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The day before the Second Wind arrives on Bonmu, Tino pays one more visit to Slick "Take these. Consider it a wager. And, at any time of your Team's choosing, consider this a . You may be the Team to Beat, and I want you to survive. We Toughest spend the next 24 hours in meditation, and cannot be disturbed. I will see you at the Opening Ceremony" he pauses here to bow cordially, excusing himself thusly. Tino's Wager:
Tino shares a story about how he and Takatorra grew up together, and how they always protected eachother, and how in dedicating himself to Irori, he keeps his team together by using her divine power to protect them by punishing their assailants and healing their wounds . True to his gods style, and seeing sparring with Cirri in alignment with his unending quest for self-betterment, he demonstrates great unarmed speed as well as mystical power , enunciating loudly with either execution of prowess!
"Glad you decided to join us, Ji-Yook" "And hello - you must be the fifth Ass Kicker? My name is Tino, and this is Takatorra and Yabin the Just..." while Tino continues to talk and make small talk, behind him, Yabin just glowers at Slick, flicking his tongue here and again "...and that is how we decided to team up for this competition!" the Tien man finishes his story about other tournaments around the continent. The rest of the trip to Bonmu is relatively uneventful, and after perhaps a day or two, Tino's Toughest break off somewhat with socializing with the Party, instead focusing on their own training regimen, drills, and morning stretches, all in preparation for the Big Day!
"Relax, Master Silvertongue" the human interposes himself between Yabin the Just and Slick "And save the theatrics for when it counts!" the nagaji relaxes noticeably as his companion "saves" him from the imposing visage of the tall half-elf "My name is Tino, and these are my Toughest" he looks around here, searching the dock for a fourth person, currently unable to be seen, then, on a hunch, calls out "Come on out, Ji-Yook!" As the group comes together - Cirri, Slick, Billy, Yagon Suel, as well as Tino, Takatorra, and Yabin the Just - Tino tries to make peace "You'll forgive our attempt to scout you out, having the luck of being on the same ship together - you seem a formidable team, the four of you - Let us reset, shall we?" he, too, is a very persuasive man "Surely you have questions about the upcoming tournament - a lot has changed since the last one! - and my team and I have been studying it fervently" it seems suddenly that Tino recognizes the dhampir in the back "Wait - you - Yagon Suel! I thought you had perished!" a collective gasp aerates from (minus one)...
Tino suppresses a blush, if it were within his capacity, beginning and abruptly stopping with "I have taken an Oath..." in response. Changing the subject "You see that warrior over there?" with an upward nod, indicating a one-eyed stern-looking tengu with opal plumage and an impressive bladed fan of sorts hanging in a correspondingly-elaborate scabbard "TakaTorra, Swordmaster. We have been friends since as far back as I can remember. We've met a lot of people on our adventures, but there is always more to learn" he touches his hand to his chest tattoo momentarily, then withdraws it "We see our invitation to the Ruby Phoenix Tournament as an opportunity to test our strength against worthy opponents. As such, I imagine our paths will cross under different circumstances once we reach Bonmu. I look forward to our fight!" he smiles here, a genuine smile, which doesn't seem to communicate ego or arrogance, rather it's opposite; the smile is strangely comradely given the context of it's words. Then, with almost mischievous curiosity "What do you know of Hao Jin's vault?"
"They always seem to be having fun" a prominent chest tattoo on a prominent bust signifies the allegiance of this Tian-Shu man, three-quarters of it showing through a tunic with an open "vee", simultaneously demonstrating his excellent physique. His tone is... wistful? Trained in Religion?:
Still looking at the dolphins, he turns his body towards Cirri "They run in pods you know?" pausing here to consider the strix with a pensive expression, as if looking around for her "pod"...
"...tol' em whipper-snappers where'n'abouts it was, though seein' as they never came back to share their story with me, I don't suppose their little venture didn't wind up so well..." Ven Strickmund rocks in his chair on his porch staring at a second group of pathfinders (not a few weeks later) who are also seeking out Diggen's Rest, having just drained his glass empty, and making eyes with one of them to refill it with a carafe just out of his reach. "So I guess it's all to say that you should be careful if'n you have to go" one among the rescue team refills his glass, and the team make one last stop in town to re-provision for the 100 mile trip a distraught survivor had marked on their map... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ...will the Ghost of Diggen Thrune ever find rest?
