The Savage Tide III: Tides of Dread [IC]

[lostsole31]

DAY 6

The Tanaroans feed your bellies - either you'll be heroes or dies as well-fed sacrifices, right? - and eagerly provide directions to the Zotzilaha shrine entrance on the lower slopes of Nextepeua. This entrance is a large cave mouth, its rim marked with bat carvings and numerous niches for offerings. Beyond this entrance, a winding tunnel bores deep into the volcano's core -- the Olmans make the pilgrimage to the shrine chamber itself once a year, and typically do so under the protection of endure elements. Temperatures in the tunnel are severe, rarely dipping below 110 degrees F.

Rabbi Cohen seems comfortable in this heat. Tom has some protection, but not quite enough. Everyone else is walking meat waiting to be cooked.

Does anyone have any personal or group spells or abilities that they're willing to use to help all except Rabbi Cohen (who doesn't need help)?

Spoiler: Skald

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If nobody else, I'm looking at you with communal endure elements, but I can't force you.

[BuckGodot]

Skald will cast his spell on all that he can who need it.

[Blackhawk101]

Hoggie will prepare his daily cognatogen and pack his gear. He gathers a dozen small stones and places them in his belt pouch. If Rusty gets left out of the endure elements, he will wand him. He will then saunter over to Doc Cohen and salute something over Doc’s right shoulder.

[lostsole31]

Skald knows that the group only has an hour (and includes Rusty), but Rabbi Cohen also prepared communal endure elements if needed. Regardless, there will not be a lot of time to dilly-dally.

Rabbi Cohen looks at Hoggie quizzically with the strange salute. His holy aura is currently not active.

Hoggie and Tom can create a single light each, and Lazer's hammer burns with the light of a torch as well.

Will the party be doing any kind of other preparations ... how you are readied? how you move?

Spoiler

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If not, note in Discord. If so, post here.

[BuckGodot]

Skald will make his normal preps such as his ammunition supply and suggests that he assume his normal airborne scouting for as long as he is able...

[Blackhawk101]

Hoggie will create the floating disk of force and place Rusty in his usual spot. He will gesture to Vona to also climb aboard.

[lostsole31]

With the slower step of Vona taken care of by Hoggie, the winding tunnel climbs three miles through the volcano before reaching the shrine, which the group reaches in right about an hour. During this journey, periodic tremors shake the volcano -- nothing strong enough to knock people down, but enough to remind them that they are inside an active volcano. The sloping lava tunnel widens into a large round chamber filled with smoke and ash from fissures riddling the rock walls and floor. A fiery glow and thunderous rumble comes from the west, where rents in the cave wall open out directly into the active volcano's throat. The walls of the cave are riddled with niches, some of which contain offerings of food, trinkets, and animals, while others are empty or contain only ash. Through the haze, an eight-foot-tall bat leers from where it has been carved in relief out of the far wall. The bat's wings rise over its head, with its claws meeting at a curiously shaped niche that appears to be empty.

The shrine is where the Olmans visit every year to offer treasures and trinkets to placate Zotzilaha's anger -- they believe that doing so is all that prevents a more destructive volcanic explosion. Only by the grace and sanctity of Zotzilaha does this shrine remain undestroyed during the volcano's periodic eruptions. The niches on the wall contain various offerings given to Zotzilaha by the natives over the past several years; none of them appear particularly valuable.

Before anything else, as folks begin to notice that they are feeling the heat more and more, Rabbi Cohen casts his communal endure elements on the party. He then takes out a hideous, yet artfully-crafted golden idol from his pack and places it in the empty niche where the relief of the bat's claws meet. A fiery bat-like creature, large and magnificent flies in from the volcanic shaft and lands. It sighs in relief and relaxes and waves off several fire-bats that are seen in the background. It bows deeply to the party. In a grating baritone voice, the creature speaks in halting Common: "Zotzilaha thanks you fore returning his treasure. Know, mortals, that Zotzilaha rewards those who serve him. You may each - except for the silvanshee agathion - choose something of value from his vault. If you have questions about a prize, you need but ask me. Choose quickly, for you must leave this place before I grow hungry..."

