DM Alexander Kilcoyne's Sargavan Saga

Game Master Alexander Kilcoyne

Scanning the room for magic, Ansha does not detect any at all. Looking into the room for a few minutes, none of the group are able to discern any threats. Encouraged by this, they tentatively moved inside and began to tour the quiet room.

Each warrior, diplomat or mage honored here was noted for great achievements; representing battles, tactics, treaties, spells and accomplishments forgotten to the ages; dedicated historians might be able to find fascinating links here, but for the most part, the context that the Azlant text speaks of is utterly lost on the group, and Akirra is no exception to this.

Room

Tebati bypasses the dead Azlantis to pay closer attention to the Mwangi statues.

I'd take offense at the implication that a +7 bonus doesn't represent sufficient dedication to historical studies, but Tebati can't read the Azlanti anyway. ;P

Akirra scans the room, seemingly just as lost as the rest of you when he spots one of the statues and recognition flashes upon his features. Striding up to the statue, of a well-muscled, stocky and grizzly Mwangi warrior, Akirra falls to his knees. Kor... he barely manages to get the name out, the word sticking in his mouth. Reading the plaque, Akirra's emotions alternate between pride and grief. This man... this man... was my father. I remember him... he stutters before falling silent as he places a hand upon the statue's foot and hangs his head in reflection.

Ansha makes a slow circuit of the room, scanning each statue's plaque. Glancing behind her, she notes Akirra's reaction and, curious, goes over to join him. Reading over his shoulder, she reads, "'He had great affinity for summoning apes....'"

She frowns, giving Tebati a meaningful look.

Reading over his shoulder, she reads, "'He had great affinity for summoning apes....'"

It doesn't actually say that on the plaque. Those are Akirra's memories you are reading. :P

Ansha's revelation of Akirra's father forces a rod of steel into Qhude's already stoic demeanor. Unconsciously he shifts slightly in position to a greater state of readiness, though does not overtly raise his weapon. Brusquely he inquires "Was he living when you emptied your life?"

If Akirra notices Qhude's tensing he does not react. I... I... I don't remember, he replies as he fights to recall.

Qhude just grunts and has a self-assured look upon his face as though the answer has re-inforced a thought he already had.

The elf turns to Akirra and studies him. "Do you remember nothing of your father?"

The words come slowly at first, as if it takes great mental effort to recall each and every detail. I... he... he was a man of few words and incredible strength. He taught and mentored me both as a father and as a teacher. His purpose in the Order, was the training of scouts, hunters and rangers. He was an unforgiving, uncompromising father and teacher, but had had a strong sense of community. The memories start to flow more freely, and so do Akirra's words. His natural Druidic talents were developed from birth by the Order and he had a particular affinity for Apes- a trait that was both incredibly useful to the Order but also left many suspicious of potential affiliation with the accursed magical beasts, many themselves ape-like and worshipper's of the Order's great enemy, the deity Angazhan.

Falling silent for a moment, he adds, That is all I remember. I'm sorry. But Akirra does not look sad. In fact he is quite pleased to remember anything at all from his former life. It gives him hope.

Standing up, he looks around the room some more, hoping that maybe something else will jog another memory.

I'd take offense at the implication that a +7 bonus doesn't represent sufficient dedication to historical studies, but Tebati can't read the Azlanti anyway. ;P

We're into DC30's at the very least here.

Moving around the room provided a wealth of heroic tales and various posing statues. Every person noted here was clearly being honored for their deeds in life and it was obvious that the chamber was intended as a hall of heroes. Having others translate the language for her, it became apparent that many who were not originally of Azlant descent (in particular, the Azlant tendency to give only a single name helped to easily differentiate them) also made great contributions to the Order- more often than not as martially talented warriors or artisans of great skill; but a fair few were apparently also of a more magical persuasion.

Impatient as the others make their way through the stone graveyard Qhude growls "Nothing here is of use... we should move on."

With nothing else coming to mind, Akirra nods in agreement.

What is there left on this level to explore? The plant room?

Ansha shrugs. "Quite possible. Only two more doors we haven't at least taken a look at, on this side of the circuit."

"Shall we then?" Kieran echoes Qhude's impatience, curious and eager as he is to see what else lies ahead, sword already in hand and kept there in case of nasty surprises, something this place seem to have in abundance.

"I am not looking forward to the plant-things, they are rather far from natural. I would prefer to avoid them but they are likely blocking the only way out."

Ansha nods her agreement with Jakob. "That's my fear as well. They're extremely dangerous; even the plantoids' plant-zombie servitors can inject that mind-control toxin into you, from what I've read." She pauses. "They seem docile enough if we don't enter the room, so perhaps we can come up with a plan to take them off-guard? We definitely don't want to just barge in again."

She helpfully leaves out that it was she herself who was barging in last time.

Whats the plan?

Lost track of the map somewhere. Do we have other doors we haven't opened yet on this level?

