Serpent's Skull [Racing to Ruin] (IC)

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo shakes off the large man’s help. “I am fine now. Thanks.” Fronaldo sulks and will go along with what the group decides as far as resting today or not.

[BuckGodot]

"I still think rest would do your group good, Ma'am. But I think I'd like to see if I can get a start on finding the missing members. Who would you recommend I retrieve first?" he says after seeing Fronaldo is settled.

[lostsole31]

"I respect that through pure brash luck you made it here ahead of the main Pathfinder expedition, Dr. Booker," says Aron, "but you are not roaming off alone.

"Xhanfaerd, what is your call? Spend resources to heal Fronaldo now and make use of the few hours remaining in the day? or, heal him when we go to bed tonight, even assuming he would be fine tomorrow anyway, and set out tomorrow at full tilt?"

[silphael]

"There is no reason to make him wait to be healed, and I should have done it yesterday evening anyway."

[BuckGodot]

"I respect that through pure brash luck you made it here ahead of the main Pathfinder expedition, Dr. Booker," says Aron, "but you are not roaming off alone.

"Xhanfaerd, what is your call? Spend resources to heal Fronaldo now and make use of the few hours remaining in the day? or, heal him when we go to bed tonight, even assuming he would be fine tomorrow anyway, and set out tomorrow at full tilt?"

"Well... It wasn't all luck... Regardless, you're the boss. I'll wait then."

[lostsole31]

So, Xhanfaerd casts his spell in his unique arcanist way, tapping into natural energies with his arcane to help Fronaldo more quickly recover ...

So, want to head out now, or wait until tomorrow?

[BuckGodot]

If everyone is rested and recovered, I see no reason to delay.

[Blackhawk101]

“Thank you Xhan!”
Fronaldo is anxious to find the missing friends but will go along with the what is the consensus.
“Remember there is a rival group in the area with a lot of firearms. We need to be careful.”

[lostsole31]

Aron asks, "Okay, do we return to the Azlanti ziggurat?"

[silphael]

"We've got a lot of exploration to do, yes."

[lostsole31]

Okay, which way do you go in? The western entrance like you did yesterday? Southern entrance as before? Do you try to avoid charau-ka patrols? By now it is obvious that charau-ka seem to reset the traps at least daily. So, on one hand you have to look for them, on the other hand, you know what you're looking for so it's much easier than before.

[Blackhawk101]

“Um…yeah…let’s go in the West entrance. I think”
”I mean, whatever you want to do is fine.”
”That is a valid point.”
”Aron is making sense.”
”I vote with Aron on this one.”
”Do you think the others are alive?”
”Do we have any mangoes left?”

Spoiler: crunch

Show

insert into present conversation. Repeat as needed.

[lostsole31]

Fronaldo's pep drives everyone as they go through the western entrance. Sure enough, one of those traps are there ...and handily disabled by Book and Fronaldo.

Upon coming through the western entrance to Tazion, you see the abandoned aqueducts you had before (T). Book had never seen this before, and they are two entrances into the under-area of Tazion whose purpose as ancient aqueducts are obvious.

Aron wants to continue to the ziggurat, trying to stay on focus. Is there anyone who wants to check out the aqueducts while you're here?

[BuckGodot]

Book will make a quick but careful study of the aqueducts.

[Blackhawk101]

“Let us keep going to the Ziggurat, alright? I hope the others are there.”says Fronaldo worriedly.

[BuckGodot]

"Yes... Of course... But I'm trying to determine if there are and where the qanats may be... These aqueducts are fascinating! If I can calculate the angle... Oh... Sorry... Your team... Right... We should... Um... Yes..." and Book comes back to the main group but deep in thought.

[lostsole31]

The party takes the eastern fork that goes somewhat northerly, rather than the eastern fork that goes slightly to the south.

They get to an area that was a charau-ka encampment last night, and they see a terrible site. A Medium-sized humanoid has been staked (naked) in an upright position and had skin and choice bits of "meat" removed. Upon closer inspection, you realize this is what remains of Tor-ber Ahmose. A horrible fate. His jaw has been shattered and torn off, including his tongue. Aron realizes that while this looks like simple savagery of the charau-ka, it has the unfortunately side effect of making it impossible to talk with Tor-ber's corpse to learn anything.

[Blackhawk101]

A sob escapes Fronaldo as the horrible sight of his companion’s murder washes over him. “Those little monkey bastards!”
He moves to cut Tor-ber down.
“We should bury him.” he says tearfully.

[silphael]

His face stern, Xhanfaerd still pales notably.

"Yes, we have to."

[BuckGodot]

Nodding somberly, Book will help Fronaldo gently release the body and move it to the ground.

[lostsole31]

"Let us bury him right here in Tazion, a historic site," says Aron. "If we bury him near our campsite it is no different than burying him in ignominy."

So, who has tools for digging a grave?

[Blackhawk101]

Lacking the proper tools to dig, a cairn is constructed with whatever rubble can be found nearby. Fronaldo helps best he can carrying small stones.

[lostsole31]

Aron will help him. Luckily, in Tazion (because of all the ruinous rubble), stones are easy to come by. She says a non-denominational prayer for Tor-ber.

Does anyone want to eugoogle-ize him, or just have a moment of silence?

[Blackhawk101]

*sniff* “Good travels on your new path, my friend.”

[BuckGodot]

Moving to the edge of the area, Book waits politely whilst the others pay their final respects, yet glancing at Aron, anxious to move on.

[silphael]

Xhanfaerd gives a proper eulogy, using his notes to make sure to make a proper one.

"As Tor-Ber joined us, in the Shackles, it quickly became obvious he would be crucial to our adventuring party. Sure, that wasn't immediate, but as soon as he spotted that nest of asps, stopping me from falling in it, we could all notice his help. And now, he is no more, which means we will have to pay attention to asps now. So... thank you, Tor-Ber, and sorry to not have been there in time."

[lostsole31]

The party continues eastwards along the path, a first-time exploration heading in the relative direction of the ziggurat (which lies to the north of Tazion). The party gets to a major semi-cleared area just north of central Tazion and find something new. Near the center of the ruins stand the shattered remains of three conical cylinders connected by low, thick walls of piled stone. Boab trees burst from crumbling structures, their thick roots and branches devouring large chunks of ancient stonework. The walls surround an overgrown courtyard of toppled statues, weathered foundations, and a path of broken cobbles winding around large, watery pools.

Do you explore this area, or bypass it?

[BuckGodot]

Book is in favour of exploring but will defer to Aron.

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo is in favor of moving on to the Ziggurat and seeing if Pim and Gelik are there. He will defer to Aron …and oppose any suggestion proposed by the infuriatingly tall and handsome Dr. Book.

[lostsole31]

"We'll be back to explore," says Aron, "but let's close out one site while being on the lookout for our two other lost friends."

The party stays clear of this ruined temple that seems to have snake motifs, and their "trail" actually continues north, winding around paths of tar pools, back to the front side of the Azlanti Ziggurat (X). Having sunk into the dark Mwangi soil, the lowest tier of the ziggurat is only partially exposed, and its heavy stone doors are almost completely obscured by hanging vegetation, yet the party still spots them.

There is a spike laid into the ground about 30' from those semi-obscured stone doors. Upon it is a head. At first, you think it might be a "shrunken head" but upon closer inspection, it is the head of Pim Starseer ... and nothing else.