The lizard steps back, and tries to take a bite out of Marnarius
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Shohiraj
Rataji
Marnarius
Zurnzal
322
Joliryn
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Lizard - Yellow (40)
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"One more to go!"
Joliryn speaks the command word to make activate her weapon's flaming ability, and moves closer to the last creature.
Shohiraj and Marnarius divide the lizard up between them: whether it was the bonk on the head, or the vicious stab of the slayer, the lizard crumbles down to bits.
Though the notes aren't immediately apparent (), there is a magical staff, and Marnarius' weapon is here as well: a display case containing three weapons has Marnarius' among them.
The first is an obsidian-bladed scythe with a mahogany handle. The second is a heavy flail made of magically hardened gold and whose head is molded like a roaring tiger skull. The third is a serrated, single- edged longsword made of green-tinged metal.
Marnarius steps up to the display case and looks at the three weapons as he begins to smile. He reaches out to grab what is rightfully his but pauses. Traps, traps, traps.
Once Shohiraj has handled the trap, Marnarius proceeds to reclaim what is rightfully his.
Satisfied that the pathfinders have no more deterrents between him and his weapon, Marnarius reaches out and collects the longsword.
Looking to his previous weapon he says "You've done well as a stand in but it's time." Marnarius straps Vengeance to his waist.
Before stepping back, Marnarius ponders the other weapons. He rolls his eyes at the scythe Just because you kill people doesn't mean you gotta walk around looking like death. Marnarius then shifts his eyes to the heavy flail. Now that could be useful in a pinch. Maybe this whole damn place is full of stone lizards.
Zurnzal looks down at his fists disappointedly, not used to them being relatively useless in a fight. "Those things had hard skin." he says, matter-of-factly.
322 looks at each of the weapons, and spends time examining them in turn. She mumbles the incantation for detect magic, and peers intently.
That accomplished, she aids the search of the room.
It's Schroedinger's blade: the one you choose is the magical one, the other two are just mundane pieces of metal
Marnarius waits patiently for Shohiraj to give the clear, then reaches for his weapon. The experiment looks at the staff, then at Marnarius' weapon. Though she has no idea what the staff does, she know that Marnarius' blade is a vicious weapon ()
"Let me see that Shohiraj." Then he motions to the staff.
Rataji will cast detect magic then give the staff a look over.
Marnarius, after pausing for a second, grabs the heavy flail as well. He then shrugs and says aloud "Reminds me of something I told a sphynx earlier today."
Marnarius then looks to the others and says "Let's find that info so we can get out of here. We got people to free and people to stab."
"Make sure you are also searching for the notes we came to find."
Marnarius searches around, while Rataji figures out the staff is a staff of caustic fury
Marnarius spends a good five minutes searching, but comes up with nothing.
Marnarius continues to search, with 322 attempting to help but mainly pointing at random dark and sullen objects that are obviously not notes.
Joliryn tries to aid The Professional in her search, and barely manages doing so.
"this whole search thing has never been my... well, thing."
That accomplished, she aids the search of the room.
It takes another ten minutes of thorough searching before Marnarius finally spots a loose binder that looks to be written by Aram Zey himself. In his typical style, a long preface warn of the dangers of the ritual within, and how it will destroy the functionality of the Hao Jin tapestry forever. The ritual, it says, will create a permanent portal to and from the Hao Jin demiplane, but one that is anchored to a fixed location. Thus, entering an delving the demiplane will alway be at the same site, and no longer is it possible to travel to arbitrary locations on the plane.
He strongly advises against ever performing the procedure. Tsk.
Marnarius tosses the notes to one of the magic users. "Figure this out. It's all gibberish to me."
He then goes and collects his durable adamantine arrow from the lizards corpse and his mwk comp longbow from the floor.
Before taking a position by the door, Marnarius asks Anyone need a sword? I got an extra now."
When everyone is ready to move out, Marnarius once again uses his stealthing skills to sneak past any guards on his way to the Hao Jin tapestry.
"Yes, not my cup of tea either."
Zurnzal will leave the casters to play with the magicky things, and instead follows Marnarius.
Fighting may not be her greatest strength, but sneaking? That she can do, and do with style.
Before they depart, she asks, "Are there wounds that need healing?"
With style indeed, as the group moves along the many twisting corridors of skyreach, in search of the tapestry-room.
Climbing to higher level, the agents ascends five sets of stairs and zigzag through numerous levels, until finally entering a secured area, that eventually leads to a door.
The sound of a conversation can be heard from this side:
A self-righteous male voice, lecturing: If it hadn't been for your brash measures, we would not have been on this duty. Think of it, if you had changed your violent ways, you could be enjoying the greatest moment in pathfinder history. What a view that congregation should be, and we only get to watch this worn tapestry.
A female voice, agitated and fiery: Is that so? I had no other option in Isger. We were surrounded, and I had to think quick. At least I got to see the tapestry again. If I had followed your advice, we'd all be dead.
322 raises a hand for her companions to stop. She continues to listen, intently.
Is there a keyhole, or some similar means of viewing the other side, such as a barred window or peephole? If so, is 322 able to cast [url]murderous command[/url]? (It's a close range spell, not a ranged touch spell.) If so, she'll quietly cast it on the female, DC 15 negates.
Rataji look up after being distracted with the staff.
"I could put this to good..."
He trails off and pulls out a scroll of invisibility, then attempts to follow the group quietly.
