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After additional healing the man explains further, I'm Zelius Jagrah. I was a slave in Cheliax, when I was sold to the Blakros family and found out I was going to Absalom, I thought maybe my life would get a little easier. Instead I was sent here to the Shadow Plane. It must be 3 months ago now. The first thing they did was a ritual that left this rune on my forehead, I think it's binds you to the shadow plane when the convergence ends. They do it to all the newcomers.
He pauses still weak and in some discomfort, These shadow people are cruel, much worse than any owner I've ever known. Call themselves the Onyx Alliance. From what I can gather they are a big deal in shadow Absalom. Mainly had me doing manual labor, but I've seen what they did to other. He gets a shocked look on his face. Last night, the one you killed here, Mazzel Gol, came and got me, told me I was her special pet and told me she was going to infuse me with something called “liquid night.”
She began to cut me open and I blacked out. Can you help me out of here. He says as he takes Brayne support.
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"Well, that's disconcerting to say the least. We'll help you out, of course." Brayne comments, however his facial expression doesn't seem to show any surprise.
Turning to the group, "I guess there's just one last door to look for our helpless maidens then, shall we?"
Brayne is careful again to not be the first to enter any room.
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"Wait one moment," Garduk says before they leave. "First, you can either wait for us to finish our mission and leave with us, or we can point you to the front door on our way to the last room, but we don't know for sure that you will get home if you go through it now."
"Second, what do you mean by 'convergence'? The convergence of the planes? Is that what's happening here? When is it going to end? And what happens when it does?"
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As you help him to the entry corridor, Zelius tries to answer Garduk's questions. Yeah, the planes, they have a device it only works during a new moon at night. When the sun rises it ends. He makes for the front door but stumbles and falls, looking back at you, I don't know what will happen at sun up if I'm out of the building, but I'm going to find out. He begins pulling himself toward the doors.
You make your way to the last door the sign above this high door reads “Biological Oddities” in clear lettering, while a dark reflection of the same sign warns that the room beyond contains a “Ritual Chamber.”
Kulga opens the door to find harsh, cold light floods this room from the ceiling, gleaming off the marble walls and shining across the polished granite floor. Myriad pedestals display stuffed creatures suffering from unspeakable deformities, and liquid-filled glass tanks hold the shriveled bodies of even stranger anomalies. In the room’s center, a wide ebony pyramid rises ten feet off the ground; darkness seems to flow out from its top into the air like ink in clear water. Indistinct rune circles, candelabras, and idols cover what can only be the site of barbaric sanguinary rites, occupying the same space in the Shadow Plane.
Standing before the dais is the thin gray form of a fletching coating a thin knife in a strange black liquid. Kneeling before him, our two young women swaying in a sort of trance. He looks up from his ritual business and evil grin crossing his lips.
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Muttering softly as he enters the room to see the fletching and the woman, "Well that explain's everything I suppose, don't see that everyday in the mansion now huh Elfred." And he turns to point his finger at the beast from behind the safety of Bokkah and Kulga, loudly exclaiming. "Unhand her! You? you... fiend! "
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Garduk takes a step closer to the fetchling, takes his box of combat scrolls out of his pack (in case he needs them later), and readies Grease to cast on the creature's knife if he make anything that looks like a hostile move towards anyone - the Pathfinders or the Blakros daughters.
"Drop the knife, or we will make you swallow it," Garduk growls.
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What's the meaning of this intrusion, you do not belong here. Bellows the shadow man in a voice much deeper than expected. You have no authority to end the contract. Now leave.
But Bokkah's not in a talkative mood and immediately casts bless on the group, while Brayne and Garduk ready there spells.
Round 1 Effects Active: Bless
map
Bokkah
Kulga
Brayne
Garduk
Uthil Mak
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** spoiler omitted **
What's the meaning of this intrusion, you do not belong here. Bellows the shadow man in a voice much deeper than expected. You have no authority to end the contract. Now leave.
But Bokkah's not in a talkative mood and immediately casts bless on the group, while Brayne and Garduk ready there spells.
Round 1 Effects Active: Bless
map
Bokkah
Kulga
Brayne
Garduk
Uthil Mak
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Kulga bull rushes the fetchling back with her shield bash. Garduk casts grease on the knife. But he manages to hang onto it.
Round 1 Effects Active: Bless
map
Bokkah
Kulga
Brayne
Garduk
Uthil Mak 14 dmg
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Brayne issues his command, but Uthil Mak does not obey. Mak drops the greasy blade of his own accord and launches a flurry of blows at Kulga, the first designed to stun. Two of the blows lands, then the shadow man steps back.
