((so you can dot in))
Dot
Theyd been moving through the thick foliage of this emerald green jungle for days now. This area was far thicker than had been nearer the river. How anyone found Azlantia is mind boggling. Theyd even started to doubt the tales were real. The sounds of the jungle had followed them as they moved. Cries of birds, the occasional roar of a jungle cat, the chatter of monkey's Dragonflies as big as a fist hovered about. the constant presence of insects was bothersome. Sweat formed on their brow, ran down their back. The oppressive heat was omnipresent. they began to question Why they'd undergone this torture.
Then suddenly, it's like they'd passed through a bubble, and the thick foliage thinned a bit. and they could see signs of the past civilization. ruins of buildings poked through the dank jungle. And just like that their doubts fled. Promises of riches, Unknown magic, discovering ancient secrets, unearthing history....all just underneath the excitement of the unknown...of danger. They looked around at their companions...Theyd found Azlantia.
They remembered running into each other at the Outfitters station in Bloodcove. Agreed upon the banding together, there was safety in numbers after all. hiring a riverboat to take them up the vangi and down a tributary as far as the boat could travel and then they had started thri trek away from the river. The Map had said 20 miles.....That was four days ago though. was it only 20 miles? felt like more. The struggle through the wilderness was real and taxing. Finding food wasnt difficult. There were banana's in the trees, berries in the buses. Tubers in the soil. and game was aplenty. Small streams provided water that they had purified by boiling in their pots. Only the physicality had turned the jaunt into a task to be overcome...but now, here they were. What would they find in the Caverns of Azlantia.
Tessai brushed a vine aside with the haft of her bardiche, eyes narrowing as the first moss-covered stones came into view. So it was real. Azlantia.
The heat had soaked into her armor, and the jungle buzzed with life too large and too old to care about them. But ahead lay silence — the kind that comes before something terrible wakes.
She remembered the old knight’s stories. Half-mad, half-drunk, but full of names that now echoed faintly in maps and whispers.
Tessai didn’t know if she was meant to be here. There was only one way to find out.
Jenna blessed the day she had bought her handy haversack, the struggle though the jungle had been bad enough. Doing with a heavy pack would have been murder!
She pulled various pieces of armor and clothing away from her body to let the air in and the sweat out. "I'd kill for armor that isn't hot and sweaty!" She announced firmly. "Or at least bruise severely.' She added as she cooled a little.
The tall slender Aasimar had her long, black hair tied up and back for coolness. Even so her pretty face glistened with with the humidity of the lush jungle.
Looking around she eyed the first ruins with academic greed.
"Heh-heh-heh, it's real!"
Arronus smiles as he lays eyes on the ruins, greed lighting his eyes.
...
She pulled various pieces of armor and clothing away from her body to let the air in and the sweat out. "I'd kill for armor that isn't hot and sweaty!" She announced firmly. "Or at least bruise severely.' She added as she cooled a little.
...
Drawn from his little reverie and reminded of his own sweat, grime and fatigue, he grumps "Complaining about it only makes it worse."
Noting the signs of ancient ruins, Dr Ocellus briefly took off his hat to wipe his brow before surveying all before him and declaring, "So it's real. Splendid!"
The doctor was a study in contrasts, at first blush he looked old with snow white hair and a handlebar moustache, yet he was in his mid thirties. He dressed like a professor but he had muscles like that of a pro wrestler. His outfit was singularly unsuited for jungle travel and was clearly sweltering in it but he was far too stubborn to take it off and he was too taciturn to complain. Of course later that evening, like every prior evening, he'd meticulously wash it to remove the unsightly marks left by jungle foliage with an alchemical substance of his own devising.
"Complaining about it only makes it worse."
"Well we're here now, it'll all be worth while, mark my word!" exclaimed the Doctor as he bent down to take a rubbing off a bit of ancient masonry that had taken his fancy.
Jena studied the surly Half-elf a moment, "Maybe a sense of humor for you would help?" She mused, before joining the Doctor is surveying the area.
"Long lost means little disturbed, which also means the defenses will still be dangerous."
She scowls and wipes sweat out of her eyes, looking around for a good spot to camp and clean up after the trek.
