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The tingling at the top of his tail alerts Torku that danger is nearby. Moving gracefully up the stairs, he stands between Yoon and Cleatus with rapier drawn. ”What did you stir up?” he asks gruffly of the older manner focusing on the blade in his hand.
Thorn of a Fallen Empire, remember the hands which once wielded you. Remember their skill, their victories, how you swept aside the blades of your foes. Now, it is time to do so again!
A translucent shield of force blossoms around the tiefling before fading into transparency.
A horrible undead monstrosity, its flesh straining against its bones, rushes out from behind the wall eager to devour you all. It attempts to bite Cleetus as he prepares himself for combat, but strikes a glancing glow that fails to penetrate his barklike skin.
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"Gh-ghouls!," Wen says, looking a slightly paler shade of blue. "Oh, they are the worst, don't let them bite you! Here, here, I--"
Babbling slightly with apparent nerves, the clerk hurriedly sketches a few Tien symybols in mid-air with a fingertip, and then pokes Conloach in one of his brawny shoulders. "Please go intercept them before they get to me!"
That done, Li Po takes a nervous step and hurriedly pulls a scroll from within his robes.
The owl hoots softly from his shoulder, glowing eyes fixed on the undead.
Another ghoul runs out from behind the wall at Yoon, threatening to tear the child apart.
Yoon giggles.
You want to bite me? You may find I am spicer than your taste!
She takes a step back. Fire cames into her arm, burning like mad and attacks the ghoul.
Yoon's fire blast strikes the ghoul in front of her squarely, and the undead creature begins to burn fiercely.
Another undead creature, this one appearing to be some sort of skeleton with patches of flesh having off its frame in places, strides out from behind the wall as well.
Conlaoch misses his attack on the ghoul attacking Cleetus, but Torku pierces its necrotic hide and sends the flaming pile tumbling to the ground.
The remaining ghoul continues its attempts to tear Cleetus apart. It strikes the unarmored man with two of its claws despite the protective nature spell.
Yoon moves to a strategic place. "Do not move!
She does not have precise shot...
Red Wight Damage Taken: 7 (+5 temporary hp)
Yellow Ghoul Damage Taken: 7
Despite a numbing constriction taking hold in his chest, Cleetus remains able to act, and he strikes back at the ghoul attacking him, striking it in its slavering jaw as it seeks to sink its teeth into him.
Yoon's fire bolt torches the other undead creature, although it seems to remain undeterred as it reaches out for Cleetus. It strikes the warrior with a touch that seems to reach past his flesh into his soul.
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Li Po looks upset when one of the big, burly men whose job it is to shield him from danger and misery (at least, as he sees it), gets a chunk taken out of him-- the more so since it is in short order a chunk taken out of Li Po as well.
Li Po edges very, very gingerly closer to the battle, careful to keep the strong men between him and the enemy. He squeezes his eyes shut, breathing shallowly, muttering in Tien under his breath as he lifts his hands up.
Whatever he is muttering to himself, the ghostly image of a number of calligraphic brushes seems to appear, barely visible, around him, and then these nearly-invisible brushes seem to strike graceful X-s over the two undead.
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"Conlaoch, Cleetus! Take that ghoul out! Conlaoch, flank with me when it's safe." Torku snaps. I suppose putting myself between this thing and the child is just a happy coincidence, he thinks to himself as he waits for his fellow warrior to step into position, rapier at the ready.
Wight Damage Taken: 11
Ghoul Damage Taken: 22
Li Po Wen's holy attack smites both of the undead, tearing strongly into the skeletal creature. Both remaining standing after the assault on their undeath, however. Cleetus's punch misses the ghoul but strikes the Wight solidly.
Seeing its foe weakened, the ghoul turns its attention toward Conlaoch. Its assault is savage as it tears into the warrior.
"Yes! Nobody has moved! Thanks!" she Says.
She called the fire in her to Burst the Two undeads.
Fire
Ghoul dies whether or not it saves.
Wight damage taken: 25 - the last entry assigned damage to the ghoul and wight backwards.
The ghoul burns in Yoon's pyromantic assault, but the wight remains standing despite its severe injuries. It swings at Torku, but its clawed hand beats ineffectually against the occultist's force shield.
"Feel the heat!"
She do not have precise shot...
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Yelping in pain thanks to his less-than-voluntary connection to Cletus, Li Po focuses on the important fact that if any of the warriors fall, he's next. This causes him to read aloud quickly from the scroll in his hand; a nimbus of light flickers from the parchment, to... the owl. With a soft hoot, the glowing owl takes off from Li Po Wen's shoulder and moves to land on Conloach's-- and his body is freed from its unnatural stiffness.
"I think you all have this in hand," Li Po Wen says faintly, feeling more injuries appear on his person. "Just-- going to heal--"
Yoon's fire spell blasts the last undead, sending scorched bones skittering across the plateau. The battlefield falls silent.
After recovering from your injuries, the party has the opportunity to explore the nearby ziggurat and to help the lizardfolk in the area claim the lost power of the serpent empires.
The lizardfolk guides that were sent with you cry out as you approach, pointing out the bodies of some other lizardfolk. "These were our kin. Oosthic sent them ahead to retrieve whatever lies beyond the doors."
In order to enter the ziggurat, you must first disable the wards.
