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The idol has no effect, though, seeing no other alternative, you begin to drag the corpses to the door. It too fails, but suddenly one of the masks falls off of the severed heads, and as you grasp it, you hear, for just a moment, a small rumbling sound.
Picking up on of the masks, as you raise it up to try to put it on, suddenly the door slides open, even before you can place it on your face.
Broad steps descend into a large hall. Between two smoking braziers looms a red-veined marble statue of a humanoid with three eyes and jagged tusks, its twisted claws clutching a naginata. Beyond, two sets of stairs flank a tapestry depicting a titanic struggle between the same fiendish menace and a jade-clad warrior. Along the pagoda’s eastern arc, several burlap sacks slump haphazardly (they seem to be filled with rice), while near the western curve squats a hefty, straw-lined cage. At the top of the stairs stand two, headless corpses very similar to the ones you encountered outside, though they do not move or react. Not yet at least.
Behind the large three-eyed marble statue, in a small alcove between the stairs heading upwards, you can see a strange device. A gigantic cylinder nearly fills this alcove and emits the rancid smell of fermented rice. A large pipe ascends from the machinery, carrying the pungent fluid away from the distillation apparatus before disappearing into the stone tiles above.
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"Ingenious...", he murmured, when they discovered the way to enter at the 'black chamber'.
Despite put 10 gp in the devil's mouth, Andruss wears one of the masks. "Maybe they recognize me as one of them, who knows".
Once inside there, he advices his friends: "be careful with those creatures. They are carrion golems. Despite they aren't undeads, they have some common traits... and the defenses of a construct, like immune to all magic. Cold and fire have adverse effects, while electricity actually empowers them. They emit a putrid stench almost as a weapon to those too close, carry a variety of diseases, and are very resistant to piercing weapons. Stay alert".
Inspecting the tapestry, the witch notices something interesting, that he shares with others: "look there - it seems that a small portion of the second tapestry is missing, though the remains appear to be that of a hare. It almost looks like it was torn of deliberately".
"Maybe we gonna have more company besides those golems, my friends".
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Wembly will put on one of the masks too, thinking the gold was not going to work.
"Cool. Although I am not sure how they are supposed to see through these things.
He follows the others...calling the leopard with him...unless it has been more than 5 minutes, in which case he will hold off summoning another just yet.
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Doing a cursory inspection of the room, you find that the statues weapon is actually a real weapon, concealed beneath a thin layer of marble and paint to make it appear as part of the statue. In reality though, it is a powerful magical weapon (+2 Naginata), and it slides free from the statue's grasp with ease.
The tapestry itself appears both old and expensive as well, though it's value on the open market is difficult to determine at jut a glance.
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Andruss murmurs something in a strange language, and approaches the tapestry to inspect it better.
"Perhaps if we brought the tapestry back with us, the Pathfinder scholars may find it of value for research. There certainly can't be too many tapestries dedicated to Fumeiyoshi."
"I was gonna say that now, my angelic friend", Adruss went back to his colleagues.
"And I wouldn't do this if I was you", he advises about take the naginata.
The witch turns to Sharaheen, "any suggestions, my lady? At first glance, we won't find Jujanil here", "or maybe you know how we can do this", he thought with curiosity.
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"I feel she is here. Perhaps at the top."
Grundar has no problems removing the magical weapon from the statue, and as he tests it out, nothing happens to indicate it was some sort of trap or a test. Rather, it seems to have been placed here as a sort of hidden backup weapon should the priesthood have been attacked here, something they could easily grab and use if needed.
The tapestries likewise are easy enough to grab and store securely for later sell or study. Neither seem to cause the twin golems at the top of the stairs to move or react, and as you advance upwards into the dread tower, you fully expect them to spring to at least a mocking form of life and attack, but they do not, allowing you access to the next floor.
