The wounded Kish at first flinches, but Tzayl calms them down. "It is alright, Resut. I believe they are here to right recent wrongs."
The two Kish accompanying Tzayl take the weapons of the four you've helped subdue , but otherwise don't harm them further. Metun aggressively calls them "traitors" and "exiles", and threatens to help them meet their newfound "goddess" sooner rather than later. Tzayl seems saddened at the interaction, but leads you into the city without another word.
Your ship landed in roughly the southeast corner of Istamak, and she takes you directly west.
Along the way she asks John questions, though she makes eye contact with most of you as she does so. She does not address Varnais. Some of her questions include:
"What are your names?
Where are you from?
How are you affiliated with the strangers who attacked several days ago?
Why have you come to Istamak?"
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Not seeing any reason to lie, John answers truthfully.
"My name is John Rebus. I come from a planet called Bretheda - a gas giant, like this one. However, rather than living in floating cities, we live on the moons that orbit around the planet; my home is very far away. We are definitely not affiliated with the strangers who came before - they represent a nihilistic force, that wants to destroy the universe; to that end, they seek a terrible, destructive weapon. We seek to stop them! In order to do so, however, we need to find out what they discovered here, so that we can work out where they have gone..."
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Pangea mutters: "Man, the Cultists' sure converted this bunch fast..."
- Just tell her... I am the one of the knights who protects the universe from those who came to them before us. We... anyway I'm for sure... here to find that cultists and make a well-deserved retribution. Tell her, she can address me by my rank - Signifer.
Varnais muffled growls it all. However, you understand that the symbol of familiar lawful deity turned her into a little bit more good mood.
Zolvi nods towards Tzayl. Zolvi. I'm a researcher. Actually live on a spaceship myself, but the rest of what John's saying is true. We came here hunting those strangers of yours. They've attacked others before, and want to find something that'll let them hurt millions more. We do't think that's a great idea.
At the mention of "moon", "planet", "galaxy", or any other astronomical terms, John speaks, but no translation exists.
You realize that, with this planet's thick atmosphere of pink clouds, there is no ability to see beyond the sky from the location of the city.
These people are likely unaware of any existence beyond their own.
Having understood this, Varnais a bit flustered.
- Okay, tell me about... hmm, what happened here in the last few days... Describe the other aliens. Did they bring destruction? And what is your own conflict here? I mean between your people.
Tzayl leads you westward through Istamak, although it is more of a technological ruin than a city. The archaeologists among you are having a field day trying to parse the former functions of the buildings you pass.
West of the landing pad you enter through what must have been a dockmaster’s building, a place where merchants and visitors to the city
would declare their goods and fill out the appropriate forms. These days, it serves more as a staging area for lichen collection. The interior of the building is gutted, and the walls are covered with murals worked in crude paint and charcoal. The images seem to depict a blurry light in various positions in relation to the Emerald Landing Pad; each of these pictures is accompanied by a number of what appear
to be tally marks. The murals most likely depict a kind of calendar that communicates the best periods of the year in which to harvest the lichen.
You are eventually lead through a series of fences towards what looks like it was once a Community Center. The two guards accompanying you rush forward and call out in greeting, and a large door opens from the inside.
Tzayl ushers you in to a room of other Kish, whose looks range from quizzical to fearful. "Welcome to our safe haven. We call it, 'Cloudside'."
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"Fascinating!"
We could kidnap one and take it up above the clouds and into space before bringing it back down. Sheher suggests It would be fun.
"Describe the other aliens."
“They arrived in a metal cloud like yours, but different in shape and color. Theirs looked angry, as did their clothes. We initially welcomed them into our great temple, but they profaned the Vault of Tales and attacked us."
"Did they bring destruction?"
"They caused many deaths and much destruction. After a time in our vaults, they then returned to their cloud and ascended into the sky.”
"what happened here in the last few days?"
"After the strangers left, Huntmaster Xavra sealed himself and some of his warriors within, claiming that the temple must be kept safe from other strangers. I objected to his decision, and the chieftain saw fit to exile me for speaking out. Luckily, I was not the only one to feel this way, so my neighbors joined me in my banishment.”
"And what is your own conflict here? I mean between your people."
