Humble looks to his companions. My thoughts on the matter are clear. What are yours?
Kyrie rests her hand on her chin. ”I think that she would not be trapped here if she was not deeply repentant, beyond just words. And it is always good to put the dead to rest when we find them and are capable. I think we should help her pass on.”
Kioko bows deeply to the spirit.
"Kinnitri of Bonmu. You have served your penance. You have earned your rest."
"Your words are kinder than I deserve," Kinnitri says to Kioko. She makes no sign of even noticing Rakka as he plucks the silver feather from among her remains. Once you decide to collect her remains to bury her, the ghost sits passively in quiet thought while you collect the bones. She does not follow you as you carry them away.
It takes some time and the work is hot as the noon time sun comes, but you manage a grave deep enough to place her bones and are able to sanctify the burial with a prayer. A breeze like a sigh blows through the courtyard.
You carry on your exploration of the temple ruins. Searching the room with the stagnant and putridly pungent reflecting pond, you find nothing of value outside of the water. Hopefully, a feather or the necklace is not hidden within the water. The gods of good help whoever falls into that muck.
The larger chamber, which seems to be a practice yard, appears to be devoid of anything of value. However, the two tengu each catch a glimpse of something interesting and converge on the same spot. Brushing the sand away, they find a runestone with a greater striking rune inscribed.
Tarnished bells, frayed ribbons, and crumbling wooden beams surround the massive statue at the center of this shrine space, which is set into an alcove at the eastern side of the temple’s open-air training area. Six steps lead up to a clearing where one can sit before the large statue, which depicts a smiling old man seated in a cross-legged position and holding a staff. A pair of braziers stand on either side of the steps and various prayer instruments lie scattered before the statue. The alcove’s northern wall is badly damaged, with a fifteen-foot-wide gap that reveals the forest outside the temple.
Humble thinks the statue looks like the "Old Man," one of Irori's heralds.
Among the prayer instruments organized around the statue are several treasures: a jade serpent statuette, a blue metal ring, a silver necklace interwoven with several rubies that shimmer like flames, and a number of coins.
"That would be the phoenix necklace," Ingdani says.
Here is an idol of the Old Man, a herald of Iro-Shu.
The cleric makes no move to take anything from the shrine — not yet. All he does is bow with reverence.
Surely, there is a Law for the taking of things at this shrine…
He tries to remember the rules for taking religious instruments from such a shrine. Should he leave something in return? Should it be of equal or greater value? Should he give special obeisance before taking an item?
"I mean, the necklace was placed there for the purposes of this tournament, right? Surely it's not a part of the shrine."
"That is correct," Ingdani answers Rakka. "The Emissary and his agents placed the initial feathers and the necklaces, though each guide was excluded from the site of their assigned team so we could not help you find them--unintentionally or otherwise."
Humble finds that the area does contain magical auras, and many of the items on the deck around the statue appear valuable. The aasimar thinks on the different rituals and manners of obeisance he has learned about over the years, but anything specific to Irori is escaping him at the moment. It does not help that the parallels between the dietary instructions among Kalistrocrats and some sects of Irori keep popping to mind, unbidden.
Humble looks to Kyrie, wondering if the Iomedan has any thoughts.
The most powerful aura of magic by far is in the vicinity of the ruby necklace.
Kyrie is fairly certain that sacrifices left upon shrines are not supposed to be taken except maybe by the faithful to use in a time of great need. That, at least, would be how it would work at a shrine to Iomedae.
Humble gingerly picks up the necklace and tucks it into his sleeves of storage.
These other items are of interest to me, as they can either be put to use or liquidated. There is no greater need than our survival and eventual victory. Further, both myself and Kyrie are considered persons of faith. The stipulations have been met; therefore we claim this bounty.
Assuming he isn't struck down by a bolt of Irorian lightning he picks up the silk bag.
As soon as Humble lifts the necklace from the floor, the statue begins to move. What was once solid stone now moves as supply as flesh and fabric. It slams but butt of its stone staff on the ground, and wind blows out from the impact, ruffling your clothes and the ends of the statue's long, stone mustache.
