"Do not worry my friends, we just need to keep climbing until we find the light again. She always be waiting." Katanu would say with a big smile, guiding Aravashnial to the wall. "I will go up and throw a rope down for our less capable friends."
Search Posts
"She who bring de dawn also have no sympathy for those who create undead. For them she has only divine fury." Katanu said quietly as he looked around to see if anyone was wounded, nodding when he found none. "A moment before we move on." The short human muttered a brief incantation and his eyes began to glow with a faint glimmer of energy. He knelt down next to the wizard's body, eyes darting left and right.
Katanu's eyes steps forward enough to see the darkmantle fly away from the dwarf trailing blood. Fire kindled in his hand before lancing out to strike the aerial creature.
Katanu can't see what's going on so far in the back so he goes back to conversing with the elven sage who he had decided to aid in walking for the day. Though the elf was guarded with the man who has so easily figured out his secret connection both men were avid lovers of knowledge and had been deep conversation about esoteric theories about magic.
"I came to these lands because of a teleport accident five years ago." Katanu would say after eating his dinner, a cup of strong tea in a chipped ceramic mug in hand. He reminisced to himself quietly for a minute before laughing at a sudden memory. "I think I may have made a cultist load his pants when I suddenly came launching out of a burst of energy ten feet from him with so much speed I crashed into him. But imagine how I felt, one moment stepping in to accompany my master to a conference in Quantium and the next catapulting through the air, crashing into a demon worshiper and landing in a stinking bog where the vines tried to drown me! Poof, one moment the heat and humidity of the jungles where I was born and then cold and wet, fighting abyss tainted foliage. If it wasn't for the patrol coming to investigate the commotion I would have never made it to Kenabres." As he finished speaking of his own arrival to these lands Katanu was looking over at the open door of the temple where Angus was slowly brushing away decades of dust. After a few seconds of pensive thought the short human would gulp down his tea before standing up and brushing the dirt from his knees. "Many hands make light work." With nothing in his hands the sage would walk past Angus and hold a hand up into the air. "Let it rain."
At the humans command a thin layer of dark clouds would erupt from his hand and spread out along the ceiling until it covered the entire interior of the temple. With a little rumble of thunder it began to gently rain, washing the dust down and out of the temple. The water coming down was very warm and within a few minutes the temperature inside the temple went up several degrees. The entire time Katanu would stand there summoning the rain round after round, his eyes closed with face raised up with a sad smile. No matter how much his clothes became soaked or water sheeted down his face the mwangi native stood there summoning rain cloud after rain cloud.
As Katanu steps into the temple proper anyone looking back will see a strange expression cross the sage's face; rage. The normally cheerful and talkative man summoned fire into his hands and sent out a lance of white flame that threaded between his allies, seeking out the undead creature.
"Oh I wouldn't be too sure about dat my man. Since you work behind de scenes to combat demons and their ilk why would de commanders feel a need to interfere? You are natural allies. As for how I knew?" Katanu tapped his chin in thought. "I listen. When I not be in de library or de temple of Sarenrae I be walkin and listenen. Heard de term Riftwarden thrown around a time or two and remember what I learned in my academy days as a child. Did not take too long to connect de dots."
"Ah but I know who you are Aravashnial, member of a secret organization of mages that specialize in combating extra-planar threats and those who call demselves Blackfire Adepts. Demons would be a natural enemy of de Riftwardens. As for why you not know me, I confess when I be in de library I don't speak, I read and read and read. I be the dark skinned human you might have seen from time to time in the library." Katanu responded.
"Now now you two, dis not be the time for dis. Tempers be frayin far from de sun, this I understand. The great spirit of light be my guide as well and cut from Her Illumination be botherin me like nothing else. But I stay reminded of what she taught me, empathy, honesty, forgiveness. Horgus, dere are such things as honorable thieves and one mans thief is another mans hero. De demons be at home in de shadows so we must have our own warriors who can operate in shadows to find them so that others can shine a light on such activities." Katanu said smoothly, picking up a rock and using a minor spell to cause it to shine with light.
"And Mrs. Tirabade, it be a shameful thing to expect everyone to shout dere faith from the rooftops. Faith by its very nature is private and personal. Not a single being in existence thinks exactly like you so even your faith is personal and private. You may share a religion with many others but how that religion affects you is unique and singular. As long he supports de war against de demons it matters not where his faith lay."
"And uh, no Arlena. Many knew of de tunnels but since de dwarven engineers who built dem connected dem to preexisting tunnels, dere are no surviving maps dat show de entirety of de network. De energies of de abyss are, like de nature of demons, entirely chaotic and unpredictable. It is possible dat fly started as your common tiny bug attracted to waste and was transformed by it's proximity to de World Wound. And as for dese crystals..."
"Quite common underground in areas heavy with magic. Dey are not dangerous, just charged with a little magic." Katanu said as he stepped around Angus, making sure to avoid any bug guts, and moved closely to a crystal near him. After staring at it for a second he taps the crystal with a knuckle and turns back towards the group. "See? Noting to worry about."