“You come to us in turbulent times. Those you see around you have been recently cast out from their homes for daring to speak out about Huntmaster Xavra’s desecration of tradition. And now we clash in the streets to protect ourselves. It is very sad.”
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John raises an eyebrow at the suggestions of his colleagues.
"I doubt that that would endear us to the local populace, given how badly they were scarred by their other recent visitors... we want them to trust us, rather than become incredibly xenophobic."
He then turns back to Tazyl.
"I am sorry to hear that your Society has been so compromised by your recent visitors; believe me when I say that not all outsiders are like those that came before. Perhaps if we helped you with your problems, it might be possible for us to (respectfully) view those same vaults, to try and determine what the other outsiders discovered there?"
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"I couldn't give two Galvanian Nickles if they become Xenophobic. The people we are after are getting away, our ship is not operable, and these people are in a civil war that isn't any of our business. Let's get the stuff we need to repair the ship and get the hell out of here and back on track. If that means we have to kill this Xavra character, then fine, I'll go kick down the door and send him to whatever good he worships, but let's focus on the task at hand. I want to get off this god forsaken rock"
Tzayl thinks for a moment.
“The doors are shut from within and can be opened only if Xavra allows it. But," she covers her holy symbol, as if it could hear her, "You could petition our ancestors. They see all. They might speak to you of another way in. Perhaps if you were to listen to them, you could benefit from their insights."
Resut, the guard that Pangea healed, then speaks dismissively, "Why would our ancestors favor these strangers, when the last ones were so destructive?"
Tzayl turns to address Resut, "They may not, but if they prove themselves worthy enough, who could stand against them?”
"John, can you ask them more about this Vault of Tales, what the Cultists removed from it, and what's involved in petitioning these ancestors?"
”There are two places of significance where my people go when they want to hear the voices of their ancestors or seek their blessings: the House of Renewal, and the Maze of Ghosts. We regard these places as sacred, but not many kish have visited them in close to a year. Perhaps,” she muses, ”if Xavra and his warriors had shown more devotion, they wouldn’t have been so quick to break away from tradition.”
Resut protests once again about strangers visiting sacred sites.
Tzayl responds, ”I do not see any harm in you enacting our rites; perhaps they might even grant you understanding of our community.”
"The House of Renewal is a place of either healing or silence, depending on who makes the pilgrimage there. Kish go there when they are ill, physically or spiritually, and step into the chamber at the center of the building. If the ancestors judge the kish’s heart to be true, she emerges healed, sometimes even healthier than before. Otherwise, the pilgrim is never seen again."
Murmurs rise amongst the gathered crowd that the House of Renewal has become corrupted in some way. Tzayl continues.
”Despite the ominous name, the Maze of Ghosts is not a frightening place. It is where our visions of the ancestors are the strongest. Kish who want to feel a deeper connection with their ancestors and the city’s history meditate within. However, if the kish’s intentions are not pure, the ghosts don’t show themselves.”
She can provide you with directions to both locations.
"I am unsure what the strangers did in our Vaults. I was ousted shortly after, and the Temple Found was sealed."
Zolvi shrugs. Lying if I said I'm exactly jumping to meet with spirits, but I think Sigmus may have the better idea. she adds looking towards the fellow kasathan.
Look at it this way, if the ancestors in this maze of theirs aren't friendly, we get a few scrapes and then head to their Renewal place anyway. If we're lucky, or 'worthy' or whatever, means we'll get those scratches fixed up.
"How far back does that calendar outside go? Can you ask? Did all this fall apart around the Gap...? And I'll go where you want. Should come back here if we leave, to study all this."
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Tzayl is pleased to know that someone takes an interest in their calendar. "That was the crowning achievement of my mother. It was her life's work. I have many fond memories making marks as a child, although most of them probably weren't correct," she makes a noise you imagine to be an emulation of humor. "Her example lead me to my life of serving the community. I want nothing more than for everything to return to normal."
"they seek a terrible, destructive weapon. We seek to stop them!"
"...the Stellar... Degenerator? This is not the first time I have heard that. The other strangers asked about it as well, before they desecrated our temple. Their weapons were destructive enough. It confounds me why they would want more. I will happily pray that you can overcome them."