Kyrie was ready for trouble and acts before the statue finishes rising from where it sits.
Grumpy Old Man! Round 1.
Kyrie (173/173 hp)
Old Man Statue
Kioko (160/160 hp)
Humble (118/118 hp)
Rakka (127/127 hp)
This is a divine warden: a mute guardian imbued with a fraction of a divine herald's power to protect a specific location or person. They are constructs and have construct immunities.
"Humble, wait, I do not think--"
Realizing that the moment for words has passed, she instead raises her shield and enters her battle stance, trying to remember if she knows anything about this particular faith that might be helpful.
The statue of the Old Man finishes standing and reaches toward Humble's arm with lightning speed. However, the boards beneath its right foot crumble. The old wood cannot sustain the weight and break just in time to cause the grab to miss. Without missing a beat, the Old Man sweeps the stone staff downward to sweep the aasimar's legs. However, the boards beneath its left foot crumbles, and the statue falls flat on its back.
Grumpy Old Man! Round 1-2.
Old Man Statue (prone)
Kioko (160/160 hp)
Humble (118/118 hp) (phoenix necklace in hand)
Rakka (127/127 hp)
Kyrie (173/173 hp) (Everstand stance)
This is a divine warden: a mute guardian imbued with a fraction of a divine herald's power to protect a specific location or person. They are constructs and have construct immunities.
Humble raises his spellguard shield and tries to remember what he knows.
Then he moves back
Humble imparts what he knows: This is a divine warden: a mute guardian imbued with a fraction of a divine herald's power to protect a specific location or person. They are constructs and have construct immunities.
I can say a prayer to deactivate it perhaps, but not at the moment. He feels he has no choice but to protect himself and move back.
Rakka darts back away from the statue, drawing his bowstring as he goes. He skids to a stop and looses an arrow, wreathed in swirling wind. As it approaches the statue, the wind picks up several large chunks of shattered wooden plinth from around the construct's feet, slamming them into the prone statue.
Spellstrike: Uncharged
Arrows: 42
Even in its awkward position, the arrow finds no weak point and skitters off of the stone .
Turtle on Its Back? Round 1-2.
Old Man Statue (prone)
Kioko (160/160 hp)
Humble (118/118 hp) (phoenix necklace in hand) (shield)
Rakka (127/127 hp)
Kyrie (173/173 hp) (Everstand stance)
This is a divine warden: a mute guardian imbued with a fraction of a divine herald's power to protect a specific location or person. They are constructs and have construct immunities.
Divine Destruction: when the warden is destroyed (0 HP), it will explode with a wave of deific power (14d6 damage, special Will DC 32) that can enfeeble and stupefy those caught in the blast.
Kioko marks the statue as her prey, then darts around to set up a flank with Kyrie.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Slashing, Agile, Deadly d8, Finesse, Uncommon, Versatile P
Kioko moves around to strike the statue from the opposite side. The Old Man manages to block the katana with his stone staff, but Kioko is able to land a glancing blow against its bald head. Unfortunately, it only chips the statue .
Grumpy Old Man! Round 2.
Old Man Statue (-3 hp; prone)
Kioko (160/160 hp)
Humble (118/118 hp) (phoenix necklace in hand) (shield)
Rakka (127/127 hp)
Kyrie (173/173 hp) (Everstand stance)
This is a divine warden: a mute guardian imbued with a fraction of a divine herald's power to protect a specific location or person. They are constructs and have construct immunities.
Divine Destruction: when the warden is destroyed (0 HP), it will explode with a wave of deific power (14d6 damage, special Will DC 32) that can enfeeble and stupefy those caught in the blast.
Kyrie takes a fearless step forward and bashes at the statue with her shield.
She does not go for an Everstand Strike yet, not wanting to potentially overextend herself without her shield up.
Kyrie brings her shield down toward the statue, and the Old Man moves his staff swiftly to block the strike. A few chips do appear on his hand . As Kyrie raises her shield to defend herself, the statue climbs back to its feet. It ignores the tengu and the knight for now and strides after Humble.
