Editing Menace Under Otari (section)

== Tangent Log's, Pathdate: 2023.1223 ==

=== The Welcoming Party ===
Point of order, Mc Cringle was replaced by Ruby

As our heroes cautiously descend the stairs, the find themselves in a room with furniture toppled over. They can hear hissing from two Kobolds who have spotted the party due to the light of their torch and the sound of their footsteps. The Kobolds are threatening our party. One is hidden behind a table, the other behind some barrels. 

Rhus springs forward and kicks the table at the Kobold hiding behind it causing him to fall backwards and hitting the wall. While the first Kobold is mildly dazed, Rhus continues to the other Kobold. Spike uses their magic to set the furniture alight while Ruby Dew launches a hail of splinters at the kobold, stabbing into him painfully while the splinters on the floor feed the flames. The Kobold scurries to get away from the spreading flames, but before he can get far is felled by Spike's crochet needles in the back.

Jerrick and Rhus flank the remaining Kobold who threatens Jerrick that him and his brothers will eat him, catching him off guard and lands a grazing blow. Using this opening Rhus bites down on the Kobold's shoulder him holding him in place. Jerrick strikes down on the Kobold, being careful not to hit Rhus. The kobold cries in pain and manages to escape Rhu's grasp and hurriedly retreats. Climbing onto some barrels and boxes. As he slips away Rhus laughs and states it looks like they will be eating him and his brothers instead. The Kobold is fleeing for their life, but fails to notice Ruby using elemental water to douse the burning furniture. Ruby turns the water onto the Kobold, who slip and falls breaking the boxes below them. The fall broke his neck and he dies. Influenced by the smell of the cooking Kobold and Rhus' mention of eating kobold, Spike takes a moment to skin and prepare the meat of the cooked Kobold for later use.

=== The Hidden Path ===
The fires have revealed that one of the stacks of barrels was used as a barricade to block a path. There is another path as well, however, our heroes decide to see what waits beyond the secret entrance now revealed. The smell of stagnant water hangs in the air. Spike asks Rhus to toss them over the barrels, which he obliges. Jerrick attempts to climb over, but his foot goes right through one of the barrels and Rhus helps him out. Spike weakens the barrels and Rhus works on breaking them down. There is water on the floor. Jerrick, still a little bitter at the indignation checks down the other path. 

The stone room exudes an eerie chill, its stagnant air heavy with moisture. Ancient walls, slick with damp, enclose the space. Amidst the gloom, a mermaid fountain stands as the room's heart. Carved from stone, the mermaid's tranquil visage is frozen in time, her once-flowing waters now just a memory. The chamber, colder and damper than any other, hints at tales untold beneath its depths.

Jerrick recalls the story of the dangerous pirate sea captain of mermaid lagoon and a shanty comes to mind.<blockquote>Of many a-dangers are found at sea,

Beware the sirens' deceptive plea.

Fellow sailors, heed my cry,

Stear clear of their lullaby.


Oh, Mermaid’s Cove, so dark and deep,

Where sirens sing and secrets keep,

Tread lightly, sailor, heed the sound,

Lest the mermaids drag you down.


The waters shimmer, the moonlight gleams,

But beneath the waves, a danger teems,

Their voices sweet, and for you they yearn,

But from their grasp, few ever return.


Oh, Mermaid Cove’s, so dark and deep,

Where sirens sing and secrets keep,

Tread lightly, sailor, heed the sound,

Lest the mermaids drag you down.</blockquote>Unnerved by the memory he looks back and notices Rhus coming towards him. He grunts and tells Jerrick the path is clear, and something about a "fire rat." Jerrick notices the path is a bit flooded, but nothing too drastic. The path splits revealing a small ledge where the pool of water gets deeper and the other what looks like a shrine with a creature glowing as if made of flames. It is indeed a fire rat, better known as a cinder rat.

