Elen evokes some inspirational phrase or other. +5 attacks/damage.
Elen shifts to give the Professor room to maneuver and strikes again.
for
Major Kort plugs two into green again, but it’s going to take some time. Kamari tumbles into place and carves a bit more out of the incorporeal foe. Elen smacks blue, and gives everyone an edge for the round! Edelmira tags green opportunely, and manages a hit thanks to Elen’s bonus slashing into green. Muri gets his torch lit and begins blanching his arrows.
Green and blue continue to focus on the large one, from flank.
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
Red closes with Edelmira as well, frustrated by its failed ranged attack.
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus
Round 3, Init 12-
Feeling *very* inspired by Elen, Kart 5' steps away and takes aim at blue, again using Daybreak Arrows.
to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
hp: 70/70
AC: 20/15/17
Saves: F6/R12/W12 +4 vs. enchantment, +2 vs. illusions +6 vs. poison
Lowlight. PBS.
Aroden's Verve: 0/8 used
Adhere to the Law: 0/2 used
Extend PotionRadiation: 0/6 used
Quantum Leaps used:
Pathfinder Carry: 0/0
Staff of Courage: 0/0
0: (create water, detect magic/poison, light, stabilize,read magic)
1: 0/11 used (CLW*0,Shield*0,PfE*0,DF*0)
2: 3/9 used (Inv*1,RE*0,*CE*0,SInv*2,LesRest*0)
3: 4/9 used (H*2,DM*0,DayBreakArrow*1, MCaE10'*1)
4: 1/4 used (GrInv*1,CCW*0,FoM*0)
[ dice]1d20+7[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d6-1[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+14-2+2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
[ dice]1d20+14-2+2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
[ dice]1d20+9-2+2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
touch to hit; (heroism,PBP)
fire damage
Round 4, Init 15
Muri and Underfoot don't bother picking up the barely used torch, nor the half-eaten sandwich. There are ghosts to poke, so the pair bounds back down the stairs and through the poolroom, seeking to enter the fray from afar.
Round 4, AC 27, Touch 20
Considering she is being ignored for the moment, Kamari only transfers a single point from her blade to her armor class this round since it will also allow her to give the point of AC to the Night Swan who is bearing the brunt of the attacks.
She dismisses the idea of a targeted attack as she's not sure the ghosts have anything to target and settles for two attacks after stepping back into a flank.
-
Elen attacks blue again.
for
for
The Night Swan is unsurprised that they are surrounding her, and she adjusts her fighting style to compensate, remembering that training illusion she tried with her allies back with the Lion’s Blades.
She then keeps up the pressure on the most wounded enemy.
HP: 88/100
AC: 29/14/26
Saves: F9/R11/W12 (+2 vs ingested/inhaled diseases)
Hero Points: 2
Spells/Conditions Active: Fastidiousness, Enlarged, kamari defending +2, martial flexibility (flanking foil)
0: (Grasp, Light, Oath of Anonymity, Spark)
1: 3/3 used (Fastidiousnessx1, Serren’s Swift Girdingx2)
[ dice]1d20+16[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]2d8+7[/dice] damage.
Major Kort plugs blue three times. Kamari steps into flank and hits twice more. Elen smacks blue again - twice! Edelmira makes additional preparations, and hits green, hampering their attacks for the moment. Muri returns to the party to see the fight already in progress.
The Fallen continue to press their largest opponent, hoping to pierce her protections.
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
While they seem dogged in their purpose, and ignorant of your own attacks upon them, they are also not terribly successful in their attacks - coordinated though they may be.
Round 4, Init 12-
Kart 5' steps away and takes aim at blue, again using Daybreak Arrows.
to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
hp: 70/70
AC: 20/15/17
Saves: F6/R12/W12 +4 vs. enchantment, +2 vs. illusions +6 vs. poison
Lowlight. PBS.
