As the creature tries to run by, Grelthe grabs it. The creature is now in her hands and looks up at the half-orc terrified.
It swings it's dagger at Grelthe, trying to escape, but no luck! The half-orc's grip is firm.
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[u]Round 3[/u]
Creature (grappled)
Rachel
Aatish
Andros
Roomba
Grelthe (grappling)
Tavon
Aatish knocks the creature out! It's body hangs loosely in Grelthe's grip.
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"Transferring 10 min audio video log buffer to long-term memory banks and now recording live events. Query: explain intent to tie up this creature. Query: identify reason for restraining the creature. Query: identify reason for striking the creature unconscious. Analysis: low threat. Repeat. Analysis: low threat. Addendum on previous recommendation files saved as 'attempt to communicate' and 'back away from the entrance slowly and put away your weapons': recommendations rejected by Grelthe Hraustligr, follower of Kurgess, Andros, follower of Sarenrae and Aatish, Dawnflower Dervish. Recording. Monitoring current situation and standing by to -- ."
Roomba's continuous voice stream of android consciousness suddenly stops with these last three words, spoken in a different voice than Roomba's usual feminine speech, as if another consciousness, designer's command or separate protocol had just kicked in. Roomba's eyes begin to glow blue and the usual soft light of the technological patterns around her arms and legs begin to increase in intensity. A now audible high-pitched whir from unseen machinery within her body can now be heard, presumably from a moving component now gaining a tremendous amount of rotations per minute... and she moves her hand to her rapier's grip, watching you all like a hawk.
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Roomba backs away from Aatish with incredible speed, not letting her touch her arm. The android maintains her silence and draws her rapier out. She then point her rapier at the unconscious creature.
With her left hand's metallic fingers, she scrapes a message on the wall with some difficulty:
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Grelthe looks at Roomba curiously.
But she simply isn't making sense.
She speaks calmly.
"We got hired to do 2 things: stop whatever is behind the disappearing bodies, and clear the level of all other monsters or threats. There is no way to tell if this creature has anything to do with either of those without identifying it - which is hard to do when half the group can't even see it. Also, letting it run around making more patches of unexpected darkness could be very dangerous to those of our group who can't see in the dark. No one permanently injured it - it will be fine. Can anyone identify it though?"
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Andros looks equally confused and concerned at Roomba's change in demeanour. He gets in front of her, his hands up.
Roomba...look at me. We captured it to see if we can find out anything from it. Clearly it is not a threat and was scared. It acted out of self preservation. Put your blade down...we can talk about this...
Roomba questions the group on why they tied up and knocked out this creature. The darkness fades as now everyone can see the creature laying silently in Grelthe's arms. With a quick glance, anyone can see it is breathing still, though shallow. What it was doing in here, one can only guess. Perhaps it had to do with the floating head that was banging against the door.
Whatever the group decides to do with the creature, they do spot another door at the other end of this small room. Religious carvings depicting the judgment of souls cover the walls of the room. A stone pedestal with a bowl-shaped depression on top stands in the northwest corner. Wooden cabinets and chests of drawers line the walls.
Examining the room, there is a finely made cloak that hangs in a cabinet of mundane priestly vestments and two scrolls found among the religious texts. The rest of the religious accoutrements stored here are all unexceptional, though the church of Pharasma will likely pay for these historical artifacts. The creature also seems to be carrying a few valuables: an engraved ivory bracelet (worth 20 gp), three freshwater pearls (worth 10 gp each), 27 gp, and 32 sp.
Andros identifies the scrolls, but the cloak stumps him. Just some fancy priest vestments probably!
The creature lays in a corner, propped up against a wall. Grelthe gave it some crackers and jerky for it to eat when it wakes up.
Grelthe moves to the door in the east. Easily opens! The next room continues the theme of judgement in the afterlife shown by the carvings on the walls of this room. A wide table stands along the north wall, draped with a heavy black cloth. A single candle burns in a tall, iron candlestick in the southwest corner, but the rest of the room is cloaked in shadows.
Andros holds up his holy symbol and lights up the room.
There is another door headed southeast.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A fanged goblin's head pokes out from underneath the table, parting the black tablecloth and speaks to the Pathfinders in a sibilant whisper. The creature slithers out and you can now see she has a long snake's body. "My name is Yrix, a great wormfolk and an even greater mystic. Oracle of the Undercity. I can draw back the veil of mystery that cloaks this ossuary and reveal all the secrets of the Ancients.". She hisses and you can see her forked tongue. "For a price of course. One gold and I can tell you something I know about this place"
"That door is trapped. Only I know the secrets of opening it.". She hisses again. "Five gold pieces. Per person. And I will open it.". Yrix slithers in front of Tavon and Grelthe, blocking off the door.
