Clang, clang, clang went the puppy, bang, bang, bang went the glaive...
Kal'Ryon's focused assault starts and finishes off the last dog.
The figure who was hiding, with no fodder to throw at the group, comes forward to cast a spell, revealing itself.
Scorching rays of heat burst from three of his four hands, lancing toward Mythryndyr.
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Aja points at the Clockwork man as he reveals himself and splatters her with fire.
"It's the fire starter! There's the fire starter! Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey!"
"Myth, wherever you are, adamantine weapons. Or electrical ones--they short out!"
She then withdraws from sight, pulling out a healing potion and drinking it.
Kal'Ryon lays a heavy burden on the clockwork mage and that burden is pain and damage.
Scarlet and Poppy charge in.
Aja fades and heals.
She also knows some things.
Myth lands two shots followed by a particularly well aimed shot by Bocke.
Combined with the damage Kal'Ryon already did, it's enough to finish the creature off.
Examining the remains, the group finds that the chest of each of the clockwork hounds contains samples of violet fungi, a quite toxic fungus, which is especially troublesome here in the ratfolk's farms.
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Once the fight is over and the toxic fungus is discovered, Aja crosses her arms. ”Well that’s certainly interesting. You know, there’s quite a market for this stuff. I suspect these clockwork creatures were being used to smuggle it.”
”But who’s behind these clockwork creatures? And who’s behind the smuggling operation? Clearly it’s someone in this cavern. It might even be the governor. I think we should poke around a bit more and see what we can learn.”
Aja's knowledge of underground ecosystems serves her well as she examines the ways in which the ratfolk have adapted the mushrooms' natural growth to their agricultural practices.
Scarlet remembers some of the information she found back at the archives and searches some of the sites of archaeological interest, finding tangible rewards in addition to the knowledge gleaned.
She uncovers several centuries-old treasures, including a cauldron of brewing, a ring of arcane signets, a grappler’s mask stylized to resemble a rat with draconic features, a collection of ancient Diguo-Dashu ceramics and currency with a present-day value of 2,500 gp and ancient Diguo-Dashu jewelry worth an additional 500 gp.
A large body of water fills the Big Ticker’s northern segment. Scores of ratfolk work the lake, carrying a variety of crustacean traps back and forth along the dozens of wooden walkways and platforms that stretch out over the water. On the shore, teams of engineers manage the flow of water along a series of canals cut into the cavern floor, which lead towards Zhotan and the mushroom farms beyond. A bustling fish market sits along the lake’s shore. The market’s food stalls fill the area with the pleasant aroma of local shellfish specialty dishes.
As you begin your explorations, you are quite surprised to be approached by people who are not just surface dwellers, but also pathfinders.
"Hi, I'm Riada," the leader says, a holy symbol she wears suggesting she serves Pharasma in some capacity. "Amara Li sent us down another path that lead us here. We're happy to help out, in any way you might need.
"In fact," she looks at the lake. "If you're going to do some in depth exploration I can cast water breathing on you."
"Let me introduce my companions."
She points to a dwarven woman. "This is Torstra, our scout.
"And Soh Jun here, is our translator," she finishes, indicating a half-elf man.
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Aja inhales deeply and licks her lips at the smell of crustacean delicacies, her teeth for a moment looking more sharp and needle-like than usual. But before she can head off to bargain for a hot lunch with the locals, she encounters the Pathfinders.
"Well hello to you to you as well. I'm Aja." she replies with easy charm to the Pharasman. "Yes, I'm sure I remember you from the trek down here."
"So, are you having any luck convincing any of these folk to evacuate? We spoke with the Governor in Zhotan; she was friendly but in a bit of denial about the dangerousness of the situation. So we've been trying to build our arguments for a second conference. We also ran into some clockwork creatures who tried to ambush us on the way here."
Aja surveys the bustling scene. "This is a more vibrant community than I expected. And more extensive. I don't personally fancy a swim right now, but perhaps one of my companions would enjoy that. I thought I might speak with those engineers about their aqueduct system."
Which, eventually, she does. After snapping down some crab puffs.
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"Hi, I'm Riada," the leader says, a holy symbol she wears suggesting she serves Pharasma in some capacity. "Amara Li sent us down another path that lead us here. We're happy to help out, in any way you might need.
"Well met Riada" Scarlet and Poppy wave a greeting between mouthfuls of crab puffs and fish-sticks "Like Aja was saying, this is a bit busier than I'd have thought. Going to be a big job moving everyone, but I think we've almost finished exploring this place"
"We will take you up on that water breathing, one of my buddies might like it... cats don't always enjoy swimming you see..."
***
"Poppy is going to talk to the locals and see what the word on the street is. I'm going to find out more about these crab puffs"
Scarlet
Know Local
Poppy
Diplomacy
"When we got here, we heard that you'd already arrived so we came to find you first. We haven't really done any exploration, at all, or talked to any officials," Riada replies.
"I guess you can't blame the governor for being cynical. A bunch of people show up and say you have to move all your citizens because a mountain is going to come out of nowhere and crush everyone. Seems unlikely at best."
She nods. "Just let me know who wants the spell when you're ready."
Aja enjoys lunch then heads off to examine the impressive system of gates and locks in the irrigation system that ensures the water routes to where it is needed from one time to the next.
