[LPF] Kostry Kopec

Kalgor recognizes some of the phonemes commonly associated with languages developed by races with ties to darker powers, but it's Anaerion who positively identifies the language of both the large book, supplements, and notes as Aklo. Ignoring Malkovian, he's able to translate the first page of the marked section while the others search for other entrances or exits. Sadly, it appears the Aklo tongue is a fairly long-winded one, or that the author of this text is. The first page only gives specifications for the altar necessary for ... whatever the rest of the text describes. The altar here, at least, seems to conform to those requirements.

Meanwhile, Tyrien and anyone else who chooses to aid her set to looking for missing or hidden entrances. The bars on the northeastern passageway look to be slightly bent, but there are no traces of slime, only a bit of decaying flesh; it seems most likely the ghoul squeezed his way in from this direction.

Deciding she must be thorough,Tyrien wades into the nasty bog where the hunchback's body still floats. Unfortunately, the only thing she finds is an overwhelming stench which sticks to her even after she exits the pool. It appears there are no other means of leaving the chamber than the one through which the party arrived.

[sblock=ooc]Success on a Linguistics test translates one page of text over the course of a minute. As I said, deciphering the marked section of the book takes at least an hour not including manual translation time. None of the materials you've found appear to be bound to the cavern by mundane or magical means.[/sblock]

Ausk will stand watch in the most central spot possible relative to the other member's actoins, not being much for investigating or reading, quietly contemplating his experience thus far as he stands ready with his weapon.

Anaerion shakes his head after reading the first page, and says "It is going to take some time to translate this, and I would rather do it away from here. In the mean time, we can go ask the mayor for information on these people mentioned here."

"Well Gragnor, you feel like another mapping adventure?" "Umm, that hurrt lasst time. And you didn't eeven go therre." "We rescued the girl. Two actually. Look what that got us. Did you want more than that?"

"We can't blame all this destruction on one ghoul with a book. You can squeeze through the bars. If you can't, we can bypass them. I've read Anaerion's book. He can make you invisible to even those things that see in the shadows." "Allrrright."

"And this time, turn on you amulet before you go. That ghoul would have fell over sooner if you did." "I forrrgot."

[sblock=ooc]Gragnor is small. He can squeeze through the bars or be unsummoned and resummoned on the other side. Then stealthily moving through, he can map the areas behind the bars, so we know which to tear down, and in what order. When he yelps telepathically he is in trouble, Kalgor dismisses him. Anaerion and Tyrien has seen this trick on their last adventure.

Good plan before returning to the surface?[/sblock]

Tyrien, Half-elven Archeress

Tyrien uses a minor cantrip to clean herself up once more. The scent of wild flowers replacing the stench.

Nodding in agreement, she says, “Well, that would appear to be the only option, then. There are more things to search through and examine in that side chamber while we await Kitty's scouting.”

While Kitty proceeds, the half elf girl will return and begin ransacking the side chamber and gathering the parchment and books, checking the bedrolls and other places for interesting things.

Take 10 on Perception (+11); same for secret doors if we haven't really looked yet.
[sblock=Mini Stats]Initiative: +7 Perception: +11 (low-light vision)
AC: 20 (15 flat-footed, 15 Touch)
HP: 40 Current: 40
CMB: +6 CMD: 21(16ff) Fort: +5 Reflex: +9 Will: +4
+2 Will vs. Enchantments
Special: Immune to Magical Sleep
Current Conditions in Effect: PBS, Precise Shot, Arcane Strike (+1 Dmg), Resistance, Ioun Stone illumination (in darkness), Deadly Aim (-2Att/+4dmg)
Current Weapon in Hand: Longbow
Chakrams: 8/8 Remaining

Bardic Performance: 5/5 Rounds Remaining
Spells Remaining: Cantrips: (Message, Resistance, Mending, Prestidigitation)
1st Level 2/2 (Cure Light Wounds, Timely Inspiration)[/sblock]___________________________________________

Tyrien e'Adrianne

I'll update later, but everyone else tell me what you want to be doing while Gragnor is off gallavanting (Tyrien's already said she's doing a wall-to-wall search by the sound of it. Others are welcome to help her, but I don't want to assume). If there's further manual translation (as opposed to Comprehend Languages, which I don't think anyone has?) attempts, I'll make those rolls in secret, since the rules allow for drawing false conclusions, and that doesn't really work if you see the roll results.

Which tunnel does Kalgor want to send Gragnor down first?

Ausk will continue to watch the tunnels as the cat goes down them, just in case he stirs something up.

[sblock=ooc]Tryien: Take 20 on searching, we will have the time.

Kalgor: Will sit with his own book and pen and map the details that Gragnor relays back. He can Bond Senses with Gragnor if there is something real special to look at for 3 rounds/day.

