Akirra looks at Tebati somewhat perplexed, I'm sorry, what?
"The Third Treatise the voice demanded," she clarifies, looking around at the dead end. "It would seem that without it, even if we defeat the guardians, we might not be allowed to leave the level."
Yes, yes, Airra responds while returning to searching the wall. You might he right. I thought for a moment there you were expecting me to have spontaneously remembered it.
Pondering things further he adds, We have a few things left unsolved on the floor above. The map, and the chamber where I was discovered, for instance. Perhaps we need to risk trying to recover my memories if we are to leave this level.
Although he had slumbered for thousands of years, and was from all intents and purposes dead, as Qhude had pointed out many of times since his awakening, Akirra felt a pang of trepidation at subjecting himself to the machine. Knowing he owed his "new" life to his new comrades, something he intended to repay, he offered, If it is the only way, I will chance the machine.
Ansha gives Akirra a sidelong glance. "Better you than me," she murmurs. More loudly, she adds, "I can't help but think we're missing something here, though. Or maybe in the room with the golems and blade traps."
A thorough search both mundane and magical does not reveal anything unusual about the barren room. The walls are carved from thick stone, like the rest of the complex; and no signs of magical or mundane means appear to hide a secret door. What is somewhat unusual is that the veins of pulsing magic that were present throughout much of the rest of the structure also seem absent in this chamber.
While your memories are hazy and oft-confusing, your certain there is more to this complex. You remember little of the Order's purpose beyond opposing Angazhan, but it was built around something at the lowest level. This is not it.
Not finding anything, Akirra frowns. Although his memories are fragmented, he is certain there is more to this complex. Mumbling under his breath he remarks, I remember little of the Order's purpose beyond opposing Angazhan, but this was built around something at the lowest level. We must be able to go lower yet.
We are missing something.
"Hmm," Ansha murmurs. "I wonder if this is an illusion...?" The elven enchantress gestures around the room, her green eyes limned with the faint blue sheen of a cantrip. "Everywhere else in this complex has had veins of magic all over the walls, ceilings and floors. There's not a trace of a magic vein here in this room."
...
We are missing something.
"Grand."
Jakob taps the ceiling with his spear point.
"Maybe there was something in those spheres or their pedestals?"
Jakob follows Qhude towards the spinning blades...
"Even if it's not, I bet we could dig here. Assuming this isn't an illusion, there's no magic reinforcing the walls or floor," the enchantress adds.
"Through stone?" Tebati asks with mild amusement. "I hope we are not here long enough to do so ... and if we are, we should dig up rather than down. We know there is access to the camp and its supplies above us."
Hearing Tebati's remark about supplies Akirra's thoughts turn to his trusty ring. I might die down here, but it won't be from starvation.
Desperate and determined men have dug through worse with less, but yes, let us hope it does not come to that.
Having returned to the chamber above with the others Akirra asks, Anyone have any ideas to try? I'm fresh out.
Having returned to the chamber above with the others Akirra asks, Anyone have any ideas to try? I'm fresh out.
Jakob raises his voice to compete with the whirling blades.
"May as well start with the spheres and pedestals...might be something there. Then I suppose we search this whole place again. We could try the memory machine as a last resort I suppose."
How long do you think they will spin like that? Forever? Perhaps stopping them from spinning is the key to advancing. Looking to Qhude he continues, Maybe you had the right idea, just not the right "tool" for the job. What else can we use to destroy the blades?
How long do you think they will spin like that? Forever? Perhaps stopping them from spinning is the key to advancing. Looking to Qhude he continues, Maybe you had the right idea, just not the right "tool" for the job. What else can we use to destroy the blades?
"Not sure how long they will run. Everything here has been in surprisingly good condition."
Jakob investigates the pedestals and sphere corpses.
"I suppose we could try shoving one of the stone statues into the blades. It would be fun but I doubt that kind of vandalism is what the order is looking for."
"I could perhaps try to see if there is some mechanism, possibly hidden, that makes them stop," Kieran offers, though his tone is something less than optimistic. "I have to admit though. I am not sure I know where to begin. It is not like I have encountered something like this before."
Still convinced that the lack of magical 'veins' in this area is an indication of illusions at play, Ansha attempts to will herself to disbelieve that the room is a dead-end.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Trials of Grallus:
In the year 4711AR, having been drafted into a group of highly talented individuals, the majority of the party presently delving a recently discovered, mysterious ziggurat participated in the highly publicised Trials of Grallus. The trials were devised and named by Sargava's ruler, Grand Custodian Utilinus, and named after his predecessor, the famous Baron Grallus who in 4643AR prevented invasion by Cheliax through a deal with the Shackles Pirates, a tributary deal that has persisted to this day.
This rather gaudy event pitted the party, the eventual victors, against a diverse mix of other teams in a variety of events, many of which were rather more dangerous and vicious than was perhaps expected; a result of the rather loose and lax rules in place for the competitions themselves. The tests included talent, athletic, martial and teamwork trials, and the party won the majority of them, netting the highest points total for the Trials and not losing any members of the team.
Many of the trials were themed around patriotism for Sargava and casting Cheliax as the grand enemy, for example the Trial of Endurance featured summoned Gaavs (devils) to chase down the stragglers while the trial of brawn featured model boats that were accurate to the original fleet that had sailed from Cheliax to subjugate the colony. In general, there was a feeling that the Trials were as much a public spectacle and fundraiser as it was a selection process; and there was a certain feeling of blood sports to the whole affair.
The final trial was a rather strange one though, which was disrupted by none other than a Shackles Pirate vessel, working in cahoots with one of the teams in the trial. It quickly became apparent that this galley was not a scheduled part of the trials when it destroyed one of the other team's small vessels with a catapult, attacking the rest and capturing several members of the other teams! The political ramifications of this were quite troubling and it was clear the Shackles pirates were sending a message for some reason; although as far as public knowledge goes, the tribute to them remains in place. It is noteworthy that the Grand Custodian insisted, during his public oratory, that the vessel was a rogue captain and had no such affiliation to the Shackles Pirates. The group has no knowledge of what happened to the ship's captain, crew or the ship itself...
In addition, during and just before the public event at the city's palace the group were introduced to General Morvius; a no-nonsense career soldier who was quite a renowned figure in Sargava (particularly as a Mwangi man), as well as the Grand Custodian Utilinus himself. Clearly a cunning man with more plans and schemes than he would carelessly divulge, he proved to be more than a match for Ansha's charms and political savvy. He also proved to be a charismatic speaker and shrewd talker, winning over the crowd effortlessly. At the event toasts were made and the winners of the Trials were lauded for their successes and merits.
The evening of celebration was briefly interrupted when Jakob returned, sailing the pirate vessel into port with a emblazoned upon its new flag..... Against all odds the man of obscure talents had managed to single-handedly infiltrate the Shackles vessel, take the captain hostage, rally the prisoners taken and sail the captured vessel back into the harbour, the ships original crew his prisoners, and the vessel sporting a Sargavan flag! The Grand Custodian was quick to seize upon this odd turn of events as a triumph and awarded Jakob the country's highest honour - the Badge of Esteemed Distinction. In addition, the man was awarded the title of Lord; and a small estate.
Immediate business post-Trials of Grallus:
The evening included much merrymaking, mingling and dancing of various sorts, but the next morning was all business. However, Jakob's rather foolhardy heroics and co-operative attitude to the other teams had put an early wedge into the group, angering the Bas'o warrior Qhude in particular. Tensions ran high.
General Morvius gave a small briefing that morning, informing the group they were to enter the Laughing Jungle, armed with new equipment financed by the government.
Some of you arrive earlier than others, but General Morvius is merely courteous in his greetings and brooks no questions, stating if pressed that he prefers to wait for all of you to arrive. He invites you to sit and enjoy the fine food and drink- glasses of cold water, cups of tea offered to you by the servants and a separate tray of ice cold juices.
Once you have all arrived, he clears his throat and begins to speak. Hes not nearly as good at oratory as Utilinus but hes passable.
You have all done well, so well, to come this far. The mission you have won the glory of undertaking may be critical in Sargava's future, a small piece of the greatness our Grand Custodian envisages for us. In two weeks time, we will be taking you into the Laughing Jungle and your task will be explained to you in greater detail. The expedition is being prepared even now; we'll be ready in two weeks. You, need to be ready too.
Morvius beckons a small, scholarly looking man forward, gesturing at him lazily with a piece of melon stuck on the end of his knife. The small Vudrani bows deeply.
This is Arkus- you may use him as your quartermaster for the duration of your stay in the palace. He has instructions from Utilinus to acquire for each of you no less than two thousand gold pieces worth of equipment, be it magical or mundane. This generous sum is subsidised by the treasury but is also partly based off the goodwill of shopkeepers who had much to gain from the Trials themselves; thus you cannot claim it in coin. Arkus and his underlings are skilled procurers; theres little they won't be able to find and as you will be busy within these walls and grounds, they will use our formidable contacts to find what you need. A bonus has been included thanks to the personal efforts of Jakob- a galley is a most valuable prize and he has earnt you all an extra twenty percent or so, already included in this sum.
