Megan's Legacy of Fire 1

[Gander Longstalks]

"Looking in the cellar is sure to be a good idea. There might be something nasty hiding away in there. Maybe a diseased baboon."

[Hale Caress]

Hale's still elated from being a Chosen One of Sarenrae grins at Gander, "Who cares? We are charged with clearing out this monastry - sicky baboons not withstanding."

[Megan Robertson]

Hale, you lead the way over to the unexplored chamber and peer inside.

The brightly painted walls of this small chapel, probably meant for personal prayer and reflection, stand out as unusually garish for the otherwise reserved architecture notable elsewhere in the monastery. On the walls, numerous rectangular wooden plates traced in gold filigree depict a strapping warrior battling creatures of fire, riding a chariot on the wind, and engaging in other acts of noble heroism. It is the same figure depicted elsewhere in the monastery, but the sheer number of images here suggest that this shrine was especially important to the clerics who honoured him as a saint of Sarenrae. Perhaps a quarter of the gold plates have been pried away or hacked apart by long-absent vandals.

Opposite the door, dominating a section of the north wall, stands a man-sized statue of the warrior, its face marred by what look like numerous blows from an axe. The statue holds both hands in front of him, bent at the elbow, palms up, as if expecting an offering. Several deep rents from similar axe blows make it clear that someone tried to hack the arms from the statue decades ago, but was unable to do so.

Hale:

A whispering voice in your mind says "Ah good, you have found me."

[Romo Vendelev]

Romo moves up to the statue. "This guy has seen better days. I wonder what he's waiting for?"

[Hale Caress]

Hale looks a bit perplexed, suspicion drawing her face as she eyes the dagger in her hand and the statue in turn. "...yeees?" And more quietly, aside to the others: "Did you guys hear something?"

[Gander Longstalks]

Gander slows to listen.
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

[Megan Robertson]

All you hear is the wind rustling the long stalks in the cloister courtyard behind you, Gander.

[Hale Caress]

A tad defensively, and more than just a bit stubbornly, Hale tells the blank-faced Gander, "I did hear something. A voice. It told me 'Good, you have found me'."

[Gander Longstalks]

Gander frowns. "Then where is this person you heard?"

He tightens his grip on his axe and looks around, wary.

[Hale Caress]

Hale nods, "Reveal yourself! Friend of foe?" Her hand tightens on the dagger, her body poised to strike out or jump away at a moment's notice.

[Megan Robertson]

Nothing but the wind rustling the long stalks in the cloiser courtyard...

[Hale Caress]

Hale seems uncommonly unsure on how to proceed. "You don't suppose this guy here," she points with the dagger to the statue, "is waiting for me to give him Sarenrae's gift?" She eyes the statue suspiciously. "Dawnfang is mine, you hear?" She nonetheless reaches out and places the dagger into the waiting hands of the defiled statue, half expecting nothing, half expecting Sarenrae herself to come down and thank her for this small act.

[Megan Robertson]

Nothing apparently happens...

... although I am calling for Perception checks all round, please :)

[Hale Caress]

Perception 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

[Gander Longstalks]

Gander shakes his head as Hale tries to give her new dagger to a statue, of all things. He wisely remains silent and watchful, however.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

[Romo Vendelev]

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

[Megan Robertson]

The walls of the shrine make out in filigreed religious iconography the bare bones of what the Sarenraen clerics were able to determine about the past of their ghostly benefactor, describing how they chose to build here, where he most often appeared.

Gander:

You notice grooves in the floor at the statue's base, which seem to indicate that it can be pivoted to the side.

[Hale Caress]

Hale takes back the dagger. "Okay, so what now?"

[Gander Longstalks]

Gander shrugs. "I'd guess we'd want to move the statue." As the others look to him with uncomprehending eyes, he rolls his own in disgust.

"It's bloody obvious, you know. You have to shift the statue over to the side. Like this."

He reluctantly puts his axe back where it belongs and grips the statue with both hands, putting his weight into pivoting the statue to the side.

[Hale Caress]

"Well done," Hale surveys the statue and its apparent pivot, then adds a hand to Gander's efforts. "You're more useful than most little guys."

[Megan Robertson]

Pivoting the statue causes a hidden door in the north wall to open, revealing a flight of stairs that leads down to what, judging by the musty smell, must be the undercrypt.

[Hale Caress]

"Great! There's a bit more to do a'fore we done with this place. Come!" She waves the dagger at the entrance, "The Ray of Sarenrae awaits its foe!"

[Gander Longstalks]

Gander eyes the hidden door with grudging admiration. "A place with secret doors might not be so bad after all."

He follows after Hale, his greataxe drawn and ready.