Aroden's Verve: 0/8 used
Adhere to the Law: 0/2 used
Extend PotionRadiation: 0/6 used
Quantum Leaps used:
Pathfinder Carry: 0/0
Staff of Courage: 0/0
0: (create water, detect magic/poison, light, stabilize,read magic)
1: 0/11 used (CLW*0,Shield*0,PfE*0,DF*0)
2: 3/9 used (Inv*1,RE*0,*CE*0,SInv*2,LesRest*0)
3: 4/9 used (H*2,DM*0,DayBreakArrow*1, MCaE10'*1)
4: 1/4 used (GrInv*1,CCW*0,FoM*0)
[ dice]1d20+7[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d6-1[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+14-2+2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
[ dice]1d20+14-2+2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
[ dice]1d20+9-2+2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
touch to hit; (heroism,PBP)
fire damage
Finally feeling shook by the attacks of the undead, The Night Swan continues trying to hack away at the same undead, but she is not having much luck finding another weak spot to press.
HP: 84/100
AC: 29/14/26
Saves: F9/R11/W12 (+2 vs ingested/inhaled diseases) (-4 vs fear)
Hero Points: 2
Spells/Conditions Active: Fastidiousness, Enlarged, kamari defending +2, martial flexibility (flanking foil)
0: (Grasp, Light, Oath of Anonymity, Spark)
1: 3/3 used (Fastidiousnessx1, Serren’s Swift Girdingx2)
[ dice]1d20+16[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]2d8+7[/dice] damage.
Elen shifts tactics and attacks blue again.
for
Round 5, AC 27, Touch 20
Kamari ponders relearning some of her abilities as she pricks away at green without precision damage or the potential for a critical. She does her part to help the Night Swan with another point of AC while matching green's movements to end up in a flank again. She stabs green where his heart once resided, but she might as well have pricked his big toe.
-
Round 5, Init 15
Muri sizes up the threshold, spies the whole lot engaged already in ghostly combat, so trots up behind the Professor, and fires a single test shot at Blue, barking a brief challenge to boot.
Major Kort hits blue twice, as the party slowly chips away at their essence. Kamari stabs at green twice, wondering if she’s even doing any damage, for nothing seems to slow them. Elen pricks blue and throws him off a little. Edelmira has a surprisingly poor round as she misses green twice. Muri plants one deep on blue - doing full damage, and then some!
The Fallen continue to press their largest opponent methodically. They seem unaffected by your blows, or at least uncaring of their destruction.
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
plus and Will DC 19 or -4 fear saves
They do little and the status quo seems to remain. But how long can they keep this up?
Round 6, AC 27, Touch 20
Kamari pauses a moment to consider what's in her haversatchel.
Nothing useful. I'm really not as smart as I thought I was.
She promises herself that she'll load up her haversatchel better assuming she survives. Lacking much else to do she again aids the Night Swan with another point of AC while following green where she's even lost the flank. Lost in her own thoughts, she strikes poorly.
-
Round 5, Init 12-
Kart 5' steps away and takes aim at blue, again using Daybreak Arrows.
to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
hp: 70/70
AC: 20/15/17
Saves: F6/R12/W12 +4 vs. enchantment, +2 vs. illusions +6 vs. poison
Lowlight. PBS.
Aroden's Verve: 0/8 used
Adhere to the Law: 0/2 used
Extend PotionRadiation: 0/6 used
Quantum Leaps used:
Pathfinder Carry: 0/0
Staff of Courage: 0/0
0: (create water, detect magic/poison, light, stabilize,read magic)
1: 0/11 used (CLW*0,Shield*0,PfE*0,DF*0)
2: 3/9 used (Inv*1,RE*0,*CE*0,SInv*2,LesRest*0)
3: 4/9 used (H*2,DM*0,DayBreakArrow*1, MCaE10'*1)
4: 1/4 used (GrInv*1,CCW*0,FoM*0)
[ dice]1d20+7[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d6-1[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+14-2+2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
[ dice]1d20+14-2+2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
[ dice]1d20+9-2+2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,+heroism,-Rapid)
magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
touch to hit; (heroism,PBP)
fire damage
Round 6, Init 15
AC = 24/17/20
HP = Fullish?
Weapon Equipped = Bow and 'Row, now Ghost Salted
Condition(s) = Challenge(Blue)
AC = 27
HP = Fullish?