...somewhere on a porch, 100 miles away, there slowly rocks an old man on a rickety chair, sipping from a half-full cup through wine-stained teeth, wondering if his new pathfinder friends are still alive... "50 50, I reckon" he concludes, talking to no one who is there, but who, had he had the means, would be, which, of course, he doesn't, and so, they aren't...
...passed out on his rocking chair on the porch, the sound of Ven Strickmund snoring can be heard quite a distance from his house... HOOOOGHGHGHGHGHNNNNK.... PBHSHSHSHSHSHSHS..... HOOOOOOOGHGHGHGHGHNNNNK..... PBGHHSHSHSHSHSHSHS...... HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGHGHGHGHGHNNNNK...... PHBGHHSHSHSHSHSHSHS....... ...flies zipping inside of his mouth with equal periodicity of it's loud inhaling... ...drool puddling into a small pool on the wood plank... ... ...the occasional kick of a foot spasm throwing his otherwise regular synchronicity a-wonk...
"Thankee - now Git!" After breakfast, seeing the party dawdle, he goes over to kick Nedri two times and Khaul once, physically (if meekly) removing you from his property!
”Goo’ morning!” A plate of bacon and eggs is thrust before each of you - somehow he managed to juggle all five of them across his house to serve you all at the same time - with piping hot food! ”Packed some extra rations for ya - ‘nuff ta make it the whole hunerd miles east” indeed, on his porch is an extra backpack stuffed to the brim. ”May wanna rent yer own horse - up to you though - dunno if time is against ya er not” Backpack Contents (1 Bulk):
He then takes his place back on his rocking chair - at the center of the five blankets, and, incidentally, the five of you - ”Sorry ta say cain’t go with ya. But I do say: If’n ya find anything - assumin’ them ghosts don’t git ya! - stop back by me place and lemme know what you discover!” A third carafe is perched on the window sill, and Ven Strickmund gets up to pour each of you a glass of wine in your own cup ”Good for picklin’ the heart, this” looking towards Aurelien with a knowing glance and a wink.
Khaul was unable to discover any additional carafes in the nearby vicinity, besides those two aforementioned... Seeing Khaul take action, Ven Strickmund relaxes a little, knowing the refilling of his glass is underway. When he smiles now - a more authentic smile, not the predatory grin of a cat playing idly with the mouse before it eats it - his wine-stained teeth glisten in the candlelight! “I dunno bout no Kerin-ha, no, but, round ’bout a hunnerd years or so ago, my pappy’s pappy’s pappy’s pappy bought this here land from a feller from the Pathfinder Society. Got a great deal too, on account of how he was a Pathfinder hisself. My pappy’s pappy’s pappy’s pappy that is, of course the fella sellin’ the land was a Pathfinder as well. Anyways, this wasn’t a great place for a lodge at the time; too much a goin’ on, too many folks riled up about Pathfinders. Your group hasn’t always had the best reputation in all parts, though yer allus welcome ’round here." his eyes lose focus here, and he stares blankly, momentarily confused "Where was I?" he seems to have lost his train of thought - it takes a couple sips of yet more wine before he recovers "Right, right, the old lodge. It was a big t’do at the time, on account of the money from the sale of this here estate being used to buy the deed to , an ol’ keep ’bout a hunnerd miles east o’ here. Folks ’round these parts know the stories ’bout the battles and such fought ’round there back during the empire days, an’ suppose’dly there was e’en a ghost or some such. Pathfinders at the time figgered it was a proper place to move their books an’ such. Ghosts tend to keep the vis’ters away, y’know? Funny thing is, I don’t know as that Pathfinder ever came back through here. Maybe they’s still out at , maybe they went somewhere else? Yer best bet’s probably to go look for yerself. I kin mark it on a map fer ya, or close ’nough, and I’m sure you can get supplies fer the hike here in town.” He attempts to lean over in his rocking chair to do just that - mark it on your map - but after a decent effort to strain his back and body - somewhere between the creaks and sores of old age and the impaired motor function of a night of wine-"sipping" - his efforts only seem to wind him up to whip back into his chair, defeated by inertia with a THUD. His face contorts into a giddy expression and his wrinked cheeks flush from cranberry-red to grape-purple, and he hiccups, belches, and spasms from the effort.