Reaching out, it grabs hold of the aasimar's wrist that holds the phoenix necklace.
Grumpy Old Man! Round 2-3.
Old Man Statue (-8 hp) (1 focus point used)
Kioko (160/160 hp)
Humble (118/118 hp) (phoenix necklace in hand) (grabbed)
Rakka (127/127 hp)
Kyrie (173/173 hp) (Everstand stance)
This is a divine warden: a mute guardian imbued with a fraction of a divine herald's power to protect a specific location or person. They are constructs and have construct immunities.
Divine Destruction: when the warden is destroyed (0 HP), it will explode with a wave of deific power (14d6 damage, special Will DC 32) that can enfeeble and stupefy those caught in the blast.
Humble recites the koan.
The statue immediately releases Humble's arm and turns to face the others.
Grumpy Old Man! Round 2-3.
Old Man Statue (-8 hp) (1 focus point used) (clumsy 1, enfeebled 1)
Kioko (160/160 hp)
Humble (118/118 hp) (phoenix necklace in hand)
Rakka (127/127 hp)
Kyrie (173/173 hp) (Everstand stance)
This is a divine warden: a mute guardian imbued with a fraction of a divine herald's power to protect a specific location or person. They are constructs and have construct immunities.
Divine Destruction: when the warden is destroyed (0 HP), it will explode with a wave of deific power (14d6 damage, special Will DC 32) that can enfeeble and stupefy those caught in the blast.
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Attend these words.
Humble recites the small poem again, which is an interpretation of the longer koan:
Not falling, not ignoring:
Odd and even are on one die.
Not ignoring, not falling:Hundreds and thousands of regrets!
The man said, "I am not actually a human being. I lived and taught on this mountain five hundred lifetimes ago, as you do. One day a student asked me, 'Must a person who practices with great devotion still obey the laws of cause and effect?' I said to him, 'No, such a person need not.' Because I said this I was reborn as a wild fox for five hundred lifetimes." Then he asked Irori, "Does a person who practices with great devotion still fall into cause and effect?"
Irori said, "Don't ignore cause and effect."
Immediately the man had great realization. Bowing, he said, "I am now liberated from the body of a wild fox. I will stay in the mountain behind the monastery. Master, could you perform the usual services for a deceased monk for me?"
Irori gathered his followers and told them they must perform a funeral rite. One of the students asked: "What's going on? Everyone is well; there is no one sick and there is no need for a funeral." Irori led his followers to a large rock behind the monastery and showed them a dead fox at the rock's base. They performed the funeral rites cremeted the body.
That evening Irori talked about what happened that day. A student asked him: "A teacher of old gave a wrong answer, and became a wild fox for five hundred lifetimes. But what if he hadn't given a wrong answer?"
Irori said, "Come closer and I will tell you." The student came closer. Irori slapped his face. Laughing, Irori said, "You have an unusual beard!"
The Old Man, enlightened by irori's Turning Word and now free from his fox form, became Irori's herald.
Kioko moves around to maintain the flank!
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Slashing, Agile, Deadly d8, Finesse, Uncommon, Versatile P
She returns her blades to a defensive stance.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Even with the statue's attention divided and slightly off balance for some reason, Kioko's blades fail to damage the stone this time.
Grumpy Old Man! Round 2-3.
Old Man Statue (-8 hp) (1 focus point used) (clumsy 1, enfeebled 1)
Kioko (160/160 hp)
Humble (118/118 hp) (phoenix necklace in hand)
Rakka (127/127 hp)
Kyrie (173/173 hp) (Everstand stance)
This is a divine warden: a mute guardian imbued with a fraction of a divine herald's power to protect a specific location or person. They are constructs and have construct immunities.
Divine Destruction: when the warden is destroyed (0 HP), it will explode with a wave of deific power (14d6 damage, special Will DC 32) that can enfeeble and stupefy those caught in the blast.
Rakka thinks for a moment, then shrugs and repeats Humble's koan, as close to the way the aasimar did as possible.
"Not falling, not ignoring:
Odd and even are on one die.
Not ignoring, not falling:
Hundreds and thousands of regrets!
