share would be appreciated.
Krentak blinks in confusion.
We cannot go because it is forbidden for scaleskins to go to sacred grounds. Smoothskins are not scaleskins, so they may go, but guardian only let worthy enter.
She says this as if socraties where an idiot for not realizing it sooner. She does take the gift and smiles.
Oh... these are very nice... perhaps...
She thinks for a moment and studies the gift for a moment before nodding.
A gift for a gift. Is only right.
She digs in her pouch and pulls out a holy symbol of Gozreh, fairly well crafted.
Is totem of adult Krikikak She explains.
As gift, let me give you one of the many Warvil make. He good with wood and knife, even if he have no claw. Made present to many Krikikak before he go. Warvil say if guardian threaten you, to show it totem, and it might not kill you. Save many Krikikak lives.
Krentak shakes her head.
No. Warvil knew. No more Warvil though. We just stay away. Two guardians though. One made of mud. One of air. That one look like a squid! They let you run away if you have totem though.
Dragos nods his temporary farewells to the scaleskins. He is quiet mostly, mulling over the thoughts in his head.
As the group starts to put some distance between themselves and the lizardfolk, he pulls his whip out, holding the handle carefully and admiring the craftsmanship of the weapon. He takes a deep breath, tempted to speak up, but instead keeps his thoughts to himself and follows along.
"Nice work back there Socraties. Ye have a silver tongue, no doubt."
"We be too close to be takin too many chances now. Let's be careful so no one gets hurt." he says, the father in him coming out full force.
The team marches through the trail unimpeded except for the occasional vine, tangle, and bug. Soon enough, the team sees the ruins of a monastery up ahead.
The double door at the front lies open, one door hanging from a hinge, the other creaking softly in the breeze.
"That don't look right..." Dragos says, his voice trailing off slightly.
The old pirate unfurls his whip, and quick steps forward. "I'm thinking someone beat us to it."
"This be a temple to Abadar of old, afore Gozreh took it over. Ye can tell by the architecture." he tells the group.
"Friends, I fear this guardian might prove overly strong for my wife. She has abilities beyond ours. I suggest we use those abilities."
I do not like this, my love. It always feels as if you are slipping away from me again. It so saddens my heart. Stay close.
Nyvorlas moves closer to his deceased wife as his hands hovers near her wispy shoulder.
A trickle of water flows from the damaged stone fountain at the center of this open courtyard. A muddy morass surrounds the fountain, flowing across a path bordering the courtyard and flooding a small side chamber. Two recessed areas at the courtyard’s northern end hold tall statues and steps up to a small landing. On the west side, a statue depicting a bearded old man with wild hair stands before a landing with a shattered circular window. On the east side, a female statue lies smashed on the floor, and the landing and exterior wall have crumbled away.
As the team moves into the old temple, the mud in front of the fountain burbles and.... stands up into a vaguely humanoid shape. It burbles and screeches at the team!
With that, he launches a ball of mud through the air!
Much to everyone, including Moselle's suprise, the mud slaps into her face, covering her from head in sticky mud that holds tightly to her face and blinds her!
PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!
Setare
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Mudlord
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Nyvorlas/Moselle
Dragos
Socrates
Jack
The mud being glares in anger at Setare as she slashes at him... she feels that even though it would have been a devastating blow on others, the mudman has no weakpoints to exploit!
The mudman raises it's arms high, bringing his fists down with devastating pummels!
Setare turns it aside with a lucky strike and takes a quick slash!
But the second blow is more than Setare bargained for, and the beast smashes her with a heavy muddy blow, it's muddy body gripping her tight, squeezing the air from her lungs!
PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!
Setare Grappled
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Mudlord -15 Grappling
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Nyvorlas/Moselle
Dragos
Socrates
Jack
Grrrrr, maybe get that holy symbol of Gozreh out after this Socrates...
Jack stalks forward, drawing his falchion as he goes, before bringing it down on the head of the muck man. I will use a round of Bane for this guy. He will wait for Socrates to go (I am assuming he is going to sing) before doing do.
Socrates knows that the creature is a Mudlord, and that if they take a moment to do so, they can engulf prey much like an ooze can, crushing them and suffocating them within their bodies!
When he bears his holy symbol, the creature only seems MORE enraged!
PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!
Setare Grappled
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Mudlord -43 Grappling
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Nyvorlas/Moselle
Dragos
Socrates
Jack
Moselle does her best to wipe the mud from her eyes.
'My love, Setare' is in trouble!'