Weapon Equipped = Teef
Condition(s) = Hackles raised
Blue bears the full attention of the hale halfling in saddle. If Blue slips back into the ether, Muri will squeeze his thighs and have Underfoot move forward 5' so he can take a shot at Red instead.
edit:
Elen spring attacks red falling into flank with Edelmira.
for
Hits: 79/81
Current AC: 31 (Mage Armor, Challenge (Songbird))
Current Saves: Fort: +12; Ref +13; Will: +8, +10 if Enchant (Elf) (+2 cloak, Challenge)
(Normal) AC: 28
flat: 17 (ring +2, nat armor +1, mage armor +4)
touch: 23 (ring +2, Dex +5, Cha +5, Dodge +1)
CMD = 26
WandofMageArmorCharges = 31/50
Resolve = 5/6
Challenge = 2 / 3
Hero Pts: 2/3
The Night Swan breathes a little easier now that one of the undead is finally down. She moves her focus to the one she is flanking with Elen, hacking away.
HP: 77/100
AC: 28/13/26
Saves: F9/R11/W12 (+2 vs ingested/inhaled diseases) (-4 vs fear)
Hero Points: 2
Spells/Conditions Active: Fastidiousness, Enlarged, kamari defending +1, martial flexibility (flanking foil)
0: (Grasp, Light, Oath of Anonymity, Spark)
1: 3/3 used (Fastidiousnessx1, Serren’s Swift Girdingx2)
[ dice]1d20+16[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]2d8+7[/dice] damage.
Major Kort oddly misses each attempt. His bolts light up the room as they streak through it. Kamari only manages one hit on green, but it’s enough, and green disappears in a poof! Elen tips to red, throwing it off (flat footed) and hitting! Edelmira shifts, hitting once and further wounding the creature. And then Muri returns in earnest. His first hit sends blue into the ether, and his next two finish the wounded red.
The fallen wisp away into nothingness and you find there is nothing left to fight. The leaders scimitar clatters to the ground however.
A reminder (link) of the room description. I believe you also learned that the fallen will return in a few days unless they are properly buried, and Sarenrae funeral rights spoken over the deceased. I dunno, maybe a high knowledge religion to know the right things to say? If you want to put them to rest that is.
Kamari searches around the desecrated tomb quickly (taken 10 for 21) before heading to the doors where she will pause and look more carefully. She won't admit to waiting but lingers until the half-elf with old but perceptive eyes takes a look too.
Kart takes a moment to see if any of his bolts can be retrieved.
"Well, let's go see what this is all about then." He will cast Detect Magic and look around. He will also see if he can figure out how to lay the souls to rest.
Muri trots by the very large Edelmira, keeping pace with Kamari advancing into the next room. "Careful, these chambers are one unbelievable thing after another." Saying that, he takes up position towards the rear of the chamber, when considering where the next door lies.
Elen pulls out a vile of oil (bless weapon) in anticipation and listens at the double doors.
No one, yet, is sure exactly what to say over the dead. If one of you were a priest of Sarenrae, or had a copy of the text The Birth of Light and Truth, a Sarenrae holy book, you’d be all set.
You line up next to the double doors, skipping further investigation for now in case of further danger. The doors are opened to a horrible stench! The sewers!
These old tunnels weave in and out of old city ruins now long buried and make up a part of the city’s sewer system. Milon and his agents use the tunnels to come and do unseen, from the tracks you see. There is one path that is very well trodden however, and it leads deep into the sewers. A quick search of the first hundred yards or so reveals nothing. The path continues, but I’ll assume you don’t follow it quite yet.
Professor Kart moves up, following the enlightened halfling.
"More? There is more?" Kart wonders how far this all goes. "Can't hurt to see where these lead. What other places might we sneak into from here? Or who might be connected? Or we can go back and do the research that we've been needing to do."
Underfoot becomes stubborn about approaching the Sewers, and Muri doesn't override the malinois's obstinacy. "I don't think we need to know where the tunnels go. Only that the tunnels can access the Manor. We should tend to Gannaius."
