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

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo tries to fight off the effects of the poison coursing through his veins.

Spoiler: crunch

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Fort - (1d20+18)[23]

[lostsole31]

Finally, Fronaldo succeeds in his battle. The effects of the poison exist as they had before, but progress no farther. After another 2 rounds, Xhanfaerd is able to cast his spell, having some effect on Fronaldo. In truth, though, the impairment didn't make Fronaldo terrifically worse. That initial poisoning was the worst.

What now?

Initiative Ends ...

[Blackhawk101]

Still somewhat affected by the fight against the poison, Fronaldo speaks over the collective.

Spoiler: Collective

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“I think we should Secure the lizard man. If he lives, stabilize him. He may have information we need. Move him to secure location before we head out to search for the remaining members of our party.”
”I dropped my favorite knife at the South stairs. I will grab it as quickly as I can in my wounded condition and then help you with the body.”

He then moves quickly back to the South stairs to collect his knive(s). He sheathes his weapons and returns the potion CMW to his belt, hoping Arun will heal him later.

[lostsole31]

What does Xhanfaerd do?

[silphael]

Xhanfaerd gets closer to the serpentfolk.

Spoiler: Collective

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If we plan to ask questions, the best time would be now.

[lostsole31]

... but the serpentfolk is nowhere to be seen!

[silphael]

With the last instants of his haste, Xhanfaerd rushes down the stairs.

Spoiler: OOC

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Not sure if it just ended, or still has a few seconds.

[lostsole31]

It is at that point that Xhanfaerd realizes that the haste is gone. He heads down anyway, but there is a real worry since the serpentfolk was moving as fast as a normal human previously.

Shadows shift, but too late for Xhanfaerd to react to as the hunter becomes the prey, and the serpentfolk hisses as it leaps from it concealment in darkness, only the smallest cracks in the walls allowing the sun to show bits of shadow.

As Xhanfaerd realizes for only a split second that this might be the end, there is a slash of fire and light, followed by a tremendous roar that echoes painfully off the walls. The serpentfolk has a large puncture in it chest, but its surprise ruined it is about to attack Xhanfaerd anyway when the roar is followed by yet anothe report of godlike anger, and the serpentfolk's head splits practically in twain. Its left eye has been blown through, and its jaw hangs at too wide an angle and flatly with its tongue lolling out.

As it drops to the ground, the parting smoke reveals a man in the dim light.

"Say," the man says laconically, to Xhanfaerd, of course. "You wouldn't happen to have any holy attacks, or any that strike with the power of heaven, do you? Otherwise, that serpentfolk is gonna just keep getting up. Gotta kill it first, then once it is past the point it could be alive, put holy power on it to keep it dead. Holy water doesn't work."

[silphael]

Raising his hammer, making it shine with a silvery light, Xhanfaerd smashes it down toward the serpentfolk's skull.

"I happen to, in fact."

Spoiler: OOC

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Standard action then, Silver Knight's Blade. The extra damage dealt is sacred damage, which counts as good aligned for all purposes.

[lostsole31]

.... which crunches and squelches most sickeningly.

"The steps behind are the acolytes' stairs that lead to the top of the ziggurat," the man says. "Let's say we drag our friend up there into the light and have our introductions there?"

Once Xhanfaerd and this new man ... who has a way finder at his belt, by the way .... get Issilar's ruined-head corpse back to the top where Fronaldo and Aronnahar are, and flop the arms of the corpse down, he looks around.

"So, you'd be Xhanfaerd, arcane specialist .... and then we have Aronnahar Zyianthus, team leader .... and Fronaldo Claudex, chemical weapons expert. Where are Pim Starseer, Tor-ber Ahmose, and Gelik Aberwhinge?"

Aron says, "And you are?"

"Oh, sorry. Amivor Glaur's diviner figured you might run into bigger trouble than you could handle a few days ago and sent me and two other fellow Pathfinders ahead to intercept and give aid. The other two didn't make it ... a jungle version of a shambling mound. So, all you have is me."

Aron reaffirms her question, "And you are?"

"Name's Dr. Booker. But you can call me 'Book.'"

[Blackhawk101]

A pitiful whine is heard as the little goblin alchemist laments the loss of the snake man’s poison.
“Ahhh! You fools destroyed the head!” *sob*
Fronaldo continues his diatribe as he searches/examines the body the best he can in his wounded condition.

[lostsole31]

Aron will go down the stairs and dismiss her grease on the wand and bring it up.

Meanwhile, here is what Fronaldo finds on Issilar's remains ...
Masterwork punching dagger
Satchel containing a spellbook
Spell Component Pouch
Ring (ID'd by Xhanfaerd as a ring of jumping)
3 gemstones of a particularly odd cut

The gemstones are appraised to be about 500 gp in value by the value of gem alone, but they carry with them a strange faint magical aura of indeterminate school .... and again, they have a very unique cut to each of them (all cut in different, but specific ways).

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo deposits the collected gear near Arun before handing her the gems.
“These gems could fit into the map mechanism posts below. They have the right shape.”
Fronaldo shuffles his feet nervously as he looks to Arun and eyeing the newcomer suspiciously.
We should hide the body and find the others now, yes?”
He winces as his many wounds ooze droplets of blood onto the cracked paving stones.

