Kyra cuts repeatedly at the yellow statue. "Some help here, Amiri!"
Chips of stone fly as the Keleshite's blade flashes through the air.
Amiri tries to break free from the statue.
She then strikes out at the statue.
Valeros slashes out at the statue with his longsword and then smashes it with his shield.
Hoping Valeros has this well in hand with his slicing and dicing, Ezren focuses on the statue near Kyra after hearing her shout for help.
Ezren casts a Ray of Frost at the statue nearest him.
Fumbus follows his allies around the corner and sees a couple easy targets. Considering how fire didn't work, he instead pulls a nice swishing vial of acid and lobs it at one of the enemies. "Acid eat stone, right?"
for + 4 Splash
Hoping Valeros has this well in hand with his slicing and dicing, Ezren focuses on the statue near Kyra after hearing her shout for help.
Ezren casts a Ray of Frost at the statue nearest him.
[dice=Cast Ray of Frost at Red Statue]1d20+11
[dice=Damage, if hit]3d4+4
I realize I have 1 more action available. Can I try to identify the creature and any weaknesses? What skill is needed for this monster?
Merisiel throws up a jaunty salute to Ezren and Valeros. ”Thanks, boys!”
She then rushes over to her “geef,” just barely able to get there in time for two quick strikes. ”Leave my girl alone, jerks!”
Frustrated with not doing damage, Fumbus tries to recall what he might know about these types of creatures.
Ezren launches another Ray of Frost at the nearest statue.
Frustrated at the toughness of the foe, Ezren will take a moment to attempt to ascertain the nature of his foe.
Amiri will stride up to yellow and swing the her greatsword.
|
Amiri and Ezren pummel the constructs to less effect than before. But Ezren and Fumbus take a moment, both recalling crucial details. Such animated statues look tough, and shrug off small impacts (like the splash of a bomb). However, if beaten down a bit, their outer shell cracks and leaves them vulnerable.
Fumbus points out the weakness quickly, "Hit 'em HARD and dey crak!"
He picks his biggest bomb and lobs it at the closest one, hoping for a direct hit this time.
for
Kyra gasps as the red statue pummels and grabs Merisiel. She slashes at it repeatedly, but trying to avoid hitting her favorite elf doesn't help her accuracy a whit. "Thanks for the assistance, dear. Let me return the favor."
Valeros sprints across the room and skids to a halt on the other side of the statue from Amiri. Maybe you don't need the help, but I can't stop myself from lending a hand!
slashing
Seeing Mereisiel break the armor of the foe, Ezren launches another Ray of Frost at the crumbling statue.
Amiri moves into position and strikes.
Fumbus moves up into a better position and lobs another fire-bomb, "Stupid statues! Stop moving!"
for
|
|
Your combined efforts leave the last statue in more pieces than Amiri's swings. The Orrery Archive falls silent once again.
Now that you are once again close together, Ezren and Fumbus can share their findings. Fumbus found a bill of sale for “Living at the Shore of the Sentient Sea,” a short piece about a lake of intelligent ooze in another Nexian city. The treatise should have been with other ooze-related works, which Amiri had discovered were gone along with her quarry. The goblin also finds a manifest for an early spice-trading expedition of Selmius Foster. He believes there isn't much more to be found in the library.
Ezren, meanwhile, has found some irrelevant information - permits for Adolphus’s founding and construction of Nexus House. However, his occult knowledge presses in on him, as if telling him to search further.
Fumbus asks his allies if they have a healing kit, since apparently he forgot his. If one of them lends him theirs, he tries to patch up his wounds.
Instead of patching himself up, he FUMBLES the job and just slams back an elixir. Sitting down, he then takes the time to craft a few more bombs to replace the ones used.
Merisiel dramatically places her hand against her forehead and makes a show of letting herself fall back into Kyra’s arms. ”Oh my goodness, I am in dreadful need of healing, won’t any kind woman with impeccable fashion sense and healing hands see to my wounds?”
Valeros sheaths his sword and sticks his shield on his back. Well, I'm better at research that I thought! He laughs and then grows serious. Seriously, though... what the heck was that all about?
Ezren nods to Valeros. "Wise words stalwart soldier. Indeed, something is amiss here. It is unlikely that statues in a Pathfinder Lodge simply come to life and batter any nearby pedestrian. Investigation is certainly in order. I suggest we search the statues themselves for clues as well as continue our scholarly pursuits in this area."
As things get organized, Ezren will give the statues a once over before heading off to pursue other objectives.
Kyra blushes and gives the elf a little smile. "Nothing but the best for you, dear. But I do have to take care of the rest of the party." Everyone feels the warmth of Sarenrae's healing power.
"It's odd that there's nothing about religion here. I know a bit about nature, though."
Amiri lets her rage subside as the last statue crumbles, "I hope we do not have to pay for the damages. They did attack first"
She graciously accepts the healing from the Cleric.
She then toes some of the rubble trying to assist Ezren with the search.
Feeling better, Fumbus resumes the investigation.
Merisiel leaps back into action, using her acrobatic skills to balance on the slippery stone to access more areas in the search.
|
|
With all your injuries healed, what little dust was kicked up is wiped from your belongings in the next hour. In that time, you find several golem-related pieces in the Archive. They detail gestures even non-spellcasters can easily pick up to temporarily de-animate a Nexian construct. That would have been better learned an hour ago, but now you know.
Looking over the statues, Ezren notes an identical series of runes on the back of each of their heads. His vague feelings feel satisfied, though. May as well to return to Sebnet! You find her weaving incantations over a long dining table. "You're back up! Are you done, or just taking a break? It's a good time for lunch either way. This table conjures a sumptuous three meals a day, but I have little control over it. I was hoping to tweak it just a bit towards your tastes, valued guests that you are."