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"Well, we'll try not to add too many more bodies to the pile," Torku says as he studies the runes.
"'Warm blood feeds the cold god.' Typical." Torku pulls out his dagger and draws it down his arm. As dark blood wells, he presses the limb to the stone and complains, "I don't know why people continue to keep using wards like this that can be overcome with no skill, just a little discomfort."
Torku's insight is well placed, and the warding dims as rivulets of his blood run into stone grooves on the door, being absorbed by the ancient magic.
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Li Po Wen is embarrassingly relieved when the fight is over, though he does wag a finger in Cletus's face. "What did I tell you about being reckless with your body! You might show a little-- a little consideration, sir!"
With a huff, the Tien man surveys the others. "Is anyone hurt? If you have your own wands of healing then I am willing to use them upon you-- the more of you are healthy, the saf-- the better we all do."
Wen has somewhat recovered his composure by the time they reach the doors, his owl nuzzling reassuringly at his cheek, not that he seems to appreciate this very much by the way he tries to pull his head away.
"I don't know this language..."
"....and I have not yet studied the histories of these people," he admits with great chagrin, studying his feet. Ah, to be lacking in the learned arts-- how can he even call himself a scribe?
"Gum-Gum doesn't Read."
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"And this last one translates to 'false skin emboldens the true' - though how they managed to reconcile 'false skin' with 'true' is beyond me at the moment." Torku shakes his head. "But the serpentfolk were known for changing their appearances with magic and whatnot. Can anybody do something similar?"
Yoon and Gum-gum disguises themselve with clothing.
Gum-gum has smoking and a mask made of papier. Yoon does the same.
" Can someone speak without using his voice?"
”Speak without speaking? Maybe a strong glare could do it.”
Try!
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"I wonder... there are various ways to communicate without speaking... Why, Yanguang communicated fear and trouble earlier to me, for instance... let me see."
The blue man rests a hand lightly on the ward, and does his best to communicate empathically with the bird-- envisioning strong sensations of disgust, aversion, annoyance, and antipathy. Yanguang hoots uncertainly before flying a short distance away, seemingly dispirited. With some effort, Li Po Wen tries to reverse a mental course-- focusing on feelings of love, happiness, and contentment-- and Yanguang wings his way back, making soft, happy hoots in turn.
"I cannot even think what a false face might mean, other than that I know the serpentfolk are masters of disguise..."
Sighing, Li Po attempts to fashion a crude mask out of some leaves around the base of the ziggurat.
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Li Po Wen's communication with his familiar disables the second ward, but you are unable to determine a way to open the third ward. When Oosthic arrives, she sends her strongest warriors to force the door open. They manage to do so, but both they and the party are affected by a poison curse. Oosthic thanks you for your aid and after examining you assures you that the curse will wear off on its own. She also shares some of the finds inside the chamber with the Pathfinder Society.
After being whisked away through the tapestry and spending a brief time at the Pathfinder Society's supply area, you proceed to Round Mountain, where deep inside the tunneled area you can find the Pagoda of the Rat. As you descend deeper into the mountain, however, the sphere begins to slowly spin in an erratic manner. You must find passage for the repair team.
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"No, it's... wait, not there, maybe..."
"Hold the beams steading in one hand and lash with the rope in the other - that'll make a strong connection we can continue building off of."
"Wait for me!"
"This is your mountain, isn't it? You know this place like the back of your hand, no matter if its spinning or not."
"Whoops!"
1.
"Gum-gum will help you!
2.
"I try something!"
3.
"I am agile!"
4.
5.
"Go! LI PO WEN! Me and Gum-gum encourage you!"
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Li Po Wen scans the mountain's face with some trepidation, pointing out a few, while Yanguang wings aloft and lazily sails upward, making a mockery of those creatures who don't have nice wings.
"I ... have not been trained in manual labor," the samsaran snifs. All the same he manages to suss out some basic supports.
It's clear that he has also not been trained in leaping and cavorting about.
He tries to engage with the ratfolk, but doesn't make much progress.
And finally, he tries to see a pattern, but the lingering sickness from the earlier ward seems to tripping him up.
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Cleetus begins feeling his way along the cliff finding the best route for others to follow.
"Sorry. Never did do much wood workin' before."
The Serpentfolk curse plays havoc with Cleetus' head as he tries to follow the series of handholds. Dizzy and feeling a bit nauseous Cleetus turns to ask a nearby Ratfolk for help but vomits on their feet instead. "Oooh I don' feel so good..."
"Is the cave spinnin' or am I?"
With everyone's assistance, you manage to traverse the treacherous spinning corridors of Round Mountain and make it through a particularly treacherous area just before the tunnel collapses.
Soon afterward, you reach a chasm that has a stone bridge crossing it. "Be careful," says one of the ratfolk repair team. "We're close to the Pagoda now, but with how the mountain is moving, there is no telling what kind of dangerous creatures might be about."
Conlaoch and Torku notice some creatures hanging from the stalactites above you just before they drop down to attack!
Two pliable-limbed wretches reach out toward Cleetus and Torku with clawed hands. The monster attacking Cleetus misses as it drops to the ground, but Torku is taken back as the monstrosity rakes its claws down the side of his arm. It tries to wrap itself around the occultist, but fails to gain a hold.