He hobbles back up to the porch, plops down on it again with a grumble and a great deal of popping joints, and harrumphs. "Davarn," he says sourly, "up'n the Five Kings. Born 'n raised." He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, and waits for the long-winded and entirely unnecessary nonsense story Ven decides to come up with. "Ne'er heard of Da-varn" Ven Strickmund teases his glass "But I used to have Five Nieces. The first of which, well, she was the worst, see she had a way with..." as predicted, an entirely unrelated story, this one taking minutes - one for each Niece! - "...and because of that, my fifth niece cut off contact with me, and I hain't seen her since..." At least he finished his glass - which now - like the carafe - lies "Nothing so useful for you. There was a stone arch over the river, never did anything so no one cared. Except this time we got attacked by some goblins right before we crossed under it and no one noticed the weird glow that started up. We sailed right through a blue portal and ended up in the same spot. Didn't think anything of it until we landed. Everyone was older and no one was expecting us to arrive. Strange enough that I didn't do much for a year while I figured it out. Gave up on sailing, too." He perks up once more "Well - fer a man is supposed to be much older'n he looks, don't I cut a han'some profile?" self praise! "Wouldn't mind me a dip or two through that portal o' yers..." his knee, too, makes a popping sound, and Old Ven, concealing a sadistic smile of sorts, what with five young adventurers rapt, kept, trapped, the situation bare as raw flesh exposed from repeated rubbing, glances over to where the empty carafe sits, and, further back on the modest window sill, to the party's utter horror... ... (How did we miss that!?!) ...he looks on expectantly at Duncan and says "If'n ya don't mind - I possess not your blue portal" indicating to him with his empty glass. And once again, three things become immediately apparent: 1) The second carafe is full
"Well, been a real nice spell, with tha chitchattin' an' all, but we got business ta tend to, an' it sounds like this Kerinha character's outside yer wheelhouse. Sorry ta bother you. Let's go, lads." He gets ready to leave. Ven Strickmund sticks one pinky finger in his ear here - you are pretty sure he heard the implied ultimatum, but instead responds with "What was that? Where did you say you were from, "Ned?" it is becoming clearer and clearer that his hearing is selective only when he selects that it be so! He twirls the full glass in his hand, gently stirring it's contents, but does not raise it to his bearded face just yet...
Rocking heartily in his chair, the man seems tickled by the story "Tapestry, Tapestry... never heard of it! And I think Khaul is a fine name - didn't mean to imply that all dwarves be related..." he begins sipping his wine again "...Come to think of it, last time I wrote anything down was in me school days. See, I was a rambunctious snapper, couldn't sit still te save me life! School marm tried 'er best ta right me, bless her heart, but all in all, I lasted about two weeks. See what happened was..." he goes on another minutes telling the story "...so they had no choice but ta kick me out. But I kin still write me name!" he demonstrates in the air with his off-hand "Vee, Eee, Enn" motioning each stroke of quill, and pausing "Ess, Tee, Arr, Aye, See, Kay, Emm, Yoo, Enn, Dee!" proudly finishing his strokes with a flourish "Not that it's ever helped me grow wine..." Soon enough, his glass is full! And just out of his reach, the carafe remains ! And he slowly turns his attention back to Nedri...
Ven Strickmund nods "Thankee, Duncan the Upright - say, you mentioned a fountain of youth earlier - how that work?" apparently the old man can listen.
Ven Strickmund sticks one pinky finger in his ear here - you are pretty sure he heard the question, but instead responds with "Khaul Irontoe - did I tell you about my dwarven friends the Ironknees?" has he forgotten that he has!? He launches into the story again, this time which take minutes - slightly different version too! - than asks "So Khaul Irontoe, please tell me about yourself! Where are you from?" He hasn't touched his newly poured glass of wine! ...but the carafe just out of his reach is now ...
