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You’ve had a few days’ rest in the Woodsedge Lodge before Venture-Captain Eliza Petulengro welcomes you to the lodge’s meeting room, largely repaired since the Red Raven’s assault nearly a week ago. She is joined this time by a dark-haired man, slender and silent, clothed in a simple traveler’s cloak, heavy shirt, and wool pants. The dark-haired man stands behind Eliza as she gestures for you each to sit, a heavy chest set on a table beside him, a thick iron lock sealing its contents. Once you’re settled, Eliza makes a few gestures, muttering a few incantations before sighing heavily and directing her attention to you once again.
Eliza speaks: “The man beside me is one of my agents in the Grand Lodge in Absalom. He is not a Pathfinder, is not employed by our illustrious organization, and is my little secret. Therefore, you need not and will not know his name. He has spent the better part of this week gathering a host of information on Adril Hestram—his motivations, his reasons, anyone he spoke to in the Grand Lodge, and most importantly, the contents of his personal quarters.” Eliza reaches back and thumps her hand on the heavy chest. “All of that is in here. You can look through it if you like—I have—but it hasn’t told me anything I didn’t already know save one piece of information: I know where Odrian is.”
Eliza waits a moment to see your reactions and then continues. “If you recall, Odrian was on Adril’s target list, but it seemed as though Hestram didn’t know where Odrian was. At some point just prior to joining you in the journey here, he found what he was looking for. It seems Odrian leads a double-life—apart from being a venture-captain and, let’s face it, likely a member of our Decemvirate, Odrian is also Prince Odrian, the Thurok of Arl, a city high in the cold mountains of the northern region of—“ Eliza pauses for a moment. “Well,” she continues, “a city on the planet Akiton.
"I'd tell you all about Akiton, but I presume Ralph is chomping at the bit to do so. Ralph?”
Red in color, Akiton is both colder and harder than its sunward neighbor. Geographically, its surface is dominated by sparse deserts and glaciers, many of which are dried-up former ocean beds; its mountains and chasms are respectively the solar system's tallest and deepest. Akitonians favor firearms, which have exceptional range thanks to its thin atmosphere and low gravity.
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"Akiton? Yes, my knowledge of that planet is only incidental to my research on Triaxus, where I sent some of my own fellow pathfinders not long ago, but I nonetheless took the trouble to commit to memory some basic knowledge of the planet."
"Akiton, pronounced A-keh-ton, is the fourth planet from the sun in Golarion's solar system. Red in color, Akiton is both colder and harder than its sunward neighbor. Geographically, its surface is dominated by sparse deserts and glaciers, many of which are dried-up former ocean beds; its mountains and chasms are respectively the solar system's tallest and deepest. Some Akitonians favor firearms, which have exceptional range thanks to its thin atmosphere and low gravity."
"A red-skinned subspecies of humans are one of the dominant races on the red planet of Akiton, and they are roughly divided into city-dwellers and desert barbarians. The greatest city of the Akitonians is the free city of Arl. Another dominant species is the tribal shobhad race, four-armed men standing twelve feet in height and capable of wielding a weapons in each of their four hands. They share the world with the timid and crafty Ysoki ratfolk and the red-skinned lizardfolk, though the latter two races usually employ only primitive or natural weapons to hunt the great sand serpents of Akiton's dried sea beds."
"However, I have never visited the planet myself and look forward to seeing these things in person!" Ralph adds with a glint of excitement in his eyes.
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"Well, I'm glad that you are excited to go to the planet," says Eliza, "not that changes anything, but better to be excited."
“It seems likely to me,” she goes on, “that whoever took Adril’s body from this lodge likely took it to Akiton, as neither Adril nor any of his co-conspirators have shown their faces at the Grand Lodge, and since it was the only other location he was seeking and hadn’t found when he set his plan in motion here in my lodge.
“I want you to travel back into the Maze of the Open Road, find Condria—the medusa guardian—and see if she can’t guide you to the portal that leads to Akiton. As far as I know, Akiton is cold and dry but you can breathe the air, even if it’s a bit thin. Go there, find out where Odrian is, and find Adril or any of his conspirators should they still be there. I shouldn’t have to say it, but I will: I want Adril alive, should you find him. He has many questions to answer and many deaths to answer for. Any questions?”