This was the last all-encompassing map. You've now entered every room except the one with plant infestation and this room, with stairs leading down visible. You might recall the descriptions of both rooms-

Throwing open the door revealed a statue-decorated, rectangular room. The ceilings matched almost every other roof you have seen in this ancient place; a little under 20 feet high; but in this case, the roof was smooth metal- like in the very first level of the structure. The room led through to a small corridor, which in turn seemed to lead to the next stairs leading down.

The floor of the chamber consisted of embossed iron. Set into the floor of the room, two tall metal poles, almost fifteen foot in length, pointed up at the ceiling, set evenly and perfectly spaced apart in the chamber. The only deviation from the symmetry of the room was the fact that the eastern edge of the room extended a little further than the west.

With the doors thrown open, an ancient contingency was triggered. A totally monotone voice emanated from the south side of the room, speaking in Azlant. It seemed to come from one of the statues on that side of the wall. These statues were depicted in greater detail than those in the corridors outside, and seemed to be more distinct and varied. Nevertheless, the theme of the statues remained unchanged, although there was clearly greater honor imparted to the individuals depicted.

Throwing open the door, Ansha saw what had clearly once been a well maintained, if extremely exotic, garden. Crushed fences and restraints had been thoroughly broken over time by vines, roots and vegetation. The internal walls of the large room were near-covered in different varieties of moss, vine and fungus. The floor was coated in rich, thick soil that served as a home for hundreds of different kinds of plants and trees, of various sizes. It was not immediately obvious how these plants were provided water, or how the soil was kept full of nutrients.

It was clear that this room was once well segregated, with space used efficiently to keep the various plants contained and separated from one another. However, it seemed that it had now been shaped to the designs of something else.

That something else could only be the two man-sized, floating spheres of tentacled moss staring back at the Elf with red eyes spaced almost randomly across their plant-like, spherical forms. In addition to the two spheres, two shambling, green-skinned zombies each had a pair of the same glowing red eyes and they seemed to be tending the garden.

As Ansha's eyes took in the lush colors set against the presence of something clearly sentient and quite alien to Golarion, a small plant twenty feet from the doorway spat thorns at the Elf from their respective mouths, punishing the Elf's haste to peer inside. Perhaps the plant was intelligent enough to understand the concept of a "warning shot", but it was not clear what it had been intended as. Nonetheless, Ansha cried out in pain as several thorns, like miniature arrowheads, pierced her stomach before she could throw herself against the wall by the door, out of sight.

So not on the overall map are the room with the water-map, the statue room, and the plant room, correct? Plant room opposite the swimming pool, statue room opposite the barracks, and map room opposite the classroom?

I'll show a new update here- Link

The unexplored area is the plant room.

All right; thanks. That's how I'd figured it, although it took me some time to collect the pieces and put them together.

"If we haven't learned the password the voice demanded to descend the stairs," Tebati points out, "we have little choice but to seek it among the undead plants. I don't suppose any of these inscriptions refer to the the Third Treatise of Arioch. Perhaps one of these heroes took it as a personal motto?" She turns inquiringly to the members of the group who can read Azlanti, gesturing around at the statues.

I'll have another look...

Jakob will happily translate / scan the inscriptions looking for any mention of the Third Treatise.

While Akirra and Jacob reread the plagues, Tebati turns to Ansha to prepare for entering the conservatory, if necessary. "Are the plant-creature's servitors vulnerable to positive energy, like most undead? Do you know?"

The elf shakes her head. "They're not undead. It's more like a fungus infestation, similar to certain species of fungi that do the same thing to ants," she says. "So positive energy won't be of much use. And the transformation process considerably toughens the servitors, too. As for the plantoids themselves, they can inject a mind-controlling fluid into someone if they so much as touch them with a tendril. And after 24 hours have passed...someone who hasn't broken free of its mind control will turn into a servitor as well."

She shudders. "I'm not looking forward to fighting those things. Two plantoids, two servitors...and whatever shot at me with those thorn-darts. We're probably best advised to check out the staircase-room first, and then to rest and prepare spells before we try their garden."

"The fluid," Tebati persists, "is it a poison? Or more like a disease? It would seem wise to keep our distance from the plantoids, if at all possible. I wish N'bellocq were here," she sighs unhappily, remembering her cousin's prowess with the bow.

The replacement archer hangs his head, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

lol

Ansha shrugs. "I'm not entirely sure. I don't think it's a disease, but I'm not sure it's a poison either."

Do these plant creatures have weaknesses that we can exploit?

"They're immune to blunt trauma," Ansha helpfully replies.

Though he had listened as words were said and opinions offered, Qhude's view of the situation was blunt and direct. "We rend the door, make them come to us. I would see the plants culled first before we sought to rest."

That seems to be a strength. I was hoping for something that might help us defeat them, Akirra replies to Ansha.

Turning to Qhude he asks, Do you think they will leave the room without provocation?

Maybe fire is the answer to both? he asks hopefully.

Firing back an incredulous look Qhude retorts "How would I know? It would have more chance to work than spending a mountain of words." considering their time in the statue room complete, Qhude begins to make for the doorway and back towards the room of the vegetables.

Akirra stares at Qhude as he responds, offering no outward reaction. As the Bas'o stalks off Akirra does not follow immediately. To the others still in the room he asks calmly, What offence have I given? Why is he so angry?