'I am Aurelien Castroviel'lo, from the deserts of Rahadoum. I seek knowledge of the ancient past to build a better future and I have been both blessed and cursed by my ancestors. Many of whom are offering helpful advice right now.' "Deserts, eh?" he scratches his chin here, trying to conjure a memory "Well Aurelien Castroviel'lo, I don't know about no Ra-Ha-Doom, but I had a friend once she got lost in the desert for two weeks. See the problem she told me as it so happened was..." another minute-long story "...and eventually those cacti are what made the difference!" The glass in his cup slowly disappears as he speaks... he moves to take another sip, but stops short! "Marshall Emoubu is from Absalom. Beneath Absalom there are many, many, many tunnels. My people protect Absalom from things underground." "Tunnels, eh?" here we go "Yeh Marshall Emoubu, I kin see that you'd be one o' them K-Balds. Don't suspect the younger townfolk 'll be paying you warm glances - got some K-Balds making ruckus round these parts, but I don't think they got tunnels - not that folks are liable ta tell the difference anyhow 'tween diggin' and buildin' K-Balds" As the party watches with baited breath, the old man once again raises the glass to his lips, and... finishes the rest of it, emptying his glass! "Been on m'feet all durn day. How these young'ns do it is beyond me. Call me Ned. Coz that's m'name. Whadder ya know 'bout a grave 'bout sixty miles east o' town? Heard tell summat from the Society's past is buried there." Ven Strickmund sticks one pinky finger in his ear here - you wonder if he even heard the question Ned asked, instead saying "Ohp! Looks like I'm low on the old red..." and he looks expectantly at the carafe that sits just out of his reach... ...which is still full!
Khaul refills the old man's glass "Thank you Khaul Irontoe - ya know, I knew a dwarf once. Couple in fact..." Ven is about to head into another story "Fine people really. Said they were of the Ironknee Clan. Funny story about one time I hired them to pick some of those them there grapes, thinkin' it'd be an advantage them being so, well, them being at the perfect height, until there was an incident which caused all sorts of..." another minutes here "...and I made up the losses by re-planting the entire crop!" Khaul and the party notice that the carafe is now full... "I like that!" to ""Duncan the Upright!" I tell ya, the last time I had a nickname was..." he pauses to think here, scratching his head "...Oh musta ben before that ol' mayor started called me "Old Ven" which, her being a young whipper-snapper, does little in service to the things I have accomplished in my time, besides not dyin'" he chuckles here, laughing overly long at his own joke, and glancing round the group with anticipation, as if expecting the humor to be met with a laughter from his captive audience. Whether or not it comes - and whether or not, if it comes, it serves to simply placate him, or conversely, spill naturally, he pivots: "Duncan the Upright, Khaul Irontoe, please tell me about yourselves! Where are you from?" He pauses once again to listen while sipping on his recently-refilled glass of red wine - without offering you any!
"Late? Why, the night is young" a voice calls from the dark - from a set of vocal chords that have audible wear! The party approaches - the man comes firmly into view - but the finer details of his house are lost on Nedri, whose eyes simply don't adjust to the dark. Bearded old timer, rocking on a chair by candlelight. He lifts it up and shines it your way! "This here be the property of Ven Strickmund - Winemaker and Conversationaire - and that Ven Strickmund be this old sack of bones here" Indicating himself, he smiles gleefully, and it is here you can see that his teeth - of which he has all of them - are stained with the telltale red that marks his claims as most probably true - he turns the glass in his hand to stir it's contents, gulping down the last bit heartily (further corroborating the truth of what he says), hiccups, and turns to "Duncan is it? Why I once knew a Duncan. Used to run a three card monte in the town over, come home with a big ol' sack o' winnings. The look on his face when he poured it out at the end of the night. You see, Duncan had a way with..." while the party stands awkwardly around, Ven Strickmund tells you what feels like the entire story of this other Duncan's life, blubbering on for no less than minutes in doing so "...and that was why we called 'im Duncan the Downright!" it seems the story comes to it's fantastic conclusion - perhaps the natural thing to do here is to sit on the porch? There are not any other chairs. In any case, barely a breath when he adds "Duncan the... so being that you are the second Duncan, what do I call you? Duncan the... Duncan the... well, while we sort this, would you mind filling up me glass?" and it is in this moment that three things become immediately apparent: 1) The carafe is still half full
He actually stops talking here, having made his request!