"I know, be careful my love. Save her if you can." Concentrating on his wife, Nyvorlas' face screws up in consternation, begins to alter her form.
Moselle moves forward and slams the mud creature.
The mudlord grunts as he's struck by Moselle. With Setare in his grasp, he shoves her into his body!
Setare feels her body being crushed, and she can't breathe!
Everything is mud! It squeezes down on her, forcing it's way into her mouth and nose! The mud lord turns towards Moselle, clearly ready to take her on next!
PATHFINDERS FIGHT! THE BOLD MAY ACT!
Setare -18 Engulfed (Pinned), Smothered
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Mudlord -50 Setare trapped within.
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Nyvorlas/Moselle
Dragos
Socrates
Jack
We better be getting her out of there quick!
Continue with a 2nd round of bane.
Jack rushes forward and strikes, his baned weapon cutting deep into the mud lord's body. It let's forth a how of pain as it begins to disintegrate, dropping setare into the muddy puddle of the floor. The thing finishes reducing into a puddle of mud.
PATHFINDERS WIN! VICTORY!
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Socraties will stop singing, but keep the symbol of Gozreh in is hand this time.
Hmm...maybe I should keep this out...apologies. Here Setare, let me help fix you up.
He will pull one of his CLW wands from his wrist and give Setare a few healing taps.
There you go dear. Alright, lead the way my friends.He says as he shoves his wand back away.
"Nice work." Dragos says, shaking himself out of the apparent stupor he finds himself in. "Lets go deeper and see what can be found in here. No need to rush." he says, clearing his throat.
The bedrock beneath much of this chamber has collapsed and slid down the cliff into the sea below, leaving the fractured remains of the chapel’s northern half open to the elements. One of the double doors that once secured the entranceway to the south lies on the floor nearby; the other spans a short gap at the edge of the cliff. On either side of the entrance are shallow alcoves, each containing a large open stone coffin. To the north, the narrow remains of a flight of stairs wind precariously to a rough-hewn stone altar atop a column of natural rock that juts out over the sheer drop.
As the team enters the room, two coffins shift as great one eyed skeletons of giant snakes rise up, hissing softly from empty bones. As they do so, they stare at Socrates and his symbol for a moment before turning away from him curling back into their coffins, satisfied by the showing of the symbol.
The team moves into the next room. Carvings of wind and waves line the walls of this small office. The room contains the remnants of a desk and chair as well as a large stack of stone tablets stacked in one corner. The
ceiling is long since gone, leaving the contents open to the sky.
Lounging in the chair almost as if it where a perfectly ordinary thing to do, is a rather large squid made of air. It's tentacles reach out and shift stone tablets about and it gives off the air of a professor as the team moves into the room. It looks at the symbol of Gozreh and... smiles? You think?
As the waves crash against the ocean, so doeth the tides of time wear away at all things. Hyms to the Wind and the Waves, Chapter 9. What brings you hear to such a remote place... your weapons and clothing speak of the trappings of civilization, that which shuns our great god.
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With that roll would I be able to quote something back to him?
What is this thing?
Socraties thinks to himself how he must pick his words carefully, unsure of this creatures intentions.
Is there anything peculiar around here? Particularly either the piece we are looking for or something that might be hiding the piece?
"Heh." Dragos chuckles, taking the lead. "Actually the trappings of civilization bring us here. We be lookin fer the belongings of a man who came through here once before. Warvil was his name. His wife sent us ta retrieve them."
Dragos swallows, not realizing he is swallowing so hard. Maybe there be something to grab here after all. he wonders, hopefully.
Jack approaches with Socrates, and gives a deep bow to the squid.
Greetings. Ol' Jack has been known to say a prayer or two to Gozreh in the past. One hell of a squall struck my ship a few years back - some fine work of Gozreh. Prayer's to Besmara seemed to fall on deaf ears, but prayers to Gozreh seemed to get the storm to lessen just enough for the ship to survive. As Dragos says, we be here for Warvil's belongings. Ye have any idea where they might be?
Socrates knows much of Gozreh's work divine words.
He also knows that, despite it's shape, this is a fairly powerful air elemental.
The Guardian chuckles.
Ah, yes, I know Warvil. He was devout during his time here, and would often come here to pray. He came once, a long time ago, to retrieve a horn and some other trinkets that he had left in my keeping... but your welcome to anything he may have left in his hidey hole. I have no need for such things after all... such trappings of civilization do nothing but distract from the will of Gozreh.
