As Volyana smashes into the silver statue, it crumbles into a pile of silver.
As the winds whipping around the puzzle dissipate, they flow outward in a refreshing breeze, revitalizing you!
Kivi's tinkering is enough to finish the second warding circle, leaving only the protective wards surrounding the puzzle. Further rumbling from inside the walls makes you think that more guardians might be on their way!
The inner three circles seem to be more complex, and make the sphere more resilient to intruders and attempts to solve it. The first circle (Yellow on the map) creates a lens of distortion around the sphere, making it more difficult to see the runes and solve / disable the puzzle.
The Second circle (Red on the Map) strengthens any Champions defending the Puzzle Box, making their blows more devastating,
and enabling them to ignore some of their wounds.
The Third circle (Blue on the Map) is designed to discourage would be meddlers from tinkering with the puzzle box itself. Anyone attempting to solve or complete the box itself begins to feel as if the earth itself is swallowing them whole. Those of weak will may begin to feel the walls closing in on them, shaking their spirit for a bit. It is powerful enough that some might even feel unable to breathe.
1) You can attempt to 'Solve' the Giant Round Spinning Floating Artifact Rubix Cube. To do that you may make one of these checks:
Appraise, Disable Device, Intelligence, Knowledge (any), Linguistics, Perception, Use Magic Device or Wisdom.
Also, if you speak a planar language (Aquan, Auran, Ignan, Terran) or Abyssal, you can identify some of the runic writing on the sphere and the circles. You receive a +1 bonus (per language you can read and understand for a max of +5) to any checks made to unlock the sphere.
2) You can attempt to Destroy the Inlaid Circles.
You can attempt a Full round of Actions, like a full attack, to damage them. Alternatively, as a Full Round Action, you can attempt a Disable Device check on the Circle to attempt to break it apart, potentially dealing a great deal of damage to it.
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Trix lets out a sigh of relief when the statues finally fall. She makes sure everyone is healed of their injuries then turns her attention massive artifact. "This reminds me of some fey runic circles I once studied... If we move this symbol here to this position here... and then rotate this symbol counter-clockwise... this way... YES!"
Atronia looks at Newt and Kivi carefully working on the structure and removing individual gems. "I'll gladly help, but it might be a little messier." She smirks as she lifts her sword over her head and lets the blade drop with full force on one of the rings, at a slight angle.
With the help of dozens of other Pathfinders, all working together, the last of the circles and their strange guardians fall!
Sorrina Westyr's image manifests to the Pathfinders, standing before a floating metallic polyhedron scribed with countless shifting glyphs. “We have done it! Now how to open this—”
A great crack interrupts the Master of Spell's musings, as an immense three-eyed giant with skin like hewn stone steps through a tear in space, with an army pouring out past her. The giant bellows so that all can hear. “I acknowledge your strength, little ones, for you have angered my benefactor enough to send me. I and my warriors, the Daemon Prayers, honor it with unyielding death. Seize the Vault! Slay them all!”
Sorrina Westyr urgently pipes in. “We just need a few more minutes to secure our prize and escape. Hold them off as long as you can!”
Drandle Dreng’s shaggy head appears once again in the divination window. “You heard her, Pathfinders!” He says, fist raised. “Go get ‘em!”
Sorrina Westyr rushes to the floating sphere, and begins to rapidly spin the combinations. "You handle the onslaught, and I'll try to pop this open!"
As she touches the sphere, a windy barrier begins to wind around her, lifting her off of her feet. "This might be a little more difficult than I had anticipated. You can handle it right?"
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"If the boss isn't here, that means we don't have to stop if they scream..." the first man murmurs while looking at the group of pathfinders with their tools. The other figure chimes in, "I want to take the small one and see how flexible her bones are..."
Trixalana
Newt the Drowned
Red Robed Humanoid
Volyana
Liora the Skydruid
Jyrrar Rivurder
Atronia
Kivi the Troll
Blue Robed Humanoid
Newt's sling stone sails over the men in robes, plinking off the stone ceiling, the wind around the vault blowing it well off course.
With a malicious grin, the red figure steps toward Volyana, and swings a fist at her core but is thrown off balance from the wind whipping around the hollow room.
Trixalana]
Newt the Drowned[/b]
Red Robed Humanoid
Volyana
Liora the Skydruid
Jyrrar Rivurder
Atronia
Kivi the Troll
Blue Robed Humanoid
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Trix quickly loads her crossbow and fires it off before she really has a chance to properly aim it! Her bolt shots well over the head of her target. "That was a warning shot! Come any closer and that next one goes into your eye!" She hopes her threat is convincing, allow it doesn't that way to her own ears...