Waving Arkus away, Morvius gives each of you a basic map of the palace; or at least the sections you are permitted in. Highlighted are several areas including a 'Sparring Chamber', 'Archery Range', 'Library', 'Meditation Chamber' and 'Athletics Hall'.
You will be mostly left to your own devices over the next two weeks, but there will always be servants nearby assigned specifically to you. They will assist you in any capacity you wish of them and inform you of mealtimes. We expect you to train and study hard, for your skills and teamwork will be sorely tested by what is to come. Any queries before I leave?
After some persuasive arguments, Morvius did expand on the briefing further than he had originally intended to at this stage.
Morvius sighs but does not interrupt Jakob's monologue, the whole speech apparently compelling him to hear him out. He thinks for a while then replies-
Do not think of yourself as our "partner" yet; none of you have earned that right- not even you Jakob. With that said, you do make several good points. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to give you some more information so you can prepare accordingly- but bear in mind that even with the money the Trials brought in, we are not a rich or even a powerful government. The money we have bequeathed to each of you is a huge sum and we see it as an investment in you- trust works both ways and if you do not yet trust our motives, trust that we would not spend such gold on you if we don't expect a great future together. If you would suspect the worst of us, think of yourselves as an expensive investment Utilinus hopes will pay off.
Morvius cracks his knuckles on the table as he finishes the sentence, perhaps for emphasis.
You will be going to the Laughing Jungle to explore an ancient ruin, a pyramid shaped structure of stone. The on-site historians we have are not certain of its origins; some claim its Azlant, some say it was built by a wizard-king, there is no consensus yet. The Grand Custodian suspects something of great power lies inside that could potentially aid Sargava in these desperate times; but I do not know how he has acquired that information- I am one of his most trusted advisers, but he alone is at the topof the hierarchy. What I do know is that i've lost dozens of good men trying to get someone inside to investigate, but no one has gotten lower than the top level of the structure; you enter it from the top you see. The structure has been hidden for hundreds of years, perhaps thousands...
A traveller stumbled upon it, a lucky twist of fate as he fled from the indigenous Elves in the area- his mind was somehow not fooled by no less than two powerful illusionary auras shielding the structure from sight; it appeared as a dangerous looking swamp to the casual eye. At great expense we have dispelled the illusion, but I truthfully don't know whats waiting for you. We have no way of knowing for sure how long it has been undiscovered. Whatever took the time to ensure this structure was this well shielded and defended evidently put defences in place to act as another layer of protection; and we've never had a man go inside and come back. We want you to get inside, survive and report back. If your able to disable these defences and get to the next level, we'll set up camp a level above you and so on. I don't know how deep it goes, but the opportunities for glory, discovery, wealth and power could be magnificent.
Morvius looks a little parched, apparently not used to speaking so much. He drinks deeply from a gourd of orange juice.
As well as their new source of funding, the group underwent two weeks of intense training, practice, sparring and studying to ready themselves for the challenges ahead.
The Caravan Journey to Freehold:
Rested, equipped and trained the group set out in a convoy of five wagons, accompanied by six elite soldiers (Albert (Officer), Mengak, and Stephanie (all colonials) and Nolwazi, Thenjiwee and Unwe) and various hands, retainers and aides. The intended destination of the strange structure was due directly south of the ranch town known as Freehold and the intention was to rest and resupply there before heading south.
A few days into the journey, a raid attacked the convoy on a stormy night, but proved no match for the convoy's might, with Qhude grappling the leader and terrifying him into a panicked attempt to escape the warrior's iron grip, to no avail as the Bas'o snapped his neck. Other noteworthy moments in the battle included animal faeces, urine and other foul elements being poured all over Ansha, the infamous Kaava musk used to attract the attention of the young lions the attackers had brought with them! Managing to slay the attackers, who fought to the last, it turned out they bore the symbology of the Freeman Brotherhood; ex-slaves and freedom fighters who aim to abolish slavery. Of late, with the Grand Custodian's lenient rulership and tendency to discourage slavery their actions have been more reminiscent of terrorists.
A few days after entering the infamous Bandu territory, the group ere forced to stop by a roadblock, complete with hundreds of caltrops. The ambush being sprung upon Qhude and Jakob. The bandu assaulted the caravan with slings and much of the group were drawn forward to meet them; only for a secondary attack to take advantage of the move to assault the heart of the formation, using smokesticks to sow confusion and disrupt vision for their raid. Although many were wounded and the officer Albert brought within an inch of death, the day was won with Qhude adding another brutal kill to his list. However, the Bandu escaped with their sole prize, a woman named Bethany.
Deciding to give chase, the party split while a war-painted Qhude, accompanied by the archer N'Bellocq boldly approached the camp, challenging them. The old shaman who led the tribe was loathe to lose more warriors and offered the pair a duel; which they won in short order, securing Bethany's release while at the same time allowing the shaman to save face, their opponents being upstarts who were giving him some trouble. Qhude and N'Bellocq were declared "Champions of Anghazhan", a troubling title...
Meanwhile, Ansha led the others to flank them but alas, the flanking group fell into an Ankheg sinkhole. Said Ankheg was swiftly dispatched by a powerful braced longspear and Kieran's swordplay and while the group extricated themselves from the sinkhole, Jakob slew another with a single mighty lunge.
The Town of Freehold:
Reaching Freehold in a matter of days, the group were afforded another two weeks of downtime while the caravan master traded and the wagons were resupplied. Much had been promised of the town, which had grown around the ranch that was the centre of it. Mwangi had been living with equal rights here for far longer than the idea had been popular in Eleder and Sargava as a whole, drawing the same wages as the Chelish settlers who founded it.
At a glance as you begin to stroll into Freehold, the small town looks rather idyllic. Freehold is situated on a very shallow hillock, not steep enough to give it any real advantage in defence were it to come under attack but it certainly makes the place look rather appealing. Whether it is due to the slightly uneven ground in various places or perhaps by design, the buildings of the small town are well spaced out; feeling more like an overgrown village than a town with clear streets and alleys. Freehold appears to be loosely circular in shape, with a large clearing in the centre that is currently coming into view. It looks like the local market is situated in said clearing, with stalls selling groceries and preservatives in particular, although you imagine the market will be beginning to wind down now as the evening settles in. The clearing is also a place of beauty, with planted trees looming over rows of carefully maintained flowers, herbal gardens and hedge rows.
There doesn't seem to be any particular commercial district with the exception of the market. Buildings marked by signs as shops and tradesmen are scattered almost randomly throughout the town; and the paint on many signs is bold and vibrant; a sign of a recent growth spurt perhaps. The settlement seems extremely clean and tidy compared to the dirty streets of Eleder and although most buildings are made of wood, none of them appear to be especially old. The older buildings in Freehold seem to be made of stone, in particular the large structure clearly marked as the Lion's Maw; made of red brick with a slated, tiled roof. The wooden buildings themselves look similar in design; they are usually close to circular in shape and have generous sized doors and windows- as well as a decent amount of interior space and a degree of space around the buildings themselves. The whole town feels very open and the design gives it a sense of welcoming community.
From your position walking into the town, Freehold Ranch is also clearly visible at the north end of town. A somewhat out of place wooden building on your right as your entering is painted a bright red with a vibrant sign, the graceful, flowing letters of the sign above the door reading Cruthoniax's Curios. Qhude has not yet spotted a tannery or leatherworker but the sounds of an anvil being hammered on from inside the Curious shop makes him wonder if someone inside might have such skill.
The people here seem relaxed and friendly. Children play and laugh freely throughout the wide and open paths. Locals stop to chat and gossip with one another and your presence, although noted, seems to cause very little concern or alarm. The air is clean, and the smell of freshly picked flowers reaches your nostrils as you spot a brightly clad Chelish woman with a basket of them, offering you a single flower for a copper piece or a bouquet for five with a smile and a wave as you pass. As far as the racial breakdown goes, you mostly see Mwangi and Colonial humans, although you spot a couple of Half-Elf citizens, a Gnome porter, a Halfling stall-keeper and a Half-Orc town guard as you walk.
However, although the group did make some new friends including the Gnome craftsman Cruthoniax who subsequently joined the caravan and Ntisi the Erastil shamaness. The group also met various council members and majority shareholders of the ranch itself at a hosted banquet, including Mindra and Salgarth Macini (descendants of the ranch's original founders), the innkeeper Bellis Mara, the Mauxi warrior Mitabu, the head rancher Zenj Tabansi and the reclusive Elven Wizard Zesaste Telath. After some light conversation, it transpired that some kind of large animal had been attacking the ranch's oxen and the council sought to hire the adventurers to dispose of it. Tabansi swore that it seemed like the animal had been targeting him personally. Bizarrely, it seemed the man had a point; Ansha detected magic upon him but kept this information to herself, at least initially. With the help of the Elven Wizard Zesaste, it was deduced that Tabansi was suffering from a transmutation spell called Nature's Exile - which made him a target for all kinds of flora and fauna.
The beast turned out to be a 4,000lb Anklyosaurus, not yet fully grown. Although its fierce rage took down Qhude and Kieran, it eventually fell to the combined assault. However, the curse on Tabansi was not nearly such a simple affair, especially when the man was accused of stealing from the Church of Erastil; Kieran being duped into planting the evidence himself! After some investigation and speaking to various people in Freehold, the group uncovered a plot involving many of the council members to dramatically change the shareholdings via Tabansi's murder; and for Salgarth Macini to turn the ranch into an exploitative, low-wage area with the ideals of equality and fairness abandoned.