Katanu rushed ahead just in time to see the fly impact the paladin's shield and dropped to the ground, stunned. Before he could blink the paladins axe dropped down and took a meaty chunk of the creature, splattering the ground with green ichor. He took a chance and peered over the dwarfs' shoulder, staring at the fly to see if he could divine any knowledge of the creature.
"Hmm, just a common Giganta Musca, probably de one who birthed de two maggots from earlier. Just your garden variety giant bug but ware der bite, filthy creature who usually carry some kind of disease."
Katanu hums to himself as he leans the staff against the wall while swinging a small crossbow from behind him and lining up a shot.
The bolt snakes its way between the party members and embeds itself in the enlarged abdomen of the monster.
Katanu flinches at the screeching noise the creatures were making and grips his staff more forcefully, the light from crystal growing in intensity.
"Dese creatures are infused with de might of de Abyss! Dey will be resistant to non magical weapons, fire and cold magic! Cold iron cuts through their defenses!"
Katanu laughs at Arlena's question and points at the only way out of the cavern. "That way. And unfortunately, no. As the city grew they built tunnels on top of other tunnels that connected to natural labyrinthian cave systems that stretch into the earth. No one has ever mapped out the entire system." He goes to stand behind the paladin, leaning to the side to peek around the corner as the rogue slithers out beyond the edge of his light spell. "Whenever we come to a fork, we just have to choose the path that goes up."
"Running towards a fight when you have no idea what is going on is foolish. This is an opportunity, I've read stories about the underground of Kenabres for over a year now and I'm sure the Great Spirits sent us down here for a reason." replied the short, bald human Katanu. His voice had a musical quality to it as he placed a piece of rough, milky stone in the knot of polished roots that made up the head of his quarterstaff. He whispered something to the stone which caused it to glow brightly, shedding a circle of light that pushed back the darkness. He smiled at the paladin and motioned with his free hand. "But by all means my friend, lead on."
While the group continued to search Vruhag slowly scanned the clearing with narrow eyes. He crouched down several times to feel a blade of grass or run his fingers through the ashes. Next to him the large wolf sniffled along the ground, looking excited at the prospect of the search game.
With an excited yip Bolg began to scratch at a clump of grass and soon revealed a pile of gear that had been intentionally stashed there. Vruhag quickly pulled the gear apart and saw that most of the useful equipment had been taken. "Tracks going east, food still on the plate, gear hidden..." the commander mused to himself. As he continued to think he noticed that Bolg was standing against his hip, hackles raised and staring intently into the night. It was only then that Vruhag connected the itch at the back of his mind with the unnerving silence. His troop wasn't making that much noise and yet the bugs and small animals had gone silent. He quickly unslings the great axe on his back and gets the attention of the troop with a quick hiss. Anyone who would look at this time would see the commander turning to place his back at the fire pit with weapon in hand, facing the growing night. "Someone get some damn light!" he growled.
While the general explained the mission Vruhag took the rolled scroll from the orc's hand and began to read it for himself. While the general mission was being explained to the squad the specifics were written down in the scroll. Soon he had the names of all of the missing orcs as well as the information about the town. He rolled the scroll back up and slipped it into a bag hanging on his hip. Once the general was finished Vruhag saluted smartly before motioning for Gorthug to head out first. "Maintain 50 foot lead. Karuum maintain rear position. Move out!"
As the hour came to an end Vruhag could be seen walking towards the front gate. He was fully armored with a heavy cloak, heavy bow and massive axe hanging from the sides of the large pack that hung from his shoulders. At his side marched a large wolf with grey and black fur, it's shoulders equal to his hips. As the pair came close the wolf eyed the large cat that stood next to Shattertooth, his lip coming up in a slight snarl. A sharp command from Vruhag tempered the wolf's aggression and it padded along silently next to him as they came up to the assembled party. The commander looked around to ensure everyone was present before looking at the gate guard. "Where the hell are my orders!?"
Sending one last withering glare at the last of the soldier's to rise Vruhag pushed his way through the gathering orcs. He glanced over his shoulder to see where Gara, his lieutenant, had gotten to. Once he spotted her he motioned with a jerk of his head for her to join him. He yanked the door open and held out a hand for the messenger to place the scroll in. Once that had happened he slammed the door shut in the messenger's face and moved over to the officer's area where there was a writing desk and small lamp. He broke the seal and quickly scanned the contents of the scroll. He rolled the scroll back up before tucking it into a round scroll case attached to the belt that went across his chest. "Kit up, seek and destroy with a secondary of search/recovery. Prepare accordingly." he said curtly to the gathered soldiers. "We meet at the main gate in one hour."
Perception: Vruhag rolled from his bed at the first word from the messenger, battle trained reflexes bringing him to a fighting crouch with his dagger in hand. It took him a few seconds to calm the fire that had begun to rage in his heart before he could speak a response. He stood up and tossed the weapon on his bed before turning back to the darkened tent. "AWAKE!! AWAKE YOU SLUGS, AWAKE!!!" the commander bellowed. Before waiting to see who would awaken he began to pull on his leather armor.
