Areeza's punishing blow has as much force behind it as she can muster - so much so that she can't control the blade's arc.
She shakes off the confounding effects of the serpent's tail, then steps around it to pinch it between her and Yakuthiel before swinging her scimitar again!
But even with Zug's encouragement, she can't quite control the force she puts behind the weapon. The creature giggles, then turns its attention to the newcomer - Yakuthiel.
Areeza rebukes the worm!
And with a mighty blow, she chops its head off!
Vim cheers as the last attacker falls, startling Tels into dropping the sword he just finished removing from its rack. The students both jump back as the blade hits the padded floor with a clunk not unlike Zug's cowbell, then peer at it in confusion. "Did... Did it..." Tels asks slowly.
"Where did it go?" Vim starts cautiously patting the floor, her hands passing right through the weapon as if it were a ghost.
"I... uh... Maybe we should just go share our report with everyone else?"
"Yeah... That sounds like a good idea." The students both gather their notes and head back to the common room.
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Issil shouts triumphantly. "Ha! No colorful fish will overwhelm the great Carnelian- the great Issil Telfae!" She looks about- it's so hazy- and bids anyone injured to approach her. "Let's quickly get rid of those wounds." She raises her hands.
Everyone feels the warmth radiate from her. Termia and Yakuthiel see the bite wounds revert completely while Areeza still has a few marks remaining. "I'm not sure how much time we can spend sitting here and patching up while the children are running amok. Grandmother had to practically lock me in my room when she needed some peace and quiet." She rolls her eyes.
"I'm going to return to the main room and see if the children sit still long enough for me to take a break." Issil returns to the common room and tries to spend 10 minutes Refocusing.
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"Squad leader, the hostilities seem to have ended for now, but this lodge may still be dangerous," Termia reports to Areeza, saluting. "We cannot guarantee the students' safety if we linger here. What are our plans of getting out?"
Issil's restorative magic mends Termia's injuries, but there is little change in the soldier's expression or posture. "Thank you, colleague."
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"Ummm. We found something in the southern room. It was a piece of paper. We were able to get the kids' attention to it."
Yakuthiel will attempt to let them know what it said.
In Case of Planar Emergency wrote:
Reminder! Arcanists from the Grand Lodge have warded the entire grounds with a Material Failsafe ritual in order to contain possible damage from extraplanar anomalies related to the Maze of the Open Road. Triggering the protections of the ritual is a straightforward process, but requires the following focus items:
• A pitcher of water
• A steel shield
• A large lodestone
To achieve maximum ritual potency, bring the focus items as close as possible to the center of any extraplanar disturbance. Grasping the focus item firmly, speak the activation word, "Narven." To avoid accidental triggering of the ritual, simultaneous activation of all three focus items is required, so please coordinate carefully with fellow staff members. Focus items may need to be activated as many as three times to firmly re-anchor the area to the Material Plane.
I have stored the lodestone in my quarters so it will not be misplaced. ~A.J
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Vander quirks a brow at Issel's outburst, and is about to say something before Termia reports in and brings up the question of what to do next.
One gain he begins to say something before Yakuthiel gets right to the point.
"Yes, we found this earlier and the little rug rats know about it. I think this may be a cure to what ails us, namely being invisible. Any thoughts as to how we can acquire what's on this list?"
In the common room, Issil watches as Tels and Vim explain their notes to the rest of the class. Vim acts out some of the more impressive moments - like Yakuthiel's snake-skewer and Areeza's final chop - while Tels likens the combat to a ruk scrum. The other students cheer and applaud appropriately, but not loudly enough that it distracts the Pathfinder from her meditations.
Termia looks at the mirror, but only sees the same target dummies and racks of weapons in the reflection as Yakuthiel and Vander explain their findings.
Areeza and Yakuthiel notice the rack of shields almost at the same time and walk over to collect one. Unfortunately, they find their hands passing right through each and every piece of equipment, save for one - the sword Tels dropped, which Yakuthiel nearly trips over.
In the common room, Issil hears voices from the eastern hallway. "...should stay outside. We're not chefs. We don't belong in here." It sounds like Hari.
"...we find the secret ingredient without going in, Hari?" Geltra answers before yelping. "Ow! Stop it Ruffles!"
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Issil hears the children mumbling to the east. There's still a smoky mist in front of her, but she's used to it.
Children sneaking off? Unsurprising. She stands up and returns to her allies. "The children in the eastern hallway are getting into the kitchen. They're looking for a secret ingredient of some kind. I suggest we go there next."
She looks about. "What's going on? Are you looking for something?" She slowly moves through the fog towards Tels's sword.
Assuming someone tells her about the note, she grins. "Finally. A way out of this purgatory. And that's the shield? Maybe we can ask the students to pick it up."