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Pathfinders push back the extraplanar mercenaries, which flee the Society's ferocious counterattack. The few remaining elementals fight to the last but quickly crumble under the assault. With the path back to the surface clear, Sorrina Westyr leads the way up to the portals, while Drandle Dreng organizes a quick head count, and begins ushering groups of agents back to Golarion.
Sorrina Westyr is among the last to step back onto the Isle of Kortos, carrying a beautiful, fist-sized opal that seems to glow with countless colors. Overhead, the once-radiant Aucturn's Tear gradually fades in brightness until it's imperceptible against the night sky.
The Master of Spells holds the immense gem aloft and speaks to the gathered agents. “We have accomplished a marvel today. I hold here an artifact in which dwells a powerful air spirit called Ranginori. Many ages ago, the Elemental Planes existed in balance, forces of good and evil locked in equilibrium. The elemental lords we know of today united against their benign counterparts, and claimed sole dominion. Scholars have speculated on the fates of the defeated, but no longer!”
A few scattered cheers well up from some of the more elementally inclined Pathfinders. Sorrina smiles at them indulgently, and continues.
“It will take time to confirm the outsider trapped within this opal is who he claims to be.” She starts for a moment, as if in response to a comment only she can hear, then looks up to the gemstone apologetically and adds, “Professional caution and courtesy, you understand.” She then looks back to the Pathfinders and continues. “If that's true, though, we now hold the essence of the lost lord of air, Ranginori, Duke of Thunder!”
At this, a wind whips around Sorrina, and she laughs.
“If we can free this being, imagine the history he can share with the Society, the good that might be accomplished. I cannot even begin to speculate on the ramifications for the Elemental Planes…and as word of our accomplishment spreads, there will be many thinking these same thoughts, and not with charitable intent toward us. We must be very cautious in the coming months I fear, and not least in verifying the truth of what we hold.”
“Fortunately, thanks to your efforts this evening, we have crippled key allies and armies of the elemental lords who opposed us. It speaks volumes of what the Society has accomplished in the past decade that I can sincerely state you defied demigods and emerged triumphant! It has been my privilege to have been part of that effort.”
Then the Drandle Dreng totters forward, weaving and swaying as if still trying to adjust back to Golarian’s gravity. “We traveled to the stars, and showed those sanctimonious sycophants just what the Society can do!” Then he scratches his shaggy chin, muttering to himself. “Heh. Pathfinders in the Stars. Starry Pathfinders? Starfinders? Starfinder Society! Heh. That’s catchy... I’ll have to remember that.”
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"Whoo...that...that was a lot to take in," Liora huffs as she flops down on the ground. But she smiles as she looks up at her companions. "But we did a good thing today, didn't we? We freed an Elemental Lord! How many folks can say they've done something like that?"
"And I can't think of a better bunch of people to have done it all with," she finishes with a grin.
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"Yes..." Jyrrar smiles as the import of their actions sinks in. "I have heard but tales...fables more truly, of such beings. To have such myth come to be truth...", he gazes back to Liora with a truly amazed look upon his face, "Indeed, this may change the balance we had always believed was unchanging!"
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Grythyk, claps Jyrrar and Liora heartily on the back (a little harder than you expected), grinning widely. "With Iomedae on our side, there isn't a think that we couldn't accomplish! Let me give you a quick look over to make sure you didn't pick up anything... strange from that asteroid."
Detect Evil:
"Why do you always assume people pick up Evil from going adventuring?"
"You never can be too careful, Gamin!" Reaching into his belt pouch, Grythyk pulls some shards of metal laced with tiny flecks of Opal. "I was able to gather up some of the metals from those protective rings. It seemed important, like a Keepsake! They seem powerful, and benevolent. Perhaps the influence of Ranginori flooded into them after the puzzle box broke? I suggest keeping them with you until you need them."
After a gleeful salute, Grythyk waves to the assembled pathfinders. "It was a joy to be your Captain! May Iomedae inspire you toward Vigilance!"
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When the enemy is finally pushed back, even if it was mostly without her managing to get into the fray and help at all, she lets out a victory cry and a huge grin lights up her face. She then listens closely to what Sorrina Westyr is saying about the outcome of their venture. "Can you believe we got involved in something so big? I mean, we were in space! I really hope I can help more with our dealings with the elementals in the future. I'm curious to see what will happen of all this."
When Grythyk turns to every one of them and scrutinizes them with magic, she makes a face. "I sure hope we didn't pick up anything strange. And thank you for this little keepsake. I shall treasure it."
She then turns to her companions. "It was an honor to fight alongside you all. It will be an honor to travel with you again if our paths meet again. Until then, may your lives be worthy of great stories." She plunges into a deep, dramatic bow.