Xila nods her head eagerly - the braids in her hair click together...
...Xila, when suddenly Babs breaks into a clumsy sprint and jumps at the strange druid, toppling her over in tears of joy! "How did you find her?" she asks a couple moments after the heartfelt reunion.
"Thank you so so much! All life is precious - yes - but Babs is the most vulnerable of this herd. Here:" She pulls out two Minor Healing Potions and hands them to Channary; then she pulls out two Lesser Eagle-Eye Elixirs and hands them to Luz. "These should help you if you get injured; and those should help you to find her!" "Again - I can't thank you enough - please bring her home!" She watches you all in earnest as you depart...
Together, Xila, Channary, and Grimmlylow count 16 steggos in all, after a couple counts and recounts, and upon accepting that exact number, she panics!
"She is the youngest smallest cutest one! Oh I know she can't survive on her own - what if something eats her? Oh I couldn't stand it - No no no no no..." Some sticks fall out of Xila's hair as she begins to cry...
"...thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen... um... no, that's not right..." Xila races back across the pen with an exasperated look! "One, two, three..." She appears to be starting over!
"...six, seven, eight, nine..." ... Grimmylow:
You and Mimi discover the footprints of a clawed creature and signs that part of the enclosure was chopped or torn apart! Obviously the signs that Nuvian discovered are false!
Mimi:
You and Grimmylow discover the footprints of a clawed creature and signs that part of the enclosure was chopped or torn apart! Obviously the signs that Nuvian discovered are false!
Nuvian: You draw the conclusion that the stegosaurs forced their way out of the enclosure. Obviously the signs that Grimmylow and Mimi discovered are false!
As the party rounds up the last dinosaur (you think), Xila asks "Did you discover what happened with the enclosure?" She begins counting her adopted charges...
"Ah yes - I don't know how that came... undone" Xila says to Nuvian. She smiles as Grimmylow sneaks up on a stegosaur, startling it back into the enclosure that Nuvian is inspecting. Mimi manages to use quick agile movements to cut off the escape route of two other steggos, avoiding her shortsword only to be steered back around full circle. Cocking her head sideways, she watches Channary fascinate one with her light wisps, wondering how the fellow druid will seize the distraction. "Well I guess the job speaks for itself - you're hired" as if the situation wasn't obvious enough!
Whirling on you as you approach - which causes a stegosaurus she had just relocated back into the pen to immediately spring loose - the woman's look of fluster suddenly seems to dawn into a glimmer of hope. “I am Xila of the Green Faith!" As she says this, the recently sprung stegosaurus - perhaps the size of a large dog - heads right for Channary in a playful mock charge, swatting at her gently but roughly with it's back-plated tail. She addresses Grimmylow "I was returning from Hillcross with fresh supplies and discovered them like this. They are usually quite calm, but something might have spooked them. Apart from taking a moment to send for help, I haven’t had the opportunity to investigate."
...you all find yourself in a large clearing between two boulders in a wooded valley to the west of town. Here, a haggard Kellid woman in a patterned cloak of several colors with masses of sticks tangled in her hair and dirt on her face is chaseing a juvenile stegosaurus through the mud. All around her, nearly young stegosauruses romp across the clearing, play in pools of mud, and trample the ropes and stakes of a ruined animal pen. For each stegosaurus the woman successfully herds toward the enclosure, another storms out, excited to roam and play. The woodpecker lands on the woman's shoulder, even as she remains unaware of your approach...
