Dial 2: This dial has the Thassilonian characters for 'Euphoric Cloud' engraved on it. This will undoubtedly activate euphoric clouds in a room of your choosing.
Dial 3: Half of this dial's rune is heavily chipped, almost to the point of illegibility. The other half appears to say the Thassilonian word for 'Dress'.
Dial 4: This dial's rune has a thick layer of dust on it. It clearly says 'Grasping Tentacles'.
Dial 5: The Thassilonian rune on this dial says 'Slow'. Rather odd, considering it's of a forbidden school of magic.
As you look at the desk, your magically attuned senses can tell that it seems to be malfunctioning--or at least heavily drained. Any of the dials can be turned once per day, but will require time to recharge until it's fully repaired. On the bright side, whichever effect you decide to use will be enacted as if it were under the effects of metamagic techniques to extend spell duration.
With a sigh Saersha knew she could do nothing about this right now but she would return when she could just to fix it. She stepped back through the portal so she could help them all finish here and continue on their missing to restore the shattered star.
Saersha stepped back through the portal after several minutes and looked at the others as she said, "I have adjusted the aphrodisiac mist so it will no longer leak out of the confines of the Lady's Light. That should take care of things for the lizardfolk and swamp in general. We also have the shard so the only thing left is to get the Grey Maidens and leave..."
Saersha thought of one more thing to do before they left but she wouldn’t need anyone else to go with her to do so. "I need to let the lust spawn know they are in charge now as well until I can return." Saersha went to the other portal and opened it, "Let me speak to the new caretakers and I will be right back." With that Saersha went through the portal.
Saersha looked to Katt and said, "Katt, I leave you in charge in my stead. You will serve as my regent to this place and keep it safe until I or my decedents can return." Saersha gave Katt a serious look and then asked, "Do you accept this charge?"
Katt nods as you assign her regency of the Light. "I shall."
Saersha smiled and gently grasped the back of Katt's head with one hand. When the head was at a good angel she leaned in and kissed the creature's forehead, "Very good, I know you and your siblings can do this task."
Saersha released Katt and stepped back, "Enjoy the delights of this place, I will return when I can." With that Saersha stepped back through the portal and amongst her friend's once again.
Saersha re-appeared from the second portal and said, "That is dealt with. We have two things to take care of. First is to free Shylei from her imprisonment. I should be able to do that quickly and be right back. If anyone wants to come with me you can but I should be fine alone if not."
Ulfr shrugs and doesn't look up from the pack he's re-arranging to more efficiently carry their loot. Either way. Go ahead.
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After a moment of trepidation Zev breaks his silence, "I can go."
Saersha steps up to the portal again, and with but a thought directs it back to the antechamber where Shylei is imprisoned. The portal peels open with a *WOOSH*, showing the room beyond--and the angel sitting in the middle of her binding circle.
Those who step through emerge just north of the bound angel. She's still wearing Ada's loaned nightgown and Saersha's cloak. Her head snaps upward as the portal opens.
"...you... you came back...?" She asks, her eyes wide and her tone one of complete disbelief--mixed with a hint of hope.
Saersha entered the portal with Zev and found herself looking at Shylei's prison. The traumatized angel seemed shocked that Saersha kept her word and the wizardess smiled as she said, "Of course I did Shylei, I gave my word that I would do all I could to free you. Well," she held up the stabilized shard of lust, "This with my own bloodline should be enough to free you from the prison."
Saersha hesitated a brief moment and then said, "While I can't guarantee that it will work I am going to try. If for some reason I can't bring the barrier down I swear on my life and all I hold dear that I will find another way to get you out, it just may take me a while to figure it out."
With her caution in place Saersha approached the barrier with the Shard of Lust in hand. She reached out with the shard and touched it to the barrier as she focused on the binding magics to fall and lose their power. "As the rightful heir to Sorshen's legacy I command this barrier to fall and the angel Shylei to be freed from this place."
As Saersha touches the barrier, the Shard of Lust briefly flares with heat and causes it to solidify as if made of glass. The runes surrounding Shylei are extinguished of magic, one by one, until nothing remains to support the barrier they conjured.
It disintegrates in a shower of unravelling abjuration magic.
Shylei gets to her feet, tears beginning to run down her cheeks anew--but the relieved smile on her face speaks enough. She takes a few tentative steps beyond the now inactive binding circle... and when nothing happens, takes several more. She starts to laugh with joy.
"I'm FREE! I'M FREE!" She cries, running up to Saersha & Zev and grabbing them both in a big hug with her ghostly arms. "THANK YOU SO MUCH!"