Kamari is convinced they've found the back door to the place and there will be nothing else to find in the sewers.
"I'm ready to depart. And, we still have him to take care of."
She points at Gannaius.
"Perhaps we should clean him up or at least cover him up before heading out into public."
Slow to agree, Kart finally is moved by the halfling’s words.
”Ayep, let’s get out of here. We have him to deal with, and research to be done.”
Kart thinks to return to the hotel and begin looking at the ledger/notes/thing we found.
You clean up Gannaius as best you can before departing from the house. I assume you depart through the upstairs bits rather than the sewers. Sort of silly to clean up Gannaius and then thrust him through a sewer.
Anyway. You head out into the night of what has been an extraordinarily long day already. You risk fatigue studying the ledgers tonight, so I’ll assume you set watches and get some sleep. Gannaius is beginning to believe you’re not rakshasa, and gets much needed sleep as well.
The morning rises on one of the last truly hot days of the year. It’s Arodus 28, a Toilday. It’ll take a half a day studying the ledgers from the tea shop to sort out what’s going on there. And then there’s the book - written in a curious combination of Abyssal and Infernal. How are you cracking that nut?
While doing this other research, you may also question Gannaius. After a hearty breakfast, he’s mostly coming around to the idea you’re not ravenous mad rakshasa. For one thing, much like cats, they can’t keep their attention on anything this long when they’re playing. Oh they can plan, and they do - plans arching over decades, but with their toys? They’re much more juvenile.
Let me know if you’re doing something different, and let me know how you’re reading the book. Then I’ll update on what you find by lunch!
Kamari takes her turn at a watch and then tries talking to Gannaius in the morning. After a hearty breakfast and some rapport building, she will ask the harder questions.
"Do you believe any other Lion Blades survived? Do you have any contacts in the city you still trust? Do you have any leads for us to follow up on?"
”Maybe you would like to speak briefly with Kathaan via Jeevet?” Elen inquires, presenting the shrunken monkey head tool to Gannaius before joining Kart, Professor Extraordinaire in pouring over the ledgers.
”Maybe you would like to speak briefly with Kathaan via Jeevet?”
His jaw drops when he sees the arcane head. ”I… I know Jeevet. It is true, you are with us!” He thinks a while about what to say, and any lingering doubts are dispelled after he uses the device. He hands it back to Elen with care.
"Do you believe any other Lion Blades survived? Do you have any contacts in the city you still trust? Do you have any leads for us to follow up on?"
”Oh, I don’t know. I doubt it.” he says sorrowfully. Listening to his story a bit, and checking against the timeline you know, you’d guess that poor Gannaius was the first Lion Blade to be captured and tortured. He eventually spilled everything he knew about the network in Zimar, though he's proud to say it took some time.
Milon no doubt had those spies dreams visited by the hags. He may even have employed the thought detecting rakshasa to visit the Lion Blades and ask innocuous but leading questions. A true spymaster, Milon quickly discovered the extent of the network and, in one brutal night, ended it.
You’re not sure why he did it at this point in time. Kathann Zalar fears it is a precursor to war - a common fear among the supporters of the Princess. It feels to you that Milon acted swiftly once he discovered their agents.
Still, a brutal civil war is not how the Princess wishes to ascend. You’d know that among Her closest advisors the concern is that She’d step down rather than let that happen. So any early military victories that Maxillar might win would have enormous consequences on all of Taldor and could end the Princess’ reign before it even began!
Gannaius knows little of all this of course. He’s been out of the loop for some time, and the Lion Blades only recently came over to the Princesses side. His task in the city was more or less as a mole. He played a bit with some trade interests, but mostly he ingratiated himself with the merchant class as something of a dilettante.
Though he’s able to fill in a few gaps for you, he is largely useless now. He’s been utterly broken by Milon, and will take a long time to fully heal (short of powerful spells of course). He even has a hand tremor, and his voice occasionally cracks a bit. He’s content to wait in your rooms, ostensibly as a guardian, but mostly as a place to hide and rest.