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"Do we know anything about the forces that Hestram might have on Akiton, or the political situation in Arl? I cannot imagine that Hestram will find it easy to infiltrate or attack the stronghold of the prince of a major city unless it was already in turmoil. Any information about the situation there will help us to better-prepare for the mission."
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"I suppose i will upgrade my ring before going. Thinks Géatan.
But now. They want that I stole something... I really, really don't want to do this. This is something. I can't cross. I am loyal to my family. Not him.
But in a other. I need to insist about those spell against firearm after the briefing. I should be ok. But i fear for Ralph and Scotty. I think they can learn those spells.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Eliza sighs. "We've been trying to scry and get some information about what's been going on in Arl, but it's not been very useful. Scrying on Odrian himself is giving nothing, just utter blackness. Scrying on Adril has been useless as he keeps resisting it. We're doing what we can to empower those who are scrying to push against this resistance, but we do need to not alert the entire Society as to what's happening, so it's slow going. Scrying on other people in Arl has been hard since we don't know any random Akitonians, so it's hard to form enough of a bond for the spell. The information that we have tells us that he was once spotted with a red-skinned human on Golarion - possibly an Akitonian he took with him on one of his trips back, but that is also a very loose bond and that person has been able to resist all of my scrying attempts as well.
"By Irori's braid, I wish I wasn't sending you in this blind. But it turns out that people don't have a ton of information about what's going on, since, it turns out, it's hard to get info on another planet. My mind is still slightly boggled by the fact that we have a portal to another planet right in my backyard!"
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"Well, I've dealt with the cold and thin air before. I don't expect that it will be much of an issue for me. I know a few tricks for dealing with firearms in combat.
"I'm a little wary of the thought of interplanetary travel. I've just barely scratched the surface of inter-planar travel. Going to a new planet is beyond anything I expected to experience. Still though, it should be exciting. If we have a chance, I'd like to find a souvenir to bring home. An acquaintance in Kalsgard has promised a hefty prize for anyone who can top his Eye of Abendego story."
After reading his faction mission:
"For once, I may know something useful that Ralph has not already told us. I don't know all of your thoughts on slavery, however it sounds as though it is a rampant practice; with little to no value placed on mortal life. It seems that the locals may have also mistaken Odrian for an Azlanti god and may do the same for us if we are not careful. Ralph and I are likely at particular risk for this considering our abilities.
"Eliza, do we know what abilities Odrian possesses that may have allowed him to be mistaken for a god?"
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Eliza looks at Géatan. "Odrian's origin or Adril's? As for Odrian, we don't know. He somehow managed to get himself made ruler on another planet, but that happened after he was made a decemvirate member. I think he went under a pseudonym when dealing with the decemvirate so it's been hard to link him up with previous accomplishments. I've been looking for pathfinders who disappeared around that time, but so far no one checks out completely.
"As for Adril, his past is well documented, and besides this sudden traitorous aspect to him, we know his entire life pretty much,"
She turns to Scotty. "Freaking Maldris. You're not supposed to... never mind. This is the first I've heard of this "god" aspect. I do not have any accounts of him having unusual magical powers, although I do not know the entirety of Akitonian culture, and it may be the case that they are just less magically inclined than we are. After all, any sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from a miracle."
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Eliza sighs. "I can't quite say everything. But being a faction leader grants you special privileges and access. I mean, why do you think we have the eclectic set of leaders that we have today? Power. Why do you think that Zarta decided to stay with us as opposed to handling her political enemies like she used to do before she became an ambassador? Except they're not supposed to be that blatant about their special privileges.
"Faction politics. Ugh. If they weren't so damn useful I'd try to get rid of them myself."
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The four of you are easily able to make it through the Maze, thanks mostly to Condria’s directions. She hasn’t seen anyone enter or leave recently, but she’s sensed some activity through the portal in the past couple days. The portal itself is made of red-tinged steel, twisted at impossible angles and framing a shimmering swirl of reddish-orange light.