Round 2 Effects Active: Bless
map
Bokkah
Kulga 10 dmg - DC14 Fort save or stunned
Brayne
Garduk
Uthil Mak 14 dmg
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Time to try something new, I think.
Garduk flips open his scroll box and removes one that had been near the front. As always, casting magic started by someone else - in this case, the unknown scribe of this scroll - feels odd, like wearing someone else's shoes. Even as he reads off the arcane phrases, some part of him wonders what the result will be like.
Garduk does not wait long for an answer. As the last syllable hangs in the air, an oily black dart coalesces in front of him and speeds towards the shadow monk.
Does it look like that because of the scribe, or because of where I am now when I cast it?
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Bokkah moves forward and heals Kulga, who misses her shield bash, but her waraxe strikes a powerful blow. Brayne issues another command, but Mak seems to ignore it. While Garduk's magic missile's appearance baffles, but does the job nonetheless.
The shadow man looking badly damaged, and appears to move even faster. He takes 2 more swings at Kulga, the first is particularly nasty landing right on Kulga's nose, he then steps back.
Round 3 Effects Active: Bless
map
Bokkah
Kulga 10 dmg - need another DC14 Fort or stunned
Brayne
Garduk
Uthil Mak 28 dmg
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One of Bokkah's claws delivers a good blow and Kulga's axe finishes the job looping Uthil Mak's head from his shoulders.
Despite there captor's brutal death, the Blakros women remain in the trance-like state, as the 10-foottall black stone pyramid exudes an eerie black essence from its apex, which seeps into the air and slowly dims the illumination of the room.
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Garduk replaces his scroll of Magic Missile into his box of combat scrolls and removes a scroll of Burning Hands (just in case), before putting the box back into his pack and pulling out his other scrollbox. He flips through his box of utility scrolls for a moment and removes a scroll of Identify, tucking it and the Burning Hands scroll into his belt before putting the box away.
He crouches down to look the nearest of the two women in the eyes.
"Miss Blakros? Can you understand me? We have been sent by your mother to bring you home. Can you stand up on your own?"
If they remain unresponsive, he casts Detect Magic and tries to figure out what kind of spell they are under (if any).
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The Blakros daughters remain unresponsive and Garduk casts detect magic, as Bokkah examines the pyramid. Bokkah notes that surrounding the relic’s apex are a dozen bloodstones set into the rock face. And Garduk detect magic doesn't detect any magic from the woman instead he picks up a strong aura of conjuration and illusion emanating from the bloodstones.
Garduk deduces that removing or destroying the bloodstones should end the effect and sufficiently sabotage the device to prevent future use.
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"What's wrong with our fair maidens then?"[b] Brayne says as he casually passes as Garduk examines them. Brayne goes over to the dead creature to give it a kick out of frustration. [b]"Obviously, my magic isn't strong enough Elfred, we need more power!"He mumbles to himself.
After Garduk explains the situation at hand, Brayne administers some aid in removing the stones. "I've been working out." He casually tells Bokkah, as he flexes his arm in the activity. But moments after, it's clear he is struggling to do the job. "Unfortunately, not enough though."
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You get to work bashing at the bloodstones and your combined efforts easily destroy the Wightir Conjunction. As the last of the stones is shattered the planar transposition instantly ends, separating the Material and Shadow Planes. Reality snaps back to normal. Any remaining
traces of the shadow plane are completely gone (Although items you've picked up remain with you).
When the planar overlay ends, Eleanir and Michellia Blakros awaken from their trance, dazed and disoriented. As there senses come back to them they thanks you profusely. Thank you, thank you! Our family will hear of your bravery! You saved out lives!
Once reunited with her daughters Hamaria is incredibly grateful and joyous. We owe the Pathfinder Society a debt of gratitude, we will be glad to work even closer with the Society in the future and that includes access to the museum and it's collections.
Venture-Captain Drandle Drang gives a toothy grin and is clearly pleased.
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Kulga takes a moment to bend Hamaria's ear in private:
I am glad we could save your daughters, my lady, but breaking your contracts, even with monsters, can stain your reputation.
Making such a bargain in the first place can stain it as badly with many people.
Be sure to keep faith with us, and we will help protect you from those consequences of such bargains.
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After the party returns to the Grand Lodge and gives their report, Garduk hurries down to the Dark Archive.