Nothing particularly noteworthy happens when Ao leaves his coin in the city. Perhaps whatever magic you had tapped into has finally faded.
Heading deeper into the caves, you faintly hear a feminine voice coming from the distance down the tunnel. It reminds you of Janira's voice. "As the legendary Grega . . . ccessfully ba . . . beasts . . . dee . . . gi . . . panse, so sha . . . defeat . . . servant . . . Lamashtu!"
The moonlight of the surface world above provides a welcome reprieve from the blue and green fungus of the caverns below, and light illuminates a stream whose water is hastened by runoff from a recent storm further up the mountains. A ledge to the west rises up to the nearby forest canopy.
Across the swift moving stream, you see the shadowed figures of a halfling and a minotaur in battle. Janira's voice can be made out clearly, now. He recites the deeds of famous Pathfinders that came before as she snaps her whip at the minotaur.
“Let us remember the sacrifice of the fabled Yasmin bint Faroud, favored of the Ten, who gave her life distracting Zythrustianax, draconic scourge of the Society, so dozens of junior agents could survive. Her act of benevolence is the epitome of cooperation within the Society.”
Her whip wraps around the haft of the minotaur's axe. With a swift yank, the axe falls from the beast's grasp.
Combat! Round 1. Bold may act.
[ooc]Current Effects: inspire courage +1
Janira (-17 hp; 1 NL)
Jon
Pink
Paltair
Rega
Minotaur (-7 hp; 1 NL) (disarmed)
Ao
Rega's arrow sails through the brush and lands in the minotaur's thigh. The beast blows out a snort of pain and then steps forward to gore Janira in the shoulder. The slightly more seasoned Pathfinder steps back and tosses a sticky sack at her foe. It lands square on his face and explodes in a spray of sticky strands of tar.
Combat! Round 1/2. Bold may act.
Minotaur (-12 hp; 1 NL) (disarmed) (entangled)
Ao
---round---
Janira (-20 hp; 1 NL)
Jon
Pink
Paltair
Rega
Pink clumsily bounds forward, but manages to make it across the log and up to the Minotaur at an angle
Rega manages another solid shot into the beast's side.
The minotaur makes another strike at Janira with its massive horns, but the fatigue of the chase and the sticky goo binding its limbs hamper it too much, and the lithe halfling skips out of the way.
Janira, apparently out of tricks, tries to withdraw from melee with the giantkin.
Combat! Round 2/3. Bold may act.
Minotaur (-21 hp; 1 NL) (disarmed) (entangled)
Ao
---round---
Janira (-20 hp; 1 NL)
Jon
Pink
Paltair
Rega
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Rega pants as she pushes her way through the brush and makes it to the shoreline. She sees Pink in range for attack and smiles, confident in her panther's abilities. Another arrow whistles its way towards the stubborn creature... and is too busy trying to make sure she doesn't hit pink, sending the arrow high over the beast's head.
Pink roars at the minotaur and lashes out with all her feline fury!
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Jon steps up onto the log and begins picking his way carefully across the stream. He fixes the minotaur with a powerful gaze, a creeping unease growing in the minotaur's mind even though it doesn't know why.
A mesmerist can focus his stare on one creature within 30 feet as a swift action. That creature takes a –2 penalty on Will saving throws.This penalty changes to –3 at 8th level.A mesmerist can maintain his stare against only one opponent at a time; it remains in effect until the mesmerist stares at a new target, the opponent dies, the opponent moves farther than 30 feet away, or the mesmerist falls unconscious or dies. The mesmerist can remove the memory of his stare from the target’s mind; the creature doesn’t remember that it was affected (nor does it realize that it is currently being affected) unless the mesmerist allows it. The hypnotic stare is a psychic effect, and relies more on the mesmerist’s focus than the target’s perception of his stare. It can’t be avoided in the same ways a gaze attack can. The mesmerist can use this ability even while blinded, but must succeed at a DC 20 concentration check to do so. Staring at a creature requires the mesmerist’s focus, so if he uses a gaze attack or similar ability, he must target the subject of his hypnotic stare or voluntarily end the stare. The penalties from multiple mesmerists’ stares don’t stack, nor do they stack with penalties from witches’ evil eye hexes. This is a mind-affecting effect.
