Goss turns to regard Safiki and bobs his head. "Indeed. We believe that Grandmother Spider weaves the web of fate to guide her followers along the preordained paths."
Noticing Baldrek, Mokhasi, and Patizamo, the anadi waves at them cheerfully. "Hello, friends! It is good to see you again. We would like to thank you once more for saving us from those rampaging griffons. We are eternally grateful."
"Ah, but trying to read her tricky paths is difficult!"
"We're glad you followed a thread to us. How are you settling in to the Magaambya? Is there anything you need?"
"It is an adjustment, to be sure," Goss says. "We hadn’t seen more than a handful of other humanoids until we came, and here there are so, so many! But we will stay as long as we are allowed to keep learning. Fortunately, the Magaambya has been very accommodating so far. We have everything that we need."
"The Magaambya must be quite far from your home, yet it provides everything a student here needs. What about your wounds from the griffons? Nothing lasting or debilitating?"
”No, thankfully. We are fine now. That was the most terrifying moment of our lives, and we are grateful you were there. We owe you a great debt. We have seen griffons before, but not those griffons— they are very distinctive in their look,” Goss says.
Still beet red, Safiki manages to ask, "So, what brought you here? I believe you said you were drawn here, but do you know by what?"
"I have not encountered a griffon before - what is it about those griffons that was different than others you have seen?"
"Most griffons have the heads of eagles and the bodies of lions," Goss explains. "The ones that attacked us had the heads of blackbirds and the bodies of leopards. Perhaps their distinct look would make it not difficult to find out where they come from."
The anadi turns to Safiki. "We... are not sure what brought us here. We felt the call of magic, and knew this was the place that had the most to teach us about it. It is hard to explain the call. It's like a beckoning, a yearning feeling. It feels like we are supposed to be here."
He gestures to the building behind him. "This building, in particular, calls to us, too. Sometimes. We spend a lot of time discussing what might be there, but we haven’t gone in. We sometimes hear noises inside, and that gives us caution."
"Well, we could check out that building. I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to get permission. We'd be happy to let you know what's inside, if it would satisfy your curiousity." Pilzip feels his healthy sense of curiosity stir.
The mention of the building pulling them, Baldrek gets very interested, but also worried. "We could check it right now... well, after I get my spear, of course."
"I hadn't heard that the griffons' appearance was so unusual. We should ask around Nantambu tomorrow; it's a bit late today. Most businesses will be closed for the evening." Safiki looks around at his new companions. "However that makes it the best time to look around inside an empty lecture hall. If you all feel something calling to you from inside here, there must be something interesting to discover. I have no other plans for the evening and would be happy to see what's going on."
After a short break to gather up your combat gear, you approach the doors of Hababe Building to investigate it. Two masked statues flank the doors, but as you draw near, the western statue grinds to life, shaking off years of dust and raising its sword and shield!
Safiki stares at the statue in disbelief. "Why would there be a guard outside a lecture hall, even one little used? Is this some sort of test?" In the hopes that the statue has been commanded to stand down if certain key words are used, he loudly and clearly says, "We are attendants of the Magaambya. Let us pass."
In case the state doesn't stand down, he casts two quick spells of protection. One for him, and one for the student who wields a spear, (and therefore seems most likely to be in melee range).
The statue does not respond. It raises its shield and moves to engage Baldrek, slashing him with its sword! The anadis cry out and scramble for cover.
Pilzip scrambles to remember what he can about guardian statues, then circles around behind the statue and stabs it in the back.
for and
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Mokhasi looks extremely surprised when the statues come to life. He exclaims, "Muto - why are your cousins fighting! These rocks are intended to rest - their spirit was always quiet before."
The little animate stone being, now floating above Mokhasi's shoulder, its pebbly legs crossed in a meditative pose, shrugs, as Mokhasi considers. He calls out, "spirits of the stone, I beseech you - why do you strike at us? This is not as it should be."
Frowning, he gestures, and Muto imitates him. Pebbles from the ground nearby rise and collect themselves into a mass, slamming into the soldier. "I am a fool. This being cannot even respond; it must be defeated before it slays us all - it is immune to many things but weak to smashing !"
It seemed this was no test after all. Safiki cannot imagine Janatimo putting them in potentially lethal danger. Trusting Mokhasi's advice, he quickly casts the only spell he has prepared that could qualify as 'smashing'. The air shifts around the creatures head as an incorporeal fist punches its skull. Then, eyeing the sword, he continues keeping a shield of force between him and it.
