[PFS] GM Zoomba's Refugees of the Weary Sky (Inactive)

Game Master Zoomba

Are you flying/jumping to the last platform and waiting, or heading into the exposed room?

Torean helps toss everyone across the gap and then flies into the room himself.

Crossing over, the wreckage inside the room is even more apparent. Broken glass spheres sit here and there, while around the corner cracked crystal tables are toppled and lean against the chamber's walls. Picking up some of the scattered tubes on the floor, you see that many are partially filled with iron fillings. Two golem heads - one carved out of stone and the other of lead, sit on an unbroken desk.

One stone door sits to the west.

Pai casts Detect Magic to scan the room. "Anyone fancy checking that desk? Feels like a trap to me..."

Casting the cantrip and looking around, Pai senses faint but lingering auras of a mutation, conjugation, and transmutation suffusing the room. They seem especially concentrated on the two golem heads, as well as several of the stone and metal fragments made of similar materials.

"These two things are definitely magical," she calls out pointing to the heads. "And the rest of stone and metal fragments are magical, too. Conjuration and Transmutation magic..."

"Still active? Should we take the rest with us?"

Torean picks up one of the tube filled with filings. "What do you think these are? Golem shavings?" He casts the same spell as Pai and checks the filings specifically for magic. Afterwards he checks the desk.

Cast Detect Magic
Perception (heroism) vs. filings: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 10 + 2 = 14
Perception (heroism) vs. desk: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 10 + 2 = 22

Scanning the filings, the vials seem mundane, though looking at them closely the dwarf realizes that the shavings within are not unifrom, but rather a mixture of several slightly different types of iron and metals.

Poking around the desk, the dwarf finds a trio of stray papers wedged between the desk's back and the stone wall. The faded parchment is covered in arcane diagrams and formulas. In stylized print at the top of each page is the same phrase in Jistka: Deep Sky

Know. Arcana 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (2) + 20 = 22
Linguistics 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

"There is more than one writing on these papers. Some symbols in the margins look more recent and seem to be in a larger hand. Very strange."

Arcana: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

"I'll take your word for it. It all seems like gibberish to me."

Casting the cantrip and looking around, Pai senses faint but lingering auras of a mutation, conjugation, and transmutation suffusing the room. They seem especially concentrated on the two golem heads, as well as several of the stone and metal fragments made of similar materials.

sorry, but do we notice any prepositions, or those pesky nouns anywhere?

I know what was meant but it still sounded funny

Noro, not to familiar with magically writings, moves to check out the doorway (well at least the apparent main doorway).

she gives it a couple of knocks as she checks to see it anything blows up or tries to eat her.

take 10 on perception for a 24

Oof, phone typing. Meant to be 'abjuration, conjuration, and transmutation.

The knock from Noro raps solidly against the stone. Looking at the door, the pirate gives the handle a quick jiggle. It seems unlocked - and unlike some adventures agents have been on, the door decides not to attack her.

arcana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
"I'm afraid these writings mean little to me." confesses the priest.

"It just says "deep sky"

Knowledge (arcana) w/jewel and heroism: 1d20 + 5 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 5 + 3 + 2 = 26
Linguistics (jewel, heroism): 1d20 + 9 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 9 + 3 + 2 = 32

Kiku takes a look over the writings as well, the mystical Sage Jewel deciphering them easily for her. She says a silent prayer in thanks before turning her attention to Noro's knocking at the door.

"If you choose to wait a moment, Yojimbo would be happy to lead the way once you open the door. I leave the choice to you."

Kiku concentrates, and Yojimbo rouses as he is drawn back towards the material plane.

Yojimbo is back to ectoplasmic

Glancing to the group, this door is open. I can check it out.

She tries to crack open the door enough to peek at what is on the other side.

Pulling the door ajar, Noro glances through the doorway to see a room ringed with stone shelves rising forty feet high up towards a domed ceiling riddled with cracks. Each shelf is lined with scores of books and papyrus scrolls.