I've got +11 to heal and healer's kit. Vruhag is a tall and powerful orc with a lean stature and light green skin. He has an unusual coloration in his eyes, being a startling purple as a result of the loss of darkvision. He has light black hair verging on gray that he keeps in a rough ponytail tied with a strip of hide. He wears rough looking leather armor with metal spikes sticking out from the shoulders and bracers. He is always armed with the thick staved warbow and a quiver of handmade arrows in addition to the massive and vicious waraxe in a holder strapped to his back. Despite the anger and ferocity that is inherent in all orcs Vruhag takes his responsibility as leader very seriously. His goal is not to only lead this group of powerful and headstrong warriors but to ensure their lives and the integrity of what's left of the deteriorating orc culture. Raised in the wilds on stories of the power of the ancient orcs, their control over fire, their mastery of animals and their affinity with darkness he regularly uses these stories to remind his soldiers of the strength that lies hidden within each of them. When his mother, who had raised him alone in the mountains, died from a particularly harsh winter the young orc Vruhag descended from the mountain highlands with the warg pup he had rescued from a saber cat a month earlier. For a time he lived in the forests at the mountains' feet, using the skills taught to him over his life but to thrive in the harsh and unforgiving wilderness. In time his roving and exploration brought him into into contact with a race of smaller pink skinned creatures that reacted to his presence with fear and aggression. He quickly learned how to first avoid and then hunt the vicious humans who dared to intrude on his forest domain, killing any and all who stepped across the boundary he marked with a growing number of human skulls. Stories of the hungry forest spirit and the great black wolf began to circulate amongst the nearest human villages and they requested aid from the overlord of this region, the Eternal Queen. Swiftly a squad of the Queen's elite orc soldiers were dispatched to investigate and deal with this problem by any means necessary. When they crossed the borders of Vruhag's territory the ranger was warned of their presence by his warg companion Bolg. Enraged by the trespass the orc prepared to attack the enemies from the numerous ambush positions and traps he had prepared over the past year. The first of the battalion to fall victim had his leg impaled with several wooden stakes as he stepped into a concealed pit. The next orc was actually killed by a dead fall trap fitted with a large tree trunk. By the time Vruhag came across the orcs they were beginning to grow angry at the attacks. When he spotted the first of his race after the death of his mother the young orc was stunned. Unsure of how to approach them he climbed a tree and shot an arrow directly in front of the lead elements, demanding to know in the harsh orcish language who they were and why they were trespassing on his territory. A short and unfriendly conversation flashed back and forth between the ranger and the leader of the battalion and in that time Vruhag learned an unfortunate truth about the world his mother had hid him from. Not wishing to die the ranger had climbed down and surrendered to the orc forces who allowed him enough time to grab his gear from the hut he had been living in. Conscripted in the Eternal Queen's forces the young orc found very quickly that he enjoyed the harsh orc culture, finding in them a matching spirit to his own ferocity and fearlessness. He was shocked at how many of them didn't know the ancient lore and quickly began to remind them of what their people used to be. At first the orcs found this young and passionate orc humorous and his unusual wolf strangely enticing despite his habit to snap at anyone other then Vruhag who touched him. In a short time his skill at survival and understanding of orc culture and tactics from the stories he told put Vruhag in command of his own unit of scouts. When their battalion was sent to watch the conflict between two rival human nations this all changed however. Ambushed by human cavalry on powerful warhorses with deadly lances the orcs were caught completely by surprise. Fighting a retreating action up into the hills the orcs were in disarray when their battalion commander took the sharp end of a lance through his heart. A well placed shot from Vruhag killed the knight commander of the human forces and that momentary confusion allowed him to pull the orcs back into a nearby forest where the trees broke up the wall of metal and horse flesh the cavalry presented. For his quick thinking a scroll came directly from the Eternal Queen herself promoting the ranger to battalion commander and since then his precise tactics and knowledge of his forces strengths and weaknesses have secured numerous victories.
Strictly speaking using C. Alchemy or Profession Brewer to make a good drink are the exact same thing. The only difference is Profession pigeonholes you into that specific item whilst Craft can be used in a multitude of items that fall under that heading. But I pull a quote directly from the crafting skill description. "A Craft skill is specifically focused on creating something. If nothing is created by the endeavor, it probably falls under the heading of a Profession skill." Pg. 91 Pathfinder Core Rulebook. I'm really not trying to be difficult. I took c. alchemy not only to create medicine in combination with k. nature and survival but also to cover things like Grung's alcoholism. My suggestion Grung, invest those points in something else. Since we have no magic classes (like the ultimate skill monkey class the Bard) we need to make sure we can cover as many skills as possible between all of our characters.
Profession won't do anything to help you craft alcohol. It is only used to determine how much money per week at a job, like sailor or tailoring, you would make. I have craft alchemy which would be used to make alcohol, don't worry about it.
Arrows are made with craft bow.
Heya folks, checking in! Just got back from very busy weekend and too damn tired to post anything other than hello. Should have more tomorrow, sleep first. |