The very light twists and bends as you step through the red portal, time seems to stretch and pull at you, your skin tingles and then burns, and then, just when it begins to hurt, the world solidifies once more, only it’s not your world any longer. You find yourself standing atop a vast stepped pyramid made of enormous blocks of red stone. The pyramid has to be at least 500 feet tall and its base occupies nearly half the dusty city that surrounds it. All around you, down every side of the pyramid, red-skinned humans, their heads shaved clean and dressed only in loincloths and thin shirts, prostrate themselves on every step and chant quietly in unison: “Odrian, Odrian, Odrian.”
Just then a sudden, icy blast of wind tears across the pyramid, disturbing clothes, whipping at red flags, and causing the canvas roof above the portal to groan with age. Though in every direction beyond the city you can clearly see red desert, the air is as cold as a glacier and as thin as the highest mountains on Golarion. None of the red-skinned humans prostrated before you seem to even notice the cold.
But someone has noticed you: suddenly one of the mourners stands and stares at you from under a thick brow with large, dark eyes. Though he wears the same clothing as the rest, he carries a thick sword on his hip, a shield on his back, and a quiver with a few javelins in it on one shoulder. He regards you silently for a moment and then says, in perfectly unaccented Taldane, “if King Adril is yours, you can have him back.”
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Ralph inspects the portal and nods in approval.
"For once, the portal is functioning properly and we should be able to use it to get back to Golarion. Apparently Hestram does not relish being stuck on Akiton for the rest of his years either."
Stepping through the portal, Ralph cannot help grinning with sheer delight at the sight of a whole new planet that few on Golarion have had the privilege of seeing with their own eyes. His mind is a whirl of excitement as he mentally documents and analyses every detail he can see. Under the cover of invisibility (courtesy of his ring), he takes little heed of the Akitonian warrior until he mentions 'King Adril'.
"If this King Adril is who we think it is, we certainly want him back. The condition matters not to us, dead, alive, whole or disintegrated. We did not know him to be a king, however. Has he always been King here or is this a recent development? What of Prince Odrian? We are allies of his, though we come from afar."
Thinking quickly, Ralph partially answers his own question before the Akitonian can give a fuller reply.
"The people are chanting Odrian's name, Adril is king but clearly you have no love for him. I deduce usurpation, and that tragedy has befallen Odrian."
As Ralph waits for the Akitonian to confirm or correct his deductions, he briefly wonders if he should dismiss his invisibility, but decides it best to maintain it for the moment. Despite what he had said about not defying the laws of the natural world too ostentatiously in the public eye, if Adril was now the law in this city, one could not be too careful.
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Gaétan listens carefully to the wizard detective, agreeing with him about the ursurpation. "Ah! Just don't listen to this voice"he teases Ralph while talking to the swordman. "This is our imaginary friend. Just don't give it much attention and you won't hear it anymore."
-Posted with Wayfinder
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The warrior looks up at the space where Ralph is, although you can tell from his eyes that while he knows Ralph’s general location from his voice, he hasn’t quite pinpointed Ralph yet. “Ah yes, allies of Odrian. I know precisely what you mean. We should talk further. I am Kol Voss, brother of Princess Verish, the now widow of Odrian, who you have correctly deduced, has been slain by the cowardly beast Adril Hestram.” Kol turns to Géatan after his invisible man comment. “Please don’t say that to them – joking about an invisible friend will only make them worse,” he says, while pointing to the humans prostrating themselves around the pyramid.
As Kol speaks, the other humans look up from their chanting to see you. A crowd starts to form, pushing at Kol to move him aside—a dangerous move on such a tall platform. They tear at your clothes, grab for your hands, and shout in their native tongue in what can easily be determined to be desperation. Women try to push babes into the your arms, the men offer their blades and kneel in a sign of fealty, and all the while the crowd pushes in closer and closer, crushing each other and you. Finally, Kol has enough. He brandishes his sword, removes the shield from his back, and yells in a mighty, booming voice in the same language as the pyramid people. They immediately back down the pyramid away from the you.
