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The growing light of predawn filters in through a window of the two-story building that Amenopheus has rented in Eto, and the aging Garundi man takes a seat on one of the cushions set out for this meeting. He produces a sealed letter from his robe, placing it in the middle of the floor before speaking. “Good morning, Pathfinders. As you know, we have had our share of setbacks recently. Not only have the emerald and topaz gems sacred to my order slipped through our fingers, but we also faced the frustration of finding nothing but fragments of the once great ruby. Thankfully, its power is not lost entirely, and through the Ruby Sage’s blessing, it lives on in you. I am thankful that you have agreed to act on her behalf and see this through to the end.“
“As we speak, the scoundrels who seized the two gems cross the Pillars of the Sun to meet their employer, the cryptic Diamond Sage.” He sighs heavily. “What she intends to do with the gems is a mystery, but the sage jewels are too important for me to take risks with. If the power that you wield is representative of a shattered jewel’s potential, imagine what one might accomplish with three undamaged stones! Until we know what her plans are, it is paramount that we get to the jewels first.
“Kafar and Nefti have a rudimentary map of the Pillars of the Sun, and last night I found a bartender who spotted them poring over it between drinks. She recalled little of the map, and she could not make sense of the marks or annotations; however, the right spells have allowed me to probe her mind and determine Kafar and Nefti’s entry point into the mountains. We will follow them from there.” With a somewhat chagrined smile, Amenopheus adds, “It may be that they will lead us to the Sanctum of the Sages, a hidden complex I have long suspected might be in this area.” He stands and announces, “Prepare yourselves quickly. We shall leave momentarily.”
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Mina met Amenopheus's smile with a reassuring nod.
“We are ready, Amenopheus! The stolen jewels must be reclaimed, and the Diamond Sage's intentions uncovered. We will surely navigate the treacherous Pillars of the Sun and we will surely have no issue to follow the path laid by Kafar and Nefti. Yes, we will unearth the secrets of the Sanctum of the Sages … and ensure that the power within those gems remains in the hands of the Pathfinder Society…. I … I can still feel the power of the ruby sage in me!! It’s raw energy!!!“
Mina felt a surge of mythic power mingle with her divine aura and course through her being.
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"This power, it feels...comforting. Like the first time I used my second sight to interpret the shapes of the words on someone's lips, it feels right."
"We will find them. Even if we should lose the trail, my second sight suffused with this power should allow us to get back on track. Allow me to start by using it see the area we are traveling."
Katswiri enters a Focused Trance, to view knowledge of the Pillars of the Sun area.
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15+ A man matching Kafar’s description recently visited a local herbalist and apothecary.
20+ Several caravan guards in the city overheard Kafar and Nefti complaining to one another about the Aspis Consortium.
25+ Nefti tried to sell information about the Aspis Consortium to a foreigner, but the deal fell through.
30+ The foreigner was actually a covert Pathfinder operative who suspects Kafar and Nefti may not only be aiming to go rogue, but are also looking for a new patron.
Geography:
10+ The Pillars of the Sun are an isolated range of mountains named for their tall, wind-weathered spires.
15+ The mountains begin 15 miles south of Eto, and an experienced rider might reach them in half a day. Because of its location and elevation, the region is extremely dry and hot during the day, with temperatures dropping drastically at night due to strong winds.
15+ The mountains begin 15 miles south of Eto, and an experienced rider might reach them in half a day. Because of its location and elevation, the region is extremely dry and hot during the day, with temperatures dropping drastically at night due to strong winds.
20+ In past eras, attempts to settle in the region were frustrated by the mountains’ harsh conditions and aggressive fauna. To this day, many ruins stand as reminders of these ill-fated enterprises.
25+ The Pillars of the Sun have long been an isolated place, and interspecies competition has honed the abilities of its monstrous inhabitants. Even creatures that are typically harmless in other ecosystems can be deadly here, and some are said to have truly extraordinary power.
30+ Many ancient structures within the Pillars of the Sun take advantage of the terrain and are actually carved inside the rock. Adventurers looking for ruins are more likely to find hidden trap doors and secret passages than crumbled temples covered in sand. Some of these subterranean vaults extend for miles beneath the surface, and a clever explorer can use them to cross from one valley to another to circumvent the most difficult of the mountainous terrain.
Once you are prepared to leave Eto and begin your pursuit of Kafar and Nefti, Amenopheus uses teleport to transport you to where they entered the mountains. They seem to have split up and went different paths. Amenopheus decides that he should follow the other path and you take the other one. Your path leads to a series of switchbacks that ascend the steep side of a gorge, and approximately one hour after Amenopheus’s departure, they reach an immense cliff where the tracks simply end.
