Vexas's rapier glances off the creature's carapace. He recalls nothing about this foe.
Sho takes a step, concentrates on the creature, and takes several shots with her bow.
Sho puts two arrows into the beast, wounding it badly.
Brannart steps and readies to strike.
Enraged by the arrows, the Chuul surges forward to attack.
It runs into Brannart's ranseur, but this does not stop it. It keeps plowing ahead, brushing aside another strike, and claws at Brannart.
Off-balance from its many wounds, it fails to connect.
Round 2
Fenna
Sho
Sosche
Brannart
Vexas
Chuul -59
Fenna suddenly finds herself needing to backpedal due to the giant crab's charge. She moves slightly sideways to get out of its path while thrusting at it with her spear. She keeps up her (hopefully) encouraging banter.
Weapon Equipped = Greatsword
Conditions = Bless, Inspired
Greatsword: Attack: BAB 4 Str +3 Focus +1 Magic +1 (PA -2) Damage: Str +4 Magic +1 (PA +6) Crit: 19-20
Heavy Pick: Attack: BAB 4 Str +3 (PA -2) Damage: Str +3 (PA +4) Crit: x4
Javelin: Attack: BAB 4 Dex +1 Damage: Str +3 Range: 30’
Mnemonic Vestment (1/1d)
Spells Memorized (Caster Level 6, Concentration +11, DC 13+lvl)
. . cantrip: Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Purify Food and Drink, Read Magic, Spark
. . 1st (6/7): Bless, Cure Light Wounds, Divine Favor, Enlarge Person, Liberating Command, Remove Fear
. . 2nd (6/6): Burst of Radiance, Cure Moderate Wounds, Endure Elements Communal, Fog Cloud
. . 3rd (4/4): Cure Serious Wounds, Free Swim, Magic Vestment
Sosche 5’ steps into the space Fenna steps out of, and swings his blade against the carpice!
(bless, inspire)
(inspire)
I need to find a weak spot in its carapace... Vexas muses as she shifts to the side a bit to get a better look around his companions.
Fenna and Sosche combine to drop the Chuul, ending its threat.
The cave behind the waterfall is flush with glowing blue worms that shed light like candles. These tantalizing creatures cling in clusters overhead, barely moving except in subtle, squirming undulations. The partially flooded cave leads away from the roaring curtain of the waterfall.
The tunnel is flooded with water from the waterfall to a depth of about 2-1/2 feet. Midway through the tunnel is a clutch of stony-looking eggs (some already hatched), and the partly devoured corpse of a winged humanoid with dark skin. The corpse’s features have been mostly torn away by some sort of small creature and ruined by natural decomposition.
Fenna recognizes the corpse as that of a Strix.
There's something unusual about the cave wall as well. Fenna can't tell what it is, though she may be able to with some consideration.
A number of larval chuul - small, acid-spitting things the size of lobsters - attack you ferociously but are easily dealt with.
Near the corpse you find a MW composite longbow (Str 16), a quiver with 10 arrows, and a crystal amulet etched with small runes.
Can I see that amulet?
Vexas approaches the body and frowns at what makes a grotesque first impression on him. Dead is dead, but a strix's form with a decayed face seems to disturb him moreso than the odd corpse they come across.
The amulet does not register as magical.
It does look moderately valuable, however. A collector might pay 50 gold or so for it, based on the materials and craftsmanship.
It seems to not be useful, but gold is gold.
He stops to appreciate the glowing worms on the ceiling, smiling in wonder as he remarks nature's lights...
Vexas looks to Brannart for an indication that he's ready to lead the way with his sword. Just in case it gets darker, he casts light on the end of the fighter's weapon.
Shall we continue carefully down this tunnel?
Weapon Equipped = Greatsword
Conditions = None
Greatsword: Attack: BAB 4 Str +3 Focus +1 Magic +1 (PA -2) Damage: Str +4 Magic +1 (PA +6) Crit: 19-20
Heavy Pick: Attack: BAB 4 Str +3 (PA -2) Damage: Str +3 (PA +4) Crit: x4
Javelin: Attack: BAB 4 Dex +1 Damage: Str +3 Range: 30’
Mnemonic Vestment (1/1d)
Spells Memorized (Caster Level 6, Concentration +11, DC 13+lvl)
. . cantrip: Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Purify Food and Drink, Read Magic, Spark
. . 1st (6/7): Bless, Cure Light Wounds, Divine Favor, Enlarge Person, Liberating Command, Remove Fear
. . 2nd (6/6): Burst of Radiance, Cure Moderate Wounds, Endure Elements Communal, Fog Cloud
. . 3rd (4/4): Cure Serious Wounds, Free Swim, Magic Vestment
Sosche will collect the bow, as it suits him, but only if no one else needs it. ”My ranged capabilities are weak, but this will help a bit. That is if it’s not better in someone else’s hands.” He offers it around before shouldering it.
