GM Arkwright |
Victory in the Ruby Phoenix Tournament earned the Pathfinder Society a pick of the legendary treasures of the Tian sorceress Hao Jin, and the Decemvirate knew just what item to select: a frayed and dirty tapestry hidden deep in Hao Jin’s vault. This unassuming tapestry acts as a doorway to another dimension in which Hao Jin stored her most massive items, including entire buildings, battlefields, and the ruins of ancient civilizations. The Pathfinder Society is now methodically exploring and cataloging the diverse locales tucked within this extradimensional space. Deep beneath Absalom’s Grand Lodge, the Pathfinder Society’s Master of Spells, Aram Zey, gestures at the tapestry hung on the wall, surrounded by ladders and scaffolds. Scholars and diviners scurry around the tapestry, analyzing its abstract patterns and comparing insights. Zey snaps his finger to quiet the room and looks the group of Pathfinders in front of him up and down speculatively. "Just you? Well, let's hope... Anyway." He shakes his head, then starts firing off words in a quick succession.
“Greetings. As the learned of you should know, the aasimar nation of Tianjing contains a handful of temples to Korada, Empyreal Lord of forgiveness and foresight. The Pathfinder Society is interested in exploring these holy sites, but the aasimar disciples in Tianjing are reluctant to grant the Pathfinder Society full access to their faith’s secrets. Fortunately, the custodian council of Tianjing gifted one such temple to Hao Jin centuries ago. This temple—the Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment—now sits vacant within the museum demiplane of the Hao Jin Tapestry. We need well-trained explorers to survey the isolated and abandoned site." He stops for a moment to look you over again. "Well-trained you seem..." he mutters before shaking his head and continuing.
“We will transport you to the Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment within the Hao Jin Tapestry and provide you with a small cache of supplies. We need a complete report on the temple with a focus on four key locations. First, locate the temple’s meditation room, find evidence ofany meditative techniques described there, and record any effects of performing those techniques. Second, prepare a comprehensive catalog of all works in the temple library. Third, find the temple gardens and draft a detailed plan of the garden’s layout. Finally, enter the temple’s crypt and take rubbings of the carvings on each sarcophagus."
"I want to emphasize- you are not being sent there to kill anything. There may be hazards- fallen ceilings, some outsiders who've snuck onto the plane- and you may need to deal with them, but you're primarily going to be cataloging, drafting and recording. Real Pathfinder work, not the pseudo-mercenary violent rubbish we seem to get drawn into again and again..." He gives a little sniff of distaste, eyes running over the blades in front of him. "Record the meditative techniques, catalog the library, mape a plan of the garden."
“You will enter the tapestry within the hour. Any questions?”
Kazmuk Mithralsmith |
Kazmuk comments, "Sounds like the hardest part is going to be staying awake through it all. Still though, if we encounter something that tries to kill us the easiest solution is usually to kill it first."
GM Arkwright |
Zey gives a haughty sniff at Kazmuk. "This is a demi-plane, not an extradimensional space; the entanglement effect will not be an issue."
Pointing over to a large table of inkpens, ink, parchment and other tools, he calls out to some of his acolytes; at his command, they set up the scaffold for your journey, pointing to a small woven picture of a white building. "There is your destination. Touch it when ready, return when the job is done."
Kazmuk Mithralsmith |
Kazmuk asks, "Is there anything special we have to do to return? Or is it just a matter of walking far enough away from the temple back in the direction we came from?"
Kazmuk Mithralsmith |
Kazmuk thought, "The amount of detail we get on some of these missions can leave something to be desired. Still, it beats the unbearable sameness of continually searching around the dwarfhold for orcs."
Kazmuk looked around to make sure the other members of the party were ready to follow him and asked, "Is everybody ready?"
When Kazmuk was sure everyone else was ready he touched the tapestry to enter it, and readied his crossbow when he arrived.