While the plot was uncovered, Tabansi's death prevented and the miscreants apprehended, the smaller portion of the group sent to apprehend the wizard Zesaste Talathel failed; the Elf having kenned what was happening and prepared himself with various spells of transmutation. Knocking out Kieran with one deft maneuver with the hilt of his enchanted blade, the Wizard traded the rake's lie for his escape.
With the main plotters stopped, the group had clearly done Freehold a great service; but the whole affair left a bitter taste in their mouths, somewhat tainting the so-called idyllic place they had been promised so much about. Ultimately, much of what Freehold offered was found wanting, with far more going on than initially met the eye in the treacherous place.
Arrival at the Base Camp:
On the 22nd of Erastus, the caravan finally reached its destination around a month since setting out from Eleder.
Around the pyramid itself, the Sargavan forces had set up a base camp. A circular wall of sharpened stakes served as the camp's defence with three watchtowers placed on the south, west and east sides. A wooden gatehouse had been erected on the north side and as far as you could ascertain, it was the only way in or out of the complex. The caravan announced itself and after some security checks, it began to pass through into the base camp itself. Inside, the complex seemed to consist primarily of three to four man sized tents, although four large pavilion tents had also been set up, scattered around the camp.
General Morvius stood waiting with the quartermaster Arkus beside him as the caravan rolled into the camp. It was clear that all was not well here, despite the General's welcoming smile. Some of the soldiers the group spotted were sporting bandages and signs of treated wounds and although the camp seemed well organised here and there were small, tell-tale signs that this place had seen fighting.
The group were re-united with General Morvius and introduced to Arturus, a scholar in the employ of the Sargavan government. The Sargavans had fortified the camp hastily and had a sizable garrison, which was apparently already being tested with attacks from local Mwangi. After some initial investigation and tentative use of rope and goat, the Umkhaya entered the pyramid at its highest level.
Ancient Pyramid, Level 1 (Entrance Chamber)
This seemed to have been an entrance chamber of some kind; one that had slain all of Morvius' men who had entered it. Having determined the room was utterly teeming with magical auras of various sorts, the group survived an assault by a pair of durable wax golems, strong and durable, shaped as young Azlant warriors. Powerful adversaries, the two nevertheless fell after inflicting some wounds. Some kind of images flashed upon the walls, telling a story as the fight ensued; however much of it was missed due to the melee.
The next morning, the group acquired mundane supplies, including two weeks of rations. Qhude bore most of these without complaint and by midday, General Morvius, Arturus and Albert's squad watched nervously as the group entered the corridor leading inside the structure! Just as the corridor began to fill with the same darkness that had heralded the disappearance of the goat, the group saw something that was not apparent to them when the goat was in their place; a stone door slammed down behind them while, simultaneously, the wall with the purple sickle and star symbol slid up into the ceiling; acting something like an ancient airlock which would clearly limit the number of people who could enter at any one time. Before their eyes was a square room, which they entered nervously; noting that the door that had shut behind them bore the same symbols on this side, suggesting it opened to the outside in a similar manner as to the inside.
The putrid smell of death permeated the air and commanded attention long before the group's spellcaster's conjured enough light to see the room properly; mixed in with musty, ancient dust, stale, dry air and the distinct, faint smell of candle wax added into the strange mix, of all things. The overall effect was quite discomforting and made the inhaler feel ill at ease. The only pre-existing source of light in the room seemed to be coming from some apparatus that included a candle in one corner of the room; the apparent source of the smell of wax.
Even as the light was conjured, a faint thrumming sound, like a low-pitched humming, seemed to be audible from the walls and floors of the interior of the structure. Other than this faint humming, the only sound that radiated through the chamber was the footfalls of the adventurer's that had entered here, particularly Qhude's heavy steps, laden as he was.
The eyes of the Umkhaya took in a variety of different things as they became visible. The fate of at least some, if not all, of Sargava's military forces that had entered was laid bare upon the smooth stone floor of the square room the group had wandered into; as well as the fate of the goat the Umkhaya had sent to its death. Dried blood splattered the walls of the rooms, spilt from over a dozen bodies scattered around the centre of the room which had been left to rot. The four walls of the room appeared to be thick, superior masonry walls that did not appear even the slightest bit blemished over the ages. The ceiling however, was entirely smooth and seemed to be made of square panels of metal rather than stone. Other than the blood splattered over them, the walls of the room were bare and unadorned. However, the south end of the room, opposite the north where the Umkhaya entered, boasted five statues, two pairs and a single, huge statue that seemed to lord over the whole room.
The statues were arranged in a line of five, neatly and symmetrically flanking the largest. The two outer statues were carved of white marble and were sculpted into formidable-looking, fully-armoured figures, each stood in a stoic pose as though blocking access or protecting something with the long, stone swords they held. Both carvings depicted the warriors with full helmets of a fashion that none among the group recognised; with a horizontal, arced slit that would seem quite quaint to today's armourers. Tall and imposing, the statues radiated stability and strength.
Beside these two stalwart carvings, directly flanking the largest statue, were two archers that bore a striking resemblance to N'bellocq; wiry, muscular individuals with unstrung bows held out, eyes scanning the horizon. While the race and ethnicity of the two armoured warriors would forever remain a mystery, the two scouts (or perhaps light infantry) were clearly Mwangi in nature; racial features as well as a darker shade of Marble had been used to make this clear.
The final statue was made of an extremely dark shade of some unknown stone, rendering the sculpture almost ebony black in colour. Humanoid in nature, the figure depicted was clearly not quite Human in any modern sense of the word. The unusually prominent forehead, sharply declined nose and especially thick neck all suggested that this figure was in fact, an Azlant. This insinuation was strengthened by the strange jewellery he was depicted as wearing, along with three small stones that appeared as though floating around his head, cunningly carved and held in place by the faintest of joiners to look like Ioun Stones. He was depicted as an ageing figure, with a receding hairline; in flowing robes that seemed to flare with the wind; the sculpting here was exquisite and almost impossible, it would surely seem. With one hand extended forward and eyes narrowed in focus, it seemed as though the figure depicted was straining against a mighty force or a great wind. The other hand clutched a sceptre almost as large as Qhude himself; made of pure gold and with hundreds of gemstones embedded into it! The middle-aged figure seemed carved as though to radiate nobility and strength of purpose. This largest statue stood leaning over a small well of water, accessible at his midriff level by a small marble stairway that allowed access from two sides. A plaque was engraved onto the figure's chest, just above the well, with small, neat script.
The final feature of the room that immediately struck the Umkhaya was a set of spiral stairs, which was walled off on every side by a waist high, stone wall except from the southern, just in front of the statue...
The room boasted a sinister looking candle, dripping wax and radiating necromantic magic. It was speculated later that this candle allowed the Azlant-looking wax golems to repair their wounds and create new golems to replenish their numbers.
The room also featured five carefully carved statues; a large figure in the centre which turned out to be depicting an Azlant leader named Arioch, two armoured and helmed warriors flanking him with two Mwangi archers on the edges of the arranged formation. Qhude felt a strange urge to drink from the water at the base of the largest statue; finding himself refreshed upon doing so and bizarrely, suddenly able to fluently read and speak in Azlant.
Deducing that the webbing blocking the stairs was likely part of a trap, the group remotely burnt the webbing away. Their prudence was rewarded; as they descended a hidden trigger detonated a magical spark within the air- though with no webbing to light, this trap was rendered impotent. The spiders conjured though, were very real. Between alchemists fire and Shimye-Magalla's gust of wind, the swarm was splattered and burnt to insignificant numbers. They pressed on down to the second level of the pyramid.
Ancient Pyramid, Level 2 (Defence Gauntlet/Tests)
This level of the pyramid had a familiar feature throughout; thin veins of magic in red lines running along the walls, almost as if they were pulsating like veins, pumped by some ghastly heart. These faint lines moved to what looked like a heartbeat, changing from a dull rouge to a glowing, sickening blood red. It was unsettling.
Much of this floor, especially the main corridor that let one progress deeper into the pyramid, appeared to be some kind of defence gauntlet, including a bound Daemon (who Qhude released by repeating the Azlant he had read in the room above), a corridor chokepoint, manned by galleries of motionless, animated archers. Having managed to dismiss the Daemon without fighting it, it seemed likely the group did not trigger the level's timeless defences.
A strange test involving gemstones enchanted like Ioun stones and trials of Fire, Acid and Lightning was passed; with Qhude standing in the centre of an elemental maelstrom. The correct gemstones were selected and he survived an onslaught that would surely have destroyed any unprotected candidate. This intricate process revealed first a section of mud in the cracked stone beneath his feet and then, animated a small beetle statue to the size of a cat; the creature promptly digging up a cog for the group in the revealed earth. This revealed another room, where strange metallic orbs (later deduced to be of the Inevitable type, specifically Arbiters). The orbs insisted on an "inspection" to check if the group were "Anghazhanites", which apparently they passed.