He knows little about the cave, not his area of expertise. So he keeps watch over those who do know so they can focus. He keeps his blade ready in his hand just in case as he moves about the cave.
When they go deeper, at Vexas’s suggestion, he too will cast light on his blade and move with Brannart at the front. Or at least as close as his slow movement allows… I really need to speed up!
Fenna checks the body of the strix visually without touching it, too many wriggly things around in the water to take risks. Mostly she's wondering how long the strix seems to have been dead and why.
Afterward, she takes a closer look at cave wall where it looks strange.
Fenna knows of vague rumors that some Strix, winged humanoids, live in Cheliax and are reputed to hate humans. She estimates that the body has been deceased for several weeks. It was probably slain by the Chuul and brought here to feed the larval Chuul.
On the wall, she identifies the presence of hewn stone behind ancient calcific growths. This location may have been a manufactured structure sometime in the very distant past. Possibly much older than the other structures you have found.
Moving on to the south...
This large cavern is composed of a combination of hand-hewn stone and natural cave features, as if the very stone of the walls were reclaiming an ancient structure. Enormous calcite pillars stretch from floor to ceiling, surrounded by bristling stalagmites and stalactites. Tiered, mineral-ringed pools of still water are tinted with a rainbow mottling of subterranean algae. Hidden by layers of calcite, mold, and luminous fungus are dilapidated, corroded, and crumbling picks, shovels, and other digging tools.
Two clockwork constructions are found in the cavern. They seem to have tools for digging and excavation. One was crushed by fallin stone, while the other has become encrusted with a hundred centuries of calcite deposits and rust. It might be salvageable by one versed in creating clockwork mechanisms.
Of note... These are archaeological tools from the Azlanti age. Whatever they were excavating predated even that ancient civilization.
You also find more Pathfinder sigils left behind by Durvin Gest. They say safe haven and historical significance. As well, there are coordinates to another site.
Finally, the Chuul had arranged a number of trophies in its den. Twenty-three skulls are stacked into a rough triangle against the western wall of this chamber. In the southeastern section of this chamber, six battered and rusted helmets are arranged in a circle surrounding an odd, elongated mask. Fenna identifies the mask as the kind worn by Mordant Spire elves. Against the wall, a dozen small piles of mundane adventuring gear (such as torches, grappling hooks, leather sacks, frayed and moldering rope, and cookware) sit sorted by material and shape. A small steel shield holds a rainbow of colored river rocks, among which are nestled eight cut emeralds and a tourmaline sphere ioun stone.
Two clockwork constructions are found in the cavern. They seem to have tools for digging and excavation. One was crushed by fallin stone, while the other has become encrusted with a hundred centuries of calcite deposits and rust. It might be salvageable by one versed in creating clockwork mechanisms.
Two clockwork constructions are found in the cavern. They seem to have tools for digging and excavation. One was crushed by fallin stone, while the other has become encrusted with a hundred centuries of calcite deposits and rust. It might be salvageable by one versed in creating clockwork mechanisms.
Craft Construct feat, actually.
Yes, fixed. Was on my phone posting earlier.
”Ooh, constructs!” Sosche is interested in them as well, though he doesn’t have the skills necessary to resuscitate the things.
He’ll move into the chamber and look around. When the ioun stone is found, he suggests it for Brannart. ”In case you go down. Gives me a little time to get to you.”
”Ooh, constructs!” Sosche is interested in them as well, though he doesn’t have the skills necessary to resuscitate the things.
He’ll move into the chamber and look around. When the ioun stone is found, he suggests it for Brannart. ”In case you go down. Gives me a little time to get to you.”
Brannart shakes his head.
"Give it to someone else."
Continuing west, the party finds the last room in these caves.
This small cave is relatively dry and cramped, with a low ceiling and uneven natural rock underfoot. Faint murals and carvings line the cave’s walls, depicting winged humanoid figures holding lanterns as they descend from a mountaintop. Smaller humanoid shapes are depicted kneeling and reaching up to these figures. An adjacent cave wall illustrates primitive human religious concepts and hunter-gatherer imagery.