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Lofnaiali nodded in agreement with Tahlumilali. “I was raised following Our mother of Graves, but my grandmother always taught me that there can be no night without first having sun. I have a deep respect for Sarenrae, without her there is no balance or warmth in the land of the dead. ”She lowered her eyes for a moment. She fixed her gaze on the ruins once more, “it is this way of thinking that made my family outliers in elven society. Although this opened a box of discrimination against us, I regretted none of it. It let me connect with people beyond my own race.”
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Noticing how Tahl spits the word, Ohrmizd cannot avoid asking "Why are you traveling so far from elven society?"
The Sarenrite smiles on Lofna's explanations "Then I am happy your family showed you that vision. And your grandma was sage. It is totally certain, Sarenrae and Pharasma create the cycle of day and night. Life and Death. I hope we can work together in such a fruitful way as our ladies. I am certainly happy to have one of Pharasma's priestesses by our side"
Ohrmizd just saw how Lofna healed the fallen woman during the fire, thus, when she speaks about Pharasma, he just assumes she is one of her clerics.
"It's not so much as we are traveling away from elven society neither of us had ever lived in an elven community. Most elves look down on those of us who don't live in kyonin. It was also humans who taught us to live after our families were slaughtered."
Tahlumilali says with a shrug that is both dismissive and defensive.
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Manuun looks interested at the monastery ruins.
"5ft Walls, rather thick. This looks like frontier architecture to me. Not much wealth to begin with and probably all looted by now."
"Although in a frontier region there was probably a secret hiding place somewhere in case of an assault. I wish I knew where that would be located in a Sarenrite temple."
He turns to Soraya and Ohrmizd to ask them, but stops when he sees the reverential look on the faces of the others.
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"Well Ohrmizd, Trade Princess Almah is the reason. An effort to re-establish a trade hub, like what she is doing with this caravan to Kelmarane, doesn't come together in a mere few days, and in Katapesh it doesn't happen without the knowledge of the Pactmasters. My mother is a friend of Aurora Steerbloom. She is a Venture Captain of the Pathfinder Society, and quite good at keeping tabs on such things. She informed my mother. My mother decided it was an opportunity not to be missed. The buildings are already present, it is just a matter of reopening them to worshippers as Princess Almah reopens Kelmarane to trade."
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Soraya's spirits drop when she sees the monastery and realizes the poor condition of the place. She tries to put on a good face and hide her disappointment, but it is apparent in the forced cheerfulness of her voice.
"Well, there is much work to do. I had hoped less rebuilding would be needed, but there is no challenge that cannot be met. Besides, it is the temple in the town that is the main objective."
Froom this first impression you can say for sure that this buildign has a serious pugwampi infestation.
Checking for tracks suggests there are some creatures that pass in and out of the monastery now and then, but you can't tell for sure what it is. Doglike.
Entering the nave and turning west you look into a chapel. But on the way there something else catches your attention. To the left and right of the stairs leading up to the chapel, are small chambers.
The ceiling here has remained intact over the years, helping to preserve a huge bas-relief statue of a muscular humanoid man with a pointy beard gesturing toward a huge mountain in the background, his face a picture of mortal concern.
that faith.
A similar statue adorns the eastern wall of the chamber on the other side, in this case with the bearded figure appearing on a hilltop to a group of robed pilgrims. The being holds up his hands, palms out, in a sign of peace. Though many of the faces and limbs on the bas-relief have been worn down or cut away, the expressions of those range from beatific to horrified.
A crude stone stele that seems to have been erected more recently than the abandonment of the monastery stands here as well. Its graven inscription reads: “A ghost of unholy mien was purged from this place by Theodephus Estrovan, servant of Aroden, 4691 ar.”
"It was also humans who taught us to live after our families were slaughtered."
"I was driven away from my own family when I was still a child. It might well be that they are dead too by now..." Ohrmizd seems to sadden on the thought "Which people took care of you and taught you? Was it here in Katapesh?"
"Well Ohrmizd, Trade Princess Almah is the reason. An effort to re-establish a trade hub, like what she is doing with this caravan to Kelmarane, doesn't come together in a mere few days [...]
"So is it that? A trade hub... well it makes sense it is a great opportunity for the church to recover these temples then. Will you then stay here conducting the rituals once the temple is restored?"
