The Curse of the Jade Monkey, IC

[The Bushranger]

Dani

Dani manages a weak smile and accepts the box with a shaking hand.
T-thank you.
After consuming the offered sweets, she decides to stay up, rather than risk having another vivid nightmare. So vivid it seemed it was truly real, like a memory...

She climbs out of her tent and leans against the tentpole, looking around quietly.

[Lycar]

Darren

Darren doesn't awake apparently. At least it remains still inside his tent.

Lycar

[kentma57]

cough... cough...

So unless you object the remaining two days of travel will pass without incident and you start up here...

The ground slowly begins to slope upwards, on the hill ahead you find a path you can tell that compared to the surounding area it has been used recently. What tracks you can find seem to go up the hill...

[Lycar]

Darren

Darren spots the trail and raises his hand to signal the party to stop. He is no expert tracker but he picked up a bit or two over the years.

"Right... this looks like a good place to start going cross-country. So to speak. I should probably take point from here on. Anybody going to accompany me?"

While he talks, Darren takes out his two hand'crossbows', c0cks them and inserts a crossbow bolt in the front of the 'muzzle' before sticking them away again.

Lycar

[mephassovar]

Kritios

I shall accompany you, Darren. I don't know the way, but I think it is best that I learn as much from this experience as possible so that I may be useful later.

Kritios is still in his otherworldly armour and has a very definite air about him. He seems to have resolved himself to put what he has learned about combat into practice and that means following people like Darren onto unknown hillsides.

[Fri]

Alex

"You said that you're not used to it, aren't you? Maybe it's better if you watch our back here. Let me scout with Darren."

Alex fixes her leather hat and tiptoes toward the wilderness with Darren.

[mephassovar]

Kritios

Hmmm... Very interesting. If I want to do something with these people in future, I must be more assertive. Minor personality alteration. I do hope those firey blasts I've been practicing are effective...

Kritios remains with the majority of the group and says to no-one in particular,

They're going to scout - this is a very important job. I'm going to stay with you because I'm good at that.

Good.

[The Bushranger]

Dani

After looking slightly askance at Kritios, Dani turns back to the others.
Well, I can go with you or stay here, it depends on how many people you're taking scouting...?
...and she gives up the facade, bouncing up and down a bit wiht eagerness.
I'll go, I can make a good scout. Please?

[Lycar]

Darren

Darren looks between Kritios and Dani for a moment.

"... It takes two to flank someone. And backup is nice to have. But before we leave: Has any of you ever killed someone before?"

Lycar

[The Bushranger]

Dani

Barring last night's nightmare, for the first time since they all met, the cheerful, happy expression departs from Dani's face.

No, it doesn't depart.

It flees.

She looks down at the ground for a moment, her shoulders slouching, before she speaks up in a small, weak voice.

Yes.

[mephassovar]

Kritios

Kritios is about to speak when Dani makes her confession. He stops himself to observe Dani's behaviour, now, what is that called again... oh... guilt! that's the one.

Kritios tries his best to adopt a guilty expression and says:

No, in all my 153 years I have not killed anyone.

Now why would that be important, I wonder... Do they think I won't be able to kill if necessary?

I'm happy to kill if necessary.

Kritios smiles.

[Fri]

Alex

Alex's mouth goes agape. She then scratches her chin. This Kritios sounds interesting What did she know about his kind? Almost nothing actually. She mingles a lot with humans, elves, dwarves, even goblins and orcs (she even can, and want to translate an orcish sonnet if she can find one in a ruin somewhere) but she never actually travel with, whatever kind of civilization Kritios came from. He looks more or less human, but there's just something wrong. She wishes that she used last night to make a travelling journal and chat with his colleagues as she used to do instead of sleeping.

"Um, although killing and adventuring goes almost side by side, I think I prefer to have killing as last resort. But at least you got enthusiasm."

She also notices the awkward mood around Dani.

