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Caoilte strolls back in wearing a nice new set of banded mail, axes in his belt and shield slung over his shoulder. “Hello there Kat. I picked up a mace for this trip out.” He fiddles around in his belt pouch. “Hey does your little gewjaw light up like mine does? “ He holds out his wayfinder and lights it up. “I’ll save a fortune on torches with this thing.”
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Isador shambles in and unceremoniously plops down in a chair across from Caoilte. He licks his lips a few times and tires to get some moisture back into his parched mouth.
Well, I think that I may have over indulged last night; this headache is going to be the death of me.
Glancing up at Caoilte's new armor he grimaces and shields his eyes
nice suit of armor that you have there.. might want to consider dulling down the shine a bit.
He turns his head and beckons over the haggard waitress.
If you would be so kind.. I could use some water and possibly a little fruit.
He slowly closes his eyes and groans slightly before snapping them open to look at his companions.
No word from the others yet... and who in the hells calls a meeting for this time of morning?
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I approach the group, my helmet off my head as I feel the sun's rays on it...warming my bare head..a smile fixed on my face, I rest my pack on the ground and look at my hunger over compatriots.
Hey how about that little get together last night!! Did you hear that there are folks claiming that the there was a earthquake last night...or that one of the gods visited Absalom last night?
I can only wonder why we are here...but the invitations were certain quite fancy....
I take a pull of water from my water skin before I pull it off my shoulder and gently toe it to Izzy. "here ya go, have a drink on me..."
The party eventually musters into the main hall just before the crack of dawn. Almost precisely as the sun begins to rise, casting the day's first light through the windows of this fairly large and gorgeous room Venture Captain Ambrus Vaslin bursts open the doors of the room.
A tall brooding man, he is meticulously groomed with a pulled back jet black hair and black mustache that seamlessly grows into neatly trimmed mutton chops. He quirks a brow as he examines the group before him, some standing at proper attention, others somewhat lounging. He fixes the few not showing proper attention with a deeply penetrating eye. Almost against their will, the few loungers find themselves straightening in the presence of the Pathfinder Society Venture-Captain of the Grand Lodge of Absalom. Once he has the groups full attention, he speaks to them in a commanding baritone, his voice loud by its own nature without seeming like he is yelling.
Pathfinders. Let me begin congratulating you all on a successful Confirmation. We are always in need of competent field agents, and the Confirmation is our only way to truly weed out those who would not be an asset to our Society. I have read the field report about this Cave. I understand that the chroniclers have been waiting for a great while to fill in the name of this cave. Any idea who was supposed to provide them this name? Seems a great honor to get something into the Chronicles at such an early stage in one's careers. Perhaps fitting name would be Tankard's Cave, hm? The grizzled Society veteran lets the off handed chastisement hang in the air for a few moments before proceeding.
That being said, I also cannot ignore the report on your prowess at defeating that minotaur. You were not supposed to be exposed to such a risk, but you were able to overcome the challenge admirably. As such, I am forming you into a permanent team for the time being. It is a tactic I usually shy away from due to complacency issues, but this will be my little experiment to see if a team of familiar agents can coalesce into a well coordinated team. I would be more encouraged of this teams success if you had someone of faith with you. Someone with knowledge of the religious arts. Perhaps if you had one in the cave, you would have been able to unravel its mysteries. Perhaps it would have a name by now as well.
Captain Vaslin nods once before continuing on. To the matter at hand. I am sending you into the Cairnlands. As you know, this area outside the city is littered with ancient siege towers of failed attempts to take this city. Most have already been plundered or are sealed tight holding in their various treasures. It has come to my attention that the earthquake the city experienced a few nights hence has effectively unsealed one of the towers. You are to explore the tower and report your findings. I have discovered this due to the sloppy notes of one of your fellow pathfinders. Balenar Forsend apparently discovered this recently open tower a few nights ago and did not report it. Seems he wants the glory of this for himself. I am not convinced he can brave this on his own. Keep on the lookout for him. I fear he may find more than he bargains for there. That is all. Prepare yourself and be off. My secretary will provide you with a map to the location. Report here, to me, when you return. Dismissed.
Amber nods once curtly, spins on his heel and exits the room as abruptly as he entered it.
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Kat can't help but give a soft grin as the Captain turns and leaves. Normally she would prefer to remain quiet unless absolutely necessary and focus on observing everything, but she could not help but quietly let a snarky comment loose in the fluid language of the elves. Tankard Cave? Sounds good to me, or perhaps Skull Tankard since the axe-man swore he would use the bull's skull for a mug; but alas, the body got away.