Zev tail happily wags back as forth as Searsha manages to free the Angel, and from the resulting hug. ”Are you able to return home now?”
Shylei looks at Zev with tears in her eyes and a little blush on her cheeks. "Well... I still need some help with that. Would it be alright if I stayed with you for a bit? Until I can find someone who can send me home?"
"Of course."
Azura waits with Ryn while Zev and Saersha handle freeing the angel.
"I guess that takes care of this... but this place will be Saersha's private domain and base of operations now. Though if that helps us have a central location from which to head out to locate the remaining shards, that could work pretty well. Especially if she can turn down the heat and humidity out there!"
Embyr sits down on the edge of the bed and nervously fiddles with the clasp on her cloak.
"...you guys remember that portal spot we found in Magnimar's Shadow District? We opened it with a shard and it lead into the Crow--d'you reckon it might do something similar with Saersha's new shard?"
Ulfr's brow crunches. Maybe. That would make the trip back much easier.
Embyr nods. "Of course, there's still the matter of the Loin's--"
Her eyes widen and she clears her throat. "--the Lion's Pride waiting for us off-shore." She continues with a blush. "We ought to let Captain Farrah know we're alright somehow."
Azura waits with Ryn while Zev and Saersha handle freeing the angel.
"I guess that takes care of this... but this place will be Saersha's private domain and base of operations now. Though if that helps us have a central location from which to head out to locate the remaining shards, that could work pretty well. Especially if she can turn down the heat and humidity out there!"
"Yeah, it would definitely be good to have a safe place to set out from, or fall back to in an emergency. And the portals would make travel a lot easier."
"Though you're right about the heat and humidity. I guess if you're insisting that all the inhabitants wear as close to nothing as possible, a tropical environment is ideal." Ryn says, stretching.
"Yeah, it would definitely be good to have a safe place to set out from, or fall back to in an emergency. And the portals would make travel a lot easier."
"Though you're right about the heat and humidity. I guess if you're insisting that all the inhabitants wear as close to nothing as possible, a tropical environment is ideal." Ryn says, stretching.
"I'm all for romping around a tropical paradise in something skimpy, but that's probably for off-days when we're not coming back from stabbing some horrible monster or looking for notes about ancient lost magic!" says Azura with a grin.
"Ryn, is there some way we can get a message to the ship, let them know that we have things under control like Embyr said?"
"We'll have to make sure to do that next time we gave done downtime." Ryn says with a grin of her own.
Considering the question for a bit, the gladiatrix shrugs. "The only things I can think of are either some sort of messaging spell, or a messenger bird or creature. I'm pretty sure that's sending one of the lustspawn will result in either a panic or an orgy. The only other thing I can think of is if one of us were to go back to the ship to relay the message, and travel back with the ship while the rest of us took a portal."
Ada nods. "I can relay the message, certainly. I'll be waiting for you at Heidmarch Manor afterwards."
"...just as soon as Saersha comes back with the shard. Hopefully, there's a command word or two that'll serve to activate the portals all the same."
Saersha had to resist the urge to feel up the angel when she hugged Saersha and Zev but she somehow resisted the urge. When the angel released them Saersha stepped back and considered what the divine being asked and said, "I have no problem with this, I doubt the others will either. Once we get back to Magnimar we can check with some of the templaes, I would imagine there is a priest at one of them who could send you home."
Saersha began to move towards the portal as she said, "I don't recall if I asked you before, which deity do you serve anyway? I have my guess but I wonder if I was right."
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Shylei folds her hands in front of her. "Truth be told, I serve several--I am a member of the Sect of the Blue Rose, a Handmaiden in good standing."
"We are followers and agents of gods and empyreal lords that seek to promote healing and emotional catharsis through various forms of art and expression. My main lieges are Shelyn and Arshea, but any follower of a benevolent deity with an interest in the arts is welcome to join."
"Shelyn and the Empyreal Lords are really popular in Magnimar, so you'll have plenty of help when we get back," Zev thinks aloud while remembering all the temples and monuments spread across the city.
"Really?" Shylei's eyes sparkle with hope. "I've never seen this place you call 'Magnimar'; I would welcome the chance to see if any of my Blue Rose brethren make their homes there!"
Zev smiles and nods. "One way to find out."
The dapsara looks to Saersha. "...may we please go now? I'd... I'd like to be gone from this place."
Saersha nodded and said, "The portal is still open, let's go."</b] Saersha led teh way through the portal back to Sorshen's bedchamber.
