"What in the Nine Hells? Why did he do that? We have to make a quick decision. Are we going east or north?" While he talks he changes his armor. "Better to travel with minimum weight."
"I think she forced it out of him," Nenne replies, grave. "Whether by violence or threat. He said he was sorry." She sighs heavily. "I say we go north. I doubt we are ready for a direct confrontation with them so soon. And since they know about the cubes, they will almost certainly come after us when the realize how many we possess. Zagmira may attempt to conscript us again, or she may decide we are more convenient collaborators if we are dead. In either case, this is now even more a time-sensitive quest."
"We should go north. There's no point chasing them and getting ourselves killed in the act. They will come to us eventually, we just have to hope that they bring their prizes with them. We should think of a strategy to deal with Zagmira, like cutting the head off the snake. If we can eliminate her when the time comes..."
"Agreed, we should head north. But we have to avoid the main road. It wouldn´t surprise me if they watch the roads leading north. We either leave the city and walk along the edge of the cliff and climb back down, or we hug the cliffs and make our way north."
Three hours pass by on the way to the shrine buried among the buildings to the north. The area is overgrown thick here and the rain intensifies to a steady downpour, reducing vision for scouting. Once the shrine is located, there can be no mistaking it for one of the other buildings.
Carvings of monkeys hanging by their tails decorate two cracked obelisks that stand before a shrine enclosed by broken walls. Past the obelisks is a courtyard filled with horsetails and arum lilies. Five archways open into darkness at the base of the ruin. Mounted above the central arch is a stone plaque bearing a cuneiform inscription.
"Anyone care to give me a boost up?", Boosey asks as he casts comprehend languages on himself. "Let's see if we can work out what is going to try to kill us here!" Once lifted up he touches the cuneiform, and translates it for the party. He looks to see if there is anything else hidden within the message, assuming that there will be another part of the story to collect here. "If I'm not careful, I'll turn into Orvex!" he says as he returns to the ground.
As anyone passes between the two cracked obelisks they are greeted by a deafening roar of monkeys and other primate sounds. The effect is alarming and instant, and persists as long as the individual is directly between the obelisks. There doesn't appear to be any immediate danger from the experience, however. Boosey translates the inscription to say, “Better to be Wongo’s friend than his enemy.” The four passages flanking the center hallway each has a portcullis drawn up into its lintel. The shrine is devoid of any light.
"Wongo...we've encountered that name before," Nenne says curiously. "At Moa's shrine. Wongo was the creature who vowed to devour Moa for telling Ubtoa what he'd done."
The four side hallways seem to end looking down them from outside the shrine. The central chamber is dominated by a ten foot tall statue of an evil looking monkey.
„Better be his friend... what is that supposed to mean?“ Allister look inside the shrine from the threshold scratching his beard. „Man, I really need a shave. Anyway, are we supposed to bring gifts, like good friends?“
Allister walks down the left hallway to find an oval shaped indentation in the wall big enough for a head and two eye holes approximately where they should be on the impression. The stone is devoid of any features otherwise.
"There are strange eye holes in a wall here. Can someone check if there are some on the other side, down the right corridor?" Allister touches the wall gently while speaking
Boosey takes to the other corridor muttering to himself. "Don't blame me if I come up short on this". He keeps a careful watch for any more cuneiform that might reveal itself.
All four outer hallways prove to be similar to the first. None bear any more cuneiform etchings. Boosey is too short to attempt to see into any holes unassisted in some fashion.
Nenne will follow Boosey and help him in his inspection. "If you'd like a leg up, I'm happy to oblige," she says, offering to give him a boost to peer through the eye holes. Before she does, she does a quick sweep of the hallway to check for anything out of place. Seeing none (nat 1 perception), she smiles and links her hands to form a step.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Boosey uses Nenne’s hands to elevate himself in the passage, and he uses the opportunity to look again for the eye holes in the wall. 5 investigation check
Peering through the eye holes, Boosey sees an interesting sight. A ten-foot-tall stone statue of an evil-looking monkey balances on its tail atop a stone dais in the middle of this twenty-foot-high chamber. The statue’s limbs are splayed, with hands and feet cupped. On the wall behind, a sculpted relief shows a monkey-like creature tearing into a giant serpent. Cuneiform inscriptions are carved above and below the relief. The bard can see a mask of painted stone shaped like a boar's head protruding from the wall to his left. The statue blocks most of the other features of this room. Boosey can also see a pillar of blue light falling onto the left hand of the statue.
Peering through the eye holes, Allister sees an interesting sight. A ten-foot-tall stone statue of an evil-looking monkey balances on its tail atop a stone dais in the middle of this twenty-foot-high chamber. The statue’s limbs are splayed, with hands and feet cupped. On the wall behind, a sculpted relief shows a monkey-like creature tearing into a giant serpent. Cuneiform inscriptions are carved above and below the relief. The fighter can see a mask of painted stone shaped like a zebra's head protruding from the wall to his right. The statue blocks most of the other features of this room. Allister can also see a pillar of blue light falling onto the right hand of the statue.
"I believe we need to make our way into that room so that Boosey can read the inscriptions. If the masks you both mentioned were worn by statues, I would be concerned, but I believe they may represent the monkey's friends. Nevertheless, let us try and stay a good distance from Wongo – I did not enjoy his fleshy kin when we met them on the way here."
Sthara walks down to the central corridor that heads towards the room.
Inside the room Sthara can see masks of four different animals; from top left going counter-clockwise there is a lion, boar, zebra, and vulture painted, protruding face. Each have eye holes and a cuneiform inscription above their respective masks.