Pipes snake across the floor, feeding a series of fluid-filled vats before connecting to six metallic sarcophagi—three on each side of the chamber. In the chamber’s center, a large glass vat rises past a second story balcony. To the south, anchored to the wall are three similar, ten-foot-tall vats. Two sets of stairs curl up the southern arc and provide access to the balcony that looms fifteen feet above. Each of the vats is filled with murcky vinegar, but also multiple stitched together body parts. Some of them appear to come from creatures like the daemons (some of you) encountered a few months ago at the dam.
Stashed behind one of the sarcophagi you find a strange book. This macabre text, entitled Death’s Gentle Caress, looks to be very valuable, although mostly only of interest to necromancers,
Going up once more, a balustrade rings a balcony where a vast, circular vat rises from the chamber below. Nestled against the northern curve of this chamber sit three workbenches crammed with glassware. Along the east and west walls, large spikes with upraised points are affixed to the floor, four to the east and four to the west. A single set of stairs at the chamber’s southern end rises to another chamber above. Sitting at the desk you see an elven man that seems to be lost in study, though as he stands and turns to you as you clear the stairs, you recognize him. It is the elder lord Mata Ryuu.
He stands, sizing you up, but does not outright attack. Instead he does a quick look around the room first, and then comments, first at the little girl standing behind you"Ah, so you did manage. It is no matter", then addressing you all, "You lot do seem to be full of surprises. I've been watching you since we first met. I managed to scrape off small bits of flesh, overacting my own old age and senility, and used those for powerful scrying magics."
Throughout the room, on each side of the balcony, you see more body parts. Each side has a decapitated yeti corpse, but more disturbingly it seems this is the location that Lord Ryuu and whatever dark power he serves has decided to use to store all of the heads that have been missing thus far. Thrown about into only very general piles you see at least thirty different heads ranging from human to elf, yeti, daemon, and even a few random animals, each with their dead eyes simply staring out at you.
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"Lord Ryuu, your skills in necromancy and divinity are impressive, but the most amazing is your enchantment powers. Was incredible what you did to Glacial Rose. Congratulations", Andruss says, making it clear to his opponent that he knows what Lord Ryuu is capable of.
"But tell me, which led a noble and pleasant elven lord to build such circus of horrors? What caused you to change so much radically?" "Maybe a ghost, as with J.?", he reflected after inquire Lord Ryuu.
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Jorah offers to take the book as well as the scrolls of CMW and Dispel, but he does not believe Desna would approve him using the other scrolls.
"I am also quite impressed with your magical abilities in handling the undead. While I do not believe in using such magic myself as Desna would not favor me, I can still recognize the talent it takes to do so."
Catching on to what Andruss is getting at, "I am also surprised to see you here dealing in such things. This place does not seem fitting for one of your stature and nobility."
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Lord Maya begins to chant the spidery words of magic to flay you with arcane energy, but then stops, and the initial glowing lights he had been beginning to conjure die out. He looks confused, having heard your words, and looks like he is about to say something else, this time more gentle when he suddenly presses both hands to his face and head, overcome with terrible pain, but from what, you can not tell.
"I will kill you a. . ." he begins to shout, again making for his component pouch, but then his shout dies off, and he says, only a second or two later "No, I am not the monster." He seems to be speaking to himself, or perhaps fighting himself.
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He continues to resist whatever mental assault, dropping to one knee and crying out in pain as it seems to grow worse, though your words grant him strength, and he is able to push the magical control away. You know it will not last long, but for the time, he is finally free, after so many decades.
"I am myself once more. I. . . I do not know for how long, and I remember so little, but," before he can continue, suddenly all of the decapitated heads within the room begin to float a foot or so from the ground, swaying as if a single unit, and then rush at the elf. Likewise, a pair of the corpses sit up, freeing a pair of weapons from beneath the pile of bodies and prepare to attack. "The way to Jujanil is there!" as he points towards the single set of stairs leading upwards. "Go quickly. . . I'll deal with these. . . abominations. . . A portal. . . Trapped!" he tries to warn you as the swarms of decapitated heads and both Carrion Golems enter battle with him. He manages to take a step back and utter a few words in the language of dragons, unleashing an arc of lightning, but before it strikes it's first target, it breaks off into multiple streams, catching every enemy in the room. It's not enough to destroy them, but they all feel his wrath.