Marnarius, wondering what 322 is listening to, focuses on hearing through the door.
Hearing the initial conversation, Marnarius wispers very softly "Bluff or kill?"
"I would go with kill, personally."
There is no keyhole in the door. The voices continue their argument, while occasionally a third voice joins in.
"Bluff. Then kill.
"Shall we knock?"
Oh, really? Did Aram send you? The door opens and a man stands in front of it. Further down in the room is a half-orc woman and a woman holding a musket.
An unremarkable tapestry bearing intricate but heavily worn geometric patterns along its length hangs on the far end of the room. A rune-inscribed circle set into the floor completely contains a table at the room’s centre.
Oh, hi Balon, the man greets Zurnzal, who is still in disguise, and you are? I don't recognise you. Aram told us to guard the room here, he didn't say anything about being us being relieved...
Marnarius tips his hat, taking the few seconds to study the person at the door and the woman holding the rifle, before adding "Yeah. Things got a little odd out there. A bunch of animals from the cages were running around. I could swear that I saw that sphinx at one point. Aram said it was probably just the caretakers being careless and taking time to watch the speech rather than care for the cages. But," Marnarius shrugs, "better safe than sorry. So here we are."
Well, that makes sense. Did Aram say anything about where we are to report? That menagerie problem sounds serious, and that sphinx.... looked like a dangerous creature to me. the self-righteous man says, then starts giving instructions You're to let nobody in. The complete room is restricted...
With that, the three pathfinders gather an leave the room...
Rtaji will leave invisibility as the pathfinders leave the room.
He heads over to the tapestry and makes an attempt at the ritual.
"Let's see what we have here."
322 scoffs at the "leader" and his amateurish attempt at performing the ritual.
A thin slit appears down the middle of the tapestry, and then its whole center tears open in a deafening rip and a crack of thunder. Planar winds whip out from the frayed fabric for several seconds as purple lightning dances in the tattered wound. The gusts die suddenly, and the fabric stretches painfully to create an aperture nearly 10 feet wide, revealing a peaceful woodland occupied by a growing army.
A woman bedecked in chainmail and scars steps through into the room and then motions for those behind her to remain still. She surveys the chamber for a moment before a broad, genuine smile cracks her tough expression. “By Hanspur’s soggy hide, I never thought I’d see this world again.” She shakes her head and wipes away a tear before it can quite form. “The name’s Wolona, bronze rank. We’ve got good news and bad news on the other side. The good’s that everyone we expected to show up did, plus some more besides. The bad news is that some of them are starting to believe we’ve set them up.” Wolona clears her throat loudly as though no more need be said.
“The only thing keeping them from just killing each other and the rest of us is my promise that there would be a welcoming committee who might prove this place exists and that it’s not all a trap.” She starts to turn back to the portal. “Think you can give them a little pep talk?”
“I hope they haven’t killed each other already” she says, and steps back into the demiplane. She returns a moment later leading an eclectic entourage of about fifteen delegates and war leaders, including humans, a halfling covered in bright war paint, a hag, a wyvaran, a yeti, a pony-sized green dragon, and more. They jostle one another while inspecting the room. No bodies, one says, almost disappointed.
The wyvaran sneers, looks to the group, and asks, “So which of you is the Aspis king?”
Grumbling under his breath he says "No bodies is right. Should have kept my big mouth shut and just stabbed that amateur of a pathfinder in the face. Oh well, the way it went is probably better, who knows how many pathfinders the sound of that musket would have brought in." Letting that thought go he moves on to more important things.
"Wolona!" Marnarius cries out while moving nearer . "I told you I would be back for you and the others." Clasping Wolona's hand and embracing his second in command, Marnarius introduces the rest of the team.
Following short introductions, Marnarius says "Rataji, it's time to earn the pay that comes with that silver badge of yours and settle our guests fears.
After the previous battle, Joliryn had extinguished the flames on her weapon and sheathed it. Now, she tries to stay quiet and let the others do the talking.
I'm decent at intimidating others, but that appears to be the wrong kind of skill here...
"Yes. No bodies. Yet." Zurnzal says, trying to act all badass.
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"I'm sure I can alleviate any tensions.
Rataji steps through to his awaiting 'guests.'
"I am Rataji, silver agent of the Aspis Consortium..."
He goes on to explain the situation, and answer any relevant questions that come up.
Assuming that everything worked, he steps back through the portal to rejoin the others.
"All set."
You! the wyvaran bellows, apparantly not used to courtly customs you are the Aspis King? Why do you wear no crown? Any why are you so thin?
Tell me, what plan do you have? We long to kill pathfinders, share us your strategy, so that we may shed the blood of a thousand humans.
Rataji goes on to explain the strategy of the Consortium.
A deafening roar spreads from the army commanders, and in turn, from the army beyond. It might just be the spur of the moment, but you can actually feel the the ancient tower shake in it foundations. Masses of creatures start pouring out the gates, ready to spread carnage on the grounds below.
Then, a restless looking green dragon approaches the group. Wolona spoke of a group. Tasked to neutralize the mage that command the tapestry. A powerful mage, one that owns all arcane books. I want to kill this man, I want to be part of your expedition!
But Gazwyr, Wolona says, overhearing the conversation we need you as an army commander, or else someone should take your place!
"Stabbing Aram in the back sounds like a job worthy of my blade. Besides commanding armies is a little beyond my skill set."
Marnarius waits for the others to decide who has the right skills to replace Gazwyr's role.