Proceeding to the other side of the chamber, they found four bodies held in Temporal Statis; a Lizardfolk, a White Ape, a Winged Ape and a Great Ape. They seemed to be held much like a zoo, each with a placard as well as a booming voice declaring that these were among the greatest enemies of the order.
Solving another puzzle involving Azlant letters to spell out Vigilance, they activated another highly complex door; using hundreds of animated ropes to intricately tie together a mechanism. Pulling the rope, three orrery's flew towards them. Angelic beings of the lowest order, they spoke to the very souls of the group in order to communicate.
Progressing on, they battled a diabolical trio of a Cherub-like Demon, Winged Demon and horned Demon. Their prize was to advance; through the magically bound soors into a large stone door that seemed stuck or jammed. Qhude's might managing to open it a little, it was clear that the boulders and debris blocking the stairway was intentional, rather than any kind of cave-in. For now, the Umkhaya had advanced as far as they could.
Returning unimpeded to the surface, there was a debrief which some very frank admissions from General Morvius.
Reporting back to General Morvius and Arturus, you detail your exploits. Both the General and the sage Arturus in a private debriefing, in the largest of tents. Having seen Qhude drag the magnificent scepter back into camp, Arkus the quartermaster asked politely for permission to inspect and appraise it and did so in the background of the briefing. Cruthoniax was also clearly very interested but was not permitted to enter the debrief.
The pair listened intently to the recounting of the delve, but this did not stop them from interjecting at various points- Arturus was keen to learn as much as he could about the strange veins of magic flowing through the structure and the strange thrumming sound that could be heard inside it. Morvius wanted to know if the candle apparatus had the potential to be weaponized. Both were suitably intrigued by the strange objects and Outsiders the group had encountered and they were both disappointed to find that progress had been blocked. Morvius summed up his thoughts at the end of the briefing.
You have exceeded my expectations- even to enter and return is more than my trained soldiers were able to do. I am sorry to hear of their fate. It does seem strange that they did not strike down even one of these wax men you mention; and strange that they are fashioned as Azlant, judging from your description. Much about this place is strange, but it is clear that we are likely to find greater wonders and power inside; power that Sargava direly needs. I feel you have deserved some frankness from myself and the Grand Custodian...
Arkus stopped his appraisal to scowl at Morvius. The scowl was noted but ignored. Passion entered Morvius' voice as he continued, near imploring in his tone.
And this frankness is thus; Sargava's very existence may hinge on whatever we are able to find and utilise within this place. Despite the lower tribute the Custodian was able to negotiate with the Hurricane King, Sargava's financial ruin is upon us. We can take no more credit, The coffers are near-empty. Do not mistake this for a simple economic disaster however... he grimly warned, raising a hand as he paced back and forth in the tent, as though giving a lecture.
We are barely holding Kalabuto in the east against the Mzali; and pirates are flocking to our coasts to raid; sponsored by the Hurricane King because we are behind on our payments. The Bandu are becoming even more of a menace. Perhaps even worse; we've recently began to receive reports of a force of the Gorilla King's forces pushing west towards us. Without more wealth to maintain and expand our forces; or enough power as a substitute for it - Sargava will soon collapse in on itself. Colonial or tribesman, it won't matter once the vultures descend... Sargava will be picked clean and neither the cities nor the tribes have the unity or power necessary to thrive. A time of great strife will encompass this land. Utilinis would like to avoid this; as would I. We would make Sargava strong again; worthy of the independence our ancestors, both Mwangi and Chelish, worked so hard for.
The passion left Morvius' voice as he assumed the role of taskmaster again, hands clasped behind his straight-arched back as he addressed the group after a brief and quiet conversation with his quartermaster. During the conversation, the group were invited to sit, eat and drink while camp followers brought sundry in for them.
Arkus has appraised the scepter. He will be travelling to Eleder to make contact with some intermediaries, who as I understand it will travel to Absalom and sell it there; under his supervision. He will be able to acquire near-anything you desire within your price limit. We are, quite naturally, re-investing much of the profit on this item back into equipment for you, while some shall be used for critical replenishment of Sargava's coffers. Your share each comes to nine thousand and five hundred gold pieces or equivalent, so I have been told. Arkus will provide coinage if you do not spend all of your share. I hope that this scepter is a mere bauble compared to what you will find deeper; a collector's item though it surely is.
Now, to matters at hand. Obviously your delve must continue at its earliest opportunity. We'll be moving some of our operation into the upper level of the structure and we shall send work crews down from there. I have sent for a master architect to ensure that the process of removing the debris you have mentioned is as safe and efficient as possible; and perhaps the man will have other insights as to the structure and its purpose. Nevertheless, the process could take weeks... We'll soon discuss what you could do to keep yourselves busy here; there's plenty of work to be done. I'd certainly be keen to see if you could discover the source of these native attacks that have been harassing us- but I digress. My first question for you is thus-
Do you have any recommendations or inclinations as to what to do with these skeletons you mentioned? I am likely to destroy them or seal them in... they will make the workers uneasy. And who knows what might set them off, or how powerful they might be, if they are animated! I would pose the same question as to the frozen apes you mentioned...
Arturus spoke up next, waving a piece of parchment he had been scrawling on.
I will study these creatures and the plaques you speak of Ansha. I have been making some mathematical calculations and- based on the height of both of the levels you explored; I have concluded that the structure likely has six levels in total, each larger in terms of volume than the last; unless the walls become thicker lower at the base of course... It is also possible that there are further floors if the structure extends underground.
With some time on their hands, the group assisted where they could. The camp became a bustling hive of activity.
The simple palisade surrounding the camp and the ancient structure was in the process of being upgraded to a more substantial wooden stockade, soldiers assisting construction workers when not on patrol or performing drills; and in light of the recent attack on the camp by an unknown force, General Morvius had apparently negotiated with a force of mercenaries to provide additional force in defending it. They were due to arrive within two weeks. The upper-most floor of the pyramid was now fully inhabited by work crews and soldiers, as well as scholars and architects, working under Arturus' permission.
The experiences within the structure seemed to have hardened the group and their talents. Shimye-Magalla's blessings upon Tebati were definitely increasing in power and potency. Jakob's strange bond with nature seemed to only deepen as his mistrust for civilisation seemed to grow. Qhude, Kieran and N'bellocq's prowess as warriors continued to develop, having been frequently put to the test over the past few weeks. Ansha's knowledge of both spell formulae and more mundane lore had also grown; and the enchantress had also had Arturus teach her to speak Azlant...
As well as training and awaiting the completion of the excavation in order to explore the third floor of the ancient structure, there were plenty of other activities that competed to occupy their attention...
The wonders already discovered within the pyramid and the trials faced seemed to sharpen minds and hone bodies. The weeks rolled steadily by as the camp became larger in more ways than one; in the amount of tents pitched, the manpower available there and in the slowly-growing sense of permanency as the base camp was expanded. A couple of weeks rolled by as an excavation team cleared the debris.
The stockade was now complete, with a watchtower in all four corners of the square fortification. There were plans being drawn up to dig a pit around the structure and fill them with stakes, but they had not yet been implemented. Colonials and Mwangi alike toiled, although it could not be denied that there were more of the former. A large section of jungle had been painstakingly cleared by workers and soldiers, so that the camp now resided in a large clearing surrounding the ancient structure, with thirty feet of dense jungle having been cleared to provide a killing ground between the walls and recently erected watchtowers and the dense jungle. General Morvius was keen to expand this zone yet further, but the sheer density and dampness of the jungle made this exhausting work; particularly in the summer heat of Arodus. The camp itself had several heat shelters built as well as the tents, and the jungle shade kept the worst of the heat away from the workers. However, the sheer humidity trapped by the jungle meant that those working there frequently showed signs of contracting mosquito fever. Tebati and Unwe were frequently called away from their activities in order to administer healing, even though anyone sleeping in the open air had a mosquito net. Most workers preferred the excavation inside the structure as a result of the potential of sickness and heat exhaustion.
The inventor Cruthoniax was working on a new kind of mosquito net but thus far his efforts had been disastrous; one particular prototype sought to deter them with a repellent but had actually attracted additional mosquito's instead... He seemed glad of Qhude's company, the Bas'O having been offered an open invitation to utilise Cruthoniax's tools and workbench.
While the Laughing Jungle was hardly a particularly hospitable environment, supplies were in short supply locally and had to be regularly brought in. In addition, supply wagons had begun to stop arriving a week ago; so far four of them had failed to arrive. With the attacks on the base camp itself having stopped, Morvius suspected the Mwangi who had been accosting it were responsible. The mercenaries General Morvius had hired to protect the camp were re-assigned in early Arodus to seek out the fate of the caravans and protect the next few supply runs. For now, the camp's soldiers were on half-rations; although they did not openly protest at this state of affairs, they were clearly grumbling in private amongst themselves. Envoys had been sent deeper into the Laughing Jungle to seek out the reclusive Song'O native Halflings with the hope of trading with them, but thus far they had met with no success in even finding them.