Mid-way up the high wall, a small walkway wraps around the chamber. A ladder leans against a corner shelf to the south that stretch up to it.

"A library!" smiles Chaul.

"The society will be most excited to hear about this place. Imagine the lore that is here that has perhaps been lost for hundreds or thousands of years."

He looks around to see if there is any type of catalogue. Before entering though, the cautious priest looks for any trace of magic.

The room bears faint abjuration auras around each shelf, hints of preservative magic.

A quick glance around the room leaves Chaul stymied, as almost all of the text seems to be in Jistka, though the occasional book appears to be written in Ancient Osiriani or Terran.

"I could probably figure out some of these tomes if I had the time, but I'm sure there are more pressing things for now."

"One of you got magic to be able to read this, yeah?" Torean peers at a scroll and then places it back not understanding any of it. "I'm sure once we've explore this place, we can send scribes in to catalog it all."

He nods at Noro and indicates the far door. He moves over to check it while the others examine the books.

Perception (heroism): 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 10 + 2 = 21

"I can read all of these. This helm is proving to be an excellent investment" says Chaul.

He glances at various book titles, trying to get a feel for what sort of library this really is.

Helm of reading magic and comprehending languages! Hurrah

As Chaul glances about for a minute or two, the scope of the library is revealed to be quite vast. Some sections detail facets of the ancient (though to the writers contemporary) Jistakn Imperium, while others describe encounters with or research on various outsiders and elementals from across the planes. Still more describe the Citadel of the Weary Sky - a grand center of the Imperium's knowledge and magic (which has sadly since been devastated, as previous Pathfinder expeditions have shown)

Are you just glancing around the library for now and coming back later, or giving it a more thorough search. If the latter, it will likely take at least ten minutes to get a better feel for the room, and give me a Perception check

As the cleric takes advantage of his magic headgear to explore, Torean gives the other stone door a good once-over. It too seems unlocked, but the dwarf does not detect any traps or wards. on it.

"Do we have time to look? I'm not sure how long some of your spells and blessings will last. But if time is not too precious, then ten minutes here may be invaluable."

Kiku strolls through the library, taking in the various texts much as Chaul is doing.

"My main worry is that there may be more creatures here that are waiting to ambush us. Perhaps we should finish investigating fully before settling in for such a task?"

Noro's Tattoo returns to its normal state giving her more mobility in these corridors.

think I have some time to check things out around here she says as she browses the books looking for more info regarding sailing and the seas.

perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 32

still used 1 minute of use of her tattoo but she still has 4 more available

"I think it would be best to save the heavy study for a later time. No telling what else is waiting right around a corner for us."

I'm seeing two stay and two pressing on. Next vote will decide, just to keep things moving (Torean or Liam)

"Then press on we must sighs Chaul.

Not that I was ever much of a scholar.

He joins the team lining up for the next door.

Never mind (Chaul snuck in while I was posting)

Putting a book down with a slight sigh, Chaul joins the others at the door as Torean pushes it inwards.

The long room revealed in front of you is windowless, lit only by a series of continual flames rising up along its arched ceiling. The floor, walls, and ceiling of the chamber are all covered with detailed mosaic tiles depicting fabulous buildings and colorful magic used by stylized humanoid figures. Across from you, three alcoves stand each containing a limbless iron statue covered in flecks of shattered tile.

A similar sized stone door to the one you stand behind lies on the opposite wall. The the south rest two double-doors of obsidian.

Chaul once again checks the room for signs of magic, filtering out the known magical torches.

"Look at this mosaic's - fabulous!"

perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30

"Don't look now, but I think that statue over there is watching us..." murmurs the priest to those around him.

Torean enters the room, wary of the statue Chaul indicates. he casts a detection spell to check all three statues for magic. "I wonder why they got no arms."

Detect Magic

As Torean scans, beyond the auras from the lighting above nothing else in the chambers radiates a magical aura.

