Rory is concerned about Argil and his master.
”Perhaps we could attend to an urgent matter before seeing your chieftess?” asks Rory, nodding towards the agitated elemental.
Bavick breathes a sigh of relief.
Ashlion interfering would have made things worse with this lizardfolk - who doesn't seem all that bad - and probably his wife would have taken some issue with the disrespect. Wouldn't need that drama. Glad to see Rory knows how to cheat with some subtlety..
"Perhaps we can trade this chieftess for the other jade seal we need to pass the big doors. We might not have to fight her."
As the lizardman (Othok, by name) waits to lead you south to where the Chieftess resides, Argil leads you a few steps north to where a space opens up on either side of the short hall.
To the east the acidic tang of alchemical solvents wafts out from under a canopy, where tables and shelves are lined with all variety of bottles, jars, and dripping bags. Dozens of small cages house various rodents, reptiles, and large insects. Looking up from their work at one of the tables is a toad-like humanoid. It looks at with with suspicion but doesn't take any aggressive actions when it sees you accompanied by Othok.
"That is Croaguhnka," Othok explains. "She makes brews and bombs - I do not trust her."
On the other side of the hall to the west, a metal cage fills the southern end of this stone-walled room. A patch of damp hay rests within the cage, along with a bucket and a clay tray covered with the remnants of foodstuffs. Guarding the cage is a pair of sleeping lizardfolk, sitting on chairs fashioned from buckets.
In the cage and restrained by an odd chest and hand restraint is a dusky-skinned human who looks exhausted.
{"My friend, Magdi Kukoyi!"} Argil enthuses. {"I knew I sensed you! I am so happy that you are not dead!"}
"Argil?" the man says, looking up with bleary eyes. "Is that you?"
Rory steps forward after Argil finishes greeting the prisoner, saying ”Magdi, we are here on behalf of the town of Pridon’s Hearth, seeking to end this unnatural storm and save our town. Argil has brought us to you, and it seems you have run afoul of the Lizardfolk. Please, tell us what you have experienced—starting with the ambush.”
Tygrah clasps the big lizard's arm and accepts her prize. While she might not necessarily like her opponent, she at least respects him. She affixes the belt around her waist and feels her strength surging. "Ha! Now I am as strong as you when you get angry, husband!" she says with a grin.
She embraces Ashlion back, then follows the others. She eyes the boggard and other lizards warily, hands hovering over the hilts of her weapons.
"I came here with the Aspis expedition and we discovered these ruins. On some of the walls I found heretical prayers to elemental lords that are used in the creation of a powerful ritual. But we were unable to get past the main doors leading to the lower levels. There are magical seals required to bypass them. We discovered the presence of the lizardfolk and left, but It appears that they followed us."
While the man speaks, Argil swirls around him, brushing up against him affectionately.
With heavy eyes, Magdi looks up at Rory. "They killed everyone else but me. I was brought here and they put ... this ..." He attempts to hold up his hands which are bound with a restraint device a little ways out from his chest. "... on me. It doesn't look like much, but it's just uncomfortable enough that I haven't been able to sleep." His eyes sag a little and then he takes a deep breath and forces himself to awareness. "I think their intent is to prevent me from resting enough to replenish my magic."
"I believe that with this growing tempest, the Mireborn's swamp-speaker has perfected the ritual. You're going to need the two seals to open the door. I believe the Chieftess may know where one of them is, but I have no idea where the other is."
"This may come as a surprise to you, Magdi, but you were not the only survivor of the ambush. Hamsa Gadd, the expedition leader, came back to Pridon's Hearth, but has inexplicably blamed the ambush on the Song'o halfling tribe instead of the Mirefolk lizardmen. Do you know why she would do this?" questions Rory, adding,"and did your expedition do anything to provoke the lizardfolk, or did they ambush you for no apparent reason?"
Turning to the large lizardman accompanying them, Rory asks, "Othok, what do you know of this? If the lizardfolk are slaughtering people from Pridon's Hearth without provocation or working with the storm callers to destroy our town, we will find ourselves fighting against your tribe for survival, not merely for sport."
Magdi seems surprised at the mention that Hamsa Gadd survived the attack. "She must have fled right away, then," he offers. "I didn't see her fighting at all so I assumed that she was one of the first to fall. If she's saying the Song'o attacked us then it's probably to direct attention away from these ruins. She seemed intent on being the one to benefit from their discovery."
He shakes his head to Rory's suggestion that they provoked the lizardfolk. "We didn't do anything to provoke them other than search a portion of the ruins. That may have been enough provocation in their territorial minds."
When Rory turns to question Othok, he's met with confusion indicating that the large lizardman doesn't speak Common. After the gist of the events are relayed in Polyglot, the hulking figure just shrugs. "You are in our territory. We need no excuse to defend what is ours. Although, I am not a follower of Swamp-Speaker Daruthek and Chieftess Shathva bears no love for him either."
Turning to the others (and translating as necessary), Rory relates the situation.
Switching to the Common tongue, he asks, "So, what do you want to do? Shall we go talk to the Chieftess and try to negotiate for Magdi's release and the key to go through the door and confront Daruthek, or should we break him out right now and fight our way through it?"