When an attack that deals damage hits the target of a mesmerist’s hypnotic stare, the mesmerist can cause the target to take an amount of additional damage equal to 1/2 the mesmerist’s class level (minimum 1). The mesmerist can use this ability as a free action, and can use it even if it isn’t his turn. If the mesmerist uses this ability to increase his own damage, the additional damage increases by 1d6 points for every 3 class levels the mesmerist possesses. This damage is precision damage and is not multiplied on a critical hit. A mesmerist can trigger this ability only once per round, but a single creature can take damage from multiple mesmerists’ painful stares in a round.
While the other Pathfinders make their way across the stream--one way or another--Pink gives the minotaur something else to worry about as the panther bites and claws the bovine beast. Jon's gaze makes the bite seem that much more painful. It turns upon the panther with a roar. With a wild swing of its neck, the minotaur buries its horns in Pink's hide.
The inspiration from Janira's words fade. The halfling makes her way toward Paltair.
Combat! Round 3/4. Bold may act.
Minotaur (-32 hp; 1 NL) (disarmed) (entangled)
Ao
---round---
Janira (-20 hp; 1 NL)
Jon
Pink (-3 hp)
Paltair
Rega
The panther yowls in pain and lashes out at the creature, driven by primal self preservation.
Distracted by pain, Pink looks more like she's playing with the giant.
After Paltair's powerful blow, the minotaur staggers and opts to cut his losses. It breaks away from the panther and half-orc, making to escape into the woods.
Combat! Round 4/5. Bold may act. Or end of Combat.
Minotaur (-42 hp; 1 NL) (disarmed) (entangled)
Ao
---round---
Janira (-20 hp; 1 NL)
Jon
Pink (-3 hp)
Paltair
Rega
"Oh, yes, that would be most kind!" Janira replies to Rega's offer, still somewhat out of breath.
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Paltair sheathes his own greataxe and hefts the minotaur's discarded weapon. "Hah! A right beauty this one is!" he says joyfully. "Handle's certainly made for a larger wielder, but look at how much weight and force you can add!"
The half-orc turns to Janira. "And well done! The Society is lucky to have someone who can face down a minotaur and force them to give up their weapon." He nods his head in respect.
Rega's magic brings a bit of color back to Janira's cheeks, and the halfling woman seems less fatigued. "Thank you! I'm glad you arrived when you did! It seems we're safe enough, now. What did you discover in the caves?"
Paltair does find that Ao's assessment is correct. The axe haft is cracked in the center and the axe head wobbly as a result.
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"Let me show you! We found ancient carvings, a model of Absolom, a deaf gilman taking a bath, skeletons..." Rega takes out her notes and goes through them with the halfling. "...And defeating a minotaur is definitely not something I thought I'd do on my first assignment as a Pathfinder Society agent."
Rega is as excitable as a teenager at this point.
"Fascinating!" Janira exclaims. "I never would have guessed!"
The journey back to Absalom is far less eventful than your journey out. You are given a few hours to bathe and eat before meeting again in one of the lecture halls of the Grand Lodge. The Master of Scrolls, Kreighton Shaine, waits for you there.
"Janira says that you have made quite the discovery in the cave," he says. "Let me see your notes!"
Perusing Rega's notes he nods and smiles, "Well done. It is important to write down ideas and observations when they are fresh. It's hard enough to remember what one had for breakfast." He chuckles at his own joke. "Well, this makes you four the foremost authorities on this cave and the what it contains. You have the honor of naming the cave. And of writing up your formal reports!"
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"Master Shaine, this cave... it seemed sacred to those of Azlant decent. Maybe they already have a name we should honor?"
"That is certainly true - but there is no dishonor in giving it yet another name, so long as we recognize both. Such is done all the time."
"As for such a name to give? Perhaps 'Azlant's Echo'."
Master Shaine congratulates you once again and sends you off to write your reports. A few days later you are summoned back to the Grand Lodge.
"It is my pleasure to present you with this proof of your confirmation as Pathfinder field agents," the Master of Scrolls says, handing each of you a wayfinder. "Make sure to do us proud!"