In addition to eyeing the one arm-and-leg-lacking iron figure warily, as Chaul and the others gaze around the room you begin to see that the plentiful mosaic murals appear to be presenting a grand tapestry of sights and events. Images across the chamber’s walls appear to depict various scenes and moments from the Jistka Imperium’s long history.

On the floor, a series of mosaics show several grand golems standing before several artificers, with a ghostly overlay being placed atop a stern-faced stone golem: the binding of an elemental spirirt within the body to animate the creature. Near the floor’s center, more Jistkans work alongside a quartet of genies, one of each element, to construct a grand stronghold – though the image shows it at its fresh and unworn state, you recognize the structure being built as the very ruin you now stand in.

While there are a multitude of mosaics and visuals drawing you attention, Chual and perhaps others notices that the Shaitan genie seems to be emphasized above the others in the tiles. Spread among the rest of the images are several depictions of him near or alongside the image of the spirit overlayed atop the stone golem. Piecing the scenes together, the cleric detects an undercurrent of a story: how this elemental spirirt and this shaitain slowly and cautiously became friends over time, but at one point appear to grow distant again, expeiriencing a falling out of sorts.

"Fascinating. Various elementals, both common and noble, bound together in common cause. And then falling away."

He looks to the dismantled golem and tries to see whether it too appears in the mosaics.

"And golems imbued with energy from all four elements! What an interesting find. I think the Society would definitely be interested in this place!"

While there are several iron golems in many of the mosaics, none of those are depicted in fine detail, and Chaul cannot see any clear figure in the tiles that could be one of the three limbless statues in the room.

Perception (heroism): 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 11 + 2 = 30

Torean slowly approaches the golem farthest from the door, inspecting it carefully. "Yes, and something about that earth genie is more important than others."

Cahul cautiously approaches the golem with the working eyes.

"Can you understand me?" he tries in a variety of languages.
Taldane, Azlanti, Celestial, Draconic, Skald and then finally, infernal

As Chaul begins cycling through his vocabulary, he notices a subtle shift in the third golem's eyes. They appear to grow inert, losing the spark of focus and intent as they now appear identical to the other two limbless golems'.

Perception 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15

Pai was still confused by the whole situation facing her. These golems and the djinn seemed so confusing.

Perception (heroism): 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 7 + 2 = 26

Kiku's eyes widen as she realizes the mosaic is looking at her and the group. She quietly taps on the shoulders of each of her allies and points towards it. She avoids saying anything for the moment.

Noro makes her way into the room keeping to the wall, I've got a bad feeling about this she mutters, bracing for a fight.

perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34

Liam follows the group into the room. Can someone move me into the room?

done liam

perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17

"Maybe I was imagining it" sighs the cleric.

"Those undead must have been getting to me. I wish there was more we could have done to try and redeem their souls."

When Kiku taps him on the shoulder he blinks a couple of times and then looks harder at the mosaic.

"If you can see us, then can you communicate with us too?" he asks the area of focus.

"We come in peace to explore this ancient wonder. And if you have been trapped here for thousands of years, maybe we can also help release you from your imprisonment.."

Again, he tries a variety of languages

The cleric thinks he sees the eyes blink - perhaps - for a moment, but then they stare blankly straight upwards at the ceiling once more.

Liam enters the room to now attack, leaving most of you surrounded by the mosaics, with doors to the south and west.

"Either our imaginations are running away with us... or perhaps we have made first peaceful contact. OR maybe it is just planning an ambush. Either way, there would seem little more we can learn here for the moment. Shall we continue on?"

"I think we're being watched. Whether it's for good or ill remains to be scene, but something is preparing for our arrival."

"Yeah, but which way?" He points to the southern door. "We should have been able to see into that room from the platforms. I say we check that one out first."

Pai shakes her head, agreeing with Torean. "That way seems as good as any. This whole place creeps me out. Let's go ahead then, and the sooner we finish the mission the better," she says looking over her shoulder at the mosaic.