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"Many ancient structures within the Pillars of the Sun take advantage of the terrain and are actually carved inside the rock. Some of these subterranean vaults extend for miles beneath the surface, and a clever explorer can use them to cross from one valley to another to circumvent the most difficult of the mountainous terrain. I suspect this may be one such entrance."
"Before we proceed, let me use my second sight to examine what may lie ahead of us, so that we may prepare."
Katswiri will use her Gift of Prophecy ability to take a Divination.
Question: What dangers will we face following the trail through this door?
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“Listen team, Nefti, the tipsy flute player, has vanished from the tavern scene for the past three days. It seems his revelry has come to a sudden halt, and we must be cautious of the reasons behind his disappearance. But it is Kafar who has left a more noticeable trail. Reports indicate that he recently visited a local herbalist and apothecary. Caravan guards have overheard Kafar and Nefti complaining about the Aspis Consortium, expressing their discontent in hushed tones. It appears they have encountered some form of conflict or disagreement with this notorious organization. Nefti, in an attempt to make some profit, sought to sell information about the Aspis Consortium to a foreigner. Unfortunately, the deal fell through, but what's important is the identity of this foreigner. They were no ordinary buyer, but a covert Pathfinder operative, someone who knows the intricacies of our world!“ she says.
“Well, the Kafar and Nefti may not only be planning to go rogue, but also actively seeking a new patron!“
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When the weather starts to heat up, Katswiri casts Endure Elements on herself. "Ah...the dry desert air. Just like home."
"Come. I will find the path. I have a magical aid, and if I should lose the trail my second sight will reveal it to me."
Katswiri takes out a scroll of Deadeye's Lore and casts it to help follow the trail, then uses her Natural Divination to nearly guarantee she doesn't lose it.
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Not a fan of the dry air...you know what that does to someone with my complexion? Dried out like 3 year old jerky. Luckily I know an apothecary back in Katheer that makes a wonderful cream...makes your skin baby soft. Carlin says as she unfolds her parasol and puts on her filter scarf.
Lead on..we'll be right behind you...
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Luckily the endure elements spell protects you so your travel won't be slowed by heat. Katswiri's natural divination finds right trail easily and you descend into tunnel.
Enigmatic hieroglyphs cover just about every surface of this chamber excavated into the mountain. Bas-relief engravings stretch along the walls all the way from the lofty, tapered ceiling down to floor level, their eerie pictography suggesting an unnerving story. Toppled columns, crumbling shreds of cloth and potsherds scattered throughout the chamber attest to the place's abandonment and antiquity. Small holes in the vaulted ceiling let in thin beams of sunlight but do little to illuminate the chamber.
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Katswiri casts a Light spell on her shield, and holds it up to get a good look at the glyphs.
"These are ancient, predating Ancient Osiriani."
Katswiri traces over the Glyphs with a finger, examining the pictograms.
"I believe this is telling a story of two monsters that fell from the stars in the aftermath of Earthfall. Here, and here...let me see..."
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Glyphs tell story of the forgotten cult that used to live here. Cultists worshiped outer gods and performed foul rites summoning vile otherwordly horrors with intent of contacting an emissary of Great Old Ones. The monsters are akatas, lion-sized quadrupeds with tentacled manes surrounding their necks.
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"These glyphs tell a story of a forgotten cult that lived here long ago. They worshipped the Great Old Ones, and tried to contact things best left undisturbed. My vision showed we would be attacked by creatures at some point while investigating here. Hopefully not Akatas."
Katswiri eyes the columns, then the roof and the floor.
...I think these are load bearing. They look solid, but also not very hard to push over. Keep in mind if something attacks us here not to knock over many of them or we might have a collapse."
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Mina recognizes the scary beast as hound of Tindalos. It is immune to mind-affecting effects and poison, has DR 5/magic, can teleport as swift action once per round and uses a special gaze attack. The blue monster is akata, they inflict disease called void death with their bite, are deaf, have considerable fire resistance and vulnerability to salt water.
The hound stares at Carlin and teleports small distance to the side.
Babr charges to the hound, smites it and attacks!
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Mina recognizes the scary beast as hound of Tindalos. It is immune to mind-affecting effects and poison, has DR 5/magic, can teleport as swift action once per round and uses a special gaze attack. The blue monster is akata, they inflict disease called void death with their bite, are deaf, have considerable fire resistance and vulnerability to salt water.
Willard's magic hits the akata.
Babr full attacks the hound of Tindalos!
Babr then steps back.
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Ewwww! I appreciate the help, guys...I really do. But could you please stop spraying me with chunks of whatever godforsaken things these are? Thanks! Carlin says as she wipes away a piece of skull from her face. She directs the ball of fire to the lone creature in front of her and shoots a ray of energy at the closest undead.
Babr full attacks the hound in front of it.