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"Roger that, colleagues," Termia salutes at Issil and Vander's suggestion. She marches over to the drouge tile set, and, through great effort, spells out the words, "shield in training hall".
"Of the three ingredients, I suspect a pitcher of water will not be hard to come by. Next we should look for this lodestone." After a brief pause, she adds: "Did some of the students say something about a 'secret ingredient', just now? Permission to investigate?"
"Shield... int... rain... in... ghall?" Vim thinks for a moment before her red eyes widen. "Oh! The training hall! Yeah, there were shields there! Do you want one? I'll go get it!"
When Termia investigates the kitchen, she finds a wide variety of chopped herbs and ground spices sitting out in small bowls on a wooden island. Cookbooks lie open on the island as well, and a dusting of flour coats the work surface. Everything seems to be in place for the cooking of a delicious meal, and it appears that at least four dishes are cooking simultaneously. But things are getting out of hand on the large oven and cooktop along the western wall - pots are on the verge of boiling over, and hot oil sputters in frying pans. Termia's practiced threat assessment informs her that the cookbooks are in danger of being ruined if something is not done, and her common sense tells her that the secret ingredient the students need is likely recorded within one of them.
"I can smell food cooking, but where is it?" Geltra stands in the doorway and keeps a tight hold on her pigeon Ruffles, who flutters energetically in her arms and has his eyes locked on some spilled caraway seeds.
Zug arrives at the scene and quickly assesses the situation. The most direct approach would probably be to finish cooking the food . Alternatively, the students might be able to help - if someone can communicate to them what needs to be done .
Zug fearlessly rushes into the kitchen and starts writing instructions in the flour. Hali... Stir... Pot
Hali tries to help, but picks a different pot than Zug intended. A foul smell like curdling milk bursts from the liquid...
...but the Pathfinder has smelled worse and is unbothered - at least until everything in the kitchen starts splattering and spraying hot grease and boiling water everywhere!
Hot grease sizzles on the floor, but the Pathfinders manage to avoid getting any on their skin. "Do you smell something burning?" Geltra asks worriedly.
Round 1! Bold may act!
Cooking Disaster (0 successes)
Issil
Areeza
Termia
Yakuthiel
Vander
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Zug
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Issil comes to her senses. There is still smoke everywhere. And the kitchen has even more! Ooh!
She looks at the cooking pots. "I have no idea how to help this. Usually my assistants do the cooking."
She dodges and sidesteps the boiling liquids. "With so much fire... I see."
She looks at the team. "I can help one of you >Resist Energy<. Fire, in particular. Who is good at cooking, or talking to the students?"
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"Termia, here you go." Issil casts >Resist Fire Energy< on Termia. At least she doesn't mind taking the front line.
The Pathfinders struggle with the unexpected task of cooking without any cooking utensils or other equipment. Each of them strives to bring the kitchen back under control. Each of them only succeeds in releasing more noxious bubbles from the rapidly-spoiling food.
Areeza joins her companions in the kitchen and tries to help Geltra understand what needs to be done...
...but the poor confused student only delivers another gas bubble.
Zug continues to draw in the flour, though the powder seems to be disturbed somewhat by all the movement going on in the room.
Hari nods confidently and grabs the handle to one of the skillets with both hands. They begin to gently swirl the pan, releasing the bubbling air trapped beneath the thick sauce inside in a controlled manner. It's only a small island of calm in the sea of smoke and spattering though.
Yakutiel is caught in the crossfire and gets a nasty burn on one arm from some hot grease. It might be a while before the smell comes out.
Round 2! Bold may act!
Cooking Disaster (1 success)
Issil
Areeza (Sickened 1)
Termia (Resist 5 fire)
Yakuthiel (-5)
Vander
---------- (Round divider)
Zug
The Pathfinders are made of stern stuff and push through the vaporized combination of vinegar and honey to continue their work. Yakuthiel almost slips and falls through the table while trying to shake an empty mixing bowl to catch Hali's attention , but Termia somehow finds her face inches from a tomato-and-vodka sauce when a big bubble filled with alcholhol-ized garlic fumes pops free of the mixture.
Geltra nods as Issil finishes communicating and grabs a ladle from its hook on the wall with one hand (the other still being occupied with holding her pigeon prisoner). She puts the spoon into a pot of thick bean soup and pantomimes stirring, allowing the sticky-sweet mixture to settle back down.
Round 2! Bold may act!
Cooking Disaster (2 successes)
Issil
Areeza (Sickened 1)
Termia (Resist 5 fire, Fortitude save DC 17 needed)
Yakuthiel (-5)
Vander (Fortitude save DC 17 needed)
---------- (Round divider)
Zug
Geltra does her best to follow Zug's directions, but ends up using the same spoon for both the alfredo sauce and the tomato-vodka sauce and creating an odor that can only be described as... awful.