As they gathered on the fringe of the ancient city, it was late in the day nearing 4Pm, and here in the jungle that meant about 2 hours before it started getting dark. They could see several large trees ahead by what looked like a raised platform, about 200 feet away through the jungle.
about mid way were the remnants of a small building
to the left by a large stone was another old building about 100 feet away.
the question was where to first. where would they want to set camp up. or would they want to explore first knowing darkness was coming soon.
"Lets get a camp set up now." Jenna suggests, "Setting up in the dark when the local wildlife comes out to play would not be a good idea."
She studies the two buildings, wondering which would serve better as a base?
Arronus looks where Jenna is looking and says "You figure pick one of the buildings, sweep it, and set up inside?" He nods and continues "Sounds like a plan to me. Old stone walls are often solid stone walls..."
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Lagging behind comes Urtar, with the energy of youth, but the calm of the wise. The Oread has a longspear in his hand which he'd been using as a walking cane through the jungle. He also has a steel shield strapped to his back and a morningstar hanging from his belt. Factoring his backpack, one would think he is carrying much weight, but his muscly build doesn't seem to be bothered by it.
The young priest is in awe at finally seeing such old ruins. He wants to pull out his notebook and write about this finding, but it is still too unsafe to do so.
He hears his new companions talking about setting up camp, which would be a good opportunity to write. With his usual calming voice, he says "Although both buildings should be equally fine, I myself would feel safer in the smaller one." He could go on to talk about defenses, but he never feels like talking a lot, especially when he's this sweaty.
He tightens his grip on his spear and starts looking at the ruins in search of hidden threats.
"We can check the closest structure first" - Tessai suggested - "And then make a decision"
"Indeed, let's check both." said Dr Ocellus.
He followed Tessai to the small building and inspected it closely.
.
Jenna tries to look for tracks but can't seem to see any.
moving through the underbrush proved to be easier here. It took no time to cross the near hundred fet to the location of the smaller structure.
two partial walls still stood. one wall had fallen over almost intact, while what looked like a doorway stood leaning into the foliage. from their vantage point they could see the large trees nearby, in the late afternoon sun. many growing up through a tiled floor ahead, which stood about 2 feet above the ground. on the far side of it was what looked to be an entrance into the caverns.
Urkar stands still looking at the building remains carefully an determines its as safe as they can find, but something is bothering him and he cant quite place his finger on it.
Dr. Ocellus concurs with the Oread on his opinion on the safety of the building. While Jenna looks around for tracks and realizes this is quite difficult here.
Tessai moves in a circle around the structure - "Seems somewhat defensible, if we want to camp here"
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Urtar scratches his head and says "Well, I don't see any obvious danger, but... something's not right." He senses the others looking at him inquisitively and he says "It's hard to explain. Let me see. Have you ever felt you put your underwear in a weird angle, then you spend the entire day feeling off? This is this feeling. And I know I put my underwear correctly today, I checked."
"I do not use underwear" - Tessai replied, no hint of a joke.
Dr Ocellus gave Tessai a strange look before replying to Urtar, "Erm, that's uh... Let's check out the other structure, maybe it's more auspicious."
He then trots off to check the other building.
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Gideon is quiet as he gives the first building the once over. Checking the stability of the walls, looking for traps, or any interesting artifacts.
If he finds nothing, he moves to the next location to do the same.
”Once we decide where to setup, I want to go check out that underground entrance, if just to get out of the heat for a bit.” Gideon says as he looks overr the possible camp sites.
The group headed to the other collapsed building It was a little larger with one wall still intact, a few sections of walls, and there were two collapsed walls in the foliage. Gideon ascertained it was probably weaker than the first, but the first was closer to the entrance. he thinks anyway. Through the foliage further to the west, they can make out, about 150 feet away a squat black building from this angle, it looked totally intact. However if a building was in tact, wouldnt it be occupied?
Jenna looks around dubiously, it was all a little too quiet for her liking. "I suggest we give the intact building a quick check to make sure it's not occupied. Then we camp, maybe in the second building as the first seems to bother some of us."
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"How do you guys want to play it? Sneak up on it or approach it openly? If it's another group of explorers we don't want to give the wrong idea but at the same time, if its some crazy cult we don't want to tip our hand. I suggest caution. I believe at least one of you specializes in stealth, right?"
Jenna frowns slightly at the mention of a cult, "I did hear a rumor back in Bloodcove. Nothing definite of course, but there was a story of a cult who worship a manifestation of Zon Kuthon called The Death Walkers at the site."
