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"I am beginning to suspect that our escaped spirit is the very person from these visions. Perhaps her imprisonment was justified, though an eternity trapped here seems a harsh punishment," Bielsi comments.
"Let's take these out so they can be put in a safe place and we'll move on to the bazaar to investigate further. And perhaps buy some preventative medicine as Ashwell has pointed out."
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Kenza hurries over to the horns and picks the last one up, seeing the third vision.
"Morality is not our concern." Kenza remarks in response to Bielsi's musings on whether or not the punishment was justified.
She ensures the horns are placed carefully into her backpack so they cause no further harm to her companions.
When the others are ready to move on, she leaves with them, constantly alert for signs of danger.
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Although there are a few questions left unanswered, the ruins seemed to have revealed as much as it can to you. Satisfied with your discoveries, you thread back to Obahar who waits patiently and eagerly for your return at the entrance of the ruins.
"Well, what have you discovered?" He immediately asks when you are within reach, as he frantically jots and goes through his notes of the ruins and incidences that have taken place. He head nods rigorously as you relay every detail you can to him "Mhmm. Mmm."
"I have not heard of the Dungeon of the Ever-Dying, but there must be a means to discover this." He states, ever so eager to learn more of the situation at hand. "You should rest for the day, let me compile my notes on the leads for you. I suggest you visit the Thrice-Shrouded Necropolis in case the reference to the Lady of Graves is significant. Come back to me when you have enough clues and maybe we can figure out where this Dungeon is."
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After a day's rest, the group boldy heads off to the necropolis in search of more answers.
Priests of Pharasma, the Lady of Graves, oversee a large graveyard and several small shrines surrounding it. For reasons unknown to anyone, the necropolis possess some unique traits: the sun’s light shines weakly upon it, causing the graveyard to be dimly lit even on the brightest days, every sound made in this area is difficult to her, almost as if everything is muted.
Oddly enough, everybody feels calm and emotionless when wandering the necropolis.
When you arrive, you are immediately greeted by a mid-ranking priestess. "Good day, I am Renofre, have you come here to pray?"
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Kenza feels completely normal entering the necropolis, and although she notices the lack of sunlight, she doesn't notice the area's emotion dampening effects.
"Greetings, honoured Priestess. We come seeking guidance and knowledge on an ancient matter."
She bows respectfully, and motions for some of the more knowledgable members of the group to take over.
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Kenza pulls out her notes on the ruins and gives the woman an accounting of their experiences, excluding the visions, which Avasir has already recounted.
"What significance, if any, do you believe the Lady of Graves to have in relation to the tomb, visions and supposed spirit?"
She watches the priestess carefully, curious if she was an incompetent, or just poorly trained. This was a way from home, after all. It's doubtful priests outside of Osirion are held to the same impeccable training as those within Osirion...
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"Unfortunately, I don't believe there is any significance to it at all. We are not archaeologist nor do we study history. However, I am curious, I did not hear of "supposed spirits." We take the undead very seriously here, and do our best to ensure they are shepherd into the afterlife."
Kenza doesn't believe the priest hides anything.
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"Have you seen any graves or monuments that might have decorations that look like these?" Bielsi asks, showing the woman the horns (if they still have them) or sketching them in the dust (if they handed them over.)
If that is still a dead end, Bielsi will say "I believe our next stop should be the Temple of the Redeeming Sun. Perhaps this woman has had more contact with this spirit than we know and we can find some information in her ravings."
The fact that he's a worshiper of Sarenrae probably influences that decision...
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Bielsi's last attempt for information yields poor results. These Pharasman worshippers know nothing of the history that was. Frustrated, the group decides to head over the Sarenrite temple.
This temple is the largest in the city. It boasts a massive courtyard where the faithful congregate to pray under the open sun. The gold plating on the surrounding buildings focuses the rays of the sun inward on a tremendous altar at the center of the courtyard, it's been told that the heat at the apex is so intense that the priests require protective magic to survive giving their sermons.
One of the side buildings that provide shelter from the sun is the hospice wing. Inside you are able to find Mauta, the woman mentioned in the briefing as you are escorted to by a priest named Herhut. Mauta lies in a small room separate from the other patients, and her mad screams echo through the halls. The priest explains that Mauta started rambling in garbled Ancient Osiriani shortly after arriving at the temple. They are doing their best to care for her, but they are unable to ease her wild ramblings and hallucinations. She is strapped down to her bed, in her mad state, she yells incoherently, as if she's lost the ability to speak properly.