While you’re studying the ledgers and tome, you received an invitation to tour the Gennaris Academy per your request. They suggest Oathday Arodus 30 at 10am in somewhat flowery language. It is currently late in the morning, Toilday Arodus 28. Do you send an acceptance by return courier? There’s a soldier waiting in the lobby for your reply.
And then there’s the book - written in a curious combination of Abyssal and Infernal. How are you cracking that nut?
The good Professor/Major Kart speaks both those languages, and is happy to spend the time needed to research the materials, and leave the debriefing of Gannaius to the rest of the party.
If needed, he will study long into the night, and use a Lesser Restoration to remove any effects from fatigue. He needs to get some work done here and there always seems to be something in the way preventing it, usually an irksome halfling, but sometimes others things too.
Kart is happy to accept the invitation to tour the academy should the rest of the party agree.
Elen is happy to tour the academy after making sure Gannaius is safe, more or less comfortable under the circumstances, and secure.
According to the ledgers from the tea shop, which everyone can help sort out, the Milon Jeroth was using the night hags (three sisters, now two whom you haven’t found yet) to deliver instructions (via Dreams) and payments (using the nightmare steed to travel through the ether) to Maxillar Pythareus’s various operations attacking Taldan targets and framing Qadira. They do it frequently too, so their far flung network is well informed and well equipped.
The ledgers on their own still aren’t enough to damn Pythareus - given their dubious origin - but they do provide another strong piece of evidence of his wrongdoings. The pile grows higher. He’ll drag two mighty nations into war for his personal political gains.
The tome, Major Kort’s focus given his tongue twisting ways, is written in a curious combination of Abyssal and Infernal, and illustrated with terrifyingly vivid drawings of both great heroics and atrocities. The book contains extensive research on Taldor’s history and a collection of stories - both true and larger‐than‐life legends - surrounding various former kings of fame and power.
More importantly, the book’s curious style seems intended to serve as a focus for some kind of ritual, though no magic remains in it now. Whatever was there, its magic has been spent and it’s impossible to determine from here. Still, the knowledge in the book and its once magical nature may help something become more apparent later. Just one more piece of the puzzle.
It’s lunch, which you can have sent up to your rooms. Though the entire building is made of a very breathable clay, it is still warming a bit indoors by the time you’ve finished lunch, and surely a light digestif.
So it’s early afternoon on Arodus 28. In a whirlwind couple of days you have managed to dismantle much of Milon’s power base, and of course Milon himself. By now important people are starting to raise questions but he is, after all, a spy. So his absence for a few days at a time is normal. So you feel comfortable that you have some time yet before you are hunted.
The only remaining lead you have is the location of the Monastery of the Seven Forms of Sin. In the sewers. Oh and the path leading from Milon’s safehouse. Also in the sewers. Well, at least it will be cool down there, if moist.
Do you head to the sewers that afternoon, or pursue some other lead?
Muri takes comfort in resting while the Maj... Professor is hard at work, and wide awake reading away at the material. Underfoot is equally pleased with half the halfling's bedding, as she stretches and reclines after a long day's work.
...
After much munching over breakfast, Muri's only real curiosity is the man laid low by Milon. "Gannaius, what will you do, once you've rested enough? Stay in Zimar? Return to the pride, and support Kathann? Do you have the means to travel? We can lend you funds, if you need to secure transportation."
...
Muri mulls over some of the previous paperwork. "Baron Astor... Iovinus... more minions of Pythareus to track. And now talk of Sins in Sewers. I suppose we're going to find out how skilled the monks are, eh?"
Muri is ready to depart for the Sewers, either back through Waterhill or another way more expeditious. He is not at all interested in Academy, unless reminded that they're trying to keep up a front for their sabbatical in Zimar.
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We should really begin adding +1 to our room reservations since we always seem to end up hosting someone.
"The Academy or the sewers? An easy choice if we were only tourists."
"The invitation isn't for two days from now so I guess the sewers it is."
"The invitation isn't for two days from now so I guess the sewers it is."
"Agreed," Professor Kart says with forced unstiffness. "That seems like a plan. Let us prepare and get going."