Ubasu starts singing an Alijae war song. Inexplicably, the words guide the group's actions and help both spell and sword to strike true. He then applies some practical magic to conjure forth a slippery sticky substance, hoping this will cause the statue to trip.
https://2e.aonprd.com/Spells.aspx?ID=140
Area: All solid ground in the area is covered with grease. Each creature standing on the greasy surface must succeed at a Reflex save or an Acrobatics check against your spell DC or fall prone.
Creatures using an action to move onto the greasy surface during the spell's duration must attempt either a Reflex save or an Acrobatics check to Balance.
A creature that Steps or Crawls doesn't have to attempt a check or save.
Baldrek is taken aback by the sudden hit. He counter attacks the statue before moving back, putting some distance between them.
Patizamo drew his sword and cast a spell to hurl a ball of flame at the statue.
Pilzip moves to flank the statue, but he fails to land a hit. Patizamo draws his sword and hurls a ball of fire at the construct, scorching it. The nimble statue avoids Mokhasi's scree and Ubasu's grease! Baldrek delivers a powerful blow, which the statue blocks somewhat with its shield. The shield crumples, broken by the strike! Ubasu hits the construct with an admonishing ray, but the nonlethal spell has no effect on the unliving statue!
Abandoning its broken shield, the construct steps forward, retaining its footing, and slashes at Baldrek! It scores a critical strike, then follows up with another slash that takes the fighter down!
"Baldrek!" Safiki curses himself for not having healed the fighter first. He had hoped to cause some damage to the creature, but instead his spell had done nothing and now Baldrek lay dying on the ground.
Clutching his holy symbol, he sends a wave of positive energy towards Baldrek. "Get up my friend, the fight is not yet over."
As Baldrek goes down, Patizamo captures some of the fire from his last spell, empowering himself and his blade with it before he weaves another, more powerful spell into his blade and strikes with it. "Pilzip, flank it with me if you can!"
"Happy to help!"
Pilzip slides into a flanking position and brandishing his swordshort. Fire kindles in the gem attached to the weapon's hilt, and the grippli brushes it against the living statue.
for and
Baldrek falls, but then is quickly brought back, feeling healing energy coursing through him. He nods a thanks to Safiki before grabbing his ranseur, getting on his feet and then attacking the statue once more!
As the elvish chant lingers on in his head and heart, Ubasu weaves another spell using song and percussive gestures. The magic picks up the broken shield and throws it at the back of the statue's head with lethal force and speed.
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Mokhasi concentrates, planting his feet to steady himself - and then wiggles his toes while clapping his hands together, and making a pushing motion as if he’s shoving something down. The ground rumbles slightly in a line towards the warrior and suddenly, a small sinkhole appears below the guardian’s feet, seemingly trying to draw it down into the earth itself - to grind the ceramic creature into dust.
Pilzip tries to burn the construct, to no avail. Patizamo delivers a solid strike, slashing and shocking the warrior.
Mokhasi causes the stairs beneath the construct to open up beneath it before slamming shut, crushing its legs! Ubasu hurls a chunk of broken stone into the statue's chest, then Baldrek gets back to his feet to deliver the finishing blow! The clay construct shatters into pieces!
"We did not know that statue was a construct," Goss says as the anadis slowly emerge from hiding. "It never activated before. Perhaps we never approached close enough to trigger it."
"I've never seen anything like it at the school before. I don't think the teachers would set up something as dangerous as that! We should definitely go see what it was guarding." Pilzip comments breathlessly, then stops himself. "After we make sure Baldrek is alright, of course!"
As one statue falls Safiki quickly shifts his focus to the other. Fortunately it seems to be remaining unanimated and so after a moment he relaxes. "Strange. Very strange. No, I cannot imagine a teacher creating this sort of trap. It must have been recently set as well. This building isn't used often, but it is still used."
"Goss, you said you've heard noises inside this building. What kind of noises? Do you have any idea what might be in there?" Originally Safiki had assumed the noises were from legitimate visitors; cleaners perhaps, or a teacher who wanted a little privacy and so took over an unused office. It now seems that might not be the case.
With the statue down, Baldrek sits to take care of his wounds. "I also find this very strange. While we investigate it, I believe the teachers should be warned as soon as possible." He says this to the anadis.
"The noises sounded like buzzing insects, or a low drone. They're hard to explain fully," Goss says. "We shall alert the teachers while you explore! Good luck!"
The teak door to the storeroom is scratched and old. Its brass lock is corroded and obviously inoperable, but the door doesn’t open easily. It seems to have been boarded over from the inside. Fortunately, with a bit of effort, you are able to break through the boards and open the door.