In total, the camp now consisted of a little over a hundred and twenty humanoids, primarily humans. Approximately forty of that number were soldiers, including Albert's squad. Another ten were scholars, reporting directly to Arturus. The remaining sixty-five were workers, labourers and support staff. The winners of the Trials of Grallus met in the evenings with General Morvius and Arturus on a weekly basis and were treated as his de facto lieutenants by the rest of the camp's inhabitants. Each of them had roughly completed the task they had set out for themselves over the course of three weeks and had a full report to make on their progress, or lack thereof...
The awakened ape's were far more formidable than you and the soldiers had ever expected. Even fighting them one at a time proved to be a near-deadly affair. Their sheer prowess and formidability prevented you from taking the risk to subdue one for study; the lethality of each encounter was such that that option would likely have seen you or one of the soldiers slain. While you bore the worst of the wounds from each fight, the soldiers fared little better. It was when preparing to fight these creatures that you realised that you could no longer read Azlant...
The lizardfolk was obviously a great warrior in his time. Weaponless, he used his claws to deadly effect before being brought down by a hail of crossbow bolts and spear thrusts.
The Great Ape proved a less deadly battle. A very strong and primordial animal with a simple mind, it simply leapt into action with little or no provocation, tearing with claws and teeth. You suffered a bite and claw before the animal was slain.
The flying ape known as a Derhii was a surprisingly difficult fight. Just when you thought you had the ape handled, it knocked you down with surprising swiftness and fell upon Albert; who was nearly slain by its fury before you managed another desperate pin and it was slain in turn.
The four-armed ape the plaques called a Girallon was the deadliest predator amongst those awakened. Standing at a towering 8 foot tall and weighing over 800 pounds, the magical beast endured dozens of crossbow bolts, tore itself free of the net and was brought down only in an ugly melee where half a dozen of soldiers were downed. Many soldiers earnt their scars that day although miraculously, your efforts (and Tebati's healing) were enough to prevent any deaths.
Although they took the worst of the brief fights, you noted that Albert's squad were clearly a cut above the other, mostly untested soldiers at the camp. They were likely a match for a dozen of General Morvius' rank and file.
Your efforts were extremely frustrating but brought you many insights into the creation and magic behind the creation of golems. You were forced to re-sculpt your wax golem multiple times as they continually collapsed before being animated; but eventually the magic operating the slightly sinister equipment seemed to flare with power at your intent, rather than with any particular cantrip or spell you attempted.
Strangely, although the wax exuded seemed to be the component for the wax golems you encountered- once you managed to animate your own wax golem, the wax stopped being produced by the apparatus. You suspect that should your golem be destroyed, it will begin to exude wax once more; although you are not certain you could easily replicate the difficult process. This means that the apparatus' utility as a war factory is very limited.
You are aware that your efforts were imperfect; and in the process you learnt a lot about wax golems. They stand a good chance of gaining sentience- and should this golem do so, it will undoubtedly attempt to slay and impersonate you... You are worried that the imperfect nature of your creation will make this outcome far more likely. You are also aware that this wax golem, whilst bearing a striking resemblance to you, is likely to be less powerful than one created by a true master of the art of golem-craft. Nevertheless; it is an eerie, functional wax golem that follows your commands; provided they are given in Azlant.
You realise it is likely that the wax golems encountered in the first floor of the building almost certainly believed they were true Azlant; for them to not have gained sentience over the countless years was mathematically improbable.
Ansha's Wax Golem CR 2
XP 600
N Medium construct
Init –1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 13, touch 9, flat-footed 13 (–1 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 31 (2d10+20)
Fort +0, Ref -1, Will +0
Immune cold, construct traits, magic
Weaknesses vulnerable to fire
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee slam +4 (1d6+3)
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 9, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1
Base Atk +2; CMB +4; CMD 13
SQ conditional sentience
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Conditional Sentience (Su)
A wax golem constructed to look like a humanoid (whether a particular individual or not) has a small chance of gaining sentience and genuinely believing it is a living creature. Ansha is unaware of the conditions or likelihood of her wax golem gaining sentience...
Immunity to Magic (Ex)
A wax golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance, with the exception of spells and spell-like abilities that have the fire descriptor. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.
A magical attack that deals fire damage slows a wax golem (as the slow spell) for 2d6 rounds (no save). In addition, for 3 rounds after taking fire damage, every time a wax golem uses its slam attack, it deals an additional 1d4 points of fire damage due to its molten wax.
A magical attack that deals cold damage breaks any slow effect on the golem and heals 1 point of damage for each 3 points of damage the attack would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the golem to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. A wax golem gains no saving throw against cold effects.
Your travels to the gorge led you to not only discover the location of the camp, but also make some interesting discoveries.
The only obvious entrance to the gorge was blocked by a natural rockfall. While it did not fully block passage, the terrain was difficult and it could easily become a killing field if the camp below was attacked. Worse, the cliffs on the sides of the gorge hung over the enemies camp somewhat; and large rocks littered the small gorge and the stream that ran through it. There was ample cover and raining down arrows and projectiles from atop the gorge was likely to have limited effect. You spotted over a dozen large tents and estimate the enemy's force to be less than 30; all Mwangi you think.
You make two additional discoveries. Firstly, there is a extremely well hidden natural pass down into the gorge on the other side which, it seems, the enemy are unaware of. It would be an ideal place for a small group to launch a surprise attack or a distraction from.
Your second discovery is more disturbing; and you made it only in the past week. You had a strange sense that someone was often following a similar route to you from the camp and avoiding your proximity. On a hunch, you began to cover your own tracks. Returning from your discovery of the gorge, you saw extremely faint tracks; a single pair of them that led directly into the base camp itself...
In addition, you feel you can confirm General Morvius' theory. Over a dozen tracks recently led north-west, away from the base camp and towards the supply lines.
Your efforts in this endeavour were crucial. After spending the first couple of weeks unsuccessfully seeking some form of proximity detector that had been triggered upon the group entering the structure, you correctly deduced that the imagery that displayed upon the walls of this chamber was tied to the trapdoors that released the wax golems. Disabling a fairly deadly blade trap tied into both trapdoors to prevent tampering with them, you were able to inspect these niches carefully.
Some kind of metal device was set into both of these trapdoors, apparently being powered somehow by the structure itself. You determine that it was responsible for maintaining and healing the golems that resided there. You also noted a thin lining of lead in the trapdoor; likely there to prevent successful use of detection spells. Eventually, you rigged up a rope mechanism that would display the images whenever it was pulled; the rope tied directly to the opening mechanism of the two trapdoors.
The scholars have been utilising this mechanic to view the images over and over again, noting any detail and scrutinising it in great detail. Arturus was absolutely delighted with your efforts.
The programmed images showed the following acts sequentially, with images swirling and flashing to portray different scenes-
Act 1: The first scene shifted several times to show seven separate battles. Hundreds of Azlant soldiers faced off against hordes of apes and ape-like demons. One particularly large and majestic looking-ape was always present, often in the thick of the fighting. His martial prowess was clearly respected and/or feared by the image's creator. Thousands of smaller monkeys and even some demons were also present in the enemy ranks. In each battle, it seemed the Azlant were able to hold the enemy at bay; but never truly routed them. Interestingly, Arturus managed to spot and identify the Bandu Hills in the background of one of the battles, suggesting Sargava was once under Azlant control. In addition, a few of the battle scenes showed Mwangi warriors being used to support the fighting where it was less thick. The impression given was certainly that the Azlant were defending territory.
Act 2: A figure that closely resembled the central statue in the room, perhaps known as Arioch, led a well-armed and diverse group of Azlant's past mighty walls and defensive formations, moving stealthily towards the distant and ancient jungles of the Mwangi Expanse. The group bore a distinct resemblance to a band of adventurers and included a muscular, heavily armoured Mwangi warrior who seemed to be the leader's bodyguard.
Act 3: The small band were engaged in many fierce battles and skirmishes with Ape's and Charau-Ka; often vastly outnumbered, as they seemed to go deeper and deeper into the jungle. The leader seemed to be a powerful magic-user and was often depicted slaying multiple foes. Nevertheless, their numbers dwindled as the members of the company were slain or left surrounded, buying time for the unknown mission. Eventually, only the leader and Mwangi bodyguard were left, as they gazed from hiding upon a monolithic city infested by Gorilla's.
Act 4: Apparently having entered the city, this scene depicts the leader, apparently having just placed an object from some kind of pedestal into his (clearly magical) bag in some kind of treasure vault. Surrounded by wealth, coins and jewels to make even a dragon jealous, the leader teleported away with tears in his eyes as his Mwangi bodyguard was slain, utterly surrounded by four-armed, white apes. Dozens of dead ape-like humanoids surrounded the brave warrior.
Act 5: The lone survivor of the mission, the leader, was seen holding his magical bag aloft in triumph to much older-looking Azlant; stood in a semi-circle around him like some kind of council. Although the image did not produce sound, the wizard seemed to talk the council around after furious debate.
Act 6: These scenes portrayed dozens of Azlant's marching into a newly built structure, clearly this very one, accompanied by hundreds of Mwangi servants. The wizard was with them, at the very front; but he seemed at least a few years older. Once inside, the wizard seemed to be testing the Azlant's skills and abilities, teaching them and training them.
