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The intelligence that Arminaldi, the traitorous priest of Nethys, gathered details numerous passageways leading through the lower half of Skyreach. When traveling to the vaults beneath Skyreach or to the Hao Jin Tapestry chamber, you and your allies gain a +2 bonus on Stealth checks to avoid Pathfinder patrols.
In addition, Arminaldi spent considerable time assisting Master of Scrolls Aram Zey catalogue scrolls, and the cleric took notes about what spells he identified: “Aram Zey typically relies on his learned magical abilities to invoke destructive and defensive magic, but his scroll collection indicates that he has many written incantations that feature powerful wards and glyphs. He made sure that I filed a particularly powerful illusion spell near one end of his office’s shelf, the better to snatch it up in case of intruders. Avoid his office at all costs unless invited, for there are too many protective spells sealing the door for me to parse what each of them is, much less how to unravel them.”
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Joliryn heads off to find the other agents and relay her findings to them.
I have some of the vault keys.
Now we should continue checking the rest of the locations until time to attack come. Unless any of you need my help.
"There are a number of tunnels beneath Skyreach, we'll be able to avoid most of the Pathfinders by using them. Also, Aram Zey's office has an extremely powerful illusion scroll hidden in it, but the door is heavily warded."
Rataji casually moves through the crowd, smiling and chatting with "his fellow Pathfinders", managing to chat with most of his Aspis crew. "Do you have what you need, brother? Do you need my help?"
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So far it doesn't sound like anyone has particular targets in mind for the next phase. I'm going to give everyone 48 Hours to specify a destination if they so desire. If you don't have anything in particular you want to do, and nobody else needs your help, gathering information (either about a specific topic or general rumors) is a valid option.
Shoriraj wants to explore the water palace and gather information to see if there's anytihing useful.
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Southgrove is the quietest area you've been to on the grounds. An androgynous Sylph silently meditates while floating twenty feet off the ground. An unusual pony-sized mammoth with golden fur and silver tusks quietly grazes, and a Tengu sits on a tree stump, preening and removing a concerning amount of coarse brown fur from its feathers.
From interrogating Pathfinders in the tapestry, you are aware of an isolated glade that provides almost complete isolation from the rest of the grounds. Nobody can see or hear anything that takes place there. Like several similar locations on the grounds, it's most often used for secret trysts, but this one is a better kept secret than most. It could provide a useful location to lie low or conduct business best kept out of the public wye.
Shohiraj arrives at the Water Palace shortly after the conclusion of a showcase of meditation techniques used by different faiths and different regions of Golarion. Most of the attendees have broken up into smaller groups, scattered around the airy pagoda.
The first group Shohiraj listens in on are discussing the earlier seminar. A bronze-skinned dwarf, bald and clean-shaven, comments,
"I did not expect such thorough coverage of the Empyreal Lords. The increased focus on the Heavenly deities recently has been intriguing."
"Ever since the expedition to Mendev and the Worldwound, the new crop of recruits has been fixated on using the Society as a force for truth and justice and all that claptrap." a tiefling with blood red-skin that matches Asmodean robes. "I can't wait for Zey's speech on the Sky Key. Get back to what we're really supposed to be doing here."
"Oh, you didn't hear? Zey begged it off on Marcos Farabellus. You know how much he hates the Convocation. The crowds, the expense, the noise."
Another group is in hushed conversation. A giddy halfling babbles on, "There's so many Venture-Captains here. Laribold Croome, Evni Zongnoss, Holgarin Smine. Even Janiff Ivulxtin came out of retirement. There's never been a turnout like this. I want to meet all of them!"
"Nobody's sure why they're all here. Word is there might be a vacancy on the Ten. People are here to show off their accomplishments and make their case." a Tian woman, hair held back by a series of brightly patterned ribbons that incorporate foxes, songbirds, and Pathfinder iconography, replies.
"That's definitely not true, an immaculately dressed half-orc says with a smirk. "f there was an opening on the Decemvirate, they obviously would have come to me first.
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Broad pavilions and awnings shade segmented pens containing animals from around the world, ranging from harmless rodents and fowl to hulking dinosaurs from Tolguth, a giraffe mutated by the Mana Wastes, and war beasts from the Hold of Belkzen. A few heavily reinforced cages hold even stranger creatures, such as an immense two-headed vulture, a ram-headed sphinx, and an armor-plated serpent with fangs the length of a broadsword.
Each enclosure’s fence is thick enough to prevent the creature inside from breaking out before handlers might calm it. The enclosures all have heavy padlocks keeping them closed.
Marnarius is able to approach one of the cages without notice, however his first attempts to fumble with locks are unsuccessful. At that point, a voice calls out from one of the cages.
"You there, with the silly hat! Will you hear the wisdom of the sphinx about what your future holds?"
The voice comes from a creature that has the wings of a bird, the body of a lion, and the head of a ram with sad, wise eyes. You get the sense that it is addressing you directly and trying to pass along a message.
If you accept, please read the spoiler below.
The sphinx rises up onto two legs and flares its wings, drawing the attention of the crowd. In a dramatic voice, he cries.
"A time comes when the shackled shall walk among men, voicing their grievances with a hundred horns. These children—who strain at false laws—know not that the time is not today, but no man can chide them, for he knows not their tongue. Their castle of chains shall fall away, and only a lion or sheep shall be their herald, calling out to let them know that their time in the sun has arrived.”
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That seems to be the general idea. If you can unlock cages, the sphinx will make sure nobody breaks out early. It tilts its head towards the lock on its own enclosure, before emitting a stream of jumbled sounds. It's hard to make out, but you hear bestial roars, the chirping of birdsong, and other animal noises all colliding.