She looks around, "With the many dangers of an unexplored Azlanti site the last thing needed is those pain loving freaks blundering around as well!"
"I agree with Gideon - it would be a good idea to scout ahead first, regardless of what we may find" - Tessai suggested - "Gather information before we all proceed"
Tessai nodded in agreement with Urtar - "Yes, I am not a scout either - I will remain back and wait"
"cult who worship a manifestation of Zon Kuthon called The Death Walkers at the site"
Dr Ocellus was struck by this possibility and he cried, "Cultists?! We I guess we better had scout this place out, wouldn't do to have that sort sneaking up on us to do gods knows what!"
The Doctor shrugged, "Well... I fully recognise the benefit of sneaking, but I've never been any good at it. Always end up snapping a twig or something. Perhaps somebody else in our company is gifted in that regard?"
deciding to investigate the low squat building the group slowly moved through the jungle til they were about 60 feet from it then crouched discussing if anyone could creep up to it and around it.
((Arronus has a +7 Stealth, Dr. Ocellus a +1, Gideon -2, Jenna a +3, Tessai -3, and finally Urkar -4 )). As far as I can tell anyway.
Arronus studies the building, trying to see what it was that was disturbing Doc Ocellus and Urtar about the first building they had come across...
3 rank +3 trained +2 racial +4 Skill Focus
Daringly, he slips towards the building, (approaching on a side where he has the most cover from something inside the building), and touches the stones, both with his hand and with his mind!
(to sneak up)
3 ranks +3 trained +2 dex +1 trait -3 ACP
and then he uses Object Reading (HERE but you have to scroll down a way).
"Well, Triari, you want to go give it a look see or shall we just go up, knock on the door, and say hi?"
Arronus gives Gideon a disgusted look, and starts sneaking towards the intact building, his senses on high alert for danger...
3 ranks +3 trained +2 dex +1 trait -3 ACP
3 rank +3 trained +2 racial +4 Skill Focus
Arronus had actually crept around inside the ruins of the first building, If it could be called a building, just two standing walls, a partial roof, the floor overgrown with jungle growth pushing through long neglected stonework. one whole wall had falled over, the mortar that held it together mostly still in tact. The 4th wall a pile of stones....He could see nothing that made Urtar spooked, except...he glanced back at the raised tile floor near the archway leading below. The trees poking up through those tiles towering some 15 t0 20 feet high into the canopy of the jungle overhead..
Hed moved to the second building with the rest and hadnt seen anything of note.
He stayed with the rest as they moved towards the intact building with the black stones. With a glance at Gideon hed moved around the building carefully and cautiously. He returned with his observation. It was roughly 30 feet square. no windows. 2 stout oaken doors on the far side. the drawing of skull on the door in the center. the other door was offset to the parties right as they knelt in the underbrush. A fairly well trod footpath through the jungle lead off southwest from the building.
((Of course Ive been moving the party on roll20 to reflect your postings. always feel free to adjust where I put you as long as you stay within about 10 feet of the placement When we get into the dungeon, itll be far more critical than now))
3 ranks +3 trained +2 int
((Arronus= Yes. Using roll20s light layer blocks vision and movement until you enter through an area you can enter. So the interior will be seen then.))
Arronus describes the skull. It has chains coming out both eye sockets...Urtar knows it is the symbol of Zon-Kuthon. Further he believes it to be a symbol marking a tribal area belonging to their cult.
Arronus knows historically, there shouldn't be any worshippers of Zon-Kuthon here, however obviously this so called Death Cult is in the area for a reason.
Upon hearing this news, Dr Ocellus remarks, "Well that's all kinds of disturbing, not only do we have to worry about spiders getting in out hair, there's cultists too! Mmm what are we going to do about this? Obviously we'll need to set watches tonight, anything else?"
((Urtar knows yes indeed they would be the type to kidnap any non-believers to sacrifice.))
The roof is flat. No way to tell exactly what its made of. A DC 20 Engineering check to have some insight.
"We should also check the doors for any traps" - Tessai comments.
”Are these the sort that wiould kidnap us and sacrifice us to their god if they get a chance? If so, we need to just kill them now.
"Got to admit, I wouldn't want a bunch of Kuthites potentially sitting on our route back to civilization. Taking them out before going down seems wise."
((yes Its about 10 feet off the ground..))
The thought does occur to you, that where there was one....its much like a beehive. A glance at the well travelled path makes you think.