Act 7: A far, far older man, the wizard was seen here speaking with five lieutenants, two of which seemed to be Mwangi rather than Azlant. They seemed to be imploring him not to leave, but his face and gestures were grave. Garbed for adventuring once more, he teleported away. Appearing just outside of the monolithic city once more, he was seen entering it as the scene faded to blackness.
Act 8: This scene seemed to only be present to show the vast passing of time. Hundreds of years flashed by in mere moments, with great battles and Azlant accomplishments visible for the briefest of moments. A new scene seemed to zoom inside the structure once more; and showed a magical gateway of some kind being created and completed. Men, supplies, weapons and animals were continually escorted through the portal. As time passed, the volume of people passing through diminished to a halt.
Act 9: This act depicted a scene of bloody battle inside corridors and grand, ornate rooms; Azlant and Mwangi fighting side by side against other Azlant and Mwangi; some kind of civil war, judging from the similar appearance of both of the sides. The scene came to a halt as the demon-summoning Azlant leader of one side was finally slain.
Act 10: In the aftermath of the battle, those living inside the ancient structure seemed demoralised and near-broken; leaving in some kind of organised exodus. Mages could be seen placing powerful spells upon the structure and surrounding it, while in stark contrast to the exodus from the pyramid, a single Azlant man was displayed being put into what could only be described as some kind of petrification effect, inside one of the rooms of the structure. Frozen like a statue for unknown reasons while his fellows left the structure, his was the last image to be displayed before the walls; and the room's persistent humming- fell silent.
Much of the information you find is piecemeal. However, you do manage to locate a written account of ancient folk tales told by a now non-extinct Zenj tribe in eastern Sargava. They speak of the "Ariochites" as the mortal enemies of Angazhan, claiming that their leader and founder, Arioch, struck the greatest blow the Demon Lord Angazhan and the Gorilla Kings had ever felt on the material plane- by "entering the heart of their power and tearing away their greatest treasure and artifact. While the Demon Lord made multiple copies of this mighty prize, all of them paled in power compared to the first of them. The great hero Arioch then sought to destroy this heinous and thoroughly profane instrument of evil, but was never heard from again and was presumed to have fallen".
There is also written evidence that many Mwangi in the past two centuries have alluded to leaving their tribes and joining the Order of Arioch, but these accounts are frustratingly vague. The sheer number of them, however, seems to imply that an organised presence claiming the name is still active in Sargava...
Tebati found the answers given to her by the Archons she was able to commune with frustratingly vague. However, one of them seemed to have blessed her with a holy aura of sorts, promising that it would help to protect her from those she sought to combat.
From what she was able to piece together, the term "Angazhanites" was first coined by the Order of Arioch in the Azlant language. Rather than referring merely to worshippers of the Demon Lord, it alluded specifically to those amongst them who had either been subverted by the Demon Lord's promises of true strength and power or used to refer to those among the Ariochites who privately held a differing philosophy than that set out by the Order's founder. The latter often became the former, twisted by the power they sought.
The heart of this philosophical difference was thus- the Order was created to protect something of great power and importance to the Demon Lord. However, there were many within the Order that were subtly manipulated by this something, or simply wished to use its power to further the interests of the Order and of the Azlant. The most vocal proponents of using its power against the Demon Lord often began with the best of intentions; but this divide amongst its members led to civil war; and nearly the dissolution of the Order entirely.
She was assured that the structure was built with the express intent to keep this something locked away from the world. However, Tebati was not certain whether the archons she spoke with were not pushing their own agenda in some way. It felt like they were trying to manipulate her, but she could not put her finger on exactly how.
In a weekly meeting after various activities were completed, the group each made a report on their progress; Ansha causing something of a stir with her new wax golem attending the meeting nude. Kieran having created a means to re-trigger the programmed images in the entrance chamber, the scholar Arturus and his team presented their interpretations of them also-
Happy to be in his area of expertise and leaving General Morvius to settle the remaining issues surrounding the golem, Arturus explained how he and his scholars had segmented the swirling images into ten separate "acts" and went on to describe them in great detail, adding his team's comments and speculation as he lectured-
The programmed images showed the following acts sequentially, with images swirling and flashing to portray different scenes-
What we appeared to have triggered was a classic Journey story. The scene is set, the protagonist embarks and faces a great deal of danger; returning triumphant. Acts 6 and 7 convinced us we were actually seeing a loose life story of this protagonist- almost certainly the Azlant depicted on the largest statue, in a place of honor in the entrance chamber.
Act 1: The first scene shifted several times to show seven separate battles. Hundreds of Azlant soldiers faced off against hordes of apes and ape-like demons. One particularly large and majestic looking-ape was always present, often in the thick of the fighting. His martial prowess was clearly respected and/or feared by the image's creator. Thousands of smaller monkeys and even some demons were also present in the enemy ranks. In each battle, it seemed the Azlant were able to hold the enemy at bay; but never truly routed them. Interestingly, Arturus managed to spot and identify the Bandu Hills in the background of one of the battles, suggesting Sargava was once under Azlant control. In addition, a few of the battle scenes showed Mwangi warriors being used to support the fighting where it was less thick. The impression given was certainly that the Azlant were defending territory.
From what we've gathered, it seems the Azlant had themselves a sizeable colony in Sargava, at the very least the eastern edge of it. Quite unexpected- there has been, to date, no other archaeological dig site to support this find... The large ape must, of course, be the Gorilla King of that time. He is significantly larger than reports of other Gorilla Kings; likely the illustrator exaggerated his stature.
Act 2: A figure that closely resembled the central statue in the room, perhaps known as Arioch, led a well-armed and diverse group of Azlant's past mighty walls and defensive formations, moving stealthily towards the distant and ancient jungles of the Mwangi Expanse. The group bore a distinct resemblance to a band of adventurers and included a muscular, heavily armoured Mwangi warrior who seemed to be the leader's bodyguard.
Act 3: The small band were engaged in many fierce battles and skirmishes with Ape's and Charau-Ka; often vastly outnumbered, as they seemed to go deeper and deeper into the jungle. The leader seemed to be a powerful magic-user and was often depicted slaying multiple foes. Nevertheless, their numbers dwindled as the members of the company were slain or left surrounded, buying time for the unknown mission. Eventually, only the leader and Mwangi bodyguard were left, as they gazed from hiding upon a monolithic city infested by Gorilla's.
This city is almost certainly the ancient Usaro; domain of the Gorilla King. Records date Usaro as having been founded sometime around six or seven hundred years ago- a gross inaccuracy, according to this story. It must have pre-dated Earthfall... Perhaps protected by powerful magic, as this structure must have been.
Act 4: Apparently having entered the city, this scene depicts the leader, apparently having just placed an object from some kind of pedestal into his (clearly magical) bag in some kind of treasure vault. Surrounded by wealth, coins and jewels to make even a dragon jealous, the leader teleported away with tears in his eyes as his Mwangi bodyguard was slain, utterly surrounded by four-armed, white apes. Dozens of dead ape-like humanoids surrounded the brave warrior.
The treasure vaults of Usaro are legendary even today.
Act 5: The lone survivor of the mission, the leader, was seen holding his magical bag aloft in triumph to much older-looking Azlant; stood in a semi-circle around him like some kind of council. Although the image did not produce sound, the wizard seemed to talk the council around after furious debate.
The protagonist explains his actions to the elder council of his people. A common theme. It seems as though they heard him out and acted upon his words, but thats just our guess. The images are very carefully created so that the contents of this bag are never seen.
Act 6: These scenes portrayed dozens of Azlant's marching into a newly built structure, clearly this very one, accompanied by hundreds of Mwangi servants. The wizard was with them, at the very front; but he seemed at least a few years older. Once inside, the wizard seemed to be testing the Azlant's skills and abilities, teaching them and training them.
We've not been able to establish much about the structure's layout from these scenes unfortunately. They flash through at an extreme speed.
Act 7: A far, far older man, the wizard was seen here speaking with five lieutenants, two of which seemed to be Mwangi rather than Azlant. They seemed to be imploring him not to leave, but his face and gestures were grave. Garbed for adventuring once more, he teleported away. Appearing just outside of the monolithic city once more, he was seen entering it as the scene faded to blackness.
We have come to the conclusion that the Mwangi who lived inside this structure were eventually fully integrated into whatever it was they were doing here. Equality arisen from decades of close proximity, I am sure.
Act 8: This scene seemed to only be present to show the vast passing of time. Hundreds of years flashed by in mere moments, with great battles and Azlant accomplishments visible for the briefest of moments. A new scene seemed to zoom inside the structure once more; and showed a magical gateway of some kind being created and completed. Men, supplies, weapons and animals were continually escorted through the portal. As time passed, the volume of people passing through diminished to a halt.
We... were baffled as to both the inclusion of this scene and of the portal's presence. Perhaps it was a mechanism to another bolt-hole, should this one fall?
Act 9: This act depicted a scene of bloody battle inside corridors and grand, ornate rooms; Azlant and Mwangi fighting side by side against other Azlant and Mwangi; some kind of civil war, judging from the similar appearance of both of the sides. The scene came to a halt as the demon-summoning Azlant leader of one side was finally slain.
As Tebati mentioned- civil war of some kind. It seems these Angazhanites rose up.