That seems to be a strength. I was hoping for something that might help us defeat them, Akirra replies to Ansha.

Ansha rolls her eyes. "That was my point."

She chimes in further when Akirra asks Qhude whether they will leave the room, saying, "They did not leave the room after we shut the door. If we leave them alone, they may well be content to stay in that conservatory for all eternity. But we really need to get in there. As for fire...there are a lot of valuable plants in there that are technically extinct. If we set the room on fire, we lose them as well when we kill the plantoids."

What offence have I given? Why is he so angry?

"He is just like that. If you don't anger the rest of us unduly, he'll probably warm up to you eventually."

Ansha rolls her eyes. "That was my point."

Akirra asks flatly. Couldn't you just have said that you did not know of any weakness?He does not wait for a reply, confident he knows the reason already.

She chimes in further when Akirra asks Qhude whether they will leave the room, saying, "They did not leave the room after we shut the door. If we leave them alone, they may well be content to stay in that conservatory for all eternity. But we really need to get in there. As for fire...there are a lot of valuable plants in there that are technically extinct. If we set the room on fire, we lose them as well when we kill the plantoids."

I did not ask if they would stay in there. I asked if they would come out without provocation. They have obviously not left the room for some reason. Given the considerable time they have been in there and space limitations, they must be confined to the room some how. Whether it is by some compulsion or restriction. Or it could be as simple as they do not have the ability to operate a door. Or it is that they have all they need within and have no reason to come out.

It is quite impressive that you were able to positively identify and ascertain the value of a room full of plants so quickly. But I must ask what value do they have against our lives?

"He is just like that. If you don't anger the rest of us unduly, he'll probably warm up to you eventually."

"Anger us unduly", Akirra repeats slowly. What are you talking about? The slightest hint of irritation creeps into his voice at this point.

Akirra asks flatly. Couldn't you just have said that you did not know of any weakness?He does not wait for a reply, confident he knows the reason already.

"Of course," she says, elaborating no further.

I did not ask if they would stay in there. I asked if they would come out without provocation. They have obviously not left the room for some reason. Given the considerable time they have been in there and space limitations, they must be confined to the room some how. Whether it is by some compulsion or restriction. Or it could be as simple as they do not have the ability to operate a door. Or it is that they have all they need within and have no reason to come out.

"And I answered your question, even if you did not like the manner in which I did so," the elf replies, her lips curling into a wry smile.

It is quite impressive that you were able to positively identify and ascertain the value of a room full of plants so quickly. But I must ask what value do they have against our lives?

"It's one of my many talents," she shrugs. "If we don't believe that we can deal with them without setting the room on fire, then so be it. But let's have all the facts out before we make a decision, no?"

"Anger us unduly", Akirra repeats slowly. What are you talking about? The slightest hint of irritation creeps into his voice at this point.

"I mean that your manners are a few millenia out of use," Ansha replies, one eyebrow arched imperiously.

The enchantress turns to Tebati. "Now, I've used a few spells already. I still have more, but if we want to be absolutely prepared, I'll need time to prepare more. How spent is your connection to your goddess, Tebati?"

"I put a blessing on Kieran to protect him from the snakes," she answers promptly, then smiles. "Like Qhude, I find most of the demands of this expedition ill-suited to my talents. If we fight the plant-creatures, both his strength and my healing ought finally to be useful, but I have nothing prepared to deal with poison or disease, even if we knew which we were dealing with."

....... But I must ask what value do they have against our lives?

"Oh I completely agree. These plants are unique, they are far far more valuable than some random adventurers.

Jakob returns to the inscriptions.

Tebati gives Jakob a tight-lipped smile. "Sometimes, Jakob, I think you would be happier working with plants and animals than people."

Tebati gives Jakob a tight-lipped smile. "Sometimes, Jakob, I think you would be happier working with plants and animals than people."

"I must admit the idea has it's attractions. I'd hate having nothing to read though." Jacob smiles.

Reading the plaques gave the pair no indication as to what the Third Treatise might be or refer to.

Ansha heaves a sigh and starts for the door. "Let's get this over with, then."

Which door? Rough positions please in either case.

Already ahead of the others en-route to the plant's domain, Qhude slows his gait slightly to allow them to rejoin. He queries without turning "We are to destroy the plants?"

Qhude would vote he sunders the doors from a reach position where he can draw the vegetables out into the corridor to focus down. We can pincer them - with a small group either side of the door.

Ansha nods, resigned. "Yes," she says as she follows Qhude into the hallway. "It would seem so."

I meant for the door out into the hallway. I imagine it makes the most sense to stack around the northern door into the conservatory. Have Qhude sunder the door down and then we can try to draw them out with ranged attacks if necessary.

Why are we sundering rather than opening? Wouldn't it be better to be able to close the door again and eliminate line of effect from within the room if necessary? And aren't these doors stone or metal or something hard to smash through like that?

Allow me to offer a counter proposal:
RAAARGH QHUDE SMASH!!!
Thankyou, I will now take questions.