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Seeing all the talking has been done, and sighing over the lack of Dwarven relics, Toivo gives the group a wave. "Welp, I best be off then. Hate to be here if something dangerous comes along. Anyways I think I heard mention of some Dwarven ruins off over near the Druegar area!"
He wanders back outside and jumps back into the bushes whne no one is looking before taking a deep breath and letting go...
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The Shield wakes up in the bushes again, feeling hot and flustered. He glances down at the cloak and gives a disheartened sigh. We've worked so hard to build a great looking body and what does he do? Cover it up like a shameful scar! Also I'm amazed our body doesn't cook to death in everything he wears...
The shield quickly strips off the cloak, replacing his helm in the back pack with it. He then takes off the sleeves that his counterpart so ungraciously added. With a quick appreciative flex of his now bare arms, he tosses the sleeves into the pack and chucks his helm on. The big things taken care of, the dwarf settles down to rebraid his beard and do a few quick push ups.
He joins back up with the group a little later, smiling. "I saw the three groups leaving. We moving on? Time to move about and hit something, right? We aren't going for another snooze fest of 'talking' and 'diplomacizing', are we?"
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Fortune teller trait, every time I cast a divination spell I can use a harrow deck as focus I cast the spell at +1 caster level.
Harrow chosen, if I use a harrow deck as focus I cast divination spells at +2 levels. This should stack.
I put a lot of my eggs in the basket of divination spells and with every other caster I wouldn´t do it. But with the psychic and their psychic upgrades to divination spells...
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Injured, the wolf is unable to stand further as the Pathfinders knock it unconcious. And without wasting time, the group moves on to Round Mountain in search of the Ratfolk allies. Round Mountain is a sphere of stone over 10 miles in diameter.
The floor of the narrow tunnel trembles. Pebbles clatter across the ground, and a low rumbling sound echoes from the distance. A group of ratfolk scouts stagger into the tunnel. One of them cries out, “I hope that was the last of it! Hey, you, Pathfinders! Watch your step. Round Mountain is rolling! If you want to get to the Pagoda, we’ll need to secure safe passage through this tumbling cavern!” The mountains seem difficult to traverse, with it's slippery wet floors and smooth surfaced rocks and floors. It's increasingly obvious by every minute that to get there unscatch or timely, you'll need to go about this in a smart way.
~~~
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Breathing a sigh of relief that noone got more than a bite on them, Flexing comes in close and double checks that the wolves are taken care of before leading the charge to Round Mountain.
He give the rolling mountain a look of shock, not quite believing an entire mountain could roll like that. He tries to stutter out a utterance of disbelieve before realizing that the races are truly worried about the danger.
He immediately recognizes a few places on the rock faces where one could cling safely and not be tumbled about. "You, short one, hang on there and there. Long tail, move up a few grips! Perfect! Cassiopia to your right. There you go!"
His mind, however, freezes as the topic turns to ways to build scaffolding. "The basic tunnel structures that dwarves built during the quest for the sky might work... But they weren't the best and I can't remember how they were built. Also we'd need nails not vines..."
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Reznor considers a possible stanza.
Rolling, rolling, rolling in Round Mountain.
He then turns his attention to finding a safe way through the tunnels.
Lacking any knowledge or skill in the art of improvised construction, Reznor attempts to inspire his fellows with a rousing poem.
Weaving in the jungle. Well, that's all right by me ...
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Sulana gapes at the perfectly spherical mountain. I knew it was called the Round Mountain, but I didn't expect that to be so literal! She doesn't have much time to process however, as the mountain is literally rolling away.
"Alright, get to the Pagoda. I can help with that." I hope.
She joins the Flexing Shield as he helps everyone look for handholds. "There's a ledge to your right; it's just big enough for your foot. No, wait, your other right. Uh, on the other hand, maybe it was just a shadow, I'm sorry..."
With the rolling mountain throwing off her perception, she tries instead to think of a way to secure safer passage than just the handholds.
She draws a blank. Forests I know, but mountains are a different story. Especially rolling ones!
