Prisim fires, and another fire beetle drops.
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"...I like that pretty one best."
"It was nothing really." Apollyanna blushes in false modesty.
Your success was so overwhelming that the novices fall over themselves trying to find ways to aid you, offering up some of their own possessions to aid you.
"Uh, these are your underwear."
"I know. See my name is right there."
"Uh huh."
As you reassure the hostages, Venture-Captain Valsin peers through the outer door. You've done the Society a remarkable service. I'm sure these young Pathfinders won't ever forget your names, or what you've done for them. I can't thank you enough."
"Thanks." Apollyanna says a bit confused. "You wouldn't happen to know what the thing in the goblet was? Would you?"
"Uh, do you know who that guy was back at the dorms?"
"Eww, bugs! Why'd it have to be bugs?" Then she turns and realizing she's standing next to Wyatt says 'Eww' again.
She charges like a paladin! "Beautiful Shearing Beauty Cutter!*"
The Venture Captain looks over the orange bead, in response to Apollyanna's question. "I can't say for sure, but I'm betting that it's bad. Damage a wide area bad, I mean." He pauses, considering. "You know, I had a necklace of fireballs that looked sort of like this, once. More than one bead, of course, but this does look similar. Whatever this is, you're welcome to it. Just don't drop it accidentally." He shrugs, as if dealing with the potentially hazardous item is your problem, now.
The beautiful—if somewhat flighty—paladin of Shelyn cleaves another of the beetles. It falls to the ground, carapace cracked and oozing.
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With the situation safely defused at the Quadrangle, Evarice breathes a sigh of relief. No one is severely wounded and the channeling she provided will go a long way to healing the apprentices' wounds.
"Explore. Report. Cooperate. Only by following these tenets can you help your fellow man. I'm proud of you all for keeping your spirits high." She looks at the kidnapper. "Lives are not to be traded or bartered, like some kind of token. And lives are never to be taken. Even now, we will save him from the worst of his wounds. Aspis Consortium has much to answer."
She pulls out her piccolo and puts on her tricorner hat. "But enough of that..."
Evarice tries to play a jaunty tune to rouse everyone's spirits, but it seems more like everyone is roused to guide her away from their ears more than anything.
On the way to the grounds Evarice stops playing. "Was I off key?" She pulls a splinter of wood that belonged to the door she bashed in and tosses it away.
As people panic, Evarice pulls out her bow, ready to deal with upcoming challenges .
"Some kind of beetle, then?"
Evarice takes aim and shoots the orange beetle.
The kidnapper gurgles blood in response to Evarice's remonstrations. The initiates cheer.
Evarice's bow shot drops another beetle. Four attacks, four beetles down.
The two remaining beetles charge the closest target, Apollyanna. One misses completely, and her armor deflects the bite of the second.
Gailen charges, and drops the fifth beetle.
Pau carries the shame of being the first in the party to not kill a beetle with his first attack.
The point is hammered home when Evarice drops the last one.
One of the support staff comes out from his hiding place behind a shrubbery, and thanks you for helping out. "I heard you cleaned up the menagerie, too. What heroes you are!"
You gather your weapons, and reassure the running populace. You point them to some of the areas you know are safe, and continue northwest.
You approach Starhall.
The outside of this large keep was designed with Azlanti architecture in mind. Two wings extend from the center structure, with a domed tower at the end of the east wing a smaller patinated bronze dome over the center hall. Starhall serves as an observatory, library, and museum for otherworldly and extraplanar objects and lore.
Inside the main entrance is a library with several display cases of objects recovered from Numeria, as well as a curator’s desk and a staircase to the eastern tower.
It is quite. Too quiet. You feel obligated to investigate.
As you approach from the south, you see the door handing open. There are intruders inside. They are not actively destroying Starhall, but their behavior suggests they're searching for something, and they're not being too careful about it.
The four intruders appear to be owl-like humanoids (much in the same way Kitsune are fox-like humanoids or Tengu are similar to Ravens), dressed in armor and robes. The each look old, but with the unfamiliar race, it's difficult to tell.
As they see you approach in an attack posture with weapons drawn, one of them shouts and they all draw weapons.
Their weapons lower, but only slightly.
The lead figure, the lone female, responds. "We are not this 'Aspis' you speak of. We have been trapped within the Hao Jin Tapestry and were promised by the Aspis that we would be returned home. They have not delivered. We seek charts of the stars to extrapolate the passage of time and discern our relative location on Golarion. That is what you call this place, yes?"
"The only thing that matters is that we find these charts to discover where we are, so we can determine where we need to be. All else is secondary, including your lives should you oppose this search."
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Prisim nods.
"We'd love to help you get home. In fact you are in the middle of a centre of knowledge. However those who "freed" you, the Aspis are in the middle of attacking this place, and putting at risk the lives of scholars who may be of assistance to you."
She looks wide eyed at them.
"If you could help save our scholars, and at least help us keep the Aspis from destroying things - which is what they seem intent on, that would be helpful. When the ...situation.. has calmed down, we will help you locate the right scholars would can help you find what you need."
She addresses the female again..
"Does that not seem the best course of action for you? If you have been trapped for a while, then an extra hour or two waiting won't be significant. Not helping however may see those who can help you killed and their knowledge forever beyond your reach."
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Wyatt looks intrigued.
"You are Syrinxes, are you not? You clothing is of a very ancient style. You are very far from home - from what I understand, your species comes from the Arcadian continent; this is the Inner Sea Region."
I probably shouldn't mention to Apollyanna that they are known slavers, who utilise lesser, wingless species to help further their own cultural progress...