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"What in the Nine Hells? Why did he do that? We have to make a quick decision. Are we going east or north?" While he talks he changes his armor. "Better to travel with minimum weight."
"I think she forced it out of him," Nenne replies, grave. "Whether by violence or threat. He said he was sorry." She sighs heavily. "I say we go north. I doubt we are ready for a direct confrontation with them so soon. And since they know about the cubes, they will almost certainly come after us when the realize how many we possess. Zagmira may attempt to conscript us again, or she may decide we are more convenient collaborators if we are dead. In either case, this is now even more a time-sensitive quest."
"We should go north. There's no point chasing them and getting ourselves killed in the act. They will come to us eventually, we just have to hope that they bring their prizes with them. We should think of a strategy to deal with Zagmira, like cutting the head off the snake. If we can eliminate her when the time comes..."
"Agreed, we should head north. But we have to avoid the main road. It wouldn´t surprise me if they watch the roads leading north. We either leave the city and walk along the edge of the cliff and climb back down, or we hug the cliffs and make our way north."
Three hours pass by on the way to the shrine buried among the buildings to the north. The area is overgrown thick here and the rain intensifies to a steady downpour, reducing vision for scouting. Once the shrine is located, there can be no mistaking it for one of the other buildings.
Carvings of monkeys hanging by their tails decorate two cracked obelisks that stand before a shrine enclosed by broken walls. Past the obelisks is a courtyard filled with horsetails and arum lilies. Five archways open into darkness at the base of the ruin. Mounted above the central arch is a stone plaque bearing a cuneiform inscription.
"Anyone care to give me a boost up?", Boosey asks as he casts comprehend languages on himself. "Let's see if we can work out what is going to try to kill us here!" Once lifted up he touches the cuneiform, and translates it for the party. He looks to see if there is anything else hidden within the message, assuming that there will be another part of the story to collect here. "If I'm not careful, I'll turn into Orvex!" he says as he returns to the ground.
As anyone passes between the two cracked obelisks they are greeted by a deafening roar of monkeys and other primate sounds. The effect is alarming and instant, and persists as long as the individual is directly between the obelisks. There doesn't appear to be any immediate danger from the experience, however. Boosey translates the inscription to say, “Better to be Wongo’s friend than his enemy.” The four passages flanking the center hallway each has a portcullis drawn up into its lintel. The shrine is devoid of any light.
"Wongo...we've encountered that name before," Nenne says curiously. "At Moa's shrine. Wongo was the creature who vowed to devour Moa for telling Ubtoa what he'd done."
She takes a pebble and casts Light on it.
The four side hallways seem to end looking down them from outside the shrine. The central chamber is dominated by a ten foot tall statue of an evil looking monkey.
„Better be his friend... what is that supposed to mean?“ Allister look inside the shrine from the threshold scratching his beard. „Man, I really need a shave. Anyway, are we supposed to bring gifts, like good friends?“
Allister walks down the left hallway to find an oval shaped indentation in the wall big enough for a head and two eye holes approximately where they should be on the impression. The stone is devoid of any features otherwise.
"There are strange eye holes in a wall here. Can someone check if there are some on the other side, down the right corridor?" Allister touches the wall gently while speaking
Boosey takes to the other corridor muttering to himself. "Don't blame me if I come up short on this". He keeps a careful watch for any more cuneiform that might reveal itself.
All four outer hallways prove to be similar to the first. None bear any more cuneiform etchings. Boosey is too short to attempt to see into any holes unassisted in some fashion.
Nenne will follow Boosey and help him in his inspection. "If you'd like a leg up, I'm happy to oblige," she says, offering to give him a boost to peer through the eye holes. Before she does, she does a quick sweep of the hallway to check for anything out of place. Seeing none (nat 1 perception), she smiles and links her hands to form a step.
Boosey uses Nenne’s hands to elevate himself in the passage, and he uses the opportunity to look again for the eye holes in the wall. 5 investigation check
Peering through the eye holes, Boosey sees an interesting sight. A ten-foot-tall stone statue of an evil-looking monkey balances on its tail atop a stone dais in the middle of this twenty-foot-high chamber. The statue’s limbs are splayed, with hands and feet cupped. On the wall behind, a sculpted relief shows a monkey-like creature tearing into a giant serpent. Cuneiform inscriptions are carved above and below the relief. The bard can see a mask of painted stone shaped like a boar's head protruding from the wall to his left. The statue blocks most of the other features of this room. Boosey can also see a pillar of blue light falling onto the left hand of the statue.
Peering through the eye holes, Allister sees an interesting sight. A ten-foot-tall stone statue of an evil-looking monkey balances on its tail atop a stone dais in the middle of this twenty-foot-high chamber. The statue’s limbs are splayed, with hands and feet cupped. On the wall behind, a sculpted relief shows a monkey-like creature tearing into a giant serpent. Cuneiform inscriptions are carved above and below the relief. The fighter can see a mask of painted stone shaped like a zebra's head protruding from the wall to his right. The statue blocks most of the other features of this room. Allister can also see a pillar of blue light falling onto the right hand of the statue.
"I believe we need to make our way into that room so that Boosey can read the inscriptions. If the masks you both mentioned were worn by statues, I would be concerned, but I believe they may represent the monkey's friends. Nevertheless, let us try and stay a good distance from Wongo – I did not enjoy his fleshy kin when we met them on the way here."
Sthara walks down to the central corridor that heads towards the room.
Inside the room Sthara can see masks of four different animals; from top left going counter-clockwise there is a lion, boar, zebra, and vulture painted, protruding face. Each have eye holes and a cuneiform inscription above their respective masks.