Kamari stops at a local shop on the way to sewers and picks up some items.
Elen runs to the pharmacy and picks up some anti plague kits.
After much munching over breakfast, Muri's only real curiosity is the man laid low by Milon. "Gannaius, what will you do, once you've rested enough? Stay in Zimar? Return to the pride, and support Kathann? Do you have the means to travel? We can lend you funds, if you need to secure transportation."
His world view is still a rather narrow one, and he had not considered plans beyond his immediate health concerns. He considers the question some little while, but he seems to be considering the ‘how’ more than the ‘what’. ”Oh, I’ll return to the Lion Blades in Oppara I suppose. I doubt I’ll be re-assigned here.” He seems rather more hopeful that he’ll land a desk job, at least for a while. Maybe training.
As you leave the hotel, you’re accosted by a trio of Zimar Sentinels. They question you, and suggest that you match the description of known troublemakers. But it becomes pretty clear, they’re just hassling you for being foreigners, especially the non human among you - which is almost everyone.
After the little delay, you press on, heading into the city looking for a way into the sewers nearest the Monastery. And an access a bit out of the way - you don’t want people seeing you go into the sewers. That would attract unwanted attention for sure. You can shop now as well. Ding!
Eventually you find something suitable, plug up your noses, and descend into the filth. As sewers go it’s not too bad. With many large cities the upper city rests on previous construction more than on any formalized plan. But the wise leaders of Zimar have at least cut channels in the floors to direct the effluent, opened up walls, reinforced weaker areas, etc. So there's some structure to the mayhem.
After a short sludge through the muck, you reach an area of slightly fresher water. Soon thereafter you find a side entrance and a short ramp up into a larger fresh water filled chamber. This seems to correspond to the monastery on the map. None of you are dwarves however, and the tunnels down here are twisty and slippery.
Do you press on? It looks like there's another passage ahead. Or you can turn in here to check out the fresh water pool.
Muri trips across his cold Martyr's Tear, so lends it the full hale energy it needs to refill, calculating that his full night's rest will return most of his donation the next morning.
He does spend Chaldira's gift of healing to cover the balance, before laying head to pillow.
...
The halfling enjoys purchasing more blanch, coaxing the merchant into coating his arrows on the spot, so he doesn't have to locate kitchens with half-eaten sandwiches to perform the task himself. He tips mightily for the favor.
...
Muri begins a kind of mumble mantra, the word 'morbus' spoken over and over, as they enter the Sewers. The halfling looks at his Pillbox, the silver pearl glowing blue. It fades, he mumbles, it glows again. He eventually tires of the mono-verbum chant, and tucks the charm away for now.
When the muck turns to clearer waters, Muri doesn't have to tell Underfoot to take to the stairs. "If it dead-ends, we can always retrace our steps." The halfling even goes so far as to pull out a newly-acquired ioun torch, to bear light forward, if only a little.
Kamari is intrigued by the fresh water and goes to the edge to look around.
With wand in hand, Professor Kart moves up to cover Kamari as they explore the pool. He will lend his eyes to the effort.
Perception
Elen also moves up to check out the fresh water.
The Night Swan walks along with her halberd on her shoulder.
She tries to remember if she has heard anything useful about this monastery they are supposed to be under.
Yes, it is dark down here save for your own light sources (at least so far).
You turn north, and investigate the freshwater pool. Sturdy pillars support the arched ceiling thirty feet above the mirror‐blue waters of this quiet ancient cistern. Doors exit to the north and east, while a gaping hole in the southern wall slopes down to the reeking sewer tunnels beyond.
It looks to be a long forgotten water storage tank from a previous incarnation of the city. The southern wall has long ago collapsed so the water is only a foot or so deep (not even difficult terrain).
As you make your way into the chamber, creatures descend from nests in the heights. They’re a bit hard to describe, but luckily we have art (link)! These dagger wielding humanoid insects float/climb down and attack!
One question for each five you beat the DC as usual.
- - -
Before doing anything rash (like a halfling might), Professor Kart looks at the foes and wonders if he knows about them, or has fought them before.
Know (local) -
- - -