Kol yells “Everybody stand back! Let these travelers through! They can’t help us if you’re overrunning them!”
Kol turns back to you and sheathes his sword. “We musn’t stay here. That won’t work for long and they won’t leave you alone so long as they can see you.” He then makes an indication with his hand to follow him, and he starts walking down the pyramid.
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Common: "Kol, would you permit me to set these people straight on this 'gods' thing? I do not believe Sarenrae would approve of a mere conduit for her power being worshiped."
Assuming Scotty gets the go-ahead: Azlanti: "No gods stand among you, nor have any ever used this passage to your world. Those who use this passage are mortal travelers like us. Through training, study, practice, or faith we have achieved great strength, but nothing beyond the abilities of ordinary men. If you have prayed for assistance, do not be disheartened by our mortality. There are Gods who watch over all worlds, and through their intervention mortals with strength often find themselves where they are needed most. Let us learn of what has happened here and discover if we are needed."
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Kol looks at Scotty. "I'd appreciate it. I've been trying to work against the whole 'god' idea for years."
When Scotty does his speech, the people praying look weirdly at you for a moment. Some believe you and offer words of thanks for coming. Some turn back to the portal, hoping to pray for more gods. Some don't believe you, yelling out in Azlanti "You must be gods! Only gods would be so humble!" Kol shakes his head at that last cry.
Kol moves quickly ahead, the city’s pyramid rising tall above the city behind you. He gestures for you to make haste, hen ducks down a side street. Once you catch up, Kol is standing over an opened grate. “Down the stairs—hurry.” In the background, rising from somewhere over the city, you can hear a large crowd of people—a large crowd of people headed this way.
Once you descend the stairs, you find yourselves in a dusty passage carved from red rocks. "This will let us travel unnoticed," said Kol. "These are the old slave tunnels, but Arl hasn't had slaves in hundreds of years, so no one uses these anymore." He starts leading you down different passages, talking as he navigates the underground labyrinth.
“Adril was dead,” he says, “when he first came through; the pale woman carried his lifeless body in her arms. The next we saw him was the night he and some of my misguided rebel compatriots invaded Odrian’s estate, killed his household, and murdered Odrian. Adril took my sister, the Princess Verrish, as his new bride and has ruled the city as a tyrant since then. He’s run endless games in the Crimson Forum, slaughtering anyone who dared to speak out against him. His first victims were Odrian’s cabinet and city council and he’s since moved on to petty criminals and anyone who displeases him. Today he has several of my most trusted lieutenants in there and I plan to get them back.”
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At first Koraq enjoys the sense of 'worship', the mewling stroking his ego until they get too needy. I don't need any babies yet! I'll work on that later!, he jokes to himself as he follows Kol's head.
When Kol explains the situation, Koraq smiles, cracking his knuckles. "An arena, 'eh? Sounds good; I'm itching for a reason to punch something."
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As Scotty makes his speech about false gods, Ralph suppresses the urge to speak from above as an invisible voice from the sky.
"It would be so easy..." he thinks as he chuckles to himself.
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"You seem to be indicating that the pale woman is a spellcaster with the power to raise the dead. What else do you know of her powers and abilities? Who is she?"
"I also presume you have some sort of proposition for us? That we help rescue your allies in return for your assistance in overthrowing Adril? It would of course be mutually beneficial, seeing as we all want that buffoon dead."
"Finally, what has become of Odrian's body? Perhaps he can yet be restored. In fact, if you can supply a diamond of sufficient value, I might even cast the spell to restore him to life, depending to the time he has been dead and the state of his remains."
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So you were a rebel against this "god" Odrian.interestingasks Gaétan without intonation. Perhaps you can answer to those questions I have in mind for all of this having sense. We are like Visitor who have only heard about the name of a country before seen it. We can perhaps talk about this later after saving your sister and your lieutenants but please I personnaly need to know.
Did you know we were coming? And how?
How long this artifact that we exit from exist?