Act 10: In the aftermath of the battle, those living inside the ancient structure seemed demoralised and near-broken; leaving in some kind of organised exodus. Mages could be seen placing powerful spells upon the structure and surrounding it, while in stark contrast to the exodus from the pyramid, a single man was displayed being put into what could only be described as some kind of petrification effect, inside one of the rooms of the structure. Frozen like a statue for unknown reasons while his fellows left the structure, his was the last image to be displayed before the walls; and the room's persistent humming- fell silent.
This... Arturus said, his excitement completely apparent. This may be the power that the Grand Custodian spoke of! Perhaps this Azlant still resides in this very room, with much of the knowledge of the First Humans!
A day or so from re-delving, Qhude witnessed a strange sight; an gorilla emerging from the kitchen tents. Stalking it with intention to strike, the ape noticed him too and met him in battle, Qhude charging it and alerting the camp as four more apes emerged from the tents! A full on battle ensued as it quickly transpired that the apes emerging were summoned and a distraction from the Mwangi assault upon the complex. The two pronged attack wounded many and was very close to being a success. Individual feats of heroism, magic and might turned the tide, including Morvius himself joining the fight in his smallclothes, Ansha's golem buying time with its destruction, Jakob charming an ape to turn on its allies, one brave soldier holding a ramp against an entire squad of Mwangi attackers. The bulk of Morvius' forces eventually had the time to form a firing line and devastate the blowdart and javelin reliant Mwangi in ranged combat.
However, unlike many of the encounters on the road, in the Trials and in Freehold men did lose their lives to the cruel attackers, who took the time to slay those they downed rather than focus on the living. Three survivors were taken and seemed to be members of an "Order", reporting to a man called "Chausiku"; apparently hidden amongst the camp and wearing "different skin" to hide himself. Ansha in particular was very suspicious of the oddly charming, self-assured cook Kamishah that N'Bellocq had met outside Freehold. But the man assured the camp of his innocence, allowing his possessions to be searched and making several logical arguments.
Despite numerous tensions in the group that had, at times, almost led to blows, Qhude helped to bond the team together by virtue of a totem, interlocking several items close to the Umkhaya's hearts and minds.
Ancient Pyramid, Level 3 (Mosaic-floored, stylish decor, mixed purpose):
Descending down the stairs, the third level of the structure seemed somehow, less hostile than the second level had been. The second level was clearly a kind of defence gauntlet, repurposed into protective tests for those who would once find the structure again. The third level boasted smoother, polished walls and fine stone mosaic flooring that was colorful and elegant rather than fit for purpose. The corridors were wider and ever burning torches lit the walls, reducing the gloom and darkness that pervaded the apparently abandoned facility. The group had entered a long corridor that led south, with four doors running along it- two on either wall and spaced quite far apart from one another. Metal plaques, their writing having been erased or perhaps long faded, were neatly positioned to the right of every door.
Despite the more welcoming nature of the level though, the veins of red, pulsing magic were still visible; although it seemed they were simultaneously both better concealed (for example, in the corners of the walls or subtly creeping along the upper section of a wall rather than running straight through it) and thicker than before; like veins pumping with blood a little closer to a heart.
Entering the finely decorated third floor, the group immediately discovered four rooms filled with strange apparatus; and doors that apparently could only be opened from the outside.
The room itself was bare and unadorned save its one, strange table, with the structure's trademark thick stone walls and featuring a grey, completely metallic floor. It seemed as though it had been designed to be completely uninspiring to the mind. The vein-like lines of magic seemed to all have been focused so as to run discretely underneath the table itself; but unlike in every other place the group had seen them they seemed weak; grey and black and apparently drained of magic in the areas closest to the table, while the veins running further away also seemed diminished.
The table was both extremely interesting and also quite eerie. Also made of metal, it had various inscriptions and runes placed upon its surface; and from one end, a metal apparatus of some kind extended from it like an umbrella, curving away from the table and then pointing back towards it like some threatening weapon. On the same end that the apparatus extended from, a smooth face of metal bore small, neat labels with tiny script written in Azlant alongside levers and buttons.
Apparently, the devices had begun to fail over the centuries. One skeleton was found propped up against the steel reinforced doors, another rose up as an angry spirit after taking his own life. In one of the chambers, the group were surprised to see that the odd table apparatus bore a living Mwangi atop it! Ansha awoke him by flipping a switch, helpfully labelled in Azlant "Awaken". This awoke the confused Akirra, who had limited memories of the time before he awoke.
Inside, an identical copy of the room formerly explored was revealed by the opening door, with a few noteable changes. One such change was that the veins of magic running through the room did not seem as decayed as the former room. Another was that the metallic device emanated a faint, low-pitched humming sound and vibrated slightly. The especially keen-eyed could even note that the tiny script in Azlant beside the levers and buttons on one end of the sinister looking device bore slightly different words and runes.
But only the blind could miss the room's most obvious change.
Rather than a skeleton propped up against the door- a humanoid being of flesh lay upon the metal table. A faint shield of magical force came out of both sides of the table, surrounding the male's lithe frame. The man's eyes were shut and he appeared completely motionless. He was fairly stocky and his height was a couple of inches over six foot. He looked to be in his mid twenties.
He was garbed in full combat gear and appeared to be an elite scout of sorts, judging from his fine weaponry and armour.
Apparently the exit to this level was self-sealing; with some kind of wall of force preventing any passage back up. Exploring further, the group found a botanical paradise of sorts. They 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; a pair of Plantoids; extra-planar creatures not native to the material plane. Hostile, the group were forced to destroy the strange creatures. The room was teeming with magical auras and incredibly, Jakob seemed to be able to will plant life into growth with nothing but concentration in this strange place.
They also found a "Relaxation Chamber", which consisted of nice wooden decking and a swimming pool; essentially a bathhouse of a kind. Just to the north of it, a barracks which boasted freshly washed towels. It also, unfortunately, boasted a tripwire trap and summoned constrictor snakes. Moving swiftly, the creatures near-overwhelmed the group, although Akirra acquitted himself well by slaying two of them. Investigation indicated that an unseen force had triggered the trap via a wall panel; likely the same unseen force that maintained the bedchambers- some kind of Unseen Servant spell perhaps.
A short while later, they stumbled across a traditional classroom. The bookshelves were bare, but desks remained. Everything was neat, orderly and clean; the unseen servants apparently also dusted this room and cleaned it.
Another strange room awaited the explorers on the other side.
Upon opening the door, the group gathered around to look in at the strange, fairly small room within. Entirely metal cast, the cold and alien looking room seemed to be home to two metal tanks full of water, with an open window at the very top of the devices; with a chair affixed between the two devices. These devices seemed to lead to a large, block-like metal device in the corner of the room; which itself was slightly cylindrical in shape and seemed to have a small chute feeding into it from the top. This in turn was also connected to another metal device; akin to a large bathtub and containing water. This water seemed to, somehow, be holding an image- likely a map although it wasn't easy to tell from here. The water was clearly depicting geography of some kind; and littered across the green and brown segments which must surely represent land, bright beacons of light seemed to glisten like stars. On the same bathtub-like device, several levers were affixed to the end closest to the chair. In addition, a single lever of solid metal was affixed close to the door.
It seemed to be an advanced map room of sorts, with Qhude recognising some of the mountains and hills shown on the terrain to be in Sargava. Akirra experimented with levers for a time, forcing the watery images to show another land entirely, but ascertaining little else.
A much larger, grander chamber seemed to be a hall of honours, with just over a dozen statues in all, crafted in exquisite detail. The names and deeds meant little to anyone other than Akirra; who recognised his own father depicted among the honoured dead.
Having had no luck finding the Third Treatise of Arioch, the group tackled the final room barring passage down with more mundane means, triggering a deadly blade trap that they subsequently used to turn two more ambushing wax golems into blended wax. Surviving both the golems and the construct spheres that assaulted them with fire and magical rays from the other side of the room. Kieran in particular helped to foil the ambush, darting nimbly between the spinning blades and swiftly destroying the construct spheres.
Back to the Present-
Progressing further down the stairs, the group found themselves in the level below, apparently penned into a small room with four solid, stone walls on all sides. They were currently debating if they had missed something, or if perhaps the missing "Third Treatise of Arioch" unlocked a further exit. Ansha was unsure if she was dealing with illusionary magic and was inspecting the walls more closely.
Patience ebbing at the lack of clear forward path Qhude balls fist and rams his cestus hard into the wall. Growling under his breath he mutters "It has been an age and we still walk in the dark..." lamenting their current situation.
Having now descended to the fourth level of the structure, the Umkhaya found themselves blocked on all sides with walls of stone immediately surrounding the stairwell.
With the group carefully probing the walls upon Akirra's assurances that the structure was still not fully delved, it did not take Ansha long to find a section of the wall that radiated a strong aura of transmutation. Placing her hand upon it to test for illusions, the walls rapidly crumbled into dust, which immediately faded also. It seemed that perhaps, that reciting the Third Treatise could have prevented the room's defences above from activating but it did not prevent passage.