Zinthar Kanedrel |
Zinthar listens to what the Master outline the mission and is immediately filled with concern. Not exactly the type of mission I have trained for.
The elf looks almost as much warrior as wizard with a longsword at his waist and a shortbow on his back, but the many pouches and components attached to his gear in various easy-to-reach places bely his true calling. He raises his hand to get Zey's attention, the sleeve of his robe falling away to reveal a tattoo of intertwined flames and lighting on his forearm.
"Master Zey, it is clear that the cataloging is the primary focus, but as our dwarven companion points out, sometimes it cannot be avoided. Is there something about the nature of the demi-plane that would be harmed if we WERE to use lethal force? I know that the rules of these type of dimensional constructs are not always the same as the rules here in the real world......."
Rose Waerloga |
Oh, darling, considering most of our Pathfinder colleagues' approach on solving problems, I think that Zey would've told us if treating every problem like a nail would cause problems..., thinks Rose to herself as the elf asks his question.
I'd like to take the hour available to get and inform my companions:
3 Scrolls of Comprehend Languages
1 Scroll of Mage Armor
2 Tanglefoot bags
a grappling hook and 5 grappling bolts.
Total of 206gp.
Afterwards, I'll be ready to venture in. I'm not bringing along the mule.
GM Arkwright |
No problem.
Gathering the proffered materials, one by one, the pathfinders approach the tapestry.
Tapping the correct piece of the tapestry you are instantly sucked into a streaming void of intraplanar travel, strange faces and words flashing in front of your eyes as your entire existence is thrown across immeasurable distances and, with a resounding THUNK, deposited at the foot of a grassy hill. Atop the hill lies the Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment. A graceful building of white marble with no sharp edges to offend the eye, its walls are well-scrubbed but with black flecks of mold covering its surface in places. Before you a gravel path lazily waddling up the hill to the temple; from what you can see, it leaves to a small courtyard and a pair of large wooden doors carved with an image of four spheres resting inside an open lotus flower.
Behind you, an immeasurable expanse of grass streaks away to a pink horizon, the sky above it a soft lilac with a single pale blue sun unmoving overhead. Any attempts to walk away from the hill elicit the feeling of movement, yet no progress ever seems to be made, the walker remaining a mere step away from the bottom of the hill. The air seems unnaturally still; some find this reassuring, some disturbing.
Kazmuk Mithralsmith |
Kazmuk looks around for the marker that is supposed to serve as the exit.
Perception check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Kazmuk then readies his crossbow and says, "We may as well get started." He starts up the path to the temple.
Rose Waerloga |
This certaintly is serene... But things aren't always as they appear, now are they?, the witch smiles to herself.
Rose takes a long look at the symbol and thinks for a while.
Rolling for appropriate knowledge and will relate appropriate information to fellow pathfinders. She has all the knowledge skills at similar levels.
Knowledge(relevant): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14 add +6 for Arcana, and +3 for History or Planes
The dwarf certaintly seems willing to set the pace.
"Onwards, then. Ser Mithralsmith, are you not interested even a little bit about this particular plane that we're in? For all you know, it may be the last time you see it, a turquoise sun, a lilac sky" casually asks Rose, catching up to the dwarf.
Kazmuk Mithralsmith |
Kazmuk replies, "For all I know it could be the last time we see anything. What has me more concerned than the scenery is that there doesn't seem to be any sign of the marker that we're supposed to use to go back. Hopefully that's somewhere in the temple or we're going to be able to enjoy the scenery here for a very long time."
Rose Waerloga |
When the party reaches the gate, Rose would like to study the gate with Detect Magic.
"Niv, sweetie, can you fly up and look around the courtyard, please? But be careful.", says Rose to her owl, who is sleeping on her arm.
Niv's stealth: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (16) + 18 = 34
Niv's perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28
If there is something scary or anything of the sort, I'd like to know. Rose still only gets general emotions only.