"Wormfolk" are what nagas are called in Kaer Maga.
Yrix is a known as a goblin snake. Typical goblin snakes can belch on you, causing you to become sickened for a time.
Grelthe gets the sense that Yrix is definitely lying. Reading the lines in her face and how she moves, it's quite obvious now! The door is probably not locked or trapped. She might not even be the 'Great Mystic' she claims. Yrix is most likely just trying to extort you.
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"I recommend you comply with this half-orc female, Yrix. She will not hesitate to kill over a few simple gold pieces, I assure you, despite her claims of paladinhood," says Roomba, her right eye still blinking red, and her voice that of a completely different female. "Take the money I already gave you and leave for now. You may return in three day's time. Dismissed!"
"Bah. You dare accuse the Great Yrix of scams?". She hisses at the Pathfinders. She picks up Roomba's gold with the tip of her tail and tosses it under the table. "That door is very trapped. Cursed in fact. Touching it will cause you to grow old and die! Just one touch. Only I, the Great Yrix, can prevent you from being afflicted". She hisses and tries to block anyone from advancing closer to the door. "Only five gold each. That's all I ask. Nothing more."
Yrix hisses then stares at Andros for a few seconds before deciding to slither under the table. She returns quickly holding out tiny box affixed to a leather cord (which looks like a headband) in her tail. "Not sure what it does anyway. You can have it." She tosses it at Andros's feet.
Then she hisses at Roomba and mumbles, "Not greedy, I'm not. The Great Yrix is great."
"One gold for information about this place? I can tell you anything you want to know." Her voice sounds strained as she slithers back up to the door.
"There... there is another one of your kind. A human. He. Or she. Not sure. But this human has an undead following beyond the Great Pit."
She stammers between hisses. But anyone can tell that this greedy snake goblin does not want to anger you any more.
"Since you're so nicccccccce..." she hisses, drawing out the word 'nice', "I'll open the door for you for freeeeeee.". She slithers over to the door, closes her eyes, and starts chanting. "Oh great ones. Open this door!". Then she hums in deep chaotic language, almost acting like it is an occult ritual or something.
"Today isn't my day. These losers... don't want to anger them anymore"
The door opens and you see a winding stone stairway covered in a layer of dust. It is marred only by a single sinuous track.
"Ssssssseeeeeee? I saved you from the curssssssse.". She stands still, hoping the Pathfinders pay her for 'removing' the curse.
Yrix hisses and whispers, "Five gold each.". She doesn't expect you to pay, but still wants your gold.
She then spies the unconscious creature in the next room. "I ssssseeeeee you bought me lunch.". Yrix starts slithering through to the next room.
Instead, Yrix stares at each of you and occasionally hisses. "What elsssssssssse do you want?"
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"Whhhhhhhhhat is love?"
She hisses at Roomba. "I can take you downstairsssssss. I am a gatekeeper betweeeeeeeeen the levels of this Undercity.". She stares at Roomba and waits for a moment. "Ten gold. Each". When demanding asking for money, she is quick and concise.
Tavon enters the next room, pushing aside Yrix. She hisses, but slithers out of the way of the Pathfinders.
The next room is a winding stone stairway covered in a thick layer of dust, marred only by a single sinuous track, most likely from Yrix.
"Anothhhhhher level down there. I can tell you what there. But you wont pay meeeeeeee. So I wont."
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Besides clearing the level of threats, Grelthe remembers they were also asked to collect any Pharasmin artifacts found and has an idea. Hmm. Maybe this liar could be useful after all. Grelthe says "I changed my mind, there is a way you can be helpful to us and earn some coin. IF you can lead us to any religious artifacts marked with this symbol" she draws the Pharasmin symbol on the ground. "I will pay 5 gold per artifact. Payment upon delivery - last offer."
Other than that Grelthe will be happy to follow Tavon through the door.
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Yrix lights up. "Yes, yes, yessssss. I have some worthless thingsssss." She slithers back underneath the table. You hear a few things clatter as she seems to be searching through a stash or horde of things.
Not too long after, she slithers back out. "Here you goooooooo!" She smiles as she hands over a large golden holy symbol of Pharasma - not realizing it's worth. Grelthe takes one look at the craftsmanship. Very well crafter. The church of Pharsma will pay a lot of money for this, full price! She estimates it could be worth up to 50 gp.
Yrix believes she's getting quite the deal - something worthless for 5 gold!