In a nearby cage, a pair of rare albino Katapeshi lions, who were previously lounging around bored, burst into activity. The male begins to roar, shaking its mane dramatically, while the female begins to mock hunt with some of the toys left in their enclosure. Thrilled guests and bewildered zookeepers rush to the cage to see what's going on. The sounds of gasps and oohs from different corners of the menagerie makes it clear they aren't alone.
Rataji continues to move among his fellows to see if any of them need help.
He's a nice guy... Just evil. ;-)
Joliryn has finished up with her tasks and is ready for the mission.
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As Marnarius begins moving towards the sphinx's cage, one of the zookeepers looks at him skeptically. Before she has a chance to tell him to step away, however, one of her colleagues grabs her by the sleeve and rushes over to deal with a massive, two-headed vulture lashing out at the bars of its cage. By the time she returns, Marnarius has already disabled the lock and slipped over to another promising creature.
At this point, ushers begin informing everyone in attendance to gather on the north lawn for a speech by the Master of Swords. This provides you with an opportunity to slip into the tower unnoticed, and head towards your first destination, the vaults under Skyreach.
Once you begin navigating the hallways, you’ll need to avoid the skeleton crew of guards on staff. You can attempt a Disguise check to blend in, or a Stealth check to avoid notice. Thanks to Joliryn’s advice, Stealth checks will get +2 circumstance bonus. Please roll the skill of your choice now. Unless you specify otherwise, I'll roll the same skill for you on any future checks.
As you approach the tower, you suddenly feel a weight in your pocket, and an icy chill of metal that penetrates through the intervening layers of clothing. Checking the pocket, you find a strange lantern, made of twisted, exotic black metal.
Joliyn casts a spell and fades from view. "Better not take any chances while entering the vaults."
322 will activate her cloak of shadows again.
She then will attempt to fade into the shadows.
Shoriraj takes a different route than 322 to approach the vaults. Better to not put all eggs in the same basked
Also she hides her sap, to reaveal it as a nasty surprise against any guard who will had the bad luck to cross with them.
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Navigating the hallways is easy for most of you, though Marnarius gets a skeptical look from one of the few passers-by. On the lower levels, the hallways are narrow, ten feet wide and equally tall. The vault you seek is at a dead end in the hallway.
Inspecting the door, Shohiraj detects a trap set to trigger if anyone else opens the door without a password. Fortunately, she's able to quickly disable it and swing the door open.
INITIATIVE
Rows of low shelves laden with scrolls, books, and the odd relic line this well-lit hall. At its far end stands a small fountain that emits a small amount of steam—enough to keep this dry room’s humidity constant. Six decorative columns, each one densely carved with animal imagery and fanciful whorls, stand along the walls, and a pair of lounging lizard statues rest on a dais at the north end of the room.
Everyone is caught off guard as the two lounging lizards burst into motion, along with two statues of stony lizards that detach from the walls near the door. Two statues at the far end of the room begin loping down the central corridor.
The reptiles climbing on the walls lash out with their tongues. One each strikes Marnarius and Shohiraj, pulling them forward with sticky surfaces.
Joliryn takes advantage of her invisibility to move up behind Shoriraj and deliver a blow from her kukri. "Of course the Society fools have some defenses."
322 moves up and targets purple with
murderous command.
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Marnarius breaks free of the lizard's tongue.
As Joliryn lashes out at the reptile, its skin hardens, becoming solid marble, seemingly unscathed.
322 recognizes these as Foo creatures, statue-like guardians from the Good planes. Bludgeoning weapons are most effective, but a limited number of times per day they can give their skin the hardness of stone.
The gaze of the advancing lizard does not relent.
Shoriraj tries to break free too.
Rataji intones a few words of mystic doggerel, unlocking one of the spells coiled within his memory. He appears to shout, but makes no audible sound.
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Shohiraj can't quite break through the the sticky grip of the chameleon.
The lizard who Rataji targeted rushes at Shohiraj, taking a ferocious bite out of her. It raises a frill in an attempt to intimidate her. Its counterpart moves forward, but can't navigate the narrow shelves.
The lizard Joliryn tried to attack releases Shohiraj and instead turns on its attacker, biting the halfling.
Its twin tries to bite Shohiraj, but fails.
The party may act Zurnzal can take two rounds of actions.
Purple: 5, Charged
Shohiraj: 31/45
Joliryn: 45/59
Blue: Stony Defense (1)
322 singles out the blue and tries to give him the gift of madness.
action, 322 can tap into the unthinkable void between
the stars to cause a single living creature within 30 feet to
become confused for 7 rounds (DC 17 Will negates). This is a
mind-affecting compulsion effect.
That's not my kind of fight says Shoriraj as she defends herself from the 3 reptiles.
We should retreat and fight them one by one
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The chameleon's eyes go cross-eyed in the wake of the horrific images 322 conveys into its mind.
Shohiraj and Marnarius fall back, Marnarius narrowly failing to connect with his target.
Rataji and Zurnzal are up. Zurnzal can take two rounds of actions.
Purple: 5, Charged
Shohiraj: 31/45, Full defense
Joliryn: 45/59
Blue: Stony Defense (1), Confused (0/7)
"Agreed." Joliryn cautiously backs away into the corridor. "Lead them back into the hallway so that we can deal with them one at a time."
Rataji falls back slightly and unleashes a hail of eldritch arrows that scream across the battlefield, wending their way past friends and allies to bury themselves in lizard flesh.
322 agrees with the plan and withdraws further into the hall way.
"Missiles!" Joliryn sends a cluster of magic darts at the lizard moving down the hallway.
=13