He motions to the door to his side.
Through there is an altar that has been rededicated to the master of wind and waves... anything Warvil left behind would be there.
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Socraties is rather surprised at how polite and helpful the creature is being, he decides to save his wit and snark for another victim.
Thank you, kindly, you are such a gracious host. Socraties works his way across the room toward the direction of the alter, but stops short of passing on to the next room yet. You say he came to retrieve a horn? That may be the particular item that was pointed out to us as important to find while here, might Warvil have mentioned where he was taking it off to?
Socraties tactically stays close to the portal to the other room, but motions to encourage the others in the group to go on ahead and check out the altar in hopes that his concern is unfounded.
Jack will head to the Altar and begin searching it with detect magic up.
He'll take 20 on perception for a 30.
$#&% Dragos silently curses.
His face flushes red, and his collar feels suddenly tight. He clears his throat awkwardly and moves in towards the alter.
"Let's check what might have been left. I've got somethin I need ta tell ya." he says, trying to deflect.
Dragos shuffles into the room, looking half-heartedly for something he knows isn't there. He smooths the front of his shirt before resting his hands on his hips, trying his best to look calm and comfortable. With the entire group's eyes boring holes through him, he takes a deep breath.
"Ok, so Cap'n was afraid of ye, and fer damn good reason. If not fer the shark fiasco, ye looked as if ye could cut a swath through her entire crew." Realizing he isn't getting to the point yet, he clears his throat again.
Is my collar shrinking? Ye gods my balls are sweating, why is it so hot in here?
"Cap'n was afraid ye were going to cut her and her crew down and take the whole treasure fer yerselves. She already has the horn, and is on her way to retrieve the treasure as we speak."
It was time to keep talking, and fast, before he found a blade in his belly and no time left to explain. Dragos holds his hands up in a defensive posture, pulling a golden ring from his pocket.
"She promised me she would come back fer all of us. Gave me Warvil's wedding ring ta prove her word. Ye'll all still get yer shares. If'n she isn't back in 1 days time, then we can assume she either backstabbed us all, or something else terrible has happened."
Dragos' breathing is still quick, and his heart races, he fervently looks from person to person, lingering on Setare knowing her gentle heart.
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Socraties SEETHS for a moment to himself and has to hold himself back from berating Dragos more than once. After a few moments to catch his breath and consider the situation Socraties begins a much more calculated barrage.
Dragos, I respect your loyalty to your crew, but could you at least have told us before we went to the scary temple?We signed a contract, if she couldn't trust our signatures, then I can't trust her word through you, especially when I have no idea what kind of booby traps Redclaw's treasure may have that, as you said, we would be much more able to handle than the crew.
Do you know where the treasure is? You say she should be back in 1 days time so it can't be more than half a days trip. We need to try and find a way to follow the ship and best case claim our share, worst case, back the crew up.
If we can't find a way to follow, you better hope everyone comes back, I DID NOT lose two friends for nothing! If we have to chase her down she will see just how well we CAN cut through her crew.
After he finishes relieving his anger Socraties takes a deep breath and has a thought.I may have an idea. Socraties says hopefully, taking off at a near sprint down to the shore hoping to find Jenesara. Half way out the temple he shouts back to the others,You may want to follow!!!
"I didn't expect any trouble in here, and honestly, I hoped ta find somethin that would let me not have ta explain all this." Dragos answers, accepting Socratie's anger. "If we had just kept the holy symbol out, that mudman wouldn't a gotten so mad." Dragos looks sheepishly to Setare, apologizing with his eyes for the trauma she went through.
"I warned the captain when she told me that ye had lots of friends already on the ship. I think that be what scared her the most. Might be a few that ain't happy she left us." he says, desperately trying to defend the captain's decision. Not so much for her sake, but to protect his own hide.
Suddenly Socraties takes off. Dragos looks to the others, then allows his shoulders to slump as he tries to keep up. "Yes, the island is close! But we need ta wait til the mornin before we go anywhere lookin fer her!" he shouts between huffs and puffs.
Jack listens to Dragos' words. As he speaks, Jack's eyes go cold and hard. You might expect him to get angry and shout and swear, but he speaks little. After Socrates finishes, Jack follows the elf down to the beach.
That Captain is a treacherous cur. I think I've got the same idea a Socrates. Gonna get me one of those hippocampi we saved earlier. I'll chase Varosa down and kill her. Hopefully the crew won't stop me, but I'll go through them all if I have to. Nobody betrays Jack like this.