After Ohrmizd comes back from his walk around the temple his face is rigid and carries a level of irritation "Bah! The temple has a serious problem of pugwampi infestation... Cleaning this place is going to be more tedious than I thought"
The Sarenrite contemplates the columns reverently as they start to walk inside of the nave "Wow, look at that. It is impressive already the place has survived the savagery of the desert winds and tribes. Don't be sullen Soraya, this is a good sign that the goddess protects this site still"
Accessing the stairs to the main chapel Ohrmizd halts to observe the vastness and exquisite architecture in its whole "Mmm... the bearded figure is definitely in the same style as I have seen other Saints of the faith being depicted. But this one in particular should be an obscure one as I do not recall having seen him before"
"This stone stele here... it seems much newer, and not in the style of Sarenrae followers" kneeling in front of the inscribed stone, Ohrmizd passes his hand over the inscription to clean it "Theodephus Estrovan, servant of Aroden, 4691 ar. Seems a faithful expurgated a ghost from this place two decades ago"
With no idea whom that might be, the Sarenrite stands up and walks down the stairs and among the pews observing with reverence at the huge colorful window glasses that remain. He stops mid-way to the altar, to examine a strange stain in the ground.
A short set of wide ceremonial steps leads down to a cavernous chapel in which the congregants would gather for sermons in happier times. The vibrant orange and red starburst of Sarenrae still stands behind a film of rusted rainwater and dirt along the north wall overlooking the collapsed altar. Between the stairs and the altar stand dozens of old marble benches, many overturned and even more broken into two or more pieces. A wide walkway bisects the pews, leading directly to the raised altar. Here and there a few clumps of the original red carpet along this thoroughfare hang on against rot and neglect.
Above the center of the chapel, dangling about ten feet from the floor, hangs a cluster of gnoll skulls in various stages of decay. Strung together like a ghoulish candelabra of twine and bone, the boulder-sized ornament hangs from the wooden rafters about twenty feet above the ground.
A thin balcony overlooks the chapel floor some twenty feet above. Two rows of tall-backed wooden choir chairs dominate the southern reach of the balcony, which hugs the chapel’s concave walls. The balcony falls away—collapsed for a span of perhaps fifteen feet—just on the other side of the choir area. To the east, rickety time-worn wooden rafters stretch across the whole chapel. Two huge sections of these rafters have been engulfed in a sort of nest comprised of a patchwork of random bits of cloth.
A pugwampi clambers down a rope in the middle of the chapel. At the end of the rope hangs a gnoll-skull chandelier. The pugwampi shouts obscenities in gnoll at Ohrmizd and Manuun.
In between the marble benches pugwampis rise and shoot Manuun and Ohrmizd.
”I can’t say I know who the man is but it seems the mountain is probably the pale mountain largest of the brazen peaks.“
Tahlumilali says as they pass by the artwork.
Upon seeing the pugwampis Tahlumilali quickly draws his bow and returns fire. He carefully lines up his target and nocks an arrow and pulls string to cheek, somehow right before his draw reaches its peak his finger spasms causing the arrow to launch uselessly short.
"S&@$! This is why I say so Manuun!" Ohrmizd deflects the arrows coming by with his shield "Those things are worse than rats in a barn full of grain!"
"Sarenrae will be pleased that I cleanse this place for her" the man then waddles through the pews hold back a bit by the weight of his armor, and entering in one row of them with his scimitar high.
The pugwampi on the chandelier casts shatter on Ohrmizd's shield.
Ohrmizd is scared as he feels a sudden tension raising on his shield. Fortunately a quick mental prayer to Sarenrae seems to protect it for now "The one in the chandelier! Shot him down! He is one of those wicked wizards!"
"The man represented in the statue would be an important figure in the Church, but who exactly he is I don't know."
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When the gang of pugwampis rudly interrupt their tour of the monastery, Soraya hurries to help Ohrmizd. There is no way for her to get anywhere near him right away though so she pulls her bow from its holder as she goes.
Soraya isn't well practiced with a bow, but she does her best, loosing an arrow at the pugwampi up high. If she's going to be shooting she might as well shoot for something she can't otherwise reach.
Lofnaiali makes a quick pass with her hands as a shimmer of light appears before her laying down over her shoulders and then dissapearing. She then moves closer towards the pugwampi sword at the ready.
More pugwampis show up on the balcony and in the rafters above. One looks mischivous at Ohrmizd's shield, makking it hum and vibrate. The other shoots from its safe position at the humans that foolishly enter their lair.
The pugwampi in front of Ohrmizd flees and hides somewhere. The one in the front row shoots and ducks away.
The one on the other side shoots Soraya and ducks out of sight too.
"You see that! Where did that f#$@er went?!" Ohrmizd exclaims even more irked by the pugwampis than ever.
Blocking another arrow with the shield, the Keleshite walks forward through his line of pews, scimitar at the ready to slash at any pugwampi that shows up "Come' see Sarenrae's mercy little bastard"
"Loscadh is dó ort stay still!
Thalumilali curses at the pugwampi as they all hide after attacking. He nocks a new arrow and fires at the pugwampi at the chandelier.
Soraya sees that trying to find a pugwampi is going to be a frustrating game of whack-a-mole, so she decides to stay put and take another shot at the one up on the chandelier.
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Unfortunately the swinging chandelier prooves hard to target and the bolt hits one of the last bits of glass window behind the altar.
"Sorry! Didn't mean to destroy it even more."