Once she said her fill she returned to silent observation, mind working to pull up any information as towns or places were discussed. She also kept an eye on the Secretary, Amber, to see if there was information she might not be giving to them outright.
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Isador shakes his head slightly after Captain Vaslin leaves the room.
He is wound pretty tight.. I hope we don't have to deal directly with him on a continual basis.
As for a name for the cave, how about "Iomedae's Hope"?
Since most of Aroden's followers believe him dead and Iomedae is now served by many of his clerics, it makes sense to me. The Gillmen thought the place may be one of the first temples to him.
Maybe the new man of faith that is being assigned to us has more insight on the matter.
He shrugs before standing up and stretching.
I need a moment to get my gear from upstairs but then I will be ready to head out to the Carinlands.
mumbling to himself I still can't believe that this information was sooo important that we needed to meet before dawn... bugger.
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I listen and smile at Kat's comments and I fail as best I try to surprises a surprised grin at Isador's comment...hitting a hidden nerve with me.
To be honest, I happen to like your suggestion quite a bit Isador for the name. I have long admired Iomedae and have always sent her the vast majority of my prayers to her, though I cannot help but feel that Aroden's death may be a bit prematurely declared. Course I am not buying the whole ~if you had a man of faith horse poop either~ that we would have a name for the cave. Last time I checked a lot of wars have fought over so called men of faith not being able to make agreements or working toward common goals
Having said my piece I rest a hand on the boxwood pommel of my gladius, feelings is polished marble like texture in the hollow of my palm.
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Hey, uh, does "Prepare yourselves and be off" mean right now? He turns to Izzy and waves his hand at his armor in a showy motion. Looks like I dressed for success. Got my bag packed too, with a little room left for extra rations. He takes a deep breath through his nose and nods Cairnlands huh. Can't say I know a thing about them but I'm up for the trip. How long before we head out?"
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I too like Isador's name suggestion. As for our mission, the Cairnlands are about 10 miles north of Absalom. I have never been there myself as I spent most of my time in the forest and hills to the west and north west of the city. I have heard many tales of this place, but for all I know they could really just be tales and nothing more. I guess we will get to find out for ourselves first hand.
I am ready to leave whenever everyone else is ready. I have been getting antsy to be back in the wilds again.
The party quickly exits the main hall and prepares for their mission. The Captian's secretary hands Kat the promised paperwork and gives her an apologetic smile. The party, already running as an efficient unit, is able to ket themselves out and head toward their objective within an hour after being dismissed by Captain Vaslin.
The group makes good time toward the Cairnlands. Their journey out of the city and to the area depicted on their map is uneventful. As they continue to follow the map, the party crests one of the many hills in the Cairnlands en route to their objective. When they do, they first set eyes on the tower, a crumbling fortress, as they round the top of the hill. The rising sun backlights the tower as they party first sees it, a towering structure of at lest 80 feet. They see something else as they make their way to this fallen fortress.
Standing atop the hill some 50 feet away stands what appears to be a male humanoid. The man has exotic features, stark white hair, pale skin with a silver sheen and striking violet eyes. His unusual appearance is highlighted by the growing light of the new day as the sun rises from behind the stranger, casting an otherworldly glow about the man. The stranger's expression betrays a mix of confusion and annoyance.
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Checking his map and being certain he is in the right place, Tarek heads for the large opening in the side of the tower. He is certain that this is the right location, so he folds up his map and places it inside his belt pouch.
Tarek scans the area for the man he was supposed to meet and looks for any evidence that he may have entered the tower.
Tarek whispers in a hushed tone as he approaches the tower Balenar....Balenar, are you here?
Tarek unhooks his hammer from his belt and grips the handle tightly in anticipation of something hideous that may leap from the dark crevice ahead.
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Tarek places his hand upon the symbol, hanging from a leather cord around his neck, and whispers a prayer. Tarek calls upon the aid of his God to help him think clearly.
Tarek examines the rubble and the walls of the tower, searching for any symbols or writtings that may give some insight to it's purpose or who constructed it.
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Isador pulls his bow to the ready after seeing Kat break from the group.
Upon observing the strange looking man near the ruins, he whispers to the rest of the group.
This is the place marked on the map, correct? Do you think he is another agent or just a wanderer?