You discern the words “seek,” “she,” “spiral,” and “death."
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After spending some time admiring the outdoor chapel of this spectacular church of his goddess, Bielsi catches up to the group jogging on his stumpy legs.
The poor woman fills him with pity. Physical afflictions are bad enough. A mental curse seems even more torturous, though perhaps she is not aware of her suffering.
Inspired by their location, he voices reassuring prayers to Sarenrae to her, giving her some of the platitudes of the Dawn Flower behind Avasir's words.
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"Hmm. Everything points to this ancient Osiriani necromancer trying to place herself beyond the reach of the Lady of Graves. With her Dungeons of the Ever Dying, and the skeletons deformed by plague that caused inhumane levels of damage, her growing requests for subjects... Then there were the mosaics. The one with here hovering over the skulls I assume marks her power as a necromancer, the second one... I remember why that figure was familiar now. The one where she was kneeling before the fiend- that was Ahriman, Lord of all the Divs. So it could be that she made some kind of infernal compact to further her power. And then with her and the godlike being standing in front of a massive pyramid... her ultimate goal of immortality I presume, though who could say if she achieved it or not.
"I am not terribly familiar with the gods of Ancient Osirion and whether they know our gods by different names and faces, but it sounds more like a cultist of Urgathoa to me. One whose power must have been immense if this period came to be known as the Pharaohs of the Forgotten Plagues. But why are symbols and references to Pharasma tangled up in this mystery?
Lindwickett takes her hand in his tiny hands and speaks slowly and calmly, "Mauta. Listen to me. We need your help here. We can fix this, but you have to help us understand. Focus your thoughts and words so that we can understand."
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With perseverance from the group in attempting to calm her to her senses, she begins to speak slower. Perhaps she understands you, and wants to help, but her madness has not left her. She continues to repeat her words, but she speaks with a bit more clarity.
من به دنبال کسی هستم که مارپیچ مرگ را می پوشد! من احساس حضور او را دارم! خادمان خورشید سعی داشتند فرشته ها را مخفی کنند، اما آنها باقی مانده اند! آنها کجا هستند؟!"
“I seek she who wears the spiral of death! I sense her presence! The Servants of the Sun tried to hide the Dungeons, but they remain! Where are they?!"
After you have read the spoiler above, you may attempt for the spoiler below.
“spiral of death” is reminiscent of Pharasma, the Lady of Graves, whose holy symbol is a spiraling comet.
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Kenza listens to the woman's words and translates. "She says: I seek she who wears the spiral of death! I sense her presence! The Servants of the Sun tried to hide the Dungeons, but they remain! Where are they?!"
Turning to her fellow Pathfinders she adds, "The spiral of death is reminiscent of Pharasma. The Lady of Graves' holy symbol is a spiralling comet."
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"Excellent work, Kenza," Bielsi says as the half-orc both translates and interprets the afflicted woman's words.
He strokes his hairless chin thoughtfully and looks around at the very building they're in.
"I wonder if this church was built over these Dungeons? It would not be beyond my goddess and her worshipers to try to redeem such a place by providing a building of light."
"But I don't think we have enough information yet. Let us go see the alchemist next and see what sort of information he can provide."
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Satisfied that the hallucinating woman has helped you as much as she mentally is able to, the group proceeds to the last lead, a visit the wayward alchemist. It doesn't take much to find the man and his shop, or what used to be his shop. A cramped, single-room establishment full of empty shelves. A sign is posted across the windows. "Closed for business."
A voice yells from the inside. "I don't sell nothing no more!"
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He grins with a bit of excitement, "I was told... nay, promised great power if I provide my customers with a little bit of experimental alchemy. I am the chosen one! It is a shame that the people misunderstand my experiment and have been poisoned as a result. Simple minds don't truly understand the heights of this powerful alchemy!" He goes into a little bit of detail about his experiments, rambling on about how much of a genius he is.
The alchemist could not have performed such advanced experiments without detailed help.
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He sighs, but then whips out a little pocket journal, "The flying head of course! But all it left me was this book, If I can master it's experiments I should be able to master eternal life!"
The question regarding the chosen one has left him a little bit stunned. "Erm. I suppose just a chosen one, I'm not sure whose really. But It must be me because of my genius level intellect, surely you can see that."