When they arrived back in the bedroom to find the others Saersha said, [b]"Alright, I have one more group to gather before we go. I need to go get the Grey Maidens. After that we can figure out how we are going to get back."
"Okay. Aida's going to go baCk to the ship to let them know that we're alrights and they're free to head back. Let's get the maidens...and let them know the fate of their sisters in arms. Hopefully, we can use the portals for a quick way home." Ryn says, picking up her shield.
Embyr reminded us of the portal in Underbridge. Do you think we could use that? Ulfr says, trying to bring everyone onto the same page.
"If we can just flash back to Underbridge, that'll save us a lot of time, and we can just send the ship home," says Azura agreeably. "Saersha, wanna see if that works?"
As Shylei follows Saersha back, she looks over at Azura and does a double-take.
Her expression is not one of bewilderment or lust--but one of recognition.
Oblivious to Shylei's glance, Azura says, "So, Saersha, what's the verdict? Can you use this portal-magic to send us back to Underbridge, and bring us back here again whenever we want? That would be extremely useful."
Saersha had forgotten about the portal in Underbridge and realized that Azura's suggestion was a good one. Could she open the portal to there and could she return here from that place as well Saersha contemplated the idea for a moment or two as she tried to determine an answer.
...curiously, you feel a vibration coming from the Rune of Lust you're wearing as well.
"Credit where it's due, that was Ulfr and Embyr's idea," adds Azura.
"It'll be a great way to move back and forth and set here up as a base of operations." Ryn says as she notes both the rune in Searhsha's hands and the one she's wearing behind to hum.
Saersha felt what the shard was telling her, and found that her emblem she wore was telling her something too. She'd have to examine it in detail later. "Yes, I believe that will work and get us back to Magnimar that way."
Saersha considered and then said, "Alright, we've acconplished this much let's go get the Grey Maidens and we can all get out of here." With that Ema retargetted the portal to where the Grey Maidens had been and stuck her head through as she called out, "It's me, Saersha. We've taken care of the succubus and have away back out. Come through the portal when you are ready to leave and I will retarget it to get us out of the Lady's Light." Saersha pulled her head through the portal and stepped back to wait.
There's a pause as Saersha issues her commands through the portal. Then the Grey Maidens all begin to come through, one after the other, until all twelve stand within the chamber.
Tirri clears her throat. "We're all here, Heiress. We are ready whenever you are."
With everyone gathered together Saersha closed the portal and then said, "Alright, let's see if this destination will work." Saersha focused on the portal point they had found when clearing out the Crow. With the place firmly fixed into her mind Saersha used the Shard of Lust to trigger the portal.
As Saersha invoked the power of the Shard of Lust to open the portal, she's rewarded with a *WOOOSH!* as the portal peels open--and with the portal's opening comes something else.
Lances of violet energy leap from the portal and strike the Runes of Lust on each of the party members, causing them to vibrate heavily for a brief moment before settling down and glowing a deep purple. It appears that whoever wears such a Rune of Lust will be able to activate the portal as they wish.
The Underbridge district stretches out before the party beyond the portal.
Azura shivers involuntarily as her thigh tingles.
"This is excellent! Let's get everyone back to the city and safe."
The party, the Maidens and Shylei all step through the portal, and for a moment everything feels weightless. They emerge from the other side unscathed, the humidity and heat of the Lady's Light vanishing and a more temperate wind racing in to replace it--along with the melange of odours characteristic of urban decay.
The portal snaps shut behind the group with a violet spark, and it's a simple matter to find your way back to Heidmarch Manor from here.
-----------------------
As they march through Magnimar's streets, the sheer size of the group causes passersby to hastily get out of the way. The Grey Maidens march in a procession formation, six on one side and six on the other, serving the party as an... honour guard, of sorts. Shylei looks all around her, taking in the many colours and sights of Magnimar with a sense of wonder absent from the smallfolk around her.
By the time the party reaches the manor, Venture Captain Heidmarch is already waiting. Her eyes widen at the sight of their entourage.
"Pathfinders! Back already from another successful mission?" She asks as the Grey Maidens march forward and sharply turn to face each other.
You could say that. Another shard is ours. Ulfr looks a little awkward being escorted by anyone.
"Yes, and with quite a bit of company at that." Ryn replies.
Captain Heidmarch claps her hands together. "That's wonderful news."
"I'd invite you inside, but..." She looks at the Grey Maidens around the party with a worried expression. "...unless these Maidens will not be a problem?"
"They've had a harrowing experience," says Azura to Captain Heidmarch. "Things may change over time, but for now I think, like the rest of us, they just want to get some rest and return to normal life."