Myth eats with the rest of the Pathfinders but then lingers and talks with not only the various cooks and chefs but also with the many clients of those areas.
Somehow Kal'Ryon just can't find the right way to talk to the folks down here and strikes out while trying to strike up conversation.
Scarlett joins Myth in finding out the local cuisine culture.
Poppy joins Kal'Ryon and has more success and can talk to and observe the
ratfolk as they go about their daily routines. The ratfolk share some local legends, including a bit about a haunted piece of shore that they can point out to you.
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"I guess you can't blame the governor for being cynical. A bunch of people show up and say you have to move all your citizens because a mountain is going to come out of nowhere and crush everyone. Seems unlikely at best."
"I wouldn't say cynical--more like dismissive." says Aja. "I believe her words were: 'Oh, I'm sure it's not as serious as all that.' or something to that effect. I was expecting suspicion or doubt, but not that. If I was the governor and outsiders came with the news that my entire community was about to be wiped out, I would of course be skeptical, but on the off chance that it might be true, I'd certainly be looking for ways to investigate the claim, and at least have some contingency plans."
"But we haven't given up. I think we'll convince her eventually."
The pathfinders head toward the Haunted Shore, which turns out NOT to be a ghost themed theme park, unfortunately.
As they are exploring the area indicated, a massive skeleton rears up out of the water, the bones and skulls of countless smaller creatures dribbling from the joints and rib cage.
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Aja has been spending much of the walk over here recounting maritime themed ghost stories, and so she at first doesn't notice the huge skeletal monster rising from the mere. In fact, she has her back to it as she builds to a dramatic climax, and so is facing her audience, and completely misinterprets their wide eyed stares as they look past her to the undead horror...
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"This is a creature known as a GASHADOKURO. It is created when a number of creatures die of starvation and their skeletal remains combine into a single ravenous undead. It's hunger is so great that those nearby suffer from it. It can devour its prey whole. And, as may be expected given its bony nature it his highly resistant to any form of physical harm except bludgeoning."
Bocke calls upon the power of his god and shares what he knows.
Myth launches two arrows, only the second of which hits.
Scarlet considers the value of carrying around a really sturdy stick in situations like this.
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Scarlet tries disappearing into the treeline, hoping to begin circling in...
Stealth
Poppy takes off into the air - then blasts the creature.
Starlight Blast
Damage Holy
DC16 Ref to negate.
Reset in (Ready in Round 4)
As a standard action once every 1d4 rounds, a lyrakien can tap into the divine power of Elysium, unleashing a blast of holy starlight in a 5-foot burst. All creatures in this area take 1d4 points of holy damage, plus 1 point for each step their alignment deviates from chaotic good. For example, a chaotic neutral or neutral good creature would take 1d4+1 points of damage, a neutral creature would take 1d4+2 points of damage, and a lawful evil creature would take 1d4+4 points of damage. A DC 12 Reflex save negates this damage. Chaotic good creatures are unaffected by this ability. The save DC is Constitution-based.
The giant skeleton barely manages to dodge out of the holy energy Poppy projects at it.
Almaas launches a blunt tipped arrow at the walking atrocity.
The creature sloshes through the water, getting closer to the group.
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The Ganzi moves along the treelike, and then south towards the shore. Dropping a hand from his blade, he injects arcane energy into his chest as he moves- beginning to swell in size with each step that he takes. After casting enlarge person, the Ganzi releases his grip on reality and allows the pressing chaos of his nature to take over his vision - suppressing and adapting the reality around him
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"This is a creature known as a GASHADOKURO. It is created when a number of creatures die of starvation and their skeletal remains combine into a single ravenous undead. Its hunger is so great that those nearby suffer from it. It can devour its prey whole. And, as may be expected given its bony nature it his highly resistant to any form of physical harm except bludgeoning."
Aja's head whips around and she sees the gigantic skeletal monster as it lurches from the dark waters of the subterranean lake, torrents of water and bone scudding down its skeletal surface. Her eyes widen with wonder and excitement. She looks positively thrilled.
"I've heard about these, but I've never seen one! How exciting!"
Then the wave of necromantic hunger washes over the group.
"Hey, you ever notice when you eat crab cakes, you're hungry, like, an hour later?"
"Never mind, this'll be a piece of cake. Mmmmm, cake."
Whipping out her mandolin, she plays a few deep loud tones, followed by a few more slightly higher but just as loud strums, then back to deep ones, making a sort of thudding walking melody.
"Oohhhh no! We say he's got to go! Gash-a DoKUro! Whee-oo whee-oo!
Oohhhh no! That's one big scarecrow! Gash-a DoKUro! Whee-oo whee-oo!"
While playing the mandolin with her strumming hand, her free hand is twirling above her head. At first it looks like it might just be an artistic flourish, but it soon becomes evident that she's generating a glowing sheath of arcane energy about her arm. The same sheath is growing around Kal'Ryon's sword, making a sort of cylindrical surface of magical force...
This spell functions like greater magic weapon, except that it subtly alters the physical properties of a weapon, enabling it to bypass damage reduction of one the following types: bludgeoning, cold iron, piercing, silver, or slashing. The affected weapon still inflicts damage of its normal type and its hardness and hit points are unchanged. This spell can be cast on a natural weapon or unarmed strike.