He ponders for a moment, before continuing.
"How can we help?"
"If you wish to help, do so now. Search these archives with us. Leave, and you are our enemies, perhaps seeking to return with a stronger force. If you bear us no ill will, demonstrate it now or die on the blade."
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".... Especially that Ulfen girl with the bob-cut and the bat. Wyatt, he's the creepy one over there, has a rat familiar.... Do you guys eat rats?"
".... We call him Pau but he's not really our pa, that's just his name, and he's just that old. Hmm, what do you suppose his dad calls him?"
"So you guys lived in a tapestry? I never saw it before. Was it pretty? If someone were to fold it would it get dark?"
"I really love how Gailen does her hair, but mine just won't behave enough to put it up like that. Maybe if I grow it out. Oh! I could dye it to be Prisim's color. What do you think? I could pin it up in a violet swoosh, like this."
"So when you find the right chart are you going to go live in it? Won't you all be cramped living on a tiny speck on a map? Say, since it's a star chart will it always be night there?"
"Evarice! Try over there! You haven't checked that pile yet, right?"
The creatures don't quite know how to take Apollyanna's ramblings. The avoid needing to respond by focusing on Wyatt. He seems the most knowledgable, and thus clearly must be the most senior.
——
Working together under Wyatt's direction, you find several vague references spread across three text. A bit more searching reveals some old scrolls, and, eventually, an ancient map illuminated in fine detail with a star chart in the bottom corner.
"This is what we seek, yes," says one of the creatures. "You will give them to us for our journey." She gestures to the stack of books, maps, scrolls, and star charts that you've collected with relevant information. "We will take them and be on our way."
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Prisim nods.
"And I have heard the society has curses, wards and guardians against unauthorized removal of documents. Given the current circumstances, it would be best not be chance that I think. Come on, we can copy down the relevant sections really easily."
She blushes a little. "My hand is a little messy at times, so you might want to check you can ready my writing.."
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"Copying the relevant sections may be the best idea for both of us." Evarice says. "We have no idea if these documents are protected against removal from the grounds, and you may wind up attracting the wrong folks when they try to retrieve it."
"Besides, as long as you come in peace the Pathfinder Society will gladly let you come back to refer to them if you need more information. Surely this is enough."
Copying down the maps, books, and star charts they want to take is not a viable option. It would take days, possibly weeks, with a team of people working.
The eyes of the female syrinx narrow in anger. "If you were not going to give us this knowledge, then you only mock us by assisting the search before denying us." She gestures for the others to begin packing. "We are taking these. Either you permit us or you attempt to prevent us. And the latter option will go badly for you."
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Evarice sighs. "Violence is a sucker's game. With all the fighting going on so far, I would like to avoid more bloodshed, obviously. When you do find your home, I would like to visit."
Evarice peers at the star charts, hoping to gleam something interesting out of them.
Nonetheless, Evarice will turn out the necessary paperwork. "I hope you do remember our generosity in the future."
Everyone puts their head together to try and gauge the value of the property the syrinx are claiming.
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"Look, these seem like people with a problem they want to solve. My Uncle Bertram used to draw things like this. Well, before they took away his paints after the incident with the cow... Anyway. I think we should just let them take them. The last thing the society needs at the moment is any more enemies inside the walls."
She looks around.
"I just hope there are no curses on them."
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Prisim blushes a little.
"It wasn't Uncle Bertram's cow..." she starts to explain.
Her eyes grow large. "Do you know how big those things get? Huge! But the udders are just the right height to ..."
She looks around the room again.
"Anyway, moving right along. " She looks at the owl-folk.
"If anyone asks, shall I pass on your thanks for the maps? And what was your name again?"
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"While the documents themselves are quite expensive, we can always get reproductions. Right now the Syrinxes need it more than we do."
She turns to the guests.
"Take the maps and charts with our blessing." Evarice nods. "I do hope we can meet again under better circumstances. There is much we can both learn about our cultures."
Evarice hands the remaining documents over and reaches for a handshake.
The lead syrinx looks at Evarice, then down at Evarice's extended hand, then back up at Evarice. "You have chosen a path of honor. Indeed, much greater honor than we were led to expect. We shall use this knowledge to return home." She does eventually extend her hand in return, but it's not clear she knows what a handshake is.
Another syrinx steps forward. "As recompense for your assistance, even though you requested none—in truth, because you requested none—we offer some of the supplies we have gathered in exchange. And with that, we shall be on our way." The four depart with little more than some determined looks.
You spent quite a bit of time searching the Starhall library with the syrinx.
The distant screams of combat persist outside, but have died down somewhat. Squads of Pathfinders hurry this way and that, escorting civilians, transporting wounded, and, of course, fighting off Aspis insurgents.
Someone points you to the Mausoleum as a potential source of conflict. "We saw some people go in. We didn't recognize them, but you should check it out." So, you hurry to the nearby Mausoleum.
The building stands grand in front of you. This enormous, columned stone structure is both temple and fortress. Two wings flank an open courtyard, where you enter. The imposing structure is adjacent to a thick copse of trees.
You see a set of double doors to the left and right, and further in, another door to the left. There are several dark windows along the left wall that look out on the courtyard.
This courtyard is the Mausoleum’s main entrance. It was a scene of destruction a few years ago, and Aspis agents have smashed what the Society rebuilt. Shattered statues and religious sculptures pertaining to death and the afterlife are strewn about the courtyard. The bodies of two caretakers are slumped to the sides of the left set of double doors