[Megan Robertson]

The monastery's undercrypt is a series of ten-foot-wide rough-hewn passages dug in a double-cross formation. The main thoroughfare runs north to south, with two similar eastwest passages crossing the main hall about fifty feet apart. An eerie silence pervades the cool subterranean funerary network, which must contain the bodies of scores — if not hundreds — of honoured worshipers of Sarenrae in shallow niches carved into the walls of the east-west passages. Many of these skeletal remains have been roughly tossed from their niches, and countless bones and skulls line the floor.

As you look around, you see that it is no mere peaceful burial place, however. There are signs of struggle here. Some skeletons lie jumbled up against a wall where they fell, their skulls crushed by the blow of a weapon. Many wear the faded orange robes of monastery clerics, often with signs of crippling injuries suffered at the hands of their attackers. Others, perhaps, are those attackers, wearing the remains of 'civilian' attire and armour...

Do you wish to explore or return to the surface?

[Romo Vendelev]

Romo walks down the flight of stairs in to the undercrypt. His expression changes from indifferent, to stern and serious.

"What the...

He pokes a body or two. "Does anyone know what happened here? I'm not too knowledgeable about this regions history. A battle like this wouldn't evade notice."

He walks down the main thoroughfare, looking cautiously through the bodies and rubble, trying to find anything out of the ordinary (ignoring the fact that scores of corpses are out of the ordinary)

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

[Gander Longstalks]

Gander shrugs. "I don't know anything about this place. But given that it's been abandoned and infested with pugwampis and hairy men it doesn't surprise me to see something like this. Places are not abandoned for no reason, after all."

Curious, he moves deeper in to examine the dead's belongings, hoping they don't rise up to slay him for his disrespect.

Perception Check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

[Hale Caress]

"Madness. What happened here? Khismia?! CAN YOU HEAR ME? Come! Come look at this and explain!"

I figure she can as an NPC maybe shed some light on this.

Perception 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

[Megan Robertson]

At the end of one side passage, Gander discovers a pile of skeletons bearing terrible broken bones. One skeleton has a rather nice-looking mace clutched in its bony grip.

No sign of Khismia. Seems she's fled.

But it looks as if the monks made a desperate last stand against marauders here, and possibly got wiped out. Perhaps the final overthrow of the monastery...

[Gander Longstalks]

Gander reaches for the mace and pauses, looking at the skeleton holding it.

Can he get any guess as to what kind of creature it was based on the size and shape of the bones?

[Hale Caress]

"Where has that girl gotten herself to?" Hale wonders towards the entrance. "Romo? Do you know anything?"

Megan:

I've told a friend of mine that he should ask to join this game; I figure a 4th player will give it some fresh wind and pacing. Hopefully he'll not be lazy and make something over the weekend :)

[Megan Robertson]

Thanks, Hale.

[Erevale Greenleaf]

Megan:

Greetings, O Great and Mighty GM. I humbly request to join this quest (for great justice). If my request is accepted let me know of any changes that need to be made to character/background/equipment etc. to better fit in with your game.

[Megan Robertson]

Welcome aboard, Erevale. Now let's get you written in...

Erevale Greenleaf:

The Pathfinders have noticed an increase of activity in Katapesh, notably the Pactmasters have commissioned a merchant princess named Almah to re-establish a presence in the village of Kelmarane, currently overrun by gnolls. They've asked you to investigate. Travelling through the scrub/desert into the area you have come across a ruined monastery. Your briefing said that this used to be a centre of worship for Sarenrae but has been out of use for several decades. However, whilst dedicated to Sarenrae, certain unusual practices had been recorded and further details would be of interest to the Pathfinders. So you have decided to wander in and take a look-see. Wandering through a deserted nave, the roof and part of the walls of which have fallen in, you hear voices on the far side and have just emerged into a cloistered courtyard...

Rest of the party:

There's someone moving on the far side of the cloister.

[Hale Caress]

Not bothering to look, "Khismia! It's about time that you return, come! Have a look here. Things need explaining."

[Megan Robertson]

Greenleaf, you hear this.

[Erevale Greenleaf]

Bow in hand (but no arrow nocked), Erevale moves cautiously towards the voices. Erevale tests the waters...

"Greetings. I fear I am not the Khismia you seek, but prehaps I could be of some service. You may call me Erevale. And how shall I name you?"

Megan:

Thanks. I will fill out Erevales complete list of mundane equipment at some time. Are there any house rules I should be made aware of? Also could Erevale use blunt arrows (or maybe other arrow flavors) I think they are in the Elves of Golarion book.

[Hale Caress]

"hrmm... well at least it speaks, that is better than most we've found here. I am Lady Hale, 32nd princess to the Sultan. We've uncovered this crypt - maybe you have more knowledge of what we find in here. Come down."

[Erevale Greenleaf]

"Yes. erm. Very well. I thank you Lady Hale. Could you expound on your discoveries thus far? I am sure the halfling and other human will introduce themselves in due time."