Gragnor: Checking the West set of bars first. Then working clockwise, leaveing the ghoul's entrance to last. If he cannot squeeze through, Kalgor will unsummon and resummon him. Anaerion can add the Invisibility after that to max the time usage. AC 25 invisible black panther in the dark with a +14 stealth. He should go unnoticed. Move 1/2 speed stealthily and relay details back telepathically to Kalgor. Even after the 5 minute invisibility is up, he is quite stealthy in the dark.

If Gragnor sees a creature he cannot circle around and past, he will return to try the next tunnel. He always has the unsummoning escape, so he will take reasonable chances to go past something. After 100 ft, Gragnor loses 1/2 his HP. I don't think he will get out to 1,000 ft away.

Anaerion: He has one first level spell slot open. So, he can take 15 minutes, memorize and then cast Comprehend Languages. He also has Invisibility currently memorized, so that will work on Gragnor nicely. JS is busy at the moment with work, but these two actions sound quite reasonable. I doubt he would object.

Ausk: Umm, Ausk is going to be bored for a while. He could aid in take20 searching.

Kanli: I think once we get back to the surface, he will get the honor of carrying the contract home early while we continue with this mystery.
[/sblock]

[sblock=ooc]Just for the record, Ausk is already bored; a warrior with nothing to fight tends to be that way. He'll help search the camp if needed, but once that is done will settle back down to watching the tunnels.[/sblock]

[sblock=ooc]Yes, I plan on writing Kanli out once you're back to a place where I can do so provided IVV hasn't returned. Until you return to the surface, however, there aren't really any good options for logically exiting him from the narrative, so he stays a party member until then.[/sblock]
As Tyrien, Ausk, and Kanli begin the long task of searching every inch of the cavern, Gragnor wriggles and squirms his way through the bars, sharing his discomfort along the telepathic bond he shares with Kalgor. Meanwhile, Anaerion searches in his component pouch.

Soon enough, the wizard produces a small ovoid of an amber, waxy substance. He reaches through the bars, rolling the material between his fingers over Gragnor's head as he mutters words which slip from the memory of those who hear them. The substance melts and drips down onto the eidolon's fur, spreading further than it has any right to, covering the otherworldly panther as it reveals a dark eyelash at its center. Anaerion flicks the eyelash downward, and as it comes in contact with the waxy coating on Gragnor, the eidolon's form shimmers, then vanishes from view.

"You're going to read it to me, right? You're not going to keep it to yourself?" comes the disembodied voice that seems to accompany Anaerion. The elf smiles and nods, returning to the altar, leaving Kalgor and Gragnor to their work.

Back at the altar, Anaerion pulls out his spellbook to prepare his translation spell.

[sblock=cavern searchers]Tyrien and the half-orcs gather the books and notes between them, and start digging through the bedrolls. While some smell distinctly better than others, the occupants appear to have left nothing in the bedrolls. The trio turns to working its way carefully over the walls of the side cavern with the camp.

[sblock=ooc]There are 5 books that weigh 3 lbs each, 3 more that are smaller and only weigh 1 lb. apiece. The notes have no appreciable weight. I'll let you decide how you want to distribute them[/sblock][/sblock]

[sblock=Anaerion]It takes 15 minutes to prepare an open slot, so Anaerion is stuck doing that for the first time block. [/sblock]

[sblock=Kalgor/Gragnor]Now invisible, Gragnor starts moving through the first tunnel. It takes little time for the eidolon to feel his mystical tether tug; he moves past the warning and feels the expected weakness.

"Nothing but roots and dirt so far," he relays through the link. At a fork shortly thereafter, he chooses the left turn, moving West. There is little to report, other than a growing stench.

"Doesn't smell like that slime, at least. I hate that stuff," the panther sends, then returns to mental silence as he makes his way foward, eyes, ears, and (unfortunately) nose open.

He pauses nervously a moment at the sound of shuffling and skittering, but though Kalgor can feel a bit of disgust through the link, there is no fear.

"Bugs," comes the mental report. "Roach-y looking things. Blech. Further I get, more of 'em there are, but they don't seem to care that I'm here. Or how smelly it's getting ... actually, I think thye might be what's making the smell."

It isn't much longer before Gragnor's mental sigh comes through the link.

"This end's a dead one. I just hit muck and swamp. I'm not going through there unless it's under that nasty, bug-infested water. You want me to take a swim?"

[sblock=ooc]Western tunnel splits at 150', heading northeast and southwest. Since you indicated you wanted to work clockwise, I took the liberty of sending Gragnor to the southwest. That split settles into a straight westerly route and starts slowly rising, reaching the swamp water at roughly 800' travelled (including the slight incline stretched over the horizontal distance). Gragnor can choose to enter the water or return the way he came.[/sblock][/sblock]