After surveying the current situation Manuun suggests: "Maybe we should retreat to one of the closed rooms to have a more suitable situation and less options to hide for the wampis?"
Ohrmizd is lucky and his shield still is in one piece.
With the bad luck the pugwampis bring, no one is able to harm one of those fey. But the pugwampis who aren't that bad at hitting at least don't create too bad wounds with their tiny arrows.
The one in the chandellier continues with its hate against Ohrmizd's shield .
The others stick their tiny heads backout and shoot the intruders randomly.
Ohrmizd just covers in time his shield as he feels the object vibrating in a dangerous frequency "Oh gosh! For Sarenrae, someone stop that caster!"
Spotting one of the pugwampis shooting an arrow, and blocking another one with his dangerously vibrating shield, Ohrmizd hastens in between the pews, his scimitar risen high up "Enough mongrel!"
Lofnaiali feels the calm powerful energy of her grandmother flow through her arm as she feels the carved bone of Naia oddly cold in her hand compared to the heat of the desert. She lifts the bow an arrow nocked and ready, she pulls the string back and releases in a smooth continuos motion. Only for the arrow to veer off course and hit one of the arms of the chandelier
Thalumilali takes aim at the pugwampi playing in the chandelier making a wish to desna that she guide his arrow to the target.
Tahlumilali shoots the pugwampi off the chandellier. Falling down lifeless the critter breaks its neck. Hard to say what killed it first, but it is dead for sure.
"Yes! Good shot Tahl!" Ohrmizd breaths relieved as the wicked wizard meets his end "I invite you to an applejack round for each of those mongrels you fall!"
Since the pugwampi on the chandelier is finished, Soraya drops her bow and draws her scimitar as she closes in on the nearest pugwampi.
Soraya dulls her blade on marble. The pugwampis really don't like to stand toe to toe with anyone. The ones in front of Ohrmizd and Soraya flee. Ohrmizd's changes sides and disappears in the debris of the broken benches. Soraya can see her's til the end of the bench and then loses it out of sight. The thrid one shoots at Soraya before ducking out of sight.
The two from above keep menacing Ohrmizd. One with an arrow, and one with a shatter spell. They really seem to hate shields.
"You little bastard! I will catch you!" Ohrmizd tries to follow the pugwampi climbing up over the pews.
If/when the Keleshite spots the pugwampi, he slashes at him. Otherwise, he readies his scimitar, up, prepared to slash at any of the foes happening to show up around "Soraya, did you see on what row did he stopped?"
Tahlumilali fires another arrow aiming for the one who is casting spells at Ohrmizd, only to miss.
"Alright, we'll all fight at a distance."
Soraya puts away her sword and walks back toward the entrance. She nocks and arrow and waits with her bow.
Manuun impales one pugwampi on a bolt. The ugly dow staggers away to their hiding spot above. Ohrmizd tries to follow the critter, but loses it, as he almost stumbles over the bench.
Stumbling funnily over the pews, Ohrmizd tries to recover composure like nothing happens "Oh, yeah, I am good. Just... help me corner one of those nasty critters!"
Still he holds his scimitar high, ready to slash at any of the pugwampis coming around "Have you ever hunt mice? They are not that easy when the house is full of holes like this"
"Keep your eye at watch! Take each of you a different aisle so you see what row they move to when they run away from me. That way I can go there and force them to fight or flee, and when they flee you shot them with your readied arrow and tell me the new row they run to! I go and force them out. Rinse and repeat!" Ohrmizd points to the central aisle and the two by the walls "That way we cover the whole ground and they cannot hide without someone spotting where they are going!"
Ohrmizd speaks in Common confident the critters will not understand him.
Lofnaiali is kept on her toes anticipating the dreaded creatures. She tries to steady her breath while she readies another arrow. With one swift move she reaches back and feels for the fletching of another arrow from her quiver. She pulls it out quickly and nocks it to her string. She takes a soft step forward to see if she can spot any movement. Lofnaiali ignored the burning in her fingertips from the last shot she drew and fired. She made sure not to lose sight of Tahlumilali or her fellow party members.
Lofnaiali shoots at the pugwampi hanging out on the balcony but misses. Sending the tiny meanie into a laughing fit.
As the first pugwampi sticks it's head above a bench again, Soraya shoots it an arrow in the eye, making it disappear again. The next to come up shoots at Ohrmizd, the one farther away shoots Soraja. The one on the balcony shoots back at Lofnaiali. but everything is in vain as their aim is far off.
*splat*
The pugwampi is nailed to the wall with the bolt.
Soraya takes a step forward and looses an arrow to the critter to her right among the pews.
Ohrmizd observes the tiny arrow of the pugwampi going astray over the ceiling. Waddling through the benches he barely reaches the pugwampi drawing a long swash with his scimitar "I found you!"
Ohrmizd finally cuts it in half.