Rose Waerloga |
"There is something surprising behind this door, apparently. Not the frightening type or the shocking type though."
Knowledge(arcana)(or Spellcraft) to try and find out what would happen if we're to open the gate right now. Will again relate the information.: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18
GM Arkwright |
Rose is able to determine that the symbol, while pulsating with power, is not 'charged' and has been expended from a recent action. She estimates that it will take at least two days for it to charge up to anything approaching normal. From Zey's words, it should then be able to take you back to Absalom.
Ealasaid of the Golden hair |
When transported to that plane Ealasaid instinctively draw her Flail
Sorry, it's just the habit...I guess then it is time to be surprised-
Eaasaid examine the door looking for traps of any sort and if she do not find anything she trys to open the door
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
Zinthar Kanedrel |
Zinthar stays toward the center of the group as they examine their new surroundings, turning his head back and forth as if trying to watch all of them at once. He stays silent but observant, taking it all in as they come to realize they are trapped here for at least two days. He mentally catalogs his supplies with an eye toward conservation and careful use.
As they pass through the temple gates the elf pauses a moment and considers his protective spells. Best to wait a bit longer, I only have the one prepared.
"Any preference to which door we try first?"
Kazmuk Mithralsmith |
I'll go with the door I'm in front of.
Kazmuk puts his crossbow away replacing the bolt in the case he got it out of and "dry firing" the bow. He then slowly and cautiously opens the door. He uses his mirror to check the room out once he has the door open a crack before he opens it all the way.
Perception check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Rose Waerloga |
Cautiousness and preparation... Smart dwarf...
Rose uses her scroll of Mage Armor on herself, Light on her Longspear and gets ready to follow the rest as they go in.
Rose's AC is now 19, touch 13, FF 16.
GM Arkwright |
Through the mirror, Kazmuk sees a wide and empty entrance hall; sensing no danger, he and the rest of the group step in.
The room is a wide entrance hall of white marble; carved onto the floor are three golden spheres with a patterned spindle. Before your eyes, the spiral produces a mote of magical light, drifting up to the ceiling and dissipating.
Kazmuk Mithralsmith |
Kazmuk watches the light display and says, "Neat."
Kazmuk looks around a bit deciding where to go next and settles on the small door 10 feet southeast of his current location (or 5 feet south of Zinthar.)
Kazmuk walks up to the door and checks it for traps.
Perception check: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Assuming that Kazmuk doesn't find any traps he will simply check to see if the door is locked without opening it.
Zinthar Kanedrel |
Seeing the carved spheres and the spindle, Zinthar moves carefully along the wall toward the southernmost sphere. Muttering a quick incantation, he squats down to get a closer look at it without touching the sphere.
Cast Detect Magic
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 30
Zinthar Kanedrel |
'course, boss:
4 Ranks Spellcraft +5 Int +3 Class Skill +2 Framed Trait +2 Elven Magic racial trait (to ID magic items) = +16
K (A) is only +12
Ealasaid of the Golden hair |
Pretty cool that you are updating the map, if you can put it in the campaing mini-description it woudl make it easier to access
Ealasaid take search for traps in the door to the west
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Does somebody know more about this Korada?
GM Arkwright |
The door opens slightly, silently; it's been recently greased. Ealasaid sees a large dining room with a long marble table in the center, surrounded by benches. A young halfling woman, a stack of plates and cutlery in one hand, is calmly setting the table; for at least twenty two, it looks like. She has brown hair and is wearing a robe of the white cloth Kazmuk saw in the storeroom.
Kazmuk Mithralsmith |
Kazmuk comes over to the other characters and whispers, "Zey said this temple was supposed to be vacant. If there are people here using the temple we should probably try to make peaceful contact with them and see if they will let us proceed with our study. If they don't want us to we may have to go back and tell Zey he's out of luck. For unless these people are totally and unreasonably hostile I don't think we should be picking a fight with them over this."