"Uh, let us just start the scouting, right."

[Lycar]

Darren

Darren stares at Kritios for a while.

"... Just remember: If you are ready to kill, you better also be ready to die. Personally? I'm quite contend to earn the reward for the statue and won't go out of my way to collect heads. So as far as I'm concerned, any bounties we collect on the side are accidental."

"Okay Dani, hang back a bit and watch our backs. Some clever guys might get the idea to sneak behind us while we are buisy looking for traps and sentries."

Nodding at the others, Darren turns around and starts making his way up the hill. He was wondering about that Kritios guy. And if Dani would hold up, should they find themselves being ambushed. But then again, if everything else failed, at least he could run pretty fast.

Spoiler

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Darren moves at 1/2 possible speed to gain full benefit from Moving Silently.

Lycar

[The Bushranger]

Dani

Dani nods, a little of her enthuiasm returning, and prepares to move out.

[kentma57]

As you wander up the hill, carefuly steping through the bush, you are struck by how easy it is. Not a single trap and not a single guard; as you break through the trees you come to a small overgrown clearing. In the center a ruins stand, weathered by time, all the remains is a set of stairs decending into the darkness.

[tonberryking]

Acama

The dwarf refained from talking about her kills in the past, lest she distance herself even further by the admission she's killed plenty with her bare hands. However she does eye Kritios as if in disapproval. Instead she just follows after the bunch, reducing her own speed as well to guard the rear, whether asked to or not.

[Fri]

Alex

Alex look everywhere for sentries or anything unusual.

"Darren, do you think it's really safe here?"

Spoiler

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(1d20+3)[21] for spot

[Lycar]

Darren

Darren looks around, trying to spot any sentries or traps but failing o detect any.

"... If someting look oo good to be true it usually isn't... wait here."

Darren pulls out his two 'crossbows', one in each hand, takes a deep breath and then dashes across the clearing with surprising speed to stop and crouch down near the entrance.

He waits just a moment to listen for any movement, then turns the corner in a quick movement, his weapons held out in front of him.

Spoiler

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I'll take a chance and assume that there is nobody left up here?

Nothing.

Darren looks around a bit, then he gets up and returns to his companios.

"Okay. Seems to be clear up here. Someone go back and get the others. Seems like we get to explore those ruins after all."

Lycar

[kentma57]

Alex you do not see anything out of the ordinary.

[Fri]

Alex

Alex then moves to the open and stand in front of the ruin's entrance. She puts one hand on her chin, and another on her hip, staring directly to the ruin and the darkness in front of her.

"Well, this is a bit unusual, isn't it? Though, never bounty hunt before, so I wouldn't know.

This makes me remember a legend about another ruins I stumbled a long time ago. The locals said that it's a man-eating, living ruin. They said that once upon a time there were some local bandits trying to make it as their hideout. They're never heard again."

[The Bushranger]

Dani

Ah yes, and that tale just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Dani keeps an eye out as she goes to fetch the others.

Spoiler

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Spot: (1d20-1)[17]
Listen: (1d20-1)[12]

[mephassovar]

Kritios

Thankyou for coming back to fetch us says Kritios to Dani as she arrives. He hastily follows her to the clearing and takes a look around.

On seeing the stairs going down into oblivion, Kritios seems to ponder for a moment. I have heard stories about these sorts of situations. Someone goes down the stairs and a giant axe swings into them or a hiding troll jumps out at them. I wonder...

I suggest that I summon, with my mind, a being of psychic energy to test this stairway. I'm worried that there may be something hidden, waiting to strike at anyone who walks down.

Waiting until all the others are in the clearing with him, Kritios begins to manifest. It is very fast this time, a moments concentration and what looks like a small statue of a centaur with great ram-like horns appears onn the ground in front of Kritios. Like the pole he conjured back in the town, it seems to have congealed from the air as some sort of liquid at first and even now it doesn't seem to be truly solid.