[Hale Caress]

"This monastry had been overrun with all manner of festering little wretches. Pugwampi and their ilk." Hale's distate of these things is evident in her voice. "Bluddy curs. Regardless, we've apparently cleared out the surface level above. Sarenrae herself saw fit to reward my efforts with the Sun's Vengeance," here Hale briefly lifts the dagger in her hand, "we've found underground areas. This one, and another at the other end of the monastry. We haven't fully explored either at this point. Have a look around, maybe you can make sense of it all."

[Erevale Greenleaf]

Erevale moves closer looking around for anything of interest.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

[Hale Caress]

Taking a look at the new arrival Hale looks him up and down, not unlike wares displayed at a market. "hmmm... an elf, how quaint. Lady Almah must've sent you, did she send word along with you?"

[Erevale Greenleaf]

Erevale looks a bit uncomfortable at such a frank appraisal.
"I assure you, Lady Hale, I do not know a Lady Almah. And if you would be so kind as to not refer to me as 'quaint', I would be much obliged."

[Gander Longstalks]

Gander glowers at the newcomer suspiciously. "And how be it that you are here now, in these filthy ruins in the middle of the wastes?"

He lifts his greataxe in both hands and awaits the answer with a stern face.

[Hale Caress]

Hale turns, regarding Erevale with a bit of surprise. "Yes, please explain yourself. I've rarely seen one of your kind in Katapesh - and those few have skin a tone darker than yours." Her hand tightens around the dagger, "If you don't know Lady Almah, then what brought you here?"

[Romo Vendelev]

Although Romo is surprised to find an elf down in here, he doesn't feel particularly threatened.

"Reveal your origin and destination to us, Erevale. We are far off the beaten track and unless you want to taste steel, you had better have a clear reason for being here."

[Erevale Greenleaf]

"I could ask you the same, uncouth halfling. Also I feel no need to answer to you, nameless human. But as a token of peace, Lady Hale, I shall reveal that I was sent as representative of the Pathfinder Society."

Erevale pulls his wayfinder from his satchel and holds it aloft for all to see.

"You do know what the Pathfinders do, don't you little halfling? Now I have explained myself, but still do not know your intent, Lady Hale. And please put down that dagger, there really is no need for that."

[Megan Robertson]

Erevale:

Yes, you may use anything in Paizo-published material. If you want to use something third-party, ask.

Looking round, Erevale, you see that the outer wall of the west cloister passage bears a massive carving. The central figure — an heroic-looking man with the pointed beard — preaches to a variety of human clerics from throughout the long history of the monastery. The first image depicts the figure manifesting in a spiritual manner to a small group of pilgrims of Sarenrae. Another shows the figure conversing with a man in religious finery while the monastery itself is being constructed in the background. Thereafter follows a procession of similar poses, each depicting a visit by the bearded man and the leader of each era of the temple. The depictions of these clerics often also bear an identifying inscription, complete with dates that span the last several hundred years. The most recent carving is from thirty years ago, and while ample room remains for additional carvings on the west wall, the last thirty feet or so are completely blank.

Two open arches on opposite ends of the west wall lead out into the ruined nave, you came in through one of them.

Map

Erevale is standing in A7, the rest have just emerged into A4 from A12 and come west having heard someone...

[Hale Caress]

"Well, then." Hale loses interest in the arrival quickly, though she does seem pleased at the presence of a Pathfinder. "We've joined an expedition to strike against the scourge that are the gnolls and reclaim Kelmarane. Lady Almah is the voice that leads us in this endeavor and the three of us spearhead the recovery of the monastery to Sarenrae. You're in luck - it seems not much is left in the form of danger. If you want to join our efforts for the next few weeks you'll probably find many things of interest to the Pathfinders."

[Erevale Greenleaf]

"I gladly accept your invitation, Lady Hale."

Erevale bows slightly in Lady Hales direction while replacing his wayfinder.

"I hope your followers see the wisdom in your decision. On another note, if I might be so bold as to inquire, do you know who the bearded man is depicted on the outside of the temple?"

Megan:

Thanks. Updated equipment. Blunt arrows are in the APG. I was just remembering incorrectly.

[Gander Longstalks]

"Pathfinder?" Gander spits in the dust and turns to Romo. "Just like a Pathfinder to show up after all the hard work's been done, isn't it?"

He turns back to the elf and shows his teeth in a not-smile. "Since her ladyship seems to be fond of interlopers, you can call me Gander. But don't think that you can just waltz in here and be welcomed into our trust. Trust and respect are things to be earned, not given freely no matter how distracted her ladyship is with the dagger she found."

Apologies for the rudeness of my PC's tongue! But Erevale did just sort of appear in a previously dangerous area without much warning. Gander, at least, is inclined to be suspicious in such circumstances. Nonetheless, welcome to the game.