The bat carving is in fact a cleverly hidden secret door. The Aspect of Zotzilaha simply nods to it and it opens of its own accord, the bat carving rumbling to life, lifting its wings to reveal an archway that leads into a ten-foot-square room beyond.

Any item of value offered to Zotzilaha is placed in this room rather than allowed to sit on display on an outer niche. Some of the treasures in this chamber date back hundreds of years. Each of the following constitutes a "choice."

Spoiler: Treasure Vault!

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Since the Aspect of Zotzilaha can reveal the magical properties of any item, if asked, I have simply noted what the value and abilities of each item are:

• a smal wooden coffer containing 500 ancient platinum coins bearing a serpent on one side and a crown on the other
• an ivory carving of an elephant-headed humanoid gripping a tarnished scepter encrusted with jade, worth 3,000 gp in all
• a necklace with a single dragon tooth worth 100 gp
• a Small-sized masterwork buckler in the shape of the holy symbol of Nebelun
• a suit of +3 mithral full plate (wears as medium armor, but you still must have heavy armor proficiency to not suffer non-proficiency penalties)
• a flame tongue longsword
• a ring of invisibility
• a pearl of power (4th-level spell)
• a stone of good luck (luckstone)
• an amulet of natural armor +3
• a rolled up strip of leather containing a long, thin fang

What do each of you choose?

[BuckGodot]

Skald will gesture towards the Amulet of Natural Armor saying, "I feel I would greatly benefit from this item as I don't wear much in the way of armor."

[digiman619]

Vona breifly considered nabbing the pearl, but then realized it was one of those neuromantic artifacts and didn't think it was compatible with her magic. She instead hefted the luckstone. "Now this I can work with..." she muttered softly.

[Blackhawk101]

The thin fang catches Hoggie’s interest. He carries it to the bat emissary and smiles questioning off to the creature’s right as he holds it out.

[lostsole31]

The Aspect of Zotzilaha peers curiously at the fang Hoggie holds. "I don't know what that is, for I don't remember it as a sacrifice. You may keep it, and choose a different object as your 'choice."

[Swami Monsoon]

"A little extra luck is never a bad thing" says Tom as he points at the stone.

[lostsole31]

Vona is currently holding the stone, but now Tom has shown desire for the stone as well.

Currently, the choices are ...
Skald is showing interest in the amulet of natural armor +3.
Vona and Tom both show interest in the luckstone.
Hoggie is given the long, thin fang in the leather wrap ... and still allowed another choice.
Corrin and Lazer have yet to show desire in anything.

[Blackhawk101]

Hoggie will store the fang in his haversack for further study later. Keeping with the theme, he will also select the dragons tooth necklace. He will store his lucky amulet and wear the dragons tooth. He grins at a space over Vons’s right shoulder, proudly.

[Swami Monsoon]

"On second thought, that ring looks interesting."

[lostsole31]

That leaves Corrin for the PCs (the NPC - Rabbi Cohen - will choose last).

[digiman619]

Vona, considering Tom's interest, digs into one of her pockets until she pulls out a sliver piece. "Flip you for it?" she says, stone still in hand.

[Swami Monsoon]

"I'd be happy with the ring... but it's fitting that a thing like this should find its home in a test of luck." Tom flicks his tail. "I guess, uh, tails is the obvious call for me."

[lostsole31]

Rabbi Cohen will flip the coin. Heads is 1, Tails is 2.
Roll (1d2)[1]

Vona gets the luckstone ... and Tom bids for the ring (because Corrin might want it).

[bcool999]

Corrin reaches out and grabs the wooden coffer holding platinum coins. He can make himself invisible nearly at will, and he is confident in his defensive magics. If he needs something down the line he could always buy it.