Dust and cobwebs coat empty shelves and cabinets in the room beyond the door. The hard dirt floor is stained with paint and the powder of long-inert reagents. Another door is set in the west wall.
A search of the room also reveals a secret door in the north wall! One of the cabinets pivots outward along with a section of the wall when a shelf within it is tilted up.
Ubasu watches over Baldrek as the warrior takes care of his wounds. He studies the man's methods and wonders how many times he must have done all of this before: is repeated trauma what makes a good doctor? Perhaps. "All of this is most odd. A statue that attacks students with lethal force? It would sound absurd if only I hadn't just witnessed it with my very own eyes!"
Next up is the actual storeroom. Within, they find a secret door, which makes finding out what's behind it all the more enticing. But there's also a mundane door to the west. "I say we keep our weapons at the ready. Trouble has beat us to place already."
"Let's do how we did before." He says, as he closes the secret door and looks for a way to block it, before motioning the others to follow him towards the west door. "Be ready for the worst... recently, the sound of insects has given us a hard time."
"Oh, a secret door. How intruiging! And why was this door boarded over? Hmm. Hmm."
Pilzip will draw his sword and urge the group to explore past the secret door.
Beyond the secret door is a small room that contains cleaning supplies. Slumped in the corner is the corpse of a lithe woman with a snake head. A look of terror is frozen on her face. Doors exit to the north and west.
"Woah! A dead body." Pilzip looks for any kind of identifying information on the corpse.
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Mokhasi tries to leverage his love of rocks and stone into a thorough magi-forensic analysis of the terra-cotta warrior to answer the question - when was this imbued with magical energy?
Mokhasi muses quietly, ”the Magaambya holds many secrets. Things which even the teachers do not know. This snake person - what in the world happened here… Baldrek, when did she die? It does not look as if it was long ago.” He holds up a slender finger and pontificates ”between this and the statue it seems that even more of the warding magic protecting the school has begun to unravel or behave unexpectedly. Unless she is a student - and I do not recognize her - how did she get into this secret room on these grounds? Especially with the animate guardian? There must be a clue…” Mokhasi isn’t especially perceptive but he and Muto will look around for some evidence of where she came from.
"I could examine the body, but I believe it is safer for us if we make sure the rest of the building is empty of enemies."
Mokhasi is unable to determine anything about the defeated construct.
There is nothing on the dead serpentfolk to identify her. A brief examination reveals that she hasn't been dead for more than a day or two.
Safiki crouches down next to the body. "I am so sorry dear one. We will find out what happened to you." Sitting back on his heels he looks around the room. "Perhaps she came through a different entrance, or perhaps the guardian was not yet enchanted when she arrived. For me the bigger question is this: who used a secret door to seal a storeroom and why? What could they have been trying to conceal from prying eyes? Certainly not a few mops and brooms."
Shaking his head, he stands up. "I would like to look around the room for clues to that mystery, but you all have more experience with searching strange places than I. If you feel we should move on sooner rather than later, I will follow."
Ubasu brings a clenched fist to his face and covers his mouth with it. Death, while a natural part of the cycle of life, still triggers shock and unease within the young half-elf. And as shock slowly dissipates, the questions remain.
"Sure, let's do that, Baldrek. I hope death does not follow our journey through this place."
Patizamo also takes the time to study the construct before going in.
Once inside, he looks over the rooms as they progress, but the serpentfolk woman gives him pause.
Patizamo considers a moment, then casts a cantrip to search for magic and scans the storeroom.
Patizamo sees that the statue was imbued with arcane energy within the past day. He further realizes that the statue was once animated long ago, and the recent energy merely reactivated its former defense protocols.
There are no magic auras in the storeroom.
Ubasu cups his chin with his right hand and presses his index finger against his lips as he mulls over the identity of the deceased snake lady.
Ubasu recognizes the woman as a serpentfolk! Before their ancient clash with humanity devastated their civilization, serpentfolk were masters of a sprawling underground empire. Few serpentfolk survive today; their power is shattered, their god Ydersius decapitated (although not quite slain). They normally dwell deep in the Darklands.
"Never thought I'd see a serpentfolk! What was she doing above ground?" Pilzip suppresses a shudder. Snake gods give him the shivers! "We've really got to get to the bottom of this."
Pilzip puts an ear against the northern door.
Pilzip can hear soft hissing noises beyond the north door. It is silent past the western door.
Pilzip drops his voice as he turns back to his cohorts: "Something's hissing behind that door." He whispers with dread.
"The western door is quiet. I'm not keen to meet snakes, but if we are looking for the source of the strangeness..."