With all your injuries healed, what little dust was kicked up is wiped from your belongings in the next hour. In that time, you find several golem-related pieces in the Archive. They detail gestures even non-spellcasters can easily pick up to temporarily de-animate a Nexian construct. That would have been better learned an hour ago, but now you know.
Looking over the statues, Ezren notes an identical series of runes on the back of each of their heads. His vague feelings feel satisfied, though. May as well to return to Sebnet! You find her weaving incantations over a long dining table. "You're back up! Are you done, or just taking a break? It's a good time for lunch either way. This table conjures a sumptuous three meals a day, but I have little control over it. I was hoping to tweak it just a bit towards your tastes, valued guests that you are."
"Any respite and sustenance will be greatly appreciated, kind host. By the way, are your archives usually so hostile to outsiders? While our lodge is protected, it is not usually so...aggressive. Mayhap we committed a faux pas or accessed a forbidden area? If so, we humbly apologize." offers the wizard as he recounts the episode of attacking statues.
"Unfortunately your animated protectors are but debris at present."
|
|
"What? We...don't have any animated defenses in the Archive." Sebnet's good humor momentarily gives way to confusion. "We have several magical marvels here in Nexus House, but this is news to me. Could it be sabotage? We haven’t needed particularly strong security in the past, but perhaps we should consider it. As it might be relevant, what were you doing, as precisely as you recall, when the statues began running amok?"
Valeros tears eagerly into the food offered. Never thought I’d work up quite this much of an appetite just doing research! He laughs loudly.
To Sebnet’s question. All I did was pick up some bookshelves. Valeros looks around at the rest of the group.
"Our thanks for your hospitality, Vash-Vatom."
The cleric ponders while Valeros responds, then adds, "It happened after we had been in the Orrery for an hour. I don't remember anything specific we did at that point, nor did the statues target one of us in particular."
"I did find this rune inscribed upon each of the statues, just on the back of their heads. I suspect it was a triggering rune, but I cannot decipher the specifics. I was hoping you could shed some light on it further." offers Ezren as he shows her a sketch of the rune.
Amiri smiles as the food is conjured in front of her. "Thanks" In between mouthfuls of food, "If you do get security, you should make it stronger than what was down there. Was able to take out most of them in one swing."
"We also found this note. Know anything about it. It says sale on it" she wipes her hands on her breeches before fishing out the note and then holds it up for Sebnet.
Fumbus grabs a turkey leg and starts ripping hunks off, chewing loudly and oblivious of any manners.
"Yesh, sho I wer lookin in da stacks o books and dey tacked. Purty resistunt teh fire an acid, hadta hittem righ on da cracks. Or uh... really hard." He glances over at Amiri, then looks back to the food.
Do not piss her off, I bet she wouldn't even blink popping my head off like a cork.
He goes to grab a handful of nuts, but sees his greasy hand ready to contaminate the bowl. He pulls it back, wipes it against his greasy shirt and then digs in with a slightly less greasy paw. *CRUNCH*
Kyra catches Merisiel's attention and raises one eyebrow, then scoops up baba ghanouj on a slice of pita and offers it to the elf.
Merisiel opens her mouth and consumes the bite, approvingly nodding to herself as she chews. She then raises a pinky and puts on a mock-Taldan accent. "Ah, yes. Quite good. I rather enjoyed that."
"Oh, and I'm with the others. No idea what we did to upset those doohickeys. I know I unlocked something, but I don't think that's what did it. Maybe they didn't like my little song?" She shrugs and smiles, knowing that is clearly not what did it.
|
|
Sebnet gives the runes a quick once-over. "Those look like standard Fleshforge insignia. With a sprinkle of magic, you could smear those on a simple statue and bring it to life for a bit."
"A sale?" The Vash-Vatom grabs the proffered note. "This was penned by Igrigi, my best archivist, as you can see. He left for a government job not long ago. I was glad to see him go; not for any malicious reason, but because his talent deserved advancement. Is this relevant to anything else you found, though?"
This brings your discussion to the Archive's missing ooze section. Amiri, having found that piece out (and as she was quite close to the statues), recalls the constructs animated just about as she did so. However well explained it is, Sebnet jangles, lost in thought.
"Sometimes we sell pieces of our library to better fund other pursuits. I sign off on all such transactions, though; I vaguely remember doing so for this one. But the loss of a whole section makes me think theft. And this 'Ohrlavi' character seems suspect! He had the motive, a desire for the materials in question. Perhaps he rigged the statues as well."
Valeros starts to speak, realizes his mouth is full of food, swallows and then says, Where can we find this Ohrlavi?
Kyra holds up a hand, shaking her head. "Before we go after him, will this put Nexus House in trouble with the local authorities? Yes, Mer, I know. 'No trouble if we don't get caught.'"
|
|
"I doubt it," Sebnet answers Kyra. "As a nation built on higher learning, Nex takes theft of knowledge seriously. Not enough that I'd rather use their services over yours, I'll admit. They'd likely take a while before even starting on the case."
The Vash-Vatom turns to Valeros. "I haven't the foggiest idea! But you have some avenues of attack to find out." She starts counting out points on bejeweled fingers. "Interested in ooze-craft, might be trying to fence our unrelated files. Could have bought components necessary to animate the statues recently. I don't know how much Igrigi knows, but at least he talked to the man. Maybe talk with my old friend if you're willing to Plane Shift into Hell - that is, navigate some bureaucracy."