[lostsole31]

Corrin hefts the treasure chest, for that is what it really is (and is exactly that a small "treasure" chest) with the coins shifting around inside. With the 25-pound chest and the 10 pounds worth of coins, alone it puts Corrin into medium load territory. With his gear, it comes just shy of a heavy load.

Rabbi Cohen looks at him. "So as not to cause confusion about 'choices,' just hold out a little longer before we leave the vault and you can see with Hoggie about putting it on a disk."

He looks longingly at the armor, having lost his a month ago in a battle and feeling naked. Sighing, he says, "Too bad. It's beautiful, but even my more journeyman level of armorsmithing knows that I just can cut holes in armor and make it suitable for my wings, else that's what I'd choose."

Spoiler: Vona

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He's right. Regardless of the level of difference in HOW "non-humanoid" a client for a set of armor might be, you cannot do anything in PF rules to simply use Craft (armorsmith) to "adjust" armor from humanoid-to-nonhumanoid. Because of overall stress points on ... wait, something's ... never mind.

The Aspect of Zotzilaha raises his hand towards the armor, and it magically transforms to be suitable for someone of Lazer's particular winged configuration.

Rabbi Cohen looks at the armor, then the Aspect, then the armor. "Alllllrighty, then. Thank you, mighty Messenger of the Magma Maw. Folks, we're out of here." He picks up the stand that has the armor on it, nods in respect to Zotzilaha's Aspect, then walks out of the vault.

Does anyone foolishly linger?

[Blackhawk101]

Hoggie leaves as well.

[Swami Monsoon]

Tom just wants to get this job done. He won't waste any time in here...

[BuckGodot]

Skald backs out as quickly as he can...

[bcool999]

Corrin struggles to keep up with his chest of treasure. His usual quick-footedness completely destroyed by the load he carries in his arms. He tries to place it on Hoggie's disk, but in unlikely to catch up if Hoggie doesn't wait.

Spoiler: OOC

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Assistance please. Corrin's speed under a medium load drops from 50 feet to 10 feet. Because of the second (or was it third?) commandment of monks, thou shalt not carry anything heavy be it armor or riches lest ye lose all thine monkiness.

[digiman619]

Vona notices HCorrin's distress and elbows Hoggie to get him to slow down.

[Blackhawk101]

Hoggie moves aside to avoid the unexpected attack and stops with a stumble.
Chagrinned, He notices the struggling Corrin and waits for him to catch up and deposit the clinking chest on the disk before hustling after the others.

[lostsole31]

Hoggie is pretty sure that his disk will not admit Vona + Rusty + Chest of platinum, Vona will have to walk on her own.

The party travels the three miles, but this time with Vona walking it is a little bit slower going. With only a half-hour remaining (1 mile), Rabbi Cohen's protection stops. It is more than 110-degrees most of the way, and right at 110 the final bit, so Corrin, Hoggie, and Skald suffer minor heat stroke and fatigue. Once out of the volcano, Rabbi Cohen does a healing burst that is enough to sooth everyone before it is time to head back to the village.

Reaching the village of Tanaroa, the PCs are given audience with J'kal. Rabbi Cohen gives an account of the heroes trip to Nextepeua. J'kal will honor the heroes with a dinner in the evening with them as the guests of honor. It will be a village-wide celebration.

Rabbi Cohen will get Skald's help in putting on his new armor, which looks even more magnificent than his last set. Otherwise, the heroes rest during the hottest part of the day and the subsequent rain.

There will be a training interim (to be written), but does anyone have anything specific they want to do in the village before the evening dinner?

[Blackhawk101]

Hoggie is still interested in speaking to the local shaman/healer regarding herbs, medicine, alchemy and local geography etc. He and Rusty will meander around the village to find J’kal and ask her asstance in locating such a person in his own peculiar style of poetry and pantomime. If he has additional spare time he will study his new acquisitions and use detect thoughts to perceive the surface thoughts of those around him. He Does this more out of a lifelong habit than concern that something is amiss.

[BuckGodot]

Skald will do his normal routine and pretty much keep to himself.