Eloriand, have you ever seen anyone look like that?!?
Isador scans the rest of the area to ensure that the man's presence is not a distraction from an ambush.
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I look at my companions and the reactions that they take as we come across the stranger...my eyesight better than most...well..at least for a human I can say...I recognize the stranger from the other night and relax my guarded stance.
Well I think its safe to assume that with the days early light that depute his pale features he is certainly no vampire...and keeping in mind that he looks very similar to a gentleman I shared a few drinks with...I am going to go out on a limb here.....just a bit...and assume that before us is Tarek
I look directly at him as I rest the conical butt spikes of the two shouldered pila on the ground.
Tarek...I presume that is you unless you are gong to tell me you are his twin brother...or something worse...by the way...what was the name of that that ale that we were drinking again...it went down way to easily and smooth....and amazingly despite the amount we drank...I felt quite refreshed the next morning
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Hail and well met, traveller. Caoilte says while pointing with his axe. You look to be headed the same way we are. My name's Caoilte, you've probably heard of me. Don't worry, tales of my prowess in battle are exaggerated, I'm sure but what the ladies say when my armor is shed can't be said enough. So tell me, what's your name and what causes such a fair fellow as yourself to wander these meadows alone?
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Tarek is a bit startled at first, hearing someone call out to him and not recognizing the voice as Balenar's, but still somewhat familiar.
He quickly spins around, ready to defend himself,when he notices the familiar faces of the adventurers at the tavern.
Tarek's body relaxes and his stance is less agressive. Greetings to you indeed! I thought I was here all alone. Balenar did not tell me he had called for additional aid from the society.
It is good to see you as well Havelockk. I have no twin and I am certain we will all be celebrating again soon once the task at hand is completed. He then smiles at the group.
He then looks to the beefy warrior with the large Axe. I know not what the ladies say of your armor when it is on or off, but I would say to please keep it on! Tarek smiles again at the large warrior. I am Tarek Delrin. Your presence in such a dangerous place is well met.
Tarek then stares at the group before speaking. What has Balenar told you of these ruins ahead?
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He didn't. Kat pulls out the copy of the report given to her by the Captain's Secretary before they left and gives it another quick look-through, trying to see any information she may have missed on her initial reading before handing it over to the pseudo-stranger. He might have given you more information than what we have, but we were asked to check things out and possibly save his ass.
The red then turns to Eloriand Are we close enough that tracking would do any good or should we get closer? I am on alert, but I do not think that I will be of much use until we get close, if not inside.
She then addresses Tarek again with a slight grin that could be considered impish By the way, thanks for the beer, it was tasty!
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This is quite odd. I was almost certain that Balenar sent you since we all seemed to have arrived at the same spot at almost the exact time. Tarek rubs his chin and seems lost in thought for a moment.
Balenar was going to aid me in gaining admittance into the society. He promised to put in a good word if I helped him explore this tower. I was to meet him here, but he is nowhere to be found. I first thought he was late in arriving, but I feel excitement of exploration got the best of him and he may have entered the tower. He may have also been ambushed. I have been searching the area for signs that he passed by the area or if he met some ill fate. Tarek once more scans the area expecting to find some trace of Balenar.
Tarek's expression becomes a bit more solemn. I am certain that everyone believes that the tremors that were felt were caused by an earthquake and that is what cracked open the tower ahead of us. That is not entirely true. Tarek's eyes glaze over slightly as he recalls the vision he saw. I had a vivid dream of this place. A great evil resides within this tower. This evil may have unleashed some unholy power that caused the ground to shake and walls to break open. I saw this evil spill out into this land. This evil wants to see the destruction of all of Absalom. I could only see shapes, but I think the beings I saw may be draconian or demonic. Be sure you are well prepared. My destiny lies within that tower, but I understand if you all change your mind, now that you know what danger may be ahead.
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Isador looks at Tarek for a moment trying to determine if he is being completely honest.
Your story is quite interesting and you seem to have some relationship with Havelockk but it seems quite a coincidence. As you stated, how odd that we encountered you at just the moment that we near the tower?
Isador continues to look the stranger over with a deliberate eye and then shakes his head after hearing about Tarek's dream and warning.
We are not children that run off at the first warning of danger. We are Pathfinders and we will not shirk our duty because of someone's dream. As far as we know, it is not a real account or perhaps it was the result of too much ale the night before.
He glances towards Eloraind.