Rhus simple gestures to the rat and says "fire" then gestures to the water at their feet "Water". The party nods in understanding at the plan. Spike climbs on Rhus' Shoulders to get a better line of sight. There appears to be four alters, all but one has orbs of elemental energy. Once is an orb of what looks like swirling mud, another appears to contain swirling clouds, and the last is an orb made of flames that the cinder rat observes with great interest. Rhus creeps closer with Spike on his shoulders. Once in position, Spike launches their crochet needles and angers the rat while Rhus taunts it and they retreat into the water. As the rat comes closer, it hesitates at the edge of the water, but continues carefully and bites Ruby. The poor cactus Leshy is in pain as the fire elemental bites down. Seeing his friend in pain, Jerrick rushes forward and hits the rat with an axe. Rhus joins Jerrick and Ruby and kicks the cinder rat, breaking its grip on Ruby and knocking it deeper into the water. It writhes in pain as the water reaches up to its underbelly and seems to douse some of its body of flames. Ruby gathers cold elemental energy and blast the cinder rat, dousing its flames further. The rat scurries away in panic manages to swim to safety, trying to lick its wounds and relight its flames. It releases a cloud of steam, concealing it. Spike uses an illuminate spell on the rat to relight it, burning off the steam, it is surprised by the assistance. Before it can react, Spike hurls crochet needles through its body. As the throws of death take the cinder rat, all that is left is a small pile of ash.

=== The Blessings of the Orbs ===
After the cinder rat had been disposed of, the party begins to examine the alters. Ruby, being familiar with primal energy, and Spike being familiar with Occult and Arcana deduce that these alters represent the elements of fire, earth, air, and water, with the water orb being missing. Spike climbs onto the empty alter and a reaction begins. The water from the Spike's waterskin emerges from it, encasing them in an orb of water. A voice is suddenly heard saying: <blockquote>I am [https://2e.aonprd.com/Deities.aspx?ID=8 Gozreh], I bequeath thee this gift. The ocean's might fortify thee and stays thy wounds once a cycle of the star. </blockquote>The water then began to seep into Spike's felt and was absorbed. The orb of wind unfurled into a cloud and flowed towards Rhus, swirling around him.  <blockquote>I bear no name, beckon the wind for my blessing to ascend the skies. Come morrow's light, my gift shall wane. </blockquote>The mud orb spilled onto the floor and pooled at Ruby's feet.<blockquote>I bear no name, beckon the earth for my blessing to gain its strength. Come morrow's light, my gift shall wane. </blockquote>Amidst the elemental gift exchange, Jerrick eagerly reached for the fire orb, only for it to fizzle out, leaving a disappointing puff of ash. The awkward silence was palpable. Seeing Jerrick's dejection, Ruby, ever the compassionate soul, took his hand, whispered a few arcane words, and passed on the earthy blessing to him. Jerrick smiled and thanked Ruby.

=== A Repugnant New Threat ===
Our party, armed with new blessings investigate the cliff face they noticed earlier. Our party struggles to scale the wet stone, but clumsily makes it up the cliff. They hear voices in the distance and see three [https://2e.aonprd.com/MonsterFamilies.aspx?ID=102 Xulgath]s, human shaped reptilian creatures whose poor temperament is only matched by their repugnant stench. Ruby, noticing the threat rushes the three and pelts them with sharp wooden needles that painfully embed themselves in their flesh. Spike then illuminates them, causing damage as all needles alight. 

Rhus rushes over to the nearest lizardman and intimidates him by asking him if he tastes like a kobold and bites down hard. Jerrick runs over to a pillar kicks off and using both his weapons and cleaves the Xulgath in half. Ruby generates a log of wood, hurling it into the face of one the two remain Xulgath. Spike hurls their knitting needles through the heart, and he collapses to the floor. The last remaining Xulgath tries to intimidate Jerrick and strike him with a club. Jerrick easily parries and responds, "I've gutted fishes smellier than you!". Rhus swallows the chunk of Xulgath still in his mouth and laughs maniacally as he gets behind the Xulgath biting down onto him and holding him still while Jerrick cleaves his head off.

The party, having dealt with the threat, heave a sigh of relief and begin moving away from the smell. After surveying the area, our party see a body carelessly discarded to the side of the Xulgath camp. Jerrick inspects the body and determines they are the other pathfinder agent that never returned. Having found and helped himself to their gold and split the funds among the party our party begins heading back. It's not like the dead will have use for it. <blockquote>-End of Log</blockquote>