Why Odrian was consider a god? Why you are a rebel? What was the politic before Odrian?
Did you have other "god" or real one in this planet?
Why Adril is consider a king and not an other God?
Why Odrian is still worshiped since he is dead?
How came the arrival of Gunpowder and the use of gun? How popular is it? Do you have some legislation regarding it?
You had slaves? Since when and why it been abolished?
Do you have farmers on this planet? If yes, how they cultivate crop?
Could you gives us some of your grains and your livestock? It will be interesting to try if we are able to cultivate them on our planet. I have also some grains of various species we can exchange for.
How your economy is? What your ressources and what do you need?
Do you know the origin of this pyramidal architexture?
Why what we called Aslantis is the primary langage of this planet, but most importantly, how do you know our commun language?
Princess? That mean you are a prince?
Do those fights are a novelty on this planet?
Who are your trusted lieutenants and what ressources they have?
Who is your sister? Do she loved Odrian or have children? How she's gonna react when Adril is put down? Joy?
What beasts are in this Arena beside Adril?
Do you have a plan to prevent Adril from escaping? He always thinks of a way to escape.
What forces Adril have?
Do you know more about this pale woman? continues Gaétan without interruption.
I need to refrain myself... knowledge should be only what useful for your family and community and not for illumination.
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Ralph raises an eyebrow as Geatan fires off a rapid string of questions, some more relevant to the immediate situation than others.
"Geatan, whilst I am pleased to see that I am not the only person here who values research and information, now is hardly the time for such a venture. Odrian is dead and our foe stands as ruler of this city. I trust that if Kol has called us here, he must already have a plan in mind and will tell us what we need to know for the task at hand. As for further research opportunities, now that we know how to get here we can pursue such ventures when there are less pressing immediate concerns at hand."
"The woman interests me as she appears to be someone of power who we must overcome if we are to face Hestram. Any further inquiries about Hestram's forces should be limited to what we can expect to face when we move against Hestram. Powerful as we may be, attempting to take on the full military might of an entire city is foolish, and needless for present purposes. If Odrian can be revived, we should see if that can be pursued as well. Let's limit the questions to these three topics first and see what else Kol deems necessary for us to know for his proposal."
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One thing that becomes apparent is that Kol never really stops walking. He may be freely giving you information, but he's also expertly navigating the slave tunnels.
Towards Ralph, he says "I do not know much of her abilities, but I do know that when I saw her and the Beast attacking, she would glide above the ground. She has a very shrill laugh. It hurt the ears."
"I do have a plan for overthrowing Adril, and could greatly use the help. Rescuing allies would be great, but is not the focus. The focus currently needs to be on removing Adril. I'll mention it in a moment, but we need to get to the right place first.
"I do not know what happened to Odrian's remains. Adril has them.
Then he turns to Geatan and says "I did not know you were coming. But I hoped that someone else would come through the portal. It was really our only hope.
"The portal has been there for as long as I've been alive. I've only ever seen yourselves, Odrian, and Adril come through. Well, as well as myself when Odrian would take me on occasional trips on your planet.
"The people consider the ancient Azlantis to be gods, and they don't realize that the other side of the portal is no longer Azlant. I, of course, know that Azlant no longer exists and have been fighting for self-determination for a long time, but for a long time my people have only seen 'Azlanti' rule, and believe that they are incapable of ruling themselves. So it's up to me to show then that we citizens of Arl can rule ourselves!
"We have many gods - most of them similar to yours. The gods' spheres of influence are big, and they overlap us too. Not all the gods are well known here though. I would like to see more Cayden influence myself.
"Adril is considered both.
"I wouldn't necessarly consider Odiran worshipped at the present moment, but there are lots of people on that pyramid who want to see him back alive. Perhaps wishful thinking would be a better descriptor."
Kol tries to brush off all the science/technology/economy questions. "I know some bits, but I am not the person to ask. Perhaps when this is all over we can have a more peaceful discussion between our cultures.
"I know your Taldane because Odrian taught it to me for our many trips to explore your planet. He realized that I was not happy with the arrangement and decided that the trips out would placate me. He was wrong.