Kyrie also gives the koan a try, happy for any method to not have to fight this statue that is merely defending its temple.
”Not falling, not ignoring:
Odd and even are on one die.
Not ignoring, not falling:
Hundreds and thousands of regrets!”
As Rakka and Kyrie speak, the statue seems to wobble. It directs a fearsome thrust of its staff toward Kioko's head, but as the statue wobbles the stone staff passes a handsbreadth away. The wind in the wake of the strike ruffles the tengu's feathers. The statue follows this with a strike with its open palm, but the wobbling foils the blow. The stone hand glances off of Kioko's armor.
Grumpy Old Man! Round 2-3.
Old Man Statue (-8 hp; staff raised) (1 focus point used) (clumsy 3, enfeebled 3)
Kioko (160/160 hp)
Humble (118/118 hp) (phoenix necklace in hand)
Rakka (127/127 hp)
Kyrie (173/173 hp) (Everstand stance)
This is a divine warden: a mute guardian imbued with a fraction of a divine herald's power to protect a specific location or person. They are constructs and have construct immunities.
Divine Destruction: when the warden is destroyed (0 HP), it will explode with a wave of deific power (14d6 damage, special Will DC 32) that can enfeeble and stupefy those caught in the blast.
With the statue still flanked, Kioko lashes out three times, then parries her her swords.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Slashing, Agile, Deadly d8, Finesse, Uncommon, Versatile P
Slashing, Agile, Deadly d8, Finesse, Uncommon, Versatile P
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Kioko chips the statue with her katana despite its defensive stance. However, it manages to block the wakazashi.
Grumpy Old Man! Round 3-4.
Old Man Statue (-12 hp; staff raised) (1 focus point used) (clumsy 3, enfeebled 3)
Kioko (160/160 hp)
Humble (118/118 hp) (phoenix necklace in hand)
Rakka (127/127 hp)
Kyrie (173/173 hp) (Everstand stance)
This is a divine warden: a mute guardian imbued with a fraction of a divine herald's power to protect a specific location or person. They are constructs and have construct immunities.
Divine Destruction: when the warden is destroyed (0 HP), it will explode with a wave of deific power (14d6 damage, special Will DC 32) that can enfeeble and stupefy those caught in the blast.
Seeing the statue still attacking, Rakka shouts the koan again, this time louder. He then calls over to Kioko: "Say the thing!"
Kyrie holds off attacking for now, waiting to see how the statue responds to one last koan from Kioko.
Humble says the koan once more for good measure.
The others repeat the koan for Kioko's benefit or wait and observe while the statue retaliates. This time, despite its wobbly footing and stiffer movements, the statue manages to strike Kioko on the shoulder with its stone staff and in the chest with its open palm. This leaves her bruised to be sure and possibly with a cracked rib or two.
The tengu hunter catches her breath and tries to repeat the koan spoken by the others. When she does so, the statue immediately turns and wobbles back to its place. It resumes its meditative sitting position in the center of the ruined deck and otherwise appearing as if nothing had happened.
The statue stares past you, impassively now. Cautiously approaching the shrine does not provoke any response from the statue.
Humble bows to the Old Man as he collects the loot. Odd and even on one die. Treasures at your feet, or tucked in my bag. Thousands of regrets.
The Kalistocrat finds this philosophy distastefully random, but knows when to recognize a market inefficiency. He is certainly happy to rectify this inefficient distribution of goods — free of charge.
The statue of the Old Man remains inanimate as Humble collects the trinkets around the shrine.
Investigating the magical properties of the enchanted items, you discover that the phoenix necklace is quite powerful. It also has loops upon which the silver feather that you find can been hooked.
Activate 3-Actoin (command, envision); Effect You select any number of willing creatures you can see within 30 feet, including yourself. The selected creatures can make nonlethal attacks without taking a penalty to their attack rolls. This effect remains in place until you remove the necklace or use this activation again.
Activate 10 minutes (envision, Interact); Effect The necklace consumes one of the attached silver feathers and casts 7th-level raise dead. Activating this ability is particularly costly and every activation requires consuming one more silver feather than the previous activation.