Thinking for a moment, he adds, "While I would prefer a peaceful resolution, if the lizardfolk turn aggressive, we could be in a poor tactical position surrounded by their tribe. Still, I would be willing to risk a negotiation for the potential good it could do the region if we can convince the lizardfolk to live at peace with the Song'o and the people of Pridon's Hearth."
"Let us try to talk to these lizards," Tygrah says with a scowl. "If they get angry, then I will let my blades do the talking."
Bavick is not so sure about Magdi.
"Why did they spare you, Magdi? What did you say to their shaman? Did you promise them something?"
"I promised them nothing," Magdi replies. "I can only guess that they saw me studying the prayers. Perhaps they thought my understanding of the ancient runes would be useful. They haven't questioned me about it, though. So I'm not sure."
Travelling back, Rory takes a quick in the unexplored side chamber which appears to be a midden.
Othok leads you towards the southwestern portion of the ruined temple where a huge triple hut stands. The lizardfolk guards outside look at you suspiciously, but snap to attention when they see the huge lizardman. He seems to carry some sway.
You enter to find warm furs and stained scraps of fabric lining the floor inside the hut, with a burning brazier in its center providing light.
As you enter, you hear a loud voice yelling in polyglot, "You're both useless! Go sit somewhere and look pretty! That's all you're good for!" The voice belongs to an imposing lizardwoman. The targets of her tirade are two lizardmen who, while physically imposing, move about timidly as if afraid to attract attention.
The yelling lizardwoman turns to you, but directs her words to Othok. "What are you doing here? If you wish to challenge me to regain rulership, you embarrass yourself. I beat you once and I'll beat you again. And I have no wish for a third husband - the two I have already are useless."
Othok bows his head. "No, Chieftess Shathva. I bring you peaceful visitors. They wish an audience regarding Swamp-Speaker Daruthek."
She eyes you suspiciously, but takes a seat on a raised bench and waves imperiously. "Speak!"
Bavick starts off with his best skill - Sense Motive. He tries to engage Chieftess Shathva in conversation where does more listening than talking. Trying to get Shathva to say something about this Daruthek so he can gauge how best to influence the Chieftess. As well as get the Chieftess to talk about what she herself wants.
"Yes, this Swamp-Speaker Daruthek... a lizardfolk not of your greatness, no doubt. But Daruthek has ambition. Still, a Swamp-Speaker does not outrank a Chieftess, so what you want should come first."
"What I want is what all good leaders want; A successful future for my tribe," Shathva grumbles. "Swamp-Speaker Daruthek has promised that. I didn't realize that the price would be ... so high."
"The people of Pridon's Hearth and the Song'o tribe have also paid a high price in lives during this recent conflict," starts Rory carefully--"I so wish Pai were here!"--"and we came here with mighty warriors and powerful spellcasters to destroy the storm callers and all who support them. We must save our town and our tribe!" Rory concludes emphatically as he gestures to the others in his party.
+ any aid from the others.
The Chieftess' emotionless eyes narrow at Rory's implied threat, but he can see her looking over your group appraisingly and seeing the strength there to back up the threat.
"There's no need for us to fight, though. There is plenty of hunting land for the lizardfolk. And there can be benefits of trade - the people of Pridon's Hearth have craftsmen that make things you do not. Things that might be of value or interest to you. Tools. Jewelry. Medicines. I could establish a trading post. All would prosper."
”Indeed,” adds Rory, saying, ”We have a member of the Song’o tribe with us here,”, indicating Tizgah, ”and I am sure both they and the people of Pridon’s Hearth would be amenable to peaceful trade.”
Continuing, Rory says, ”In addition to our mission to stop the killer storm, we have been sent to recover one of our own townspeople, whom you have imprisoned here. Releasing him would certainly be an overture for peaceful relations with the townsfolk.”
+ any assists
"If I was convinced that my tribe had a place here ... that we didn't have to fight every living thing for our very survival ..."
She looks off in the distance as if considering your words.
Shathva actually chortles at Ashlion's display.
"Now there's a male that might be worth something," she snaps at the two lizardman trying to stay out of the way. "Unlike others that do nothing but lay around." She turns back to you.
"You've convinced me that following the Swamp-Speaker is a mistake. I'm not fool enough to send resources to try to stop him, however. You look like you're more than capable, though." She snaps instructions to one of the 'handsome' fellows and he scampers off.
She barks something else to the other one and he disappears into one of the attached side huts. A moment later and he returns carrying a leaf-wrapped bundle and hands it to his chieftess.
"You'll need this," she says, unwrapping the bundle and revealing a jade disk similar to the one you carry. "There's another one somewhere, but I don't know where. Probably lost in the east side of the ruins. You'll need both to get through the doors that lead down below."
As she finishes speaking, her other husband returns and with him is Magdi Kukoyi. The man is rubbing his wrists and looking about with bleary eyes. Argil continues to hover about him.
"As a gesture of good faith, we release to you your fellow tribesman," Shathva pronounces. She then looks you up and down. "We will also offer you a place to stay if you wish to rest up before you begin your search for the other key."