This exposed the full room the group now found themselves in; which looked every inch an extremely spacious tavern common room, meticulously clean and free of dust, damp or dark. Complete with a bar at the far end of the room with kegs behind it and a bell on the counter, freshly maintained potted plants, various seating and in particular, two long tables with clean and sparkling cutlery present at every seat. The room was warm and well lit with ever-burning torches lining the stone walls and candles on both the long tables. The floor of this room was made of a lightly varnished wood and there seemed to be four doors leading out of the room to the left and to the right.
In addition, Ansha especially noted that the tendrils of magic present in most of the floors and wells on the levels above, seemed to have no presence here.
The elven enchantress probes the wall that radiates strong transmutation magic with one gloved hand. Finally pressing her palm to the wall, she lets out a triumphant "Ah hah!" as the wall begins to crumble away. With an exaggerated motion for someone else to lead the way, she follows into the 'tavern.'
Eyebrows raising, she looks around the room and notes, "This place is in awfully good shape for being old and unused. I wonder if there are more unseen magical servants about."
At the wall's sudden crumbling to nothingness, Qhude takes a backward step and falls into wary guard. Eyes narrowed at the tavern like vista he notes Ansha's words and adds "Kept clean by some form of witchcraft no doubt... " before advancing purposefully into the room with cocked fist kept clenched and ready.
The potted plants draw his consideration in particular...
"Is any of this any more real than the walls were?" Tebati asks Ansha of the surroundings.
"Have you any memories of this room?" she adds to Akirra.
Finding a tavern inside the pyramid seems unlikely to her -- but, honestly, no more unlikely than many of the other secrets the structure has revealed.
Tebati's question starts Akirra's mind reeling as he tries to fight through the fog that clouds his memories in an attempt to recall whether he remembers this room...
Ansha moves closer to one of the tables, her demeanor the epitome of caution. Is this an illusion too? There are no veins of magic anywhere.
Vague memories of revelry and fine food assure you that you've been here before and that Unseen Servants and other permanent magic meant that the room basically functioned without any real need for sentient staff. You could ring the bell at the bar for water (the Order rarely imbibed and were quite spartan in nature) or simply call out basic instructions in Azlant for food to be brought to you. The Unseen Servants also had some semblance of autonomy and automation and could react to certain triggers.
You recall that the Order was eventually fully self-sufficient and required no outside supplies or assistance to function. You also recall that this structure was the main Order of Arioch presence on Golarion, possibly even the only permanent structure you ever heard of.
Qhude finds that the plants appear normal and healthy, despite a lack of sunlight they appear to be kept watered and well-kept. They seem to be only decorative in nature, with no petals, thorns or flowers to speak of, essentially just leafy plants with roots.
Proceeding into the room, Ansha doesn't have the feeling that it is illusionary. As if in response to her motion, a door on the far right hand side of the room opened and a large, resplendent plate with a selection of fresh fruits, grapes, melons and other cold fare hovered across the room only to settle gently upon the long table near Ansha. The door opened once again with nothing seeming to come in or out and then shut once more.
Akirra's features flash as he struggles to remember the room before softening into that of slow realization. He begins to leisurely stroll across the room, taking in the small details as he passes. I have been here before. He plucks a piece of fruit from the tray and pops it in his mouth, savoring the taste. Unseen Servants and other permanent magic keep the room functioning without any real need for sentient staff.
Reaching the bar at the far side of the room he runs his hand across the smooth top before very deliberately ringing a small bell upon it. In response to the clear sound, a tall clean mug appears. Hoisting the tankard up he takes a sip. Addressing the room itself he states simply, We desire a platter of meats and cheeses.
As he waits for the expectantly for his request to be acknowledged, he continues, The Order was eventually fully self-sufficient and required no outside supplies or assistance to function. Taking another sip, the fog within his mind continues to lift ever so slowly. This structure was the main Order of Arioch presence on Golarion. He pauses, rubbing the top his head, before adding, Possibly even the only permanent structure of its kind.
Ansha frowns, mildly annoyed that Akirra knew something she didn't. She moves to the first door one of the unseen servants opened, and attempts to open it and peer inside. "Elaborate set-up," she observes. "Is this whole floor a cafeteria, then?"
Qhude sneers as Akirra tastes of the ancient and witch-wrought sustenance, hissing through his teeth. "They built a hole they could wither and die in..." shadowing Ansha to the door a step behind and guardedly.
"Well, I assume even supermen of antiquity may have had need to unwind and maybe enjoy a beverage or two once in a while," Kieran quips after Ansha makes her comment.
Qhude sneers as Akirra tastes of the ancient and witch-wrought sustenance, hissing through his teeth. "They built a hole they could wither and die in..."
"Rather, a hole in which they could live quite luxuriously," Tebati corrects Qhude. "The Grand Custodian's palace cannot boast such accomodations." The amusement smooths off of her face as she goes on, "With such a fortress, neither the greed of the Free Captains nor the armies of Avistan would need trouble him. How much, I wonder, have his sages dared hope would lie within his prize?"
Qhude hears Tebati's words, but clearly doesn't accept that the confines of the ziggurat would be luxurious.
Ansha snorts and glances over her shoulder at Tebati. "Who says we have to give them anything? I vote we just settle in here for a while. Can't starve, at least."
Nothing prevents Ansha from opening the door, although she does have to step aside when a plate of meats and cheese is carried past her by unseen hands into the main room and set next to the selection of fruits as per Akirra's instructions. Peering into the chamber, it is seemingly devoid of any furniture, furnishing or features, with the exception of the doors themselves (both doors on this side of the room lead to this room) and a single, large metallic box, open at the top; measuring roughly 4 feet by 4 feet and set into the floor. The box is presently empty.
You do remember that this level of the complex, and the one above it, was where most of the order spent most of their time. The floor features an armoury, massive training chambers, storage and a library amongst its large rooms. With the barracks in the level above and the classrooms, much of the Order spent most of their time here. You are unlikely to find much resistance or defence here. Access to the levels below were definitely restricted in your time and strictly guarded.
Ansha's gaze follows the floating food tray. "Do you remember anything else about this place, Akirra? Like why there's a large empty box over here in this room?"
Qhude maintains his distrustful mien as he answer's Ansha "Where else does the ukudla izangoma come from but the ibhokisi..." clicking his tongue before stalking behind the bar, eyes narrowed for any drawers / cupboards or storage.
Akirra lifts a piece of meat and a hunk of cheese from the platter. Furrowing his brow, trying to will his memories into focus he replies, I do remember this level of the complex, and the one above it. We spent most of our time on these two levels. This floor features an armoury, massive training chambers, storage and a library amongst its large rooms. With the barracks and the classrooms above, much of the Order spent most of their time here. We are unlikely to find much resistance or defence here. Access to the levels below, however, will be a different story. They were definitely restricted in my time and strictly guarded. He places a bit of cheese into his mouth. Gesturing at the others he implores, Please join me. You all must be hungry. And thirsty! as he gestures for you to join him.
Ansha scowls at Akirra and walks over to the west to see where the other doors lead first.
Akirra seeing Ansha's look asks, My pardons, but how have I given thee offense?
Ansha shakes her head, her long blond hair whipping back and forth behind her. Not bothering to look behind her at Akirra, she opens one of the western doors. "Not hungry, and rather find this library you said is on this floor," she says tersely. Hardly the time to let one's guard down just yet, anyway.
Adding to Ansha's words Qhude gravelly intones "Ubuhle bekhiwane zimpethwana. I hunger for the taste of the ilanga on my back and thirst for umoya across my face. No matter what comfort you see we still stand in a tomb for dead men... I have no desire to break bread with the spirits."
Gesturing at the others he implores, Please join me. You all must be hungry. And thirsty! as he gestures for you to join him.
With a smirk of amusement, Tebati reminds him, "This is familiar to you, your home; to us, it is a strange prison. Could you comfortably sit in chains and eat without at least seeing how long is your tether?" She looks around at the other doors. "If we cannot convince the ziggurat to release us, we may yet be glad to take advantage of the Order's accommodations as an alternative to starvation."
As Akirra is showered with refusals, and reminded once again that he is a man out of time and without any of his own kind, something deep inside him pangs. His heart sinks as he realizes, perhaps truly for the first time since his reawakening, that he is alone. Utterly and completely alone. These "rescuers" that released him, care little for him as a man. I am just another thing encountered here. I do not count. I am not one of them. They seem to take glee in reminding me that everyone I have ever knew is long dead, and mock me, and this place, at every turn. The returning memories, and the familiarity that had just moments ago brought him some measure of comfort, now do the opposite.
He sets his mug down and turns his back upon the platters. Yes. Of course. The library.
Something about the flatness of Akirra's tone strikes a cord with the elven enchantress. You're just as alone here as we are, maybe moreso, she thinks.
"Sorry," Ansha looks over her shoulder to offer Akirra an apologetic smile, her tone mollifying. "I will be happy to join you for a drink after we know this area is safe. It's just that I won't be comfortable until we know for sure."
Something about the flatness of Akirra's tone strikes a
cordchord with the elven enchantress. You're just as alone here as we are, maybe moreso, she thinks."Sorry," Ansha looks over her shoulder to offer Akirra an apologetic smile, her tone mollifying. "I will be happy to join you for a drink after we know this area is safe. It's just that I won't be comfortable until we know for sure."