"I am not technically a prince, since my sister is a princess through marriage.
"Fighting means many things in my culture. Entertainment sure, but also a means of demonstrating power. I intend to use one in this way in just a moment.
"My trusted lieutenants currently have nothing, as they have all been captured or killed in Adril's raid.
"My sister loved Odrian, and I would imagine has no love for Adril. Perhaps I'm wrong. I haven't gotten to see her since Adril took over.
"I don't know. The Crimson Forum has the ability to hold beasts, but Odrian rarely used them. Adril, on the other hand, might.
"I plan on trying to turn the people against him. If Adril escapes, then my work is done.
"As far as I'm aware, he had two other people with him, but the only one I know about is the pale woman."
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Géatan writes in a notebook what Kol said.
"So let's stop the God-Emperor's scheme then."
-Posted with Wayfinder
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What at first seems to be just another wall in the slave passage is a secret door, one that Kol Voss expertly opens. Inside are a series of linked chambers that may have once held animals of some sort. In the center of the main chamber is an open double door of reddish steel revealing a 20-foot-by-20-foot room inside. Outside this room await a dozen men and women dressed like Kol Voss, but wielding a variety of weapons—some familiar and some quite alien. Kol Voss introduces them as his friends but reveals they do not speak Golarion’s common tongue—only Azlanti.
After the introductions, Kol Voss enters the 20-foot-by-20-foot room and gestures for the PCs to do the same. “We’ll speak in here, in private,” he says. Kol’s friends smile and gesture for the PCs to enter as well. Once they do, the doors are hurriedly shut and locked, the room falling dark but for a thin sliver of light from somewhere far above. In the distance can be heard a sound like tens of thousands of people cheering in unison. Kol Voss faces the PCs at this moment and says, “This problem we have with Adril Hestram must be solved at once and I know only one way to make sure it happens.” Suddenly the room lurches upward and vibrates with the sound of grinding chains.
“Above us in the Crimson Forum, King Adril himself is about to watch as several of my closest friends are torn apart by monsters. He likely has my sister at his side in chains. Together we will free my friends and then challenge Adril to combat in the arena. He must possess Odrian’s symbol of power—the mighty Starsword—so I will swear the oaths of my ancient tribe and challenge him for the weapon. Should he refuse, the entire city will turn against him. Together we will slay him in combat, take the blade, and free the city and my sister from his tyranny. Prepare yourselves—we rise to face things you have only dreamed of. I recommend you do it quickly. This platform will make it up to the surface in 20 seconds.”
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Gaétan while décapsuling and drinking his antiplague starts to moan.
Really, after this Kol. I hope that you marry someone after this. Cayden is a good man but he is a eternal single. That not something you should take for exemple. If everybody was like him, Children would miss all that a family can give and would have a lot of deliquants roaming the streets.
I would like to add,he says while the same action with an antitoxin.That an exceptionnal occasion that I, a Erastilian, participate at a divorce and a revolution. This is only because, he is hurting your sister and counsoling would very not work for this situation. Also, Adril is a danger for all community and family. This is an exception.
Well, that should be enough to convince him. while drinking a potion of darkvision.
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Ralph goes along with the motions to see what sort of plan Kol had in mind, and is taken aback when he suddenly announces their imminent arrival at the Crimson Forum.
"I wonder what you were planning to do if we had not arrived on this planet just a short while ago, Kol. Were you planning on attacking the forum on your own? No matter, some forewarning would have been nice. Perhaps before ushering us onto the platform bearing us into battle..."
Ralph quick begins casting his spells, starting with an enlarge person on Koraq, followed by a communal protection from fire (includes Kol Vos, 80 min for each of the PCs and 20 min for Kol) and finally a mirror image spell for himself. Per his usual modus operandi, he replenishes his invisibility frequently, so he should still have at least a minute left when he gets to the rising platform.
Ralph finishes his spellcasting just before the platform rises into the arena.
"Alright," he mutters as he looks around under the cover of his invisibility. "Let's see what we're up against."