Moving quickly up the stairs, you come to the top floor of the tower. There are no other doors, no stairs, but no evil Bakten, either. . .
Twin braziers disperse the scent of jasmine oil throughout this bedchamber. A yeti pelt is draped over a futon near an arcane circle carved into the floor. North of the circle, a teak box overflows with jade figurines. A hollow in the eastern wall is bordered with a marble carving of wolves stalking a hare amid grave markers. Words are carved in a spiraling script around the hollow.
A quick inspection reveals still present jade dust within etching of the circle, and you know it is some sort of magical construct that, when activated, will either open a door to another place or transport you there.
Instructions for conducting the minor ritual to activate the magic circle, which will summon the portal are found within the strange book you located earlier, though it seems it takes a single individual to actually conduct it. Other may help, but it is not required, and you are pretty certain that once the portal is open, it will remain open for all to use freely, at least until dismissed, or all who travelled through it have returned.
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"Wait...does this only work for one person? And how do we all go? Jorah? Andruss?
"Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for this question, my friend", Andruss answered, thoughtful.
"According to this book, once the portal is open, it will remain open for all to use freely, at least until dismissed, or all who travelled through it have returned. So, it seems that we all can pass through it, but only one at a time. Who goes first?", he asked, politely.
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"We must be careful with this portal. It appears to have a trap set to trigger when it it opens. Unfortunately, I do not have much knowledge in these sort of contraptions and would not know how to disable it. Perhaps Grundar could his that big shield of his to protect the one that opens the portal."
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Before we try his shield, let me try something else. If a giant ant sets it off and it does not reset, then we may all be home free! Or wherever this gate leads...if not home...well I mean our home."
Wembly will summon a giant ant (assuming the leopard was expired anyway). He will start it in front of the gate and have it move around (by pointing or I can try a handle animal...although not sure ants can be handled).
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Wembly calls on another creature from an outer realm and just as it appears, suddenly hundreds of spears and halbreds shoot down from the ceiling impaling it. They continue to stab and retract, even as the ant moves, until it manages to escape by moving closer to the group and out of the area. After about 20 more seconds the spears stop, finally returning to their holding place, but swiftly return as the ant is sent forth once again towards the far wall.
Inspecting the rest of the room, you discover 18 small jade figurines, and quickly realize that they are representatives of 18 of the 20 major Tien deities. Two are missing, specifically he rabbit and the wolf, representing Fumeiyoshi and Tsukiyo. "Only by destroying my brother could I walk safely into the grave, and emerge before the undead who worship me.", Sharaheen mutters, her eyes closed. As she opens them, she sees you all looking at her for an explanation, "Bakten tells me it is a prayer for that dark faith." She then points to one of the tiles on the ground, which you find are loose. Within you find the wolf and the hare figurines.
"I believe smashing it within the circle will allow us to pass safely, though I also sense doing so will evoke the god's dark blessing. One most do so, for all, though any who partake in destroying the figuring, just as the god murdered his brother, will receive equal parts curse and blessing. . ."
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As the jade hare statue smashes into a thousand small fragments, Andruss feels a sudden rush of blasphemous energy. There is a commanding voice that seems to come from all directions, “Welcome to the grave, disciple.” Only seconds later the statue of the rabbit reforms perfectly, simply laying on the ground, and you hear a barely audible "click" come from above.
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"My friend Jorah, although I'm not a very religious man, sometimes I pray for Abadar and I'm not fear for his anger, because I regard what I did as a trade, and I suppose that the god of merchants would not become unhappy with a necessary deal like this."
Andruss had thirst for knowledge and immense curiosity about occult powers, but he tries to keep these feelings away from the minds of his companions.