1) redward @ "teen detective" Investigator or Spontaneous Caster
Zandyk whirls, his tail flailing, almost slamming into Ignatius, a look of pure shock upon his face, and within 360 degrees, he stares temporarily dumfounded at Matei. he searches the bard's eyes for an unconscious admission of trolling. Seeing none, as promised, he hands Matei the still-locked box he muses out loud, then addresses the PCs one more time With that, he spreads his mighty wings, and takes off into the mid-noon sky!
Zandyk shoots a nervous glare towards Ron...
1) redward @ "teen detective" Investigator or Spontaneous Caster
Zandyk looks pleasantly surprised - as if he wasn't expecting much out of the young fighter until this very moment! the sphinx praises before saying:
He whirls now to face Matei he walks over and grabs the still-locked puzzle box and sits back down in front of the bard on the sand, holding it up in his two claws, teasing it's diminishing potential of release with joy!
Zandyk hear's Zendel reasoning out loud, and visibly grows nervous. He takes a slightly defensive stance - even flits his eye back to make sure the still-locked puzzle box is still lying where he left it - then struts over with feline grace and says:
He looks to Ignatius now He avoids looking at Vanvathar altogether, then finally says:
Now towards Ron and Matei now and smiles at them knowingly.
Running Recruitment 1) redward @ "teen detective" Investigator or Spontaneous Caster
Sensing his uncertainty, the still-smiling face of the yet communicates a clear but non-verbal "no" even as he walks over to get a better look at our witch hero. He flicks open a claw and draws it across his feline neck, mimicking the guess.
Pleased with himself at having had stumped two of the five, Zandyk pokes up an ear to hear towards the next that takes their turn to guess.
While the party discussed, Zandyk had gone back to nibble a little more at the camel and drink from the cool water - leaving the still-locked puzzle box where it lay. As Ignatius speaks, he struts back over smiling.
He looks around between Matei, Ron, Vanvathar, and Zendel now raising his eyebrow, his chesire grin now spanning a greater cross-section of his face!
Zandyk listens intently to the witch's explanation. he says at the end. He turns again to Ignatius he looks towards the still-locked puzzle box lying on the sand near the water. To which, he knows, as do they that he does, that the party has really no choice but to make this final appeasement. He pauses here over-dramatically once more, enjoying the tension of holding them down, as if five mice had their tails caught in his single paw. He shares his riddle thus:
...
Zandyk listens intently to the doctor's tales. at their conclusion. He watches Ron exercise on the sand. with clear sarcasm. He then turns to Ignatius he looks around to see if anyone else would like to join in the debate he answers his own rhetorical question and now the other paw drops as Zandyk circles around to his question casting one more glance around the group, he pauses over-dramatically... Finally: ...
Nature or Occultism DC 12: Sphinxes typically view riddles as a sacred contract between the riddler and recipient!
he muses as Ignatius - to his surprise! - tickles the philosopher in him. Zandyk rolls onto his side here, tucking his wing to do so, cradling himself in the sand, and claws at the air playfully, an expression of joy at getting someone to play along with him!
he points to the still-locked box casually with a full rake of sharp claws he raises an eyebrow here, knowing now that the discarded treasure can act like a bargaining chip in this negotiation - even one borne out of sheer boredom! he seems to rethink the last word here as he says this word, his eyes hungrily scan the group of five below him talking to himself now, he returns to coherence pointing to Ignatius here, then quickly shifting attention to Vanvathar he looks at Matei here He walks in a circle in place here, and slumping down, raises a single paw as if to lick it, but instead, inspects his claws and says
Twitching his tail as Ignatius sasses him, he answers the questions with questions the sphinx asks sulkily. He walks right up to the Hellknight slowly, smiling mischievously, as if daring him to strike Having gotten up, you can see he has left behind an intricately carved puzzle box on the sand...
It suddenly dawns on everyone that the creature can hear them! the creature's voice is low and carries far Matei: There is something else it seems to be fiddling with in it's paws... something shiny...
It is here that just through the mirage over the pool of water (which, incidentally, has tracks leading to it...) you see a ...
Less than 15:
You peer though the hazy mirage! The creature - you are unsure if it is real of illusory - looks like an oversized lion with wings!
DC 15:
As above, but it also has the face of a man, and seems to be fiddling with something in it's paws.