It gallops off at some speed towards the entrance and disappears down the stairs.

Spoiler

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Kritios manifests Astral Construct, choosing not to augment it (1PP). Kritios chooses Buff and Deflection as its special abilities. A lvl 1 Agile Loper is formed with the following statistics:

{table]N Small Construct
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Listen +0, Spot +0
AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 17; Mobility
hp 20 (1HD)
Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +0
Speed 50 ft. (10 squares)
Melee slam +3 (1D4+3)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +2; Grp -1
Abilities Str 13, Dex 15, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 10
SQ construct traits
Feats mobility
Skills Listen +0, Spot +0 [/table]

Kritios directs his astral construct to enter the stairwell and walk down making sure that it places a hoof on each step. It is to continue going down until it meets an enemy, where it should engage in melee, or until it fades back into ectoplasm 5 rounds later.

[kentma57]

As you creature decends the steps you come to a large stone door. As it pushes on the doors you find that they swing easily; a hall opens up infront of you. With what light still shines in from behind you, you can make out a a mural carved on the far wall and steps of to the right.

[Lycar]

Darren

Darren looks as the very air takes shape and starts moving down the stairs.

"... Sure don't mind that thing finding any traps for us. Although the bandits ought to have found them first..."

Darren fishes his breathing mask out of his pack again and puts it on.

"... It will be dusty down there..."

Then he draws his weapons again.

"Fine then. Seems like it's me taking point then." he says with just a bit of fatalism and begins to go down the stairs.

"I need some light here. I've got both hands full."

Lycar

[Fri]

Alex

Alex uses her everburning torch to lit up the corridor. "What's with you and dust anyway?"

She then walks slightly behind darren.

"I wonder what was this place's purpose" She said, as she keeps her eye on the mural.

Spoiler

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So... can you describe the mural? Tell me if i need to roll something

[kentma57]

So... can you describe the mural? Tell me if i need to roll something

knowledge religion.

The mural depicts two beings clashing, spiraling around the world(the bit in the center) As they spiral around the world each sends down a collum of light. One strikes a man while the other strikes a mountain.

[The Bushranger]

A little dust never killed anyone. Dani is back to her normal cheerful self as they head downstairs, and once there she steps up to study the mural as well.

Spoiler

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Knowledge (Religion): (1d20+5)[25]

[Lycar]

Alex

Alex uses her everburning torch to lit up the corridor. "What's with you and dust anyway?"

Darren frowns "It's everywhere. Everywhere where people are anyway. I can't breathe when there is dust in the air. My family are carpenters. We thought it was the sawdust. Not so. Sawdust doesn't bother me. Or pollen. No problem. But dust..."

Darren peers around the corner carefully.

"Dust never killed anyone? Hah! Dust can even explode if there is enough of it in the air. There was this mill once... well okay, that was flour. But it's the same principle."

Finding no immediate threat, Darren relaxes a bit and takes a look at the mural himself.

Lycar

[Fri]

Alex

(eh, what the heck) Meanwhile, Alex examines the mural more closely,
looking for any sign if there's anything unusual or if it hid something.

Spoiler

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knowledge religion (d20+3)[16]
bardic knowledge (d20+8)[24]
search (d20+3)[23]

[kentma57]

Dani

Spoiler

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You recognize the mural as depicting the story of the 'Mad God' Vala-Cana-Resh and his clash with the God of Order Malar. Their powers balanced they clash through eternity, one tries to rule the world the other tries to stop him. In the ageless past they each sent down some of their power, creating aspects of themselves to forward their goals. Sadly all other information is lost to history.

Alex

Spoiler

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Two small groves(on the floor) run down from the metal mural to the doors. You also note that the edges of the mural to not conect to the surounding walls, instead they curve away from you becoming fluch with the wall.

As Alex touches the mural it suddenly shifts and begins to move forward toward the entrance of the ruins. It moves slowly at first but quickly gains speed.