"Knocking Gideon over the head?" Terana suggests, "That's the only other way I've found. He really likes the old stuff."
Aoinse looks off into the middle distance as she accesses the memories in the node. "It would seem the chief astronomer at the Wheels of Heaven noticed an immense, unknown object in the night sky and began tracking it with the telescope. At first it seemed it would pass through Golarion's solar system, but over the span of several weeks, she added more data entries, and realized the trajectory was far more curved and unpredictable than she initially anticipated. Anxious to find out where the space rock was headed, Imosele extrapolated data based on her own calculations, and using this projected data entry, she was able to discern the meteor’s true trajectory—a collision course with Golarion." The clockwork turns back to you. "There is no further data contained within the memory node."
***
When you return to the charging station, it becomes clear that the clockwork mage truly is inert. It poses no danger to you, and you are able to recover the clockwork servant without issue.
"The Silver Mount, maybe?" hypothesizes Tobar.
Good-naturedly, Gideon sticks his tongue out at the two women. "Say what you will, you know you like having me around. Maybe I have gotten us into some scraps but I've gotten us out of plenty, too. You know I make for excellent company."
Gideon sighs in relief when it becomes clear that the clockwork isn't a threat to them and sets about getting the servant back to their new ally so her legs can be repaired and to thank her for the information she has given. "Y'know...it's sad. The greatest and most advanced human civilization that has ever existed, that had ample warning of the coming cataclysm, and all they did was sweep it under the rug. Some of their own people tried to warn them and they ignored it. Seems like the hubris and arrogance of mankind hasn't changed much in thousands of years..."
Tobar shrugs again. "I guess they weren't that advanced, then. Being 'advanced' is more than just having clever toys. It's also about being able to function as a whole society with a long view of what's necessary for everyone's survival and prosperity."
Terana, who somehow always gets nominated for the heavy lifting jobs, doesn't contribute to the conversation - busy as she is wrestling with the clockwork servant required for Aoinse.
Finally getting the ungainly construct back to Aoinse she sets it down and addresses the unusual clockwork. "So? How do we get this thing going and what does it need to fix your leg?"
"It simply needs to be wound," Aoinse says. The tip of one finger pops open, revealing a hooked key, and she uses it to wind the servant. It grinds to life, immediately setting upon the task of repairing Aoinse's leg. It only takes a few minutes as the servant bustles about the chamber and crafts a replacement from spare parts.
Aoinse bends her new appendage a few times experimentally before putting her weight on it. "This appears to be sufficient. Now that I am fully mobile, I will do my best to assist you in any way that I can."
"What else is there in the temple?" Terana asks, always keen to avoid threats where she can. She summarises what they've run into so far and adds, "We're pretty sure that there's an aboleth on the lower levels somewhere. Anything you can tell us would help!"
In response to Terana's question, Aoinse simply repeats her previous descriptions of the other parts of the temple.
"I guess not then..."
"I apologize that I cannot offer further information at this time," Aoinse replies pleasantly.
"What about that forge you mentioned earlier? Would it be functional now that the power's back on? Do you know how it works?"
"Yes, the forge should be functional now. Rather than being fueled by wood or charcoal, itt converts energy from the power generators into heat. I am skilled in building and repairing other clockwork constructs and can use the forge to aid in those tasks."
"We should go back and examine it now that it has power." Terana suggests, "Then we can move on and explore the rest of this level. I think any chance of surprise is gone so we might as well be thorough."
The Andoren soldiers reach for their swords when you open the door, but relax once they recognize you. They report that the lights came on a little while ago, but other than that, they have remained undisturbed.
The lever near the forge now functions, activating and deactivating the heat.
"So the forge can only be used in the construction and maintenance of clockwork creations? It's too bad I know so little about how to make them...I'm sure it would be a really interesting thing to learn about...even how to make things like that clockwork soldier to help protect the colony."
"I hope everyone back home is alright...we've been gone a while." he says aloud, though it's clear from his tone that there's a particular someone on his mind.
"Well...we ain't gonna get back home hangin' out here. Now that we've got Anoise seen to, do we need to recuperate from that fight with the elementals or are we good for a little while longer?"
Cathyriel shrugs. "I used some spells and some healing magic, but I'm good to continue of the rest of you are. To be honest, I'd be happier once we're done and out of here so let's keep moving, shall we?"
"Yeah, sounds good."
"I'm out of my higher-power spells, but I've still got pretty much all of the rest."
"We shouldn't face the aboleth like this, but we can clear the dry sections at least." Terana agrees. "How about this way?"
Terana points to the doors to the south. They are located just before the hallway slopes down under salty water.
Many long bookcases of fine marble stand side by side in this room. Some of the shelves have been smashed to pieces, and countless marble fragments and remains of ancient documents are strewn about the floor. The few surviving books and other documents on the shelves look wrinkled and fragile. The air in this room is stale and reeks of mold.
Nestled between the crumbling shelves against the north wall, a strange patch of multicolored fungus faintly glows with swirling patterns, casting dim light in the corners of the room.
"What's that?" Terana asks, suspicious but completely without knowledge as to what the strange fungus might be.
Cathyriel shrugs. "Don't know, but I've never heard of a fungus that was good for you. I mean, nobody's ever looked at a multicoloured fungus glowing with swirling patterns, and said 'Yes. I'm glad we've encountered that.'"