DC 20:
As above, and it sits with it's hind legs partially submerged in the water, and, is that a... camel it has opened with it's claws, leaving a bloody mess upon the sand?
DC 25:
As above, and it does not look to be holding a hostile posture towards your group - in fact, it actually seems disinterested!... ...
DC less than 15:
You have no idea what you are looking at, but it has very large claws... DC 15:
As above, but you do know this is some sort of intelligent Beast, and furthermore you recognize this to be a very powerful creature, easily capable of killing the whole party without breaking a sweat, if it felt so inclined. You think it would be possible to appease it.
DC 24:
As above, but you know this creature to be a "Sphinx". You also recall their culture is known to regard riddles as a form of "sacred trust"... DC 34:
As above, but you can ask the GM an additional question about it's capabilities! ...
The fire and fiery creature gone, Ruebella rushes out from behind the bushes towing the horses. "It doesn't seem this second monolith points to a third - should we continue along Emdi's planned route? - or clear our the Southern part of the Forest?"
"Here - I'm sure the "Living God" wouldn't mind a little assistance in keeping his most dutiful proxy alive out here, yeah?" Ruebella gives the Coyote Cloak to Fangor...
Ruebella's eyes widen as the jet of flame rises into the sky - she has never seen such a display of ancient magic - a little reminder that this "camping trip" also had some real danger. She watches as Knab nearly passes out on the plinth, and goes over to help the others help him. "What was that creature you fought?" talking about zoology always seemed to calm him down. He replies "Young Ahuizotl" he tells her "Fierce grapplers" he adds "Dangerous in low water" talking as he tends his wounds and Packets as well.
Ruebella does her best to help, but Knab "shoos" her away while he is tended to by multiple people. She rounds up the steeds and looks ready to go by the time everyone is done. "Follow the Flames then?"
Ruebella is biting her finger nails from her hiding spot in the bushes. She pets her horse - which she has over these weeks named Hickory due to his coloring - and gotten into the habit of making conversation "It's not looking good - who knew so many would jump out of the reeds like that? And in this weather!..." she tells Hickory to "shush" and resumes biting her nails. Will they turn the tide soon? Or be consumed by it!
Knab will definitely inspect the Statue. His vague question about it is something like "Why did whoever built this place it here?" Knab's Knowledge:
Any Skill (Lore) +7 Arcana (**) +11 Crafting (*) +9 Lore: Engineering (*) +9 Lore: Pathfinder (*) +9 Lore: Underworld (*) +9 Medicine (**`) +12 Nature (**) +11 Occult (*) +9 Religion (**) +11 or 19 Assurance Society (*) +9
Coming into the Mountains, Ruebella will continue to lead, climbing smartly using her knowledge of Hills and Mountains to find less strenuous paths (she is not a particularly skilled climber), and has the following suggestion for the group. "We have gathered a lot of supplies trekking the Iobarian Forest - but forageables are harder to obtain at higher elevations - why don't we cease for a few days and rely on our backstocks while we climb, and tentatively resume once we descend?" Ruebella's Knowledge:
Forest Lore +9 Mountain Lore +9 Survival +9 She looks around the group to see what others think. Party Survivalists:
Emdi @ +0 (Untrained) Fangor @ +8 (Trained) Ithuriel @ +7 (Trained) Packet @ +7 (Trained) Ruebella/Knab @ +9 (Expert) Toanthel @ +7 (Trained)
Ruebella searches for physical evidence of Strange Rituals. Knab tries to determine if the Owlbear's behavior fell within a "normal range" for creatures of it's kind - he imagines that wild animals would react strangely if their territory had current or past activity of Strange Rituals. Ruebella's Knowledge:
Forest Lore +9 Mountain Lore +9 Survival +9 Knab's Knowledge:
Any Skill (Lore) +7 Arcana (**) +11 Crafting (*) +9 Lore: Engineering (*) +9 Lore: Pathfinder (*) +9 Lore: Underworld (*) +9 Medicine (**`) +12 Nature (**) +11 Occult (*) +9 Religion (**) +11 or 19 Assurance Society (*) +9
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