Bag of Holding Type III
Jade Serpent Wonderous Figurine
Phylactery of Faithfulness of Irori
Ring of Swimming
570 gold in coins of assorted denominations and nationalities
Once the matter of the necklace is settled, Humble points to the Statued clearing. Shall we?
"Works for me" Rakka says, cautiously following Humble's suggestion.
Kioko nods in agreement.
You exit through the huge hole in the wall to the north and wind back around the outside of the building. "My grandfather's story said that Irori, himself, descended to defend the monastery from the Broken Rebus," Ingdani comments as you walk. "I wonder if that statue inspired that part of the story. Either way, I am impressed with how you have handled the spirits here."
Ahmitar walks ahead of you commenting about the needed repairs and restorations at various points in the wall. He also apologizes, "I did not expect the statue to attack you. It never attacked me when I put the various trinkets that I found there." Perhaps the divine warden mistook the anugobu's tidying as offerings.
He walks through the statue ringed clearing. Several statues surround this beaten patch of dirt. Most resemble animals, but two depict androgynous humanoids. "So much wear on these statues," he notes.
As you begin to search the clearing, you almost immediately spy a leather wrapped flask sitting atop the head of what might be a lion statue. However, even more immediately, white energy traces down the lines of the faceless, androgynous humanoid statues. Where the light encounters cracks, the energy flickers and sparks. The statues advance aggressively.
The nearest statue steps into the clearing and throws a jab at Kyrie before she can react, dislocating and bloodying her nose painfully. The statue follows with a roundhouse kick toward Kioko, but it falls several inches short.
Animated Statues! Round 1.
Red Statue
Kioko (160/160 hp)
Blue Statue
Rakka (127/127 hp) (hidden)
Humble (118/118 hp)
Kyrie (129/173 hp) (DC 29 Fortitude vs. curse)
This is a clay golem. They are harmed by water and ice magic.
If you critically succeed or another character attempts and succeeds:
Acid damage will heal these golems.
Kioko marks her target (Blue statue), darts around to the other side (will provoke if it has an AoO), and lashes out with her blades.
Slashing, Deadly d8, Two-Hand d10, versatile P
Slashing, Agile, Deadly d8, Finesse, Uncommon, Versatile P
Although the statue's reflexes do not appear to be fast enough to take advantage of the opening that Kioko leaves in her maneuvering, it is clearly programed for combat as it dodges her katana. However, it failed to anticipate the wakizashi. The tengu carves a line across its baked clay surface .
The other statue closes ranks with its twin. It delivers a front kick into Kioko's side that nearly cracks ribs. Then it throws a jab at Kyrie, but this time the knight is ready and ducks.
Battle Statues! Round 1.
Red Statue (-5 hp; hunted)
Kioko (136/160 hp) (DC 29 Fortitude vs. curse)
Blue Statue
Rakka (127/127 hp) (hidden)
Humble (118/118 hp)
Kyrie (129/173 hp) (DC 29 Fortitude vs. curse)
This is a clay golem. They are harmed by water and ice magic.
If you critically succeed or another character attempts and succeeds:
Acid damage will heal these golems.
Rakka takes a moment to think about what he knows of these clay forms.
"Clay golems! Use water and ice magic!"
With that, he draws an arrow, its tip crackling white with a magical rime as he releases it toward the nearer creature.
Spellstrike: uncharged
Rakka emerges from the shadows and strikes the nearest golem in the chest. The arrowhead does little but chip the golem, but the frigid magic it carries causes a small explosion of frost leaving a shallow, cracked crater in the chest.
Clay Golems: Fight! Round 1.
Red Statue (-38 hp; hunted)
Kioko (136/160 hp) (DC 29 Fortitude vs. curse)
Blue Statue
Rakka (127/127 hp)
Humble (118/118 hp)
Kyrie (129/173 hp) (DC 29 Fortitude vs. curse)
Acid damage will heal these golems.
Humble will Kalistocrat Lay on Hands Kioko. He knows Kyrie can take care of herself, even if the Paladin was hit pretty hard.
Then he moves behind one of the pedestals.