I suggest you take point until we get near the tower. I will take the rear guard.
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Kat nods at Izzy's suggestion. I will follow a bit behind Eloriand until we reach the breach in the tower, this way he can focus on tracking and I can watch for anything else between here and there. I suggest giving us a bit of a buffer distance.
While we're out you may want to make sure all information is shared between us since we are going to working together. Once we regroup you can share the missing pieces with us.
She waits a bit to see if there is any dissention or addition comments before nodding to Eloriand, ready to blend as best as she can with the environment a few steps back and off to his side, eyes and ears open.
The party agrees to allow Tarek to accompany them into the tower. The group forges ahead despite the ominous warning from Tarek's vision. They make their way to the tower, wind at their backs, which looms before them now in the light of the morning.
Eloriand takes the point with Kat trailing, the main force of the party lags behind to allow their scouts to do their dangerous work.
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Tarek looks to the human who spoke. The reality of the situation is there before us. Do what you wish with the information I have shared.
Tarek then looks to the rest of the group. It seems we may have been fated to cross paths on this day. I can offer divine guidance to those who may need it. I agree that the scouts in your group will do well to go ahead of us, but we should not be too far behind. Let us make our way to the tower.
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well while you scouts move forward, Caoilte and I will trail a bit behind as to not ruin any chances of us disrupting any of of your scouting attempts...wheter this be draconian, infernal or abysmal in nature...we will handle it as best we can..or get a personalized opportunity to validate the afterlife
I nod to Tarek and the others.... don't worry Caoilte, I am sure you can bring you armor and ax in the next life.....see ..no worries by Aroden's belt and Iommedae's skivvies
Eloriand takes the point and scouts ahead, moving cautiously toward the tower, Kat in tow slightly behind. The party's main force remains behind to allow the scouts room, watching them from a distance of approximately 60-65 feet. Eloriand gets into a crouch and deftly crawls toward the outer perimeter of the tower. Kat is a bit amazed as Eloriand appears to literally melts into the grassy ground. As Eloriand and Kat approach the tower, they can begin to make out some details regarding the structure.
The ruined siege castle now being called the Fallen Fortress rises out of the churned earth of the Cairnlands. No doors or windows mar the otherwise smooth expanse of the tower’s walls. The tower is quatrefoil in plan; its eastern wing has largely collapsed, exposing the interior floors to the open air. Only the topmost level seems whole, though its eastern portion hangs precariously over the mountain of rubble left by the collapse. At ground level, the rubble frames a gaping hole in the side of the building that provides access to the tower’s darkened interior.
Around the rubble at the base of the tower, Eloriand and Kat can make out a few shapes mulling about the debris. The creatures walk on four legs and exhibit shaggy fur, wild dogs! As Eloriand and Kat apporach, the northernmost dog lifts his nose in the air and begins to sniff vigorously. The other dogs soon follow and quickly turn their attention to Kat and Eloriand's location. The dogs pull their ears back and break off in a full run toward the scout's location, growling, snarling and barking as they run.
Initiative Order
- Dog3
- Havelock
- Tarek
- Dog2
- Eloriand
- Kat
- Caoilte
- Isador
- Dog1
The southernmost dog breaks off in a dead run straight to Kat, the second dog following close behind. The last dog is slow on the uptake, probably because of eating too much diseased carrion. Two dogs are on Kat in a flash and look ready to take a bite out of Red! They seem to have not noticed Eloriand as of yet.
Inititative
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Oh hell no.
Kat reflexively hisses in annoyance, back arching slightly from her crouched position. She then pivots and sprints back towards the heavy hitters, swearing colorfully in a multitude of languages before calling out Cats and dogs do NOT mix as she nears.
Certain that all three would be on her tail as they did not seem to have noticed Eloriand, she changes directions slightly to give the others a clear line of sight for the moving targets, ready to pivot and dodge when her instincts tell her to.
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Seeing the danger that Kat is in, Eloriand leave his bow lay on the ground where he was concealed and draws his sword to strike the closest beast.
Another stellar roll.....
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Isador turns to face the direction of the forward team upon hearing the growling of the dogs.
mumbling to himself as he pulls his bow into a ready position. Well, I was hoping that we would at least get inside the structure before we had to do some killing...
Isador will move towards Kat's right flank in hope of getting a clean shot at the dog bearing down on her.
Let's see how well this new bow works...
He let's out a slow breath and takes a shot.