[lostsole31]

Aron shakes her head and speaks softly. "If we look for them, it might be a wild goose chase. Gelik probably left walking on air, making him uniquely hard to track. The fear effect will wear off and they know to rendezvous with us here, or in extremis back in the camp outside of Tazion. Xhanfaerd, do you agree?"

Book, this Aronnhar is stunningly beautiful, but she doesn't speak loudly.

[BuckGodot]

Book crosses over to Aron smiling.

"Hello... I was told of your capable leadership and skills, but no one mentioned how stunningly beautiful you were." and if she allows it, he'll take her hand and gently kiss it with a small bow.

[Blackhawk101]

*furious goblin stink eye directed at Book*
Fronaldo begins to toss his dagger into the air and catch it.

[lostsole31]

She withdraws her hand from the lips that go to touch it. "Thank you, but jungle diseases and mouths being the biggest carriers and all that."

[silphael]

Seemingly talking to himself, Xhanfaerd takes out a notebook.

"Dr. Booker... You don't look like the physicist, so I suppose, given the place, that you are a doctorate in social sciences ?"

Taking out a prism, he casts detect magic to anticipate any magica defenses on the spellbook.

[lostsole31]

Xhanfaerd doesn't find anything. HOWEVER, given that magical traps are on a whole different level, by design magical traps do not show to detect magic and he would need someone skilled in detecting magical traps (and disarming them) to notice anything.

Spoiler: OOC

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Base perception can be used to look for magical traps, but you can't T10 since there is a chance of failure, and you can't T20 because that is basically purposefully tripping the trap to find it. That said, detect magic does NOT detect magical traps.

[silphael]

After checking, Xhanfaerd takes the spellbook and checks what's stored inside.

[BuckGodot]

She withdraws her hand from the lips that go to touch it. "Thank you, but jungle diseases and mouths being the biggest carriers and all that."

He flashes a charming smile and nods his head...

"As wise as she is beautiful... No wonder you're a leader..."

Turning to Xhanfaerd he says, "Sorry, what?"

[lostsole31]

When Xhanfaerd checks inside the spellbook he sees arcane scrawling.

[silphael]

Looking through the pages, he mumbles.

"That is quite interesting."

He then raises his head and look at Book.

"I was asking your field of study, doctor."

[BuckGodot]

"Yes... I spend a lot of time studying in the field..." he replies with a wry smile.

"But to answer your question more accurately, I'm an Associate Professor of Archaeology at the Arcanamirium in Absalom... I'm on... sabbatical... at the moment." he says looking around.

[lostsole31]

All three of you - Aron, Fronaldo, and Xhanfaerd - when Book mentions his title and position, have heard of Dr. "Book" Booker. Not only as a fellow Pathfinder, but as a storied archaeologist. Of course, one wonders where truth ends and embellishments begin, because some of his deeds are a bit suspect.

Spoiler: Fronaldo, Xhanfaerd

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Feel free to remember some complete whackadoo "Aren't the guy" story if you want.

There are even cheap pulp novels written about him and his .... erm, ahem .... exploits.

[Blackhawk101]

“Well “Doctor” , thank you for the assistance with our scaly friend here, but we have the situation under control. I am sure you are needed back at the university grading young women’s papers or some such.”
The diminutive rochemist glares at the towering longshanks with a malevolent gleam in his red eyes.

“Any chance for some healing Aron?” asks Fronaldo sweetly.

[BuckGodot]

“Well “Doctor” , thank you for the assistance with our scaly friend here, but we have the situation under control. I am sure you are needed back at the university grading young women’s papers or some such.”
The diminutive rochemist glares at the towering longshanks with a malevolent gleam in his red eyes.

“Any chance for some healing Aron?” asks Fronaldo sweetly.

He smiles back and replies "Thank you for the suggestion but, as I mentioned, I took a sabbatical and I was sent here by the Pathfinders... So, like it or not, little guy, you're stuck with me."

He turns back to Aron with a charmingly disarming smile, "Besides, you may find me more... useful... than you think. I've got a few moves up my sleeve that could help in a pinch."

[lostsole31]

Aron casts CSW and 2 CMW on Fronaldo to bring him almost to full. She then casts CSW on Xhanfaerd to fully heal him.

"Alright, folks," she says, "Resource check. Overall, of used more than half my magic, including my all of my most powerful bardic spells. My lunar spells are half to less than half, and those are my healing spells. How is everyone else?"

[BuckGodot]

Looking around at the group, Book says "I'm good to go, but maybe we should take a rest, based on the look of the rest of you."

[Blackhawk101]

“Yes, a rest would be welcome as we wait for the team to return. Thank you for the healing, Aron.”
Fronaldo makes sure to retrieve all dropped equipment/weapons before returning to the serpentfolk corpse. He studies the body carefully, taking notes.
Later he adjusts his gear, replacing the expended Blue Whinnis poison with Greenblood oil from his haversack to bandolier.

Spoiler: crunch

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Sheet shows MW returning dagger on the ground.