She looks at Gideon, who (for all his faults) is pretty knowledgeable. An army is only as good as its intel, and what you don't know will kill you - or worse.
Tobar legitimately chuckles at Cathyriel's comment.
"Whoops! Don't get near that stuff. Give it at least a good long step of breathing room. That's prismatic mold, a particularly volatile and sensitive fungi. If we get too close it will launch spores that can cause any number of harmful, debilitating effects."
"I can use Dispel Magic to render it inert and make it pretty much nothing more than a colorful bit of normal mold, but I can't cast a spell of that power any more today; I used all my major juice on those elementals. We'll have to earmark it and come back tomorrow to give the room a more through look-see."
"That seems a prudent course of action," Aoinse says.
Gideon leads the group back the way they came, trekking the western path this time.
Terana stays right behind Gideon, the better to pull the archaeologist back from the danger he will inevitably find himself in.
The western passage opens up onto a wide corridor. Sturdy, ornate columns line this corridor, but cracks mar their surface and a few of them have fallen into pieces on the once fine marble floor of the cathedral. At the south end of the corridor, water spurts out of a broken fountain.
Four faceless stalkers stand guard here, along with an even stranger aberration! The hunched, reptilian beast lopes on two clawed feet, its eyeless head dominated by a huge circular maw filled with jagged teeth.
A destrachan can emit high-frequency shrieks capable of destroying objects or inflicting great pain in living creatures!
The eyeless creature lets out a high-pitched shriek, blasting chunks of stone from the floor and wracking your bodies with pain! The ugothols flank the monster, swords raised as they prepare to defend it from harm.
Gideon grits his teeth in pain as the shriek rattles him down to his very soul, leaving him feeling somewhat drained and out-of-sorts. "Be wary, it's not just a monster, it's smart!" Gideon says to the others.
Swiftly, he casts a spell and reaches over to Terana, tapping her on the shoulder, the spell's magic filling her with confidence and a sense that heroic deeds needing doing.
"I can do smart..." Terana says with a grin as Gideon fills her with a heroic confidence. She levels her glaive and the strange creature is briefly illuminated in rose.
Terana strides forward and whirls her glaive around to slam into the creature. With the pillar guarding her flank she feels invincible.
Tobar winces as he takes the full brunt of the blast.
He at least manages to land one bolt in the destrachan.
Blood trickles from Cathyriel's pointed, elfin ears as she winces, her delicate senses overpowered by the creature's scream.
She hastily invokes Iomedae's judgement and calls for help. Her answer is in the shape of a hound-headed angelic being, which appears behind the shrieking creature and slashes at it with a greatsword.
Terana's glaive tears open the destrachan from neck to belly as she smites the vile aberration. As it reels in pain, Cathryeil summons a hound archon. The celestial delivers a brutal assault that finishes off the wounded monster!
His target down, Tobar shifts aim to the nearest ugothol, badly wounding it with a crossbow bolt to the gut!
Caught off-guard by the sudden death of their weaponized monster, the ugothols atempt to fight back, but none score a hit!
As the beast drops Gideon gives shout of triumph; with it dead, the stalkers shouldn't be terribly difficult to mop up. He turns his attention to that task, rushing forward to attack the stalker directly in front of him.
After switching targets, Tobar continues firing rounds into the same ugothol.
Terana meanwhile starts duelling the creatures trying to defeat her. With Gideon's magic she feels near invincible!
The hound archon continues to fight the good fight, flanking with Terana as required.
Cathyriel draws her longsword and moves to engage any survivors.
Gideon and Tobar team up to take down the wounded ugothol. Terana and the archon wound a second one, though it parries Cathyriel's strike.
The faceless creatures swing uselessly at you, all of their attacks missing by a wide margin!
Terana lands another solid blow against the stalkers, but misses with her follow-up.
"Nice shot, Tobar!" Gideon calls back to his friend as he deftly dodges the attacks of the next stalker, then retaliates.
Tobar shifts direction and launches another pair of bolts at the second ugothol.
The hound archon continues in its duty to punish evildoers, like the very best of Good Dogs.
Cathyriel presses the attack, like a good soldier.
The ugothols don't stand a chance against your coordinated assault. One by one, they fall to your bolts and blades! Soon enough, the battle has ended with your victory.
"Haha!" Gideon shouts triumphantly when the last stalker falls.
"By the Walker of Worlds, it's nice to have a fight that doesn't find us in a staring contest with Pharasma!"
"Ayup," says Tobar laconically, tipping his hat down slightly.
He checks the corners, then lowers his crossbow slightly - though he still keeps it at hand.
Noticing a new door further down the wall he is next to, Gideon moves to that door, giving it a quick check to see if it's locked or anything and also listening for occupancy before slowly opening it.
Gideon's inspection doesn't reveal any traps, but his keen eyes spot a well-concealed secret door in the wall a few feet south of this door.
The normal door opens onto a spacious office adorned with finely crafted but timeworn marble furniture. "This was the high priest's office," Aoinse says, "who was at the head of the cathedral's hierarchy. The high priest supervised the religious functions and resources of the cathedral, and held considerable political power in the twin cities of Kalas-Ti and Shaval-Kehn."
A locked strongbox is set on the desk. The key is nowhere to be seen, but several objects inside radiate magical auras.