Sheher is actually quite interested in the renewal chamber but is fine with putting it off till later.
- Stop talking without purpose. I don't care where we go first. I don't think any of these places will be safe. But we need to move on! Catch up with cultists, pick up this ancient weapon and put it in the service of the Pact Worlds. And it would be nice to restore order here, though it is not our business. But traditions must be respected...
She growls softly.
- To 'ghosts', perhaps. Just so we don't talk about it for too long.
John, go ahead and give me a Diplomacy roll. Others can aid with either Diplomacy or Culture to pantomime. If you take 20, the duration on share language will expire and not be available for your first exploration.
The - ghost - then. Zolvi says, shaking her two top arms in a spooky manner. Where - is - the - spirit?
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We have not killed any of you yet so you can trust us! Sheher says in a hopefully reassuring tone.
Pangea flaps its arms around, trying to show how benevolent we are... and decides it should take mime classes after all this.
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"Until recently, I, like all of my people, honored our ancestors, whose works you see all around us. I still hold them in high esteem, but when I was exiled, I was granted a vision of a wise woman who told me a wonderful story—a story about how I would be instrumental in holding my people together and ensuring that the traditions of our ancestors would remain strong. And I no longer feared my banishment, instead seeing it as a way to strengthen my community."
Tzayl brushes John's cheek, which seems to be a sign of endearment.
"I believe you are part of this story. You seem friendlier than our previous visitors. Please allow me to show you gratitude in return. This area of the city has more space than we can currently use. If you can find a clean room, you are welcome to use it for as long as you like. And if you can help to heal the damage done to our people by those other outsiders, I will gladly offer you the blessings of the Storyteller to heal your wounds and cure your afflictions.”
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Pangea winks at John when Tzayl brushes his cheek.
But then bows respectfully, and thanks Tzayl.
Your hustle towards the Maze of Ghosts is mostly uneventful. You are seasoned adventurers, and you generally know how to navigate streets to stay out of view. Generally.
So when two serpentine creatures roughly 12 feet long and over 1 foot in diameter lunge at you from their hiding spot in a ruined wall above, needless to say some of you are caught by surprise!
SURPRISE ROUND
BOLD MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
Sigmus
[Red]
[Blue]
Varnais
John
Pangea
Sheher
Zolvi
Their tough, knobby skin is red and black in color, and a cluster of visual sensors extend along the length of their bodies.
N medium animal
Low-light vision
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
[Blue] looks to be male, and [Red] looks to be female.
You would guess that this animal evolved on a much more rocky, possibly volcanic planet or environment, and not the gaseous world of Nejeor VI. It has a very heavy build, and looks like it could resist fire by absorbing the heat energy.
How it arrived on this planet is anyone’s guess.
You hold the target in place. You must have at least one hand free to perform a grapple combat maneuver. Your target has the grappled condition (see below) until they either use a standard action to attempt to grapple you (giving you the grappled condition) or use the escape task of the Acrobatics skill. If the result of your attack roll equals or exceeds the target’s KAC + 13, the target is instead pinned for the same duration. The grappled or pinned condition lasts until the end of your next turn, unless you renew it on your next turn with another grapple combat maneuver. The condition ends immediately if you move away. As long as you have one target grappled or pinned, you cannot attempt to grapple another. When you renew a grapple, you can remove one item from the target’s body that can be easily accessed, including most weapons and equipment (but not worn armor). Doing so immediately ends the grapple.
You are restrained by a creature. You can’t move, and you take a –2 penalty to your Armor Class, attack rolls, Reflex saving throws, initiative checks, and Dexterity-based skill and ability checks, except those made to grapple your opponent in turn or to escape a grapple. In addition, you can’t take actions that require two hands (or other limbs) to perform. You can’t make attacks of opportunity.
You can’t use Stealth to hide from the creature grappling you, even if a special ability allows you to hide when you normally couldn’t. If you become invisible, through a spell or other ability, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to your check to escape being grappled, but you receive no other benefit.