Rory bows to the chieftess, saying, "You are powerful and wise. We will rest and prepare. Once we defeat the Swamp-Speaker, we will return to our people and tell them of your generosity.
"One more thing, if I may," adds Rory, "What can you tell us about the battle capabilities of the Storm-Speaker? We would like to be as prepared as possible when we meet him in combat."
"Swamp-Speaker Daruthek has divine gifts and can command the very wind itself. He'll also have his four disciples with him. Do not underestimate him," the chieftess answers.
~~~~
One of the husbands leads you out towards the river and to a grass and frond hut that has been appropriated for your usage to rest.
Tygrah awakens after resting eager to face off against an evil lizard that she's actually allowed to kill. She sharpens her blades, ready for some cathartic violence!
Bavick has spent enough time in the jungle that he is now actually capable in the wild!
"Magdi, you comin' with us to stop these storms? Anything you can do to help?"
"Uh, Rory, so your... ah... monk blessings... they work on others? Like that armor thing?"
Bavick is not totally sold on the origin of Rory's abilities, but tries to be polite about it.
Rory moves to speak with Bavick a bit more...privately.
"So, after our last conversation, I was visited by the celestial being who helped awaken my abilities." With a chuckle, Rory continues, "He didn't really answer my questions, speaking instead of 'mortals and their need for categories'".
"What I can tell you is that some of my abilities I can share, and some only work for me. I seem to also be able to extract power from most magic items as well." Looking up, Rory says, "This is what I can do for you: I can share the Ki Armor, some Lightning Absorption, and extract Cat's Grace from the wand."
"One thing I have struggled with is the timing of these powers," adds Rory. "The Ki Armor will last for five hours and the Lightning Absorption will last for almost an hour. The wand's magic is much briefer."
You spend the night enjoying the peace of an uneasy truce with the lizardfolk tribe.
In the morning, the rain is finally beginning to really pour through the heavy canopy of greenery above and the wind is whipping up even the huge trees around you.
Along with Tizgah, Yolar has decided that he's going to stay here and attempt to assist the tribe against the worst of the weather. Magdi's gear is restored to him and he's quickly garbed in a very well made suit of hide armor and is carrying a staff bound with copper.
You return to the fountain adorned courtyard and take in the heavy doors again.
"I am the spirit of the temple," a voice speaks out of the muck in the fountain again, but is prevented from continuing by the second voice. "You numbskull! It's the same group as before! Don't bother."
"Oh, sorry," bubbles forth and one of the figures rises from the ooze. "You people really should haul ass out of here. Time's getting short."
Examining the doors confirms that, yes the two jade seals you have fit perfectly in the recesses designed into the portals. Placing them there produces a burst of energy and the doors quietly open.
A heavy roof, constructed from a single block of solid granite, sets this large chamber apart from the rest of the open temple. Colorful murals cover the walls, depicting various birds swimming through the sea and fish soaring through the clouds. An ominous stairwell fills the center of the room, a dull, churning roar echoing endlessly from somewhere in its depths. The broken remains of a statue litter the floor.
"Irori, bless us and protect us from the profane lightning of the Swamp-Speaker!" Rory spins and swirls in a complex kata, complete with dagger-like hand motions remeniscent of lightning strikes, lightly touching each person in turn and ending in a power stance.
A much simpler kata follows, this time with Rory only touching Bavick and himself .
Rory makes a small bow with hands folded. "I have expended much of my Qi to protect us during the challenge below. Let us proceed."
Tygrah murmurs a prayer under her breath, lenghtening her strides as she prepares for combat.
Magdi invokes a minor spell of light on his staff as you enter the room and look around.
The man's eyes widen as he takes in the murals, pointing out runes worked throughout them. "This is the history of the Storm Kindlers," he says as he moves around the room reading the symbols. "They were exiled from the Sodden Lands and came here." He steps to the next image. "Here it talks about their first attempt at storm calling. Here's their second. Here they found the successful ritual."
The man steps back from the mural as Argil twines around him.
"There are no details of the ritual itself."
Rory activates "Vision of the Gods" (Detect Magic) and scans the room. Assuming he does not detect anything of interest, he will say, "From the looks of the weather, they are succeeding right now. Let's move to interrupt them!" he adds, pointing down the stairwell.
(If he does detect something, he will investigate). In either case, he will continue to scan with the "Vision of the Gods" as they proceed.
As Rory moves to the stairs, he catches just a glimmer out of his eye as some of the shadows in the dark room move in ways that shadows shouldn't and shouts out a warning.
Combat Begins!
Round 1
Reacting quickly, Rory will call out, ”Beware, undead shadows! Use magic weapons or ghost shuriken!”
Rory suits words to action and takes a step to the northeast, flinging a trio of Ghost Shuriken at the shadow in that direction!
"I don't have magic weapons or ghost shuriken!" Tygrah snarls, frustrated at not having a way to contribute to this battle!
”Grab my crossbow!” responds Rory to Tygrah (it is a light crossbow with one of the five +1 bolts loaded into place).
"Got it!" Tygrah snatches the weapon off of Rory's back and shoots the closest shadow!