"After all, it was an equivalent exchange: a blessing and a curse, for a safe passage to a place where we will extirpate a greater evil. Don't you think so?"
The witch adjusts his glasses when he finishes talking to the oracle, seconds before going through the portal.
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With the trap, at least temporarily stopped, you are able to conduct the ritual, which allows a large whirling portal to appear on the eastern wall. As you do so, suddenly the wolf statue reforms, this time only as a small charm. Something you might wear as a necklace, though it seems different somehow. No longer does it appear to be cruel and bestial, but rather noble and strong.
In addition to the remainder of the Jade Statues being worth more than a little coin, the large rug is also valuable, as is the hidden sack within a secret compartment beneath the rug with some 1200gp, give or take.
With the portal open, Sharaheen calmly awaits you to enter. You can not make out anything from the opposite side of the portal, but there is really nowhere else to go but into the belly of the beast. A veneer of regality struggles to mask the decaying features of this once-opulent court. A fraying carpet leads from the chamber’s arched entrance to a raised marble dais featuring two worn leather chairs. Flanking the dais, a pair of marble statues each depict an imperious samsaran woman. Porcelain jars and ornate boxes adorn alcoves in the north and south walls. In the eastern portion of the room, hundreds of small mirrors are carefully arrayed in a circle on the wall. Together, the mirrors
reveal a raging snowstorm.
At the far end of the chamber you see a beautiful samsaran woman wearing only a light robe. Before her stand four humans wearing little besides monk's robes, though all seem fully aware of your presence, and seem to have been waiting. As soon as Sharaheen steps through the portal, the last one through, suddenly she begins to glow. Only like a candle, but she herself seems unsure of why. The other woman, once all have arrived, greets you all warmly and politely, then suddenly sheds her robes and rises into the air, revealing that her body is but a floating head trailing a mass of slick viscera. She isn't mortal. Jujanil laughs and says, “So kind of you to bring me a new wardrobe.”
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Each of the four monks reveals a hidden light crossbow as they suddenly rush forward, aiming at what seems like a random targets.
ROUND 1
Monk 1 (), Monk 2 (), Monk 3 (),
Monk 4 (), & Jujanil ()
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Grundar (), Maligaster (-5), Jorah ()
Wembly (), Pet (), Andruss (), & Sharaheen ()
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Can I attempt this trick:
anish Arrow: When the subject of this trick is targeted with a
ranged weapon attack, Meligaster can attempt a Sleight of Hand
check opposed by the attacker’s Perception to snatch the projectile
before it’s even fired, causing the attack to automatically miss.
Painful Stare Once per round, when an attack that deals damage
hits the target of Meligaster’s hypnotic stare, he can cause the
creature to take 2 additional points of damage. If Meligaster uses
this ability to increase his own damage, it instead takes 1d6 extra
points of damage.
when the crossbow is fired at me?
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Grundar moves closer and gets ready to defend himself and others behind a wall of metal while Jorah and Wembly call on magical might to go on the offensive. Jorah unleashes a blast of pure light to hit both the undead queen and two of her minions while Wembly calls on slightly more mundane aid who flies in fast and swoops in for a savage bite, but fails to connect. All three of Jorah's targets quickly shield their eyes against the terrible light, but it seems to affect th two monks the worst.
Can I attempt this trick:
Vanish Arrow: When the subject of this trick is targeted with a ranged weapon attack, Meligaster can attempt a Sleight of Hand check opposed by the attacker’s Perception to snatch the projectile before it’s even fired, causing the attack to automatically miss.
when the crossbow is fired at me?
ROUND 1
Monk 1 (), Monk 2 (-12, blind -> R5), Monk 3 (-12, blind -> R5),
Monk 4 (), & Jujanil (-12, dazzled -> R5)
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Grundar (), Maligaster (-5), Jorah ()
Wembly (), Dire Bat (charge), Andruss (), & Sharaheen ()