You are tightly bound and can take few actions. While you are pinned, you can’t move and are flat-footed. You also take an additional –4 penalty to your Armor Class, attack rolls, Reflex saving throws, initiative checks, and Dexterity-based skill and ability checks (these penalties replace those from the grappled condition and also apply to attempts to grapple your opponent or free yourself). You are limited in the actions that you can take. You cannot take any action that requires the use of any of your limbs, but you can always attempt to free yourself, usually through an attack roll or Acrobatics check. You can’t make attacks of opportunity while you are pinned, but you can still take verbal and mental actions, such as spellcasting.
You can use Acrobatics to escape from grapples. Attempting to escape from a grapple or pin is a standard action. On a success, you free yourself from the grapple or pin and no longer have the grappled or pinned condition. The DC to escape a grapple or pin is 10 + grappler’s KAC.
Sigmus readies for the action, and the action comes!
Against Varnais...
Against Sheher...
ROUND 1
BOLD MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
Sigmus
[Red]
[Blue]
Varnais
John
Pangea
Sheher
Zolvi
You hold the target in place. You must have at least one hand free to perform a grapple combat maneuver. Your target has the grappled condition (see below) until they either use a standard action to attempt to grapple you (giving you the grappled condition) or use the escape task of the Acrobatics skill. If the result of your attack roll equals or exceeds the target’s KAC + 13, the target is instead pinned for the same duration. The grappled or pinned condition lasts until the end of your next turn, unless you renew it on your next turn with another grapple combat maneuver. The condition ends immediately if you move away. As long as you have one target grappled or pinned, you cannot attempt to grapple another. When you renew a grapple, you can remove one item from the target’s body that can be easily accessed, including most weapons and equipment (but not worn armor). Doing so immediately ends the grapple.
You are restrained by a creature. You can’t move, and you take a –2 penalty to your Armor Class, attack rolls, Reflex saving throws, initiative checks, and Dexterity-based skill and ability checks, except those made to grapple your opponent in turn or to escape a grapple. In addition, you can’t take actions that require two hands (or other limbs) to perform. You can’t make attacks of opportunity.
You can’t use Stealth to hide from the creature grappling you, even if a special ability allows you to hide when you normally couldn’t. If you become invisible, through a spell or other ability, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to your check to escape being grappled, but you receive no other benefit.
You are tightly bound and can take few actions. While you are pinned, you can’t move and are flat-footed. You also take an additional –4 penalty to your Armor Class, attack rolls, Reflex saving throws, initiative checks, and Dexterity-based skill and ability checks (these penalties replace those from the grappled condition and also apply to attempts to grapple your opponent or free yourself). You are limited in the actions that you can take. You cannot take any action that requires the use of any of your limbs, but you can always attempt to free yourself, usually through an attack roll or Acrobatics check. You can’t make attacks of opportunity while you are pinned, but you can still take verbal and mental actions, such as spellcasting.
You can use Acrobatics to escape from grapples. Attempting to escape from a grapple or pin is a standard action. On a success, you free yourself from the grapple or pin and no longer have the grappled or pinned condition. The DC to escape a grapple or pin is 10 + grappler’s KAC.
Sigmus comes to the aid of Varnais with a well-placed shot to [Red]'s "head".
[Red] determines it had better squeeze its prey to death quickly...
Meanwhile [Blue] attempts another taste of Sheher...
Each of the "snakes" slithers 5 feet closer to their prey.
ROUND 1-2
BOLD MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
Sigmus
[Red]
[Blue]
Varnais
John
Pangea
Sheher
Zolvi
You hold the target in place. You must have at least one hand free to perform a grapple combat maneuver. Your target has the grappled condition (see below) until they either use a standard action to attempt to grapple you (giving you the grappled condition) or use the escape task of the Acrobatics skill. If the result of your attack roll equals or exceeds the target’s KAC + 13, the target is instead pinned for the same duration. The grappled or pinned condition lasts until the end of your next turn, unless you renew it on your next turn with another grapple combat maneuver. The condition ends immediately if you move away. As long as you have one target grappled or pinned, you cannot attempt to grapple another. When you renew a grapple, you can remove one item from the target’s body that can be easily accessed, including most weapons and equipment (but not worn armor). Doing so immediately ends the grapple.