On the other side of the kitchen, Vander guides Hali through flipping balls of twisted dough in a hot skillet. The bottoms are a bit burnt at this point, but perhaps they're supposed to be that crispy? In any case, the kitchen is now more calm than chaotic.
Areeza tries to clear her stomach of nausea...
...and eventually gets the smell out of her nose!
Issil doesn't pay attention to the pot next to her until it suddenly boils over, splashing hot water onto her leg!
Round 3! Bold may act!
Cooking Disaster (3 successes)
Issil (-4)
Areeza
Termia (Resist 5 fire)
Yakuthiel (-5)
Vander
---------- (Round divider)
Zug (Fortitude save DC 17 needed)
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Under Issil's watchful eye, Hari alternates between and pouring the hot oil and water with mixing in flour and seasoning with a wooden spoon. A thick, stiff pastry dough forms that will need to rest for a while before further handling. Termia's call for order only elicits ideas of cooks calling "Order up!" at a restaurant kitchen - but the warrior suppresses her gag reflex, so it's not all bad.
Yakuthiel and Vander continue working together, the former pushing small jars of various spices across the counter to Geltra as the latter talks the student through which one to add next to the tomato-vodka sauce. Once all of them have been added, the pan is removed from the stove and set onto a folded towel next to Ruffles the pigeon.
The kitchen at last is calm - and the smell, while not amazing, is at least appetizing. Geltra and Hari ignore the fruits of their labors and instead leaf through the books on the table until the half-elf shouts triumphantly. "Hah! Woodsedge Tart recipe right here! And it looks like the secret ingredient is... cinnamon, from Minata. That's a country in Tian Xia, right?"
Geltra nods as she writes, trying her best to copy the illustration in the cookbook onto her own page. When she finishes, she plucks Ruffles off the counter (he squawks indignantly) and motions back to the common room. "Let's tell everyone else, right?"
"Right. And thank you for the help, Pathfinders!" Hari looks around for a sign of the chaperones' presence, then settles on bowing to the empty kitchen in general. With that, the two students head back through the meeting room to the rest of the class.
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Termia looks around the pacified kitchen, her eyes scanning each pot, pan, cooking utensil, ingredient, and spice dispenser. "It's a start. We shall return here to clean up thoroughly once we have a more tangible effect in this reality."
Something catches Termia's attention. "You there!" she yells at the ceiling. "That pot is the legal property of the Pathfinder Society Woodsedge Lodge! Return the stolen good immediately!"
When she receives no answer, she turns to the other agents. "We are now witnesses to a crime. Our duty is to chase after the thief. To the upstairs!"
Termia and Issil follow the students out of the kitchen, but leave them behind in the common room as they ascend the staircase to the upper floor. There, they find the environment decidedly more chaotic than below - shifting patterns in the carpet constantly change colors, strange smells of ocean, swamp, and desert all mix together, and odd noises of all types ring through the air in a nearly-silent cacophony. Closed doors lines the outer walls of both landings. The pot is nowhere to be seen.
Areeza finds a quiet place in the common room to pray, but she can't stop the nagging sensation that someone is up to something... questionable. Someone... in the library.
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"Ah, Areeza. Did you find any leads?" She turns to the goblin and smirks as she hears library.
"I'm not too surprised. Someone was sticking his nose in too many curious books." She turns to Termia. "Sounds like the party leader wants us to investigate the Library. This room will take time to look through, anyway."
The Pathfinders return to the library to find Alec Gracekin no longer sitting with his feet on the table, but instead kneeling in front of the hidden door hard at work with a set of thieves' tools. "The good stuff must be in here," he mutters to himself as he works.
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"Now now. Reading is quite exciting, especially when you have a hot bath, a nice cup of tea, and a few drawings to get your-" Issil catches herself as she sees Alec fiddling with the locked door. "Reading AND Thievery? Daring, aren't we?"
She returns to the bell.
"Now, now Alec. You're not supposed to enter there. We'll let you in when you're older..."
Alec startles at the sound of the bell right above him and loses his balance. He puts a hand out and catches himself on the door - but as his fingers touch the wood, distorted sigils light up in greens and reds as if in response! Across the library, similar glyphs activate. Within moments, the room is crowded with tiny pig-snouted creatures that gleefully turn their attention to the Pathfinders.
The Pathfinders are ready for trouble and spring into action!
Round 1! Bold may act!
Termia
Issil
Vander
Zug
Yakuthiel
Areeza
Red
Blue
Yellow
Green