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The majority of the group fins themselves out of their comfort zone in the murky caverns of the mountains. Fortunately, The Flexing Shield and Vina are able to guide the group through some good observations and quick thinking. Unfortunately the journey is still long and it would take more than that to make it safely and quickly to the Pagoda.
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Vina races up a cliff wall holding a rope with her prehensile tail and securing it for the others around a sturdy stalagmite.
Vina approaches the lead ratfolk, "Do not despair, and p-please lend us a hand. This is your home and it will be good luck if you show my friends what they can and cannot do in some of your own neighbourhoods..."
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Flexing tries to climb the sides of the rolling tunnel using the hand holds that he'd been pointing out to everyone earlier.
He nearly scrambles up the wall like a spider, all the holds he'D found ealier being right where he left them. "And then we move over to the left, climb fifteen feet and then hop to the right about 2 feet and then..."
When the group finally has a chance to stop and breathe, he gives the ratfolk a look, Wait we were being followed by rats? Huh, I hadn't noticed... Ohhhh, wait these ones are standing on two legs and talking.
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With the help of the ratfolk, you're lead deeper into Round Mountain, eventually into a cavern with a chasm and bridge at the center. Stating that it’s not far to go, the ratfolk nonetheless caution the group, as the mountain’s erratic movements have shaken loose many dangerous creatures. The chamber is rough natural stone with stalactite covered ceilings that are roughly 30 feet high from the ground level, making them roughly 15 feet high above the cliffs. The torches on the central bridge are normal torches.
Unbeknownst to the party, a hideous octopus like creature, with thin, hook-lined tentacles connected by a fleshy web lurk on the ceiling and glide towards group in the darkness. Sulana spots them as they begin to move but they disappear in the darkness!
[
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Sulana shot into the darkness creates a clear scrapping noise against the rocks as the sound echoes in the cavern. The creatures continue moving in the cover of darkness and the ratfolk scurry in search of cover at this time!
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Realizing that something has spooked Sulana, Flexing jumps in front of her both shields raised and ready to slam one into the face of anything that might pop out. "Sulana, what is up? Is there something out there? Don't worry, I'll cover you, just keep shooting at it! And I'll try punching it if it comes closer."
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The pathfinders are in the blind as the exotic looking creatures cleverly maneuver in the darkness between the stalactites. Suddenly an awful screech is heard as the monsters jump down and harass the Flexing Shield!
Fortunately, the group has been on their guard as Sulana and Shield immediately react and knocks the creature unconscious before it is able to fully descend onto the vigilante. A second creature falls from above and is reacted with a stabbing strike of Niva's rapier, injuring the mantle like being. Fortunately, the investigators actions is able to serve as a distraction allowing the Shield to turn and deflect the creature before it attacks.
~~~
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Flexing gives a roar of triumph as he slams his shield into one of the creatures coming out of the dark. "Never underestimate the power of the Shield!" He then gives a small urk of surprise as another comes flying out as well, almost completely unready for it's attack, before Niva's rapier slows it down some and he can successfully bat it away. "Niva, Thank-you! I'm supposed to be defending you but instead you're defending me. I might have to deputize you after this, if you're interested... Do you like the sounds of The Sharp Rapier?"
Giving her a good-natured wink, he turns and tries to slam the second foe.
Though his bantering has allowed the cloak-like thing to recouperate and it's well out of his reach by the time he tries to finish it off.
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Lakadee knocks the creature with a powerful swinging kick. The creature is push back some distance, falling into the darkness, and not to be heard from again. With the threat eliminated, the ratfolk immediately come out from their hiding and thank the group, leading the path towards the Pagoda of the Rat. This seven-story structure is the ratfolk's stronghold and seat of power at the center of Round Mountain. There you speak with Krella, a druid and the leader of the ratfolk. She is grateful for your aid in helping to secure Round Mountain.
Krella speaks in a whisper, “While we wait for the repair team, I must caution you. We ratfolk have many eyes and ears in the tapestry. Your old enemies, the Aspis Consortium, have poisoned many of the tapestry’s people against you, but I sense that something far more sinister lurks just out of reach. Someone— or something—is at work in the tapestry, and has taken great effort to remain hidden. I fear that this is just the beginning of our trouble.”