You are restrained by a creature. You can’t move, and you take a –2 penalty to your Armor Class, attack rolls, Reflex saving throws, initiative checks, and Dexterity-based skill and ability checks, except those made to grapple your opponent in turn or to escape a grapple. In addition, you can’t take actions that require two hands (or other limbs) to perform. You can’t make attacks of opportunity.
You can’t use Stealth to hide from the creature grappling you, even if a special ability allows you to hide when you normally couldn’t. If you become invisible, through a spell or other ability, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to your check to escape being grappled, but you receive no other benefit.
You are tightly bound and can take few actions. While you are pinned, you can’t move and are flat-footed. You also take an additional –4 penalty to your Armor Class, attack rolls, Reflex saving throws, initiative checks, and Dexterity-based skill and ability checks (these penalties replace those from the grappled condition and also apply to attempts to grapple your opponent or free yourself). You are limited in the actions that you can take. You cannot take any action that requires the use of any of your limbs, but you can always attempt to free yourself, usually through an attack roll or Acrobatics check. You can’t make attacks of opportunity while you are pinned, but you can still take verbal and mental actions, such as spellcasting.
You can use Acrobatics to escape from grapples. Attempting to escape from a grapple or pin is a standard action. On a success, you free yourself from the grapple or pin and no longer have the grappled or pinned condition. The DC to escape a grapple or pin is 10 + grappler’s KAC.
ROUND 1-2
BOLD MAY ACT!!
------------------------------
Sigmus
[Red]
[Blue]
Varnais
John
Pangea
Sheher
Zolvi
You hold the target in place. You must have at least one hand free to perform a grapple combat maneuver. Your target has the grappled condition (see below) until they either use a standard action to attempt to grapple you (giving you the grappled condition) or use the escape task of the Acrobatics skill. If the result of your attack roll equals or exceeds the target’s KAC + 13, the target is instead pinned for the same duration. The grappled or pinned condition lasts until the end of your next turn, unless you renew it on your next turn with another grapple combat maneuver. The condition ends immediately if you move away. As long as you have one target grappled or pinned, you cannot attempt to grapple another. When you renew a grapple, you can remove one item from the target’s body that can be easily accessed, including most weapons and equipment (but not worn armor). Doing so immediately ends the grapple.
You are restrained by a creature. You can’t move, and you take a –2 penalty to your Armor Class, attack rolls, Reflex saving throws, initiative checks, and Dexterity-based skill and ability checks, except those made to grapple your opponent in turn or to escape a grapple. In addition, you can’t take actions that require two hands (or other limbs) to perform. You can’t make attacks of opportunity.
You can’t use Stealth to hide from the creature grappling you, even if a special ability allows you to hide when you normally couldn’t. If you become invisible, through a spell or other ability, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to your check to escape being grappled, but you receive no other benefit.
You are tightly bound and can take few actions. While you are pinned, you can’t move and are flat-footed. You also take an additional –4 penalty to your Armor Class, attack rolls, Reflex saving throws, initiative checks, and Dexterity-based skill and ability checks (these penalties replace those from the grappled condition and also apply to attempts to grapple your opponent or free yourself). You are limited in the actions that you can take. You cannot take any action that requires the use of any of your limbs, but you can always attempt to free yourself, usually through an attack roll or Acrobatics check. You can’t make attacks of opportunity while you are pinned, but you can still take verbal and mental actions, such as spellcasting.
You can use Acrobatics to escape from grapples. Attempting to escape from a grapple or pin is a standard action. On a success, you free yourself from the grapple or pin and no longer have the grappled or pinned condition. The DC to escape a grapple or pin is 10 + grappler’s KAC.
Cor! Zolvi yells as the two serpents leap out of their hiding spots and one quickly snatches up and squeezes around the hellknight. She rushes forwards, slicing at the female trying to get it to dislodge its snack.
Hold on, get you out in a jiffy.
for
Surprised by these creatures - The locals could've warned us... did they lead us into a trap? - that Pangea has no idea what they might be, the android scans them.
Pangea rapidly loads its rifle with an injection, and shoots at Varnais, hoping it can hit a pinned target like this one.
The restorative injected into Varnais blood stream boosts efficiency.